In a 2011 paper published in the journal "Asian Journal of Algebra"(see reference[1]), the authors consider, among other equations,the diophantine equations 2xy=n(x+y) and 3xy=n(x+y). For the first equation, with n being an odd positive integer, they give the solution x=(n+1)/2, y=n(n+1)/2. For the second equation they present the particular solution, x=(n+1)/3,y=n(n+1)/3, where is n is a positive integer congruent to 2modulo3. If in the above equations we assume n to be prime, then these two equations become special cases of the diophantine equation, nxy=p(x+y) (1), with p being a prime and n a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. This 2-variable symmetric diophantine equation is the subject matter of this article; with the added condition that the intager n is not divisible by the prime p. Observe that this equation can be written in fraction form: n/p= 1/x + 1/y(See [2] for more details) In this work we prove the following result, Theorem1(stated on page2 of this paper):Let p be a prime, n a positive integer at least2, and not divisible by p. Then, 1)If n=2 and p is an odd prime, equation (1) has exactly three distinct positive integer solutions:x=p, y=p ; x=p(p+1)/2, y=(p+1)/2 ; x=(p+1)/2, y=p(p+1)/2 2)If n is greater than or equal to 3, and n is a divisor of p+1. Then equation (1) has exactly two distinct solutions: x=p(p+1)/n, y=(p+1)/n ; x=(p+1)/n, y=p(p+1)/n 3) if n is not a divisor of p+1. Then equation (1) has no positive integer solution. The proof of this result is elementary, and only uses Euclid's Lemma from number theory,and basic divisor arguments(such that if a prime divides a product of two integers; it must divide at least one of them).


If the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of our Galaxy grew adiabatically, then a dense "spike" of dark matter is expected to have formed around it. Assuming that dark matter is composed primarily of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), a star orbiting close enough to the SMBH can capture WIMPs at an extremely high rate. The stellar luminosity due to annihilation of captured WIMPs in the stellar core may be comparable to or even exceed the luminosity of the star due to thermonuclear burning. The model thus predicts the existence of unusual stars, i.e. "WIMP burners", in the vicinity of an adiabatically grown SMBH. We find that the most efficient WIMP burners are stars with degenerate electron cores, e.g. white dwarfs (WD) or degenerate cores with envelopes. If found, such stars would provide evidence for the existence of particle dark matter and could possibly be used to establish its density profile. In our previous paper we computed the luminosity from WIMP burning for a range of dark matter spike density profiles, degenerate core masses, and distances from the SMBH. Here we compare our results with the observed stars closest to the Galactic center and find that they could be consistent with WIMP burners in the form of degenerate cores with envelopes. We also cross-check the WIMP burner hypothesis with the EGRET observed flux of gamma-rays from the Galactic center, which imposes a constraint on the dark matter spike density profile and annihilation cross-section. We find that the EGRET data is consistent with the WIMP burner hypothesis. New high precision measurements by GLAST will confirm or set stringent limits on a dark matter spike at the Galactic center, which will in turn support or set stringent limits on the existence of WIMP burners at the Galactic center.


assuming the obligation to repay, pursuant to subsection (c), a loan made, insured or guaranteed under this part or part D (excluding loans made under sections 428B and 428C) for any new borrower after October 1, 1994, who completes a degree in early childhood education and obtains full-time employment in a child care facility. ``(2) Award basis; priority.-- ``(A) Award basis.--Subject to subparagraph (B), loan repayment under this section shall be on a first- come, first-served basis and subject to the availability of appropriations. ``(B) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority in providing loan repayment under this section for a fiscal year to student borrowers who received loan repayment under this section for the preceding fiscal year. ``(3) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. ``(c) Loan Repayment.-- ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall assume the obligation to repay 15 percent of the total amount of all loans made after October 1, 1994, to a student under this part or part D for each complete year of employment described in subsection (b)(1). ``(2) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the refunding of any repayment of a loan made under this part or part D. ``(3) Interest.--If a portion of a loan is repaid by the Secretary under this section for any year, the proportionate amount of interest on such loan which accrues for such year shall be repaid by the Secretary. ``(4) Special rule.--In the case where a student borrower who is not participating in loan repayment pursuant to this section returns to an institution of higher education after graduation from an institution of higher education for the purpose of obtaining a degree in early childhood education, the Secretary is authorized to assume the obligation to repay the total amount of loans made under this part or part D incurred for a maximum of two academic years in returning to an institution of higher education for the purpose of obtaining a degree in early childhood education. Such loans shall only be repaid for borrowers who qualify for loan repayment pursuant to the provisions of this section, and shall be repaid in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1). ``(5) Ineligibility of national service award recipients.-- No student borrower may, for the same volunteer service, receive a benefit under both this section and subtitle D of title I of the National and Community


The evolutionary stage of the delta Scuti star 44 Tau has been unclear. Recent asteroseismic studies have claimed models on the main sequence, as well as in the expansion phase of the post-main sequence evolution. However, these models could not reproduce all of the observed frequencies, the mode instability range, and the fundamental stellar parameters simultaneously. A recent photometric study has increased the number of detected independent modes in 44 Tau to 15, and a newly found gravity mode at 5.30 c/d extends the observed frequency range. Aims. One of the possible evolutionary stages of 44 Tau has not yet been considered: the overall contraction phase after the main sequence. We computed asteroseismic models to examine whether models in this evolutionary stage provide a better fit of the observed frequency spectrum. Methods. We used Dziembowski's pulsation code to compute nonadiabatic frequencies of radial and nonradial modes. Observation of two radial modes and an avoided crossing of dipole modes put strong constraints on the models. A two-parametric overshooting routine is utilized to determine the efficiency of element mixing in the overshoot layer above the convective core. Results. We find that pulsation models in the post-MS contraction phase successfully reproduce the observed frequency range, as well as the frequency values of all individual radial and nonradial modes. The theoretical frequencies of the mixed modes at 7.79 c/d and 9.58 c/d are in better agreement with the observations if efficient element mixing in a small overshoot layer is assumed.


Curt Schilling: I’d be in the Hall of Fame if I bashed Donald Trump The 2017 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees will be announced later this month, and Curt Schilling is once again expected to come up short. The former Cy Young Award winner is convinced that has much more to do with his political opinions than what he accomplished in his career. And he’s probably right. In an interview with TMZ this week, Schilling said he believes nearly all of the 400-plus voters would give him a thumbs up if he bashed Donald Trump rather than supporting the president elect. “They’re not hiding the fact that they’ve stopped voting for me because of the things I’ve said on social media,” the 50-year-old said. “That’s their prerogative as voters. … If I had said lynch Trump, I’d be getting in with about 90 percent of the votes this year.” A few months ago, Schilling shared a photo on social media of a man wearing a shirt encouraging people to lynch journalists and described it as “awesome.” Schilling added that many of the voters are hypocrites for keeping him out of the Hall because of his character, noting that there’s a tendency to “pick and choose” which players to apply the character clause to. “The people who have said they’re not going to vote for me are not going to vote for me because of the character clause,” he said. “There are some of the worst human beings I’ve ever known voting. There are scumbags all across — if they don’t believe my baseball talents merit me getting into the Hall of Fame, so be it.” Schilling is one of only 16 pitchers with 3,000-plus strikeouts in his career. His 216 wins are a bit low for some people, but he ranks third all-time in strikeout-to-walk ratio. The strongest case Schilling can make for Cooperstown is his 11-2 record and 2.23 ERA in the playoffs, where he was downright dominant. Are many voters keeping Schilling off their ballots because he has made unpopular remarks like this? Most likely, but he still has a few years to get in. It’d be a surprise if he doesn’t eventually get to the Hall.


if the State program or other State entity authorized to make such determinations certifies to the Secretary, in accordance with the procedures established under subsection (b), that the State program complies with the following requirements: (1) State program design.--The State program is established and authorized by State law as an earthquake insurance program that offers residential property insurance coverage for insured losses to property, contents, and additional living expenses, and which is not a State program that requires insurers to pool resources to provide property insurance coverage for earthquakes. (2) Operation.--The State program shall meet the following requirements: (A) A majority of the members of the governing body of the State program shall be public officials or appointed by public officials. (B) The State shall have a financial interest in the State program. (C) If the State has at any time appropriated amounts from the State program's funds for any purpose other than payments for losses insured under the State program, or payments made in connection with any of the State program's authorized activities, the State shall have returned such amounts to the State fund, together with interest on such amounts. (3) Tax status.--The State program shall have received from the Secretary (or the Secretary's designee) a written determination, within the meaning of section 6110(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that the State program either-- (A) constitutes an ``integral part'' of the State that has created it; or (B) is otherwise exempt from Federal income taxation. (4) Earnings.--The State program may not provide for any distribution of any part of any net profits of the State program to any insurer that participates in the State program. (5) Loss prevention and mitigation.-- (A) Mitigation of losses.--The State program shall include provisions designed to encourage and support programs to mitigate losses for which the State insurance program was established to provide insurance. (B) Operational requirements.--The State program shall operate in a State that-- (i) has in effect and enforces, or the appropriate local governments within the State have in effect and enforce, nationally recognized building, seismic-design, and safety codes and consensus-based standards; and (ii) has taken actions to establish an insurance rate structure that takes into account measures to mitigate insured losses. (6) Requirements regarding coverage.--The State program-- (A) may not, except for charges or assessments related to post-event financing or bonding, involve cross-subsidization


Assuming that the universe is homogenous and isotropic and applying Gauss' flux theorem for gravity, it follows that the gravitational field of the visible universe can be calculated as if the entire mass of the visible universe is located in one point. Taking into account that the mass of the visible universe is M=2x10^{53} kg, it appears that the entire visible universe is inside a {\it photon sphere} of radius R_{ps} = 14.3 Gpc. The current model for the visible universe must be corrected to account for the fact that measured horizon distance of 14.0 \pm 0.2 Gpc is not a straight line. Rather it is an arc of a circle with that length, because all photons are inside the photon sphere. Our model interprets the visible universe as a surface of a sphere (or an inside of a sphere shell) with radius 4.46 \pm 0.06 Gpc and an event horizon, located on that sphere (shell), with size of 14.0 \pm 0.2 Gpc. The model predicts CMB redshift and time dilatation of Type Ia supernovae by gravitation. It explains, without inflation theory, the isotropy and uniformity of the CMB. It predicts the correct value for the Hubble constant H_0 = 67.26 \pm 0.90 km/s/Mpc, the cosmic expansion rate H(z) in agreement with observations, and the speed of the event horizon. Through relativistic energy correction, our model also provides an explanation for critical density without use of dark matter. It explains that Type Ia supernovae redshifts are not related to the accelerated expansion of the universe and dark energy. It explains the reason for the established discrepancy between the non-covariant version of the holographic principle and the calculated dimensionless entropy (S/k) for the visible universe, which exceeds the entropy of a black hole. The model is in agreement with the distribution of radio sources in space, Type Ia data, and data from the HUDF optical and near-infrared survey.


