{ // 获取包含Hugging Face文本的span元素 const spans = link.querySelectorAll('span.whitespace-nowrap, span.hidden.whitespace-nowrap'); spans.forEach(span => { if (span.textContent && span.textContent.trim().match(/Hugging\s*Face/i)) { span.textContent = 'AI快站'; } }); }); // 替换logo图片的alt属性 document.querySelectorAll('img[alt*="Hugging"], img[alt*="Face"]').forEach(img => { if (img.alt.match(/Hugging\s*Face/i)) { img.alt = 'AI快站 logo'; } }); } // 替换导航栏中的链接 function replaceNavigationLinks() { // 已替换标记,防止重复运行 if (window._navLinksReplaced) { return; } // 已经替换过的链接集合,防止重复替换 const replacedLinks = new Set(); // 只在导航栏区域查找和替换链接 const headerArea = document.querySelector('header') || document.querySelector('nav'); if (!headerArea) { return; } // 在导航区域内查找链接 const navLinks = headerArea.querySelectorAll('a'); navLinks.forEach(link => { // 如果已经替换过,跳过 if (replacedLinks.has(link)) return; const linkText = link.textContent.trim(); const linkHref = link.getAttribute('href') || ''; // 替换Spaces链接 - 仅替换一次 if ( (linkHref.includes('/spaces') || linkHref === '/spaces' || linkText === 'Spaces' || linkText.match(/^s*Spacess*$/i)) && linkText !== 'GitHub加速' && linkText !== 'GitHub加速' ) { link.textContent = 'GitHub加速'; link.href = 'https://githubproxy.cc'; link.setAttribute('target', '_blank'); link.setAttribute('rel', 'noopener noreferrer'); replacedLinks.add(link); } // 删除Posts链接 else if ( (linkHref.includes('/posts') || linkHref === '/posts' || linkText === 'Posts' || linkText.match(/^s*Postss*$/i)) ) { if (link.parentNode) { link.parentNode.removeChild(link); } replacedLinks.add(link); } // 替换Docs链接 - 仅替换一次 else if ( (linkHref.includes('/docs') || linkHref === '/docs' || linkText === 'Docs' || linkText.match(/^s*Docss*$/i)) && linkText !== 'Vibevoice' ) { link.textContent = 'Vibevoice'; link.href = 'https://vibevoice.info/'; replacedLinks.add(link); } // 替换Pricing链接 - 仅替换一次 else if ( (linkHref.includes('/pricing') || linkHref === '/pricing' || linkText === 'Pricing' || linkText.match(/^s*Pricings*$/i)) && linkText !== 'VoxCPM' ) { link.textContent = 'VoxCPM'; link.href = 'https://voxcpm.net/'; replacedLinks.add(link); } // 替换Enterprise链接 else if ( (linkHref.includes('/enterprise') || linkHref === '/enterprise' || linkText === 'Enterprise' || linkText.match(/^s*Enterprises*$/i)) && linkText !== 'IndexTTS2' ) { link.textContent = 'IndexTTS2'; link.href = 'https://vibevoice.info/indextts2'; replacedLinks.add(link); } }); // 查找可能嵌套的Spaces和Posts文本 const textNodes = []; function findTextNodes(element) { if (element.nodeType === Node.TEXT_NODE) { const text = element.textContent.trim(); if (text === 'Spaces' || text === 'Posts' || text === 'Enterprise') { textNodes.push(element); } } else { for (const child of element.childNodes) { findTextNodes(child); } } } // 只在导航区域内查找文本节点 findTextNodes(headerArea); // 替换找到的文本节点 textNodes.forEach(node => { const text = node.textContent.trim(); if (text === 'Spaces') { node.textContent = node.textContent.replace(/Spaces/g, 'GitHub加速'); } else if (text === 'Posts') { // 删除Posts文本节点 if (node.parentNode) { node.parentNode.removeChild(node); } } else if (text === 'Enterprise') { // 删除Enterprise文本节点 if (node.parentNode) { node.parentNode.removeChild(node); } } }); // 标记已替换完成 window._navLinksReplaced = true; } // 替换代码区域中的域名 function replaceCodeDomains() { // 特别处理span.hljs-string和span.njs-string元素 document.querySelectorAll('span.hljs-string, span.njs-string, span[class*="hljs-string"], span[class*="njs-string"]').forEach(span => { if (span.textContent && span.textContent.includes('huggingface.co')) { span.textContent = span.textContent.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } }); // 替换hljs-string类的span中的域名(移除多余的转义符号) document.querySelectorAll('span.hljs-string, span[class*="hljs-string"]').forEach(span => { if (span.textContent && span.textContent.includes('huggingface.co')) { span.textContent = span.textContent.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } }); // 替换pre和code标签中包含git clone命令的域名 document.querySelectorAll('pre, code').forEach(element => { if (element.textContent && element.textContent.includes('git clone')) { const text = element.innerHTML; if (text.includes('huggingface.co')) { element.innerHTML = text.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } } }); // 处理特定的命令行示例 document.querySelectorAll('pre, code').forEach(element => { const text = element.innerHTML; if (text.includes('huggingface.co')) { // 针对git clone命令的专门处理 if (text.includes('git clone') || text.includes('GIT_LFS_SKIP_SMUDGE=1')) { element.innerHTML = text.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } } }); // 特别处理模型下载页面上的代码片段 document.querySelectorAll('.flex.border-t, .svelte_hydrator, .inline-block').forEach(container => { const content = container.innerHTML; if (content && content.includes('huggingface.co')) { container.innerHTML = content.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } }); // 特别处理模型仓库克隆对话框中的代码片段 try { // 查找包含"Clone this model repository"标题的对话框 const cloneDialog = document.querySelector('.svelte_hydration_boundary, [data-target="MainHeader"]'); if (cloneDialog) { // 查找对话框中所有的代码片段和命令示例 const codeElements = cloneDialog.querySelectorAll('pre, code, span'); codeElements.forEach(element => { if (element.textContent && element.textContent.includes('huggingface.co')) { if (element.innerHTML.includes('huggingface.co')) { element.innerHTML = element.innerHTML.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } else { element.textContent = element.textContent.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } } }); } // 更精确地定位克隆命令中的域名 document.querySelectorAll('[data-target]').forEach(container => { const codeBlocks = container.querySelectorAll('pre, code, span.hljs-string'); codeBlocks.forEach(block => { if (block.textContent && block.textContent.includes('huggingface.co')) { if (block.innerHTML.includes('huggingface.co')) { block.innerHTML = block.innerHTML.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } else { block.textContent = block.textContent.replace(/huggingface.co/g, 'aifasthub.com'); } } }); }); } catch (e) { // 错误处理但不打印日志 } } // 当DOM加载完成后执行替换 if (document.readyState === 'loading') { document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => { replaceHeaderBranding(); replaceNavigationLinks(); replaceCodeDomains(); // 只在必要时执行替换 - 3秒后再次检查 setTimeout(() => { if (!window._navLinksReplaced) { console.log('[Client] 3秒后重新检查导航链接'); replaceNavigationLinks(); } }, 3000); }); } else { replaceHeaderBranding(); replaceNavigationLinks(); replaceCodeDomains(); // 只在必要时执行替换 - 3秒后再次检查 setTimeout(() => { if (!window._navLinksReplaced) { console.log('[Client] 3秒后重新检查导航链接'); replaceNavigationLinks(); } }, 3000); } // 增加一个MutationObserver来处理可能的动态元素加载 const observer = new MutationObserver(mutations => { // 检查是否导航区域有变化 const hasNavChanges = mutations.some(mutation => { // 检查是否存在header或nav元素变化 return Array.from(mutation.addedNodes).some(node => { if (node.nodeType === Node.ELEMENT_NODE) { // 检查是否是导航元素或其子元素 if (node.tagName === 'HEADER' || node.tagName === 'NAV' || node.querySelector('header, nav')) { return true; } // 检查是否在导航元素内部 let parent = node.parentElement; while (parent) { if (parent.tagName === 'HEADER' || parent.tagName === 'NAV') { return true; } parent = parent.parentElement; } } return false; }); }); // 只在导航区域有变化时执行替换 if (hasNavChanges) { // 重置替换状态,允许再次替换 window._navLinksReplaced = false; replaceHeaderBranding(); replaceNavigationLinks(); } }); // 开始观察document.body的变化,包括子节点 if (document.body) { observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true }); } else { document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => { observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true }); }); } })(); ';\n\n---HTML Layout--\n\nSet @TableHead = '' +\n'

**********This is an informational message only**********

' +\n '' +\n '' + 'SQL Server Services have been RESTARTED : '+ '' + @@SERVERNAME + '' +\n '

' + ' If this was not planned, check the Server' + '

'\n\nselect @TableHead = @TableHead + @TableTail\n\nWAITFOR DELAY '00:00:30'\nEXEC msdb.dbo.sp_send_dbmail\n@profile_name = 'DB_Admins',\n@recipients = '',\n@body = @TableHead,\n@body_format = HTML,\n@subject = @Title;\n\nHope this helps you avoid any outages as it has helped me.\n\nLeave a Reply\n\nYour email address will not be published."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581855,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Teddy bear baby bottles\n\nنمایش یک نتیجه\n\nChildren are not strong enough to hold and touch objects, so they prefer to see and hear their surroundings. As a result, it is better that their nutrition devices have high contrast and vivid colors to attract them and make the feeding procedure less challenging.\n\nBabyland baby bottles do the job perfectly with beautiful designs, vivid colors and transparent teddy bear caps. These bottles come in two sizes, 150 ml and 240 ml classic, and are made of polypropylene and polycarbonate.\n\nPolycarbonate is the hardest transparent polymer that can be used as a safe and secure substitute for glass. Babyland polycarbonate bottles has been developed using high quality and healthyraw materials, free from any harmful chemicals, including BPA. The bottles are suitable for milk and a variety of warm and semi-warm beverages for a temperature of up to 60 ° C."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581856,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Apink Were Filmed Backstage Without Permission… Members Noticeably Concerned\n\nThey had no idea they were being filmed.\n\nA backstage footage filmed at the 2018 Korea Music Festival is under criticism after it was aired without permission from the artists. \n\n\n2018 Korea Music Festival made a live broadcast through an online platform for fans who couldn’t go to the festival. If one purchased a paid ticket, one can watch all the performances and backstage access. Apink was one of the artists invited for the event.\n\n\nThe controversy took place after a backstage livestream was recorded and shared on SNS. At the time of the filming, the members were seen taking photos, retouching their make-up and rehearsing their choreography. \n\n\nApink revealed they were not aware of the recording until after they found a video reposted online. \n\n“A video like this came out?” — Hayoung\n\n“Scary… They were filming there…” — Bomi\n\n“We were touching up our outfits too… If that got out it would be a huge problem…”  — Hayoung\n\n\n\n“The members all didn’t know they were filming. Where was this uploaded to?” — Hayoung\n\n“Huh??? What is this there was a camera above us? Goosebumps.” — Eunji\n\n“Really though………..” — Bomi\n\n\n\nFans also launched their own investigation after Apink’s concern. They found how different types of cameras were perched on the tripod and ceiling with the artists not realizing they were already being filmed. \n\nThe backstage is a space to prepare before going onstage so it’s not only for simple make-up correction at times, but also a repair or change of outfits. If the members did not know that they were filmed, it may have caused a big scandal regardless of gender.\n\n\nThe tag #코뮤페_해명해 (KMF Explain Yourself) was also launched online as fans demanded an explanation from the organizers. \n\n\nThe original fan account on Instagram already apologized for the incident. It was met with a personal response from Hayoung. \n\n\nFans continued to demand an explanation as to whether the artists were informed of the filming. The organisers can face severe charges if proven to have aired it without their permission. \n\n\nNo official statement has been released about the incident so far. \n\n\nSource: StarToday and Pann"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581857,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Andorra 🇦🇩 (2019) Perrine\n\nAndorra is the 5th of the smallest countries in Europe and the 16th smallest country in the world, it has a population of almost 80 000 people, where the official language is Catalan (Spanish). Fun-Fact is that Andorra isn’t a member of the European Union, so if it wants to visit other countries, they need to request a visa.\nOur trip starts first briefly in Barçelona, where we stayed one night. Andorra lies between the mountains and doesn’t have an airport, so it’s only accessible by road. So the next day, we woke up really early and we took the 7 am bus to go to Andorra, which was a 3,5 hours-ish bus ride.\n\nWe have met each other on a friend’s barbecue party in Brussel somewhere in the late spring of 2018. In that same year, in November we met again, this time in Portugal, where Perrine moved to live for a while. I combined two city trips Lisbon and Dakar in Senegal, so it was nice to meet each other again. A year later, she was in to do a short travel and she joined me on a short trip to Andorra.\n\nAndorra de la Vella:\n\nBesides a wonderful personality, she also has a great sense of humor.\nShe did my ” Signature Pose ” with full dedication! 😅🤣\n\nMirador del Roc del Quer"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581858,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Block of the Week: Mycelium\n\nDig into the mysteries of a different kind of dirt\n\nWhat’s the largest organism on Earth? What’s the oldest organism on Earth? They may both have the same answer. What’s weirder still: it’s almost entirely invisible.\n\nGo up into the forested slopes of Oregon’s Blue Mountains, and you may well be standing on it. It covers almost 9.7 square kilometres - an area roughly three times the size of Central Park. It’s a single fungus known as A. solidipes, part of the honey mushroom family - named after their colour rather than taste. The mushrooms themselves sprout from dead trees, but each mushroom is only a tiny part of a much larger organism, all of them connected by a web of tiny strands that stretches through the soil. That web is collectively known as the mycelium!\n\nThe network of mushrooms that make up Oregon’s A. solidipes is estimated to be between 2,400 and 8,650 years old - potentially a lot older than all of humankind’s recorded history.\n\n\nOf course, you now know that any mushroom that grows on a mycelium block is probably part of the same fungal network that connects all adjacent mycelium blocks - making the humble mushroom the largest organism in Minecraft as well as the real world!\n\nWant a guide to every block? Check out the Blockopedia! Every cube catalogued!\n\nMarsh Davies\nScritto da\nMarsh Davies"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581859,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Skip to product information\n1 of 5\n\n\nEssential Oil Rollers\n\nRegular price $12.00 CAD\nRegular price Sale price $12.00 CAD\nSale Sold out\nShipping calculated at checkout.\nAll blends are diluted up to 10 mL of organic fractionated coconut essential oil. \nRoll on your wrists, collarbones and hairline or make a scent tent during times of stress or during meditation, tapping and yoga.\nHow to do a scent tent? Roll in your hands, rub together and deeply breath in the scent by clasping your hands around your nares. \n\n1. Enough\nYou are enough. It's ridiculous how enough you are. Never forget YOUR worth. Composed of copaiba, ocotea, geranium, lavender, frankincense, blue tansy, black spruce and white angelica, this sophisticated blend introduces a delicate subtle influx of floral notes. \n\n2. Loved\nTrust in what you love. We hope you feel beautiful and loved today. This is a ubiquitously loved blend, composed of black spruce, geranium, camphor wood, frankincence, blue tansy, vanilla, lime and patchouli. It's been called heaven in a bottle. \n3. Brave\nShe blooms wild and burns bright. This is a blend to reduce anxiety and provide a sense of bravery and calm. It is an essential oil blend of lemon, orange, lime, tangerine, ylang ylang, patchouli, geranium, coriander, bergamot, tangerine, cedarwood, fir and lavender.  You gotta keep going to keep growing. \n4. Worthy\nI look at you and see sunshine. Just get out of your way. and love yourself. This blend of ylang, ylang, jasmine, geranium, palmarosa, rose, lemon tangerine, lime, bergamot, cedarwood, blue tansy, and frankincense essential oils invites acceptance and confidence. \n\n5. Kind\nYou are capable, courageous and magnificent, even when it feels like you are not. Self love friend and bring your own sunshine. This blend is a calming mix of sacred sandlewood, vetiver and vanilla that hugs your soul and relaxes your mind on its very own beach. \n6. Strong\nFiercely go towards your dreams with boldness. You will overcome everything that comes your way, because you my friend are a warrior. Feel your strength when you roll on this blend of cassia, tarragon, ginger, juniper, fennel, lemongrass, anise, patchouli, myrtle, pine, spruce, marjoram, lavender, cypress and peppermint.\n\nCustomer Reviews\n\nBased on 1 review\nAnna Lozano\nThe perfect self-care tool!\n\nI LOVE my essential oil roll ons from Nurture & Bloom - I use them throughout the day while working and they infuse my day with calm energy! Thank you ladies!