proba
float64
0.5
1
text
stringlengths
16
174k
0.999847
Some member states are apparently uncomfortable about his growing influence, and they should be, because Selmayr has a reputation for behaving like a bull in a China shop. With the risk of no deal looming, one can only wonder why Ireland, the Benelux, Germany and France – who are risking a lot of damage, for which they are insufficiently prepared – tolerate a hardliner in charge who’s making this prospect more likely. Until recently, Selmayr served as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s chief of staff. His recent appointment to the top levels of the European Commission, bypassing seasoned eurocrats, ‘could be viewed as a coup-like action’, according to the European Parliament, and did ‘not follow EU law or the Commission’s own rules’ according to the European Ombudsman. The European Parliament has stopped short of questioning the appointment, perhaps fearing the troublesome ways its own top officials are appointed would be reassessed. More importantly, however, Jean-Claude Juncker had linked his own fate with that of Selmayr and quite aggressively forced his EU Commissioners to toe the line. Selmayr’s appointment raises serious questions as to how Jean-Claude Juncker’s rumoured condition may have opened the door for people like Selmayr to occupy positions of power that should never be reserved for mandarins like him. In other words: he buys into the narrative that Brexit will push anti-establishment populists in mainland Europe away from exiting themselves, despite the fact that populists in Italy, France – where about half of the French electorate voted for a Eurosceptic candidate in 2017 – and Germany have actually been gaining ground since the Brexit vote. Selmayr’s idea of ‘re-energising’ the European project seems to include preventing the UK from getting an easy ride out of the club. He has been accused of leaking details of a confidential Downing Street dinner to derail the Brexit negotiations. It’s hard to know if this is accurate, but it’s a fact that there are no similar rumours about the EU’s official Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, who’s widely respected for having conducted the Brexit negotiations in a responsible manner. EU Member states should really wonder whether Selmayr can be trusted to guide such a crucial issue as Brexit, given his history, which is anything but conciliatory. For example, he obstructed attempts to move non-eurozone member states more closely to the EU’s core, suggesting they should either accept more EU federalism or miss out on cooperation. He also pushed hard for a mandatory quota for EU countries to welcome asylum seekers, something which ended up increasing Euroscepticism in Central and Eastern Europe, hurting decades of efforts to bring them back into the West. In practice it also failed to relocate people within the passport-free Schengen area, but the Commission couldn’t resist using a crisis to try to expand EU powers. In 2014, Selmayr helped to secure Juncker’s appointment, against all odds by pressuring German politicians like Angela Merkel to accept that the candidate that was nominated by the European Parliament’s biggest group – Juncker – had to be chosen by EU leaders as Commission President, even if he wasn’t even on the ballot in his native Luxembourg. This forced Merkel to break her promise to David Cameron not to appoint the ‘EU federalist’ Juncker, which contributed to the Brexit vote in 2016. Selmayr was also one of the driving forces behind Juncker’s pledge in 2014 to turn the European Commission during his term into a ‘political Commission’. With Brexit and a severe breakdown of relations with Central and Eastern Europe, it should be clear to everyone now that this was simply a bad idea. Fundamentally, regardless of his ideas, it’s just not a good idea for a non-elected EU bureaucrat to play such an important political role. It’s obvious Selmayr is a would-be politician with very outspoken EU-federalist ideas, and opposes flexibility in the Brexit talks, which endangers the good ties almost all European politicians want to keep with the UK after Brexit. The Conservative MP Greg Hands has provided an insight into how Selmayr seems to see the Brexit negotiations as a ‘zero-sum game’, with winners and losers. In reality however, any restriction of trade access will of course hit both trading partners. Imagine if Angela Merkel were to claim that a few tens of thousand job losses in Germany were actually not all that bad, given the fact there is greater damage in Britain. Still, the idea that just because the damage of a no deal would be greater in Britain, the EU is holding all the cards, holds sway within the EU institutions. After all the controversy surrounding his appointment, which was unseen for any bureaucratic top job, you’d expect Selmayr to take a more cautious approach, but he didn’t do that. On the contrary, the latest rumour is that he would now like to be the first EU ambassador to the UK. Perhaps it’s an old fashioned thought, but diplomats should be diplomatic. It would be very irresponsible for the EU to appoint such a divisive figure to shape the future relationship between the EU and the UK, which will be the EU’s biggest trading partner after Brexit. If Selmayr really likes politics so much, maybe he should simply stand for office. Reportedly, while the EU’s institutions have offered an uncompromising position in public about renegotiating the withdrawal treaty, diplomats from some EU member states have already been discussing time limits on the ‘backstop’ as well as exit mechanisms. At a time when the UK is openly requesting renegotiation of the Brexit deal, the consequences of the European Commission inflicting a dose of inflexibility into the Brexit process could have huge consequences. If people like Selmayr believe that a no-deal Brexit and the chaos it would bring would benefit the EU project, then are badly mistaken. The European Commission tends to be blamed for all kinds of things it is innocent for. It can be sure to be blamed when it is guilty.
0.98271
Ask yourself why you are trying to impress these girls. Is it because you hope for them to ask you out, or do you simply want them to think you are cool and want to be friends with them? Wanting to impress someone doesn't always mean you are attracted to them in a sexual or romantic sense.
0.994299
What is the collective noun for a group of writers? This is a question I asked recently on Facebook. The answer is, a "worship of writers." The term appeared in The Book of St. Albans, published in 1486. The book is said to have been written by Juliana Berners, the prioress of the Priory of St. Mary of Sopwell which is near St. Albans. She was a writer of heraldry, hawking and hunting. Most of the terms described aggregations of animals, but it was not limited to "Beestys and Fowlys," evidenced by other contributions such as an "eloquence of lawyers" and a "flight of stairs." While you might imagine that a "worship of writers" origin had to do with the readers of books and their obsession with the authors, it is quite the opposite. In the Middle Ages writers needed a patron to survive and therefore would heap flattery on that patron in their writings. Thus, a "worship of writers." Noreen Alexander Manzella was the first correct answer, and the first answer period. LisaMary Wichowski and Lynne Penniman Carothers also had the correct answer, but they all just "knew" the answer. Wish I was that smart. There were some very humorous answers. My personal favorite was "Writers' Block" from Jana Sloan Broglin. To write that as a collective noun would be a "block of writers" or a "bloc of writers." Love it! I have found no one collective noun for a group of genealogists, so let's get our wit working and offer a few for consideration. and a research reference we are all familiar with, a "hoard of genealogists." Here are a few contributions from Facebook friends. Patricia Brown -- For the record - I meant "coven". Just looked up hoven and found out it means a "swelling" which could be correct if you are looking at photos of a group if genealogists together. Charlotte Sellers -- A forest of genealogists ... made up of many trees. David Foy -- A citation of genealogists. Ellen Rowan Taylor -- An obsession of genealogists. Deborah Hart Stock -- A besom of genealogists - because a besom broom is a collection of twigs and branches fastened together, and jumping over such a broom has in the past been one way of contracting a marriage, and thus the potential beginning of a family. We can always use more, so let's get our wit working, offer a few for consideration. Further reading -- James Lipton's book, An Exaltation of Larks, and A Compendium of Collective Nouns: From an Armory of Aardvarks to a Zeal of Zebras by Jay Sacher. Bonjour! I'm a French model. It must be true, you read it here on the internet. Right? Right. I love the point this State Farm television commercial makes. A point that is relevant to any genealogical research done on the internet. The moral of the story is that you and your work are only as good as your sources. Who cares, and who should care? It seems that the "genealogy community" hobbyist, expert, professional discussion is back. Everything old is new again. I gave an example of the discussion as it was in 1887 in an excerpt from a genealogy book I posted here on Facebook. The present discussion made the rounds of the blogs in 2007, and again in 2011. Nothing much has changed since then. I am a genealogist. We are all genealogists who study or trace our ancestry. All. Period. Some would like to attach a level of competence to the individual person. Those names are, but not limited to, hobbyist, expert, professional, etc. What does any of that mean? We do not have a generally accepted definition of hobbyist, expert, or professional as it applies to the world of genealogy. We all have an opinion as to what the definition should be, but no generally accepted genealogical community definition. Why don't we label genealogists well-known, known, and unknown. That could also define individual genealogists. Just as meaningful. Many of you will argue that the BCG standards are our guide. But they are only a guide to a genealogist's expertise if that genealogist has voluntarily been tested by those standards. Have you seen a list of those who have tried and failed their standards? When it comes to the definition of hobbyist, expert or professional work product, we are again faced with no generally accepted definition. We do have standards of genealogical research and presentation of that work. And we do have opinions. So many opinions. First, let me ask, "Why does it matter so much to you?" Before you answer, may I say that I think I understand. I have several law degrees. I cringe when I see people online give a legal opinion or legal definition who have zero legal education. Then when I stop gritting my teeth I remember a simple truth. Their opinion is of no value to me. And if you are so quick to accept those opinions without investigating their credentials, shame on you. I am not going to waste my energy turning them in to the bar or the Attorney General for practicing law without a license. And I'm certainly not going to recommend them to anyone seeking legal advice. More importantly, I will investigate and form my own legal opinions. What about you? You work hard on your genealogical research. You adhere to genealogical standards. Do you feel that your work is diminished by those who have no standards because they too call themselves a genealogist? Their standards are of no value to you and your work, and if you are so quick to accept their conclusions without investigating their sources, shame on you. Don't waste your energy turning them in to the Genealogy Police or the Citation Police. Don't recommend their work. You are only responsible for the standards of your own work. Now if you want to change the fact that we are only responsible for our own work, come up with a definition, a guide, a standard, a license, a law, something for levels of expertise! I think you will find it isn't as simple as you thought it would be. "How do we as genealogists strike a balance between encouraging sound genealogical standards and practices without discouraging family history newcomers who find themselves quickly discouraged by those same standards, which they often don't understand and find unnecessarily complicated? Isn't there room for genealogists of all viewpoints and varying skill levels? Can't we find a way to educate and encourage without beating people over the head with our genealogy ideals?" These questions are as important today as when Kimberly Powell first asked them. Can we move on to solutions? It's not as easy as it looks on TV. I found this book so interesting that I thought I'd share an excerpt with you. It is evident the perception of the Genealogist/Family Historian hasn't changed much since 1887. However, I have always thought that through education programs that set standards for research, writing, and production; and that teach the skill sets necessary to achieve those results, we will improve not only how others view us, but how we view ourselves. Seems my ideas aren't new either. In this little volume it is scarcely necessary to vindicate the study of genealogy against those who assert that it is but an idle pursuit, for it may be presumed that those only will consult it who are already persuaded of the utility of preserving their family history. The reverence which is almost universally shown toward ancestors is but an extension of the commandment. "Honor thy father and they mother." All races of men seem to possess an instinctive feeling that a line of honorable ancestry is a subject for legitimate pride. Only know they are our fathers." But though many affect to jest at what they call "pedigree-hunting" there are few who do not feel more or less interested in knowing something of their own family history, however humble it may be; and that this is so is shown by the increasing number of those who now take some pains to trace it out and place it on permanent record. Genealogy in the past was chiefly confined to tabular pedigrees, more remarkable for an imposing array of names and titles than for any just claim to be termed history. Still, a few family memorials worthy of the name were compiled as early as the seventeenth century, such for example, as the splendid history of the "Lives of the Berkeleys, written by John Smyth, of Nibley, about the year 1618. The independent family memoir, however, is a product almost exclusively of modern growth and though some valuable examples have been issued in England, it is in the United States that they are most numerous. The necessity of accuracy and method is specially insisted on, and the reader's attention is drawn to the advantage of uniting the narrative with key-tables by means of a definite system of cross references, a combination which hitherto has been too much neglected by genealogists.
0.99126
I had a sad dream about betrayal. A recent situation and the reaction I saw unfold from someone I trust left me with feelings of surprise, sadness, rejection and great disappointment. Even though the character was different that the one in my waking life, the dream nevertheless gives me an overview of what my experience felt like. This dream happened this morning, the morning after the discussion with that person, which thankfully ended with I believe a greater understanding of eachother's perspective and experience. To dream that you have been betrayed, represents your suspicions about a particular person, relationship or situation. This dream often occurs when you are having feelings of insecurity and are faced with major commitments in your life at the same time. To dream that someone has betrayed you, indicates self-pity. You are feeling sorry for yourself. Dreaming that you have been betrayed, represents your suspicions about a particular person, relationship or situation. This dream often occurs when you are having feelings of insecurity and are faced with major commitments in your life at the same time. If you dream that you betray your spouse or partner, or that they betray you, you could be feeling insecure or suspicious in waking life. Such a dream can also mean that you are repressing anger against that person. If you dream that you are betraying a friend, it could mean that you have problems that you need to deal with.
0.999914
Ask Yourself wanted an answer to something I couldn't give him (whether I would concede that he wasn't a moral objectivist, apparently the only concern he had). He was extremely insistent about it and became quite angry when I wouldn't agree with his argument. There are many viable arbitrary answers to this because the trait can be arbitrary. Arbitrarity is not the same as contradiction. 1. Divine command (or command by X): God said animals don't have souls/moral value. The trait is souls/The trait is God said so. 2. Moral subjectivism: I don't care about animals; the trait is my caring. If you care then it's wrong for you according to your morals. If somebody kills me on the basis of not caring about me then that is wrong according to my morals, but it may be OK according to their morals. They can make up any rules they want. There's no objective basis to call one better than the other. 3. Cultural moral relativism: According to my culture it's OK, so it's OK. If my culture changed then it might not be OK. In the past it was OK to keep slaves because that was culture. Other cultures have different rules, and their morals are wrong according to my culture's morals. My culture's morals might be wrong according to theirs. There's no objective basis to call one better than the other. You could list these all day, mostly variations on the same theme. C just does not follow from P1 and P2. P2 is irrelevant on its own, and doesn't lead to that conclusion without additional assumptions. An additional premise or two (or three, depending on how you word them) is needed for the argument to be valid: P3 - Arbitrary assertions of moral value are not acceptable, moral value must be justified by some relevant non-arbitrary trait. Relevant traits can be defined in a way that leads into P2 in this argument: P4 - A relevant trait is a trait that would cause us to deem ourselves valueless if we lacked it. In other words, you have to insert a variation of the golden rule into the discussion. And possibly even a clarification upon what it means to deem oneself valueless so there is no question here (it's important to define things clearly, particularly when they have substantial implications to the conclusion and could be interpreted different ways as this can be): P5 - Any attempted defense of personal interests is an indication of self-value. These premises can not just be assumed without stating them. That's sneaky stuff that apologists do when they're making tricky (and not valid) arguments to "prove" god. We don't need to take after apologists with bad form in argument. Carnists already claim we're mentally deficient due to lack of nutrients, we don't need to provide them support for that ridiculous assertion. Let me be clear: The propositions I added are GOOD premises, and ones that have very strong arguments behind them. But they are also moral objectivist/universalist/realist premises. Religion is arbitrary, unless you can prove your religion is true (even then it's a weak argument that a god can dictate morality non-arbitrarily, see Euthyphro https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthyphro, the argument might have to be expanded to address theist concerns). Moral subjectivism is completely arbitrary, being based on personal whim/opinion. Cultural relativism is arbitrary both in terms of culture and how culture is defined (culture/subculture/individual), it deteriorates into subjectivism without any justifiable boundaries. These are easy premises to add, and easy ones to defend (particularly that against arbitrarity): allowing arbitrary assertions makes morality meaningless and useless (which is basically the brunt of the argument against relativism/subjectivism). This is what I wanted to discuss, but Ask Yourself had other ideas. He was set on "murking" me based on my claim that he's a moral objectivist as an implication of his hidden premises (an argument I don't think he bothered to read). He didn't care what my argument was and he pressed me to answer if I agreed that he wasn't a moral objectivist based on a definition he does not understand. I had to keep saying I don't know if he is or isn't, even based on robust realism. The reason I could not answer is because of those fallacies and implicit premises in his argument (which become more apparently held when he states it informally during debates and responds to people's challenges). Until discussing and resolving those fallacies (and I don't know how he would prefer to resolve them, he might dramatically change his argument) I don't actually know what position that would commit him to. Because of his acceptance of those fallacies and his belief that his argument is logically sound it is clear that he does not fully comprehend his own views and that they are not consistent. I will fully agree that he thinks he is not a moral objectivist and that he thinks he is a subjectivist, but that was never a point of contention. Since he is asserting at various points non-arbitrarity and the golden rule as unspoken assumptions (which are great assumptions, but they're ones of moral objectivism/universalism and they need to be clearly articulated), I think it would commit him in the least to minimal realism and universalism. Universalism is also seen as moral objectivism as per the definition. It wouldn't let him pass himself off as a subjectivist. Aside from him indicating misunderstanding of universalism (He thinks it means that a moral system can be universalized or something like that, and that it's totally different from "moral objectivism"), he tried to argue in defense of his subjectivism. His argument was that he thinks there can be many different consistent moral systems, but the only one I've seen him offer as an alternative is that of Hannibal Lecter. That's a weak argument, and I think most people could understand that the complete rejection of moral value does not make a moral system. Would the rejection of all numbers and mathematical operators make a mathematical system? No. Hannibal could form a self-centered moral "system" that gave him moral value personally and denied it to others, but this clearly fails to comply with the "logic" (not actually valid logic) of even Ask Yourself's general argument. It's hard to imagine him disagreeing with that since he thinks his argument is valid and it uses the same form. Robust moral realism, the meta-ethical position that ethical sentences express factual propositions about robust or mind-independent features of the world, and that some such propositions are true. But it's also not clear what he thinks mind independence is. I tried to nail him down on what he thought that was. He wasn't interested in answering my questions so that I could have the information I needed to answer his question. That brief one sentence Wikipedia summary is not enough to encapsulate the definition of robust realism. The semantic thesis: The primary semantic role of moral predicates (such as "right" and "wrong") is to refer to moral properties (such as rightness and wrongness), so that moral statements (such as "honesty is good" and "slavery is unjust") purport to represent moral facts, and express propositions that are true or false (or approximately true, largely false, and so on). The alethic thesis: Some moral propositions are in fact true. The metaphysical thesis: Moral propositions are true when actions and other objects of moral assessment have the relevant moral properties (so that the relevant moral facts obtain), where these facts and properties are robust: their metaphysical status, whatever it is, is not relevantly different from that of (certain types of) ordinary non-moral facts and properties. The minimal model, i.e. moral universalism, leaves off the metaphysical thesis, treating it as matter of contention among moral realists (as opposed to between moral realists and moral anti-realists). The final, metaphysical thesis is of some complexity. Inator and I discussed it at some length. I doubt Ask Yourself has given it any thought. Is gravity an objective force? Does it fail to qualify if it isn't independent of mass? Is Pi an objective concept? Does it fail to qualify if it isn't independent of circles? What does independence mean? This is not a question that has been resolved by philosophers. The robust model and the minimal model also disagree over how to classify moral subjectivism (roughly, the view that moral facts are not mind-independent in the relevant sense, but that moral statements may still be true). The historical association of subjectivism with moral anti-realism in large part explains why the robust model of moral realism has been dominant—even if only implicitly—both in the traditional and contemporary philosophical literature on metaethics. What is the relevant sense? Subjectivism (as it will be called here) allows that moral facts exist but holds that they are, in some manner to be specified, constituted by our mental activity. The slogan version comes from Hamlet: “there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Of course, the notion of “mind-independence” is problematically indeterminate: Something may be mind-independent in one sense and mind-dependent in another. Cars, for example, are designed and constructed by creatures with minds, and yet in another sense cars are clearly concrete, non-subjective entities. Much careful disambiguation is needed before we know how to circumscribe subjectivism, and different philosophers disambiguate differently. Many philosophers question whether the “subjectivism clause” is a useful component of moral anti-realism at all. Many advocate views according to which moral properties are significantly mind-dependent but which they are loath to characterize as versions of moral anti-realism. There is a concern that including the subjectivism clause threatens to make moral anti-realism trivially true, since there is little room for doubting that the moral status of actions usually (if not always) depends in some manner on mental phenomena such as the intentions with which the action was performed or the episodes or pleasure and pain that ensue from it. The issue will be discussed below, with no pretense made of settling the matter one way or the other. Second, it is not clear that maintaining the “mind-independence” clause as a defining feature of the realism/anti-realism division really does make psychological realism a “non-starter.” Perhaps all that is needed is a more careful understanding of the type of independence relation in question. Certainly there is a trivial sense in which the truth or falsity of a psychological claim like “Mary believes that p” depends on a mental fact: whether Mary does believe that p. On the other hand, there is also a sense in which whether Mary has this belief is a mind-independent affair: The fact of Mary's believing that p is not constituted or determined by any of our practices of judging that she does so believe. We could all judge that Mary believes that p and be mistaken. Most people would accept that even Mary might be mistaken about this—erroneously judging herself to believe that p. In the same way, although the moral claim “Mary's action was morally wrong” may be true only in virtue of the pain that Mary's action caused (or because of Mary's wicked intentions), this may not be the right kind of mind-dependence to satisfy the subjectivist clause. Well, that wasn't very helpful, but it does throw some doubt on the whole affair of that being any kind of qualifying test of subjectivism/objectivism or even any necessary part of robust vs. minimal realism. The fact that Ask Yourself thinks it's adequate to brush these questions under the rug indicates to me that either he has not thought much on their answers, or he isn't even aware of the questions. Neither says much about his competence in philosophy. Generally speaking, subjectivism is a form of relativism unless you are religious and subscribe to divine command (or something almost indiscernibly similar). Conversely, the subjectivist need not be a relativist. Suppose the moral facts depend on the attitudes or opinions of a particular group or individual (e.g., “X is good” means “Caesar approves of X,” or “The Supreme Court rules in favor of X” or “God commands X,” etc.), and thus moral truth is an entirely mind-dependent affair. Since, in this case, all speakers' moral utterances are made true or false by the same mental activity, then this is not strictly speaking a version of relativism, but is, rather, a relation-designating account of moral terms (see Stevenson 1963: 74 for this distinction). He can pick and choose his definitions, but I never claimed he specifically subscribed to robust realism and I made that clear. I'm agnostic on that point. He might, he might not. But universalism isn't something distinct from "moral objectivism" in the way that Randian Objectivism is that would permit you to ignore it as part of the "may refer to" list Wikipedia recommends. What seems increasingly clear is that he has no idea what he believes because he doesn't even know what these things mean or care to look closely at them to find out. And when FriendEd said that Ask Yourself wasn't a Subjectivist, by all accounts of the implications of Ask Yourself's arguments and behavior, FriendEd was right. He was also correct to identify the broad category of moral objectivism as standing in opposition to subjectivism. I did not take FriendEd's claims to be an assertion that Ask Yourself subscribed to robust moral realism. I don't know why FriendEd gave ground on this in the discussion, maybe because he just didn't want to deal with it or didn't understand how philosophically questionable it is to grant such a distinction hinging only on the metaphysical thesis and an ambiguous claim of mind-independence that doesn't seem to mean anything. Ask yourself can complain that he has only ever defined moral objectivism as robust realism, but that's really not helping his case that he's a subjectivist and given his broad misunderstanding of these concepts it doesn't really convince me even that he's not a robust realist (I don't care if he is or isn't). A formal response to Ask Yourself may be in the works. This is posted here for convenience, and is in no way meant to be construed as Philosophical Vegan's response to Ask Yourself's criticism. This list will be updated as needed. Thank you.
0.953664
Tobacco smoking is recognized as a major preventable cause of disease worldwide and is linked to 6 million deaths annually, 30% of which are due to cancer. The negative health consequences of smoking currently represent one of the greatest public health challenges. Secondhand smoke, declared carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2004, is also a major source of morbidity and premature death in nonsmokers, particularly children. Negative health effects associated with exposure to secondhand smoke have been well documented and include lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and other respiratory diseases. International and national policies to implement cost-effective strategies to curtail smoking will have a significant impact on population health and will protect nonsmokers. Effective interventions, such as a combination of smoke-free laws, tobacco price increases, easy access to tobacco cessation treatments, and anti-tobacco media campaigns, should continue. Reducing tobacco use would be a major step towards the goal of decreasing health disparities by 2030 as 80% of the projected tobacco-related deaths will occur in low- and middle-income countries. Tobacco use remains a major public health concern. Cigarette smoking has been linked to countless illnesses, chief among them cancer and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and is the single most preventable cause of death worldwide [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. As many as 9% of all deaths are attributable to tobacco consumption, making smoking cessation the most cost-effective strategy for reducing morbidity and mortality [7, 8, 9]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco kills nearly 6 million people every year worldwide, more than the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Unfortunately, despite recent favorable trends in developed nations, more than 8 million people are expected to die every year by 2030 . Tobacco smoking has spread globally, currently increasing in many low- and middle-income countries. It is slowly but steadily decreasing in several high-income countries . Paradoxically, death rates due to smoking-related illness are lower in low- than in middle- and high-income countries because of the delayed effects of cigarette smoking on health outcomes. Mortality in low- and middle-income countries, especially for women, will therefore continue to rise in the foreseeable future, even if efforts to reduce smoking are successful . The reduction in smoking prevalence that has taken place over the past half century in most industrialized nations has not been evenly distributed among all groups of smokers. In particular, young adults, disadvantaged individuals, and women have experienced proportionally smaller declines [12, 13]. Many factors influence smoking trends, including individual-level variables such as socioeconomic status and education, as well as system-level factors such as regional economic development and tobacco control policies [14, 15]. Sociodemographic vulnerabilities may provide important clues for improving policy initiatives for tobacco control and regulation . Worldwide, approximately 23% of adults, including more than 1 billion males and 250 million females, smoke tobacco products. This gender gap is narrowing as the number of female smokers has been increasing. Unfortunately, smoking prevalence tends to be highest among those with the lowest levels of education and income. Nearly 80% of the world’s smokers live in low- and middle-income countries [17, 18]. Current projections indicate that the number of smokers will increase globally to 1.6 billion over the next 25 years. As a consequence, the number of tobacco-related deaths will surpass the combined mortality from AIDS, tuberculosis, automobile accidents, maternal deaths, homicide, and suicide . Consumption of tobacco products is increasing worldwide but unevenly; although it is decreasing in some high- and upper middle-income countries, it is markedly increasing in developing regions . This pattern reflects the commercial strategy of tobacco companies; as smoking becomes less acceptable and profitable in the developed world, countries with fewer public health warnings and fewer restrictions on the commercialization of tobacco products are targeted. A 2008 WHO initiative conducted an analysis of the prevalence of tobacco use in Africa, the Americas, South-East Asia, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Western Pacific . The overall prevalence of smoking varied widely among the six WHO regions, ranking highest in Europe (29%) and lowest in Africa (8%). In general, men smoked more than women, with the largest disparities for daily cigarette smoking located in the Western Pacific Region, where men smoked 15 times more often than women, followed by South-East Asia where men smoked 10 times more often than women (Figures 1 and 2). Among men, the highest prevalence of smoking was in lower- to middle-income countries. Among women, relatively high rates of smoking (15%) were reported in upper-middle and high-income countries. Smoking rates were about five times lower in low- and lower-middle-income countries and in general, smoking prevalence declined as country per capita income rose. Recent data from the National Health Interview Survey showed that the prevalence of smoking among United States (US) adults aged ≥18 years has declined from 20.9% in 2005 to 16.8% in 2014 . Smoking continues to be more prevalent in males, adults aged 25–44 years, multiracial individuals, and American Indian/Alaska natives. It is also more common in individuals who have lower educational attainment, those living below the federal poverty level, those insured by Medicaid, the uninsured, and patients with disabilities . Unfortunately, data from a study found a very high prevalence of sporadic tobacco use (57.3% to 67.4%) in young adults, a population that should be the target of anti-tobacco efforts . That notwithstanding, the US has experienced a substantial reduction in the prevalence of cigarette smoking since the landmark 1964 Surgeon General’s Report , especially among white males. Much needs to be done since trends have changed relatively little among those with substance abuse or other psychiatric disorders, and smoking has even increased in some demographics, such as economically disadvantaged women . Tobacco control in Great Britain has also improved in recent years. The prevalence of cigarette smoking was very high in the 1970s but declined rapidly (from 45% to 35%) in the early 1980s. The rate of decline then slowed, with smoking prevalence falling by only about one percentage point every two years until 1994, after which it stabilized at about 27% before resuming a slow decline in the first decade of the twenty-first century . Recent data from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey showed that overall smoking prevalence has continued to decrease in Great Britain. By 2012, 20% of adults (aged 16 years and over) continued smoking, a prevalence similar to previous years, but significantly lower than the 26% reported in 2002 . The survey also showed that cigarette smoking in Britain is associated with marital status, with only 14% of the married population being active tobacco users. Smoking was far more common among single, unmarried individuals. Men reported a higher prevalence of smoking than women in all socio-economic strata with some exceptions (large employers and high managerial positions) . Tobacco use is heterogeneous across Europe. Smoking is more common in Turkey, Latvia, and Greece, particularly among men. In Western Europe, Spain has a high rate of male smokers. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, and France have the highest rates of smoking among females, while Sweden is the only member of the European Union where more women smoke than men . Policy initiatives in Europe addressing tobacco use have been historically limited. Recently, however, several countries – most notably Poland, Hungary and the Baltic states – have enacted tobacco legislation stricter than other European Union countries . The Global Adult Tobacco Survey was designed to collect representative data on tobacco use in low-income and middle-income countries [29, 30]. The study included national surveys conducted between 2008 and 2010 in 14 countries in Asia, America, and Europe . Forty-eight percent of men and 11% of women smoked amid a population of 3 billion individuals. Tobacco consumption was quite variable, ranging from 21.6% of men in Brazil to 60.2% in Russia. Rates of cigarette smoking among women were also quite variable, with only 0.5% of women smoking in Egypt as compared to 24.4% in Poland. Women aged 55–64 years began smoking at an older age than did equivalently aged men in most countries. Younger men and women started smoking at similar ages. Smoking cessation rates were very low overall (<20%), particularly in China, India, Russia, Egypt, and Bangladesh. This large collaborative study reinforced the view that efforts to prevent smoking from becoming a habit and promote cessation of tobacco use are needed to reduce smoking related morbidity and mortality worldwide . China represents a daunting public health challenge since more than 300 million people smoke while an estimated 740 million, including 180 million children, are exposed to secondhand smoke . Approximately one third of global tobacco leaf production is Chinese and 30% of all cigarettes are consumed in China. Smokers in China are mostly male, while only 2.4% of women smoke regularly compared with 63% of middle-aged men 45–64 years of age . However, as many as 82% of women in China are exposed to secondhand smoke . The prevalence of smoking is highest in rural areas and among the poorly educated. Since mass cigarette consumption is relatively new to China, the impact of the current epidemic cannot be overstated. It is poised to surpass that seen in western nations with an estimated one third of Chinese men likely to be killed by tobacco . Cigarettes are a complex mixture of highly addictive products: nicotine, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, Phenols, and nitrosamines, which are submicron-sized solid particles; other components, such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and nitrogen oxides, are gases. When a cigarette is smoked, there are approximately 600 ingredients that, when burned, create more than 7,000 chemicals, including at least 70 known carcinogens . Overall, mortality is three to five times greater in smokers than in nonsmokers for both men and women. As a consequence, it has been recently estimated that smokers can lose more than 10 years of life expectancy [36, 37]. Presently, the three major non-infectious causes of morbidity and mortality are cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer, all preventable causes of death [38, 39, 40]. Lung cancer is a well-recognized negative consequence of the tobacco epidemic. Approximately 80–90% of lung cancer cases are tobacco-related. The risk of lung cancer is greater among those who start smoking at a younger age or who smoke “high-yield” cigarettes, but it is also strongly correlated with the cumulative lifetime smoking exposure [39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45]. Although lung cancer was previously considered mostly a disease of males, since the 1950s lung cancer deaths among women have increased more than 600% . As a consequence, lung cancer had surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the late 1980s [44, 45]. Unfortunately, the carcinogenic effect of tobacco is not limited to the lungs. Smoking generates circulating carcinogens, leading to increased risk for several other malignancies. Tobacco has been linked to 13 different types of cancer including breast [36, 39, 40, 46, 47], liver, pancreas, and colorectal tumors, among others [39, 40, 41, 42]. COPD is a major public health problem and will remain a challenge for clinicians in the twenty-first century due to its high morbidity and mortality . The main risk factor for COPD is exposure to tobacco smoke, either active or secondhand smoke. Other risk factors include exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution and occupational dusts and chemicals . Current projections estimate that by 2020, COPD will be the third leading cause of death worldwide, behind heart disease and cancer, and the fifth leading cause of years lost through early mortality or disability [50, 51]. Cigarette smoking also significantly contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Epidemiologic studies strongly support that cigarette smoking, in both men and women, increases the incidence of myocardial infarction and fatal coronary artery disease [52, 53, 59]. Smoking accounts for 33% of all deaths from cardiovascular disease and 20% of deaths from ischemic heart disease worldwide . Smoking appears to have both causal relationships and possible synergistic interactions with other major risk factors for coronary heart disease, including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus . Importantly, nonsmokers exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke at home or work also have a 25–30% higher risk for heart disease [55, 56, 57]. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are associated with primary tuberculosis (TB) infection, active disease, risk of recurrence, and TB mortality, with more than 20% of global TB incidence being attributed to tobacco . Smokers are also at increased risk for erectile dysfunction, cataracts, periodontitis, gastro-esophageal reflux, and hip fractures . Moreover, new studies implicate tobacco as a cause of adult onset diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, compromised immune system, and an increased risk for respiratory infections . Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have low birth weight and premature babies and increased risk for miscarriage . There is now evidence linking smoking with ectopic pregnancy and orofacial cleft in newborns . Smoking is a global concern that demands international cooperation leading to the implementation of measures that will effectively control and ultimately put an end to the current epidemic. Decades have now elapsed since tobacco consumption was first linked to illness, particularly cancer. Since then, landmark anti-smoking campaigns emerged and gave rise to warnings about tobacco’s harmful effects on cigarette packs . The WHO’s Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) was the first international health treaty to arise from these efforts. It was endorsed by 180 countries across the globe, accounting for 90% of the world’s population (Table 1). The treaty aims to provide the necessary tools for promoting effective legislative changes for controlling tobacco consumption. Demand and supply were equally addressed by the treaty, including measures related to tobacco product pricing and taxation, education, and awareness. Much emphasis was placed on publicity and sponsorship of tobacco, reducing tobacco dependence as well as protecting passive smokers in public and work settings from the perils of secondhand smoking. World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Participating Countries. Tax increases constitute one of the most effective means of controlling smoking by decreasing demand for cigarettes. Arguably, controlling tobacco prices through taxation reduces the number of premature deaths linked to tobacco consumption and mitigates the costs by increasing revenue. The money can be used to sponsor anti-smoking initiatives and shoulder the health costs. Unfortunately, only 33 countries (10% of the world’s population) have levied taxes amounting to more than 75% of the product’s value. Similarly, only 29 countries have banned any form of tobacco advertising, while one third of treaty members either completely lack or barely offer minimum restrictions. Illicit commerce is also a growing problem, since approximately one out of ten cigarettes and other tobacco products eschew regulation and taxation . The interdiction of such commerce will contribute to minimize the consumption of tobacco by limiting the existence of more affordable alternatives to legally purchased cigarettes, resulting in an increase of tobacco cost, which historically limits their use. Implementation of anti-smoking legislation has led to large reductions in exposure to secondhand smoke. In Scotland, the effect has been particularly impressive for nonsmokers living in nonsmoking households with mean cotinine concentrations falling by 49% . Unfortunately, non-smokers living in smoking households had a negligible reduction. Smoke-free housing policies may be an effective strategy for reducing secondhand exposure in these individuals . A recent meta-analysis confirmed that anti-smoking legislation implemented between 1991 and 2010 has led to a 12% reduction in hospitalizations for acute coronary events worldwide . A different meta-analysis published in 2012 also confirmed that anti-smoking legislation in 33 countries reduced the risk of smoking-related illnesses, including cardiac, cerebrovascular, and respiratory diseases. In both studies, more comprehensive laws were associated with greater risk reductions and long-term benefits . The need for comprehensive legislation cannot be overstated. In Spain, an initial attempt to protect workers from secondhand smoke that allowed workplaces to designate smoking areas was only partially effective. For nonsmoking employees of bars and restaurants where smoking was allowed, exposure to secondhand smoke remained similar to pre-legislation levels. Conversely, cotinine levels decreased by 56% in workplaces where smoking was totally prohibited . Internal tobacco industry documents made public through US litigation settlements show that tobacco companies have promoted separate seating for smokers and ineffective ventilation technologies . Fortunately, continued efforts have led to more comprehensive legislation. For example, the original Spanish anti-tobacco law approved in 2005 was amended in 2010. Overall reductions in exposure to secondhand smoke reached 22% between 2005 and 2007 followed by an additional 17% between 2007 and 2011 in response to the new legislation . Data shows that special emphasis must be placed on young individuals and frequently overlooked tobacco exposure settings . In Italy, for example, despite comprehensive legislation, secondhand smoke exposure remained a comparatively high 54% in those aged 15–24 years, primarily due to exposure inside motor vehicles . A US study showed that self-reporting is an unreliable source of secondhand exposure . In this study, 31% and 53% of subjects with measurable cotinine and nicotine levels did not report exposure, suggesting that efforts by the smokers’ lobby to categorize current legislation as exaggerated or overreaching may be misguided or unfounded. It is legitimate, however, to consider the limits of comprehensive legislation enacted to protect those exposed to cigarette smoke. A symposium convened by the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium at William Mitchell College of Law in 2007 is illustrative of the hurdles we face in advancing anti-smoking legislation in the public arena . Participants expressed concerns about the implementation of zero-tolerance legislation for fear that it might undermine the scientific credibility of evidence-based tobacco control policies. The authority of employers to regulate off-site smoking of their employees was also questioned. On the contrary, evidence was cited supporting smoking bans in vehicles, especially for the sake of small children. However, anti-tobacco legislation can have unanticipated negative consequences. Variable enforcement of a ban on smoking in parks and beaches in Vancouver, Canada, for example, led to higher smoking rates in poorer neighborhoods, generating health inequities . Children, arguably the most vulnerable age group and the focus of many efforts to curb cigarette smoking, continue to be exposed despite current legislation and voluntary bans on smoking. A systematic review of the literature showed that children of smoking parents are up to 13 times more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke . Studies such as these suggest that established measures may be reaching a point of diminishing returns, raising interest in alternative ‘endgame strategies’, such as limiting nicotine levels, raising the pH of inhaled smoke, driving prices upward, or even setting a cutoff banning smoking for young adults altogether . While such measures are often advocated, experience with alcohol prohibition has shown that illicit commerce will limit the impact of such strategies. While the devastating impact smoking has on global health is well accepted, continued efforts to curb its prevalence face ongoing challenges. Recent legislation, especially in developed nations, has demonstrated the benefit of tobacco bans implemented for the protection of secondhand smokers in public spaces, and ongoing efforts are investigating the limits of the law in curbing tobacco use in private spaces or shared outdoor venues. Much remains to be done as the tobacco epidemic continues unabated in some regions of the world, and as we brace for the imminent public health impact of smoking in low- and middle-income countries that have only recently engaged in mass tobacco consumption. U.S. Department of Health Education and Welfare. Smoking and Health. Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. In: Smoking and Health. Edited by Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General. Washington: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control; 1964. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke – A Report of the Surgeon General. In: The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke – A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2006. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: What It Means to You – A Report of the Surgeon General. In: The Health Consequences of Smoking – A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General; 2004. National Cancer Institute. Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke: The Report of the California Environmental Protection Agency. In: Health Effects of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke: The Report of the California Environmental Protection Agency, Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph No. 10. Bethesda: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 1999. Winstanley M, Woodward S and Walker N. Tobacco in Australia: Facts and Issues Victorian Smoking and Health Program. In: Tobacco in Australia: Facts and Issues Victorian Smoking and Health Program. Melbourne: Cancer Council Victoria; 1995. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The health consequences of smoking: A report of the surgeon general. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2004. Eriksen DM, Mackay DJ and Ross DH. The Tobacco Atlas. In: The Tobacco Atlas. 4th edition; 2012. WHO. Global health risks: Mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf (accessed June 25, 2012). WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic: 2011. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2008. Geneva, World Health Organization; 2008. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mortality trends for selected smoking-related diseases and breast cancer – United States, 1950–1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 1993; 42(44): 857, 863–6. PMID: 8232168. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2004. PMID: 20669512. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking – 50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. 2014, PMID: 24455788. (Jamal A, Homa DM, O’Connor E, Babb SD, Caraballo RS, Singh T, Hu SS and King BA, Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults – United States, 2005–2014 Center for Disease Control and Prevention MMW, November 13, 2015; 64(44): 1233–1240). Jha P, Chaloupka F, Moore J, et al. Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. 2nd edition. Chapter 46 Tobacco Addiction. PMID: 21250321. WHO. WHO Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010. Description of the global burden of NCDs, their risk factors and determinants. Chapter 1 Burden: Mortality, morbidity and risk factors. http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010/en/ 10/17/2018. Lifestyle statistics team, Health and Social Care Information Centre. Statistics on smoking; 8 October 2014. http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB14988/smok-eng-2014-rep.pdf. Mladovsky P, Allin S, Masseria C, Hernández-Quevedo C, McDaid D and Mossialos E. Health in the European Union. Trend and analysis. World Health Organization 2009, on behalf of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Global Adult Tobacco Survey Collaborative Group. Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS): Quality assurance. Guidelines and documentation, version 2.0. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/gtssdata/Ancillary/Documentation.aspx?SUID=4&DOCT=. Office for National Statistics. General Lifestyle Survey. Technical appendices; 2009. http://www.esds.ac.uk/doc/6737%5Cmrdoc%5Cpdf%5C6737appendices.pdf. Han JX, Ma L, Zhang HW, et al. A cross-sectional study of passive smoking of non-smoking women and analysis of influence factors on women passive smoking. Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. 2006; 35: 609–11. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking – 50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General; 2014. PMID: 24455788. Agaku IT, King BA, Husten CG, et al. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tobacco product use among adults – United States, 2012–2013. MMWR Morbidity Mortality Weekly Rep. 2014; 63: 542–7. Stanley KE. Lung cancer and tobacco – A global problem. Cancer Detect Prev. 1986; 9(1–2): 83–9. PMID: 3731198. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Women and Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2001. PMID: 20669524. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mortality trends for selected smoking-related diseases and breast cancer United States, 1950–1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1993; 42(44): 857, 863–6. PMID: 8232168. Fletcher C, Peto R, Tinker C and Speizer FE. The natural history of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. An eight-year study of early chronic obstructive lung disease in working men in London; 1976. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Scanlon PD, Connett JE, Waller LA, et al. Smoking cessation and lung function in mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Lung Health Study. AJRCCM. February 1, 2000; 161(2): 381–90. PMID: 10673175. Trends in COPD (Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema): Morbidity and Mortality American Lung Association Epidemiology and Statistics Unit Research and Health Education Division; March 2013. Mathers CD and Loncar D. Projections of global mortality and burden of disease from 2002 to 2030. PLoS Med. Nov 2006 28; 209–224. PMID: 17132052. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2004. Jha P, Chaloupka F, Moore J, et al. Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. 2nd edition. Chapter 46 Tobacco Addiction, PMID: 21250321. Convenio Marco para el control del tabaco. Organización mundial de la Salud, Ginebra, Suiza. Comercio ílicito de productos del tabaco. Organización mundial de la Salud. Blanke DD and Cork K. Exploring the limits of smoking regulation. William Mitchell Law Review. 2008; 34(4); Article 12. Orton S, Jones LL, Cooper S, Lewis S and Coleman T. Predictors of children’s secondhand smoke exposure at home: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence. PLoS One. 2014: 14; 9(11): e112690.
0.952426
Despite improving the quality of tap water, many people still have doubts whether it is healthy and drinkable straight from the tap. Unfortunately, these doubts may be justified. Water flowing through the water supply system is exposed to re-contamination, especially if it flows through an old installation that has not been changed for years. Even the water, which has been thoroughly cleaned in water treatment stations, may contain rust, sand or other deposits after reaching home; it may even contain hazardous heavy metals (such as copper or lead) which are dangerous for health. In addition, chlorine is still used for purifying water. It has excellent bactericidal features, but it can reduce the taste and affect the smell of water. Hence the demand and popularity of the tap water re-treatment systems in homes is high. For this purpose, both flow filters, mounted directly on the elements of the sewage system (pipes or taps), as well as convenient and practical jugs and bottles with filter cartridges are used. Is the water from the filter healthy? Until now, it was thought that it was enough to boil tap water so that it would be safe to drink. High temperature kills bacteria and viruses that may be in it, but for example, mechanical impurities that got into it during the transport to our homes will not be removed. In addition, it is quite a nuisance, because water should be boiled first, then cooled and stored in a suitable vessel, which in time will have sediment of lime. The filtration of water at home is a much easier and healthier method. First of all, water is ready to drink immediately and can have the temperature chosen by us (it can be cold if we need a cool, or lukewarm when we want to give it to a child). Secondly, filtering guarantees a perfect cleaning, so you can drink immediately after filtering without worries. In addition, filtered water has a reduced hardness level, so it is tastier, has no chlorine odor and is safe for household appliances (e.g. irons).
