text stringlengths 12 4.76M | timestamp stringlengths 26 26 | url stringlengths 32 32 |
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//闭包执行一个立即定义的匿名函数
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//factory是一个函数，下面的koExports就是他的参数
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// [1] 支持在module.exports.abc,或者直接exports.abc
var target = module['exports'] || exports; // module.exports is for Node.js
factory(target);
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// [2] AMD anonymous module
// [2] AMD 规范
//define(['exports'],function(exports){
// exports.abc = function(){}
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gridview_filters.removeAllCondition(name);
$('.datagrid-view').cDatagrid('refreshDataAndView');
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function filterColumnNull(name, isnull) {
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filter.Conditions.push(condition);
addFilter(name, filter, true);
gridview_filters.removeAllCondition(name);
gridview_filters.addFilter(new XmsFilter(filter));
$('.datagrid-view').cDatagrid('refreshDataAndView');
$('.datagrid-view').xmsDatagrid('refreshDataAndView');
}
function setFilterCallback(name, filter) {
//console.log(name, filter);
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gridview_filters.addFilter(new XmsFilter(filter));
$('.datagrid-view').cDatagrid('refreshDataAndView');
$('.datagrid-view').xmsDatagrid('refreshDataAndView');
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//删除图表添加进去的过滤条件
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if (key > index) {
if (item.attributeName) {
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gridview_filters.removeAllCondition(item.attributeName.toLowerCase());
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$.each(groupsCtrl, function (key, item) {
if (item.attributeName) {
pageFilter.removeFilter(item.attributeName.toLowerCase(), true);
gridview_filters.removeAllCondition(item.attributeName.toLowerCase());
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$('.datagrid-view').cDatagrid('refreshDataAndView');
// $('.datagrid-view').xmsDatagrid('refreshDataAndView');
}
window.pageFilter = pageFilter;
return pageFilter
}); | 2024-06-14T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6848 |
Gene-environment interaction is a seminal concept in the molecular epidemiology of human cancer. Our case-control (using hospital- and population-based controls) studies focus on lung cancer, a tobacco-related cancer, and colon cancer, one of the cancer types associated with chronic inflammation. These studies require the integration of an increasing understanding of genetic variation in cancer susceptibility, analysis of carcinogen exposure, rapidly developing technologies, bioinformatics, social-ethical concerns, and epidemiological study-design methods. We have discovered that a deficient G2/M cell cycle checkpoint that responded to DNA damage, a phenotypic trait, is associated with a higher lung cancer risk in African Americans than in Caucasians. We have developed a novel bioinformatic approach to identify SNP-SNP interactions and generate hypotheses. For example, the GSTT1-null polymorphism, the Asp72Pro TP53 polymorphism or the Asp302His CASP8 polymorphism was positively correlated with colon cancer risk. In collaboration with Alavanja, we have extended our previous molecular epidemiological studies of lung cancer in never-smoking women. In addition to the GSTM1-null polymorphism increasing the risk of secondhand smoke-induced lung cancer, GSTM1 null also increases the risk of environmental radon-induced lung cancer in these women. We are continuing our longstanding studies of human lung carcinogenesis. The molecular profile of adenocarcinoma identified smoking- versus nonsmoking-associated cancers and short-term versus long-term survivors. We have also discovered molecular profiles of microRNAs, nonprotein coding genes that identify lung cancer, its different histological types and prognosis. These findings are being extended to other cancer types including colon and esophageal cancer, and to animal models of human cancer. | 2024-02-24T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/5176 |
Q:
Unable to install TFS2018 with Sql Server 2016 SP1
I am setting up my development environment for TFS2018 with SQL Server 2016 , i have already installed the following :-
sql server 2016 sp1. [ServerDB]
ServerDB\MSSQLTFS2017 ===>>> Exting Instance for TFS2017
ServerDB\MSSQLTFS2018 ===>>> New Instanct for TFS2018
ServerDB\Administrator for install DB
TFS2018 [ServerApp]
ServerApp\Administrator for install TFS (connect to ServerDB\MSSQLTFS2018)
But during my TFS2018 installation i am getting the following errors:-
TF255507: The security identifier (SID) for the following SQL Server login conflicts with a specified domain or workgroup account: ServerDB\Administrator. The domain or workgroup account is: SIAM-TFD-03\Administrator. The server selected to host the databases for Team Foundation Server is: SIAM-DBS-06\MSSQLTFS2018.
You can resolve this issue by renaming the conflicting login. To do so, open a command prompt on the computer that is running SQL Server and execute the following command:
sqlcmd -E -S "ServerDB\MSSQLTFS2018" -Q "ALTER LOGIN [ServerDB\Administrator] WITH NAME = [ServerApp\Administrator]"
Result after exceute cmd above:
Msg 15401, Level 16, State 1, Server ServerDB\MSSQLTFS2018, Line 1
Windows NT user or group 'ServerApp\Administrator' not found. Check the name again.
A:
I try this way and it work.
On [ServerDB]
- I create user domain\tfsuser on MSSQL
On [ServerApp]
- I login with user domain\tfsuser and Reinstall TFS with user domain\tfsuser
Installation completed.
| 2024-03-04T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8654 |
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Types>
<Type>
<Name>vsteam_lib.AzureSubscription</Name>
<Members>
<MemberSet>
<Name>PSStandardMembers</Name>
<Members>
<PropertySet>
<Name>DefaultDisplayPropertySet</Name>
<ReferencedProperties>
<Name>displayName</Name>
<Name>subscriptionId</Name>
<Name>subscriptionTenantId</Name>
</ReferencedProperties>
</PropertySet>
</Members>
</MemberSet>
</Members>
</Type>
</Types> | 2024-07-29T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3001 |
Q:
Find the partial sum formula of $\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{x^{2^{i-1}}}{1-x^{2^i}}$
Given next series:
$$\frac{x}{1 - x^2} + \frac{x^2}{1 - x^4} + \frac{x^4}{1 - x^8} + \frac{x^8}{1 - x^{16}} + \frac{x^{16}}{1 - x^{32}} + ... $$
and $|x| < 1$. Need to derive $S_n$ formula from series partial sums.
I could only find that $S_{k+1}=\frac{S_k}{1-x^{2^k}} + \frac{x^{2^k}}{1-x^{2^{k+1}}}$. But this is incorrect answer, of course, but I don't know what to do next...
Thank you in advance!
A:
Hint:
Use method of cancellation
$$\frac {x^2} {1-x^4} = \left[\frac 1 {1-x^2} - \frac 1 {1-x^4}\right]$$
$$\frac {x^4} {1-x^8} = \left[\frac 1 {1-x^4} - \frac 1 {1-x^8}\right]$$
A:
By induction you can proof easily $$\sum\limits_{k=1}^n\frac{x^{2^{k-1}}}{1-x^{2^k}} = \frac{1}{1-x^{2^n}}\sum\limits_{k=1}^{2^n-1}x^k$$ and with $\enspace\displaystyle \sum\limits_{k=1}^{2^n-1}x^k = \frac{x-x^{2^n}}{1-x}\enspace$ the formula is complete.
| 2024-06-07T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4318 |
[Inhaled in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy update].
Knowledge of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has increased significantly in recent years, and today we have a more comprehensive concept of the disease. Additionally, drug development allows having a wide range of therapeutic options. The inhaled route is the choice, as it allows drugs to act directly on the bronchial tree. In the past few months, new molecules and devices have been developed that increases our options when treating, but also our doubts when choosing one or the other, so an update of inhaled medications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is necessary. The different types of inhalers currently available are reviewed in this article, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each of them, in order to determine how to choose the right device. | 2023-09-25T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/5877 |
F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FEB 13 2001
TENTH CIRCUIT
PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
H.C. MASSEY,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
and
MARY DEAN; WOODROW
FLOWERS; JAMES H. GILLESPIE;
ELIZA HILL; DOROTHY LEE;
JIMMY LONG; LILLIAN MEDINA;
BETTY SAWYER; DUNNESE
SCOTT,
Plaintiffs,
v. No. 00-4037
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE (D.C. No. 97-CV-124)
OGDEN AREA COMMUNITY (D. Utah)
ACTION COMMITTEE, a non-profit
corporation,
Defendant-Appellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court
generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order
and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
Before BRISCOE, PORFILIO, Circuit Judges, and MARTEN , District Judge **
.
Plaintiff H.C. Massey (Massey) appeals the district court’s order of
summary judgment in favor of defendant the Board of Trustees of the Ogden
Area Community Action Committee, Inc. (Board). We exercise jurisdiction
pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291, and affirm.
Massey was executive director of Ogden Area Community Action
Committee, Inc. (OACAA), a nonprofit corporation established “to stimulate a
better focusing of all available federal, state and local resources to aid low
income individuals” in Ogden, Utah, and the surrounding area. Aplt. Br. at 4-5.
The Board claimed it terminated Massey’s employment for “just cause.” Id. at
94. Massey sued the Board and several of the Board members who voted to
uphold his termination, alleging he was wrongfully terminated without due
process in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983. All defendants moved for summary
judgment, arguing they could not be found in violation of § 1983 because they
were not state actors. The district court agreed and granted summary judgment in
favor of the defendants. Massey appeals this decision only as to the Board.
We review the district court’s grant of summary judgment de novo,
applying the same legal standard as the district court. See Kendrick v. Penske
The Honorable J. Thomas Marten, United States District Judge, District
**
of Kansas, sitting by designation.
2
Transp. Servs., Inc. , 220 F.3d 1220, 1225 (10th Cir. 2000). “Summary judgment
is appropriate ‘if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and
admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no
genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a
judgment as a matter of law.’” Id. (citing Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c)). “When
applying this standard, we review the evidence and draw reasonable inferences
therefrom in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party.” Id.
Section 1983 “creates a cause of action against individuals who violate
federal law while acting ‘under color of state law.’” David v. City & County of
Denver , 101 F.3d 1344, 1353 (10th Cir. 1996); see also 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
“[T]he only proper defendants in a Section 1983 claim are those who represent
[the state] in some capacity, whether they act in accordance with their authority
or misuse it.” Gallagher v. “Neil Young Freedom Concert” , 49 F.3d 1442, 1447
(10th Cir. 1995) (internal quotation omitted).
Massey alleges the Board was a state actor engaged in state action. His
theory is that Utah state officials influenced the Board to terminate him. More
specifically, he contends that Anne Kagie, Director of the Community Services
Office of the Utah State Department of Community and Economic Development,
orchestrated his termination.
Whether an action was taken “under color of state law” or whether it was a
3
“state action” are two separate areas of inquiry. See Pino v. Higgs , 75 F.3d 1461,
1464 (10th Cir. 1996). However, since “state action necessarily constitutes
action under color of state law,” id. , the Board can be held liable if it was a state
actor engaged in state action. “Application of the state action doctrine has been
characterized as one of the more slippery and troublesome areas of civil rights
litigation.” Gallagher , 49 F.3d at 1447. The Supreme Court has taken a
“flexible” approach, see id. , applying four different tests, referred to as the nexus
test, the symbiotic relationship test, the joint action test, and the public functions
test, see Anaya v. Crossroads Managed-Care Sys., Inc. , 195 F.3d 584, 595 (10th
Cir. 1999). Each test requires very fact-specific inquiries. See Gallagher , 49
F.3d at 1448. It appears that Massey is invoking two of these tests.
Massey implicates the nexus test by arguing that a state “can be held
responsible for a private decision only when it . . . has provided such significant
encouragement, either overt or covert, that the decision at issue must be deemed
to be that of the State.” Aplt. Br. at 30-31 (citing Blum v. Yaretsky , 457 U.S.
991 (1982)). Under the nexus test, courts consider whether “‘there is a
sufficiently close nexus’ between the government and the challenged conduct
such that the conduct ‘may be fairly treated as that of the State itself.’”
Gallagher , 49 F.3d at 1447 (quoting Jackson v. Metro. Edison Co. , 419 U.S. 345,
351 (1974)).
4
Massey also relies upon the symbiotic relationship test – “the cumulative
effect of all of these links amounted to a symbiotic relationship that presented a
question of fact as to the existence of state action.” Aplt. Br. at 33-34. Under
the symbiotic relationship test, courts inquire whether the state “‘has so far
insinuated itself into a position of interdependence’ with a private party that ‘it
must be recognized as a joint participant in the challenged activity.’” Gallagher ,
49 F.3d at 1451 (quoting Moose Lodge No. 107 v. Irvis , 407 U.S. 163, 175
(1972)).
A review of all the evidence indicates that Massey cannot meet either test.
There is no link between Massey’s termination and the state. Rather, what
prompted Board action were negative reports from many sources about Massey’s
management of OACAA. All major sources of funding identified problems with
OACAA’s compliance with rules. A U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) audit of OACAA’s Head Start program uncovered substantial
noncompliance with financial and administrative procedures. For example, HHS
found OACAA was “unable to produce accurate and complete disclosure of
financial data of the agency,” and could not “accurately account for expenditures
by grant year and funding period.” Aplt. App. at 19. The audit found the
deficiencies so grave that continuance in the Head Start program required that
OACAA take various actions no later than June 19, 1997, including:
5
OACAA must reconstitute the Board of Directors to assure that, at a
minimum, a quorum of Board members are seated.
OACAA must act to discharge the present Executive Director from
his current position in order to restore public trust and confidence in
its program. This objective cannot be met if OACAA allows the
Executive Director to remain in his current position.
Aplt. App. at 19.
Massey seeks to establish state action by asserting Kagie was responsible
for the audit. Specifically, Massey alleged “the state had called the federal
government in Denver and asked the federal government to do certain things to
remove [him],” and he believed Kagie made that call. Aplt. App. at 218. Massey
stated a staff member told him someone named Bob at the federal government
had called the staff member to say he had been called by a person from the state
who wanted Massey fired, and that the person from the state was Kagie. Massey
submits no admissible evidence in support of this assertion.
Other funding sources also identified problems with Massey’s
management. Although the actual audit report identifying the problems is not in
the record, a letter from the Utah Department of Community and Economic
Development, Division of Community Development, identified contract
violations by OACAA that justified contract termination and termination of
OACAA’s participation in the Federal Community Services Block Grant program
and, thus, elimination of funding. See id. at 12-13. Massey claims the fact that
6
Kagie signed this letter is “evidence” that she put OACAA’s funding in jeopardy.
Massey does not contest the allegation that OACAA violated its contract. Rather,
he tries to blame the problem on the messenger. This allegation is unsupported.
Further, an independent investigator hired to evaluate various employee
grievances filed against Massey found serious flaws in his management skills and
possible illegalities in procedures. See id. at 166-205. Massey alleges Kagie was
“involved” with the grievances, providing the requisite state action. However, he
expressly states that he is not alleging Kagie “concocted the complaints against
him” or that she influenced the investigation of the grievances. See Aplt. Br. at
32. Rather, he contends “Kagie was working behind the scenes to create a fertile
environment” for his termination. Id. This is not evidence of state action.
The district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the Board is
AFFIRMED.
Entered for the Court
Mary Beck Briscoe
Circuit Judge
7
| 2024-06-24T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/2466 |
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE
AT NASHVILLE
January 5, 2005 Session
JAMES A. HODGE v. STATE OF TENNESSEE
Appeal from the Tennessee Claims Commission
No. 400499 W. R. Baker, Commissioner
No. M2004-00137-COA-R3-CV- Filed January 5, 2006
This appeal involves a motorcycle rider who was seriously injured while crossing two heavy steel
plates placed over the surface of a portion of a state highway that was under construction. The rider
filed a claim with the Tennessee Claims Commission asserting that the front tire of his motorcycle
became lodged in a gap between the two steel plates and that this gap was the dangerous condition
that caused his injuries. Following a hearing, a claims commissioner dismissed the claim after
concluding (1) that the rider had failed to prove that the State, rather than the highway contractor,
was responsible for maintaining the steel plates, (2) that the rider had failed to prove that the State
had notice of the gap between the plates, and (3) that the rider’s negligence exceeded that of the
State. The motorcycle rider has appealed. We have determined that the claims commissioner erred
by concluding that the State was not on notice of the dangerous condition on the highway and that
the motorcycle rider’s negligence exceeded the State’s negligence.
Tenn. R. App. P. 3 Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Claims Commission Reversed
And Remanded
WILLIAM C. KOCH , JR., P.J., M.S., delivered the opinion of the court, in which WILLIAM B. CAIN and
FRANK G. CLEMENT , JR., JJ., joined.
Wm. Kennerly Burger, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, for the appellant, James A. Hodge.
Paul G. Summers, Attorney General and Reporter; Michael E. Moore, Solicitor General; and George
H. Coffin, Jr., Senior Counsel, for the appellee, State of Tennessee.
OPINION
I.
On August 1, 1993, James Hodge drove his motorcycle to Waynesboro to visit one of his
sons. His other son, John Hodge, accompanied him to Waynesboro in a separate automobile. At
approximately 5:00 p.m., James Hodge and John Hodge left Waynesboro for their home in Sewanee.
James Hodge traveled on his motorcycle while John Hodge drove ahead of him in his automobile.
As the Hodges drove east on U.S. Highway 64, they encountered road construction on a
section of the highway in the western portion of Lincoln County. At one spot on a downhill curve,
the contractor of the construction project had placed three one-inch thick rectangular steel plates over
the pavement. Although the plates were fastened together with welded straps, one of these welds
had broken, forming a gap between the plates running parallel to the direction of the traffic. The gap
was located in the middle of the east bound lane.
Traveling ahead of his father, John Hodge noticed the construction warning signs and the
steel plates. At that point, he remembered that two weeks earlier, he had passed these same steel
plates and had noticed that they had separated, forming the gap between the plates in the middle of
the east bound lane. After braking appropriately, he drove across the steel plates without incident.
John Hodge then looked in his rearview mirror to see if his father had safely crossed the plates.
When he first looked, he saw his father approaching the gap between the plates. He then saw his
father’s motorcycle “lower” and come back “out of the groove.” When John Hodge looked again,
he saw his father “off the side of the road” with dust “flying up.” As John Hodge later testified, “I
saw him go over the front of his motorcycle and his helmet hit the fairing, the fairing broke and then
he wound up 20 foot [sic] past his motorcycle in some very large rocks.”
James Hodge was rushed to Lincoln Regional Hospital and later airlifted to Erlanger Medical
Center in Chattanooga where he remained hospitalized for more than one month. He sustained a
closed head injury that affected his ability to speak and walk. Both James Hodge and John Hodge
retained a lawyer and filed suit in the Circuit Court for Lincoln County against the contractor who
was working on the highway and who had originally placed the steel plates in the road.1 They also
filed a claim against the State of Tennessee with the Division of Claims Administration. In October
1994, the Division of Claims Administration transferred the claims to the Tennessee Claims
Commission.
The Hodges’ claims against the State lay dormant for almost nine years. During this time,
the Hodges’ original lawyer withdrew, and James Hodge failed to report to the Commission whether
he intended to proceed with his claim. John Hodge eventually withdrew his claim, and the State
attempted unsuccessfully to convince the Claims Commission to dismiss James Hodge’s claim.
Eventually, James Hodge retained his present lawyer and the case proceeded.
During a June 2003 hearing, James Hodge testified (1) that he had been driving cautiously
when he was thrown from his motorcycle, (2) that he had been wearing a safety helmet, and (3) that
he was not under the influence of any substance when the accident occurred. He introduced pictures
showing a gap between the steel plates that was approximately four to six inches wide. In addition,
he called John Hodge as a witness. John Hodge testified that he had noticed the gap two weeks
earlier when he was driving over the same stretch of road, and that he had purposely avoided driving
over the gap on his return trip. James Hodge also presented the deposition of Tommy Joyce, an
1
This lawsuit was later dismissed because the lawyer originally retained by the Hodges sued the wrong
company. Hodge v. Jones Holding Co., No. M 1998-00955-COA-R3-CV, 2001 W L 873458 (Tenn. Ct. App. Aug. 3,
2001) (No Tenn. R. App. P. 11 application filed).
-2-
inspector employed by the State. Mr. Joyce had testified that the plates had been in place for
approximately one year and that he had been monitoring the construction on a daily basis but had
failed to notice anything unsafe about the steel plates.
The claims commissioner filed a final order and judgment on June 19, 2003. The
commissioner denied James Hodge’s claims based on three conclusions. First, the commissioner
concluded that James Hodge had failed to prove that the State, rather than the highway contractor,
was responsible for his injuries. Second, the commissioner concluded that James Hodge had failed
to prove that the State had notice of the dangerous condition. Third, the commissioner concluded
that even if the State had been negligent, James Hodge’s negligence equaled or exceeded the State’s
negligence. James Hodge perfected this appeal.
II.
THE STANDARD OF REVIEW
Appeals from decisions of individual claims commissioners or the decisions of the entire
Claims Commission are governed by Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-8-403(a)(1) (Supp. 2005), which provides
that these appeals will be governed by the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. Accordingly,
because the Claims Commission hear cases without a jury, this court reviews their legal and factual
decisions using Tenn. R. App. P. 13(d)’s now familiar standard of review for non-jury cases. With
regard to factual questions, we must review the record de novo, and we must presume that the Claims
Commission’s findings of fact are correct unless the evidence preponderates otherwise. Beare Co.
v. State, 814 S.W.2d 715, 717 (Tenn. 1991); Dobson v. State, 23 S.W.3d 324, 328-29 (Tenn. Ct. App.
1999); Sanders v. State, 783 S.W.2d 948, 951 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1989). However, we must review
questions of law de novo without a presumption of correctness. Turner v. State, No. W2004-02582-
COA-R3-CV, 2005 WL 1541863, at *3 (Tenn. Ct. App. June 3, 2005), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Oct.
24, 2005); Crew One Prods., Inc. v. State, 149 S.W.3d 89, 92 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004); Belcher v. State,
No. E2003-00642-COA-R3-CV, 2003 WL 22794479, at *4 (Tenn. Ct. App. Nov. 25, 2003), perm.
app. denied (Tenn. May 10, 2004).
III.
THE STATE ’S LIABILITY FOR DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ON A HIGHWAY
The State of Tennessee has a duty to exercise reasonable care to make its highways safe.
Goodermote v. State, 856 S.W.2d 715, 723 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1993). Accordingly, the State may be
held liable for dangerous conditions on state maintained highways when it breaches this duty and
the breach causes injury or damage. Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-8-307(a)(1)(J) (Supp. 2005). The State
liability must be based on the application of the same traditional tort principles that are applicable
to private persons. Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-8-307(c), (d); see also Hames v. State, 808 S.W.2d 41, 44
(Tenn. 1991). Therefore, to recover damages from the State for a dangerous condition on a state
maintained highway, the claimant must prove (1) that it was reasonably foreseeable that the allegedly
dangerous condition could cause an injury and (2) that proper state officials had notice of the
condition in sufficient time either to remedy it or to provide appropriate warning of its existence.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-8-307(a)(1)(J).
-3-
Determining whether a particular condition is dangerous or hazardous to an ordinary prudent
driver requires an analysis of the facts. Sweeney v. State, 768 S.W.2d 253, 255 (Tenn. 1989);
Goodermote v. State, 856 S.W.2d at 723. Among the facts to be considered are (1) the physical
aspects of the roadway, (2) the frequency of accidents at that particular location, and (3) the
testimony of expert witnesses, if any. Sweeney v. State, 768 S.W.2d at 255; Burgess v. Harley, 934
58, 64 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1996).
Foreseeability is the test of negligence, Doe v. Linder Constr. Co., 845 S.W.2d 173, 178
(Tenn. 1992), because no person is expected to protect against harms from events that cannot be
reasonably anticipated or that are so unlikely to occur that the risk, although recognizable, would
commonly be disregarded. Ward v. Univ. of the South, 209 Tenn. 412, 421-22, 354 S.W.2d 246, 250
(1962); Rains v. Bend of the River, 124 S.W.3d 580, 593 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003). Thus, determining
whether the State has exercised reasonable care under the circumstances depends on the
foreseeability of the risk involved. Morgan v. State, No. M2002-02496-COA-R3-CV, 2004 WL
170352, at *6 (Tenn. Ct. App. Jan. 27, 2004) (No Tenn. R. App. P. 11 application filed).
A risk of injury is foreseeable if a reasonable person could foresee the probability that injury
will occur. Doe v. Linder Constr. Co., 845 S.W.2d at 178. To recover in a negligence action, the
plaintiff must show that the injury was a reasonably foreseeable probability, not just a remote
possibility, and that the defendant could have taken some action to prevent the injury. West v. East
Tenn. Pioneer Oil Co., 172 S.W.3d 545, 551 (Tenn. 2005); Dobson v. State, 23 S.W.3d at 331.
Foreseeability does not require awareness of the precise manner in which an injury takes place, but
rather a general awareness that injuries similar to those actually sustained could occur. McClenahan
v. Cooley, 806 S.W.2d 767, 775 (Tenn. 1991); Goodermote v. State, 856 S.W.2d at 721.
The analysis does not end with determining that a risk of injury is sufficiently probable to
give rise to a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent the injury. See Belcher v. State, 2003 WL
22794479, at * 6 (stating that it is not enough to prove the existence of a dangerous condition or that
the State negligently constructed, improved, or maintained the highway). Persons seeking to recover
in negligence actions must also prove that the defendant’s failure to exercise reasonable care was
both the cause in fact and the legal cause of their injury or damage. Draper v. Westerfield, ___
S.W.3d ___, ___, 2005 WL 2513888, at *5 (Tenn. 2005); Biscan v. Brown, 160 S.W.3d 462, 478
(Tenn. 2005). They must also present sufficient evidence to establish that the State had appropriate
notice of the dangerous condition in enough time to take appropriate protective measures. Pool v.
State, 987 S.W.2d 566, 568 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1998).
IV.
MR . HODGE’S EVIDENCE REGARDING THE STATE ’S LIABILITY
Mr. Hodge asserts on this appeal that the evidence does not support the claims
commissioner’s conclusions (1) that he failed to establish that the State, as opposed to the highway
contractor, was responsible for the gap between the steel plates, (2) that the State did not have notice
of the gap between the steel plates in sufficient time to correct the problem, and (3) that his
-4-
negligence equaled or exceeded the State’s. We have determined that the evidence preponderates
against the claims commissioner’s findings and conclusions on each of these points.
A.
The evidence establishes that the State had contracted with Jones Brothers Construction
Company (Jones Brothers) to repair and improve the portion of U. S. Highway 64 where Mr. Hodge
was injured. The work was being inspected and supervised by Mr. Joyce and other Tennessee
Department of Transportation employees on a daily basis. Approximately one year before Mr.
Hodge was injured, Jones Brothers and the State made a joint decision to lay the steel plates on the
surface of the highway, and employees of Jones Brothers performed the work. It is also essentially
undisputed that one of the welds holding the plates together had broken and that a gap had formed
between the plates.
The State argued below, and the claims commissioner apparently concluded, that Jones
Brothers was solely responsible for the placement of the steel plates. However, this conclusion
overlooks (1) that Jones Brothers was working on a state project and (2) that Mr. Joyce and other
state employees were monitoring the work on a daily basis. Part of Mr. Joyce’s job included
assuring that the work was being performed properly and in a timely manner and that the
construction area was safe for the workers and the motoring public. The fact that the State assumed
the responsibility to see to it that the construction was being performed in a safe manner provides
the necessary factual predicate for potential liability under both Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-8-307(a)(1)(J)
and Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-8-307(a)(1)(I).
B.
The State relied upon Mr. Joyce’s testimony to substantiate its claim that it did not have
adequate notice of the existence of the gap between the steel plates as required by Tenn. Code Ann.
§ 9-8-307(a)(1)(J). The State argued that Mr. Joyce’s testimony that he did not notice anything
unsafe about the steel plates proves either that there was no gap between the plates prior to Mr.
Hodge’s accident or that it had occurred so recently that the State had not had sufficient time to
discover and correct it. The claims commissioner accepted this argument.2
Mr. Joyce’s testimony does not support the State’s position. He never testified that the gap
between the steel plates did not exist prior to Mr. Hodge’s accident or even that he would have
noticed the gap had it existed. He never testified that he would have had the gap repaired had he
observed a gap similar to the one depicted in the photographs taken by John Hodge. He simply
testified that he did not notice anything unsafe about the steel plates. This statement could easily be
2
The claims commissioner’s order stated that “[a]n experienced inspector was on the job site so frequently that
had the complained of condition existed for any length of time, it would have surely come to his attention. The fact that
it did not, indicated that the condition occurred so recently that there is no way the State could have possibility had notice
of it.”
-5-
interpreted to mean that Mr. Joyce was aware of the gap between the steel plates but that it did not
occur to him that the gap was dangerous or unsafe.
Mr. Joyce’s equivocal testimony regarding the gap between the steel plates is not the only
evidence in the record regarding the length of time the gap might have existed. John Hodge testified
without contradiction that he had observed the gap two weeks before his father was injured. This
testimony, coupled with Mr. Joyce’s insistence that he inspected the construction site every day,
provides sufficient evidence to support a finding that the gap had been in existence long enough for
Mr. Joyce to discover and correct it.
C.
As a final matter, the claims commissioner determined that Mr. Hodge could not recover
from the State because his negligence equaled or exceeded the State’s negligence. While triers of
fact have considerable latitude in allocating fault among the parties, Wright v. City of Knoxville, 898
S.W.2d 177, 181 (Tenn. 1995), appellate courts, using the standards in Tenn. R. App. P. 13(d), may
reallocate fault in non-jury cases when the evidence preponderates against the lower tribunal’s
allocation. Cross v. City of Memphis, 20 S.W.3d 642, 644-45 (Tenn. 2000); Keaton v. Hancock
County Bd. of Educ., 119 S.W.3d 218, 225-26 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003).3
The claims commissioner’s decision regarding the extent of Mr. Hodge’s fault appears to rest
on the facts that the area where the accident occurred was clearly under construction and that a sign
had been posted warning motorists of a “bump” in the highway. While the sign’s reference to a
“bump” is not clearly explained, it is unlikely that the reference is to a “bump” resulting from the
gap between the two steel plates. It is more likely that the sign referred to the “bump” resulting from
the difference between the height of the surface of the roadway and the surface of the steel plates that
had been placed in the roadway. We have concluded that simply warning motorists of a “bump” was
not a sufficient warning of the dangerous condition caused by the gap between the steel plates.
We agree with the claims commissioner that motorcycle riders, like other motorists, must
be on the lookout for dangerous conditions on the highway. However, we have concluded that
neither James Hodge, nor any other motorcycle rider, would be negligent for failing to observe a gap
approximately two inches wide between two steel plates placed over a highway. Based on the
essentially undisputed evidence that James Hodge was traveling under the posted speed limit, that
he was driving cautiously, that he was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, and that he was
not driving under the influence, we have concluded that the evidence preponderates against the trial
court’s conclusion that James Hodge’s fault equaled or exceeded the State’s fault. Thus, we have
concluded that the claims commissioner erred by allocating more fault to James Hodge than to the
State under the facts of this case.
3
Appellate courts do not have the same prerogative with regard to a jury’s allocation of fault. W hen a jury
allocates fault, appellate courts must accept the jury’s decision unless no material evidence supports it. Braswell v.
Lowe’s Home Ctrs., Inc., 173 S.W .3d 41, 43 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). W hen the record contains no material evidence to
support a jury’s allocation of fault, the only recourse is to vacate the judgment and remand the case for a new trial. See
Jones v. Idles, 114 S.W .3d 911, 914-15 (Tenn. 2003).
-6-
V.
We reverse the order dismissing James Hodge’s claim and direct the Tennessee Claims
Commission on remand to enter an order sustaining his claim against the State and to conduct a
hearing to ascertain and award the damages to which Mr. Hodge is entitled. We tax the costs of this
appeal to the State of Tennessee.
______________________________
WILLIAM C. KOCH, JR., P.J., M.S.
-7-
| 2023-11-13T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3006 |
---
abstract: |
We study the dynamic fluctuations of the soft-spin version of the Edwards-Anderson model in the critical region for $T\rightarrow T_{c}^{+}$. First we solve the infinite-range limit of the model using the random matrix method. We define the static and dynamic 2-point and 4-point correlation functions at the order $O(1/N)$ and we verify that the static limit obtained from the dynamic expressions is correct. In a second part we use the functional integral formalism to define an effective short-range Lagrangian $L$ for the fields $\delta Q^{\alpha\beta}_{i}(t_{1},t_{2})$ up to the cubic order in the series expansion around the dynamic Mean-Field value $\overline{{Q}^{\alpha\beta}}(t_{1},t_{2})$. We find the more general expression for the time depending non-local fluctuations, the propagators $[\langle\delta Q^{\alpha\beta}_{i}(t_{1},t_{2})
\delta Q^{\alpha\beta}_{j}(t_{3},t_{4})\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}$, in the quadratic approximation. Finally we compare the long-range limit of the correlations, derived in this formalism, with the correlations of the infinite-range model studied with the previous approach (random matrices).
author:
- Paola Ranieri
title: 'Dynamic fluctuations in a Short-Range Spin Glass model'
---
ł 2[\^2]{}
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma [*La Sapienza*]{},\
P. Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
Introduction
============
The static and dynamic Mean Field (MF) theory of Spin Glasses (SG) systems for $T\geq T_{c}$ is well defined and understood. This theory has been studied through different approaches all consistent among themselves. Many important results concerning the equilibrium static properties of SG have been derived using the replica method [@m.p.v.]. Sompolinsky and Zippelius [@s.z.1], [@s.z.2], [@s.] studied a soft spin version of the Edwards-Anderson model with the dynamic formalism, avoiding the replica trick. They defined a Langevin dynamics on the system and analysed the infinite range limit where the MF solution is exact. The static limit derived from the dynamic expressions is in agreement with the static prevision obtained with replica. Moreover, dynamic characteristics of the model have been well defined.
Unfortunately the behaviour of short-range SG system is not clear yet. There are different analytic works and simulations about the Ising and Heisemberg SG in finite dimensions, [@pa.], [@og.], [@y.], [@em], that do not agree with each other.\
On the other hand, in order to study the corrections to the MF behaviour of the Green functions one can use the Renormalization Group theory and the $\epsilon$-expansion. Chen, Lubensky [@h.l.c.], [@c.l.] and Green [@gr.] studied a static Ising model in $d=6-\epsilon$ dimensions (6 is the upper critical dimension) with the Replica method and they found the corrections to the second order in $\epsilon$ for the critical exponents.
In this work, we want investigate the behaviour of the dynamic fluctuations of the short range SG in the critical region for $T\rightarrow T^{+}$. We study the soft-spin version of the Edwards-Anderson model that evolves through Langevin dynamics. We adopt the same procedure that Sompolinsky and Zippelius used in [@s.z.3], and we manage to explicit write the time-dependent propagators $[\langle\delta Q^{\alpha\beta}_{i}(t_{1},t_{2})
\delta Q^{\alpha\beta}_{j}(t_{3},t_{4})\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}$ for any value of $t_{1},t_{2},t_{3},t_{4}$ in the critical region, while in [@s.z.3] they were defined only in the limit of two complete time separation. They are the elementary building blocks in a renormalization group calculation expanded in $\epsilon=6-d$ and can be used for future studies of the dynamic effects of higher-order terms (the cubic interactions). For evaluating these propagator we define an effective Lagrangian of the fields $\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(t,t')$ (which represent the fluctuations around the MF order parameter value $\overline{{Q}_{i}^{\alpha\beta}}(t,t')$) through the functional integral formulation of the dynamics. In order to have a comparative term order by order in perturbation theory, we solve the infinite-range limit and the O(1/N) corrections of this dynamic model, by using the distribution of the eigenvalues of the random interaction matrix. We verify that the expressions derived with the two different and independent methods are consistent each other.
The aim of this work is to pursue the study of the quadratic fluctuations of the soft-spin model in the general case, without having recourse to the Glauber model (hard-spin limit) [@z.]. We define the quadratic fluctuations as a perturbative series in $g$ (the coupling constant of the fourth order term of the soft-spin Lagrangian) which we succeed in resuming and therefore in obtaining a $g$ independent expression that could be directly used for further diagrammatic expansions of the theory. The results are qualitatively different from those obtained by Zippelius [@z.] and this may be related to the approximations done in going to the hard case.
This paper is organized as follows: in section 2 we define the theory; in section 3 we find the form of the quadratic corrections to the MF limit (order $O(1/N)$, where $N$ is the sites number) using the diagonalization of the interaction random matrix; finally in section 4 we find the general propagator for an effective short range Lagrangian of the field $\delta Q^{\alpha\beta}(t,t')$ (fluctuations around MF limit); in the conclusion we present the possible development of this work.
Definition of the model
=======================
Let us consider the soft spin version of the Edwards-Anderson model given by the Hamiltonian $$\beta{\cal H}=-\beta\sum_{\langle ij\rangle}\beta J_{ij}s_{i}s_{j}
+\frac{1}{2}r_{0}\sum_{i}s_{i}^{2}+\frac{1}{4!}g
\sum_{i}s_{i}^{4} \label{H1}\: ,$$ where the sum $\langle ij\rangle$ is over $z$ nearest-neighbor sites and the couplings $J_{ij}$ are quenched random variables with the following distribution: $$P(J_{ij})=\frac{1}{(2\pi z)^{1/2}}\exp{(-z\:J_{ij}^{2}/2)}\: .$$ A purely relaxational dynamics can be described by the Langevin equation: $$\Gamma_{0}^{-1}\frac{\partial s_{i}(t)}{\partial t}=-
\frac{\partial (\beta {\cal H})}{\partial s_{i} (t)}+\xi_{i}(t)\: .$$ $\xi_{i}(t)$ is a Gaussian and white noise with zero mean and variance
$$\langle\xi_{i}(t)\xi_{j}(t')\rangle=\frac{2}{\Gamma_{0}}\delta_{ij}
\delta(t-t'),$$ which ensures that locally the fluctuation-dissipation theorem holds.
In the MF theory the physical quantities of interest are the average local (at the same point) correlation function $$C(t-t')=[\langle s_{i}(t) s_{i}(t')\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}\:,$$ and the average local response function $$G(t-t')=\frac{\Gamma_{0}}{2}[\langle s_{i}(t) \xi_{i}(t')\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}\: ,$$ where the angular brackets refer to averages over the noise $\xi_{i}$ and square brackets over quenched disorder $J_{ij}$.
Beyond the MF approximation we evaluate the non local fluctuations that are non vanishing $$\begin{aligned}
&&\hspace{-1truecm}G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(i-j;t_{1},t_{2},t_{3},t_{4})=\nonumber\\
&&[\langle\phi_{i}^{\alpha}(t_{1})\phi_{i}^{\beta}(t_{2})\phi_{j}^
{\gamma}(t_{3})\phi_{j}^{\delta}(t_{4})\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}-
[\langle\phi_{i}^{\alpha}(t_{1})\phi_{i}^{\beta}(t_{2})\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}
[\langle\phi_{j}^{\gamma}(t_{3})\phi_{j}^{\delta}(t_{4})\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}\: ,\end{aligned}$$ where $\alpha,\beta, \gamma, \delta$ can take the values $1$ or $ 2$ being $\phi_{i}^{1}=\xi_{i}$ and $\phi_{i}^{2}=s_{i}$. We shall see that these quantities represent the propagators of our theory. We will focus on the properties of the small frequency and small momentum of the propagators that have a critical slowing down near $T_{c}$.
In this formalism the time-depending spin-glass susceptibility is $$\chi_{SG}(i-j;t_{1}-t_{3},t_{4}-t_{2})=\frac{1}{N}
[\langle s_{i}(t_{1})\xi_{j}(t_{3})\rangle_{\xi}\langle s_{j}(t_{4})
\xi_{i}(t_{2})\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}=G_{0}^{1221}(i-j;t_{1}-t_{3},t_{4}-t_{2})\:,
\label{7.1}$$ where the $G_{0}^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}$ functions represent the fluctuations in the limit $|t_{1}-t_{2}|\rightarrow\infty$ and $|t_{3}-t_{4}|\rightarrow\infty$.
Mean Field limit and quadratic fluctuations by diagonalization of the interaction $\hspace{2cm}$ matrix
=======================================================================================================
The theory defined with the Hamiltonian (\[H1\]) where the $J_{ij}$ are quenched random interactions can be solved by using the general properties of random matrices. It is convenient to apply this approach to an infinite range model ($z=N$ and $N\rightarrow\infty$), where the non local propagators $G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(i,j;t_{1},t_{2},t_{3},t_{4})$ represent the corrections at order $O(1/N)$ to the MF correlations. By an appropriated base change, from the unidimensional spin variables $s_{i}$ to the eigenvectors $\eta^{\alpha}$ of the $J_{ij}$ matrix, we will manage to decouple the interaction.
We define $\eta^{\alpha}$: $$\sum_{j}J_{ij}\eta^{\alpha}_{j}=
\lambda^{\alpha}\eta_{j}^{\alpha},$$ where $\alpha=1......N$ and $\lambda^{\alpha}$ is the $\alpha$-th eigenvalue. The properties of the eigenvalues and the eigenvectors of the random matrix $J_{ij}$ are the following (see [@me.]):\
the shape of the eigenvalues density $\sigma(\lambda)$, for symmetric matrices with random and statistically independent elements, such as $J_{ij}$, in the limit $N\rightarrow\infty$ ($N$ dimension of the matrix), is: $$\sigma(\lambda)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll}
\frac{1}{2\pi}(4-\lambda^{2})^{1/2}& \ \ |\lambda|<2 \\
0& \ \ |\lambda|>2
\end{array}
\right.\label{a13};$$ the eigenvectors are statistical variables which have the components independent and following a gaussian distribution defined by the moments: $$\overline{\eta_{i}^{\alpha}}=0,\label{eig}$$ $$\overline{(\eta_{i}^{\alpha})^{2K}}=\frac{(2K-1)!!}{N^{K}};$$ they are found to be orthogonal and we can choose them to be normalized: $$\begin{aligned}
\sum_{i=1}^{N}\eta_{i}^{\alpha}\eta_{i}^{\beta}&=&\delta_{\alpha\beta}\;,\\
\sum_{\alpha=1}^{N}(\eta_{i}^{\alpha})\eta_{j}^{\alpha}&=&\delta_{ij}\;;
\label{norm}\end{aligned}$$ finally, the eigenvectors are uncorrelated among themselves (apart from the orthogonality constraint) and they are not correlated to the eigenvalues.
If we write $s_{i}=\sum_{\alpha} Y^{\alpha}\eta_{i}^{\alpha}$ in the base of the eigenvectors we obtain: $$\beta {\cal H}_{Y}=\frac{1}{2}\sum_{\alpha}(-\beta \lambda^{\alpha}+r_{0})
(Y^{\alpha})^{2}
+\frac{g}{4!}\sum_{\alpha \beta \gamma \delta}Y^{\alpha}Y^{\beta}
Y^{\gamma}Y^{\delta}\sum_{i} \eta_{i}^{\alpha}\eta_{i}^{\beta}
\eta_{i}^{\gamma}\eta_{i}^{\delta}. \label{hy}$$ We can evaluate the Green functions for the component $Y^{\alpha}$ and, by using (\[a13\]) and (\[eig\])-(\[norm\]), go back to the correlation functions of $s_{i}$ field.
We can start evaluating the correlation functions in the static theory. In the time-independent limit for the Hamiltonian (\[hy\]) we may consider the non-linear interaction as a perturbation and make a series expansion in the coupling constant $g$. We can show that only the diagrams considered in the Hartree-Fock approximation give relevant contributions to the free theory, in the thermodynamic limit. This is due to the relations (\[eig\])-(\[norm\]) satisfied by the eigenvector $\eta_{i}$. In fact, in the MF limit the relevant contribution to the interaction term in the (\[hy\]) is $\sum_{i}(\eta^{\alpha})^{2}(\eta^{\beta})^{2}\propto
1/N$, and in this way one can see easily that the eigenvector index ($\alpha$ for $Y^{\alpha}$) plays the same role of the component index in the theories of vector fields, where the Hartree-Fock approximation has been demonstrated valid when the number of the components goes to infinity. We can thus resum all the diagrams at the next orders in $g$ and find a renormalization of the mass term (the coefficient of the quadratic term in (\[hy\])) that for $T\rightarrow T_{c}^{+}$ is $$m^{2}\propto{\left(\frac{T-T_{c}}{T_{c}}\right)}^{2}=
\left(\frac{\tau}{T_{c}}\right)^{2},\label{massa}$$ and a renormalization of the coupling constant $g$, that in the same region is $$g_{r}=(2m^{2})^{\frac{1}{2}}.$$ The static susceptibility shows a divergent behaviour for $T\rightarrow T_{c}^{+}$ with the critical exponent $\gamma=1$, in agreement with the results obtained with the replica method [@m.p.v.] $$\begin{aligned}
\chi_{S.G.}=\frac{1}{N}\sum_{ik}\langle s_{i}s_{k}\rangle_{\sigma(\lambda)}^{2}
&=&\int_{0}^{4}\frac{d\lambda \:
\sqrt{(4\lambda-\lambda^2)}}{2\pi(\beta\lambda+m^2)^2}\nonumber \\
&=&\frac{2}{(2m^2)^{1/2}}\propto \frac{1}{\tau}\: .\label{a18}\end{aligned}$$ The generic $4$-point function $$[\langle s_{i}s_{k}s_{i}s_{k}\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}=[\langle(s_{i})^{2}\rangle_{\xi}
\langle (s_{k})^{2}\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}+
2[(\langle s_{i}s_{k}\rangle_{\xi})^{2})]_{J}+
[\langle s_{i}s_{k}s_{i}s_{k}\rangle_{\xi\: conn}]_{J} \label{4poi}$$ is $O(1/N)$ order and is regular in the critical region. In fact, for $T\rightarrow T_{c}$ the first term is regular and the divergence of the second term $$2\times\left(\frac{2}{(2m^{2})^{1/2}}\right),$$ is compensated by that of the last one $$-\left((2m^{2})^{1/2}\right)\times\left(\frac{2}{(2m^{2})^{1/2}}\right)
\times\left(\frac{2}{(2m^{2})^{1/2}}\right)=- \frac{4}{(2m^{2})^{1/2}}.$$ Also in the replica approach one can verify that the 4-point function (\[4poi\]) is not singular for $T\rightarrow T_{c}$.
In the dynamic case we have to solve the Langevin equation for the time-dependent component $Y^{n}(t)$ (we put $\Gamma_{0}=1$): $$\dot {Y}^{n}=(\beta \lambda^{n}-r_{0})Y^{n}-g\sum_{\alpha,\beta,\gamma}
Y^{\alpha}Y^{\beta}Y^{\gamma}\sum_{i}\eta_{i}^{\alpha}\eta_{i}^{\beta}
\eta_{i}^{\gamma}\eta_{i}^{n}+\xi^{n}\;,$$ If we define $G^{n}(t-t')=1/2\langle Y^{n}(t)\xi^{n}(t')\rangle$ and $C^{n}(t-t')=\langle Y^{n}(t)Y^{n}(t')\rangle$ we find the formal solution $$\begin{aligned}
&&\displaystyle{Y^{n}(t)=\int_{0}^{t}G^{n}(t-t')\xi^{n}(t')dt'+} \nonumber\\
&&\displaystyle{-g\int_{0}^{t}dt'G^{n}(t-t')
\sum_{\alpha,\beta,\gamma}Y^{\alpha}(t')Y^{\beta}(t')Y^{\gamma}
(t')\sum_{i}\eta_{i}^{\alpha}\eta_{i}^{\beta}\eta_{i}^{\gamma}
\eta_{i}^{n}.} \label{Yg}\end{aligned}$$ This is a self-consistent equation, which can be solved with an iterative procedure. At finite order in $g$, $Y^{n}$ is a polynomial in the variables $\xi^{n}(t)$. We can obtain the dynamic physical quantities averaging $G^{n}$ and $C^{n}$ over the distribution of the eigenvalues (\[a13\]) and of the eigenvectors defined by (\[eig\])-(\[norm\]). We can show that, as in the static case, only the diagrams of the Hartree-fock type are relevant in the correction to the Green functions. The correction terms do not change the dynamic behaviour of the $2$-point functions for $T=T_{c}$, because the time dependent part of the self-energy is regular at $T=T_{c}$ [@s.z.2]. After some algebraic calculation we find only a mass renormalization effect for $C(\omega)$ and $G(\omega)$ $$\begin{aligned}
G_{r}(\omega)&=&\int\frac{d\lambda\:\sigma(\lambda)}
{(-\beta\lambda+m^2-i\omega)}\nonumber\\
&=&2+\Delta T_{c}+\tau-2\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega)}\;, \label{1g}\\
\nonumber\\
C_{r}(\omega)&=&\int\frac{d\lambda\:\sigma(\lambda)}
{((-\beta\lambda+m^2)^2-i\omega^2)}\nonumber\\
&=&\frac{2\cdot 4}
{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega)}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega)}}\;.
\label{1c} \end{aligned}$$ where $m^2$ is the renormalized static parameter (\[massa\]), $\Delta T_{c}=T_{c}-T_{c}^{0}$ is the difference from the renormalized and the bare critical temperature ($T_{c}^{0}=2$), while as usually $\tau=T-T_{c}$. The relations (\[1g\]) and (\[1c\]) are in agreement with the critical behaviour indicated in [@s.z.2] by Sompolinsky and Zippelius. The susceptibility, according to the definition (\[7.1\]), results $$\chi_{S.G.}(\omega_{1},\omega_{2})=\int\frac{d\lambda\:\sigma(\lambda)}
{(-\beta\lambda+m^2-i\omega_{1})(-\beta\lambda+m^2-i\omega_{2})}.$$ It is clear that $\chi_{SG}(\omega_{1},\omega_{2})$ has a finite limit for $\omega\rightarrow 0$ when $T>T_{c}$, while at $T=T_{c}$ it shows a critical behaviour such as $$\chi\propto \frac{1}{\omega^{1/2}}.$$
For the generic 4-point function the connected terms occur. For example, for $\langle \xi_{i}(t_{1})s_{i}(t_{2})s_{k}(t_{3})\xi_{k}(t_{4})\rangle$, we have the diagram of Fig.\[1\], where, as usual, a line with an arrow represents a response function(the time order follows the arrow) and one with a cross a correlation function. The diagrams that we have to sum in order to evaluate the renormalized coupling constant are drawn in Fig.\[2\] and in the low frequency limit we have: $$g_{r}=\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{2}\sqrt{2(2m^{2}-i\omega)}.$$ Therefore the total contribution to $\langle \xi_{i}s_{i} s_{k}\xi_{k}\rangle$ function, represented in Fig.\[3\], is the sum of the following terms: $$\begin{aligned}
1)&\displaystyle{-\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{2}\left(\sqrt{2(2m^2-i\bar{\omega}}\right)
\frac{4}{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{1})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{2})}}}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\frac{1}{\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{3})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{4})}}
\frac{1}{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{4})}}}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\frac{16}{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{3})}}},
& \label{1c1}\end{aligned}$$ $$\begin{aligned}
2)&\displaystyle{-\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{2}\left(\sqrt{2(2m^2+i\bar{\omega}}\right)
\frac{4}{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{4})}}}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\frac{1}{\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{1})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{2})}}
\frac{1}{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{1})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{2})}}}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\frac{16}
{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{1})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{1})}}},&\label{2c1}\end{aligned}$$ $$\begin{aligned}
3)&\displaystyle{\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{2}\sqrt{2(2m^2-i\bar{\omega}
)}\right)
\left(\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{2}\sqrt{2(2m^2+i\bar{\omega})}\right)}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\frac{2i\sqrt{2}}{\bar{\omega}}\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{2(m^2-i
\bar{\omega})}}
-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2(m^2+i\bar{\omega})}}\right)
\frac{4}{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{1})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{2})}}}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\frac{4}{\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{4})}}}.&
\label{3c1}\end{aligned}$$ In the same way we can evaluate all the 4-point functions. The static limit derived from the dynamic functions coincides, order by order in $g$, with the static results. This is true also for the renormalized functions.
It is not easy to extend this formalism to the short-range model, because in that case the eigenvalue density $\sigma(\lambda)$ is not given by the simple expression (\[a13\]). Although the results of this section have been useful to us for understanding some properties of the correlation functions in the critical region, to go beyond the MF approximation we have to leave this approach. In the next section we will use the functional integral formalism for a dynamic SG model in finite dimensions. The results obtained in this section will be used as comparative terms for the long-range limit of the short-range correlation functions.
Fluctuations in short range spin glasses.$\hspace{3cm}$ Functional integral formulation.
========================================================================================
To solve a theory with quenched parameters we can use the functional integral formulation for dynamics, introduced by De Dominicis [@dom.pel.]. So we consider an auxiliary field $\hat{s}_{i}(t)$, [@m.s.r.], and we define a two-component vector field\
$\phi_{i}^{\alpha}=(i\hat{s}_{i},s_{i})$. One can show [@s.z.2] that in this formalism the factor $i\hat{s}_{i}(t)$ in a correlation function acts like $\frac{\partial}{\partial\beta h_{i}}$, where $h_{i}$ is the external field: $$\langle s_{i}(t)i\hat{s}_{i}(t')\rangle_{L(s,\hat{s})}=
\frac{\partial\langle s_{i}(t)\rangle_{L(s,\hat{s})}}{\partial\beta h_{i}(t')}=
G(t-t')$$ So $i\hat{s}_{i}(t)$ replaces the noise $\xi_{i}(t)$ to generate the response functions.
After averaging over $J_{ij}$ (in this case we can avoid the replica trick because the functional ${\cal Z}$ is normalized), a 4-spin interaction is generated. It is convenient to decouple this interaction by a gaussian transformation [@s.z.2]. Then the theory can be defined with a generating functional in the $Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(t,t')$ variables: $$\begin{aligned}
{\cal Z}=\int \prod_{\alpha,\beta=1,2}[DQ_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)]
\exp &\displaystyle{\left(-\int d1\:\d2\sum_{i,j}\tilde{K}^{-1}_{ij}Q_{i}^
{\alpha\beta}(1,2) A^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta} Q_{j}^{\gamma\delta}(1,2)
\right.}&\nonumber\\
&+\left.\ln \displaystyle{\int [ds][d\hat{s}]\exp(L_{1}(s,\hat{s},Q_{i}^
{\alpha\beta})}\right)\;,& \label{c1}\end{aligned}$$ where $\displaystyle{\tilde{K}^{-1}_{ij}=\frac{z}{\beta^2}K^{-1}_{ij}}$ ($K_{ij}=1$ if $i,j$ are nearest neighbors and zero otherwise) and $A^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}$ is such that $A^{1122}= A^{2211} =A^{2112}=
A^{1221}=1$ and $0$ otherwise.\
$L_{1}$ is: $$L_{1}=L_{0}+\int d1 d2\:Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(12)\psi^{\alpha}_{i}(1)
\psi^{\beta}_{i}(2), \label{L1}$$ where the field $\psi_{i}^{\alpha}$ is defined: $$\psi_{i}^{\alpha}=
\left(\begin{array}{cc}
0&1\\ 1&0
\end{array}\right) \phi_{i}^{\alpha}=(s_{i},i\hat{s}_{i})\;,$$ and $L_{0}$ is the local part of the theory: $$L_{0}=\int d1 \sum_{i}\left[i\hat{s}_{i}(1)\left(-\Gamma_{0}^{-1}\partial_{1}
s_{i}(1)
-r_{0}s_{i}(1)-\frac{1}{3!}g s_{1}^{3}(1)+\Gamma_{0}^{-1}i\hat{s}_{i}(1)\right)
\right]. \label{c2}$$ The value of the Jacobi determinant $J$, associated to the integral formulation of the $\delta$ function [@dom.pel.] depends on the discretization chosen to regularize the Langevin equation. With the following regularization: $$s(t+\epsilon)-s(t)+\epsilon \left(-\frac{\partial(\beta
{\cal{H}})}{\partial s_{i}(t)}\right)=D_{i}^{\epsilon}(t)$$ where $D_{i}^{\epsilon}(t)=\int_{t}^{t+\epsilon}\xi_{i}(t')\: dt'$, one has $J=1$ (and it has been omitted in all the previous formula).
In the previous expressions and in the followings of this section we shall write $1$ for $t_{1}$, $2$ for $t_{2}$ and so on.
The solution of the MF theory is well known [@s.z.2], and it is consistent with the results obtained in the previous section. Let us consider the fluctuations around the saddle point value $Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)=\overline{Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}}(1,2)
+\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)$. As a result the model can be formulated in terms of the dynamic fluctuation field $\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)$: $${\cal Z}=\int \prod_{\alpha,\beta=1,2}D\{\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}\}
\exp(L(s,\hat{s},\overline{{Q}_{i}^{\alpha\beta}}+\delta
Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta})), \label{dq}$$ where $L$ contains the quadratic and the cubic term of the series expansion around the MF value:
$$\begin{aligned}
L&=&-\sum_{1,2}\sum_{i,j}\tilde{K}^{-1}_{i,j}\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)
A^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}\delta Q_{j}^{\gamma\delta}(1,2)+\nonumber\\
&+& \frac{1}{2}\sum_{1,2,3,4}\sum_{i}\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)
C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(1,2,3,4)\delta Q_{i}^{\gamma\delta}(3,4)+
\nonumber\\
&+&\frac{1}{3!}\sum_{1,2,3,4,5,6}\sum_{i}
C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta\mu\nu}(1,2,3,4,5,6)
\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)
\delta Q_{i}^{\gamma\delta}(3,4)\delta Q_{i}^{\mu\nu}(5,6)\;.
\nonumber\\ \label{zipp}
\end{aligned}$$
The higher order terms can be neglected because we are interested in the behaviour of the Green functions near the critical temperature in the paramagnetic phase. The $C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(1,2,3,4)$ and $C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta\mu\nu}(1,2,3,4,5,6)$ vertices are the 4-spin and 6-spin correlation functions of the one site MF theory described by the partition function $${\cal Z_{0}}=\int[ds_{i}][d\hat{s}_{i}] exp\left[L_{0}+\int d1 d2
\sum_{i}\overline
{{Q}^{\alpha\beta}_{i}}(1,2)\psi_{i}^{\alpha}(1)\psi_{i}^{\beta}(2)\right],
\label{z37}$$ connected with respect to pairs. For example for $C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(1,2,3,4)$ we have: $$C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(1,2,3,4)=
\langle\psi_{i}^{\alpha}(1)\psi_{i}^{\beta}(2)\psi_{i}^{\gamma}(3)
\psi_{i}^{\delta}(4)\rangle_{MF}-\langle\psi_{i}^{\alpha}(1)
\psi_{i}^{\beta}(2)\rangle_{MF}\langle\psi_{i}^{\gamma}(3)
\psi_{i}^{\delta}(4)\rangle_{MF}\;.$$
The form of the functions $C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}$ and $C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta\mu\nu}$ is crucial in the following. We want to study the universal behaviour of the system near the critical fixed point, so we are interesting in the singular part of these functions for $T=T_{c}$, and for $\omega\rightarrow 0$. Thus we consider $T=T_{c}$ from the beginning in the MF theory described by the functional (\[z37\]) for the soft-spin model. Because of we are not able to compute the 4-point and 6-point functions analytically in a closed simple form, a perturbative approach will be used. We perform an expansion in the quartic vertex $\left[\frac{1}{3!}g (s_{i})^3 i\hat{s}_{i}\right]$ using the MF expressions (\[1g\]) and (\[1c\]) for the propagators $[\langle s_{i}(t) i\hat{s}_{i}(t')\rangle]_{J}$ and $[\langle s_{i}(t) s_{i}(t')\rangle]_{J}$ respectively ($[\langle i\hat{s}_{i}(t)i\hat{s}_{i}(t')\rangle]_{J}\equiv 0$).
We can demonstrate that the critical behaviour of these functions is determined only by the zero loop contributions. In fact the loops that we can form with the quartic vertex of $L_{0}$, in the $\omega$ space, are:
The first is infrared converging and the latter is only logarithmic infrared diverging. In the evaluation of any renormalized correlation function, these diverging loops occur always multiplied by correlation functions which are less singular (for $T\rightarrow T_{c}$) than the tree level ones. For example, for the function $C^{1221}(\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})$ we obtain: $$\begin{aligned}
&C^{1221}(\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})
=G(\omega_{4}) G(\omega_{1})\delta(\omega_{4}+\omega_{2})
\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{3})+&\nonumber\\
&g\cdot G(-\omega_{2})G(-\omega_{3})\left[C(\omega_{1})
G(\omega_{4})+C(\omega_{4})
G(\omega_{1})\right]\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{2}+\omega_{3}+\omega_{4})+&
\nonumber\\
&g^2\cdot G(\omega_{1})G(\omega_{2})G(\omega_{3})G(\omega_{4})\cdot
\log(\bar{\omega})
\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{2}+\omega_{3}+\omega_{4}).&\end{aligned}$$ From the expression (\[1g\]) and (\[1c\]) for the response and correlation functions, we can see that the 1-loop contribution to the connected part of $C^{1221}$ is negligible (it is of order $\log(\omega)$ in the limit $\omega\rightarrow 0$) with respect to the zero loop one (that is of order $1/(\omega)^{1/2}$in the same limit). In the same way, we find for $C^{2221}$ that only the connected part is different from zero and is $$g G(-\omega_{2})G(-\omega_{3})G(-\omega_{1})
G(\omega_{4})
\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{2}+\omega_{3}+\omega_{4}).\label{c2221}$$ It is reasonable to assume that this phenomenon, which we have seen in a perturbative expansion in $g$, holds beyond the perturbative theory, so, in order to study the critical behaviour of the system we can neglect the loop contributions. In [@z.] these correlation functions were not considered at the critical point and a factorized functional expression was proposed for them in the hard-spin limit. The functional form that we obtain is obviously different, but we have not yet verified if we obtain also a different value for the universal physical quantities (i.e. critical exponents).
The correlations of the $\phi_{i}^{\alpha}$ fields, which we are interested in, are related to those $\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}$ by the relations: $$\displaystyle{[\langle\phi_{i}^{\alpha}(1)\phi_{i}^{\beta}(2)\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}=
2\sum_{j}(\tilde{K}^{-1})_{ij}}
\displaystyle{\left(\overline{{Q}_{j}^{\alpha\beta}}(1,2)+
\langle\delta Q_{j}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)\rangle_{L(Q_{\alpha\beta})}\right)},$$ $$\begin{aligned}
&\displaystyle{[\langle\phi_{i}^{\alpha}(1)\phi_{i}^{\beta}(2)\phi_{k}^
{\gamma}(3)\phi_{k}^{\delta}(4)\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}=}
\displaystyle{4\sum_{j}(\tilde{K}^{-1})_{ij}\sum_{l}
(\tilde{K}^{-1})_{kl}}&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\hspace{-1cm}\langle\left(\overline{{Q}_{j}^{\alpha\beta}}(1,2)+
\delta Q_{j}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)\right)\left(\overline{{Q}_{l}^{\gamma\delta}}
(3,4)
+\delta Q_{l}^{\gamma\delta} (3,4)\right)}\rangle_{L(Q_{\alpha\beta})}+&
\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\hspace{-1cm}-2(\tilde{K}^{-1})_{ik}A^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}
\delta(1-3)\delta(2-4)}&.\end{aligned}$$ In the next section, therefore, we will to evaluate the correlation functions of the fields $\delta Q_{i}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)$.
The Propagators
---------------
Let us consider the expression (\[zipp\]) with the vanishing cubic interaction. The generic propagator $$\begin{aligned}
G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(i-j;1,2,3,4)=
[\langle\phi_{i}^{\alpha}(1)\phi_{i}^{\beta}(2)\phi_{j}^{\gamma}(3)
\phi_{j}^{\delta}(4)\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}-
[\langle\phi_{i}^{\alpha}(1)\phi_{i}^{\beta}(2)\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}
[\langle\phi_{j}^{\gamma}(3)\phi_{j}^{\delta}(4)\rangle_{\xi}]_{J}&& \nonumber\\
=4\sum_{l}(\tilde{K}^{-1})_{il}\sum_{k}(\tilde{K}^{-1})_{jk}
\langle\delta Q_{l}^{\alpha\beta}(1,2)
\delta Q_{k}^{\gamma\delta}(3,4)\rangle_{L(Q_{\alpha\beta})}-
2(\tilde {K}^{-1})_{ij} A^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}\delta(1-3)
\delta(2-4)\;,&&\nonumber\\\end{aligned}$$ is calculated in free theory and will be used to evaluate the corrections of terms in the loop expansion. In the free theory $G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(i-j;1,2,3,4)$ is the solution to the following integral system: $$\begin{aligned}
\sum_{3,4}\left(-2\:\tilde{K}^{-1}(k) A^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}
\delta (1-3)
\delta (2-4)+C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(1,2,3,4)\right)\times \nonumber \\
\left(\frac{1}{4}G^{\gamma\delta\mu\nu}(k;3,4,5,6)+\frac{1}{2}\tilde{K}^{-1}(k)
A^{\gamma\delta\mu\nu}\delta (3-5)\delta (4-6)\right)=\nonumber\\
=-\delta_{\alpha,\mu}\delta_{\beta,\nu}\tilde{K}^{-2}(k)
\delta (1-5)\delta (2-6)\; , \label{sist}
\end{aligned}$$ For each value of $\mu$ and $\nu$ (\[sist\]) is an integral system of four coupled equations in the $G^{11\mu\nu}$, $G^{21\mu\nu}$, $G^{12\mu\nu}$, $G^{22\mu\nu}$ variables. Obviously we consider $G^{\alpha\beta\mu\nu}(i,j;t_{1},t_{2},t_{3},t_{4})$ invariant under permutation of the index $\alpha,\beta,\mu,\nu$ and of the relatives times $t_{1},t_{2},t_{3},t_{4}$. First we solve the system for $\mu,\nu=1,2$. We are not able to solve the system (\[sist\]) exactly, so we use a recursive procedure by considering $G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}$ as a perturbative series in $g$. For $g=0$ the coefficients $C^{\alpha\beta12}(1,2,3,4)$ are factorized in the time-difference and the integral kernel show a complete separation of the internal time. This is the limit in which the propagators have been computed in [@s.z.3]. In Fourier space we obtain: $$G_{0}^{1121}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=0\;,\label{3g1}$$ $$\begin{aligned}
&&\hspace{-1cm}G_{0}^{2121}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=
\frac{\tilde{K}^{-1}(k)G(\omega_{1})G(-\omega_{2})\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{4})
\delta(\omega_{2}+\omega_{3})}
{\tilde{K}^{-1}(k)-G(\omega_{1})G(-\omega_{2})},\label{3g3}\end{aligned}$$ $$\begin{aligned}
\hspace{-1.5cm}G_{0}^{2221}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=
\left.\frac{1}{\tilde{K}^{-1}(k)-G(\omega_{1})G(\omega_{2})}\right[
C(\omega_{3})G(-\omega_{4})\times&&\nonumber\\
\left.\frac{\tilde{K}^{-1}G(\omega_{3})G(-\omega_{4})
\left[\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{3})\delta(\omega_{2}+\omega_{4})+
\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{4})\delta(\omega_{2}+\omega_{3})\right]}
{\tilde{K}^{-1}(k)-G(\omega_{3})G(-\omega_{4})}\right].\label{3g4}&&\end{aligned}$$ Also at the zero order of the perturbation series in $g$ we consider the mass term ($m^2$) renormalized by the interaction.