ALBUQUERQUE, NM (CNN) – A New Mexico woman has been taken to a mental hospital after a shocking find at her home. Authorities found her husband’s mummified body inside a bedroom closet. There’s now a sign on the garage of the Foothills home warning trespassers to keep out as the house is in foreclosure. When deputies showed up to evict the owners last month they were shocked at what they found “I never would have imagined that he would be laying in the closet into a mummified state,” said Thomas Huerta, the dead man’s son. Police found the body of Huerta’s father on a mattress in the closet, with a pillow propped under his head, and he was tucked in under blankets. The man’s wife told police he died in April of 2015, more than two years earlier. “I try not to think about it. It is very difficult,” said Huerta. Huerta says he is still trying to let the news sink in. He lives in California now, but visited Albuquerque last October to introduce his father to his pregnant girlfriend. “Not only she was in there, but so was his mummified corpse,” said Huerta. According to a report, neighbors noticed the man hadn’t been around, but when they asked his wife, she only told them he was preparing for the ministry. The woman told police her husband suffered from chronic back pain so he often slept in that closet. He had been coughing up bile, but refused to go the hospital. Tom tells me he never imagined his father’s life would end like this. “It is horrible to think that that was his destiny,” said Huerta. Authorities are now trying to determine how the man died. It’s unclear if the woman will face criminal charges.


lights when you get home. Smart Cameras Canary is an all-in-one home security system trained to send intelligent alerts to a user's smartphone when it detects activity. You can also open your Canary app to see live video and audio of what's happening in your home at that moment and replay video clips. The all-in-one security system can even let you sound a 90+ decibel alarm if you see shady activity unfolding live on your app, hopefully scaring the thief away and alerting neighbors. One device starts at $169, with deals for multi-packs. Another option is the Nest Cam Indoor, which can be placed in an inconspicuous place in your home and record video that can be stored in the cloud for 30 days. If there's a suspicious sound in your home, Nest will also send an alert to your phone, so you're immediately in the know. It can also send "person alerts," letting you see who's in your home. The indoor camera starts at $199, but there are deals if you buy multiple devices to cover more areas of your home. Where Did That Thing Go? If losing your favorite bag or coat is a worry, consider putting a Tile tracker in it. The tiny device pairs to your smartphone and will let you know where your item is, as long as the Tile is still inside of it. More often than not, it's likely your housekeeper moved that bag to vacuum and you'll find it somewhere in your house. If you're having trouble locating an item, you can also reach out to the customer service representatives from whichever platform you used. They can ask the service provider if they saw a specific item — and more often than not, quickly tell you where it is in your home.


If Cristiano Ronaldo can teach us anything about fame, perhaps it’s that the more famous you get, the more haters you get. Ronaldo has revealed that even his son’s classmates are among the Real Madrid star’s critics and they tell Cristiano Jr. that there are better players than the four-time Ballon d’Or winner. “There are people who sometimes say to him that ‘there is another player who is better than your father,’ but he knows how to deal with that,” Ronaldo told ON TV in Egypt. “He is a smart boy, like me. I often tell him ‘be yourself and be polite,’” he added. “I know that he will go through periods of adversity as there are jealous people out there, but I see him as a happy child.” Ronaldo did not specify who his son’s classmates think is better. But, hmm, wonder who the other player could be? We can’t say for sure … but it’s definitely Lionel Messi. While Ronaldo’s son for now must defend his father’s honor at the school yard, the Portuguese also said he wouldn’t mind if his son followed in his footsteps and carried on his legacy as an attacking player — but he won’t pressure him too much. “Of course I would like it if he became a footballer,” he admitted. “I know that it is a challenge and that it isn’t easy, but he can be whatever he wants to be as I won’t pressure him.” “I might be pushing him a little in the direction of becoming a footballer,” he added, “but not to be a goalkeeper as I want him to be a forward.” Let the bids for Cristiano Jr.’s 2028 rights begin. MORE FROM FOX SOCCER


Recently Shukurov et al [Phys Rev \textbf{E} (2008)] presented a numerical solution of a Moebius strip dynamo flow, to investigate its use in modelling dynamo flows in Perm torus of liquid sodium dynamo experiments. Here, by analogy one presents an electric dynamo on a twisted torus or Klein bottle topology. An exact solution in the form of flat Klein bottle dynamo flow is obtained. It is shown that even in the absence of magnetic dynamos initial electric fields can be amplified in distinct points of the Klein bottle. In this case diffusion is taken as ${\eta}\approx{5.0{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}-m}$ the electric potential is obtained. The difference of electric fields at the beginning of plasma flow profile is ${\Delta}E_{Dyn}\approx{468\frac{V}{m}}$, which is stronger than the electric dynamo field obtained in the magnetic axis of spheromaks, which is of the order of $E_{Dyn}\approx{200\frac{V}{m}}$. The potential of the dynamo at the surface of the Earth computed by Boozer [Phys Fluids \textbf{B} (1993)] of ${\Phi}\approx{160V}$, is used to obtain the magnetic vector constant $A_{0}\approx{10^{6}V}$. In general the associated magnetic dynamo is shown to be a fast dynamo in force-free plasmas in Klein bottle. Of course if the magnetic dynamo growth is turned on the electric dynamo shall be able to sustain itself along the Klein bottle.


Binary radio pulsars are generally believed to have been spun up to millisecond periods (i.e. recycling) via mass accretion from their donor stars, and they are the descendants of neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries. However, some studies indicate that the formation of pulsars from the accretion-induced collapse (AIC) of accreting white dwarfs (WDs) cannot be excluded. In this work, we use a population synthesis code to examine if the AIC channel can produce eccentric binary millisecond pulsars (BMSPs) in the Galaxy. Our simulated results indicate that, only when the natal MSPs receive a relatively strong kick ($\ga100\rm km\,s^{-1}$), can the AIC channel produce $\sim 10-180$ eccentric ($e>0.1$) BMSPs in the Galaxy, most of which are accompanied by a Helium star. Such a kick seems to be highly unlikely in the conventional AIC process, hence the probability of forming eccentric BMSPs via the AIC channel can be ruled out. Even if a high kick is allowed, the AIC channel cannot produce eccentric BMSPs with an orbital period of $\ga 20$ days. Therefore, we propose that the peculiar BMSP PSR J1903+0327 cannot be formed by the AIC channel. However, the AIC evolutionary channel may produce some fraction of isolated millisecond pulsars, and even sub-millisecond pulsars if they really exist.


receiving a grant under this subsection, each grant recipient shall agree to cooperate in an evaluation by the Secretary of the program carried out using grant funds. ``(7) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical assistance and information to assist eligible schools, State and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, and nonprofit entities-- ``(A) to facilitate the coordination and sharing of information and resources in the Department that may be applicable to the farm to school program; ``(B) to collect and share information on best practices; and ``(C) to disseminate research and data on existing farm to school programs and the potential for programs in underserved areas. ``(8) Funding.-- ``(A) In general.--On October 1, 2010, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to the Secretary to carry out this subsection $50,000,000, to remain available until expended. ``(B) Receipt and acceptance.--The Secretary shall be entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out this subsection the funds transferred under subparagraph (A), without further appropriation. ``(h) Pilot Program for High-Poverty Schools.-- ``(1) In general.--''; and (3) in subsection (h) (as redesignated by paragraph (2))-- (A) in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) (as so redesignated), by striking ``in accordance with paragraph (1)(H)'' and inserting ``carried out by the Secretary''; and (B) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2). SEC. 3. BUDGETARY EFFECTS. The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.


If the Higgs does not propagate into an otherwise universal extra dimension, then tree-level Kaluza-Klein number is not conserved in the Yukawa interactions. This leads to mixing between zero-mode fermions and their associated Kaluza-Klein excitations. The effect can be quite large for the top quark, since its mass (171.4 plus or minus 2.1 GeV) is approximately one-half the current Tevatron mass bound (about 350-400 GeV) for Kaluza-Klein excitations of quarks with one universal extra dimension. In contrast to the SM, the bi-unitary transformation that diagonalizes the mass matrix does not diagonalize the effective 4D Yukawa coupling matrix because of the presence of the 5D kinetic terms. This leads to violation of tree-level Kaluza-Klein number conservation in the gauge sector due to a unique feature of the 5D theory. This allows Kaluza-Klein excitations of the fermions to be produced singly, and opens up new decay channels in the gauge sector. We compute the cross section for the production of the lowest-lying Kaluza-Klein excitations of the top and bottom quarks in the non-universal Higgs model at the Large Hadron Collider, and consider their subsequent decays. The effect is quite large: For example, pair production of Kaluza-Klein excitations of the bottom quark will lead to a pair of top quarks plus a pair of charged weak gauge bosons. Since the production is via the strong interaction, such final states stand out well against the Standard Model background, and are observable at the LHC for a wide range of compactification scales. Finally, we discuss the effects that such a model has on the T- parameter, and propose a model with maximal mixing where the compactification scale may be as large as a universal extra dimension.