0.973563
Are you a mid to senior level Software Engineer with experience and desire to develop cutting edge data solutions? Interested in working alongside data and analytics team to design, implement, and manage a new data platform? You will be tasked with working alongside DevOps engineers and data analysts to design, implement, and manage a new data platform. You will work alongside an experienced team to gather requirements from across the company to make sure this organisations data platform continually delivers insight so informed decisions can be made. This role will provide you with a great opportunity to have a meaningful impact in a forward-thinking company. You will be provided the time and room to develop your skills with exposure to the most up to date software and data practices. Tell me a bit more about the company. You will be working with an industry leading name working with data that can affect those around you. You will have the chance to immediately impact products being used in the current market all within a relaxed and friendly environment. This company ensures you can relax through social outings, events and meet-ups through-out the month. This company values their staff and will invest in your professional and personal development through-out your time in the organisation.
0.985721
Grant Park is a warge urban park (319 acres or 1.29 km²) in de Loop community area of Chicago, Iwwinois. Located widin de city's centraw business district, de park's most notabwe features are Miwwennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, de Art Institute of Chicago, and de Museum Campus. Originawwy known as Lake Park, and dating from de city's founding, it was renamed in 1901 to honor US President Uwysses S. Grant. The park's area has been expanded severaw times drough wand recwamation, and was de focus of severaw disputes in de wate 19f century and earwy 20f century over open space use. It is bordered on de norf by Randowph Street, on de souf by Roosevewt Road and McFetridge Drive, on de west by Michigan Avenue and on de east by Lake Michigan. The park contains performance venues, gardens, art work, sporting, and harbor faciwities. It hosts pubwic gaderings and severaw warge annuaw events. Grant Park is popuwarwy referred to as "Chicago's front yard". It is governed by de Chicago Park District. Grant Park as seen in de January 1919 issue of Nationaw Geographic Magazine. The originaw pwans for de town of Chicago weft de area east of Michigan Avenue unsubdivided and vacant, and purchasers of Michigan Avenue wots were promised dat it wouwd remain unoccupied. When de former Fort Dearborn Reserve became part of de townsite in 1839, de pwan of de area east of Michigan Avenue souf of Randowph was marked "Pubwic ground. Forever to remain vacant of buiwdings." The city officiawwy designated de wand as a park on Apriw 29, 1844, naming it Lake Park. When de Iwwinois Centraw Raiwroad was buiwt into Chicago in 1852, it was permitted to way track awong de wakefront on a causeway buiwt offshore from de park. The resuwting wagoon became stagnant, and was wargewy fiwwed in 1871 wif debris from de Great Chicago Fire, increasing de parkwand. In 1896, de city began extending de park into de wake wif wandfiww, beyond de raiw wines. On October 9, 1901, de park was renamed Grant Park in honor of American Civiw War commanding Generaw and United States President Uwysses S. Grant. At de 1868 Repubwican Nationaw Convention in Chicago, Grant had been nominated for his first presidentiaw term. The wegaw restrictions prohibiting any buiwdings in de park were ignored in de 19f century, as various civic buiwdings were sited dere. At various times, a post office, exposition center, armory, and even an earwy home fiewd of de basebaww cwub now known as de Chicago Cubs were buiwt in de park. A 1904 pwan prepared by de Owmsted Broders recommended wocating de Fiewd Museum as de park's centerpiece, an idea integrated into Daniew Burnham and Edward H. Bennett's 1909 Pwan of Chicago. Chicago businessman Aaron Montgomery Ward uwtimatewy fought four court battwes, opposed by nearwy every civic weader, to keep de park free of buiwdings. The one exception Ward consented to was for de Art Institute of Chicago, constructed in 1892. In de earwy 20f century, Grant Park was expanded wif furder wandfiww—much of it from de excavations of de Chicago Tunnew Company—and devewoped wif a very formaw wandscape design by Edward Bennett. More wandfiww in de 1910s and 1920s provided sites for de Adwer Pwanetarium, Fiewd Museum of Naturaw History, and Shedd Aqwarium, which were winked togeder as de Museum Campus in 1998. In 2004, a section of nordern Grant Park, previouswy occupied by Iwwinois Centraw raiwyards and parking wots, was covered and redevewoped as Miwwennium Park. The park has been de site of many warge civic events. It served as de staging ground for de city's funeraw procession for US President Abraham Lincown in 1865. In 1911, de park hosted de major Chicago Internationaw Aviation Meet. In 1959, to cewebrate de opening of de St. Lawrence Seaway and a rewated Internationaw Trade Fair, Queen Ewizabef II, disembarked here from de Royaw Yacht Britannia, giving de park's "Queen's Landing" its name. The park was de scene of cwashes between Chicago Powice and demonstrators during de 1968 Democratic Nationaw Convention. Pope John Pauw II cewebrated an outdoor mass to a warge crowd here in 1979. Championship cewebrations were staged here for de Chicago Buwws during de 1990s, and de Chicago Bwackhawks after winning de Stanwey Cup in 2013. The park was de wocation for President Barack Obama's Ewection Day victory speech on de night of November 4, 2008. In 2015, Grant Park hosted de first outdoor Nationaw Footbaww League (NFL) draft and a rewated festivaw. The Chicago Cubs hewd deir rawwy for deir Worwd Series Championship win on November 4, 2016 wif an estimated 5 miwwion peopwe attending de parade and event. The park annuawwy hosts some of Chicago's biggest festivaws, incwuding The Taste of Chicago—a warge food and music festivaw hewd each summer; de Grant Park Music Festivaw; de Chicago Jazz Festivaw; de Chicago Bwues Festivaw; and Lowwapawooza, a festivaw of rock concerts. The park is awso de site of de start and finish wines of de Chicago Maradon. Wif 319 acres (1.29 km2) between de downtown Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan, Grant Park offers many different attractions in its warge open space. The park is generawwy fwat. It is awso crossed by warge bouwevards and even a bed of sunken raiwroad tracks. Whiwe bridges are used to span de tracks, and to connect wif Miwwennium Park, de rest of de park must be reached by pedestrians at traffic crossings, except for a spacious underpass connection to de Museum Campus. There are awso severaw parking garages under de park, awong Michigan Avenue and east of Cowumbus Drive. When de park was wandscaped in de earwy 20f century in a formaw beaux arts stywe, taww American Ewms were pwanted in awwées and rectanguwar patterns. Whiwe hundreds of dese trees stiww exist, reaching 60 feet taww, dey were devastated in de wate 1970s by Dutch ewm disease. Hybrid ewms have since been used to repwace wost trees. The nordwestern corner of de park was renovated from 1998 to 2004 to become Miwwennium Park, a contiguous area wif a variety of artistic features by architects and artists. Miwwennium Park features de Jay Pritzker Paviwion, de Cwoud Gate (aka de Jewwy Bean), de Crown Fountain, de Lurie Garden, and oder attractions. The park is connected by de BP Pedestrian Bridge and de Nichows Bridgeway to oder portions of Grant Park. Across de BP Pedestrian Bridge from Miwwennium Park, de nordeast corner of Grant Park hosts outdoor and indoor activities at what is now Maggie Dawey Park, previouswy cawwed Dawey Bicentenniaw Pwaza. Designed by wandscape architect Michaew Van Vawkenburgh, attractions here incwude summer and winter skating rinks, an extensive pwayground, cwimbing wawws, tennis courts, and an activities buiwding, which were redevewoped from 2012 to 2015. Buiwt in 1893 on de western edge of Grant Park, de Art Institute of Chicago is one of de premier art museums and art schoows in de US, known especiawwy for de extensive cowwection of Impressionist and American art, such as A Sunday Afternoon on de Iswand of La Grande Jatte, and Grant Wood's American Godic. The Schoow of de Art Institute of Chicago has faciwities in de soudeast corner of de museum's compwex. The center piece of Grant Park is Buckingham Fountain, one of de worwd's wargest fountains. In a rococo wedding cake stywe, de fountain was dedicated in 1927 as a gift to de city from Kate Sturges Buckingham in memory of her broder Cwarence. The fountain operates from Apriw to October wif water dispways every 20 minutes and a wight and water dispway from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. Chicago's Museum Campus is a 57-acre (23 ha) addition to Grant Park's soudeastern end. The Museum Campus is de site of dree of de city's most notabwe museums, aww dedicated to de naturaw sciences: Adwer Pwanetarium, Fiewd Museum of Naturaw History, and Shedd Aqwarium. A narrow isdmus awong Sowidarity Drive dominated by neocwassicaw scuwptures of Kościuszko, Havwiček and Nicowaus Copernicus connects to Norderwy Iswand where de pwanetarium is wocated to de east of de Museum Campus situated on de mainwand. Located at Jackson and Cowumbus Drives, de Petriwwo Music Sheww hosts music performances during de Chicago Jazz Festivaw, Chicago Bwues Festivaw, Taste of Chicago, and Lowwapawooza. The music sheww's seating area incwudes an area cawwed Butwer Fiewd, de bwock bounded by Lake Shore Drive, Cowumbus Drive, Monroe Drive, and Jackson Drive. The previous Petriwwo Bandsheww structure faced Hutchinson Fiewd at de souf end of de park, near 1100 Souf Cowumbus Deive. Congress Pwaza is a ceremoniaw entrance wocated on de park's western edge, at de Ida B. Wewws Drive/Michigan Avenue intersection . Two semicircuwar pwazas fwanking Ida B. Wewws Drive contain gardens, fountains, and artwork, incwuding a pair of warge bronze warrior statues, The Bowman and The Spearman dat are positioned wike gatekeepers to de park. There are severaw gardens and fwower dispways droughout de park. Miwwennium Park houses de Lurie Garden, known for its dispway of taww grass fwowers, particuwarwy wavender, and a decorative post-modern water stream. To de east, across de BP Pedestrian Bridge, Dawey Park howds taww grass pwantings. To de nordeast in Dawey Park, at 375 East Randowph Drive, is de Richard & Annette Bwoch Cancer Survivors Garden, marked by two huge doric cowumns from de demowished Chicago Federaw Buiwding and a wrought-iron pergowa. The garden contains numerous wawkways wined wif pwanters and is one of severaw simiwar spaces created nationwide by R. A. Bwoch Cancer Foundation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Fwanking de originaw Art Institute of Chicago Buiwding are gardens in de norf and souf McCormick Courtyards; in de souf courtyard is de bronze scuwpture Fountain of de Great Lakes. To de souf of de art museum, awong Michigan Avenue, are a succession of gardens. Two of dese are not far from to Orchestra Haww and honor former conductors of de Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Sir Georg Sowti and Theodore Thomas). To de soudeast of de Art Institute, near de Court of Presidents, are demonstration gardens dat fwank Ida B. Wewws Drive and surrounding Buckingham Fountain are a series of formaw gardens, incwuding de Tiffany Cewebration Garden to de souf. The Court of de Presidents is wocated directwy on de norf and souf side of E. Ida B. Wewws Drive, west of S. Cowumbus Drive and east of S. Michigan Ave. Manicured gardens and art work hewp define de Court of Presidents. Souf President's Court, untiw recentwy, has primariwy been gardens. However, widin de past decade de city has decided to use de area to showcase art work by Chicagoans. Whiwe uniqwe artwork has wong been a tradition of Chicago's parks, Souf President's Court had de added benefit of showcasing "in house" art as its first newswordy cowwection, entitwed "Artist and Automobiwes." The cowwection, organized by de Pubwic Art Program and de Chicago Department of Cuwturaw Affairs, consisted of scuwptures composed entirewy of parts found on owd automobiwes. Much of de soudern end of Grant Park is given over to Hutchinson Fiewd, an open space for warge events, wif a dozen basebaww or softbaww diamonds named for financier and wong-time Art Institute President, Charwes L. Hutchinson. A section of de Chicago Lakefront Traiw, an 18-miwe muwti-use paf awong de city's Lake Michigan shorewine, runs drough de park's eastern edge. The traiw runs adjacent to Lake Shore Drive from Randowph Drive to Bawbo Drive, den awong de very edge of de seawaww around de Shedd Aqwarium. An underpass carries de traiw under Sowidarity Drive into Burnham Park. Two Lake Michigan marinas are accessed from Grant Park. Monroe Harbor provides 1000 mooring cans (served by tender service) and faciwities in de expansive harbor east of de park. It is home to bof de Chicago Yacht Cwub and de Cowumbia Yacht Cwub. Queen's Landing, at de center of de harbor and park's shorewine, is named for a 1959 visit dere by Queen Ewizabef II aboard de Royaw Yacht Britannia, in conjunction wif de opening of de St. Lawrence Seaway. Du Sabwe Harbor, created in 1999 norf of Randowph Drive, offers 420 boat docks and a harbor store. The Grant Park Skate Pwaza, designed by Chicago Landscape Architects Awtamanu, was opened on December 6, 2014. The Pwaza was initiated by Grant Park Conservancy President, Robert O’Neiww. The new park occupies 3 acres (12,000 m2) and has repwaced de former skate area near de tennis courts. The Conservancy sought pwanning support from wocaw skateboarders and BMX bikers who formed de Grant Park Conservancy & Advisory Counciw Skate Committee. The Pwaza is wocated in de soudwest corner of de park near de former site of de 1893 Centraw Station and incwudes wimestone pieces from de former raiwroad terminaw. The pwaza cost $2.65 Miwwion to buiwd. In 2014, de park hosted bof de Mountain Dew Skate Tour for its first return to Chicago since 2010 and de Vowcom Wiwd in de Parks Tour for its first appearance in Chicago. Grant Bark Park, wocated on de corner of Cowumbus Drive and 11f Street, is a pwace for dogs to get deir exercise. It's an off-weash park of 18,000 sqware feet. The park is made of asphawt and pea gravew. Members pay a mondwy fee to attend de park dat hewps wif de upkeep and maintains de cweanwiness. A water fountain for bof dogs and humans is provided. Membership fees and any donations go toward maintenance. The park hosts benefits and events rewated to dogs to raise money as weww. Leashed dogs are permitted in most areas of de park, but not in Miwwennium Park. The shaded wawking pads in Grant Park cover severaw miwes. A circuit of de park's wawking pads is estimated to take 4 miwes (6.4 km). For oder sporting activities, de park has 16 softbaww/basebaww fiewds and 12 tennis courts, open to de generaw pubwic. Abraham Lincown: The Head of State is a statue by scuwptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens set in a 150-foot wide exedra by architect Stanford White, honoring de Iwwinois resident and 16f President of de United States. The statue was cast in 1908 and was dispwayed at de Metropowitan Museum of Art and at de 1915 San Francisco Worwd's Fair, prior to being instawwed in de park in 1926. It is wocated in de Court of Presidents, norf of Ida B. Wewws Drive and west of Cowumbus Drive and is freqwentwy cawwed Seated Lincown to avoid confusion wif Saint-Gaudens' 1887 scuwpture Abraham Lincown: The Man in Lincown Park. Agora (from Greek, for urban meeting pwace) is an instawwation of over 100 headwess, armwess scuwptures designed by de Powish artist Magdawena Abakanowicz in soudwestern Grant Park near Roosevewt Road. The piece was brought to de park in 2006. The figures are 9 ft (2.7 m) taww and weigh approximatewy 1,800 wb (820 kg). Each is made from a howwow, seamwess piece of iron dat has been awwowed to rust, creating a reddish appearance and a bark-wike texture. The figures appear to be miwwing about in a crowd; some face each oder, whiwe oders wook away. Christopher Cowumbus is a bronze statue by Carwo ("Charwes", "Carw") Brioschi on a monumentaw pedestaw at de soudern end of Grant Park. In 1933, Chicago cewebrated its 100f anniversary wif de Century of Progress Worwd's Fair. In conjunction wif de fair, Chicago's Itawian-American community raised funds and donated de statue of de Genoese navigator and expworer, Christopher Cowumbus. At Michigan Avenue and Ninf Street is a warge eqwestrian statue of John A. Logan, dedicated in 1897. Logan was a United States Major Generaw, who had resigned his congressionaw seat to serve in de U.S. Army during de Civiw War. He wed troops in many battwes droughout de West and Souf. After de war, he was ewected to de U.S. Senate from Iwwinois. The monument mound, wif a statue by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Awexander Phimister Proctor, was initiawwy intended as a buriaw site for Logan, but his famiwy decwined to rewocate de generaw's grave. The Chicago Chiwdren's Museum announced pwans in 2006 for a $100 miwwion structure to repwace its faciwities at Navy Pier. The museum hoped to construct an underground buiwding on de site of Dawey Bicentenniaw Pwaza, a pwan dat Mayor Richard M. Dawey and counciw members approved in 2008. Some counciw members and area residents opposed de project and vowed to fight de proposaw. After fundraising wagged, in January 2012, de Chiwdren's Museum announced dat it no wonger wouwd seek a Grant Park wocation, uh-hah-hah-hah. ^ Giwfoywe, Timody (2006). Miwwennium Park. University of Chicago Press. p. 3. ISBN 0226293491. ^ Cremin, Dennis H. (October 15, 2004). "Waterfront". In Grossman, James R.; Keating, Ann Durkin; Reiff, Janice L. The Encycwopedia of Chicago. The University of Chicago Press. pp. 864–6. ISBN 978-0226310152. ^ "Ward Case Summaries". neweastside.org. November 18, 2008. Retrieved May 15, 2011. ^ "Grant Park: The Evowution of Chicago's Front Yard". Editors notes. Amazon. Retrieved August 19, 2013. ^ Souter, Gerry (June 28, 2010). "Guts and Gwory: The Last Great Aeriaw Tournament". Chicago History Journaw. Archived from de originaw on September 20, 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2010. ^ "Why Queen's Landing?". Chicago Sun-Times. November 10, 2011. Archived from de originaw on February 14, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2012. ^ Byrne, John; Briscoe, Tony (June 16, 2015). "Wet weader has Hawks rawwy at Sowdier Fiewd; free tickets onwine Wednesday". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 16, 2015. ^ Hogan, Liza Kaufman (November 5, 2008). "Chicago's Grant Park turns into jubiwation park". CNN. Retrieved November 11, 2008. ^ Fischer, Bryan, uh-hah-hah-hah. "New, fan-friendwy events pwanned for 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago". NFL.com. NFL Productions LLC. Retrieved May 4, 2015. ^ Kot, Greg (Juwy 31, 2009). "Lowwapawooza promoters stiww searching for Chicago identity". Chicago Tribune. Archived from de originaw on October 29, 2013. ^ Mack, Kristen (November 22, 2010). "Vowunteers want to survey, save ewm trees of Grant Park". Chicago Tribune. Chicagotribune.com. Retrieved June 15, 2011. ^ Kinzer, Stephen (Juwy 13, 2004). "Letter From Chicago; A Prized Project, a Mayor and Persistent Criticism". The New York Times. NYTimes.com. Retrieved May 31, 2008. ^ "Dawey Bicentenniaw Pwaza". Chicago Park District. Archived from de originaw on September 7, 2008. Retrieved August 29, 2008. ^ "Dawey Bicentenniaw Pwaza". Metromix. Archived from de originaw on September 13, 2008. Retrieved Juwy 29, 2008. ^ Rodriguez, Meredif; Secter, Bob & Ewtagouri, Marwa (December 13, 2014). "Hundreds Attend Maggie Dawey Park Ribbon-Cutting". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 15, 2014. ^ "Buckingham Fountain". Chicago Park District. Archived from de originaw on March 20, 2006. Retrieved February 28, 2011. ^ Graf, John (2000). Chicago's Parks. Arcadia Pubwishing. pp. 13–14. ISBN 0-7385-0716-4. ^ Janice A. Know; Header Owivia Bewcher (2002). Then & Now: Chicago's Loop. Arcadia Pubwishing. p. 14. ISBN 0-7385-1968-5. Retrieved June 15, 2011. ^ "Congress Pwaza". Expwore Chicago. City of Chicago. Archived from de originaw on October 28, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011. ^ "Cancer Survivors Garden". City of Chicago. Archived from de originaw on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 15, 2011. ^ "Sir George Sowti Garden". Pubwic Art in Chicago. January 29, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2015. ^ "Park District Announces de Grand Opening of "The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Cewebration Garden" (PDF) (Press rewease). Parkways Foundation, uh-hah-hah-hah. August 25, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2015. ^ Srivastava, Jvoti (January 29, 2013). "Chicago: Art In Grant Park". Pubwic Art In Chicago. Retrieved September 30, 2014. ^ Putre, Laura (March 12, 2009). "Hutchinson Fiewd emerging from Grant Park shadow". Chicago Tribune. Archived from de originaw on September 22, 2010. Retrieved Juwy 2, 2011. ^ "Monroe Harbor". The Chicago Harbors. Archived from de originaw on Juwy 19, 2011. ^ "DuSabwe Harbor". The Chicago Harbors. Archived from de originaw on Juwy 19, 2011. ^ LaTrace, AJ (December 8, 2014). "The Brand New Grant Park Skate Park is Now Officiawwy Open". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved October 14, 2015. ^ "Stop #5 of Vowcom's Wiwd in de Parks – Grant Park Skatepark – Chicago, IL". Vowcom. Juwy 30, 2015. Archived from de originaw on October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015. ^ Matdews, David (June 19, 2015). "Mountain Dew Skate Tour Takes Shape in Grant Park". DNAinfo Chicago. Archived from de originaw on October 16, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015. ^ "Grant Park Bark". Souf Loop Dog Park Action Cooperative. Retrieved October 14, 2015. ^ "Dog Friendwy Areas". Chicago Park District. Retrieved October 14, 2015. ^ "City Guide: Chicago Bike/Wawking Traiws" (PDF). Archived from de originaw (PDF) on November 10, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2012. ^ Noreen S. Ahmed (October 27, 2006). "Wawking among iron giants; Gift to Grant Park 'not a decoration'". Chicago Tribune. HighBeam.com. p. 1. Archived from de originaw on November 6, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2011. ^ Andrew Herrmann (October 27, 2006). "Grant Park art is 'beyond words': Some wove, some hate headwess, armwess figures". Chicago Sun-Times. HighBeam.com. p. 6. Archived from de originaw on November 6, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2011. ^ Bach, Ira; Gray, and Mary Lackritz (May 1983). A Guide to Chicago’s Pubwic Scuwpture. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-0226033990. ^ "Christopher Cowumbus" (PDF). Chicago Park District. Archived from de originaw (PDF) on October 6, 2011. Retrieved Juwy 1, 2011. ^ "Generaw Joseph Logan Monument". Chicago Architecture Info. Retrieved June 15, 2015. ^ Kamin, Bwair (Apriw 8, 2009). "'The Bean' gets new neighbors". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 15, 2011. ^ Bwair Kamin (January 27, 2012). "Wif Chiwdren's Museum pwan for Grant Park officiawwy dead, a promising new pwan emerges". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 30, 2012. Cremin, Dennis H. (2013). Grant Park: The Evowution of Chicago's Front Yard. Soudern Iwwinois University Press. ISBN 978-0-8093-3250-2. Bachrach, Juwia S. (2001). The City in a Garden: A Photographic History of Chicago's Parks. Center for American Pwaces. ISBN 1-930066-01-5. Nationaw Park Service (March 15, 2006). "Nationaw Register Information System". Nationaw Register of Historic Pwaces. Nationaw Park Service. "Grant Park". Parks & Faciwities. Chicago Park District. Archived from de originaw on March 20, 2006. Retrieved Juwy 23, 2005. Wikimedia Commons has media rewated to Grant Park (Chicago). Chicago Loop / Michigan Ave. This page was wast edited on 18 March 2019, at 16:58 (UTC).
0.945642
Hyperspectral image classification has been acknowledged as the fundamental and challenging task of hyperspectral data processing. The abundance of spectral and spatial information has provided great opportunities to effectively characterize and identify ground materials. In this paper, we propose a spectral and spatial classification framework for hyperspectral images based on Random Multi-Graphs (RMGs). The RMG is a graph-based ensemble learning method, which is rarely considered in hyperspectral image classification. It is empirically verified that the semi-supervised RMG deals well with small sample setting problems. This kind of problem is very common in hyperspectral image applications. In the proposed method, spatial features are extracted based on linear prediction error analysis and local binary patterns; spatial features and spectral features are then stacked into high dimensional vectors. The high dimensional vectors are fed into the RMG for classification. By randomly selecting a subset of features to create a graph, the proposed method can achieve excellent classification performance. The experiments on three real hyperspectral datasets have demonstrated that the proposed method exhibits better performance than several closely related methods.
0.970041
How does an Ultraviolet rainwater sterilizer work? The ultraviolet ray is a kind of invisible light wave to the naked eye. It exists on the outside of the purple ray on the spectra thus it is called the ultraviolet ray. The ultraviolet ray is subdivided in wave band A (UVA), wave band B (UVB), wave band C (UVC). The wave length of UVC is between 100nm to 280nm - and the most effective germicidal wave band is 253.7nm. 1. Principles: If you expose the water to UVC spectrum at the wave peak of 254nm for a period of time the nucleic acid, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) of microorganisms will absorb UV rays and be damaged by the rays – thus they perish - so the water is sterilized. UV rays have a certain effect on protein and other life forms too. 2. Sterilization range: UV water sterilizer can effectively kill the algae, fungi, bacteria, rickettsia and virus to purify the water. 3. Merits of the sterilizer: UV sterilizer is a completely physical way to sterilize water. It is easy to use, cost effective , broad spectrum, does not require any chemicals, generates no secondary pollution, does not create corrosion, leaves no residue and is easy to maintain. 4. Application range: UV water sterilizer can be mounted as a pre or rear sterilization equipment with domestic or industry water purification equipment. It can be applied to various kinds of water purification. 5. For it to work effectively the water must be free of particles larger than 5 micron.
0.999865
With Thanksgiving Coming up, make sure to follow the suggestions below to have a safe and enjoyable holiday. When buying a turkey, it’s important to differentiate between a fresh turkey and a frozen turkey. If you plan on serving a fresh turkey, make sure you purchase it no more than two days before Thanksgiving. It’s a good idea to purchase two thermometers. One to check the cooler temperature to make sure that you are storing your turkey at 40 °F or a little below, and a second thermometer to make sure that the turkey is cooked to the safe range of 165 °F. If you need to thaw a frozen turkey, there are three methods to thaw a turkey: microwave, cold water, or refrigerator. For the microwave method, use the microwave on the defrost setting based on the weight of your turkey. For the cold water method, submerge the turkey in cold water and change the cold water every 30 minutes. For thawing in the refrigerator, place the frozen turkey in the refrigerator and allow it to thaw 24 hours, for every 4-5 pounds of turkey. When cooking the turkey, wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before touching any food to prevent the spread of bacteria and illness. Do NOT wash the turkey. Washing the turkey will only help spread bacteria onto kitchen surfaces. The only real way to kill bacteria that causes foodborne illness is to fully cook the turkey. In order to avoid cross contamination, make sure to keep raw turkey separated from all other foods and use separate utensils, cutting boards, and plates when handling raw turkey. The turkey should be cooked until it reaches a temperature of 165 °F. Take the temperature of the turkey at 3 different spots: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the innermost part of the wing. When you take the turkey out of the oven, allow it to sit for 20 minutes before carving, to allow the juices to settle. With regards to leftovers, make sure to refrigerate leftovers within two hours, to prevent any bacteria from growing on the food. If you store leftovers in shallow pans or containers, it will help reduce cooling time, which also prevents the food from staying in the “unsafe” temperature range (40 °F to 140 °F) for too long. Remove all stuffing from the turkey and refrigerate separately from the meat. Never leave the stuffing inside the turkey. Don’t consume any leftovers that have been in the refrigerator for more than 3-4 days. If you want to keep leftovers for a longer period of time, store in the freezer.
0.927229
The Phillies took the opening game of the series, winning their first postseason game since Game 1 of the 1915 World Series. They had lost the final four games in 1915, been swept in the 1950 World Series and were swept again in the 1976 National League Championship Series. Game 1 had been billed as a classic pitching matchup between 1977 Cy Young award winner Steve Carlton and twenty-game winner and Comeback Pitcher of the Year Tommy John. It didn't really live up to that, as neither figured in the final decision. The Phillies drew first blood in the first on a two-run homer by Greg Luzinski. They stretched the lead to 4–0 in the fifth on a bases-loaded, two-run single by Davey Johnson. In that inning, the Phils were helped when, on an apparent force-out of Bake McBride by Larry Bowa, Dodger shortstop Bill Russell glided off the second base bag as he received the throw before completing an attempted double play. The Dodgers finally got on the board in their half of the fifth when Davey Lopes singled in Lee Lacy, who had pinch-hit for John and singled. Lacy scored after being advanced to second on a Carlton balk. The Phillies countered in the sixth on an RBI single by Carlton. With two outs in the seventh and Lopes on first, Carlton appeared to be on his way out of the inning. However, he issued walks to Bill Russell and Reggie Smith. Ron Cey then made Carlton pay dearly for his loss of control by tying the game at five with a grand slam. The Phils bounced back in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Mike Schmidt, his only RBI of the NLCS. They added another run to close out the scoring when Bowa scored on a balk by Dodger reliever Elías Sosa. The Phillies got on the board first once again via homer, with Charlie Hough to shut the Phils down the rest of the way. The Dodgers added single runs in the sixth and seventh on an RBI single by Steve Yeager and an RBI triple by Reggie Smith. Game 3 went down in Philadelphia baseball annals as "Black Friday." The Dodgers opened the scoring in the second off Larry Christenson when Dusty Baker doubled home Steve Garvey from first on a close play at the plate. The Phillies tried to claim Garvey never touched home plate, but to no avail. Steve Yeager followed with a single to score Baker to make it 2–0. In the bottom of the second, with two outs and Richie Hebner on second and Bob Boone on first, Dodger starter Burt Hooton began to dispute a number of borderline ball/strike calls issued by home plate umpire Bob Engel. The normally unflappable Hooton's visible frustration aroused the displeasure of Philadelphia's infamous "boobird" fans, who took out their wrath upon their team's opponent. As the volume of the boos escalated to a deafening level, Hooton uncharacteristically lost control of both his composure and his pitching. He walked Ted Sizemore to load the bases and then walked pitcher Larry Christenson, Bake McBride, and Larry Bowa in succession to force in three runs and give the Phillies a 3–2 lead. Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda then pulled Hooton in favor of Rick Rhoden, who induced Mike Schmidt into popping up to end the threat. While Rhoden and Doug Rau were busy shutting down the Phils, the Dodgers tied the game in the fourth on an RBI single by Baker. The score stayed tied at 3–3 until the bottom of the eighth, setting up a wild finish. Hebner led off the eighth with a double. Garry Maddox singled home Hebner and went all the way to third as Reggie Smith's throw home to try to nail Hebner went wild. Maddox then scored when Bob Boone grounded to Ron Cey at third and Cey threw wildly to first. With a 5–3 lead entering the ninth and ace reliever Gene Garber on the mound, the Phillies seemed in control. Garber retired the first two hitters and got ahead of pinch-hitter Vic Davalillo 0–1. But Davalillo, noticing Ted Sizemore playing unusually deep at second, shocked the Phillies with a drag bunt for a single. Lasorda then sent another pinch hitter, Manny Mota, to hit for pitcher Lance Rautzhan. Mota, on an 0–2 pitch, sent a deep drive to left that Greg Luzinski reached, but the ball caromed off his glove, onto the wall, and back. Luzinski threw to second to try to nail Mota, but his throw skipped wildly past Sizemore and Davalillo scored. Mota reached third. Phillie manager Danny Ozark came under fire for not having Jerry Martin, a faster outfielder, in left field (a defensive substitution Ozark made often throughout the season) as Martin likely would have reached Mota's liner easier than the bigger, slower Luzinski. Davey Lopes followed by hitting a blistering grounder to third that took a wicked hop and struck Mike Schmidt in the left knee. Larry Bowa retrieved the carom out of the air, and fired to first. On a very close play, umpire Bruce Froemming called Lopes safe. The Phillies protested, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Mota scored to tie the game at 5–5. Garber, in an attempt to pick off Lopes at first, threw wildly past Hebner, sending Lopes to second. Bill Russell then singled to center to score Lopes with the go-ahead run. Mike Garman retired the side in the ninth for the Dodgers, who narrowly escaped defeat. It was the first time since Game 4 of the 1947 World Series that the Dodgers won a postseason game when trailing going into the ninth inning. The Phillies would not recover after a controversial finish of game 3 as the Dodgers would clinch the pennant in a game that was delayed two hours by rain after the first inning. The Phillies, facing elimination, brought ace pitcher Steve Carlton back on 3 days rest. In a game played in anything from a drizzle to a steady rain, the Dodgers punched their ticket to the World Series on the strength of a two-run homer in the second by Dusty Baker, who was named NLCS MVP. Tommy John atoned for his Game 1 performance by getting the better of Steve Carlton this time, only allowing a single run in the fourth on an RBI double by Richie Hebner. Two more Dodger runs came across in the fifth when Baker scored on a Carlton wild pitch and Steve Yeager came home on a Bill Russell suicide squeeze bunt that the wet surface made difficult to field. Baker's homer was all John needed, however. Throughout the game, the umpires appeared to consult witih National League President Warren Giles, who was in attendance, about delaying or postponing the game. But the game was completed despite nearly unplayable conditions. ^ "1977 NLCS Game 1 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009. ^ "1977 NLCS Game 2 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009. ^ "1977 NLCS Game 3 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009. ^ "1977 NLCS Game 4 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009. ^ Fitzpatrick, Frank (2004). You Can't Lose 'Em All: The Year the Phillies Finally Won the World Series. Retrieved February 8, 2011. ^ "Dodger Comeback Sinks Phils". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. October 8, 1977. p. 12. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
0.999999
Developer: Bandai Namco Games/Sora Ltd. Review Context: I’ve always hoped that one day Nintendo would make an all-star like game to celebrate all the IPs that made them stand out, like what Hanna-Barbera did with their Cartoon Olympics show. I discovered my dream had not only come true with Super Smash Bros. (N64), but the game was being released next week. I was excited to tell my friends we can finally have a Mario vs Link battle. After the success of the Nintendo 64 title I knew a sequel would be made. The sequel was Super Smash Bros. Melee on the Gamecube and ended up being my most played game on the system. When the Wii was launched, I had to wait two years until I would continue the madness with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. While most people play Smash seriously in tournaments, I play Smash for the Nintendo fanservice. Nintendo took a concept that was a huge gamble of having Nintendo characters in a fighting game unlike your standard fighter. That success has scored them into making it a franchise. With a new Nintendo system you can expect a new Mario, Zelda, and now Smash game, but Brawl changed that by adding two third party characters, Snake and Sonic the Hedgehog. Now nothing is off limits of who will join the roster in a Smash game. With the newest installment now available for the first time on a Nintendo handheld, many have doubts on whether it’ll have the same experience but on the small screen. Does the 3DS version show that size doesn’t matter, or should you hold off for the game to come out on Wii U? I should state that I played this on the regular size 3DS. The visual has a blend of Melee and Brawl with the cartoony look of some characters (Mario, Kirby), while more realistic characters (Marth, Shulk) have finer details on the model. The stage designs for the fights look incredible with a different style and feel to the levels based on the fighter. Mario’s stage has a side scrolling colorful feel, while Samus’s level has a dark moody vibe. The game runs at a smooth 60 frames a second (even in 3D), while the assist trophies run at 30 frames a second. This game pushes the hardware to the limit. So much of the hardware is being used you can’t even post a screenshot to Miiverse on the current 3DS or 2DS. They added an option to add an outline to the characters so you don’t lose track of them in the heat of battle. When you have the 3D turned on, the backgrounds of the stages have depth to the fighters close to the screen. When a character is knocked toward the screen it’s the most “whoa” moment you’ll get with the 3D effect. Sadly, there is no cinematic intro to the game, which I am hoping is saved for the Wii U version. The big question is whether the controls on the 3DS would work. The answer is most of the time. The default control scheme takes some getting used to; fortunately you can customize the control to your liking. The big issue is the circle pad. While it works fine, the problem is when you play the game in an intense matter to the point you might end up being one of the people to break the circle pad. I use the pad very lightly even through there are moments I want to flick the pad to perform a smash attack. There are times when I am facing the wrong direction but don’t have time to turn around before I get hit. Most people have said that if the D-pad wasn’t used for taunts they would’ve preferred the option to use the D-pad for movement. I don’t agree since the D-pad on the 3DS is flat compared to the spongy D-pad on the DS lite. Heck, I used the circle pad on Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition. The Touch Screen on the 3DS is hardly used except for the menu, and giving you the option to zoom in or out on a trophy. The fighting scheme consists of the attack button, jump button, and special button. Moving the circle pad in any direction while pushing either button will do a move, while you also have shield and a throw button. For defense you dodge and sidestep attacks to gain the upper hand. You can wait for the game to display the mechanics of the game on the start screen. What set the Smash Bros. series apart is the gameplay variety and the 3DS version does not hold back. You have the standard Classic mode where you fight your way to the final boss, but the only difference this time is that you can pick the route you want to go resulting in coins and trophies if you take the hard route. Before you start you can increase the difficulty for a bigger reward, which was used in Kid Icarus: Uprising. The story mode from Melee and Brawl is not present, making this game feel incomplete. All-Star mode has you fighting characters based on the year. For example, from 1980-1989 you would be fighting Link, Mario, and Pac Man. There’s the 3DS exclusive Smash Run mode, which you can play co-op local. In this you have five minutes to collect as many power-ups as possible by doing challenges and defeating enemies. When the time is up you take part in the final match. The match type is random, from a standard fight, to a race, or fighting with a high percentage. The home run derby is back as you smash the bag as far as you can using different tricks. The big change however is Target mode. Before, the mode requires you to break targets with your fighter. For the 3DS, my guess is they decided to change it up on the system’s limited space and what you get is the Smash Bros. version of Angry Birds. You smash the bomb into items and make items fall in a pattern for a high score. That’s the most disappointed mode for me. Street Pass support for this game has a fighter you pick fight other opponents in a spinning top like game to where you knock fighters out of the ring based on your record similar to other fighting games on the system. What would Smash Bros be without trophies? They are back though not as many because of space, but what is included is nice and you get information on that character or item if you are uncertain with a certain Nintendo franchise. They are unlocked through beating classic and all-star, buying them at the store using in game coins or play coins on your 3DS, picking them up in battle, in route in classic mode, or taking part in Trophy Rush where you gamble coins to earn them. The more you gamble the more time you have. Sorry the stickers from Brawl are absent. The challenges (achievements) have also been cut in half due to space. If you believe you are the best, Multi-Man Melee returns with new modes to see how long you can last against endless opponents. The one feature I wish I can talk about is using your 3DS as a controller for the Wii U version and exchanging information from the 3DS to Wii U, but for now the feature only taunts you on the main menu. If fighting against the cpu bores you (through increasing the difficulty above five proves challenging), you can take the fight online. I can say the online is better than Brawl, however, I should note that you must download a patch through the E-shop to play online. Since Masahiro Sakurai (director) discovered that more people are playing Smash Bros. (mostly Melee), in tournaments he decided to split the online modes into For Fun and For Glory. Fun has you fighting on stages with hazards and items on, while Glory has you fighting on the stages without hazards and items while your record is recorded. You can do team battle for both, while Glory has 1 on 1 mode. You can also save your matches and watch them again in the replay section. Sadly, there is no option to upload replays to YouTube like in Mario Kart 8. I’m hoping they will have it for the Wii U version. You can spectate a match and bet on who would win the fight. As for the online, it’s hit and miss. While playing some matches were perfect, I did run into a few matches where the connection was great then dropped. Sometimes I get an error message stating I cannot connect. When I did local online it was flawless on my playthrough, but playing with friends shows that Nintendo is still playing catch up. To play online with your friends you must go to battle with friends, and then one of you has to create a room to partake in friendly battles. As if we are all Professor X. Since we aren’t, I had to text my friend to get a match started. The roster for this game is massive with over 40 fighters and the ability to customize fighters and put your Mii in here… This could make this the best smash yet. From the opening theme you know your ears are in for a treat. Despite the limited space, the soundtrack for this game is fantastic. There are lots of remixes to Nintendo theme games done with an orchestral tune. Music from past Smash games return, though the sound quality is okay with the speakers. I recommend playing this game with headphones to get the true feel. The music is so great on the Music portion you can set it to sleep mode where you can listen to the soundtrack with your 3DS closed. (Sorry 2DS users) It should be noted when you register the 3DS and Wii U version to Club Nintendo you get the two disc soundtrack. The sound effects are done with the fighters keeping their trademark sound effects, and the character voices are hit and miss. For example, when Captain Falcon yells “Falcon Punch!”, the voice actor pitch is high. The same goes for Falco and Fox McCloud. My only question for Zero Suit Samus is, why they didn’t use that voice in Metroid: Other M? Review Context: I’ve been a long time fan of the Super Smash Bros franchise since it’s conception. I’ve seen how far they’ve pushed other games in the series, and trying out new ideas for gameplay modes in each new installment. I’m not the most serious player, but I love just sitting down with friends and fighting it out with our favorite Nintendo characters. On the cusp of the new Super Smash Bros for the Wii U, Nintendo found the time to adapt the game to the Nintendo 3DS. This one was released only a month before the console version entered stores in North America. While Super Smash Bros is a household Nintendo title, easily being one of Nintendo’s best ideas since Mario, every iteration of the game needs to be a step forward and be memorable. The problem is the 3DS version is the complete opposite. The complete lack of replayability for this version only shows with the horrible release schedule. Only one month before the main console release doesn’t make enough sense marketing wise, unless you are trying to make another quick buck. This shows in some of the most forgettable features ever put into a Super Smash Bros. game. Removing story/adventure mode from the game was the first straw, as it was a welcomed and interesting edition to the franchise, allowing more depth than just smashing other CPUs off the side of the edge to continue forward in Classic. They thought that adding in Smash Run, the Kirby Air Ride City Trial mode, mixing in ability increasing stat gain with story/adventure mode’s playstyle would make everything alright. While it is a fabulous feature to the game being one of its key selling points, it also brings up straw numero dos: This mode is limited to only local play. Instead of having an online feature to the mode to have a suitable replacement for story/adventure mode they limit it, making it a completely underused feature unless you have friends who has a 3DS and a copy of the game, unless you want to play it by yourself. We do not play Smash by ourselves, we do not buy this game just to have a go at all the single player features, we buy it for the multiplayer, and when that is lacking the entire game is lacking. This moves us onto straw nombre trois. The singleplayer is completely lacking. I haven’t seen any game of the series backtrack before, and this title has the least amount of memorable content since the first installment of the franchise for the N64. With only Classic, Target, Multi-man, Homerun, and All-star as the only other available modes with a tiered list of unlockable challenges. The new and unique additions of the game are either only to offset the limitations of the device, or easily made more accessible in the Wii U version. Customization, while introduced in the 3DS version, it is also in the Wii U version making it the twin that was born two seconds before the other one. The stylistic choice with the graphics is cartoony and less dynamic with lighting and shading than the Wii U version with a black outline around it. It is probably because of the limited size of the screen that they used this style, as it pops out more. The stages and the gameplay are the only two things worth looking at in this edition. The stages are by far more creative and interesting to fight upon than their counterparts in the Wii U version; Pac-Man’s stage utilizing a more traditional backdrop for the franchise instead of Pacland, and the Fire Emblem Coliseum stage is only a stripped version of the Arena Ferox stage. The game feels just as good and as responsive as the Wii U version, removing the tripping and floaty aspects disliked in Super Smash Bros Brawl’s gameplay. With gameplay this smooth and operational with the customization giving a touch of personality to play styles, it would make up for many of the shortcomings of the game if you didn’t have a hard time going into the internet play without lag making it again only coherent in local play. With only a handful of modes and several unique additions only made more utilized in the Wii U version of the game, it just doesn’t stand up to others in the franchise. While a smooth and operational game, Super Smash Bros for the 3DS is the weakest in the franchise for memorability and evolution. Review Context: The last game in the franchise I owned before this was Super Smash Bros. (N64). Believe it or not, I actually had not owned a Super Smash Bros. game since Super Smash Bros. (N64). Even more interesting, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS pushed me over the edge to buy a Nintendo 3DS XL because I didn’t own a Nintendo Wii U. The handheld experience is obviously not as good as a console experience for a fighting game, but I personally feel that it worked as well as it could have. The default controls were not my preference, but the customization made them workable for me. I do think it is important to look at the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. in the context of it being a handheld game. Did the Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS do everything it could to bring maximum quality to a handheld console that has its limitations, which would no doubt be inferior to the Nintendo Wii U version? I feel like it did. For me, the multiplayer experience was as good as I could have possibly imagined for a handheld console. I managed to have many great matches online, including with our Deputy Editor-in-Chief Louis Hughes with minimal disruption or lag. I could not have had expected a better experience, considering it’s unrealistic to expect voice chat on a handheld console. The single player experience was not quite as fun as online, but I still managed to find great fun in the Smash Run game mode, which I dismissed initially, before eventually getting warmed up to it. The ability to customize your fighter, have many customizations saved per fighter, and gain customizations via Smash Run is very appealing. I do wish Smash Run had online matchmaking though, because a multiplayer Smash Run would have been great (It does have local multiplayer). I understand this version may be a bit polarizing in experience and acceptance, but as someone who doesn’t currently own a Wii U, I felt this version accomplished what it needed to do. I haven’t purchased any of the new DLC characters yet, but we’ll see.