At low frequency and for $T\rightarrow T_{c}$ we have\
$\displaystyle{\tilde{K}^{-1}(k)=\frac{1}{\beta^2} K^{-1}(k)=(4+4\Delta
T_{c}+4\tau)(1+ck^2)}$, $G(\omega)$ given by the (\[1g\]) and $C(\omega)$ by the (\[1c\]) and the expression (\[3g3\]) and (\[3g4\]) become: $$\begin{aligned}
&&\hspace{-1cm}G_{0}^{2121}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=
\frac{4\:\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{4})\delta(\omega_{2}+\omega_{3})}
{ck^2+\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{1}/\Gamma_{0})}+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{2}/
\Gamma_{0})}}\;,\\
\nonumber\\
&&\hspace{-1cm}G_{0}^{2221}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=
\frac{\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{3})\delta(\omega_{2}+\omega_{4})+
\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{3})\delta(\omega_{2}+\omega_{4})}
{4(ck^2+\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{1}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{2}/\Gamma_{0})})}\times\nonumber\\
&&\displaystyle{\hspace{1cm}\frac{4}{(ck^2+\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{4}/\Gamma_{0})})}}\times\nonumber\\
&&\hspace{1cm}\frac{4\cdot 2\cdot 2}{(\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{3}/\Gamma_{0})})}\;.\end{aligned}$$ In the same way, if we calculate the system for $\mu,\nu=2,2$ we obtain the propagator $G^{2222}$ that for $g=0$ results: $$\begin{aligned}
&&\displaystyle{
G_{0}^{2222}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=
\frac{\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{3})\delta(\omega_{2}+\omega_{4})}
{4(ck^2+\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{1}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{2}/\Gamma_{0})})}}\times\nonumber\\
&&\displaystyle{\hspace{1cm}
\left[\frac{2}{(ck^2+\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{3}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{4}/\Gamma_{0})})}\right.}+\nonumber\\
&&\displaystyle{\left.\hspace{3cm}
+\frac{2}{(ck^2+\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{4}/\Gamma_{0})}}\right]}\times\nonumber\\
&&\displaystyle{
\frac{2\cdot 4\cdot 2}{(\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{2}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{2}/\Gamma_{0})})}
\frac{2\cdot 4\cdot 2}{(\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2+i\omega_{3}/\Gamma_{0})})}}\nonumber\times\\
&&\displaystyle{\hspace{2cm}
\frac{1}
{(ck^2+\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{3}/\Gamma_{0})}+
\sqrt{2(m^2-i\omega_{4}/ \Gamma_{0})})}}\;,\end{aligned}$$ plus another term of the same form proportional to $(\delta(\omega_{1}+\omega_{4})\delta(\omega_{2}+\omega_{3}))$.
For $\chi_{S.G.}(k,\omega)=G^{2121}(k;\omega=\omega_{1}=\omega_{2})$ we obtain the following scaling behaviour for $T\rightarrow T_{c}^{+}$: $$\chi_{S.G.}(k,\omega)=\xi^{2-\eta}f(k\xi,\omega\xi^{z}) \label{scaling}$$ where $\xi$ is the correlation length and $\eta$ and $z$ are the usual critical exponents that, at the MF approximation, take the value of $0$ and $4$ respectively.
At the first order in $g$ we consider $G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}=G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}_{0}+
G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}_{1}$. For $G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}_{0}$ we use the former solution and we solve the system in the $G_{1}$ variables. We apply this procedure in an iterative way and we can show that, defining from a diagrammatic point of view $$\begin{aligned}
&G_{0}^{1221}(i-j;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=
G_{0}^{1221}(i-j;\omega_{1},\omega_{2})=\hspace{6cm}&\\
\nonumber\\
&G_{0}^{2221}(i-j;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=
G_{0}^{2221}(i-j;\omega_{1},\omega_{2})=\hspace{6cm}&\\
\nonumber\\
&G_{0}^{2222}(i-j;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})=
G_{0}^{2222}(i-j;\omega_{1},\omega_{2})=\hspace{6cm}&\end{aligned}$$ we obtain, for the following orders in $g$, recursive expressions that can be resumed. For istance, the terms that occur for the function $G^{1221}(i-j;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})$ can be represented with the diagrams in Fig.\[4\].
The expansion that we obtain can be seen as a perturbative series in the quadratic vertex $$C_{conn.}^{2221}(1,2,3,4)\delta Q^{22}_{i}(1,2)\delta
Q^{21}_{i}(34).\label{vert.}$$ In fact, we evaluate the free propagator $G_{0}$ considering only the disconnected part of the $C^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(1,2,3,4,)$, and we use a perturbative approach to take account of the connected part. The number of the topologically different vertices of form $$C_{conn.}^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}(1,2,3,4)\delta Q^{\alpha\beta}_{i}(1,2)
\delta Q^{\gamma\delta}_{i}(34)$$ are $4$ (the number of the superscripts equals one or two, and $C^{2222}\equiv 0$). By an explicit computation, one can see that the diagrams obtained with the vertex (\[vert.\]) are the most diverging ones.
Indeed, for example, the contribution to the function $\langle\delta Q^{12}(1,2)\delta Q^{12}(3,4)\rangle$ at the first order in g from the vertex (\[vert.\]) is $$\begin{aligned}
&\langle\delta Q^{12}(1,2)\delta Q^{12}(3,4)
\delta Q^{22}(5,6)\delta Q^{21}(7,8) C^{2221}_{conn}(5,6,7,8)
\rangle\propto& \nonumber\\
&\langle\delta Q^{12}(1,2)\delta Q^{22}(5,6)\rangle
\langle\delta Q^{12}(3,4)\delta Q^{21}(7,8)\rangle
C^{2221}_{conn}(5,6,7,8)
\stackrel{k,\omega\rightarrow 0}{\longrightarrow}&\nonumber\\
&\frac{1}{\omega^{3/2}}\cdot\frac{1}{\omega^{1/2}}\cdot g \cdot 1=
g \cdot (1/\omega^{2})& \end{aligned}$$ as one can verify from (\[1g\]) (\[1c\]) and (\[c2221\]), while from the vertex
$$C_{conn.}^{2121}(5,6,7,8)\delta Q^{21}(5,6)\delta
Q^{21}_{i}(7,8)$$ one obtains a weaker singularity of order: $$\begin{aligned}
&\langle\delta Q^{12}(1,2)\delta Q^{12}(3,4)
\delta Q^{21}(5,6)\delta Q^{21}(7,8) C^{2121}_{conn}(5,6,7,8)
\rangle\propto &\nonumber\\
&\langle\delta Q^{12}(1,2)\delta Q^{21}(5,6)\rangle
\langle\delta Q^{12}(3,4)\delta Q^{21}(7,8)\rangle
C^{2121}_{conn}(5,6,7,8)
\stackrel{k,\omega\rightarrow 0}{\longrightarrow}&\nonumber\\
&\frac{1}{\omega^{1/2}}\cdot\frac{1}{\omega^{1/2}}\cdot g \cdot
\frac{1}{\omega^{1/2}} = g\cdot (1/\omega^{3/2}).&\label{div} \end{aligned}$$ At this order in $g$ we do not have any other contribution to $\langle\delta Q^{12}(1,2)\delta Q^{12}(3,4)\rangle$, because the corrections, that one can obtain with the vertices $$C_{conn.}^{2111}(5,6,7,8)\delta Q^{21}(5,6)\delta
Q^{11}(7,8)$$ and $$C_{conn.}^{1111}(5,6,7,8)\delta Q_{i}^{11}(5,6)\delta
Q^{11}_{i}(7,8)\; ,$$ involved the propagator $\langle\delta Q^{12}\delta Q^{11}_{i}\rangle$ that are vanishing at the zero order in $g$.
Similarly, other functions can be calculated to verify that stronger singularity all arise from the vertex (\[vert.\]).
Therefore, as usual in the case of expansion in a quadratic vertex, we can resum the series. Moreover we deal with an order parameter depending on two times and we have to consider, in the Fourier space, the integral over the free internal frequencies.
To evaluate the complete propagators at $T=T_{c}$, we can define the renormalized coupling constant $$g_{r}=g-g^2 I(\bar{\omega},k)+g^3 I^{2}(\bar{\omega},k)+........ =
\frac{g}{1+g\,I(\bar{\omega},k)} \label{grk1}\;,$$ where $I(\bar{\omega},k)$, correspondent to the loop
is given by the integral:
$$\begin{aligned}
&\displaystyle{I_{1}(\bar{\omega},k)=\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\frac{d\omega}{2\pi}
\frac{1}{(ck^2+\sqrt{-2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}+
\sqrt{-2i(\bar{\omega}-\omega)/\Gamma_{0}}}}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\frac{1}{(ck^2+\sqrt{2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}+
\sqrt{-2i(\bar{\omega}-\omega)/\Gamma_{0}}}
\frac{16}{\sqrt{-2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}+\sqrt{2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}}}\times&
\nonumber\\
&=\displaystyle{
\frac{1}{ck^2+\sqrt{-2i\bar{\omega}/\Gamma_{0}}}\;
F_{1}\left(\frac{ck^2}{\left(i\bar{\omega}/\Gamma_{0}\right)^{1/2}}
\right)}\;.&\label{grk2}\end{aligned}$$
$F_{1}$ is a function of the variable $\displaystyle{\left(\frac{ck^2}{(i\bar{\omega})^{1/2}}\right)}$ that exhibits a constant limit for $\omega\rightarrow 0$ and for $k\rightarrow 0$ . The coupling constant in the low frequency and small moments limit is, according to (\[grk1\]) and to (\[grk2\]), $$g_{r}=(ck^2+\sqrt{-2i\bar{\omega}/\Gamma_{0}}) 1/F_{1}\;.\label{grk3}$$ To evaluate the total contribution of the loop corrections we must consider the term given by the following diagram:
with renormalized vertices. The value of the loop is: $$\begin{aligned}
&\hspace{-1.3cm}\displaystyle{I_{2}(\bar{\omega},k)=\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}
\left[\frac{d\omega}{2\pi}
\frac{1}{ck^2+\sqrt{-2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}+
\sqrt{-2i(\bar{\omega}-\omega)/\Gamma_{0}}}
\frac{1}{ck^2+\sqrt{2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}+\sqrt{2i(\bar{\omega}-\omega)/
\Gamma_{0}}}\right.}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\left(\frac{1}{ck^2+\sqrt{-2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}+
\sqrt{2i(\bar{\omega}-\omega)/\Gamma_{0}}}+
\frac{1}{ck^2+\sqrt{2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}+
\sqrt{-2i(\bar{\omega}-\omega)/\Gamma_{0}}}\right)}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{\left.\frac{8}{\sqrt{-2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}
+\sqrt{2i\omega/\Gamma_{0}}}
\frac{8}{\sqrt{-2i(\bar{\omega}-\omega)/\Gamma_{0}}+
\sqrt{2i(\bar{\omega}-\omega)/\Gamma_{0}}}\right]}\times&\nonumber\\
&\displaystyle{= \frac{1}{c^2k^4+2i\bar{\omega}/\Gamma_{0}}\left(\frac{1}
{ck^2+\sqrt{2i\bar{\omega}/\Gamma_{0}}}\right)
F_{2}\left(\frac{ck^2}{(i\bar{\omega}/\Gamma_{0})^{1/2}}\right)},&\end{aligned}$$ where $F_{2}(x)$, like $F_{1}(x)$, has a constant limit for $\omega\rightarrow 0$ and $k\rightarrow 0$.
The connected part of the free propagator $G^{1221}$ at $T=T_{c}$ is computed adding up all the diagrams in Fig.\[4\]. We have: $$\begin{aligned}
&&G^{1221}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})_{conn}=\left[
G_{0}^{1221}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2})G_{0}^{2122}(k;\omega_{3},\omega_{4})
g_{r}(k;\bar\omega)\frac{1}{F_{1}}+\right.\nonumber\\
&&\hspace{2truecm}+G_{0}^{1222}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2})
G_{0}^{2121}(k;\omega_{3},\omega_{4})g_{r}(k;-\bar\omega)
\frac{1}{F_{1}}+\nonumber\\
&&+G_{0}^{1221}(k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2})G_{0}^{2121}(k;\omega_{3},\omega_{4})
g_{r}(k;\bar\omega)g_{r}(k;-\bar\omega) \frac{1}{F_{1}^2}\nonumber\\
&&\left.\hspace{2truecm}\frac{1}{c^2k^4+2i\bar{\omega}/\Gamma_{0}}\left(\frac{1}
{ck^2+\sqrt{2i\bar{\omega}/\Gamma_{0}}}\right)
F_{2}\right]\delta (\omega{1}+\omega{2}+\omega{3}+\omega{4})\nonumber\\
\label{prop}\end{aligned}$$ which corresponds to the diagrams in Fig.\[5\] with the constant $g_{r}$ given by (\[grk3\]) and $\bar{\omega}=\omega_{2}-\omega_{1}$.
Conclusion
==========
The connected term of the propagators is zero only in the limit of two complete time separations. In all the other cases we must calculate the complete correlation function. In this way we compute $G^{\alpha\beta\gamma\delta}$ for all the values of the indices $\alpha\beta\gamma\delta$ and for all the time distances. It is easy to see that the long-range limit ($k\rightarrow 0$) of the connected part of the expressions (\[prop\]) coincides with the sum of the terms (\[1c1\]) (\[2c1\]) (\[3c1\]) of the third section. On the level of the Gaussian approximation, i.e. cubic interactions are neglected, the connected part of the propagators does not contribute to the susceptibility and the dynamic scaling (\[scaling\]) is correct.
Therefore, we have analysed the critical behaviour of the propagators of the soft-spin model in the quadratic approximation and we have put the bases for a short-range theory of SG in the renormalization group formalism. In fact the expressions that we have derived could be used to evaluate the contributions of the Feynmann diagrams that occur in the loop expansion when the cubic term of the Lagrangian (\[zipp\]) is considered non vanishing. The expression which we have obtained in the soft-spin case are quite different from those obtained by Zippelius in ref. [@z.]. It is certainly interesting to understand if the value of the dynamical critical exponent is affected by this difference. The computation of the loops will be crucial to clarify this point.
Acknowledgments {#acknowledgments .unnumbered}
===============
I am grateful to Giorgio Parisi for his support, essential for the realization of this work. I also would like to thank Enzo Marinari for useful discussion and suggestion.
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----------------------------
CAPTIONS FOR ILLUSTRATIONS
----------------------------
[ll]{}
Fig. 1: & Diagrams for the correlation function $[\langle\xi_{i}s_{i}s_{k}\xi_{k}\rangle]$\
& in the series expansion in $g$.
\
Fig. 2: & 1-particle irreducible diagrams that contribute to\
& the renormalization of the coupling constant.
\
Fig. 3: &The renormalized function $[\langle \xi_{i}s_{i}s_{k}\xi_{k}\rangle]_{conn}$.
\
Fig. 4: &Diagrammatic representation of the propagator\
& $G^{1221}(i-j;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})$ in the series expansion in $g$.
\
Fig. 5: &The connected part of the propagator\
& $G^{1221}(i-k;\omega_{1},\omega_{2},\omega_{3},\omega_{4})$.
\
| 2024-05-07T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7096 |
M.A.C. Cream Colour Base in Shell
Related Links
HOW IT LOOKS/FEELS:It's a loud pearlescent rose gold in the pot, but on skin it gives just a subtle, luminous glow.
WHY WE LIKE IT: "Iridescent golden pink adds a clean, chic glow to the skin," says makeup artist Gucci Westman. Using your fingertips, apply to cheekbones, the inner corners of eyes, even the Cupid's bow. This pearly shade flatters fair skin most, and we especially dig it when it's paired with bright lips. | 2023-10-03T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6401 |
Here's something we never thought we'd write; Duke Nukem Forever has a release date, though for now it's a tentative one handed over by retailers Amazon and Gamestop.
Both outlets (spotted by) have put a February 1 release date on the long-delayed game, and it could mark an end to an incredible 12 year long journey for Duke Nukem Forever Gearbox has since come back and said that the date is a placeholder for now.emerged over the weekend, showing chunks of the gameplay | 2024-06-15T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1232 |
The New Republic
The New Republic
The New Republic
Saving Cyprustan
How Russia Sees Cyprus
The day that Cyprus rejected a European bailout that would have given every bank account in the country a “haircut,” the Cypriot finance minister Michael Sarris went on a mission. He went not to Brussels or Berlin, however, but to Moscow. Sarris had to find $7.5 billion dollars to cover the gap between the $12.5 billion the Eurozone was going to give Cyprus—the Europeans and IMF insisted the loan be capped at 10 billion Euros— and the $20 billion that the Cypriots needed to plug the hole in their economy. Flying to wealthy, flashy Moscow, which, as we’ve all heard, has oodles of money in Cyprus, though no one knows exactly how much, was a predictable move, like calling your spendthrift millionaire friend when you can’t make your rent this month.
How does one explain to the average foreigner that the Russian government is sheltering its money…from the Russian government?
So Sarris showed up in Moscow, but not hat in hand, exactly. He came offering stakes in Cypriot telecom companies and in its recently discovered offshore gas reserves— reserves which Gazprom was reportedly eying in a potential private bailout. And yet, on Friday, the three-day talks with Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Dmitry Medvedev—who is said to have audibly cheered in a meeting when he saw the news that Cypriots had rejected the Euro bailout–ended with little to show for the effort. Medvedev said he wasn’t shutting the door on bailing out Cyprus with help from Europe, but Sarris went home to a ticking clock, empty-handed.
It’s not clear why Moscow didn’t bite, but all of this exposes a very interesting geopolitical situation. Russians are said to have up to $32 billion in Cypriot banks, which is not insignificant for a country with a $25 billion GDP. But don’t quote me on that Russian number. Asked by a Russian paper how much Russian money was in Cyprus, the head of the Cypriot Central Bank said, “depends on how you count it.” This is in part because it’s very easy for Russians to acquire residency as well as to register off-shore or shell companies on the island. Often, however, they are registered to a local lawyer, so the company is technically Cypriot, but stuffed with Russian cash.
Cyprus is often talked about as a money laundromat for ill-gotten Russian money, and as a tax shelter, but the more accurate description is probably “haven.” Some of Russia’s wealthiest tycoons have money stashed in Cyprus, but so do people from the humble ranks of Russia’s many, many millionaires, not to mention droves of the merely upper-middle class. (The big dogs have their money all over the world—Isle of Man, Switzerland, London real estate, the Cayman Islands—but Cyprus is the starter haven, the gateway to the world of offshore accounts.) The reason, as former Russian finance minister Alexei Kudrin explained, is simple: Cyprus was once an English colony, which means that it has English law, which the Russians revere for its ability to fairly settle business disputes.1 Not only is Cyprus an Orthodox Christian country, with an alphabet from which Cyrillic was derived, it is also a place with rule of law and a functioning, independent court system. Russians do not have this at home, where money or property can be yours one day, and someone else’s the next, without any legal recourse. So yes, money gets laundered in Cyprus, but money is also kept safe there from other Russians, specifically those working in the Russian government.
And that’s where it gets crazy: on Thursday, Medvdev said that unnamed “government structures” have their funds in Cyprus. Which explains Russian President Putin’s outburst when the European plan was first announced: Putin, the man who jails dissidents and on whose watch corruption and government extortion of businesses has reached near mythical levels, called the Cypriot bank tax “unfair.” But not really. How does one explain to the average foreigner that the Russian government is sheltering its money…from the Russian government?
It’s worth noting here that Russians generally don’t see their government as a ruling body and neutral arbiter, or as a guarantor of the rule of law. Russians, correctly, see their government as a collection of front-row seats to the auction divvying up Russia’s natural plenty. In the last decade, government bureaucrats have become the country’s new elite. Their expenditures on houses, cars, or watches rarely match their official incomes. Over the summer, for example, a Moscow real estate company found that over half of the luxury flats in Moscow—those priced at $2 million and up—were purchased by government officials. It’s no surprise then, that when Russians are asked about corruption, they are not so much infuriated as envious: polls repeatedly find that a majority of Russians simply want to get into a government post to get access to the goodies.
And once you get those goodies, you must hide them in a place where other people in the government—say, overzealous fire marshals—can’t get at them.
But the Russian government itself owns a lot of businesses, like VTB Bank—where Kudrin, until recently, served as chairman of the board—that, in turn, does a lot of business in Cyprus. VTB is one of Russia’s largest banks and it is mostly owned by the Russian government. Which makes some of its transactions seem rather strange indeed. For example, Alexey Navalny, an opposition politician, uncovered one such scheme: VTB decided that it could make some money renting oil drilling equipment it purchased from China. VTB did not purchase them directly, but through a Cypriot company, registered to two Russians, which bought and sold them to VTB at a 50 percent markup, and pocketed the difference: $150 million. (The point was for the Cypriot company to make the $150 million, rather than the rental of the drilling equipment, which is lying unused in some forsaken field in Siberia.)
To the Russians, Cyprus has become a kind of Mediterranean Russian colony. There are Russian storefronts, nearly 50,000 Russian residents, and many more vacationers from the Russian middle class. Cyprus has become wildly dependent not on Europe, whose currency it uses, but on Russia. It’s a particularly ironic twist given that Russia, historically, has seen itself as the Third Rome, the Orthodox power that picked up the flag that Byzantium dropped when it was conquered by the Turks. Perhaps it is because of this that the Europeans, particularly the Germans, pushed for the Cypriots to pay for part of their own bailout. Greeks are one thing, but Russians—whom Europe sees as the barbarians at the gate, aping its fashions and customs—are another, and Germany sees no reason why a country that turns off its gas supply to punish Ukraine, should be bailed out by German taxpayers.
The real question in the Cyprus debacle is why Russia is being so careful. You’d think Moscow would be happy to rush in and save a small European country that the Continent has snubbed. They already have a colony in the Mediterranean. $7.5 billion would be a cheap price to turn it into an ally.
Two of Russia’s most notorious oligarchs—Roman Abramovich and Boris Berezovsky, who died this weekend— recently duked out their competing claims on a Russian oil company…in a London courtroom. | 2024-06-20T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4070 |
Jordan's king acknowledges reforms have stumbled
In this photo released by the Jordanian Royal Palace, King Abdullah II of Jordan, left, receives Hamza Mansour, Jordan's Muslim opposition leader, right, in Amman, Jordan, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. A secret U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks indicates that in 2009 the U.S. ambassador to Jordan had little faith in King Abdullah II's promises to initiate reforms in his country. (AP Photo/Jordan Royal Palace, Yousef Allan)
— AP
In this photo released by the Jordanian Royal Palace, King Abdullah II of Jordan, left, receives Hamza Mansour, Jordan's Muslim opposition leader, right, in Amman, Jordan, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. A secret U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks indicates that in 2009 the U.S. ambassador to Jordan had little faith in King Abdullah II's promises to initiate reforms in his country. (AP Photo/Jordan Royal Palace, Yousef Allan)
/ AP
AMMAN, Jordan
Jordan's King Abdullah II on Thursday acknowledged that reforms in the country have "slowed and stumbled," and urged to the nation's Muslim opposition to work with the new government to give the people a greater say in politics.
The appeal comes a day after the powerful Muslim Brotherhood rejected an offer from the country's newly appointed prime minister to join his Cabinet, saying the new premier is the wrong person to introduce reforms.
The Royal Palace said in a statement that Abdullah, who is under growing public pressure to give Jordanians a greater voice in public life in the wake of the upheaval in Tunisia and Egypt, told leaders of the Brotherhood and other Islamist groups that he wanted "everyone to work together to achieve needed progress in the political reform process and increase the citizens' participation in decision-making."
"Political reform in Jordan has slowed and stumbled," Abdullah said. He said the lack of progress has "cost the country lost opportunities because some had put their personal interests ahead of Jordan's own interests."
Jamil Abu-Bakr, a senior Brotherhood leader, said the king did not try to persuade the Islamist group during Thursday's meeting to reconsider its refusal to join Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit's new Cabinet. "This matter was not brought up at all," he said.
Abu-Bakr told The Associated Press the Brotherhood pressed its demands for constitutional amendments to curb Abdullah's power to name prime ministers and instead allow Jordanians to elect them by popular vote.
Jordan's constitution gives the king the exclusive powers to appoint prime ministers, dismiss parliament and rule by decree.
He also said the group also asked Abdullah to change a disputed election law it claims gerrymandered districts in favor of the government's supporters. The Brotherhood boycotted last November's parliamentary elections to protest the law.
"The king was forthcoming and took our demands seriously," he said. "He stressed that he was serious about reforms and that the upcoming period was the dawn of a new era."
"I'm optimistic and we hope that real change will happen," Abu-Bakr added.
But he insisted the Brotherhood will still stage a protest planned for Friday "to press our demands and make sure that the government receives our message loud and clear."
In Washington, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke by telephone Thursday with Abdullah, who is a close U.S. ally.
"We are eager to continue to support Jordan during these difficult times," Crowley said. "The secretary noted in the call that we appreciate the example that Jordan has set in allowing freedom of expression during recent protests."
Brotherhood leader Hamza Mansour said the group turned down an offer to join the government late Wednesday. "We are looking for a reformist government that will bring about real change," Mansour said. He added that al-Bakhit, an ex-army general, is a "military man incapable of introducing needed reforms."
Jordan's king fired his government Tuesday and named al-Bakhit to head a new one. Abdullah ordered al-Bakhit to implement reforms to boost economic opportunities and give Jordanians a greater say in politics. | 2023-09-04T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8715 |
High-level dietary fibre up-regulates colonic fermentation and relative abundance of saccharolytic bacteria within the human faecal microbiota in vitro.
Health authorities around the world advise citizens to increase their intake of foods rich in dietary fibre because of its inverse association with chronic disease. However, a few studies have measured the impact of increasing mixed dietary fibres directly on the composition of the human gut microbiota. We studied the impact of high-level mixed dietary fibre intake on the human faecal microbiota using an in vitro three-stage colonic model. The colonic model was maintained on three levels of fibre, a basal level of dietary fibre, typical of a Western-style diet, a threefold increased level and back to normal level. Bacterial profiles and short chain fatty acids concentrations were measured. High-level dietary fibre treatment significantly stimulated the growth of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus-Enterococcus group, and Ruminococcus group (p < 0.05) and significantly increased clostridial cluster XIVa and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii in vessel 1 mimicking the proximal colon (p < 0.05). Total short chain fatty acids concentrations increased significantly upon increased fibre fermentation, with acetate and butyrate increasing significantly in vessel 1 only (p < 0.05). Bacterial species richness changed upon increased fibre supplementation. The microbial community and fermentation output returned to initial levels once supplementation with high fibre ceased. This study shows that high-level mixed dietary fibre intake can up-regulate both colonic fermentation and the relative abundance of saccharolytic bacteria within the human colonic microbiota. Considering the important role of short chain fatty acids in regulating human energy metabolism, this study has implications for the health-promoting potential of foods rich in dietary fibres. | 2024-02-10T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9223 |
NINEVEH PROVINCE, Iraq—Night has fallen as Haitham Alwan enters his cousin’s house in a quiet suburb of Mosul. It will be his home for a few days, then he will move on. Perhaps to his godparents', who have already taken in his two children.
The 44-year-old former soldier is cloaked in a worn-out winter coat which he wears over a filthy thobe. A man on the run, he has neither time nor money to improve his appearance.
“I never stay in one place for very long. I’m scared that ISIS will find me,” he says.
When talking, Haitham’s left eye scans the room nervously. The right eye stares ahead rigidly, its pupil blotted white. It is a memento of his time fighting the so-called Islamic State in Mosul, where he spearheaded attacks in an armored bulldozer to clear barricades and mines in the claustrophobic battle for the city.
Heavily wounded by an RPG that hit his vehicle and penetrated the driver’s cabin, he left the army before the battle was out. Haitham was back in his native village near Mosul when then-Prime Minister Haider Abadi declared the war against ISIS won.
But in the remote, barren countryside of northern Iraq, the war was never really won. Soon, marauding bands of surviving ISIS fighters began setting ambushes, planting mines and attacking soldiers and civilians.
Dozens of checkpoints and army bases dot the area around Mosul. Many are guarding the main highway connecting the city to Baghdad. Less strategic stretches of land are not protected. The soldiers in the bases—a few houses or containers surrounded by earthen berms—point to the horizon and shrug their shoulders. We have no bases over there, that’s bandit country, they say.
But even Haitham’s home village of Bijwaniya, which lies only a couple of miles off the highway, is not safe, as he was soon to discover. One night in November, five men knocked on his door. They claimed to be part of a local militia, but when Haitham became suspicious and refused to open they began shooting. The rounds of their assault rifles tore through the door and hit the wall of the mud hut. Three bullets hit Haitham’s wife Ayda. Haitham, crouched beside the door firing his rifle, managed to fight off the attackers, but his wife died from her wounds.
After the attack, Haitham fled his village. Too many of its inhabitants still sympathize with the terror group, he says.
“Because of the support from the locals, ISIS is roaming the area unhindered. There are not enough soldiers around to prevent attacks on villages,” says Haitham.
The terror group’s survival is nourished by the glaring poverty of rural Iraq. ISIS benefits from the frustration at the government, which has made no effort to divert any of Iraq’s plentiful oil receipts to villages like Bijwaniya. The cluster of mud huts is not connected to the power grid or a water supply; there are no paved roads. Most of its residents are unemployed.
The situation is not much different in nearby Mosul. In the metropolis on the Tigris, poverty abounds. Swathes of the city have been devastated by the war, but reconstruction efforts by the government are paltry. The historic old town on the banks of the Tigris lies in ruins, and bodies are still recovered from the rubble.
Most of the reconstruction is funded privately, with families spending their money to rebuild their homes or businesses. Barely any of the city’s infrastructure has been repaired. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, almost $900 million is needed to restore basic services. The government has committed only a fraction of that, much of which has been eaten up by corruption.
“We have beaten ISIS, and the city is safe. The next step is to rebuild Mosul, to help the people and give them jobs. But we are only making very slow progress on this important step,” says Major General Najim al-Jubouri, the commander of security forces in Mosul.
Jubouri has set up his headquarters in a sprawling palace complex built by Saddam Hussein. The palace itself was destroyed by U.S. bombs during the Second Gulf War, and the major general has his offices in a spacious side building instead. The vast palace complex is a reminder that Iraq’s oil wealth tends to benefit the country’s rulers, not its people.
A drive from the palace in the city center to Mosul’s periphery confirms that impression.
“The only time we see politicians here is during the elections. They come and tell us that everything will get better if we vote for them,” says Fathi Khedir, a taxi driver living in the suburb of Tanak. The area is right on the edge of Mosul, where the city peters out into the muddy expanses of the Nineveh plains. There are few paved roads, and electricity is mainly generated by noisy truck engines that belch exhaust fumes into the neighborhood. Employment is scarce.
Areas like Tanak proved a fertile recruitment ground for ISIS. Discrimination against Mosul’s Sunni population by the Shia-dominated government added to the resentment, and throughout the city a dense network of terror cells wrested control from security forces even before ISIS stormed it in 2014.
“Mosul was lost before ISIS took the city,” says Lieutenant Colonel Muhsin Mtewti. The officer commands a police station in the 17 Tamuz neighborhood that lies adjacent to Tanak in West Mosul. Because the station building was destroyed in the war, Mtweti has commandeered the house of an ISIS family that has been expelled from the city. Cordoned off by concrete blast walls, it is a base from which heavily armed police officers start their patrols in huge American pick-up trucks. While the men remain alert, their relationship with the population has improved, says Mtewti.
“The people are on our side now, they hate ISIS. And it has to stay that way. I always tell my men to behave well towards the population,” says the officer.
Fathi the taxi driver concurs. After having lived through three years of tyrannical ISIS rule, few people want the jihadists back, he believes.
“We have all suffered a great deal,” he says.
But it would not be Iraq if the government was not doing its best to squander its hard won moral victory.
On a ridge leading down to the Tigris, a solidary house stands out from the devastated old city. It belongs to the family of Rajab Younis Rajab, a 23-year-old politics student. The family used money from an aid organisation to repair the house after the war, and painted it pink in defiance of the bleak destruction surrounding it.
Despite the fresh start, Rajab is troubled by what he sees outside his house. It’s not the rubble that worries him, but the gangs of young boys scavenging bombed-out houses for electrical wiring and other metals that can be sold for scrap. Having lost their homes and often their fathers, these boys are the breadwinners of their families, which have been left to fend for themselves.
There are many families like that, says Rajab. Anger, and desperation, will make them susceptible to the next wave of extremists challenging the government, he believes.
“Some people don’t even have enough to eat. They would kill for a bit of money,” he says with a resigned sigh. “People will radicalize under these conditions.” | 2024-02-11T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9339 |
Natural catastrophes still remain the principal cause of destruction on Earth. But these so-called “Acts of God” are not the only risks to which our societies are exposed: there are also “Acts of Man”, “Acts of the Devil” and the constant mutations and interactions between them.
The incident, publicly disclosed in December 2017, occurred when hackers successfully infiltrated the critical safety systems of an unidentified industrial facility, reported to be located in Saudi Arabia.
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SCOR CONFERENCE 2017 – Political RISK
In his presentation “Political risks, last option: the rise of fragile states, irregular conflict and non-state actors”, Kade Spears, Head of Specialty at The Channel Syndicate, highlighted the main characteristics of failed states.
Political risk has been covered by insurers since the beginning of Lloyd’s: ships were travelling all over the world, which raised concerns about piracy, mutiny, war and other perils. Today, there are many ways in which to insure political risks, but people often only think about them once the damage has already been done. Insurers and reinsurers need to have a comprehensive understanding of the political situation to be able to offer their clients the right solutions.
The world today is facing considerable political uncertainty. According to the “Fragile States Index” created by the US think-tank Fund for Peace, half of the countries in the world are classified as weak, failing or failed. For a state to be legitimate, the provision of core services, such as access to drinkable water, proper sanitation and security, is absolutely crucial. People will not remain loyal to a state that does not guarantee these basic services. The other condition for legitimacy is that all aspects of society are represented in the government.
When a state fails, the situation can deteriorate quickly. “We have this lifecycle, says Kade Spears, Head of Specialty at The Channel Syndicate, the state cannot provide the core services, there is no legitimacy in the government, people endure what they can, and they can organize to make their voice heard, but eventually they choose to exit the country or decide to rebel, you have the creation of these non-state actors, and it leads to regular conflicts. And when these groups are formed, it takes a very long time for the conditions to change”. | 2024-02-17T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7471 |
605 F.3d 584 (2010)
David TORGERSON; Jami Mundell, Appellants,
v.
CITY OF ROCHESTER, Appellee.
No. 09-1131.
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit.
Submitted: November 17, 2009.
Filed: May 21, 2010.
*587 Leslie Lyn Lienemann, argued, Celeste E. Culberth, on the brief, St. Paul, MN, for appellant.
Patricia Ytzen Beety, argued, St. Paul, MN, for appellee.
Before MURPHY, SMITH, and BENTON, Circuit Judges.
SMITH, Circuit Judge.
David Torgerson and Jami Mundell (collectively, "appellants") challenged the City of Rochester, Minnesota's decision not to hire them as firefighters. Torgerson and Mundell alleged that Rochester discriminated against them in violation of state and federal law. Torgerson, a Native American male, alleged discrimination on the basis of national origin. Mundell, a white female, alleged gender discrimination. Torgerson and Mundell made the claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Title VII"), 42 U.S.C §§ 2000e-2000e-17 (2000), and the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), Minn.Stat. §§ 363A.01-.41 (2006). In addition, Torgerson brings a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 (2000). The district court granted Rochester's motion for summary judgment. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm in part and reverse in part.
I. Background
A. The Hiring Process
Rochester followed a state statute-driven process for hiring firefighters. In accordance with Minnesota Statute § 420.06, Rochester's Fire Civil Service Commission ("the Commission") oversees the employment of all officers of the Rochester Fire Department ("Fire Department"). The Commission consists of three Commissioners, and any Commission action requires an affirmative vote by at least two Commissioners.
According to the Commission's Fire Civil Service Rules and Regulations ("the Regulations"), if a candidate possesses the minimum requirements to apply,[1] candidates must then pass written and physical fitness tests to be eligible for appointment. Phase I of the examination process is a written test, which counts for 30 percent of a candidate's final score. The candidates who receive the 50 highest scores on the written test advance to Phase II, the physical agility test. The physical agility test also accounts for 30 percent of a candidate's final score.[2] Of the 50 candidates *588 who participate in Phase II, all who pass the physical agility test advance to Phase III, which is an interview with a three-person panel.
All three panel interviewers score a candidate's responses to the interview questions on a scale of 1 to 10. One panel interviewer represents the Commission, one represents Rochester's human resources department, and one represents the Fire Department. The human resources department provides a set of interview questions and instructs the panel on how to ask the questions and what responses are considered good responses. These questions are also distributed to the candidates prior to the interview. The panel interviewers are given objective scoring criteria to establish which indicators show whether a candidate has desired qualities. Nonetheless, Rochester concedes that the panel interview contains inherent subjectivity. This panel interview accounts for the final 40 percent of a candidate's final score.[3] Based on the scoring from the three phases of the selection process, each candidate is ranked and placed in rank order on an eligibility list that the Commission then certifies. The Commission then votes to certify the eligibility list, which stands for two years. All candidates on the eligibility list are qualified for the position of firefighter, although those ranked higher are considered more qualified.
According to the Regulations, when a vacancy is anticipated or occurs, the fire chief must make a written request to the Commission to certify to the Rochester City Council ("City Council") the names of the persons eligible for appointment. Minnesota Statute § 420.07(7) requires the Commission to certify "the three names standing highest on the appropriate list to fill any vacancy" ("rule of three"). Section 420.07 and the Regulations permitbut do not requirethe certification of up to two eligible candidates from each "protected group" for which a disparity exists between the composition of the Fire Department and Rochester's approved affirmative action goals.[4] This expanded certification is in addition to the rule-of-three certification and is made in rank order.
The rule of three requires the Commission to certify nine candidates for seven open positions. For example, the Commission must certify the first, second, and third-ranked candidates for the first position. Then, assuming Rochester appoints the highest-ranked candidate for the first position, the Commission must certify the second, third, and fourth-ranked for the second position, the third, fourth, and fifth-ranked candidates for the third position, and so on, until certifying the seventh, eighth, and ninth-ranked candidates for the seventh position. The Commission may also certify protected group candidates in addition to the rule-of-three candidates pursuant to the expanded certification procedure. However, before certification, each candidate eligible for certification for appointment, including any protected-group candidate, must pass one final stage.
The final candidates must pass a background check and an interview with the *589 fire chief, as well as medical and psychological examinations. According to the Regulations, if a candidate fails the interview with the fire chief, background check, medical examination, or psychological examination, the Commission considers the next qualified candidate on the eligibility list. The City Council makes the final hiring decision, but according to City Council member Patrick Carr, the City Council abides by the recommendations the Commission offers. In the past, Rochester has used an expanded certification to hire women and non-white firefighters who were not ranked at the top of the eligibility list. However, if a protected class applicant moves on to the fire chief interview, the candidate retains his or her original rank on the eligibility list. Therefore, although all candidates on the eligibility roster meet the minimum qualifications for the firefighter position, those at the top of the list are recognized as more qualified for the position than those at the bottom of the list.
The focus of the final fire chief interview changes when it comes to interviewing candidates lower on the list pursuant to expanded certification. Ordinarily, the final interviews are used to determine if the testing in Phases I, II, and III missed something that shows there is a reason not to hire a candidate. With respect to protected-class candidates who rank on the bottom of the list, however, the interviews are used to see if the testing missed something that shows there is a reason to hire the candidate over those scoring higher in the process.
B. The Challenged Hirings
In fall 2005, Rochester sought to hire seven firefighters. Rochester received funding for three positions through a federal "Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response" (SAFER) grant. The SAFER grant provided federal funds to aid Rochester in hiring additional firefighters. The grant itself outlines its purpose:
The purpose of the SAFER grant is to award a grant directly to volunteer, combination, and career fire departments to help the departments increase their cadre of firefighters. Ultimately, the goal is for SAFER grantees to enhance their ability to attain 24-hour staffing and thus assuring their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.
Program Guidance for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants 3 (May 2005), available at www.fishers.in.us/egov/docs/1118931743_ 470855.pdf.
The grant contained a list of "Grantee Responsibilities" which included the following: "Grantees, to the extent possible, will seek, recruit, and appoint members of racial and ethnic minority groups and women to increase their ranks within the applicant's department." Id. at 18.
In 2005 Rochester began a hiring process that resulted in the certification of 48 candidates on the eligibility list. The eligibility list included three protected-group candidates: Torgerson, Mundell, and a second white female not a party to this appeal. Torgerson is a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. At the time of his application to the Fire Department, he was a volunteer firefighter. Torgerson had completed three years of college toward a degree in fire protection, including completion of Fire Fighter I and Fire Inspection courses, for which he held licenses. He had received certifications as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) and the Minnesota Emergency Medical Services *590 Regulatory Board. Mundell, at the time of her application, had an associate degree in business management and had earned a diploma in intensive care paramedics from a local community college. She had a NREMT certificate, and her EMT-Basic license. She also received licenses for completing Fire Fighter I and Fire Fighter II courses.
At the end of the objective written and agility phases of the examination process (Phases I and II), Torgerson was ranked 41st and Mundell was ranked 46th out of 48 candidates. By virtue of passing the agility test, both candidates advanced to the panel interview phase. Mundell's score sheet indicates that Battalion Chief Charles Hermann, Rochester Human Resources Risk Management Analyst Joan Till-Born, and Commissioner Joe Powers conducted Mundell's panel interview. According to Torgerson's score sheet, Till-Born, Hermann, and Commissioner John Withers conducted Torgerson's panel interview. Both Torgerson and Mundell agree that the questions asked were what they anticipated based on the list of possible questions and that none of the questions were inappropriate. Mundell and Torgerson scored 37th and 41st, respectively, on the panel interview phase, which is a subjective phase. This scoring, combined with their scores from the written and physical examinations phases, placed Mundell 40th on the eligibility list and Torgerson 45th when the Commission certified the eligibility list of 48 candidates at a meeting on November 22, 2005.[5]
Notably, some candidatesincluding those who benefitted from the proper application of veteran's pointsmade dramatic increases in the rankings after the subjective panel-interview phase. In fact, of the top eight-ranked candidates on the original eligibility list, seven were awarded veteran's points, including the top six. This illustrates the narrow margin between all candidates in terms of total score. As will be explained infra, this portion of the application process had substantial impact on the overall rank of the candidates. On December 15, 2005, Fire Chief David Kapler sent a memorandum to the Commission asking it to forward a list of candidates from the eligibility list to fill seven vacancies.
On January 18, 2006, the Commission met and discussed the purpose of the SAFER grant and whether the Commission should expand the certification to include protected group candidates. At the meeting, Rochester Human Resources Director Linda Gilsrud noted the "minimal differences in the total points between candidates" on the eligibility list.[6] Gilsrud explained the responsibilities attached to the SAFER grant and informed the Commission that there were three protected-class applicants who had been certified on the eligibility list. Powers said that while all candidates on the eligibility list are qualified, the rank order should be carefully considered. The Commission then passed a motion to certify to the City Council the rule-of-three candidates in rank order for six of the appointments and the rule-of-three candidates plus an expanded certification for the seventh appointment. As a result, nine initial candidates, plus the protected-group candidates, received interviews. The 12 eligible candidates were then required to complete the final phases of the selection process: an in-depth background investigation and interview with *591 the fire chief. Torgerson and Mundell moved on to the fire chief interview for the seventh position, while retaining their 45th and 40th rankings, respectively. By recommending all three protected-class applicants for only the seventh position, at most one member of the protected class could have been hired.
Kapler, with the assistance of Deputy Fire Chief Dan Slavin, interviewed Candidates 1 through 9all white malesand the three protected-group candidates.[7] When interviewing the top-ranked candidates, Kapler looked to see if there was a "red flag. Something that show[ed] up. It could be a gut-level feeling ... that might give us a clue that there is a concern about a candidate." When interviewing the protected-group candidates, Kapler looked to see if there was "something that might have been missed. Is there some quality or attribute this person brings that didn't come out in the test that we can say, `Wow, this is a strong candidate regardless of their test scores.'" Kapler failed Candidate 3 because he did not have his NREMT certification. Kapler also failed Candidate 4 because he did not appear for his interview.
Kapler then interviewed four additional candidatesCandidates 10 through 13. On February 13, 2006, Kapler issued a memorandum containing his recommendations. In addition to not recommending Candidates 3 and 4, he also did not recommend Candidate 10 because he "was not eligible for [NREMT registry] before the [eligibility] list was certified" and Candidate 11 because he did "not demonstrate the level of maturity and preparedness to be successful."
Kapler also did not recommend the three protected-group candidates because they did not "demonstrate[ ] themselves to be equally or better qualified" than the recommended individuals. According to Kapler's notes from the interview, he found that Torgerson had "awkward communication"; came across as "unsophisticated"; had difficulty communicating; in sum, "he lacked the characteristics other applicants possessed." Kapler also found that Torgerson did not demonstrate anything to make himself more qualified than the other candidates. Kapler did not recommend Mundell because during the interview she did not demonstrate that she was more or better qualified than the candidates at the top of the eligibility list.
The Commission, with all three commissioners present, discussed Kapler's recommendations on February 27, 2006. Also on that date, Kapler withdrew recommendations for two additional candidatesCandidate 2 because Kapler did not expect the results of the candidate's medical examination in time for hiring and Candidate 5 because he did not have his NREMT certification when the eligibility list was certified. Of the top 13 candidates, Kapler did not recommend six, leaving the Commission with only seven recommended candidates (and at least nine are needed for the "rule of three"). Kapler then requested an additional four candidates for interviews.
The Commission later voted to permit the three candidates Kapler had not recommended because they lacked NREMT certification or were not NREMT-registry eligibleCandidates 3, 5 and 10 (collectively, "non-NREMT candidates") to continue in the selection process. The Commission decided that the non-NREMT candidates were eligible for appointment because it determined that the information provided to candidates regarding the meaning of NREMT "registry eligible" was ambiguous. On March 15, 2006, Kapler *592 issued a memorandum recommending Candidates 1 through 3 and 5 through 10 for appointment to satisfy the rule of three for seven positions.[8] Kapler testified that he changed his recommendation as to the non-NREMT candidates "[o]nce the Commission declared them eligible." Kapler made no mention of the protected-group candidates or Candidates 11 through 13 in his March 15 memorandum. At a Commission meeting on the same day, Withers and Powers voted to present the candidates as recommended by Kapler to the City Council. Commissioner Roger Field was not present.
The City Council appointed Candidates 1 through 3 and 5 through 8 as firefighters on March 20, 2006. Shortly after the City Council's appointments, the press released the news that Candidate 3 had been convicted of vehicular homicide. In response to calls from constituents about the appointments, City Councilman Carr investigated Rochester's hiring process. During the course of his investigation, Carr came to believe that the SAFER grant required Rochester to seek, recruit, and appoint women and minorities. Carr testified that he called Field and described the conversation as follows:
I saidthe first question I asked [Field] was are you aware of all of the terms and conditions of the SAFER grant. And then he said, "What do you mean?" And I said, "Well, they stipulated you hire women and minorities." And he said, "I knew nothing of that." He said, "Had I known, I would have recommended that the City not take the grant." He said the City should never have taken the grant if that was the stipulation.
At an emergency meeting called to decide whether to reconsider the appointments based on the appointment of a convicted felon, Carr attempted to discuss whether Rochester had complied with the SAFER grant. Deputy City Attorney David Goslee advised the City Council that compliance with the SAFER grant was not a topic for the emergency meeting. The City Council did not discuss the SAFER grant and decided not to reconsider the seven appointments, resulting in the hiring of Candidates 1 through 3 and 5 through 8. At some point Carr also had a conversation with Withers, during which time Withers allegedly told Carr that the Commission wanted to hire Candidate 3 (the convicted felon) because he is a "big, strong guy."[9]
Torgerson and Mundell filed discrimination charges with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The MDHR found that the evidence did not substantiate Torgerson and Mundell's allegations in March, 2007. The EEOC adopted the MDHR's findings. Torgerson and Mundell then filed suit in district court, asserting claims of national origin, sex, and race discrimination under Title VII, the MHRA, and § 1981.
Rochester moved for summary judgment, and the district court granted Rochester's motion. The district court first found that Torgerson's § 1981 claim should be dismissed because his discrimination claims were based on national originnot raceand national-origin discrimination *593 alone is insufficient to support a § 1981 claim.
Next, the district court found that Torgerson and Mundell failed to present direct evidence of discrimination in support of their Title VII claim. The court assumed that both Torgerson and Mundell made a prima facie case on the claim, but found that neither Torgerson nor Mundell presented evidence discrediting Rochester's reason for not hiring them or offered any evidence giving rise to an inference of discrimination. The district court, therefore, concluded that the appellants did not meet their burden of showing that Rochester's stated non-discriminatory reason for not hiring Torgerson and Mundellthat the appellants scored lower than the hired candidates during the testing phase and the interview portion showed the appellants were lacking in qualificationswas mere pretext for discrimination.
II. Discussion
A. Summary Judgment Standard
Torgerson and Mundell argue that the district court erred when it granted Rochester's motion for summary judgment. The appellants allege that the district court, contrary to the summary-judgment standard, impermissibly weighed and evaluated evidence and reached conclusions not proper for summary judgment. The appellants also argue that the district court used a "pretext plus" standard now rejected by Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Products, Inc., 530 U.S. 133, 147, 120 S.Ct. 2097, 147 L.Ed.2d 105 (2000). Rochester responds that the district court properly granted its motion for summary judgment because Torgerson and Mundell presented no evidence that either discredited Rochester's reason for not hiring them or raised an inference of discrimination, either through direct or indirect evidence.
We review grants of summary judgment de novo. Wojewski v. Rapid City Reg'l Hosp., Inc., 450 F.3d 338, 342 (8th Cir.2006). "Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Id. (internal quotations and citation omitted). Notably, we have repeatedly emphasized that "summary judgment should be used sparingly in the context of employment discrimination and/or retaliation cases where direct evidence of intent is often difficult or impossible to obtain." Wallace v. DTG Operations, Inc., 442 F.3d 1112, 1117 (8th Cir.2006); see also Peterson v. Scott County, 406 F.3d 515, 520 (8th Cir. 2005) ("Summary judgment should seldom be granted in employment discrimination cases because intent is often the central issue and claims are often based on inference."); Wheeler v. Aventis Pharm., 360 F.3d 853, 857 (8th Cir.2004) ("However, in employment discrimination cases, because intent is inevitably the central issue, we apply the standard with caution."); Breeding v. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., 164 F.3d 1151, 1156 (8th Cir.1999) ("Summary judgment seldom should be granted in discrimination cases where inferences are often the basis of the claim...."); Bassett v. City of Minneapolis, 211 F.3d 1097 (8th Cir.2000) (collecting cases stating same). "We have also stated, however, that no separate summary judgment standard exists for discrimination or retaliation cases and that such cases are not immune from summary judgment." Wallace, 442 F.3d at 1118; (citing Berg v. Norand Corp., 169 F.3d 1140, 1144 (8th Cir.1999) ("[T]here is no `discrimination case exception' to the application of Fed.R.Civ.P. 56, and it remains a useful pretrial tool to determine whether or not any case, including one alleging discrimination, merits a trial.")).
*594 We have also repeatedly cautioned that summary judgment should not be granted in "close" cases. "[T]he need to resolve factual issues in close cases is the very reason we have juries." First Nat'l of Omaha v. Three Dimension Systems Products, Inc., 289 F.3d 542, 545 (8th Cir. 2002); see also Kehoe v. Anheuser-Busch, Inc., 995 F.2d 117, 120 (8th Cir.1993) (reversing grant of summary judgment in "very close case").
Summary judgment is thus proper "if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c)(2). The movant "bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion," and must identify "those portions of [the record] ... which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact." Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). If the movant satisfies its burden, the nonmovant must respond by submitting evidentiary materials that "set out specific facts showing a genuine issue for trial." Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e)(2). In determining whether summary judgment is appropriate, a court must look at the record and any inferences to be drawn from it in the light most favorable to the nonmovant. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).
B. Alleged Discrimination
Torgerson and Mundell make disparate treatment claims under Title VII and the MHRA alleging discrimination on the basis of Torgerson's national origin and Mundell's sex. Title VII provides that it is "an unlawful employment practice for an employer ... to fail or refuse to hire... any individual ... because of such individual's ... sex ... or national origin." 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1). The MHRA states that "it is an unfair employment practice for an employer, because of ... national origin [or] sex ... to ... refuse to hire" or "discriminate against a person with respect to hiring...." Minn.Stat. § 363A.08, subd. 2. The court analyzes MHRA and Title VII claims using the same standard. See Kasper v. Federated Mut. Ins. Co., 425 F.3d 496, 502 (8th Cir. 2005).
The two parties here agree that there are multiple ways to prove or disprove a Title VII claim, either with a showing of direct evidence or by creating the requisite inference of unlawful discrimination under the framework set forth in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 802-03, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973). See Griffith v. City of Des Moines, 387 F.3d 733, 736 (8th Cir.2004).
We have long recognized and followed this principle in applying McDonnell Douglas by holding that a plaintiff may survive the defendant's motion for summary judgment in one of two ways. The first is by proof of "direct evidence" of discrimination. Direct evidence in this context is not the converse of circumstantial evidence, as many seem to assume. Rather, direct evidence is evidence "showing a specific link between the alleged discriminatory animus and the challenged decision, sufficient to support a finding by a reasonable fact finder that an illegitimate criterion actually motivated" the adverse employment action. Thomas v. First Nat'l Bank of Wynne, 111 F.3d 64, 66 (8th Cir.1997). Thus, "direct" refers to the causal strength of the proof, not whether it is "circumstantial" evidence. A plaintiff with strong (direct) evidence that illegal discrimination motivated the employer's *595 adverse action does not need the three-part McDonnell Douglas analysis to get to the jury, regardless of whether his strong evidence is circumstantial. But if the plaintiff lacks evidence that clearly points to the presence of an illegal motive, he must avoid summary judgment by creating the requisite inference of unlawful discrimination through the McDonnell Douglas analysis, including sufficient evidence of pretext. See, e.g., Harvey v. Anheuser-Busch, Inc., 38 F.3d 968, 971 (8th Cir.1994).
Griffith, 387 F.3d at 736.
We hold that Torgerson and Mundell created the requisite inference of unlawful discrimination under a McDonnell Douglas analysis, including sufficient evidence of pretext, and therefore may present their claims to a jury. See infra part II.B.1.c.
1. Indirect Evidence
Under the McDonnell Douglas framework, the appellants must first make out a prima facie case for discrimination. 411 U.S. at 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817. Then, the burden shifts to Rochester to "articulate [a] legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason" for not hiring Torgerson and Mundell. Id. "[T]he ultimate burden [then] falls on [Torgerson and Mundell] to produce evidence sufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact regarding whether [Rochester's] proffered nondiscriminatory justifications are mere pretext for intentional discrimination." Pope v. ESA Serv., Inc., 406 F.3d 1001, 1007 (8th Cir.2005).
a. Prima Facie Case
The McDonnell Douglas framework requires the appellants to first establish a prima facie case of discrimination. A plaintiff can establish a prima facie case of discrimination by showing that
"(i) that he belongs to a racial minority;
(ii) that he applied and was qualified for a job for which the employer was seeking applicants; (iii) that, despite his qualifications, he was rejected; and (iv) that, after his rejection, the position remained open and the employer continued to seek applications from persons of complainant's qualifications."
Sallis v. Univ. of Minn., 408 F.3d 470, 475 (8th Cir.2005) (quoting McDonnell Douglas, 411 U.S. at 802, 93 S.Ct. 1817).
Rochester argues that Torgerson and Mundell did not make out a prima facie case because they failed to show that firefighter positions were given to other people with Torgerson and Mundell's qualifications. In support, Rochester contends that the people who received the firefighter jobs were not similarly situated to the appellants because they were ranked higher on the eligibility list due to their higher scores on both the objective and subjective testing and interviewing. Torgerson and Mundell bear the burden to prove that the employees ultimately hired were similarly situated in all relevant respects. Harvey, 38 F.3d. at 972. Torgerson and Mundell did present evidence showing they had similar qualifications to the candidates who were ultimately hired, such as similar education and medical certifications.
We recognize that there was a differencethe candidates ultimately hired were ranked higher on the eligibility list. However, a close review of the record shows that the rankings were significantly impacted by the subjective interview process, which accounted for 40 percent of the final score. While the final difference between the top-weighted score (91.826) and lowest-weighted score (68.120) appears large, the disparity between the candidates in only the objective portion of the testing was in fact much closer. Of the 48 eligible candidates, the top score in the objective portion was 55.95, while the low score was 48.60. Conversely, in the subjective interview *596 portion of testing, the high score was 34.064, while the low was 15.620, a significantly greater disparity than seen in the objective portion. Again, considering only the objective written and physical portions of the hiring process, Torgerson's weighted score was 50.85, which put him ahead of the objective score of hired Candidate 8 (50.55) and tied him with hired Candidate 6 (50.85). Mundell's objective weighted score of 50.25 put her within three-tenths of a point of hired Candidate 8.
Finally, while this higher overall ranking is a difference between candidates, it is not as material as not being qualified for the job, and it is undisputed that all of the candidates were qualified. Torgerson and Mundell's burden to show that they are similarly situated and subject to disparate treatment at this prima facie stage is not a difficult one to prove, and it is appropriate to apply a low-threshold standard. Rodgers v. U.S. Bank, N.A., 417 F.3d 845, 852 (8th Cir.2005). "The burden of establishing a prima facie case of disparate treatment is not onerous." Texas Dep't of Cmty. Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 253, 101 S.Ct. 1089, 67 L.Ed.2d 207 (1981). To meet this low-threshold standard, Torgerson and Mundell must show that they possessed similar qualifications to other candidates and were treated differently, in this case, not hired. Cf. Wheeler, 360 F.3d at 857 (holding that for purposes of evaluating a prima-facie case it is appropriate to consider whether the employees who are black were involved in or accused of the same or similar conduct as white employees but disciplined in different ways). We find that Torgerson and Mundell have met this low standard.
With a prima facie case established, we thus move on to the second prong of the McDonnell Douglas framework.
b. Legitimate, Nondiscriminatory Reasons
Upon establishment of a prima facie case, the burden shifts to Rochester. "The burden to articulate a nondiscriminatory justification is not onerous, and the explanation need not be demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence." Floyd v. State of Mo. Dept. of Soc. Servs., Div. of Family Servs., 188 F.3d 932, 936 (8th Cir. 1999). Rochester met this non-onerous burden with its proffered reason for not hiring Torgerson and Mundell: "[Rochester] did not hire Appellants because both scored significantly lower than other candidates. It also did not hire Appellants because their interviews with Chief Kapler only confirmed what the testing phase had shown: both Appellants were lacking in qualifications as compared to the higher ranking candidates."
c. Pretext for Intentional Discrimination
Torgerson and Mundell argue that Rochester's stated reason for not hiring them is pretext for discrimination. As a preliminary matter, appellants assert that the district court held them to an incorrect legal standard when the court ruled that "[t]o succeed on this claim, Plaintiffs must both discredit [Rochester]'s reason for not hiring them and show that circumstances permit drawing the reasonable inference that the real reasons they were not hired were that Mundell is female and Torgerson's national origin is Native American." The district court cited Johnson v. AT & T Corp., 422 F.3d 756 (8th Cir.2005), to support this ruling. Johnson stated:
We have recognized that the showing of pretext necessary to survive summary judgment requires more than merely discrediting an employer's asserted reasoning for terminating an employee. Johnson is also required to show that *597 the circumstances permit a reasonable inference to be drawn that the real reason AT & T terminated him was because of his race.
Id. at 763 (internal citation omitted).
Torgerson and Mundell argue that the district court's ruling is inconsistent with the standard articulated in Reeves, which stated that
it is permissible for the trier of fact to infer the ultimate fact of discrimination from the falsity of the employer's explanation. Specifically, [the Court] stated:
"The factfinder's disbelief of the reasons put forward by the defendant (particularly if disbelief is accompanied by a suspicion of mendacity) may, together with the elements of the prima facie case, suffice to show intentional discrimination. Thus, rejection of the defendant's proffered reasons will permit the trier of fact to infer the ultimate fact of intentional discrimination."
530 U.S. at 147, 120 S.Ct. 2097 (quoting St. Mary's Honor Center v. Hicks, 509 U.S. 502, 511, 113 S.Ct. 2742, 125 L.Ed.2d 407 (1993)).
Reeves thus reaffirmed the Court's previous holding in St. Mary's that the trier of fact may infer discriminatory intent when the plaintiffs make a prima facie case and discredit the employer's proffered reason for not hiring them. Reeves requires the district court to determine whether reasonable inferences of discriminatory intent can be made. If the evidence is sufficient to permit a reasonable jury to make such inferences, the jury should be permitted to do so. Reeves does not require district courts to decide whether or how those inferences should be made only whether they can be. "Proof that the defendant's explanation is unworthy of credence is simply one form of circumstantial evidence that is probative of intentional discrimination, and it may be quite persuasive." Id. "In appropriate circumstances, the trier of fact can reasonably infer from the falsity of the explanation that the employer is dissembling to cover up a discriminatory purpose." Id.
There are at least two ways a plaintiff can establish a material question of fact regarding pretext. Wallace, 442 F.3d at 1120. A plaintiff may show pretext with evidence that the employer's explanation is unworthy of credence because it has no basis in fact. Id. Alternatively, a plaintiff may show pretext by persuading the court that a prohibited reasonmore than the proffered reasonlikely motivated the employer. Id. Torgerson and Mundell proffer several examples of alleged conduct that they claim show indirect discrimination: (1) the subjective nature of the hiring process, including the panel and fire chief interviews; (2) the different standards Kapler used in the fire chief interviews; (3) Kapler's reference to Torgerson and Mundell as "unfit"; (4) the hiring of some white candidates with similar or lower qualifications than the appellants; and (5) the hiring of an additional five white males after this challenged 2006 hiring process.
"Although subjective [hiring] procedures are susceptible of discriminatory abuse and require close scrutiny, subjectivity alone does not render an employment decision infirm." Brooks v. Ameren UE, 345 F.3d 986, 988 (8th Cir.2003) (internal citation omitted). Rochester's hiring process has several phases; some are objective and some are subjective. The appellants first challenge each of the subjective components: the panel interviews and the fire chief interviews.
Looking at the evidence in the light most favorable to the appellants, we ask if there is a genuine issue of material fact as *598 to whether Rochester's reasons were pretextual. We hold that Torgerson and Mundell have produced sufficient evidence that material fact issues remain.
The panel interviews are subjective and weighted to account for 40 percent of the applicant's final scorethe largest single component. The fire chief interviews were similarly subjective. While these facts alone do not prove that these interviews became tools of discrimination, the subjectivity involved does warrant scrutiny. Id. The district court concluded that the controls implemented by Rochestersuch as using representatives from three different divisions of city government, asking predetermined questions, and using established scoring criteriaensured that proper steps were taken to "minimize the panel interview's susceptibility to abuse." Upon review, we conclude that deciding the efficacy of Rochester's steps to ensure nondiscriminatory evaluation is, on the facts in this record, better reserved for the jury. Also, the district court acknowledged that Rochester's subjectivity controls only minimized susceptibility to abuse, they did not eliminate it. Thus, the material fact of potential discriminatory abuse of the subjective interview process remains.
Additionally, neither this court nor the district court can determine from the record whether Torgerson and Mundell received lower scores than other candidates who gave similar answers. The record is devoid of any notes from these panel interviews. The reasons for their absence likely involve fact questions best resolved by the fact-finding mechanisms which will inhere in the trial.
We apply a similar analysis regarding the subjective nature of the final fire chief interview. Unlike the panel interviews, there were no controls on the subjectivity of the fire chief interview. Rochester does not deny that Kapler used a different standard when interviewing the top candidates and the candidates from the protected class. While instances of disparate treatment between applicants can demonstrate pretext, at this stage Torgerson and Mundell must prove they were similarly situated to the hired candidates "in all relevant respects." Rodgers, 417 F.3d at 853. "[T]he burden for establishing `similarly situated' at the pretext stage is rigorous." Wheeler, 360 F.3d at 858. The appellants may not ultimately be able to carry their burden under this rigorous standard. However, when ruling on a summary judgment motion, we must only decide if there is a question of fact. Again, we find that such a question remains.
