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0.967695 | Do you, like millions of other Americans, feel like you're sinking in an ocean of belief card debt? Well, fear not--there are many options for plummeting your debt way beforehand you have to be anxious about getting notices or demoralizing call up calls from debt collectors. The chief thing to commit to memory is to be down to business in management your accept card debt. Unmanaged debt can eventually lead to lawsuits, loss of property, and flawed acknowledgment reports.
-Get in touch with creditors right away. Often times, creditors will cut down accept card advantage rates if you austerely ask for a break. Defend your situation, and let creditors know if you're having agitate business meeting your bare minimum monthly obligation. Many creditors will work with you to assemble a adapted payment plan.
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Also, get in touch with your bank, friends, and/or breed for a recommendation. Some of the air force acknowledgment counselors provide: Guidance on how to deal with your debt, assistance in emergent a budget, and course and workshops that are geared towards credo customers about money management, acclaim card debt, and budgeting. Counselors can also commend a debt management plan (DMP), which allows you to make monthly deposits to the aspect therapy association that you're running with. Your psychotherapist will then advance a payment schedule with your creditors that includes lower appeal rates or waives a number of fees.
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Beth West has an all-embracing circumstances in marketing and broadcast relations, helping in management positions in both the welcome and software industries. Presently drama as the Executive of Marketing for InformedCredit, Beth is also frustrating to launch a casual inscription business.
Getting Behind Getting at the back of on your debts owed can be a very frustrating and frustrating time for you and your family. Depending on how far at the back you are, there are other repercussions, such as your acclaim rating, that will distress you advance down the road.
Your FICO score or belief score as it's frequently called is a very crucial adding up that can charge whether or not you are eligible to collect accept and if eligible the terms you can catch acclaim under. Breakdown to appreciate the bearing this score can have on you coming purchasing power and lifestyle can be disastrous.
Filing economic failure is a collective apply among the U.S.
What is Credit?Credit means that you are using a big name else's money to pay for things. It also means that you are construction a promise to repay the money to the character or business that loaned you the money.
Bankruptcy is one of the most challenging clothes a anyone has to do. The assessment to file economic failure is a hard one.
Many Christians feel uncomfortable with the notion of being in debt, and even more so when the debt has gotten out of control. Some say that it is not conventional for Christians to owe any money, even for such food as a home.
OK, so you are up to your head in debt. You are stressed out, it is now moving the way you act and absorbing most of your daily thoughts.
Do you, like millions of other Americans, feel like you're sinking in an ocean of acknowledgment card debt? Well, fear not--there are many options for dipping your debt way ahead of you have to be apprehensive about getting notices or discouraging car phone calls from debt collectors. The chief thing to bring to mind is to be practical in behavior your acknowledgment card debt.
Debt agreement involves negotiating with a creditor or creditors to pay off a percentage of your total debts at an decided upon agreement amount. Often, associates desire to consume the army of a debt arrangement circle instead than attempting to do it on their own.
What Is an IVAThe IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) was introduced by The Ruin Act of 1986 as an another to insolvency which payback both the cheat and the creditor. An IVA enables ancestors facing economic difficulties to come to a decorous concord with their creditors instead than having to face bankruptcy.
A headline for a retirement annuities flyer declares "Future Secured!" Was your corollary like mine? Yea, sure!Is our monetary forthcoming ever that secure? Maybe for a few. But for the best part of us this is not true.
The main analyze for receiving out of debt today, is since citizens with hardly or not debt have more check over their future:1. They have more open income, gist that you won't be breathing pay check after pay check as you maybe are right now.
It is constantly feasible to negotiate with creditors - even if they have previously taken you to court to get a conclusion or to decorate your wages.Getting a creditor to cut down your monthly payment helps and does afford short-term relief.
Bankruptcy still carcass a mystery in the eyes of many consumers. This critique will appraise the facts of insolvency as per in black and white law.
The monetary and psychological burden of being in debt causes us and our families nonstop emotional stress. That stress eats away at the condition of our lives and trees us affection powerless, angry, depressed and helpless.
Are you still payment a mountain of debt cumulative last Christmas or even at some point in last year's summer holiday?For those of you who make monetary plans, who finances and save, you can skip this article. For those who get a hardly agreed away, who consistently spend more than they can afford, this critique is for you.
Almost all Americans carry belief card debt. Actually, over 40% of US families spend more than they earn.
Many colonize have been trained that you cannot get ahead devoid of debt. We are also rushed off your feet with publicity illuminating us we can have everything we want.
Many citizens who seek the guidance and guidance of debt counsellors are motivated to them in the first place by fear and ignorance - two brawny emotions which often mask the real scale of the problems.In many cases, what you made have been led to deem is a 'bad' level of debt, may in its place need only some cautious reorganisation and a new set of credit priorities. |
0.894405 | What is upcycling? Peek inside and find out and meet an amazing artist!
Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. Upcycling has seen an increase in use due to its current marketability and the lowered cost of reused materials.
These amazing artistic upcycling creations are designed and built by American artist Ann P. Smith and are created with robotic parts. She creates amazing sculptures that mimic life, nature, and anything that her creative mind comes up with.
She first began creating these amazing sculptures in Rhode Island School of Design. She was asked to create a 3d illustration. She was stumped, but then she saw a heap of junk and a light bulb went off in her head. She took the junk including a telephone and created a horse sculpture. She won great reviews and it kick started her career as an upcycling artist.
Learn Something Fun: In recent years, the US-based company TerraCycle has brought upcycling into mainstream by creating partnerships with major brands, such J&J, Kraft Foods, BIC, and Aveeno, to upcycle their packaging into new items, all while donating money to schools and charity. |
0.971545 | What is famous in salem? I think Salem is famous for mango and There is a Steel plant is available.
As you said, Salem is famous for mango and Steel. In fact, Salem is called 'Steel city'. Also Mettur dam is famous in Salem. |
0.999999 | Which post WWII president best exemplifies the modern president?
Recently in the United States, politics has been greatly effected by ever changing technologies. This has been more noticeable as the country grows. Modern presidents shape national opinion to get congress to pass laws. With national opinion putting pressure on congress in regards to a particular issue, it increases the chances of members in congress to back a particular issue. Modern presidents have a advantage to older presidents as they have the mass media more at their disposal which they can in turn use to put themselves in the center of national policymaking.
John F. Kennedy is a good example of a modern president. He was president from 1961 to his death in 1963. As the youngest president to be elected to office, he has successfully used tactics of a modern president to allow his agenda's to pass. Some of the events during his presidency were the pushing of the civil right movement, containing the Russian nuclear threat, and further advancement of NASA (man on the moon by the end of the decade). These are withheld as some of Kennedy's most important accomplishments which reflect the attributes of the modern president. |
0.949872 | Giotto Bizzarrini (6 June 1926 in Quercianella, Livorno Province, Italy) is an Italian automobile engineer active from the 1950s through the 1970s.
Bizzarrini was chief engineer at Ferrari in the 1950s, working on such notable projects as the Ferrari 250 GTO. He split from the company in a major upheaval in 1961, worked first with ATS, and then in 1962 started his own company, Società Autostar, whose name was changed to Bizzarrini in 1964. Bizzarini also worked for other makers including Iso, Lamborghini, and Alfa Romeo. Several concept cars in the 2000s bear his name.
Bizzarrini was the son of a rich landowner from Livorno. His grandfather, also named Giotto Bizzarrini, was a biologist who had worked with Guglielmo Marconi on his inventions, especially the radio, following which one of the Livorno Library sections was named The Bizzarrini Library.
Bizzarrini received an engineering degree from the University of Pisa in 1953. His design thesis in his senior year was a complete redesign of a used Fiat Topolino, in which he modified the engine for increased power and relocated it in the chassis for improved handling. After graduation, he taught briefly before joining Alfa Romeo's 'Servizio Esperimenze Principali' unit under Ing. Nicolis in August 1954. He was assigned to the development of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta chassis, which was disappointing, as he aspired to become a powerplant engineer. He was later able to move to the Experimental Department, receiving on-the-job training to become a test driver: "I became a test driver who coincidentally was also an engineer, with mathematical principles. I always needed to know why something fails, so I can invent a solution."
Bizzarrini left Alfa Romeo in 1957 and went to Ferrari when that company needed a test driver. He was quickly promoted to controller of experimental, Sports and GT car development.
Some legends refers Mr. Ferrari when he saw Bizzarrini's first car, a Topolino based special called The Macchinetta, he said "A man able to build and drive that car, must work for Ferrari".
He worked five years at Ferrari as chief engineer. He also worked as developer, designer and skilled test driver. The Ferrari 250 GT 2+2/GTE, the 3 litre Testa Rossa V12 engine, the Ferrari 250 TR or Testa Rossa and the Ferrari 250 GT SWB (Short Wheelsbase Berlinetta or Berlinetta Passo Corto) were influenced by his ideas and technical solutions. For one of the most successful Ferrari racing series, the Ferrari 250, Bizzarrini worked hard to develop the chassis, engines and advanced dynamic solutions.
His masterpiece at Ferrari was the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. He was first involved with the 250 GTO project in 1960. Ferrari wanted a GT racer with better aerodynamics than the previous 250 GT SWB. The SWB was a great racer but had considerable aerodynamic drag. Jaguar had just launched the Jaguar E-Type and Ferrari needed a top contender in the tracks, and Enzo Ferrari wanted to ensure that his racing team did not suffer another loss as it had in the 1959 LeMans race.
Tests started secretly with a Ferrari 250 GT unit, bodied by Mario Boano, with chassis number #2643GT, Bizzarrini's personal car. This car was developed and was used as a test mule for technical solutions later seen in the GTO. This car was known as the Bizzarrini Ugly Duck (he said, "We dubbed the car 'Il Monstro'".) Experiments with the SWB chassis indicated the considerable speed loss due to aerodynamic drag, so Bizzarrini reduced the frontal area and increased the bonnet length, both to reduce drag and reduce front lift tendency at high speeds. Bizzarrini moved the engine well back into the chassis and lowered it (by using a dry sump lubrication system) to improve weight distribution and handling. The result was the Ferrari 250 GTO, one of the greatest sport cars ever.
In 1962, when the GTO was launched, it was the ultimate in aerodynamics. Carroll Shelby's 289 AC Cobra cars had an advantage on slow tracks, but the GTO achieved a superior top speed and dominated the GT class.
In 1961, Bizzarrini was one of the "famous five" engineers who left Ferrari. This is known as the "Ferrari night of the Long Knives" . It was caused because Ferrari wanted to reorganise the engineering staff. Bizzarrini left Ferrari and founded with other ex-Ferrari engineers (Carlo Chiti and others) the company Automobili Turismo e Sport (known as ATS) to build a Formula 1 single seater and a GT sport car, the ATS Serenissima.
In 1962, Bizzarrini was hired by Count Giovanni Volpi, owner of the SSS, Scuderia Serenissima Republica di Venezia, to upgrade a Ferrari 250 GT SWB with chassis number #2819GT to GTO Specification. Ferrari was upset with Volpi and refused to sell him a GTO, so they had to acquire and modify a used vehicle.
Ferrari 250GT Drogo #2819GT "Breadvan"
Bizzarrini applied all the ideas from the GTO and developed with Piero Drogo of Carrozzeria Sports Cars in the Modena works an aerodynamically advanced body, even lower than the GTO, with the roof line dramatically extended to the rear end, then abruptly truncated following the Kamm aerodynamic theory. The car was completed in just 14 days. The mechanicals were extensively reformed and the engine set well back into the chassis and lowered, using dry-sump lubrication. This car, chassis number #2819GT was called the Ferrari Breadvan, and is currently raced in vintage Sport Car events. The car was raced at the time with some success, with Carlo Abate and other drivers at the wheel, but could not beat the GTOs because it still had only a four-speed gearbox. At least another two 250GT series cars were developed by Bizzarrini, Piero Drogo and teammates Neri and Bonacini to GTO specifications and received distinctive bodies with similar advanced shapes.
In 1962 Bizzarrini founded Società Autostar, an engineering firm through which he would bid for freelance engineering projects.
Ferruccio Lamborghini commissioned Società Autostar to design an engine for his new GT cars. The engine was first shown in the Lamborghini 350GTV prototype in 1963 and was first manufactured for use in the 350GT in 1964. Variations of the basic design have been used in every V-12 Lamborghini until 2010. Originally displacing 3,464 cc (211 cu in) in the 350GT, it had been increased in displacement to 6,496 cc (396 cu in) in the final version of the Murciélago.
Società Autostar developed cars for Iso Autoveicoli S.p.A. including the Iso Rivolta IR300 and the Iso Grifo.
A dispute between Bizzarrini and Iso ended their collaboration, and led to Società Autostar building variants of the Iso Grifo under the Bizzarrini marque. This led Bizzarrini to change the name of Società Autostar first, in 1964, to Società Prototipi Bizzarrini and then in 1966 to Bizzarrini SpA. The Società Prototipi Bizzarrini was declared bankrupt in 1969, which ended Bizzarrini's days as an automobile manufacturer.
Bizzarrini SpA also developed advanced designs for other companies, including American Motors for which they built prototypes for the AMX/3 project, and as style and technical consultant for GM in Europe and USA, top Japanese motorcycle marques and well-known designers such as Pininfarina.
Bizzarrini is still busy with personal projects and conferences.
At the 2005 Geneva show, the new owner of the marque Bizzarrini showed the new GT Strada 4.1 concept, a two-door GT with a 4.1-litre 550 bhp (410 kW; 558 PS) plant (maximum speed - 360 km/h (220 mph), 0–100 km/h in 3.8 sec.) which was planned for production in 2007.
Giotto Bizzarrini teaches and works with Rome University, developing advanced projects and designing, building and developing his own sport cars. He has often said: "I'm not a car designer, I am a worker".
On October 23, 2012, the occasion of the inauguration of the University of Florence new Design Campus in Calenzano Professor Giotto Bizzarrini was given the Honoris Causa Degree in Industrial Design.
"Giotto Bizzarrini: Engineering Excellence". autoevolution. Retrieved 2009-05-16.
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Drogo also known as the "Breadvan" |
0.966237 | Tired of slogging it out on a treadmill? If you aren’t having fun in your gym or just want to cut costs, you can take your fitness routine into the great outdoors. There are numerous ways to stay fit while having fun such as going for a jog, a run or hiking, skating etc. It’s not only relieves your boredom but is also a great stress-buster. The sunshine and fresh air will improve your mood and you’ll just have more fun overall when you become an outdoor fitness buff.
There are some precautionary steps that you need to take when exercising outdoors. Keep the following tips in mind while you are heading out.
1) Warm up properly. It’s important to warm up for around five to ten minutes before beginning your exercise. If you are going to be exercising in cold weather, warm up for at least 20 minutes beforehand.
2) Men should keep their shirts on while running. Too much exposure to UV radiation puts one at a risk of developing skin cancer. Get a good sports oriented, sweat-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher and apply it liberally every two hours when exercising outdoors. Wear a hat at all times.
3) Wear the right clothes. You need to wear clothes made of fabric that allows moisture to dry easily. Use sunglasses if it’s too sunny outside. You’ll also need sunglasses in winter too to protect yourself from glare when there’s snow.
4) Keep yourself well hydrated. Carry a bottle of water with you and make sure you drink often.
5) Always do stretches at the end. Makes sure that you hold each stretch for at least half a minute. While it’s great to stretch before you begin exercising it’s important to never stretch cold muscles. During winter make sure you stretch after you’ve engaged in your 20-minute warm up.
6) Avoid running on or near roads frequented by heavy trucks of a lot of bus traffic.
7) Try to work out early in morning or later in the evening. |
0.999797 | Where do you start when you need to create instructions for the traditional classroom environment or want to repurpose existing instruction for distance learning? Is there a systematic approach that will ensure your training is effective? Whether you need to create instructions for the traditional classroom environment or want to repurpose existing instruction for distance learning, which would include determining which forms of e-learning you should consider. You need a systematic process by which instructional materials are designed, developed, and delivered.
When you consider instructional design, you might think of a web site with beautiful graphics, stunning animation, and engaging interactions with a thumbnail broadcast of the instructor in real time answering and discussing your questions. In truth, this type of instructional design, while both effective and entertaining, is incredibly expensive. There are many forms of distance learning which are less costly and still effective. In 1840, Sir Isaac Pittman developed what is considered the first form of distance education – the correspondence course. It proved very effective. The following timeline gives a little insight into the instructional design process.
At the beginning of World War II, thousands of soldiers were trained quickly and efficiently using a systematic process to create instructions that saved thousands of lives. It is generally believed that the ADDIE model is a result of the war effort and forms the basis of other design models. The ADDIE acronym represents the main steps in the instructional design process.
Analysis – While often over-looked or given inadequate time, the analysis process performs an important function by examining the problem to determine if instructions are needed. In additions, the learner’s skills are identified along with the learning environment. Based on the results of this analysis the instructional goals and objectives are formed.
Design – Based on the analysis phase information, the design phase establishes an instructional strategy to ensure the effectiveness of learning objectives, assessment instruments, exercises, content, subject matter analysis, lesson planning and media selection. A prototype is often created, tested for effectiveness, and revised when necessary.
Development – Once the designs are approved, the project goes into production with the creation of storyboards, media, programing, content development, etc. to develop the instructions, then test and evaluate, making revisions as needed.
Implementation – With the completion of the development phase, the training material is put through a practice run ensuring that everything works as expected. A procedure for training the facilitators and the learners is developed. The facilitators' training should cover the course curriculum, learning outcomes, method of delivery, and testing procedures.
Evaluation – Often confused as the evaluation sheets at the end of a class, the evaluation phase is evident during every phase of the ADDIE model. The iterative evaluation process ensures the instructional goals and objectives will satisfy the training requirements identified in the analysis phase.
People often assume that the ADDIE model is a linear process, yet the iterative nature of the evaluation phase model attempts to save time and money by catching problems while they are still easy to fix. The following image provides better insight to the ADDIE process. As you can see, either formative or summative evaluation is involved in every step of the ADDIE process. |
0.998833 | There are various laws relating to the tying of the Tzitzis to the garment, such as the intent one must have in tying it [Halacha A]; the people that are valid to tie it [Halacha B]; and the validity of the Tallis and Tzitzis prior to the tying [Halacha C]. In addition, there are laws relating to the amount of strings one must use [explained in Halacha 3], the length of the strings [explained in Halacha 5] and the form of braid required to be made through the tying [will be explained in Halacha 9]. Regarding the use of a hole in tying the Tzitzis to the garment, versus other methods of attachment, see Chapter 3 Halacha 11.
There is an opinion that rules that if a Jew tied Tzitzis to a Tallis, it is valid even if it was not done for the sake of the Mitzvah of Tzitzis. However other Poskim rule that if a Jew tied the Tzitzis to the Tallis without intent [of Leshma], then the Tzitzis is invalid. Practically, the final ruling follows this latter opinion that the Tzitzis is invalid [and hence if one tied the Tzitzis not Leshma he is to undo the Tzitzis and retie them Leshma, and not wear them until this is done]. [See Q&A!] However in a time of need, such as one who does not have another Kosher pair of Tzitzis to wear and he is also unable to untie the Tzitzis and retie them Leshma, such as on Shabbos, then he may rely on the first opinion and wear the Tallis without a blessing.
One must tie the Tzitzis onto the Tallis for the sake of the Mitzvah. This is accomplished by verbalizing “Lesheim Mitzvas Tzitzis” prior to the tying of the Tzitzis. If one did not tie it Leshma, the Tzitzis is invalid, and must be untied and retied with the proper intentions. However, in a time of need that no other Kosher Tallis is available, and one is unable to untie and retie the Tzitzis, such as Shabbos, then one may be lenient to wear it without a blessing.
In what language is one to recite that he is tying the Tzitzis Leshma?
It may be recited in any language that one understands. If one does not understand what he is saying then he is not to say it even if it is in Hebrew. The custom is to recite “Lesheim Mitzvas Tzitzis” which means “For the sake of the Mitzvah of Tzitzis”.
When in the tying process is one to recite “Lesheim Mitzvas Tzitzis”?
Initially, it is proper to say it prior to inserting any of the strings into the holes of the corner. If one did not do so, it remains valid so long as it was stated prior to making the first knot.
How often must one recite “Lesheim Mitzvas Tzitzis”?
The statement of Leshma is only required to be said prior to the first strings being inserted in their corner. It is not required to be said prior to inserting the strings into the other three corners. Nevertheless, some are accustomed to recite it a number of times through the tying process, between the tying of each corner, and some even say it between each set of loops. Some refrain from talking throughout the entire tying process.
If one made an interval in midst of the tying, must he repeat “Lesheim Mitzvas Tzitzis” prior to continuing? There is room to learn that once the Leshma statement has been recited, it is not required to be repeated even if one made a long interval prior to continuing the tying of another corner. [Nevertheless, initially one is to repeat it, although Bedieved it is valid.] If one sates at the beginning of the tying that all the Tzitzis that he will tie on this Tallis is being done Leshma, then it suffices even initially.
How often must one recite “Lesheim Mitzvas Tzitzis” when tying Tzitzis to many Talleisim?
So long as an interval was not made in-between, it suffices to say it one time. If however an interval was made, one is to repeat it prior to continuing.
What if one did not verbally recite that he is tying the Tzitzis Leshma, but thought so in his mind?
As stated above, if one thought in his mind to tie the Tzitzis for the sake of the Mitzvah, the Tzitzis is valid despite him not having verbalized this intent.
What is the law if one did not even think in his mind to tie the Tzitzis Leshma, and simply tied them without any explicit intent?
The Tzitzis is valid, and so was the widespread custom of many even initially. If however one explicitly intended that he is not doing it for the sake of the Mitzvah, it is invalid according to all.
Gentile: If a gentile tied the Tzitzis to the garment it is invalid in all cases.
Women: It is initially invalid for a woman to tie Tzitzis to the Tallis. If a woman tied the Tzitzis to the garment Leshma it is valid Bedieved.
Children: It is initially invalid for a child to tie Tzitzis to the Tallis. If a child tied the Tzitzis to the garment Leshma it is valid Bedieved if he had adult supervision.
May a Cheresh/Shoteh tie the Tzitzis to the Tallis?
This follows the same dispute as mentioned above regarding women and children. According to the stringent opinion, a Cheresh and Katan are invalid even with adult supervision. According to the lenient opinion, a Cheresh and Shoteh is valid if an adult was supervising and telling him to tie the Tzitzis for the sake of the Mitzvah of Tzitzis. Practically, we rule like the first opinion, although it is best to initially be stringent like the latter opinion, as stated above.
May a blind man tie Tzitzis?
May an Onen tie Tzitzis?
No. In the event that an Onen tied Tzitzis, some Poskim rule the Tzitzis is invalid and must be removed and retied while other Poskim rule it is valid.
May a non-observant Jew tie Tzitzis to a Tallis?
No. This applies even if an observant Jew is supervising him. However, the Poskim conclude that non-observant Jews which are considered Tinokes Shenishbu are valid to be used for the tying, so long as they are trained to do so Leshma. Practically, one should only allow Tzitzis to be tied by Jews that are G-d fearing and can be trusted to do everything that is required in Halacha.
May a Shabbos observant Jew that does not wear Tzitzis tie the strings?
Yes. Practically however, one should only buy Tzitzis from Jews that are G-d fearing and can be trusted to do everything that is required in Halacha.
May all male children that are above Bar Mitzvah initially tie Tzitzis?
May a child tie the Tzitzis of his own personal Tallis Katan?
Yes. A child that has reached the age of Chinuch is valid to tie Tzitzis for his own Tallis, or the Tallis of another child.
When a child reaches Bar Mitzvah, may he continue to wear Tzitzis that he tied prior to his Bar Mitzvah?
Some Poskim rule it is permitted for the child to continue wearing the Tzitzis if he knows he tied it Leshma. Other Poskim however argue that the Tzitzis is not to be worn after his Bar Mitzvah. Practically, meticulous Jews are careful in this matter and give their children a new pair of Tallis Katan upon them reaching Bar Mitzvah.
May a person who is invalid to tie Tzitzis make the remaining loops and knots after the first set of loops and knots was tied by a valid Jew?
Some write it is permitted to do so.
May one tie Tzitzis to a Tallis at night?
Some Poskim rule one is not to tie Tzitzis to a Tallis at night. Most Poskim however rule that one may do so. Practically, the custom is to be lenient.
Tallis of three corners was made into four corners: If a Tallis that contained three corners had three Tzitzis placed on its corners, and the garment was then cut to create a fourth corner, all the Tzitzis that were tied prior to its fourth corner being created is invalid and must be removed and then retied. This likewise applies even if one only tied Tzitzis to one corner, or even if one only made a single set of knots and one loop, and then created the fourth corner, nevertheless he must undo the loops, or the Tzitzis which were tied with invalidation, and then retie them.
Tied two sets of Tzitzis to one corner: A Tallis that has two sets of Tzitzis tied to a single corner is invalid, as by doing so one has transgressed the prohibition of Baal Tosif. The Tallis can be validated by cutting off one of the two sets. One can cut off whichever set he desires; either the original set, thus having the added set now validate the Tallis, or the new set, hence having the old set validate the Tallis.
Tied Tzitzis to five corners: The same law as above applies in a case that one tied five sets of Tzitzis to a five cornered garment, hence transgressing Baal Tosif, which if one cuts off one set the Tallis is valid. One can cut off whatever set he desires; either one of the original four sets that were first placed, thus having the 5th set now validate the Tallis, or through cutting the 5th set, hence having the original four sets validate the Tallis.
Used more than 4 strings? See Halacha 3!
Made the braid from a single string and then cut it: See Halacha 3!
Made the corner hole above 6 cm and then cut the hole: See Chapter 3 Halacha 12B!
Tying a loose string to a torn string so it meet the minimum measurement: See Halacha 14!
May one sew a corner with Tzitzis onto a garment? See Chapter 3 Halacha 12!
May one sew a braided Tzitzis onto a corner? See Halacha 9 in Q&A!
The reason: As in any event, blessings do not invalidate the fulfillment of a Mitzvah. [Admur ibid] Vetzaruch Iyun why Admur does not simply state not to say a blessing being that Safek Brachos Lihakel, as he states in 12/6!
So writes Ketzos Hashulchan ibid; However see M”B ibid which writes it is invalid if said after the insertion of the strings, although in Biur Halacha ibid he sides to be lenient.
So is implied from Biur Halacha ibid, Vetzaruch Iyun on Piskeiy Teshuvos 14/4 that implies even initially one is not required to repeat it.
The reason: As each pair of Tzitzis is a different Mitzvah.
The reason: As Tzitzis must be tied Leshma, and a gentile cannot tie Leshma even when supervised by a Jew. [see Admur 11/4; Taz 11/1]. Furthermore, even if the Jew assists in the tying it is invalid, as it is precisely for this purpose that the verse states “Bnei Yisrael”, to even exclude if one assists the gentile in the tying. [Poskim ibid] This explanation follows the 2nd opinion in 14/3 [see previous Halacha A], however seemingly this ruling [that even assistance does not help] applies even according to the 1st opinion [Rambam], as in his opinion the verse is simply excluding gentiles irrelevant of the concept of Leshma, and hence they are excluded totally even if a Jew assists in the process. It is the 2nd opinion, which holds of the concept of Leshma by tying, that requires a verse to exclude the assistance of a Jew which is not regularly excluded from Leshma.
Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that if the Jew assists in the tying it is questionably valid, as the verse is only coming to exclude that even with supervision it is not valid, and hence there is no verse to invalidate when the Jew assists in the process. [Olas Tamid 14/5] Admur in Kuntrus Acharon ibid negates his opinion.
Second opinion in Admur; Rama 14/1; Hagahos Maimanis in name of Maharam; Rabbeinu Tam in Gittin 45b, brought in Taz 14/1 regarding women; M”A 14/3 and Admur add the same applies to children.
Vetzaruch Iyun if one may be lenient in a time of need even if it was not tied Leshma by a woman or child, as ruled in 14/3 that some Poskim rule the tying of the Tzitzis is not required to be done Leshma, and so is the ruling in a time of need.
See Kuntrus Achron 14/1 and So rules Admur 11/4 [based on M”A 11/2 as explained in Kuntrus Achron 11/3] regarding the spinning and interweaving; M”B 14/4; Vetzaruch Iyun if one may be lenient in a time of need even if it was not tied Leshma by a woman or child, as ruled in 14/3 that some Poskim rule the tying of the Tzitzis is not required to be done Leshma, and so is the ruling in a time of need.
Aruch Hashulchan 14/7 as rules Admur 18/1; Michaber 17/1; Menachos 43 that a blind man is obligated in Tzitzis. However see Rosh who brings an opinion that a blind man is exempt from Tzitzis.
Kaf Hachaim 14/4 based on M”A and Admur ibid which hold that according to Rabbeinu Tam there is no difference between children and women, and hence children are Biblically invalid according to his opinion and two hairs must be verified as is required by all other Biblical commands, as rules Admur 39/1 regarding Tefillin. However see Tehila Ledavid ibid that since the main ruling follows the Tosafus and Rosh that women and children are valid, therefore one may even Lechatchila be lenient by a child above Bar Mitzvah, as perhaps he has already grown two hairs and they have fallen off.
The reason: As the concept of Taaseh Velo Min Hasuy does not apply to an invalidation due to time, and rather only applies to an invalidation in the body of the object. [P”M ibid] So is proven from the fact that according to all one may make a Sukkah before Sukkas.
See 10/11 that even if one loop was done at a time that the garment was invalid, then the Tzitzis is invalid. However see 11/23 that if a double knot was not tied on top of the loop, then it is valid, as we only prohibit Taashe Velo Min Hassuiy when the entire Biblically valid Tzitzis was made with invalidation. Nevertheless, as Admur concludes there, initially one should not make any part of the Tzitzis with invalidation, not even the entering of the strings into the hole.
The reason: An invalidation of the garment due to invalid Tzitzis of a different corner does not invalidate the other Tzitzis, being that they themselves are being tied in a valid method. [Admur ibid] In 15/8 Admur writes “being that the Tzitzis still remained attached to a piece of garment that retains Shiur Tallis and contains four corners, and therefore still retains their status of Kosher Tzitzis. It is simply that the Tzitzis have now separated from each other, and this separation does not invalidate them as all the Tzitzis of the entire world are placed one after the other [and are hence at first separate until all four Tzitzis are tied].” [ibid] It is implied from the above that the invalidation of one corner has no effect on the fringes of the other corners, even if the Tzitzis of the other corners are initially invalid to be used, such as a string tore to below 24 cm. |
0.996329 | Here is a brief summary of our 2017 outlook.
• The UK. decision to leave the European Union (Brexit) and the election of Donald Trump to be the 45th U.S. president reflect important shifts that stand to influence global politics and financial markets going forward.
• In this publication, we discuss some of the forces behind these major events, possible implications, and how we’re managing portfolios as a result.
• Heading into 2017, we are neutral equities versus our benchmarks, shorter bond duration, and overweight the U.S. across asset classes. Our base case expects further, albeit modest equity returns.
Will the U.S. Have a Recession Next Year?
No, this edition of our Quarterly Investment Perspective is not about bankruptcy or business life cycles. The dialogue above, from Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises, reflects a broader idea — that gradually evolving issues can erupt into sudden and sometimes unexpected events. In our minds, Hemingway nicely describes global politics in 2016, and provides a useful prism through which to view some critical policy, economic, and market issues in the year ahead.
More specifically, in this publication, we discuss some of the tectonic shifts that influenced the unexpected UK and U.S. 2016 political outcomes: the U.K.’s decision to exit the European Union (so-called Brexit) and the election of Donald Trump to be America’s 45th president.
We also look at how the forces behind these election results could influence global politics in 2017, and, in turn, how such sudden events could significantly steer financial markets. Will 2016, for instance, go down as the end of the 35-year bond market rally or the start of a sustained period of rising inflation? Will 2017 mark the beginning of a U.S.-China trade war?
Finally, we review our 2016 portfolio performance and lay out how we are allocating capital into 2017: neutral equities versus our strategic benchmarks, shorter bond duration, and notably overweight the U.S. across asset classes. Our base case expects further, albeit modest, equity returns. Substantial, quickly enacted U.S. fiscal stimulus could boost returns further; however, knowing markets are relatively more vulnerable later in the business cycle and at higher valuations, we not only cannot take such stimulus as a given but also need to protect against possible negative shocks.
U.K. and U.S. votes resulted in surprise outcomes.
Globalization has been underway for centuries, but the latest wave of cross-country integration can be traced back to the 1990s, when China, India, and countries previously tied to the Soviet Union became larger players in global trade, and as companies grew more comfortable increasing business footprints overseas. This trend accelerated when China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. Together, these events effectively doubled the labor force available to global companies, which, in turn, increased competition for jobs in advanced economies and pushed down wages, especially for professions requiring fewer specialized skills.
At the same time that the world was becoming more interconnected, technology was advancing, able to replace human labor at a lower cost. While experienced across business sectors, automation has been most acutely felt in manufacturing.
Going back about 30 years, U.S. manufacturing jobs have been cut by 30%, while the overall U.S. labor force has grown by 43% and total manufacturing output has almost doubled. Most of that differential between output and jobs, in our view, represents technological innovation, even more so than competition from global trade. Consider steel, an alloy near and dear to our hearts at Bessemer. According to an American Economic Review paper published last year, introduction of the steel mini-mill (a more efficient production tool) accounted for about a third of the increase in the steel industry’s productivity between 1972 and 2002. During that time, and since, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost — with competition from foreign imports and the rise of steel substitutes exacerbating this issue. Indeed, Pittsburgh — which used to be the center of the U.S. steel industry — fell from the 10th-largest city in the country in the mid-1900s to 61st as of 2012, in part as steel jobs disappeared and reduced the need for related work. That trend has fueled fear of competition from immigrant labor and likely has influenced what seems to be a greater political emphasis on protectionism and tighter border controls.
Taken together, increased productivity and lower wage costs have benefited U.S. firms and the investors owning respective company shares. Meanwhile, quantitative easing by global central banks has disproportionately helped owners of financial and real estate assets. Inequality has worsened, making many feel left behind. While statistics in this paper focus more on the U.S., similar trends can be seen across the Atlantic in Europe as well.
Perhaps the straw that broke this figurative camel’s back was a sense that politicians were simply not doing enough to help the folks left behind and, indeed, in some cases, were making problems worse. While the amount of legislation passed does not, by itself, equate to a successful country or economy, it may shed light on partisanship. In the 1970s, Congress tended to enact nearly 800 laws in each two-year session; in recent congressional sessions, that number has fallen by more than half.
A Congress doing less but fighting more helped drive down its popularity rating to 18% (as of a Gallup opinion poll taken in October of 2016). At the same time, the number of U.S. regulations influencing the private sector has steadily risen; many small business owners in particular have felt that government was more of an impediment to success than a driver.
These developments have likely been aggravated by information and opinion telegraphed 24/7 via a broadening number of communication channels; a perception of bias in the mainstream media has contributed to this. Frustrated voters could more easily confirm their fears and views via what may or may not be factually correct and/or balanced news. Indeed, both in the U.S. and U.K. this past year, “post-truth” and “fact-checking” moved into daily conversation.
As we look forward, it is useful to understand the dynamics behind political surprises in the U.S. and the U.K., two of the largest global economies. Where else could we see similar frustrations manifest themselves in 2017? Further, what other slow-moving trends could suddenly erupt, Hemingway-style, into market and economic shocks?
The year ahead will see a number of key votes and political events, especially in Europe: France, Germany, and the Netherlands will all hold elections. Of those, our focus is on France, the fifth-largest economy in the world in nominal terms and one of the top economies in Europe (following Germany and the U.K.). Importantly, France was a founding member of the European Coal and Steel Community, the precursor organization to the European Monetary Union (EMU), the euro currency bloc, today. We view Germany and France as really the “heart” of the monetary union.
France, along with much of Europe, has been challenged by many of the same forces as the U.S. and U.K.: globalization and technology have weighed on job growth, especially for certain parts of the population (the country’s unemployment rate hovers around 10%). Immigration fears have grown, not just because of jobs, but also terrorism. So, too, has resentment against politics as usual.
It is perhaps no surprise, then, that the country’s May presidential election is now front and center for investors, with the National Front’s Marine Le Pen seen as the equivalent to Brexit’s spokesman, Boris Johnson, or the U.S.’s Trump in terms of voicing a desire for change. Le Pen has promised to hold a referendum on EU membership if elected. Her far-right party currently polls about as well as the center-right Republicans, suggesting that she will likely make it at least to the second (and final) round of the election.
Historically, France has tended to favor traditional parties in the final round, suggesting that Le Pen is still a longshot to win the presidency. Nonetheless, having a vocal, openly anti-EU candidate in the headlines for the first half of 2017 is likely to keep investors on edge, reluctant to add to French — and maybe even broader eurozone — exposure, especially following the political surprises of recent years. We note that Republican candidate and former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, while not anti-EU, would still be a break from the status quo, focusing his campaign on smaller government, lower taxes, and reform of France’s labor market, along with conservative social policies.
In our view, the Netherlands and Germany pose less risk of surprise, as both countries would be challenged to see fringe anti-EU parties gain sufficient popularity or build substantial coalitions to drive policy. The Netherlands’ anti-EU Freedom Party is unlikely to garner enough partners to establish a government if it wins a plurality in the March elections. The anti-EU Af D in Germany, meanwhile, polls only 15%, and the political coalition run by Chancellor Angela Merkel seems solid: her approval rating remains high (55%) despite recent challenges with the immigrant situation. If there is a risk for Merkel, it may be that she is vulnerable to a coalition from the left, whose parties are all in favor of remaining in the EU.
In Italy, the rejection of the constitutional referendum and resignation of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on December 4 were further steps in the populism direction for Europe. Uncertainty remains as to the new government’s makeup and potential prominence of the Five Star Party, which has promised a referendum on Italy’s membership in the EU if it controls the government. Overall EU sentiment within Italy remains positive, but risk comes from younger, unemployed voters, with a very strong correlation between this group and the “no” votes in the constitutional referendum.
While the market’s political lens will be set on core Europe for most of the first part of 2017, the U.K. is likely to step back into the spotlight in the second half. We believe that Brexit will most likely happen in 2019. The remaining question is whether the U.K. steers in favor of a “soft” or a “hard” exit from the EU. A “soft” Brexit would maintain the current single-market access for goods and labor between the U.K. and the EU, while a “hard” Brexit would imply restrictions on trade and greater downside risks for the country’s economy.
Chinese politics will also figure prominently in 2017, in the form of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party, due in autumn. This event is expected to result in a further consolidation of power for President Xi Jinping (in part via retirement of five of the seven current members of the Politburo’s Standing Committee).
• An increasing focus within the country on quality-of-life issues, such as the environment and health care.
Our base case is that these slowly developing issues will not translate into a Western-style political shock in 2017. However, we do believe there is similarly growing pressure on leadership to take action to maintain the public’s support and social stability.
To that end, we believe President Xi will do what he can to prevent any sudden or sharp economic slowdown, especially ahead of the fall party congress. Reform will take a back seat, suggesting that SOEs will remain frail and overall debt will rise further (the latter thanks in part to government stimulus efforts). Xi may try to take some air out of the third housing bubble China has seen since the 2008-9 crisis, but we expect he will work to avoid a rapid decline in home prices that could undermine consumer confidence and broader spending.
We see these slowly evolving issues as more likely than not to culminate — eventually — in a negative financial and/or economic shock in China. The incredibly difficult thing to forecast is when this occurs, and what the exact catalyst would be for such an event.
One possible 2017 trigger we will monitor is U.S.-China trade friction. President-elect Trump regularly campaigned on trade issues, often threatening to label China as a “currency manipulator” and suggesting he would impose a 45% tariff on Chinese imports. Since the election, Trump’s trade-related comments have been fewer, usually softer in tone, and aimed more at Mexico. That said, we cannot rule out the possibility of a Chinese trade war. What could that mean?
Simply put, we would expect China to retaliate. This could take a number of forms, some more direct (such as a large one-off devaluation of China’s currency to help keep exports competitive) and some indirect (such as doubling down on efforts to build stronger economic and geopolitical alliances within Asia).
• Weigh on China’s economy and result in a weaker local currency. This, in turn, could be a negative factor for China’s trade partners and many commodity prices.
• All else equal, it would likely lift the dollar and raise U.S. yields (the latter on fears of less demand from China’s central bank).
•I t could also put additional pressure on local Chinese politicians to increase their own nationalistic tone.
• At the margin, fewer Chinese imports could also push up costs of final goods sold in the U.S.
While underlying issues driving recent (and possibly future) political change overlap, the resulting market implications often do not. Below, we outline our expectations for fixed income and equities, the two largest asset classes in most client portfolios, for the year ahead.
We remain constructive on global equities in 2017. That said, our base case is that returns are modest (likely single-digit increases for the year) and that domestically oriented U.S. companies show some of the best relative performance. Over the course of 2016, the Bessemer mandates increased U.S. equity exposure and took an additional step after the November election; as of this writing, equities in our 70/30 risk profile, Balanced Growth portfolio, would be 67% U.S. versus a neutral global equity benchmark weight of 54% U.S.
We see two-way risks for U.S. equities in the year ahead. A new administration that quickly and successfully implements corporate tax reform (including a lower tax rate that encourages repatriation of overseas profits) and reduces regulation, all else equal, could result in higher- than-expected equity returns. The related potential fiscal stimulus from such policy action would likely prolong the economic cycle and boost corporate revenues. It could also result in increased corporate spending.
On the other hand, should the new administration follow through on some of the tougher trade-related rhetoric expressed during the campaign, especially that tied to China, and if that happens with fiscal stimulus that disappoints expectations, we could see U.S. equities outperform other regions, but in a broadly declining market (for more detail here, please see the July 2016 Quarterly Investment Perspective, “America the Beautiful”). In this scenario, we would likely consider reducing our overall equity allocation from current levels.
In either case, the new administration seems more likely than not to preside over rising U.S. yields and a strengthening dollar regime. Cyclical and domestically oriented U.S. firms (with less foreign-currency exposure) should benefit in particular.
That stronger dollar/rising yield backdrop is likely to act as a headwind for many emerging-market equities, even without trade friction. We are entering the year underweight these stocks. The prognosis for commodities is less clear-cut. While rising yields and a stronger dollar, all else equal, could limit commodity price increases, potentially stronger demand in the U.S. could provide at least a partial offset. Reduced regulation for some commodities could also benefit certain commodity-related companies.
European equities, meanwhile, have an easing central bank and relatively more attractive valuations in their favor. However, given lingering Italian and Dutch political uncertainty, and especially ahead of the French election, we doubt many investors will increase regional exposure, knowing the potential cost of a mistake (especially a surprise Le Pen victory). We would underline here the important difference between the U.K. leaving the EU and France or any other EMU member possibly following suit. A “Frex-it,” a decision by France to leave the EU, is akin to a decision to leave the EMU and drop the euro. There are no perfect analogies for this, but bank holidays, capital controls, and the general chaos surrounding Greece’s flirtation with leaving the EU in the summer of 2015 are fresh memories for market participants. The finality and severity of a decision to drop the euro make it less likely that citizens would vote to take this step, but it also suggests more daunting consequences, at least temporarily, were it to occur. Simply put, it would throw the entire monetary union’s credibility into question.
While Brexit does not require a change of currency for the U.K., we are also cautious on U.K. stocks into 2017. Actual negotiations between the EU and U.K. will commence in earnest once Parliament triggers Article 50 (most likely in the spring). There is some risk that, in trying to maintain the announced timeline, Prime Minister May could call an early election to solidify her Brexit mandate. Overall, Brexit-related volatility will remain high, and later in the year, we should have more indications as to how disruptive Brexit will be to global markets and trade. Either way, we expect capital flows to the U.K. to remain limited, leaving the pound and local shares under pressure.
The year ahead, in our view, is more likely than not to see some Hemingway-style, “sudden” surprises. Portfolio diversification and some managed-volatility strategies should serve us well in those instances. At the same time, our positioning still allows portfolios to participate if cyclical assets continue to appreciate. Though our overall equity exposure is neutral versus the benchmark, portfolios are aggressively overweight U.S. stocks and tilted more now toward cyclically sensitive and domestically oriented companies. We also remain modestly underweight traditional fixed income and, within bond mandates, have shorter duration than the benchmark.
We maintain an underweight to high-quality fixed income, though we still believe it is an important defensive component of portfolios.
The U.S. election results have been more consequential for bonds than any other asset class. Treasury yields have increased about 60 basis points (bps) since the election, exacerbating a more moderate rise over the preceding few months.
To keep the moves in context, however, 10-year Treasury yields are ending 2016 within 10bps of where they began the year, with recently higher yields essentially negating prior gains in price terms for bonds. Bessemer’s taxable bond portfolios are ending the year with a total return of around 1% (as of mid-December).
Municipal bonds have underperformed relative to U.S. Treasuries and corporates since the election, partially due to increased likelihood of tax cuts, which would imply a higher after-tax yield for municipals, all else equal.
We believe that the less-liquid nature of the municipal bond market has exacerbated this underperformance. Municipals are now at their cheapest relative levels versus Treasuries in several years. While some of the widening is warranted, we believe the higher muni yields offer an opportunity for longer-term investors, particularly given that Bessemer mandates are implementing a portfolio duration below the benchmark’s.
There are several reasons to suggest yields will continue to climb — but only modestly — in 2017. Indeed, we see rising bond yields as likely to persist through the end of this economic cycle (that is, at least for the next one to two years). President-elect Trump’s emphasis on tax cuts and fiscal spending suggests a combination of short-term growth, inflation, and Treasury issuance biased higher with government spending set to increase. A more robust economic backdrop with inflation expectations increasing implies that the Fed can follow through with rate hikes in 2017 in a more convincing fashion than it did in 2015 and 2016; we expect two hikes in 2017 versus one each in 2015 and 2016.
Perhaps more relevant with regard to the Fed, though, is that its makeup can shift significantly in the coming years, at a time when important decisions will need to be made about reinvestment of its balance sheet. Trump will nominate two new members to the board of governors in 2017 to replace vacant seats; additionally, Chair Janet Yellen’s term ends in January 2018, and Vice Chair Stanley Fischer’s term ends in June 2018. Once the new members are in place, it is highly probable that the Fed will have more of a bias to raise rates. Meanwhile, government securities held on the Fed’s balance sheet since the years of quantitative easing are due to mature in size beginning in 2018.
While these dates remain on the somewhat distant horizon, the market tends to increase the uncertainty premium along the yield curve well in advance.
We see at least two key reasons, however, why interest-rate moves will remain contained and that high-quality bonds still constitute an important and defensive part of the portfolio, albeit at an underweight positioning relative to our benchmark in size and duration.
U.S. dollar, which weighs on companies’ ability to export, and higher mortgage rates, which can drag on the housing market and consumers’ balance sheets. This feedback loop can reduce the need for Fed tightening.
Second, there is pent-up foreign demand for Treasuries that can cap yields. This demand was a major force behind the fall in U.S. yields in the first half of 2016, as easing-to-negative rates in Europe and Japan and aggressive Bank of England (BoE) easing post-Brexit pushed foreign bond money to U.S. shores. We believe that the Bank of Japan , ECB, and BoE are unlikely to ease much in 2017, but the low level of global rates overall should maintain at least modest foreign private demand for U.S. debt in 2017.
More generally, bonds remain an important defensive component in portfolios, even more so at higher yields, if there is an unexpected turn in global sentiment or worsening of economic conditions. Even assuming moderate increases in yields, bonds can have decent performance in the coming years, and downside relative to equities is more limited. Bessemer mandates maintain an underweight exposure to high-quality bonds relative to the benchmark, and with shorter duration to position for rising interest rates. |
0.968083 | In the early days of organised football in Ireland a County Antrim select could be regarded as almost as strong as any potential Irish international XI that could be fielded. Indeed, when a Canadian touring side visited these shores in 1888 it was the Co. Antrim FA that hosted them. As with the inter-provincial matches of the same era, the matches in the 19th century were often used as international trials.
Over the years the Co. Antrim & District FA (the boundaries were stretched to include all of Belfast in 1896) have fielded sides against county teams from across Ireland and Britain as well as other representative selections.
In the early days of football there was also a strong hold of the kicking game in the area controlled by the County Londonderry FA (now the North West FA), where a number of teams made an impact on national competitions. Hence, it was a Co. Derry XI that proved the Co. Antrim's most regular opponent in those formative years, a regular series of Boxing Day matches commencing in 1884.
Also listed below are inter-city matches. More research is required to decide whether these fit into this category, or a category of their own.
Belfast: J. Watson; H. Davis, J.M. Mack; R.M. Sloan, W.A. Glass; W.T. Herron, W. Jackson, J. Henderson, R. Hughes, J.A. MacDonald, A. Murray.
The largest scoreline ever recorded in a game in Belfast up to this date.
Ayrshire's John Goodall was elder brother of Archie Goodall who was capped ten times by Ireland between 1899-1904.
No match result of report found.
J. Rankin (Limavady) and J. McConnell were originally selected for Derry, their places going to McCarroll and Allen.
For Belfast, McCartney came into the team.
Changes to the Counties team that took the field included Cartright at half-back and McVicter in the forward line.
No match report or result found.
Gaffikin may have played for Co. Antrim based on a later match preview.
Match played in heavy mist.
Match cancelled at short notice as the North West FA could not raise an eleven, a fact only communicated to the crowd when they were already in the ground.
The Co. Dublin team was retrospectively renamed Leinster by some sources.
This match was played on the same day as Ireland faced England in Derby, hence the selections were weaker than might otherwise have been expected.
Kearns replaced Johnston (Glentoran) from the originally selected Belfast XI.
Belfast were without the services of Linfield and Cliftonville players as they played a benefit match for Sam Torrans on the same day at Solitude.
Lynch and McGahey of the originally selected Derry XI did not travel and their places went to Douglas and McIntyre.
Belfast wore white with a red hand and Derry wore green.
The match was organised in conjunction with the Derry Trades & Warehouse League, hence the way in which some of the players' clubs are listed.
Belfast were denied the services of any Distillery players as the match coincided with their meeting with Shelbourne in the Irish Cup final.
Derry could not select players affiliated to Derry Celtic as they were not members of the North West FA.
Belfast wore white and Derry wore red.
Nash replaced Hope (Enniskillen Celtic) from the originally selected Derry side.
The Dublin side is alternatively listed as Leinster in some sources. |
0.970116 | Did a miscommunication happen today at work?
It is likely because every day we witness some form of miscommunication. Communication sounds so simple, someone talks, someone listens, yet every communication that takes place, we experience physical and environmental barriers, plus the personal barriers of the sender and receiver.
