text stringlengths 0 7.84M | meta dict |
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Class II transplantation antigens in the late human skin tuberculin reaction.
The presence of class II transplantation antigens on keratinocytes and the phenotypes of the inflammatory cells in the late human skin tuberculin reaction were analysed with immunohistochemical double staining techniques in frozen sections of skin biopsies taken 10-45 days after intradermal purified protein derivative (PPD) injection. Dermal cell infiltrates decreased with time but were found throughout the observation period. Most of the cells in the perivascular infiltrates expressed HLA-DR antigens. Some of these cells are probably 'activated' macrophages, since they expressed OKM1 and OKT9 antigens in consecutive sections. Another less frequent cell population which reacted with RFD1 antibodies are presumably interdigitating cells. About half the perivascular cells were anti-Leu 3a-positive (T 'helper/inducer' phenotype). HLA-DR but not HLA-DQ antigens were detected on keratinocytes. This acquired expression of HLA-DR antigens on the epithelial cells disappeared between 17 and 30 days. If HLA-DR-expressing keratinocytes have immunoregulatory functions these might be different from those of other HLA-DR-expressing cell types that also express HLA-DQ molecules. | {
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ATLANTIC CITY -- On the same day Donald Trump officially secured the Republican nomination for president, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton released another video calling his record into question, this time featuring a retired music store owner who says the one-time Atlantic City casino magnate partly stiffed him on a six-figure order decades ago.
The three-minute "testimonial web video" produced by Hillary for America stars Mike Diehl, a father of five who owned Freehold Music Center in 1989. In the video, Diehl says he received an order for pianos worth $100,000 from the Trump Taj Mahal casino.
Diehl waited more than a month after delivering the pianos before calling about the bill, stating he received a "runaround at first." Eventually, Diehl was told the casino did not have the money to pay the bill in full and was told he would have to accept 70 cents on the dollar or try his luck in bankruptcy court.
"I feel as if someone stole $30,000 from me," Diehl, 88, says in the video.
In public statements, Trump has boasted about his performance in the Atlantic City casino business, stating he pulled out of the resort city before it "cratered."
"I made a lot of money in Atlantic City. And I'm very proud of it," Trump said during the first GOP debate in August.
Diehl was among several people interviewed in an extensive USA Today article published earlier this month detailing Trump's record in Atlantic City, including the bankruptcy of the Taj Mahal, one of five times a Trump casino property filed for bankruptcy.
Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook. | {
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Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the Classroom with these Resources
Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the Classroom with these Resources
Since just last year, four new major American cities (Seattle, Grand Rapids, Minneapolis, and St. Paul) have followed an example set by Berkeley, CA and renamed Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In addition to being a landmark decision for long marginalized Native American communities, Seattle’s resolution extends all the way to their classrooms. The city’s resolution strongly encourages schools in Seattle to teach students about the history of indigenous people and to use the day to celebrate vibrant Native American cultures.
Many states, cities, and local communities have opted to celebrate Native American history and culture in lieu of Columbus Day, and the trend is certainly growing. To help educators celebrate this new and inspiring holiday, here are some ideas for teaching about indigenous peoples as well as educational resources on the topic.
Challenge Native Americans Stereotypes
Stereotyping is a problem for many communities. Often Native Americans are depicted as a single homogenous group, when in reality there is huge diversity between tribes, or they are shown as an anachronism from the past, even though they have contemporary lives in thriving communities. Here are some resources that can help deconstruct these and other stereotypes:
• Unlearning “Indian” Stereotypes – This short video teaches students about racial stereotypes and the history of Native Americans through the eyes of a young person. This resource is available for purchase through Rethinking Schools.
Teach the Entire Story of Columbus Arriving in America
Most people learn in school that in “1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue”, but what is often overlooked is that Columbus started the enslavement and genocide of the Taíno. The details about Columbus’ treatment of Taíno are upsetting, but there are resources for teaching students of all ages about this topic:
• Morning Girl by Michael Dorris and Encounter by Jane Yolen – These two books tell the story of Columbus’ arrival from the perspective of Taíno children. Morning Girl is for grades 4-6, and Encounter is for grades 3-5.
• The Columbus Controversy – This video, by the Zinn Education Project, tells the history of Columbus’ arrival in American and his enslavement of the Taíno. This resource is appropriate for grades 6 and up.
Celebrate Native American Contributions and Culture
There are over 560 federally recognized tribes and many more that are not officially recognized. Each tribe has its own culture, tradition, and identity. Not only do Native American tribes have vibrant cultures, but they have also contributed greatly to everything from modern medicine to the theory of American democracy. Here are some resources for teaching about the rich culture and contributions of indigenous peoples:
• Native Stock – This website contains over 150,000 stock photos and videos of Native Americans. Images show Native Americans wearing both modern and traditional clothing and engaging in a variety of activities – everything from weaving to skateboarding.
• Pre-Columbian Native People and Technology – This lesson from Teaching Tolerance, for grades 6-12, has students explore the generally accepted belief that before Christopher Columbus arrived in America, the indigenous people were “primitive” or “lacked technology”. Through this lesson, students learn that, in reality, Native Americans created sophisticated buildings, culture, and medicine before the arrival of Europeans.
Hi Laura. The organization, Teaching for Change, has a great list of books about American Indian. Here is a link to that section of their webiste [https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/american-indians/]
ABOUT
HEART's mission is to foster compassion and respect for all living beings and the environment by educating youth and teachers in Humane Education.
On our blog you will find humane project ideas for kids, an inside looks at HEART's programs, great teacher resources and more. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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1. Introduction {#sec1-ijerph-17-00783}
===============
The decline in youth's healthy behaviors and related consequences \[[@B1-ijerph-17-00783]\] is of concern for public health in general and for national defense in particular, which requires a sufficient number of physically fit and mentally healthy military personnel. In Lithuania, there is evidence that young people do not partake in adequate physical activity; that is, only around 30% of students aged 18 years comply with the recommendation to be active ≥1 h on at least 5 days a week \[[@B2-ijerph-17-00783]\]. The trends for health-related physical fitness among adolescents have deteriorated in the past 20 years, and the indicators of cardiorespiratory fitness have decreased by nearly 50% during this period \[[@B3-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Only 13--14% of high school students comply with recommendations for healthy nutrition \[[@B4-ijerph-17-00783],[@B5-ijerph-17-00783]\], 11% of young people consume alcohol \[[@B6-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Moreover, 22% experience psychological distress \[[@B7-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Multiple health behaviors, psychological distress, and their associated risk factors, such as obesity and poor physical fitness, are associated with poor mental health outcomes, the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer \[[@B8-ijerph-17-00783],[@B9-ijerph-17-00783]\], depression \[[@B10-ijerph-17-00783],[@B11-ijerph-17-00783]\], and anxiety \[[@B12-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Unhealthy behaviors also impose an economic burden; for example, one study estimated that physical inactivity alone costs USD 53.8 billion in 2013 for healthcare worldwide \[[@B13-ijerph-17-00783]\].
Health is the main criterion for accepting or rejecting young men into military service (MS) and is strongly related to the ability to perform military duties. Unsatisfactory results of youth recruitment to Lithuanian MS have been presented: on average, 58.6% of Lithuanian young men proceed through the full procedure of military enlistment. Among those who do not pass these procedures, 33%--37% experience psychological problems, 29%--33% have cardiovascular diseases, and 13% have musculoskeletal problems \[[@B14-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Other countries face similar problems of rejection from MS. For instance, analysis of the reasons for rejection from MS in the USA found that about 22% of rejections were because of problems with bones or joints, flat feet, or hernias, 15% because of organ defects, 13% because of defects of the cardiovascular system, 12% because of nervous system or mental problems, and 10% because of communicable diseases \[[@B15-ijerph-17-00783]\]. In the USA, Hispanic men appear to have a better health profile than their white and black peers, except for the prevalence of overweight, which is higher in Hispanic men \[[@B16-ijerph-17-00783]\].
Although health behaviors alone are not criteria for enlistment into MS, they might explain the reasons for some instances of rejection. Given that some health behaviors are risk factors for the occurrence of many lifestyle-related diseases \[[@B17-ijerph-17-00783]\], it is critical to identify whether and how health behaviors differ between young men who are deemed eligible and those who are ineligible for MS and to take appropriate actions to prevent adverse health behaviors from their onset.
Soldiers must be both physically and mentally healthy. However, mental health issues are among the main factors for rejection from MS \[[@B14-ijerph-17-00783],[@B15-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Identifying psychological distress along with health behaviors might help to provide a more complete understanding of health indicators in conscripts as psychological distress is an indicator of mental health \[[@B18-ijerph-17-00783]\].
Given the associations between many health-related behaviors, the complex analysis of a set of risk behaviors instead of evaluation of individual associations may help to reduce the risk of missing potential confounders for enlistment into MS \[[@B19-ijerph-17-00783]\].
Several studies have examined psychological distress, health behaviors \[[@B20-ijerph-17-00783],[@B21-ijerph-17-00783]\], and changes in health behavior \[[@B22-ijerph-17-00783]\] during MS. Enlistment is based on a medical examination of draftees, which may reject unhealthy individuals. As a result, these studies have evaluated health behaviors in relatively healthy youth but have not examined whether health behavior is related to the rejection of military recruits.
The aim of this study is to identify and compare health behaviors and psychological distress between male conscripts rejected for and enlisted into MS. We expect to find that healthier behaviors and low distress level would be related to a higher rate of enlistment into MS.
2. Materials and Methods {#sec2-ijerph-17-00783}
========================
2.1. Study Design and Procedure {#sec2dot1-ijerph-17-00783}
-------------------------------
This nationally representative cross-sectional study was performed among Lithuanian conscripts. In Lithuania, 9-month-long MS is compulsory. In accordance with the conscription procedure of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, a list of potential draftees is created by an automatic electronic selection system each year and includes male Lithuanian citizens of compulsory MS-eligible age (19--26 years). Other male and female young adults can express their wish to be conscripted on a priority basis.
A stratified random sampling was used. There are four centers for military recruitment in Lithuania that recruit conscripts during the whole year. The data were gathered in all four centers for 4 months from June to October 2018. Each conscript in these centers was approached during this period and asked to sign a consent form to participate in the study and to complete the study questionnaire. There was an equal chance (probability) that participants included in the study would be enlisted or rejected for MS.
The decision to accept a recruit for enlistment into MS is made by medical experts and is based on an individual medical examination and previous medical reports. The criteria for rejection from MS are defined in Order V-1142/V-1139, which provides a list of disorders along with their severity, and is signed by the Ministers of State Defense and Health Care. These criteria also indicate the minimum height requirement: 160 and 155 cm for men and women, respectively. Obesity without comorbid illness is not a reason for rejection from MS \[[@B23-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Enlistment in and rejection from MS were identified from the medical records for each study participant.
2.2. Participants {#sec2dot2-ijerph-17-00783}
-----------------
In 2018, there was a list of 10,340 conscripts, 209 of them female. This study included 1427 conscripts (which represented 13.80% of the total population), of whom 1296 returned their completed questionnaire along with their consent to participate in the study. The response rate was 90.82%. Female recruits were invited to participate in the study, but because only 53 agreed to participate, they were later excluded because of the small sample size. Finally, 1243 young male potential conscripts were included in the analysis. The participants were aged 19--26 years and their mean age was 22.50 ± 2.43 years.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Lithuania approved the research. Ethics approval (No SMTEK-28, 2018) was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Lithuanian Sports University. The investigations were carried out following the rules of the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975, revised in 2013. Participants were informed of the tasks in the study before data collection, and all participants gave their informed consent for inclusion before they participated in the study.
2.3. Measurements {#sec2dot3-ijerph-17-00783}
-----------------
### 2.3.1. Physical Activity {#sec2dot3dot1-ijerph-17-00783}
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines moderate physical activity as activity that noticeably accelerates the heart rate and includes activities equivalent in intensity to brisk walking or bicycling. Vigorous physical activity causes rapid breathing and substantially increases heart rate, and includes activities such as jogging, aerobic dance, and bicycling uphill \[[@B24-ijerph-17-00783]\]. To assess physical activity in the participants in this study, we used the 2005 US Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel \[[@B21-ijerph-17-00783]\]. The study participants were asked, "During the past 7 days, for leisure-time physical activity, how often did you usually do each of the following?". Participants were also asked, "During the past 7 days, when you did leisure-time physical activity, how long did you usually do each of the following?" For both questions, detailed descriptions and examples of what constitutes moderate and vigorous physical activity were presented.
In this study, we assessed physical activity during the preceding 7 days instead of the 30 days in the original questionnaire. Also, instead of using categorical answers (such as "5 or 6 days" and "at least 20 minutes") for each question, we provided the opportunity to write the exact numbers of days, hours, and/or minutes per day. The number of minutes spent in was totaled. Participants whose MVPA was \<2.5 h/week were coded as not meeting health-related physical activity requirements and those whose MVPA was ≥2.5 h/week were coded as meeting health-related physical activity requirements \[[@B25-ijerph-17-00783]\].
### 2.3.2. Eating Patterns {#sec2dot3dot2-ijerph-17-00783}
A healthy eating pattern was defined as a diet based on whole or minimally processed foods and that included health-protective ingredients and lacked unhealthy items such as fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages \[[@B26-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Adherence to a healthy eating pattern was evaluated using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) \[[@B25-ijerph-17-00783]\], which was previously validated in Spanish and German adult populations \[[@B26-ijerph-17-00783],[@B27-ijerph-17-00783]\]. The MEDAS includes 14 items: two indicate food-intake habits such as the use of olive oil and preference for white versus red meat, and the other 12 items capture the frequency of consumption of olive oil, animal fat, vegetables and fruits, fish, nuts, commercial pastries, sugar-sweetened beverages, and dishes with homemade sauce. Each item was scored as 0 (does not meet the healthy eating criteria) or 1 (meets the healthy eating criteria). The total score was calculated by summing all item scores. The MEDAS score was classified into three categories: ≤7 indicated low adherence, 8--9 indicated medium adherence, and ≥10 indicated high adherence to the Mediterranean diet \[[@B26-ijerph-17-00783]\].
### 2.3.3. Alcohol Consumption {#sec2dot3dot3-ijerph-17-00783}
Alcohol consumption was evaluated according to the 2008 US Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel \[[@B20-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Participants were asked to indicate the number of drinking occasions during the past month with the question, "During the past 30 days, on how many days did you drink alcohol?". Participants had to identify the quantity of drinks per typical drinking occasion in the table, where columns presented the type of beverage classified as the number of beers (bottle or can = 330 mL), the number of wines (glass = 125 mL), or the quantity of whiskey/vodka (mL), liquor (mL), and other drinks (mL) by indicating the quantity or amount of each of the drinks in the columns. The number of occasions per month when ≥5 drinks were consumed was determined with the question, "During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have 5 or more drinks of beer, wine, or liquor on the same occasion?" (By "drink," we mean a bottle or can of beer, a wine cooler or a glass of wine, a shot of liquor, or a mixed drink or cocktail. By "occasion," we mean at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other.) Following the 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health-Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel \[[@B20-ijerph-17-00783]\] paper, participants were allocated into three groups according to alcohol consumption: abstinent (0 alcoholic drinks in the past month), light--moderate drinker (1--4 drinks per typical drinking occasion or ≥5 drinks per typical drinking occasion 1--3 times/month), heavy drinker (≥5 drinks per typical drinking occasion ≥1/week (on average) in the 30 days before the survey). The classification was adapted from Mulford and Miller (1960) \[[@B28-ijerph-17-00783]\].
To provide a continuous variable indicating the total amount of alcohol consumed, the total number of alcohol units per month was calculated as one standard unit equal to 10 g ethanol. In accordance with the WHO guidelines, the following formula was used: volume (mL) multiplied by the percentage of alcohol and divided by 1000 \[[@B29-ijerph-17-00783]\].
### 2.3.4. Cigarette Smoking {#sec2dot3dot4-ijerph-17-00783}
Cigarette smoking was evaluated as indicated in the 2008 US Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel \[[@B20-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Participants were asked to indicate the number of cigarettes smoked in the past month. Given that there is no safe amount of tobacco use, as reported by the 2014 Surgeon General's Report \[[@B30-ijerph-17-00783]\], two categories of smoking were created: current nonsmoker (smoked 0 cigarettes in the past 30 days and never smokers) and current smoker (smoked ≥1 cigarette in the past 30 days).
### 2.3.5. Psychological Distress {#sec2dot3dot5-ijerph-17-00783}
Psychological distress was assessed using the six-item Kessler scale \[[@B31-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Participants were asked to evaluate their nervousness, hopelessness, anxiety, restlessness or fidgety feelings, worthlessness, and depression. Each item was scored from 0 (none of the time) to 4 (all the time). The total score was calculated by summing the scores for each item and ranged from 0 to 24 points, with a lower score indicating a lower level of psychological distress. The internal consistency of the scale was good (Cronbach α = 0.876). The summed score was dichotomized as low psychological distress (0--12 points) and high psychological distress (≥13 points) \[[@B31-ijerph-17-00783]\].
2.4. Covariates {#sec2dot4-ijerph-17-00783}
---------------
Body mass index (BMI) was evaluated using the self-reported height and weight and was calculated as weight (kg)/height (m^2^). Family income was evaluated by asking participants to rate their current family financial situation as having insufficient income, having average income, having higher than average income, wealthy, and rich. Age (in years) was also used as a covariate.
2.5. Statistical Analysis {#sec2dot5-ijerph-17-00783}
-------------------------
The data were analyzed using SPSS (ver. 24, IBM SPSS Statistics; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Categorical variables are presented as frequencies and percentages. Differences in categorical variables were tested using the chi-squared test. The relationships between independent continuous variables were examined using Pearson correlational analysis because all scaled variables had a normal distribution. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant associations between dependent (enlistment into MS) and independent variables (covariates, health behaviors, and psychological distress level) by adding independent variables individually into the next model and producing odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). The final model contained adjusted OR (95% CI). Statistical significance was set at *p* \< 0.05.
3. Results {#sec3-ijerph-17-00783}
==========
Among 1243 conscripts who went through the enlistment procedures, 624 (50.2%) were rejected for and 619 (49.8%) were enlisted into MS ([Table 1](#ijerph-17-00783-t001){ref-type="table"}). Around half were adequately physically active. Among youth enlisted to MS, there were 63.1% of physically active versus 47.3% of physically active among youth rejected for MS (p \< 0.01). The level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was low among half of Lithuanian male conscripts, a little bit less than half of them had medium adherence, and only a small percentage (3.5%) of male conscripts complied with healthy eating patterns. However, there were no significant differences between rejected and enlisted youth (*p* \> 0.05). Almost a quarter of all conscripts reported their alcohol abstinence for the previous 30 days, two-thirds reported a light--moderate drinking pattern, and almost one out of ten (9.6%) reported heavy drinking. The percentage distribution after Bonferroni correction indicated that among youth enlisted to MS, there were 6.8% of heavy drinkers versus 12.3% of heavy drinkers among rejected youth (*p* \< 0.01). Percentages of light--moderate drinking and abstinence for the 30 previous days were not significantly different (*p* \> 0.05) between rejected and enlisted youth. Almost two-thirds of male conscripts were current smokers; however, smoking was more frequent among those who were rejected for MS (67.7%) than among those who were enlisted (57.0%) (*p* \< 0.0001). A high level of distress was reported in 9.1% of the total population of male conscripts. However, among rejected youth, high distress had 14.7% of prevalence versus 3.4% of high distress prevalence among enlisted youth (*p* \< 0.0001).
Continuous variables for health behaviors and distress were included in the correlational analysis to examine the relationships between the main predictors of enlistment, and separate analyses were performed for the rejected and enlisted conscripts ([Table 2](#ijerph-17-00783-t002){ref-type="table"}). In both groups, there were significant relationships between better adherence to healthy eating patterns and lower smoking levels (r = −0.011 and r = −018 for rejected and enlisted, respectively) and lower psychological distress levels (r = −0.12 and r = −0.22 for rejected and enlisted, respectively). Smoking and distress were also significantly correlated (r = 0.12 in both groups), which showed that a higher psychological distress level was associated with a higher average number of cigarettes smoked per day. In both groups, higher alcohol consumption was related to higher smoking levels (r = 0.22 and r = 0.24 for rejected and enlisted, respectively) and higher distress levels (r = 0.21 and r = 0.27 for rejected and enlisted, respectively). Among the men enlisted into MS, there were also significant associations between greater alcohol consumption and lower adherence to healthy eating (r = −0.12), and between higher compliance to healthy eating patterns and a higher physical activity level (r = 0.13) (*p*~s~ \< 0.05).
Enlistment into MS was predicted using multiple logistic regression analysis ([Table 3](#ijerph-17-00783-t003){ref-type="table"}). When entered individually into the model, enlistment into military service was associated with MVPA (OR = 1.97; CI 1.57--2.47), adversely associated with heavy drinking (OR = 0.60; CI 0.45--0.79), current smoking (OR = 0.61; CI 0.49--0.78), and psychological distress (OR = 0.20; CI 0.13-0.33). After controlling for all variables included in the regression analysis in Model 7, the significant predictors of enlistment remained higher MVPA, current non-smoking, and low level of distress. Adherence to healthy eating was not significantly related to enlistment neither entered individually nor after controlling for covariates and other study variables (*p* \> 0.05). Among the covariates, only older age predicted a lower chance of being enlisted (OR = 0.77; 95% CI 0.71--0.83). Neither BMI nor perceived family income was associated with enlistment (*p* \> 0.05).
4. Discussion {#sec4-ijerph-17-00783}
=============
This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of healthy behaviors and psychological distress in recruits for MS and at identifying differences in these indicators between young men rejected for and enlisted into MS. The results partly support the premise that young men who are enlisted into MS are more likely to adhere to healthy behaviors and have lower psychological distress levels compared with those rejected for MS.
4.1. Physical Activity {#sec4dot1-ijerph-17-00783}
----------------------
In the regression analysis, after controlling for covariates and other study variables, meeting the recommendations for MVPA was significantly associated with being enlisted into MS. Previous studies have shown that physical activity can help prevent 26 different chronic diseases \[[@B17-ijerph-17-00783]\] and is related to a lower incidence of metabolic syndrome, lower rates of stress, and better mental health and cognitive functions \[[@B17-ijerph-17-00783],[@B32-ijerph-17-00783],[@B33-ijerph-17-00783]\], all of which are important to being able to serve in the military. Physical activity is also a strong predictor of physical fitness \[[@B34-ijerph-17-00783]\], which is a key indicator of physical health during MS. Other research has suggested that physical activity dampens the inflammatory processes in the body \[[@B34-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Higher-intensity physical activity confers greater health benefits, such as reduced body fat and central adiposity, and higher cardiovascular fitness in youth, compared with lower-intensity activity \[[@B35-ijerph-17-00783]\]. In the current study, 55.3% of all conscripts had an adequate level of MVPA, but this percentage was lower in those rejected for MS (47.4%) than in those enlisted (63.1%) into MS. These results are similar to data reported in the general population of similar age in the Eurobarometer (2017) data, which showed that 55% of male youth in Lithuania and 57% of male youth from other European countries aged 15--24 years engage in physical activity regularly or with some regularity \[[@B36-ijerph-17-00783]\]. The physical activity level generally increases in those enlisted into MS after they start their duty because MS enforces its own standards for health behaviors such as physical activity by, for example, requiring daily physical activities. Surprisingly, however, it has been reported that 13% of those serving in the US active duty military perform insufficient exercise \[[@B37-ijerph-17-00783]\].
4.2. Cigarette Smoking {#sec4dot2-ijerph-17-00783}
----------------------
Along with physical activity, current smoking also predicted enlistment into MS. The logistic regression analysis after controlling for covariates and other study variables indicated that current smokers had a 72% lower chance of being enlisted than nonsmokers. In total, around two-thirds of Lithuanian male youth called to serve in the military are current smokers. However, among those enlisted to the military, there are 10.7% less of them than among those rejected for MS. A study in Taiwan reported that 50.8% of young men in their MS smoked before service \[[@B38-ijerph-17-00783]\]; this percentage is 10 percentage points lower than in Lithuania. In the US, 23% of active duty personnel smoke \[[@B36-ijerph-17-00783]\], which is much lower than the 57% smoking rate in Lithuanian conscripts enlisted into MS in our study. The statistics for the general Lithuanian population confirm the high prevalence of smoking: one in three men smoke every day in Lithuania. This is the fourth highest rate in the European Union \[[@B39-ijerph-17-00783]\]. Smoking is related to obesity \[[@B40-ijerph-17-00783]\] and hypertension \[[@B41-ijerph-17-00783]\], and is the most relevant risk factor for the burden of disease and mortality \[[@B39-ijerph-17-00783],[@B42-ijerph-17-00783]\]. A low physical activity level and smoking are the most prevalent health risk factors \[[@B43-ijerph-17-00783]\] and were also negative predictors of enlistment for MS in our study.
4.3. Psychological Distress {#sec4dot3-ijerph-17-00783}
---------------------------
Psychological distress was another significant predictor of enlistment into MS in this study. We found by 11% higher prevalence of high psychological distress among those rejected for than among those enlisted into MS. This effect was independent of health-related behaviors such as physical activity, nutrition, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption, which might be interrelated to psychological distress given that these behaviors can act as coping strategies \[[@B7-ijerph-17-00783],[@B44-ijerph-17-00783],[@B45-ijerph-17-00783]\]. However, in total, only 9.1% of these male conscripts reported a high psychological distress level. Another study of the Lithuanian high school male student population, from which the military draws its enlistees, reported a 12.5% prevalence of psychological distress measured using the same Kessler scale \[[@B7-ijerph-17-00783]\]. A study in Massachusetts in the USA found that 20% of high school students of both sexes reported depressive symptoms \[[@B46-ijerph-17-00783]\]. An Australian study of university students reported a prevalence of high psychological distress of 11.1%--22.5% \[[@B44-ijerph-17-00783]\]. A prevalence of high psychological distress of 11%--18% was reported for active duty personnel in the US military, and the prevalence was higher among heavy drinkers than among those who consumed less alcohol \[[@B20-ijerph-17-00783]\]. This finding suggests an interdependence of heavy alcohol consumption and psychological distress. This association was identified in the correlational analysis in our study; in particular, of the associations of psychological distress with other health behaviors, the association with alcohol consumption was the strongest.
4.4. Alcohol Consumption and Nutrition {#sec4dot4-ijerph-17-00783}
--------------------------------------
Alcohol was consumed by 75.8% of the included youth, and 9.6% were heavy drinkers. These figures are similar to the heavy or risky drinking behavior noted in about 12% of Swiss conscripts \[[@B19-ijerph-17-00783]\] and 7.8% of US active duty personnel \[[@B36-ijerph-17-00783]\]. In a report on healthy lifestyle factors among adult Lithuanians, the Lithuanian Department of Statistics reported that 34% of the population consumes alcoholic beverages at least once a month \[[@B47-ijerph-17-00783]\].
The adherence rates for healthy nutrition among potential conscripts in our study are problematic because only 3.5% fully complied and 46.3% partly complied with the healthy eating recommendations. The Country Health Profiles (2019) reported that 32% of deaths in Lithuania could be attributed to dietary risk factors, a rate that is higher than the 18% in other European countries. Dietary risk has the highest risk for mortality among other health behaviors: smoking is related to 15% and 17%, alcohol consumption to 10% and 6%, and physical inactivity to 5% and 3% of deaths in Lithuania and Europe, respectively \[[@B39-ijerph-17-00783]\].
The regression analysis did not find any associations between enlistment and alcohol consumption or dietary habits in the final model after controlling for all study variables included, although the differences in the percentages were shown significant for alcohol consumption. Significantly more of the recruits rejected for MS (12.3%) were heavy drinkers than those enlisted (6.8%). When entered individually into logistic regression, heavy drinking lowered the chances of being enlisted into MS. However, after the addition of covariates and other study variables, this relationship lost its significance. Moreover, study participants are young men and their history of alcohol consumption may be too short to have a noticeable direct effect on their health. This could also be said about their dietary habits. However, other research has shown that both alcohol use and nutrition over the long term are associated with health outcomes such as the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, certain types of cancer, myocardial infarction, and high blood cholesterol level \[[@B48-ijerph-17-00783],[@B49-ijerph-17-00783],[@B50-ijerph-17-00783],[@B51-ijerph-17-00783]\].
Overall, our results correspond with those of other studies where health-related behaviors and psychological distress are linked to physical comorbidities \[[@B52-ijerph-17-00783]\], which were the main reasons for rejection from MS. Public health policies are targeted at strengthening health in the total population and its subpopulations, such as young people. Similarly, state authorities are also interested in having physically fit and healthy conscripts, who are mostly young men. Improving health among youth is most effective when started early in life during behavior development and when behavioral changes are easier to implement. Health education in an organized way that targets the young population may be best implemented at school, which provides the best setting for delivering public health interventions at a young age. In particular, physical development of school children could be based on physical literacy that addresses attributes, characteristics, skills, and behaviors that are related to the ability for, and commitment to, a healthy, active lifestyle \[[@B53-ijerph-17-00783]\]. From the military perspective, these interventions could also be modeled to capture physical capacity (e.g., physical endurance) and psychological resilience (e.g., resistance to stress) and to emphasize the importance of avoiding substance use or abuse. The development of a healthy future military could start at a young age and involve the objectives of both public health and state defense. To implement this, governmental policies and strategies are required to enable intersectional collaboration and shared responsibility among the education, military and health sectors as well as to set up coordinating mechanisms among sectors. Funding and financial incentives should be provided for intervention programs and implementers. National regulations are needed to enable school administrative and staff to expand their competencies and skills in physical and mental health promotion on a basis of compulsory professional training.
4.5. Study Limitations {#sec4dot5-ijerph-17-00783}
----------------------
The study has some limitations. We used a cross-sectional design, and no causal inferences can be drawn. It remains unclear whether the poor health behaviors were the causes or the consequences of the health outcomes, which were the reasons for rejection from MS. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the direction of, and interactions between, the associations demonstrated here. Another limitation is that we did not include objective measures of physical and mental health. Physical and/or mental health may be confounding variables that both prevent conscripts from serving in the military and increase the likelihood of exhibiting unhealthy behaviors and having a high psychological distress level. Another possible confounding factor may be the interaction between psychological distress and health behaviors because the latter can result from the former. However, the logistic regression analysis allowed us to control for this possible confounding effect. That is, the health behaviors that were significant for enlistment remained significant even after psychological distress levels were included in Model 7. Another limitation is that we did not measure the onset of health-damaging behavior, which may have served as a control variable when examining the predictors of enlistment, especially for addictive behaviors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. In addition, we did not assess the use of other substances such as "party drugs," and we did not obtain a full picture of these conscripts' use patterns.
Our study also has some strengths. This was a nationally representative sample that provides a picture of the health behaviors and prevalence of psychological distress among young men called to serve in the military and the differences between those who were enlisted and rejected for MS. Further research should investigate the relationships between health behaviors in conscripts and the reasons they are rejected.
5. Conclusions {#sec5-ijerph-17-00783}
==============
Health behaviors in male conscripts are unsatisfactory because about half are physically inactive, have a poor diet, or smoke, and almost one out of 10 is a heavy drinker and has a high psychological distress level. The latter is a concern because of its association with adverse health behaviors. The enlisted conscripts were more likely to be sufficiently physically active and less likely to be current smokers or have a high psychological distress level. Early intervention programs to provide a heathier population of young men for conscription should focus on mental well-being and target health-related behaviors such as physical activity and smoking. Preferably, these should be implemented as health education programs in schools to help prevent the development of adverse health behaviors among young men. Governmental policies and strategies are required to enable intersectional collaboration and shared responsibility among the education, military and health sectors.
The authors thank the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense and all centers for military recruitment for administrative support.
Conceptualization, B.M. and A.E.; Methodology, B.M., V.J.C., and D.V.; Formal Analysis, B.M. and A.E.; Investigation, D.V., V.J.C., and R.Z.-S.; Resources, A.E.; Data Curation, D.V., V.J.C., and R.Z.-S.; Writing---Original Draft Preparation, B.M.; Writing---Review & Editing, A.E.; Supervision, B.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
The study was supported by the Lithuanian Research Council.
The authors declare no conflict of interest. The sponsors had no role in the study design, execution, interpretation, or writing of the study.
ijerph-17-00783-t001_Table 1
######
Descriptive statistics and comparison (chi-squared test) between recruits rejected for and enlisted into military service.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total\ Rejected for Military Service\ Enlisted Into Military Service\ χ^2^; df; *p*
(%) (%) (%)
------------------------- ------------ -------------------------------- --------------------------------- -------------------
MVPA *N = 1219* 31.0; 1; \<0.0001
Low (\<2.5 h/week) 44.7 52.6 **36.9**
Adequate (≥2.5 h/week) 55.3 47.4 **63.1**
Mediterranean diet *N = 630* 2.3; 2; 0.315
Low adherence 50.2 51.5 49.4
Medium adherence 46.3 44.9 48.0
High adherence 3.5 3.6 2.6
Alcohol consumption *N* = 1082 9.2; 2; 0.010
Abstinent (≥30 days) 24.2 23.4 25.0
Light--moderate drinker 66.2 64.3 68.1
Heavy drinker 9.6 12.3 **6.8 \***
Cigarette smoking *N = 1179* 16.1; 1; \<0.0001
Current nonsmoker 37.7 32.3 **43.0**
Current smoker 62.3 67.7 **57.0**
Psychological distress *N = 1159* 44.4; 1; \<0.0001
Low 90.9 85.3 **96.6**
High 9.1 14.7 **3.4**
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Boldface indicates significant values (*p* \< 0.05); \* adjusted *p* values for 2 × 3 comparisons using the Bonferroni method. df, degrees of freedom; MVPA, moderate to vigorous physical activity.
ijerph-17-00783-t002_Table 2
######
Correlations between the predictors of enlistment for recruits rejected for (above the diagonal) and enlisted into (below the diagonal) military service.
MVPA (h/Week) Mediterranean Diet Alcohol (Units/Month) Cigarettes (Number/Day) Psychological Distress
------------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------
MVPA (h/week) -- --0.02 0.01 0.05 --0.07
Mediterranean diet **0.13** -- --0.06 **--0.11** **--0.12**
Alcohol (units/month) --0.03 **--0.12** -- **0.22** **0.21**
Cigarettes (number/day) --0.01 **--0.18** **0.24** -- **0.12**
Psychological distress --0.07 **--0.22** **0.27** **0.12** --
Note: Boldface indicates significant values (*p* \< 0.05). MVPA, moderate to vigorous physical activity.
ijerph-17-00783-t003_Table 3
######
Multiple logistic regression predicting enlistment to military service from health behaviors and distress in Lithuanian male youth, controlling for family income, body mass index, and age (crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs)).
Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 4 Model 5 Model 6 Model 7
------------------------------- ----------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------- ---------------------- -----------------------
Predictors Odds ratio (95% CI) Adjusted odds ratio (95% CI)
Family income 1.15 (0.93--1.43) 1.09 (0.87--1.36)
BMI 0.99 (0.95--1.03) 0.99 (0.95--1.03)
Age **0.76 (0.71--0.82)** **0.77 (0.71--0.83)**
MVPA (≥2.5 h/week) **1.97 (1.57--2.47)** **1.42 (1.11--2.03)**
Mediterranean diet
Low adherence Ref. Ref.
Medium adherence 1.27 (0.96--1.74) 0.90 (0.63--1.29)
High adherence 0.81 (0.34--1.93) 0.83 (0.29--2.39)
Alcohol consumption
Abstinent (≥30 days) Ref. Ref.
Light--moderate drinker 0.52 (0.82--1.49) 1.15 (0.73--1.83)
Heavy drinker **0.60 (0.45--0.79)** 0.64 (0.31--1.34)
Cigarette smoking
Current nonsmoker Ref. Ref.
Current smoker **0.61 (0.49--0.78)** **0.58 (0.39--0.86)**
Psychological distress (high) **0.20 (0.13-0.33)** **0.26 (0.12--0.55)**
Nagelkerke R^2^ 0.06 0.04 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.06 0.16
Note: Boldface indicates significant values (*p* \< 0.05). CI, confidence interval; BMI, body mass index; MVPA, moderate to vigorous physical activity; Ref., reference group.
| {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Central"
} |
/*
* Copyright (c) 2004, 2014, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
* DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
*
* This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
* under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
* published by the Free Software Foundation. Oracle designates this
* particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
* by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
*
* This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
* ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
* version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
* accompanied this code).
*
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
* 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
* Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
*
* Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
* or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
* questions.
*/
package sun.tools.jconsole;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.lang.management.*;
import java.lang.reflect.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;
import javax.swing.event.*;
import java.util.*;
import java.util.concurrent.*;
import java.util.List;
import static sun.tools.jconsole.Utilities.*;
@SuppressWarnings("serial")
class ThreadTab extends Tab implements ActionListener, DocumentListener, ListSelectionListener {
PlotterPanel threadMeter;
TimeComboBox timeComboBox;
JTabbedPane threadListTabbedPane;
DefaultListModel<Long> listModel;
JTextField filterTF;
JLabel messageLabel;
JSplitPane threadsSplitPane;
HashMap<Long, String> nameCache = new HashMap<Long, String>();
private ThreadOverviewPanel overviewPanel;
private boolean plotterListening = false;
private static final String threadCountKey = "threadCount";
private static final String peakKey = "peak";
private static final Color threadCountColor = Plotter.defaultColor;
private static final Color peakColor = Color.red;
private static final Border thinEmptyBorder = new EmptyBorder(2, 2, 2, 2);
/*
Hierarchy of panels and layouts for this tab:
ThreadTab (BorderLayout)
North: topPanel (BorderLayout)
Center: controlPanel (FlowLayout)
timeComboBox
Center: plotterPanel (BorderLayout)
Center: plotter
*/
public static String getTabName() {
return Messages.THREADS;
}
public ThreadTab(VMPanel vmPanel) {
super(vmPanel, getTabName());
setLayout(new BorderLayout(0, 0));
setBorder(new EmptyBorder(4, 4, 3, 4));
JPanel topPanel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
JPanel plotterPanel = new JPanel(new VariableGridLayout(0, 1, 4, 4, true, true));
add(topPanel, BorderLayout.NORTH);
add(plotterPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
JPanel controlPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.CENTER, 20, 5));
topPanel.add(controlPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
threadMeter = new PlotterPanel(Messages.NUMBER_OF_THREADS,
Plotter.Unit.NONE, true);
threadMeter.plotter.createSequence(threadCountKey, Messages.LIVE_THREADS, threadCountColor, true);
threadMeter.plotter.createSequence(peakKey, Messages.PEAK, peakColor, true);
setAccessibleName(threadMeter.plotter,
Messages.THREAD_TAB_THREAD_PLOTTER_ACCESSIBLE_NAME);
plotterPanel.add(threadMeter);
timeComboBox = new TimeComboBox(threadMeter.plotter);
controlPanel.add(new LabeledComponent(Messages.TIME_RANGE_COLON,
Resources.getMnemonicInt(Messages.TIME_RANGE_COLON),
timeComboBox));
listModel = new DefaultListModel<Long>();
JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea();
textArea.setBorder(thinEmptyBorder);
textArea.setEditable(false);
setAccessibleName(textArea,
Messages.THREAD_TAB_THREAD_INFO_ACCESSIBLE_NAME);
ThreadJList list = new ThreadJList(listModel, textArea);
Dimension di = new Dimension(super.getPreferredSize());
di.width = Math.min(di.width, 200);
JScrollPane threadlistSP = new JScrollPane(list);
threadlistSP.setPreferredSize(di);
threadlistSP.setBorder(null);
JScrollPane textAreaSP = new JScrollPane(textArea);
textAreaSP.setBorder(null);
threadListTabbedPane = new JTabbedPane(JTabbedPane.TOP);
threadsSplitPane = new JSplitPane(JSplitPane.HORIZONTAL_SPLIT,
threadlistSP, textAreaSP);
threadsSplitPane.setOneTouchExpandable(true);
threadsSplitPane.setBorder(null);
JPanel firstTabPanel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
firstTabPanel.setOpaque(false);
JPanel firstTabToolPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEFT, 5, 2));
firstTabToolPanel.setOpaque(false);
filterTF = new PromptingTextField("Filter", 20);
filterTF.getDocument().addDocumentListener(this);
firstTabToolPanel.add(filterTF);
JSeparator separator = new JSeparator(JSeparator.VERTICAL);
separator.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(separator.getPreferredSize().width,
filterTF.getPreferredSize().height));
firstTabToolPanel.add(separator);
JButton detectDeadlockButton = new JButton(Messages.DETECT_DEADLOCK);
detectDeadlockButton.setMnemonic(Resources.getMnemonicInt(Messages.DETECT_DEADLOCK));
detectDeadlockButton.setActionCommand("detectDeadlock");
detectDeadlockButton.addActionListener(this);
detectDeadlockButton.setToolTipText(Messages.DETECT_DEADLOCK_TOOLTIP);
firstTabToolPanel.add(detectDeadlockButton);
messageLabel = new JLabel();
firstTabToolPanel.add(messageLabel);
firstTabPanel.add(threadsSplitPane, BorderLayout.CENTER);
firstTabPanel.add(firstTabToolPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
threadListTabbedPane.addTab(Messages.THREADS, firstTabPanel);
plotterPanel.add(threadListTabbedPane);
}
private long oldThreads[] = new long[0];
public SwingWorker<?, ?> newSwingWorker() {
final ProxyClient proxyClient = vmPanel.getProxyClient();
if (!plotterListening) {
proxyClient.addWeakPropertyChangeListener(threadMeter.plotter);
plotterListening = true;
}
return new SwingWorker<Boolean, Object>() {
private int tlCount;
private int tpCount;
private long ttCount;
private long[] threads;
private long timeStamp;
public Boolean doInBackground() {
try {
ThreadMXBean threadMBean = proxyClient.getThreadMXBean();
tlCount = threadMBean.getThreadCount();
tpCount = threadMBean.getPeakThreadCount();
if (overviewPanel != null) {
ttCount = threadMBean.getTotalStartedThreadCount();
} else {
ttCount = 0L;
}
threads = threadMBean.getAllThreadIds();
for (long newThread : threads) {
if (nameCache.get(newThread) == null) {
ThreadInfo ti = threadMBean.getThreadInfo(newThread);
if (ti != null) {
String name = ti.getThreadName();
if (name != null) {
nameCache.put(newThread, name);
}
}
}
}
timeStamp = System.currentTimeMillis();
return true;
} catch (IOException e) {
return false;
} catch (UndeclaredThrowableException e) {
return false;
}
}
protected void done() {
try {
if (!get()) {
return;
}
} catch (InterruptedException ex) {
return;
} catch (ExecutionException ex) {
if (JConsole.isDebug()) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}
return;
}
threadMeter.plotter.addValues(timeStamp, tlCount, tpCount);
threadMeter.setValueLabel(tlCount+"");
if (overviewPanel != null) {
overviewPanel.updateThreadsInfo(tlCount, tpCount, ttCount, timeStamp);
}
String filter = filterTF.getText().toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH);
boolean doFilter = (filter.length() > 0);
ArrayList<Long> l = new ArrayList<Long>();
for (long t : threads) {
l.add(t);
}
Iterator<Long> iterator = l.iterator();
while (iterator.hasNext()) {
long newThread = iterator.next();
String name = nameCache.get(newThread);
if (doFilter && name != null &&
name.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH).indexOf(filter) < 0) {
iterator.remove();
}
}
long[] newThreads = threads;
if (l.size() < threads.length) {
newThreads = new long[l.size()];
for (int i = 0; i < newThreads.length; i++) {
newThreads[i] = l.get(i);
}
}
for (long oldThread : oldThreads) {
boolean found = false;
for (long newThread : newThreads) {
if (newThread == oldThread) {
found = true;
break;
}
}
if (!found) {
listModel.removeElement(oldThread);
if (!doFilter) {
nameCache.remove(oldThread);
}
}
}
// Threads are in reverse chronological order
for (int i = newThreads.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
long newThread = newThreads[i];
boolean found = false;
for (long oldThread : oldThreads) {
if (newThread == oldThread) {
found = true;
break;
}
}
if (!found) {
listModel.addElement(newThread);
}
}
oldThreads = newThreads;
}
};
}
long lastSelected = -1;
public void valueChanged(ListSelectionEvent ev) {
ThreadJList list = (ThreadJList)ev.getSource();
final JTextArea textArea = list.textArea;
Long selected = list.getSelectedValue();
if (selected == null) {
if (lastSelected != -1) {
selected = lastSelected;
}
} else {
lastSelected = selected;
}
textArea.setText("");
if (selected != null) {
final long threadID = selected;
workerAdd(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
ProxyClient proxyClient = vmPanel.getProxyClient();
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
try {
ThreadMXBean threadMBean = proxyClient.getThreadMXBean();
ThreadInfo ti = null;
MonitorInfo[] monitors = null;
if (proxyClient.isLockUsageSupported() &&
threadMBean.isObjectMonitorUsageSupported()) {
// VMs that support the monitor usage monitoring
ThreadInfo[] infos = threadMBean.dumpAllThreads(true, false);
for (ThreadInfo info : infos) {
if (info.getThreadId() == threadID) {
ti = info;
monitors = info.getLockedMonitors();
break;
}
}
} else {
// VM doesn't support monitor usage monitoring
ti = threadMBean.getThreadInfo(threadID, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
}
if (ti != null) {
if (ti.getLockName() == null) {
sb.append(Resources.format(Messages.NAME_STATE,
ti.getThreadName(),
ti.getThreadState().toString()));
} else if (ti.getLockOwnerName() == null) {
sb.append(Resources.format(Messages.NAME_STATE_LOCK_NAME,
ti.getThreadName(),
ti.getThreadState().toString(),
ti.getLockName()));
} else {
sb.append(Resources.format(Messages.NAME_STATE_LOCK_NAME_LOCK_OWNER,
ti.getThreadName(),
ti.getThreadState().toString(),
ti.getLockName(),
ti.getLockOwnerName()));
}
sb.append(Resources.format(Messages.BLOCKED_COUNT_WAITED_COUNT,
ti.getBlockedCount(),
ti.getWaitedCount()));
sb.append(Messages.STACK_TRACE);
int index = 0;
for (StackTraceElement e : ti.getStackTrace()) {
sb.append(e).append('\n');
if (monitors != null) {
for (MonitorInfo mi : monitors) {
if (mi.getLockedStackDepth() == index) {
sb.append(Resources.format(Messages.MONITOR_LOCKED, mi.toString()));
}
}
}
index++;
}
}
} catch (IOException ex) {
// Ignore
} catch (UndeclaredThrowableException e) {
proxyClient.markAsDead();
}
final String text = sb.toString();
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
textArea.setText(text);
textArea.setCaretPosition(0);
}
});
}
});
}
}
private void doUpdate() {
workerAdd(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
update();
}
});
}
private void detectDeadlock() {
workerAdd(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
try {
final Long[][] deadlockedThreads = getDeadlockedThreadIds();
if (deadlockedThreads == null || deadlockedThreads.length == 0) {
// Display message for 30 seconds. Do it on a separate thread so
// the sleep won't hold up the worker queue.