Fight fans watching this one might be better served looking PAST this match-up. Ramirez is getting a chance, with this ESPN exposure for an expected highlight reel performance, to put his name at the very top of the division… Jose Ramirez (22-0, 16 KOs) makes the first defense of his WBC junior welterweight title this Saturday against Danny O’Connor (30-3, 11 KOs) at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California (broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET)—and it probably won’t be the least bit competitive. Fight fans watching this one might be better served looking PAST this match-up while tuning in. The 140 lb. division is quickly and quietly becoming packed with top tier talent and it’ll be interesting to see how bright Ramirez’s star shines when given the opportunity to slam through a relative “gimme” of a defense. Awaiting Ramirez at 140 are mega-talents Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor, as well as tough, top-tier opposition like Kiryl Relikh, Maurice Hooker, Terry Flanagan, Antonio Orozco, Alex Saucedo, Sergey Lipinets, Viktor Postol, and Ivan Baranchyk (among others). Ramirez is getting a chance, with this ESPN exposure for an expected highlight reel performance, to put his name at the very top of the division when it comes to asking price and negotiating leverage. The popular Fresno-area attraction and 2012 US Olympian is an ultra-confident and tenacious pressure fighter whose best weapons are a dogged body attack and a solid overhand right. Not gifted with truly heavy hands or with elite-level athleticism, there’s reason to believe that Ramirez may falter when stacked up against an opponent gifted with high-end speed and reflexes. In his March contest with Amir Imam for the vacant title, Ramirez outworked and out-pointed his foe, but clearly struggled to walk his way into range against the quicker, more mobile opponent. The 25-year-old’s flimsy résume and relative lack of pro seasoning certainly don’t help in this area, nor did a long-time association with trainer Freddie Roach (who has since been replaced by Robert Garcia). Ramirez’s ability to will his way past opposition and simply outwork them won’t likely carry him too far into increasingly deep divisional waters if he doesn’t make some essential tweaks to his game.


We report a photometric and spectroscopic study of the peculiar cataclysmic variable SDSS 1507+52. The star shows very deep eclipses on the 67 minute orbital period, and those eclipses are easily separable into white-dwarf and hot-spot components. This leads to tight constraints on binary parameters, with M_1=0.83(8) solar masses, M_2=0.057(8) solar masses, R_1=0.0097(9) solar radii, R_2=0.097(4) solar radii, q=0.069(2), and i=83.18(13) degrees. Such numbers suggest possible membership among the WZ Sge stars, a common type of dwarf nova. The spectroscopic behavior (strong and broad H emission, double-peaked and showing a classic rotational disturbance during eclipse) is also typical. But the star's orbital period is shockingly below the "period minimum" of approximately 77 min which is characteristic of hydrogen-rich CVs; producing such a strange binary will require some tinkering with the theory of cataclysmic-variable evolution. The proper motion is also remarkably high for a star of its distance, which we estimate from photometry and trigonometric parallax as 230 +- 40 pc. This suggests a transverse velocity of 164 +- 30 km/s - uncomfortably high if the star belongs to a Galactic-disk population. These difficulties with understanding its evolution and space velocity can be solved if the star belongs to a Galactic-halo population.


if we tried to modify the environment," she said. "Geese like very flat green grass so if you start to plant spiky grass its not as hospitable for them. "More experimentally in America, they are starting to use drones to try and scare the geese away. "It's about balancing the very real health and safety risk with animal welfare and I really think that if we try to prevent the geese from landing here, rather than destroying their eggs, it will be much better. "It's very important that people who use the park know that this is going on so that they can voice their opinions on it." Image caption Greylag geese can often be seen on the grass beside the water in Victoria Park Belfast City Airport has held a licence to carry out egg pricking since 2002. In a freedom of information request the Northern Ireland environment agency revealed that since 2002, 1,775 greylag goose eggs have been oiled and pricked. The numbers involved vary each year, ranging from fewer than 50 to more than 250. In recent years, an average of 100 eggs have been pricked. Hazardous wildlife A spokesman for the airport said: "In order to control the feral geese population in Victoria Park, the oiling and pricking of eggs is undertaken by a biologist under licence from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and with the permission of Belfast City Council. "The airport has a legal obligation to reduce the number of hazardous wildlife in the vicinity of the airport and does this through consultation with local authorities and wildlife experts. "Earlier this year, Belfast City Airport was named Northern Ireland's Responsible Company of the Year by Business in the Community and, like all airports, is committed to managing its operations in an environmentally sensitive manner whilst ensuring air safety." Image caption Planes regularly fly over Victoria Park and the geese throughout the day A spokesperson for the council said: "Public health and safety is paramount to Belfast City Council. "Due to concerns over the number of greylag geese in Victoria Park, and their potential threat to landing or taking off aircrafts at George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast City Council has an agreement with the airport granting them access to Victoria Park to carryout egg pricking."


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brett Veach has made so many manoeuvrs involving draft picks since taking over as the Kansas City Chiefs' general manager that it's hard to believe he's never led an actual draft. That changes this week. The young front office boss, who took over when John Dorsey was let go last summer, heads into the three-day draft Thursday without a first-round pick. But Veach has one in the second round and two more in the third, giving him ample opportunity to shore up a leaky defence on an otherwise deep roster. "I am looking forward to it. I've been working up to it, been doing this for 12 years," he said last week. "I've been going to the draft room for a long time. Certainly, it will be different as a GM. I am surrounded by a lot of great people and trust those guys." The Chiefs clearly trust him. Dorsey did a good job of acquiring talent after taking over a 2-14 franchise, but his inability to manage the salary cap ultimately led to his ouster. Veach has quickly balanced the books, using draft choices to help the process. He sent a fourth-round pick next year to Buffalo to grab middle linebacker Reggie Ragland, who started right away last season, and a fifth-rounder this year to Cleveland for swing offensive tackle Cam Erving. Then, he dealt quarterback Alex Smith to Washington for cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick this year, and cornerback Marcus Peters and a sixth-round pick this year to the Los Angeles Rams for a fourth-round pick this year and a second-round selection next season. Got all that? The upshot is that, while nobody is quite sure what Veach will do when he runs his own draft, the safe assumption is that he will move aggressively to nab a player he likes. "That's just kind of who I am. I have a group of guys up there who are worried that I'm going to be too aggressive," he said, "so I'm glad I have those guys. Everyone does this, and we've done this the last five years, you go through mock drafts just like you see online. We kind of just play that game ourselves in regards to what do we do if, or what about if this guy slides.


Understanding space usage and resource selection is a primary focus of many studies of animal populations. Usually, such studies are based on location data obtained from telemetry, and resource selection functions (RSF) are used for inference. Another important focus of wildlife research is estimation and modeling population size and density. Recently developed spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models accomplish this objective using individual encounter history data with auxiliary spatial information on location of capture. SCR models include encounter probability functions that are intuitively related to RSFs, but to date, no one has extended SCR models to allow for explicit inference about space usage and resource selection. We develop a statistical framework for jointly modeling space usage, resource selection, and population density by integrating SCR data, such as from camera traps, mist-nets, or conventional catch-traps, with resource selection data from telemetered individuals. We provide a framework for estimation based on marginal likelihood, wherein we estimate simultaneously the parameters of the SCR and RSF models. Our method leads to increases in precision for estimating population density and parameters of ordinary SCR models. Importantly, we also find that SCR models alone can estimate parameters of resource selection functions and, as such, SCR methods can be used as the sole source for studying space-usage; however, precision will be higher when telemetry data are available. Finally, we find that SCR models using standard symmetric and stationary encounter probability models produce biased estimates of density when animal space usage is related to a landscape covariate. Therefore, it is important that space usage be taken into consideration, if possible, in studies focused on estimating density using capture-recapture methods.


Based on the intensity and rates of various kinds of intense ionizing radiation events such as supernovae and gamma-ray bursts, it is likely that the Earth has been subjected to one or extinction level events during the Phanerozoic. These induce changes in atmospheric chemistry so that the level of Solar ultraviolet-B radiation reaching the surface and near-surface waters may be doubled for up to a decade. This UVB level is known from experiment to be more than enough to kill off many kinds of organisms, particularly phytoplankton. It could easily induce a crash of the photosynthetic-based food chain in the oceans. Regularities in the latitudinal distribution of damage are apparent in simulations of the atmospheric changes. We previously proposed that the late Ordovician extinction is a plausible candidate for a contribution from an ionizing radiation event, based on environmental selectivity in trilobites. To test a null hypothesis based on this proposal, we confront latitudinal differential extinction rates predicted from the simulations with data from a published analysis of latitudinal gradients in the Ordovician extinction. The pattern of UVB damage always shows a strong maximum at some latitude, with substantially lower intensity to the north and south of this maximum. We find that the pattern of damage predicted from our simulations is consistent with the data assuming a burst approximately over the South Pole, and no further north than -75 degrees. We predict that any land mass (such as parts of north China, Laurentia, and New Guinea) which then lay north of the equator should be a refuge from UVB effects, and show a different pattern of extinction in the first strike of the end-Ordovician extinction, if induced by such a radiation event.


