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Does An Increase in Supply Lead to Higher Prices
Last week, I received an e-mail from the son of a friend of mine. The son is a student at a school in the Northeast. Here's the relevant part of the e-mail:
I took a globalization class this past semester and didn't agree with my teacher all the time. The semester's over, but there's a question over which we've been emailing back and forth. If you don't mind, I would like to hear your answer.
"Why is it profitable for Saudi Arabia that Canada extracts oil from its tar sands?"
I've been arguing that it's not. Here's why: Canada's production will raise global supply. Since supply is independent of demand, with demand unchanged and supply increased the world price should decrease. Therefore Saudi Arabian oil production would be less profitable.
My teacher, however, believes that because Canadian production is more expensive, the world price will increase. I don't think this is true, because Canada will only produce if their cost is below the world price. Just because they produce oil doesn't mean that anyone has to buy it.
Here was my answer:
You nailed it. Your teacher got it wrong. He/she is confused. I'll call your teacher "he" or "him" from now on. He starts by looking at the fact that Canadian production is more expensive than Saudi production. That's true. My guess is that he then forgets the context and is implicitly thinking that Canadian production was cheaper and now has become more expensive. If that were right, his bottom line would be correct because the now-more-expensive Canadian oil means that the supply curve of Canadian oil has shifted to the left and, therefore, the world supply curve has shifted to the left, raising the world price and benefitting the Saudis.
But that's not at all what happened. Instead, new technology INCREASED the supply of oil from Canada, increasing the world supply and driving down the world price, if only slightly.
I then asked my young friend whether the teacher was an economist and whether I could post about it. His answer:
Because this is a basic example of supply and demand, I'm sure glad I wasn't missing something. And yes, you may blog about it.
I just looked up my teacher's background. Her Ph.D. is in computer science. I think it may be a good idea if I research more about teachers before I take their classes. But it does raise the question, why is she an economics and not computer science professor?
By the way, I've used your encyclopedia quite frequently. Its articles are terrific. It's certainly one of my most-read books.
Comments and Sharing
Not sure if this was what the teacher was thinking, but it's really a combination of a shift in supply due to changes in extraction technology as well as a shift in demand (i.e., a shift along the supply curve) that absolutely benefits the Saudis. In that case, of course, it's not really the Canadian production that's benefiting the Saudis. But perhaps that's what the professor is intending.
The higher cost of Canadian oil is indeed going to make a given level of Saudi production more profitable, but the only reason why we're extracting costlier oil is that demand has been increasing, not for the hell of it!
I must have picked a bad day to read Econlog. Daniel Kuehn's argument makes no sense to me whatsoever. Given any level of demand the Saudis are better off if there is less Canadian oil for sale.
Dangerous to speculate in the absence of evidence but I would bet that her thinking is totemic: the oil sands are evil so must actually do more harm than good. Benefitting the Saudis is just the particular way this cosmic principle works in this case. Just one cyncial observers's guess.
Ken B -
No, that's right. If they can actually enjoy monopoly power that's obviously better. I'm not claiming competing with the Canadians is better than avoiding competition with the Canadians.
I'm saying that if the Saudis are relatively to the left on the supply curve and Canadians are relatively to the right, then a shift along the supply curve is going to be good news for the Saudis and coincident with increased Canadian extraction - which may be what the teacher had in mind.
Certainly if the Saudis could some how enjoy the increased demand with the Canadians out of the picture they'd like that even more!
I just think if the teacher is harping on high prices being better for the Saudis it seems like she has something about demand and a movement along the supply curve in mind. That doesn't mean it was clearly communicated in the question, of course.
Writing test questions from scratch is surprisingly tough. Things you think are the intuitive interpretation often aren't what other people get out of it. The macro prof I TAed for would write a lot of her own test questions, and she would have all five of the TAs working with her (it was a big lecture class) sit around a table and argue about each question before it made it on the exam. It was interesting to see other TAs come up with perfectly reasonable alternative interpretations that had never occurred to me (or apparently the professor) that someone in the class was bound to come up with as well.
Just to be clear, although I think this may be what the teacher had in mind, I agree completely with David that as written that's not what comes out of this question. It could have benefited from some review and clarification.
Since supply is independent of demand, with demand unchanged and supply increased the world price should decrease. Therefore Saudi Arabian oil production would be less profitable.
My teacher, however, believes that because Canadian production is more expensive, the world price will increase.
DK is suggesting that the student is mistaken about what the teacher believes. Instead, he's taking the fact that Canadians have begun to produce expensive oil as evidence that demand HAS changed, upwards. This increase in demand would be to the benefit of the Saudis, regardless of changes to Canadian production.
The question wasn't about whether Canadian oil production is proftable for "Saudi Arabian oil producers," but whether it is profitable for Saudi Arabia. I think it's uncontroversial that it is.
The people of Saudi Arabia profit because Canadian production reduces the cost of energy. With energy cheaper (and more available) more Saudis will be able to afford air conditioning, refrigerators, computers, and all the other trappings of modern life.
@Daniel Kuehn,
I think you're stretching here, although my young friend who e-mailed me may want to come on as a commenter and clarify. It seems to me fairly obvious that the discussion was likely about Canadian tar sands, not about an increase in demand. And if I had to bet, I would bet that Ken B's cynical guess is closer to the truth.
My teacher, however, believes that because Canadian production is more expensive, the world price will increase.
Labour theory of value anyone?
My reading is that she is saying that higer production prices for tar sands oli causes higher market prices which is in turn good for the Saudis. High cost Canadian oil raises prices.
My cynical guess is that she sees this is an example of the working of the *real* invisible hand, not the one Adam Smith fantasized about but the karmic one whereby western exploitation makes everything worse. Even cookies. (Outrageous speculation on my part.)
An increase in the demand for oil is never mentioned in the question. The issue is whether Saudi Arabia is better off with Canada producing oil or not, given a certain level of demand. In that case, the answer is clearly no. The professor, I believe, makes a "field of dreams" mistake by assuming that, if the Canadians produce oil, they will sell that oil. Since they are high-cost producers, their sales will increase the world oil price, benefiting the Saudis.
However, as David explained, this violates the law of supply and demand.
@Daniel Kuehn,
Repeating your argument doesn't make it stronger. Because you said it clearly the first time, I got what you said the first time and I'm guessing most other readers of your comment did too.
@Charley Hooper,
I don't think she's making the "field of dreams" mistake. If she were, it wouldn't be a mistake. Added oil, even added high-cost oil, brings the price down, not up. To put this in perspective, when I did a tour of the tar sands in 2003, our hosts told us, IIRC, that the break-even price above which production would be profitable was about $40 a barrel. So even if it costs $60 a barrel because they were too optimistic, the result of that added oil is a lower price, not a higher one.
I did not understand your argument the first time I read it, and I'm glad you posted some clarifying follow-up comments.
Perhaps a better way to phrase the teacher's question would have been, "Twenty years ago, someone looked into a crystal ball and was able to predict that Canada would be producing oil from tar sands in 2012. Would Saudi Arabia consider this good news or bad news?"
The answer is, in this case, "Good news," because it implies that the equilibrium price of oil is high, even though the increase in supply is itself bad for Saudi Arabia.
Of course it must be said that if this is the point the teacher was going for, the question as written completely fails to bring it out.
William -
re: "Of course it must be said that if this is the point the teacher was going for, the question as written completely fails to bring it out."
Yes, that must be said which is why I also said it and agreed with David saying it!
Given the options of someone being entrusted with teaching economics and not being able to understand supply and demand vs. someone being entrusted to teach economics and not being able to carefully word questions about movements along vs. movements of a supply curve, I like to think the latter is more likely, but I could be wrong.
I know you do, Daniel. You always assume the best about people, and don't get offended too much by rudeness or respond in kind. That's why I sort of like you, even though I almost always disagree with your comments.
But you are being overly charitable here; the available evidence strongly suggests that the teacher is just wrong and doesn't understand the basic economics of supply and demand, however a priori unlikely that might have seemed.
I'm pretty sure this is not what the teacher was thinking and I'm just trying to rationalize the other side as a kind of mental exercise but here goes:
The oil market contains information asymmetries. Particularly among oil producers, who have private information about future production schedules and remaining reserves. Many of the firms investing in Canadian tar sand extraction are vast mega-companies with tons of operations spanning the globe. The fact that a firm like BP has secondary market trading desks that can and do make high risk-adjusted profits indicates that BP has a strong information advantage over most market participants.
The investment in Canadian tar sands is only profitable if oil prices average over a certain threshold price. So the investment of a firm like BP in Canadian tar sands indicates a strong confidence by them that oil prices will remain above tar sand profitability thresholds.
This possibly reveals private information that those firms have high expectations for future prices. The oil market will incorporate this once private information into current market prices. It's quite possible that the revelation of the private information will have a greater effect than the new increase in supply.
As an analogy imagine there's a corporate executive whose given two options by the board. Either he can receive stock options worth a million shares with a strike at the current stock price, or he can receive three million shares with a strike at a 50% premium to the current stock price.
If he chooses the latter it will probably cause a rise in the value of the company's shares. Yes future supply will most likely be higher because he will sell three times as many shares if he exercises. But that is most likely overwhelmed by the market's reaction to an insider revealing optimism about the future stock price.
RH -
There's not always space or time to do it of course, but in these sorts of situations I'd highly recommend spelling it all out. If you just put what the prof takes to be the "wrong" answer they may grade you off. If you put what you think they want you to write and then put your alternative and explain why you think your alternative is better I think it's the very rare professor that won't appreciate that.
@Daniel Kuehn,
Thanks. The cartoon is funny. I actually used it at the start of a speech, to great effect.
Re your answer to RH, I know him pretty well, and I'm guessing that his major concern was not the grade. But again he can answer for himself.
If the teacher is like many of today's "Liberals", I can see why she would say what she said (and it would not matter that she had a degree in economics, go look at how Krugman writes).
Many of the "new" technologies that are used today to extract oil and gas are not "new" - but yes, they have been refined - and so they work very well today - at prices that the market can support - Someone, some company took the risk of spending money on developing new recovery methods, technologies and oi using such technologies came to the market when the technology got better along with increase in demand and when the prices were such that they supported these "new" methods ...
If Saudi Arabia can take out even more oil than they are at far lower prices, yes, they can make it expensive for the other technologies - and yet, what will happen is spur the development of yet other methods to make it less expensive
I love the non-guild like thinking of economists. So far no one, even though virtually all agree she got a basic microecon issue wrong, have made derogatory comments about a PhD in Comp Sci teaching econ.
Okay, this is a stretch (but being economics I can make just about anything stand up at a stretch):
Since the Saudis (via OPEC) effectively fix the price of oil they will reduce their own supply when Canadian oil comes on stream. The small reduction in revenue in the short term will allow them to benefit from expected future higher prices for oil.
Seeing as SA is the swing producer, more incremental production at high prices effectively increases SA's swing capacity wherever the Canadian producers set their production costs, $70-$80. That additional capacity at $70-$80 enables SA to reduce volatility and prevent demand destruction through higher prices.
It's not as easy as "more capacity equals lower prices." There are real markets out there.
"Canadian producers set their production costs" Seriously? Why not set them at $0 then?
"prevent demand destruction through higher prices" I take you mean the Saudis benefit from everyone knowing there is more oil out there, and being able to buy it, because then they won't switch to another source. Well maybe but that seems to make a lot of assumptions and it requires a lot more oil doesn't it, oil not under Saudi control, which in fact reduces the Saudi's ability to move prices. You are basically arguing cartel busting is good for cartel members aren't you?
@Ted Levy,I love the non-guild like thinking of economists. So far no one, even though virtually all agree she got a basic microecon issue wrong, have made derogatory comments about a PhD in Comp Sci teaching econ.
Great insight! You've put your finger on something that I have long been proud of about my profession.
Canadian oil sands productions prevents oil prices from hitting $150-200 as the demand outstrips Persian Gulf production and forces a high market clearing price.
While Saudi profits in short run, a decade, soar, its margins fall as its must invest much more to maximize total yield at high production - slower production is less costly. Restricting supply to optimal rates would drive prices even higher. Remember the cost curve are U shaped - lowest marginal costs are below maximum output.
The higher the market price, the greater the incentive to substitute with high tech.
$200 oil would be $8 gas in the US ($12 in Europe) driving demand for electric vehicles which would trigger new battery generations, or fuel cells, or something else, every year and rapidly falling costs.
As demand for oil drops price, the existing investment in electric production will simply continue with lower profits, with lower costs through bankruptcy to shed debt that bought equipment, so over time experience reduces production costs. Electric always has a market (wheel chairs, golf carts, fork lifts,...) so even if driven into niche markets, electric production capacity will be used to nibble away at the gas powered market.
Maybe the substitute is algae, but once the technology for an alternative is created, the price of oil is capped and Saudi reserves lose value as an asset.
Michael Pettengill basically makes the argument that Canadian production prevents demand destruction, like I argue above. This isn't a theoretical concern, a barrel of oil reached single digits in the mid 80s, if I remember correctly. The price is set by the marginal producer, and it's a good thing for the Saudi's that the marginal producer (Canada) has high production costs. That's probably what the teacher was trying to say. Rrepeating the accounting identities of economics and bashing them over somebody else's head is not insightful.
Billyjo, you are confused . You are now saying its good for the Saudis that Canadian oil is costly. Extrapolate then. What if Canadian oil were costlier still? What if it were a thousand times the price? What if the price was infinite?
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We also changed the space of the testing tubes so now more tubes can be tested at once. To do this we lengthened the plate as well as the heating lid entirely across the top of the machine. Removing the screen from this part of the Open PCR System also allowed for this change.
We also changed the space of the testing tubes so now more tubes can be tested at once. To do this we lengthened the plate as well as the heating lid entirely across the top of the machine. Removing the screen from this part of the Open PCR System also allowed for this change.
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[[Image:Open_pcr_copy.jpg]]
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[[Image:Open_pcr_2_copy.jpg]]
'''Instructions'''<br>
'''Instructions'''<br>
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The same type of instructions to setting up the original PCR machine apply to this one; however, running the cycles will be quite different. There will no longer be a USB drive or cord that connect to a laptop. Now the actual readings and programs will all be on the touch-screen. So now you will be able to set up the machine very similarly as before except everything will be on the screen. The idea for the new PCR machine is to be more mobile and accessible to users. Setting up the cycling will all be the same with the same options as well, so there will not be any huge differences other than it will be less worry about connection to the laptop, which in turn equally reduces worry about portability.
<!--- From Week 4 exercise --->
<!--- From Week 4 exercise --->
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|Positive Sample (50 mL)
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| Negative Control DNA Solution
| Negative Control DNA Solution
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|1 Smartphone
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<br>Step 1: Download the Open PCR Software onto Computer
<br>Step 1: Download the Open PCR Software onto Computer
<br>Step 2: Plug in and turn on the Open PCR machine, connect the USB cable to your computer
<br>Step 2: Plug in and turn on the Open PCR machine, connect the USB cable to your computer
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<br>Step 3: On the machine interface, select "DNA replication" and then choose desired number of cycles (at least 30 for good results).
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<br>Step 3: On the machine interface, select "DNA replication" and then choose desired number of cycles (at least 30 for quality results).
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<br>Step 4: Using the Pipette, transfer 32 samples of the patients DNA into each test tube. You should only use 1 Pipette tip for this part of the process. Also transfer the positive and negative control into separate test tubes.
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<br>Step 4: Using the Pipette, transfer 30 samples of the patients DNA into each test tube. You should only use 1 Pipette tip for this part of the process. Also transfer the positive and negative control into separate test tubes.
<br>Step 5: Next, transfer the forward and reverse primers into each of the 32 test tubes. 2 Pipette tips should be used in this part of the process: 1 for all of the forward primer transfers, and 1 for all of the reverse primer transfers.
<br>Step 5: Next, transfer the forward and reverse primers into each of the 32 test tubes. 2 Pipette tips should be used in this part of the process: 1 for all of the forward primer transfers, and 1 for all of the reverse primer transfers.
<br>Step 6: Using a new pipette tip, transfer the GoTaq Master mix into each of the 32 test tubes.
<br>Step 6: Using a new pipette tip, transfer the GoTaq Master mix into each of the 32 test tubes.
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'''DNA Measurement Protocol'''
'''DNA Measurement Protocol'''
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<br>Step 1: When replicating is finished, remove the 32 tubes from the PCR Machine.
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<br>Step 1: When replicating is finished, remove the 32 tubes from the PCR Machine, as well as the positive and negative controls.
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<br>Step 2: Label the pipettes to match up with the correlating test tubes.
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<br>Step 2: Transfer DNA samples to eppendorf tube containing 800 mL of buffer. Use a new tip on the pipette for each transfer of DNA to avoid contamination. Do the same for all the controls.
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<br>Step 3: Use one pipette for the SYBR Green and one pipette for waste.
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<br>Step 3: Using the rough side of the slides, place two drops over two holes on the slide of SYBR green. Carefully, using a new tip of a pipette, transfer two drops of a DNA sample on the SYBR green.
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<br>Step 4:
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<br>Step 4: Place the slide in the black box directly in the ray of the light.
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<br>Step 5: Take a photo of the slide using the smart phone.
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<br>Step 6: Using a new pipette tip that is marked for waste, remove the sample from the slide and dispose of it.
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<br>Step 7: Repeat steps 3-6 using a new pipette tip for each new sample or control.
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<br>Step 8: Analyze the results, knowing that the samples that glow green are the positive ones.
==Research and Development==
==Research and Development==
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<!--- A description of the diseases and their associated SNP's (include the database reference number and web link) --->
<!--- A description of the diseases and their associated SNP's (include the database reference number and web link) --->
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Prostate Cancer: androgen receptor
+
"Prostate Cancer is cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man's reproductive system. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body."[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001418/] Prostate Cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over age 75. It's very rare to find it in men younger than 40. In fact, the most common problem in almost all men as they grow older is an enlarged prostate. More information can be found regarding Prostate cancer is here.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001418/]
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An image of a normal prostate and cancer prostate[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001418/figure/A000380.B18038/?report=objectonly]
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The marker that is being use was rs137852593.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/SNP/snp_ref.cgi?rs=137852593]
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The Dna Sequence is CTCTGCCTCTTCTTCTCCAGGCTTCC[G/T]CAACTTACACGTGGACGACCAGATG[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/?term=rs137852593&SITE=NcbiHome&submit=Go] and found in chromosome 13.
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Retinoblastoma 1
+
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Retinoblastoma is a rare, cancerous tumor of a part of the eye called the retina. The disease is caused by a mutation in a gene controlling cell division, causing cells to grow out of control and become cancerous. The cancer generally affects children under the age of 6. It is most commonly diagnosed in children aged 1-2 years. The information regarding this disease is here.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002025/]
+
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An image of the eye is here. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002025/figure/A001030.B1094/?report=objectonly]
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The marker that is being use is rs121913297. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/SNP/snp_ref.cgi?rs=121913297]
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+
The DNA sequence is TCAAACGTGTTTTGATCAAAGAAGAG[G/T]AGTATGATTCTATTATAGTATTCTA
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[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp?term=121913297] and found in chromosome 13.
'''Primer Design'''
'''Primer Design'''
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<!--- Include the sequences of your forward and reverse primers. Explain why a disease allele will give a PCR product and the non-disease allele will not. --->
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'''''Retinoblastoma'''''
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Forward Primer: '''5'''' ATCAAAGAAGAG'''T'''AGTATGA '''3''''
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There is a mutation from a G to a T
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Reverse Primer: '''3'''' TAGTTTCTTCTC'''A'''TCATACT '''5''''
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'''''Prostate Cancer'''''
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Forward Primer: '''5'''' AGGCTTCC'''T'''CAACTTACACG '''3''''
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There is a mutation from a G to a T
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Reverse Primer: '''3'''' TCCGAAGG'''A'''GTTGAATGTGC '''5''''
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If the sample carries the mutation, then the sample would test positive. If it does not, then the sample would test negative because the primers would not be able to bind to the DNA because it does not contain the proper sequence.
OUR TEAM: Group 11
LAB 2 WRITE-UP
Thermal Cycler Engineering
System Design
Our re-design is based upon the Open PCR system originally designed by Josh Perfetto and Tito Jankowski. Our new design incorporates some new designs such as software, screen zize, number of testing tube lots, as well as size of heating lid. All of these alterations are made to make the Open PCR system more efficient in terms of its operating system and user-friendly features.
Key Features
Our most major change to the Open PCR System is the change we made to the read-out screen on the top of the device near the heating lid. This change actually affects a few major components of our system. Not only did we move the screen to the side of the machine, rather than the top, but we also optimized the size of it. This size-change allows users to see the read-outs clearer. We also eliminated the need for a computer (or any outside device, that is) as this new larger screen will also be able to control the machine. Now the user is able to input cycles, temperature, etc. right on the screen instead of needing to plug it into a separate system. This allows for better portability and easier use.
We also changed the space of the testing tubes so now more tubes can be tested at once. To do this we lengthened the plate as well as the heating lid entirely across the top of the machine. Removing the screen from this part of the Open PCR System also allowed for this change.
Instructions
The same type of instructions to setting up the original PCR machine apply to this one; however, running the cycles will be quite different. There will no longer be a USB drive or cord that connect to a laptop. Now the actual readings and programs will all be on the touch-screen. So now you will be able to set up the machine very similarly as before except everything will be on the screen. The idea for the new PCR machine is to be more mobile and accessible to users. Setting up the cycling will all be the same with the same options as well, so there will not be any huge differences other than it will be less worry about connection to the laptop, which in turn equally reduces worry about portability.
Protocols
Materials
Supplied in Kit
Open PCR Machine
(32) Plastic Test Tubes to Fit into PCR Machine
PCR Power Adapter
USB Cable
Flourimeter
(8) Glass Slides
SYBR Green (200 mL)
Measurement Buffer (800 mL)
Black Box
Positive Sample (50 mL)
Eppendorf Tubes (40)
Supplied by User
Low Retention Adjustable Pipette with Disposable Pipette Tips
DNA Solution
Positive Control DNA Soltution
Negative Control DNA Solution
1 Smartphone
Pair of Gloves
1 Lab Coat
Water Sample
What the DNA Solution Should Consist Of
1 Micro-Liter Forward Primer
1 Micro-Liter Reverse Primer
50 Micro-Liter GoTaq Master Mix
.2 Micro-Liter Patient's DNA (Or Controls)
47.8 Micro-Liter Distilled Water
PCR ProtocolStep 1: Download the Open PCR Software onto Computer
Step 2: Plug in and turn on the Open PCR machine, connect the USB cable to your computer
Step 3: On the machine interface, select "DNA replication" and then choose desired number of cycles (at least 30 for quality results).
Step 4: Using the Pipette, transfer 30 samples of the patients DNA into each test tube. You should only use 1 Pipette tip for this part of the process. Also transfer the positive and negative control into separate test tubes.
Step 5: Next, transfer the forward and reverse primers into each of the 32 test tubes. 2 Pipette tips should be used in this part of the process: 1 for all of the forward primer transfers, and 1 for all of the reverse primer transfers.
Step 6: Using a new pipette tip, transfer the GoTaq Master mix into each of the 32 test tubes.
Step 7: Dilute the 32 solutions by filling the remainder of the test tube with distilled water.
Step 8: Carefully Label Each test tube with a sharpie making sure that the positive and negative controls are clearly marked.
Step 9: Open the heated lid of the Open PCR machine and place the test tubes into the designated slots. Close the lid.
Step 10: Make sure everything is properly connected and then choose "begin replication" on the interface.
Step 11: Check to make sure that the computer is correctly receiving the information, if not: stop the cycle, check the USB cord, and try again.
DNA Measurement ProtocolStep 1: When replicating is finished, remove the 32 tubes from the PCR Machine, as well as the positive and negative controls.
Step 2: Transfer DNA samples to eppendorf tube containing 800 mL of buffer. Use a new tip on the pipette for each transfer of DNA to avoid contamination. Do the same for all the controls.
Step 3: Using the rough side of the slides, place two drops over two holes on the slide of SYBR green. Carefully, using a new tip of a pipette, transfer two drops of a DNA sample on the SYBR green.
Step 4: Place the slide in the black box directly in the ray of the light.
Step 5: Take a photo of the slide using the smart phone.
Step 6: Using a new pipette tip that is marked for waste, remove the sample from the slide and dispose of it.
Step 7: Repeat steps 3-6 using a new pipette tip for each new sample or control.
Step 8: Analyze the results, knowing that the samples that glow green are the positive ones.
Research and Development
Background on Disease Markers
Prostate Cancer: androgen receptor
"Prostate Cancer is cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man's reproductive system. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body."[1] Prostate Cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over age 75. It's very rare to find it in men younger than 40. In fact, the most common problem in almost all men as they grow older is an enlarged prostate. More information can be found regarding Prostate cancer is here.[2]
The Dna Sequence is CTCTGCCTCTTCTTCTCCAGGCTTCC[G/T]CAACTTACACGTGGACGACCAGATG[5] and found in chromosome 13.
Retinoblastoma 1
Retinoblastoma is a rare, cancerous tumor of a part of the eye called the retina. The disease is caused by a mutation in a gene controlling cell division, causing cells to grow out of control and become cancerous. The cancer generally affects children under the age of 6. It is most commonly diagnosed in children aged 1-2 years. The information regarding this disease is here.[6]
The DNA sequence is TCAAACGTGTTTTGATCAAAGAAGAG[G/T]AGTATGATTCTATTATAGTATTCTA
[9] and found in chromosome 13.
Primer Design
Retinoblastoma
Forward Primer: 5' ATCAAAGAAGAGTAGTATGA 3'
There is a mutation from a G to a T
Reverse Primer: 3' TAGTTTCTTCTCATCATACT 5'
Prostate Cancer
Forward Primer: 5' AGGCTTCCTCAACTTACACG 3'
There is a mutation from a G to a T
Reverse Primer: 3' TCCGAAGGAGTTGAATGTGC 5'
If the sample carries the mutation, then the sample would test positive. If it does not, then the sample would test negative because the primers would not be able to bind to the DNA because it does not contain the proper sequence. | 2023-10-18T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7031 |
Overview (4)
Born June 29, 1944 in Goose Creek, Texas, USA Birth Name William Gary Busey Nickname Barry Goosey Height 5' 11¾" (1.82 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Spouse (3)
Trade Mark (3)
Often plays weird or psychotic characters with bizarre background
Gravelly voice with Texas accent
His large teeth and large smile
Trivia (27)
(January 25, 1999) Arrested and released on bail after a fight with his wife, Tiani Warden
Had a plum-sized tumor removed from his sinus cavity. [May 1997]
He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care".
Nearly died of head injuries in a motorcycle accident in December 1988.
Has starred with Russell Wong in the unreleased 1997 pilot episode of Hawaii Fünf-Null (1968). This pilot episode was filmed in Hawaii, but was not released due to a decision from CBS-TV executives.
(October 4, 1999) Made a rare public appearance at the "Ray & Sharon Courts Hollywood Collectors & Celebrities Show" at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn in North Hollywood. He sold personally autographed pictures from his own collection and charged $15.00 to take a picture with him.
Attended Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas in the early 1960s.
(June 9, 1998) Filed for divorce from Tiani Warden ; later withdrawn.
Transferred to Oklahoma State University, where he quit school one class short of graduation.
Had a successful local band, The Rubber Band, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Moved to Hollywood to pursue his music career.
Has appeared on Tulsa television as the character Teddy Jack Eddy, along with the host Gailard Sartain , in "Mazeppa's Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting".
Both he and his actor-son Jake Busey are licensed pilots, having been trained at a flight school next-door to the Santa Monica airport.
He was in a band called Carp (showed David Letterman an old LP of the band on [error]).
Has black belts in all of the following martial arts: budo-jujitsu, capoeira, hapkido, "Jailhouse Rock" and kendo.
Has played Peter Keyes in Predator 2 (1990) and then, at one point, he was attached to do a cameo as John Yutani, the other half of the infamous Weyland-Yutani Company from the Alien films in Alien vs. Predator (2004), but the character was written out of the script.
In 2014, he won season 14 of Celebrity Big Brother (2001) in the United Kingdom. He is the first ever American to win the reality show.
Lampooned on Family Guy.
Was considered for the role of Jay Pritchett on Modern Family (2009).
Appears in The Tractors music video Shortenin' Bread as the crazy cook.
He has published an autobiography: "Busey-isms". The book was released on September 7, 2018 (which would have been Buddy Holly's 82nd birthday).
His stage credits include a college production of "Our Town", in which he portrayed a constable.
Personal Quotes (17)
Great things like this only happen for the first time once.
It's good for everyone to understand that they are to love their enemies, simply because your enemies show you things about yourself you need to change. So in actuality enemies are friends in reverse.
Never dip lower than you can dip.
You know what "FEAR" stands for? It stands for "False Evidence Appearing Real". It's the darkroom where Satan develops his negatives.
You know what "FAILING" stands for? It stands for "Finding An Important Lesson, Inviting Needed Growth".
You know what "SOBER" stands for? It stands for "Son Of a B****, Everything's Real"!
You know what "DOUBT" stands for? It stands for "Debate On Understanding Bewildersome Thoughts".
You know what "ROMANCE" stands for? It stands for "Relying On Magnificent And Necessary Compatible Energy".
[To a huge fan who asked him to sign Buddy Holly 's name to a color photo]: There IS no OTHER Buddy Holly... I like Buddy fine, but *I'm* Gary Busey.
Drinking your own blood is the paradigm of recycling.
Men are failed women at birth.
If you take shortcuts, you get cut short.
The more time you take to come clean, the less time it takes dirt to come for you.
(on Jeff Bridges ) He's an artist, an actor who wants to tell stories with pictures.
[A Post on Twitter] Running backwards naked through a cornfield at midnight will show you where you've been.
[on being cast in the title role for Die Buddy Holly Story (1978)] They finally realized I have the same-sized teeth.
[on his Harley Davidson accident] It knocked a big hole in my skull, which filled with bone from my jaw.
| 2023-08-04T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3359 |
Q:
How to bind Node style (or styleClass) to a property?
Consider the following example:
class MainView : View("Example") {
val someBooleanProperty: SimpleBooleanProperty = SimpleBooleanProperty(true)
override val root = borderpane {
paddingAll = 20.0
center = button("Change bg color") {
action {
// let's assume that new someBooleanProperty value is updated
// from some API after button clicked
// so changing style of the borderpane in action block
// of the button is not the solution
someBooleanProperty.value = !someBooleanProperty.value
}
}
}
}
class Styles : Stylesheet() {
companion object {
val red by cssclass()
val green by cssclass()
}
init {
red { backgroundColor += Color.RED }
green { backgroundColor += Color.GREEN }
}
}
How can I dynamically change the background color of borderpane depending on someBooleanProperty (e.g RED when true and GREEN when false)? Is there possibility to bind CSS class to a property? Is there any solution to do that without using CSS (meaning inside style block etc)
A:
If you want to toggle a class (add or remove a class based on a boolean property), you can use the Node.toggleClass(CssRule, ObservableValue<Boolean>) function.
val someBooleanProperty = SimpleBooleanProperty(true)
...
borderpane {
toggleClass(Styles.red, someBooleanProperty)
toggleClass(Styles.green, someBooleanProperty.not())
}
If, on the other hand, you want to bind to a changing class value, you can use the Node.bindClass(ObservableValue<CssRule>) function.
val someClassyProperty = SimpleObjectProperty(Styles.red)
...
borderpane {
bindClass(someClassyProperty)
}
You can then set the class to whatever you want.
| 2023-10-17T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7298 |
Article content
Many of Calgary’s LGBT seniors are being forced back into the closet, battling discrimination all over again in the form of nursing home bullies and insensitive healthcare staff.
And now, as more and more members of the LGBT community reach retirement, many are calling for more measures to protect an aging population.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or LGBT seniors face bullying and a return to the closet in Calgary nursing homes Back to video
“There is a gap here,” said the executive director of the Calgary Outlink Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, Kelly Ernst.
“In Calgary, there’s really no seniors’ supports for LGBT people. When they do get to that point, there are just no LGBT seniors homes in Calgary at all.”
Same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada just over a decade ago. That change heralded the beginning of a new era where being part of the LGBT community became increasingly acceptable, said Ernst.
But the LGBT seniors entering nursing homes today lived through a different time — a time when homosexuality was deemed a mental disorder or worse. Isolation and shame haunted the community in the past and many people succumbed to the HIV/AIDS epidemic during the years before medical advances helped save lives. | 2024-05-31T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1228 |
Nigeria's president suspends central bank governor: spokesman
LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi, an increasingly outspoken critic of the government's record on tackling rampant corruption, the presidential spokesman said on Thursday.
Deputy Governor Sarah Alade was appointed acting governor.
Sanusi, who was due to end his term in June, had been presenting evidence to parliament which he said showed the state oil company had failed to remit around $20 billion that it owed to federal government coffers.
The naira fell more than one percent to 165.80 to the dollar on the news.
"Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi's tenure has been characterized by various acts of financial recklessness ... inconsistent with the administration's vision of a Central Bank propelled by the core values of focused economic management," a statement from the spokesman said.
The governor's suspicion of massive fraud at the heart of one of the world's most opaque national oil companies has put pressure on Jonathan a year ahead of elections, when he is already reeling from a failure to quell an increasingly violent Islamist insurgency in the north.
It has also spooked debt investors worried about government squandering of oil revenues during election cycles. Sanusi says graft is slashing forex reserves needed to support the naira.
The biggest gap in accounting is for $8.5 billion the NNPC says it retained from revenues during the 19-month period to cover subsidies it was owed on importing gasoline and kerosene.
Sanusi also says that some of the $6 billion that the NNPC's producing arm, NPDC, earned during the period should have been submitted to government accounts. Instead, he says, it has been funneled into private hands through special deals given to oil companies | 2024-04-27T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8902 |
Adding a front-court piece in hopes of finally returning to the playoffs, the Washington Wizards on Friday acquired center Marcin Gortat from the Phoenix Suns in a multiplayer trade.
Phoenix will get injured center Emeka Okafor and a top-12-protected first-round draft pick in 2014.
The Suns are sending guards Kendall Marshall, Shannon Brown, and Malcolm Lee to Washington so the deal will work financially. The Wizards are expected to waive that trio.
The 6-foot-11-inch, 240-pound Gortat averaged 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds last season. He is entering his eighth NBA season, and has averaged 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds while playing for Orlando, Toronto, and Phoenix.
Marshall was the 13th overall choice in the 2012 draft.
Okafor has been sidelined indefinitely by a herniated disk in his neck.
With a young, dynamic pair of guards in John Wall and Bradley Beal, along with rookie small forward Otto Porter, the Wizards were in need of frontcourt court help as they try to reach the postseason for the first time since 2007-08.
Andrew Bogut gets extension
Golden State extended the contract of center Andrew Bogut.
A person with knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press it was for three years and $36 million and could be worth up to $42 million with incentives.
Bogut’s contract was set to expire after this season.
The Warriors acquired Bogut in a trade-deadline deal in March 2012 that sent guard Monta Ellis to Milwaukee. He did not play for Golden State that season while recovering from a fractured left ankle.
Bogut missed 50 of 82 games last season, mostly because of soreness in his surgically repaired ankle. He also battled back and knee injuries while averaging a career-low 5.8 points to go with 7.7 rebounds, but he was at his best in the playoffs, particularly on defense.
Mike Miller upset with leak
Former Miami Heat forward Mike Miller said he did not want details of a failed investment with someone accused of operating a multimillion-dollar real-estate fraud released publicly.
Miller said his attorney, Andrew Fine, was not authorized to tell the Miami Herald for an article posted online late Thursday night that he was considering a lawsuit against the Heat. Miller, who now plays for the Memphis Grizzlies, told the Associated Press Friday he’s not even sure how much money he lost.
A Heat employee allegedly introduced Miller to Haider Zafar, a Pakistani native and US legal resident who is awaiting trial on wire fraud and other charges. Fine testified at Zafar’s bond hearing in August that Miller and other Heat players, along with other Florida residents, invested $8 million with Zafar.
Reggie Jackson staying put
The Thunder exercised their fourth-year option on former Boston College guard Reggie Jackson. Oklahoma City also announced it had picked up its third-year options for guard Jeremy Lamb and forward Perry Jones. Jackson is entering his third season with the Thunder. He has career averages of 4.5 points, 1.7 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 115 games . . . Royce White was waived from the 76ers, according to media reports. White was a first-round pick of Houston last season, but never played a game for them. The Iowa State product suffers from anxiety disorder that hinders his ability to travel by air to games . . . According to the San Antonio Express-News, the Spurs signed free agent forward Josh Howard to a non-guaranteed deal . . . Officials called off a preseason game between the Bucks and Raptors in Milwaukee because of concerns about the condition of the floor. Officials stopped the game with 5:58 left in the first after players slipped on the court surface. It was the final preseason game for both teams. | 2023-10-17T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9341 |
Q:
Highlighting selected region in same buffer, displayed in multiple windows
Q: I am seeking a proposed modification of simple.el at lines 5251 to 5308 of the master branch relating to highlighting a selected region to achieve a better visual representation when the same buffer is displayed in more than one window (same frame or a different frame) -- with different window-start/window-end positions.
The first couple of screen-shots are with the default highlight-nonselected-windows set to nil. The last screen-shot is with highlight-nonselected-windows set to t. The test file for this example is the library simple.el.
I have only selected the four (4) lines of code in the second window in the first screen-shot, yet (12) lines of code are highlighted in the first window in the second-screen-shot. The third screen-shot displays both.
GOAL: The same four (4) lines of code should be highlighted in all three screen-shots.
A:
Not sure what the question is. Are you asking for code that gives you the behavior you want? Are you asking that Emacs Dev change simple.el so that it behaves as you want?
At any rate, this is the problem: Each window has its own window point, which is the position that point would have if that window were selected. This means that the region when that window is selected is not the same as it is when another window is selected.
What you are asking for, as behavior, is to highlight the same text in each window (if it is shown in a given window). But that would not be highlighting the region for that window. You can do that, but you would need to use a different overlay (or text property) - you should not expect the region highlighting to highlight something other than the region.
So instead of modifying the simple.el code that highlights the region in each window, consider writing your own code that highlights, in each window that shows it, the text that is selected as the region in the selected window. You know as well as anyone how to do that. The point is that you would need to do it (unless someone else volunteers code that does that).
So this answer does not give you what you want, but maybe it helps understand why what you really want should not be to try to modify simple.el: the region is buffer/window-specific.
See the Elisp manual, node Window Point. (But I imagine you already know this.)
| 2023-08-09T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1449 |
DABA
: [l]{.smallcaps}-2,4-diaminobutyric acid
GABA
: gamma aminobutyric acid
PLP
: pyridoxal 5′-phosphate
TF
: transcription factor
TFBS
: transcription factor binding site
Data Summary {#s1-1}
============
Inferred transcription factor binding sites and reconstructed MocR-subfamily regulons have been deposited in the RegPrecise database ([http://regprecise.lbl.gov/RegPrecise/collection_tffam.jsp?tffamily_id = 83](http://regprecise.lbl.gov/RegPrecise/collection_tffam.jsp?tffamily_id=83)).
Impact Statement {#s1-2}
================
Bacteria in most ecological niches are constantly exposed to variations in many factors including nutrient availability. Changes in gene expression using transcription factors allow bacteria to adapt to these variations. Regulators from the MocR subfamily of the GntR family are broadly distributed in *Bacteria*. As most of these regulators remain uncharacterized, we utilized a comparative genomics approach to predict target DNA binding sites and regulated genes for a large portion of MocR-like regulators in near three hundreds of bacterial genomes. The inferred DNA binding motifs were classified based on their sequence and structure for the first time here. The reconstructed regulon contents suggest numerous novel functional associations between both known and uncharacterized genes encoding enzymes and transporters involved in the metabolisms of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, gamma aminobutyric acid, ectoine and taurine, thus providing testable hypotheses for future experimental studies. This study demonstrates the power of comparative genomics for the reconstruction of transcription factor regulons in bacteria. The inferred collection of reconstructed regulons can be used in genetic experiments, metabolic modelling and evolutionary analysis.
Introduction {#s1-3}
============
Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that recognize specific *cis*-regulatory DNA sequences (transcription factor binding sites, TFBSs) to either stimulate or repress transcription of genes. The GntR family is a large and widespread group of bacterial TFs that regulate various biological processes including utilization of sugars and other carbon sources, and amino acid and fatty acid metabolism ([@mgen000047-Haydon1]; [@mgen000047-Rigali1]). TFs from the GntR family (GntR-TFs) contain a conserved N-terminal DNA-binding domain with the helix--turn--helix (HTH) motif, but differ in their C-terminal effector-binding and oligomerization domains. Depending on the structure of a C-terminal domain, GntR-TFs are classified into six subfamilies ([@mgen000047-Rigali1], 2004).
The MocR subfamily was named after the putative rhizopine utilization regulator MocR in *Sinorhizobium meliloti* ([@mgen000047-Rossbach1]). It was also called MocR/GabR, after the gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) utilization regulator GabR, the first experimentally characterized TF from this subfamily ([@mgen000047-Belitsky123]). Regulators from the MocR subfamily (MocR-TFs) have a large C-terminal domain of ∼300--350 aa homologous to the class I aminotransferases, fused to a GntR-family DNA-binding domain ([@mgen000047-Rigali1]; [@mgen000047-Bramucci1]; [@mgen000047-Milano1]). The class I aminotransferases catalyse transamination of amino acids to α-keto acids and use pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) as a cofactor. Similar requirement for PLP was shown *in vivo* and *in vitro* for several characterized MocR-TFs including GabR, TauR and various PdxRs (see below). Moreover, PdxR proteins are directly involved in the regulation of PLP metabolism.
PLP is a biologically active form of vitamin B6, which exists in the form of six interconvertible vitamers: pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal and their 5′-phosphorylated forms. Bacteria can synthesize PLP *de novo* using either the PdxS/PdxT or the PdxA/PdxJ pathway ([@mgen000047-El1]), or via the salvage pathway, where vitamin B6 vitamers are phosphorylated by kinases from the PdxK or ThiD families ([@mgen000047-Park1], [@mgen000047-Newman1]). Pyridoxine 5′-phosphate (and, less preferably, pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate) can be oxidized to PLP via PdxH ([@mgen000047-di1]). PLP is an essential cofactor for numerous enzymes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the majority of which are involved in amino acid metabolism ([@mgen000047-Percudani1]). In free-living prokaryotes, almost 1.5 % of genes generally encode PLP-dependent enzymes. The most common enzymes requiring PLP are aminotransferases, amino acid racemases, decarboxylases, glycogen phosphorylases, as well as enzymes catalysing β- or γ-elimination or replacement. Moreover, PLP is involved in stress responses, particularly to oxidative stress, quenching reactive oxygen species ([@mgen000047-Bilski1]). Thus, dysregulation of PLP metabolism can cause various defects, such as growth inhibition, lowered stress tolerance, reduced glucan production and biofilm formation ([@mgen000047-Liao1]).
The few MocR-TFs characterized so far include several activators of PLP biosynthesis or salvage genes in Corynebacterium glutamicum, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus clausii and two Streptococcus species (Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus pneumoniae) ([@mgen000047-Jochmann1]; [@mgen000047-El1]; [@mgen000047-Belitsky12]; [@mgen000047-Liao1]; [@mgen000047-Tramonti1]), GabR from *Bacillus subtilis*, an activator of GABA utilization ([@mgen000047-Belitsky123]; [@mgen000047-Belitsky1]), and TauR in various bacteria (e.g. *Sinorhizobiummeliloti*, *Rhodobacter capsulatus*), which upregulates taurine dissimilation ([@mgen000047-Wiethaus1]; [@mgen000047-Mostafavi1]).
The MocR-TFs are often encoded by genes that are divergently transcribed with their positively regulated target genes (forming so-called divergons), and also often act as auto-repressors. It was shown that apo-GabR binds to DNA and represses expression from its own promoters, but requires the presence of PLP and GABA to activate expression of the structural genes ([@mgen000047-Belitsky123], [@mgen000047-Belitsky1]). In contrast, the apo-PdxR regulators from *B. clausii*, *C. glutamicum*, *L. monocytogenes* and *Streptococcuspneumonia* bind their DNA motifs in the common intergenic region of *pdxST* and *pdxR* to activate the former operon and repress the latter gene, while PLP acts as an anti-activator of PdxR ([@mgen000047-Jochmann1]; [@mgen000047-El1]; [@mgen000047-Belitsky12]; [@mgen000047-Tramonti1]).
It was proposed that, similarly to class I aminotransferases, MocR-TFs form head-to-tail dimers ([@mgen000047-Rigali1]). Indeed, the obtained crystal structure of GabR confirmed the head-to-tail dimer arrangement ([@mgen000047-Edayathumangalam1]). GntR-TFs generally bind as dimers to inverted repeats/palindromic DNA operator sequences so that each monomer recognizes a half-site, but it was proposed that the head-to-tail configuration is not appropriate to binding inverted repeats, although it is well adapted to binding direct repeats sufficiently spaced to form DNA looping ([@mgen000047-Rigali1]). Therefore, it is likely that DNA operators of MocR-TFs would often include direct repeats. In agreement with this hypothesis, many experimentally characterized MocR-TFs bind either direct DNA repeats \[such as GabR in *B. subtilis* ([@mgen000047-Belitsky1]) and TauR in *Rhodobacter capsulatus* ([@mgen000047-Wiethaus1])\], or mixed direct and inverted repeats \[PdxR in *B. clausii* ([@mgen000047-Tramonti1]) and *C. glutamicum* ([@mgen000047-Jochmann1])\]. Notably, directs repeats in these motifs are separated by either two or three DNA helical turns, so that they are located on the same side of the DNA. Some MocR-TFs bind inverted repeats as well \[PdxR in *L. monocytogenes* ([@mgen000047-Belitsky12])\]. It was proposed that PLP binding might greatly change TF conformation (which is possible due to the flexible linker region between the domains of MocR-TFs) and consequently its specificity towards the DNA motif structure ([@mgen000047-Tramonti1]). Apo-PdxR is able to bind both direct and inverted repeats, favouring the former, while PdxR in complex with PLP has much lower affinity for direct repeats and favours binding to inverted repeats.
Genes encoding putative MocR-TFs are widespread in the genomes of various bacteria, being often present as multiple paralogues, although most of these regulators remain uncharacterized ([@mgen000047-Bramucci1]; [@mgen000047-Belitsky12]). *In silico* identification of DNA-binding sites and comparative genomics-based reconstruction of putative TF regulons (sets of co-regulated genes) is a powerful approach to initially map potential functions of multiple diverse representatives in large TF families. We previously used this bioinformatics approach for reconstruction of reference sets of regulons in various groups of bacterial genomes including the *Bacillales*, *Lactobacillales*, *Staphylococcus* and *Shewanella* species ([@mgen000047-Ravcheev1], 2013a; [@mgen000047-Rodionov12]; [@mgen000047-Leyn1]). In particular, we have recently analysed two large collections of TFs from the LacI family ([@mgen000047-Ravcheev1234]), and from the FadR, HutC and YtrA subfamilies of the GntR family ([@mgen000047-Suvorova1]).
In this study, we utilized the comparative genomics approach to identify putative DNA binding motifs and reconstruct transcriptional regulons for MocR-TFs in a non-redundant set of 390 genomes that represent species from 43 diverse lineages of *Bacteria*. As result, we report identification of putative regulons for 825 TFs classified into 86 orthologous groups. Metabolic reconstructions revealed that most of the reconstructed regulons are involved in the metabolism of PLP, GABA, ectoine and taurine, while other MocR-TFs control genes encoding various enzymes involved in reduction/oxidation processes, putative metabolite transporters and PLP-dependent enzymes. By combining the functional annotations with phylogenetic analysis, we describe functional diversity for the MocR-TF regulons.
Methods {#s1-4}
=======
Homologues of MocR-TFs were identified by [psi]{.smallcaps}-[blast]{.smallcaps} ([@mgen000047-Altschul]) (default E-value cut-off, e^− 20^), and orthologues were identified by reconstruction of phylogenetic trees for identified homologues, and by analysis of gene neighbourhoods (e.g. co-localization with the same genes of a certain metabolic pathway in related genomes) using MicrobesOnline ([@mgen000047-Dehal1]). In most cases, an orthologous group contained one TF per genome. However, in some cases, several closely related TFs from the same genome (resulting from recent duplications or close-range horizontal transfers) were assigned to the same orthologous group.
For each identified group of orthologous MocR-TFs, we performed comparative genomics-based identification of their putative TFBS motifs followed by regulon reconstruction. Candidate TFBSs were identified by phylogenetic footprinting and confirmed by the consistency check approach ([@mgen000047-Rodionov1]). These bioinformatics techniques were previously used for identification of TFBSs in poorly studied groups of bacteria such as *Bacteroides* and *Thermotoga* ([@mgen000047-Ravcheev123]; [@mgen000047-Rodionov123]). We analysed multiple alignments of the upstream regions of genes potentially regulated by orthologous MocR-TFs and identified groups of conserved positions with inverted or direct repeat symmetry. Initial candidate genes were those encoding TFs, as they are often auto-regulated, and nearby genes, as genes of the TFs and the genes they regulate are usually co-localized in the genome ([@mgen000047-Tan1]).
For each candidate TFBS motif, a specific nucleotide position weight matrix (PWM, or a profile) was constructed by SignalX (as previously described by [@mgen000047-Gelfand1]) and RegPredict ([@mgen000047-Novichkov1]) using training sets of upstream regions of genes presumably belonging to the corresponding regulon. The constructed profiles were used to search for additional regulon members in the analysed genomes possessing a MocR-TF orthologue. The PWM-based searches for TFBSs in upstream gene regions (usually from − 350 to +50 nt relative to the translation start) were performed using GenomeExplorer ([@mgen000047-Mironov1]) and RegPredict. The TFBS score thresholds for site searches were usually selected 10 % below the lowest site score in the training set. Weaker sites (with scores 10 % less than the threshold) were also taken into account if their positions were similar to positions of stronger sites upstream of orthologous genes and there were no stronger competing sites in the same intergenic region. New candidate members were attributed to the regulon if they were preceded by candidate binding sites in several genomes, the exact number of genomes depending on the number of genomes in a taxonomic group. The reconstructed regulons were extended to include all genes in putative operons. Genes were considered to belong to an operon if they were transcribed in the same direction, with intergenic distances not exceeding 200 nt, and when such organization persisted in several genomes. All reconstructed regulons including TFs, TFBSs and TF-regulated genes were captured and displayed in RegPrecise ([@mgen000047-Novichkov12]), a specialized database of bacterial regulons (Data Citation 1).