"Where ... the employer contends that the selected candidate was more qualified ... than the plaintiff, a comparative analysis of the qualifications is relevant to determine whether there is reason to disbelieve the employer's proffered reason for its employment decision." Chock v. Nw. Airlines, Inc., 113 F.3d 861, 864 (8th Cir.1997). "If this comparison successfully challenges the employer's articulated reason for the employment decision, it might serve to support a reasonable inference of discrimination." Chambers v. Metro. Prop. and Cas. Ins. Co., 351 F.3d 848, 857 (8th Cir.2003). "[A] comparison that reveals that the plaintiff was only similarly qualified or not as qualified as the selected candidate would not raise an inference of ... discrimination." Chock, 113 F.3d at 864.
A comparison in this case shows that Torgerson and Mundell possessed similar qualifications as the hired candidates, such as having (1) completed ride-alongs with the Fire Department, (2) college degrees, (3) past experience, and (4) EMT certifications. Rochester concedes these similar qualifications but relies on Torgerson's and Mundell's lower rank on the eligibility list *599 than the hired candidates. According to Rochester, this lower ranking means the appellants were not similarly situated. However, appellants claim they sat lower on the eligibility list because they were discriminated against during the subjective panel interviews. Taking the eligibility-list ranking out of the equation, Torgerson and Mundell appear similarly situated to the hired candidates. Based on the record before us, we conclude that there is a genuine question of material fact whether the subjective panel and fire chief interview results served as pretext for discrimination.
Torgerson and Mundell also argue that Kapler's description of them as "unfit" is evidence of discriminatory animus. Kapler made the statement to Carr at a June 2006 meeting. Carr opined that Rochester should not hire anyone else under the SAFER grant, lest a minority candidate not hired hail the city to court. Kapler responded that he interviewed Torgerson and Mundell and "found them unfit." When asked in a deposition if he thought Torgerson and Mundell to be "unfit," Kapler replied:
Well, I guess it depends on what the word "fit" means. To us it has a specific connotation. A fitness for duty type of evaluation, mental, emotional, physical, is all part of a person's fitness for duty. So that's how I use the word fit. They arethey are on our list as qualified candidates, so yes, they're qualified to be firefighters.
The district court concluded that "Kapler's distinction between `qualified' and `fit' does not give rise to an inference of discrimination." However, "[a]t summary judgment, because we view the facts in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, we do not weigh the evidence or attempt to determine the credibility of the witnesses." Kammueller v. Loomis, Fargo & Co., 383 F.3d 779, 784 (8th Cir.2004). Here, the district court credited Kapler's proffered explanation of his use of the word "unfit." On summary judgment, the non-moving plaintiff is entitled to reasonable inferences in his or her favor. The conclusion reached by the district court is not the only reasonable inference from the facts.[10] The jury must ultimately decide the meaning and credibility of Kapler's explanation after a trial on the merits.
2. Direct Evidence
Because we find that Torgerson and Mundell sufficiently established a genuine issue of material fact as to whether they suffered discrimination by a showing of indirect evidence of discrimination, we need not decide whether there is direct evidence of discrimination in this case and instead leave such matters to a jury.
C. Torgerson's § 1981 Claim
Torgerson also claims Rochester violated 42 U.S.C. § 1981 by discriminating against him "on the basis of his national origin." Section 1981 "protect[s] from discrimination identifiable classes of persons who are subjected to intentional discrimination solely because of their ancestry or ethnic characteristics." St. Francis Coll. v. Al-Khazraji, 481 U.S. 604, 613, 107 S.Ct. 2022, 95 L.Ed.2d 582 (1987). For *600 example, if an individual is "subjected to intentional discrimination based on the fact that he was born an Arab, rather than solely on the place or nation of his origin... [then] he will have made out a case under § 1981." Id. We have interpreted this ruling to hold that § 1981 does not encompass discrimination claims based upon national origin. Zar v. S.D. Bd. of Exam'r of Psychologists, 976 F.2d 459, 467 (8th Cir.1992) ("This claim of discrimination based upon national origin is insufficient to state a § 1981 claim.").
Torgerson argues that his claim is correctly read as stating that he was discriminated against because he is Native American and that his § 1981 claim should not be dismissed because claims based on Native-American status have been treated as both race and national origin claims. Torgerson is correct that a party may bring a claim of discrimination based on his Native-American status as a claim based on race. See Dawavendewa v. Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement & Power Dist., 154 F.3d 1117, 1119 n. 4 (9th Cir.1998). We agree that a claim stating that a plaintiff has been discriminated against because he is a Native American could be sustained under § 1981. But a race claim based on Native-American status must be so stated as a race claim, which Torgerson failed to do. Torgerson's complaint instead states, "Defendant has discriminated [ ] against Plaintiff in the formation of an employment contract on the basis of his national origin, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981." (Emphasis added). At no time did Torgerson move to amend his Complaint to include a claim of race discrimination. Torgerson testified in a deposition that he believes he was discriminated against because of his national origin, and prior to Rochester's motion for summary judgment, Torgerson never referred to race in any court documents. Because Torgerson alleges he was discriminated against based on his national origin, not race, he cannot sustain a § 1981 claim.
III. Conclusion
Accordingly, we affirm the district court's dismissal of Torgerson's § 1981 claim but reverse the grant of summary judgment on Torgerson and Mundell's Title VII claim and remand to the district court for further proceedings.
BENTON, Circuit Judge, dissenting in part, and concurring in part.
I disagree with the Court's conclusion that Torgerson and Mundell "created the requisite inference of unlawful discrimination under a McDonnell Douglas analysis, including sufficient evidence of pretext." Ante, at 595. In my view, Torgerson and Mundell do not produce evidence from which a reasonable jury could find that Rochester's stated reason for not hiring themthat they scored lower in the hiring process than candidates hiredis pretext for discrimination.
There are at least two ways a plaintiff can establish a material question of fact regarding pretext. Wallace v. DTG Operations, Inc., 442 F.3d 1112, 1120 (8th Cir. 2006). A plaintiff may show the employer's explanation is "unworthy of credence, because it has no basis in fact." Id. (quotations and citations omitted). A plaintiff may also show pretext directly, by "persuading the court that a [prohibited] reason more likely motivated the employer." Id.
The Court concludes that the following evidence creates a material question as to pretext: (1) the "hiring of some white candidates with similar or lower qualifications than the appellants," (2) the subjective nature of parts of the hiring process, and (3) *601 Fire Chief Kapler's reference to Torgerson and Mundell as "unfit." Ante, at 597-600.
1. Comparison of qualifications
"Where . . . the employer contends that the selected candidate was more qualified for the position than the plaintiff, a comparative analysis of the qualifications is relevant to determine whether there is reason to disbelieve the employer's proffered reason for its employment decision." Chock v. Northwest Airlines, Inc., 113 F.3d 861, 864 (8th Cir.1997). "[A] comparison that reveals that the plaintiff was only similarly qualified or not as qualified as the selected candidate would not raise an inference of . . . discrimination." Id.
After quoting Chock, the Court states that "Torgerson and Mundell possessed similar qualifications as the hired candidates." Ante, at 598. "Similar qualifications" do "not raise an inference of . . . discrimination." Chock, 113 F.3d at 864. See also Lidge-Myrtil v. Deere & Co., 49 F.3d 1308, 1311 (8th Cir.1995) ("Although [plaintiff] does possess the experience and some of the other qualities essential for success in the position, this does not suffice to raise an inference that [the employer's] stated rationale for giving the position to another is pretextual"); Pierce v. Marsh, 859 F.2d 601, 603 (8th Cir.1988) ("The mere existence of comparable qualifications between two applicants . . . alone does not raise an inference of . . . discrimination.").
In Pierce, the Army's personnel office prepared a list of job candidates in rank order. The Army hired Stokes (a black male) and Webb (a white female), who ranked ahead of Pierce (a black male). Pierce sued for race discrimination; the Army explained that Webb was more qualified, as reflected by her higher rank on the list. The district court granted summary judgment to the Army.
On appeal, Pierce stressed an exhibit indicating "that his qualifications far outweigh Webb's qualifications, thus demonstrating that the Secretary's legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for the decision to hire Webb serves as a mere pretext.. . ." Id. at 603. Reviewing the exhibit, this court concluded that Pierce and Webb had "relatively similar qualifications," and "neither candidate appears better qualified for the foreman position." Id. "Relatively similar qualifications" were not enough for Pierce to survive summary judgment. See id. at 604 (". . . Pierce failed to provide any evidence from which a rational trier of fact could infer that the selecting committee's articulated nondiscriminatory reason for hiring Webb over Pierce was overcome by any evidence establishing that reason as pretextual.").
Here, like Pierce, Torgerson and Mundell appeared on an eligibility list, ranked below the hired candidates. At best, they have "relatively similar qualifications" to some hired candidates. As in Pierce, "relatively similar qualifications" do not create a material issue of fact as to pretext.
2. Subjectivity of hiring process
"Although subjective [hiring] procedures are susceptible of discriminatory abuse and require close scrutiny, subjectivity alone does not render an employment decision infirm." Brooks v. Ameren UE, 345 F.3d 986, 988 (8th Cir.2003) (internal citation omitted).
Torgerson and Mundell emphasize that the panel interviews account for 40 percent of applicants' scores, and stress the wide range of scores in these interviews. But they fail to provide any evidence that the interviews were discriminatory. Panels consisted of one interviewer from Rochester's human resources department, one from the Fire Civil Service Commission, *602 and one from the Fire Department. The interviewers received a list of (human-resources-prepared) questions to ask of all candidates and were given scoring criteria to evaluate responses. Interviewees received, in advance, the list of potential questions. Even Torgerson and Mundell agree that the questions asked were what they anticipated based on the list of possible questions, and that none of the questions was inappropriate.
After stating that the interviews "warrant [close] scrutiny," the Court concludes that "deciding the efficacy of Rochester's steps to ensure nondiscriminatory evaluation is, on the facts in this record, better reserved for the jury," and "the material fact of potential discriminatory abuse of the subjective interview process remains." Ante, at 598. The Court does not refer to any evidence that discrimination took place[11] only to the "potential" for discrimination in the interviews. Plaintiffs cannot survive summary judgment by identifying a part of the hiring process where there is only "potential" for discrimination. Again, "subjectivity alone does not render an employment decision infirm." Brooks, 345 F.3d at 988.
In Pierce, as in this case, hiring officials ranked qualified candidates on a list based on a combination of factors. This court said:
The selecting officials testified by affidavit that subjective factors, i.e., their evaluation based on personal observation of the candidates, also entered into the selection decision. Even if these subjective reasons could be rejected on credibility grounds, such a rejection of that evidence would not add anything to the lack of a showing of pretext by Pierce.
Pierce, 859 F.2d at 603-04. Here, the fact that parts of the hiring process were more subjective does not add anything to the lack of showing of pretext by Torgerson and Mundell.
The Court notes that "neither this court nor the district court can determine from the record whether Torgerson and Mundell received lower scores than other candidates who gave similar answers [in the panel interview]," and concludes the "reasons for their absence likely involve fact questions best resolved" at trial. Ante, at 598. The burden, however, is on Torgerson and Mundell to provide evidence of pretext. See, e.g., Ramlet v. E.F. Johnson Co., 507 F.3d 1149, 1153 (8th Cir.2007) (If the defendant provides a non-discriminatory reasons for its decision, "the presumption [of discrimination] disappears, and the burden shifts back to the plaintiff to show that the proffered reason was pretext for. . . discrimination"); Pope v. ESA Serv., Inc., 406 F.3d 1001, 1007 (8th Cir.2005) ("[T]he ultimate burden falls on [plaintiffs] to produce evidence sufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact regarding whether [the employer's] proffered nondiscriminatory justifications are mere pretext for intentional discrimination."). Here, a reasonable jury could not infer pretext from the absence of this evidence. See Pineda v. UPS, 360 F.3d 483, 487 (5th Cir.2004) ("To satisfy this burden, the plaintiff must offer some evidence that permits the jury to infer that the proffered *603 explanation was a pretext for discrimination. The trier of fact may not simply choose to disbelieve the employer's explanation in the absence of any evidence showing why it should do so.") (internal quotations and alterations omitted).
Torgerson and Mundell's objections to the process creating the eligibility list are unpersuasive. Rochester's explanation of its hiring decisions has a "basis in fact." See Wallace, 442 F.3d at 1120.
3. Fire Chief Kapler's description of Torgerson and Mundell as "unfit"
Torgerson and Mundell may also show pretext by "persuading the court that a [prohibited] reason more likely motivated the employer." Id.
City Councilmember Patrick Carr testified that Fire Chief Kapler said he did not hire Torgerson and Mundell because he "found them unfit." At his deposition, Fire Chief Kapler explained his remark, distinguishing "fit" from "qualified." The Court states that "the district court credited Kapler's explanation of his use of the word `unfit,'" which "is not the only reasonable inference from the facts."[12]Ante, at 599.
Nothing in the record suggests Fire Chief Kapler's use of "unfit" was based on national origin or gender. Minnesota law requires "public competitive examinations to test the relative fitness of applicants." Minn.Stat. § 420.07(2) (emphasis added). "While we are required to make all reasonable inferences in favor of the nonmoving party in considering summary judgment, we do so without resort to speculation." Twymon v. Wells Fargo & Co., 462 F.3d 925, 934 (8th Cir.2006). "Facially race-neutral [or gender-neutral] statements, without more, do not demonstrate [discriminatory] animus on the part of the speaker." Id.See also Hannoon v. Fawn Eng'g Corp., 324 F.3d 1041, 1047 (8th Cir. 2003) ("Because the comments regarding body odor did not suggest any reference to race or national origin, we are unwilling to hold such comments reasonably capable of supporting an inference of discriminatory intent.").
4. Other evidence
Although the Court does not specifically rely on it, other evidence the Court references does not support an inference of discrimination, when read in context. See Twymon, 462 F.3d at 934. Councilmember Carr testified that Fire Commissioner John Withers who was on the panel that interviewed Torgerson said he recommended a convicted felon for a firefighting position because he is "a big, strong guy." As Carr makes clear, this statement came in the context of a conversation about a particular male candidate, not about other applicants.
Councilmember Carr also testified about an exchange with Fire Commissioner Roger Field:
I saidthe first question I asked [Field] was are you aware of all the terms and conditions of the SAFER grant. And then he said, "What do you mean?" And I said, "Well, they stipulated you hire women and minorities." And he said, "I knew nothing of that." He said, "Had I known, I would have recommended that the City not take the grant." He said the City should never have taken the grant if that was the stipulation.
*604 As the district court noted, Carr's description "of the SAFER grant failed to mention the qualifying language `to the extent possible' . . . . Testimony that Field recommended against taking a grant that `stipulated' the City hire women and minorities, regardless of relative qualifications, is not evidence of discriminatory animus." As the district court concluded, "Field's statement is unrelated to any challenged step in the decisional process. . . ."
Torgerson and Mundell stress that when Fire Chief Kapler conducted the final interviews of candidates from the top of the eligibility list, he looked only for "red flags," but when interviewing those at the bottom (them), he looked for "something about [them] that would elevate them to the level of being better than the candidates who were at the top of the list." This cannot reasonably be construed as discriminatory because, despite moving on to the fire-chief interview, Torgerson and Mundell retained their ranks on the eligibility list. As the Court recognizes, "although all candidates on the eligibility roster meet the minimum qualifications for the firefighter position, those at the top of the list are recognized as more qualified for the position than those at the bottom of the list." Ante, at 589.
* * *
Torgerson and Mundell fail at step three of the McDonnell Douglas analysis: they do not offer evidence from which a reasonable jury could conclude Rochester's reason for not hiring them was pretextual.
I would affirm the judgment of the district court in all respects, and I therefore dissent in part.
NOTES
[1] It is undisputed that Torgerson and Mundell possessed the minimum requirements.
[2] Applicants are awarded points for Phase II based on the time it takes them to complete the agility test. An applicant who takes more than 6 minutes and 30 seconds to complete the agility test fails the test and cannot continue in the examination process. Neither Torgerson nor Mundell challenge the written or physical examinations.
[3] To get the final score, the candidates' "raw" scores for each phase are converted to "eligibility points" by multiplying the raw score for each phase by the weight assigned to the phase. A candidate's final score is the total of his or her eligibility points, including any veteran's points awarded in accordance with Minnesota Statute § 197.455. Non-disabled veterans receive a credit of five eligibility points and disabled veterans receive a credit of ten eligibility points. Id.
[4] Native Americans and women are considered protected groups.
[5] The other female candidate was ranked 37th. It is unknown why 48 and not 50 candidates remained on the eligibility list at this point.
[6] A total of ten points separated the candidates ranked 1st and 25th.
[7] The candidates are referred to by their ranking on the eligibility list.
[8] The record does not reflect why Kapler changed his recommendation with respect to Candidate 2, and appellants do not challenge Kapler's changed recommendation with respect to Candidate 2.
[9] The record is unclear exactly when this statement was made.
[10] We note that, for whatever reasons, the Fire Department lacks gender and racial diversity. At the time of this appeal, Rochester had hired only three non-white firefighters in its recorded history: one Native American who is no longer with the department; one Asian, who is no longer with the department; and one African-American. Of the 105 employees at the time of appeal, there are two female firefighters (1.9 percent) and one non-white firefighter (0.95 percent). The 2000 census reports that, of individuals in the 18 to 39 year-old-age group in Rochester, 45 percent are women and 14 percent are minority.
[11] The Court notes that Torgerson scored better than one, and equal to another, hired candidate on the written and agility tests (and Mundell almost scored equal to the lowest-scoring hired candidate). Ante, at 595. But the fact remains: "At the end of the objective written and agility phases . . . Torgerson was ranked 41st and Mundell was ranked 46th out of 48 candidates." Ante, at 590. Thus, the interview scores significantly affected the ranking of other candidates. The interview scores did not significantly affect the rankings of Torgerson or Mundell, who ranked low before and after the interviews.
[12] The Court notes statistical evidence in support of its conclusion. Ante, at 599 n. 10. "[S]tatistical evidence will rarely suffice to rebut an employer's legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for a particular adverse employment action." Bogren v. Minnesota, 236 F.3d 399, 406 (8th Cir.2000).
| 2024-03-04T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4202 |
This invention relates to photocurable or actinic light curable epoxy-containing compositions. More particularly it relates to epoxy-containing compositions having improved flexibility.
Conventional actinic light cured or photocured epoxy-containing compositions generally have high internal strength and extreme rigidity which makes them ideally suited for most high performance bonding applications. However, for some applications, conventional photocured epoxy-containing compositions have been found to be too rigid or brittle and attempts have been made to reduce their rigidity (i.e., to flexibilize them or to increase their flexibility). Hydroxyl-functional organic materials have been incorporated into photocurable epoxy compositions to reduce their rigidity. The flexibilization of epoxy-containing compositions with hydroxy-functional materials, although satisfactory for many purposes (e.g., coatings), is generally not sufficient for all purposes or applications (e.g., where greatly improved elongation is required). | 2024-06-09T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/2374 |
Prenatal survival of mouse embryos irradiated in utero with fission neutrons or 250 kV X-rays during the two-cell stage of development.
To investigate the relationship between radiation dose at the two-cell stage and prenatal survival. Pregnant mice were irradiated with fast neutrons (0.53-1.94 Gy) or X-rays (1.50-5.00 Gy), or sham irradiated. At selected times up to gestation day 16, the mice were killed and the uterine contents examined. At doses up to 0.82 Gy of neutrons and 2.50 Gy of X-rays, all or virtually all the radiation-induced deaths occurred during the period from the time of implantation to gestation day 10. At higher doses an appreciable proportion of the deaths occurred after day 10. Many neutron-induced deaths in the period from implantation to day 10 occurred before day 7. A mathematical model was developed for estimating survival to gestation day 16 as a function of neutron dose. The mortality pattern, in which low radiation doses led to early deaths and high doses to both late and early deaths, suggests the existence of two lethal processes. The relationship between neutron dose and survival to gestation day 7 has been interpreted as indicating that the early deaths involved predominantly a two-event inactivation mechanism. An individual cell of a two-cell embryo was found to be less sensitive to lethal radiation injury than a pronuclear zygote. | 2023-11-05T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7825 |
Allama Ali Hussaini urges Shiites in Orakzai Agency to become strong political force
Allama Syed Ali Hussain al Hussaini son of martyr Shia leader of Pakistan Allama Syed Arif Hussain al Hussaini has urged the Shiites of Pakistan to bury their differences and join hands to become a strong political force.
He expressed these views while speaking at a congregation that was held to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of his father Allama Arif Hussaini in Madressa Ahl-e-Bait (AS) Anwar ul Madaris in Kalaya area of Orakzai Agency of FATA. Tehrik-e-Hussaini, Anwaria Federation Alamdar Federation and the ISO jointly helped hosted the congregation.
Allama Ali Hussaini was accorded warm welcome and brought to the venue in a procession. Shia Muslims were raising slogans of Labbaik Ya Hussain (AS) to greet him and renew their pledge to remain loyal to the ideology of Allama Arif Hussaini.
“Enemies and opponents of Shia Muslims benefited from the intra-Shiites differences in Parachinar and Orakzai Agency. They made May 11, the day of election a black day for us due to these differences,” he said.
He urged the Shia notables to remain soft and kind to the ordinary Shiites and urged the Shia Muslims to respect the elders. He urged them to sort out their differences forthwith and there must be no tension between Shiites. He urged Shiites of Orakzai to follow the pious Shia scholars and leaders because they are heirs of the ideology of God’s Prophets.
Fazal Abbas Mian said that his father wanted to establish a religious seminary but he died without accomplishing that mission. However, Allama Arif Hussain once came to the area and desired to Fazal Abbas that he wanted to establish a Shia religious seminary. Fazal Abbas allotted plot for that.
The speakers also lambasted the political agent and political administration of the Orakzai Agency for their anti-Shia policies. They warned the PMLN government that the political agent and his administration were trying to force Shiites to reaction to his biased and unjust policies and in that case responsibility would lie on the government itself. | 2023-10-08T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/2021 |
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| 2024-06-10T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9975 |
/*!
\file lib/raster/color_rule.c
\brief Raster Library - Color rules.
(C) 2001-2009 by the GRASS Development Team
This program is free software under the GNU General Public License
(>=v2). Read the file COPYING that comes with GRASS for details.
\author Original author CERL
*/
#include <grass/gis.h>
#include <grass/raster.h>
#define LIMIT(x) if (x < 0) x = 0; else if (x > 255) x = 255;
static void add_color_rule(const void *, int, int, int,
const void *, int, int, int,
struct _Color_Info_ *, int,
DCELL *, DCELL *, RASTER_MAP_TYPE);
/*!
\brief Adds the floating-point color rule (DCELL version)
See Rast_add_color_rule() for details.
\param val1 cell value
\param r1,g1,b1 color value
\param val2 cell value
\param r2,g2,b2 color value
\param[in,out] colors pointer to color table structure
*/
void Rast_add_d_color_rule(const DCELL * val1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const DCELL * val2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct Colors *colors)
{
add_color_rule(val1, r1, g1, b1, val2, r2, g2, b2, &colors->fixed,
colors->version, &colors->cmin, &colors->cmax, DCELL_TYPE);
}
/*!
\brief Adds the floating-point color rule (FCELL version)
See Rast_add_color_rule() for details.
\param cat1 cell value
\param r1,g1,b1 color value
\param cat2 cell value
\param r2,g2,b2 color value
\param[in,out] colors pointer to color table structure
*/
void Rast_add_f_color_rule(const FCELL * cat1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const FCELL * cat2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct Colors *colors)
{
add_color_rule(cat1, r1, g1, b1, cat2, r2, g2, b2, &colors->fixed,
colors->version, &colors->cmin, &colors->cmax, FCELL_TYPE);
}
/*!
\brief Adds the integer color rule (CELL version)
See Rast_add_color_rule() for details.
\param cat1 cell value
\param r1,g1,b1 color value
\param cat2 cell value
\param r2,g2,b2 color value
\param[in,out] colors pointer to color table structure
*/
void Rast_add_c_color_rule(const CELL * cat1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const CELL * cat2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct Colors *colors)
{
add_color_rule(cat1, r1, g1, b1, cat2, r2, g2, b2, &colors->fixed,
colors->version, &colors->cmin, &colors->cmax, CELL_TYPE);
}
/*!
\brief Adds the color rule
Adds the floating-point rule that the range [<em>v1,v2</em>] gets a
linear ramp of colors from [<em>r1,g1,b1</em>] to
[<em>r2,g2,b2</em>].
If either <em>v1</em> or <em>v2</em> is the NULL-value, this call is converted ino
<tt>Rast_set_null_value_color (r1, g1, b1, colors)</tt>
- If <em>map_type</em> is CELL_TYPE, calls Rast_add_c_color_rule()
- If <em>map_type</em> is FCELL_TYPE, calls Rast_add_f_color_rule()
- If <em>map_type</em> is DCELL_TYPE, calls Rast_add_d_color_rule()
\param val1 cell value
\param r1,g1,b1 color value
\param val2 cell value
\param r2,g2,b2 color value
\param[in,out] colors pointer to color table structure
\param data_type raster data type (CELL, FCELL, DCELL)
*/
void Rast_add_color_rule(const void *val1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const void *val2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct Colors *colors, RASTER_MAP_TYPE data_type)
{
add_color_rule(val1, r1, g1, b1, val2, r2, g2, b2, &colors->fixed,
colors->version, &colors->cmin, &colors->cmax, data_type);
}
/*!
\brief Add modular floating-point color rule (DCELL version)
\param val1 cell value
\param r1,g1,b1 color value
\param val2 cell value
\param r2,g2,b2 color value
\param[in,out] colors pointer to color table structure
\return -1 on failure
\return 1 on success
*/
int Rast_add_modular_d_color_rule(const DCELL * val1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const DCELL * val2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct Colors *colors)
{
DCELL min, max;
if (colors->version < 0)
return -1; /* can't use this on 3.0 colors */
min = colors->cmin;
max = colors->cmax;
add_color_rule(val1, r1, g1, b1, val2, r2, g2, b2, &colors->modular, 0,
&colors->cmin, &colors->cmax, DCELL_TYPE);
colors->cmin = min; /* don't reset these */
colors->cmax = max;
return 1;
}
/*!
\brief Add modular floating-point color rule (FCELL version)
\param val1 cell value
\param r1,g1,b1 color value
\param val2 cell value
\param r2,g2,b2 color value
\param[in,out] colors pointer to color table structure
\return -1 on failure
\return 1 on success
*/
int Rast_add_modular_f_color_rule(const FCELL * val1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const FCELL * val2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct Colors *colors)
{
DCELL min, max;
if (colors->version < 0)
return -1; /* can;t use this on 3.0 colors */
min = colors->cmin;
max = colors->cmax;
add_color_rule(val1, r1, g1, b1, val2, r2, g2, b2, &colors->modular, 0,
&colors->cmin, &colors->cmax, FCELL_TYPE);
colors->cmin = min; /* don't reset these */
colors->cmax = max;
return 1;
}
/*!
\brief Add modular integer color rule (CELL version)
\param val1 cell value
\param r1,g1,b1 color value
\param val2 cell value
\param r2,g2,b2 color value
\param[in,out] colors pointer to color table structure
\return -1 on failure
\return 1 on success
*/
int Rast_add_modular_c_color_rule(const CELL * val1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const CELL * val2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct Colors *colors)
{
CELL min, max;
if (colors->version < 0)
return -1; /* can;t use this on 3.0 colors */
min = colors->cmin;
max = colors->cmax;
add_color_rule(val1, r1, g1, b1, val2, r2, g2, b2, &colors->modular, 0,
&colors->cmin, &colors->cmax, CELL_TYPE);
colors->cmin = min; /* don't reset these */
colors->cmax = max;
return 1;
}
/*!
\brief Add modular color rule
\todo Question: shouldn't this function call
G_add_modular_<data_type>_raster_color_rule() instead?
\param val1 cell value
\param r1,g1,b1 color value
\param val2 cell value
\param r2,g2,b2 color value
\param[in,out] colors pointer to color table structure
\param data_type raster data type
\return -1 on failure
\return 1 on success
*/
int Rast_add_modular_color_rule(const void *val1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const void *val2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct Colors *colors,
RASTER_MAP_TYPE data_type)
{
CELL min, max;
if (colors->version < 0)
return -1; /* can't use this on 3.0 colors */
min = colors->cmin;
max = colors->cmax;
add_color_rule(val1, r1, g1, b1, val2, r2, g2, b2, &colors->modular, 0,
&colors->cmin, &colors->cmax, data_type);
colors->cmin = min; /* don't reset these */
colors->cmax = max;
return 1;
}
static void add_color_rule(const void *pt1, int r1, int g1, int b1,
const void *pt2, int r2, int g2, int b2,
struct _Color_Info_ *cp, int version, DCELL * cmin,
DCELL * cmax, RASTER_MAP_TYPE data_type)
{
struct _Color_Rule_ *rule, *next;
unsigned char red, grn, blu;
DCELL min, max, val1, val2;
CELL cat;
val1 = Rast_get_d_value(pt1, data_type);
val2 = Rast_get_d_value(pt2, data_type);
/* allocate a low:high rule */
rule = (struct _Color_Rule_ *)G_malloc(sizeof(*rule));
rule->next = rule->prev = NULL;
/* make sure colors are in the range [0,255] */
LIMIT(r1);
LIMIT(g1);
LIMIT(b1);
LIMIT(r2);
LIMIT(g2);
LIMIT(b2);
/* val1==val2, use average color */
/* otherwise make sure low < high */
if (val1 == val2) {
rule->low.value = rule->high.value = val1;
rule->low.red = rule->high.red = (r1 + r2) / 2;
rule->low.grn = rule->high.grn = (g1 + g2) / 2;
rule->low.blu = rule->high.blu = (b1 + b2) / 2;
}
else if (val1 < val2) {
rule->low.value = val1;
rule->low.red = r1;
rule->low.grn = g1;
rule->low.blu = b1;
rule->high.value = val2;
rule->high.red = r2;
rule->high.grn = g2;
rule->high.blu = b2;
}
else {
rule->low.value = val2;
rule->low.red = r2;
rule->low.grn = g2;
rule->low.blu = b2;
rule->high.value = val1;
rule->high.red = r1;
rule->high.grn = g1;
rule->high.blu = b1;
}
/* keep track of the overall min and max, excluding null */
if (Rast_is_d_null_value(&(rule->low.value)))
return;
if (Rast_is_d_null_value(&(rule->high.value)))
return;
min = rule->low.value;
max = rule->high.value;
if (min <= max) {
if (cp->min > cp->max) {
cp->min = min;
cp->max = max;
}
else {
if (cp->min > min)
cp->min = min;
if (cp->max < max)
cp->max = max;
}
}
if (*cmin > *cmax) {
*cmin = cp->min;
*cmax = cp->max;
}
else {
if (*cmin > cp->min)
*cmin = cp->min;
if (*cmax < cp->max)
*cmax = cp->max;
}
/* If version is old style (i.e., pre 4.0),
* interpolate this rule from min to max
* and insert each cat into the lookup table.
* Then free the rule.
* Otherwise, free the lookup table, if active.
* G_organize_colors() will regenerate it
* Link this rule into the list of rules
*/
if (version < 0) {
for (cat = (CELL) min; cat <= (CELL) max; cat++) {
Rast__interpolate_color_rule((DCELL) cat, &red, &grn, &blu, rule);
Rast__insert_color_into_lookup(cat, (int)red, (int)grn, (int)blu,
cp);
}
G_free(rule);
}
else {
if (cp->rules)
cp->rules->prev = rule;
rule->next = cp->rules;
cp->rules = rule;
/* prune the rules:
* remove all rules that are contained by this rule
*/
min = rule->low.value; /* mod 4.1 */
max = rule->high.value; /* mod 4.1 */
cp->n_rules++;
for (rule = rule->next; rule; rule = next) {
next = rule->next; /* has to be done here, not in for stmt */
if (min <= rule->low.value && max >= rule->high.value) {
if ((rule->prev->next = next)) /* remove from the list */
next->prev = rule->prev;
G_free(rule);
cp->n_rules--;
}
}
/* free lookup array, if allocated */
Rast__color_free_lookup(cp);
Rast__color_free_fp_lookup(cp);
}
}
| 2024-04-05T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4268 |
Magnetic domains and singularities are basic ingredients of the microscopic structure of magnetic materials and they exhibit a large variety of morphologies as, to mention some, stripes, mazes, dots, Bloch lines, vortex and skyrmions[@b1]. These magnetic structures have been brought to evidence by a variety of imaging methods being the most common optical (magnetic Kerr and Faraday effect microscopies), electron-based (Lorentz, spin resolved scattering and photoemission microscopies) or local probes (magnetic force microscopy) and, although they generate good resolution images of the magnetization of the samples (in-plane or perpendicular), they have limited or null capability for quantifying angles, as for example the canting angle with the surface of an inclined magnetization. Transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) has also been successfully used as imaging technique exploiting the element-specific dichroic-absorption contrast under resonant absorption conditions[@b2]. Basically, the previous works have been carried out at a fixed geometry between the incoming photon beam and the sample normal[@b2][@b3][@b4][@b5][@b6]. The most common geometry used is normal incidence to sense the perpendicular magnetization, although off-normal incidence, which allows probing the in-plane magnetization, has been also employed[@b7]. In this work, we have gone a step further taking advantage of the particularly simple angular dependence of the magnetic contrast on TXM images, which depends on cos*α*, being *α* the angle defined by the direction of the magnetization and that of the X-ray beam[@b8]. By acquiring series of high resolution images at different α angles, we obtained the angles of the magnetization respect to the surface normal in stripe domains of weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) amorphous NdCo~5~ (denoted as NC) films of different thickness and determined their change when the films were covered with a 40 nm thick permalloy (Py) film. In addition, this method of angle dependent dichroic imaging has allowed us to identify topological defects consisting in 180° rotations of the in-plane magnetization and an out-of-plane reversal (1/2 skyrmions or merons) on a buried NC film that are partially replicated by the Py overlayer. These results may be of practical use in a variety of areas such as: quantitative description of individual topological defects like magnetic vortices[@b9][@b10] and skyrmions[@b11][@b13][@b14][@b15][@b16][@b17], tilted recording media[@b18], design of magnetic heterostructures where the magnetic configuration in each layer has to be determined to understand global properties (such as isothermal exchange bias[@b19] and domain replication phenomena[@b20][@b21][@b22]) and control of topological defect propagation from layer to layer[@b23][@b24].
We describe first how to use angular series of magnetic TXM images to quantify the evolution of the magnetization canting angles as a function of film thickness. Then, taking advantage of the high probing depth of the technique, we analyse in detail non-uniform domain patterns in partially reversed layers. As a result, we identify single nanometric meron topological defects and we discuss their role in the magnetization reversal process.
Results
=======
Determination of canting angles
-------------------------------
The experimental geometry is described in [Fig. 1a](#f1){ref-type="fig"}. The samples are amorphous NC films with weak PMA[@b25]. They were prepared to form, at remanence, parallel stripe domain patterns where the out-of-plane component of the magnetization, *M*~*z*~, alternates sign from one stripe to the next (domains 1 and 2 in [Fig. 1a](#f1){ref-type="fig"}), whereas the in-plane component *M*~*x*~ is constant. As NC is a weak PMA material (typical hysteresis loops in [Supplementary Fig. 1](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}), the films should exhibit significant variations of the *φ* angles at different thickness ([Supplementary Fig. 2](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"} and [Supplementary Note 1](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). In addition, due to topological restrictions[@b26][@b27], in-plane magnetization reversal of parallel stripe domains is mediated by the propagation of topological defects (Bloch points) so that NC can be used as a seed layer to nucleate topological defects in a NC/Py bilayer and to investigate their propagation into the soft Py layer.
The samples were mounted with the stripes approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis (*r* in [Fig. 1a](#f1){ref-type="fig"}) of the X-ray microscope of the Mistral beamline at the ALBA light source[@b28]. The circularly polarized photon beam from a bending magnet source impinged the surface at angles *θ* from *ca*. −55° to +55°. At both kinds of stripe domains (denoted by *i*=1, 2), the magnetization makes angles *φ* and 180° −*φ*, respectively, with the film normal, as indicated in the figure; then, the linear absorption coefficient *μ*~l~^*i*^ of a domain will depend on *L*^−1^(1+*d* **b**(*θ*)˙**m**^*i*^(*φ*)), being *L* the atom and energy dependent X-ray attenuation length, *d* the magnitude of the dichroic absorption, and **b**(*θ*) and **m**^*i*^(*φ*) the unit vectors defining the directions of the beam and magnetization, respectively.
The photon energy was tuned to the *L*~3~ absorption edge of Co. The transmitted intensity of a domain, *I*~*i*~, is governed by exp(−*μ*~l~^*i*^(*θ*,*φ*)*T*/cos*θ*) being *T*/cos*θ* the effective film thickness seen by the X-ray beam. The *θ* dependence of the contrast among both domains *C*(*θ*, *φ*)=\|*I*~1~--*I*~2~\|, including additional terms to account for the contribution of the attenuation of the beam by Nd atoms and the support membrane, is depicted in [Fig. 1b](#f1){ref-type="fig"} for different values of *φ*.
The calculated curves in [Fig. 1b](#f1){ref-type="fig"} show that the value of *θ* where the contrast is maximum is progressively shifting when \|*φ*\| increases. Furthermore, if *φ* is positive (negative), as in [Fig. 1a](#f1){ref-type="fig"}, the *θ* dependence of the contrast is centred at positive (negative) angles. Thus, the sign of *φ* provides direct information on the sign of *M*~*x*~, that is, on the orientation of the magnetization.
For a given NC film, images at remanence of a well defined area were acquired at different *θ* angles from *ca.* −55° to +55°, usually in steps of 5°, assuring that the same region of the sample was always imaged. Then, contrast among domains was numerically evaluated and fitted with two adjustable parameters, *φ* and a scale factor, to correlate calculated and measured values.
[Figure 2](#f2){ref-type="fig"} shows images of three NC thin films of 55, 75 and 120 nm thickness (denoted as NC55, NC75, and NC120, respectively), and of a 55 nm thickness NC layer covered with 40 nm of Py (denoted as NC55P40). All the images were acquired at the Co absorption edge photon energy and, therefore, they probe the magnetization of Co.
The images in [Fig. 2a--d](#f2){ref-type="fig"}, acquired at *θ*=0°, show well resolved magnetic stripes thanks to the *ca*. 45 nm microscope resolution. The periods of the stripes vary from 187 nm ([Fig. 2a](#f2){ref-type="fig"}, NC120) to 115 nm ([Fig. 2c](#f2){ref-type="fig"}, NC55), in good agreement with previous measurements and micromagnetic calculations[@b29]. For each sample, a *θ* angular series of images was obtained (the rotation axis was parallel to the vertical direction in the images); then, they were normalized by the flat field images to correct for the background inhomogeneities, and the contrast at each *θ* value was evaluated by averaging the amplitudes of intensity profiles measured along the dashed lines in [Fig. 2a--d](#f2){ref-type="fig"}, that are perpendicular to the stripes. [Figure 2e](#f2){ref-type="fig"} shows the results of the measurements and the calculated curves with the fitted values of the magnetization angle *φ*. Data corresponding to NC120 show the absolute modulation of the contrast with respect to the zero contrast baseline. The other three curves have been vertically shifted for clarity. Typically, the magnetic contrast relative to the total average intensity at normal incidence ranges from 11 to 29%. On decreasing the NC film thickness from 120 to 55 nm, the curves become gradually more asymmetric and the fitted magnetization angle changes continuously from 22° to 65° (the experimental uncertainty of the fitted angles is about ±2°). Referring to [Fig. 1a](#f1){ref-type="fig"}, it corresponds to a decrease of *M*~*z*~ and an increase of *M*~*x*~, that is, magnetization becomes less perpendicular when thickness decreases. This trend is in perfect agreement with micromagnetic simulations ([Supplementary Fig. 2](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"} and [Supplementary Note 1)](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
Furthermore, the same procedure applied to the 55 nm NC film buried below 40 nm of Py (upper data and curve in [Fig. 2e](#f2){ref-type="fig"}) indicates a large change in *φ* that decreases back from 65° to 22°; that is, it gets closer to the film normal. This change is accompanied by an increase of the period of the stripes from 115 nm ([Fig. 2c](#f2){ref-type="fig"}) to 179 nm ([Fig. 2d](#f2){ref-type="fig"}). These results again agree with the trend indicated by micromagnetic simulations, which predict a reduction of *φ* correlated to an increment of the period. Thus, the role of the Py layer is to increase the effective thickness of the film, leading to a higher period and to a decrease of *φ*, similarly to the changes observed in uncovered NC films when the thickness is increased from 55 to 120 nm.
Characterization of topological defects
---------------------------------------
In a further step, this method was applied to investigate more complex remanent domain patterns in a NC55P40 bilayer after an intermediate state of the in-plane magnetization reversal was generated *ex-situ* by minor hysteresis looping along *x* direction (see [Supplementary Fig. 1b](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). First, a quantitative description of the in-plane domain structure superimposed on oscillating *M*~*z*~-stripe pattern was obtained and then, a detailed characterization of individual topological defects in the magnetization configuration that may nucleate in the system during the magnetization reversal process[@b26][@b27] was carried out.
[Figure 3](#f3){ref-type="fig"} shows two series of images collected at different *θ* angles, either at the Co L~3~ absorption edge photon energy (3a--3c) or at the Fe L~3~ absorption energy (3d--3f), to separately visualize the magnetization of Co (NC layer) and Fe (Py layer). The images were acquired consecutively in the same conditions. At normal incidence (3b and 3e), where the magnetic contrast is only sensitive to *M*~*z*~, both NC and Py layers exhibit identical stripe domains, indicating a replication of the perpendicular magnetization of the NC film to the Py film, similarly to previous findings[@b20]. However, the images at *θ*=−50° and +50° ([Fig. 3a,c,d,f](#f3){ref-type="fig"}, respectively), that are sensitive to *M*~*x*~, reveal a more complex situation. They are non-homogeneous and exhibit clustering of domains in groups of darker and brighter lines that are not always equivalent in the Co and Fe images.
In more detail, let us concentrate on stripes perpendicular to the dotted line profile in [Fig. 3a](#f3){ref-type="fig"}, acquired at *θ*=−50° for NC. Two different regions, denoted as Z1 and Z2, are observed: in Z1 there is a group of six dark lines with a low average intensity compared with region Z2 that consists of three brighter lines. Both regions are separated by an intermediate contrast transition stripe. At *θ*=+50°, [Fig. 3c](#f3){ref-type="fig"}, the dark/bright sequence is inverted. This inversion is also observed in the Fe images, comparing regions Z1 and Z2 at *θ*=−50° ([Fig. 3d](#f3){ref-type="fig"}), and at *θ*=+50° ([Fig. 3f](#f3){ref-type="fig"}). The similitude of the Co and Fe images indicates that, in this area of the sample, the magnetization pattern of the Py film mimics the magnetization of the NC underneath.
The observed reversal of the contrast as *θ* changes sign indicates that two families of domains coexist with opposite sign of *M*~*x*~. This is confirmed by an analysis of intensity profiles taken across Z1 and Z2 ([Fig. 3g](#f3){ref-type="fig"}) that shows that the amplitudes of oscillations are different in each region. Measuring the specific contrast of Z1 and Z2 in the complete angular series ([Fig. 3h](#f3){ref-type="fig"}) reveals two well separated distributions centred at positive and negative values of *θ*. The continuous lines fitting the data correspond to *φ*=31° for Z1 stripes and −9° for Z2 stripes, confirming a change in sign of *M*~*x*~ as indicated by the two arrows in [Fig. 3a](#f3){ref-type="fig"}. Interestingly, the magnitude of both angles is different. Also, the period of Z2 stripes, ∼195 nm, is slightly larger than that of Z1, ∼173 nm. This confirms the correlation between angle *φ* and period, indicating that the minority reversed stripes have a slightly different energetic balance that affects both period and canting.
Finally, after the analysis of the global domain structure, this method has been used to characterize individual magnetization textures, such as dislocations within the stripe domain pattern. These are topological defects that nucleate in the system to adjust stripe period to its equilibrium value, and they are commonly found within magnetic stripe patterns (see for example, Y1 and Y2 in [Fig. 3](#f3){ref-type="fig"}). Normal incidence images ([Fig. 3b](#f3){ref-type="fig"}), sensitive to *M*~*z*~ component, provide two basic dislocation parameters: Burgers vector **b** and polarity change, which are the same for both dislocations Y1 (shown in a closer view in [Fig. 4](#f4){ref-type="fig"}, which is an enlargement of [Fig. 3](#f3){ref-type="fig"}) and Y2. They consist of a white stripe bifurcation (that is, positive *M*~*z*~ domain), next to a black stripe end point with Burgers vector **b** as indicated in [Fig. 4a](#f4){ref-type="fig"}, and of a *M*~*z*~ change from negative to positive on travelling outwards from the dark stripe at the dislocation core to the white stripes that surround it, corresponding to a positive polarity change.
Moreover, images at different angles evidence additional topological details when in-plane magnetization configuration around the dislocation core is taken into account. In some cases, such as Y2, there are no sharp contrast changes around the dislocation core presenting a similar morphology at *θ*=0° and ±50° images, indicating a uniform in-plane magnetization around the dislocation, as sketched in [Fig. 5a](#f5){ref-type="fig"}. But, in other cases, such as at dislocation Y1, the lower and upper bifurcation branches, denoted as A1 and A2 in [Fig. 4a](#f4){ref-type="fig"}, exhibit different contrasts for Co magnetization (bright-dark, respectively), which are inverted in [Fig. 4b](#f4){ref-type="fig"} at *θ*=+50° (dark-bright), as shown in the profiles in [Fig. 4e](#f4){ref-type="fig"}, indicating a change of sign of *M*~*x*~ at the bifurcation. Again, this is quantitatively confirmed in [Fig. 4f](#f4){ref-type="fig"} by fitting the angular series corresponding to the contrast of each individual branch, A1 and A2, leading to fitted *φ* angles of −46° and 21°, respectively, corroborating the change of sign of *M*~*x*~. This micromagnetic configuration can be described as a meron-like spin texture (M), localized at the dislocation core, that had been predicted to appear at stripe endpoints in helical magnets[@b30]. As sketched in [Fig. 5b,c](#f5){ref-type="fig"}, the change of sign of *M*~*x*~ at the bifurcation of the white stripe implies a 180° rotation around the end point of the black stripe, that is, there is a ½ turn vortex of the in-plane magnetization plus a polarity change in *M*~*z*~ at the dislocation core. In the particular case of Y1, the meron texture corresponds to a 180° rotation with clockwise chirality and a positive polarity change (Δ*M*~*z*~\>0). Linked to this meron texture, we find the narrowest possible in-plane reversed domain, consisting of one single stripe (A1) laterally confined by the *M*~*z*~ stripe periodicity. Contrast changes in [Fig. 4](#f4){ref-type="fig"} indicate that the magnetization actually performs a single turn helix when crossing branches A2 and A1 along the dotted lines in panels 4a-b, that cross the reversed dislocation core: magnetization changes from positive *M*~*z*~ and positive *M*~*x*~ (white bifurcation branch A2), then to negative *M*~*z*~ (black stripe with end point), then to positive *M*~*z*~ and negative *M*~*x*~ (white bifurcation branch A1), finally back again to positive *M*~*z*~ and positive *M*~*x*~ outside the dislocation core. This single turn helix can be seen in more detail at the right edge of the sketch in [Fig. 5c](#f5){ref-type="fig"}, where, starting from the upper right corner and going down to the lower right corner, the magnetization changes from positive *M*~*z*~ (white arrow), to positive *M*~*x*~ (red arrow), to negative *M*~*z*~ (black arrow), to negative *M*~*x*~ (blue arrow), to positive *M*~*z*~ (white arrow), and back again to positive *M*~*x*~ (red arrow). This configuration is confirmed by the micromagnetic simulation shown in [Fig. 5d](#f5){ref-type="fig"}. Note that we have taken advantage of combined *M*~*x*~-*M*~*z*~ sensitivity of the method to obtain the topological characteristics of individual defects, including chirality and polarity, which are not given by standard characterization techniques, such as Magnetic Force Microscopy, which are sensitive only to *M*~*z*~.
Micromagnetic simulations confirm that these meron structures formed at dislocations play a significant role in the in-plane magnetization reversal process of stripe domain patterns: [Fig. 5a](#f5){ref-type="fig"} shows a sketch of the equilibrium magnetization configuration around a non-reversed dislocation, with a Bloch point[@b1] at the bifurcation denoted as B. Simulations indicate that in-plane magnetization reversal starts with a shift of B to the right along the boundary between the black central stripe and one of the white surrounding stripes, A1 in this case. The motion of B leaves a meron configuration at the bifurcation (M) and, between this M-B pair, a *M*~*x*~ reversed domain is formed, (see blue arrows in [Fig. 5b,c](#f5){ref-type="fig"} and the corresponding micromagnetic simulation in [Fig. 5d](#f5){ref-type="fig"}). The A1 reversed stripe experimentally observed in [Fig. 4a,b](#f4){ref-type="fig"} corresponds to a situation where the Bloch point B has moved out of the image.
New details appear when images of Y1 taken at Co edge ([Fig. 4a,b](#f4){ref-type="fig"}) and at the Fe edge ([Fig. 4c,d](#f4){ref-type="fig"}) are compared. Contrast changes are only seen close to the dislocation core at the Fe edge image: a bright (dark) line appears in the segment Y~1~−B for *θ*=−50° (+50°), with a sharp contrast change at point B within the same white stripe. This is consistent with an abrupt *M*~*x*~ change (either a Bloch point or a vertical Bloch line[@b1]), as indicated in sketch [Fig. 5b](#f5){ref-type="fig"} and simulation [Fig. 5d](#f5){ref-type="fig"}. In fact, several of these short domains bounded by Bloch line-meron pairs can be identified within the full view image of the Py layer in [Fig. 3d,f](#f3){ref-type="fig"}, which have a smaller length than the corresponding reversed domains within the NC layer ([Fig. 3a,c](#f3){ref-type="fig"}). The fact that these narrow in-plane reversed domains are shorter in Py than in NC indicates that their energy per unit length has to be relatively high since the Py film prefers to have short domains on top of long domains in the NC film even at the expense of non-parallel coupling between Py and NC.
Our results illustrate that X-ray microscopy complements other techniques of domain visualization. Its lateral resolution, ∼45 nm in our case, is intermediate between electron-based techniques, as photoemission microscopy or electron diffraction, and optical techniques as Kerr microscopy, and it might be further improved by a factor ∼2 upgrading the objective optics of the microscope. The ability of obtaining canting angles and details on the magnetization of magnetic singularities, as shown in this report, compares with what it is achievable with low energy electron microscopy as demonstrated in recent works[@b31][@b32] where in-plane orientations of the magnetization in the domain walls at the surface were determined in perpendicularly magnetized films. Other recent works are also reporting steps towards three-dimensional X-ray magnetic imaging with photoemission electron microscopy[@b33] and TXM[@b34]. However, a specific and rather unique aspect of TXM is its relatively large probing depth coupled to its atomic specificity. Electron-based or optical techniques are inherently surface sensitive (few nm of probing depth for electrons, and few tens of nm for optical wavelengths in non-transparent materials) whereas TXM allows to probe films of more than 100 nm ([Fig. 2](#f2){ref-type="fig"}). As the depth of focus of the microscope is about 6 μm (for the focusing optics and energies used in this experiment) and the intensity analysis is performed close to the centre of rotation, the whole film is always focused in the images and the sharpness of the magnetic features does not depend on their depth. This makes TXM suitable for observation of domains and characterization of chirality and polarity of topological defects in the bulk of non-transparent materials, which is virtually impossible with other techniques[@b1]. Furthermore, we plan to generalize our method to be applicable to complex domain morphologies, including non-periodic patterns, by precisely measuring the absorption coefficient of the samples, within the lateral resolution, in order to directly obtain a mapping of the *M*~*x*~ and *M*~*z*~ projections of the magnetization. This, combined with the usage of two orthogonal rotation axes, so that the *M*~*y*~ component can also be extracted, is expected to become a powerful tool for magnetic domain imaging.
In summary, we have shown that the simple dependence of magnetic dichroic contrast in angular series of magnetic TXM images can be successfully used as a method to quantify magnetization canting angles, even in deeply buried layers. Film thickness dependence of canting angles obtained by this approach is in agreement with trends predicted by micromagnetic calculations. Furthermore, the application of this analysis to a partially reversed magnetic bilayer has allowed the identification of groups of stripes with opposite *M*~*x*~ sign having different values of their canting angle, in correlation with changes in stripe domain periodicity. Finally, the technique has been used to quantify canting angles in individual 90--100 nm wide stripes around dislocation defects, and meron textures with a defined chirality have been identified. These topological defects, that are not completely replicated to the permalloy overlayer, play a significant role in the magnetization reversal process. In the near future we plan to enlarge the capabilities and generality of the method to probe the three dimensional magnetization of more complex systems with domain configurations of practical interest.
Methods
=======
Sample preparation
------------------
Amorphous NC films were prepared at room temperature by DC magnetron co-sputtering of Nd (99.9 % atomic purity) and Co (99.99 % atomic purity) targets at 3 × 10^−3^ mbar Ar working pressure. Their thicknesses were varied between 55 and 120 nm. An additional 5 nm thick Al capping layer was grown on top of the samples to prevent oxidation. The saturation magnetization and PMA of these films are[@b25][@b29], respectively, *M*~S~=10^3^ e.m.u. cm^−3^ and *K*~N~=10^6^ erg cm^−3^, and therefore, anisotropy ratio *Q*=*K*~N~/2*πM*~S~^2^ is \<1. The remanent domain configuration, obtained by cycling an in-plane magnetic field up to 4 kOe from positive to negative magnetic saturation ([Supplementary Fig. 1](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}), consists of parallel stripe domains oriented along the last saturating field direction. The canting angle of the stripe pattern *φ* in this low *Q* material is expected to show large variations as a function of thickness ([Supplementary Fig. 2](#S1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}), what makes it an ideal candidate to test the validity of our method.
A bilayer sample, consisting of 40 nm of Py directly deposited on top of 55 nm of NC, was also prepared by DC magnetron sputtering from a Py target in similar experimental conditions as those described above.
All of the films were grown on specially designed substrates consisting on 100 nm thick Si~3~N~4~ membranes fabricated by Microsystems technology at IMB--CNM CSIC (Barcelona, Spain). The shape of the Si frame was optimized to maximize the photon beam exit angles, so that a wide angular range of *ca*. ±60° around substrate normal is accessible to acquire the angular series of images without shadowing of the beam.
Transmission soft X-ray microscope
----------------------------------
The images were acquired with the full field transmission soft X-ray microscope of the MISTRAL beamline at the ALBA synchrotron facility (Barcelona, Spain)[@b28]. The monochromatic X-ray beam was focused with a glass capillary at the sample that was mounted on a high precision rotary axis (\<0.5 μm run out). The circular polarization rate was experimentally estimated as 96% (ref. [@b35]). The transmitted beam was magnified to a charge-coupled device chip with a Fresnel zone plate of 40 nm outer zone width (depth of focus of around 6 μm at our experimental conditions). The resolution of the microscope, operating with circularly polarized photons, is about 30 nm half-pitch, as determined with reference calibrated lithographic patterns by acquiring transmission images based on absorption contrast due to different charge densities. However, for magnetic images the resolution degrades due to the skewed illumination inherent to the selection of the circular polarization. An estimation from the visibility of the magnetic contrast in a sample with ∼120 nm period magnetic stripes was *ca*. 45 nm half-pitch. Series of angular images were acquired automatically with exposition times around 10--20 s depending on the angles and on the sample thickness. For large incoming angles exposition times were increased to keep similar signal-to-noise ratios. The background was corrected normalizing to a flat field image obtained without any sample and, subsequently, the images were aligned to correct for the run out error of the rotation axis to compare exactly the same areas of the sample at different angles. Separate X-ray absorption measurements[@b36] allowed to determine *L*=22 nm and *d*=0.27 in NC in agreement with literature[@b8]. Error bars in [Fig. 2e](#f2){ref-type="fig"} were evaluated from s.d. of the intensity along the centre of the stripes.
Micromagnetic simulations
-------------------------
Average canting angles of regular stripe patterns at remanence were obtained from micromagnetic simulations with a finite difference code[@b37] in which the continuous thin films were modelled as infinite prisms along the stripe pattern direction and two dimensional rectangular cross-section discretized as (thickness/64) × (period/64) nm^2^. Finite-element code[@b38] MuMax3 was used to simulate the magnetization reversal of three-dimensional NC films to allow for the nucleation of dislocation in the stripe pattern. The films were discretized into cells with dimensions of 4 × 4 × 2 nm^3^ for a total of 1,024 × 1,024 × 56 nm^3^. Material parameters have been obtained from the magnetic characterization of the samples (*M*~S~≈10^3^ e.m.u. cm^−3^, *K*~N~≈10^6^ erg cm^−3^) and exchange constant *A*~ex~≈4 × 10^−7^ erg cm^−1^.
Additional information
======================
**How to cite this article:** Blanco-Roldán, C. *et al*. Nanoscale imaging of buried topological defects with quantitative X-ray magnetic microscopy. *Nat. Commun.* 6:8196 doi: 10.1038/ncomms9196 (2015).
Supplementary Material {#S1}
======================
###### Supplementary Information
Supplementary Figures 1-2, Supplementary Note 1 and Supplementary Reference
Work supported by Spanish MINECO under grant FIS2013- 45469. A. Hierro-Rodriguez acknowledges support from FCT of Portugal (Grant SFRH/BPD/90471/2012). C. Blanco-Roldán thanks support from CSIC JAE Predoc Program.
**Author contributions** C.B.-R., C.Q. and S.F. designed and planned the experiment, with a significant contribution from A.H.-R. Silicon nitride membranes were fabricated by M.D., N.T. and J.E. C.B.-R., and C.Q. prepared the samples. C.B.-R., C.Q., A.S., R.V., E.P. and S.F carried out the synchrotron experiment. C.B.-R., C.Q. and S.F.a analysed the data. A.H.-R., and L.M. A.-P. performed the micromagnetic calculations. C.B.-R., C.Q, A.H.-R., L.M.A.-P., J.I.M., M.V., J.M.A. and S.F. interpreted the results. M.V. and S.F. wrote the article; all authors commented on the manuscript.
{#f1}
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| 2024-05-10T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9019 |
The present invention relates to a lighting assembly for a rural mailbox and more particularly to a lighting assembly for a mailbox which an user activates a light when he open of a door so there is sufficient ambient light by which to view the contents therein.
Many persons have employment schedules that result in returning home in the dark. Of course, many persons working normal business hours also return home in the dark during the winter season due to the shortened period of daylight. The task of gathering one""s mail from the mailbox is made more difficult by the darkness. The resident must scrape around inside the darkened mailbox or utilize an external light source such as a flashlight to ensure that important letters or small packages are not overlooked. Interior lighting of a mailbox is especially needed for use with rural mailboxes that are typically mounted some distance away from the home. Various apparatus have been proposed for lighting the interior of a mailbox. Some such devices are disadvantageous, however, in that a light is activated every time the mailbox door is opened, thus depleting the power supply even in situations where ambient light is plenteous. Other devices require the user to manually activate a light switch when more light is needed.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a lighting system for a mailbox that activates an interior light only if insufficient ambient light is available for viewing the contents within the mailbox. It is further desirable that the amount of available ambient light is only sensed upon an opening of the mailbox door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,887 teaches a switch that operates a lamp bulb in a compartment in response to the opening and closing of the compartment""s lid. The switch includes a housing that retains the bulb and mounts in an aperture adjacent the compartment. The housing includes a hinge that is pivoted from a first to a second position when the lid is closed. A pair of contacts on opposite sides of the housing includes terminals that connect into an electrical circuit. One end of one contact engages the bulb contact. One end of the other contact engages the bulb base and biases the hinge member into its first position. When the lid is open, the hinge is in its first position and the circuit through the bulb is complete. Closing of the lid pivots the hinge to its second position and moves the end of the other contact away from the bulb to break the circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,262 teaches a container for storage on an offshore work site. A lightweight metal container is provided with a latching mechanism that is operable by either hand or foot pressure for allowing opening of the container. The container has attached thereto a spring-loaded assembly for causing automatic opening of the top upon release of the latching mechanism from the top. A power source, switch and lamp are attached to the container for automatic illumination of the contents therein upon opening of the top.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,915 teaches a lighting fixture which has self-contained batteries and mercury switch for attachment of the fixture to the interior surface of the door of a mailbox for illuminating the box interior when the door is opened. The mercury switch is manually adjustable about a lateral axis so that the fixture may be used on either front opening or top tilting doors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,012 teaches a lighting assembly that lights the interior of a metal mailbox. The metal mailbox has a rectangular bottom, a curved top, two side sections, a closed rear end, an open front end and a hinged cover. The hinged cover is pivoted about the horizontal base and has at its top a latch which when the cover is closed against the open front end of the box couples with a matching latch that is mounted at the top of the front end of the mailbox. The lighting assembly is an incandescent lamp that has two terminals and that is mounted in a socket depending from the top of the mailbox. A dry cell battery is contained within an insulated case mounted beneath the bottom of the mailbox. A push button on-off switch has two terminals mounted on the latch at the front end of the mailbox. An insulated line connects one terminal of the battery to one terminal of the on-off switch. A second insulated line connects the other terminal of the on-off switch to one terminal of the incandescent lamp. The other terminal of the battery is connected to the other terminal of the incandescent lamp through the grounded metal mailbox itself.
Rural mailboxes approved by the U.S. Postal Service conventionally are made of metal with a rectangular horizontal base, a curved top and side section, a closed rear end and an open front end. A hinged door is pivoted near the horizontal base with a latch at its top which, when the door is closed against the open front end of the box, couples with a matching latch on the top of the front end of the box. These boxes are usually located along the road some distance from the owner""s house. The rural mailbox usually receives mail delivered by a mail carrier during daylight hours. But when the homeowner is employed away from home the box is often checked for mail during the hours of darkness. When the box is opened to determine whether it contains envelopes, post cards or small packages when it is dark or gloomy, it is difficult to quickly and accurately determine whether all the delivered mail is being removed from the box. It is impossible to visually check the contents of the rural mailbox when it is gloomy or during the hours of darkness.
Even when either streetlights nearby or headlights of an automobile illuminate a rural mailbox the interior of the rural mailbox is literally a black hole. The person who is checking the box for mail is unable to visually determine the contents of the mailbox during either late evening hours or early morning hours. There is a need for an apparatus for lighting the interior of a conventional rural mailbox in order to permit the owners of mailboxes that are often emptied during the hours of darkness to visually inspect the contents of their mailboxes. Since most mailboxes are located at a point where conventional 110 volt alternating electric current is not readily available, the apparatus is powered by a pair of 1.5 volt AA dry cell batteries that are protected from the rain and weather by a polyvinyl case located beneath the mailbox. Light to the inside of the box is supplied by an incandescent lamp mounted in a socket attached to the roof of the mailbox. Electricity is fed to the lamp by a pushbutton on-off switch conveniently mounted on the latch that secures the box cover in closed position. When the person desiring to check the box for mail grasps the latch to open the box he will also push the button on the switch to turn on the lamp and illuminate the interior of the mailbox. Then when the contents of the box have been removed and the person is assured by visual inspection that the box is now empty, the person closes the box cover and again pushes the switch button to turn off the lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,749 teaches an internal lighting system for rural mailboxes that provides a maintenance-free mailbox internal lighting system by providing a solar cell charging system and rechargeable batteries to the circuitry. The opening of the door automatically actuated the internal light. All the components of the internal lighting system are undetectable to the casual observer to provide a degree of protection from vandalism or theft.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,084 teaches a retrofittable mailbox light system. The mailbox includes a housing that has a releasable coupling mechanism mounted on the housing for allowing the housing to be mounted to an inner surface of the mailbox such that a front face of the housing remains flush with the open front of the mailbox. A lamp is mounted to the housing for illuminating the interior space of the mailbox only upon the receipt of power. A battery is positioned within an interior space of the housing. A momentary switch is mounted to the housing and is connected between the lamp and the battery. The switch is adapted for supplying the lamp with power only upon the release thereof when the lid of the mailbox is opened.
The use of a mailbox light apparatus is known in the prior art. Mailbox light apparatuses heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of lighting a mailbox are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art that have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,994, U.S. Pat. No. D313,106, U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,278 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,295.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,548 teaches a lighting system which illuminates the interior of a mailbox having a bottom wall, a side and arcuate top wall, a closed rear wall, an open front, and a door pivotally attached to the bottom wall for selectively closing the open front. The lighting system includes a light source positioned within the interior of the mailbox. The lighting system further includes a battery power source mounted within the mailbox. A light sensor is positioned within the mailbox for sensing the level of ambient light within the interior thereof. The lighting system includes an electromagnetic sensor that permits current from the power source to be transmitted to the light sensor upon an opening of the mailbox door. If the level of ambient light sensed by the light sensor is below a predetermined level, the light source is energized to illuminate the interior of the mailbox. Current to the light sensor and light source is interrupted upon a closing of the mailbox door.
Mailboxes for rural mail delivery have either one or two indicator flags, one flag for indicating to the mail deliverer that mail is present in the mailbox for pick up and the second flag for indicating to the mail recipient, from a remote location, that mail has been delivered.
Some examples of rural mailboxes having one flag indicator means are generally taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,754,918, 4,771,941, 4,805,834, 4,840,307, 5,273,207 and 5,094,386. Examples of rural mailboxes having two flag indicator means are generally taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,655,390, 5,092,517, and 5,119,986. Some of these patents teach a mailbox with a flag indicator that is automatically actuated upon the opening of the mailbox door for indicating the delivery of mail. Some of these patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,173 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,986 teach a mailbox that has all plastic components. U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,173 teaches mailbox components as being separately formed and made of a plastic material and U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,986 teaches mailbox components, such as the side walls, floor, and roof as being unitarily molded of conventional plastic material.