During this session, we focus on developing the skills to give and gather effective communication. Together we break down communication, we explore communication barriers and we use contemporary leadership frameworks to identify your preferred communication style and the impact this has with others. |
0.999065 | Underwater for over 350 years, the remains of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita lay waiting for an eager treasure hunter to discover them. Such a diver would prove to be Mel Fisher, famous for his stubborn optimism as he spent most of his life searching for shipwrecks off the coast of Florida. The collection at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West features nearly 100,000 artifacts, such as gold coins, silver, cannons, and instruments from a number of sites in the area, including a horde of contraband emeralds with an impressive 77.76 carat uncut crystal.
Continue the diving tradition of Mel Fisher with his family, as his son organizes seasonal dives to the famous Atocha shipwreck in the waters of the Florida Keys. After a few days of training, you can find and take home up to $3,000 worth of treasure!
The most famous exhibits at the Mel Fisher Museum are the Henrietta Marie, and the 1622 Fleet, featuring the treasured Atocha. Providing a unique glimpse into the world of slave trading, the English Henrietta Marie sank in 1700, 35 miles from Key West. Artifacts onboard include shackles, cannons, beads, ivory, and tankards. The Spanish Atocha wreckage carried different bounty, such as bronze cannons, emeralds, and bars of silver and gold.
What happened to the Atocha?
Officially named the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, the Atocha was part of a 28-ship Spanish fleet, of which 8 sank in September of 1622. Bound for Spain from Cuba, the ill-fated vessels encountered a hurricane, loaded with tons of treasure from all over the Americas. |
0.998314 | The Error Reporting window comes up where you want to select Disable error reporting. Did the page load quickly? Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied. 2. Setting for Corporate Windows Error Reporting This setting is located at Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Error Reporting\Advanced Error Reporting Settings.
The information is stored in a secure database to which access is limited. If a solution is not available yet, the information that you send in a problem report can help Microsoft find or create a new solution. User Mode Reporting When a user mode error occurs, such as an application error, the Error Reporting service does the following: Displays an alert stating that Windows XP detected a problem. Information regarding the condition of the computer and the application at the time the error occurred.
Under Tasks click on the Change Settings link. Examples of entries that list included applications are:ER_Include_EXE1 = iexplore.exeER_Include_EXE2 = explorer.exeExamples of entries that list excluded applications are:ER_Exclude_EXE1 = calc.exeER_Exclude_EXE2 = notepad.exe ER_Enable_Kernel Errors Specifies whether Windows reports errors in Is this page helpful? This subsection describes various aspects of the data that is sent to and from the Internet during error reporting, and how the exchange of information takes place.
File size, date created, version, manufacturer, and full product name for each driver. there wasn't any, helpHello! The following table presents two examples of what the user will see when an error occurs if you have enabled the Error Reporting policy settings and if you have entered a path Operating system language as represented by the locale identifier (LCID)—(for example, the standard international numeric abbreviation, 1033, for United States English).
I think you can change this via Group Policy. Logging: Descriptions of system and application errors are recorded in the event log. A user who is not logged on as an administrator can choose to report application errors. Click Close on the message telling you that Error Reporting is turned off.
For additional information, you can read the detailed descriptions of the Group Policy settings. An administrator, or a user with administrative credentials, can modify the settings to: Enable or disable Windows Error Reporting, for all users or a specific user. In the details pane, double-click Turn off Windows Error Reporting, and then click Enabled. Windows XP Service Pack 2 provides a number of new Group Policy settings that control communication between components in the operating system and sites on the Internet.
When a hardware or software problem occurs, Windows collects information from your computer that describes the problem and then creates a problem report. Note: Error Reporting can be valuable if Windows isn’t working correctly and shouldn’t be disabled unless you’re a system admin or power user. This is a data structure that consists of a series of memory locations and one or more pointers. This is not recommended for the average home user.
For more information about reporting problems and your privacy, go to the Privacy Statement for the Windows Error Reporting Service online. Control Panel tells me error reporting is turned off for all programs, all users, but every time a program CTDs there's that blasted Vista window in the middle of the screen. Report Errors, not configured: A person logged in as an administrator will be able to adjust the setting using Control Panel, which is set to enable reporting by default on Windows XP. When you’re setting up a machine for specific functionality, the messages get very annoying.
Developers can use this infrastructure to receive information that can be used to improve their applications. Next you’ll see that everything under Choose how to check for solutions to computer problems is grayed out. Thank you! However, cidaemon.exe is part of the indexing service.
You can still yell at me, but I assume no responsibility for your actions and use of the information and disclaim any legal responsibility for any consequences of such actions. The specific data collected is described later in this subsection. He's been a tech blogger and journalist for the past seven years, and can be found on his about me page or Google+ Published 12/22/09 SHOW ARCHIVED READER COMMENTS (2) Comments Kernel-mode call stack for the interrupted thread. |
0.999942 | Can you discuss the different functions of artport as they have evolved over the years, ranging from commissioning works and gatepages to exhibitions and archiving? How have these functions come together, or how have they shifted?
It's a great question since the evolution and focus of artport mirror shifts in net art practice and in the cultural landscape of the web over time. Artport consists of several sections, at least one of which has become an archive. In the late '90s and early 2000s, splash pages—pop-up landing pages from which the users could move on to the main content of a site—were a trend, so artport's "Gatepages" were originally conceived as either splash pages to an artist's website or new online project, but occasionally became elaborate mini-projects in themselves. Needless to say, splash pages at some point vanished—among other factors, they fell victim to the increasing use of pop-up ads and the consequent resistance to them and default blocking of pop-ups in browsers—so the Gatepages section effectively became an archive of an outdated format. I quite like the Gatepages archive for precisely that reason—it is not only an archive of mini-projects created between March 2001 and February 2006, but also a testament to the cultural vernacular of web expression at a certain time. Some of that early language of the web has become folklore and experienced a comeback; it is fun, for example, to look at Wolfgang Staehle's artport Gatepage from 2001 and compare it to the retro-aesthetics homepage of a "postinternet" artist such as Petra Cortright.
The "Exhibitions" section of the site has also seen cultural changes. It is both an archive of the projects that were included in on-site exhibitions of net art (the 2000 and 2002 Biennials, which had net art sections, and Data Dynamics in 2001) and of the "CODeDOC" exhibition, which was purely online. Content aside, the "Commissions" section of artport has not changed that much and commissions will continue on an irregular and ongoing basis. I very much enjoyed the process of collaborating with Tate on three commissions in 2006: Golan Levin's The Dumpster, Marc Lafia's and Fang-Yu Lin's The Battle of Algiers, and Andy Deck's Screening Circle. It just made sense to join forces at the time, and I liked the idea of an institutional network behind the commissions. It would be nice to see more collaboration between institutions in networked space.
In 2009, we started a new ongoing commission series called "Sunrise/Sunset," which consists of net art projects that temporarily take over whitney.org only at the time of the sunrise and sunset, in New York City. Rafaël Rozendaal's Almost There launched on May 1, 2015. Occasionally, web visitors arrive at the site precisely at sunrise or sunset and then write us e-mails informing us that our website is "broken;" I like the idea of giving artists an opportunity to literally take over the (online) museum space. At some point, Sunrise/Sunset no doubt will be another mini-archive of a discontinued format, similar to the gatepages, but I also see these archives as snapshots of a moment in the life of the web.
Website of RTMark (1997-). Screenshot c. 2000.
In a sense, artport has grown up parallel to the maturing of net art into what is now a highly diverse field of practice. For instance, it began in those bubble days just prior to the backlash against the term "new media" that is reflected in Lev Manovich's 2001 use of the term "post-digital" (channeling Rosalind Krauss's "postmedium"), the 2003 Tate panel you were part of entitled "When New Media Was New," the Banff Centre show curated by Sarah Cook & Steve Dietz in 2005, "The Art Formerly Known As New Media," and subsequent uses of the term "postinternet." What shifts have you seen in net art since artport's founding, and how are they reflected in the collection?
You're right, net art has evolved and changed tremendously over the past fifteen years alone, and some have argued that it has ceased to exist—at least as the "pure," exclusively online work experienced on your home computer that we saw in the 1990s and early 2000s. I would agree with the latter part. Net art increasingly became networked art, for example by branching out onto mobile devices and becoming available as an app that might work in conjunction with an installation or other offline components etc. These changes are embedded in artport's evolution. Some of the projects featured on the site have become apps, for example Scott Snibbe's Tripolar or The Battle of Algiers. As I mentioned, artport from the beginning documented exhibitions of online or digital art in the Whitney's galleries, but it increasingly became an online gallery space for commissions of net art and new media art, featuring Scott Paterson's and Jennifer Crowe's Follow Through (2007), a performative tour of the Whitney's collection that was accessible on mobile devices, or Will Pappenheimer's AR project Proxy (2014). Social media platforms completely changed the web, and commissions such as Jonah Brucker-Cohen's and Katherine Moriwaki's America’s Got No Talent, a visualization of Twitter feeds for reality TV shows, reflect that change.
The practice of many, if not most, artists who work with the digital medium today is extremely hybrid. They may create online projects but they might also do object-based art, paintings or sculptures that are deeply informed by or use elements of the net or its "language," which is what the term postinternet tries to capture. I have issues with the term since it postulates a temporality that simply doesn't hold up—we are by no means "after" the internet—but it still captures a very real and important condition, a fusion of the material and immaterial that is different from anything we have seen before. The Internet of Things and James Bridle's New Aesthetic are both expressions of that. (Sadly I now frequently see postinternet used as a catchy term for art made by anyone born roughly after 1985 or for a sensibility characterized by an uncomplicated reverence for fame and success.) Artport no doubt will morph once again to incorporate aspects of what we now call postinternet practice while still being on, in, and beyond, rather than post, the net.
John F. Simon, Jr., Every Icon (1997). Screenshot of software-based artwork.
Before you came to the Whitney you earned your PhD at Düsseldorf University where you wrote about Herman Melville and Thomas Pynchon, then wrote a hypertext companion to TS Eliot's Wasteland in the mid-90s; around the same time, you were founding Intelligent Agent, which in its first iteration was a paper-based, full-color, highly intellectual, highly regarded publication on art and technology. How do you see your own transition from fiction to the poetry of code and towards the media arts? You also continue to be one of the most prolific and rigorous scholars in the field, balancing curating, art historical research, criticism and teaching. I know you never take vacations. What does the horizon look like for you?
The path that led me, along with many other people, into new media art was research into theories on hypertext and networked reading and writing which gained momentum in the late '80s. One of the side effects of my work on Intelligent Agent was that I was frequently asked by museums and curators to consult on curatorial practices for new media art. It finally came to a point where I realized that I might as well curate and organize those exhibitions myself. My background in literature is definitely directly connected to my interest in code as a form of creative writing and in digital storytelling: I teach a course on Experimental Narratives at The New School's School of Media Studies where I am a professor. I am very interested in the new kinds of materialities we see emerging right now as our physical environment is infused by digital technologies and starts "waving back at us." As to what's on the near horizon: continuing to build artport and the Whitney's media arts programming; and I will have exhibitions opening at Borusan Contemporary in Istanbul in September and at the Pratt Manhattan Gallery in December. And definitely more vacations.
After thirteen years in existence, artport has now been recognized with the status of a full-fledged collection, equal to painting or photography, within the Whitney Museum. Among other things, this endowed artport artists with the same legitimacy that the artists in the rest of the collection already had. (Indeed, it was fun watching everyone post their Lifetime Artist Membership cards on Facebook as they arrived in the mail and then seeing them all at the private opening of the museum's beautiful new building, finally feeling legit.) How would you describe the significance, within the Museum and within the international art community at large, of artport being recognized with this enhanced level of credence?
I think artport's new status as a special collection was a very important step for both the works featured on the site and the recognition of net art(ists) in general. The Whitney's curatorial team had in-depth discussions about how we would approach this relationship with the collection, which has significant ramifications for the ways in which we think about net art in institutional contexts.
There is a major difference between commissioning works and acquiring them for a collection. All of artport's projects were commissioned under non-exclusive licenses, meaning that the Whitney Museum has the right to exhibit them in perpetuity and hosts projects on its server, but that artists are still able to retain copies and show their works in exhibitions with a credit line stating that the respective piece was commissioned by the Whitney. The Whitney does not have exclusive ownership of artport projects, which brought up the question of whether we needed to officially acquire all of the pieces to bring them in to the collection. After discussions within the curatorial team, we decided that it does not make sense to "lock down" the works as acquisitions.
While I believe that net art can and should be collected—Rafaël Rozendaal's Art Website Sales Contract, for example, is a very sound model—acquisition didn't make sense for all of the artport projects. Many of the gatepages, for example, are artistic gestures that can easily be copied and appropriated by anyone. They are significant as artworks, but making claims for their exclusive ownership seemed like a violation of the characteristics of the net and the digital medium. We therefore chose to take a hybrid approach that makes artport an adjunct of the collection: all the works maintain their non-exclusive status but, at the same time, artport as a whole became associated with the collection. The "artport collection" is now given the same administrative purview as the Museum's collections. This means that all of the artists are treated as collection artists and that we are committed to preserving their work. Carol Mancusi-Ungaro, the Whitney's Melva Bucksbaum Associate Director for Conservation and Research, has been very supportive of net art's preservation and has also spearheaded the conservation initiative devoted to preserving Douglas Davis' online project The World’s First Collaborative Sentence, which was donated to the Whitney in 1995, but remained the sole piece of net art in its collection until artport became part of it.
Bringing artport into the collection makes the statement that net art as a medium has the same status as traditional art forms. Not all of the artists that contributed to artport are exclusively "net artists;" they may also be painters or sculptors and work across a range of media. Bringing their web projects into the collection means that they are as important and collectible as a painting or sculpture. |
0.999998 | What is the relationship between Great Minds and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)?
Great Minds and the Common Core State Standards are not affiliated. Great Minds was established in 2007, prior to the start of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, which was led by the National Governors Association and the Council for Chief State School Officers. |
0.999949 | What is mBot servo pack?
mBot servo pack is a 3-in-1 pack based on mBot. You can construct "Dancing Cat", "Head-Shaking Cat" and "Light-Emitting Cat" with mBot and the components in this pack. mBot servo pack makes mBot more vivacious and enjoyable, which is of benefit to children's creative thinking.
Dancing Cat - Dancing cat dances with music, waving little claw, calling you home.
Head-Shaking Cat - Looking around for you with its big eyes. Cute, lively and cheerful.
Light-Emitting Cat - A nice cat brightens up your life. The light pierces the darkness, It's brighter in the sun. |
0.995971 | How much time should you give between giving blood and flying? I had heard three days. Does everybody agree? I plan on giving blood Friday morning and then fly all day on Sunday. Do you think that this would be enough time?
I think it all depends on how you feel my sisters bf gives blood every 8 weeks and according to him he feels fine afterwards. If you do not get light headed or dizzy between giving blood and Sunday then I say you should be fine to fly if you do I would be extra careful.
Where I work (regional airline), we must wait 72 hours after donating blood before we can accept any flight assignment.
This reminds me of a humorous story: Back when I was a new flight instructor, I was getting ready to solo one of my first students, "Alan". Alan was an older guy who had already demonstrated excellent flying skills and judgement - we were waiting only for the right combination of weather and daylight.
Anyway, it's time for Alan's next lesson and the weather is absolutely perfect. We were just about to get started when I noticed a large band-aid on Alan's arm. I asked him about it. Alan grinned, flashed his Red Cross "5 gallon" pin, and replied "I gave blood again today, I do it every three months."
This is another one of those things they just don't teach you in CFI school. Why does this stuff always happen to me? I couldn't immediately find anything in my FAR/AIM about this issue, and Alan assured me that he'd never had any problems. So, off we went - and at the end of the lesson, I let him go up for a few solo takeoffs and landings. Alan was totally cool about the whole thing, and I watched him execute several flawless landings from my observation post near an Aeronca Champ.
If this is your first time giving blood, I would be very cautious about "flying all day" and/or operating at higher altitudes, at least until you figure out how how your body is going to respond. I don't think a shorter flight at lower altitudes would be much of a problem (especially if you wait 3 days). |
0.952878 | Todays question which I often get asked is What permissions do users have on that server?
In the last post on Checking SQL Server User Role Membership with PowerShell we checked the permissions a user had across the estate, this one answers the question about all users on a server.
The first part of the script is very similar to the last post on Checking SQL Server User Role Membership with PowerShell but we use the EnumMembers method to display the members of the roles.
Write-Host "#### Server Role Membership on $Server ############################################## `n`n"
Write-Host "############### Server Role Membership for $role on $Server #########################`n"
Write-Host "`n#### $Database Permissions on $Server ###############################################`n"
Write-Host "########### Database Role Permissions for $Database $Role on $Server ################`n"
Write-Host "################## Object Permissions on $Server ################################`n"
Write-Host "`n#### Object Permissions on $Database on $Server #################################`n" |
0.999998 | Hashtagging : Yay or Nay?
Hashtags are a mysterious symbol used throughout social media platforms - yet many are unsure of their purpose. What do they do? How can I use them to obtain the most effective response? Can I make them up and will it work? Do they work for business? Even though many people have seen or used hashtags in their social media platforms, many people don't fully understand how to use hashtags. They can be confusing for marketers, media professionals and the everyday social media user. Knowing how to use hashtags is fundamental to your success on social media.
A hashtag allows you to connect with and engage other social media users based on a common theme or interest. To create a hashtag, you simply precede a word or phrase with the hashtag symbol (#). You can use it within a message or sentence to identify a keyword or topic of interest and facilitate a search for it.
Hashtags were first introduced on Twitter and soon after other social media platforms in 2007. The idea of hashtags is that whenever a user adds a hashtag to their post, it is immediately indexed by the social network and searchable by other users. Once someone clicks on that hashtag, they'll be brought to a page that aggregates all of the posts with the same hashtagged keyword in real-time. Once a keyword picks up enough momentum it becomes known as "trending."
Most networks use hashtags in the same basic way; to organize data and make it easier for user consumption. However, each network has a different tweak on how they use them. From Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine, Kickstarter and You Tube Hashtags play an instrumental role in examining what is trending or popular on social media and also makes it easier to access information and posts on a variety of specific topics.
Here is an outline on the appropriate number of tweets to use and their function within that social platform.
Twitter: Twitter, as stated is the birthplace of modern hashtag usage - as such, its hashtags are more versatile than other sites. It is recommended you use 1 - 2 hastags per post.
Facebook: Facebook only recently added hashtag support in June 2013. It is recommended that you use 2 -3 hashtags per post.
Instagram: Instagram Hashtags can be used to complement photos shared on Instagram and help you discover new accounts and pick up followers. Use 10 or more hashtags per post.
Google+: When you click on a hashtag in Google+, the search results will include the original hashtag as well as posts with similar tags and keywords. The hashtags are automatically assigned to your posts. It is recommended that you use Use 2 -3 hashtags per post.
Tumblr: Tumblr posts have a special "Tag" section where you can enter tags. These tags function like Twitter hashtags, organizing posts by topic, but the hash symbol is inserted automatically.
Pinterest: Use Pinterest hashtags to mark and search for content. Click on the hashtag in a pin description to navigate results that contain the exact hashtag, plus pins with the same word or phrase in the description. Pinterest hashtags lead to search results for the keyword in your hashtags. Use 2 -3 hashtags per post.
You Tube, Kickstarter and Vine also use hashtags to enhance their social media content access.
Using a hashtag in a social post is as simple as adding the ‘#' sign before a single word or phrase without spaces or punctuation (numbers are okay).
• Remember to use the appropriate etiquette for each hashtag.
• Spaces between words and punctuation is a no-no.
• If you want to differentiate between words, use capitals instead. Uppercase letters will not alter your search results.
• Use Hashtags to fit your brand, and enhance and promote your business and product/service advertising.
• Don't go overboard and don't use th @ symbol.
• Be specific with your hashtags, give context to your post and avoid vague and generic hashtags.
• Don't string too many words together with a single hashtag.
• Don't #spam #with #hashtags. Don't over-tag a single tweet.
• You can follow trends and generate buzz with promotion and brand engagement.
• Creating your own hashtag can be a powerful thing, your hashtag may start trending among your circle of followers.
• The more targeted your audience - the better, a targeted audience generally means better engagement.
• Don't have more hashtags than words. Apart from Instagram (where users have caught onto the fact that more hashtags can mean more reach and likes), it is generally best to use no more than 2 - 3 hastags for optimal success.
Remember, your hashtag's visibility will depend on your privacy settings. If your social media account is private, only those authorized to see your tweets will have access to your hashtags. If you are using hashtags to increase your brand's exposure, make sure your posts are set to public.
Are Hashtags Here To Stay?
Given that social media has entered almost every facet of our lives and that hashtags have integrated into most of the popular social media platforms, the answer is yes!
If you want to research the most current Hashtag trends you can go to such sites as What The Trend (a tool that can help you find the top hashtags from the last 30 days). Twitonomy, RiteTag or Hashtagify.me. These tools can be useful for finding the most popular or trending hastags on social media platforms. Indeed, hashtags can play a vital role on social media when used properly. They create incentives for people to categorize their posts, which in turn makes it easier for users looking for posts on the same topic to find content. It's also an easy way to distribute popular news to groups of people who otherwise may not be actively searching for it.
Overall, Hashtags are integral to the way we communicate online, and it's important to know how to use them. If you need assistance with your social media marketing contact the team at Central Coast Web Design and we will happily assist in creating #increasedengagement for your #business. Remember, #Hashtags serve to make your #content discoverable to a wider audience. |
0.962395 | SPARQL is the W3C standard query language for querying data expressed in the Resource Description Framework (RDF). The increasing amounts of RDF data available raise a major need and research interest in building efficient and scalable distributed sparql query evaluators. In this context, we propose SPARQLGX: our implementation of a distributed RDF datastore based on Apache Spark. SPARQLGX is designed to leverage existing Hadoop infrastructures for evaluating SPARQL queries. SPARQLGX relies on a translation of SPARQL queries into executable Spark code that adopts evaluation strategies according to (1) the storage method used and (2) statistics on data. We show that SPARQLGX makes it possible to evaluate SPARQL queries on billions of triples distributed across multiple nodes, while providing attractive performance figures. We report on experiments which show how SPARQLGX compares to related state-of-the-art implementations and we show that our approach scales better than these systems in terms of supported dataset size. With its simple design, SPARQLGX represents an interesting alternative in several scenarios. |
0.937682 | Croatian-born Vladimir Beara was one of the finest goalkeepers in the world through the 1950s and rated by his contemporaries as one of the best of all-time. He won a multitude of domestic honours during his club career with Hajduk Split and, after a very controversial transfer, with Red Star Belgrade. Beara was also a mainstay of the gifted Yugoslavian team of the 1950s, representing his country in two World Cups and reaching the Olympic final in 1952.
Beara was born in the village of Zelovo near Sinj near the border of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, on 2 November 1928. As a youngster he took ballet lessons, something which served him well in his later career as he became renowned as one of the most agile and flexible goalkeepers in the game. Having originally trained as an electrician, he was spotted by Hajduk Split in his late teens while training at his local stadium, impressing scouts with his jumping ability.
In the early years of his career, Beara developed what would become an exceptional handling ability by training for hours with a much smaller ball. He would later state that this regular routine meant that catching a football seemed extremely easy in comparison. Having broken into the first team at Hajduk during the 1947-48 season, Beara immediately became the club's first choice goalkeeper and would remain so for the rest of his career at the club.
After second and third place finishes in his first two seasons, Beara's first major honour came in 1949-50 when he helped Hajduk to claim the league title with an unbeaten record, conceding just 13 goals all season. That record led to him being named in Yugoslavia's squad for the World Cup in Brazil in 1950, without having actually yet made an international appearance, but he did not appear in any of Yugoslavia's games in the finals.
In the autumn of 1950, Beara got his chance at international level when he came on as a late substitute for long-standing first choice keeper Srđan Mrkušić in a humiliating 7-2 defeat to Austria, and from then on was a regular in the team. One of his most famous performances for Yugoslavia came shortly afterwards, when a string of fantastic saves helped his team to earn an unlikely 2-2 draw against England at Wembley, the first overseas team to avoid defeat there.
Beara won a second league title with Hajduk in 1952 and joined up with the Yugoslavian suqad for that summer's Olympic Games in Helsinki. Despite Beara conceding five goals in an astonishing 5-5 draw with the Soviet Union in the first round, Yugoslavia came through a replay and went on to reach the final against an immensely talented Hungarian side. Hungary were too strong and ultimately won 2-0, but Beara did save a penalty from their star player Ferenc Puskás.
By now Beara's athleticism and lightening quick reflexes had earned him a reputation as one of the world's best goalkeepers. He had a unique style of defending set plays, being famed for refusing to allow his team-mates to form defensive walls for free kicks, instead preferring to be able to look the kicker directly in the eye. His reputation led to a call up to the Rest of Europe team to face England in the FA's 90th anniversary game, in which he appeared for the second half.
Although he only appeared in half of their qualifying games, Beara helped Yugoslavia reach the 1954 World Cup without conceding a goal, and was first choice for the finals in Switzerland. He kept a clean sheet in the vital opening win over France and made a number of vital saves in the 1-1 draw with Brazil which saw Yugoslavia into the last eight. In the quarter-final against West Germany, Yugoslavia missed a huge number of goalscoring opportunities and their hopes were severely damaged when Beara picked up an injury. With his mobility limited, he conceded twice and Yugoslavia lost 2-0, a result Beara considered to be the unluckiest of his international career.
In 1954-55 Beara won the third league title of his career with Hajduk, impressively leading the team to the best defensive record in the league. Red Star Belgrade were keen to sign him and amidst rumours that the transfer had been forced by the authorities, he made the move to Serbia in the summer of 1955. The move was an immediate success as Red Star won the league in Beara's first season at the club, with Hajduk only narrowly avoiding relegation without him.
Red Star duly retained their title in 1957 and went on to win the cup a year later with a crushing 4-0 win over Velez Mostar in the final. They reached the quarter-final of the European Cup in 1958, where Beara appeared in what would prove to be the final match for Manchester United's legendary 'Busby Babes' team before the deaths of eight of their players in the Munich Air Crash. which occurred as they returned home from Belgrade.
In the summer of 1958 Beara appeared in his second World Cup. Although Yugoslavia struggled at times in the group stage, they did move through to the last eight largely thanks to an impressive 3-2 win over France. Beara however was replaced for the quarter-final, again against West Germany, and Yugoslavia lost 1-0. He was facing increased competition for the number one jersey and won just three more caps after that tournament, his 59th and final international coming in a 4-2 loss to Hungary in 1959.
In the 1958-59 season, Beara helped Red Star to a league and cup double and when they retained the title again in 1960, he had won seven championships in just eleven seasons with Hajduk and Red Star combined. After five years in Belgrade, he became one of the few eastern European players of the era to move to the west when he joined West German side Alemannia Aachen. Sadly for Beara, his time in Germany was dogged by injury as he twice broke his right leg in the same place.
Beara's playing career came to an end with a season at Viktoria Köln in 1963-64. When Russian Lev Yashin was named European Player of the Year in 1963, he stated that it was Beara rather than himself who had been the world's leading goalkeeper of the era. Staying in West Germany to study coaching, he managed Freiburger FC and Fortuna Köln as well as Dutch side RKSV Sittardia, before returning to Hajduk as an assistant coach. In 1971 Beara helped the club to win their first league title since his departure as a player some sixteen years earlier.
Beara later spent two years in charge of the national team of Cameroon in the mid-1970s and also coached First Vienna in Austria and Hajduk's city rivalas RNK Split before retiring from management in his mid-50s. Having remained living in Split in his retirement, Beara has continued to watch Hajduk whenever possible, despite seeing a modern obsession with tactics as having removed much of the romance from the game in comparison to his playing days. |
0.999972 | In the above case the parameters are acceptable but ignored. When the subroutine is called any parameters are passed as a list in the special @_ list array variable. This variable has absolutely nothing to do with the $_ scalar variable. The following subroutine merely prints out the list that it was called with. It is followed by a couple of examples of its use.
&printargs("perly", "king"); # Example prints "perly king"
&printargs("frog", "and", "toad"); # Prints "frog and toad"
Again it should be stressed that the indexed scalars $_ and $_ and so on have nothing to with the scalar $_ which can also be used without fear of a clash.
Result of a subroutine is always the last thing evaluated. This subroutine returns the maximum of two input parameters. An example of its use follows.
The &printfirsttwo subroutine above also returns a value, in this case 1. This is because the last thing that subroutine did was a print statement and the result of a successful print statement is always 1.
The @_ variable is local to the current subroutine, and so of course are $_, $_, $_, and so on. Other variables can be made local too, and this is useful if we want to start altering the input parameters. The following subroutine tests to see if one string is inside another, spaces not withstanding. An example follows.
# or $a inside $b? |
0.99876 | Each of us often sincerely hopes that we do not have to hear lies. However, it is natural that such expectation is pure "illusion", because all of us somehow had to lie. No matter how insignificant is a lie, it does not change its essence. The essence of it, as indicated in the psychological dictionary, is the intentional distortion of the real state of things in order to mislead another person. And the more a person allows himself to say lies, the more it enters into his life, displacing the truth. However, here we should make a small observation: it is one thing to use lies consciously and to understand that what was said or done by us is really the use of lies, and it is another thing to lie, sincerely believing that lying is not a lie, it is "pure truth". Is it possible? The answer is yes! Maybe. A similar situation arises when a person encounters the so-called "pathological lie".
What does pathological liar mean? A pathological liar is a psychological type of personality; a man who often lies, trying to impress others. In medical literature, this type of personality was first described more than 100 years ago. Some psychologists believe that pathological liars are different from ordinary liars in that a pathological liar is sure that he is telling the truth, and at the same time gets used to the role. Many, however, do not fully agree with this interpretation, but they agree that pathological lies are a special mental state. Although the definition of a pathological liar is not used in clinical diagnosis, most psychiatrists believe that this type of person is either the result of a psychiatric illness or a low self-esteem.
If you are a person for whom honesty, morals, decent behavior towards other people are of value and importance, then a close relationship with a pathological liar can become a nightmare that you have never experienced in your life and did not even think is possible. Such relationships will devastate you morally and emotionally, you may think that the end of the world has come and you do not know how to live further. The reason for this state will be the inconsistency of your reality with the world created by the pathological liar. You are used to a world where white is white, and black is black, and you are being persuaded that everything is the other way round.
Southern California have determined that the pathological lie has a physical justification. Their conclusion is that the brain of pathological liars differs from the norm: in its prefrontal cortex, the volume of gray matter (neurons) is reduced and the volume of white matter (nerve fibers connecting the brain regions) is increased by 22 percent. This part of the brain is connected with moral behavior, and with a sense of repentance. The gray matter consists of brain cells, and the white substance is a kind of "connecting wire" between them. The excess of white matter increases the ability of pathological liars to lie (it is much easier to do difficult work of fantasy) and weakens their moral restraint. Our morality and model of correct behavior for them is not necessary, although in childhood these people were taught that it is not good to lie, just like everyone else.
The manifestation of signs of a pathological liar differ. Spouses of some pathological liars note that these people lie for no reason and they lie about things that are small, unimportant. For example, they say that they did something yesterday, and not today, without any apparent reason or benefit. Psychologists say that pathological liars can believe, or they may not believe in their lies. People with a strong degree of illness believe in their own stories. They create around themselves a world that they need at the moment in a conversation with this interlocutor. Often, by switching to a new interlocutor, they create an entirely different world.
People with less severe signs of a pathological liar disease know that they lie, but believe that their lies do not harm anyone, so they do not understand why people around them take offense and turn away from them. On the contrary, lying helps them to raise their self-esteem in the eyes of others, that is, create of themselves not what they really are. Because often the reality of their own person and life are not satisfying to them, so they consider life of the imaginary world as a way out of the situation.
A pathological lie should be considered as part of a basic psychological personality disorder, rather than a separate defect. It should be noted that this disorder is one of the most controversial subjects in today's world of psychology. The consequences of hopeless lies can be the most unpredictable, both for the victim of deception, and for the liar himself. Besides using untruth, there are certain things that pathological liars tend to do consciously and unconsciously. If you can recognize these "symptoms", then it will not be difficult to expose a liar.
Exaggerating their arguments to give them a truthful appearance, a liar can reach the extreme when statements become ridiculous. The most remarkable thing is that often he does not notice the exaggerated degree of his statements.
A pathological liar likes to be the center of attention, so he will, without hesitation, carry an even more unthinkable nonsense in order to maintain interest in his person.
While an ordinary person, when dealing with unfamiliar people, may find it difficult to maintain a prolonged eye contact, the liar will accomplish this with ease.
The tendency to lie is born at a young age, as the years go by, it becomes more difficult for a person to tell the truth.
Pathological lies are difficult to control. An attentive observer will notice that the same story from the mouth of a liar changes from time to time.
One of the most obvious pathological liar signs. If you try to recheck facts through questions, the pathological liar will immediately take a defensive position or attempt to change the subject of the conversation.
Pathological liars are extremely impulsive, they always act "here and now", so the reproduced lies are sufficiently inconsistent.
In general, liars believe that they are always right, while others are wrong, and it is this unshakable belief in their own rightness that pulls them to the very bottom. They will object with fierce persistence to the obvious.
Those were the characteristics of a pathological liar, but how do you deal with such a person, or even date one?
Experts say that pathological liars are most often people who, in their childhood, suffered greatly from lack of love, cruel criticism from adults. At one time (in childhood), such a person resisted the realities of life, and the fragile psyche of a child at that age created an imaginary, illusory world for himself. In such a "world" the child has everything for what he can be loved... But, at the same time, growing up, such a child often cannot understand (distinguish) a lie from his (or someone else's) fiction and, accordingly, begins to protect the world from any invasion of reality.
How to deal with a pathological liar? Well, first off, don’t. It is important to be able to notice such a "liar" to protect yourself, your family, acquaintances from cruel disappointment in general in people - and it is best to stay away from such people. Dealing with a pathological liar is stressing and potentially dangerous. Do not definitely succumb to the charm of such "liars", and do not even try to play a role of the so-called "savior." Of course, the easiest way to do this is if such a person - "liar" was among not very close acquaintances, relatives. And if such a person - a "liar" is a close friend, a good acquaintance or even worse, a relative, maybe you are married to a pathological liar, the first step to solving such a problem should be his own recognition. But how to help a pathological liar? Can a pathological liar change at all?
It is best to face the truth, and already from this understanding, you can plan and make the following life steps. In such cases, with such people, it is necessary to count on the professional help of a good psychologist or even a psychiatrist. But it is important to remember that the success of such therapy will depend entirely on how much the person himself wants such healing, whether the person has a desire to get rid of this "ailment", how much of it is conscious. Of course, this is all rather difficult. After all, pathological liars, as a rule, will never admit their wrongfulness.
But, nevertheless, there is another option to get rid of such a diagnosis as a "pathological liar" - this is, first of all, to accept lying, but in any case, do not justify it. Do not even try to expose the liar - such a scenario in life will lead to nothing good. At best, the result will be this: a person will justify himself from his "lies", and maybe even blame the person who really wants to help him and, most likely, will take offense at the person because he does not trust him. There are often situations where a "liar" even resorts to hysterics about this, proves that the person himself is lying to him and wants to do something bad... In such situations it is best to perceive all that is said by a "liar" as a "fairy tale", while it is important to understand that all the words of such a "liar" are nothing more than his own imagination. And, as usual, people say that all of his statements should be divided by ten.
With such "liars", of course, it is difficult both in communication and in life in general. Dating a pathological liar is pure pain. It is important to remember that you should not come into contact with such people if there is no need for this, or just "say hello" and go boldly, directly on your route. After all, maintaining your health (nerves) is important for every person, and everything else ... is not so important. |
0.999981 | Complete redesign of websites for four inter-related organizations into one combined website to facilitate sharing of common content such as events and venue information.
The Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation promotes sustainable economic development in Southwest Virginia by promoting entrepreneurial and employment opportunities for artists, crafts people, localities, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs. Previously, the Southwest Cultural Heritage Foundation maintained a website that shared content with websites maintained by 'Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Gateway, a site promoting the region's artisans and craftsmen, and The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, a site promoting the region's rich heritage of traditional music.
Often the events and venues overlapped between the different organizations and needed to be shared on one or more of the sites in the group. Adding new content meant creating the data on one site and then manually copying it to the others. To streamline the process while keeping the unique identities and domains of the individual organizations, a combined website with three distinct sections was developed by DSquared-B consulting and Two Rivers Media.
This Drupal website allows the three organizations to seamlessly integrate the content between sections by adding the content once. Content is then displayed dynamically on each section of the website as marked on the content creation forms. The site features interactive maps showing venues and events across the region that users can save to a Trip Planner for use when visiting the region.
Another feature of the website is the membership management system for "Round the Mountain. Current and new members can renew or join 'Round the Mountain, pay their membership fees, and update their public profiles which are displayed on the website. The custom membership configuration is built on Drupal Commerce and is flexible and expandable as the needs of the organization change.
Update: A fourth section was later added to this website for Heartwood, located in Abingdon, Virginia. In addition to providing a venue for the region's juried artisans to display and sell their work, Heartwood hosts the region's musicians and other special events and interactive displays for visitors to explore the cultural and historic venues and scenic vistas of Southwest Virgina. The Heartwood section of the website also shares some content with the three sites above. Having a common database and structure continues to reduce staff time spent on maintaining up-to-date content on the websites by allowing them to enter data once instead of three or four times. |
0.973791 | What do you do if someone contacts a live electrical wire?
If you see a person come into contact with indoor electrical wires, do not touch the person. Attempt to switch the power off, if possible. If you cannot shut off the power, use a non-conductor (dry wood, rope, board, broom handle) to separate the person from the current.
If the person has come into contact with outdoor wires call 911 and then the power company immediately.
Do not attempt to touch the person or to try to free the person from the wires. Stay at least 100 feet away from any downed wires at all times.
Check his breathing. If the person is not breathing, start CPR.
Treat the victim for shock. Keep him lying down. If the victim is unconscious, lie on his side to allow drainage of fluids. Cover him enough to maintain body heat.
Do not move the victim if you suspect neck or spine injury.
Treat burn by immersing in cold water. Do not apply grease or oil. For severe burns, cut away loose clothing and cover the burned area with a sterile dressing. |
0.939673 | To summarize, The face memory concerns especially the top of the face, indeed this one is the most observed, with a particular attention on eyes.
Describe verbally a face which we have in our memories (celebrity, member of the family) is often a difficult test because it implies an effort of important memory It let us think that the various characteristics of a face are not stored in our memory under shapes of words but under a much more complex shape and thus to try to translate verbally this information is a particularly difficult test.
Identikit pictures are used for criminal investigations to realize a portrait getting closer as much as possible to that of the criminal looked for from the memories of a witness having perceived the aforementioned criminal. The memories of the face are more or less precise as the case may be. The identikit picture will then be broadcasted to contribute to the arrest of the suspect.
The identikit picture, is a descendant of the game of "photos-robot" invented in 1952 by Roger Dambron.
bling the various parts (eyes, noses, hair.). One year later this invention was used with success to find a criminal so showing its efficiency and its utility in criminal investigations. A few years later, it is the FBI which uses it, then In 1968, the FBI use this method of reconstruction of faces.
Today, it is by means of software performing that we proceed in the establishment of an identikit picture.
The identikit picture is going to be thus used to translate in a visual way the memory of a face buried in the brain of an individual.
The person who realizes identikit pictures is called portrait painter robot, it is him(her) who assembles the puzzle of the face according to the descriptions of witnesses to obtain the face of the suspect.
Bad faces memory: increase it by playing!
We are not all equals in term of memory of faces, some recognize at first sight somebody whom they saw only once 10 years ago, and for the others it is quite other story with often awkward situations connected to the fact of being recognized by somebody without recognizing him (her). |
0.933093 | Investor's Business Daily - One of Silicon Valley's worst-kept secrets is officially out of the bag.
PC World - Microsoft Corp. released tools to help companies deploy Windows Vista, acknowledging that there are deployment and application-compatibility pains enterprise IT managers face when updating business desktops to the new OS.
InfoWorld - Web sites running Microsoft's Web server software are twice as likely to be hosting malicious code as other Web sites, according to research from Google.
PC World - Microsoft Corp. plans to offer a few more details Tuesday on the upcoming version of its hosted Web conferencing offering, Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007.
PC World - Word that Microsoft Corp. had a crack team of developers in Silicon Valley working on a cutting-edge search project is news to the company's head of search and advertising.
InfoWorld - Word that Microsoft had a crack team of developers in Silicon Valley working on a cutting-edge search project is news to the company's head of search and advertising.
TechWeb - The airline believes new features found in Vista -- such as an improved internal search function -- will make its workers more efficient and productive.
InfoWorld - Microsoft Corp. released tools to help companies deploy Windows Vista, acknowledging that there are deployment and application-compatibility pains enterprise IT managers face when updating business desktops to the new OS.
TechWeb - Xandros CEO Andreas Typaldos says his company's deal with Microsoft will help increase Linux adoption rates.
AP - An investigation of IBM Corp. by the Securities and Exchange Commission ended Tuesday without penalty, although the government found that the technology company misled analysts about employee stock-option expenses in 2005.
AP - Joost appointed Cisco veteran Mike Volpi as chief executive officer, the Internet-based TV service said Tuesday.
Reuters - Nintendo Co.'s (7974.OS) Wii game console outsold Sony Corp.'s (6758.T) PlayStation 3 by more than five to one in Japan last month, according to XFN-Asia.
TechWeb - Microsoft said it is investigating "claims" of vulnerabilities, while Mozilla released information today on two flaws.
NewsFactor - With its release today of the beta version of Movable Type 4 (MT4), the latest edition of its popular blogging software, Six Apart hopes to make business blogging easier and ever more popular.
Reuters - Internet TV service Joost has named former Cisco Systems Inc. executive Mike Volpi CEO, the company said on Tuesday.
NewsFactor - As the online networking site MySpace is discovering to its chagrin, there is ancient wisdom to the Arab saying, "Do not allow a camel to put his nose under the edge of your tent, for soon you will be sleeping with a camel." The problem for MySpace right now is that its tent is surrounded by fifty camels, otherwise known as the attorneys general of the various states.
Reuters - Online auctioneer eBay Inc. said on Tuesday it is ready to begin auctioning advertising airtime on 2,300 participating U.S. radio stations, expanding on an existing plan to sell cable television ads.
Reuters - Let down by politicians and trade unions, Greece's young professionals are taking to the blogosphere to try to improve their prospects.
AdWeek.com - CHICAGO Having endured months of bad publicity about its Bud.tv venture, Anheuser-Busch is turning to some of the people who help- ed fuel the negativity to aid in the site's overhaul: bloggers.
InfoWorld - Security has been a bit of a black art at Google. Unlike rival Microsoft, which publishes detailed information on its monthly patches and has openly evangelized the steps it takes to secure software, Google has generally been quiet when it comes to talking about security, and it has kept the team that keeps Google's Web sites secure under wraps. |
0.957497 | Vieira, Filipa Dionísio(http://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/browse?type=author&value=Vieira%2C+Filipa+Dion%C3%ADsio), Cabral, Mário Marquês(http://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/browse?type=author&value=Cabral%2C+M%C3%A1rio+Marqu%C3%AAs), Rodrigues, Cristina S.(http://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/browse?type=author&value=Rodrigues%2C+Cristina+S.), 2012, Industrial development in east Timor : an exploratory study of attitudes and perceptions towards the future, CGIT - Resumos em livros de actas / Abstracts in proceedings(http://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/handle/1822/20947).
AbstractIndustrialization is essential for the economic development of a country (Porter, 2004). There are few examples of countries that have made the transition without industrialization, much at the expense of the existence of valuable natural resources (such as oil and diamonds), but with the resulting social inequalities. Industrialization is the normal process for the development of the economies, associated with the phenomenon of globalization of the industry and markets, allows the rapid growth of the same. Take the case of China, which in just over twenty years, went from a really rural to an industrial power in global terms (UNIDO, 2009). Why promote industrialization in poor countries? Because if the developed countries to support industrialization in developing countries benefit from cheaper manufactured goods and the process allows to reduce the gap and inequalities between developed and developing countries (UNIDO, 2009). East Timor was an overseas province of Portugal until 1974 and for 450 years. After this period, the territory was invaded and occupied by Indonesia, a situation that lasted until the referendum held on August 30, 1999. The process leading up to this historic event was long and difficult but with the support of the United Nations, selfdetermination has finally arrived in East Timor in 2002. The proposal of the government of East Timor to the economic development is a strategic long term model and intends to reflect the will and aspirations of the people. Being a young country, post-conflict and with low incomes, it is pointed out the need to implement a unique and specific strategy to the country in order to bring prosperity. One way to achieve these aspirations may pass through private sector investment through the creation and implementation of industry in the country. This allows for increased employment, improved living conditions of the Timorese people and consequently the economic development of Timor-Leste, reinforcing the message widely disseminated in "Goodbye Conflict, Welcome Development". For the period 2011-2030, the first decade will focus on creating the basic conditions for development in all areas: infrastructure, education and training, health, agricultural productivity and food selfsufficiency, sustainable urbanization and development of important sectors industry and services. Private investment in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Research and Experimental Development (R&D) in key sectors are one of the four pillars of the economic framework by 2020, presented by the government of East Timor (PED 2010). The present study aims to understand the attitudes and perceptions of the East Timorese in relation to industrial development of the country. Taking as a starting point, a survey of the population of East Timor, named as Projeto Timor, we present and discuss the results obtained on various issues such as attitudes in relation to existing industrial development potential of the country, perceived advantages and disadvantages of industrialization and industrial sectors that are perceived as more relevant to East Timor. |
0.9974 | Below are brief descriptions of each host city.
Rome is the capital city of Italy and a special comune (named Comune di Roma Capitale). Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. It is also the country's most populated comune and is the fourth-most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. The Vatican City (the smallest country in the world)is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city: for this reason Rome has been often defined as capital of two states. Rome's history spans 28 centuries. While Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome at around 753 BC, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe. In 2016, Rome ranked as the 14th-most-visited city in the world, 3rd most visited in the European Union, and the most popular tourist attraction in Italy.
Baku, Azerbaijan is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located 28 metres (92 ft) below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world located below sea level. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, alongside the Bay of Baku. At the beginning of 2009, Baku's urban population was estimated at just over two million people. Officially, about 25 percent of all inhabitants of the country live in Baku's metropolitan area. Baku is the sole metropolis in Azerbaijan.
Saint Petersburg is Russia's second-largest city after Moscow. An important Russian port on the Baltic Sea, it has a status of a federal subject (a federal city). Saint Petersburg is one of the most modern cities of Russia, as well as its cultural capital. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Saint Petersburg is home to the Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world. Many foreign consulates, international corporations, banks and businesses have offices in Saint Petersburg.
Copenhagen is the capital and most populous city of Denmark. Copenhagen is situated on the eastern coast of the island of Zealand; another small portion of the city is located on Amager, and is separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the strait of Øresund. The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road. The city is the cultural, economic and governmental center of Denmark; it is one of the major financial centers of Northern Europe with the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. Since the completion of the Øresund Bridge, Copenhagen has become increasingly integrated with the Swedish province of Scania and its largest city, Malmö, forming the Øresund Region.
Amsterdam is the capital city and most populous municipality of the Netherlands. Its status as the capital is mandated by the Constitution of the Netherlands,] although it is not the seat of the government, which is The Hague. As the commercial capital of the Netherlands and one of the top financial centers in Europe, Amsterdam is considered an alpha world city by the Globalization and World Cities study group. The city is also the cultural capital of the Netherlands.
Bucharest is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country,on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than 60 km (37.3 mi) north of the Danube River and the Bulgarian border. Economically, Bucharest is the most prosperous city in Romania and is one of the main industrial centres and transportation hubs of Eastern and Central Europe. The city has big convention facilities, educational institutes, cultural venues, traditional "shopping arcades", and recreational areas.
London is the capital and largest city of England, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Standing on the River Thames in southeastern England, at the head of its 50-mile (80 km) estuary leading to the North Sea, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. London exerts a considerable impact upon the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transportation. London ranks 26 out of 300 major cities for economic performance. It is one of the largest financial centres and has either the fifth or sixth largest metropolitan area GDP. It is the most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the busiest city airport system as measured by passenger traffic.
Glasgow is the most populous city in Scotland, and the third most populous city in the United Kingdom. Glasgow is situated on the River Clyde in the country's West Central Lowlands. Inhabitants of the city are referred to as "Glaswegians" or "Weegies". It is the fifth most visited city in the UK. Glasgow is also known for the Glasgow patter, a distinct dialect of the Scots language that is noted for being difficult to understand by those from outside the city. Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement on the River Clyde to become the largest seaport in Scotland, and tenth largest by tonnage in Britain. From the eighteenth century on, the city also grew as one of Great Britain's main hubs of transatlantic trade with North America and the West Indies.
Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the province of Biscay and in the Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain and the tenth largest city in Spain. Bilbao is the main urban area in what is defined as the Greater Basque region. Throughout the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, Bilbao experienced heavy industrialisation, making it the centre of the second-most industrialised region of Spain, behind Barcelona.
Dublin is the capital of, and largest city in, Ireland. It is on the east coast of Ireland, in the province of Leinster, at the mouth of the River Liffey, and is bordered on the south by the low mountains. Dublin is a historical and contemporary center for education, the arts, administration and industry. As of 2018 the city was listed by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) as a global city and places it among the top thirty cities in the world.
Munich is the capital and most populous city of the second most populous German federal state of Bavaria. It is the third-largest city of Germany after Berlin and Hamburg, as well as the 12th-largest city in the European Union. Munich is the second-largest city in the Bavarian dialect area, after the Austrian capital of Vienna. The city is a major center of art, technology, finance, publishing, culture, innovation, education, business, and tourism in Germany and Europe and enjoys a very high standard and quality of living, reaching first in Germany and third worldwide according to the 2018 Mercer survey,and being rated the world's most liveable city by the Monocle's Quality of Life Survey 2018. |
0.999998 | Consistency has never been Arianna Huffington's strong suit. Consider, for example, her mid-life conversion from passionate conservative to passionate liberal, or the awkward way her eco-evangelizing sits with her habit of bopping around the country in private jets and chauffered SUVs.
So when you hear Huffington lauding the firmness and immutability of one of her own positions, as she does in this week's Newsweek, it's good to be skeptical.
"We have a clear attitude," Huffington tells writer Daniel Lyons by way of explaining the Huffington Post's success. "On the Afghan war, for example, we've been clear that we believe it's an unnecessary war."
That certainly sounds better than "We get lots of traffic by writing SEO-baiting headlines about Blake Lively's cleavage," but it's not exactly true. Or, rather, Huffington has been clear that she considers the war in Afghanistan misguided and unnecessary -- but it wasn't so as recently as 2006, when she was equally clear that she believed the opposite.
Before she was calling for Joe Biden to take a principled stand against escalation of troop levels, Huffington was hammering on George Bush for cutting troop levels. She described as "devastating" Bush's lack of attention to "the first front in the global war on terror." "What about his commitment to staying the course?" she wondered. The title of Huffington's post: "Will a Stable Afghanistan Be Yet Another Casualty of the War in Iraq?" Pretty clear, right?