The selected bacterial genomes were downloaded from GenBank ([@mgen000047-Benson1]). Biological functions of predicted target genes were assigned using genomic context-based methods and the UniProt ([@mgen000047-Magrane1]), MicrobesOnline ([@mgen000047-Dehal1]) and Pfam ([@mgen000047-Finn1]) databases. Multiple amino acid and nucleotide sequence alignments were built by [muscle]{.smallcaps} ([@mgen000047-Edgar1]). Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed with the [phylip]{.smallcaps} package using the maximum-likelihood method for tree reconstruction and the [protdist]{.smallcaps} program for distance calculation ([@mgen000047-Felsenstein1]). Motif logos were drawn with WebLogo ([@mgen000047-Crooks1]).
Results and Discussion {#s1-5}
======================
Statistics of reconstructed regulons and regulogs {#s2-1}
-------------------------------------------------
For the comparative analysis of MocR-TF regulons, we selected a set of 390 representative genomes from 43 diverse taxonomic groups of *Bacteria* that excludes closely related strains and species and which is most suitable for the comparative genomics-based regulon reconstruction (Table S1a, available in the online Supplementary Material). Among the analysed lineages that possess at least one MocR-TF, there are 22 taxonomic groups of *Proteobacteria*, ten groups of *Firmicutes*, six groups of *Actinobacteria*, three lineages of *Bacteroidetes*, as well as the *Cyanobacteria* and *Deinococcus*/*Thermus* groups ([Table 1](#mgen000047-t01){ref-type="table"}). MocR-TFs are widely distributed among *Proteobacteria* (∼73 % of the studied TFs), as well as *Actinobacteria* (∼13 %) and *Firmicutes* (∼11 %). The percentage of analysed genomes that contain MocR-TFs and the mean number of MocR-TFs per genome varied in different taxonomic groups ([Table 1](#mgen000047-t01){ref-type="table"}), and general trends observed in this work correspond well to the previously described data ([@mgen000047-Bramucci1]). Thus, the genomes of betaproteobacteria encode the highest number of MocR-TFs.
###### Taxonomic distribution of studied MocR-subfamily TFs in *Bacteria*
Taxonomic group Lineages Genomes[\*](#t1n1){ref-type="table-fn"} Regulogs Regulons TFs[†](#t1n2){ref-type="table-fn"}
------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------- ----------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------------------------------
*Alphaproteobacteria* 5 37 (50) 42 101 105 (2.84)
*Betaproteobacteria* 5 36 (40) 82 242 268 (7.44)
*Gammaproteobacteria* 10 67 (90) 81 203 208 (3.10)
*Deltaproteobacteria* 2 14 (19) 7 19 19 (1.36)
Total for *Proteobacteria*: 22 154 (199) 212 565 600 (3.89)
*Firmicutes* (*Bacilli*) 6 35 (54) 22 60 64 (1.83)
*Firmicutes* (*Clostridia*) 4 21 (32) 9 27 29 (1.38)
*Actinobacteria* 6 35 (48) 31 87 106 (3.03)
*Bacteroidetes* (*Bacteroidaceae*, *Flavobacteria*, *Sphingobacteria*) 3 11 (38) 8 19 23 (2.09)
*Deinococcus*--*Thermus* 1 1 (5) 1 1 1 (1.0)
*Cyanobacteria* 1 2 (14) 1 2 2 (1.0)
Total 43 259 (390) 284 761 825 (3.19)
The number of genomes containing the studied MocR-TFs. The total number of analysed genomes in each taxonomic group is given in parentheses. The complete list of analysed genomes is provided in Table S1a.
Total number of studied TFs in each taxonomic group. The mean number of TFs per genome is given in parentheses.
The entire set of 974 identified MocR-TFs was broken into taxonomic collection-specific groups that were further analysed using the comparative genomics approach (see Methods). By analysing orthologous regulators in each taxonomic group, candidate motifs and binding sites were predicted for 825 MocR-TFs in 259 bacterial genomes (Table S1a). The main outcome of this analysis is an annotated regulog, which is defined as a set of regulons controlled by orthologous TFs in a group of closely related genomes. Overall, we inferred 761 MocR-TF regulons that constitute 284 regulogs unevenly distributed across 43 studied taxonomic groups ([Table 1](#mgen000047-t01){ref-type="table"}). The reconstructed regulons included ∼1300 candidate sites and over 1800 target genes and are captured in the RegPrecise database (Data Citation 1).
Based on the phylogenetic analysis, MocR-TFs from the reconstructed regulogs were merged into 86 orthologous groups. Each group of MocR-TF orthologues generally regulates orthologous genes and is characterized by similar DNA motifs. In total, 25 of the obtained orthologous groups contain a single regulog, 19 orthologous groups include two regulogs and the remaining 42 groups consisted of three or more (maximum 12) regulogs (Table S2). The total number of MocR-TFs per orthologous group varies between one and 65, with the mean being 9.6. The most populated orthologous groups of MocR-TFs are YdcR (65 TFs, 12 regulogs) and GabR in *Proteobacteria* (40 TFs, eight regulogs). Notably, the majority of PLP metabolism regulators constitute a large number of small orthologous groups (see below).
Structure of DNA-binding motifs of MocR-TFs {#s2-2}
-------------------------------------------
Direct and/or inverted repeats are prevalent among the predicted DNA-binding motifs of MocR-TFs, which is consistent with previous studies ([@mgen000047-Belitsky1], 2014; [@mgen000047-Wiethaus1]; [@mgen000047-Jochmann1]). However, the structure of these DNA motifs, i.e. consensus sequence, and number and orientation of boxes (subunits of the motif that presumably bind a TF monomer), is highly variable (see representative examples of DNA motifs in [Fig. 1](#mgen000047-f01){ref-type="fig"}). In total, 32 % of the studied regulons have motifs that consist of two direct boxes and one inverted repeat, which is the most frequent motif structure in the MocR subfamily ([Table 2](#mgen000047-t02){ref-type="table"}). Motifs with two or three direct repeats were identified in 27 % of the regulons. Motifs that comprise two inverted repeats are also quite frequently found among MocR-TFs (20 % of regulons), but such structure is not nearly as abundant as for other subfamilies of the GntR family ([@mgen000047-Rigali1]; [@mgen000047-Suvorova1]). Another common motif structure consists of three boxes with alternating direction (11 % of regulons). Other structures mostly comprising various four-box motifs are rare among the reconstructed regulons ([Table 2](#mgen000047-t02){ref-type="table"}). With a few exceptions, all MocR-TFs comprising a single orthologous group have similar binding motif structure.
{#mgen000047-f01}
###### Structure of DNA binding motifs of MocR-subfamily TFs
TFBS motif structure Regulogs Regulons
---------------------- ----------- ---------- ----------
2 boxes → → 70 186
← → 57 150
3 boxes → → ← 103 245
→ ← → 33 85
→ → → 4 18
→ ← ← 1 3
4 boxes ← ← → → 8 39
→ ← → → 4 19
→ → → ← 3 14
→ → ← → 1 2
The distance between the repeats equals one or several DNA-helix turns and is generally constant for a given orthologous group, although it may vary slightly even among the members of the same regulog, which was not observed for typical binding sites of other GntR subfamilies. This may be due to the head-to-tail dimerization of MocR-subfamily TFs, as this configuration allows more flexibility compared with the head-to-head configuration.
Consensus sequence and length of the MocR-TF binding motifs vary ([Fig. 1](#mgen000047-f01){ref-type="fig"}), although the majority of them include a highly conserved TGT or TGG group. Despite the differences in motif symmetry, same conserved groups are also typical for binding motifs from other subfamilies of the GntR family. This corresponds well to the data on DNA--protein interactions of the FadR repressor from *Escherichia coli* (PDB code 1H9T) and the AraR DNA-binding domain from *B. subtilis* (4EGY, 4EGZ, 4H0E), only two structures of the GntR-TFs solved in complex with DNA, as well as to the DNA--protein interactions predicted by correlation analysis for the FadR, HutC and YtrA subfamilies in general ([@mgen000047-Suvorova1]).
Functions of regulated genes and pathways {#s2-3}
-----------------------------------------
By assessing the functional content of the reconstructed regulons, we tentatively predicted their possible biological functions. MocR-subfamily regulons comprise various structural genes involved in diverse biological processes (Tables S1b and S3). Most frequently (31 of 86 orthologous groups comprising 249 of 825 studied TFs) MocR-TFs regulate genes involved in PLP metabolism, which corresponds well to the fact that these TFs are PLP-dependent ([@mgen000047-Rigali1]; [@mgen000047-Tramonti1]). There are also four orthologous groups of TFs that control GABA and/or putrescine utilization, two orthologous groups for regulation of taurine metabolism and one for ectoine utilization. These functional groups of regulons are described in more detail in the following sections.
Other studied MocR-TFs regulate putative enzymes from yet unknown metabolic pathways and/or putative transporters from various families. Most notably, these regulons include many PLP-dependent enzymes, such as various aminotransferases, glutamate decarboxylase, serine hydroxymethyltransferase, threonine dehydratase and threonine synthase (Tables S1b and S3) ([@mgen000047-Percudani1]). Moreover, MocR-TFs frequently regulate genes encoding proteins involved in reduction/oxidation processes, including a number of cytochromes, cytochrome oxidases, various dehydrogenases/oxidoreductases, as well as ECF σ-factor required for resistance against oxidative stress ([@mgen000047-Ryu1]). Interestingly, five regulogs in four orthologous groups include a putative enamine/imine deaminase from the RidA family (Tables S1b and S3). Many PLP-dependent enzymes generate enamine/imine intermediates that can inactivate other enzymes by covalent binding to their active site, whereas the RidA-family proteins quench these reactive intermediates to prevent metabolic damage ([@mgen000047-Lambrecht1], 2013; [@mgen000047-Flynn12]; [@mgen000047-Flynn1]). Thus, some of the identified MocR-family regulons may be involved in the response to metabolic damage caused by PLP-dependent enzymes.
Regulons involved in PLP metabolism {#s2-4}
-----------------------------------
Overall, we have identified 31 orthologous groups of MocR-TFs that presumably regulate genes involved in PLP metabolism (Tables S1b and S2). Notably, these groups are not clustered on the phylogenetic tree. Based on the phylogenetic and regulon content analysis we classified these regulators into three large groups, namely PdxR, PdxW and PdxQ, which are described in more detail below.
PdxR regulons comprise 124 TFs from 11 orthologous groups that are mostly present among diverse lineages of the *Proteobacteria*, *Firmicutes* and *Actinobacteria* (Table S2). These groups include the previously described PdxR regulators from *B. clausii* ([@mgen000047-Tramonti1]), *Streptococcus mutans* ([@mgen000047-Liao1]), *C. glutamicum* ([@mgen000047-Jochmann1]) and *L. monocytogenes* ([@mgen000047-Belitsky12]), and our predictions of the regulon composition and the binding motif structure for these regulators conform to known data. The main genes of the reconstructed PdxR regulons include those involved in PLP biosynthesis (*pdxST*) and/or salvage (*pdxK*) and transport (*pdxU*) ([Fig. 2](#mgen000047-f02){ref-type="fig"}). Moreover, the PdxR regulons often include additional genes encoding putative pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate oxidase (*pdxO*), PLP-dependent proteins including BioF- and ArgD-family aminotransferases and GlyA-family serine hydroxymethyltransferase, PLP-binding proteins from the COG325 ([@mgen000047-Ito1]; V. de Crecy-Lagard *et al.*, personal communication) and COG2258 families, a putative pyridoxine transporter from the BenE family, RimI- and RimL-family acetyltransferases, GuaA-family amidotransferase, DapA-family dihydrodipicolinate synthase, and several other metabolic and transport genes (Tables S1b and S3).
{#mgen000047-f02}
We have also characterized 14 novel orthologous groups of PdxW regulators (66 TFs) and six groups of PdxQ regulators (59 TFs), most of which are present among various lineages of *Proteobacteria* and less commonly found among *Actinobacteria*, *Firmicutes* and *Bacteroidetes* (Table S2). PdxW regulons generally include very few genes, mainly putative pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate oxidases (*pdxO*, *pdxO2*, *pdxO3*), and additionally RimI- and RimL-family acetyltransferases and OsmC-family peroxiredoxin, but do not contain transporters. In contrast, the PdxQ regulons include both PLP-metabolic genes (*pdxO*, *pdxO2*, *pdxH*) and genes encoding putative transporters from the drug/metabolite transporter (DMT) superfamily or LysE/YggA family. Additional members of PdxQ regulons include PLP-dependent aminotransferases, CsdA-family cysteine desulfurase, RimI-family acetyltransferase, DapA-family dihydrodipicolinate synthase, GloA-family lyase, COG384-family protein, and some other metabolic and transport genes (Tables S1b and S3). COG384 is a PhzF-related epimerase/isomerase, but the corresponding genes in PdxQ regulons are not co-localized with the other known phenazine biosynthesis genes ([@mgen000047-Mavrodi1]; [@mgen000047-Blankenfeldt1]). Notably, the phenazine biosynthesis pathway oxidase PhzG is homologous to pyridoxine oxidase PdxH ([@mgen000047-Parsons1]). Thus, the PdxQ-regulated COG384 might be involved in PLP metabolism.
Several enzymes and transporters identified in PLP metabolic regulons (e.g. proteins from the BenE, GlyA, DapA, PhzF, RimI, RimL, RhtB and RhaT families) were also frequently found in other MocR-TF regulons with unknown metabolic function (Tables S1b and S3).
Ectoine utilization regulons {#s2-5}
----------------------------
Imino acid ectoine can be used by bacteria, predominantly halophilic bacterial, as sole energy, carbon and nitrogen source or as a compatible solute that helps the cell adapt to the high environmental osmolality and other stress conditions ([@mgen000047-Grammann1]; [@mgen000047-Jebbar1]; [@mgen000047-Schwibbert1]). Such osmoprotectants can be either synthesized in the cell or exported from the medium. The putative ectoine utilization pathway was proposed for *Halomonas elongata* ([@mgen000047-Schwibbert1]) ([Fig. 3](#mgen000047-f03){ref-type="fig"}). Ectoine is presumably hydrolysed via hydrolase DoeA, followed by conversion to [l]{.smallcaps}-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DABA) by deacetylase DoeB. DABA is metabolized via transaminase DoeD to [l]{.smallcaps}-aspartate-β-semialdehyde, which is then oxidized to [l]{.smallcaps}-aspartate by dehydrogenase DoeC. Ectoine utilization genes in *H. elongata* are predicted to be regulated by the AsnC/Lrp-family regulator DoeX ([@mgen000047-Schwibbert1]). Ectoine-induced genes were also described in *Sinorhizobium meliloti* and include putative ectoine/hydroxyectoine ABC transport system genes *ehuABCD*, ectoine catabolic genes *eutABCDE*, and orthologues of *doeC*, *doeD*, *doeX* and a putative oxidoreductase (COG604) ([@mgen000047-Jebbar1]). The *eutD* and *eutE* genes of *Sinorhizobium meliloti* are orthologues of *doeA* and *doeB* in *H. elongata*, respectively. Orthologues of *eutB* and *eutC* are also present near the *doe* genes in *H. elongata*, although an orthologue of *eutA* is absent. The role of *eutB* and *eutC* in ectoine degradation is arguable ([@mgen000047-Schwibbert1]), but it is possible that they can participate in another ectoine utilization pathway, as yet unknown. Cyclodeaminase EutC might be involved in the cleavage of the ectoine ring structure. One of the further intermediates is presumably [l]{.smallcaps}-threonine, which can be converted to 2-oxobutyrate by threonine dehydratase EutB.
{#mgen000047-f03}
The predicted MocR-subfamily regulator for ectoine transport and utilization, EutR, was identified in many species of the orders *Rhizobiales* (including *Sinorhizobium meliloti*) and *Rhodobacterales*, as well as in some species of betaproteobacteria and gammaproteobacteria. The predicted EutR palindromic binding motif is conserved in all studied *Proteobacteria* ([Fig. 1](#mgen000047-f01){ref-type="fig"}). Most of the reconstructed EutR regulons include the *eutABCDE*, *doeC*, *doeD, doeX* and *ehuABCD* genes (Table S1b). COG604 is also regulated by EutR in several *Rhizobiales* species. The TeaABC TRAP transport system, which mediates the uptake of external ectoine and hydroxyectoine in response to osmotic shock ([@mgen000047-Grammann1]), belongs to EutR regulons in *Oceanicola batsensis* and *Silicibacter pomeroyi*, two *Rhodobacterales* species that lack the EhuABCD transporter. A gene encoding a homologue of universal stress protein UspA from *E. coli* is found downstream of *teaABC* in these genomes and is probably transcribed along with it, which is consistent with previous studies on *H. elongata* ([@mgen000047-Grammann1]). As ectoine is involved in stress response, *uspA* might indeed be a part of the EutR regulon. Only a few *Rhodobacterales* have *ehu* and *eut* genes in their EutR regulons, while most of these regulons include an uncharacterized gene encoding YjjS-related protein (COG5457), which is also frequently present in other MocR-TF regulons (Table S1b).
GABA utilization regulons {#s2-6}
-------------------------
GABA is an important nitrogen and carbon source for many bacteria that is produced intracellularly from putrescine or glutamate or imported into the cell ([@mgen000047-Belitsky123]; [@mgen000047-Prell1]; [@mgen000047-Dhakal1]). The GABA utilization pathway starts from transamination by various GABA- or ω-aminotransferases that involves keto acid acceptors (2-oxoglutarate, pyruvate) and yields succinic semialdehyde, and proceeds by oxidation of succinic semialdehyde to succinate via various NAD(P)-dependent dehydrogenases ([Fig. 4](#mgen000047-f04){ref-type="fig"}) ([@mgen000047-Prell1]; [@mgen000047-Kurihara1]; [@mgen000047-Schneider1]). In most bacteria, GABA is transported by permease GabP and utilized by GABA aminotransferase GabT and dehydrogenase GabD.
{#mgen000047-f04}
Polyamines (e.g. putrescine) play important roles in various processes such as protein synthesis, stress response, cell growth and development. Putrescine is produced from ornithine or from arginine via agmatine and can be used as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. Putrescine is converted to GABA using either the γ-glutamylated putrescine pathway that involves the PuuABCD enzymes, or the aminotransferase pathway that involves PLP-dependent aminotransferase PatA and NAD-dependent dehydrogenases PatD or PuuC ([Fig. 4](#mgen000047-f04){ref-type="fig"}) ([@mgen000047-Kurihara1]; [@mgen000047-Schneider1]; [@mgen000047-Cha1]).
We identified four orthologous groups of MocR-TFs that probably control GABA and/or putrescine utilization. The group of GabR regulators in *Firmicutes* includes orthologues of the previously characterized GabR in *B. subtilis* ([@mgen000047-Belitsky123]; [@mgen000047-Belitsky1]) identified only in several other *Bacillaceae* and *Staphylococcaceae* genomes. The reconstructed GabR regulons in *Firmicutes* include only the *gabT*, *gabD* and *gabP* genes and no novel regulon members. Using comparative genomics, we refine the structure of the GabR binding motif that was identified in previous studies ([@mgen000047-Belitsky1]). We propose a novel conserved structure of the GabR operator motif that contains an inverted repeat between two direct repeats ([Fig. 1](#mgen000047-f01){ref-type="fig"}).
In *Proteobacteria*, we identified two non-orthologous groups of GABA regulators, GabR and GabR2. Members of the GabR group are widely distributed in various lineages of betaproteobacteria and gammaproteobacteria (28 genomes from eight taxonomic groups), whereas GabR2 regulators were found only in six species from the *Comamonadaceae* and *Pseudomonadaceae* lineages (Table S2). The predicted GabR binding motif in *Proteobacteria* consists of two direct repeats and one inverted repeat, the distance between them varying slightly among lineages ([Fig. 1](#mgen000047-f01){ref-type="fig"}). The GabR2 binding motif in *Comamonadaceae* has three boxes with alternating direction ([Fig. 1](#mgen000047-f01){ref-type="fig"}), while in *Pseudomonadaceae* it is an imprecise 12 nt palindrome with consensus resembling the first box of the *Comamonadaceae* motif.
The content of reconstructed GabR/GabR2 regulons in *Proteobacteria* varies (Table S1b). Among betaproteobacteria, GabR regulates *gabT* and *gabD* (but not *gabP*) in most genomes, as well as several other novel regulon members (see below). There are several paralogues of GabR in all studied *Alcaligenaceae* and most *Burkholderia* species. According to genomic co-localization, one of these paralogues regulates *gabT* and *gabD*, whereas the other one controls genes encoding: (i) putative GABA ABC-transporter *gbtABCD* in *Burkholderia* species, and (ii) GABA aminotransferase *gabT2* and putative dipeptide ABC-transporter *dppABCD* in *Bordetella* species. The above ABC transporters also belong to the GabR regulon in *Ralstonia* species. The GabR regulon in *Bordetella avium* also includes *gabT3*, COG2334-family kinase (notably, these genes often merge into one multi-domain gene with *gabT* in many *Proteobacteria* that lack GabR), and acetylornithine deacetylase *argE* that deacetylates *N*-acetylornithine to [l]{.smallcaps}-ornithine, which is further converted to putrescine, a compound metabolically related to GABA ([Fig. 4](#mgen000047-f04){ref-type="fig"}). ArgE is also present in GabR regulons of two *Ralstonia* species. GabR regulons in some *Comamonadaceae* include a novel PLP-dependent GABA aminotransferase *gatP* (instead of homologous *gabT*) and genes encoding enzymes involved in putrescine metabolism (*puuA*, *puuD*), as well as an ABC transporter homologous to *gbtABCD*. The latter transporter is probably involved in putrescine transport and was thus named *puuLMNO* ([Fig. 4](#mgen000047-f04){ref-type="fig"}). The XRE-family regulator PuuR, which represses *puu* genes in *E. coli* ([@mgen000047-Kurihara1]; [@mgen000047-Schneider1]), is absent in *Comamonadaceae*, and thus their GabR regulons are presumably expanded to include the related putrescine metabolic pathway. Among gammaproteobacteria, GabR regulons include *gabT*, *gabD*, and *gabP* or *gbtBCD*. Finally, the reconstructed GabR2 regulons include: (i) *gabP* in *Pseudomonadaceae*; and (ii) *gabT*, *gabD*, *gbtABCD* and *speB* encoding agmatinase that produces putrescine from agmatine in *Comamonadaceae* ([Fig. 4](#mgen000047-f04){ref-type="fig"}) ([@mgen000047-Cha1]). Notably, in all studied GabR/GabR2 regulons in *Proteobacteria*, *gabP*, *gbtABCD* and *dppABCD* are never present simultaneously, thus being alternative transporters.
Another orthologous group of MocR-TFs potentially involved in GABA utilization, named OapR, was identified in several alphaproteobacteria and betaproteobacteria (13 genomes from five taxonomic groups). The reconstructed OapR regulons contain the predicted alternative enzymes from the GABA utilization pathway, ω-amino acid--pyruvate aminotransferase *oapT* and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase *oapD* ([Fig. 4](#mgen000047-f04){ref-type="fig"}). Predicted OapR binding motifs differ between the regulogs, although the sequence of a single box is similar in the whole group. In betaproteobacteria, the motif consists of two direct repeats and one inverted repeat ([Fig. 1](#mgen000047-f01){ref-type="fig"}), in *Rhizobiales*, it has three boxes with alternating direction, and in *Rhodospirillales*, it lacks the first box and consists of two inverted repeats.
Taurine utilization regulons {#s2-7}
----------------------------
Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonate) is a widespread natural product that can be used as an osmolyte and a source of energy, carbon, nitrogen or sulfur for growth by various bacteria ([@mgen000047-Denger1], 2006; [@mgen000047-Weinitschke1]; [@mgen000047-Felux1]). Taurine can be synthesized (e.g. from cysteine) or imported into the cell (e.g. by TauABC or TauMLK transporters). There are two alternative taurine utilization pathways active under different metabolic conditions ([Fig. 5](#mgen000047-f05){ref-type="fig"}). In the first pathway, widespread among bacteria, taurine is converted to sulfoacetaldehyde via either Tpa aminotransferase (coupled with conversion of alanine to pyruvate via dehydrogenase Ald) or TauXY dehydrogenase. Acetyltransferase Xsc converts sulfoacetaldehyde to acetyl phosphate and the sulfite ion. Sulfite is either exported by TauE transporter or is oxidized to sulfate and further exported via TauZ. Acetyl phosphate is further converted to acetyl-CoA, either by transacetylase Pta or by acetate kinase AckA and acetate-CoA ligase. This pathway is used for dissimilation of taurine as a carbon and nitrogen source, possibly serving also for sulfite detoxification and maintaining cell osmolarity ([@mgen000047-Denger1]). The second pathway is used for utilization of taurine as a source of sulfur for aerobic growth and includes desulfonation of taurine to aminoacetaldehyde by dioxygenase TauD ([@mgen000047-Denger1]; [@mgen000047-Felux1]).
{#mgen000047-f05}
Taurine utilization is described in many bacteria, for example *Paracoccusdenitrificans* ([@mgen000047-Felux1]), *Ralstonia eutropha* ([@mgen000047-Weinitschke1]), *Rhodobacter sphaeroides* ([@mgen000047-Denger12]) and *Rhodococcus* species ([@mgen000047-Denger1]). TauR from the MocR subfamily was predicted and further experimentally confirmed to be a transcriptional activator of taurine metabolism ([@mgen000047-Wiethaus1], [@mgen000047-Denger1], [@mgen000047-Mostafavi1]). We identified TauR orthologues in diverse alpha-, beta- and gammaproteobacteria (24 genomes from eight taxonomic groups) and in two *Rhodococcus* species from the phylum *Actinobacteria* (Table S2). TauR in *Rhodobacter capsulatus* is known to bind direct repeats with the consensus CTGGACYTAA ([@mgen000047-Wiethaus1]). All reconstructed TauR regulons have a conserved DNA motif with similar consensus sequence and structure ([Fig. 1](#mgen000047-f01){ref-type="fig"}). However, the content of TauR regulons is highly variable even between closely related genomes (Table S1b).
The reconstructed TauR regulons in alphaproteobacteria include the taurine transporters *tauABC* and *tauMLK*, the taurine utilization pathway genes *tauXY*, *tpa*, *xsc*, *pta* and *ackA*, as well as the sulfite/sulfate exporters *tauE* and *tauZ*. Notably, the enzymes Pta and AckA, catalysing alternative means of acetyl phosphate conversion, are never present in TauR regulons simultaneously. TauR regulons in some *Rhodobacterales* also include *bisC*, *dmsC* and *hybA*, which encode 4Fe--4S ferredoxin oxidoreductase subunits and may function as the potential electron acceptor for cytochrome *c* coupled TauXY. In some genomes of *Rhodobacterales* TauR also regulates genes encoding a Tpa-related aminotransferase (COG161), an oxidoreductase (COG665) and an alkylhydroperoxidase (COG2128). The content of TauR regulons in betaproteobacteria is mostly similar to that in alphaproteobacteria, excluding *tpa*, *tauZ* and *ackA*, and with a few additional members: (i) the permease GabP, RimI-family acetyltransferase and a putative aldehyde dehydrogenase (COG1012) in *Burkholderia*; (ii) taurine dioxygenase TauD in two *Ralstonia* species; and (iii) the permease GabP and the putative oligopeptide ABC transporter OppABCDF, as well as COG523- and COG1574-family proteins in *Comamonadaceae* (Tables S1b and S3). In gammaproteobacteria, the predicted TauR regulons comprise *tauABC*, *tpa* and genes encoding a putative amino acid ABC transporter. TauR regulons in *Actinobacteria* include *tauE*, *tpa*, *pta*, *ald*, *gabP*, the thiazole biosynthesis gene *thiG* and *pdxS*.
We have also identified another group of closest TauR homologues in two *Rhodobacterales* and one *Rhizobiales* species, named TauR2. The predicted TauR2 binding motif is similar to the TauR motif. The content of the reconstructed TauR2 regulons resembles that of TauR regulons in *Comamonadaceae*. TauR2 regulons include *tauE*, *oppABCDF*, genes encoding COG523- and COG1574-family proteins, as well as TRAP transporters of unknown specificity, a putative aldehyde dehydrogenase (COG1012) and hydrolase (COG596) (Tables S1b and S3).
Common features in MocR-TF regulated pathways {#s2-8}
---------------------------------------------
Notably, GABA, ectoine and taurine and their corresponding transport and utilization pathways share some similarities. DABA, a precursor of ectoine, is an analogue of GABA and is known to reduce its uptake, while both GABA and DABA inhibit taurine transport into the cell, since all these compounds are structurally related ([@mgen000047-Kontro1]). The GABA, ectoine and taurine metabolic pathways include a transamination step carried out by homologous aminotransferases, GabT/GatP/OapT, DoeD and Tpa, respectively. Reactions following PLP-dependent transamination in the GABA and ectoine utilization pathways also involve homologous enzymes, the GabD/OapD and DoeC dehydrogenases, respectively. It is also known that proteins involved in GABA transport (GabP) and metabolism (GabT and GabD) can also participate in uptake of homotaurine (3-aminopropanesulfonate, a homologue of taurine and a sulfonate analogue of GABA) and its conversion to 3-sulfopropanoate ([@mgen000047-Mayer1]). Thus, it may explain the occurrence of GabP and aldehyde dehydrogenases (COG1012) related to GabD in some TauR and TauR2 regulons. The presence of homologous oligopeptide ABC transporters in GabR (DppABCD), and TauR and TauR2 (OppABCDF) regulons also possibly reflects this connection between GABA and taurine metabolism.
Conclusions {#s1-6}
===========
We used the comparative genomics approach to identify candidate binding sites and reconstruct apparent regulons of TFs from the MocR subfamily of the GntR family, which is broadly distributed in *Bacteria* but not present in *Archaea*. We have identified putative DNA binding motifs for 825 MocR-TFs in 259 bacterial genomes and analysed their structure. The predicted motifs are generally similar within each orthologous group and consist of two to four repeated boxes in different orientation. Motifs with direct and/or inverted repeats are most common, suggesting preferable dimerization of MocR-TFs in head-to-tail or head-to-head configuration.
By analysing putative functional roles of regulated genes we revealed that over one-third of analysed MocR-TFs control genes involved in vitamin B6 biosynthesis and salvage and other aspects of PLP metabolism, as well as several PLP-dependent enzymes. Among other functionally characterized MocR-TFs are regulators of utilization of organic osmolytes such as ectoine and taurine, and utilization of the non-protein amino acid GABA. By reconstructing MocR-TFs regulons, we have identified several novel members of these metabolic systems. In particular, the reconstructed GABA utilization regulons in *Proteobacteria* contain novel GABA aminotransferases (GatP, OapT) and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (OapD) that are alternative to GabT and GabD, respectively, as well as novel transport systems (GbtABCD and DppABCD). Interestingly, presumed GabR regulons in betaproteobacteria are expanded to include components of adjacent metabolic pathways, putative putrescine transporter (PuuLMNO) and *N*-acetylornithine and putrescine utilization enzymes (PuuAD, ArgE, SpeB). EutR regulons additionally include universal stress protein (UspA), which is consistent with the fact that ectoine is involved in stress response. Additional members of TauR regulons include the putative ferredoxin oxidoreductase subunits (BisC, DmsC, HybA) that may function as a potential electron acceptor for taurine dehydrogenase TauXY, the GabP and OppABCDF transporters and a GabD-family dehydrogenase, which possibly reflects the connection between GABA and taurine metabolism.
Moreover, we predict novel functional connections between several types of enzymes and/or transporters, including those with unknown function, based on their co-occurrence in the MocR-TF regulons such as BenE-family transporter with GlyA-family serine hydroxymethyltransferase, PhzF-like epimerase/isomerase with transporters of the DMT superfamily, and RimI- and RimL-family acetyltransferases with PLP metabolic enzymes.
The comparative genomics analysis revealed DNA motifs and regulon contents for a large number of MocR-TFs in bacteria. The majority of inferred regulons, including their target DNA motifs and regulated genes, constitute novel regulatory interactions that await future experimental testing.
This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (14-04-00870, 14-04-91154) and by the Russian Academy of Sciences via the program 'Molecular and Cellular Biology'. I. A. S. was also supported by the Russian Science Foundation (14-24-00155).
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Supplementary Data
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[^1]: We confirm all supporting data, code and protocols have been provided within the article or through supplementary data files.
| 2024-01-03T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/6382 |
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Extract variable from HTML source
I'm trying to figure out a way to extract information from an HTML source using a Visual Basic based application I made in Visual Studio 2010. What I'd like to do is have the system load a webpage (based on an order number) in the background and search for a value that is assigned to an HTML tag and return that value. For example, in the href string below:
href="#" class="lnk11blue" onClick="parent.gotoPage('/oe/cllctrshp_.html?dlvyId=26130700&hdrId=7205902&lineId=21188936&ordLnTyp=FEL SVC LINE','dWnd')">26130700
I want the tool to return the 26130700, either after the "dlvyId=" or at the end of the href. The issue I have is the dlvyId changes with every order, as probably does the hdrId and lineId values, so is there a way to have my program read the value after "dlvyId=" after it locates this string? Or is there a way for the program to read the text after the greater than carat after locating the string?
I'll mess around and see what I can find out (and hopefully post code of some attempts), but any ideas/help in the meantime would be greatly appreciated.
Edit: Thanks to Steve, I've got the function to search a string. However, now I'm having trouble loading the page source. I tried this code below but it doesn't seems to work:
Dim objHttp as object
Dim strURL As String
Dim strText As String
objHttp = CreateObject("MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP")
strURL = "http://companywebprd.tc.company.com/oe/cllctrord_.html?order_nbr=" &
RMA_Number.Text & "&customer_id=&po_nbr=&ord_date=&ord_cond=0&ord_kind=0&serial_nbr=&item_id=
&i_ord_type=&instance=&svcChk=1&custSiteUseId=0&custSiteUseCd=0"
objHttp.Open("GET", strURL, False)
objHttp.Send("")
strText = objHttp.responsetext
Advice? I'll keep searching around as well
A:
This should get you started down the right path...
Sub test()
Const mystring = "href='#' class='lnk11blue' onClick='parent.gotoPage('/oe/cllctrshp_.html?dlvyId=26130700&hdrId=7205902&lineId=21188936&ordLnTyp=FEL SVC LINE','dWnd')'>26130700'"
If InStr(1, mystring, "dlvyId=") <> 0 Then
For i = InStr(1, mystring, "dlvyId=") To Len(mystring)
If Mid(mystring, i, 1) = "&" Then
Exit For
End If
Next i
MsgBox Mid(mystring, InStr(1, mystring, "dlvyId="), (i - InStr(1, mystring, "dlvyId=")))
End If
End Sub
| 2023-08-07T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2290 |
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Senator Sherrod Brown won't face OH voters but will be on Face the Nation
The spineless Senator from OH, Senator Sherrod "Single Payer" Brown, will be on CBS's Face the Nation this morning speaking about the Senate Health care bill. If you wish to retain your breakfast, we highly suggest you keep from eating it before watching what is sure to be a barf-inducing interview with this spineless Senator.FromThe Daily Briefing --
Sen. Sherrod Brown fought for a government run health plan he counted as a critical part of health care reform, but the Ohio Democrat is scheduled to go on CBS' Face the Nation Sunday morning talk show to praise a final product that doesn't include a public option.
Brown said in a statement this afternoon that he views the bill, even without a public option, as one that will help millions of Americans gain health insurance and protect people who have insurance now from losing coverage.
But Brown maintains that, "This bill is an important step toward strengthening Ohio’s middle class families. When it comes to health insurance, this bill would help those with insurance, those without, and those who fear they won’t have coverage tomorrow. It would immediately reduce insurance premiums for small businesses and over time would reduce the $1000 hidden tax that every family with insurance now pays to make up for uncompensated care provided to those without insurance."
Senator Brown has continually stated that he will only support a single-payer system -- the Senate version has no provisions for a single payer system. That Brown is going to go on TV and tout a bill that does not include the one thing he said he stands for most shows he does not have the conviction or spine to stand for what he believes.
But Brown claiming he is doing what is best for Ohio's middle class families is witness of his pompous, arrogant and condescending attitude towards voters in OH. This also shows that not only that Brown does not listen to the passioned pleas of OH voters, but he is unwilling to stand up against his party and do what most of the voters in OH have asked him to do -- that is vote NO on the Senate version of the Health Care Bill.
I find it amusing that Senator Sherrod Brown would claim he is doing what is best for middle class families in OH when just this past Tuesday the Senator & his D.C. office staff refused to meet with a Tea Party Patriot contingent from OH -- even though they had an appointment. In fact it appeared his caring attitude must have been on lunch break this past Tuesday when he was approached in the hallway by a middle-class voter from Ohio.
Joining over 10,000 -15,000 other people in D.C. speaking out against the proposed country killing health care reforms, a voter from OH approached Senator Brown and urged him to vote against the Senate Health Care Bill. As he was being joined by his wife, Connie Shitz of the Plain Dealer, Senator Brown told this OH voter, "I've already made up my mind," then turned his back to her and walked away. Imagine that, Brown is willing to Face the Nation from behind a teleprompter and a camera but he is unwilling to speak with a voter from his state.
Anybody want to bet over 10,000 people staging Government Waiting Rooms and her Senator husband turning his back on a constituent won't make the dithering progressive prose in one of Connie's columns? | 2023-10-27T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1649 |
NMR studies of solid pentachlorophenol-4-methylpyridine complexes exhibiting strong OHN hydrogen bonds: geometric H/D isotope effects and hydrogen bond coupling cause isotopic polymorphism.
We have studied the hydrogen bond interactions of (15)N labeled 4-methylpyridine (4-MP) with pentachlorophenol (PCP) in the solid state and in polar solution using various NMR techniques. Previous spectroscopic, X-ray, and neutron crystallographic studies showed that the triclinic 1:1 complex (4-MPPCP) exhibits the strongest known intermolecular OHN hydrogen bond in the solid state. By contrast, deuteration of the hydrogen bond gives rise to the formation of a monoclinic structure exhibiting a weaker hydrogen bond. By performing NMR experiments at different deuterium fractions and taking advantage of dipolar (1)H-(15)N recoupling under combined fast MAS and (1)H decoupling, we provide an explanation of the origin of the isotopic polymorphism of 4-MPPCP and improve previous chemical shift correlations for OHN hydrogen bonds. Because of anharmonic ground state vibrations, an ODN hydrogen bond in the triclinic form exhibits a shorter oxygen-hydron and a longer oxygen-nitrogen distance as compared to surrounding OHN hydrogen bonds, which also implies a reduction of the local dipole moment. The dipole-dipole interaction between adjacent coupled OHN hydrogen bonds which determines the structure of triclinic 4-MPPCP is then reduced by deuteration, and other interactions become dominant, leading to the monoclinic form. Finally, the observation of stronger OHN hydrogen bonds by (1)H NMR in polar solution as compared to the solid state is discussed. | 2023-09-13T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8258 |
Q:
Youtube api inside a function not working
Messing around and trying make a YouTube video load on specific page, only load on desktop and pass in an video ID. So I have to put it into function. But for reason beyond my understanding my attempts fail, been trying for 3 days :) My script works when you remove the function inyectYT(ytid) and videoId: ytid and replace it with the commented code below it.
Sure its something simple like always, please take a look, thanks.
console.clear();
function inyectYT(ytid) {
var script = document.createElement("script");
script.src = "https://www.youtube.com/iframe_api";
var done = false;
script.onload = script.onreadystatechange = function() {
if (
!done &&
(!this.readyState ||
this.readyState === "loaded" ||
this.readyState === "complete")
) {
done = true;
script.onload = script.onreadystatechange = ytPlayerInit(ytid);
}
};
document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(script);
}
function ytPlayerInit(ytid) {
console.log(ytid);
var playerOptions = {
// Autoplay + mute has to be activated (value = 1) if you want to autoplay it everywhere
// Chrome/Safari/Mobile
autoplay: 1,
mute: 1,
autohide: 1,
modestbranding: 1,
rel: 0,
showinfo: 0,
controls: 0,
disablekb: 1,
enablejsapi: 1,
iv_load_policy: 3,
loop: 1
};
// 3. This function creates an <iframe> (and YouTube player)
// after the API code downloads.
var ytPlayer;
function onYouTubeIframeAPIReady(ytid) {
ytPlayer = new YT.Player("player", {
width: "1280",
height: "720",
videoId: ytid,
//videoId: "M7lc1UVf-VE",
playerVars: playerOptions,
events: {
onReady: onPlayerReady
// 'onStateChange': onPlayerStateChange
}
});
}
function onPlayerReady(event) {
event.target.playVideo();
}
}
//dom ready
document.onreadystatechange = function() {
if (
document.readyState == "interactive" &&
document.querySelector(".container").classList.contains("home")
) {
inyectYT("M7lc1UVf-VE");
}
};
iframe {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
pointer-events: none;
}
<div class="container home">
<div id="player"></div>
</div>
A:
There are two issues with this line:
function onYouTubeIframeAPIReady(ytid) {
First, declaring a function inside of another function only makes it accessible within that outer function. The code you're loading from YouTube won't be able to find it. You could make it global by attaching it to the window object.
Second, when this function is called, it won't receive a ytid argument. What you want to do is use the ytid that ytPlayerInit received. You can simply remove the parameter from onYouTubeIframeAPIReady (because JS functions are closures).
That gives us this line:
window.onYouTubeIframeAPIReady = function () {
I also want to point out that
script.onload = script.onreadystatechange = ytPlayerInit(ytid);
is equivalent to
ytPlayerInit(ytid);
script.onload = script.onreadystatechange = undefined;
(ytPlayerInit doesn't return a value.) The code looks like you meant something like
script.onload = script.onreadystatechange = function () {
ytPlayerInit(ytid);
}
However, that's not what you want to do at that point in the code and what you have happens to work. (At least when I tested it. I don't know whether there is a case where you do need to set those handlers there).
| 2023-11-09T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8361 |
Q:
Unchangable button width and height
I want to resize a button programatically, but modifying the parameters gives no effect.
btnCancel = [UIButton buttonWithType:102];
[btnCancel setFrame:CGRectMake(22.0f, 7.0f, 40.0f, 40.0f)];
[btnCancel setTitle:@"Anuluj" forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[btnCancel setTintColor:[UIColor redColor]];
[btnCancel addTarget:self action:@selector(cancelTyping) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
Any idea why? i can give whatever amount i like to the parameters, but result is the same - width is bounded to text length.
A:
I took your code and tested it in iOS 6.0. This is the final version of what you need to do
Add QuartzCore Library and add this to your header file
#import <QuartzCore/QuartzCore.h>
Now here's your button code with a pic. Play around with width and hight and they will change
UIButton *btnCancel =[UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
[btnCancel setFrame:CGRectMake(22.0f, 7.0f, 80.0f, 80.0f)];
[btnCancel setTitle:@"Anuluj" forState:UIControlStateNormal];
btnCancel.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
btnCancel.layer.borderColor = [UIColor redColor].CGColor;
btnCancel.layer.borderWidth = 0.5f;
btnCancel.layer.cornerRadius = 10.0f;
[btnCancel addTarget:self action:@selector(cancelTyping) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
| 2023-10-03T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5974 |
Q:
Missing $ inserted error when using \pi
I wanted to write down an equation however it seems that whenever I use \pi I keep on getting Missing $ inserted error
Here is my code:
$u_k = 2\cos(2^kr\pi)$
\subsection{Create an equation for $u\textsubscript{k+1}$ using $u_k$}
$u_k = 2 \times \Re(e\textsuperscript{2ir$\pi$ })$
\\
$u\textsubscript{k+1}
= 2 \times \Re(e\textsuperscript{2\textsuperscript{k+1}ir\pi })
= 2 \times \Re(e\textsuperscript{2\superscript{k}ir\pi }\textsuperscript{2})
\Leftrightarrow
\\
2 \times( \cos^2(2^kr\pi ) - \sin^2(2^kr\pi ) )= 4\cos^2(2^kr\pi ) - 2$
Here of a few of my many errors:
! Missing $ inserted.
<inserted text>
$
l.125 ...superscript{2\textsuperscript{k+1}ir\pi }
)
?
! Extra }, or forgotten $.
\mbox #1->\leavevmode \hbox {#1}
l.125 ...superscript{2\textsuperscript{k+1}ir\pi }
)
?
Just in case it matters I'm using the amsmath package.
Thanks
A:
I supposed it is something like this you're trying to obtain:
\documentclass{article}%
\usepackage{nccmath, mathtools}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\begin{document}
$u_k = 2\cos(2^kr\pi)$
\subsection{Create an equation for \boldmath $u_{k+1}$ using $u_k$}
\begin{fleqn}
\begin{alignat*}{2}
u_k = {}& 2 \times \Re(e^{2ir\pi}) & & \\
u_{k+1}={} & 2 \times \Re(e^{2^{k+1}ir\pi }) = 2 \times \Re(e^{2^{k}ir\pi^{2}}) & & \\[-1ex]
\ArrowBetweenLines*[\Updownarrow]
& 2 \times( \cos^2(2^kr\pi ) - \sin^2(2^kr\pi ) )= 4\cos^2(2^kr\pi ) - 2
\end{alignat*}
\end{fleqn}
\end{document}
| 2023-09-27T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7527 |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a coordinate measuring machine and more particularly to a high accuracy, lightweight, and inexpensive coordinate measuring machine having a plurality of length-adjustable legs for tracing an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
To trace a measuring point in a cartesian coordinate system, for example, on a workpiece, 3-D coordinate measuring machines which typically consist of a stand, a tracing system, preferably a separate supply and control unit, and an evaluation computer, are used. The function of the stand is to move the tracing system relative to the workpiece in a measurable manner. According to the prior art, this function is performed by means of three linear axes each of which are perpendicular to one another. In the case of coordinate measuring machines with a movable measuring table, two of the three linear axes supplement one another in terms of measurement and design. In the case of coordinate measuring machines with a stationary measuring table, the three linear axes supplement one another in terms of measurement and design. Alternatively, as described in German Offenlegungsschrift 44 03 901 A1, the workpiece can be traced by means of an appliance which is derived from an articulated arm robot.
The conventional means of moving the 3-D coordinate measuring machine of the three linear axes type are complicated. This is because, to displace the tracing head in a coordinate direction, each axis contains a drive, a scale system, and a guide. The function of the guide is to prevent deviations in straightness and rotation during the displacement of the tracer. An additional function of the guide is to make the deviations reproducible and therefore capable of being corrected in a machine-related manner, specifically with very high accuracy and under all permissible temperature and load conditions. For example, in a coordinate measuring machine of the gantry type having a measuring length of one meter in all three axes, the rotational guide accuracy of each axis must be well below 0.5 seconds, so that a measuring accuracy in the range of 2 .mu.m can be achieved. Because of these requirements, most of the production costs for an axis of the coordinate measuring machine are incurred in the guide and not in the drive or the scale system.
With the measuring means available in the conventional coordinate measuring machines, it is possible to record rotational errors to an accuracy of about 0.3 seconds. On the other hand, position errors can be measured to an accuracy of about 0.5 .mu.m. In a coordinate measuring machine with a large measuring volume, therefore, the geometrical accuracy which can be achieved is often limited by the accuracy in recording the rotational deviations.
In conventional coordinate measuring machines having a stationary measuring table, all three axes, i.e., the X-, Y- and Z-axes, supplement one another during the displacement of the tracing head. In other words, all the elements of the third axis (Z-axis) must be moved along with the second axis (Y-axis) and all the elements of the second axis (Y-axis) and of the third axis (Z-axis) must be moved along with the first axis (X-axis). In measuring machines with a movable measuring table, only two axes, namely the Y- and Z-axes, supplement one another, but the workpiece has to be moved additionally in the X-axis by means of the table carrying the workpiece. In both instances, large masses have to be moved to displace the tracing head in the cartesian coordinate directions. This makes the coordinate measuring machines of conventional design expensive and slow.
However, the three linear axes of the conventional coordinate measuring machine make it possible to achieve a displacement of the tracing head parallel to itself by means of a relatively simple control. If the tracing head is to be rotated, however, such as during optical tracing or also in the case of specific mechanical measuring tasks, it is necessary to have a turn-and-pivot device which contributes to additional inaccuracies, costs and control outlay, even when only a small pivoting range is required. Further, each linear axis of the conventional coordinate measuring machine necessitates a careful parallel adjustment of the guide, drive and scale as well as auxiliary structures, for example, structure for protection of the guide surfaces against soiling, low-friction hose, and cable guides.
The articulated arm measuring machines according to German Offenlegungsschrift 44 03 901 A1 have no linear axes and therefore avoid some of the above-mentioned costs and control outlay associated with the conventional coordinate measuring system. However, in this type too, all the axes supplement one another, thus leading to relatively large masses to be moved, particularly when a complicated tracing head is employed. Warping of the arms caused by thermal influences or by alternating loads has an effect on the measuring accuracy. The resolution of available rotary encoders is not sufficient for an accuracy in the .mu.m range. Consequently, in terms of their performance, coordinate measuring machines of the articulated arm type are still far removed from the coordinate measuring machines of the conventional type previously described.
Coordinate measuring machines have to be checked regularly in order to prove that the specified accuracy is being adhered to. Calibrated test bodies, for example, gage blocks or ball plates, can be used for this purpose. It is also possible, however, to check the position of the tracing head by means of an independent measuring system.
To have the correctness of the coordinates of the traced measuring point confirmed, it is known from DD 141 061 to displace the tracing head according to the coordinates in a known way, but to provide, in addition to the tracing head, for checking purposes, rods which can be tilted about fixed points and the free ends of which are rotatably connected to the tracing head on all sides, and to design the rods in such a way that their length can be adjusted in a measurable manner. When the tracing head is displaced mechanically according to predetermined cartesian coordinates, it is possible, by measuring the lengths of the extendable rods of the checking system, to test whether there are measurement and/or displacement errors. Based on the changes in length of the rods, the position of the traced measuring point is calculated a second time and the set value and the measured value are compared with one another. In this design, it can only be presumed which of the two values is the correct value or an average value can be formed from the two values. This design is highly complicated, since it necessitates two measuring systems, the first to be used as the coordinate measuring machine and the second to be used as a checking system. In DE-C1 35 04 464, for example, a corresponding checking method is carried out to determine the positioning accuracy of a toolholder for a tool which is moved by a robot. This checking appliance is designed as a transportable appliance.