Most of these rural mailboxes are either bought by the consumer in an assembled form or are bought in a disassembled form. The several components may be individual pieces that are packaged and shipped for assembling by the consumer.
Since the mailbox is in a disassembled form and several components are individual pieces and not connected together, some of these pieces can easily be lost. The appropriate number and/or kind of component necessary for the assembling of the mailbox can easily be excluded from the package so that it may be impossible for the consumer to assemble the mailbox. Either some or all of the several mailbox components should, in some fashion or the other, be interconnected with each other so as to avoid these instances from occurring.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,308 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,966 teaches methods for molding several elements. The elements are not used for assembling mailboxes and are of the same kind of element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,341 teaches a rural mailbox that includes housing, a door and auxiliary components. The housing and the door are assembled as a unit. The auxiliary components include a flag bracket, a male latch member, a female latch member, latch clips and a push-pin for securing a flag in the flag bracket. The auxiliary components to the mailbox housing are unitarily molded and integrally formed on a runner member for ease in manufacturing and in packaging with the flag and the assembled housing and door unit. The runner member may also have integrally formed and unitarily molded pins located at strategic locations for wedging a flag therebetween to resist damage such as scratching and/or bending, to the flag during shipping and handling of the mailbox assembly. The several auxiliary components with the runner member may be manufactured of a plastic material through an injection molding process.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,814 teaches an apparatus for illuminating keyholes that includes an annular top housing made of rigid material, having recessed and through holes, and a recessed oval pocket having within two through holes. A top housing is slidably coupled over an annular bottom that is made of the same material as the top housing and also has recessed and through holes. A printed circuit board has a transistor, a resistor and a male power connector that are mounted and soldered directly on its surface and is housed and affixed within top housing, by a screw, a plastic spacer and a nut. A photo resistor is housed within a pocket and located on the top housing and its two leads are inserted through the two holes that are located within pocket and soldered directly to the printed circuit board. A light emitting diode that is positioned a predetermined distance below a keyhole has its two leads soldered to the printed circuit board and is housed within the top housing. A battery that is housed within the top housing provides power to printed circuit board by plugging a female connector into a male connector. An electronic circuit is powered by battery controls. The electronic circuit switches xe2x80x9cONxe2x80x9d the light emitting diode to illuminate a keyhole from dusk to dawn. There is one through hole located on opposite sides of top housing and one tapped through hole located on opposite sides of bottom housing that facilitate insertion of a 2-56 screw on each side to secure top housing that is mounted over bottom housing, firmly in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,832 teaches a stirrer which includes a rod, a head, a battery and a light emitting diode. The rod is for stirring a drink. The head is secured onto the rod. The battery is received in the head and has two electrodes. The light emitting diode has two prongs for coupling to the electrodes of the battery. One of the prongs may be selectively coupled to the battery and selectively energizes the light emitting diode. The light emitted by the light emitting diode may be seen through either the rod or the head. The head includes two casings secured together for retaining the battery or the light emitting diode within the head. The light emitting diode may be selectively actuated or energized by a switch.
The inventor incorporates the teachings of the above-cited patents into this specification.
The present invention relates to a rural mailbox that includes housing, a door, a male latch member, a female latch member and two latch clips. The male latch member has a base that has a top and a bottom. There are two clip-connector portions that mechanically couple the male latch member to the door and disposed adjacent to the top of the door. One of the two latch clips is coupled to the two clip-connector portion of the male latch member in order to secure it to the door. One of the two latch clips secures the male latch member to the door. The female latch member is coupled to the housing and disposed so that the male latch member engages the female latch member. The female latch member includes an integral member that has a base portion with a top and a bottom, a handle portion, a ribbed reinforcement portion and two clip-connector portions. The other latch clip is coupled to the two clip-connector portion of the female latch member in order to secure it to the housing.
In a first separate aspect of the present invention, the female latch member includes a battery-housing portion, a battery assembly and a lighting assembly. The battery housing is disposed on the top of the base portion. The battery assembly is received in the battery-housing portion and has two electrodes. The lighting assembly is disposed in the base portion adjacent to the handle portion and includes a light emitting diode.
Other aspects and many of the attendant advantages will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the drawing and the following detailed description.
The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. | 2024-04-08T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6700 |
Q:
dropzone multiple area's in same form
I'm making complex form And I want to use multiple (different) dropzone.js in order to upload files.
Here is how I made:
@using (Html.BeginForm())
{
@Html.AntiForgeryToken()
... form elements...
<div id="files" name="files" class="dropzone"></div>
}
And the JS:
Dropzone.options.files = {
autoProcessQueue: false,
uploadMultiple: true,
parallelUploads: 100,
maxFiles: 100,
paramName: "file", // The name that will be used to transfer the file
maxFilesize: 8, // MB
url: "/pathToAction"
};
I want to send files and data of the form at the same time, all mapped to an object to the controller but dropzone needs to have the "url" in order to accept file upload... How to fix this? Maybe I can get the url of the form element and put it into the url parameter?
A:
As i searched on the google, there is no way to send one request for multiple "dropzone" with the same URL, so i solved this problem manually by the following steps:
1) Dropzone actually change the images to Base64 string for thumbnail preview and then it add that string to the source of "img" tag. So you need to read that image "src" and "alt", and also add them to the input type hidden dynamically as the following:
$('#btnUpload').on('click', function () {
$.each($("img[data-dz-thumbnail]"), function( index, value ) {
$('<input>').attr({
type: 'hidden',
name: 'myHiddenFiles[' + index + '].Key',
value: $(value).attr("alt")
}).appendTo('#newsForm');
$('<input>').attr({
type: 'hidden',
name: 'myHiddenFiles[' + index + '].Value',
value: $(value).attr("src")
}).appendTo('#upload-Invoices');
});
$("#upload-Invoices").submit();
});
Repeat this codes for each dropzone you need to post their data.
2) On your action method, you need to add a parameter with type "Dictionary" in order to get file name and file content with Base64 string format.
Then you can parse the Base64 string as image, store it as a file and save your form data to the database.
You can see the related snippet code as following:
[HttpPost]
[ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
public ActionResult Create(ModelClass model, IDictionary<string, string> myHiddenFiles)
{
if (ModelState.IsValid)
{
foreach (var file in myHiddenFiles)
{
var base64 = file.Value.Substring(file.Value.IndexOf(',') + 1).Trim('\0');
var bytes = Convert.FromBase64String(base64);
var saveFile = Server.MapPath("~/Images/" + file.Key);
System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes(saveFile, bytes);
// Save your model to database....
}
}
return View();
}
| 2023-12-07T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8374 |
Understanding differences in neurotypical and autism spectrum special interests through Internet forums.
Special interests are frequently developed by individuals with autism spectrum disorder, expressed as an intense focus on specific topics. Neurotypical individuals also develop special interests, often in the form of hobbies. Although past research has focused on special interests held by children with autism spectrum disorder, little is known about their role in adulthood. The current study investigated differences in the content, number, and specificity of the special interests held by adult individuals with autism spectrum disorder and neurotypical individuals, using Internet discussion forums as a data source. Quantitative analysis of forum posts revealed significant differences between the diagnostic groups. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder reported having more interests in systemizing domains, more specific interests, and a greater number of interests overall than neurotypical individuals. Understanding special interests can lead to the development of educational and therapeutic programs that facilitate the acquirement of other important social and communication skills. | 2024-07-29T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1600 |
Modesty in Dubai
By Alasdair Whyte
April 28, 2017 18:11
The consensus amongst speakers and delegates at Corporate Jet Investor Dubai was that the last few years have been tough for the Middle Eastern business aviation market. The General Civil Aviation Authority of the United Arab Emirates also presented data proving this. The UAE scheduled operator fleet did not grow at all in 2016 and fell by five aircraft in 2015. This followed on from a record 2014 when 21 aircraft were registered.
Dubai as a city is a great example of the “build it and they will come” approach to forecasting and many of the delegates are still investing in the region – whether it is building new hangars or hiring staff – for the long term. But it is always hard to balance short term dips. As one operator said: “Investors always forget that it is a five-year project once it starts.”
But there is some optimism that things could start improving soon. Some 76% of delegates were fairly optimistic about the region for 2017 and 2018 – with 7% very optimistic. This is encouraging, but – intriguingly – just 73% of voters are confident that their company will grow. Some 23% were negative about how their company will perform. This is a question we ask fairly regularly at our conferences and normally people are more confident about their business. Perhaps delegates in Dubai are just more modest than other markets. | 2024-07-08T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8311 |
[Reconstruction of the intestinal tract by intracolonic ileal sleeve. An experimental study and 1st clinical cases].
An experimental study on 15 piglets allowed defining the technical procedure and controlling the anatomical and functional results of various modes of restoration of the ileocolic tract after resection with a terminolateral tubing including and intracolic ileal sleeve. Coloileal fixation was ensured only by a few seromuscular sutures and adhesion with "Tissucol". The clinical application of this procedure was very satisfactory for 9 recent right colectomies, thus confirming the results previously observed for 33 ileal perforations in Africa. The ileocolic tubing technique is easy, reliable, morbidity-free, and causes no leakage of intestinal fluid, no intestinal ischemia and no stenosis. As it prevents coloileal reflux, this assembly may prevent ileitis after right colectomy. Its valvular effect also contributes in the mechanical regulation of transit. The assembly produces a system that can be compared to the ileocecal valve. | 2024-07-10T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1526 |
Infinite Campus: Parent Portal
Infinite CampusInfinite Campus is used for attendance, transcripts (final course grades and credits), transportation, health, and behavior information. There are two ways to access Infinite Campus. One way is to visit http://campus.rdale.org and login with your Parent Portal username and password. Alternatively, use the mobile app as described below.
Infinite Campus AppInfinite Campus Mobile Portal is an app available for smartphones and
tablets. It does not have all the features of the website. It is best for
attendance and schedule information.
When you first use the app, you need to search for ‘Robbinsdale’ and select
‘Minnesota’ as your state. Then click ‘Robbinsdale." Next, enter your Parent Portal username and password. You will not need to input your login information each time that you use the app.
The Attendance and Schedule sections provide useful information. Please
disregard the other links as Schoology is used for assignments and daily
grades. You can set up attendance text notifications in the Settings area of the app.
Download the Infinite Campus Mobile Portal application from any of the following app stores: | 2024-05-10T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7706 |
Phylogenetic analyses of Chinese Tuber species that resemble T. borchii reveal the existence of the new species T. hubeiense and T. wumengense.
In phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacers and 28S nuc rDNA and translation elongation factor 1-α to compare Chinese white truffle specimens that have ascomata resembling the European Tuber borchii, the sequences of Chinese species resembling T. borchii in morphology grouped into seven distinct clusters among three clades: Puberulum, Maculatum and Latisporum No sequences from these Chinese species matched those of the European T. borchii and the occurrence of the European T. borchii in China could not be supported by our study. Three unknown species are recognized from the seven Chinese clusters; two are described here as T. hubeiense and T. wumengense based on molecular and morphological evidence. | 2023-12-21T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7702 |
Nov 26, 2015
Cave Tools- Meat Tenderizing Mallot Review
I recently reviewed a Skewer Kabob Set from Cave Tools and I loved the set. Now, Cave Tools is giving me a chance to review another product from them - the Meat Tenderizer Mallet. I must say Cave Tools has one of the best meat tenderizers I have ever used. Below are listed the reasons why:
THE SECRET BEHIND THE BEST CHEF RECIPES such as country fried steak, weiner schnitzel and cordon bleu- Meat tenderizer mallet is perfect for pounding chicken, steak, beef, and other tough cuts of meat
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ALSO USE TO CRUSH NUTS, ICE & HARD CANDY WITH EASE - Your meat tenderizer mallet is not just for manual pounding meat. You will find tons of additional uses around the kitchen
COMES WITH 25 PROFESSIONAL RECIPES - step by step instructions and detailed tutorial videos are great for the family
LIFETIME SATISFACTION GUARANTEE - If at any point you are unhappy with your meat tenderizer mallet you can return it for a full money back refund. We Take Customer Service That Seriously
I absolutely love this mallet! Every kitchen needs one. I cooked Round Steak the other night and I wanted to tenderize it to make it very tender so I used the rough side of the mallet. I chicken fried this steak and it would literally fall apart it was so tender. The smooth end works great for breaking cubed ice up in a bag to give you wonderful crushed ice.And I crushed pecans for our Thanksgiving pies and they crushed perfectly. If you are needing an awesome tool for your kitchen that is very versatile and works to tenderize all kinds of meats and more , than this visit Amazon.com and purchase one today. You can also check out this product, and all Cave Tools, at this website here. This Mallet regularly sales for $21.99 , but is on sale now for only $9.99 m but for the holidays you can purchase it for an even cheaper amount. At the check out enter this code: KRYLK4CT for 15% off! What a great gift the chef in your family would love ! Order yours today for that extra savings!*I received this product free in exchange for a honest, written review/*The opinions of this product are strictly my own.* I was not monetarily compensated for this review.*Thanks to Cave Tools for working with me! | 2023-09-29T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6227 |
Fast Haskell: Competing with C at parsing XML
In this post we’re going to look at parsing XML in Haskell, how it compares with an efficient C parser, and steps you can take in Haskell to build a fast library from the ground up. We’re going to get fairly detailed and get our hands dirty.
A new kid on the block
A few weeks ago Neil Mitchell posted a blog post about a new XML library that he’d written. The parser is written in C, and the API is written in Haskell which uses the C library. He writes that it’s very fast:
Hexml has been designed for speed. In the very limited benchmarks I’ve done it is typically just over 2x faster at parsing than Pugixml, where Pugixml is the gold standard for fast XML DOM parsers. In my uses it has turned XML parsing from a bottleneck to an irrelevance, so it works for me.
In order to achieve that speed, he cheats by not performing operations he doesn’t care about:
To gain that speed, Hexml cheats. Primarily it doesn’t do entity expansion, so & remains as & in the output. It also doesn’t handle CData sections (but that’s because I’m lazy) and comment locations are not remembered. It also doesn’t deal with most of the XML standard, ignoring the DOCTYPE stuff. [..] I only work on UTF8, which for the bits of UTF8 I care about, is the same as ASCII - I don’t need to do any character decoding.
Cheating is fine when you describe in detail how you cheat. That’s just changing the rules of the game!
But C has problems
This post caught my attention because it seemed to me a pity to use C. Whether you use Haskell, Python, or whatever, there are a few problems with dropping down to C from your high-level language:
The program is more likely to segfault. I’ll take an exception over a segfault any day!
The program opens itself up to possible exploitation due to lack of memory safety.
If people want to extend your software, they have to use C, and not your high-level language.
At the moment, sorry to say – I wouldn’t use this library to parse any arbitrary XML, since it could be considered hostile, and get me owned. Using American Fuzzy Lop, just after a few minutes, I’ve already found around ~30 unique crashes.
But C is really fast right? Like 100s of times faster than Haskell! It’s worth the risk.
But-but C is fast!
Let’s benchmark it. We’re going to parse a 4KB, a 31KB and a 211KB XML file.
The numbers 60 and 62 are < and >. In XML the only characters that matter are < and > (if you don’t care about entities). < and > can’t appear inside speech marks (attributes). They are the only important things to search for. Results:
File hexml xeno
4KB 6.395 μs 2.630 μs
42KB 37.55 μs 7.814 μs
So the baseline performance of walking across the file in jumps is quite fast! Why is it fast? Let’s look at that for a minute:
The ByteString data type is a safe wrapper around a vector of bytes. It’s underneath equivalent to char* in C.
With that in mind, the S.elemIndex function is implemented using the standard C function memchr(3). As we all know, memchr jumps across your file in large word boundaries or even using SIMD operations, meaning it’s bloody fast. But the elemIndex function itself is safe.
So we’re effectively doing a for(..) { s=memchr(s,..) } loop over the file.
Keep an eye on the allocations
Using the weigh package for memory allocation tracking, we can also look at allocations of our code right now:
We see that it’s constant. Okay, it varies by a few bytes, but it doesn’t increase linearly or anything. That’s good! One thing that stood out to me, is that didn’t we pay for allocation of the Maybe values. For a 1000x < and > characters, we should have 1000 allocations of Just/Nothing. Let’s go down that rabbit hole for a second.
Looking at the Core
Well, if you compile the source like this
stack ghc -- -O2 -ddump-simpl Xeno.hs
You’ll see a dump of the real Core code that is generated after the Haskell code is desugared, and before it’s compiled to machine code. At this stage you can already see optimizations based on inlining, common-sub-expression elimination, deforestation, and other things.
The output is rather large. Core is verbose, and fast code tends to be longer. Here is the output, but you don’t have to understand it. Just note that there’s no mention of Maybe, Just or Nothing in there. It skips that altogether. See here specifically. There is a call to memchr, then there is an eqAddr comparison with NULL, to see whether the memchr is done or not. But we’re still doing safety checks so that the resulting code is safe.
Inlining counts
The curious reader might have noticed that INLINE line in my first code sample.
{-# INLINE elemIndexFrom #-}
Without the INLINE, the whole function is twice as slow and has linear allocation.
Right at the top, we have findTagName, doing all the allocations. So I looked at the code, and found that the only possible thing that could be allocating, is S.drop. This function skips n elements at the start of a ByteString. It turns out that S.head (S.drop index0 str) was allocating an intermediate string, just to get the first character of that string. It wasn’t copying the whole string, but it was making a new pointer to it.
So I realised that I could just replace S.head (S.drop n s) with S.index s n:
This function performs at the same speed as process before it accepted any callback arguments. This means that the only overhead to SAX’ing will be the activities that the callback functions themselves do.
Specialization is for insects (and, as it happens, optimized programs)
One point of interest is that adding a SPECIALIZE pragma for the process function increases speed by roughly 1 μs. Specialization means that for a given function which is generic (type-class polymorphic), which means it will accept a dictionary argument at runtime for the particular instance, instead we will generate a separate piece of code that is specialized on that exact instance. Below is the Identity monad’s (i.e. just pure, does nothing) specialized type for process.
In the 4KB case it’s only 800 ns, but as we say in Britain, take care of the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves. The 240->285 difference isn’t big in practical terms, but when we’re playing the speed game, we pay attention to things like that.
Where we stand: Xeno vs Hexml
Currently the SAX interface in Zeno outperforms Hexml in space and time. Hurrah! We’re as fast as C!
It’s also worth noting that Haskell does this all safely. All the functions I’m using are standard ByteString functions which do bounds checking and throw an exception if so. We don’t accidentally access memory that we shouldn’t, and we don’t segfault. The server keeps running.
If you’re interested, if we switch to unsafe functions (unsafeTake, unsafeIndex from the Data.ByteString.Unsafe module), we get a notable speed increase:
Implementing a DOM parser for Xeno
All isn’t lost. Hexml isn’t a dumb parser that’s fast because it’s in C, it’s also a decent algorithm. Rather than allocating a tree, it allocates a big flat vector of nodes and attributes, which contain offsets into the original string. We can do that in Haskell too!
Here’s my design of a data structure contained in a vector. We want to store just integers in the vector. Integers that point to offsets in the original string. Here’s what I came up with.
We have three kinds of payloads. Elements, text and attributes:
1. 00# Type tag: element2. 00# Parent index (within this array)3. 01# Start of the tag name in the original string4. 01# Length of the tag name5. 05# End index of the tag (within this array)
1. 02# Type tag: attribute2. 01# Start of the key3. 05# Length of the key4. 06# Start of the value5. 03# Length of the value
That’s all the detail I’m going to go into. You can read the code if you want to know more. It’s not a highly optimized format. Once we have such a vector, it’s possible to define a DOM API on top of it which can let you navigate the tree as usual, which we’ll see later.
We’re going to use our SAX parser–the process function, and we’re going to implement a function that writes to a big array. This is a very imperative algorithm. Haskellers don’t like imperative algorithms much, but Haskell’s fine with them.
The function runs in the ST monad which lets us locally read and write to mutable variables and vectors, while staying pure on the outside.
I allocate an array of 1000 64-bit Ints (on 64-bit arch), I keep a variable of the current size, and the current parent (if any). The current parent variable lets us, upon seeing a </close> tag, assign the position in the vector of where the parent is closed.
Whenever we get an event and the array is too small, I grow the array by doubling its size. This strategy is copied from the Hexml package.
Finally, when we’re done, we get the mutable vector, “freeze” it (this means making an immutable version of it), and then return that copy. We use unsafeFreeze to re-use the array without copying, which includes a promise that we don’t use the mutable vector afterwards, which we don’t.
The DOM speed
Not bad! The DOM parser is only <2x slower than Hexml (except in the 31KB where it’s faster. shrug). Here is where I stopped optimizing and decided it was good enough. But we can review some of the decisions made along the way.
In the code we’re using unboxed mutable references for the current size and parent, the mutable references are provided by the mutable-containers package. See these two lines here:
sizeRef <- fmap asURef (newRef 0)
parentRef <- fmap asURef (newRef 0)
Originally, I had tried STRef’s, which are boxed. Boxed just means it’s a pointer to an integer instead of an actual integer. An unboxed Int is a proper machine register. Using an STRef, we get worse speeds:
File xeno-dom
4KB 12.18 μs
31KB 6.412 μs
211KB 631.1 μs
Which is a noticeable speed loss.
Another thing to take into consideration is the array type. I’m using the unboxed mutable vectors from the vector package. When using atomic types like Int, it can be a leg-up to use unboxed vectors. If I use the regular boxed vectors from Data.Vector, the speed regresses to:
Tada! We matched Hexml, in pure Haskell, using safe accessor functions. We provided a SAX API which is very fast, and a simple demonstration DOM parser with a familiar API which is also quite fast. We use reasonably little memory in doing so.
This package is an experiment for educational purposes, to show what Haskell can do and what it can’t, for a very specific domain problem. If you would like to use this package, consider adopting it and giving it a good home. I’m not looking for more packages to maintain. | 2024-01-13T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1383 |
Decrease in risk of tuberculosis infection despite increase in tuberculosis among young adults in urban Vietnam.
To assess whether the increase in tuberculosis (TB) notification rates among young adults in Vietnam reflects increased transmission in the population at large. Trends of case notification rates of new smear-positive TB were calculated from routinely reported data of district TB units over the period 1996-2005. Results from repeated tuberculin surveys among children aged 6-9 years were obtained to calculate the trend in annual risk of TB infection (ARTI). From 1996 to 2006, notification rates in the age group 15-24 years increased by 4.3% per year, and more so in highly urbanised (6.7%) than in rural districts (1.7%). The ARTI in urban districts declined from 2.4% in 1992 to 1.2% in 1998 and 0.9% in 2005. In rural districts, the ARTI increased from 0.7% in 1991 to 1.2% in 1997, and then declined to 0.9% in 2006. The increase in TB notification rates among young adults in Ho Chi Minh Province is accompanied by a decrease in ARTI in children. This suggests that the trend in TB notification among young adults reflects increased rates of progression from infection to disease and/or increased transmission within this age group, rather than increased transmission in the population at large. | 2023-10-28T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4070 |
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Libyan War
Thursday. I don't know why my blog has not been doing the RSS Feed. Didn't know it wasn't doing that. Read the e-mails today and thought, "Hmm?" Turns out RSS Feed is set to be done automatic (by Blogger/Blogspot). It's their issue, not mine.
Let's get to some news, David D. Kirkpatrick (New York Times) reports that the CIA-backed and well funded coporatists posing as 'rebels' in Libya have suffered a huge setback with the death of Libyan government turncoat Abdul Fattah Younes. As William Faulkner once said, "Go Down Moses!"
Almost all of the text herein was written a few months prior to my trip to Tripoli. It is part of a series of articles on Libya which I have been updating. It is fitting to conclude it in Tripoli, Libya. To be here on the ground in Libya is to be witness to the lies and warped narratives of the mainstream media and the governments. These lies have been used to justify this criminal military endeavor.
The mainstream media has been a major force in this war. They have endorsed and fabricated the news, they have justified an illegal and criminal war against an entire population.
Passing through the neighbourhood of Fashloom in Tripoli it is apparent that no jets attacked it as Al Jazeera and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) falsely claimed. Now the same media networks, newspapers, and wires claim on a daily basis that Tripoli is about to fall and that the Transitional Council is making new advances to various cities. Tripoli is nowhere near falling and is relatively peaceful. Foreign journalists have also all been taken to the areas that are being reported to have fallen to the Transitional Council, such as Sabha and its environs.
The mainstream media reporting out of Tripoli have consistently produced false reports. They report about information from “secure internet services” which essentially describes embassy and intelligence communication media. This is also tied to the “shadow internet” networks that the Obama Administration is promoting as part of a fake prtoest movement directed against governments around the world, including Latin America, Africa and Eurasia.
The foreign press operating out of Libya have deliberately worked to paint a false picture of Libya as a country on the brink of collapse and Colonel Qaddafi as a despot with little support.
A journalist was filmed wearing a bulletproof vest for his report in a peaceful area where there was no need for a bulletproof vest. These journalists broadly transmit the same type of news as the journalists embedded with the armed forces, the so-called embedded journalists. Most of the foreign press has betrayed the sacred trust of the public to report accurately and fairly.
Not only are they actively misreporting, but are serving the interests of the military coalition. They are actively working "against Libya". They and their editors have deliberately fashioned reports and taken pictures and footage which have been used to portray Tripoli as an empty ghost town.
Le Monde for example published an article on July 7, 2011 by Jean-Philippe Rémy, which included misleading photographs that presented Tripoli as a ghost city. The photographs were taken by Laurent Van der Stickt, but it was the editors in Paris who selected the pictures to be used for publication. Le Monde is an instrument of war propaganda. It is publishing material which serves to mislead French public opinion.
Sky News is no better. Lisa Holland of Sky News has always used the words “claimed,” “claim,” and “unverified” for anything that Libyan officials say, but presents everything that NATO says without the same doubt-casting language as if it is an unquestionable truth. She has used every chance she has had to degrade the Libyans. When she visited the bombed home of the daughter of Mohammed Ali Gurari, where the entire family was killed by NATO, she repeatedly asked if Qaddafi was responsible for the bombing to the dismany of those present, with the exception of the reporters who helped paint distorted pictures in the mind of their audiences and readers. She has deliberately distorted the underlying the reality of the situation, blaming Qaddafi, while knowing full well who had killed the Gurari family.
Other reports include those of Liseron Boudoul., Boudoul is a reporter for Télévision française 1 (TF1), who has been in Tripoli for months. She reported on March 22, 2011 that all the reports coming out of Tripoli are reviewed and censored by Tripoli. This statement was fabricated. If the Libyans had been censoring the news, they would not have allowed her to make that statement or for her and her colleagues to continue their disinformation campaign. Like all the other foreign journalists in Libya, she has witnessed the popular support for Colonel Qaddafi, but this important information has been deliberately withheld from her reports.
Thursday, July 28, 2011. Chaos and violence continue, talk of withdrawal or not withdrawal continues, Nouri's political bloc storms out of Parliament, Tirkit is slammed with bombings, a 9 to 5 moment in Iraq?, and more.
Kevin Pina: So obviously there are a lot of developments. We hear that the United Kingdom, no big surprise there, has finally recognized the rebels in Libya. We also hear that they have expelled all of the Libyan diplomats that were representing the Libyan government from their country. Has the news hit the ground there yet?
Mahdi Nazemroaya: Yes, it's has caused a state of shock here. I-I personally, I'm not shocked but there are a lot of people here who were shocked by it and bothered by the events in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Also at the same time as the recognition of the Transitional Council by the British government as the legitimate government of Libya and the expelling of the Libyan envoys there, the IMF has also expelled the Libyan envoy in Washington which is an illegal move. So these two things have happened. A lot of of emphasis here and a lot of focus has been on the British expelling the Libyan envoy there and the diplomatic staff there but not that much has been put on what happened with the International Money Fund in DC. I think that is also very crucial and very important for listeners to understand. This is tied to currency. It's tied to the economic agenda involving the NATO war against Libya.
Kevin Pina: Well I'm also wondering is is it possible that NATO will not back down over Ramadan? That maybe the rebels might get a couple of fatwas from a couple of mullahs to say that it's okay for them to fight a continuing jihad against the illegal government, as they'll probably term it, in Tripoli?
Mahdi Nazemroaya: That actually could be a possibility. That very well could happen. Yes, I wouldn't rule that out. In fact, I talked to some people who are worried that something is going to happen, that there's going to be a big push possibly. They are worried that there might be unexpected move involving the so-called Transitional Council and its armed forces as well as NATO against the government here and against the Libyan people so that is a strong possibility. And Abdul Fatah Younis -- who is the former Interior Minister of the regime in Tripoli, who is now the Defense Minister of the -- and one of the military officials of the Benghazi government, the Transitional Council -- is also very close to Tripoli. He's gone to the west, to the western mountains and he's been reported to be near the frontlines, so they think something might be in the works. And you are right about clerics, muftis, mullahs, sheiks, whatever you want to call them making fatwahs and saying go ahead and attack, this will not break any religious observances for the holy month of Ramadan. This has happened in the past and, in fact, in Egypt it happened, there was Fatawahs, there's been Fatawahs in the last year that are politically motivated. There are a lot of politically motivated clerics who are and subordinate to political authorities and this would not surprise me.
As the day was starting in the US, Tikrit had already been slammed by bombings. Mohammed Tawfeeq (CNN) reports there were two bombings -- a car bombing and then a suicide bomber and that 10 people died (besides bomber) and thirty were injured. Al Jazeera counts 12 dead as does Lara Jakes (AP). Jakes also counts this as "the fourth major attack" in Tikrit since the start of 2011. Al Bawaba counts 15 dead and thirty-eight injured. By the evening Muhanad Mohammed, Ghazwan Hassan, Patrick Markey and Karolina Tagaris (Reuters) were also counting 15 and quote police officer Assam Dhiyab stating, "Just a few minutes after I entered I heard a huge explosion, we ran outside to see what was happening, I saw bodies and the wounded all over the place." Ed O'Keefe (Washington Post) reports, "Moments after the car bomb exploded, as a crowd gathered and ambulances and other emergency vehicles arrived, a suicide bomber wearing a police uniform detonated another bomb, police said." AKI notes the bombings took place "outside a bank where soldiers and police had gathered to collect their pay." Hassan Obeidi (AFP) reports, "A witness said the state-owned bank is close to the city's wholsesale food market, which was crowded with people shopping for Ramadan that begins early next week." AGI identifies it as the Rafidain Bank. Tim Arango (New York Times) quotes farmer Majeed Mohammed who was injured in the explosions stating, "We didn't expect this to happen here, because most of the people were just ordinary citizens. Even we didn't know that this is where the Army receives their salaries." Lara Jakes (AP) explains, "Television footage of the blast showed a huge white cloud over the two-story bank, followed by thick black smoke." Yang Lina (Xinhua) adds, "The provincial authorities imposed curfew on the city until further notice, and police vehicles were seen moving across the city calling for people to stay at their homes for fear of further attacks, the source said."
The Tikrit suicide bomber isn't the only person in an Iraqi security forces uniform doing harm in Iraq. Tim Arango (New York Times) reports Kirkuk police arrested a suspected kidnapping ring and that "some of those in the ring were soldiers in the Iraqi Army and had committed crimes while in uniform" but though they ring may (or may not) have been busted, an elderly man was kidnapped in Kirkuk today "by men wearing military uniforms." In addition, Aswat al-Iraq quotes the Kirkuk Joint Coordination Center stating that "armed men, dressed in military uniform have abducted a citizen, called Adnan Khalaf Bayat, born in 1976, from al-Hajjaj district in Kirkuk. After a police force headed to the house of the abducted man, it found out that the abductors had fastened the hands of the man's family with steel bars, but the family members gave the descriptions of the abductors, that were sent for all inspection points to chase them." Hasan Obeidi (AFP) also notes that "in Baghdad's orthern Waziriyah neighbourhood, seven people were injured by a car bomb that destroyed 11 liquor store." Aswat al-Iraq reports last night an armed clash in Mosul resulted in the deaths of 2 Iraqi soldiers.
Yet Baghdad seems unable to make up its mind. Some political leaders privately lobby for U.S. troops to stay, but only in training and advising roles. Still, most Iraqis and many members the Iraqi parliament are weary of a continued American military presence, which is problematic since U.S. officials insist that an updated SOFA be approved by the parliament. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani had requested that Baghdad's fractious political blocs decide by last Saturday whether to ask for an extension of U.S. troop presence into next year. They were unable to reach a consensus and have postponed additional negotiations on the topic "until further notice."
Still, according to anonymous U.S. officials, the White House is prepared to keep 10,000 ground troops in Iraq after the end of this year. It apparently has two reasons. The first is to prevent Iran from supplying improvised explosive devices and rockets to Shia militants in Iraq who have used such weapons to kill U.S. troops. According to U.S. officials, nine of the 15 U.S. soldiers who were killed in Iraq in June died from such attacks. The second is that somehow the mere presence of 10,000 U.S. troops will mitigate Iran's long-term influence in Iraq, which has been a proxy battlefield between Washington and Tehran for decades.
There are a few problems with this logic. For starters, it does not make sense for the United States to keep soldiers in Iraq to prevent Iranians from providing Iraqi Shias with weapons to kill U.S. soldiers in Iraq. As the Pentagon noted in its "Measuring Security and Stability in Iraq" report last summer, "Iran will likely continue providing Shi'a proxy groups in Iraq with funding and lethal aid, calibrating support based on several factors, including Iran's assessment of U.S. Force posture during redeployment." In other words, Iran will continue its behavior as long as there are U.S. soldiers in Iraq to target, which suggests that the surest and fastest way to prevent further bloodshed is to withdraw the remaining U.S. soldiers on schedule.
Okay, for a new development (press wise), let's drop back to yesterday's snapshot for withdrawal talk:
Iraq's Foreign Minister is Hoshyar Zebari and he is in the news today with regards to withdrawal. Few appear able to figure out what he said today on the topic. Press TV puffs out its chest to insist that no US forces will be on the ground in Iraq after 2011 and that Jane Arraf (Christian Science Monitor) emphasizes other details of today in Iraq and mentions Zebari only in passing. So what happened?
Press TV is wrong. AFP and Sinan Salaheddin (AP) get it right. AFP reports Zebari raised the issue of withdrawal and the yquote him stating, "Is there a need for trainers and experts? The answer is 'yes.' I think it is possible to reach a consensus on this. The Iraqi government alone cannot reach a decision on this issue. It needs political and national consensus; it's an issue all political leaders should back." Sinan Salaheddin explains, "Zebari and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appear to be preparing the public for some type of American military presence in Iraq past 2011, but have been trying to paint it as a training force as opposed to combat units."
A few e-mailed that the video at Press TV wasn't working. (The story had a video if you clinked on the link. I didn't say "link has text and video" because the video wasn't working.) New development: It is working now and the video report contradicts the written report. It also contradicts itself. In the video, we're told that extending the presence of the US military it's not just getting the approval of Parliament and three presidencies (they mean the president and two vice presidents) "and if it happens the extension would not be longer than two or three years." So it's not just that. Hmm. Well what does it involve? The reporter informs later in the segment, "The government cannot take such decision by its own the extension needs the approval of the Parliament, the prime minister and the president and this is not easy." Oh. Okay. So the only thing they added to the equation was . . . the Prime Minister.
Yes, that is rather ridiculous. They also fall for the claim that extending the SOFA or creating a new agreement is like setting a date for the elections and needs the same body to approve it. Nouri became prime minister in 2006. At the close of that year and at the close of 2007, he demonstrated he could extend the US military presence without the approval of anyone. (Parliament objected both times but did not punish him and by refusing to do so they've allowed this to be a power of the prime minister.) Today Lara Jakes (AP) reports Nouri posted a message to his website stating that it was up to Parliament and that he had spoken of the issue with US Vice President Joe Biden yesterday. AFP quoted a statement from Nouri's office yesterday on the phone call, "The prime minister assured Mr. Biden that in the end it is up to the parliament to decide whether the country needs American forces to stay or not after the end of this year." Alsumaria TV notes the statement from Nouri also said "he expects the leaders of Iraqi political blocs to reach an agreement in this regard during their upcoming meeting. On the other hand US vice President stressed that the USA support Iraq government in facing different challenges in the inside and the outside and stressed on the necessity of ongoing strategic relations between the two countries."
Ali Abdel Azim (Al Mada) reports on a meeting yesterday between State of Law (Nouri's political slate) and Iraqiya (Ayad Allawi's) in which both sides are stating efforts were made in anticipation of Saturday's big meet-up at Jalal Talabni's. Iraqiya's excited that the defense ministries were discussed. Dar Addustour notes that the rumor is Abdul Karim al-Samarrai, currently Minister of Science and Technology, will be nominated to be Minister of Defense. However, meet-ups don't always take place. Al Jazeera and the Christian Science Monitor's Jane Arraf Tweets:
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) for another year as it welcomed recent security improvements in the country but stressed the need for further progress on the humanitarian, human rights and political fronts.
In a resolution adopted unanimously, Council members agreed to continue the work of UNAMI for a period of 12 months, in line with the latest report of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the work of the mission.
The resolution noted that Iraq's security situation had improved "through concerted political and security efforts" and added that further advances will be made through meaningful political dialogue.
All communities in the country should be involved in the political process, refrain from statements or actions that aggravate tensions and reach "a comprehensive solution on the distribution of resources," according to the resolution.
Council members urged the Government to continue to promote human rights, including by supporting the country's Independent High Commission for Human Rights and by developing strategies to ensure that women can play a much greater decision-making role in society.
As noted earlier, State of Law is said to have played nice with Iraqiya in a meeting yesterday. They had every reason to. They needed support on a measure. Today they were set to take to Parliament in an attempt to do away with the Electoral Commission. However, Dar Addustour reported that Iraqiya decided yesterday not to vote to sack the chair of the EC or its members. What does the Electoral Commission matter? It's regularly cited as a body that can be trusted. It's independent. Nouri attempted to seize control of it a few months back but there was push back (including from the committee). In March 2010, Nouri declared himself the winner of the March 7th elections via his own polling (which he released to reporters -- some like NPR presented it as fact and did not credit where they were getting their numbers) before the votes were even counted. When the votes were counted, his State of Law came in second to Iraqiya. Even with relatives on the Commission and even with his veiled threats and explicit whining, the Electoral Commission refused to change the results enough to call State of Law a winner. Had they not been present and independent, there would have been no block on Nouri at all or even the pretense of fair elections. Before what happened today, a refresher -- Iraqiya got the most votes in the March 7th elections. Shortly after Political Stalemate I ended, a small group of Iraqiya members broke with the larger group. This smaller group is known as White Iraqiya. With that in mind, Aswat al-Iraq reports State of Law made their move in Parliament today as planned and they did not have much support. As their proposal went down in defeat what did Nouri's group do? Did you guess tantrum time? You are correct. They stomped their feet and stormed out. An unnamed MP tells Aswat al-Iraq, "The State of Law Coalition and the White al-Iraqiya Alliance have withdrawn trust from the Elections Commission" and when others did not support them, the two groups withdrew from the session.
As Violet Newstead (Lily Tomlin) tells Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda) in 9 to 5, "Well, I'll be damned. Just look who got paid off for services rendered." Yesterday Ned Parker (Los Angeles Times) reported 50 members of tubby tyrant Moqtada al-Sadr's encounter group won prison release despite being convicted and behind bars "for crimes including murder, kidnapping and attacks on U.S. troops." The convicted were pardoned "by President Jalal Talabani at the request of the Prime Minister Nouri Maliki" -- no doubt to allow the convicted to self-empower themselves in the cut-throat 'new' Iraq. Mini-blowhard Moqtada insisted and spat that US forces would not remain in Iraq beyond 2011 or he was going to get his Mehdi militia back together. Then he infamously did a complete turn around on the issue stating he would not reform his militia. Why? Again, "Just look who got paid off for services rendered."
The Vice President today called Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani to offer condolences on the loss of President Barzani's mother, Hamayil Khan, who passed away Wednesday. The Vice President told President Barzani that he wished he could have paid his respects in person and that his thoughts and prayers are with the Barzani family at this time.
Aswat al-Iraq reports that Jalal Talabani attended the funeral today and spoke warmly of Hamayil Khan and her "important role in the Kurdish people's struggle."
VETERANS: Senator Murray Chairs Hearing to Examine the Human and Financial Costs of War
Hearing shines a light on the often overlooked long-term costs that must be paid to support veterans and their families and how we must protect and plan for this lifetime of carein the current budget climate
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, held a hearing to examine the real human and financial costs of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how as a nation we need to plan to keep our promise to these veterans for the rest of their lives.
"As we all know, when our nation goes to war, it's not just the costs of fighting that war that must be accounted for. We must also
includ the cost of caring for our veterans and families long
after the fighting is over," said Senator Murray. "No matter what
fiscal crisis we face, no matter how dividied
we may be over approaches to cutting our debt and deficit, and
no matter how heated the rhetoric here in Washington D.C. gets
-- we must remember that we can't balance our budget at the
expense of the health care and benefits our veterans have
earned. Their sacrifices have been too great. They have done every-
thing that has been asked of them. They have been separated
from their families through repeat deployments. They have
sacrificed life and limb in combat. And they have done all of this
selflessly and with honor to our country. And the commitment
we have to them is non-negotiable."
At the hearing, Senator Murray heard from Crystal Nicely, the wife of Marine Corporal Todd Nicely, a quadruple amputee veteran of the War in Afghanistan. Nicely described the lifetime of support her and her husband will require and about the red tape she has already faced in her daily struggle to provide Todd with the care he needs. She also discussed their continued frustration over the lack of consistent care and attention her husband has received.
The Senator also heard testimony from Paul Rieckhoff, the Executive Director and Founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Rieckhoff outlined the high unemployment rate for new veterans and highlighted the wide range of specific skill sets they hold that translate to civilian trades. Reickhoff also called on the public, private and nonprofit sectors to work together in order to ensure returning servicemembers are able to easily transition into the American workforce.
Finally, the hearing featured the views of budget experts from the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office and the RAND Corporation on the long-term costs associated with providing mental and physical health care, supporting caregivers, maintaining prosthetics, and providing benefits.
The full text of Senator Murray's opening statement follows:
"Welcome to today's hearing, where we will examine the lifetime costs of supporting our newest generation of veterans. As we all know, when our nation goes to war, it's not just the costs of
fighting that war that must be accounted for. We must also
includ the cost of caring for our veterans and families long
after the fighting is over.
"And that is particularly true today, at a time when we have more
than half-a-million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in the VA health
care system -- an over 100% increase since 2008.
"This presents a big challenge - and one that we have no choice
but to step up to meet if we are going to avoid many of the same
mistakes we saw with the Vietnam generation. But it's more
than just the sheer number of new veterans that will be coming
home that poses a challenge to the VA.
"It's also the extent of their wounds -- both visible and invisible
-- and the resources it will take to provide our veterans with
quality care.
"Through the wonders of modern medicine, service members
who would have been lost in previous conflicts are coming
home to live productive and fulfilling lives. But they will need
a lifetime of care from the VA.
"Today, we will hear from the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office, the RAND Corporation and
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, in an effort to help
us quantify and understand those costs, and to ensure that we
can meet the future needs of our veterans.
"But today's hearing is also important to better understanding
the social and economic costs borne by veterans and their
families. And today we are so fortunate to be joined by one
of those brave family members -- Crystal Nicely -- who is not
only a wife but also a caregiver to her husband, Marine Corporal
Todd Nicely.
"Todd was seriously injured by an I.E.D. in the southern
Helmand Province of Afghanistan and since that time has
come home to fight every day, focus on his recovery, and I
even heard yesterday that he has already started to drive
again.
"I want to take a moment to say thank you so much for your
service to our country. You have shown bravery not only as
a Marine in Afghanistan, but also through the courage you have displayed during your road to recovery. I invited Crystal here
today because I think it is incredibly important that we hear
her perspective.
"The costs we have incurred for the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan -- and will continue to incur for a very long time --
extend far beyond dollars and cents. And when I first met
Crystal last month while touring Bethesda Naval Base her story
illustrated that. Crystal is here today to talk about the human
cost.
"And that cost is not limited exclusively to the servicemembers
and veterans who have fought and fighting these wars, but it
also is felt by the families of these heroes who work tirelessly
to support their loved ones through deployments and re-
habilitation -- day in and day out. Many, like Crystal, have given
up their own jobs to become full time caregivers and advocates
for their loved ones.
"Last month, while testifying before the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, Admiral Mullen told me that 'without the family members
we would be nowhere in these wars.' I couldn't agree more --
and after we hear Crystal's story that will be even more clear.
"As the members of this Committee know, over the course of the
last few hearings we've examined how the veterans of today's
conflicts are faced with unique challenges that VA and DoD are
often falling short of meeting.
"We have explored mental health care gaps that need to be filled,
cutting edge prosthetics that must be maintained, a wave of new
and more complex benefit claims that are taking too long to
complete, the need to fulfill the promise of the post 9/11 GI Bill,
and the need to support veterans who are winding up out-of-work
and on the streets.
"All of these unmet challenges come with costs. Some costs
we will be able to calculate. Some will not be fully known for
decades. But today's hearings will be a reminder that in order
to meet these costs we must safeguard the direct investments
we make in veterans care and benefits, get the most value out
of every dollar we spend, and start planning today -- at a time
when critical long-term budget decisions are being made.
"As we all know, there is no question that we need to make smart decisions to tighten our belts and reduce our nation's debt and
Followers
About Me
I'm Michael, Mike to my friends. College student working his way through. I'm also Irish-American and The New York Times can kiss my Irish ass. And check out Trina's Kitchen on my links, that's my mother's site. | 2024-01-04T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3172 |
In recent years, energy storage power stations are widely used for overcoming frequently occurred power interruptions, blackouts, or other emergencies, as well as for overcoming the shortages of wind power or solar power, such as environmental and seasonal influence, climatic confinement, and randomization of power generation.
Normally, an energy storage power station includes a plurality of energy storage battery modules. Working efficiencies of the energy storage battery modules have great impact to the performance of the energy storage power station. To achieve maximum efficiency, the batteries need to work at an appropriate temperature; otherwise, the battery may explode at an over-high temperature. The efficiency of the energy storage battery module depends on the efficiency of the worst single battery included therein. To achieve high efficiency of the battery module, the single cells need to have consistent energy storage as well as consistent temperature. However, there is a problem to control the temperature of the energy storage batteries.
At present, in the energy storage power stations, the energy storage battery modules are often placed in an air-conditioned space; and the energy storage battery module is formed by a plurality of energy storage batteries connected in series and/or parallel, which has a disadvantage of uneven internal temperature distribution. | 2024-07-16T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1632 |
Nigerian bobsled team
The Nigeria bobsled team or Nigerian bobsleigh team, represents Nigeria in bobsledding. The first team was established in 2016 by Seun Adigun, as a women's team for the 2-women event. In 2017, they qualified to be the first Nigerians at the Winter Olympics, and first Africans in bobsled at the Winter Olympics.
History
The first national team was established in 2016 by Seun Adigun, in 2-woman bobsleigh. The team was entirely self-funding, without financial support from Nigerian authorities. Raising the money to run the team showed the Nigerian government that they needed to establish a governing federation for bobsled, which they did, the Bobsled & Skeleton Federation of Nigeria (BSFN). The team's first attempt to qualify for the Winter Olympics, was in 2017, for the 2018 Winter Olympics in bobsledding, the two-women event. The 2018 Olympic team consisted of driver Seun Adigun, and brakemen Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga. In November 2017, the team met the basic standard to participate in the qualifications. If the team qualifies, this would represent the first appearance of Nigeria at the Winter Olympics; and the first African team in bobsled. The team qualified for the Olympics, being its representatives at the Winter Games. Nigeria became one of eight African countries to be represented at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Onwumere carried the Nigerian flag at the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony Parade of Nations, and marched with her two teammates, along with fellow Nigerian Simidele Adeagbo, who qualified for women's skeleton. The team finished last among the 20 teams who competed. After the Games, the 3 on the team retired from bobsled, but pledged to develop the sport in Nigeria, grow the Nigerian sporting federation, and grow winter sports and the Winter Olympics in Africa.
The team arrived in Nigeria to celebrate their Olympic experience in March 2018, organized by the BSFN marketing team, the Temple Management Company (TMC), starting at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
Equipment
Maeflower 1, a training sled built out of wood, named after "Mae-Mae", Amezee Adigun, Suen Adigun's deceased sister.
Maeflower 2, the team's first racing sled, which accompanied them to the 2018 Olympics.
Rosters
Notes
References
Further reading
External links
Bobsled & Skeleton Federation of Nigeria: https://bsfnigeria.com/
See also
Tropical nations at the Winter Olympics
Jamaican bobsled team
Nigeria
Bobsled
Bobsledding
Bobsleigh
Nigeria
Nigeria bobsled team
Nigeria bobsled team | 2023-10-01T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3283 |
Bear Down Chicago Bears! Chicago is one of the premier sports towns in the world, and there is no doubt that da Bears are Chicago's #1 team. Jordan was a phenomenon, hockey has a smaller hard-core following and baseball is divided between the Cubs and the Sox....but the whole town loves football and lives for it Bears. The founding team of the NFL, still owned by the family of Papa Bear Halas who practically invented the sport, the Monsters of the Midway play in historic Soldier Field along Chicago's gorgeous lakefront and has featured some the game's most dominant player and arguably its best all-time team (1985 SuperBears). Your love will never die, so show your spirit with these fun, funny, creative, original unofficial designs from Cubby Tees that will let the world know that you love the Bears and you hate bland merchandise. We cover Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, Lance Briggs, Jay Cutler, Peanut Tillman, Matt Forte, Johnny Knox, Marion Barber and more. These are NOT offered by the team or the NFL or any player and are not sanctioned by them in any way -- this limits the boundaries of imagery we can use, but allows us to more freely express opinions, angst and passion. We hope that you enjoy the shirts, will share the links and will suggest any fun ideas that you have. Remember: National Fanthem means Unofficial Gear For Genuine Fans! | 2024-02-04T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3089 |
Involvement of PTCH1 mutations in the calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor.
The human homologue of the Drosophila segment polarity gene PTCH1, a tumor suppressor gene within the Sonic Hedgehog pathway has been implicated as the mutation responsible for nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) as well as many other sporadic neoplasms. The calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT) is a rare and aggressive tumor of the jaws. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of the Sonic hedgehog pathway in the pathogenesis of the CEOT. We evaluated the protein distribution of PTCH and the transcription factors Gli1 and Gli2 within seven cases using immunohistochemistry. We also sought to confirm the findings by sequencing the PTCH1 gene from DNA extracted from the paraffin-embedded tissue of these cases. Seven cases of paraffin-embedded CEOT specimens were analyzed with immunohistochemistry. Immunoreactivity for Sonic hedgehog pathway proteins was evaluated using antibodies to the receptor PTCH as well as to the transcription factors Gli1 and Gli2. A keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KOT) from a 12year-old with NBCCS served as our positive control. Normal salivary gland tissue served as our negative control. PTCH gene sequencing was completed using PCR. Immunoreactivity to PTCH was seen in 6/7 cases, to Gli1 in 6/7 cases and to Gli2 in 6/7 cases. All three proteins were positive in the syndromic KOT and all proteins were negative in normal salivary tissue. Gene sequencing revealed five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of which two resulted in missense mutations. A missense mutation was also detected in the KOT. This study is the first to implicate the Sonic hedgehog pathway in the pathogenesis of the CEOT through sequencing. Similar to other odontogenic neoplasms gene mutations in PTCH1 are present in the CEOT. | 2023-11-16T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9873 |
Age-related differences in mammography use and in breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.
This study examined age differences in breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and early-detection behaviors in a multi-ethnic sample of economically disadvantaged women participating in a breast-cancer education outreach program. Age differences in breast cancer knowledge, perceptions of risk of breast cancer, barriers to mammography, recommendations of mammography by health professionals, health promotion behaviors, and mammography use and intention were investigated. The subjects were 139 women aged 30 or older who were categorized in one of three age groups: 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and 50 years old or older. One fourth of the women between the ages of 30 and 39 reported both that they had had mammography in the past and that they intended to have it in the next year. Fifty percent of those in their forties reported mammography use at some time in the past, and 56% intended to obtain it in the coming year. Fifty percent of those 50 or older reported that they had had mammography in the past year. Women aged 40 or older were more likely than those in their thirties to report that their healthcare providers had encouraged them to get mammograms. No significant age differences were observed in breast cancer knowledge or perceptions of personal risk of breast cancer. The fact that the three age groups were similar in their perceptions of personal risk of breast cancer suggests that older women may not be accurately assessing their risk and thus may be obtaining screening mammography at less-than-optimal levels. | 2024-01-15T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4569 |
The present invention relates to localized deep-grid semiconductor structures and a process for manufacturing same. It relates more particularly to an application to diodes capable of being disabled by field effect.
In different types of discrete or integrated semiconductor components, such as high-power bipolar transistors, gate turn-off thyristors, junction power vertical field-effect transistors and others, a localized deep layer in the form of a grid is disposed inside the semiconductor wafer in a plane parallel to that of the principal faces of this wafer.
Such deep layers are currently designated in the technique by the expression "buried grids" because of the conventional manufacturing process of the prior art by which they were obtained. In fact, starting with a semiconductor substrate, this process includes ion implanting therein dopant atoms of a type of conductivity corresponding to that of the grid which it was desired to obtain, then in forming above this substrate one or more epitaxial layers in which one or more diffusions are possibly formed. Such a structure is shown schematically in the accompanying FIG. 1. There can be seen therein the substrate 1 overlaid by an epitaxial layer 2 in which is formed a diffused zone 3. The buried layer or grid 4 is present at the limit between substrate 1 and epitaxial layer 2. Then, a contact is provided between the upper surface of the semiconductor wafer and the buried grid 4 by means of a deep diffusion 5. In numerous practial applications, grid 4 must have an extremely fine and well-defined pitch. Furthermore, this grid generally serves for turning off the semiconductor device. It is then necessary for the transverse resistivity of the grid layer to be as small as possible. Its doping level must then be very high. This high doping level makes it difficult to control with great accuracy the extent of the diffusion from the initially implanted layer so that the mesh of the grid do not close up. The control of this diffusion is very delicate to achieve particularly because parasite diffusions of the implanted dopant may occur during formation of the epitaxial layer.
These drawbacks are all the more noticeable since, in numerous devices, attempts have been made to obtain in a practical way grid mesh dimensions of the order of a few microns. Furthermore, due to the very fact of using an epitaxial layer deposited on a substrate, the presence of defects at the epitaxial layer-substrate interface causes an excessive leak current from the grid junction which interferes with the proper operation of the device under satisfactory conditions.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel deep-grid semiconductor device structure which palliates the structural or manufacturing drawbacks of the buried-grid devices of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a structure of the diode type capable of being disabled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel process for manufacturing a deep-grid semiconductor device. | 2023-10-10T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6175 |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrically powered door lock system and in particular to a remote controlled security door lock for installation in a wall adjacent to a door and capable of remote control operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Keyless door locks in a house or building provide a user with considerable convenience especially when the users hands are full carrying items.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,802,353 issued Feb. 7, 1989 to Corder et al discloses a battery-powered electromechanical door-lock assembly which is keyless. A bolt assembly includes electromagnetic means responsive to an input signal for energization and positioned to hold the locking assembly in the unlocked position upon energization thereof to prevent moving of the locking assembly to the locked position upon movement of the handle. The locking assembly comprises a control housing on the interior of the door including digital circuitry for the lock powered by batteries.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,973 issued Jun. 11, 1995 to Andreou et al discloses a remotely-operated self contained electronic lock security system. A remote hand held controller transmits coded signals to an electronic door lock. The lock is sized and configured to be utilized with a conventional doorlatch lock mechanism. For example, the mechanical "locking" portion of the apparatus and optical or radio frequency sensor is preferably constructed so as to be installable within the exterior handle of a conventional door handle; the interior handle is equipped with a battery and an electronic control device. Most of the components of conventional doorlatch locks are used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,330 issued Apr. 11, 1989 to Jui-Chang Lin discloses a structure for controlling the dead bolts used in an electric lock. The lock requires the use of a special card which has an invisible coded number on it, but allows the lock to function as a common lock with the electronic part temporarily stopped.
None of the disclosed locks in the prior art have the combined features of being extra strong, remote controlled, security locks, which are not easily overcome or broken by an intruder. | 2023-08-05T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8606 |
Seawater quality and microbial communities at a desalination plant marine outfall. A field study at the Israeli Mediterranean coast.
Global desalination quadrupled in the last 15 years and the relative importance of seawater desalination by reverse osmosis (SWRO) increased as well. While the technological aspects of SWRO plants are extensively described, studies on the environmental impact of brine discharge are lacking, in particular in situ marine environmental studies. The Ashqelon SWRO plant (333,000 m(3) d(-1) freshwater) discharges brine and backwash of the pre-treatment filters (containing ferric hydroxide coagulant) at the seashore, next to the cooling waters of a power plant. At the time of this study brine and cooling waters were discharged continuously and the backwash discharge was pulsed, with a frequency dependent on water quality at the intake. The effects of the discharges on water quality and neritic microbial community were identified, quantified and attributed to the different discharges. The mixed brine-cooling waters discharge increased salinity and temperature at the outfall, were positively buoyant, and dispersed at the surface up to 1340 m south of the outfall. Nutrient concentrations were higher at the outfall while phytoplankton densities were lower. Chlorophyll-a and picophytoplankton cell numbers were negatively correlated with salinity, but more significantly with temperature probably as a result of thermal pollution. The discharge of the pulsed backwash increased turbidity, suspended particulate matter and particulate iron and decreased phytoplankton growth efficiency at the outfall, effects that declined with distance from the outfall. The discharges clearly reduced primary production but we could not attribute the effect to a specific component of the discharge. Bacterial production was also affected but differently in the three surveys. The combined and possible synergistic effects of SWRO desalination along the Israeli shoreline should be taken into account when the three existing plants and additional ones are expected to produce 2 Mm(3) d(-1) freshwater by 2020. | 2023-11-24T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9542 |
Midterm poll: The results so far
The Hill is now halfway through its groundbreaking series of polls in 42 key House districts. By the final week of this month, these surveys will reveal more clearly than any others who will control the House in the 112th Congress.
The data so far make grim reading for Democrats. Likely voters put Republicans ahead in 19 of the 22 districts polled to date, with Democrats ahead in just two, and one tied.
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Polling for Week 1 was conducted Sept. 25-30, so positions may have changed, especially because many GOP leads were within the margin of error.
This week, our pollster, Penn Schoen Berland, switched the focus from Democratic freshmen to 10 seats of which nine are open because incumbents are retiring or seeking higher office, and one was filled by a special election just this May. Of the open seats, eight are currently Democratic and one is Republican, but GOP candidates have the lead in eight, and only one looks like it will be won by a Democrat. Notably, that one seat, Ill.-10, is held by a Republican. So if all this week’s results hold true, nine open seats polled will flip, with eight going to the Republican and one to the Democrat.
The 10th Week 2 district, Hawaii-1, shows Rep. Charles Djou (R), who came to Capitol Hill in May, holding a four-point lead in his first general-election campaign.
Another striking finding is that a majority (54 percent) of the 4,000 likely voters in the Week 2 poll are disaffected with the two-party system and would like to see a viable third party established. This was particularly true among independents, of whom two out of every three (67 percent) wanted a viable third party. Even among those voters who identify with one of the two existing parties, a plurality favor a third party — Democrats by 49 points to 40, and Republicans by 46 points to 44.
It is reasonable to suppose that this finding flows from widespread and deep discontent with the parties now on offer. And this dissatisfaction is evident in voter views about Congress. As in Week 1, vast majorities held Congress in low esteem. The Week 2 poll found that 72 percent of those surveyed gave Congress a negative rating, while only 25 percent were positive.
Finally, the Week 2 polling offered the fist clear hint that the GOP will take some trophy seats. They are strongly ahead in the seat held by Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.) for the past 40 years. The Hill’s polling will move to districts held by long-term Democratic incumbents in Week 4, and if it shows these old bulls in trouble, then this cycle’s Republican wave may prove to be of historic proportions. | 2024-03-01T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/2475 |
Development and regulation of glucose transporter and hexokinase expression in rat.
The ontogenesis of the glucose transporters GLUT-1, GLUT-2, and GLUT-4 and the hexokinases HK-I, HK-II, and HK-IV (glucokinase) was studied in rat tissues. In brown adipose tissue, high levels of GLUT-4 and HK-II were observed during fetal life; both decreased at birth and then increased throughout development. At birth, cold exposure increased GLUT-4 and HK-II expression in brown adipose tissue, whereas fasting decreased it. GLUT-1 and HK-I were present in fetal muscle, but GLUT-4 and HK-II were absent. The coordinate appearance of GLUT-4 and HK-II in skeletal muscle was concomitant with the acquisition of insulin sensitivity after weaning. In the heart, the glucose transporter isoform switched from GLUT-1 to GLUT-4 during the suckling period. The coordinate expression of GLUT-4 and HK-II in heart was observed after weaning. GLUT-2, detected in fetal liver, increased throughout development. GLUT-1 and HK-I were detectable in fetal liver, whereas glucokinase appeared after weaning. Consumption of a high-carbohydrate diet after weaning increased GLUT-4 and HK-II in muscle and GLUT-2 in liver, whereas consumption of a high-fat diet prevented these changes. These results showed that 1) GLUT-1 and HK-I are abundant in most fetal rat tissues, 2) GLUT-4 and HK-II expression is associated with the appearance of tissue insulin sensitivity, and 3) GLUT-2 is expressed early in liver, before the appearance of glucokinase. | 2023-09-10T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1173 |
Q:
Importing and working with a ruby gem
My title might not accurately reflect what I'm trying to ask, but it's the best that I could come up with really.
What I'm trying to do is make modifications to a library, and to test those modifications in a project. So I've got RVM running, a project folder called project/, a gemset with 2.3.1, and the library git cloned into the folder project/metasm/. I have a file project/Gemfile which has this line in it:
gem "metasm", :path => "metasm"
And when I run bundle install I get the following:
Using metasm 1.0.2 from source at `metasm`
Using bundler 1.13.6
Bundle complete! 1 Gemfile dependency, 2 gems now installed.
Use `bundle show [gemname]` to see where a bundled gem is installed.
Good, so everything seems to work as it should. Awesome. I drop down into irb and go to require the library/gem, but it doesn't seem to work too well for me.
2.3.1 :001 > require "metasm"
LoadError: cannot load such file -- metasm
from /home/chiggins/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.3.1/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from /home/chiggins/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.3.1/lib/ruby/2.3.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
from (irb):1
from /home/chiggins/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.3.1/bin/irb:11:in `<main>'
Now here's what I'm not really understanding. Why can I not use metasm from where it currently is at, even though bundle install worked as it should?
This was the best way I thought that this would work. What I ideally want to do is be able to make my changes to the metasm library as I see fit and either run irb or a Ruby script to test/validate my changes. Is this a good way to go about it or should I go about it another way?
Thanks for any help!
A:
You must enter irb using the bundle exec irb command.
As you can see here, the bundle exec <command> executes the command making all gems specified in the Gemfile available to require in Ruby programs.
| 2024-01-28T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/2496 |
Like this:
Tory MEP and supporter of NHS privatisation Daniel Hannan. In his view, the Front National are left-wing.
Following this morning’s post tracing the accusation that the National Front/ BNP are left-wing parties to the pamphlet by Stephen Ayres of the National Association For Freedom (NAFF), now the Freedom Association, The National Front are a Socialist Front, I received this comment from Buddyhell:
Hannan has today written a blog that describes le Front National as “far-left”. He will not be told. Even his stablemates attack him for the way he lazily draws lines between fascism and socialism. In essence, Hannan is smearing the Left with these assertions.
I’ve blogged before about the way Fascism included left-wing elements amongst a number of competing and contradictory ideologies and groups. Mussolini had started off as a radical Socialist, but broke with the party over his support for Italy joining the First World…
Like this:
George Osborne gave a speech today in which he gave a commitment to achieving ‘full employment’. The trouble is, full employment means different things to different people. Osborne seems to think it means having the highest employment rate in the G7. We’re already 4th on that measure (which is I guess why he chose it), but is this a good measure? It looks at the proportion who are employed, but to know if we have ‘full employment’, don’t we need to know how many are ‘unemployed’?
Chris Giles already has a blog up today with the same name as this one, and he gives two other definitions to the one George Osborne is using. Post-war, full employment just meant everyone had a job who wanted one. For most of the 50s and 60s, this was indeed the case. As Robert Skidelsky says here:
Like this:
Valuable work from Tom Pride. It is sad to note that it is a LABOUR peer who is embroiled in this. As a Labour member, my own view is that anyone found to be trying to use a Parliamentary position for personal gain should be ejected from the Party forthwith. They blacken all our names.
Labour peer Lord Warner – who has written a report released today proposing monthly charges for using the NHS – is personally funded by private companies which will directly benefit from this kind of privatisation of healthcare:
Warner wrote the report on behalf of a thinktank called REFORM which claims to be non-party – but which was founded by Tory MP Nick Herbert and former Head of the Political Section of the Conservative Party Research Department Andrew Haldenby.
REFORM itself is funded by many companies which will directly benefit from further privatisation of the NHS:
Day 80:
Charlie Brooks told the phone hacking trial today that he hid his bags from police because he was worried that the discovery of his pornography collection could lead to a “Jacqui Smith moment.”
Dame Anne Begg has responded to concerns that people who submitted evidence to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry into Employment and Support Allowance and Work Capability Assessments were being sidelined – with a denial.
The committee’s chairperson said the call for evidence generated 190 submissions, and every single submission will be circulated to all committee members.