0.892141
The Civil War was a fight to preserve the Union which was the United States of America. From the conception of the Constitution, there were two differing opinions on the role of the federal government. Federalists believed that the federal government and the executive needed to maintain their power in order to ensure the survival of the union. On the other hand, anti-federalists held that states should retain much of their sovereignty within the new nation. Basically, they believed that each state should have the right to determine the laws within its own borders and should not be forced to follow the mandates of the federal government unless absolutely necessary. As time passed the rights of the states would often collide with various actions the federal government was taking. Arguments arose over taxation, tariffs, internal improvements, the military, and of course slavery. Increasingly, the Northern states squared off against the Southern states. One of the main reasons for this was that the economic interests of north and south were opposed to each other. The South was largely comprised of small and large plantations that grew crops such as cotton which were labor intensive. The North, on the other hand, was more of a manufacturing center, using raw materials to create finished goods. Slavery had been abolished in the north but continued in the south due to the need for inexpensive labor and the ingrained culture of the plantation era. As new states were added to the United States, compromises had to be reached concerning whether they would be admitted as slave or as free states. The fear of both groups was for the other to gain an unequal amount of power. If more slave states existed, for example, then they would garner more power in the nation. The Compromise of 1850 was created to help stave off open conflict between the two sides. Among the five parts of the Compromise were two rather controversial acts. First Kansas and Nebraska were given the ability to decide for themselves whether they wanted to be slave or free. While Nebraska was decidedly a free state from the start, pro and anti-slavery forces traveled to Kansas to try and influence the decision. Open fighting broke out in the territory causing it to be known as Bleeding Kansas. Its fate would not be decided until 1861 when it would enter the union as a free state. The second controversial act was the Fugitive Slave Act which gave slave owners great latitude in traveling north to capture any escaped slaves. This act was hugely unpopular with both abolitionists and more moderate anti-slavery forces in the north. By 1860 the conflict between northern and southern interests had grown so strong that when Abraham Lincoln was elected president South Carolina became the first state to break off from the Union and form its own country. Ten more states would follow with secession: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. On February 9, 1861, the Confederate States of America was formed with Jefferson Davis as its president. Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as president in March 1861. On April 12, Confederate forces led by General P.T. Beauregard opened fire on Fort Sumter which was a federally held fort in South Carolina. This began the American Civil War. The Civil War lasted from 1861 until 1865. During this time, over 600,000 soldiers representing both sides were killed either by battle deaths or disease. Many, many more were wounded with estimates of more than 1/10th of all soldiers being wounded. Both the north and the south experienced major victories and defeats. However, by September 1864 with the taking of Atlanta, the North had gained the upper hand and the war would officially end on April 9, 1865. The beginning of the end for the Confederacy was with General Robert E. Lee's unconditional surrender at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. However, skirmishes and small battles continued to occur until the last general, Native American Stand Watie, surrendered on June 23, 1865. President Abraham Lincoln wanted to institute a liberal system of Reconstructing the South. However, his vision of Reconstruction was not to become reality after Abraham Lincoln's assassination on April 14, 1865. The Radical Republicans wanted to deal harshly with the South. Military rule was instituted until Rutherford B. Hayes officially ended Reconstruction in 1876. The Civil War was a watershed event in the United States. The individual states after years of reconstruction would end up joined together in a stronger union. No longer would questions concerning secession or nullification be argued by individual states. Most importantly, the war officially ended slavery. What Was Secession and Why Did It Matter?
0.999999
When I headed south to Buenos Aires with two female relatives, all in our 20s, we were very nervous about our safety in a city of 12 million people in the throes of an economic crisis. Before leaving Canada, we signed up for a Spanish-language school that helped us settle into a studio apartment in a Buenos Aires suburb and assigned us to Claudia, an overpriced, mediocre tango teacher. All of us tired of Spanish grammar and Claudia within a short period of time and decided to go solo. We found a new apartment and then tracked down a wonderful tango teacher by scanning newspaper ads and posters on subway walls. We were really surprised at how easy it seemed and how secure we felt in a city in the midst of a crisis. Luckily we never got into any real trouble though we did take extra care and never took our security for granted. We were positioned cheek-to-cheek on a Buenos Aires dance floor. My eyes were closed, my arms wrapped tightly around his neck as I followed his every delicate movement almost instinctively. After a six-week extended stay in Buenos Aires, it wasn't until this evening, my very last evening in the city, until I met Paulo, that is, that I finally understood the tango. Tango, a dance that was born of immigrants in the city slums, is now in the air all over the capital: the music blares from restaurants and canteens and one can see couples performing expertly in the streets. I had never even heard a tango melody when I decided I would travel to Buenos Aires to learn the 19th century dance. After a 25-hour journey south from Canada, I finally made it to the dance studio where I would spend the bulk of my trip. Did he just nod at me? A lean, dark-haired woman, Claudia was obviously seasoned by years of late nights and shady men in the tango scene; she looked significantly older than her chronological age of 34. She proceeded to explain the following rigid, but essential tango protocol: (1) A man makes eye contact with a woman and nods ever so subtly to indicate that he would like to dance with her. (2) The woman then nods in assent. (3) The two get up to meet on the dance floor. Argentinean men have very fragile egos and, according to Claudia, if you turn down even one potential dance partner, no others will risk your rejection. Should the woman not wish to dance with the man who is nodding to her, the events should proceed as such: (1) A man makes eye contact with a woman and nods ever so subtly to indicate that he would like to dance with her. (2) She pretends not to notice.
0.999976
Do you need to know, when is the best time to go to Connecticut? Then you should take a look here, what weather you can expect there during the year. Connecticut is part of USA - United States of America. The climate of USA is very varied, as United States of America is a large country. The climate is mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, and arctic in Alaska. This is not all. The climate is semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest. You can expect low winter temperatures in the northwest, but they are sometimes moderated in January and February by warm winds. Winters in the south are warmer. Don? forget, that temperatures are usually significantly lower in mountains. When speaking about the usual weather in this area, the information is relevant for example for these popular places: Avon, Barkhamsted, Berlin, Bethany, Bethel, Black Rock, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookfield, Canaan, Clinton, Connecticut River Valley, Cornwall, Cromwell, Danbury, Darien, East Haddam, East Hartford, East Haven, East Lyme, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Essex, Fairfield, Fairfield County, Farmington, Greater New Haven, Greenwich, Groton, Guilford, Hamden, Hartford, Harwinton, Kent, Ledyard, Litchfield Hills, Madison, Manchester, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Montville, Mystic Eastern, Mystic, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, New London, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, Norfolk, North Haven, North Stonington, Norwalk, Norwich, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Orange, Ridgefield, Rocky Hill, Salisbury, Sharon, Sherman, Simsbury, Somers, South Windsor, Southbury, Stamford, Stonington, Storrs, Stratford, Tolland, Torrington, Trumbull, Union, Vernon, Wallingford, Waterbury, Waterford, West Hartford, West Haven, Westport, Wethersfield, Willimantic, Wilton, Windsor, Windsor Locks, Woodstock. Let's look now what weather you can expect in the area around New Haven and in many other cities. The warmest month here is July, the average maximum temperature is 28.5 ℃ (83.3 ℉). The average minimum temperature in this month is 18.8 ℃ (65.84 ℉). The coldest month here is January, the average maximum temperature is 3.4 ℃ (38.12 ℉). The average minimum temperature in this month is -5.1 ℃ (22.82 ℉). Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in January is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in January is 3.4 ℃ (38.12 ℉). The average lowest temperature is -5.1 ℃ (22.82 ℉). At the beginning of January you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 4.8 ℃ (40.64 ℉). At the end of January you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 4.15 ℃ (39.47 ℉). The average rainfall is 79 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 9:14 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 9:31 and at the end of the month 10:00.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Below are average values, so you can consider them typical weather in Connecticut in these places. The sign '-' means we don't have enough data for this item. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in February is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in February is 4.9 ℃ (40.82 ℉). The average lowest temperature is -3.6 ℃ (25.52 ℉). At the beginning of February you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 4.15 ℃ (39.47 ℉). At the end of February you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 6.8 ℃ (44.24 ℉). The average rainfall is 73.7 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 10:00 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 10:36 and at the end of the month 11:15.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in March is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in March is 8.7 ℃ (47.66 ℉). The average lowest temperature is -0.2 ℃ (31.64 ℉). At the beginning of March you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 6.8 ℃ (44.24 ℉). At the end of March you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 11.6 ℃ (52.88 ℉). The average rainfall is 108.3 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 11:15 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 11:57 and at the end of the month 12:38.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in April is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in April is 14.5 ℃ (58.1 ℉). The average lowest temperature is 4.9 ℃ (40.82 ℉). At the beginning of April you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 11.6 ℃ (52.88 ℉). At the end of April you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 17.35 ℃ (63.23 ℉). The average rainfall is 110.3 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 12:38 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 13:19 and at the end of the month 13:57.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in May is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in May is 20.2 ℃ (68.36 ℉). The average lowest temperature is 9.8 ℃ (49.64 ℉). At the beginning of May you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 17.35 ℃ (63.23 ℉). At the end of May you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 22.9 ℃ (73.22 ℉). The average rainfall is 105.7 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 13:57 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 14:30 and at the end of the month 14:54.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in June is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in June is 25.6 ℃ (78.08 ℉). The average lowest temperature is 15.7 ℃ (60.26 ℉). At the beginning of June you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 22.9 ℃ (73.22 ℉). At the end of June you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 27.05 ℃ (80.69 ℉). The average rainfall is 99.9 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 14:54 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 15:08 and at the end of the month 15:07.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in July is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in July is 28.5 ℃ (83.3 ℉). The average lowest temperature is 18.8 ℃ (65.84 ℉). At the beginning of July you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 27.05 ℃ (80.69 ℉). At the end of July you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 27.7 ℃ (81.86 ℉). The average rainfall is 103 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 15:07 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 14:53 and at the end of the month 14:28.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in August is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in August is 26.9 ℃ (80.42 ℉). The average lowest temperature is 18.4 ℃ (65.12 ℉). At the beginning of August you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 27.7 ℃ (81.86 ℉). At the end of August you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 25.3 ℃ (77.54 ℉). The average rainfall is 100.8 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 14:28 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 13:55 and at the end of the month 13:17.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in September is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in September is 23.7 ℃ (74.66 ℉). The average lowest temperature is 13.4 ℃ (56.12 ℉). At the beginning of September you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 25.3 ℃ (77.54 ℉). At the end of September you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 20.7 ℃ (69.26 ℉). The average rainfall is 109.8 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 13:17 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 12:37 and at the end of the month 11:56.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in October is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in October is 17.7 ℃ (63.86 ℉). The average lowest temperature is 7.6 ℃ (45.68 ℉). At the beginning of October you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 20.7 ℃ (69.26 ℉). At the end of October you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 14.85 ℃ (58.73 ℉). The average rainfall is 110 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 11:56 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 11:16 and at the end of the month 10:36.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in November is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in November is 12 ℃ (53.6 ℉). The average lowest temperature is 2.8 ℃ (37.04 ℉). At the beginning of November you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 14.85 ℃ (58.73 ℉). At the end of November you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 9.1 ℃ (48.38 ℉). The average rainfall is 101.5 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 10:36 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 10:01 and at the end of the month 9:32.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains. Typical (usual) weather in Connecticut in December is this: The average highest temperature in Connecticut in December is 6.2 ℃ (43.16 ℉). The average lowest temperature is -1.8 ℃ (28.76 ℉). At the beginning of December you can expect higher temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 9.1 ℃ (48.38 ℉). At the end of December you can expect lower temperatures, the average highest temperature is around 4.8 ℃ (40.64 ℉). The average rainfall is 91.6 mm (look here, what this number means). When planning your travel, please, keep in mind, that actual weather may differ from these average values. The length of the day at the beginning of this month is approximately 9:32 (hours and minutes), in the middle of the month 9:14 and at the end of the month 9:11.These numbers above are valid primarily for the capital and the area around it. It is important to say, that the weather may differ significantly in different altitudes, especially in mountains.
0.999625
Can we use drones there? This question is extremely popular, so here we go. The use of drones in the Kyrgyz Republic is NOT subject to legal regulations. There are almost no restrictions, other than common sense and reasonable precaution, to the use of unmanned flying vehicles for filming purposes in Kyrgyzstan. However, like in the majority of the countries, drones are not allowed to fly over airports, some governmental buildings, embassies and security objects.
0.931069
light weight scuba BCD20 with cheap price and easy to carry! Light weight scuba buoyancy compensator device (abbreviated bcd) is a type of diving jacket with an air bladder that enables the diver to have full control of buoyancy levels while under water. It’s suitable for any scuba diver, regardless of age or size. So, if you want to start scuba diving, consider acquiring one so as to enjoy your diving expedition, without worrying about how you are going to control your buoyancy level at any particular depth. The air bladder is either inflated or deflated by the diver as dictated by the type of buoyancy. As a diver descends down, the buoyancy will vary, and hence using a bcd while diving is paramount. Depending on the size of load a person is carrying, the buoyancy changes from dive to dive. To control the same, a diver puts more air into the bladder increasing buoyancy, or releases the air, rendering diver less buoyant. the buoyancy compensator on this jacket is made from 420 denier bladder material and pack cloth. Besides the typical parts, the device has several compensator feature accessories intended to help with the dive. Such accessories include pockets to keep items, rings to latch items or gear on, for instance a waterproof light. The BCD20 comes with two stainless steel D rings on shoulder belt, two plastic D rings placed at the chest strap end and the bottom of the weight pocket. The diver can pick and carry any object without running out of options on how to pick something valuable. Pressure release valves release air from the bladder automatically every time it over inflates. It is, therefore, both a safety measure and serves to reduce the tasks a diver handles. Instead of the diver manually releasing air from the bladder, this wonderful the bcd20 internal feature does that automatically, leaving the diver to take care of other important tasks. In the design of light weight scuba, comfort is given priority. it fits much like a good jacket, and does not feel tight under the arms, around the waist or across the shoulders. Unlike other types, which divers have to constantly adjust underwater, potentially making it malfunction, light weight scuba is bound to function properly. When you are traveling, every pound counts. Light weight scuba bcd are designed to have light weight with plastic and elimination of back plates. I strongly recommend, if you want to venture into diving, or if you are a diver already but experience some challenges due to the design of the type of buoyancy gear you are currently using, investing in light weight scuba BCD20. This gear has all the features you need and much more.
0.991736
Following Craig Levein's sacking a list of potential replacements was drawn up. The early favourites were Gordon Strachan, Walter Smith and Alex McLeish. McLeish ruled himself out early on as did Smith, but he still remained a possible candidate, as did Joe Jordan and Owen Coyle. On 15th January, legend Gordon Strachan was named as Scotland manager. Soon after, his former Aberdeen team-mate Mark McGhee was named as his assistant, with current Motherwell manager Stuart McCall also part of his team. In his first match, Scotland defeated Estonia 1-0 in a friendly at Pittodrie. Next there was a World Cup double header, first Wales came visiting and left with a 2-1 victory that all but ended Scotland's qualification hopes. Four days later they travelled to Serbia and were defeated 2-0, leaving Scotland bottom of the group. At the end of the season, Scotland travelled to Zagreb to play Croatia who were ranked 4th in the World. Against all odds, Scotland, who were ranked 74th, won 1-0 with a Robert Snodgrass goal. The new season started with a friendly against The Auld Enemey at Wembley. It was their first meeting in 14 years and Scotland were up for the game. Morrison put Scotland ahead before Walcott equalised. Kenny Miller again put Scotland ahead but goals from Wellbeck and Lambert gave England a 3-2 victory when Scotland deserved at least a draw. Scotland's next qualifier saw them defeated 2-0 at Hampden by a quality Belgium side. Four days later Scotland travelled to Skopje and put in an impressive display to win 2-1, with goals from Anya and Maloney. Scotland ended their qualification campaign with a 2-0 win over Croatia at Hampden. Goals from Snodgrass and Naismith gave Scotland their first home win of the campaign and filled the Tartan Army with hope for Euro 2016. Kenny Miller celebrates after putting Scotland 2-1 up against England at Wembley. The game finished 3-2 to England. On the build-up to the Euro 2016 campaign, Scotland recorded some good away victories against Norway and their Group D rivals Poland, which gave the team more confidence. The campaign started with a good performance away to World Champions Germany, but resulted in a 2-1 defeat. A month later Scotland put in a good performance, but had to rely on an own-goal to defeat Georgia 1-0 at Ibrox. A few days later Scotland were unlucky not to defeat Poland In Warsaw, but came away with a 2-2 draw thanks to goals by Maloney and Naismith. A month later, The Republic came to Parkhead and a mammoth battle was decided by a great team goal by Shaun Maloney, to put Scotland in a strong position for qualifying. Before the next qualifier, Scotland played two friendlies that resulted in a defeat to England and a victory over Northern Ireland. The next qualifier saw UEFA's newest members Gibraltar come to Hampden. Scotland won 6-1, with Steven Fletcher scoring Scotland's first hat-trick since Colin Stein in 1969. Shaun Maloney also scored two penalties and Steven Naismith scored the other. There was some embarassment as Gibraltar equalised with their first ever competitive goal. Scotland finished the season with a poor performance in Dublin, but they came away with a 1-1 draw. Shaun Maloney scores the winning goal in the 1-0 win over Republic of Ireland at Parkhead. The new season was started with the low point of the campaign. A poor performance away to Georgia resulted in a 1-0 defeat, which brought back memories of Euro 2008, and allowed Republic of Ireland back in with a chance of qualification. A few days later, Scotland put in a fine performance at home to Germany, but a Hummels og, and a fine goal by James McArthur were not enough to stop the Germans leave with all three points in a 3-2 defeat. That result, along with victories for Poland and Ireland ended Scotland's chances of automatic qualification. They still had a good chance of finishing third. Going into the final two matches, Scotland were four points adrift of Ireland, but Scotland were at home to Poland and away to Gibraltar, while Ireland were at home to Germany and away to Poland. This meant as long as Scotland got a better result against Poland than Ireland did against Germany, a victory for Scotland over Gibraltar would be enough. Scotland made a poor start to the Poland match as Lewandowski put the poles ahead after three minutes, although there was a hint of offside. Two outstanding goals by Matt Ritchie and Steven Fletcher gave Scotland a deserving 2-1 lead, and with it being goalless in Dublin, Scotland would be through. Ireland then took a shock 1-0 lead over Germany, but Scotland would still be in it, if Ireland defeated Poland in the final game. At the end of the Scotland game, in the fourth minute of injury time, the unthinkable happened and Poland equalised with the last kick of the ball, for the match to finish 2-2. As Ireland pulled off a shock 1-0 victory over Germany, Scotland's hopes of qualification were over. They had no luck on their side while the Irish and Poles did. In the final game, Scotland travelled to the Algarve to play Gibraltar, and they recorded their biggest away victory since 1949, when they won 6-0, with Steven Fletcher scoring another hat-trick and Chris Martin, Shaun Maloney and Steven Naismith scoring the others. Matt Ritchie scores Scotland's first goal in the 2-2 draw with Poland at Hampden Park. The qualification campaign for the 2018 World Cup Finals began with a convincing 5-1 victory in Malta, with Robert Snodgrass scoring a hat-trick, along with Chris Martin scoring his first goal for Scotland and Steven Fletcher scoring the other. The next game was against Lithuania at Hampden, and a woeful performance ended with James McArthur scoring an 89th minute equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw. Things did not get much better when Scotland were then thrashed 3-0 in Slovakia. The result flattered Slovakia though as Scotland started well in the game. For the game at Wembley, Scott Brown came out of international retirement as Scotland's qualification campain was in trouble. There was also some controversy, as both teams wore black armbands as it was Rememberence Day, even although FIFA forbid them. The game finished 3-0 England with goals from Sturridge, Lallana, and Cahill. The result flattered England as Scotland put in a good performance. Things were not looking good for Scotland though as they had only 4 points from their first 4 games. The next qualifier at home to Slovenia was a must win game. The starting 11 contained 6 Celtic players, who were playing well under Brendan Rogers, this included debutant Stuart Armstrong and youngster Kieran Tierney. Scotland put in a good performance, but could not score, until the 88th minute, when substitute Chris Martin hit a low shot that took a deflection before going in off the post, to give Scotland a crucial 1-0 victory. Chris Martin celebrates his late winner against Slovenia at Hampden. The season ended with the Auld Enemy visiting Hampden for the first time since 1999. With 20 minutes remaining, Oxlade-Chamberlain gave England the lead until 3 minutes from the end, when Leigh Griffiths curled a free-kick from the edge of the box, over the wall and into the top right hand corner. It sent Hampden into a state of delerium. Things got better 3 minutes later when Scotland won a free-kick in the same position, and again Griffiths curled the ball, this time into the left hand corner, to beat Joe Hart and make it 2-1 Scotland. All Scotland had to do was hold on for 4 minutes of injury time, but in the 94th minute, poor defending led to Harry Kane equalising and making it 2-2. The next season started with Scotland full of confidence following the England game, for the trip to Lithuania. A convincing performance gave Scotland a 3-0 victory, thanks to goals from Armstrong, Robertson, and McArthur. A few days later group minnows Malta visited Hampden, and goals from Berra and Griffiths gave Scotland a 2-0 victory. With ten points from their last 12, Scotland were confident that they could get a play-off place. They had to win their final two games, the first being Slovakia's visit to Hampden. Midway through the first half, Slovakia were reduced to ten men. The Slovak keeper then had the game of his life, pulling off save after save. Scotland also hit the bar twice. It looked like it was not going to be their night, until Martin Skrtel directed an Anya cross past his own keeper with 1 minute remaining to give Scotland a 1-0 victory. Two days later, Belgium defeated Bosnia to guarantee Scotland a play-off place, if they win in Slovenia. Griffiths gave Scotland a half-time lead, but two goals from Bezjak put Slovenia into the lead. It was a poor performance from Scotland, and Snodgrass equalised with 2 minutes remaining to give them some hope. It was too little to late though, as Slovakia defeated Malta 3-0 to finish 2nd on goal difference. It was Scotland's best qualification campaign in 10 years. Their best World cup in 16 years, but they missed out on qualification again, and there were questions about Strachan's future as manager. These questions were answered 4 days later, when Strachan left by mutual consent. Leigh Griffiths scores Scotland's second in the 2-2 draw with England at Hampden.
0.944976
Within a laser, the active laser medium is the material that exhibits optical gain. This gain is generally generated by stimulated emission on electronic or molecular transitions to a lower energy state, starting from a higher energy state to which it had been previously stimulated by means of a pump source. in semiconductors, or in gases via high-voltage discharges) or with light, which may be generated with discharge lamps or with other lasers. A Laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) is a device which uses a quantum mechanical effect, stimulated emission, to generate a coherent beam of light. The medium may then amplify light by the process of stimulated emission, which if the light is fed back through the medium by means of a cavity resonator, will continue to be amplified into a high-intensity beam. Erbium-doped fiber lasers, a type of laser formed from a specially made optical fiber, which is used as an amplifier for optical communications. Laser was originally an acronym for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation". The common image of a bright beam of light emitted from a laser is a consequence of light being scattered from dust and air particles in the beam, rather than the beam itself. The medium may then amplify light by the process of stimulated emission, which if the light is fed back through the medium by means of an optical resonator[?], will continue to be amplified into a high-intensity beam. A laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is a device which uses a quantum mechanical effect, stimulated emission, to generate a coherent beam of light from a lasing medium of controlled purity, size, and shape. The basic physics of lasers centres around the idea of producing a population inversion in a laser medium by "pumping" the medium; i.e., by supplying energy in the form of light or electricity, for example. Lasers, laser light shows, laser widows and laser lights for DJ's, clubs and parties. In analogy with optical lasers, a device which produces any particles or electromagnetic radiation in a coherent state is also called a "laser", usually with indication of type of particle as prefix (for example, atom laser.) In most cases, "laser" refers to a source of coherent photons, i.e. Laser light is typically near-monochromatic, i.e., consisting of a single wavelength or color, and emitted in a narrow beam. The laser was proposed as a variation of the maser principle in the late 1950s, and the first laser was demonstrated in 1960. Rami Arieli: "The Laser Adventure" This laser emits in the blue - green visible spectrum, primarily at 488 and 515 [nm]. The active medium is an "Excited Dimer" which does not have a stable ground state. A solid state laser which use a crystal of sapphire (aluminum oxide) containing trace amounts of chromium oxide as an active medium. A laser is a device that produces a narrow, pulsed or continuous beam of monochromatic, coherent light in the visible, infrared (IR) or ultraviolet (UV) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The photons produced in the laser medium are reflected off these mirrors and oscillate repeatedly through the laser medium, causing yet further photons to be emitted by active species in the exited state and hence amplifying the intensity of light produced. The interaction between UV laser light and most solids tends to involve mostly a physical ablation process of mechanical break-up, whereas IR laser light may often cause a greater degree of sample heating and melting which is generally undesirable for quantitative analysis as it may lead to trace element fractionation. If the light is circulating through the medium by means of a cavity resonator, and the gain (amplification) in the medium is stronger than the resonator losses, the power of the circulating light can rise exponentially. At wavelengths which the cornea and the lens can focus well, the coherence and low divergence of laser light means that it can be focused by the eye into an extremely small spot on the retina, resulting in localised burning and permanent damage in seconds or even faster. Holmium-doped YAG, 2096 nm, a efficient laser operating in the infrared, it is strongly absorbed by water-bearing tissues in sections less than a millimeter thick. CO laser beam delivery device consisting of a series of hollow tubes and mirrors interconnected in such a manner as to maintain alignment of the laser beam along the path of the arm. A laser in which an axial flow of gas is maintained through the tube to replace those gas molecules depleted by the electrical discharge used to excite the gas molecules to the lasing. In the case of a laser the usable diameter is the diameter of the laser beam or a smaller aperture which restricts a laser beam. A distributed feedback laser according to claim 1 further comprising an imaging device, interposed between the optical pattern means and the demagnifying optical means, for producing a striped intermediate image of said radiation pattern in an object plane of the demagnifying optical means. The present invention relates to a laser with distributed feedback, of the kind comprising an active laser medium, a beam path for a pump radiation beam, an optical device, such as a diffraction grating, and an optical imaging system interposed between the optical device and the laser medium. In a laser of the general type and with the characteristics set forth above, the invention resolves the problem of avoiding the described disadvantages of the known and proposed arrangements with minimal investment, and concurrently enables broad-spectrum adjustment of the wavelength of the generated laser emission by the simple shifting of one component. The two laser types generate light in the infrared range of the spectrum, which means that the laser beam itself is not visible. After the laser beam exits the resonator it is directed through the beam path to the cutting or welding head, where it is focused onto the material surface. In laser cutting factors like drive technology, material gauge and the size of the working envelope will favor one or the other design; in laser welding the choice will be influenced more by factors like the clamping system, the weld edge preparation or the material handling concept. Active mediums have a certain refractive index, which determines the intensity, polarization, and output wavelength. Gas lasers have a gas/gas combination as their active laser medium, such as the helium-neon laser that emits light of wavelength 632.8nm. Liquid lasers have not had the attention of most laser types over the years such as solid state lasers and semiconductor lasers due mostly to the temperature dependence of the index of refraction of the media and the toxicity of some of the components used in the media. The Tactical High-Energy Laser, or THEL, is a laser developed for military use. The cooperative Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) Demonstrator ACTD was initiated by a memorandum of agreement between the United States and the Government of Israel on July 18, 1996. The THEL is a high-energy laser weapon system that uses proven laser beam generation technologies, proven beam-pointing technologies, and existing sensors and communication networks to provide a new active defense capability in counter air missions. LASER is an acronym for: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation and it is different from the everyday light you see. His laser was only able to emit pulsed operation due to the three different energy level transitioning utilized to construct the laser. For a laser to function properly, the active medium must be "pumped" by an external energy source, usually a battery powered pump-diode. In all lasers, it is necessary for energy transitions to occur among electrons in the lasing medium, and some of these must involve the emission of photons (categorized as optical transitions). In non-semiconductor lasers, which typically employ a single gas or gas mixture as the active laser medium, electron energy transitions occur within populations of individual atoms or molecules to produce the required population inversions. In a typical laser, the light produced is confined to the active medium, and opposing mirrors are utilized to produce multiple reflections within the medium in order to increase the gain in light output from the laser cavity. Active mediums contain atoms whose electrons may be excited to a metastable energy level by an energy source. Laser radiation will continue to be produced as long as energy is applied to the lasing medium. If energy is continuously pumped into the active medium an equilibrium may be achieved between the number of atoms raised to a metastable state and the number of photons emitted resulting in a continuous laser output. Laser supervisors will be knowledgeable of education and training requirements for laser safety, the potential laser hazards and associated control measures for all lasers under the supervisor's authority. Laser radiation may damage the cornea, lens or retina depending on the wavelength, intensity of the radiation and the absorption characteristics of different eye tissues. Lasers emitting radiation in the visible and infrared regions produce effects that vary from a mild reddening to blisters and charring. In some such embodiments, a rare earth doped garnet laser is tuned to emit a second fundamental beam at a wavelength of approximately 1077 nanometers, the second fundamental beam and the fourth harmonic beam are directed to a second cesium lithium borate crystal for sum-frequency mixing to produce an output beam at approximately 194 nanometers. In one embodiment of laser 105, mirror 245 is approximately 75 millimeters from mirror 240. Second laser 901 emits second beam 917 at a second frequency and second beam 917 is transmitted by mirror 920 to CLBO crystal 930, wherein first beam 907 and second beam 917 are mixed to produce output beam 935 at a desired frequency. His laser was only able to emit pulsed operation due to the three different energy level transitioning utlized to construct the laser. A laser is composed of a crystal (active laser medium) and a system of mirrors (optical resonator). A coherent beam of light is produced between the reflective surfaces of the laser so that each photon passes through the uniform medium many times before being expelled through the lasers aperture, or lost to absorbtion and diffraction. They relied on dilute active media with discrete energy levels such as gases or dopant ions scattered in a solid, external pumping mechanisms such as bulky coiled flashlamps or auxiliary gases excited by radio-frequency coils, and cumbersome external resonators consisting of highly flat and reflective mirrors. The active medium which consisted of a semiconductor pn junction, was in this case a dense three-dimensional solid. It is not an exaggeration to view the invention of the semiconductor injection laser as the start of a new era of quantum electronics ­ one that was ultimately to broker a fair partnership between photonics and electronics. Laser light is generated in the active medium of the laser. Energy is pumped into the active medium in an appropriate form and is partially transformed into radiation energy. Solid state and liquid lasers can onlybe pumped optically; radiation from an ordinary lamp or another laser is absorbed by the active medium and the energy is re-emitted at longer wavelengths. The active medium, which consisted of a semiconductor p-n junction, was in this case a dense three-dimensional solid. The very dimensionality of the active medium was reduced; two dimensions gave birth to the quantum-well laser, while a single dimension yielded the quantum-wire laser. Although the effect was demonstrated using a quantum-cascade active medium, it should also be observed in other laser media with sufficiently high refractive indices. Laser is for example used for porcessing material (marking, cutting, welding, drilling measurement technology (Holography, speed measurement) or also in medical areas operations). Each time radiation passes through the laser active medium, further “light particles” are emitted (stipulated emission) and the beam is amplified (light amplification). The laser active medium is present in the form of gas. A laser device is an optical cavity, with mirrors at the ends, filled with material such as crystal, glass, liquid, gas or dye. Laser medium - can be a gas, liquid, glass, crystalline solid or semiconductor crystal and can range in size from a grain of salt to filling the inside of a building. Laser Gain is proportional to the difference between the chance of stimulated emission and the chance of absorption. Liquid lasers – tunable dye lasers – active medium in dye lasers is a fluorescent organic dye, dissolved in a liquid solvent. Argon Laser: The argon ion laser can be operated as a continuous gas laser at about 25 different wavelengths in the visible between 408.9 and 686.1nm, but is best known for its most efficient transitions in the green at 488 nm and 514.5 nm. The molecular nitrogen laser is self-terminating, upon discharge the nitrogen enters the upper lasing energy level then decays to a lower state emitting light at 337.1 nm in the UV. principle of gas laser: basically a gas laser consists of a gas whose atoms or molecules are raised to a higher energy states, and an "inversion" extis between a certain pair of energy levels in the gas.
0.970649
A new virus, for which the name Matucare is proposed, was isolated from soft ticks, Ornithodoros boliviensis, collected in houses near San Joaquín, Bolivia (latitude 13°S; longitude, 65°W). The virus was lethal for newborn mice and hamsters but not for adult rodents of the same species. The agent multiplied in Vero cell cultures, producing cytopathic effect and plaques. Matucare virus was sensitive to heat, sodium desoxycholate, chloroform, and to acid pH of 5.5 or less; but 5-iododeoxyuridine did not inhibit multiplication, suggesting a ribonucleic-acid component. Particle size was estimated to be between 35 and 80 mµ by filtration. Complement-fixing antigens were obtained from brains of infected newborn animals, but no immunologic relation was found to any of the known murine viruses or arboviruses tested. The existence of Venezuelan encephalitis virus in Guatemala. Honduras, and British Honduras was established by use of sentinel hamsters and antibody tests. During July and August 1967 and 1968, virus was isolated from tissues of hamsters that became ill or died after exposure to mosquitoes in the tropical Atlantic lowlands of each country and the Pacific lowlands of Guatemala. During 1965–68, hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies to VE virus were found at significant titers in serum from man, wild mammals (especially cotton rats, Sigmodon hispidus), horses, and perhaps pigs, neutralizing antibodies in human and horse serum, and complement-fixation antibodies in human serum. Infected habitats were often extremely focal, and were usually swamps or wet forests. The presence of VE virus at or near ports in these regions indicated possible sources for future dissemination. However, the possibility of VE-virus movement in or to Central America and México remains theoretical although knowledge available as of June 1969 is considered to be more compatible with either old endemic foci in western Panamá, Central America, and México or movement of virus within this territory, than with recent movement of virus from South to Central America. Dengue-like illness has been reported in Jamaica since 1824, although the viruses concerned were never isolated. The emphasis of this work was isolating and typing the etiologic agents involved; 679 cases were reported to the Microbiology Department, University of the West Indies, during 1968 and 1969. Paired serum samples were tested; 112 of 175 indicated recent arbovirus group B infections. Primary infections and reinfections with dengue viruses were indicated by hemagglutination-inhibition and complement-fixation tests. Challenge-virus resistance technique was used to isolate eight agents from human serum. Six of these strains have been typed as dengue-3 and two as dengue-2 viruses. This study was designed to investigate 1) the role of Black-crowned Night Herons (BCNH) in the dissemination of Japanese encephalitis virus, 2) to investigate the mosquito vectors that participate in the annual epidemic, and 3) to determine the chronology of infection in Herons, mosquitoes, and man in the area of a heronry in Taiwan during 1967 and 1968. Nestling BCNH and sentinel pigs were serially bled to determine the time of development of antibody. Mosquitoes were collected from light traps, pig-baited and birdbaited Magoon traps, and by hand from pigs. Cases in man were serologically confirmed. Although the arrival of the Herons and the prevalence of mosquitoes paralleled previous years, the epidemic was 2 months later than usual. Infection was found first in pigs in late July, then in man and Herons, and last in mosquitoes in mid-August. Culex annulus (Theobald) was the most prevalent mosquito and the source of three of the five pools yielding virus. The results suggest that C. annulus (Theobald) is the principal mosquito vector of Japanese encephalitis virus, and that BCNH did not bring the virus to Taiwan. However, the sequence of infection suggests that mosquitoes thus far implicated were not the initial vector. Thus this study raises the question of undetermined insect and animal vectors in the dissemination of JE virus. The hemolytic activities of the venom of Agkistrodon contortrix mokeson, Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma, Crotalus atrox, and Crotalus scutulatus were studied by using hypotonic solutions. The effects with whole venoms plus lecithin were compared with effects caused by boiled venom supernatant fluids containing phospholipase A and lecithin to gain insight into the role of heat-labile venom components on lysing human red blood cells. Phospholipase A in the supernatant fluids of all venoms with lecithin caused stabilization of red-blood-cell membranes. A. c. mokeson, A. p. leucostoma, and C. scutulatus whole venoms demonstrated a specific lytic behavior, whereas C. atrox whole venom demonstrated a nonspecific lytic behavior. Heparin altered the lytic behavior of C. scutulatus whole venom but did not influence the other venoms. Between 1960 and 1965 five persons, living in the vicinity of Boston, Massachusetts, were afflicted with necrotizing skin lesions that they attributed to the bites of spiders. Chiracanthium mildei, the most common spider in houses in Boston, were most abundant in autumn when most of the lesions occurred. C. mildei bit experimental animals and produced lesions that resembled, but were less severe than, the patients&apos; lesions. On these and other grounds we suggest that bites of C. mildei were probably responsible for the skin lesions seen in man. A cage consisting of a disposable cardboard box 18 × 18 × 18 inches and a re-usable plywood front covered with 1-inch fish netting was designed for use in laboratory studies of St. Louis encephalitis virus in small wild birds. Mockingbirds and Blue Jays were maintained satisfactorily in these cages over a period of several months. Bloodsucking Flies and Other Outdoor Nuisance Arthropods of New York State, by Hugo Jamnback, Associate Scientist, the University of the State of New York. x + 90 pages, illustrated, paperbound. New York State Museum and Science Memoir No. 19. The State Education Department, State Museum and Science Service, Albany, N. Y. 12224. 1969. $2.00. Epidemiology: Man and Disease, by John P. Fox, Professor of Preventive Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Carrie E. Hall, Assistant Professor, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, and Lila R. Elveback, Professor of Biostatistics, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Rochester. xi + 339 pages. The Macmillan Company, 866 Third Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10022. 1970. $12.95. Health on the Horn of Africa, a Study of the Major Diseases of Somalia, by Kevin M. Cahill, Director, the Tropical Disease Center, St. Clare&apos;s Hospital, New York, N. Y., and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, New York Medical College. 66 pages, illustrated. Recent efforts to eradicate malaria in Africa have revealed that many populations of so-called vector species do not interbreed in nature. The differing responses of such genetically distinct populations to the effects of residual insecticides have alerted investigators to the extraordinarily complex taxonomy of African Anopheles. Gillies and De Meillon address themselves directly to this problem, employing a biological definition of species in their “The Anophelinae of Africa south of the Sahara.” The authors emphasize that morphologically similar populations may differ in capacity to serve as vectors and that such differences may even occur within the same locality. After a brief introductory chapter, the book presents a series of well-designed keys. Owing to the large number of species considered, the keys are subdivided into small sections, thereby simplifying their use. There are complete keys to adult females and to mature larvae and a provisional key to pupae. “The carrying capacity of the world for human population is not known. … If present rates of increase continue, there could be 500 billion people in the year 2200,” writes George B. Shaller in the concluding chapter of Section 1, Population Growth and Ecology. Ominous predictions about man&apos;s rate of increase are not new, and pollution of the environment has become a household topic of conversation with political overtones. What is new is the concerted effort of a faculty of public health to produce so clear and pertinent a book as Biology of Populations. The chapters are succinct, usually making their points with well-chosen studies and a minimum of extraneous material. The result is at times frustrating. Not every topic can be adequately covered in so limited a space; yet the text is highly readable. The popularity and usefulness of Professor Jelliffe&apos;s handbook is attested to by the fact that it now appears in its third English edition, having had a Spanish edition and two reprints in the recent past. The intended audience is clearly specified by the booklet&apos;s subtitle: “A Practical Handbook for Medical and Para-medical Personnel.” An introductory note re-emphasizes the recommendation that this brief booklet be selectively used “by medical and para-medical personnel and especially by instructors and trainers of these various types of staff.” It is further stressed that physicians and medical students would necessarily have to supplement this abbreviated text with the standard pediatric textbooks. Under Professor Jelliffe&apos;s editorship, there are contributions by six other very well-informed authors, each with extensive knowledge and vast experience in the problems of child health in tropical regions, most particularly in East Africa. The contents are intended to cover the major aspects of clinical, preventive, and social medicine as they relate to children in the Tropics. This little book is about diseases and health services in the Somali Republic (Somalia) as observed by the author during six visits to the country, the last in September 1969. Somalia occupies most of the so-called Horn of Africa, from French Somaliland to Kenya; Ethiopia lies to its west. The land lies isolated and sweltering along the Gulf of Aden in the north, and the Indian Ocean, a littoral of about 2,600 miles. In part, this is the biblical land of Cush from which has come for centuries the finest frankincense, the aromatic gum of Boswellia carteri. Most of the land is arid or semidesert, with an annual rainfall of 3 inches in the north, about 20 inches in the south. There is a green strip of irrigated, cultivated lands in the south between, and on each side of, the Juba and Webi Shebeli rivers that come down from the Ethiopian highlands, and are the only considerable perennial streams. I hesitate to embroider the remarks of so distinguished a worker as Dr. Fred L. Soper, but he brings up a point in his letter in the May 1969 issue of the Journal to which I would like to make a small contribution. He wrote that the most sensitive index of occult yellow fever is viscerotomy and liver examination. In using such histological material as an epidemiological tool, yellow fever researchers pioneered an approach the value of which is still not appreciated by many workers in the tropics. Today, with rapid communications, pathologists in the United States or Europe can give an opinion on material from New Guinea, for example, in a matter of days. In the tropics, the cause of death in many patients still remains a mystery and the fullest use should be made of postmortem material to elucidate this cause.
0.999992
Pretend like you’re a royal in this refined, affluent neighborhood — once home to Princess Diana — where you can stroll along the tree-lined paths of Kensington Gardens for a break from the busy city streets. The royals still reside in Kensington Palace, so you may even get the chance to gawk if you're lucky. The area is easy to get around on foot, and if you feel the need to shop for clothes or get a bite to eat, then Kensington High Street is your best bet.
0.999949
Whether you’re stocking your shelves or updating your business plan, understanding what lies ahead is an important part of running a healthy manufacturing business. Forecasting key business factors, such as sales demand, receivables, payables and working capital, can help manufacturers reduce excess inventory and other overhead, offer competitive prices, and keep their companies on solid financial footing. While no forecast is guaranteed, using the right method goes a long way toward getting meaningful results. To help you determine the right forecasting methods for your business, ask yourself these five questions. 1. How far into the future do you plan to forecast? Forecasting is generally more accurate in the short term — the longer the time period, the more likely it is that customer demand or market trends will change. While quantitative methods, which rely on historical data, are typically the most accurate forecasting methods, they don’t work well for long-term predictions. If you’re planning to forecast over several years, try qualitative forecasting methods, which rely on expert opinions instead of company-specific data. 2. How steady is your demand? Weather, sales promotions and other factors can cause manufacturers’ sales to fluctuate. For example, if you make box fans, chances are good your sales dip in the winter. If demand for your products varies, consider forecasting with a quantitative method, such as time-series decomposition, which examines historical data and allows you to adjust for market trends, seasonal trends and business cycles. You also may want to adopt forecasting software, which allows you to plug other variables into the equation, such as individual customers’ short-term buying plans. 3. How much data do you have? Quantitative forecasting techniques require varying amounts of historical information. For instance, you’ll need about three years of data to use exponential smoothing, a simple yet fairly accurate method that compares historical averages with current demand. If you want to forecast for something you don’t have data for, such as a new product, you’ll either need to use qualitative forecasting or base your forecast on historical data for a similar product in your arsenal. 4. How do you fill your orders? If you manufacture your products to stock instead of producing them as customers order them, forecasting is particularly critical for establishing accurate inventory levels and improving cash flow. For peak accuracy, take the average of multiple forecasting methods. To optimize inventory levels, consider forecasting demand by individual products as well as at the local warehouse level, which will help you ensure speedy delivery. 5. How many types of products do you sell? If you’re forecasting demand for a wide variety of products, consider a relatively simple technique, such as exponential smoothing. If you offer only one or two key products, it’s probably worth your time and effort to perform a more complex, time-consuming forecast for each one, such as a statistical regression. You may not have a crystal ball, but using the right forecasting techniques will help you gaze into your company’s future with much more accuracy. Your financial advisor can help you establish the forecasting practices that make sense for your business. For more information contact Dennis McLaughlin at dmclaughlin@cshco.com. Learn more about our Manufacturing Industry Group.
0.999983
i need a good introduction about Tuberculosis i am presenting about it! Great to hear from you, and thanks for your question. The most important thing is to ask yourself the question “What do I want everybody in the audience to be saying as they leave the room”? In the answer to this question, you’ll find ideas for your introduction. For example, do you want them feeling upbeat that tuberculosis is now being cured in so many countries? Do you want them feeling concerned that so many new cases are diagnosed in the third world? Do you want them feeling the urgency of fund-raising or campaigning to raise awareness? The beginning depends on the outcome that you want to achieve. Be really clear in your mind about that outcome, and those intro ideas will soon come.
0.919431
Having a laptop computer these days is just as important as having your desktop machine. You need to have access to the internet, your email, and other important data at all times. It's important to remember that the same problems that data recovery, spyware and viruses can cause on your PC can also affect your laptop computer. Security for your portable machine is also doubly important because of the risk involved in having your laptop stolen. It's also very important to make certain your laptop security is in tiptop shape before you head out for work or on a business trip with your laptop. There are certain laptop security tips you can follow to keep your machine and data safe at all times. If your machine and data are super-sensitive, you can have tracking software installed in your laptop. Security experts can then track and follow the location of your machine as it moves. It works in the same fashion as a global positioning system does for your vehicle. This proposition is expensive, but it does increase your computer security and your overall chance of data recovery should your machine ever get stolen or lost. Mostly, though, effective laptop security comes from good old-fashioned common sense. Being aware of your surroundings and movements can severely limit the potential of your portable computer being stolen, misplaced or lost. Here are some simple tips that can increase your computer's security and help minimize the risk of theft to your laptop. -Never leave your laptop unattended. When you stay with your laptop computer, security increase and the risk of losing your machine decreases. -Do not leave your laptop in your vehicle. If you have to, improve laptop security by locking it in the trunk of your car. Don't leave it in plain view. -When you are not using your laptop, lock up the machine itself or lock it in a secure cabinet or desk. -Make certain that using hard to decipher passwords enhances your laptop security. If someone does steal or come into possession of your computer, security caused by passwords will make it difficult for someone to access your data. -Purchase a laptop security cable and lock so you can tightly keep your laptop closed when it's not in use. Just as with desktop CPUs, you can potentially lose unsaved data unexpectedly and require data recovery services. Make certain that any important documents or files have data backups at all times. Don't just save items on your laptop's desktop. If you lose something on your desktop computer, security experts at least have a chance to recover it for you. If you are not diligent with your laptop security, technicians can't retrieve the lost data for you because your laptop itself will be gone. It's hard to work on something that isn't there. Laptops are becoming wireless enabled every day. And wireless security is just as important as conventional laptop security. Because laptops can work in hot spots, there are many hackers ready to get into your system. Make certain your laptop computer's security is up to date with the latest antivirus software to combat potential thieves. Also remember to follow the common sense tips listed above. If you do these things, you'll never have to worry about your laptop security. • Laptops: Compare and Buy is the Way to Go!