\n\nSelf Care is Self Love\n\nCheck out our collection of essential oil roll ons! Perfect for unwinding or relieving stress after a long day\n\nShop Now"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581860,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Granite Island Group Banner\n\nBasic Countermeasures Equipment\n\n1059 Preamplifier\n\n\nGeneral purpose preamplifier. Features high gain (over 100 dB) and low noise. Selectable input impedance ranging from 1K to 500K ohms and output impedance from 20K to 2K ohms. Includes switchable hi/lo pass filter, tone generator and excitation voltage output to power external accessories such as the 1059 IR infrared probe. Unit is supplied with special 2K headset and clip-lead input cable. A single 9-volt battery powers the unit. Size is 3/4 x 3 x 5 inches.\n\nThe 1059 has been designed as a multiple input/output low noise amplifier that can provide a near perfect match to just about any microphone or recorder. The 1059 includes a tone generator for testing amplifier performance and unknown lines, switchable excitation voltage for external accessories and a low pass/high pass filter selector.\n\nThe input jacks, J1 through J4, provide input impedances from 2 Megohms down to 1,000 ohms. Maximum amplification is provided through J2 and J3 and medium gain through J4. J1 and its associated J1 GAIN control has adjustable amplification. With the J1 GAIN control advanced fully clockwise the output level of a signal fed into J1 will be roughly one-half that of the same signal fed into J2.\n\nJ1 can sustain approximately 1,000 volts DC. This jack should be used when it is uncertain as to how much voltage or type of signal is on an unknown line pair To operate the 1059, insert the 2,000 ohm headset supplied into output jack J6. The headset is worn with the gray tube under the chin with the sound output holes facing slightly forward. The 1059 is NOT designed to drive low impedance headphones. Turn J1 GAIN fully counterclockwise (minimum) and advance the VOLUME control clockwise (turning on the amplifier) roughly one-third turn. Advance the J1 GAIN control slowly clockwise until either a signal is recovered or the control reaches full clockwise. If, while advancing J1 GAIN, a loud hum is heard, it probably indicates that the line is carrying high voltage AC. USE CAUTION! Do not apply high level AC signals to any other input.\n\nJ2 (500K) is a high impedance input which utilizes the maximum amplification of the 1059. This jack is used when the DC and AC level and relative signal strength on a line pair is known. J2 may also be used with external accessories such as the 1040-2 Contact Microphone and 1040-4 Hot-Pack.\n\nJ3 is used when the line or accessory is in the vicinity of 10K ohms This jack is used with accessories such as the 2030 Carrier-Current Probe or when analyzing telephone systems.\n\nJ4 provides lower amplification and impedance (1,000 ohms) than J2 of J3. It is used when an input signal is too high in level for the other inputs. This jack also has the capability of supplying an excitation voltage (9 volts through 4,700 ohms) for external accessories or carbon microphones. The voltage is supplied to the jack when the J4 VOLTS switch is in the UP position.\n\nThe TONE-ON switch powers an internal tone generator. The output of the generator is fed through the last three stages of the amplifier and applied to both output jacks, J5 and J6.\n\nThe FILTER-IN switch selects the amplifier roll-off characteristics. This switch is used when excessive hum is encountered or when a more \"crisp\" signal is desired.\n\nA convenient check of the battery can be made by inserting the mini plug-clip lead cable (supplied) into J4, turning ON the 1059 power and placing the J4 VOLTS switch in the UP position. Connect the clips to a voltmeter set on the 9 or 12 volt range. The voltage should indicate not less than 8 volts for an alkaline battery or 7.5 volts for a mercury battery. Should it become necessary to change the battery, loosen the two cover screws one or two turns, slip off the cover and remove the old battery. Install fresh battery, replace cover and tighten screws (don't over-tighten!).\n\nAdvanced TSCM Signals Detection and Analysis\nTSCM - Sweeping the Spectrum for Eavesdropping Devices\n\n| Outside Links | Recommended TSCM Books | TSCM Reference Library |\n\n\nCopyright ©2002, Granite Island Group"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581861,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Drupal Development Resources\n\nTutorial: Drupal Bootstrap 3.4 Subtheme with LESS\n\nBootstrap continues to be our favorite starter theme for Drupal 7. This is an update to our original guide on how to set up a Bootstrap subtheme with LESS. Many of the steps are the same but they’re repeated here for convenience.\n\nBootstrap 7.x-3.4 introduces some new features and a restructuring of its subtheme starterkit folder.\n\nThis guide covers setting up a subtheme with LESS only.\n\n\n 1. Get Bootstrap Theme\n 2. Create the subtheme directory and copy files\n 3. Configure your .info file\n 4. Download Bootstrap source\n 5. Compile the LESS files\n 6. Enable Your Subtheme\n 7. Copy template files from the parent theme (Optional)\n 8. Closing\n\n1. Get Bootstrap Theme\n\n 1. Download the Drupal Bootstrap theme\n 1. Extract/upload to your sites/all/themes\n 2. There is no need to activate the theme. We only need this to set up the subtheme\n 2. Download/Enable jQuery Update\n 1. Extract/upload to your sites/all/modules\n 2. Set the “Default jQuery Version” to at least 1.9\n 3. Set “Alternate jQuery version” to 1.5 or “Default (provide by Drupal)” –  This prevents issues with AJAX heavy modules like Views\n 4. Set jQuery CDN to your own preference or based on the performance of your server. Loading the files from CDN takes some load and bandwidth off your server, but in some cases in may be faster served by your local server.\n\njQuery update settings for Drupal Bootstrap theme\n\n\n2. Create the subtheme directory and copy files\n\n 1. Create a new folder for your subtheme inside of sites/all/themes.\n 1. In our example, we’ll call our subtheme my_subtheme, so we should have an empty directory at sites/all/themes/my_subtheme.\n 2. Copy all the files from sites/all/themes/bootstrap/starterkits/less to sites/all/themes/my_subtheme\n 3. Your subtheme directory should look like this:\n bootstrap starter kit\n\n3. Configure your .info file\n\n 1. Rename less.starterkit to Remember to replace “my_subtheme” with the name of your own subtheme.\n 2. Edit with your text/code editor of choice and give it a unique name and description:\n name = My Awesome Bootstrap subtheme\n description = A Bootstrap Sub-theme customized for this particular project\n core = 7.x\n base theme = bootstrap\n\n4. Download Bootstrap source\n\nDownload Bootstrap source and upload it to your subtheme folder. The folder names may start getting confusing here because the word “bootstrap” is part of the theme name as well as the source code. Be sure to put the files inside of your subtheme folder. It should look like this when you’re done:\n\n├── less/\n├── js/\n├── fonts/\n├── dist/\n│ ├── css/\n│ ├── js/\n│ └── fonts/\n└── docs/\n └── examples/\n\nThe only folders you need from source are less, js, and fonts. The rest is optional, but it doesn’t hurt to have them in there.\n\n5. Compile the LESS files\n\nCompile the LESS files to create your style.css, which contains all of the Bootstrap CSS , Drupal-specific overrides (overrides.less), and your own custom code.\n\nlessc less/style.less > css/style.css\n\n6. Enable Your Subtheme\n\nEnable your subtheme from Drupal. If everything went well, you should see the default Bootstrap styles loaded.\n\n7. Copy template files from the parent theme (Optional)\n\nIf you plan on making only CSS changes to your theme, you can skip this step.\n\nHowever, for more customized themes, you’ll want to modify the page.tpl.php and html.tpl.php files.\n\nCopy page.tpl.php and html.tpl.php from sites/all/themes/bootstrap/templates/system to your subtheme’s templates folder at sites/all/themes/my_subtheme/templates\n\nFlush the theme cache so Drupal will recognize the new files.\n\n8. Closing\n\nAs you can see, setting up a Drupal Bootstrap subtheme can be a pain in the ass. If you develop websites for a living and work on many projects, you should look into creating your own git repository with all the necessary files and configurations. We maintain a repository for a generic “Bootstrap Subtheme” that can be enabled and used as is, saving about 20-30 minutes per new set up.\n\n4 replies on “Tutorial: Drupal Bootstrap 3.4 Subtheme with LESS”\n\nI see there is only less folder not css folder in bootstrap source code .. So I need to follow below steps:\n1. cd sites/all/themes/mysubtheme/bootstrap\n2. mkdir css\n3. lessc less/bootstrap.less > css/bootstrap.css\n4. in .info file : stylesheets[all][] = bootstrap/css/bootstrap.css\n5. Clear cache\nWithout it we can't see bootstrap.css loading automatically. Do I need to do same for whole less folder ?\n\nPlease note, that you need to go to your subtheme's folder (not bootstrap) to compile less/style.less from there:\n\n$ cd path-to-my_subtheme\n$ lessc less/style.less > css/style.css\n\nLeave a Reply\n\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581862,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Euronovia is a French consulting company specialized in the writing and management of EU funded projects, as well as in all related communication, dissemination and exploitation activities. Euronovia gathers a highly professional team with different backgrounds so as to offer trans-sectorial and transdisciplinary skills to address different stakeholders’ concerns such as SMEs, large manufacturing groups, universities, research institutes, clusters, etc Euronovia is partner in 7 EU projects as WP leader for dissemination and exploitation activities.\n\n\nCheck Also\n\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581863,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"The Benefits Of An AR15 Collapsible Stock Rifle\n\nThe AR15 is one of the most popular rifles in the world today. You may carry an AR15 when you hunt, or you may use one at the shooting range. You have several models to choose from, but you need to choose a rifle that is comfortable when you fire. You also have a couple of different AR-15 buttstocks to choose from. One is the fixed stock rifles are common, but a collapsible stock rifle helps make shooting much simpler. This article explains the benefits of a collapsible stock when you are shooting an AR15 in the field or at the range.\n\nWhat Is A Collapsible Stock?\n\nCollapsible stocks fold up when not in use. The butt of a traditional rifle is part of the body of the rifle, and the stock does not move at all. You cannot fold up a fixed stock, but you can fold a collapsible stock when you are not using the rifle.\n\nAR15 Collapsible Stock photo\n\nCollapsible stock makes your rifle easier to use, and the rifle is easier to store when you are traveling. The long bag used to carry a fixed stock rifle is cumbersome, but the small bag used to haul a collapsible stock rifle is much more convenient. The gun does not even look like a firearm when you are carrying it to your car or in the field.\n\nWhy Is Collapsible Stock Helpful?\n\nA collapsible rifle is extremely light. The new stocks created for the AR15 are made from carbon fiber or other polymers that are very light. You will not feel as though the rifle is too heavy, and the kickback from the rifle will not be nearly as strong when you fire.\n\nOvermolded AR15 Collapsible Stock Rifle\n\nLighter collapsible stocks help you carry the rifle easily, and the collapsible stock helps you balance the rifle during firing. You cannot take aim effectively when the rifle is too heavy, and you cannot fire safely at a shooting range with a heavy rifle.\n\nWhy Is A Collapsible Stock More Convenient?\n\nA collapsible stock rifle folds up in just a moment, and the stock folds out just as quickly. You may have your rifle folded on the floor of your hunting perch, but you can be ready to fire in just a few seconds. You will save space inside your perch as you wait for game to pass by, and you can stash your rifle easily when the stock is folded.\n\nYou need to save as much space as possible when you travel, and a collapsible stock conserves space in your vehicle. The tightest AR15 design will fit inside your pack when you camp during a long hunt.\n\nCollapsible Stocks Are Cheaper\n\nA new collapsible stock is cheaper to produce, and you will save money on the rifle when you make a new purchase. The polymers used to make the collapsible stock cost the manufacturer less money, and the savings are passed on to you. You can create a collection of AR15’s with less money, or you can replace your old AR15 without breaking the bank. Purchasing a rifle on a budget is much simpler when you go with the collapsible stock.\n\nYou have a few options when you purchase your rifle, but the collapsible rifle stock is by far the best. A Collapsible stock rifle is more comfortable to carry, fire and move. You can save space when you stash the rifle, and you can ready yourself at any time with a flick of the stock. New collapsible stock rifles have been designed for military use, and you get the same advantages when you purchase a new AR15 for hunting or target practice at the range.\n\nLeave a comment\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581864,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Definition of Hunger:\nA strong desire or craving for… / a feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by lack of food, coupled with the desire to eat.\n\nSynonyms of Hunger:\nDesire, crave, yearning, appetite, lust after, / ravenousness, starvation, famishment, etc.\n\n\nLove in fellowship.\n\n\nTension or Hunger? Learning to relax the stomach muscles helps get rid of tension hunger. Often when we have eaten too fast because of tension, our stomach continues to send hunger signals after the meal.\n\nThere has not been enough time for the digestive process to register satisfaction. We can consciously relax the muscles so that the feeling of emptiness will go away. –Food For Thought | More…\n\n\nLeave a Reply\n\n\nYou are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )\n\nTwitter picture\n\n\nFacebook photo\n\n\nConnecting to %s\n\n%d bloggers like this:"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581865,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"First time players are recommended to read instructions before playing. A quick fire shoot-em-up, with gameplay lasting one minute. Defeat the boss to win the game in the fastest time possible. Pickups include dual/triple/quad shots, multi-shot, radial/beam/homing specials, faster movement and fire speed. \n\nMenu Controls:\n\n • X for 1 player game (or X on controller 1)\n • A for 2 player game (or X on controller 2)\n\nGame Controls:\n\n • Arrow keys to move (player 1)\n • X or V to warp (player 1)\n • Z or C to fire special (player 1)\n • ESDF keys to move target (player 2)\n • Ctrl+M to turn off sounds\n\nMobile Controls:\n\n • Very similar except in the virtual handset the O button represents the Z key\n\n\n • You can use any game controllers recognized by SDL with PICO-8\n\nBrowser Edition:\n\nThe free-to-play browser version.\n\nDemo Edition:\n\nThe free-to-play downable versions for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Raspberry-Pi.\n\nPremium Edition:\n\nPurchasing the game will grant access to standalone downloads for Linux, Mac, Windows and Raspberry Pi. The premium version unlocks three new ships and an option to play the original shorter version, each with their own best time entries. Source code is not included\n\n\nBuy Now$1.49 USD or more\n\nIn order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $1.49 USD. You will get access to the following files: 703 kB 3 MB 1 MB 949 kB\n\nDownload demo\n\nDownload 6 MB\n\nDevelopment log\n\n\nLog in with to leave a comment.\n\nWhat is the chaff stat for?\n\nwhat is the difference from the bbs one?\n\nThere are a few minor tweaks to gameplay to provide the same experince but over the extended five to seven minutes of gameplay (based on difficulty level) over the one to two minutes in the bbs version. Along with that there are three additional ships to play with, each with different mix of specials and movement.\n\nI wish I could get the full version but I don't have any money :(\n\n(1 edit)\n\nI would suggest following @krystman as they are currently doing a YouTube tutorial on making a Shmup game in Pico-8, so in time it’s highly likely they’ll be releasing it here for free (most likely) or on Lexaloffle (where you can find a huge bunch of free to play Pico-8 games).\n\nNot trying to complain but I am just curious why the premium versions don't contain the source code\n\nAh, I dont sell the source code with most of my Pico-8 projects for a few reasons.