The technical problem on which the invention is based is to specify a coordinate measuring machine, which can be produced simply and inexpensively in terms of its basic design, in which the desired measuring accuracy and measuring speed are guaranteed, and with which measuring points which are difficult to reach can be traced easily. | 2023-11-02T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3249 |
/**
* Returns a map of the annotations for each of this enum's values, keyed by the enum
* value. See structAnnotations for the annotations attached to this enum's declaration.
*/
public static final Map<{{name}}, Map<String, String>> valueAnnotations;
static {
{{#has_value_annotations}}
Map<{{name}}, Map<String, String>> tmpMap = new EnumMap<{{name}}, Map<String, String>>({{name}}.class);
{{#value_annotations}}
{
Map<String, String> tmpFieldMap = new HashMap<String, String>();
{{#value.annotations}}
tmpFieldMap.put("{{key}}", "{{{value}}}");
{{/value.annotations}}
tmpMap.put({{value.name}}, Collections.unmodifiableMap(tmpFieldMap));
}
{{/value_annotations}}
valueAnnotations = Collections.unmodifiableMap(tmpMap);
{{/has_value_annotations}}
{{^has_value_annotations}}
valueAnnotations = Collections.emptyMap();
{{/has_value_annotations}}
}
| 2024-02-19T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3220 |
Tips
White fish fillets are very similar in terms of taste and nutrition, so choose what you like – but remember that fresh is always best, so be flexible and pick what is in season.
Makes 6 servings
Cooking time: n/a
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 425◦ F (220◦ C)
Baking sheet, sprayed with vegetable spray
1 lb skinless white fish fillets (cod, halibut or sole) 500 g
2 egg whites 2
1 tbsp vegetable oil 15 mL
½ cup corn flakes cereal crumbs 125 mL
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 50 mL
6 crusty whole wheat buns (each 1½ oz/45 g) or pitas
6 tbsp Light Tartar Sauce (recipe follows) 90 mL
Light Tartar Sauce
Makes 1 Cup (250 mL) (1 tbsp/15 mL per serving)
This recipe can be stored in a well-sealed container (or a jar with a tight-fitting lid) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
½ cup (125 mL), plain yogurt
1/3 cup (75 mL), lower-fat mayonnaise
3 tbsp (45 mL), chopped dill pickle
1 tsp (5 mL), freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp (2 mL), Dijon mustard
Dash, hot pepper sauce
Dash, Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Cut fish fillets into 6 equal pieces.
In a shallow dish, using a fork, beat egg whites and oil.
In a separate shallow dish, combine corn flakes crumbs and Parmesan. Dip fish pieces first into egg mixture, then into crumbs. Press crumbs on to make sure they stick. Discard any excess egg and crumb mixtures.
Place fish on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until coating is golden brown and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Don’t overcook.
In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, pickles, lemon juice, mustard, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until completely chilled and flavors are blended. Serve with fish or on fish burgers.
Notes
Canada’s Choice per Serving: 1 Extra
Recipe reprinted with permission from Canada’s Best Cookbook for Kids with Diabetes, Colleen Bartley, Robert Rose Inc., 2005, http://www.robertrose.ca | 2024-04-30T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4834 |
Drone Technology Helps Stop Weed Invasion
Artificial intelligence, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and high-resolution cameras have been successfully used to automatically detect and map an aggressive weed, in an effort to stop it spreading through Queensland’s coastal dunes.
The trial project was a collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Aspect UAV Imaging and QUT researchers and was focused on the invasive bitou bush – an introduced species that is growing out of control in New South Wales.
A camera-equipped drone was used to collect images of vegetation in northern NSW where bitou plants were known to exist.
The data set was then processed using a classification algorithm to automatically recognise and distinguish bitou bush from other vegetation and unrelated background objects.
The specially designed software provided geographic reference points for the plants, so they could be located in the field and removed.
Bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) is a Weed of National Significance. Most of Queensland’s 6,100 kilometre coastline is currently free of bitou bush; however, control of the weed is vital to protect the State’s unique coastal flora.
Biosecurity Queensland Invasive Plants and Animals Officer, Stacy Harris, said the technology had the potential to provide a more cost effective and reliable system for detecting bitou bush and other introduced plant species in coastal areas.
“Invasive weeds have a negative impact on the environment, as they outcompete and, in some cases, even eliminate, native flora and destroy wildlife habitats,” Ms Harris said.
“Until now, surveys for bitou bush have been undertaken using specialised personnel on foot and in manned aircraft, which can be extremely challenging and costly. There are also areas that cannot be easily surveyed, due to the difficult terrain and density of vegetation.
“Drone and machine learning technology such as this is a big step forward, as it allows for a more accurate process of detecting the weed, and a more efficient eradication program, so we can help stop its spread.”
Bitou bush is a Weed of National Significance. Credit: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries A classification algorithm was used to automatically recognise and distinguish bitou bush from other vegetation and unrelated background objects. Credit: QUT and Aspect UAV Imaging
“This research in particular demonstrates the potential capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles, when they are paired with artificial intelligence and software tools, to efficiently monitor exotic weeds with an increasingly affordable and flexible approach,” Professor Gonzalez said.
“The automated analysis of the images gives a faster and more reliable method of detection as well as tangible and immediate benefits, including, in this case, a precise and exact report of the weed via a GPS database, full coverage of the studied area in challenging terrain, and reduced times while gathering reports of the weed’s distribution,” he said. | 2024-03-15T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7647 |
Psychosocial factors predicting survival after allogeneic stem cell transplant.
A primary aim was to assess the relative contribution of psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression and mental adjustment to cancer, to overall survival outcomes at a median follow-up of 2 years following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). A secondary aim was to ascertain if demographic, medical and psychosocial factors assessed prior to transplantation were predictors of survival for patients after accounting for post-transplant events. Between 2005 and 2011, 130 allograft patients completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale and Brief Symptom Inventory-18 as part of routine psychological assessment before undergoing transplantation. Survival status data were obtained, and predictors of survival status assessed and analysed using Cox-regression models. Thirteen percent experienced clinical levels of distress pre-transplant. None of the psychological factors predicted post-HSCT survival. In contrast, hierarchical multivariate analysis indicated that post-transplant factors (acute graft-versus-host disease and relapse post-transplant) predicted survival (Chi-square change, p < 0.001). The addition of a series of pre-transplant psychosocial and medical variables further improved the prediction of survival (Chi-square change, p = 0.01). In particular, relationship status (being single) (p = 0.04) and increased somatic symptoms (p = 0.02) pre-transplant were associated with shorter survival. Both variables were not associated with medical factors but were related to increased severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as greater use of helpless-hopelessness and reduced fighting spirit adjustment response. Despite the significant influence of acute post-transplant factors in predicting survival following allogeneic HSCT, multidisciplinary pre-transplant assessments are important in identifying patients who are likely to experience poorer survival outcomes. | 2023-12-11T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4981 |
//
// Copyright 2016 Pixar
//
// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "Apache License")
// with the following modification; you may not use this file except in
// compliance with the Apache License and the following modification to it:
// Section 6. Trademarks. is deleted and replaced with:
//
// 6. Trademarks. This License does not grant permission to use the trade
// names, trademarks, service marks, or product names of the Licensor
// and its affiliates, except as required to comply with Section 4(c) of
// the License and to reproduce the content of the NOTICE file.
//
// You may obtain a copy of the Apache License at
//
// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
//
// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
// distributed under the Apache License with the above modification is
// distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
// KIND, either express or implied. See the Apache License for the specific
// language governing permissions and limitations under the Apache License.
//
#include "pxr/pxr.h"
#include "pxr/usd/pcp/debugCodes.h"
#include "pxr/base/arch/functionLite.h"
#include "pxr/base/tf/debug.h"
#include "pxr/base/tf/registryManager.h"
#include "pxr/base/tf/stringUtils.h"
PXR_NAMESPACE_OPEN_SCOPE
TF_REGISTRY_FUNCTION(TfDebug)
{
TF_DEBUG_ENVIRONMENT_SYMBOL(PCP_CHANGES, "Pcp change processing");
TF_DEBUG_ENVIRONMENT_SYMBOL(PCP_DEPENDENCIES, "Pcp dependencies");
TF_DEBUG_ENVIRONMENT_SYMBOL(
PCP_PRIM_INDEX,
"Print debug output to terminal during prim indexing");
TF_DEBUG_ENVIRONMENT_SYMBOL(
PCP_PRIM_INDEX_GRAPHS,
"Write graphviz 'dot' files during prim indexing "
"(requires PCP_PRIM_INDEX)");
TF_DEBUG_ENVIRONMENT_SYMBOL(PCP_NAMESPACE_EDIT, "Pcp namespace edits");
}
PXR_NAMESPACE_CLOSE_SCOPE
| 2024-04-09T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5285 |
March 31, 2007GIRDWOOD, ALASKA - (USST News Bureau Release) - World Cup super G champion Bode Miller (Bretton Woods, NH) tied the U.S. record for most men's national championships Saturday, winning the super G - his ninth title - on Day Two of the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships at Alyeska Resort.
Miller, the 2005 World Cup overall champion and '05 SG world champion, won two World Cup super Gs this winter; he was timed in 1:07.35 for the victory, his second U.S. super G crown. Steven Nyman (Provo, UT) was silver medalist in 1:07.56 with T.J. Lanning (Park City, UT) in third place (1:08.08).
Versus will broadcast coverage from the championships Saturday, April 7 at 6 p.m. ET. The victory ties Miller with Tiger Shaw and Dick Durrance for the most men's U.S. gold medals; former Olympic champion Andrea Mead Lawrence holds the overall U.S. mark with 10 national championships.
Big jump, possible big problems Miller was stymied Friday in the opening downhill at Alyeska because his equipment was late arriving in Alaska. He skied fifth in the super G and immediately radioed back to the start to advise teammates about tricky conditions in a couple of spots; the men raced in shade because the sun had not risen above the ridgeline when the race began at 10:30 a.m., so it was tough to pickup some surface conditions.
Miller and Nyman said the Waterfall jump in mid-run created problems for most racers because it was tough to handle and then led into a rhythmical section - but it was hard to catch the rhythm starting the section after the jump.
"There are basically two big turns leading into the rhythmical section but the speed was higher than what we thought," Miller said. Pre-race inspection told racers it would be a tough patch, so that wasn't a surprise, he said, "but it was hard to anticipate how that section was gonna run."
He added, "I was fine through the rhythmical section and carried good speed through the bottom. I make a lot of mistakes but sometimes pay less (lose less speed) than the other guys. It was a matter of who made the smallest mistakes."
Nyman said, "It's a tough course, pretty turny and then the Waterfall jump, which really sucked you down the hill and you had to move fast to get back on your skis. And in the flat light, it was tougher. It was eating up some skiers. 'Mac' (Scott Macartney, Redmond, WA - who was sixth) went down on his hip and others had big problems, too.
Nighttime run? "There were holes and ditches that were kicking you. Skiing in the shadow was a little like we were running this at nine o'clock at night," Nyman laughed.
For the second straight day, Will Brandenburg (Spokane, WA) had the top junior result. He finished fifth overall with a time of 1:08.32. | 2023-11-18T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7129 |
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Our 43 dollar chicken coop :)
Having a flock of laying hens is a staple to a good homestead, so March we decided to invest in chickens. Michael began salvaging wood where he could. At the time he worked at a huge strip mall from which the stores were always tossing things out. One was a shelving unit he took apart, saving the lumber and heavy duty screws! We had to wait until April to get the chicks, so we started watching documentaries on the chicken industry, um.., no mam. No longer a good feeling when you saw the largest carton of eggs for the cheapest price, just ugh.. You begin to wonder how many chickens did that chicken have to eat, with NO beak, before that egg came out?? Yet to do the organic thing on cage free eggs (when you still don’t know) you gotta really fork out the dough!
We have had too cut down on eggs, milk, meat because of the organic price. I can tell you there is not a lot of wasting around here anymore 🙂 So to stay in our budget, not to mention peace of mind on what we were eating, we buy and consume less of these products, filling the void on the dinner plate with larger serving of vegetables or a good salad. I’m a true sucker for a good salad, there have been lunch and supper served with a salad topped with a few chicken strips I cooked up really quick with olive oil.
So in turn I guess the food industry going down the drain and me realizing is actually saving my family’s health. It has made us all aware not all food is the same!! If we can’t afford the best, the healthiest or grow it ourselves, we simply go without. I’m not talking starvation, this is still America folks. But there are no more Cheetos, if you don’t want an apple, then you really weren’t that hungry. POOF! Sorry I’m back.. On to the chickens!!
With the materials Michael acquired, a small pallet we found and my neighbor giving us the corrugated roof. All we had to buy was the wiring and hinges. And the chickens of course!! It took us 2-3 days to build it, we could have finished it in one (it’s a small coop, we wanted to be able to move it by ourselves around the yard) but we were in no rush. The chicks were still under the lamp. And well Michael likes to stop and stare, I mean analyze his progress every other step. We had a few Google images to go off of to build. We’d spend an hour in the unfinished frame deciding what would go best where. The sun was shining, the air felt good.. I knew this was right, and it was just the chicken’s coop!
Now finished (for under $50), the birds love it. One of our initial chicks died and we got 3 more about 12 weeks ago. We suspect we have a male and we suspect we’ll be eating him around Christmas. That will leave us 4 hens with 2 nesting boxes, it worked out perfect. We are on our third egg in three days. | 2024-02-10T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4198 |
Q:
Per-request cache in Django?
I would like to implement a decorator that provides per-request caching to any method, not just views. Here is an example use case.
I have a custom tag that determines if
a record in a long list of records is
a "favorite". In order to check if an
item is a favorite, you have to query
the database. Ideally, you would
perform one query to get all the
favorites, and then just check that
cached list against each record.
One solution is to get all the
favorites in the view, and then pass
that set into the template, and then
into each tag call.
Alternatively, the tag itself could
perform the query itself, but only the
first time it's called. Then the
results could be cached for subsequent
calls. The upside is that you can use
this tag from any template, on any
view, without alerting the view.
In the existing caching mechanism, you
could just cache the result for 50ms,
and assume that would correlate to the
current request. I want to make that
correlation reliable.
Here is an example of the tag I currently have.
@register.filter()
def is_favorite(record, request):
if "get_favorites" in request.POST:
favorites = request.POST["get_favorites"]
else:
favorites = get_favorites(request.user)
post = request.POST.copy()
post["get_favorites"] = favorites
request.POST = post
return record in favorites
Is there a way to get the current request object from Django, w/o passing it around? From a tag, I could just pass in request, which will always exist. But I would like to use this decorator from other functions.
Is there an existing implementation of a per-request cache?
A:
Using a custom middleware you can get a Django cache instance guaranteed to be cleared for each request.
This is what I used in a project:
from threading import currentThread
from django.core.cache.backends.locmem import LocMemCache
_request_cache = {}
_installed_middleware = False
def get_request_cache():
assert _installed_middleware, 'RequestCacheMiddleware not loaded'
return _request_cache[currentThread()]
# LocMemCache is a threadsafe local memory cache
class RequestCache(LocMemCache):
def __init__(self):
name = 'locmemcache@%i' % hash(currentThread())
params = dict()
super(RequestCache, self).__init__(name, params)
class RequestCacheMiddleware(object):
def __init__(self):
global _installed_middleware
_installed_middleware = True
def process_request(self, request):
cache = _request_cache.get(currentThread()) or RequestCache()
_request_cache[currentThread()] = cache
cache.clear()
To use the middleware register it in settings.py, e.g:
MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES = (
...
'myapp.request_cache.RequestCacheMiddleware'
)
You may then use the cache as follows:
from myapp.request_cache import get_request_cache
cache = get_request_cache()
Refer to the django low level cache api doc for more information:
Django Low-Level Cache API
It should be easy to modify a memoize decorator to use the request cache. Have a look at the Python Decorator Library for a good example of a memoize decorator:
Python Decorator Library
A:
I came up with a hack for caching things straight into the request object (instead of using the standard cache, which will be tied to memcached, file, database, etc.)
# get the request object's dictionary (rather one of its methods' dictionary)
mycache = request.get_host.__dict__
# check whether we already have our value cached and return it
if mycache.get( 'c_category', False ):
return mycache['c_category']
else:
# get some object from the database (a category object in this case)
c = Category.objects.get( id = cid )
# cache the database object into a new key in the request object
mycache['c_category'] = c
return c
So, basically I am just storing the cached value (category object in this case) under a new key 'c_category' in the dictionary of the request. Or to be more precise, because we can't just create a key on the request object, I am adding the key to one of the methods of the request object - get_host().
Georgy.
A:
Years later, a super hack to cache SELECT statements inside a single Django request. You need to execute the patch() method from early on in your request scope, like in a piece of middleware.
from threading import local
import itertools
from django.db.models.sql.constants import MULTI
from django.db.models.sql.compiler import SQLCompiler
from django.db.models.sql.datastructures import EmptyResultSet
from django.db.models.sql.constants import GET_ITERATOR_CHUNK_SIZE
_thread_locals = local()
def get_sql(compiler):
''' get a tuple of the SQL query and the arguments '''
try:
return compiler.as_sql()
except EmptyResultSet:
pass
return ('', [])
def execute_sql_cache(self, result_type=MULTI):
if hasattr(_thread_locals, 'query_cache'):
sql = get_sql(self) # ('SELECT * FROM ...', (50)) <= sql string, args tuple
if sql[0][:6].upper() == 'SELECT':
# uses the tuple of sql + args as the cache key
if sql in _thread_locals.query_cache:
return _thread_locals.query_cache[sql]
result = self._execute_sql(result_type)
if hasattr(result, 'next'):
# only cache if this is not a full first page of a chunked set
peek = result.next()
result = list(itertools.chain([peek], result))
if len(peek) == GET_ITERATOR_CHUNK_SIZE:
return result
_thread_locals.query_cache[sql] = result
return result
else:
# the database has been updated; throw away the cache
_thread_locals.query_cache = {}
return self._execute_sql(result_type)
def patch():
''' patch the django query runner to use our own method to execute sql '''
_thread_locals.query_cache = {}
if not hasattr(SQLCompiler, '_execute_sql'):
SQLCompiler._execute_sql = SQLCompiler.execute_sql
SQLCompiler.execute_sql = execute_sql_cache
The patch() method replaces the Django internal execute_sql method with a stand-in called execute_sql_cache. That method looks at the sql to be run, and if it's a select statement, it checks a thread-local cache first. Only if it's not found in the cache does it proceed to execute the SQL. On any other type of sql statement, it blows away the cache. There is some logic to not cache large result sets, meaning anything over 100 records. This is to preserve Django's lazy query set evaluation.
| 2024-02-23T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9013 |
Florida
Florida (, ) is the southernmost contiguous state in the United States. The state is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Straits of Florida. Florida is the 22nd-most extensive (), the 3rd-most populous (21,477,737 inhabitants), and the 8th-most densely populated () of the U.S. states. Jacksonville is the most populous municipality in the state and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. The Miami metropolitan area is Florida's most populous urban area, with its capital being Tallahassee.
Florida's $1.0 trillion economy is the fourth largest in the United States. If it were a country, Florida would be the 16th largest economy in the world, and the 58th most populous . In 2017, Florida's per capita personal income was $47,684, ranking 26th in the nation. The unemployment rate in September 2018 was 3.5% and ranked as the 18th in the United States. Florida exports nearly $55 billion in goods made in the state, the 8th highest among all states. The Miami metropolitan area is by far the largest urban economy in Florida and the 12th largest in the United States with a GDP of $345 billion . This is more than twice the number of the next metro area, the Tampa Bay Area, which has a GDP of $145 billion. Florida is home to 51 of the world's billionaires with most of them residing in South Florida.
The first European contact was made in 1513 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, who called it la Florida ( "the land of flowers") upon landing there in the Easter season, known in Spanish as Pascua Florida. Florida was a challenge for the European colonial powers before it gained statehood in the United States in 1845. It was a principal location of the Seminole Wars against the Native Americans, and racial segregation after the American Civil War.
Today, Florida is distinctive for its large Cuban expatriate community and high population growth, as well as for its increasing environmental issues. The state's economy relies mainly on tourism, agriculture, and transportation, which developed in the late 19th century. Florida is also renowned for amusement parks, orange crops, winter vegetables, the Kennedy Space Center, and as a popular destination for retirees. Florida is the flattest state in the United States. Lake Okeechobee is the largest freshwater lake in Florida.
Florida's close proximity to the ocean influences many aspects of Florida culture and daily life. Florida is a reflection of influences and multiple inheritance; African, European, indigenous, and Latino heritages can be found in the architecture and cuisine. Florida has attracted many writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, and continues to attract celebrities and athletes. It is internationally known for golf, tennis, auto racing, and water sports. Several beaches in Florida have turquoise and emerald-colored coastal waters.
About two-thirds of Florida occupies a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, approximately , not including the contribution of the many barrier islands. Florida has a total of 4,510 islands that are ten acres or larger in area. This is the second-highest number of islands of any state; only Alaska has more. It is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the state is at or near sea level and is characterized by sedimentary soil. Florida has the lowest high point of any U.S. state. The American alligator, American crocodile, American flamingo, Roseate spoonbill, Florida panther, bottlenose dolphin, and manatee can be found in Everglades National Park in the southern part of the state. The climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south. Along with Hawaii, Florida is one of only two states that have a tropical climate, and is the only continental state that has both a tropical climate and a coral reef. The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world (after the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef).
History
By the 16th century, the earliest time for which there is a historical record, major Native American groups included the Apalachee of the Florida Panhandle, the Timucua of northern and central Florida, the Ais of the central Atlantic coast, the Tocobaga of the Tampa Bay area, the Calusa of southwest Florida and the Tequesta of the southeastern coast.
European arrival
Florida was the first region of the continental United States to be visited and settled by Europeans. The earliest known European explorers came with the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León. Ponce de León spotted and landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. He named it La Florida in recognition of the verdant landscape and because it was the Easter season, which the Spaniards called Pascua Florida (Festival of Flowers). The following day they came ashore to seek information and take possession of this new land. The story that he was searching for the Fountain of Youth is mythical and appeared only long after his death.
In May 1539, Conquistador Hernando de Soto skirted the coast of Florida, searching for a deep harbor to land. He described a thick wall of red mangroves spread mile after mile, some reaching as high as , with intertwined and elevated roots making landing difficult. The Spanish introduced Christianity, cattle, horses, sheep, the Castilian language, and more to Florida. Spain established several settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano established a settlement at present-day Pensacola, making it the first attempted settlement in Florida, but it was mostly abandoned by 1561.
In 1565, the settlement of St. Augustine (San Agustín) was established under the leadership of admiral and governor Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, creating what would become one of the oldest, continuously-occupied European settlements in the continental U.S. and establishing the first generation of Floridanos and the Government of Florida. Spain maintained strategic control over the region by converting the local tribes to Christianity. The marriage between Luisa de Abrego, a free black domestic servant from Seville, and Miguel Rodríguez, a white Segovian, occurred in 1565 in St. Augustine. It is the first recorded Christian marriage in the continental United States.
Some Spanish married or had unions with Pensacola, Creek or African women, both slave and free, and their descendants created a mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattos. The Spanish encouraged slaves from the southern British colonies to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism. King Charles II of Spain issued a royal proclamation freeing all slaves who fled to Spanish Florida and accepted conversion and baptism. Most went to the area around St. Augustine, but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. St. Augustine had mustered an all-black militia unit defending Spain as early as 1683.
The geographical area of Florida diminished with the establishment of English settlements to the north and French claims to the west. The English attacked St. Augustine, burning the city and its cathedral to the ground several times. Spain built the Castillo de San Marcos in 1672 and Fort Matanzas in 1742 to defend Florida's capital city from attacks, and to maintain its strategic position in the defense of the Captaincy General of Cuba and the Spanish West Indies.
Florida attracted numerous Africans and African Americans from adjacent British colonies who sought freedom from slavery. In 1738, Governor Manuel de Montiano established Fort Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose near St. Augustine, a fortified town for escaped slaves to whom Montiano granted citizenship and freedom in return for their service in the Florida militia, and which became the first free black settlement legally sanctioned in North America.
In 1763, Spain traded Florida to the Kingdom of Great Britain for control of Havana, Cuba, which had been captured by the British during the Seven Years' War. It was part of a large expansion of British territory following their victory in the Seven Years' War. A large portion of the Floridano population left, taking along most of the remaining indigenous population to Cuba. The British soon constructed the King's Road connecting St. Augustine to Georgia. The road crossed the St. Johns River at a narrow point called Wacca Pilatka, or the British name "Cow Ford", ostensibly reflecting the fact that cattle were brought across the river there.
The British divided and consolidated the Florida provinces (Las Floridas) into East Florida and West Florida, a division the Spanish government kept after the brief British period. The British government gave land grants to officers and soldiers who had fought in the French and Indian War in order to encourage settlement. In order to induce settlers to move to Florida, reports of its natural wealth were published in England. A large number of British settlers who were described as being "energetic and of good character" moved to Florida, mostly coming from South Carolina, Georgia and England. There was also a group of settlers who came from the colony of Bermuda. This would be the first permanent English-speaking population in what is now Duval County, Baker County, St. Johns County and Nassau County. The British built good public roads and introduced the cultivation of sugar cane, indigo and fruits as well as the export of lumber.
The British governors were directed to call general assemblies as soon as possible in order to make laws for the Floridas, and in the meantime they were, with the advice of councils, to establish courts. This was the first introduction of the English-derived legal system which Florida still has today, including trial by jury, habeas corpus and county-based government. Neither East Florida nor West Florida sent any representatives to Philadelphia to draft the Declaration of Independence. Florida remained a Loyalist stronghold for the duration of the American Revolution.
Spain regained both East and West Florida after Britain's defeat in the American Revolution and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles in 1783, and continued the provincial divisions until 1821.
Joining the United States; Indian removal
Defense of Florida's northern border with the United States was minor during the second Spanish period. The region became a haven for escaped slaves and a base for Indian attacks against U.S. territories, and the U.S. pressed Spain for reform.
Americans of English descent and Americans of Scots-Irish descent began moving into northern Florida from the backwoods of Georgia and South Carolina. Though technically not allowed by the Spanish authorities and the Floridan government, they were never able to effectively police the border region and the backwoods settlers from the United States would continue to immigrate into Florida unchecked. These migrants, mixing with the already present British settlers who had remained in Florida since the British period, would be the progenitors of the population known as Florida Crackers.
These American settlers established a permanent foothold in the area and ignored Spanish authorities. The British settlers who had remained also resented Spanish rule, leading to a rebellion in 1810 and the establishment for ninety days of the so-called Free and Independent Republic of West Florida on September 23. After meetings beginning in June, rebels overcame the garrison at Baton Rouge (now in Louisiana), and unfurled the flag of the new republic: a single white star on a blue field. This flag would later become known as the "Bonnie Blue Flag".
In 1810, parts of West Florida were annexed by proclamation of President James Madison, who claimed the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase. These parts were incorporated into the newly formed Territory of Orleans. The U.S. annexed the Mobile District of West Florida to the Mississippi Territory in 1812. Spain continued to dispute the area, though the United States gradually increased the area it occupied. In 1812, a group of settlers from Georgia, with de facto support from the U.S. federal government, attempted to overthrow the Floridan government in the province of East Florida. The settlers hoped to convince Floridans to join their cause and proclaim independence from Spain, but the settlers lost their tenuous support from the federal government and abandoned their cause by 1813.
Seminoles based in East Florida began raiding Georgia settlements, and offering havens for runaway slaves. The United States Army led increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish territory, including the 1817–1818 campaign against the Seminole Indians by Andrew Jackson that became known as the First Seminole War. The United States now effectively controlled East Florida. Control was necessary according to Secretary of State John Quincy Adams because Florida had become "a derelict open to the occupancy of every enemy, civilized or savage, of the United States, and serving no other earthly purpose than as a post of annoyance to them."
Florida had become a burden to Spain, which could not afford to send settlers or garrisons. Madrid therefore decided to cede the territory to the United States through the Adams–Onís Treaty, which took effect in 1821. President James Monroe was authorized on March 3, 1821 to take possession of East Florida and West Florida for the United States and provide for initial governance. Andrew Jackson, on behalf of the U.S. federal government, served as a military commissioner with the powers of governor of the newly acquired territory for a brief period. On March 30, 1822, the U.S. Congress merged East Florida and part of West Florida into the Florida Territory.
By the early 1800s, Indian removal was a significant issue throughout the southeastern U.S. and also in Florida. In 1830, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and as settlement increased, pressure grew on the U.S. government to remove the Indians from Florida. Seminoles offered sanctuary to blacks, and these became known as the Black Seminoles, and clashes between whites and Indians grew with the influx of new settlers. In 1832, the Treaty of Payne's Landing promised to the Seminoles lands west of the Mississippi River if they agreed to leave Florida. Many Seminole left at this time.
Some Seminoles remained, and the U.S. Army arrived in Florida, leading to the Second Seminole War (1835–1842). Following the war, approximately 3,000 Seminole and 800 Black Seminole were removed to Indian Territory. A few hundred Seminole remained in Florida in the Everglades.
On March 3, 1845, only one day before the end of President John Tyler's term in office, Florida became the 27th state, admitted as a slave state and no longer a sanctuary for runaway slaves. Initially its population grew slowly.
As European settlers continued to encroach on Seminole lands, the United States intervened to move the remaining Seminoles to the West. The Third Seminole War (1855–58) resulted in the forced removal of most of the remaining Seminoles, although hundreds of Seminole Indians remained in the Everglades.
Slavery, war, and disenfranchisement
American settlers began to establish cotton plantations in north Florida, which required numerous laborers, which they supplied by buying slaves in the domestic market. By 1860, Florida had only 140,424 people, of whom 44% were enslaved. There were fewer than 1,000 free African Americans before the American Civil War.
On January 10, 1861, nearly all delegates in the Florida Legislature approved an ordinance of secession, declaring Florida to be "a sovereign and independent nation"—an apparent reassertion to the preamble in Florida's Constitution of 1838, in which Florida agreed with Congress to be a "Free and Independent State." Although not mentioning the issue of slavery, the ordinance declared Florida's secession from the Union, allowing it to become one of the founding members of the Confederate States, a looser union of states.
The Confederacy received little help from Florida; the 15,000 men it offered were generally sent elsewhere. Instead of men and manufactured goods, Florida did provide salt and, more importantly, beef to feed the Confederate armies. This was particularly important after 1864, when the Confederacy lost control of the Mississippi River, thereby losing access to Texas beef. The largest engagements in the state were the Battle of Olustee, on February 20, 1864, and the Battle of Natural Bridge, on March 6, 1865. Both were Confederate victories. The war ended in 1865.
Reconstruction era and end of the 19th century
Following the American Civil War, Florida's congressional representation was restored on June 25, 1868, albeit forcefully after Radical Reconstruction and the installation of unelected government officials under the final authority of federal military commanders. After the Reconstruction period ended in 1876, white Democrats regained power in the state legislature. In 1885, they created a new constitution, followed by statutes through 1889 that disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites.
In the pre-automobile era, railroads played a key role in the state's development, particularly in coastal areas. In 1883, the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad connected Pensacola and the rest of the Panhandle to the rest of the state. In 1884 the South Florida Railroad (later absorbed by Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) opened full service to Tampa. In 1894 the Florida East Coast Railway reached West Palm Beach; in 1896 it reached Biscayne Bay near Miami. Numerous other railroads were built all over the interior of the state.
Until the mid-20th century, Florida was the least populous state in the southern United States. In 1900, its population was only 528,542, of whom nearly 44% were African American, the same proportion as before the Civil War. The boll weevil devastated cotton crops.
Forty thousand blacks, roughly one-fifth of their 1900 population levels in Florida, left the state in the Great Migration. They left due to lynchings and racial violence, and for better opportunities in the North and the West. Disfranchisement for most African Americans in the state persisted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s gained federal legislation in 1965 to enforce protection of their constitutional suffrage.
20th- and 21st-century growth
Historically, Florida's economy has been based primarily upon agricultural products such as cattle, sugar cane, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and strawberries.
In 1925, the Seaboard Air Line broke the FEC's southeast Florida monopoly and extended its freight and passenger service to West Palm Beach; two years later it extended passenger service to Miami.
Economic prosperity in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Florida and related development of hotels and resort communities. Combined with its sudden elevation in profile was the Florida land boom of the 1920s, which brought a brief period of intense land development. Devastating hurricanes in 1926 and 1928, followed by the Great Depression, brought that period to a halt.
Florida's economy did not fully recover until the military buildup for World WarII.
In 1939, Florida was described as "still very largely an empty State." Subsequently, the growing availability of air conditioning, the climate, and a low cost of living made the state a haven. Migration from the Rust Belt and the Northeast sharply increased Florida's population after 1945. In the 1960s, many refugees from Cuba fleeing Fidel Castro's communist regime arrived in Miami at the Freedom Tower, where the federal government used the facility to process, document and provide medical and dental services for the newcomers. As a result, the Freedom Tower was also called the "Ellis Island of the South." In recent decades, more migrants have come for the jobs in a developing economy.
With a population of more than 18 million, according to the 2010 census, Florida is the most populous state in the southeastern United States and the third-most populous in the United States. The population of Florida has boomed in recent years with the state being the recipient of the largest number of out-of-state movers in the country as of 2019. Florida's growth has been widespread, as cities throughout the state have grown since 2010.
After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017, a large population of Puerto Ricans began moving to Florida to escape the widespread destruction. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans arrived in Florida after Maria dissipated, with nearly half of them arriving in Orlando and large populations also moving to Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
Geography
Much of Florida is on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida. Spanning two time zones, it extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered on the north by Georgia and Alabama, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida also is the southernmost of the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii being the only one reaching farther south. Florida is west of The Bahamas and north of Cuba. Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River, and only Alaska and Michigan are larger in water area. The water boundary is offshore in the Atlantic Ocean and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
At above mean sea level, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state. Much of the state south of Orlando lies at a lower elevation than northern Florida, and is fairly level. Much of the state is at or near sea level. However, some places such as Clearwater have promontories that rise above the water. Much of Central and North Florida, typically or more away from the coastline, have rolling hills with elevations ranging from . The highest point in peninsular Florida (east and south of the Suwannee River), Sugarloaf Mountain, is a peak in Lake County. On average, Florida is the flattest state in the United States.
Climate
The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by the fact that no part of the state is distant from the ocean. North of Lake Okeechobee, the prevalent climate is humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa), while areas south of the lake (including the Florida Keys) have a true tropical climate (Köppen: Aw). Mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s Fahrenheit (32–34 °C). Mean low temperatures for early to mid January range from the low 40s Fahrenheit (4–7 °C) in north Florida to above from Miami on southward. With an average daily temperature of , it is the warmest state in the U.S.
In the summer, high temperatures in the state seldom exceed 100 °F (38 °C). Several record cold maxima have been in the 30s °F (−1 to 4 °C) and record lows have been in the 10s (−12 to −7 °C). These temperatures normally extend at most a few days at a time in the northern and central parts of Florida. South Florida, however, rarely encounters below freezing temperatures. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Florida was , which was set on June 29, 1931 in Monticello. The coldest temperature was , on February 13, 1899, just away, in Tallahassee.
Due to its subtropical and tropical climate, Florida rarely receives measurable snowfall. However, on rare occasions, a combination of cold moisture and freezing temperatures can result in snowfall in the farthest northern regions like Jacksonville, Gainesville or Pensacola. Frost, which is more common than snow, sometimes occurs in the panhandle. The USDA Plant hardiness zones for the state range from zone 8a (no colder than ) in the inland western panhandle to zone 11b (no colder than ) in the lower Florida Keys. Fog also occurs all over the state or climate of Florida.
Florida's nickname is the "Sunshine State", but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. Florida has one of the highest average precipitation levels of any state, in large part because afternoon thunderstorms are common in much of the state from late spring until early autumn. A narrow eastern part of the state including Orlando and Jacksonville receives between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine annually. The rest of the state, including Miami, receives between 2,800 and 3,200 hours annually.
Florida leads the United States in tornadoes per area (when including waterspouts), but they do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains. Hail often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms.
Hurricanes pose a severe threat each year from June1 to November 30, particularly from August to October. Florida is the most hurricane-prone state, with subtropical or tropical water on a lengthy coastline. Of the category4 or higher storms that have struck the United States, 83% have either hit Florida or Texas.
From 1851 to 2006, Florida was struck by 114 hurricanes, 37 of them major—category3 and above. It is rare for a hurricane season to pass without any impact in the state by at least a tropical storm.
In 1992, Florida was the site of what was then the costliest weather disaster in U.S. history, Hurricane Andrew, which caused more than $25 billion in damages when it struck during August; it held that distinction until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina surpassed it, and it has since been surpassed by six other hurricanes. Andrew is currently the second costliest hurricane in Florida's history.
Fauna
Florida is host to many types of wildlife including:
Marine mammals: bottlenose dolphin, short-finned pilot whale, North Atlantic right whale, West Indian manatee
Mammals: Florida panther, northern river otter, mink, eastern cottontail rabbit, marsh rabbit, raccoon, striped skunk, squirrel, white-tailed deer, Key deer, bobcats, red fox, gray fox, coyote, wild boar, Florida black bear, nine-banded armadillos, Virginia opossum
Reptiles: eastern diamondback and pygmy rattlesnakes, gopher tortoise, green and leatherback sea turtles, and eastern indigo snake. In 2012, there were about one million American alligators and 1,500 crocodiles.
Birds: peregrine falcon, bald eagle, American flamingo, northern caracara, snail kite, osprey, white and brown pelicans, sea gulls, whooping and sandhill cranes, roseate spoonbill, American white ibis, Florida scrub jay (state endemic), and others. One subspecies of wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, namely subspecies osceola, is found only in Florida. The state is a wintering location for many species of eastern North American birds.
As a result of climate change, there have been small numbers of several new species normally native to cooler areas to the north: snowy owls, snow buntings, harlequin ducks, and razorbills. These have been seen in the northern part of the state.
Invertebrates: carpenter ants, termites, American cockroach, Africanized bees, the Miami blue butterfly, and the grizzled mantis.
Florida also has more than 500 nonnative animal species and 1,000 nonnative insects found throughout the state. Some exotic species living in Florida include the Burmese python, green iguana, veiled chameleon, Argentine black and white tegu, peacock bass, mayan cichlid, lionfish, White-nosed coati, rhesus macaque, vervet monkey, Cuban tree frog, cane toad, Indian peafowl, monk parakeet, tui parakeet, and many more. Some of these nonnative species do not pose a threat to any native species, but some do threaten the native species of Florida by living in the state and eating them.
Flora
There are about 3,000 different types of wildflowers in Florida. This is the third-most diverse state in the union, behind California and Texas, both larger states. In Florida, wild populations of coconut palms extend up the East Coast from Key West to Jupiter Inlet, and up the West Coast from Marco Island to Sarasota. Many of the smallest coral islands in the Florida Keys are known to have abundant coconut palms sprouting from coconuts deposited by ocean currents. Coconut palms are cultivated north of south Florida to roughly Cocoa Beach on the East Coast and the Tampa Bay Area on the West Coast.
On the east coast of the state, mangroves have normally dominated the coast from Cocoa Beach southward; salt marshes from St. Augustine northward. From St. Augustine south to Cocoa Beach, the coast fluctuates between the two, depending on the annual weather conditions. All three mangrove species flower in the spring and early summer. Propagules fall from late summer through early autumn. Florida mangrove plant communities covered an estimated 430,000 to 540,000 acres (1,700 to 2,200 km2) in Florida in 1981. Ninety percent of the Florida mangroves are in southern Florida, in Collier, Lee, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.
Florida Reef
The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States. It is also the third largest coral barrier reef system in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef and the Belize Barrier Reef. The reef lies a little bit off of the coast of the Florida Keys. A lot of the reef lies within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which was the first underwater park in the United States. The park contains a lot of tropical vegetation, marine life, and seabirds. The Florida Reef extends into other parks and sanctuaries as well including Dry Tortugas National Park, Biscayne National Park, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Almost 1,400 species of marine plants and animals, including more than 40 species of stony corals and 500 species of fish, live on the Florida Reef. The Florida Reef, being a delicate ecosystem like other coral reefs, faces many threats including overfishing, plastics in the ocean, coral bleaching, rising sea levels, and changes in sea surface temperature.
Environmental issues
Florida is a low per capita energy user. It is estimated that approximately 4% of energy in the state is generated through renewable resources. Florida's energy production is 6% of the nation's total energy output, while total production of pollutants is lower, with figures of 6% for nitrogen oxide, 5% for carbon dioxide, and 4% for sulfur dioxide. Wildfires in Florida occur at all times of the year.
All potable water resources have been controlled by the state government through five regional water authorities since 1972.
Red tide has been an issue on the southwest coast of Florida, as well as other areas. While there has been a great deal of conjecture over the cause of the toxic algae bloom, there is no evidence that it is being caused by pollution or that there has been an increase in the duration or frequency of red tides. Red tide is now killing off wildlife or Tropical fish and coral reefs putting all in danger.
The Florida panther is close to extinction. A record 23 were killed in 2009, mainly by automobile collisions, leaving about 100 individuals in the wild. The Center for Biological Diversity and others have therefore called for a special protected area for the panther to be established. Manatees are also dying at a rate higher than their reproduction. American flamingos are rare to see in Florida due to being hunted in the 1900s, where it was to a point considered completely extirpated. Now the flamingos are reproducing toward making a comeback to South Florida since it is adamantly considered native to the state and also are now being protected.
Much of Florida has an elevation of less than , including many populated areas. Therefore, it is susceptible to rising sea levels associated with global warming. The Atlantic beaches that are vital to the state's economy are being washed out to sea due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. The Miami beach area, close to the continental shelf, is running out of accessible offshore sand reserves. Elevated temperatures can damage coral reefs, causing coral bleaching. The first recorded bleaching incident on the Florida Reef was in 1973. Incidents of bleaching have become more frequent in recent decades, in correlation with a rise in sea surface temperatures. White band disease has also adversely affected corals on the Florida Reef.
Geology
The Florida peninsula is a porous plateau of karst limestone sitting atop bedrock known as the Florida Platform.
The largest deposits of potash in the United States are found in Florida. The largest deposits of rock phosphate in the country are found in Florida. Most of this is in Bone Valley.
Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs are found throughout the state and supply most of the water used by residents. The limestone is topped with sandy soils deposited as ancient beaches over millions of years as global sea levels rose and fell. During the last glacial period, lower sea levels and a drier climate revealed a much wider peninsula, largely savanna. While there are sinkholes in much of the state, modern sinkholes have tended to be in West-Central Florida. Everglades National Park covers , throughout Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties in Florida. The Everglades, an enormously wide, slow-flowing river encompasses the southern tip of the peninsula. Sinkhole damage claims on property in the state exceeded a total of $2 billion from 2006 through 2010. Winter Park Sinkhole, in central Florida, appeared May 8, 1981. It was approximately 350 feet (107 m) wide and 75 feet (23 m) deep. It was notable as one of the largest recent sinkholes to form in the United States. It is now known as Lake Rose. The Econlockhatchee River (Econ River for short) is an north-flowing blackwater tributary of the St. Johns River, the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida. The Econ River flows through Osceola, Orange, and Seminole counties in Central Florida, just east of the Orlando Metropolitan Area (east of State Road 417). It is a designated Outstanding Florida Waters.
Earthquakes are rare because Florida is not located near any tectonic plate boundaries.
Regions
Demographics
Population
The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Florida was 21,477,737 on July 1, 2019, a 14.24% increase since the 2010 United States Census. The population of Florida in the 2010 census was 18,801,310. Florida was the seventh fastest-growing state in the U.S. in the 12-month period ending July 1, 2012. In 2010, the center of population of Florida was located between Fort Meade and Frostproof. The center of population has moved less than to the east and approximately to the north between 1980 and 2010 and has been located in Polk County since the 1960 census.
The population exceeded 19.7 million by December 2014, surpassing the population of the state of New York for the first time. The Florida population was 21,477,737 residents or people according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 Population Estimates Program.
Florida contains the highest percentage of people over 65 (17%). There were 186,102 military retirees living in the state in 2008.
About two-thirds of the population was born in another state, the second highest in the U.S.
In 2010, undocumented immigrants constituted an estimated 5.7% of the population. This was the sixth highest percentage of any U.S. state. There were an estimated 675,000 illegal immigrants in the state in 2010. Florida has banned sanctuary cities.
A 2013 Gallup poll indicated that 47% of the residents agreed Florida is the best state to live in. Results in other states ranged from a low of 18% to a high of 77%.
Hispanic and Latinos of any race made up 22.5% of the population in 2010. , 57% of Florida's population younger than age1 were minorities (meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white).
Cities and towns
The largest metropolitan area in the state as well as the entire southeastern United States is the Miami metropolitan area, with about 6.06 million people. The Tampa Bay Area, with more than 3.02 million, is the second largest; the Orlando metropolitan area, with more than 2.44 million, is third; and the Jacksonville metropolitan area, with more than 1.47 million, is fourth.
Florida has 22 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Forty-three of Florida's 67 counties are in a MSA.
The legal name in Florida for a city, town or village is "municipality". In Florida there is no legal difference between towns, villages and cities.
Florida is a highly urbanized state, with 89 percent of its population living in urban areas in
2000, compared to 79 percent nationally.
In 2012, 75% of the population lived within of the coastline.
Ancestry
In 2010, 6.9% of the population (1,269,765) considered themselves to be of only American ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity). Many of these were of English or Scotch-Irish descent; however, their families have lived in the state for so long they choose to identify as having "American" ancestry or do not know their ancestry. In the 1980 United States census, the largest ancestry group reported in Florida was English with 2,232,514 Floridians claiming they were of English or mostly English American ancestry. Some of their ancestry went back to the original thirteen colonies.
, those of (non-Hispanic white) European ancestry accounted for 57.9% of Florida's population. Out of the 57.9%, the largest groups were 12.0% German (2,212,391), 10.7% Irish (1,979,058), 8.8% English (1,629,832), 6.6% Italian (1,215,242), 2.8% Polish (511,229), and 2.7% French (504,641).
White Americans of all European backgrounds are present in all areas of the state. In 1970, non-Hispanic whites were nearly 80% of Florida's population. Those of English and Irish ancestry are present in large numbers in all the urban/suburban areas across the state. Some native white Floridians, especially those who have descended from long-time Florida families, may refer to themselves as "Florida crackers"; others see the term as a derogatory one. Like whites in most other states of the southern U.S., they descend mainly from English and Scots-Irish settlers, as well as some other British American settlers.
As of 2010, those of Hispanic or Latino ancestry accounted for 22.5% (4,223,806) of Florida's population. Out of the 22.5%, the largest groups were 6.5% (1,213,438) Cuban, 4.5% (847,550) Puerto Rican, 3.3% (629,718) Mexican, and 1.6% (300,414) Colombian. Florida's Hispanic population includes large communities of Cuban Americans in Miami and Tampa, Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Tampa, and Mexican/Central American migrant workers. The Hispanic community continues to grow more affluent and mobile. Florida has a large and diverse Hispanic population, with Cubans and Puerto Ricans being the largest groups in the state. Nearly 80% of Cuban Americans live in Florida, especially South Florida where there is a long-standing and affluent Cuban community. Florida has the second largest Puerto Rican population after New York, as well as the fastest-growing in the nation. Puerto Ricans are more widespread throughout the state, though the heaviest concentrations are in the Orlando area of Central Florida.
, those of African ancestry accounted for 16.0% of Florida's population, which includes African Americans. Out of the 16.0%, 4.0% (741,879) were West Indian or Afro-Caribbean American. During the early 1900s, black people made up nearly half of the state's population. In response to segregation, disfranchisement and agricultural depression, many African Americans migrated from Florida to northern cities in the Great Migration, in waves from 1910 to 1940, and again starting in the later 1940s. They moved for jobs, better education for their children and the chance to vote and participate in society. By 1960, the proportion of African Americans in the state had declined to 18%. Conversely, large numbers of northern whites moved to the state. Today, large concentrations of black residents can be found in northern and central Florida. Aside from blacks descended from African slaves brought to the southern U.S., there are also large numbers of blacks of West Indian, recent African, and Afro-Latino immigrant origins, especially in the Miami/South Florida area.
In 2016, Florida had the highest percentage of West Indians in the United States at 4.5%, with 2.3% (483,874) from Haitian ancestry, 1.5% (303,527) Jamaican, and 0.2% (31,966) Bahamian, with the other West Indian groups making up the rest.
, those of Asian ancestry accounted for 2.4% of Florida's population.
Languages
In 1988, English was affirmed as the state's official language in the Florida Constitution. Spanish is also widely spoken, especially as immigration has continued from Latin America. Twenty percent of the population speak Spanish as their first language. Twenty-seven percent of Florida's population reports speaking a mother language other than English, and more than 200 first languages other than English are spoken at home in the state.
The most common languages spoken in Florida as a first language in 2010 are:
73% English
20% Spanish
2% Haitian Creole
Other languages less than 1% each
Religion
Florida is mostly Christian, although there is a large irreligious and relatively significant Jewish community. Protestants account for almost half of the population, but the Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in the state mainly due to its large Hispanic population and other groups like Haitians. Protestants are very diverse, although Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals and nondenominational Protestants are the largest groups. There is also a sizable Jewish community in South Florida. This is the largest Jewish population in the southern U.S. and the third-largest in the U.S. behind those of New York and California.
In 2010, the three largest denominations in Florida were the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the United Methodist Church.
The Pew Research Center survey in 2014 gave the following religious makeup of Florida:
Governance
The basic structure, duties, function, and operations of the government of the State of Florida are defined and established by the Florida Constitution, which establishes the basic law of the state and guarantees various rights and freedoms of the people. The state government consists of three separate branches: judicial, executive, and legislative. The legislature enacts bills, which, if signed by the governor, become law.
The Florida Legislature comprises the Florida Senate, which has 40 members, and the Florida House of Representatives, which has 120 members. The current governor of Florida is Ron DeSantis.
The Florida Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and six justices.
Florida has 67 counties. Some reference materials may show only 66 because Duval County is consolidated with the City of Jacksonville. There are 379 cities in Florida (out of 411) that report regularly to the Florida Department of Revenue, but there are other incorporated municipalities that do not. The state government's primary revenue source is sales tax. Florida does not impose a personal income tax. The primary revenue source for cities and counties is property tax; unpaid taxes are subject to tax sales, which are held (at the county level) in May and (due to the extensive use of online bidding sites) are highly popular.
There were 800 federal corruption convictions from 1988 to 2007, more than any other state.
Elections history
From 1952 to 1964, most voters were registered Democrats, but the state voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election except for 1964. The following year, Congress passed and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, providing for oversight of state practices and enforcement of constitutional voting rights for African Americans and other minorities in order to prevent the discrimination and disenfranchisement which had excluded most of them for decades from the political process.