A celebrated result of Chv\'atal, R\"odl, Szemer\'edi and Trotter states (in slightly weakened form) that, for every natural number $\Delta$, there is a constant $r_\Delta$ such that, for any connected $n$-vertex graph $G$ with maximum degree $\Delta$, the Ramsey number $R(G,G)$ is at most $r_\Delta n$, provided $n$ is sufficiently large. In 1987, Burr made a strong conjecture implying that one may take $r_\Delta = \Delta$. However, Graham, R\"odl and Ruci\'nski showed, by taking $G$ to be a suitable expander graph, that necessarily $r_\Delta > 2^{c\Delta}$ for some constant $c>0$. We show that the use of expanders is essential: if we impose the additional restriction that the bandwidth of $G$ be at most some function $\beta (n) = o(n)$, then $R(G,G) \le (2\chi(G)+4)n\leq (2\Delta+6)n$, i.e., $r_\Delta = 2\Delta +6$ suffices. On the other hand, we show that Burr's conjecture itself fails even for $P_n^k$, the $k$th power of a path $P_n$. Brandt showed that for any $c$, if $\Delta$ is sufficiently large, there are connected $n$-vertex graphs $G$ with $\Delta(G)\leq\Delta$ but $R(G,K_3)>cn$. We show that, given $\Delta$ and $H$, there are $\beta>0$ and $n_0$ such that, if $G$ is a connected graph on $n\ge n_0$ vertices with maximum degree at most $\Delta$ and bandwidth at most $\beta n$, then we have $R(G,H)=(\chi(H)-1)(n-1)+\sigma(H)$, where $\sigma(H)$ is the smallest size of any part in any $\chi(H)$-partition of $H$. We also show that the same conclusion holds without any restriction on the maximum degree of $G$ if the bandwidth of $G$ is at most $\epsilon(H) \log n/\log\log n$.


and Records.--All books and records of the corporation may be inspected by any member having the right to vote in any proceeding of the corporation, or by any agent or attorney of such member, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time. (d) Application of State Law.--This section may not be construed to contravene any applicable State law. SEC. 11. AUDIT OF FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS. The first section of the Act entitled ``An Act to provide for audit of accounts of private corporations established under Federal law'', approved August 30, 1964 (36 U.S.C. 1101), is amended by adding at the end the following: ``VietNow.''. SEC. 12. ANNUAL REPORT. The corporation shall annually submit to the Congress a report concerning the activities of the corporation during the preceding fiscal year. The annual report shall be submitted on the same date as the report of the audit required by section 11. The annual report may not be printed as a public document. SEC. 13. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Act: (1) The term ``corporation'' means VietNow. (2) The term ``State'' means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States. SEC. 134. TAX-EXEMPT STATUS. The corporation shall maintain its status as an organization exempt from taxation as provided in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. SEC. 15. TERMINATION. The charter granted in this Act shall expire if the corporation fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Act.


) In this subsection: ``(A) The term `child' means an individual who has not attained 18 years of age. ``(B) The term `adult' means an individual who has attained 18 years of age.''. (b) Penalties.--Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(7) Whoever violates section 922(bb) in a State shall be punished in accordance with the laws of the State that apply to persons convicted of child abandonment.''. SEC. 7. GRANTS FOR GUN SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. (a) Program Authority.--The Attorney General is authorized to provide grants to units of local government to enable law enforcement agencies to develop and sponsor gun safety classes for parents and their children. (b) Application.-- (1) In general.--Any unit of local government that desires to receive a grant award under this section shall submit an application to the Attorney General at such time, in such manner and containing such information as the Attorney General may reasonably require. (2) Contents.--Each application referred to in paragraph (1) shall include an assurance that-- (A) funds received under this section shall be used only to provide funds to law enforcement agencies to provide gun safety classes; and (B) gun safety classes will be offered at times convenient to parents, including evenings and weekends. (c) Regulations.--The Attorney General shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out this section. SEC. 8. EDUCATION: NATIONWIDE FIREARMS SAFETY PROGRAMS. It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) each school district should provide or participate in a firearms safety program for students in grades kindergarten through 12 and should consult with a certified firearms instructor before establishing the curriculum for the program; and (2) participation by students in a firearms safety program should not be mandatory if the district receives written notice from a parent of the student to exempt the student from the program.


As part of a JCMT Legacy Survey of star formation in the Gould Belt, we present early science results for Taurus. CO J=3-2 maps have been secured along the north-west ridge and bowl, collectively known as L 1495, along with deep 13CO and C18O J=3-2 maps in two sub-regions. With these data we search for molecular outflows, and use the distribution of flows, HH objects and shocked H2 line emission features, together with the population of young stars, protostellar cores and starless condensations to map star formation across this extensive region. In total 21 outflows are identified. It is clear that the bowl is more evolved than the ridge, harbouring a greater population of T Tauri stars and a more diffuse, more turbulent ambient medium. By comparison, the ridge contains a much younger, less widely distributed population of protostars which, in turn, is associated with a greater number of molecular outflows. We estimate the ratio of the numbers of prestellar to protostellar cores in L 1495 to be ~ 1.3-2.3, and of gravitationally unbound starless cores to (gravitationally bound) prestellar cores to be ~ 1. If we take previous estimates of the protostellar lifetime of ~ 5 x 10^5 yrs, this indicates a prestellar lifetime of 9(+/-3) x 10^5 yrs. From the number of outflows we also crudely estimate the star formation efficiency in L 1495, finding it to be compatible with a canonical value of 10-15 %. We note that molecular outflow-driving sources have redder near-IR colours than their HH jet-driving counterparts. We also find that the smaller, denser cores are associated with the more massive outflows, as one might expect if mass build-up in the flow increases with the collapse and contraction of the protostellar envelope.


program, including-- (A) developing and disseminating an online survey instrument (designed to establish baseline data, including data on need for services) to veterans attending the institutions of higher education described in paragraph (1) of this subsection; (B) developing and disseminating (not earlier than 18 months after the start of the pilot program) a follow-up online survey instrument (designed to gather data, including data to assess engagement with peer- support, experience accessing services, and adjustment to higher education) other on the possible impact of the program); and (C) tabulating-- (i) the number of veterans who meet on an individual basis with such peer; (ii) the number of referrals such individual makes; and (iii) the outcome of such referrals. (d) Duration.-- The authority of the Secretary to provide services under the pilot program under this section shall terminate on the later of the following dates: (1) The date that is three years after the date of the commencement of the pilot program. (2) The date of the last day of the academic year that ends not more than 180 days after the date that is three years after the date of the commencement of the pilot program. (e) Report.--Not later than nine months after the completion of the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the pilot program. The report shall include the following: (1) A description of the implementation and operation of the program. (2) An evaluation of effectiveness of then peer-outreach services provided under the program in-- (A) reducing the prevalence of veterans failing to continue higher education pursuits using their entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code; (B) improving other outcomes related to higher education for veterans using such entitlement; and (C) the use by such veterans of needed behavioral health and other services. (3) An analysis of the costs and benefits of the program. (4) The Secretary's recommendations, if any, regarding an extension or expansion of the program.


We present constraints on the values of $\Omega_m$, $n$, $\sigma_8$, obtained from measurements of the X-ray luminosity function of galaxy clusters as compiled in EMSS, RDCS and BCS galaxy cluster samples. The values obtained $\Omega_m=0.25^{+0.15}_{-0.05}$, $n=-1^{+0.05}_{-0.05}$, and $\sigma_8=0.8^{+0.1}_{-0.1}$ are in agreement with WMAP data. We then put constraints on the quoted parameters and the dark-energy equation-of-state parameter, $w$, using Chandra observations of 37 clusters with $<z>$=0.55 derived from 400 deg$^2$ ROSAT serendipitous survey and 49 brightest $z \simeq 0.05$ clusters detected in the All-Sky Survey. In the case of $\Lambda$CDM model, we get $\Omega_m=0.25^{+0.1}_{-0.08}$ and $\sigma_8=0.75^{+0.08}_{-0.05}$, while in the case of the $w$CDM model, we get $\Omega_m=0.28^{+0.10}_{-0.10}$, $w=-1.25^{+0.30}_{-0.35}$, and $\sigma_8=0.8^{+0.09}_{-0.09}$. Our results are consistent with those from recent analyses of type Ia supernovae, cosmic microwave background anisotropies, the X-ray gas mass fraction of relaxed galaxy clusters, baryon acoustic oscillations and cosmic shear. The improvement in data quality from EMSS, RDCS, and BCS to Chandra observations leads to an improvement in the constraints even if not of the same entity of the improvement in data.


the amendments made by such subtitles) shall not apply until the date on which the last of the collective bargaining agreements relating to the coverage terminates. Any coverage amendment made pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement relating to the coverage which amends the coverage solely to conform to any requirement added by this subtitle or subtitle A (or amendments) shall not be treated as a termination of such collective bargaining agreement. ``(e) Definition.--In this title, the term `grandfathered health plan' means any group health plan or health insurance coverage to which this section applies.''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148). SEC. 6. ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS. (a) In General.--Subsections (a) and (b) of section 1302 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18022) are amended to read as follows: ``(a) Essential Health Benefits Package.--In this title, the term `essential health benefits package' means, with respect to any health plan, coverage that provide for benefits and cost sharing as required in the States in which such plan is offered. ``(b) Essential Health Benefits.--Essential health benefits shall be defined to include those required by the State in which a health plan is offered.''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148).