0.997964
Authority refers to the duties and responsibilities that are assigned to a person in a position of control, while power is the actual physical and direct control of someone over another person or group. Usually, people who are in a position of power have some degree of authority. An example of a person in a position of authority is the head or director of a company. The individual in charge of the company can make changes within the organization without getting consent from others in the company. Another example of authority, and one that applies broadly to the greater society, is the influence that police officers have in controlling the actions of others. Officers are responsible for punishing the actions of people considered to be improper and illegal. Therefore, police officers have the capability to exercise their power by imposing fines and making arrests. While authority gives an individual the legal capacity to regulate behavior, power is a bit more arbitrary. Power can be the result of someone gaining influence or control over others by reasons that extend beyond law, such as knowledge. People in positions of power are often more knowledgeable than others around them, which in turn makes them considered to be intellectually superior. People in the position of power are more capable of influencing the behavior of others. An example of a person in position of power is the President of the United States. The president has the power to influence the actions of people based on their own actions and beliefs. Presidents, for instance, may persuade people to vote in favor of issues like clean water, increasing military spending, healthcare and other important issues. Power can exist in various degrees, and it can be considered a good or bad form of control. Individuals in a position of power have the capacity to exert conscious and subconscious control over a group of people, and they may or may not be aware of the extent to which they have that power. Power is often linked to authority because people in a position of authority, such as the head of a company, also have more control and persuasive power over their employees than other people. Authoritative figures within a company are given their control through the duties and responsibilities assigned to them. These duties may include deciding to merge with another company, releasing a new product or increasing spending in a certain area. Company leaders may or may not have legal control over their constituents. In contrast, others in a position of authority, such as police officers, have legal responsibilities and control over the groups of people who they control. Power and authority may be linked with manipulation, which is the conscious effort of an individual to get others to act in a specific manner based on his or her requests and direction. A component of power is personality, which means that a person who ends up in a position of control and influence is likely to have a personality that seeks dominance and control over the lives of others. Authority, in contrast, is delegated as a right by a governing power. What Is the Difference Between a Job Description and Job Specifications? What Is the Definition of "ordinance Power"? What Is the Difference Between Rights and Responsibilities?
0.905988
What is the risk of adding a given dependency? Find the author or maintainer on the plone.org/products page or on PyPI. Are they a company or individual that is widely known in the community? Does the add-on support recent versions of its own dependencies? For a Plone package today this means checking if it support Plone 3. Does the package have a final release that supports recent versions of its dependencies? Is the add-on packaged as an egg and available on an easy_install accessible index such as PyPI? Test coverage should, of course, be criteria #1. Sadly, we don't have a good enough test isolation story with ZTC and PTC, test failures in the client's buildout don't necessarily mean the add-on is broken. I know there's been talk about integrating test coverage data into plone.org/products but it's not here yet. The holy grail would be some sort of integration with distutils/setuptools. It would be great if I could do "python setup.py test --coverage" so that a subsequent "python setup.py register sdist upload" would incorporate the coverage data into the release meta-data such that it would be reported on the PyPI page. Certainly any such solution could be circumvented by the releaser, but I think that would be very rare, that it would more often encourage more maintainers to have good test coverage and this would be a huge win overall. It's also interesting to note that I find recent version support more indicative of risk than final release status. This comes from experience. I've worked on too many projects of all sizes that had production sites running release candidates, betas, alphas, and even some development versions. One conclusion would be that this means that the software is of poor quality. I don't think that's it. I think it's that we, as a software ecosystem, are bad at releasing. Now eggs are certainly helping with this, but I think we also need to start an aggressive honor/shame (carrot/stick) campaign about releasing. Actually, maybe we should have an honor/shame campaign about add-ons in general. Perhaps a montly post to planet plone and the mailing list with a Hall of Fame and a Hall of Shame? :) Something that considers release status (how long has it been since that beta release? 3 months? Maybe you can release a final version?), test coverage, and meta-data cleanliness, etc.
0.999995
This article is about the musician. For the actor, see Bradley Whitford. Bradley Ernest Whitford (born February 23, 1952) is an American musician who is best known for serving as the rhythm and co-lead guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith. He has also worked as a songwriter for the group, co-composing well-received tracks such as 1976's "Last Child". Whitford graduated from Reading Memorial High School in 1970. After attending the Berklee College of Music, Whitford played in local bands Cymbals of Resistance, Teapot Dome, Earth, Inc., and finally a band called Justin Thyme before joining Aerosmith in 1971, replacing original guitarist Ray Tabano. Aerosmith would go on to be one of the most successful bands of the 1970s. However, following a string of less successful albums in the late 1970s, Whitford left the band in 1981 to work on his own project with singer Derek St. Holmes, simply called Whitford/St. Holmes. The project was dissolved after a sole self-titled album was released in 1981 (However, Whitford/St. Holmes reunited for a 2015 tour. A follow up CD titled "REUNION" was sold at these shows). Whitford briefly toured with the Joe Perry Project, featuring former Aerosmith bandmate Joe Perry, before both Perry and Whitford rejoined Aerosmith in 1984. In the mid-late 1980s, all band members completed drug rehabilitation, including Whitford, who completed programs to combat his alcohol abuse. Whitford remains sober to this day and continues to be an active member in Aerosmith. Whitford also served as a producer for a well-known Boston band, the Neighborhoods, who were led by a rabid Aerosmith fan, David Minehan. When, in 1994, Whitford was forced to leave unexpectedly in the middle of an Asian tour due to family illness, Minehan was flown to Japan where he performed in Whitford's place for several days until Whitford returned. Whitford missed the start of Aerosmith's 2009 summer tour after requiring surgery as a result of a head injury sustained while getting out of his Ferrari, joining the tour after a month. In 2010, Whitford was announced as one of the guitarists to take part in the Experience Hendrix tour, playing songs performed and inspired by Jimi Hendrix along with other musicians such as Joe Satriani, Sacred Steel, Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Ernie Isley, Living Colour, Hubert Sumlin, Chris Layton, and bassist Billy Cox. Along with fellow Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, Whitford was included in the Guitar World book The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2007. In 2013 played with Buddy Guy, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry on Evil Twin. In November 2015, Whitford/St. Holmes Reunited for a 10 show tour. While Joe Perry is Aerosmith's better known guitarist and the band's principal songwriter with Steven Tyler, Whitford has made significant contributions to the band's repertoire over the years. This includes co-writing Aerosmith's hit "Last Child" as well as some of Aerosmith's heaviest songs: "Nobody's Fault" and "Round and Round", and playing lead guitar on "Sick as a Dog" and "Back In the Saddle" (on which Perry plays six string bass), "Last Child", and on the ballads "You See Me Crying" and "Home Tonight" He also plays co-lead with Joe Perry on songs such as "Train Kept A-Rollin", "Lord of the Thighs" and "Love in an Elevator". The version of "Lord of the Thighs" on their 1978 live album Live! Bootleg in particular is perhaps his most famous soloing moment. When Aerosmith made their comeback in the late 1980s, Whitford continued to co-write tracks such as "Permanent Vacation" and "Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man", and plays occasional lead guitar on some more recent tracks as well as during many live performances. Concerning his lesser role in the band's songwriting process, Whitford has said, "I don't consider myself a terribly prolific writer. I can write music with other people if they're better songwriters than I am. I really can't create a song. It's very difficult to do. That's why the people that can do it are very few and far between. I'm certainly not that type of a guy. More of a guitar player, more of the kind of [guy] who comes up with enough riffs and ideas to write a song. But to write lyrics and come up with a melody for it, it won't happen." Said Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler of the two guitarists, "Joe is self-taught and his playing comes from raw emotion. Not that Brad's doesn't, but his style is more schooled." Slash, lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses cites Brad Whitford as one of his heaviest influences, stating: "I identified with Joe Perry's image, both soundwise and visually....but I was also totally into Brad Whitford's guitar solos, and he had a more direct influence on the way I play than anybody realizes." "Beautiful" from Music from Another Dimension! "Street Jesus" (co-lead and first guitar solo) from Music from Another Dimension! "Can't Stop Lovin' You" from Music from Another Dimension! "Street Jesus" from Music from Another Dimension! "Lover Alot" from Music from Another Dimension! At current performances, Whitford can be seen playing a wide array of solid-body guitars, some including Floyd Rose locking tremolos: Gretschs, several Floyd Rose Discovery Series guitars, a Shoreline Gold painted (Stratocaster style) Melancon Pro Artist, a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop along with a wide variety of Fender Stratocasters. Whitford continues to tour with vintage Fender Stratocasters and Gibson Les Pauls for Aerosmith concerts as well as smaller gigs. Meanwhile, Aerosmith's original heyday in the late 1970s saw both Whitford and co-guitarist Joe Perry arm themselves with aggressive-looking guitars from BC Rich (Whitford favored an unpainted BC Rich Eagle, while Perry often played an alien-looking red BC Rich Bich). On the amplifier front, Whitford has created his own amplifier company - 3 Monkeys Amplification and tours with many of their products. Furthermore, he also uses Paul Reed Smith amps. Additionally, Whitford has used a myriad of pedals throughout his career including many boutique ones. Whitford appears in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith as the guitarist. He is also a playable character. In 2012 Whitford contributed to Joe Bonamassas Album Driving Towards the Daylight on several tracks. ^ "Top 10 Brad Whitford Aerosmith Songs". ^ Sharp, K. (2007, Mar 16). Weathering the storms: Aerosmith's tumultuous history, as told by Brad Whitford. Goldmine, 33, 64-65. ^ "Rig Rundown: Brad Whitford and Derek St. Holmes". Retrieved 2017-01-04. ^ "Rig Rundown - Aerosmith's Joe Perry and Brad Whitford". Retrieved 2017-01-04.
0.999745
Who should apply and when? Generally, applicants should apply during their senior year of college using the online application. However, applicants who are working can also apply to this program.
0.999825
Take an English course in Seattle, a bustling city with plenty going for it at the north-west tip of the US. In some respects it seems a city of contradictions: it is the birthplace of America’s grunge and alternative rock music scenes, yet is also the home of huge business such as Starbucks, Amazon, and Microsoft. As well as a diverse population, the surrounding landscape is magnificent, with amazing wilderness hikes and mountain skiing both possible.
0.999999
Album Review of Infinite Moment by The Field. The broad landscapes of Infinite Moment, the sixth album from Swedish producer Axel Willner under his moniker the Field, come after more than a decade of slowly rippling evolution. Beginning as bright yet abstract electronic pop with 2007's From Here We Go Sublime, the Field looked to inventively diced samples and repetition as the cornerstones of his sound. As the years went on, the unchanging minimal graphic design of the album covers spoke to the snail-paced changes in sound, letting the music speak for itself as it shifted ever so slightly from one release to the next. Axel Willner's sixth album as the Field approaches slowly, like a car on a highway shredded by heat haze. Two chords oscillate; a humid bass tone rumbles a human voice, or maybe a synthesizer trained to sound like one. The voice is a scream trapped in amber, agitated but distant, a reaction far removed from its spark. Though voices dart in and out of much of the ambient techno Willner makes, this one is different from his usual samples, which tend to hold more structure--a discernible consonant, a fossil of breath. Axel Willner, also known as The Field, recognises the power of repetition. Each track of his creates a blissful open space through washed out loops that subtly mutate, and complements this with the anchoring thud of a kickdrum. Some tracks have more rhythmically involved percussion, and this creates a mesh of progression and stasis that is not unlike a train journey through rural fields – which, coincidentally, is where this reviewer first listened to new album Infinite Moment. Techno guru, Axel Willner, is decidedly one of these people. Infinite Moment, his sixth full-length under his moniker, The Field , shows Willner upholding his calibre with poise and self-assurance. Within its six tracks, he not only embraces his pronounced style, but seizes new subtleties of expansive growth. Infinite Moment begins with hostility. In a statement regarding his sixth album as The Field, Axel Willner likened it to a respite from a world losing hope and "a moment that feels good and you don't want to end." It's a curious description to consider, even for longtime denizens of Willner's landscape, where each album is distinct yet interconnected enough that they could all be worked into a multi-hour DJ mix that would turn a dancefloor into sacred ground wherein epiphanies are manifested as surely as Willner's loops. In short, "a moment that feels good and you don't want to end." The pleasures of Infinite Moment, like the rest of Willner's discography, come from its multidimensionality. As Willner alluded to, it's an hour of refuge that refuses to become background noise. Axel Willner, better known as The Field, is one of those acts who mastered his craft so quickly that he had completed the hard work almost immediately. His debut From Here We Go to Sublime remains a recent landmark record not just in electronic music, but in general as a masterstroke of carving one's niche and exploiting it for all it's worth. In the time since, over four subsequent albums and now this, his sixth overall, Infinite Moment, he has maintained a consistency that one has come to expect from just over a decade of excellent, minimal, atmospheric techno from the Swedish wunderkind, while each time finding space to subtly add something new to the mix.
0.959219
"Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)" is a folk-rock song written by Bob Dylan and first recorded during The Basement Tapes sessions in 1967. The song was recorded in December 1967 and first released in January 1968 as "Mighty Quinn" by the British band Manfred Mann and became a great success. It has been recorded by a number of performers, often under the "Mighty Quinn" title. "By Request – Edwin Garvey" (1968) "Theme from 'Up The Junction'" "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)" The subject of the song is the arrival of Quinn (an Eskimo), who changes despair into joy and chaos into rest, and attracts attention from the animals. Dylan is widely believed to have derived the title character from actor Anthony Quinn's role as an Eskimo in the 1960 movie The Savage Innocents. Dylan has also been quoted as saying that the song was nothing more than a "simple nursery rhyme". A 2004 Chicago Tribune article also claimed that the song was named after Gordon Quinn, co-founder of Kartemquin Films, who had given Dylan and Howard Alk uncredited editing assistance on Eat the Document. Dylan recorded the song in 1967 during the Basement Tapes sessions, but did not release a version for another three years. Meanwhile, the song was picked up and recorded in December 1967 by the British band Manfred Mann, who released it in early 1968 under the title "Mighty Quinn". The Manfred Mann version reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart for the week of 14 February 1968, and remained there the following week. It also charted on the American Billboard chart, peaking at #10, and reached #4 in Cash Box. A later incarnation of Manfred Mann, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, included a dramatically different live version of the song on their 1978 album Watch. The single edit omitted the prog middle part (previously released as a standalone instrumental under the title "As Above So Below" on 1975's Nightingales & Bombers) and included a few new guitar solos. Afterwards, the song has appeared on numerous live recordings, the middle part often including long solos and/or snippets of other songs. "As Above So Below" has been replaced with "Oh Well" and in recent years, the band often quoted "Smoke on the Water" as well before returning to the main hook. Therefore, "Mighty Quinn" repeatedly goes on for over ten minutes live. A demo of 14 of the 1967 Basement Tapes recordings, including the first of two takes of "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)", was produced in 1968, but was not intended for release. Recordings taken from the demos began appearing on bootlegs, starting with Great White Wonder, a double-album bootleg that came out in July 1969. The first official release of the song was in 1970 on Dylan's Self Portrait album, a live recording from 1969's Isle of Wight Festival. The live version was also selected in 1971 for the second compilation of Dylan's career, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II. When Columbia finally released The Basement Tapes in 1975, the song was not among the double-album's 24 songs (although an Inuk was represented on the album cover, alongside Dylan, The Band, and several other people meant to represent certain characters from some of Dylan's songs). However, ten years later in 1985, the second of the two 1967 takes appeared on the 5-LP Biograph set (this time titled "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)"). This version was used again on The Essential Bob Dylan, a compilation released in 2000. The first of the two 1967 takes was not officially released until 2014, on The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete. The Manfred Mann version is noted for Klaus Voormann's use of a distinctive flute part. This was replaced in the Earth Band version with Manfred playing it on an organ. Kris Kristofferson covered the song in 2012 for Chimes of Freedom, in honor of 50 years of Amnesty International. The first release of the song, the #1 hit by Manfred Mann, which topped the UK charts in February 1968, was released as "Mighty Quinn". When Dylan released a live version of this song on his album Self Portrait, in June 1970, the song was titled "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)". This title was repeated when the same live recording was released on the album Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 in November 1971. When Dylan's original "basement tapes" recording of the song, backed by The Band and recorded in West Saugerties, New York in 1967, was eventually released as part of the compilation album Biograph, in 1985, it was entitled "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)"; this is the title according to the song on the official Bob Dylan website. Although they never played the song with Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead started playing "The Mighty Quinn" in concert in 1985. It became a favorite encore among the Grateful Dead's fans, and remained so to the end of their career. In 1969, The Hollies put their own spin on "The Mighty Quinn," adding a prominent banjo accompaniment, a horn section, and a flute part in reference to Manfred Mann's version. The song was featured as the last song on Side 2 of Hollies Sing Dylan and was performed in concert in 1969 alongside "Blowin' in the Wind". Leon Russell included a version in a medley with "I'll Take You There", "Idol With the Golden Head" and "He Lives (I Serve a Risen Savior)" that opens his album Leon Live. Dylan makes reference to the song in his 2004 autobiography Chronicles Volume One: "On the way back to the house I passed the local movie theater on Prytania Street, where The Mighty Quinn was showing. Years earlier, I had written a song called 'The Mighty Quinn' which was a hit in England, and I wondered what the movie was about. Eventually, I'd sneak off and go there to see it. It was a mystery, suspense, Jamaican thriller with Denzel Washington as the Mighty Xavier Quinn a detective who solves crimes. Funny, that's just the way I imagined him when I wrote the song 'The Mighty Quinn,' Denzel Washington." Dylan's chorus is featured in the movie, with different verses, since the movie's Quinn is not an Eskimo. "The Mighty Quinn" is also the main theme music for English Premiership Rugby Club Harlequins AKA "Quins", where the version by Gotthard is mainly used. In the Young Sheldon episode "An Eagle Feather, a String Bean, and an Eskimo" Sheldon refers to the song as "hippy folk music" and states, "shame on whoever wrote that" in reference to the lyric "You'll not see nothin'". The band State Radio refers to "Quinn the Eskimo" in the first stanza of their song *Fall Of The American Empire*: "Did you get the invitation? The swan song of a nation, Everyone's waiting for you inside. We got soda pop and hickory stills. Quinn the Eskimo in espadrilles, And Sally makin' you feel alright." The band Phish has also covered the song "Quinn the Eskimo". They played it most frequently in 2011 & 2012. It has become more of a rare cover in the years since. ^ a b c Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 114. ISBN 0-85112-250-7. ^ Oliver Trager, Keys to the rain: the definitive Bob Dylan encyclopedia, Billboard Books, 2004, pp.505-6. ^ a b Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 54 - Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll: Getting back to rock's funky, essential essence. [Part 3]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries. ^ "Manfred Mann No.1 in the UK on 14 February 1968 with "Mighty Quinn" for 2 weeks". Archived from the original on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2007. ^ "Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) | The Official Bob Dylan Site". Bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2 October 2016. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Manfred Mann – Mighty Quinn" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Manfred Mann – Mighty Quinn". Swiss Singles Chart. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Manfred Mann" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Manfred Mann – Mighty Quinn" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. ^ "Topp 20 Single uke 9, 1968 – VG-lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. ^ "Chart Track: Week 9, 1968". Irish Singles Chart. ^ "Manfred Mann Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Mann, Manfred – Mighty Quinn". GfK Entertainment Charts. ^ Dylan, Bob (2004). Chronicles Volume One. Simon & Schuster. p. 187. ISBN 0-7432-3076-0. Heylin, Clinton (2003). Behind the Shades Revisited. Harper Entertainment. ISBN 0-06-052569-X. Trager, Oliver (2004). Keys to the Rain. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7974-0. Nixon, Stu (1999). Deadbase XI. Deadbase. ISBN 1-877657-22-0. Lyrics to "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)"
0.974966
PIK decreases the insulininduced phosphorylation of PKB on both sites Ser and Thr Figure A . PI had a very similar effect Figure B . On the other hand, the p inhibitor TGX had no effect on PKB phosphorylation status Figure A , while wortmannin and LY completely inhibited the phosphorylation of PKB Figure C . In fully differentiated Gamma-Secretase Inhibitors T L adipocytes, a similar pattern was observed with inhibitors of p , but not of p , decreasing the insulin induced phosphorylation of PKB on both Ser and Thr Figure . In HepG cells, p is required but is not sufficient to mediate insulin signalling In contrast with what was seen in T L and CHO IR cells, in the human hepatoma HepG cell line, none of the p selective inhibitors was able to diminish the insulin induced phosphorylation of PKB Figures A and B . The same was true even when the exposure time to inhibitors before insulin stimulation was increased to min results not shown . As a control, nM wortmannin and M LY completely inhibited the phosphorylation of PKB Figure C , demonstrating that simultaneous inhibition of all PIK isoforms does block insulin signalling in these cells. Therefore we investigated the effect of inhibitors specific for p , p and p? on insulininduced phosphorylation of PKB. However, these inhibitors alone were also not able to diminish the effects of insulin induced phosphorylation on PKB Figures A and C . Given the effect of wortmannin and LY, we next investigated whether there might be some degree of redundancy in the participation of PIK isoforms in insulin signalling to PKB in these cells. To perform these experiments, we used combinations of inhibitors at concentrations at which they were specifically inhibiting their target isoform Figure D . Inhibition of either p p or p p reduced the phosphorylation of PKB to near basal, whereas inhibition of p p did not Figure D . In J. cells, all class IA PIK isoforms can mediate insulin signalling In J. macrophage cells, insulin strongly increases the phosphorylation of PKB and this is completely abolished by nM wortmannin, indicating that PIK is required for this effect Figure . In these cells, PIK , TGX and IC all partially attenuate insulin induced phosphorylation of Ser of PKB, indicating that p , p and p all contribute to insulin signalling in these cells and all three are required for insulin to be fully effective. In sum, the results of this limited phase II study suggest that some patients with poor risk AML, including those with secondary AML and or adverse cytogenetics, may benefit from tipifarnib maintenance therapy without incurring Neuronal Signaling clinically or biologically significant risks. Future studies of this approach should examine alternative tipifarnib dosing and continuation of therapy beyond cycles, as well as a randomized, placebo controlled trial of tipifarnib maintenance therapy. Finally, stratification based on molecular features may refine our ability to target the subset of patients who stand to derive the greatest benefit from the tipifarnib maintenance approach. Acute Myeloid Leukemia incidence in the United States was assessed from by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Results of incidence and year survival were based on nine reporting areas and the specific rates for age, gender, and race were examined. Each year, Acetylcysteine a total of , cases of AML were identified with the highest incidence in individuals over years of age. The incidence of AML in children was , cases per million. The and year survival rates in this study, among the various age groups, were calculated for patients with all types of leukemia including AML, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, and chronic lymphoblastic leukemia. Patients with AML had the worst prognosis among all types of leukemia with year survival rates of , and About half of older AML patients have adverse prognostic features at diagnosis, i.e. unfavorable cytogenetics and or AML arising after MDS. These patients are less responsive and less tolerant to conventional chemotherapy and are potential candidates for experimental approaches as first line therapy. An active oral therapy, such as tipifarnib, could offer therapeutic opportunity to frail patients. Myelodysplastic syndromes are characterized by incompetent hematopoiesis that leads to single or multi lineage peripheral cytopenias with the development of AML in approximately of cases. The etiology of MDS is unknown and the factors leading to AML progression are not well characterized. Registration of MDS to population based cancer registries in the United States was initiated in and results were recently reported. Ductal Maraviroc Selzentry carcinoma harbor reveals that BRCA gene expression can be reduced in sporadic breast and ovarian cancer. Reduction in the expression can allelic loss on chromosome q which BRCA, a Ph nomen, which will occur bekannterma guest houses. In this case, however, a wild-type copy of BRCA is always available, the at least one normal expression of BRCA. K hypermethylation of the regulatory region of the BRCA gene, which inhibit transcription Nnte, In sporadic breast and ovarian cancer was found. Sporadic breast cancer were found to have less than twice the messenger RNA expression and temporarily BRCA negative regulator, ID. Sixty-three percent of metaplastic breast cancer, a rare form of commodities such as breast cancer, promoter methylation of the BRCA gene were compared with embroidered them. Microarrays also show anything similar genetic characteristics between familial Ren and basal breast cancer BRCA as sporadic breast cancer. Sun triple negative breast cancer, such as breast and breast cancer BRCA germline part k Nnten all have the same mechanism of tumorigenesis by BRCA dysfunction KU-0063794 accommodate. For this reason, these types of breast cancer are as m Possible histologies, the PARP inhibitors through the concept of synthetic lethality benefit t k Investigated Nnten. Sporadic ovarian tumors also showed genetic profiles that were either like or want BRCA BRCA sq.m. Twenty-five percent of BRCA mutations in tumors of Eierst Blocks are not germline. Small breast and ovarian cancer have BRCA germline mutations, somatic mutations in the BRCA ovarian tumors represent up to high quality t. The presence of sporadic mutation increased Ht the Bev POPULATION that benefit from PARP inhibitor treatment Nnten k. Zus Tzlich were convey other mutations and epigenetic effects proven BRCAness cells. Hypermethylation of the promoter of BRCA and loss of function mutations in other genes that determined the way HR were influenced provide BRCAness cells. To find the genetic profile of cells with BRCAness, studies with chips epithelial tumors of the ovary with known germline mutations, a pancreatic tumor cell line known to have BRCA mutations, and sporadic tumors of epithelial ovarian cancer conducted. A heat map showing the genetic profile of tumors with and without BRCA mutations differentiated the specific models for BRCA BRCA rather than tumors with an accuracy in patients. Can Culture VX-770 Collection and grown in humidified incubators Enter erg by the CO Complements, the media have been in conformity with the recommendations received ATCC cell culture. The embroidered the analysis produced by the line and Colo tumor cells to confluence in T-flasks Super. After washing with Hank’s balanced salt L S solution, the cells were resuspended in lysis buffer by scraping with a protease inhibitor cocktail tablets and phenylmethanesulfonyl erg Harvested complements. Cell culture media and reagents were purchased from Invitrogen. Animal xenografts were rperwand in athymic female M Nozzles exposed lines with human melanoma cells Colo A and by subcutaneous injection to the side K, Just caudal to the armpit cave established. All Mice developed tumors and tumors by serial passage in vivo using tumor fragment transplantation when the tumors reached receive donor mm diameter. The tumors were treated with a size s vorgew hlten staged according to the following amlodipine formula: Weight. The Mice were K Clog provisional polycarbonate sterile filter held in a barrier facility on a dark light cycle hours and provided housed sterilized food and water ad libitum. The Mice were randomized prior to treatment with a commercially available software. NCI Frederick is accredited by AAALAC International and follows the Health Policy for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Animal care were in accordance with the described in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. All studies were in accordance with an animal care and use committee approved the protocol performed. ABT agent study was resolved in the required strength St, not more than mg Per ml in a clinically relevant vehicle with citric Acid and sorbitol in sterile water. ABT was administered orally by gavage alone or in mg kg. mg kg dose. Dose volume was defined as. ml g of body weight. Topotecan was administered intraperitoneally at the maximum tolerated dose in M Nozzles mg kg. The Mice were at Sthesiert by Inhalationsan Anesthesia isoflurane gas prior to biopsy or resection of the tumor. Tumor biopsies If anesthesia was achieved, the skin is disinfected with Nolvasan ? mm incision was biopsied through the skin next to the subcutaneous tumor produced. A biopsy needle Rights was approved accepted through the incision into the tumor. Once the needle was in the h Highest in the tumor, a biopsy was collected, and the biopsy needle has been withdrawn. The frozen material collected directly in an O-ring seal, screw capped Sarstedt Kryor Hrchen touching the biopsy into the vial, which was pre-cooled in liquid nitrogen. The liquid was schchen Then sealed and returned to liquid nitrogen. Frozen samples were stored at ? Until use. After sampling, the wound was closed with surgical wound clips. Biopsies were performed at baseline and hours after administration. Repeat biopsies in untreated animals were separated by a recovery period of one week, in which the animals t Possible time were on patient assessment model w Treated during the process provided. SOPs have been developed, stabilize the level of PAR needle biopsies using tumor xenograft models in an interventional radiology. achieved over 13 days with the pretty highest dose regimen RG7128/danoprevir of SOC treatment for 12 weeks, followed RVR and early virologic response rates of 88% and 100%. This is the first antiviral Ganetespib strategy based combination therapy and DAA is very promising. 4.5. Other NS3 protease inhibitors currently, many pharmaceutical companies NS3 protease inhibitors in their pipeline, but little information is generally train Are accessible. Three inhibitors are currently in phase II clinical vaniprevir, narlaprevir and BI 201335th If vaniprevir was for four weeks as part of combination therapy with administered Peg IFN / Rib RVR 69 82% was markedly from Than the 5.6% Erh Observed increase with SOC. Eight more weeks of SOC has led to an SVR rates of 77 89%. Narlaprevir triple therapy resulted in a 4.5 log10 4 IU / mL reduction in viral load after eight days in both treatment Hedgehog Pathway naive and experienced ï HCV genotype 1-infected patients. The vorl Ufigen Phase II results showed narlaprevir that patients lead, the SOC of four weeks followed by a triple therapy had h Here RVR and EVR 58 amounted to 87 87% and 84%. A Phase II study is evaluating SVR rates with and without co-administration of ritonavir as a booster pharmacokinetics. Fortnight entered BI 201335 monotherapy Born lower median HCV RNA log10 4.2 to 3 IU / mL, w During 14-day triple therapy increased Ht this decline to 4.8 5.3 log10 IU / ml The vorl Ufigen Phase II Results showed that patients with C1 re Silenus U BI 201335/Peg IFN / Rib combination therapy for 12 weeks RVR and EVR infected by 92% and 91%, and showed, in comparison with 16% and 42% in the embroidered l arm. These Di T also showed a strong antiviral activity T after 12 weeks in patients who do not meet the above SOC, as the study reveals SILEN C2. Other protease inhibitors currently in Phase I clinical development go VX 813, VX 500 and VX 985, 376 VBY, PHX1766, ABT 450, BMS 650032, ACH 1625, 5172 and GS 9256 MC Ren. The results of long-term treatment with these compounds are not yet available. 5th Challenges and future directions in order to maximize the effectiveness of the treatment and increase the Bev Treated POPULATION should tested protease inhibitors of HCV, and low in patients with a chronic infection that are not examined on the SOC and in populations with traditionally response rate. Compared with PegIFN / RBV, significantly more patients in the triple therapy achieved in the arms of SVR were 28 weeks of treatment, SVR rates 54% and 56% in the head and not in my arms and H Nde run 48 weeks, the SVR rates were 67% for lead and 75% do not lead to the arms. Reducing the dose of ribavirin reduced hours Hematological toxicity t, but Similar telaprevir, bcl-2 reduced SVR rates with high failure rates due to resistance. Those who deleted the virus gel Shown at week 4 of boceprevir had high sustained virologic response when treated for only 28 weeks. After all, were the response rate in African-Americans, the% is generally a poor response to standard treatment as high as the 53rd Cirrhotic patients went on SVR rates as high as 67%. 4 The Phase 3 trials. A recently reported phase-3 Sprint 2 Respond 2 and Phase 3 studies give us an insight further into the optimal use of boceprevir in combination with PegIFN / RBV in genotype 1 infected patients Sprint 1 registered 1094 pretreated ? into 3 treatment groups: 1 48 detected weeks PegIFN / RBV, an Piperine arm of the response guided therapy with 4 weeks lead boceprevir for 24 weeks, followed with 20 weeks PegIFN / RBV if HCV RNA was w during the week 8 to 24.13 in the third arm, the patients again u an advance of PegIFN / RBV, followed by 44 weeks PegIFN / RBV and boceprevir. In both cohorts, h Here sustained response rates in the boceprevir-containing regimens were seen, the sustained response rate in non-black arm 67% for RGT arm and 68% in week 44 of boceprevir / ankles / arm ribavirin. It was more than PegIFN / RBV emphasizes control of 40%. superior sustained response rates were also observed in the cohort, where the black arm of the response guided therapy achieved an SVR of 42%, with the ankles / ribavirin / boceprevir arms chels 44 weeks achieve a SVR of 53%, both above the knots control / ribavirin% 23. React 2 of the non-responders had a trial Much the same design but has a L Ngere treatment duration of 32 weeks boceprevir in response out arm.14 patients re PegIFN alfa embroidered or u-2b and ribavirin, or advancing the 4 weeks through 32 weeks boceprevir, PegIFN / RBV 12 weeks followed by PegIFN / RBV in slow responders vs. 44 weeks PegIFN / RBV / boceprevir for example, after 4 weeks in. This study non- responder relapsers and partial responders included historical but historical 0 responders were excluded. Turn were h Here SVR rates observed with boceprevir-containing regimens, wherein 59% of those responsible for achieving guided therapies SVR and 67%, which again U boceprevir for 44 weeks of PEG / ribavirin after market leader in achieving SVR. Boceprevir was approved for the treatment of previously untreated patients ? and non-responders in combination with PegIFN and ribavirin United States. 5 Safety and toxicity t on Chemistry and Geschmacksst Changes were the main side effects observed in the boceprevir arms, although those on Was mie had h Here SVR rates. Using ??rythropo Retina was allowed in this study and the h Heren SVR rates were among those developed at the chemistry Necessary and EPO observed. R With the EPO with boceprevir is currently being investigated in a randomized study that is completely Enrolled constantly. The resistance profile of boceprevir is shown in Table 2, and is Similar to the telaprevir. Although immune responses k after receiving a vaccine, it appears that these responses are not sufficient to significantly reduce the size at this point S the tumors, but it can alb, the growth rate of the tumor. Moreover, it is possible to change the immune response most relevant to the anti-tumor therapy is not covered by the vaccine, but autonomous, a new immune response against tumor antigens other, a Ph, The distribution known as antigen cascade or epitope. For example, the initial immune response to a vaccine entered dinner mediated T cell death caused APC receive GSK-3 alpha inhibitor dying tumor cells, and other, more competent, antigens to the immune system. This can, in combination with the wider anti-tumor immune response more clinically relevant and may result in a slower growth. Moreover, maintaining the immune response or even increased Ht, after subsequent treatments. There is a widespread perception that there re many patients with a vaccine U chemotherapy after progression, chemotherapy will survive only really improve, not the vaccine. There are strong pr Clinical and clinical data suggest that this new perception incorrect. murine studies show that the combination of docetaxel and one vaccine anti-tumor response generated effective than treatment Temsirolimus alone, and as the vaccine followed by the vaccine taxanes maximizes induces the immune response. Several studies in follow-up vaccine trials have also shown that patients treated with a vaccine better than on subsequent Do expect border chemotherapy. In patients with metastatic CRPC, in particular, there was an interesting analysis of the response to chemotherapy after vaccination. Patients were either treated in an earlier study with Sipuleucel-T vaccine or placebo for OS evaluated after treatment with docetaxel. Followed for the 51 patients treated with the vaccine of chemotherapy was 34.5 months, the system time against 25.4 months for the 31 patients who were randomized to receive placebo and then back U chemotherapy. Taken together, these data indicate that docetaxel is a smoldering after vaccination immune response to enjoy, which results in better. Chemotherapy can also ver Change the Ph Phenotype of tumor cells induce a This agent blocked the cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 molecule on T-cells that have been entered obtains Dinner immune response Ht cascade of antigen or deplete regulatory cells, strengths thereby reinforcing Or stimulating the immune response zus Tzlich to its cytotoxic effects, which then causes. Better results than chemotherapy alone Recent data also suggest that cytotoxic chemotherapy may molecular an alarm ultimately leads to an increase in the immune response, the immune response continues to benefit from a k Nnten auszul Sen. It is important to note that therapeutic cancer vaccines. Not the only agent in patients with metastatic CRPC who evaluated resulted in a L Ngeren without OS Change in the PFS interval ZD4054 is an antagonist of endothelin receptor A, which in patients with metastatic CRPC 312 was two doses tested as compared to placebo. Although neither dose zibotentan leads to an L Ngeren break PFS, further analysis showed that both doses survival time l Longer than 6 months. A large e planned phase III study, this results to best Term. Another immune-based therapy ipilimumab has OS benefit in patients without metastatic melanoma is shown about a change in the progression of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the r The organic bone Marker in the management of CRPC and the development and optimization of targeted therapy against bone. Biology of bone metastases in bone metastases usually vascularized areas and skeleton, such as the vertebra Thy molecules, heart, Sch Del and proximal ends of the long bones is arranged. In normal bone, the remodeling process is in equilibrium, however, the presence of LDE225 tumor cells in the bone resorption process, the L Lesions, detectable by R Ntgenaufnahmen or bone scan results are st Rt. L versions Resulting from an imbalance between bone resorption and osteoclast-induced osteoblastic bone formation. Osteoclasts to Knochenoberfl Surface and resorb bone matrix by proteases and adhere secreting acids and S, Which in turn secrete osteoblasts mineralized collagen, possibly forming bone. However, crosstalk between tumor cells and the bone microenvironment then causes an imbalance in the remodeling process, which. To a vicious circle of disease Particular tumor cells secrete factors that stimulate osteoclast bone resorption, and the factors that have been fixed in the bone matrix are released, the F Promotion of the growth of cancer cells and f rdern Artesunate Bone loss. Emissions on the basis of the radiographic appearance Knochenl Commonly as osteolytic, osteoblastic or sclerotic or mixed designates. Osteoblastic bone metastases in prostate cancer predominantly However, the high bone turnover and thus are above the Bone strength also characteristic. skeletal events due to their high frequency in CRPC bone metastases are responsible for a significant proportion of the morbidity t of patients, mainly known as the complications skeleton events. Bone Tumorassociated lack of structural integrity of t Normal bone and is therefore intrinsically black Cher, whereby a high risk of pathologic fracture. Bone metastases k Can also cause bone pain, intermittent or constant. Metastases in the vertebra Columnmay molecules also cause spinal cord / nerve root compression. Patients with bone metastases often require palliative radiotherapy or surgery to bone. Unlike other cancers, such as breast cancer, is Hyperkalz Mie rare in patients with prostate cancer. SRE significantly reduce the Lebensqualit t in terms of health and went NEET high medical costs, and patient to develop the pathological fractures decreased survival rate compared with patients without fractures. In a study of 442 M Knnern with advanced prostate cancer, about a third had an SRE before study entry, 49% of at least one SRE w Experienced during the study, and 31% had Stressing two or more SRE that patients for high-risk multiple SRE and the importance of reducing the occurrence of bone complications. Behandlungsm opportunities For patients with metastatic CRPC bone Since the progression of prostate cancer to CRPC includes incurable disease, the goals of treatment are to reduce the symptoms I laughed and survival Ngern. Current Behandlungsm possibilities Therefore include agents to reduce tumor growth and / or reduce the morbidity t of bone metastases. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is used in patients with CRPC have radiological evidence of nodes, bone or visceral metastases. Total ese results suggest that AP24534 be alone sufficient to eliminate all escape routes by mutations in the kinase Dom ne known. However, it is almost JNK Signaling Pathway unm Resembled, in vivo toxicity t predict. The safety of AP24534 is currently confinement in a Phase 1 clinical trial for h Hematological tumors Evaluated Lich CML. Is that agents are first line second line therapy Preferences INDICATIVE results from Phase 1 studies show that Treated 00% of newly diagnosed patients with dasatinib or nilotinib were CCyR within 12 months. Although this data is in progress, it remains to be seen whether this translate into a real advantage and caution. Much talk about the benefits, high-dose imatinib . However, two recent randomized trials have not shown superiority in the primary Ren endpoint, the rate of complete cytogenetic response and major molecular response at 12 months. Although a RAAS System survival advantage could be with l Follow-up ngeren seen, it is much more likely, new supporters and aggressive treatment from the beginning to the first defender to reflect surrogate efficiency. An important reason to believe that more aggressive therapy may improve survival before general and progression-free faster than debulking should the risk of resistance to reduce the therapy. Patients quickly to protect a load of residual disease have low risk of recurrence is extremely low, even in the absence of disease eradication. Intuitively, the use of powerful second-line TKIs not capture new reactions in patients with disease that is more advanced than that proposed by the morphology, even in those who acquired BCR ABL subclones independent Girlfriend. Several large e Phase 3 studies to evaluate dasatinib or nilotinib in frontline capacity to th Currently in the United States and Europe, And finally, determine the r Inhibitors of the second line as the first line therapy. K We can cure CML BCR ABL suppression of the activity of t Second generation inhibitors currently dominate clinical trials, but the focus is already moving to the new frontier of healing. At the heart of these efforts, the question of whether the CML stem cells BCR ABL is addictive. Ex vivo showed fa Constant So ph Notypisch primitive BCR-ABL positive cells by exposure to TKI, confinement Survive Lich inhibitors on the second line. However, the results with regard to the crucial question of whether BCR-ABL under these conditions is actively debated. Alternatively, or if the survival of these cells is not necessarily dependent Ngig of BCR-ABL activity t And eradicating the disease through targeted BCR ABL biochemical pathway unm Will be possible, and in principle Tzlich different approach to CML stem cells specifically required is. because we do not yet have a clear amplifier ndnis why the CML stem cell survival in BCR-ABL inhibitors, n hert itself the goal of these cells are empirical necessity. Ironically, k Nnte interferon displace Depends standard drug Se therapy with imatinib seen a renaissance in the remaining Leuk Mie. 21 large randomized trials found no dasatinib with dasatinib in Phase 1 studies, Phase 1 Study of Dasatinib in 84 patients refractory r or intolerant to imatinib in all phases of the disease and PhA LL was completed in 20,051 new patients U dasatinib at a dose of 15 to 240 mg once t Possible for 5 days a week. The study of climbing dosage dosage twice JNK Signaling Pathway a day and 7 days after dosing. The main h Dermatological response rate was 92% in the chronic phase and 70% in accelerated phase, myeloid blast Ph and A LL. Cytogenetic responses were also observed with 45% of patients in chronic phase with a cytogenetic response. Accelerated phase, myeloid blast crisis Ph and A LL, cytogenetic response was observed in 27%, 35% and 80% of patients. Duration of response was mixed and myeloid blast crisis patients Or lymphocytes Hurts from when compared as in chronic and accelerated phase. Only 1 patient in blast crisis lympho 3 and lymphoid blast crisis myelo W re Lasting response and were still in the study at a median follow-up of 4 months. Responses were maintained in 95% of patients with CML in chronic phase and 82% of patients Taxifolin with accelerated phase CML with a median follow-up of 12 months and 5 months respectively. Myelosuppression occurred in 45% and 89% of patients in chronic phase and advanced disease are. Fifteen patients had pleural effusions with dasatinib and seven patients had transient St Changes in liver function associated. It is important that patients who discontinued due to toxicity of imatinib T not necessarily recurrence of this toxicity th Dasatinib. Dasatinib therapy produces h Hematological and cytogenetic responses in all patients with mutations with resistance to imatinib BCRABL au He associated T315I mutation. 1 Based on these fi ndings and dasatinib, s relatively short half-life, 22 Phase 2 studies evaluating Dasatinib initiated in the chronic phase, accelerated and blast waves with doses of 70 mg twice per day. Dasatinib in chronic phase results from a Phase 2 trial in an international open 387 patients with chronic phase CML who were resistant or intolerant to imatinib in 2008.23 Initially, a median of 15.2 months in agreement ffentlicht Complete h dermatological reactions were performed at 90% of imatinib-resistant patients, 52% achieved a major cytogenetic response rate reached. Time to CHR was quick with the majority of patients who achieved CHR within 15 days. The h Most frequent reason for discontinuation of dasatinib by disease toxicity t Progression. 2 was followed in updating the most recent follow-up with a minimum of 24 months, cytogenetic response was 55% with 88% of patients who had a major cytogenetic response reached this level of response for at least 2 years. Progression-free survival at 24 months for imatinib-resistant patients was 75% .24 For example, the H Half of patients with chronic phase CML with imatinib-resistant or Incompatible Possibility cant have significant and durable cytogenetic responses to dasatinib treatment. Other therapeutic considerations for non-responders, other tyrosine kinase inhibitors and allogeneic transplantation when m possible. The optimal management of these CCyR performance is less clear. Given the relatively short follow-up, there is no guarantee that these patients do not progress at some point, and so r Transplant patients responders continue this discussion.