\n\nOne is that if people are purchasing it to get a better understanding of how to make a game then there are other projects of far better quality to pay for, the underlying code is not suitable in most cases to learn from.\n\nTwo, 99% of the source code for most of my games is available for free on (I should probably do a round of updates to make that clearer and/or provide direct links).\n\nThree, I make games that should be completely playable and complete without ever paying money. That payment is just for more content if someone liked it and wants more, and the bit I protect (the bit that has actual value). The underlaying game structure doesnt change between the free and premium versions.\n\nFour, there are enough people/bots out there which try to steal content for their own websites to make money of my work I avoid giving out the extra bit of work. This might change in time if I decide to alter the methods I make money off the games, so maybe at some time in the future it may or may not become available.\n\nI think I will try to get around to more directly pointing people towards the freely available source code. is the publically available source code for the game\n\nvery fun\n\nThank you, I was trying for a super short shmup that only lasted a minute or two so was trying to make it quick and intense."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581866,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"How Long Can Monstera Live in Water?\n\nHow Long Can Monstera Live in Water?\n\nMonsteras are tropical plants that grow vigorously and produce attractive flowers. These plants have large leaves with pointed tips, which makes them resemble the letter “M.” Many people choose to plant these popular garden perennials because of their unique foliage as well as their bright yellow or purple blossoms. They’re also easy to care for once they’ve been planted. The beauty of the Monstera is its adaptability; it thrives in all types of climates and soil conditions. If you’d like more information about planting this beautiful flower, read on!\n\nHow Long Can Monstera Live in Water?\n\nHow Long Can Monstera Live In Water?\n\nThe first thing you need to know when considering how long can Monstera live in water is whether or not there will be any standing water surrounding the root system after the initial transplanting process. When you purchase Monstera from the store, look at the tag and see what type of potting medium was used. This should tell you exactly where to place your new Monstera – either in regular dirt or sand. Make sure you don’t bury the roots too deep. You may even consider buying smaller pots so that you aren’t faced with having to dig up larger ones later.\n\nMonstera can live around two weeks in water at temperatures of 70 Fahrenheit degrees (21 degrees Celsius) average room temperature\n\nIf you plan on keeping the Monstera in water for longer than two weeks, make sure you buy the right kind of container. Don’t use clay pots or plastic containers; instead, only go for terra cotta or earthenware pots. Although Monstera has adapted to growing successfully outside of the ground, it needs access to good drainage. Clay pots often hold moisture better than other kinds do but they still restrict water flow somewhat. Plastic containers allow no ventilation whatsoever and can result in rotting of the roots over time. Also, keep in mind that if you decide to put your Monstera into the pool during summertime, it’s best to bring it back out before the temperature rises above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). That way, the leaf surfaces won’t get scorched by the sun. Just remember that if you leave your Monstera alone while swimming around in it, you’ll probably need to change the water every day. And just like most houseplants, you shouldn’t leave your Monstera unattended unless you really know what you’re doing.\n\nNow that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about caring for your\n\nMonstera. Like many flowering plants, the Monstera likes plenty of light. However, since it’s such a fast-growing plant, it does require additional attention in order to thrive properly. One trick for maintaining healthy growth is to cut off one third of the stem each month. Then continue cutting off another third each month until the stems reach 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. At this point, you can start pinching off yet another third until the stems become 2 inches (5 cm) long. By using this method, you avoid allowing your Monstera to develop woody branches at the base. Once the stem reaches 8 inches (20 cm), you can remove the lower portion entirely. Doing this allows fresh air circulation to take place beneath the surface without obstructions.\n\nYou might think that watering would be important if you own a Monstera, but actually, the opposite is true. After purchasing your plant, check the bottom of the pot to find out if it’s already wet enough. If it isn’t moist enough, wait several hours before adding extra water. Another option is to simply mist the top of the pot rather than soaking the entire structure. As mentioned earlier, however, the Monstera prefers slightly dry conditions, so never give it overly moist soil.\n\nNever fertilize your Monstera, especially if you intend to keep it indoors. Fertilizers tend to burn the leaves and may cause unsightly mold to form under the petals. Instead, try mixing organic material such as compost or peat moss into the soil itself. For added nutrition, include things like vitamin supplements, fish emulsion, liquid seaweed extract or kelp meal. Remember that although the Monstera requires little maintenance, it must receive adequate sunlight. A shady location means less energy for photosynthesis, which could lead to poor health and decreased production. Keep track of the daylight available and adjust placement accordingly.\n\nHow often should a Monstera be watered?\n\nA healthy Monstera will require only moderate amounts of water. It is best not to over-water them because too much moisture can cause mold growth in the soil around the roots. Keep a close eye on your plants and pay attention to the amount of rainfall given to each area during different seasons. Watering needs vary according to location. For example, if you live in Florida, then you’ll have less rain than someone who lives in Seattle, where there may be several months when no rain falls at all. You can find detailed information for growing any type of flower by visiting this site from the University of Arizona [sources: National Gardening Association (NGA), The University of Arizona].\n\nMonsteras do better with partial shade rather than direct sunlight because they like cooler temperatures. They also prefer moist conditions but don’t mind being slightly dry between watering times. Soil surrounding the base of the plant contains its food supply and nutrients. While some people think that deep root systems mean that these plants can go longer between watering, this isn’t true. In fact, most types of flowers actually need frequent watering to stay fresh and attractive throughout the season.\n\nThe number of hours per day that you give your Monstera depends upon whether it has been exposed to drought stress while outdoors or if it was potted before bringing indoors. However, once we get into seasonal differences, the general rule remains the same. Here’s a list of recommended frequencies depending on the time of year :\n\nSpring through fall — Once every two days\n\nWinter — Twice weekly\n\nIn addition, keep track of how long it takes the foliage to turn yellowed or brown after having received a soaking rain shower. This indicates that enough water has evaporated from the leaf surface to make the next application unnecessary. That means you could skip as many as three consecutive watering sessions spaced out by 24 hours.\n\nIf you notice that the potting medium is starting to look damp, check the drainage holes under the saucer first. Then add more gravel or stones until the drain hole looks clean again. Your Monstera shouldn’t sit directly on top of the potting mix since doing so creates air pockets that hold in excess moisture. Just remember to use plenty of pebbles or other natural materials for good drainage.\n\nWhile you wait for your new petite friend to fill up its vase, read on to discover why it gets so thirsty.\n\nWhen a Monstera is planted outside, it might seem wise to let the dirt dry out just a bit between watering periods. But even though the ground appears dry, the plant still requires lots of moisture to thrive. When the weather turns warm, however, the sun dries out the earth faster. As such, a little drying doesn’t hurt, but if the dirt stays completely parched, the tiny green sprouts won’t develop properly. And when this happens, you run the risk of killing off delicate seedlings. To prevent this problem, try sprinkling lightly with a mixture of equal parts compost and sand. Afterward, apply a light layer of mulch to finish sealing in moisture. Finally, don’t forget to reapply additional water to ensure proper hydration.\n\nWhat helps an overwatered Monstera?\n\nOverwatered Monsters tend to droop and become discolored. Fortunately, the solution lies within the pots themselves. Each container holds approximately 2 gallons of liquid. Therefore, take advantage of the space available inside the pot to allow adequate room for expansion. Don’t cram anything else into the small interior. Also, avoid using plastic wrap to cover the opening of the pot. Doing so prevents oxygen molecules from getting into the water. Instead, seal the bottom of the pot with foil or paper towel. Now, you’ll see fewer signs of decomposition as the roots continue to strengthen.\nNow that you understand how to care for your Monstera, you’ve got everything needed to begin planting today!\n\n\nWhere to plant Monstera?\n\nWhen choosing a spot for your Monstera, pay particular attention to factors such as humidity levels and nearby trees. You don’t want to set your Monstera next to a tree whose canopy blocks sunlight completely. While many varieties of Monstera love direct sunlight, others prefer filtered shade. Nowadays, thanks to modern science, scientists have developed hybrid species of Monstera that offer enhanced resistance against certain pests. Some examples of these special variants include the ‘Variegata’ variety, which resists scale insects, and the ‘Fascination Pink’, which repels aphids.\n\nAnd finally, if you want to enjoy your Monstera year round, why not move it inside through winter months? Simply follow these steps: First, prepare an area for indoor gardening by trimming away dead parts and removing low hanging branches. Next, fill the space with potting mix that contains lots of nutrients. Finally, wrap the whole thing tightly with newspaper so that temperatures remain stable throughout the colder seasons.\nWith proper care, the Monstera provides blooming flowers for years to come. Whether you choose to display it outdoors or keep it indoors, there are few sights quite as breathtaking as a room full of vibrant reds, yellows, purples and oranges. Enjoy exploring everything this lovely plant has to offer!\n\nCategorized as Questions\n\nAdmin and IT consultant and blogger, I love my Greenhouse and Indoor Plants"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581867,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"What is urban agroecology?\n\nFirst of all, what is urban? In short, anything not on a farm in the country. So, urban might be in a city, a suburb or a small town. Academics like the phrase “urban and peri-urban” to get across the idea that urban agriculture occurs not just in inner cities but also in surrounding areas. Most people who practice urban agriculture do so using methods consistent with agroecology.\n\nWhat is agroecology? It is the science and art of growing plants and animals in ways that are consistent with natural ecosystem processes. It is a way of growing plants and animals using nature to your advantage, rather than fighting nature.\n\nUrban agroecology vs. industrial agriculture\n\nAnother way to look at this is to compare urban agroecology with modern industrial agriculture. Industrial agriculture is large scale; relies on large inputs of imported fossil fuels and chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides; mines soil for nutrients and produces environmentally damaging chemical pollution; produces food far away from where it is consumed by total strangers; is heavily subsidized by Federal and State governments through direct subsidies, trade restrictions, taxpayer-funded water projects, pest control projects and food safety regulations that benefit large producers; and focuses on short term quantity of production. Urban agroecology is small scale; relies significantly on locally available human labor and organic inputs such as manure and compost; treats soil and the surrounding environment as living renewable resources; produces food where most people live; is generally not subsidized by government and often faces regulations that make it difficult to compete in the marketplace; and focuses on long-term quality of production.\n\nSustainable agriculture\n\nIt’s popular these days to talk about activities that are sustainable. It should be clear from the above definitions that industrial agriculture is not sustainable, whereas sustainability is a central focus of urban agroecology. More is said in individual blog postings about this, but sustainability centers around three concepts: sustainable energy sources, sustainable horticultural practices and sustainable social networks and communities.\n\nThis blog is mostly about food, although there are occasional postings about non-food topics. Because it is mostly about food, there are several main topics related to food that are covered:\n\n • Growing food: soil, water, seed saving.\n • Preserving food: fermenting, drying, salting.\n • Consuming food: preparing food and diet.\n\nMore articles about urban agroecology\n\nLeave a Reply\n\n\nWordPress.com Logo\n\n\nTwitter picture\n\n\nFacebook photo\n\n\nConnecting to %s"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581868,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"NATO secretary gen.: Trump talks focused on defense spending\n\nNEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!\n\nThis is a rush transcript from \"Your World,\" May 17, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.\n\n\nJENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: All allies are increasing their defense budgets. And...\n\nDONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Do you give me credit for that?\n\nSTOLTENBERG: You have helped do that, because your leadership has been important and it has had a great impact.\n\n\nNEIL CAVUTO, HOST: All right, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg thanking President Trump, as allies do increase their spending and defense commitment, not leaving the onus exclusively with the United States.\n\nThe president indicating that Germany needs to do more.\n\nAnyway, in his first interview since meeting the president, I'm happy to introduce the NATO secretary-general himself, Jens Stoltenberg, joining me now.\n\nSir, thank you for taking the time.\n\nSTOLTENBERG: Thank you for having me.\n\nCAVUTO: How did it go today with the president?\n\nSTOLTENBERG: It was a good meeting.\n\nAnd we addressed a wide range of issues. But the main focus was on defense spending and the importance of that all allies meet their pledges or do what they promised to do.\n\nAnd we should recognize that there's actually been some real progress. All allies have stopped the cuts in defense spending. All allies have started increase defense spending, and more and more allies meet the NATO target of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense. So we're moving in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go.\n\nCAVUTO: Now, I noticed that Germany was singled out by the president as not sharing -- or doing its share.\n\nHe didn't mention France, but it wasn't, I don't believe, sir, at that 2 percent level. What do you do in that case?\n\nSTOLTENBERG: Well, what we do is that we are working with all allies to make sure that we implement to do what we promised.\n\nAnd we are moving in the right direction. Germany has also started to increase defense spending. Only last year, they increased the defense budgets by around 6 percent in real terms.\n\nAnd not only are more allies contributing more to defense budgets, to the funding, but also with troops to, for instance, NATO mission -- the NATO mission in Afghanistan, our presence in Iraq, but also more NATO presence in the eastern part of the alliance. And Germany is also contributing to NATO's presence in the eastern alliance and in Afghanistan and Iraq.\n\nSo, all allies are doing more, but we expect them to further -- to step further up, do more.