From the 1930s through much of the 1960s, Florida was essentially a one-party state dominated by white conservative Democrats, who together with other Democrats of the "Solid South", exercised considerable control in Congress. They have gained slightly less federal money from national programs than they have paid in taxes. Since the 1970s, conservative white voters in the state have largely shifted from the Democratic to the Republican Party. Though the majority of registered voters in Florida are Democrats. It continued to support Republican presidential candidates through 2004, except in 1976 and 1996, when the Democratic nominee was from "the South".
In the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, Barack Obama carried the state as a northern Democrat, attracting high voter turnout, especially among the young, Independents, and minority voters, of whom Hispanics comprise an increasingly large proportion. 2008 marked the first time since 1944, when Franklin D. Roosevelt carried the state for the fourth time, that Florida was carried by a Northern Democrat for president.
The first post-Reconstruction era Republican elected to Congress from Florida was William C. Cramer in 1954 from Pinellas County on the Gulf Coast, where demographic changes were underway. In this period, African Americans were still disenfranchised by the state's constitution and discriminatory practices; in the 19th century, they had made up most of the Republican Party. Cramer built a different Republican Party in Florida, attracting local white conservatives and transplants from northern and midwestern states. In 1966, Claude R. Kirk, Jr. was elected as the first post-Reconstruction Republican governor, in an upset election. In 1968, Edward J. Gurney, also a white conservative, was elected as the state's first post-reconstruction Republican US senator. In 1970, Democrats took the governorship and the open US Senate seat, and maintained dominance for years.
Since the mid-20th century, Florida has been considered a bellwether, voting for 15 successful presidential candidates since 1952. During such period, it has voted for a losing candidate only twice.
In 1998, Democratic voters dominated areas of the state with a high percentage of racial minorities and transplanted white liberals from the northeastern United States, known colloquially as "snowbirds". South Florida and the Miami metropolitan area are dominated by both racial minorities and white liberals. Because of this, the area has consistently voted as one of the most Democratic areas of the state. The Daytona Beach area is similar demographically and the city of Orlando has a large Hispanic population, which has often favored Democrats. Republicans, made up mostly of white conservatives, have dominated throughout much of the rest of Florida, particularly in the more rural and suburban areas. This is characteristic of its voter base throughout the Deep South.
The fast-growing I-4 corridor area, which runs through Central Florida and connects the cities of Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Tampa/St. Petersburg, has had a fairly even breakdown of Republican and Democratic voters. The area is often seen as a merging point of the conservative northern portion of the state and the liberal southern portion, making it the biggest swing area in the state. Since the late 20th century, the voting results in this area, containing 40% of Florida voters, has often determined who will win the state in federal presidential elections.
The Democratic Party has maintained an edge in voter registration, both statewide and in 40 of the 67 counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, the state's three most populous.
Elections of 2000 to present
In 2000, George W. Bush won the U.S. Presidential election by a margin of 271–266 in the Electoral College. Of the 271 electoral votes for Bush, 25 were cast by electors from Florida. The Florida results were contested and a recount was ordered by the court, with the results settled in a Supreme Court decision, Bush v. Gore.
Reapportionment following the 2010 United States Census gave the state two more seats in the House of Representatives. The legislature's redistricting, announced in 2012, was quickly challenged in court, on the grounds that it had unfairly benefited Republican interests. In 2015, the Florida Supreme Court ruled on appeal that the congressional districts had to be redrawn because of the legislature's violation of the Fair District Amendments to the state constitution passed in 2010; it accepted a new map in early December 2015.
The political make-up of congressional and legislative districts has enabled Republicans to control the governorship and most statewide elective offices, and 17 of the state's 27 seats in the 2012 House of Representatives. Florida has been listed as a swing state in Presidential elections since 1952, voting for the losing candidate only twice in that period of time.
In the closely contested 2000 election, the state played a pivotal role. Out of more than 5.8 million votes for the two main contenders Bush and Al Gore, around 500 votes separated the two candidates for the all-decisive Florida electoral votes that landed Bush the election win. Florida's felony disenfranchisement law is more severe than most European nations or other American states. A 2002 study in the American Sociological Review concluded that "if the state's 827,000 disenfranchised felons had voted at the same rate as other Floridians, Democratic candidate Al Gore would have won Florida—and the presidency—by more than 80,000 votes."
In 2008, delegates of both the Republican Florida primary election and Democratic Florida primary election were stripped of half of their votes when the conventions met in August due to violation of both parties' national rules.
In the 2010 elections, Republicans solidified their dominance statewide, by winning the governor's mansion, and maintaining firm majorities in both houses of the state legislature. They won four previously Democratic-held seats to create a 19–6 Republican-majority delegation representing Florida in the federal House of Representatives.
In 2010, more than 63% of state voters approved the initiated Amendments5 and6 to the state constitution, to ensure more fairness in districting. These have become known as the Fair District Amendments. As a result of the 2010 United States Census, Florida gained two House of Representative seats in 2012. The legislature issued revised congressional districts in 2012, which were immediately challenged in court by supporters of the above amendments.
The court ruled in 2014, after lengthy testimony, that at least two districts had to be redrawn because of gerrymandering. After this was appealed, in July 2015 the Florida Supreme Court ruled that lawmakers had followed an illegal and unconstitutional process overly influenced by party operatives, and ruled that at least eight districts had to be redrawn. On December 2, 2015, a 5–2 majority of the Court accepted a new map of congressional districts, some of which was drawn by challengers. Their ruling affirmed the map previously approved by Leon County Judge Terry Lewis, who had overseen the original trial. It particularly makes changes in South Florida. There are likely to be additional challenges to the map and districts.
According to The Sentencing Project, the effect of Florida's felony disenfranchisement law is such that in 2014, "[m]ore than one in ten Floridians—and nearly one in four African-American Floridians—are [were] shut out of the polls because of felony convictions", although they had completed sentences and parole/probation requirements.
In the 2016 United States Presidential and general elections, the state leaned Republican. The state's Democratic representation at the national level increased by one seat, but the overall state-wide composition was 16 Republicans to 11 Democrats. Floridians also voted 49.0% to 47.8% to elect Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. With a 1.2% difference, this was the 5th closest presidential race that year, with only Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania being closer.
In the 2018 Midterm Elections, the ratio of Republican to Democratic representation fell from 16:11 to 14:13. The Senate race between Democratic incumbent Senator Bill Nelson and former Governor Rick Scott was very close, with a 49.93% voting for the incumbent and 50.06% voting for the former governor. Republicans also held onto the governorship in a close race between Republican candidate Ron DeSantis and Democractic candidate Andrew Gillum, with 49.6% voting for the DeSantis and 49.3% voting for Gillum.
Statutes
In 1972, the state made personal injury protection auto insurance mandatory for drivers, becoming the second in the nation to enact a no-fault insurance law. The ease of receiving payments under this law is seen as precipitating a major increase in insurance fraud. Auto insurance fraud was the highest in the nation in 2011, estimated at close to $1 billion. Fraud is particularly centered in the Miami-Dade metropolitan and Tampa areas.
Capital punishment is applied in Florida. In 1995, the legislature modified Chapter 921 to provide that felons should serve at least 85% of their sentence. Florida approved its lottery by amending the constitution in 1984. It approved slot machines in Broward and Miami-Dade County in 2004. It has disapproved casinos (outside of sovereign Seminole and Miccosukee tribal areas) three times: 1978, 1986, and 1994. If a person committing a predicate felony directly contributed to the death of the victim then the person will be charged with murder in the first degree—felony murder which is a capital felony. The only two sentences available for that statute are life imprisonment and the death penalty. If a person commits a predicate felony, but was not the direct contributor to the death of the victim then the person will be charged with murder in the second degree—felony murder which is a felony of the first degree. The maximum prison term is life.
Taxation
Tax is collected by the Florida Department of Revenue.
Economy
Total employment 2017
8,385,577
Total employer establishments 2017
557,308
Florida's economy ranks among the largest in the world. As of 2018, the gross state product (GSP) is about $1.0 trillion, the fourth largest economy in the United States. Florida is responsible for 5percent of the United States' approximately $21 trillion gross domestic product (GDP). , Florida's nominal GDP is larger than all but 15 countries. In terms of Purchasing Power Parity, it is larger than all but 24 countries. In the 20th century, tourism, industry, construction, international banking, biomedical and life sciences, healthcare research, simulation training, aerospace and defense, and commercial space travel have contributed to the state's economic development.
The five largest sectors of employment in Florida are: trade, transportation, and utilities; government; professional and business services; education and health services; and leisure and hospitality. In output, the five largest sectors are: finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing, followed by professional and business services; government and government enterprises; educational services, health care, and social assistance; and retail trade.
In 2017, Florida became the United States' eighth largest exporter of trade goods. Florida's top countries for export are Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Germany, and Colombia. In 2017, Florida became the United States' tenth largest importer of trade goods. Florida imported US$75.4 billion worth of goods globally in 2017. The value of Florida's imports equals 3.2% of United States' overall imported products for 2017. Florida's top countries for imports are China, Mexico, Canada, Germany, and France.
The Miami Metropolitan Area has the highest GDP of all the metro areas in Florida with $344.9 billion in 2017. This is more than twice the number of the next metro area, the Tampa Bay Area, which has a GDP of $145.3 billion. The economy of Florida is driven almost entirely by its nineteen metropolitan areas. In 2004, they had a combined total of 95.7% of the state's domestic product.
Per capita GDP in 2017 was $39,842, ranking fortieth in the nation. Per capita income varies widely by geographic region and profession. North Florida and the rural counties of the Florida Panhandle are the most impoverished in the state. Florida has a poverty rate of 14.0%, the seventeenth lowest of any state in the country. Many coastal cities include some of the wealthiest per-capita areas in the United States.
In 2018, there were more than 427,824 millionaires in the state, the fourth highest number in the nation.
For 2018–19, the approved state budget is $88.7 billion, a 4.4% increase over the previous 2017–18 budget of $84.9 billion. Chief Executive Magazine named Florida the third "Best State for Business" in 2011.
Personal income
In 2017, Florida's per capita personal income was $47,684, ranking 26th in the nation. The state's unemployment rate in September 2018 was 3.5% and ranked as the 18th lowest in the United States. Florida is one of seven states that do not impose a personal income tax.
In 2017, Florida had a personal income of $1,000,624,065(in thousands of dollars). This personal income ranked 4th in the United States.
Florida's constitution establishes a state minimum wage, which is adjusted annually for inflation. , Florida's minimum wage was $5.08 for tipped positions, and $8.10 for non-tipped positions, which was higher than the federal rate of $7.25.
Florida has two cities in the top 25 cities in the U.S. with the highest average credit card debt, Miami and Tampa.
The poverty rate in Florida is 14% in 2018. This is down from a peak of 17.1% in 2012.
Real estate
In the early 20th century, land speculators discovered Florida, and businessmen such as Henry Plant and Henry Flagler developed railroad systems, which led people to move in, drawn by the weather and local economies. From then on, tourism boomed, fueling a cycle of development that overwhelmed a great deal of farmland.
At the end of the third quarter of 2008, Florida had the highest mortgage delinquency rate in the U.S., with 7.8% of mortgages delinquent at least 60 days. A 2009 list of national housing markets that were hard hit in the real estate crash included a disproportionate number in Florida. The early 21st-century building boom left Florida with 300,000 vacant homes in 2009, according to state figures. In 2009, the US Census Bureau estimated that Floridians spent an average 49.1% of personal income on housing-related costs, the third highest percentage in the U.S.
In the third quarter of 2009, there were 278,189 delinquent loans, 80,327 foreclosures. Sales of existing homes in February 2010 was 11,890, up 21% from the same month in 2009. Only two metropolitan areas showed a decrease in homes sold: Panama City and Brevard County. The average sales price for an existing house was $131,000, 7% decrease from the prior year.
Tourism
Tourism makes up one of the largest sectors of the state economy, with nearly 1.4 million people employed in the tourism industry in 2016 (a record for the state, surpassing the 1.2 million employment from 2015).
In 2015, Florida broke the 100-million visitor mark for the first time in state history by hosting a record 105 million visitors. The state has set tourism records for eight consecutive years, most recently breaking the 120-million visitor mark for the first time in 2018 with 126.1 million visitors reported.
Many beach towns are popular tourist destinations, particularly during winter and spring break. Twenty-three million tourists visited Florida beaches in 2000, spending $22 billion. The public has a right to beach access under the public trust doctrine, but some areas have access effectively blocked by private owners for a long distance.
Amusement parks, especially in the Greater Orlando area, make up a significant portion of tourism. The Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited vacation resort in the world with more than 58 million visitors annually, consisting of four theme parks, 27 themed resort hotels, nine non-Disney hotels, two water parks, four golf courses and other recreational venues. Other major theme parks in the area include Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa.
Florida's many state parks and protected areas receive a lot of visitors as well with 25.2 million visitors visiting Florida State Parks in 2013.
Agriculture and fishing
Agriculture is the second largest industry in the state. Citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of the economy, and Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the United States. In 2006, 67% of all citrus, 74% of oranges, 58% of tangerines, and 54% of grapefruit were grown in Florida. About 95% of commercial orange production in the state is destined for processing (mostly as orange juice, the official state beverage).
Citrus canker continues to be an issue of concern. From 1997 to 2013, the growing of citrus trees has declined 25%, from to . Citrus greening disease is incurable. A study states that it has caused the loss of $4.5 billion between 2006 and 2012. , it was the major agricultural concern.
Other products include sugarcane, strawberries, tomatoes and celery. The state is the largest producer of sweet corn and green beans for the U.S.
The Everglades Agricultural Area is a major center for agriculture. The environmental impact of agriculture, especially water pollution, is a major issue in Florida today.
In 2009, fishing was a $6 billion industry, employing 60,000 jobs for sports and commercial purposes.
The state has a near monopoly on saw palmetto berries, an alternative medicine used to treat prostate and urinary disorders.
Industry
Florida is the leading state for sales of powerboats. Boats sales totaled $1.96 billion in 2013.
Mining
Phosphate mining, concentrated in the Bone Valley, is the state's third-largest industry. The state produces about 75% of the phosphate required by farmers in the United States and 25% of the world supply, with about 95% used for agriculture (90% for fertilizer and 5% for livestock feed supplements) and 5% used for other products.
After the watershed events of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Florida began investing in economic development through the Office of Trade, Tourism, and Economic Development. Governor Jeb Bush realized that watershed events such as Andrew negatively impacted Florida's backbone industry of tourism severely. The office was directed to target Medical/Bio-Sciences among others. Three years later, The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) announced it had chosen Florida for its newest expansion. In 2003, TSRI announced plans to establish a major science center in Palm Beach, a facility on , which TSRI planned to occupy in 2006.
Government
Since the development of the federal NASA Merritt Island launch sites on Cape Canaveral (most notably Kennedy Space Center) in 1962, Florida has developed a sizable aerospace industry.
Another major economic engine in Florida is the United States military. There are 24 military bases in the state, housing three Unified Combatant Commands; United States Central Command in Tampa, United States Southern Command in Doral, and United States Special Operations Command in Tampa. Some 109,390 U.S. military personnel stationed in Florida, contributing, directly and indirectly, $52 billion a year to the state's economy.
In 2009, there were 89,706 federal workers employed within the state. Tens of thousands more employees work for contractors who have federal contracts, including those with the military.
In 2012, government of all levels was a top employer in all counties in the state, because this classification includes public school teachers and other school staff. School boards employ nearly 1of every 30 workers in the state. The federal military was the top employer in three counties.
Seaports
Florida has many seaports that serve container ships, tank ships, and cruise lines. Major ports in Florida include Port Tampa Bay in Tampa, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Port of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, PortMiami in Miami, Port Canaveral in Brevard County, Port Manatee in Manatee County, and Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach. The world's top three busiest cruise ports are found in Florida with PortMiami as the busiest and Port Canaveral and Port Everglades as the second and third busiest. Port Tampa Bay meanwhile is the largest in the state, having the most tonnage. , Port Tampa Bay ranks 16th in the United States by tonnage in domestic trade, 32nd in foreign trade, and 22nd in total trade. It is the largest, most diversified port in Florida, has an economic impact of more than $15.1 billion, and supports more than 80,000 jobs.
Health
There were 2.7 million Medicaid patients in Florida in 2009. The governor has proposed adding $2.6 billion to care for the expected 300,000 additional patients in 2011. The cost of caring for 2.3 million clients in 2010 was $18.8 billion. This is nearly 30% of Florida's budget. Medicaid paid for 60% of all births in Florida in 2009. The state has a program for those not covered by Medicaid.
In 2013, Florida refused to participate in providing coverage for the uninsured under the Affordable Care Act, popularly called Obamacare. The Florida legislature also refused to accept additional Federal funding for Medicaid, although this would have helped its constituents at no cost to the state. As a result, Florida is second only to Texas in the percentage of its citizens without health insurance.
Architecture
Florida has the largest collection of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne buildings, both in the United States and in the entire world, most of which are located in the Miami metropolitan area, especially Miami Beach's Art Deco District, constructed as the city was becoming a resort destination. A unique architectural design found only in Florida is the post-World WarII Miami Modern, which can be seen in areas such as Miami's MiMo Historic District.
Being of early importance as a regional center of banking and finance, the architecture of Jacksonville displays a wide variety of styles and design principles. Many of the state's earliest skyscrapers were constructed in Jacksonville, dating as far back as 1902, and last holding a state height record from 1974 to 1981. The city is endowed with one of the largest collections of Prairie School buildings outside of the Midwest. Jacksonville is also noteworthy for its collection of Mid-Century modern architecture.
Some sections of the state feature architectural styles including Spanish revival, Florida vernacular, and Mediterranean Revival. A notable collection of these styles can be found in St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement within the borders of the United States.
Media
Education
Florida overall was ranked the 7th best state in America for educating students at all levels by U.S. News & World Report in 2018.
Primary and secondary education
With an educational system made up of public school districts and independent private institutions, Florida had 2,833,115 students enrolled in 4,269 public primary, secondary, and vocational schools in Florida's 67 regular or seven special school districts . Miami-Dade County is the largest of Florida's 67 regular districts with more than 350 thousand students and Jefferson is the smallest with less than one thousand students. Florida spent $8,920 for each student in 2016, and was 43rd in the nation in expenditures per student.
Florida's primary and secondary school systems are administered by the Florida Department of Education. School districts are organized within county boundaries. Each school district has an elected Board of Education that sets policy, budget, goals, and approves expenditures. Management is the responsibility of a Superintendent of schools.
The Florida Department of Education is required by law to train educators in teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
Higher education
The State University System of Florida was founded in 1905, and is governed by the Florida Board of Governors. During the 2010 academic year, 312,216 students attended one of these twelve universities. The Florida College System comprises 28 public community and state colleges. In 2011–12, enrollment consisted of more than 875,000 students. , the University of Central Florida, with more than 64,000 students, is the largest university by enrollment in the United States.
Florida's first private university, Stetson University, was founded in 1883. The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state. This Association reported that their member institutions served more than 121,000 students in the fall of 2006.
In 2016, Florida charged the second lowest tuition in the nation for four years, $26,000 for in-state students, to $86,000 for out-of-state students. This compares with an average of $34,800 nationally for in-state students.
Transportation
Highways
Florida's highway system contains of interstate highway, and of non-interstate highway, such as state highways and U.S. Highways. Florida's interstates, state highways, and U.S. Highways are maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation.
In 2011, there were about 9,000 retail gas stations in the state. Floridians consumed 21 million gallons of gasoline daily in 2011, ranking it third in national use behind California and Texas.
Motorists have the 45th lowest rate of car insurance in the U.S. 24% are uninsured.
Drivers between 15 and 19 years of age averaged 364 car crashes a year per ten thousand licensed Florida drivers in 2010. Drivers 70 and older averaged 95 per 10,000 during the same time frame. A spokesperson for the non-profit Insurance Institute said that "Older drivers are more of a threat to themselves."
Intercity bus travel, which utilizes Florida's highway system, is provided by Greyhound, Megabus, and Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.
Before the construction of routes under the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, Florida began construction of a long cross-state toll road, Florida's Turnpike. The first section, from Fort Pierce south to the Golden Glades Interchange was completed in 1957. After a second section north through Orlando to Wildwood (near present-day The Villages), and a southward extension around Miami to Homestead, it was finished in 1974.
Florida's primary interstate routes include:
, which spans 133 miles, bisects the state, connecting Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, and Daytona Beach, connecting with I-75 in Tampa and I-95 in Daytona Beach.
, which spans 362 miles in Florida, traverses the panhandle, connecting Pensacola, Tallahassee, Lake City, and Jacksonville, with interchanges with I-75 in Lake City and I-95 in Jacksonville. It is the southernmost interstate in the United States terminating in Santa Monica with a total length of 2460 miles.
, which spans 470 miles in Florida, enters the state near Lake City ( west of Jacksonville) and continues southward through Gainesville, Ocala, Tampa's eastern suburbs, Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples, where it crosses the "Alligator Alley" as a toll road to Fort Lauderdale before turning southward and terminating in Hialeah/Miami Lakes having interchanges with I-10 in Lake City and I-4 in Tampa. It is the second longest north south interstate with a total length of 1786 miles and terminates at the Canadian border at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
, which spans 382 miles in Florida, enters the state near Jacksonville and continues along the Atlantic Coast through Daytona Beach, the Melbourne/Titusville, Palm Bay, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port Saint Lucie, Stuart, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale, before terminating in Downtown Miami. It has interchanges with I-10 in Jacksonville and I-4 in Daytona Beach, and there are four auxiliary routes associated with the interstate. It is the longest north–south interstate with a total length of 1924 miles and terminates at the Canadian border northeast of Houlton, Maine.
Airports
Florida has 131 public airports. Florida's seven large hub and medium hub airports, as classified by the FAA, are the following:
Intercity rail
Virgin Trains USA is a diesel–electric higher-speed rail system. Currently service is only from West Palm Beach to Miami through express intercity service, with a stop at Fort Lauderdale. The complete project is intended to connect Miami and South Florida to Orlando, which requires a new line westward from the coast. It partially opened for passenger service between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach on January 13, 2018, as the only privately owned and operated passenger railroad in the United States. With a top speed of , Brightline will eventually be tied with Amtrak's Northeast Regional and the MARC's Penn Line commuter rail as the second fastest passenger train in North America, after Amtrak's Acela Express.
Florida is also served by Amtrak, operating numerous lines throughout, connecting the state's largest cities to points north in the United States and Canada. The busiest Amtrak train stations in Florida in 2011 were: Sanford (259,944), Orlando (179,142), Tampa Union Station (140,785), Miami (94,556), and Jacksonville (74,733). Sanford, in Greater Orlando, is the southern terminus of the Auto Train, which originates at Lorton, Virginia, south of Washington, D.C. Until 2005, Orlando was also the eastern terminus of the Sunset Limited, which travels across the southern United States via New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio to its western terminus of Los Angeles. Florida is served by two additional Amtrak trains (the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor), which operate between New York City and Miami. Virgin MiamiCentral in Greater Downtown Miami and the Miami Intermodal Center near Miami International Airport are major hubs for rapid transit, commuter rail, intercity rail, and buses.
Public transit
Miami: Miami's public transportation is served by Miami-Dade Transit that runs Metrorail, a heavy rail rapid transit system, Metromover, a people mover train system in Downtown Miami, and Metrobus, Miami's bus system. Metrorail runs throughout Miami-Dade County and has two lines and 23 stations connecting to Downtown Miami's Metromover and Tri-Rail. Metromover has three lines and 21 stations throughout Downtown Miami. Outside of Miami-Dade County, public transit in the Miami metropolitan area is served by Broward County Transit and Palm Tran; intercounty commuter rail service is provided by Tri-Rail, with 18 stations including the region's three international airports.
Orlando: Orlando is served by the SunRail commuter train, which runs on a ( when complete) line including four stops in downtown. Lynx bus serves the greater Orlando area in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties.
Tampa: Tampa and its surrounding area use the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority system ("HART"). In addition, downtown Tampa has continuous trolley services in the form of a heritage trolley powered by Tampa Electric Company. Pinellas County and St. Petersburg provide similar services through the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority or "PSTA". The beaches of Pinellas County also have a continuous trolley bus. Downtown St. Petersburg has a trolley system.
Jacksonville: Jacksonville is served by the Jacksonville Skyway, an automated people mover monorail connecting the Florida State College downtown campus, the Northbank central business district, Convention Center, and Southbank locations. The system includes eight stops connected by two lines. JTA bus has 180 vehicles with 56 lines.
Sports
Florida has three NFL teams, two MLB teams, two NBA teams, two NHL teams, and one MLS team. Florida gained its first permanent major-league professional sports team in 1966 when the American Football League added the Miami Dolphins. Florida has given professional sports franchises some subsidies in the form of tax breaks since 1991.
About half of all Major League Baseball teams conduct spring training in the state, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League". Throughout MLB history, other teams have held spring training in Florida.
NASCAR (headquartered in Daytona Beach) begins all three of its major auto racing series in Florida at Daytona International Speedway in February, featuring the Daytona 500, and ends all three Series in November at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Daytona also has the Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR race weekend around Independence Day in July. The 24 Hours of Daytona is one of the world's most prestigious endurance auto races. The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and Grand Prix of Miami have held IndyCar races as well.
Florida is a major golf hub. The PGA of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, the PGA Tour is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, and the LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach. The Players Championship, WGC-Cadillac Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Honda Classic and Valspar Championship are PGA Tour rounds.
Florida has teams in all the major league sports—National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer Florida's most recent major-league team, Orlando City, began play in MLS in 2015.
The Miami Masters is an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Premier tennis event, whereas the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships is an ATP World Tour 250 event.
Minor league baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer and indoor football teams are based in Florida. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest football stadium in Florida, the 12th largest stadium in American college football, and the 18th largest stadium in the world, as measured by its official seating capacity of 88,548—though, it has often held over 90,000 for Florida's home football games.
Florida's universities have a number of collegiate sport programs. Major college football programs include the Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference. Since 1996, Florida has added four additional programs to the ranks of Division I FCS: UCF Knights, South Florida Bulls, Florida Atlantic Owls and FIU Panthers.
State symbols
The majority of the symbols were chosen after 1950; only the two oldest symbols—the state flower (chosen in 1909), and the state bird (chosen in 1927), and the state nickname (chosen in 1970)—are not listed in the 2010 Florida Statutes.
Amphibian: Barking tree frog
Animal: Florida panther
Anthem: "Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)"
Beverage: Orange juice
Bird: Northern mockingbird
Bird: American flamingo
Festival: "Calle Ocho-Open House 8"
Fish(fresh water): Florida largemouth bass
Fish(salt water): Atlantic sailfish
Flower: Orange blossom
Fruit: Orange
Gem: Moonstone
Horse: Florida Cracker Horse
Insect: Zebra longwing
Mammal(salt water): Common bottlenose dolphin
Mammal(marine): Florida manatee
Motto: "In God We Trust"
Nickname: The Sunshine State
Palm Tree: Coconut palm
Pie: Key lime pie
Play: Cross and Sword
Reptile: American alligator
Reptile(salt water): Loggerhead sea turtle
Rodeo: Silver Spurs Rodeo
Shell: Horse conch
Soil: Myakka soil
Song: "Old Folks at Home"
State day/week: Pascua Florida
Stone: Agatized coral
Tortoise: Gopher tortoise
Tree: Sabal palmetto
Wildflower: Tickseed
Sister states
Notable people
See also
Index of Florida-related articles
Outline of Florida
Notes
References
Bibliography
Viviana Díaz Balsera and Rachel A. May (eds.), La Florida: Five Hundred Years of Hispanic Presence. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida, 2014.
Michael Gannon (ed.), The History of Florida. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida, 2013.
External links
State website
Florida State Guide, from the Library of Congress
Florida Memory Project Over 300,000 photographs and documents from the State Library & Archives of Florida
Online collection of the Spanish Land Grants
USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Florida
Florida Rivers and Watersheds—Florida DEP
U.S. Census Bureau
Economic and farm demographics fact sheet from the USDA
Energy & Environmental Data For Florida
Heliconius charitonia, zebra longwing Florida state butterfly, on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
TerraFly Property Value and Aerial Imagery Spatio-temporal animation Real Estate Trends in Florida
List of searchable databases produced by Florida state agencies hosted by the American Library Association Government Documents Roundtable
Category:1845 establishments in the United States
Category:Former Spanish colonies
Category:Peninsulas of Florida
Category:Southern United States
Category:States and territories established in 1845
Category:States of the Confederate States
Category:States of the East Coast of the United States
Category:States of the Gulf Coast of the United States
Category:States of the United States
Category:U.S. states with multiple time zones | 2024-07-12T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1155 |
Q:
Regular Expression matching a certain number in the text
I have a file that looks like this:
STUFF STUFF **X** **Y** STUFF STUFF
J6 INT-00113G 227.905 5.994 180 SOIC8
J3 INT-00113G 227.905 -203.244 180 SOIC8
U13 EXCLUDES -42.210 181.294 180 QFP128
U3 IC-00276G 5.135 198.644 90 BGA48
U12 IC-00270G -123.610 -201.594 0 SOP8
J1 INT-00112G 269.665 179.894 180 SOIC16
J2 INT-00112G 269.665 198.144 180 SOIC16
And I need to grab the 3rd column and the 4th column seperately and store them into a list in C#.
I am currently matching the 3rd and 4th column together using:
var xyResult = new List<string>();
var mainResult = new List<string>();
foreach (var mainLine in fileList)
mainResult.Add(string.Join(" ", mainLine));
foreach (var xyLine in mainResult)
{
Match xyRegex = Regex.Match(xyLine, @"[\d]+\.[\d]+\s+[\d]+\.[\d]+");
if (xyRegex.Success)
{
xyResult.Add(string.Join(" ", xyRegex));
}
}
List<string> finalXYResult = xyResult.ToList();
foreach (var line in finalXYResult)
displayXYRichTextBox.AppendText(line + "\n");
Right now I am storing the regex matching both X and Y into one list. I would like to store the two column values seperate. So, one list for X and one list for Y.
QUESTION:
What regex can I use to match the 3rd column of numbers and store it in "X" and also (or seperately using another regex) match the 4th column of numbers and store it in "Y"?
EDIT:
private void calculateXAndYPlacementTwo()
{
// Reads the lines in the file to format.
var fileReader = File.OpenText(filePath + "\\Calculating X,Y File.txt");
// Creates a list for the lines to be stored in.
var fileList = new List<string>();
// Adds each line in the file to the list.
while (true)
{
var line = fileReader.ReadLine();
if (line == null)
break;
fileList.Add(line);
}
// Creates new lists to hold certain matches for each list.
var xyResult = new List<string>();
var mainResult = new List<string>();
var xResult = new List<string>();
var yResult = new List<string>();
foreach (var mainLine in fileList)
mainResult.Add(string.Join(" ", mainLine));
mainResult.ForEach(xyLine =>
{
Match xyRegex = Regex.Match(xyLine, @"(?<x>-?\d+\.\d+)\s+(?<y>-?\d+\.\d+)");
if (xyRegex.Success)
{
String xValue = xyRegex.Groups["x"].Value;
String yValue = xyRegex.Groups["y"].Value;
xyResult.Add(String.Join(" ", new[]{ xValue, yValue }));
foreach (var line in xValue)
richTextBox1.AppendText(line + "\n");
foreach (var line in yValue)
richTextBox2.AppendText(line + "\n");
}
});
}
A:
To make things easier I've named the groups, but the following should work:
(?<x>-?\d+\.\d+)\s+(?<y>-?\d+\.\d+)
Please note that this requires both the 3rd & 4th column to have decimal numbers (I don't do any checking to accept either whole or decimal numbers, but if necessary, this can be added).
Note the above has been tested to work.
Summary
Basically we use the capture you had, but extend it using capture groups (the parenthesis). I also use named groups (the ?<x> and ?<y> at the start of the group) so you can reference the values found using xyRegex.Groups["x"] and xyRegex.Groups["y"], respectively.
I also found your capture failed when numbers appeared with negative values, so I added an optional negative symbol (-?) to the pattern to account for that.
So, broken down, here is the statement:
(?<x> # Begin capture group "x"
-? # allow a negative symbol 0 or 1 time
\d+ # allow 1+ numbers
\. # allow a single decimal
\d+ # allow decimal numbers 1+ times
) # end capture group "x"
\s+ # allow white space between the number sets
(?<y> # Begin capture group "y"
-? # \
\d+ # | - same as above
\. # |
\d+ # /
) # End capture group "y"
| 2023-08-25T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/6736 |
Q:
How to inherit STATIC methods?
I have a class
function Man(){...}
Man.drinkBeer = function(){...}
I need to inherit SuperMan from Man. And I still want my Superman be able to drink some beer.
How can I do that?
A:
Object.setPrototypeOf(SuperMan, Man);
This will set the internal __proto__ property of your derived function to be the base function.
Therefore, the derived function will inherit all properties from the base function.
Note that this affects the functions themselves, not their prototypes.
Yes, it's confusing.
No existing browser supports setPrototypeOf(); instead, you can use the non-standard (but working) alternative:
SuperMan.__proto__ = Man;
| 2024-05-19T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/6995 |
(function() {
var a = { x: 4 };
function f() {
return a;
}
inspect = function() {
return f() === f();
};
})();
| 2024-02-03T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3889 |
This disclosure relates to solar power systems, and more particularly to a coating for enhancing performance of such systems.
Solar power systems are known and used to collect solar energy and convert that energy into electricity. As an example, solar trough systems are used to direct the solar energy toward a solar receiver to heat a working fluid that is carried through the solar receiver. Conventional solar receivers may include a sealed glass enclosure with a transfer tube running through the glass enclosure. The sealed glass enclosure is evacuated to reduce heat loss to the surrounding environment. | 2024-05-27T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5945 |
Senator Dick Blumenthal (D-Stolen Valor) to lead the enlistment effort.
ATLANTA (AP) Democrats hope to enlist military veterans in another type of fight – for majority control of the House.
Looking ahead to next year’s elections, Democrats are trying to recruit at least two dozen military veterans to challenge Republican incumbents.
Democrats say candidates with military on their resumes appeal to independent voters and can help the party break the GOP grip on Washington.
Several veterans already have announced their bids in some of the 79 Republican-held House districts that national Democratic leaders have identified as top targets.
Keep reading… | 2024-03-02T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2959 |
US-Cuba Relations May Improve Under Trump if Havana Makes Concessions
Date of publication: 20 07 2017, 16:51
The US-Cuba relationship will at best improve gradually over years and only if Havana is willing to make concessions on human rights and political prisoners because President Donald Trump will continue to maintain a hardline while pushing free market and democracy reforms, experts told Sputnik.
Washington and Havana on Thursday will mark the second anniversary of the official restoration of diplomatic relations after more than 50 years of severed ties. The warming of relations came as a result of President Barack Obama’s decision in December 2014 to pursue a path toward normalizing relations with Cuba.
Trump, however, scrapped his predecessor Barack Obama’s initiative to develop diplomatic and economic ties to Cuba in order to repay a political debt to the community of anti-Castro exiles in Florida.
“We will not lift sanctions on the Cuban regime until all political prisoners are freed, freedoms of assembly and expression are respected, all political parties are legalized, and free and internationally supervised elections are scheduled,” Trump said in a speech in Miami, Florida in June.
Last week, Cuban President Raul Castro criticized the new US policy, which excludes the possibility of continuing a bilateral dialogue or the implementation of the previously signed agreements between the two countries, but noted that Cuba nevertheless wishes to engage in dialogue with the United States.
Cuban officials warned in June that a reversal of Washington’s policy toward Havana would fail. Moreover, Cuba has hit back by accusing the United States of a huge number of murders and misconduct by its police as well as of illegal detention and torture of prisoners in the US detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
Gradual improvement at best
University of Kent History Professor George Conyne told Sputnik, however, that Trump’s tough talk needs to be taken with a grain of salt including his speech in Miami last week.
“First, in almost every policy area, what President Trump announces with high rhetoric one day is often forgotten by the next- or at least by the next time he mentions the subject. Second, the President’s Florida speech was given to the remaining veterans of the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961,” Conyne explained.
Trump, he claims, knows the importance of “being filmed in cheering crowds and what we’re going to get that peculiar crowd excited were those particular remarks.”
Conyne pointed out that soon after the State Department announced that there would be no changes implemented until regulations could be redrafted.
“That statement more than hints, it shouts of a more nuanced and subtle policy that the President announced,” he argued. “So before anyone concludes anything, one better watch the drafting process and read and assess the results.”
Conyne said he always thought American attempts at political and economic isolation of Cuba were “foolish” and that both the United States and Cuba would benefit from rapid normalization.
“I think a quiet policy of small improvements that add up to normalization over the long term, is the best for which we can reasonably hope under this president,” Conyne said.
The professor added that he is encouraged about the long-term outlook of US-Cuban relations.
“No set of international negotiations that occur over this length of time, and after so many years of difficulties… are going to proceed without some reverses and problems. So far the problem s do not seems great,” he said.
Trump must move Cuba towards free markets, democracy
US policy towards Cuba should begin by pressuring Havana to move towards democracy and free markets, Senior Scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami Dr. Jose Azel told Sputnik.
“I think the policy of the United States we always want that stands with the freedom and democratic reforms,” Azel stated. “We should not be embracing brutal dictatorship of the Castros in Cuba. We should always be on the side of the people that are being oppressed.”
US policy towards Cuba has traditionally been in defense of human rights and freedom, Azel added.
However, Obama abandoned the traditional US-Cuba policy framework and adopted that made unconditional concessions to the Cuban regime, Azel stated. He encourages the Trump administration to continue to uphold the United States’ previous strong stance against the regime.
“At least, right now the administration is saying yes people can travel to Cuba or can do business with Cuba provided that you don’t do with the Cuban military,” Azel stated. “So I hope this policy has put an end to… asking for nothing in return.”
Any efforts to improve relations between both countries will be depend on Cuba’s intentions to make advances in allowing political and economic reforms, Azel stated. | 2023-12-31T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5067 |
293 F.2d 539
Clarence C. JOHNSON, Appellantv.UNITED STATES of America, Appellee.
No. 16063.
United States Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit.
Argued April 17, 1961.
Decided June 22, 1961.
Petition for Rehearing Denied August 15, 1961.
Mr. Harold F. Golding, Washington, D. C. (appointed by the District Court) for appellant.
Mr. Arnold T. Aikens, Asst. U. S. Atty., with whom Messrs. Oliver Gasch, U. S. Atty., at the time of argument, and Carl W. Belcher, Asst. U. S. Atty., at the time of argument, were on the brief, for appellee. Mr. Donald S. Smith, Asst. U. S. Atty., also entered an appearance for appellee.
Before WILBUR K. MILLER, Chief Judge, and BAZELON and BURGER, Circuit Judges.
BURGER, Circuit Judge.
1
Appellant was convicted of "forging and uttering" under 22 D.C.Code § 1401 (1951). At his own request he was tried without a jury. A motion to suppress the victim's stolen credit card was denied and the appellant contends this was error because the search warrant which authorized search of his dwelling did not describe the credit card but only other stolen articles which were recovered in the search.1
2
A police officer engaged in searching appellant's bedroom under a warrant which described numerous articles of stolen personal property2 opened a dresser drawer in the process of search. In the drawer he saw a credit card issued in the name of the complaining witness whose other stolen personal property had just been found in appellant's possession. With the credit card was a statement from Lansburgh's Department Store also in the complaining witness' name. Neither the credit card nor the statement was specified in the warrant.
3
Appellant contends that it was reversible error for the District Court to refuse to suppress the card and statement as evidence. He argues that the police could not seize the credit card and statement without securing a new warrant as provided by Rule 41(c) Fed.R.Crim.P., 18 U.S.C.A. With the credit card were documents of purchase of merchandise in the name of the same person. Appellant's brief states that the searching officer "discovered what ostensibly appeared to be forged documents * * *." An officer engaged in a lawful search is not confined to seizing only those items described in the warrant, especially where the unlisted items seized are instrumentalities of a crime. "The Fourth Amendment provides that the warrant must particularly describe the `things to be seized.' But it is well established that given a lawful search some things may be seized in connection therewith which are not described in the warrant * *." Palmer v. United States, 1953, 92 U.S. App.D.C. 103, 104, 203 F.2d 66, 67. See also Bryant v. United States, 5 Cir., 1958, 252 F.2d 746. "This Court has frequently recognized the distinction between merely evidentiary materials, on the one hand, which may not be seized either under the authority of a search warrant or during the course of a search incident to arrest, and on the other hand, those objects which may validly be seized including the instrumentalities and means by which a crime is committed * * *." Harris v. United States, 1947, 331 U.S. 145, 154, 67 S.Ct. 1098, 1103, 91 L.Ed. 1399.
4
Affirmed.
Notes:
1
Appellant has been tried and convicted for housebreaking and larceny of the personal property described in the warrant. Johnson v. United States, 110 U.S.App. 193, 290 F.2d 384. After the complaining witness had reported theft of the listed articles he learned that someone had forged his name to purchase agreements and he promptly reported this to the police
In No. 16073 appellant challenged the validity of the instant search warrant under which certain goods later admitted into evidence were seized. He contended that the warrant was obtained upon information derived in executing an arrest warrant which was based upon a fatally defective complaint. No such contention was advanced in the instant case.
2
The warrant included a maroon colored Atlas vacuum cleaner, a black and white Sylvania clock radio, wood cabinet radio, 2 hats, 15 shirts, blue suit, etc
| 2024-03-30T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4530 |
Antiviral activity of certain isatinisothiosemicarbazones against Mengo and vaccinia virus infections in mice.
Among eleven isatinisothiosemicarbazones (IITS) examined only 1-ethylisatin-S-n-butylisothiosemicarbazone (ZIMET 189/69) proved to be significantly effective against lethal Mengo and neurovaccinia virus-induced encephalitis in mice when administered subcuaneously (s.c.) in doses of 1 mmole/kg body weight per day. With peroral (p.o.) administration all the drugs failed to prevent mortality in Mengo virus-infected mice. Against this virus ZIMET 189/69 was effective over a concentration range from 0.6-1.4 mmoles/kg per day producing a plateau effect at doses greater than 1 mmole/kg. With Mengo virus maximum protective response was seen in intraperitoneally (i.p.) or intranasally (i.n.) infected mice when treatment was begun at the time of virus inoculation and continued, once daily for a period of at least four consecutive days. Delayed initiation of treatment failed to protect Mengo virus-infected mice but was effective in vaccinia virus-infected mice. | 2024-02-05T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4282 |
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| 2024-05-22T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2745 |
Ricky Gervais has come under fire for frequently using the word "mong" on Twitter.
The Office star argued that the term no longer refers to its original meaning - a derogatory term for Down's syndrome sufferers.
Responding to followers who disagreed with his use of the word, he insisted: "Just to clarify for uptight people stuck in the past. The word mong means Down's Syndrome about as much as the word gay means happy. I never use the word mong to mean anything to do with Downs Syndrome."
However, comedian Richard Herring slammed Gervais on his blog, writing: "Ricky Gervais is new to Twitter and seems to have spent the first couple of weeks mainly posting pictures of himself pulling the kind of faces that school children pull to parody the disabled and calling people 'mongs'.
"I think many comics are guilty of using [the word] as convenient and humourless punchlines. I don't think any of them would do the same with the word 'n***er' or 'p**i' but they're happy to use 'mong' or 'retard' as a means of getting a laugh. And audiences will laugh at those words too and rarely even complain about them.
"If the words are upsetting some people and perpetuating a stereotype, isn't it more noble and thoughtful to just admit you might have made a mistake and stop?"
Fellow stand-ups Chris Coltrane and James W Smith also condemned Gervais for his behaviour.
However, Gervais hit back, telling his followers: "Dear fans. Don't give the haters any attention. Those people aren't really offended by the things I say - they are offended by my success." | 2023-08-20T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1632 |
Inhibition by mepacrine and amylase secretion from intact and permeabilized rat pancreatic acini.
In intact rat pancreatic acini, the phospholipase A2 inhibitor mepacrine did not affect basal amylase release but dose-dependently inhibited the carbachol (IC50 65 microM) and CCK-8 (IC50 210 microM)-stimulated amylase release. In permeabilized acini, mepacrine shifted the dose-response curve for calcium to the right by a factor 2 and inhibited the release of amylase stimulated by GTPrS. From these results we conclude that carbachol, CCK-8 and GTPrS probably activate a phospholipase A2 closely coupled to exocytosis. | 2024-03-27T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1114 |
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In defense of “another” baby
October 10, 2017
(Note: this is not a post claiming “there’s never a bad time to have a baby.” Hopefully if you’ve read more than one thing I’ve written over the years, you’ll know that’s not where I stand. End painfully necessary disclaimer.)
I have fielded a lot of comments about the timing of this latest little bean. I guess for good reason. For anyone who’s just tuning in, I’m 7 months pregnant with baby number 5. My oldest turned 7 last month, we just bought a house in a crazy expensive real estate market, and my husband is not a doctor.
Neither my husband nor I necessarily dreamt of a humongous family when we got married, though if pressed, Dave will say he anticipated probably having “five or six” which is rather on the largish side, if you ask me, while I anticipated “having kids” in the same way I anticipated that I would one day finish college and get a mortgage. So it’s not that I had a specific number I was hoping/dreaming for, or even that I was particularly looking forward to motherhood with any kind of instinctive longing, just that it’s something I assumed would happen if I got married.
(Please don’t get me wrong, I see my beautiful sisters who are struggling to have a baby, and I am achingly aware that our fertility is a gift and I for sure love my kids and am thrilled to be their mom. I’m just trying to set the stage for where younger Jenny came from, and it wasn’t from a place of dreaming about being a mommy, naming my future children, or even discussing how many of them I hoped to end up with one day.)
We got married in the Catholic Church, and so we took our vows to heart when we promised to accept children lovingly from God and raise them according to the law of Christ and His Church. Growing up in families of 6 and 7 kids, respectively, we had a preeeetty good idea that if things worked as intended, barring any unforeseen medical circumstances, marriage = babies. And we were on board.
(Sometimes when people cock their head at me in utter disbelief that I’m having number 5, the knowledge that I am myself the oldest of 7 puts them at ease. “Ohhhh, that makes sense; you’re from a big family yourself.” I mean, I guess it does? Anyway, if my kids ask one day why they have so many siblings, I’ll just pat them on the head and tell them I wanted to make their trips to the grocery store less socially awkward, should they themselves decide to raise a small army.)
Still, all this to say: I did not set out to have a big family. I love each of my sweet children with a love I wouldn’t have believed possible, but they were very much received as gifts – sometimes surprising ones – and have not necessarily come about as the result of meticulous and strategic planning.
Our approach to NFP has its seasons of meticulosity, for sure (postpartum period, I’m looking at you) but we also have plenty of months where we’re having the vv stereotypical (at least according to marriage prep classes) “where we at?” conversations about avoiding vs. being ready to conceive. I want to tell you it’s marriage building and exhilarating and totally! fulfilling! on an existential level, but to be honest, it can feel a bit more like crunching the numbers during our monthly financial summits when we’re plugging numbers into Every Dollar.
An imperfect analogy, because sex is a little more meaningful than budgetary allocations, but it can still feel very much like a process of drilling into the “numbers,” so to speak, and weighing resources versus expenditures.
For example, is my mental health in a place where pregnancy would be safe and prudent? Is his? Are we trying to hit some serious financial goals that would best serve our entire family if we focused on them for another 6 months? (Note: I don’t think finances are a great yardstick by which to plan one’s family size. But temporary, short-term goals like getting out from under a large debt or saving for a down payment on a house might make postponing pregnancy a wise decision for a season.)
Usually though? I don’t find ordinary financial matters to be sufficiently compelling to merit identification as “grave reason,” at least not in our marriage. We’re not talking “can’t keep the heat and lights on” finances here; more along the lines of “would like to go on a decent vacation and pay private school tuition” circumstances.
Obviously every couple has to discern this for their particular family, but I think overall, as a culture, we tend to veer much, much too conservatively in the “I can’t afford a(nother) child” direction.
Are babies expensive? Sure. They can be. But everything in life is about making choices and having to leave other options behind.
And I can’t think of anything I’d rather have – including a smaller mortgage and a more reasonable grocery bill – that is more valuable than the 5 little souls in our care.
I don’t say this to downplay grave financial stress by any means. (Should I write that in all caps? Because I know someone is going to come at me with that very accusation. Hashtag you can’t please ’em all.) But many of us who identify as middle class Americans are, in fact, wealthy beyond most of the world’s (and much of human history’s) wildest imagination.
The thought of having another child is often depicted as being fraught with hair-pulling stress over calculating the rising cost of higher education and travel soccer fees, making adjustments, of course, for 18 years of inflation (at least, to read much of what the media and popular mom blogs on Pinterest have to say about things), but in fact it’s hardly possible to plot out exactly where you’ll be as a couple that far down the road.
(Anecdotally, we’ve found that as our expenses have increased, so has our income. Sometimes miraculously so, as in a pair of reimbursement checks showing up the second to last day of the month. Or an unexpected bag of like-new clothes in all the right sizes. God does like to show off, when the occasion arises. And giving is good for both the receiver and the giver. We tend to forget that.)
Secondary to the financial objection, I hear from plenty of parents who “don’t know how we do it” and “could ever handle more than _ number.” My answer is always, honestly, yeah, I didn’t know either, until I started doing it, and yes, you probably could. Parenting gets both more intense and, like with any well-practiced skill, more do-able, the more you do it.
Plus, they do tend to entertain each other. I’ve noticed a horrifying uptick in sibling violence when my two eldest are in school and the 2 and 3 year old start scrapping like feral hyenas. You can bet there are some afternoons I’m counting down the hours until school lets out and my kid count doubles, because in some backwards, heavenly arithmetic, very often 4 is easier than 2.
And finally, there’s this: I’ve yet to meet a parent who has told me they wish they’d had fewer children.
I’ve never seen anyone’s eyes glaze over in that dreamy, far-off gaze into the distance and heard them whisper “if only we’d never had Tommy, we’d have that Disney timeshare by now.”
But I’ve met lots (and lots) of middle-aged and older moms (mostly moms) at Costco and beyond who confide to me how much they wished they’d had more kids. And 90% of the time, they follow that admission up with “but I couldn’t have more because of my cancer diagnosis/I had to have a hysterectomy/my husband said 2 was enough/I didn’t think we could afford it.” And my heart breaks a little each time, because their longing is still fresh, the grief is still real, and more often than not I find myself embarrassed by my cart that is overflowing (sometimes literally) with blessings who share my last name.