// This will be replaced later by separate statusbar logic.
new Thread() {
public void run() {
try {
SwingUtilities.invokeAndWait(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
String msg = Messages.NO_DEADLOCK_DETECTED;
messageLabel.setText(msg);
threadListTabbedPane.revalidate();
}
});
sleep(30 * 1000);
} catch (InterruptedException ex) {
// Ignore
} catch (InvocationTargetException ex) {
// Ignore
}
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
messageLabel.setText("");
}
});
}
}.start();
return;
}
SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
// Remove old deadlock tabs
while (threadListTabbedPane.getTabCount() > 1) {
threadListTabbedPane.removeTabAt(1);
}
if (deadlockedThreads != null) {
for (int i = 0; i < deadlockedThreads.length; i++) {
DefaultListModel<Long> listModel = new DefaultListModel<Long>();
JTextArea textArea = new JTextArea();
textArea.setBorder(thinEmptyBorder);
textArea.setEditable(false);
setAccessibleName(textArea,
Messages.THREAD_TAB_THREAD_INFO_ACCESSIBLE_NAME);
ThreadJList list = new ThreadJList(listModel, textArea);
JScrollPane threadlistSP = new JScrollPane(list);
JScrollPane textAreaSP = new JScrollPane(textArea);
threadlistSP.setBorder(null);
textAreaSP.setBorder(null);
JSplitPane splitPane = new JSplitPane(JSplitPane.HORIZONTAL_SPLIT,
threadlistSP, textAreaSP);
splitPane.setOneTouchExpandable(true);
splitPane.setBorder(null);
splitPane.setDividerLocation(threadsSplitPane.getDividerLocation());
String tabName;
if (deadlockedThreads.length > 1) {
tabName = Resources.format(Messages.DEADLOCK_TAB_N, i+1);
} else {
tabName = Messages.DEADLOCK_TAB;
}
threadListTabbedPane.addTab(tabName, splitPane);
for (long t : deadlockedThreads[i]) {
listModel.addElement(t);
}
}
threadListTabbedPane.setSelectedIndex(1);
}
}
});
} catch (IOException e) {
// Ignore
} catch (UndeclaredThrowableException e) {
vmPanel.getProxyClient().markAsDead();
}
}
});
}
// Return deadlocked threads or null
public Long[][] getDeadlockedThreadIds() throws IOException {
ProxyClient proxyClient = vmPanel.getProxyClient();
ThreadMXBean threadMBean = proxyClient.getThreadMXBean();
long[] ids = proxyClient.findDeadlockedThreads();
if (ids == null) {
return null;
}
ThreadInfo[] infos = threadMBean.getThreadInfo(ids, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
List<Long[]> dcycles = new ArrayList<Long[]>();
List<Long> cycle = new ArrayList<Long>();
// keep track of which thread is visited
// one thread can only be in one cycle
boolean[] visited = new boolean[ids.length];
int deadlockedThread = -1; // Index into arrays
while (true) {
if (deadlockedThread < 0) {
if (cycle.size() > 0) {
// a cycle found
dcycles.add(cycle.toArray(new Long[0]));
cycle = new ArrayList<Long>();
}
// start a new cycle from a non-visited thread
for (int j = 0; j < ids.length; j++) {
if (!visited[j]) {
deadlockedThread = j;
visited[j] = true;
break;
}
}
if (deadlockedThread < 0) {
// done
break;
}
}
cycle.add(ids[deadlockedThread]);
long nextThreadId = infos[deadlockedThread].getLockOwnerId();
for (int j = 0; j < ids.length; j++) {
ThreadInfo ti = infos[j];
if (ti.getThreadId() == nextThreadId) {
if (visited[j]) {
deadlockedThread = -1;
} else {
deadlockedThread = j;
visited[j] = true;
}
break;
}
}
}
return dcycles.toArray(new Long[0][0]);
}
// ActionListener interface
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent evt) {
String cmd = ((AbstractButton)evt.getSource()).getActionCommand();
if (cmd == "detectDeadlock") {
messageLabel.setText("");
detectDeadlock();
}
}
// DocumentListener interface
public void insertUpdate(DocumentEvent e) {
doUpdate();
}
public void removeUpdate(DocumentEvent e) {
doUpdate();
}
public void changedUpdate(DocumentEvent e) {
doUpdate();
}
private class ThreadJList extends JList<Long> {
private JTextArea textArea;
ThreadJList(DefaultListModel<Long> listModel, JTextArea textArea) {
super(listModel);
this.textArea = textArea;
setBorder(thinEmptyBorder);
setSelectionMode(ListSelectionModel.SINGLE_SELECTION);
textArea.setText(Messages.THREAD_TAB_INITIAL_STACK_TRACE_MESSAGE);
addListSelectionListener(ThreadTab.this);
setCellRenderer(new DefaultListCellRenderer() {
public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList<?> list, Object value, int index,
boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus) {
super.getListCellRendererComponent(list, value, index, isSelected, cellHasFocus);
if (value != null) {
String name = nameCache.get(value);
if (name == null) {
name = value.toString();
}
setText(name);
}
return this;
}
});
}
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
Dimension d = super.getPreferredSize();
d.width = Math.max(d.width, 100);
return d;
}
}
private class PromptingTextField extends JTextField implements FocusListener {
private String prompt;
boolean promptRemoved = false;
Color fg;
public PromptingTextField(String prompt, int columns) {
super(prompt, columns);
this.prompt = prompt;
updateForeground();
addFocusListener(this);
setAccessibleName(this, prompt);
}
@Override
public void revalidate() {
super.revalidate();
updateForeground();
}
private void updateForeground() {
this.fg = UIManager.getColor("TextField.foreground");
if (promptRemoved) {
setForeground(fg);
} else {
setForeground(Color.gray);
}
}
public String getText() {
if (!promptRemoved) {
return "";
} else {
return super.getText();
}
}
public void focusGained(FocusEvent e) {
if (!promptRemoved) {
setText("");
setForeground(fg);
promptRemoved = true;
}
}
public void focusLost(FocusEvent e) {
if (promptRemoved && getText().isEmpty()) {
setText(prompt);
setForeground(Color.gray);
promptRemoved = false;
}
}
}
OverviewPanel[] getOverviewPanels() {
if (overviewPanel == null) {
overviewPanel = new ThreadOverviewPanel();
}
return new OverviewPanel[] { overviewPanel };
}
private static class ThreadOverviewPanel extends OverviewPanel {
ThreadOverviewPanel() {
super(Messages.THREADS, threadCountKey, Messages.LIVE_THREADS, null);
}
private void updateThreadsInfo(long tlCount, long tpCount, long ttCount, long timeStamp) {
getPlotter().addValues(timeStamp, tlCount);
getInfoLabel().setText(Resources.format(Messages.THREAD_TAB_INFO_LABEL_FORMAT, tlCount, tpCount, ttCount));
}
}
}
| {
"pile_set_name": "Github"
} |
Developmental neurotoxicity of chlorpyrifos in vivo and in vitro: effects on nuclear transcription factors involved in cell replication and differentiation.
Chlorpyrifos is a widely used organophosphate insecticide that is a suspected developmental neurotoxin. Although chlorpyrifos exerts some effects through cholinesterase inhibition, recent studies suggest additional, direct actions on developing cells. We assessed the effects of chlorpyrifos on nuclear transcription factors involved in cell replication and differentiation using in vitro and in vivo models. HeLa nuclear protein extracts were incubated with the labeled consensus oligonucleotides for AP-1 and Sp1 transcription factors in the presence and absence of chlorpyrifos. In concentrations previously shown to affect cell development, chlorpyrifos reduced AP-1, but not Sp1 DNA-binding activity. Next, chlorpyrifos was incubated with PC12 cells either during cell replication or after initiation of differentiation with NGF. Chlorpyrifos evoked stage-specific interference with the expression of the transcription factors: Sp1 was reduced in replicating and differentiating cells, whereas AP-1 was affected only during differentiation. Finally, neonatal rats were given apparently subtoxic doses of chlorpyrifos either on postnatal days 1-4 or 11-14 and the effects were evaluated in the forebrain (an early-developing, cholinergic target region) and cerebellum (late-developing region, poor in cholinergic innervation). Again, chlorpyrifos evoked stage-specific changes in transcription factor expression and binding activity, with greater effects on Sp1 during active neurogenesis, and effects on AP-1 during differentiation. The changes were present in both forebrain and cerebellum and were gender-specific. These results indicate that chlorpyrifos interferes with brain development, in part by multiple alterations in the activity of transcription factors involved in the basic machinery of cell replication and differentiation. Noncholinergic actions of chlorpyrifos that are unique to brain development reinforce the need to examine endpoints other than cholinesterase inhibition. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Comparison of conventional versus computer-navigated acetabular component insertion.
This retrospective study compared the efficacy of computer navigation and conventional freehand techniques to place acetabular component orientation in the target position of acetabular cup inclination of 45 degrees and anteversion of 20 degrees . We selected 69 patients who had undergone total hip arthroplasty with freehand cup insertion who had computed tomography (CT) to plan for acetabular cup placement of the contralateral side. This group was compared with 98 patients who underwent CT-based cup insertion, and all had postoperative CT. After CT-based cup placement, average cup position was 43 degrees inclination (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97; range, 30 degrees -58 degrees ) and 22.2 degrees anteversion (95% CI, 1.72; range, 5 degrees -38 degrees ). For freehand, average cup position was 45.7 degrees inclination (95% CI, 2.63 degrees ; range, 26 degrees -64 degrees ) and 28.5 degrees anteversion (95% CI, 3.80 degrees ; range, 9 degrees -53 degrees ). F ratio was 5.56 for inclination and 3.67 for anteversion (P < .0001). This study demonstrated substantial statistical improvement in accuracy of cup placement using CT-based navigation compared with freehand methods. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Pre-Health
The decision to pursue a health profession can be both exciting and challenging. Your educational preparation as an undergraduate is an essential part of your success later on. Many students arrive at the university with the goal to become a physician, dentist, or other health professional, but they have little knowledge of what the profession is really like or of its demands. Only about one-half of students who apply to medical school are actually admitted. Because competition is so intense in medicine and other health professions, you should become as familiar as possible with the career you are pursuing.
The pre-health advisors in Arts & Sciences Advising Services stand ready to assist you as you explore your options and begin your preparation for a health profession. To schedule an appointment with a pre-health advisor, go to MyUTK.edu through your Grades First link or call 865-974-4483 during regular business hours. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Restorative proctocolectomy with an ileoanal pouch: the role of laparoscopy.
The Aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate early experience with laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy by analyzing the perioperative results of surgical treatment. Seven major surgeries were performed in six patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and ulcerative colitis. All procedures were performed under laparoscopy at our third-level hospital from June 2003 to October 2004. Mean surgical time was 287.5 +/- 80.7 min, and median blood loss was 300 +/- 249.0 cc. There were no conversions; return of peristalsis began at 32 +/- 12.4 h; average time to first oral intake was 64.0 +/- 32.8 h, and mean duration of hospital stay was 9.3 +/- 1.2 days. There was one case of perineal sepsis due to ileal pouch-anal anastomotic leakage, which was successfully treated with oral intake restriction, parenteral nutrition, and intra-rectal drainage. The most common postoperative complication was postoperative ileus. We believe that the laparoscopic approach to restorative proctocolectomy may be considerably improved in our center. Particular aspects for improvement include efforts to achieve lower operating and hospitalization times to equate our results with those reported by multicenter studies for laparoscopic colon cancer surgery. In our opinion, learning and further training opportunities should be encouraged to improve surgeon experience in the field of laparoscopy, preferably at centers specializing in restorative proctocolectomy. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Thank you for visiting Dick's Sporting Goods. If you need assistance with shopping on our site, please call us at 1-877-846-9997 and a customer care representative will be happy to assist you. Please inform the Customer Service representative that you require assistance.
Product Selection
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Shop Under Armour® for men, women and kids. Experience the remarkable fit and feel of technical fabrics that regulate your body temperature, wick away perspiration and support your muscles as you train.
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From performance golf and running clothes to the super hero-inspired Alter Ego collection, Under Armour® crafts gear for athletes of all stripes. Pull on Under Armour® baselayers for thermal warmth and layer with soft Under Armour hoodies and zip-up jackets. Take on your training with air-light tees, sleek gym shorts and compression apparel. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Nigeria election body declares official vote results
Nigeria’s electoral commission has announced the official results of the country’s presidential election, declaring opposition leader Mohammadu Buhari the winner of the polls.
Buhari, a 72-year-old former military ruler from the All Progressives Congress (APC) Party, won 15,424,921 votes or 53.95 percent of the 28,587,564 total valid ballots cast, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Wednesday.
“Muhammadu Buhari… having satisfied the requirement for the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner,” INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega said.
Jonathan had conceded defeat to Buhari and congratulated him in a statement released on Tuesday.
The vote was the eighth election since Africa’s most populous country won independence from Britain in 1960. It is the first time in Nigeria’s history that a challenger has defeated a sitting president.
Buhari ruled Nigeria from January 1984 until August 1985 following a military coup in December 1983.
In the recent election, he received more votes in Nigeria’s northwestern states, hit hardest by the acts of violence committed by Takfiri Boko Haram terrorists. In Borno state, for instance, he won 94 percent of the votes. Many had criticized Jonathan’s handling of the violence.
Boko Haram extremists have claimed responsibility for a number of deadly shooting attacks and bombings in various parts of Nigeria since the beginning of their militancy in 2009, which has so far left over 13,000 people dead and 1.5 million displaced.
People in the oil-rich West African country turned out en masse to vote on Saturday. The election was extended to Sunday, on the account that ballot papers arrived late or imported card readers failed to recognize the fingerprints of the voters. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
"Yeah let's go pick up guys at the club" Every guy is a skeezy creep.
1,174 shares | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Not known Facts About engineering assignment help
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Not known Facts About engineering assignment help
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Ambitions To help pupils with their homework, present them the top homework help and secure a much better future. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Starch analysis
Starch analysis or starch grain analysis is a technique that is useful in archaeological research to determine plant taxa. In certain samples of food plants, spices, drugs and desiccated archaeological plant matter, the histological elements can survive and thus be identified but in other samples, like carbonized (burnt) or older materials this is extremely difficult. However starch grains are much more hardy. The technique relies on the fact that a researcher can analyze or microscopically observe starch grains found on artifacts or in soils. Starch grains, ubiquitous in plants, have individual characteristics and resistance to grinding and drying and even to light burning so they are often preserved when other plant remains are lost - thus providing an additional tool to understand the past use of plants.
Usefulness
Starch grain analysis is not a perfect science, however, plant starch grain analysis is a diagnostic feature of multiple applications according to the peculiarities and to the origin of the plant material.
The size, shape and structure of grains from plant species, varies little, which can lead to identification. Starch grains have been removed and identified from stone tools, ceramic sherds, organic materials, dental calculus, and sediments and animal remains to determine diet and when humans began to exploit wild food varieties.
Disadvantages
In some cases the grains can become degraded. Factors such as heat and water absorption may affect the structure of the grains, making identification more difficult. Even if the remains are well preserved, water logging, dehydration, desiccation or damage from fungi can destroy the starch. In some cases, even within the same species, starch grains can differ in shape and size and the size of the grain affects its survivability in the archaeological record.
Biology of starch
Starch is produced in plants as a form of energy storage through the process of photosynthesis. When the plant is in need of energy, the stored starch is converted back into glucose.
Starch grain identification
There are two basic methods for identifying starch:
Diagnostic tests of chemical and physical properties
Optical properties of the granules.
Starch grains are typically microscopically identified with either optical or electron microscopy. Starch grains can become clearer if they are stained a darker color with Iodine Stains. Logol's Iodine is one, used for staining starch because iodine reagents easily bind to starch but less easily to other materials. Features that allow identification of starch grains include: presence of hilum (core of the grain), lamellae (or growth layers), birefringence, and extinction cross (a cross shape, visible on grains under revolving polarized light) which are visible with a microscope and shape and size.
Low magnification
Archaeological research focused on residue adhering to artifacts start at lower magnifications, commonly using a stereoscope. Most data obtained at this stage is qualitative, an important first stage to fuller analysis. Magnifications of between x10 and x50 are sufficient to locate target residues, describe features and confirm internal structures of the identified residues.
High magnification
Modern light, high powered microscopes have an internal light source, allowing illumination with both transmitted and reflected light. These microscopes can provide a magnification of up to x1000: good enough to provide clear images of starch granules as small as a few micrometres in diameter.
Starch granules show different sizes. For example;
Tapioca starch: 5-35 µm
Potato starch: 15-100 µm
Maize starch: 5-25 µm
Rice starch: 3-8 µm
but all are generally under 100 micrometres in size, and are, therefore, best observed under compound microscopes equipped with various lighting conditions and magnifications from x200 to x800.
The starch grains are also compared to standard reference collections for comparison.
Archaeologists and researchers can consider four issues in classification of the plant(s) and its use(s):
Determination of whether evidence for the utilization of plants is present
Study of the assemblage variation
Determination of the presence of particular plant species
Assign percentages of starch granules within a sample to a particular taxon, and present quantitative data regarding relative abundance within the sample. Identification of ancient starch is fairly easily for the first three levels of classification, whilst the fourth level requires continued improvement in the description, classification, and identification of individual starch granules.
Starch in sediments
Starch granules retrieved from sediments are used to reconstruct the habitats associated with human land use. Such studies address two areas of interest to the archaeologist:
landscapes; specifically the reconstruction of historical plant communities at the widest scale of the environment
specific contexts, such as settlements or activity areas; focusing on individual archaeological sites, or separate contexts within them, with the goal of identify specific human activities at a particular location.
The stages involved in the analysis of starch from sediments are; sampling, extraction of starch, slide mounting and viewing, and interpretation.
Sampling
Sampling a sediment core or stratigraphic profile to gather information about an environment requires a detailed understanding of the way the sediments were formed.
Extraction
Most extraction techniques follow a general methodology of:
sample preparation (sieving, drying, or soaking)
disaggregation and deflocculation to break up the elements of the sample into single particles
removal of undesired particles (sands, silts, minerals, organics).
chemicals preservation of the starch granules.
Slide mounting and viewing
Starch granules are mounted onto a slide, using a variety of mounting medias including, but not limited, to water, glycerol, and glycerine jelly. It is important that the material is dried thoroughly before being mounted to ensure that no further degradation of the sample occurs.
The slide is then viewed, as appropriate, for identification and counting.
Interpretation
After the starch granules have been examined, the findings are then recorded and interpreted with respect to the research questions that are being investigated.
Starch on artifacts
Artifacts collect starch granules and protect them from decay due to microorganisms, thus providing excellent conditions for long-term preservation. The analysis may focus on the function of the tool, to examine a broader range of human behaviour but starch analysis also allows insights into craft activities involving the preparation of adhesives, medicines, or other nonfood items.
Modified starch
Starch can also be investigated when it is not in its raw form. For example, Modified starch is created when the morphological or physico-chemical structure of native starch is disrupted in some way, such as in food preparation. The most common way to modify starch is to apply heat. Cooking pits, hearths, and ovens that may have come into contact with starchy material yield modified starches which can provide other insights.
Modified starch is only likely to be preserved under specific conditions, such as arid regions because of its susceptibility to organic decay. Studies of ancient modified starch aid understanding of ancient food technology, variations in cuisine among different social groups, as well as provide an understanding the function of ancient food-processing equipment.
Preserved forms of modified starch include:
Discrete desiccated macroremains: coherent foods that are not attached to any other object and are among the most easily recognizable ancient starchy prepared foodstuffs. They can be either the intended final prepared food, like loaves of bread, or intermediate products of the food processing sequence, like starch-rich, chaffy lumps.
Attached desiccated residues: collections of starchy foodstuffs adhered to a container or vessel. The ability to identify these residues is affected by the quantity and appearance of the residue, as well as the awareness of the excavators. Residues containing obvious plant tissue are most easily recognizable, while thin smears are not as easy to recognize.
Charred residues: normally the result of accidental overcooking and can be preserved as discrete fragments or remain stuck to the cooking vessel. Due to their charred nature, these residues are very difficult to identify.
See also
Starch
References
Bibliography
Hather, J.G. (ed.) 1994. Tropical Archaeobotany: Applications and New Developments, pp. 86-114. Routledge, London.
Messner, Timothy C. 2011. Acorns and Bitter Roots: Starch Grain Research in the Prehistoric Eastern Woodlands. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa, AL.
Category:Methods in archaeology
Category:Starch | {
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} |
[weewx]
name=weewx
baseurl=http://weewx.com/yum/weewx/el7
enabled=1
gpgcheck=0
| {
"pile_set_name": "Github"
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Q:
How do I make main a friend of my class from within a library?
Please see my first attempt at answering this
. I neglected to tell the whole story before in an attempt to simplify things. Turns out my example works! Sorry.
The whole story is that this is a library the contains a class in one file and the main in another file, all linked into my library. The library is providing the basis for a Process Framework, which is why the main is in the library and not the process.
Below is a stripped down version of what I have.
pf.hpp
using namespace std;
namespace MyNamespace
{
class ProcessManager
{
public:
friend int main(int argc, char** argv);
private:
void test();
};
};
pf.cpp
#include "pf.h"
namespace MyNamespace
{
ProcessManager::test()
{
cout << "My friend has accessed my member" << endl;
}
};
pfmain.cpp
#include "pf.hpp"
int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
ProcessManager pm;
pm.test();
}
Note that this fails on the compilation of the library
What I have tried is:
Moving the friend all over the place
Making the friend reference to main use global scope (e.g. ::main)
Making friend and main declarations use global scope
What am I missing?
Thanks!
A:
Just declare the main outside the MyNamespace and specify global namespace :: in friend statement
//in header file of ProcessManager
//your pf.h
int main(int argc, char** argv);
namespace MyNamespace
{
class ProcessManager
{
public:
friend int ::main(int argc, char** argv);
private:
void test();
};
};
| {
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
} |
Analysis of MUM1/IRF4 protein expression using tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry.
The gene encoding MUM1 was characterized as a possible translocation partner in chromosomal abnormalities involving a significant number of multiple myelomas. The overexpression of the MUM1 protein as a result of translocation t(6;14) (p25;q32) identified MUM1 as a putative regulatory molecule involved in B-cell differentiation and tumorigenesis. The expression of MUM1 protein in multiple myelomas supports this hypothesis. In the current study, using tissue microarray technology, we have tested the expression of the MUM1 protein in 1335 human malignancies and normal tissues. Our data show that the MUM1 protein is expressed in a wide spectrum of hematolymphoid neoplasms and in malignant melanomas but is absent in other human tumors. In addition, in tissue microarrays as well as in conventional paraffin sections, MUM1 staining was found to lack specificity in detecting plasmacytic differentiation as compared with two markers, CD138/Syndecan and VS38, commonly used in paraffin immunohistochemistry for detection of plasma cells. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Share Bazaar (film)
Share Bazaar is a 1997 Bollywood film, directed by Manmohan and released in 1997.
Synopsis
In Bombay's business district, on Dalal Street, stands a multi-storied building called the "Bombay Stock Exchange" or the Share Bazaar. This is where fortunes are made and lost. Two of such traders in shares are the Mehta brothers, Hasmukh and Mansukh. They also manipulate people's lives, and this time they have chosen to financially ruin Shekar, by getting him arrested on trumped-up charges. And on the other hand, they have singled out a street-smart young man by the Raj, and get him to take Shekar's place. Will Raj be the next casualty of the influential Mehta brothers?
Cast
Soundtrack
The Music Was Composed By Utpal Biswas and Released by Sony Music India.
External links
Category:1997 films
Category:1990s Hindi-language films
Category:Indian films | {
"pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)"
} |
Adventures in being a volunteer advocate to fight poverty while raising children. My insights are seen through the lens of motherhood and a desire to help moms uplift each other to make a better world for our kids.
By Cynthia Changyit Levin, @ccylevin
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
When my wife and I slipped into our theater seats to watch Slumdog Millionaire, we braced ourselves for a journey into urban slums, a world inhabited by over one billion people globally.
But unlike the movie-goers in the theater that night who pinned their hopes for one chai wallah (tea seller) escaping the horrors of the slums of Mumbai, India, on the long-shot odds of his winning the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, we knew that right now there is a tool that has helped not just one movie character but more than 100 million of the world’s poorest people actually begin to escape the worst devastations of poverty. That opportunity is not a game show but microcredit—small loans to start or expand businesses like selling tortillas or cell phone time to your neighbors. And if there was an Oscar for assisting beggars, thieves, and prostitutes to find a dignified route out of the slums, I’d know where to look for the winner.
I wouldn’t look in the cool dark of a movie theater, but in the bright, hot sun of Nairobi where you can see the success of entrepreneurs in the urban slums, Jami Bora’s “slumdog entrepreneurs.” Jamii Bora, which means good families, is a Kenyan microfinance institution that has grown from lending money to 50 women beggars ten years ago to serving more than 200,000 members today. One of those entrepreneurs is Joyce Wairimu. Wairimu was one of the 50 women beggars who started Jamii Bora with founder Ingrid Munro in 1999. Munro calls Wairimu one of the fast climbers out of poverty. How fast? In ten years Wairimu has built six businesses and employs 62 people.
Another of the fast climbers is Wilson Maina. Before Jamii Bora, Maina was a thief, one of the most wanted criminals in Mathare Valley slum. Starting with a loan of $20, Maina has built four businesses and a new life for himself and his family. Along the way, he has convinced hundreds of youth to get out of crime. Now that’s a “lifeline” that really matters.
Munro didn’t stop at proving microcredit to help the poorest slum dwellers. She decided to build a town with decent housing and business space for her entrepreneurs. “Every poor person’s dream is to move out of the slums,” Munro says, “not patch up the slums.” On January 30th, that’s exactly what happened when the first 246 families moved out of the slums and into the newly created Kaputiei town with nearly 1,800 families to follow. For the same monthly mortgage they had paid for their one-room shacks, each family now lives in a home with two bedrooms, a bath, a kitchen and a living room. But this is ultra sub-prime lending that works because in order to qualify for a mortgage the residents have to have successfully repaid three micro-business loans.
Where does Munro’s capacity to innovate and defy conventional wisdom in the microfinance field come from? It started 20 years ago when she and her husband adopted three street children. It was in the fertile ground of Munro’s relationship with the mothers of her sons’ friends in the streets—women who were beggars— that her profound insights would grow. When Munro, a Swedish trained architect and urban planner, retired from the African Housing Fund in 1999, she thought she would also retire from the little group of 50 beggar women with whom she had been working. But when the women pled with her not leave them, Munro agreed to stay and insisted that they must lift themselves out of poverty. For Munro that meant the women had to start developing the discipline of saving on a regular basis.
She had them come every Saturday with about 50 cents in savings. When they deposited their 50 cents she would give each of them two scoops of corn and one scoop of beans for free. She admits now that for those first two months she was tricking them into saving with the lure of free corn and beans. After two months, the bags were empty, but the beggars continued to save and the free corn and beans never returned.
Another of Munro’s breakthroughs is that all Jamii Bora staff are former members, previously destitute themselves.
Winning the war against poverty won’t come from summoning the right “final answers” to a handful of trivia questions to strike it rich on a game show. Winning the war against global poverty will come when we realize that we have one of the answers—microcredit—and summon the political will to lift up those microcredit programs that have figured out how to reach the world’s most destitute people. This is a final answer we can stand behind.
Sam Daley-Harris is Founder of the Microcredit Summit Campaign which seeks to reach 175 million poorest families with microcredit www.microcreditsummit.org and of RESULTS which seeks to create the political will to end poverty www.results.org.Sam Daley-Harris, FounderRESULTS and Microcredit Summit Campaign750 First Street, NW, Suite 1040Washington, DC 20002C 202-390-0012samdharris@microcreditsummit.org | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Q:
How to get list of layers from geoserver
Is it possible to get a list of all the layers served by geoserver? I.e. is there some specific url request to send that does this?
A:
The capabilities links on the geoserver home page each list layers served via various services:
the WMS capabilities lists layers that support requests for tiled images
the WFS capabilities lists layers that support requests for vector data
the WCS capabilities lists layers that support raster queries
A sample WMS request would look like this:
http://demo.opengeo.org/geoserver/wms?request=GetCapabilities&service=WMS&version=1.0.0
A:
So just for completeness, here's an example of how to get a list/array of layers:
var formatter = new OpenLayers.Format.WMSCapabilities();
var endpoint = "path/to/wms/endpoint";
var layers = [];
// async call to geoserver (I'm using angular)
$http.get(endpoint + 'request=GetCapabilities').
success(function(data, status, headers, config) {
// use the tool to parse the data
var response = (formatter.read(data));
// this object contains all the GetCapabilities data
var capability = response.capability;
// I want a list of names to use in my queries
for(var i = 0; i < capability.layers.length; i ++){
layers.push(capability.layers[i].name);
}
}).
error(function(data, status, headers, config) {
alert("terrible error logging..");
});
| {
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
} |
Top Participants
Challenge Walk MS: Door County 2015
3-Days, 50 Miles (30-mile option available)September 18 - 20, 2015
The Walk will Challenge You,The Experience Will Change You.
Challenge Walk MS is as much about the journey as it is the destination. It sets a high bar with a three-day, 50-mile walk and a $1,500 fundraising minimum in support of those living with multiple sclerosis, but it rewards at the same level with an all-inclusive destination getaway in Wisconsin’s scenic Door County. Broken into three day-long increments, the daily routes take you past some of the most spectacular scenery in the state, while friends old and new set a tone that’s all about motivation, inspiration and fun.
Share the Experience with a TeamShare your Challenge Walk MS experience by starting a team. Any group of two or more people can form a team, and there are plenty of places to find members - friends, family, your company or your community.
Learn MoreWant to know more about Challenge Walk MS before signing up? Contact the Wisconsin Chapter at info.wisms@nmss.org or by calling 262-369-4400 or 800-242-3358.
SupportChallenge Walk MS is a fully supported event. You train and fundraise and we'll take care of you at the event. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Successful communication hinges on keeping track of who and what we are talking about. For this reason, person reference sits at the heart of the social sciences. Referring to persons is an interactional process where information is transferred from current speakers to the recipients of their talk. This dissertation concerns itself with the work that is achieved through this transfer of information.
The interactional approach adopted is one that combines the "micro" of conversation analysis with the 'macro' of genealogically grounded anthropological linguistics. Murriny Patha, a non-Pama-Nyungan language spoken in the north of Australia, is a highly complex polysynthetic language with kinship categories that are grammaticalized as verbal inflections. For referring to persons, as well as names, nicknames, kinterms, minimal descriptions and free pronouns, Murriny Patha speakers make extensive use of pronominal reference markers embedded within polysynthetic verbs. Murriny Patha does not have a formal 'mother-in-law' register. There are however numerous taboos on naming kin in avoidance relationships, and on naming and their namesakes. Similarly, there are also taboos on naming the deceased and on naming their namesakes. As a result, for every speaker there is a multitude of people whose names should be avoided.
At any one time, speakers of the language have a range of referential options. Speakers' decisions about which category of reference forms to choose (names, kinterms etc.) are governed by conversational preferences that shape 'referential design'. Six preferences - a preference for associating the referent to the co-present conversationalists, a preference for avoiding personal names, a preference for using recognitionals, a preference for being succinct, and a pair of opposed preferences relating to referential specificity - guide speakers towards choosing a name on one occasion, a kinterm on the next occasion and verbal cross-reference on yet another occasion. Different classes of expressions better satisfy particular conversational preferences. There is a systematicity to the referential choices that speakers make. The interactional objectives of interlocutors are enacted through the regular placement of particular forms in particular sequential environments. These objectives are then revealed through the turn-by-turn unfolding of conversational interaction. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a fieldbus gateway and the data transmission method thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a fieldbus gateway using a virtual serial fieldbus port and the data transmission method thereof.
2. Related Art
During the development of fieldbus, the industrial Ethernet-based fieldbus protocols, such as ProfiNet, Modbus TCP, and Ethernet/IP, are later than the serial-based fieldbus protocols, such as Profibus and Modbus RTU/ASCII. Moreover, the architecture of the industrial Ethernet-based fieldbus protocols is more complicated. Therefore, most of current supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems or human machine interfaces (HMI) only support serial-based fieldbus instead of Ethernet-based fieldbus. Or one has to pay extra fees in order to obtain the Ethernet-based fieldbus support. Users of the SCADA system and HMI can only use the serial fieldbus port to communicate with the controlled device. However, since most of current factory automation requires that the remote control center and factory operators could control the controlled device at the same time, the controlled device should be able to receive the controls of a remote SCADA system and a local HMI concurrently. However, the system only uses serial fieldbus communication is difficult to provide this function. Due to its physical properties, the serial fieldbus cannot transmit data over a long distance directly. Repeaters are always required for extending the transmission distance, but they also increase the cost of wiring.
To avoid the cost increasing on wiring, some factories use a fieldbus gateway at both the remote and local ends, respectively. The two fieldbus gateways communicate via an Ethernet. Although this reduces the cost on long-distance wiring, at least two fieldbus gateways are needed. To reduce the number of required gateways, some factories use a device server for the system only requires RS-232/RS-422/RS-485 based serial fieldbus communication. The COM port redirection technique used on a device server provides a low cost long distance transmission. As shown in FIG. 1, the remote SCADA system 101a uses the COM port redirection driver to generate a mapped virtual COM port, the COM port is mapped to a physical serial port on the local device server 700. That is, all operations on the mapped virtual COM port on the SCADA system would be transmitted via the network to the device server 700. Then the device server 700 does the same operations on the physical serial port. This makes the mapped virtual COM port works as a mapped interface of the physical serial port on the device server 700. For example, as the SCADA server 101a sets the RTS pin of the mapped COM port to output active signals, the RTS pin on the physical serial port of the device server 700 would output active signals. Then the CTS pin of the physical serial port of a programmable logic controller 301a (controlled device) connected with the physical serial port of the device server 700 receives the active signals. On the other hand, if the programmable logic controller 301a transmits data via its serial port to the physical serial port of the device server 700, then the device server 700 would forward the received data to the mapped COM port of the SCADA system 101a via the network. So the SCADA system 101a can concurrently receive the data from the programmable logic controller 301a (controlled device). Through this serial tunnel technology, the physical serial port of the local device server 700 is just like the real COM port of the remote SCADA system 101a, thereby connecting with the programmable logic controller 301a.
Although the COM port redirection technique only needs one additional device server to extend the serial communication distance, the COM port redirection establish a dedicated tunnel between the physical serial port of the device server 700 and the mapped virtual COM port (interface) of the SCADA system 101a. Therefore, when using the COM port redirection technique, the physical serial port of the device server 700 could only be occupied by the established tunnel. The physical serial port of the device server only allows one SCADA system 101a (mapped virtual COM port) to communicate with and/or control over a programmable logic controller at a time. It can't work on the system requires the programmable logic controller 301a to be controlled by multiple remote/local control ends concurrently.
In summary, the prior art always has the problem that it is impossible for more than two remote devices to control the same controlled device via serial fieldbus at the same time. It is therefore imperative to provide a solution. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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} |
---
abstract: 'A general method is proposed for predicting the asymptotic percolation threshold of networks with bottlenecks, in the limit that the sub-net mesh size goes to zero. The validity of this method is tested for bond percolation on filled checkerboard and “stack-of-triangle" lattices. Thresholds for the checkerboard lattices of different mesh sizes are estimated using the gradient percolation method, while for the triangular system they are found exactly using the triangle-triangle transformation. The values of the thresholds approach the asymptotic values of $0.64222$ and $0.53993$ respectively as the mesh is made finer, consistent with a direct determination based upon the predicted critical corner-connection probability.'
author:
- 'Amir Haji-Akbari'
- 'Robert M. Ziff'
bibliography:
- 'HajiAkbariZiffv3.bib'
title: 'Percolation in Networks with Voids and Bottlenecks\'
---
\[sec:Introduction\]Introduction\
=================================
Percolation concerns the formation of long-range connectivity in random systems [@Stauffer]. It has a wide range of application in problems in physics and engineering, including such topics as conductivity and magnetism in random systems, fluid flow in porous media [@Sukop2002], epidemics and clusters in complex networks [@GoltsevDorogovtsevMendes08], analysis of water structure [@BernabeiEtAl08], and gelation in polymer systems [@YilmazGelirAlverogluUysal08]. To study this phenomenon, one typically models the network by a regular lattice made random by independently making sites or bonds occupied with probability $p$. At a critical threshold $p_c$, for a given lattice and percolation type (site, bond), percolation takes place. Finding that threshold exactly or numerically to high precision is essential to studying the percolation problem on a particular lattice, and has been the subject of numerous works over the years (recent works include Refs. [@Lee08; @RiordanWalters07; @Scullard06; @ScullardZiff06; @ZiffScullard06; @ScullardZiff08; @Parviainen07; @QuintanillaZiff07; @NeherMeckeWagner08; @WiermanNaorCheng05; @JohnerGrimaldiBalbergRyser08; @KhamforoushShamsThovertAdler08; @Ambrozic08; @Kownacki08; @FengDengBlote08; @Wu06; @MajewskiMalarz07; @WagnerBalbergKlein06; @TarasevichCherkasova07; @HakobyanPapouliaGrigoriu07; @BerhanSastry07]).
In this paper we investigate the percolation characteristics of networks with bottlenecks. That is, we consider models in which we increase the number of internal bonds within a sub-net while keeping the number of contact points between sub-nets constant. We want to find how $p_c$ depends upon the mesh size in the sub-nets and in particular how it behaves as the mesh size goes to zero. Studying such systems should give insight on the behavior of real systems with bottlenecks, like traffic networks, electric power transmission networks, and ecological systems. It is also interesting from a theoretical point of view because it interrelates the percolation characteristics of the sub-net and the entire network.
An interesting class of such systems includes lattices with an ordered series of vacated areas within them. Examples include the filled checkerboard lattices (Fig. \[fig:Checkerboard\_finite\]) and the “stack-of-triangles" (Fig. \[fig:strg\_finite\]). The latter can be built by partitioning the triangular lattice into triangular blocks of dimension $L$, and alternately vacating those blocks. These internal blocks of length $L$ correspond to the sub-nets, which contact other sub-nets through the three contact points at their corners. The checkerboard lattice is the square-lattice analog of the stack-of-triangles lattice, where sub-nets are $L \times L$ square lattices which contact the other sub-nets via four contact points. Note, for the stack-of-triangles sub-nets, we also use the $L \times L$ designation, here to indicate $L$ bonds on the base and the sides.
The problem of finding the bond percolation threshold can be solved exactly for the stack-of-triangles lattice because it fits into a class of self-dual arrangements of triangles, and the triangle-triangle transformation (a generalization of the star-triangle transformation) can be used to write down equations for its percolation threshold [@Ziff_CellDualCell; @ChayesLei06]. This approach leads to an algebraic equation which can be solved using numerical root-finding methods. However due to lack of self-duality in the filled checkerboard lattices, no exact solution can be obtained for their thresholds.
It is of interest and of practical importance to investigate the limiting behavior of systems with sub-nets of an infinite number of bonds, i.e., systems where the size of sub-nets is orders of magnitude larger than the size of a single bond in the system, or equivalently, where the mesh size of the lattice compared to the sub-net size becomes small. Due to reduced connectivity, these systems will percolate at a *higher* occupation probability than a similar regular lattice. The limiting percolation threshold for infinite sub-nets is counter-intuitively non-unity, and is argued to be governed by the connectedness of contact points to the infinite percolating clusters within sub-nets. This argument leads to a simple criterion linking the threshold to the probability that the corners connect to the giant cluster in the center of the sub-net.
In this work, the limiting threshold value is computed for bond percolation on the stack-of-triangles and filled checkerboard lattices using this new criterion. Percolation thresholds are also found for a series of lattices of finite sub-net sizes. For the stack-of-triangles lattices, most percolation thresholds are evaluated analytically using the triangle-triangle transformation method, while for filled checkerboard lattices, the gradient percolation method [@Ziff_Sapoval] is used. The limiting values of $0.53993$ and $0.64222$ are found for percolation thresholds of stack-of-triangles and checkerboard lattices respectively, which are both in good agreement with the values extrapolated for the corresponding lattices of finite sub-net sizes.
We note that there are some similarities between this work and studies done on the fractal Sierpiński gaskets (triangular) [@YuYao1988] and carpets (square), but in the case of the Sierpiński models, the sub-nets are repeated in a hierarchical fashion while here they are not. For the Sierpiński gasket, which is effectively all corners, the percolation threshold is known to be 1 [@GefenAharonyShapirMandelbrot84]. For Sierpiński gaskets of a finite number of generations, the formulae for the corner connectivities can be found exactly through recursion [@TaitelbaumHavlinGrassbergerMoenig90], while here they cannot. Recently another hierarchical model with bottlenecks, the so-called Apollonian networks, which are related to duals of Sierpinski networks, has also been introduced [@AutoMoreiraHerrmannAndrade08]. In this model, the percolation threshold goes to zero as the system size goes to infinity.
\[sec:theory\]Theory\
=====================
Let $p$ be the probability that a bond in the system is occupied. Consider a network with sub-nets of infinitely fine mesh, each individually percolating (in the sense of forming “infinite" clusters but not necessarily connecting the corners) at $p_{c,s}$, and denote the overall bond percolation threshold of the entire network to be $p_{c,n}$. It is obvious that $p_{c,s}<p_{c,n}$, due to reduced connectivity in the entire network compared to connectivity in individual sub-nets. For $p_{c,s} < p < p_{c,n}$, an infinite cluster will form within each sub-net with probability $1$. However, the entire network will not percolate, because a sufficient number of connections has not yet been established between the contact points at the corners and central infinite clusters.
Now we construct an auxiliary lattice by connecting the contact points to the center of each subnet, which represents the central infinite cluster contracted into a single site. The occupation probability of a bond on this auxiliary lattice is the probability that the contact point is connected to the central infinite cluster of the sub-net. Percolation of this auxiliary lattice is equivalent to the percolation of the entire network. That is, if this auxiliary lattice percolates at a threshold $p_{c,a}$, the percolation threshold of the entire network will be determined by: $$\begin{aligned}
\label{eq:bottleneck_general}
P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p_{c,n})=p_{c,a}\end{aligned}$$ where $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)$ gives the probability that the corner of the sub-net is connected to the central infinite cluster given that the single occupation probability is $p$.
In general no analytical expression exists for $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)$, even for simple lattices such as the triangular and square lattices, and $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)$ must be evaluated by simulation.
![\[fig:stack\_of\_triangles\] (Color online.) Stack-of-triangles lattice and its auxiliary lattice. The filled blue (dark) triangles represent the sub-net, and the yellow honeycomb lattice represents the effective auxiliary lattice.](Str_LatticeFig3.eps)
\[sec:theory:stack\_of\_triangles\]Stack-of-Triangles Lattice
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fig. \[fig:stack\_of\_triangles\] shows a limiting stack-of-triangles lattice where each shaded triangle represents a sub-net of infinitely many bonds. The contact points are the corners of the triangular sub-nets. As shown in Fig. \[fig:stack\_of\_triangles\], the auxiliary lattice of the stack-of-triangles lattice is the honeycomb lattice, which percolates at ${p_{c,a}=1-2\sin\left(\pi/18\right)\approx0.652704}$ [@SykesEssam1964]. Thus the asymptotic percolation threshold $p_{c,n}$ of the stack-of-triangles will be determined by: $$\begin{aligned}
\label{eq:bottleneck_str}
P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p_{c,n})=1-2\sin{\frac{\pi}{18}} \ .\end{aligned}$$ Because the stack-of-triangles lattice is made up of triangular cells in a self-dual arrangement, its percolation threshold can be found exactly using the triangle-triangle transformation [@Ziff_CellDualCell; @ChayesLei06]. Denoting the corners of a single triangular sub-net with $A$, $B$ and $C$, the percolation threshold of the entire lattice is determined by the solution of the following equation: $$\begin{aligned}
\label{eq:dual}
P(ABC)=P(\overline{ABC})\end{aligned}$$ where ${P(ABC)}$ is the probability that $A$, $B$ and $C$ are all connected, and ${P(\overline{ABC})}$ is the probability that none of them are connected. Eq. (\[eq:dual\]) gives rise to an algebraic equation which can be solved for the exact percolation threshold of the lattices of different sub-net sizes.
\[sec:theory:checkerboard\]Filled Checkerboard Lattice
------------------------------------------------------
Unlike the stack-of-triangles lattice, there is no exact solution for percolation threshold of the checkerboard lattice for finite sub-nets because no duality argument can be made for such lattices. However once again an auxiliary lattice approach can be used to find a criterion for the asymptotic value of percolation threshold. Fig. \[fig:checkerboad\_aux\] depicts the corresponding auxiliary lattice for a checkerboard lattice, which is simply the square lattice with double bonds in series. This lattice percolates at ${p_{c,a}= 1/\sqrt{2} \approx{0.707107}}$. Thus for the infinite sub-net ${p_{c,n}}$ will be determined by: $$\begin{aligned}
\label{eq:bottleneck_checkerboard}
P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p_{c,n})= \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\end{aligned}$$ It is interesting to note that there exists another regular lattice — the “martini" lattice — for which the bond threshold is also exactly $1/\sqrt{2}$ [@ZiffScullard06]. However, that lattice does not appear to relate to a network construction as the double-square lattice does.
 Auxiliary lattice of the checkerboard lattice. The blue (dark) colored areas represent the subnets, and the double-bond square lattice (diagonals) represents the auxiliary lattice.](Checkerboard_auxFig4.eps)
\[sec:methods\]Methods
======================
\[sec:methods:Pc\_finite\]Percolation Threshold of Systems of finite-sized sub-nets
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the checkerboard lattice, we estimate the bond percolation thresholds using the gradient percolation method [@Ziff_Sapoval]. In this method, a gradient of occupation probability is applied to the lattice, such that bonds are occupied according to the local probability determined by this gradient. A self-avoiding hull-generating walk is then made on the lattice according to the rule that an occupied bond will reflect the walk while a vacant bond will be traversed by the walk. For a finite gradient, this walk can be continued infinitely by replicating the original lattice in the direction perpendicular to the gradient using periodic boundary conditions. Such a walk will map out the boundary between the percolating and non-percolating regions, and the average value of occupation probability during the walk will be a measure of the percolation threshold. Because all bonds are occupied or vacated independent of each other, this average probability can be estimated as [@RossoGouyetSapoval1986]: $$\begin{aligned}
\label{eq:Pc_gradient}
p_c=\frac{N_{occ}}{N_{occ}+N_{vac}}\end{aligned}$$ It is particularly straightforward to implement this algorithm to bond percolation on a square lattice, and the checkerboard lattice can be simulated by making some of the square-lattice bonds permanently vacant. Walks are carried out in a horizontal-vertical direction and the original lattice is rotated $45^{\circ}$.
We applied this approach to checkerboard lattices of different block sizes. Fig. \[fig:chkrbrd\_2b2\] and Fig. \[fig:chkrbrd\_4b4\] show the corresponding setups for lattices with $2\times2$ and $4\times4$ vacancies, where the lattice bonds are represented as dashed diagonal lines and solid horizontal and vertical lines show where the walk goes. Circles indicate the centers of permanently vacant bonds. It should be emphasized that permanently vacated bonds are not counted in Eq. (\[eq:Pc\_gradient\]) even if they are visited by the walk.
The percolation threshold of stack-of-triangles lattices of finite sub-net size were calculated using Eq. (\[eq:dual\]). If the occupation probability is $p$ and $q = 1 - p$, one can express $P(ABC)$ and $P(\overline{ABC})$ as: $$\begin{aligned}
P(ABC)&=&\sum_{i=0}^{3n(n+1)/2} \phi(n,i)p^iq^{3n(n+1)/2-i}
\label{eq:phi_n_i}\\
P(\overline{ABC})&=&\sum_{i=0}^{3n(n+1)/2}\psi(n,i)p^i q^{3n(n+1)/2-i}
\label{eq:psi_n_i}\end{aligned}$$ where $n$ denotes the number of bonds per side of the sub-net, $\phi(n,i)$ denotes the number of configurations of an $n\times n$ triangular block with precisely $i$ occupied bonds where the $A$, $B$ and $C$ are connected to each other and $\psi(n,i)$ denotes the number of configurations where none of these points are connected. There appears to be no closed-form combinatorial expression for $\phi(n,i)$ and $\psi(n,i)$, and we determined them by exhaustive search of all possible configurations.
![\[fig:chkrbrd\_2b2\]Representation of checkerboard lattices for simulation with gradient method. The original bond lattice is represented by dashed diagonal lines, while lattice on which the walk goes is vertical and horizontal. Open circles mark bonds that are permanently vacant.](checkerboard2x2Fig5.eps){width="2.5"}
![\[fig:chkrbrd\_4b4\]Checkerboard lattice with $4\times4$ vacancies, with description the same as in Fig. \[fig:chkrbrd\_2b2\].](checkerboard4x4Fig6.eps){width="2.5"}
\[sec:methods:estimate\_Pinf\]Estimation of ${P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}}$
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
As mentioned in Section \[sec:theory\], the asymptotic value of percolation threshold ${p_{c,n}}$ can be calculated using Eq. (\[eq:bottleneck\_checkerboard\]). However there is no analytical expression for ${P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)}$, hence it must be characterized by simulation. In order to do that, the size distribution of clusters connected to the corner must be found for different values of $p>p_{c,s}$. Cluster sizes are defined in terms of the number of sites in the cluster.
In order to isolate the cluster connected to the corner, a first-in-first-out Leath or growth algorithm is used starting from the corner. In FIFO algorithm, the neighbors of every unvisited site are investigated before going to neighbors of the neighbors, so that clusters grow in a circular front. Compared to last-in-first-out algorithm used in recursive programming, this algorithm performs better for ${p{\ge}p_{c,s}}$ because it explores the space in a more compact way.
At each run, the size of the cluster connected to the corner is evaluated using the FIFO growth algorithm. In order to get better statistics, clusters with sizes between ${2^i}$ and ${2^{i+1}-1}$ are counted to be in the $i-$th bin. Because simulations are always run on a finite system, there is an ambiguity on how to define the infinite cluster. However, when ${p{\ge}p_{c,s}}$, the infinite cluster occupies almost the entire lattice, and the finite-size clusters are quite small on average. This effect becomes more and more profound as $p$ increases, and the expected number of clusters in a specific bin becomes smaller and smaller. Consequently, larger bins will effectively contain no clusters, except the bin corresponding to cluster sizes comparable to the size of the entire system. Thus there is no need to set a cutoff value for defining an infinite cluster. Fig. \[fig:cluster\_size\] depicts the size distribution of clusters connected to the corner obtained for $1024 \times 1024$ triangular lattice at (a): $p=0.40$ and (b): $p=0.55$ after ${10^4}$ independent runs. As it is observed, there is a clear gap between bins corresponding to small clusters and the bin corresponding to the spanning infinite cluster even for small values of $p$, which clearly demonstrates that the largest nonempty bin corresponds to infinite percolating clusters connected to the corner. The fraction of such clusters connected to the corner is an estimate of $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)$.
In the simulations, we used the four-offset shift-register random-number generator R(471,1586,6988,9689) described in Ref. [@Ziff98].
 
\[sec:results\]Results and Discussion
=====================================
\[sec:results:gradient\]Gradient Percolation Data
-------------------------------------------------
The gradient percolation method was used to estimate the bond percolation threshold of checkerboard lattices of five different sub-net sizes, i.e., $2\times2$, $4\times4$, $8\times8$, $16\times16$ and $32\times32$. For each lattice, six values of the gradient were used, and simulations were run for $10^{10}$ to $10^{12}$ steps for each gradient value in order to assure that the estimated percolation thresholds are accurate to at least five significant digits. The gradient was applied at an angle of $45^{\circ}$ relative to the original lattice. Figures \[fig:pc\_2b2\]- \[fig:pc\_8b8\] depict typical simulation results. Measured percolation thresholds for finite gradients were extrapolated to estimate the percolation threshold as $L\rightarrow\infty$. Our simulations show that $p_c$ fits fairly linearly when plotted against $1/L$. Table \[table:pc\_checkerboard\] gives these estimated percolation thresholds.
  
Sub-net size Estimated $p_{c,n}$
-------------- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------------------
$1\times1$ $0.5^{a}$
$2\times2$ $0.596303\pm0.000001^{b}$
$4\times4$ $0.633685\pm0.000009^{b}$
$8\times8$ $0.642318\pm0.000005^{b}$
$16\times16$ $0.64237\pm0.00001^{b}$
$32\times32$ $0.64219\pm0.00002^{b}$
$\vdots$ $\vdots$
$\infty$ $0.642216\pm0.00001^{c}$
: \[table:pc\_checkerboard\] Percolation threshold for checkerboard lattices of different sub-net sizes: $^a$Exact result, $^{b}$from gradient percolation simulations, $^c$from corner simulations using Eq. (\[eq:bottleneck\_checkerboard\]).
\[section:results:dual\]Percolation Threshold of The Stack-of-triangles Lattice
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As mentioned in Sections \[sec:theory:stack\_of\_triangles\] and \[sec:methods:Pc\_finite\], the percolation threshold of stack-of-triangles lattice can be determined by Eq. (\[eq:dual\]). Table \[table:polynomial\] summarizes the corresponding polynomial expressions and their relevant roots for lattices having $1$, $2$, $3$ and $4$ triangles per edge. These polynomials give the $\phi(n,i)$ and $\psi(n,i)$ in Eqs. (\[eq:phi\_n\_i\]) and (\[eq:psi\_n\_i\]) for $n=1,2,3,4$ and $i=0,1,\ldots,3n(n+1)/2$. We show $p_0 = P(\overline{ABC})$, $p_2 = P(AB\overline{C})$ (the probability that a given pair of vertices are connected together and not connected to the third vertex), and $p_3 = P(ABC)$. These quantities satisfy $p_0 + 3 p_2 + p_3 = 1$. Then we use Eq. (\[eq:dual\]) to solve for $p_{c,n}$ numerically.
