The 200th anniversary of Karl Marx's birthday meant a lot of things to a lot of very different people. Over the weekend authorities in the western German town of Trier, where Marx was born in 1818, unveiled a giant Chinese-made statue of the philosopher. It drew both cheering supporters from Germany's fringe Communist Party and a motley group of protesters.

“We now have 30 years of distance from reunification," said the town's mayor, Wolfram Leibe. And as the memory of the former East Germany recedes further into the past, he said, it "gives us the possibility to look at Marx with a critical eye, without prejudice." Critics said he was more interested in the influx of tourists coming to Trier and the revenue their Marxist pilgrimages generate. (Who was it who said something about history repeating itself as farce?)

Trier, Germany is hosting a party for the 200th birthday of philosopher Karl Marx, but some see one of the gifts as cause for concern.

Authorities in China, the last major nation run by a government that lays claim to Marx's ideological legacy, eulogized the co-author of the “Communist Manifesto" and “Capital." President Xi Jinping described Marx as “the greatest thinker of modern times," while state media rolled out a slick TV campaign declaring “Marx was Correct." Even as the People's Republic drifts further away from its Maoist moorings — and as Xi styles himself abroad as a defender of the capitalist order — his government is trying to cultivate loyalty to Marx as part of a broader nationalist platform.

In the West, conservative politicians and writers railed against the violent communist regimes that took power in Marx's name, highlighting the oppression and misery that characterized their rule.

Meanwhile, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier sounded a more careful note. “We shouldn’t fear Marx, but we don’t need to build any golden statues to him either,” he said last week.

Amid all the noise, one central theme was clear: Whatever you think of him, Marx still matters. The Economist, a British publication that has spent decades sparring with Marxism's disciples, ran a lengthy story this past week arguing that world leaders should still be reading him.

The political demise of the Soviet Union did nothing to diminish the value of Marx's understanding of the forces of capitalism. Indeed, it seems ever more relevant as countries around the world grapple with widening social inequity. Marx's belief in the ideal of a classless society may have made him into the bearded boogeyman of anti-communists, but his economic analysis remains rather uncontroversial.

“Educated liberal opinion is today more or less unanimous in its agreement that Marx’s basic thesis — that capitalism is driven by a deeply divisive class struggle in which the ruling-class minority appropriates the surplus labor of the working-class majority as profit — is correct," philosopher Jason Barker wrote for the New York Times.

The aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis led to the steady rise of populist movements of various stripes in the West, along with a wider realization that the havoc unleashed by bankers was not a bug but a feature of the system. “The post-war consensus that shifted power from capital to labor and produced a 'great compression' in living standards is fading," the Economist noted. “Globalization and the rise of a virtual economy are producing a version of capitalism that once more seems to be out of control."

You can see the rapaciousness of that system in the withering away of the welfare state in many countries, in the growing concentration of wealth among the global megarich and in the deepening adversity facing a generation of people whose parents were once comfortably in the middle class.

Marx would arguably take a look at the West in its current state, where tech companies find new ways to make assets out of human labor, and see echoes of the moment that gave birth to his ideas. “It is the Marx of the 19th century who can attract the people of the twenty-first," Sven-Eric Liedman wrote in a new biography of Marx.

“The gig economy is assembling a reserve force of atomized laborers who wait to be summoned, via electronic foremen, to deliver people’s food, clean their houses or act as their chauffeurs," the Economist elaborated. “In Britain house prices are so high that people under 45 have little hope of buying them. Most American workers say they have just a few hundred dollars in the bank. Marx’s proletariat is being reborn as the precariat."

Of course, while the Marxist diagnosis of the prevailing order is still useful, Marxist prescriptions may offer a lot less. “We need Marx to help us understand the state we’re in," wrote the Guardian's Stuart Jeffries, “though that is only a prelude to the bigger struggle, for which his writings are less helpful: namely, how to get out of it."

It's not surprising that Marx is gaining far less attention in societies where politicians ruled under the banner of communism. “The official stance is that his revolutionary ideas brought misfortune to the Russian people,” Lev Gudkov, director of the independent Levada Center polling institute, said to the Moscow Times last week. “Russians have all but forgotten him.”

And despite the propaganda of China's rulers, the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth isn't likely to lead to an ideological awakening in China's deeply materialistic society.

“It’s extremely hard to push Marxism in modern China especially in this internet era. What it presents is severely unrealistic,” Zhang Lifan, a Beijing-based independent political analyst, said to the Associated Press. “Even inside China, I believe most party members don’t understand or believe in Marxism anymore. Instead, they just use it as a tool for promotion.”


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Physics > Plasma Physics

Title: How to generate intense isolated attosecond pulses from relativistic plasma mirrors?