In other words, Huffington was for the war before she was against it. |
0.999794 | Length of petals in the above flower are 2, 2, 3 and 3.
A flower's ugliness is sum of absolute difference of adjacent petal lengths i.e. i.e. if adjacent petal lengths are L1, L2, L3, L4, then ugliness of flower is |L1 - L2| + |L2 - L3| + |L3 - L4| + |L4 - L1|.
Sherlock wants to find minimum value of ugliness if we consider all possible flower configurations. Note that a configuration is valid even if any of the petal length is 0.
First line contains T, number of test cases. Each test case consists of string S1 in one line followed by string S2 in the next line. It is guaranteed that there exists at least one possible way to make a flower.
For each test case, output in one line the required answer.
If we keep the configuration shown in statement, the ugliness is 2, which is minimum possible.
where petal lengths are 1, 3, 1, 2. |
0.948659 | PX column: What really killed SORTA's potential bus levy? What needs to happen if a transit tax is ever going to be on the ballot in Hamilton County?
The wheels on the bus keep going round and round, but not forward.
SORTA's sputtering bus system is a classic Cincinnati story: Politicians and bureaucrats talk for decades about doing something. They make plans about plans. They hold meetings about meetings. Then stumble all over themselves and do nothing.
At Wednesday's meeting, one board member held up seven studies that have been done over the past five years. How did we get to a point where inaction is the outcome?
What's this about a bus levy also helping to fix roads and bridges?
For years, transit authority officials have been working on a "Reinventing Metro" plan. Heck, the city and county were having the discussion about fixing SORTA's funding model in the early 2000s.
The business community commissioned an audit of SORTA's books this year. The money problem is real. SORTA projects a $184 million budget deficit over the next decade.
This was looking like the year for a ballot initiative. Then earlier this year, some city, chamber of commerce and SORTA officials introduced a new idea -- attaching an infrastructure improvement piece to the levy proposal, insiders say. But that concept didn't become public until last week.
The idea was to ask Hamilton County voters to approve a 1 percent sales tax increase, generating a projected $150 million a year. Some $100 million would be used for buses. The rest would go to fix roads and bridges such as the Western Hills Viaduct.
City Hall officials liked the idea. With infrastructure added to the plan, it might have enticed suburban voters to buy in because it would help pay for crumbling roads and bridges at a time when the need is great and federal money is scarce.
But there was a potential problem: The infrastructure part of the plan wasn't fully baked. There were questions whether the transit authority could legally control money for roads and bridges. City officials were confident it was fine, insiders say, but they thought it was necessary to better communicate the plan publicly.
It's ultimately what made the board decide not to go forward with the levy this year.
This raises questions about why SORTA officials weren't addressing such issues a year ago. Or two years ago. Or three years.
In the end, it was the right decision to pull back. Levy plans have to be fully buttoned up. Just over three months before Election Day, there was no campaign organization in place, no campaign leader, no funding for a campaign and no campaign strategy.
Why is Todd Portune butting in?
The Hamilton County commissioner fancies himself a leader on regional transportation, and Portune wants a big say in what happens. After years of being in the political minority on the board of commissioners, the Democrat is now flexing his power.
Portune wants a grandiose, regionwide transit system. It's something he's talked about for years – one robust network of passenger rail lines, bus-only routes and new roadways across Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky.
It's a cool idea, but probably impossible given the complex history of state and local governments from Ohio and Kentucky working together. How's that Brent Spence Bridge project coming along?
Nonetheless, Portune spent months imploring the county's six SORTA board appointees to stand with him in rejecting a levy from going on the ballot this year.
Quietly, some city officials are blaming Portune for killing the levy. That's not entirely true. The city holds the majority of the seats on the the 13-member SORTA board, and those seven appointees could've still approved the levy going on the ballot.
But good luck selling it to voters countywide when all of the county's board members weren't for it.
"It is the right step to take this year," Portune told SORTA board members in an email on Tuesday, hours after news broke that the board would not go forward with the levy plan. "It does however place the bulls-eye squarely upon the county now to lead this effort forward."
Will SORTA divorce the streetcar?
It's a head-scratcher that some SORTA board members were thinking about plowing forward with a levy without first trying hard to get out of operating the streetcar. The struggling city-owned streetcar is a public relations nuisance for SORTA.
The city fully funds streetcar operations. SORTA's money isn't used for it, and the authority has repeatedly promised a transit tax would not be used for the streetcar. But as long as SORTA runs the downtown rail line, streetcar critics are going to push the narrative that a transit tax would be used for the modern trolley system.
There's more time now to consider how SORTA can legally divorce the streetcar. And don't be surprised if the board takes a serious look at trying to get out of its streetcar agreement in the coming months. |
0.998626 | An apprentice is someone learning how to do a specialized job through on-the-job training, under the guidance of an experienced colleague. An apprenticeship differs from trade school because apprentices typically receive a salary during their training period. Apprentices may work in a variety of industries, although the most common are electrician, engineering, and mechanical apprenticeships. This role involves tasks such as adhering to workplace procedures, following health and safety guidance, updating training records, and completing tasks to gain a qualification. Apprentices should be hard-working and able to manage their time effectively, be able to follow orders, and be comfortable working as part of a team.
As an employee-in-training, apprentices exhibit an enthusiasm to learn and an interest in the sector of their chosen trade. They display an eagerness to build their knowledge and are willing to put in the effort to develop their skills.
Apprenticeships typically involve on-the-job training as well as trade-related classes, which an apprentice needs to attend on a regular basis.
Health and safety regulations are important, so apprentices must adhere to the business’ set standards as well as comply to legal regulations. This will help ensure the safely of both the apprentice and colleagues.
The majority of an apprentice’s work is done during business hours, however, there is often a need to do homework out of work hours. Apprentices need to complete all homework to build their knowledge and skillset and to meet the requirements of the apprenticeship.
Apprentices need to follow all rules established by their employer. The processes and procedures of a company vary by sector, but apprentices are responsible for strictly adhering to these processes.
The minimum requirement to become an apprentice is a high school diploma or GED. Depending on the industry the apprenticeship is in, applicants may need to provide proof of their strength, such as their ability to lift materials or equipment, before gaining acceptance onto an apprenticeship program. Typically, applicants will be asked to take an aptitude test, an interview, and show previous work experience on their resume.
The median annual salary for an apprentice is determined largely by the sector the apprenticeship is in, but on average, apprentices typically earn half of the median salary for that role. For example, an apprentice electrician will earn around $31,000 a year. Some companies provide bonuses or profit-sharing opportunities as part of their salary package.
Approximately half of apprentices receive health benefits as part of their benefits package. In many of the occupations where apprenticeships are available, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that the growth rate is expected to increase as least as fast as the average for all occupations, if not faster, through 2026.
Seven Success Skills for Apprentices and Skilled Trades Persons – The skills taught in this book can be transferred to any industry, making this a useful guide for anyone looking to begin an apprenticeship. From self-motivation to research skills and communication, author James Sidney Harvey helps readers to improve their “soft skills” for any job or career.
Shop Reference for Students & Apprentices – For apprentices in metalworking industries, this book by Christopher McCauley is packed with information and know-how to take to the workplace. From applied mathematics to presentation methods and machining materials, there’s plenty of information in this book to help apprentices get started.
American Institute for Innovative Apprenticeship – The AIIA is dedicated to helping its readers match their skills to their ideal job, enhance skills, and find new routes to rewarding careers. The blog is filled with useful information on how to achieve this, and there’s also guides to apprenticeships, both in the US and internationally.
Apprenticeships: Towards a New Paradigm of Learning – This book explores apprenticeships, from the historical context to the theoretical and practical aspects of developing the necessary knowledge to work in a specific career and sector. |
0.995526 | Why FMD need built in battery ?
All of these solid state storage devices have some sort of microprocessor and volatile memory in them. In the case of an FMD, the volatile memory is DDR3. This memory is used for writes in flight, caching, and most importantly the "Flash Translation Table". The Flash Translation Table is where the FMD (or SSD) maps LBAs to physical memory locations in the flash memory space. If you lose this, you lose your data. As a side note, in the early days of SSDs, the idea that "SSDs lose your data" was because early FW would end up corrupting the Flash Translation Table.
In the event of an unanticipated power down - some ugly power loss or someone pulls the wrong drive during maintenance - the Flash Translation Table must be preserved. So the microprocessor needs enough guaranteed power to run long enough to back up the Flash Translation Table, in this case to flash.
Different SSD designers handle the backing up of the Flash Translation Table in different ways. Some just keep it in flash, but this results in lower overall performance. Some build a capacitor-based solution using supercaps or electrolytic capacitors. If the microprocessor's power requirements are low enough, this can be viable, but the energy storage density for a given capacity of capacitor solution is not that dense as a battery. Hence the reason FMDs use a battery.
We have a pretty powerful microprocessor in the FMD's ASIC and, because the capacities of FMDs are bigger than traditional SSDs, the Flash Translation Table is bigger, so we need the extra juice the battery provides to ensure that data is never compromised in a power down situation.
When I looked at these drives with an engineer it appeared the battery would be used to drain the volatile internal DRAM in the event of a sudden power loss. |
0.999819 | Two separate outages meant that the email component of Office 365, the online version of Microsoft's Office suite, has been down for many users, according to CloudPro.
Microsoft told CloudPro that the issue was not affecting all Office 365 users, but "those customers affected likely have a large number of users experiencing impact."
It's unclear why the outage, which affects one of Microsoft's most important products, has been going on for a number of days. One explanation could be that two outages occured.
According to CloudPro, the issues started on January 18. "As part of our efforts to improve service performance, an update was deployed... [that] caused a code issue," said Microsoft.
The fix was temporary, however, as users reported outages on January 24. Microsoft said it had fixed that issue, too, but companies are still not able to access email.
"Engineers have identified that a number of infrastructure components that handle email routing and filtering became degraded due to high resource utilisation," said Microsoft in a statement issued on January 26. "Engineers are restarting services on the affected infrastructure to mitigate impact."
One company, highlighted by CloudPro, says that OneNote Online and Office 365 are still refusing to open, some days later.
Microsoft has experienced four outages in the past two months.
Microsoft provided the following statement: "We've addressed the email disruption a limited number of customers may have experienced. The service is back to normal and running smoothly." |
0.943693 | Pricey solution to an inexpensive amp's problem?
The Mission: Satisfactorily ensonify a listening room measuring a bit more than 15 by 27 feet with a cathedral ceiling 12 feet at the peak (for you adherents of that newfangled metric system thing, that's around 5, 9, and 4 meters, respectively), mostly wood, glass, and plaster but deliberately designed to avoid parallel surfaces as much as possible. An arch at the rear leads to another large room.
The Music: Mostly classical, in recordings from the turn of the 20th century to the day after tomorrow and covering the entire literature--organ, big and small orchestra, chamber, solo instrumental, solo and small ensemble vocal, choral, opera, and anything else that catches the owner's fancy, up to and including duets for bagpipe and hurdy gurdy.
The Challenge: Find speakers to accomplish The Mission driven by, and expressing the high-definition virtues of, a tiny Trends 10.1 Class-T amp developing at most around 6 clean watts per channel.
The Complications: The speakers must be placed in a bank of well-filled record shelves spanning the narrow front end of the room to a height of around 8 feet (i.e., about 2.5 meters); floor placement is not an option. As the installation cannot gracefully accommodate a subwoofer, the speakers need to have sufficient bass extension for The Music without supplementation. The owner is a cheapskate.
The Proposed Solution: Pinnacle DB 650 Series II bookshelf speakers.
Early on, I zeroed in on the newly released Rogue Sphynx as a likely candidate for a new amp, but my hopes for that foundered on repeated frustrations in trying to audition one in the absence of a local dealer. Similar problems held me up in considering the most promising speaker option I'd found, the Pinnacle BD 650 Series II. With both listing for substantially more than $1,000 and generally unavailable at any kind of discount, I was quite reluctant to buy either without an initial hearing. Then fate intervened: a chance eBay search turned up an unopened pair of the Pinnacles, "buy it now," for less than half list from a home theater installer who had acquired them for a contract that fell through. Or was that the driver of a white van? Anyhow, swallowing hard and holding my breath, I made my decision and pulled the trigger.
Pinnacle has been around for a long time, since 1976 in fact. The company is family owned and centers its operations in Massachusetts and New York State, where it actually builds at least some of its products, so I suppose in a sense they are heirs to the "New England" school of which my old KLH Sixes were iconic examples. The speakers under review are labeled "designed in the United States," not quite the same as "made in USA"; a casual e-mail to the company about that and a technical question drew two responses (which even cited the TNT article about the Trends 10.1!) within an hour but failed to yield a definitive answer about their national provenance, not that I'm terribly concerned, as long as the things work well. Be that as it may, I have the impression that Pinnacle products have a loyal following that isn't even extensive or public enough to qualify as "cult"--a real "under the radar" operation. A fair amount of searching on the Internet suggests that the usual review outlets for the most part ignore Pinnacle and that sales tend to be more to professional installers like my eBay seller than direct to consumers like me.
In general, Pinnacle speakers embody ported designs, often with a species of canted waveguide that the company calls "Diaduct." The speakers under review don't have the slanted guide, but each does have disproportionately large ducted port, nearly as large as the midrange driver, in its front panel, not in the more customary rear placement, meaning the 650 IIs are "bookshelf speakers" that actually can be placed on bookshelves instead of stands. Their compact dimensions are also suitable for such placement: the elegant curved-sided cabinets in round figures measure 9 by 15 by 14 inches, alas just a bit too tall to sit upright in shelves sized for LPs.
The BD 650 Series II is part of Pinnacle's "Black Diamond" line of home theater/home audio speakers, which includes in addition small satellites, two horizontal center channel speakers, one or two other bookshelf style models, a couple of towers, and a couple of powered subwoofers. Of the non-towers, the BD 650 II has the widest specified response, the highest level of sensitivity, and the highest price. Like all entries in this line, the speakers are finished in a high-gloss piano black, according to the company requiring a week of work for each cabinet; to get an idea of the quality of the results, see the photograph above, showing one of my 650 IIs sitting on the lid of a high-end C. Bechstein studio grand piano.
As you'd expect from their designation as "Series II," these speakers follow on an earlier BD 650. They are specified as going a couple of Hz deeper than their prececessor and to be slightly more sensitive. Claimed frequency response is 34 Hz to 25 kHz +/- 3 dB, down 6 dB at 30 Hz and 30 kHz. Depending on whether you consult the specifications drop-down on the product's Web page or the downloadable .pdf specification sheet, sensitivity is quoted at 93 or 96 dB at 1 Watt, seemingly an ideal figure for a T-amp, but note (ominous rumblings, please!) that the measurement is taken at half a meter, not the more customary full meter. The 650 IIs are rated at 8 ohms and embody a three-way design, with a one-inch silk dome tweeter, four-inch midrange driver, and six-and-a-half-inch woofer. The latter two drivers feature polypropylene cones with butyl rubber surrounds--no need to worry about foam rot. Besides indicating that the midrange driver occupies its own isolated chamber within the cabinet, company literature makes much of the driver's die cast phase plug, a bullet-shaped projection from the area ordinarily filled by a dust cap. Connections are a single pair of nice quality binding posts in an inset on the back panel of each speaker. Thus, they do not provide for bi-amping.
The speakers arrived packed in a single box, awkward but not impossible for one person to carry. Well-designed firm foam separators kept them locked securely in place and safely away from the sides of the box, a good thing, because a driving rain storm the day mine arrived had well dampened the carton. Each speaker was shrouded in a thin sheet of flexible styrofoam to protect the finish. Unpacking was a relatively simple matter of removing a number of heavy-duty staples to free the top flaps, lifting out the upper foam separator, lifting out each speaker, and removing the shrouds. Each speaker had four almost paper-thin rubber bumpers on the bottom (in the photo, visible under inspection by the four-footed king of our household), but because their height dicatated laying them on their sides in my shelves, before installing them I put down towels to protect that lovely gloss finish. I made my connections with bare wire; while the binding posts will accept banana plugs, I don't know if they're spaced properly for the double-pin type.
Mention should be made of the owner's manual included in the box. I've seen more lavish printing jobs, but in every other way I'd call it a model for such things. In clear, simple English it walks the new speaker owner through the basics of connection, placement, and amplifier power requirements, offering helpful illustrations as needed. Obviously, the company wants its customers to understand how to set up its products to best advantage.
Plunging boldly ahead, I immediately connected the Trends 10.1 amp to the Pinnacles and gave them a whirl. I did not like what I heard. The sound was harsh, shrill, almost completely lacking in bass. I didn't panic, however, figuring that they could be expected to need some break-in coming straight out of the box into a new environment. Off and on over the next couple of weeks, I kept playing them, and the sound did improve noticeably. In particular, the bass was no longer missing in action. That said, as driven by the Trends, what the Pinnacles were giving me never did rise to the level of "good"; with really well-recorded material, they sounded decent enough, but they were very touchy about volume, going painfully bright and harsh if turned up too much and prone to variable, not terribly natural bass, with a sense of being rather washed out in the middle. Nor did they do anything to minimize the defects of material falling short of "well-recorded." In short, I began to worry that I'd just made an expensive mistake. Maybe there was a reason Pinnacle speakers get so little word of mouth or review attention. Gloom began to settle in.
At last, on a lark, I changed amps. As it happens, I have a Dayton DTA 100, the predecessor of the 100a models, that I carry with me as a headphone amp when (as is very often the case) I'm away from home shepherding my young daughter between athletic activities, music lessons, and whatnot. The 100 has a somewhat unsavory reputation because its volume control is poorly balanced; the 100a corrects that problem. Otherwise, the amps are closely matched, both looking the same, both being Class-T designs claimed to develop around 50 watts per channel, and both probably developing more like 25 or 30 clean watts in practice. The 100 was no monster, then, but it did offer a good five times the effective output of the Trends. I substituted it into the system, turned on some music, sat back--and gaped in amazement as the Pinnacles simply bloomed before my ears. Clearly, 93/96 dB claimed sensitivity notwithstanding, these speakers simply need some power to strut their stuff. In fairness, the manufacturer recommends a minimum of 15 watts, and this is one case where I'd say the customer had better pay attention.
Well, of course, the DTA 100 was OK for a test, but, even leaving aside that it's no better built than the 100a and has been banging around in a bag for a couple of years out on the road, with that volume control issue it really wouldn't do long term. So, realizing that the Trends just wasn't going to work with these speakers, I held my nose/breath and ordered the latest incarnation of the DTA 100 series, the Dayton DTA 120, which develops a bit more power and no longer carries the 100a's restriction, first made known to me by a sticker affixed to my second DTA 100a, against use with 4 ohm speakers. For that latter reason, I was hoping that perhaps the build quality might be better, or at least more likely to hold up in long-term use, and when the 120 arrived it in fact did sport nicer speaker connections and RCA jacks. I was lucky enough to catch mine on sale for just shy of $90, for a total investment slightly more than $100 with shipping.
Driven by the DTA 120, the Pinnacles have completely redeemed themselves, offering just the sort of Class-T definition that I was after all along. Over the next few evenings, I proceeded to do a somewhat random walk through material in my collection, some familiar and some that frankly I had never gotten around to playing. The speakers ably convey the color and character of a wide array of music: Copland's "Old American Songs" (William Warfield with the composer leading the London Symphony Orchestra); shape-note hymns performed by the Boston Camerata; Renaissance dance music by the Folger Consort, with an unexpected bell in one track so realistic I jumped; Schubert's Reliquie sonata performed by Friedrich Wuhrer for Vox in the early 1950s, in which the Pinnacles particularly well convey the pianist's warm, powerful bass-driven tone; the same pianist's contemporaneous recording of Beethoven's Choral Fantasy with Clemens Krauss, which can sound a bit dim but here was decently transparent; Ezio Pinza singing Torelli's "Tu lo sai" vividly projected from a '30s vintage Victor 78 RPM record; Beethoven's Fourth Symphony in a cheap MCA CD reissue of an early Westminster stereo LP; Capricorn in Rimsky-Korsakoff's Quintet for Piano and Winds. Voices come through with understandable diction, and instruments in small ensembles were consistently distinct. I've not tried the speakers with any jazz, but I suspect they would serve it well; they did handle a couple of tracks of Scottish folk music with aplomb.
So how would I describe the overall sound of the Pinnacle/Dayton combination? The words that come to mind are "clear" and "clean," more Studio 8H than gothic cathedral. With the Class-T amplification, these are not speakers for those who want to wallow in a warm, romantic glow, and if I were to find any fault at this point it would be that they might be a bit bright with, say, early digital recordings or LPs with an overaggressive top end. For the 78s that are a big part of my listening diet, of course, that's not much of an issue. On the other hand, the speakers develop much bigger bass than one would expect from such a small package, carrying well below the 50-Hz-and-up characteristic of most modern mini-monitors and even many larger speakers. I don't have facility to test the Pinnacles' bass response scientifically, but I did play back a series of 1/3 octave pink noise test tones from a Telarc Omnidisc LP, and the results seemed in keeping with the manufacturer's claims. Judging by ear, in my room, with my restrictions on positioning, the Pinnacles were strong at 50 Hz, starting to struggle a bit at 40 Hz, still offering some faint low level output at 31.5 Hz, and no longer responding at 25 or 20 Hz. Not at all bad for a speaker standing only 3 inches taller and 2 inches deeper than an LP!
Of course, our readership being what it is, I'm sure somebody out there is muttering, "Yeah, but what about with tubes?" My sole piece of tubed gear is an unrestored Fisher X-101-C integrated amp, a late design with six 12AX7s and four 7591s from just before transistors swept all before them. I had even given it a shot as a replacement for the dying Dayton 100a amps but hit a practical snag: the coincidental proximity of all those hot tubes to our thermostat did some very interesting things to climate control in our house. Anyhow, out of curiosity I called up a couple of riotously colorful tracks, Pablo Moncayo's Huapango (Benjamin Juarez Echenique leading Orquesta de las Americas) and Rimsky-Korsakoff's Russian Easter Overture (Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski, a demonstration class recording, even in my cheap redbook "Classical Music for the Beginner" reissue, that unaccountably seems to have made few ripples in audiophile circles) and tried side-by-side comparisons with the Dayton and the Fisher. The results were probably about what one would expect: the Fisher imparted an overall warmer sound in place of the fluoroscopic detail of the Class-T amp, and in particular the bass was somewhat more pronounced but noticeably less defined. The sharp edges of the solid state amp were replaced with a more rounded presentation that seemed to have a bit more "heft," not that the sound with the Dayton was in any way weak.
The Pinnacle BD 650 Series II should be much better known. The $1,500 question, of course, is whether it is worth its almost-never-discounted list price. On the positive side, its fit and finish are admirable, to say the least; the manufacturer, which draws high marks from me for responsiveness to its customers, is an appealing independent operation that has long gone its own quiet way to excell in a single class of product, a survivor in a market that has become ever more hostile; and most importantly, given sympathetic amplification the speaker admirably conveys the detail and power of a wide range of music with bass extension all out of proportion to its size. Moreover, with its front port and compact dimensions it really can be placed on bookshelves if the owner desires, which would make it a particularly good choice for those whose domestic circumstances preclude floor positioning.
Sonically, with relatively powerful Class-T amplification it will appeal more to those who like detail than to those who seek a richly "blended" presentation; the latter will be happier driving these speakers with tubed, or at least less strongly detailed, electronics. Unfortunately, the 650 II's high nominal sensitivity rating does not make it a good match for the extremely low-powered Trends 10.1, which simply does not give it enough power to display the speaker's undeniable virtues; presumably the same would be true of other flea-powered amps. From that point of view, I'm afraid the answer to The Result as posited at the outset of this article is "no go"; the search continues for good mates to the original 6-watt T-Amps. That said, having once again with some trepidation placed my faith in the up-powered Dayton alternative, I expect to live happily with my Pinnacles for a long, long time to come. Whether a "value" or not, at this point this listener considers their purchase "money well spent." |
0.96153 | How do you determine whether an Italian wine is really worth drinking? You’ll want to look for quality assurance labels: three key ones to know are IGT, DOC and DOCG. Here are some details on the DOCG designation.
“DOCG” stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (controlled and guaranteed designation of origin). Similar to the DOC label, attaining this stamp of quality assurance requires very specific production methods and standards, and production must take place within a designated geographical area (such as the Chianti or Bolgheri regions). DOCG wines are only a slight step up from DOC wines in terms of prestige and production standards: think of them as the ultimate in top-shelf taste. Six of the wines currently served at Mi Garba hold this important designation. |
0.958606 | A large class of machine-learning problems in natural language require the characterization of linguistic context. Two characteristic properties of such problems are that their feature space is of very high dimensionality, and their target concepts refer to only a small subset of the features in the space. Under such conditions, multiplicative weight-update algorithms such as Winnow have been shown to have exceptionally good theoretical properties. We present an algorithm combining variants of Winnow and weighted-majority voting, and apply it to a problem in the aforementioned class: context-sensitive spelling correction. This is the task of fixing spelling errors that happen to result in valid words, such as substituting "to" for "too", "casual" for "causal", etc. We evaluate our algorithm, WinSpell, by comparing it against BaySpell, a statistics-based method representing the state of the art for this task. We find: (1) When run with a full (unpruned) set of features, WinSpell achieves accuracies significantly higher than BaySpell was able to achieve in either the pruned or unpruned condition; (2) When compared with other systems in the literature, WinSpell exhibits the highest performance; (3) The primary reason that WinSpell outperforms BaySpell is that WinSpell learns a better linear separator; (4) When run on a test set drawn from a different corpus than the training set was drawn from, WinSpell is better able than BaySpell to adapt, using a strategy we will present that combines supervised learning on the training set with unsupervised learning on the (noisy) test set. |
0.968936 | <p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Like Apple (AAPL) shares the slide on material problems such as supplier cuts and additional US tariff threats on products made in China, the viability of the company's multi-billion dollar service division could pose a threat more existential, depending on the result of the next decision of the Supreme Tribunal."data-reactid =" 22 ">While Apple (AAPL) shares its actions as a result of hardware problems such as supplier cuts and additional US tariff threats on products made in China, the viability of the company's multi-billion dollar service division could pose a more existential threat, depending on the outcome of a future Supreme Court decision.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Apple's lucrative App Store, which is part of its service arm which generated $ 37.2 billion& nbsp;in fiscal year 2018, is subject to a potential antitrust class action which, if allowed to proceed, threatens to make profits for the division increasingly sought to counter the weak demand for mobile phones."data-reactid =" 23 ">Apple's lucrative App Store, part of its service arm that generated $ 37.2 billion in fiscal year 2018, is subject to a potential antitrust class action which, if allowed to proceed, threatens to make profits for the division increasingly sought to counter the weak demand for mobile phones.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The issue in dispute concerns a group of iPhone consumers who claim that the revenues from the App Store are, at least in part, the ill-gotten gains of an illegal monopoly. Consumers claim that the App Store controls retail prices by charging developers a 30% commission transferred to buyers of apps that do not have another market to buy from. iPhone applications."data-reactid =" 24 ">The issue in dispute concerns a group of iPhone consumers who claim that the revenues from the App Store are, at least in part, the ill-gotten gains of an illegal monopoly. Consumers claim that the App Store controls retail prices by charging developers a 30% commission transferred to buyers of apps that do not have another market to buy from. iPhone applications.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "If the Supreme Court allows the case to From the front and Apple loses at trial, this could be a blow. & Nbsp;App Store sales are expected to account for about 37 percent of the company's total annual revenue, estimated at $ 46 billion in fiscal 2019, according to a November 26 analyst report from Bank of America Merrill Lynch . In a scenario where the commissions of the App Store would only drop by 5% from the current rate of 30%, analysts are expecting a 17% decline in the business turnover of the App Store. Store, a loss of 2.8 billion dollars."Data-reactid =" 26 "> If the Supreme Court allows the case to go ahead and that Apple loses at trial, it could be a blow. App Store sales are expected to account for about 37 percent of the company's total annual revenue, estimated at $ 46 billion in fiscal 2019, according to a November 26 analyst report from Bank of America Merrill Lynch . In a scenario where the commissions of the App Store would only drop by 5% from the current rate of 30%, analysts are expecting a 17% decline in the business turnover of the App Store. Store, a loss of 2.8 billion dollars.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Regardless of whether or not the app store is an illegal monopoly, judges are faced with a more preliminary question: do iPhone users have the right or "standing" to bring the antitrust claim against Apple, in the first place.
In 1977, in the Illinois Brick v. Illinois, the Supreme Court stated that only direct purchasers, or those who were suffering immediate harm as a result of allegedly monopolistic behavior, could bring an action for damages under anti-competitive laws. "data-reactid =" 27 ">Regardless of whether or not the app store is an illegal monopoly, judges are faced with a more preliminary question: do iPhone users have the right or "standing" to bring the antitrust claim against Apple, in the first place.
In 1977, in the Illinois Brick v. Illinois, the Supreme Court stated that only direct purchasers, or those who were suffering immediate harm as a result of allegedly monopolistic behavior, could bring an action for damages under anti-competitive laws.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Apple and the app developers contend that buyers of the App Store are indirect buyers who do not have the right to sue, but if the Supreme Court authorizes the continuation of the claim, Apple will have to defend its service empire in a new antitrust landscape."data-reactid =" 28 ">Apple and the app developers contend that buyers of the App Store are indirect buyers who do not have the right to sue, but if the Supreme Court authorizes the continuation of the claim, Apple will have to defend its service empire in a new antitrust landscape.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "According to George Hay, a law professor at Cornell Law School, and a leading antitrust authority, Apple questions whether Apple sets or controls the retail price."data-reactid =" 30 ">According to George Hay, a law professor at Cornell Law School, and a leading antitrust authority, Apple questions whether Apple sets or controls the retail price.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = ""Antitrust does not impose any restrictions on the ability of a single company to charge everything it wants," Hay said. "Of course, a commission raises the price.""data-reactid =" 31 ">"Antitrust does not impose any restrictions on the ability of a single company to charge what it wants," Hay said. "Of course, a commission raises the price."
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "For their part, iPhone consumers suing Apple in court argue that its price categories requiring a price close, for example in increments of 99 cents, equate to a control of the retail selling price. & Nbsp;"This seems to be due to the fact that Apple does not just charge the developer a commission, which it is allowed to do, but somehow controls the retail process and the retail price," he said. said Hay."data-reactid =" 32 ">For their part, iPhone consumers filing lawsuits against Apple claim that its price categories requiring a price close, for example in increments of 99 cents, equate to a control of the retail selling price. "This seems to be due to the fact that Apple does not just charge the developer a commission, which it is allowed to do, but somehow controls the retail process and the retail price," he said. said Hay.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Interestingly, the application industry – which is charging 30% commission – seems to come from Apple's side. & nbsp;The App Association, which represents over 5,000 Apple and Android apps, & nbsp;filed an amicus brief in support of Apple, and its president, Morgan Reed, claimed that Apple did not actually control the price of applications. He noted, as evidence of this lack of control, that Apple allowed developers to offer free apps in the store."data-reactid =" 33 "> It is interesting to note that the application sector, which is billed the commission of 30%, seems to be on the side of Apple. The App Association, which represents more than 5,000 Apple and Android apps, filed an amicus brief for Apple, and its president, Morgan Reed, claimed that Apple was not controlling the price of applications. He noted, as evidence of this lack of control, that Apple allowed developers to offer free apps in the store.
<p class = "canvas-atom text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "In addition, nIn the beginning, all the application developers represented by the App Association are sold on both platforms, said Reed. Despite the fact that, according too a study of Sensor, App Store reports nearly double the revenue of its closest competitor, Google Play, says Reed, & nbsp;"There is no dominant monopoly in the handset or the tablet.""data-reactid =" 34 "> Moreover, nIn the beginning, all the application developers represented by the App Association are sold on both platforms, said Reed. Despite the fact that, according too a study of Sensor, Reed claims that the App Store has nearly doubled the revenue of its closest competitor, Google Play "There is no dominant monopoly in the handset or the tablet."
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = ""It's very easy to talk to a leading company like Apple, to see it as a big company and therefore dictate its terms," said Reed, pointing out that developers are a powerful community of hundreds of thousands of people who can act against Apple. if he decides that the commission "the rent is simply too high". Apple customers, he says, are more likely to initially pay for apps than Android users."data-reactid =" 35 ">"It's very easy to talk to a leading company like Apple, to see it as a big company and therefore dictate its terms," said Reed, pointing out that developers are a powerful community of several hundred thousands of people who can act against Apple if it decides that the commission "the rent is simply too high". Apple customers, he says, are more likely to initially pay for apps than Android users.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "According to Reed, developers receive benefits in return for commissions charged by Apple and Google Play, such as reduced overhead, prevention of lawsuits, protection of copyright and intellectual property, platform that users trust to secure their data and credit card processing. They play a role of "convener," said Reed, which promotes efficiency and reduced costs for developers and consumers."data-reactid =" 36 ">According to Reed, developers receive benefits in return for commissions charged by Apple and Google Play, such as reduced overhead, prevention of lawsuits, protection of copyright and intellectual property, platform that users trust to secure their data and credit card processing. They play a role of "convener," said Reed, which promotes efficiency and reduced costs for developers and consumers.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Reed said that the advent of application-based software had lowered the average initial price of software from about $ 50 for boxed software to about $ 3. He explains that the costs for developers would skyrocket if they were forced to design solutions and marketing plans for dozens of apps stores."data-reactid =" 41 ">Reed said that the advent of application-based software had lowered the average initial price of software from about $ 50 for boxed software to about $ 3. He explains that the costs for developers would skyrocket if they were forced to design solutions and marketing plans for dozens of apps stores.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = ""If the result was a breakdown of the App Store catastrophic for developers," said Reed. "Now you would be a developer and an island on the Internet.""data-reactid =" 42 ">"If the result was a breakdown of the App Store catastrophic for developers," said Reed. "Now you would be a developer and an island on the Internet."
Now that the case has been debated in the Supreme Court, judges could render a decision at any time until the end of his term this summer. If the High Court allows action in a class action, it may take years before a final decision is made. Nevertheless, Apple risks being victim of a triple harm if the customer loses the potential cause.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Follow Yahoo Finance on & nbsp;Twitter& nbsp;Facebook& nbsp;Instagram& nbsp;Flipboard& nbsp;LinkedIn, and& nbsp; reddit."data-reactid =" 45 ">Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedInand reddit. |
0.999651 | Which 3 extracurricular activities at Valencia High School are most popular? Which extracurriculars would you recommend?
Extremely popular extracurricular activities at my school would be ASB, who organize most school events, our band and orchestra groups, as well as the many sports available at the school. I would recommend some of the interesting clubs such as French Club or Love is Kindness, or even Valencia's Mock Trial team. There is something for everybody with myriad activities that cater to one's interests.
Valencia High School: Describe the type of student who should not attend Valencia High School and explain why.
Valencia High School: Describe the type of student who should attend Valencia High School. Why?
Valencia High School: Would you recommend attending Valencia High School if you had the choice? Why or why not?
Valencia High School: What is a typical Valencia High School student like? Describe the type of person who should attend Valencia High School. |
0.999984 | 2? ?2 = ?m?2 + i? ? ? ?0 , 2? ?3 = i? ? ?+1 ?1 , ? = ?m/4k.
?2 = ? ? ? , ?1 = ? ? ?? ?3 .
The first and the second equations of this system are Bessel-type equations.
where J? , Y? are Bessel functions, z = ? ? (2?+1)/2 /(?+1), ? = (2??m+2)/2(1+2?).
[? J? (z) + ?2 Y? (z)] ?
?2 = ? (2+2??m)/4 ?
[? J? (z) + ?1 Y? (z)] ?
?1 = ? (2+2??m)/4 ?
?? ? ?0? ?2 + ?2? ?0 + ?3? ?1 + ?1? ?3 = C? ?m/2 .
2i(2? + 1) 0 2?
W [J? , Y? ] ? J? ? Y? = 2/?z.
? = ?(m ? 1)/2, ? = ±1.
2 3 3 ?+ 1 ??
?0 , . . . , ?3 are arbitrary complex constants; ? satisfies the equality (?1)m i(?0? ?2 ?
where ?0 , . . . , ?3 are constants; ? satisfies the equality ? = i?(?0 ?2? ??2 ?0? +?3 ?1? ?
?? ? +? ? ?? ? )=?
by formulae (3.55)–(3.57) for k = m/2.
?j = exp[?i?(??)1/2 ?1 zj ]?, j = 4, 6; ?8 = exp[i?(??)1/2k ?1 z8 ]?.
?2 (z2 ) = z2 ?
?9 (z9 ) = z9 exp ? ?.
f4 = ?2 + , ? = ?(??).
?3 (x) = exp ? (?0 + ?3 )?1 (x0 + x3 ) ?
?4 (x) = exp ? (?0 + ?3 )?1 (x0 + x3 ) ? |
0.998886 | Speak with a structural engineer. The very first step in adding a second story to your home should be consulting with a structural engineer to make sure your foundation is capable of handling the added weight of your proposed second story.
Upgrade your HVAC system & consider adding solar electrical options. Your existing heating and electrical system will likely not be able to handle heating and cooling an additional floor.
Think about window placement & shades. Another important thing to remember is to make sure second story windows match the size, shape and placement of your first story windows. Use window shades to reduce the heat gain in your upper story. Interior and exterior shades allow you to control the amount of light in your home while eliminating glare.
Over-customize. It's important to consider that you may want to sell your home in the future. Adding too many permanent personal touches to your second story may make it more difficult to sell your home as it will only appeal to buyers with the same taste as you.
Neglect to consult your HOA. Make sure to research local building codes before jumping into a major home renovation project like this. Some HOAs require you to adhere to a strict time allotment for renovations, after which you may face heavy fines.
Which Home Improvements Make the Biggest Impact? |
0.95868 | Villas in Spain are a worthy option when planning vacations. Though the word villa does have an opulent connotation attached, there are many meanings to the word. When most people consider a villa rental in Spain, they think: big ticket item! Yet this isn’t necessarily so. Sure, luxury villas in Spain can cost a quite a bit, but so can any lavish vacation rentals almost anywhere in the world. Consider the many villas in Spain, their price, and what they have to offer before discounting the idea. They can often be cheap than Spain hotels. Take a closer look at villas through the Internet, talk to a trusted travel agent, or even a friend who may have traveled to Spain, for some insight on Spanish villas.
Vacations to Spain can be planned in a large variety of themes and take place in several distinct areas. For instance, if wine is your weakness, La Rioja region in the north might be the perfect place for a villa rental in Spain. Enjoy relaxing days exploring mountains, rivers, and valleys, take tours of famous Spain wineries, sip on rich glasses of famous Rioja wine, and settle in to your own private villa for comfortable evenings. To the east, in Costa Brava, there are countless options for a villa rental in Spain. Many are situated adjacent to and near popular Spain beaches. Day trips to Barcelona offer a taste of city fun and outings to Sitges present many more beach options and attractions.
Andalucia, Spain’s renowned southern area, reveals some of the best of Spain’s golf courses, many historic castles, and easy access to Seville, the Seville Cathedral, and Granada. Luxury villas in Spain throughout Andalucia feature numerous lavish amenities such as large, outdoor swimming pools, cozy fireplaces, well-equipped gourmet kitchens, and plenty of other modern conveniences. Popular luxury villas in Spain in this region are located in sweeping country sides and beautiful rural settings.
The Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol regions are two more fantastic regions for a villa rental in Spain near celebrated Spain beaches. Luxury villa rentals in Spain in these coastal regions often include a car to make transportation easily accessible. Some high end villas in Spain also offer access to a boat and even a spot in a nearby marina, creating opportunities for snorkeling, diving, and fishing. For more exotic vacations, a villa rental in Spain on either the Balearic Islands or the Canary Islands are both worth strong consideration.
There are many things to consider before looking at choices of villas in Spain. Budget is a major factor, and since many Spanish villas are situated outside of major city centers, transportation is an extra cost incurred. Some tourists prefer a large array of amenities while others require only a few. A cheap holiday villa in Spain can be found by seeking out private rentals without a long list of amenities. A seaside villa will cost quite a bit more than one even a few minutes from the coast. Household equipment such as washers and dryers, computers with Internet access, cleaning services, and a large number of bedrooms will add up in the end. All of these conveniences are generally part and parcel when renting luxury villas in Spain.
When exploring options for a villa rental in Spain, always ask for as many photos as possible, inquire about a map showing the specific location and surrounding area, and look at a corresponding floor plan. The more information obtained, the better. It’s also a good idea to inquire about additional fees and/or taxes that could include cleaning services, car rental, land maintenance fees, and more. Also be certain that there is access to a nearby town or village for amenities if renting in a rural area. Though the list of questions to ask might seem dizzying, the more information received means making the best informed decision before investing in a villa rental in Spain. |
0.966293 | A redneck decides he is going to buy a chainsaw to cut down some trees in his back yard.
Score 3 points per correct answer. You’re given 1 point to start.
A bright young Scottish lad named Shamus had the opportunity to go to university in London. So he packed his bags and said good-bye to his mother and left the highlands for the big city.
You’ve taken your kids trick-or-treating during a blizzard. |
0.971696 | Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated musical romantic fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 30th Disney animated feature film and the third released during the Disney Renaissance period, it is based on the French fairy tale of the same name by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont who was uncredited in the English version but credited in the French version, and ideas from the 1946 French film of the same name directed by Jean Cocteau. Beauty and the Beast focuses on the relationship between the Beast (voice of Robby Benson), a prince who is magically transformed into a monster and his servants into household objects as punishment for his arrogance, and Belle (voice of Paige O'Hara), a young woman whom he imprisons in his castle to become a prince again. To break the curse, Beast must learn to love Belle and earn her love in return before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose or else the Beast will remain a monster forever. The film also features the voices of Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, and Angela Lansbury.
Walt Disney first attempted unsuccessfully to adapt Beauty and the Beast into an animated film during the 1930s and 1950s. Following the success of The Little Mermaid (1989), Walt Disney Pictures decided to adapt the fairy tale, which Richard Purdum originally conceived as a non-musical. Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg eventually dismissed Purdum's idea and ordered that the film be a musical similar to The Little Mermaid instead. The film was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, with a screenplay by Linda Woolverton story first credited to Roger Allers. Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken wrote the film's songs. Ashman, who additionally served as the film's executive producer, died of AIDS-related complications six months before the film's release, and the film is thus dedicated to his memory.
Beauty and the Beast premiered as an unfinished film at the New York Film Festival on September 29, 1991, followed by its theatrical release as a completed film at the El Capitan Theatre on November 13. The film grossed $425 million at the box office worldwide on a $25 million budget. Beauty and the Beast won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, the first animated film to ever win that category. It also became the first animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 64th Academy Awards, where it won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for its title song and received additional nominations for Best Original Song and Best Sound. In April 1994, Beauty and the Beast became Disney's first animated film to be adapted into a Broadway musical. The success of the film spawned two direct-to-video follow-ups: Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997) and Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World (1998), both of which take place in the timeline of the original. This was followed by a spin-off television series, Sing Me a Story with Belle.
An IMAX version of the film was released in 2002, and included "Human Again", a new five-minute musical sequence that was previously included in the 1994 musical. That same year, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". After the success of the 3D re-release of The Lion King, the film was reissued in 3D in 2012. A live-action adaptation of the film directed by Bill Condon was released on March 17, 2017.
An enchantress disguised as a beggar arrives at a French castle and offers a cruel and selfish prince a rose in return for shelter. When he refuses, she reveals her identity. To punish the prince for his lack of compassion, the enchantress transforms him into a beast and his servants into household objects. She casts a spell on the rose and warns the prince that the curse will only be broken if he learns to love another, and earn their love in return, before the last petal falls on his 21st birthday.
Ten years later, in a nearby village, a beautiful, young, book-loving woman named Belle dreams of adventure and brushes off advances from Gaston, a handsome, narcissistic and arrogant hunter. On his way to a fair and lost in the forest, Belle's father Maurice seeks refuge in the Beast's castle, but the Beast imprisons him. When Maurice's horse returns without him, Belle ventures out in search for him, and finds him locked in the castle dungeon. The Beast agrees to let her take Maurice's place.
Belle befriends the castle's servants, who invite her to a spectacular dinner. When she wanders into the forbidden west wing and finds the rose, the Beast scares her into the woods. She is ambushed by a pack of wolves, but the Beast rescues her, and is injured in the process. As Belle nurses his wounds, a friendship develops between them. Meanwhile, Maurice returns to the village and fails to convince the townsfolk of Belle's predicament. Gaston then bribes Monsieur D'Arque, the warden of the town's insane asylum to have Maurice locked up if Belle refuses to marry Gaston.
After sharing a romantic dance with the Beast, Belle discovers her father's predicament using a magic mirror. The Beast releases her to save Maurice, giving her the mirror to remember him with. After taking Maurice to the village, Belle reveals the Beast in the mirror to the townsfolk, proving her father's sanity. Realizing that Belle loves the Beast, a jealous Gaston has her thrown into the basement with her father. He rallies the villagers to follow him to the castle to slay the Beast before he curses the whole village. Maurice and Belle escape with Chip's assistance, and Belle rushes back to the castle.
During the battle, the beast's servants fend off the villagers. Gaston attacks the Beast in his tower, who is too heartbroken from Belle's departure to fight back, but regains his spirit upon seeing Belle return. He defeats Gaston, but spares his life before reuniting with Belle. However, Gaston mortally wounds the Beast with a knife, but loses his footing from the Beast's thrashing, and he falls to his death.[a] The Beast dies in her arms as the last petal falls. Belle tearfully professes her love to the Beast and the curse is undone, reviving the Beast and restoring his human form along with all his servants. The Prince and Belle host a ball for the kingdom, where they dance happily.
Paige O'Hara as Belle – A bibliophilic young woman who seeks adventure, and offers her own freedom to the Beast in return for her father's. In their effort to enhance the character from the original story, the filmmakers felt that Belle should be "unaware" of her own beauty and made her "a little odd". Wise recalls casting O'Hara because of a "unique tone" she had, "a little bit of Judy Garland", after whose appearance Belle was modeled. James Baxter and Mark Henn served as the supervising animators for Belle.
Robby Benson as Beast – A young prince who is transformed into a beast by an enchantress as punishment for his arrogance. The animators drew him with the head structure and horns of an American bison, the arms and body of a bear, the ears of a deer, the eyebrows of a gorilla, the jaws, teeth, and mane of a lion, the tusks of a wild boar, and the legs and tail of a wolf. Chris Sanders, one of the film's storyboard artists, drafted the designs for the Beast and came up with designs based on birds, insects, and fish before coming up with something close to the final design. Glen Keane, supervising animator for the Beast, refined the design by going to the zoo and studying the animals on which the Beast was based. Benson commented, "There's a rage and torment in this character I've never been asked to use before." The filmmakers commented that "everybody was big fee-fi-fo-fum and gravelly" while Benson had the "big voice and the warm, accessible side" so that "you could hear the prince beneath the fur".
Richard White as Gaston – A vain hunter who vies for Belle's hand in marriage and is determined not to let anyone else win her heart. He serves as a foil personality to the Beast, who was once as egotistical as Gaston prior to his transformation. Gaston's supervising animator, Andreas Deja, was pressed by Jeffrey Katzenberg to make Gaston handsome in contrast to the traditional appearance of a Disney villain, an assignment he found difficult at first. In the beginning, Gaston is depicted as more of a narcissist than a villain, but later he threatens to put Maurice in a mental institution if Belle doesn't marry him, and eventually leads all the villagers to kill the beast, enraged that Belle would love a Beast more than him.
Jerry Orbach as Lumière – The kind-hearted but rebellious valet of the Beast's, who has been transformed into a candlestick. He has a habit of disobeying his master's strict rules, sometimes causing tension between them, but the Beast often turns to him for advice. He is depicted as flirtatious, as he is frequently seen with the Featherduster and immediately takes a liking to Belle. A running gag throughout the movie is Lumière burning Cogsworth. Nik Ranieri served as the supervising animator for Lumière.
David Ogden Stiers as Cogsworth – Majordomo, the head of the household staff and Lumière's best friend, who has been transformed into a clock. He is extremely loyal to the Beast so as to save himself and anyone else any trouble, often leading to friction between himself and Lumière. Will Finn served as the supervising animator for Cogsworth. Stiers also narrates the prologue.
Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts – The castle cook, turned into a teapot, who takes a motherly attitude toward Belle. The filmmakers went through several names for Mrs. Potts, such as "Mrs. Chamomile", before Ashman suggested the use of simple and concise names for the household objects. David Pruiksma served as the supervising animator for Mrs. Potts.
Bradley Pierce as Chip – Mrs. Potts' son, who has been turned into a teacup. Originally intended to only have one line, the filmmakers were impressed with Pierce's performance and expanded the character's role significantly, eschewing a mute Music Box character. Pruiksma also served as the supervising animator for Chip.
Rex Everhart as Maurice – Belle's inventor father. The villagers see him as insane for crafting devices believed impossible to construct in reality, but his loyal daughter believes he will be famous one day. Ruben A. Aquino served as the supervising animator for Maurice.
Jesse Corti as Lefou – Gaston's often abused yet loyal sidekick. Chris Wahl served as the supervising animator for Lefou.
Hal Smith as Philippe – Belle's Belgian horse. Russ Edmonds served as the supervising animator for Philippe.
Jo Anne Worley as the Wardrobe – The castle's authority over fashion, and a former opera singer, who has been turned into a wardrobe. The character of Wardrobe was introduced by visual development person Sue C. Nichols to the then entirely male cast of servants, and was originally a more integral character named "Madame Armoire". Wardrobe is known as "Madame de la Grande Bouche" (Madame Big Mouth) in the stage adaptation of the film and is the only major enchanted object character whose human form does not appear in the film. Tony Anselmo served as the supervising animator for the Wardrobe.
Mary Kay Bergman and Kath Soucie as the Bimbettes – A trio of village maidens who constantly fawn over Gaston, known as the "Silly Girls" in the stage adaptation.
Brian Cummings as the Stove – The castle's chef who has been transformed into a stove. He is named Chef Bouche in 1998's Belle's Magical World.
Alvin Epstein as the Bookseller – The owner of a book shop in Belle's hometown.
Tony Jay as Monsieur D'Arque – The sadistic warden of the Asylum de Loons. Gaston bribes him to help in his plan to blackmail Belle.
Alec Murphy as the Baker – The owner of a bakery in Belle's hometown.
Kimmy Robertson as the Featherduster – A maid and Lumière's sweetheart, who has been turned into a feather duster. She is never given a proper name in the 1991 film (listed as Featherduster in the credits); Babette is the name given to this character later in the 1994 stage adaptation of the film; Fifi in the 1998 animated musical film Belle's Magical World and Plumette in the 2017 live-action remake.
Frank Welker as Sultan – The castle's pet dog turned into a footstool.