We also show in Table \[table:polynomial\] the values of $p_0$, $p_2$ and $p_3$ evaluated at the $p_{c,n}$. Interestingly, as $n$ increases, $p_0$ at first increases somewhat but then tends back to its original value at $n= 1$, reflecting the fact that the connectivity of the infinitely fine mesh triangle is identical to that of the critical honeycomb lattice, which is identical to the connectivity of the simple triangular lattice according to the usual star-triangle arguments.
It is not possible to perform this exact enumeration for larger sub-nets, so we used gradient percolation method to evaluate $p_c$ for $5\times5$. (To create the triangular bond system on a square bond lattice, alternating horizontal bonds are made permanently occupied.) The final threshold results are summarized in Table \[table:pc\_stack\_of\_triangles\].
--------- ---------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub-net $1\times1$ (simple triangular lattice) $2\times2$ (3 “up" triangles or 9 bonds per sub-net)\
${p_3=P(ABC)}$ & ${p^3+3p^2q}$ & ${9p^4q^5+57p^5q^4+63p^6q^3+33p^7q^2+9p^8q+p^9}$\
$p_2 =P\left(AB\overline{C}\right)$ & ${pq^2}$ & ${p^2q^7+10p^3q^6+32p^4q^5+22p^5q^4+7p^6q^3+p^7q^2}$\
${p_0=P(\overline{ABC})}$ & ${(p+q)^3-p_3-3p_2}$ & ${(p+q)^9-p_3-3p_2}$\
$p_c$ &$0.34729635533$ & $0.47162878827$\
${p_0(p_c)=p_3(p_c)}$ & $0.27806614328$ & $0.28488908000$\
${p_2(p_c)}$ & $0.14795590448$ & $0.14340728000$\
--------- ---------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub-net $3 \times 3$ (6 “up" triangles or $18$ bonds per sub-net)\
${p_3=P(ABC)}$ & ${29p^6q^{12}+468p^7q^{11}+3015p^8q^{10}+9648p^9q^9+16119p^{10}q^8+17076p^{11}q^7+12638p^{12}q^6}$\
& ${+6810p^{13}q^5+2694p^{14}q^4+768p^{15}q^3+150p^{16}q^2+18p^{17}q+p^{18}}$\
$p_2 =P\left(AB\overline{C}\right)$ & ${p^3q^{15}+21p^4q^{14}+202p^5q^{13}+1125p^6q^{12}+3840p^7q^{11}+7956p^8q^{10}+9697p^9q^9}$\
& ${+7821p^{10}q^8+4484p^{11}q^7+1879p^{12}q^6+572p^{13}q^5+121p^{14}q^4+16p^{15}q^3+p^{16}q^2}$\
${p_0=P(\overline{ABC})}$ & ${(p+q)^{18}-p_3-3p_2}$\
$p_c$ &$0.50907779266$\
${p_0(p_c)=p_3(p_c)}$ & $0.28322276251$\
${p_2(p_c)}$ & $0.14451815833$\
--------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub-net $4 \times 4$ ($10$ “up" triangles or $30$ bonds per sub-net)\
${p_3=P(ABC)}$ & ${99p^8q^{22}+2900p^9q^{21}+38535p^{10}q^{20}+305436p^{11}q^{19}+1598501p^{12}q^{18}}$\
& ${+5790150p^{13}q^{17}+14901222p^{14}q^{16}+27985060p^{15}q^{15}+39969432p^{16}q^{14}}$\
& ${+45060150p^{17}q^{13}+41218818p^{18}q^{12}+31162896p^{19}q^{11}+19685874p^{20}q^{10}}$\
& ${+10440740p^{21}q^9+4647369p^{22}q^8+1727208p^{23}q^7+530552p^{24}q^6+132528p^{25}q^5}$\
& ${+26265p^{26}q^4+3976p^{27}q^3+432p^{28}q^2+30p^{29}q+p^{30}}$\
$p_2 =P\left(AB\overline{C}\right)$ & ${p^4q^{26}+36p^5q^{25}+613p^6q^{24}+6533p^7q^{23}+48643p^8q^{22}+267261p^9q^{21}}$\
& ${+1114020p^{10}q^{20}+3563824p^{11}q^{19}+8766414p^{12}q^{18}+16564475p^{13}q^{17}}$\
& ${+24187447p^{14}q^{16}+27879685p^{15}q^{15}+25987202p^{16}q^{14}+19980934p^{17}q^{13}}$\
& ${+12843832p^{18}q^{12}+6950714p^{19}q^{11}+3170022p^{20}q^{10}+1212944p^{21}q^9}$\
& ${+385509p^{22}q^8+100140p^{23}q^7+20744p^{24}q^6+3300p^{25}q^5+379p^{26}q^4+28p^{27}q^3+p^{28}q^2}$\
${p_0=P(\overline{ABC})}$ & ${(p+q)^{30}-p_3-3p_2}$\
$p_c$ &$0.52436482243 $\
${p_0(p_c)=p_3(p_c)}$ & $0.28153957013$\
${p_2(p_c)}$ & $0.14564028658$\
--------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub-net size Estimated $p_c$
-------------- -- -- -- -- -- ----------------------------
$1\times1$ $0.347296355^{a}$
$2\times2$ $0.471628788^{a}$
$3\times3$ $0.509077793^{a}$
$4\times4$ $0.524364822^{a}$
$5\times5$ $0.5315976\pm0.000001^{b}$
$\vdots$ $\vdots$
$\infty$ $0.53993\pm0.00001^c$
: \[table:pc\_stack\_of\_triangles\] Percolation threshold for stack-of-triangles lattices of different sub-net sizes: $^a$From Eq. (\[eq:dual\]) using exact expressions for $p_0$ and $p_3$ from Table \[table:polynomial\], $^b$from gradient simulation, $^c$Corner simulation using Eq. (\[eq:bottleneck\_str\]).
\[sec:results:estimate\_Pinf\]Estimation of ${P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)}$
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
### \[sec:results:estimate\_Pinf:checkerb\]Square Lattice
The cluster growth algorithm was used to estimate ${P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)}$ for different values of $p$. Simulations were run on a $2048\times2048$ square lattice. For each value of $p>1/2$, $10^5$ independent runs were performed and $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}$ was estimated by considering the fraction of clusters falling into the largest nonempty bin as described in Section \[sec:methods:estimate\_Pinf\]. Fig. \[fig:p\_inf\_chkrbrd\] demonstrates the resulting curve for the square lattice. In order to solve Eq. (\[eq:bottleneck\_checkerboard\]), a cubic spline with natural boundary conditions was used for interpolation, and an initial estimate of ${p_{c,n}}$ was obtained to be $0.6432$. The standard deviation of $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)$ scales as $O(1/\sqrt{N})$ where $N$ is the number of independent simulation used for its estimation, so that $N=10^5$ will give us an accuracy in $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)$ of about two significant figures.
In order to increase the accuracy in our estimate, further simulations were performed at the vicinity of $p=0.6432$ for $N=10^{10}$ trials with a lower cut-off size, and $p_{c,n}$ was found to be $0.642216\pm0.00001$. This number is in good agreement with percolation thresholds given in Table \[table:pc\_checkerboard\]. Note that $p_{c,n}$ for the $16\times16$ sub-net checkerboard lattice actually overshoots the value 0.642216 for the infinite sub-net and then drops to the final value. This non-monotonic behavior is surprising at first and presumably is due to some interplay between the various corner connection probabilities that occurs for finite system.
At the threshold $p_{c,n} = 0.642216$, we found that the number of corner clusters containing $s$ sites for large $s$ behaves in the expected way for supercritical clusters [@Stauffer] $n_s \sim a \exp(-b s^{1/2})$ with $\ln a = -7.0429$ and $b = -0.8177$.
![\[fig:p\_inf\_chkrbrd\]${P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)}$ for the square lattice.](P_inf_checkerboardFig9.eps)
### \[sec:results:estimate\_Pinf:stotr\]Triangular lattice
The cluster growth algorithm was applied to find the size distribution of clusters connected to the corner of a $1024\times1024$ triangular lattice. For each value of $p$, $10^4$ independent runs were performed and $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)$ was evaluated. Fig. \[fig:p\_inf\_strg\] depicts the results. The root of Eq. (\[eq:bottleneck\_str\]) was determined by cubic spline to be around $0.539$. Further simulations were performed around this value with $N=10^{10}$ runs for each $p$, yielding $p_{c,n}=0.539933\pm0.00001$. This value is also in good agreement with values given in Table \[table:polynomial\] and shows fast convergence as sub-net size increases.
![\[fig:p\_inf\_strg\]${P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}(p)}$ for the triangular lattice.](P_inf_strgFig10.eps)
Discussion {#sec:conclusion}
==========
We have shown that the percolation threshold of checkerboard and stack-of-triangle systems approach values less than 1 as the mesh spacing in the sub-nets goes to zero. In that limit, the threshold can be found by finding the value of $p$ such that the probability a corner vertex is connected to the infinite cluster $P_{\infty,{\rm corner}}$ equals $1/\sqrt{2}$ and $1 - 2 \sin (\pi/18)$, respectively, based upon the equivalence with the double-bond square and bond honeycomb lattices. The main results of our analysis and simulations are summarized in Tables \[table:pc\_checkerboard\] and \[table:pc\_stack\_of\_triangles\].
For the case of the checkerboard, we notice a rather interesting and unexpected situation in which the threshold $p_{c,n}$ slightly overshoots the infinite-sub-net value and then decreases as the mesh size increases. The threshold here is governed by a complicated interplay of connection probabilities for each square, and evidently for intermediate sized systems it is somewhat harder to connect the corners than for larger ones, and this leads to a larger threshold. In the case of the triangular lattice, where there are fewer connection configurations between the three vertices of one triangle (namely, just $p_0$, $p_2$ and $p_3$), the value of $p_{c,n}$ appears to grow monotonically.
To illustrate the general behavior of the systems, we show a typical critical cluster for the $8\times8$ checkerboard system in Fig. \[Pict8x8squaresBW\]. It can be seen that the checkerboard squares the cluster touches are mostly filled, since the threshold $p_{c,n} = 0.642318$ is so much larger than the square lattice’s threshold $p_{c,s} = 0.5$.
In Fig. \[hajisquaredensity\] we show the average density of “infinite" (large) clusters in a single $64\times64$ square at the checkerboard criticality of $p_{c,n} = 0.642216$, in which case the density drops to $1/\sqrt{2}$ at the corners. In Fig. \[haji4density\] we show the corresponding densities conditional on the requirement that the cluster simultaneously touches all four corners, so that the density now goes to 1 at the corners and drops to a somewhat lower value in the center because not every site in the system belongs to the spanning cluster. Similar plots can be made of clusters touching 1, 2, or 3 corners. At the sub-net critical point $p_{c,s}$, the first two cases can be solved exactly and satisfy a factorization condition [@SimmonsKlebanZiff07; @SimmonsZiffKleban08], but this result does not apply at the higher $p_{c,n}$.
The ideas discussed in this paper apply to any system with regular bottlenecks. Another example is the kagomé lattice with the triangles filled with a finer-mesh triangular lattice; this system is studied in Ref. [@ZiffGu].
Acknowledgments
===============
This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation Grants No. DMS-0553487 (RMZ). The authors also acknowledge the contribution of UROP (Undergraduate Reseach Opportunity Program) student Hang Gu for his numerical determination of $p_{c,n}$ for the triangular lattice of sub-net size $5\times5$, and thank Christian R. Scullard for helpful discussions concerning this work.
| {
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Fantastic christmas card Tracey - love that image and the colurs you've used. The flowers are just perfect! Thanks for joining us at OSAAT this week for our colour challenge and good luck, love Jacky x
This is such a lovely card. I think your image is so sweet.. but what really caught my eye was the ribbon treatment and those gorgeous flowers!!! Beautiful card, thanks so much for showing us your style at Freshly Brewed Challenges!
Awe this card is just absolutely gorgeous, love your colouring, papers and fabulous image. Sooo cute! Thank you for joining us at Lili of the Valley, good luck in the DT´s individual candy and the Fabulous Grand Prize.Hugs,Nicola -x- | {
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Role of gastric emptying on ethanol poisoning in rats.
Intraperitoneal glucose was demonstrated to significantly inhibit the absorption of ethanol ( 2 g/kg) administered orally to rats. The effect was due to slowed emptying of the stomach, verified by analysis of the stomach contents and of blood enthanol levels. The observation agrees with previous findings, according to which the rate of stomach emptying is inversely related to the blood glucose level. However, when glucose was given intravenously 15 minutes after oral administration of a lethal dose of ethanol (12.5 g/kg) no significant inhibition of ethanol absorption could be observed. Intravenous propantheline, pyrithioxine and methylene blue were also unable to prolong the survival time or to influence the lethal blood ethanol concentration (about 170 mmol/l) of the enthanol-poisoned rats. | {
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Las Vegas - Mercedes-Benz has
created an unconventional presentation idea under the heading
“Tuner Challenge”. Ahead of the equally unconventional SEMA Show
in the gaming hotspot of Las Vegas, the Stuttgart company
announced a competition for tuning firms. The object of desire –
the compact GLK-Class. The distinctively styled automotive
character with an edge seems predestined to arouse a wide range
of tuning fantasies.
Tuning operations were tasked with
highlighting the possibilities presented by the GLK’s
wide-ranging talents through their ideas and designs. The four
most convincing concepts were selected and the winners given the
opportunity to implement their proposals. This process saw the
creation of GLK models that are as leading-edge as they are
unorthodox, and that now take centre stage in Mercedes’
participation at this year’s SEMA Show.
“Our GLK is a character bursting
with expressiveness, and a new model for us within a young
market segment in the U.S.,” comments Mercedes-Benz Head of
Design Gorden Wagener. “We selected SEMA in Las Vegas as the
backdrop for its first appearance in North America because we
want to take advantage of the show’s glamour and to underscore
the highly individual character of the GLK. An SUV with an edge
that is so refreshingly alternative, demands a somewhat
alternative setting.”
“Widestar”, “The GLK Urban Whip”,
“The GLK Pikes Peak Rally Racer” and “The GLK Rock Crawler” will
attract attention even at SEMA, which is not exactly short on
highlights and is becoming increasingly important as a
trendsetting springboard for the European tuning scene. This
presentation also represents the GLK premiere on the North
American market, where sales are scheduled to begin in January
2009.
Good market prospects are being forecast
for the compact GLK in the U.S. The visual appeal and functionality of
its exterior design make the GLK a distinctive and versatile vehicle, as
do its exceptional handling and excellent safety characteristics
combined with superb comfort both on and off-road.
GLK-Class freely interpreted four times
Four fundamentally different rebuilds make
one thing abundantly clear – the GLK-Class is one of the most
multi-faceted SUV models ever, and one that retains its distinctive
character, even in the face of somewhat unconventional modifications.
With each respective tuner fantasy and the help of some exotic
ingredients, the SUV has been turned into an exclusive specialist for
the road, beach, city or rally stage. “We wanted to see what kinds of
interpretations were inspired by our GLK and how they would further
sharpen this very strong character. The tuners opted for completely
differing approaches, demonstrating the potential of our GLK concept,”
continues Gorden Wagener.
With its GLK Pikes Peak Rally Racer,
RENNtech from Lake Park, Florida has created a motorsport vehicle
inspired by the unlimited class of the legendary Pikes Peak Hill Climb
in Colorado. The drivetrain of the RENNtech GLK is complemented by a
hybrid module that guarantees excellent acceleration figures.
BRABUS, based in Bottrop, Germany,
represents the German element of this tuning fraternity and presents the
Widestar, a production-ready, high-performance on-road vehicle that also
pays tribute to the distinctive refinement of vehicles bearing the
three-pointed star.
GLK Urban Whip is the name given by
Boulevard Customs from St. Petersburg, Florida to its creation, which
makes its entrance with a significantly widened bodyshell, massive 26
inch wheels and a mighty on-board entertainment system that, according
to the figures, is likely to have an impact at full blast of
seismological proportions.
The team at the Legendary Motorcar Company
from Ontario, Canada, which is more commonly associated with the
restoration of American muscle cars, created The GLK Rock Crawler. The
exotic design for snow and sand includes a winch system that can provide
wakeboarders and snowboarders alike with the necessary impetus.
The base vehicle for Boulevard Customs,
Legendary Motorcar and RENNtech is the series production GLK350 with a
3.5 litre V6 engine generating 200 kW/272 hp, while BRABUS opted for the
diesel-driven GLK 320 CDI 4MATIC. The base versions of all models are
equipped with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission.
Show vehicles with public voting
Mercedes-Benz is combining a voting
program for the North American public with its appearances at SEMA and
the subsequent Los Angeles Motor Show, where the customized GLKs will
also be presented. At either show, or in the internet at www.mbusa.com,
visitors can cast their vote for their favourite model. The winner of
the “Tuner Challenge” will be announced on 2nd December. | {
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When Trump says something that is patently untrue or completely insane, these statements are not lies but a "rhetorical response" to whatever is on his mind.
The White House is so adept at covering for president Trump's routine outbursts, lies and maniacal ranting that they have now coined a new term for it. When Trump says something that is patently untrue or completely insane, these statements are not lies but a "rhetorical response" to whatever is on his mind. Reported the Washington Post today:
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At a briefing Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump was merely making a “rhetorical response to a criticism” by LaVar Ball when he tweeted of Ball’s son LiAngelo and two UCLA teammates that he “should have left them in jail” in China. Sanders repeatedly claimed that Trump was “happy to intervene” on the players’ behalf.
“I think it was less about the players than the father of one of the Americans really seemed to have a problem with it,” Sanders said. “Frankly, it didn’t seem like the father wanted the president to intervene, which I think would have been a sad thing if he hadn’t, most likely.”
So when Trump said that he "should have left them in jail", he actually meant that he shouldn't have left them in jail, but disagrees with the father about something or the other. How Huckabee Sanders managed this extraordinary display of mental gymnastics is beyond comprehension, but it is a testament to the White House's resolve that they continue to create new and innovative ways to cover up the president's bullshit.
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The "rhetorical response" defense is ingenious because it means Trump can now say literally whatever he wants with any fear of repercussion. "I'm going to blow up North Korea tomorrow!" really means "I'm not going to blow up North Korea, but I want to do a trade deal with Japan!". "Hillary Clinton should be thrown in jail!" means "Hillary Clinton shouldn't be thrown in jail, but I do like eating pancakes in the morning!" The potential for the "rhetorical response" is vast and we should expect to see it trotted out more often as Trump continues to lose his grip on objective reality and his team continue their vicious infighting. With National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster calling Trump an “idiot” and a “dope” with the intelligence of a “kindergartner,” you can be sure the "rhetorical response" defense won't be limited to just Trump either. If further evidence of McMaster's outburst is revealed, we should all look forward to hearing the White House's unique interpretation. Suggestions are welcome in the comments section below... | {
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Sleep Apnea
Oct 02, 2006 Viewed: 632
Sleep Apnea
In people who have sleep apnea (also referred to as sleep-disordered breathing), breathing briefly stops or becomes very shallow during sleep. This change is caused by intermittent blocking of the upper airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and partially or completely closes the airway. Each breathing stop typically lasts 10 - 20 seconds or more and may occur 20 - 30 times or more each sleeping hour.
“I have sleep apnea. In the past, I used to arrange my schedule around whether I’ve had enough sleep. Now I don’t worry about that.
Starting on continuous positive airway pressure and medication have changed my life - now I’m excited to wake up and face each day after a night of restful sleep.”ANNE COLLINS
If you have sleep apnea, not enough air can flow into your lungs through the mouth and nose during sleep, even though breathing efforts continue. When this happens, the amount of oxygen in your blood decreases. Your brain responds by awakening you enough to tighten the upper airway muscles and open your windpipe. Normal breaths then start again, often with a loud snort or choking sound.
Although people who have sleep apnea typically snore loudly and frequently, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. (See “Is Snoring a Problem?”)
Because people who have sleep apnea frequently arouse from deeper sleep stages to lighter sleep during the night, they rarely spend enough time in deep, restorative stages of sleep. They are therefore often excessively sleepy during the day. Such sleepiness is thought to lead to mood and behavior problems, including depression, and such sleepiness more than triples the risk of being in a traffic or workrelated accident.
The many brief drops in blood-oxygen levels can be associated with morning headaches and decreased ability to concentrate, think properly, learn, and remember. In sleep apnea, the combination of the intermittent oxygen drops and reduced sleep quality triggers the release of stress hormones. These hormones in turn raise your blood pressure and heart rate and boost the risk of heart attack, stroke, irregular heart beats, and congestive heart failure. In addition, untreated sleep apnea can lead to altered energy metabolism that increases the risk for developing obesity and diabetes.
Anyone can have sleep apnea. It is estimated that at least 12 - 18 million American adults have sleep apnea, making it as common as asthma. More than one-half of the people who have sleep apnea are overweight. Sleep apnea is more common in men. More than 1 in 25 middle-aged men and 1 in 50 middle-aged women have sleep apnea along with excessive daytime sleepiness. About 3 percent of children and 10 percent or more of people over age 65 have sleep apnea. This condition occurs more frequently in African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, and Hispanics than in Caucasians.
More than one-half of all people who have sleep apnea are not diagnosed. People who have sleep apnea generally are not aware that their breathing stops in the night. They just notice that they don’t feel well rested when they wake up and are sleepy throughout the day. Their bed partners are likely to notice, however, that they snore loudly and frequently and that they often stop breathing briefly while sleeping. Doctors suspect sleep apnea if these symptoms are present, but the diagnosis must be confirmed with overnight sleep monitoring. (See “How Are Sleep Disorders Diagnosed?”) This monitoring will reveal pauses in breathing, frequent sleep arousals, and intermittent drops in levels of oxygen in the blood.
Like adults who have sleep apnea, children who have this disorder usually snore loudly, snort or gasp, and have brief stops in breathing while sleeping. Small children often have enlarged tonsils and adenoids that increase their risk for sleep apnea. But doctors may not suspect sleep apnea in children because, instead of showing the typical signs of sleepiness during the day, these children often become agitated and may be considered hyperactive. The effects of sleep apnea in children may include diminished school performance and difficult, aggressive behavior.
It's easy to make a financial decision based on what you need right now, but making an informed choice will benefit you in the long run. Meet a former Red Sox pitcher who picked security over an uncertain future | {
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EA Games Vulnerability
In the last few weeks, Check Point Research has combined forces with CyberInt to identify a chain of vulnerabilities that, once exploited, could have led to the takeover of millions of player accounts within the world’s second largest gaming company, EA Games. The potential damage could have involved an attacker gaining access to a user’s credit card information and the ability to fraudulently purchase in game currency on behalf of the user.
CyberInt and Check Point immediately notified EA Games of these security gaps and together leveraged their expertise to support EA in fixing them to protect their gaming customers.
Origin: The EA Games Platform
With over 300 million users and revenues of around $5 billion, EA Games is the world’s second largest gaming company market capitalization and boasts household gaming titles such as FIFA, Maden NFL, NBA Live, UFC, The Sims, Battlefield, Command and Conquer and Medal of Honor in its portfolio. All these games and more rest on its self-developed Origin gaming platform that allows users to purchase and play EA’s games across PC and mobile.
Origin also contains social features such as profile management, networking with friends with chat and direct game joining along with community integration with networking sites such as Facebook, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Nintendo Network.
Origin and the Vulnerabilities Found
In a similar manner to Check Point Research’s previous discoveries into another hugely popular online game, Fortnite, the vulnerabilities found in EA’s platform similarly did not require the user to hand over any login details whatsoever. Instead, it took advantage of EA Games’ use of authentication tokens in conjunction with the oAuth Single Sign-On (SSO) and TRUST mechanism that is built into EA Game’s user login process.
In this case, EA Games is a cloud-based company that uses Microsoft Azure to host several domain names such as ea.com and origin.com in order to provide global access to various services for their players, including creating new game accounts, connecting to the Origin social network and purchasing more games in EA’s online store.
Technical Details
Eaplayinvite.ea.com Subdomain Hijacking
EA games operates several domain names such as ea.com and origin.com in order to provide global access to various services for their players, including creating new Apex Legend accounts, connecting to the Origin social network, as well as purchasing new EA games in the company’s online store.
Generally, each service offered by a cloud-based company such as EA Games is registered on a unique subdomain address, for example, eaplayinvite.ea.com , and has a DNS pointer (A or CNAME record) to a specific cloud supplier host, ea-invite-reg.azurewebsites.net, which runs the desired service in the background, in this case a web application server.
Fig 1: The DNS pointer for eaplayinvite.ea.com points to the CNAME record, ea-invite-reg.azurewebsites.net
Azure is a cloud services provider solution powered by Microsoft and allows for a company to register new services (e.g. web applications, REST APIs, Virtual Machines, databases and more) in order to provide them to online customers around the world.
Each Azure user account can request to register a specific service name (Service-Name.azurewebsites.net) which will be connected to a specific domain or subdomain of the organization after successfully validating it’s CNAME records during Azure subdomain validation process.
During CyberInt’s research, though, they found that the ea-invite-reg.azurewebsites.net service was not in-use anymore within Azure cloud services, however the unique subdomain eaplayinvite.ea.com still redirect to it using the CNAME configuration.
The CNAME redirection of eaplayinvite.ea.com allows us to create a new successful registration request at our own Azure account and register ea-invite-reg.azurewebsites.net as our new web application service. This allowed us to essentially hijack the subdomain of eaplayinvite.ea.com and monitor the requests made by EA valid users 🙂
Fig 2: Changing the CNAME redirection of ‘eaplayinvite.ea.com’ to our own ‘ea-invite-reg.azurewebsites.net’ hosted in our own Azure account.
As seen from the below, the DNS Record status after the hijacking process now shows that the eaplayinvite.ea.com redirects to our new Azure cloud web service:
Fig 3: The DNS Record status after the hijacking process. ‘eaplayinvite.ea.com ’ now redirects to our new Azure cloud web service
oAuth Invalid Redirection to Account Take-Over
Having control over the eaplayinvite.ea.com subdomain led our research team to a new goal of figuring out how we can abuse the TRUST mechanism. The TRUST mechanism exists between ea.com and origin.com domains and their subdomains. Successfully abusing the mechanism enabled our research team to manipulate the oAuth protocol implementation for full account take-over exploitation.
We began by identifying how EA games had configured the oAuth protocol and provides its users a Single Sign-on (SSO) mechanism. The SSO mechanism exchanges the user credentials (user & password) by unique SSO Token and then uses the token to authenticate with any platform (for ex. accounts.origin.com) of EA networks without having to enter their credentials again.
Analyzing the EA games oAuth SSO implementation within several EA services such as answers.ea.com, help.ea.com and accounts.ea.com helped us to review the EA authentication process and learn more about the TRUST mechanism that had been implemented.
As part of a successful authentication process with EA global services via answers.ea.com, an oAauth HTTP request is sent to accounts.ea.com in order to get a new user SSO token, then the application should redirect it through signin.ea.com to the final EA service called answers.ea.com to identify the user.
Fig 4: An oAuth SSO request for authenticating with answers.ea.com
Fig 5: The oAuth authentication SSO token is redirected through signin.ea.com to EA answers.ea.com server
We found, however, that it was actually possible to determine the EA service address which the oAuth token is generated for by modifying the returnURI parameter within the HTTP request to our hijacked sub-domain of EA, eaplayinvite.ea.com.
Fig 6: oAuth requests to generate a new user token for eaplayinvite.ea.com
Fig 7: The server generates valid token without validation of the fake EA service
However, generating the above-mentioned request to redirect the generated SSO token into our hands was not sufficient since several limitations took place on EA’s side.
The following items represent the limitations introduced by EA and how we successfully bypassed them in order to weaponize our attack:
Limitation 1 – A Missing Valid Referer
In order to compromise EA accounts, the research teams needed to send the previously mentioned request to accounts.ea.com including the modified parameters on behalf of the victim.
However, the backend server of accounts.ea.com validates if the request originally came from a trusted Origin domain by checking the HTTP Referer header.
To overcome this limitation we needed to start the request on behalf of our victim from an EA trusted domain or subdomain. So we coded a new Iframe onto the index page of our hijacked subdomain so the request would be initiated from the Iframe and bypass the server validation.
Fig 8: eaplayinvite.ea.com malicious index page
Fig 9: Attacker’s generates iframe on eaplayinvite.ea.com to bypass http Referer validation
Limitation 2 – The Origin Problem
After sending the request to signin.ea.com to complete our malicious authentication process and get the victim’s token to our hijacked subdomain at eaplayinvite.ea.com, a new jQuery function is generated and returned to the client for redirecting the token.
However, the jQuery $.postMessage function will fail from executing this time since the destination server (eaplayinvite.ea.com) is not part of the current Origin (signin.ea.com). Therefore the function will send an error to the browser console and stop itself from sending the token to us.
To overcome this issue, we had to look for a new token redirection method on signin.ea.com since the jQuery function stopped them from getting the victim’s token as part of the malicious flow.
After several attempts, we captured one different request to signin.ea.com that contained the redirectback parameter. This parameter guided the server to use the returnuri value and redirect the page to it directly, without attaching to it the victim’s access token.
Fig 10: Sending redirectback parameter to bypass jQuery origin issue
Fig 11: The server responded with a simple redirection to the target server
At this point we managed to redirect an authenticated EA player to our servers. We were able to do this after they visited the oAuth SSO authentication iframe and so were then able to log the incoming request within our servers.
The token was sent to our servers within the HTTP Referer header since the player was redirected through severaloAuth SSO URLs using our malicious Iframes. The last redirection on signin.ea.com redirected the player to our server using window.location JavaScript function. It contained the SSO token of the player and allowed us to take control over it.
Fig 12: Logging the incoming Referer value and searching for the victim’s Access-Token
Fig 12: The victim oAuth SSO token logged on the attacker’s PC | {
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by Katie Dettman Griffin News Reporter Check out Mike Butler's farewell column, in which he muses on the paths we've taken from childhood to the work force. See full story, page 3. This summer, the parking lot behind Old Main is going to be renovated and landscaped, creating a new courtyard that will increase the presence of green space on campus, extending the Quad almost seamlessly to Old Main. The renovation will reduce the number of spots behind Old Main by about twenty, however. The parking area nearest Hughes Avenue will be extended all the way to Main St. to make up for the lost parking space. Members of the faculty were handed four different plans for the renovations, drawn by Cannon Designs, located on Grand Island. All four plans were similar in nature, with slight aesthetic variations. College President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J. announced to tenured faculty Monday, April 30, the plans for campus renovation that are slated for the next two summers, as well as some "wish list" plans that are planned for after the College raises the necessary funds. Chief James Walkowiak reveals the #1 movie in The Griffin's list of the 20 Greatest Movies Ever Made. Editor in See full story, page 5. See full story, pages 8 and 9. These plans are speculative, and will not be completed for a number of years, according to Franz. The Tower has new elevators, and in the near future they would like to do some improvement work on it. Until the necessary funds are attained, however, these "wish list" plans will remain in the planning stages. The College also would like to build another residence hall in the current Chapel and Eastwood parking lots. Among plans on the College's "wish list" are: a plan to knock down the Churchill Tower, as well as a plan to join Hughes Avenue directly with Main St., and build a median in that area. Should this pan out, Jefferson Ave. would no longer intersect with Main St. According to Dr. Laurence Franz, College Treasurer and Vice President for Business and Finance, the College has borrowed the money to fund these two projects. ment. In the summer of 2002, the Quad will be renovated to improve drainage and sidewalks. The drainage pipes that run under the Quad will be replaced completely to address the yearly flooding problems created by the springtime thaw. Sidewalks will be widened to allow for increased student traffic. (When the current sidewalk system was originally installed, the student population at Canisius was much smaller). Below: Long-term "wishes" for renovation include knocking down the Churchill Academic Tower, blocking Jefferson Ave. for parking, extending Hughes to Main St., and outdoor amphitheater seating. Above: Planned renovations for the next two years include a courtyard that would extend the greenspace to the back of Old Main as well as improved drainage in the quad. In the long-term future, the College wishes to create amphitheater-style seating for classes in the space between the back of Old Main and the Quadrangle. This new seating, compared to the current area located beside the Horan-O'Donnell Science Building, would have a more centralized location, and would be more akin to a lecture-hall environ- Recycling program paying dividends by Valerie Eaton Griffin News Editor Read about the baseball Griffs as their season draws to a close. Sports Reporter Joe Clifford handles all of the inside coverage. Campus renovations to continue Plans include new courtyard, improved drainage The Griffin today She Griffin See full story, page 13. News 1 Editoriat^r—^1 4 Viewpoints 5 Features 7 Sports 13 On the Wing 15 http://www.canisius.edu/griffin Junior Erica Turner is the Chairperson of the Recycling Committee. still need to be completed by students. Any students interested in helping with the program should contact Erica Turner at turnere@canisius.edu. A Physical Plant website which will handle questions about the program will also be available soon through the Colleges official website. Although, says Erica,"It really wouldn't have been possible without the support from the Physical Plant and Residence Life", the program owes its success to the students. A meeting was held this Wednesday by the USA and RHA to discuss future directions of the project. The administrative departments involved plan to support the project in the future and help open up new opportunities. The College's Physical Plant has several plans for future expansion of the project. According to Kwitzer, the College is "quite pleased with what we've done this year. It was beyond our expectations, and we are looking forward to continuing next year." Plans for future expansion include curbside recycling at campus townhouses, as well as creating a work study position in the physical plant which handles questions concerning the recycling program. Students interested in this position should call the Physical Plant at 888-2989. With the expansion of this project, much of the work will in January, February, and March. The College also networked with other area colleges including the University at Buffalo, Buffalo State, and St. Bonaventure and received support from Erie County. According to Kwitzer, the County was very helpful as a reference in getting the program started and implementing it. The most important thing to note about the success of the program, according to Erica Turner, Chairperson of the Recycling Committee, is that it is due chiefly to the students' efforts and that its success depended on them. Canisius has tried in recent years to implement a recycling program on campus, but until recently the only official programs in progress were paper recycling in offices and the library. This past academic year, students from the Undergraduate Student Association and Residence Hall Association formed a recycling committee to address the issue. With support from Residence Life and the Physical Plant, a successful recycling program was implemented at the beginning of this semester. At the beginning of the semester three 60-gallon recycling containers for plastic, cardboard, and glass were placed in the trash rooms in Bosch and Frisch residence halls. This program was offered on a trial basis, and students were given the responsibility to show that it would work. An initial problem associated with the recycling program was finding individuals to empty the recycling bins, which involved emptying them each week into the main recycling dumpster. As part of a service project requirement, members of Tri-Beta, the biology honor society, volunteered to empty the recycling bins weekly. Their efforts were also a great help to the program. This semester, the program proved to be very successful; the materials recycled in the dorms more than doubled the amount of material recycled on the entire campus in previous years. The entire campus now recycles about 11% of total waste produced, which according to Building Manager Kevin Kwitzer is a significant amount. An average of 4100 lbs. of materials were recycled per month "Serving the Canisius Community Since 1933" The Weekly Student Newspaper of Canisius College ■■MUM ■IB-BTia— Scattered Showers; Sunny; ■FM Hl 61° P n Low 41° Sunny; M Hi ] Low 46° mSSS Maps courtesy of DR. RAYMOND C LOUGH Find out which students were honored at the annual spring Honors Convocation held last Thursday in the Cultural Center. Volume LXXI FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2001 NUMBER 22 NEWS VI EWPOI NTS FEAT U R E S SPORTS INDEX FORECAST
This image is issued by Canisius College Archives. Use of the image requires written permission from the Archives. It may not be sold or redistributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media. The image should not be significantly altered through conventional or electronic means. Images altered beyond standard cropping and resizing require further negotiation with a staff member. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. Please credit: Canisius College Archives and Special Collections, Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library, Canisius College.
This image is issued by Canisius College Archives. Use of the image requires written permission from the Archives. It may not be sold or redistributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media. The image should not be significantly altered through conventional or electronic means. Images altered beyond standard cropping and resizing require further negotiation with a staff member. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. Please credit: Canisius College Archives and Special Collections, Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library, Canisius College.
Technical Data
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Transcript
by Katie Dettman Griffin News Reporter Check out Mike Butler's farewell column, in which he muses on the paths we've taken from childhood to the work force. See full story, page 3. This summer, the parking lot behind Old Main is going to be renovated and landscaped, creating a new courtyard that will increase the presence of green space on campus, extending the Quad almost seamlessly to Old Main. The renovation will reduce the number of spots behind Old Main by about twenty, however. The parking area nearest Hughes Avenue will be extended all the way to Main St. to make up for the lost parking space. Members of the faculty were handed four different plans for the renovations, drawn by Cannon Designs, located on Grand Island. All four plans were similar in nature, with slight aesthetic variations. College President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J. announced to tenured faculty Monday, April 30, the plans for campus renovation that are slated for the next two summers, as well as some "wish list" plans that are planned for after the College raises the necessary funds. Chief James Walkowiak reveals the #1 movie in The Griffin's list of the 20 Greatest Movies Ever Made. Editor in See full story, page 5. See full story, pages 8 and 9. These plans are speculative, and will not be completed for a number of years, according to Franz. The Tower has new elevators, and in the near future they would like to do some improvement work on it. Until the necessary funds are attained, however, these "wish list" plans will remain in the planning stages. The College also would like to build another residence hall in the current Chapel and Eastwood parking lots. Among plans on the College's "wish list" are: a plan to knock down the Churchill Tower, as well as a plan to join Hughes Avenue directly with Main St., and build a median in that area. Should this pan out, Jefferson Ave. would no longer intersect with Main St. According to Dr. Laurence Franz, College Treasurer and Vice President for Business and Finance, the College has borrowed the money to fund these two projects. ment. In the summer of 2002, the Quad will be renovated to improve drainage and sidewalks. The drainage pipes that run under the Quad will be replaced completely to address the yearly flooding problems created by the springtime thaw. Sidewalks will be widened to allow for increased student traffic. (When the current sidewalk system was originally installed, the student population at Canisius was much smaller). Below: Long-term "wishes" for renovation include knocking down the Churchill Academic Tower, blocking Jefferson Ave. for parking, extending Hughes to Main St., and outdoor amphitheater seating. Above: Planned renovations for the next two years include a courtyard that would extend the greenspace to the back of Old Main as well as improved drainage in the quad. In the long-term future, the College wishes to create amphitheater-style seating for classes in the space between the back of Old Main and the Quadrangle. This new seating, compared to the current area located beside the Horan-O'Donnell Science Building, would have a more centralized location, and would be more akin to a lecture-hall environ- Recycling program paying dividends by Valerie Eaton Griffin News Editor Read about the baseball Griffs as their season draws to a close. Sports Reporter Joe Clifford handles all of the inside coverage. Campus renovations to continue Plans include new courtyard, improved drainage The Griffin today She Griffin See full story, page 13. News 1 Editoriat^r—^1 4 Viewpoints 5 Features 7 Sports 13 On the Wing 15 http://www.canisius.edu/griffin Junior Erica Turner is the Chairperson of the Recycling Committee. still need to be completed by students. Any students interested in helping with the program should contact Erica Turner at turnere@canisius.edu. A Physical Plant website which will handle questions about the program will also be available soon through the Colleges official website. Although, says Erica,"It really wouldn't have been possible without the support from the Physical Plant and Residence Life", the program owes its success to the students. A meeting was held this Wednesday by the USA and RHA to discuss future directions of the project. The administrative departments involved plan to support the project in the future and help open up new opportunities. The College's Physical Plant has several plans for future expansion of the project. According to Kwitzer, the College is "quite pleased with what we've done this year. It was beyond our expectations, and we are looking forward to continuing next year." Plans for future expansion include curbside recycling at campus townhouses, as well as creating a work study position in the physical plant which handles questions concerning the recycling program. Students interested in this position should call the Physical Plant at 888-2989. With the expansion of this project, much of the work will in January, February, and March. The College also networked with other area colleges including the University at Buffalo, Buffalo State, and St. Bonaventure and received support from Erie County. According to Kwitzer, the County was very helpful as a reference in getting the program started and implementing it. The most important thing to note about the success of the program, according to Erica Turner, Chairperson of the Recycling Committee, is that it is due chiefly to the students' efforts and that its success depended on them. Canisius has tried in recent years to implement a recycling program on campus, but until recently the only official programs in progress were paper recycling in offices and the library. This past academic year, students from the Undergraduate Student Association and Residence Hall Association formed a recycling committee to address the issue. With support from Residence Life and the Physical Plant, a successful recycling program was implemented at the beginning of this semester. At the beginning of the semester three 60-gallon recycling containers for plastic, cardboard, and glass were placed in the trash rooms in Bosch and Frisch residence halls. This program was offered on a trial basis, and students were given the responsibility to show that it would work. An initial problem associated with the recycling program was finding individuals to empty the recycling bins, which involved emptying them each week into the main recycling dumpster. As part of a service project requirement, members of Tri-Beta, the biology honor society, volunteered to empty the recycling bins weekly. Their efforts were also a great help to the program. This semester, the program proved to be very successful; the materials recycled in the dorms more than doubled the amount of material recycled on the entire campus in previous years. The entire campus now recycles about 11% of total waste produced, which according to Building Manager Kevin Kwitzer is a significant amount. An average of 4100 lbs. of materials were recycled per month "Serving the Canisius Community Since 1933" The Weekly Student Newspaper of Canisius College ■■MUM ■IB-BTia— Scattered Showers; Sunny; ■FM Hl 61° P n Low 41° Sunny; M Hi ] Low 46° mSSS Maps courtesy of DR. RAYMOND C LOUGH Find out which students were honored at the annual spring Honors Convocation held last Thursday in the Cultural Center. Volume LXXI FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2001 NUMBER 22 NEWS VI EWPOI NTS FEAT U R E S SPORTS INDEX FORECAST | {
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The bolts that hold the crank arm on are 14 or 15mm and are regular right threaded. But you need a "crank arm puller" to take the crank arms off. Then the Bottom bracket (BB) can be disassembled. You will need some bottom bracket tools also. Any bike shop can sell you these tools. The left side of the BB, the non drive side, as you are sitting on the bike looking down, is normal right hand drive and this is the only side that needs to be removed when overhauling the BB. Hope this helps.
It's been a LONG time since I've had/worked on regular, old school style Campy cranks and bottom brackets.
I always remember having to use at least the red LocTite on the crank bolts in order to hold them in place, and not loosen up to the point that they destroyed the softer than the axle, tapered crank openings.
I still have my Campy "peanut butter" spanner which was used on these bolts amd also my track bike's Campy hub bolts.
[quote=oliveoil]The bolts that hold the crank arm on are 14 or 15mm and are regular right threaded. But you need a "crank arm puller" to take the crank arms off. Then the Bottom bracket (BB) can be disassembled. You will need some bottom bracket tools also. Any bike shop can sell you these tools. The left side of the BB, the non drive side, as you are sitting on the bike looking down, is normal right hand drive and this is the only side that needs to be removed when overhauling the BB. Hope this helps. [/quote.
I do not agree that you only need to loosen the non-drive side. To properly clean out and re-grease the bottom bracket, you really need to remove both cups. | {
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Q:
Encapsulated Group by or conditional aggregation in Vertica DB
I have the following table in a Vertica DB:
+---------+-------+
| Readout | Event |
+---------+-------+
| 1 | A |
| 1 | B |
| 1 | A |
| 2 | B |
| 2 | A |
+---------+-------+
I would like to group each readout and count the frequency of the events, resulting in a table like this:
+---------+----------------+----------------+-----------------+
| Readout | Count(Readout) | Count(Event A) | Count (Event B) |
+---------+----------------+----------------+-----------------+
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
+---------+----------------+----------------+-----------------+
I am sure there is an easy GROUP BY command, but I can't wrap my head around it.
A:
You want conditional aggregation:
select readout, count(*),
sum(case when event = 'A' then 1 else 0 end) as num_a,
sum(case when event = 'B' then 1 else 0 end) as num_b
from t
group by readout;
| {
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//
// GDDropboxUploadStateWrapper.m
// GDFileManagerExample
//
// Created by Graham Dennis on 11/08/13.
// Copyright (c) 2013 Graham Dennis. All rights reserved.
//
#import "GDFileManagerUploadState.h"
@implementation GDFileManagerUploadState
@synthesize parentVersionID = _parentVersionID;
- (instancetype)initWithUploadState:(id<NSCoding>)uploadState mimeType:(NSString *)mimeType uploadURL:(NSURL *)uploadURL parentVersionID:(NSString *)parentVersionID
{
return [self initWithUploadState:uploadState mimeType:mimeType uploadURL:uploadURL parentVersionID:parentVersionID extraState:nil];
}
- (instancetype)initWithUploadState:(id <NSCoding>)uploadState mimeType:(NSString *)mimeType uploadURL:(NSURL *)uploadURL parentVersionID:(NSString *)parentVersionID extraState:(NSDictionary *)extraState
{
if ((self = [super init])) {
_uploadState = uploadState;
_uploadURL = uploadURL;
_parentVersionID = parentVersionID;
_mimeType = mimeType;
_extraState = extraState;
}
return self;
}
- (NSURL *)fileServiceSessionURL { return self.uploadURL; }
#pragma mark - NSCoding
static NSString *const kUploadState = @"UploadState";
static NSString *const kUploadURL = @"UploadURL";
static NSString *const kParentVersionID = @"ParentVersionID";
static NSString *const kMIMEType = @"MIMEType";
static NSString *const kExtraState = @"ExtraState";
- (id)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aDecoder
{
id <NSCoding> uploadState = [aDecoder decodeObjectForKey:kUploadState];
NSURL *uploadURL = [aDecoder decodeObjectForKey:kUploadURL];
NSString *parentVersionID = [aDecoder decodeObjectForKey:kParentVersionID];
NSString *mimeType = [aDecoder decodeObjectForKey:kMIMEType];
NSDictionary *extraState = [aDecoder decodeObjectForKey:kExtraState];
return [self initWithUploadState:uploadState mimeType:mimeType uploadURL:uploadURL parentVersionID:parentVersionID extraState:extraState];
}
- (void)encodeWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aCoder
{
[aCoder encodeObject:self.uploadState forKey:kUploadState];
[aCoder encodeObject:self.uploadURL forKey:kUploadURL];
[aCoder encodeObject:self.parentVersionID forKey:kParentVersionID];
[aCoder encodeObject:self.mimeType forKey:kMIMEType];
[aCoder encodeObject:self.extraState forKey:kExtraState];
}
@end
| {
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The accurate diagnosis can be a powerful guarantee for the kidney disease treatment While the accurate dialysis needs the support from the advanced medical inspection equipments which achieve world-class level. More Equipment
Can Dehydration Affect Creatinine Level in Blood
2014-09-09 18:13
Creatinine level is one of the indicator of kidney disease, it can reflect the degrees of kidney damaged, but high creatinine level not always means kidney damage, there are many factors may affect the creatinine level, such as high fever and cold. Then can dehydration affect creatinine levels in blood ? If you want to know it directly, you can chat with our online doctor now.
Dehydration is one of the symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease, just like weakness, swelling. It can reflect your kidney has been damaged in some degree but it will not affect the creatinine level in blood for a long time. In the following i will share you some reasons which can increase the level of it. There are two main reasons, they are non-disease factors and pathological factors. Non-disease factors including high fever, cold and eat too much foods with high protein in a short time. After eliminate those factors, you can make sure your kidney has been damaged. Serum creatinine level can reflect the damaged degrees of kidney, but it is not the sensitive indicator, only after the GFR declined to 50% the level of creatinine will increase. That is mean when your creatinine level is higher that the normal level and accompanied with other symptoms such as vomit, nausea, dizzy.
From the above we know that dehydration is a kind of symptoms of kidney disease just like vomit,so it will not affect the creatinine level in blood for a long time. If your creatinine level is higher than the normal level, at the same time, occurred dehydration, that means there are something wrong in your kidney. So you need to see your doctor without any delay, that can help you to make further diagnosis and avoid big disease. | {
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Q:
load overflow topmost address on x86
What would happen when an unaligned load overflows the topmost address on x86? For example, what would happen when loading a 4-byte integer at address 0xfffffffe on 32-bit x86 processor? Of course, the topmost page (0xfffff000-0xffffffff) is mapped to some physical memory and the page is readable/writable, and the current loading program is in operating system kernel in Ring0. You can assume that loading 4-byte at 0xfffffffc is legal for simplicity.
Will such loading generate a page-fault?
A:
It would generate a general protection (#GP) fault due to the limit checking in segments. The processor checks the segment limit when data is accessed with DS segment register which is usual case. The default segment limit of DS segment register is [0,0xffffffff).
The processor causes a general-protection exception any time an attempt is made to access the following addresses in a segment:
A byte at an offset greater than the effective limit
A word at an offset greater than the (effective-limit – 1)
A doubleword at an offset greater than the (effective-limit – 3)
A quadword at an offset greater than the (effective-limit – 7)
According to the Intel x86 spec, "explicitly unaligned" accesses (regardless of whether they're at the edge of your address space) can also cause general protection faults for AVX, FME, VEX, or SSE instructions.
Interestingly, the lowest and highest addresses are not the only boundaries in your address space where this could happen. More boundaries show up in x86_64 address spaces, where there is a sparse / unaddressable space in the middle which your processor can't use (because this way processor manufacturers can cut down the number of bits required for many processor internals -- after all, nobody is using a full 64 bit address space yet).
| {
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Broken PG&E tower discovered near origin of Kincade fire on The Geysers geothermal power property
A PG&E transmission line experienced problems moments before the 16,000‑acre Kincade fire started inside The Geysers, a sprawling complex of geothermal energy facilities nestled in the mountains between Sonoma and Lake counties, according to a utility filing with state regulators.
Cal Fire later discovered a broken piece of equipment on a PG&E transmission tower that was not deactivated during a power shutdown initiated by the San Francisco-based utility before the fire broke out Wednesday night, the company reported in a filing with the state Public Utilities Commission.
PG&E said it became aware of a problem on a 230-kilovolt transmission line running through The Geysers at about 9:20 p.m. Wednesday. The fire was first reported at 9:26 p.m., when firefighters were sent to a vegetation fire in The Geysers on John Kincade Road at Burned Mountain Road near a small power plant, according to dispatch reports.