In addition, the committee clerk in charge of the inquiry, who will be writing the brief for committee members, has carefully read all the submissions as they have come in, she stated in an email yesterday. (March 30)
“However, in line with our practice in the past when we have received a large number of submissions describing personal experiences (such as our inquiries into the roll out of ESA and the Pensions Bill) we have taken the decision that not all of the personal submissions will be treated as ‘formal written evidence’ which is published along with our report,” she continued.
“This is because a number were very personal in nature, or didn’t address the terms of reference, while some asked for anonymity which isn’t possible in formal evidence, or included inappropriate language.
“It was made clear in our call for evidence that the committee would make the decision whether a submission would be treated as formal evidence or not. However, it is still treated as evidence – just not ‘formal written’ evidence.
“Once the formal evidence is published, you will be able to see that there are quite a number from individuals so it is simply untrue to say that all individual submissions are being ignored, suppressed or sidelined.”
Are you happy with that?
Personally, I can’t say that I am entirely convinced, as my own evidence (for example) fits the required criteria and should not be omitted from the formal evidence for the reasons Dame Anne mentioned in her email. Yet this is what has happened.
I responded, saying it is hard to give the benefit of the doubt to any Parliamentary investigation into this issue because of the mistreatment that people have suffered over the past few years.
While I would like to think that the Work and Pensions Committee, and those who work for it, will treat us all with fairness, it is only prudent to suggest that we all keep a watchful eye on proceedings, including all documentation that comes from this inquiry. If there is the slightest hint of foul play, then it will be our responsibility to raise the alarm.
Hopefully Dame Anne, the committee and its clerks have realised that their conduct is being scrutinised.
Vox Political speaks up for the people
… and we need people to ‘stump up’ for us.
This independent blog’s only funding comes from readers’ contributions.Without YOUR help, we cannot keep going.You can make a one-off donation here:
Alternatively, you can buy the first Vox Political book,Strong Words and Hard Timesin either print or eBook format here:
I’ve blogged before on the Tory claim that Fascism, Nazism and, in Britain, the BNP, are forms of Socialism. There is indeed a perfectly respectable academic debate about how revolutionary the various European Fascist movements were. Mussolini started out as an extreme Left-wing Socialist, who broke with the Italian Socialist party in his demands that Italy should enter the First World War. He then moved increasingly and opportunistically to join the Italian Right, and in the red scare following the invasion of the factories by radical Italian workers promoted Fascism was a force, which would defend private property and the middle class against the threat of socialist revolution. The Nazi party in Germany also contained several Socialist demands in its 1926 political programme, such as profit-sharing and the confiscation of excessive profits from the War…
Mind you, at the same time, the council has been telling residents money is so tight that cuts will have to be made to services for the elderly, the disabled, people with mental health problems, youth programmes and children’s care programmes including the axing of school crossing patrols:
The schemes vary from the theoretically voluntary “Work Experience Programme” to the definitely mandatory “Mandatory Work Activity”. The schemes vary in length from 2 weeks to 2 months, but the government has decided this isn’t enough, since none of the schemes are proving to be any…
Standing in the shadow of a giant: Vox Political’s Mike Sivier (front) at ‘Cooper Corner’, with Caerphilly Castle in the background.
Vox Political was relatively quiet yesterday; although I reblogged plenty of articles from other sources, there was no new piece from the site itself because I was in Caerphilly, delivering a speech at a Bedroom Tax protest there.
Caerphilly is the birthplace of the late, great comic Tommy Cooper, and it was in the shadow of his statue that the demonstration took place. I instantly (and privately) named the location ‘Cooper Corner’.
I took the opportunity to lighten proceedings at the start by suggesting that Mr Cooper (albeit in petrified effigy) would be providing the jokes. I held the microphone up towards the statue. “Anything? No? No. I didn’t think so.” Turning back to the crowd I added: “The Bedroom Tax is no laughing matter.” Then I got into the body of the speech:
“I write a small blog called Vox Political. I started it a couple of years ago as an attempt to put in writing what a reasonable, thinking person might have to say about government policies in these years of forced austerity, and politics in general.
“As you can probably imagine, this means I knew about the Bedroom Tax, several months before it was actually imposed on us all. I was writing articles warning people against it from October 2012. The trouble was, Vox Political is a small blog that even now has only a few thousand readers a day – and the mainstream media has been almost entirely bought by a political machine with far more funding than I have.
“It is a tax, by the way. You may have heard a lot of nonsense that it isn’t, but consider it this way: a tax is defined as a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government against a citizen’s person, property or activity, to support government policies.
“It is not a ‘spare-room subsidy’. If anyone in authority tries to tell you you’re having your ‘spare-room subsidy’ removed (or more likely, imposed, they’re so confused about this), just tell them to go and find the Act of Parliament that introduced the ‘spare room subsidy’, using those words. Tell them if they can find it, you’ll pay it – but if they can’t, they must not take any money away from you. They won’t be able to find it because it doesn’t exist.
“It is more accurately described as the ‘State Underoccupation Charge’ – SUC! And it really does suck.
“It sucks money that social housing tenants need for food, heat, water and other necessities out of their pockets and forces them to send it to their landlord instead – either the local council or a social landlord like a housing association. The reasoning behind it has always been that this would encourage people to move, but in fact we know that there is no social accommodation for them to move into. When the Bedroom Tax became law, there was only enough smaller housing to accommodate around 15 per cent of the affected households. It is clearly a trap, designed to make poor people poorer.
“This is why the first advice I put on my blog was for anyone affected by the Bedroom Tax to appeal against it – and I was criticised quite harshly for it, because some people decided such action would mark tenants out as troublemakers and create more problems for them. At the time, I thought it was right to give some of the aggravation back to the people who were foisting this additional burden onto lower-income families; make them work for it, if they want it so badly. As it turns out, I was right to do so, because there are so many loopholes in the legislation that it seems almost anybody could avoid paying!
“Do you think Stephanie Bottrill would have died if she had known that she could successfully appeal against her Bedroom Tax, on the grounds that she had been a social housing tenant since before January 1996 and was therefore exempt? The government spitefully closed that particular loophole earlier this month, but that lady is already dead, due to a lie. Had she been properly informed, she could have successfully fought it off and then taken advice on how to cope with it after the government amendment was brought in.
“There is a case for corporate manslaughter against the Department for Work and Pensions, right there. If tested in court, it seems likely that the way its activities have been managed and organised by senior management – the fact that it foisted the Bedroom Tax, wrongly, on this lady – will be found to have led to her death, in gross breach of its duty of care to those who claim state benefits (in this case, Housing Benefit).
“David Cameron has wasted a great deal of oxygen telling us all that disabled people are not affected by the tax. Perhaps he could explain why a disabled gentleman in my home town was forced to move out of his specially-adapted home, incurring not only the cost of moving but an extra £5,000 for removing the adaptations and installing them into new accommodation? He appealed against Bedroom Tax decision but the result came back after the date when he had to be out of his home. Can you guess what it was? That’s right – he won. I have been trying to get him to take legal action against the council and the government about this as it would be an important test case.
“It includes a study, a utility room, a play room, even an Iain Duncan Smith voodoo doll-making room, if that takes your fancy!
“I was particularly happy to hear that you can have a study as I’ve been writing my blog from the broom cupboard – oh! That’s another room you can have!
“Check the DWP’s online forms. They ask about bedrooms, and then they ask about other rooms. The distinction is clear.”
Then I closed the speech. In retrospect, I should have finished with a few words about the fact that this was the first bit of public speaking I had ever done. I could have given them something along these lines: “I am aware that speech-making is a lucrative sideline for many people, including comedians (although I’m not aware that Mr Cooper ever made any) and also politicians. Perhaps I should use this platform to suggest that, if you know anybody who is considering booking a speaker for a special occasion – society dinner, rugby club social, wedding or party, why not ask them to get in touch with me – instead of Iain Duncan Smith!”
Vox Political stands up in public to make its point
… and we need people to stand up for us.
This independent blog’s only funding comes from readers’ contributions.Without YOUR help, we cannot keep going.You can make a one-off donation here:
Alternatively, you can buy the first Vox Political book,Strong Words and Hard Timesin either print or eBook format here: | 2024-07-01T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4045 |
• The committee was concerned with the lack of feedback from EHDC representatives about progress to date with writing the Petersfield TDS. It is seen as very important to obtain appropriate guidance and advice to ensure that the final document can be adopted as a SPD. TS ensured the meeting that communication would be forthcoming in due course and asked for patience.
• The TC Group was disappointed to note that they have not been directly invited to take part in the present consultation round with the title Core Strategy - Issues and Options. It is essential that the group takes this opportunity to comment. VE to request six hard copies from Lisa Smith of EHDC. Documents can also be downloaded from the EHDC website or use the link www.easthants.gov.uk/ehdc/localplanweb.nsf/webpages/Core+Strategy.
5. Action Plan for Writing TDS update.
• Draft summary introduction following previously agreed headings as presented by TH provides an excellent bare bone starting point for the Petersfield TDS.
• It was agreed to attempt to cut the number of areas down to say 10 in order to make the TDS document more reader friendly and easier to work with. A very preliminary working model of areas was arranged as follows:
- 4, 8, & 9
- 1 & 3 (Sheet)
- 5 & 2
- 6, 7, 14 & 15
- 13, 19 & 20
- 12, 21, 22, 23 & 24
- 18
- 16 & 17
- Commercial & business site including area 11
- 25
Descriptive heading names for these 10 areas to be contemplated.
• DJ to produce draft for item 3 Local History Development based on the format of the Alton draft TDS.
• TS to prepare text for a pilot sample area in order for other committee members to get an idea of how these area summaries could look like in more detail.
• TH to expand headings for each section so key generic issues that the TC group need to focus on for Petersfield can be better identified.
• It is unclear if EHDC are producing their own Landscape Character Assessment including Petersfield. This would be a useful reference document and be of useful our own work. Future contacts with EHDC to resolve this matter.
• TS showed a copy of the Salford TDS which has been adopted as a SPD. Useful document that can be viewed on the web www.salford.gov.uk/designspd.
• PH to take on the matter of overhead telephone and power cables within the Petersfield Parish boundary as a live demonstration project. It is already an issue raised by comments collected during the public consultation process.
6. Future Public Consultation Events and Publicity
• PH reported that he has been in discussion with interested business parties about two bank holiday events this year. The first is likely to be a food festival in May and the other a repeat of last years August Bank Holiday event but expanded and better planned. The events are expected to be self funding. These will be excellent opportunities for the TC group to extend the public consultation process with press releases and displays in The Square. The TC group expressed their support for the events and VE will report to the next P2M committee meeting requesting their moral support.
• PH and VE to prepare doubled sided A4 document to circulated to the business community asking for their feedback on the Petersfield TDS process so far and also offer direct consultation to those that show interest.
7. Project cost planning
• Update of budget cost planning was discussed. Source for funds will have to be explored. It is envisaged that at least the following items are likely to need funding and the amount required will be in the order of £3500:
- Draft TDS document to be circulated for public consultation. It is assumed that 500 hard copies with 40 to 60 pages is seen as a likely number. The same document will be published on the Wiki.
- Final TDS report to be printed in 1000 copies, also 40 to 60 pages, of higher print quality standard. Pdf version available on the web.
- Both the above publications are anticipated to need support by publicity and public exhibitions. The TC Group Gazebo will be used for the spring food festival event and enquiries made about availability of EHDC trailer for the August bank holiday event.
- Wiki subscription renewal.
• There may also be a need to find funding for assistance with completing the for the TDS necessary Sustainability Appraisal including Strategic & Environmental Assessment. Cost for this work can not be established without discussion with EHDC who may be able to assist.
8. Project Time Update
• Nothing to report under this item.
9. Wiki Update
• VE to add powerpoint presentation used at the January public consultation event to the Wiki. Part of evidence base and general information.
10. Any Other Business
• The question of the Town Character group to consider donations for related and worthy causes was raised. The group do however not control any funds and is on no position to even contemplate such requests. It was agreed that any such requests ought to be politely channeled elsewhere including the possibility of the Petersfield Tomorrow committee.
11 Date and place of next meeting
• Next meeting to be held on Saturday 15 March 2008 at 9.30 am at 28A the Spain. | 2024-05-19T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/5502 |
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Specialty Retailer Opens Wine-Storage Facility in Honolulu
Vintage Wine Cellar has converted a former video store next to its specialty wine outlet in Honolulu into a wine-storage facility. Vintage Wine Vault is a self-storage concept comprising 1,600 square feet in more than 70 lockers, with capacities ranging from 27 to 350 cases, according to the source.
The storage business is in the basement of the building, with customers given access to their own storage space. “There have been other such concepts, but nobody has done it like us,” Jay Kam, president, told the source. “At other places, you had to call to pick up and drop off wines. They would put it in storage for you.”
The facility is temperature- and humidity-controlled, and has redundant compressors. It’s also equipped with technology features and security, according to the source.
The specialty wine retailer decided to expand into storage to serve its customer base of casual and serious connoisseurs, who have expressed the need for storage space outside their homes. “A lot of customers say they can’t buy anymore wine because of the lack of space,” Kam said. “People who have wine cellars at their homes—it’s not a question of if they’ll break, but when they’ll break.” Most wine cellars in Hawaii last about seven years, he said.
Vintage Wine Cellar, established in 1968, is in the basement of a commercial building on Wilder Avenue. | 2024-02-27T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1276 |
Monday, November 2, 2009
This week from top to bottom, left to right:1. We have orange juice, Minute Maid has a kids juice with vitamins A, B1, C, D, E, and calcium. The great thing about this is it is pulp free, so sippy cups and straw cups with valves (like the one in this picture) won't get clogged by the pulp. We were getting the orange juice with the added calcium, because Jasmine doesn't drink milk and will only eat a few dark green veggies, and the straws were always getting clogged even though that juice is supposed to be low pulp.2. Mini-cucumber stars made with the recipe by M3 of Do They Have Salsa in China?. Jasmine loves cucumbers, so I figured we'd give this a try. I put them in a yellow muffin liner.3. Next is multi-colored toothpicks with grapes. I glued a star onto the orange pick.4. Corn in another yellow muffin liner. Jasmine knew the picture on top was supposed to be the sun right away. I cannot draw a straight line, so if my pictures ever look strangely slanted, its probably because I put things together crooked and took the picture crooked.5. Originally I was going to try and draw the earth from space... luckily I gave up on that idea fast. It is supposed to be a picture of a planet with rings in space. Like I said, I cannot draw. Underneath the icing is Kozy Shack's Simplywell pudding in Green Tea Chai. I got these for myself, but Jasmine wanted one a few days ago and actually ate it. Its odd she will eat gelatin, but puddings or custard until she ate this. She still will not eat regular pudding, like vanilla.6. And last we have apple asteroids covered in cinnamon.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
This weeks theme is Eyes and the vocabulary word is iris. I got the picture from an article on Discover Magazine about the genetics of eye color. The vocabulary word spot on our poster is blank because I put it with the image of the eye.
We started the week off slow, there was a lot of wind last weekend, so for Monday and Tuesday Jasmine and I were sneezing a lot.
Monday: We went over the letter "D" and did a capital "D" worksheet from School Express found here. I also printed the lowercase "d," but we did not go over it.
Tuesday: Jasmine colored the diamond from last week with blue glitter. I defrosted some frozen blueberries, I couldn't find any fresh ones. I hung up our blue window cling.
We also colored a "D" worksheet that had an upper and lower case "d" with pictures of things that started with "D" from Mommy Nature.com. Here is the worksheet.
Thursday: was number four. We added another fish to the fish bowl. We got ready for Halloween by making a ghost found on The Artful Crafterhere. Instead of a CD we used a paper plate and I let Jasmine paint one side white.
Friday: the nursery rhyme for Friday was Lavender's Blue. I got the full rhyme from Wikipedia. I didn't save where I got the image of the lavender from, but a easy search on Google Images will bring something usable up.
Friday was also Halloween Day for us. Nevada Day is also October 31st, but is celebrated on the last Saturday of October, which happened to be Halloween this year. We went trick-or-treating, Jasmine was a pirate. Saturday we went and watched the Nevada Day parade downtown.
Here is a view of our Learning Poster.
For November we have lots of leaves on our calendar.
What we are currently reading:Jasmine's selection: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
I got this for Jasmine after we did the "C" caterpillar from last week and she seems to really enjoy the book.
My selection: The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Wise Bauer
I borrowed this from the library and have only just started reading it, so I don't have an opinion on it yet. | 2024-04-08T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9589 |
7 Days, 70km, and counting
Submitted by admin on Wed, 12/15/2010 - 21:47
Our "Continuous Ops" team (Eitan Marder-Eppstein, Wim Meeussen, and Kevin Watts) just completed a new milestone that shatters all of our previous robustness records: 7 days, 70 km (43.5 miles) of continuous operation. The robot had to autonomously navigate around the office and plug itself in whenever it ran low on battery. The robot was allowed to announce it was "stuck" by sending a text message to the team. The team was then allowed to use a web page to get the robot out of the stuck situation, which they only had to do twice. As you can see from the photo above, the robot picked up some pieces of flair along the way.
Getting to this level of robustness with the PR2 and ROS took lots of hard work -- over 250kms of debugging Linux kernel panics, building lights that wouldn't stay on, overheating batteries, and overzealous safety lockouts. In fact, they completed three autonomous "marathons" (26.2 miles) getting to this point. All of their improvements will soon be released to the rest of the PR2 and ROS community. Congrats team! | 2024-02-26T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1693 |
Maybe last year this game would have been a mismatch…on paper, but not this season! TPP (formerly Van Rain) has made a noticeable upgrade to the roster, bringing in more offensive weapons and size to their usually short roster year in and year out! YM needs little introduction! With the return of Jack Ho and additions of Jermaine “Fresh” Foster and Max Neuman, this team has gotten much better. Gone are the days of Anthony “Lebron James” Lao! This season brought the resurrection of YM!
The matchup was more even than most people thought it would be as both teams slugged it out in the first half. TPP had some early success in the paint against YM, until Max subbed in! Max turned out to be a one man “Mount Mutombo” in the middle. He didn’t block 10 shot, but he disturbed many and threw off the rhythm that TPP was starting to establish on the inside. The half would end in a stalemate, but YM would hold the slight advantage.
The 2nd half looked to turn in YM’s favor, as their veteran players like Tony Lau and Jack ho began banging down long three pointers. Glen Shung also woke up in the 2nd half, hitting on a few open jumpers that would push the lead to double digits. While the Anza brothers were semi silent in this game (Matt and Kevin), they would help facilitate a late game comeback that gave them a chance to steal this game. With less than 2 minutes left, TPP was down 4 and the ball found its way to Matt Anza on consecutive possessions! Usually a sure scorer, but Matt would go 0-6 in those two possessions. TPP would lose a tough one, but still showed that they are on the rise.
SKG – Will Chaing 21, Alex Koong 15
Sonic Boom – Jason #13 23, Davor Isic 15
This battle never gets old, as it is a rare treat yet it is usually a game that entertains. Both teams are long time members of Vancouver Metro League, and both teams bring a lot of excitement when matched up against any team in the league.
Sofa King Good was suffering from a height disadvantage as they usually do, but it rarely stops them from racking up big scoring numbers on their opponents. SKG usually surprises with their aggressiveness on the defense and offensive end of the court. One of the only teams that plays 95% zone, but is near the top in fast break points out of the zone! SKG would take Sonic Boom by surprise and race out to a 12 point halftime lead.
Sonic Boom would go off in the 2nd half for 43 second half points on the backs of Jason #13 and Davor Isic! Both combined for 6 made three pointers in the game, and was able to get the game within a two possession game. The veteran SKG squad would be able to knock down clutch free throws down the stretch to ice the game.
SKG bounces back from their week 1 loss, while Sonic Boom loses a close one but had a good showing without two of their best players.
Talisman – Sylvester Appiah 26, Elvin Owusu-Ansah 21, Brian Tang 10
Flight – Jermaine Adwyinka 24, Kenny Son 21, RJ Base 16
One of the more intriguing matchups of the night had a lot of familiar faces attached to it. Talisman had veterans Dejan Stanic and Sylvester Appiah suiting up for the spring version of “The Grind”. Flight would be led by Captain RJ Base, who would welcome back one of their best all-around players in Trey #5.
Talisman outnumbered Flight in the “Young Leg” category! Flight’s veteran experience kept them in this game in the first half. RJ Base fired away from the three point line to keep the game close, but Talisman running legs were just getting warmed up. They would take a 3 point lead into the half.
The second half was a start of the track meet that only Talisman could run! Appiah and Elvin Owusu- Ansah burned up the nets for 47 of Talisman’s 79 points, and would fly past “Flight” for the win.
Flight is still short-handed, and hopefully they will get healthy sooner than later.
BSH - Brandon Hoyem 24, Alan Hogan 19, Devon Carney 11
The Party – Zach San Felipe 12, Lukas Domingo and Larry Chong 8 each
Even without their captain (and founder), Ball So Hard continues to show their reigning “Championship Pedigree”! The Party is always the “Life of the Party”, but in recent seasons they have been flirting with signs of breaking through! The addition of “Zebo” a few seasons ago, put them on a path that saw them touch the path of greatness only to crash and burn like two Hippos fighting over a water hole!
Ball So Hard’s high energy attack is hard for most teams to compete with, as they are constantly putting pressure on the defenses they face. Alan Hogan and Branden Hoyem absolutely exhaust their opponent’s front courts by their constant sprints down the middle of the floor on makes and misses. By the time the 2nd half comes around, Brandon and Alan are working on “new moves” they can use in their next game! This game would be closer than the score would indicate, but more of the same for BSH!
Brandon and Alan combined for 43 of BSH’s 79 points. The Party would stay in the game off and on hitting on 12 made three point in the game. It still would not be enough, as BSH would dominate them in the rebounding category too 41-16!
The best thing for The Party right now is knowing that…..ZeBo is coming back!!!!
Stallions – Jit Locham 24, Mark Halfnights 14, Roger Sheung 13
Agaveros – Oscar Salvador 15, Pepe 14, Charlie #10 13
Well, the one thing I can say about this game to start with is…..THE CHAMPS ARE BACK! A little worse for wear after taking a hiatus from Metro League, The Stallions have come back without missing a beat! The Agaveros are the new kids on the block, and looked impressive in their 3rd place finish last season. However, they are still reeling from a key injury to one of their key cogs. You never want to go short handed into a game vs the multi time champion Stallions!
Both teams didn’t have an arsenal on their bench, but that was a huge advantage for The Stallions. Everyone they had on the floor could grab the rebound and lead the fast break…which they did on just about every play. The Stallions ability to run a 2 and 3 man fast break on nearly every possession, has been the key to their championship run! The Agaveros were stuck in the driveway in this game, and they trailed at the half by 27!
They would pick it up in the second half to score 35 points in the half, but it wasn’t enough to make the big comeback vs The Stallions. The Stallions are still warming up right now, and that is a scary thing for the league!
February 27, 2017
YM – Tony Lau 22, Jack Ho 19, Glen Shung 13
TPP – Andre Anderson17, Dan Mazkov 14, Matthew Jackie 9
Maybe last year this game would have been a mismatch…on paper, but not this season! TPP (formerly Van Rain) has made a noticeable upgrade to the roster, bringing in more offensive weapons and size to their usually short roster year in and year out! YM needs little introduction! With the return of Jack Ho and additions of Jermaine “Fresh” Foster and Max Neuman, this team has gotten much better. Gone are the days of Anthony “Lebron James” Lao! This season brought the resurrection of YM!
The matchup was more even than most people thought it would be as both teams slugged it out in the first half. TPP had some early success in the paint against YM, until Max subbed in! Max turned out to be a one man “Mount Mutombo” in the middle. He didn’t block 10 shot, but he disturbed many and threw off the rhythm that TPP was starting to establish on the inside. The half would end in a stalemate, but YM would hold the slight advantage.
The 2nd half looked to turn in YM’s favor, as their veteran players like Tony Lau and Jack ho began banging down long three pointers. Glen Shung also woke up in the 2nd half, hitting on a few open jumpers that would push the lead to double digits. While the Anza brothers were semi silent in this game (Matt and Kevin), they would help facilitate a late game comeback that gave them a chance to steal this game. With less than 2 minutes left, TPP was down 4 and the ball found its way to Matt Anza on consecutive possessions! Usually a sure scorer, but Matt would go 0-6 in those two possessions. TPP would lose a tough one, but still showed that they are on the rise.
SKG – Will Chaing 21, Alex Koong 15
Sonic Boom – Jason #13 23, Davor Isic 15
This battle never gets old, as it is a rare treat yet it is usually a game that entertains. Both teams are long time members of Vancouver Metro League, and both teams bring a lot of excitement when matched up against any team in the league.
Sofa King Good was suffering from a height disadvantage as they usually do, but it rarely stops them from racking up big scoring numbers on their opponents. SKG usually surprises with their aggressiveness on the defense and offensive end of the court. One of the only teams that plays 95% zone, but is near the top in fast break points out of the zone! SKG would take Sonic Boom by surprise and race out to a 12 point halftime lead.
Sonic Boom would go off in the 2nd half for 43 second half points on the backs of Jason #13 and Davor Isic! Both combined for 6 made three pointers in the game, and was able to get the game within a two possession game. The veteran SKG squad would be able to knock down clutch free throws down the stretch to ice the game.
SKG bounces back from their week 1 loss, while Sonic Boom loses a close one but had a good showing without two of their best players.
Talisman – Sylvester Appiah 26, Elvin Owusu-Ansah 21, Brian Tang 10
Flight – Jermaine Adwyinka 24, Kenny Son 21, RJ Base 16
One of the more intriguing matchups of the night had a lot of familiar faces attached to it. Talisman had veterans Dejan Stanic and Sylvester Appiah suiting up for the spring version of “The Grind”. Flight would be led by Captain RJ Base, who would welcome back one of their best all-around players in Trey #5.
Talisman outnumbered Flight in the “Young Leg” category! Flight’s veteran experience kept them in this game in the first half. RJ Base fired away from the three point line to keep the game close, but Talisman running legs were just getting warmed up. They would take a 3 point lead into the half.
The second half was a start of the track meet that only Talisman could run! Appiah and Elvin Owusu- Ansah burned up the nets for 47 of Talisman’s 79 points, and would fly past “Flight” for the win.
Flight is still short-handed, and hopefully they will get healthy sooner than later.
BSH - Brandon Hoyem 24, Alan Hogan 19, Devon Carney 11
The Party – Zach San Felipe 12, Lukas Domingo and Larry Chong 8 each
Even without their captain (and founder), Ball So Hard continues to show their reigning “Championship Pedigree”! The Party is always the “Life of the Party”, but in recent seasons they have been flirting with signs of breaking through! The addition of “Zebo” a few seasons ago, put them on a path that saw them touch the path of greatness only to crash and burn like two Hippos fighting over a water hole!
Ball So Hard’s high energy attack is hard for most teams to compete with, as they are constantly putting pressure on the defenses they face. Alan Hogan and Branden Hoyem absolutely exhaust their opponent’s front courts by their constant sprints down the middle of the floor on makes and misses. By the time the 2nd half comes around, Brandon and Alan are working on “new moves” they can use in their next game! This game would be closer than the score would indicate, but more of the same for BSH!
Brandon and Alan combined for 43 of BSH’s 79 points. The Party would stay in the game off and on hitting on 12 made three point in the game. It still would not be enough, as BSH would dominate them in the rebounding category too 41-16!
The best thing for The Party right now is knowing that…..ZeBo is coming back!!!!
Stallions – Jit Locham 24, Mark Halfnights 14, Roger Sheung 13
Agaveros – Oscar Salvador 15, Pepe 14, Charlie #10 13
Well, the one thing I can say about this game to start with is…..THE CHAMPS ARE BACK! A little worse for wear after taking a hiatus from Metro League, The Stallions have come back without missing a beat! The Agaveros are the new kids on the block, and looked impressive in their 3rd place finish last season. However, they are still reeling from a key injury to one of their key cogs. You never want to go short handed into a game vs the multi time champion Stallions!
Both teams didn’t have an arsenal on their bench, but that was a huge advantage for The Stallions. Everyone they had on the floor could grab the rebound and lead the fast break…which they did on just about every play. The Stallions ability to run a 2 and 3 man fast break on nearly every possession, has been the key to their championship run! The Agaveros were stuck in the driveway in this game, and they trailed at the half by 27!
They would pick it up in the second half to score 35 points in the half, but it wasn’t enough to make the big comeback vs The Stallions. The Stallions are still warming up right now, and that is a scary thing for the league!
February 27, 2017
YM – Tony Lau 22, Jack Ho 19, Glen Shung 13
TPP – Andre Anderson17, Dan Mazkov 14, Matthew Jackie 9
Maybe last year this game would have been a mismatch…on paper, but not this season! TPP (formerly Van Rain) has made a noticeable upgrade to the roster, bringing in more offensive weapons and size to their usually short roster year in and year out! YM needs little introduction! With the return of Jack Ho and additions of Jermaine “Fresh” Foster and Max Neuman, this team has gotten much better. Gone are the days of Anthony “Lebron James” Lao! This season brought the resurrection of YM!
The matchup was more even than most people thought it would be as both teams slugged it out in the first half. TPP had some early success in the paint against YM, until Max subbed in! Max turned out to be a one man “Mount Mutombo” in the middle. He didn’t block 10 shot, but he disturbed many and threw off the rhythm that TPP was starting to establish on the inside. The half would end in a stalemate, but YM would hold the slight advantage.
The 2nd half looked to turn in YM’s favor, as their veteran players like Tony Lau and Jack ho began banging down long three pointers. Glen Shung also woke up in the 2nd half, hitting on a few open jumpers that would push the lead to double digits. While the Anza brothers were semi silent in this game (Matt and Kevin), they would help facilitate a late game comeback that gave them a chance to steal this game. With less than 2 minutes left, TPP was down 4 and the ball found its way to Matt Anza on consecutive possessions! Usually a sure scorer, but Matt would go 0-6 in those two possessions. TPP would lose a tough one, but still showed that they are on the rise.
SKG – Will Chaing 21, Alex Koong 15
Sonic Boom – Jason #13 23, Davor Isic 15
This battle never gets old, as it is a rare treat yet it is usually a game that entertains. Both teams are long time members of Vancouver Metro League, and both teams bring a lot of excitement when matched up against any team in the league.
Sofa King Good was suffering from a height disadvantage as they usually do, but it rarely stops them from racking up big scoring numbers on their opponents. SKG usually surprises with their aggressiveness on the defense and offensive end of the court. One of the only teams that plays 95% zone, but is near the top in fast break points out of the zone! SKG would take Sonic Boom by surprise and race out to a 12 point halftime lead.
Sonic Boom would go off in the 2nd half for 43 second half points on the backs of Jason #13 and Davor Isic! Both combined for 6 made three pointers in the game, and was able to get the game within a two possession game. The veteran SKG squad would be able to knock down clutch free throws down the stretch to ice the game.
SKG bounces back from their week 1 loss, while Sonic Boom loses a close one but had a good showing without two of their best players.
Talisman – Sylvester Appiah 26, Elvin Owusu-Ansah 21, Brian Tang 10
Flight – Jermaine Adwyinka 24, Kenny Son 21, RJ Base 16
One of the more intriguing matchups of the night had a lot of familiar faces attached to it. Talisman had veterans Dejan Stanic and Sylvester Appiah suiting up for the spring version of “The Grind”. Flight would be led by Captain RJ Base, who would welcome back one of their best all-around players in Trey #5.
Talisman outnumbered Flight in the “Young Leg” category! Flight’s veteran experience kept them in this game in the first half. RJ Base fired away from the three point line to keep the game close, but Talisman running legs were just getting warmed up. They would take a 3 point lead into the half.
The second half was a start of the track meet that only Talisman could run! Appiah and Elvin Owusu- Ansah burned up the nets for 47 of Talisman’s 79 points, and would fly past “Flight” for the win.
Flight is still short-handed, and hopefully they will get healthy sooner than later.
BSH - Brandon Hoyem 24, Alan Hogan 19, Devon Carney 11
The Party – Zach San Felipe 12, Lukas Domingo and Larry Chong 8 each
Even without their captain (and founder), Ball So Hard continues to show their reigning “Championship Pedigree”! The Party is always the “Life of the Party”, but in recent seasons they have been flirting with signs of breaking through! The addition of “Zebo” a few seasons ago, put them on a path that saw them touch the path of greatness only to crash and burn like two Hippos fighting over a water hole!
Ball So Hard’s high energy attack is hard for most teams to compete with, as they are constantly putting pressure on the defenses they face. Alan Hogan and Branden Hoyem absolutely exhaust their opponent’s front courts by their constant sprints down the middle of the floor on makes and misses. By the time the 2nd half comes around, Brandon and Alan are working on “new moves” they can use in their next game! This game would be closer than the score would indicate, but more of the same for BSH!
Brandon and Alan combined for 43 of BSH’s 79 points. The Party would stay in the game off and on hitting on 12 made three point in the game. It still would not be enough, as BSH would dominate them in the rebounding category too 41-16!
The best thing for The Party right now is knowing that…..ZeBo is coming back!!!!
Stallions – Jit Locham 24, Mark Halfnights 14, Roger Sheung 13
Agaveros – Oscar Salvador 15, Pepe 14, Charlie #10 13
Well, the one thing I can say about this game to start with is…..THE CHAMPS ARE BACK! A little worse for wear after taking a hiatus from Metro League, The Stallions have come back without missing a beat! The Agaveros are the new kids on the block, and looked impressive in their 3rd place finish last season. However, they are still reeling from a key injury to one of their key cogs. You never want to go short handed into a game vs the multi time champion Stallions!
Both teams didn’t have an arsenal on their bench, but that was a huge advantage for The Stallions. Everyone they had on the floor could grab the rebound and lead the fast break…which they did on just about every play. The Stallions ability to run a 2 and 3 man fast break on nearly every possession, has been the key to their championship run! The Agaveros were stuck in the driveway in this game, and they trailed at the half by 27!
They would pick it up in the second half to score 35 points in the half, but it wasn’t enough to make the big comeback vs The Stallions. The Stallions are still warming up right now, and that is a scary thing for the league! | 2023-11-29T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8214 |
Monday, November 3, 2014
We have been covering this -- for over a year, now. Apparently legacy Schering-Plough purchased the now disputed lands and buildings from the Kean family in 1986, but in the process had to give a right of first refusal to a Kean family trust to buy it all back.
The Union, New Jersey township is concerned that a ruling in favor of Kean University here would take this mammoth chunk of otherwise taxable real estate off the tax rolls. So the township waits nervously. Now the developer who is offering a taxable future for the parcel is due in court, on a motion to dismiss the University's claim. That hearing is this Wednesday.
This is made all the more fascinating in that the heart of the dispute revolves around a seminal 1925 last will of a scion of one of the most prominent families in New Jersey philanthropy and politics. And so without additional ado here, then is a bit from the latest local papers' reports:
. . . .On Wednesday, Nov. 5, attorneys for developer John Russo of Russo Acquisitions are expected to go before Superior Court Judge Katherine Dupuis with a motion to dismiss the university’s claim that a covenant made in the last will and testament of John Kean, Stewart B. Kean and Mary Alice Reynolds, dated Jan. 16, 1925, is legally binding today.
According to information obtained by LocalSource, the legal team representing Kean University admitted [there is no written transfer document -- a deed or other conveyance -- to support their position] in court documents. Apparently they have nothing in writing that transferred the right of first refusal to John Kean, who in turn verbally handed over the right to the university.
Kean conceded they had no written proof that the covenant could be transferred to them, but maintained the will from 1925 clearly stated that the “heir of successor” and those assigned inherited this right of first refusal. Russo’s attorney, however, disagreed.
He maintained that in order for the covenant to legally continue there had to be “something in writing” from the Kean trust dating back to 1925 and anything less violates the law. . . .
We will let you know what transpires, on this legacy Schering-Plough matter. It will turn on whether any similar common law case has been decided in New jersey, on these sorts of fights -- and how that set of cases came out, I predict. We will all learn some New Jersey trusts and estates -- and real estate law, here -- no matter what.
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Nothing written, appearing, or linked to, on this site is intended to be individual legal, or investment, advice. Consult a financial or legal adviser before making any trade, or any other decision, based anything you read, or see, on this website. This website treats all U.S. viewers' visitor-paths -- and visits -- as public data. If you are from Europe, understand that this site can see -- but will not disclose to the public -- your visitor-path, in compliance with applicable E.U. directives. All material on this website is derived from public documents, and/or edited, modified, and derived from public domain sources, or in some cases, originally-created by the author(s) of this site. Any use of any proprietary image, document or other data is genuinely-intended by the author(s) to fall under the common-law "fair use" doctrine, as criticism of, and commentary on, matters of substantial public concern -- among them, the for-profit health care system in the Americas. If any person wishes to dispute this assertion of "fair use", please leave a comment in any of the comment-boxes, specifically-identifying the challenged material, and the basis for the challenge, on this site. The Site Administrator(s) will promptly consider the claim. In the same comment-box, the Site Administrator(s) will indicate the site's position on any such claim. This site is not-for-profit. Share, and share-a-like, licenses granted in, and to, all content. Copy-left 2008 though 2016. | 2024-04-11T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1551 |
Recent advances in technologies allow electronic devices to become increasingly automatic in performing many different tasks. Electronic devices may rely on different kinds of sensors to detect the ambient environment to provide automatic responses to changes. Some of those sensors may utilize magnets. Also, other electronic components, such as loudspeakers, may also utilize magnets to perform different functions. The prevalence of magnets can sometimes cause magnetic interference to other electronic devices and can unintentionally trigger magnetic sensors in other electronic devices. | 2023-12-13T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/2158 |
Yet again my city burns as I sit here writing. Yet again my city burns as I sit here thinking about what is going on. Yet again, I sit here, with my keyboard and a raging storm of thoughts and no other way to express them.
Yet again I crossed the bridge between Lasbela and Golimar. Yet again I crossed the Naizmabad flyover. Yet again I crossed the flyover between Nazimabad and North Nazimabad. All one hour before sunset. The sun grazing the tops of the houses. A sun clouded in a strange way. The sun not shadowed by the clouds but dead and inert without any light.
Yet again I crossed the shops in New Challi, Electronics Market, Bunder Road, Gurumandar, Golimar and North Nazimabad. But this time I did not feel irrtated by the excessive noise and congestion there. I was saddened by the lack of it. Shop after shop closed. Closed. Closed. Closed. Like the ruins of a once prosperous city.
It just hurts to see something one holds so dear. So close. So beloved. To be so badly poised. It hurts it hurts it hurts. Like the tear on a childs face hurts the mother. It hurts it hurts it hurts. | 2024-06-27T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/5600 |
Nicklas Bendtner - is the Arsenal striker a great Dane or a lame donkey?
11 Mar 2010 01:27:24
Will the real Nicklas Bendtner please stand up? Criticised for missing a shedload of chances against Burnley, the Denmark striker then hit his first ever hat-trick to see off Porto in the Champions League. Donkey or a delight?
Sportsmail's resident Gooner MIKE BRETON makes a case for bullish blond... Nicklas Bendtner has every ingredient to be a top-class striker. At 6ft 4in, he offers Arsenal something different. Arsene Wenger has tippy-tappy ball players in abundance, but nothing like the Denmark international.
Perfect response: Nicklas Bendtner hit back at his critics with a hat-trick against Porto
The 22-year-old offers an aerial presence which can be used in bothboxes, but also has wonderful feet and blistering pace to get in behindthe oppositions defence. Very similar to Barcelona striker ZlatanIbrahimovic, who is constantly criticised and loathed by fans.
From Sol Campbell's Judas chants to Luis Figo's severed pig's head - Sportsmail remembers the returning starsArsenal are Fab without Cesc! We're no one-man team, blasts Sagna after rompThe good, the bad and the ugly: Nicklas Bendtner's five years at Arsenal ticks all the right and wrong boxes...Bring it on! Wenger eyeing Chelsea or Manchester United after Bendtner blitz Among Arsenal supporters, Bendtner is like Marmite. You either love himor you hate him. I was at the Arsenal game against Burnley and therewere plenty of home fans getting on his back. I heard cries of, 'you'rerubbish' and, 'I'm better than Bendtner'. And they were the printableones.
But the majority of the Emirates faithful applauded the young striker when he was replaced by Eduardo and sang his name.
It was nice to see because last season the reaction might not have been so positive. Maybe the support and love he received from the fans was his inspiration to score a hat-trick against Porto.
But confidence is something Bendtner does not lack. Many have criticised him for being cocky, inconsistent and lacking the talent to back up claims of being one of the leading strikers in Europe.
But, is it a bad thing for a striker to have arrogance and confidence?
I think back to Eric Cantona and Thierry Henry, two strikers who hadconfidence and arrogance in abundance - and scored goals for fun.
No mistake: Bendtner scores his second goal from close range against Porto
I also think back to Henry when he first joined Arsenal from Juventus in 1999. He failed to score in his first eight matches and people questioned Wenger's judgement.
Not for one second am I saying that the Dane will be the new Henry, I'm simply pointing out that young strikers take time and experience before they score goals on a regular basis.
Wayne Rooney for instance has always been seen as a top-class player, but was always criticised for not scoring enough goals.
Horror show: Bendtner was guilty of several glaring misses against Burnley at the weekend
The same could be said about Bendtner. Like Rooney he has often played out of position as a winger and been prepared to do a job for the team.
But since returning from a four-month absence due to a groin injury, Bendtner has played as a central striker like the United man and scored four goals in six matches.
Some people would argue that he still missed three gilt-edged chances against Burnley, but in 5-0 drubbing of Porto, Bendtner had four shots on goal and scored three goals. That's a shooting accuracy of 80 per cent. Prolific, right?
From Sol Campbell's Judas chants to Luis Figo's severed pig's head - Sportsmail remembers the returning starsArsenal are Fab without Cesc! We're no one-man team, blasts Sagna after rompThe good, the bad and the ugly: Nicklas Bendtner's five years at Arsenal ticks all the right and wrong boxes...Bring it on! Wenger eyeing Chelsea or Manchester United after Bendtner blitz | 2023-10-13T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/5291 |
Assessment of ventilatory performance of athletes using the maximal expiratory flow-volume curve.
We carried out a maximum expiratory flow-volume curve (MEFV) and a spirometric recording with 67 athletes of different ages (15-27 years) and disciplines (rowers, kayakists, cyclists, swimmers) and with 20 adult and 13 adolescent nonathletic controls of matching ages. These recordings were repeated, with athletes only, after 6-10 months of training. Significant differences between the groups of adult athletes and the controls were observed for some parameters, the most discriminating of which were, in order, the peak expiratory flow (PEF), the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), and the flow at 75% of the vital capacity (V75). The vital capacity (VC) itself was only higher in the rowers group. The adult athletes, when grouped together (n = 47), produced a higher flow at 50% of their VC (V50) than the control group (+15%, P less than 0.05) with no difference in the flow at 25% of VC (V25) nor in the VC. A study of the effects of training showed no evolution among high level athletes while increases of 14% of the PEF, 5% of the V75, and 7% of the FEV1 were found after 7-10 months of training in adolescents; the VC increased during that time by only 2.7%. The reproducibility of these ventilatory parameters after 6-8 months was studied with adult athletes. The upper limit of the variation (95% CLl) was 12% for the FEV1 and forced vital capacity (FVC), 18% for PEF, 21% for V75 and V50, and 40% for V25.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) | 2023-10-25T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/5341 |
Every actor wants to work with Martin Scorsese, and so, it seems, does every director. Jon Favreau, the Swingers star who spent the last decade directing big Hollywood productions like Elf and Iron Man, is one of several directors who have acting roles in Scorsese’s new film The Wolf of Wall Street. “It was a bucket-list moment for me,” Favreau said of working with his idol.
In the film, which recreates the sex-and-drug-fueled rise and fall of stock fraudster Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), Favreau plays Manny Riskin, the attorney Belfort turns to when he’s in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Favreau says he never met the real-life model for his character, but he brought to bear his own experience working on Wall Street in the late 1980s, the same time Belfort was there before he struck out on his own.
A man who’s worn many hats, Favreau will soon be seen in a chef’s toque in Chef, a film that required him to learn how to run a restaurant kitchen. Due for release this May, Chef, which Favreau wrote, directed, and stars in, marks his return to his indie roots. The 47-year-old recently phoned Rolling Stone from his office in Santa Monica to discuss the lessons he’s learned – from Scorsese to the world of big-budget blockbusters and his return to more personal filmmaking.
What was your experience on The Wolf of Wall Street like?Scorsese’s been a hero of mine since I was young. If you saw Swingers, you know I was definitely fixated on his body of work. So to be asked to work with him was great. It turns out there are a few directors who ended up in this film. Spike Jonze is in there, and I was working with Rob Reiner. I was just a small piece of a large ensemble, but it was a treat to be a part of it and to watch a master direct – to see what his personality was like. It’s fun to see how other people run their sets. I was not disappointed. It was great to watch him working with both Jonah [Hill] and Leo [DiCaprio] and also to be able to work with Rob Reiner, who’s another hero of mine. To be part of one of Scorsese’s classic Steadicam shots was also great. It was a dream come true. It was a bucket-list moment for me.
What did you learn from Scorsese that you can bring back to your own directing?He brings a real enthusiasm. He’s a generous laugher. He runs a loose set when it comes to the exchange of ideas. He doesn’t attempt to control everything. He puts a lot of work into his casting and story, but dialogue is loose, which I like. There’s an energy to the set and the camerawork. I’ll just try to emulate him even more.
The truth is, I’d asked so many people who’d worked with him what his set was like and how he worked. Long before I’d ever been on his set, I was emulating his process, just from anecdotal experience. When I worked on [IFC series] Dinner for Five, anybody who worked with Scorsese, I would grill them about what the experience was like. I’ve had Kevin Pollak tell me the story of Casino on several occasions because it was so fascinating to me.
But actually being there, it was hard to do my role, because I was spending so much time observing and paying attention. As an actor, you have to be off in your own world and fixated on what you’re about to do, but I was so drawn in to what was going on around me. It was very distracting.
Do you still find yourself getting starstruck?Not usually, but that was a hard one for me, because I didn’t want to drop the ball. I was in a scene with a big monologue between Leo and Rob Reiner, neither of whom I knew too well, with Scorsese directing. I had flown out to be in this scene. So it was one of those moments where you don’t want to let anybody down, but it’s also one of those moments that makes you nervous. That particular configuration of people definitely made it feel like my first day of work, ever.
What sort of research did you do to play your Wolf role?I grew a mustache – that was my character work. I played him like me, if I was a lawyer.I actually worked on Wall Street. I was there the day depicted in the film, when the market crashed in ’87. I was in facilities planning at an investment banking house. It was already a week into my two-week notice. It wasn’t for me. I was getting out of there. I was in my twenties, and I went back to school. But I did see it all shift and change.
S0 does the film depict that era on Wall Street accurately?I wasn’t a trader on the inside. I was there in a support capacity. But it was interesting to be there and know the fashion and know what that moment was like. I can’t really speak to the accuracy of the behavior. I know the look of it was right. I know the costumes and the equipment on the trading desks. It looked very familiar. I was the guy they called if the air conditioning wasn’t working. I was sort of floating through.
In Wolf, you get a taste of [that moment] before the market crashes, when [Belfort] was a cold-caller. And I remember what those floors were like. It just seemed really loud and busy and amped up. There was a lot of adrenaline pumping because there was a lot of action. But the debauchery, that I never witnessed. That wasn’t taking place in the work space. The movie implies that it took place after hours.
Tell us about Chef.It’s an independent ensemble comedy about a guy who is a very established and talented chef, who ends up losing his gig at a French restaurant in Brentwood after getting into a bit of a flame war on social media with a critic. He loses his job, publicly humiliates himself and has to start all over. He ends up going across the country with his 10-year-old son from a divorced marriage, in a food truck, stopping in different cities, learning about the music, the food, and the culture, and reconnecting with his family.
Was it nice to return to independent filmmaking after a decade of big-budget movies?It really was, because as the films got bigger and more successful, there was also more collaboration and more voices. It was nice to tell a story purely from the heart – to do it at a budget level where I had control of casting and how the film was made and where it was made. It was challenging logistically, but it was an incredibly gratifying experience. I’m at that point where it’s all finishing up and I’m about to share it with an audience. Even though it’s a small movie and doesn’t have to make as much as the big ones to be successful, it’s amazing how invested I am in hoping that people will like it and connect with it. It was truly personal and a big labor of love. | 2024-04-07T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4634 |
(NANOTECH NOW) – In research that could one day lead to advances against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, University of Michigan engineering researchers have demonstrated a technique for precisely | 2024-06-01T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/2072 |
As long as anyone believes that his ideal and purpose is outside him, that it is above the clouds, in the past or in the future, he will go outside himself and seek fulfillment where it cannot be found. He will look for solutions and answers at every point except where they can be foundin himself. | 2024-07-21T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6637 |
News: U.S. Soldiers partner with Iraqis to build outpost in troubled area
Sgt. Cole Weih, a medic with Killer Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, based out of Ft. Hood, Texas, crosses a pile of rubble at Combat Outpost Killer near downtown Mosul, Iraq, Jan. 23. COP Killer is being built in one of Mosul's most contentious areas to help bring security to the local population. (U.S. Army photo/Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
By Sgt. Patrick Lair
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq— Piles of concrete rubble, rows of rusted vehicles, busted water lines and local snipers are just a few of the obstacles U.S. and Iraqi soldiers are overcoming to build a combat outpost in one of Mosul's most dangerous neighborhoods.
On Jan. 19, U.S. Army Soldiers from Killer Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, based out of Ft. Hood, Texas, and members of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division teamed up with the U.S. Army's 43rd Combat Engineer Company and 77th Engineer Company to build Combat Outpost Killer, also known as COP "Rabiya," which means "springtime" in Arabic.
"Security is the word," said Capt. Peter Norris, commanding officer of Killer Troop. "Up until now this part of town has had little to no coverage. We're looking to increase the Coalition presence here."
As part of the ongoing counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq, the U.S. military has sought to partner with Iraqi Security Forces and move off the larger bases into smaller outposts in local neighborhoods. The close proximity not only decreases response time to emergency situations but allows the Coalition more opportunities to interact with the local population, Soldiers said.
"This intersection and this whole little neighborhood has been a hotbed of SIGACTS," said Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Corella, using the military abbreviation for significant actions, a term given to all critical incidents which need to be reported. "What we're trying to do is close the gap between some of our other COP's, put some Soldiers in here and catch the bad guys."
The northern Iraqi city of Mosul, home to around 1.7 million people, is the country's third-largest city and the capital of Ninewah province. It is thought that more insurgents have moved into the city as recent "surge" efforts in Baghdad and Diyala province to the south have squeezed enemy fighters from their hiding places.
COP Killer is located in west Mosul, between the downtown and Al-Jededa sections of the city, in an area which Norris and others referred to as "highly contentious."
"You could call this area the most dangerous neighborhood of Mosul," said a local interpreter, who withholds his name for security reasons. "This place where we're building COP Rabiya used to be a building where insurgents hid their weapons and took sniper shots at people."
"I describe this area as battle-torn," Corella said. "The insurgency has made it a brutal place to live."
The interpreter said that insurgents have many locals intimidated into cooperating with them. However, many residents he talked to also expressed appreciation that Coalition forces were moving in, he said.
For the first four days of construction, Killer Troop Soldiers patrolled the area, sleeping inside their vehicles or on the hoods with the engine running to stay warm at night, as engineers worked to clear the area of rubble and erect protective barriers around the premises.
"One day, one of the insurgents realized what we're building and they've been taking shots at us to slow us down," Corella said. "Every day we get hit with something- RPG's, small arms fire- but we haven't had any casualties."
"The other day I bent down to tie my boot or something just as two shots whizzed by," said Spc. Jessica Larsen, a medic with Killer Troop. "There are lots of rooftops around here and they seem to be trying to shoot down into the compound."
The troops receive additional protection from aviation units which routinely fly helicopter missions over the neighborhood to deter enemy activity.
Once the outpost is finished, it will house a large number of Iraqi Army troops with a smaller number of U.S. troops there to provide support.
"This really fits in with what we're trying to do all over," Corella said. "The IA gathers the intel, leads the raids and patrols the area while we provide security and help them with things they can't do."
Corella said the hope is to take back the neighborhood from insurgents and make it a habitable place again for the residents who've fled the violence.
"If we can get the people to move back and the insurgents to go away, that's just one more little piece of Mosul that's secure." | 2024-02-16T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9581 |
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| 2024-02-08T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3765 |
A partnership project
produced by the National Park Service's National Register of Historic
Places, the Pipestone Heritage Preservation Commission, Pipestone County
Museum, Jasper Area Historical Society, Pipestone National Monument,
the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office, the National Conference
of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), and the National Alliance
of Preservation Commissions (NAPC). | 2024-05-16T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6374 |
The Whiteoaks of Jalna
The Whiteoaks of Jalna was a 1972 Canadian television drama miniseries, based on the novel by Mazo de la Roche. At , it set a record expense at the time for a Canadian television miniseries. The series was exported internationally including the United Kingdom and France. Scriptwriting was led by Timothy Findley, supported by Claude Harz and Graeme Woods.
Trivia
Due to the convoluted nature of the storyline, which jumped back and forth between the 1850s to the 1970s, CBC published a family tree of the characters in the miniseries, so viewers could follow the story.
The miniseries was originally planned to extend beyond 13 episodes, but production was curtailed by a CBC technicians' strike that year.
Despite this being a CBC production, the original run of the mini-series was blacked out on CKLW-TV in Windsor, Ontario (then partially owned by the CBC), as the CBC originally planned to sell the series to an American network or syndicator. Such a sale did not materialize.
The miniseries was rebroadcast in 1974, but was re-edited with extra footage added and some scenes (especially those taking place in the modern day) cut.
Sources
TV North: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Canadian Television, by Peter Kenter and Martin Levin
External links
Queen's University Directory of CBC Television Series: The Whiteoaks of Jalna, accessed 10 September 2006
Category:CBC Television shows
Category:1972 Canadian television series debuts
Category:1972 Canadian television series endings
Category:1970s Canadian drama television series
Category:1970s Canadian television miniseries
Category:Works by Timothy Findley | 2023-12-14T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9963 |
Do people who were passive smokers during childhood have increased risk of long-term work disability? A 15-month prospective study of nurses' aides.
Regular inhalation of tobacco smoke, whether it be voluntary or not, may have profound negative effects on the body. Also intervertebral discs may be affected. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that nurses' aides who were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) at home during childhood have an increased risk of long-term sick leave. The sample comprised 5563 Norwegian nurses' aides, not on sick leave when they completed a mailed questionnaire in 1999. Of these, 4744 (85.3%) completed a second questionnaire 15 months later. The outcome measure was the incidence proportion of long-term sick leave during the 12 months prior to the follow-up. Respondents who reported at baseline that they had been exposed to ETS at home during childhood had increased risk of sick leave exceeding 14 days attributed to neck pain (odds ratio (OR) = 1.34; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-1.73), high back pain (OR=1.49; CI: 1.07-2.06), low back pain (OR=1.21; CI: 0.97-1.50), and any illness (OR=1.23; CI: 1.07-1.42), after adjustments for demographic and familial characteristics, former smoking, current smoking, physical leisure-time activities, work factors, prior neck injury, and affective symptoms. They also had increased risk of sick leave exceeding 8 weeks (OR=1.29; CI: 1.08-1.55). The study supports the hypothesis that nurses' aides who were exposed to ETS at home during childhood have an increased risk of long-term sickness absence. | 2024-02-11T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/2472 |
Impact of different cadaveric donor age cut-offs on adult recipient survival after liver transplantation: a single-center analysis.
The increase in the number of patients awaiting liver transplantation (OLT) has forced the use of cadaveric donors (CD) with suboptimal characteristics. Of these, donor age is perhaps the most investigated parameter. Although excellent outcomes were observed for OLT using CD aged over 60 years, the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR) Group found an increased risk by using CD of more than 55 years. The Italian National Transplant Center has recently assumed that CD age more than 60 years is a potential risk factor for OLT. In this study, a single-center analysis was performed by stratifying CD by three age cut-offs (< or =55 or >55, < or =60 or >60, and < or =65 or >65 years) to evaluate effects on OLT outcome. Although no significant difference in 6-month and 1-year patient or graft survival occurred after stratification for each donor age cut-off, a better survival was observed with OLT performed using livers procured from CD >55 years. A significant increase in cold ischemia time (CIT) was observed among OLT performed with grafts procured from CD < or =55 and < or =65 years (P = .007), and there was an inverse correlation between overall CIT and donor age (R = -0.300; P = .0022). However, no impact on 1-year patient survival was observed by introducing CIT in univariate logistic regression models as well as donor age, recipient age, donor/recipient age ratio, donor/recipient sex mismatch, ELTR diagnostic categories, and UNOS status. The results of this study suggest the suitability of CD of more than 55 years for OLT and the need to further investigate the cut-off value for CIT-related risk. | 2024-02-06T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7106 |
UCF graduates struggle to find jobs
November 29, 2010|By Chris Boyle, Special to the Orlando Sentinel
After Brian Amick graduated with his mechanical engineering degree last May, he immediately compiled a list of every major boat manufacturer in the southeast. He contacted between 300 and 400 employers via e-mail or application.
He waited to receive a phone call or an e-mail response. And he waited. And he waited. Only a handful of companies ever contacted him.
"It got to the point where I was happy to receive a negative response, just to know that I was being heard," Amick said.
Amick is just one member of the majority of college graduates who struggle to find work prior to graduation. According to a survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, more than 80 percent of students finish their college career without a job lined up.
Amick attributed his three-month-long wait, prior to being hired as a field service representative at Saab Training USA, to a lack of contacts in the engineering profession.
"A lot of companies use online databases now, and unless you have the right words in your résumé, they'll never find you in their system," Amick said. "I know someone who works for Siemens, and I still never got a call back."
His problem is just an example of the cases the UCF Career Services department deals with each week.
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
On Nov. 10, Career Services hosted a workshop titled "A Foot in the Door," which stressed the importance of building a network.
Its own network, KnightLink, currently features more than 20,000 students and former alumni and 11,000 employers. As of January 2011, Career Services will mandate that each student seeking help have an account.
On KnightLink, each student can search for available positions from employers such as Disney, Lockheed Martin and Enterprise Rental Car. In the next few months, the site will feature an enhancement to its résumé-writing module, allowing for a better filing of information.
Despite the tough job market in Orlando, about 420 jobs are listed as available on the site.
Amy Kleeman, the department's director of employer relations, believes that a student has much greater odds of being hired by using KnightLink since a student can schedule an interview with a company on the web.
"Employers that come on campus have a high rate of hiring," Kleeman said. "Rarely do you see an employer not hire one, if not several students when they come here."
THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNSHIPS
A second problem for Amick in his job search stemmed from his lack of professional experience.
"In my field, even the entry-level positions require experience," Amick said. "If I had it to do over again, I would have applied for an internship way earlier, probably in my sophomore year, just to get my name out there."
According to the 2010 NACE survey, approximately 92 percent of responding companies expected to hire from within their own internship or co-op programs. More than 53 percent of interns received jobs, down from about 56 percent the year before.
Bill Blank, Career Services' director of career development, feels that internships give students a crucial leg up over stiff competition.
"In UCF, you have the second-largest population in the country and [the University of] Florida has the fifth-or-sixth-largest," Blank said. "So many college graduates in Florida mean more competition, with current graduates competing with former alums. I say that students get related experience so they not only have the education but also the experience."
LACK OF EXPOSURE
Even with the second largest undergraduate population in the United States, UCF has less than half of its student body seeking assistance from Career Services. Blank aims to attract a larger number of students earlier in their college careers.
"The goal is to get students from day one and work with them for the two-to-four year period after," Blank said.
Career Services holds workshops, maintains a Facebook page and sets up tables at major campus events to attract attention. Beginning next year with the opening of the new building, Career Services will host full classes for seminars and tours.
Blank intends for a new wave of students to discover the department's benefits. | 2023-10-11T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3428 |
MUSKOKA LAKES - F*** off.
These were the words cruelly spray painted on a dog in Muskoka Lakes Township on Monday morning.
Police are currently investigating a complaint of cruelty to animals after a pet owner reported their dog was spray painted with this vulgar language on April 11, in the area of Muskoka Road 141. One word was painted on each side of the light-coloured, short-haired dog.
The dog's owner told police the dog had wandered away from home and then was found with words painted on the sides of it. The dog did not appear to have been injured. The family is reported to be in shock that anyone would do this to their pet.
The investigation is currently ongoing.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the OPP at 705-645-2211 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800- 222-8477. You can submit your information online at crimestopperssdm.com if you have any information on this crime or any other crime. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display and you will remain anonymous. Being anonymous, you will not testify in court and your information may lead to a cash reward of up to $2,000. | 2024-01-14T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9137 |
Search form
A Conversation About What’s Worth the Fight
Sen. John McCain spoke with NEWSWEEK's Michael Hirsh about the confrontation with Iran, renewed violence in Iraq and his temper, among other issues. Excerpts:
Hirsh: Why do you think radical Islam is the "transcendent challenge" of the century? When did you decide that?McCain: I was always concerned. When I traveled abroad I saw the madrassas, and I certainly was briefed on the rise of extremism. There were other signs of it you could trace back to bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut [in 1983]. I don't think there's any doubt 9/11 brought it home dramatically.
In 1983, you urged restraint—the pullout of the Marines.Actually, I was urging that they be pulled out because I feared … [they were] a token force without sufficient planning or support to have an influence on the ground.
I'm curious whether since that time your views on the use of force have evolved. Some people suggest that the success of the U.S. military in the first gulf war made you more willing to deploy forces abroad.No, I don't think so. If a similar situation such as Beirut were proposed today, I'm sure I would object to that. I have a strong conviction that we have to do whatever we can to prevent the spread of radical Islamic extremism or the increase in influence of Iran in the Middle East, but there has to be a viable proposal to conduct our national-security interests [to commit troops].
In your speech in Los Angeles, you seemed intent on dispelling any suspicions that you might draw America into a wider war, perhaps with Iran.No, not so much. I first said that in the 1990s, when I wasn't running for president. I was trying to express my views that the veteran hates war more than anyone else, because they mourn the loss of a comrade and know the horrors of war firsthand. I'll repeat this time after time—that armed conflict is the last option.
On Iran, if all diplomatic options are exhausted, and economic pressure fails to force a halt to its nuclear program, would you consider going to war?Well, if I could not evade your question but put it in a more sensible form, I think we have to exhaust every possible option. I think there are many options that are viable, including those in conversations I had with [French President Nicolas] Sarkozy and [British Prime Minister Gordon] Brown on my recent trip to Europe, on a meaningful path to sanctions. But I will also state unequivocally that we cannot afford to have Iran … acquire nuclear weapons because of the obvious consequences—proliferation in the region, the threat to the existence of Israel, etc.
In your discussions with Sarkozy and Brown, did you agree on any sanctions that might be adopted beyond what has been put in place by the Bush administration?No, we didn't get into those specifics … What I discussed with them was this concept of nations acting together in an emphatic and impactful way to hopefully successfully dissuade the Iranians and convince them that the path of nuclear-weapons acquisition would lead to consequences which would be too high a price to pay, economically as well as diplomatically.
Do you agree that we are engaged in a "War on Terror," as President Bush has defined it?I think it's a military, intelligence, diplomatic and ideological conflict. Most importantly, in the long run it is an ideological struggle ... within the Muslim community, between those who are extremists and those who are moderate. And then another struggle exists between everything we stand for and value and the extremists who have gained significant influence in some parts of the world.
I notice you use the word "struggle" and not "war."I don't like to use the word "war" particularly because it's a multifaceted struggle, which may have armed and military components. But at the end of the day I think it's a matter of ideology.
In your book "Worth the Fighting For," you say your temper "has caused me to make most of the more serious mistakes of my career." Which ones?I was referring to when I see corruption, when I see earmarks and pork-barrel spending that goes to wasteful and unnecessary projects when the men and women who are serving don't have what are obviously higher priorities, the equipment and training. When I see people who are disrespectful of standards and values we sacrifice for, sometimes I have—although certainly not in recent years—lost my temper and said intemperate things. I feel passionately about issues, and the day that passion goes away is the day I will go down to the old soldiers' home and find my rocking chair.
In your speech in Los Angeles, you said anyone who doesn't accept that Islamic extremism is the transcendent challenge of the 21st century isn't fit for the White House. Is it fair to dismiss the view that perhaps other major challenges—like the credit crisis, global warming, the resurrection of Russia—might be equal or greater?I'm not dismissing [that] position. But no one, I believe, should sit in the Oval Office and not understand that this is the transcendent challenge of the 21st century. I believe this economic challenge is deep and tough and maybe the most difficult since World War II. But I have the fundamental confidence in America's economy. I do not believe that anyone who fails to understand the dimensions and enormity of this [extremist] challenge is qualified to serve as president of the United States. | 2024-04-21T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3255 |
Excitation of Bulk Spin Waves by Acoustic Wave at the Plane Defect of a Ferromagnet
Excitation of bulk spin waves by acoustic wave localized on the elastic planar defect in the bulk ferromagnet was analytically and numerically investigated. We showed that besides magnetic oscillations forced by acoustic wave strain the resonance between Kosevich wave and bulk spin wave can occurs. For the frequency of the Kosevich wave far below the resonance frequency the amplitude of dynamic magnetization is negligible. For the frequency above the resonance the acoustic wave excites bulk spin wave of the same frequency but different absolute value of the wave vector. | 2024-04-26T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6375 |
677 S.W.2d 199 (1984)
Billy Sam DONNELL, Jr., Appellant,
v.
The STATE of Texas, Appellee.
No. 01-83-0156-CR.
Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston First District.
August 30, 1984.
Kim Richardson, Law Offices of Wallace Shaw, Freeport, for appellant.
Jo Stiles Wiginton, Angleton, for appellee.
Before COHEN, WARREN and BASS, JJ.
OPINION
COHEN, Justice.