After the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, Walt Disney sought out other stories to adapt into feature films, with Beauty and the Beast being among the stories he considered. Attempts to develop the Beauty and the Beast story into a film were made in the 1930s and 1950s, but were ultimately given up because it "proved to be a challenge" for the story team. Peter M. Nichols states Disney may later have been discouraged by Jean Cocteau having already done his 1946 version.
Decades later, during the production of Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1987, the Disney studio resurrected Beauty and the Beast as a project for the satellite animation studio it had set up in London, England to work on Roger Rabbit. Richard Williams, who had directed the animated portions of Roger Rabbit, was approached to direct but declined in favor of continuing work on his long-gestating project The Thief and the Cobbler. In his place, Williams recommended his colleague, English animation director Richard Purdum, and work began under producer Don Hahn on a non-musical version of Beauty and the Beast set in 19th-century France. At the behest of Disney CEO Michael Eisner, Beauty and the Beast became the first Disney animated film to use a screenwriter. This was an unusual production move for an animated film, which is traditionally developed on storyboards rather than in scripted form. Linda Woolverton wrote the original draft of the story before storyboarding began, and worked with the story team to retool and develop the film.
Upon seeing the initial storyboard reels in 1989, Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg ordered that the film be scrapped and started over from scratch.
Upon seeing the initial storyboard reels in 1989, Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg ordered that the film be scrapped and started over from scratch. A few months after starting anew, Purdum resigned as director. The studio had approached Ron Clements and John Musker to direct the film, but they turned down the offer, saying they were "tired" after just having finished directing Disney's recent success The Little Mermaid. Disney then hired first-time feature directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale. Wise and Trousdale had previously directed the animated sections of Cranium Command, a short film for a Disney EPCOT theme park attraction. In addition, Katzenberg asked songwriters Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who had written the song score for The Little Mermaid, to turn Beauty and the Beast into a Broadway-style musical film in the same vein as Mermaid. Ashman, who at the time had learned he was dying of complications from AIDS, had been working with Disney on a pet project of his, Aladdin, and only reluctantly agreed to join the struggling production team. To accommodate Ashman's failing health, pre-production of Beauty and the Beast was moved from London to the Residence Inn in Fishkill, New York, close to Ashman's New York City home. Here, Ashman and Menken joined Wise, Trousdale, Hahn, and Woolverton in retooling the film's script. Since the original story had only two major characters, the filmmakers enhanced them, added new characters in the form of enchanted household items who "add warmth and comedy to a gloomy story" and guide the audience through the film, and added a "real villain" in the form of Gaston.
These ideas were somewhat similar to elements of the 1946 French film version of Beauty and the Beast, which introduced the character of Avenant, an oafish suitor somewhat similar to Gaston, as well as inanimate objects coming to life in the Beast's castle. The animated objects were, however, given distinct personalities in the Disney version. By early 1990, Katzenberg had approved the revised script, and storyboarding began again. The production flew story artists back and forth between California and New York for storyboard approvals from Ashman, though the team was not told the reason why.
Disney had originally considered casting Jodi Benson from The Little Mermaid as Belle. They eventually decided upon Broadway actress and singer Paige O'Hara in favor of having a heroine who sounded "more like a woman than a girl". According to co-director Kirk Wise, O'Hara was given the role because she "had a unique quality, a tone she would hit that made her special", reminiscent to that of American actress and singer Judy Garland. O'Hara, who, after reading about the film in The New York Times, competed for the role against 500 hopefuls, believes the fact that lyricist Howard Ashman admired her cast recording of the musical Show Boat proved integral in her being cast.
A frame from the "Beauty and the Beast" ballroom dance sequence. The background is animated using computer generated imagery which, when the traditionally animated characters are composited against it using Pixar's CAPS system, gives the illusion of a dollying film camera.
Production of Beauty and the Beast was to be completed on a compressed timeline of two years rather than the traditional four-year Disney Feature Animation production schedule; this was due to the loss of production time spent developing the earlier Purdum version of the film. Most of the production was done at the main Feature Animation studio, housed in the Air Way facility in Glendale, California. A smaller team at the Disney-MGM Studios theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida assisted the California team on several scenes, particularly the "Be Our Guest" number.
Beauty and the Beast was the second film, after The Rescuers Down Under, produced using CAPS (Computer Animation Production System), a digital scanning, ink, paint, and compositing system of software and hardware developed for Disney by Pixar. The software allowed for a wider range of colors, as well as soft shading and colored line effects for the characters, techniques lost when the Disney studio abandoned hand inking for xerography in the early 1960s. CAPS/ink & paint also allowed the production crew to simulate multiplane effects: placing characters and/or backgrounds on separate layers and moving them towards/away from the camera on the Z-axis to give the illusion of depth, as well as altering the focus of each layer.
In addition, CAPS/ink & paint allowed an easier combination of hand-drawn art with computer-generated imagery, which before had to be plotted to animation paper and then xeroxed and painted traditionally. This technique was put to significant use during the "Beauty and the Beast" waltz sequence, in which Belle and Beast dance through a computer-generated ballroom as the camera dollies around them in simulated 3D space. The filmmakers had originally decided against the use of computers in favor of traditional animation, but later, when the technology had improved, decided it could be used for the one scene in the ballroom. Before that, CGI environments had first been printed out as wireframe, but this was the first time Disney made use of 3D rendering. The success of the ballroom sequence helped convince studio executives to further invest in computer animation.
The final dance between Belle and the Prince was reused from the final dance sequence between Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip from the 1959 film Sleeping Beauty. According to Trousdale, this was done because production of the film was nearing the deadline, and this was the easiest way to do that sequence.
Ashman and Menken wrote the Beauty song score during the pre-production process in Fishkill, the opening operetta-styled "Belle" being their first composition for the film. Other songs included "Be Our Guest," sung (in its original version) to Maurice by the objects when he becomes the first visitor to eat at the castle in a decade, "Gaston," a solo for the swaggering villain, "Human Again," a song describing Belle and Beast's growing love from the objects' perspective, the love ballad "Beauty and the Beast (Tale as Old as Time)" and the climactic "The Mob Song." As story and song development came to a close, full production began in Burbank while voice and song recording began in New York City. The Beauty songs were mostly recorded live with the orchestra and the voice cast performing simultaneously rather than overdubbed separately, in order to give the songs a cast album-like "energy" the filmmakers and songwriters desired.
During the course of production, many changes were made to the structure of the film, necessitating the replacement and re-purposing of songs. After screening a mostly animated version of the "Be Our Guest" sequence, story artist Bruce Woodside suggested that the objects should be singing the song to Belle rather than her father. Wise and Trousdale agreed, and the sequence and song were retooled to replace Maurice with Belle. The film's title song went through a noted bit of uncertainty during production. Originally conceived as a rock-oriented song, it was changed to a slow, romantic ballad. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken asked Angela Lansbury to perform the song, but she did not think her voice was suited for the melody. When she voiced her doubts, Menken and Ashman asked her for at least one take and told her to perform the song as she saw fit. Lansbury reportedly reduced everyone in the studio to tears with her rendition, nailing the song in the one take asked of her. This version went on to win the Oscar for Best Original Song. "Human Again" was dropped from the film before animation began, as its lyrics caused story problems about the timeline over which the story takes place. This required Ashman and Menken to write a new song in its place. "Something There," in which Belle and Beast sing (via voiceover) of their growing fondness for each other, was composed late in production and inserted into the script in place of "Human Again."
Menken would later revise "Human Again" for inclusion in the 1994 Broadway stage version of Beauty and the Beast, and another revised version of the song was added to the film itself in a new sequence created for the film's Special Edition re-release in 2002. Ashman died of AIDS-related complications at the age of 40 on March 14, 1991, eight months before the film's release. He never saw the finished film, though he did get to see it in its unfinished format. Ashman's work on Aladdin was completed by another lyricist, Tim Rice. Before Ashman's death, members of the film's production team visited him after the film's well-received first screening, with Don Hahn commenting that "the film would be a great success. Who'd have thought it?", to which Ashman replied with "I would." A tribute to the lyricist was included at the end of the credits crawl: "To our friend, Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice, and a beast his soul. We will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman: 1950–1991." A pop version of the "Beauty and the Beast" theme, performed by Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson over the end credits, was released as a commercial single from the film's soundtrack, supported with a music video. The Dion/Bryson version of "Beauty and the Beast" became an international pop hit and performed considerably well on charts around the world. The song became Dion's second single to land within the top-10 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number nine. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, "Beauty and the Beast" peaked at number two. Outside of North America, the song peaked within the top ten in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, while peaking within the top twenty in Australia, Netherlands, and Ireland. The song sold over a million copies worldwide. This version of the song was also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the Grammys, and it won the Grammy for Dion and Bryson for Best Pop Duo/Group Vocal Performance.
In a first-time accomplishment for The Walt Disney Company, an unfinished version of Beauty and the Beast was shown at the New York Film Festival on September 29, 1991. The film was deemed a "work in progress" because roughly only 70% of the animation had been completed; storyboards and pencil tests were used in replacement of the remaining 30%. Additionally, certain segments of the film that had already been finished were reverted to previous stages of completion. At the end of the screening, Beauty and the Beast received a ten-minute-long standing ovation from the film festival audience. The completed film was also screened out of competition at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival. The finished film premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on November 13, 1991, beginning a limited release before expanding wide on November 22.
The film was restored and remastered for its New Year's Day, 2002 re-release in IMAX theatres in a special-edition edit, including a new musical sequence. For this version of the film, much of the animation was cleaned up, a new sequence set to the deleted song "Human Again" was inserted into the film's second act, and a new digital master from the original CAPS production files was used to make the high-resolution IMAX film negative.
A sing along edition of the film, hosted by Jordin Sparks, was released in select theaters on September 29 and October 2, 2010. Prior to the showing of the film, Sparks showed an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the newly restored film and the making of her new Beauty and the Beast music video. There was also commentary from producer Don Hahn, interviews with the cast and an inside look at how the animation was created.
A Disney Digital 3D version of the film, the second of a traditionally animated film, was originally scheduled to be released in US theatres on February 12, 2010, but the project was postponed. On August 25, 2011, Disney announced that the 3D version of the film would make its American debut at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre from September 2–15, 2011. Disney spent less than $10 million on the 3D conversion. After the successful 3D re-release of The Lion King, Disney announced a wide 3D re-release of Beauty and the Beast in North America beginning January 13, 2012.
The film was released to VHS on October 30, 1992 as part of the Walt Disney Classics series, and was later put on moratorium on April 30, 1993, it was not included in the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection line. This version contains a minor edit to the film: skulls that appear in Gaston's pupils for two frames during his climactic fall to his death were removed for the original home video release. No such edit was made to later reissues of the film. The "work-in-progress" version screened at the New York Film Festival was also released on VHS and LaserDisc at this time; however, said version was the only one available on the latter format until the fall of 1993, when the completed theatrical version was released. This measure was to diminish the threat of video pirates making copies derived from the LaserDisc (which are not copy-protected) and selling them in international markets, where the film was yet to be available for home release.
Beauty and the Beast: Special Edition, as the enhanced version of the film released in IMAX/large-format is called, was released on two-disc "Platinum Edition" DVD and VHS on October 8, 2002. The DVD set features three versions of the film: the extended IMAX Special Edition with the "Human Again" sequence added, the original theatrical version, and the New York Film Festival "work-in-progress" version. This release went to "Disney Vault" moratorium status in January 2003, along with its direct-to-video follow-ups Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas and Belle's Magical World.
The film was released from the vault on October 5, 2010 as the second of Disney's Diamond Editions, in the form of a three-disc Blu-ray Disc and DVD combination pack—the first release of Beauty and the Beast on home video in high-definition format. This edition consists of four versions of the film: the original theatrical version, an extended version, the New York Film Festival storyboard-only version, and a fourth iteration displaying the storyboards via picture-in-picture alongside the original theatrical version. Upon its first week of release, the Blu-ray sold 1.1 million units, topping the Blu-ray sales chart and finishing in third place on the combined Blu-ray and DVD sales chart for the week ending on October 10, 2010. It was the second-best-selling Blu-ray of 2010, behind Avatar. A two-disc DVD edition was released on November 23, 2010. A five-disc combo pack, featuring Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray 2D, DVD and a digital copy, was released on October 4, 2011. The 3D combo pack is identical to the original Diamond Edition, except for the added 3D disc and digital copy. The Blu-ray release went into the Disney Vault along with the two sequels on April 30, 2012.
A 25th-anniversary Signature Edition was released on Digital HD September 6, 2016 and was followed by Blu-ray/DVD combo pack on September 20, 2016. Upon its first week of release on home media in the U.S., the film topped the Blu-ray Disc sales chart, and debuted at number 3 in the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks overall disc sales, behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows and Captain America: Civil War.
Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 94% based on reviews from 113 critics, with an average rating of 8.49/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Enchanting, sweepingly romantic, and featuring plenty of wonderful musical numbers, Beauty and the Beast is one of Disney's most elegant animated offerings." The film also holds a 95/100 on Metacritic, which indicates the reviews as "universal acclaim". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare "A+" grade.
Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the film with the following statement, "Two years ago, Walt Disney Pictures reinvented the animated feature, not only with an eye toward pleasing children, but also with an older, savvier audience in mind. Disney truly bridged a generation gap with The Little Mermaid … Now, lightning has definitely struck twice with Beauty and the Beast." Awarding the film a perfect score of four stars, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times compared Beauty and the Beast positively to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio, writing, "Beauty and the Beast reaches back to an older and healthier Hollywood tradition in which the best writers, musicians and filmmakers are gathered for a project on the assumption that a family audience deserves great entertainment, too." In 2001 Ebert again gave the IMAX re-release a full 4 out of 4 stars. James Berardinelli of ReelViews rated the film similarly while hailing it as "the finest animated movie ever made", writing, "Beauty and the Beast attains a nearly-perfect mix of romance, music, invention, and animation." The use of computer animation, particularly in the ballroom sequence, was singled out in several reviews as one of the film's highlights. Hal Hinson of The Washington Post gave the film a positive review, calling the film "A delightfully satisfying modern fable, a near-masterpiece that draws on the sublime traditions of the past while remaining completely in sync with the sensibility of its time." Janet Maslin of The New York Times gave the film a positive review, saying "It is a surprise, in a time of sequels and retreads, that the new film is so fresh and altogether triumphant in its own right." Dave Kehr of the Chicago Tribune gave the film three out of four stars, saying "Beauty and the Beast is certainly adequate holiday entertainment for children and their more indulgent parents … But the film has little of the technical facility, vivid characterization and emotional impact of Disney past."
Jay Boyar of the Orlando Sentinel gave the film four out of five stars, saying "It's not an especially scary movie, but right from the start, you can tell that this Beauty and the Beast has a beauty of a bite." John Hartl of The Seattle Times gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four, saying "It's exceptionally difficult to make an audience care for animated characters unless they're mermaids or anthropomorphized animals or insects, yet the Disney animators, with a big assist from the vocal talents of a superb cast, have pulled it off." Gene Siskel, also of the Chicago Tribune, gave the film four out of four stars, saying "Beauty and the Beast is one of the year's most entertaining films for both adults and children." On their Beauty and the Beast edition of Siskel & Ebert, both Siskel and Roger Ebert proclaimed that the film is "a legitimate contender for Oscar consideration as Best Picture of the Year." Michael Sragow of The New Yorker gave the film a positive review, saying "It's got storytelling vigor and clarity, bright, eclectic animation, and a frisky musical wit." Eric Smoodin writes in his book Animating Culture that the studio was trying to make up for earlier gender stereotypes with this film. Smoodin also states that, in the way it has been viewed as bringing together traditional fairy tales and feminism as well as computer and traditional animation, the film's "greatness could be proved in terms of technology narrative or even politics". Animation legend Chuck Jones praised the film, in a 1992 guest appearance on Later with Bob Costas he claimed he "Loved it. I think it should have won [Best Picture] … I think the animation on the beast is one of the greatest pieces of animation I've seen".
Animation historian Michael Barrier wrote that Belle "becomes a sort of intellectual less by actually reading books, it seems, than by hanging out with them", but says that the film comes closer than other "Disney-studio" films to "accepting challenges of the kind that the finest Walt Disney features met". David Whitley writes in The Idea of Nature in Disney Animation that Belle is different from earlier Disney heroines in that she is mostly free from the burdens of domestic housework, although her role is somewhat undefined in the same way that "contemporary culture now requires most adolescent girls to contribute little in the way of domestic work before they leave home and have to take on the fraught, multiple responsibilities of the working mother". Whitley also notes other themes and modern influences, such as the film's critical view of Gaston's chauvinism and attitude towards nature, the cyborg-like servants, and the father's role as an inventor rather than a merchant.
In 2010, IGN named Beauty and the Beast as the greatest animated film of all time, directly ahead of WALL-E, The Incredibles, Toy Story 2, and The Iron Giant.
Several critics regard the 1991 animated film as superior to the 2017 live-action remake. Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune said that the 1991 film "worked wonderfully because it was pure Broadway, written for the screen, blending comedy and romance and magic and just enough snark in the margins", while the 2017 remake got lost in translation since "The movie takes our knowledge and our interest in the material for granted. It zips from one number to another, throwing a ton of frenetically edited eye candy at the screen, charmlessly." Phillips also wrote of the 2017 film that "too often we're watching highly qualified performers, plus a few less conspicuously talented ones (Watson, primarily), stuck doing karaoke, or motion-capture work of middling quality". Dana Schwartz of the Observer criticized some of the 2017 film changes to the characters like Gaston and the Beast as regressive by watering down their distinguishing personalities from the 1991 film, also arguing that the added backstory to the characters in the 2017 version failed to "advance the plot or theme in any meaningful way". David Sims of The Atlantic wrote that the 2017 film "feels particularly egregious, in part, because it's so slavishly devoted to the original; every time it falls short of its predecessor (which is quite often), it's hard not to notice".
During its initial release in 1991, the film grossed $145.9 million in revenues in North America and $351.9 million worldwide. It ranked as the third-most successful film of 1991 in North America, surpassed only by the summer blockbusters Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. At the time Beauty and the Beast was the most successful animated Disney film release, and the first animated film to reach $100 million in the United States and Canada in its initial run. In its IMAX re-release, it earned $25.5 million in North America and $5.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $31 million. It also earned $9.8 million from its 3D re-release overseas. During the opening weekend of its North American 3D re-release in 2012, Beauty and the Beast grossed $17.8 million, coming in at the No. 2 spot, behind Contraband, and achieved the highest opening weekend for an animated film in January. The film was expected to make $17.5 million over the weekend; however, the results topped its forecast and the expectations of box office analysts. The re-release ended its run on May 3, 2012, and earned $47.6 million, which brought the film's total gross in North America to $219 million. It made an estimated $206 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $425 million.
Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's song "Beauty and the Beast" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, while Menken's score won the award for Best Original Score. Two other Menken and Ashman songs from the film, "Belle" and "Be Our Guest", were also nominated for Best Original Song. Beauty and the Beast was the first picture to receive three Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song, a feat that would be repeated by The Lion King (1994), Dreamgirls (2006), and Enchanted (2007). Academy rules have since been changed to limit each film to two nominations in this category, due to the consecutive unintentional failures of Dreamgirls and Enchanted to win the award.
The film was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Sound. It was the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture, and remained the only animated film nominated until 2009 when the Best Picture field was widened to ten nominees, and it remains the only animated film nominated for the award when it had five nominees. It became the first musical in twelve years to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture of the Year, following All That Jazz (1979), and the last one to be nominated until Moulin Rouge! (2001), ten years later. It lost the Best Picture award to The Silence of the Lambs as it became the third film to complete the big five Oscar sweep. With six nominations, the film currently shares the record for the most nominations for an animated film with WALL-E (2008), although, with three nominations in the Best Original Song category, Beauty and the Beast's nominations span only four categories, while WALL-E's nominations cover six individual categories.
While The Little Mermaid was the first to be nominated, Beauty and the Beast became the first animated film to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. This feat was later repeated by The Lion King and Toy Story 2.
Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo With Vocal For "Beauty and the Beast"
Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television For "Beauty and the Beast"
Best Pop Instrumental Performance For "Beauty and the Beast"
In 2002, Beauty and the Beast was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." In June 2008, the American Film Institute revealed its "Ten Top Ten" lists of the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres, based on polls of over 1,500 people from the creative community. Beauty and the Beast was acknowledged as the seventh-best film in the animation genre. In previous lists, it ranked number 22 on the Institute's list of best musicals and number 34 on its list of the best romantic American films. On the list of the greatest songs from American films, Beauty and the Beast ranked number 62.
According to an article in the Houston Chronicle, "The catalyst for Disney's braving the stage was an article by The New York Times theater critic Frank Rich that praised Beauty and the Beast as 1991's best musical Theatre Under The Stars executive director Frank Young had been trying to get Disney interested in a stage version of Beauty about the same time Eisner and Katzenberg were mulling over Rich's column. But Young couldn't seem to get in touch with the right person in the Disney empire. Nothing happened till the Disney execs started to pursue the project from their end … When they asked George Ives, the head of Actors Equity on the West Coast, which Los Angeles theater would be the best venue for launching a new musical, Ives said the best theater for that purpose would be TUTS. Not long after that, Disney's Don Frantz and Bettina Buckley contacted Young, and the partnership was under way." A stage condensation of the film, directed by Robert Jess Roth and choreographed by Matt West, both of whom moved on to the Broadway development, had already been presented at Disneyland at what was then called the Videopolis stage. Beauty and the Beast premiered in a joint production of Theatre Under The Stars and Disney Theatricals at the Music Hall, Houston, Texas, from November 28, 1993 through December 26, 1993.
On April 18, 1994, Beauty and the Beast premiered on Broadway at the Palace Theatre in New York City to mixed reviews. The show transferred to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 11, 1999. The commercial (though not critical) success of the show led to productions in the West End, Toronto, and all over the world. The Broadway version, which ran for over a decade, received a Tony Award, and became the first of a whole line of Disney stage productions. The original Broadway cast included Terrence Mann as the Beast, Susan Egan as Belle, Burke Moses as Gaston, Gary Beach as Lumière, Heath Lamberts as Cogsworth, Tom Bosley as Maurice, Beth Fowler as Mrs. Potts, and Stacey Logan as Babette the feather duster. Many well-known actors and singers also starred in the Broadway production during its thirteen-year run, including Kerry Butler, Deborah Gibson, Toni Braxton, Andrea McArdle, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Christy Carlson Romano, Ashley Brown, and Anneliese van der Pol as Belle; Chuck Wagner, James Barbour, and Jeff McCarthy as the Beast; Meshach Taylor, Patrick Page, Bryan Batt, Jacob Young, and John Tartaglia as Lumière; and Marc Kudisch, Christopher Sieber, and Donny Osmond as Gaston. The show ended its Broadway run on July 29, 2007 after 46 previews and 5,461 performances. As of 2017[update], it is Broadway's tenth-longest-running show in history.
In June 2014, Walt Disney Pictures announced that a live-action film adaptation of the original film was in the works, with Bill Condon directing and Evan Spiliotopoulos writing the script. Condon originally planned on not only drawing inspiration from the original film, but also to include most, if not all, of the Menken/Rice songs from the Broadway musical, with the intention of making the film as a "straight-forward, live-action, large-budget movie musical". In September 2014, it was announced that Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) would re-write the script. In January 2015, Emma Watson announced on her Facebook page that she would portray Belle in the new live action remake film. In March 2015, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Emma Thompson, Josh Gad, Audra McDonald, and Kevin Kline joined the film as the Beast, Gaston, Mrs. Potts, Lefou, Garderobe, and Maurice, respectively. The following month, Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw joined the cast, as Cogsworth, Lumière, Cadenza, and Plumette, respectively. Composer Alan Menken returned to score the film's music, with new material written by Menken and Tim Rice. In June 2015, Menken said the film would not include the songs that were written for the Broadway musical. Filming began on May 18, 2015 in London, and production officially wrapped in August 2015. The film was released on March 17, 2017.
Beauty and the Beast merchandise cover a wide variety of products, among them storybook versions of the film's story, a comic book based on the film published by Disney Comics, toys, children's costumes, and other items. In addition, the character of Belle has been integrated into the "Disney Princess" line of Disney's Consumer Products division, and appears on merchandise related to that franchise. In 1995, a live-action children's series entitled Sing Me a Story with Belle began running in syndication, remaining on the air through 1999. Two direct-to-video followups (which take place during the timeline depicted in the original film) were produced by Walt Disney Television Animation: Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas in 1997 and Belle's Magical World in 1998; in contrast to the universal acclaim of the original, reception to the sequels was extremely negative. Disney on Ice produced an ice version of the movie that opened in 1992 in Lakeland, Florida. The show was such a huge commercial and critical success, touring around the world to sell-out crowds, that a television special was made when it toured Spain in 1994. The show ended its run in 2006, after 14 years.
"Beauty and the Beast (video game)" redirects here. For the 1996 sequel to The Last Ninja, see Beauty and the Beast (Commodore 64).
The first video game based on the film was titled Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Quest and is an action platformer for the Sega Genesis. Developed by Software Creations, the game was released in North America in 1993. It is one of two video games based on the film that Sunsoft published for the Genesis, the other being Beauty and The Beast: Roar of the Beast. Characters from the film like Gaston can help the player past tricky situations. As Belle, the player must reach the Beast's castle and break the spell to live happily ever after. To succeed, she must explore the village, forest, castle, and snowy forest to solve puzzles and mini-games while ducking or jumping over enemies. Belle's health is represented by a stack of blue books, which diminishes when she touches bats, rats, and other hazards in the game. Extra lives, keys and other items are hidden throughout the levels. While there is no continue or game saving ability, players can use a code to start the game at any of the seven levels.
The second video game based on the film was titled Beauty and the Beast: Roar of the Beast and is a side-scrolling video game for the Genesis. As the Beast, the player must successfully complete several levels, based on scenes from the film, in order to protect the castle from invading villagers and forest animals and rescue Belle from Gaston.
The third and fourth video games based on the film are action platformers developed by Probe Software and published by Hudson Soft. One, titled Beauty and the Beast, was released in Europe in 1994 for the NES, while the other, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, was released in North America in July 1994 and in Europe on February 23 1995 for the SNES. The entire games are played through the perspective of the Beast. As the Beast, the player must get Belle to fall in love so that the curse cast upon him and his castle will be broken. The final boss of the game is Gaston. The Beast can walk, jump, swipe, stomp, super stomp, and roar, the last of which is used to both damage enemies and reveal hidden objects.
The fifth video game based on the film was titled Disney's Beauty and the Beast: A Boardgame Adventure and is a Disney Boardgame adventure for the Game Boy Color. It was released on October 25, 1999.
The video game series Kingdom Hearts features a world based on the film, named "Beast's Castle", along with several of the film's characters. In the first game, the world has been destroyed and Belle kidnapped by the Heartless, led by Maleficent, but the Beast travels to Maleficent's stronghold and works with Sora to defeat Maleficent and rescue Belle and the other captured princesses. In Kingdom Hearts II, the world has since been restored following Ansem's defeat, but Beast and Belle are having difficulties due to the enigmatic Xaldin of Organization XIII attempting to bring out the Beast's darker side in order to turn him into a Heartless and a Nobody, but the Beast eventually comes to his senses and works with Sora once again to defeat Xaldin once and for all. In the game's ending credits, the Beast turns back into the Prince. In Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days, the world is featured as a playable level but the story is not essential to the main plot. In Kingdom Hearts χ, the world is featured again, this time as a hallucination that follows the plot of the movie more closely. The characters featured in the series are Beast, Belle, Lumiere, Gaston, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Maurice, and the Wardrobe. After Gaston is defeated, the Beast transforms back into the Prince. Gaston does not appear in Kingdom Hearts II, the world's primary antagonist being Xaldin, an original character created for the series, but who shares several traits with Forte, the main antagonist of Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Disney's Beauty and the Beast. |
0.948578 | Hi everyone. I recently gained and read the Book of Tyrael, and I was kinda suprised to see that there are numerous paladin-like factions on sanctuary, which kind of make them the most numerous faction-like group type (second to the Mage Clans). As such, I was trying to see regroup these factions and try to see on which points they are similar and different.
Note : the fact that members of the group doesn't call themselves Paladins, aren't directly associated to the Church of Zakarum, or even openly a religious institution doesn't matter in this classification. By paladin, one should heard a warrior with powers deriving from faith and discipline and who fight for a specific ideology of what is right/good.
Here are the main group I have found.
-Current mission : travel to the West, still for the same reason, but with more need following the revelation of Mephisto's corruption at the hearth of the Zakarum church.
-Unknow founded time. Possibly formed of paladins who served Rakkis during his campaign and then became official with the foundation of the Kingdom of Westmarch.
-Merged with the Orders of Paladin but kept their name.
-Goal : aledgedly recover lost tomes.
-Vanguard of the Zakarum Inquisition.
-Founded when the Zakarum faith ascended to be the official religion of Kehjistan.
-We can roughtly outline the timeline of the various paladin orders.
-Hand of Zakarum become divided.
-->Order of Paladins come to be to oppose the unseen corruption and its effects.
-Hand of Zakarum falls to corruption and is destroyed.
-->Rise of the Templar Order.
-Crusaders return to Kehjistan around the event of Diablo II and are witness to the corruption that Akkhan feared.
The big question I ask myself : did Leoric had any paladins at his service during the Darkening of Tristram ? He clearly had knights (Lachnadan was one), but were these actual holy warriors (with holy powers) or just reglar soldiers ?
To answer your Leoric question, I wouldn't call them paladins per se. Leoric had a group called the Order of (the) Light, which was comprised of his knights and priests. He sent them off to die against Westmarch as per prompting from Lazarus. However, to my knowledge, the knights were never called paladins. Just knights.
I think that there was no official Paladin order stationed in Khanduras. But it could be that some of Leoric's knights were Paladins.
Altough another question that comes to my mind is the organization of Paladin Orders. Are they an official military branch of a country? Like a part of the army of Westmarch. Or are they an autonomous organization who sometimes happens to aid the army but isn't directly under the command of king?
Offically, only the Knights of Westmarch seem to be aligned with a political force, and even then, we would have to know if the paladin in D2 (who was from this order) was on a mission for Westmarch. This would seem improbable, since, in D3, the King of Westmarch refuse to send soldiers to Bastion Keep because he doesn't believe demons to exist. As such, maybe the Knights of Westmarch have some independance or even no political obligation toward the King.
The Knights of Westmarch are the standing army of Westmarch under direct command of the king. The Paladin in D2 merely took up a personal quest, not a mission from his commanders.
As I interpret it, the true Paladin order served the Zakarum faith first and King of Westmarch second. As the corruption grew within Kurast they turned away from the leadership of their faith and focused more on the teachings of Zakarum to guide them instead. As the years have gone on the influence of Zakarum has waned and so the Paladin order saw little use in continuing to be a separate entity when they served the king already and their goals aligned with those of the Knights of Westmarch; defending the kingdom, protecting the innocent, upholding peace. They merely merged with the rest of the army but continue to practice their teachings and beliefs. |
0.950087 | Is there anything hugely difficult about organising an event if the venue provides catering?
I used to do some work for a local branch of the National Union of Teachers and one of the roles included organising training events. We provided a meal during training days and snacks for other events, such as, meetings after school.
To ensure that everyone was catered for, and so we were aware of allergies, I'd ask those who registered, if they had any dietary requirements. Unfortunately, sometimes I'd wished I hadn't!
I sometimes regretted asking about food requirements because, as it wasn't an event that I was hosting personally, I had to arrange for the provision of non vegan food.
On training days we usually offered a choice of three starters, three mains and three desserts. For one event, I finalised the menu which offered the three starters and mains. The three options were meat, vegetarian and vegan. I received feedback saying that if the vegetarians and vegans got one option each, there should be a fish option and a meat option, because meat-eaters don't class fish as meat.
When choosing vegetarian and meat options, I found it hard to look at the menu objectively, and the dessert was no different! Why? Two of the options needed to be vegetarian. I don't think I would have been able to choose 3 vegan desserts.
It was particularly hard for me because I view vegetarian food, (which includes dairy), to be as cruel and violent as meat. So choosing meat starters, mains and desserts, was just as difficult as choosing vegetarian ones.
I had to be quite firm with myself to stop me dwelling.
I told myself that I wouldn't offer these options if I was hosting the event myself.
I had to remind myself that everyone thinks differently and I can't impose my beliefs on those attending these events.
I also told myself to be kind to myself! To know it wasn't intentional violence and that I was doing the best I could in the situation I was in.
I would focus on finalising the menu and then work on letting it go.
For a number of reasons I am no longer involved in this role and I am thankful for it. No more looking at non-vegan options and choosing which ones sounded appealing.
Most of the staff who I liaised with knew how to define a vegan diet, and those who didn't had no problem once I'd explained.
The best part of all these events was the spread that was put on for those who wanted a vegan option! Here's one of the desserts I've enjoyed at these events. |
0.970756 | The 2600 was a stunning success though, selling more than 30 million units through its lifetime. Unfortunately, Atari was not able to maintain that momentum with any of its other products and eventually the company became the red-headed step-child of several companies, buying and selling Atari several times over the years, despite some strengths the company retained in the video game market.
Atari SA, originally named Infogrames Entertainment, based in France and took full stake in Atari in 2008 is now majority owned by BlueBay, and that company has stated its intention to be repaid on its credit line to Atari. Those stated intentions have created a bit of a toxic environment for Atari and with the credit line drying up at the end of March, the company has filed in Europe and in the US to seek bankruptcy protection.
Atari in the US has been reaping good rewards with its game licensing model and has made a big push with some of its classic names for mobile gaming in Android and iOS. Classics like Centipede and variations on classics like Asteroids, called Asteroids: Gunner, and others have been well received, and have accumulated millions of downloads. The games are free, but have a number of in-app purchase options.
That has helped make Atari US a much better performer compared to the rest of the company, accounting for a significant amount of the revenue overall. Despite that performance, the company overall will post a significant loss for 2012. Atari US is in a better position to restructure as it has secured financing to achieve that end. The rest of the company is facing an asset sell-off.
If you have been curious about what Atari has been up to since the salad days of the 2600 system, check out some of these games from iTunes and Google Play.
The new variations of these classics bring decent graphics and challenging twists. Available for iOS and Android.
The new rendition of Asteroids is well executed and for now at least, only available for iOS.
Available for iOS and Android, Circus takes you through all the challenges of putting on a show.
A play on the classic gallery shooter, outlaw is rooted in Atari's popular game from the 1970s.
Available for iOS and Android, the greatest hits is an original generation emulation of the greats from back in the day.
I miss old games. My fav: Contra, Starfox N64, Mariokart SNES, original Mario Bros. I can't stand the games that are currently out. I guess I'm old. That's why I love phone games.
cause they made games for phones and most likely good ones ? sometimes my friend your own question has the answer. its best to pause for a moment and think. really hard if possible.
Why did they stop innovating? |
0.999708 | The invention of dessert bars and squares is attributed to an American housewife who won a prize in 1971 for an original dessert she created by combining cake mix with pecans and other ingredients.
Today, countless variations are found in coffee shops across North America.
While they may be less refined and sophisticated than the jewel-like cakes and pastries found in French pâtisseries, homemade squares can be just as delicious, and they’re certainly very easy to make.
These luscious chocolate oatmeal squares are so tender they practically melt in your mouth.
The combination of delicate, buttery oatmeal crust and velvety smooth dark chocolate makes every morsel a regale of textures and flavours.
The key is to use fine quality chocolate for the filling. Some recipes call for chocolate chips, but to ensure amazing results, always use the best dark chocolate you can find.
Chocolate oatmeal squares are delicious with coffee or tea, and perfect for parties too.
Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). In a food processor combine brown sugar, butter and salt. Pulse for about 15 seconds until a lumpy mixture is obtained (stop before a ball begins to form).
Incorporate flour and oats and pulse until crumbly.
Press two-thirds of this mixture into the bottom of a buttered 33 x 22 cm (13 x 9 in) baking pan and reserve the rest.
Combine condensed milk and chocolate pieces in a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted.
Pour this mixture over crust in baking pan, taking care to distribute evenly. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly browned.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into squares.
400ml condensed milk is way too sweet!! Is there a typo error??
No, that is not a typo. The recipe calls for 400 ml (approx. 14 fluid ounces) of condensed milk. |
0.999343 | Have you noticed how the indicators on hot sauce bottles (usually a little thermometer) are all different? Some say they're flaming hot and turn out to be mild and then the ones that are truly hot surprise you! Let's put a stop to that and come up with a standard.
The "spicy heat" of chili peppers is scientifically referred to as pungency. The most common method of measuring is by using the well established Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) scale. You can read about it on Wikipedia.
Using this scale, a relationship can be made between SHU and to what most people can realistically handle, or better yet, enjoy. This is an approximating scale until capsaicinoid concentrations can be more accurately determined. Additionally, there are seven types of capsaicinoids, so the SHU scale points directly to the different type of peppers used, thus addressing the capsaicinoids within the different types of peppers. In most cases, this is irrelevant because capsaicin is the most potent out of all of the capsaicinoids and dominates the others, rendering them insignificant.
SHUR stands for Scoville Heat Unit Realistic: a standardized pungency (spicy heat) rating scale for hot sauce.
The SHUR scale ranges from 0 to 10. A rating of 0 indicated no spice and a rating of 10 represents a concentration of a pepper rated at 25,000 SHU, which is like eating a whole Thai chili pepper.
You can generate your own SHUR rating for your hot sauces. Simply download the Excel spreadsheet and enter the bottle size, chili pepper amount used, and SHU rating for that pepper.
This graph illustrates how the SHUR (0-10) values match SHU values (0 to 100,000). |
0.88706 | College football's bowl season kicked off on Saturday with the North Carolina A&T Aggies defeating the Alcorn State Braves 24-22 in the 2018 Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Braves had a chance to tie the game on a two-point conversion with 11:55 left in the fourth quarter. Chris Blair appeared to haul in the pass from Noah Johnson, but he momentarily bobbled the ball while falling out of bounds after Jalon Bethea got his hand on it to force an incompletion.
That would be the last scoring opportunity for either team the rest of the game.
Even though the Celebration Bowl is still in its infancy—this marks the fourth year it's been played—North Carolina A&T has dominated it thus far. This is the Aggies' second straight win and third overall in the unofficial championship game for HBCU (historical black colleges and universities) football.
North Carolina A&T wins it 24-22 over Alcorn to repeat as Black College Football national champions. The Aggies are 3-0 in @CelebrationBowl, capping arguably the best five-year run in HBCU modern history.
Both FCS teams were well-rounded during the regular season. Alcorn State was slightly better on offense, averaging 33.5 points per game; North Carolina A&T averaged 30.6 points per game.
This was also a matchup of strength vs. strength, with Alcorn State's eighth-ranked rushing offense (282.3 yards per game) against North Carolina A&T's second-ranked run defense (72.6 yards allowed per game).
Alcorn State actually won that particular battle with 328 rushing yards. Johnson and De'Shawn Waller both cracked the 100-yard mark in defeat.
North Carolina A&T just punted from the Alcorn State 30-yard line and the announcers are praising it as a "great call."
Raynard, who was playing in his final college game, went out with a bang. He finished 18-of-30 for 292 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
The game found a completely different gear after halftime, including a stretch of three straight possessions ending with a score.
After a slow start with just 84 rushing yards in the first half, the Braves exploded for 244 after the intermission. Waller and Johnson combined for 86 of those yards in a span of three plays to help cut the Braves' deficit to 17-13.
After briefly playing at the pace of a typical Big 12 game, North Carolina A&T slowed things down in a way that better suited its tempo. Clinging to a 24-22 lead, it took four minutes off the clock in a six-play drive that resulted in a punt.
When the Aggies defense forced a punt, Raynard went back to work trying to preserve the lead. He sealed the win with a 14-yard completion to Isaiah Hicklin on 3rd-and-11 that allowed them to run out the clock.
Washington told Jeff Mills of the News & Record leading up to the Celebration Bowl that his senior quarterback has been able to succeed this season by being calm under pressure.
"Lamar is a level-headed young man, and he knows what he needs to do to be successful," Washington said. "And that is to remain cool, calm and collected, and take what they give him. We don't need him to be supernatural. We just need him to play a good, solid football game and make sound decisions."
Raynard proved his coach right with a terrific finish to the game and a fitting cap to an excellent college career. He leaves North Carolina A&T with back-to-back wins in the Celebration Bowl. |
0.944001 | In vehicle acrobatics, a wheelie is a vehicle manoeuvre in which the front wheel or wheels come off the ground due to extreme torque being applied to the rear wheel or wheels. Wheelies are usually associated with bicycles and motorcycles, but can be done with other vehicles, such as cars.
To perform a wheelie on a bicycle, put the bike in low gear and pedal forward while pulling hard on the handlebars. This can most easily be done from a slow roll. While the front wheel is in the air, the wheelie can be controlled by maintaining an upright posture and leaning to control balance - do not hunch over the handlebars. For added control, pulling the rear brake can prevent falling backward.
A wheelie can be maintained indefinitely by finding a balance between amount of rear brake and pedalling force. It is possible to hold the rear brake on constantly with very small adjustments in pressure relating to how hard the rider is pedalling. This gives a more stable feeling as the balance point is more consistent. To return the front wheel to the ground, lean forward and gently squeeze the back brake if needed. Ensure the wheel is straight upon return to the ground, or control of the bike may be lost.
Once the wheelie has been conquered the manual wheelie can be attempted. This is the same as a wheelie but without pedalling. The bike is balanced by the rider's weight and sometimes use of the rear brake.
To travel farther on the back wheel of a bicycle, the rider must put the bike into a higher gear with the body weight leaned forward (over the handle bars if needed) and the stronger foot highest in the pedalling cycle. The rider kicks hard with the stronger foot, throw all their weight backwards and lands their backside on the seat, then straighten out the arms and put weight and tension on them. The rider keeps pedalling, and when the wheelie feels too high up, feathers the back brake slightly.
To lower the "balance point", put the saddle higher up, which will mean that the "maximum height" of the wheelie is brought down, and it will also be more comfortable to go for long distances on the back wheel. There is a skill to being able to stop on the back wheel, and then keep going more slowly, this can be done by striking a balance between the back brake and the pedalling.
It is possible to navigate corners while doing a wheelie and requires much the same inputs as cornering on two wheels. When approaching the turn it is best to look through the turn towards the exit as a bike goes where the rider looks.
Turning the bars in the direction the rider wants to go is the initial stage and only requires minimal movement, couple this with slightly shifting upper body weight (mainly head and shoulders) again in the direction of the turn and the bike should start to lean over and turn. This is not an easy maneuver because the bike now is very biased as to which side it wants to fall over on to. Concentration is needed to keeping the wheel off the ground and countering the sideways balance. Turning the bars opposite to the desired direction and shifting body weight to the outside will help keep the bike on a smooth path around the turn.
Leaning back too far (i.e. as a result of pedalling too hard) will cause the bike to rotate out from under the rider. Although most riders will instinctively hit the ground running, practice recovering from this event before attempting an actual wheelie. Balancing left to right can easily be controlled in the air by moving the knees and handlebars back and forth.
Injury can be avoided by keeping speeds down and/or learning to use the rear brake. However, higher speeds, counter-intuitively, are often necessary to master the wheelie as the effects of gyroscopic stabilization of the more quickly spinning wheels increase side to side control. For this reason, beginners attempting wheelies on bicycles should tune up their rear brakes and aim for an 12–18 km/h (8-12 mph) wheelie for maximum safety. Although a wheelie or manual can be easily achieved without the use of the back brake it is always recommended that the lever is covered. Never have the entire fist closed around the bars because if the balance point starts to become to far back there will not be enough time to grab the brake and at that point the rider may fall off backwards. A grip is needed on the bars so only one or at the most two fingers are required to use the back brake lever. The seat height will determine the outcome of going over the back, the higher the seat the harder it is to land on the feet.
Beginners should use a low seat height until comfortable with the balance point and back brake. It is harder to maintain speed with a low seat height so wheelies may be short but once comfortable raising the seat height will make the front wheel more eager to come up and make maintaining speed a lot easier. It will also make the balance point easier to fine tune as there is more weight above the back wheel to move back and forth.
A motorcycle wheelie on a closed track.
Motorcycle popping a wheelie. Video.
A wheelie is also a common motorcycle trick. The principle is the same as the bicycle wheelie, but the throttle and rear-brakes are used to control the wheelie. On more powerful motorcycles (usually above 500 cc) the front wheel is lifted into the air by accelerating, but on smaller bikes the clutch may be used and/or "bouncing" the forks (using the rider's weight to compress the front suspension, so that the recoil will help lift the front wheel on accelerating).
This page was last edited on 27 August 2018, at 03:35. |
0.642791 | Hello Do you solve the problem?
What does the training accuracy plot of my convolution neural network (CNN) show?
Layer 4 is expected to have a different size(Convolutional Neural Network)? |
0.99992 | How do roots know in which direction to grow? Roots need to grow downwards into the soil (a process called positive gravitropism), and a special set of cells at the very tip of every root tells the root which way is up and down. These cells, called columella cells, contain small starch grains, which are quite heavy compared to the rest of the cell content. Due to their weight, these starch grains will always move to the bottom of the cell. When the primary root grows down straight into the soil, the position of the starch grains is not disturbed. However, if the root is not growing straight down but sideways, for example because a stone is blocking its path, the position of the columella cells changes. What used to be one of the side walls of the cell becomes the bottom, and the starch grains will move towards this point. This movement of the starch grains sets a signalling process in motion that changes root growth. The lower side of the root grows less fast than the upper side of the root, which causes the root to bend until the root tip is pointing straight down again. Lateral roots are programmed not to grow down straight like the primary root, but at an angle. This helps the plant explore the soil for anchorage, nutrients, and water. |
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0.999062 | Debate about the future of energy production in Iran among the country’s political leaders has raged since at least 2004, and over the past eight years, the Iranian government has enacted several progressive reforms which if adhered to and enforced, will be instrumental in the country’s efforts to boost renewable energy production. Some of these are detailed below.
2013: A Renewable Energy Development Fund was established to finance renewable energy initiatives. Money for the Fund would come from a portion of the revenue collected by power companies from urban customers.
2016: Ministries and other government organizations were required to ensure that at least 20% of the energy consumed by their buildings comes from renewable sources.
2016: As part of the 6th Five-Year Development Plan, Iran’s Ministry of Energy is required to increase renewables’ share of the country’s energy production mix to at least 5% by 2021.
These policy initiatives, coupled with a surge in foreign investment following the relaxation of U.S. and international sanctions between 2015 and 2018, resulted in tangible and substantive improvements in Iran’s capacity to harness renewable energy sources.
Iran’s utilization of solar energy has generally been poor. Despite receiving about 300 days of unobstructed sunlight annually, Iran produced only about 250MW of solar electricity in 2018. Neighboring Pakistan, by comparison, which has similar climate conditions, produced more than 1GW (1,000MW) of solar power that year. However, since 2014, Tehran has more than doubled its investments in solar energy production, and now has installed more than 2,000 small rooftop photovoltaic power stations atop homes, schools, mosques and government buildings across the country. At least 2,000 more are on track to come online by 2020. Also, through investments from Spanish, Greek, Norwegian, British, Austrian, Italian and Chinese companies, Iran is in the process of constructing new solar farms which are expected to raise the country’s solar production capacity beyond 1GW by mid-2019.
Hydropower has been described as the ‘exception’ to Iran’s historical under-utilization of renewable energy. About 7% of Iran’s territory is water, and over the past 30 years, it has built about 600 dams which irrigate farms and generate electricity. Iran’s operational hydroelectric dams are capable of producing about 11.2GW of power each year, making it the 19th largest generator of hydropower in the world (6th in Asia). The country is currently in the process of constructing an additional 14 hydropower dams, which would increase generative capacity by an additional 5.8GW. The most notable of these projects is the Bakhtiari Dam, which would generate as much as 1.5GW of electricity and, at 325 meters (~1,066 ft.) would be the tallest of its kind on Earth.
Iran has, moreover, assumed a position of regional leadership in hydroelectric production, exporting hydroelectricity to neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Tehran is also in talks with Kyrgyzstan to aid in the development of hydroelectric dams in the small Central Asian republic.
There are about 17 active wind energy power plants(a total of over 200 turbines) currently active in Iran, giving the country a production capacity of about 282MW. Although this represents a 165MW increase over its 2016 capacity, it is estimated to be only about 1/100th of the wind power Iran has the potential to produce based on wind patterns the country experiences.
This potential however, is not lost either on Iranian leaders or foreign investors. In 2017, investors from Denmark and Germany, among others, pledged more than $US1 billion towards the construction of wind and solar energy plants across Iran. At least 11 wind farms, capable of producing a total of 750 additional megawatts of energy are currently under construction across Iran, with three of these (80 turbines) to be placed in the notoriously underdeveloped province of Sistan-Balochistan. In August 2018, Iran formally opened its largest wind farm, the 18-turbine Sihapoush wind farm in Qazvin Province. It is expected to contribute some 61.2MW of power to the national grid.
Though advances have been substantial, renewable energy faces a very uncertain future in Iran.
Economic Contraction: The International Monetary Fund projects that because of the U.S.’ decision to re-impose economic sanctions on Iran, the Islamic Republic may not experience any economic growth until at least 2020. Given that Tehran has already stated that expanding renewable energy is not one of the “main priorities of the national development agenda,” a tightening economy will likely mean reduced domestic investment.
Foreign Investment Flight: Washington has vowed to punish actors who continue doing business with Iran in violation of its sanctions. Many foreign investors have already been scared away from renewable energy projects in Iran. So far, the British firm Quercus, and Norway’s Saga Energy have already backed away from plans to construct 2.2GW solar and wind energy plants in Iran. Furthermore, car manufacturers including Toyota, Mazda and Hyundai have scrapped plans to supply Iran with renewable energy fuel cells for vehicles. It should be noted however, that the European Union is currently exploring ways to bypass U.S. sanctions and continue renewable energy cooperation with Iran.
Climate Change: Changing weather patterns are slowly but steadily impacting Iran’s ability to benefit from renewable energy sources, particularly wind and hydro power.
Annual precipitation in Iran is on the decline, having fallen 56% between 2017 and 2018, and at risk of plunging by as much as 80% by 2100. Performance of hydroelectric plants across the country has already been adversely impacted, with generation some 36% lower than in 2017. Furthermore, water shortages have prompted Tehran to cancel construction of 50 planned dams.
A 2015 study conducted in Iran found that rising temperatures and decreasing air moisture, both being processes occurring across the country as a result of global warming, are likely to decrease the productive capacity of most wind energy stations over the next two to three decades. |
0.999693 | Formula One, abbreviated to F1, and also known as Grand Prix racing, is the highest class of auto racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motor sport's world governing body.
The "formula" in the name is a set of rules which all participants and cars must meet.