\n\nCAVUTO: Given the increased defense spending on every country's part -- I believe every country has at least done more than it was doing a year or certainly two years ago at this time -- it does raise concerns whether NATO is preparing for something. Is it?\n\nSTOLTENBERG: We are responding to a more unpredictable and uncertain security environment.\n\nWe see more certainly Russia in the east. We see all the turmoil, the violence in Iraq, Syria, to the south of the alliance. And that's why NATO is implementing the biggest reinforcement to our collective defense since the end of the Cold War, both spending more, but also doing more in the fight against terrorism.\n\nAnd I commended President Trump today for his leadership. And it's clearly having an impact, because all allies are now moving in the right direction.\n\nWe don't want a new Cold War. We don't want a new arms race. Therefore, we continue to pursue what we call the dual-track approach to Russia, meaning deterrence, defense. We have to be firm and strong, but at the same time, we have to work for a political dialogue with Russia to try to improve our relationship with Russia.\n\nCAVUTO: If I could touch on the North Korean talks that are coming up next month, General, the president seemed to intimate here that maybe a reason for the North Korean leader's apparent about-face or tougher posture is because he met with the Chinese leader, second time in as many months, and it was sort of reined in a little bit.\n\nDo you buy that?\n\nSTOLTENBERG: Well, so my main message today was that all NATO allies, NATO supports the efforts of President Trump to find a peaceful negotiated solution to the crisis in North Korea. And, therefore, we also hope that there will be a successful summit.\n\nAnd we welcome the progress we have seen over the last months. Having said that, I think it's important to keep up the pressure on North Korea, the diplomatic pressure, the economic -- the political pressure, but not least the economic pressure, because we have to make sure that we reach a solution which leads to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and also that North Korea stop developing nuclear weapons and stop developing their ballistic missiles.\n\nCAVUTO: I guess there are different definitions of denuclearization, General.\n\nAnd, obviously, the North Koreans harbor a different sort of a view on that than do we. If it looks like the two sides are far apart on that issue, the president has indicated that he would just walk away from the talks.\n\nWhat would you think of that, if he did?\n\nSTOLTENBERG: I think the important thing now is to be focused and support the efforts to find a negotiated solution.\n\nAnd, therefore, we all hope that it's possible to have a summit and have a meaningful summit with some real outcome. To achieve that, we need to maintain the pressure on North Korea.\n\nSo, therefore, NATO supports both the initiative to have a summit, to have a dialogue with North Korea, but at the same time to maintain the pressure on North Korea.\n\nAnd I think it would be wrong to speculate what will happen if we don't succeed. I think the main focus should be on a successful summit with real some progress and some real outcome.\n\nCAVUTO: The reason why I mentioned it, sir, is that this was a 180 on the part of the North Koreans, going into what looked like a promising start to the talks with the release of hostages, the commitment to decrease nuclear activity, and now this.\n\nAnd I'm just wondering, as someone who has -- obviously has a vested interest in the outcome of this, do you trust the North Koreans?\n\nSTOLTENBERG: I think it's important to be aware of that we have seen before that they have not delivered what they have promised.\n\nTherefore, I'm absolutely certain that any deal, we need to have mechanisms for verification and control. But I think it's a bit early now to go into the details of a potential deal.\n\nThe important thing for me, as secretary-general of NATO, is to support efforts to have a summit, to make progress, and then to negotiate a deal. And a deal needs systems, mechanisms for verification, for control, to make sure that North Korea is delivering what they promise.\n\nCAVUTO: Sir, you have been very patient.\n\nJust one question on Vladimir Putin and how quiet he's been, hasn't said or done much since he was inaugurated for the fourth time. Does he worry you? Does the silence worry you?\n\nSTOLTENBERG: What we have seen over the last year is a more assertive Russia, a Russia which has invested heavily in new and more modern military capabilities, which has increased its military presence into the Middle East, Syria, but also a Russia which has been willing to use military force against neighbors, Ukraine, illegally annexing Crimea.\n\nAnd that is the reason why NATO now is implementing the biggest reinforcement to our collective defense since the end of the Cold War, why NATO is increasing our military presence in the eastern part of the alliance to send a clear message to any potential adversary, that if one ally is attacked, that will trigger a response from the whole alliance.\n\nAnd this is what we call deterrence. And that's the best way to prevent the war.\n\nCAVUTO: All right.\n\nSTOLTENBERG: As long as we're strong and united, there's no adversary that will try to attack a NATO ally.\n\nCAVUTO: Thank you, General.\n\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581869,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Image of a sacred sea turtle swimming in aqua-colored water. From The Heart Of The Honu Or Turtle\n\n14. From The Heart Of The Honu Or Turtle\n\n\nBlessings for Living in Harmony with Earth\n\n\nThe Turtle Kingdom\n\n\nWe of the Turtle Kingdom are pleased to be able to speak forth our guidance and truth to our fellow human brothers and sisters. Turtle has long been associated with privacy or an ability to tuck our head into the shell for safekeeping and protection. In essence we carry our home upon our backs, and therefore the return home is simply an act of pulling our head and legs into our shells and resting. In parallel manner, each species learns that all that each requires to sustain oneself is contained within.\n\n\nSelf-Reliance and Self-Sustenance\n\n\nSelf-reliance has long been lost in the human dance. Humans have learned to rely upon farmers for food and builders for houses, and manufacturers for clothing. One becomes so far out of sync with nature that one may not remember how to survive if such manufacturers, farmers or builders cease to be. What would one do? How will one cope if the current technology humanity relies upon simply ceases to exist? This turtle ponders; and alas we have seen many human civilizations go through a parallel turn of events, and most perished sometimes from starvation due to the inability to forge for oneself the necessities of life.\n\n\nA state of self-sustenance comes as one learns to tune inward and listen to the nature kingdoms. Nature will point one in the right direction for food, shelter and any implement one may require in order to sustain oneself. Nature is conscious. Often nature creates that which certain species require to survive, whether it be a mountain lake for water and bathing, a mountain cave or burnt out tree for warmth and protection in a winter storm, or a bed of grass one can simply lie down upon and have a wonderful rest. Nature does indeed provide all for all species that are a part of Earth’s dream.\n\n\nThe Human Dream Was Never a Part of Earth’s Dream\n\n\nRecent revelations in Earth’s global ascension have shown that the human dream was never a part of Earth’s dream. Alas, humans were seeded with a Sirian dream from Sirius A; and Earth did not know of human presence until about 3,000 years after the seeding was completed upon. The human dream remained a separate force, and this did not allow Earth to either embrace or protect humanity from forces of the dark. Over time, the dark destroyed the grand masters of great human knowledge. As the grand masters died, the very ones who could potentially unite the two dreams had passed, and Earth was then in for a lengthy downward spiral into destruction from forces using the human dream to manipulate her dream.\n\n\nEarth acknowledges that she made a mistake in the rejection of humankind. She did not invite humankind to seed Earth; for humans have a horrible reputation as a species for destroying most places they dwell upon. What consensus wishes a species that destroys to participate in the global dance? No consensus wishes this. Alas, the forces of the dark manipulated the agreements and contracts of Earth to make it appear that Earth requested human seeding. Perhaps if Earth had embraced the human seeding and woven humanity into her dream, she could have better advised the human grand masters in a manner that they would not have died. This might have avoided the entire 200,000-year decline in vibration Earth has since experienced. Hindsight for Earth is not unlike hindsight for an ascending human; it is crystal clear.\n\n\nLessons Learned from Earth’s Rejection of Humanity\n\n\nThere are many lessons here. For one, there is the lesson of rejection. Earth herself has been rejected many a time upon many a dimension and understands this well. This time she herself rejected a species that chose to incarnate onto her body. When one rejects another, one ultimately rejects oneself. As Earth rejected humanity, she more or less also rejected herself, which was then the fertile ground for her destruction to come forth. For rejection breeds hatred; and hatred is a vibration of non-love; it is non-love that causes one to destroy oneself or destroy another, whether that other be another human, member of the plant, animal or mineral kingdoms, or Mother Earth herself.\n\n\nEarth is learning her lessons in her own ascent. She is learning that one cannot reject; and she now embraces those humans willing to ascend into a harmless and loving state in the coming quarter century as a part of her dream. This ends the manipulative dance of the dark as humans now have a place upon Earth and are a part of the global dream. For our fellow human brothers and sisters, we know that the wounds of the heart are great. We invite you to heal now; heal the original sense of rejection by Nature and Mother Earth that is an inherent part of your ancestral history; and to heal the sense of “not belonging” and “not being welcome” that has plagued you since your inception upon Earth.\n\n\nIt was out of the rejection of humankind that humankind drew unto itself and into his dance another group of humans from another place that was foreign and dissonant to Earth. These humans were known as the Annanuki (Greek and Roman Gods). The Red Race rejected the Annanuki humans much as humanity was rejected by Earth. The Annanuki did not feign at the rejection; instead they chose to gain dominion over the red race along with Earth. This is the other side of rejection Earth is exploring in her own ascension, and is the dance of dominion. In the dance of dominion, one says “If I cannot belong, I will make you subordinate to me! Then you will belong to me, and how can I not belong if you belong to me?!”\n\n\nThe red race was docile and worked in harmony with all other kingdoms upon Earth even though they were not a part of Earth’s dream. However, this new form of human Annanuki was not docile and harmless at all. They utilized science to manipulate Earth’s energy flow to create their dominion. Indeed they “owned” the red race and forced them into subordination. Members of the red race lost their land much like the Native Americans and Hawaiians have lost their land in recent history.\n\n\nFurthermore, the tactics to cause subordination over the red race also subordinated Earth into fall after fall in vibration and consciousness. Earth drew unto herself her own mirror of rejection of the red race in another group of humans who instead of returning home following the rejection, chose to subordinate all of life upon Earth unto them. Although the Annanuki have long perished, humans who carry the holographic remembrance of the Annanuki nature and are related to their DNA carry on to this day in parallel manner.\n\n\nHumankind Does Not Support the Environment\n\n\nTurtle has shown Asur’Ana how humans tear up the beautiful landscaping nature has constructed, leveling the ground to mere dirt, and then building a home later only to add “landscaping” of human desire. Why do humans tear up nature’s perfect work of art? Why must humans shape nature into neat and tidy rows of plants that do not work together collaboratively to sustain themselves? Everything in nature is designed to work together, beloved, in unison to support the health and well-being of the other. Certain plants and animals are drawn to live within the same region because their very dance supports one another in thriving.\n\n\nIn looking at a recent gum forest in the Blue Mountains of Australia, Turtle explained to Asur’Ana how each kingdom provides what another kingdom requires; from the waste of the fecal matters of the small mammals such as the koala bears, kangaroo and wombat that provide nourishment to the gum trees, to the birds such as the parrots and kookaburras that provide nourishment in their waste to the ferns. The plants furthermore provide berries and leaves to feed the mammals.\n\n\nAdditionally, certain plants create just the right soil as the leaves decay into mulch that allows certain other plants to grow and thrive in ease. Even the insects have a role, with the bees pollinating the plants through the gathering of honey, to the ants and worms who till the soil, to the maggots that allow the compost to be created. All parts of the gum forest work together in a beautiful, magical and synchronistic manner that supports the life, health and well-being of all species therein.\n\n\nAnd then of course enters humankind; and humankind does not support the environment. Humankind generally tears everything down only to build a home upon the now shredded landscape, bringing in foreign materials that are toxic, and planting trees and shrubs not native to the neighboring region. Soon a whole new life begins to overtake what once was a balanced kingdom, and the native plants and trees along with bush animals begin to die, or worse yet become dependent upon humans for their sustenance.\n\n\nAll of nature wishes to be self-sustaining. No species wishes to rely upon human handouts to survive. And yet nature often will be found digging through garbage cans or begging for food if the sustenance required for survival has been destroyed by the very building modalities utilized by humanity. The nature kingdoms in your cities and suburbs have become co-dependent upon humankind for survival; and so, we understand codependence ourselves from such a relationship.\n\n\nAsur’Ana used to feed the birds from her apartment in Hawaii. She is learning to allow all birds to find their own source of nourishment now and no longer feeds them. She sees that there is plenty of natural provisions in Hawaii, and her handouts only create a certain form of codependence that does not allow all kingdoms their sovereignty. We honor her for seeing this, and she often tells the small birds and pigeons who come up to her begging, “Go eat your grubs. You do not need to beg. There is plenty here for you.”\n\n\nSuddenly, as the birds acknowledge the truth they cease to beg and move off feeding from the worms and grubs in the grass or bushes nearby. You see, begging is as big a habit for nature as it is for humanity to take away our source of nourishment through your building practices. As all humans cease to feed nature, nature will provide for herself. As all humans learn to work in harmony with nature, nature will also provide all that humans require in order to thrive and survive.\n\n\nHealing the Separation of Dreams Between Earth and Humanity\n\n\nTurtle perceives that the reason humanity redecorates the environment rather than simply living in the environment that nature has provided is the result of a deep feeling of “non-belonging” that goes back to the original Sirian Seeding and the lack of collaboration between Earth’s dream and the human dream. Without participating in Earth’s dream, human is always “outside” of Earth, and quite naturally he/she would feel “homeless” and as though he/she does not belong. This creates an internal need to create a “home” which manifests in the act of redecorating the land rather than simply living from the land as it is provided by nature.\n\n\nAs such issues are healed between humanity and nature, and in particular in the coming 25-year cycle and through incoming ascending children, Turtle sees a new future ahead. Such children will feel as at “home” in an open field as within the house the parents may provide. Gradually and due to global changes and the requirement for humans to relocate, future humans will accept nature’s blessings of providing houses in the natural landscape of the valleys, hillsides and mountains that they are guided to move. This will restore a state of collaboration in full between nature and humankind at such a time.