0.999997
Recall the discussion of Jungian psychological types in part 39 of this analysis. Top left: A scene from the beginning of The Silence of the Lambs: At the movie's beginning, Clarice Starling's psychological type is introverted feeling; as discussed in part 39, she is later 'converted' to an introverted intuitive type. Throughout the movie, she is an introvert. Top right: Hannibal Lecter is an extraverted thinking type. Above left: Ardelia Mapp displays this 'extraverted' congratulatory gesture toward Starling at the FBI graduation ceremony. Some of the key people involved in the undermining of Starling (e.g., Lecter, and Ardelia) are depicted as being more extraverted than Clarice. The Silence of the Lambs is thus, in part, an 'allegory' for how our extraverted Western society tends to work against introverts. Above right: Starling takes command of the drug bust operation in Hannibal, the sequel to The Silence of the Lambs. The 'corruption' of Clarice's soul coincides with her becoming more extraverted. (As stated in the previous post in this analysis, the fact that Ardelia is giving Clarice a congratulatory gesture at the ceremony, does not mean that she has been working on Clarice's side; she is here simply going out of her way to pretend that she has been on Clarice's side all along). By the end of The Silence of the Lambs, Starling has become Lecter's Jungian opposite (in terms of psychological types). Also, as described earlier in this analysis, Clarice has assimilated Gumb, her 'moral opposite', with this symbolizing the Catholic Church's assimilation of evil.
0.999109
Working in TV from 1947, Mann directed over 100 live plays, the best known of which was Paddy Chayefsky's "Marty" (1953). The following year he directed a big-screen version, starring Ernest Borgnine as the lonely Bronx butcher in search of love. The success of the film--it took the Palme d'Or at Cannes--paved the way for a number of low-budget films on "small" subjects that flourished in the mid-1950s. Mann's other successes include the finely acted "The Bachelor Party" (1956), also scripted by Chayefsky, and "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (1960). He made some deft comedies in the 1960s and later directed several competent TV adaptations, such as "Jane Eyre" (1972) and "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1979). Working in TV from 1947, Mann directed over 100 live plays, the best known of which was Paddy Chayefsky's "Marty" (1953). The following year he directed a big-screen version, starring Ernest Borgnine as the lonely Bronx butcher in search of love. The success of the film--it took the Palme d'Or at Cannes--paved the way for a number of low-budget films on "small" subjects that flourished in the mid-1950s. Mann's other successes include the finely acted "The Bachelor Party" (1956), also scripted by Chayefsky, and "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (1960). He made some deft comedies in the 1960s and later directed several competent TV adaptations, such as "Jane Eyre" (1972) and "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1979). Helmed live programs for "Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse" During the 'Golden Age of Television', directed numerous productions for such esteemed series as "Playhouse 90", "Producers Showcase" and "DuPont Show of the Month" Guided David Niven and Wendy Hiller to Oscars in "Separate Tables" Helmed "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" First teaming with Doris Day and Rock Hudson, "Lover Come Back" Reunited with Day and Hudson for the comedy "That Touch of Mink" Was director of the NBC drama "Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident" Helmed the ABC miniseries "A Death in California" Was director of the NBC biopic "The Ted Kennedy Jr. Story" Directed the documentary "Grace Kelly -- The American Princess" for Cinemax's "Crazy About the Movies" Produced and directed the TV adaptation of Howard Fast's novel "April Morning" Was director of the TNT period drama "Ironclads" Ann Caroline Mann. Mother is second wife; survived him. Ann Caroline Mann. Met while both attended Vanderbilt University. Delbert M Mann. Second wife; survived him. Delbert M Mann. Teacher. Worked at Scarritt College.
0.976065
This history of aquatic sports in South Africa includes all the FINA disciplines of swimming, water polo, synchronized swimming, as well as lifesaving and bi/triathlons, where swimmers also participated in those sports. The main focus is on swimming, mainly due to availability of material. Many people - competitors and administrators - were active in more than one of these. Many swimmers also competed in triathlons, lifesaving and water polo. Triple Springbok Paul Blackbeard has national colours in swimming as well as both forms of lifesaving, while Kevin Richards had colours for swimming, surf lifesaving and triathlon, and Olympic medalist Marianne Kriel also has colours lifesaving and biathlon. South Africa boasts a very successful history in international swimming - from Jenny Maakal's bronze medal at the 1932 Olympic Games to Joan Harrison's gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games and Chad le Clos. The history of competitive swimming in South Africa includes the participation of the Rhodesian ASA Swimming Association, who competed at nationals from 1920 to 1980, and South West Africa, until that country became Namibia in 1990. Swimming and water polo continue to thrive in both primary and high schools, with many schools boasting a pool, or even two pools where water polo is a popular sports for boys and girls. Although water carnivals were often held in a flooded dry dock, open water was the traditional location for swimming - the sea, rivers and dams. In South Africa Henry Hooper swimming to Robben Island in 1908, while the Seals Swimming Club of Pietermaritzburg hosts the annual Midmar Mile, which is the world's largest open water mile race. Mile races were a feature of 19th century swimming, with the 1924 Redhouse River Mile in Port Elizabeth being the oldest extant event in South Africa. Today open water swimming is also an Olympic event. The first South African Masters swimming nationals were held in 1984. In 1930 Oonagh Whitsitt of Natal won a gold medal at the Empire Games in Hamilton, Canada, which is the only major diving medal ever won by a South African. Diving has played a part of aquatic sports events since the early days of swimming carnivals. In Sweden, where gymnasts dragged their equipment to the beach held their events over water, creating the sport of "fancy" diving - which was introduced in Britain by the Swedes in the late 1890's. Before that, diving was known as "plunging", where swimmers tried to get most distance from a pool-side start. The story of diving in South Africa is largely the story of Rhodesian diving, as they dominated the sport at nationals for many years. In South Africa the sport first featured at the Pretoria nationals in 1970, after a national Board of control was established by SAASU in 1968. Natal were early adopters of the sport, which was reflected in their dominance for the next decade. The first two Synchro Springboks were Aileen Martin and Gillian Buck, who swam at the 1972 Canadian championships. Water polo is enjoying a revival in some South African schools today. Although blighted by the quota system enforced on all South African sport, water polo is experiencing a veritable explosion of interest, with girls and boys playing in expanded local, national and international leagues. Some schools have up to 7 or more teams, and a number of national tournaments are held annually, and in December 2013 East London hosted the 39th national inter-provincial high schools tournament, featuring under 13 to under 19 teams. Teams from Zimbabwe are also competing, with Chisipite BHS recently building a new 25m pool. It has not always been like this. Water polo was the main activity of 19th century "swimming" clubs based in the Cape and port Elizabeth, where men (only) played league games, and also participated in the odd swimming race. Nationals was "Currie Cup" - the trophy awarded to the top water polo province at the annual championships, where swimmers also featured, and many polo players swam in some of the races. Transvaal (Gauteng) retained possession of the coveted Currie Cup trophy at the King’s Park Aquatic Centre in Durban on 14th April 2012. Life saving sport is the only sport in the world that has a humanitarian purpose: to train and certify life savers, and it played an important part in the development of competitive swimming. The competitive aspect of the sport involves pool and surf lifesaving, although in South Africa there is little cross-over between the two disciplines, as surf lifesaving is run by voluntary clubs, while non-competitive "professional" lifeguards are employed by municipalities. There are numerous articles related to lifesaving in the newspapers included on this website, often included with swimming reports. Since 1993 the International Life Saving Federation has governed the combined surf and pool activities, although lifesaving has never been governed by SAASU or FINA. Every two years the International Life Saving Federation organizes the Lifesaving World Championships, called Rescue Series. In South Africa the surf lifesaving clubs continue to patrol the beaches and have surf and beach events, while the pool lifesavers have their own in the pool. Durban Surf Lifesaving club have twice won the world chapionships! Springbok swimmers Kevin Richards and Marianne Kriel have also competed for their country in bi- and triathlons, while international stars like Simon Lessing, Paula Newby-Fraser and Eastern Province backstroke swimmer Mandy Dean won Springbok colours for triathlon, and another former EP swimmer - Libby Burrel - is the Canadian national coach. Biarthle is a popular spot in the Afrikaans community. The 2017 World Championships were held in Viveiro (ESP), where South Africa emerged with an exceptional 42 gold medals across all categories.
0.999289
I get a chuckle when certain people who claim to be great supporters of scientific experimentation balk at the idea that experimentation should be done with democracy, the social issues included. One wonders shat the scientific world would look like if there were only one laboratory, with experiments, research priorities, and overall direction set according to one policy, with a single eye to the future. I suspect that our republic would more closely resemble the 1960's USSR, the great bastion of workers rights, high living standards and political and social freedom that it was. You could argue though, that due to the 14th amendment, rights should be protected on the federal level and shouldn't be experimented with.
0.97556
Juan Crisóstomo Jacobo Antonio de Arriaga y Balzola was a Spanish composer. He was nicknamed the Spanish Mozart after his death, as he was both a child prodigy and an accomplished composer who died young. They also shared the same first and second baptismal names; and they shared the same birthday, January 27. Born in Bilbao, Biscay, on what would have been Mozart's fiftieth birthday, he was taught music by his father and his older brother. In September 1822 Arriaga's father sent him to Paris to study under Pierre Baillot, Luigi Cherubini, and François-Joseph Fétis at the Paris Conservatoire: Arriaga made quite an impression on his teachers. He died in Paris ten days before his twentieth birthday, of a lung ailment (possibly tuberculosis), or exhaustion, perhaps both. He was buried in an unmarked grave at the Cimetière du Nord in Montmartre. There is a plaque marking the house at 314 rue Saint-Honoré in his memory. His works contain notably Spanish rhythmic and melodic elements.
0.951172
Slack is a great corporate messenger, which is suitable for communications within the team and business correspondence. On this platform, you can create two types of bots: custom, and application bots. A custom bot will exist within the messenger, it can be added to groups and dialogs. A bot applications, can be outside the messenger. The first type acts as communication assistants, it is focused on help precisely in the internal environment of the company. The second is a separate mobile application with a Slack interface and integration with the messenger. Now there are useful Slack bots that talk about the capabilities of this platform. Most of them automate the work of managers and company management. For example: Relay and Birdly - monitor the activity of users, and collect information about them; Nikabot - conducts a survey of employees on the performance of tasks, and draw up a report on current affairs; Meekan is a bot organizer, when scheduling meetings and meetings it takes into account the schedules of each participant, chooses a convenient time for everyone, and creates a meeting; and many others. How to develop a bot for Slack?
0.999998
A newborn baby may sleep as much as 18 hours a day, while a middle-aged executive may manage on as few as 5 hours. But how much is healthy and how much do we need? The short answer is that there is no answer&colon; your needs depend on your age and gender, and it varies between individuals. Young animals generally sleep more than adults and humans are no exception. The structure and intensity of sleep is different too. In young people there is a preponderance of REM sleep, and non-REM sleep is very deep, probably to aid brain maturation. Deep sleep and REM sleep both contribute to plasticity of neuronal networks, which could help with the acquisition of new skills. A recent study found babies sleep more during growth spurts (Sleep, vol 34, p 641). During adolescence sleep becomes shallower and shifts to later hours, reflecting extensive brain rewiring. The frontal lobe – responsible for executive functions such as planning and inhibiting inappropriate behaviour – shows a marked fall in synapse density as the result of neuronal pruning. Teenagers are not just being lazy when they don’t want to get out of bed. Their adolescent biology may also prefer an adjustment of school hours.
0.985449
In today's Verge post, Vlad begins by stating, "We might not like it, but Apple's prediction that we could live without headphone jacks is proving correct" I agree. I don't like it, but I could live without a headphone jack on my phone. I've used both wired and wireless phones with my current phone and I will continue to use both, depending on the situation. I like having that choice but, if pressed, I *could* live without one or the other. To be clear: I completely agree with Vlad's opening statement. Here is where I take exception to Vlad's article. He cites Apple's claim that the primary reason to drop the headphone jack was to free up space for other, more important components. Vlad correctly points out that such space saving probably isn't critical to current phone models but will, eventually, prove helpful in future models as Apple works to minimize bezels and whatnot. He also correctly points out that many (most) phone makers provide low-quality audio components for the headphone jack so the wired listening experience is typically not what it should be in terms of sound quality. While it is true that leaving things out will inherently free up space, Vlad somehow completely overlooks Apple's 3-billion-dollar acquisition of Beats headphones in 2014. This oversight might be forgivable if it weren't the single biggest reason Apple dropped the headphone jack. * 2006 - Beats brand is formed in partnership between Dr. Dre (and Jimmy Iovine) and Monster Cable. Monster will design, produce, and distribute Beats products. Dr. Dre's primary job is to lend his name and promote product. * 2008 - The first Beats headphones hit the market ($350). Note that these are wired headphones - more on that in a bit. * 2011 - HTC, the cellphone manufacturer, buys 50.1% (note: a controlling interest!) of Beats from Dre/Iovine and then, within a year, sells back 25% to Dre/Iovine. That quick sell-back seems strange until you consider the original contract with Monster: the contract allowed Beats to terminate the deal with Monster if there was a "transaction that resulted in a bona fide change in control (of the company)". HTC's purchase of 50.1% allowed Dre/Iovine to cut Monster out of the picture, never mind that HTC sold back controlling interest to Dre/Iovine within 12 months. * 2012 - Beats releases its first round of non-Monster products. Wow - that was fast... almost as if these products were planned well before Monster was dumped from the partnership via Dre's stock sell-off/buy-back shenanigans. Monster eventually sued Beats, by the way, but that's another story. Also Bose sued Beats but then had to contend with Apple -- another another story. It's notable that Beats released its first Bluetooth-enabled product in 2012: the Pill speaker. Still no wireless headphones, though. * 2014 - Following the public announcement of Apple's purchase of the company, Beats suddenly shifts away from it's seven-year practice of preserving audio quality by sticking to wired headphone connections (versus signal-compressed Bluetooth). The "Powerbeats 2" wireless ear buds are announced within weeks of the Apple announcement. The company also releases in 2014 the "Beats Studio Wireless" and the "Solo2" wireless headphones. * 2015 - Beats continues to expand and promote its lineup of Bluetooth headphones. Insider confirmations begin to leak to the press early in January, 2016, detailing Apple's plan to drop the headphone jack on the upcoming iPhone 7. * 2016 - Beats becomes largest manufacturer of Bluetooth headphones in the U.S. Read that again: In just two years, Beats went from having *no* wireless models to being the largest Bluetooth headset vendor in the country. This success was despite numerous articles during the same time period from notable publications (New York Times, PCMag) revealing a staggering disparity in cost of Beats' parts versus retail prices. One such article went into great detail showing how just $17 of parts made up a $200 Beats headset -- and also revealed that weights were hidden inside to make the headset feel more substantial than it actually was. Despite such reports, the brand's popularity continued to rise. * 2017 - Beats accounts for 46% of all wireless headphone sales in the U.S. Apple-branded wireless headsets account for another 3% of sales. So... half of all wireless headset sales dollars in the U.S. now go to Apple. How convenient for the company that it just so happened to decide to drop the wired headset port -- purely for design purposes -- around the same time it happened to buy a wired headphone company and happened to reorient that business to producing wireless headsets. It's also worth noting that more than half (54%) of headphone dollar sales are now for wireless headsets. Wireless headsets still only account for 17% of all headsets sold, but their high cost means that the majority of headphone dollars get spent on wireless units. I think a better story would be how Google's dropping of headphone jacks from upcoming Pixel phones plays into Apple's hands by driving additional wireless headset sales, 49% of which generates more money for Apple. Vlad Savov is a champion of high-quality sound. I quite enjoy his articles detailing mobile devices that embrace and emphasize good audio. My post is not meant to detract from any of Mr. Savov's work. Rather, this post is intended to highlight the Apple / Beats connection and express how much of a head-scratcher it is that Vlad does not mention this highly pertinent connection when referencing Apple's decision to drop the headphone jack.
0.989191
Contrast effects based on changes in the sensory characteristics of lifted weights were demonstrated. Two groups of 10 Ss were trained to select three reference weights. how to cook ribeye steak in instant pot Research has shown that sleeping can be beneficial for weight loss. A study from the University of Michigan showed that just one hour more per night of sleep could translate to a 14 pound weight loss over the course of a year in a person who eats 2,500 calories per day. Visual weight is an advanced composition technique that you can use in combination with other elements to design your images with more impact. Weight gainer protein supplements provide a great source of complex and simple carbs, and generally digest faster then whole foods. To maximize weight gain, it is best to use a weight gainer protein supplement at least 2 to 3 times per day. Contrast shows what is important by making smaller or lighter elements recede on the page to allow other elements to take center stage. However, contrast can be overdone. Choose carefully. When pairing fonts that come from the same family, you have to plan carefully to create contrast, varying things like font size, weight (such as light, regular, and bold), and case (upper, lower, small caps). Choosing the weight of the medicine ball depends on the individual. Make sure to choose a weight that you can throw with consistent velocity throughout the entirety of the set. It should be a weight that's challenging to move fast, but not prohibitively so.
0.932083
Dissociating for years at a time? I feel like I've been dissociating for years. I was diagnosed with anxiety when i was 13 and from then on the disassociation got progressively worse. I don't remember massive chunks of my past, I have conversations with people and rarely ever take in what they're saying, I wake up feeling disconnected and go to sleep feeling disconnected, I find it really hard to figure out sometimes if I'm here or not as nothing really feels real. Yes, I can definitely relate to what you're saying. I first got mental health issues when I was 12. I'm 29 now and I can remember very little about the years that have passed. I really started noticing my dissociation/derealisation when I was 13 and while I don't know what a doctor would say, I feel i've been in that state for the vast majority of that time. I could speculate and say that maybe it happens so much that your brain starts to think it's normal and it becomes your 'default setting'. It's really rubbish and sometimes I find it can bring on a bit of a panic if I think about it too much, so you have my sympathy. Something you might find useful is to keep a diary, even if it's one of those "one sentence a day" journals that you can fill in. It might help you to look back and remember that you are real and that you do do things in the 'real' world. Yes! I completely relate to what you mean about driving. I can remember one episode where I had to pull over because i'd freaked out so much. I'm glad you've been in touch with the mental health services, hopefully they can offer some insight and support. Recommend seeing a functional medicine doctor to make sure your metabolic health isn’t contributing to these feelings. Vitamin D deficiency for example (common in certain geographical locations that are particularly cloudy and overcast most parts of the year, but can exist despite ideal environments for internal health reasons) can cause serotonin deficiency which leads to mental health issues. That may be treatable or helped with over the counter or prescription supplements if need be. I feel like low iron may also be a factor in contributing to your symptoms as well. Always be sure to rule out physiological health problems, there is something called “brain fog” that can be caused from a number of things but, two of which I know of are liver problems and brain tumors. You could even have a central nervous system issue like, FND, or, perhaps high CO2 in your blood, or, low oxygen intake from pulmonary problems may also cause this fogginess. I just don’t want you to neglect a serious health issue so do consider seeking a specialist (functional med doc 1st then neuro 2nd internal med 3rd pulmonary/cardio 4th) if new or worsening symptoms occur. Also do keep seeing your mental health specialists though as you could be right, it very may well be a psychiatric problem. The inability to click back in from being disconnected from reality does sound like it may be a symptom of a larger problem like c-ptsd for example. Nothing feeling real is a common description I’ve seen of a dissociative experience, although everyone experiences it a bit differently. I’ve experienced dissociation in a few ways, like my hands feeling like they aren’t part of my body, an inability to recognize myself in the mirror, a strange feeling of my face being distorted as if it’s made of something gloopy and someone is stretching twisting and pulling it in many different directions completely losing its original structure, and even feeling like everything is a prop made of cardboard and everything was on a stage like in a musical play! It can be anxiety inducing though, the detachment can get scary sometimes how far away you might start to feel from everyone, and the inability to feel connected to your surroundings. I know in my personal experience these issues often lead immediately into panic attacks, so it’s definitely a good idea to be going through this with a mental health professional alongside you as strange things might come up that are easier to handle with the right kind of help. I've recently had blood tests checking my liver and iron levels, both came back normal. My doctor referred me to a cardiovascular specialist as he thought I could have Postural orthostatic tachycardia(POTS) syndrome. When I went to see the specialist he ruled out POTS and checked my heart rate and rhythm which were both normal, I was fitted with an ECG for 2 weeks as a precautionary for which I'm still awaiting the results. When I spoke to the specialist he said there is no heart problem that would cause persistent lightheadedness. Vision distortions reminds me of FND. But honestly it seems like you have anxiety and dissocation going on more so than a physical thing to me but, that’s just my personal take. Who really knows. (Unfortunately it takes time to figure these things out, I’m sorry you’re going through this). I’m sure a therapist and psychiatrist can work with you to help you at least feel better and manage the anxiety a bit better so you’re not getting too worked up over it, maybe some medication who knows. There are techniques for handling anxiety that work great on their own too, and types of therapies. I understand how dissociation can be quite scary but I think if you are able to “center” yourself by calming down it will do you some good to approach the situation rationally rather than with feeling. I know it’s difficult but, I like to meditate when a panic is coming on from dissociation. I use the Calm App for iPhone but there are plenty of guided meditations available on YouTube/on the internet elsewhere. The Calm App I’ve noticed just works particularly well at bringing down even the most extreme panic attacks of mine, very quickly. The “7 days of calm” section, track 2 in particular is my go to. It’s been a god send is why I figure I might share it. A grounding exercise I like, is closing your eyes and imagining your in a place. Take a deep breath, and you’re there. For me I picture the beach. Something with lots of sensory input. Your job is to focus on these sensory things in utmost detail. As you go about these steps. Imagining, something you can feel, something you can hear, something you can smell- you are transported and brought down to a calm level. Breathing is back down to normal. And you can open your eyes and you’ll be feeling much better. And if it makes you feel any better, I do also experience visual distortions. I believe this may be a part of a sensory processing disorder or may just sort of happen to some people, I don’t really know the cause. But I get visual distortions like if I look at the blinds of a window they begin to wiggle quite a bit in a wavy pattern. Strange things like that. I’m really not sure what the cause is. Haha. Hello Clouds, yes I can associate with what you are going through, I have no memory of certain times of my life and a definite disconnect with reality at times which is scary really. Since having Psychosis which started last year a sense of reality is often hard to find and medication makes me zone out a lot of the time. Are you getting any medical help right now ? I'm currently seeking mental help and I'm finding out the results of my ECG on Wednesday. The past couple of days have been really hard, i think I hallucinated for the first time last night which was honestly terrifying, I didn't know who was in the mirror and I didn't recognise the sound of my own voice. I feel so alone because I don't feel like I can talk to anyone about it.
0.942393
The science wars is a series of intellectual exchanges, between scientific realists and postmodernist critics, about the nature of scientific theory and intellectual inquiry. They took place principally in the United States in the 1990s in the academic and mainstream press. Scientific realists (such as Norman Levitt, Paul R. Gross, Jean Bricmont and Alan Sokal) argued that scientific knowledge is real, and accused the postmodernists of having effectively rejected scientific objectivity, the scientific method, Empiricism, and scientific knowledge. Postmodernists interpreted Thomas Kuhn's ideas about scientific paradigms to mean that scientific theories are social constructs, and philosophers like Paul Feyerabend argued that other, non-realist forms of knowledge production were better suited to serve people's personal and spiritual needs. Though much of the theory associated with 'postmodernism' (see poststructuralism) did not make any interventions into the natural sciences, the scientific realists took aim at its general influence. The scientific realists argued that large swaths of scholarship, amounting to a rejection of objectivity and realism, had been influenced by major 20th Century poststructuralist philosophers (such as Jacques Derrida, Gilles Deleuze, Jean-François Lyotard and others), whose work they declare to be incomprehensible or meaningless. They implicate a broad range of fields in this trend, including cultural studies, cultural anthropology, feminist studies, comparative literature, media studies, and science and technology studies. They accuse those postmodernist critics who did actually discuss science of having a limited understanding of it. In 1996, Social Text, a Duke University publication of postmodern critical theory, compiled a "Science Wars" issue containing brief articles by postmodernist academics in the social sciences and the humanities, that emphasized the roles of society and politics in science. In the introduction to the issue, the Social Text editor, Andrew Ross, said that the attack upon science studies was a conservative reaction to reduced funding for scientific research, characterizing the Flight from Science and Reason conference as an attempted "linking together a host of dangerous threats: scientific creationism, New Age alternatives and cults, astrology, UFO-ism, the radical science movement, postmodernism, and critical science studies, alongside the ready-made historical specters of Aryan-Nazi science and the Soviet error of Lysenkoism" that "degenerated into name-calling". The historian Dorothy Nelkin characterised Gross and Levitt's vigorous response as a "call to arms in response to the failed marriage of Science and the State"—in contrast to the scientists' historical tendency to avoid participating in perceived political threats, such as creation science, the animal rights movement, and anti-abortionists' attempts to curb fetal research. At the end of the Soviet–American Cold War (1945–91), military funding of science declined, while funding agencies demanded accountability, and research became directed by private interests. Nelkin suggested that postmodernist critics were "convenient scapegoats" who diverted attention from problems in science. Kendrick Frazier notes that Latour is interested in helping to rebuild trust in science and that Latour has said that some of the authority of science needs to be regained. ↑ Bartley, William W. (1964). "Rationality versus the Theory of Rationality". In Mario Bunge: The Critical Approach to Science and Philosophy. The Free Press of Glencoe, section IX. ↑ Stove, David Charles (1982). Popper and After: Four Modern Irrationalists, Oxford: Pergamon Press. ↑ Ravetz, Jerome R. (1979). Scientific knowledge and its social problems. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN 0-19-519721-6. ↑ Flower, Michael J. (1995). "Review of Higher Superstition ", Contemporary Sociology, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 113–14. ↑ Isis (Vol. 87, No. 2, 1996), American Anthropologist (Vol. 98, No. 2, 1996). ↑ Social Studies of Science (Vol. 26, No. 1, 1996). ↑ The review in The Journal of Higher Education (Vol. 66, No. 5, 1995) snidely suggested that book's final sentence proved that politics, the epistemology, philosophy, and science are inter-related. ↑ Kramer, Jennifer. "Who's Flying – And In What Direction?" Archived 2006-05-10 at the Wayback Machine. Coverage of the NYAS Flight from Science and Reason conference. Accessed 15 may 2006. ↑ Ross, Andrew. (1996). "Introduction" Social Text 46/47, Vol. 14, Nos. 1 & 2, pp. 1–13, esp. p. 7. ↑ Nelkin, Dorothy. (1996). "The Science Wars: Responses to a Marriage Failed" Social Text 46/47, Vol. 14, Nos. 1 & 2, pp. 93–100., p. 95. ↑ Sokal, Alan. (1996). "Transgressing the Boundaries: Toward a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity" Social Text 46/47, Vol. 14, Nos. 1 & 2, pp 217–252. ↑ Sokal, Alan. (1996). "A Physicist Experiments with Cultural Studies," Lingua Franca, May/June, pp 62–64. ↑ Derrida, Jacques (2005) . Paper Machine. Stanford: Stanford University Press. 70. ISBN 0-8047-4619-2. ↑ Baringer, Philip S. (2001). "Introduction: 'the science wars'", from After the Science Wars, eds. Keith M. Ashman and Philip S. Baringer. New York: Routlege, p. 2. ↑ Labinger, Jay A. and Harry Collins. (2001). "Preface", in: The One Culture?: A Conversation about Science, eds. Labinger, Jay A and Harry Collins. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, pp. ix–xi. 1 2 Monastersky, Richard (November 2, 2002). "French TV Stars Rock the World of Theoretical Physics". Chronicle of Higher Education. Archived from the original on 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2008-03-20. ↑ Ginsparg, Paul. (2002, November 12). "'Is It Art?' Is Not a Question for Physics". New York Times, section A, p. 26. ↑ Latour, B. (1999). Pandora's Hope. Essays on the Reality of Science Studies Archived 2007-09-04 at the Wayback Machine., Harvard University Press, USA. ↑ Latour, B. (2005). Reassembling the Social. An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory, Oxford University Press, USA, p. 100. ↑ Latour, B. (2004). Why Has Critique Run Out of Steam? From Matters of Fact to Matters of Concern, Critical Inquiry 30, pp. 225–48. ↑ Frazier, Kendrick (2018). "'Science Wars' Veteran Latour Now Wants to Help Rebuild Trust in Science". Skeptical Inquirer. 42 (1): 7. Sokal, Alan D. (1996). Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity, Social Text 46/47, 217–252. Callon, Michel (1999). Whose Impostures? Physicists at War with the Third Person, Social Studies of Science 29(2), 261–86. Papers by Alan Sokal on the "Social Text Affair"
0.99658
With the economic downturn, renting a home has become a more popular choice and not just as a short term solution. According to the Office for National Statistics, between 2008 and 2011, the number of those renting privately increased from 10% to 15% and those owning a home decreased from 40% to 35%. If you’re looking to rent a property, what should you be considering? Choosing the right location is just as important with a rental property as it is with buying a home. It needs to be somewhere you want to live and put down roots, regardless of how long you’ll be in that particular property. Make sure that the area suits your needs and consider elements such as the quality of the schools, local amenities and transport links. There’s no point finding the perfect property if it’s miles from any shops. If you’re moving to a new area, make sure that you visit it and have a look around to find the best areas. Once you’ve chosen an area to live in, you need to research the properties available. Don’t just look at one estate agent, as this will give you a limited choice. Use the internet to search the local area and look for other agents and property management companies. It’s also worth looking in the local newspaper or advertising magazines, as this is often where private landlords will promote their available properties. By researching the entire market, you’ll be able to get an idea of the average rental prices to make sure you’re getting a good deal. It’s important to not just look at the cosmetic side of the property, but really give it a good test drive. Don’t feel pressured from the agent to look round quickly and if necessary arrange for a second viewing. You need to take the viewing as seriously as if you were buying the property, as you still need to live there. Make sure that everything’s in working order and check exactly what’s included. The agent is there to help, so ask them any questions you might have. It’s worth considering elements such as insulation, central heating and double glazing, as these can have a large bearing on energy costs. You need to ensure that you can afford the property and don’t be tempted to overstretch yourself. Consider exactly what you’re looking for and which are the most essential elements of the property. There might be a difference between what you want and what you can actually afford. You need to factor in agents costs and fees, for items such as references and credit checks. It’s a good idea to go for a property slightly under your budget, so that you can easily afford it if the rent was to increase. When you finally get the keys to your new property it can be an extremely exciting time. However, you need to make sure that you don’t miss out important checks. When you first move in, go through the inventory point by point and ensure there are no discrepancies. Look at all the finer details, including the condition of carpets and curtains; otherwise they could cost you dearly when you move out. When you vacate the property your landlord will have to provide proof of the costs if they want to deduct any items from your deposit. One of the benefits of renting a property is that you don’t have to worry about any repair bills or other costs. However, landlords are more likely to go out of their way to help tenants who don’t cause them any problems. It’s important to pay your rent on time and inform your landlord immediately if there are any issues with the property. This way they’re more likely to help you if anything goes wrong. However long you’re looking to rent a property for, you need to ensure you’re getting a good deal. If you’re comfortable with it and it seems appropriate, it’s also worth trying to reduce the monthly price. By following these tips you can help to reduce the likelihood of anything going wrong.
0.999579
How does an ultraviolet (“black light”) fluorescent tube work? Some ultraviolet fluorescent tubes are simply the mercury discharge tubes (as in a normal fluorescent tube) but without any phosphor coating on the inside of the tube and with a quartz glass tube that transmits 254 nanometer light. In such a bulb, the 254-nanometer light emitted by mercury vapor in a discharge is emitted directly from the tube without being converted into visible light. A filter somewhere in the system absorbs the small amount of visible light emitted by a low-pressure mercury discharge. For the longer wavelength black light used in most applications, other gases that emit lots of 300-400 nanometer light are used. Again, these tubes have no phosphor coatings to convert the ultraviolet light into visible light. One other way to make longer wavelength black light is to use a mercury discharge but to coat the inside of the tube with a phosphor that fluoresces ultraviolet light between 300 and 400 nanometer.
0.978206
State legislatures are the law making bodies of the 50 states of the United States. They are the legislative branch at the state level of American government, and (generally) perform many of the same duties on the state level that the United States Congress performs on the federal level. The legislative branch is usually balanced by a state executive officer (a Governor) and a state judicial system. In some states, particularly the older ones, the state legislature is called a "General Assembly" or a "General Court." A state legislature will usually go into session shortly after the first of the year and remain in session for several months considering matters referred to it by the governor of the state or introduced by members. Business and other special interest organizations often lobby the legislature to obtain or favorably influence legislation. State legislatures often approve the state's budget. All states except Nebraska have bicameral legislatures. Prior to the Voting Rights Act, many state legislatures were organized so that each body represented citizens according to a different principle; for example, by small single-member districts in the lower chamber and at large by county in the upper. Since the one man, one vote principle embodied in the Voting Rights Act was definitively applied to state legislatures, those states have been forced to adopt other systems for electing members to the upper body, most commonly by adding periodic reapportionment to the existing scheme in that body. (For example, in Vermont, state senators were formerly elected at large, two to a county. Now, they are elected at large, from senatorial districts of comparable population.) It is often possible in such systems to elect different majority parties in the two chambers. State legislatures elected the U.S. Senators from their states until the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1913.
0.990108
Given an array A of N positive integers which can contain integers from 1 to N where elements can be repeated or can be absent from the array. Your task is to count frequency of all elements from 1 to N. Note: Expected time complexity is O(n) with O(1) extra space. First line of input contains an integer T denoting the number of test cases. For each test case, first line contains an integer N denoting the size of array. The second line contains N space-separated integers A1, A2, ..., AN denoting the elements of the array. For each test case, output N space-separated integers denoting the frequency of each element from 1 to N.
0.992561
Treasure (from Greek θησαυρός - thēsauros, meaning "treasure store", romanized as thesaurus) is a concentration of riches - often those that originate from ancient history - that is considered lost and/or forgotten until rediscovered. Some jurisdictions legally define what constitutes treasure, such as in the British Treasure Act 1996. The phrase "blood and treasure" or "lives and treasure" has been used to refer to the human and monetary costs associated with massive endeavours such as war that expend both. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 (Unknown ). Treasure (from Greek θησαυρός - thēsauros, meaning "treasure store", romanized as thesaurus) is a concentration of riches - often those that originate from ancient history - that is considered lost and/or forgotten until rediscovered. Some jurisdictions legally define what constitutes treasure, such as in the British Treasure Act 1996. Although buried pirate treasure is a favorite literary theme, there are very few documented cases of pirates actually burying treasure, and no documented cases of a historical pirate treasure map. One documented case of buried treasure involved Francis Drake who buried Spanish gold and silver after raiding the train at Nombre de Dios—after Drake went to find his ships, he returned six hours later and retrieved the loot and sailed for England. Drake did not create a map. Another case in 1720 involved British Captain Stratton of the Prince Eugene who, after supposedly trading rum with pirates in the Caribbean, buried his gold near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Two of his crew, Morgan Miles, turned him in to the authorities, and it is assumed the loot was recovered. Because in any case, Captain Stratton was not a pirate, and made no map. The pirate most responsible for the legends of buried pirate treasure was Captain Kidd. The story was that Kidd buried treasure from the plundered ship the Quedah Merchant on Gardiners Island, near Long Island, New York, before being arrested and returned to England, where he was put through a very public trial and executed. Although much of Kidd's treasure was recovered from various people who had taken possession of it before Kidd's arrest (such as his wife and various others who were given it for safe keeping), there was so much public interest and fascination with the case at the time, speculation grew that a vast fortune remained and that Kidd had secretly buried it. Captain Kidd did bury a small cache of treasure on Gardiner's Island in a spot known as Cherry Tree Field; however, it was removed by Governor Bellomont and sent to England to be used as evidence against him. Over the years many people have tried to find the supposed remnants of Kidd's treasure on Gardiner's Island and elsewhere, but none of the above has ever been found.
0.997589
Developers of air-movement mechanisms such as fans and compressors must consider the basic relationship between fan or impeller speed in rpm (revolutions per minute) and volumetric air flow in CFM (cubic feet per minute). While these machines have different operating principles, their common characteristic is that each revolution of their spinning input shaft will result in a certain amount of volumetric air (or gas) flow through them when they are operating as designed according to their pitch or displacement factor. Muffin fans are rated for CFM of airflow. The amount of air this fan pushes can be calculated. Define the axial fan application. According to the general fan law governing axial fans, you will need to know the fan blade diameter and pitch (blade tilt or attack angle) along with the rpm variable to calculate CFM. In this example, a small household fan on a stand has a three-bladed plastic fan with a 1-foot diameter and an 8-inch effective pitch. This means that each revolution of the running fan blows the one-foot-diameter column of air coming through the fan 8 inches toward you after accounting for efficiency losses. The fan is running at 1,200 rpm. Guards over fans slow airflow. Calculate the linear velocity of the air through the running fan. If each revolution moves the air 8 inches, then 1,200-revolutions per minute multiplied by 8 inches means the air 9,600 is being moved at inches per minute, or 800 feet in one minute. Another way of looking at it is that the fan is moving an 800-foot-long column of air that is 1 foot in diameter through space each minute. Calculate the CFM (volumetric flow of air) at 1,200 rpm. The volume of the column of air described in Step 2 is pi (3.1416) x fan radius squared (0.5-feet squared) times the column length in feet. This would be 3.1416 x 0.25 square feet x 800 feet = 628.32 cubic feet per minute at 1200 rpm. Automotive air conditioners use centrifugal blower fans. Define the blower application. In this example, the centrifugal blower in a window air conditioner circulates 600 CFM on the "LO" setting when the blower motor is spinning at 800 rpm. You can calculate how much air would it circulate in "HI" mode, when the motor rotates at 1200 rpm. Leaf blowers also use centrifugal blower fans. Define the terms in the general centrifugal fan formula and rearrange them to use the formula to solve for the higher air flow: CFM 1/CFM 2 = RPM 1/RPM 2 x (D1/D2)^3 (cubed). The (D1/D2)^3 is 1, since the impeller diameter stays the same, so CFM 2 = CFM 1 x (RPM 2/RPM 1). Define the compressor application. A shop compressor with a piston in a cylinder has a net displacement of 10 cubic inches. It normally turns at 600 rpm. You can calculate many cubic feet of air it takes in at atmospheric pressure and the approximate cubic feet of compressed air it supplies if it has an overall 10-1 compression ratio. Calculate the incoming volumetric air flow. If the compressor takes in 10 cubic inches of air for each revolution, then CFM input = 600 RPM x 10 cubic inches/1728 cubic inches/cubic foot = 3.47 CFM. Jet engine fans take in huge amounts of air. Calculate the outgoing compressed air volumetric flow. Since the compression ratio is 10-1, the compressed air would be supplied at 3.47/10, or 0.347 CFM.
0.993648
Shivanand Tiwari (born 1943) is a prominent politician from Bhojpur district, Bihar who was a member and an officer of the Janata Dal (United) (JD (U)) political party, which he represented in the Rajya Sabha. First he was a prominent leader and spokesperson of Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal party. Later he was the General Secretary and spokesman for the JD (U). On 27 February 2014 he was denied renomination to Rajya Sabha, and expelled from the Nitish's Janata faction along with four other Lok Sabha members of the party. After his stint with Nitish's Janata Dal (U), he re-joined Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD. Bihar is an Indian state considered to be a part of eastern, northern, and north-central India. It is the thirteenth-largest Indian state, with an area of 94,163 km2 (36,357 sq mi). The third-largest state by population, it is contiguous with Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Bengal to the east, with Jharkhand to the south. The Bihar plain is split by the river Ganges, which flows from west to east. Three main regions converge in the state: Magadh, Mithila, and Bhojpur. Janata Dal (United) is a centre-left Indian political party with political presence mainly in Bihar and Jharkhand. The Janata Dal (United) was formed with the merger of the Sharad Yadav faction of the Janata Dal, the Lokshakti Party and the Samta Party on 30 October 2003. Janata Dal (United)'s party mentor and patron is the veteran socialist leader George Fernandes. JD(U) is currently a part of BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Membership of Rajya Sabha is limited by the Constitution to a maximum of 250 members, and current laws have provision for 245 members. Most of the members of the House are indirectly elected by the members of state and territorial legislatures using single transferable votes, while the President can appoint 12 members for their contributions to art, literature, science, and social services. Members sit for staggered terms lasting six years, with a third of the members up for election every two years. Lalu Prasad is an Indian politician from the state of Bihar. He is the President of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, former Chief Minister of Bihar, former UPA Minister of Railways, and former Member of Parliament of the 15th Lok Sabha. Rabri Devi Yadav is an Indian politician from the state of Bihar. She is a Member of the Legislative Council for Bihar Vidhan Parishad who has served three terms as the Chief Minister of Bihar, as a member of the Rashtriya Janata Dal political party, between 1997 and 2005. She is the wife of the Indian politician Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Chief Minister of Bihar and former Railway Minister of India. She is the current Leader of Opposition in Bihar Legislative Council. Nitish Kumar is an Indian politician. He is the present Chief Minister of Bihar, a state in eastern India, since 2017 and has served in that role on five previous occasions. He has also served as a minister in the Union Government of India. Subhash Prasad Yadav born on 27th March 1967 at Gopalganj (BIHAR) and is a politician of the Rashtriya Janata Dal party and was a Member of the Parliament of India representing Bihar in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. Mahua is an assembly constituency in Vaishali District, Bihar, India. Hasanpur is an assembly constituency in Samastipur district in the Indian state of Bihar. Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik)JAP (L); English: People's Rights Party (Democratic) is a political party in Bihar, India. The party was formed by Indian politician Pappu Yadav a.k.a. Rajesh Ranjan in May 2015. Dinesh Prasad Singh is a member of the Bihar Legislative Council. 1 2 "Rajya Sabha MP biography". Rajya Sabha. Retrieved 2012-04-19. ↑ "General Secretaries". Janata Dal (United). Retrieved 2012-04-19. ↑ "News". The Hindu. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
0.997461
Go to "View Tickets"/"Custom Query" and add a query for "Component". It shows the raw list ("desktop/tracker", etc.) instead of a multi-level select. Hmm, your second point needs to be assigned to tic/charlie. Py isn't my thing, just yet. Okay, I'll file a second bug for it. When selecting some component all subcomponents should be queried, too. I.e.: search for "apps" and you also get the results for "apps/mediaplayer", etc. atm we can't give the user access to select "apps" because of that change you requested (the one to remove entries, and to automatically expand the first entry). I'm happy to revert that for queries. You just want the behaviour on the query view ? Hmm, the query page only has is | is not for the component field, do we need add 'contains', or should the backend be the only thing adjusted? For the normal Ticket page, you can only select valid leafs. For the query page, you can select super/sub or super/ depending on what you are looking for. Todo: edit modes in query.js to allow 'contains', need to refer to the python guys for that though. (sidenote, Konq doesn't half behave weirdly.. ) Opera, Mozilla, and Konq are good for it. Please test, ty. component == "apps" component <starts-with> "apps/" (once with "/", once without). Otherwise we could search for "apps" and also find "apps-tests/playground" (just an example). What's the news in relation to query.js being updated? I think that we need a clean solution if we modify query.js. I'd like everything to be committed to the official repos, so we have less patches to maintain. after having selected a component and clicking Update it switches back to a flat (!) component list, but correctly converts "&amp;" to "&" This is due to it now outputting the option as HTML, rather than from the JS. A reason why the &amp; is being parsed by the browser rather than JS.. just needs more hook work, i'll do it tomorrow lunchtime. Following on from #20, is there much point continuing with this js ? Yes, I'd like to keep it. The admin interface will have to be adapted, instead. Okay, let's better solve this by using "+" instead of "&". If it's even incompatible with Konqueror and makes so many problems I prefer a clean solution. Maybe we will not even have these "A & B" entries. Could you please remove the "hack" for fixing "&amp;"? If it will be fixed it should be in Trac. Right, that's the &amp; hack removed. I've also removed the need to edit query.js, so if you can revert query.js to repo quality, and fetch my new componentselect.js that should be enough. I think it's OK now. Anymore problems to new bugs thanks.
0.969085
Can the Pentagon stem the rise in incidents? The Pentagon says about 3,000 service members reported being sexually assaulted in 2012, but a confidential Department of Defense survey suggests the figure is closer to 26,000 — up 35 percent over 2010. The revelations come amid several high-profile incidents of sexual assault at the military's prestigious service academies and in the field, sometimes perpetrated by the very officials charged with preventing such crimes. The Pentagon is under intense pressure to address the problem. Some in Congress want to remove the victim's commander from decision-making in sexual assault cases, but critics say that could negatively affect unit cohesion and combat readiness. Meanwhile, victims' advocates say as long as women are a minority in the armed forces, they will face dangers inherent in that status.
0.993096
Premios a los mejores jugadores, mejores defensores y mejores novatos concedidos por la NBA en la temporada 1971-72. Jugadores destacados de la temporada y de la final de la NBA 1971-72 y jugadores seleccionados para el All-Star de ese año. Destacados: Wilt Chamberlain, Happy Hairston, Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers), Walt Frazier, Jerry Lucas, Dave DeBusschere (New York Knicks). Primer equipo: Walt Frazier (New York Knicks), Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers), John Havlicek (Boston Celtics), Spencer Haywood (Seattle SuperSonics), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Milwaukee Bucks). Segundo equipo: Nate Archibald (Cincinnati Royals), Archie Clark (Baltimore Bullets), Bob Love (Chicago Bulls), Billy Cunningham (Philadelphia 76ers), Wilt Chamberlain (Los Angeles Lakers). Primer equipo defensivo: Walt Frazier (New York Knicks), Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers), Jerry Sloan (Chicago Bulls), John Havlicek (Boston Celtics), Dave DeBusschere (New York Knicks), Wilt Chamberlain (Los Angeles Lakers). Segundo equipo defensivo: Norm Van Lier (Chicago Bulls), Don Chaney (Boston Celtics), Bob Love (Chicago Bulls), Paul Silas (Phoenix Suns), Nate Thurmond (Golden State Warriors). Novato del Año: Sidney Wicks (Portland Trail Blazers). Primer equipo de novatos: Phil Chenier (Baltimore Bullets), Austin Carr (Cleveland Cavaliers), Sidney Wicks (Portland Trail Blazers), Clifford Ray (Chicago Bulls), Elmore Smith (Buffalo Braves). MVP del Partido de las Estrellas: Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers).