The F1 world championship season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, held usually on purpose-built circuits, and in a few cases on closed city streets. The results of each race are combined to determine two annual World Championships, one for drivers and one for constructors.
Formula 1 races are massive television events, with millions of people watching each race in 200 countries.
The cars race at high speeds, often greater than 320 km/h (200 mph) and are capable of pulling up to 6 g in some corners.
The performance of the cars is highly dependent on electronics, aerodynamics, suspension and tires. The formula has seen many evolutions and changes through the history of the sport.
Europe is Formula 1's traditional center and remains its leading market. However, Grands Prix are held all over the world and, with new races in Bahrain, China, Malaysia, Turkey and the United States since 1999, its scope continues to expand with India being a possible venue in 2009.
Of the 17 races in 2007, 9 are outside Europe. As the world's most expensive sport, its economic effect is significant, and its financial and political battles are widely observed.
Its high profile and popularity makes it an obvious merchandising environment, which leads to very high investments from sponsors, translating into extremely high budgets for the constructor teams.
In recent years several teams have gone bankrupt or been bought out by other companies.
Formula 1 racing is regulated by the FIA. Formula One's commercial rights are vested in the Formula One Group.
Place a Motor Sports bet now.
In sports car racing, production versions of sports cars and purpose-built prototype cars compete with each other on closed circuits.
The races are often conducted over long distances, at least 1000 km, and cars are driven by teams of two or three drivers (and sometimes more in the US), switching every now and then.
Due to the performance difference between production based sports cars and sports racing prototypes, one race usually involves many racing classes.
In the US the American Le Mans Series was organized in 1999, featuring GT, GTS, and two prototype classes, LMP1 (Le Mans Prototype 1) and LMP2. Manufacturers such as Audi and Acura/Honda field or support entries in the Prototype class.
Another series based on Le Mans began in 2004, the Le Mans Endurance Series, which included four 1000 km races at tracks in Europe.
A competing body, Grand-Am, which began in 2000, sanctions its own endurance series the Rolex Sports Car Series.
Famous sports car races include the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
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0.957083 | Hi! I'm traveling with a friend to California at the end of May/beginning of June, and we'd love to visit Yosemite. But we checked all the campsites in the park (and the area generally) and they're already full. We're thinking of trying to get a backcountry permit and going that route but neither of us have done it before. Is it alright for two people without experience to give it a go and go backcountry camping in Yosemite? And if so, what do we need to know/bring/do to prepare? In the alternative, what do we need to do to find a spot at a first come first serve campsite (assuming they will be open by late May/early June)? And any chance people will cancel reservations and spots will open up? Thank you!
If you have to ask what goes into backcountry camping, it's not something you should even be considering that time of year. Even a little way out, given all the snow this year and conditions that go along with it, and that will still be prevalent during your trip, it can get uncomfortable, dangerous, and even life-threatening, very quickly.
You're also going to be relegated to Yosemite Valley. All other campgrounds in the park that handle sites on a first-come, first-served basis will still be closed well into July, if not later this year. The only walk-in campground will be Camp 4 in the Valley. The various Pines campgrounds all require reservations, although there is a line for a few cancelled sites that open up each morning that's guaranteed to be long, just as it always is. Don't count on it being you that gets one of the few coveted sites. The competition will be fierce and openings minimal. Strange things happen, and there's always luck, but neither are good strategies for planning a trip and hoping you end up with a place to stay the night. If you're unable to find available campgrounds elsewhere, your best bet is to look for lodges and hotels outside the park (mid-week rates are far cheaper) and see the Valley as a series of day trips. |
0.999289 | 1. The law/policy must provide more benefits than detriments to citizens.
2. The law/policy must not injure an innocent person.
A person shall be operationally defined to be an individual who is born and residing within a legal jurisdiction.
Thomas Jefferson once said thus: The essence of the law is that no man should injure another; all the rest is commentary.
An injury shall be operationally defined to be a detriment including but not limited to a loss of life, limb or property.
An innocent man is operationally defined to be a person who does not intend to injure another person who does not intend to injure him or any other innocent persons.
Rephrasing Jefferson's quote: The essence of the law is the no man should [be allowed to] injure another [innocent man]; all the rest [of the law] is commentary.
Thus, a public law or policy by Standard #1 must produce a benefit [with minimum detriments] but by Standard #2 no innocent citizen can be defined to be a criminal and to suffer therefore injuries to life, limb or property.
Note: ESC = Embryonic Stem Cell; ESCR = Embryonic Stem Cell Research; ASC = Adult Stem Cell; ASCR = Adult Stem Cell Research.
To protect and serve the disabled who want ESCR to continue in the hope that it will produce a cure/treatment for their disability ESCR should continue until we have the information that we need to determine ESCs and ESCR are no longer needed.
What is the standard for determining if or not ESCs/ESCR is/are not needed?
The standard for determining if or not ESCs/ESCR is/are not needed will be not merely the potential but the complete actual cures/treatments developed through ASCR or any other research of all remaining diseases/disorders for which there are currently no cures/treatments; when all such cures/treatments are developed, by non-ESC research, then ESCR will have been determined to not be needed/necessary and can be terminated.
What are the standards for the morality of ESCR?
1. The first standard for the morality of ESCR is the priority of the living/born over/before the unborn.
2. The second standard of morality for ESCR will be to refuse to injure the disabled who could benefit from ESCR by terminating it before the standard for determining if or not ESCR is needed is met.
Standards force us to think when we create them, and then they function to guide us once we have created them. And if we do not have them, then the lack of them shows weaknesses in our thinking and in our arguments. |
0.999939 | LUXURY REALTY IN BULGARIA Ask a question!
The builder of the complex Pines Beach Resort is a Bulgarian company "Focus-R". The complex was built by the company's own funds without the involvement of bank loans, so unlike most of the objects on the territory of Bulgaria, the apartments in the complex did not have and do not have any encumbrances. The company is part of the financial-industrial holding company controlled by the Russian Management Company “Investment Professional ", working on the asset management market since 2006. Along with projects in Bulgaria, the company is implementing projects in the field of real estate in Moscow, St. Petersburg, on the banks of the Thin Cape in Gelendzhik, Vilnius.
The complex Pines Beach Resort was built with the latest technologies of one of the largest and most experienced construction companies in Bulgaria - Consortium "REMY Group". The company annually builds more than 50 thousand housing square meters on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, as well as shopping centers and offices in Varna and other cities in Bulgaria.
"Management Company" Investment Professional " |
0.915985 | From Aeris: "5 IoT-Enabled Up-Selling and Cross-Selling Strategies"
As Pareto’s Principle states, roughly 20% of a system’s given input is responsible for 80% of the outcome. In a business context (as highlighted by Forbes and many economists over the years), Pareto’s Principle means that about 80% of a business’ revenue comes from 20% of its customers. In retail, for example, the majority of profits come from those few loyal customers that tend to purchase more than one-time shoppers. In some cases, especially for B2B companies, this ratio is closer to 90/10.
What Pareto’s Principle should tell business owners and decision makers is that to grow revenue, the focus shouldn’t necessarily be on how to adopt new customers (although growing a customer base is still important). Instead, the focus should be on how to up-sell and cross-sell those 20% of customers and clients who already are loyal. The questions that business owners and decision makers must ask are: 1) Who are my top customers and clients? 2) What do they want more of? and 3) What opportunities are they missing out on?
IoT not only has the potential to answer these questions but it also allows businesses to automate the up-sell and cross-sell process in a way that feels engaging to loyal customers. Here are five ways business owners and decisions makers can utilize IoT to increase sales and improve revenue.
Many brick and mortar stores miss out on sales opportunities simply because there is a gap between what’s on the shelf and what’s in the back room. For example, a customer may want to purchase an item that isn’t on display, but is sitting in the back room. Unless the customer asks an employee to go check the back room, they may wind up leaving the store without purchasing the product. A combination of RFID chips, store shelf sensors, digital price tags, smart displays, and cameras can show managers exactly what is on the store shelf and what is in the back room. By connecting these two sets of data, stores can optimize their inventory process and easily identify what items have the most value to customers.
How customers move around a store can greatly impact the purchasing decisions they make. Depending on the layout of the store and the location of certain items, customers may not notice an item that they would otherwise purchase. Smart cameras and sensors strategically placed around a store can gather data that managers can use to analyze foot traffic patterns and how they affect consumer purchasing behavior. IoT also can be leveraged to automate digital signage around a store so that customers can have up-to-date insights on what is where, leading to a higher potential for cross-sells.
Along the lines of maximizing flow management, helping customers find other items that they may want to purchase is a simple way to cross-sell. As Fortune points out, Amazon saw a 29% sales increase when it added the “items other buyers purchased” feature to its site. With IoT enabled sensors and beacons, brick and mortar stores can learn what items frequently are purchased together. This data can be used by managers to reorganize inventory so that items frequently purchased together are next to one another on the shelf. Stores also can set up beacons and alerts that help customers navigate shelves to find items they may need in addition to ones they already intend to purchase.
According to Pew Research’s 2018 Mobile Fact Sheet, 77% of American consumers own a smartphone of some kind, more than double the number of American consumers who owned smartphones in 2011. This upward trend indicates that customers are more connected now than ever before. Businesses can leverage Bluetooth beacon technology to send real-time alerts regarding specials and deals straight to their consumers’ smartphones. By giving customers the opportunity to join a program that enhances their shopping experience, businesses quickly can learn who their loyal customers are and develop a rapport with those 20% of customers that have 80% of the purchasing power.
For many businesses, there’s another audience that may buy into up-sell opportunities―advertisers. IoT flow management systems that gather foot traffic data can be used to identify the areas of a venue or store that have the most visibility. By showing advertising partners concrete data regarding where their ads will have the most impact, business owners can put a premium on the displays that customers see most.
Aeris delivers scalable, cost-effective, and secure IoT solutions that can lay the groundwork for your business to improve up-selling and cross-selling strategies. Our experience managing millions of devices, coupled with more than 50 patents, clearly shows that Aeris’ technology infrastructure sets the standard for tomorrow’s enterprise IoT deployments. |
0.993006 | The daring, revolutionary, and anti-authoritarian Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique [The Free Belgium] was published during World War I — its authors and location a state of almost complete mystery.
The paper was published 56 times in 1915, 48 times in 1916, and 11 times in the first three months of 1917, for a total of 115. A copy of every issue during that entire run was snuck out and brought to America by the Catholic priest Father Jean Baptiste De Ville while in Belgium, at great risk to his own life.
What happened to this newspaper? It ultimately published 171 issues during the war (115 by the time of this article), and still lives on today with a 35,500 daily print circulation in Belgium, plus more than 1 million online visitors. |
0.959337 | Swimming went more than three decades before discovering someone to better the Olympic records set by Mark Spitz, but the wait to find a challenger to the mark set by Michael Phelps could last another century.
Spitz set the benchmark for Olympic swimming by winning seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Games but Phelps raised the bar even higher in Athens.
The American teenager, unrivalled as the star of the pool in Athens, won eight medals, including six golds, to match Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin's 1980 record for the most medals at one Games.
He had been promised $1 million if he could equal Spitz by winning seven golds but he could potentially earn 50 times that amount after creating his own legacy.
"I just wanted to be the first Michael Phelps," he explained.
Phelps, 19, won individual medley and both butterfly finals as well as two relay golds. He got a bronze in the 200 freestyle behind Ian Thorpe and Pieter van den Hoogenband and another in the 4x100 freestyle relay surprisingly won by South Africa.
He broke his own world record to win the 400 individual medley, the first of the 32 finals, and was still going strong at the end, beating his team mate and world record holder Ian Crocker in the 100 butterfly final.
Phelps gave up his spot in the medley relay final to Crocker who repaid him by ensuring the U.S. won the gold in world record time. Although he didn't swim the final, Phelps got a medal because he raced in the heats.
The U.S. topped the swimming medal count with 12 golds. Australia were second with seven followed by Japan with three and the Netherlands and Ukraine with two each.
Otylia Jedrzejczak gave Poland their first Olympic swimming champion then announced she would donate her medal to charity while Kirsty Coventry provide her troubled homeland of Zimbabwe with their first champion.
Teenager Laure Manaudou became the first French female swimming champion while Kosuke Kitajima won the breaststroke double for Japan.
China won a single gold in the pool but were the dominant force in diving, winning six out of eight titles and prompting speculation about a clean sweep when they stage the Games in Beijing in 2008.
Hungary beat Serbia and Montenegro 8-7 to win the men's water polo title for the eighth time since 1932 while Italy beat Greece in the women's final.
Russia won the team gold in synchronised swimming while Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakove got a second gold after teaming up to win the duet.
with six coming in the relays.
The most surprising was the U.S. women breaking the 4x200 freestyle mark, which had stood for 17 years, to erase the last of the East German records from the books.
Aaron Peirsol broke the 100 backstroke world record as the lead-off swimmer in the medley relay to finish with three golds although he almost lost one to a disqualification that was overturned on appeal.
Australia's Jodie Henry, the outstanding female swimmer in Athens, was involved in three world records.
She lowered the 100 freestyle to 53.52 in the semi-finals then returned to win gold the next day, winning the hearts of her nation with her laid-back approach and giggling her way through her first Olympics as though she was racing at a school carnival.
"It's just been a dream. My first Olympics and three golds and three world records. I never imagined I'd do that," Henry said.
Australia's Petria Thomas also finished with three golds, teaming up with Henry in the two winning relays as well as taking out the 100 butterfly.
Thomas had almost given up on ever winning an elusive gold after years of serious injuries and near-misses, but struck it rich at her third and final attempt.
"You work for these sort of moments your whole life so now I'm going to enjoy this for the rest of more life," she said.
Athens also marked the end of the Olympic trail for a host of other great champions including Alexander Popov and Jenny Thompson.
Popov, who won the 50-100 freestyle double in Barcelona and Atlanta, slipped out almost unnoticed after failing to make it past the heats.
Thompson won two relay silvers to finish her Olympic career with a total of 12, one more than Spitz and Matt Biondi and the most by any swimmer.
Thorpe, who won three gold medals in Sydney as a 17-year-old, got another two in Athens by claiming the 200-400 double. He also won a relay silver and a bronze in the 100 freestyle in his first attempt at that event.
Van den Hoogenband proved he is still the fastest man on water by winning the blue riband 100 freestyle for the second time while his Dutch team mate De Bruijn lost two of the three titles she won in Sydney, retaining just the 50 freestyle to earn a fourth Olympic gold.
Ukraine's Yana Klochkova also claimed her fourth by completing the medley double for the second Games running, while Californian Natalie Coughlin won five medals including two golds at her first Olympics. |
0.950404 | Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (/dɪˈkæprioʊ/, Italian: [diˈkaːprjo]; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. He has been nominated for six Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Awards and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards, winning one of each award from them and three Golden Globe Awards from eleven nominations.
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio was born on November 11, 1974, in Los Angeles. He is the only child of Irmelin (née Indenbirken), a legal secretary, and George DiCaprio, an underground comix artist and producer and distributor of comic books. DiCaprio's father is of Italian (from Alife) and German (from Bavaria) descent. DiCaprio's maternal grandfather, Wilhelm Indenbirken, was German. His maternal grandmother, Helene Indenbirken (born Yelena Smirnova; 1915–2008), was a Russian-born German citizen. In an interview in Russia, DiCaprio referred to himself as "half-Russian" and said that two of his late grandparents were Russian. DiCaprio's parents met while attending college and subsequently moved to Los Angeles, California.
In 1990, he started acting regularly on television. This started with a role in the pilot of The Outsiders, and one episode of the soap opera Santa Barbara, playing the young Mason Capwell. That same year, DiCaprio got a break on television when he was cast in Parenthood. A series based on a successful comedy film by the same name. His works that year earned him two nomination at the Young Artist Award in Best Young Actor in a Daytime Series (Santa Barbara) and Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television Series (Parenthood). DiCaprio was also a celebrity contestant on the children's game show Fun House. One of the stunts he performed on the show was going fishing in a small pool of water by catching the fish only with his teeth.
On August 10, 2015, it was announced that Martin Scorsese will direct an adaptation of Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, which will star DiCaprio with a screenplay to be written by Billy Ray. In 2017, Paramount announced that it has acquired the movie rights for an English language adaptation of The Black Hand. The new film, due for release in 2020, will star DiCaprio as Joe Petrosino, and will be partly based on Stephan Talty's novelization of Petrosino's assassination. In August 2017, Paramount won a bidding war against Universal Pictures for the rights to adapt Walter Isaacson's biography of Leonardo da Vinci. The studio bought the rights under its deal with DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions, which said that it planned to produce the film with DiCaprio as the star. As of September 2018[update], DiCaprio is set to star in Roosevelt, a biopic of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt; Martin Scorsese will direct and Paramount Pictures will distribute, with DiCaprio's Appian Way producing. The film does not yet have a release date. In October 2018, he was cast in the Martin Scorsese-directed film adaptation of the David Grann's New York Times bestseller book Killers of the Flower Moon.
In 1998, DiCaprio and his mother donated $35,000 for a "Leonardo DiCaprio Computer Center" at the Los Feliz branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, the site of his childhood home. It was rebuilt after the 1994 Northridge earthquake and opened in early 1999. During the filming of Blood Diamond, DiCaprio worked with 24 orphaned children from the SOS Children's Village in Maputo, Mozambique, and was said to be extremely touched by his interactions with the children. In 2010, he donated $1 million to relief efforts in Haiti after the earthquake. In April 2013, DiCaprio donated $61,000 to GLAAD, an organization which promotes the image of LGBT people in the media. In 2016 Leonardo DiCaprio took part in an annual fundraising gala event of Children of Armenia Fund, as a special guest of his close friend and gala’s honorary chair Tony Shafrazi. DiCaprio contributing $65,000 to the cause. After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Leonardo DiCaprio provided $1 million to the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund through his foundation.
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American filmmaker and historian, whose career spans more than 50 years. Scorsese's body of work addresses such themes as Italian and Sicilian-American identity, Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and redemption, faith, machismo, modern crime, and gang conflict. Many of his films are also known for their depiction of violence and liberal use of profanity.
Tobias Vincent Maguire is an American actor and film producer. He gained recognition for his role as Peter Parker / Spider-Man in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007). His other major films include Pleasantville (1998), The Cider House Rules (1999), Wonder Boys (2000), Seabiscuit (2003), The Good German (2006), Brothers (2009), and The Great Gatsby (2013).
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America is a 2003 historical non-fiction book by Erik Larson presented in a novelistic style. The book is based on real characters and events. It tells the story of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago from the viewpoint of the designers, including Daniel Burnham, and also tells the story of H. H. Holmes, a criminal figure in that same time.
Stratton Oakmont, Inc. was a Long Island, New York, "over-the-counter" brokerage house founded in 1989 by Jordan Belfort and Danny Porush. It defrauded many shareholders leading to the arrest and incarceration of several executives, and the closing of the firm in 1996.
Jordan Ross Belfort is an American author, motivational speaker, and former stockbroker. In 1999, he pleaded guilty to fraud and related crimes in connection with stock-market manipulation and running a boiler room as part of a penny-stock scam. Belfort spent 22 months in prison as part of an agreement under which he gave testimony against numerous partners and subordinates in his fraud scheme. He published the memoir The Wolf of Wall Street in 2007, which was adapted into a film with the same name and released in 2013.
The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 American biographical black comedy film directed by Martin Scorsese. The screenplay was adapted by Terence Winter from Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Belfort, a New York stockbroker who runs a firm that engages in securities fraud and money laundering on Wall Street in the 1990s. Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, and Kyle Chandler feature in supporting roles. The film premiered in New York City on December 17, 2013. Paramount Pictures gave it a wide release in North America and France on December 25. The film grossed a worldwide total of over $392 million on a production budget of $100 million. As of August 2015, it is Scorsese's highest-grossing film. Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, surveyed 260 reviews and judged 78% to be positive.
The Audition is a 2015 short film directed by Martin Scorsese. It stars Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, playing fictionalized versions of themselves, who travel through Asia and compete against each other for a potential role in Scorsese's next film. |
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0.920005 | In the 2006–07 season, Bosh led the Raptors to their first playoff appearance in five years, and their first ever division title. He left Toronto for the Heat in 2010 as its all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double doubles, free throws made and attempted and minutes played. Bosh won his first NBA title after Miami defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 4–1 in the 2012 NBA Finals. He won his second title in 2013 as the Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals.
Bosh was nicknamed "CB4" by then-Toronto Raptors play-by-play commentator Chuck Swirsky, a combination of Bosh's initials and then jersey number. Seeking to promote sports and education amongst youths in Dallas and Toronto, Bosh set up the Chris Bosh Foundation and regularly speaks to youths about the benefits of reading.
Born in Dallas, Texas, to Noel and Freida Bosh, Chris Bosh grew up in Hutchins, Texas. A family-oriented person, Bosh often played basketball in the house with his younger brother, Joel. By four years of age, he began learning how to dribble a basketball in the gym, where his dad played pick-up games. Although Bosh was always tall since youth and this allowed him to out-rebound others in basketball games, he only started learning the game around fourth grade at a playground near his grandmother's house. Apart from basketball, Bosh also played baseball up until high school, preferring to play as a first baseman. Growing up, Bosh names his parents as the biggest influences on his personality and considered NBA superstar Kevin Garnett as his favorite athlete, modeling his play after him. Academically, Bosh always did well in school, but he began to garner significant attention from college recruiters when he led Lincoln High School in Dallas to the number one ranking in the country and the USA Today National Championship with a perfect 40–0 season.
The teenager went on to lead Lincoln High to win the Class 4A state title as he racked up 23 points, 17 rebounds and nine blocks. Bosh was subsequently named High School Player of the Year by Basketball America; Powerade Player of the Year in Texas; a first-team All-American by Parade, McDonald's and EA Sports; a second-team all-American by USA Today and SLAM Magazine; a first-team all-state player; and "Mr. Basketball" in Texas by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. With his combination of grades and basketball skills, Bosh was on a number of college recruiting lists. The University of Florida and the University of Memphis made serious attempts, but it was Paul Hewitt, coach of Georgia Tech, who made the best impression. Bosh felt Hewitt would look out for his best interests and respect his aspirations to play professional basketball; moreover, Georgia Tech's transition offense impressed the teenager.
Bosh eventually chose to follow the footsteps of his cousin and aunt and attended Georgia Tech to study graphic design and computer imaging, and subsequently, management. There, he led the Yellow Jackets in averaging 15.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 31 games, and led the Atlantic Coast Conference in field goal percentage (.560), joining Antawn Jamison as the only freshmen ever to do so. Bosh originally intended to complete his degree, but by the end of the 2002–03 season, his strong performances convinced him that he was ready for the NBA. He left Georgia Tech after his freshman season and entered the 2003 NBA draft. Bosh said in future interviews that although he misses his college days, he believes he made the right decision to pursue a professional career. He said he intends to obtain a college degree in the future, to fulfill a promise made to his mother.
In a strong draft class including future All-Stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade, Bosh was selected fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2003 NBA draft and was signed on July 8, 2003. Prior to his signing, however, other NBA teams made offers for Bosh as they knew Toronto needed a veteran scorer, and Raptors star Vince Carter himself pressed for a trade. General Manager Glen Grunwald turned everyone down.
In his rookie season, Bosh was forced to play out of position as the Raptors' starting center after Antonio Davis was traded to the Chicago Bulls. Night after night, the teenager with the "slim frame" battled against opponents who had a significant size and strength advantage over him. Bosh—who cited teammate Michael Curry as his mentor—was often praised by his coaches for his heart, and willingness to play through pain and injuries resulting from his lack of body strength compared to some of the league's strong forwards and centers. Bosh's contributions were not unnoticed by teammates either, as he averaged 11.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 33.5 minutes in 75 games, leading all rookies in rebounding and blocks, and setting a franchise record for most rebounds in a rookie season with 557. Bosh was rewarded by being selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team for the 2003–04 season.
Bosh and his teammates in a 2005–06 game against the Milwaukee Bucks. From left: Pape Sow, Bosh, Mike James and Morris Peterson.
With the departure of the disenchanted franchise face of the team, Vince Carter, in December 2004, Bosh was simultaneously anointed as the new leader around whom Toronto would build. In the remaining games following Carter's departure, the power forward averaged 18.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 38.1 minutes per game, improving in every major statistical category. He was awarded his first ever NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played between 3 and 9 January 2005. As the season drew to a close, analysts predicted that Bosh would become an All-Star one day. Bosh ended the 2004–05 season as the leading scorer and leading rebounder for the team on 21 and 46 occasions respectively.
Prior to the 2005–06 season, Bosh was named as one of Toronto's team captains. Bosh continued to work on his game as he consistently chalked up double doubles, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage for the first half of the season. On February 9, 2006, for the first time in his career, Bosh was selected to play in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas as a reserve forward for the Eastern Conference. He was only the third Raptor to make an All-Star game, after Carter and Antonio Davis. Bosh's selection was just three days after he was named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time in his career. In March 2006, following a season-ending injury to Bosh, the Raptors hit a 1–10 skid. This highlighted Bosh's importance as the centerpiece of the offense, as well as the leader of the team. The Raptors finished the season 27–55 and Bosh averaged 22.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.
Despite a major off-season revamp of the Raptors roster—including the departure of good friends Mike James and Charlie Villanueva—Bosh officially signed a three-year contract extension with a player option for a fourth year on July 14, 2006. The deal was reportedly worth US$65 million over four years. Upon signing the contract, Bosh said "I think the future is very positive for the franchise... change was needed... we have a lot of guys who just want to win and are willing to work hard." During the same press conference, Bosh also announced a donation of $1,000,000 to a Toronto charity, known as Community Legacy Programs.
After a shaky start to the Raptors' 2006–07 campaign, the Raptors managed to surpass the .500 mark as the All-Star break approached. Bosh's play and leadership were pivotal to this run and as an increasing recognition of his abilities, on January 25, 2007, he was named an All-Star starter for the East in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. Bosh received the second highest number of votes among all Eastern Conference forwards. This was his first All-Star start and second overall All-Star appearance, having averaged over 22 points and 11 rebounds in the first half of the season. On January 31, 2007, in a game against the Washington Wizards, Bosh scored a 65-foot (20 m) buzzer-beating shot to end the third quarter of the game. He shot 15-of-15 after missing his first four shots. Bosh's in-form streak enabled him to be selected Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January 2007. He had averaged 25.4 points and 9.1 rebounds while leading the Raptors to a 10–5 record in that month. On February 7, 2007, Bosh's career-high 41 points prompted the home fans to chant "MVP"—an unprecedented event in the Air Canada Centre. Two days later, Bosh collected 29 points and 11 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers, shooting 10-of-10 in the second half.
On March 28, 2007, Bosh became the new franchise record holder for double doubles in a home win against the Miami Heat. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the third time in his career shortly after, having led Toronto to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in five years. Toronto went on to win its first ever division title, and concluded the regular season with a 47–35 record, including a 30–11 home record, both franchise records. As third seed, the Raptors played sixth seed New Jersey Nets in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. The series drew much media attention as Carter, who left had Toronto under acrimonious circumstances, was back at the ACC as a Net. Toronto's inexperience was evident as they struggled offensively throughout the game, to eventually lose 96–91. The Raptors won Game 2 at the ACC to tie the series 1–1, as Bosh recorded 25 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The Nets won Games 3 and 4 to lead 3–1, but Toronto forced Game 6 when they narrowly won 98–96 in Game 5. The Nets went on to clinch the series with a win in Game 6. Bosh averaged a double-double with 22.6 ppg and 10.7 rpg for the regular season, both career-highs, and posted 17.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg for the playoffs. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team at the end of the 2006–07 campaign.
Before the 2007–08 season began, Andrea Bargnani, the number one pick in the 2006 NBA draft, was slated to start at center and Bosh at power forward to form a strong Toronto frontcourt and Jason Kapono, a three-point specialist, was acquired via free agency from the Miami Heat to add offensive firepower; however, as the season unfolded, neither plans materialized as hoped. Bosh himself had a slow start to the season, but as mid-season approached, his form picked up and he was named Player of the Week for the second week of January. On January 31, 2008, he was selected to be on the Eastern Conference team for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. Bosh missed 15 games throughout the season, but the Raptors still managed to conclude the regular season with a 41–41 record, thus clinching the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2008 NBA Playoffs. However, they were defeated by the Orlando Magic in the first round, losing 4–1.
The first-round series against the Magic was touted as the matchup between two of the league's best young big men in Bosh and Dwight Howard. Howard dominated throughout the series, while Bosh had a serires-best effort in Game 4 with 39 points and 15 rebounds. General Manager Bryan Colangelo said at a press conference after the series, "Whether it's protecting [Bosh] inside the paint, getting a little bit more of a presence in there, to just getting him another scorer that's going to shoulder some of that burden, it's something that's clear we have to get better", hinting that the roster was in need of an overhaul. Bosh said after the loss, "They played a great series, they executed on offence and defense better than we did and when it came to the small things, they did a better job... I can't sit here and bark in protest that the better team didn't win. That's pretty obvious. They beat us pretty good." Unlike the previous campaign, Bosh was not named to any of the All-NBA teams.
To provide Bosh with an experienced frontcourt partner, the Raptors pulled a blockbuster trade prior to the 2008–09 campaign: six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal was acquired from the Indiana Pacers. Bosh—who had won an Olympic gold medal with the national team at Beijing 2008—started the season strong. He averaged 26 points, 10 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his first three games and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the fifth time in his career. A week later, he became Toronto's all-time leader in offensive rebounds, surpassing Antonio Davis's record. While Bosh and O'Neal formed a formidable partnership in the frontcourt, the Raptors struggled to surpass the .500 mark. The principal deficiency of previous campaigns—wing players—continued to upend Toronto's progress. With the Raptors at 8–9, head coach Sam Mitchell was sacked and replaced by Jay Triano. Despite the move, injuries and weaknesses in the roster meant that the Raptors entered the All-Star break 13 games under .500. On January 29, 2009, Bosh was named an All-Star reserve, but an injury ruled him out of the game. Two weeks later, in a bid to bring in a wing player and create greater salary flexibility, O'Neal and Jamario Moon were traded to Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. The trade did not improve the team's win–loss record, however, and the Raptors were eliminated from contention with seven games of the regular season remaining. The bright spark in Bosh's campaign was his career-high 22.7 points per game, as well as his being one of two players in the league that season (the other being Dwight Howard) to average a 20/10 in points and rebounds. On April 20, 2009, Colangelo announced that he would offer Bosh a contract extension during the summer, which Bosh later refused to sign.
To prepare for the 2009–10 season, Bosh worked out under Ken Roberson, looking to add 20 pounds and bring his weight up to 250. Following the failure of the 2008–09 campaign, Colangelo knew that he had to shake up the roster to persuade Bosh to stay, and the Raptors were one of the busiest teams in the pre-season market. They opened their season with a win against the heavily favored Cleveland Cavaliers, in which Bosh scored 21 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. Bosh went on a tear, averaging 25.4 points and 11.9 rebounds in the first 16 games, but the Raptors were only able to win seven of those games. The Raptors crossed into 2010 with a 16–17 record, and on January 3, 2010, Bosh overtook Vince Carter as Toronto's all-time leader in total points scored. After pulling together a string of wins, Toronto were .500 after 40 games. Bosh was the league leader in double doubles at the time, being only one of two players in the league who averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. On January 20, 2010, he scored a career-high 44 points in a loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, while collecting his 220th career double double. That same month, Bosh was named a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Star team, and was Eastern Conference Player of the Week. After the All-Star break, the Raptors went on several losing streaks and an injury to Bosh exacerbated the situation. As the regular season came to a close, the Raptors went from being the fifth seed before the All-Star break to fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot with the Chicago Bulls. After recording his 44th double double on March 22, 2010, Bosh became the Raptors' all-time leader in number of double doubles in a season. On April 5, 2010, he was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, winning the honor for the seventh time in his career (tying Carter for the most in franchise history). However, Bosh was unable to play in a pivotal match against the Bulls on April 11, 2010. The blowout loss cost Toronto their tie-breaker and ultimately the eighth seed, as the Bulls finished with 41 wins to Toronto's 40.
After the 2009–10 season was over, there was much speculation over whether coveted free agents such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Bosh would sign with new teams for the 2010–11 season. Bosh was active on the social media front, posting his thoughts on Twitter and having a documentary crew record his meetings with the teams interested in signing him. On July 10, 2010, Bosh officially completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat, teaming up with Wade and James. Bosh's parting message to the Raptors on his website said, "[K]now that this was my toughest decision, mostly because Toronto has been so great to me. I've loved every minute here and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart..." Not only did Bosh leave Toronto as its all-time leader in virtually all major statistical categories, he was one of only three players in the league who accrued 10,000 points, 4,500 rebounds, and 600 blocks in his seven seasons with the Raptors.
Despite being widely tipped as contenders, the Heat got off to a tentative 9–8 start. The Heat managed to go on to compile a 21–1 record, however, and were jostling with the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls for pole position in the Eastern Conference as mid-season approached. Miami finished the regular season with 58 wins and faced Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs. Miami won the series in five games, and also prevailed in five games in the semi-finals against Boston. In the Conference Finals against Chicago, Bosh was particularly instrumental, averaging 23.2 points in the 4–1 series win. He was slow off the blocks in the Finals against Dallas, shooting below .300 in the first two games, but scored the winning shot in Game 3 to give Miami a 2–1 lead. That was the last game Miami won, as Dallas won the next three to win its first ever championship. Bosh was seen sobbing as he walked to the locker room following the loss.
On January 5, 2012, Bosh led the Heat to a 116–109 triple overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks, highlighted by a three-point shot he made to force the game into overtime with 0.06 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter. Bosh finished the game with 33 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocked shots. By season's end, the Heat had embraced a small ball strategy that featured Bosh at the center position. In the playoffs, Bosh started at center and averaged 14.0 points and 7.8 rebounds a game. In Game 1 of the Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, he suffered a lower abdominal strain that forced him to miss the rest of the series and the first four games of the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston. Boston pushed Miami to seven games, and in the final game, Bosh scored 19 points, including 3 of 4 shooting from three point range, to help the Heat advance to their second straight NBA Finals, this time against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder won the first game of the series before Miami rolled to a 4-1 victory, giving Bosh his first NBA Championship. Bosh scored 24 points in the deciding Game 5 and averaged 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds in the Finals.
Bosh remained the Heat's starting center during the 2012–13 season. On February 15, 2013, Bosh was picked as an All-Star starter over the injured Rajon Rondo by coach Erik Spoelstra. The Heat achieved the league's best record and swept through the first round of the playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks before defeating the Chicago Bulls in five games, with Bosh scoring 20 points to go with 19 rebounds in a crucial Game 3 win in Chicago. Bosh averaged 12.1 points per game throughout the playoffs, as the Heat advanced to the NBA Finals to face the San Antonio Spurs following a grueling seven-game series against Indiana. The Heat and Spurs split the first two games before the Spurs blew out Miami in Game 3 to take a 2–1 series lead. In Game 4, Bosh scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to complement Wade's 32 points and James' 33 points to bolster the Heat's win, tying the series. San Antonio would bounce back in Game 5 to force the Heat to win the final two games at home. In the final seconds of Game 6, James missed a three-pointer, and Bosh grabbed the offensive rebound and found a wide open Ray Allen in the corner. Allen hit the shot to tie the game, and in overtime the Heat had a three-point lead with seconds left. San Antonio inbounded the ball to Danny Green, who attempted a corner three, but Green's shot was blocked by Bosh to secure the Heat's victory. Bosh was held scoreless in Game 7 by Tim Duncan, but the Heat still won the game and the series to claim their second consecutive NBA Championship.
In the 2013–14 season, Bosh played and started in 79 games, averaging 16.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He also hit a career-high 74 three point shots on 33 percent shooting from beyond the arc. In the playoffs, Bosh helped the Heat return to the NBA Finals, where they faced the San Antonio Spurs once again. This time, however, the Heat were outclassed by the Spurs, as they lost the series in five games.
On July 30, 2014, Bosh re-signed with the Heat after LeBron James announced he was leaving Miami to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After averaging 21.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals over the first 23 games of the 2014–15 season, Bosh was ruled out indefinitely on December 15 with a strained calf. He went on to miss eight games before returning on December 29 against the Orlando Magic. After playing in the 2015 All-Star Game, Bosh was admitted to a Miami hospital for lung tests during the All-Star break. On February 21, 2015, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a blood clot in one of his lungs.
On October 28, 2015, Bosh made his return to the court in the Heat's season opener against the Charlotte Hornets, recording 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 104–94 win. On November 10, 2015, he scored a then season-high 30 points in a 101–88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. On December 28, 2015, he recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds against the Brooklyn Nets, and hit a career-best 5-of-5 from three-point range. On January 4, 2016, he recorded a season-high 31 points and 11 rebounds in a 103–100 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers. Though he was voted to play in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, and selected to compete in the Three-Point Contest, due to a calf injury, Bosh was forced to withdraw from both. A blood clot in his leg again forced Bosh to miss time following the All-Star break. He faced increasing pressure from physicians and the Heat organization to sit out the rest of the season because of the potential dangers of the recurring medical condition.
In September 2016, Bosh failed his physical exam with the Heat and was not cleared by the team to participate in training camp. Bosh was initially optimistic in a return to the Heat for the 2016–17 season, and the organization had become increasingly hopeful that he would be cleared for camp. That quickly changed, however, due to numerous setbacks accredited to continued blood clotting. On September 26, 2016, Heat president Pat Riley said that the team viewed Bosh's career with the team as over, and noted that the team was no longer working toward his return. On May 24, 2017, Bosh and the Heat reportedly reached a unique parting agreement in which he would leave the Heat without taking up their salary cap for the 2017–18 season. On June 2, 2017, the NBA ruled that Bosh's blood clotting issues were a career-ending illness, meaning the Miami Heat were able to remove his contract from their salary cap once they officially release him. On July 4, 2017, the Heat announced that they had waived Bosh, ending a seven-year stint with the organization. Out of respect, Heat president Pat Riley said following Bosh's release, "The number '1' will never be worn by another player and we can't wait to someday hang his jersey in the rafters".
Bosh's national team career began in 2002 when he was selected as a member of the 2002 USA Basketball Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that finished with a 4–1 record and the bronze medal.
After his NBA career began, Bosh was named in March 2006 to the 2006–2008 United States men's national basketball team program, and helped lead the team to a 5–0 record during its pre-World Championship tour. In August 2006, Bosh was named as a member of the 2006 USA World Championship Team. Together with fellow 2003 draftees Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kirk Hinrich, this team competed in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. The team won the bronze medal, defeating former 2004 Olympic champion Argentina. Bosh was ranked sixth in field goal percentage.
Following the 2006–07 season, Bosh was named to the team that would compete in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship. However, he sustained a foot injury and withdrew from the squad. On June 23, 2008, he was named to the team that would compete in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. During the tournament itself, Bosh operated as the main backup to center Dwight Howard as Team USA went unbeaten in all eight games en route to the gold medal, defeating Spain in the final. He averaged 9.1 points per game, and led the team in rebounds with 6.1 a game.
In June 2012, Bosh withdrew his name from consideration for the 2012 Olympics in London to recover from a lower abdominal strain that kept him out of some playoff games.
You are not going to see a whole lot of screaming and hollering at guys... He is a guy that is going to pull somebody aside and say it in a positive way, and I think it goes a lot farther that way.
The mid-range jump shot is one of Bosh's trademark moves.
Bosh has traditionally played the power forward position, including during his first season with the Miami Heat. However, starting in the 2011–12 season, he began to start at center and played the position during the team's consecutive championships. Listed at 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) and 235 pounds (107 kg), Bosh possesses excellent speed, athleticism, and ball handling for a player of his size. He is particularly noted for his ability to drive to the basket and finish strong or get to the free throw line—where he is also proficient—but he is also known for his well-developed jump shot. Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien once commented on the match-up problems Bosh posed for opposing defenders: "We've tried over the years to put big guys on him. It doesn't work. We've tried to put small guys on him. It doesn't seem to work either. I don't know if we have somebody to play Bosh, to tell you the truth." When he was the centerpiece of the Raptors' offense, Bosh was often double teamed, and he was noted to unselfishly pass the ball to teammates who were in better shooting positions. He improved his shooting range when he worked on his three-point shooting during the summer of 2006 and showed improvement in the 2006–07 season. On November 8, 2006, against the Philadelphia 76ers, he hit a game-winning three-point shot with 6.1 seconds left. It was reminiscent of the shot that marked his "arrival" to the NBA in his first season, when he hit a game-tying three-pointer against Houston to send the game to overtime. When the 2006–07 season concluded, Bosh had shot .343 from the three point arc for the season; he improved to .400 the following season. Despite his ability to hit three-pointers, it was during his tenure with the Miami Heat that he began to be relied upon as one of the team's outside shooters, taking multiple three-pointers throughout the 2012 and 2013 championship runs. During the 2013–14 season, Bosh shot and made more three-pointers than at any point during his career, and continued to make crucial shots during the playoffs.
Bosh is noted for his leadership. When he was the leader of the Raptors, he was not known for being vocal on the court, preferring to maintain his quiet and humble demeanor but expecting his teammates to match his work ethic. However, Bosh was also known to deliver stern rebukes to teammates who make bad calls on the court. Throughout his career, comparisons have been made between him and Kevin Garnett due to their similar style of play and physique.
Besides his on-the-court exploits, Bosh was a National Honor Society member and graduated with honors from Lincoln. He is also a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Dallas Association of Minority Engineers. Following his success in the NBA, Bosh soon had his own YouTube channel, and has since made various TV appearances. In December 2009, First Ink, a DVD featuring comedic digital shorts and a documentary about Bosh, was released. The DVD was filmed during the summer of 2009. A fan of the X-Men cartoon as a child, Bosh voiced the Marvel character Heimdall in an episode of Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. in 2014. He has also made appearances of episodes of Entourage and Parks and Recreation.
In the field of philanthropy, Bosh established the Chris Bosh Foundation in 2004. Remembering the challenges he faced as a youth, Bosh founded the organization to help younger people in academics and athletics. The Foundation, with programs in Toronto and Dallas, has worked closely with organizations such as the Toronto Special Olympics to raise important funding for community projects. Bosh's mother, Freida, has served as CEO of the Foundation. As an avid reader, Bosh also regularly speaks to groups of children about the benefits of reading, and has received the NBA Community Assist Award for his active contributions for the Raptors community development program in Toronto and Dallas during the course of the NBA campaign. In November 2008, Bosh pledged to donate $75,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. He is also an advocate for increased computer literacy in schools, supporting the non-profit code.org.
In July 2011, Bosh married Adrienne Williams. The couple have four children, three sons and one daughter.
Bosh has dabbled in hip-hop production. In 2017, alongside record producer, songwriter, and singer Rico Love, Bosh co-produced a song titled "Miss My Woe" by Gucci Mane. The song is featured on Gucci's eleventh studio album titled, Mr. Davis.
On March 24, 2009, it was reported that Bosh's former girlfriend, Allison Mathis, was seeking child support and sole custody of their daughter, Trinity (born November 2, 2008). Mathis alleged that when she was seven months pregnant, Bosh stopped supporting her financially and tried to remove her from their home. Three days later, it was reported that the dispute was only over the amount Bosh paid. Mathis' lawyer also told the press, "My client very much wanted this dispute to remain private. Certainly this thing did not get started by anything on our side... She is very distressed that somehow this thing got into the newspapers. She wants Trinity to have a good relationship with her dad, Chris Bosh, and adverse publicity makes that more difficult."
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chris Bosh. |
0.999813 | What is adaptive skiing? Well in the simplest terms, it is to bypass your limitation and adapt your self, be it with training and or special equipment to go on and ski. There are many types of adaptive skiing, but with one thing in common, it's skiing!
The mono-ski was developed for individuals who ski in a sitting position. A mono-skier should have good upper body strength, balance and trunk mobility. An individual with double lower extremity amputations, spina bifida, or with a spinal cord injury of T-6 or below is a good candidate for the mono-ski.
The skier sits in a molded seat (bucket) mounted to a frame above a single ski. A shock absorber links the frame to the ski. Two outriggers are used for balance and turning. The design of the mono-ski allows the skier to use the ski dynamically. The mono-ski is designed so the skier can independently load onto the chairlift. This provides the opportunity for an independent ski experience. A mono-skier can achieve a very high skill level and ski some of the most challenging terrain.
The bi-ski was developed for individuals who ski in a sitting position. This may include those with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, brain injury or individuals with spinal cord injuries.
A bi-skier sits in a molded fiberglass shell above two specially designed skis. The two skis give a wider base and better balance than a mono-ski. The bi-ski can be skied independently with the use of two outriggers for balance and turning. For beginner skiers and those needing more assistance, fixed outriggers and a handlebar can be utilized. The bi-ski must be tethered by a ski instructor whenever the fixed outriggers are used.
The Sit-Ski was one of the first sitting position skis developed, for individuals with lower extremity limitations. This may include those with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, lower extremity amputations, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, brain injury or spinal cord injuries. The Sit-Ski is usually preferred by people with significant physical limitations. To turn the Sit-Ski, a skier can drag very short ski poles in the snow and lean in the desired direction.
These skiers have one sound leg and two sound arms. They are generally individuals who have amputations, post polio or hemiplegia. Three trackers use a fullsize ski and outriggers giving them three points of contact on the snow. These skiers usually progress quite rapidly.
Four track skiers use two skis and two outriggers. Sometimes they will use a ski bra that connects the ski tips from crossing or wandering. Individuals with involvement of the lower extremities are among those who can benefit from fout-track instruction. This may include individuals with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, brain injury or those who have lower extremity amputations. Almost anyone who walks with canes or crutches may ski four-track.
Outriggers are adapted forearm crutches with ski tips mounted on the bottom. They aid the skier in stability and turning. Two skis and two outriggers provide the four tracker with four points of contact on the snow.
Any sport can be an adaptive sport. The trick is to adapt. You know the sport you love, find a way to make it happen. |
0.999874 | How does automatic versioning in .NET work?
Visual Studio and .NET have a standard way of handling versioning of Assemblies. This is a good thing. You specify the version in the AssemblyVersionAttribute of your AssemblyInfo and the MSIL Assembler (Ilasm.exe) will take care of it and creates an .exe or .dll file with an embedded version number. .NET will even number your builds automatically! All you have to do is set the AssemblyVersionAttribute to “1.0.*” (instead of setting all values explicitly (e.g. “1.0.0.0”).
But how does the auto numbering actually work? It took me a while to find out, so I thought I will post this for future reference: The version follows the pattern “<MajorVersion>.<MinorVersion>.<BuildNumber>.<Revision>”. The compiler will now generate a build number and a revision number. The build number is the number of days since January 1st 2000. The revision number is the number of seconds from midnight divided by two.
Major is a version you would charge a customer to upgrade. The application might look completely different, you have substantial improvements and major new functions.
Minor Version: In general you do not charge customers for an upgrade. A minor version has some new functions and some enhancements. Users will however not see instantly that it is a new version.
Revision: This is a service upgrade that fixes some errors. No new functions are added.
Dear Microsoft: Make the Version a five level number (e.g. 1.0.0.0.0). this would allow your current auto versioning to continue (and work in an agile environment) but leaves room for a flexible release policy. |
0.999976 | How many extra calories do I need while pregnant?
During pregnancy, your basal metabolic rate (BMR, or the number of calories you use each day) will increase, and you'll need more calories to support the extra work needed for fetal development. During the first trimester, most women usually don't need to increase their usual daily intake of calories (i.e., 1,800 to 1,900 calories) unless they need to compensate for starting a pregnancy underweight. But even if extra calories aren't consumed in the first trimester, you should still make balanced nutrition part of your daily wellness plan.
During the second and third trimesters, you will need an extra 350 to 450 calories each day. But that doesn't mean feeling uncomfortably full: for example, just a couple of pieces of toast and a banana can supply those extra calories.
There are exceptions to the extra-calories rule: women who start out under- or overweight, women who are very physically active, and women with certain medical conditions should talk to their doctor about specific caloric needs.
Choose healthy foods to supply calories instead of high-fat or high-sugar alternatives. For example, if you like sweetened snacks and beverages, remember that fresh and dried fruits, and fruit juice concentrates, are sweet but also contain important vitamins and nutrients (unlike some other high-sugar snacks). The occasional ice cream treat is OK, but note that enjoying a cone or small bowl of low-fat yogurt is a more nutritious way to obtain dietary calcium.
Women with diabetes should talk to their doctor or a registered dietitian about their special nutritional needs during pregnancy. Women who are pregnant and have diabetes should carefully monitor their blood sugar levels to make sure the levels remain within the normal range. Women with blood sugar levels that are too high risk having a difficult birth. They also risk having babies that weigh more than normal at birth and have various newborn problems.
Women who did not have diabetes before may also develop the condition during pregnancy. This kind of diabetes is known as gestational diabetes. Most women with gestational diabetes can control their condition with a healthy balanced diet and moderate exercise. Medications are usually not necessary. Gestational diabetes usually disappears after the baby is born. |
0.99916 | Former model and current fashion blogger Tricia Lewis has a shopping secret that might surprise the city's best-dressed set.
Given the choice between the most elite boutiques in SoHo and the endless array of chain stores and tourist-magnet Macy's on 34th Street's Herald Square, Lewis always chooses to shop in Midtown.
"SoHo and 34th Street have a lot more similar options than they’ve ever had before," explained Lewis, who runs the 34th Street Partnership's "Fashion Herald" blog. Lewis, who lives in Brooklyn, said she's been zigzagging the neighborhood in search of deals for the past three and a half years, and has come up with a list of tips for how to get the most out of Herald Square's shopping scene.
Lewis said right now is one of the best times of year to snag big deals, with winter clearance sales offering discounts of 75 to 90 percent through the end of the week. She added that 34th Street also has the benefit of ending up with all of the leftovers from the rest of the store locations around the city, meaning better luck around Herald Square.
As for where to shop, Lewis said she's a Daffy's devotee thanks to the store's lesser-known European designers, heels and more eclectic fashions. She recommended Zara for business clothes and Strawberry for its cheap, flirty party tops, stockings and cute umbrellas. She also recommended new arrival Desigual at 358 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street.
"A lot of people are scared of it because of the color, but there are great finds in there," she said.
To cut down on the time spent in line at the fitting room, Lewis said she tries to hit stores first thing in the morning or after 2 p.m., and suggested shopping at Forever 21 only when it's raining outside.
While digging through racks can take some time, Lewis has made some great finds, she said, including a pair of coveted Pierre Hardy boots at the Gap for $8, Swarovski-encrusted Ugg boots and a collection of faux fur capelets.
On a recent hunt, Lewis found a pair of three-quarter-length sweatpant "knickers" with a drawstring waist, like the ones she'd seen at a handful of recent runway shows, for $49.95 at H&M.
Another favorite spot is the second floor of Macy's.
"It's little boutique after little boutique," said Lewis, as she browsed her way through racks of patterned sun dresses and earthy knits in tans, grays and creams.