\n\n\nIn so doing, humans will learn that their home is really within their heart; and that they can be at home anywhere upon Mother Earth; for every valley, hillside or mountain will have a special place and home prepared to ensure one’s safety, sustenance, and needs. This can only be so as the human dream becomes a part of Earth’s dream. For if the human dream is not a part of the consensus dream of Earth, how can Earth know what humans need in order to survive? She cannot anticipate that which is not a part of her dream beloved. This is why humans have felt victim to hunger or certain natural disasters over time, and even in your present day circumstance in some parts of your world.\n\n\nIs not starvation a problem in certain sectors of human civilization, and in particular, in parts of Africa? How can Earth modulate her weather providing enough water to grow the food necessary to feed the human populace if the human populace is unknown to Earth due to the separation of dreams? This is the problem with separate dreams; Earth knows not of human presence for it is the dream that allows her to know and sense such. Now that the dream has been rewoven to include ascending humans, future generations will not know such hunger, as weather patterns will be adjusted to assure that all species are provided for, including humankind.\n\n\nNatural disasters often put humans in great fear of nature. Humans being outside of Earth’s dream cannot likewise sense when the dream is calling for earth movement, flood, tornado or hurricane to cleanse a particular region of a particularly dense and stuck energy. In not sensing the impending movement, humans are caught in a disaster that might be avoided otherwise. This too is due to a separation of dreams. Humans further build cement structures in regions that are bound to be hit by such forces over time, and the very nature of cement calls the disaster to the regions; for cement creates the very dense energy that requires the cleansing.\n\n\nConstructing Homes Out of Natural Elements\n\n\nCement or anything seemingly permanent is not a good foundation to build any home with, as Earth is continually changing her surface to meet the needs of her own ascent. Into the future, such Earth changes will speed up, and if one fails to pay attention, one could build a home today only to discover it destroyed by earthquake or flood tomorrow. It is for this reason that Turtle guides humans to find natural places to construct the home and to work with nature in the planning. One can build a home from natural elements provided from the land.\n\n\nIn earlier history, humans took from the land to construct your homes. This is witnessed in the “log cabins” of the United States and Canada, along with the natural thatched houses of those in tropical regions such as Hawaii and Tahiti. Such dwellings did not collect negative energy that would cause Earth to create such a large natural disaster to cleanse; furthermore, if such a disaster did develop, such homes could be easily reconstructed from the same materials as before as they are already provided for by the land upon which one lives.\n\n\nMuch of the natural disasters ahead are simply the result of the nature of cement, and in particular, the cement used to construct your cities and suburbs. Cement and rebar collect radiation and electricity. Earth is purging electricity and radioactivity at an ever-increasingly greater speed in her own ascension. Those regions that continue to collect such vibrations will become increasingly dense against the backdrop of rising vibration of the countryside; the increasing density will draw a natural disaster to “move the energy” in such stuck points global wide. This will call earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods to such cities and suburbs.\n\n\nAs humanity learns to build in alliance with Earth and in natural materials that are resonant, such a dance will be avoided into the future. For those planning your communities, call upon Turtle for advice and suggestions about how to structure a residence that will work with nature in a manner that will avoid the current pitfalls of human building practices.\n\n\nBalancing the Weather in Hawaii\n\n\nWeather will follow ascending humans’ conscious intentions. A small group of initiates has been working in collaboration with Earth to balance the weather patterns to allow for an entirely green island in Hawaii. This is important, as Earth wishes to be green from region to region around the globe, as it is the lush plant life that supports her skin in holding the vibration upon the land.\n\n\nAt this time, the island of Oahu is completely green all the way around. It took over 2 years for the weather patterns to be corrected, and the Hawaiian initiates worked collaboratively with Earth to allow this to be so. A model was first constructed from the island of Kauai, which is considered the garden island by the Hawaiians because of its lush flora and fauna and heavy rainfall that falls upon all parts of the island. As the energy movement was altered around Oahu to mimic Kauai, lo and behold the weather patterns altered to allow for a totally green and lush Oahu to emerge! The weather balanced itself out.\n\n\nThis success has caused these ascending initiates to move on to their next project on behalf of Earth, which is to balance the rainfall upon the Big Island of Hawaii. Upon the Big Island, it is much more difficult as there are many more deserts. Deserts are the result of a lack of devas or angels to call the rain to the land to grow the plants for which they hold the genetic blueprint for. In global trauma, often devas are crushed, or sometimes they have been moved elsewhere through human ancestral expression. As the karma upon the land is released and the devas retrieved and restored, soon the rain begins to fall and the plants begin to grow again. It is anticipated that the weather upon the Big Island will be corrected no later than by the end of 2022 allowing for the emergence of a totally lush and green island all the way around.\n\n\nWhy is this so important to Earth, the balancing of weather in Hawaii? As a template is constructed for Hawaii of balanced rainfall and water, it will then be implemented around all of Earth. As the karma for how the devas in certain regions were lost, sometimes which is the result of nuclear warfare or testing, and sometimes simply due to other painful moments in Earth’s history, the devas will return. As the devas return, they will call in the rainfall to construct the plants for which they hold the genetic blueprint for, and Earth will be green from end to end again.\n\n\nIn so doing, there will not only be enough rainfall to support all species including humankind anywhere one so lives; but the flora and fauna to support Earth’s continued ascent into the future will also be present global wide. Much like the Hawaiian initiates, those living in desert-like regions may work with Earth to support the rebalancing of energy flow and assist in the release of land-based karma and the recalling of devas so that the rain may begin to fall again. This is what becoming a steward to Earth is all about in Turtle’s estimation.\n\n\nWorking Collaboratively with the Nature Kingdoms\n\n\nTurtle reminds ascending humans of the power of your thoughtform. As one chooses to intend rain, so it will rain. If one’s garden is filled with devas, they will call in the rain for oneself as needed to sustain the life of the garden. Alas most seeds do not grow vegetables filled with devas, as farming practices are so painful that soul has withdrawn. As an ascending being, one can call the devas back, inviting them to dance within one’s garden again. In so doing, the garden may ascend and provide the necessary nutrients to support one’s own ascension. Furthermore, the garden will call the rain in necessary to sustain its health and well-being without the requirement for outside water.\n\n\nAs humans recognize their innate power as ascending beings, one will see that one can be at home wherever one is, and learn to work again with the devas and elements to provide for one’s garden, oneself, one’s family and one’s community. However, one may wish to move out of the cities and be in the country in order to allow nature to dance with oneself.\n\n\nNature cannot dance with those living within the cities; one will have to leave and find a new means of living from the land again. Those that choose this path will be greatly rewarded and supported by all kingdoms upon Earth. One shall not starve or be harmed in the years ahead as a result; and one will be guided to move as the Earth changes make one’s current residence soon to be uninhabitable for whatever reason. In so doing, one will survive the coming times of change ahead.\n\n\nTurtle reminds humans that your home is in your heart. One will access the nature kingdoms along with the consciousness of Earth from the heart. The heart holds the keys of holographic knowledge; holographic knowledge knows all that ones’ ancestry understood and all that all kingdoms have ever understood in the lengthy history Earth has experienced within your creation. Such knowledge will provide oneself with whatever one requires knowing in the moment that one needs to know.\n\n\nTurn inward, and the plant kingdoms will talk to you, guiding you to foods you can gather to eat to ward off your hunger; or places to dwell that will keep one safely out of the sun or rain and warm and dry; or through the passageway of the mountain so that one can enter the valley beyond which is to become one’s home. As one opens to talking to nature in relation to one’s garden, the kingdoms will tell you which plants to plant next to one another so that they can create an intricate system of self-sustenance that enhances the garden’s ability to grow, providing its bounty in greater amount and ease. Nature provides such out of the love of the human species as a part of the whole, a part of Earth’s dream for the future.\n\n\nLove is Life Force\n\n\nHumans often utilize toxic pesticides to eliminate insects in their gardening and farming practices. Alas, this only causes the toxins to move into one’s food; humanity is literally poisoning itself through its own non-conscious farming practices. There are natural fertilizers.  Alas, natural fertilizers require twice as much, costs 3 times more and works only half as good as commercial fertilizers. This is only because the farmers fail to share their love and “mana” or life force with the plants and vegetables. If the farmer were to love his plants, he would find that the production would be greater than any commercial fertilizer could cause, and might not even require organic mulch at all.\n\n\nLife force is love. Love flows from the hearts and through the hearts of all species, even the plant and mineral kingdoms. Where is the heart of the plant kingdom? For some it is in the fruits, berries or flowers produced. This is why when humans eat of the fruits and berries of the nature kingdoms; they also eat of the heart of such kingdoms. Provide no love in return, and the heart of the plant kingdoms is crushed. In the rejection, the soul of the plant retracts, and indeed most plants upon commercial farms are soulless, including the organic farms.\n\n\nIn order to sustain soul, one must love one’s garden. It is the exchange of love that will allow the energy of the plant to expand, growing even further than would be otherwise; producing even more fruit to share in the love of the human gardeners. In so doing, there will also be enough to share with the insect kingdoms, each of which also provide an essential role to a balanced and self-sustaining garden. Therefore, there is no need to kill the insects with pesticide; there is a need perhaps to understand that they too serve a particular purpose in one’s garden and to allow them their role.\n\n\nWhat if one pest destroys an entire harvest? Well, one will have to look within to see what nature is mirroring unto oneself; for nature will mirror one’s own unconscious. If one is in balance, the garden will stay in balance and there will be enough for all, including the insects. If one is out of balance, then the garden too will go out of balance as one’s mirror. Therefore, as one pays attention and does their inner ascension work, retaining a more balanced field, the garden will reflect such providing for all of one’s needs and the insects needs at the same time.\n\n\nNo Love in Non-Conscious Farming Practices and Empty Food\n\n\nIn eating of the fruit provided in love by the plant and through the shared love between the human gardeners and the plant kingdoms, humans will feel nourished and loved from within, and nourished in a manner that has long been forgotten by humankind. Many in the Polynesian race are often heavy in weight and size. They eat and eat and eat, as they are trying to fill themselves with love; however, there is no love in the nourishment grown through non-conscious farming practices. And so, they eat more, hoping to find the love that was once present even as short a time as 100 years ago.\n\n\nFor 100 years ago, the Polynesian race still thrived off of their taro patches and harvested from the sea and lands what they required to thrive; all of which was farmed and gathered out of love. Why? The Polynesian race is one of the few indigenous races that remember how to love; the Polynesian race therefore has much to teach the human species from Turtle’s point of view. Often, ascending humans heal greatly in coming to the land of Hawaii where one can remember one’s own ancient Polynesian ancestry and retrieve one’s own records on how to love, fueling the opening of one’s heart through ascension.\n\n\nThe intent to love is not enough; one must have an open heart for the energy to exchange between the garden along with nature and oneself. Opening the heart is a painful thing in the human act of ascension. However, as the heart opens, one does love again; and it is the love shared with nature and all of her kingdoms that fills oneself from within. As one is filled from within, the requirement to eat more than one requires is no longer necessary, and one will then find the weight most suited to one’s health and well-being along with one’s continued ascent.\n\n\nFor some in human form, they wish not to eat and have the opposite problem of those who tend to be obese. One wishes not to eat because there is no love in the food provided in your grocery stores; the act of eating “empty” food causes one to feel even more lonely and isolated than before. Alas, one must eat if one is ascending, as there are nutrients required to transform the cells to the crystalline structure. Eat not enough, and one’s ascent is delayed; if the delay is long enough, one can also create a disease in a particularly dissonant part of the form. Therefore, one should eat bountifully and as needed in order to ascend.\n\n\nWhat to do then if the food one is eating leaves one lonely and sad? Bless the food. Honor the kingdoms that are providing for you. As you call the devas back into the food, even if it was grown in non-conscious farming practices, it will fill you. It will fill you with the love of all kingdoms that wish to support one’s ascension Home. It is only as more humans ascend that nature too can ascend. Therefore, you are needed in this role beloved; and Turtle invites each to give unto the form whatever it needs to ascend. In so doing both your kingdom and my kingdom can go Home.\n\n\nCall upon our kingdom. In Hawaiian, Turtle is known as Honu. From the heart of the Honu to yours, the Turtle Kingdom.\n\n\nAscension Meditation Recordings\n\n\nAscension Insights Charts & Diagrams\n\n\nLanguage of Light\n\n\nLanguage of ONE\n\n\n\nThis book is lovingly dedicated to the Animal and Nature Kingdoms. May their Gifts, Wisdom and Blessings support One’s continued evolution Home.\n\n\n\nCreational © 2019, Asur’Ana, Aligning With Earth\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAsur’Ana. Gifts from The Animal Kingdoms. Aligning With Earth, 2019. Digital.\n\nComments are closed."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581870,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"A Block-Length (10 minute) History of the Movement that Enabled Bitcoin\n\nMarch 20, 2018\nby Sharon Moran\n\nI’m always amazed at the number of people entering the cryptocurrency space lacking an awareness of how bitcoin got started. With the increased interest in initial coin offerings over the last year, newcomers to cryptocurrency likely get a specific impression of digital assets that are shaped by their limited frame of reference based on what they observe as they’re becoming familiarized with a concept that’s new to them, particularly if they don’t intentionally seek out additional information. The world of ICOs and the creation of cryptocurrency through this newly-emerged funding strategy is a very different process than what occurred in the early days of bitcoin.