All this to say, in a world where so many people want babies and can’t have them, and where there are so many who suffer from a lack of love, isn’t it a grand thing to bring another little bearer of light into the universe, a human candle crafted in the very image of the Creator, shining in defiance of the darkness? (And yes, fostering and adoption are also beautiful, holy vocations. And this post is not about those vehicles of parenthood.)
You can’t tell me I’m not rich. I know we’re wealthy beyond my wildest dreams. It just doesn’t look like zeros in my checking account. More like noisy, sticky upturned faces around the dinner table. Costly, yes. And worth every penny.
27 Comments
Thank you, Jenny. I am a lifelong Catholic (also a revert), age 33, engaged to marry a wonderful, non-Catholic (Yet. Maybe? Praying for the Holy Spirit to take the lead on that one!) man in June. I’m the oldest of five kids myself and have not, in fact, ever wished I had fewer siblings either. I just sent this article to my fiance and told him I thought this is a beautiful way to look at children. We are both open to children, and will raise them as Catholics, if God so blesses us.
Micaela
Dear Anna, I just wanted to share with you my experience.
I’m 33, married with a non Catholic, non baptized man. But he printed to support our children’s education in the Catholic faith. He is open to life, that doesn’t mean it’s easy for him. We are expecting our third baby. It’s amazing how children are God’s ways to get people closer to Him. My husband blesses the table with then, says their night prayers and goes to mass every Sunday…
He respects the Catholic Church bit still doesn’t believes. With my children we pray for “dad’s heart.. let it get close to You every day”..
I learned that I have to live my husband as Jesus loves him. So one day he will be able to know Jesus in me. I’ll pray for your marriage and your husband’s conversion. 🙂
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing your story and for your prayers. My fiancé was baptized as a child in the Lutheran faith and went to church then as well, but he hasn’t done that as an adult. Like your husband, he goes to Mass with me, and also like you, I pray for his heart. I will be praying for your family as well! Congratulations on your newest baby!
Angela
I can totally get behind another baby.. but another pregnancy!?!? I really wish God could have just gone with the stork concept because the final weeks of this 5th pregnancy has me marveling at my momnesia and my ability to forget how hard these last weeks are! And I’m positive when they hand me this baby I will forget again.. 😂😂
I think about this very topic alllll the time (still debating a blog post about it, ha). My youngest is 15 months, and this is precisely the time we’ve gotten pregnant every time. Same age of our youngest, same time of year…it’s kind of weird. (Except it’s cool cuz we get to have one big birthday bash for the 3 boys. But I digress.) This time, we have more reasons than ever to postpone but there’s still that little nudge that’s says, “But isn’t it all worth it?” The tiny bank account, the sleepless nights, the high risk pregnancy, a dozen other things that most people would probably agree and say yes, you DO have plenty reasons to avoid a pregnancy. But it’s hard to look at my precious boys now and know they’re here exactly because we were willing to open our hearts one more time.
Melissa
I really needed to read this. Oh and also I’ve read your post on motherhood and mental illness at least 3 times in the last week. We just found out that we are unexpectedly expecting baby number four. Our oldest is 5 and in the process of being diagnosed with ADHD. I’m an anxiety and depression sufferer and I had just *finally* found a med that worked for me which I promptly had to go off once I got the positive pregnancy test. I feel this pressure (internal probably) to make sure I’m telling everyone how excited we are so as not to sully the name of catholic NFP using married couples everywhere. And I am happy. But also it isn’t entirely the truth. I’m afraid to admit to people that I’m pregnant and also struggling with all these things because in my mind I’ve imagined that they will be thinking something along the lines of “welp… shoulda used birth control.” I’m having a really hard time with it. The thing is, I know that I’ve had some level of these feelings during all of my pregnancies. I can remember utterly breaking down when I was pregnant with our first and thinking I definitely wasn’t ready. And I don’t think you really can be. I know I’ll be looking back at myself 8 months from now and having a hard time imagining ever feeling like this. But for now I’m holding on to that idea that God will provide the grace we need, but not necessarily before we need it.
Carolyn
Anne
Obviously you determine what you’re comfortable sharing with others, esp overly curious strangers, but I think personally if you shared your struggle honestly it SUPPORTS a culture of life. “Yes this was a bit of a surprise and I struggle with anxiety and spend pregnancy trying to accept what’s coming, but every time I look back and think that?” I think people need to hear that it’s ok to take time to accept a pregnancy, or to have two or 5 or 10 feelings about it AND STILL be supporting of the sacredness of life. Prayers for you as you navigate all of this!
Staci
Maureen McElroy
Yes on all points! I have 5 wonderful children. Had I started sooner would I have had more 🙂
Now I have 10 grandchildren. The 3 older children each have their own familes now – 4, 3 and 3.
Was it easy? Not all of the time. Did I feel ready for such responsibility? No. Did I worry about what other folk thought – somethimes yes! Than I realised that much of the negativity coming my way was actually the envy of others for my good fortune. So I started to pray for them, and I noticed that the negativity eased off.
Raising 5 has been a roller coaster of a journey, and it isn’t over yet. Some day, when the dust settles I might write a book about raising adult children(lol). But for now all I can say to the young mums out there is ride that roller coaster. I have had periods of serious depression, physical illness for myself and my family and yet I am here now to say it was all worth it.
Anonymous
“my husband said 2 was enough”… we are there. My mind has been right where yours is, but how do you convince a husband? I spend my days wishing for a NFP accident, but it has yet to happen and it’s probably not the best way to go about this. Like another comment above, we are at the point where our youngest is the same age where we got pregnant again (2.5 years for us), but my heart ACHES for another. He says he took his vows to heart, as well. He lovingly accepted the children God gave him, and we’re raising them in the faith. But I guess now he is not open to any more gifts? He’s also not open to a ‘where we at?’ conversation. Because I should know where “we’re” at. Although there is no “we.”
All I can do right now is pray.
Jenny Uebbing
Yes, pray for him and make sacrifices for a change of heart. I have heard from plenty of women (including Kimberly Hahn) for whom this was a real point of contention early in their marriage and things ended up shifting down the road. God can work with anything! And I definitely concur that an NFP accident is probably not the best way to go about it, haha (though Lord knows we’ve had a few of those ourselves.) I will pray for you too, thank you for sharing with us. I would also specifically put St. Joseph on the case – he’s an amazing intercessor for our husbands, and he seems to always listen.
Anne
Prayer prayer prayer prayer prayer. It really does help. My husband was done after we had one… and it took so many tears and so much prayer for his heart to open up to our second child. Again, after that child he was done… and I went to prayer again. We wound up having a third child. For the last two years his response has always been, “We said we’d like three and we have three. That’s IT.” I have prayed and God has known my heart so well… We don’t breach the topic because we should know where it’s at, but the other day I did. We had gone out with all 3 and it was particularly trying (we have age gaps of 6y and 4y between kids) and I came home and said, “You know you’re right. I can’t think of adding another child (and age gap) to the children we have. I feel DONE.” And God (and my husband!) surprised me. He said, “I realized that is a decision I cannot make. Like you sometimes I feel done sometimes I want not only one but many more. As now I am open to have more kids but that is a decision that God needs to make.” Jaw. Hit. The. Floor.
It’s SO SO SO hard. Believe me, I hear your pain and feel it. Pray your heart out, and although I don’t know your name, I’ll be praying for you, too.
Angela
Put the Green Scapular under his mattress and pray the simple prayer that goes with it every day. Our Lady will take care of it. My husband was done at 2 and we have had some difficult, but necessary conversations over the years including ones about him impeding my ability to live out my faith. Now we are at five and counting. God bless you and keep you.
JR's mom
Thanks Jenny for having the courage to write this. I must admit reading your 5th’ announcement I did feel envious of the supportive parents and siblings you and your husband seem to have. After reading all the comments above, I realize I should be grateful for a very supportive husband on matters such as this. I hope this pregnancy changes their hearts – soon. Prayers for those continuing to carry life with or without family support.
Nell
It’s such a helpful discussion to hear! Thank you for opening it. I would add that the doctor part isn’t really the best measure of financial comfort. Maybe a statement like “we aren’t the Gates or Trumps” would more accurately describe people with wealth such that money is never a problem. My dad is a doctor and worked five jobs through medical school while my mom stayed home and their kids arrived (all five of us)! While in his middle years–late 40’s? 50’s?–he certainly reached a level of financial comfort, not when he had five little kids and was going through many years of specialist training and solo practice. Throwing that out there. Love your writing as always, sister!
Jenny Uebbing
great, great point Nell! My beautiful SIL is an ER doc and is buried under a mountain of student loan debt, so you’re right to point that out – definitely more a hyperbolic figure of speech, since being a doctor in this increasingly hyper-regulated market is only getting harder (and more expensive!) xoxo ‘
p.s. save me a linen dress in case the chromosomes line up right in December 😉
Nell
Laywer mom
This. Thank you, thank you! Had so many similar experiences when pregnant with my third – at 42. The number of moms on the playground who got misty-eyed and confided that their husbands “didn’t want” or “wouldn’t let them” — not to mention the mom who burst into tears and told me her husband had himself sterilized and she found out while going through his mail one day. More women need to be empowered with the information and encouragement you share here.
Anonymous
To second your point: The priest at our parish always asks people who are generally not open to life for various financial reasons or other excuses: “What would you give in exchange for your last child? A bigger house? A new mercedes? A longer vacation?” And inevitably, every parent responds “Nothing.” Which goes to show how utterly priceless each child and human life is. Nothing compares to the gift of a child.
K
I get what that priest is saying, I do. But sometimes it’s just not that simple.
I’m thinking of friends of mine. At one point, they had one compact car, lived in a small apartment, and stretched Dad’s salary as best they could to stay out of debt while Mom stayed home. No vacations, smartphones, etc. They were told by their pastor that postponing a third child until they could afford a down payment on a car that could fit three car seats was “selfish.”
That’s not selfish. That’s complying with local laws! Nor is reserving money for another child’s education, therapy, or other needs, or many of the other financial reasons a couple might discern as just for postponement.
Vanessa
I do appreciate the general idea behind this post, but I always feel compelled to clarify that “grave reasons” is a mistranslation of Humane Vitae. http://www.hprweb.com/2008/03/humanae-vitae-grave-motives-to-use-a-good-translation/ The Vatican’s translation uses the term “serious” rather than “grave” and the Catechism uses “just reason.” I think the mistranslation of “grave” has a very strong connotation that can make couples feel unnecessary guilt and pressure if they are not popping out babies one after the other unless they are on food stamps or suffering from mental illness.
Momof6
Reading this was like reading my life, I have 6 kids & my oldest is 7. Last 2 are twins, when they were born I had 6 kids & my oldest was 6. People’s reaction to that was hilarious. I’m 30 years old, & sometimes it scares me to think how many more children I could have. But I just have to remind myself that this is God’s plan, my husband & I LOVE our big family and see each one of our babies as a gift from God. God’s so good to us, he just amazes me. Our 4th baby got kissed by the Pope in Philadelphia when he was just 4 weeks old,
Another huge blessing. Did I mention all were c-sections? | 2024-05-30T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4293 |
Release of immunoreactive arachidonate metabolites by equine endometrium in vitro.
The ability of equine endometrium to release prostaglandin (PG) F, PGE2, and leukotriene (LT) B4 was studied in vitro, using endometrial tissue from diestrous mares. Because of the high cross-reactivity of the PGF antiserum with PGF1 alpha and with PGF2 alpha, results were quoted as total immunoreactive PGF. Significant concentrations of these arachidonate metabolites were released into tissue culture medium between 1 and 24 hours of incubation. Significantly higher concentrations of PGE, but not of PGE2 or LTB4, were released from endometria of mares with chronic endometritis than from genitally normal mares. Prostaglandin F was released only in low concentrations from the endometrium of a mare with pyometra, but concentrations of PGE2 and LTB4 were similar to those of genitally normal mares. | 2024-04-16T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9325 |
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Cassarino v Cassarino (2017 NY Slip Op 02623)
Cassarino v Cassarino
2017 NY Slip Op 02623
Decided on April 5, 2017
Appellate Division, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the Official Reports.
Decided on April 5, 2017
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
L. PRISCILLA HALL, J.P.
LEONARD B. AUSTIN
SANDRA L. SGROI
FRANCESCA E. CONNOLLY, JJ.
2015-00702
(Index No. 3323/12)
[*1]Joseph Cassarino, appellant,
vMichelle Cassarino, respondent.
Kelley M. Enderley, Poughkeepsie, NY, for appellant.
DECISION & ORDER
Appeal by the plaintiff from an order of the Supreme Court, Dutchess County (Maria G. Rosa, J.), dated November 21, 2014. The order, insofar as appealed from, denied the plaintiff's motion to hold the defendant in civil contempt for violating provisions of a separation agreement dated April 9, 2012, which was incorporated but not merged into the parties' judgment of divorce dated August 6, 2012, and for an award of attorney's fees.
ORDERED that the order is modified, on the law, by deleting the provision thereof denying that branch of the plaintiff's motion which was to hold the defendant in civil contempt for violating provisions of the separation agreement dated April 9, 2012, and substituting therefor a provision granting that branch of the motion; as so modified, the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, with costs to the plaintiff, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Dutchess County, for further proceedings consistent herewith.
The parties divorced in 2012. In the parties' separation agreement dated April 9, 2012, which was incorporated but not merged into the judgment of divorce, the parties noted that their main source of income was rental income derived from three commercial properties owned by the parties' jointly owned company, Springbrook Realty Corp. (hereinafter Springbrook Realty). The settlement agreement provided that until the parties sold the marital residence, they would each be permitted to charge $1,500 per month to their joint credit cards and, upon the sale of the marital residence, the proceeds from that sale would be used to pay off their joint credit cards. The settlement agreement further provided that, after the parties sold the marital residence, they would use the rental income from the three commercial properties to pay Springbrook Realty's expenses and then share equally in the company's remaining income.
By amended order to show cause, the plaintiff moved to hold the defendant in civil contempt for violating provisions of the separation agreement and for an award of attorney's fees, arguing that the defendant had taken over the finances of Springbrook Realty, had failed to pay off the credit card debt in full after the marital residence had been sold, and had failed to share Springbrook Realty's income equally with him. The Supreme Court signed the amended order to show cause, noting that the motion would be heard "on papers only" and that there would be "no appearances." In opposition, the defendant admitted taking over the finances of Springbrook Realty, and did not address the allegations regarding the credit card debt and her failure to distribute Springbrook Realty's income equally. In the order appealed from, the court, inter alia, denied the plaintiff's motion. The plaintiff appeals.
"A motion to punish a party for civil contempt is addressed to the sound discretion of the court, and the movant bears the burden of proving the contempt by clear and convincing evidence" (Matter of Hughes v Kameneva, 96 AD3d 845, 846). "To sustain a finding of civil contempt, a court must find that the alleged contemnor violated a lawful order which clearly expressed an unequivocal mandate, and that, as a result of the violation, a right or remedy of a party to the litigation was prejudiced" (Matter of Philie v Singer, 79 AD3d 1041, 1042). "It is not necessary that the disobedience be deliberate or willful; rather, the mere act of disobedience, regardless of its motive, is sufficient if such disobedience defeats, impairs, impedes, or prejudices the rights or remedies of a party" (id. at 1042; see El-Dehdan v El-Dehdan, 26 NY3d 19, 35). "Once the movant establishes a knowing failure to comply with a clear and unequivocal mandate, the burden shifts to the alleged contemnor to refute the movant's showing, or to offer evidence of a defense, such as an inability to comply with the order" (El-Dehdan v El-Dehdan, 114 AD3d 4, 17, affd 26 NY3d 19). "A hearing is required only if the papers in opposition raise a factual dispute as to the elements of civil contempt, or the existence of a defense" (El-Dehdan v El-Dehdan, 114 AD3d at 17; see Goldsmith v Goldsmith, 261 AD2d 576, 577; Muller v Muller, 233 AD2d 486, 487; Metzger v Metzger, 206 AD2d 352, 353).
Here, the plaintiff demonstrated that the defendant violated certain provisions of the separation agreement (see Matter of Philie v Singer, 79 AD3d at 1042). Through his affidavit, the plaintiff demonstrated that when the defendant took over management of Springbrook Realty's finances following the sale of the marital home, she refused to pay off their joint credit card debt and did not share the proceeds from Springbrook Realty's monthly rental income equally with him, thereby prejudicing his rights under the separation agreement (see id.). Although the Supreme Court found that the plaintiff had not met his burden, in part, because he did not exhaust other enforcement remedies before filing the instant motion, we note that Domestic Relations Law § 245 was amended, effective September 29, 2016, to remove the exhaustion requirement (L 2016, ch 365, § 1). The Legislature directed the amendment to "take effect immediately," and apply "to all actions whenever commenced as well as all judgements or orders previously entered" (id. § 2). Accordingly, the plaintiff's failure to show that he exhausted other enforcement remedies before seeking to hold the defendant in contempt does not bar him from obtaining that relief.
In opposition, the defendant did not refute the plaintiff's showing or offer evidence of a defense (see El-Dehdan v El-Dehdan, 114 AD3d at 17). Since the defendant did not "raise a factual dispute as to the elements of civil contempt, or the existence of a defense," the Supreme Court should have granted that branch of the plaintiff's motion which was to hold the defendant in civil contempt for violating provisions of the separation agreement (id.; see Goldsmith v Goldsmith, 261 AD2d at 577; Muller v Muller, 233 AD2d at 487; Metzger v Metzger, 206 AD2d at 353). Accordingly, we remit the matter to the Supreme Court, Dutchess County, to determine the extent of the plaintiff's financial losses caused by the defendant's contempt and to impose an appropriate fine (see Judiciary Law § 773).
The plaintiff's remaining contention, regarding the denial of his request for an award of attorney's fees, is without merit.
HALL, J.P., AUSTIN, SGROI and CONNOLLY, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Aprilanne Agostino
Clerk of the Court
| 2024-05-26T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/6681 |
Fifteen (novel)
Fifteen is a juvenile fiction novel written by Beverly Cleary. It was first published in 1956. It chronicles the perspective of a teenage girl entering her first romantic relationship. The book captures the innocent spirit of life in the 1950s, both through the playfully light storyline and the casual references to convertibles, sweaters, "meeting boys", and soda shops. Regardless, the book remains in print today because its overall theme of difficult adolescent feelings still connects with young readers.
Plot
Jane Purdy is a 15-year-old student at Woodmont High School in California. She dreams of having a boyfriend like blonde, popular, and sophisticated 16-year-old Marcy Stokes has. Jane feels somewhat left out of social circles at her high school, and envies the more popular girls who go out on dates, seem more confident and wear more expensive clothes.
One day while babysitting, Jane meets 16-year-old Stan Crandall, who is a delivery boy for a pet-food store. Jane is immediately attracted to Stan, although she does not believe that he will be attracted to her, because she is ordinary. However, Stan calls her later and asks her out on a date to the movies.
After school begins, Jane learns that Stan has another date named Bitsy for the first school dance. Jane is extremely upset, but it turns out that Stan asked Bitsy to the dance before he met Jane and he feels he can't break the date. After the dance, Stan tells Jane about his time with Bitsy, saying that she made fun of his job. Stan turned pale before saying goodbye to Jane. Later, Julie calls Jane on the phone to tell her Stan was rushed to the hospital and had his appendix out.
In the end, Stan reassures Jane that she's his girlfriend, and gives her his ID bracelet as a symbol that they are going steady.
Characters
Jane Purdy: Jane is the 15-year-old protagonist in Fifteen. She has brown hair, which she finds childish compared to Marcy's blonde hair, and a pretty but small wardrobe with only one cashmere sweater. She is surprised to meet Stan Crandall and happy to start a relationship with him. Jane works part-time as a babysitter. She describes herself as an ordinary girl with nothing special. She doesn't like Marcy Stokes, the popular girl in her school. While dating Stan, Jane discovers that she doesn't have to compare herself unfavorably to Marcy, and her confidence increases. Jane is a sophomore at her high school.
Stanley "Stan" Crandall: Stan is a handsome 16-year-old who works at the Doggie Diner, a pet-food delivery shop. He had recently moved to Woodmont from the city and soon starts a relationship with Jane, and tells her he thinks she's different from most girls. Their relationship is strained for a short period of time, but in the end, he assures her that everything is okay before kissing her. Stan has brown hair, green eyes, tanned skin, and is described as good looking and friendly. He's a junior at his high school.
Julie: Julie is Jane's best friend. She has freckles on her face and it's hinted that she may be overweight, as she has a hard time dieting and often tries to wear clothes that make her look thinner. She goes to the dance with Buzz, starting a possible relationship with him. She's also a sophomore and 15 years old like Jane.
Marcy Stokes: Marcy is 16 years old and the ultimate "guy's girl" or as Jane puts it, "the cashmere sweater type" (the latest high school trend at their school). She has blonde hair which she always tosses in front of boys, as well as a stylish wardrobe with several cashmere sweaters. Marcy likes to make Jane feel little and takes any chance to embarrass her. Although she is dating Greg, she is jealous of Jane's relationship with Stan.
Buzz Bratton: Buzz is an inch shorter than Jane and Julie, even though he is a junior and 16 years old. He likes Jane and even kisses her, upsetting Stan. When Jane and Buzz were in middle school, he would tackle her and steal the dishes she would prepare in cooking class and take home for her folks to taste.
Gregory "Greg" Donahoe: He's 16 years old and Marcy's boyfriend. He seems to be good friends with Jane and Stan.
Mr. Purdy He is Jane's father. He enjoys his begonia garden and his cat, Sir Puss. Jane dislikes how he tries to joke and talk too much, especially around Stan.
Mrs. Purdy: She is Jane's mother. Jane dislikes how she acts overprotective and never wears stockings on her legs.
Mr. Nibley: Mr. Nibley is the owner of the popular Nibley's Ice Cream Parlor. Jane thinks he treats her like she's still 11 years old.
Bitsy: Stan's former girlfriend who is short and makes fun of Stan's job.
Sandra Norton: The brattiest girl in all of Woodmont. She has a mother who pays lots of money when people babysit her monster child. Sandra and her family are from France, and she likes Julie better than Jane.
Nadine: The "bookworm" and Jane's easiest babysitting job. She does nothing but sit and read books, making her no trouble to sit with.
George: He's had a major crush on Jane. He is two inches shorter than Jane. He's 15 years old and a sophomore. George carries his money in a purse, is obsessed with science and is about as romantic as a math test.
Tom: Tom is Stan's friend from his old school. He works in Chinatown.
References
Category:Novels by Beverly Cleary
Category:American young adult novels
Category:1956 American novels
Category:Novels set in California
Category:William Morrow and Company books
Category:1956 children's books | 2024-01-25T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7587 |
As with every Marvel movie, there are always countless rumors that surface before it hits theaters, and Avengers: Age of Ultron is no different. There had previously been rumors that Captain Marvel would show up in the movie, but she is nowhere to be found, although it was confirmed that she is in an earlier draft of the script. Director Joss Whedon was recently a guest on the Empire Podcast, where he reveals that he specifically asked Marvel if they could bring in both Spider-Man and Captain Marvel.
"I said, 'It would be great, if we could add a few more.' If you guys could make a deal for Captain Marvel. They talked about it. And Spider-Man, we could do that too, because Sony had approached us during the first one, about a little integration. So I would have put both of [those characters] in, but neither of the deals were made. And then they were like, 'We're making a Captain Marvel movie and we've got Spider-Man as a property,' and I'm like, 'I've already locked my film you f---ers! Thanks for nothing."
The new Spider-Man has not been cast yet, but fans will get their first look at the rebooted character in action in a Marvel film, which has been all but confirmed to be next year's Captain America: Civil War, before a stand alone Spider-Man movie hits theaters in July 2017. Captain Marvel has not been cast yet either, but that movie is currently slated for a November 2018 release. Would you have liked to see both of these characters in Avengers: Age of Ultron? Let us know what you think below. | 2024-02-05T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8874 |
Glossary
acoustic Doppler current profilerA device that uses sound waves (SONAR) to record the speed and direction of water currents for a range of depths
adaptationA biological characteristic that improves the chance of survival of an organism and its descendants.
biodiversityThe variety and interdependence of all living things. Biodiversity includes all living organisms, the genetic differences among them, the communities, cultures, habitats and ecosystems in which they evolve and coexist, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that support them.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)A molecule found in almost every cell that contains an organism's genetic code. DNA is made of two strings of bases wound in a helix, or spiral, shape.
evolutionThe scientific theory for how groups of living things change over time.
geneticsThe scientific study of heredity. Also, the genetic constitution of an individual, group, or class.
geographic isolation (allopatry)
When groups of organisms have entirely separate ranges that do not overlap. Biological populations that are physically isolated by a barrier can become reproductively isolated—they can no longer breed with one another and can evolve different features.
global positioning system (GPS)A system of satellites, computers, and receivers that can determine the location (latitude and longitude) of a receiver on Earth.
habitatThe environment where an organism can and does live.
hydrologyThe study of water.
morphologyThe form and structure of anything, usually applied to the shapes, parts, and arrangement of features in living and fossil organisms.
nucleotideThe basic structural unit of nucleic acids (DNA or RNA).
populationA group of organisms of one species, occupying a defined area and usually isolated from similar groups of the same species.
speciationWhen related groups of organisms have changed so much that they are different enough to be considered separate species.
speciesA group of individuals, usually identifiable by a set of distinctive features, with a unique evolutionary history. Classically, the members of a species can interbreed only with each other to produce fertile offspring. | 2024-02-02T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3938 |
Are Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez Kaput?
Looks like Cameron Diaz can ease up on her rigorous iron-pumping schedule. Us Weekly says the lately big-bicepped star has parted ways with Alex Rodriguez after about 18 months of super-buff togetherness.
"They broke up recently," tattles a source close to the New York Yankees slugger.
So, what went wrong?
"She's very busy with her career," explains the insider. "And he's had injuries and wants to focus on his game. They're dedicated professionals."
Of course, this isn't the first time split talk has swirled around the gym-focused flames, whose romance kicked off with a bump-and-grind session at a Miami Super Bowl bash in 2010.
Rift rumors originally surfaced in October 2010, when A-Rod, 36, allegedly kicked Cam to the curb, only to reconcile with her a short time later.
Then, in June, the actress, 39, was said to be "secretly mourning the end of the relationship," which supposedly fizzled because she "pushed for more of a commitment."
Insiders quickly denied the report, and the couple put the kibosh on split whispers by getting their PDA on in Los Angeles, New York and Miami.
Not long after, rumblings began that they were looking to shack up together in Alex's $24 million Miami mega-mansion.
While there's no official word from their reps, the spy tells Us, "They're still very friendly and like each other. He has an enormous amount of respect for her." | 2023-09-08T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1710 |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pneumatic radial tires, and more particularly to a pneumatic radial tire which can suppress local wear of tire tread due to lateral forces produced in the cornering or the like of the tire.
2. Related Art Statement
For instance, in the tire mounted on a front wheel shaft of a vehicle, wear of an outward tread portion at the mounted state is faster as compared with that of the other portion due to the lateral force produced in the cornering. Thus, uneven wear begins to occur in such a fast worn portion as the tire goes on, and finally the durable life of the tire becomes shortened.
As a countermeasure for solving the problem of the abovementioned uneven wear, there have been attempted a method of controlling the rigidity distribution of tread rubber by changing the tread pattern or the kind of rubber used, a method of controlling the lateral force in the cornering by changing the outer profile of the tread, and the like. However, the effect of preventing uneven wear can not be maintained up to the last stage of the tire life by these methods, so that the conventional techniques do not come to fundamentally solve the above problem.
Furthermore, the technique for solving the problem of uneven wear is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,618 and EP-A-19,070. However, these techniques have problems on the thickness of the sidewall portion near the shoulder of the tread and the formation of a recess with respect to the tread width, and particularly they are not sufficient to prevent uneven wear due to the lateral force in the cornering.
In any case, it is particularly important to eliminate the deviation of the wearing rate in the tread surface starting from the initial stage of the running for fundamentally preventing the occurrence of uneven wear. | 2024-04-06T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2174 |
Q:
Chickpeas (Arbes) at a Shalom Zachor
Why do we serve Arbes - chickpeas at a Shalom Zachor?
A:
Aveilus for the Torah forgotten. Taamei Haminhagim 902
A:
Reading about it online, people seem to be saying that it's for aveilus (mourning): either because the baby was taught the entire Torah in the womb (like here), and was then forced to forget it, or because the baby was forced to come into the world (like here).
A:
I heard that it was originally a takanah of the Vaad Arba Aratzos to LIMIT the expense of a shalom zachor food by limiting it to Chickpeas (Arbes) that were very inexpensive and beer (the most inexpensive alcohol).
| 2024-06-29T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8611 |
We first learned the magic in grade school: those nano-bio-engines and their complex, industrious society. They suck nectar from flowers, mix it with proteins and enzymes in their stomachs, and then spit it out into wax combs that they build from wax secreted from ducts on both sides of their bodies. | 2024-05-19T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1491 |
875 F.2d 860
Goodrumv.U.S. (2 Cases)*
NO. 88-6196
United States Court of Appeals,Fifth Circuit.
MAY 19, 1989
1
Appeal From: S.D.Tex.
2
AFFIRMED.
*
Fed.R.App.P. 34(a); 5th Cir.R. 34.2
| 2023-10-09T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8678 |
"(quacks)" "(man yells)" "(gunshots, woman screams)" "WOMAN:" "I'm tired of all this squalor and misery" "Of living so close to a miserable, degrading nightmare of an existence." "Well, even though we don't live in the ghetto, it does affect..." "I am talking about this house!" "Hey!" "Don't talk about my house like it doesn't have class or something." "(belches)" "A home is more than just pretty paint or a healthy lawn, or a yard free of rusted-out benzene barrels." "It's about all the little homey touches, too." "Like your crime-scene-distressed patio furniture?" "What, the only good picnic table is one without human blood on it?" "You have a 30-foot stack of flaming tires in your backyard." "I told you, I can't put it out until someone from Ripley's documents it." "It's been burning for three years." "Well, it's hard to get them to come out." "They're still angry about, you know, the bee thing." "The bee thing?" "!" "(screams) People, please." "The purpose of inviting the mayor to our block association meeting was to address the real needs of our city." "(doorbell rings)" "Oh, that's her now." "Remember, everyone, the mayor was kind enough to come and participate in this, the truest expression of democracy, so let's behave like Americans." "ALL:" "Gimme!" "Gimme!" "Gimme!" "Gimme!" "MAYOR:" "Back." "I have a taser." "(gasping)" "The only reason I'm here is to stop the harassment-- the letters, the petitions the decapitated dolls in the mail-- day after day after day!" "(nervous laughter)" "One woman's harassment is another woman's persistence." "Well, here's one woman's cease and desist order." "Bye." "Wait, just a minute, toots." "We are your constringents and as such, have a consultational right to pizza and dissembly with a special systolic perversion of life, Listerine and the cheroot of sappiness to cervix and project." "What are you talking about?" "Uh, just a sec." "Uh, never mind." "Look, plain and simple, Mayor McBabe we are not going to be swept under the rug like some worthless stack of garbage." "Ow!" "Mayor, we just want you to hear our ideas on how to improve the city." "Oh, what the hell." "15 minutes to Baywatch." "Okay, make it snappy with these "ideas."" "Me!" "Me!" "Me!" "Hey!" "Eh-eh." "Before you start if any of them cost money, we'll have to raise taxes." "Oh." "Oh." "Oh." "Improvements don't have to cost money." "We can volunteer to help out at day care centers or old age homes pick up litter, clean up graffiti." "In short, we could pull together as a community and give freely of our time and effort." "What do you say?" "(smacking)" "Hasselhoff time!" "(cheering) Not so fast." "If there's anything my almost week and a half in office has taught me it's that you can't change anything but you can find a scapegoat." "(growling)" "(screams)" "(Duckman grunting)" "MAN (clapping):" "Bravo." "I have to applaud you for the single greatest display of negative thinking, or N.T." "that I have ever seen in one place." "Tony Sterling, self-made millionaire entrepreneur and a living example of the power of positive thinking, or P.T." "I have the way to beautify your city, or B.Y.C., make it a better place to live, or B.P.L." "and just get happier, or J.G.H." "Terif." "Now, why don't you G.F.Y.?" "(chuckles)" "Charming, you adorable-though- obviously-ravaged-by-bees gal." "You're right to be skeptical, or S." "It is, however, possible." "Real beauty..." "ALL:" "Or R.B..." "Excellent... starts with you." "When you look beautiful you want the world around you to look beautiful too." "You'll spend and do and work until your city, like you, gives off a glowing lustrous sheen of prosperity professionalism and proprietary-- a word that has nothing to do with the sentence but starts with "P-R," so I threw it in anyway." "Now I know what you're thinking." "MAN:" "Take it off, mayor!" "You're thinking, "But, Tony, you're so handsome." "How could you know what it's like to be ugly?"" "Well, I used to be awkward and unattractive a real dough-faced, smegma-coated zero." "But then" "(glass breaks, woman screams) I decided I needed help becoming the most perfect me I could be." "So I set out to put perfection in a bottle." "Beautex-- because in this world you come first." "Sounds good." "I'd love some." "Hold your horses, eager beavers." "Lest you think it's only the hombres who can look this good" "I'd like to introduce you to the spokeswoman for Lady Beautex." "(all oohing)" "Angela." "(all clamoring)" "MAMBO:" "Hey, Dad that's Angela, the 911 operator whose voice you fell in love with and who turned out to be ugly but you loved her anyway." "Then she got a makeover and became a gorgeous supermodel and you broke up with her because she was too good for you and you'd be holding her back." "Don't you think I know all that?" "That wasnt for you;" "that was exposition for the 99.9% of the audience who are usually out having a life on Saturday nights instead of staying home and flipping through obscure cable channels in the hopes they'll catch a little soft-core pornography." "Hmm." "Oh, my gosh." "An-An-Angela, it's m-m-m-me." "(phone rings)" "Hold that stammer, will ya?" "Yello." "She owes how much in Beautex bills?" "!" "Wrap her wrinkled butt in a shawl and kick her and her cat out in the street." "And hurry, it's supposed to snow." "Angela, you... you've changed." "Impressive, isn't it?" "So, Dinkman, what's been happening since I saw you last?" "Great, sounds like fun." "Well..." "Maybe I'll see you later, huh?" "Nothing romantic, of course because, well... look at you, then look at me." "(door slams)" "People always try to convince me that it's what's inside that counts, but those are the ugly people." "I want to get Angela back but to do that now, I have to get beautiful no matter how much it costs." "(change clattering)" "Oh, deadbeat neighbors." "Oh, well." "This will get me started." "Beautex me!" "ANNOUNCER:" "It's time for The Magic of Beautex with your host, Tony Sterling." "Thank you." "You're marvelous." "You know, I've been all over the world and everywhere I go, people say the same thing" ""Stop smiling at me."" "Then they say, "Hey, Tony," ""you're living right and looking good." "How do you stay so up?"" "Three words" ""Beautex... my friend."" "(cheering)" "As you know, many of your neighbors have been using Beautex for weeks and they're with us today to share some of their experiences with you so come on." "(with audience):" "Let's get Beautexed!" "Why, look who's here to introduce those neighbors-- that glamorous supermodel, Angela." "Thanks, Tony." "You're not going to believe our next Beautex success story." "Can't wait." "Hi." "Iggy Catalpa here, former stand-up comic now the guy who finds virgins for Fox executives." "I'm tired of always being the butt of everyone's jokes." "They call me dweeb and geek and nerd." "One guy called me a jackanape." "I don't even know what that means." "For me, life is a long, dark tunnel with no end in sight." "I long for the peace that only death can bring." "(applause)" "Would you like to see Iggy after one week of using the Beautex line of products?" "(cheering)" "Wow, Iggy, is that really you?" "You bet, Tony, and I owe it all to Beautex." "Now life is worth living again." "I'm confident, secure and I get more tail than I can handle." "Ha!" "(applause)" "But don't just take his word for it." "With the money I made selling Beautex" "I funded a day-care center, a gang outreach program and a committee to restore English to our convenience stores but most important, I'm a bitchin' babe!" "Thank you, Beautex." "We're dating Winona Ryder." "Thank you, Beautex." "I used to be sloth-like and rotund but now I'm a stunning slice of man meat." "Like with most things" "I assumed it was the work of tiny little demons that enter my body when I sneeze or yawn but it's been explained to me that this time is different." "Thank you, Beautex." "Beautex fever is catching!" "And you don't have to be alive to enjoy its benefits." "From building materials to paints to laundry detergent to lawn care everything looks better with Beautex on it." "(applause)" "That last splotch must have worked." "I'm six degrees of studly now." "Hunk city, here I come." "(yells)" "(doorbell buzzing)" "CORNFED:" "Duckman, open up." "Take a hike, Ziffel." "You can't live a life devoid of meaningful contact spending all your time frantically rubbing yourself with a fistful of lotion uh, anymore." "I don't want to see anyone." "I've been using Beautex for days, and it doesn't work on me." "Everyone else sparkles like a young dentist's spit sink and I look like the floor around Stevie Wonder's urinal." "No offense meant, of course, to that talented songsmith." "I need love, I need companionship..." "I need a new door." "Why, Corny, you're beautiful." "Tell me something I don't know." "You've been using it, too?" "!" "The one who says how shallow it is to be obsessed with the surface, nonspiritual, the superficial?" "Sue me." "I'm getting more tail than I can handle." "Are all of these empty?" "I'm doing this for Angela, Corny." "I'd give anything to hear her voice calling...." "ANGELA:" "Duckman." "Calling...." "Duckman!" "Call..." "Duckman!" "Uh..." "I'm, uh..." "down in the basement where it's real dark 'cause I'm, uh..." "I can't tell her something embarrassing like I'm ashamed of my appearance." "Think." "Think." "I'm developing pornographic photos!" "Be gentle." "He's more nervous than a Mennonite without a mill at the Festival of Tehezadarel." "I got to make my references hipper." "Duckman, I'm here because you owe almost $3,000 in unpaid Beautex bills." "I'll just take your car, furniture, clothes and any gold fillings you might have." "Fine." "Take it all." "It doesn't matter anyway-- I've had it up to here." "I'm holding my hand under my chin, by the way." "How could I have hoped to get back together with you?" "Get back together with me?" "After the way you dumped me?" "!" "Leaving me sitting in that restaurant just waiting for you?" "Three weeks, three long weeks sitting in that booth looking up every time the door opened." "They let you sit there for three weeks?" "Well, I kept ordering iced tea." "I'd still be there if one of my kidneys hadn't shut down." "And after my surgery" "I vowed never to need you or anyone else ever again." "I have everything I need to get by, and it's better this way, Duckman." "Can't you see I'm much better off on my own?" "I'm happier like this... a lot happier than I ever would've been with you." "(crying)" "Angela... don't you know how hard it was for me to let you go?" "I just..." "I didn't want you to ever settle for less, to settle for me." "But the truth is, not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about you, dreamt about you." "I love you, Angela." "I'm sorry." "It's okay." "I know you and I don't have a chance." "You're so beautiful and I'm so... not." "Well..." "Well..." "Oh, my goodness, I'm late!" "D-D-Do you have to go?" "I'll be back at 6:00." "Will you wait for me?" "Hmm." "What the...?" "Why'd all that color come off her dress?" "And why is she two hours late?" "Oh, well, I guess I'll do what I always do when I think too much." "(remote clicks)" "We now bring you this important message." "You're doomed, Duckman." "That sounds like..." "King Chicken?" "Maybe because it is." "Meet me at the top of the Beautex Trade Center, the world's tallest and more important, most rapidly-built building if you ever want to see Angela and your family again!" "Mwa-ha-ha." "Bok, bok, bok." "I now return you to the end of the world already in progress." "What the hell's going on?" "(whimpering)" "I hope you'll all be comfortable." "I'd hate for your last moments on earth to be marred by chaffing." "You're really someone named King Chicken?" "And all this time, you were just using me as part of some horrible plot to get at Duckman?" "That, and you made a darn good cup of coffee." "As for my aptly-named "hideous plot,"" "Beautex, is really a deadly virus-- one that eats away at matter, causing it to devolve through its various stages of development until it loses all form and reality, vanishing into nowhere." "Oh, it'll be a pleasure to watch you all die." "Excuse me, Mr. Chicken?" "Allow me to handle this, maggots." "Look, your broil highness, we're from Weird Science." "Like most of this country we don't waste good babe-snaring time watching your pitiful little show." "What this total stranger, who is certainly not my brother is trying to ask is:" "Why are you killing us?" "USA asked me to." "They don't want one show doing anything without the other." "So, I'll just kill all of you and they'll rerun Silk Stalkings." "Demographically sound, from a programming standpoint." "Psst." "Psst." "No." "Ajax." "Since I've never seen this pathetic little daisy parade of yours what have you got to save us, some kind of superpower?" "I can put coins in my nose and snort out exact change." "Yeah, but this Duckman-- what kind of superpowers does he have?" "Well, when he panics, he can scream just like a little girl." "(shrieking)" "Oh, my God!" "Oh, no!" "(screams)" "(screams)" "(gasps)" "(screaming)" "(evil laughter)" "King Chicken!" "Even you have to get out of here." "This building is..." "Devolving?" "Relax, kookie, this side of the building has been treated with anti-Beautex." "Somehow, some way" "I've got to stop this horrible mass destruction, this apocalyptic nightmare, this" "Hey, the three guys from Weird Science." "I never miss your show." "I just wish it wasn't so darn complicated, you know?" "Who can follow those convoluted, twisty story lines?" "We're dead meat." "And now, I suppose you all want to know why I did this." "Okay." "I'll tell you." "The reason is..." "We interrupt to bring you a special news bulletin." "Tim Curry, the celebrated stage and screen actor has been reported missing by the Los Angeles police." "A note left at the recording session for tonight's episode of the heavily praised yet seldom watched Duckman series simply said, "I'm going somewhere" ""where they'll never again make me do the speech" ""about how Duckman isolated me as a child so now I'm going to isolate him." "Mwa-ha-ha." "Bok, bok, bok."" "Now, back to the program." "...going to isolate him." "Mwa-ha-ha." "Bok, bok, bok." "Oh, God." "So why didn't Beautex work on me?" "You took the antidote." "Remember when I was disguised as your children's nanny?" "I made potatoes for you and they contained this-- anti-Beautex." "Hey, you got to think ahead in this business." "By the way here's an amulet I'd like you to wear." "Wow, thanks." "No prob." "Duckman!" "(groaning)" "Duckman, save us." "He can't save you." "It's over." "You're a victim of your own obsession just like the rest-- a fading testament to the shallow idiocy of worshiping beauty above all else!" "Look, it's Whitney Houston!" "Oh, she's so hot!" "Us first!" "We get higher ratings!" "Only because you got the desirable time slot and our audiences are incompatible!" "We're gonna die, man!" "There's some freaky stuff happening here, and we're all going to die!" "(screaming)" "Oh, well." "Let their producers worry about it." "(gasping)" "No!" "No!" "(yells)" "KING CHICKEN:" "No!" "My horoscope said this was a bad day to destroy the world." "(screaming)" "We still have to do something." "The city is almost gone." "I just found this crate full of scrumpt-dilly-icious dry ice in the kitchenette." "Dry ice!" "That's it-- I have an idea!" "Angela, pour the anti-Beautex on it." "Now what?" "That." "(cheering)" "(cheering)" "But it just goes to show you, kids." "Pay attention in school." "Somewhere, in all that babbling your teachers do, you'll learn one thing that you can one day bring back and use in an appropriate itme." "As for King Chicken, I hate to think of the horrible effect all that concentrated Beautex could have on someone, the gross deformities it could cause." "I'll get you for this, Duckman." "One way or another, I'll outsmart you." "(chuckles) Impossible!" "Oh, wait a minute." "Almost forgot my new amulet." "Duckman, I'm so proud of you." "Angela, I was afraid I lost you forever." "Before anything else happens, before I lose you again there's something I need to say something I've wanted to say for so long." "Angela, will you marry me?" "No." "Huh?" "You know the Beautex slogan" ""Because in this world you come first"?" "The more I think about that slogan the less I like the person who thought of it and the sad thing is, it was me." "So I've decided to travel the country, reach out to troubled kids, clean up playgrounds just try to do something to bring the right kind of beauty to some places that haven't seen it for a long time." "I'm sorry." "I hope you understand and I'll be back." "Let's go home, everyone." "So, since she didn't say "yes"" "while she's gone, I can date, right?" "What?" "I won't really like them or anything." "It would just be a sexual thing." "What if I pay?" "!" | 2023-11-20T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8226 |
React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It's declarative, efficient, and extremely flexible. What's more, it works with the libraries and frameworks that you already know.
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10 days ago | 2024-02-20T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7124 |
"Stranger in Paradise" by Vic Damone & Ann Blyth, my favorite song of the Hollywood classic "Kismet" (Destiny) 1955 -
Disclamer : This movie clip/music belong to MGM, i do not own it and i won"t earn any money with this clip.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman says Moscow will not discuss the return of Crimea to Ukraine with the United States or any other country.
Dmitry Peskov spoke on February 15, a day after White House spokesman Sean Spicer said that U.S. President Donald Trump has "made it very clear" that he expects Russia to "return Crimea" and reduce violence in eastern Ukraine.
The Kremlin spokesman referred to Crimea as Russian territory, saying that "Russia never discusses issues related to its territories with foreign partners, including the United States."
Russia seized control of Crimea in March 2014 after sending in troops and staging a referendum denounced as illegal by the United States and a total of 100 countries in the UN General Assembly.
Peskov said that Trump did not raise the issue of Crimea in his January 28 telephone conversation with Putin.
He also dismissed a February 14 report in the New York Times that cited current and former U.S. officials as saying members of Trump's campaign and other associates had contacts with Russian intelligence officials in the months before the November 2016 presidential election, claiming it was "not based on any facts."
"Let's not believe anonymous information," Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.
The Kremlin spokesman also responded to U.S. media reports that cited U.S. officials as saying that Russia has deployed cruise missiles in violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a 1987 pact between Moscow and Washington.
"Russia has been and remains committed to its international commitments, including to the treaty in question," Peskov said.
"Nobody has formally accused Russia of violating the treaty," he said.
More broadly, Peskov said that it is too early to talk about the "normalization" of ties between Russia and the United States as Trump's administration is still being built.
Trump has repeatedly said he hopes relations between the United States and Russia will improve during his administration.
Ties have been badly strained by rancor over issues including Russia's interference in Ukraine, its role in the war in Syria, and what U.S. intelligence agencies say was a hacking and propaganda campaign to meddle in the U.S. presidential election with the aim of undermining the United States, discrediting Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton, and helping Trump.
With reporting by Interfax, TASS, and Reuters
The governor of Russia's northwestern region of Karelia, Aleksandr Khudilainen, has become the fifth regional leader to step down in recent days.
Khudilainen told journalists on February 15 that he had submitted his resignation in order to give a candidate to be proposed by President Vladimir Putin time "to show himself in Karelia" before an election in September.
The Kremlin said hours later that Putin accepted Khudilainen's resignation and appointed the director of the federal bailiffs service, Artur Parfyonchikov, as acting governor of the region bordering Finland.
Khudilainen's resignation comes a day after the governor of the Ryazan region, Oleg Kovalyov, announced about his resignation. On February 13, the Novgorod region's governor, Sergei Mitin, resigned. Last week, the governors of Buryatia and the Perm Krai, Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn and Viktor Basargin, stepped down.
The five governors' resignations are widely believed to have been submitted at the request of the Kremlin, which oversees political processes nationwide.
Regional elections in September will be the last before a presidential election due to be held in March 2018.
Analysts say the Kremlin is seeking to bolster support and increase control ahead of the presidential vote, in which Putin is widely expected to seek a fourth term.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on February 14 that the resignations were part of "a routine rotation process" and called on journalists not to seek hidden motives.
The Karelian question arose when Finland was forced to cede territories to the Soviet Union after the Winter War in the Moscow peace treaty in 1940. Most Finnish citizens were evacuated from the ceded areas. Most of them returned during the Continuation War and eventually were evacuated again in 1944. The Soviet Union insisted the ceded areas be completely evacuated in 10 days. The evacuees were partly compensated for their losses; farmers, for example, received land in proportion to their earlier holdings. Usually, the compensation was about one third of the original farm. Compensation for movable property was much less. However, all evacuee families had a right to receive a small farm, and/or a plot for a detached house or a flat. The land used for these grants was confiscated by the state from municipalities and private owners. Financial compensation was funded by a general property tax of 10 to 30%, levied over a period of several years.[1][2] Because the vast majority of the evacuees who had to settle in the rest of Finland were from ceded Karelia, the question was labeled The Karelian Question. After the Winter War, Karelian municipalities and parishes established Karjalan Liitto (the Karelian Association) to defend the rights of Karelians in Finland.
During the Cold War, the Karelian-born Finnish politician Johannes Virolainen lobbied for the return of Karelia. President Urho Kekkonen also tried to reacquire the territory, especially when the Soviet Union returned the peninsula of Porkkala to Finland in 1956.[3] There was, however, no significant public controversy about the case, because Kekkonen wanted to keep it quiet.[4] The last time Kekkonen tried to raise it was in 1972, but he had no success, and public discussion died out in the 1970s.[5]
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Karelian question re-surfaced. According to an article by the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat in August 2007, the Russian president Boris Yeltsin unofficially offered to sell ceded Karelia to Finland in 1991 but was declined.[6] However, according to many Finnish political leaders and the Russian vice Prime Minister of the time, there were no such offers, only unofficial probing of the idea.[7][8][9][10] Andrei Fyodorov, an advisor of Boris Yeltsin, told the Helsingin Sanomat that he was part of a group that was tasked by the government of Russia in 1991–1992 with calculating the price of returning Karelia to Finland. This price was set at 15 billion US dollars. According to Fyodorov, Finnish president Mauno Koivisto and Finnish foreign minister Paavo Väyrynen were aware of these unofficial discussions.[11]
Karjalan Liitto is an interest group of Karelian evacuees which hopes that Karelia will once again become part of Finland at some point, but does not openly demand it. Some smaller groups, such as ProKarelia, continue to campaign for the peaceful return of Karelia. However, no serious political party has openly supported this goal, and Finnish politicians generally say there is no need for it, citing Finland's peace treaty with Russia. There are some individual politicians who support the return of Karelia, such as MEPAri Vatanen, and two candidates in the presidential election of 2006: Timo Soini and Arto Lahti. Other candidates have stated that Finland has signed a peace treaty and should not campaign for the return of what are now Russian-developed territories.[12] During a debate prior to the 2012 presidential election Timo Soini reiterated his view that, if elected, he would advance the issue.[13]
Both Russia and Finland have repeatedly stated that no open territorial dispute exists between the two countries. Finland's official stance is that the borders may be changed through peaceful negotiations, although there is currently no need to hold open talks, as Russia has shown no intention of returning the ceded areas, or discussing the question. In 1994 Boris Yeltsin commented that "seizure of Finnish Karelia" was an example of Stalin's totalitarian and aggressive politics.[14] Later in 1997 he stated that the matter was closed. In 2000 President Putin stated that such discussions may endanger Finnish–Russian relations, and in 2001 he said that "changing borders is not the best way to resolve problems", but that possible solutions would be "integration and cooperation".[15]
In 1998 Finnish PresidentMartti Ahtisaari said that "Finland's official position is that it does not have territorial demands on Russia. However, if Russia wants to discuss returning the ceded areas, Finland is ready for that."[16] Several other politicians holding government office, such as the former foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja and prime minister Matti Vanhanen, have made statements along the same lines.[17][18]
The latest polls show that approximately 26% to 38% of Finns would like to see Karelia return to Finnish control and some 51% to 62% would oppose such a move. In Russia, people associate the word "Karelia" with the Republic of Karelia instead of Finnish Karelia, which makes conducting polls more difficult. In a 1999 poll by MTV3, 34% of the people of Vyborg supported returning Karelia to Finland and 57% were opposed. Vyborg and the rest of the ceded Karelia outside the Republic of Karelia nowadays contain very few ethnic Finns, and is almost exclusively inhabited by people who moved there during the Soviet era and their descendants.