Abstract: Doppler harmonic generation of a high-power laser on a relativistic plasma mirror is a promising path to produce bright attosecond light bursts. Yet, a major challenge has been to find a way to generate isolated attosecond pulses, better suited to timed-resolved experiments, rather than trains of pulses. A promising technique is the attosecond lighthouse effect, which consists in imprinting different propagation directions to successive attosecond pulses of the train, and then spatially filtering one pulse in the far field. However, in the relativistic regime, plasma mirrors get curved by the radiation pressure of the incident laser and thus focus the generated harmonic beams. This increases the harmonic beam divergence and makes it difficult to separate the attosecond pulses angularly. In this article, we propose two novel techniques readily applicable in experiments to significantly reduce the divergence of Doppler harmonics, and achieve the generation of isolated attosecond pulses from the lighthouse effect without requiring few-cycle laser pulses. Their validity is demonstrated using state-of-the-art simulations, which show that isolated attosecond pulses with $10$TW peak power in the X-UV range can be generated with PW-class lasers. These techniques can equally be applied to other generation mechanisms to alleviate the constraints on the duration on the laser pulses needed to generate isolated attosecond pulses.
Comments: 15 pages, 13 figures
Journal reference: Phys. Rev. Research 2, 043007 (2020)
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.043007
Cite as: arXiv:2003.13568 [physics.plasm-ph]
  (or arXiv:2003.13568v1 [physics.plasm-ph] for this version)

Submission history

From: Henri Vincenti [view email]
[v1] Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:45:45 GMT (1547kb,D)

Link back to: arXiv, form interface, contact.


A watercolor artist in Tuscany

Goldsmithing in Florence

Goldsmith worksops on the Ponte Vecchio Florence
Goldsmith worksops on the Ponte Vecchio Florence

Goldsmithing in Florence was first practiced in monasteries and abbeys during the middle age, with the production of sacred objects such as reliquaries, crosses, chalices…

The Republic of Florence introduced its own currency in 1252, the Gold Florin, gaining a significant role in the whole Europe. This led to the development of a successful goldsmithing that culminated during the Renaissance, when it was common for painters and sculptors to start their apprentices in jewelry workshops. Still to day the art of goldsmithing is very dynamic in Florence, in particular on Ponte Vecchio.

One of the first extraordinary example of the art of goldsmithing in Florence is the Treasure that was commissioned in 1366. It was assigned to a range of participants and famous goldsmiths, such as Leonardo di ser Giovanni, Michele di Monte, Tommaso Ghiberti, Matteo di Giovanni, Bernardo Cennini, Antonio del Pollaiolo e Andrea del Verrocchio, worked on the creation of this masterpiece, that required more than 100 years of work. 400 kg of silver and 1050 enabled plates. Today, this unique goldsmithing example is preserved, inside a showcase, in the Treasury Room of the Opera Duomo Museum.

Goldsmith's masterpiece The Treasure Museo del Opera del Duomo Florence
Goldsmith’s masterpiece The Treasure Museo del Opera del Duomo Florence

Later on, during the 15th and 16th century, many of the sculptors, artists and architects of the Renaissance often had their initial training in goldsmith studios. Brunelleschi, Donatello, Ghiberti, Botticelli and Verocchio (Leonardo da Vinci’s master) are just a handful of the many who began as goldsmiths before creating the Renaissance’s greatest buildings and most memorable sculptures and paintings. In 1565, Benvenuto Cellini, the sculptor of the “Perseus and the head of Medusa” on Piazza della Signoria, wrote his autobiography, in which he describes techniques, tools and materials used at that time, a book still used by many jewelry artisans today.

Benvenuto Cellini Perseus and Medusa Florence
Benvenuto Cellini Perseus and Medusa Florence

At the end of the 16th century Under Gran Duke Francesco 1er, the goldsmithing workshops were opened in the Uffizzi, but it is in 1593 that his successor Ferdinando 1er ordered the Ponte Vecchio to be entirely devoted to gold shops and laboratories In the 19th century a little fountain with the bust of Benvenuto Cellini by the sculptor Raffaello Romanelli was placed on the terrace in the middle of the bridge. Still today, Italy, and Tuscany is one of the top designers and producers of fine gold jewelry in the world.

Staying in Palazzo Larderel, you will be able to discover and admire the past and current talented artisan goldsmiths in Florence.

The gardens of Villa le Barone in Tuscany: Fragrances, sounds, flavors, views

Villa le Barone’s gardens: stupendous views on Chianti hills and fragrant roses

 The gardens of Villa le Barone in Chianti Tuscany, are full of perfumes that will enchant your nose, whatever the season. The other senses are also solicited: the sight with the views on the wonderful landscapes of the Chianti hills, the hearing with the bird’s songs and the bells of the nearby church (but they stop during the night!), the taste with all the flavors of the Tuscan cuisine.

There are of course the roses, blooming in all seasons, the honeysuckles, which climb here and there and exhale their delicate perfume, the different odorous jasmine, and you will certainly particularly enjoy the large, deep green foliage and profuse white and very fragrant flowers of the poet jasmine. You will love the scent of verbena leaves by crumpling them between your fingers! At the end of June the lilies are in full bloom, and their fragrance make the garden a delight!
And of course there are all the scents of aromatic plants that perfume the Tuscan cuisine and that you can enjoy in our restaurant! Rosemary, basil, tarragon, different species of thyme, sage (do you know there are more than 100 different species of sage?) are widely used by our Tuscan cooks. We have also created in one of the gardens an angle where you can discover about a hundred aromatic herbs. Near the “Fattoria”, there is a massive lavender, where butterflies come to flit.