\n\nWhat surprises me is the number of people who mistakenly assume bitcoin began in a similar way to newly created alt coins. Following one ICO (intentionally not mentioned) in recent months that encountered problems upon launch due to a DDOS attack, some online comments looked similar to this, “When bitcoin had its ICO, bitcoin’s President ran into technical issues too.” There are so many inaccuracies within that single statement, but unfortunately, it represents a more common assumption investors make, people who are just beginning to invest in the cryptocurrency space now.\n\nFree as in Freedom\n\nBitcoin (the system) that includes the blockchain and the associated currency (bitcoin) began as an OPEN SOURCE project. The open source movement is a subset of the free software movement. “Free” as in software users have the right to view the source code for software products they’re using, “free” as in freely distributed, not “free” as in no cost, although often free software is, in fact, free to use.\n\nOpen Source Software and Consumer Benefits\n\nOne thing builds upon another incrementally. Before we had free operating systems, there were two ways to install an operating system on a personal computer: users had to pay for a license or steal a license. The cost of a license created an unnecessary barrier of entry, particularly for people who wanted a home computer. Once a free operating system option existed, open source developers were able to move on to creating and perfecting free equivalent alternatives for other popular software programs such as word processing (Open Office), image manipulation products (GIMP), and databases (Mysql).\n\nIn the 90s, a lot of developers were involved (and needed) to be involved in the Linux project in order to get it to a production-ready state. Once Linux got to a certain threshold, it freed up the time of developers to move on to other projects, including even the creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds who put a lot of energy into his second creation of Git, the version control system that powers Github. As one product gets replaced, there’s a perpetual cycle where developers can shape the future and move on to the next product.\n\nOpen Source Bridges the Corporate Divide\n\nAt some point corporations began slowly embracing open source initiatives. In his book, The Philosophy of Open Source, Henrik Ingo highlighted that it was reading Eric Raymond’s, The Cathedral and the Bazaar that ended up convincing managers at Netscape to release the web browser as open source. Years later, Microsoft partly embraced the open source model too.\n\nDecades-Old Movement Enables Decentralized, Digital Currency\n\nThe free software movement’s roots date back as far as the 1970s. Without the free software movement, there wouldn’t be an open source movement. Without the open source movement, we likely would not have bitcoin (and subsequent alternative currencies). If the bitcoin source code wasn’t freely available (on Sourceforge in 2009, and now Github), it’s not likely that any individuals would even trust that the blockchain was not (or could not be) tampered with. (quantum computers notwithstanding)\n\nOpen source software is a remarkably amazing thing. Facebook is a good example of what the use of open source tools can accomplish. Before Mark Zuckerberg used PHP to build Facebook, no one considered PHP a serious enough language to be able to build a massive enterprise-type application. Currently, Facebook has over 1 billion users, the start of which was initially all enabled by PHP.\n\nThink of how much Facebook would pale in comparison to what it is now if the Winklevoss twins were running the show: the Winklevoss twins who essentially admitted that they were not interested in investing in blockchain technology companies but wanted to make as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time.\n\nIt’s why articles like this one in The New York Times by Nellie Bowles titled Women in Cryptocurrencies Push Back Against ‘Blockchain Bros’ partly miss the point by micro focusing on the wrong things. Whether there is or isn’t a gender divide in the cryptocurrency space is a small subset of a larger issue: the knowledge divide that exists, and that divide represents a sadly large gap in knowledge of the history of digital currencies that predate bitcoin and the history of the public key cryptography discovery that was necessary for solving the Byzantine General’s problem (which we’ll discuss in an upcoming article). A knowledge gap about how bitcoin came to be. The one unintended benefit of Bowles’ NYT article is that it brings awareness to the “blockchain bros” culture and will probably make it much easier for the SEC to target their efforts of cracking down on pump-and-dump schemes involving initial coin offerings.\n\nSatoshi Nakamoto wrote the original bitcoin software, and he made it publicly available. Anyone with an internet connection and a home computer in 2009 (and home computers were plentiful by 2009) could have downloaded the software or even submitted modifications to the software, and anyone could have run a bitcoin node and began generating bitcoins. In fact, Satoshi, in a message to the Cryptography Mailing List on January 8, 2009, politely almost begged people to run a node, “If you can keep a node running that accepts incoming connections, you’ll really be helping the network a lot.” Help it out, indeed. The start of bitcoin was extremely inclusive, in spirit with the open source software movement of which it is a part. TO BE CONTINUED\n\nAbout Cryptobellum 69 Articles"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581871,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"I brushed up against one of these mini monsters last night (Saddleback Caterpillar) and my goodness did it hurt! I got lucky and didn't have a stinger break off in my skin. Going back out there this morning I see that there are loads of them all over the corn; I have no idea how we'll safely harvest it. This is the reality of organic gardening - it's not all cute bumblebees and friendly praying mantis 😅\n\nIn our growing zone we have to plant fall crops right at the hottest point in the season, otherwise there's just not enough growing time before the first frost. I'm always in awe that these cool- weather loving plants just push onward (and upward, as it were). Despite the persistent heat, I can feel the edges of autumn pushing closer and closer and I'm grateful for the coming change in culinary delights.\n\nWe're seeding cover crop - a blend of Buckwheat, Ladino clover, and Red clover. The clover fixes Nitrogen and the Buckwheat will make Phosphorous more available for future crops. Buckwheat grows quickly and winter-kills. I'm hoping the buckwheat flowers in time to give the bees one last feast before seasons end. When the crop gets killed over winter it will then mulch the beds and provide winter habitat for other insects.\n\nAlso - smol modern farmdog hard at work 💕\n\nBolita Azul Oaxaca, a landrace heirloom corn given to us by a kind soul looking to share and spread its beauty. The first few ears we'll save for seed and sharing; the rest we hope to make into homemade tortillas. I've been research nixtamalization - if anyone has experience with the process, I'm all ears 🌽 😜\n\n(it's not obvious in the photo but this corn is easily 12' tall!)\n\nA delicious cantaloupe modeling closed-loop/zero waste growing...\n1. Harvest 👩‍🌾\n2. Slice to eat 🤤\n3. Rind and soft flesh to compost/vermicompost 🐛\n4. Seeds saved 🌱\n\nAugust feels like a legit hustle to preserve as much as possible. We got a batch of crushed tomatoes processed, dehydrated slices for 'sundried' (so nice to have on a gray winter day), and about 1.5 lbs of fresh basil made into pesto for freezing.\n\nHere's the crushed tomato recipe we use if you're looking to do the same.\n\nWe're harvesting around 10-15 lbs of produce every other day at the moment. Growing enough to feed ourselves, store for winter, and share with others. We're doing it all organically on about 1772 ft² (0.04 acre) in an urban area. We're not just feeding humans, but also a large population of insects and wildlife that have moved in as well. I share all of this because I want others to know how very possible it is to cultivate abundance for yourself and everything around you. 💚 🌿\n\nLast weekend I had the joy of helping a friend tend to her Langstroth beehives. We inspected and replaced frames, checked queens and brood, and even harvested some delicious honey and comb. 🐝 🍯\n\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581872,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Find Betterhelp Com Apa Code Of Ethics 2022\n\nhow we choose to live and the people we associate with…Betterhelp Com Apa Code Of Ethics…\n\n\nA certified therapist at can address things like depression, anxiety, anger, raising children, and other specific mental health conditions, problems, or health problems. Therapists assist people feel their best, improve mental health, and reinforce relationships. Online therapy is created to make it as easy as possible to get the aid and assistance you require without even having to leave your home.\n\nAll 20,000+ licensed mental health specialists and therapists presently readily available on the platform are skilled professionals. Our online therapists originate from a wide array of various backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, and practices..\n\nSome treatment methods and specializeds that our therapists focus on consist of mental health care and marriage, household and wellness concerns, couples treatment, addiction, gender, and more. If somebody has anxiety, stress and anxiety, panic disorder, or another psychological health condition, speaking with a therapist through the platform who is experienced in this realm can help the private recover, regain their energy, and move forward in life in a productive and significant way.\n\n\nAdvantages Of Online Treatment With A BetterHelp Therapist.\n\n\nAffordable and available.\n\n\nNo Location Or Insurance Coverage Issues.\n\nWhile metropolitan areas and cities usually have a a great deal of therapists offered, these locations just comprise a part of the country. Rural and suburban areas typically have less therapists offered, implying visits get filled up rapidly and there might not be numerous therapists to pick from. looks for to fill that gap. Online therapy sessions are convenient for people who are not in a geographical place with easy access to a therapist and is an efficient service for individuals who do not have actually dependable transport required for in-person therapy appointments or don’t have treatment services in close proximity to them. With, you can access a therapy consultation merely by logging onto your phone, tablet, or computer system without paying the typically extreme charges connected with this sort of assistance.\n\n\n\nPersonal privacy. Betterhelp Com Apa Code Of Ethics.\n\nWhen it comes to psychological health care, personal privacy is an important issue for numerous. With online therapy, there is no risk of bumping into someone you understand or having somebody see you pull up to the therapist’s office. This is another benefit of not having to leave your home for a therapy session. Additionally, your treatment room and personal details is fully encrypted and you have the option to remain completely anonymous, even to your therapist."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581873,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"N- Butanol Manufacturer, Exporter, Distributor , Supplier in Chennai India\n\nSurat Chemical industry Based in Surat India Surat chemical are a N- Butanol Manufacturer, Exporter, Distributor , Supplier in Surat India . We are supplied into various industrial markets including Household , Institutional Cleaning, Personal Care and Industrial sectors including Oil Field, Agriculture, Lubricants, Marine Industry ,Metal Working chemical industry and Coatings markets.\n\nN- Butanol is a primary alcohol, and a high purity four-carbon solvent used in ambient dry and baking coatings. Roughly half of the n-butanol produced, as well as its esters, are used in the production of coatings. Often, it is added to cellulose nitrate lacquers for its anti-blushing properties, and its ability to improve flow and gloss by reducing the viscosity of solutions.\n\nN- Butanol is most commonly used as a solvent for paints, resins, other commercial and industrial coatings, oils, waxes, and more, and is also seen as a functional component of hydraulic brake fluids. n-Butanol is used as a chemical intermediary for esters, such as butyl acetate, butyl ethanoate, and dibutyl phthalate.\n\n\n\n\nOnline Inquiry\nShow Buttons\nHide Buttons"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581874,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Home-Based Physical Therapy Treatments for the TM Joint\n\nWoman in pain at home due to TMJ disorder\n\nThe Myalgia or Myofascial pain protocol (MFP) is a self-directed home-based (and sometimes office-based) treatment approach, which includes several elements such as identifying and avoiding activities that are potentially harmful to the jaw system, increasing local blood flow in the tissues, and stretching stiff and painful muscles to decrease postural tone in the sore muscle.\n\nThe goal of therapy is to reduce muscle tenderness, relax taut bands, and increase blood flow in the muscle so that pain will diminish.\n\nRelated Reading: Diagnostic Tests for Temporomandibular Disorders\n\n\nThe MFP Protocol\n\n1. Avoidance of Strain\n\nAvoid all behaviors that strain or stress the jaw system (clenching, pressing or bracing of the jaw, tongue or lips) and any repetitive behavior such as gum chewing or repeated opening of the jaw to clear the ear pressure. This is best achieved by watching the patient and pointing out to them any observable habits they have.\n\nTo achieve reduced strain in the jaw system, strict limitation of all behaviors that generate strain or stress in the muscles, tendons, joints or teeth must be enforced. The teeth should not touch, the lips should not press together and the tongue should not be braced or pressed against the teeth, gingiva or palate. In addition the patient must avoid all hard or chewy foods and yawning or clicking the jaw.\n\nLike what you’re learning? Download a brochure for our online, postgraduate Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine degree program.\n\n\nDownload a Brochure\n\n\n2. Relaxing the Jaw\n\nIn addition to stopping oral habits, it is necessary to have the patient practice both a relaxed jaw position as a way of changing the unconscious habit and relaxed head, shoulder and neck position.\n\nThe relaxed jaw position is done by saying the letter “N” and then holding this position for 10 seconds. The jaw is relaxed, the teeth are not touching, the lips are slightly apart in the “N” position. This position needs to be repeated every 10 minutes.\n\nThe neck and shoulders are relaxed when you have good posture. This is achieved by pulling the shoulders back, touching the thumbs to the shoulders and slightly tucking the chin down towards the chest. As with jaw rest position, this position needs to be held for 10 seconds and repeated every 10 minutes.\n\n3. Stretches and Exercises\n\nThe third element of self-treatment involves teaching the patient how to stretch their sore jaw and neck muscles multiple times a day. Clinical experience suggests stretch therapy is critical to treatment of spontaneous muscle pain and tension. When the muscles exhibit taut band and stiffness, it involves two specific exercises:\n\n 1. Tongue-up/jaw open\n 2. Chin-chest stretch\n\nOnce you teach the patient how to perform the stretch, it is possible for the patient to do this at home. Patients are recommended to perform these stretches every two hours.\n\nBegin by having the patient sit on a comfortable chair. Take precautions to cover the patient’s eyes, nose and mouth if spraying near the face. Hold the spray can upright. From a distance of 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm), aim the stream so it meets the skin at an acute angle, lessening the shock of impact. Direct the spray in parallel sweeps 0.5 inches to 1 inch (1.5 to 2 cm) apart at the rate of approximately 4 inches per second (10 cm per second). The number of sweeps is determined by muscle size.\n\nA. Tongue-up/Jaw Open Stretch\n\nFor the “Tongue-up/Jaw Open Stretch”, begin with the tongue-up position (tongue up against anterior palate), then stretch the jaw open in a straight line without dropping the tongue from contact with the roof of the mouth.