if the work is to be performed there. ``(2) For purposes of this section, the term `helper' means a semi- skilled worker (rather than a skilled journeyman mechanic) who-- ``(A) works under the direction of and assists a journeyman, ``(B) under the direction and supervision of the journeyman, performs a variety of duties to assist the journeyman, such as-- ``(i) preparing, carrying, and furnishing materials, tools, equipment, and supplies and maintaining them in order, ``(ii) cleaning and preparing work areas, ``(iii) lifting, positioning, and holding materials or tools, and ``(iv) other related semi-skilled tasks as directed by the journeyman, and ``(C) may use tools of the trade which are under the direction and supervision of the journeyman.''. SEC. 7. PROHIBITION ON CONTRACT-SPLITTING. Section 1 (40 U.S.C. 276a) (as amended by section 6) is further amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsections: ``(d) Any person entering into a contract under which wages are to be determined in accordance with this Act shall not divide any project into contracts of $500,000 or less if the project would not have been so divided but for the purpose of avoiding the application of this Act. ``(e) Whenever the Secretary of Labor determines that a division for such purpose as described in subsection (d) has occurred, the Secretary may-- ``(1) require that the contracts, grants, or other instruments providing Federal financing or assistance be amended so as to incorporate retroactively all the provisions which would have been required under this Act or other applicable prevailing wage statute, and ``(2) require the contracting or assisting agency, the recipient of Federal financing or assistance, or any other entity which awarded the contract or instrument providing Federal financing or assistance in violation of this section, to compensate the contractor, the grantee, or other recipient of Federal assistance, as appropriate, for payment to each affected laborer, mechanic, and helper, of an amount equal to the difference between the rate received and the applicable prevailing wage rate, with interest on wages due at the rate specified in section 6621(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, from the date the work was performed by such laborers, mechanics, and helpers. ``(f) The Secretary shall make a determination that a division for such purpose as described in subsection (


The cost of the state's newborn health screening would nearly triple under a budget provision aimed at expanding the number of health conditions included in the screening. The fee would increase from $44 to $128 to cover the equipment and personnel costs of the expanded screening. "We're pretty excited about this provision being in there and what the implications are," said Rep. Nelson Dollar, a Wake County Republican, adding that the fee is covered by insurance or Medicaid for most families. "The sooner you can treat this babies, the better their health outcomes are going to be." But the provision, in a state spending plan released Monday and scheduled for votes this week, drew criticism from Gov. Roy Cooper's administration. SIGN UP Help us deliver journalism that makes a difference in our community. Our journalism takes a lot of time, effort, and hard work to produce. If you read and enjoy our journalism, please consider subscribing today. SUBSCRIBE TODAY "Republicans tripling a birth tax on new mothers while giving more tax breaks to corporations and those earning more than $200,000 per year epitomizes the priorities we need to change," Ford Porter, a spokesman for the Democratic governor, said in an email. Republicans aren't allowing changes to the budget, so the fee is likely to become law. During a committee hearing, Rep. Carla Cunningham, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, questioned whether parents could opt out of the new elements of the screening and pay a lower fee. "The screening panel is not like a cafeteria style," replied Rep. Greg Murphy, a Pitt County Republican and the legislature's only doctor. The new conditions being added to the screening are Pompe disease, Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I (MPS I), and X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). Murphy noted that Duke University has developed a cure for Pompe disease, but doctors have to catch it early. "Yes, it costs more, but in the long run it'll save lives," Murphy said of the increased fee. The provision allows the Department of Health and Human Services to expand the conditions tested in the future to match a federal list, with the ability to increase fees to cover future additions to the testing cost. Parents are allowed to opt out of the screening if they file a written request with their doctor.


if any, under existing law for the cleanup of hazardous or solid wastes on the property, nor shall the United States or Shishmaref Native Corporation become liable for the cleanup of the property solely by virtue of acquiring title from the State or from the United States. SEC. 9. PURCHASE OF SETTLEMENT COMMON STOCK OF COOK INLET REGION. (a) In General.--Section 7(h) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1606(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ``(4)(A) As used in this paragraph, the term `Cook Inlet Regional Corporation' means Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated. ``(B) The Cook Inlet Regional Corporation may, by an amendment to its articles of incorporation made in accordance with the voting standards under section 36(d)(1), purchase Settlement Common Stock of the Cook Inlet Regional Corporation and all rights associated with the stock from the shareholders of Cook Inlet Regional Corporation in accordance with any provisions included in the amendment that relate to the terms, procedures, number of offers to purchase, and timing of offers to purchase. ``(C) Subject to subparagraph (D), and notwithstanding paragraph (1)(B), the shareholders of Cook Inlet Regional Corporation may, in accordance with an amendment made pursuant to subparagraph (B), sell the Settlement Common Stock of the Cook Inlet Regional Corporation to itself. ``(D) No sale or purchase may be made pursuant to this paragraph without the prior approval of the board of directors of Cook Inlet Regional Corporation. Except as provided in subparagraph (E), each sale and purchase made under this paragraph shall be made pursuant to an offer made on the same terms to all holders of Settlement Common Stock of the Cook Inlet Regional Corporation. ``(E) To recognize the different rights that accrue to any class or series of shares of Settlement Common Stock owned by stockholders who are not residents of a Native village (referred to in this paragraph as `non-village shares'), an amendment made pursuant to subparagraph (B) shall authorize the board of directors (at the option of the board) to offer to purchase-- ``(i) the non-village shares, including the right to share in distributions made to shareholders pursuant to subsections (j) and (m) (referred to in this paragraph as `nonresident distribution rights'), at a price that includes a premium, in addition to the amount that is offered for the purchase of


The study of the interplay between the testability of properties of Boolean functions and the invariances acting on their domain which preserve the property was initiated by Kaufman and Sudan (STOC 2008). Invariance with respect to F_2-linear transformations is arguably the most common symmetry exhibited by natural properties of Boolean functions on the hypercube. Hence, an important goal in Property Testing is to describe necessary and sufficient conditions for the testability of linear-invariant properties. This direction was explicitly proposed for investigation in a recent survey of Sudan. We obtain the following results: 1. We show that every linear-invariant property that can be characterized by forbidding induced solutions to a (possibly infinite) set of linear equations can be tested with one-sided error. 2. We show that every linear-invariant property that can be tested with one-sided error can be characterized by forbidding induced solutions to a (possibly infinite) set of systems of linear equations. We conjecture that our result from item (1) can be extended to cover systems of linear equations. We further show that the validity of this conjecture would have the following implications: 1. It would imply that every linear-invariant property that is closed under restrictions to linear subspaces is testable with one-sided error. Such a result would unify several previous results on testing Boolean functions, such as the testability of low-degree polynomials and of Fourier dimensionality. 2. It would imply that a linear-invariant property P is testable with one-sided error if and only if P is closed under restrictions to linear subspaces, thus resolving Sudan's problem.


We solve two-dimensional large-N QCD in the presence of a nonzero baryon number B, and for arbitrary quark mass m and volume L. We fully treat the dynamics of the gluonic zero modes and check how this affects results from previous studies of the B=0 and B=1 systems. For a finite density of baryons, and for any m>0, we find that the ground state contains a baryon crystal with expectation values for psi-bar gamma_mu psi that have a helix-like spatial structure. We study how these evolve with B and see that the volume integral of psi-bar psi strongly changes with the baryon density. We compare this emerging crystal structure with the sine-Gordon crystal, which is expected to be a good approximation for light quarks, and find that it is a very good approximation for surprisingly heavy quarks. We also calculate the way the ground state energy E changes as a function of the baryon number B, and find that for sufficiently large densities the function E(B) is well described by the equation of state for free massless quarks, thus suggesting a quark-Hadron continuity. From dE(B)/dB we calculate the quark chemical potential mu as a function of B and see that the baryons repel each other. The way mu depends on B also allows us to translate our findings to the grand-canonical ensemble. The resulting phase structure along the mu-axis contains a phase transition that occurs at a value of mu equal to the baryon mass divided in N, and that separates a mu-independent phase with intact translation symmetry from a mu-dependent phase with spontaneously broken translation symmetry. Finally, our calculations confirm the presence of a partial large-N Eguchi-Kawai volume independence, as described in Phys.Rev.D79:105021, that arises only if one treats the gluonic zero modes correctly.


We investigate the mean electromotive force in the kinematic framework, that is, ignoring the back-reaction of the magnetic field on the fluid velocity, under the assumption of axisymmetric turbulence determined by the presence of either rotation, density stratification, or both. We use an analogous approach for the mean passive scalar flux. As an alternative to convection, we consider forced turbulence in an isothermal layer. When using standard ansatzes, the mean magnetic transport is then determined by nine, and the mean passive scalar transport by four coefficients. We give results for all these transport coefficients. We use the test-field method and the test-scalar method, where transport coefficients are determined by solving sets of equations with properly chosen mean magnetic fields or mean scalars. These methods are adapted to mean fields which may depend on all three space coordinates. We find the anisotropy of turbulent diffusion to be moderate in spite of rapid rotation or strong density stratification. Contributions to the mean electromotive force determined by the symmetric part of the gradient tensor of the mean magnetic field, which were ignored in several earlier investigations, turn out to be important. In stratified rotating turbulence, the $\alpha$ effect is strongly anisotropic, suppressed along the rotation axis on large length scales, but strongly enhanced at intermediate length scales. Also the $\OO\times\meanJJ$ effect is enhanced at intermediate length scales. The turbulent passive scalar diffusivity is typically almost twice as large as the turbulent magnetic diffusivity. Both magnetic and passive scalar diffusion are slightly enhanced along the rotation axis, but decreased if there is gravity.