0.939233
A little more than a hundred years ago, on April 22, 1915, in what came to be called the Second Battle of Ypres, the German Army unleashed the first large-scale use of poison gas as a weapon of war on the Western Front. This was not the first time that gas had been used in World War I; the Germans had already put it to use against the Russian Army in Poland a few months earlier. Following a two-day bombardment, the German Army simultaneously released 168 tons of chlorine gas over a four-mile front. The Germans had hauled 6,000 gas cylinders, each weighing 90 pounds, to the front line. On a prearranged signal, the canisters were opened, releasing their deadly contents. The panic that resulted opened a four-mile gap in the Allied lines. The First Canadian Division was stationed at St. Julien, on the flank of the gap. In what was considered a suicide mission, they were ordered to counterattack and prevent the Germans from advancing through the opening. Lacking gas masks, they improvised by urinating on cloths and holding them to their faces. The ammonia in the urine neutralized the chlorine gas. The Canadians' victory that day marked a second milestone: It was the first time that soldiers from the new world had defeated soldiers from the old on a European battlefield. For all of its deadly effects, chlorine had shortcomings as a weapon of mass destruction. It was easily dispersed by the wind, limiting its effects. To compensate, the Germans developed sulfur mustard, otherwise known as mustard gas, which they used at the Third Battle of Ypres in July 1917. The gas had a yellow color and smelled of mustard plants and garlic, hence its name. Mustard gas was heavier than chlorine gas, less likely to be dispersed by wind and its effects on the battlefield persisted longer. It has no known uses beyond being a weapon of mass destruction. In total, more than a million people were killed or injured as a result of contact with poison gas during World War I. When World War II broke out, both sides stockpiled poison gas, fearing a return to the practice of World War I. The Italians used mustard gas during the Abyssinian campaign in 1935, the Polish Army used mustard gas grenades during the Nazi invasion in 1939, and there were reports that the Japanese used poison gas in Manchuria. Winston Churchill authorized the use of gas against German troops if they invaded Great Britain. He also considered using mustard gas bombs against German cities but abandoned the idea. Adolf Hitler weighed using gas during the siege of Leningrad, but also opted not to employ it. Since World War II, there have been sporadic uses of mustard gas and other chemical agents on the battlefield. Egypt was accused of using poison gas, possibly mustard gas, during the civil war in North Yemen between 1963 and 1967. There were also unsubstantiated reports that Vietnam used phosgene, another WWI era poison gas, against Cambodian resistance forces, hiding along the Thai border, during Vietnam's 1984-85 Cambodian intervention that toppled Pol Pot. Both South African troops and Cuban troops were accused of using chemical weapons during the Angolan Civil War. It is Iraq and Syria, however, that are responsible for the lion's share of poison gas use since the end of World War II. Saddam Hussein used a variety of chemical weapons, including mustard gas, against Iranian forces during the Iraq-Iran war. Hussein also used poison gas against the Kurdish village of Halabja, and during the al-Anfal campaign against Kurdish civilians and other minorities in Northern Iraq. There were also unconfirmed reports that he used poison gas against Shiite rebels in the Shat al-Arab marshes in the Persian Gulf. Chemical weapons have also been used by Syrian military forces, loyal to the Assad government, against various Syrian rebel groups and civilians. In August 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that the use of chemical weapons by his forces would represent a red line for the U.S. Unfortunately, the Obama administration's threat proved to be hollow and was quickly forgotten when evidence of Syria's use of chemical weapons emerged. In September 2013, Russia, in collaboration with the United States, brokered an agreement under which Syria agreed to turn over its chemical weapons for destruction under U.N. supervision. These weapons amounted to around 1,000 tons of sarin, mustard gas and VX. Chlorine, the original WWI era poison gas, was exempted since chlorine gas has widespread use in industry. Many municipal waterworks, for example, uses liquid chlorine gas to chlorinate water supplies. Despite the agreement, however, there have been widespread reports that the Assad government has used canisters of chlorine gas in the barrel bombs that it uses to target civilians. There have also been unverified reports that the Assad government retained some stocks of sarin and VX gas. Poison gases, not surprisingly, are popular among terrorist organizations. They are the cheapest and easiest weapons of mass destruction to produce. The Japanese group Aum Shinrikyo used sarin gas in an attack in Matsumoto, Japan, on June 27, 1994. The following year, they released sarin gas into the Tokyo subway system. Russian Chechen and various Sunni jihadist groups in Iraq, including the Islamic State, have exploded tanks of chlorine gas, including blowing up tanker trucks full of liquid chlorine, as improvised weapons of mass destruction. In addition, according to Pentagon sources, the Islamic State has been producing and stockpiling mustard gas since 2015. There have been reports from Kurdish and other sources that the Islamic State has fired artillery shells and mortar rounds that contained mustard gas. Follow-up tests, however, have proven to be inconclusive. Nonetheless, Sleiman Daoud al-Atari, the recently captured head of Islamic State's chemical weapons program, has admitted to U.S. interrogators that the Islamic State has amassed a stockpile of mustard gas, which it intends to deploy in the upcoming battle of Mosul. On Sept 12, 2016, U.S. warplanes destroyed a pharmaceutical factory in Mosul that U.S. Central Command believes had been converted into a chemical weapons manufacturing facility. There have also been persistent reports that the Islamic State has been working on developing other chemical agents in laboratories at the University of Mosul. Mustard gas can be used both as an offensive weapon against advancing troops and, in large quantities, to create area denial zones that prevent the advance of Iraqi troops and force them into pre-selected attack routes set up as kill zones. In a briefing to the Pentagon, Air Force Col. John Dorrian confirmed that U.S. forces anticipate that Islamic State fighters will use mustard gas, and possibly other chemical weapons, during the Battle for Mosul. He also confirmed that the Islamic State has dug tunnels to enable them to attack rear areas of the Iraqi forces. The U.S. has already distributed some 50,000 kits of "personal protective gear" to Iraqi and Kurdish forces. The Shiite militias, interestingly enough, do not have protective gear in the event of a chemical weapons attack, a factor that may limit their involvement in the Battle of Mosul. Iran, however, is believed to have such gear and could, in theory, supply it if it becomes necessary. Such an action, however, would further highlight Iran's role in arming the Shiite militias. With the exception of the Iraq-Iran war and the civil war in Syria, poison gas in general and mustard gas in particular has been largely absent from post-WWI military conflict. After an absence of almost a century, mustard gas is about to return to the modern battlefield.
0.950467
The Temptations (sometimes abbreviated as The Temps or The Tempts) is an American vocal group that has achieved fame for putting together one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's collection has included, during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music. The original group included members of two local Detroit vocal groups: The Distants, which featured second tenor/baritone Otis Williams, first tenor Elbridge "Al" Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin; and first tenor/falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone Paul Williams from The Primes. Among the most notable future Temptations were lead singers David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards , Richard Street , Damon Harris, Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Theo Peoples, and G.C. Cameron. Like its sister female group, the Supremes, the Temptations' lineup has changed frequently over the years. Childhood friends Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Kel Osbourne, and Wiley Waller formed a doo-wop group called the Cavaliers in their hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, in 1955. Reduced to a trio after Waller left the group in 1957, Kendricks, Williams, and Osbourne left Birmingham in order to break into the music business. After first moving to Cleveland, Ohio, they settled in Detroit. The Primes, as the doo-wop trio was now called, were well-known around Detroit for their meticulous performances. Otis Williams had moved from his native Texarkana, Texas to Detroit as a young boy, to live with his mother.By 1958, he was the leader of Otis Williams & the Siberians, a doo-wop group that included Williams, his friend Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain, and Arthur Walton. This quintet recorded the single "Pecos Kid" backed with "All of My Life" for a label run by local radio deejay Senator Bristol Bryant. The single never took off outside the local Detroit market, and the Siberians changed their name to The El Domingoes shortly afterward. At this time, more changes took place. Montgomery, Alabama native Melvin Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as the bass singer and Franklin's cousin, Detroit-born Richard Street, replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer. The group soon signed with Northern Records, run by Johnnie Mae Matthews, who renamed the group The Distants. The Distants recorded two singles for Northern, "Come On" (1959, featuring additional background vocals by the Andantes), and "Alright" (1960). Between these two releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford. "Come On" was a local hit for the Distants, and the Warwick label picked the record up for national distribution. After the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group was renamed Otis Williams & the Distants. Though Otis Williams had a pleasant, but unremarkable, lead voice, he organized the group and so became the defacto leader, as he would later with the Temptations. The album cover to the 1998 album Phoenix Rising. Pictured left to right: Terry Weeks, Barrington Henderson, Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Harry McGilberry. From the 1990s on, the Temptations' lineup began to change more frequently than before. Two years later, Melvin Franklin was forced to stop performing because of failing health. He died on February 23, 1995 at the age of 52, after suffering a brain seizure. Ray Davis, from Parliament-Funkadelic, came on as new bass singer, and the group recorded the pop standards album For Lovers Only, which contained two tracks led by Melvin Franklin. Davis left shortly after completing the album, due to a lung cancer diagnosis.The group continued as a quartet for a short time, before recruiting bass Harry McGilberry, a former member of the Futures. The Temptations' songs depended upon the individual members' interaction as a group; unlike many other R&B groups, each member of the Temptations was a lead singer of some capacity. Although the group always had an appointed main lead singer who dominated most the lead vocals (from Paul Williams to David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards, and later singers such as Louis Price, Ali-Ollie Woodson, and Terry Weeks), that singer was never given more of a promotional push than the other members. Co-lead songs, with two or more of the singers sharing the lead vocals, are common in the Temptations catalog, particularly among the psychedelic-era recordings of the late 1960s/early 1970s. The Temptations, with their tailored suits and detailed choreography, set the bar for male soul and R&B groups. Before the Temptations became popular, most black vocal groups were rough, high-energy acts with rawer vocals and more improvisational dance movements. A generation has literally lived on the wonderful choreography and catchy melodies of The Temptations. The Motown veterans have popularized soul, funk, Rhythm and Blues, and doo-wop immensely with their changing lineups for over half a century. The Temptations vocal group evolved from The Elgins, formed after the merger of Detroit veterans the Distants (Otis Williams, Elbridge Bryant, and Melvin Franklin) and local newcomers the Primes (Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams and Kell Osborne). The first five came together to make The Temptations in 1962 in Detroit, signing to Motown Records. Bryant was sacked after a fight following an uneventful start, giving rise to the "Classic Five" lineup when David Ruffin replaced him as lead singer. This coincided with their golden period, but Ruffin's arrogance saw him replaced by Dennis Edwards and soul replaced by psychedelic rock and later disco. Over the ensuing decades, personnel changes saw singers like Glenn Leonard and G.C. Cameron join. Otis Williams now remains the only original artist. Six of The Temptations are Hall of Famers. Modern classics "My Girl", "I Can't Get Next to you", "Just My Imagination", and "Papa was a Rollin' Stone" comprise their four Billboard #1s (14 RandB Charts #1s). The Temptations have three Grammys. Their seamless choreography stands out live. The Temptations have performed in many countries, and recorded albums of concerts at NYC's Copacabana and London's Talk of the Town. Crowds clutching The Temptations tickets will be swaying along to their catalogue of hits in Salem and Prior Lake next. The average The Temptations tickets price will cost you between $84 and $385, if you are looking for the cheapest seats then catch the event being held at the Le Balcon, Montreal on 24/05/2019. The average ticket will cost you the highest on 06/08/2019 at the Wente Vineyards, Livermore. Minimum get in price is for The Temptations tickets is $21 for the event being held at the Florida Theatre Jacksonville, Jacksonville on 28/04/2019 , there are some venues that have a much higher get in price, for instance the cheapest seats at the Keswick Theatre, Glenside on 10/05/2019 will set you back $134. Is la temptations ticket open for exchange with you? Are you sure my temptations tickets will be delivered on time? I heard of concerts by The Temptations this season, and quite frankly I cant wait to be there. However im a bit low on cash for now, which is why I would appreciate if anyone could direct me to cheap temptations tickets. Im looking for some cheap tickets for the temptations. Youve reached the right place to purchase your cheap The Temptations tickets on internet. Please go through our vast arsenal of tickets and get the best deals and prices. Yes! We ensure on time delivery of The Temptations Tickets and stand responsible in case of any delay. The temptations Tickets with us are not open for the exchange offer as it is not our policy. Kindly go through our arsenal of tickets to find your desired tickets. Thanks.
0.999999
I'm afraid my conception of the 'path' we travel after Urantia is very muddled. Could someone give me an outline? After Urantia, we resurrect on one of the mansion worlds. There are seven mansion worlds that encircle the Finaliter World, and that is one of seven transition worlds encircling Jerusem, the capital of our system of Satania. After we progress through the seven mansion worlds we go to Jerusem for more study. Most people fuse with their Thought Adjusters by around the fifth mansion world. Upon graduation from Jerusem, we move on to the constellation worlds. Edentia is the capital of our constellation of Norlatiadek. Edentia is surrounded by 70 major spheres with ten satellite worlds revolving around each of them. We pass through all 771 worlds (including sojourning on Edentia) in our constellation training and socialization. From Edentia graduation we move on to the universe training spheres. Salvington, the capital of our universe of Nebadon, is surrounded by ten university clusters of 49 spheres each, for a grand total (including Salvington) of 491 worlds. Upon traversing these and graduating from Salvington, we finally finish the morontia life and are now ready to embark upon the adventure of spirit status on the worlds of the superuniverse. Uminor the Third is the capital of Ensa, our minor sector. It is surrounded by seven spheres and we study on all of them, including the capital. Umajor the Fifth is the capital of Splandon, our major sector. It is surrounded by 70 spheres. On these 71 worlds we gain advancing intellectual training of the superuniverses. Uversa, the capital of our superuniverse of Orvonton, is surrounded by seven higher universities and each of these consists of 70 specialized worlds. We receive advanced spiritual training on all 491 of these worlds. We lose consciousness one last time in order to travel to the shores of Havona. Havona is eternal, and is made up of one billion worlds which surround the Isle of Paradise. We traverse all of them. Between the billion Havona worlds and Paradise there are three different rings of orbiting worlds: the worlds of the Infinite Spirit; those of the Eternal Son; and the worlds of the Universal Father. We pass through some of these worlds as well, although not all of them are open to us ("never attempt a landing on the shores of Divinington"). Finally we become Paradise citizens. Our "home" is Ascendington, which is one of the Father worlds encircling Paradise. After Paradise we go back into the superuniverses to serve, until the entire grand universe (all seven superuniverses) reach perfection -- Light and Life. They speculate there will be a rest (Rick Warren speculates there will be a huge party :-) and then we all head out to the first outer space level which is beyond the grand universe and into the Master Universe. But the Master Universe adventure transcends time and space, so there's not much we can say about it at this time. There are four outer space levels (currently) and all of them will also have the grand adventure of attaining transcendant perfection. We will be involved with that, but it's beyond our finite minds to imagine how. There's even something that comes after the Master Universe. It would be the age of the Absolute, but it is so far beyond even the minds of the authors of The Urantia Book that they can't tell us much about it.
0.948616
How to Uninstall W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! - Download a Perfect Uninstaller to Remove W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! is one of the most widely used software that adopted by many Windows users. The current version of W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! for Windows is released. Many users would like to replace their old version with the latest one. If you’re going to uninstall W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott!, you should be very careful. If you made a mistake, you would encounter so many problems that you may not be able to install the latest version of it. This article is about how to uninstall W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! correctly and completely. Follow the instructions below so that you can remove W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! successfully. 3. Find out W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! in the list, and choose Remove or Uninstall in the drop-down list. Wait for the standard uninstall process to be finished. Go ahead and clean the W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! leftover files. Remove W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! folder. By default the location for this is C:\Program Files\Pinnacle\Studio Plus. Step 7. Once done, scroll through this section and find W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! and related folder to be deleted. STEP 1. Download the perfect W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! Uninstall Tool and Install It. STEP 2: Select W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! from the detected program list and click "Run Uninstaller". STEP 4: Wait for the standard W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! uninstall process to be completed and select Scan Leftovers to detect leftover files/registry entries and click Delete Leftovers. Following the instructions above, you can uninstall W&amp;G - Das Hunde-Komplott! from your computer easily. Special Uninstaller is an excellent uninstall tool which has performed perfectly in tests. Download Special Uninstaller to help you clean your computer and remove any unwanted programs. You won’t be regretted of using this tool.
0.974969
What do coatis eat? The coatis are medium sized mammals, which live in different habitats of south, central and North America. Coatis eat different types of insects, rodents, reptiles, fruits and nuts. The scientific name of the coati is Nasua and belongs to the family Procyonidae. The often called also called coatimundi or coatimondi and are closely related to the raccoons. They are found in tropical regions of South America, from Colombia and Venezuela to Uruguay, as well as in northern parts of Argentina. Their long snout gives them the name hog-nosed racoonns. They have slender head with small ears which helps them to hear from a distance and act accordingly if some predator in nearby. Their coarse fur can be gray to reddish or brown with a lighter under-part. Their long tail can be as equal as of their body size that helps them in balancing. The colour of the tail is usually found brown with rings on it and rings go completely around the tail. They are found only on American continent. An adult coati can be 33 to 70 cm (without tail) long, 32 cm tall and weigh around 10 to 24 ponds. The females are found comparatively smaller than males. The group of female coatis is called band. Females and young coatis live in bands or groups of 5 to 30, while males are solitary so they live and survive on their own. Offspring: Only one male is accepted to a band. The mating season starts between January and March in some locations, and between October and February in others. It varies with the location and availability of food. They generally mate during the start of the rainy season. After mating, male leaves and goes back to live solitarily and female builds the nest on the rocky edge or on trees. The male coatis join the group only when mating season starts and they remain with band approx for a month. Gestation period remains around to 75 to 78 days and female gives birth to 3 to 7 young coati. The baby coati born between the April and June. They are born on treetop nests made by female. In 19 days, young coatis can stand and rejoin the band. Within 24 to 26 days, they are able to walk. They start eating solid food in the age in 3 to 4 months and females. The mother keeps search for the food in night to feed the young children. Males become mature at age of three years, while females are considered mature at age of two years. A coati can live 7 to 8 years in the wild while; it may live around 17 to 18 months in the captivity. What do coatis eat? Coatis are omnivorous which means they eat variety of food. They are mammal. Their diet is mainly comprised with fruits and invertebrates. Coatis eat scorpions, centipedes, spiders, ants, termites, lizards, small mammals, rodents, palms, eggs and different types of fruits and vegetables as well. Coatis are nocturnal, that means they prey and search food during the moonlight and sleep in daytime. The long snout with the nose is amazing to sense the food and the paws are capable to unearth invertebrates. Because of having a small size, they have a large number of predators in the wild and the environment where they live. Their main predators are jaguars, pumas and other large wildcats. Coatis are smart and opportunistic feeders, finding food is really not a big challenge for them, but saving them from predators is a difficult task. Coati diet is really strict and most of the portion of their consists small rodents and insects. They eat a variety of different fruits like barriers, sweet potatoes, pomegranate and winter squash. Catching the squirrels is really common for them and its easily available food. Coatis are opportunists they really have great sense of smell. They sniff out all kinds of insects and bugs. They are highly social animals. They live in various habitats like dense jungles, grasslands, wet jungles, mountains and deserts. They are omnivore so can switch their diet accordingly. Coaties are smart and know how to survive in different environment. They can eat a vast range of food that includes meaty and leafy both varieties. The species of coatis: 1. The ring tailed coati: It has the tan colored thick fur and black bands along its tail. The ring tailed coatis inhabit in the rainforest and jungles of South America. They eat different kind of bugs and insects in the forest. 2. The mountain coati: The mountain coati is the smallest coati species also called the dwarf coati. The mountain Coatis have a body length between 36 and 39 cm and weight is counted around 1.3 kg They inhabit the Andes mountain range of the South America. The mountain coatis eat small rodents, reptiles, fruits and bugs. 3. The white nosed coati: The white nosed coati is the largest coati species. The size of a young white tailed coati may reach up to 120 cm in length and weigh around 4 to 6 kg. They are found throughout north and Central America. They prefer eating small vertebrates, fruits, carrion, insects, snakes and eggs. 4. The Cozumel island coati: This species of coati is only found in Cozumel Island of Mexico. It is treated as a subspecies of white tailed coati and shares lot of same traits. Cozumel Island coatis are slightly smaller than the white-nosed coatis. Are coatis dangerous? Coatis are not so dangerous and can be kept as a household pet as well. The white-nosed and South America coatis are common in captivity; mountain coatis are extremely rare in captivity. They are neither so friendly so it’s kind of difficult to trained them to behave according to humans. Keeping a coati as a pet requires so much time and care. Their diet is little varies and the food they eat is different than other pets. Having a coati pet can be a good idea provided that, if you have lot of time to care one.
0.999994
What Is Meant by an Application Package? When a person is applying for college, an application package refers to all the materials that must be submitted to complete the application. Application packages vary based on the school. A college application package may include a person's application to the school or university, as well as supporting documentation such as an essay and resume. Some schools may require that individuals also submit their transcripts, immunization records and letters of references from teachers or other people who can judge your character. Application packages commonly include a fee in order to process the application. Most application packages can be submitted online, although some people still prefer to use mail services in order to make sure everything arrives at the same time.
0.999999
Is food included on a cruise, or do I have to pay extra? Your cruise fare always includes food for breakfast, lunch and dinner on a cruise ship. However, not all venues that offer food will be free. The main dining room and cruise ship buffet will always be included in your cruise fare, though a few specialty items might cost extra. Most upscale or sit-down specialty restaurants incur an extra fee, either a flat cover charge or a la carte pricing per item. Some of the more casual additional spots are free, while some charge a nominal fee. Prices are typically marked at each venue. What kind of dining options are on a cruise ship? Cruise ships offer a variety of onboard restaurants and dining options. Typically, the bigger ships will have more options, but even the smallest ships tend to have more than one restaurant. In general, cruise ships will have a main dining room, a sit-down venue where you can order from a menu of American and Continental favorites (often with some international choices). These are very large, banquet-style restaurants, with a dress code enforced at dinner, and where you will likely have to share a table with other passengers. Most ships will also have a buffet restaurant near the pool, where dress is more casual and passengers can help themselves to pre-prepared food. Many ships also have specialty restaurants, smaller venues with more tables for two. These cruise restaurants will be themed: steakhouse, French bistro, Italian trattoria or Japanese sushi restaurant. More casual alternative dining areas might be outdoor grills and BBQ spots, pizzerias, hot dog stands or bakeries. Some ships have exclusive dining venues, only accessible to passengers in suites or spa cabins. Yes, food can be delivered to your cabin 24/7 on most major cruise lines' ships. Typically, the room service menu features a Continental breakfast (some lines offer a few hot items, sometimes for an extra fee), plus an all-day menu of sandwiches, salads, pizza, perhaps a few hot items or appetizers, and dessert. Room service is generally free of charge; some lines, such as Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, charge a per-order fee for middle-of-the-night orders. Other lines, like Princess Cruises, charge for pizza delivery. What if I want a mid-morning or afternoon snack? In addition to room service, which can be ordered round the clock, many cruise ships make food available 24/7 (or at least during normal waking hours). All-night venues might include a small section of the buffet, a pizzeria or a shipboard diner. During the day, the buffet and some of the casual dining spots might serve food throughout the afternoon, and onboard coffee shops tend to offer small snacks and baked goods. Can I bring food back to my cabin? No one will stop you if you take food from the buffet or other casual venue and bring it back to your room. If for some reason you need to leave the main dining room or sit-down specialty venue early, you can always ask your waiter to plate up the remainder of your meal to take with you. Can I bring my own food onboard? Yes, you can bring your own food onboard -- including snack food you like to have on hand and items you pick up in port. You can't bring raw meat onboard, but pretty much anything else is fair game. However, there's so much food onboard that, unless you're very picky or have a dietary restriction, there's not much need to bring your own food. Can I take food off the ship? You are technically not allowed to take food off a cruise ship, especially fruits and vegetables. However, if you bring your own pre-packaged snacks, you can take them off the ship for port-day snacking. Will my children find food they like onboard? The main dining room and other sit-down cruise restaurants will have a children's menu (often with standards like pasta and chicken fingers), though your child is welcome to order off the main menu. You can always request a smaller portion of a regular dish for a young traveler. The buffet has such a variety of food that you are bound to find something a child can eat. There's often pizza, burgers, pasta and sandwich fixings, plus plenty of cookies and ice cream. Baby food, however, is not as standard. Some cruise ships will puree food for your new eater, but you might need to request it in advance. Others will not. Check with your cruise line before you sail, as you might need to bring your own jarred baby food. You will also need to bring your own formula. Whole milk is often available, but for convenience, you might consider taking cartons from breakfast and storing them in your cabin's minifridge for later in the day. Can a cruise ship accommodate my dietary restriction? Yes. Cruise ship restaurants pretty much always have vegetarian options; low-salt, low-carb, gluten-free and vegan food is either available and noted or can be prepared with advance notice. Kosher food must be pre-ordered before your cruise and is typically pre-made off the ship and frozen for use during the cruise. In general, if you have a strict diet or a severe allergy, it's best to alert your cruise line in advance, either through your travel agent or a cruise line's special needs department. You can then meet with the head chef on the first day of your cruise to make sure you get the meals you need. For more, see our tips for cruising with a dietary restriction. How can I learn more cruise ship food? The What to Expect on a Cruise series, written by Cruise Critic's editorial staff, is a resource guide, where we answer the most common questions about cruise ship life -- including cruise food, cabins, drinks and onboard fun -- as well as money matters before and during your cruise and visiting ports of call on your cruise. Fee vs. Free: What's Included in Your Cruise Fare? Cruise Critic ranks the world’s largest cruise ships by gross tonnage along with additional information including passenger count. Cruise ship sun decks offer all the convenience of loungers, hot tubs and beverage service -- and all the headaches of screaming children, rock concerts on poolside screens and live bands playing "Hot Hot Hot" for the 20th time. Adults-only sun decks offer all the former in a much more serene environment. We have nothing against kids, but even on the most family-friendly cruise ships, an area explicitly excluding children gives parents a valuable hour or two of "me time," while maintaining the sanity of fellow cruisers who came on vacation for peace, quiet and minimal crying. Adults-only sun decks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Many have amenities not available in the main deck areas and nicer loungers or sun beds; some also require an entry fee. We have not included adults-only solariums that are strictly covered pools. If the only "whining" you want comes with dining, then consider the following six sun decks that maintain a strict adults-only ambiance. There once was a not-so-savvy seafarer who didn't feel right unless she took two steamer trunks crammed with outfits on every cruise. This, she learned, was not a good idea. Besides incurring the wrath of her male traveling companion, who pointed out that he would have to wrestle with excess baggage through airport terminals and beyond, she quickly tired of cramming her belongings into tiny closets. The now savvy seafarer follows this packing rule: Thou shalt put into one's suitcase only that which will fit neatly in the allocated cabin storage space. Following that advice is getting easier because, for the most part, cruising has become a more casual vacation with relaxed dress codes. Plus, with airlines charging to check bags, it's just plain economical to pack light. To do so, you need to have a good sense of what you’re going to wear on a cruise so you don't pack your entire closet. If you're wondering what to bring on your next cruise, here are our guidelines for what you'll need to pack. It's one of the most common cruising questions: When is the best time to cruise Alaska, Australia, the Caribbean, Canada/New England, Hawaii, Europe or the South Pacific? The answer depends on many variables. For example, fall foliage enthusiasts will find September and October the best time to cruise Canada/New England, whereas families prefer to sail in summer when temperatures are warmer for swimming. The best time to cruise to Alaska will vary depending on your preferences for viewing wildlife, fishing, bargain-shopping, sunshine, warm weather and catching the northern lights. For most cruise regions, there are periods of peak demand (high season), moderate demand (shoulder season) and low demand (low season), which is usually the cheapest time to cruise. High season is typically a mix of when the weather is best and popular travel periods (such as summer and school holidays). However, the best time to cruise weather-wise is usually not the cheapest time to cruise. The cheapest time to cruise is when most travelers don't want to go because of chillier temperatures or inopportune timing (too close to holidays, the start of school, etc.). But the lure of cheap fares and uncrowded ports might make you change your mind about what you consider the best time to cruise. As you plan your next cruise, you'll want to take into consideration the best and cheapest times to cruise and see what jibes with your vacation schedule. Here's a when-to-cruise guide for popular destinations. We recommend the best cruise lines for first timers in a variety of categories, as well as runners-up. So dry your cruise planning tears, and get ready to find your perfect cruise line.
0.999998
Please evaluate my sample answer to writing task 1, question 7. Thanks! The line graph illustrates the forecasted population development of China and India starting from the year 1990 to 2050. The y-axis represents the number of people in billions from 0.8 to 1.6, with 0.1 increments. While the x-axis shows the decades from 1990 to 2050. China is represented by the blue dotted line while India is a straight red line. During 1990, China started with an estimated population of 1.15 billion compared to India that had only 0.85 billion. China had steadily increased its population from 1990 to 2020 (1.15 to 1.42 billion respectively) and reached its peak the next decade of 1.45 billion in 2030 and then it will gradually decrease to 1.39billion until 2050. On the other hand, India’s population started in 1990 at 0.85 billion and is sharply increasing decades after decades with a projected population of 1.6 billion people in 2050. In summary, based on the trends, India is expected to surpass the population of China after 2030 and it will continue to rise onwards after 2050.
0.991626
You are led down a rough hewn passageway lit dimly by flickering torches held in rusty sconces along the wall. The aging scribe leads you to a small iron door inset into the rock at the end of the passage. Fumbling in his leather pouch, the scribe pulls out an ornate brass key and inserts it into the huge lock in the door then turns the key clockwise three or four times. Clicks ring loudly down the passage from which you came, and then, the door swings open. "Here Adventurers, you will find all knowledge that has passed before you", the old scribe whispers as he sweeps out his hand and bows low, beckoning you to enter the vault. The Parchment Vault contains news and items which have passed from the chamber known as "Whats New?", no longer new to that place, here they rest, for adventurers and travellers who wish to delve deeper into the history of the site called Candlekeep.
0.9996
I wanted to make my wife a jewelry box that was extremely high capacity and didn't take up too much space. My wife found a great old frame at an antique store and suggested we convert it into a jewelry board. I recently managed to get around to it, and we've been quite pleased with the result! The Frame: The frame we bought is about two feet across, and was covered in chipping paint. I really wanted to accent the design of the frame, so I painted it with a blue/green base coat, white highlights, and a coffee brown shadow. First the base coat: The original frame color was white, so it was pretty easy to get a nice strong color base. Next I dry-brushed on white to accent the carving. Dry-brushing is an easy technique where you lightly dip the paint brush in paint, then essentially take all the paint back off by brushing the paint onto a paper towel or other surface. With just a hint of paint left on the brush you lightly brush over the object and only the highest points will become painted. Finally I did a wash with a coffee brown. To make a wash, get a small container of water, then put a small amount of paint in the water. I think I usually end up with about a 2:1 or 3:1 water to paint ratio. Use a brush to transfer the watery paint onto your frame. The paint will flow down into the crevices, giving a nice shadow. Careful not to transfer too much liquid or it will take forever to dry. From outside-in it goes: Burlap, Cork Board, Foam Board. The Cork Board and Foam Board are glued together, and then the Burlap is wrapped around them and stapled down. This whole package is then put into the frame and tightened in using nails or staples. First I cut out the foam board and cork roll to fit the frame. We had a circular frame, so cutting the foam and cork was a bit trickier than it would be with a rectangle or square. To make the circle I used a string and pen, as shown below. The string is 1/2 the diameter of the frame, and it is pinned to the center of the board. It turned out our board was not wide enough to make the complete circle, so I needed to take the ends of the board and cut the rest of the circle out. The cork board was pretty delicate, and crumbled easily, but I managed to get a nice circle worth cut out. I then used white glue to adhere the cork to the foam board. I set some books on top of the cork board while the glue dried to prevent it from rolling up. Now that I had my pieces cut out, I put them into the frame to make sure I'd actually measured it all correctly. The boards fit pretty snugly, so it was time to add the burlap. Originally I was going to use a plain burlap, but the place where I bought it had a printed burlap on sale that seemed very appropriate for my wife. I placed the burlap over the cork board side of the circle, and then placed this 3-layer combo back inside the frame to make sure there was room enough for the burlap cover. Now that I knew the covered board would fit in the frame, I stapled the burlap tight against the board. It is important to make sure the burlap on the front of the board is taut and not hanging loose. This took quite a few staples to get the burlap around a circular board (another reason it is much easier to be using a rectangular or square frame!). When I was finished I placed it back into the frame. To secure the board into the frame I put nails into the frame and bent them down into the board. If you have a staple gun you could probably as easily staple the board into the frame or any of a number of different options (duct tape works well too). Finally it was time to hang the board on the wall and add pins to hang jewelry. I used pearl-headed pins because they fit with the overall look. Finally it was done! The frame is two feet wide, so the final board is able to hold a TON of jewelry.
0.972881
In our study, we will frequently use the notions "abstract", "abstraction", "concrete" and "instantiation". To avoid confusion about the meaning of these words, and because the notions are closely related to some fundamental mechanisms, we have a closer look to their meaning in this context. When recognizing a similarity between two phenomena, the similarity itself is something more general than each of the phenomenon. Because it is more general, we call it abstract. Each of the phenomena can be considered as an instance of the more abstract principle. We notice a joke is spreading. We notice also that a manufacturing technique is spreading. We can express the recognized similarity in a more general, a more abstract statement: "Information is spreading". The action of the generalization we call abstraction. The opposite action is the application of the general information under specific circumstances. This action we call instantiation. The result can be called an application, an example, an instance or an instantiation. I prefer to use the word instantiation because it implies a temporary aspect; at a certain instant, the abstract information manifests itself as an instantiation. In other words, an abstract information being expresses itself in a given environment by instantiating itself. It's like the information being grabbing some elements of the environment to pull them into a specific constellation to make itself clear. "Information is spreading" is an abstract statement. "Jokes are spreading" is a first instantiation, and "Manufacturing techniques are spreading" is a second instantiation. Because the laws governing information are applicable to all information and there is a very wide variety of information, our study of behavior of information is very abstract. The basic mechanism for building an abstraction is surprisingly simple. However, building a new and stable abstraction which will spread and survive for a long time is not so simple. When removing some details from a set of information, we obtain a more abstract set of information. Suppose we have a story about Jim and Julia. By removing the details about the names and replacing them by "a boy" and "a girl", we obtain a more abstract story which can be instantiated in many ways by filling in some names. However, there is more to making useful abstractions than cutting away some details. When removing elements from an information set, it can happen that the obtained information set has no use anymore and has thus no chance on survival. The princess is going to marry a controversial politician... When replacing "the princess" by "a girl", The entire story looses its gossip aspect and by this it looses its chance on fast and wide spreading. In the coming chapters we will return to the propagation and evolutionary forces influencing abstract information sets. When learning how to cook an omelet, it may be demonstrated in a red frying pan. Fortunately, most of us will understand that the color of the pan is irrelevant and memorize the technique of preparing an omelet separately from the details of the demonstration. When learning something, we observe a way of doing it in a very specific context. We take it for granted that we memorize the essence of what we see separated from all the details. Suppose we learn a witchcraft trick by receiving one single demonstration. When we do not have a general knowledge about witchcraft, it is very difficult to evaluate the importance of the individual details. Therefore we try to memorize all of them. Once we can systematically reproduce the trick, we are able to evaluate the importance of each detail in experiments. By this, we learn about the subject. To be able to remove the right (irrelevant) details, there must be a general understanding of the process. If we do not have this base, we can only try to memorize all details. Later on, we can attempt to remove details one by one and see if it still works. This process of removing details and testing the result contributes largely to the understanding of the subject. When the information concerns a subject we are familiar with, we know already abstractions of some details of the subject. We obtain new abstractions by replacing details by the already known abstractions of these details. When we are familiar with cookery, we have probably discovered already that the color of the pot is not so important. So besides the notion of "a red pot", "a green pot", etc., we have also a more abstract notion of "a pot". Once this abstraction is discovered, we will attempt to use it whenever it is possible. The technique of replacing some details by abstractions of the details causes a generalization because the abstract elements can be instantiated in new ways. Out of the expressions: "Jokes are spreading" and "Manufacturing techniques are spreading", we can built the abstract expression: "Information is spreading." The element "information" can be re-instantiated in many different ways. This leads to new statements such as: "Tales are spreading," "Knowledge is spreading," etc. This illustrates how an abstraction causes a generalization. Generalizations can of course lead to mistakes. It is not because a few instantiations of something more abstract correspond with our observations that all instantiations are possible. It is not sure that the choice of the instantiation of the elements is irrelevant or independent from each other. Because of these possible problems, new generalizations are called hypothesis. When experimenting with our new witchcraft trick we can replace the brown stick with a green stick. When the trick still works, we could conclude that the color is irrelevant. However it might be that all colors work except for red. As soon we feel there is a similarity between two phenomena, we have discovered some more abstract information (the similarity), even when we have no name for it. The observed similarity suggests that there exist some more abstract information of which we have observed two instantiations. Based on this, an attempt can be made to express the common part without mentioning one of the phenomena. Because the abstraction is more general than the observed phenomena, there can be a mistake. Verifying an abstract rule would imply the verification of the correctness of the rule in all possible instantiations to check if there are no exceptions to the rule. Therefore all abstractions are at first hypothesis. As the hypothesis is applied (tested) with good result under different circumstances, we become more confident in the hypothesis and we start considering the hypothesis as a law. The described abstraction mechanism is part of our common sense. As all parts of our knowledge, we express it in our actions. In scientific research, generalizations (abstractions) are formulated consciously as hypothesis. As the formulated hypothesis proves to be useful in the explanation of more phenomena, the hypothesis is gradually being considered as a law. Scientists are supposed to keep always in mind that all formulated laws remain hypothesis. The science of physics has been shaken several times by discoveries that hypothesis considered as laws since a long time suddenly proved to be incomplete or wrong. All information which can be abstracted to the same, more abstract, information element is related. It seems that it makes part of one set. The process of assigning an element of information to a set is called classification. It is clear that any classification process is related with an abstraction.
0.961679
– Downplaying the environment, epigenetics may reinforce the nature/nurture divide it is set to challenge, CAS fellow Professor Gisli Palsson argues as he publishes the book "Can science resolve the nature/nurture debate?". New book by CAS fellow Gisli Palsson and Margaret Lock: Can science resolve the nature/nurture debate? After centuries of debate about what determine human differences and abilities, the discovery of DNA established an idea that genes (nature) determine who we are, degrading the environment (nurture) or relegating it to superfluous effects. In the newly published book Can Science Resolve the Nature / Nurture Debate? anthropologists Gisli Palsson and Margaret Lock outline arguments in the nature/nurture debate from Classical times to more recent epigenetics. Palsson says that anthropology has for a long time straddled along several divides, including those of the body, environment, and scientific practice. - This makes the recent but rapidly growing subject of epigenetics particularly appealing and rewarding for anthropologists, he says, describing epigenetics as the study of ways in which environmental influence may reprogram inheritance. Epigenetic can go several ways, he says, and describes the current epigenetic practice as focused on what happens within the body and the cell. The social is more or less neglected. This means that epigenetics today is typically black-boxing the environment, he argues. - While this has its usefulness, in effect it may reinforce the nature/nurture divide it is set to challenge. In that respect, anthropology has a lot to offer this debate, he says. - In order to address inequality, injustice and the marginalisation of certain social groups, we argue that epigenetics would have to meaningfully introduce the social and environmental into its analyses. In their book, Palsson and Lock want to show how these concepts constantly change with new scientific insights. Thus, the nature/nurture debate is never-ending.
0.999993
with a full 't' in the second syllable. pronounced as you might expect is endless. Endless.
0.998332
I decided to create this little list because I have been on too many trips where people have forgotten some very essential things. These in my opinion are the top 10 things that you need for your climbing trip. Some additional things that are very helpful are extra socks, approach shoes, a towel if there are showers or river, toiletries, knife, crazy creek or chair, paper towels, a change of clean clothes for the ride home, finger nail clippers, credit card for emergencies, and some good friends to have a great time.
0.995563
Book Review: 'Tales From The Inner City' NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with author and illustrator Shaun Tan about his new book, "Tales from the Inner City," which explores the relationship between humans and animals living in a city. NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with author and illustrator Shaun Tan about his new book, "Tales from the Inner City," which explores the relationship between humans and animals living in a city. Many of us probably have at least one skill we can confidently say is our major strength. Double that for the artist Shaun Tan. Not only does he illustrate his award-winning books. He also writes the stories that accompany them. He was an animator on the film "WALL-E". And he's also an Academy Award-winning director for the short film "The Lost Thing." In his new book, "Tales From The Inner City," Tan creates a world where animals and humans coexist in what seem like unconventional spaces for the animals. Shaun Tan joins us from his home in Melbourne, Australia. Shaun, welcome to the program. SHAUN TAN: Hello. Good to be here. PFEIFFER: Shaun, your latest book is a collection of short stories and illustrations. And they're all about people and creatures living in close proximity and specifically in cities - crocodiles on the 87th floor of a skyscraper or bears in a courtroom. What is the genesis for these stories? How did your mind come up with these unusual situations? TAN: If I knew the answer, I'd probably be far more productive (laughter) as a writer and illustrator. Basically, I keep a number of little sketch books. And I'm always jotting down random ideas and doodles. And over time, they coalesce around a particular subject. And in this case, it was wild animals coexisting with humans either well or not well within spices that are normally reserved exclusively for humans. And it really got me thinking more deeply about what a city is, why we live in cities and the way in which one species can control an entire environment to their own needs. PFEIFFER: Shaun, one of the stories in the book is about dogs and their relationship with humans. And I think anyone who has loved a dog or felt loved by a dog will find this one touching. Could you read the small section on page 26? TAN: Sure. It's just one verse of a poem. (Reading) One day I threw my stick at you. You brought it back. My hand touched your ear. Your nose touched the back of my knee. And we were walking side by side as if it had always been this way. PFEIFFER: What's interesting is that first line, one day I threw my stick at you. I didn't interpret that as a game of fetch. It was that originally the dogs and humans were kind of - if not enemies, it was the human wanted the dog to get away. But it turned into something different. PFEIFFER: Is that part of what you're trying to get across that development of that relationship? TAN: I've always loved these images of aggressive action that's met with a compassionate action. In this case, the idea of somebody throwing a stick, such as a spear, as suggested in the illustration at a dog or a wolf. And this animal somewhat obliviously thinking hey, this is a fun game and grabbing it and bringing it back and disarming, you know, all the assumptions that a human might have. PFEIFFER: And the drawings are very beautiful because they show a variety of different types of dogs and type of people over time. TAN: Yeah; I mean, I'm not a dog owner myself, but I live next to a dog park. And at times I'm a very pessimistic person about humans and their relationship with the natural world. But the thing that always gives me hope is walking through that park and seeing people playing with their dogs. PFEIFFER: You mentioned that you don't have a dog, but I feel like I've heard a parrot in the background. Do you - you do have a parrot. Are there some animals in your life? TAN: Yes, we have a 18-year-old sun conure parrot, which is a small macaw in a way. That's basically quite a strange creature to live with that we've come to love him or her. As it turned out, after seven years, Diego laid an egg. TAN: And so that solved the problem of gender. PFEIFFER: ....In some of this. PFEIFFER: Some of the themes - I mean, bureaucracy, depression, destruction. And somehow you address these in an illustrated book. Why that focus, that dark, heavy focus? TAN: That's a good question because I've looked at a lot of my work over the years. And, you know, it's a collection of books that line my shelf. And I look very strange to me. You know, I don't necessarily recognize the person that created those books. A lot of people have pointed out that this book is quite dark, but they've also been careful to say, you know, but it's very funny at the same time. And certainly, there's something about the colorfulness of the illustrations and a certain lightness of the fictionality of the scenarios that makes them quite digestible. But hopefully, it does get people thinking about some deeper issues. And I do want people to be a little bit disturbed, as well, because I was while I was researching this book. PFEIFFER: Shaun Tan is the author and illustrator of "Tales From The Inner City." Shaun, thank you for talking with us. TAN: Thanks. It's been great chatting with you.