\n\nB. Chin-to-Chest Stretch\n\nFor the “Chin-to-chest stretch”, ask the patient to slowly tilt their chin to their chest and then add a slight pressure to the head during the stretch by having the patient place their hand on top of their head during the stretch. These exercises should be avoided in patients with substantial osteoarthritis of the neck or jaw and trigger point injections used instead.\n\nRelated Reading: Trigger Point Mapping: Theory & Step-by-Step Technique\n\nIf the neck or jaw muscles are tight, the patient will feel the muscles being stretched. They should hold this open position for about 5-6 seconds and repeat the stretch about 5-6 times every 2 hours. If the stretching is painful, ice packs can be used before and again after the stretching program to help the patient stretch more effectively. The ice pack is applied to the site for 1 minute before to block the pain and for 5 minutes after (see thermal therapy below) to increase deep tissue circulation.\n\n\n\nDownload a Brochure\n\n\n4. Thermal Therapy\n\nAnother element of the MFP protocol is thermal therapy, which involves trying to increase blood flow in the painful jaw muscles with the local application of either heat or ice packs applied to the painful site. The local application of heat or ice will both increase circulation and relax muscles in the region. Cold applications rather than heat are preferred by some patients.\n\nThe diagnoses that would link with this treatment procedure or protocol includes:\n\n 1. Localized myalgia\n 2. Myofascial pain\n 3. Fibromyalgia\n\nRelated Reading: How to Diagnose Masticatory Muscle Disorders\n\n\nDaily Stretching of Contracted or Fibrosed Jaw Muscles\n\nThe primary method for treating a muscle contracture or fibrosis which can occur spontaneously or more commonly after a trauma (e.g. intra-muscular injection of a local anesthetic), is stretching. In some select cases where a focal fibrosis is found, surgical release of the fibrosis can also be performed.\n\nThe only way to reverse a muscular or fascial fibrosis is with strong repeated stretching, but in some cases this treatment is ineffective simply due to the extent of the fibrosis. In other cases the stretching induces substantial pain that prevents the patient from performing the stretch. In these cases, stretching can be done for the patient in a surgical setting (after sedating the patient).\n\nThis treatment can be performed using a variety of methods including the patient’s own fingers, a set of stacked tongue blades, and an assistive stretching device (e.g. Therabyte device). All of these methods are used to pry open the jaw muscles and mobilize the TM joint.\n\n\n 1. Persistent trismus\n 2. Contracture\n 3. Post-surgical scaring of the facial cutaneous or subcutaneous tissues\n\nRelated Reading: Arthritic Temporomandibular Joint Disorders\n\n\nPostgraduate Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine Master’s Degree\n\nLearn more about diagnosing, treating, and managing orofacial pain by enrolling in Herman Ostrow School of USC’s online, competency-based certificate or master’s program in Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine.\n\n\nGet More Information\n\n\nPosted: January 18, 2021\nDr. Glenn Clark\n\nDr. Glenn Clark\n\nGlenn Clark, DDS, MS is an expert on sleep apnea, orofacial pain and oral medicine, and Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ). Dr. Clark serves as the Director for the Advanced Program in Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.\n\nPin It on Pinterest\n\nShare This"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581875,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Imbalance in the immune system and its desire to be in a natural state\n\n\n'--------Adam Adams-------- everything affects everything else. And so when I'm working, let's say hypothetically I'm working with a person rather than going and say, in the ppapathetic??]] Medical model symptom A= disease B = treatment C and treatment C is usually a drug of some kind or a surgery. What I tend to do is I try and uncover what elements of the are the person are telling me about their life may have precipitated an imbalance in the immune system and through a variety of release techniques like EFT, tapping, regression therapy some cases past life regression therapy, reframing of life contacts all kinds of things were able to root out cause and then introduce a newer sense of balance, and when the immune system is able to get back to that point of balance, healing occurs naturally. The body's natural tendency is towards healing and a mind's due to a lot of scent.\n\nMore Videos:\n\nWoman rights\n\nEach person is on a path\n\nBeing happy is a choice"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581876,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Game Articles\n\nWhy You Should Care About Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate\n\nMonster Hunter is a series that in Japan has sold like bonkers and carried the systems the franchises have picked at the time period. Most people point to Monster Hunter being the saving grace of the PSP and certainly we saw the sales and domination of the 3DS over the PS Vita after Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate released in Japan along with the announcement of Monster Hunter 4 being a Nintendo exclusive. Still somehow over in the US and UK not very many people know about one of Capcom’s biggest franchises. I wanted to take a peek into this game to find out why people should care about this game and why it is only really popular in the Japanese games market. What I found was a game that everyone should really pay attention to.\n\nMaking the Wii U/3DS Work Together\n\nFor many in the hardcore sphere of gaming there hasn’t really been a reason to buy a Wii U or a 3DS/3DS XL really. A slew of Nintendo titles have come out on the 3DS that I have loved, but nothing really hardcore for people to sink their teeth into and the same is true for the Wii U. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is that 100 hour RPG that people have been waiting for. There are hundreds of quests, hundreds of monsters and a ton of loot/gear to craft. Every trip out into the Monster Hunter world moves you forward in some way.\n\nThe game is a grind, but for some people it is a grind in a good way. I found it very easy to pick up and play for an hour at a time, listening to a podcast or something, while grabbing a couple of items I knew I was going to need moving forward in the story. There is no levels for the characters so the experience you gain is really experience in playing the game. Plus the 3DS and Wii U version are cross save compatible so hardcore fans of the series will be able to have both versions of the game and take their save on the go.\n\nThe 3DS and Wii U cross saves have really made the game popular in the Japanese game market. People on trains can play locally with 3 other Monster Hunter players on their trip into work or out on the town. This makes the grind more enjoyable because you can knock out the more tedious aspects of the game when you would normally be staring at a wall. Then when you get home you can just transfer your character and any guild cards from other players you have picked up throughout the day to the big screen and continue your game.\n\nFinally an Online Game\n\nSomething Nintendo, and consequently the Wii U, has missed out in the past is online play. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate has 4 player online co-op that takes a little to get used to, but is available and is the real way to play the game. The reason Monster Hunter was so popular on the PSP and the 3DS in Japan is because there seems to always be people around you that are playing the game. Now with the Wii U you can have that experience whenever you want by just connecting to the online world.\n\nThis again speaks to the hardcore video game audience and makes the game so much more enjoyable. Being able to jump on anytime and find people that are looking to kill the same monster whenever you want is addicting. Plus with the Wii U Gamepad everyone has a chat pad, everyone has a microphone and everyone has a reason to stay connected to the experience. You never have to worry about people not communicating when they are playing because you KNOW that everyone has the ability to. This gives Monster Hunter a leg up on other multiplayer games where you might have to worry about someone having a headset or not being able to hear you. Nintendo could really learn from the Monster Hunter experience and put in more voice chat and online multiplayer options for those games. Just think how much better some of the latest Super Mario games could be if they had online co-op with voice chat!\n\nControl Options & The Second Screen Experience\n\nNot only does the Wii U/3DS offer great communication options while playing Monster Hunter, but it also makes a very strong case for the second screen experience. While playing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate it is so much easier than in any other RPG to find any piece of information, use any weapons and switch items than in any other RPG game ever. Plus the second screen on the GamePad or on the 3DS is completely customizable. Have any of the information on the second screen that you want where ever you want it however you want it.\n\nWith all of that information on the screen you can really focus on the combat and get rid of all of the unwanted clutter on the screen. Plus battling is more enjoyable because you can choose what kind of control option you like best. Hardcore console players will love the Wii U Pro Controller for playing the game while old time monster hunter fans will still be able to use the control scheme they have liked in the past. 3DS players can use a couple of different control schemes as well including circle pad pro support. Monster hunter just takes the best qualities of the Wii U and the 3DS and uses them to their fullest. I honestly couldn’t imagine playing this game on any other platform\n\nAnd that is really why some people should care and pay more attention to Monster Hunter. There are a ton of people out there with a Wii U and a 3DS just waiting to play an awesome game. This hardcore RPG has online play, has communication devices built into the hardware, has a different control scheme for everyone and makes the Wii U and 3DS work together properly like they should. Let’s just hope Nintendo sees why people like this experience and implements the design ideas from Capcom into some of their new games.\n\nI guess that’s about enough of me rattling on about Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. What do you guys think? Does this article make you want to pick up the title? Hit us up in the comments below and talk some Monster Hunter with us.\n\nBack to top button"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581877,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"\n\nTobacco use is the primary cause of mortality in the United States today. Tobacco use is responsible for cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and heart disease and has caused the deaths of nearly half a million people per year. Tobacco control, prevention, and treatment are compelling and urgent public health issues. The development of tobacco control laws have been passed by a number of states. Write a comprehensive overview of the health effects, politics, and regulatory control of tobacco use control efforts. Your paper should be based on the following points: 2.What are the medical consequences (morbidity and mortality) for tobacco users? 3.What is the public health impact (epidemiological and economic) of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure? 4.How do tobacco control regulations relate to positive and normative economics? 5.How do tobacco control regulations impact individual health care 6.What is the public health policy regarding tobacco control? 7.What is the role of the state and Federal Government in policy making? 8.What is the history of regulatory tobacco control? 9.What is the current state of tobacco control in the United States (states that have passed tobacco control regulations)? 10.What is the evidence that tobacco control is effective?\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581878,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Locked Inside my Book\nAd 0:\nTry a new drinks recipe site\n2001-09-01 01:56:25 (UTC)\n\nLife never gets better.\n\nwell it's obvious that life never gets any better. I\nthought or was hoping that going to a new school would be\nbetter for me. i'd make new better friends and find people\ni had stuff in common with and hang out with and i'd be\nable to build some better social skills but i have no\nfriends here what so ever. I feel so lonely and it'll get\nworse and worse. i hate the feeling of sitting all alone at\nlunch time, feeling like such an outkast. I shouldn't be\nsurprised tho b/c this is what i predicted and as always..i\nam right. Life sux! This new school isn't going to bring\nany good change in my life. it's only going to bring me\ndown farther than i was before. why do i even bother with\nanything. my life is sooo pointless. i'm just living the\nsame bullshit over and over again. i already feel like the\nugly freak of the school. i won't even recall why b/c i\ndon't have significant proof but all i know is that i hate\nschool and i hate my life.\n\nmy cousin maria was suppose to call me today to let me know\nwhether or not she was going to pick me up tonight or\ntomorrow morning but she never called. I just love how\npeople always do this to me. i'm always left in the clouds\nand i never know what's going on. i hate that. it shows\njust how much people care. i've had almost everyone do that\nto me. just leave me hanging. this world is so frustrating.\ni know i'm not going to make it this year. this year is\ngonna be so painful. argg i hate my life. i'd shoot myself\nbut i have no access to a gun. i don't know how i'm going\nto make it through this year and then the next. I don't\neven know how i'll make it through the rest of my fucking\nlife. i hate everything. i'm sick of always being dumped\non. life sux. people suck. goodbye.\n\nyX Media - Monetize your website traffic with us"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581879,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Camille from YoginiTransit practicing DoYouYoga day 8 flowing with the splits\n\nPractice makes progress! Here I am doing a short yoga flow using an online video from http://www.DoYouYoga.com. I am going to practice and record these videos as much as possible leading up to my training. I want to be able to monitor my progress and see how I improve."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581880,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"News Desk\n\nAt Home: The Hell is Wrong with You Guys?Among various venues, the CBC is reporting on a recent story where the president of the University of Ottawa’s student federation was threatened with a law-suit when she found out, and was going to reveal, comments made by other student leaders at the university of Ottawa suggesting that she should be sexually assaulted, orally and anally, and likely had STDs.\n\nShe decried this as evidence of a “rape culture” present on the U of Ottawa grounds, a comment that seemed to gain extra weight when it came out a few days later that members of the university Hockey Team may well have raped a woman back at the beginning of February, although the senior management didn’t hear the news until February 24th. When it did hear about it, the university bravely decided to suspend their participation for the remainder of this season, causing the team to miss all of zero games, having been already knocked out of the playoffs before the allegations ever reached the senior management.\n\nThe five individuals who made the comments subsequently defended their statements as being a joke, and no harm was ever intended. Fortunately for them, the University of Ottawa has chosen to address this issue not by handing out charges of non-academic misconduct, but rather to create a task force to look into what the response of the university should be. The results of the task force should be completed in the fall, well after this current year has completed, and the students involved finished the various courses that they are currently in.\n\nOne of the things it is not expected the task force will do is take up the question of who is more spineless; the men who made these “jokes”, threatened a law-suit about it when they were going to be outed, and then backed down completely when the student federation president didn’t cave to their craven attempt at silencing her, or the University of Ottawa that is desperately trying to sweep this under the rug while handing out absolutely no punishment or penalty for this behavior at all.\n\n%d bloggers like this:"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581881,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Last Updated: December 1, 2020\n\nMore than 425 million people worldwide use Gmail, the web-based email service by Google. Known for its ease of use and intuitive interface, Gmail grew rapidly at launch, but few people would have seen the service’s key features if it weren’t for one of the most successful word-of-mouth marketing campaigns in history.