Villa le Barone’s gardens: fragrant lilies

And what views, whether of the pool, tennis or gardens! Your eyes will be captivated by the enchanting vistas on the Chianti hills, with their vineyards and olive groves. What’s better than to be soothed by the sound of water, to hear the birds and the sound of the bells of the neighboring church San Leolino while having a light lunch on the terrace under the centennials chestnuts?

Come and experience the scents of Villa le Barone’s gardens, come and admire its unique views, come and taste the wines of Chianti and Tuscan cuisine, come and listen to the song of birds! Come and relax in this privileged environment!


Offbeat Video

By Randal Coombs

A dust devil wrapped itself around a palm tree, almost turning it sideways.

Zak Norgren was walking through downtown Phoenix, Arizona, on June 3 when he spotted the unusual weather phenomenon.

Approaching the dust devil, the sand and wind wrapped around the high leaves of the tree and in a matter of seconds almost pulled the top to a 90 degree angle.

Zak said: “The whole event only lasted 10-15 seconds, but I was in awe.

“The whole top of a 90’ palm tree was caught in the vortex, spinning around at what seemed an impossible angle and speed.

“I’ve never seen this type of interaction, but we get these things every summer

“They can be small or huge, but almost always do damage with winds from 30-50 mph pushing down garbage cans and breaking tree branches

“This disturbance was the same one that spawned tornados in the plains the next day.”


So far I've told you that mutation modifies the existing object. But you can't really see the difference from what we've done with strings. Where we'll really see the difference is when we introduce a new variable. Let's go back to the example we had before, and now we're going to add an extra assignment statement, and we'll introduce a new variable. Suppose we introduce the variable "q." And we assign p to q, and that means the value of p, which is the object that's this list, is now what q will refer to. The important thing here is after the assignment, p and q refer to the same list. Suppose we did an assignment statement to modify the value of one of the elements of q. Well, that will change element 4 of q, so this is element 4 of q. It will change that value to the new exclamation point. It also changed the value of p. Even though the assignment statement didn't include p, the fact that p and q refer to the same object means that it changed the value of p. To show you that things are different with strings, let's try that with a string. See if you can guess what happens when we try to use assignment to replace the first letter in the string. Let's run it to see what happens. And what we get is an error, and we get an error because the string is not mutable. There's no way to change the value of the string, and the error says there's no way to do assignment in a string, that that type of object, because it's immutable, does not support assignment. A key difference between mutable objects and immutable objects is once an object is mutable, then we have to worry about other variables that might refer to the same object. We can change the value of that object, and it affects not just the variable that we think we changed, it affects the value of other variables as well. Let's see an example of that. I've initialized p to the list containing the strings "Hello." Now I have an assignment that introduces the new variable q and assigns p to that variable. And we'll print out the values of p and q, and we'll see that both p and q contain the string Hello. But now let's change the value at position 0. Now we have an assignment that stores in the value at position 0 of p the letter y. This changes the value of p. What may be more surprising is this also changes the value of q. Even though we didn't use q in the assignment, it changed the value of q because q refers to the same object as p.


Quick Answer: Which Is The Most Difficult Medical Specialty?

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5 highest and lowest paying medical specialties. Neurosurgeons had the highest average annual salary in 2017 at $662,755, while pedatric infectious disease physicians had the lowest at $191,735 according to Doximity’s second annual Physician Compensation Report.

Is 27 too old for medical school?

27 is not old in the slightest. Most students will be like 2-3 years younger than you at most. I think you’ll find out that you will never really “feel” that different. You will still be yourself.

What is the riskiest cosmetic surgery?

A procedure that’s been all over the headlines for the wrong reasons in 2018, the Brazilian Bum Lift (BBL) has been cited by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) as having the highest rate of death for any aesthetic procedure, with as many as one in 3,000 patients dying as a result of the …

What is the most prestigious medical specialty?

Neurosurgery and thoracic surgery were the highest paying medical specialties in 2019, with average salaries north of $550,000, according to a new physician employment report from Doximity. Orthopedic surgery, radiation oncology and vascular surgery rounded out the top five.

How old is the oldest medical student?

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What are the smartest doctors?

The Smartest Doctor in the WorldEric Topol, M.D.Mike Cadogan, M.D.Berci Mesko, M.D.Pieter Kubben, M.D.Peter Diamantis, M.D.Cameron Powell, M.D.Iltifat Husain, M.D.Sumer Sethi, M.D.More items…•

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What is the hardest year of medical school?

What is HARDEST YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL?1st Year. Votes: 116 41.9%2nd Year. Votes: 102 36.8%3rd Year. Votes: 54 19.5%4th Year. Votes: 5 1.8%


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Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 1, California.

The PEOPLE of the State of California, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Sy MEJIA, Defendant and Appellant.

Cr. 15905.

Decided: April 30, 1969

Richard H. Levin, Los Angeles, by appointment of the Court of Appeal, for appellant. Thomas C. Lynch, Atty. Gen., William E. James, Asst. Atty. Gen., and George J. Roth, Deputy Atty. Gen., for respondent.