0.998627
Regions with established amphetamine or methamphetamine use include parts of Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, North America and certain parts of Europe (United Kingdom (UK), the Czech Republic and Scandinavian countries). The use of methamphetamine in particular is increasing in many regions and there is concern that the trend will continue despite heightened awareness of the adverse consequences (Rawson, Anglin & Ling, 2002; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2003). Use of methamphetamine in the Americas appears concentrated in North America, particularly in the USA, although there have been reports of increasing use in countries in Central and South America (United Nations Economic and Social Council, 2003). Clinical researchers in the USA have identified a growing market of methamphetamine consumers, particularly in the western and mid-western states (Rawson, Anglin et al., 2002). Clinical reports are supported by epidemiological data that reveal a three-fold increase in the incidence of methamphetamine use and a reduction in age of initiation from 22 years to 18 years (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2002). Methamphetamine is now being used along with other drugs at dance venues such as raves in the USA and use of the crystalline form of the drug ('ice') has been associated with significant problems. Use of methamphetamine is still at lower levels than seen in Australia, with around 4% of the general population having ever used the drug, although this should be interpreted in light of the relatively higher levels of cocaine use in the USA. Most 'amphetamines' used in Europe are in the form of amphetamine sulphate. Methamphetamine problems have been largely restricted to the Czech Republic. However, there has been some evidence of sporadic methamphetamine availability in other European countries. Use of amphetamines in Western Europe is still well below 5% lifetime prevalence for most countries — comparatively much lower than levels reported among the general population in Australia. Over three-quarters of the world's production of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) occurs in Southeast Asia. Given this scenario it is not surprising that one of the most notable drug trends over recent years has been the dramatic increase in ATS use in this region. Particularly large increases in use have been seen in Thailand, while historically methamphetamine use has been the dominant pattern of drug use in Japan and the Philippines. Lower levels of use are seen in other parts of the region, although recently use in these areas also appears to be increasing, with use spreading to broader population groups. In Thailand, methamphetamine use has been spreading since 1970 but this increase became more intense from 1996 and its use has now dispersed throughout the country. Methamphetamine has now replaced heroin as the most common drug for which drug users seek treatment, with over half of new treatment recipients in the country being methamphetamine users in 2000. Most methamphetamine available in Thailand is in the form of tablets, referred to locally as 'yaabaa', which is typically smoked 2-3 times per day.Young people and students have become the main users of methamphetamine, while drugs like ecstasy, ketamine and cocaine are more commonly used by youth in entertainment places (Chaiyawong, 2002). Japan has experienced several waves of widespread methamphetamine use, the first immediately following the Second World War when stockpiles used by combat personnel became widely available to the general public. Although drug use among the general population is low, methamphetamine is reported to be 'the most widely abused drug in Japan' (Matsumoto, Kamijo, Muiyakawa, Endo et al., 2002) and accounts for the majority of reported cases of drug dependence or abuse in Japan. Injection is the predominant mode of administration, although smoking the drug has increased in popularity over the past decade (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 2002). Methamphetamine is also the most common illicit drug used in the Philippines, where there is an estimated 1.8 million users of the drug (1999 National Household Survey) and methamphetamine accounts for the majority of drug-related treatment admissions. The main form of methamphetamine used in the Philippines is the high purity crystalline form called shabu (or 'ice'). Most users smoke the drug, although there have been reports of methamphetamine injection (Balmes, 2002). Use of ATS has also increased in China where there is also substantial production and trafficking of the drug, including the high purity crystalline methamphetamine that is used in the neighbouring countries of Japan and the Philippines. Use of amphetamine-type drugs in China includes 'ice' but also other forms of ATS, particularly ecstasy, known locally as 'shake head pill'. There has been an increase in the use of ATS pills in several other Southeast Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Laos People's Democratic Republic (PDR) and Cambodia. Use in these countries is still relatively low. However, there are signs that use is beginning to spread (Zhimin, Xianxiang & Jiaqi, in press). Experimental or infrequent use of 'ecstasy' type drugs appears to be on the rise in many regions of the world. This increase is most noticeable across the Americas and in Central and Eastern Europe, where increased exposure to ecstasy use among young people has been documented. Increases in ecstasy use have also been noted in Australia and in some countries in Southeast Asia. In Europe the use of ecstasy type drugs has become an established aspect of specific recreational settings (dance parties) where the drug is taken among youth, combined with increasing experimentation with other synthetic drugs. With respect to the use of ecstasy there has been a clear upward trend in both Western and Eastern European cities (Bless, Kemmesies & Diemel, 2000). However, the most recent data from the European Union region shows that lifetime experience of ecstasy among the general population is still well below 5% in most countries (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 2002), which is slightly lower than levels seen in Australia (6%) (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2002a). However, much of the 'ecstasy' taken in Australia may actually be methamphetamine pills, so it is difficult to make accurate comparisons across countries (Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence, 2002). Increased ecstasy use is a particular concern in the USA at the moment. Around 4% of the population have ever used ecstasy, with exposure to the drug having increased significantly since 2000 (2.9% vs. 3.6%) (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2002). Increased ecstasy use has been noted in many regions of the country and has been reflected in a rise in the number of emergency room admissions where ecstasy has been implicated (Community Epidemiological Work Group (CEWG), 2002). Increased use of ecstasy was particularly notable among older school students where levels of use in the past year have risen sharply from around 4% in 1996-98 to just over 9% in 2001 (Johnston, O'Malley & Bachman, 2002). Designer drugs such as ecstasy have also emerged as popular drugs in Canada, mainly among youth. In Ontario, past-year ecstasy use among students had increased from 0.6% in 1993 to 6% in 2001 (Adlaf, Paglia & Ivis, 2000). Consumption of cocaine tends to be concentrated in the Americas, with relatively lower levels in other parts of the world. This is hardly surprising considering that the global supply of cocaine originates almost exclusively from the South American countries of Peru, Bolivia and Columbia.Trafficking of cocaine in this region dwarfs other regions, with over 200 tonnes of the drug seized annually — around 90% of global cocaine seizures. In line with supply-side trends, cocaine is the second most common illicit drug used after cannabis in North America. Exposure to cocaine among the general population in the USA is high, with around one in ten people (11.2%) having ever used the drug. An estimated 1.7 million people (0.7%) were current cocaine users, while 406,000 (0.2%) were current crack users, having used the drug in the past month (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2001). Similar to the USA, cocaine is the second most common illicit drug used in Canada after cannabis. Cocaine is also the most commonly injected drug, although smoking of crack cocaine has become more popular among IDUs in recent years, especially in Vancouver, where crack cocaine is also injected (Archibald, 2002). Mexico is also experiencing high levels of problematic cocaine use.The Drug Information Report System (DIRS) in Mexico noted that cocaine use surpassed use of cannabis and inhalants in 1998 to be the most common form of drug use among problematic drug users. Cocaine use among school students in Mexico also increased over the last decade with 5.2% of students reporting first use, to be the second most common illicit drug used after cannabis (5.8%) (Natera Rey, 2002). Levels of cocaine use also appear high in other parts of the Americas, with relatively high levels of cocaine use found among school students in Columbia, with crack cocaine using being the dominant form of problematic drug use seen in the Caribbean (Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC), 2001; Secretaría Nacional Antidrogas (SENAD), 2002). Lower levels of cocaine use are seen in Western Europe where the drug has been tried by between 1% and 6% of the population. Prevalence of recent use is usually less than 1% although this is not without exception (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 2002). Cocaine use is increasing among young people in the UK. Of those in the 16–24 years age group interviewed for the British Crime Survey, 5% reported use of cocaine in the previous year, which was five times more than those who reported recent use in 1994 (Boys, Marsden & Strang, 2001). There has also been concern about high or increasing levels of cocaine use in selected European countries (e.g. Denmark, Germany, Greece and Spain) (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 2002). Use of cocaine is also relatively low in other parts of the world. Pockets of cocaine use have been noted in some major urban areas in Africa, including cities in Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya and South Africa, some of these centres being transit points for trafficking of cocaine. Use of cocaine in these areas appears to be confined to small groups in urban areas, although lack of comprehensive data makes assessment of the situation difficult. Cocaine use is not a salient feature of the drug situation in Asia, while use in Australia is a relatively recent phenomenon and even then cocaine has remained at low levels, as discussed later in this chapter.
0.977033
I would like to apologise for __________________. After some reflection it is obvious that ___________ and ______________. I hope that this will not damage our friendship and that we can move past this moment; I understand how you must feel.
0.950362
Don Wilson is Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and was named senior scientist in January 2000. Don was director of the Smithsonian's Biodiversity Programs for ten years. A distinguished mammalogist and an internationally recognized authority on bats, he earned his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of New Mexico. He is the author of over 270 scientific publications and 30 books, including the highly acclaimed 9-volume series Handbook of Mammals of the World. For the last 50 years, his work has taken him around the world conducting field work and research. He has led tours for Smithsonian Journeys to most of the world's greatest natural history destinations, from Antarctica to Zimbabwe. Don loves to share his passion for the natural world, and his easygoing nature, sense of humor, and excellent presentations have earned him much praise and a loyal following from Smithsonian travelers. Don was very helpful. He continued to educate and help even after we came home from the trip. We thoroughly enjoyed Don's participation in the tour and his engagement with everyone during meals. He has a fantastic background and was enthusiastic about our trip! Q: The African Safari program offers an exciting adventure for Smithsonian travelers who'd like to discover magnificent wildlife and incredible landscapes. As Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and former Director of the Smithsonian's Biodiversity Programs, what would you encourage Smithsonian travelers to have foremost in mind about the ecosystems and wildlife they'll explore on this special journey? A: This safari is so good that it will meet their expectations, no matter what they are. Most people go to Africa for the first time wanting to see the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo. We do our level best to find all of those, and so much more. I think the people who get the most out of the trip are able to look beyond the big things, and enjoy the incredible diversity of mammals and birds that we encounter on this trip. We get a look at three pretty distinctive areas on this trip, and even if travelers have already visited East Africa, they will find this Southern Africa Safari quite different. The landscapes are quite varied, and although some of the animals will be familiar, there are so many different species that a second visit to Africa is almost as special as the first. Q: In March 2010, the Smithsonian celebrated its 100th anniversary on the National Mall with the opening of a new exhibition hall, the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins, an interactive exhibit through 6 million years of scientific evidence for human origins. Human origins is one of the topics that you explore with Smithsonian travelers in your lectures on the African Safari program. What common threads would you highlight between the exhibit at the Smithsonian and what Smithsonian Journeys travelers will discover on this journey? A: Our own species, Homo sapiens traces its roots back to the African Continent, so this trip is a journey home, in an evolutionary sense. Some of the very earliest finds of early man fossils were in South Africa, not far from Johannesberg, where we begin and end our trip. Recent years have seen many new fossils found from various places on the continent, greatly expanding our understanding of our ancestors. I love exploring this topic "on-site,"so to speak, and now with the fabulous new exhibit at the Natural History Museum, it is possible for folks to get even more information either before or after the trip. We have a natural curiosity about this topic, and although it can be a bit difficult to understand it all at once, the exhibit provides a terrific extension to the chronology I provide in my lectures. Q: The World Heritage site Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, also known by its indigenous name of 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' (the 'Smoke that Thunders') is an area especially rich in wildlife. The April 2013 Smithsonian group that you will be leading will witness Victoria Falls at the peak of the river's annual rainy season and consequent flooding of the river. Does this peak time of year significantly change the wildlife traffic or the ecosystem of the river, falls, and surrounding jungle? A: April is a wonderful time to visit Victoria Falls. With peak river flow, the falls are truly spectacular. We provide ponchos for our walk along the falls, as the spray can be an exhilarating experience. We do a wonderful bridge tour as well, and sometimes the spray even reaches as far as the bridge. This spray zone results in a unique rainforest that we walk through on our visit to the falls. The Park is also spectacular at this time of year, as the vegetation is incredibly green and lush. Our lodge is on a beautiful waterhole that attracts a variety of wildlife throughout the day, so folks can sit on their balcony and watch the daily parade. We do our first game drive here, so everything we see is new and exciting. Q: On this journey, you and the Smithsonian travelers will explore Chobe National Park, Botswana's first national park. Chobe National park is probably best known for its spectacular elephant population, with an estimated 50,000 elephants -- possibly the highest elephant concentration in Africa, and part of the largest continuous surviving elephant population. What accounts for the immense and concentrated elephant population at Chobe? A: Chobe is home to more elephants than just about any other park in Africa, but it is also the most diverse park in Botswana, which is saying a lot. It is a large park, so provides a wide variety of habitats. I think the key factor for the elephants is the Chobe River, which bisects the park, and provides a dry—season refuge for these amazing animals. In April, the elephants are dispersed throughout the park, taking advantage of the growing season to harvest huge amounts of forage. The areas we explore, both on land and on the river, yield some of the best elephant sightings anywhere, and we are able to get very up close and personal with them, from the safety of the vehicles and boats. Chobe is a non-stop wildlife extravaganza, with something new and different around every corner. Q: What kind of wildlife can travelers look forward to observing on the night game drives on this journey? A: We finish the safari at Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia, another spectacular venue. One of the treats here is the opportunity to go out at night and look for nocturnal animals that we would otherwise miss on our daily game drives. We routinely see things like African porcupines and a variety of small carnivores called genets and civets that are only active at night. We also almost always increase our bird lists by going out at night. Things like owls and nightjars are much more likely to be seen at night. We also occasionally see a leopard on the prowl at night, and this is a very special experience. Leopards are one of the more difficult species to find, and the possibility of going out at night increases our chances if we haven't yet seen one on a daytime game drive.
0.999849
Switch things up with this recipe for yummy Frosted Pecan-Coconut Brownies. Frosted Pecan-Coconut Brownies are unique way to dress up everyday brownies. Preheat oven to 350°F. Reserve 32 pecan halves for garnish; coarsely chop remaining pecans. Beat eggs and 2 cups of the brown sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add butter, chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour and salt until well blended. Add 1/2 cup of the coconut and 3/4 cup of the chopped pecans; stir. Pour batter into lightly greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 min. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Mix frosting, remaining 1/2 cup coconut, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and the remaining chopped pecans; spread over brownies. Cut into 32 pieces; top each with 1 pecan half. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature. Since this indulgent brownie recipe makes 32 servings, it is the perfect dessert to serve at your next party. Use a food processor to quickly chop the pecans. Makes 32 servings, 1 brownie each.
0.966793
The supercomputers listed in Top500 and running the HPCG benchmark are usually not able to use more than 1–5 % of their peak computing power, and no system is able to achieve 1 PFlop/s. The paper shows that the Conjugate Gradient algorithm without preconditioning requires only weak bandwidth of interconnect links, but, being a problem of low arithmetic intensity (flop/byte ratio), it would need the memory bandwidth about 20 times greater than available. Based on this, the paper investigates architecture features of a prospective cost effective processor with the memory bandwidth matching the computing power, when solving problems of low arithmetic intensity. The distributed monitoring infrastructure of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) records on a Hadoop infrastructures a broad variety of computing and storage logs. They represent a valuable source of information for system tuning and capacity planning. In this paper we analyze machine learning (ML) techniques on large amount of traces to discover patterns and correlations useful to classify the popularity of experiment-related datasets. We implement a scalable pipeline of Spark components which collect the dataset access logs from heterogeneous monitoring sources and group them into weekly snapshots organized by CMS sites. Predictive models are trained on these snapshots and forecast which dataset will become popular over time. Dataset popularity predictions are then used to experiment a novel strategy of data caching, called Popularity Prediction Caching (PPC). We compare the hit rates of PPC with those produced by well known caching policies. We demonstrate how the performance improvement is as high as 20% in some sites. We discuss schedulers for a heterogeneous distributed platform, designed to execute a variety of tasks in a non-dedicated environment. The platform uses and controls a large number of non-dedicated heterogeneous computational resources in a local network. Several self-scheduling algorithms have been adapted to take into account the computational capacity of each workstation of the network. To evaluate the schedulers we use the platform to execute a software tool for molecular docking. We analyze the performance of the self-scheduling algorithms and their impact on the execution time of the application. Scientific legacy codes are usually holding large numbers of physical arrays which have been used and updated by the code routines, and the code parameters are set using a simple textual data file. Therefore, in cases when there is a need to perform a parallel large-scale parameters-sweep, the user needs to manually replicate the code multiple times, change the data file to its needs, run the code and control its performances - at each working directory separately. This task is practicable when there is a need to create several computations, but impossible when there is a need to run a large-scale parallel parameters-sweep on a cluster with thousands of calculations. In this work we present CalCul – A Python-based Workspace for High-Performance Legacy Scientific Codes, which is able to automatically render most of legacy codes data files into a python object, allowing the user – using many other functionalities – to control and handle all the needs of a parameters-sweep using the simplicity and sophistication of Python libraries, and thus allowing the conversion of work with software from manual to automatic. Also, in order to not damage the way legacy software work, and in order to abstain from replacing existing work modules for these software, the CalCul system provides a mirror between the changes done using the Python object and the legacy data files, and thus allows working dually on the software – either from CalCul or from the data files itself. CalCul also interfaces with IPython interactive command shell, and in this way, the user can manage all of his scientific actions entirely in one hermetic workspace. Benchmarking and rating constantly running, distributed, message based systems is very difficult. Time based benchmarks require high effort and are very error prone and expensive because they need dedicated hardware. Instead we propose to use the number of messages in such systems as an abstract layer which is independent from physical clusters but nevertheless allows to infer physical behaviour using hardware specific cost vectors. The number of messages and cost vectors can be systematically extracted from a running instance of a message based system. We show how results gained using a traditional benchmark and those inferred using our technique correlate using two real world examples. In order to operate within power supply constraints, the next generation of supercomputers must be energy efficient. Both the capacities of the target HPC system architecture and workload features impact the energy efficiency of parallel applications. These system and workload factors form a complicated optimization search space. Further, a typical workload may consist of multiple algorithmic kernels each with different power consumption patterns. Using the Parallel Research Kernels as a case study, we identify key bottlenecks that change the energy usage pattern and develop strategies that improve energy efficiency by optimizing both workload and system parameters in an automated manner. The method provides significant insights to identify repeatable, statistically significant energy saving opportunities for parallel applications at various scales. With the advent of a new generation of supercomputers characterized by tightly-coupled integration of a large-number of powerful processing cores in the same die, energy and temperature walls are looming threats to the growth in computational power. Scientific computing is characterized by a single application running in parallel on multiple nodes and cores until termination. The message-passing programming model is a widely adopted paradigm for explicitly handling data-sharing between processes of the same application. As an effect of the MPI communication patterns among different processes, the application is characterized by phases which can be exploited by OS power manager. In addition, the large number of cores integrated in the same silicon die introduces large thermal capacitance as well as on-die thermal heterogeneity. Jointly exploiting local workload unbalance and computational node heterogeneity can open interesting opportunities for advanced thermal and energy management. In this paper, we present an exploratory work to assess these opportunities and their limiting factors. We analyze application workload and we identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and their impact on performance. We test our methodology on a widely-used quantum-chemistry application demonstrating potential benefits of combining the application flow with power and thermal management strategies. Mesh deformation is a performance critical part of many problems in fluid dynamics. Radial basis function (RBF) interpolation based methods for mesh deformation have addressed the increasing complexity for larger data sets. Recently a domain decomposition method has been introduced which allows mapping these algorithms well to distributed memory systems. Because heterogeneous systems have proven to be more time and energy efficient for some applications, the HPC resources available to engineering users and researchers become increasingly heterogeneous. In this paper, we describe two optimisations performed on a RBF based interpolation solver for mesh deformation. Motivated by a theoretical performance analysis, the existing MPI distributed model was extended to hybrid parallelisation with OpenMP to achieve better scaling efficiency on systems with hundreds of cores. In addition, an auto-tuning step at compile time which selects a threshold for code paths was introduced which yields up to twofold performance compared to a constant parameter approach across all test systems. Our results indicate scaling efficiency in excess of 50–70 % for fully utilised dual socket systems of up to 96 cores, which is above the theoretical ideal performance of the baseline code. Utilisation of a single GPU improves time and energy to solution when a single CPU core is used, constraints of the applied domain decomposition which degrade performance when a single GPU is combined with many CPU cores are identified. Error-tolerating applications are increasingly common in the emerging field of real-time HPC. Proposals have been made at the hardware level to take advantage of inherent perceptual limitations, redundant data, or reduced precision input , as well as to reduce system costs or improve power efficiency . At the same time, works on floating-point to fixed-point conversion tools allow us to trade-off the algorithm exactness for a more efficient implementation. In this work, we aim at leveraging existing, HPC-oriented hardware architectures, while including in the precision tuning an adaptive selection of floating- and fixed-point arithmetic. Our proposed solution takes advantage of the application domain knowledge of the programmers by involving them in the first step of the interaction chain. We rely on annotations written by the programmer on the input file to know which variables of a computational kernel should be converted to fixed-point. The second stage replaces the floating-point variables in the kernel with fixed-point equivalents. It also adds to the original source code the utility functions to perform data type conversions from floating-point to fixed-point, and vice versa. The output of the second stage is a new version of the kernel source code which exploits fixed-point computation instead of floating-point computation. As opposed to typical custom-width hardware designs, we only rely on the standard 16-bit, 32-bit and 64-bit types. We also explore the impact of the fixed-point representation on auto-vectorization. We discuss the effect of our solution in terms of time-to-solutions, error and energy-to-solution. Energy efficiency and consumption are now the most important and challenging issues in current Petascale and in designing future Exascale computing systems. The European Union Horizon 2020 READEX project uses an online approach to exploit application dynamism and tune large-scale HPC applications to improve energy efficiency and performance. The paper presents the READEX methodology, consisting of the Design-Time Analysis and Runtime Application Tuning, and describes the pre-analysis steps involving application dynamism and significant region detection. During design-time, the READEX tuning plugin evaluates configurations of hardware and software tuning parameters to determine the best settings for instances of application regions. The runtime tuning dynamically switches to the best configuration for an application region during production runs. Finally, the energy savings obtained for LULESH on the Taurus supercomputer highlight the effectiveness of this methodology. In the context of time-critical applications there exists the need of clustering data streams so as to provide approximated solutions in the shortest possible time, in order to capture in real-time the evolution of physical or social phenomena. In this work, a nature-inspired algorithm for clustering of evolving big data stream is presented, which is designed to be executed on many-core GPU architectures. The LAPACK routines GEQRT2 and GEQRT3 can be used to compute the QR decomposition of a matrix of size m×n as well as the storage-efficient representation of the orthogonal factor . A GPU-accelerated algorithm is presented that expands a blocked CPU-GPU hybrid QR decomposition to compute the triangular matrix T. The storage-efficient representation is used in particular to access blocks of the matrix Q without having to generate all of it. The algorithm is presented in two variants using one and two GPUs, respectively. To avoid redundant computations or communication between devices, a scheme is developed to additionally compute during the iteration. As a result the algorithm outperforms the standard LAPACK routine by a factor of 3 for square matrices on a single GPU and by a factor of 5 on two GPUs. In this paper we present an optimization of a spectral finite element method implementation. The improvements consisted in the modification of the memory layout of the main algorithmic kernels and in the augmentation of the arithmetic intensity via loop transformations. The code has been deployed on multi-core SIMD machines and GPU. Compared to our starting point, i.e. the original scalar sequential code, we achieved a speed up of ×228 on CPU. We present comparisons with the SPECFEM2D code that prove the good performances of our implementation on similar cases. On GPU, a hybrid solution is investigated. The support for heterogenous platforms requires multiple specialised devices collaborate to execute an application. The SYCL standard publishes by Khronos, providing a C++ abstraction layer on top of OpenCL that provides single-source programming for a large number of heterogeneous devices. Single-source programming and task data-flow approach enable SYCL developers to leverage modern programming techniques on heterogeneous platforms. In this paper, we present how SYCL combines expression tree templates and kernel fusion to develop SYCL-BLAS, an efficient BLAS implementation for heterogeneous platforms. The use of templates permits to generate BLAS kernels related to each BLAS routine. whereas kernel fusion describes how to merge the expression trees, enlarging the BLAS kernels. These features prove that SYCL can be used to quickly develop libraries for heterogeneous systems by providing sufficient levels of abstraction. Our experiments compare the performances of clBLAS and SYCL-BLAS on a server equipped with an Intel Core i7-6700K CPU and an AMD R9 GPU. The k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) search is the rudimentary procedure widely used in machine learning and data embedding techniques. Herein we present a new multi-GPU/CUDA implementation of the brute-force (BF) k-NN algorithm. We demonstrate its advantages over currently the fastest GPU/CUDA implementations of BF k-NN, e.g., both in terms of computational time and memory requirements. Unlike its competitors, our code scales linearly with the number of GPUs (up to 8 units) what allows for scrutinizing much larger high-dimensional datasets. We also present a new GPU implementation of the approximate k-NN algorithm used in the LargeVis data embedding algorithm , which is more than two orders of magnitude faster than its original CPU version. We discuss its limitations in terms of accuracy, efficiency and usefulness in data embedding. Satellite-based remote sensing in the mid-infrared spectral region can deliver a wealth of information on pressure, temperature, clouds and aerosols, and trace gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Interpreting the satellite measurements requires to solve an inverse modelling problem based on variational methods and a forward model evaluating the radiative transfer equations. As state-of-the-art satellite measurement campaigns require Petascale systems to process the data in due time, graphical processing units are employed for the high-throughput problem of computing the forward model for a given atmospheric state. We explore features of the considered architecture as well as relevant performance signatures of the different implementations to improve our understanding on opportunities for efficient exploitation of GPU-accelerated architectures based on the POWER2processor for this class of applications. Scalability is a key aspect as the application is known to scale well on massively-parallel architectures. It is well known that heterogeneous computing is being adopted in HPC systems, with the adoption of GPGPUs and manycore accelerators, and currently with the early adoption of FPGA systems. The FETHPC MANGO project emerged to analyze future heterogeneous manycore architectures for HPC. In this paper we describe the details of the heterogeneous architecture proposed in the MANGO project. The paper focuses mainly on the description of the interconnect design, the accelerators layout strategy, and the design of manycore accelerators for specific target applications within MANGO. We conclude the paper with the description of one of the targeted applications within MANGO. In this paper, we suggest a different methodology to shorten the code optimization development time while getting a unified code with good performance on different targeted devices. In the scope of this study, experiments are illustrated on a Discontinuous Galerkin code applied to Computational Fluid Dynamics. Tests are performed on CPUs, KNL Xeon-Phi and GPUs where performance comparison confirms that the GPU optimization guideline leads to efficient versions on CPU and Xeon-Phi for this kind of scientific applications. Based on these results, we finally suggest a methodology to end-up with an efficient hybridized CPU–GPU implementation. This paper presents an efficient parallel and vectorized implementation of three different selection functions (Roulette Wheel, I-Roulette and DS-Roulette) for tour construction (the most time-consuming part of the Ant Colony Optimization bio-inspired metaheuristic) targeting two Intel multi-core processors and the Knights Corner Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor. The results show that our best implementation (with I-Roulette as selection function) on Xeon Phi 7120P runs up to 78.98x faster compared to its sequential counterpart on a Xeon v2 CPU. A complex network is a set of entities in a relationship, modeled by a graph where nodes represent entities and edges between nodes represent relationships. Graph algorithms have inherent characteristics, including data-driven computations and poor locality. These characteristics expose graph algorithms to several challenges, because most well studied (parallel) abstractions and implementation are not suitable for them. This work shows how to use some complex-network properties, including community structure and heterogeneity of node degree, to tackle one of the main challenges in graph analysis applications: improving performance, by a proper memory management and an appropriate thread scheduling. In this paper, we first proposed Cn-order, a heuristic that combines advantages of the most recent algorithms (Gorder, Rabbit and NumBaCo) to reduce cache misses in graph algorithms. Second, we proposed deg-scheduling, a degree-aware scheduling to ensure load balancing in parallel graph applications. Then we proposed commdeg-scheduling, an improved version of deg-scheduling that uses Cn-order to take into account graph order in scheduling. Experimental results on a 32 cores NUMA machine (NUMA4) (with Pagerank and livejournal for example) showed that Cn-order used with deg-scheduling (comm-deg-scheduling) outperforms the recent orders: with 32 threads, we reduce time by 26.81% compared to Gorder, 17.28% compared to Numbaco and 11.53% compared to Rabbit. The amount of genomic data produced by DNA-sequencing is growing at an unprecedented rate due to the ever greater throughput provided by the new generation of genome sequencing (NGS) platforms. To understand and interpret biological data a huge number of metadata and annotations are required. Genomic metadata include very heterogeneous biological and clinical attributes gathered at different levels of details such as diseases, genes, proteins, interactions, pathways but also phenotypic characterization of patients and clinical evidence or diagnosis. All these information are required to draw a comprehensive picture of many underlying phenomenons, thus contributing to scientifically understand the observed data. The complexity of genomic data arises due to the number of involved entities (from millions to billions) and the complex relationships between them; biological information is typically highly connected, not uniform, semi-structured and unpredictable. Relationships and connections may be stored in a relational database and data can be extracted adopting traversal-type queries implying joins. Nevertheless joins with large tables easily become too cumbersome and computationally expensive to design, execute and maintain. This critical aspect makes relational databases non-suitable for this kind of data operations. Studies already suggested that graph databases are among the best choices to explore linked data, due to the design of the core engine which optimizes performance in exploring connections . They also provide a flexible solution for the integration and exploration of multiple levels of biological information and some specific sets of biological data are already structured as graphs . The local Extrapolated Diffusion (EDF) method was studied in for a torus network using communication among 4 adjacent neighbors. In the present paper we study the performance of the same method with the extension that we add four additional edges to the central node in position (i,j) of the torus network. We develop the EDF method for a 8-regular torus network. The method uses two sets of parameters and for each node in order to increase its rate of convergence. The conventional way to analyze the convergence of the Diffusion method is to use matrix analysis. This approach depends heavily upon the property of the Laplacian matrix being circulant. However, the Laplacian matrix of our method does not have this property. To circumvent this problem we use Fourier analysis to determine optimum values for the set of parameters via a closed form formulae resulting in the maximization of its rate of convergence. It is shown that the optimum value of the convergence factor depends only upon the dimensions of the torus. Moreover, by keeping fixed the one dimension and increasing the other dimension of the torus the rate of convergence of the EDF method with 8 adjacent neighbors is also increased compared to the EDF method with 4 adjacent neighbors.
0.999214
You're following a motorcyclist along a potholed road. How should you adjust your driving to take account of this situation? You're following a motorcyclist along a potholed road. How should you adjust your driving to take account of this situation?
0.953756
It is important to start with definitions, as numbers is the name of the game. Middle class households in the US are those with an income that is two-thirds to double that of the U.S. median household income, after incomes have been adjusted for the household size. The income it takes to be middle income varies by household size, with smaller households requiring less to support the same lifestyle as larger households. For a three-person household, the middle-income range was about $42,000 to $126,000 annually in 2014. However, a one-person household needed only about $24,000 to $73,000 to be middle income. For a five-person household to be considered middle income, its 2014 income had to range from $54,000 to $162,000. Education: There were no income status winners among educational attainment groups from 2001 to 2015, though the least educated adults (those with less than a high school diploma) and the most educated adults (those with at least a college degree) had the smallest losses. However, from 1971 to 2015, only one educational attainment group did not lose income status: college graduates. College educate adults are more likely than others to be upper income, however if in 1971 people with bachelor's degree or more combined represented 92% middle or upper class, in 2015 it is 88%. Degree is lesser guarantee of income in nowadays. What does it mean? In the practical terms, unless you came from extremely wealthy family it means that nobody is protected. The well paid manufacturing jobs are now shipped overseas. Give it another 20-40 years and with no change other well paid jobs will follow them, as it is very hard to be devoted from the real economy and be paid. For clarity: difference between "median" and "average" The median income refers to the income that is directly in the middle if you figuratively write down all the income in order from least to the greatest. So, in essence, no more than half the population has a greater (or lesser) income than the median income. The average is simply adding all these incomes together and dividing by the number of incomes. Example: Here are 11 fictional home prices. The median price of these 11 homes is $105,000. Five homes were lower priced and five homes were higher priced. The average price of these 11 homes is $498,000. That's what you get if you add up all those prices and divide by 11.
0.937866
Save money on your energy bills this winter! Winter can be a hard time on your wallet when it comes to your heating bill. Not only do energy prices often go up in the winter, if you’re not following proper care and maintenance on your home and HVAC you might be feeling the effects. There are several ways to help reduce your heating bills, but maintaining your HVAC is one of the most important. If you live in an older home window drafts can be a particularly severe problem. Fortunately, there are a few ways to reduce the chill while you’re waiting to afford new windows. Start by ensuring that the seals of your windows are properly closed if there are gaps you may want to use foam caulking or temporary methods to keep them sealed. Next, try using a window insulating sealer, like a heat wrapping to help add a layer of protection. Lastly, thick drapes and curtains that hang close to the window can help block drafty areas significantly. If you’re using drapes and blinds, be sure to open them during the day to let in the valuable light and heat from the sun. In south facing windows, in particular, the heat of the sun can help keep your home significantly warmer throughout the day. Just be sure to keep that heat in by closing up any curtains over drafty areas after the sun has gone down. Keeping your thermostat lower can help reduce your costs by a significant amount. Using small space heaters to heat just the occupied rooms makes a huge difference. At night you can also try reducing the temperature by 10º to 15º without it being too noticeable. If you have a newer system with a timer set up, you can program your heating unit to drop the temperature at night and to rise just before you get up to keep your home comfortable and efficient night and day. Sometimes when holes are cut in your home for utilities to be put in the resulting holes is not as well sealed or insulated as it should be. Ensuring that any such holes are fully sealed with caulking and weather stripping can help significantly. If you have an unfinished basement or sections behind cabinets and closets that are left open, you may want to invest in insulating them better to help reduce drafts. Your HVAC and heating system should be on a regular maintenance schedule which can help ensure that it is running as effectively and efficiently as possible. By providing that your system is clean and working well, you’ll save money and have a more comfortable home. While fireplaces are a great way to improve the warmth of your home without adding to the heating bill they can also let cold air in when not used properly. If the fireplace damper is left open, it can be the same as having a fully open window. Always ensure that the damper is adequately fitted, capable, and kept closed when not in use. Last but not least, one of the most effective ways to reduce your monthly bills is to only lower the temperature on your hot water heater by a smidge. In many cases, hot water heaters are running far hotter than they need to for daily usage and this can result in significantly higher bills. This entry was posted on Friday, January 25th, 2019 at 4:02 pm. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
0.999985
How to protect sensitive data with unique identification credentials. Tokenization is a process by which sensitive data is replaced with unique identification credentials that retain all essential information about the data without exposing said sensitive data to attacks. While traditional payment methods pass critical identification information through several points, tokenization minimizes the amount of data a business needs to keep on hand. Becoming popular with small and mid-sized businesses since it can strengthen the security of credit card and e-commerce transactions while keeping costs low, tokenization can expand beyond the world of payments.
0.967043
What I enjoyed the most was my teacher. She was a great teacher - very compassionate - and had excellent teaching skills. She stayed after class every day to help me with my assignments - and made sure I knew the material well.
0.925302
Everything you need to know about egg freezing part I: Who should freeze eggs? This decline in fertility potential is due to the fact that women are born with all the eggs they will ever have. That supply diminishes on a monthly basis from the day of birth until menopause, at which point there are no more eggs. Furthermore, as the egg supply diminishes, the ability of any single egg to become a baby also diminishes. Unfortunately, human ovaries cannot produce new eggs. Thus, as the egg supply diminishes, the ability to become pregnant diminishes as well. Egg freezing, officially known as oocyte cryopreservation, circumvents this natural decline in fertility by allowing women to preserve a cadre of eggs before they diminish in quantity and quality. From a purely medical point of view, women in their late teens and early 20s are ideal candidates for egg freezing. At this point in life, the egg supply is plentiful and each individual egg is at its peak potential for becoming a baby. Further, studies of egg freezing in this group reveal excellent success rates. On the other hand, egg freezing in this group is likely inefficient from a cost and usage point of view. Many young women will go on to conceive naturally and never use their frozen eggs. Additionally, some women in their early 20’s may have different feelings about motherhood in the subsequent 20 years and decide not to use their frozen eggs. Lastly, younger women are less likely to be financially stable and therefore the cost may be prohibitive. From a cost and usage point of view, women in their late 30’s and early 40’s are ideal candidates for egg freezing. These women are more likely to use frozen eggs because they will be moving beyond their normal fertile window in a shorter period of time. Personal views on motherhood have had time to develop and solidify and financial stability is more common. Medically speaking, freezing eggs at 40 or later is considerably less desirable. Fewer eggs are produced and the eggs that are retrieved have lower chance of resulting in a live birth. For these reasons, some fertility centers will not freeze eggs in women over 40. Many specialists believe that the mid 30s is an ideal time to freeze. Most women still maintain an adequate quantity of eggs which have a reasonable chance to go on to become a baby. Also, women in their mid-30s are more likely to use their eggs in the subsequent years. Further, these women are capable socially and financially to pursue egg freezing. Ultimately, the ideal time to freeze eggs is a personal decision. There are some 20 year olds that decide it is the right thing for them to do. Also, some 42 year olds feel that they would like to try despite low chances. My professional opinion is that 35 years of age represents a good compromise between biology and logistics. Women around that age are best suited for egg freezing. If you have any questions about egg freezing or fertility treatment in general, fell free to contact us, we are happy to speak with you.
0.960667
This article consists almost entirely of a plot summary. When Jeremy tells Bonnie, she asks him to no longer talk to Anna and completely shut her out. Caroline is the daughter of the Sheriff of Mystic Falls, Liz Forbes, with whom she had a troubled relationship that develops into a more-loving relationship. So pretending she was dating Enzo wasn't exactly living her life but maybe it was just the baby step she needed to finally be ready to put herself out there. She has clear and soft light brown skin or complexion with long, luxurious dark brown or soft black wavy hair. I still have nightmares about it. In season two, Isobel returns and introduces herself to Jenna Sommers as Elena's mother, but Elena refuses to invite her in and slams the door in her face. Caroline is the daughter of the Sheriff of Mystic Falls, Liz Forbes, with whom she had a troubled relationship that develops into a more-loving relationship. Before leaving town, Isobel compels Alaric to get over her and tells him that she realizes it was a mistake to become a vampire. To any number of minds, and by doing so, the psychic-witch can have the power to control whoever they are linked to, and pretty much make them do whatever it thinks them to do… CAROLINE: Before the door is closed, Anna finds her mother and they make peace. Within one of the Martin family's grimoires was a spell that Bonnie used to access the power of the witches of Mystic Falls who have burned to death. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. She describes her sound as "vintage 90's with a modern twist. Filter by post type All posts. I said wondered not that I want anyone to find out about us. This article needs additional citations for verification. Stefan then forms a casual relationship with Rebekah with whom he had a brief affair in the 1920s. She later begins a relationship with Alaric. Sunday, personal and catchy facts? Stefan decides to break-up with Caroline as he runs from the Hunter with Valerie. While Bonnie has become friends with and likes Stefan, she remains cordial with his older brother, Damon, despite Damon's actions that have affected deeply including turning her mother into a vampire. Caroline doesn't want Tyler to go because she loves him but knows it is for the best. I look around and saw everyone had eyes on Famous Salvatore's boys and their girls. In season 3, Matt mentioned he and Bonnie were lifeguards last summer. After confessing that neither wanted to secretly live in fear of one another, Liz accepts her daughter for what she is. Graham plays the role of Ingrid. The author would like to thank you for your continued support. When Isobel was a teenager, she had a relationship with John Gilbert, by whom she later had a baby, Elena. Elena's refusal to admit this incenses Damon, who reverts to previous uncaring and reckless behavior. Retrieved October 12, 2013. Tyler eventually realizes that the sire bond isn't in his favor, and breaks it by repeatedly turning into a werewolf. Realizing this, Lily faked her death and abandoned her family, protecting them from the threat she posed. Of course I was coming silly! At this point, her most note-worthy feat of magic was bringing Klaus Mikaelson to the brink of death, a feat not so easily accomplished. She also showed great skill in telekinesis, as seen when she stabbed Kai with a pick-axe with the speed of light. The characters are listed in the order they were first credited in the series. You would be dead if it wasn't for Damon. Bonnie attempted to use spirit, Expression, and dark magic all at once to bring Jeremy back from the dead. She is rather exotic and has an "ethereal" beauty with an air of feminine mystery. She could also bind John's life force to Elena, ensuring her survival after the sacrifice. Despite all the pain, loss and suffering that she has endured, Bonnie still remains rather strong, especially in the face of danger and adversity. She even came to the point that she didn't even need something of her target to find them. advise you Liebe im internet kennenlernen for mad thought? Retrieved July 20, 2011. Bonnie creating an enormous and near instantaneous thunder storm by using Spirit Magic. Bonnie is sent to Portland for her own protection and gets caught in a love triangle between Kai and Kol. Archived from the original on August 10, 2009. When the doorway to the Other Side was opened, the ghosts of the tomb vampires decide to take revenge on the founding families and attack Carol. Valerie later helps Alaric find his unborn twin daughters, who had been spelled into Caroline's vampire womb. She was the one who gave Katherine, Pearl, Anna, Harper, Damon and Stefan the jewelry which enabled them to walk in the sun. Alaric is a regular in season six, having trouble adjusting to life as a vampire. She shuttered when she thought about it. Unfortunately, Kai's return to the real world set off a chain of events that put Bonnie in a most unbearable predicament - she is now stuck in the prison world meant for Kai and can only rely on her friends to get her back since she relinquished her magic and placed it in her teddy bear, which is also in the real world. But when she brings Klaus to the brink of death, Elijah does not kill him, as planned, and carries Klaus away before Bonnie could react. Main voice role . When John Gilbert sees Anna lying in the building with the other vampires, he stakes her; her body is burned with the others. In 2008, she appeared in three episodes of the Disney Channel comedy series Hannah Montana playing the role of a girlfriend to Jason Earles 's character Jackson Stewart. She is running, running from something that is not related to her. Enzo is a series regular in season six, helping Caroline discover a way to resurrect Damon and Bonnie. She experienced too much heart ache through the oldest Mikaelson enough for the life time. However, after a series of events forces Matt to try and save Bonnie from being a bloodthirsty supernatural Huntress, Matt is exhausted of the war between humans and vampires; he decides to leave Mystic Falls and start a normal life. Also throughout a day, Bonnie couldn't get out of her head three sets of numbers.
0.999498
So as to not pull in false interest, I have not posted a wanted list. If you'd like to trade, please e-mail x-human (at) x-human.net with what you have to trade or to see my want list. All sources of material lists is what MY master is, not the original master used. Japanese, English Subtitled, four tape set. - Japanese w/ Eng. Sub. - JLA - "Between Two Armies" - JLA - "Bad Day On Black Mountain" - Atom - "Invasion of the Beetle-Men" - Atom - "The Plant Master" - Atom - "The House of Doom" - Flash - "The Chemo-Creature" - Flash - "Take A Giant Step" - Flash - "To Catch A Blue Bolt" - Green Lantern - "Evil Is As Evil Does" - Green Lantern - "The Vanishing World" - Green Lantern - "Sirena, Empress of Evil" - Hawkman - "Peril From Pluto" - Hawkman - "A Visit To Venus" - Hawkman - "The Twenty-Third Dimension" - Teen Titans - "The Monster Machine" - Teen Titans - "The Space Beast Round-Up" - Teen Titans - "Operation Rescue" - Interview w/ Charles Band - Behind the Scenes "Doctor Mordrid" - Behind the Scenes "Dollman" - AMC Interviews w/ cast. - 43 mins. of Unseen Footage! Two episode series taped from television, staring Adam West, Burt Ward and Frank Gorshin from the 1966 Batman movie. - Japanese w/ English Sub. - Episode 434: The Big Cufflink Caper! - Unaired test pilot, this version includes minor diffrences from the aired pilot. This tape contains a five minute round-table discussion featuring famous Marvel personalities; Stan Lee, Scott Lobdell, Fabian Micieza and Bob Harras. These videos are not factory tapes. These title are believed to be unreleased in the US and/or in the public domain. Absolutely no rights are given or implied and is exchanged from one collector to another for their own personal use.
0.995807
In today's world, there are a plethora of toothpaste options available. Some toothpastes are marketed towards adults, while others are marketed for children. While many choices allow parents the ability to customize their child's brushing experience, it can also make selecting a toothpaste difficult. There are a lot of toothpastes on the market that contain rough or harsh abrasives. While these abrasives are good for adult teeth, they aren't something that children should be using. A toothpaste that contains a harsh abrasive can be dangerous, as it will remove the enamel on your child's teeth. The best way to ensure that a toothpaste is safe for your child is to look at its age range. If it is still a little confusing, don't worry. You can always ask your kid's dentist for toothpaste recommendations. It is also important to look for a toothpaste that contains fluoride. The fluoride in the toothpaste will help keep your child's teeth strong. It will also help to protect teeth from plaque and cavities. However, it is important to monitor your child while they brush. Since fluoride can be dangerous if ingested in large quantities, it is important that you watch your child while they brush. Additionally, make sure you only put a small amount of the toothpaste on the brush. If your child is still a toddler, you might consider asking your dentist for recommendations or even prescription toothpastes that are designed for young children. Finally, make brushing fun for your child by choosing a fun flavor. While flavor obviously isn't all that important to oral health, it can make your child a lot more eager to brush. If your child doesn't like minty toothpaste, opt for a fun flavor such as bubblegum. Other fun flavors to try include fruity flavors, or even exotic flavors such as bacon. If you aren't sure what flavor your child will like, bring them to the store with you and let them pick. While selecting a toothpaste for your child might seem like a difficult task, it doesn't have to be. With these tips, and advice from your pediatric dentist, you'll be well on your way to creating a fun and healthy routine for your child.
0.991848
Do reactions always take place at the metal center of an organometallic complex? Not always. Reactions can also take place at the ligands of a complex! For example, a nu-cleophile can add to an alkene ligand while it is coordinated to a metal center.