NGC 3147 is so far the most convincing case of a "true" Seyfert 2 galaxy, i.e. a source genuinely lacking the Broad Line Regions. We obtained a Suzaku observation with the double aim to study in more detail the iron line complex, and to check the Compton-thick hypothesis for the lack of observed optical broad lines. The Suzaku XIS and HXD/PIN spectra of the source were analysed in detail. The line complex is composed of at least two unresolved lines, one at about 6.45 keV and the other one at about 7 keV, most likely identified with Fe XVII/XIX, the former, and Fe XXVI, the latter. The high-ionization line can originate either in a photoionized matter or in an optically thin thermal plasma. In the latter case, an unusually high temperature is implied. In the photoionized model case, the large equivalent width can be explained either by an extreme iron overabundance or by assuming that the source is Compton-thick. In the Compton-thick hypothesis, however, the emission above 2 keV is mostly due to a highly ionized reflector, contrary to what is usually found in Compton-thick Seyfert 2s, where reflection from low ionized matter dominates. Moreover, the source flux varied between the XMM-Newton and the Suzaku observations, taken 3.5 years apart, confirming previous findings and indicating that the size of the emitting region must be smaller than a parsec. The hard X-ray spectrum is also inconclusive on the Compton-thick hypothesis. Weighting the various arguments, a "true" Seyfert 2 nature of NGC 3147 seems to be still the most likely explanation, even if the "highly ionized reflector" Compton-thick hypothesis cannot at present be formally rejected.


We present the results of daily monitoring of 6.7 GHz methanol maser in Cepheus A (Cep A) using Yamaguchi 32-m radio telescope as well as the results of imaging observations conducted with the JVN (Japanese VLBI Network). We indentified five spectral features, which are grouped into red-shifted (-1.9 and -2.7 km/s) and blue-shifted (-3.8, -4.2, and -4.9 km/s), and we detected rapid variabilities of these maser features within a monitoring period of 81 days. The red-shifted features decreased in flux density to 50% of its initial value, while the flux density of the blue-shifted features rapidly increased within a 30 days. The time variation of these maser features showed two remarkable properties; synchronization and anti-correlation between the red-shifted and the blue-shifted. The spatial distribution of the maser spots obtained by the JVN observation showed an arclike structure with a scale of $\sim$1400 AU, and separations of the five maser features were found to be larger than 100 AU. The absolute position of the methanol maser was also obtained based on the phase-referencing observations, and the arclike structure were found to be associated with the Cep A-HW2 object, with the elongation of the arclike structure nearly perpendicularly to the radio continuum jet from the Cep A-HW2 object. These properties of the masers, namely, the synchronization of flux variation, and the spectral and spatial isolation of features, suggest that the collisional excitation by shock wave from a common exciting source is unlikely. Instead, the synchronized time variation of the masers can be explained if all the maser features are excited by infrared radiation from dust which is heated by a common exciting source with a rapid variability.


Protoplanet eccentricities of e >~ H/r can slow or reverse migration, but previous 2D studies have shown that gravitational scattering cannot maintain significant planet eccentricities against disc-induced damping. We simulate the evolution of low-mass protoplanetary swarms in three dimensions. The aim is to examine both protoplanet survival rates and the dynamical structure of the resulting planetary systems, and to compare them with 2D simulations. We present results from a 3D hydrodynamic simulation of eight protoplanets embedded in a protoplanetary disc. We also present a suite of simulations performed using an N-body code, modified to include prescriptions for planetary migration and for eccentricity and inclination damping. These prescriptions were obtained by fitting analytic formulae to hydrodynamic simulations of planets embedded in discs with initially eccentric and/or inclined orbits. As was found in two dimensions, differential migration produces groups of protoplanets in stable, multiple mean-motion resonances that migrate in lockstep, preventing prolonged periods of gravitational scattering. In almost all simulations, this leads to large-scale migration of the protoplanet swarm into the central star in the absence of a viable stopping mechanism. The evolution involves mutual collisions, occasional instances of large-scale scattering, and the frequent formation of the long-lived, co-orbital planet systems that arise in > 30% of all runs. Disc-induced damping overwhelms eccentricity and inclination growth due to planet-planet interactions. Co-orbital planets are a natural outcome of dynamical relaxation in a strongly dissipative environment, and if observed in nature would imply that such a period of evolution commonly arises during planetary formation.


if that person isn’t available to sue (for example, an individual too young to sue). The court, however, said that PETA didn’t have a significant relationship with the monkey, which is required in next friend lawsuits. After all, Slater and PETA can’t even agree on the monkey’s name — and try tracking down an individual monkey in an Indonesian jungle. The judges even went as far as accusing PETA of using the monkey as a pawn: “Puzzlingly, while representing to the world that ‘animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way,’… PETA seems to employ Naruto as an unwitting pawn in its ideological goals. Yet this is precisely what is to be avoided by requiring next friends to have a significant relationship with, rather than an institutional interest in, the competent party…” a footnote in the published decision reads. “I thank the judges for their decision today, that comes at a legal cost of berating a previous precedent about animals having at least some Constitutional rights in the USA,” Slater wrote in a Facebook post. “My case may indeed be a catalyst at overturning a previous but limited animal rights victory that granted animals, at least, some U.S. Constitutional respect … I so hope that wild animals are granted more and more fundamental rights in the future — like rights to dignity, survival, homeland, and their evolutionary privileges. They accept us as part of their landscape, with a big smile.” Along with dismissing the lawsuit, the judges also approved Slater’s request for attorney fees.


Facebook is making it harder to see what your friends are liking and commenting on right this minute — the ticker feed recently joined Facebook’s list of axed features. A Facebook representative confirmed through a help forum last week that the ticker, which showed friend activity in real time from status updates to likes and comments, was removed after users started asking where the option was. The ticker is about as old as Facebook’s algorithms that determine what content you see first. The tool launched back in 2011 as a real-time alternative to news feed algorithms. While the feed chooses top stories based on past likes and other data, the ticker showed everything as it happened, including not just status updates but likes and comments on other posts as well. While Facebook only recently confirmed the feature got the ax, users have been reporting the tool missing for several weeks before that. The platform appeared to either test a ticker-free feed first or may have simply gradually removed the feature. Facebook’s decision to remove the feature likely wasn’t on a whim — the platform tested the removal of the real-time tracker in 2013, creating a panic (or in some cases, excitement) when the feature was part of an outage. Facebook returned the feature after the temporary outage. The removal of the ticker has mixed reactions for Facebook users. Many inside the Facebook help forums are reporting that they used the tool often and liked being able to have both an algorithmic feed and a real-time option. Others have different names for the feature, including “creeper feed” because of the tool’s inclusion of not just status updates but all activity on the platform. Without the ticker, Facebook’s right-hand sidebar on desktop browsers is divided into different sections with Stories at the top, followed by event invited, trending topics, Instant games, and a list of episodes (if you follow any) as part of Facebook’s new push for original video content. And of course, some ads. With only a one-line response inside a help forum confirming that the ticker is no longer available, it is unclear why Facebook decided to remove the feature. Users could previously remove the ticker from their sidebar and then turn it back on again later if they changed their mind.


A polytropic quark star model is suggested in order to establish a general framework in which theoretical quark star models could be tested by observations. The key difference between polytropic quark stars and the polytropic model studied previously for normal (i.e., non-quarkian) stars is related to two issues: (i) a constant term representing the contribution of vacuum energy may be added in the energy density and the pressure for a quark star, but not for a normal star; (ii) the quark star models with non-vanishing density at the stellar surface are not avoidable due to the strong interaction between quarks. The first one implies that the vacuum inside a quark star is different from that outside, while the second one is relevant to the effect of color confinement. The polytropic equations of state are stiffer than that derived in conventional realistic models (e.g., the bag model) for quark matter, and pulsar-like stars calculated with a polytropic equation of state could then have high maximum masses (> 2 M_sun). Quark stars can also be very low massive, and be still gravitationally stable even if the polytropic index, n, is greater than 3. All these would result in different mass-radius relations, which could be tested by observations. In addition, substantial strain energy would develop in a solid quark star during its accretion/spindown phase, and could be high enough to take a star-quake. The energy released during star-quakes could be as high as ~ 10^{47} ergs if the tangential pressure is ~ 10^{-6} higher than the radial one.


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Amid record-setting heat in the state's south, California's water managers will measure the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which supplies water to millions. Department of Water Resources officials will trek to the mountains Thursday to check the snow depth, one gauge of the state's water supply. Electronic sensors show snow levels are about one-third of normal. At the peak of California's recently ended five-year drought, Gov. Jerry Brown ordered 25 percent water conservation in cities and towns and declared a drought emergency. Heavy rains in Northern California last year finally snapped the drought, and Brown declared the emergency over in April. But the drought never really seemed to end in some Southern California areas, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California, Los Angeles. Los Angeles received only one significant rain in almost the last 12 months. In Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, which are about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the lack of rain and dry vegetation were perfect fuel for a December wildfire that grew to be the largest recorded in state history. When it finally rained, the scorched earth turned into deadly mudslides. The most recent weekly U.S. drought monitor, a product of the federal government and others, shows only small patches of the state, in Southern California, in the mildest form of drought. That compares to 2014 and 2015, some of the driest years in history in California, when much of the state was rated as in the most severe categories of drought. In the middle of the state's winter rain and snow season, no rain is in the forecast. In Southern California, "it really is pretty grim," said Swain, who has tracked the stubborn weather patterns blocking rain from the state's south for years. Doug Carlson, spokesman for the state's Department of Water Resources, which carries out the snowpack surveys, said the dry weather is a growing concern, although reservoirs are still fuller than usual thanks to last year's rain in Northern California. Considerations of what constitutes a drought vary, and include: rainfall, the state of waterways, soil dryness, and other measures. Any decision to declare a new drought emergency if the winter remains dry, or later, would be up to Brown.