Defendant was charged with a violation of the Dangerous Weapons Control Act (s 12021, Pen.Code) and three prior felony convictions (Dyer Act (1946); violations, section 211, Penal Code (1947), section 11500, Health and Safety Code (1953)). After his arraignment defendant moved to suppress the evidence under section 1538.5, Penal Code, and to dismiss under section 995, Penal Code; both motions were denied. Defendant then entered a plea of not guilty. By stipulation the cause was submitted on the transcript of the testimony taken at the preliminary hearing. After the commencement of the trial, the court had read and considered the transcript and the People had rested their case defendant sought to reargue the issue of unlawful search and seizure; noting that a motion to suppress the evidence pursuant to section 1538.5, Penal Code, and a motion to dismiss under section 995, Penal Code, had been made prior to trial and denied, the trial court refused to permit the reargument. Defendant was found guilty as charged; the court made no finding on the allegations of the three prior felony convictions. Defendant appeals from the judgment.

Around 12:30 in the morning on March 21, 1968, several police vehicles responded to ‘a burglary there now’ radio call; they arrived at the location within five minutes. About 75 feet from the location where the burglary was reported to be in progress Officer Michael saw defendant walking on the street away from the premises; no other pedestrians were in the area. Defendant was illuminated by a spotlight from the black and white police vehicle but he paid no attention to it and continued walking carrying a coat over his left arm and a package beneath the coat. Officer Michael got out of the police car approximately 25 feet behind defendant and started to follow him; another officer got out in front of defendant and told him to ‘Hold it for a minute.’ Defendant then walked toward the curb and the officer and as he did so dropped the package from his left side which, when it hit the curb and parkway, made a metallic sound and split open, and continued walking. Officer Michael was five to ten feet behind defendant; when he ‘got there’—where the package lay—it was split open revealing the grips of a weapon, portions of a clip and .45 caliber rounds; he then arrested defendant on suspicion of burglary after which he picked up the package, which lay about four feet from where he had arrested defendant, made an examination of the contents and found a .45 caliber automatic. Defendant denied ‘knowledge of possession of the package.’ Officer Gelb made an examination of the fingerprints on the gun and identified them as belonging to defendant; an abstract of judgment reflected that on August 15, 1958, defendant was sentenced to the state prison pursuant to a plea of guilty to a violation of section 211, Penal Code.

Defendant took the witness stand and very briefly testified that ‘this particular firearm’ was not his personal property.

Appellant's main contention is that the evidence was obtained by an unlawful search and seizure. Prior to trial defendant did not seek appellate review of the court's denial of his pre-trial motion to suppress the evidence by way of petition for writ of mandate or prohibition (s 1538.5, subd. (i), Pen.Code) but, believing that subsection (n) of section 1538.5 permitted him to do so, during the trial after the People rested their case attempted to raise the issue of unlawful arrest, search and seizure and direct an argument thereto. Commenting that pre-trial motions under sections 1538.5 and 995, Penal Code, had been made and denied, the trial court stated it would ‘entertain no further argument as to those issues * * * raised at the time of 1538.5 and 995.’ Defendant then abandoned his argument and took the stand on the merits of his defense denying that the weapon belonged to him. Appellant now says that he ‘specifically requested permission to renew the motion’ and that the ‘trial judge denied the motion that he be permitted to renew the motion to suppress.’ The record reveals neither a request for permission to renew defendant's motion to suppress the evidence nor a motion that he be permitted to renew it, and technically he did not make one but his attempt to direct an argument to the issue of unlawful arrest, search and seizure was sufficient to call the court's attention thereto. However, to say, as does appellant here, that the trial court failed to exercise its discretion in determining whether to grant a defense motion to renew the motion to suppress (if indeed it was a motion) is nonsense for the court did give serious consideration to his attempt to reargue the issue and decided not to permit another argument thereon. There is a clear exercise of discretion manifest in the record and not the arbitrary denial asserted by appellant. Moreover, his contention that he was arrested without probable cause and the gun was the product of an unlawful search and seizure is without merit.

It is readily apparent that in ordering defendant to ‘Hold it for a minute,’ the initial detention was intended by the officer to be but a temporary one for investigation only. Circumstances short of probable cause for an arrest may justify temporary detention of a person on the street late at night by an officer for the purpose of questioning. (People v. Mickelson, 59 Cal.2d 448, 450, 30 Cal.Rptr. 18, 380 P.2d 658; People v. Martin, 46 Cal.2d 106, 108, 293 P.2d 52; Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 88 S.Ct. 1868, 20 L.Ed.2d 889.) Here there was ample justification for ordering defendant to stop—the lateness of the hour, his close proximity to and movement away from the premises reported to have been burglarized with a package covered by a coat and his unusual behavior when illuminated by the police car spotlight; it was at this point the officer told him to ‘Hold it for a minute.’ ‘The circumstances which allow temporary detention are those which ‘indicate to a reasonable man in a like position that an investigation is necessary to the discharge of his duties.’ (People v. Gibson, 220 Cal.App.2d 15, 20, 33 Cal.Rptr. 775, 778.)' People v. Manis,a 268 Cal.App.2d 653, —-, 74 Cal.Rptr. 423, 426; People v. Piedra, 183 Cal.App.2d 760, 761—762, 7 Cal.Rptr. 152.) Had the officer not stopped defendant and sought an explanation of his peculiar conduct he would have been derelict in his duties. The evidence does not warrant a claim that initially the approach of the officers was for any purpose other than questioning; and their order to defendant to ‘hold it’ that they could investigate and talk to him does not constitute an arrest. (People v. Williams, 220 Cal.App.2d 108, 112—113, 33 Cal.Rptr. 765.)