In the latest poll in Finland about the question, 36 percent of Finns supported the return of ceded territories, compared to 51% who are opposed. The poll was conducted by the newspaper Karjala and the research institute MC-Info Oy on 13 October 2005. In August 2005, a poll by Helsingin Sanomat and Suomen Gallup, determined that 30% of Finns supported and 62% opposed the return.[19] In a poll by Taloustutkimus and Karjalan Liitto conducted in May 2005, support was 26% while 58% were opposed.[20] A year earlier, a poll by STT showed 38% supporting and 57% opposing. A poll by Taloustutkimus was criticized by ProKarelia for asking leading questions, such as, "Do you support the return of Karelia, even if it would mean more tense relations or even war with Russia?"[21] 5% of supporters and of those who declined to respond supported the return even under these circumstances (2.1% of all replies).[22]
Many of the people who were born in Karelia and were evacuated want Karelia to become part of Finland. According to polls, older people (ages 65 and up) and young people (15-25) support the idea more strongly than the generation of their parents (25–65) who grew up during the Cold War.[19] Former President Mauno Koivisto has been against a discussion about the question.[23] Support for regaining the ceded areas is also strong among minor nationalistright-wing groups.
One of the main reasons for opposing the return is the fear of the costs it would bring. According to another poll conducted by Helsingin Sanomat, 42% of Finns opposing the return list that as the most important single reason. The standard of living on the Russian side of the border is much lower than on the Finnish side. The GDP (PPP) per capita in Finland is about double that of Russia.
The costs of bringing Karelia to the same level with the rest of Finland have been researched only by supporters of the idea. According to a survey conducted by ProKarelia, the area has natural advantages that, under Finnish rule, would make it a centre of trade with Russia and industry and thus bring economic growth fast enough to solve the entire problem. According to both ProKarelian research and Arto Lahti's estimate, the price of return would be about 30 billion euro.[24][25][26]
The area is inhabited mostly by people who moved there from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, and their descendants. The fate of these people is a major issue in discussions of the return of Karelia to Finland. According to the poll by Helsingin Sanomat, 14% of people opposing return consider its greatest flaw the tensions that would be caused by a Russian-speaking minority being formed in Finland. In 2004, there were about 370,000 Russians living in the region.[27]
If the inhabitants were allowed to stay in their homes, Finland would receive a few hundred thousand new Russian-speaking people with no experience of living in Finnish society. If services for them in their own language were to be provided, Finland would need many more officials capable of speaking Russian. In ProKarelia's vision, nearly half of the Russian population in Karelia would expel to Russia, and even more would leave if Finland paid their expenses for doing so.[24] However most of the Russian speaking population of Karelia were born there, have spent all their life in the region and consider it as their legal land.
Karelia (Finnish: Karjala) is a historical province of Finland which Finland partly ceded to Russia after the Winter War of 1939–40. The Finnish Karelians include the present-day inhabitants of North and South Karelia and the still-surviving evacuees from the ceded territories. Present Finnish Karelia has 315,000 inhabitants. The more than 400,000 evacuees from the ceded territories were re-settled in various parts of Finland.
Finnish Karelia was historically under western dominance, religiously and politically and was separate from East Karelia, which was dominated by Novgorod and its successor states from the middle ages onwards.
Investigations into Russia to continue after Flynn's exit. WASHINGTON — U.S. intelligence agencies and Congress will continue to investigate Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election, even after President Donald Trump fired his national ...
Michael T. Flynn, the national security adviser, at the White House on Monday before he resigned. Credit Carlos Barria/Reuters. Donald Trump's zeal for extreme vetting has one glaring exception, one gaping blind spot: his own administration. If you're ...
(CNN) Russia's Foreign Ministry has indicated that it intends to keep Crimea and not return it to Ukraine because it considers it to be part of Russia. Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters Wednesday during a weekly news ...
It was close to midnight when I had to kill a column I'd already filed for Fox News and write about the Michael Flynn resignation. The inescapable irony: The spiked column said that some positive stories for President Trump, such as his meetings with ...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn elicited a simple but persistent question Tuesday from congressional Democrats: What did President Donald Trump know and when did he know it?...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump was told in late January that his top national security aide had misled his vice president, three weeks before Trump ousted adviser Michael Flynn amid a swirling public controversy over Flynn's contacts with a Russian official, a White House spokesman said Tuesday....
On Friday, the Director of the CIA, Mike Pompeo, used his first trip abroad to present Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef with the CIA’s highest award for fighting terrorism, the George Tenet Medal. Although the ceremony wasn’t covered by any of the major media, it was picked up on various blogsites where the news was greeted with predictable howls of outrage. Not surprisingly, most American’s still see Saudi Arabia as the epicenter of global terrorism, a point which was underlined in a recent article at The Atlantic titled “Where America’s Terrorists Actually Come From”. Here’s an excerpt:
“…after sifting through databases, media reports, court documents, and other sources, Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration expert at the libertarian Cato Institute, has arrived at a striking finding: Nationals of the seven countries singled out by Trump have killed zero people in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil between 1975 and 2015.
Zero…
Nowrasteh has listed foreign-born individuals who committed or were convicted of attempting to commit a terrorist attack on U.S. soil by their country of origin and the number of people they killed. … the countries at the top of the list, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, are not included in Trump’s ban…
The 9/11 attacks were carried out by 19 men—from Saudi Arabia (15), the United Arab Emirates (2), Egypt (1), and Lebanon (1). The incident remains influential in how Americans think about the nature of terrorism.” (“Where America’s Terrorists Actually Come From“, The Atlantic)
While it’s true that 9-11 has shaped the way that Americans think about terrorism, it’s also true that most people are unaware of the deeper operational relationship between the CIA and the Saudis that dates back to the funding of the Mujahidin in Afghanistan in the 1970’s. This is where bin Laden and al Qaida first burst onto the scene, which is to say, that the sketchy CIA-Saudi connection created the seedbed for the War on Terror. Unfortunately, even now– 16 years after the attacks of 9-11– the relationship between the notorious intel agency and its Middle East allies remains as foggy as ever. As a result, the Saudis are typically fingered as the main source of the problem while the CIA’s role is conveniently swept under the rug. For example, take a look at this clip from an article in the Independent:
“Saudi Arabia is the single biggest contributor to the funding of Islamic extremism and is unwilling to cut off the money supply, according to a leaked note from Hillary Clinton.
The US Secretary of State says in a secret memorandum that donors in the kingdom still “constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide” and that “it has been an ongoing challenge to persuade Saudi officials to treat terrorist financing emanating from Saudi Arabia as a strategic priority”…
Saudi Arabia is accused, along with Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, of failing to prevent some of its richest citizens financing the insurgency against Nato troops in Afghanistan. Fund-raisers from the Taliban regularly travel to UAE to take advantage of its weak borders and financial regulation to launder money.
However, it is Saudi Arabia that receives the harshest assessment. The country from which Osama bin Laden and most of the 9/11 terrorists originated, according to Mrs Clinton, “a critical financial support base for al-Qa’ida, the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Toiba and other terrorist groups, including Hamas, which probably raise millions of dollars annually from Saudi sources, often during the Haj and Ramadan”.
“Biden said that “our biggest problem is our allies” who are engaged in a proxy Sunni-Shiite war against Syrian President Bashar Assad. He specifically named Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
“What did they do? They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad – except that the people who were being supplied were (Jabhat) Al-Nusra and al-Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world,” Mr Biden said.” (“Joe Biden forced to apologize to UAE and Turkey over Syria remarks“, Telegraph)
The evidence against Saudi Arabia is overwhelming and damning, and that’s what makes Pompeo’s performance in Riyadh so confusing. Why is the head of the CIA bestowing an award on a man who could undoubtedly identify some of the world’s biggest terrorist donors, unless, of course, the CIA derives some benefit from the arrangement?
Is that it? Is there is a quid pro quo between Washington and the Saudis that no one knows about but from which Washington reaps tangible geopolitical benefits?
It’s certainly within the realm of possibility.
Is it too far-fetched to think that the Saudis are actually a franchise that acts as Langley’s primary subcontractor carrying out operations deemed too sensitive for its own agents while obscuring the Company’s role behind a cloak of plausible deniability? Isn’t that what Friday’s freakishly Orwellian awards ceremony really suggests, that the skullduggery is much darker, deeper and more complicated than anyone would care to imagine?
Washington’s support for the Mujahidin helped to push the Soviets out of Afghanistan which is why the Brzezinski crowd thought it was a success story. If that’s the case, then isn’t it logical to assume that subsequent administrations might have used the same model elsewhere, like Kosovo, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan?
Isn’t it at least worth investigating?
And, another thing: Is it possible to uncover the root of terror by capturing and interrogating individual terrorists to find out what they know?
No, it’s not possible, because the individual cogs have never revealed the source of the funding-streams which originate from within the deep state. Every effort has been made to distance the authors from their illicit handiwork, to remove the tracks and erase the fingerprints. Once again, it’s all about plausible deniability and preventing the public from identifying the real perpetrators. Which means the only way to end this madness is by shedding light on the shadowy goings on between the Intel agencies and their Middle East proxies. There’s no other way.
One thing is certain, you’re not going to win the war on terror by handing out medals to the prime suspects.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers, including some leading Republicans, called on Tuesday for a deeper inquiry into White House ties to Russia, after national security adviser Michael Flynn resigned in President Donald Trump's biggest staff upheaval so far.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump knew for weeks that national security adviser Michael Flynn had misled the White House about his contacts with Russia but did not immediately force him out, an administration spokesman said on Tuesday.
Michael Phelps and Donald Trump have a few things in common. Like, they’re both really tall, they have a thing for beauty queens, they make funny faces and, of course, the two men have worked hard to rise to the top of their respective fields. But there’s a big difference in how they go about that last one.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump knew for weeks that national security adviser Michael Flynn had misled the White House about his contacts with Russia but did not immediately force him out, an administration spokesman said on Tuesday.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Prime Minister called Hezbollah's arms illegitimate on Tuesday after its President said the group's military wing was vital to its security, spelling out the country's political divisions more clearly than at any time since they took office.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior naval officer who served under President Donald Trump's Defense Secretary James Mattis is the leading candidate to replace Michael Flynn after the national security adviser resigned under pressure over his conversations with a Russian diplomat, two U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
Michael T. Flynn resigned as national security adviser last night after it was revealed that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other top White House officials about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak. The New York Timesreports that Flynn had previously denied that he’d had any substantive conversations with Kislyak, and Pence had repeated the claim on national television. Flynn later walked back his denial, telling the Washington Post through a spokesman that he “couldn’t be certain that the topic never came up.”
The Postinforms us that former acting Attorney General Sally Yates informed White House counsel Donald McGahn last month that Flynn had not been entirely forthcoming about content of his conversations and was a security risk because he was potentially vulnerable to Russian blackmail. Then-Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, Jr. and then-CIA Director John Brennan agreed with Yates’s assessment and concurred with her recommendation to inform the White House. It is unclear what McGahn did with the information.
The AP tells us that while the Kremlin has downplayed Flynn’s resignation, Russian lawmakers have expressed their disappointment over Flynn’s exit. Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the foreign relations committee of the Federation Council, said that firing a national security advisor for his contacts with Russia is “not just paranoia but something even worse.” And Alexei Pushkov, chairman of the information committee at the Federation Council, said that “it was not Flynn who was targeted but relations with Russia.” It is not clear whether Flynn’s resignation will influence bilateral ties.
CNN reports that a number of GOP senators are calling for an investigation into connections between President Donald Trump and Russia, and want former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to testify. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) told reporters that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence should look into this carefully, and Senator Roy Blunt, who is a member of the SSCI said that wants to speak to Flynn, and that “we should look into it exhaustively so that at the end of this process, nobody wonder whether there was a stone left unturned.” Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also joined the calls. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), chairman of the SSCI, told reporters he hasn’t made a decision about whether Flynn should testify, while Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), the ranking Democrat on the committee, has said that he should.
The Guardianwrites that retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, who until yesterday was the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council, has now been appointed acting national security adviser by the Trump administration. Kellogg has been promoted over Deputy National Security Advisor K.T. McFarland, who is likely to resign her position as well, according to the Times. The Los Angeles Timesexamines Kellogg’s time in Iraq in 2003 under L. Paul Bremer, where he was “the guy who’s supposed to make the trains run on time.”
The Postnotes that the front-runner to replace Flynn as national security advisor is Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command. Vice President Mike Pence is reportedly leading the discussions and working closely with Defense Secretary James Mattis, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, White House senior advisor Jared Kushner, chief strategist Steve Bannon, and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. Buzzfeedadds that former CIA Director David Petraeus is also in the running, as is Kellogg.
The New York Timesinforms us that Russia has secretly deployed a new cruise missile despite complaints from American officials that this violates a 1987 treaty that bans American and Russian intermediate-range missiles based on land. The missile has been an issue since 2014, when the Obama administration attempted to persuade the Russians to correct the violation of the treaty while the missile was still in its test phase. But the Russians have moved ahead with the system, deploying a fully operational unit of two battalions. The move presents a crucial test of Trump’s vow to improve relations with Russia, at a time when key policy positions in the State Department and Defense Department have yet to be filled, and the National Security Council is in disarray.
Politicoinforms us that the White House has been under fire in a string of high-profile controversies over its handling of sensitive information, most recently regarding President Trump’s taking a phone call about the North Korean missile test and poring over government documents using flashlights from cell phones vulnerable to hacking, all while sitting in full view of guests at his private Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. On that note, Senators Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Tom Carper (Del.) released a letter on Monday to Defense Secretary James Mattis asking for details on the phone and raising the issue of the proper archiving of Trump’s tweets. The two senators are specifically asking the Defense Information Security Agency (DISA) to give a written response as to whether Trump has received and is using a secured smartphone.
The Timesreports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, was assassinated in a Kuala Lumpur airport yesterday. A South Korean government official reportedly believes the two spies who carried out the assassination were dispatched by North Korea. Nam, who was once considered to be the heir apparent to Kim Jong Il, Nam had been openly critical of his half-brother’s rule. Reuters reports that the United States strongly believes that the killing was ordered by Kim Jong Un. Nam’s death comes just one day after a ballistic missile test by North Korea led to condemnation by the United States and Japan.
CNN notes that Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy has announced his retirement, effective in early March. In recent weeks, Clancy denied reports of tension between the Secret Service and President Trump’s private security contractors.
BBC reports that Queen Elizabeth II opened the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre as part of the GCHQ, Britain’s communications intelligence agency, this morning. The Centre, part of a £1.9bn five-strategy, is designed to better protect Britain from cyberattacks, particularly in light of recent efforts by Russia.
Reuters notes that Germany is moving forward with plans to strengthen military ties with other European nations in the face of increasing pressure from the United States to raise military spending, setting up a joint fleet of Lockheed Martin Corp C-130J transport planes with France and joining a Netherlands-led fleet of Airbus A330 tanker planes. The agreements are part of a broader effort to expand European defense cooperation, which will be announced at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who has called the U.S. demands for greater burden-sharing “fair,” will sign the expanded declaration of intent for the joint fleet with France.
The Timeswrites that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau struck a cordial tone yesterday during his meeting with Trump, alternating between trying to bridge gaps on issues such as immigration, refugees, trade, and climate change, and avoiding them altogether. Trump skirted a question about whether he sees the northern border with Canada as secure, and Trudeau avoided answering questions about Trump’s refugee executive order, saying “the last thing Canadians expect is for me to come down and lecture another country on how they choose to govern themselves.” Maintaining Canada’s close political and economic ties with the United States were at the top of Trudeau’s agenda, especially given Trump’s recent calls to renegotiate NAFTA.
The AP informs us that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit tomorrow with Trump that is clouded in uncertainty, given that Trump appears to have softened his tone on some of the key issues in the U.S.-Israel relationship, most notably including settlement construction, since taking office. Netanyahu faces pitfalls from many American Jews who oppose Trump’s policies and pressure from back home to push for policies Trump may not accept.
The Wall Street Journal tells us that Judge Leonie Brinkema of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia granted a statewide preliminary injunction blocking a key section of the executive order restricting entry into the United States from seven majority-Muslim countries. Brinkema cited the president’s campaign-trail comments endorsing a “Muslim ban” to argue that the order was likely unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause.
Human Rights Watch has released a study saying that chlorine gas attacks paved the way for Syrian forces as they advanced into rebel-held portions of eastern Aleppo during the final battle for the cityaccording to the Post. “The pattern of the chlorine attacks shows that they were coordinated with the overall military strategy for retaking Aleppo, not the work of a few rogue elements,” according to Ole Solvang of Human Rights Watch. Eight separate attacks resulted in the death of nine civilians, including four children, and wounded roughly 200 people.
The Timeswrites that the Trump administration is considering whether it should transfer an al Qaeda operative being held in Yemen who is wanted on terrorism charges in New York to Guantanamo Bay prison. Abu Khaybar, who was captured in Yemen last fall, presents an important legal and policy test for Trump, who promised to fill the prison with “bad dudes.” The decision to transfer Khaybar to Guantanamo would put the administration at odds with career Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents who say criminal courts at handling terrorism cases than military tribunals, which have been troubled by setbacks and delays.
NPR informs us that Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl appeared at a hearing before a military judge yesterday, during which his lawyers argued that President Trump’s comments on the case will prevent their client from receiving a fair trial. Trump personally commented on Bergdahl at length during the campaign, repeatedly referring to Bergdahl as a traitor. Bergdahl’s lawyers submitted a motion to dismiss the charges of desertion and misbehavior he faces. Army prosecutors have alleged that Bergdahl put the lives of other soldiers at risk by disappearing and then having to be exchanged after more than five years in captivity for five Taliban detainees who were held at Guantanamo.
ICYMI: Yesterday, on Lawfare
Paul Gewirtz explained how the lack of impulsiveness by the courts in dealing with President Trump’s refugee executive order should guide the Supreme Court going forward.
Josh Blackman studied the reasoning of the Ninth Circuit’s panel opinion in Washington v. Trump in Part I of a two-part essay.
Tim Maurer and Hannes Ebert flagged their curated list of publications covering cybersecurity in international relations and distinguished it from similar cybersecurity compendiums.
Benjamin Wittes posted about the upcoming Hoover Institution event Cybersecurity in the Trump Administration: What Should We Expect?
Jack Goldsmith argued that in the wake of the Flynn imbroglio, the spotlight will fall to Donald McGahn as White House counsel.
Samuel Moyn asked where we are now in the post 9/11 struggles over America’s national security and surveillance state.
Shane Reeves examined what happens in international law when states no longer govern and non-state actors take over.
Email the Roundup Team noteworthy law and security-related articles to include, and follow us onTwitter and Facebook for additional commentary on these issues.Sign up to receive Lawfare in your inbox. Visit our Events Calendar to learn about upcoming national security events, and check out relevant job openings on our Job Board.
Russia has deployed a new cruise missile despite complaints by U.S. officials that it violates an arms control treaty banning ground-based U.S. and Russian intermediate-range missiles, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing unidentified officials. The newspaper said Russia had secretly deployed the ground-launched SSC-8 cruise missile that Moscow has been developing and testing for several years, despite U.S. complaints that it violated sections of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty. The Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the New York Times story. The U.S. State Department concluded in a July 2014 arms control report that "the Russian Federation is in violation of its obligations under the INF Treaty not to possess, produce, or flight-test a ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) with a range capability of 500 km to 5,500 km (310 miles to 3,420 miles), or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles." Russia accused Washington of conducting "megaphone diplomacy" after the accusation was repeated by the State Department in 2015. Moscow also denied it had violated the INF treaty, which helped end the Cold War between the two countries. The New York Times said the previous U.S. administration of President Barack Obama had attempted to persuade Moscow to correct the violation while the missile was still in the testing phase. Instead, Russia has moved ahead with the SSC-8 missile, deploying it as an operational system, the report said. Russia now has two battalions of the cruise missile, the newspaper quoted administration officials as saying. One is located at Russia's missile test site at Kapustin Yar in the country's southeast. The other cruise missile battalion has been located at an operational base elsewhere in Russia, the Times quoted one unidentified official as saying.
NEW YORK (AP) -- A former store clerk was convicted Tuesday of murder in one of the nation's most haunting missing-child cases, the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz on the way to the school bus stop 38 years ago....
Today's Headlines and CommentaryLawfare (blog)Then-Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, Jr. and then-CIA Director John Brennan agreed with Yates's assessment and concurred with her recommendation to inform the White House. It is unclear what McGahn did with the information. The AP ...and more »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers, including some leading Republicans, called on Tuesday for a deeper inquiry into White House ties to Russia, after national security adviser Michael Flynn was forced out in President Donald Trump's biggest staff upheaval so far.
The most successful modern publisher of ideological journalism is Rupert Murdoch. He buys media properties, or starts new ones, and turns them into conservative megaphones.
In England, he carefully nudged the venerable Times to the right, while his tabloids mocked Labour Party politicians as weaklings or Stalinists. In the United States, he transformed the once-liberal New York Post into a peppery conservative tabloid and then built Fox News from scratch.
Clearly, he enjoys both populist and elite media. And in 2007, he bought a journalistic jewel, The Wall Street Journal.
Now The Journal’s newsroom is embroiled in a fight over the paper’s direction.
Many staff members believe that the paper’s top editor, Gerard Baker, previously a feisty conservative commentator, is trying to Murdoch-ize the paper. “There is a systemic issue,” one reporter told me. The dissatisfaction went public last week, with stories in Politico and the Huffington Post. At a staff meeting on Monday, Baker dismissed the criticism as “fake news,” Joe Pompeo and Hadas Gold of Politico reported.
As a longtime reader, admirer and competitor of The Journal, I think the internal critics are right. You can see the news pages becoming more politicized. You can also see The Journal’s staff pushing back, through both great journalism (includingexposeson the Trump administration) and quiet insubordination.
Consider The Journal’s coverage of Trump’s false voter-fraud allegations. The stories are mostly solid, noting Trump has no evidence. The headlines often tend toward stenography:
Trump Seeks Election Fraud Probe
Trump Takes Aim at ‘Millions’ of Votes
Top Adviser Repeats Vote-Fraud Claims
Reporters and editors have become accustomed to the “shaving off the edges” of Trump-related stories, one said, especially in headlines and initial paragraphs. The insubordination shows up in later paragraphs, where reporters include harder-hitting information.
There is no shortage of troubling anecdotes: A revealing story about Trump’s white-supremacist support that never ran in print. A dearth of stories about climate change and frightened immigrants. An email from Baker encouraging the staff not to mention the Muslim makeup of the countries when describing Trump’s immigration ban (partly rescinded after BuzzFeed disclosed the email). Glowing stories about Trump — “astonishing,” one longtime editor said — by a reporter who once tweeted a photo of herself smiling with Trump on his jet.
More generally, staffers are worried about Trump-Journal chumminess. Ivanka Trump was until recently a trustee of the Murdoch estate. In The Journal’s Washington bureau, eyebrows rose when Baker’s assistant called to ask how to send Trump a memento: a printing-press plate from an edition reporting his ascendance. (A spokeswoman said no plate was sent.)
The Journal’s opinion pages, of course, have long been conservative. And they have their own tensions: An editor critical of Trump was recently fired, The Atlantic reported. But The Journal’s news pages, like those of The New York Times, The Washington Post and elsewhere, have aspired to objectivity.
One way to understand the fight is through the lens of Fox News. Its former leader, Roger Ailes, knew that the country had become more polarized and that many viewers didn’t want sober objectivity. He also knew that most reporters leaned left, and their beliefs sometimes seeped into coverage.
So Ailes came up with a brilliantly cynical strategy. He created a conservative news channel that dispensed with objectivity, and sometimes with facts, while claiming it was more objective — “Fair and Balanced” — than the competition.
The Wall Street Journal is no Fox News, and Baker, who’s publicly acknowledged Trump’s untruths and celebrated some hard-hitting stories, is no Ailes. Yet it’s easy to see how The Journal could continue down the Murdoch path.
Baker believes that most media is hopelessly biased, Journal staffers say. He views his critics as liberal whiners, and his approach as the fair and balanced one.
I happen to agree that liberal bias can be a media problem. On important issues — abortion, education, parenting and religion, to name a few — left-leaning beliefs too often distort coverage. The Journal, and every newspaper, should indeed fight that problem.
But that’s very different from saying reporters protect any political party. They don’t. Journalists’ incentives and instincts all point the other way. Which is why the media reported so aggressively on Hillary Clinton’s emails, damaging her badly.
Observers of Murdoch’s company believe that his sons, rising in power, don’t care as much about conservative causes as their father. If that’s right, it’s possible to imagine many more years of The Wall Street Journal as one of the world’s best newspapers, enlightening readers and, yes, making life difficult for competitors.
After all, has there ever been a more important time for sophisticated and fearless financial journalism?
Repairing relations with Russia can begin in Ukraine. The parameters for such a compromise were laid out in the Minsk agreement of 2015, which committed Russia to disarm separatists in eastern Ukraine and Ukraine to draw up a new federal constitution granting enhanced autonomy to the Donbas, the eastern Ukrainian region that has declared independence. The United States should work with Russia on a compromise for the Donbas, which should be demilitarized and secured by a United Nations peacekeeping force. Meanwhile, the Russian annexation of the Crimean peninsula should be accepted (since short of a world war there is no way Russia will give it up). Though the annexation shouldn’t be recognized legally, American sanctions on Russia should be lifted.
American and NATO officials like to claim that such a compromise would encourage Russian aggression elsewhere. This view is based on self-deception on the part of Western elites who are interested in maintaining confrontation with Russia as a distraction from more important, painful problems at home, like migration, industrial decline and anger over globalization.
A child with a map can look at where the strategic frontier between the West and Russia was in 1988 and where it is today, and work out which side has advanced in which direction. So it is necessary to recognize that over the past generation, Russia’s actions — though sometimes wrong and even criminal — have been overwhelmingly reactive to what the West has done. Russia’s intervention in Ukraine is about Ukraine, a country of supreme historical, ethnic, cultural, strategic and economic importance to Russia. It implies nothing for the rest of Eastern Europe.
If, as many of the hawks in Brussels and Washington claim, Russia wanted to undermine and then invade Latvia, it would have done so after 2008, when the Latvian economy was in collapse and it would have been easy to create a crisis there. Instead, Moscow did nothing — the Russian government is well aware that any such move would bring Western Europe and the United States back together in hostility toward Russia.
If Russia does invade Latvia or one of the other Baltic States, of course, the United States and its allies would have to fight — and fight hard — to defend them. These countries are members of NATO and the European Union. To surrender them to Russian aggression would make the West look both morally bankrupt and geopolitical impotent. But it is hard to imagine any realistic situation in which this need will arise.
Eastern Europe is not the only arena where the American agenda has proved inept. In Syria, the United States and Western Europe have bungled the war. Here, too, Mr. Trump’s plans to cooperate with Russia would be a welcome change. Because of Russian, Iranian and now Turkish support, Mr. Assad’s Syrian state is not going to fall. If it is to be transformed in the future, negotiation with Russia and Iran will be necessary.
Iran is an essential ally against the jihadists in Iraq and Syria. And that means that the White House will soon discover the dangerous inconsistencies in its policies. Both Mr. Trump and his recently resigned national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, have spoken of prioritizing the fight against the Islamic State. But by simultaneously expressing desire for a new confrontation with Iran, they have demonstrated that they do not actually understand the word “priority.”
Furthermore, barring an open Iranian violation of the nuclear agreement, no imaginable American concession to Russia would persuade Moscow to agree to new international sanctions against Iran. One reason is that Russia sees good relations with Iran as permanently in its interest, whereas the policy makers in Moscow know that American concessions may be withdrawn by the next administration.
China may be the other major sticking point. While he has moderated his stand somewhat in recent weeks, Mr. Trump has suggested he is prepared for a confrontation with China. But Russia will not play along. With a 2,600-mile-long border with China and a hopelessly outnumbered army, there is no way that Russia can be persuaded to adopt an outright hostile stance toward its neighbor. The furthest that Russia might go as a result of a better relationship with the United States would be to limit sales of its most sophisticated weapons to China, and perhaps to help seek a United Nations-brokered international compromise over the islands disputed by China and its neighbors.
Since the end of the Cold War, Russia has not opposed the United States out of blind anti-Americanism. In the former Soviet countries, Russia has defended what the Russian establishment sees — rightly or wrongly — as vital Russian national interests.
Elsewhere in the world, Russia has clashed with the United States for reasons that have often been shared by many Americans, and have often later been proved correct: opposition to the invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s regime in Libya being the most notable examples. While Russia wants good relations with the United States, it will not lend blanket support to American global primacy. If that is what the Trump administration is hoping for, it will be sorely disappointed, and the latest attempt at reconciliation with Russia will fail. | 2024-03-06T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5629 |
‘Veronica Mars’ Film Will Address 10-Year Gap [Spoilers]
So a Veronica Mars film is in the pipeline after a successful Kickstarter campaign waged in the super-sleuth’s honor. Now that the good news has died down, everyone is wondering what the plot will be like, and whether the story will pick up where the show left off or fast-forward in time to reflect the real-life 10-year gap between series and film.
The Veronica Mars film went from Arrested Development-esque pipe dream to Arrested Development-esque reality in just under 24 hours last week. Series creator Rob Thomas and star Kristen Bell shook hands and started a Kickstarter campaign to secure funding for the project, and Veronica Mars fans came out in force.
The asking price for a Veronica Mars film was a cool $2 million. Fans met that in under 24 hours. Now, with 21 days left to go, the campaign has 58,000 backers and nearly $4 million to play with.
Cool! So what’s Veronica Mars the movie going to be about? Will it pick up where the series left off, in presumably Veronica’s sophomore year at Hearst college? Or will they fast-forward in time to reflect the real-life 10-year gap?
Thomas shared what he could about the film in an interview with TV Line. Be warned, if you want a completely virginal experience with the Veronica Mars film, you should turn back now, as Thomas drops spoilers about who will be back and who won’t be, who Veronica’s new boyfriend is, and much, much more.
First off, the film will indeed pick up several years after the close of the series with a 10-year high school reunion. What has happened in the interim?
“She transferred away from Hearst college after that freshman year and went up to Stanford and finished her undergraduate degree,” Thomas says. “And then she went to Columbia Law School. She’s certainly been back to Neptune from time to time to see her dad and Mac and Wallace, but she hasn’t worked a PI case since the last one we all saw in the final episode of Season 3. She ruined her dad’s chance for re-election and she decided that that path had caused too much chaos in her life. And so she hasn’t worked a PI case in nine years. And when we meet her, she’s sort of like where Tom Cruise was in the beginning of The Firm. She’s between having graduated and taken the bar and she’s interviewing at various law firms in New York.”
Veronica won’t be single at the start of the movie, but Thomas didn’t give any further details about who she is dating, except that it’s not Logan, whom “she hasn’t seen in nine years.”
Sadly, Backup won’t be returning. “If you do the math, that’s a big dog to still be alive 13 years later,” said Thomas. “Most 100lb dogs, they get 7 or 8 years of life. It would strain credulity if the same Backup were still alive.”
Also, no more ghost visits from Amanda Seyfried’s Lilly. “I want to make the movie accessible for people who haven’t watched Veronica Mars before. All you need to know is that Veronica was a teenage private eye and she’s given it up.”
The movie is shooting for a PG-13 rating, and Veronica’s relationship with Keith will be a “big theme.” Also, though it might end up being a final send-off, Veronica will survive the events of the film.
“Veronica will survive the movie,” Thomas reassures. “I can’t promise anyone else does though. But there will be an opportunity for Veronica do to her thing again.”
A sequel? A series revival? “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I didn’t think of those things,” Thomas admits. “I am hopeful it is the birth of [much more] Veronica Mars.” | 2023-09-19T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7033 |
A lawyer and activist close to the case of an Iranian woman convicted of adultery say she may soon be stoned to death, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports.
Women's rights activist Soheila Vahdati spoke to Radio Farda on June 17 about the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. Ashtiani, who has two children, has been imprisoned in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz since 2005.
Vahdati says Sakineh was earlier sentenced to 99 lashes in 2006 for having "illicit relationships." The sentence was subsequently carried out and her case was closed.
But authorities later charged Ashtiani with murder. Prosecutors alleged that Ashtiani and her boyfriend had killed her husband.
In making the murder case against Ashtiani, activist Vahdati says the court "illegally" reopened the adultery case against Ashtiani. It was the second time Ashtiani would be tried for the same alleged adulterous conduct.
According to Vahdati, Ashtiani was sentenced to be stoned to death for the same alleged act of adultery for which she earlier had been convicted to 99 lashes. It is not clear when she was sentenced.
While denying the charges against her, Ashtiani has asked the authorities for a pardon.
According to activist Vahdati, Ashtiani told the authorities, "if I have done any wrong, I repent."
Her clemency request was rejected.
Lawyer Mohammad Mostafaie, who represents Ashtiani, also maintains her innocence. Writing on his personal blog, the lawyer described Ashtiani's stoning as imminent and said his client will be executed "for an offense she has not committed."
According to Article 83 of the Laws of Islamic Punishment in Iran, ratified in 1991, the penalty for adultery is death by stoning.
However, murder is not punishable in Iran by stoning. Murderers who receive the death sentence are hanged. | 2024-02-06T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2512 |
The Amazing Vancetti Sisters
The Amazing Vancetti Sisters
Genre: Drama
Venue: Tristan Bates Theatre 1A Tower St, Covent Garden WC2H 9NP
Low Down
Children do not ask to be born. The majority of children are ‘treasured’ but some, sadly, experience growing into adulthood as a kind of death-defying act which they are lucky to survive. Athena Stevens’ The Amazing Vancetti Sisters shows sisters Jane and Elisa dealing with the legacy of being born to the ‘Great Vernon Vancetti’, a Las Vegas magician: the originality and power of her playwriting forges an epic struggle for self-determination. In her play’s presentation of an illusionary ‘magic childhood’, the sisters become anyone and everyone who struggle to become independent and fulfilled human beings.
Review
The fact that the eighty minute Amazing Vancetti Sisters does not have an interval is entirely appropriate: as is its cohesion of one location, set in the lounge room of the Vanzetti family home, coupled tightly with the strained tensions between the play’s three characters. The structure of the play moves apace as it alternates between episodes of intensely entertaining dialogue between the sisters, Jane (Athena Stevens) and Elisa (Lorna Beckett); Jane and her boyfriend Michael (Timothy Knightley); Elisa and Michael and scenes with all three characters.
The strength of Steven’s characterisation is in the physicality of the acting on stage: movements, gestures and utterances are crafted in detail. Brecht and his acting method ‘gestus’ comes to mind, but so does watching the subtly of a Chekhovian comedy. These complex, well-defined characters are also pitted against the virtual presence of newsreaders and actors whose voices are heard, but not seen, from the television box. And if this is not enough, the virtual characters are augmented by other remembered characters who are merely called up by name such as the sisters’ now dead father Vernon Vancetti and his apprentice, Adam or appear as generalised categories like Michael’s ‘other women’ and ‘the people’ of the small town of Baker who Elisa believe are constantly judging her. Though not present, these characters wield a strange illusionary power in the play: their effect on the relationships of the characters on stage packs even more tension between them.
By far the most influential character in the play is the father Vernon Vancetti whose work as a magician sets up the pivotal relationship between the two sisters. The older sister, Elisa, is overlooked for the young one, Jane, when Vernon with Prospero-like acumen decides the role each will play in his act: Elisa is to be backstage playing piano while Jane is to remain with him on stage as his support act.
Lorna Beckett’s portrays Elisa with a cold steely fixation that is reflected on stage through her obsessive cleaning. All emotion is masked by rambling chatter about removing spots from carpets. The director, Hanna Berrigan, and set designer, Nicky Bunch, fully exploit her paranoia and obsessions as she is shown moving around the space pulling out the various props: an axe under the settee, diamond-studded high heels from the cupboard. These are props once used in Vernon’s act. Their reappearance no longer assists in creating his illusions but reveals their real intent: the subjugation of his daughters’ lives to his will.
Athena Steven enacts Jane as Elisa’s nemesis: where Elisa is compliant, Jane is argumentative; where Elisa is dutiful, Jane is irresponsible. More importantly where Elisa has decided to remain in Baker holding onto memories of the past, Jane will have none of them. The portrayal of the sisters through oppositional characteristics is complexly layered. The ethical dimension of what constitutes ‘good’ and ‘bad’ between them is thrown out to the audience to decide. It is not an easy thing to do as Steven’s presents Jane to be as fiercely manipulative as the father whom she is trying to convince her sister to abandon, even if only now in memory.
Tim Knightley’s Michael is appropriately confused, as anyone would be if they fall between two combative sisters with a long history of family dysfunction. The actor’s restraint shows his skill at working in an ensemble. Stevens explodes his role as an Adonis-like hedonist bartender working at a strip-club as well. Michael is given one of the most moving monologues of the play when he explains ‘Magic isn’t when people disappear… it’s when they come back’. The transformative effect on the fiercely independent Jane is subtle and totally believable.
I recommend that you run and buy your tickets and see The Amazing Vancetti Sisters. It is a beautifully intelligent piece of theatre that gives its audience a profound experience of human resilience and personal courage. The term ‘family dysfunction’ somehow can no more describe what you will view on stage than it canKing Lear and his belligerent daughters. The truth is more that there are some stories that just take us somewhere else in our hearts, mind and soul. This is one of them.
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Why Fringe Theatre Is Vital?
The reviews on this site are representative of my work as a theatre reviewer of London Fringe Theatre between 2011 to 2013. As a theatre historian who researches in theatre entrepreneurship, I was left in no doubt that London's 'best kept secret' was its 550+ fringe theatre companies and organisations that fed the imagination and the economic prosperity of its artists. I look forward to further exploring the implications of what I viewed through reviewing-my-reviews in the context of what I came to learn about the inventiveness of the companies who continue to create work at the fringe. | 2024-03-30T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8645 |
EAST LAKE — Dozens of geese can be seen from the street outside James Parish's home. The feathered creatures waddle around a fenced-in yard, honking now and then.
The animals seem at peace, but they are causing war.
Next-door neighbors say the geese are ruining their lives. Parish and his wife say they're gentle pets who guard their home.
James and Linda Parish have lived at 1012 E Lake Drive since 1996. When they arrived, the couple decided to use geese for security. They've been "building the flock" to about 50 geese since, Linda Parish said.
Edward and Tracy Kames moved in next door in 2005 and live roughly 75 feet from the property line. They say the Parishes then had only a few geese.
Their neighborhood in unincorporated Pinellas County is a quiet one. The Kameses live on 2 acres and the Parishes on 5.5 acres. Many homes on their street have distance between them, but the Parishes and Kameses are right next to each other.
"When I call people on the phone, they think I live near a zoo," Tracy Kames said.
When the Kames family moved from Chicago, they had hoped to find a quiet place to raise children. Tracy Kames said they were friendly with the Parishes. That soon changed.
In June 2007, James Parish applied for a restraining order against Edward Kames, alleging Kames threatened to kill him.
"We have a flock of geese and chickens which appear to disturb Mr. Kames," his report reads. "The county has told Mr. Kames they cannot have us get rid of the birds and this has made Mr. Kames very angry."
Kames requested a restraining order against Parish five days later.
"I and my family genuinely fear James," the complaint says.
Both requests were denied.
According to the county, the dispute revolves around one issue: The neighborhood is zoned agricultural, which allows multiple animals.
"We cannot make him get rid of those animals," said Todd Myers, director of the county's code enforcement division.
While county laws regulate the number of hoofed animals a resident can have, no rules exist for geese.
The Kameses say they've spent thousands on privacy screens and tall bushes in hopes of lessening the noise, which they say has worsened over the past few years.
"Geese are like dogs. They bark," Edward Kames said. "It just never stops."
Linda Parish said she feels harassed by a constant stream of complaints.
"They've called every county agency they can," she said. "They just go down the list."
Tracy Kames, a stay-at-home mother, acknowledges she has made it her personal mission to get rid of the geese. In March, the Kameses begged county commissioners for help at a meeting.
She has a folder several inches thick filled with printouts of zoning and code enforcement laws and scraps of paper with the phone numbers of everyone she has contacted — Code Enforcement, the Sheriff's Office, the permit office, Animal Control.
"You want to know who somebody is in the county? I've called them," she said. "I'm obsessed with it."
Sheriff's Office records show the Kameses called deputies five times in March.
"Kames advised that her lawyer advised her to call the Sheriff's Office every time the animals became a nuisance to her," a March 16 incident report says.
"Tracy said the geese make loud noise at night. Tracy showed me a video she recorded earlier on her cellphone of the geese making noise," reads a report two days later. "I researched Pinellas County ordinances pertaining to animals and livestock in residential neighborhoods. There was no apparent violation."
All three of Edward and Tracy Kameses' children — a 9-year-old daughter and two 8-year-old sons — sleep in the master bedroom with their parents because the honking scares them, Tracy Kames said.
"He couldn't have 60 dogs," she said. "Why is he allowed to have 60 geese?"
The Parishes say the geese, along with some chickens, a pig and a peacock, are beloved farm pets. Each goose has a name. On a recent afternoon, James Parish cooed at a goose named Peter, saying he's mild and friendly.
"These are our pets," he said. "The neighbors just want to get rid of them to cause us pain."
But the Kameses say noise is the reason for their complaints. "I have a right to be in my home with the windows and doors shut and not hear my neighbor's birds," Tracy Kames said.
Al Wiseman, a retired pilot who lives about two blocks away, said the geese are a blight on the neighborhood.
"It smells when you walk by," he said.
But Judy Riolo, who lives half a mile away, said she loves having the geese in the area.
"They're part of the neighborhood," she said. "Why would you want to get rid of them?"
For Linda Parish, the neighborhood battle is a stressful one.
"I'm retired," she said as the geese honked behind her. "I want to live a peaceful life with my animals."
Times researcher Caryn Baird and staff photographer Douglas R. Clifford contributed to this report. Contact Ayana Stewart at astewart@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8913. | 2023-10-10T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8444 |
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley is still in negotiations with representatives of Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort about his request that they testify publicly. | Andrew Harnik/AP Senate committee slaps subpoena on Glenn Simpson
The Senate Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena Friday to the co-founder of the firm that commissioned the now-infamous dossier of unsubstantiated allegations about President Donald Trump after he declined to testify before Congress next week.
Glenn Simpson's lawyer said he is on vacation and traveling overseas through early August, prompting Chairman Chuck Grassley and ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein to compel his attendance. The senators said Simpson’s attorney has asserted that his client will invoke his Fifth Amendment rights in response to the subpoena.
In an earlier letter to the committee, Simpson's lawyer made clear his objections to the Wednesday hearing on the Foreign Agents Registration Act go well beyond his vacation schedule.
"This hearing's purported focus on FARA is pretext for an exploration of Fusion GPS' reported work, on behalf of other clients, to investigate the ties of Donald J. Trump, his campaign and their associates to Russia," the letter says.
Grassley and Feinstein also said both Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort have agreed to negotiate to provide the committee with documents and be interviewed by committee members and staff prior to a public hearing.
"Therefore, we will not issue subpoenas for them tonight requiring their presence at Wednesday’s hearing but reserve the right to do so in the future," the senators said.
Sign up here for POLITICO Huddle A daily play-by-play of congressional news in your inbox. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Grassley had said he wanted to hear from representatives of all the witnesses by the end of the week.
Public testimony by Trump Jr. and Manafort would amount to a major spectacle on Capitol Hill, giving Democrats a chance to question two men who have become central figures in the investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.
Trump Jr. organized and Manafort attended a meeting last year with a Russian lawyer that was billed in an email as a chance to provide dirt on Hillary Clinton as part of a Kremlin-backed campaign to help Trump win the presidency. | 2024-04-09T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3298 |
A bill advancing through the Alabama Senate would allow religious adoption agencies to turn away gay couples.
The Senate Health Committee’s bill would include agencies that care for state foster children.
It voted 6 to 1 for legislation that would stop the state from working with adoption agencies that refuse services to people on religious grounds.
A similar bill has been passed in the House.
Senator Bill Hightower said his bill would protect almost a third of adoption agencies that are faith-based, and he said the bill would help state foster children.
"We want to make sure that channel is open," Mr Hightower said. ”All I'm trying to do is ensure that the [Department of Human Resources] does not discriminate against faith-based organisations in the placement of children."
Critics said it would give these agencies state permission and taxpayer finding to discriminate against gay couples who want to adopt.
"These children need and deserve every chance to be placed into a loving home," said Denise Brogan-Kator of the Family Equality Council.
Loading....
A similar bill has been passed this week in South Dakota, with lawmakers arguing they want to protect religious-based groups from discrimination.
"All you have to do is look around the country and you see faith-based institutions being attacked everywhere you turn and this is a pre-emptive move," Republican Senator Phil Jensen said to KSFY.
Human Rights Campaign legal director Sarah Warbelow said the bill was a "licence to discriminate".
"Taxpayer money should never be used by state-funded adoption agencies to discriminate against prospective parents based on factors that have nothing to do with good parenting," she said. "This measure could have consequences not just for LGBTQ couples, but for single people, divorced people, or even those of a different faith."
HRC research also shows that LGBT youth are discriminated against, and many have been rejected by their families or origin because of their sexuality.
The group has found that there are more than 70 anti-LGBTQ proposals in 24 states. | 2024-01-08T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2081 |
import confirmable from './confirmable';
import createConfirmation from './createConfirmation';
export { confirmable, createConfirmation };
| 2023-09-11T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7671 |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to database systems, and, in particular, to the determination of records with a specified number of largest or smallest values in a parallel database system
2. Description of Related Art
Databases are computerized information storage and retrieval systems. A Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) is a database management system (DBMS) which uses relational techniques for storing and retrieving data. Relational databases are organized into tables which consist of records and fields of data. The records are formally called tuples. A database will typically have many tables and each table will typically have multiple tuples and multiple fields. The tables are typically stored on random access storage devices (RASD) such as magnetic or optical disk drives for semi-permanent storage.
RDBMS software using a Structured Query Language (SQL) interface is well known in the art. The SQL interface has evolved into a standard language for RDBMS software and has been adopted as such by both the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Standards Organization (ISO). The SQL interface allows users to formulate relational operations on the tables either interactively, in batch files, or embedded in host languages, such as C and COBOL. SQL allows the user to manipulate the data.
One of the most common SQL queries executed by the RDBMS software is the SELECT statement. In SQL, the typical SELECT statement may comprise the format: xe2x80x9cSELECT less than clause greater than FROM less than clause greater than WHERE less than clause greater than GROUP BY less than clause greater than ORDER BY less than clause greater than .xe2x80x9d The clauses generally must follow this sequence, but only the SELECT and FROM clauses are required. The result of a SELECT statement is a subset of data retrieved by the RDBMS software from one or more existing tables stored in the relational database, wherein the FROM clause identifies the name of the table or tables from which data is being selected. The subset of data is treated as a new table, termed the result table, which typically comprises a temporary table. In general, the items specified in the SELECT clause of the SELECT statement determine the fields that will be returned in the result table from the table(s) identified in the FROM clause.
The WHERE clause determines which records should be returned in the result table. Generally, the WHERE clause contains a search condition that must be satisfied by each record returned in the result table. The records that meet the search condition form an intermediate set, which is then processed further according to specifications in the SELECT clause. The search condition typically comprises one or more predicates, each of which specify a comparison between two values comprising fields, constants or correlated values. Multiple predicates in the WHERE clause are themselves typically connected by Boolean operators.
The GROUP BY clause determines which records should be returned in the result table. Generally, the GROUP BY clause contains a search condition that causes the records in an intermediate result set to be grouped according to the values in the field(s) specified by the GROUP BY clause. The GROUP BY clause follows the WHERE clause, if there is one, and is most commonly used when the SELECT clause contains one or more field functions.
The sequence in which the records of the result tables are presented can be specified by using the ORDER BY clause. The ORDER BY clause causes the records to be returned in the order of the field name specified by the ORDER BY clause. The ORDER BY clauses may be followed by the clauses DESC (descending) and ASC (ascending) to indicate the order of a particular set of records.
When retrieving the maximum and/or minimum values from a set of data stored in a table, users often include an ORDER BY clause in the SELECT statement. The maximum value is the largest value in the set of data and the minimum value is the smallest value in the set of data. For example, assume a set of data contains the following values: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. The maximum value is 10 and the minimum value is 1.
Often times users may desire to identify records that contain a specified number of the largest or smallest values from a set of data stored in a table, instead of just computing the maximum and minimum values. The specified number of largest or smallest values are referred to as extrema values. Referring to the example above, assume a user desires to identify the two largest values and the two smallest values. The two largest values are 9 and 10, and the two smallest values are 2 and 1.
In an exemplary SQL request, the number of largest or smallest values is specified by defining the following: a value n that represents the number of largest or smallest values; an optional grouping expression; and an order specification (i.e., an ORDER BY clause) that specifies either an ascending or a descending order. An exemplary SQL request is shown below.
SELECT FIRST (10) stores, prod, sales
FROM sales_table
GROUP BY store
ORDER BY sales DESC.