A time-lapse video from a fire detection camera near Santa Rosa captured the ignition of the fire. In the ALERTWildfire video, a steady light in the hills near The Geysers abruptly blinks out at 9:20 p.m., followed instantly by a ball of flames that rises on the horizon and begins sending a plume of smoke billowing to the west.
PG&E shut down power to some 27,000 customers in Sonoma County on Wednesday, part of its plan to prevent its equipment from sparking wildfires during hot, dry, windy conditions that can cause flames to spread rapidly. It began restoring power in Sonoma County on Thursday after the winds subsided, but anticipates dangerous fire conditions will return this weekend and could lead to another round of blackouts.
PG&E said it cut the power to local distribution lines in Geyserville and the surrounding areas — but not the larger transmission lines that carry power across the state.
“Those transmission lines were not de-energized because forecast weather conditions, particularly wind speeds, did not trigger the (public safety power shutoff) protocol,” PG&E said in a statement. “The wind speeds of concern for transmission lines are higher than those for distribution.”
The tower in question was inspected earlier this year as part of the utility’s efforts to prevent wildfires, PG&E said in a statement Thursday evening.
The broken equipment at the tower will become part of investigations by state fire officials and utility regulators to determine what role, if any, PG&E equipment played in the wildfire.
“Cal Fire determines the sources of ignition of fire and the way that the fire spreads. The CPUC is conducting a staff investigation to assess the compliance of the electric facilities with applicable rules and regulations,” said Christopher Chow, a Public Utilities Commission spokesman. “Our hearts go out to those impacted by the fire, and we continue to work with our partner state agencies that are on the front lines.”
Initial dispatch reports warned firefighters to be aware of “possible power lines down in the area.” By 9:53 p.m., firefighters knew they would not be able to contain the wind-whipped fire and needed to start evacuations, the radio traffic indicated.
Calpine Corp., which operates the largest power facilities in The Geysers, does not believe its equipment caused the Kincade fire. As a result of windy conditions in the area, The Geysers de-energized its local power line system before the fire broke out, , Calpine spokesman Brett Kerr said. The decision was “consistent with our fire prevention protocols,” he said. | {
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A Madagascan cobweb spider species, A. darwini, named after the father of evolutionary biology Charles Darwin. Credit: Ingi Agnarsson
Ten subsocial cobweb spider species were discovered in a research on nearly 400 Madagascan colonies, conducted by Dr. Agnarsson's team. Most of them are single forest endemics and belong to one genus, Anelosimus.
The number of newly found species in an otherwise ongoingly deforested area such as Madagascar triggers the need for additional samplings, the research team point out.
In their report the scientists also stress on the fact that the extraordinary biodiversity there is still "mostly unexplored and undescribed" in terms of "many arthropod groups, such as spiders." The California Academy of Sciences is one of the few institutions to have thoroughly looked into Madagascan spider research.
Curiously, five of the new species bare the names of the staple figures within the field of evolutionary biology: Wallace, Huxley, Buffon, Hooker and Lamarck. The Anelosimus darwini derives its name from the father of evolutionary biology Charles Darwin himself.
Yet, another one out of the ten species, Anelosimus moramora, got its name from the Madagascan motto 'no rush' or 'take it easy.'
Dr. Agnarsson led the research in the biodiversity hotspot of Madagascar on behalf of both the University of Vermont's Biology department and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The study can be found in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
Madagascan cobweb spider species, Anelosimus moramora , named after the Madagascan motto 'no rush' or 'take it easy'. Credit: Ingi Agnarsson
A female Madagascan cobweb spider, Anelosimus ata, and her web. Credit: Ingi Agnarsson
Explore further Wasp identification made easy
More information: Agnarsson I, Jencik BB, Veve GM, Hanitriniaina S, Agostini D, Goh SP, Pruitt J, Kuntner M (2015) Systematics of the Madagascar Anelosimus spiders: remarkable local richness and endemism, and dual colonization from the Americas. ZooKeys 509: 13-52. Journal information: ZooKeys Agnarsson I, Jencik BB, Veve GM, Hanitriniaina S, Agostini D, Goh SP, Pruitt J, Kuntner M (2015) Systematics of the Madagascar Anelosimus spiders: remarkable local richness and endemism, and dual colonization from the Americas.509: 13-52. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.509.8897 | {
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Keith Olbermann and Bill O’Reilly have been ordered to cease their long-running on-air “feud,” said Glenn Greenwald in Salon, according to a “remarkable story” in The New York Times. Jeffrey Immelt, the chairman of General Electric (which owns MSNBC), and News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch (owner of Fox News) had Charlie Rose mediate an end to the sniping, because it was bad for GE and News Corp. That’s “nothing less than corporate censorship.”
It sound more like the “grown-ups” at Fox and MSNBC finally putting an end to this “silly feud,” said Don Suber in the Charleston, W. Va., Daily Mail. “Good call.” It was a “great marketing tool” for Olbermann, but GE didn’t need the “bad publicity” and News Corp. was wary of angering “a major advertiser.” And you know what? “Immelt and Rupert Murdoch are the bosses. They sign the paychecks.”
The real tragedy of NBC’s cowardly promise to ease off on Fox, said Ryan Tate in Gawker, is that it ruins the rare reminder that “corporate media didn’t have to be toothless or dull media.” The feud also made for surprisingly “good journalism,” with each host calling out the other side’s falsehoods, mistakes, and “tasteless moments.”
Olbermann “isn’t declaring peace, he’s declaring cease-fire,” said Aaron Barnhart in The Kansas City Star. (Watch Olbermann's explanation) But even as a temporary detente, “I’m not buying it.” Show-business feuds are too good for business. So no, “the Billo-Keith feud is, like ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ on hiatus, and will return someday with new episodes. And boy, I can’t wait for that.” | {
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Q:
Xcode code completion, search through whole method name
Is there any way to have Xcode's code completion search the whole method name for the characters I start typing? For example if I start typing [self con I want things like navigationController to show up, whereas now I have to type [self nav to see that.
A:
If you're currently in a file, you can click on the jump bar and start typing:
No, that's not a leak of the official app.
EDIT Now I see you are talking about in-code-writing code completion. No, there isn't a way to do that - imagine how annoying it would be when you type [self a and every single method with an a in the name shows up. Wouldn't be fun.
| {
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The present invention relates to optical measurement of parameters of interest on samples having diffractive structures thereon, and in particular relates to improvements in real-time analysis of the measured optical signal characteristics from a sample to determine parameter values for that sample.
(This specification occasionally makes reference to prior published documents. A numbered list of these references can be found at the end of this section, under the sub-heading xe2x80x9cReferencesxe2x80x9d.)
In integrated circuit manufacture, the accurate measurement of the microstructures being patterned onto semiconductor wafers is highly desirable. Optical measurement methods are typically used for high-speed, non-destructive measurement of such structures. With such methods, a small spot on a measurement sample is illuminated with optical radiation comprising one or more wavelengths, and the sample properties over the measurement spot are determined by measuring characteristics of radiation reflected or diffracted by the sample (e.g., reflection intensity, polarization state, or angular distribution).
This disclosure relates to the measurement of a sample comprising a diffractive structure formed on or in a substrate, wherein lateral material inhomogeneities in the structure give rise to optical diffraction effects. If the lateral inhomogeneities are periodic with a period significantly smaller than the illuminating wavelengths, then diffracted orders other than the zeroth order may all be evanescent and not directly observable, or may be scattered outside the detection instrument""s field of view. But the lateral structure geometry can nevertheless significantly affect the zeroth-order reflectivity, making it possible to measure structure features much smaller than the illuminating wavelengths.
A variety of measurement methods applicable to diffractive structures are known in the prior art. Reference 7 reviews a number of these methods. The most straightforward approach is to use a rigorous, theoretical model based on Maxwell""s equations to calculate a predicted optical signal characteristic of the sample (e.g. reflectivity) as a function of sample measurement parameters (e.g., film thickness, linewidth, etc.), and adjust the measurement parameters in the model to minimize the discrepancy between the theoretical and measured optical signal (Ref""s 10, 14). (Note: In this context the singular term xe2x80x9ccharacteristicxe2x80x9d may denote a composite entity such as a vector or matrix. The components of the characteristic might, for example, represent reflectivities at different wavelengths or collection angles.) The measurement process comprises the following steps: First, a set of trial values of the measurement parameters is selected. Then, based on these values a computer-representable model of the measurement sample structure (including its optical materials and geometry) is constructed. The electromagnetic interaction between the sample structure and illuminating radiation is numerically simulated to calculate a predicted optical signal characteristic, which is compared to the measured signal characteristic. An automated fitting optimization algorithm iteratively adjusts the trial parameter values and repeats the above process to minimize the discrepancy between the measured and predicted signal characteristic. (The optimization algorithm might typically minimize the mean-square error of the signal characteristic components.)
The above process can provide very accurate measurement capability, but the computational burden of computing the structure geometry and applying electromagnetic simulation within the measurement optimization loop makes this method impractical for many real-time measurement applications. A variety of alternative approaches have been developed to avoid the computational bottleneck, but usually at the expense of compromised measurement performance.
One alternative approach is to replace the exact theoretical model with an approximate model that represents the optical signal characteristic as a linear function of measurement parameters over some limited parameter range. There are several variants of this approach, including Inverse Least Squares (ILS), Principal Component Regression (PCR), and Partial Least Squares (PLS) (Ref""s 1-5, 7, 11, 15). The linear coefficients of the approximate model are determined by a multivariate statistical analysis technique that minimizes the mean-square error between exact and approximate data points in a xe2x80x9ccalibrationxe2x80x9d data set. (The calibration data may be generated either from empirical measurements or from exact theoretical modeling simulations. This is done prior to measurement, so the calibration process does not impact measurement time.) The various linear models (ILS, PCR, PLS) differ in the type of statistical analysis method employed.
There are two fundamental limitations of the linear models: First, the linear approximation can only be applied over a limited range of measurement parameter values; and second, within this range the approximate model does not generally provide an exact fit to the calibration data points. (If the calibration data is empirically determined, one may not want the model to exactly fit the data, because the data could be corrupted by experimental noise. But if the data is determined from a theoretical model it would be preferable to use an approximation model that at least fits the calibration data points.) These deficiencies can be partially remedied by using a non-linear (e.g., quadratic) functional approximation (Ref. 7). This approach mitigates, but does not eliminate, the limitations of linear models.
The parameter range limit of functional (linear or non-linear) approximation models can be extended by the method of xe2x80x9crange splittingxe2x80x9d, wherein the full parameter range is split into a number of subranges, and a different approximate model is used for each subrange (Ref. 7). The method is illustrated conceptually in FIG. 1 (cf. FIG. 2 in Ref. 7), which represents the relationship between a measurement parameter x, such as a linewidth parameter, and an optical signal characteristic y, such as the zeroth-order sample reflectivity at a particular collection angle and wavelength. (In practice one is interested in modeling the relationship between multiple measurement parameters, such as linewidths, film thicknesses, etc., and multiple signal components, such as reflectivities at different wavelengths or collection angles. However, the concepts illustrated in FIG. 1 are equally applicable to the more general case.) A set of calibration data points (e.g., point 101) is generated, either empirically or by theoretical modeling. The x parameter range is split into two (or more) subranges 102 and 103, and the set of calibration points is separated into corresponding subsets 104 and 105, depending on which subrange each point is in. A statistical analysis technique is applied to each subset to generate a separate approximation model (e.g., a linear model) for each subrange, such as linear model 106 for subrange 102 and model 107 for subrange 103.
Aside from the limitations inherent in the functional approximation models, the range-splitting method has additional deficiencies. Although the functional approximation is continuous and smooth within each subrange, it may exhibit discontinuities between subranges (such as discontinuity 108 in FIG. 1). These discontinuities can create numerical instabilities in optimization algorithms that estimate measurement parameters from optical signal data. The discontinuities can also be problematic for process monitoring and control because small changes in process conditions could result in large, discontinuous jumps in measurements.
Another drawback of the range-splitting model is the large number of required calibration points and the large amount of data that must be stored in the model. In the FIG. 1 illustration, each subrange uses a simple linear approximation model of the form
y≅ax+bxe2x80x83xe2x80x83Eq. 1
wherein a and b are calibration coefficients. At least two calibration points per subrange are required to determine a and b (generally, more than two are used to provide good statistical sampling over each subrange), and two coefficients (a and b) must be stored for each subrange. If there are M subranges the total number of calibration points must be at least 2 M, and the number of calibration coefficients is 2 M. Considering a more general situation in which there are N measurement parameters X1, X2, . . . XN, the linear approximation would take the form
y≅a1x1+a2x2+ . . . aNxN+bxe2x80x83xe2x80x83Eq. 2
If the range of each parameter is split into M subranges, the number of separate linear approximation models required to cover all combinations of parameter subranges would be MN, and the number of calibration parameters per combination (a1, a2, . . . , aN, b) would be N+1. Thus the total number of calibration coefficients (and the minimum required number of calibration data points) would be (N+1) MN. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a parameter space spanned by two parameters, x1 and x2. The x1 range is split into three subranges 201, 202, and 203, and the x2 subrange is split into three subranges 204, 205, and 206. For this case, N=2, M=3, the number of x1 and x2 subrange combinations 207 . . . 215 is 32=9, and the number of linear calibration coefficients would be (2+1) 32=27. Generalizing further, if the optical signal characteristic (y) comprises multiple signal components (e.g., for different wavelengths), the number of calibration coefficients will increase in proportion to the number of components. Furthermore, if a nonlinear (e.g., quadratic) subrange model is used, the number of calibration points and coefficients would be vastly larger.
Another measurement approach, Minimum Mean Square Error analysis (MMSE, Ref""s 2-9, 11, 13, 15), provides a simple alternative to the range splitting method described above. With this approach, a database of pre-computed theoretical optical signal characteristics representing a large variety of measurement structures is searched and compared to a samples"" measured optical signal, and the best-fitting comparison (in terms of a mean-square-error fitting criterion) determines the measurement result. (The above-noted references relate primarily to scatterometry and spectroscopy, but MMSE-type techniques have also been applied in the context of ellipsometry; see Ref""s. 12 and 16.) The MMSE method is capable of modeling strong nonlinearities in the optical signal. But this method, like range-splitting, can exhibit problematic discontinuities in the measurement results due to the database""s discrete parameter sampling.
All of these prior-art methods entail a compromise between measurement resolution and accuracy. The MMSE approach is not limited by any assumed functional form of the optical signal, and can therefore have good accuracy. But measurement resolution is fundamentally limited by the parameter sampling density. The functional approximation models, by contrast, are capable of xe2x80x9cinterpolatingxe2x80x9d between calibration data points, in the sense that the modeled signal is a continuous and smooth function of measurement parameters across the calibration range; hence such models can have essentially unlimited measurement resolution. However, the term xe2x80x9cinterpolationxe2x80x9d is a misnomer in this context because the functional models do not accurately fit the calibration data points, and their accuracy is limited by the misfit. (For example, Ref. 11 reports a fit accuracy of 5-10 nm for linewidth and thickness parameters.)
References
1. R. H. Krukar et al, xe2x80x9cUsing Scattered Light Modeling for Semiconductor Critical Dimension Metrology and Calibration,xe2x80x9d SPIE 1926, pp. 60-71 (1993).
2. C. J. Raymond et al, xe2x80x9cA scatterometric sensor for lithography,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2336, pp. 37-49 (1994).
3. C. J. Raymond et al, xe2x80x9cMetrology of subwavelength photoresist gratings using optical scatterometry,xe2x80x9d J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, Vol. 13(4), pp. 1484-1495 (1995).
4. M. R. Murname et al, xe2x80x9cScatterometry for 0.24 um-0.70 um developed photoresist metrology,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2439, pp. 427-436 (1995).
5. M. R. Murname et al, xe2x80x9cSubwavelength photoresist grating metrology using scatterometry,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2532, pp. 251-261 (1995).
6. C. J. Raymond et al, xe2x80x9cMulti-parameter process metrology using scatterometry,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2638, pp. 84-93 (1995).
7. J. Bischoff et al, xe2x80x9cPhotoresist metrology based on light scattering,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2725, pp. 678-689 (1996).
8. C. J. Raymond et al, xe2x80x9cMulti-parameter CD measurements using scatterometry,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2725, pp. 698-709 (1996).
9. C. J. Raymond et al, xe2x80x9cScatterometry for CD measurements of etched structures,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2725, pp. 720-728 (1996).
10. B. K. Minhas et al, xe2x80x9cTowards sub-0.1 um CD measurements using scatterometry,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2725, pp. 729-739 (1996).
11. J. Bischoff et al, xe2x80x9cLight scattering based micrometrology,xe2x80x9d SPIE Proc. 2775, pp. 251-259 (1996).
12. Xinhui Niu, xe2x80x9cSpecular Spectroscopic Scatterometry in DUV Lithography,xe2x80x9d SPIE 3677, pp. 159-168 (1999).
13. J. Allgair et al, xe2x80x9cManufacturing Considerations for Implementation of Scatterometry for Process Monitoring,xe2x80x9d Proc. SPIE 3998, pp. 125-134 (2000).
14. Conrad, U. S. Pat. No. 5,963,329.
15. McNeil, U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,276.
16. Xu, WO 99/45340.
17. Handbook of Optics, Second Edition, Volume 2, Optical Society of America (1995).
18. xe2x80x9cFormulation and comparison of two recursive matrix algorithms for modeling layered diffraction gratingsxe2x80x9d, Journal of the Optical Society of America, Vol. A 13, No. 5, May 1996.
The invention is a method for measuring parameters of interest of a sample comprising a diffractive structure, wherein the method employs a database-search technique in combination with interpolation to avoid the tradeoff between measurement resolution and accuracy. Following is a summary outline of the steps of the method, which will later be individually described in more detail. (The steps need not be performed in the exact order indicated here, except to the extent that dependencies between steps constrain their order.)
First, a theoretical model is provided, from which a theoretical optical response characteristic of the diffractive structure is calculable as a function of a set of one or more xe2x80x9cinterpolation parametersxe2x80x9d corresponding to measurement parameters. The theoretical model comprises two primary components: a method for translating
any trial set of interpolation parameter values into a computer-representable model of the diffractive structure (including its optical materials and geometry), and a method for numerically simulating electromagnetic interactions within the diffractive structure to calculate the theoretical response characteristic.
Next, a database of xe2x80x9cinterpolation pointsxe2x80x9d and corresponding optical response characteristics is generated. Each interpolation point is defined by a specific interpolation parameter set consisting of specific values of the interpolation parameters. The theoretical model is applied to each interpolation point to calculate its corresponding theoretical optical response characteristic, which is stored in the database.
The database is used by an xe2x80x9cinterpolation modelxe2x80x9d, which calculates an interpolated optical response characteristic as a function of the interpolation parameter set. The interpolation model provides an approximation to the theoretical model, but without the computational overhead. Given any trial interpolation parameter set within a defined parameter domain, the interpolation model computes an approximate corresponding optical response characteristic by interpolating (or perhaps extrapolating) on the database. (The parameter domain is typically limited by the database, although extrapolation can sometimes be used to extend the domain outside of the database limits. The term xe2x80x9cinterpolationxe2x80x9d can be broadly construed herein to include extrapolation.) The diffractive structure""s internal geometry need not be modeled, and electromagnetic interactions within the structure need not be simulated, in the interpolation model. Thus the computational overhead of direct theoretical modeling of the diffractive structure is avoided. The interpolation model represents a substantially continuous function mapping the interpolation parameter set to the optical response characteristicxe2x80x94it does not exhibit the discontinuities or discretization of prior-art methods such as range-splitting and MMSE. Furthermore, although the interpolation is an approximation, the interpolated optical response characteristic accurately matches the theoretical optical response characteristic at the interpolation points represented in the database. Thus it does not suffer the accuracy limitation of prior-art functional approximation methods. (The term xe2x80x9cinterpolationxe2x80x9d broadly connotes a fitting function that fits the interpolation points. A portion of the fitting function might actually be extrapolated, so in this context the distinction between xe2x80x9cinterpolationxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cextrapolationxe2x80x9d is not significant.)
The interpolation model is used by a fitting optimization algorithm that determines measurement parameters of a sample based on a measured optical signal characteristic of the sample. The theoretical optical response characteristic, which is approximated by the interpolation model, does not necessarily correspond directly to the optical signal characteristic or to a measurable quantity. However, a predicted optical signal characteristic is calculable from the optical response characteristic by means of a computationally efficient algorithm that, like interpolation, does not require that the diffractive structure""s internal geometry be modeled or that electromagnetic interactions within the structure be simulated. The optimization algorithm automatically selects a succession of trial interpolation parameter sets, applies the interpolation model to calculate corresponding interpolated optical response characteristics, and from these calculates corresponding predicted optical signal characteristics, which are compared to the measured optical signal characteristic. The algorithm selects the trial parameter sets, based on a comparison error minimization method, to iteratively reduce a defined comparison error metric until a defined termination criterion is satisfied.
The measured optical signal characteristic is acquired with a measurement instrument comprising an optical sensor system, which detects radiation diffracted from the sample. The instrument further comprises computational hardware that applies the fitting optimization algorithm to measured signal data and generates measurement results. Subsequent to results generation, the instrument may also generate a computational or graphical representation of the diffractive structure""s geometry. However, this representation is not necessarily required to calculate a corresponding predicted optical response or signal characteristic, and it need not correspond to a particular parameter set in the database. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
File.open(${1:path_to_yml}, "w") { |${2:file}| YAML.dump(${3:obj}, ${4:$2}) }
| {
"pile_set_name": "Github"
} |
Q:
Gson deserialisation result is null for one type
I'm getting a response which consists of two types of objects : Pagination and a List of ArtistSearch. The model I'm using for the deserialization is :
public class ArtistSearchResults {
List<ArtistSearch> artistSearchList;
Pagination pagination;
// getters and setters...
}
And I deserialize here :
Gson gson = new Gson();
ArtistSearchResults results = gson.fromJson(response.toString(), ArtistSearchResults.class);
List<ArtistSearch> artistSearchList = results.getArtistSearchList();
Pagination pagination = results.getPagination();
Log.i(TAG, "onSuccess Pagination size == " + pagination.getItems() );
Log.i(TAG, "onSuccess RESULTS size == " + artistSearchList.get(0).getTitle() );
and although I get correctly the response for the Pagination object I'm always getting null for the artistSearchList.
I'm not getting any error messages so I'm not sure where the error is.
The kind of results I'm getting looks like this :
07-10 06:11:06.726 6954-6954/jb.ti.discogsball I/SEARCHHANDLER: onSuccess Search-Artist response = {"pagination":{"per_page":5,"pages":3,"page":1,"urls":{"last":"https:\/\/api.discogs.com\/database\/search?q=savage+republic&per_page=5&type=artist&page=3","next":"https:\/\/api.discogs.com\/database\/search?q=savage+republic&per_page=5&type=artist&page=2"},"items":14},"results": [{"thumb":"https:\/\/api-img.discogs.com\/RAHE1vqHWb1xwPUv5y2Q1v5g4Yo=\/150x150\/smart\/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)\/discogs-images\/A-121133-1262786660.jpeg.jpg","title":"Savage Republic","uri":"\/artist\/121133-Savage-Republic","resource_url":"https:\/\/api.discogs.com\/artists\/121133","type":"artist","id":121133},{"thumb":"https:\/\/api-img.discogs.com\/GYkPyAYZEcFM0bzyjnBple7P3Yw=\/150x150\/smart\/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)\/discogs-images\/A-307086-1160815350.jpeg.jpg","title":"Bruce Licher","uri":"\/artist\/307086-Bruce-Licher","resource_url":"https:\/\/api.discogs.com\/artists\/307086","type":"artist","id":307086},{"thumb":"https:\/\/api-img.discogs.com\/XHvbh885CZ2uTcq7WT3ph0n0gMs=\/150x150\/smart\/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)\/discogs-images\/A-71224-1334785233.jpeg.jpg","title":"Medicine (2)","uri":"\/artist\/71224-Medicine-2","resource_url":"https:\/\/api.discogs.com\/artists\/71224","type":"artist","id":71224},{"thumb":"","title":"Val Haller","uri":"\/artist\/492425-Val-Haller","resource_url":"https:\/\/api.discogs.com\/artists\/492425","type":"artist","id":492425},{"thumb":"","title":"Ramona Clarke","uri":"\/artist\/1957827-Ramona-Clarke","resource_url":"https:\/\/api.discogs.com\/artists\/1957827","type":"artist","id":1957827}]}
07-10 06:11:06.732 6954-6954/jb.ti.discogsball I/SEARCHHANDLER: onSuccess Pagination size == 14
and as you can see I get a value for the Pagination object but I get a NPE for the artistSearchList.
The model I'm using for ArtistSearch is :
public class ArtistSearch {
int id;
String title;
String type;
String resource_url;
String uri;
String thumb;
// getters and setters ...
This is the text from the response that parses to null :
"results":[{"thumb":"https://api-img.discogs.com/RAHE1vqHWb1xwPUv5y2Q1v5g4Yo=/150x150/smart/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/A-121133-1262786660.jpeg.jpg","title":"Savage
Republic","uri":"/artist/121133-Savage-Republic","resource_url":"https://api.discogs.com/artists/121133","type":"artist","id":121133},{"thumb":"https://api-img.discogs.com/GYkPyAYZEcFM0bzyjnBple7P3Yw=/150x150/smart/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/A-307086-1160815350.jpeg.jpg","title":"Bruce
Licher","uri":"/artist/307086-Bruce-Licher","resource_url":"https://api.discogs.com/artists/307086","type":"artist","id":307086},{"thumb":"https://api-img.discogs.com/XHvbh885CZ2uTcq7WT3ph0n0gMs=/150x150/smart/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/A-71224-1334785233.jpeg.jpg","title":"Medicine
(2)","uri":"/artist/71224-Medicine-2","resource_url":"https://api.discogs.com/artists/71224","type":"artist","id":71224},{"thumb":"","title":"Val
Haller","uri":"/artist/492425-Val-Haller","resource_url":"https://api.discogs.com/artists/492425","type":"artist","id":492425},{"thumb":"","title":"Ramona
Clarke","uri":"/artist/1957827-Ramona-Clarke","resource_url":"https://api.discogs.com/artists/1957827","type":"artist","id":1957827}]
A:
Could you please replace the following variable declaration in ArtistSearchResults.java:
private List<ArtistSearch> artistSearchList;
by this:
@SerializedName("results")
private List<ArtistSearch> artistSearchList;
and see the results?
| {
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
} |
Locoregional therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma: which patients are most likely to gain a survival advantage?
Locoregional therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are considered to confer a survival advantage, however, the patient group that should be targeted is not clearly defined. This study aimed to determine the impact on survival of locoregional therapies compared with supportive care, within prognostic categories as stratified by the Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) scoring system. A prospective database was used to identify those patients who were treated with either locoregional therapy (n = 128) or supportive care (n = 92). Survival analysis was performed for groups matched by CLIP score at presentation. Comparison of important prognostic factors was undertaken and univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess determinants of survival. Use of locoregional therapies was only associated with a survival benefit in patients with a CLIP score of 1 or 2. In this group, the median survival in patients who received locoregional therapies was 25.0 months (95% confidence interval 22.7-27.4) compared with 8.9 months (95% confidence interval 7.3-10.5) for supportive care (P = 0.001). For patients with CLIP scores of 3 or greater, no survival benefit of locoregional therapies was observed. Multivariate analysis revealed locoregional intervention, CLIP score, tumor symptoms, alpha-fetoprotein level, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase level as independent prognostic indicators. Locoregional therapies should be targeted specifically to patients with non-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma as assessed by validated scoring systems. Use of these therapies in patients with advanced disease does not appear to be associated with a survival benefit and may expose patients to unnecessary harm. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The scientific base for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel.
The main objectives of the Swedish expert seminar on spent nuclear fuel disposal were to identify those safety questions for which there is, or will be, a definitive answer, and to establish the degree of uncertainty surrounding those questions which still cannot be satisfactorily answered. The opinion was that the geological environment of the repository can be defined and its behavior predicted with much confidence, assuming the existing environment remains stable. Thus in the short term (a few hundred to thousands of years), the situation is favorable for safe disposal of spent fuel. In the longer term perspective, it was considered necessary to further investigate the evidence of the geologically recent past to predict future changes. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Procedure, eligibility, date and forms for RTO exam?
I want to be write a RTO exam, I am mechanical engineer final year give me the exact procedure,eligibility,exam date,when this exam held & from where i collect the exam formssend information related to my doubts on my Email Id (risikumar1992@gmail.com) | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Marvel VS Marvel: The MCU Films, Second Only to Their Television Counterparts
With Captain America: Civil War dominating the box office and raking in a nauseating amount of money for Marvel and its parent-company Disney, it’s clear that the superhero genre is one that people won’t be tiring of anytime soon. Since 2008’s Iron Man, Marvel has had success after success with its ever-expanding film franchises as new and old fans flock to the theaters to see their favorite heroes battle with a seemingly endless list of foes. While DC, Marvel’s main competitor, has also begun to crank out these beloved hero flicks, they’ve yet to meet the quality and quantity of Marvel films.
Marvel has been releasing at least two films per year, with its Phase 3 schedule extending into 2020, and, perhaps most importantly, the company has been releasing at least two successful films per year. The company has yet to have a flop on its hands, due large in part to the fact that the, “It’s all connected,” motto links each of the standalones to the larger ensemble flicks in one way or another. Critics as well as fans have continued to sing Marvel praises, making it clear that the company is certainly #1 in the superhero franchise game.
Despite being at the top of the field (the alleged showdown between Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War unsurprisingly ended with the latter winning in the eyes of critics and audiences alike) there is one thing that the MCU has almost embarrassingly dropped the ball on: diversity.
Gender diversity. Racial diversity. Diversity in nearly every regard.
With Captain America: Civil War (the twelfth MCU film since Iron Man) Marvel has managed to increase the number of its central black characters to a whopping three.
THREE.
Let’s give a slow-clap to Marvel for providing as many African American actors as white Chrises.
That was sarcasm by the way. Don’t clap for that. Do you realize how absurd it is that if another Chris joins the MCU the white Chrises will outnumber the non-white subsidiary leads?
Until Civil War the Chrises did outnumber the non-white members of the ensemble cast!
That coupled with the fact that, until Black Panther hits theaters in 2018, there won’t be a non-white lead in the MCU is further indicative of Marvel’s glaringly evident lack of ethnic diversity.
Similarly, the lack of women in the MCU is a bit disappointing considering the women that are present are almost universally beloved and, let’s be honest, tend to kick more physical and intellectual ass than their male counterparts.
I mean, sure, Ant-Man was a fun movie, but are you honestly telling me you’d rather team up with Scott Lange over Natasha Romanoff? If your company is failing will you really call up the face of Stark Industries, or Pepper Potts, the one running it? If you’re in a tense situation, do you really want to call on the Hulk for back-up over Scarlet Witch?
No!
And yet, there have been zero standalone films centered around a female hero. (Point for DC and Wonder Woman)
With women making up over 50% of the world’s population, it seems patently ridiculous that we still only have two women, “worthy,” enough to be deemed Avengers.
Lucky for Marvel, its television shows are picking up the MCU’s slack.
While a Black Widow standalone is still seemingly a pipe dream, and the Captain Marvel film has already been pushed back in favor of another male-led flick, shows like AKA: Jessica Jones, Agent Carter, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are putting women and non-white characters in the forefront.
Agent Carter has gotten a bit more flak for its diversity than some of the other Marvel shows, due large in part to the fact that the show is trying to emphasize how prevalent this issue was during the time period that Margaret Carter was fighting off discrimination as frequently as bad guys. In terms of racial diversity, the show still isn’t quite up to par, but its 1940’s setting likely makes it a bit difficult to integrate non-white characters in an appropriate and respectful manner. The setting isn’t really a great excuse, something that the Agent Carter writers likely picked up on considering Season 2 introduced Jason Wilkes as a certifiable genius. Peggy Carter is clearly a female role model, who proves time and time again that she is just as capable, if not more so, than many of the men she is forced to deal with in the SSR.
While the male to female ratio of Agent Carter isn’t necessarily as progressive as it perhaps should be, that’s kind of the point. Peggy is fighting sexism and striving to prove that she is an agent, full stop. She isn’t a female agent, she’s just an agent. She can fight with the best of them, banter with the lot of them, and tends to save the day more than any of them. And while there may be less women in Agent Carter than shows taking place in present-day, the women who are present are as far from, “damsel in distress,” as they come. We’ve seen Black Widows, cunning geniuses, and sharp-witted actresses who easily fool men without blinking an eye. Agent Carter does a tremendous job of ensuring that all women portrayed in the show are as strong, intelligent, and funny as the gender is in real life.
Jessica Jones, a show whose titular character is in fact a woman, is coming off a recent Peabody win and has received praise across the board for its depiction of a strong, independent, and capable individual. AKA: a woman. The show doesn’t glamorize Jessica in any way. It doesn’t try to put her on a pedestal for men to lust after and women to emulate. Jessica Jones simply takes a character who has endured more hardships than most, and shows you how she is struggling to deal with them. There are consequences and repercussions, good decisions and bad, and, most importantly, there is a woman at the center of them all who is trying to navigate them as best she can. Equally important to note is the fact that the most important person in Jessica’s life is not a boyfriend but a best friend. There’s no dude coming in to save the day and rescue Jessica from Kilgrave. Sure, a couple of guys try, but in the end it’s the bond between women that gives our hero her victory. IMDb’s, “Top Series Cast,” spots go first to Krysten Ritter, second to Rachael Taylor, and third to Eka Darville.
Not a Caucasian dude in the lot.
Better yet? Jessica Jones introduced us to Luke Cage, whose show is set to air in 2017… a full year before Black Panther hits screens.
And now we reach the crowning glory of diversity in Marvel television.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is, from what I can see, inarguably the most progressive of the Marvel productions.
While everyone has been giving S.H.I.E.L.D. grief for not being more like the movies, it should be pointed out that the show is actually surpassing the movies where diversity is concerned. All of the people who gave up on the show in Season 1 because they were (for one reason or another) expecting a show called Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to be rife with Avengers cameos, in addition to failing to grasp the actual premise, failed to realize that the characters on S.H.I.E.L.D. are infinitely more reflective of a world comprised of more than white men.
The much talked about Secret Warriors were introduced not long ago and were evenly represented by characters of Chinese/American, American, Colombian, and Mexican origin (the actors portraying said characters are Chinese/American, Australian, Colombian, and Mexican). Compare that to the two of twelve central characters in Civil War who aren’t Caucasian and it makes Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. the clear victor in terms of diversity. In fact, not only are multiple ethnicities celebrated, S.H.I.E.L.D. actually makes a point of calling out its own characters when they become a little too Western. When Daisy somewhat irritably requests that the foreign members of her team speak in English, Elena immediately replies, “Aren’t you a spy? Learn Spanish.”
It’s such an eye-opening moment because, yeah Daisy, you are a spy and you should learn some Spanish. (Perhaps a little Russian as well?) English is not the majority language of the world and S.H.I.E.L.D. reminds viewers of that fact in a very real and self-aware way.
Couple the focus on varying ethnicities with the fact that half of this new team of Inhumans is comprised of women, and the actual leader of said team is agent-extraordinaire Daisy Johnson, and the Secret Warriors are already 100% more diverse than their Avengers counterparts.
Best yet? At no point in the show is it even questioned that these women are just as capable, and oftentimes more capable, than the men. Joey, Elena, and Lincoln follow Daisy because she is a leader. Period. She has the most experience with S.H.I.E.L.D, has gone on more missions than anyone else on the Inhuman team, and is in the best position to make the tough calls. Everyone else knows this and are competent enough to realize that those facts are the only ones that matter.
And this isn’t something that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has just started emphasizing.
Since it first premiered, S.H.I.E.L.D. has been a show centered around an even number of male and female characters, with a third of the core 6 characters being of Asian descent. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. isn’t as cookie cutter as the Marvel films and strives to put all characters on a relatively even playing field regardless of race or gender. There are some men who are forces to be reckoned with in the field, and others who much prefer being in a lab. And it’s exactly the same situation for the women of the show. The skillset of some lies in dissecting dead bodies, while the skillset of others involves punching baddies in the face. In fact, until recently, the vast majority of the stunt-work on the show has been done by its female field-agents.
Lastly, while I’ve read many an article about the lack of diversity in Hollywood, and particularly in the superhero genre, I’ve not seen much on the topic of disabilities. While the MCU briefly touched upon Tony Stark’s post-Battle of New York PTSD, Hawkeye’s hearing impairment is still noticeably absent, as are many of the more obvious issues that Bucky has faced as a result of his role as the Winter Soldier. Sure, there are some subtle hints and a few brief mentions, but, for the most part, the issue that plague the characters in the MCU are often overlooked or perceived through subtext by observant viewers.
Cut back to Marvel’s television franchises and you see a wide spectrum of very real issues being openly discussed and highlighted. Jessica Jones focuses on a woman who was mentally and physically abused to the point where she developed paranoia, severe depression, and less-than-advisable coping mechanisms. Daredevil focuses on a man, blinded as a child, who used every resource in his possession to train himself to become the protector of Hell’s Kitchen. Agent Carter is a show that, at its heart, focuses on a war vet who is slowly but surely readjusting to life and doing her utmost to take things one day at a time.
And Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D?
Leo Fitz suffered from severe brain damage post-Season 1, Melinda May has been dealing with PTSD since the start of the series due to the incident in Bahrain, Phil Coulson has experienced PTSD since his resurrection as well as the physical loss of a limb, Jemma Simmons has had clear signs of PTSD, depression, and anxiety since returning from her involuntary trip to alien planet Maveth, Daisy Johnson has had to deal with the mental and emotional challenges of physical transforming into an Inhuman, and Grant Ward, though certainly a villain, is another character whose abuse led him down a terrible path. And those are just original characters! Lincoln is a recovering alcoholic, Bobbi underwent psych evals and physical therapy after her run-in with Ward, and (prior to becoming and Inhuman-murdering psycho) Andrew Garner was visible enough to indicate that all Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were being evaluated in some way.
S.H.I.E.L.D. has done better than most at not shying away from the reality of an unrealistic show. As black-ops agents, these characters will undoubtedly experience things that will permanently change them forever. But, rather than completely dismissing such changes, S.H.I.E.L.D. does what it can in the allotted time-frame to address them. We’ve seen legitimate therapy sessions, both physical and mental, and have at no point been forced to believe that everyone is perfect and A-ok.
So far, the MCU has been very much, “One step forward, two steps back,” while approaching this problem of diversity. Yay for a Black Panther film with Chadwick Boseman starring, boo that in a sea of white-male-driven films it was Captain Marvelthat got pushed back to make it happen.
The MCU is essentially a web of carefully implemented films that can be linked together in order to provide some semblance of congruity. And while the films themselves connect fairly seamlessly, they unfortunately do not connect with many of the audiences that are viewing them. It’s hard to remember in places like the United States, where companies like Marvel and Disney are based out of, that white men do not make up the majority of the world and are therefore not the only people who should be represented in these film franchises. There are far larger markets that, for some odd reason, are inaccurately being considered the minority simply because their skin color or gender isn’t what Hollywood and the Western culture have deemed worthy of being reflected onscreen.
Considering the next 4+ years of Marvel films have already been planned and scheduled, it seems pretty unlikely that the MCU will make any significant improvements in diversifying the characters it chooses to portray onscreen.
Until then, we thankfully have equally exciting, character-driven, action-packed, shows to watch instead.
Do you think the MCU film are playing catch-up with their TV counterparts? Let us know in the comments section below or send us a Tweet!
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[…] oft-overlooked by the head honchos, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. has always been the crowning jewel of Marvel in terms of diversity. To see a Latin superhero as the titular character of a series is something that should have […]
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In the design of the pixel display matrix of the thin film transistor liquid crystal display, It is necessary to carry out a centralized fan-shaped wiring process for a bonding region of a driving integrated circuit, since the distances outputted from the driving integrated circuit to each of the display traces are different, so that the align of the resistance of the fan-shaped region cannot be achieved, thus causing the delay degree of the voltage change of each display traces is not the same, finally make the charging time of each display traces is not consistency and causing color shift, the more the outputting routes of the driving integrated circuit, the more the resistance difference of the fan-out traces in the fan-shaped region, the even more of the delay degree of the voltage change of each display traces, and more seriously color shift.
Conventionally, by usually adapting changing the material of the display traces to reduce the difference of the resistance of the traces, or by reducing the number of the outputting routes of the driving integrated circuit to reduce the interval of the fan-shaped region, by reducing the distance difference of the display traces to reduce the difference of the resistance of the traces. But changing the material of the display traces, the support of the TFT-LCD process is needed, and the change of the process and the issues dealing with the process yield will raise a great cost problem, and reducing the number of the outputting routes of the driving integrated circuit will be corresponding increasing the number of the driving integrated circuit, and leading to increase costs, so the conventional method for improving color shift is costly. | {
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
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Item 8.01 Other Events
On January 7, 2019, Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. ("the Company") issued a press release announcing its full-year 2019 strategic outlook and financial guidance. A copy of this press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, the senior management of the Company will be using the presentation attached as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report, and incorporated herein by reference, in its meetings with investors and analysts at the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.
2 Forward-Looking Statements This presentation contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to preclinical and clinical development of our product candidates, the timing and reporting of results from preclinical studies and clinical trials, the prospects and timing of the potential regulatory approval of our product candidates, commercialization plans, manufacturing and supply plans, market potential projections, financing plans, and the projected revenues and cash position for the Company. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by us that any of our plans will be achieved. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this press release may turn out to be wrong and can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. For example, with respect to statements regarding the goals, progress, timing, and outcomes of discussions with regulatory authorities, and in particular the potential goals, progress, timing, and results of preclinical studies and clinical trials, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in our business, including, without limitation: the potential that results of clinical or preclinical studies indicate that the product candidates are unsafe or ineffective; the potential that it may be difficult to enroll patients in our clinical trials; the potential that regulatory authorities, including the FDA, EMA, and PMDA, may not grant or may delay approval for our product candidates; the potential that we may not be successful in commercializing Galafold in Europe and other geographies or our other product candidates if and when approved; the potential that preclinical and clinical studies could be delayed because we identify serious side effects or other safety issues; the potential that we may not be able to manufacture or supply sufficient clinical or commercial products; and the potential that we will need additional funding to complete all of our studies and manufacturing. Further, the results of earlier preclinical studies and/or clinical trials may not be predictive of future results. With respect to statements regarding projections of the Company's revenue and cash position, actual results may differ based on market factors and the Company's ability to execute its operational and budget plans. In addition, all forward-looking statements are subject to other risks detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 as well as our Quarterly Report on Form 10- Q for the quarter September 30, 2018 filed November 5, 2018 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and we undertake no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Introduction 7 Amicus Founding Beliefs WE BELIEVE... WE BELIEVE... WE BELIEVE… In the Fight to Remain In Our Future to Build In Each Other to at the ForefrontWe push of ideas as Longfar-term and Value as for fast as possibleFoster Teamwork and Therapies for Rare and Our Stakeholders Respect for Each Orphan Diseases Individual’s Contribution We encourage and embrace constant innovation • We seek to deliver the highest quality therapies for • We are all owners of this business • Our passion for making a persons living with these diseases difference unites us • We are business led and science • We support the disease communities - and their families We have a duty to obsoletedriven our own technologies• Diversity of experience and • We are passionate about what we do thought is essential • Maximizing value for our • We encourage and embrace constant innovation shareholders is the foundation of our • We communicate openly, • We have a duty to obsolete our own technologies future successes honestly and respectfully • We push ideas as far and as fast as possible We are business• Our medicines led mustand be fairly science priced driven• Our families are part of the • We take smart risks and broadly accessible Amicus experience • We work hard • We build strategic partnerships • Work-life balance keeps us • We keep asking the tough questions healthy • • We will never be constrained by prior thinking We will not lie, cheat or steal • We learn from ourOur mistakes passion for making• We take full responsibility a difference for our unites us • We think differently - very differently actions
Galafold® (migalastat) Global Launch… …taking a leadership role in the treatment of Fabry disease “We push ideas as far and as fast as possible” - Amicus Belief Statement
Galafold: Precision Medicine for Fabry Disease 25 Galafold Snapshot (as of December 31, 2018) ~$91M* $160-180M One of the Most FY18 Galafold FY19 Global Revenue Galafold Successful Rare Rev. Guidance Disease Launches Geographic 24 Countries with Expansion in Pricing & 2019 Reimbursement 8 Regulatory 348 Approvals: Amenable Australia, Canada, EU, Variants in U.S. Israel, Japan, S. Korea, Switzerland , U.S. Label Galafold is indicated for adults with a confirmed diagnosis of Fabry Disease and an amenable mutation/variant. The most common adverse reactions reported with Galafold (≥10%) were headache, nasopharyngitis, urinary tract infection, nausea and pyrexia. For additional information about Galafold, including the full U.S. Prescribing Information, please visit https://www.amicusrx.com/pi/Galafold.pdf. For further important safety information for Galafold, including posology and method of administration, special warnings, drug interactions and adverse drug reactions, please see the European SmPC for Galafold available from the EMA website at www.ema.europa.eu. *Preliminary and unaudited
Galafold: Precision Medicine for Fabry Disease 26 International Update (as of December 31, 2018) Strong Continued Growth with High Compliance and Adherence CURRENT ESTIMATED MARKET SHARE IN EU5* OF TREATED AMENABLE PATIENTS MARKET DYNAMICS • Continued strong uptake in ERT- switch patients • Increasing adoption by diagnosed Galafold ERT untreated patients • Very high rates of adherence and ~53% ~47% compliance (>90%) • Balanced mix of males and females, classic and late-onset patients • Robust interest from physician community *Market share assumptions based on estimated number of treated amenable patients in EU5 as of October 2018
Thank You “Our passion for making a difference unites us” -Amicus Belief Statement
exhibit992
Amicus Therapeutics Provides Full-Year 2019 Strategic Outlook and Financial Guidance Full-Year 2018 Galafold Revenue of ~$91M Exceeds $80M-$90M Guidance 2019 Galafold Revenue Expected to Nearly Double – with Guidance of $160M-$180M Pompe Phase 3 PROPEL Study Expected to Complete Enrollment and Additional Phase 2 Pompe Data in 2019 Additional 2-Year Data from Phase 1/2 CLN6 Batten Disease Clinical Study Anticipated Mid-Year 2019 Ongoing Phase 1/2 CLN3 Batten Disease Study Expected to Complete Enrollment in 2019 Preclinical Proof of Concept for Fabry and Pompe Gene Therapy Programs Expected in 2019 Strong Balance Sheet with $500M+ Cash CRANBURY, NJ, January 7, 2019 – Amicus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FOLD), a global biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and delivering novel medicines for rare metabolic diseases, today provided unaudited preliminary Galafold revenue for the full-year 2018 and introduced its full-year 2019 strategic outlook and financial guidance. During 2018 Amicus met or exceeded all five key strategic priorities: • More than doubled global revenue for Galafold (migalastat). Revenue grew from $36.9 million in full-year 2017 to approximately $91 million (preliminary and unaudited) in full-year 2018, exceeding the high end of the full-year 2018 guidance range of $80 million to $90 million. • Successfully secured approvals for migalastat in the U.S. and Japan, with strong initial adoption. As of December 31, 2018, 149 patients in the U.S. have been prescribed Galafold since the August launch. • Achieved clinical, manufacturing and regulatory milestones to advance AT-GAA toward global regulatory submissions and approvals. Highlights included positive 12- and 18-month data from the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical study, manufacturing scale up (1000L), and first patient dosed in the PROPEL pivotal study. • Pipeline expanded to include 14 new gene therapy programs, including two clinical programs in Batten disease, exceeding target of least one new clinical program in 2019. Target enrollment has been achieved in the Phase 1/2 study in CLN6 Batten disease, and the first patient has been dosed in the Phase 1/2 study in CLN3 Batten disease. • Maintained and strengthened the balance sheet. The current cash position of approximately $505 million (preliminary and unaudited) at December 31, 2018 is expected to fund ongoing operations into at least mid-2021. John F. Crowley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. stated, “During 2018 we advanced several steps closer to our 2023 vision to treat at least 5,000 patients and achieve $1 billion in global revenue. Following the new approvals for our Fabry precision medicine Galafold in the U.S. and Japan, and continued growth momentum in international markets, we have exceeded our 2018 guidance. Patients are also now being treated in multiple Amicus clinical studies, including our Phase 1/2 and pivotal studies of AT-GAA for Pompe disease, as well as Phase 1/2 studies of our investigational gene therapies for CLN3 and CLN6 Batten disease. Today we are in a stronger position than ever to become a leading global biotechnology company focused on transforming the lives of people living with these rare, life-threatening conditions and creating significant value for our shareholders.” Amicus is focused on the following five key strategic priorities in 2019:
• Nearly double again annual revenue for Galafold (FY19 guidance of $160M-$180M in worldwide revenue) with 1,000+ Fabry patients on Galafold by year end • Complete enrollment in pivotal study in Pompe disease and report additional Phase 2 data • Report additional two-year results from Phase 1/2 clinical study in CLN6 Batten disease and complete enrollment in ongoing CLN-3 Batten disease Phase 1/2 study • Establish preclinical proof of concept for Fabry and Pompe gene therapies • Maintain a strong financial position Mr. Crowley will discuss Amicus' corporate objectives and key milestones in a presentation at the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. PT (11:30 a.m. ET). A live webcast of the presentation can be accessed through the Investors section of the Amicus Therapeutics corporate web site at http://ir.amicusrx.com/events.cfm, and will be archived for 90 days. Full-Year 2018 Financial Summary and 2019 Guidance Amicus recorded approximately $91 million (preliminary and unaudited) in full-year 2018 revenue from commercial sales and reimbursed expanded access programs for Galafold. For the full-year 2019 the Company anticipates total Galafold revenue of $160 million to $180 million. Prescription growth in 2018 was largely driven by EU and other countries outside the U.S. and Japan. Growth in 2019 is expected to be driven by continued growth in EU markets, further geographic expansion, and further success from the first full year of launch in the U.S. and Japan. Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaled just over $500 million (preliminary and unaudited) at December 31, 2018. The Company expects to end 2019 with approximately $300 million in cash on hand. The current cash position is anticipated to fund ongoing operations into at least mid- 2021. Program Highlights Galafold (Migalastat) Oral Precision Medicine for Fabry Disease Galafold is an oral precision medicine for Fabry disease approved in the EU and other geographies to treat Fabry disease in patients 16 years or older who have amenable genetic mutations. The U.S. FDA approved Galafold under Subpart H for the treatment of adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Fabry disease and an amenable genetic variant. An estimated 35% to 50% of the global Fabry population may be suitable for treatment with Galafold on the basis of their genetic mutations, or variants. For patients who are not suitable for treatment with Galafold on the basis of their genetic mutations, or variants, Amicus is advancing a next-generation gene therapy. Global Galafold Updates: • 650+ patients (naïve and ERT-switch) on reimbursed Galafold worldwide as of December 31, 2018. • Approvals secured in eight geographies including Australia, Canada, EU, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, and United States and pending in Taiwan and several additional markets. • U.S. launch exceeded internal expectations with 149 new patient prescriptions, also known as patient referral forms (PRFs), as of December 31, 2018. Time to shipment was up to 60 days, limiting 2018 revenue impact but providing a strong foundation for 2019. • Pricing and reimbursement secured in 24 countries. • Registry and other Phase 4 supportive studies underway. AT-GAA for Pompe Disease AT-GAA is a novel treatment paradigm in Phase 3 development that consists of ATB200, a unique recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase (rhGAA) enzyme with optimized carbohydrate structures, particularly mannose 6-phosphate (M6P), to enhance uptake, co-administered with AT2221, a pharmacological chaperone. Positive results from a global Phase 1/2 clinical study (ATB200-02) have shown consistent and durable responses across key measures of safety, functional outcomes and biomarkers in both ERT-switch and ERT-naïve Pompe patients following up to 18 months of treatment with AT-GAA. The Company’s strategy is to enhance the body of clinical data for AT-GAA in ongoing clinical studies, including the pivotal study (PROPEL, also referred to as ATB200-03) to deliver this potential new therapy to as many people living with Pompe disease as soon as possible. Based on regulatory feedback from both the U.S. FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA), the PROPEL study is expected to support approval for a broad indication, including ERT-switch and treatment-naïve patients.