0.892584
How would one use punctuation to indicate tone changes? He's a... different... sort of person, I suppose. He's a... different? Sort of person, I suppose. The second sentence doesn't look grammatically correct to me. That being the case, how would I indicate the change in tone accurately in writing? I think the ellipses are fine, but I agree with the comment from the original site that italics would work as well. But neither one really shows a question, to my reading. If you mean for someone to be emphasizing 'different', I'd use italics. "He's a different sort of person. Not like the others at all." If you mean for someone to be using 'different' as a sort of code for 'strange' or 'unappealing', I'd use quotation marks. "He's a 'different' sort of person. Not our sort at all." If you mean for someone to be struggling for words, I'd use ellipses. "He's a... a different sort of person. I think that's what I'd call him." If you mean for someone to be questioning whether he's really different, I'd use a question mark. "He's a different sort of person? Is that what you're saying?" If you mean for someone to be focusing in on the word different, while still asking a question, I'd combine things! "He's a different sort of person? Is that the word you'd use?" Are there other possibilities? Probably! Personally, I wouldn't use punctuation to indicate the tone change at all. Punctuation marks are like modifiers - use them too often and they loose their effect. This is commonly acknowledged with the exclamation point especially, but holds true for many and perhaps all punctuation marks, with the possible exception of the period and quote marks during dialog. If I wanted to convey a change in tone, I would actually describe the tone I was after or use descriptions of gestures or facial features to explain it. "Well he's a," she paused for a moment, her mouth working silently as she racked her brain for the right word, "well just a different sort of person, I suppose." She made air quotes with her free left hand when she said "different." All standard punctuation, but the text itself should help explain the tone and meaning. If you must use punctuation rather than words, Kate has provided a variety of useful suggestions. I love the "different? Sort of person" tonally. The word different and the question mark really communicate that the speaker is STRONGLY questioning their own description as if they are still trying to decide. Also the question mark after different makes the word go up in tonal pitch. To my ears, no other punctuation achieves this. The question mark also stops the phrase longer than other suggestions. It's not correct but certainly creates a different sound in my head and thus a difference in the speaker's presentation. I have a "test" posse of people that read my work and if they grasp my intent for the character, I use it. Just sayin! I Like It. I would prefer not using sort of a person... cause itself is in the meaning of person/ individual.. He is a different sort will be enough .. Sometimes the real solution is to not drag so many extra words around. How to maintain an unchanging tone to the narrative while writing collaborative fiction? Which one is the correct dialogue punctuation format? In a formal writing, does having a paragraph rewritten by another person make the style change noticablely? What punctuation to use when a character is writing something down? How to indicate that another point is mentioned withou explicitly saying that? How to make a statement formulated like an exclamation, but even-toned? How to write in a more conversational tone?
0.997211
A continent is one of several very large landmasses of the world. Generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, up to seven regions are commonly regarded as continents. Ordered from largest in size to smallest, they are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Asia is Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres. It shares the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa. Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometres (17,212,000 sq mi), about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area. Africa is the world's second largest and second most-populous continent (the first being Asia in both categories). At about 30.3 million square kilometres (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area and 20% of its total land area. With 1.2 billion people as of 2016, it accounts for about 16% of the world's human population. North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere. North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), about 16.5% of the earth's land area and about 4.8% of its total surface. North America is the third largest continent by area. In 2013, its population was estimated at nearly 565 million people in 23 independent states, or about 7.5% of the world's population. South America is a continent located in the western hemisphere, mostly in the southern hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the northern hemisphere. South America has an area of 17,840,000 square kilometers (6,890,000 sq mi). Its population as of 2016 has been estimated at more than 420 million. South America ranks fourth in area (after Asia, Africa, and North America) and fifth in population (after Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America). Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia. Europe covers about 10,180,000 square kilometres (3,930,000 sq mi), or 2% of the Earth's surface (6.8% of land area). Politically, Europe is divided into about fifty sovereign states of which the Russian Federation is the largest and most populous, spanning 39% of the continent and comprising 15% of its population. Europe had a total population of about 741 million (about 11% of world population) as of 2016. Australia, sometimes known in technical contexts by the names Sahul, Australinea or Meganesia, to distinguish it from the Australian mainland, is a continent comprising mainland Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, New Britain, and small neighbouring islands (such as Misool and Waigeo, just to the northeast of Maluku Islands at the edge of its continental shelf). Situated in the geographical region of Oceania, it is the smallest of the seven traditional continents in the English conception. Countries within the continent include Australia, Papua New Guinea and, partially, Indonesia.
0.99999
31/05/2015 · Pour or spritz the water onto 4 paper towels. Spread out the paper towels and lay the asparagus on top of the dampened towels. Sprinkle with the salt.... 31/05/2015 · Pour or spritz the water onto 4 paper towels. Spread out the paper towels and lay the asparagus on top of the dampened towels. Sprinkle with the salt. 8/01/2016 · In this Article: Preparing the asparagus Steaming the asparagus in the microwave Community Q&A Asparagus is a delicate vegetable that needs to be cooked gently. Microwaving is an excellent way to steam asparagus and keep it in top shape.... 6/06/2017 · Prepping the Stalks. To prep the asparagus for microwave cooking, snap off the woody end of each stalk, which usually measures an inch or two. Peel thick stalks to prevent them from becoming stringy when cooked. See more What others are saying "Quick and Vibrant Microwave Asparagus SWANK NOTE: No butter allowed; use olive oil instead." "When making this fresh asparagus recipe, the microwave makes fast and easy work of cooking your dish." Remove from microwave and plunge asparagus in ice-cold water. Drain water, pat dry and use or store. Once blanched, you can use the asparagus in pasta recipes and salads or drizzle with olive oil and grill to get delicious crisp veggies.
0.999997
Nowadays approximately 5,000 Jews live in Greece. The current centers of Greek Jewry are Athens (3,000), Thessalonica (1,000) and a handful of smaller towns, amongst them Ionanina. Jews played an important role in Greek history, from the Hellenistic period and the early history of Christianity, through the Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Greece, until the tragic near-destruction of the community after Greece fell to Nazis in June 1941 and was split up amongst the Axis (Germany, Bulgaria and Italy) forces. The first Greek Jew known by name is Moschios, son of Moschion the Jew, a servant mentioned in an inscription, dates approximately back to 300-250 BCE at Oropos, a small state town between Athens and Boeotia. How far back goes the Jewish presence in Greece? Nobody knows, but according to Josephus ("Contra Apionem"), an even earlier mention was to be found in the work of the Greek historian Clearchus of Soli, describing a meeting between Aristotle (4th century BCE) and a Hellenized Jew of Coele Syria (modern Lebanon). Jewish Community of Gibraltar Archeologists have discovered ancient synagogues in Greece, including the synagogue in the Agora of Athens and the Delos synagogue, dating back to the 2nd century BCE. The impacts of Alexander the Great unstoppably spread the Greek culture and lead to a unique fusion of Greek and Jewish culture, culminating with the Jews of Jerusalem being divided between pro-and contra-Hellene factions and with the Greek version of the Tanakh, the Septuagint. Greece fell to the Roman Empire without Greek Jews, apart from Cyprus. After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, the Jews of Greece began to come under the increasing attention of Byzantium's leadership in Constantinople, imposing special taxes on them, while others attempted forced conversions to Christianity, but with little success. The first settlement of Ashkenazi Jews in Greece occurred in 1376, heralding an immigration to avoid persecution in Western- and Central-Europe. They settled e.g. in the towns of Kavalla and Siderokastron. From the end of the 14th century refugees emigrated from Spain to Greece. After the country was ruled by the Ottoman Empire in mid-15th century, arrivals from the Iberian Peninsula and from Sicily intensified. In towns such as Trikala, Larissa, Volos and above all Thessalonica, between fifteen and twenty thousand Sephardim introduced their own languages and customs. In the 16th and 17th centuries the Jewish population further swelled with the addition of Iberian marranos. Greece was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from the mid-15th century, until the conclusion of the First Greek War of Independence in 1832. Prior to World War II over 70,000 Jews lived in Greece in 28 cities where well-organized and flourishing communities functioned. Once the Axis powers occupied and divided the country in 1941, the fate of the Jews was sealed. Those residing in the German-controlled zone were subject to immediate and direct threat. From the almost 50,000-strong community of Thessalonica, fewer than 1500 survived, and thus the renowned center of Sephardi Jewry, once called 'the mother of Israel' had seen its final days and came to an end. The Italian forces controlled Athens as well as the region of Thessaly and the islands. The Jews in the Italian controlled zone were and the community was initially protected by the authorities' reluctance to apply anti-Jewish laws. In September 1943, when Italy capitulated, Germany took direct control of the Italian zone. of In Athens, chief rabbi Elijah Barzilai contacted the Greek Archbishop Damaskinos who gave instructions to all monasteries and convents in Athens and the provincial towns to shelter every Jew in need, which enabled many of them to be saved. A large part of Macedonia and Thrace remained under Bulgarian occupation, which deported over 11,000 Jews of whom 2,200 survived the Polish Nazi camps. In the autumn of 1944, when Greece was liberated, over 10,000 Jews, almost all of whom were destitute, were in the country. Many of whom made their way to Australia, the United States, Canada, Belgium and Israel. Ioannina, home to a small number of Romaniots, a Jewish population, who has lived in the territory of today's Greece and neighboring areas for more than 2000 years. Their historic language was Yevanic, a Judeo-Greek dialect, with no surviving speakers recorded, as today's Romaniots speak Greek. The Romaniots had distinct customs, very different from both, the Ashkenazim and Sephardim, some of them are thought to be based on the Jerusalem Talmud instead of the Babylonian Talmud. In Ioannina 1,860 out of 1,950 Jews were deported to Auschwitz and Birkenau in April 1944, most of them were exterminated by the Nazis. The Central Board of Jewish Communities (established by Law in 1945) is the umbrella organization and representative body of Jews in Greece. The Board (known as KIS by its Greek abbreviation) preserves Greek-Jewish interests, maintains close ties with the government and the official institutions and represents Greek-Jewry at an international level. KIS coordinates and assists the 9 functioning Jewish communities of the country and is also responsible for the preservation of the large number of Jewish sites (monuments, synagogues, cemeteries and old Jewish quarters) scattered around Greece, in cities where, after the Shoah, no Jews survived. The Jewish Communities of Greece are in charge of the religious aspects of life, social welfare, elderly care, education and culture of Greek Jewry. There are ten active synagogues throughout the country, served by rabbis residing permanently in Athens, Thessalonica and Larissa. There are also Jewish elementary schools in Athens, Thessalonica and Larissa, where Jewish languages and history are taught additionally to the general Greek program. Most communities enjoy a cultural center. Jewish newspapers are published by KIS and by the local communities of Athens and Thessalonica. KIS also publishes the quarterly magazine "Chronica", dealing with Jewish historical issues. Diplomatic relations with Israel have been upgraded to full ambassadorial level since 1990. Since 1948, 3,860 Greek Jews made Aliyah. Ancient synagogues can be visited on Corfu and Rhodos and in Ioannina (this latter one using Romaniote rite). In Chania on Crete the restored synagogue now functions as a cultural center. On the island of Kos the ancient synagogue now houses the municipal Cultural Center of the island. In Veria the synagogue is situated in a restored building. In Aegina and Delos there are archeological remnants of synagogues. There are also two Jewish Museums. The Jewish Museum of Greece (JMG-www.jewishmuseum.gr) in downtown Athens is historical and ethnographic. It holds a wide collection of artifacts, documents, photographs and archives on Greek Jewish history, culture and heritage. The JMG also focuses its attention on Shoah Education, with a comprehensive choice of programs for schools, young visitors and seminars for teachers and educators. The Jewish Museum of Thessalonica (www.jmth.gr) is housed in one of the rare Jewish buildings that survived the city's catastrophic fire of 1917. The museum's collection incorporates the Simon Marks Photographic exhibit "Thessalonica Sephardic Metropolis", a collection of tombstones and inscriptions from the old Jewish cemetery destroyed during the Nazi occupation. Special emphasis is also put in the preservation of the Judeo-Spanish languages and culture.
0.896354
Do you need an estate plan? Yes. A basic estate plan consists of the documents everyone needs in preparation for their death. They dispose of your assets, designate decision-makers for you, and give notice of your wishes to others. Also, you may consider creating a trust if your circumstances call for one.
0.951695
Should I trust an I-guess-busy woman when she tells me she will have coffee with me in a couple of days, that she will tell me when she is available? The question is do you want to trust her? Are you interested or are you trying to find a reason to back out? Trusting someone is your decision, no matter what you think the outcome will be. Get one of her contacts, tell her you'd like to go out and show her you are serious. Other than that, it is up to her.
0.648808
Andalusia (Spanish: Andalucía) is the first in population among the 17 Autonomous communities in Spain and the second, after Castile and León, in area. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville. Its capital is the city of Seville (Spanish: Sevilla). Andalusia is in the south of the Iberian peninsula, just to the south of the autonomous communities of Extremadura and Castile-La Mancha; west of the autonomous community of Murcia and the Mediterranean Sea; east of Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean; and north of the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar. The small British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar shares a land border with the Andalusian province of Cádiz at the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar. The name Andalusia is the modern version of the Arabic language Al-Andalus (الأندلس), name used by the Muslims for all of the territory of the Iberian Peninsula under their control. During that period, northern Iberian Peninsula was controlled by Christian kings and the southern Iberian Peninsula was controlled by Muslims. In 711 CE, the Muslims invaded the Iberian Peninsula, then controlled by Christians of Visigothic origin. By 719 the Muslims conquered all of the peninsula except for a small area in the northern Pyrenees Mountains. The Muslims used the name Al-Andalus for all of the territory of the Iberian Peninsula under their control. Christians in the north waged war for more than seven centuries against the Muslims, gradually taking over more and more of the southern areas. This process of war is called the Reconquista (a Spanish and Portuguese word meaning "to conquest again"). In the year 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain retook the last stronghold in the southern area at Granada. In that same year, the Muslims and Jews were forced to leave Spain. The Andalusian coat of arms shows the figure of Hercules and two lions between the two pillars of Hercules that tradition puts on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar. The words below read Andalucía por sí, para España y la Humanidad ("Andalusia by herself, for Spain and Humanity"). Over the two columns is an arch in the colors of the flag of Andalusia, with the Latin words Dominator Hercules Fundator. The official flag of Andalusia has three equal horizontal stripes, colored green, white, and green respectively; the Andalusian coat of arms is on the central stripe. It was approved in a meeting in 1918 of Andalusian nationalists at Ronda, a city in the province of Málaga. The anthem of Andalusia was composed by José del Castillo Díaz with lyrics by Blas Infante. The music was inspired by Santo Dios, a religious folk song sung at harvest time by peasants. The national holiday, the Día de Andalucía, is celebrated on 28 February. Andalusia is one of the 17 Spanish autonomous communities and is in the southwestern region of the European Union. It has a surface area of 87,597 square kilometres (33,821 sq mi), 17.3 percent of the territory of Spain. By area, it is the second Spanish autonomous community. The natural limits of Andalusia are: to the south, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea; to the north, the Sierra Morena, mountain range that separates Andalusia from the autonomous communities of Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha; to the west is Portugal; and to the east is Murcia. Andalusia has the Iberian peninsula's highest mountains and nearly 15 percent of its terrain over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The picture is similar for areas under 100 metres (330 ft) (with the Baetic Depression), and for the variety of slopes. The Atlantic coast is mostly beach and gradually sloping coasts; the Mediterranean coast has many cliffs. These differences divide the region naturally into Upper Andalusia (two mountainous areas) and Lower Andalusia (the broad basin of the Guadalquivir). The Sierra Morena separates Andalusia from the plains of Extremadura and Castile–La Mancha on Spain's Meseta Central. Although few people live there, this is not a particularly high range. The Baetic Cordillera consists of the parallel mountain ranges of the Cordillera Penibética near the Mediterranean coast and the Cordillera Subbética to the north. The Cordillera Subbética is quite discontinuous, offering many passes that facilitate transportation, but the Penibético forms a strong barrier between the Mediterranean coast and the interior. The Sierra Nevada, part of the Cordillera Penibética in the Province of Granada, has the highest peaks in the Iberian peninsula: Mulhacén at 3,481 metres (11,421 ft) and Veleta at 3,324 metres (10,906 ft). Lower Andalusia or valley of the Guadalquivir is between these two mountainous areas. It is a nearly flat territory, open to the Atlantic Ocean in the southeast. Throughout history, this has been the part of Andalusia where there are more people. Olive trees in Jaén, Andalusia. In general, Andalusia has a Mediterranean climate, except in the Valley of Granada (Spanish: Vega de Granada), with occasional heavy rains and extremely hot temperatures. Rainfall decreases from west to east. The place in Andalusia with the highest rainfall is in the Sierra de Grazalema (2,138 millimetres (84.2 in) per year) and the driest place is Cabo de Gata, the place with the least amount of rainfall in Europe with only 117 millimetres (4.6 in) of rain per year. The average temperature in Andalusia throughout the year is over 16 °C (61 °F). Averages in the cities range from 15.1 °C (59.2 °F) in Baeza to 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) in Málaga. Much of the Guadalquivir valley and the Mediterranean coast has an average of about 18 °C (64 °F). The coldest month is January when Granada at the foot of the Sierra Nevada experiences an average temperature of 6.4 °C (43.5 °F). The hottest are July and August, with an average temperature of 28.5 °C (83.3 °F) for Andalusia as a whole. Córdoba is the hottest provincial capital, followed by Seville. The mountain ranges are cooler than the plains and have a higher rainfall with some snow in winter. The Sierra Nevada, above 3,000 m (9,843 ft), is snow covered for most of the year. The Andalusians are the inhabitants of Andalusia of the southern region in Iberian Peninsula. They are generally considered an ethnically distinct peoples because of the two of the most important markers of distinctiveness: their own language and an awareness of a presumed common origin. Andalusian is said to be a distinct dialect of Spanish, although it is debatable, according to the nationalists. The Andalusians have a rich culture which includes the famous flamenco style of music and dance, even though it was adopted by the Spanish gypsies who have changed it and monopolized into their own culture. Map of the Iberian peninsula dated 1770. The Kingdoms of Jaén, Córdoba and Seville are collectively referred to under the name Andalucía, while the Kingdom of Granada appears under its individual name. Oaks, rhododendrons and ferns in the Los Alcornocales Natural Park. National parks and natural parks in Andalusia. Lady of Baza, ancient Iberian sculpture. Origin: Baza. In the National Archaeological Museum of Spain, Madrid. Biggest and best conserved Moorish baths in Eu Emirate of Granada was the last to survive, lasting from 1228 until 1492. View of Seville and its port in the 16th century, by Alonso Sánchez Coello. Dehesa Boyal (meadow for grazing animals), Bollullos Par del Condado, Huelva. Castle of Sancti Petri, located in San Fernando, Cádiz. One of the largest components of the service sector is "sun and sand" tourism. La Rábida Monastery, Palos de la Frontera, province of Huelva. Solar power tower PS10 in Sanlúcar la Mayor. Law School of the University of Granada. The 1492 Gramática by Antonio de Nebrija. Baile por bulerías, by José García Ramos. Procession with statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Love of Saint Ferdinand ( Maria santísima del amor de San Fernando), Cádiz. Cruz de mayo of the confraternity Hermandad de la Paz y Esperanza ("Brotherhood of Peace and Hope"), Cuesta del Bailío, Córdoba. The name Jamón de Huelva is protected as a Denominación de Origen. Andalusia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
0.932244
is the zip code 90037 under rent control? The simple answer is 'yes', if it's in L.A. it's under rent control. But, really it depends on what type of unit and when it was built because there are plenty of exceptions. Contact the City of Los Angeles Housing Authority if you want to know anything about Rent Control. They have an RSO, Rent Subordination Ordinance, which you may be able to download from the City of Los Angeles web site. Additionally, it will tell you what the rules are, including the exceptions or exclusions for rent control issues, which include relocating tenants, age of structures that are exempt, penalties or fines, inspections, allowable methods for increasing rents, etc. Good luck!
0.964243
Can you solve this – a man in a lift? A man living on the tenth floor takes the elevator down to the first floor every morning and goes to work. In the evening, when he comes back – on a rainy day, or if there are other people in the elevator – he goes to his floor directly. Otherwise, he goes to the seventh floor and walks up three flights of stairs to his apartment. Can you explain why? There are a number of possible solutions, but there is one in particular that hits the spot. I came across this article published by www.professionalindemnity.co.uk and have their permission to reproduce on the Landmark blog. It flags up an interesting dilemma for practitioners, the opening paragraph says it all: If I comply with the new rules [GDPR] and delete files containing personal client data, will I invalidate my professional indemnity cover? Just when you thought you were getting your head around GDPR along comes another awkward conundrum. Here’s the question: If I comply with the new rules and delete files containing personal client data, will I invalidate my professional indemnity cover? In this article we do our best to untangle the issues and give you some clear guidance. Best practice becoming illegal practice? So this is still something of a grey area and it remains to be seen how the relevant authorities will respond when faced with a situation where a client asks for their personal details to be deleted but a business refuses. If you are still unsure about any of these issues and would like further advice or reassurance, do not hesitate to get in touch with us – our experts will be very happy to assist. Like to contact the author? Complete online contact form here. The long running saga to dispense with Class 2 NIC for the self employed, which was due to happen April 2019, is apparently to be abandoned by the Treasury according to press commentary circulating yesterday (6 September 2018). If true, this long overdue simplification of NIC for the self-employed will no longer occur. Perhaps it was the complex changes to Class 4 NIC – to provide qualifying contributions for State Benefits and Pension rights – that has proved to be the nail in the coffin? The government has issued a fairly comprehensive set of guidelines setting out the likely consequences of a no-deal exit from the EU. The gateway to this information is summarised here. In reaching this decision, the government has taken account of the views of businesses and sought to mitigate any adverse cash-flow impacts keeping VAT processes as close as possible to what they are now. Clients who trade with the EU are likely to be in for an unsettling period next year and until the dust settles, both with regard to the terms of Brexit and the transitional arrangements. Professional advisers will need to keep their wits about them and be ready to step in and help affected businesses meet these challenges. Why is “consent” an important element of the new the GDPR? You are playing table tennis with a friend and the ball falls down a 30 cm long, 5 cm diameter metal tube, completely encased in concrete, just open at ground level. You obviously can’t reach down and retrieve the ball, but you do have your table tennis bats, a plastic water bottle, and a meter length of string in your pocket. Using just these items how do you retrieve the ball and continue your game? We now operate in the new, improved data protection environment of the GDPR. No doubt readers of this article are fully compliant? As you have acquired new skills in the process, then why not offer them to clients: help clients achieve compliance? Earlier this year we collaborated with the directors at GDPR Auditing to create a workbook for accountancy firms that guided practitioners through the compliance maze and in the process, provided them with a permanent record of of their progress. If you have not yet tackled this issue then take a look at what we created here. Once you have completed our workbook, and acquired the skills, you can apply for Reseller status. This will allow you to acquire our workbooks for clients at a discounted rate and negotiate a fee with clients based on your projected time input. There is no additional cost, you can apply for affiliate reseller status by applying from the user portal that we provide when you purchase your GDPR workbook. If you need more information about the process, contact support@gdprauditing.com. In a nut-shell, the sale of two or three days consultancy for every client that is keen to achieve compliance for their business. The following article summarises the advice, or as it’s described “guidance”, recently published by HMRC, just in case the powers that be fail to reach agreement, and we crash out of the EU on 29th March 2019 – a so-called hard Brexit. Please help yourself to the copy if you would like to add it to your own blog posts, websites or newsletters. This week we are paraphrasing, from HMRC’s guidance announcements, the likely changes to customs procedures if the so-called “no deal” scenario becomes a reality. Essentially, the two-way, free movement of goods between the UK and the EU will cease and the raft of changes that firms trading with the EU will need to accommodate are significant. Whilst the political process is deadlocked, or so it would seem, the information shared below is very much the worst possible out come for importers and exporters to the EU from a red-tape perspective. If the government is successful in negotiating a softer version for the UK exit from the EU, then some, or perhaps all, of the following changes may not have to be made. As we indicated last week, contingency planning should now include at least an appreciation of the import/export changes that will need to be faced if we leave the EU with no deal. And so, warts and all, this is what will need to be considered. Businesses would have to apply the same customs and excise rules to goods moving between the UK and the EU as currently apply in cases where goods move between the UK and a country outside of the EU (customs duty may also become due on imports from the EU. This means customs declarations would be needed when goods enter the UK (an import declaration), or when they leave the UK (an export declaration). Separate safety and security declarations would also need to be made by the carrier of the goods (this is usually the haulier, airline or shipping line, depending on the mode of transport used to import or export goods). The EU will be obliged to apply customs and excise rules to goods it receives from the UK, in the same way it does for goods it receives from outside of the EU. This means that the EU would require customs declarations on goods coming from, or going to, the UK, as well as requiring safety and security declarations. The Excise Movement Control System (EMCS) would no longer be used to control suspended movements between the EU and the UK. However, EMCSwould continue to be used to control the movement of duty suspended excise goods within the UK, including movements to and from UK ports, airports and the Channel tunnel. This will mean that immediately on importation to the UK, businesses moving excise goods within the EU, including in duty suspension, will have to place those goods into UK excise duty suspension, otherwise duty will become payable. Register for an UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number. Businesses are advised by HMRC that they do not need to do anything now. For those businesses that sign up for the EU Email updates, they will be contacted when this service becomes available. Ensure their contracts and International Terms and Conditions of Service (INCOTERMS) reflect that they are now an importer. Consider how they will submit import declarations, including whether to engage a customs broker, freight forwarder or logistics provider (businesses that want to do this themselves will need to acquire the appropriate software and secure the necessary authorisations from HMRC). Decide the correct classification and value of their goods and enter this on the customs declaration. Have a valid EORI number. Make sure that their carrier has submitted an Entry Summary Declaration at the appropriate time. Submit an import declarationto HMRC using their software, or get a customs broker, freight forwarder or logistics provider to do this for them. Pay VAT and import duties including excise duty on excise goods unless the goods are entered into duty suspension (for example a customs or excise warehouse – a financial security will be required to cover the duty liability of the goods whilst they are being moved to the warehouse). Import VAT may also be due although HMRC have indicated that this process may be dealt with on the VAT return thus delaying any cost impact at the time of import. Once excise goods leave a customs suspensive arrangement, they may be immediately entered into an excise duty suspension regime. A business will need to declare the goods on EMCS for onward movement via a Registered Consignor. Businesses may also need to apply for an import licence or provide supporting documentation to import specific types of goods into the UK, or to meet the conditions of the relevant customs import procedure. Register for an UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number. You do not need to act now, but you will want to familiarise yourself with this process. Ensure that contracts and International Terms and Conditions of Service (INCOTERMS) reflect that you are now an exporter. Consider how you will submit export declarations, including whether to engage a customs broker, freight forwarder or logistics provider (businesses that want to do this themselves will need to acquire the appropriate software and secure the necessary authorisations from HMRC). Engaging a customs broker or acquiring the appropriate software and authorisations from HMRC will come at a cost. Submit an export declaration to HMRC using their software or on-line, or get their customs broker, freight forwarder, or logistics provider to do this for them. The export declaration may need to be lodged in advance so that permission to export is granted before the goods leave the UK (the export declaration also counts as an Exit Summary Declaration). When exporting duty suspended excise goods to the EU, a business will need to continue to use EMCS to record the duty suspended movement from a UK warehouse or premises to the port of export. Readers who are considering their options and are engaged in contingency planning for their trade with the EU after March 2019, may be less than enthusiastic if they have managed to reach this part of our article. If you want more information you could read HMRC’s notes on the subject here. Like to access more of our blog copy written for practitioners? We offer a simple subscription service that will deliver two articles a week to your inbox. Find out more here.
0.974195
Chess has always been one of the greatest mind games ever developed. Even today, besides the development of lots of new games implementing modern technologies, chess still managed to retain its charm. Lots of people still play chess and find it quite amusing. However old chess is being modernized by implementing modern technologies. Chess is an interesting game to play as it tests the attentiveness of the mind of the player and how clever he is. As with the other games, chess has also been developed from a number of developers and there is a tough competition among them. I am going to summarize the top 5 3D chess games for android ever developed. The 3D Chess Game deployed the most famous chess engine to give the android users an ever enchanting and challenging experience of playing chess. You can also choose your opponent of variable strength as well to judge your capabilities. You can play this awesome 3D Chess game against any human or artificial intelligence bot built into the game engine. Droidfish deployed one of the strongest chess engines ever developed, stockfish. The game allows you to play chess in two player mode giving you an awesome graphical interface. You can also edit the board and color themes to adjust them according to your choice. The playing strength is adjustable and clocks are also available. Besides this, the app is completely free. ChessGenius is an award winning chess program and the program has won 10 world championships. The game gives you a tutor to let you learn to play chess. The game also gives you hints and 33 levels. The UI is quite cool as well. The game also allows you to save and load the games. The game has a current rating of 4.6 and people love to play this game. The biggest plus point of chess free is that it is completely free for chess lovers. The developer of this game has been awarded the top developer of 2013. The game gives 12 exciting levels from beginner to expert. The game deploys treebeard chess engine that give human like interface. Tutor is also available and a unique feature that lets you know what the simulator opponent is thinking about the next move. Chess stats are also available to let you check your playing history. If you are a beginner and don’t know anything about playing chess then this game would be a best option for you. Chess for android highlights the possible moves so that you can know which moves are valid. The game consists of a chess engine a great UI to attract the players. You can adjust the difficulty levels according to you. The game is free to install and has a rating of 4. If you are a chess lover then this list of 3D Chess Games For Android might help you playing your favorite game on your android device anywhere. If you think there are some chess games which should be in the list, do comment below to let us know.
0.98754
Woody Guthrie's wife was Jewish and he wrote a lot of songs with his mother in law for the Jewish community center in Coney Island where he lived with his family. I find it quite interesting that the man who wrote some of the most American of folk songs like This Land Is Your Land also ended up writing Jewish songs. I think this is a nice send up of this song. The sad part of being single is that when you try to be polite sometimes it backfires. If you just make polite conversation with someone of the opposite gender they assume you want to marry them. Most people do not think talk =marriage proposal but when they do it can become harrowing. The party who thinks they have been jilted start cursing at the unsuspecting friendly person when they do not want to take things to the next level = a date. They yell at them that the only reason the friendly person is single is because they are not interested in this nut job=them. I find it best to not even make eye contact whenever I feel someone crazy might be interested in me. If I am nice to them they get encouraged. If I try to ignore them they get incensed. The best is to do everything in one's power to avoid them noticing me. I hate that it has to be this way, but it is. The thing is that I too have said hello to members of the opposite gender who quickly walked away from me. I assumed their obvious disinterest and never gave it a second thought. Perhaps this is because I know that even though some men do not like me there are others that I like and like me back. I think that those who start harassing me are those that no one ever likes and now they are taking it out on everyone who rejects them. I wish I had the all of the answers, but I hope that I find my bashert soon . I feel like Dorothy trying to find the emerald city as I go down this path of singleness. She would chant lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Well amen sister. This is so silly, but I can't stop laughing!! I never like it when I go to a funeral and if the person who passed on was single or never had children that these adjectives are used. Why is it necessary ? Even when someone passes away, even at their funeral it has to be mentioned? Do they ever say in a eulogy that the dearly departed wasn't a millionaire or that they were allergic to spinach? My point is that at the very least at someones funeral it need not be mentioned that the person was single never married and never had children. Believe me the friends and family who are mourning this person are not missing them for things the person was not, they are mourning them for things that they were. They are missing the wonderful person that passed on for all of the beautiful things that they were in this world . Maybe they wish they could have had other achievements in this world, but need one really point them out at a funeral? I love this new song!! Yesterday I went to the funeral of my ex- friend. In a way I felt like a phony. I was sad that she had passed away , but I felt guilty for not visiting her in hospice more. I felt like I hadn't been close friends with her in several years so did I really have a right to be with others who really were close with her and visited her a lot more than I had ? If I did not run to see her when she was still alive what right did I have to run to her funeral when she was no longer there to appreciate it ? In the end I am glad that I did attend the funeral. As many things in life this was one of those things one does not get a second chance for. It also gave me peace of mind for some of the thoughts that had been going through my head. Even if I was not as friendly with her recently as I had been years ago does not mean that I wished her this fate. I was allowed to be sad. A big theme for those who eulogized was that they felt bad for not always "getting" who my friend was and that not everyone appreciated her. Apparently what I felt about her others who knew and loved her had experienced but loved her anyway. Even for them it was not easy and it was so much on their minds that they mentioned this at her funeral. I guess that is the secret of life. You have to love people for who they are even when you know who they are. Its very interesting. My friend really was not herself for the past 6 months, but it still did not seem like she was gone. Now it feels final and really sad. I know that she is not in any pain anymore, but death is just so final. Baruch Dayan Emet. I suppose the title of this post is a bit obvious . When a friend passes away they become an ex-friend ... Well what I really mean is when someone one may have been friends with years ago passes away one realizes how large a part of one's life this person really was. An ex-friend of mine passed away today. I would call her an ex-friend because we had been good friends years ago and then we weren't. It had been about at least five years since we had been friends and we rarely ran into each other. Then about eight months ago she fell gravely ill. In that time I began to remember why we had been friends in the first place and I began to realize how much an impact she had on my life . Its an odd situation to be in when an ex-friend becomes ill. One feels horrible that this has happened to them but it does not necessarily make forget the past or make one suddenly want to be best friends with them again. It forces one to try to be a better friend to one's old friend that one would have had they not been ill. Death is still sad whether one was great friends with the person now or five years ago. Illness , however sad does have a purpose. It gives one time to get used to the impending passing of a friend . It doesn't make it better really but it does help a person prepare . When a person passes suddenly one does not get to contemplate a world without a person before one really has to. Now that my friend has passed I know that she is no longer is in pain. I hope that she is at peace. I hope she knows that she made an impact on this world though her stay hear was not long. It looks like this is from last year, but I didn't see it then. Who would have thought in 1994 that there would be 4 versions of this song? Not me. Its still cute .
0.997721
Prevention and practice before the storm At home, have a family tornado plan in place, based on the kind of dwelling you live in and the safety tips below. Know where you can take shelter in a matter of seconds, and practice a family tornado drill at least once a year. Have a pre-determined place to meet after a disaster. Flying Debris is the greatest danger in tornadoes; so store protective coverings (e.g. mattress, sleeping bags, thick blankets, etc) in or next to your shelter space, ready to use on a few seconds' notice. When a tornado watch is issued, think about the drill and check to make sure all your safety supplies are handy. Turn on local TV, radio or NOAA Weather Radio and stay alert for warnings. Forget about the old notion of opening windows to equalize pressure; the tornado will blast open the windows for you! If you shop frequently at certain stores, learn where there are bathrooms, storage rooms or other interior shelter areas away from windows, and the shortest ways to get there. All administrators of schools, shopping centers, nursing homes, hospitals, sports arenas, stadiums, mobile home communities and offices should have a tornado safety plan in place, with easy-to-read signs posted to direct everyone to a safe, close by shelter area. Schools and office building managers should regularly run well-coordinated drills. If you are planning to build a house, especially east of the Rockies, consider an underground tornado shelter or Safe Room. Night - Small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm (as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds). These are power lines being snapped by very strong wind, maybe a tornado. In a house with a basement Avoid windows. Get in the basement and under some kind of sturdy protection (heavy table or work bench), or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag. Know where very heavy objects rest on the floor above (pianos, refrigerators, waterbeds, etc.) and do not go under them. They may fall down through a weakened floor and crush you. In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment Avoid windows. Go to the lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands. A bath tub may offer a shell of partial protection. Even in an interior room, you should cover yourself with some sort of thick padding (mattress, blankets, etc.), to protect against falling debris in case the roof and ceiling fail. In an office building, hospital, nursing home, or skyscraper Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building -- away from glass. Then, crouch down and cover your head. Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter, and if not crowded, allow you to get to a lower level quickly. Stay off the elevators; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost. In a mobile home Get out! Even if your home is tied down, you are probably safer outside, even if the only alternative is to seek shelter out in the open. Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile homes; and it is best not to play the low odds that yours will make it. If your community has a tornado shelter, go there fast. If there is a sturdy permanent building within easy running distance, seek shelter there. Otherwise, lie flat on low ground away from your home, protecting your head. If possible, use open ground away from trees and cars, which can be blown onto you. At school Follow the drill! Go to the interior hall or room in an orderly way as you are told. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums. In a car or truck Vehicles are extremely dangerous in a tornado. If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Otherwise, park the car as quickly and safely as possible -- out of the traffic lanes. (It is safer to get the car out of mud later if necessary than to cause a crash.) Get out and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If in the open country, run to low ground away from any cars (which may roll over on you). Lie flat and face-down, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris. In the open outdoors If possible, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you can; they may be blown onto you in a tornado. In a shopping mall or large store Do not panic. Watch for others. Move as quickly as possible to an interior bathroom, storage room or other small enclosed area, away from windows. In a church or theater Do not panic. If possible, move quickly but orderly to an interior bathroom or hallway, away from windows. Crouch face-down and protect your head with your arms. If there is no time to do that, get under the seats or pews, protecting your head with your arms or hands.
0.99964
The first consultation with the Gynaecologist should be done as soon as the pregnancy is confirmed. What is the need to consult Gynaecologist so early. -The Gynaecologist will do complete physical examination of you. -Also a detailed medical history will be taken. -Subsequently a vitamin -Folic Acid will be prescribed to you. - This vitamin helps in complete structural development of baby's skull and spinal cord. Hence you should take this vitamin from very early in pregnancy.
0.951168
For the language, see Tidore language. For the sultanate, see Sultanate of Tidore. Tidore (Indonesian: Kota Tidore Kepulauan) is a city, island, and archipelago in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia, west of the larger island of Halmahera. In the pre-colonial era, the Sultanate of Tidore was a major regional political and economic power, and a fierce rival of nearby Ternate, just to the north. Tidore Island consists of a large stratovolcano which rises from the seafloor to an elevation of 1,730 m (5,676 ft) above sea level at the conical Mount Kie Matubu on the south end of the island. The northern side of the island contains a caldera, Sabale, with two smaller volcanic cones within it. The sultans of Tidore ruled most of southern Halmahera, and, at times, controlled Buru, Ambon and many of the islands off the coast of New Guinea. Tidore established an alliance with the Spanish in the sixteenth century, and Spain had several forts on the island. There was mutual distrust between the Tidorese and the Spaniards but for the Tidorese the Spanish presence was helpful in resisting the incursions of the Ternateans and their ally, the Dutch, who had a fort on Ternate. For the Spanish, backing the Tidore state helped check the expansion of Dutch power that threatened their nearby Asia-Pacific interests, provided a useful base right next to the centre of Dutch power in the region and was a source of spices for trade. Before the Spanish withdrawal from Tidore and Ternate in 1663, the Tidore sultanate, although nominally part of the Spanish East Indies, established itself as one of the strongest and most independent states in the region. After the Spanish withdrawal it continued to resist direct control by the Dutch East India Company (the VOC). Particularly under Sultan Saifuddin (r. 1657–1689), the Tidore court was skilled at using Dutch payment for spices for gifts to strengthen traditional ties with Tidore's traditional peripheral territories. As a result, he was widely respected by many local populations, and had little need to call on foreign military help for governing the kingdom, unlike Ternate which frequently relied upon Dutch military assistance. In 1781 Prince Nuku left Tidore and declared himself Sultan of the Papuan Islands. This was the beginning of a guerilla war which lasted for many years. The Papuans sided with the rebellious Prince Nuku. The British had sponsored Nuku as part of their campaign against the Dutch in the Moluccas. Captain Thomas Forrest was intimately connected with Nuku and represented the British as ambassador. The sultanate was abolished in the Sukarno era and re-established in 1999 with the 36th sultan. Tidore was largely spared from the sectarian conflict of 1999 across the Maluku Islands. The island constitutes a municipality (kotamadya) within the province of North Maluku. The municipality covers an area of 1,645.73 square kilometres (635.42 sq mi) and had a Census population of 90,055 in 2010, the mainland part (Oba) became the city of Sofifi, the new provincial capital. This leaves 53,836 as the population covering 127 km2 of land. Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Tidore. "Tidore". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
0.997918
As another amuse bouche, a spoonful of frozen "pearls" of foie gras, topped with an airy Concord grape sponge and a scatter of chives - in combination, uncannily reminiscent of peanut butter and jelly (in a good way). The first "full-size" course was a visual stunner, a salad of compressed melon and peeled heirloom tomatoes draped with a translucent sheet of ibérico ham gelée, tufts of fava bean foam and crumbles of marcona almonds. Dishes based on traditional pairings face the inevitable question: is it better than the original version? Here, I probably would have taken slices of plain jamón ibérico and melon, though the presentation would not have been as dramatic. I found the flavors a bit muted - best in combination, the melon and tomatoes needing the salt of the ham gelée to really reveal themselves. The next dish had no trouble announcing itself. The flavors of guacamole were recast as a silky avocado soup paired with a ruddier chile-infused tomato purée, but the real highlight here was the "popping corn," a pop-rocks like crumble of carbonated dried corn that started to audibly crackle and pop as the plates were being put on the table and continued to do so as you ate. Gimmicky? Perhaps - but also really fun, and maybe it was just my imagination, but the popping sensation really did seem to open up the flavors of the other components. Ask the same question here - how does it compare with its original inspiration? - and this dish holds up just fine. A Hawaiian ahi tuna carpaccio relied on no special effects. A thin sheet of pristine tuna - simultaneously meaty and silky tender - was topped with small dice of fresh mango and a ginger gelée along with sprigs of pleasingly snappy salicornia (a/k/a "sea beans"). But the one subtle addition that really made this dish sing for me was the drizzle of guajillo chile infused oil - a bright spark of spice that enhanced everything else. The next dish was brought to the table in a large bowl cloaked by another overturned bowl on top - with the unveil revealing a tangle of "smoked" linguine, chanterelle mushrooms, delicate ribbons of Farmer Jones carrots, pistachios, chervil, and orange zest. This was one of my favorite pasta dishes in recent memory - an uncustomary but completely natural combination of ingredients that offered a great interplay of flavors and textures. A crispy poached egg was another of the highlights of a very good meal. The egg was perfectly poached, then coated in a delicate crumb and quickly deep fried, and for an additional bonus, then injected with a vibrant basil infusion. Nestled over a bed of baby squash in a cabernet gastrique, and crowned with Florida-raised Siberian sturgeon caviar, this brought together the lush richness of the oozy egg, the crunch of the crispy shell, and the saline pop of the caviar, all cut through with the gentle green flavors of the squash, the more assertive basil, and the tangy gastrique - each distinct, yet contributing effectively to the whole. The slow-cooked swordfish featured Mediterranean flavors - there were Hammock Hollows tomatoes from upstate Florida, and heirloom green beans - but with some unexpected twists: the broth was cherry and olive, not tomato, and the dark soba-like noodles were vividly flavored with black olive. The final savory course came with a story. The family of one of the J&G kitchen crew, Chef Alex, are pork specialists in Oakland - since he was 11 years old, Alex helped them make carnitas and every other bit of the pig too. In tribute, we were served tender braised pork cheek and even more tender "buche" (stomach) "Bartolo Style," plated with a crispy chicharrone crown, along with a celery root purée and glazed pearl onions. Now it was Pastry Chef Antonio Bachour's time to take over the spotlight. We had seen Chef Bachour's work once before at a Cobaya, when he did the desserts for a Chef Jeremiah dinner. He was working in extremely constrained circumstances there and pulled off some beautiful results - so I was looking forward to seeing what he could do in his own kitchen. He began the transition to desserts with a take on "Berries and Cream." A cube of a ruby-hued gelée was festooned with various berries, red currants, wisps of berry foam, creamy gel, and a puddle of gelatinous hydrated basil seeds - fresh, light, and really brightly flavored. Things went in a more tropical direction with his next dessert: nitrogen-frozen coconut mousse, soft mango "caviar," passion fruit custard, and tiny cubes of dragonfruit - a great interplay of temperature, texture, color and flavor. Once Chef Bachour gets started, it's tough to slow him down, and he had one more dessert course for us. A milk chocolate microwave sponge cake was paired with a flexible tube of nutella ganache, rounded out by a caramelized white chocolate powder, a tangy banana yogurt sorbet, and the small component that really completed the dish for me, buttons of a bitter orange gel. And for a final send-off, an assortment of mignardises: chocolate piña colada lollipops, bacon macarons, guava marshmallows, and mini key lime tarts. There is a lot of talent at the kitchen in the St. Regis, and it was exciting for us to get the opportunity through Cobaya to let them show off what they can do. I get the sense, from the enthusiasm and energy of Chefs Gras and Bachour on display from the planning of this event until the last guest departed, that it was exciting for them too. Don't let the tweezers fool you: there's plenty of passion here. Many thanks to Chefs Richard Gras, Antonio Bachour, and Jordi Valles (of whom we got to see very little, as he was heading off to Peru); to the entire FOH, BOH and A/V crews at the St. Regis, who put together an excellent experience for us; to St. Regis GM Marco Selva for letting his team do this, and for joining us and appreciating the results of their efforts; and, as always and most of all, to the guinea pigs whose support makes these events possible. J&G Grill is one of the more recent additions to the seemingly ever-expanding empire of Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurants. Some of you may remember Chef Valles from his ambitious and sadly short-lived Spanish restaurant Mosaico in the Brickell area. You can always count on Joshua David Stein to have an unusual take on such events. Chef Gras was not giving away his secret as to how he made the "smoked" pasta, but as is so often the case, Alex and Aki at Ideas in Food offer a couple of likely leads: "Smoked Pasta;" "Roasted and Smoked." This was just one example where the A/V hookup into the kitchen proved a great tool for providing insights into the dishes. We always push for an "interactive" component to our Cobaya dinners: guests want to hear not only what's in the dish, but where it came from and why, and Chef Gras did a great job throughout the course of the evening in providing these kinds of details. The enthusiasm and excitement in the kitchen was palpable, which is always tremendously gratifying for us too. This is the point at which I mention my long-held obsession from childhood with Baskin-Robbins mandarin chocolate sherbet. It is difficult to select a star among stars, but the crispy poached egg might just deserve such a title. The brilliance was in taking a simple, basic, ingredient and transforming it to a culinary masterpiece. A close runner up was the bacon macaroon. This was truly a gastronomic symphony.