It was not until defendant dropped the package, which made a metallic sound and split open revealing the contents when it hit the curb, and continued walking and Officer Michael, following a few feet behind, observed the package on the parkway to contain the grips of a weapon, portions of a clip and .45 caliber rounds, that defendant was arrested. Before the arrest the gun was not the product of any unlawful search and seizure; Officer Michael did not search to find the gun, nor did he pick it up. When he first observed the weapon it was partially exposed in the package split open on the parkway; it was in plain sight for all to see. The mere looking at that which is open to view is not a search. (People v. Nieto, 247 Cal.App.2d 364, 370, 55 Cal.Rptr. 546; Mardis v. Superior Court, In and For County of San Bernardino, 218 Cal.App.2d 70, 74—75, 32 Cal.Rptr. 263; People v. Spicer, 163 Cal.App.2d 678, 683, 329 P.2d 917; People v. West, 144 Cal.App.2d 214, 219—220, 300 P.2d 729.) As to the arrest there can be no question but that it was a lawful one. With defendant's unexpected conduct and Officer Michael's observation of the contents of the package, the officers' opportunity for further investigation ceased, and immediate action was required; under the circumstances Officer Michael could not be expected to do other than make the arrest. A peace officer may arrest a person without a warrant whenever he has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed a felony. (s 836, Pen.Code; People v. Lara, 67 Cal.2d 365, 374, 62 Cal.Rptr. 586, 432 P.2d 202; People v. Schader, 62 Cal.2d 716, 722, 44 Cal.Rptr. 193, 401 P.2d 665; People v. Ingle, 53 Cal.2d 407, 412, 2 Cal.Rptr. 14, 348 P.2d 577.) ‘Reasonable cause exists when the facts and circumstances within the knowledge of the officer ’* * * at the moment of the arrest would ‘warrant a man of reasonable caution in the belief’ that an offense had been committed. Carroll v. United States, 267 U.S. 132, 162, 45 S.Ct. 280, 69 L.Ed. 543.' (Beck v. Ohio (1964) 379 U.S. 89, 96, 85 S.Ct. 223, 13 L.Ed.2d 142.)' (People v. Schader, 62 Cal.2d 716, 722, 44 Cal.Rptr. 193, 196, 401 P.2d 665, 668; People v. Cockrell, 63 Cal.2d 659, 665, 47 Cal.Rptr. 788, 408 P.2d 116.) Nor is there a valid issue of unlawful search and seizure because it was not until defendant was placed under arrest that Officer Michael picked up the package, closely examined the contents and retained the weapon (Exh. 3), and this he had a right to do for it was clearly incident to a lawful arrest; and if under such circumstances it can be said that Officer Michael's conduct in picking up the package from the public parkway constituted a search and seizure of the gun it was not ‘unreasonable’ within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment. (People v. Lara, 67 Cal.2d 365, 373, 62 Cal.Rptr. 586, 432 P.2d 202; People v. Webb, 66 Cal.2d 107, 111—112, 56 Cal.Rptr. 902, 424 P.2d 342, 19 A.L.R.3d 708.) Whether the package had ever been in defendant's possession was, of course, a factual question and the holding that it had been was fully supported by defendant's fingerprints on the gun and Officer Michael's testimony that he saw defendant drop the package containing the weapon.

Finally, appellant's reliance on Gascon v. Superior Court, In and For Los Angeles County, 169 Cal.App.2d 356, 337 P.2d 201, and Badillo v. Superior Court, In and For City and County of San Francisco, 46 Cal.2d 269, 294 P.2d 23, is misplaced. In Gascon the officers had threatened to illegally search the accused; in Badillo, the premises from which petitioner fled had been illegally entered by the investigating officer. Thus, in both cases ‘the petitioner was fleeing from the attempted illegal invasion of his constitutional rights.’ (Gascon v. Superior Court, In and For Los Angeles County, 169 Cal.App.2d 356, 359, 337 P.2d 201, 202.) In the instant case there was no statement or act indicating any illegal invasion of defendant's rights. In the light of ‘the presumption that official duty will be regularly performed’ (People v. Piedra, 183 Cal.App.2d 760, 762, 7 Cal.Rptr. 152, 153), any suggestion that there was an implied threat of illegal search or unlawful arrest by the officers in ordering defendant to stop for the purpose of investigation, is wholly unwarranted on the record before us.

The judgment is affirmed.

FOOTNOTE.  FNa. Advance Report Citation: 268 A.C.A. 709, 715.

LILLIE, Associate Justice.