Pompe Program Updates: • 1000L scale material released for pivotal PROPEL study. • Dosing initiated in PROPEL study. • WuXi partnership strengthened with 5-year supply agreement. Anticipated Pompe Program Milestones in 2019: • New data from the Phase 1/2 ATB200-02 clinical study, including final 24-month data in Cohorts 1-3, and initial 6- month data in additional ERT-switch patients (Cohort 4). • Retrospective natural history study data in approximately 100 ERT-treated Pompe patients. • Additional supportive studies, including an open-label study in pediatric patients. • Full enrollment in Phase 3 PROPEL study. • Advance agreed upon CMC requirements to support BLA. Gene Therapy Programs for Rare Metabolic Diseases During the third quarter and early fourth quarter of 2018, Amicus expanded its pipeline and future growth platform [link here] to include 14 new gene therapy programs and future growth platform for rare metabolic diseases, including 10 preclinical and clinical stage adeno associated virus 9 (AAV9) programs (intrathecal delivery) for neurologic lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). Together these 10 programs have the potential to address 10,000+ people living with these neurologic LSDs and represent a $1 billion recurring revenue opportunity. Amicus is also developing four next-generation AAV gene therapies for Fabry disease, Pompe disease, CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) and one additional undisclosed rare metabolic disorder. In Batten disease, compelling proof of concept has been demonstrated in preclinical studies in CLN6, CLN3, and CLN8, as well as initial clinical safety and efficacy in a Phase 1/2 study in patients with CLN6. The Company has also shown early proof of principle for Amicus DNA constructs for optimized gene therapies for Fabry and Pompe diseases. Gene Therapy Program Updates: • First patient treated in CLN3 Batten disease Phase 1/2 study with no serious adverse events reported to date. • Target enrollment achieved in CLN6 Batten disease Phase 1/2 study, with 12 patients receiving a single administration of gene therapy (exposure ranging from ~1 to 34 months). Anticipated Gene Therapy Pipeline Milestones in 2019: • Additional two-year data from CLN6 Batten disease Phase 1/2 study. • Full enrollment of ongoing CLN3 Batten disease Phase 1/2 study. • Preclinical data for next-generation gene therapies for Fabry, Pompe and CDD. • Preclinical work across additional neurologic LSDs. About Galafold Galafold® (migalastat) 123 mg capsules is an oral pharmacological chaperone of alpha-Galactosidase A (alpha-Gal A) for the treatment of Fabry disease in adults who have amenable GLA variants. In these patients, Galafold works by stabilizing the body’s own dysfunctional enzyme so that it can clear the accumulation of disease substrate. Globally, Amicus Therapeutics estimates that approximately 35 to 50 percent of Fabry patients may have amenable GLA variants, though amenability rates within this range vary by geography. Galafold is approved in Australia, Canada, European Union, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and the U.S. U. S. INDICATIONS AND USAGE Galafold is indicated for the treatment of adults with a confirmed diagnosis of Fabry disease and an amenable galactosidase alpha gene (GLA) variant based on in vitro assay data. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on reduction in kidney interstitial capillary cell globotriaosylceramide (KIC GL-3) substrate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. U.S. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reactions reported with Galafold (≥10%) were headache, nasopharyngitis, urinary tract infection, nausea and pyrexia.
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS There is insufficient clinical data on Galafold use in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk for major birth defects and miscarriage. Advise women of the potential risk to a fetus. It is not known if Galafold is present in human milk. Therefore, the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for Galafold and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from Galafold or from the underlying maternal condition. Galafold is not recommended for use in patients with severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis. The safety and effectiveness of Galafold have not been established in pediatric patients. To report Suspected Adverse Reactions, contact Amicus Therapeutics at 1-877-4AMICUS or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. For additional information about Galafold, including the full U.S. Prescribing Information, please visit https://www.amicusrx.com/pi/Galafold.pdf. EU Important Safety Information Treatment with Galafold should be initiated and supervised by specialists experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of Fabry disease. Galafold is not recommended for use in patients with a nonamenable mutation. • Galafold is not intended for concomitant use with enzyme replacement therapy. • Galafold is not recommended for use in patients with Fabry disease who have severe renal impairment (<30 mL/min/1.73 m2). The safety and efficacy of Galafold in children 0–15 years of age have not yet been established. • No dosage adjustments are required in patients with hepatic impairment or in the elderly population. • There is very limited experience with the use of this medicine in pregnant women. If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, do not take this medicine until you have checked with your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. • While taking Galafold, effective birth control should be used. It is not known whether Galafold is excreted in human milk. • Contraindications to Galafold include hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in the PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. • It is advised to periodically monitor renal function, echocardiographic parameters and biochemical markers (every 6 months) in patients initiated on Galafold or switched to Galafold. • OVERDOSE: General medical care is recommended in the case of Galafold overdose. • The most common adverse reaction reported was headache, which was experienced by approximately 10% of patients who received Galafold. For a complete list of adverse reactions, please review the SUMMARY OF PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS. • Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. For further important safety information for Galafold, including posology and method of administration, special warnings, drug interactions and adverse drug reactions, please see the European SmPC for Galafold available from the EMA website at www.ema.europa.eu. About Amicus Therapeutics Amicus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FOLD) is a global, patient-dedicated biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and delivering novel high-quality medicines for people living with rare metabolic diseases. With extraordinary patient focus, Amicus Therapeutics is committed to advancing and expanding a robust pipeline of cutting-edge, first- or best-in-class medicines for rare metabolic diseases. For more information please visit the company’s website at www.amicusrx.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to preclinical and clinical development of our product candidates, the timing and reporting of results from preclinical studies and clinical trials, the prospects and timing of the potential regulatory approval of our product candidates, commercialization plans, manufacturing and supply plans, financing plans, and the projected revenues and cash position for the Company. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by us that any of our plans will be achieved. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this press release may turn out to be wrong and can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. For example, with respect to statements regarding the goals, progress, timing, and outcomes of discussions with regulatory authorities, and in particular the potential goals, progress, timing, and results of preclinical studies and clinical trials, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in our business, including,
without limitation: the potential that results of clinical or preclinical studies indicate that the product candidates are unsafe or ineffective; the potential that it may be difficult to enroll patients in our clinical trials; the potential that regulatory authorities, including the FDA, EMA, and PMDA, may not grant or may delay approval for our product candidates; the potential that we may not be successful in commercializing Galafold in Europe and other geographies or our other product candidates if and when approved; the potential that preclinical and clinical studies could be delayed because we identify serious side effects or other safety issues; the potential that we may not be able to manufacture or supply sufficient clinical or commercial products; and the potential that we will need additional funding to complete all of our studies and manufacturing. Further, the results of earlier preclinical studies and/or clinical trials may not be predictive of future results. With respect to statements regarding projections of the Company's revenue and cash position, actual results may differ based on market factors and the Company's ability to execute its operational and budget plans. In addition, all forward-looking statements are subject to other risks detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 as well as our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter September 30, 2018. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward- looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and we undertake no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. CONTACTS: Investors/Media: Amicus Therapeutics Sara Pellegrino, IRC Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications spellegrino@amicusrx.com (609) 662-5044 Media: Pure Communications Jennifer Paganelli jpaganelli@purecommunications.com (347) 658-8290 FOLD–G | {
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5. Why did Mr. Stewart forbid Elinore from seeing the woman in #61 on Christmas Day?(a) She lived in sheep country. (b) She lived in Indian territory. (c) A snowstorm was coming. (d) She insulted Mr. Stewart.
Short Answer Questions
1. Which of the following is NOT true about Zebulon?
2. What did Elinore make for Ms. Lane?
3. LETTERS OF A WOMAN HOMESTEADER is a series of _________________.
4. What does Elinore's daughter use for a baby doll?
5. Elinore reports that if a Yankee had spoken to her like Zebulon had, she would have ___________________. | {
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Q:
Searching with Hash in Perl
I am using a hash containing 5000 items to match words in a sentence, it so occurs that when I match for eg: if($hash{$word}){Do Something} sometimes it happens that the period occurs in the word and even if it is a match the presence of period results in a non-match. Can anything be done to ignore any punctuations when matching with hashes?
A:
You would have to redefine the words you look up to exclude the punctuation, remembering that you might or might not want to eliminate all punctuation (for example, you might want to keep dashes and apostrophes - but not single quotes).
The crude technique - not recognizing any punctuation is:
$key = $word;
$key ~= s/\W//g; # Any non-word characters are removed
if (defined $hash{$key}) { DoSomething; }
You can refine the substitute command to meet your needs.
But the only way to make sure that the hash keys match is to make sure that the hashed key matches - so you need to be consistent with what you supply.
| {
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
} |
Specific anticancer activity of a new bisabolane sesquiterpene against human leukemia cells inducing differentiation in vitro.
A bisabolane sesquiterpene, rel-(1S,4R,5S,6R)-4,5-diacetoxy-6- [(R)-5-hydroxy-1,5-dimethylhex-3-enyl]- 3-methylcyclohex-2-enyl (Z)-2-methylbut-2 -enoate, which was newly isolated from the roots of Leontopodium longifolium, presented specific anticancer activity against human leukemia HL-60 cells, but did not inhibit proliferation of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells and human normal hepatocytes L02 cells. Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction, phagocytosis of latex beads, and cell electrophoresis all demonstrated that this bisabolane sesquiterpene presented its anticancer activity against human leukemia HL-60 cells in vitro via inducing cell differentiation. Our results may have implications for treatment of human leukemia with the sesquiterpene. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
The invention relates generally to mobile (cellular) telephone communications services. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and systems that enable businesses to subscribe to a mobile telephone service that allows subscriber's to a mobile telephone service provider to place a telephone call to a business and not have their allotted contract airtime minutes (subscriber-based measured-per-minute call charge) debited.
Presently, mobile telephone service provider subscriber service contracts include a predetermined number of contracted-for airtime minutes. When a subscriber (customer) uses more than their allotted airtime minutes in a given billing period, the over minutes are charged at an inflated rate. Therefore, subscribers usually monitor their airtime minute usage to prevent over minutes, or if their airtime use warrants it, change to a service plan that includes more airtime minutes.
Calling businesses for general information, pricing inquiries and orders from a mobile telephone consumes airtime minutes. Especially if a call is placed on hold for several minutes.
Due to the proliferation of mobile telephone service, many consumers are dropping landline telephone services. This becomes more troublesome for business owners. If consumers minimize time spent shopping from one business to another due to mobile telephone airtime minute usage, business in general suffers and competition between like businesses is affected.
What is desired are methods and systems that forward a call placed from a mobile telephone to a preexisting business landline telephone number not using airtime minutes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Q:
Possible to compare date strings in mongodb?
I have a collection that contains documents with a date attribute like so:
{
title: "whatever",
created: ISODate("2013-05-27T03:36:50Z")
}
I would like to select records that were created on a certain day. I was hoping I could use toDateString() and compare the values but when I do a search like the one below:
db.myCollection.find({ 'created.toDateString()': new Date('05/27/2013').toDateString() }).pretty()
But this does not work. Is there any way to do what I am attempting above?
A:
If you want to select records then use a date range:
db.collection.find({
created: { "$gte": new Date("2013-05-27"), "$lt": new Date("2013-05-28") }
})
And that selects all the contained hours, minutes etc, falling between the two dates.
So you should be trying to use the date values and not coerce into strings.
If you want this for doing aggregation or otherwise need the results in a day only format then do this using $project and the date operators:
db.collection.aggregate([
// Still match on the normal date forms, this time whole month
{ "$match": {
created: {
"$gte": new Date("2013-05-01"),
"$lt": new Date("2013-05-31")
}
}},
// Project the date
{ "$project": {
"date": {
"year" : { "$year" : "$created" },
"month" : { "$month" : "$created" },
"day": : { "$dayOfMonth": "$created" }
},
"title": 1
}},
// Group on day and title
{ "$group": {
"_id": {
"date" : "$date",
"title" : "$title"
},
"count": { "$sum": 1 }
}},
// Sort by date
{ "$sort": {
"_id.date.year": 1,
"_id.date.month": 1,
"_id.date.day": 1,
}},
// Project nicer dates and document
{ "$project": {
"_id": 0,
"date": { "$concat": [
{ "$substr": [ "$_id.date.year", 0, 4 ] },
"-",
{ "$substr": [ "$_id.date.month", 0, 2 ] },
"-",
{ "$substr": [ "$_id.date.day", 0, 2 ] }
]},
"title": "$_id.title",
"count": 1
}}
])
| {
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
} |
#ubuntu-qc 2010-11-08
<Mobidoy> Quelqu'un connais un bon tuto pour apprendre a monter un serveur ? Lamp, Samba, Print, Squid, File, un peu de tout quoi... ?
<MattQC> Ãllo
<qwebirc32442> allo tout le monde
<Mobidoy> Quelqu'un connais un bon tuto pour apprendre a monter un serveur ? Lamp, Samba, Print, Squid, File, un peu de tout quoi... ?
<deuxpi> Mobidoy: personnellement je trouve le sujet tellement vaste que le mieux me semble d'installer un 'serveur' et en faire quelque chose d'intéressant
<deuxpi> Mobidoy: avec des machines virtuelles c'est très facile de faire le "set-up"
<deuxpi> et la référence : https://help.ubuntu.com/10.04/serverguide/C/index.html
<Mobidoy> ok merci :)
<deuxpi> le Server Guide est vraiment bien
<Mobidoy> ok good.... je me suis fait prendre a court pour ce qui est du LVM, j'ai 2 disques de 80 GB pis il en a pris juste 1 et le partitionement n'etait pas tres tres utile.... :) Donc, Un mauvais départ lol...
<Mobidoy> c'est avec un serveur comme ca qui tu reste toujours connecter sur le irc Deuxpi ?
<deuxpi> oui, j'ai une petite instance sur Linode qui me sert pour le e-mail et quelques blogues
<Lrrr> pas besoin d'un serveur comme ça pour rester connecter.
<deuxpi> Lrrr: effectivement, mais c'est ça que je fais quand même :)
<Lrrr> les ordinateurs chez moi reste toujours ouvert
<Mobidoy> Lrrr, je suis sur un portable qui me suis ou je vais donc, je dois l'eteindre :) et quand je me reconnecte rendus a destination, il me manque un bout :)
<Mobidoy> Comme pour aller au Launch party d'Ubuntu :)
<kanouk> coucou!
#ubuntu-qc 2010-11-09
<GringoStar> Bonsoir
<Lrrr> bonsoir
<GringoStar> J'ai reformaté et j'ai oublié de faire une sauvegarde de mes bookmarks :( Quelqu'un ici m'avait donné un lien vers un site vraiment bien et en français pour apprendre linux mais j'ai uoblié le nom.
<GringoStar> Il est séparré en différentes lecons et tres complet
<Lrrr> oh
<Lrrr> moi les tutos :P
<nicduff> google est le meilleur site de référence
<nicduff> GringoStar:
<GringoStar> J'ai déjà beaucoup de document pdf mais ce site était surtout dédié à ceux qui font la transition de win à ubuntu...
<nicduff> GringoStar: Tu veux faire du desktop ou du server
<GringoStar> Desktop
<nicduff> ok
<nicduff> GringoStar: tu as toujours le chanel pour t'aidé. Mais tu peux aussi allé dans la doc ubuntu-fr.org très bien construit
<nicduff> http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/debutant
<GringoStar> Oui merci mais je le connait déjà , j'espérait en retrouver un en particulier mais je vais probablement devoir demander directement à ceux quii étaient en ligne ce soir là ...
<nicduff> désolé
<GringoStar> C'est pas ta faute...
<GringoStar> Mais si je ne me trompe pas, ve2dmn participait à la conversation
<GringoStar> Anyway, merci quand même...
<nicduff> GringoStar: si tu retombe sur cette doc essaye de me la faire suivre
<nicduff> des foix que sa pourait me servire
<GringoStar> C'était la meilleure documentation pour débutant que j'ai trouvé et c'est la seule dont je n'ai pas de copie...
<ve2dmn> http://irclogs.ubuntu.com/2010/11/09/%23ubuntu-qc.html
<ve2dmn> Le logs de ce chat existe...
<Mobidoy> C,est le site du Zero Gringostar
<ve2dmn> Il est parti
<Mobidoy> doh
<ve2dmn> C'est dommage que la seule reference Ubuntu que j'ai pu trouver sur Etsy c'est un stiker pour MacBook
<Mobidoy> C'est quoi Etsy ?
<ve2dmn> etsy.com
<Mobidoy> GringoStar, tu cherche le Site Du Zero :)
<Mobidoy> http://www.siteduzero.com
<ve2dmn> GringoStar: autre detail, les archive ce ce chat sont sur irclogs.ubuntu.com
<ve2dmn> exemple: http://www.etsy.com/listing/59547910/ubuntu-mashup-vinyl-skin-sticker-decal?ref=sr_gallery_5&ga_search_query=ubuntu&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes[0]=tags&includes[1]=title&filter[0]=handmade
<ve2dmn> oups...
<ve2dmn> http://irclogs.ubuntu.com/2010/11/09/%23ubuntu-qc.html
<Mobidoy> Et pour le tutoriel de Linux c'est au http://www.siteduzero.com/tutoriel-3-12827-reprenez-le-controle-a-l-aide-de-linux.html
<GringoStar> Oui c'est ça merci!!!
<Mobidoy> fait plaisir :)
<GringoStar> Une dernière question (pour ce soir), j'utilise ubuntu 10.04 Netbook edition et je trouve l'interface vraiment bien faite et fonctionnelle mais elle a un défaut que j'aimerais corriger, le tableau de bord n'est pas éditable. J'ai trouvé ceci comme solution : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuNetbookEdition/ConvertGnomeSession mais j'aimerais savoir si il y aurait un moyen de garder l'acces au bureau gnome.
<GringoStar> Quitte à n'avoir qu'un tableau de bord dans gnome.
<deuxpi> GringoStar: si je comprends bien les insructions, il s'agit d'utiliser le bureau gnome standard, mais en le modifiant pour qu'il ait des fonctionalités semblables au bureau Netbook...
<GringoStar> Et que ce passera t-il si je suis cette procédure et que plutard, je decide d'essayer le bureau KDE.
<GringoStar> eu... 1 min
<GringoStar> Ok je ne comprend pas les commandes mais la description au début dit que le panel dans netbook est barré car le modifier modifierait aussi celui de gnome
<GringoStar> donc les commande devrait enlever le bureau gnome pour pouvoir editer le bureau netbook
<GringoStar> Est-ce logique?
<GringoStar> Ou si je me trompe royalement
<Musashimaru> je comprend rien...
<deuxpi> hypothèse: les réglages du panel sont stockés dans "gconf", mais la version netbook ne lit pas ces réglages ?
<Musashimaru> enfin ca change à toutes les sorties...
<Musashimaru> bon, bonne nuit....
<GringoStar> Je crois quelle a ses propre réglages (hypothese)
<deuxpi> mais peut-être pas configurables
<deuxpi> euh
<GringoStar> Google trouve beaucoup de questions a ce sujet mais peu de réponses
<deuxpi> en gros le panel du netbook edition est séparé conceptuellement et la seule façon de le remettre normal est de démarrer une session normale
<GringoStar> Ce que je voudrais faire est plutot simple dans gnome. Mettre le tableau de bord sur auto-hide et y ajouter quelques icones pour mes programes
<deuxpi> ensuite c'est possible de modifier la session gnome normale pour qu'elle ressemble au netbook
<GringoStar> Ha ce serait peut-etre ma solution
<deuxpi> c'est un peu ce que je comprends de ces instructions
<GringoStar> Le zero c'est vraiment bien fait!!!
<Mobidoy> Oui c'est un bon site... Si tu veux par la suite parfaire tes connaissances, laisse le moi savoir, je suis le meme cheminement que toi :)
<Musashimaru> bhaaaaaaaaaaa
<Musashimaru> faut juste tout casser.
<Musashimaru> puis essayer de réparer... :)
<Mobidoy> tout casser et... lol oui, mais quand tu n'as plus acces a internet et que tu ne connais pas la console... La seul solution que tu vois c'est de re installer avec le cd :)
<GringoStar> En un mois sous linux, j'ai déjà tout cassé 3 fois!!! Assez c'est assez!!!
<Mobidoy> je viens de decouvrire w3m, ont peut vraiment en faire bcp en console...
<GringoStar> C'est un auter OS?
<Musashimaru> ben ouais...
<Mobidoy> non, w3m c'est un fureteur, pour aller sur internet mais, en consol...
<Musashimaru> mais à mon époque j'avais pas internet chez moi, pas de documentation... alors j'ai réinstallé des dizaines de fois
<Musashimaru> Ca marchais pas aussi bien qu'aujourd'hui à l'époque
<Mobidoy> ouvre toi une fenetre de terminal et tappe w3m www.google.com
<Mobidoy> ou un autre site de ton choix :)
<Mobidoy> Deuxpi, sais-tu ou est l'option pour ne pas voir les messages systemes comme ,quelqu'un qui entre ou qui quitte dans Xchat ?
<GringoStar> nice
<GringoStar> C'est surement plus rapide et sécuritaire
<Musashimaru> GringoStar, pas plus rapide, et pas forcément plus sécuritaire...
<Musashimaru> GringoStar, joue avec lynx alors
<Musashimaru> ca a mis 10 secondes pour charger goole
<GringoStar> pas d'images, pas de flash
<Mobidoy> oui... mais surtout pratique si jamais tu decide de prendre une vieille tour, ou comme j'ai fait, demander au gens sur Facebook de donner leurs vielles équipements et de monter un serveur... Y a pas de GUI la dedans :)
<GringoStar> L'info direct en text
<Musashimaru> utilise telnet alors tu auras même pas d'interpreteur... super rapide
<Musashimaru> Mobidoy, pas de serveur X empache pas le graphique en remote
<GringoStar> Pour l'instant je vais me concentrer sur ubuntu
<GringoStar> et apprendre les lignes de commandes
<Musashimaru> GringoStar, teste une petite slackware 3, comme j'Avais à mes debuts, tu vas voir comme c'est plus moins facile.... :)
<Musashimaru> tu en auras de la ligne de commande... :)
<GringoStar> Mon premier ordi n'avait meme pas de disque dur!
<Mobidoy> ca vas etre justement ma prochaine etape Musa, de savoir comment aller en mode graphique en remote :)
<Mobidoy> Le miens non plus... Texas instrument TI-99A
<Musashimaru> Mobidoy, ssh -X ou ssh -Y, tu dois juste penser à mettre le X11forwarding à yes dans la config du serveur ssh.
<Mobidoy> Merci :)
<Mobidoy> Et je dois le redémmarer ensuite ?
<Musashimaru> Mobidoy, comme ca c'Est sécurisé, tout passse par ssh. Tu te connecte à ton serveur avec l'option -X ou -Y (en majuscule) et tu lances tes appications, elle apparaitrons sur ton écran
<Musashimaru> Mobidoy, oui tu dois le redémarrer
<Mobidoy> Comment tu fais pour mettre le message a mon attention comme ca ?
<Musashimaru> qui moi?
<Mobidoy> oui :)
<Musashimaru> J'écris juste ton nom, et ton logiciel le reconnait et surligne le message
<Mobidoy> Ahh ok :)
<GringoStar> Cool merci
<Musashimaru> pour écrire un nom, tu commence à l'écrire, puis tab pour completer, ou plusieurs fois tab pour faire tourner les noms possibless
<Mobidoy> je dois m'habituer a utiliser tab... surtout en console :)
<GringoStar> Moi aussi
<Mobidoy> Musashimaru, tu as un programme que je pourrais essayer en mode graphique voir si ca fonctionne.... rien ne me viens en tete...
<GringoStar> nautilus?
<Mobidoy> il est pas installer par default sous la version serveur... y a pas grand chose en fait.... je vais l'installer lui ou bien gedit :)
<Mobidoy> GringoStar, merci de ta suggestion.... j'etait brain dead :)
<GringoStar> Moi je vous laisse maintenant, bonne nuit...
<Mobidoy> GringoStar, ok bonne nuit, a demain
<GringoStar> Encore merci
<Mobidoy> comment voir en console combien d'update il y a quand ont fait un apt-get update ? et meme, si possible, le nom des package qui seront upgrader ?
<MattQC> Ãllo
<MattQC> Allo Prof
<hay09> bonjour
<hay09> je veux configurer mon proxy squid pour qu'il puisse diminuer la bande passante après un certains temps
<Mobidoy> Quelqu'un connais des bonnes écoles qui ont des formations à distances sur linux ainsi que les serveurs Linux ?
<IdleOne> Mobidoy: http://www.savoirfairelinux.com/services/training
<Mobidoy> Merci Idle0ne
<kanouk> bonsoir
<Ankman> guten abend
<kanouk> bonsoir Ankman
<Ankman> :-)
<MattQC> Ankman: Salut
<Ankman> salut MattQC
<kanouk> salut MattQC
<MattQC> Kanouk: salut
<kanouk> :)
<MattQC> Bien, il y a du monde cet après-midi
<MattQC> T'es où?
<MattQC> Je suis en train de vasciler entre Ubuntu et Fedora
<kanouk> du Québec
<kanouk> et toi?
<MattQC> :)
<MattQC> Oh, je suis à Montréal
<kanouk> ok
<kanouk> je suis pas loin de Montréal
<MattQC> Il semble qu' il y a un local de Cannonical en ville?
<MattQC> sur le boul. Saint-Laurent?
<kanouk> j'en sais rien faudrait s'informer
<MattQC> Oui
<MattQC> Bien, j'suis toujour à l'école. Je viens tout juste de faire un petit arrêt. Faut que je pars. Je serai de retour après
<kanouk> regarde ce lien : http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/lettre_hebdo_019#une_presentation_d_ubuntu_realisee_par_l_equipe_support_technique_de_canonical_a_montreal_canada
<kanouk> @ +++ tout le monde
#ubuntu-qc 2010-11-10
<ve2dmn_work> J'ai des problemes avec mon docking station pour mon laptop.
<ve2dmn_work> Mon ecran externe fonctionne bien, mais pas l'ecran de mon laptop...
<ve2dmn_work> ca...hum... "reset" de tant a autre et j'ai ces mesages qui apparaissent dans X.org.log:
<ve2dmn_work> (II) intel(0): EDID vendor "LGD", prod id 599
<ve2dmn_work> (II) intel(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
<ve2dmn_work> (II) intel(0): Modeline "1440x900"x0.0 86.50 1440 1488 1520 1568 900 903 909 920 +hsync -vsync (55.2 kHz)
<ve2dmn_work> (II) intel(0): Modeline "1440x900"x0.0 60.00 1440 1488 1520 1632 900 903 909 920 +hsync -vsync (36.8 kHz)
<ve2dmn_work> j'ai rien trouver sur Google.
<ve2dmn_work> Ca ne m'epeche pas de travailler, mais ca tape sur les nerf...
<MattQC> Salut
#ubuntu-qc 2010-11-11
<kanouk> bonjour!
#ubuntu-qc 2010-11-12
<GringoStar> Salut à tous!
<ve2dmn> bonsoir
<GringoStar> Est-ce que ve2 c'est pour radio amateur?
<GringoStar> Ok c'est pas une question sur linux mais ça m'intrigue
<ve2dmn> Oui
<ve2dmn> Mais j'ai pu access a une radio depuis des anees
<ve2dmn> C'est aussi ma plaque de licence de voiture :)
<GringoStar> J'ai vu qu'il y a plusieurs package en liens avec la radio, tu as déja essayé?
<GringoStar> C'est ce que je pensait
<ve2dmn> J'aimerais bien mais mon temps est utiliser sur mon Makerbot ces jours-ci
<ve2dmn> Sinon je me prendrais un systeme comme celui-la: http://www.ettus.com/
<ve2dmn> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Software_Radio_Peripheral
<GringoStar> J'ai fait du CB (longue distances) durant quelques années à l'epoque oû internet n'était pas populaire et ont entendait parfois des sons du genre data de modem, je me demand esi ces pakages peuvent servir à emmener internet dans les endroit éloignées...
<ve2dmn> Ca peut servir pour ca, mais c'est tres lent
<ve2dmn> Et il est interdit d'utiliser une encryption sur un lien publique
<ve2dmn> (ce qui rend l'utilisation de courriel impossible)
<GringoStar> ho
<ve2dmn> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_radio
<ve2dmn> Le protocole que je connais pour faire ca s'appelle AX.25
<ve2dmn> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AX.25
<ve2dmn> Tout ces protocoles sont surporte par Linux et Mac OS X... mais pas par Windows
<GringoStar> Est-ce que ce c'est plus lent qu'un modem téléphonique?
<GringoStar> Find it : rarely higher than 9,600 bit/s, and typically 1,200 bit/s
<GringoStar> vraiment trop lent pour faire quoi que ce soit
<GringoStar> Ouvrir la google.com prendrait +ou_ une minute
<ve2dmn> Oui mais ca peux quand meme servir de relais courriel...
<ve2dmn> meme si tout le courriel va etre lisible par tous...
<ve2dmn> Ca peux pas servir a beaucoup plus...
<GringoStar> Il existe surement des protocoles qui permette d'augmenter le débit un peu comme ils ont fait pour les téléphones cellulaires.
<ve2dmn> La question tourne plus autour de ce que:
<ve2dmn> 1) la loi permet
<ve2dmn> 2) la largeur de bande utilise
<ve2dmn> Il est interdit pour un radio amateur de prendre 40-50 bandes en meme temps pour augementer sa propre transmission...
<ve2dmn> L'encryption (sous toute ses formes) est interdite, mais la compression serait possible...
<ve2dmn> Par contre la compression ne donne pas du 1000% plus de bande passante... plutot entre 10% et 90% supplementaire...
<GringoStar> et les les frequences permises sont plutot basse je croit (à l'époque je crois que je jouais dans les 27Mhz jusqu'à 52Mhz mais je n'ai jamais eu de license.)
<ve2dmn> Les cellulaire sont dans le 900MHz, le 850MHz et le 1800MHz
<ve2dmn> (et autres)
<GringoStar> wifi 2.4 Ghz
<GringoStar> 5
<GringoStar> En gros une fréquence plus haute permet de transmettre plus d'info
<ve2dmn> plus ou moins...
<GringoStar> Je me demande ce qu'utilise la nasa pour ses comm
<mdeslaur> ve2dmn: quel makerbot as-tu?
<ve2dmn> une difference de 3Hz autour de 5Ghz donne la meme largeur de bande qu'il difference de 3Hz autour de 27MHz
<ve2dmn> mdeslaur: j'ai un Makerbot Industry Batch XVI
<GringoStar> C'est pour le travail ou comme hobby?
<mdeslaur> ve2dmn: oh, nice
* mdeslaur est jaloux
<GringoStar> il n'est pas le seul
<ve2dmn> Mon Makerbot? Il ne marche pas bien encore
<ve2dmn> J'ai pas encore reussi a faire un print que je suis satisfait...
<GringoStar> quel type de fichier tu utilise
<ve2dmn> Des "test" que j'ai pris sur Thigiverse
<ve2dmn> Le "Cupcake" comme le mien est maintenant desuet: http://store.makerbot.com/makerbot-thing-o-matic.html
<ve2dmn> Je prend mes fichiers ici: http://www.thingiverse.com/
<ve2dmn> En passant le logiciel qui "drive" le Makerbot fonctionne bien sous tout les platformes que j'ai tester...
<GringoStar> C'est vraiment abordable!!!
<GringoStar> La seule machine de prototypage rapide que j'ai vu était chez bombardier...
<ve2dmn> Mais ca demande beaucoup de travail...
<ve2dmn> En passant j'ai trouver un tableau qui donne le nombre de bit par Hz pour la pluspart de technologies "wireless"
<ve2dmn> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectral_efficiency
<ve2dmn> Chaque cellulaire utilise 20MHZ donc un cellulaire qui utilise 850MHz utilise la bande de 840MHz-860MHz
<ve2dmn> En fait, j'ai fait une erreur: c'est 1.22MHz, et non 20MHz
<GringoStar> Et pour faire passer un fichier de CAD 3D en fichier de programation pour l'impression 3D est-ce que c'est un peu comme de programmer des CNC (outils trajectoire, vitesse)...
<ve2dmn> oui... mais c'est un outil appeller ReplicatorG qui fait le travail...
<ve2dmn> http://replicat.org/
<ve2dmn> la gros du travail est fait par Skeinforge (qui est inclut dans ReplicatorG): http://www.bitsfrombytes.com/wiki/index.php?title=Skeinforge
<GringoStar> Et est-ce que tu peux jouer avec le matériel utilisé
<ve2dmn> Le plastique utilisé: ABS. Même chose que des LEGO
<GringoStar> Puisqu'il faut tout monter sois meme, est-ce que tu as de la difficulté à trouver de l'info pour solutionner les problemes?
<ve2dmn> non
<ve2dmn> La majorite des problemes que j'ai c'est à cause de ma propre incompétence :/
<ve2dmn> J'ai essayé d'aller trop vite
<GringoStar> Comme tout le monde
<GringoStar> Tu y travaille depuis longtemps?
<ve2dmn> J'ai mis 10-20h en tout... incluant tout défaire la tête et tout remonter 3 fois parce que j'avais mal lu....
<ve2dmn> la Wiki est bien fait: http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-cnc-10:cupcake-y-stage-assembly
<ve2dmn> Ca prend un bon 6-10h pour monter...
<ve2dmn> et 90% des problèmes viennent de 1 pièce: la tête: http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-cnc-10:cupcake-y-stage-assembly
<ve2dmn> oups: http://wiki.makerbot.com/plastruder-mk4
<GringoStar> et quel genre de précision ça peut donner?
<ve2dmn> Je peux pas répondre....
<ve2dmn> Il y a des modèles de LEGO et je ne sais pa si ca marche
<ve2dmn> Je viens de faire un test et ca a fonctionner :)
<GringoStar> Cool
<GringoStar> Je te laisse faire tes test, on s'en reparle une autre fois
<GringoStar> Bonne chance et à la prochaine
<GringoStar> Bonsoir tout le monde
<Gringostar> Salut, y a quelqu'un?
<Gringostar> J'avais cisaillement (tearing) horizontal dans mon écran lorsque je visionnais des videos et les recherches que j'ai fait disait que la solution était de cocher les case vsync dans mon menu nvidia ce que j'ai fait mais maintenant les tears sont moins évidentes mais forme un grand Z dans mon écran. Le décalage est d'à peine une ou deux pixels mais constament au meme endroit. Quelqu'un aurait une solution? Il y a plusieurs
<qwebirc85112> Il y a-t-il âme qui vive?
<Gringostar> Salut
<Gringostar> Ãa va?
<Gringostar> En fait j'allais me coucher...
<Gringostar> Et je crois que tout le monde ici est déjà parti...
<Gringostar> Du moins il n'y a eu aucune conversation depuis plus d'une heure...
<Gringostar> Ã demain...
<Calysto> bonjour tout le monde
<Lrrr> bonjjour
<Calysto> bonjour Lrrr
<Calysto> dites moi, j'aimerais bien acheter un bonnet pour l'hiver, est ce que Canonical à Montréal à quelques goodies Ubuntu à vendre ou est ce que je dois forcément commander sur le net?
<alexxx> Salut à tous
<Calysto> bonjour alex :P
<Mobidoy> Calysto, MagicFab ou Cyphermox seront plus en mesure de te répondre
<Calysto> oui, mais j'espèrais qu'ils soient là , je suppose que soit ils ont un max de boulot soit c'est la bière du vendredi soir ^^
<Calysto> bon, bah j'y vais dans ce cas, bonne soirée à tous :)
<cyphermox> FWIW, Mobidoy, on a pas de trucs à vendre au bureau... malheureusement je suis trop tard :)
<Mobidoy> Au moins, j'ai la réponse donc, si il ce reconnecte, je saurais quoi lui répondre :)
<MagicFab> faut rester au moins qqs minutes pour avoir une réponse :)
<Mobidoy> cyphermox et MagicFab, pendant que je vous ai, je suis sur le point de sortir de l'armée et, comme je sors médicale, ils vont me payer une formation... Je veux apprendre les serveurs Linux/Ubuntu, connaissez-vous une école ou un institut qui donne ces formations à distance (elearning) et qui sont reconnus ?
<MagicFab> Mobidoy, selon ton budget tu peux regarder ici:
<MagicFab> http://shop.canonical.com/index.php?cPath=21
<MagicFab> et ici: http://webapps.ubuntu.com/course_locator/
<Mobidoy> MagicFab, Merci, c'est pas mon Budget, c'est leurs budget lol :) Ils ont scrapper mon corps donc, ils payent pour que j'ai une nouvelles formation / un emplois :)
<MagicFab> Mobidoy, sorry ! Bonne chance pour les cours, fais-moi savoir ton choix, je suis Ubuntu Certified Instructor et je peux répondre si tu as des questions au sujet des cours.
<Mobidoy> MagicFab, Tu as pas a etre sorry, de un, tu es pas responsable et 2, ca parait pas pentoute lol, en tout cas, y a aucun de vous qui à remarquer quelque chose lors du lancement de Meerkat au St-Sulpice ;)
<MagicFab> On a tous nos secrets :)
<MagicFab> si le serveur t'interesse tu peux aussi aller voir #ubuntu-server
<Mobidoy> MagicFab, j'ai récupérer des pièces de mes amis et voisin et jusqu'à maintenant, j'ai un P4 2.3Ghz avec 512Mb de ram et 2X 80 Gb hdd, la version serveur est déjà dessus mais sans aucun daemon, je le monte tranquilement pour savoir ce que je fais, j'ai même mon adresse web d'enregistrer... donc, il me manque juste la formation. Je me fis à ce que je trouve ici et là sur le web mais je veux être certifié donc oui, to
<Mobidoy> ut ça vas m'aider... Merci :)
<MagicFab> Mobidoy, il n'y a pas de certification serveur chez Canonical, par contre tu pourrais passer LPI1 & 2 et même 3 si tu veux.
<GringoStar> Hola!
<Mobidoy> Bonsoir GringoStar, Comment vas la formation du site du zéro ???
<GringoStar> J'en suis à la 4eme lecon seulement...
<GringoStar> Mais c'est vraiment très bien fait
<Mobidoy> tu vas voir, apres cette formation, tu vas en redemander lol.... Comprends tu bien l'anglais ? J'ai d'autre formation un peu plus poussé que je fais présentement que tu pourrais aimer par la suite
<GringoStar> Was AFK, no problems with writen english, just need practice
<GringoStar> Have to reboot should be back in a minute...
<herbiemilie> salut
<herbiemilie> j ai un petit pb depuis ma derniere mise a jour c est a dire ce matin quand je vais dans raccourci cherchait un dossier que ça soit document viseo musique a chaque fois il m ouvre banshee
<herbiemilie> alors que quand je passe par mon dossier partage que j ai sur le bureau pas de pb
<herbiemilie> est ce que quelqu un d entre vous pourrait me filer un coup de main
<herbiemilie> merci
#ubuntu-qc 2010-11-13
<Mobidoy> Herbiemilie, si je resume bien, quand tu passes par le menu Places pour ouvrir un dossier, Banshee s'ouvre mais tout vas bien quand tu ouvres les même dossiers via les raccourcies sur le bureau, tout vas bien ???
<herbiemilie> oui
<GringoStar> Salut
<herbiemilie> Mobidoy, c'est bien ça
<herbiemilie> j'ai enleve l'ouverture par default par banshee pour voir si ça venait de la, j'ai un ami qui a regarde et on voit pas d'ou ça vient
<Mobidoy> Herbiemilie, je vais voir si je trouve quelque chose, GringoStar, re-salut, ok donc, quand tu voudras d'autre tuto ou formation, laisse moi savoir, j'en ai trouvé plein :)
<GringoStar> Merci
<herbiemilie> Merci,c'est gentil :)
<Mobidoy> herbiemilie, regarde le 2ieme post ici... http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=9775898
<Mobidoy> Si il y a quelque chose que tu ne comprends pas, laisse le moi savoir.
<Mobidoy> est-ce que ca fonctionne herbiemilie ?
<herbiemilie> Mobidoy, super merci beaucoup ça fonctionne à la perfection:))
<GringoStar> Salut, ça va?
* Ankman yawns
#ubuntu-qc 2010-11-14
<qwebirc79526> salut
<Mobidoy> Bonsoir
<qwebirc79526> Je vien commencer a utilisé ubuntu et j'y comprend pas grand chosse c'est normale?
<qwebirc79526> Je suis incapable d'instaler des jeux linux, window et en ligne. Je ne comprend pas non plus comment m'en servir j'ai beau lire et relire les guide j'y comprend rien
<qwebirc> -.- ubuntu répond pas à moitié...
<Musashimaru> la moitié répond quand même
<qwebirc> -.- je comprend rien a ubuntu et demain je dois en mêtre dans 12 ordie...
<qwebirc> J'ai un dosier bureau sur le bureau qui veux pas se suprimer
<Musashimaru> il s'est créé comment ce dossier?
<Musashimaru> si il s'efface pas c'Est que tu n'as probablement pas les droits
<Musashimaru> click droit sur le dossier, propriété, et regarde si tu est le propriéTaire du dossier et si tu as le droit d'cériture dessus
<qwebirc> -.- je l'ai prit de raccourcis et j'ai glisé sur le bureau
<qwebirc> Erreur de l'interrogation du fichier « /home/francis/Bureau/Bureau » : Aucun fichier ou dossier de ce type
<Musashimaru> haaaaaaaaaaaa
<Musashimaru> click droit sur le bureau->Ã rrange by name
<Musashimaru> ton fichier existe plus. Ãtrange qu'il soit encore affiché
<qwebirc> sa fait rien cliquer sur droit
<Musashimaru> quand tu clicque droit sur le fond d'écran, tu n'As pas un menu qui s'affiche?
<qwebirc> non il aparait pas
<Musashimaru> un truc à du chier... tu dervais te déconnecter et te reconnecter pour voir
<qwebirc> ma souri capte rien sur le bureau...
<Musashimaru> je veux dire te delogger et te relogger
<qwebirc> ok je peux le faire si un jeu rentre?
<Musashimaru> un jeu?
<qwebirc> alien-arena est en cour d'instalation
<Musashimaru> ben attends, sinon les programmes qui s'executent vont s'Arrêter
<qwebirc> ok
<qwebirc> Au fait sa prend un programe spécial pour faire ca Â----http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zoXquJdwMI
<Musashimaru> oui et non...
<Musashimaru> tu dois installer compizconfig-settings-manager pour pouvoir régler les effets.
<Musashimaru> Pour activer les effets, tu vas dans menu->préférences->Apparence.
<Musashimaru> Tu vas dans la tabulation Effets visuels et tu selectione "extra"
<Musashimaru> Une fois activé, si tu nA'S pas d'erreur, tes fenetre deiviendront molles quand tu les bougeras
<Musashimaru> Ensuite, tu vas dans menu->préférences->Compizconfig settings manager pour ajouter ou configurer les effets
<qwebirc> je le prend ou compizconfig-seting...
<tottto-drummond> salut la gang
<Musashimaru> lance Ubuntu Software Center
<Musashimaru> C'est ton logiciel pour installer tous les programmes. On ne télécharge pas les logiciels sur internet avec ubuntu, sauf cas exceptionnel
<Musashimaru> dans le logiciel, dans la barre de recherche, tappes juste compiz
<qwebirc> c'est pas gestionaire de paquet syn... je dois ouvrir?
<Musashimaru> tu verras un truc Compiz déjà installé, et tu dois installer en plus "Advanced Destop Effect Settings"
<Musashimaru> l'un ou l'autre
<Musashimaru> Je ne savais pas si tu connaissais synaptic... :)
<qwebirc> le seule j'ai vu a mon stage
<Musashimaru> ce sont deux intarfaces pour la même chose. Synaptic est juste un peu moins "user friendly", mais mieux pour les gens qui connaissent un peu
<qwebirc> Question comme sa comment on instale les jeux en ligne?
<Musashimaru> quel jeu?
<qwebirc> conquete 2.0
<Musashimaru> http://conquete.91.com/
<Musashimaru> ?
<qwebirc> oui sa
<Musashimaru> c'est un jeu windows?
<qwebirc> surment
<qwebirc> mais sur le site FR de ubuntu sa dit il marche
<Musashimaru> tu dois l'installer comme sous windows... mais il faut avoir Wine d'installer pour que les porgrames windows fonctionnent. Mais ca fonctionne pas toujours parfaitement
<tottto-drummond> play on linux aussi
<Musashimaru> pas toujours pour Play on linux...
<tottto-drummond> oui c est vrai
<Musashimaru> surtout, je ne crois pas que conquete ait été officiellement testé
<qwebirc> je trouve pas advanced Destop Effect Setting...
<Musashimaru> qwebirc, Wine est une suite de librairies qui permettent aux applications windows de tourner sous linux. Ca marche quand même trés bien, mais tout ne fonctionne pas toujours
<Musashimaru> qwebirc, installe le
<Musashimaru> tu as besoin que de ca
<Musashimaru> compiz est installé par defaut
<qwebirc> ok sa marche
<qwebirc> bon wine maintenant
<Musashimaru> si tu veux de l'info sur wine, et sur les logiciels supportés et l'état de leur support, le site officiel de wine est: http://www.winehq.org/
<Musashimaru> et ici c'est la base de donnée des logiciels testés avec wine: http://appdb.winehq.org/
<qwebirc80922> wine est instaler donc j'instale mon jeu comment pour il ouvre avec wine?
<Musashimaru> comme sous windows... tu clique sur l'executable
<Musashimaru> LEs icones de lancement se trouveront dans ton menu
<qwebirc80922> The file '/home/francis/Bureau/Conquete/play.exe' is not marked as executable. If this was downloaded or copied from an untrusted source, it may be dangerous to run. For more details, read about the executable bit.
<Musashimaru> click droit propriété, tabultion permission, en bas, coche executable
<qwebirc80922> -.- vérifier pilote et direct X
<qwebirc80922> comment on met direct X a jour?
<tottto-drummond> juste une question comme ca.. quel player de musique utilisez vous
#ubuntu-qc 2011-11-07
<Chex> dejuren: hey drago!! :)
<dejuren> Chex: Hi Stefan
<dejuren> what's new?
<Chex> dejuren: just settling in at the new job :)
<dejuren> Chex: nothing exciting on my site as well.. just got some oneiric strange behaviour, like the old days hehe
<Chex> dejuren: yeah same for me, fixes some things, breaks others
<MagicFab> dejuren, hi
<dejuren> MagicFab: hi, what's up
<MagicFab> learning about OpenVPN ALS (aka SSL VPN)
<dejuren> good... I'm digging some simple stuff like scp host1 host2... which turns out to be realy tricky
<MagicFab> just copying stuff around ?
<dejuren> yep... getting involved the ssh-agent and key forwarding
<dejuren> and the sh...t is scp adds automatically -a to _disable_ key FW
<dejuren> and the copy fails....
<Chex> dejuren: funny I am fighting with ssh host keys with ssh remote acces, as well
<Chex> one host is working, another is not.. I setup the public key properly on the remote site, but no luck..
* dejuren thinks to anonce ssh week on #ubuntu-qc
<dejuren> Chex: ssh -v doesn't help?
<MagicFab> get a support contract :)
<Chex> ssh -vvv, and nope
<dejuren> :-?
<Chex> MagicFab: heh, these are centos systems :P
<dejuren> Chex: maybe you should try with a new key (temporary one)
<Chex> dejuren: cant really do that, stuff is in production on that server
<Chex> I am going to punt to the admin who is training me tomorrow
<dejuren> but you should be able to try with test account and ssh key i guess... but you're right, depends on how strictly is that box monitored and what policy permitts to do there
<MagicFab> Chex, if you can copy the private key + config to a sandboxed local box (test ?), try to reproduce/debug there
<MagicFab> box/VM
<Chex> yeah
<Chex> something I never had at canonical
<Chex> and I need it here, actually, I can do that..
#ubuntu-qc 2011-11-08
<Ankman> anyone knows this feeling: you start your debian and the gnome looks like all messed up and way different?
<Chex> Ankman: doesnt really happen to me on ubuntu
<Ankman> seems it's gnome 3 here now
#ubuntu-qc 2011-11-09
<faiob> Bonjour comment fais-ton pour lancer un scripte-iptable a chaque démarrage de l'ordinateur?