Neutrinoless double beta decay, which is a very old and yet elusive process, is reviewed. Its observation will signal that lepton number is not conserved and the neutrinos are Majorana particles. More importantly it is our best hope for determining the absolute neutrino mass scale at the level of a few tens of meV. To achieve the last goal certain hurdles have to be overcome involving particle, nuclear and experimental physics. Nuclear physics is important for extracting the useful information from the data. One must accurately evaluate the relevant nuclear matrix elements, a formidable task. To this end, we review the sophisticated nuclear structure approaches recently been developed, which give confidence that the needed nuclear matrix elements can be reliably calculated. From an experimental point of view it is challenging, since the life times are long and one has to fight against formidable backgrounds. If a signal is found, it will be a tremendous accomplishment. Then, of course, the real task is going to be the extraction of the neutrino mass from the observations. This is not trivial, since current particle models predict the presence of many mechanisms other than the neutrino mass, which may contribute or even dominate this process. We will, in particular, consider the following processes: (i)The neutrino induced, but neutrino mass independent contribution. (ii)Heavy left and/or right handed neutrino mass contributions. (iii)Intermediate scalars (doubly charged etc). (iv)Supersymmetric (SUSY) contributions. We will show that it is possible to disentangle the various mechanisms and unambiguously extract the important neutrino mass scale, if all the signatures of the reaction are searched in a sufficient number of nuclear isotopes.


this clause for payment to the first physician; and (ii) payment may be made to a physician for physicians' services (and services incident to such services) which that physician pays a second physician on a per diem or other fee- for-time basis to provide to individuals who are patients of the first physician if (I) the first physician is unavailable to provide the services, (II) the services are not provided by the second physician over a continuous period of longer than 90 days (or such longer period as the Secretary may provide), and (III) the claim form submitted to the carrier includes the second physician's unique identifier (provided under the system established under subsection (r)) and indicates that the claim meets the requirements of this clause for payment to the first physician''. (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply to services furnished on or after the first day of the first month beginning more than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Medicaid Program.-- (1) In general.--Section 1902(a)(32)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(32)(C)) is amended to read as follows: ``(C) payment may be made to a physician for services furnished by a substitute physician under the circumstances described in subparagraph (D) of section 1842(b)(6), except that, for purposes of this subparagraph, any reference in such subparagraph to `a carrier' or `the system established under subsection (r)' is deemed a reference to the State (or other fiscal agent under the State plan) and to the system established under subsection (x) of this section, respectively.''. (2) Effective date.--(A) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply to services furnished on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. (B) Until the first day of the first calendar quarter beginning more than 60 days after the date the Secretary of Health and Human Services establishes the physician identifier system under section 1902(x) of the Social Security Act, the requirement under section 1902(a)(32)(C) of such Act that a claim form submitted must include the second physician's unique identifier is deemed to be satisfied if the claim form identifies (in a manner specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services) the second physician.


We study the effect of Coulomb drag between two closely positioned graphene monolayers. In the limit of weak electron-electron interaction and small inter-layer spacing ($\mu_{1(2)}, T\ll v/d$) the drag is described by a universal function of the chemical potentials of the layers $\mu_{1(2)}$ measured in the units of temperature $T$. When both layers are tuned close to the Dirac point, then the drag coefficient is proportional to the product of the chemical potentials $\rho_D\propto\mu_1\mu_2$. In the opposite limit of low temperature the drag is inversely proportional to both chemical potentials $\rho_D\propto T^2/(\mu_1\mu_2)$. In the mixed case where the chemical potentials of the two layers belong to the opposite limits $\mu_1\ll T\ll\mu_2$ we find $\rho_D\propto \mu_1/\mu_2$. For stronger interaction and larger values of $d$ the drag coefficient acquires logarithmic corrections and can no longer be described by a power law. Further logarithmic corrections are due to the energy dependence of the impurity scattering time in graphene (for $\mu_{1(2)}\gg T$ these are small and may be neglected). In the case of strongly doped (or gated) graphene $\mu_{1(2)}\gg v/d\gg T$ the drag coefficient acquires additional dependence on the inter-layer spacing and we recover the usual Fermi-liquid result if the screening length is smaller than $d$.


Let $i_t(G)$ denote the number of independent sets of size $t$ in a graph $G$. Levit and Mandrescu have conjectured that for all bipartite $G$ the sequence $(i_t(G))_{t \geq 0}$ (the {\em independent set sequence} of $G$) is unimodal. We provide evidence for this conjecture by showing that is true for almost all equibipartite graphs. Specifically, we consider the random equibipartite graph $G(n,n,p)$, and show that for any fixed $p\in(0,1]$ its independent set sequence is almost surely unimodal, and moreover almost surely log-concave except perhaps for a vanishingly small initial segment of the sequence. We obtain similar results for $p=\tilde{\Omega}(n^{-1/2})$. We also consider the problem of estimating $i(G)=\sum_{t \geq 0} i_t(G)$ for $G$ in various families. We give a sharp upper bound on the number of independent sets in an $n$-vertex graph with minimum degree $\delta$, for all fixed $\delta$ and sufficiently large $n$. Specifically, we show that the maximum is achieved uniquely by $K_{\delta, n-\delta}$, the complete bipartite graph with $\delta$ vertices in one partition class and $n-\delta$ in the other. We also present a weighted generalization: for all fixed $x>0$ and $\delta >0$, as long as $n=n(x,\delta)$ is large enough, if $G$ is a graph on $n$ vertices with minimum degree $\delta$ then $\sum_{t \geq 0} i_t(G)x^t \leq \sum_{t \geq 0} i_t(K_{\delta, n-\delta})x^t$ with equality if and only if $G=K_{\delta, n-\delta}$.


Why it matters to you Paying for data, especially on monthly subscription plans, can get expensive pretty quickly. But Ultra Mobile wants to offer an affordable prepaid plan that can compete with the big dogs. Forget about what you think you know about prepaid phone plans. Ultra Mobile wants to give you a whole new look at what it means to pay before you talk, text, and otherwise use your smartphone. On Monday, the mobile carrier announced the launch of two new high data plans, which give users 10GB or 20GB of data every month for the relatively low price of $45 and $54, respectively. This marks the largest amount of data ever offered to Ultra Mobile customers. The company, which is focused on folks with international needs, said that these higher data plans were created to appease customers who, now more than ever, are demanding high-speed data. Citing a recent Ericcson’s Mobility Report, Ultra Mobile noted that the average data consumption for 2016 was 5GB, but many other service providers “put international calling at a premium over large data allotments.” Ultra Mobile, however, has the international component built into its plans, allowing customers to pay less for what could amount to more. “Our customers and retail partners continue to request larger data offerings and we’ve listened by rounding out our portfolio with these new data plans,” said Tyler Leshney, president of Ultra Mobile. “At Ultra Mobile, we are always looking for the next best way to service our rapidly growing customer base and with these new data plans, we truly see an opportunity to satisfy the needs of a growing customer base while also offering our current subscribers additional upgrade options. As our international customer base grows we will continue to innovative and provide valuable service to our users.” Ultra is also working to expand its unlimited calling list to more than 60 countries around the world. Some existing plans, like the New $19, already allow for unlimited talk and text across the U.S., along with 100 MB 4G LTE data and calling to over 60 countries for $19 a month. So if you have friends and family aplenty abroad, you may want to take a closer look at Ultra and its latest offerings.


threshold' is-- ``(i) $50,000 in the case of a committee which is an authorized committee of a candidate for the office of President or for nomination to such office; and ``(ii) $15,000 in the case of any other committee. In determining whether the amount of bundled contributions provided to a committee by a person exceeds the applicable threshold, there shall be excluded any contribution made to the committee by the person or the person's spouse.''; and (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``the amount'' each place it appears and inserting ``each amount''; (4) in paragraph (5), by striking ``described in paragraph (7)'' each place it appears in subparagraphs (C) and (D); (5) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following: ``(7) Separate reporting for certain persons.--Each committee required to include a schedule under paragraph (1) shall also include a separate schedule setting forth the name, address, and employer of each person listed on the schedule required under paragraph (1) who, at the time a contribution is forwarded to a committee as described in paragraph (8)(A)(i) or is received by a committee as described in paragraph (8)(A)(ii), is-- ``(A) a current registrant under section 4(a) of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995; ``(B) an individual who is listed on a current registration filed under section 4(b)(6) of such Act or a current report under section 5(b)(2)(C) of such Act; or ``(C) a political committee established or controlled by such a registrant or individual. The schedule required under the preceding sentence shall also include the aggregate amount of bundled contributions provided by each such person during the covered period.''; and (6) in paragraph (8)(A)-- (A) by striking ``and a person described in paragraph (7)''; and (B) by adding at the end the following flush sentence: ``The term `bundled contribution' shall not include any contribution forwarded by or credited to (through records, designations, or other means of recognizing a certain amount of money has been raised) a person who is a regularly paid employee of the committee.''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in section 204 of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.


We study opinion dynamics in a population of interacting adaptive agents voting on a set of complex multidimensional issues. We consider agents which can classify issues into for or against. The agents arrive at the opinions about each issue in question using an adaptive algorithm. Adaptation comes from learning and the information for the learning process comes from interacting with other neighboring agents and trying to change the internal state in order to concur with their opinions. The change in the internal state is driven by the information contained in the issue and in the opinion of the other agent. We present results in a simple yet rich context where each agent uses a Boolean Perceptron to state its opinion. If there is no internal clock, so the update occurs with asynchronously exchanged information among pairs of agents, then the typical case, if the number of issues is kept small, is the evolution into a society thorn by the emergence of factions with extreme opposite beliefs. This occurs even when seeking consensus with agents with opposite opinions. The curious result is that it is learning from those that hold the same opinions that drives the emergence of factions. This results follows from the fact that factions are prevented by not learning at all from those agents that hold the same opinion. If the number of issues is large, the dynamics becomes trapped and the society does not evolve into factions and a distribution of moderate opinions is observed. We also study the less realistic, but technically simpler synchronous case showing that global consensus is a fixed point. However, the approach to this consensus is glassy in the limit of large societies if agents adapt even in the case of agreement.