A jury convicted the appellant of delivering more than one-fourth of an ounce but less than four ounces of marijuana and assessed punishment at five years imprisonment and a $2,500.00 fine.
*200 A recitation of the facts is necessary for an understanding of the grounds of error. Around noon on September 2, 1982, one Bubba Humble came to the appellant's apartment in order to settle a $60.00 debt he owed the appellant. Humble was the appellant's friend and, unknown to the appellant, was a paid informant and agent for Brazoria County peace officers. Humble brought a bag of marijuana which he offered to pay off the debt, but the appellant demanded cash, whereupon Humble suggested leaving the marijuana in the appellant's apartment and selling it later in order to generate cash to pay off the debt. The appellant agreed. Later that evening Humble and Officer Bullard, disguising himself as a narcotics buyer, purchased approximately four ounces of marijuana for $175.00 from the appellant. This transaction was the basis of the indictment.
Humble did not testify at trial; however, peace officers admitted that he was a paid confidential informant working closely with the Brazoria County Organized Crime Unit. Humble was paid $20.00 for each case he made, that is, each time he introduced an undercover officer to a person who sold the officer contraband. Humble was paid after the buy or at the end of the week and had arranged forty to fifty such cases for the Brazoria County Organized Crime Unit, most of which were made prior to the appellant's case. This was Humble's sole source of income. The officers denied giving specific instructions to Humble to make a case against the appellant, but they did explain generally to Humble how he should operate and paid him for acting as they had instructed him.
Officer Bullard testified that the appellant personally handed him a brown bag containing approximately four ounces of marijuana and told him it was cut from the same pound as a one ounce sample which had been displayed. Bullard testified that the appellant quoted the price, received the $175.00, and stated that he would have more marijuana available for sale. The appellant testified that he kept $60.00 and gave the rest of the money to Humble. He denied stating he would have marijuana to sell in the future.
The appellant's third ground of error contends that the trial court erred in failing to direct a verdict of acquittal because the evidence was insufficient. The appellant argues that his testimony established the defense of entrapment as a matter of law and that the State failed to disprove entrapment beyond a reasonable doubt.
Texas Penal Code Annotated sec. 8.06 (Vernon 1974) provides:
(a) It is a defense to prosecution that the actor engaged in the conduct charged because he was induced to do so by a law enforcement agent using persuasion or other means likely to cause persons to commit the offense. Conduct merely affording a person an opportunity to commit an offense does not constitute entrapment.
(b) In this section law enforcement agent includes personnel of the State and local law enforcement agencies as well as of the United States and any person acting in accordance with instructions from such agents.
If evidence supporting the defense of entrapment is admitted, the issue is submitted to the jury with the instruction that a reasonable doubt on the issue requires an acquittal. Tex.Penal Code Ann. sec. 2.03(c), (d) (Vernon 1974). The legislature in adopting sec. 8.06 adopted what is known as "the objective entrapment test." Rodriguez v. State, 662 S.W.2d 352 (Tex. Crim.App.1984). As stated in Norman v. State, 588 S.W.2d 340, 346 (Tex.Crim.App. 1979):
The objective entrapment test mandates that the trial court, having once determined that there was an inducement, need now consider only the nature of the State agent activity involved, without reference to the predisposition of the particular defendant.
In Bush v. State, 611 S.W.2d 428, 430 (Tex.Crim.App.1980), the court held:
The issue for determination, then, is what effect the agent's inducement would likely have upon persons generally. *201 The defendant's criminal disposition is immaterial to this inquiry so, under the test of sec. 8.06, once the inducement element is established the trial court need consider only whether the methods of persuasion used were likely to induce persons not ready and willing to commit the crime to engage in the conduct charged. Where the inducement attains that level of intensity, entrapment has occurred regardless of whether the particular defendant would have committed the crime with less or no encouragement.
Several cases have recognized the possibility that a defendant may establish entrapment as a matter of law by testifying to facts which are known only to him and the state's agent. If, as in the instant case, the state's agent does not testify, a reversal may be required, unless other evidence disproves that entrapment occurred. This is because the State has the burden of proof to disprove entrapment beyond a reasonable doubt under Penal Code sec. 2.03(d), supra. As stated in Bush v. State, supra, at 430:
In other words, the defendant has the burden of producing evidence to raise the defense, but the prosecution has the final burden of persuasion to disprove it.
In following the persuasive authority of sec. 2.03, we recognize the underlying policy considerations involved in adopting an appropriate standard of proof. As in the instant case, most claims of entrapment will arise from transactions involving undercover agents or informants or both. Often the defendant may not know the true identity of the law enforcement agents. As a result, locating these personsfor the purposes of conducting a pre-trial investigation or having a witness subpoena servedmay prove difficult if not impossible for the defendant. On the other hand, the State is much more likely to know the identity and location of its own undercover personnel. Undoubtedly, the circumstances will provide the State with greater access to the essential testimony of the agents involved in the claimed entrapment. Therefore, as a matter of fairness and convenience, the State rather than the defendant should be faced with the need to produce these witnesses in order to sustain the burden of persuasion.
Although the panel opinion quoted from in Bush, supra, was not the final opinion in the case, it is recognized by the Court of Criminal Appeals as a controlling statement of the law. Rodriguez v. State, supra.
Cases discussing entrapment as a matter of law include Bush v. State, supra at 431; Cook v. State, 646 S.W.2d 952 (Tex.Crim. App.1983); and Rodriguez v. State, supra. None of those cases, however, held that entrapment was proved as a matter of law. In Bush the court held that it was unnecessary to produce the informant in order for the State to disprove entrapment as a matter of law because the inducement which the defendant described, namely, that the paid informant would get him high on drugs if he obtained drugs and delivered them to undercover agents, was "so unlikely to induce a person not already so disposed to commit the criminal offense charged as to not even raise the issue of entrapment." Bush, supra, at 432. Similarly, in Rodriguez, supra, the court found that the defense of entrapment was raised by the defendant, but the State's evidence "raised the issue of entrapment as a matter of fact", that is, the State's evidence was sufficient, if believed by the jury, to disprove entrapment beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, the court unanimously affirmed the judgment. See also Cook v. State, supra.
The issue in this case is whether Humble's persuasion of the appellant was likely to induce a person generally to commit the crime, and this issue must be decided without regard to the appellant's criminal disposition. In answering this question, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, just as we would on the elements of the case in chief on which the prosecution also has the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Carlsen *202 v. State, 654 S.W.2d 444, 448 (Tex. Crim.App.1983).
We first observe that a jury is not required to believe any witness, including the appellant. Tex.Code Crim.Pro.Ann. art. 38.04 (Vernon 1979). The officers testified that marijuana was in the appellant's apartment in an amount equal to more than three times the amount of the debt; that the appellant took charge of the transaction, quoted the price, collected the money and the officers saw no division of the proceeds. The appellant told them he would have more to sell in the future. Without regard to any prior investigation or prior criminal acts linking the defendant to the drug trade, his conduct during this transaction and his demeanor at trial could have convinced the jury that he was not telling the truth about the inducements worked upon him by Humble. In the absence of some closer personal relationship between Humble and the appellant, or some evidence of the appellant's desperate immediate need for $60.00, the jury could have found the claim incredible.
Even if the jury were required to believe the appellant, or did, in fact, believe him, a rational jury could have found that persons generally would not be induced to deliver a felonious amount of an unlawful drug merely to obtain repayment of a $60.00 debt. Thus, even if the jury believed the appellant's uncontradicted testimony of Humble's persuasion, it was not required to find that such persuasion would have induced the objective reasonable man to commit the offense. Compare Redman v. State, 533 S.W.2d 29 (Tex.Crim.App. 1976) decided under the pre-1974 Penal Code.
There will be few cases which establish entrapment as a matter of law, that is, where the government's inducement was so strong as to be irresistible in the eyes of any rational jury. Such issues are especially appropriate for jury determination.
The function of the objective test of entrapment is to deter police conduct which violates civilized society's standards for the proper use of governmental power. Langford v. State, 571 S.W.2d 326, 330 (Tex. Crim.App.1978). In Texas, the objective test exemplifies the legislature's recognition that there will be some cases in which the defendant is accused, but the government is convicted. Such events, we hope, will be rare, and the need for an appellate court to substitute its judgment for the jury's in determining when such an abuse has occurred will be even more rare. Certainly, that should not occur automatically every time the State's agent or witness fails to testify.
The appellant relies upon Soto v. State, 649 S.W.2d 801 (Tex.App.Austin 1983, pet. granted) and United States v. Bueno, 447 F.2d 903 (5th Cir.1971) to show that entrapment can be established as a matter of law where the government agent who provoked the transaction fails to testify. The Soto case is not yet final, and we have found no Court of Criminal Appeals decision holding that entrapment was established as a matter of law.
In Bueno, supra, the court reversed a conviction and held that entrapment was proved as a matter of law where there was unrebutted testimony that one government agent supplied the defendant with narcotics which were then sold to another government agent. The court stated:
"If this [unrebutted] testimony is true, it is quite apparent that the heroin was purchased in Mexico with the government informer's money and credit. It is further apparent that the heroin was smuggled into the United States by the informer. The story takes on the element of the government buying heroin from itself, through an intermediary, the defendant, and then charging him with the crime. This greatly exceeds the bounds of reason stated by this court...". 447 F.2d at 905.
The Bueno rule has apparently been overruled by the United States Supreme Court. See United States v. Russell, 411 U.S. 423, 93 S.Ct. 1637, 36 L.Ed.2d 366 (1973); Hampton v. United States, 425 U.S. 484, 96 S.Ct. 1646, 48 L.Ed.2d 113 (1976). Hampton was a five to three decision *203 with the dissenters citing Bueno and arguing, unsuccessfully, that it be followed. A panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has concluded that the Supreme Court "effectively reversed" Bueno by its decision in Hampton. United States v. Benavidez, 558 F.2d 308 (5th Cir.1977).
The federal cases recognize that the federal courts use a "subjective" test for entrapment which makes the defendant's predisposition to commit the crime a vital issue, in contrast to the Texas statute which adopts an objective test rendering the defendant's predisposition irrelevant. Regardless of the test used, however, it is apparent that the Bueno cause is no longer good law in federal court, and we have found no Texas decision holding that entrapment was established as a matter of law.
Ground of error three is overruled.
The fourth ground of error contends that the trial court erred in admitting evidence, over proper objection, that the appellant had pleaded guilty and was, at the time of the offense and at the time of trial in this case, on probation for a misdemeanor offense, possession of narcotic paraphernalia. The probation was a conditional discharge, pursuant to sec. 4.12 of the Controlled Substances Act. The Court deferred further proceedings for twenty-four months without entering a judgment. The State concedes that the appellant was not finally convicted, and that the offense of possession of narcotic paraphernalia is not a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. Roliard v. State, 506 S.W.2d 904 (Tex.Crim. App.1974); Minter v. Joplin, 535 S.W.2d 737 (Tex.Civ.App.Amarillo 1976). The State concedes that the guilty plea and probation were not admissible to impeach generally the appellant's credibility, pursuant to Tex.Code Crim.Pro.Ann. art. 38.29 (Vernon 1979). See Baehr v. State, 615 S.W.2d 713 (Tex.Crim.App.1981); Davis v. State, 645 S.W.2d 288, 292 (Tex.Crim.App. 1983).
The State argues that the probation was offered to rebut the defense of entrapment, not to show that the appellant was generally untrustworthy, and, therefore, the evidence was a specific attempt to refute the appellant's version of his defensive theory of entrapment. The State relies on Albrecht v. State, 486 S.W.2d 97 (Tex.Crim.App.1972) for the proposition that extraneous offenses may be admitted to refute a defensive theory.
We are not persuaded by this argument. Texas has adopted the objective test of entrapment which "mandates that the trial court, having once determined that there was an inducement, need now consider only the nature of the State agent activity involved, without reference to the predisposition of the particular defendant." Norman v. State, supra, 588 S.W.2d at 346; Rodriquez v. State, supra, 662 S.W.2d at 355; Bush v. State, supra; Langford v. State, supra. The appellant's testimony on direct examination raised the defense of entrapment, but his predisposition to commit the offense was not relevant under the objective test. It was irrelevant and harmful to admit evidence of either the occurrence of this extraneous offense, or the probation resulting from it. See Soto v. State, supra at 803-804. The prosecutor repeatedly reminded the jury of the probation during his argument at both the guilt and punishment stages of the trial, and this was the only probation or conviction for any offense admitted against the appellant at either stage of the trial. The appellant was clearly harmed.
Further, the information on which the narcotics paraphernalia probation was based was fundamentally defective because it failed to allege every element of the offense. This is significant because the State's evidence was that the defendant had pled guilty and received probation for the offense, not merely that he had committed the offense. The appellant objected on this basis in the trial court.
The statute making possession of narcotics paraphernalia an offense on the date the appellant committed that offense, February 27, 1981, was sec. 4.07(a) of the Controlled *204 Substances Act, Tex.Rev.Stat.Ann. art. 4476-15, which provided:
A person ... commits an offense if he possesses a hypodermic syringe, needle, or other instrument that has on it a quantity (including a trace) of a controlled substance in penalty group one or two with intent to use it for administration of a controlled substance by subcutaneous injection in a human being.
The information alleged that the defendant did:
Unlawfully possess a brown bottle with a plastic top that had in it a trace of controlled substance in Penalty Group I, to wit: cocaine, with intent to use it for administration of the controlled substance.
The information failed to allege that the administration of the controlled substance was intended to be a subcutaneous injection in a human being. Absent this allegation, no offense was stated. Consequently, ground of error four is sustained.
The judgment is reversed and the cause is remanded for a new trial.
| 2023-10-03T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6420 |
Q:
symfony migration create table and insert record
I want to create a new table and then insert a specific record in a symfony 1.4 project. I can do the data insert manually, but I would like to make use of the migration infrastructure so that when different existing instances are upgraded this row will be created when the migrations are run.
Here is the sequence of migrations:
Create a new table email.
Insert a row into the table email.
(Note that these are two separate consecutive migrations.)
The problem is that in this migration there is no chance to generate the base model classes, so attempting to insert the row using the normal Doctrine commands will fail.
I could use a naked SQL INSERT commands, but that seems like an admission of defeat. Is there another, more Doctrine-friendly way to do the data insert?
A:
There is a way to do migrations. Do the following :
Update your schema.yml to include the new table
Create a new task or fixture file with the new entry
Run symfony doctrine:generate-migrations-diff - this will create the migration file
Run symfony doctrine:build --all-classes --and-migrate
The last line will update the Database - ie create the new table and also create the base model classes. Here are the options (related to classes on the build command)
--all-classes Build all classes
--model Build model classes
--forms Build form classes
--filters Build filter classes
The just run the task to insert the new DB entry or use the new fixtures (using symfony doctrine:data-load --append <filename>) file to create the entry in the DB.
| 2023-11-21T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8154 |
That’s funny, there don’t seem to be any American flags on the stage or in the convention hall in Philadelphia. Have they been banned? Perhaps there is something offensive about all those ‘white’ (privilege) stripes and stars that might cause people to seek shelter in the nearest ‘safe room?’
The Daily Caller is at the Democratic National Convention and couldn’t find any American flags. The stage is bland and grey, with no red, white or blue present. What’s more, a thorough look at the crowd in attendance also turns up no American flags.
Perhaps the flags ended up in the same place where thousands of unused flags from the Democratic National Convention 2008 were found…in garbage bags?
Apparently, there is one flag at the convention – a Palestinian flag – shamelessly being waved by one of the delegates on the floor. | 2024-01-19T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6633 |
As systems fulfilling technical conditions for “multimedia broadcasting system dedicated to mobile terminals” (i.e., multimedia mobile broadcasting standard (ARIB STD-B46), which is planned to come into use in 2011, ISDB-Tmm system and ISDB-Tsb system have been proposed. Both systems are based on ISDB-T. They are characterized in that a 13-segment transmission wave of the transmission standard for terrestrial digital television broadcasting (ARIB STD-B31) and a 1- or 3-segment transmission wave of the transmission standard for terrestrial digital audio broadcasting (ARIB STD-B29) are used as unit transmission waves, which can undergo concatenated transmission, arranged on the frequency axis, without using guard bands. Both systems can therefore achieve an effective use of frequencies. To accomplish practical concatenated transmission, concatenated signals may be subjected to the batch IFFT process, thereby to generate an OFDM signal.
To save energy and lower the cost, the waves should no longer be transmitted once the broadcasting has been stopped. In the concatenated transmission, however, the wave transmission can hardly be stopped in units of waves, because adjacent waves are concatenated together. In order not to transmit a unit broadcast wave, dummy data must be generated and transmitted in place of the unit broadcast wave. (In many cases, the dummy data is an MPEG2-NULL packet.) The dummy data is subjected to transmission-path coding and is then continuously transmitted. If many unit transmission waves are no transmitted, more signals, each having a large peak amplitude, will be generated than in the ordinary broadcast waves. Consequently, as known in the art, the transmission equipment will be adversely influenced.
This is because each NULL packet inserted in place of the data to be broadcast, as described above, assumes the same data value in any unit transmission wave. In the unit transmission wave, the energy is diffused in order to maintain the sufficient randomness of whichever data input. If the unit transmission waves to be concatenated have the same transmission parameter, they will undergo the same signal processing and become identical output signals. These output signals are added in the same phase. The peak amplitude will inevitably much increase. | 2023-10-18T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7832 |
Q:
Creating existing android project to import support library 7 gets errors right away
I imported the supportv7app library as a existing android project, followed the official docs step by step and get errors right off the bat. I get 3, all in resources folder, 2 were regarding a color not existing and another involving a linear layout not using an orientation, how does this even happen when the support library comes straight from the sdk tools
These are not the big issue, the issue is when I reference the library from my main application, my strings.xml throws an error saying its not translated in a bunch of different languages, probably from the support library. I found over 5 guides all followed them step by step and I can't google the answer, I feel I may be alone in this, but I didn't do anything out of the ordinary to cause issues. I even redownloaded the support library
edit: I found a way to ignore the errors and compile, but I get a resource not found when setting my theme to Theme.AppCombat.Light
A:
You might looking for ShelockActionBar ;-)
http://actionbarsherlock.com/
| 2024-03-10T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6681 |
Kumar VS, Banjara R, Thapa S, et al. Bone sarcoma surgery in times of COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown‐early experience from a tertiary centre in India. J Surg Oncol. 2020;1--6. 10.1002/jso.26112
1. INTRODUCTION {#jso26112-sec-0050}
===============
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic continues to spread across the globe. Nationwide lockdown has been the most common response by majority of countries across the world to contain the spread. Despite lockdown being the commonest means, there is considerable variability in the response of healthcare systems to the pandemic between different countries. Healthcare systems in advanced countries like Sweden continued to function unabated during the pandemic, while most others have ceased normal functioning due to nation‐wide lockdown.[^1^](#jso26112-bib-0001){ref-type="ref"}, [^2^](#jso26112-bib-0002){ref-type="ref"} In India too, a nationwide lockdown was imposed from the midnight of 24 March 2020. This was supposed to be one of the strictest lockdowns in the world.[^3^](#jso26112-bib-0003){ref-type="ref"}
Like in rest of the world, during the nationwide Indian lockdown, it was agreed that elective surgeries had to be deferred and emergency life‐saving procedures should be performed with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) if COVID‐19 test results are awaited. Yet there was considerable ambiguity on semi‐elective procedures such as bone sarcoma surgery, as it is well known that delay in surgery can significantly increase the mortality risk in these patients.[^4^](#jso26112-bib-0004){ref-type="ref"}, [^5^](#jso26112-bib-0005){ref-type="ref"}, [^6^](#jso26112-bib-0006){ref-type="ref"}
As a tertiary bone sarcoma referral centre catering to a large population, we continued to perform oncological procedures during the lockdown period with strict adherence to local protocols. The present study is an evaluation of bone sarcoma patients operated during the lockdown period and their comparison to the cohort operated in the month immediately before the lockdown. We suppose that this study would be useful in providing inputs in formulating guidelines for bone sarcoma surgery in times like the current COVID‐19 pandemic.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS {#jso26112-sec-0060}
========================
The study was conducted at New Delhi where lockdown was in effect from 6 [am]{.smallcaps} on 23rd March 2020. We identified two groups of patients, namely the "non‐lockdown group" which was defined as those patients who were operated between 24th February and 22nd March 2020; and the "lockdown group" included those patients operated between 23rd March and 18th April 2020. Data regarding patient demographics, tumour characteristics and intraoperative details were collected from a prospectively maintained, dedicated musculoskeletal oncological database.
As the lockdown was sudden and unprecedented, some changes were made in patient selection for surgical procedures. Ever since lockdown, all patients and their caretakers were thoroughly screened for COVID‐19 symptoms through a safety checklist (Figure [1](#jso26112-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}). Those patients/caretakers, who failed the checklist, were immediately referred to designated COVID‐19 testing area for further evaluation. We did not perform routine COVID‐19 testing on all our preoperative patients as per existing guidelines during that period. All healthcare workers were following the PPE protocols as per hospital guidelines. For those patients who had to undergo a chest computed tomography scan for preoperative staging work up (as per standard sarcoma guidelines), radiologists were asked to specifically look for evidence of COVID‐19 infection to rule out asymptomatic carriers. During surgery, pulse lavage irrigation of the wound was avoided to reduce droplet contamination.[^7^](#jso26112-bib-0007){ref-type="ref"} However, we continued to use electrocautery albeit minimally so as to reduce intraoperative blood loss. In those procedures where intramedullary reaming was required, power reamers were used as necessary.
{#jso26112-fig-0001}
Tele consultation services were provided for sarcoma patients apart from routine hospital visits for wound check. All patients included in the study had a minimum follow‐up of 15 days following the procedure. During follow‐up, apart from routine examination, each patient was specifically asked for symptoms/evidence of COVID‐19.
Statistical analysis was performed using R statistical software version 3.6.1. Categorical data was analysed using the *χ* ^2^ test. Fisher\'s exact test was employed if the expected frequency in any cell was less than 5. Test for normality was employed for continuous data. Those following normal distribution were analysed using the Student *t* test. Non parametric data were analysed using Wilcoxon test. Statistical significance was attributed when p value is less than or equal to 0.05.
3. RESULTS {#jso26112-sec-0070}
==========
A total of 91 patients had been treated during the entire study period. Of these, 50 patients had been classified in the 'Non‐Lockdown' group; while the remaining 41 as \'Lockdown\' group. Table [1](#jso26112-tbl-0001){ref-type="table"} compares the baseline characteristics between the groups. During the lockdown period, malignant tumours were operated in preference to benign tumours and biopsy procedures (*P* \< .001). The only benign tumour patient that had been operated during lockdown had a displaced pathological fracture of femur secondary to solid ABC for which she had undergone bone grafting and plating. Out of the five giant cell tumor (GCT) patients who had surgery during this period, two had pathological fracture (in proximal femur), two had impending fungation and one nursing mother had distal radial GCT with severe pain restricting her baby care. Hence, these procedures qualified for urgent intervention. The most common location was distal femur followed by proximal tibia in both groups (Figure [2](#jso26112-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}). There was no statistically significant difference in tumour location between the two groups. However, due to logistic reasons, we could not operate upon pelvic and sacral tumours during the Lockdown period.
######
Comparison of baseline demographic and tumour characteristics between the two groups
Variable Lockdown group (n = 41) Non‐lockdown group (n = 50) *P* value
--------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------- ------------
Age (y), mean (SD) 24.1 (14.9) 28.6 (17.9) .188
Sex ratio (male: female) 21: 20 28: 22 .649
Diagnosis \<.**001**
Osteosarcoma 12 7
Ewing\'s sarcoma 10 3
Chondrosarcoma 5 1
Other malignant tumours 4 3
GCT 5 8
Benign tumours 1 2
Lesion for biopsy 4 26
Metastasis .433
Chest 6 2
Bone 2 0
Procedure performed \<.**001**
Major 37 24
Minor (core biopsy) 4 26
Preoperative chemotherapy 20 9 **.041**
*Note*: Bold values mean that the *P*‐value is significant at \<.05.
Abbreviation: GCT, giant cell tumor.
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This article is being made freely available through PubMed Central as part of the COVID-19 public health emergency response. It can be used for unrestricted research re-use and analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source, for the duration of the public health emergency.
{#jso26112-fig-0002}
There was a significant increase in number of major surgeries performed during lockdown (37 out of 41) as compared with normal period (24 out of 50). This is because of availability of extra theatre time during the lockdown period as other elective orthopaedic procedures like arthroplasty, arthroscopy, etc. were deferred. We had a significantly higher proportion of patients who had pre‐operative chemotherapy in the lockdown group (49% vs 18%). Also, the American Society of Anesthesiologists grades, intraoperative blood loss and duration of procedures were not different compared with nonlockdown group (Table [2](#jso26112-tbl-0002){ref-type="table"}). None of the patients had symptoms/evidence of COVID‐19 at a minimum of 15 days follow‐up.
######
Comparison of perioperative characteristics between the two groups
Variable Lockdown group (n = 37) Non‐lockdown group (n = 24) *P* value
------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------- -----------
Estimated blood loss (in mL) median (IQR) 500 (400‐800) 500 (375‐800) .905
Duration of surgery (in min) median (IQR) 170 (100‐180) 165 (110‐215) .9
ASA grade .68
Grade 1 27 15
Grade 2 3 3
Grade 3 7 6
Grade 4 0 0
Anaesthetic method .103
General 21 7
Regional 12 12
Combined 4 5
Procedure type .55
Biological limb salvage 14 7
Endoprosthetic reconstruction 9 8
Nail cement spacer 8 7
Amputation 6 2
Complications 2 2
Abbreviations: ASA, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade; IQR, interquartile range.
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This article is being made freely available through PubMed Central as part of the COVID-19 public health emergency response. It can be used for unrestricted research re-use and analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source, for the duration of the public health emergency.
Out of the major procedures (n = 37) performed during the lockdown period, 31 (84%) were limb salvage procedures (Table [2](#jso26112-tbl-0002){ref-type="table"}). Our choice of reconstruction did not defer during the lockdown period as compared with normal group. However, we had faced certain challenges which will be discussed under a separate heading below. Despite the associated risks, 25 patients (21 GA + 4 combined) had general anaesthesia in the lockdown group. There was no report of health care worker getting infected from an asymptomatic patient carrier either from the anaesthetic or surgical team at a minimum follow‐up of 15 days from the last procedure (until 4 May 2020). However, one of the health care workers was diagnosed to have COVID‐19 about 2 weeks after completion of this study (on 16th May, 2020) which was probably attributed to community transmission on contact tracing. He recovered uneventfully. We had two complications in each group‐two vein injuries which were repaired, one patient had common peroneal nerve coursing through the tumour that had to be sacrificed and one had an iatrogenic cautery burn.
4. DISCUSSION {#jso26112-sec-0080}
=============
Surgical procedures during COVID‐19 lockdown are fraught with risk of disease transmission to health care workers as well as to the patient.[^8^](#jso26112-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"} This acts as a deterrent for appropriate decision‐making in patient care. Guo et al[^9^](#jso26112-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"} reported an orthopaedic forum survey from Wuhan where they reported the outcomes of 24 orthopaedic surgeons infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome‐novel coronavirus 2 (SARS‐nCoV2) from eight Wuhan hospitals. The common suspected site of infection was either general wards (79.2%) or public places (20.8%) visited by respondents with only 12.5% respondents suspecting infection exposure from operating rooms. An interesting point to note is that all 24 respondents recovered following treatment. On the other hand, deferring surgery for a later date can significantly increase the risk of recurrence of these tumours. Poudel et al[^10^](#jso26112-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"} had studied the risk factors associated with local recurrence of Osteosarcoma and had reported that each week delay in surgery after completion of neo‐adjuvant chemotherapy increases recurrence risk by 1.14 times. Also, at a mean follow‐up of 2.8 years, just 20% patients with recurrence were surviving as against 60% of survivors in the group without local recurrence. Hence, we continued to serve our patients with due precautions. Even the NHS England report says "cancer services will need to continue ...." and elective surgeries with expectation of cure, prioritised to priority level 2 so as to save life and to prevent progression of disease to beyond operability.[^11^](#jso26112-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [^12^](#jso26112-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}
Out of the 41 patients who had been treated during the lockdown, three patients were referred for COVID‐19 screening. In all these three patients, these symptoms were picked up in the waiting area before they entered the ward or operation theatre with the help of the checklist in Figure [1](#jso26112-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}. Out of these three patients, two patients did not require testing as per standard Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines. Hence, they were taken up for surgery. In the third patient, COVID‐19 testing was done and found to be negative. Also, as mentioned earlier, every non‐contrast computerized tomography chest scan was discussed with a radiologist to rule out radiological evidence of COVID‐19. Although there is no fool proof mechanism to identify asymptomatic carriers, a proper checklist and strict adherence to local infectious disease protocol can help in reducing inadvertent disease transmission. This is especially important in a country like India with 1.3 billion population where national lockdown was declared well before the disease entered the community transmission stage. While it is well known that lockdown can plateau the epidemic curve, it should be understood that the disease may not be eradicated in the near future in our setting. Hence, deferring surgery to a later date for sarcomas will only risk patient\'s life and may put undue pressure on the system when national lockdown is relaxed.
We performed a significantly higher number of major surgeries (90%) during the lockdown. While we had reported increased availability of theatre slots under the "results" section, another important factor is that patients could not reach our tertiary centre due to transport lockdown (Figure [3](#jso26112-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}). We had performed only four biopsy procedures during the 4 week Lockdown period as against 26 biopsy procedures during the preceding 4 weeks. Our hospital caters to patients from at‐least 12 different states in the north and central part of the country and most of our patients belong to the low socioeconomic strata. As lockdowns may become the new normal until we find an efficient vaccine or drug for COVID‐19, the state machinery has to chalk out proper referral pathways for ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment initiation of patients with sarcoma, failing which we may end up losing more lives due to non‐COVID‐19 deadly diseases. This stands true mainly for developing and third world countries where referral mechanisms are not streamlined.
\]](JSO-9999-na-g003){#jso26112-fig-0003}
5. CHALLENGES TO SARCOMA SURGERY {#jso26112-sec-0090}
================================
As the situation continued to evolve, different challenges were faced by the treating team. To compensate for Intensive Care specialists posted on COVID‐19 intensive care units, we had to cut down on those surgeries that stand a high chance of requiring postop intensive care unit care. Due to cancellation of scheduled blood donation camps, availability of adequate blood products became difficult. Hence, we had to defer pelvic and sacral tumour surgeries for a later date. Few patients with pelvic PNET had to be referred for definitive radiotherapy. Problems were faced in arranging implants, especially endoprosthesis, due to transportation difficulties. Intraoperative frozen section became unavailable as the pathologist deferred the support as per their guidelines due to risk of aerosol generation.[^13^](#jso26112-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}
6. CONCLUSION {#jso26112-sec-0100}
=============
Surgical treatment of bone tumour patients, with strict adherence to personal protective measures and local guidelines, did not increase the risk of contracting SARS‐Cov2 to either Health care workers or patients during the lockdown period. If our effort is to save human lives, irrespective of the disease they suffer from, then Sarcoma surgery shall continue without lowering our guards. National Lockdown and Hospital Lockdown may not go hand‐in‐hand.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS {#jso26112-sec-0110}
=====================
The authors declare that there are no conflict of interests.
SYNOPSIS {#jso26112-sec-0140}
========
Bone sarcoma surgery during COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown was not associated with increased risk of disease transmission to either the patients or the health care workers. If our effort is to save human lives, irrespective of the disease they suffer from, then Sarcoma surgery shall continue without lowering our guards. National Lockdown and Hospital Lockdown may not go hand‐in‐ hand when it comes to bone sarcoma surgeries.
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT {#jso26112-sec-0130}
===========================
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
| 2024-04-18T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8732 |
DM-307 for Ableton is a collection of production-ready drum racks, loops, and one-shots in a variety of contemporary musical styles; including electronic, hip hop, industrial, ethnic, rock and cinematic. The packs contain content derived directly from Heavyocity's award-winning DM-307: Modern Groove Designer which was developed through experimental recording, sound design, and synthesis techniques, resulting in a highly-stylized collection of modular synth drums, live percussion, and processed classic analog drum machines.
The Sound of DM-307A
For nearly a year, Heavyocity captured in-depth recordings of a wide array of percussion instruments. Sounds were recorded through an all analog signal chain with gear including API, Grace, and Neve mic pres, and Manley EQs. With instruments ranging from congas and bongos, to small metals and triangles, and an arsenal of drum kits, DM-307 provides a vast range of organic timbres at your fingertips.
The Sound of DM-307 for Ableton
Live Percussion
For nearly a year, Heavyocity captured in-depth recordings of a wide array of percussion instruments. Sounds were recorded through an all analog signal chain with gear including API, Grace, and Neve mic pres, and Manley EQs. With instruments ranging from congas and bongos, to small metals and triangles, and an arsenal of drum kits, DM-307 provides a vast range of organic timbres at your fingertips.
Classic Analog Drums
DM-307 provides Heavyocitys signature Music-meets-sound-design approach on the highly sought after sounds of classic analog drum machines. Sounds were captured using pristine analog gear like the Neve, Wunder, and Chandler mic pres, and then processed with outboard gear from UA, Eventide, Dramastic Audio, and Dangerous Audio. The results are punchy, crisp and dynamic, providing serious character to the sounds.
Modular Synth Drums
Aggressive, Fat, and In Your Face - DM-307 contains the uncompromising sound of true analog percussion. All of these exceptional sounds stem from using complex synthesis techniques with unique custom modular synth rigs. Using an array of modules including VCOs, Vactrol Filters, Vacuum Tube Compressors, Vacuum-tube distortion, and Analog Bit Designers, all sound shaping took place completely within the analog synthesis realm, custom designing sounds from the ground up. | 2024-03-28T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9754 |
Q:
DP recurrence relations: Coin change vs Knapsack
Take:
KP recurrence relation
$ max { [v + f(k-1,g-w ), f(k-1,g)] } $ if w <= g and k>0
CCP recurrence relation
$ min {[1 + f(r,c-v), f(r-1,c)]} $ if v <= c and r>0
I don't understand (much as I've researched) exactly what the reasoning is behind KP comparing in both cases (take the element/don't take it) to the above row $('k-1')$ while CCP only does this when it doesn't take the coin (the same number that's a row above in the same column persists).
To evaluate the case where the coin is taken, CCP says to go back on the same row as much columns as you get when subtracting the coin value of that row from the column you're in . Then it says to add 1 (because you'd be taking the coin).
Supposing I understood this well enough, the latter logic makes perfect sense to me. I don't see the need for KP to go up a row when taking the element (I see why it adds 'v' and goes back a number of columns, it's just the $'k-1'$ that baffles me)
What's the logic behind this?
_
EDIT:
Underlined in red you'll find what I'm referring to, more especifically.
Knapsack 0-1 Problem:
Take the 24 : it's the result of comparing the 15 directly above it (not taking the element) to the 15 up and to the left (taking the element) . This last 15 is not on the same row as 24 is.
See source: http://www.mafy.lut.fi/study/DiscreteOpt/DYNKNAP.pdf
Coin Change Problem:
Goes back on the same row where our starting point is(case where coin is taken).
See source: (page 2): http://condor.depaul.edu/rjohnson/algorithm/coins.pdf
A:
The knapsack problem only allows you to add each item once. Subtracting from $k$ is, in a sense, iterating through the items and resolving a different one each recursion.
Put another way, if you didn't subtract 1 from $k$, you'd be able to add the same element multiple times.
| 2023-08-27T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8064 |
Q:
Why does the summation dissapear when taking the derivative of the sum of squares?
Why is it that the derivative of the sum of squares of a vector, w:
\begin{eqnarray} \frac{\lambda}{2n}
\sum_w w^2,
\end{eqnarray}
turns out to be
\begin{eqnarray}
\frac{\lambda}{n} w
\end{eqnarray}
and not
\begin{eqnarray} \frac{\lambda}{n}
\sum_w w \;?
\end{eqnarray}
Basically as I see it, we've got
\begin{eqnarray}
w = [w_1, w_2, w_3 ...]
\end{eqnarray}
\begin{eqnarray}
\frac{d}{dw} \frac{\lambda}{2n} \sum_w w^2 = \frac{\lambda}{2n}(\frac{\partial}{\partial w_1} \sum_w w^2 + \frac{\partial}{\partial w_2} \sum_w w^2 + \frac{\partial}{\partial w_3} \sum_w w^2 ...)
\end{eqnarray}
\begin{eqnarray}
= \frac{\lambda}{n} (w_1 + w_2 + w_3 ...)
\end{eqnarray}
\begin{eqnarray}
= \frac{\lambda}{n} \sum_w w
\end{eqnarray}
I'm following this ebook here (equations 87/88, which are basically the same as what I've written above). The main thing I don't understand is why we can eliminate the summation. Any math books or writeups on the subject would also be helpful.
A:
If there are actually $m$ input variables, you write sum in the Equation $87$ in the ebook in the notation
$$
\sum_{i=1}^m w_i^2,
$$
and it can be viewed as a function of the $m$ variables
$w_1, \ldots, w_m.$
The "derivative" in the ebook is a partial derivative,
which deals with how the function value would change if you could
slightly increase or decrease just one of the $m$ input variables while leaving all the others unchanged.
The notation $\frac{\partial}{\partial w}$ in the ebook means the same
thing as you would recognize in the $\frac{\partial}{\partial w_i},$
that is, it is a partial derivative with respect to one variable,
but the ebook has chosen to let the letter $w$ by itself represent
one of the $m$ variables rather than use a subscript.
The partial derivative of the sum of two functions is the sum of the partial derivatives, just like you are used to in the case of single-variable functions, but only when both partial derivatives are with respect to the same variable. The partial derivatives of different variables do not add up in the manner you imagine;
and in any case, the ebook definitely means to take the partial derivative of one variable over the entire sum.
When we write
$$
\frac{\partial}{\partial w_j} w_i^2,
$$
the result is zero unless $i = j,$ because in a partial derivative $\frac{\partial}{\partial w_j}$ over the variables $w_1, \ldots, w_m,$
all the variables except $w_j$ act like constants.
On the other hand,
$$
\frac{\partial}{\partial w_j} w_j^2 = 2w_j,
$$
because that describes how the function $w_j^2$ changes as we vary $w_j.$
To spell it out in gory detail, what you actually have is
\begin{align}
\frac{\partial}{\partial w_j} \frac{\lambda}{2n} \sum_{i=1}^m w_i^2 &=
\frac{\lambda}{2n} \frac{\partial}{\partial w_j}\left(
w_1^2 + \cdots + w_{j-1}^2 + w_j^2 + w_{j-1}^2 + \cdots + w_m^2 \right) \\
& = \frac{\lambda}{2n} \left(\frac{\partial}{\partial w_j}w_1^2 + \cdots + \frac{\partial}{\partial w_j}w_{j-1}^2 + \frac{\partial}{\partial w_j}w_j^2 + \frac{\partial}{\partial w_j}w_{j+1}^2 + \cdots + \frac{\partial}{\partial w_j}w_m^2 \right) \\
& = \frac{\lambda}{2n} \left(0 + \cdots + 0 + 2w_j + 0 + \cdots + 0\right) \\
& = \frac{\lambda}{n} w_j.
\end{align}
| 2024-01-05T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9410 |
Aside from being on the fast track to becoming a feature film with Steven Spielberg attached to direct, Ready Player One is also a fantastic sci-fi novel written by Ernest Cline. Well, here’s a first look at his eagerly awaited followup.
Cline’s new novel, Armada, is set to hit shelves on July 14. To use some film references, the plot sounds like a modern spin on The Last Starfighter, with a dash of Pixels thrown in for good measure. Basically, a whole bunch of videogamers are tasked with fending off an alien invasion that bears a striking resemblance to a hit alien battle flight simulator.
Given that it's coming from Cline, we can’t wait to see what he does with the premise. He’s a smart dude and will almost certainly subvert whatever expectations a reader might bring into this one. Not to mention: Paramount is already developing a film adaptation of Armada. To help build a little buzz for the release, Random House has released an extended preview of the first chapter via io9. Check out an excerpt from the sample text below, and read the full chapter right here.
Fair warning, there’s a bit of salty language:
I was staring out the classroom window and daydreaming of adventure when I spotted the flying saucer.
I blinked and looked again—but it was still out there, a shiny chrome disc zigzagging around in the sky. My eyes struggled to track the object through a series of increasingly fast, impossibly sharp turns that would have juiced a human being, had there been any aboard. The disc streaked toward the distant horizon, then came to an instantaneous stop just above it. It hovered there motionless over the distant tree line for a few seconds, as if scanning the area beneath it with an invisible beam, before it abruptly launched itself skyward again, making another series of physics defying changes to its course and speed.
I tried to keep my cool. I tried to remain skeptical. I reminded myself that I was a man of science, even if I did usually get a C in it.
I looked at it again. I still couldn’t tell what it was, but I knew what it wasn’t—it wasn’t a meteor. Or a weather balloon, or swamp gas, or ball lightning. No, the unidentified flying object I was staring at with my own two eyes was most definitely not of this earth.
My first thought was: Holy fucking shit.
Followed immediately by: I can’t believe it’s finally happening.
You see, ever since the first day of kindergarten, I had been hoping and waiting for some mind-blowingly fantastic, world-altering event to finally shatter the endless monotony of my public education. I had spent hundreds of hours gazing out at the calm, conquered suburban landscape surrounding my school, silently yearning for the outbreak of a zombie apocalypse, a freak accident that would give me super powers, or perhaps the sudden appearance of a band of time-traveling kleptomaniac dwarves.
I would estimate that approximately one-third of these dark daydreams of mine had involved the unexpected arrival of beings from another world.
Of course, I’d never believed it would really happen. Even if alien visitors did decide to drop by this utterly insignificant little blue-green planet, no self-respecting extraterrestrial would ever pick my hometown of Beaverton, Oregon—aka Yawnsville, USA—as their point of first contact. Not unless their plan was to destroy our civilization by wiping out our least interesting locales first. If there was a bright center to the universe, I was on the planet it was farthest from. Please pass the blue milk, Aunt Beru.
But now something miraculous was happening here—it was still happening, right now! There was a goddamn flying saucer out there. I was staring right at it.
And I was pretty sure it was getting closer.
I cast a furtive glance back over my shoulder at my two best friends, Cruz and Diehl, who were both seated behind me. But they were currently engaged in a whispered debate and neither of them was looking toward the windows. I considered trying to get their attention, but I was worried the object might vanish any second, and I didn’t want to miss my chance to see this for myself.
My gaze shot back outside, just in time to see another bright flash of silver as the craft streaked laterally across the landscape, then halted and hovered over an adjacent patch of terrain before zooming off again. Hover, move. Hover, move. | 2024-05-21T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8587 |
This premium stainless steel skull ring is the perfect addition to your skull collection. Completely hypoallergenic, rust resistant and will last a lifetime. Makes an excellent gift as well, so be sure to grab two while they are 50% OFF. | 2023-10-23T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3630 |
No More Medical Marijuana in San Jose Today, May 13th
San Jose City Council Discusses Regulations That Effectively Ban All Medical Marijuana Businesses
SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - May 13, 2014) - The San Jose City Council is again attempting to implement regulations that are unworkable for marijuana businesses. The proposed regulations effectively shut down all medical marijuana Business in the city. With claims marijuana lobbyists are pushing for watered down regulations, the reverse is actually true. Marijuana business operators have asked for responsible regulations, while the proposed regulations have been primarily influenced by law enforcement, who view all medical marijuana to be illegal.
The regulations from San Jose city staff would:
Do virtually nothing to address the issue of medical marijuana in schools
Force medical marijuana patients to buy their medicine off the streets, and in residential neighborhoods;
"Doing the same thing they did three years ago is insane," said Dave Hodges, founder of the All American Cannabis Club, and Silicon Valley Cannabis Coalition (SVCC) member. "If the city council passes the proposed regulations, the community will respond with a referendum, again."
SVCC members submitted another initiative yesterday (May 12th) that would help the city move forward in a positive way. The initiative would create a commission to provide oversight as well as:
Ensure medical marijuana does not impact any K-12 schools;
Establish strict standards for marijuana businesses;
Monitor marijuana businesses and take actions to correct any violations of safety, operational standards, and state law;
Study any problems or concerns of the community related to marijuana; and
"The regulations drafted by San Jose City Staff do nothing to solve the current issues, and will, in fact, cause a greater impact on residential neighborhoods," said John Lee, SVCC member and director of Control & Regulate San Jose. "The city needs to resist the temptation to pass the current proposal. By establishing a Cannabis Commission, the entire community can be assured all issues will be addressed and resolved fairly."
Medical marijuana operators have long supported reasonable regulations, yet are again faced with the fear of unreasonable closure of their businesses. The medical marijuana patients who need it most will be driven to the streets and the black market for their medicine.
If San Jose residents, business owners and property owners want sound regulations, they'd better show up at tonight's council meeting in force. | 2024-06-06T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3601 |
"I went to Jerusalem to become acquainted (Gk. istoria) with Cephas" - Paul's words from Galatians 1:18.
A Critique of Dorothy Patterson's Article in the Fall 2008 Southwestern News: "Is There a Biblical Paradigm for Womanhood?"
The Southwestern Theological Seminary news magazine devoted the entire Fall 2008 issue to the subject Modeling Biblical Womanhood. The magazine featured six articles on women, with one being a profile of Dorothy Patterson, wife of SWBTS President Paige Patterson. Another article, authored by Mrs. Patterson, is entitled "Is There a Biblical Paradigm for Womanhood?" The SWBTS news magazine used to be available online, but unless it has been moved to a location on the Internet of which I am unaware, the only way to now read the SWBTS news magazine is to subscribe to it or be an alumni of the seminary and receive it free of charge in the mail. This post is a critique of Mrs. Dorothy Patterson's article "Is There a Biblical Paradigm for Womanhood?"
I would like to begin by commending Dorothy Patterson for her clear writing style and the abundance of Scriptural references in support of her thesis. I found myself agreeing with the overwhelming majority of what Mrs. Patterson writes. I confess to having learned more about God's word through Mrs. Patterson's writing and believe Mrs. Patterson not only capable of teaching me the Word of God, she actually did teach me through her exegetically sound and expositionally superb interpretions of the Scriptures. Her exegesis of the Hebrew word banah (Gen. 2:22 - "to build") which was used by Moses to describe God creating woman, and her exposition of various Scriptures to show the equality of worth in both man and woman was indeed enlightening. I couldn't help but think Mrs. Patterson would make a great Hebrew or theology professor if SWBTS were ever to be in need of one.
However, I would like to point out three inconsistencies in Mrs. Patterson's article. These inconsistencies are revealed to prove that Mrs. Patterson's personal convictions of what a Christian woman can and cannot do, are not based upon the biblical paradigm she constructs in her article, but in fact exceed the teaching of Scripture and are based on her cultural, personal and comfortable preferences for women. Though Mrs. Patterson's personal convictions about "womanhood" are amoral, they become problematic when are they are called "biblical" and forced on all Southern Baptists.
Inconsistency #1
Mrs. Patterson writes her article with a spirit of authority based on what she calls the "clearly inspired written words of God," and constructs a broad biblical paradigm for womanhood from these clear words; however, Mrs. Patterson then goes further and writes that the biblical paradigm for womanhood can only be discovered through "meticulous exegesis,""deep study,""learning at the feet of one with the exegetical tools for deep study," in order to "ferret out" exactly what God is saying about His paradigm.
It would seem to me that if God's paradigm for women for all time is supposed to be clear, then He will make it clear. Mrs. Patterson does construct a clear biblical paradigm for women (see below) with which we all can agree, but she goes further and writes of her extra-biblical expectations for women that exceed the very biblical paradigm she constructs. All conservative evangelicals agree on the equality of men and women before God and the character of both Christian men and women as Mrs Patterson reveals. But the fact that evangelicals disagree on whether or not to limit the functions and roles of women in culture, society and the church, should be a clear indication that Mrs. Patterson's personal "paradigm" for women, which exceeds her own biblical paradigm, is based upon her own cultural and personal comforts. This inconsistency between the actually biblical clarity regarding womanhood and Mrs. Patterson's professed ability to "ferret out" God's true intentions about women should cause any Christian to pause and reflect on the appropriateness of demanding others to conform to personal convictions about women that go beyond the simple and clear biblical paradigm for womanhood.
Inconsistency #2
Mrs. Patterson's lays out a very clear Biblical paradigm for womanhood, a paradigm based on the character qualities of God's people, which could also be called a biblical paradigm for manhood; but Mrs. Patterson then reveals some of her own personal preferences, convictions and cultural comforts regarding women - convictions that exceed the very clear biblical paradigm of womanhood she herself constructs in the article.
Mrs. Patterson summarizes "A Paradigm of Biblical Womanhood" this way (my comments follow each point and are in parenthesis):
Who Is She?
(1). She is created "in the image of God"(Gen. 1:27). (But so is a man created by God in the image of God).
(2). She is assigned to be a "helper" (Gen. 2:18). (But so is a man called by God to be a servant).
(3). She is uniquely fashioned with a life-bearing womb and the capacity for nurturing (Gen. 3:16,20). (Here, alone, the woman is distinct from man as intended by God).
(4). She is identified as a "joint heir of the grace of life" (I Pt. 3:7). (But so is a man a joint heir of the grace of life).
What Does She Do?
(5). She "fears the Lord" (Pr. 31:30) (But so should a man).
(6). She develops a "gentle and quiet spirit" (I Pt. 3:4). (But so should a man be quiet and and gentle and not give full vent to his emotions as does a fool. Prov. 29:11).
(7). She honors her husband and the Lord through her diligence and creativity (Pr. 31). (But so should a man honor his wife through diligence and creativity).
(8). She is committed not only to human relationships but also to God (Ru. 1:16) (But so is a man committed not only to human relationships but also to God).
(9). She is available (I Sam 25:32-33) (But so is a man to say, "Here am I Lord, send me.")
(10). She does what she can, however humble the task (Mk 14:8) (But so should a man do everything with humility. Can you even imagine the opposite: "I will NOT change the baby's diaper, I'm a MAN!").
(11). She shares the good news of the Gospel(Acts 21:9) (But so does a man share the good news).
(12). She participates in mentoring and discipleship (Acts 18:26) (But so does a man disciple others).
(13). She accepts God-given boundaries and recognizes the authorities mandated by Scripture (I Tm 2:9-15) (But so should a man accept God-given boundaries, and interestingly, the boundaries in this I Tm 2:9-15 text, which include "women should not adorn themselves with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, etc . . ." are not even mentioned by Mrs. Patterson in her article, with good reason, as I will show momentarily).
I cannot think of one professing Christian, or one evangelical, or even one Southern Baptist who would disagree with the above Biblical paradigm. It basically describes all Christians - both men and women - except in the specific area of child-birth.
Imagine if this were the actual paradigm within the Southern Baptist Convention. Can you imagine the cooperation among married women and single women? Can you envision the acceptance and love among working women and stay-at-home moms? Can you grasp the cooperative nature of families where men stay at home and raise the kids while mom works, and those families where mom stays at home with the kids and dad works? It would seem to me that in the above paradigm all Southern Baptists would be accepted as cooperative, evangelical Southern Baptists.
But Mrs. Patterson allows a few sentences in her article to reveal the true desires of those who wish a uniform "paradigm" for womanhood within our Convention - a "paradigm" that exceeds the Scriptures. It is a paradigm built on personal, cultural and comfortable convictions regarding women that some Southern Baptist conservatives, including Dorothy Patterson, wish to enforce on all others. Allow me to explain. Dorothy says that "evangelicals" propose a "biblical" feminism that is detrimental. She writes:
"The ever-confusing "double speak," even in the church, is an effort to accomodate the corporate agenda coming from spiraling feminism and the personal whims arising out of a postmodern culture." Dorothy Patterson, from paragraph one in "Is There a Biblical Paradigm for Womanhood?"
I would like to ask Mrs. Patterson a few questions about her statement above. Where in the biblical paradigm you delineate for us is a prohibition for a woman to work in a corporation or outside the home? Where in the biblical paradigm is there the possibility for "double speak" in the church? What Christian would ever disagree with your (13) descriptive qualifiers of the "Biblical Paradigm or Womanhood?" Could it be that what some Southern Baptists disagree with you over is not the biblical paradigm, but your cultural and personal paradigm you wish to enforce on all women?
"Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary must equip women to . . . disciple women for Kingdom service." Dorothy Patterson, from paragraph four in "Is There a Biblical Paradigm for Womanhood?"
Again, I would like to ask a few questions of Mrs. Patterson. I commend you for desiring women to teach women, but where do you and your husband assume that a woman cannot teach a man? You have done a great job teaching in this article yourself, but what causes your discomfort for a woman to teach a man Hebrew at your seminary? What causes you angst over a woman discipling a man in the things of God? Is it number (13) in your "paradigm" above? Are you basing your views the specific role of women, as vague and unspoken as they are in your article, on I Timothy 2:9-15, a passage that also seems to prohibit women from wearing "pearls," "gold," or "braids" in their hair? Could it be that the proper interpretation of this passage can only be arrived at when understanding the culture in which Timothy found himself at the time? In other words, do you believe that the only true interpretation of this I Timothy text is that a woman cannot ever teach or ever have "authority" over a man whether it be in culture, the church or the home? Is that your view? If so, just say it. If not, then I think you must allow for differing interpretations of this text. Interestingly, you yourself refrain from defining the boundaries of I Timothy 2:9-15 in your article. If they were important, it would seem to me that you would have listed them in your "paradigm."
Inconsistency #3
"Every woman serious about selfless service to Christ must ferret out the divinely appointed design from the Creator Himself even if that prototype does not appear palatable to contemporary standards and agendas." Dorothy Patterson, from the last paragraph, "Is There a Biblical Paradigm for Womanhood?"
The SWBTS news magazine goes on to profile women at Southwestern, including Mrs. Patterson, who are all homemakers, married, and committed to raising children in the home while the husband makes the living. I enjoyed reading all the profiles and commend each woman for following God's design for her life.
However, these Southern Baptist Theological Seminary women, including Mrs. Patterson, need to realize that there are some Southern Baptist women who are divorced or single, some Southern Baptist women who are living as a single-parents raising their kids alone, some Southern Baptist married women who work outside the home while raising their children as well, and some Southern Baptist women who are are missionaries, teachers, and corporate officers with authority over men - and they all are fulfilling God's design for their lives. I commend these women for following God's design for their life just as much as I commend the SWBTS women who stay at home, raising kids, while their husbands preach.
And, I have Scripture on my side as I commend both groups. The biblical paradigm for womanhood Mrs. Patterson gave in her article is fulfilled by each of the categories of women listed above. It seems to me that the real cultural dilemma going on in the Southern Baptist Convention is the pushing upon all women an extra-Biblical paradigm for women that reflects the 1950's "Leave It to Beaver" model of womanhood and has nothing to do with Scripture, but everything to do with middle class America a generation ago. Southern Baptists must learn that to believe in the inerrant, infallible, sufficient Scripture is the ability to lay aside all cultural biases and follow Scripture alone.
I believe Mrs. Patterson has been clearer in previous years regarding her personal convictions about womanhood. For instance, in the article she wrote in 2001 entitled Lies vs. Truth: The Question is Biblical Womanhood, she argues for Convention wide acceptance of her interpretations of I Timothy 2:9-15. I'm hoping that Mrs. Patterson's vagueness about her personal convictions regarding women in the SWBTS Fall 2008 newsletter reflects a more cooperative spirit with other Southern Baptists who do not share her personal convictions that exceed the clear biblical paradigm of womanhood. I hope so. However, if Mrs. Patterson's article is simply a subterfuge to hide the real paradigm for women that is held by Fundamentalists in our Convention, then I have a prediction to make. If we as a Convention do not resist demands that all Southern Baptist conform to an extra-biblical paradigm of womanhood, a paradigm that is often passed off as "biblical," we will find our growth and influence in the kingdom of Christ diminished for decades to come.
195 comments:
I just do not understand why Mrs. PP thinks she speaks for so many Baptist women. Her life and financial status is so different than most. It is great that she does not have to work, but most women do not have that luxury.It is fine that she has her view but their is an alternative.
I sometimes wonder if Dorothy and Paige understand that their extra-biblical view of women is simply a cultural bias and personal conviction of Southern comfort.
Try having an American Indian woman in the 1800's, or a Chinese woman of this century, or an Egyptian woman of the 14th Century all live like Mrs. Cleaver.
It's not going to happen, not because those women can't fulfill the biblical requirements of womanhood, but because the women mentioned above don't live in the cultural climate of Mrs. Cleaver - or Mrs. Patterson.
Those who are pushing the idea of subordination of women to men in general may find out the hard way that if you keep pushing someone down they eventually push back. The good ole boy SBC leadership network has for years been able to use the label of "liberal" to dismiss and marginalize those who disagreed with them, when there weren't really many true liberals around to begin with. But if they continue to try to marginalize at least 50% of the membership of the churches (that is, the women; more likely well over 50%), sooner or those "powers that be" will discover they don't have nearly the power they think they have.
I wonder what steps Dr. (Mr.) Patterson took to ensure that no men would read this article by Dr. (Mrs.) Patterson and possibly be taught something about Biblical languages or doctrine? We know that it's very important to him that no woman teach a man such things, right?
The Surgeon General is kind enough to put warning labels on cigarettes to inform us that smoking them is hazardous to our health. It would be nice if Dr. (Mr.) Patterson prefaced his wife's article with something like, "Warning: This article was written by a woman and contains teaching on Scriptural truth and Biblical languages and as such could be harmful to a man's spiritual health."
Dog gone it, Wade -- you went and quoted her and I learned something from her, too. I feel a need to go take a shower and wash all this female instruction off! :)
When I first saw the magazine I was afraid I would not manage to get through the articles without either laughing or getting sick. When I actually read them I surprised myself by doing neither. Yet I do come close to the latter when I allow myself to think about the many people who are misled by such teaching. So many women turn from Jesus because some of His followers tell them He loves them less than men.
What is the difference between Mrs. Patterson’s teaching in her article and standing before a group and teaching? Obviously men will read the article, and possibly learn from it. Though I suppose there are some who would notice it was written by a woman and refuse to read it.
All the “women’s academic programs” listed concern teaching women. Is this the limit? I didn’t take the time to check their catalog to see if women were allowed any more in any other program, such as music. But it sounds like men can teach men or women but women are limited in ministry to other women only. One woman profiled who plans to minster to college students had to find a church large enough to have separate programs for male and female college students.
I guess if these people had their way, when I visit the hospital as a volunteer chaplain I should only visit the women patients. When I pray in a church service, should the men be warned to close their ears? Or is it ok if I cover my head (I Cor. 11)- sorry, I usually don’t.
I noticed that 1 Timothy 2:9-15 is quoted. (One seldom sees verse 8 quoted nearly as often though they are related, since verse 9 says “I also want...”) Yet on the cover women are pictured wearing gold and many pearls. Should we be glad that at least none of them have braided hair? (Also, the baby has a pacifier in her mouth, but I won’t argue that issue in this blog.) Mrs. Patterson wears gold in her pictures, though I guess she should be commended for only gold and no pearls or braided hair!
Wade, you say that all conservative evangelicals agree on the equality of men and women before God. Obviously they do not. If they did, they would not place the restrictions on women that they do. It’s like the saying: some are more equal than others.
There’s a lot more I’d like to say about the article and the whole issue of the magazine but I’ve said enough for now.
Ultimately economic demands will force the Patterson(s) to change their thinking ... and the same with their followers.
Compared to the 50's to 80's, the work force in the world has changed (for the better). Women are asked to work to help families raise their standard of living. I praise the women and men, who can afford to stay at home and take care of their family. But not all can do this.
Also, it's a shame to not utilize the talents of more than 50% of the population. So much intellectual power is wasted, when one follows the Patterson(s). I mean, by sticking to their version of the roles of men and women in Church and society.
In the end, economic forces will play a major role to alter their thinking.
As usual, Wade does a great job of deconstructing the issue. He does the work and allows us to conclude that this is just another example of the "leadership" of the SBC trying to impose their own unscriptural agenda on everyone else.
How I resisted Mrs. Patterson's influence (and Dr. Patterson's indirect influence): I put my copy of this magazine, received as a '93 grad of SWBTS, directly into the trashcan upon its arrival--without even cracking it open.
What is clear is: SWBTS is a poorer academic institution--theologically and otherwise--now than it was 15 or more years ago. I won't support it in any way, though I graduated from it, until it returns to the sanity its students and staff enjoyed there in those days. For now, I steer potential students elsewhere--and to none of the SBC's seminaries.
And, as if it were important to mention: if I'm not mistaken, it was Mrs. Dilday who wasn't employed outside her home--not Mrs. Patterson. It seems that Mrs. Patterson actually could learn a few things about becoming a biblical woman and wife from Mrs. Dilday.
While you triumph a supposed check mate against Mrs. Patterson with the statements against her as "extra biblical" and "personal preferences, convictions and cultural comforts regarding women" and for yourself "I have Scripture on my side", I have one observation. Several comments in the section, yours included, infer that the interpretation will change as culture shifts. Statements such as:
"Leave It to Beaver" model of womanhood and has nothing to do with Scripture, but everything to do with middle class America a generation ago.
and
In the end, economic forces will play a major role to alter their thinking.
If indeed culture is our interpretive grid then what other sections of scripture change with the times?
You wrote: "However, these Southern Baptist Theological Seminary women, including Mrs. Patterson, need to realize that there are some Southern Baptist women who are divorced or single, some Southern Baptist women who are living as a single-parents raising their kids alone,"
From a position of comfort and security, no Christian woman or man can ever sit in judgment on women who must struggle in this world to care for their children and for ill spouses, with meager support from others.
The agenda the Patterson(s) are bringing to Christians are extra-biblical and their personal preferences. Except, they would like the rest of the Christians to follow their thinking. And they seem to be forcing it on others.
I think from an apologetic point of view, people see an issue and try to find a solution. Many times the solotion is not a biblical one, but rather our tendency is to become Pharisaical. I think in many ways SB leaders see problems in the American home...real problems. Children are neglected and not being disciples. The "obvious" cause is that mom's no longer are with the children, thus the "obvious" answer is that the place for the woman is in the home. How can we convince the convention this is the solution? We can tell them it is a biblical one. This is only one problem among many I think the leadership is trying to address by making their womanhood claims.
I will take exception….. The Mormons have successfully sequestered women and still do. Economics have not pressured Mormon women into the workplace and they “still know where their place is”….
Two items;
Wade, In your listed Paradigm and comments….. Didn’t Jesus exhibit each of these and ask all of us to do so as well?
Also, Jesus lived his life as an example of God’s desires, if the placement of women is as the SBC proclaims it then, why didn’t Jesus marry Mary Magdalene? Or did he? The SBC should investigate this…. Oh yea, the SBC protested the da vinci code movie… Heck, now I am confused….
I really am perplexed as to why any Believer would want anything named after them? Luther was correct in not wanting a group to call themselves by his name and I sure wouldn't want anyone to say: "Hey I'll meet you at the Native Vermonter Center for ________ (insert joke here).
I do have one question. I tend to believe as you, but haven't been able to reconcile one issue to my satisfaction. While many claim the 1 Timothy 2 scripture prohibiting women from adorning themselves as strictly cultural, I've heard complimentarians argue for 2:12's validity today since its reinforced by an appeal to scripture in 2:13. How do you deal with this?
Side note....I have no ulterior motive. I'm honestly seeking the opinion of someone I respect.(isn't it sad I feel the need to say that?)
If we as a Convention do not resist demands that all Southern Baptist conform to an extra-biblical paradigm of womanhood, a paradigm that is often passed off as "biblical," we will find our growth and influence in the kingdom of Christ diminished for decades to come.
The danger you point to, Wade, is surprising given the purpose of the Conservative Resurgence: to re-establish the Bible as the source of consistent doctrine and practice. It is disturbing to me that it is necessary to warn the leaders of the CR against the practice of reading into the Bible what they want it to say. This goes for pretty much all of the recent activities that you've complained about or even that they complained to you about.
I think specifically about the hedging of the neo-Law that goes with the arguments against drinking any form of alcohol. There simply is no biblical prohibition against it and Peter and others concoct a fabrication that the wine Jesus created and drank was non-alcoholic in support of a position of abstinence. Honestly, Akin's arguments on the subject remain the best in part because he argues so strenuously from the position of wisdom rather than from the position of law.
And that is the essence of the New Testament, to be honest. God showed with the theocracy based on Law (first through Moses, then through judges, then through kings) is inherent ineffective as long as we put our primary focus on the Law and not on the Law-giver. So Jesus came to show that the desire of God's heart is that we be conformed to the life Jesus led: not one of rule fulfillment but one of true convenant relationship.
That covenant is a spiritual one and not a material one. It does have the same notion of material sacrifice that is implicit in the Law--i.e. our hearts aren't fully "in covenant" with God if they're also in covenant with material goods and money. But for whatever reason, Spirit-inspired Paul wrote that all is lawful for him while also noting that all is not gainful/good.
I very much see the faith walk as a matter of growing up men and women of God not who seek to find rules to impose on themselves and on others but as a pilgrimage of grace and of wisdom. The grace is necessary for when we act without wisdom. The wisdom that we gradually accrue over time proves the wisdom of the gift grace itself: that rules don't conform a person to Christ Jesus, but instead the Holy Spirit does that.
I celebrate Dorothy Patterson's effort to "ferret out" of Scripture clear meaning. It is truly wonderful when we speculatively try to apply the meaning of Scripture to our own lives in an act of faith and obedience. And there is nothing either sinister nor wrong about the act of theological speculation itself and the attempt to pragmatically apply that speculation. There have been many times God has led me to some neat (and sometimes magnificent) insights through that process.
But we must regard speculation as what it is: an attempt to read past what is "on the page" to some deeper meaning. It borders on gnosticism when you then systematize that speculation into rules that others must follow and that act itself is a repudiation of the very principles of the Conservative Resurgence that her husband and others so proudly led.