<faiob> je sais que Cron n'est pas la solution mais seulement avec le startup de gnome
<Ankman> iptables-save et iptables-restore
<faiob> merci ankman, je me suis appercu de sa en regardent /sbin mais la je suis entrain de teste avec rc2 ;-)
#ubuntu-qc 2011-11-10
<faiob> Bonjour tout le monde, je n'arrive pas a garder la configuration iptable après chaque reboot. J'ai pourtant tout éssayer: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/IptablesHowTo
<faiob> Je suis sous ubuntu 10.04.2 LTS
<faiob> esque ca pourrait avoir un rapport avec mon libc6 cassé? http://paste.ubuntu.com/734326/
<faiob> je vais me refair l'installation, comme ca je serais fixé bonne journée
#ubuntu-qc 2011-11-11
<d2_racing> bonsoir
#ubuntu-qc 2011-11-12
<d2_racing> bonjour
#ubuntu-qc 2012-11-07
<Chex> IdleOne: hey bro
<Chex> IdleOne: how goes it?
<IdleOne> Good thanks, yourself?
#ubuntu-qc 2012-11-09
<anthony> Bonsoir, j'ai installé Lubuntu 12.04 et je n'ai pas l'icône du volume, est-ce normal ? Que puis-je faire s.v.p ?
<anthony> Je n'ai pas eu ce problème quand j'ai installé Ubuntu.
#ubuntu-qc 2012-11-11
<Max_LeLiseux> salut tous
<Max_LeLiseux> J'suis enfin passer à Linux Ubuntu après 1ans 1/2 de réflexion
<Max_LeLiseux> salut tous
<Max_LeLiseux> J'suis enfin passer à Linux Ubuntu:D
<Max_LeLiseux> J'ai un probleme dans Ubuntu
<Max_LeLiseux> Qui peut m'aider?
#ubuntu-qc 2013-11-05
<mammuth> bonsoire
<mammuth> bonsoir mon compt admin refuse mon password que dois-je faire ? merci
<Ankman> umm
<Ankman> well... :-)
#ubuntu-qc 2013-11-06
<qwebirc17257> bonjour je veux réinstaller ubuntu parce qu'il bogue mais quand je debute linstallation mais le logo disparait pas je l'ai laisser faire toute la journer je suis arriver le soir il y était encore je voudrais le rénitialiser
<qwebirc33043> bonjour je veux réinstaller ubuntu parce qu'il bogue mais quand je debute linstallation mais le logo disparait pas je l'ai laisser faire toute la journer je suis arriver le soir il y était encore je voudrais le rénitialiser
#ubuntu-qc 2013-11-09
<qwebirc10526> salut à tou(te)s, j'aimerai acheter un PC sans OS, je suis nouvel arrivant au Québec. Y aurait il un magasin ou un site qui permet d'acheter ou de se monter son propre PC sans OS ??
<qwebirc10526> merci de votre réponse !
<qwebirc10526> ps : je suis actuellement à Montréal :)
<Ankman> hmm...
<Ankman> je pense il coute plus cher d'acheter un PC "customized"
<Ankman> laptop, dektop?
<Ankman> sorry for my bad french. am not born here
<qwebirc10526> no probleme i can speak english
<qwebirc10526> but i m afraid it may be wors than your french :)
<qwebirc10526> it would be a desktop PC, maybe a mini-pc
<Ankman> but no rasperry?
<qwebirc10526> i don't know but i m looking for a place where you can make and / or custumize your own pc
<Ankman> one with keyboard, may be monitor
<qwebirc10526> no raspberry ;)
<Ankman> ok
<Ankman> where are you from?
<qwebirc10526> I'm from france, but i live in Montreal since 3 weeks, and i'll stay permanently
<Ankman> anyway, there are three big retailers. one dumber than the other. futureshop, bestbuy and staples
<Ankman> staples you might know from france
<Ankman> called "buereau en gros" here because they rename everthing french. not even people in france do this
<qwebirc10526> ha ok... I know FShop (not very great :( ) and i heard about BBuy... i ll try staples
<Ankman> you probably get cheaper PCs there. then delete windows or split the hard drive and install linux
<Ankman> Best Buy worse than futureshop
<qwebirc10526> yep... :(
<qwebirc10526> what a shame
<Ankman> staples is probably the best of the three
<Ankman> then there are online retailers. http://www.tigerdirect.ca for example
<qwebirc10526> we have to pay for a product that we won't use (windows :( )
<Ankman> yes, but because thePCs are often very cheap it's still cheaper than customizing your own computer
<Ankman> of course hardware on these cheap PCs is cheap (budget class usually)
<Ankman> if you want good hardware you have to customize yourself
<Ankman> there is another channel here. may be there are more people who know stores here where you can do this
<qwebirc10526> thancks for your answers !
<qwebirc10526> first time in this IRC
<Ankman> can you see the invitation?
<qwebirc10526> no x_x
<Ankman> if not type "/join #linux-quebec"
<Ankman> oh, it's empty there too
<qwebirc10526> where u from ?
<Ankman> germany
<Ankman> am here since almost 10 years now
<Ankman> was a few months in france before i came here
<qwebirc10526> Ok ! nice in Montréal ?
<qwebirc10526> sorry don't spragen zi deutsc X_o
<Ankman> no problem
<Ankman> didn't speak german myself since a long time
<Ankman> usually you get away with english everywhere. also some quebecois don't like that
<qwebirc10526> even if i come frome France, i can understand that ... historically ... I need to practice my english... thancks for your support :D I'd like to find a GNU/Linux group (IRL) Thancks IXQuick i got some unswers :) did you join one ?
<qwebirc10526> tigerdirect.ca is only in english... :( i'll send a message to the webmaster :B
<Ankman> eh, should be french too
<Ankman> oh, cannot find it
<qwebirc10526> neither do I :(
<qwebirc10526> your distrib is ubuntu ?
<Ankman> don't buy there then
<Ankman> i had. now debian
<Ankman> first i used here was mandriva
<Ankman> bought a french magazine on Rue St. Catherine here with a CD on it
<qwebirc10526> under debian7.0 testing to :p with some packages under sid :D
<Ankman> then i had ubuntu on my server
<Ankman> same here
<Ankman> testing and some sid in it
<Ankman> say do you have thunderbird (icedove) with enigmail installed?
<Ankman> there is currently a dependency problem since weeks
<qwebirc10526> yes icedove with pgp :)
<qwebirc10526> ho ??
<Ankman> and i fear they gave up on enigmail
<Ankman> it might depend on the spanish version i also have installed. put all on hold not to lose enigmail
<qwebirc10526> i ve got enigmail 1.6 and can send crypt and signed messages
<qwebirc10526> arf did you try to remove spanish packages ?
<Ankman> no
<Ankman> the main icedove package is also listed
<qwebirc10526> it's a stable version of enigmail ?
<qwebirc10526> or icedove
<Ankman> i guess so
<Ankman> 10.0.12-1
<qwebirc10526> strange... my policy : icedove: Installé : 17.0.9-2 Candidat : 17.0.9-2
<qwebirc10526> did you post your probleme on a forum ?
<Ankman> not yet
<qwebirc10526> mmmmmm I'd like to read it if you don't matter
<qwebirc10526> (when you'll post it)
<Ankman> i usually post in german usenet groups
<qwebirc10526> arf ok ^^
<Ankman> but this issue is not important. i use mutt as my main mailer
<qwebirc10526> ha ok ^^
<Ankman> enigmail here is 2:1.4.1-2
<Ankman> trying to get more people in here which might be able to help you
<Ankman> http://ncix.com might help too. but no french page either. they are from the USA :-)
<Ankman> and may be http://microbytes.com having french page and local stores in montreal
<qwebirc10526> thancks that great ! i'll go to see there... if you're in the mood of posting in french : https://www.debian-fr.org/support-debian.html
<qwebirc10526> :D
<Ankman> and http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.comp.mozilla.enigmail.general/17989 for my icedove problem
<Ankman> known problem. they gave up on enigmail;l it seems
<Ankman> ah
<Ankman> thunderbird's enigmail got fixed. might just be a matter of time until icedove is also fixed
<qwebirc10526> Oh ?
<Ankman> so at ubuntu you don't have this problem
<qwebirc10526> no of corse :D
<Ankman> yes, all in the page i posted above
<qwebirc10526> ubuntu is patched to be very stable
<qwebirc10526> even his "testing" is very stable !
<Ankman> ok
<Ankman> how long are you in montreal? and where are you from in france if i may ask?
<qwebirc10526> after, those who want to learn GNU / Linux will love to have "surprises" every update is a mystake... :) It's a choice
<qwebirc10526> I'm from Paris
<qwebirc10526> I'm a resident, permanentl
<qwebirc10526> so i can stay here all my life if i want :)
<qwebirc10526> young resident... who is looking for a job :D
<qwebirc10526> what about U ?
<Ankman> cool
<Ankman> from mannheim in germany
<qwebirc10526> I'll have to leave :)
<qwebirc10526> Have a nice day and hope that yoour probleme will be solved
<qwebirc10526> thancks for your answers !
#ubuntu-qc 2014-11-03
<BaieSurfee> bonjours /all
#ubuntu-qc 2014-11-08
<dagnachew> allo tlm
<qwebirc12296> Bonjour
<qwebirc12296> Je suis nouveau sur ce site; il y a-t-il quelqu'un qui peut me renseigner?
<qwebirc12296> Je me préparer à former des aînés à l'informatique et je me questionne sur "UBANTU".
<Ankman> ubantu?
#ubuntu-qc 2017-11-09
<qwebirc61361> do you speaks french?
<qwebirc61361> j'ai une seule question: ou on peut avoir un ou des cours pour ce familiariser avec ubuntu a quebec ville c'est ma seule question,merci
<qwebirc61361> adresse courielle :bergeronrog@outlook.com
<Ankman> french, english
<Ankman> german
<Ankman> je sais pas des courses en quebec-city
#ubuntu-qc 2017-11-10
<beaver> les utilisateurs, ils viennent sur le fr ^^
<cyphermox> beaver: c'est bien.
<beaver> du coup, c'est quoi le but ?.
<beaver> désolé, le vendredi, toussa, bonne continuation les ami(e)s
#ubuntu-qc 2019-11-06
<be49> salut comment utilliser tor sur ubuntustudio lowlatency sil vous plais merci
<be49> dans insstall aplication ca sinstall mais ca ce lance pas , en insttallant dans un terminal pareil !
| {
"pile_set_name": "Ubuntu IRC"
} |
GOP Gubernatorial Candidates In New Jersey And Virginia Are Focusing On Illegal Immigration
This fall in New Jersey and Virginia, Republican candidates aligned with party's business-friendly wing are campaigning against illegal immigration. The attack ads in both statewide gubernatorial elections claim their Democratic opponents wouldn't enforce immigration laws.
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Two states are electing new governors this year - New Jersey and Virginia. In both places, an ad war is playing out over illegal immigration. The Republican candidates in both of these states have released attack ads claiming the Democratic opponents would not enforce immigration laws and would endanger people living in those states. These two races are among the few statewide elections since President Trump won last fall. Joe Hernandez from member station WHYY reports.
JOE HERNANDEZ, BYLINE: For months, Republican candidate Kim Guadagno focused her campaign for governor of New Jersey on a promise to lower property taxes. She also reached out to the state's sizable Latino population, kicking off her campaign at a Mexican restaurant and picking a Cuban running mate. But just a few weeks before the election, down heavily in the polls to her Democratic opponent, Guadagno released a TV ad entitled "Sanctuary." It opens with an image of Jose Carranza in an orange prison jumpsuit.
(SOUNDBITE OF POLITICAL AD, "SANCTUARY")
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Illegal alien and child rapist Jose Carranza shot four New Jersey students in the head.
HERNANDEZ: Carranza was part of a brutal crime in Newark in 2007 that left three young people dead and one sexually assaulted, stabbed and shot. Carranza was in the country illegally. In the ad, Guadagno draws a direct link between that crime and her Democratic opponent Phil Murphy, who suggested he would block state and local cops from helping federal immigration officials.
(SOUNDBITE OF POLITICAL AD, "SANCTUARY")
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Murphy will have the backs of deranged murderers like Carranza, providing sanctuary in New Jersey.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PHIL MURPHY: We'll be a sanctuary not just city but state.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Murphy doesn't have our backs. He has theirs. Phil Murphy - too dangerous for New Jersey.
HERNANDEZ: Similar ads are airing in Virginia. There, Republican Ed Gillespie is slamming Democrat Ralph Northam for voting against a bill that would've banned sanctuary cities in Virginia, even though there aren't any. Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee chair who once spoke of diversifying the GOP, moved to the right after a tough primary this spring. In this TV ad, the Gillespie campaign implies that Northam's vote against the bill was a boon to the violent street gang MS-13, which was started by immigrants from El Salvador.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Northam cast the deciding vote in favor of sanctuary cities that let illegal immigrants who commit crimes back on the street, increasing the threat of MS-13.
HERNANDEZ: Both Phil Murphy in New Jersey and Ralph Northam in Virginia say violent criminals should be prosecuted, regardless of their immigration status. But that hasn't stopped the Republican candidates in both states from going all in on the illegal immigration message. It's a page out of the political playbook of President Trump, who kicked off his presidential campaign attacking Mexican immigrants.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.
STELLA ROUSE: His philosophy is the one that's being implemented. You can see that in these two races.
HERNANDEZ: Stella Rouse is the director of the Center for American Politics and Citizenship at the University of Maryland. She says Republican candidates have to follow their party's voters. And those voters are with Trump on immigration. That's despite studies showing that immigrants in the country illegally commit crimes at lower rates than native-born U.S. citizens. Rouse says politicians are hoping the message that worked for Trump on the national level will be effective on the state level, too.
ROUSE: It's a way to divide groups, to say, look, this group is a threat to our group. You know, it's a threat to our way of life. It's a threat to our values.
HERNANDEZ: Whether that message works will be up to voters next Tuesday. For NPR News, I'm Joe Hernandez.
Copyright © 2017 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
# matchPath
Re-exported from core [`matchPath`](../../../react-router/docs/api/matchPath.md)
| {
"pile_set_name": "Github"
} |
MSiMass list: a public database of identifications for protein MALDI MS imaging.
The clinical application of mass spectrometry imaging has developed into a sizable subdiscipline of proteomics and metabolomics because its seamless integration with pathology enables biomarkers and biomarker profiles to be determined that can aid patient and disease stratification (diagnosis, prognosis, and response to therapy). Confident identification of the discriminating peaks remains a challenge owing to the presence of nontryptic protein fragments, large mass-to-charge ratio ions that are not efficiently fragmented via tandem mass spectrometry or a high density of isobaric species. A public database of identifications has been initiated to aid the clinical development and implementation of mass spectrometry imaging. The MSiMass list database ( www.maldi-msi.org/mass ) enables users to assign identities to the peaks observed in their experiments and provides the methods by which the identifications were obtained. In contrast with existing protein databases, this list is designed as a community effort without a formal review panel. In this concept, authors can freely enter data and can comment on existing entries. In such, the database itself is an experiment on sharing knowledge, and its ability to rapidly provide quality data will be evaluated in the future. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Q:
Identifying from which method it is coming
I have two methods both returning the view:
public function method1()
{
return ('view1');
}
and
public function method2()
{
return ('view1');
}
In the view i want to edit some changes regarding from which method it is coming:
Something like this in view1:
@if(coming form method1)
{
This is coming from method1,
}
@endif
How can this be acheived? Currently i'm just making two separate views for so minor change.
A:
Why not add a flag in method
public function method1()
{
$flag = 'method1';
return ('view1', compact('flag'));
}
public function method2()
{
$flag = 'method2';
return ('view1', compact('flag'));
}
and in the view check for the flag
@if ($flag == 'method1')
This is coming from method1
@elseif ($flag == 'method2')
This is coming from method2
@endif
| {
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
} |
Macrocnemum jamaicense
Macrocnemum jamaicense is a species of plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to Jamaica.
Sources
Category:Flora of Jamaica
Category:Macrocnemum
Category:Near threatened plants
Category:Endemic flora of Jamaica
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot | {
"pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)"
} |
Morocco Replaces Turkey as New Co-chair of GCTF | MAP
Morocco, already a global leader in the fight against violent extremism, is taking over the co-presidency of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF):
The transfer of the co-presidency of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF) from Turkey to Morocco took place here on Wednesday on the occasion of the 9th meeting of the GCTF’s coordination committee.
Morocco and Netherlands will co-chair the GCTF replacing Turkey and the US.
Speaking on this occasion, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Nasser Bourita said that the Moroccan-Dutch co-presidency is the culmination of a fruitful collaboration through the Working Group on foreign terrorist fighters.
”Assuming this responsibility shows the clear, determined and constructive involvement of Morocco in the fight against terrorism,” he added, noting that the Kingdom is set to strengthen the values of openness, dialogue, cooperation and sharing of experiences and good practices.
Bourita highlighted efforts made by Morocco at the working group on foreign terrorist fighters and within the joint initiative with the US on border security.
The Dutch foreign minister, Bert Koenders, said that the recent terror attacks, including the ones targeting Ankara, Istanbul, Lahore and Brussels, require the strengthening of counter-terrorism efforts.
Koenders stressed, in this context, the importance of strengthening the exchange of information in the prospect of establishing a long-term approach including prevention of radicalization.
The GCTF is an international partnership which is committed to improving worldwide cooperation on counterterrorism. The Forum is chiefly concerned with issues like de-radicalisation and strengthening the rule of law and the justice system in the fight against terrorism…[ORIGINAL STORY, SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED] | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Q:
Why is there no "encoding" attribute in a string got by "IXMLDocument.SaveToXML" method?
I use NewXMLDocument() to produce an XML document of my data.
There is a SaveToXML() method to save the document to an XML-formatted string variable.
The problem is that the XML string does not contain an "encoding" attribute in the head tag.
But, if we save the XML document to a file with the SaveToFile() method, the "encoding" attribute will exist in it.
Here is my code:
var
XML: IXMLDocument;
RootNode, CurNode: IXMLNode;
XmlString: string;
begin
XML := NewXMLDocument;
XML.Encoding := 'utf-8';
XML.Options := [doNodeAutoIndent];
RootNode := XML.AddChild('XML');
CurNode := RootNode.AddChild('List');
CurNode := CertList.AddChild('Item');
CurNode.Text := 'bla-bla-bla';
...
XMl.SaveToXML(XmlString); // <<--- no "encoding" attribute here
XMl.SaveToFile('my-list.xml');
XMl := nil;
end;
Is there a way to make the SaveToXML() method add the "encoding" attribute?
A:
You need to use the overload method IXMLDocument.SaveToXML(var XML: UTF8String).
That will encode the xml to UTF-8 and add the encoding attribute in the xml header.
Declare your XmlString as UTF8String to get the desired result.
When you declare XmlString as string like you did, which is UTF-16 (Unicode) in Delphi 2009+, you actually call SaveToXML(var XML: DOMString). The DOMString is defined as UnicodeString.
By default, variables declared as type string are UnicodeString. The output xml is UTF-16 and the encoding attribute is omitted.
| {
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
} |
$ brew update
$ brew install opam
| {
"pile_set_name": "Github"
} |
Reference ranges for muscle carnitine concentration in children.
We investigated muscle and plasma carnitine concentrations in children to establish reference intervals for use following biopsy of skeletal muscle. The study comprised 50 children from newborns up to 14 years of age, all undergoing elective surgery. They were divided into six age groups, the youngest 0-2 days and the oldest 11-14 years. The samples were taken at the beginning of surgery. Gestational age was a major determinant of the total muscle carnitine concentration in newborns (Spearman's r(s) = 0.692, P < 0.01). This concentration was low during the first year, but subsequently did not differ between age groups. In neonates the median value (range) for total carnitine concentration in skeletal muscle was 5.9 (2.2-15.9) micro mol/g dry weight and the free to total carnitine ratio was 62 (31-81)%. In children 1-12 months old the corresponding figures were 6.0 (3.5-7.9) micro mol/g dry weight and 51 (28-71)% and in those 1-14 years they were 12.1 (6.6-17.4) micro mol/g dry weight and 76 (42-92)%. This study shows that muscle carnitine concentrations in newborns are dependent on gestational age. The data suggest that there is an accretion of carnitine in skeletal muscle during the first year of life. Reference intervals are given. | {
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
} |
Q:
Why use geometric algebra and not differential forms?
This is somewhat similar to Are Clifford algebras and differential forms equivalent frameworks for differential geometry?, but I want to restrict discussion to $\mathbb{R}^n$, not arbitrary manifolds.
Moreover, I am interested specifically in whether
$$(\text{differential forms on }\mathbb{R}^n\text{ + a notion of inner product defined on them}) \simeq \text{geometric algebra over }\mathbb{R}^n$$
where the isomorphism is as Clifford algebras. (I.e., is geometric algebra just the description of the algebraic properties of differential forms when endowed with a suitable notion of inner product?)
1. Is any geometric algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$ isomorphic to the exterior algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$ in the following senses:
as a vector space? (Should be yes.)
as an exterior algebra?
(Obviously they are not isomorphic as Clifford algebras unless our quadratic form is the zero quadratic form.)
Since the basis of the geometric algebra (as a vector space) is the same (or at least isomorphic to) the basis of the exterior algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$, the answer seems to be yes. Also because the standard embedding of any geometric algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$ into the tensor algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$ always "piggybacks" on the embedding of the exterior algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$, see this MathOverflow question.
2. Are differential forms the standard construction of an object satisfying the algebraic properties of the exterior algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$?
3. Does the answers to 1. and 2. being yes imply that the part in yellow is true?
EDIT: It seems like the only problem might be that differential forms are covariant tensors, whereas I imagine that multivectors are generally assumed to be contravariant. However, distinguishing between co- and contravariant tensors is a standard issue in tensor analysis, so this doesn't really seem like an important issue to me.
Assuming that I am reading this correctly, it seems like the elementary construction of the geometric algebra with respect to the standard inner product over $\mathbb{R}^n$ given by Alan MacDonald here is exactly just the exterior algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$ with inner product.
David Hestenes seems to try and explain some of this somewhat here and here, although I don't quite understand what he is getting at.
(Also his claim in the first document that matrix algebra is subsumed by geometric algebra seems completely false, since he only addresses those aspects which relate to alternating tensors.)
A:
This seems to be best answered by Lounesto's paper "Marcel Riesz's Work on Clifford Algebras" (see here or here). In what follows:
$\bigwedge V=$ the exterior algebra over $V$
$C\ell(Q)=$ the Clifford (geometric) algebra over $V$ w.r.t. the quadratic form $Q$
Note in particular that we always have $C\ell(0)=\bigwedge V$, $0$ being the degenerate quadratic form.
On p. 221, Professor Lounesto discusses, given a non-degenerate quadratic form $Q$, how to define an "inner product" (contraction $\rfloor$) on the exterior algebra $\bigwedge V$.
On p. 223, Professor Lounesto discusses how to extend the inner product (by combining it with the wedge product of the exterior algebra) to produce a Clifford/geometric product on $\bigwedge V$, which makes $\bigwedge V$ isomorphic to $C\ell(Q)$ (the Clifford algebra w.r.t. the quadratic form $Q$).
One can also go the other way around, as M. Riesz originally did in 1958 (see section 1.3, beginning on p. 230, "Riesz's Introduction of an Exterior Product in $C\ell(Q)$ "), and use the Clifford product to define a notion of exterior product which makes $C\ell(Q)$ isomorphic to $\bigwedge V$.
In other words, we do indeed have:
(exterior algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n +$ inner product) $\simeq$ geometric algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$
One should note that $\bigwedge \mathbb{R}^n$, the exterior algebra over $\mathbb{R}^n$, consists of alternating contravariant tensors of rank $k$ over $\mathbb{R}^n$. However, differential forms are alternating covariant tensors of rank $k$ over $\mathbb{R}^n$. So in general they behave differently.
Nevertheless, an inner product on $V$ gives a linear isomorphism between any vector space $V$ and its dual $V^*$ to argue that covariant tensors of rank $k$ and contravariant tensors of rank $k$ are "similar". (Mixed variance tensors complicate things somewhat further, but are not relevant to this question.)
Thus, differential forms are "similar" to $\bigwedge \mathbb{R}^n$ (since they are essentially $\bigwedge (\mathbb{R}^n)^*$). Also, we can just as easily construct a Clifford algebra from $\bigwedge V$ as from $\bigwedge V^*$, so we can extend differential forms to "covariant geometric algebras" by introducing an inner product based on a quadratic form $Q$.
So, perhaps less convincingly, we also do have (at least in an algebraic sense):
(differential forms + inner product) $\simeq$ "covariant geometric algebra" over $\mathbb{R}^n$
It is also worth noting that, according to Professor Lounesto on p. 218, Elie Cartan also studied Clifford algebras, in addition to introducing the modern notions of differential form and exterior derivative. So it is not all too surprising that they should actually be related to one another.
In fact, thinking about (covariant) geometric algebra in terms of "differential forms + inner product", while using the geometric intuition afforded by geometric algebra, actually makes the ideas behind differential forms much more clear. See for example here. I'm only beginning to process all of the implications, but as an example, a $k-$blade represents a $k-$dimensional subspace, and its Hodge dual is the differential form of rank $n-k$ which represents its orthogonal complement. The reason why orthogonal complements are represented in the dual space is because the inner product between two vectors can also be defined as the product of a vector and a covector (w.r.t. our choice of non-degenerate quadratic form $Q$).
All of this should be generalizable from $\mathbb{R}^n$ to the tangent and cotangent spaces of arbitrary smooth manifolds, unless I am missing something. This is especially the case for Riemannian manifolds, where we also get a non-degenerate quadratic form for each (co)tangent space for free.
(Which raises the question of why David Hestenes wants us to throw out smooth manifolds in favor of vector manifolds, a topic for future research.)
As to the answer to "why use geometric algebra and not differential forms", for now my answer is:
Use the tensor algebras over $\mathbb{R}^n$ and $(\mathbb{R}^n)^*$, while appreciating the special properties of their exterior sub-algebras and remembering that, given our favorite quadratic form $Q$, we can always introduce an additional notion of "contraction" or "inner product" to make them into Clifford (geometric) algebras.
Hyping geometric algebra alone misses the importance of linear duals and arbitrary tensors. Likewise, focusing on differential forms alone seems like a good way to do differential geometry without geometric intuition (i.e. with a mathematical lobotomy). Sensible minds may disagree.
Note: There are a lot of differences in the theory in the case that the base field is $\mathbb{F}_2$. To some extent we should expect this, since in that case we don't even have "alternating = anti-symmetric".
In particular, we don't have bivectors for fields of characteristic two, and defining/identifying a grading of the Clifford algebra via an isomorphism with the exterior algebra is impossible (at least if I am interpreting Professor Lounesto's paper correctly).
In any case, when I say "geometric algebra", I essentially mean "Clifford algebras of vector spaces with base field the real numbers", so the exceptions thrown up in the case that the characteristic equals 2 don't really matter for the purposes of this question; we are dealing exclusively with characteristic 0, although generalizations are possible.
A:
I just want to point out that GA can be used to make covariant multivectors (or differential forms) on $\mathbb R^n$ without forcing a metric onto it. In other words, the distinction between vectors and covectors (or between $\mathbb R^n$ and its dual) can be maintained.
This is done with a pseudo-Euclidean space $\mathbb R^{n,n}$.
Take an orthonormal set of spacelike vectors $\{\sigma_i\}$ (which square to ${^+}1$) and timelike vectors $\{\tau_i\}$ (which square to ${^-}1$). Define null vectors
$$\Big\{\nu_i=\frac{\sigma_i+\tau_i}{\sqrt2}\Big\}$$
$$\Big\{\mu_i=\frac{\sigma_i-\tau_i}{\sqrt2}\Big\};$$
they're null because
$${\nu_i}^2=\frac{{\sigma_i}^2+2\sigma_i\cdot\tau_i+{\tau_i}^2}{2}=\frac{(1)+2(0)+({^-}1)}{2}=0$$
$${\mu_i}^2=\frac{{\sigma_i}^2-2\sigma_i\cdot\tau_i+{\tau_i}^2}{2}=\frac{(1)-2(0)+({^-}1)}{2}=0.$$
More generally,
$$\nu_i\cdot\nu_j=\frac{\sigma_i\cdot\sigma_j+\sigma_i\cdot\tau_j+\tau_i\cdot\sigma_j+\tau_i\cdot\tau_j}{2}=\frac{(\delta_{i,j})+0+0+({^-}\delta_{i,j})}{2}=0$$
and
$$\mu_i\cdot\mu_j=0.$$
So the spaces spanned by $\{\nu_i\}$ or $\{\mu_i\}$ each have degenerate quadratic forms. But the dot product between them is non-degenerate:
$$\nu_i\cdot\mu_i=\frac{\sigma_i\cdot\sigma_i-\sigma_i\cdot\tau_i+\tau_i\cdot\sigma_i-\tau_i\cdot\tau_i}{2}=\frac{(1)-0+0-({^-}1)}{2}=1$$
$$\nu_i\cdot\mu_j=\frac{\sigma_i\cdot\sigma_j-\sigma_i\cdot\tau_j+\tau_i\cdot\sigma_j-\tau_i\cdot\tau_j}{2}=\frac{(\delta_{i,j})-0+0-({^-}\delta_{i,j})}{2}=\delta_{i,j}$$
Of course, we could have just started with the definition that $\mu_i\cdot\nu_j=\delta_{i,j}=\nu_i\cdot\mu_j$, and $\nu_i\cdot\nu_j=0=\mu_i\cdot\mu_j$, instead of going through "spacetime".
The space $V$ will be generated by $\{\nu_i\}$, and its dual $V^*$ by $\{\mu_i=\nu^i\}$. You can take the dot product of something in $V^*$ with something in $V$, which will be a differential 1-form. You can make contravariant multivectors from wedge products of things in $V$, and covariant multivectors from wedge products of things in $V^*$.
You can also take the wedge product of something in $V^*$ with something in $V$.
$$\mu_i\wedge\nu_i=\frac{\sigma_i\wedge\sigma_i+\sigma_i\wedge\tau_i-\tau_i\wedge\sigma_i-\tau_i\wedge\tau_i}{2}=\frac{0+\sigma_i\tau_i-\tau_i\sigma_i-0}{2}=\sigma_i\wedge\tau_i$$
$$\mu_i\wedge\nu_j=\frac{\sigma_i\sigma_j+\sigma_i\tau_j-\tau_i\sigma_j-\tau_i\tau_j}{2},\quad i\neq j$$
What does this mean? ...I suppose it could be a matrix (a mixed variance tensor)!
A matrix can be defined as a bivector:
$$M = \sum_{i,j} M^i\!_j\;\nu_i\wedge\mu_j = \sum_{i,j} M^i\!_j\;\nu_i\wedge\nu^j$$
where each $M^i_j$ is a scalar. Note that $(\nu_i\wedge\mu_j)\neq{^-}(\nu_j\wedge\mu_i)$, so $M$ is not necessarily antisymmetric. The corresponding linear function $f:V\to V$ is (with $\cdot$ the "fat dot product")
$$f(x) = M\cdot x = \frac{Mx-xM}{2}$$
$$= \sum_{i,j} M^i_j(\nu_i\wedge\mu_j)\cdot\sum_k x^k\nu_k$$
$$= \sum_{i,j,k} M^i_jx^k\frac{\nu_i\mu_j-\mu_j\nu_i}{2}\cdot\nu_k$$
$$= \sum_{i,j,k} M^i_jx^k\frac{(\nu_i\mu_j)\nu_k-\nu_k(\nu_i\mu_j)-(\mu_j\nu_i)\nu_k+\nu_k(\mu_j\nu_i)}{4}$$
(the $\nu$'s anticommute because their dot product is zero:)
$$= \sum_{i,j,k} M^i_jx^k\frac{\nu_i\mu_j\nu_k+\nu_i\nu_k\mu_j+\mu_j\nu_k\nu_i+\nu_k\mu_j\nu_i}{4}$$
$$= \sum_{i,j,k} M^i_jx^k\frac{\nu_i(\mu_j\nu_k+\nu_k\mu_j)+(\mu_j\nu_k+\nu_k\mu_j)\nu_i}{4}$$
$$= \sum_{i,j,k} M^i_jx^k\frac{\nu_i(\mu_j\cdot\nu_k)+(\mu_j\cdot\nu_k)\nu_i}{2}$$
$$= \sum_{i,j,k} M^i_jx^k\frac{\nu_i(\delta_{j,k})+(\delta_{j,k})\nu_i}{2}$$
$$= \sum_{i,j,k} M^i_jx^k\big(\delta_{j,k}\nu_i\big)$$
$$= \sum_{i,j} M^i_jx^j\nu_i$$
This agrees with the conventional definition of matrix multiplication.
In fact, it even works for non-square matrices; the above calculations work the same if the $\nu_i$'s on the left in $M$ are basis vectors for a different space. A bonus is that it also works for a non-degenerate quadratic form; the calculations don't rely on ${\mu_i}^2=0$, nor ${\nu_i}^2=0$, but only on $\nu_i$ being orthogonal to $\nu_k$, and $\mu_j$ being reciprocal to $\nu_k$. So you could instead have $\mu_j$ (the right factors in $M$) be in the same space as $\nu_k$ (the generators of $x$), and $\nu_i$ (the left factors in $M$) in a different space. A downside is that it won't map a non-degenerate space to itself.
I admit that this is worse than the standard matrix algebra; the dot product is not invertible, nor associative. Still, it's good to have this connection between the different algebras. And it's interesting to think of a matrix as a bivector that "rotates" a vector through the dual space and back to a different point in the original space (or a new space).
Speaking of matrix transformations, I should discuss the underlying principle for "contra/co variance": that the basis vectors may vary.
We want to be able to take any (invertible) linear transformation of the null space $V$, and expect that the opposite transformation applies to $V^*$. Arbitrary linear transformations of the external $\mathbb R^{n,n}$ will not preserve $V$; the transformed $\nu_i$ may not be null. It suffices to consider transformations that preserve the dot product on $\mathbb R^{n,n}$. One obvious type is the hyperbolic rotation
$$\sigma_1\mapsto\sigma_1\cosh\phi+\tau_1\sinh\phi={\sigma_1}'$$
$$\tau_1\mapsto\sigma_1\sinh\phi+\tau_1\cosh\phi={\tau_1}'$$
$$\sigma_2={\sigma_2}',\quad\sigma_3={\sigma_3}',\quad\cdots$$
$$\tau_2={\tau_2}',\quad\tau_3={\tau_3}',\quad\cdots$$
(or, more compactly, $x\mapsto\exp(-\sigma_1\tau_1\phi/2)x\exp(\sigma_1\tau_1\phi/2)$ ).
The induced transformation of the null vectors is
$${\nu_1}'=\frac{{\sigma_1}'+{\tau_1}'}{\sqrt2}=\exp(\phi)\nu_1$$
$${\mu_1}'=\frac{{\sigma_1}'-{\tau_1}'}{\sqrt2}=\exp(-\phi)\mu_1$$
$${\nu_2}'=\nu_2,\quad{\nu_3}'=\nu_3,\quad\cdots$$
$${\mu_2}'=\mu_2,\quad{\mu_3}'=\mu_3,\quad\cdots$$
The vector $\nu_1$ is multiplied by some positive number $e^\phi$, and the covector $\mu_1$ is divided by the same number. The dot product is still ${\mu_1}'\cdot{\nu_1}'=1$.
You can get a negative multiplier for $\nu_1$ simply by the inversion $\sigma_1\mapsto{^-}\sigma_1,\quad\tau_1\mapsto{^-}\tau_1$; this will also negate $\mu_1$. The result is that you can multiply $\nu_1$ by any non-zero Real number, and $\mu_1$ will be divided by the same number.
Of course, this only varies one basis vector in one direction. You could try to rotate the vectors, but a simple rotation in a $\sigma_i\sigma_j$ plane will mix $V$ and $V^*$ together. This problem is solved by an isoclinic rotation in $\sigma_i\sigma_j$ and $\tau_i\tau_j$, which causes the same rotation in $\nu_i\nu_j$ and $\mu_i\mu_j$ (while keeping them separate).
Combine these stretches, reflections, and rotations, and you can generate any invertible linear transformation on $V$, all while maintaining the degeneracy ${\nu_i}^2=0$ and the duality $\mu_i\cdot\nu_j=\delta_{i,j}$. This shows that $V$ and $V^*$ do have the correct "variance".
See also Hestenes' Tutorial, page 5 ("Quadratic forms vs contractions").
| {
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} |
/dts-v1/;
#include "bcm6348.dtsi"
#include <dt-bindings/input/input.h>
/ {
model = "Sagem F@st 2404";
compatible = "sagem,fast-2404", "brcm,bcm6348";
chosen {
bootargs = "rootfstype=squashfs,jffs2 noinitrd console=ttyS0,115200";
stdout-path = "serial0:115200n8";
};
};
&pflash {
status = "okay";
partitions {
compatible = "fixed-partitions";
#address-cells = <1>;
#size-cells = <1>;
cfe@0 {
label = "CFE";
reg = <0x000000 0x010000>;
read-only;
};
linux@10000 {
label = "linux";
reg = <0x010000 0x3e0000>;
compatible = "brcm,bcm963xx-imagetag";
};
nvram@3f0000 {
label = "nvram";
reg = <0x3f0000 0x010000>;
};
};
};
&pinctrl {
pinctrl-names = "default";
pinctrl-0 = <&pinctrl_pci &pinctrl_ext_mii &pinctrl_mii_pccard>;
};
&uart0 {
status = "okay";
};
| {
"pile_set_name": "Github"
} |
Q:
How to add set elements to a string in python
how would I add set elements to a string in python? I tried:
sett = set(['1', '0'])
elements = ''
for i in sett:
elements.join(i)
but no dice. when I print elements the string is empty. help
A:
I believe you want this:
s = set(['1', '2'])
asString = ''.join(s)
Be aware that sets are not ordered like lists are. They'll be in the order added typically until something is removed, but the order could be different than the order you added them.
| {
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Monday, 29 August 2011
Anthropogenic habitat modifications don't scare off marsh harriers
Over the past several decades, a growing number of studies have linked declines in biodiversity and abundance--especially of birds--with intensification of agricultural practices. Replacement of uncultivated areas with farm fields, use of pesticides, increases in monocultures, and earlier harvesting dates have all been associated with reductions in the quality of hunting/nesting habitats, reproductive failure, mortality of individual birds, and increased heterogeneity of bird communities.
However, as has been discussed in previous posts, not all animals respond to anthropogenic disturbance in the same way. Thus, it is likely that some species might not be negatively impacted by agricultural practices--in fact, they might benefit from them. For instance, species that depend on wetlands might thrive in agricultural areas where the use of irrigation has created artificial ponds and wetlands that either generate new habitats or replace those that were previously lost to agricultural expansion.
(Hunting marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus)
This appears to be the case among marsh harriers (Circus aeruginosus) in the Catalan Ebro basin, an agricultural area in the Iberian Peninsula. The harriers declined in Europe between 1960 and 1980 because of pesticide contamination, hunting, and heavy drainage of the wetlands where they breed. Harrier populations have been recovering in recent decades, to the point where they are actually increasing their geographic range in some locations. These improvements appear to be linked with the birds' use of artificial ponds/reservoirs created by local farmers.
(Map outlining the Ebro Basin area of the Iberian Peninsula. Traditionally, agriculture here included extensive cultivation of cereal crops separated by field margins; fallow grounds were allowed to rest for one or more years, during which time they were used for grazing of livestock. During the 20th century, however, farming practices changed: A variety of alternative crops became popular, irrigation systems were established, and both the fallow system and field margins were eliminated. Currently, the region is an "agricultural mosaic" composed of arable, non-irrigated cereal crops, irrigated fields, dry fruit trees, and irrigated fruit trees.)
To investigate this hypothesis, researchers from the Universitat de Barcelona, the Estación Biológica de Doñana, and the Universidad Pablo de Olavide monitored breeding marsh harriers from 1997-2008 and measured habitat variables within and around wetlands where the birds were found nesting. Parameters of interest included type of habitat (e.g., artificial pond vs. reservoir vs. river, etc.), amount of vegetation in the wetland, shape of the wetland, amount of open water, type of agriculture associated with the wetland, and proximity to anthropogenic structures such as villages and roads.
Of the 617 total wetlands in the study area, only 51 had the minimum requirements that made them suitable for marsh harrier breeding. Of these, 68% were artificial water bodies associated with agricultural irrigation. Approximately 69% of these wetlands were occupied at least once during the study.
(Marsh harrier in flight)
Features of both the immediate (within-wetland) and extended (within a 3-km radius of the wetland) environment were associated with chosen breeding territories: Marsh harriers seemed to strongly prefer habitats with higher areas of aquatic vegetation; they were also drawn to wetlands near agricultural fields with highly irrigated herbaceous crops. The importance of these two levels of habitat features--both near to, and far from, the nesting site--suggests that the birds are satisfied not only with the apparent safety of the breeding ground, but also with the likelihood that they will find sufficient prey in the nearby fields. The fact that they are particularly drawn towards heavily managed cropland indicates that the birds are not being scared off by anthropogenic activities. Even better, the researchers did not find any relationship between habitat attributes and productivity. In other words, harriers in agricultural areas are not suffering reduced breeding success because of their fondness for artificial wetlands.
The scientists suggest that one of the reasons harriers may thrive in anthropogenic areas is the constant wetness due to influx of water from irrigation; in natural environments, wetlands often dry out during spring and summer because they are not continually supplied with fresh water. The authors also point out how the current results support previous findings suggesting that marsh harriers are able to find an abundance of prey in "agriculturally intense" habitats. However, neither study was able to document specifics related to harrier hunting practices, so more data will need to be collected--how far the birds fly, which areas of the habitat they use, what species they are eating--in order to explain the mechanisms behind their apparent success in anthropogenic areas.
Raptors such as the marsh harrier are often used as bioindicators--species whose population trends reflect the health of an ecosystem--because they are at the top of the food chain. This study shows that at least some raptors can adapt to the presence of humans; thus, this group of animals may not uniformly be good at providing early warnings of habitat degradation. However, the researchers point out that "finer cues" such as individual health and survival might indicate forms of ecosystem degradation that were not studied here--including water pollution and pesticide use. This is another possibility that will require attention in future studies.
Who is the "Anthrophysist"?
I am a biologist who studies the ways in which anthropogenic disturbance impacts animals (especially birds). I hope that the results of my work, and the work of other researchers like me, can help humans learn how to coexist more peacefully with wildlife. I am also interested in the role that nature has played in shaping human cultures around the world and over the centuries. Although this blog will predominantly focus on scientific research, I hope to occasionally profile some anthropological work as well, in order to better highlight the interconnectedness of humans ("anthro") and nature ("physis"). | {
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Canton of Saint-Affrique
The canton of Saint-Affrique is an administrative division of the Aveyron department, southern France. Its borders were not modified at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Saint-Affrique.
It consists of the following communes:
La Bastide-Pradines
Calmels-et-le-Viala
Roquefort-sur-Soulzon
Saint-Affrique
Saint-Félix-de-Sorgues
Saint-Izaire
Saint-Jean-d'Alcapiès
Saint-Rome-de-Cernon
Tournemire
Vabres-l'Abbaye
Versols-et-Lapeyre
References
Category:Cantons of Aveyron | {
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In-program video advertising is the new black.
Our customers can maximize revenue for a show, day-part, audience segment or specific scene of a program. From DoubleClick for Publishers to Watchwith native ad units targeted using an advertiser's DMP, Watchwith is a data driven in-program video ad solution for an increasingly data driven world. | {
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Q:
How to flatten tables using LINQ
I've this query:
var usersByBranch = (from u in _db.VRT_User
join urb in _db.VRT_UserRoleBranch on u.UserId equals urb.UserId
join r in _db.VRT_Role on urb.RoleId equals r.RoleId
where branches.Contains(urb.BranchId)
select new UserRoleBranchModel
{
UserId = u.UserId,
BranchId = urb.BranchId,
RoleId = urb.RoleId,
RoleName = r.RoleName
});
In this query, for the same userId, the roleId (1-4) and RoleName with the same BranchId are returned separately.
I'd like to flatten the rows, so that a row with the same userId contains all the RoleId and RoleName within the same BranchId.
Your help is greatly appreciated.
A:
Not sure what you mean by contains, but you can't use the same UserRoleBranchModel to hold multiple roles, so an anonymous object will do the job:
var usersByBranch = (from u in _db.VRT_User
join urb in _db.VRT_UserRoleBranch on u.UserId equals urb.UserId
join r in _db.VRT_Role on urb.RoleId equals r.RoleId
where branches.Contains(urb.BranchId)
group r by new { urb.UserId, urb.BranchId } into rg
select new {
UserId = rg.Key.UserId,
BranchId = rg.Key.BranchId,
Roles = rg.Select(r => r)
});
| {
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A meeting place to exchange views, no matter how different or diverse these may be. Keeping these civil and courteous would be appreciated
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Malaysian Mandate of Heaven
Currently Ku Li is in a bit of an embarrassing strife because of an unsigned Stat Dec, but it won't matter much because I suspect Najib really doesn't give two figs about Ku Li being mentioned or involved in a document as an alternative PM, as he only wanted Ku Li's public declaration of support for him (a gimmickry as it has been) to show the Heartland that other than an unhappy unpleasant and unreasonable old man, everyone in UMNO supports his PM-ship.
In UMNO there's always all kinds of Machiavellian manoeuvres, all of which we can indeed assume to be surely Machiavellian wakakaka, and where the only difference is only in each's degree of intensity (the Machiavellian nature, that is), wakakaka again.
Ku Li had once tried to move democratically against UMNO Baru on a Semangat 46 platform but alas, he found out that fighting from outside against UMNO was near impossible. UMNO had/has the resources (very very deep pockets), the political infrastructure and network, control of the so-called apolitical (but very political) government institutions, and control of the media - it's only in recent times some media outlets have broken free of UMNO's control but this phenomenon may be short-lived.
Thus, more so for an UMNO man, erstwhile, former or ex, he or she must get back into UMNO to be able to ascend to where he wants to be, particularly if he/she aspires to be PM.
Would Mahathir have become PM if Razak (Najib's dad) didn't invite and accept him back?
Would AAB (previously aligned with Ku Li) have become PM if he didn't kuai kuai kowtow to Mahathir and return to the Mothership?
Thus Ku Li returns to UMNO, to wait and wait and wait for his chance to become PM. But he was both too cautious to take opportunistic chances and also too much of a proud aristocrat to kowtow kuai kuai to the demands and conditions of a commoner like Mahathir.
Yes, poor Ku Li was not as sly and as quietly kuai-laan as AAB and Najib who both acted as if they would 'tremblingly hear and obey' but gave Mahathir the two fingers once they become PM, wakakaka.
Alas, but it has to be said that AAB didn't fare too well in this regard though Najib seems to be resisting Mahathir's multiple attempts to dislodge him, wakakaka.
Anyway, there is no denying Ku Li has always wanted to be PM, which explains the SD the DAP has shown in an attempt to chip away and undermine the perceived support Ku Li has declared for Ah Jib Gor - see MM Online's Zahid can corroborate Ku Li’s role in SD, says DAP man.
However, this time I suspect Ku Li might have finally abandoned his 35 years' dream - one which sadly for him couldn't be realized only because he had foolishly given way to Mahathir as Hussein Onn's deputy because he had wanted to first sort out UMNO's financial business (Ku Li had the highest support compared to the other 2 UMNO VPs), and eventually as Malaysia's 4th PM, and only because he also foolishly believed Mahathir would keep his word to have him as DPM.
Sigh, he doesn't have the Mandate of Heaven, wakakaka.
Mandate of Heaven
In this regard, yes, we could say Mahathir had been treacherous to Ku Li in not keeping his words, an agreement to make the latter as his DPM as Ku Li had willingly given way to him to be deputy president UMNO and of course the PM, but then what do you expect when that's UMNO, a veritable nest of vipers.
Nonetheless, why has he (Mahathir) complained about AAB and Najib not keeping their word to him? Didn't he set the example vis-a-vis Ku Li for them to follow?Ain't karma such a bitch? Wakakaka.
But wait, I apologise for boring you with this sense of outrage at the blatant double standards because I kept forgetting that's UMNO, wakakaka.
And that's why, to reiterate, UMNO is a nest of vipers with mucho Machiavellian activities and schemes, wakakaka, which BTW should also include Anwar's attempted move against Mahathir back in 1998.
And to show my argument is true that UMNO blokes like Ku Li and Anwar (and indeed even Mahathir himself) prefer to be within UMNO than outside, let's see what Anwar did after he was out-manoeuvred by Mahathir following the failed attempt to oust the Old Man in June 1998.
OK, let's hear what he said just a mere two months later, on 12 August 1998, during the opening of the then-new Penang UMNO building. That was when the UMNO jungle drums were already beating away that Anwar was going for broke for the presidency of UMNO because of the virtually irreparable rift between the two UMNO top leaders, wakakaka. Anwar said:"I have said this many times, but it has all been for nought, but right here in front of my Penang friends, I want to announce my full support and loyalty to Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed for him to remain as party president."
"Dr. Mahathir is not a new leader. He has vast experience in all matters. If you compare me to him, I am just a student. I can never go against my mentor, much less my father. We may have some differences but it is impossible to believe that these petty differences will split us up. When it comes to important matters, including economic issues, we stand united."
Well, … mentor-student, vast experience in all matters and father-son ... what do we make of those sweet endearing words?
Hmmm, Anwar had said this of Mahathir during AAB's time when the latter was encountering mucho problemo with His Imperial Maharaja, wakakaka, that Mahathir was suffering from delusion about his stewardship of the country:
“He is surrounded by tok ampu (apple polishers) who never tell him the real picture. That is why he never gets the real truth. In that sense, I pity the man.”
Now, when Anwar lavished those sweet syrupy words of … mentor-student, vast experience in all matters and father-son ... for Mahathir on 12 August 1998, wasn't he also one of those tok ampu he complained surrounded Mahathir? Wakakaka.
And we all knew his tok ampu-ness' sweet honey-laced words cut no ice with an already furious fuming Mahathir.
Yes, Anwar knew the near insurmountable difficulties of becoming PM when outside UMNO, which was why he fought tooth and nail to get back into the Mothership, even unto suing Mahathir and the government in 1998 for unconstitutional dismissal of him from his DPM and Finance Minister's positions - my late Bhai was his lawyer. Utusan reported:
He also sought a declaration that his dismissal as from 5.30pm on Sept 2 1998 is null and void, inconsequential and of no effect.
Anwar, who is also seeking a declaration that he is still a minister in the cabinet, is also asking for cost and any further or other relief deemed fit and proper by the court.
But as I mentioned it's not easy to fight 'city hall' from outside for reasons listed above - naturally he lost and Mahathir triumphed over him once more in that court case.