Given linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) L_1 and L_2, it is natural to ask: (Q1) when does one dominate the other, that is, does L_1(X) PsD imply L_2(X) PsD? (Q2) when do they have the same solution set? Such questions can be NP-hard. This paper describes a natural relaxation of an LMI, based on substituting matrices for the variables x_j. With this relaxation, the domination questions (Q1) and (Q2) have elegant answers, indeed reduce to constructible semidefinite programs. Assume there is an X such that L_1(X) and L_2(X) are both PD, and suppose the positivity domain of L_1 is bounded. For our "matrix variable" relaxation a positive answer to (Q1) is equivalent to the existence of matrices V_j such that L_2(x)=V_1^* L_1(x) V_1 + ... + V_k^* L_1(x) V_k. As for (Q2) we show that, up to redundancy, L_1 and L_2 are unitarily equivalent. Such algebraic certificates are typically called Positivstellensaetze and the above are examples of such for linear polynomials. The paper goes on to derive a cleaner and more powerful Putinar-type Positivstellensatz for polynomials positive on a bounded set of the form {X | L(X) PsD}. An observation at the core of the paper is that the relaxed LMI domination problem is equivalent to a classical problem. Namely, the problem of determining if a linear map from a subspace of matrices to a matrix algebra is "completely positive".


Many models of shallow water waves admit peaked solitary waves. However, it is an open question whether or not the widely accepted peaked solitary waves can be derived from the fully nonlinear wave equations. In this paper, a unified wave model (UWM) based on the symmetry and the fully nonlinear wave equations is put forward for progressive waves with permanent form in finite water depth. Different from traditional wave models, the flows described by the UWM are not necessarily irrotational at crest, so that it is more general. The unified wave model admits not only the traditional progressive waves with smooth crest, but also a new kind of solitary waves with peaked crest that include the famous peaked solitary waves given by the Camassa-Holm equation. Besides, it is proved that Kelvin's theorem still holds everywhere for the newly found peaked solitary waves. Thus, the UWM unifies, for the first time, both of the traditional smooth waves and the peaked solitary waves. In other words, the peaked solitary waves are consistent with the traditional smooth ones. So, in the frame of inviscid fluid, the peaked solitary waves are as acceptable and reasonable as the traditional smooth ones. It is found that the peaked solitary waves have some unusual and unique characteristics. First of all, they have a peaked crest with a discontinuous vertical velocity at crest. Especially, the phase speed of the peaked solitary waves has nothing to do with wave height. In addition, the kinetic energy of the peaked solitary waves either increases or almost keeps the same from free surface to bottom. All of these unusual properties show the novelty of the peaked solitary waves, although it is still an open question whether or not they are reasonable in physics if the viscosity of fluid and surface tension are considered.


If it seems there are a lot more animals in airports — and on airplanes — these days, you're not imagining it. More than 30 airports around the country now have regular programs that bring certified pet therapy dogs and their handlers into the terminals to mingle with passengers and help ease the stress of traveling. At both Mineta San Jose International Airport (the first airport to have an official pet therapy program) and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, they're called the K9 crew. At Los Angeles International Airport the PUP (Pets Unstressing Passengers) team roams the concourses. And at Denver International Airport it's the Canine Airport Therapy Squad (CATS) that welcomes passengers to hug, hang out and get their pictures taken with dogs wearing "Pet Me" vests. During 2016, some airport pet therapy teams broadened their membership beyond dogs. Last summer, when passengers were encountering excessively long lines at security checkpoints at many airports around the country, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport began welcoming miniature therapy horses and their handlers to visit several times a month. And as the winter holiday travel season went into high gear, two airports announced that pigs were joining their pet therapy teams. LiLou, a Juliana-breed pig, joined San Francisco International Airport's Wag Brigade to add "more moments of surprise and delight for guests at our airport," said Christopher Birch, SFO's Director-Guest Experience, on LiLou's first day on the job. Lilou, the pig will be at #sfo on 12/26/16 at 12 pm in T3. Please be patient, give her space, and always ask her mom before touching LiLou. pic.twitter.com/nekpaxYxXh — flySFO (@flySFO) December 26, 2016 And a pot-bellied pig named Bacon Bits is now part of Albany International Airport's Canine Ambassador program. More animals in the air Of course, not all the animals you see in airport terminals these days are just there to be petted. According to the American Pet Products Association, there are around 77 million pet dogs and 85 million pet cats in the United States — and a growing number of their owners take them along when they travel by air. And when they fly as carry-on passengers in the cabin, those pets need to have tickets. On Alaska Airlines and JetBlue, the domestic fee for a pet in the cabin is $100 each


In a prior study, I introduced a simple economic growth model designed to be consistent with general thermodynamic laws. Unlike traditional economic models, civilization is viewed only as a well-mixed global whole with no distinction made between individual nations, economic sectors, labor, or capital investments. At the model core is an observationally supported hypothesis that the global economy's current rate of primary energy consumption is tied through a constant to a very general representation of its historically accumulated wealth. Here, this growth model is coupled to a linear formulation for the evolution of globally well-mixed atmospheric CO2 concentrations. While very simple, the coupled model provides faithful multi-decadal hindcasts of trajectories in gross world product (GWP) and CO2. Extending the model to the future, the model suggests that the well-known IPCC SRES scenarios substantially underestimate how much CO2 levels will rise for a given level of future economic prosperity. For one, global CO2 emission rates cannot be decoupled from wealth through efficiency gains. For another, like a long-term natural disaster, future greenhouse warming can be expected to act as an inflationary drag on the real growth of global wealth. For atmospheric CO2 concentrations to remain below a "dangerous" level of 450 ppmv, model forecasts suggest that there will have to be some combination of an unrealistically rapid rate of energy decarbonization and nearly immediate reductions in global civilization wealth. Effectively, it appears that civilization may be in a double-bind. If civilization does not collapse quickly this century, then CO2 levels will likely end up exceeding 1000 ppmv; but, if CO2 levels rise by this much, then the risk is that civilization will gradually tend towards collapse.


and white as some people make it out to be." He could think of only one time he was genuinely worried about his game. McIlroy was 19 and in his first full year as a pro in 2008. He had only two top 10s all year on the European Tour. He wasn't eligible for any of the majors. He had missed three straight cuts in Sweden, Holland and Scotland. He was concerned he might lose his card. And then he lost in a playoff in Switzerland, lost in another playoff in Hong Kong and won his first pro event early in the next year. "And I was off and running," he said. McIlroy reached No. 50 with that playoff loss in Hong Kong, and he hasn't fallen out since then. He's had a few dips, sure, "but it's not as if I've had to panic." Palmer and McIlroy share one other connection, at least for now. They are one leg short of the Grand Slam. Palmer never won the PGA Championship. McIlroy needs the Masters. When they had dinner at Bay Hill in 2015 — right before McIlroy's first crack at the fourth leg of the slam — the topic never came up. "It's amazing to think, all that Arnold did in the game, he never won that Grand Slam," McIlroy said. McIlroy at the Masters, Phil Mickelson at the U.S. Open and Jordan Spieth at the PGA Championship each have a chance at the career slam this year. "I'm glad to be part of that conversation, get the first shot at it in a few weeks," McIlroy said. "So we'll see how we go." His game is never far away, even if it doesn't look like it at times.


if there weren't some out-there tech on the way. This year, much of the mobile news will revolve around the buzzwords that dominated 2016. Case in point: Huawei. When its CEO delivers his keynote on January 5th, he'll unveil a mobile strategy that centers around "artificial intelligence, virtual reality and connected technologies." Expect many, many other companies to take a similarly trendy focus. ASUS, meanwhile, could continue its history of boundary-pushing CES launches by introducing the second phone to use Google's Tango depth-sensing technology for augmented reality. Even though 5G data won't be ready for the real world in 2017, we should hear a lot about the forthcoming technology at CES. It's close enough that device makers and carriers are envisioning what they can do with that much bandwidth, such as smarter self-driving cars and robots. You should see some bread-and-butter phone updates, of course. Many companies use CES for launches that would otherwise be overshadowed at Mobile World Congress a month later. That's not to say that they'll be pedestrian, though. Take LG's 2017 mid-range lineup as an example -- the company is making a point of including features that were previously reserved for higher-end devices, like fingerprint readers. Sony, in turn, is rumored to be reviving its 4K smartphone dreams now that the technology is more mature. In some ways, these could be the most important introductions at CES. They won't revolutionize the mobile landscape, but they should make once-exotic technology more commonplace. TV / home theater Richard Lawler Coming into CES 2017, several of the big players in home theater are holding their cards closer to the vest than usual. Of course, even without a slew of pre-event reveals, we have some ideas about what's in store for TVs and the devices that surround them. OLED is well-known for offering up the best display quality out there -- so what comes next? Price cuts, for one: LG's has made its series of 4K OLED TVs much more affordable while keeping the quality up, but it will need to go further to match LCD for value. As for the competition, we're waiting to see if anyone else will try the technology on for size. Panasonic and Sony are good candidates for OLED TVs in 2017, even if they end up using LG's panels. There's no indication yet that Samsung will switch gears on its display