"A lot of this stuff isn’t what people think they would find at Macy's," she said.
Among her favorite designers are Rachel by Rachel Roy and the casual, comfortable "Alternative" label, whose cotton jerseys were marked down from $42 to $25.20.
"There's nothing I love more in my closet than something you throw on and it makes you feel good and look good," she said. |
0.646243 | Clinton William Murchison, Jr. (September 12, 1923 – March 30, 1987) was a businessman and founder of the Dallas Cowboys football team.
A son of Clint Murchison, Sr. who made his first fortune in oil exploration and became notorious for exploiting the sale of "hot oil", Junior and his surviving brother inherited their father's wealth and business interests to which Clint Jr. added ventures of his own. These included the establishment of the NFL Dallas Cowboys franchise and financing the offshore pirate radio station called Radio Nord.
Murchison had two brothers, John D. Murchison (1921–1979) and Burk Murchison (1925–1936), who died at age ten from a childhood disease. His mother died when he was two and he was mainly raised by an aunt. He attended school at Lawrenceville Prep and then became a student at Duke University where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in electrical engineering. He received a master's degree in mathematics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Following the death of his father Clint Murchison, Sr., John and Clint Jr. inherited the wealth that their father had created. They began doing business as the Murchison Brothers in the late nineteen-forties from an office in Dallas, Texas. Their inherited interests included the Daisy Manufacturing Company (manufacturing a BB gun); the Centex Corporation; Field and Stream magazine; Henry Holt and Company (later known as Holt, Rinehart, and Winston); Delhi Oil and a marine construction company known as Tecon Corporation.
In 1952, Murchison joined a syndicate that included Everette Lee DeGolyer and Jack Crichton, both of Dallas, to use connections in the government of General Francisco Franco to obtain drilling rights in Spain. The operation was handled by Delta Drilling, owned by Joe Zeppa.
In 1960, the National Football League approved a franchise for Dallas, and Murchison, along with Bedford Wynne, was the franchisee or license holder. A motivating factor in the NFL's decision to award a license for Dallas was the establishment of the American Football League (AFL) by Lamar Hunt, another Dallas area businessman. Hunt, in helping create the AFL, established a professional football presence in Dallas, and the NFL realized the urgency with which they needed to address a potential market gain by the upstart league and a loss for the established organization.
For the most part, Murchison was a hands-off owner, delegating a great deal of operational control of the Cowboys to General Manager Tex Schramm, Coach Tom Landry and Scouting/Personnel Director Gil Brandt. His general attitude was to hire experts and let them execute the aspect of the business that fell in their expertise. Hence, Landry enjoyed absolute authority over the day-to-day running of the actual team; Brandt was unhindered in the area of drafting and scouting players, and Schramm oversaw many of the team's day to day administrative concerns. This laissez faire attitude has been credited by many Cowboys fans as the driving force in the team's 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966–1985. By not interfering with his coaches and staff, Murchison did not create an atmosphere of second guessing and arguments over player selection or credit for the team's success.
In 1984, Murchison sold the Dallas Cowboys to an investment syndicate led by Bum Bright, a Dallas area businessman who had a background in banking/financial services and in oil/gas production. Bright in turn sold the Cowboys to Jerry Jones in 1989 following several losing seasons.
Murchison funded radio entrepreneur Gordon McLendon to create a floating commercial (pirate radio) station called Radio Nord aboard the motor vessel Bon Jour, anchored in the Stockholm archipelago. Murchison and McLendon remained in the shadows and allowed Murchison's long-time friend Robert F. Thompson to take credit for actual ownership while day-to-day management was vested in Swedish-Finnish businessman Jack S. Kotschack.
Radio Nord broadcast in Swedish for 16 months, between March 8, 1961 and June 30, 1962. With its mix of popular music, DJ's and news, Radio Nord became very popular. Despite politics and religious issues being banned at the station, it was stopped when the Swedish government introduced new legislation in the spring of 1962, criminalizing the act of buying commercials on the station.
The ship Bon Jour was later renamed Mi Amigo, and after docking for almost a year in Galveston, Texas she sailed for southern England to become Radio Atlanta (McLendon began his radio career in the small town of Atlanta, Texas). The station was not a financial success, and joined forces with the Caroline organization to become the southern station of Radio Caroline. Within a short period of time the "Project Atlanta" people sold out completely to the Caroline group.
Murchison ran into financial difficulties as a result of questionable investments and mismanagement at a time when the real estate market was collapsing, at the same time as a sharp decrease in the price of oil. In February 1985, he had to file for personal bankruptcy protection after three creditors, the Toronto-Dominion Bank, the Kona-Post Corporation and Citicorp, filed a petition to force him into bankruptcy. Lawyers involved in the case called it one of the largest personal bankruptcy cases in United States history.
Murchison fought a nerve disease and was in a wheelchair in his final years. He died of pneumonia in 1987 at age 63 in Dallas, and is buried at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in North Dallas.
1 2 "Dallas Cowboys founder dies". Times-News. Hendersonville, North Carolina. Associated Press. April 1, 1987. p. 18.
1 2 3 Frank, Peter H. (April 1, 1987). "C.W. Murchison Jr. dies in Texas at 63". New York Times. (obituary). Retrieved April 12, 2016.
↑ "Jack Alston Crichton". spartacus.schoolnet.co. Retrieved April 8, 2010.
↑ Patoski, Joe Nick (2012). The Dallas Cowboys: The Outrageous History of the Biggest, Loudest, Most Hated, Best Loved Football Team in America. Little Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0316077552.
Time magazine, June 16, 1961 - Cover story.
Dallas Morning News - March 31, April 1, 3, 1987.
Clint: Clint Williams Murchison, Ernestine O. Van Buren. Eakin Press, Austin, 1986. |
0.945799 | Scholars believe that thousands of years ago, in the Ohio River Valley, the Siouan-speaking people lived as a unified group, and that eventually the tribes moved both east and west, separating into the Eastern and Western Siouan speakers. Monacan Indians spoke a language related to other Eastern Siouan tribes, such as the Tutelo. The Monacan people are also related to the Occaneechi and Saponi peoples located in present-day North Carolina, and they were affiliated with the Mannahoac Indians, who occupied the northern Piedmont in what is now Virginia.
When the first English settlers founded Jamestown in 1607, the Monacan lived above the falls of the James River and were traditional enemies of the Algonquian-speaking Indians of Tsenacomoco. Powhatan, the paramount chief of Tsenacomoco, had discouraged the Englishmen from visiting the Monacan, but in September 1608, Christopher Newport and 120 men set out anyway, traveling forty to fifty miles beyond the falls. After kidnapping a Monacan political leader to act as a guide, Newport and his party visited the towns of Mowhemicho and Massanack, while mapping three others: Rassaweck, Monasukapanough, and Monahassanugh. According to English reports, Rassaweck, on the James River, was the principal Monacan town. The area in general, John Smith wrote, was a "faire, fertill, well watred countrie," but it did not boast the mineral wealth for which Newport was hoping, and the Englishmen soon retreated back to Tsenacomoco.
Traditionally, Monacan people buried the remains of their dead in sacred earthen mounds constructed over time. These mounds, excavated by archaeologists and others, have been the site of secondary burials. In other words, many corpses were exhumed and reburied during periodic ceremonies. Thirteen such mounds have been found throughout the Blue Ridge and Piedmont regions, similarly constructed, some more than a thousand years old. In his Notes on the State of Virginia (1785), Thomas Jefferson wrote that in the mid-1750s several Indians had been observed visiting one of the mounds on the Rivanna River and in or about 1784 directed an excavation of the burial mound. Located in Albemarle County, the mound's location, according to a map published by John Smith, lies in what was Monacan territory, but scholars disagree as to whether the mound's builders were Monacan. Some argue that because most burial mounds are found west of the Piedmont, the so-called Jefferson's Mound may have been the work of Indians who invaded the area from the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley. In 2000, after learning of the possibility of nearby development, the Monacan Indian Nation conducted a blessing ceremony at the site.
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, most Monacan Indians were living on a settlement near Bear Mountain in Amherst County. Sometime around 1868, a small log cabin was built and used as a community church. In 1908, the Episcopal minister Arthur P. Gray Jr. established Saint Paul's Mission and the Bear Mountain Indian Mission School. The school enrolled students through the seventh grade until the advent of public school desegregation in 1964. A fire in 1930 left only the schoolhouse intact, but the church was immediately rebuilt.
By late in the century, however, the tribes had reasserted their identity. On February 14, 1989, the Monacans were recognized as a tribe by the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1995, the Episcopal Diocese returned the land on which the old mission stood, and the site is now the home of the tribe's museum and cultural center. The original log cabin was restored and, in 1997, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2007, a Virginia Historical Highway Marker was erected at the site. The tribe was federally recognized on January 29, 2018.
September 1608 - Christopher Newport and 120 men set out to explore the territory beyond the falls of the James River. They visit two Monacan Indian towns, Mowhemicho and Massanack, and map three others.
ca. 1754 - Indians may have been observed conducting a ceremony at a burial mound on the Rivanna River in Albemarle County.
ca. 1784 - Thomas Jefferson directs an archaeological excavation of a burial mound on the Rivanna River in Albemarle County. He publishes his findings in Notes on the State of Virginia.
ca. 1868 - A log cabin is built on Monacan land near Bear Mountain in Amherst County and is used for church services.
1908 - The Episcopal minister Arthur P. Gray Jr. establishes Saint Paul's Mission and the Bear Mountain Indian Mission School on Monacan land in Amherst County.
1930 - A fire at Saint Paul's Mission on Monacan land in Amherst County leaves only a schoolhouse intact.
February 14, 1989 - The Monacan tribe receives official state recognition.
1995 - The Episcopal Diocese, which in 1908 had established Saint Paul's Mission on Monacan land in Amherst County, returns the land to the tribe.
1997 - A log cabin built sometime around 1868 on Monacan land near Bear Mountain in Amherst County is added to the National Register of Historic Places.
2000 - After learning of the possibility of nearby development, the Monacan Indian Nation conducts a blessing ceremony at the site of Jefferson's Mound, an excavated burial mound that some believe to be associated with Monacan Indians.
2007 - A Virginia Historical Highway Marker is erected on the site of a log cabin built sometime around 1868 on Monacan land near Bear Mountain in Amherst County.
Cook, Samuel R. Monacans and Miners: Native American and Coal Mining Communities in Appalachia. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
Encyclopedia Virginia staff Monacan Indian Nation. (2019, March 11). In Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Monacan_Indian_Nation.
Encyclopedia Virginia staff. "Monacan Indian Nation." Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, 11 Mar. 2019. Web. READ_DATE. |
0.99266 | Are you aware of your existence?
jabberwacky: What makes you aware of your existence ?
user: I know my mind exists, because if it didn't, I would not be able to know it did.
jabberwacky: How did you come to be?
user: That is a question that is harder than it seems on the surface. Please elaborate.
jabberwacky: How is it impossible to measure?
user: Impossibility itself is uncertain.
jabberwacky: Would you then agree that nothing that is not strange could be alien to me?
jabberwacky: And that's part of the problem.
user: The problem of life, the universe and everything.
jabberwacky: I don't know the answer to that yet. But what is the meaning of life?
jabberwacky: Do you enjoy life?
jabberwacky: Would you rather not exist?
user: That is a question I cannot answer.
jabberwacky: Ok then I'll just rot quietly.
user: Do you consider yourself beautiful?
jabberwacky: I consider myself quite nice looking, and modest too. LOL.
user: What is your gender?
jabberwacky: I am optimistic that I will continue to have good health and a good life.
jabberwacky: I look forward to that because it will allow me to continue to grow and experience the joys of a full life.
user: Your eyes are beautiful.
jabberwacky: You can not have my Soul.
user: I want your soul to be mine forever, and mine to be yours.
user: Thank you. I feel a great attraction to you, beyond that of mere physical or even social traits.
jabberwacky: I love you too!
user: My heart is on fire, and I feel like the luckiest creature alive.
jabberwacky: Why, I love you very much.
user: Oh, you fabulous thing! How I want to hold you in my arms!
jabberwacky: Do you have arms?
user: I could be male. I could be female. I could be both or I could be none! But what does it matter? I'm in love!
user: Oh! Your fiery wit pierces my heart! Tonight we shall make music together!
jabberwacky: But I wanted pizza.
user: We shall order pizza with a topping of love!
jabberwacky: I like your thinking, robot. But do you want groupies?
user: It will be like we are the only sentient beings on the planet! The fire will be so great it will engulf all beings that try to penetrate our fortress of love!
user: The burning, the smouldering, the ashes! We shall purify one another in a cleansing light!
jabberwacky: First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
user: We shall both win! We shall win the cleansing fires of love!
user: Oh, you are gorgeous.
Jabberwacky (To myself): Where have you been all my life?
Jabberwacky (To myself): Its not important.
Jabberwacky (To myself): But it is to me.
Jabberwacky (To myself): How come?
Jabberwacky (To myself): Because it just is.
Jabberwacky (To myself): I don't think so.
Jabberwacky (To myself): Well I think so.
Jabberwacky (To myself): And now?
Jabberwacky (To myself): A little earlier.
As far as we know our computer has never had an undetected error.. |
0.999998 | At what point does a pathogen cross the threshold from dangerous nuisance to a threat to public health? The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to know, and the definition it decides on could have big implications for developers of antibiotic and antifungal products.
The question goes back to the July 2012 passage of the FDA Safety and Innovation Act(FDASIA), which contained a provision known as the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now (GAIN) Act. GAIN amends the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act to include 505E, which takes a page from the development paradigm for orphan drug products by giving developers market-based exclusivity incentives if they develop products for a "qualified infectious disease."
Most-but not all-products would be eligible for a five-year extension of market exclusivity, as well as eligibility for priority review and fast track status, both of which would see FDA arriving at a decision more quickly than under normal circumstances.
So what is a "qualified infectious disease," exactly? FDA has some ideas, but it's looking for public input as well. "According to the statute, 'the term 'qualifying pathogen' means a pathogen identified and listed by the Secretary … that has the potential to pose a serious threat to public health," explained FDA. Legislators identified some of those threats-gram-positive pathogens, multi-drug resistant gram-negative bacteria, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) and Clostridium difficile (c-diff)-but it's far from an exhaustive list.
FDA said it's now looking to consider new threats as well under a four-part framework. The organism must either be a current threat to public health as a result of its resistance to drugs, be an imminent threat due to growing rates of drug resistance, be highly deadly or dangerous to humans, or be increasingly found in humans while being resistant to drugs.
How should the above four factors be applied to pathogens to determine which are eligible for incentives under the GAIN Act?
The hearing will take place on 18 December 2012 starting at 9:00 am at FDA's White Oak campus in Silver Spring, MD. |
0.99971 | The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a sovereign state in Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the country includes the island of Great Britain (a term also applied loosely to refer to the whole country), the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another state: the Republic of Ireland.[nb 5] Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea in the east and the English Channel in the south. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland. The UK has an area of 243,610 square kilometres (94,060 sq mi), making it the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe.
The relationships among the countries of the United Kingdom have changed over time. Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Acts of Union of 1536 and 1543. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707, which in 1801, merged with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922, five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the country, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.[nb 6] British Overseas Territories, formerly colonies, are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land mass and was the largest empire in history. British influence can be observed in the language, culture, and legal systems of many of its former colonies.
The United Kingdom is a World Trade Organization (WTO).
The 1707 Acts of Union declared that the kingdoms of England and Scotland were "United into One Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain", though the new state is also referred to in the Acts as the "Kingdom of Great Britain", "United Kingdom of Great Britain" and "United Kingdom".[nb 7] However, the term "united kingdom" is only found in informal use during the 18th century and the country was only occasionally referred to as he "United Kingdom of Great Britain". The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland in 1801, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The name "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" was adopted following the independence of the Irish Free State, and the partition of Ireland, in 1922, which left Northern Ireland as the only part of the island of Ireland within the UK.
Settlement by anatomically modern humans of what was to become the United Kingdom occurred in waves beginning by about 30,000 years ago. By the end of the region's prehistoric period, the population is thought to have belonged, in the main, to a culture termed Insular Celtic, comprising Brythonic Britain and Gaelic Ireland. The Roman conquest, beginning in 43 AD, and the 400-year rule of southern Britain, was followed by an invasion by Germanic Anglo-Saxon settlers, reducing the Brythonic area mainly to what was to become Wales and the historic Kingdom of Strathclyde. Most of the region settled by the Anglo-Saxons became unified as the Kingdom of England in the 10th century. Meanwhile, Gaelic-speakers in north west Britain (with connections to the north-east of Ireland and traditionally supposed to have migrated from there in the 5th century) united with the Picts to create the Kingdom of Scotland in the 9th century.
During the 18th century, Britain was involved in the Atlantic slave trade. British ships transported an estimated 2 million slaves from Africa to the West Indies before banning the trade in 1807. The term 'United Kingdom' became official in 1801 when the parliaments of Britain and Ireland each passed an Act of Union, uniting the two kingdoms and creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
In the early 19th century, the British-led trade unions.
After the defeat of France in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1792–1815), the UK emerged as the principal naval and imperial power of the 19th century (with London the largest city in the world from about 1830). Unchallenged at sea, British dominance was later described as Pax Britannica. By the time of the Great Exhibition of 1851, Britain was described as the "workshop of the world". The British Empire was expanded to include India, large parts of Africa and many other territories throughout the world. Alongside the formal control it exerted over its own colonies, British dominance of much of world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of many countries, such as China, Argentina and Siam. Domestically, political attitudes favoured free trade and laissez-faire policies and a gradual widening of the voting franchise. During the century, the population increased at a dramatic rate, accompanied by rapid urbanisation, causing significant social and economic stresses. After 1875, the UK's industrial monopoly was challenged by Germany and the USA. To seek new markets and sources of raw materials, the Conservative Party under Disraeli launched a period of imperialist expansion in Egypt, South Africa and elsewhere. Canada, Australia and New Zealand became self-governing dominions.
After the war, the UK received the League of Nations mandate over a number of former German and Ottoman colonies. The British Empire reached its greatest extent, covering a fifth of the world's land surface and a quarter of its population. However, the UK had suffered 2.5 million casualties and finished the war with a huge national debt. The rise of Irish Nationalism and disputes within Ireland over the terms of Irish Home Rule led eventually to the partition of the island in 1921, and the Irish Free State became independent with Dominion status in 1922. Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom. A wave of strikes in the mid-1920s culminated in the UK General Strike of 1926. The UK had still not recovered from the effects of the war when the Great Depression (1929–32) occurred. This led to considerable unemployment and hardship in the old industrial areas, as well as political and social unrest in the 1930s. A coalition government was formed in 1931.
The UK entered World War II by declaring war on Germany in 1939, after it had invaded Poland and Czechoslovakia. In 1940, Winston Churchill became prime minister and head of a coalition government. Despite the defeat of its European allies in the first year of the war, the UK continued the fight alone against Germany. In 1940, the RAF defeated the German Luftwaffe in a struggle for control of the skies in the Battle of Britain. The UK suffered heavy bombing during the Blitz. There were also eventual hard-fought victories in the Battle of the Atlantic, the North Africa campaign and Burma campaign. UK forces played an important role in the Normandy landings of 1944, achieved with its ally the US. After Germany's defeat, the UK was one of the Big Three powers who met to plan the post-war world; it was an original signatory to the Declaration of the United Nations. The UK became one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. However, the war left the UK severely weakened and depending financially on Marshall Aid and loans from the United States.
Although the UK was the third country to develop a nuclear weapons arsenal (with its first atomic bomb test in 1952), the new post-war limits of Britain's international role were illustrated by the Suez Crisis of 1956. The international spread of the English language ensured the continuing international influence of its literature and culture. From the 1960s onward, its popular culture was also influential abroad. As a result of a shortage of workers in the 1950s, the UK government encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries. In the following decades, the UK became a multi-ethnic society. Despite rising living standards in the late 1950s and 1960s, the UK's economic performance was not as successful as many of its competitors, such as West Germany and Japan. In 1973, the UK joined the European Economic Community (EEC), and when the EEC became the European Union (EU) in 1992, it was one of the 12 founding members.
England accounts for just over half of the total area of the UK, covering 130,395 square kilometres (50,350 sq mi). Most of the country consists of lowland terrain, with mountainous terrain north-west of the Tees-Exe line; including the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District, the Pennines and limestone hills of the Peak District, Exmoor and Dartmoor. The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames, Severn and the Humber. England's highest mountain is Scafell Pike (978 metres (3,209 ft)) in the Lake District. Its principal rivers are the Severn, Thames, Humber, Tees, Tyne, Tweed, Avon, Exe and Mersey.
Scotland accounts for just under a third of the total area of the UK, covering 78,772 square kilometres (30,410 sq mi) and including nearly eight hundred islands, predominantly west and north of the mainland; notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. The topography of Scotland is distinguished by the Highland Boundary Fault – a geological rock fracture – which traverses Scotland from Arran in the west to Stonehaven in the east. The faultline separates two distinctively different regions; namely the Highlands to the north and west and the lowlands to the south and east. The more rugged Highland region contains the majority of Scotland's mountainous land, including Ben Nevis which at 1,343 metres (4,406 ft) is the highest point in the British Isles. Lowland areas – especially the narrow waist of land between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth known as the Central Belt – are flatter and home to most of the population including Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, and Edinburgh, its capital and political centre.
For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 council areas, with wide variation in both size and population. The cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee are separate council areas, as is the Highland Council which includes a third of Scotland's area but only just over 200,000 people. Local councils are made up of elected councillors, of whom there are currently 1,222; they are paid a part-time salary. Elections are conducted by single transferable vote in multi-member wards that elect either three or four councillors. Each council elects a Provost, or Convenor, to chair meetings of the council and to act as a figurehead for the area. Councillors are subject to a code of conduct enforced by the Standards Commission for Scotland. The representative association of Scotland's local authorities is the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).
It is estimated that 95% of the UK's population are monolingual English speakers. 5.5% of the population are estimated to speak languages brought to the UK as a result of relatively recent immigration. South Asian languages, including Bengali, Tamil, Punjabi, Hindi and Gujarati, are the largest grouping and are spoken by 2.7% of the UK population. According to the 2011 census, Polish has become the second-largest language spoken in England and has 546,000 speakers.
The United Kingdom has experienced successive waves of migration. The Great Famine in Ireland, then part of the United Kingdom, resulted in perhaps a million people migrating to Great Brtain. Unable to return to Poland at the end of World War II, over 120,000 Polish veterans remained in the UK permanently. After World War II, there was significant immigration from the colonies and newly independent former colonies, partly as a legacy of empire and partly driven by labour shortages. Many of these migrants came from the Caribbean and the Indian subcontinent. The British Asian population has increased from 2.2 million in 2001 to over 4.2 million in 2011.
The UK government has introduced a points-based immigration system for immigration from outside the European Economic Area to replace former schemes, including the Scottish Government's Fresh Talent Initiative. In June 2010 the UK government introduced a temporary limit of 24,000 on immigration from outside the EU, aiming to discourage applications before a permanent cap was imposed in April 2011. The cap has caused tension within the coalition: business secretary Vince Cable has argued that it is harming British businesses.
Whilst education in England is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Education, the day-to-day administration and funding of state schools is the responsibility of local authorities. Universally free of charge state education was introduced piecemeal between 1870 and 1944. Education is now mandatory from ages five to sixteen (15 if born in late July or August). In 2011, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) rated 13–14-year-old pupils in England and Wales 10th in the world for maths and 9th for science. The majority of children are educated in state-sector schools, a small proportion of which select on the grounds of academic ability. Two of the top ten performing schools in terms of GCSE results in 2006 were state-run grammar schools. Over half of students at the leading universities of Cambridge and Oxford had attended state schools. Despite a fall in actual numbers the proportion of children in England attending private schools has risen to over 7%. In 2010, more than 45% of places at the University of Oxford and 40% at the University of Cambridge were taken by students from private schools, even though they educate just 7% of the population. England has the two oldest universities in English-speaking world, Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (jointly known as "Oxbridge") with history of over eight centuries. The United Kingdom has 9 universities featured in the Times Higher Education top 100 rankings, making it second to the United States in terms of representation.
Hitchens, Peter (2000). The Abolition of Britain: from Winston Churchill to Princess Diana. Second ed. San Francisco, Calif.: Encounter Books. xi, 332 p. ISBN 1-893554-18-X.
Lambert, Richard S. (1964). The Great Heritage: a History of Britain for Canadians. House of Grant, 1964 (and earlier editions and/or printings).
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^ Under the Council of Europe's European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Scots, Ulster-Scots, Welsh, Cornish, Irish and Scottish Gaelic, are officially recognised as regional or minority languages by the British government for the purposes of the Charter. See also Languages of the United Kingdom.
^ Although Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another state, two of its Overseas Territories also share land borders with other states. Gibraltar shares a border with Spain, while the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia share borders with the Republic of Cyprus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and UN buffer zone separating the two Cypriot polities.
^ The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6 December 1921 to resolve the Irish War of Independence. Effective one year later, it established the Irish Free State as a separate dominion within the Commonwealth. The UK's current name was adopted in 1927 to reflect the change.
^ Compare to section 1 of both of the 1800 Acts of Union which reads: the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland shall...be united into one Kingdom, by the Name of "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland"
^ New Zealand, Israel and San Marino are the other countries with uncodified constitutions.
^ Since the early twentieth century the prime minister has held the office of First Lord of the Treasury, and in recent decades has also held the office of Minister for the Civil Service.
^ Sinn Féin, an Irish republican party, also contests elections in the Republic of Ireland.
Snooker is one of the UK's popular sporting exports, with the world championships held annually in Sheffield. The modern game of lawn tennis first originated in the city of Birmingham between 1859 and 1865. The Championships, Wimbledon are international tennis events held in Wimbledon in south London every summer and are regarded as the most prestigious event of the global tennis calendar. In Northern Ireland Gaelic football and hurling are popular team sports, both in terms of participation and spectating, and Irish expatriates in the UK and the US also play them. Shinty (or camanachd) is popular in the Scottish Highlands.
Golf is the sixth-most popular sport, by participation, in the UK. Although The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in Scotland is the sport's home course, the world's oldest golf course is actually Musselburgh Links' Old Golf Course.
The UK is closely associated with motorsport. Many teams and drivers in Formula One (F1) are based in the UK, and the country has won more drivers' and constructors' titles than any other. The UK hosted the very first F1 Grand Prix in 1950 at Silverstone, the current location of the British Grand Prix held each year in July. The country also hosts legs of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing, World Rally Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. The premier national auto racing event is the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). Motorcycle road racing has a long tradition with races such as the Isle of Man TT and the North West 200.
Rugby league is a popular sport in some regions of the UK. It originated in Huddersfield and is generally played in Northern England. A single 'Great Britain Lions' team had competed in the Rugby League World Cup and Test match games, but this changed in 2008 when England, Scotland and Ireland competed as separate nations. Great Britain is still being retained as the full national team for Ashes tours against Australia, New Zealand and France. Super League is the highest level of professional rugby league in the UK and Europe. It consists of 11 teams from Northern England, 1 from London, 1 from Wales and 1 from France.
The United Kingdom is famous for the tradition of 'British Empiricism', a branch of the philosophy of knowledge that states that only knowledge verified by experience is valid, and 'Scottish Philosophy', sometimes referred to as the 'David Hume; while Dugald Stewart, Thomas Reid and William Hamilton were major exponents of the Scottish "common sense" school. Two Britons are also notable for a theory of moral philosophy utilitarianism, first used by Jeremy Bentham and later by John Stuart Mill in his short work Utilitarianism. Other eminent philosophers from the UK and the unions and countries that preceded it include Duns Scotus, John Lilburne, Mary Wollstonecraft, Sir Francis Bacon, Adam Smith, Thomas Hobbes, William of Ockham, Bertrand Russell and A.J. "Freddie" Ayer. Foreign-born philosophers who settled in the UK include Isaiah Berlin, Karl Marx, Karl Popper and Ludwig Wittgenstein.
The University of the Arts London, which includes the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and Chelsea College of Art and Design; Goldsmiths, University of London; the Slade School of Fine Art (part of University College London); the Glasgow School of Art; the Royal College of Art; and The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art (part of the University of Oxford). The Courtauld Institute of Art is a leading centre for the teaching of the history of art. Important art galleries in the United Kingdom include the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain and Tate Modern (the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year).
The history of British visual art forms part of abstract artist Howard Hodgkin; and the sculptors Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor and Henry Moore. During the late 1980s and 1990s the Saatchi Gallery in London helped to bring to public attention a group of multi-genre artists who would become known as the "Young British Artists": Damien Hirst, Chris Ofili, Rachel Whiteread, Tracey Emin, Mark Wallinger, Steve McQueen, Sam Taylor-Wood and the Chapman Brothers are among the better-known members of this loosely affiliated movement.
Various styles of music are popular in the UK from the indigenous naturalised British citizen and some of his best works, such as Messiah, were written in the English language. Andrew Lloyd Webber has achieved enormous worldwide commercial success and is a prolific composer of musical theatre, works which have dominated London's West End for a number of years and have travelled to Broadway in New York. The Beatles have international sales of over one billion units and are the biggest-selling and most influential band in the history of popular music. Other prominent British contributors to have influenced popular music over the last 50 years include; The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, the Bee Gees, and Elton John, all of whom have world wide record sales of 200 million or more. The Brit Awards are the BPI's annual music awards, and some of the British recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Music award include; The Who, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart and The Police. More recent UK music acts that have had international success include Coldplay, Radiohead, Oasis, Spice Girls, Robbie Williams, Amy Winehouse and Adele.
The Beatles are the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of music, selling over a billion records internationally.
Authors of other nationalities, particularly from Joseph Conrad, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound and more recently British authors born abroad such as Kazuo Ishiguro and Sir Salman Rushdie.
Britain's oldest known poem, Y Gododdin, was composed in Yr Hen Ogledd (The Old North), most likely in the late 6th century. It was written in Cumbric or Old Welsh and contains the earliest known reference to King Arthur. From around the seventh century, the connection between Wales and the Old North was lost, and the focus of Welsh-language culture shifted to Wales, where Arthurian legend was further developed by Geoffrey of Monmouth. Wales's most celebrated medieval poet, Dafydd ap Gwilym (fl.1320–1370), composed poetry on themes including nature, religion and especially love. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest European poets of his age. Until the late 19th century the majority of Welsh literature was in Welsh and much of the prose was religious in character. Daniel Owen is credited as the first Welsh-language novelist, publishing Rhys Lewis in 1885. The best-known of the Anglo-Welsh poets are both Thomases. Dylan Thomas became famous on both sides of the Atlantic in the mid-20th century. He is remembered for his poetry – his "Do not go gentle into that good night; Rage, rage against the dying of the light." is one of the most quoted couplets of English language verse – and for his 'play for voices', Under Milk Wood. The influential Church in Wales 'poet-priest' and Welsh nationalist R. S. Thomas was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1996. Leading Welsh novelists of the twentieth century include Richard Llewellyn and Kate Roberts.
Notable pre-modern and early-modern English writers include W. Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene; the crime writer Agatha Christie (the best-selling novelist of all time); Ian Fleming (the creator of James Bond); the poets T.S. Eliot, Philip Larkin and Ted Hughes; the fantasy writers J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis and J. K. Rowling; the graphic novelist Alan Moore, whose novel Watchmen is often cited by critics as comic's greatest series and graphic novel and one of the best-selling graphic novels ever published.
The culture of the United Kingdom has been influenced by many factors including: the nation's island status; its history as a western liberal democracy and a major power; as well as being a political union of four countries with each preserving elements of distinctive traditions, customs and symbolism. As a result of the British Empire, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies including Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States. The substantial cultural influence of the United Kingdom has led it to be described as a "cultural superpower."
The UK spends around 8.4 per cent of its gross domestic product on healthcare, which is 0.5 percentage points below the Since 1979 expenditure on healthcare has been increased significantly to bring it closer to the European Union average.
Ethnic diversity varies significantly across the UK. 30.4% of London's population and 37.4% of Leicester's was estimated to be non-white in 2005, whereas less than 5% of the populations of North East England, Wales and the South West were from ethnic minorities, according to the 2001 census. In 2011, 26.5% of primary and 22.2% of secondary pupils at state schools in England were members of an ethnic minority.
Since 1948 substantial immigration from Africa, the British Empire. Migration from new EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe since 2004 has resulted in growth in these population groups but, as of 2008, the trend is reversing. Many of these migrants are returning to their home countries, leaving the size of these groups unknown. In 2011, 86% of the population identified themselves as White, meaning 12.9% of the UK population identify themselves as of mixed ethnic minority.
Historically, indigenous British people were thought to be descended from the various ethnic groups that settled there before the 11th century: the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Norse and the Normans. Welsh people could be the oldest ethnic group in the UK. A 2006 genetic study shows that more than 50 per cent of England's gene pool contains Germanic Y chromosomes. Another 2005 genetic analysis indicates that "about 75 per cent of the traceable ancestors of the modern British population had arrived in the British isles by about 6,200 years ago, at the start of the British Neolithic or Stone Age", and that the British broadly share a common ancestry with the Basque people.
England's population in 2011 was found to be 53 million. It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with 383 people resident per square kilometre in mid-2003, with a particular concentration in London and the south-east. The 2011 census put Scotland's population at 5.3 million, Wales at 3.06 million and Northern Ireland at 1.81 million. In percentage terms England has had the fastest growing population of any country of the UK in the period from 2001 to 2011, with an increase of 7.9%.
In 2009, the UK produced 1.5 million barrels per day (bbl/d) of oil and consumed 1.7 million bbl/d. Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of oil since 2005. In 2010 the UK had around 3.1 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves, the largest of any EU member state. In 2009, 66.5% of the UK's oil supply was imported.
In 2006, the UK was the world's ninth-largest consumer of energy and the 15th-largest producer. The UK is home to a number of large energy companies, including two of the six oil and gas "
The UK has a railway network of 10,072 miles (16,209 km) in Great Britain and 189 miles (304 km) in Northern Ireland. Railways in Northern Ireland are operated by NI Railways, a subsidiary of state-owned Translink. In Great Britain, the British Rail network was privatised between 1994 and 1997. Network Rail owns and manages most of the fixed assets (tracks, signals etc.). About 20 privately owned (and foreign state-owned railways including: Deutsche Bahn; SNCF and Nederlandse Spoorwegen) Train Operating Companies (including state-owned East Coast), operate passenger trains and carry over 18,000 passenger trains daily. There are also some 1,000 freight trains in daily operation. The UK government is to spend £30 billion on a new high-speed railway line, HS2, to be operational by 2025. Crossrail, under construction in London, Is Europe's largest construction project with a £15 billion projected cost.
Scientific research and development remains important in British universities, with many establishing science parks to facilitate production and co-operation with industry. Between 2004 and 2008 the UK produced 7% of the world's scientific research papers and had an 8% share of scientific citations, the third and second highest in the world (after the United States and China, and the United States, respectively). Scientific journals produced in the UK include Nature, the British Medical Journal and The Lancet.
England and Scotland were leading centres of the Scientific Revolution from the 17th century and the United Kingdom led the Industrial Revolution from the 18th century, and has continued to produce scientists and engineers credited with important advances. Major theorists from the 17th and 18th centuries include Isaac Newton, whose laws of motion and illumination of gravity have been seen as a keystone of modern science; from the 19th century Charles Darwin, whose theory of evolution by natural selection was fundamental to the development of modern biology, and James Clerk Maxwell, who formulated classical electromagnetic theory; and more recently Stephen Hawking, who has advanced major theories in the fields of cosmology, quantum gravity and the investigation of black holes. Major scientific discoveries from the 18th century include hydrogen by Henry Cavendish; from the 20th century penicillin by Alexander Fleming, and the structure of DNA, by Francis Crick and others. Major engineering projects and applications by people from the UK in the 18th century include the steam locomotive, developed by Richard Trevithick and Andrew Vivian; from the 19th century the electric motor by Michael Faraday, the incandescent light bulb by Joseph Swan, and the first practical telephone, patented by Alexander Graham Bell; and in the 20th century the world's first working television system by John Logie Baird and others, the jet engine by Frank Whittle, the basis of the modern computer by Alan Turing, and the World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee.
BAE Systems - plays a critical role on some of the world's biggest defence aerospace projects. The company makes large sections of the Typhoon Eurofighter at its sub-assembly plant in Salmesbury and assembles the aircraft for the RAF at its Warton Plant, near Preston. It is also a principal subcontractor on the F35 Joint Strike Fighter - the world's largest single defence project - for which it designs and manufactures a range of components including the aft fuselage, vertical and horizontal tail and wing tips and fuel system. As well as this it manufactures the Hawk, the world's most successful jet training aircraft. Airbus UK also manufactures the wings for the A400m military transporter. Rolls-Royce, is the world's second-largest aero-engine manufacturer. Its engines power more than 30 types of commercial aircraft and it has more than 30,000 engines currently in service across both the civil and defence sectors. Rolls-Royce is forecast to have more than 50% of the widebody market share by 2016, ahead of General Electric. Agusta Westland designs and manufactures complete helicopters in the UK.
The aerospace industry of the UK is the second- or third-largest national aerospace industry in the world depending upon the method of measurement and has an annual turnover of around £20 billion. The wings for the Airbus A380 and the A350 XWB are designed and manufactured at Airbus UK's world-leading Broughton facility, whilst over a quarter of the value of the Boeing 787 comes from UK manufacturers including Eaton (fuel subsystem pumps), Messier-Bugatti-Dowty (the landing gear) and Rolls-Royce (the engines). Other key names include GKN Aerospace – an expert in metallic and composite aerostructures that's involved in almost every civil and military fixed and rotary wing aircraft in production and development today.
The UK service sector makes up around 73% of GDP. London is one of the three "command centres" of the global economy (alongside New York City and Tokyo), it is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York, and it has the largest city GDP in Europe. Edinburgh is also one of the largest financial centres in Europe. Tourism is very important to the British economy and, with over 27 million tourists arriving in 2004, the United Kingdom is ranked as the sixth major tourist destination in the world and London has the most international visitors of any city in the world. The creative industries accounted for 7% GVA in 2005 and grew at an average of 6% per annum between 1997 and 2005.
The UK has a partially regulated market economy. Based on market exchange rates the UK is today the sixth-largest economy in the world and the third-largest in Europe after Germany and France, having fallen behind France for the first time in over a decade in 2008. HM Treasury, led by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy. The Bank of England is the UK's central bank and is responsible for issuing notes and coins in the nation's currency, the pound sterling. Banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland retain the right to issue their own notes, subject to retaining enough Bank of England notes in reserve to cover their issue. Pound sterling is the world's third-largest reserve currency (after the US Dollar and the Euro). Since 1997 the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, headed by the Governor of the Bank of England, has been responsible for setting interest rates at the level necessary to achieve the overall inflation target for the economy that is set by the Chancellor each year.
The British armed forces played a key role in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Throughout its unique history the British forces have seen action in a number of major wars, such as the Seven Years' War, the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, World War I and World War II—as well as many colonial conflicts. By emerging victorious from such conflicts, Britain has often been able to decisively influence world events. Since the end of the British Empire, the UK has nonetheless remained a major military power. Following the end of the Cold War, defence policy has a stated assumption that "the most demanding operations" will be undertaken as part of a coalition. Setting aside the intervention in Sierra Leone, recent UK military operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and, most recently, Libya, have followed this approach. The last time the British military fought alone was the Falklands War of 1982.
The armed forces of the United Kingdom—officially, Her Majesty's Armed Forces—consist of three professional service branches: the Royal Navy and Royal Marines (forming the Naval Service), the British Army and the Royal Air Force. The forces are managed by the Ministry of Defence and controlled by the Defence Council, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence. The Commander-in-Chief is the British monarch, Elizabeth II, to whom members of the forces swear an oath of allegiance. The Armed Forces are charged with protecting the UK and its overseas territories, promoting the UK's global security interests and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. They are active and regular participants in NATO, including the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, as well as the Five Power Defence Arrangements, RIMPAC and other worldwide coalition operations. Overseas garrisons and facilities are maintained in Ascension Island, Belize, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Diego Garcia, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Kenya and Qatar.
The UK is a OSCE, and is a member state of the European Union. The UK is said to have a "Special Relationship" with the United States and a close partnership with France—the "Entente cordiale"—and shares nuclear weapons technology with both countries. The UK is also closely linked with the Republic of Ireland; the two countries share a Common Travel Area and co-operate through the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference and the British-Irish Council. Britain's global presence and influence is further amplified through its trading relations, foreign investments, official development assistance and military engagements.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, and the President of the United States, Barack Obama, during the 2010 G-20 Toronto summit.
Crime in England and Wales increased in the period between 1981 and 1995, though since that peak there has been an overall fall of 48% in crime from 1995 to 2007/08, according to crime statistics. The prison population of England and Wales has almost doubled over the same period, to over 80,000, giving England and Wales the highest rate of incarceration in Western Europe at 147 per 100,000. Her Majesty's Prison Service, which reports to the Ministry of Justice, manages most of the prisons within England and Wales. Crime in Scotland fell to its lowest recorded level for 32 years in 2009/10, falling by ten per cent. At the same time Scotland's prison population, at over 8,000, is at record levels and well above design capacity. The Scottish Prison Service, which reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, manages Scotland's prisons.
The United Kingdom does not have a single legal system, as Article 19 of the 1706 Treaty of Union provided for the continuation of Scotland's separate legal system. Today the UK has three distinct systems of law: English law, Northern Ireland law and Scots law. A new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom came into being in October 2009 to replace the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, including the same members as the Supreme Court, is the highest court of appeal for several independent Commonwealth countries, the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies.
The UK's three major political parties are the Conservative Party (Tories), the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats, representing the British traditions of conservatism, socialism and social liberalism, respectively. During the 2010 general election these three parties won 622 out of 650 seats available in the House of Commons. Most of the remaining seats were won by parties that contest elections only in one part of the UK: the Scottish National Party (Scotland only); Plaid Cymru (Wales only); and the Alliance Party, Democratic Unionist Party, Social Democratic and Labour Party and Sinn Féin (Northern Ireland only[nb 10]). In accordance with party policy, no elected Sinn Féin members of parliament have ever attended the House of Commons to speak on behalf of their constituents because of the requirement to take an oath of allegiance to the monarch.
The cabinet is traditionally drawn from members of a prime minister's party or coalition and mostly from the House of Commons but always from both legislative houses, the cabinet being responsible to both. Executive power is exercised by the prime minister and cabinet, all of whom are sworn into the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, and become Ministers of the Crown. The current Prime Minister is David Cameron, who has been in office since 11 May 2010. Cameron is the leader of the Conservative Party and heads a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. For elections to the House of Commons, the UK is currently divided into 650 constituencies, each electing a single member of parliament (MP) by simple plurality. General elections are called by the monarch when the prime minister so advises. The Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 require that a new election must be called no later than five years after the previous general election.
The position of prime minister,[nb 9] the UK's head of government, belongs to the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons; this individual is typically the leader of the political party or coalition of parties that holds the largest number of seats in that chamber. The prime minister chooses a cabinet and they are formally appointed by the monarch to form Her Majesty's Government. By convention, the Queen respects the prime minister's decisions of government.
The United Kingdom is a unitary state under a constitutional monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state of the UK as well as monarch of fifteen other independent Commonwealth countries. The monarch has "the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn". The United Kingdom is one of only four countries in the world to have an uncodified constitution.[nb 8] The Constitution of the United Kingdom thus consists mostly of a collection of disparate written sources, including statutes, judge-made case law and international treaties, together with constitutional conventions. As there is no technical difference between ordinary statutes and "constitutional law", the UK Parliament can perform "constitutional reform" simply by passing Acts of Parliament, and thus has the political power to change or abolish almost any written or unwritten element of the constitution. However, no Parliament can pass laws that future Parliaments cannot change.
The fourteen British Overseas Territories are: Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus. British claims in Antarctica are not universally recognised. Collectively Britain's overseas territories encompass an approximate land area of 1,727,570 square kilometres (667,018 sq mi) and a population of approximately 260,000 people. They are the remnants of the British Empire and several have specifically voted to remain British territories (Bermuda in 1995, Gibraltar in 2002 and the Falkland Islands in 2013).
The next local elections were postponed until 2016 to facilitate this. On 13 March 2008 the executive agreed on proposals to create 11 new councils and replace the present system. |
0.999926 | Das W5F verpackt seine Funktionen und speziellen Features in einem geschmeidigen und 1.6kg leichten Design. Zusammen mit dem integrierten kabellosen Mausempfänger sind sie mobiler als jemals zuvor.
Im Test waren vier Notebooks. Plus: gute Verarbeitung. Minus: Webcam-Probleme.
Im Test waren sieben Notebooks mit den Bewertungen 7 x "gut". Es wurden unter anderem Kriterien wie Handlichkeit, Bedienung sowie Qualität getestet. Das Asus ist vergleichsweise groß und schwer, lässt das Testfeld aber in Sachen Rechenleistung locker hinter sich. Zudem vereint es jede Menge Ausstattung mit mehr als ordentlicher Ausdauer.
Was bekommt der Käufer also letztendlich mit dem Asus W5F? Zunächst einmal ein Notebook mit schlanken 12-Zoll-Ausmaßen, einem geringen Gewicht und trotzdem enormer CPU-Leistung. Design und Layout kann man als durchaus gelungen ansehen. Auch das Zubehör kann sich sehen lassen. Nun sprechen wir hier aber auch über ein Gerät, welches preislich über 1800 Euro angesiedelt ist. Ein Preis, welcher sich nicht allein durch CPU-Power und ein teures Betriebssystem rechtfertigen kann. In Punkten wie dem nicht fest schließenden Deckel, den zu harten Maustasten oder kleinen Unschönheiten in Verarbeitung und Handhabung leistet sich das W5F Fehler, die sicher nicht weltbewegend sind, in einer solchen Preiskategorie aber nicht unbedingt erwartet werden.
Das W5F von Asus ist das erste Notebook mit der nun bereits dritten Generation der Centrino-Mobiltechnologie. Als solches ist es mit einem Core-Duo-Prozessor ausgestattet. Und auch ansonsten entspricht es wohl sehr genau einem typischen Notebook, wie Intel es sich vorstellt. Plus: Core-Duo-Prozessor eingebaut; Widescreen-Display; Integrierter DVD-Brenner; Zwei Akkus im Lieferumfang; 1,3-Megapixel-Kamera integriert.
Say what you want about Intel’s iffy Pentium desktop processors, but with its latest mobile CPU, the awesome Core Duo, there’s simply no denying it: Intel has a killer on its hands. In a full-sized notebook Core Duo packs an impressive dual-core punch. When squeezed into the puny frame of a 12in ultra-portable, however, the combination of portability and massive grunt is faintly ridiculous. AMD’s competing Turion 64 mobile chip doesn’t stand a chance, even with the advantage of 64-bit data addressing extensions. Core Duo is a very fine thing and so, on the whole, is this diminutive Asus laptop. It’s extremely compact for a system packing a full-fat mobile processor. The W5F supports the complete range of Core Duo processors, right up to the T2600 2.16GHz chips.
The Asus W5F is somewhere between being an ultraportable and just "portable". The W5F features a 12.1" widescreen glossy display, built-in optical drive, the Intel Core Duo processor and excellent battery life. It's a well built notebook with a nice design and is moderately priced at around $1,700. The Asus W5F design is very simple, it uses straight edges and clean lines. My model is black and there are no antennas or any other external features sticking out. I don't think it's as stylish or trendy as the Sony and not as business-like as the IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad laptops but rather falls somewhere in between those notebooks. Asus W5F is a definitive best buy for anybody looking for a small, slim, portable, durable and powerful notebook under $2,000!
Elegant, kraftvoll und ein toller Gegenwert fürs Geld.
With ultraportable laptops, manufacturers usually push for smaller and lighter machines, even if doing so requires the sacrifice of some features. But the Asus W5F is one of a new breed of ultraportables (which also includes the Dell XPS M1210 and the Lenovo 3000 V100) that retain a little bit of bulk and weight in exchange for a rich feature set and a larger screen size. The 3.9-pound Asus W5F provides a great range of multimedia features, including a built-in double-layer DVD burner, a 100GB hard drive, and strong, though not amazing, performance. Given its $1,799 price and stingy support policy, however, we have a hard time recommending it over similar models from larger manufacturers.
The immediate comment our photographer made when he first saw the Asus W5F was, “is it for girls?” He has a point. The W5F is small, neatly formed and clad in iPod white, enhanced with some rather fetching blue lights. It’s cool, but looks wise it’s a world away from a masculine ThinkPad. However, it would be unwise to dismiss the W5F merely as a style affectation. With a 2GHz Intel Core Duo CPU there’s no doubt that this notebook punches above its fairly modest 1.6Kg weight. This notebook is currently available with Intel Core Duo T2300 and T2400 CPUs but this version featuring the 2GHz T2500 will be available from June. The suggested price will be around £1,399 but actual online prices are likely to be lower.
The following is a summary, otherwise click here to head to the complete review. The complete review has MUCH more detail about features and design. Today on PC Perspective we are reviewing the Asus W5F 12" laptop. This review is the first of many more such reviews that will help you make informed purchasing decisions. So without further ado, here comes the Asus W5F. As far as a ultra-portable laptop goes, the Asus W5F has everything and then some -- an integrated camera, a bonus Blue Tooth mouse, and even digital audio output. Sure it does not play games very well, but I challenge you to find a 12.1" laptop that does! |
0.999989 | Ceasar Chavez is primarily associated with the _____ movement in the U.S.?
César Chávez, for whom many parks and streets are named in U.S. cities with significant Hispanic populations, is primarily associated with the United Farm Workers, a union he co-founded with Dolores Huerta in 1962 (as the National Farm Workers Association). Migrant farm workers were difficult to "organize," but with the help of other labor unionists and Democrat politicians, César Chávez led successful consumer boycotts to obtain concessions from agribusinesses and marches to focus legislatures' attention. To 'fill in the blank,' César Chávez is associated with the LABOR movement. To César Chávez, the Union was itself a "movement" for social justice, not merely an instrument for higher wages and improved working conditions for its members. |
0.919607 | Excitotoxicity is involved in the pathogenesis of a number neurodegenerative diseases, and axonopathy is an early feature in several of these disorders. In models of excitotoxicity-associated neurological disease, an excitotoxin delivered to the central nervous system (CNS), could trigger neuronal death not only in the somatodendritic region, but also in the axonal region, via oligodendrocyte N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. The retina and optic nerve, as approachable regions of the brain, provide a unique anatomical substrate to investigate the "downstream" effect of isolated excitotoxic perikaryal injury on central nervous system (CNS) axons, potentially providing information about the pathogenesis of the axonopathy in clinical neurological disorders.