But he still didn't give up because when he was released by AAB in 2006, we were told by a Malaysiakini news report on 10 August 2006 that he sought out Ku Li for advice on his political future.
This was what I had blogged a day after the Malaysiakini report:
Tengku Razaleigh (Ku Li) has confirmed what I have been averring all along – that Anwar Ibrahim yearns and plans to return to UMNO.
I had stated that once a person has experienced power at the very top, as Anwar Ibrahim had before he was ousted on the eve of his prime ministership, that person would find it extremely difficult to accept being at a lower political position, like say, a mere opposition leader.
And in Malaysia, there is only one avenue to the top of the political hierarchy, via UMNO, full stop!
After Anwar was released from prison, he went to see Ku Li. Ku Li advised him that there were only two parties for Anwar to reach the top, rejoin UMNO or join PAS to become its head and transform the Islamist party into a modern attractive and powerful alternative party. If he was able to achieve the latter he could even be the first PAS PM. Ku Li also advised him to stop mucking around with loser PKR.
But obviously UMNO is the easier path of the two. Ku Li said: “I advised him if you want to get back to mainstream politics, or want to be prime minister, you should go back to UMNO. How? He has to work it out. I am not to advise him [on that]."
Ku Li told Anwar: "Your wife (Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) only won because it was your (previous) seat in Permatang Pauh".[recall in the 2004 GE how Wan Azizah scrapped through after a couple of recounts (losing in the first two counts), winning with 21,737 votes to UMNO Pirdaus Ismail's 21,147, a scary majority of only 590 votes which in practical terms translated into a win by only 296 votes - and that was what must have influenced Ku Li's words]
However, Ku Li told Malaysiakini he doubt whether Anwar will win if he (Anwar) were to stand again in Permatang Pauh - unless he stands on either PAS or UMNO ticket.
According to Ku Li, Anwar agreed to his advice.
But alas for him, he couldn't batter down the shut-very-tight UMNO gates, wakakaka, despite his attempts to charm AAB, on which I have a couple of posts, wakakaka.
Hmmm again, I wonder whether it was a coincidence that GAN (Gerakan Anti Najib) or as it's known today by its English acronym ANC, started around that time in which a poor and already dead Shaariibuu Altantuyaa was repetitively 'murdered' by Malaysian politics (extracts):
By sheer speed of their computation of advantage
What to extract, exploit, extricate from my name
Squeezing the very last speck of desiccated blood
From my hyper cold shattered fragments of bones
Eager hands raided the ossuary for me to be laid
As stepping stones for the progress of a demigod
On Ardha-Matanga, 4 tasks & seven white trunks
Saluting Brahma, walking to Amarawati by a lake
As the pseudo-pious pirouetting pachyderm crushesWhat little good left of my name, what trust existsIn my family’s hope for requital of my cruel murderI realize those raucous battle cries were not for me
Oh, what filial piety PKR had shown to Altantuyaa
Even in 2008 when Pakatan Rakyat was riding a political tsunami and performed its best, it was still short of 30 seats for a majority, testifying to the difficulties in (not impossibility of) dislodging a 50-year old established 'city hall'.
The BN's majority of 58 seats in 2008 (140 vs PR's 82) meant that Pakatan was short of 30 seats, a charming round figure, to depose BN from majority rule, but alas Anwar didn't couldn't wait until GE-13.
His impatience led to the shameful 916, a sickening best-forgotten attempt to subvert the supremacy of the ballot box, and an event which saw ONLY my Bhai speaking out angrily against the sleazy slimy sickening frog-ology-to-majority-rule, a trademark of tadpoles hatched in the cesspool.
But I wonder whether the new charming 'de facto' (wakakaka) PKR leader, will play the game that AAB and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had played quite successfully?
1 comment:
Ku Li whatever his intentions were,have to be careful of whom he shared his bed with.Whether it is Mahathir's gang or the shameless,headless and good for nothing opposition.Now all their pillow talk and bedroom roams are thrown out in the open,including the kitchen sink and toilets.Ku Li should have known by now,how dangerous women scorned can be.
About Me
Just a bloke interested in the socio-political whatnots around the world, particularly those in Malaysia. Loves a laugh or/and story or two, or more, but loves civility and courtesy much more, especially in politics | {
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A TV icon, Mr Body Language and a police officer walked into a conference...
A TV icon, Mr Body Language and a police officer walked into a conference...
05 January 2017
We had the pleasure of participating in the FBAA National Industry conference in the last week of November. As always it’s an outstanding event bringing together an 800 strong mix of brokers, celebrities, gurus and experts. Here are our highlights.
Speakers
While we work in the finance industry there’s much we can learn from other industries and take back to our day jobs. Hearing from Allan Pease on the art of body language was an eye opener, Graeme Edwards from the Queensland Police showed us the importance of cyber security for while Adam Franklin showcased his guru credentials with a masterclass on social media marketing - a must for any broker looking to build their business. The headline act was Mr Mark Bouris of Yellow Brick Road and Apprentice Australia fame and he didn’t disappoint delivering his keynote in typical charismatic and confident style.
Race to the finish
At our very own stand we hosted delegates who lined up against each other on our racing simulator. Things were competitive through the day but our clear winner (if not of an actual race) was Peter White of the FBAA!
Gala dinner and awards
Festivities at Movie World are always fun and the 2016 edition didn’t disappoint. Capping off a great evening, big congratulations to the winners of the 2016 FBAA awards:
Thanks to the FBAA for putting on a brilliant event, we had a great time at the event and look forward to participating again next year. If you would like to discuss how we can help your clients grow their business we’re back on deck after a short break so contact us now.
Requiring Finance?
If you require a business loan from $5,000 to $500,000 with no upfront fees then apply now! We'll have one of our loan consultants call you as soon as possible. | {
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The Brothers Koch: Rich, Political And Playing To Win
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew H. Walker/Staff/Getty Images Andrew H. Walker/Staff/Getty Images
Chances are you've never heard of Charles and David Koch. The brothers own Koch Industries, a Kansas-based conglomerate that operates oil refineries in several states and is the company behind brands including Brawny paper towels, Dixie cups, Georgia-Pacific lumber, Lycra fibers and Stainmaster carpet. Forbes ranks Koch Industries as the second-largest privately held company in the U.S. -- and the Koch brothers themselves? They're worth billions.
And in the past 30 years, they've funneled more than $100 million into dozens of political organizations, many of which are trying to steer the country in a more libertarian direction. Among the organizations they've backed are the Cato Institute, a Washington think tank that has recently raised questions about climate change, and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia -- which one Democratic strategist called "ground zero for deregulation policy in Washington."
Enlarge this image toggle caption The New Yorker The New Yorker
The brothers also have created several neutral-sounding groups like Citizens for a Sound Economy -- which staged media events to oppose President Clinton's proposed Btu tax on energy -- and Citizens for the Environment, which called many environmental problems, including acid rain, "myths."
David Koch founded the group Americans for Prosperity Foundation, which has been linked to the Tea Party -- training hundreds of activists in Texas and hosting talking points for Tea Party activists on its website.
Jane Mayer, a staff writer at The New Yorker, profiles the brothers and their political connections in the Aug. 30 issue of the magazine. Her article "Covert Operations" describes how the brothers' political interests "dovetail with [their] corporate interests."
In Their Own Words Koch Industries Responds To Media Reports
On Thursday's Fresh Air, Mayer joins Terry Gross for a conversation about the Kochs' funding efforts, particularly what she describes as their broad and vigorous campaigns to manufacture grassroots political opinion. As she notes in the article, "the brothers have funded opposition campaigns against so many Obama administration policies -- from health care reform to the economic-stimulus program -- that, in political circles, their ideological network is known as the Kochtopus." (Koch Industries has responded to recent media coverage and Internet discussions with a set of "Koch Facts" published on its website.)
Before joining The New Yorker, Mayer was the first female White House correspondent for The Wall Street Journal. She is also the author of the best-selling 2008 book The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals. | {
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;
; Definition file of CRYPTCATSVC.dll
; Automatic generated by gendef
; written by Kai Tietz 2008-2014
;
LIBRARY "CRYPTCATSVC.dll"
EXPORTS
CryptsvcDllCtrl
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Safe Storage of Passwords, Private Keys, and Other Important Information KeepMySeed Follow Jan 4 · 5 min read
KeepMySeed.com
Everyone who reads these lines has many his/her own accounts on the Internet, such as online banking, social networks, e-mail, private keys, seed phrases needed to recover Bitcoin funds on-chain, etc. … Many things in our world depend on the safe storage of this data. And many people make a mistake and store all their passwords and other sensitive data in regular files on their devices. All the devices are network-connected, and thus, they are subject to cyber threats, such as Trojans, viruses, hacker attacks, etc. One of these fine days, you can be left without access to your e-mail address to which almost all your accounts are attached. And having lost access to your e-mail, you automatically lose access to many of your accounts linked to your e-mail. After all, an attacker will have no trouble changing the passwords from your accounts using your e-mail. What does this threaten? The attacker will see all your personal correspondence from social networks. And if there is information compromising you, you can be subject to extortion and surrender. Online banking is also vulnerable, and even two-factor authentication via SMS is not a sovereign remedy at the present time. There are so many ways to bypass this protection in 2020. In other words, you can lose all your money. But currently, attackers show a special interest in cryptocurrency wallets. After all, having gained access to such a wallet, they can transfer all funds to their addresses with impunity and without special schemes to hide traces, as against ordinary bank accounts.
Our KeepMySeed team thought about methods for safe storage of sensitive data for a very long time and came up with an interesting idea: We offer you to store important data in NFC tags.
What are NFC tags?
NFC tags are passive devices that operate without power supply; they must fall within a certain range for activation. The tags cannot transfer data by themselves; instead, they are simply used to transfer information to an “active” device — to a Smartphone, for example.
Why did we decide on this particular method?
1. An NFC tag is not connected to the Internet. And this means that it is not subject to such threats as the penetration of a trojan or other hacker attack.
2. NFC tags have a low cost. The simplest NFC tag in the form of a sticker costs from 10 rubles. It is sold in almost every city. You can record the most important data on such a label and stick it, for example, under the cover of your passport. As we know, most adequate people hide their passports in a safe place. Hence, your passwords will be in safekeeping.
3. It is easy to work with NFC tags. Currently, most Smartphones have the ability to record and read NFC tags.
How does it work?
We developed KeepMySeed, a special application on Android (the version on iOS will be ready in the nearest future).
First of all, you should install the application on your Smartphone and run it. Then bring the Smartphone to the NFC tag. A dialog box appears in which you should enter your sensitive data. Also, when recording, you can specify “Encrypt Data”. In this case, the program will propose you to enter a password for the data encryption. And the data will be encrypted using the AES — this is the safest data storage method. All your sensitive data in the tag will be encrypted. And even if an attacker takes possession of your tag, he/she can only read disorganized data. In order to obtain ordered data from this data chaos, the attacker will have to enter the password key for decryption, which you created when recording the tag.
As a result, we have the following: You need to create and remember only one password key. This password key will be used to encrypt and decrypt your data in the NFC tag. This is much easier than remembering dozens of logins and passwords.
NFC tags may be in many different types and form factors as follows:
NFC stickers — these are thin stickers with a chip integrated.
Smart rings with NFC chip — all your sensitive data is in the ring on your finger in the encrypted form.
NFC implants for implantation under the skin — at the present time, the surgery for implanting an NFC chip under the skin can be performed painlessly in almost any piercing center. The chip itself is very tiny and does not make itself felt under the skin.
NFC key chains, cards, etc.
If there are no NFC tags sales outlets in your city, you can order them on our website https://KeepMySeed.com/
You can download the KeepMySeed application for recording and reading NFC tags on Google Play (This application has open source code. And it is available for audit. You may find all information about this on the page on Google Play).
You can follow the news about the development of the project in our telegram channel https://tglink.ru/KeepMySeed (The version of the application for iOS will be announced in the nearest future here).
If you have any questions about the program, you can write in our telegram chat https://tglink.ru/KeepMySeed_chat
The visual demonstration of the application is here: https://youtu.be/KJtpDS01ocE
Sincerely yours KeepMySeed.com Team | {
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Federal prosecutors are investigating interactions between vendors and officials at President Trump’s inaugural committee, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Officials at the committee reportedly pushed back against top vendor Hargrove Inc., which purportedly submitted a budget that used “wildly different pricing” from previous inaugurals.
The newspaper also reports that after the Trump D.C. hotel asked for $3.6 million for eight days of catering and space rental, an unnamed inaugural official forwarded the request to other committee members.
“Ummm…” the official reportedly wrote.
Other elements of the inaugural – which took in a record $107 million haul – have attracted interest.
Prosecutors are investigating whether or not inaugural vendors took payments off the books for services provided to the committee, according to news reports.
The WSJ story sheds more light on a phone call between Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and inaugural vendor Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, whose company WIS Media Partners was paid $25 million by the committee. A recording of the call was found by federal prosecutors during an April 2018 raid of Cohen’s office, sparking the investigation.
The WSJ reports that Wolkoff expressed concerns on the recording regarding Hargrove, deputy inaugural chair Rick Gates, and the committee’s chairman Tom Barrack.
Manhattan federal prosecutors subpoenaed the committee this month for information regarding the inaugural’s spending, and whether foreign nationals had given money in contravention of federal campaign finance laws. | {
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Single Moms Are Like Real-Life Wonder Women
“The number one thing moms never discuss are the days that are really hard.”
Let’s be honest; being a single mother is hard.
Going through the ups (and many downs) of pregnancy, painfully pushing through childbirth, and then putting everything you have into raising a child is no easy feat, and when you have to face all of it alone without a partner to battle along with you, life can be even more difficult.
To help cope with the flood of emotions and new life experiences being thrown at her, she started The Single Mum Diaries, a blog which would allow her to write about all of the things she was learning, and as a support network for other women who might find themselves pregnant, alone, and without a clue what to do next.
Stead is honest, taking a no-holds-barred approach to single-motherhood on her blog and in life, and isn’t afraid to give her real thoughts on being a stand-alone parent, not needing a man in her life to ‘save the day’, and feeling like Wonder Woman at the end of a long day of parenting and doing it all on her own. I spoke to Stead about what she’d learned being a single mom, and why it’s empowering as hell for her…
When you found out you were pregnant, what things went through your head?
“When I found out I was pregnant I was really excited, but it was definitely unplanned. I was more of a ‘career’ type of person and my partner at the time had actually suggested having a baby and I told him it was not really something I wanted to do at that point in time. It was only a couple of days later that I thought “Oh, my period hasn’t come…” so the whole pregnancy was really quite a shock to me. Obviously, life had other plans for me and decided to send me down a completely different path”
What is some advice you give to women who have been left while pregnant?
“It’s such a difficult and emotional time. I think the main thing for me, whether it’s being left pregnant or an emotional relationship that’s fallen apart, is you’ve really got to get to a place in your mental state where you can start to use your pain as your power to move forward. That’s one of the mantras that I’m always telling women in these situations; use your pain as your power and go from looking at him as an ex-partner to looking at him as the father of your child, and try really hard to differentiate the two. Which, honestly, hasn’t gone too well for me but I’ve definitely done everything in my power to keep thinking about it that way.
I think that’s definitely my biggest piece of advice is to try to change your mindset about the situation, as hard as it can be. Because while you might want to just mope around and be really upset, I think when you’re pregnant, you’ve got that other person that you’re starting to think about as well so it isn’t as hard as a regular breakup, in my opinion, because you’ve got that force behind you.
So many of the women who I speak to that have been left pregnant are married, which shocks me because I just didn’t think that would be so common. I remember when I first fell pregnant and he left, I thought “We should have got married first and we could have worked through this situation,” but then I met all of these women saying their husbands just couldn’t handle the responsibility and left. And now these women have gone on to buy homes or start businesses and I look at them and I think they’re amazing.”
What are some things you’ve experienced as a single mom which have surprised you the most?
“Obviously, there are single moms out there who have the financial support of having an ex-partner who actually contributes, but then you’ve got people like me who are doing it all on their own. And we’re actually not as rare as I first I thought at the start. I thought to be a single mom was a really embarrassing thing but it actually happens to people every day. But the financial side of it was quite a shock to me.
That, and I think the other most surprising thing is the level of guts that it really takes every day to be everything that you need to be for two people. You really have to dig deep inside yourself to give yourself to your child when you’re going through something so big and don’t think you have the energy to get up and be a mother. You’ve really got to try hard to make sure you can get through every day and I think that’s been one of the most surprising things is just seeing myself get to a point where I’m so exhausted but then I get that second wave of energy where I realize I have to be a mom and I get up and do it.”
What’s the highest point of motherhood for you?
“Just seeing this little person grow up into someone that you’re proud of. That’s definitely the highest point for me. I just love seeing their little mannerisms come out and noticing the ways that they’re so kind. Ever is very much a caring little person who’s always hugging other kids at daycare and kissing people. She’s very caring towards them. So I think seeing their little personalities grow as they start to form into a person is definitely the highlight.”
What are some of the ‘unspoken’ negatives of being a single parent?
“I think the number one thing that moms never discuss are the days that are just really hard, and the days where you’re really struggling. I think they feel that if they share these bad feelings they’re going to be frowned upon. Privately, among mothers, we definitely talk about “Oh my god, I said this horrible thing today,” or, “I screamed at her,” or “I shouted at him,” and things like that which you’d never openly discuss. I try and do as much as I can of that on the blog without opening myself up to unnecessary negativity and be as honest as possible. I definitely think you need to be open about the days where you’re having a really tough time and not try to make it a joke. I think some moms try and sugar-coat the bad times as if they’re funny, and I think that can make other mothers feel a bit worse.
And the amount of mother-shaming you experience is such a crappy surprise as well. Online, yes, but even in public people will shame you because you’re not parenting the way that they would have. That’s a really big shock too. You’ve just entered motherhood and doing the best you can and strangers start saying to you “I’d have a sweater on that child,” or “Have you wrapped that baby up enough?” when they’re a newborn and the baby has 4 layers on and looks like it could be in the Antartic and you’re just thinking “yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s wrapped enough…”.”
How does being a single mom make you feel empowered?
“I think being a single mom is empowering because of the fact that you’re doing the roles of two people when most people have that other person. So I think you do sort of get an air about yourself like, “I can do anything because it normally takes two people to do this but I can do it all on my own.” That’s definitely something that I take a lot of pride in.
A lot of people write to me and say, “Oh my god I don’t know how you do it as a single mom. I have a husband or serious partner and I couldn’t imagine doing what you do.” When those comments come in I feel really proud of myself. Because I’m so knee-deep in single parent life I sometimes forget not everyone has to do it all on their own. I don’t really have anything to compare it to because Ever’s father was never in the picture. For me, I think you just need to give yourself a pat on the back and know that you are doing a great job and generally it takes two people, plus a whole entire tribe, so it’s pretty good to be coping on your own.
Everyone has their own path, that’s what I always say to people. Not many people are picked to travel such a hard road and I think people forget that. I think these kinds of things are not a coincidence; you were picked for this and the lessons that come from it, you were chosen to learn those. That’s what I believe anyway. Whether it’s starting something like the ‘Single Mum Diaries‘ and helping people all over the world, or buying your own house, or discovering how to be strong on your own, you’ll eventually learn why this has happened to you and it will all become clear to you.”
Leila Stead partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products as an ambassador for the Wonder Woman Mother’s Day range available in store and online at Big W.
Pictures supplied by Single Mum Diaries, taken by Amylu Photography.
Comment: What are some of the most empowering things about being a mother to you?
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This summer, iconic Disneyland park attractions make their return with the reopening of “Fantasmic!,” the Rivers of America attractions and the Disneyland Railroad. We know these classic attractions – many of which have delighted guests since the park’s opening day – are very special to Disneyland park fans, and we are excited to celebrate their return.
For 25 years, “Fantasmic!” has taken Disneyland park guests on a journey into Mickey Mouse’s imagination, and its return on July 17 – in celebration of the park’s 62nd anniversary – will bring new magic to this beloved nighttime spectacular! The treasured Disneyland park experience guests have loved for years, complete with its original fanfare and theme song, will be taken to brilliant new heights. New mist screens will combine with innovative, state-of-the-art projection technology for brighter and more vibrant visuals than ever before, and the show will feature new scenes inspired by Disney animated classics such as “Aladdin” and “The Lion King.”
Also this summer, the classic Rivers of America attractions will reopen, starting with Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island this Friday, June 16, followed by Mark Twain Riverboat, Sailing Ship Columbia and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes on July 29. For decades, guests have traveled the landscapes inspired by four of America’s majestic rivers: the Mississippi, the Columbia, the Missouri and the Rio Grande; each carefully recreated, complete with indigenous rock formations, natural forests and wildlife. The return of these watercraft will bring even more breathtaking views for guests to discover, including an enhanced adventure featuring the new Columbia Gorge section, highlighted by five picturesque waterfalls. Last year, we shared the artist’s rendering above, courtesy of Walt Disney Imagineering, showing the gorgeous new north bank of the Rivers of America, which will feature a beautiful new waterfront.
This new waterfront will also include several elevated trestles over which the Disneyland Railroad will travel when it reopens along with the Rivers of America attractions on July 29. An icon for more than 60 years, the Disneyland Railroad holds a special place in the hearts of our guests, and we are excited to take them on the grand circle tour of Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom once again. This classic experience will also feature new and enhanced adventures! For the very first time, the Disneyland Railroad will make a left-hand turn to continue around Disneyland park, and I’m excited to tell you that Walt Disney’s legendary dioramas of the Grand Canyon and Primeval World have been carefully restored to their original splendor, with a bit of new magic added to both!
Don’t miss this iconic summer as some of your favorite attractions return to Disneyland park. | {
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Finger Point (Victoria Land)
Finger Point () is a narrow rocky point forming the eastern extremity of The Flatiron, in Granite Harbour, Victoria Land. It was mapped and descriptively named by the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910–13, under Robert Falcon Scott.
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Category:Scott Coast | {
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“The Six Million Dollar Man” was one of the most memorable episodic TV action dramas of its day back in the early- to mid-1970s; but, strangely, it has rarely been seen since the long-running series was suddenly cancelled in 1978 after a successful run of five seasons and four TV movies. The show detailed the exploits of ex NASA test pilot turned secret agent, Steve Austin (Universal contract player Lee Majors), who worked for the Office of Scientific Investigation (OSI) under the ever-watchful eye of his best friend, Oscar Goldman (Richard Anderson) -- the Washington-based Governmental agent who sent him on his varied missions every week, involving everything from robotic replacements to Cold War telepathic spies and crime magnates, not to mention the odd towering, alien-created Bigfoot cyborg. Austin stood out as an ordinary guy made especially unique by science through having had his right arm, both his legs and his left eye replaced in pioneering work developed by Dr Rudy Wells (played by several actors across the run, but made iconic by Martin E. Brooks from series three onwards), after an near fatal plane crash left him nothing more than ‘a man barely alive’. At Wells’ secret Government funded Colorado research facility, Steve Austin was brought back from the brink, sporting new artificial limbs with ‘bionic’ components that gave him superhuman strength and enhanced 20:1 vision, to make him ‘better than he was before’.
Lee Majors quickly became a handsome 1970s sex symbol in polyester thanks to this show, which turned into a showcase for his trend-setting side-parting and his relaxed approach to the art of ‘raised eyebrow acting’, rivalling even the great Roger Moore for effortless charm. The actor was a true American hunk and as the show went on to become more and more popular, all those dynamic running poses with bell bottoms flapping, and the gigantic bionic leaps that so entranced impressionable viewing youngsters in 1970s playgrounds, were joined by an increasing awareness of Majors’ sex symbol status for young women -- with the actor often seen sporting unbuttoned shirts that exposed his copious chest hair at every opportunity from season four onwards; although the moustache he grew that year was always to be viewed as a big mistake by anyone with even a modicum of taste!
Majors’ impossibly model-beautiful wife of the time, Farrah-Fawcett Majors, appeared frequently as a guest star on the show in a manner that flagrantly courted the couple’s celebrity star status without shame before she became equally famous in her own right on “Charlie’s Angels”; and when the fresh-faced Jaime Sommers (Lindsay Wagner), the bionic woman, was introduced in a captivating two-part love story near the end of Season Two, bringing family atmosphere to the fore like never before, the series really caught the imagination: for this was suddenly an action show for all the family, one that also boasted a warm, folksy humanity in the midst of its otherwise way-out tales of Mabuse-like criminal masterminds with off-the-wall adventure plotting. The producers very cleverly were able to weave the series’ progressive can-do attitude regarding the potential achievements of technology and progress, into stories that also functioned as traditional homilies promoting an ethic of home-grown fortitude and fairness, and above all, humanity. To catch up with the show again after well over thirty years, thanks to this comprehensive boxed set ,which contains every single episode and TV movie ever made, including the reunion films of the 1980s and mid’90s and all the cross-over episodes of “The Bionic Woman”, soon proves to be something of a spur to some serious Proustian-style involuntary recall for those of us of a certain age, a flood of childhood experiences and feelings, tastes and sounds rushing back at the first sight of the cybernetically enhanced astronaut and all-round handsome hunk that was Steve Austin back then, in all his full-blown, slow motion, action posed prime, accompanied as always by Oliver Nelson’s brilliant swelling theme music sting and the unmistakable metallic-twang that constituted Austin’s famous ‘bionic’ audio sound effects.
The word bionic became entrenched in the modern vernacular as a result of this series and remains so today, and even despite the fact that watching back now what at the time always appeared to be a super-slick piece of high quality action drama, in hindsight often reveals a show that was clearly suffering from its impossibly tight six day shooting schedule and struggling to hold itself together coherently as a result with the help of Universal’s stock footage library and the studio’s standing sets, the show still works more often than not. Though it sometimes has to make do with relying on rudimentary, get-the-job-done, point-and-shoot camera work and rushed and awkward-sounding dialogue, nevertheless many of these episodes cause a tingle down the spine and produce a thrill of recognition to this day. The show still sports one of the great title sequences of all time, unbeaten for setting the scene and evoking the required atmosphere. Majors, Wagner and Anderson were perfectly cast to play enhanced versions of their own natural personas, developing a rapport that made every clumsy line and daft storyline resonate despite the silliness and cost-cutting fast production. These mono audio episodes vary in the quality of their surviving prints, generally getting better as the years pass, although all are perfectly acceptable. The episodes of “The Bionic Woman” included here for some reason look the most vibrant.
The collection comes utterly jam-packed with extras in the form of a multitude of featurettes which can be found on special supplementary discs dotted throughout the forty disc set. Each series has its own dedicated disc of extras, the centrepiece of which is an in-depth interview with one of the cast or crew, titled “OSI Debriefing”. The first one up is a one-hour-and-seventeen minute interview with executive producer Harve Bennett. Bennett tells how he was charged with turning the original premise, as featured in Richard Irving’s movie of the week (which had been adapted from a novel by Martin Caidin called Cyborg), into an initial series of thirteen episodes, with only six weeks’ notice from Universal; and he relates the pressures of shooting each of the episodes in just six days: a full one day less than was normal for most drama series at the time. He talks about how he went about portraying the character of Steve Austin differently from the way he had been envisioned in the previous two movies, playing more on Lee Majors’ ‘cowboy’ persona rather than the tuxedo-clad Bond figure he was being moulded into. And he lays emphasis on how the series focused on the character’s humanity in contrast to his superhuman capabilities. Bennett talks about the creation of the famous title sequence, the bionic sound effect created by Jim Troutman, and how Steven Bochco (who ghost wrote the pilot movie) played a key role in finding writers for the series -- many of whom created some of its most famous episodes. Bennett then talks at length about the campier elements of the show in later years, which started to appear as the way-out sci-fi themes began to play more of a part in the stories, particularly when concerning the frequent appearances of the ‘Bigfoot’ character. There’s also discussion of the spin-off series “The Bionic Woman” and the casting of Lindsay Wagner, plus the many crossover episodes, which were designed to carry over the audience from one show to the other. Bennett also talks about the relationship between Lee Majors and Farah Fawcett.
After Kenneth Johnson wrote the two-part episode “The Bionic Woman” for season two, Harve Bennett employed him as a producer-director on the following season, which included a Bionic Woman sequel which led to a spin-off series, and which he ended up producing at the same time as working on “The Six Million Dollar Man”. The extras disc for season three includes a 90 minute interview with Johnson which covers in great detail his entire career and includes a great many anecdotes concerning his development of and involvement with “The Incredible Hulk” TV series, as well as his work on the two bionic shows. This is a fascinating talk, covering just about every imaginable aspect of the show, made all the more compelling from the fact that Johnson has a good memory and a lively mind, and is able to talk non-stop without hesitation about a variety of related subjects, from his determination to inject some humour into the show (which he felt could sometimes come over as being a little over-earnest in its first season) to the sexism inherent in the Bionic Woman doll which was marketed, against his own wishes, with an emphasis on make-up and fashion. As well as recounting in much detail the making of his most famous stories, such as all the ones involving Jaime Sommers (a character he created from scratch) and the two-parter called “The Secret of Bigfoot”. Johnson talks about the particular type of realism-based escapist fantasy which marked out 1970s TV drama, and he even gives his own opinion on why the attempted re-boot of “The Bionic Woman” didn’t take off despite the continuing affection many people have for the original series. One really gets a great sense from this extensive interview of what it was like to produce episodic TV drama under high pressure conditions in the 1970s, and of the kinds of short cuts that so frequently were required just to get the show on the air in the time allowed. Amusingly, while commenting on the unusually close relationship between Oscar and Steve, Johnson reveals that he and writer James D. Parriott used to imagine that the two might be lovers and even (for their own amusement) often wrote scenes for them that ended with the two kissing!
Oscar Goldman, aka Richard Anderson, appears in a fifty-five minute interview in which he talks about the series in general, starting with how he first learned he’d got the role on the night before shooting began on the second TV movie. After staying up all night to get up to speed on the script, Anderson decided to wear shaded glasses for his first scene, to hide the inevitable bags under his eyes from the late night. Subsequently he developed a bit of business which became quite famous among fans, which was inspired by his hero Gary Cooper, in which he removed his glasses whenever he needed to underline a dramatic pause in the script. The veteran actor talks about the importance of the chemistry between himself and Lee Majors and how it gradually developed more and more the longer they worked together. Since his role in the series was mainly to provide set-up and exposition for whatever mission Steve Austin had been given on any particular week, it was important that the relationship between the two be believable. Anderson also talks about how the heroism evoked by the series had a great impact on audiences watching during difficult times in the 1970s. He mentions how different in tone “The Six Million Dollar Man” became from “The Bionic Woman”, with the former becoming more and more macho as it went along, while Lindsay Wagner’s influence militated more towards finding ways of avoiding overt violence to solve problems on her programme. He explains his famous tan as being a way of avoiding having to go into make-up, which he loathed; and he remembers the Oscar Goldman action figure, which came with its own toy office set! The soft-spoken actor is still an enthusiastic advocate for the programme, and he explains how it was he who got the reunion movies off the ground in the 1980s.
Martin E. Brooks takes part in a 63 minute interview about his three years on the show, recalling how he took over the role previously played by Martin Balsam and Alan Oppenheimer, of Dr Rudy Wells, after his long-time tennis partner Harve Bennett offered him the role as a ‘one shot’ job at the beginning of season three. In fact it turns out that both the actors who played the role before him were close friends of Brooks’. After starting out in the role by trying to grey his hair and make himself look more physically like Oppenheimer, Brooks eventually started playing the role ‘as himself’, after he was cast full time in the role. Brooks remembers the set as being full of good-natured male bonding based on practical jokes and humour, thanks largely to the influence of Lee Majors. He remembers Lee as being very athletically inclined and always eager to perform as many of the show’s stunts as he possibly could himself. Richard Anderson he remembers as someone who was obsessed about topping up his tan between takes, but he’s impressed about how Anderson developed the relatively thankless role of Oscar Goldman and made him into such an iconic part of the show. He talks about coordinating his role as Rudy Wells in both “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “The Bionic Woman”, and sometimes getting confused about which lines he was meant to be delivering, since he would sometimes be moving from set to set in the same day. He sees it as being a mistake to end the show after five seasons and is mystified as to why there were so few reruns once it was cancelled. Brooks looks back at some of the many guest stars who appeared, including a young Sandra Bullock, and recalls his favourite episodes of the show during his three year stint.
Finally, Lee Majors talks for 83 minutes on his career and his time on the show, recalling the changes made to the character between the TV films and the series to make it more child-friendly, especially since there was an emphasis on making Steve Austin more of an approachable, human character and on not having him constantly killing the baddies at the end of every story. He mentions working with Lindsay Wagner and Richard Anderson and particularly recalls the episodes involving Andre the Giant. He remembers the huge amount of running he had to do on the show (not always easy when wearing flared bell bottoms!) and his love of on-set practical jokes (which didn’t go down well with executive producer Harve Bennett), and recalls his insistence on doing as many of his own stunts as possible. His favourite episode is the football-themed one (which he also directed himself) and he mentions the dreadful song he wrote and sang for the Bionic Woman episode as well! The fight scene involving John Saxon in season 1 is a favourite memory, and we find out here that the moustache of season 4 was really a rebellious form of practical joke aimed at the executives who tried to enforce a certain look on him in order that episodes from different seasons might be mixed and still be screenable in any order. The executives in what Majors calls ‘the black tower’ only saw the moustache in dallies, by which time it was too late to do anything about it.
Much of the above extensive interview footage crops up again edited into other featurettes throughout the set, such as one that provides a fascinating look at the science of “Real Bionics” (11 minutes). Here, writers and producers on the show talk about how, at the time it was going out, they frequently received letters from real amputees, wanting to know where they could go to get bionic limbs fitted for them-selves. This could be particularly heartbreaking when the letters were from children; writer and producer Kenneth Johnson tells how he often had to try and gently break the news in his replies that no such bionic limbs existed in reality at that time. But in that curious way in which life so often imitates art, many of the technical experts who work in the field of bionics today (interesting that they actually do use that word as well!) were originally inspired to get into it by the series, and this featurette also demonstrates the cutting edge of the current technology being created for some of the veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan -- including the latest high-tech artificial leg that can match its gait with that of the person it’s attached to after being hooked up to a laptop that runs special software which helps the limb reprogram itself.
Meet The Cast featurettes: again, mostly composed of clips from the full-length interviews, these profile pieces for Lee Majors, Lindsay Wagner, Richard Anderson and Rudy Wells feature the actors, and various producers and directors discussing how each actor got the role originally, and what made them so special in the parts as they developed their characters across the seasons. Each one runs for between 10 and 15 minutes.
“An iconic Opening” (18 minutes) looks in detail at the thinking behind and the actual craft that went into the creation of the iconic title sequence. Jack Cole was an experienced director of title sequences for US TV drama in the 1970s and he and Harve Bennett talk about how they took footage from the original pilot movie and remoulded it to make the dramatic intro which became world famous. Looking at how they selected and combined images, the layering of sound and the way in which the title sequence created a particular visual quality and set up the texture and tone of the show for the episode that came after it, this is a really enlightening documentary on an important aspect of the creation of a TV series that is so often overlooked, even though it quite often ends up being the one thing fans remember the most vividly.
“Season VIPs: The Six Million Dollar Man Guest Stars” is, naturally enough, a light-hearted look at the careers of some of the actors who have appeared as guest stars, which examines the characters they played with the help of various fans and classic TV experts who feature as talking heads. Each season comes with its own featurette in which the guest stars for that particular collection of episodes are noted and their performances commented upon. These come dotted throughout the collection and run for around 10 minutes each.
“Bionic Breakdown” is really just a collection of clips from across the entire five series run, which demonstrate the capabilities and the uses to which Steve Austin puts his bionic limbs during the series’ five year history. The writers would quite often add new bionic features on a whim for that week’s specific episode it seems, so if you thought it was all about the exercising of terrific strength etc., think again: the eye can be anything from a heat wave detector one week to an infra-red sensor the next, as well as the 20:1 magnifier it’s mostly used for; and when he’s not using it to bend iron bars and snap locks, the arm also doubles as a radiation detector and even a power supply unit.
“Bionic Sound Effects” relates how the distinctive synthesised clanging noise, christened ‘the singing sword’, which became so associated with the use of Steve Austin’s bionic powers along with the slow motion effect, was gradually introduced into the series. In fact, all of the famous sound effects were not fully and consistently in place until well into season three of the series.
“The Six Million Dollar Man Fans: So Loyal, So Bionic!” is a light-hearted 13 minute featurette in which fans recount their memories of watching the show when growing up, and tell what it meant to them at the time. Also various directors and crew members, as well as Lindsay Wagner, talk about their impression of the fans and their dedication to the show.
“The Six Million Dollar Man’s Best Villains and Fights” is another light piece in which fans and production members list some of the most memorable episodes in terms of providing formidable foes for the bionic man to battle against. John Saxon’s robot Major Sloan, Monte Markham’s the Seven Million Dollar Man and the unstoppable death probe machine are some of the main contenders, along with various aliens, the Fembots and, of course, the ever-popular Bigfoot. This lasts for 17 minutes.
“TV Goes Bionic: The Origins of the Six Million Dollar Man” is a featurette in which fans, producers and actors talk about how the series got going initially as a TV movie based on a series of novels by lecturer, teacher and pilot-turned sci-fi novelist Martin Caidin, and how it took something of a wrong turn when ABC tried to mould the character of Steve Austin as a James Bond hero in the follow-up movies.
“The Bionic Age of TV: The Success of the Six Million Dollar Man” takes up the story again when Harve Bennett takes over control of the TV series for its first season and collaborates with Lee Majors to emphasis the humanity of the character. The show’s success was consolidated when Bennett brought in new writers such as James Perriott and Kenneth Johnson who then created Jaime Sommers, leading to a spin-off show and many cross-over episodes. The featurette goes on to track the main highlights of all five seasons, including the Bigfoot episodes and the introduction of the campy Fembots. Kenneth Johnson talks about how the production was constantly under the Universal cosh, with the emphasis always being on churning the episodes out on time and without overspending.
“Top Secret: OSI, NASA and Bionics” is a short featurette looking at how the show dealt with technology, secret services, and how NASA often gave the show the opportunity to film at some of their rocket facilities, such as Cape Canaveral.
“The Reunion Movies: Life after the Series” talks to the producers, writers and directors behind the three reunion TV movies shot for NBC and CBS in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The projects got rolling at the insistence of Richard Anderson and after initial reluctance by Majors and Wagner to get involved, the resultant films did at least bring the relationship between a now much chunkier and wrinklier Steve Austin, and a more mature Jaime Sommers, to its inevitable slushy and romantic conclusion.
“The Pop Culture Effect” looks at the elements which came together to make the show iconic in a TV landscape of medical dramas and cop shows: the memorable music, the use of slow motion, the bionic sound effects. In later years these helped provide the substance of a great many references and parodies in other films, from “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” to “Family Guy”. (12 minutes)
“Bionic Action … Figures!!” An enjoyable 30 minute documentary about all those toys and action figures and the other merchandising such as lunch boxes and puzzles the show spawned. Everyone remembers the Steve Austin action figure with its detachable bionic arm, complete with roll-up skin so that you could see his bionic components; but the series also gave rise to a host of other figures and appliances: from Steve’s rocket/revival capsule to Oscar Goldman’s exploding briefcase; from Bigfoot to Maskatron, the ultimate robot foe -- this film looks at them all again with the help of the cast themselves (Lindsay Wagner ruefully recalls her excitement at getting to see her doll for the first time, only to realise that it looked more like Farrah-Fawcett Majors!) and dedicated fans of the show.
“The Stunts of the Bionic Age: Pushing the Envelope” is a 28 minute documentary in which Lee Majors and his stunt double Vince Deadrick recall perfecting the backwards jump and talk about the most dangerous stunts in the shows history, including one in which the stunt coordinator almost died and another in which Majors found himself teetering, suspended two-hundred feet from the ground on greasy cable car wires, because the stunt double was too ill to take his place. Rita Egleston also talks about doubling for Lindsay Wagner on “The Bionic Woman” and having to have her skirt weighed down at the hem in order to stop it ruining the backwards jumping effects by flairing upward!
The two-part episode “The Bionic Woman” is the first in the set to get a commentary, and it’s a typically well-prepared one from the episodes’ writer (and later producer of both “The Six Million Dollar Man and its spin-off “The Bionic Woman”) Kenneth Johnson, as he goes into lots of detail about the development of the original idea and the storyline, and also how Universal wanted a romantic episode with a death at the end to cash in on the success at the time of the movie “Love Story”. The episodes mark a distinct change in tone for the series, but such was the popularity of the character of Jaime Sommers and her rekindled romance with childhood sweetheart Steve Austin that the producers were soon working on a way to bring her back. Johnson makes clear the constraints these episodes were made under, and although his idea of a low budget would’ve seemed like spectacular luxury to many British TV producers at the time, the crew were still attempting to shoot an hour-long film in just six days when a movie would take six times that much time under normal circumstances. Johnson remarks on the perfunctory, flat TV lighting style and the unadventurous point-and-shoot directing aesthetic so common in TV at the time, and emphasises just how much of the popularity of the show came down to the chemistry and performances of the actors who often had to sell some pretty hastily written material through charisma alone.
Johnson also provides a commentary on season three’s pinnacle and probably one of the most memorable stories from the entire series, the two-part “The Secret of Bigfoot”. Once again, the producer/writer has done his homework and is able to provide extensive filmographies and biographical information about every guest player seen here, including of course the striking performer who played Bigfoot himself, Andre the Giant: a former wrester who spoke only French and who stood 7 foot six inches tall. We learn some unlikely facts about Andre’s life, including that he lived next door to Samuel Beckett as a child and that the great playwright used to drive him to school! Johnson reveals how the story was written to take advantage of the Universal tour’s ice tunnel ride, but is quick to point out the dated aspects of the production caused by the need to shoot quickly and also because each episode ran at least five minutes short, which forced him to pad them out with lots of stock footage from the Universal archives. He also reveals how the striking white contact lenses used by Andre as part of his Bigfoot makeup gave Johnson the idea to use the same makeup effect when he came to make “The Incredible Hulk” TV pilot movie. Johnson talks about the importance of finding writers who could work quickly and come up with usable ideas, and how the executive producer credit was often used as a means simply of keeping good writers on-board, since once you found someone who could supply what you needed to keep the show on the air, you did anything you could to hang onto them! Johnson is clearly frustrated by some of the limitations he had to work under and is quick to point out the kinds of flaws in episodes that make them ripe these days for Mystery Science Theatre treatment; but despite Kenneth Johnson being strongly associated with the more science fiction elements on the show, especially after his subsequent involvement with shows such as “The Incredible Hulk”, the original “V” and “Alien Nation”, it becomes clear that it is the human element which is indicative of many of his best episodes on the series, especially the ones involving Steve’s relationship with Jaime Sommers, and which makes them continue to endure in fans’ affections.
Director Cliff Bole is remembered for his work on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “The X Files”, but he started as an assistant director on “The Bionic Woman”, and while working as such on an episode of “The Six Million Dollar Man” entitled “The Blue Flash” found himself promoted after the original director quit the project over objections to the script, three days into a six day prep. In the commentary for the episode, Bole, like Kenneth Johnson, emphasises the pressures and time constraints involved in making the show back in the ‘70s, and points out how some warehouse scenes were varied by simply moving some boxes around and leaving the camera in the same spot to try and make it look like they were shooting in a different part of the set! He also talks about how the zoom lens had recently come into vogue and that everyone was using it way too much, something especially noticeable when you re-watch these episodes today. He talks about the professionalism of Lee Majors and also how he liked to play practical jokes on the crew. He was also good with children apparently -- a much needed skill in this episode, which featured child star Rodney Allen Rippy, then known in the US for some now-forgotten TV commercials, but who didn’t otherwise have much experience of acting and would tend to lose concentration under the hot lights.
On his commentary for the episode “Vulture of the Andes”, Bole reveals that to save money sometimes entire storylines were written around stock footage. In this case the production had fifteen minutes of documentary footage of gliders in the air, which they matched up with similar looking planes for the ground scenes. There was no second unit on the show; the whole thing had to be shot in six days. Bole compares the schedule to a later show like “The X-Files”, where he had fifteen days to finish an episode and a second unit as well! He also reveals that the reason Lee Majors disappears from the episode for about fifteen minutes of screen time, Steve’s place taken by another OSI agent while he recovers from a mishap with his bionic arm, was because Majors had to make a personal appearance elsewhere for the network in the middle of the shoot, a fairly common occurrence when the series was at the peak of its popularity. By this time, all Majors’ costumes were being designed so that his shirts were unbuttoned to mid-chest, since the actor was ‘popular with the ladies’ and by season four, his sex appeal was being spotlighted in a way it hadn’t been since the early TV movies which had tried to pitch the character as a kind of superhero James Bond. Bole looks back on the show with fond memories and recalls a level of camaraderie he’s not experienced again since on any other show, and he was surprised but gratified to learn that the series still retains a large fan base.
The set also features the padded out two-part versions of all three TV movies and, finally, each series comes with a photo gallery of production stills from the episodes making up that particular season. With all the TV movies (including the attempted pilot “The Bionic Boy”), spin-off episodes, reunion movies and five-years-worth of episodes the viewer will be detained for quite some time by this diverting trip down memory lane, and that’s before we even consider the hours and hours of documentary and featurette material also included across forty discs. Without doubt, this is worth saving up for if you’ve ever had any interest in classic action adventure TV. Highly recommended. | {
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Welcome
Friday, December 21, 2018
How Video Games Made Me A Better Person
First, a disclaimer: I have a lot of privilege. I code as white (ethnically I'm from a group that has had its whiteness revoked and been the target of genocides, but most people don't know that unless I tell them). I'm a guy (kinda). I'm not straight but I have spent most of my life under the umbrella of straight privilege. Raised middle class, although I'm now poor on paper. Able-bodied except for some neurodivergence. Those marginalized statuses I have, you probably couldn't tell by looking at me, so I pass, out in the world. These experiences are from my point of view, and they may be somewhat sophistic to people who experience marginalization and systematic oppression every day.
I tend to be a bit outspoken when it comes to social justice issues. When I say "tend to" and "a bit," you understand that I mean most of my friends (even those who agree with me) have gone through at least one or two moments on Facebook where they said, "Chris, please shut up. Please for the love of God, just stop posting. Just for a few minutes. Just this once. Please!"
From time to time, however, someone manages to pin me down for a lunch date or corners me at a party where I'm being reserved, shy, and not at all like my online persona, and they often end up wondering about how I came to care so much about the issues I talk so much about. Formative experiences about speaking out against injustice involve my mom, and no small amount of my bravery can be attributed to my idolization of Luke Skywalker. But those experiences set a tone. They laid the foundation for wanting to be morally good. They don't themselves help me parse the thicket of discourse to determine what the right thing is.
That comes from video games.
When I was young, video games were pretty simple. The first game I ever played involved a square picking up an arrow to go look for a chalice, and my favorite game required you to run to the right until you died three times. (You could run to the left, but the crocodiles were easier to jump going right.) And of course there was an inexplicable hostility that a certain airplane had for the river it was raiding.
Boss fight. Circa 1979.
Shit just got real, yo.
As I grew up, video games got better and their objectives improved. There was plenty of rescuing princesses, of course, and stopping alien brains, and terrorist organizations who apparently had the money to build giant fighting mecha but didn't think to put some motion detectors outside their death fortresses, but we also started to see more complex machinations. Villains didn't always just twirl their mustaches or go by names like Sinistar–some of them even thought they were the good guy.
As we reached the turn of the century, and video games began to come into their own as a complex and nuanced art form, we gamers began to take on the avatar mantle of heroes in much more complicated dramas. Sometimes we were on the wrong side when we started out. Sometimes the villains lied. Sometimes complicated political dramas were unfolding with no moral protagonist.
Of course, these days, in video games, we can even choose to be complete epic seepage dripping assholes, adding a whole new layer of choice and complexity to the journey of the gamer.
Like COMPLETE seepage dripping assholes.
And as weird as it might sound, all this nuance and flexibility has helped me to be a better person. We can all figure out how to be a good guy when evil aliens show up to destroy Earth. We can all make the "right" choice when some eight-foot-tall fucking BDSM turtle kidnaps a woman who's begging for help. But as things get more complicated, and everyone is just looking out for their own interests, it becomes a little tougher to figure out whose side of the story to listen to.
That's where video games come in.
Imagine you fired up a video game and entered in the starting city of a modern (yet steampunk because steampunk is awesome) town. You're probably going to talk to a bunch of people and find out what's going on because you've played enough video games to know that's what you do. And unless you're very impatient, you will probably start by talking to everyone. You won't skip the "Falcons" group and only ever talk to the "Razorbacks." They've all got stories. You won't ignore someone who lives in the bad part of town. You know (as any good gamer knows) that there may be vital information in the hands of basically anyone.
You don't value any stories more than any others.
Now imagine the first people you talk to are kind of bitter and mean. They treat you with some hostility. They don't trust you. They don't like you. But they do talk to you, and when they do, they tell you of terrible things happening to them from the government. Every single one of them has a story about how their experience isn't fair. They don't get enough steam for their punks in their part of town. They are powerless. Poor. If any of them protest their unfair conditions, they are often the subjects of violence. This isn't just a coincidence either. They aren't randomly the poor people. They are HELD DOWN because of some immutable factor of their birth. They may even ask you to help them. They have definite perceptions about the injustice in which they exist. They say it is all around and permeates their lives. Their ancestors were very badly treated, and even though things are better, they still aren't equal.
As you move on, you discover a second group. They are much nicer and friendlier. They like you. They treat you well. They flirt with you (unlocking romance options far more easily). This group lives in a better part of town. They are, by and large, richer and much more powerful. They have all the steam they need and their punks are well stocked. Almost everyone on the TV shows is from the second group and they control the voice that comes over the city-wide PA system telling everyone what a fine equality-loving society they all live in. Almost everyone in political power is from the second group. Almost every notable person in this city's history seems to be from the second group.
Group Two will tell you at length about how the first group is making things up. Sure, they were an unfair society long ago in the before time, but that's all ancient history (the ancient history of one generation ago). Now it's laughable that things aren't totally equitable. Certainly there aren't any deep-seated inequalities to overcome.
They tell you that the first group just wants to put them down. The first group is lazy. The first group won't work to pull themselves up. They say the first group is simply playing the victim because of the benefits they hope to get from pity. In some cases they acknowledge that some *VERY MINOR* injustice still exists, in a detached and intellectual way, but they insist that it is self correcting, often dismiss specific claims of Group One, and firmly believe that any attempts by the first group to right the injustice are "far far worse than the inequity itself." They really discourage you from listening to the first group's stories. Not overtly, of course––at least not at first––but by explaining that they are better able to see injustice than group one, and there isn't any. Of course, if you keep talking to group one, they'll stop being so nice, stop flirting with you. Stop treating you so well...