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Functional Genomics and Ecological Impact of Viral Infection in the Toxic Haptophyte Prymnesium polylepis

Final Report Summary - VINTPRYM (Functional Genomics and Ecological Impact of Viral Infection in the Toxic Haptophyte Prymnesium polylepis)

Viruses are the most abundant and diverse biological entities in the oceans. They infect all organisms from bacteria to whales making them an active and important component of the microbial loop because they regulate microbial mortality, production, community structure, and biogeochemical cycling. Each infection has the potential to introduce new genetic information into the host or into the reproduced viruses thereby driving the evolution of both host and viral assemblages and affecting the genetic diversity of microbial communities. Due to their immobility, viruses depend on passive movement to contact a suitable host. Consequently the encounter rate between a virus and a host is directly affected by their relative abundances and viral infection is more likely in a dense host population such as an algal bloom. Some algal blooms can also be harmful because they are composed of phytoplankton which produces toxins. These harmful algae blooms devastate yearly aquaculture, mollusc populations and shellfish worldwide. As the toxin accumulates along the food web some can even be harmful to human kind. Although marine viruses control blooms and shape the evolution of biodiversity in phytoplankton, little is known about the factors governing resistance and susceptibility of their hosts. Better understanding the host-virus interaction of marine phytoplankton is therefore necessary to properly address its impact on phytoplankton dynamics, socio-economic activities, and medical applications. The project VINTPRYM investigated two different aspects of haptophytes and their corresponding dsDNA viruses: 1) characterization of the abundance and diversity of Phycodnaviridae (large dsDNA viruses that infect marine or freshwater eukaryotic algae) and their potential haptophyte hosts. 2) Transcriptomic response of the haptophyte Prymnesium kappa to viral infection of HeV-RF02. The virus HeV-RF02 is one-of-a kind because it is one of the first marine viruses which can infect different phylogenetically distinct genera: P. kappa and Haptolina ericina. This research has been conducted at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI).
The first task was accomplished by taking environmental samples along the Norwegian coast while on-board the RV Heinke during the He431 cruise in 2014. Host and virus diversity was estimated by amplification of specific molecular markers (18S rDNA, major capsid protein) and subsequent 454-sequencing. Preliminary analysis of four Fjord-systems revealed that over 50% are unknown or not identified viruses and less than 10% of the sequences belong to known haptophyte viruses, pointing out the need to isolate and bring more (and new) virus-host model systems into culture.
For the second task, studying differences in the transcriptomic response (what genes are active at a specific time point) of both host and virus during an infection cycle, I set up a 48h experiment of infected and non-infected P. kappa and H. ericina in triplicates and took samples every 3-6 hours for RNA extraction. Furthermore, samples were also taken for photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), growth rate, and TEM pictures (Transmission Electron Miscroscopy) to monitor the fitness of the host and the state of infection. High throughput sequencing of the RNA (RNA-Seq) via Illumina NextSeq paired-end was used. In total, 72 samples were pooled during library preparation, Currently, I am analysing these very big datasets to identify the function of over- and under-represented host genes during the infection. The combination of virus genome information and gene expression profiling will provide an understanding of the mechanisms of a successful infection. This project is the base for follow-up research: we can examine if there is a different infection strategy of the virus between the two different species; we can investigate what confers virus resistance to some strains and makes others susceptible; we can measure how biogeochemical fluxes are affected by viruses; and finally, we can inspect alterations in virus-host interactions due to change in environmental factors.


Let’s be happy part 2

Let’s be happy

The story tells us even with imperfection, life is full of hope.

ONE-WAY Street

Then there is the one-way street…

Pain Asks

80% of world’s persecuted are Christians, News Report say.

Scaling (what seems like) the Impossible

Simple step: “For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 Do you have an specific prayer request? Write it down so I can pray with you.

Easier now?

If only that is so. “When the world and I were young, just yesterday, life was such a simple game, a child could play. It was easy then to tell truth from lies…” These words from a song are more than just sentiments. I used to like true or false tests cause they were easy. Not anymore.

Today, even the innocence of children are preyed upon. There is this insidious incessant voice planting doubts, confusion and dissatisfaction with yourself, your identity, your color, size, gender. The only choice left seems to be “be yourself.” But which “self”?

Then there is another problem. Self-deception is human nature, which usually wins. To be yourself is actually self-defeating. Just think of the many ways we try to self-define. There is the blurring of feeling and reality, past and present, style and substance, comfort and corruption, means and ends, fact and opinion, reason and desire, human and machine, freedom and depravity, compassion and bribery, safety and irresponsibility, science and indoctrination, tissue and fetus,… Oh, I hope I didn’t lose you with that long list. But I felt a knot in my stomach just running that list in my mind. You see that blurring confuses and clogs the brain.

To unclog, we need wisdom. It is the ability to discern that brings clarity. And how we need that since truth is not neutral. That is why aim for clarity first, not for agreement. Fluidity which erases the lines is not freedom but brings chaos. Fortunately, God draws all the lines to maintain clarity and order. And to erase the lines does the opposite.