Let's get back to the Bible, indeed and in deed. Let's allow the kind of speculation that permits the Holy Spirit to interact with those who truly seek for deep understanding. But let's not systematize it to the point that we violate biblical injunctions about adding to the weight on "the people" or against adding to the proscriptions and punishments of Scripture itself.
I'm going to diverge from the politically correct diatribe and give Mrs. Patterson some support.
I think the least preached verse in the Bible is Titus 2:5.
I also think it is a shame to trot out culture and economics as somehow forcing women into the work force. Those married with healthy husbands women who choose to work outside the home (and those who don't) do just that--they choose.
It saddens me to see "women's issues" all rolled up into one ball. It is totally possible to have women as teachers, and as pastors, and still hold that woman has a specific responsibility beyond childbirth in the family.
The greater issue, as I see it, is not equal rights for women. Rather, it is equal responsibilities.
There are so many myths running amok in our world today, but I am going to state again:
It most emphatically does NOT take two paychecks for the average family to survive above poverty level. That has long been shown to be bunkum. The stay at home parent is not confined to upper economic levels.
The next myth is that housework and childcare is somehow not utilizing a woman's full talents or is somehow "less than" if she has a career.
The whole "unless women are allowed and supported in doing this or that they are being suppressed" often flows from those two myths. After all, if a "trained monkey" can do the traditional jobs of women, and if women are going to be starving en masse unless some Lincoln frees these slaves, it is really unChristian not to support women's rights.
But perhaps we should be thinking not of what is best for the men, or best for the women, but what is best for the children.
That means dad may have to shoulder the provider role EVEN IF he finds it means not taking the job he would love most, but the one best for his family.
That means mom may have to curtail her outside the home activities during the childrearing years EVEN IF that means society doesn't toss her as many bouquets for her "accomplishments."
It will probably mean less soccer teams, or cells phones, or suvs, or latte's, etc to make a happy life on one income.
And while I truly believe in equallity between the sexes, and that God can call whomever He chooses to do whatever job He wants them to do within the church, I find this article a very slippery slope.
Pastor Burleson's wife has chosen to have a career outside the home, so we are being treated to the denigration of a woman who disagrees with that. Plain and simple.
And the truly frightening part is this: if we explain away this part of the Bible as "oh that was just about THEIR culture", how do we answer the drunkard when they explain away the scriptural "be not drunk with wine." How do we answer the homosexual when they choose to explain that prohibition as "just cultural"? Do we explain away baptism, tithing, the idea of pastors in general, meeting together as believers, or any other tenet of the faith as cultural?
Let's keep the issues clear and simple:
It is possible to believe that in Jesus men and women are equals and both should have true economic freedom as well as true equallity in the church and still believe that there are specific roles lauded in the Bible.
WOMEN can be and do anything. MEN can be and do anything. WIVES AND MOTHERS have specific roles delineated by scripture. HUSBANDS AND FATHERS have specific roles delineated by scripture.
This time I strongly disagree with Pastor Wade that this is an extra-biblical view of women or "is simply a cultural bias and personal conviction of Southern comfort." As to American Indian women in the 1880's, etc, are we to assume Christianity never reforms culture?
I disagree with Mrs. Patterson that her ideas are hard to discern in scripture without some exalted leader to teach us.
We need to be very clear here: it is possible to believe in both equallity for all and specific roles without bowing at the altar of subordination of women.
I wonder what will happen to the, more than capable, women who write for LifeWay. This quarters Bible Studies for Life series have the following women listed.
Amy Summers gives bible commentary interactive elements for this quarter. Amy lives in NC and is a graduate of SWBTS.
Lisa Marino wrote the teaching plans for this quarter. She is over the women's ministry at a church in TN.
I hope mentioning this does not cause them to lose their gift to write for us.
I also wonder if those fundamentalist out there will stop using LifeWay material or demand that the stuff written by "females" be shown so it can be overlooked by real godly men. (sarcasm intended in this paragraph)
I, personally, find nothing in Wade's post which states or implies that culture is the "interpretive grid" for understanding scripture. The paradigmatic points are character-related issues. Each individually, and all together, may be upheld and honored and followed (as delineated) by any woman in any cultural/societal/familial position (and, as Bro. Wade showed, by any man...). It is not culture acting as the interpretive grid for scripture, it is scripture acting as the interpretive grid for the life of faith for God's people in Christ.
I have read your comments twice, and I'm still not sure what you are saying. Does the Bible mandate that a married woman with children should be a stay-at-home mom or not?
Before you think I am a proponent of career women, let me say that I gave up my career before I ever had children. My oldest is in college, and I am still a homemaker. Just because I have chosen to stay at home doesn't mean I would superimpose my personal decisions on anyone else.
I would like to focus on your remark that Titus 2:5 is the least preached verse in the Bible. My pastor preached on this verse recently as he is going through Titus line by line. So does being a "keeper at home" mean that a woman cannot work outside the home or that she should not have a career that detracts from her family's best interests?
Now that women in the professional ranks at SWBTS have been put in their place (Dr. Klouda), I'm wondering if the secretaries should be worried about their positions. After all, if they are married and have children they should be at home, according to Dorothy Patterson (aka the Hat Lady). On second thought, maybe all the secretaries at SWBTS are either single women or better yet men!
And I guess we shouldn't have any female school teachers either. The ones I know have the same schedule as their children, but they should send their kids off to school each day and just stay at home by themselves? That doesn't make any sense!
I know there are women who have abandoned their families in order to climb the corporate ladder, but many working women have not. I resent this legalistic, narrow-minded misinterpretation of Scripture, and I simply will not stand for it!
Need I remind everyone of the Proverbs 31 woman? She was a shrewd business woman, even though some would argue that she was a worker at home. Go back and read this passage again!
I hope Cindy K. is reading this post and if so, I have a question for her. Don't you think that Doug Phillips and the Hat Lady are in collusion? After all, Mrs. Patterson endorsed a Vision Forum book that I would rather not name which addresses this topic.
I believe Paul has quite a bit to say in Galatians about what is going on here. In Galatians 1:6-7 (NASB), Paul writes:
"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ."
I love the beginning words of Galatians 3:1:
"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?"
The SBC is being bewitched by the Pattersons and others, and it's time we faced up to this fact. They no longer preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but a different gospel. It's the Gospel PLUS the subordination of women, which is unbiblical!
If we buy that the only consensus Statement of Faith we have .. the Baptist Faith and Message .. represents what Baptist believe (including the preamble), than we also buy that fact that nobody speaks for nobody. Except perhaps a "corporate spokesman" who is expressing the voted and stated will of the convention.
Other than that, I can assure you that Dr. Patterson doesn't speak for me, and Mrs. Patterson doesn't speak for Peggy.
Particularly that last part. :)
Perhaps the real deal is she IS speaking, and people seem to be listening.
I think culture absolutely does affect scripture's interpretation. If not, then why DO we allow women to wear jewelry and fancy hair. And why not go back to all the OT laws and practices found in Leviticus, etc.?
This is a 3rd tier issue that divides unnecessarily. it is only elevated to a primary concern by those who don't get their way.
I AM saying that a WIFE AND MOTHER should be tending to her family rather than pursuing a career.
I AM saying there are hard choices to be made. You will note I was referring to wives with healthy husbands. Single women and women who's husbands CANNOT support them will be in the workforce--and should expect equallity.
As for Proverbs 31, it clearly reads not as a woman in the workforce but rather as a woman who's homemaking responsibilites include financial matters.
So I say it again: it is possible to be every whit a feminist in the belief in equallity in the workplace and still believe in scripturally taught roles for both men and women.
So, yes, my understanding of Titus 2 is that the ideal for a wife and mother is to be at home.
Not all mother's are wives--so some will be in the workforce. On that I agree.
Some husbands are disabled--so the wife will be in the workforce. On that I agree.
Some women will not marry--so they need to be in the workforce. On that I agree.
But it is diningenuous to imply that holding to the traditional roles for men and women in the family is at odds with holding to equallity.
It is possible to do both.
And culture is driving the feminist movement far more than it drove the "traditional" view of the family.
I also wonder if those fundamentalist out there will stop using LifeWay material or demand that the stuff written by "females" be shown so it can be overlooked by real godly men. (sarcasm intended in this paragraph)
Wed Oct 15, 11:59:00 AM 2008
Sir, complementarians do not deserve sarcasm simply because of their theological position, or to be treated as if they are ungodly. Some are ungodly I'm sure, as are some egalitarians. Some can reject women writers in Lifeway material and do so with a clear conscience and irenic spirit.
It's very possible that the egalitarian perspective is correct, and that my own view (complementarianism) is wrong. I will have to study both sides, seeing that I respect people on both sides of the issue. And though I doubt it, I might even change my mind, who knows?
Perhaps the leading entertainment value in observing "churchy" people in different cultures is discovering how they substitute their cultural values, prejudices, or sentimentality for religious practice or Scriptures. SBC'ers are practiced at finding this sort of thing in Catholics or Jews, but modern-day fusions of personal preference into religion are oh-so-much-more fun!
Thanks for your clarification. I thought you were leaning in that direction, but I wanted to be certain.
I agree with what you have written for MYSELF, but I know many Christian women who balance careers and their families beautifully. For example, my younger daughter attends a Christian school, and there are many wives/mothers serving as teachers and staff. As a stay-at-home mom, I will not sit in judgment of them. They are fulfilling their call in Titus 2:5, and anyone who would disagree is a LEGALIST.
This is a dangerous mindset for a Christian in our fallen world. I'm sure that Dorothy Patterson's next mantra will be that all mothers should be homeschooling their children.
I'm sorry, but I just can't agree with you. This is a judgmental attitude that I simply cannot accept.
OK, that's fair by me. I can't help but think my opinion is the correct one and others are welcome to it. :) But you're right, this isn't a first-tier issue at all. The irony of all of this is that Christ is at times overshadowed by the very conflict waged in His name (at least, I've been guilty of that).
"However, if Mrs. Patterson's article is simply a subterfuge to hide the real paradigm for women that is held by Fundamentalists in our Convention, then I have a prediction to make. If we as a Convention do not resist demands that all Southern Baptist conform to an extra-biblical paradigm of womanhood, a paradigm that is often passed off as "biblical," we will find our growth and influence in the kingdom of Christ diminished for decades to come."
Wade,
This was an excellent article.
This is exactly what I have been thinking about the True Woman Conference that I just attended. We wouldn't disagree with anything said there (some minor quibbles, maybe) but all the talk about God raising up an army to be "counter-cultural" has me thinking that we haven't heard the rest of the story about the pardadigm for all women in all times in all cultures in all circumstances and all of it based on one's own personal and cultural biases.
You are also right about trying to put the grid of Patterson's paradigm for biblical womanhood over a woman from another culture. Just won't work. And if it doesn't work, then there is something wrong with the paradigm, not with the woman we are trying to place under our personal grid.
"The Surgeon General is kind enough to put warning labels on cigarettes to inform us that smoking them is hazardous to our health. It would be nice if Dr. (Mr.) Patterson prefaced his wife's article with something like, "Warning: This article was written by a woman and contains teaching on Scriptural truth and Biblical languages and as such could be harmful to a man's spiritual health." "
Justa believer,
LOL! This was great and very true.
Now, would you come and wipe the Diet Coke off of my computer screen? ;-)
"This is a dangerous mindset for a Christian in our fallen world. I'm sure that Dorothy Patterson's next mantra will be that all mothers should be homeschooling their children. "
Wanda,
Doesn't she already teach that Christian women should not use birth control? No birth control is part and parcel with homeschooling, especially because, in most circumstances, private schools is out of the question.
I am asking this as a pro-life, conservative, homeschool mom of 10 albeit "liberal" and "white-washed feminist" in some of my brother's and sister's eyes simply because I have disagree with their own paradigm for biblical womanhood.
I think if you use the grid used to show both man and women are equal as Wade does and then he assumes X, he has now moved to allow a cultural interpretive grid. You can make Wade's same argument for children too. That said, shall we allow the children to do all they please? If so my 11 year old would like to pastor your church for your pay, or Wade's. What would be wrong with that. He is called, surrendered to this calling in the church and has demonstrated God's anointing on his life, besides, economics as they are, it would really help our family unit out. And to top it all he studies and can preach. Need I add the verse "no one should despise his youth?" If I take the argument to it's full conclusion, then I can reasonably land here without much effort. And I could give a watershed of scripture references to boot.
I have an offer for you if you will accept. I have been wanting to hear from someone who attended The True Woman Conference. Your assessment of the Conference sounds like what mine would be. I love and admire those who put it on, and would never disagree with their view of Scripture, Christ and God's grace. However, I keep thinking there is something unspoken that I'm missing. A paradigm that extends beyond what is publicly stated.
Here's my offer. I would like you to evaluate The True Woman Conference and its purpose. Then, if you would allow, I would like others to hear from you by posting it on this blog on Friday for the weekend. I realize that you may not be able to do this, and if you cannot, I understand.
I like your spirit - and I think you are able to articulate for others what I've been saying maybe even better than I since you are a true woman graced to teach others.
Wade beat me to it. And you've lost me on "if you use the grid used to show both man and women are equal as Wade does and then he assumes X, he has now moved to allow a cultural interpretive grid". Not sure what assumption "X" is, or how to use an undefined grid to prove the existence of a "cultural interpretive grid". I honestly think you and I would agree more than disagree (I'm a member in a similar organization in TX), I just don't see this post going where you say it leads.And, no, you needn't add 1 Tim. 4.12 because it doesn't fit the situation.
Linda: You say that it is acceptable for a single mother, or a woman whose husband is not healthy to work, yet wouldn't their children supposedly suffer the same fate as those whose women choose to work? This is what I am having a difficult time with...it seems like double standards.
BTW It was culture that first began to change slavery. MLK appealed to the culture. He also was the culture. I don't think all culture is wrong. And that would include with women today. It's not wrong to change with culture as long as it does not go against scripture.
Why would it be so difficult to embrace those who choose to be at home such as you and I or working women? And I do believe that there are many times in this economy that one needs two paychecks to avoid poverty.
By the way,many women have always worked outside the home throughout history, so did children(which never should be), the working conditions for them were terrible. There was debtors prison. This was all changed not by the church, but by culture.
My point is, if the intrinsic value is in the being, then why place those other parameters (intellectual abilities, creativeness, character qualities or understanding of Christian fidelity) on my son. Are we not both arguing for greater grace here? If not, then those parameters are not the basis or the criteria from which we judge equality. Linda I think displayed the problem also. When you put other issues in the pot (Ms. Clever and economics) to make your point, then it is true you are now using something outside of scripture to grid your interpretation and guide your conclusions. Does not this make you just as guilty as the one you critiqued? It seems to me if I have read you correctly, that I can place any myriad of beings with the same value in the way you have formulated your critique of Ms Patterson (adding your man equation) and conclude countless other things (which is my X). As for a women compared to a small child, clever don’t you say. Does grace argue for value in being or ability? I just read your critique as circular reasoning applied to make a point. Much in the way I’m making mine. Anyway, interesting read. Gota run-
Ahhhhh…I was getting ready to let Linda have it with both barrels, but Wade went and spoiled it all with him saying, “We should accept people from all viewpoints.”
First I was going to challenge her saying, “I think the least preached verse in the Bible is Titus 2:5.”
The background of this verse is Paul telling Titus to teach the older women to teach the younger women: (verse 5) “to be sensible and clean minded, spending their time in their own homes, being kind and obedient to their husbands, so that the Christian faith can’t be spoken against by those who know them.” (Living Bible)
Verse 5 is so popular with the CR group; it’s given as a reference for the new BFM that says:
“A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ…to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.”
BTW, my daughter-in-law agrees completely with this statement as she helps her husband while providing the income as he home schools their five (three born in Jerusalem) sons.
I was going to challenge Linda or anyone if they’ve heard a sermon or a SS lesson on Acts 15:10, 28, which says:
“So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentiles believers with a yoke that neither we are our ancestors were able to bear?” (Verse 10 NLT)
“For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision, and ours, to put no greater burden on you than these necessary things:” (Verse 28 Holman Bible)
The ‘inerrant people’ must look at one of these verses as an “illusion”, while I see the Bible recording perfectly two Christians expressing their different opinions. I believe one is expressing the views of God as he was taught by Jesus, and one is expressing the views of man from tradition. But I’m called a non-Bible believer by the CR bunch.
You wrote: "But perhaps we should be thinking not of what is best for the men, or best for the women, but what is best for the children."
Thank you. I agree whole heartedly. If my niece Lindsay had not been university-trained and a ROTC participant, then she could not have helped the children in Iraq as a Navy nurse. Women there do not want themselves or their children to be seen by American male doctors.
But the female Navy nurses are very popular with the population. My niece will someday follow her father into the practice of medicine as an M.D. In the meantime, she IS helping the children in Iraq and she is very much a good-will ambassador for our country. If Linds had 'listened' to the far-far-right teachings of ultra submissiveness; so many of her little patients would have gone untreated. She developed her GOD-GIVEN SKILLS and she now she serves children and the Lord. Fortunately, as a child, Linds was never exposed to the extreme fundamentalist far-right kind of thinking. She was brought up in the Church by her parents and received her Christian education in the Methodist faith.
I wonder, how many 'Christian' women out there have thought that, just maybe, it is a great insult to God, NOT to develop their own gifts in service to others? Particulary to the children: in education, in medical fields, child psychology and child psychiatry, recreational, the arts, and, yes, in the Church. Especially, in the Church, which nurtures young souls.
The fundamentalists seek to sacrifice to the God again: this time they will lay on the altar God's gifts to women: unused, to be returned and for what? So that men can look and act superior? That is very sad. Does God really want that sacrifice? ??????
It is dismaying that so many people want to cast judgment on whether a mother should hold outside employment. This is a decision best left to a husband and wife, those who know better than anyone the factors involved. Good parents will consider all relevant factors: Economic circumstances, number of hours worked, type of job, and the quality of care that will be afforded the children. Having been a stay-at-home mom, a part-time working mom and a full-time working mom I have a perspective on each. The decision for me to work was a joint decision made by my husband and me; we did not feel the need to consult Dorothy Patterson.
In whatever circumstances I was in, I always tried to be compassionate toward mothers who were making other choices. For example, as a stay-at-home mom, I provided child care for mothers who worked. They were working out of economic necessity and I tried to help ease their mind by knowing that their children were being cared for by someone who loved them and would treat them as she would her own children.
Now that my children are in college and my financial circumstances are much better, I make sure I support the children’s ministry in my church. I try to give generously to things such as children’s camp scholarships, knowing that young families may struggle to provide these blessings for their children. I also teach pre-school and volunteer in the nursery so that young mothers can sit for an hour with adults.
How ironic that my 2009 Vision Forum Family Catalog arrived in the mail this afternoon, just in time to order for Christmas! (For those of you who don't have a clue what I'm talking about, please bear with me as I direct my comments to my wonderful homeschooling friend Corrie).
As I mentioned to you a few weeks ago, I used to homeschool but stopped in the spring of 1999. After all these years, I'm still on the VF mailing list! I have never ordered anything from Vision Forum, and I never will. The catalog always winds up in the recycling bin.
I flipped through the VF catalog looking for the book you mentioned -- Housewives Desperate for God -- and there it is on page 26! Here is one of the endorsements printed on that page:
"Passionate Housewives Desperate for God provides the bookends for the life of . . . the Proverbs 31 'woman of strength.'"
Yes, Miss Dorothy is one of the key endorsers of this book published by Vision Forum. I'm curious -- was this book offered at the True Woman '08 Conference you recently attended?
Over the last two months I have done extensive research on Vision Forum, Doug Phillips, Voddie Baucham, the Botkin sisters, and Paige and Dorothy Patterson, among other things. I have come to the conclusion that there are strong ties between these individuals. Through this research, I believe God has given me a glimpse into the direction the SBC is headed if we don't sound the alarm! We aren't going back to the 1950's -- we're headed back to the 1800's!!!
I want to encourage others to do their own research. For example, I have read So Much More by the Botkin sisters (also published by VF and offered in this catalog), and what they are touting in their book is frightening! Daughters are to be their father's "helpmeet" until they get married. (I thought that was the role of the wife). Girls are to be homeschooled and not to attend college because they will be defiled by being in a corrupt environment. And when these daughters are "betrothed" and get married, they are to have a quiverful of children at which time these housewives will truly become DESPERATE!
Now I know why God prompted me to do that research. It all makes sense to me now.
You wrote about the Botkin sisters views: "Girls are to be homeschooled and not to attend college because they will be defiled by being in a corrupt environment. And when these daughters are "betrothed" and get married, they are to have a quiverful of children at which time these housewives will truly become DESPERATE!"
Wanda, what was the name of that seriously mentally-ill woman who drowned her five children? At one time, she was an educated normal woman. She and husband got involved in a far-right fundamentalist religion with all the bells and whistles: home-school, stay-at-home, lots of children, submission, on and on.
After the tragedy, the woman and her husband were shown on TV. She was totaled. He, by contrast, appeared calm, serene, and detached. (My opinion.)
I remember how, even at work, some women wanted her to be charged and imprisoned or worse: they were furious that she 'couldn't handle it' and broke down big-time, and they wanted her punished.
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her familyand portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable,and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her householdand does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
I've never seen how this fits with a modern-day America stay at home mom model. (Nothing against those; my dear wife is one.) Some key words and phrases indicate a pretty significant amount of time outside the home engaging in business: "brings food from afar", "provides", "buys it" (a field), "her earnings", "her trading is profitable", "sells them" (garments), "supplies merchants", etc.
Sounds like a busy lady! I wouldn't be surprised if some female CEOs (or state governors) get to spend more time at home than this lady did!
I had the best of both worlds: as a teacher with six years of university training, I worked full-time, ten months a year during the hours that my own children were in school.
Then, I had summers at home with my children. And with ALL the neighbors' children: friends of my son, Joel. My pool was always full; my refrigerator was mostly empty (hungry little kids).Pizza boxes were always stacked to the ceiling; three-liter bottles of soda everywhere; hot-dogs on the grill, and tons of kids running to me for band-aids, ice-cream cones, and a clean towel for swimming. Exhausting!!!
Oh my goodness.
DURING THOSE DAYS, HOW WAS I TO KNOW THAT THESE WOULD BE THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF MY LIFE?
Thanks for reminding us of what Proverbs 31 actually says by including the text on Wade's blog. It's obvious that Linda and I interpret this passage of Scripture very differently because Linda said:
"As for Proverbs 31, it clearly reads not as a woman in the workforce but rather as a woman who's homemaking responsibilites include financial matters."
I agree with your comment about Proverbs 31:
"I've never seen how this fits with a modern-day America stay at home mom model. . . Some key words and phrases indicate a pretty significant amount of time outside the home engaging in business: "brings food from afar", "provides", "buys it" (a field), "her earnings", "her trading is profitable", "sells them" (garments), "supplies merchants", etc. Sounds like a busy lady! I wouldn't be surprised if some female CEOs (or state governors) get to spend more time at home than this lady did!"
Women through the ages have ALWAYS worked. When we were an agrarian society, women worked alongside their husbands. I believe the stay-at-home mom is a fairly new phenomenon.
"Once, she (Dorothy Patterson) said she would obey her husband even when he was wrong. Her reasoning was when HE stood before the Lord HE would have to answer for HIM being wrong and not her since she was ‘submissive’."
Mara Reid said:
"Rex, if that didn't work for Sapphira in Acts chapter 5, what makes Dorothy think it will work for her in the 21st century church?"
L's Gran,
Mara's response is the BEST I have read! The Bible clearly addresses the issue of a wife's obedience to her husband even when he's DEAD WRONG. May we all, including Mrs. Patterson, learn an extremely important lesson from Sapphira!
Where would Hannah fit into this sahm scenerio when she did not raise her son...past what age?
I believe we are to minister to our children and raise them in the fear of the Lord. But much of what we are seeing taught today about husbands and children, which is extra biblical, is idolatry. Every man and woman is a follower of Christ first and foremost.
I do find the whole culture argument a bit hypocritical. We do tend to idolize certain periods in history but we forget the realities, too. For example, in the Victorian world, if you were middle class and up, you sent your children AWAY to be educated. EVen Christians did and missionaries, too! The poor children worked and were not educated. If we stay with this view that we are interpreting scripture through the lens of culture and that is bad, then were those things ok...even slavery must be ok?
Most people do not know that Vision Forum and others believe that women should not vote. The husband votes for the family. So, was giving women the right to vote not biblical?
Where are all these feminists I keep hearing about? What exactly defines a feminist these days, anyway? I can't keep up. :o)
I'm so glad you are informed on the "voting" stance of Vision Forum. When I first discovered that women are not encouraged to vote by this crowd, I was shocked!
Since you mentioned "feminism", you must be aware that Doug Phillips and his ilk are extremely opposed to Sarah Palin. They call her a feminist every chance they get on Doug's Blog.
I have my own theory about their political leanings, and without going into detail, it has everything to do with the Constitution Party. The dominionists want to reign and rule someday. That's why they are promoting the quiverfull movement.
You wrote: "I have my own theory about their political leanings, and without going into detail, it has everything to do with the Constitution Party. The dominionists want to reign and rule someday. That's why they are promoting the quiverfull movement"
Hitler had a 'quiverfull' policy. He arranged camps for young women, where they would be impregnated and bring forth children for the Third Reich. His goal was to produce enough Germans to take control of the world.
The Dominists are interesting. They may have had a hand in what happened at the United States Air Force Academy where cadets were heavily proselytized by far-right 'Christian' groups. This became public when the father of one Jewish cadet reported the situation to the press. Apparently, when it was investigated, there had been a lot of impropriety on the part of far-right politicos posing as 'Christians'.
Do you see a comparison in the tactics of the 'hostile take-over' and the tactics of the Dominionists. It's there. Rather clearly the same type of tactics. Does not prove connection; but is an interesting comparison.
Some wonder if there is a connection of the Dominionists with 'Blackwater', the private army, established by a far-rightChristian. They now have jets that are 'stationed' at various points along the coasts of our nation. They do not answer to our president or our government.
When we have our first OPENLY 'Christian' far-right president, then we will see the Dominionists make their move on the national stage. I think they will start with the Supreme Court.Then, it will be VERY important to them that they destroy the Balance of Powers as we know it. Of course, the rights of women will be quickly marginalized. Preparations for the coming confrontation with democracy does include heavy concentration on training: 'following orders' of Authority as appointed by their 'god'. Sieg Heil.
Some people see the hand of the Dominionists in all the 'mis-haps' in our military's handling and transporting nuclear weaponry within our borders. Was someone testing to see what the response would be, when the story came out? Would people notice? Would people care? Who knows. Conjecture.
Is all of this simply conjecture on my part? No, a lot of people I know see signs that something is coming. You are right to be concerned.
L’s Gran,I like replying to you as you have an inquiring mind that reaches for truth.
Yes, Mrs. Patterson said she was always submissive to her husband even when he was wrong, and he would be the one accountable to God. The news that quoted her had a picture and guess what was on her head? You got it.
Mara Reid had a warning for Mrs. Patterson with the account of Sapphira in Acts 5.
CURIOUS,Hyacinth Bucket is a TV actor of an English lady on a comedy show “Keeping Up Appearances”. She has a hat for every occasion and is funny because she’s such a hypocrite.
Maybe a ‘hat’ carries the disease of that trait as Mrs. Patterson echoes her husband fighting women that teach men, but she has taught men in her SS class for many years.
Wanda,I started to post this and saw you had made a better comment than I about Mara Reid, but I’m still going to add my two cents.
"“So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentiles believers with a yoke that neither we are our ancestors were able to bear?” (Verse 10 NLT)"
The pharisees were wanting to enforce the law and circumcision on the new gentile converts.
Act 15:5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.
But after all had been heard James rules as follows with what we can all agree is minimal requirements for the new converts to maintain.
Act 15:19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, Act 15:20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
How do you view Eze 20:25?
Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, Eze 20:26 and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the LORD.
These learned pharisees had Ezekiel's writings didn't they? When they had been told that they were given rules and statutes that were not good and would not give life, why did they then insist on making the new converts comply?
Do you see any correlation between them and us today? Some say that all we have to do is believe and we are saved, with scripture to support it. Others say that we must obey the gospel and be holy. Insist that we follow every jot and tittle and argue fine theological points to find our way on the narrow path. Also with scripture to support it.
I guess I am just wondering out loud if anyone else finds the gospel any easier to obey than the jews found the law was in their day?
An interesting read is Matthew Henry's commentary on Acts 15. Grab a sandwich and cold drink and spend a little time here. A fascinating read that sounds real familiar and applicable to todays discussion.Matthew Henry
Maybe what we are missing is Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
"Some wonder if there is a connection of the Dominionists with 'Blackwater', the private army, established by a far-rightChristian."
Dear Anonymous,
Our comments may be off topic (but maybe not if the Pattersons are part of the dominionist movement).
Since you brought up Blackwater, I wonder whether you know the connection of Erik Prince (an ex-Navy Seal and head of Blackwater) to Amway. Erik's sister Betsy is married to Richard DeVos, Jr., son of Amway co-founder Rich DeVos. Rich DeVos, Jr. ran for governor of Michigan in the last election, but lost.
I have done a little research on Amway and dominionism, and I found some very interesting information. Dominionism is a scary concept to me. It does remind me of how Hitler came to power.
I hope Cindy K. is reading this post and if so, I have a question for her. Don't you think that Doug Phillips and the Hat Lady are in collusion? After all, Mrs. Patterson endorsed a Vision Forum book that I would rather not name which addresses this topic.
Hi Wanda,
Doug Phillips does boast a connection with Paige Patterson and there are a few photos of him on Doug's site at Vision Forum events. Many of the Family Integrated Churches affiliated with Phillips also wear head coverings, so I think that's all very interesting. I don't know how close of an association they have because people boast friendships that are often nothing more than acquaintances. I do know that the Phillips family (Howard and Doug, etc) were close to Jerry Falwell's family through working together in the formation of the Moral Majority. I think that Doug Phillips uses those associations to his advantage.
(The funny hat thing in Doug's camp is the hat he wears. It seems like if you want to be like him, you must get a beige hat with a black band. Many of his faithful follower servant-leader leaders wear a hat like he does. They should sell them in their catalog.)
Wanda wrote: The Dominists are interesting. They may have had a hand in what happened at the United States Air Force Academy where cadets were heavily proselytized by far-right 'Christian' groups. This became public when the father of one Jewish cadet reported the situation to the press. Apparently, when it was investigated, there had been a lot of impropriety on the part of far-right politicos posing as 'Christians'.
Does your research connecting DeVos to Dominionists only take the John Birch Society track? I was wondering if you know anything about Henry Reyenga of homediscipleship.com who uses the Amway approach to spreading cell groups and home discipleship (and was mentored by the elder DeVos). Cult exit counselors consider Amway's tactics to be quite heavy in the thought reform department...
Are these people (Dominionists and their minions) together with ALL who serve the undermining of our country as we know it: are they REALLY religious, or is religion simply a cynical cover-up for a power grap:
like those who claim certain stands on reproductive issues, in order to secure the votes of people who hold certain views sacred? Incredibly cynical.
These people count on Americans not waking up until it is too late. Americans need to be very vigilant and watchful of these thieves who come in the night. Theocon rule will not be Christian. Far from it.
"What I see when I go to sites like Vision Forum, is a commercial enterprise sucking in people with wish fulfillment - into a history that never existed. A religious Disneyland that suspends critical thinking skills, a la la land. Scratch the surface and the hate pours out." Quoted from BeneDiction blogspot.
I enjoyed reading your responses. The quote about the Air Force Academy is actually attributed to "Anonymous". He was asking me whether I knew anything about the situation there, and unfortunately, I only know what was reported in the news. It's certainly worth investigating.
I'm not aware of any connection between Rich DeVos and the John Birch Society, but Cindy, all of this subterfuge is completely new to me!
It's strange how God awaken His people. For me it all began just two months ago when I heard about an engagement at a large Southern Baptist church in my community. The bride-to-be is a college senior who got engaged in July. This church doesn't believe in long engagements, so the couple is getting married in early January in order to go on a missions trip to Africa in February with their church. Maybe she'll graduate someday, and maybe she won't. I guess it's no longer a priority.
I just couldn't understand how this bride-to-be could seemingly throw away her college education like that, so I began researching "young marriages". To my shock I came across inflammatory statements by Al Mohler on singleness. Then I discovered that Dr. Mohler came to the church I just mentioned two years ago, and he publicly proclaimed to the congregation that "singleness is an abomination". Maybe the couple that's getting married was in the audience that day.
I began searching a few blogs by college women who were discussing getting married young to see what was on their minds. I found several references to a book entitled So Much More by the Botkin sisters. I wondered, "Who are they?" I pulled up a book review on Amazon, and I became greatly disturbed. After all, I have a daughter in college. Then I decided to read the book for myself. I figured the local Christian bookstores would carry it. To my surprise, Family Christian Stores and LifeWay did not stock it, nor could they order it for me. That seemed odd. I was finally able to get it from another source (not VF!) I came to discover that Vision Forum is the book's publisher, so I began researching Doug Phillips.
I used to homeschool my two daughters, and I remember hearing Doug speak at our annual convention in 1998 (the same year he began VF). At the time he made a favorable impression on me. I ended my stint as a homeschooling mom one year later, and I'm counting my blessings that I was no longer in a position to be influenced by Doug Phillips through the homeschooling movement.
As I began to learn about a new concept to me "Patriarchy" I wondered whether Doug Phillips and Paige Patterson knew each other. By searching their names, a link came up that led me to Wade Burleson's blog. I think it was his post on patriarchy that mentioned the Phillips/Patterson connection. When I first pulled up the link, I had never heard of Wade, but now here I am . . .
I have now learned about Family Integrated Churches and how Doug Phillips, Scott Brown, and Voddie Baucham are heavily involved in the establishment of this new church concept. Now I know that Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is involved.
I also began discovering information about you and your presentation at that Baptist seminary in the Midwest (oops!) This has been a most fascinating journey, and I'm just getting started! Oh how I love the internet!!!
In case anyone is wondering who Doug Phillips is supporting in the upcoming Presidential election, just search "Doug's Blog", click on the link and scroll down to the post "What Is a Wasted Vote?" on Wednesday, October 15, 2008.
I'll go ahead and clue you in. A wasted vote is one that is cast for either McCain or Obama.
First my comment that you-all are probably tired of. The place of women may be secondary, tertiary, or even lower to men. But it can’t help but be primary to women, especially to those who feel called to serve God in a way that many want to deny them.
I guess Mrs. (Dr.) Patterson wears hats because of 1 Corinthians 11 where it says women should cover their heads when they pray or prophesy (prophesy! Isn’t that the word often associated with preaching? Well Paul said it so it must be right for all time and not cultural, especially he also said those much more quoted statements that women should be silent and submissive that also were not cultural or addressed to a specific situation.) :-)
When people talk of cultural differences I think of a story I heard about a young German woman who came to attend SWBTS. I heard the story years ago, and it had happened some years before that. She was met at the airport by a faculty member and his wife and taken to a nice restaurant for dinner. With her meal she ordered beer (or maybe another kind of drink, but definitely alcohol). The seminary couple didn’t say anything until they were later in their home after dinner, at which time they told her how shocked they were. She accepted their criticism and said while such was quite acceptable among Christians in Germany she would not drink while here out of deference to local custom. She then said she had been equally shocked that the wife was wearing makeup which was not done among her fellow Christians in Germany.
Mrs. Patterson said she would obey her husband even if he was wrong. If she was truly submissive, would she even know he was wrong? Wouldn’t that be having a thought contrary to his?
Who says a stay at home mom does not work? It just is a kind of work that is unpaid and unrecognized. (Most mothers who work outside the home have two full-time jobs, unless the husband also shares home responsibilities.) Some years ago - I haven’t heard of this idea in years, so I guess its proponents gave up - it was proposed (as I remember by those much maligned feminists) that Social Security earnings by married people be credited in equal shares to both partners during the marriage, rather than the practice from the first of it being credited only to the worker. Thus a wife stayed out of the workforce to take care of the family at home while her husband worked would have a share in his earnings during their marriage in the case of his death or a divorce. Again, as I remember, those who opposed it were the same ones who opposed so many other rights for women, including the right to be paid equally for paid jobs outside the home, or even to have good jobs outside the home and adequate child care while at those jobs. But if women are such inferior creatures, who cares if they are provided for.
"Tuesday, April 17, 2007Podcast: Paul Pressler, Gary North and Dominionism Dr. Bruce Prescott's April 15, 2007 "Religious Talk" radio program on "Paul Pressler, Gary North and Dominionism" (28MB mp3). This program gives audio quotations of Paul Pressler revealing the strategy used to takeover the Southern Baptist Convention to Gary North, a leading Christian Reconstructionist. North holds this strategy up as a model for how "conservatives" can takeover other organizations.
The program also discusses the theocratic views of Christian Reconstructionists. The program includes audio quotations of Bill Moyers questioning R. J. Rushdoony, the father of Christian Reconstructionism, about the political views of his son-in-law, Gary North, and about the Reconstructionist belief that civil government should enforce the death penalty on adulterers, homosexuals, and delinquent children. Posted by Dr. Bruce Prescott "
I am aware of the information you have provided, and it's frightening! I hope others will become informed about Christian Reconstructionists.
Since you mentioned Paul Pressler, do you know whether Paige Patterson is involved? The braggadocio of Patterson and Pressler recounting how they met at Cafe du Monde to plan the SBC takeover sounds eerily similar to what you are sharing here.
If what has happened in the SBC over the last three decades is any indication of what may be on the horizon with the Christian Reconstructionists, we need to be alarmed! It's time to get proactive.
The Bible Gateway 54 "Gospel Communications International (GCI) is host and founder of the Gospel Communications Network (Gospelcom.net), a strategic alliance of online ministries." "...Dedicated by the Gospel Films board to the memory of Ed Prince [CNP], our late Board member, Gospelcom is an unprecedented alliance of over 200 national and international Christian ministry organizations Network...." 55
"...The idea was presented to Gospel Films President Billy Zeoli [CNP], who quickly caught the vision and had the team present the plan to the Gospel Films Board of Directors. The Board, under the chairmanship of Richard M. DeVos [CNP], also saw the great potential for ministry in this new medium. Leading the charge for GCI Board support of the plan was then board secretary Edgar D. Prince. Footnotes 54-55
Elsa Prince - CNP Board of Governors 1996, 1998; Family Research Council Board of Directors; Focus on the Family Board of Directors; member of Calvin College's board of trustees; Two major gifts totaling $20 million financed the construction of a new center for communication arts and sciences and a new conference center at Calvin College...The money, split between the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation and the Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation, represents the two largest donations in the history of the Christian liberal-arts college. 56 ;
In 1997, helped to provide funding for a new headquarters for the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C.; "RE. Family Research Council, "... By 2000, that number had quintupled to over 100 employees and the group had moved into a brand-new multi-story office on the edge of Washington’s Chinatown. (The building was erected with money from Dick DeVos [son of Amway co-founder Richard DeVos], the conservative Michigan-based Amway millionaire, his wife Betsy DeVos, former chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, and Betsy’s mother, Elsa Prince.) 57 ; supporter of School vouchers, giving $200,000 to "Kid's First, Yes"...Between 1994 and 1997, according to federal tax records, DeVos, Prince and Amway foundations contributed more than $1.5 million to Teach Michigan, the Michigan Family Forum and the Mackinac Center, all of which are declared members of the Kids First! Yes! Coalition. 58 Footnotes 56-58
Coy C. Privette- CNP 1996, 1998; Trustee, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Inc. 59 " The Board of Trustees consists of thirty members who are elected by the Southern Baptist Convention and are charged with the control and governance of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Inc.; steering committee 60, Dan Heimbach for Congress, who, January 1989 to February 1991 served President George Bush at the White House as Associate Director for Domestic Policy and Deputy Executive Secretary of the Domestic Policy Council.; Footnotes 59-60
"The CNP members have made claims to desire to be an alternate to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), yet, we find that there are members of the CFR within the membership of the CNP. The purpose, according to some, for the CNP is to educate particular individuals, but also to bring together activists with those with the finances in order to promote their chosen agendas."
The authors of Passionate Housewives Desperate for God also were interviewed by Nancy Leigh DeMoss on her show. If that is the "biblical womanhood" that we are to follow, then we should all be very concerned. That is why I am concerned about the True Woman Manifesto.
Chancey is easier to pin down in what she believes but McDonald speaks out of both sides of her mouth and one can never really pin her down on anything.
One more thing, McDonald highly reveres and promotes and applauds the Botkin girls' book, So Much More. That is a book where they teach that the daughter is a "helpmeet" to her father and that Amy Carmichael and Gladys Aylward were out of the will of God because they didn't stay in their father's house to serve his vision and ambitions but chose to leave their father's homes thus never fulfilling their sole purpose as a woman- to get married and serve a husband (or stay single and serve a father) and bear many children.
The Botkins claim that these godly female missionaries were unwittingly playing the part of the loud and boisterous and rebellious woman from Proverbs whose "feet never stay at home".
If Mrs. Patterson promotes Passionate Housewives that openly mocks women who don't do womanhood according to their own playbook and tells women that they are just too busy to have a daily quiet time (something that the True Woman conference clearly said was a lie). I am not talking about a legalistic quiet time, I am talking about daily getting into our Bibles and abiding in His word per Christ's command to us in John 15. If we do not abide, we do not produce fruit. The only way to abide in Christ (and in His love) is to be in His word, regularly, and to put Him first above all things, including our own families. These are two of the marks of a true disciple.
Much of what is taught as "biblical womanhood" falls, imho, under the title of the "cult of family". I see no such sentiment in Jesus' words to His disciples.
" have an offer for you if you will accept. I have been wanting to hear from someone who attended The True Woman Conference. Your assessment of the Conference sounds like what mine would be. I love and admire those who put it on, and would never disagree with their view of Scripture, Christ and God's grace. However, I keep thinking there is something unspoken that I'm missing. A paradigm that extends beyond what is publicly stated."
Hi Wade,
Wow! I will certainly pray about how I can go about this and what I can say about this.
I will try to get something to you by tomorrow morning. I have a very busy day ahead of me and if today is anything like the past few days, things are not going as smoothly as I would have liked. :-)
Oh, and by the way, Anonymous, let me give you a heads up. You posted information about Judge Paul Pressler's son, not Judge Pressler. Don't know where you got the info, but you probably ought to give them a heads up, too.
"Paul Pressler’s autobiography, A Hill On Which To Die, has been sent to some 40,000 Southern Baptist pastors and leaders around the country. Someone is spending some big bucks to help Pressler gain further notoriety. I think Pressler is vainly attempting to establish his own his legacy. He sees himself as a savior of a denomination.
Throughout the book, braggadocios and self-glorifying language abounds as he attempts to build himself into a hero. No stone is left unturned to delineate his close relationship with powerful people in high places both in denominational and secular political life. There are few books in print where the author makes so many self-honoring and personal-glorifying statements about himself.
Much of the book is a feeble attempt to portray Southern Baptists as having been on a slippery slope toward utter liberalism prior to his taking the helm. Pressler is the ultimate spin-meister of Southern Baptist Fundamentalism. His understanding of traditional Southern Baptists is hopelessly skewed. His idea that the Southern Baptist convention was on the slippery slope toward liberalism is a myth. However, if a lie is told as truth long enough, multitudes of people will believe the myth to be true.
Pressler thinks that anyone who disagrees with himself, W. A. Criswell, Paige Patterson, along with a few others, is liberal beyond hope. Consequently, the thrust of the book is to vilify anyone and everyone who disagreed with the Fundamentalist takeover movement. Actually, those who disagree with Fundamentalist Southern Baptists are perceived to the very enemies of God himself, not to mention enemies of the denomination.
The method Pressler used to vilify the so-called liberals among Southern Baptists was to cast doubt in the reader's mind by demeaning and destroying the credibility of people who held views different from his own. Pressler is particularly fond of vilifying a small number seminary professors and presidents. The number of those whom he considered to be totally liberal was conspicuously small in the scheme of things. Nonetheless, this made no difference to him.
Anyone who knows Baptist theology will quickly recognize that the Judge pontificates in realms where he has neither training nor understanding. He talks a great game to those who have little theological understanding. His ability as a fundamentalist spin-meister is incredible. His ability to pull the wool over gullible Southern Baptists is astonishing. His ability to gather and motivate gullible people into action is beyond amazing. Once he gathered his posse and joined with his lieutenants, it was down hill from there. Pressler never considered dying on a hill. His primary goal was to take the hill for his own and push everyone else off.
One statement in the book stands out as particularly arrogant and offensive to me. In Chapter 17 "In the Thick of Battle" Pressler wrote, "These events were in God hands, and we realized that He would fight the battle His way and not ours." (p. 114)
What message is the Judge attempting to convey here? For starters, the message is that God’s agenda is fighting denominational battles. Another part of the message is that God uses his power to subdivide Baptists into pods of good and evil. Of course, fighting battles requires that someone have enemies. Since God fights battles to subdivide Baptists, the Fundamentalists think they are the good pod. Moderate Baptists, by default, are the evil pod. Moderate Baptists become the enemies of God and of all Fundamentalist Baptists. They are seen as being in league with Satan himself. Hence, they must to be vilified, demonized, and excluded from fellowship and cooperation in Baptist life. Fundamentalists, by their very nature, need enemies to function in life.
When the Judge credits God as being the instigator of the battle to takeover the SBC, he claims God perpetrated the divisions within our ranks. How arrogant and vain can one man be? How arrogant and vain can the Fundamentalist Southern Baptists be?
Apparently, Pressler does not understand the principles governing relationships among Christians. Perhaps he ripped out the page in his Bible which contains the following admonition: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called.” Eph. 4:1-4 [NKJV]
Bible believing Baptists recognize that God’s agenda is not to subdivide Baptists into good and bad groups. God is a God of love, not hate. He doesn’t bless one group of Baptists while simultaneously hating another group. The notion that any group of Baptists possesses an exclusive corner on God’s truth and blessings is absurd. It is preposterous to credit God with a deceitful, mean-spirited activity which, in reality, was born in the heart of Pressler himself. Yet Paul Pressler does just this in his book. He presents himself as one smelling like rose. In my opinion, with apologies to W. A. Criswell, the smell is more like that of a skunk." quoted from D. Frick
Ezekiel,Thanks for the reply.You covered very well the words of Peter, but I have a problem with “But after all had been heard, James’ rules as follows with what we can ALL agree in minimal requirements for the new converts to maintain.”
The important question is: MAINTAIN WHAT?
The DIFFERENCE in the two sides of Acts 15 would make the DIFFERENCE in the SBC today, look like a molehill.
So how did such opposite opinions agree?
They agreed because both sides thought that James agreed with them. One side looked at the rules as a RESULT of being saved, and the other side looked at the rules as REQUIREMENTS to be saved. (Paul spent the rest of his life fighting against these rules.)
Ezekiel, you dodged the question was the Holy Spirit with Peter’s conclusion, or with the rules conclusion as they were opposite views.
You said grab a sandwich and visit Henry’s commentary. You should have said grab breakfast, lunch, and supper.
Henry also dodged the same question. He said the men of Acts 15: 1, were not from the Apostles, and he is right as Galatians 2:12 identifies them as the friends of James. “But afterwards when some Jewish friends of James came, he wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore because he was afraid of what these Jewish legalists, who insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation, would say:” (Living Bible)
These men were probably the same sect of Pharisees in Acts 15:5.
I’m getting too carried away on my favorite subject in studying the mistakes in the Bible that we may not repeat them.
You asked what I thought of Ezekiel 20:25. “I let them adopt customs and laws which were worthless…”(Living Bible)
I believe that Scripture could be applied today as people’s greed has passed laws and practices that are worthless and will cause such a disaster that once again Christians will look to God for help, but it will be too late. A government that can give you money has the power to take it from you. I believe government will get so big it will be toppled by a dictator just as history has recorded in the past.
Speaking as one who supports the recognition of the distinctions in the roles of men and women (not that ALL women should be submissive to ALL men at ALL times or that a woman cannot teach Hebrew in a seminary) I sure would be happy to pay some surgeon to remove the Patterson's voice boxes. They are an embarrassment. Or maybe get them busy doing TV commericals or something. I can see it now:
Him-You got chocolate on my fried chicken.Her-You got fried chicken on my chocolate.Announcer: Two great tastes that taste great together......
I think I heard Nancy Leigh DeMoss interviewing Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald on the Revive Our Hearts broadcast back during the summer. I plan to listen to it again via the internet.
I didn't know who they were or anything about the Housewives book they co-authored at the time, but I do recall that the discussion made me feel very uncomfortable.
Thanks for the information on Stacy McDonald's promotion of the Botkin sisters. It's absolutely absurd that two teenagers are counseling their peers on important matters regarding education, marriage, and family. The Bible instructs older women to teach younger women. I have read So Much More for myself, and I'm fearful for young girls who are being influenced by it. The Botkin sisters conclude their book by promoting the "Quiverfull" movement.
FYI -- DeMoss also discussed the Quiverfull movement on her broadcast in July 2008. You can go to the Revive Our Hearts website to hear it.
Here's what I now believe. This is a systematic exercise in MIND CONTROL. I hope Christian women will wake up before they are totally brainwashed! They might end up like Andrea Yates, as someone mentioned in a comment posted yesterday.
I know you have many children whom you homeschool, and I think that's wonderful! I just feel sorry for women who are being coerced into having large families for what I believe is ultimately a political agenda.
I hope you will take Wade up on his offer and write about the True Woman '08 Conference you attended. I would be very interesting in reading your take on what was being promoted at that event.
When I heard the title of Pressler's book (which I haven't wanted to read, I don't want to make myself sick) I thought a more accurate title would be A Hill from which to Kill. At least that seems to be the effect.
I know I am juumping in late to the discusssion but wanted to weigh in regarding the SBC, homeschooling, and the Desperate Housewives book.
As this article points out, many if not moist of us could find agreement with the Biblical premises Mrs. Patterson presents. But the truth is that to these people, if you do not embraceher "bookends" you are labeled a white washed feminist or worse. The Desperate Housewives book spend considerable time bashing those who do not live out their committment to Scripture in the neo-complimentarian manner and the pejoratives are rampant.
If anyone wants an indepth overview of the Vision Forum teachings, I would encourage you to go to www.truewomanhood.wordpress.com and look through the threads on the Visionary Daughters. The contributors has sought to evaluate the Vision Forum teachings, which are pervasive all through homeschooling circles,from a sound Biblical perspective.
I also want to note that our blog has had this name for about 3 or so years now and I find it curious that this new conference is called "true woman" AFTER we mention some of their speakers and mentors by name on our blog.
You are so right! There is a dictatorial spirit in the SBC. The leaders you mention call the tune and everyone marches in step behind them. It must look like a farce to Christians in other denominations who are watching from afar.
Corrie,
I have been doing some research on the Revive Our Hearts website, and I can't find the broadcast with the authors of Housewives Desperate for God. Are you sure they were interviewed by Nancy Leigh DeMoss?
In hindsight, I'm almost certain the interview I heard which made me feel uncomfortable was Nancy interviewing Mary Kassian. I will go back and listen to the broadcast to be sure.
I apologize for all the typos and not my regular name showing up. I am still visiting my new grandbaby out of town and just cannot get used to this computer!
I also wanted to invite Wanda to join the truewomanhood conversation and to add her insights and also to tell her that I did a series of podcasts on the topic of patriocentricity a year ago that she might find interesting.
I am very grateful to God for what Judge Pressler and others who helped him did to see that the SBC's institutions did not continue on the "Down Grade", as Charles Spurgeon would have said.
Southern Baptists knew there were problems and they had concerns about their institutions, but it took someone with Judge Pressler's background and exposure to liberal theology (at Philips Exeter and Princeton) and later at some SBC churches, history in SBC churches, and legal understanding to help common Southern Baptists see how they could make a difference. Southern Baptists had elected conservative Presidents of the SBC before (including Criswell), but they did not understand how their appointment powers could affect the institutions. Criswell even said in later years, to his regret, that he would let Porter Routh (then SBC Secretary/Treasurer in Nashville) select his appointments and then sign off on them.
Judge Pressler explanined this to thousands of Southern Baptists on his own time and with his own resources.
Judge Pressler has never sought or obtained a salary or salaried position from any SBC insitutuion. He continued on the bench, retired, and then returned to practicing law. He is now fully retired.
Judge Pressler faced great opposition from almost every State Baptist denomination headquarters and from the SBC headquarters in Nashville. All of the SBC insitutions and their Presidents (Baptist Press, the seminaries, the Sunday School Board, the Christian Life Commission, the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, the Foreign Mission Board, the Home Mission Board etc.), the state denomiantional personnel, the state colleges, the state Baptist papers (saving Indiana) opposed his efforts.
Considering that, it truly is amazing that the common SBC people were able to see the issues clearly and came to the SBC meetings to vote for a change. Judge Pressler's efforts made that possible.
I know there are people like D. Frick (I don't know who that is), whom Anonymous quoted, who don't like Judge Pressler. There have been and always will be.
On the other hand, there are thousands who admire him, both common, little known people in the SBC as well as leaders and familiar figures. And the history of that movement in the SBC - from 1979-1992 or so, is just that - history.
I really is amazing that a denomination like the SBC actually reversed a slide into liberalism and neo-orthodoxy. Common, ordinary Baptists did this by attending the SBC meetings and voting their consciences. But Judge Pressler played a huge role in that.
There are very few layman who have excelled in their respective fields (for Judge Pressler, it was law), who have the insight and the commitment to affect these kind of changes.
Also, despite his own personal efforts, I believe that Judge Pressler is correct to give the credit to God for these things.
You will never know the fear of which I speak of because it appears you hold to the party line of those in power. You seem to want to deny what PP and PP did in "taking over" the SBC. Does it ever bother you even a little bit about their tactics?
I know of much better days that existed in the SBC than the current ones.
Mrs. PP and the hat thing cracks me up. I can honestly say that my husband got me started, really as soon as we got married, with wearing hats almost every time I go out. We live in So. Arizona, skin cancer runs in his family, and I too am very fair skinned. Symbol of authority is the last thing he had on his mind when he gave me a hat on our honeymoon. (And yes, I am often reminded of his love and concern when I put a hat on before going outside!)
For example, one of my friends is in a leadership position of an agency that is funded by the CBF and others sympathetic to their cause. He is a nice guy and we like each other very much. But theologically, we are different. And more importantly, he would allow for professors in seminaries and other denominational employees to not agree with the 1963 or 2000 BFM, or told hold positions denying things like the Virgin Birth, the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, the Resurrection etc. So that position magnifies the differences that we already have.
He believes that the Priesthood of the Believer means that each Baptist can decide for himself or herself what they will believe, and that their beliefs should not be a condition of employment in a denomination. I, of course, do not agree with that, and think that all professors or other employees in the denomination should agree with the denomination's statement of faith.
We really do get along well. We just have a difference of opinion over this issue, but it is such a central issue that it would be impossible for us to run a seminary or a denomination together.
Other than my church, many of my friends are not Baptist. Some are conservative theologically, some are liberal theologically.
I also want you to know that I understand that the CR caused a lot of hurt and disappointment, and that it brought up painful issues and episodes for many people. So, even though I don't understand your precise situation, I hear what you are saying. And I don't think that is a small thing.
I put a priority on the issues that the CR raised. I really believed that signs of theological disagreement were papered over and ignored as far back as the 30s. But the problem was those differences cannot be ignored when churches are doing cooperative works like seminaries etc.
I think that if we met one day and talked together we would have a good time and would understand one another.
On tactics, I personally do not know of any tactic that Judge Pressler or the other public leaders urged that was wrong. I know that there is a lot of "lore" out there about some things. And even on some of those, I have no problems. But, I would not want to go on record affirming everything that every conservative did from 1979 to 1992. There were a lot of people, obviously, who supported the CR, and I would not want to sign on to every possible thing that was done.
Still, at none of the meetings, the conventions etc. that I attended or publications that I read did I ever see a course urged or a "tactic" used that I thought was wrong.
I would be glad to dialogue further with you about what you saw, however.
Louis: "but it took someone with Judge Pressler's background and exposure to liberal theology (at Philips Exeter and Princeton) and later at some SBC churches, history in SBC churches, and legal understanding to help common Southern Baptists see how they could make a difference"
Louis said "There were a lot of people, obviously, who supported the CR, and I would not want to sign on to every possible thing that was done."
NO Christian would want to sign either.
Of concern is the pressure put on minions to comform and to persecute. Did this happen? If PP and PP were pre-eminant in their influence: what WAS that influence? Did people feel pressured? What happened here? WHAT HAPPENED?
I find the stance against birth control Mrs. PP & some of the others hold frightening. Notice how Mrs. PP herself only has 2 children - fertility problems if I remember right. Notice how the "quiverful" people who have bundles of children are: 1) Economically situated with the amount the dad brings in so the mom can stay home without the family starving; and 2) Mom's physical and mental health is such that she could bear that many children. Before birth control was legalized in this country, a lot of children did not have the necessities of life adequately taken care of because the families were too large for the parents to adequately support. Also, before birth control was legalized in this country, a lot of women died in childbirth. A lot more women were in poor health physically due to having more children than their bodies could really stand. Sure, advances in medical care is a large part why maternal mortality / morbidity has gone way down since the early 1900's, but also the fact that a woman has reliable ways to keep from having more children if her health can not take it is also a large part for the decrease in maternal mortality / morbidity. For too many women, following the "no birth control" thought line would be at the cost of their health - or their life.
About the Passionate Housewives book and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. I never tracked down the show and listened to it, by then pretty discouraged about it all. Her message seems very different to me than Chancey and McDonald (the book authors of Vision Forum), but the same can be said of that whole True Womanhood conference. I would never guess that she was complementarian to the nth degree like these others based on her teachings and messages that I've heard.
DeMoss never contacted me in response to my letter, but I did get a letter from Family Life who did interviews the same day. They are online.
If you go to my site, you can see pictures of Nancy Leigh with Jennie and Stacy, and if you link to "Your Sacred Calling" from my post, you can see more photos. On my own site, on this webpage, you can also read FamilyLife's response to me (since I sent them the same letter). They basically say "our name is not our honor." They take no responsibility for screening the guests, so I guess a Moonie or a Mormon could be featured on their radio broadcast, because they are all pro-family.
If you have been reading here long, you would know that Louis is very impressed with worldly success, titles, the ivy league, etc, even though scripture says this:
1 Corin 1
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."[c] 20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
It would never occur to Louis that an uneducated janitor may be more spiritually mature and holy than a man with a PhD in Theology.
But, we love him anyway. He was making the point that Pressler, by way of his ivy league education, saw liberalism and it's tactics at work. Therefore he learned to use liberal's tactics to win one for the uber conservatives who think women play 'roles' in life and serve men instead of Christ.
Wade has a new post up. Let's all read it and comment. But please, no one say it's not fair because clearly the bird forming the "mouth" of the smiley face is a female bird and the two ABOVE the female are male birds clearly ruling over her.
And then don't write a blog "post" diatribe in the comment stream of Wade's blog asking us to consider how this picture represents the current SBC and it's view of women.
I had already seen the beautiful picture of God's providence, and I just finished reading the following comment by Homeschool Mom:
"Wade has a new post up. Let's all read it and comment. But please, no one say it's not fair because clearly the bird forming the "mouth" of the smiley face is a female bird and the two ABOVE the female are male birds clearly ruling over her."
Honestly, I NEVER would have thought of that, and now I can't look at the picture WITHOUT thinking it.
Thanks to Homeschool Mom, this picture has forever been tarnished in my mind. I am VERY UPSET!!! Now we know how these women living under patriarchy think. :-(
Good question. It is pretty easy to fall into the trap here of thinking that the answer is our salvation but then that would fly all over the "saved by faith and faith alone" thing. I guess the way I read it it means that there were things that a new convert was expected to abstain from. Much like today, we would expect a new convert to stop drinking blood..or hanging out on the local street corner, or worshipping the gold calf on top of their tv. The same arguments would apply today, "you have to stop doing that to be saved or if you are saved you won't do that".
The DIFFERENCE in the two sides of Acts 15 would make the DIFFERENCE in the SBC today, look like a molehill.
Agreed. A huge difference but resolved without bloodshed...Why won't the same thing work for us today? That is what so intrigued me about the Matthew Henry commentary.
So how did such opposite opinions agree?
I don't think they agreed. The differing views were presented and James ruled. Apparently all parties were satisfied to abide by the ruling.
They agreed because both sides thought that James agreed with them. One side looked at the rules as a RESULT of being saved, and the other side looked at the rules as REQUIREMENTS to be saved. (Paul spent the rest of his life fighting against these rules.)
I don't read it in a way that has both sides thinking that James agreed with them. After all, the Jewish converts were just told that the basic tenents of their faith, the things they had been taught from birth that were requirements for their practice of religion (circumcision and Moses Law) were not required for gentile converts. Just because they didn't throw a fit in the business meeting and storm out of the church (the baptist way) doesn't mean they agreed with the decision, just that they accepted James authority and leadership in the matter. The fact of the matter is that it wasn't going to turn out any other way as long as the Holy Spirit was involved. He had already made it pretty clear to Paul and Peter (Acts 10:15,28)that people were being saved, indwelled with the Holy Spirit, without any observance of any jewish law. I don't know about you but if I had been in Peters shoes in Acts 10, I would have been arguing pretty adamantly that circumcision and the law were not required for salvation. I don't doubt the Holy Spirit's ability to make it just as clear to James or for that matter, the jews causing the problem.
Having said all that, when we look at modern day church leaders trying to establish a doctrine or ESS then can't we address it the same way they did? Even further than that, what would happen if such a counsel were called and these leaders had a Peter, or a Paul stand up in front of them and ask them why they are refusing to accept the ruling of a group of elders from the early church. This ground has been plowed already and the determination has already been made. I don't see any subordination in the Nicene creed anywhere. What we are hearing today from some of the leadership doesn't match up with it and in fact closely resemble the heresy it countered.
Thanks for the information in your previous comment. I have checked out your website, and I am grateful for the work you are doing there. My best friend and I want to create our own blog. We already have the domain name. It's Wartburg Faith Watch. Pray for us. We plan to tackle some difficult "faith" issues.
I think I have noticed a change in Nancy Leigh DeMoss's programming. I rarely listen to her anymore because I believe she has come under the influence of patriarchy. As far as I can determine from her website, she has never aired the program with the authors of Housewives Desperate for God. I think it's a disgrace that Chancey and McDonald chose that title because it reminds me of something that is having a corrupting influence on the viewing audience. There's nothing cute about this book title in my mind.
FYI -- James McDonald spoke at SEBTS last Spring. I used to listen to him on the radio, but I am being more selective now because I'm so bored with the personal agendas of these people who support patriarchy. Since James McDonald's wife co-wrote that desperate book, I would assume that he is of that ilk.
As one of your Southern Baptist Mission Service Corps home missionaries (fulltime career) I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to you for your commendation of me, a single, never married woman, who is fulfilling God's design for my life.
When I received my recent copy of the Southwestern News Magazine (I am a graduate of SWBTS) my heart ached. Based on the many articles in this particular edition, there appears to be no room anymore, from a seminary which trained me to fulfill my call, for me to do the will of God in my life. Thankfully it is just a magazine, SWBTS is just a school, Dorothy P. is just a woman and none of the above are GOD! The Lord called me into ministry 29 years ago, and since 1986 I have been serving in fulltime ministry as a vocation. Back then my pastor told me it would be a rough road because I was a female (he was a very conservative pastor), yet he assured me he would do everything he could to help me, and he did! Honestly I think it is much harder today for women than it was back then. When young ladies come to me for counsel when they are feeling led into ministry I hurt because I have to tell them their denomination is moving more and more to the place of being less and less accepting of God's call upon them. Oh how I wish there were more Wade Burlesons. Thank you for making this one of your battles for the kingdom.
In my role as a home missionary I often teach men and often talk to them one-on-one about their need of salvation through Christ Jesus (see my blog to learn more - calledtocare.blogspot.com) I make no apologies and until the Lord tells me "you shouldn't be doing this," I will continue.
I don't have the writing gift of Dorothy P., but I do have the calling of Jesus Christ, so I hope what I have said will help some who may not believe I should be doing what God called me to do, rethink their position. Someday, those in Christ Jesus will stand before Him and He will be the judge. I have a feeling He will be greatly disappointed with Southern Baptists for spending more time on mandating what a woman's role is in our denomination, than getting out there and reaching lost souls for Him.
I remember a time when I was forced to 'homeschool' one of my children. He is now thirty-eight years old. In the days when he was little, there were no classes for him, because he had special needs. I tried very hard to find help and I did: from other mothers of special-needs children. Sometimes, because my husband was military at that time, we would end up on a waiting list for a private school. But we would be transferred before our turn came. Once we were scheduled to go to Greece for a duty station and there was a Greek school called 'St. Catherine's School' that would have taken my son right away. But my husband was re-assigned to state side. There is nothing I would not have done for my child. I just didn't have the knowledge in those days that I have now. Finally, special-needs children were given the rights to an education and my son was served. Why do I write about this? Because, maybe, 'Home School Mom' does not want to be put in some category just because she home schools. She, at least, has the choice to be a home-school mom. I did not. I'm glad she has this choice. I'm glad that she is doing what she feels is best for her children. As a former teacher by profession myself, I admire her VERY much. I don't think she's bitter, I just think she feels that we don't support her. I support her with the hope that it truly IS HER CHOICE. L's Gran
Dear Chaplain Cathy, Thank you for sharing your story. You write very well indeed. Your story has a pathos that resonates with the stories of the 'fired' missionaries and with Dr. Klouda. I truly hope that the Good Lord will protect you and the young women of the Church from the Evil One's influence over some in the 'leadership'. You must feel all this trouble as a form of 'persecution'. It is persecution. You can, with honor, pray to God as Christ did from the cross: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. " L's G.
I have been touched by your comments, and I believe you are using your gifts for the glory of God. I'm confident that one day you will hear Almighty God say: "Well done good and faithful servant."