Laws exist that make it extremely difficult for the people in Group One to advance themselves into the worlds of Group Two (though technically it is possible and a few have done it to much fanfare and are often touted as evidence that everything is better now). Further, a few people in Group Two are quite overt about how they are superior and should be in a better position. They blame most of the Group One's troubles on the actions, culture, behaviors of Group One, often suggesting that if they would just be less hostile, work harder, and accept their lot, they would probably be in a better situation. There are many theories about why the first group is disadvantaged and they are all discussed by the second group with a sort of intellectual detachedness. Many in Group Two talk at length about what they would do to have better lives if they were in Group One.
It is considered uncouth to voice the opinion openly and directly that Group One is inferior, but when it happens (and it seems to strangely often), such opinions are merely considered impolite and part of living in a free society where people can say what they want. They are not immediately censured and aggressively repudiated in the same way as Group One's cries of injustice are....always. Still, it seems that in whispers and through double speak, Group Two is really allowed to speak as horribly as they want about Group One.
Group Two has nothing to gain and everything to lose from even the acknowledgement of the injustice. Group Two's elite enjoy a vast and inexhaustible supply of cheap labor from Group One. And you even discover that there are actual laws and regulations (on top of social consequence and effect) that make it much much harder for anyone from Group One to rise up. Plus Group One is secretly treated worse in virtually every situation––financing, employment, payment...you name it. And Group Two is blaming them for bad things that have begun to happen and looking to make life even worse for them.
Now here is my question to you as a gamer.
Would you, playing this game, have even the SLIGHTEST difficulty realizing what was going on in this scenario? Would anyone not know which group to support to get the "good" ending and which would get the "evil" ending?
Video games helped me to realize that most people look around our world from the inside. We've been here our whole lives. We're used to it. We're desensitized. WE ARE THE NPC's! We are the status quo. But as soon as we look at our world from the perspective of someone who just turned the game on five minutes ago, it becomes shockingly, absurdly, spectacularly easy to realize what is really going on.
When we take the time to listen to the stories of different people, as we would if we were walking around a game world trying to figure out what was going on (and instead of listening to who was in power), we immediately get a sense that our world is not just haphazardly and randomly unfair, but is systematically oppressive. Instead of letting the group in charge tell us that it's fair or as fair as it can be or any unfairness is probably the fault of those suffering, we can go and get the stories from the people themselves and listen to them. The minute we listen to everyone as if they have something vital and important to tell us (and they do) about this world, the truth is laid bare. When we value all the stories around us as equal instead of letting those in power explain away inequality it is almost comical how apparent the injustices are.
In my world (as distressingly unsteampunk as it is) I have a choice to listen to one group–the group in power (a largely male, white, heterosexual, able-bodied, cis group)–who insists that nothing is really wrong that couldn't be fixed if people would just try harder instead of complaining. Or I can seek out other voices and other narratives and let the people best equipped to describe their own situations describe it for themselves. Women who've experienced harassment and sexism. People of color who've experienced racism and xenophobia. Disabled people who've found difficulty accessing the same services as the able-bodied. Gender-variant folks who have a world of difficulties that cis folks do not. I can find those folks and I can listen to their stories and see that they paint a very VERY different picture than those overwhelming the mainstream. And once I have bothered to listen to the stories of those who are not in control of the narrative–and treated those stories as equal to the ones who are–it's only a matter of deciding whether I want to be Luke Skywalker or a seeping asshole.
About the Author
Chris Brecheen is just this guy who loves to write. He's been doing it for thirty years, and even got a degree in Creative Writing that now covers a hole in his drywall. These days he focuses his pretentious, hackneyed tripe on this blog, which is two teaspoons magical journey, one cup of advice given as satire, a dash of talking cat, a splash of personified ideals, a (very) healthy dollop of pervy candor, eight heaping tablespoons of toeing the knife-edge line between irreverence and blasphemy, diced guest bloggers who live inside his head (and a couple who don't), a sprinkle of words used pretty much with the express intention of keeping prudes offended in perpetuity, regular Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly references, at least one doomsday plot per season, and a slice of pressed milk curd provided by the weird guy who lives on the third floor. Add three or four sprigs of social justice and simmer.
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Sardar Kamal Khan
Sardar Kamal Khan Chang (; born 12 March 1972) is a Pakistani politician who had been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, from June 2013 to May 2018.
Early life
He was born on 12 March 1972.
Political career
He served as district nazim of Badin.
He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from Constituency NA-224 (Badin-cum-Tando Muhammad Khan-I) in 2013 Pakistani general election. He received 128,723 votes and defeated Ali Asghar Halepoto, a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (F) (PML-F).
References
Category:Living people
Category:Pakistan Peoples Party politicians
Category:Sindhi people
Category:Pakistani MNAs 2013–2018
Category:People from Sindh
Category:1972 births | {
"pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)"
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The Californian man behind the Innocence of Muslims online movie that triggered violence in the Middle East was sentenced to death on Wednesday in absentia in an Egyptian court.
Mark Basseley Youssef was among the seven Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Florida-based American pastor sentenced on charges linked to the low-budget, anti-Islam film.
Sentenced to death in Egypt ... Mark Basseley Youssef aka Nakoula Basseley Nikoula. Credit:Reuters
The case was seen as largely symbolic because the defendants, most of whom live in the United States, are all outside Egypt and unlikely to ever serve the sentences.
The charges were brought in September during a wave of public outrage in Egypt over the amateur film, which was produced by Youssef, who lived in Cerritos, California. | {
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Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Opinion by Barbara: Have them cross the border to receive payment then charge them with Extortion (also called shakedown, out wrestling and exaction) is a criminal offense of obtaining money, property, or services from an individual or institution, through coercion. Throw their asses in jail and deport them to their country of origin. be
Migrant group demands Trump either let them in or pay them each $50K to turn around:
Two groups of Central American migrants marched to the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana on Tuesday with a list of demands, with one group delivering an ultimatum to the Trump administration: either let them in the U.S. or pay them $50,000 each to go home, a report said.
CONTRIBUTORS
Blog Archive
AMERICA'S DEBT CLOCK
Our forefathers pledged their lives, their fortunes and their scared honor to give us a Republic with Liberty and Freedom and Benjamin Franklin upon leaving the signing of the Constitution said "we have given you a Republic, if you can keep it." Can we keep it? Are we going to stand by and let the government we elected take away our Freedom and Liberties? FREEDOM MUST BE DEFENDED, NOW IS THE TIME and WE ARE THAT GENERATION!!! Semper Fi
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The effect of oxygen concentration on arterial blood partial pressure of oxygen in dogs under general anesthesia.
Oxygen is used for medical treatment and general anesthesia. However, high concentrations of oxygen can have toxic effects on cells. In veterinary medicine, 100% oxygen is usually used during general anesthesia and it can be toxic to animals. However, there is little concern about its harmful effects in humans. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that using a high con- centration of oxygen increases the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) more so than a lower concentration, by comparing PaO2 at three different oxygen concentrations (100%, 60%, and 40%) in six dogs under general anesthesia for 3 hours. The mean PaO2 and standard error values at the 100%, 60%, and 40% oxygen concentrations were 535.8 ± 24.01, 374 ± 17.19, and 239 ± 8.78 mmHg, respectively (p⟨0.05). These results show that 100% and 60% oxygen concentrations could increase oxidative stress. Further studies are needed to examine the oxygen concentration that causes toxicity. | {
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Womens Arcopedico Liana Knee High Boots
£288.3 £130.6
Model: SKU 3768
Please Choose:
Size
UK 2=US 5=EU 35
UK 3=US 5.5=EU 36
UK 4=US 6.5=EU 37
UK 5=US 7.5=EU 38
UK 6=US 8=EU 39
UK 7=US 8.5=EU 40
UK 7.5=US 9=EU 41
UK 8=US 9.5=EU 42
UK 9=US 10.5=EU 43
Add to Cart:
The Liana boot by Arcopedico® - stylish tall boots with a secret all their own.These boots appear to be leather but are actually Lytech® - a proprietary blend of Lycra® and polyurethane that is water resistant, light and breathable.Lytech material also stretches and gently forms to the foot, making it ideal for problem feet, and is vegan-friendly.No need to worry about getting them dirty; toss them in the washing machine and let them air dry.Distress-textured Lytech® upper has a full-length zipper for ease of entry and a comfortable fit.Lining contains the Sansmell™ deodorizing system which is anti-microbial to help feet stay fresher, longer.Soft textile insole provides just the right amount of cushioning for lasting, fatigue-free wear.Utilizes Arcopedico's patented twin arch system which supports the arch of the foot for the life of the shoe.Durable synthetic outer sole absorbs impact and provides grip for a confident stride.All of the 'L' shoes from Arcopedico® are very flexible and lightweight which make them ideal for travel. | {
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Saturday, February 19, 2011
my FNSI results
Here is what i made last night for FNSI. A purdy spring bag made from the Shoulder Tote pattern by Quilts Illustrated. i made a few different adjustments, but its always been one of my favorite "easy" bags to make. have you all tried the patterns from quilts illustrated? This bag was 16x16 before sewing. its a great daily bag to use for work etc.
A friend of mine had asked me awhile ago for a pinks and greens bag. After digging through my stash, the best fabs i could come up with were Woodland Bloom. See my quilt hanging next to it using the same line? I still love woodland bloom.
I had to get creative and move around the house to get a decent photo. Ive been on the go and forgot to take daytime photos!!! grrrrrr.
last night i locked myself in my MOM CAVE and sewed away. I drank iced tea, ate pretzels and cheese, listened to some nice mellow music.....it was a perfect night for FNSI.
These fabrics are so cheery.....
Because the outside was so busy, i made the inside very simple with linen and some fab pockets.
Remember to check HEIDIS blog tomorrow for the FNSI winner. im going to spend my night surfing at all of your projects. (oh how times have changed.....my saturday nights are so boring now--LOL)
I always get some cute ideas from you gals.
I've seen some cute quilted bags recently - here on your blog and all around my town - I think this would be a great idea for next month's FNSI! I'll have one month to pick out fabric and a pattern :-) Thanks for the great idea! Mary Ann at www.rocknquilts.blogspot.com
Love the bag! So cute. I kind of double booked my Friday night. I signed up with good intentions and then realized that a wedding I was helping with was the next day. I had a lot to do. But because of you and Hiedi's motivation, I did keep in mind to do something this week. So I crocheted 5 red dishcloths!!!! | {
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Nick Meyer plans a full sales launch in 2018 on the noir adaptation, styled as a backwoods version of Fight Club meets No Country For Old Men about a down-at-heel family man who enters a bare-knuckle brawl with a $100,000 purse. Margaret Qualley and James Badge Dale also star.
Rumble Films chief David Lancaster reunites with Meyer after they worked together on Drive, Nightcrawler and Whiplash while Lancaster was at Bold Films.
Principal photography is currently underway in Cincinnati on the project, which is fully financed by Paris-based Backup Media. UTA Independent Film Group represents US rights.
“We are delighted to be working with David again,” Sierra/Affinity CEO Meyer said. “Donnybrook is right in his producing wheelhouse of delivering high quality elevated genre films and we can’t wait to bring Tim’s vision of this muscular and gritty world to a global audience.” | {
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Q:
LoadImage() with variable path?
How do I get LoadImage(); to work with a variable file path? I have the desired file path in the variable bg, and I'm calling the function like so:
bmp = LoadImage(hInst,bg,IMAGE_BITMAP,640,480,LR_LOADFROMFILE);
Yet bmp does not render any image when used with: BitBlt(hDC,0,0,640,480,memDC,0,0,SRCCOPY);
If I can't use LoadImage();, what equivalent is there that can handle non-constant file names?
[EDIT]
Apparently, the error was caused by another bit of code, and not the LoadImage() function. Disragerd.
A:
It seems to be the timer. The documentation about the SetTimer function says that the second parameter (nIDEvent) must be a nonzero value. So, I imagine your timer is never firing, the execmain() function is never called, and so your bg string is never set.
When you replace bg by a string literal, it works, because the WM_PAINT message does not depend on the timer, it is always called at least once when the window is created.
| {
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//
// TAPIResponse.m
// TwitterNetworkLayer
//
// Created on 10/17/14.
// Copyright © 2020 Twitter. All rights reserved.
//
#import "TAPIError.h"
#import "TAPIResponse.h"
#import "TNL_Project.h"
NS_INLINE BOOL _DataBeginsWithHTMLDocType(NSData *data)
{
static const char sDocType[] = "<!DOCTYPE html";
static const size_t sDocTypeLength = (sizeof(sDocType) / sizeof(sDocType[0])) - 1; // minus 1 to ignore the NULL terminator
return data.length >= sDocTypeLength && 0 == strncmp(data.bytes, sDocType, sDocTypeLength);
}
static id _ParseAPIResponse(TNLResponseInfo *info, NSError ** parseErrorOut, NSError ** apiErrorOut);
static NSArray *_ExtractAPIErrors(id parsedObject);
@implementation TAPIResponse
@synthesize apiError = _apiError;
@synthesize parseError = _parseError;
@synthesize parsedObject = _parsedObject;
- (void)prepare
{
[super prepare];
if (!_operationError) {
NSError *apiError;
NSError *parseError;
_parsedObject = _ParseAPIResponse(_info, &parseError, &apiError);
_parseError = parseError;
_apiError = apiError;
TNLAttemptMetrics *metrics = _metrics.attemptMetrics.lastObject;
metrics.responseBodyParseError = parseError;
if (apiError) {
metrics.APIErrors = @[apiError];
}
}
}
- (instancetype)initWithCoder:(NSCoder *)coder
{
self = [super initWithCoder:coder];
if (self) {
_parsedObject = [coder decodeObjectOfClasses:[NSSet setWithObjects:[NSString class], [NSNumber class], [NSArray class], [NSDictionary class], nil]
forKey:@"parsedObject"];
_parseError = [coder decodeObjectOfClass:[NSError class] forKey:@"parseError"];
_apiError = [coder decodeObjectOfClass:[NSError class] forKey:@"apiError"];
}
return self;
}
- (void)encodeWithCoder:(NSCoder *)aCoder
{
[super encodeWithCoder:aCoder];
[aCoder encodeObject:TNLErrorToSecureCodingError(_parsedObject) forKey:@"parsedObject"];
[aCoder encodeObject:TNLErrorToSecureCodingError(_apiError) forKey:@"apiError"];
[aCoder encodeObject:TNLErrorToSecureCodingError(_parseError) forKey:@"parseError"];
}
- (NSError *)anyError
{
return self.operationError ?: self.parseError ?: self.apiError;
}
@end
static id _ParseAPIResponse(TNLResponseInfo *info, NSError ** errorOut, NSError ** apiErrorOut)
{
id json = nil;
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NSInteger statusCode = info.statusCode;
NSData *data = info.data;
TNLAssert(statusCode > 0);
BOOL hasDocTypePrefix = _DataBeginsWithHTMLDocType(data);
if (hasDocTypePrefix) {
parseError = [NSError errorWithDomain:TAPIOperationErrorDomain
code:TAPIOperationErrorCodeServiceEncounteredTechnicalError
userInfo:nil];
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[apiErrors enumerateObjectsUsingBlock:^(id obj, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
NSError *currentError = obj;
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apiError = currentError;
*stop = YES;
}
}];
}
} else {
parseError = [NSError errorWithDomain:TAPIParseErrorDomain
code:TAPIParseErrorCodeCannotParseResponse
userInfo:(parseError) ? @{ NSUnderlyingErrorKey : parseError } : nil];
}
}
if (errorOut) {
*errorOut = parseError;
}
if (apiErrorOut) {
*apiErrorOut = apiError;
}
return json;
}
static NSArray *_ExtractAPIErrors(id parsedObject)
{
TNLAssert(parsedObject != nil);
NSMutableArray *errorItems = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
if ([parsedObject isKindOfClass:[NSDictionary class]]) {
id errors = [parsedObject objectForKey:@"errors"];
if ([errors isKindOfClass:[NSArray class]]) {
[errors enumerateObjectsUsingBlock:^(id obj, NSUInteger idx, BOOL *stop) {
BOOL successfullyParsedError = NO;
if ([obj isKindOfClass:[NSDictionary class]]) {
id codeObject = [obj objectForKey:@"code"];
id messageObject = [obj objectForKey:@"message"];
if (codeObject && messageObject) {
NSMutableDictionary *userInfo = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
if (messageObject) {
userInfo[NSLocalizedDescriptionKey] = messageObject;
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NSInteger code = [codeObject integerValue];
id timestamp = [obj objectForKey:@"timestamp"];
if (timestamp) {
userInfo[@"timestamp"] = timestamp;
}
[errorItems addObject:[NSError errorWithDomain:TAPIErrorDomain
code:code
userInfo:userInfo]];
successfullyParsedError = YES;
}
}
if (!successfullyParsedError) {
NSLog(@"Failed to parse server error:[%@]", obj);
}
}];
}
}
return errorItems;
}
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Saturnine Night
Chris, Sam, and James discuss Promethean the Created 2nd ed , and go through the setting material, some of the mechanics, why we enjoy the setting and what we would play or explore within the game.
We also discuss various events coming up and that have passed, including the "Gaming the Gothic" event recently at the University of Sheffield, and HorrorconUK, also in Sheffield. Also we discuss films and TV that act as great inspiration for the game, including;
Various Frakenstein movies
Ghost in the Shell
The Lazarus Effect
Westworld
Splice
and more.
Timestamps:
2.15 - What have we been doing?
23.25 - News
34.35 - Promethean the Created 2e overview
1:24.34 - Kirlian Camera - Inspiration for Promethean the Created
Corrections: Sheffield Gothic, the organising group, is based in the School of English (not media) and is the Postgrad arm of the Centre for the History of the Gothic. The Centre was founded five years ago to acknowledge Sheffield staff and students contributions to the field of Gothic studies over the years and GTG was part of the postgrad led ongoing project Reimagining the Gothic (https://reimagininggothic.com ). | {
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BLM Wild Horse Roundup Set for Oct. 15
The Bureau of Land Management has announced that operations will begin Saturday, Oct. 15, to round up excess wild horses from public lands in northwest Nevada, about 40 miles east of Cedarville, Calif.
The BLM said about 1,300 wild horses will be gathered and about 1,090 removed from the range to bring populations to within the appropriate management level range of 258 to 451 animals. Wild horses removed from the range will be taken to the BLM's short term Litchfield Corrals near Susanville and the Palomino Valley National Wild Horse and Burro Center north of Reno. They will be made available for public adoption after receiving vaccinations or other needed veterinary care.
Horses that are not adopted will be held in large Midwestern pastures to live out their lives.
“Our goal is to manage healthy wild horse herds on healthy rangelands in balance with other authorized users of the public range,” said Nancy Haug, manager of the BLM’s Northern California District, which oversees these wild horse herd management areas. “To keep the herds and the land healthy, we need to keep populations at levels the range can sustain, while meeting needs of users such as wildlife and livestock.”
In addition to removing excess animals from five herd management areas collectively referenced as the High Rock Complex, the 1,090 horses removed will include nearly 400 horses that are living outside of herd management areas. These removals are required by the federal Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
Members of the public are welcome to observe gather operations from vantage points at each capture site.
Anyone interested can meet with the BLM staff at 5:30 a.m. daily, at the BLM Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler St., Cedarville, Calif. They are responsible for their own transportation in a high clearance four wheel drive vehicle, beverages and food for the day. The BLM will maintain an informational telephone line at (530)279-2816 to provide daily updates on observation opportunities.
Details about the upcoming roundup are available in several environmental documents posted online at www.blm.gov/ca/surprise.
Wild horses and burros are protected by the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act which requires the BLM to manage wild herds as part of a “thriving natural ecological balance on the range.” The law mandates the removal of excess animals when populations exceed established levels. | {
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IMO ... We need to knock the repuplicans and democrats around at LEAST one year and vote for a third party ... Found this guy after 60 seconds of searching, and already seems like a better candidate than either Obama or Romney.
Maybe then, we'll have some actual decent competitors that know what the hell is going on in our country. Not the 1% that doesn't know about the other 99%, or the black guy that was going to "change the world" but has barely changed his own smirk in 4 years.
Oh, and my Facebook response to my old co-worker that posted it and turned it into a debate. I was being sarcastic btw...
I feel he would just take the tax breaks and use the money to finish his house and continue his lavish lifestyle instead of growing his business and create more jobs. Rich hoard; while it can be argued that the things bought and his house being built in and of itself stimulate the economy and create jobs, I can't but help feel more New business and jobs would be created if the money was put in the hands of the middle class; the middle class is on a mission to survive not be complacent with content like a wealthy person. If you're wealthy why would you work harder for your next bill, but if your poor or middle class wouldn't you ramp up production to meet the demand of a outstanding bill ?
I feel he would just take the tax breaks and use the money to finish his house and continue his lavish lifestyle instead of growing his business and create more jobs.
This is what history tells us always happens when you put more money in the hands of the wealthy and jack up corporate profits. And why would it do anything else? There's no market pressure to increase wages or hire.
Just look at our last corporate profit repatriation holiday, for instance. It was all hyped up as going to create jobs, increase wages, etc. What did it actually do? CEO bonuses.
Why do people continuously fall for this supply side bull****? Wages go up and businesses hire when they're forced to by competition for workers (And collective bargaining), increased demand (Ultimately from consumers), and similar pressures in the job market. Nothing else.
I feel he would just take the tax breaks and use the money to finish his house and continue his lavish lifestyle instead of growing his business and create more jobs. Rich hoard; while it can be argued that the things bought and his house being built in and of itself stimulate the economy and create jobs, I can't but help feel more New business and jobs would be created if the money was put in the hands of the middle class; the middle class is on a mission to survive not be complacent with content like a wealthy person. If you're wealthy why would you work harder for your next bill, but if your poor or middle class wouldn't you ramp up production to meet the demand of a outstanding bill ?
He did. When he started this house he fired 22 people in one day. Then 10 the next, 15 the next so on and so forth.
I think the employers call is clear. His taxes go up he will take peoples job to maintain his lavish lifestyle. It may be selfish but its legal and fair.
On the other hand if he were getting a tax incentive for hiring more people, he'd do that and everybody would win.
Exactly, the guy doesn't know squat about macro economics.
Haha, nice. Make it about his lifestyle and not his business. He is clearly evil because he cares about himself more than his employees, right? Why does anyone start their own business? If you say anything but "to make money" you are wrong. Companies started for any other reason do not succeed.
Tax incentives wouldn't do anything. There is no way to create a tax incentive for hiring people unless you do away with medicare/caid, payroll tax, Unempl. ins tax, etc that are direcrly related to hiring. The only way to increase hiring activity in any business is to allow the business to keep more of their revenue, period. This means lowering the marginal tax rates as well as the employment taxes to incentivitze growing the business. Business owners will not hire more people if it doesn't make monetary sense for their business. | {
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The British Labour Party is prepared to back a second referendum to prevent a "damaging Tory Brexit" if its withdrawal plan is rejected by MPs this week.
Jeremy Corbyn said he would put forward or support an amendment in favour of a public vote to stop Theresa May's deal being "forced on the country" if his Brexit demands are not met.
Labour will seek to enshrine its five requirements in law by tabling an amendment to the government's Brexit motion which is set to be debated in the Commons on Wednesday.
The demands include a permanent and comprehensive customs union with the EU and close alignment with the single market, as well as a dynamic alignment on rights and protections and commitments on participation in EU agencies and funding programmes.
If the plan is rejected, Labour will then support a second referendum.
The Labour leader told a heated meeting of the parliamentary Labour Party on Monday night: "The Prime Minister is recklessly running down the clock, in an attempt to force MPs to choose between her botched deal and a disastrous No Deal. We cannot and will not accept.
"Last week, after our visit to talk to EU officials and leaders in Brussels and Madrid, no one can be in any doubt Labour's alternative Brexit plan is serious and credible.
"We are convinced our alternative, which puts jobs and living standards first, could command support in the House of Commons, bring people who voted Leave and Remain together, and be negotiated with the EU.
"That's why we will be putting down an amendment in parliament this week setting out Labour's plan: for a comprehensive customs union with a UK say; close alignment with the single market; guarantees on rights and standards; protection for Britain's role in EU agencies; and a security agreement which guarantees access to the European arrest warrant and vital shared databases. And we will be calling for legislation to underpin this mandate."
He continued: "We will also be backing the Cooper-Letwin amendment to rule out a No Deal outcome.
"One way or another, we will do everything in our power to prevent no deal and oppose a damaging Tory Brexit based on Theresa May's overwhelmingly rejected deal.
"That's why, in line with our conference policy, we are committed to also putting forward or supporting an amendment in favour of a public vote to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit being forced on the country."
A Labour source heavily hinted that a Remain option would be on the ballot paper in a second referendum, saying: "We've said in the past that if there were another referendum that Remain would need to be on the ballot paper."
And the source said Labour would not back any amendments which include support for the PM's "damaging Tory Brexit deal", after being asked about support for a compromise plan put forward by Labour MPs Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson.
The two MPs have devised a plan to support the Prime Minister's Brexit deal on the condition it is put to a confirmatory public vote.
But the source said: "We will not be voting for anything which includes support for Theresa May's damaging Tory Brexit deal."
A briefing paper reportedly given to Labour MPs said any referendum would need to have "a credible Leave option and Remain".
Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said on Twitter: "This week Labour will put its alternative plan for a vote in the House of Commons.
"If parliament rejects our plan, then Labour will deliver on the promise we made at our annual conference and support a public vote."
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry told the BBC a second referendum will "break the logjam".
She said: "What she (Theresa May) wants to do is just get herself into a position whereby she says 'it's my deal or no deal'.
"We think both of those are disastrous and so we will see what it is at the end of the parliamentary process - whether we're facing no deal or a disastrous Tory Brexit - but either should go before the people and we need to have the people to break the logjam because this isn't supported in parliament." | {
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Sooo Stage 7… or was it Stage 6? We couldn’t tell. The outcome of both was inevitably similar on paper and was proven to be so. Stage 7 hair’s width difference finish between Boasson-Hagen and Kittell being the highlight of both stages.
The real reason for missing Stage 7 is due to managing non-Marmeladrome work and life, but the transitional sprint stages of the Tour are a bore and a test on even the most die hard fan to sit through and find subjects of interest to keep them engaged. This issue has been highlighted more in 2017 with agreeing to broadcast stages on their entirety. On shorter, more fan friendly profiles this is a brilliant development, but on stages such as 6 and 7 it’s tough to keep the ratings high.
We complain when we’ve missed dramatic action early on in the stage due to the TV broadcast starting midway through but if ASO is now proposing to show all stages in their entirety then they need to create a race that lends itself better to being fully televised. Of course, there is a need to have sprint stages and transition stages, but back to back 200+km of flat roads aren’t the way forward anymore.
Mini-rant over – onto Stage 8!
We finally reach the Jura mountains and the only flat roads appear during the first 28km -great! When the race reaches the town of Arbois the road starts to go upward and we have some testing undulating roads over the next 58km. The riders will then tackle the 3rd category climb of the Col de la Joux, a short 6km ascent with an average of 4.6%. After this, there is a long 21km descent that brings them to the foot of the penultimate climb, the 2nd category Côte de Viry. A step up from the previous climb at 7.6km and averaging 5.2%
After some more rolling roads, the riders descend down to Saint-Claude for the final, and most testing, climb of the stage. The Montee de la Combe de Laisia Les Molunes, which is a mouthful and befits the nature of the climb, which is a long drawn out affair at 11.7km and 6.4% average. This will be a test of racing at your own pace and where stronger climbers could make others suffer by turning up the heat early on.
After the summit, there are still 11km to race and these are again on undulating roads, the perfect point for a loan rider who’s attacked on the MdlCdLlM (that’s one catching acronym) to make it stick.
The undulating terrain of Stage 8 lends itself to a breakaway. Also, given that Stage 9 contains 3 HC climbs, the GC race will likely take a back seat today and hopefully the peloton will be content with letting the break fight it out for stage honours.
With that in mind here’s our pick of riders who’d we like to see in that break, with the criteria of being already far enough down on GC so as not to appear a threat to the yellow jersey:
Dario Cataldo (-18:38 mins)
Alessandro De Marchi (-23:29 mins)
Pierre Rolland (-15:00 mins)
Steve Cummings (-25:58 mins)
Tony Gallopin (-16:24 mins)
Gianluca Brambilla (-18:05 mins)
Fabio Felline (-17:07 mins)
Any breakaway prediction is a lottery and if any of these riders make it into the break they will be strong favourites to take the stage. The key is obviously allowing the peloton to give them enough elastic to make the move stick. Riders like Rolland, Cummings and Felline are arguably the ones in current form. Gallopin hit the deck during the time trial and will hopefully have recovered enough to fancy this stage. Cataldo and De Marchi are no strangers to a mountain heavy breakaway attempt whilst Brambilla won a stage at the Giro and Vuelta last from a small group.
Podium Prediction | {
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Contents
Plot
Today is the day a princess gets chosen to host the Royal Prep Tea Party. Sofia tells everyone that before she was a princess, she and her friends would spread blankets on the ground and borrow tea cups from their mothers. But Amber, Hildegard, and Clio tell her that the Tea Party is a big deal because the whole class goes including the Fairies, and they hosted bigger parties. When Sofia is chosen to host the next Royal Prep Tea Party, Hildegard and Clio tell her that she needs to do better than borrowed tea cups.
At the castle, Sofia shows Amber and James that she wants to host one of the tea parties she used to have with Ruby and Jade, only this time, they get to use the castle tea cups and get to paint them. While James likes this idea, Amber doesn't because she thinks it's too small. She tells Sofia that she's her secret weapon for throwing a fabulous party, and she convinces her that bigger is better. Baileywick gives Sofia a planer to plan her party. Sofia decides on a swan themed tea party with swan shaped cookies and cakes. Ruby and Jade come over to have tea with her. She takes them to her hideaway: a secret garden. While the three of them have tea and biscuits, Sofia tells Ruby and Jade about the tea party for Royal Prep and wishing she could throw a party like the one she's having with them but feels she has to be considerate of her guests and Amber says her guests want a big and fancy party.
Sofia is selecting the plates and wants the plain white plates but Amber takes over and picks the shiny gold ones. When Sofia is picking the goblets, Amber takes over again and picks the biggest ones. Sofia is starting to feel overwhelmed and says this is starting to look more like a feast instead of a tea party but Amber says you can never have too much of a good thing. When Amber finds out the size of the cookie samples after James ate them all, she insists that they be as big as possible which Sofia, out of consideration of her guests, reluctantly agrees to despite James's protests. Cedric agrees to make the tables float. Sofia asks the swans to help with her party and they agree. Amber decides to add a ice swan to the mix. Sofia is dismayed by how big Amber made her plan her party and James is annoyed that Amber didn't let Sofia make her own decisions. Sofia finishes by getting a new dress prepared for the party.
The next day, Miranda comes out to see the party and notices how overwhelmed Sofia is. Suddenly, disaster strikes: The ice swan is accidentally sent into the swans pond. The spooked swans crash into Cedric, causing him to lose control of the floating tables, causing a mess and making them fly away. Sofia is upset because the party is ruined and she doesn't have time to plan another big party. Miranda asks her if she even wanted to throw a big party and Sofia says she didn't but only did so because she wanted to be considerate of her guests. Miranda tells Sofia that she's the host and it's what she wants that matters. Sofia decides to throw the party she wants in her hideaway and the guests declare it the best tea party they ever attended.
Home Video Release
Songs
Trivia
Goofs
At the end of the episode Hildegard and Clio can be seen sitting on the picnic blankets with everyone else but seconds before the episode closes their legs are visible in a standing up position even though they are still sitting.
At the end of the song, Bigger is Better, the rear castle guard's right hand is out of place while carrying the pallet Amber is standing on.
Cedric calls his Erlenmeyer flask a beaker.
While Sofia meets and greets Ralph and the swans after asking Cedric for the floating tables, the shiny effects from her tiara were out of place.
At the end, Sofia states that everyone gets to paint their own teacups. However the cups they are painting have two handles, indicating that they are sugar bowls. | {
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No. 2--95--0698
_________________________________________________________________
IN THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
SECOND DISTRICT
_________________________________________________________________
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE ) Appeal from the Circuit Court
OF ILLINOIS, ) of Stephenson County.
)
Plaintiff-Appellant, ) No. 93--CF--422
)
v. )
)
JOHN A. GOEBEL, ) Honorable
) Richard E. DeMoss,
Defendant-Appellee. ) Judge, Presiding.
_________________________________________________________________
JUSTICE HUTCHINSON delivered the opinion of the court:
The State appeals from the order of the circuit court of
Stephenson County granting the motion of the defendant, John A.
Goebel, to dismiss an amended information filed against him on
January 9, 1995. The State's motion to reconsider was denied, and
this timely appeal was filed. We reverse and remand.
The State petitioned this court for leave to supply us with
additional authority; we granted the State's petition. On appeal
to this court, the State raises one issue: whether reversal of the
trial court's dismissal order is required, based on the authority
of People v. DiLorenzo, 169 Ill. 2d 318 (1996). The State contends
that the allegations in the amended information were sufficient to
state the offense of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. We agree
with the State.
Defendant was charged by information with the offense of
criminal sexual assault. The information was later amended to
charge defendant with committing the offense of aggravated criminal
sexual abuse. The amended information alleged:
"[Defendant], on or about the 10th day of November 1992
at and within Stephenson County, Illinois did commit the
offense of AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE in violation of
Chapter 38, Illinois Revised Statutes *** Section 12--16(b) in
that said defendant, [a family member] of [D.R.], knowingly
committed an act of sexual conduct with [D.R.], who was under
18 years of age when the act was committed, in that said
defendant rubbed his penis against the buttocks of [D.R.]."
(Emphasis in original.)
Section 12--16(b) of the Criminal Code of 1961 reads in
pertinent part:
"The accused commits aggravated criminal sexual abuse if
he or she commits an act of sexual conduct with a victim who
was under 18 years of age when the act was committed and the
accused was a family member." 720 ILCS Ann. 5/12--16(b)
(Smith-Hurd Supp. 1996).
The Criminal Code of 1961 defines "sexual conduct" in
pertinent part as "any intentional or knowing touching or fondling
by *** the accused *** of the sex organs *** of the victim *** for
the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal of the victim or the
accused." 720 ILCS Ann. 5/12--12(e) (Smith-Hurd Supp. 1996).
Defendant was tried before a jury on January 10-12, 1995. The
State's first witness was the victim, D.R. D.R. testified to the
events occurring on or about November 8 and 9, 1992, in which she,
defendant, and her sister, Tonya, were at the residence of
defendant and his wife, Darcy. D.R. testified that the three of
them, D.R., Tonya, and defendant, were painting the kitchen, and,
by the end of the evening, D.R. had paint in her hair and clothes.
She testified that she went upstairs to take a bath, but, because
the paint was still in her hair, she called to her sister for
assistance. Defendant, instead, went upstairs into the bathroom
and suggested she go to the basement and shower the paint out of
her hair. D.R. testified that, upon exiting from the shower in the
basement, defendant had come down the stairs, led her towards a
workout bench, and, with her back facing him, exposed his penis to
her. He then "started rubbing his penis up and down on [her]
butt." D.R. also testified that defendant told her that she was
too beautiful for her own good.
D.R. testified that another incident occurred at defendant's
residence after a funeral sometime at the end of June 1992. She
testified that she and defendant went downstairs to talk, but that
defendant started rubbing her back and put his hand down her pants.
She testified that defendant took off D.R.'s pants, kissed her
breasts, put his finger in her vagina, and then put his mouth on
her vagina. Defendant then exposed his penis to her, ejaculated,
and instructed D.R. to taste the semen.
According to D.R.'s testimony, another incident took place at
defendant's residence around October 1992. D.R. testified that she
and defendant were in the living room and she had been getting him
beers from the refrigerator when he told her to go upstairs "so
Darcy won't get suspicious." She testified that they went upstairs
and defendant turned on the television. Defendant then proceeded
to pull down D.R.'s pants, kiss her breasts and vagina, and put his
finger in her vagina.
D.R. next testified to an incident occurring in mid to late
June 1993 at defendant's newly purchased residence. D.R., among
others, was helping defendant renovate the residence prior to
defendant and his family moving in. D.R. testified that, on this
occasion, she had just finished going to the bathroom, but, before
she could pull up her underwear and pants, defendant came in and
put his fingers on her vagina and talked about his sex drive. D.R.
testified that defendant then stopped, apologized, and said he
could not help himself. She testified they then took a tour of the
house, and, while they were upstairs, defendant laid D.R. down,
took her pants down, and lifted her shirt and bra, exposing her
breasts. D.R. testified that defendant then put his fingers in her
vagina, kissed her breasts and vagina, and then attempted, but
failed, to put his penis in her vagina. Defendant then instructed
her to put her mouth on his penis, but then stopped and told her to
get a cup. D.R. testified she went downstairs, got the cup, went
back upstairs, and defendant again told her to put her mouth on his
penis. D.R. said defendant then ejaculated in her mouth.
Defendant then performed oral sex on D.R. D.R. testified that,
during the ensuing conversation, defendant stated that "he didn't
know if most [family members] did this but he thought they should
because he was trying to teach [her]" about sex.
On cross-examination, counsel for defendant attempted to
elicit from D.R. specific dates, times, and places of the
incidents, and whether any witnesses were present.
Tonya, sister of D.R., testified next, and she recalled the
events surrounding the November 8 and 9, 1992, incident. Tonya
testified that D.R. had taken a bath upstairs after painting that
evening and had called for Tonya, but that defendant went upstairs
instead. She then testified that D.R. went to the basement to take
a shower, and minutes later, while D.R. was still in the basement,
defendant went downstairs. On cross-examination, Tonya testified
as to her employment history, her knowledge of the June 1992
funeral, her recollection that defendant was in the basement with
D.R. in November 1992, and the terms of her visitation with
defendant.
The State's last witness was Officer Richard Roodhouse. He
testified about the investigation of the allegations against
defendant. Roodhouse testified that defendant acknowledged his
hand "fell against her breast" on one occasion and, on another
occasion, D.R. was getting up from a couch and she put her hand on
defendant's groin or penis. Roodhouse testified that defendant
said he "didn't remove [either his hand from her breast or her hand
from his groin or penis] right away because he had taken some
psychology courses, and the *** courses had taught him not to do so
because it would make that gesture appear dirty." He also
testified that defendant acknowledged taking the girls for rides in
the country and talking about sex "because he didn't want [them] to
be naive about sex." Defendant also told Roodhouse that D.R. had
the dates all wrong.
Defendant's brother, James, testified for the defendant.
James testified about the events surrounding the June 1992 funeral
and his work schedule.
Defendant's brother, Bill, testified next about the events of
the June 1992 funeral.
Six other witnesses testified that they helped remodel or
observed the remodeling of defendant's new home.
Darcy, defendant's wife, testified next. She testified as to
the events surrounding the June 1992 funeral, the routine she
typically followed, and observations she made during the remodeling
of her and defendant's new home.
Defendant testified next. Defendant categorically denied all
incidents of sexual abuse. Regarding the November 8 and 9, 1992,
incident, defendant testified that both Tonya and D.R. were in the
bathroom upstairs trying to get paint out of D.R.'s hair.
Defendant testified that he told D.R., through the bathroom door,
to go to the basement and let the shower water "beat [the paint]
out" of her hair. Defendant testified that Tonya stayed in the
bathroom upstairs while D.R. went down to the basement and took a
shower. He testified that he stayed in the kitchen and did not go
into the basement until D.R. had already gone back upstairs into
the bathroom where Tonya was. After that, he testified, he went to
the basement and stoked the wood-burning furnace and was only in
the basement for approximately five minutes.
Defendant acknowledged his conversations with Roodhouse
regarding defendant touching D.R.'s breast and her touching his
groin. On cross-examination, defendant also testified to only two
occasions, occurring years apart, when he was driving in the
country that he talked with his daughters about sex. Defendant
testified regarding the psychology course that he took, but never
finished, where he learned not to take his hand away from D.R.'s
breast too quickly or remove D.R.'s hand from his groin or penis
because it would make the gesture appear dirty. Defendant also
testified that on November 9, 1992, the only people painting and
remodeling in his new house were himself, Tonya, and D.R.
Before the case was given to the jury for decision, defendant
moved to have the charge dismissed. Defendant argued that the
charge did not state an offense and asserted that the evidence did
not support a conviction.
After hearing the arguments of counsel, the trial court first
denied the motion for a directed finding, stating that "the
evidence is sufficient that a jury can reasonably find the
defendant guilty of the charge." The trial court then discussed
defendant's motion to dismiss and determined that dismissal should
be granted because the charge failed to state an offense.
In granting the motion, the trial court explained that an
allegation regarding the child victim's buttocks did not charge the
offense of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, relying on People v.
Nibbio, 180 Ill. App. 3d 513 (1989). However, after the parties
filed post-judgment motions, the trial court reconsidered its
reasoning. On reconsideration, the trial court agreed with the
State that sexual conduct includes the knowing touching of the
victim's body by the penis of the accused. However, to prosecute
such a charge, the State must allege and prove that the touching
was done "for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal of the
victim or of the accused." 720 ILCS Ann. 5/12--12(e) (Smith-Hurd
Supp. 1996). Relying on People v. Edwards, 195 Ill. App. 3d 454
(1990), the trial court, stated that that element was not alleged
in the amended information and the order dismissing the charge
would stand.
Before addressing the State's argument, we note that defendant
failed to file a brief in this appeal. However, because we find
the issue presented relatively straightforward, we may decide this
case without an appellee's brief in accordance with First Capitol
Mortgage Corp. v. Talandis Construction Corp., 63 Ill. 2d 128, 133
(1976) (holding that a reviewing court should decide the merits of
an appeal where the record is simple and the claimed error is such
that a decision can be made easily without the aid of an appellee's
brief); see also Exline v. Exline, 277 Ill. App. 3d 10, 13 (1995).
The State argues that reversal of the trial court's dismissal
order is required, relying on the authority of People v. DiLorenzo,
169 Ill. 2d 318 (1996). The State contends that, based on
DiLorenzo, the allegations in the amended information were
sufficient to state the offense of aggravated criminal sexual
abuse.
We are obliged to follow the precedents of our supreme court.
A settled rule of law that contravenes no statute or constitutional
principles should be followed under the doctrine of stare decisis
unless it can be shown that serious detriment prejudicial to the
public interest is likely to result. Pasquale v. Speed Products
Engineering, 166 Ill. 2d 337, 349 (1995). Stare decisis is a
policy of the courts to stand by precedent and leave settled points
of law undisturbed. Charles v. Seigfried, 165 Ill. 2d 482, 492
(1995). Additionally, our appellate court lacks the authority to
overrule or modify decisions of our supreme court. People v.
Woodard, 276 Ill. App. 3d 242, 245 (1995); Vonholdt v. Barba &
Barba Construction, Inc., 276 Ill. App. 3d 325, 329 (1995). Thus,
it is our duty to examine the DiLorenzo decision and determine
whether the material facts found by the Illinois Supreme Court in
DiLorenzo are similar to or different from those facts in the
present case.
In DiLorenzo, the defendant was charged with, inter alia,
aggravated criminal sexual abuse (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 38,
par. 12--16(c)(1)(i) (now 720 ILCS Ann. 5/12--16(c)(1)(i) (Smith-
Hurd Supp. 1996))). The indictment was in writing, specifically
named the alleged committed offenses, and provided citation to the
relevant statutory provisions, date of the offense, county of its
occurrence, and the defendant's name. Further, the indictment, in
the words of the statute, stated that the defendant committed the
offense of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in that
"he, who was 17 years of age or older, knowingly committed an
act of sexual conduct with [C.R.] who was under 13 years of
age when the act was committed."
Following a bench trial, the defendant was found guilty of
aggravated criminal sexual abuse and was sentenced; the appellate
court affirmed. The defendant appealed, asserting that the
indictment was fatally defective in that the aggravated criminal
sexual abuse charge failed to explicitly state that the alleged
"sexual conduct" with C.R. was "for the purpose of sexual
gratification or arousal of the victim or the accused" and also
that the indictment failed to set forth with particularity the
allegedly wrongful acts that constituted "sexual conduct."
The DiLorenzo defendant, like defendant in the present case,
failed to challenge the sufficiency of the charging instrument in
a pretrial motion. Therefore, the supreme court declined to
discuss the sufficiency of the charging instrument when attacked in
a pretrial motion. Because defendant in the present case also
waited until the conclusion of the trial to attack the
information's sufficiency, we too decline to address the issue of
a pretrial attack of the charging instrument.
Instead, the DiLorenzo court stated that, when the sufficiency
of a charging instrument is attacked for the first time on appeal,
the standard of review is whether the charging instrument apprised
the defendant of the precise offense charged with enough
specificity to (1) allow preparation of her or his defense and (2)
allow pleading a resulting conviction as a bar to future
prosecution arising out of the same conduct. DiLorenzo, 169 Ill.
2d at 321-22, citing People v. Thingvold, 145 Ill. 2d 441, 448
(1991).
The DiLorenzo court determined that the phrase "for the
purpose of sexual gratification" or the definition of "sexual
conduct" were unnecessary to its disposition and declined to
distinguish our rationale in People v. Edwards, 195 Ill. App. 3d
454 (1990). In Edwards, the defendant appealed two of his
convictions of aggravated criminal sexual abuse on the grounds that
the convictions were improperly charged. The defendant argued
that, because the charges were based upon the defendant's "sexual
conduct" with the victim, the charging instrument should have
included the relevant provision of the statute, "for the purpose of
sexual gratification or arousal of the victim or the accused." 720
ILCS Ann. 5/12--12(e) (Smith-Hurd Supp. 1996).
This court reversed those convictions, stating that reference
to the definition of "sexual conduct" was essential to the offense
of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Edwards, 195 Ill. App. 3d at
457. In interpreting clauses and definitions in statutes, courts
should construe those words in accordance with the statutory
definition. DeBois v. Department of Employment Security, 274 Ill.
App. 3d 660, 664 (1995). Because the charges in Edwards were, for
the most part, expressed in the language of the "sexual conduct"
definition and because the charges omitted the element that the
relevant conduct was committed "for the purpose of sexual arousal
or gratification," we held that the charges failed both to set
forth fully the nature and elements of the offense and to be as
fully descriptive as the language of the statute. Edwards, 195
Ill. App. 3d at 457.
In disregarding the Edwards rationale, the DiLorenzo court
theorized that, should the defendant have needed to know "some of
the details" of the charge, the defendant could have filed a
request for a bill of particulars. Our supreme court concluded
that the defendant was aware of the nature of the charges against
him and that no impediment existed in the preparation of his
defense as a result of the manner in which the indictment charged
the offenses. DiLorenzo, 169 Ill. 2d at 324-25.
We determine that the material facts in the case at bar are
sufficiently analogous to the material facts of the DiLorenzo case.
The amended information apprised defendant of the precise offense
charged with enough specificity to allow preparation of his defense
and to allow pleading a resulting conviction as a bar to future
prosecution arising out of the same conduct. Our own review of the
record indicates that defendant was fully cognizant of the nature
of the charges against him, that he was being tried for "an act of
sexual conduct with [D.R.]." Defendant called 10 witnesses,
including himself, to refute the specifically charged offense
occurring on or about November 10, 1992, as well as the allegations
surrounding the June 1992 incident taking place after the
relative's funeral. Though defendant did not specifically defend
against each of the incidents to which D.R. testified, on at least
two occasions in the report of proceedings defendant did offer a
blanket denial of all allegations concerning sexual abuse of D.R.
Counsel for defendant cross-examined D.R. in depth, attempting to
elicit specific dates, places, times, and witnesses present.
Furthermore, defendant even secured broadcast schedules from an
area television station to defend against the alleged October 1992
incident.
Pursuant to the doctrine of stare decisis, we adhere to the
decision of our supreme court in DiLorenzo and reverse the trial
court's order dismissing the amended information charge against
defendant. To the extent our holding in Edwards is inconsistent
with this result, Edwards is overruled.
Finally, we compare the date of the disposition of DiLorenzo
with the pendency of the present case. DiLorenzo was disposed of
on February 15, 1996, while the instant case was dismissed by the
trial court on May 3, 1995. The State timely filed its appeal,
thus effecting a continuation in the proceedings. See 134 Ill. 2d
R. 606. In reversing the trial court's dismissal of the charging
instrument, we recognize that our supreme court has the inherent
power to give its decisions prospective or retrospective
application. See Berryman Equipment v. Industrial Comm'n, 276 Ill.
App. 3d 76, 79 (1995). Generally, a supreme court decision applies
retroactively to cases pending at the time the decision is
announced. People v. Granados, 172 Ill. 2d 358, 365 (1996). A
decision will be applied retroactively unless the court expressly
declares that its decision is a clear break with the past, such as
when it explicitly overrules its own past precedent, disapproves a
previously approved practice, or overturns a well-established body
of lower court authority. People v. Phillips, 219 Ill. App. 3d
877, 879 (1991). Because the DiLorenzo decision offers no such
declarations warranting only prospective application, its holding
will be applied retroactively, and, thus, DiLorenzo is controlling
in the appeal before us.
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the circuit court
of Stephenson County is reversed, and the cause is remanded for
further proceedings.
Reversed and remanded.
GEIGER and RATHJE, JJ., concur.
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The Teacher's Magazine N° 218
Noviembre 2018
This month, The Teacher’s Magazine presents the first part of a crazy ABC, with poems to read to children and to use as decoration for the classroom. You will also find activities to work with pirates for different ages and levels.
In our Phonics for Kids section, a new sound is introduced with a story called Brook the Woodpecker.
The school year is coming to an end, and you will find a Student Self-reflection Sheet, for learners to reflect on their learning process. Gamification in the EFL Classroom presents different apps with which students can revise concepts in a fun way.
There is the life of Julieta Lanteri, the first woman to vote in Argentina, to use not only as a comprehension and writing activity, but also as a starting point for a debate on women’s rights and discrimination.
The Teacher's Magazine is a monthly issue specially designed for teachers of English as Foreign or Second Language. It provides creative ready-to-go materials to make their classes more active and appealing to students.
The ideal magazine for English teachers that choose to work effectively with students of all levels and ages and an asset at the moment of developing contents. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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