For example, He divided the light from darkness since the beginning. Did you know the sun was created to mark the day and the moon to mark the night? Animals are distinguished from plants and animals differ in kind from each other. That is how we can tell if we are eating chicken or beef. Of course, they are distinct. Adam knew Eve was distinctly different, more similar to him than the animals. Note that God set the time of a week since creation. Imagine if we are free to count 8 days a week or call Monday a Sunday because we feel like it, because we have a right to our own time or because the differences are just man-made? The farmers who rely on this 52-week calendar knows it is not to be tampered with.

Hmmm… Let’s take a practical road test. How do we navigate the road when the basic markers are erased, when the individual decides to stop or go based on feelings or ideology? The scariest thing is what this will amount to – power without boundaries. Isn’t that a definition of evil? I’m sure I did not make that up either. God said, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil …”(Isaiah 5:20).

Without true markers, woe to us. We lose the ability to think clearly which makes us easier to prey on. We also waste time and effort reconstructing the basics. Truths that are taught in the Bible and have been self-evident throughout civilization. What can we expect from chaos if not weakness and unhappiness? Without true markers, especially moral markers, evil reigns. Woe because we are lost.

“Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth.” Jn 17:17

Small step: As you go forward, do you have to clear some clutter, I mean in your brain, heart and relationships, not just your closet? To have a more fruitful life, restore order and clarity, start making a list of markers you need to respect. And if you happen to uncover some lies you have, awesome. Remember, you are welcomed to share your list and bless others as well.

It Can Be Done

Disappointments occur, at times daily. Maybe an unkind word meant to be a joke but it still hurts. Disagreements, shaming, unequal treatment, troubled past or feeling miserable that one cannot change the outcome of a bad decision.

The fact is one’s response to the hurt would make it worse than the hurt itself. We may not be responsible for what happened to us, but we are still responsible for how we respond to it. In reality, the past is for redemptive reflection, not for blaming or collecting. Why should we go about collecting “garbage” when there is no obligation to do so? Why must we expect perfection when there is simply no such thing? Why let pride dictate my response when pride always leads to a fall? Some responses like resentment, bitterness, envy, scoring, self-pity and self-doubt can eat us up, adding to the hurt. We could eventually find ourselves lonelier, weaker and feeling trapped.

What to do now? Should I quit or move? Maybe it is not “where” but “what and how.” It could simply be realizing that we become what we respond to and how we respond to it. What if we choose to respond to what is true “and” eternal instead? Won’t we become truer and wiser? What if we ask what can this teach me and think of how to overcome? Won’t we become the architect instead of the victim?

Maybe it is easier said than done? Actually, using this approach is so rewarding you would not even mind the effort. Remember Joseph who was sold to slavery by his brothers? He named his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim. The names meant “God has made me forget” and “God has made me fertile in the land of my affliction” respectively. These name reminded him over and over what’s true, what he chose to respond to. What a creative way to respond to his misfortunes, and so rewarding.

What do you enjoy doing?

As much as receiving something is fun, creating something is much more fun and satisfying actually. Doing is creating. You might not realize this is part of being made in God’s image. Like Him, we can create, produce and make.

Didn’t Jesus once said, it is “more” blessed to give than to receive? A life that creates what’s good, true and beautiful will be made more “blessed.” God wants to bless the producers and givers, not the sloth, selfish takers. Since He wants us to walk as Jesus walked, we are not fashioned after some prehistoric creature, but after the Creator of the universe. Like Him, our lives are to be about creating happiness, love and peace.

I will follow…
We become who we follow…

Technically speaking, “to create” means “to make something out of nothing.” Now, we can make many and almost anything big and small for our enjoyment and benefit because He has already provided the materials. It is humbling but true that almost everything we see and use is made by someone. That includes you and me. Through procreation, our parents made us so now we are here. To “create” a person into existence! This is the closest we can get to the original creative act of God in Genesis 1:1. That isn’t just fun, it is awesome, incredulous, mind-blowing, etc.

If you realize that, life can never be boring or meaningless again. We can even recycle trash to make them useful again. What a metaphor of broken lives and dreams recreated in the hands of the Creator-Savior! Due to our foolishness we might have made things that destroy us: lies, naivete, vile and simplistic solutions. But we can start anew now.

The psalmist wrote God’s steadfast love and mercies are new every morning. Every day can become a new beginning. “Make love not war.” I like that slogan from the 60’s. What about you? What is it you want to “create”? Make someone laugh? Try me. I mean it. Put it in the comment section below. What else? Make money? Why not? Once there was a person who asked God for money. God gave him life with a “new heart” so he could work and make money for himself and to share with others. How about making the world a safe place? More on that in my next blog.

Simple step: When you wake up in the morning, warm your stomach (coffee?), your heart (with these thoughts) then in “Christ-like” fashion, think what you want to “create” today. And what would you want God to create in you? How about new life in Christ? Don’t overthink. I’d love to hear how it eventually works out for you.

(For more on God’s image, you are welcome to follow this up by reading the first chapter of my book Counseling the Heart.)

The strength in you

Why hide under a smile when your heart hurts. The world looks and feels different. The pain wants to shout to tear its way out. Instead, you feel trapped unexpectedly like a spider in its web. It might seem too late, but nothing is further from the truth than this.