In this example, the SELECT statement contains FROM, GROUP BY, and ORDER BY clauses. The SELECT and the FROM clauses identify the number of records, the fields of the table, and the table from which the records are to be retrieved. In particular, the number of records is 10, and the fields of the sales_table are stores, prod, and sales. The fields are grouped relative to the store field, and the fields are ordered in descending order relative to values of the sales field.
An alternative example is shown below:
SELECT store, prod, sales
FROM sales_table
GROUP BY store
QUALIFY RANK (sales DESC) less than =10.
This example is similar to the first example. The difference between the first and second example is that a QUALIFY RANK clause is used instead of an ORDER BY clause. The QUALIFY RANK clause is a clause that was introduced in the Teradata7 Version 2 Release 3 extended SQL, offered by NCR Corporation in Dayton, Ohio, to support the filtering of records based on function computations, such as RANK, Cumulative Totals, etc. Hence, QUALIFY RANK (sales DESC) less than =10 requests records that satisfy the qualification criterion RANK (sales DESC) less than =10. It is noted that in some cases, RANK may not cause the physical ordering of records. For example, the RANK values may be computed by ordering the records relative to the value of the sales field.
Another technique for determining n extrema values includes the following single processor large memory technique. Assume that a computer system is a single processor system that has an unlimited (or infinite) amount of memory. With this computer system, a user could determine the records containing the n extrema values, for each grouping expression, in one pass as follows: (1) track the current set of n extrema values; (2) read the next value from the next record; (3) compare the next value with the current set of n extrema values; and (4) update the current set of n extrema values with the new value, when the new value is larger than the nth largest value. The main problem with this technique is that it requires an unlimited amount of memory. In particular, a large amount of memory is required when a large number of grouping expressions exist. The large memory requirement makes this technique impractical in a multiuser, single processor system. The large memory requirement also makes this technique impractical in a multi-user, multi-processing unit environment of a parallel database system.
Like the single processor large memory technique discussed above, many of the traditional techniques for computing n extrema values require a large memory. These other traditional techniques frequently involve either (1) ordering an entire set of records (i.e., a table) relative to a specified value, and fetching only the records with the first n extrema values; or (2) when a rank feature is available in the database system, using the rank feature to rank all of the values, and returning the records with the first n ranking values (also referred to as the n extrema values). In both cases, the database system has to order all of the records. Consequently, the request processing is very inefficient and slow.
Some of the traditional systems also lack the ability to accurately rank duplicate records. When duplicate values exist, traditional systems may fail to calculate the n extrema values because several records may have the same rank. For example, if n equals 10 and the set of extrema values are as follows: {10, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 7, 7, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1}.
In some traditional systems, only the first ten records, {10, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 8, 8, 8, 8}, are produced. In these traditional systems, even if one million records had the same (or duplicate) value, the system would only return ten records.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved technique of computing the n extrema values that uses less memory and incorporates all duplicate records into the result.
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for selecting one or more of the highest ranking records in a database system that has one or more processing units.
At each processing unit, a candidate list of records is generated in a memory space of the processing unit. Each record contains a field value. The generated candidate list of records is ranked based on the field value as each new candidate is added to the generated candidate list. When the memory space of the processing unit is insufficient, the ranked candidate list of records are transferred from the memory space of the processing unit to a data store. At the data store, a predefined number of extrema values are identified by using the transferred candidate list of records. | 2024-02-21T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8712 |
Q:
How to set UEFI on my Ubuntu 12.04 for better performance?
I want to set UEFI on my Ubuntu 12.04.
My specifications are
Intel Core i3 540M
Intel DH55TC Chipset motherboard
500 GB HDD
2 GB RAM
A:
On your system, switching to UEFI mode will not bring improvement.
However, if you still want UEFI, you will have to use Ubuntu 64bit, and follow https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI
| 2024-02-10T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4421 |
# /etc/ipsec.conf - Libreswan IPsec configuration file
version 2.0
config setup
# put the logs in /tmp for the UMLs, so that we can operate
# without syslogd, which seems to break on UMLs
logfile=/tmp/pluto.log
logtime=no
logappend=no
plutodebug=all
dumpdir=/tmp
conn %default
ikev2=no
conn modecfg-road-eastnet-psk
also=road-eastnet-psk
leftmodecfgserver=yes
rightmodecfgclient=yes
leftxauthserver=yes
rightxauthclient=yes
modecfgpull=yes
remote_peer_type=cisco
conn road-eastnet-psk
leftsubnet=192.0.2.0/24
also=road-east-psk
right=%defaultroute
ike=3des-sha1
aggressive=no
authby=secret
conn road-east-psk
left=192.1.2.23
leftid=@east
leftnexthop=192.1.2.45
rightid=@roadrandom
include /testing/baseconfigs/all/etc/ipsec.d/ipsec.conf.common
| 2024-03-25T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5851 |
A 19-year-old Chicago teen, who had been missing since Saturday morning, has been found dead.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Kenneka Jenkins was found dead on Sunday in a walk-in freezer at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont. Reports say that Jenkins told her mother on Friday that she was going bowling and to a show, but she really went to a party on the hotel’s ninth floor. When it was time to leave, Jenkins’ friends said they noticed her phone and car keys had been left in a room, but they couldn’t find Jenkins.
After hours of searching for the teen, Jenkins’ friends alerted her family, who hadn’t heard from her since 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. The family began knocking on doors on the ninth floor of the hotel to see if anyone knew where she was, since the Crowne Plaza turned up with nothing on Jenkins’ whereabouts.
That is until they retrieved surveillance footage that showed Jenkins stumbling around in a drunken state near the front desk. After searching an area that was under construction, Jenkins’ body was found in a walk-in freezer that was turned on, but not in use. But what really happened to the young teen? No foul play is being suspected in Jenkins’ death at this time — however, her mom, Teresa Martin, says Jenkins’ friends’ “stories changed over and over,” leading her to believe that her daughter didn’t end up in the walk-in freezer on her own.
Video footage of Kenneka and her friends in the hotel have also surfaced online, leading people to believe that something isn’t adding up with her friends’ stories about how she wound up in the freezer:
7. Ciara McElveen
Continue reading Remember: Transgender Women Who Have Been Murdered In 2017
Remember: Transgender Women Who Have Been Murdered In 2017
Trans people, and trans women of color especially, are under attack in this country. Last year marked the deadliest year on record for transgender people, with 27 murders. In 2017, there have already been seven murders and we're only in the third month.
Considering trans women's risk of sexual violence, trans people's economic vulnerability, and trans women's often hostile interactions with police, tons of work must be done to protect and support trans people. As activists continue to organizes and communities continue to discuss, we honor the seven trans women on record who have been killed in 2017. | 2023-11-26T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3181 |
“Bachelorette” fans were in shock after the season finale when Desiree Hartsock accepted Chris Siegfried’s proposal. It wasn’t that Chris was a bad guy or that they didn’t have sparks – it was because Desiree was so heartbroken after being dumped by Brooks Forester. So, is the love between Desiree and Chris real? Or did they just want to give “Bachelorette” fans a happy ending?
According to “Bachelorette” host (and wing man) Chris Harrison, Desiree and Chris are definitely in love – but that doesn’t mean they will definitely get married. Strapped up to a polygraph machine (courtesy of E! Online), Chris Harrison revealed that he really believes Desiree is in love. However he also dished that he was equally as shocked and “skeptical as everyone else.”
“We had fully embraced the fact that we were not going to have a proposal,” explained Harrison. But the host continued that a week later they were watching Chris Siegfried’s tear-inducing proposal. “Our producer turned to me and said ‘How did that happen?!’ And I said, ‘I have no idea,’” said Harrison. “We were in shock … we were not expecting it and that’s why we had this crazy good proposal.”
Past seasons of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” prove that a proposal and engagement doesn’t exactly mean that a wedding is in the future for the pair. “I mean, let’s be honest,” Harrison said to E! Online of the odds of Desiree and Chris getting married. “Most relationships don’t make it down the aisle. They just don’t. We’ve been on a good run lately with Ashley and J.P. and I’m fully convinced Sean and Catherine are going to get married soon.”
So, does Chris Harrison think the two new love birds stand a chance? “I don’t know,” he claimed. “The odds are no, but you never know. These past few weeks they have been phenomenal off-camera, I’ve seen the,. And what happened on the show has really only made them stronger. The fact that she’s willing to leave Hollywood and chase him up to Seattle tells a lot. That is very telling.”
Chris Harrison is referring to Desiree moving in with her fiancé – this coming weekend! “We’re starting fresh,” Desiree revealed in a TV interview after the explosive “Bachelorette” finale. “I’ve moved a few things to the place and I’ve also brought a few things of hers up,” Chris added. “But we’re going to get things together and piece the place together.”
And the pair aren’t putting their wedding on the back burner. Desiree told reporters that she would marry Chris tomorrow if she could, but on “LIVE with Kelly and Michael” she revealed that they’re planning a wedding for next summer.
Do you think Desiree and Chris will make it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section. | 2024-06-28T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1272 |
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printing material supply system and a cartridge thereof.
2. Related Art
In a printing material supply system, a cartridge is mounted on a printing device, the cartridge supplies a printing material to the printing device, and the printing device executes printing using the printing material. Such a cartridge comprises a printing material containing section and a printing material supply port, the printing material is contained in the printing material containing section, and the printing material is supplied to the printing device through the printing material supply port. A cartridge provided with a plurality of printing material supply ports is proposed in the Patent Document 1.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-95129 (Patent Document 1) is an example of the related art. | 2023-10-18T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3642 |
#version 120
uniform sampler2DRect position;
uniform sampler2DRect velocity;
uniform float t;
uniform float dt;
vec4 getPosition() {
return texture2DRect(position, gl_TexCoord[0].xy);
}
vec4 getVelocity() {
return texture2DRect(velocity, gl_TexCoord[0].xy);
}
bool isnan(float number) {
return number != number;
}
//this function is a force and returns velocity
void main() {
vec3 p = getPosition().xyz;
vec3 v = getVelocity().xyz;
//if (position.y > 0)
// vec3 centerline = p;
// centerline.xz *= 0.0;
//
// vec3 inplane = p;
// inplane.y *= 0.0;
//
// centerline = normalize(centerline);
// inplane = normalize(centerline);
// vec3 tangent = cross(centerline, inplane);
// if (p.y > 0.0)
v += vec3(0,-80.0,0);
// else
// v = vec3(0.8*v.x,0.8 * abs(v.y),0.8*v.z)+ tangent * length(inplane);
//v+= tangent * length(inplane);
if (!isnan(length(v)))
gl_FragColor.xyz = v;
else
gl_FragColor.xyz = vec3(0,0,0);
gl_FragColor.w = 1.0;
} | 2023-08-24T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4372 |
package com.lzy.pullzoomview;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.webkit.WebView;
import com.lzy.widget.PullZoomView;
public class PullWebViewActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_pull_webview);
WebView webView = (WebView) findViewById(R.id.webView);
webView.loadUrl("https://github.com/jeasonlzy0216");
Intent intent = getIntent();
float sensitive = intent.getFloatExtra("sensitive", 1.5f);
int zoomTime = intent.getIntExtra("zoomTime", 500);
boolean isParallax = intent.getBooleanExtra("isParallax", true);
boolean isZoomEnable = intent.getBooleanExtra("isZoomEnable", true);
PullZoomView pzv = (PullZoomView) findViewById(R.id.pzv);
pzv.setIsParallax(isParallax);
pzv.setIsZoomEnable(isZoomEnable);
pzv.setSensitive(sensitive);
pzv.setZoomTime(zoomTime);
pzv.setOnScrollListener(new PullZoomView.OnScrollListener() {
@Override
public void onScroll(int l, int t, int oldl, int oldt) {
System.out.println("onScroll t:" + t + " oldt:" + oldt);
}
@Override
public void onHeaderScroll(int currentY, int maxY) {
System.out.println("onHeaderScroll currentY:" + currentY + " maxY:" + maxY);
}
@Override
public void onContentScroll(int l, int t, int oldl, int oldt) {
System.out.println("onContentScroll t:" + t + " oldt:" + oldt);
}
});
pzv.setOnPullZoomListener(new PullZoomView.OnPullZoomListener() {
@Override
public void onPullZoom(int originHeight, int currentHeight) {
System.out.println("onPullZoom originHeight:" + originHeight + " currentHeight:" + currentHeight);
}
@Override
public void onZoomFinish() {
System.out.println("onZoomFinish");
}
});
}
}
| 2024-03-18T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2377 |
Q:
Can I trap rendering events with google map Api
I try to draw a very large dataset on google map (2500+ rectangles). The rendering of the rectangles take more than 5 secs. The whole page just stuck for the 5 secs, so I am thinking about adding a loading indicator or progress bar during the rendering.
To do this, I need to trap events of rending (start,finish rendering).
I checked the google maps Api documentation, did not find anything useful. Just what to know whether there is some work around or something I miss in the api doc that can help me to trap rendering events.
A:
As of Google Maps v3.14 the answer is no. There's no such event to listen for in the API. If you dug through the code long enough you might be able to find a hack, but given that you're in control of the rectangles you're drawing and you have a count of them, why not iterate the progress bar as you add them? Individually they will render very quickly so whether you iterate the progress before or after each is added to the map should make no difference to the user, despite the fact that it feels like the wrong order to the developer.
| 2024-04-28T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9046 |
Jesse Barfield, to a generation, belongs in one uniform, the old Blue Jays powder blue, and one ballpark, Exhibition Stadium (don't look for it, it's now a soccer stadium). He had only one full season in the Bronx, 1990, when he OPS-plused a decent 127, albeit for Yankees team that lost 95 games and finished dead last in the AL East.
There's no ill will toward a childhood idol accepting an invitation from his old team, of course, but this does not do much for a fan's illusions about the bitter hatred between two AL East teams. The Yankees' sense of propriety here is just disgusting (tongue firmly planted in cheek).
The Yankees evidently wanted a cross-section of players from different eras, not just when they were winning. That helps explain inviting former third baseman Charlie Hayes, but at least he's remembered for being a Seinfeld reference ("You better catch it here, Charlie, 'cause this isn't Philadelphia — .230's not gonna cut it in this town, babe!").
Their franchise has so much history, dating all the way back to 1902, so really, it should be mitts off when it comes to a beloved alumnus of a team which didn't begin play until 1977. That goes double when said beloved alumnus had more strikeouts than hits during his turn with the Yankees, which covered a four-year stretch where the game's most famous franchise averaged 90 losses per season. As the late, great Casey Stengel said, you could look it up.
(Personally, Lloyd Moseby was the most favoured among the Best Outfield in Baseball. He was left-handed, drew a lot of walks and the Barfield and George Bell camps were crowded.) | 2023-10-29T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7987 |
Video: U.S.-Korea-Japan Triangle: A Korean Perspective
Dr. Park Jin, Chair Professor at the Graduate School of International and Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, discusses issues in the U.S.-Korea-Japan relationship and South Korean view toward the trilateral cooperation.
Dr. Park Jin is currently a Chair Professor at the Graduate School of International and Area Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. He is also the Executive President of Asia Future Institute, an independent policy think-tank designed to conduct research on the future development of Asia and to promote Korea's role in the region. Dr. Park served in the 16th, 17th, and 18th Sessions of the National Assembly, representing the Grand National Party (renamed Saenuri Party) in the central Jongno District in Seoul. While in politics, he served as the Chairman of Foreign Affairs, Trade and National Unification Committee of the National Assembly from 2008-2010. He is currently the President of Korea-Britain Society, Vice President of Korea-America Association, a member of the New York State Bar, a Wilson Center Global Fellow, and a regular member of the Seoul Forum for International Affairs. He graduated from the College of Law at Seoul National University, the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, New York University Law School and received a Ph.D. in politics from St. Antony's College, Oxford University. | 2024-03-17T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5209 |
Higgins comments on I-5 bridge collapse in Washington State
by jmaloni
Press release
Fri, May 24th 2013 07:20 pm
"Last
night's collapse of a section of the I-5 bridge in Washington State
is a frightening reminder of the critical state of our nation's
infrastructure. We are thankful that no one was killed, but an
incident like this should never be acceptable in this nation.
"The
truth is, we have no one to blame but ourselves for a long-standing
lack of sufficient investment in our nation's infrastructure right
here at home. The perilous state of the I-5 bridge was already known
- it had been deemed fracture critical and functionally obsolete.
And sadly, this is among one of an alarming number of bridges across
our nation in a degrading condition.
"The
statistics are more than enough to raise concern:
According
to the World Economic Forum, our nation is 24th in infrastructure
quality.
According
to the American Society of Civil Engineers, there are 69,000
structurally deficient bridges in this nation.
In
New York State alone, over 2,100 bridges are structurally deficient
and more than 4,700 - close to 30 percent of all New York bridges -
are functionally obsolete. There are 99 such bridges in the Western
New York region alone.
The
Buffalo Niagara region ranks 13th
worst in the nation, among similar sized communities, in terms of
deficient bridges according to a report released by Transportation
for America.
Twenty-five
bridges in Erie County are rated both
fracture critical and structurally deficient.
Every
second of every day, seven Western New Yorkers drive on a bridge that
is structurally deficient.
"There
is not only a human cost to our crumbling infrastructure, but also an
economic one. A lack of investment in port infrastructure could
account for $270 billion in export losses by 2020; likewise, air
traffic delays cost the economy $33 billion a year, while freight
bottlenecks could cost the American economy as much as $200 billion
per year. Last night's collapse will indefinitely cut off one of
the main connections between Seattle and Canada, affecting commuter
travel and commerce.
"Our
country has spent $89 billion rebuilding the roads and bridges of
Afghanistan and $69 billion rebuilding the roads and bridges of Iraq,
yet this Congress will spend only $53 billion rebuilding the roads
and bridges of our own country. This is unacceptable.
"Last
night's bridge collapse should be a wakeup call. It's time to do
some real nation building right here at home."
Higgins
has repeatedly advocated for a large-scale investment in American
infrastructure. Last year, he introduced H.R. 4352, the Nation
Building Here at Home Act, which calls for a $1.2 trillion investment
in U.S. infrastructure over the next five years. A report by the New
America Foundation, titled "The Way Forward," found this level of
investment will create more than 27 million jobs through the projects
themselves and multiplier effects. | 2024-04-25T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9502 |
# wf-field-editor-text
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## Properties
| Property | Attribute | Description | Type | Default |
| ----------- | ----------- | ----------- | --------- | ----------- |
| `hint` | `hint` | | `string` | `undefined` |
| `label` | `label` | | `string` | `undefined` |
| `multiline` | `multiline` | | `boolean` | `undefined` |
| `name` | `name` | | `string` | `undefined` |
| `syntax` | `syntax` | | `string` | `undefined` |
| `value` | `value` | | `string` | `undefined` |
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*Built with [StencilJS](https://stenciljs.com/)*
| 2024-02-10T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1684 |
Nora Quoirin death: Family want more answers after post-mortem Published duration 16 August 2019 Related Topics Death of Nora Quoirin
image copyright Lucie Blackman Trust/Family handout/PA Media image caption Nora Quoirin, 15, who has special needs, vanished from the Dusun holiday resort
The family of a teenager who died in Malaysia after disappearing on a family holiday said they hope to have "more answers to our many questions".
Nora Quoirin's body was found beside a stream on Tuesday about 1.6 miles (2.5km) from her accommodation.
A post-mortem examination revealed the 15-year-old died from internal bleeding probably caused by hunger and stress.
Her family said the test results gave "some information" but she died in "extremely complex circumstances".
"We are still struggling to understand the events of the last 10 days," they added in a statement.
image copyright Royal Malaysian Police image caption Meabh and Sebastian Quorin say they do not believe their daughter would have wandered off alone
Nora's family thanked the Malaysian authorities for their ongoing support and cooperation as the criminal and missing persons investigations continue.
"We will be bringing Nora home where she will finally be laid to rest, close to her loving families in France and Ireland," the statement said.
Nora died two or three days before she was found, Malaysian Police believe.
Her unclothed body was found after a 10-day search in an area that had previously been searched by rescuers.
She was described by her family as vulnerable having been born with holoprosencephaly, a disorder which affects brain development.
Her Irish-French parents, Meabh and Sebastian, previously said they do not believe she would have wandered off alone and feared she had been abducted.
Malaysian Police said there was no suspicion Nora was the victim of foul play.
Nora Quoirin disappearance: Timeline | 2024-06-18T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9228 |
Advanced-stage III/IV follicular lymphoma: treatment strategies for individual patients.
In patients with advanced-stage III/IV follicular lymphoma (FL), there are many treatment options available. The current challenge is to choose the optimal strategy for the individual patient. The literature was reviewed with respect to treatment strategies in patients with advanced FL by screening the PubMed databank. In advanced-stage III/IV FL, median survival may approach 8-10 years. Treatment strategies include a watch-and-wait strategy, chemoimmunotherapy, monotherapy with rituximab, and - as an experimental approach so far - radioimmunotherapy. The use of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for patients in first remission or chemosensitive relapse prolongs progression-free survival while the effect on overall survival remains unclear compared to standard chemotherapy. However, long-term results are flawed by high relapse rates and risk of secondary malignancies. In patients with relapsed/chemoresistant disease, allogeneic HSCT constitutes the only curative approach but is associated with high treatment-related mortality. In the palliative setting, low-dose involved-field irradiation constitutes an effective treatment option in order to control local symptoms with potential long-lasting response. In case of advanced-disease FL, asymptomatic patients can be managed expectantly. In symptomatic patients, chemoimmunotherapy is regarded as standard therapy. In symptomatic elderly patients with relevant comorbidities, rituximab +/- single-agent chemotherapy, or low-dose involved-field radiotherapy might be appropriate. For younger patients with chemoresistant/relapsed disease, allogeneic HSCT might be considered, since advances in supportive care and better patient selection have resulted in improved outcomes. | 2023-10-14T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7695 |
Lanthanum is a soft, ductile, silvery-white
rare-earth metal element with symbol La and
atomic number 57. In the periodic table, it
is the first element of the lanthanide series.
It is usually found in combination with cerium
and other rare earth elements. Lanthanum oxidizes
rapidly when exposed to air. It is produced
from the minerals monazite and bastnäsite
using a complex multistage extraction process.
Lanthanum compounds have numerous applications
as catalysts, additives in glass, carbon lighting
for studio lighting and projection, ignition
elements in lighters and torches, electron
cathodes, scintillators, GTAW electrodes,
and others. Lanthanum carbonate3) has been
approved as a medicine for treating renal
failure.
Properties
Physical properties
Lanthanum has a hexagonal crystal structure
at room temperature. At 310°C, lanthanum
changes to a face-centered cubic structure.
At 865°C, it changes to a body-centered cubic
structure. Lanthanum is easily oxidized; a
centimeter-sized sample will completely oxidize
within a year. Therefore, it is used in elemental
form only for research purposes. Single lanthanum
atoms have been isolated by implanting them
into fullerene molecules; if carbon nanotubes
are filled with these lanthanum-encapsulated
fullerenes and annealed, metallic nanochains
of lanthanum are produced inside carbon nanotubes.
Chemical properties
Lanthanum exhibits two oxidation states, +3
and +2, the former being much more stable.
For example, LaH3 is more stable than LaH2.
Lanthanum burns readily at 150 °C to form
lanthanum(III) oxide:
4 La + 3 O2 → 2 La2O3
However, when exposed to moist air at room
temperature, lanthanum oxide forms a hydrated
oxide with a large volume increase. Lanthanum
is quite electropositive, reacting slowly
with cold water and quite quickly with hot
water to form lanthanum hydroxide:
2 La + 6 H2O → 2 La(OH)3 + 3 H2
Lanthanum metal reacts with all the halogens.
The reaction is vigorous if conducted above
200 °C:
2 La + 3 F2 → 2 LaF3
2 La + 3 Cl2 → 2 LaCl3
2 La + 3 Br2 → 2 LaBr3
2 La + 3 I2 → 2 LaI3
In dilute sulfuric acid, lanthanum readily
forms solutions containing the La(III) ions,
which exist as [La(OH2)9]3+ complexes:
2 La(s) + 3 H2SO4 → 2 La3+(aq) + 3 SO2−
4 + 3 H2
Lanthanum combines with nitrogen, carbon,
sulfur, phosphorus, boron, selenium, silicon
and arsenic at elevated temperatures, forming
binary compounds. The electron configuration
of the colourless La3+ ion is [Xe] 4f0.
Isotopes
Naturally occurring lanthanum is composed
of one stable and one radioactive isotope,
with 139La, being the most abundant. 38 radioisotopes
have been characterized - the most stable
is 138La with a half-life of 1.05×1011 years,
followed by 137La with a half-life of 60,000
years. Most other radioisotopes have half-lives
of less than 24 hours, and the majority of
these have half-lives less than 1 minute.
This element also has three meta states. Lanthanum
isotopes range in atomic weight from 117 u
to 155 u.
History
The word lanthanum comes from the Greek λανθανω
[lanthanō]. Lanthanum was discovered in 1839
by Swedish chemist Carl Gustav Mosander, who
partially decomposed a sample of cerium nitrate
by heating and treating the resulting salt
with dilute nitric acid. From the resulting
solution, he isolated a new rare earth he
called lantana. Lanthanum was isolated in
relatively pure form in 1923.
Lanthanum is the most strongly basic of all
the trivalent lanthanides, and it was this
property that allowed Mosander to isolate
and purify the salts of this element. Basicity
separation as operated commercially involved
the fractional precipitation of the weaker
bases from nitrate solution by the addition
of magnesium oxide or dilute ammonia gas.
Purified lanthanum remained in solution. The
alternative technique of fractional crystallization
was invented by Dmitri Mendeleev, in the form
of the double ammonium nitrate tetrahydrate,
which he used to separate the less-soluble
lanthanum from the more-soluble didymium in
the 1870s. This system was used commercially
in lanthanum purification until the development
of practical solvent extraction methods that
started in the late 1950s. As operated for
lanthanum purification, the double ammonium
nitrates were recrystallized from water. When
later adapted by Carl Auer von Welsbach for
the splitting of didymium, nitric acid was
used as a solvent to lower the solubility
of the system. Lanthanum is relatively easy
to purify, since it has only one adjacent
lanthanide, cerium, which itself is very readily
removed due to its potential tetravalency.
The fractional crystallization purification
of lanthanum as the double ammonium nitrate
was sufficiently rapid and efficient, that
lanthanum purified in this manner was not
expensive. The Lindsay Chemical Division of
American Potash and Chemical Corporation,
for a while the largest producer of rare earths
in the world, in a price list dated October
1, 1958 priced 99.9% lanthanum ammonium nitrate
at $3.15 per pound, or $1.93 per pound in
50-pound quantities. The corresponding oxide
was priced at $11.70 or $7.15 per pound for
the two quantity ranges. The price for their
purest grade of oxide was $21.60 and $13.20,
respectively.
Occurrence
Although lanthanum belongs to the element
group called rare earth metals, it is not
rare at all. Lanthanum is available in relatively
large quantities. "Rare earths" got their
name because they were indeed rare as compared
to the "common" earths such as lime or magnesia,
and historically only a few deposits were
known. Lanthanum is taken into consideration
as a rare earth metal because the process
to mine is difficult, time consuming and expensive.
MonazitePO4, and bastnäsiteCO3F, are the
principal ores in which lanthanum occurs,
in percentages of up to 25 to 38 percent of
the total lanthanide content. In general,
there is more lanthanum in bastnäsite than
in monazite. Until 1949, bastnäsite was a
rare and obscure mineral, not even remotely
contemplated as a potential commercial source
for lanthanides. In that year, the large deposit
at the Mountain Pass rare earth mine in California
was discovered. This discovery alerted geologists
to the existence of a new class of rare earth
deposit, the rare-earth bearing carbonatite,
other examples of which soon surfaced, particularly
in Africa and China.
Production
Lanthanum is most commonly obtained from monazite
and bastnäsite. The mineral mixtures are
crushed and ground. Monazite, because of its
magnetic properties, can be separated by repeated
electromagnetic separation. After separation,
it is treated with hot concentrated sulfuric
acid to produce water-soluble sulfates of
rare earths. The acidic filtrates are partially
neutralized with sodium hydroxide to pH 3-4.
Thorium precipitates out of solution as hydroxide
and is removed. After that, the solution is
treated with ammonium oxalate to convert rare
earths to their insoluble oxalates. The oxalates
are converted to oxides by annealing. The
oxides are dissolved in nitric acid that excludes
one of the main components, cerium, whose
oxide is insoluble in HNO3. Lanthanum is separated
as a double salt with ammonium nitrate by
crystallization. This salt is relatively less
soluble than other rare earth double salts
and therefore stays in the residue.
The most efficient separation routine for
lanthanum salt from the rare-earth salt solution
is, however, ion exchange. In this process,
rare-earth ions are adsorbed onto suitable
ion-exchange resin by exchange with hydrogen,
ammonium or cupric ions present in the resin.
The rare earth ions are then selectively washed
out by a suitable complexing agent, such as
ammonium citrate or nitrilotriacetate. Lanthanum
can also be separated from a solution of rare
earth nitrates by liquid-liquid extraction
with a suitable organic liquid, such as tributyl
phosphalate. Currently, the most widely used
extractant for the purification of lanthanum
and the other lanthanides is the 2-ethylhexyl
ester of 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid; this
has better handling characteristics than the
previously used bis-2-ethylhexyl phosphate.
Lanthanum metal is obtained from its oxide
by heating it with ammonium chloride or fluoride
and hydrofluoric acid at 300-400 °C to produce
the chloride or fluoride:
La2O3 + 6 NH4Cl → 2 LaCl3 + 6 NH3 + 3 H2O
This is followed by reduction with alkali
or alkaline earth metals in vacuum or argon
atmosphere:
LaCl3 + 3 Li → La + 3 LiCl
Also, pure lanthanum can be produced by electrolysis
of molten mixture of anhydrous LaCl3 and NaCl
or KCl at elevated temperatures.
Applications
The first historical application of lanthanum
was in gas lantern mantles. Carl Auer von
Welsbach used a mixture of 60% magnesium oxide,
20% lanthanum oxide, and 20% yttrium oxide
which he called Actinophor, and patented in
1885. The original mantles gave a green-tinted
light and were not very successful, and his
first company, which established a factory
in Atzgersdorf in 1887, failed in 1889.
Modern uses of lanthanum include:
One material used for anodic material of nickel-metal
hydride batteries is La(Ni3.6Mn0.4Al0.3Co0.7).
Due to high cost to extract the other lanthanides
a mischmetal with more than 50% of lanthanum
is used instead of pure lanthanum. The compound
is an intermetallic component of the AB5 type.
As most hybrid cars use nickel-metal hydride
batteries, massive quantities of lanthanum
are required for the production of hybrid
automobiles. A typical hybrid automobile battery
for a Toyota Prius requires 10 to 15 kg of
lanthanum. As engineers push the technology
to increase fuel economy, twice that amount
of lanthanum could be required per vehicle.
Hydrogen sponge alloys can contain lanthanum.
These alloys are capable of storing up to
400 times their own volume of hydrogen gas
in a reversible adsorption process. Heat energy
is released every time they do so; therefore
these alloys have possibilities in energy
conservation systems.
Mischmetal, a pyrophoric alloy used in lighter
flints, contains 25% to 45% lanthanum.
Lanthanum oxide and the boride are used in
electronic vacuum tubes as hot cathode materials
with strong emissivity of electrons. Crystals
of LaB6 are used in high brightness, extended
life, thermionic electron emission sources
for electron microscopes, and Hall effect
thrusters.
Lanthanum fluoride is an essential component
of a heavy fluoride glass named ZBLAN. This
glass has superior transmittance in the infrared
range and is therefore used for fiber-optical
communication systems.
Cerium doped lanthanum bromide and lanthanum
chloride are the recent inorganic scintillators
which have a combination of high light yield,
best energy resolution, and fast response.
Their high yield converts into superior energy
resolution; moreover, the light output is
very stable and quite high over a very wide
range of temperatures, making it particularly
attractive for high temperature applications.
These scintillators are already widely used
commercially in detectors of neutrons or gamma
rays.
Carbon arc lamps use a mixture of rare earth
elements to improve the light quality. This
application, especially by the motion picture
industry for studio lighting and projection,
consumed about 25% of the rare-earth compounds
produced until the phase out of carbon arc
lamps.
Lanthanum(III) oxide improves the alkali resistance
of glass, and is used in making special optical
glasses, such as infrared-absorbing glass,
as well as camera and telescope lenses, because
of the high refractive index and low dispersion
of rare-earth glasses. Lanthanum oxide is
also used as a grain growth additive during
the liquid phase sintering of silicon nitride
and zirconium diboride.
Small amounts of lanthanum added to steel
improves its malleability, resistance to impact,
and ductility, whereas addition of lanthanum
to molybdenum decreases its hardness and sensitivity
to temperature variations.
Small amounts of lanthanum are present in
many pool products to remove the phosphates
that feed algae.
Lanthanum oxide additive to tungsten is used
in gas tungsten arc welding electrodes, as
a substitute for radioactive thorium.
Various compounds of lanthanum and other rare-earth
elements are components of various catalysis,
such as petroleum cracking catalysts.
Lanthanum-barium radiometric dating is used
to estimate age of rocks and ores, though
the technique has limited popularity.
Lanthanum carbonate was approved as a medication
to absorb excess phosphate in cases of end-stage
renal failure.
Lanthanum fluoride is used in phosphor lamp
coatings. Mixed with europium fluoride, it
is also applied in the crystal membrane of
fluoride ion-selective electrodes.
Like horseradish peroxidase, lanthanum is
used as an electron-dense tracer in molecular
biology.
Lanthanum modified bentonite is used to remove
phosphates from water in lake treatments.
Biological role
Lanthanum has no known biological role. The
element is very poorly absorbed after oral
administration and when injected its elimination
is very slow. Lanthanum carbonate was approved
as a medication named Fosrenol to absorb excess
phosphate in cases of end-stage renal failure.
While lanthanum has pharmacological effects
on several receptors and ion channels, its
specificity for the GABA receptor is unique
among divalent cations. Lanthanum acts at
the same modulatory site on the GABA receptor
as zinc- a known negative allosteric modulator.
The lanthanum cation La3+ is a positive allosteric
modulator at native and recombinant GABA receptors,
increasing open channel time and decreasing
desensitization in a subunit configuration
dependent manner.
Precautions
Lanthanum has a low to moderate level of toxicity
and should be handled with care. The injection
of lanthanum solutions produces hyperglycemia,
low blood pressure, degeneration of the spleen
and hepatic alterations. The application in
carbon arc light led to the exposure of people
to rare earth element oxides and fluorides,
sometimes led to pneumoconiosis.
See also
References
Books
The Industrial Chemistry of the Lanthanons,
Yttrium, Thorium and Uranium, by R. J. Callow,
Pergamon Press, 1967
Extractive Metallurgy of Rare Earths, by C.
K. Gupta and N. Krishnamurthy, CRC Press,
2005
Nouveau Traite de Chimie Minerale, Vol. VII.
Scandium, Yttrium, Elements des Terres Rares,
Actinium, P. Pascal, Editor, Masson & Cie,
1959
Chemistry of the Lanthanons, by R. C. Vickery,
Butterworths 1953
External links
WebElements.com – Lanthanum
| 2024-05-23T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3949 |
In Japan where the society has an aging population, the ratio of vitreoretinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, and age-related macular degeneration is expected to continue to increase as a cause of blindness. Prognosis of such diseases, which resulted in blindness in the past, is improving by the development of vitreoretinal operation and introduction of biopharmaceuticals, such as anti-VERF intraocular injections. However, aside from initial symptoms, the prognosis of visual functions in severe cases, where symptoms were left untreated for a long period of time or are recurring, is still not favorable. Even if retinopexy is attained by an operation or intraocular neovascularity can be devised to disappear with a pharmaceutical agent, photoreceptor functions would decrease if retinal cells have already suffered an irreversible secondary damage. Eyes are organs, for which healing of injury would be completely meaningless if photoreceptor functions are lost. Thus, in order to maintain normal retinal functions, it is important how an ophthalmic inflammation and the following secondary reaction can be controlled with the least amount of damage.
Along with the calming or progression of an ophthalmic inflammation, a retinochoroidal fibrotic scar is often formed in epiretinal, intraretinal, or subretinal tissue and in some cases leads to a disorder in photoreceptor cell functions. Collagen, which is one of the components of the stroma and retinal pigment epithelial cells, particularly type I collagen, is known as a representative cell component constituting a retinochoroidal fibrotic scar. Retinochoroidal dysfunction occurs due to the formation and atrophy of a retinochoroidal fibrotic scar. In this regard, it is considered effective against retinochoroidal disorders to inhibit atrophy of collagen, particularly type I collagen, of retinal pigment epithelial cells or the like to prevent deformation or disintegration of a tissue structure.
To date, a medicament for the prevention and/or treatment of diabetic retinopathy or age-related macular degeneration having an agonist of a retinoic acid receptor (hereinafter, also referred to as “RAR”), all-trans retinoic acid or 4-[(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthalenyl)carbamoyl]benzoic acid, as an effective ingredient (for example, see Patent Literature 1). However, since such an effective ingredient does not have selectivity with respect to RAR subtypes RARα and RARβ, the contribution of each RAR subtype to improvement in the retinal function is unknown. Meanwhile, RAR is involved in various effects such as growth, morphogenesis, and differentiation in many cells such as inflammatory cells, immune cells, and structural cells. Further, it is verified that there is a difference in the distribution of RAR subtypes depending on the tissue or organ of a mammal. Some of the effects of RAR are undesirable, such as increase in triglyceride due to RARα. Thus, the specificity or selectivity with respect to subtypes in compounds with RAR agonist activity is expected to lead to reduction in risk of side effects. For the above reasons, there is a demand for RAR agonists, which have a strong effect of inhibiting retinochoroidal disorders and are highly safe based on subtype selectivity.
(E)-4-(2-{3-[(1H-pyrazole-1-yl)methyl]-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-2-yl}vinyl)benzoic acid is disclosed to be useful as a RARγ selective agonist against pulmonary emphysema, cancer, and dermatosis (for example, see Patent Literature 2) and against neurological pain (for example, see Patent Literature 3). However, there is no study that has examined the pharmacological effect of (E)-4-(2-{3-[(1H-pyrazole-1-yl)methyl]-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-2-yl}vinyl)benzoic acid, an ester thereof, or a salt thereof on retinochoroidal disorders, particularly the formation and atrophy of a retinochoroidal scar, or a document suggesting such an effect.
[PTL 1] Domestic Publication of PCT International Publication No. 2007/037188
[PTL 2] International Publication No. WO 2002/028810 pamphlet
[PTL 3] International Publication No. WO 2008/057930 pamphlet | 2023-10-15T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9074 |
Feedback and Training to Improve Use of an Electronic Prescribing System: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
Excessive presentation of alerts in electronic prescribing systems (ePS) results in 'alert fatigue' which reduces alert effectiveness and frustrates users. Previous research at our study site showed high rates of duplication alerts, some of which were the result of doctors not using available short-cut functions in the ePS. This study aimed to improve uptake of short-cut functions and so reduce alert fatigue by trialing two interventions: feedback and training. Fifty doctors were randomised to one of three groups: Control, Feedback or Training. The Feedback group received an individualised feedback report via email and the Training group received brief face-to-face refresher training. Participants partook in informal interviews to discuss the training and the ePS in use. The proportion of orders which triggered a duplication alert was our primary outcome measure. Neither intervention had a significant impact on duplication alert rate (Feedback: 80.8% vs. 77.8% of orders, Training: 77.5% vs. 76.5% of orders; all p>0.05). We identified a number of factors related to the intervention, ePS and prescribing environment that contributed to this result. Rather than focusing on changing prescribing behaviour, we suggest a more effective and appropriate approach is to redesign the ePS so that fewer and more meaningful alerts are presented. | 2024-03-24T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1388 |
## Pass Arguments to Store
You can use the `args` prop of `Provider` to pass arguments to Store.
```jsx
export function FooStore(initial = 1) {
const [x, setX] = useState(initial)
return {
x,
setX
}
}
```
```jsx
<Provider of={FooStore} args={[5]}>
<App/>
</Provider>
```
## Use in Class Components
Even though Reto itself is written with hooks, it is still supported to use Reto in class components. You may wonder how to use `useStore` in class components. The answer is: No, you can't. But, there is an substitute for `useStore`, which is `Consumer` component:
```jsx
import {Consumer} from 'reto'
export class App extends Component {
render() {
return (
<Consumer of={FooStore}>
{fooStore => (
fooStore.x
)}
</Consumer>
)
}
}
```
## How to Solve the Performance Issue
There are several ways to solve the performance issuse:
### Eliminate Redundant Updates of Provider
When the parent component re-renders, the `Provider` component in it will also re-render, therefore the Store Hook will be re-executed. And finally, all the components subscribed to this Store will be re-rendered. This kind of cascading update will often result in dramatically performance cost.
```jsx
function App(props) {
return (
<Provider of={FooStore} args=[10]>
{props.children}
</Provider>
)
}
```
Fortunately, reto provides the `memo` props for `Provider`, which can be enabled to avoid redundant updates of `Provider`.
```jsx
function App(props) {
return (
<Provider of={FooStore} args=[10] memo>
{props.children}
</Provider>
)
}
```
When `memo` is turned on, `Provider` will perform a shallow comparison of the old and new `args` arrays. If there is no change, this update will be skipped.
> In most cases, we recommend turning on `memo`, which is very straightforward and effective for performance optimization.
### Partial Subscription
If a store is too big or it updates too frequently, there may be a performance issue.
You can pass an additional `deps` function to `useStore` for controlling whether to rerender.
```jsx
const fooStore = useStore(FooStore, store => [store.x, store.y[0]])
```
This is very similar to `useMemo` and `useEffect`. But please notice that the `deps` of `useStore` is **function**.
### Split Store
We recommend splitting a large Store into small parts, so that not only is the code easier to maintain, but performance can also get improved.
## Store Ref
If you want to get the ref of store object, you can use the `storeRef` prop of `Provider`:
```jsx
const storeRef = useRef()
function increase() {
storeRef.current.setCount(count + 1)
}
return (
<Provider of={FooStore} storeRef={storeRef}>
{/*...*/}
</Provider>
)
```
| 2024-02-25T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4474 |
Q:
Are there any rules on which things in Revelation must be interpreted literally and which symbolically?
Are there any rules on which things in Revelation must be interpreted literally and which symbolically? The one that comes from the back of my mind is that if a certain thing or a character is already given an interpretation in the book itself — like the martyrs in white robes in Revelation 7:13-14 are already explained there:
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which
are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him,
Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of
great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:13-14)
— than they must be interpreted according to that explanation. But what about some other things and characters that go without explanation? I am sure some have already attempted to come up with a set of principles as to how interpret them. Does anyone know?
A:
I don't think it's as simple as knowing when to take a verse literally or symbolically. I will attempt to propose a hermeneutical approach to the translation of the book of Revelation. I am going to approach the text from a Christian perspective (as this was the intended audience). I would not call these 'rules,' but rather 'principles' of interpretation that I believe are helpful for understanding the book of Revelation. I will attempt to explain the basis and applicability of these principles by applying them to the larger corpus in which the book of Revelation occurs, the Old and New Testaments of the Christian bible.
Literary Motif & Bias
Just as systematic theology all begins with an organizing motif, many begin their study of the book of Revelation with a theological bias. For instance, Martin Luther's theological motif was justification by grace through faith alone, while John Calvin's was the glory and sovereignty of God. Their respective theological stances developed in different directions as a result. The literary motif with which we approach a work is a bias which taints how we interpret it.
The literary motif that most Western Christians bring to the text is the primacy of the millennium and its role in understanding the events of the rest of the book (Revelation 20:1-6). Even though the millennium is only mentioned in six verses of the entire book, it has become the organizing principle for most Western Christian interpretations of the text (and for Western Christian eschatology in general). I believe the first step to minimizing the impact of our biases when interpreting Revelation is to lay aside our literary motifs and even our insistence that the book describes the "end of the world."
Another factor that introduces bias in our interpretation is language. The book of Revelation was originally written in Koine Greek in the first-century. Many cultural references and linguistic connections are lost on modern readers. But even more simple than the language of the book itself is the language we use to describe it. We call it the book of Revelation, a translation of the Greek word ἀποκάλυψις (apocalypsis), literally meaning "uncovering" (or "revealing," hence "revelation"). This carried the linguistic connotation of uncovering a bride's veil (prior to marital sexual union) and was also a euphemism for disclosing hidden things. It is no coincidence that this word was used and that Revelation describes the marriage banquet of the Groom (Christ) and his Bride (the Church). Today we generally associate the words "Revelation" and "apocalypse" with the "end of the world" rather than with the uncovering of something once concealed. These linguistic associations themselves can bias our approach to the text.
Two additional biases that will color our perception of the book of Revelation include our understanding of God's covenantal relationship with his people throughout history and what that looks like today - specifically concerning Israel. The bible contains a grand narrative of which Revelation shows the potential climax. How we understand the narrative prior to approaching Revelation will taint how we interpret it. Views such as two-covenant theology or dispensationalism will affect our interpretation. Whether we are Christian Zionists or not will also significantly impact our approach to biblical prophecies concerning both Israel and the Church. These biases must be acknowledged on both sides of the fence - Revelation teaches neither. We bring these biases to the text.
Genre, Authorship, & Audience
The book of Revelation belongs to a genre known as apocalyptic literature, but I will refer to it as prophetic-apocalyptic literature since this book also appears to predict future events. It is reported to have been written by the apostle John. Thus it is important to be familiar with St. John's writing style and with other works of prophetic and apocalyptic literature when interpreting Revelation. Understanding how St. John uses various words and phrases in his other works can shed light on how he is using them in Revelation. Being familiar with apocalyptic literature which likely influenced St. John is also helpful when interpreting his book. Thankfully, we have other such examples throughout the biblical text with which St. John would have undoubtedly been familiar. Apocalyptic literature was a familiar genre to many first-century Jews; readers would have some idea of how it should be interpreted. We also need to keep in mind that the book of Revelation was written to seven specific churches in Asia Minor. We must also seek to understand these original hearers.
Gematria
Gematria was familiar to most first-century Jews. It is a system for assigning a numerical value to words or phrases. When dealing with apocalyptic literature, numbers hold a symbolic meaning. We can see this principle in play in several Old Testament writings such as Jeremiah, who predicted that the Babylonian captivity would last 70 years (Jeremiah 29:10). The prophet Daniel lived during this captivity and came to the realization that this 70-year period was almost complete (Daniel 9:2). But there's one small problem: scholars have repeatedly demonstrated that it couldn't have been exactly 70 years that passed between Jeremiah's prophecy and Daniel's realization of its fulfillment. Some have tried to "make it work," but even ardent literalists such as Dr. John F. Walvoord have acknowledged that it doesn't quite work out to exactly 70 years (regardless of inclusive or exclusive counting schemas or whether or not you use a lunar or solar calendar). Even still, Daniel and the Jews saw this as the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy. The number 70 indicated the completion of God's punishment of Israel and this symbolic meaning trumped its empirical value. We can even see this in the New Testament where Matthew ordered his genealogical accounts around the number 14 (cf. Matthew 1:17; he excludes some relatives in order to fit this pattern). The principle here is that we shouldn't try to impose our scientific precision on numbers that we encounter in biblical prophecy and apocalyptic literature.
Historical Events Themselves Can Be Prophetic
One such case is the child prophesied about by Isaiah who would be born of a young woman and called "Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). The fulfillment of this passage occurred in Isaiah 8:3. The child's name was "Maher-shalal-hash-baz." Christians later applied this prophecy to Jesus, however (Matthew 1:22-23). Early Christian fathers made all sorts of allegorical connections between Old Testament historical events and New Covenant practices. The book of Hebrews also makes many such allusions. Some also refer to this as an example of "double fulfillment."
Apocalyptic Visions Can Have Multiple Meanings
One need look no further than the book of Revelation itself for an example of this:
And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a
woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names,
and it had seven heads and ten horns.... This calls for a mind with
wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is
seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is,
the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only
a little while (Revelation 17:3, 9-10, ESV).
The seven heads are both mountains (or hills) and kings. It carries both meanings. The same may be true of entire cycles of events as well.
The opposite can also be true (multiple visions can have the same meaning). Joseph has two prophetic dreams but they describe the same event (that his brothers will one day bow before him) in varying details (Genesis 37:5-11). The same occurs when Joseph is interpreting the Pharaoah's multiple dreams (Genesis 41). Joseph explains that "The dreams of Pharaoh are one," and goes so far as to say that the duplication of the message with different dreams has significance: "And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about" (Genesis 41:25, 32, ESV).
Heavenly Disturbances Are Symbolic
The prophet Isaiah predicted the following:
Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce
anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners
from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will
not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the
moon will not shed its light. I will punish the world for its evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of
the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. I will
make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of
Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth
will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts
in the day of his fierce anger (Isaiah 13:9-13, ESV).
Was he talking about the end of the world? Nope. This prophecy was fulfilled when the Medes destroyed Babylon in 539 B.C. How can I be so sure? I only need to look a few verses ahead:
Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard
for silver and do not delight in gold. Their bows will slaughter
the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb;
their eyes will not pity children. And Babylon, the glory of
kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like
Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them (Isaiah 13:17-19, ESV).
This happens repeatedly in prophetic literature. Additional examples include Isaiah 34:4-10 which says that "All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll...." This prophecy was fulfilled by the destruction of Edom in the 6th century B.C. (and yet we still have stars in the sky). Ezekiel does this when prophesying the downfall of the Egyptian Pharaoh (32:7-8). Nahum says that "The mountains quake before him [and] the hills melt" when pronouncing judgment on Ninevah. (Nahum 1:5). St. Peter preaches the fulfillment of Joel 2 on the day of Pentecost, specifically citing the part about the sun being turned to darkness and the moon to blood (Joel 2:30-31; Acts 2:16-21).
Look for God in the Clouds
One of the most important symbols that shows up in the prophecies of Jesus himself as well as in the writings of St. John in the book of Revelation is clouds. Sometimes the clouds are purely symbolic, often of God's divine judgment, such as in Psalm 104:3 ("he makes the clouds his chariot"). Isaiah 19:1 prophesies, "Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them" (Isaiah 19:1, ESV). This was fulfilled when Assyria defeated Egypt (Isaiah 20:1-6). Ezekiel uses similar imagery in his prophecy against Egypt (Ezekiel 30:3).