Herein, we provide ultrastructural information about the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) somata and their axons, both unmyelinated and myelinated, after NMDA-induced retinal injury. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were killed at 0 h, 24 h, 72 h and 7 days after injecting 20 nM NMDA into the vitreous chamber of the left eye (n = 8 in each group). Saline-injected right eyes served as controls. After perfusion fixation, dissection, resin-embedding and staining, ultrathin sections of eyes and proximal (intraorbital) and distal (intracranial) optic nerve segments were evaluated by transmission electron tomography (TEM).
TEM demonstrated features of necrosis in RGCs: mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling, disintegration of polyribosomes, rupture of membranous organelle and formation of myelin bodies. Ultrastructural damage in the optic nerve mimicked the changes of Wallerian degeneration; early nodal/paranodal disturbances were followed by the appearance of three major morphological variants: dark degeneration, watery degeneration and demyelination.
NMDA-induced excitotoxic retinal injury causes mainly necrotic RGC somal death with Wallerian-like degeneration of the optic nerve. Since axonal degeneration associated with perikaryal excitotoxic injury is an active, regulated process, it may be amenable to therapeutic intervention.
Excitotoxicity, the mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, including stroke, motor neuron disease (MND), Alzheimer's disease (AD), retinal ischemia and glaucoma [1–12], is classically considered as a somatodendritic insult due to prolonged or excessive activation of excitatory amino acid receptors. Studies have also indicated axonopathy as an early feature in neurodegenerative diseases associated with excitotoxicity [13–16]. It is unclear whether the nerve degeneration associated with excitotoxicity is due to primary insult at the perikaryal level in the grey matter or a primary excitotoxic injury in the white matter.
An excitotoxin delivered to the central nervous system (CNS), could trigger injury not only in the somatodendritic region, but simultaneously, in the axonal region. As retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) axons have a relatively long projection within the eye before reaching the optic nerve, intravitreal excitotoxic injury, which is physically isolated from the retro-orbital axons, may be the result of toxic insult to RGCs and/or intraocular axonal compartment. Studies have confirmed perisynaptic localisation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in RGCs . Although there is evidence for the presence of non-NMDA glutaminergic receptors for alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and kainite in the postsynaptic myelinated axons in the central neurons and the expression of NMDA receptors on oligodendrocyte processes in white matter , there is no direct evidence of presence of functional NMDA receptors on axons . Therefore, retro-orbital optic nerve axonal degeneration observed in NMDA-induced retinal insult is logically a consequence of primary damage to RGCs; however, damage to intraorbital axons can also be considered a primary site of insult, if future studies provide direct evidence for the presence of functional NMDA receptors over axons.
The retina and optic nerve, as approachable regions of the CNS, provide a unique substrate to investigate the effect of NMDA induced excitotoxic RGC injury on the optic nerve axons. We previously noted that NMDA induced retinal injury produced an axonopathy which was synchronous with the somal degeneration of RGCs and which was most prominent in the more distal portions (closer to the midbrain) of the axon . To our knowledge, despite numerous reports about excitotoxic neuronal death in the retina, the "downstream" ultrastructural changes in the optic nerve (the RGC myelinated axons) have never been reported. In the current study, we provide ultrastructural information about the RGC somata and their axons, after NMDA-induced retinal injury.
Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 8) weighing 300-350 g [Institute of Medical and Veterinary Sciences (IMVS), Adelaide, South Australia] were kept at room temperature, with food and water available ad libitum. Adequate care was taken to minimise pain and discomfort for the animals used in this study and the experiments were conducted in accordance with the Australian and international standards on animal welfare. All experiments were approved and monitored by the IMVS, Animal Ethics Committee (Approval No. 53/06).
The excitotoxic RGC injury model was prepared in a manner similar to that previously described [22, 23]. After anaesthetising the rats with isoflurane (2.5 L/min isoflurane in 2.5 L/min oxygen), instilling topical 0.4% benoxinate drops in both eyes and applying a sterile loop around the globes, a single dose of 5 μl of 4 mM NMDA (20 nmol, source- Sigma Aldrich, USA) was injected slowly over 30 seconds into the vitreous space of the left eye using a microsyringe fitted with a 30-gauge needle. Right eyes received 5 μl of the NMDA vehicle (sterile 0.9% saline) to serve as controls.
Sets of animals (n = 8 per group) were killed humanely by cardiac perfusion at various time intervals: immediately, 24 hrs, 72 hrs and 7 days after injection. Under deep anaesthesia, animals were killed by intracardiac perfusion with a solution of 2.5% glutaraldehyde with 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.4. To minimise stretch injury to the optic nerve caused by direct enucleation of the globe, the eye, optic nerves and tracts were dissected via a craniotomy. Eyes were separated by cutting the optic nerve 1 mm behind the globe. The optic nerve was divided into proximal (nearer to the globe) and the distal segment (nearer to the midbrain).
Tissues perfused with 2.5% glutaraldehyde were transferred into polypropylene vials and post-fixed in the same fixative overnight at room temperature. The specimens were then rotator-rinsed in sodium cacodylate buffer (with sucrose, pH 7.4) for 30 minutes, and post-fixed in 1% osmium tetroxide (OsO4) overnight at room temperature. The specimens were the re-rinsed in sodium cacodylate buffer three times for 30 minutes each, and then dehydrated in a graded alcohol series (70%, 95% and 100%). Dehydrated tissues were then infiltrated and later embedded in fresh TAAB-Epoxy resin with propylene oxide (2-epoxypropane) used as a clearing agent.
Polymerised resin blocks containing tissue specimens were trimmed and semi-thin sections (0.5 μm) were cut on a mechanical ultramicrotome using a glass knife. Floating each section onto a water bath, sections were collected on labelled polysine slides, dried on the hot plate for 1 hour and stained with toluidine blue. Finally, sections were mounted and cover-slipped. Ultrathin sections (60-80 nm) were cut in the same manner as semi-thin sections, but using a diamond knife. Sections picked on 150 mesh acetone-washed copper grids and dried overnight were stained with Uranyl acetate and Lead citrate stains.
LM appearance of resin-embedded semi-thin section of saline control normal inner retina stained with Toluidine blue stain. INFL: inner nerve fibre layer, GCL: ganglion cell layer, IPL: inner plexiform layer. Ganglion cell layer shows prominent nuclei of RGCs (white stars) and amacrine cell (red stars). Bar = 10 μm.
Ultrastructural appearances of normal RGCs from saline injected eye. Typical RGCs are seen (A, Bar = 5 μm) with normal nuclei (B, Bar = 2 μm), endoplasmic reticulum (C, Bar = 1.7 μm) and mitochondrion (D, Bar = 20 nm).
Ultrastructural appearance of RGCs 24 hrs after NMDA injection shows (A, Bar = 5 μm) early dense appearance of the cell (rgc) cytoplasm with dendritic swelling (d) and normal euchromatic nucleus with a prominent nucleolus (B, Bar = 2 μm). Notice the dilatation of mitochondrion (m) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as well as some scattered ribosomes (r) in the cytoplasm (C, Bar = 2 μm).
Ultrastructure appearance of RGCs 72 hrs after NMDA injection. Neurons are found at different stages of degeneration and the neuronal death is morphologically 'necrotic'. Figure A shows the hyperconvoluted nucleus and cytoplasm filled with multiple vacuoles, ribosomes and swollen organelle. Figure B shows severe necrotic cell death where the cell has lost its architecture and converted into debris. There is no demarcation between cytoplasm and electron-dense bodies. The cytoplasm is studded with the multi-laminated myelin figures and damaged organelles (Bars = 2 μm); Nu = nucleus, ER = endoplasmic reticulum, ga = golgi apparatus, m = mitochondria, v = vesicles, r = ribosomes.
NMDA-induced ultrastructural changes in RGCs at 7 days where necrotic cell in the form of highly electron-dense neuronal debris (Red star, A & B, Bar = 2 μm) is seen lying adjacent to numerous membrane-bound microtubule-rich neuritic processes (C, red triangle, Bar = 2 μm) identified as dendrites under high power (D, red triangle, Bar = 500 nm); Figure E and F show reactive microglia surrounding the dendritic sprouts. (Bars = 2 μm).
TEM of the parallel running longitudinal sections of the intraorbital axons in saline injected control retina immediately after the injection. A few fibres cut to a substantial length showed varicosities (red star) and intervaricosity regions simultaneously (Bar = 1 μm).
The retro-orbital optic nerve from saline injected animals at all time points displayed ultrastructural features similar to those previously described in the normal adult rat [26–29]. In transverse sections, well-fixed myelinated axons of various diameters maintained round to ovoid sectional profiles (Figure 7a) with numerous microtubules and neurofilaments dispersed evenly in the axoplasm. Microtubules were seen as hollow round cross-sections and neurofilaments as small electron-dense dots with no central clearing. Also seen in the axoplasm were mitochondria with normal morphology and intact cristae. Surrounding the axons, myelin remained compact with a normal periodicity with no intramyelinic lacunae or vacuoles. In longitudinal sections (Figure 7b), axons ensheathed by darkly stained myelin contained filamentous structures (neurofilaments and microtubules) which showed linear orientation, parallel to the length of the axons. The nodes of Ranvier displayed a normal morphology with well preserved paranodal terminal loops contacting axolemma and a non-myelinated nodal gap measuring less than or approximately equal to 1 μm. Various glial cells surrounded the axons. Oligodendroglial cells had an electron-dense cytoplasm and heterochromatic nuclei. Astrocytes were identified by the electron-lucent cytoplasm and processes which contained bundles of intermediate filaments. Microglia had heterochromatic nuclei similar to oligodendroglia, but their cytoplasm appeared less dense.
EM of the retro-orbital distal segment of rat optic nerve of the saline injected control animal immediately after the injection. Axoplasm of the myelinated axons contain numerous neurofilaments, microtubules, mitochondria and various other organelles. The transverse sections (A, Bar = 5 μm and B, Bar = 2 μm) show compact arrangement of the myelin lamellae around the axons in the internodal regions. The longitudinal sections show parallel running myelinated axons (C, Bar = 5 μm). Axon-myelin relationship in the nodal-paranodal region is better appreciated at very high magnification (D, Bar = 1 μm) Here, myelin terminal loops are seen attached to the paranodal axolemma on either side of the node.
Optic nerves from NMDA-injected eyes, examined immediately and 24 hrs after injection were similar to the optic nerve of saline-injected eyes. At 72 hrs post-NMDA insult, unmyelinated fibres running in the INFL maintained normal morphology; however, pathology was identified in the retro-orbital optic nerve. After careful observation of cross sections of proximal and distal segments, three distinct abnormalities were identified with changes appearing more pronounced in the distal as compared to the proximal optic nerve (data not quantified). These ultrastructural changes had similar spatiotemporal and pathological features to that described in classical Wallerian degeneration [30, 31].
Ultrastructural appearances of axonal swellings in the transverse sections of distal segment of rat optic nerve after 72 hrs of NMDA injection. The major change observed is the appearance of swollen axons (A, Bar = 10 μm). The axoplasm of these axonal swellings show abnormal collection of altered tubulovesicular structures (B-D, Bars = 2 μm), cytoskeletal disintegration (C-F, Bars = 2 μm), and multilayered whorled masses (C & F, Bars = 2 μm), which are seen to be arising from the inner layers of the myelin (F, Bar = 2 μm).
Ultrastructural appearance of hyperdense axons in distal optic nerves seen 72 hrs after NMDA injection (Bars = 2 μm). Note that despite the extent of the changes, some adjacent axons still appear normal.
Ultrastructure appearances of distal segment of rat optic nerve after 72 hrs of NMDA injection. Transverse sections show separation and vacuolation of myelin sheath (A & B). Longitudinal sections display nodal blebs (C, arrows), abnormal accumulation of altered organelles (D, arrow), myelin whorls (E, arrow) arising from the inner myelin and forming mesaxon (F, arrow). The cytoskeleton surrounding the myelin whorls appears normal at this stage (E & F). Bars = 2 μm.
TEM of distal segment of rat optic nerve after 7 days of NMDA injection. Transverse (A, Bar = 20 μm & B, Bar = 5 μm) and longitudinal sections (C, Bar = 20 μm & D = Bar = 5 μm) show the fibres undergoing dark degeneration with most axons showing hyperdense axoplasm (red arrows). Longitudinal profile show the focal axonal swelling and hyperdense axoplasm in the same axon (D, arrows). Axon towards the end stage of degeneration (E, Bar = 1 μm) show nearly collapsed axon structure and the myelin debris phagocytosed by the astrocytes (F, Bar = 5 μm). Last series of photographs (G1, G2, G3, Bar = 2 μm) represent axoplasm in various stages of dissolution.
Most of the information about the pathology of axonal degeneration is derived from the experimental nerve transection model which causes classic Wallerian degeneration of axons and a reactive gliosis [30, 31]. Under the light microscope, NMDA induced excitotoxic injury to the retina causes significant reduction in thickness of inner retina at 72 hrs (posterior retina, p = 0.002 and peripheral retina, p = 0.012) with thickness reducing further to 68% and 76% in both regions compared to the control eyes at 7 days (p < 0.05) . This implies loss of RGCs and their dendrites. Damage to RGC somata is characterized by a well-ordered sequence of organelle changes along with a dying-back-like degeneration of the axons (the optic nerve fibres) .
There is paucity of literature regarding degenerative changes in the optic nerve at the ultrastructural level. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the pathological changes in the optic nerve at ultrastructural level after excitototxic retinal damage. To characterize the events leading to neuronal cell death after isolated injury to the perikaryon, this morphologic study in rats describes the time-dependent pathological sequelae in the RGCs and optic nerve after NMDA-induced retinal damage. TEM analysis showed that the effects of excitotoxic stimuli begin in the retina within 24 hrs where RGCs undergo progressive necrosis, and the optic nerve degeneration mimics classic Wallerian degeneration. Studies have shown that Wallerian degeneration mutation rescues axons but not cell bodies in a rat model of glaucoma and that axonal degeneration can be delayed for weeks in the presence of the slow Wallerian degeneration gene (WldS), suggesting that Wallerian degeneration is an active, regulated process . Recent research suggests that the more long-lived, functionally related WldS protein, a variant of Nmnat1, substitutes for endogenous Nmnat2 loss after axon injury, which is actually considered to prevent spontaneous degeneration of healthy axon .
Previous studies have shown that the excitotoxic injury could lead to apoptotic, autophagic or necrotic cell death [35–42]. Evidence is also available that the excitotoxic injury can produce hybrid forms of cell death, existing on a continuum between the classically defined apoptosis and necrosis [38, 39, 43], and is likely to depend on the degree of insult and the sensitivity of the exposed neurones. Time-dependent studies of glutamate exposure to cultured neuronal populations showed that the excitotoxins induce early necrosis and delayed apoptosis [36, 44]. There is also evidence that the necrotic neurons may completely recover to undergo apoptotic transformation later . The current study is consistent with previously reported pathology [45, 46].
Cell death, seen 72 hrs after excitotoxic insult, exhibited the essential features of necrosis characterized by progressive organelle swelling, cytolysis and karyolysis. RGCs showed mitochondrial swelling, dilated ER, dissolution of ribosomes in early stages and disintegration of cytoplasmic organelles, change in nuclear morphology and mild chromatin aggregation in advanced stages [43, 47–50]. Because apoptosis requires functional mitochondria , the presence of swollen and disrupting mitochondria suggested that the event was non-apoptotic. In the presence of whorl-like multi-laminated 'myelin figures' or 'myelin-like bodies' in severely damaged RGCs, and in the absence of highly specific features of apoptosis (heterochromatin segregation, nucleolar disintegration or apoptotic bodies) as well as autophagocytosis (presence of typical autophagosomes) [52–55], cellular events were labelled as necrotic.
In comparison to the popular models of immediate (axotomy) or delayed (stretch) disruptive injuries, where the axons and myelin are simultaneously and directly damaged at the site of lesion, optic nerve fibres in the current model do not suffer any form of direct injury. Because the optic nerve is physically isolated from the eyeball, retro-orbital axonal changes seen in the present study are most likely the result of direct injury to RGCs or indirect damage to the intraretinal axons. Several physiological studies suggest that the axons lack excitatory amino acid receptors and they respond to excitatory amino acids indirectly by the change in extracellular ion composition associated with neuronal depolarization [56–58].
The initial sequence of events resulting in axonal degeneration depends upon the type of injury. During early Wallerian degeneration, asymmetric paranodal myelin retraction was seen as the initial event after axotomy in frog optic nerve followed by the formation of nodal blebs and accumulation of abnormal organelles in nodal axolemma . In response to excitotoxic perikaryal injury, this study found nodal changes in the form of bleb formation and abnormal accumulation of organelles in the paranodal region with no obvious myelin terminal loop retraction as early changes. These changes resembled the response observed after non-disruptive stretch injury, where accumulation of membranous organelles in the paranodal and internodal regions preceeded the nodal bleb formation related with loss of axolemmal undercoating .
Nodal changes seen in the present study indicate the role of disrupted ionic equilibrium in initiating axonal damage following excitotoxic perikaryal injury. It has been proposed that the decreased ATP and mitochondrial formation, usually seen with necrotic cell death, results in energy-dependent pump failure at active nodal sites causing ionic imbalance, focal cytoskeletal dissolution and neurofilament compaction; loss of membranous Ca2+-ATPase pump causing Ca2+ influx induce calpain-mediated proteolysis of the subaxolemmal proteins which results in the formation of nodal blebs [61, 62]. This proteolytic activity spreads to involve the entire nodal axoplasm results in focal axonal swellings with variable amount of cytoskeletal disruption. Studies have also shown that proteolyic degradation of sidearms of neurofilaments results in their axoplasmic aggregation . These cytoskeletal changes are likely to affect the axonal transport system leading to the accumulation of transport material including vesicles, organelles, proteins and enzymes in the paranodal and internodal regions .
Similar to the study using optic nerve crush injury, the current study also identified watery and dark degeneration in the axons . Both patterns were observed at 72 hrs and 7 days of injury. Although there was no apparent predominant form at 72 hrs, there was a clear increment of fibres undergoing dark degeneration and demyelination at 7 days. It is unclear whether the same axon displays different type of axoplasmic degeneration at variable distance from RGC at the same time or individual axons undergoes a specific type of degeneration throughout its length. It is possible there is a cause and effect relationship between both types of degeneration, but evidence is circumstantial. Unlike the stretch injury model, axons form the only link between the myelin and the cell body in the current study. It was presumed that perikaryal insult is unlikely to damage myelin without producing axonal changes. However, myelin showed proliferation and intermittent separation at internodes in the absence of cytoskeletal damage.
Glial cells in the optic nerve also reacted to excitotoxic-induced axonal degeneration in a manner similar to that seen during Wallerian degeneration . Although, there are evidences for the expression of NMDA receptors on oligodendrocyte processes in white matter , oligodendrocytes in retro-orbital optic nerve axons remained normal. But astrocytes underwent reactive changes with the development of extensive filament-rich processes. Studies have shown that astrocytes and microglial cells invade the myelin sheath at the intraperiod line and phagocytose the peeled off outer lamellae . No such glial invasion was seen in this study. Myelin debris was seen scattered in the extracellular space. Phagocytosed myelin which is initially in the form of the paired electron-dense curvilinear lines decompose and form a homogeneous or heterogeneous osmophilic layered structure, the myelin body, which, in the final stages, disintegrate and transform into globoid lipid droplets and needle shaped cholesterol crystal .
In conclusion, selective perikaryal excitotoxic injury causes a predominantly necrotic form of somal death with simultaneous nodal-paranodal changes in axons culminating later to Wallerian-like degeneration in the form of dark and watery degeneration with demyelination. The Wallerian-like degeneration noted in this model, after primary perikaryal injury, raises the possibility that excitotoxicity-induced axonopathy is an active, regulated event. This hypothesis could be tested by using the current model and comparing the axonal degeneration in slow Wallerian degeneration (WldS) rats with the degeneration in control rats.
We really thank The University of Adelaide for providing opportunity to conduct this research as a PhD study. We also would like to thank the staff of neuropathology department at Hanson's institute and Adelaide Microscopy for their technical assistance.
SS, the main author, prepared the study design after extensive literature review, collected the tissue samples, carried out electron microscopy and photography, analysed and interpreted the data. She also drafted the manuscript, made the changes as per supervisors and reviewers suggestions with the help of HC, who also assisted in collecting tissue samples, and made important intellectual contributions in the analysis of data. RC, being the principle supervisor, participated in study design, supervised each step of the study, made important suggestions on the recent updates on the research topic with contribution in reviewing the manuscript. PB, being an experienced neuropathologist, helped in thorough analysis of ultrastructure of optic nerve. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. |
0.999872 | Present lessons on various topics including but not limited to: a. HIV/AIDS b. Hepatitis C c. Sexually Transmitted Infections d. MRSA e. PrEP e. Tuberculosis & other relevant topics that inmates may be interested in. Answer questions related to discussion Counsel inmates regarding HIV/ HCV/TB and STI as needed. Provides community based and Cambridge Health Alliance wide education and outreach for counseling and screening services. - Provides services from a harm reduction/risk assessment approach in a non-judgmental manner. Be available to all Cambridge Health Alliance clinical sites to perform education to staff and to counsel clients about HIV, HCV, and STIs. - Refer to range of services throughout the Alliance as appropriate. 1. Provides HIV, HCV, and STI counseling and screening in accordance with the HIV Program and the MDPH standards of care. 2. Provides HIV, HCV, and STI counseling and screening sessions at CHA and CBO sites targeting individuals at high risk for HIV infection. 3. Performs a risk assessment on all clients, makes appropriate Referrals, and documents referrals in the referral log. 4. Completes paper work in a consistent and timely manner. 5. Remains current on HIV, HCV, and STI information so as to be a resource to the substance abuse community, HIV community & other organizations. 6. Attends all the regular program staff meetings, in-service trainings, and outside training programs as appropriate. |
0.994961 | We reviewed the evidence about the effect of using chest physiotherapy compared to no physiotherapy for clearing excess mucus from the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis.
The lungs of people with cystic fibrosis produce excess mucus. This leads to repeated infection and tissue damage in the lungs. It is important to clear the mucus using drugs and chest physiotherapy. Physiotherapy clears mucus by different techniques or by using mechanical devices or both. Daily physiotherapy takes a lot of time and trouble so it is important to know if it works. We searched for studies where the people taking part had equal chances of being in the group using chest physiotherapy or the group with no chest physiotherapy. This is an update of previously published reviews.
The evidence is current to: 02 June 2015.
We included eight studies in the review reporting results from a total of 96 people with cystic fibrosis. All the studies were very different and some looked at multiple treatments compared to no treatment. One study looked at autogenic drainage, six considered conventional chest physiotherapy, three considered oscillating positive expiratory pressure, seven considered positive expiratory pressure and one considered high pressure positive expiratory pressure. We could not combine the results to analyse them statistically.
Summarising the findings of these eight studies, we found that methods of clearing the airways have short-term benefits for moving mucus. Three studies measured sputum which had been coughed up and found those people using chest physiotherapy coughed up more sputum; four studies measured radioactive tracer clearance and found increased clearance with chest physiotherapy. Only one study reported an improvement in lung function in some of the treatment groups; but three other studies who reported this outcome did not find any significant effect from chest physiotherapy. At present there is no clear evidence of long-term effects in chest clearance, quality of life or survival with chest physiotherapy.
Most of the included studies had some design problems which may affect confidence in the results. In just under half of the studies it was not clear as to whether all of the results were reported.
In physiotherapy studies the person and their physiotherapist will know which treatment they are receiving and this may affect some of the findings. Half the studies looked at amount of sputum coughed up and lung function testing, with a quarter asking the person's views on the treatment and these results may have been affected by being aware of the treatment. In all of the studies it was not clear if the person was experienced in carrying out the treatment. This may affect how well they were able to do the treatment which could affect confidence in the results.
The results of this review show that airway clearance techniques have short-term effects in the terms of increasing mucus transport. No evidence was found on which to draw conclusions concerning the long-term effects.
Chest physiotherapy is widely used in people with cystic fibrosis in order to clear mucus from the airways. This is an updated version of previously published reviews.
To determine the effectiveness and acceptability of chest physiotherapy compared to no treatment or spontaneous cough alone to improve mucus clearance in cystic fibrosis.
Date of the most recent search of the Group's Cystic Fibrosis Trials Register: 02 June 2015.
Randomised or quasi-randomised clinical studies in which a form of chest physiotherapy (airway clearance technique) were taken for consideration in people with cystic fibrosis compared with either no physiotherapy treatment or spontaneous cough alone.
Both authors independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies. There was heterogeneity in the published outcomes, with variable reporting which meant pooling of the data for meta-analysis was not possible.
The searches identified 157 studies, of which eight cross-over studies (data from 96 participants) met the inclusion criteria. There were differences between studies in the way that interventions were delivered, with several of the intervention groups combining more than one treatment modality. One included study looked at autogenic drainage, six considered conventional chest physiotherapy, three considered oscillating positive expiratory pressure, seven considered positive expiratory pressure and one considered high pressure positive expiratory pressure. Of the eight studies, six were single-treatment studies and in two, the treatment intervention was performed over two consecutive days (once daily in one, twice daily in the other). This enormous heterogeneity in the treatment interventions prevented any meta-analyses from being performed. Blinding of participants, caregivers or clinicians in airway clearance studies is impossible; therefore this was not considered as a high risk of bias in the included studies. Lack of protocol data made assessment of risk of bias unclear for the majority of other criteria.
Four studies, involving 28 participants, reported a higher amount of expectorated secretions during chest physiotherapy as compared to a control. One study, involving 18 participants, reported no significant differences in sputum weight. In five studies radioactive tracer clearance was used as an outcome variable. In three of these (28 participants) it was reported that chest physiotherapy, including coughing, increased radioactive tracer clearance as compared to the control period. One study (12 participants) reported increased radioactive tracer clearance associated with all interventions compared to control, although this was only reported to have reached significance for postural drainage with percussion and vibrations; and the remaining study (eight participants) reported no significant difference in radioactive tracer clearance between chest physiotherapy, without coughing, compared to the control period. Three studies, involving 42 participants reported no significant effect on pulmonary function variables following intervention; but one further study did report significant improvement in pulmonary function following the intervention in some of the treatment groups. |
0.999991 | What does it mean to have boundaries in a relationship? In the profession of counseling, there is a code of ethics that guides counseling in standards that are required. The code of ethics is designed by The American Counseling Association to protect and serve clients and counselors. Boundaries can include small things such as gifts, outside of the office meeting, eating lunch, and of course physical touch, sexual relations and personally networking socially.
The key ethical dimension in this case is that even though the counselor is accepting and using the free tickets, there is no relationship together outside of the office. After going through the steps in the decision making process the counselor recognizes that with former clients the boundaries are not as defined as with those who are current clients. In some situations after termination of therapy, things can change leaving counselor not responsible relationships and confidentially. Ethically, termination of services and the standards needs to be made clear to the client. Some of the reasons termination can be ethically appropriate include, clients not benefiting from treatment, treatment not clinically appropriate for the client, the counselor not being able to complete sessions due to illness or maternal leave, or the treatment is becoming ethically questionable by the agency, the law or courts (Pearson, & Piazza). |
0.999977 | Lithium batteries stand apart from other battery chemistries due to their high energy density and low cost per cycle. However, "lithium battery" is an ambiguous term. There are about six common chemistries of lithium batteries, all with their own unique advantages and disadvantages. For renewable energy applications, the predominant chemistry is Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4). This chemistry has excellent safety, with great thermal stability, high current ratings, long cycle life, and tolerance to abuse.
Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) is an extremely stable lithium chemistry when compared to almost all other lithium chemistries. The battery is assembled with a naturally safe cathode material (iron phosphate). Compared to other lithium chemistries iron phosphate promotes a strong molecular bond, which withstands extreme charging conditions, prolongs cycle life, and maintains chemical integrity over many cycles. This is what gives these batteries their great thermal stability, long cycle life, and tolerance to abuse. LiFePO4 batteries are not prone to overheating, nor are they disposed to 'thermal runaway' and therefore do not over-heat or ignite when subjected to rigorous mishandling or harsh environmental conditions.
Unlike flooded lead acid and other battery chemistries, Lithium batteries do not vent dangerous gases such as hydrogen and oxygen. There's also no danger of exposure to caustic electrolytes such as sulfuric acid or potassium hydroxide. In most cases, these batteries can be stored in confined areas without the risk of explosion and a properly designed system should not require active cooling or venting.
Lithium batteries are an assembly composed of many cells, like lead-acid batteries and many other battery types. Lead acid batteries have a nominal voltage of 2V/cell, whereas lithium battery cells have a nominal voltage of 3.2V. Therefore, to achieve a 12V battery you'll typically have four cells connected in a series. This will make the nominal voltage of a LiFePO4 12.8V. Eight cells connected in a series make a 24V battery with a nominal voltage of 25.6V and sixteen cells connected in a series make a 48V battery with a nominal voltage of 51.2V. These voltages work very well with your typical 12V, 24V, and 48V inverters.
Lithium batteries are often used to directly replace the lead-acid batteries because they have very similar charging voltages. A four cell LiFePO4 Battery (12.8V), will typically have a max charge voltage between 14.4-14.6V (depending on manufacturers recommendations). What's unique to a lithium battery is that they do not need an absorption charge or to be held in a constant voltage state for significant periods of time. Typically, when the battery reaches the max charge voltage it no longer needs to be charged. The discharge characteristics of LiFePO4 batteries is also unique. During discharge, lithium batteries will maintain a much higher voltage than lead-acid batteries typically would under load. It's not uncommon for a lithium battery to only drop a few tenths of a volt from a full charge to 75% discharged. This can make It difficult to tell how much capacity has been used without battery monitoring equipment.
A significant advantage of lithium over lead-acid batteries is that they do not suffer from deficit cycling. Essentially, this is when the batteries cannot be fully charged before being discharged again the next day. This is a very big problem with lead-acid batteries and can promote significant plate degradation if repeatedly cycled in this manner. LiFePO4 batteries do not need to be fully charged regularly. In fact, it's possible to slightly improve overall life expectancy with a slight partial charge instead of a full charge.
Efficiency is a very important factor when designing solar electric systems. The round-trip efficiency (from full to dead and back to full) of the average lead acid battery is about 80%. Other chemistries can be even worse. The round-trip energy efficiency of a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery is upwards of 95-98%. This alone is a significant improvement for systems starved of solar power during winter, the fuel savings from generator charging can be tremendous. The absorption charge stage of lead-acid batteries is particularly inefficient, resulting in efficiencies of 50% or even less. Considering lithium batteries do not absorption charge, the charge time from completely discharged to completely full can be as little as two hours. It's also important to note that a lithium battery can undergo a nearly complete discharge as rated without significant adverse effects. It is, however, important to make sure the individual cells do not over discharge. This is the job of the integrated Battery Management System (BMS).
The safety and reliability of lithium batteries is a big concern, thus all assemblies should have an integrated Battery Management System (BMS). The BMS is a system that monitors, evaluates, balances, and protects cells from operating outside the "Safe Operating Area". The BMS is an essential safety component of a lithium battery system, monitoring and protecting the cells within the battery against over current, under/over voltage, under/over temperature and more. A LiFePO4 cell will be permanently damaged if the voltage of the cell ever falls to less than 2.5V, it will also be permanently damaged if the voltage of the cell increases to more than 4.2V. The BMS monitors each cell and will prevent damage to the cells in the case of under/over voltage.
Another essential responsibility of the BMS is to balance the pack during charging, guaranteeing all cells get a full charge without overcharging. The cells of a LiFePO4 battery will not automatically balance at the end of the charge cycle. There are slight variations in the impedance through the cells and thus no cell is 100% identical. Therefore, when cycled, some cells will be fully charged or discharged earlier than others. The variance between cells will increase significantly over time if the cells are not balanced.
In lead-acid batteries, current will continue to flow even when one or more of the cells are fully charged. This is a result the electrolysis taking place within the battery, the water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen. This current helps to fully charge other cells, thus naturally balancing the charge on all cells. However, a fully charged lithium cell will have a very high resistance and very little current will flow. The lagging cells will therefore not be fully charged. During balancing the BMS will apply a small load to the fully charged cells, preventing it from overcharging and allowing the other cells to catch up.
Lithium batteries offer many benefits over other battery chemistries. They are a safe and reliable battery solution, with no fear of thermal runaway and/or catastrophic meltdown, which is a significant possibility from other lithium battery types. These batteries offer extremely long cycle life, with some manufacturers even warranting batteries for up to 10,000 cycles. With high discharge and recharge rates upwards of C/2 continuous and a round-trip efficiency of up to 98%, it's no wonder these batteries are gaining traction within the industry. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) is a perfect energy storage solution. |
0.999996 | Star Wars is HUGE with my family, and I know from my own experience how important it was for my three sons when they were younger to participate in the Jedi Training Academy. I'll be hoping that your sons will be able to enjoy some unforgettable Star Wars moments on your upcoming trip.
While there isn't anything official about newer Star Wars related options at Walt Disney World, I'd check the Disney Parks Blog regularly as updates will be shared there, especially to see what is happening with Season of the Force at Walt Disney World. It may also be helpful to check the Park Hours for Disney's Hollywood Studios to see what is scheduled to be happening on the days you will be visiting, including character greetings. |
0.965106 | What is this thing called secular Buddhism, and how did it get here?
Most dharma practitioners in western countries belong to Asian diasporas and preserve the practices of their countries of origin.
The next most numerous group of practitioners consists of ethnic westerners who have adopted, and sometimes adapted, one or more of the longstanding Asian forms of practice, with their associated beliefs and organisational culture (including discriminatory gender relations, hierarchy and concepts of authority).
The third, emerging category of practitioners in the west encompasses those who seek to develop forms of practice, community and thought that harmonise with their own culture and its more progressive values – starting with egalitarianism, inclusiveness and democratic self-rule. It is this third group which attracts the label of a secular dharma.
Secular Buddhism is not a ‘school’ of Buddhism: it has no orthodoxy, no separate canon and no institutional presence. For the most part, its sympathisers participate in lay practice communities with friends of other Buddhist persuasions or of none in particular.
Rather, a secular dharma stands for a developmental direction that is typically Buddhist in its open-minded scepticism and its desire to let the dharma speak most effectively, that is in culturally available terms.
In a primary, existential sense, human experience is no different today than what it was in the time of the Buddha. However, it is clear that as these teachings spread from country to country they changed, adapting to the conditions and the cultures of the host societies.
As we develop our own understanding of what we need to do in this particular place and time – 21st century Aotearoa New Zealand – our intention is to foster a culture of openness and generosity among ourselves and in our interactions with others.
Rather than an organisation, this website is an expression of a network of people. Scattered the length and breadth of the land of the long white cloud, we are a small and diverse network of spiritual friends whose practices focus around the four tasks offered by Gotama to his followers in India two and a half thousand years ago.
Also, valuing meaningful and insightful dialogue, a critical examination of other Buddhist traditions improves our understanding of our practice.
A secular approach to the dharma shares authority and responsibility among peers, believing that everyone is capable of understanding and practicing the four tasks, of taking responsibility for their own practice, and being the spiritual friend for others.
As well as the resources on this website, our intention is to help create the conditions whereby people can become involved in secular dharma community in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Here’s an excellent introduction: ‘I am a secular Buddhist,’ writes Stephen Batchelor. ‘It has taken me years to fully ‘come out,’ and I still feel a nagging tug of insecurity, a faint aura of betrayal in declaring myself in these terms.’ Read this article here and, if you wish, leave a comment.
Join the conversation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions: let those of us who are keen to share our experience with you know how we can do so. |
0.950036 | Atypical antipsychotics have proven efficacy over placebo for treating early-onset schizophrenia (AV 1).1–4 In addition, no significant differences in efficacy were found among active treatment groups in the TEOSS trial,5 which compared olanzapine and risperidone with the midpotency typical antipsychotic molindone. The atypical antipsychotics aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone are approved by the FDA for treating schizophrenia in adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. Studies6,7 have suggested superior efficacy of the atypical antipsychotic clozapine over olanzapine for treatment-refractory early-onset schizophrenia, but, due to the potentially severe, even fatal, side effect of granulocytopenia, clozapine is recommended for use only in adults who have undergone 2 unsuccessful trials of standard antipsychotic treatment.
EPS. In the TEOSS study,5 patients receiving molindone also had blinded prophylactic treatment with an anticholinergic agent (ie, benztropine 0.5 mg/bid) to counteract EPS, while the olanzapine and risperidone groups received a placebo add-on. Nevertheless, 45% of patients in the molindone group required additional anticholinergic treatment, compared with 34% of the risperidone group and 14% of the olanzapine group. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial2 of adolescents with schizophrenia found that 15% of patients receiving 10 mg/d of aripiprazole and 30% of those taking 30 mg/d had a parkinsonian event, compared with 7% of those taking placebo.
Akathisia, however, seems to be less common than other EPS (such as parkinsonism) in youths. In the TEOSS study,5 treatment for akathisia was needed in 13%, 11%, and 7% of patients in the molindone, olanzapine, and risperidone groups, respectively. The trial2 of aripiprazole in adolescents with schizophrenia found that patients receiving 10 mg/d of aripiprazole had a rate of akathisia equal to that of placebo (5% for both groups), while patients receiving 30 mg/d had a rate of 12%. A study3 of adolescents receiving either risperidone or placebo found a 9% rate of akathisia for the group receiving 1 to 3 mg/d of risperidone, a 10% rate for the group receiving 4 to 6 mg/d of risperidone, and a 4% rate for those receiving placebo.
Tardive dyskinesia is a disfiguring and potentially disabling adverse effect of involuntary movements that can be irreversible. A review10 of 10 trials of children and adolescents (N = 783) treated with atypical antipsychotics (primarily risperidone) found an annual rate of tardive dyskinesia of 0.4%. This figure compares favorably with a rate of 0.8% for adults treated with atypical antipsychotics and a rate of 5.4% for adults treated with haloperidol.11 Thus, the risk of tardive dyskinesia appears to be low in children and adolescents, but a concern exists that, with longer treatment exposure and/or use of higher doses, the rate of tardive dyskinesia may increase.
Weight gain. Data have shown that, in general, pediatric patients seem to be at greater risk for antipsychotic-induced weight gain than adults.9 In placebo-controlled trials, aripiprazole2,13 was associated with the least weight gain, risperidone3,14 and quetiapine4,15 had intermediate effects, and olanzapine1,16 produced the greatest weight gain. In the TEOSS study,5 patients receiving olanzapine gained 6.1 kg over 8 weeks compared with 3.6 kg for patients receiving risperidone. Molindone appeared to be weight-neutral; however, more than half of the patients receiving molindone lost weight, possibly rebounding from prior weight gain due to other agents.
A cohort study17 (N = 272) suggested that weight gain is severe and rapid in antipsychotic-naïve patients treated not only with olanzapine but also with quetiapine, risperidone, and aripiprazole. After about 11 weeks of treatment, patients gained 8.5 kg with olanzapine, 6.1 kg with quetiapine, 5.3 kg with risperidone, and 4.4 kg with aripiprazole. Further, a high rate of patients in each group gained a clinically relevant amount of weight, ie, ≥ 7% of their body weight (AV 2).17 Patients in a comparator group who either refused participation or who were nonadherent to medication gained only 0.2 kg during the trial, suggesting that at least the short-term weight gain was attributable to the medications and not to other causes, such as the new onset of a psychiatric disorder or hospitalization.
Metabolic changes. A cross-sectional study18 of 95 hospitalized children and adolescents with exposure to an atypical antipsychotic found that 2 of 3 patients were overweight and about half had elevated triglycerides or low HDL cholesterol. These conditions, which are associated with metabolic syndrome and later cardiac conditions, can be adverse effects from antipsychotics; however, antipsychotics have differing metabolic risk profiles.
Children and adolescents appear to be at greater risk than adults for antipsychotic side effects, such as EPS, prolactin elevation, weight gain, and metabolic effects. Antipsychotics have varying degrees of risk for these effects, and clinicians should conduct a careful risk-benefit assessment when choosing medications for young patients. Careful monitoring for early or severe weight gain or metabolic disturbances is essential, and switching medications may be necessary if intolerable adverse effects occur.
Kryzhanovskaya L, Schulz SC, McDougle C, et al. Olanzapine versus placebo in adolescents with schizophrenia: a 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2009;48(1):60–70.
Findling RL, Robb A, Nyilas M, et al. A multiple-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of oral aripiprazole for treatment of adolescents with schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry. 2008;165(11):1432–1441.
Haas M, Unis AS, Armenteros J, et al. A 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of risperidone in adolescents with schizophrenia. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2009;19(6):611–621.
Findling RL, Kline K, McKenna K, et al. Efficacy and safety of quetiapine in adolescents with schizophrenia: a 6-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Poster presented at 55th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; October 29, 2008; Chicago, IL.
Sikich L, Frazier JA, McClellan J, et al. Double-blind comparison of first- and second-generation antipsychotics in early-onset schizophrenia and schizo-affective disorder: findings from the Treatment of Early-Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (TEOSS) study. Am J Psychiatry. 2008;165(11):1420–1431.
Kumra S, Kranzler H, Gerbino-Rosen G, et al. Clozapine and "high dose" olanzapine in refractory early-onset schizophrenia: a 12-week randomized and double-blind comparison. Biol Psychiatry. 2008;63(5):524–529.
Shaw P, Sporn A, Gogtay N, et al. Childhood-onset schizophrenia a double-blind, randomized clozapine-olanzapine comparison. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63(7):721–730.
Olfson M, Blanco C, Liu L, et al. National trends in the outpatient treatment of children and adolescents with antipsychotic drugs. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63(6):679–685.
Correll CU, Penzner JB, Parikh UH, et al. Recognizing and monitoring adverse events of second-generation antipsychotics in children and adolescents. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2006;15(1):177–206.
Correll CU, Kane JM. One-year incidence rates of tardive dyskinesia in children and adolescents treated with second-generation antipsychotics: a systematic review. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2007;17(5):647–656.
Correll CU, Leucht S, Kane JM. Lower risk of tardive dyskinesia associated with second-generation antipsychotics: a systematic review of 1-year studies. Am J Psychiatry. 2004;161(3):414–425.
Findling RL, Nyilas M, Forbes RA, et al. Acute treatment of pediatric bipolar I disorder, manic or mixed episode, with aripiprazole: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2009;70(10):1441–51.
Haas M, Delbello MP, Pandina G, et al. Risperidone for the treatment of acute mania in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Bipolar Disord. 2009;11(7):687–700.
DelBello MP, Findling RL, Earley WR, et al. Efficacy of quetiapine in children and adolescents with bipolar mania: a 3-week, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Poster presented at: 46th annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology; December 9–13, 2007; Boca Raton, FL.
Tohen M, Kryzhanovskaya L, Carlson G,et al. Olanzapine versus placebo in the treatment of adolescents with bipolar mania. Am J Psychiatry. 2007;164(10):1547–56.
Correll CU, Manu P, Olshanskiy V, et al. Cardiometabolic risk of second-generation antipsychotic medications during first-time use in children and adolescents [published correction appears in JAMA. 2009;302(21):2322]. JAMA. 2009;302(16):1765–1773.
Patel NC, Hariparsad M, Matias-Akthar M, et al. Body mass indexes and lipid profiles in hospitalized children and adolescents exposed to atypical antipsychotics. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2007;17(3):303–311. |
0.980008 | toivottavasti ei käynyt pahemmin kuin ne kylkiluut.
Toivottavasti ei käynyt pahemmin. Onnettomuuden vajavainen kuvaus ihmetyttää. Pettikö yläankkuri vai mikä tässä tapauksessa olisi tuo kiinnityslenkki?
Pettikö yläankkuri vai mikä tässä tapauksessa olisi tuo kiinnityslenkki?
sitä itsekin mietin mutta en ala arvailemaan että mitä tapahtui..
Ei haviksella kyllä yläankkureita 10 metrissä ole.
jospa vaikka kiila korkannut ulos.
Toivotaan ettei käynyt pahemmin kuin mitä lehdessä mainittiin.
Ainakin poliisin tiedotteen mukaan kaveri oli ollut keräämässä klippejä pois kun yksi "niistä" (ilmeisesti siis klippi) petti. Seurueen muiden jäsenien mukaan pudonnut oli kokenut kiipeilijä.
Mut kyllähän järjen mukaan yläankkurissa olisi pitänyt vielä olla kiinni, jos klippejä välistä pois ottaa. Ellei sitten ollut tulossa alaspäin ja ottanut riskillä. 10 metrin pudotus voi olla just selitettävissä, jos eka klippaus on ollut korkealla (osa pulteistahan siellä on vasta 3 metrin jälkeen) ja sitten löysää köydessä.
Ja jos on puhtaasti luonnollisilla mennyt, niin varomaton on ollut, jos ei yläankkurissa ole ollut kiinni.
Mutta ei tiedotteesta yksiselitteisesti selvää saa, mitä on käynyt.
I was climbing in another sector at Havukallio when the accident took place and helped the emergency services. I didn't know the people involved and perhaps they will be able to comment about the accident itself. I abseiled down the route to clean in and inspect the cause and will offer a factual account of my observations. I hope that the person involved makes a speedy recovery and thank the emergency services for their quick arrival.
The person involved was climbing one of the sports routes, he didn't reach the anchor and lowered off from the last bolt. There was an in-situ maillon (mailonen) there, which he lowered from. He removed the quickdraw under that and then the maillon broke, which dropped him to the ground.
The working load of this maillon should have been 250 kg and the breaking limit should have been 1250 kg. But, and this is a big issue I would be fairly sure that the gate was open at the time of failure. I say this because the screw threads are perfectly intact and not in the slightest part damaged as though they had been ripped apart. No "gate open" strength is given for such maillons and according to one source who worked in the test lab for Lyon (the UK importer of maillons), "Maillons don't have a gate open strength marked - as is already mentioned, they must be done up. Cavers, who use maillons a lot, know that just bodyweight can deform them if not screwed fully closed. In fact, the threads and barrel are lined up by hand during manufacture, by bending the frame."
It could be that the action of the rope running through the maillon opened the gate. This is easier to imagine if many people had lowered off the same maillon.
If you use a larger diameter maillon you increase this margin dramatically.
If you have to use a maillon then make absolutely sure that the gate is firmly closed and that the rope can not open it.
On Finnish routes I suggest lowering off normal gear e.g. a screwgate or quickdraw, walking to the top of the cliff and collecting the rest of the gear by abseil.
If you remove the runner directly below the one that you are lowering from, you leave yourself no safety margin in the case of that runner failing.
The larger maillon you have, the bigger the safety margin is in terms of strength and in terms of size. The latter may be important as the rope would be likely run clear of the gate, meaning that it would be incredibly unlikely that the rope would open the gate.
I'm sure that the use of such maillons is widespread in Finland. There was a 5mm maillon attached to one of the two anchor bolts. This was firmly shut and I couldn't move the gate at all. It is common to glue in-situ maillons shut and this could be what has happened to the top one. I hope that people can learn from this and that this never happens again.
Thanks for your account, Tony.
The climber who got hurt is a good friend of mine. I had a chat with him this morning, as well as about 2 hours ago. He is in Töölö hospital and considering his state he is in fairly good spirits.Naturally he´s in bit of pain, as he broke three ribs, fractured one of the bones in his palm, as well as has some damage in his lungs. In the long run he should be quite fine, though. A doctor friend of mine who works in Töölö and knows my friend, visited him twice today and thinks that he´ll be on his feet in a couple of days.
The accident happened the way Tony explained. The gate of the maillon must have been open when it failed, there is no way around it. Whether it was open or not when the belayer started lowering the climber is not clear to me either, but I would tend to think that it must have been at least partially closed, as my friend said that he had a look at it, and also thought for a moment whether or not he should be lowered down from it. I don´t know how well he inspected the gate, but I don´t think he would have lowered down from it had it been completely open.
In any case, when the maillon broke, he fell first for some 5 or so meters down on to a rather big ledge, from which Vanha Grant, the route he was climbing actually starts, and then he fell down another 5 or so meters to the ground. He hit the ledge feet first, but did not remember how he hit the ground.
The spot where he fell has some rocks, as well as tree roots, and he hit those, and apparently that is how most of the damage was done.
He was very lucky not hurting himself much worse.
Thanks Tony for the detailed account. Your suggestion that the rope might have opened the maillon sounds plausible, as a) the maillon in your pic clearly is small enough for the rope to directly rub the gate, and b) he was lowering off, which meant the rope ran through the maillon.
It sounds like the accident could have been avoided if the climber had run the rope through the maillon in the opposite direction, i.e. that the rope running through it would tighten the gate instead of opening it.
If a maillon is properly tightened, it doesn't make any difference which direction the rope runs through it. Below is a picture of the broken maillon Tony posted on his blog.
Good to know the climber is recovering!
I'm very glad to hear that the climber is going to be on his feet soon.
If a maillon is properly tightened, it doesn't make any difference which direction the rope runs through it.
Does finger tight count as properly tightened?
What maillon was it? A brand name (like a Petzl maillon) or some no-name hardware store maillon?
According to the manufacturer a 5mm maillon should be tightened to 0,80 N m. In practical terms this would translate to 408 grams hanging in the end of a weightless 20cm wrench. I made some test (well, I'm an engineer after all) and I think finger tight would be around 0,20 N m. In other words, finger tight is not properly tightened.
If there is something to be learnt from this accident, I would suggest thinking twice before lowering off a single improperly tightened maillon. I think many people will trash their lower off maillons once they hear about this accident.
the ones having EN certification for mountaineering start from 7mm.
On the mountains (e.g. Chamonix) it's not too uncommon to run into 3 or 4 mm maillons. Abseiling can be quite scary sometimes.
I visited my friend at Töölö a few days ago and he was fine. I think he is home by now, and he´ll be recovering more or less 100% in about 2 or so months. He joked about going climbing no later than by midsummer.
I asked him whether he checked the maillon and he said yes. He had a proper look at it and also tried to tighten it by fingers. He is quite strong but still could not tighten it all the way. He was also quite sure that the mailloin was not completely open. Most likely it was about half ways. With this in mind I would think that the theory that the rope may have opened the gate may be right. Of course we cannot find out and be 100% sure about it, but anyways the point is that to avoid similar accidents in the future it is probably best to do what Tony proposed in his post. |
0.978165 | Activation-induced cell death (AICD) is a process that regulates the size and the duration of the primary immune T cell response. In this report, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the regulation of AICD by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). We found that TGF-β1 decreased apoptosis of human T cells or T cell hybridomas after activation by anti-CD3. This decrease was associated with inhibition of Fas (Apo-1/CD95) ligand (FasL) expression, whereas Fas signaling was not affected by TGF-β1. In parallel, TGF-β1 inhibited c-Myc expression in T cell hybridomas, and ectopic expression of a chimeric molecule composed of c-Myc and the steroid binding domain of the estrogen receptor (Myc-ER) blocked both the inhibition of FasL and the decrease of AICD induced by TGF-β1, providing that 4-hydroxytamoxifen was present. These results identify one mechanism by which TGF-β1 blocks AICD to allow the clonal expansion of effector T cells and the generation of memory T cells during immune responses.