I'll be completely honest. I'm not sure the Pattersons and their cohorts will hear God speak these words to them. They have prevented so many women from using the spiritual gifts He alone has given them, and I truly believe the words He will utter to them are these: "Shame on you! You kept my important work from going forward on earth and many souls that could have been saved were lost."
God bless you in your important work Cathy, and I'll be praying for you.
Ezekiel,It’s a joy to converse with someone that I believe has an open mind. I was wrong in saying, “Both sides thought that James agreed with them.”
Before I explain why I was wrong, I want to agree in your saying, “The differing views were presented and James ruled. ‘They accepted James authority and leadership in the matter.” James ruling is shown by: “James responded: Brothers listen to me…my judgment is…” (Acts 15:13, 19)
Who made James the judge? He and his brothers were scoffers of Jesus. He missed three years of college from the Son of God. Not until the Resurrection did James accept Jesus.
Ezekiel, as you said “They accepted James authority and leadership…”
because he was raised a Nazirite and knew the Jewish laws by heart. ‘Foxes Book of Martyrs’, written in 1500 AD, says this about James:
“To him only was it lawful to enter into the holy place…asking remission for the people…worshipping God, and craving forgiveness for the people…He was…called ‘The Just’, and, ‘safeguard of the people’. The Jews, Scribes, and Pharisees, saying…we all give heed to thee that thou art just, and all the people do testify of thee that thou art just, and that thou doest not accept the person of any man.”
(If James did “not accept the person of any man”, he sure wasn’t about to accept the words of a fisherman.}
So WHAT HAPPENED? Let’s go back to verse 6, and understand there’s a lot of time between verse 6 and verse 7.
Verse 6, “Then the apostles and the elders assembled to consider this matter.”
Nothing is recorded of what was said at the apostle-elder meeting. I’m sure James had his opinion, but DID HE EXPRESS HIS VIEWS or did he wait until his “judgment” could not be debated in front of the multitude?
I’m sure their conclusion was given to the multitude and (Verse 7) “After there had been much debate, (Pharisees don’t give up easily) Peter stood up and said to them… (I believe he gave the same conclusion that had been reached in the apostle-elder meeting.)
Peter ended his speech in verse 11, and the next verse said, “Then all the multitude kept silence…”
I believe if the counsel had adjourned after Peter’s speech, the Catholic Church never would have existed.
FYI -- James McDonald spoke at SEBTS last Spring. I used to listen to him on the radio, but I am being more selective now because I'm so bored with the personal agendas of these people who support patriarchy.
Wanda,There are two James McDonalds, you know. The James McDonald who is in the SBC that lives either near or in Chicago, IL is not the same James Michael McDonald, V who moved to Peoria, IL (close to Springfield). JMM the V (husband of Stacy) claims that he was ordained in the SBC, but he could not produce his divorce decree or his ordination documentation when asked by the RPCGA (presby denom) who gave him only a provisional ordination before McDonald left under censure to form his own denom, the Covenant Presby Church Presbytery.
It would be a terrible insult to attribute James M Mc, V's activities to the James McDonald who is, so far as I know, a member in good standing in the SBC.
(And thanks for the blessing on my dh and me. He also got quite a kick/ blessing of laughter out of the Bucket/Abzug comments, recalling that when he was very young, he thought that Abzug and Buddy Hackett looked nearly identical. We had quite a laugh when he got a funny look on his face, saying that he did not think that D Patterson looked like Buddy Hackett!)
Thank you for writing. I know that I have received several emails from several single women who serve as missionaries in the SBC, one of whom studied at SEBTS (though I don't know if they were there when PP was there). I also heard from a couple of my friends who also were very upset about this issue of the Southwestern News, having graduated from SWBTS many years ago.
Some of them feel like second class citizens, and one graduate I know from SWBTS left the Baptist Church because her options were so limited. She said that she considered going back to the Baptist Church for awhile but decided against it. So I know that your comments are common to many women who I know and who have written to me over the past several months. I know that their hearts ache with yours.
May God continue to show Himself strong and mighty, especially to you and your sisters who share your pains.
And God bless everybody else, particularly the complementarians that we might all see clearly what direction the Church should take and find unity (rather than uniformity).
I don't put any significant time (days or weeks) between any of the discussions and I don't really see where there was a seperate meeting with the apostles and church leaders and later one that included the rest of the church. To me it all reads like a 12 hour business meeting with guest speakers in front of anyone that wanted to attend.
Not saying you are wrong or that I am right just telling you how it reads to me.
I am just wondering if the difference in the way we are looking at it doesn't boil down to the translations we are using. BTW, I am not KJV only. I have read it in KJV, ESV and NASB. Working on amplified right now.
Just not familiar with the beginnings of the catholic church or anything other than knowing they are long in pomp and show...pretty sure that isn't a good thing but then a Jewish christian that insisted on sacrifices, the law and circumcision would have prolly been a pretty big show as well.
I may take your advice and stop, but can't I express a longing to read something here that has to do with something else besides this tired subject?
I know you disagree because it is apprarently your every waking moments life's work.
Me? Well, I'm multifaceted you could say.
Tom - Not bitter, just bored. See comment to Lydia. Just trying to convey to Wade that not every woman wants to read about this, especially when the comments by the same people are just going in circles.
The following comment made my day. It also makes my commentary about those commenting constantly about the same topic all the while saying the same thing come to life.
"Honestly, I NEVER would have thought of that, and now I can't look at the picture WITHOUT thinking it.
Thanks to Homeschool Mom, this picture has forever been tarnished in my mind. I am VERY UPSET!!! Now we know how these women living under patriarchy think. :-("
From time to time, I feel moved to write from the perspective of my own faith tradition, not to confuse the issue, but just to clarify my own comments.
If I needed to make a judgment of whether or not to home-school, my religion would ask this of me:
1. Consider all the teachings of the Church. Consult with clergy if need be to clarify what the Church's position is on the issue.
2. Consider the REALITY of my own situation: what is my family facing? Our financial situation, my health, special medical needs of children that may require nursing care 24/7, either from a parent or hired, in-home nurse, needs of other children, our family's mobility due to husband's professional obligations, my own training to provide the children's educational needs. So much more to list . . .
3. MY CONSCIENCE. My God-given moral compass, that in the quiet moment of prayer, will direct me to the right decision for our family. CONSCIENCE must be obeyed.
So, from my faith, also THIS: the imperative to educate God's most precious gifts to us, OUR CHILDREN, to the maximum of their potential, whatever that potential may be. No expense is to be spared. No excuses to be given. We will answer to Him on the Day for our care of these, His most precious ones.
Isn't it best NOT to judge any mother for her choice? Some mothers MUST work. Are they then to be damned? Life is hard enough for women as is. Enough judging.
Time to think about the most vulnerable: as someone on this blog said, time to think about the children. L's Gran
Now, if I accept Dorothy's additional constraints on the roles of women in today's society, where would my family be?
It is only by the providence of a wise and omniscient God that I received a fine biblical education which enables me to support my family financially in light of my husband's disability. Would she have me stay at home and care for my husband, and allow my family to subsist below the poverty level? How does she harmonize her eisegesis (reading interpretation into Scripture) of the text with all those wisdom texts that instruct God's people to work diligently to support their families. Would she rather an able bodied, talented, God-gifted believer sit at home and collect public assistance because she is a woman?
Now Dorothy, through her understanding of women's roles, criticizes and convicts a substantial number of men in academic leadership positions. For it was at the invitation of and the approval by provosts, deans, trustees, and presidents that I taught my first college and seminary classes. As a master's student, I was first invited by the Provost of my institution to teach Hebrew to both men and women. Subsequently, I was encouraged by other male SB professors to pursue a doctorate and teaching as a career, then invited outside my institution to teach biblical Hebrew in another state. As I worked towards my doctorate, my department head assigned me classes to teach in seminary, some biblical and some language based exegesis, with the approval of those over him, all male. And, since God is sovereign and in control of all things, he knew our family's needs, and placed me in the position of teaching his Word in the original language. Now, shall Dorothy say that God was "wrong" in permitting me to sin in this way, and that, all of those men who facilitated my employment along the way were wrong as well? How can she challenge the authority of the very people she serves under, and who are more fit to lead than her, by virtue of their gender? Would she claim that these biblical scholars, who are certainly experts in the field of exegesis, were misguided and misled by the Holy Spirit?It seems presumptuous, at the very least, and not the least bit humble.
Dorothy makes no allowances for the stuff of real life, and the circumstances that families face, and she would much rather see children go hungry and without the basics of life than admit that often the circumstances of the family require that a woman take on additional responsibilities. I guarantee you, I do not drive a fancy car, or live in a splendorous home, and we eat chicken two or three nights a week just like other folks.
I would like to know if I followed her paradigm exactly, if she and PP would be willing to support my family financially?
My mistake in saying “there’s a lot of time between verse 6 and verse 7”.
Reminds me of having surgery and the Dr. told me to do lots of walking. At the time, I was running about five miles every other day, so the day after the operation, I walked three miles which caused major problems. The angry Dr. said, “I meant around the block!”
So, my “lots of time” meant “around the block”. I think the total council meeting may have lasted three or four hours; with a twenty minute break for the private (closed doors) apostle-elder meeting.
The ‘side’ yelling for circumcision were (verse 5):1. “Some of the men who had been Pharisees before their conversion…” (Living Bible)2. “Some of the believers from the party of the Pharisees…” (Holman Translation)3. “Some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees…” (NLT)
I believe this “sect” or denomination were the roots of Catholics. Even thought they ‘accepted’ the “judgment” of James, they left the meeting believing as always (and Paul did too). Through the years ‘their thinking’ ruled, and they bragged to Paul (Acts 21:20) “My friend, you can see how many tens of thousands of the Jewish people have become followers!” (Contemporary English Version) and they are all zealous for the law.” (Holman)
History records Paul lost the battle that he warned about in Titus 1:10 “Many…say that ‘all Christians must obey the Jewish laws’…it blinds people to the truth, and it must be stopped.”
Ezekiel, got ahead of myself. It’s very important to realize Peter started his speech talking to the Pharisees and the multitude AFTER the private meeting.
After Peter had shamed the Pharisees and the multitude into silence, the decision of the private meeting got bamboozled by the speech of James.
Here’s an ‘imaginary’ conversation of the multitude before the counsel meeting.
“Can you imagine our leaders wanting to decide if Gentiles can become Christians? We’re God’s chosen people. Not those pagans. They’re dogs!” “But they say God’s Spirit has been given to everyone.” “Well, they will have to obey all our laws.” “Paul and Peter say anyone can go to heaven by the gift of Jesus.” “Outrageous! That’s what you can expect of a man who lives with Gentiles. Paul helped kill Stephen and put us in prison, now he’s blaspheming God’s laws. We ought to stone him. James’ friends got Peter in line until Paul brainwashed him. Let’s get James’ friends to object to this nonsense.”
You wrote: "Dorothy makes no allowances for the stuff of real life, and the circumstances that families face, and she would much rather see children go hungry and without the basics of life than admit that often the circumstances of the family require that a woman take on additional responsibilities."
COMMENT: That part about Dorothy not making allowances for 'the stuff of real life' is right on. I have been immersed in 'the stuff of real life' myself. My prayers are with you, dear Christian lady, and with your family. I hope your husband is better. L's Gran
In the creation story in Genesis 1 it is stated tht both male and female were made in God's image. In the creation story in Genesis 2 Adam was made to know that Eve was part of him, more alike than different. But ever since then people, men especially, just because they could, have emphasized the differences. Human men and women are more alike than different, but you'd never know it from what so many teach.
God gave me a womb and my children were born.God gave me my spirit and so I am able to let my spirit to soar up towards Him.God gave me my strength and I use it in His service. God gave me my intellect and I use it to help His children and His poor. God gave me my husband and I stand and work along side of him. God gave me the gift of faith to be used as my inspiration. God gave me my dignity and my honor, which I would not part with for a thousand deaths. (Or a thousand PP fatwahs.)
If God did not want to give me these gifts TO BE USED; why did he give them? He would not seek to confound us so! He must mean for women to develop all of our 'talents'.
I have read your comments, and I assume that I know your identity (Dr. K). I did not grow up Southern Baptist but have been a Southern Baptist for the last eight years.
I'm so embarrassed to admit that Paige and Dorothy Patterson were members of the first Southern Baptist church I ever joined. I will confess that I thought it was a good thing at the time. My family joined that church (which I will not name) on December 7, 1999, the day both of my daughters were baptized.
Prior to that church experience, I had been in a lukewarm Methodist church, and it became obvious that it was not a good environment for my husband and me to be raising our young daughters.
Not long after joining this Baptist church, I received a postcard in the mail from AnGeL Ministries announcing a new evangelistic outreach -- Just Give Me Jesus events to be led by Anne Graham Lotz. What wonderful news!
I was so excited that I took the postcard to church with me and could hardly wait to show it to the lady in charge of women's ministries. Of course, she was not on staff but served only in a volunteer capacity.
I will never forget what happened next. We were standing in the sanctuary, and as she reached for the postcard, she got a scowl on her face! Then she barked: "Women are not supposed to teach men!" I was so stunned I didn't know what to say! I had NEVER heard anything like that before. I said, "Well, maybe her target audience is women."
My heart became cold toward my church that day, and we did end up leaving when we could find another place to worship. I now find it ironic that I was a member of the same church as the Pattersons when the 2000 BF&M was adopted. Of course, the Pattersons were rarely in church on Sunday because they were always traveling around the country to fulfill speaking engagements.
I did hear Dr. Patterson speak at my church on a Mother's Day, and I went up afterwards to shake his hand. I told him the next time he saw Adrian Rogers to please tell him how much he had impacted my spiritual life. I can still picture the cowboy boots Dr. Patterson was wearing.
I have been feeling like a second-class citizen for quite a while now, and I'm really tired of it. My two daughters are almost grown, and I feel God calling me to serve Him in some other capacity. My husband and children have been my life and will continue to be, but I'm beginning to enter another season. Not to follow His call would be willful disobedience. I'm the one who must stand before God and give an account for what I have done for His glory, not anyone else. The SBC is moving so far to the right now that I'm not sure I can remain in a Southern Baptist church, and that makes me very sad because I love my pastors and congregation.
I only became aware of your situation at SWBTS within the last month or so. Since reading your comments here, I have been in a depressed state, and my heart is very heavy for you. I have Googled your name and have read articles about your losing tenure at SWBTS and your financial struggles.
I have just finished reading Wade Burleson's blog post from January 17, 2007, where he focuses on what happened to you at SWBTS. My heart breaks for what you have been through, and I will be praying for you, your husband, and your daughter. I believe in divine providence, and I pray that somehow you will receive the justice you so rightly deserve soon!
You wrote: "I have been feeling like a second-class citizen for quite a while now, and I'm really tired of it. My two daughters are almost grown, and I feel God calling me to serve Him in some other capacity. My husband and children have been my life and will continue to be, but I'm beginning to enter another season. Not to follow His call would be willful disobedience. I'm the one who must stand before God and give an account for what I have done for His glory, not anyone else. The SBC is moving so far to the right now that I'm not sure I can remain in a Southern Baptist church, and that makes me very sad because I love my pastors and congregation."
I read this with tears running down my face. It is a very moving testimony.
Tired subject? I repeat: who women are before God -or anywhere else - wait, is there anywhere else but before God? - may be secondary, tertiary, or even further down the line to males whose status is never questioned. For females, especially those who feel God is calling them (them, not through someone else) to any form of service other than one dictated by males, it cannot be less than primary, much as we might want to be able to deal with other things.
Unless we can serve freely as we feel called, we must fight this battle others have forced upon us. As long as some try to prevent this, this much be our first struggle before we can accomplish anything else.
"Unless we can serve freely as we feel called, we must fight this battle others have forced upon us. As long as some try to prevent this, this much be our first struggle before we can accomplish anything else."
It is even as hurtful to men as it is to women. For them, it is a snare as we have seen.
Something that is forgotten in respects to the artcle and the blog, is that the biblical passages presented in her paradigm should alwasy retain the liberty of God's grace in respect the personal consciences of every females in relationship to thir families and authority. Mrs Patterson can have such a great turst in her man and be commended in it. Others find it more difficult if they have been abused, especially by clergy. It is sad to see that there is not the strengthening of conscience for the sake of litigious interpretation.
To anonymous of 9:43pm (this system seems to be based in Pacific time)
Thank you and all the other males who understand and care about the status of women. Though women worked hard for such gains as voting rights, if not for sympathetic men all the suffering of those women (and others who fought for other issues) would have counted for nothing because those in power could choose to ignore them. It was the men who alone had the right to vote who voted for women's right to vote. Just a short time ago I read in the online Baptist Messenger an article against the effort to get equal pay for equal work.
And let's not forget One who did so much for women, though even to this time people who claim to be His followers treat women less well than He did.
I know what she is not. She is not a child. She is not chattel. She is not to be ordered about and beaten. She is not a 'home-bound' creature with few outings into the great world around her. She is not without a mind to develop. She is not without a voice to speak. She is not without a spirit to yearn for God . She is not without a soul.
The world that will come with the new far-far-right will be one in which, if a woman is lucky enough, she might be treated with the dignity of the oldest child in the family.
IF A WOMAN CANNOT SING THE SONG THAT IS WITHIN HER, SOMETHING IN HER DIES FOREVER.
WHAT REMAINS: AN OBEDIANT CHILD-LIKE SHELL THAT CONTAINS ONLY THE MEMORIES OF A DISTANT MELODY.
A young lady in my church, who had spent a four year stint in the military which was over about 18 months ago, recently decided she wanted to go back in - as a chaplain. She started school at Fuller last August, and joined a non-denom church, one that ordains women. That's the reality of women in our denomination who want to serve God in a way that's "outside the box" - have to leave the denomination to serve. Sad.
You said, "That's the reality of women in our denomination who want to serve God in a way that's "outside the box" - have to leave the denomination to serve. Sad.
Yes, it is sad.
The Body of Christ needs her to serve. Someday, when her denomination is healed, she can come home again. In the meantime, she has been given her 'orders' and she must obey her 'Commander-In-Chief'. The call to be a chaplain is a holy thing, not to be ignored.
I wrote a poem about responding to that call God places within all of us.
IF A WOMAN CANNOT SING THE SONG THAT IS WITHIN HER, SOMETHING IN HER DIES FOREVER.
WHAT REMAINS: AN OBEDIANT CHILD-LIKE SHELL THAT CONTAINS ONLY THE MEMORIES OF A DISTANT MELODY.
Your friend has a song to sing for the Lord. Be glad for her that she will have the chance. L's Gran
I think the premise that James changed his mind between the private meeting and the public one is incorrect.
Put yourself in James position. In the private meeting, Paul and Peter prevailed with some pretty convincing testimony and you yourself was reminded of a particular supporting scripture by none other than the Holy Spirit Himself. But that was the easy part.
Then you had to go to your congregation that was mostly converted, circumcised, law practicing Jews and tell them what you had decided.
You would have wanted Peter carrying the load for you. He had more authority being one of the original 12 disciples and he was the apostle carrying the gospel to the Jews while Paul was doing the same to the Gentiles.
After Peter had stunned the congregation with his speech, getting up and ruling like you did, in complete agreement with your earlier agreement behind closed doors, was a lot easier. Of course, you did delay a bit, just to see if they were going to throw Peter out the front door....
I know personally some, and know of many more, women who left the SBC to follow a calling denied them in the SBC.
For awhile women who felt called to ministries less traditional for women were able to do so within the SBC. Some still serve, though there is afoot a move to kick out all churches who have women pastors. I know of Baptist associations that treated badly churches who even dared to ordain women as deacons. Already some years ago the SBC leadership decided to no longer endorse women as chaplains, or at least not if they had been ordained. I know one woman who lost a chaplaincy job because her employer decided it would be better if she were ordained and her church would not do it. (I admit to suggesting she find another church.) Women who wanted to serve as chaplains had to find other agencies to certify them so they turned to CBF and to at least one state convention, maybe more, who took on the task of certifying them so that they could serve in the various organizations that have chaplains and require certification by a denominational body: the military, hospitals, etc.
However forgiving a spirit these women may have, are they likely to return to those who have treated them badly when others will welcome them and encourage them to use their God-given gifts? There are more useful things for them to do than to try to prove themselves to those who refuse to listen.
I remember my son telling me how the American Baptists would come to his college recruiting women students called to ministry, and suggesting this path to me. A Methodist friend urged me to come over to her denomination, which is the path many formerly SBC women called to ministry have taken. (I told her I could never baptize babies, so that path was closed to me.) I sometimes fear I will have to answer for not following one of these paths, or perhaps another similar.
I remember a comment made - probably only partly in joking - by a woman whose name some of you would recognize. It was something like this: I felt called to be a pastor but decided to remain a Baptist. This woman has served well in other ways for many years, but when I think of all she has done I wonder how much more she could have done if she had not been prevented by the "biological qualification".
So don't tell all people they should serve God when called, don't speak of such things as the Great Commission, and then tell half of those who respond that they must be mistaken and further try to deny God the use of their gifts.
I recently read an article bemoaning the number of pastorless churches. Yet many are denied this opportunity to serve because of something that has nothing to do with their gifts and willingness, often by the very ones who wish for more to serve. It makes no sense to me - but then I'm just a woman so what do I know.
Dr. Klouda,I’m ashamed my last comment was made five minutes after yours. It looked like I ignored you. I had worked on mine an hour or so and posted it before I saw yours. Also mine was off topic which I’m good at since the ‘world revolves’ around what I’m consumed. HA
I have longed for you to have justice, but the ruling by the judge lit the fire at the stake. Not ‘interfering’ between Church and State was a copout. I wonder if the ruling would have been the same if the law was broken against a MAN.
Once on Wade’s blog, I tried to organize a ‘march’ on SWBTS to give Patterson’s job to you but had only one volunteer. If today, I believe, with those making comments, there would be more. I believe you could get the job with a motto, ‘Impossible to do any worse’.
My only joy in your situation was contributing to Wade’s fund for you. I hope in the near future, the title of a great sermon, PAYDAY SOMEDAY, will apply to you.
Ezekiel,Hey! I agree James did not change his mind between the private meeting and the public one. Where did you get the idea he did?
I believe he and the elders sat there with their mouths closed while the apostles decided the question. James did not express his opinion until he had the backing of the multitude.
James would never have been allowed to speak if the rule of our deacons had applied in those days. Our rule is; if a deacon does NOT speak against a motion at the deacon’s meeting, he cannot speak against it when it’s presented for a vote of the church. The reason being if an objection is raised, it can be explored and handled a lot better in a small group than a large one.
(Does anyone else have this rule? I’ve been in churches that if the majority of the deacons decided something, the others were ‘forced’ to go along with it, but Robert Rules of Order allows the minority to speak.)
Exekiel, one thing we need to agree on: Was James’ judgment the same as Peter’s?
I believe it was until James said, “But”. Some translations say, “Except”. To me that word was the ‘knife in the back’ to the teachings of Jesus as interpreted by Peter and Paul.
You said, “He [Peter] had more authority being one of the original 12 disciples…”
I know we believe that, but in those days, James was the MAN!
Why do you think he was selected to be pastor if they didn’t think he had more authority than anyone else? Do you believe Foxe’s Book of Martyrs? At one time if you saw a Bible in a house, that book would be next to it.
Here is what Ignatius, the second bishop of Antioch, said about James: {Wheaton College Library)
“I desire to see the venerable James, who is surnamed JUST, whom they relate to be like Christ Jesus in appearance, in life, in method of conduct, as if he were a twin-brother of the same womb.”
Ahhhhh…how could Peter and Paul compete with that?
World’s Bible Handbook: “James was recognized as the ‘Bishop of Jerusalem.’ Many Jews felt, because of James’s influence among the Jews, that had he lived, he might have averted Jerusalem’s destruction.”
Josephus: “Ananus delivered James to be stoned…because of public outrage, King Agrippa took the high priesthood from Ananus. These miseries [Roman’s slaughter of Jews] befell them by the anger of God, on account that they had slain James the Just who was a most righteous person.”
Ezekiel, it seems James was more popular than his Brother. Where was the outcry when Peter and Paul were martyred, while James was holding down the fort in the holy place in the temple?
Birth of Christianity: “James was the authoritative leader of the Jerusalem mother-church, which was operating two major missions; one to the Jews and one to the pagans. In a combined community, such as that at Antioch, Christian Judaism had to prevail over Christian paganism. Peter and Barnabas presumed that kosher regulations were no longer important. Before James’s intervention, they ate with the pagans like pagans.”
Hmmmm…wonder who appointed the second bishop at Antioch to keep those pagans in line. That bishop might have been the first fundamentalist as he wrote:
“We ought to receive ever one whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household, as we would do Him that sent him. It is manifest, therefore, that we should look upon the bishop even as we would upon the Lord Himself.”
Susie said, "The creation story in Genesis 2 Adam was made to know that Eve was part of him, more alike than different. But ever since then people, men especially, just because they could, have emphasized the differences. Human men and women are more alike than different. . . ." When I read that, it reminded me that a child psychiatrist told me years ago that she was occasionally ased to eveluate the intelligence of a chil;d too young to take the standard IQ tests. She told me that she would ask the child one question, "What are the suimilarities between a person and an ant?" Anyone can find lots of differences, she explained; it takes real intelligence to discover similarities between different things! What does this say about those who emphasize (overemphasize?) the differences between males and females in God's eyes?
From Anonymous 943I make my point on God's grace in reading the Scriptures and litigious interpretations....I thought about this awhile back...there were many places in the first centuries of the church where people worshipped that would not be considered kosher today. Have have been judges of other people's lives without understanding anything concerning their circumstances. I don't see how one can look at young women today and expect all of them to get married. I keep running into several that do want to get married but just keep having a serious of bad encounters. They should just serve God wholeheartedly and not worry about it like on the mission field.
You wrote: "Anyone can find lots of differences, she explained; it takes real intelligence to discover similarities between different things! What does this say about those who emphasize (overemphasize?) the differences between males and females in God's eyes?"
I believe that the structure of our souls and our spirits are the neither male nor female. If overemphasis on one's sex chromosomes causes beliefs that are harmful the the spirit of a woman, then how does this serve God? So much of the outcry of women in our world is because their spirits have been repressed and their souls insulted. One's dignity should never have to depend on a cultural interpretation from fundamentalism in any religion or society. Fundamentalism is the spirit killer. Fundamentalism is the soul killer.
Mr. Burleson, in reading one commentary of I Timothy 2:11-14, the commentator promotes this passage as instructions to Timothy for young couples and discipleship. The Greek word used by Paul for women here can be interchangable for wives. As I keep reading the text with that understanding it resonates of a more accurate of translation with the verses following to affirm its context. Furthermore, a general observation the early church would assume very litttle exposure to the Scripture.
Esther,I've heard that saying before.Others may like it. And it may be appropriate. But when I read it I think it sounds too much like manipulation.
Which might make sense if you consider that a person who feels powerless may resort to manipulation to get their needs met. Even if the only need they have is the need to not feel powerless, like everyone else determines their fate rather than they themselves.
Being female, I'd like to think that I have some areas of authority in my life so that I don't feel powerless and have to wrestle with what I would consider a sin, manipulation.
Welcome. I think I have heard your saying about the 'neck' turning the 'head' on a movie called 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'. It is a very funny movie about women's issues set in the midst of an ethnic family with a patriarchal father. We all loved the movie here at my house, but then, we are a little bit peculiar ourselves. I understood the movie well, coming from an ethnic French Canadian background myself, where my father, and, before him, my grandfather (my p'pere) were definitely the heads of the Family.
Don't be nervous, just jump in and enjoy the fray. You will meet the nicest people here. I have learned much from the people on this blog, and I think they will help you, too. Again, we are glad you have come.
Some of the books published during the time I was struggling with the issue of women's status played into the submissive wife idea then promoted the idea of using a seeming submission to manipulate the relationship. Not very nice, not to say unchristian. I found them either laughable or appalling depending on my mood at the time of reading.
Sort of like what we did back in the dark ages of dating relationships (though with all the sexual activity going on, expected in some relationships now this may be a new dark age) when women would let men win when they played games. The first guy I stopped doing this and began to play to win was the man I married; wonder if that made a difference. I realize now, though only dimly then, that doing so was an insult to the man.
Manipulation has no place in a good relationship, though I expect is is prevalent in many so-called dominant-submissive marriages, simply as a defense mechanism. If you are always expected to give in, it is only human to seek ways around this when something is important enough.
How much better a relationship of equals, even if sometimes differences may take longer to decide than if only one member of the relationship is allowed to decide.
Susie, I agree with what you wrote. Can you imagine the confusion of one of your own children witnessing an extreme example of dominant-submissive patriarchal family life, if they had never seen it before? This happened to my daughter and it frightened her. She was invited to the home of a school acquaintance and witnessed the strangest scenes between the mother and the father. I listened to my daughter and it sickened me that she had seen a woman humiliate herself openly before her family in response to the demeaning behavior of the husband. My daughter did not understand any of this. I made sure she did not go back to that 'Christian' home.
I told her that sometimes people have beliefs that are different from ours and that her friend's family had a right to believe in their way.
I'm glad my daughter was shocked. She has a good heart for people; she was offended and upset by what she witnessed in that home. Something unwholesome and unhealthy was going on there in the name of 'godly behavior'.
To Anonymous,Your finding, http://www.baptisthistory.org/baptistbeginnings.htm, was not for me. If you want to believe Baptists started with the Baptists’ name in the sixteenth century that is your privilege.
J.M. Carroll’s book, The Trail of Blood is my belief.
His book traces Baptists back to Ana Baptist in 251 AD. The Conservative Resurgence rejected his book because he gave evidence the three Epistles of John were written by Elder John and not Apostle John, and the start of ‘errors’ are shown in 3 John by large churches running over small churches.
At one time, Carroll’s picture hung on the walls of SWTBS as a respected historian. His chart showing the history of Baptists from the first one hundred years to 2000 was also displayed. Carroll died in 1931, and his great church history library was given to SWBTS.
The first of many names given to Baptists was ‘Ana-Baptist’ when they withdrew fellowship from the majority that started baptizing babies for salvation.
Cardinal Hosius, President of the Council of Trent, wrote in 1524: Were it not that the Baptists have been grievously tormented and cut off with the knife during the past twelve hundred years, they would swarm in greater number than all the Reformers.”
Sir Isaac Newton: “Baptists are the only body of known Christians that have never symbolized with Rome.”
Edinburg Cyclopedia (Presbyterian): “It must have already occurred to our readers that the Baptists are the same sect of Christians that were formerly described as Ana-Baptist. Indeed this seems to have been their leading principle from the time of Tertullian to the present time. Tertullian was born fifty years after the death of the Apostle John.”
Some people’s minds are made up, so don’t confuse them with the facts. I would change my mind if someone could prove Carroll wrong with something besides their opinion.
Thank you for thoughts and analysis. I think they are accurate and I truly appreciate them, however, you should know that not all of the women interviewed were married with children. At least one was single. I want your article to be as accurate as possible (when I send it to people). Thank you. | 2023-11-21T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3391 |
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Forreston, Texas
Forreston is an unincorporated community in Ellis County, Texas, United States. It lies on U.S. Route 77 eight miles south of the county seat of Waxahachie. The population was estimated to be 238 in 2008, but Forreston is not listed in the 2010 census.
Denver Pyle, a supporting actor in many roles, including CBS's The Doris Day Show and The Dukes of Hazzard, is interred in an unmarked grave at Forreston Cemetery just south of the community off Highway 77.
James "Big Jim" Bynum of Forreston, held, along with Jack Favor of Fort Worth, the 2.2-second rodeo record for bulldogging a steer.
Forreston is also home to local television/film actor Adam Russell who moved to Forreston in 2010.
History
The roots of Forreston date to 1843, when the area was known as Howe's Settlement, named for an early settler in the region. In the middle to late 1840s, the community was renamed Chambers Creek. It received its first post office in 1846. It initially served as the original county seat of Navarro County until 1850, when the organization of Ellis County placed the town within the new county.
From the early 1850s to the late 1880s, Chambers Creek remained a small farming community, providing a school and a church for local residents and farmers. In 1890, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (KATY) Railroad was built through the area, and businesses began to spring up along the tracks. The community was renamed Forreston, after Carr Forrest, a local landowner who served as the first postmaster and donated the land on which the new rail depot was built. By the 1940s, Forreston had three cotton gins, several businesses, and a population of 350. Throughout the 20th century the town remained a shipping point for local farming and commerce.
The population declined; by 2000, it had only some two hundred residents.
Forreston was featured in the March 1999 issue of Texas Monthly in the article entitled "The Best of Small-Town Texas". In August 2007, Forreston was featured in "Shop Vintage with Ken Weber" in the publication, D Magazine. The spread was encouraged by Bon Ton Vintage, a shop founded in 1984 by retired jazz musicians Barbra and John Kauffman which claims to have the "largest collection of vintage clothing in Texas".
Education
Forreston is served by the Waxahachie Independent School District.
References
Handbook of Texas Online entry for Forreston
Category:Unincorporated communities in Texas
Category:Unincorporated communities in Ellis County, Texas
Category:Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
Category:Populated places established in 1843
Category:1843 establishments in the Republic of Texas | 2024-02-13T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4304 |
Snowdon, Montreal
Snowdon is a neighbourhood located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough. The area is centred on the intersection of the Décarie Expressway and Queen Mary Road.
Snowdon is bordered by Macdonald Street (Hampstead) in the west, Victoria Avenue (Côte-des-Neiges) in the east, Côte-Saint-Luc Road (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce) to the south and Vezina Street and the railway tracks (Le Triangle) to the north. Furthermore, the northwest end borders Côte Saint-Luc and the southeast end borders Westmount.
The neighbourhood is served by the Snowdon Metro, which has access to the Metro's Orange Line and Blue Line. Notable buildings in the neighbourhood include the former Snowdon Theatre.
The district was named for James Snowdon, who owned a farm where the neighbourhood now stands.
References
Category:Neighbourhoods in Montreal
Category:Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Category:Jewish communities in Canada
Category:Jews and Judaism in Montreal | 2024-04-08T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9111 |
Investigative Post reporter Dan Telvock was on the Shredd and Ragan show Monday morning to discuss his reporting on the Erie County Water Authority’s flawed testing program for lead in drinking water from the homes of its customers.
The water authority responded to Investigative Post’s reporting with a campaign that included misleading statements and unsubstantiated claims. Authority officials are also refusing interview requests. | 2023-08-29T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4759 |
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Info
Description
The sequel fans have waited 16 years for is finally here -- featuring enhanced gameplay elements, including the classic Sonic Spin Dash, and the versatile Homing Attack, Sonic 4 picks up right where Sonic and Knuckles left off. Dr. Eggman’s back, and in an effort to finally rid himself of Sonic, he revisits -- and improves -- the very best of his creations. Get ready for the next chapter in an all new epic 2D saga built for old and new fans alike. | 2024-05-13T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/8922 |
I live in a bubble. We don’t have cable. Or get the newspaper. I tend to flip the radio station when the news comes on and I avoid social media after I hear of a national crisis. I do this because the news makes me cry and people piss me off and I’m not good at shelving those emotions.
When I rejoined FB, I decided I’d keep it to “close friends and family”. After a few months, I started adding internet people I kind of knew and liked but firmly stuck to a below 75 rule. Then I broke my foot and started befriending any person I may have ever known ever because I wanted an ever changing wall to keep me occupied.
Lately I’ve noticed A LOT that drives me crazy. Comments from dissenters get turned into BIG-FREAKING-DEALS because controversy gets page views and page views make money. I’ve watched groups jumping on the tragedy bandwagon not just to support a cause but also to develop “brand recognition”. I’ve seen cruelty, trolling, and ridiculous junior-high cool kid table bullshit. I’ve watched bloggers turn into snake oil salesmen hawking whatever recent product they happened to get for free this week. Or worse, bitching about being offered free product because what they really want from writing out here in cyberspace is cash.
I know that it’s hypocritical writing a snarky, crabby, ranty post complaining about snark, rants, and internet crabbiness. I know a part of the problem is that I’ve been spending a good deal of my recuperating time outside of my bubble – reading blogs I usually ignore and paying more attention to social media than it deserves. I’ve engaged in the comment section discussion that I’m usually too busy to read. I know that I can shut the computer and walk away and knit more and read more and watch more television, but part of the draw of FB and twitter and IG and blogs is that I get to feel like I’m interacting with real people when I’m actually stuck sitting on the couch. But I’m ignoring that hoping that this complaint will be another drop in the bucket to make the internet a more kind place.
In the meantime, I’m going to be following a bunch of fluffy, happy feeds, writing about the happy stuff that I enjoy, and returning to my bubble. I’m happier there.
Great list, minus PW… Not a fan at all of her. (but I won't be snarky about it.) Back when I started blogging, (on a different blog than now) reviewing wasn't as big a thing, and ads weren't either. It was so much fresher. It's changed and most days I don't like it. Content is no longer content for contents sake. It makes me sad…
Hey there, I’m Kate!
I love yarn, photography, books, and a good cup of coffee. I blog like it's 2004. I write a lot about knitting, Netflix, and any other nonsense that strikes my fancy. Sometimes I get ranty. Welcome to my little corner of the internet! | 2024-01-20T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/9635 |
Contribution of intracellular calcium to gallbladder smooth muscle contraction.
Studies were performed to evaluate the contribution of intracellular Ca2+ to gallbladder smooth muscle contraction under acetylcholine (ACh) or potassium stimulation. Gallbladder smooth muscle strips from adult guinea pigs were placed in tissue baths containing N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)-buffered physiological salt solution (PSS) and set to optimal length for contraction (Lo). The results were as follows, 1) A 20-min equilibration in zero Ca2(+)-0.1 mM ethylene glycol-bis( beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) PSS virtually abolished the response to potassium but not to ACh. 2) Substitution of strontium, an inhibitor of intracellular Ca2+ release, for Ca2+ significantly decreased the contractile response to ACh (3 X 10(-5), 10(-4), and 3 X 10(-4) M). Strontium had no effect on the response to 40 and 80 mM potassium. 3) Intracellular Ca2+ depletion significantly decreased gallbladder smooth muscle contraction to ACh (10(-4) M) but had no effect on the response to potassium (80 mM). 4) Ryanodine, a compound that inhibits Ca2+ storage by the sarcoplasmic reticulum, significantly decreased the contractile response to ACh (10(-4) M) but not to potassium (80 mM). These data support the observation that the use of intracellular Ca2+ by gallbladder smooth muscle for contraction is agonist dependent. | 2024-05-02T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1756 |
Q:
If $A+B+C=180°$, prove that: $\sin^3 A+....$
If $A+B+C=180°$, prove that:
$$\sin^3 A+ sin^3 B+ sin^3 C= 3cos(\frac {A}{2}). cos(\frac {B}{2}). cos(\frac {C}{2})+ cos(\frac {3A}{2}.cos(\frac {3B}{2}). cos(\frac {3C}{2})$$.
My Attempt:
Given,
$A+B+C=180$.
Now,
$$L.H.S=sin^3 A+ sin^3 B+sin^3 C$$
$$=\frac {3sinA-sin3A}{4}+\frac {3sinB-sin3B}{4}+\frac {3sinC-sin3C}{4}$$.
$$=\frac {1}{4} [3sinA+3sinB+3sinC-sin3A-sin3B-sin3C]$$.-
$$=\frac {3}{4} [sinA+sinB+sinC] - \frac {1}{4} [sin3A+sin3B+sin3C]$$.
Please help me to complete the proof
A:
You have done the tougher part.
Now use Prosthaphaeresis Formula,
$$\sin A+\sin B+\sin C=2\sin\dfrac{A+B}2\cos\dfrac{A-B}2+2\sin\dfrac C2\cos\dfrac C2$$
Use replacement for
$\sin\dfrac{A+B}2=\sin\dfrac{\pi-C}2=\cos\dfrac C2$
and $\sin\dfrac C2=\cdots=\cos\dfrac{A+B}2$
Simialrly, $$\sin3A+\sin3B+\sin3C=2\sin\dfrac{3(A+B)}2\cos\dfrac{3(A-B)}2+2\sin\dfrac{3C}2\cos\dfrac{3C}2$$
Use replacement for
$\sin\dfrac{3(A+B)}2=\sin\dfrac{3(\pi-C)}2=\sin\left(\pi+\dfrac\pi2-\dfrac{3C}2\right)=\cdots=-\cos\dfrac{3C}2$
and $\sin\dfrac{3C}2=\cdots=-\cos\dfrac{3(A+B)}2$
| 2024-02-12T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3201 |
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<title>
Add Alert dialog
</title>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff">
<h1>Add Alert dialog</h1>
<p>
This dialog allows you to manually add or change an <a href="../../start/concepts/alerts.html">Alert</a> associated
with a specific request.<br/>
</p>
<h2>Fields</h2>
The dialog has the following fields:
<h3>Type</h3>
The type of the alert is a pull down field which allows you to select one of a prepopulated set of issue types.<br/>
You can also enter your own text or change the text of one of the items you selected.<br/>
If you select one of the existing types then the Description, Solution and Other Info fields
will be populated with text associated with the item you chose.
<h3>위험</h3>
A pull down field which allows you to specify how serious you think the risk is:
<table>
<tr><td> </td><td>Informational</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>Low</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>Medium</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>High</td><td></td></tr>
</table>
<h3>Confidence</h3>
A pull down field which allows you to specify how confident you are in the validity of the finding:
<table>
<tr><td> </td><td>False Positive</td><td>for potential issues that you later find are not exploitable</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>Low</td><td>for unconfirmed issues</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>Medium</td><td>for issues you are somewhat confident of</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>High</td><td>for findings you are highly confident in</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>Confirmed</td><td>for confirmed issues</td></tr>
</table>
<h3>Parameter</h3>
A pull down field which allows you to specify which parameter the issue is associated with.<br/>
The field is prepopulated with any URL and FORM parameters found, but you can also enter your own parameter name.<br />
Array parameters (in URL query component and <code>x-www-form-urlencoded</code> request body) are identified with its index. For
example, for a request containing <code>choices[]=ChoiceA&choices[]=ChoiceB</code> the first parameter would be identified
as <code>choices[0]</code> and the second as <code>choices[1]</code>.
<h3>설명</h3>
A general description of the type of issue found.<br/>
This is populated when you select one of the predefined types, but you can also change it as required.<br/>
Note that any changes you make will be lost if you select another type.
<h3>Other Info</h3>
Information specific to the particular issue you have found.<br/>
This is not prepopulated.
<h3>조치 방법</h3>
Recommendations about how to fix the issue.<br/>
This is populated when you select one of the predefined types, but you can also change it as required.<br/>
Note that any changes you make will be lost if you select another type.
<h3>Reference</h3>
One or more URLs pointing to more information on the internet about the selected type of alert.<br/>
This is populated when you select one of the predefined types, but you can also change it as required.<br/>
Note that any changes you make will be lost if you select another type.
<h2>Accessed via</h2>
<table>
<tr><td> </td><td>
<a href="../tabs/history.html">History tab</a></td><td>'New Alert...' right click menu item</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>
<a href="../tabs/alerts.html">Alerts tab</a></td><td>double clicking on an existing alert</td></tr>
</table>
<h2>See also</h2>
<table>
<tr><td> </td><td>
<a href="../overview.html">UI Overview</a></td><td>for an overview of the user interface</td></tr>
<tr><td> </td><td>
<a href="dialogs.html">Dialogs</a></td><td>for details of the dialogs or popups </td></tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
| 2023-10-06T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/4233 |
This event has finished
The NZ-born supernova hits Melbourne before her U.S. tour
How long did Vows take to make?Well, I moved to Melbourne when I was 17, and I’m 21 now. Obviously not every day was spent in the studio, but there was a lot of working on the songs, going to America to work with producers – these things do take a while, and because I was allowed the freedom to explore, I did take the time to do it. I wasn’t under any deadlines.
Still, four years…Yeah, there were times it was very frustrating, but looking back I’m glad I spent that time. You only get one shot at the first album.
Were the songs drawn from that entire period?[Single] ‘Settle Down’ was written in New Zealand when I was 16, but the rest of the are pretty fresh. It was a bit of a joke song, actually, that no-one had even heard, and I played it to my producer like [puts on dismissive voice] “oh, this is just this silly little thing that I did’, and he was like “nope, we’re going to work on this”. So that was a real fluke.
Shooting the video for ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ [her duet with Goyte] must have been an ordeal…Oh, it really was. It started at about four or five on a Tuesday afternoon, and I was still there at 7.30am the next day, still standing there, still being painted. It was that intense. There was a point where I almost started to fall over. But it looked great! | 2023-12-23T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7679 |
Ramtin Cardiovascular Research and Treatment Center
Ramtin Cardiovascular Research and Treatment Center, is a cardiovascular hospital located in Velenjak, northern Tehran, Iran. Professor Alireza Esmat, cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeon, has been performing open heart surgery at Ramtin since the hospital opened in 1995. With 80 beds, including 15 ICU beds and three operating theatres, the private hospital also runs a transplant research unit.
Owner and lead heart surgeon at Ramtin Hospital, Alireza Esmat is known for having performed the first tracheal stenosis operation in Iran, saving the life of the patient, a 27-year-old female, and the only survivor of a car accident. The surgical team succeeded in employing a cartilage graft to enhance the tracheal luminal diameter where earlier tests had revealed an aggregation of fibrotic and granulation tissue at the posterior aspect of the trachea at a length of 8–10 cm.
Due to the linear extension of fibrosis, neither a stenotic area resection nor end-end anastomosis were feasible while the implementation of synthetic material or metallic stent was also not possible. So, the surgical team devised a new technique, employing a cartilage graft to enhance the tracheal luminal diameter. A 10 cm length of the floating 12th rib was extracted, implemented at the anterior aspect of the trachea with interrupted nylon suturing to reconstruct the stenotic area.
Professor Alireza Esmat, who studied in Tehran and the United States, has received several plaques and awards from the United Nations and Iran’s Khwarizmi Scientific Foundation, performed this operation in 2007.
External links
Tehran Times
Ettelaat
Mehr News
Payvand: World's first tracheal stenosis operation performed in Iran
Category:Buildings and structures in Tehran | 2024-04-07T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/5222 |
Thank you for the opportunity to volunteer with the Celanese International Impact Program (CIIP). I was not really sure what to expect, but as we gathered at our home base, I realized that these 10 people from across the company are members of my Celanese family. We all share common goals, values, struggles and culture. I believe we all made lasting friendships during our time together.
I want to thank Celanese from the bottom of my heart for allowing me the privilege of participating in the Celanese International Impact Program (CIIP) in New Delhi, India. Celanese sent a great team of people who are truly committed to making an impact on the lives of those less fortunate.
Conditions in India are much different than what we are used to here in the United States, and yet we all adapted readily and easily knowing we were there to be of service. We dove into the culture and experienced the good and the bad. We were able to tour and see many amazing sights, but we also worked hard to make sure we could fulfill our obligation at our assignments.
Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the 2016 Celanese International Impact Program (CIIP). It was a rewarding and humbling experience. My time in India allowed me to learn about another culture while giving some of my education and experience to help enhance a little part of their world. I was partnered with Susan Day and we were tasked with not only teaching conversational English to a group of women in a sewing class, but to also elevate their self-esteem and confidence.
Really, I am allowed to go to India? India. I hear and read a lot about it, so you think you know what to expect. But, you have no idea.
My questions: What is expected of me? How are the Celanese workmates? How does the food taste? What is our lodging like?
First meeting: From five different countries, one after another, my workmates arrived in India. All we knew was we’d be in a foreign country, all with the same mission. Two days later we felt like we’ve known them for years.
I want to say thank you for the amazing opportunity I had to participate in the 2016 Celanese International Impact Program (CIIP) trip to New Delhi, India. I’m so proud to work for a company that is really engaged with the community and has good values.
During my two weeks in New Delhi I had the opportunity to bond with eleven exceptional fellow Celanese employees from around the world and learn about their experiences, culture and beliefs. The Cross Cultural Solutions (CCS) staff’s hospitality made New Delhi feel like home. Each day we learned together about the Indian culture, religion and education. | 2023-11-29T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/3982 |
It just so happened that as Hurricane Florence was approaching the Carolinas, teacher Justin Parmenter was giving a lesson on empathy to his students in a seventh-grade language arts class at Waddell Language Academy in Charlotte. In this post, Parmenter writes about the real-life lesson in empathy kids can get from the hurricane.
An educator for more than 20 years, Parmenter started his teaching career “believing that I was going to transform every child,” just as many first-year teachers do when they are placed in schools with high-needs populations. He quickly learned how complex teaching actually is.
Parmenter has written a number of posts for this blog about teaching and the effects that data-driven school reform has had on his profession and on students. In this post, he writes about how a real-life lesson in civil discourse with his students gave him hope for the future of this divided country.
Parmenter is a fellow with the Hope Street Group North Carolina Teacher Voice Network. He started his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Albania and taught in Istanbul. He was a finalist for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher of the Year in 2016, and you can find him on Twitter here: @JustinParmenter.
On Wednesday I found myself, just like all the other teachers in my school, leading a monthly character lesson. This one happened to be on empathy. My students and I talked about the novel “Wonder” and the importance of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those in need of support. We discussed how we can make the world a better place through how we choose to treat others. Students dutifully participated in the activity, but it felt very theoretical — probably because it was.
Just a few hours later, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced school closures for Thursday and Friday in response to the threat posed to North Carolina by Hurricane Florence. The statement opened by saying “ Together, we can be the neighbors we teach our students to be.” It continued:
Hurricane Florence has forced evacuations to emergency shelters and we must consider safety in new ways. CMS is proud to serve our state and region by opening several CMS school campuses as emergency shelters led by the Red Cross in partnership with other agencies. Emergency shelters opened today for evacuees at CMS high school campuses including East Mecklenburg, South Mecklenburg, North Mecklenburg, Olympic and Ardrey Kell. Emergency shelters at additional schools may be opened.
These emergency shelters are staffed and provisioned by the Red Cross with support from partner agencies to meet shelter, medical, nutrition, comfort, safety and security needs. CMPD and CMS-PD are supporting shelters with officers, equipment and communications assistance.
CMS believes that supporting our neighbors in need is the right thing to do for our state, community and people affected by Hurricane Florence.
Parent reactions to CMS’s decision were predictably mixed, with some praising the move but others choosing to see the issue only in terms of the personal inconvenience posed by unexpectedly having to take care of their own children:
Yesterday I took my son and daughter to East Meck High School under sunny blue skies to see shelter preparations firsthand. On the way there we talked about what 30+” of rain and winds over a hundred miles an hour can do to your home, of the destruction caused by storm surge and flash flooding, of the implications of living with no electricity or clean water for days on end.
When we got to the high school, evacuees had just begun to trickle in. In the gymnasium, dozens of cots with Red Cross blankets on them lined the floor in neat rows. A handful of kids sat playing games and coloring at a table and a gentleman sat alone in the bleachers reading his Bible. An enthusiastic group of volunteers stood ready to welcome some of the more than 1 million people expected to evacuate coastal areas of the Carolinas. It was a powerful lesson for my kids in the importance of identifying with how others are feeling and providing support when we’re able to do so.
I’ll grant you that there probably aren’t a lot of CMS students complaining about having some unexpected days off school, whatever the reason. But let’s not miss the opportunity for them to learn an essential, real-life lesson. Our kids won’t learn to be the people we want them to be through hearing us talk.
They’ll learn it through watching our actions. And today I’m very proud of the actions that my school district and community are taking to provide help to those in need. | 2023-09-11T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7306 |
Analysis: Talks between the Redskins and Raiders heated up Saturday morning and Campbell's new contract was agreed upon by about noon ET. He'll make $3.1 million in 2010 and $4.5 million in 2011. And Davis has left the door open to Campbell playing his way into more money in 2011.
Analysis: An injury sidelined Washington last season. His addition in Seattle gives the Seahawks another candidate for playing time at the position. Seattle acquired LenDale White from the Titans earlier in the day.
Analysis: The Titans selected CB Alterraun Verner. The trade fills a hole for the Seahawks, who needed a running back, and reunites White with Pete Carroll, his coach at USC. The Seahawks selected CB Walter Thurmond.
Analysis: The Chargers added much-needed size and power to the middle of their defense by selecting LB Donald Butler. Stephen Cooper and Brandon Siler are still solid starters, but Butler is a better fit for the Chargers' defense. The 49ers selected LB Navorro Bowman at No. 91. Bowman, who will likely be a special-teams player in 2010, will have a chance to learn behind Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes.
Analysis: The Packers moved up to select Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett, giving themselves some flexibility in the secondary. Burnett will play behind Nick Collins and Atari Bigby, but he gives the team the opportunity to part with Bigby, if needed. The Eagles selected DE Daniel Te'o-Nesheim at No. 86.
Analysis: Still searching for a consistent running back to complement their high-powered passing game, the Texans selected Auburn's Ben Tate. Tate should greatly upgrade the team's short-yardage work, which has been disappointing. The Patriots took LB Brandon Spikes at No. 62.
Analysis: The Cowboys added valuable depth to their LB corps by selecting Sean Lee, who lacks ideal size but has great instincts. Lee will likely supplant Bobby Carpenter as Dallas' third inside linebacker.
Analysis: The Patriots selected TE Rob Gronkowski, who will help the team offset the offseason loss of Benjamin Watson. Gronkowski is a big target (6-foot-6), but durability is a concern; he missed the entire 2009 season with a back injury. The Raiders took DT Lamarr Houston, filling a major need. Gerard Warren is gone and the team had no proven backups to replace him.
Analysis: With Dez Bryant still on the board at No. 24, Jerry Jones moved up three spots to grab the wide receiver, who will give the Cowboys another playmaker to pair with Miles Austin. With the No. 27 pick, the Patriots took CB Devin McCourty, a tough and versatile player who also will help on special teams.
Analysis: The Broncos pulled off the surprise of the draft, packaging three picks to jump back into the first round and take quarterback Tim Tebow. Broncos coach Josh McDaniels worked wonders developing Matt Cassel in New England; now he'll try to do the same with Tebow in Denver. | 2024-01-07T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7917 |
Medically intractable epilepsies of tumoural aetiology. Report of 4 cases treated according to the method described by J. Talairach et al.
The authors present 4 patients with medically uncontrollable epilepsy of tumoural aetiology (grade I-II gliomas). In two of them, CT scan showed probable neoplastic lesions, located deeply in the left frontal and right temporal lobes respectively, reflected in the SEG studies only in the second case. The other two were patients with left frontal gliomas in whom seizures did not disappear after removal of the tumour. After SEEG studies defined the epileptogenic zone and the lesion and these were removed, complete suppression of the seizures was achieved in two patients and the other two only unfrequently suffered seizures. We emphasize the importance of SEEG studies for success in treating patients with gliomata previously diagnosed by CT scan, and who have seizures uncontrolled by anticonvulsants as the only symptom. | 2023-08-05T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/7055 |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reducing a neutral current in a three-phase four-wire type power distribution system; and, more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for reducing a neutral current by changing an arrangement of loads connected to each phase of at least one among top and bottom stage power lines according to a level of each phase current of the top and the bottom stage power lines in a three-phase four-wire type two stage electric pole in a power distribution system.
2. Background of the Related Art
Currently, a three-phase four-wire type Y-connection power distribution system is adopted as a standard power distribution method in Korea, USA, Canada, Taiwan, etc. In a partial period, the power distribution system is operated with a one-stage electric pole in combination with a two-stage electric pole. In the three-phase four-wire type power distribution system, a conduction line drawn by being connected to a neutral point of Y-connection is referred as a neutral line, for the case of the two stage electric pole in power distribution system, as shown in FIG. 1, three-phase currents flow through each of a top stage power line 1 and a bottom stage power line 2, individually, and a neutral line(not shown) prepared at the neutral line power line 3 is commonly used by the top stage power line 1 and the bottom stage power line 2.
Theoretically, in case of the three-phase four-wire type two stage electric pole in power distribution system, a normal power distribution state, i.e., when the loads connected to phase lines (not shown) in each of the top stage power line 1 and the bottom stage power line 2 become an equilibrium state to each other, the current flowing through the neutral line becomes 0.
However, as the usages of nonlinear and imbalance loads such as a computer device, an UPS(Uninterruptible Power Supply), a rectifying device, an illumination device and an office device have been rapidly increased recently in a commercial building, a residential building and a factory or the like, the current due to the imbalance of the load flows excessively at the neutral line in a practical power distribution system.
In case that the current flows through the neutral line due to the above-described imbalance load, there occur overheats of the neutral line and fire, and an insulation breakage and erroneous operations of various devices. Further, in case that the non-linear load among the loads increases, there occur problems that the other facilities are damaged in the system by flowing a harmonic wave current into a side of the power supply.
Therefore, in order to solve the above-described problems, various techniques have been proposed for reducing the current flowing into the neutral line. A conventional neutral line current reduction technique applies the method of installing a zigzag transformer or a filter circuit on the phase line and the neutral line of the three-phase power for a one-stage electric pole in a power distribution system. The detailed contents for these are disclosed in detail in the following reference 1 and reference 2 or the like.
However, the conventional techniques disclosed in the following references 1 and 2 or the like do not contain an example which is applied to a two-stage electric pole in a power distribution system. Also there are the problems of the installation being complex and a great deal of cost being consumed since construction of hardware, such as a transformer or a filter circuit, is complex and a large space is required.
And also, although assumes that the conventional techniques disclosed in the following references 1 and 2 or the like are applied to the three-phase four-wire type two stage electric pole power distribution system, such conventional techniques have problems that it is difficult for actively coping with the case that the loads connected to the phases of each of the top stage power line 1 and the bottom stage power line 2 are changed with the lapse of time.
[Reference 1] Korean registration patent No. 557778 (Registered on Feb. 27, 2006)
[Reference 2] Korean Publication patent No. 2004-8610 (Published on Jan. 31, 2004) | 2023-10-31T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1133 |
Since the mounting arm fits on either collar, the weapon can certainly be wielded with the left arm. ^^
Just by weapon count (for hand held type), Gundam Astraea's armament list is a bit shorter than Gundam Exia's: six (GN Beam Rifle, GN Launcher, Proto GN Sword, GN Shield, GN Beam Saber/Dagger x2) versus eight(GN Sword - two modes, GN Shield, GN Long, Short Blades, GN Beam Saber/Dagger x4), but the interchangeability of Gundam Astraea's weapons to be wielded by either hands is a lot more fun than Gundam Exia I think. ^^ All of Gundam Astraea's unique weapons - the rifle, launcher and sword can be used by either hands, which is much cooler than Gundam Exia's right arm-restricted GN Sword. ^^;
As a matter of fact, the only weapon (if you call it a weapon) that doesn't have that interchangeability is the shield, but nobody really cares about the shield I suppose. XD
The last posting for this kit coming up next will feature a comparison with its successor unit. ^^ | 2024-07-21T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/6642 |
Friday, April 1, 2016
The Poolroom
Figure 1 : Poolroom Pool Table
The poolroom was my first attempt at creating a truly rich
environmental experience with Stingray.
Most architectural visualization scenes you see are
antiseptically clean and uncomfortably modern. I wanted to break away from that.
I wanted an environment I would feel at home with, not one that a movie star
would buy for sheer resale value to another movie star. I also wanted the
challenge of working with natural and texturally rich materials. Not white on
white, as is generally the case.
Figure : Poolroom Clock
To this end, I started looking for cozy but luxurious spaces
on google and eventually came across a nice reference photo I could work with. Warm
rich woods, lots of games, a bar, and well... those all speak to me. For better
or worse, I felt this room was one I would personally feel comfortable in. So I
took on the challenge of re-creating that environment in 3D inside Stingray.
The challenges
The poolroom gave me some major challenges. Some I knew
would be trouble from the start, but some I didn’t realize until I started
rendering lightmaps. Most of my difficulties came down to handling materials
properly.
Figure 3 : Poolroom Bar
Coming to grips with physically based shaders
In addition to being my first complete Arch-Viz scene in
Stingray, this was also my first real stab at using physically based shading
(PBS). Although physically based shading is similar in many regards to traditional
texturing, it has its own set of tricks and gotchas. I actually had to re-do
the scenes materials more than once as I learned the proper way to do things.
For example, my scene was
predominantly dark woods. With dark woods, you really have to be sure you get
the albedo material in the correct luminosity range or you end up with
difficulties when you light the scene. In my first attempts, I found my light
being just eaten up by the darkness of the wood’s color map. I kept cranking up
the light Intensities, but this would flood the scene and lead to harsh and
broken light bakes.
Figure 4 : Arcade Game
/p>
Eventually, once I understood the effect of the color map’s
luminosity and got the values in line, I started getting great results with
normalized light intensities. My lighting began responding favorably with deep,
rich lightmap bakes. When you get the physical properties of the materials
right, Stingray’s light baker is both fast and very good. But I can’t stress
enough: with PBS, you must ensure that your luminosity values are accurate.
Reference photo was HDR
When I was building out the scene and trying to mimic the
reference photo’s lighting, I realized that the original image was made using
some high-dynamic range techniques. I couldn’t seem to get the same level of
exposure and visual detail in the shadowed areas of my scene.
Figure 5 : Before Ambient Fills
Figure 6 : After Ambient Fills
Because of this, I had to do
some pretty fun trickery with my scene lighting. In the end, I got it by placing
some subtle, non-shadow casting lights in key areas to bring up the brightness
a little in those areas.
Figure 6 : Soft Controlled Lighting
All in all, the scene took a lot of lighting work to get
just right. I have to say that I was very happy with how closely I was able to
match the lighting, given that the original photo was HDR.
Lived-in but not dirty
The last big challenge was also related to materials. I had
to find that fine balance of a room that is clean and tidy but also obviously
lived-in. So often I find Arch-Viz work feels unnaturally smooth and clean, which
can destroy the belief of the space. I really wanted my scene to
break through the uncanny valley and feel real.
I handled this mostly by creating some very simple grunge
maps, and applying them to the roughness maps using a simple custom shader.
This was easy to build in Stingray’s node-based shader graph:
I have this shader set up so I can control the tiling of the
color map, normals and other textures. The grunge map, on the other hand, is
sampled using UV coordinates from the lightmap channel. This helps to hide the
tiling over large areas like the walls, because the grunge value that gets multiplied
in to the roughness is always different each time the other textures repeat.
Balancing the grunge properly was the biggest challenge
here, but in the end, some still shots even get me doing a double-take. When
that happens, I know I’m doing well. I also posted progress along the way on my
Facebook page — when I had friends saying, “whoa, when can I come visit?” I
knew I was nailing it.
3D modeling
Figure 9 : Record Player Model in Maya LT
I don’t have much that’s
special to say about the 3D modeling process. I simply modeled all my assets
the same way anyone would. Attention to detail is really the trick, and making
sure that I created hand-made lightmap UVs for every object was critical to
ensure the best light baking. Otherwise it was just simple modeling.
Figure 10 : Poolroom Model in MayaLT
One thing to note, however, is that I only used 3D tools
that came with the Stingray package, except for Substance Designer and a little
Photoshop. I did the entire scene’s modeling in MayaLT. Sometimes people think
cheap is not good, but I believe this proves otherwise. MayaLT is incredible. I
am super happy with the results and speed at which you can work with it. Best
of all, it’s part of the package, so no additional costs.
Material design
Laying out the materials in
the scene was pretty straightforward for the most part. At one point, I
experimented with using more species of wood, but the different parts of the room
started to feel disconnected. I started removing materials from my list, and
eventually when I ended up with only a small handful the room came together as
you see it.
Figure 11 : Record Player Material Design in Substance
I guess something else I should mention is performance
shaders. Stingray comes with a great, flexible standard shader, but I wanted to
eke out every little bit of performance I could on this scene while keeping the
quality very high. Without much trouble, I created a library of my own purpose-built
shaders (like the one mentioned earlier). I used these for various tasks. Simple
colors, RMA (roughness-metallic-ambient occlusion), RMA-tiling shaders and a
few others came together really quickly. From this handful of shaders, I was
able to increase performance while simplifying my design process. I find it
comforting how Stingray deals with shaders… it is just very easy to iterate and
save a version. Much better usability than other systems I have tried.
Figure 12 : Shader Library
Fun stuff
Well, most game dev is hard
work, the fun is at the end when you get to finally relax and see your efforts
paid off. But there were definitely some really fun parts of making the
poolroom.
One was the clock. It’s a
small, almost easter-egg kind of thing, but I programmed the clock fully. Meaning,
its hands move, the pendulum swings, and it also rings the hour. So if you are
exploring the poolroom and it happens to be when the hour changes in your
system clock, the clock in the game rings the hour for you. So two o’clock
rings two times, four o’clock rings four
times, etc. The half-hour always strikes once. I modeled the clock after one
that my father gave me, so I put some extra love into it. It is basically
exactly the clock that hangs in my living room.
Figure 13 : Clock Model in MayaLT
Figure 14 : Clock Model in Stingray
I also gave the record player
some extra attention, because my good friend Mathew Harwood was kind enough to
do all the audio for the project. I felt the music really set the scene, and he
even worked on it over my twitch stream so we could get feedback from some
people who were watching. So yeah, press +
or - in the game to start and stop
the record player, complete with animated tone arm. Nothing super crazy, just a
nice little touch.
Figure 15 : Record Player in Stingray
Community effort
One thing I found really neat about this project was that I
streamed the entire creation process on my Twitch channel. I have never
streamed much before this project, but it made the process much more fun. I had
people to talk with, and often my viewers were helpful to me in suggesting
ideas and noticing things I had not noticed. It was very collaborative and a
great learning exercise for me and for my viewers. We got to learn from each
other, which is the dream!
For example, the record player likely would not have been
done to the level I did it had one of my viewers not pushed me to make a really
detailed player. Because of this push, it ended up being a focus of the level,
and even has some animation and basic controls a user can interact with. | 2023-10-08T01:26:19.665474 | https://example.com/article/1659 |
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