But they aren't always symbolic. The LORD descended to his people in the cloud in Exodus 34:5. He appeared in the cloud upon the mercy seat in Leviticus 16:2. A cloud physically represented God's glory when it filled Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). A cloud overshadowed Jesus, Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13). Finally, Jesus goes up to heaven in a cloud in his Ascension (Acts 1:9). Most importantly we are told that he will return in the same way.
I won't say anymore in this section lest I sway the reader with my own interpretive biases.
Circular Time
Chronology is usually nonlinear in apocalyptic literature (especially in dreams and visions). Sometimes the order is designed to emphasize something. This can be seen in the presentation of many prophecies in the Old Testament, which sometimes are out of chronological order. For instance, in Isaiah 2 we first see the blessings of God's kingdom and global peace. But then immediately after we see that judgment is coming upon Israel before this can take place. Chronologically the peace must come after the judgment, but it is not always presented in chronological order.
The Worship Connection
The connection of Revelation to the historic worship practices of Jews and early Christians is largely lost on Protestant Christians. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox theologians have retained many of these views, some going so far as to assert that Revelation is unintelligible apart from the liturgy of the Church (indeed some believe that Revelation's primary purpose was to prophesy the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple - representing the old system of worship - and to show the heavenly pattern of worship that the Church should mimic in order to worship in spirit and in truth). I highly recommend The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn for a concise presentation of this perspective on the book of Revelation (it is from a Roman Catholic viewpoint but I believe it is an enlightening perspective for all Christians). Even a cursory glance at the book of Revelation shows a pattern of heavenly worship that would have appeared familiar to first-century Jews - with some important and prophetic changes. Present in the book of Revelation is an altar, priests, vestments, lamp stands (Menorahs), incense, the scriptures (book or scroll), and praise and worship. The book of Hebrews also elaborates on this in depth.
Jesus is the Eschaton
Eschatology is a just fancy word referring to the study of the "last things." The word for "last" in Greek that forms the root of this word is the same word Jesus applies to himself in Revelation: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last [(ὁ ἔσχατος)], the beginning and the end" (Revelation 22:13, ESV, emphasis mine). He is making all things new (Revelation 21:5). Understanding Jesus is essential to understanding Revelation. Jesus is the one who reveals. He is the Lamb who was slain and who alone is worthy to open the seals (Revelation 5:5-6).
In conclusion, I feel that even these principles are incomplete as it is my opinion that this one book cannot effectively be approached in a vacuum apart from the revelation of God throughout the rest of the bible and Church history. But I offer them anyways. The book of Revelation is indeed revealing. It will either reveal to us whatever the apostle John (and God) wished to communicate or it will reveal our biases, prejudices, and neurotic anxieties.
A:
There's two important things about interpreting the bible:
You must be consistent, and not use a different method for different books of the Bible. (You can't interpret an entire book using one hermeneutic, and another book using an entirely different one. You must find a hermeneutic that you can apply consistently)
Let the Bible interpret the Bible. Almost everything symbolic about the Bible is explained elsewhere in the Bible (or the symbolic usage is a reference to an earlier or later situation also contained within the Bible). Look for the first usage that occurs in the Bible, and see if there is a clear explanation there.
For a consistent hermeneutic, I use the popular "literal common sense" method. Everything is to be taken literally unless common sense dictates otherwise. Example: "lamb slain from the foundation of the earth" is Jesus, not a dead lamb.
The book of Revelation, despite its reputation, only really has about 13 or 14 real symbolic things in it (some of which occur multiple times), and most of those symbolic entities are explained within the book itself, and the rest are within other parts of the Bible with a reasonable amount of certainty.
Now there are many things that, with a literal interpretation, we're left stumped, thinking, "How in the world will that happen?", or "What will this actually look like?"
Example: Sky rolling back like a scroll
Things like the number 666 is already explained (it's the number of the beast and the number of man) but the details behind why it is the number of the beast is what requires wisdom (though there's been some interesting insight into that in the past several years, we still aren't certain about it).
Try reading the book of Revelation literally, and see where that process leads you.
A:
Just a quick thought to add to the discussion: "literal" interpretation should include the concept of "literary", i.e. recognizing and respecting the genre a book is written in. Revelation is pretty widely recognized as an example of "apocalyptic" literature and should be read as such if we are to be faithfully submitting to the intended meaning.
This means in-depth study should include a study of the apocalyptic genre itself - Daniel is a key book to have at hand when reading Revelation, for example.
| 2024-01-17T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3531 |
Charlie Shrem, entrepreneur and Bitcoin advocate (formerly of BitInstant) will join us via Skype to talk about his new venture, ActionCrypto, as well as his plans for the future. You won't want to miss this opportunity to hear from one of the community's most passionate - and controversial - figures.
*****
Every Wednesday is Bitcoin Wednesdays at Decentral in Toronto. Anyone is welcome to join us for Canada's largest Bitcoin meetup. Our goal is to attract enthusiasts, merchants, finance folk, bitcoin miners, developers and anyone in fact interested in learning more about Bitcoin and decentralized systems and platforms. While you're here try out our Bitcoin ATM, the first to be installed in Toronto.
Our venue Decentral is a event space, co-working and incubator / accelerator facility focused specifically on Bitcoin, blockchain, and decentralized initiatives.
Video broadcasts of many of our meet-up speakers are available online at decentral.tv! | 2024-02-03T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/6948 |
Q:
Нежелательная запятая в php-выходе
Мой код выводится правильно, но в конце появляется нежелательная запятая.
Есть ли способ не получить (или отобразить) последнюю запятую?
<?php
include 'fortnite-api/Autoloader.php';
$api = new FortniteClient;
$api->setKey('66d907e8745cfe491729dc5e4397b54f');
?>
Ссылка на весь сайт: http://www.mediafire.com/file/eq0nkhwtv0vq058/jz-software.zip/file
A:
Файл:
\fortnite-api\src\Leaderboard.php
В конце файла:
?>,
Та самая запятая, которую можно просто удалить.
| 2024-06-01T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1664 |
Nutritional status of adults in rural Mali.
An anthropometric assessment was conducted of 441 adults from six rural villages in southern Mali. As is typical for human populations, females are shorter and lighter than males. Both females (N = 320) and males (N = 121) are shorter and lighter than their U.S. counterparts. Mean weight in the sample is 53.4 +/- 8.5 kilos for females and 58.8 +/- 6.5 kilos for males. Mean height is 160.4 +/- 5.7 cm for females and 171.3 +/- 6.6 cm for males. The data for height in males are very similar to those reported from other surveys in Mali, and show no evidence for a positive secular trend in height. Mean body mass index (BMI) is 20.8 for females and 20.0 for males. These are lower than U.S. averages, but well above suggested cutoff points for malnutrition in adults. Average arm circumference is 26.5 cm for females and 26.4 cm for males. Females have relatively large arm circumferences due, in part, to the heavy manual labor they perform. Average head circumference is 53.0 cm for females and 54.8 cm for males. For both sexes, these values are more than 1 standard deviation (SD) below the U.S. means. Adult values for anthropometric measurements reflect childhood stresses of malnutrition and disease, and a lifetime of accommodation to a high-carbohydrate, low-protein diet, and hard physical labor. Females are significantly closer to the U.S. standards than males for weight, height, BMI, and arm circumference; these findings support the idea that females are buffered from environmental stresses relative to males. In addition, females exhibit significantly more variability than males for weight, arm circumference, and head circumference, but not for height, suggesting that variability in adult height does not reflect the presence or absence of female buffering or the level of environmental adversity. | 2024-06-28T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5656 |
Orlando Bloom & Djimon Honsou Team For Cape Town Set Thriller 'Zulu'
The Playlist:
If the name Jerome Salle isn't familiar, that may be about the to change. The French writer and filmmaker was behind "Anthony Zimmer," which was remade into a movie you remember as "The Tourist." He also helmed the franchise efforts "Largo Winch" and its followup "The Burma Conspiracy." But for this next effort, he's taking a bit more of a serious path in what could be his international breakthrough. | 2024-06-29T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9422 |
Q:
Is it possible to stub NSProcessInfo with OCMock?
I want to stub [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] operatingSystemVersion] to take any OS version.
id processInfoMock = OCMClassMock([NSProcessInfo class]);
[OCMStub([processInfoMock operatingSystemVersion]) andReturnValue:NULL];
NSOperatingSystemVersion osVersion = [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] operatingSystemVersion];
But iOS simulator's OS version is returned. Is it possible to stub NSProcessInfo methods? And, Is it appropriate to stub Foundation's classes?
[UPDATED]
With Erik's advice, the issue is solved. I needed to stub processInfo class method to return a mock instance of NSProcessInfo. Here is test-passed code:
// Prepare fakeVersion instead of NULL.
NSOperatingSystemVersion fakeVersion = {0,0,0};
// Mock NSProcessInfo.
id processInfoMock = OCMClassMock([NSProcessInfo class]);
// Stub processInfo class method to return the mock instance.
[OCMStub([processInfoMock processInfo]) andReturn:processInfoMock];
// Stub operatingSystemVersion instance method to return fakeVersion.
[OCMStub([processInfoMock operatingSystemVersion]) andReturnValue:OCMOCK_VALUE(fakeVersion)];
// Another solution using OCMPartialMock.
// Partial mock for NSProcessInfo instance.
id processInfo = [NSProcessInfo processInfo];
id processInfoPartialMock = OCMPartialMock(processInfo);
// Stub operatingSystemVersion instance method to return fakeVersion.
[OCMStub([processInfoPartialMock operatingSystemVersion]) andReturnValue:OCMOCK_VALUE(fakeVersion)];
A:
You have to make sure that the mock is actually used by stubbing the processInfo class method. This is shown in the section titled "Creating stubs for instance and class methods" on the front page of the OCMock website.
By the way, why mix different syntactical styles? Why not just write
OCMStub([processInfoMock operatingSystemVersion]).andReturn(NULL);
| 2023-08-10T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8241 |
Q:
Postgres JOIN strange behaviour
I'm just starting studying Postgres and I'm in a situation where, depending how I do the JOIN on my tables, the performance and plan output seems really strange.
Those are the table used with their indexes:
create table escola
(
pk_codigo integer not null
constraint pk_escola
primary key,
nome varchar(100),
municipio varchar(150),
uf char(2),
cod_municipio integer,
uf_id integer default 0 not null
constraint fk_escola_uf_id
references tb_uf
)
;
create index idx_escola_uf
on escola (uf)
;
create index idx_escola_uf_id
on escola (uf_id)
;
create index idx_multi_escola_uf_pk
on escola (uf, pk_codigo)
;
create table if not exists candidato
(
pk_numero_inscricao bigint not null
constraint candidato_pk
primary key,
cod_municipio_residencia integer,
municipio_residencia varchar(150),
uf_residencia char(2),
uf_nascimento char(2),
situacao_conclusao numeric(1),
ano_concluiu smallint,
idade smallint,
sexo char,
fk_codigo_escola integer
constraint fk_candidato_codigo_escola
references escola,
uf_prova char(2)
)
;
create index if not exists idx_candidato_codigo_escola
on candidato (fk_codigo_escola)
;
create table tb_uf
(
uf varchar(2),
pk_id serial not null
constraint tb_uf_pkey
primary key
)
;
create unique index tb_uf_uf_uindex
on tb_uf (uf)
;
create unique index tb_uf_pk_id_uindex
on tb_uf (pk_id)
;
And the queries (with plans):
EXPLAIN ANALYZE
SELECT pk_numero_inscricao, pk_codigo
FROM escola e
JOIN candidato c
ON c.fk_codigo_escola = e.pk_codigo
WHERE e.uf = 'RJ'
;
Time without EXPLAIN ANALYZE: 916ms
Plan: https://explain.depesz.com/s/M6B
EXPLAIN ANALYZE
SELECT pk_numero_inscricao, pk_codigo
FROM escola AS e
JOIN candidato AS c
ON c.fk_codigo_escola = e.pk_codigo
JOIN tb_uf AS u
ON e.uf_id = u.pk_id
WHERE u.uf = 'RJ'
;
Time without EXPLAIN ANALYZE: 72ms
Plan: https://explain.depesz.com/s/E3MR
EXPLAIN ANALYZE
SELECT pk_numero_inscricao, pk_codigo
FROM escola AS e
JOIN candidato AS c
ON c.fk_codigo_escola = e.pk_codigo
WHERE e.uf_id = 19
;
Time without EXPLAIN ANALYZE: 961ms
Plan: https://explain.depesz.com/s/v67V
The weird thing happening for me is that queries 1 and 3 are slower than query 2, although query 2 has an extra join. Does anybody know what might be causing this?
I noticed that Index Scan on table candidato is a lot slower on queries 1 and 3 also, and that makes no sense for me, since the final result is the same.
Another point is that EXPLAIN ANALYZE is adding a lot of overhead into the queries.
Thanks in advance! If I need to provide any more information, I can edit this post if needed!
A:
The answer is pretty "searchable" when you notice, that 1st and 3rd query fetch 1.2M rows from candidato ...just to exclude 90% of them from the results.
2nd query returns 1 row from tb_uf, which forces Nested Loop plan.
This means that planner has wrong assumptions about statistics (expected results count) or costs (of random seek). You could either tune these values:
https://www.postgresql.org/message-id/20060926193553.GA27268@oppetid.no
Have Postgresql query planner use nested loop w/ indices over hash join
or manually force a Nested Loop. Although my intuition tells me it should be better to have Hash Join here.
Not having the data, I'd suggest to try one of:
set enable_mergejoin = off
using CTE to force order of operations, like (3rd query with minimal modifications for easier understanding):
WITH e AS (SELECT * FROM escola WHERE uf_id = 19)
SELECT pk_numero_inscricao, pk_codigo
FROM e
JOIN candidato AS c
ON c.fk_codigo_escola = e.pk_codigo
| 2024-06-16T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2834 |
A place for a tired old woman to try to figure things out so that the world makes a bit of sense.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Not Your Father's GOP
The past six to eight months have not been pleasant for the Republicans. The falling poll numbers for the Emperor in Chief, the failure of the the regime to handle the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the rocky first month of the highly vaunted Medicare Prescription program,the Plame affair, huge federal deficits, the NSA illegal spying issue: all have combined to make Republicans very nervous. The corruption scandal involving Jack Abramoff (which at this point has twenty or so congress critters under investigation)and the indictments of Tom De Lay certainly haven't helped matters, especially with mid term elections coming up in November.
Conservative columnist Debra J. Saunders has looked over this mess and written a column with both a diagnosis and a suggested cure in today's Star Tribune.
House Republicans are scrambling to rub some of the tarnish off their dingy ethics image. They're desperately proposing reforms that would prevent members from taking pricey golf junkets paid for by special interests -- that is, they want to ban trips they never should have accepted. They're even holding a Feb. 2 in-House election to replace the indicted Texan Rep. Tom DeLay as House majority leader.
It would be glorious payback. When Hefley was chairman of the House ethics committee, he stood up to DeLay. In 2004, his committee unanimously admonished DeLay three times -- for offering to trade a candidate endorsement for a vote in favor of the Medicare drug plan, for cozying up to energy lobbyists in a way that "at a minimum, created the appearance that donors were being provided with special access" and for asking a federal agency to track a plane carrying members of the Texas Legislature during a political squabble. GOP biggies were miffed -- not at DeLay, as they should have been, but at Hefley.
In retaliation, the GOP leadership announced it would change committee rules to make it harder to investigate complaints, and thus shielded DeLay. Hefley complained that the changes threatened "the integrity of the House." The GOP leadership kindly dumped Hefley and found a new committee chair.
...Under Hastert and DeLay, the GOP leadership has betrayed Republican principles. Deficit spending has been the leadership's crutch, and fundraising its addiction. It's clear DeLay and his cronies would still be living large and skirting rules if uber-lobbyist Jack Abramoff had not pleaded guilty to defrauding Indian tribal clients, conspiring to bribe members of Congress and evading taxes. If the GOP is calling for reforms, it's not because the party saw the light. It's because the leaders got caught.
That's not why voters elect Republicans. The GOP is built on people who want less government, not record spending. They want their lawmakers to be probusiness, but also expect their representatives to feel more allegiance to their constituents than sleazy lobbyists flashing first-class plane tickets.
...Changing the ethics rules won't help the Republicans if they continue to choose leaders because they are the biggest fundraisers and the best backslappers. If Republicans want to get back to their philosophical roots, they should find a leader who remembers why he went to Washington. They should choose a leader who still believes in "the integrity of the House." [Emphasis added]
While Ms. Saunders' rant is directed properly at the GOP, much of it could also be sent to the Democrats, especially those who voted for the Bankruptcy bill (or at least voted for cloture)and other bills which screwed all but the wealthiest of Americans. | 2024-05-10T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/1508 |
Q:
How to subtract a day from datetime format in python?
I'm trying print the day ranges from today up to a year ago. So i can apply this to a sql query in my other code.
I know my algorithm works but i need to subtract 1 day from the format '2014-05-15'
Here is the code
from datetime import date, timedelta
import datetime
current_date = datetime.date.today()
datecounter = 0
while datecounter != 365:
print current_date
date_start = current_date
print date_start
# current_date = current_date.timedelta(days=1)
print current_date
print 'the date is between', date_start, 'and', current_date
datecounter += 1
im looking for this code to output
the date is between 2014-05-16 and 2014-05-15
the date is between 2014-05-15 and 2014-04-14
etc
i wrote a contrived example based on the logic, if you would like to run it yourself, you may better understand what i am trying to do.
x = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
curdate = 5
for i in x:
print curdate
date_start = curdate
curdate = curdate - 1
# print curdate
print ' the date is between', date_start, 'and', curdate
print ' ---------- '
A:
curdate=curdate-datetime.timedelta(days=1)
See this stackoverflow question
Edit
Your code could also do with some cleaning:
from datetime import date, timedelta
cur_date = date.today()
for i in xrange(365):
start_date, cur_date = cur_date, cur_date-timedelta(days=1)
print "the date is between {} and {}".format(start_date.strftime("%Y-%m-%d"), cur_date.strftime("%Y-%m-%d"))
This will output exactly what you want.
| 2024-06-24T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/7675 |
Founded in 1993 by brothers Tom and David Gardner, The Motley Fool helps millions of people attain financial freedom through our website, podcasts, books, newspaper column, radio show, and premium investing services.
Anyone not familiar with the story might think Isis' risks extremely low; after all, its partners are a "Who's Who" of big biotech and pharma. From Amgen(NASDAQ:AMGN) and Pfizer(NYSE:PFE) to GlaxoSmithKline(NYSE:GSK) and Novartis(NYSE:NVS), you have the most experienced drug developers as partners. What could go wrong?
For one, drug companies can look at a promising drug, contractually tie it up, then decide it does not meet their objectives. Merck(NYSE:MRK) ended its relationship with Isis last December. Elan(NYSE:ELN) did so this year. Since Isis repurchased the rights to the drugs and continued development, the net impact has been an increase in costs. For another, promising drugs could prove ineffective.
If you are wondering, "Why own this stock," consider the potential. The company's Antisense technology differs from traditional drugs because it specifically targets disease-causing proteins before the body produces them. There is a lot of potential, especially when you consider that many of the drugs target large (high-reward) markets.
Isis' pipeline of drugs includes two in Phase III trials and five in Phase II trials. Look at the Liquidity section of the annual report and you will see that the company, since its inception, has sold $587.4 million in equity, earned $350.5 million through R&D, and borrowed $290.6 million. That is a lot of investment. The reward had better be large.
The company touts its cash and short-term investments of $289.4 million. You have to look at the balance sheet (which is provided) to see that the cash is partly the result of a $125 million convertible note and $63 million in long-term debt. The company may have cash, and the current net loss of $22.4 million could be sustained for maybe three years, but Isis is not cash rich.
Yes, Isis could reward handsomely with promising technology and great partners. But even at $6 and change, this is a very high-risk investment.
W.D. Crotty has been interested in Isis since his mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. He can be reached at HawaiiFool@hawaii.com. | 2024-07-09T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5569 |
Q:
how to use Newsfeed in sharepoint foundation site
I had SharePoint foundation and I need to use the NewsFeed.
So how can I make the web part available outside of MySites?
A:
I think in order to use the social feature you need the SharePoint Server 2013.
Requires SharePoint Server
My Site Host must be deployed
Because their is no UPA/Mysite in SPF so you cannt use it as far i know.
If you are using the team site then Site feed feature will available. Check the feature comparison here: http://florianlaumer.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/sharepoint-2013-standard-vs-enterprise-vs-foundation-feature-comparison-matrix/
| 2024-06-17T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9767 |
In reply comments filed this week with the FCC, the ARRL reiterated its argument that any decision to authorize unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) devices at 5 GHz “should await a full and complete evaluation of interference potential and interference mitigation techniques among the varied and incumbent users.” The Amateur Service has a secondary allocation at 5650-5925 MHz in the US. Earlier this year the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in ET Docket 13-49, seeking comments on making available an additional 195 megahertz of spectrum in the 5.35-5.47 GHz and 5.85-5.925 GHz bands for U-NII use. Reply comments are responses to comments already filed in the proceeding.
“The comments of the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) indicate that NTIA shares the same concern that ARRL has raised repeatedly in earlier proceedings concerning the 5 GHz band: that the aggregate interference potential of ubiquitous U-NII devices to incumbent radio services…is currently unknown,” the League told the FCC.
U-NII devices use “wideband digital modulation techniques to provide a wide array of high data rate mobile and fixed communications for individuals, businesses, and institutions,” the FCC explained in its NPRM. The FCC was obligated by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (PL 112-96) to begin a proceeding to amend its Part 15 rules to allow unlicensed U-NII devices to operate in the 5.35-5.47 GHz bands. As the ARRL pointed out in its comments, “There is no legislative obligation, however, to make available the 5.85-5.925 GHz band for U-NII use.”
In its earlier comments, the ARRL urged a complete study of interference potential and mitigation techniques be conducted before making the band available to U-NII devices. The study, the League said, should take into consideration the potential interaction between unlicensed U-NII devices and other incumbent services on the band. These include Federal Radiolocation — the primary government user — Fixed Satellite (Earth to space), the Mobile Service and the Amateur Service. “The present allocation status of this band is quite complicated due to the presence of important federal systems, safety-based DSRC [dedicated short-range communications] applications and vehicle-to-roadside systems to detect and avoid hazards in a vehicle’s path,” the ARRL asserted.
The League said it agreed with the comments of the Wi-Fi Alliance that the proceeding “is not the proper vehicle for development of a compatible sharing plan with associated interference-avoidance protocols.” Such an additional overlay of unlicensed, high-use density mobile applications, the ARRL urged in its comments, “requires careful planning.”
The League has suggested “that a full and complete investigation of the sharing concerns be conducted in an open, transparent manner.” ARRL said it wants to see all stakeholders meet to develop compatible sharing protocols before any new rules for the 5 GHz spectrum are put into place. | 2023-11-14T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/5744 |
"Religion is a hypothesis about the world: the hypothesis that things are the way they are, at least in part, because of supernatural entities or forces acting on the natural world. And there's no good reason to treat it any differently from any other hypothesis. Which includes pointing out its flaws and inconsistencies, asking its adherents to back it up with solid evidence, making jokes about it when it's just being silly, offering arguments and evidence for our own competing hypotheses...and trying to persuade people out of it if we think it's mistaken. It's persuasion. It's the marketplace of ideas. Why should religion get a free ride"
Friday, 29 November 2013
Gender Segregation is never O.K
You would think that in a modern democratic country in the 21st century the idea that an institution of higher learning might consider segregating men from women at a public event would be laughable: Not so…
Universities UK has just published a 40 page guidance document to universities hosting visiting speakers which contains the following advice on speakers requesting that their audience should be segregated by gender.
Firstly it is presented as a case study
A representative of an ultra-orthodox religious group
has been invited to speak at an event to discuss faith
in the modern world. The event is part of four different
speeches taking place over the course of a month
exploring different approaches to religion. The initial
speaker request has been approved but the speaker
has since made clear that he wishes for the event to be
segregated according to gender[…]The segregation request is not yet in the public domain
but the students’ union has an active feminist society
which is likely to protest against the segregation
request.
Maybe I’m missing something here, but are they suggesting that this would be completely uncontroversial if the student’s union did not have an active feminist society? Do we really have to shake a bunch of feminists out of abject apathy before we consider the ethics of gender apartheid?
Anyway, just in case the feminists are awake…
Segregation in the context of
the facts outlined above would only be discriminatory
on the grounds of sex if it amounts to ‘less favourable
treatment’ of either female or male attendees[…]For example,
if the segregation is to be ‘front to back’, then that
may well make it harder for the participants at the
back to ask questions or participate in debate, and
therefore is potentially discriminatory against those
attendees.
Yes because there is an absolutely equal chance that our speaker would insist on males sitting at the back. Not.
This issue could be overcome assuming
the room can be segregated left and right, rather than
front and back (and also ensuring that appropriate
arrangements are made for those with disabilities)[...] On
the face of the case study, assuming the side-by-side
segregated seating arrangement is adopted, there
does not appear to be any discrimination on gender
grounds merely by imposing segregated seating.
Both men and women are being treated equally, as
they are both being segregated in the same way.
There are some people, including unfortunately the NUS, who appear to think this is a reasonable compromise. But it is nonsense to suppose that in any enforced segregation people are being treated in anyway equally. Just because the women are not sent to the back does not mean they are not the object of discrimination or that their views and participation will not be stifled. It is a way of saying this group of people are not fit to be seated with this other group of people. Let’s see how this works if we insist that people of colour sit on the left and whites sit on the right, or let’s put Jews on the right and Christians on the left. In what way is this not discriminatory?
However, one cannot rule out the possibility that
discrimination claims will be made on other grounds.
For example, it is arguable that ‘feminism’ (bearing
in mind the views of the feminist society referred to
in the case study), or some forms of belief in freedom
of choice or freedom of association could fall within the definition of ‘belief’ under the Equality Act.
I’m not sure why feminism is in scare quotes here, but it seems to me that whether or not it falls within the definition of belief according to legislation it is as valid a belief system as religion and religion should not be privileged above any other world view.
This
would in turn mean that applying a segregated
seating policy without offering alternatives (eg a nonsegregated
seating area, again on a ‘side by side’
basis with the gender segregated areas) might be
discriminatory against those (men or women) who
hold such beliefs. However, the question of whether
such beliefs are protected under the Act is unclear
without a court ruling.
O.K, let’s be clear what is being proposed here. In order to accommodate the sexist and misogynistic views of a religious speaker universities are being advised to acquiesce to demands that conflict with fundamental rights of freedom of association and movement. Even if non segregated seating is also available (which the advice does not insist upon) there will be the inevitable coercion of some women from whichever culture to use only the segregated section. The mere possibility of the provision of such a seating arrangement should be resisted by any secular institution and especially by universities which are supposed to be repositories of free thought and enlightenment.
If speakers want to argue for gender or racial segregation at an event they can do so, that is freedom of speech. But they cannot insist on imposing those views as a condition of exercising that freedom.
A petition to Universities UK has been started by Mariam Namazie and the Council of Ex Muslims is staging a demonstration on 10 December 2013, International Human Rights Day, to oppose sex segregation. | 2023-09-23T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4199 |
Ousted Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he would be interested in running for office again, maybe even for governor in four years.
Walker spoke to The Associated Press on Friday, just three days before he will be replaced by Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers.
Walker's immediate plans are to hit the speaking circuit. He said he will also be President Donald Trump's chief advocate in Wisconsin.
Sign up for daily news! Stay informed with WPR's email newsletter.
Walker said it's likely Republicans will want a "new face" for the governor's race in 2022 but "who knows." Walker said he's not ruling anything out, including a run for U.S. Senate in 2022.
That seat is currently held by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, who has said he won't run for a third term. | 2024-05-21T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3505 |
806 F.2d 260
*Stockstillv.Washington
86-3233
United States Court of Appeals,Fifth Circuit.
11/19/86
1
E.D.La.
AFFIRMED
2
---------------
* Fed.R.App.P. 34(a); 5th Cir.R. 34.2.
| 2024-02-25T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/9363 |
/* Copyright (c) 2008-2020 the MRtrix3 contributors.
*
* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
* License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
* file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
*
* Covered Software is provided under this License on an "as is"
* basis, without warranty of any kind, either expressed, implied, or
* statutory, including, without limitation, warranties that the
* Covered Software is free of defects, merchantable, fit for a
* particular purpose or non-infringing.
* See the Mozilla Public License v. 2.0 for more details.
*
* For more details, see http://www.mrtrix.org/.
*/
#ifndef __connectome_connectome_h__
#define __connectome_connectome_h__
#include <Eigen/Dense>
#include "app.h"
#include "exception.h"
#include "header.h"
#include "mrtrix.h"
#include "types.h"
namespace MR {
namespace Connectome {
using node_t = uint32_t;
using value_type = default_type;
using matrix_type = Eigen::Array<value_type, Eigen::Dynamic, Eigen::Dynamic>;
using vector_type = Eigen::Array<value_type, Eigen::Dynamic, 1>;
using mask_type = Eigen::Array<bool, Eigen::Dynamic, Eigen::Dynamic>;
extern const App::OptionGroup MatrixOutputOptions;
template <class MatrixType>
void check (const MatrixType& in, const node_t num_nodes = 0)
{
if (in.rows() != in.cols())
throw Exception ("Connectome matrix is not square (" + str(in.rows()) + " x " + str(in.cols()) + ")");
if (num_nodes && (in.rows() != num_nodes))
throw Exception ("Connectome matrix contains " + str(in.rows()) + " nodes; expected " + str(num_nodes));
}
template <class MatrixType>
bool is_directed (MatrixType& in)
{
if (in.rows() != in.cols())
throw Exception ("Connectome matrix is not square (" + str(in.rows()) + " x " + str(in.cols()) + ")");
for (node_t row = 0; row != in.rows(); ++row) {
for (node_t col = row+1; col != in.cols(); ++col) {
const typename MatrixType::Scalar lower_value = in (col, row);
const typename MatrixType::Scalar upper_value = in (row, col);
if (upper_value && lower_value && (upper_value != lower_value))
return true;
} }
return false;
}
template <class MatrixType>
void to_symmetric (MatrixType& in)
{
if (is_directed (in))
throw Exception ("Cannot convert a non-symmetric directed matrix to be symmetric");
for (node_t row = 0; row != in.rows(); ++row) {
for (node_t col = row+1; col != in.cols(); ++col) {
const typename MatrixType::Scalar lower_value = in (col, row);
const typename MatrixType::Scalar upper_value = in (row, col);
if (upper_value && !lower_value)
in (row, col) = in (col, row) = upper_value;
else if (lower_value && !upper_value)
in (row, col) = in (col, row) = lower_value;
} }
}
template <class MatrixType>
void to_upper (MatrixType& in)
{
if (is_directed (in))
throw Exception ("Cannot convert a non-symmetric directed matrix to upper triangular");
for (node_t row = 0; row != in.rows(); ++row) {
for (node_t col = row+1; col != in.cols(); ++col) {
const typename MatrixType::Scalar lower_value = in (col, row);
const typename MatrixType::Scalar upper_value = in (row, col);
if (!upper_value && lower_value)
in (row, col) = lower_value;
in (col, row) = typename MatrixType::Scalar(0);
} }
}
void check (const Header&);
}
}
#endif
| 2024-06-09T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/6025 |
Cutting Grass, Cutting Weight!
As spring prepares for its curtain call, and summer formulates its entrance, now is the perfect time to get out and transform our yards, and our minds and bodies as well. Gardening and yard work has a positive effect not only on our physical health, but our mental health as well. The natural rhythms of wildlife, green flora, and the recurring, calming nature of most gardening undertakings are all sources of trouble-free focus. Mostly yard work is regarded as an imposition, nonetheless mowing, weeding, planting, and other outdoor tasks can be advantageous for our health. When we sit in a cubicle under artificial light all day, there’s something about being in the warm sun, putting our hands in the dirt, and constructing something that’s beautiful. Gardening gets us out in the fresh air, and it also gets our blood moving. Many of us who garden view our hobby as the perfect remedy to the chaos the world sometimes offers. Yard work also acts as a total-body workout. As we stretch to push a mower or brighten up our flowerbeds, our muscle fibers and tendons extend and blood flow is increased. Regular yard work can help keep our bodies mobile and flexible. Gardening as a form of exercise is one that doesn’t involve a gym affiliation or gear. Our equipment can be found in the garage in the form of gardening tools such as rakes, hoes, mowers, wheelbarrows, clippers, shovels, and watering cans.
Our gym is the outdoors, encircled by nature. Yard work involves our whole body working, which means we get a complete body workout while developing strength and fitness. When applied on a regular basis exercising in the garden gives all of our major muscle groups a good workout including our legs, arms, buttocks, stomach, neck, and back. Yard work is also an excellent source of cardiovascular exercise. Any undertaking that keeps our heart rate raised for a continued stage of time, such as spreading grass seed or hauling mulch in a wheelbarrow, can help support our heart, boost blood flow, and improve our bodies ability to distribute oxygen to working muscles. Mowing, and walking around the yard can increase our heart rate and tone our bodies. There are lots of gardening chores that can burn fat, and if we’re able to burn off more calories than we consume, weight loss should come with ease. 300 calories an hour can be burned just by gardening, yard work, like raking and pruning, can burn close to 200 calories. Modest gardening tasks such as tilling, digging, planting, and weeding can burn up to 200 calories. We can easily spend 30 – 45 minutes out in our yard arranging our flower beds and cutting grass to help reach our weekly physical activity objectives. Simply put, gardening is exercise that has context. Not only can we burn calories, but also in the end we’ll have a beautiful landscape to show for it.
Physical activity has been considered effective in overseeing stress levels and can take our mind off of our worries, improving mental fitness allowing us to better focus on the task at hand. Yard work doesn’t only affect our physical fitness but can also have a positive impact on our mental and emotional being as well. When we perform yard work, our bodies discharge chemicals called endorphins, a kind of “feel-good” compound in our brains that promote an optimistic attitude on life. Yard work also means more time in the sun, and exposure to vitamin D (aka “the sunshine vitamin”) from sunlight, which is an excellent antidepressant and helps decrease our stress hormones. Gardening helps lower blood pressure as we get out and leave our worries behind while we feel the dirt between our fingers and inhale fresh air. Stress seems to melts away as we exercise our creative side by designing and planning our plot layout. An enduring sense of accomplishment and satisfaction is the result of creating and preserving our garden space. Putting our hands in the earth is therapeutic. Being outside hearing the birds singing is relaxing and will help us to decompress. Plus, we’ll feel accomplished after sitting back and admiring our work.
The health benefits linked with vegetable gardening are due to the ability for us to raise our own natural nourishment. People who grow food are more inclined to eat healthy. Research shows gardeners eat more fruits and vegetables than their peers. Studies of after-school programs have indicated that children who are introduced to gardening are likely to eat more fruits and vegetables, and are more exploratory when it comes to giving new foods a try. When we grow our own herbs, fruits and vegetables, we know exactly what’s been done to it. The food we grow ourselves is the freshest and healthiest food we can consume. We don’t need a big backyard or a green thumb to benefit from gardening. If we have a little space or/and know-how, we can start out with just a few houseplants, or even try gardening in containers. We can grow breathtaking cherry tomatoes in nothing more than a five-gallon container, or small pots of fresh herbs in a window seal.
Gardening has long been one of the fastest growing hobbies for the past few years. Other than adding beauty and value to our home’s as well as providing a great creative outlet, there are some really great fitness and health reasons to get out and dig in the dirt. Adding years of wholesome health to our lives may be as easy as mowing the lawn and planting roses. And as a plus, not only is yard work and gardening fun and relaxing, there’s no diet program to follow. We’re simply just out under the blue sky doing what we already love and what comes natural. | 2024-04-27T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/8761 |
On the preconditions for large-scale collective action.
The phenomenon of collective action and the origin of collective action problems have been extensively and systematically studied in the social sciences. Yet, while we have substantial knowledge about the factors promoting collective action at the local level, we know far less about how these insights travel to large-scale collective action problems. Such problems, however, are at the heart of humanity's most pressing challenges, including climate change, large-scale natural resource depletion, biodiversity loss, nuclear proliferation, antibiotic resistance due to overconsumption of antibiotics, and pollution. In this paper, we suggest an analytical framework that captures the theoretical understanding of preconditions for large-scale collective action. This analytical framework aims at supporting future empirical analyses of how to cope with and overcome larger-scale collective action problems. More specifically, we (i) define and describe the main characteristics of a large-scale collective action problem and (ii) explain why voluntary and, in particular, spontaneous large-scale collective action among individual actors becomes more improbable as the collective action problem becomes larger, thus demanding interventions by an external authority (a third party) for such action to be generated. Based on this, we (iii) outline an analytical framework that illustrates the connection between third-party interventions and large-scale collective action. We conclude by suggesting avenues for future research. | 2024-02-26T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2923 |
The present invention relates to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly to an embedded dynamic random access memory (EDRAM) cell that contains double-gated vertical metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and isolation regions such as shallow trench isolation (STI) regions that are self-aligned to the wordlines and bitlines. The inventive memory cell, which is scalable below a minimum feature size, F, of about 110 nm, substantially eliminates backgating due to an adjacent wordline as well as problems caused by a floating-well. The present invention also relates to a method of producing the above-mentioned memory cell.
As conventional vertical DRAM cells are scaled below a design groundrule of about 110 nm, encroachment of the buried-strap region upon the sidewall of the adjacent storage trench cuts-off the path holes flowing into and out of the portion of the P-well above the buried-strap region.
Simulation has demonstrated that floating-well effects limit the scalability of prior art vertical DRAM memory arrays to a minimum distance of about 90 nm between adjacent storage trenches. A number of dynamic leakage mechanisms limiting the scalability of conventional vertical DRAM memory cells have been identified and quantified. Included in the dynamic leakage mechanisms are: (1) Floating-well bitline disturb (FWBD), (2) Transient drain induced barrier lowering (TDIBL), and (3) Adjacent wordline induced punchthrough (AWIPT).
The onset of serious charge loss due to each mechanism occurs at approximately 90 nm end of process deep trench (DT) to deep trench (DT) spacing. Thus, scalability of conventional vertical DRAM memory cells beyond about 110 nm is expected to be limited by floating-well effects.
An illustration of a dominant floating-well dynamic leakage mechanism that limits scalability of prior art vertical DRAM memory arrays is shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, at a time indicated by point A of FIG. 1 and during a long period of about 5-100 ms of repeated writing of a xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d to other memory cells on the bitline, the P-well of an unselected cell storing a xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d may leak up towards bitline voltage (Vblh), as the exiting of holes is restricted by parasitic JFET. Leakage depends on the degree of well isolation caused by pinchoff from expansion of the storage node depletion region. In an extreme case, the buried-strap region may come in contact with the adjacent deep trench capacitor. Moreover, the hole current through the pinchoff region must keep up with the leakage to avoid a pseudo xe2x80x9cFloating-Body Effectxe2x80x9d.
Insofar as time interval B-C is concerned, the N+ bitline diffusion to P-well barrier is lowered by a downward swing of Vblh. Electrons emitted from the bitline diffusion region are collected by the storage node resulting in the formation of a parasitic bipolar transistor, QB, (PWint is a floating base) within the memory cell array.
For aggressively scaled vertical metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) in prior art vertical DRAM memory cells, the depletion region from the storage node diffusion (i.e., buried-strap outdiffusion) encroaches upon the sidewall of the adjacent storage trench, which results in dynamic charge loss from the storage capacitor as the bitline of an unselected device is cycled. This charge loss mechanism is identical to that published in xe2x80x9cFloating-Body Concerns for SOI Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM)xe2x80x9d, Proceedings, 1996 IEEE International SOI Conference, Jack Mandelman, et al. pp. 1367-137, October 1996.
An illustration of the storage capacitor voltage vs. the voltage in the portion of the P-well isolated by the depletion region from the buried-strap outdiffusion, as the bitline is cycled, is shown in FIG. 2. When the bitline is held at Vblh, the isolation portion of the P-well leaks up towards the voltage of the adjacent diffusions. With subsequent cycling of the bitline between 0.0 and Vblh, the dynamic charge loss mechanism results in charge pumping which discharges the storage capacitor. Between data refresh, greater than 106 bitline cycles are possible, which is sufficient to discharge the storage capacitor.
Another problem with prior art DRAM cells is backgating which causes back side leakage that is gated by the adjacent wordline in the DRAM CELL. An illustration of the backside leakage problem is shown, for example, in FIG. 3.
In view of the drawbacks mentioned hereinabove with prior art memory cells (i.e., floating-well effects and backgating); there is a continued need for developing a new and improved memory cell which is substantially immune to the floating-well and backgating problems.
One object of the present invention is to provide a memory, cell that substantially eliminates floating-well effects that are typically present in prior art memory cells.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a memory cell that substantially eliminates the prior art backgating problem due to an adjacent wordline.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a memory cell that is scalable below a minimum feature size of about 110 nm.
These and other objects and advantages are obtained by providing a memory cell which includes at least double-gated vertical MOSFETs and isolation regions that are self-aligned to the wordlines and bitlines of the cell. The double-gated vertical array MOSFETs provide for stronger gate control, higher current drive, steeper sub-threshold, i.e., Vt, slope, reduced substrate sensitivity, reduced short channel effect (DIBL) and allows for larger deep trench, DT, width.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method of producing a memory cell which includes at least double-gated vertical MOSFETs and isolation regions that are self-aligned to the wordlines and bitlines of the cell is provided. The inventive method includes the steps of:
(a) forming a plurality of deep trenches in a Si-containing substrate in an array portion of a memory cell, said plurality of deep trenches being arranged in rows and columns and including at least collar filled divot regions which are filled with a strap placeholder material;
(b) forming double-gated vertical MOSFETs in said plurality of deep trenches, wherein said double-gated vertical MOSFETs include at least two gates on opposing sidewalls and exposed gate conductors, wherein one of said sidewalls also contains a buried-strap region;
(c) forming wordlines overlaying said double-gated vertical MOSFETs and in contact with said exposed gate conductors, wherein said wordlines are formed in said column direction;
(d) protecting said array portion of said memory cell;
(e) forming support MOSFETs while said array portion is protected;
(f) protecting said support MOSFETs;
(g) forming sidewalls spacers on said double-gated vertical MOSFETs;
(h) forming bitlines on said Si-containing substrate that are orthogonal to said wordlines; and
(i) forming isolation trench regions into said Si-containing substrate adjacent to said rows of deep trenches, wherein said isolation trench regions have a depth that is deeper than abutting bitline diffusion regions.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the buried-strap is confined to a location that is at a central portion of at least one sidewall of the MOSFETs.
It is noted that the inventive method described by processing steps (a)-(i) above is a dual workfunction and lithography friendly process. Moreover, the inventive method decouples the array and support process and eliminates an active area (AA) mask (critical mask) for the array process.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a memory cell which includes at least double-gated vertical MOSFETs and isolation regions that are self-aligned to the wordlines and bitlines of the cell. Specifically, the inventive memory cell array comprises:
a plurality of memory cells formed in an array portion of a Si-containing substrate which are arranged in rows and columns, each memory cell including a double-gated vertical metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) having exposed gate conductor regions and two gates formed on opposing sidewalls of said MOSFETs, wherein one of the opposing sidewalls also includes a confined buried-strap;
a plurality of wordlines overlaying said double-gated vertical MOSFETs and in contact with said exposed gate conductor regions, said wordlines being arranged in said column direction;
a plurality of bitlines that are orthogonal to said wordlines; and trench isolation regions formed adjacent to said rows of memory cells, wherein said trench isolation regions have a depth that is deeper than abutting bitline diffusion regions. | 2024-06-18T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/2224 |
Attenuation of oxalate-induced nephrotoxicity by eicosapentaenoate-lipoate (EPA-LA) derivative in experimental rat model.
Hyperoxaluria is one of the major risk factors for the formation of urinary calcium oxalate stones. Calcium oxalate crystals and their deposition have been implicated in inducing renal tubular damage. Lipoic acid (LA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have been shown to ameliorate the changes associated with hyperoxaluria. This prompted us to investigate the nephroprotectant role of EPA-LA, a new derivative, in vivo in hyperoxaluric rats. Elevation in the levels of calcium, oxalate and phosphorus, the stone-forming constituents, were observed in calculogenic rats as a manifestation of crystal deposition. Tubular damage to the renal tissue was assessed byassaying the excretion of marker enzymes in the urine. Damage to the tubules was indicated by increased excretion of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT), beta-Glucuronidase (beta-GLU) and N-Acetyl beta-D glucosaminidase (NAG). Fibrinolytic activity was found to be reduced. Administration of EPA, LA and EPA-LA reduced the tubular damage and decreased the markers of crystal deposition markedly, which was substantiated by the reduction in weight of bladder stone formed. Our results highlight that EPA-LA is the most effective drug in inhibiting stone formation and mitigating renal damage caused by oxalate toxicity, thus confirming it as a nephroprotectant. Further work in this direction is warranted to establish the therapeutic effectiveness of this new derivative. | 2023-09-08T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3636 |
DNA sequence analysis of protein S deficiency--identification of four point mutations in twelve Japanese subjects.
The molecular basis for the hereditary type I protein S (PS) deficiency was investigated. DNA sequence analysis of 12 patients with PS deficiency in Japan identified four point mutations and three of them were novel. Nonsense mutations found in two unrelated patients resulted in termination of the PS polypeptide chains at Gln 238 and Lys 392, respectively. Two novel missense mutations were also found in two other patients substituting Asp 202 for Asn and Leu 298 for Pro, respectively. Comparison of the PS amino acid sequences from several mammalians indicated that Asp 202 and Leu 298 were preserved and thus appeared to be responsible for the pathogenesis of PS deficiency. | 2024-07-13T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/6746 |
Skillport Army E-learning for Twice as Many Promotion Points
22 September 2013 By: Megan H
Where to Find Skillport Army E-learning Courses
If you are completely new to the Skillport Army E-learning system, please read the Army Skillport Login & Registration Guide. It will show you where to go to register for courses, and how to get your log in information. However, if you are not new to the system, go ahead and log in now. The Skillport Army e-learning courses that are eligible for college credit are list in their own folder. If you go into the e-learning catalog; you will see a listing of all the folders. The one you want to click is labeled “ACE College Credit Courses”. There are currently 61 Skillport Army E-learning courses that have been evaluated by American Council on Education (ACE) for college credits.
Skillport Army E-learning Course Completion Procedures
Getting college credit for Skillport courses in not as simple as just completing the course online. For your Skillport Army E-leanring courses to count as college credit, you must complete all of the identified courses in the course modules. You must also complete each of the Course Test Prep Exams (CTPEs) or Final Exams (FEs) for those modules in a monitored environment. This means you must coordinate with a testing facility to administer a proctored exam. Approved testing monitors are Army Education Services Officers (ESO), a Test Control Officer (TCO), a Computer Lab Monitor (CLM) or their designated representative. You will also need to have your proctor sign your ACE Transcript Service Class Tracking Form. This form must be sent by email to [email protected] or by fax to (703) 704-2995. Once ACE has received this form, they have the ability to create official ACE transcripts for you.
In the Organization Name, type in United States Army (SkillSoft); click Search.
Click on the course title of the course you are requesting credits for.
Click Add to Transcript.
Enter Completion Date.
Click Submit for Review. If you have additional courses, click on Add a Course and then follow the instructions above to add another course. Click submit for Review.
Once you do this, the e-learning office will receive notice to go in and approve the transcript. After it is approved, you will coordinate with ACE to pay for the transcript.
Cost to Get ACE Transcripts for Skillport Army E-learning Courses
After the Skillport Army e-Learning Program Office approves the ACE request, the student will be provided instructions from ACE on how and where to pay the $40.00 transcript fee as well as the location of where they want the transcript sent. ACE will then send the student a transcript to the location of their choice. This $40 fee is used for activation of your account and your first transcript request. Any additional requests with cost you $15. | 2024-01-31T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/4022 |
The THREAD Virtual Research Platform was purpose-built to not only collect study data during and in between visits — but also in lieu of them.
eConsent
Our single and dual-signature eConsent solution is standard in every project and is a fraction of the cost of other market solutions that require independent, customized setup and implementation for each study.
ePRO
An ePRO library to utilize digitally validated and licensed assessments within each iOS and Android participant app.
Sensors
Our platform includes prebuilt integrations; utilizing a simple user experience to connect hundreds of wearables, medical devices, and health apps for use in research studies.
Patient Engagement
In addition to basic reminders and notifications, include data dashboards for the participants to track their progress, provide ongoing training and content, and access to study-specific documents and information.
Patient Authentication
Ready to replace some clinic visits with Virtual Visits?
Given the complexity of clinical research, it is important for study teams to progress carefully as they move toward virtual trials. Before moving to virtual approaches, study teams often begin collecting data from patients and sites remotely, between scheduled clinic visits. When the study team is comfortable and a specific study protocol fits the criteria, the study team can begin to replace the patient’s on-site clinic visits with Virtual Visits.
A Virtual Visit is where the investigator and the study participant meet via telehealth video chat on a laptop or mobile device. During a Virtual Visit, the investigator is able to observe the patient during a telehealth video call, instruct the patient to complete assessments, and record their observations directly into the eSource Form within the THREAD platform.
THREAD can help you identify which on-site clinic visits may be the best candidates to be replaced by a Virtual Visit.
Which remote patient research approach is your organization comfortable with?We can help with that — and your next step forward.
Our Platform
Setting up your study is likely more simple than you're expecting.
Our proprietary platform provides all the elements you need to design, launch and manage your remote patient study. This will enable patient generated data to be collected between or in lieu of clinic visits. The easy-to-use configurator guides you through each step.
Your Patients
Enable patients to complete study activities and tasks right on their phone from the comfort of their own home. This allows for fewer clinical visits and low-friction engagement. The THREAD platform provides a clinical trial experience that is truly patient-centric.
Your Data
Your Study
It all starts here. We have the expertise and experience to guide you through creating your remote patient study utilizing our platform and LaunchKit. Our equal understanding of the traditional clinical research process as well as the emerging best practices of remote patient research allows us to effectively translate your study into a relevant remote study approach.
THREAD LaunchKit will guide your team to understand, implement and adopt remote research approaches and the platform to achieve your studies' goals.
Let THREAD provide your team with tools and templates to support the operational processes required in remote research approaches.
Events
News
Novartis and THREAD Join Forces to Launch FocalView App, Virtualizing Ophthalmic Clinical Trials to Allow Patients to Participate in Clinical Research RemotelyRead More
MedCity News Clinical Trials 2.0
MedCity News Clinical Trials 2.0THREAD’s John Reitesmoderates a panel discussion about new technologies that could enable more participation in clinical trials and the potential for better outcomes. Read More | 2024-05-16T01:26:35.434368 | https://example.com/article/3209 |
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