In this world you have trouble and suffering, but take heart – I have overcome the world . John 16:33

When the web of life you’ve built around you is also crumbling, at least you’ve realized your limit. This is actually good – the moment of truth. It is the truth you’ve forgotten or once defied. Multitasking, technological speed, compromising, skipping quiet time with God are just a few common ingredients in the mix. But they cannot make you bionic.

What do we see when we look at the mirror now? A person with flesh and blood, not a fantasy heroine or hero. But someone with limitations.

According to our Maker, a person does not and cannot live by bread alone, but by every Word from God. And Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God. He is the Word of God. God speaks to us through Him. He is the Vine and apart from Him, we the branches cannot bear fruit. His Spirit is the living water that will never cease. So His Spirit living in us is the strength we need in us.

Small steps: Feeling tired? Lost? Down? Why not thank God for letting you see your limits. Take the time to rest in His word, and in prayer surrender your burdens to HIm. He gives strength to those who calls Him. Do not rush. For they that wait upon Him shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31).


Glory of the Roman Empire demo

Glory of the Roman Empire is an empire-building simulation set during the height of the glorious Roman Empire. In the game, the player assumes the roles of city planner, governor and military leader. Successful players will need planning skills, economic savvy and - should those fail - military might. Glory of the Roman Empire will challenge gamers to grow a small village into a thriving community through trade with neighbors, while also expanding and defending its borders through more militaristic means. Players will need to focus on the physical and emotional health of the citizenry, as villagers age and mature under strong leadership, contributing to the development of more advanced societies and larger cities.Take on the role of the Roman Caesar as you play six missions designed to get you acclimated with running a Roman city.
Price USD 0
License Free to try
File Size 512.13 MB
Operating System Windows 2000 Windows 98 Windows Me Windows Windows XP
System Requirements Windows 98/Me/2000/XP, 1.5GHz CPU, 256MB RAM, 32MB video card (GeForce 2MX/Radeon 9000+)


Personal Theoretical Orientation

I’m working on a Social Science question and need guidance to help me study.

Create a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation describing your personal theoretical orientation. Include the following:

  • Identify the theoretical orientation you will adhere to in your counseling practice.
  • Discuss the major contributors to the development of this theory.
  • Identify the major assumptions and key concepts of this theory.
  • Identify your personal characteristics that are in alignment with this theory.
  • Describe the techniques you are interested in using.
  • Note how will you maintain a multicultural perspective when implementing this theory.


Question: How Do You Check For A Bad Catalytic Converter?

What are the 3 most leading failures of a catalytic converter?

Diagnosing Converter Issues This is why it is important to identify the root cause of the failure and perform the repair prior to installing a new converter.

Coated/oil-fouled substrate..

How much does it cost to fix the catalytic converter?

Can a car run without a catalytic converter?

What are the symptoms of a clogged exhaust?

6 Signs and Symptoms of Exhaust Problems in Your CarDecreased Power and Acceleration. If you have a problem with your exhaust, it will begin to affect the performance of your engine. … Decreased Fuel Efficiency. … Burning Smell From the Engine Bay. … Hanging Exhaust Pipe. … Gas Smell.

Can I unclog my catalytic converter?

You will be able to clean your catalytic converter, so long as it is not overly clogged. … You may be able to find a mechanic who specializes in your make and model of car who can unclog such a converter. There is a good chance that your converter is simply cracked or broken.

What happens when your catalytic converter goes out?

A bad catalytic converter will give off higher emissions than allowed by the state. So a car with a malfunctioning catalytic converter will not pass a vehicle inspection. And that means you won’t be able to drive your vehicle legally.

How long can you drive on a bad catalytic converter?

Will a bad catalytic converter throw a code?

Bad cats will not throw any codes.

What happens if I don’t replace my catalytic converter?

When the converter first starts showing signs of failure, it will not immediately affect the engine. Left unchecked, however, it will eventually degrade and collapse, plugging the exhaust, which will choke vehicle performance and limit the life of the motor.

What are the signs of a bad catalytic converter?

What does a bad catalytic converter sound like?

How do I know if I have a bad o2 sensor or catalytic converter?

Check engine light turns on Usually, an illuminated check engine light is the first and only sign of a bad catalytic converter. When the light pops on, your car’s engine control module (ECM) will also store a diagnostic trouble code (often a P0420 code) in its memory.


Dynamic EU building stock knowledge hub

2020 - 2024

Decarbonising Europe's building stock effectively in line with the EU's 2050 strategy and the European Green Deal depends on the data and knowledge available to European to local authorities and decision-makers for designing targeted frameworks and policies that take into account real-life building stock features and performances. The BuiltHub project seeks to make more comprehensive data on the EU building stock available by developing a structured and inclusive data collection approach accessible in an easy to use we-based datahub platform. Based on state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms and existing data sets as well as individual data providers, the platform will be able to analyse date to provide platform users and data providers with tailor-made information services to support informed decision making towards sustainability.

Carsten Rothballer and Emilie Doran; emilie.doran@iclei.o

BUILTHUB receives funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Programme under Grant Agreement 957026