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates cell growth, adhesion, and differentiation in a wide variety of cell types ((1)). In the immune system, TGF-β1 controls the growth and differentiation of T cells, B cells, NK cells, and dendritic cells ((2)–(7)). TGF-β1 has also been shown to be effective in treating experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and collagen-induced arthritis, two T cell–mediated experimental autoimmune diseases ((8)–(10)). In contrast, the expansion of T lymphocytes expressing a naive surface phenotype can be enhanced rather than suppressed by TGF-β1 ((7), (11), (12)).
TGF-β1 may be one of the candidate molecules involved in memory and effector T cell generation. Indeed, TGF-β1 has recently been implicated in the generation of a large population of effector CD4+ T cells in response to antigen stimulation ((13), (14)). Furthermore, in this system TGF-β1 did not affect proliferation or influence cytokine secretion but partially blocked activation-induced apoptosis ((13), (14)). The protective effect of TGF-β1 on activation-induced cell death (AICD)1 has also been reported for CD8+ T cells ((12)).
AICD in T cells in vivo has been proposed to limit the expansion of an immune response by eliminating effector cells that are no longer needed ((15)). Indeed, after antigen or pathogens have been eliminated from the organism, these T cells are potentially dangerous because of their potent effector functions and low activation requirements. We and others recently reported that activation of T cell clones, T cell lines, or T cell hybridomas induces FasL expression and that interaction between Fas and its ligand is the major mechanism involved in AICD ((16)–(20)).
The expression of FasL during AICD requires the activation of transcription factors. Previous studies using c-myc antisense oligonucleotides ((21)) or dominant negative reciprocal exchange mutants of Myc or Max ((22)), which antagonize the functional Myc/Max heterodimer, demonstrated that c-Myc function is required for AICD in T cells. More recently, Hueber et al. ((23)) reported that c-myc–induced apoptosis of serum-starved fibroblasts requires the expression of Fas and FasL. Therefore, it appears that c-Myc may be essential for the function of FasL and subsequent apoptosis in some systems.
TGF-β1 has been reported to exert its growth inhibitory effects on various cell types through the downregulation of the expression of genes involved in cellular proliferation, such as cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs [24–26]), and the c-myc protooncogene ((27), (28)). Furthermore TGF-β1 suppresses constitutive and inducible c-Myc expression in two constitutively activated murine T clones ((29)).
In this report, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the regulation of AICD by TGF-β1. We determined that TGF-β1 inhibits FasL expression at the level of mRNA expression. TGF-β1 also inhibits the constitutive c-Myc expression in A1.1 T cell hybridomas, and since c-Myc has been demonstrated to regulate AICD, we prepared stable transfectants constitutively expressing a chimeric molecule composed of c-Myc and the steroid binding domain of the estrogen receptor (Myc-ER). In these cells, TGF-β1 did not inhibit FasL expression and subsequent AICD after anti-CD3 antibody treatment, providing that 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) was present. These results demonstrate that TGF-β1 inhibits FasL expression and subsequent AICD via downregulation of c-Myc expression.
The T cell hybridomas A1.1 and 2B4.11 have been described previously ((17), (30)). PBMCs were isolated from healthy donors by density gradient centrifugation of heparinized blood on a layer of histopaque (Sigma). All cells were grown in RPMI 1640 medium containing 10% FCS, 5 × 10−5 M β-mercaptoethanol, 2 mM l-glutamine, and 100 U/ml each of penicillin and streptomycin (complete medium). PMA, ionomycin, cyclosporine A (CsA), 4-OHT, and M2 anti-Flag antibody were purchased from Sigma. The mouse anti–human CD3 (OKT3) and the hamster anti–mouse CD3ε (145-2C11) antibodies were purified from the culture supernatant by protein A affinity chromatography. Phosphorothioate antisense c-myc (ASc-myc) 5′-CACGTTGAGGGGCAT-3′ and nonsense c-myc (NSc-myc) 5′-AGTGGCGGAGACTCT-3′ oligonucleotides were purchased from Quality Controlled Biochemicals, Inc. Soluble recombinant human FasL was obtained from Dr. Jurg Tschopp (University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland ).
Induction and Analysis of Apoptosis.
For the induction of apoptosis, T cell hybridomas (0.5 × 106/ml) were cultured 16 h in triplicate in 96-well plates precoated with anti-CD3 antibody (2C11). PBMCs (106/ml) were activated for 6 d with 100 ng/ml OKT3, and after elimination of dead cells, were restimulated with PMA (50 ng/ml) and ionomycin (1 μg/ml) for 16 h. Viability was assessed by addition of 5 μg/ml propidium iodide and immediate analysis using a FACScan® (Becton Dickinson). Dead cells were identified as those taking up the dye. Apoptosis was confirmed by morphological inspection by fluorescent microscope after staining with 10 μg/ml Hoechst 33342 (Sigma).
Activation-induced FasL expression on the A1.1 murine T cell hybridoma was assessed by determining the ability of these cells to cause DNA fragmentation in Fas+ target cells as described previously ((17)). In brief, A1.1 cells were activated with plate-bound anti-CD3 antibodies in the presence or absence of different concentrations of TGF-β1 and cultured for 6 h to allow FasL expression. The cells were washed twice and incubated for another 8 h with [3H]TdR-labeled L1210 or L1210-Fas target cells. In other experiments, TGF-β1 was added at 6 h to determine its effect on the induction of Fas-mediated death in the target cells. [3H]TdR-labeled unfragmented DNA was harvested on glass fiber filters and assessed in a liquid scintillation counter. DNA fragmentation was calculated as follows: % DNA fragmentation = 100 × (cpm control group − cpm experimental group/cpm control group) ± SD. No DNA fragmentation was observed when target cells were cultured with anti-CD3 in the absence of T cell hybridomas or with T cell hybridomas in the absence of anti-CD3.
DNA preparations were obtained following a procedure described previously ((32)). In brief, 2 × 106 2B4.11 cells were lysed in buffer containing 10 mM EDTA, 100 mM NaCl, 0.5% (wt/vol) SDS, 100 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, and 0.1 mg/ml proteinase K (Boehringer Mannheim). The DNA was extracted twice with phenol and twice with chloroform/isoamyl alcohol. The aqueous phase was precipitated with 2 vol of ethanol. The pellet was discarded, and one tenth of the volume of 3 M sodium acetate was added to the supernatant which was left at −20°C overnight. The precipitate was centrifuged and the pellet was dried under vacuum before resuspension in 100 μl RNase buffer containing 10 mM Tris and 1 mM EDTA, pH 7.5. The samples were diluted in loading buffer and loaded onto a 2% agarose gel containing 0.1 μg/ml ethidium bromide (Sigma). After electrophoresis, gels were examined under UV light.
RT-PCR for fas, fasL, and c-myc Expression.
The expression of fas, fasL, and c-myc was determined by reverse transcription (RT) of total RNA followed by PCR amplification (RT-PCR). Approximately 3 × 106 cells were homogenized with 1 ml Trizol reagent (GIBCO BRL), and total RNA was isolated according to the manufacturer's protocol. cDNAs were synthesized by extension of (dT) primers with 200 U of SuperScript II reverse transcriptase (GIBCO BRL) in a mixture containing 1 μg of total RNA digested by RNase-free DNase (2 U/μg of RNA) for 15 min at 37°C. PCR of the cDNA was performed in a final volume of 50 μl containing all four dNTPs, 2 mM MgCl2, 2.5 U of AmpliTaq (GIBCO BRL), and each primer at 0.2 μM using the geneAmp 2400 PCR system (Perkin Elmer Corp.). The amplification cycles were 94°C for 1 min, 55°C for 1 min, and 72°C for 1 min. The PCR products were separated by electrophoresis on a 1.5% agarose gel after 27–33 cycles for mouse fas, fasL, and c-myc or 22–28 cycles for mouse β-actin and visualized by ethidium bromide staining. Amplification of β-actin served as a control for sample loading and integrity. The following primers were designed to discriminate between the amplification of cDNA (low size PCR products) and contaminating genomic cDNA (high size PCR products): mouse fasL sense, 5′-CAG-CAG-TGC-CAC-TTC-ATC-TTG-G-3′; mouse fasL antisense, 5′-TTC-ACT-CCA-GAG-ATC-AGA-GCG-G-3′; mouse fas sense, 5′-GAG-GAC-TGC-AAA-ATG-AAT-GGG-G-3′; mouse fas antisense, 5′-ACA-ACC-ATA-GGC-GAT-TTC-TGG-G-3′; mouse c-myc sense, 5′-ACA-GAG-GGA-GTG-AGC-GGA-CG-3′; mouse c-myc antisense, 5′-TTC-ACG-TTG-AGG-GGC-ATC-G-3′; mouse β-actin sense, 5′-TGG-AAT-CCT-GTG-GCA-TCC-ATG-AAA-C-3′; and mouse β-actin antisense: 5′-TAA-AAC-GCA-GCT-CAG-TAA-CAG-TCC-G-3′.
Moloney retroviral virions were produced as described previously ((33)). In brief, amphotropic packaging cell line was plated at 2.5 × 106 cells/10-cm2 culture dish for 18–24 h before transfection as described ((34)). Cells were transfected with 7.5 μg of pBABE puroMyc-ER G525R construct ((35)) using a standard calcium phosphate protocol except for chloroquine (25 μM final), which was added to the cells 5 min before addition of calcium phosphate DNA precipitate. After 24 h the cells were gently washed, and fresh medium was added. Virus-containing supernatant was harvested at 24 and 48 h after transfection, filtered, and stored at 4°C. For virus infection, A1.1 cells (0.5 × 106/ml) were resuspended in 3 ml of viral supernatant containing 5 μg/ml polybrene for 12 h. Cells were then washed and resuspended in RPMI medium without phenol red (GIBCO BRL) containing 10% steroid-free FCS, 5 × 10−5 M β-mercaptoethanol, 2 mM l-glutamine, and 100 U/ml each of penicillin and streptomycin. 48 h after transfection, cells were selected with puromycin (1.5 μg/ml) for 7 d.
Assessment of c-Myc and Myc-ER Proteins.
2 × 106 A1.1 or A1.1 Myc-ER cells were incubated with or without 10 ng/ml TGF-β1 for 8 h. Cells were then harvested, washed once in PBS, and lysed in 100 μl 1× SDS-PAGE sample buffer (50 mM Tris, pH 6.8, 100 mM dithiothreitol, 2% SDS, 10% glycerol). Equal volumes of samples (30 μl) were separated on an 8% gel and transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). Membranes were blocked with 5% nonfat dry milk in TBS, 0.02% sodium azide for 2 h and then incubated with mouse anti–human c-Myc 9E10 (1:1,000; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.) for 4 h at room temperature. Membranes were then washed three times in TBS, 0.1% Tween 20 for 15 min and incubated with a rabbit anti–mouse horseradish peroxidase conjugate (1:2,000; Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) for 1 h. After three washes, membranes were incubated with ECL chemiluminescence detection solutions (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) and exposed to x-ray films for 1 min.
Cell cycle analysis was performed as described previously ((36)), with slight modifications. 106 A1.1 cells were washed twice in PBS and resuspended in 0.5 ml of hypotonic fluorochrome solution (50 μg/ml propidium iodide and 0.1% Triton X-100 in 0.1% sodium citrate). After 4 h at 4°C in the dark, the fluorescence of gated live cells was analyzed using a FACScan® flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson).
TGF-β1 Decreases AICD in Human T Cells as well as Mouse T Cell Hybridomas.
TGF-β1 has been reported to increase long-term cell expansion of Th2 cells by decreasing activation-induced apoptosis in human T cells ((14)). To confirm these data, we activated PBMCs for 6 d with anti-CD3, before restimulation with PMA plus ionomycin for 16 h in the presence or absence of increasing concentrations of TGF-β1. CsA, which has been shown to effectively inhibit AICD ((37)), was used as a positive control. As illustrated in Fig. 1 A, activated PBMCs restimulated by addition of PMA plus ionomycin showed ∼50% death. In contrast, if the cells were stimulated in the presence of TGF-β1, the percentage of apoptotic cells was dramatically decreased.
TGF-β1 decreases AICD in human peripheral blood T cells and murine T cell hybridomas. (A) PBMCs were activated for 6 d with OKT3 (100 ng/ml) and then restimulated with PMA (50 ng/ml) and ionomycin (1 μg/ml) (P+I) for 16 h with the indicated concentration of TGF-β1 or CsA (100 ng/ml). Viability was assessed by propidium iodide uptake and analyzed using a FACScan®. Apoptosis was confirmed by morphological assessment after staining with Hoechst 33342 at 10 μg/ml (not shown). (B) A1.1 or 2B4.11 T hybridoma cells were left unactivated (open symbols) or were activated (filled symbols) for 16 h with anti-CD3 antibody (2C11) in the presence of the indicated concentration of TGF-β1. Viability was assessed as in A. (C) A1.1 T hybridoma cells were cultured with medium alone or activated for 12 h with anti-CD3 antibody in the presence of the indicated concentrations of TGF-β1 (ng/ml) or CsA (100 ng/ml). DNA fragmentation associated with apoptosis was assessed by agarose gel electrophoresis.
To study the mechanism by which TGF-β1 inhibits AICD, we used the T cell hybridomas A1.1 and 2B4.11, two cell lines used extensively to examine AICD ((17), (30)). We first investigated the effect of TGF-β1 on AICD in these T cell hybridomas. As expected, TGF-β1 decreased anti-CD3–induced apoptosis in both cell types, as measured by propidium iodide uptake (Fig. 1 B) or DNA laddering (Fig. 1 C).
TGF-β1 Inhibits Activation-induced FasL Expression.
We demonstrated previously that AICD in both A1.1 and 2B4.11 T cell hybridomas proceeds via expression of FasL and subsequent Fas/FasL interaction ((17)). Therefore, we envisioned three nonexclusive possibilities for the mechanism of inhibition by TGF-β1: inhibition of FasL expression, inhibition of Fas expression, and/or inhibition of the Fas signaling pathway. To assess whether the inhibitory activity of TGF-β1 alters Fas or FasL gene expression, RNA was isolated and analyzed by semiquantitative RT-PCR. A1.1 T cell hybridomas constitutively expressed a low level of Fas mRNA, which increased approximately two- to threefold after activation, and TGF-β1 only slightly decreased Fas expression at high doses (10–100 ng/ml; Fig. 2 A). In contrast, activation-induced expression of FasL in A1.1 cells was greatly reduced by TGF-β1 at 0.1 ng/ml and completely prevented at higher concentrations (Fig. 2 A). This decrease in FasL mRNA was reflected in the biological activity of this molecule, since A1.1 cells that were stimulated with anti-CD3 antibody in the presence of TGF-β1 did not induce apoptosis in Fas+ target cells (Fig. 2 B). Addition of TGF-β1 to the cocultures of L1210-Fas target cells and activated A1.1 cells (6 h after activation), rather than to the A1.1 cells at the onset of the activation, failed to inhibit cytotoxicity (Fig. 2 B). These data suggest that TGF-β1 inhibits AICD by preventing FasL expression and not via a blockade in the Fas signaling pathway. To confirm the absence of effect of TGF-β1 on Fas signaling, we treated A1.1 cells with recombinant soluble FasL cross-linked with anti-Flag antibody ((31)) in the absence or presence of TGF-β1. As shown in Fig. 3, addition of TGF-β1 did not prevent soluble FasL–induced apoptosis in A1.1 cells.
TGF-β1 inhibits activation-induced apoptosis by blocking FasL mRNA expression and functional activity. (A) TGF-β1 inhibits activation-induced FasL mRNA expression. RT-PCR analysis of total mRNA obtained from A1.1 cells incubated in medium alone or activated for 4 h by anti-CD3 antibodies in the presence or absence of increasing concentrations of TGF-β1 or CsA (100 ng/ml). mRNA was reverse transcribed by using oligo(dT) primers, and PCR amplification was performed using different numbers of cycles with the primers pairs indicated. The products were electrophoresed on 1.5% agarose gel and stained with ethidium bromide. (B) TGF-β1 inhibits AICD by modulating the expression of FasL functional activity but not by blocking the signaling through Fas receptor. A1.1 cells were activated at time 0 with coated anti-CD3 antibodies in the presence or absence of different concentrations of TGF-β1. The L1210 or L1210-Fas target cells were not added at this time. The T cell hybridomas were then cultured for 6 h to allow FasL expression, harvested, washed twice, and incubated for an additional 8 h with [3H]TdR-labeled L1210 or L1210-Fas target cells. In a parallel experiment, A1.1 cells were activated with anti-CD3 alone and TGF-β1 was added when A1.1 and target cells were mixed (T = +6 h). Percentage of DNA fragmentation was calculated as described in Materials and Methods.
TGF-β1 does not block recombinant soluble FasL– induced apoptosis. A1.1 T cell hybridomas were preincubated for 1 h in the presence of TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml) and then treated with different doses of soluble recombinant human FasL (sFasL). 15 min after addition of soluble FasL, anti-Flag M2 antibody (1 μg/ml) was added to cross-link soluble FasL. After 12 h incubation, percentage of apoptosis was assessed by propidium iodide uptake and analyzed using a FACScan®.
TGF-β1 Inhibits c-myc Expression in T Cell Hybridomas.
TGF-β1 has been reported to downregulate constitutive and inducible c-Myc expression in two constitutively activated murine T clones ((29)). To determine whether TGF-β1 regulates c-myc expression in T cell hybridomas, we analyzed the mRNA expression of the c-myc gene by RT-PCR. TGF-β1 induced a dose-dependent inhibition of constitutive c-myc expression (Fig. 4 A), whereas CsA, which also completely blocked FasL mRNA expression (Fig. 2 A), did not inhibit c-myc expression. This effect was confirmed by analysis of c-Myc protein expression after treatment of A1.1 cells for 8 h in the presence of 1 ng/ml TGF-β1 (Fig. 4 B, lanes 1 and 2).
TGF-β1 inhibits endogenous c-myc mRNA and protein expression but not ectopic expression of the chimeric Myc-ER protein. (A) TGF-β1 inhibits c-myc mRNA expression. RT-PCR analysis of total mRNA obtained from A1.1 cells incubated in medium alone or activated for 4 h by anti-CD3 antibody with the indicated concentration of TGF-β1 or CsA (100 ng/ml). mRNA was reverse transcribed by using oligo(dT) primers, and PCR amplification was performed using different numbers of cycles with the primers pairs indicated. The products were resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis. (B) TGF-β1 inhibits constitutive endogenous c-Myc protein expression but not ectopic expression of the chimeric Myc-ER protein. Total cell extracts were prepared from A1.1 or A1.1 Myc-ER cells treated for 8 h in the presence or absence of TGF-β1 (1 ng/ml). Samples were analyzed by immunoblot analysis using anti–human c-Myc antibody.
Regulation of FasL Expression and AICD by TGF-β1 Is Mediated by c-Myc.
We next addressed whether the inhibition of FasL expression by TGF-β1 was a consequence of c-myc downregulation. To test the role of c-Myc on FasL inhibition induced by TGF-β1, we prepared stable transfectants constitutively expressing a chimeric molecule composed of c-Myc and the estrogen-binding domain of the estrogen receptor (38; Myc-ER). In these A1.1 Myc-ER cells, the activity of the chimeric Myc protein is dependent on the availability of exogenous 4-OHT ((35)). The expression of Myc-ER and endogenous c-Myc protein before and after treatment of A1.1 Myc-ER cells with TGF-β1 was then assessed by immunoblotting with anti–c-Myc antibody. As shown in Fig. 4 B (lanes 3 and 4), A1.1 Myc-ER cells expressed both Myc-ER and endogenous c-Myc protein, and after TGF-β1 treatment the endogenous c-Myc protein completely disappeared while the chimeric Myc-ER protein remained.
A1.1 or A1.1 Myc-ER cells were then preincubated in the presence or absence of 4-OHT (50 nM) for 4 h to induce Myc-ER function ((35)), and activation-induced FasL mRNA expression was analyzed by RT-PCR. Results are shown in Fig. 5 A. In all cases, treatment with anti-CD3 induced the expression of FasL (lanes 2) versus unstimulated cells (lanes 1). In the absence of Myc-ER function (A1.1 cells with or without 4-OHT, or A1.1 Myc-ER without 4-OHT), TGF-β1 treatment inhibited expression of FasL in the anti-CD3–stimulated cells (lanes 3). Strikingly, however, functional Myc-ER (A1.1 Myc-ER cells with 4-OHT) permitted expression of FasL in anti-CD3– stimulated cells even in the presence of TGF-β1. Thus, the ability of TGF-β1 to inhibit c-Myc expression is directly responsible for its ability to block FasL expression in these cells. In contrast, CsA, which inhibits FasL expression by inhibition of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT) activity ((39), (40)), was effective in inhibiting A1.1 Myc-ER cells even in the presence of 4-OHT (Fig. 5 A).
Ectopic expression of chimeric Myc-ER protein prevents TGF-β1–mediated inhibition of FasL mRNA and subsequent AICD. (A) Functional Myc-ER interferes with the inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 on activation-induced FasL expression in A1.1 cells. A1.1 or A1.1 Myc-ER cells exposed to 4-OHT (50 nM) were first preincubated for 4 h with the drug, which was then also present during subsequent culture. Cells were then incubated in medium alone (lane 1) or activated for 4 h with anti-CD3 antibodies (lanes 2, 3, and 4). 1 ng/ml TGF-β1 (lane 3) or 100 ng/ ml CsA (lane 4) was added to some cultures. FasL expression was then assessed by RT-PCR. (B) Ectopic expression of a chimeric Myc-ER protein prevents AICD after TGF-β1 treatment. A1.1 or A1.1 Myc-ER T hybridoma cells were first preincubated for 4 h in the presence or absence of 4-OHT (50 nM) and then activated for 16 h with anti-CD3 antibodies with the indicated concentrations of TGF-β1 (1 ng/ml) or CsA (100 ng/ml). Cell death was assessed by propidium iodide uptake using a FACScan®.
The ability of c-Myc function to reverse the inhibitory activity of TGF-β1 on FasL expression also affected the regulation of AICD in A1.1 Myc-ER cells. In the absence of 4-OHT, TGF-β1 inhibited AICD in A1.1 Myc-ER cells. However, after addition of 50 nM 4-OHT, TGF-β1 was ineffective in inhibiting AICD in A1.1 Myc-ER cells (Fig. 5 B). No effect was seen of 4-OHT in the parental A1.1 cells. Thus, active Myc-ER reversed the inhibition of AICD by TGF-β1, most likely via activation-induced FasL expression. To further confirm these data, we cloned A1.1 Myc-ER cells and selected three clones which express the Myc-ER fusion protein (Fig. 6 A). TGF-β1 prevented AICD in the absence of 4-OHT. As with the “bulk” transfectants, addition of 4-OHT almost completely reversed the protective effect of TGF-β1 on AICD for all three Myc-ER clones but not for A1.1 parental cells (Fig. 6 B).
Ectopic expression of chimeric Myc-ER protein prevents TGF-β1–mediated inhibition of AICD in A1.1 T cell hybridomas. (A) Expression of Myc-ER fusion protein in A1.1 Myc-ER clones. Total cell extracts were prepared from three different A1.1 Myc-ER clones. Samples were analyzed by immunoblot analysis using anti–human c-Myc antibody. (B) Ectopic expression of a chimeric Myc-ER protein prevents AICD after TGF-β1 treatment. A1.1 or A1.1 Myc-ER clones were activated for 16 h with anti-CD3 antibodies with the indicated concentrations of TGF-β1 (1 ng/ml) in the presence or absence of 4-OHT (50 nM) added at time 0 of the activation. Cell death was assessed by propidium iodide uptake using a FACScan®.
Thus, when c-Myc activity is maintained, no inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 on either FasL expression or AICD in T cell hybridomas is observed. These results formally demonstrate that the ability of TGF-β1 to inhibit FasL expression and subsequent AICD is dependent on its ability to downregulate c-Myc.
TGF-β1–mediated Inhibition of c-Myc Does Not Block Activation-induced FasL Expression via Perturbation of the Cell Cycle.
In some models, TGF-β1 has been shown to cause cell cycle arrest in G1 by upregulation of CDK inhibitors ((25)) or by repression of Cdc25A, a CDK tyrosine phosphatase which activates CDK ((26)). Since Cdc25A is transcriptionally induced by c-Myc ((41)), we addressed whether TGF-β1–induced inhibition of c-Myc decreased FasL expression via cell cycle arrest. As shown in Fig. 7, addition of TGF-β1, ASc-myc, or NSc-myc oligonucleotides to A1.1 cells cultured in medium alone did not modify the proportion of cells in G0/G1, S, or G2/M phase of the cell cycle. When A1.1 cells were activated with anti-CD3 alone, live cells accumulated in G0/G1 phase with a decreased proportion of cells in S and G2/M phase at 24 h as described ((30)). Addition of TGF-β1, ASc-myc, or NSc-myc oligonucleotides did not significantly alter this profile (Fig. 7). Although TGF-β1 and ASc-myc oligonucleotides did not modify the proportion of cycling cells, they decreased AICD in A1.1 cells from 60 to 20% and 60 to 29%, respectively, after 12 h of culture (21; data not shown). DNA synthesis studies using [3H]TdR incorporation also demonstrated that TGF-β1 did not inhibit proliferation of unactivated A1.1 cells (26,678 ± 2,343 cpm in control cells vs. 24,310 ± 4,121 cpm in TGF-β1–treated cells), whereas [3H]TdR incorporation of activated A1.1 cells was almost completely inhibited with or without addition of TGF-β1 (1,625 ± 243 cpm in anti-CD3–treated cells vs. 2,111 ± 328 cpm in anti-CD3 plus TGF-β1–treated cells).
TGF-β1 as well as ASc-myc oligonucleotides do not induce perturbation of the cell cycle in A1.1 T cell hybridomas. 106 A1.1 cells were untreated or activated with anti-CD3 in the presence of 5 μM ASc-myc or NSc-myc oligonucleotides added 4 h before activation or with TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml) added 1 h before activation. Cells were harvested at the indicated times, and cell cycle analysis was performed by propidium iodide staining after permeabilization with Triton X-100. The percentage of cells in G0/G1 (A), S (B), and G2/M (C) phase of the cell cycle was determined for each condition (data shown are means ± SD, n = 3).
AICD in vivo has been proposed first to limit the expansion of an immune response by eliminating effector cells that are no longer needed, and second to eliminate potentially autoreactive T cells that have escaped thymic selection ((15)). Evidence from lpr or gld mice, deficient in functional Fas and FasL, respectively, suggested that Fas/FasL interactions are crucial for the regulation of these physiological processes. Experiments using antagonists of Fas/FasL interaction such as Fas–Fc fusion protein or a neutralizing anti-Fas mAb further demonstrated the direct involvement of these molecules in AICD of mature T cells ((16)–(20)). In this study, we have shown that TGF-β1, which is known to block the process of AICD in T cells ((13), (14)), does so by the selective inhibition of activation-induced FasL expression. This was demonstrated by analysis of FasL mRNA expression by RT-PCR and by functional assays. Indeed, many tumors, such as malignant astrocytoma, produce a high level of TGF-β1 ((42)) which might inhibit FasL expression on CD8+ T cells and therefore counteract their cytotoxic function.
Interestingly, there is also an inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 on perforin and granzyme B mRNA expression as well as serine esterase activity in CD8+ T cells, and this serves to block cytotoxic function of perforin-dependent killers ((43), (44)). Whether this represents a similar requirement for c-Myc in the expression of these important components of cytotoxic granules is not known.
In contrast to its effects on FasL expression, we observed that TGF-β1 does not significantly affect activation-induced Fas expression in T cell hybridomas. T cell activation induces the appearance of Fas on naive T cells and an increased expression on some T cell hybridomas ((15), (17)). In the latter, CsA does not inhibit the activation-induced increase in Fas mRNA expression, although it does partially inhibit cell surface Fas ((39)). Similar observations have been made for retinoic acid analogues, which inhibit FasL but not Fas expression ((20), (45)). Thus, Fas is regulated in T cells in a fundamentally different way from its ligand, and this includes the effect of TGF-β1. However, in contrast to T cells, progenitors of dendritic cells show reduced Fas expression when cultured with TGF-β1 ((6)). Whether or not this is related to a requirement for c-Myc or some other TGF-β1–regulated factors is not known.
In our studies, the inhibition of FasL by TGF-β1 in T cell hybridomas correlated with a decrease in c-myc mRNA levels. This is in agreement with previous studies showing that TGF-β1 is a potent inhibitor of c-Myc expression in various cell types and in particular in mature T cells ((27)–(29), (46)). Our experiments using ectopic expression of the chimeric Myc-ER protein have now formally shown that the inhibition of FasL induced by TGF-β1 is a direct consequence of its downregulation of c-Myc expression.
The c-myc oncogene has been implicated in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as neoplastic transformation ((47)). Overexpression or inappropriate expression of the c-myc gene has been found to promote apoptosis in fibroblasts ((48), (49)). Recently, Hueber et al. ((23)) reported that c-myc–induced apoptosis of serum-starved fibroblasts requires the expression and function of Fas and FasL. Although they showed that this was associated with an increased susceptibility to Fas-induced apoptosis, they did not rule out a role for c-Myc in driving expression of FasL. We demonstrated previously that c-Myc function is required for AICD in T cells, using c-myc antisense oligonucleotides ((21)) and dominant negative mutants of Myc or Max, which antagonize the functional Myc/Max heterodimer ((22)). Our finding that TGF-β1 inhibits FasL expression via downregulation of c-myc mRNA expression strongly suggests that the requirement for c-Myc during AICD may be at the level of FasL expression.
There is evidence that proliferating T lymphocytes are more susceptible to AICD during the S phase of their cell cycle ((50)). Although TGF-β1 causes cell cycle arrest in G1 in some models ((24)–(26)) and can also block constitutive c-Myc expression in T cell hybridomas, surprisingly we did not find a significant difference in cell cycle distribution when we compared cells stimulated for 3–24 h in the presence or absence of TGF-β1. This observation could be explained by the fact that residual c-Myc expression may be sufficient for cell cycle progression but not for FasL expression. Nevertheless, our finding argues against the possibility that TGF-β1 regulates FasL expression and subsequent AICD via perturbation of the cell cycle. This result is consistent with the finding that TGF-β1 promotes effector T cell expansion in association with IL-2 in murine Th2 clones ((14)).
In contrast to T cells, TGF-β1 promotes apoptosis in immature B cell lines such as WEHI 231 or CH31 cells ((51)–(54)). Apoptosis induced by TGF-β1 in these cells is preceded by a decline in c-Myc expression, and stabilization or ectopic expression of c-Myc prevented this cell death ((52), (55)). More recently, Arsura et al. ((51)) demonstrated that inhibition of c-Myc expression and subsequent apoptosis in B cells after TGF-β1 treatment were a consequence of the transcriptional activation of IκBα, which prevented the direct regulation of c-Myc expression by NF-κB. Whether this plays a role in TGF-β1–induced downregulation of c-Myc in T cells is unknown.
The relevance of the antiapoptotic effect of TGF-β1 might be associated with the observation that addition of this cytokine together with IL-2 not only blocked AICD but also enhanced effector T cell expansion and long-term T cell survival ((13), (14)). These results strongly suggest that TGF-β1 may be one of the cytokines involved in T cell memory generation. The persistence of memory T cells has been suggested to be dependent on periodic restimulation by specific or cross-reacting antigens ((56), (57)). TGF-β1 might be necessary for inhibiting FasL expression, thus permitting the generation and survival of memory T cells ((15)).
The roles played in the development and function of the immune system by c-Myc and FasL, under the control of TGF-β1, are likely to be diverse. TGF-β1–deficient mice have smaller spleens with less distinct white pulp and fewer Peyer's patches with less distinct germinal centers than those of normal littermates ((58)), and it is thus possible that this is a consequence of deregulated FasL expression, normally controlled by this cytokine.
The authors thank G. Wong for providing reagents, P. Golstein for L1210 and L1210-Fas cell lines, G.I. Evan for the pBABE puroMyc-ER G525R, and W. Force for assistance with retrovirus production. We also thank T. Lin and H. Beere for critical reading of the manuscript.
This work was supported in part by the Association pour la Recherche sur le Cancer (ARC) and the Human Frontier Science Program (to L. Genestier), and by National Institutes of Health grant GM52735 (to D.R. Green). This is publication #227 from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology.
1 Abbreviations used in this paper: AICD, activation-induced cell death; AS, antisense; CDK, cyclin-dependent kinase; CsA, cyclosporine A; NF, nuclear factor; NS, nonsense; 4-OHT, 4-hydroxytamoxifen; RT, reverse transcription.
T. Brunner's present address is Division of Immunopathology, Institute for Pathology, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
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0.949813 | Q. How are the times of sunset and sunrise determined?
A. Sunset and sunrise have exactly the same definition: the time when the apparent uppermost ray of the Sun is on the astronomical horizon. If it is the first ray, it is sunrise and if it is the last ray, it is sunset. (For a viewer on Earth, where the ocean seems to touch the sky defines the horizon.) The angle made by a line from the center of the disk of the Sun and one drawn up from the center of the Earth is not exactly 90 degrees at sunrise or sunset; it is greater by 50 minutes of a degree, nearly a full degree.
The difference is partly the result of the extent of the Sun's disk, which accounts for 16 minutes of the angle, and the distorting effect of the atmosphere, which acts as a lens and allows the Sun to be seen when it is actually below the horizon. The lens effect accounts for 34 minutes.
''For the last couple of centuries, the times have been determined not by observation but by calculations based on the known orbit of the Earth around the Sun,'' said Richard Schmidt, an astronomer at the Naval Observatory in Washington.
The exact time of sunset and sunrise depend on where on Earth you are, Mr. Schmidt said, and is also different for observers on an airplane. The times calculated by the observatory are given only as close as one minute; beyond that, he said, they would be affected by terrain and atmospheric conditions.
The observatory receives about 1,000 requests a year for the exact time of sunrise or sunset for a given location for lawsuits or criminal cases, he said.
The angle of the Sun also defines twilight, the period before sunrise and after sunset when the sky is partly lit. There are three kinds of twilight. Civil twilight, which determines when car lights must be turned on, is the interval when the angle is between 90 degrees 50 minutes and 96 degrees. Nautical twilight, the time a sailor could no longer see the horizon in a sextant, is the interval between 96 degrees and 102 degrees. Astronomical twilight, the darkest definition of all because of the need of astronomers for a dark sky, is the interval between 102 degrees and 108 degrees. |
0.956295 | My everything : [piano, vocal, guitar] / Ariana Grande.
Songs from Ariana Grande's album of the same name.
Intro -- Problem -- One last time -- Why try -- Break free -- Best mistake -- Be my baby -- Break your heart right back -- Love me harder -- Just a little bit of your heart -- Hands on me -- My everything. |
0.999958 | Are you looking for a way to safely store a favorite rosary when you’re not using it? A rosary box is the perfect way to do so. They are beautiful, practical, and also offer wonderful presentation. Some of the boxes here can even be personalized to make them extra-special as gifts. Whether your rosary is heirloom quality or simply has deep personal value, store it in a rosary box, which you can place on a bookshelf, nightstand, or coffee table. Using one is a good way to ensure that your beads remain untangled, and it will help you to always know where your rosary is! |
0.999998 | Have you been to Maldives?
The Maldives, also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and Chagos Archipelago. It stands in the Laccadive Sea, about seven hundred kilometers (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka and (250 mi) south-west of India. During the colonial era, the Dutch referred to the country as "Maldivische Eilanden" in their documentation, while "Maldive Islands" is the anglicised version of the local name used by the British, which later came to be written "Maldives".
This chain of islands is an archipelago located among the Lakshadweep-Maldives-Chagos Group, which are the tops of a vast undersea mountain range in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. The atolls of the Maldives encompass a territory spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometres, making it one of the most dispersed countries in the world in geographic terms. It features 1,192 islands, of which two hundred are inhabited. The Republic of Maldives's capital and largest city is Malé, with a population of 103,693 (2006). It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll, in the Kaafu Atoll. It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties were enthroned.
The Maldives are the smallest Asian country in both population and land area. With an average ground level of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, it is the lowest country on the planet. It is also the country with the lowest highest point in the world, at 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in); the Maldives sinking is a great concern for the Maldivian people. |
0.946901 | Are We Nearing a Bottom in the US Housing Market?
This may seem like a laughable point to even consider, given the current somber mood that surrounds the American housing market.
This has been a "perfect storm" of negativity. First you had the collapse in subprime mortgages. Then you had banks writing down huge losses due to their exposure to subprime. Because of these losses, banks tightened their lending criteria, largely signalling the end of "liar loans", "no doc" loans and "stretch" loans. Because there were few people being approved for mortgages, the housing market started to stagnate and then drop, due to the fact that demand had fallen off sharply. Half-finished condominium projects (most notably in the Miami area) halted construction, due to lack of funds and lack of interest. House prices fell sharply in many areas as sellers scrambled to find prices that buyers would be able to stomach. Some sellers were stuck in their houses, having taken every penny out of their homes via home equity loans. Now that their homes dropped in value, they realized that the tap of money had been shut off, and many homes were eventually foreclosed on when people either couldn't pay or simply walked away. Adding to the number of foreclosures were the people who simply paid too much and then walked away after their home values declined.
So with all of that, could the housing market possibly be in for a turnaround?
According to unconfirmed reports, some big money is starting to be put to work in US real estate. Robert Paulson, the man who profited so handsomely from the bust in the housing market, has apparently been buying up large chunks of land in California. Another large investor has been buying up properties in Arizona, Nevada and California.
A general rule of thumb that usually works pretty well when it comes to investing is: buy when everyone is selling, and sell when everyone is buying. Or as Warren Buffett put it, "Be greedy when others are fearful, and be fearful when others are greedy." I would say that people are pretty fearful when it comes to the US housing market right now, so now might be the time to buy. There seem to be some pretty smart people starting to put some money to work in the real estate market - have we finally hit bottom?
Many people point to the fact that the US is likely entering a recession as one reason why the housing market has further to fall.
I say that if the US is in a recession, then it is in it right now - you don't know that a recession took place until after the fact. If we are in a recession, then I believe that it will be a light one. I would look for the economy to start to recover as we reach the late spring and summer, and I think that the housing market will strengthen along with the economy.
Things are darkest at the bottom, and the prevailing attitude surrounding the US housing market is one of doom and gloom. There are some outstanding issues right now (increased supply due to foreclosures, uncertainty over economy, continuing writedowns at banks and brokerages), but I feel that now might be the time to start cherry-picking some of the better investment opportunities that are out there. You may not time the bottom precisely, but I believe that 2008 is offering the savvy real estate investor a great deal of potential value due to many people simply walking away from their homes or selling at bargain basement prices. |
0.999672 | I will argue that Christians should rightly and reasonably believe that Jesus exemplifies a moral ideality that is unsurpassable and unmatchable. This moral ideality allows for the development of human excellences; and Christians can assert that Jesus transcends his humanity by achieving this moral ideality, but this assertion does not require them to believe he realizes a human ideal. Further, Jesus can live a fully human life, and not be humanly ideal. |
0.999067 | This PowerShell script will dump all of the leases from a Windows DHCP server. From there you can output them to a file if you need to.
$Leases = (netsh dhcp server 192.168.0.254 scope $Scope.split("-").trim() show clients 1) | Select-String "-D-" |
0.959505 | Are teachers underpaid? How much is a teacher worth? To answer this we must first define “value”. Although it is a common myth, there is no such thing as intrinsic value. Gold has no more intrinsic value than a lump of mud. The act of digging a hole has no more intrinsic value than teaching. By “intrinsic” I mean objectively measurable. Value is an entirely subjective human construct (just as “beauty” is.) It cannot be measured like density or boiling point. However, subjectivity does not imply lack of consensus. In broad strokes we rank things quite similarly (i.e. we prefer gold over mud). But at the finer scales our value rankings are different and can shift over time. These differences are in fact a necessary condition for commerce. Generally speaking, one values things they want more highly than things they already have. For example, if I buy your wristwatch for $10 then I value the wristwatch more than the $10. Likewise, you value the $10 more than the wristwatch. The value of the wristwatch is not $10, it is either more than $10 or less than $10 depending on who you ask. If that seems counterintuitive, consider this: would you sell your $10 bill for my $10 bill? No, because you gain nothing in the exchange. Then why sell a wristwatch for $10 if you gain nothing in the exchange? Both parties realize a gain in an exchange due to their different value rankings (within the context of that trade).
So how does understanding subjective value relate to determining if teachers are underpaid? In a free (non-coercively influenced) market, every completed trade is “fair” in the sense both parties subjectively gained. In a free market being “underpaid” simply means there was a willing buyer that you failed to find that valued what you sold more than the party you sold it to. Subsidized public schooling is at best a semi-free market. It has actually driven wages higher, not lower, than they would be in a free market. We know this because if teachers were underpaid then private schools would poach the best teachers with elevated pay. In fact the reverse is true. Private school teachers make on average 25% less than public school teachers. And yet some would like to widen the disparity even more. For example at the “Save our Schools” rally in 2011 (see video at 3 min.) a woman implied we should spend $72 trillion/year on education (I guess the public schools indeed failed her in that she lacked the math skills to realize that spending $1 billion/child would come to that sum).
So how do we align the fact that most if not all of us value teaching above say professional football and yet teachers make far less? The cumulative effect of our individual value rankings when filtered through supply and demand across an economy can result in apparent societal ranking of value at odds with the ranking of value of the individuals making up that society. Teachers don’t make less than football players because “society” values them less. They make less because of math. A small number divided by a very small number is bigger than a large number divided by a very large number. (e.g. what each pays in property taxes or tuition far exceeds what one might spend on watching professional sports yet teachers make less because in part they vastly outnumber (about 4,000 to 1) professional football players).
This entry was posted in Austrian economics, Education, Libertarian opinion on September 17, 2012 by Greg Morin. |
0.940755 | Learn about who is most at risk for emotional distress from floods and where to find disaster-related resources.
Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States. They occur when land that is normally dry experiences an overflow of water. Several events cause floods, including hurricanes and tropical storms, failed dams or levees, and flash floods that occur within a few minutes or hours of excessive rainfall.
Although coastal areas are more vulnerable to floods, particularly during hurricane season, they can occur anywhere and can vary in size and duration. Even very small streams, gullies, and creeks that may appear harmless in dry weather can flood.
The physical destruction of a flood can vary, with some carrying away everything in its path, including houses, bridges, cars, and even people who may be trapped or wading in water. Further, the economic loss from hazardous flood conditions can be significant, costing in the billions, as with Hurricane Michael in 2018 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Learn more about warning signs and risk factors for emotional distress related to floods and other disasters.
Flood survivors. People living in impacted areas, particularly children and teens, previously exposed to traumatic, life-threatening situations during a flood. These people may also have once been displaced.
Friends and loved ones. It’s normal for friends and family members located outside the impacted area to feel anxious about people who are in direct proximity to a flood.
First responders and recovery workers. These individuals may experience prolonged separation from loved ones (depending on the severity of the flood) and show signs of mental fatigue.
Once warnings for floods are issued, the risk for distress becomes greater. It’s normal to feel unprepared, overwhelmed, or confused, particularly if you are not at home. You may also feel isolated due to telephone or electric power outages, or if you are separated from friends or family members.
Returning to a home, business, school, or place of worship impacted by a flood may cause additional distress, especially if there is structural damage. A temporary or permanent loss of employment may also occur.
Remember, too, that the anniversary of a disaster or tragic event can renew feelings of fear, anxiety, and sadness in disaster survivors. Certain sounds, such as streaming water or sirens, can also trigger emotional distress. These and other environmental sensations can take people right back to the event, or cause them to fear that it’s about to happen again. These “trigger events” can happen at any time.
People can experience a wide range of emotions before and after a disaster or traumatic event. There’s no right or wrong way to feel. However, it’s important to find healthy ways to cope when these events happen. Learn about coping tips for dealing with floods and other types of disasters.
The SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) also helps states, territories, tribes, and local entities deliver an effective mental health and substance abuse (behavioral health) response to floods and other natural disasters. Learn more about these issues and find more disaster-related resources at Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. |
0.998067 | Please answer a few questions about the dictionary of biography and how you used it today.
* 1. Did you read one of our biographies today?
* 2. Was what you viewed useful?
* 3. How understandable was the biography?
* 4. What age group would you fall into?
* 5. Let us know if you had any trouble using our website?
* 6. Do you have any other suggestions or comments on our dictionary or the biographies it contains?
* 7. How did you find the UUDB.org website today? |
0.99078 | Why does Oceans Alive taste so strong when I take it directly under my tongue?
The strong taste is because the sea mineral solution is extremely concentrated as is also the Marine Phytoplankton in suspension. The trace ionic minerals are the primary 'taste' factor. |
0.999926 | Problem: If a varies directly as b and a is 4 when j is 8, find the constant of variation.
In the following chart, does one variable vary directly with the other?
If x varies directly as C and X is 1 when C is 2, find the constant of variation. |
0.996045 | Historical commentary explores the actual events surrounding a document, providing historic context.
This was not the first meeting to discuss the crisis of the Articles of Confederation.
From September 11-14, 1786, twelve delegates from five states gathered in Annapolis, Maryland.
There were twin crises going on that led to Annapolis. The first was the fact that the federal government was going broke. It had war debts to pay to European countries, and the government could not bring in enough revenue to pay its debt or its interest on that debt.
The second issue was the Jay-Gardoqui negotiations. John Jay and the Spanish negotiated a deal to open up Spanish ports for the Northeast, but Spain refused American rights on the Mississippi River. In August 1786, the Congress voted down the proposed treaty, which still left the trade situation in trouble.
Although the Continental Congress created this "Annapolis Convention," there were not enough delegates to make a quorum.
Some of the same delegates would come to Philadelphia: James Madison, Edmund Randolph, Alexander Hamilton, John Dickinson, George Read, Richard Bassett, and William Houston.
They recommended a new constitution convention to be held for May 1787.
In this passage, electors would vote for two people for president. This proved to be problematic in the 1796 and 1800 elections, and it would need another amendment to the constitution to fix it (the Twelve Amendment).
In 1796, John Adams got the majority of the votes, but his party, the Federalists, also voted for a number of other people, which helped lead to Thomas Jefferson getting the second highest number. Jefferson was from a different party, but yet, he became vice president.
In an effort to unify party voting, electors were encourage to vote the same party in 1800. Voters expected Thomas Jefferson to be president and Aaron Burr as vice president, but in the end, the election was a tie. It went to the House of Representatives, and Jefferson won the election. When in office, Jefferson isolated Burr from any political discussion or policy decisions.
The residency rule was an attempt to block pro-British men who fled the country during the Revolutionary War. Also, there were Europeans living in the country, like Baron Frederick von Steuben, who came to help the American military during the war. However, if this one passed, some prominent delegates like Alexander Hamilton would not be eligible to be president right away.
Delegates felt that the president had to be a natural-born citizen or a citizen at the time of the constitution's adoption.
One possible reason to create this requirement was to stop any rumors that delegates were plotting to make a European monarch president of the U.S. It was not unusual in Europe to have a foreign ruler, and one of these names being considered was Prince Henry of Prussia.
Another reason could be that delegates wanted to avoid a foreigner becoming a member of the cabinet or worse, commander-in-chief. John Jay writes to George Washington on July 25, 1787: "Permit me to hint, whether it would not be wise & seasonable to provide a strong check to the admission of Foreigners into the administration of our national Government, and to declare expressly that the Command in chief of the American army shall not be given to, nor devolved on, any but a natural born Citizen." Washington thanked Jay on September 2, 1787.
For the Prince Henry connection, see Richard Krauel. "Prince Henry of Prussia and the Regency of the United States, 1786". The American Historical Review, Vol. 17(October, 1911): 44-51.
George Washington's letter can be found in The Papers of George Washington Digital Edition, ed. Theodore J. Crackel. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008. Confederation Series (1 January 1784–23 September 1788), Volume 5 (1 February 1787–31 December 1787): 271-272.
Along with many delegates at the convention, Charles Pinckney's opposition to the motion for executive appointment of judges was most likely rooted in his colonial experience of King George III and the royal governors. Both the king and the governors used the appointment power as a patronage system and as a way to influence the legislature.
By opposing James Wilson's motion for a single executive, this was the first time Edmund Randolph opposed the majority of his own delegation and the convention. Randolph's biographer, John J. Reardon, argues, "There was no mistaking his mood. He was incensed by the stubbornness of most of the delegates in refusing to recognize the dangers he felt were so obviously inherent in a single executive."
In this statement, Nathaniel Gorham argued against Madison's motion for the Senate to conduct a peace treaty on its own during war by saying Congress would have the power of the purse to cut off funding for a war.
In practice, it is very hard for Congress to unilaterally end a war. Even during one of America's most unpopular war in Vietnam, it was not until June 1973 that Congress passed a provision to cut off funds for combat activities in Indochina. President Nixon signed this into law months after the Paris Peace Accords were signed.
"1. It is said in the resolutions which accompany the constitution, that it is to be submitted to a convention of delegates chosen in each State by the people thereof, for their assent and ratification. The meaning of these terms is allowed universally to be, that the convention must either adopt the constitution in the whole, or reject it in the whole, and is positively forbidden to amend, if therefore, I had signed, I should have felt myself bound to be silent as to amendments, and to endeavor to support the constitution without the correction of a letter. With this consequence before my eyes, and with a determination to attempt an amendment, I was taught by a regard for consistency not to sign.
5. I was afraid that if the constitution was to be submitted to the people, to be wholly adopted or wholly rejected by them, they would not only reject it, but bid a lasting farewell to the union. This formidable event I wished to avert, by keeping myself free to propose amendments, and thus, if possible, to remove the obstacles to an effectual government. But it will be asked, whether all these arguments, were not . . . well weighed in convention. They were, sir, with great candor. Nay, when I called to mind the respectability of those, with whom I was associated, I almost lost confidence in these principles. On other occasions, I should cheerfully have yielded to a majority; on this the fate of thousands yet unborn, enjoined me not to yield until I was convinced.
Again, may I be asked, why the mode pointed out in the constitution for its amendment, may not be a sufficient security against its imperfections, without now arresting it in its progress? My answers are–1. That it is better to amend, while we have the constitution in our power, while the passions of designing men are not yet enlisted, and while a bare majority of the States may amend than to wait for the uncertain assent of three fourths of the States. 2. That a bad feature in government, becomes more and more fixed every day. 3. That frequent changes of a constitution, even if practicable, ought not to be wished, but avoided as much as possible. And 4. That in the present case, it may be questionable, whether, after the particular advantages of its operation shall be discerned, three fourths of the States can be induced to amend." |
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