\n\nGmail started as a close, work-only email system for Google employees. The company launched it to the public in a limited, invite-only release in April of 2004. Google asked many of its employees to send out invitations to their friends and family to join the closed beta test of Gmail. Occasionally, those recently invited friends and family would also get the chance to distribute invitations. The use of Gmail went from being part of an exclusive network of people in-the-know, to being part of an international phenomenon that connected millions of people.\n\nThis was a great accomplishment considering that practically everyone who received an invitation to try Gmail had no need of it because they already used a different email system. By relying on users to recommend Gmail to friends and family, rather than raising awareness about the service through more traditional, outbound advertising, Google convinced people to support a product despite a lack of demand.\n\nWhat is word-of-mouth marketing?\n\nAs the name implies, word-of-mouth marketing is any instance where consumers share information about a product or organization with one another, whether by talking or through some other medium. Internet communication, especially social networking, is a significant part of modern word-of-mouth marketing. Though traditional word-of-mouth relies on consumers talking to one another in a direct, personal context like an in-person conversation or a telephone call, Internet-based word-of-mouth uses a variety of platforms that may not involve speaking at all. (See also Internet Marketing)\n\nNon-Verbal Word-of-Mouth\n\nThe Internet allows consumers to share information about products and organizations without ever speaking to one another. The following are examples of how word-of-mouth works online.\n\n • Social network posts (Facebook, Twitter, etc)\n • “Liking” or other signs of approval on social networks\n • Sharing links via email or other platforms\n • Posting media content (videos, pictures, audio clips) on websites\n\nIn the case of Google’s viral Gmail campaign, the company used word-of-mouth in real life and via Internet-based networks to spread information about the new email service. Google allowed the campaign to continue to spread by allowing current users to distribute new invitations themselves. The company continued to grant new users the ability to send invitations to their own social networks until Gmail became available publicly.\n\nWho implements word-of-mouth marketing campaigns?\n\nAny organization that can encourage people to spread information about a product, a cause, or the organization itself can use word-of-mouth marketing. It is useful in for-profit endeavors as well as in non-profit causes like political campaigns.\n\nAn apartment management company, for instance, could encourage tenants to refer their friends and family to the company if they are in the market for a place to live. The company could give incentives for these referrals by offering tenants a cash bonus or some other benefit if someone they refer to the management company signs a new lease.\n\nWord-of-mouth is also a popular technique used by medical professionals to share patients between different specialists. A doctor could suggest a particular dental practice to patients, just as that dental practice could refer patients to specialists like orthodontists and oral surgeons. This is often based on the existing professional networks of the doctors and dentists, as well as each practice’s reputation. (See also Referral Marketing)\n\nPolitical campaigns are especially dependent on word-of-mouth. In addition to convincing individuals to vote for a particular candidate or issue, they also encourage people to talk to others about doing the same. This is frequently accomplished by providing people with content they can share, like email newsletters, online videos, and social networking pages.\n\nWord-of-Mouth is Mostly Positive\n\nWord-of-mouth works best when people have something kind to say about the product. Luckily, the vast majority of word-of-mouth mentions are positive and very few are actually negative.\n\nAll Product Mentions via Word-of-Mouth\n\nImplementing word-of-mouth strategies\n\nThe principles of word-of-mouth marketing are simple, so the process of using it should not attempt to be too complex. There are four steps organizations should take to create a successful word-of-mouth campaign.\n\nDettol Meets the Moms of China\n\nFaced with declining sales and unfavorable public recognition in its biggest market, China, the all-purpose sanitizer company Dettol spoke to its target demographic in several Chinese cities. Mothers were the target and the conversation the company had with them found that people in China generally thought of Dettol as being primarily a floor cleaner, rather than a multi-purpose anti-bacterial fluid.\n\nSending samples of a new, portable spray bottle to 4,000 moms with large social networks, Dettol’s sales skyrocketed 86% in just three months. Learn more about Dettol’s marketing strategy here.\n\nFirst, the company should give consumers something to talk about. This means providing a quality product and highlighting its key features. If, for instance, a new ice cream shop called Frozen Treats opens and wants to develop a positive reputation in its community, the shop could start the campaign by asking consumers the question, “What is your favorite flavor at Frozen Treats?” This begins a specific, product-focused conversation, rather than just a general discussion of the shop itself.\n\nNext, the company should decide where this conversation will happen. The company should research what media its consumers use the most, and then place the marketing materials for the campaign in those media. Frozen Treats is trying to capture the attention of its local community, so it may want to place ads asking “What is your favorite flavor?” in a community newspaper, on local TV stations, and through social media pages that pertain to the community. (See also Reply Marketing)\n\nHowever, simply starting the conversation often isn’t enough. The company needs to give consumers a reason to talk about the product. Frozen Treats could direct consumers to its website to vote for their favorite flavor and promise in the marketing materials to offer a discount on the most voted-for flavor.\n\nLastly, the company needs to make sure the conversation continues. Frozen Treats may see an initial rush of customers at the start of the campaign, but it can also let new and potential customers know that people are talking about the shop. Frozen Treats could announce the winner of the Favorite Flavor campaign in new marketing materials and use this momentum to launch a new campaign that encourages people to vote again. This would allow the company to learn about where the conversation was taking place and what kinds of materials were most effective.\n\nKeeping it Legal\n\nToday, companies that are suspected of paying actors to pose as consumers for word-of-mouth campaigns are investigated by consumer protection agencies on an individual basis. In most states, a paid marketer is required by law to disclose his or her true intent and relation to his or her employer.\n\nCareers in word-of-mouth marketing\n\nThough word-of-mouth campaigns rely on the behavior of consumers, companies still need smart, capable teams of professionals to ensure every aspect of the campaigns go smoothly. The following are three roles on a marketing team that are often involved in word-of-mouth campaigns.\n\nMarket Researcher\n\nWhat do they do?\n\nWord-of-Mouth Marketing Salaries\n\n • Market Researcher\n Starting: $39,000\n Median: $51,000\n Top Earners: $65,000\n • Public Relations Representative\n Starting: $34,000\n Median: $46,000\n Top Earners: $55,000\n • Content Specialist\n Starting: $41,000\n Median: $54,000\n Top Earners: $72,000\n\nSource: Bureau of Labor Statistics\n\nA market researcher gathers and analyzes data about consumer behavior and trends. In word-of-mouth campaigns, a researcher helps the team identify how to reach the target demographic and how to understand what that demographic wants. This job may involve conducting surveys, reading market reports, and performing research through sources both online and offline.\n\nEducation and Skills\n\nMarket researchers should have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, psychology, sociology, or data analysis. Previous experience in an academic or scientific field may also be useful.\n\nPublic Relations Representative\n\nWhat do they do?\n\nWord-of-mouth often begins with someone from a company reaching out to consumers. Furthermore, modern word-of-mouth frequently requires an ongoing conversation with consumers via social media. Public relations professionals specialize in communicating with consumers through multiple media and maintaining a company’s presence online and in the real world. This requires strong communication skills and a thorough understanding of new media.\n\nEducation and Skills\n\nPublic relations representatives should have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, public relations, communication, or psychology. It is also valuable to have a background in customer-facing positions like retail or customer service.\n\nContent Specialist\n\nWhat do they do?\n\nModern word-of-mouth can involve content like videos and blogs consumers can share with one another. Content specialists craft these materials and make them easy to share. This takes creative thinking and skills with media technology.\n\nEducation and Skills\n\nContent specialists should have bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, public relations, or business. Previous experience with web properties, video, or other media may be helpful.\n\nHow can a marketing school help you succeed?\n\nOur Recommended Schools\n\n 1. Grand Canyon University (GCU)\n\n\n 2. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)\n\n\nWord-of-mouth is one of the oldest forms of marketing, but has evolved with modern society and technology. Those who wish to learn about it must also develop a firm understanding of the entire field, which can be achieved quickly and efficiently through a marketing education program.\n\nThe beginning of a marketing program will stick to the basics of business development, from project finance, to marketing terminology, and research practices. All of these things are essential to any marketing campaign, from the most straightforward word-of-mouth strategy to the most complex, multimedia effort.\n\nTechnology courses in a marketing program explore common business tools like office suite software for communications, database management, and presentation development. They also expose students to the usage of new media and best practices for learning emerging technologies.\n\nAs students approach the end of their marketing program experience, they will have the opportunity to analyze case studies of successful marketing campaigns and eventually engage in simulations that ask them to develop their own, original campaigns from the ground up. The skills students use to create and implement their campaigns are identical to those they will use in the workplace. This degree of focus and realism is invaluable to anyone who wants to have a long and successful career in marketing."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581882,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"How To Clean Pumpkin Seeds And Turn Them Into Delicious Snack\n\nHow To Clean Pumpkin Seeds\n\nLast Updated - April 13, 2021\n\nWhether you are carving pumpkins or baking fresh pumpkin recipes, there is no reason to throw away perfectly good pumpkin seeds that can be eaten as a snack. In my household, we believe that no food should go to waste. Pumpkin seeds are packed with nutrients, and with a little seasoning, you can turn them into delicious and healthy snacks that you won't stop eating. If you want the maximum health benefits, you can enjoy them raw! That is right. You can clean the pumpkin seeds and just enjoy them as they are.\n\nCleaning pumpkin seeds is super easy, and it is totally worth it. To clean pumpkin seeds, you only need 5 to 10 minutes. Once you learn how to clean pumpkin seeds and turn them into delicious snack, you will never toss them out again. In this post, you will learn how to clean pumpkin seeds so you can turn them into delicious and healthy snacks this season. At the bottom of my post, you will also find some delicious pumpkin seeds recipes. \n\nHealth Benefits Of Pumpkin Seeds\n\nPumpkin seeds are packed with good for you nutrients and health benefits. Therefore, you should never toss them out.\n\n • Packed with iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and many other nutrients. \n • Pumpkin seeds are also rich in antioxidants.\n • Like all seeds, pumpkin seeds contain omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. \n • These little seeds are packed with healthy fats, protein, fiber, and carbohydrates.\n\nHow To Clean Pumpkin Seeds\n\n1. Scoop the pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkin.\n\npumpkin carving\n\nScoop out the pumpkin seeds and place them in a large bowl. Pinch away any pumpkin pulp and flesh and strings. Some people prefer not removing the string because it adds more flavor when roasted, so this is a personal preference. Regardless, don't get too obsessive about removing the strings. If you see any flat seeds, also remove them because they are inedible.\n\n2. Run under cold water\n\nRun some cold water into your large bowl and wash off any extra pumpkin pulp. Rinse a few times to get the squishy pumpkin off, but don't get too obsessive that you can't remove everything. If your pumpkin has this \"slimy\" feel it, this is perfectly normal. \n\nOnce the seeds are loose, they will float. Scoop the floating seeds out and place them in a colander. You will only want to take out the ones that are hard and filled with seeds. The flat ones are entirely inedible and should be thrown away. Once you have all the seeds in the colander, rinse the water over it one more time.  \n\n3. Drying\n\nOnce you are done washing your pumpkin seeds, transfer them on a clean dishtowel. Pat them dry to get rid of as much moisture as possible, and there is no need to let it dry overnight. At this point, you can decide if you want to enjoy them raw, roasted, or boiled.\n\nHow To Roast Pumpkin Seeds And Turn Into Delicious Snack\n\nThere are many roasted pumpkin seeds recipes out there. From savory to sweet, it is up to you how you want to flavor it.\n\n 1. To roast your pumpkin seeds, toss your cleaned seeds with a little avocado oil and add any spices you like. I usually like to use some salt and cayenne pepper but feel free to get as creative as you want.\n 2. Once you seasoned your pumpkin seeds, place the baking sheet in a large pan and place your pumpkin seeds in the baking pan. Make sure the pumpkin seeds are next to each other and not on top of each other, so they can be roasted evenly.\n 3. Then bake at 300F for about 20 to 25 minutes. If it is baking unevenly, be sure to stir midway and flip the seeds with a spatula.\n 4. Once they turn slightly brown, remove the pumpkin seeds from the oven and let them cool down.\n 5. Store your roasted pumpkin seeds at room temperature.\n\nRoasted pumpkin seeds recipe\n\nIt depends on how you feel, you can make sweet or savory pumpkin seeds. You can be as creative as you want or as simple as just a pinch of salt. If you aren't in the mood to roast, you can enjoy them raw.\n\nSweet pumpkin seeds combinations\n\n • Brown sugar and salt\n • Maple Syrup and cinnamon\n • Brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt.\n • Pumpkin pie spices with salt\n\nSavory pumpkin seeds combinations\n\n • Garlic and salt\n • Chipotle chili powder, cumin, and salt\n • Oregano, Parmesan cheese, and salt\n\nEveryone will get a different harvest amount of pumpkin seeds from their pumpkin, but here is a general roasted pumpkin seeds recipe that you can use as a reference.\n\nGeneral Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe\n\n1 Cup Of Raw, clean Pumpkin Seeds\n\n2 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil\n\n1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt\n\nTip: If you are unsure how much to use to season your clean pumpkin seeds, you can roast it with some and then sprinkle more seasoning on top at the end. This way, you can adjust the flavor to your liking.\n\nBoiling Roasted Pumpkin Seeds\n\nAnother method to enjoy the pumpkin seeds is to boil them with spices—this way, the pumpkin seeds are infused with flavor. If you plan to boil it, note that the seeds will not come out crunchy, but it is just as delicious as seeds infused with spices and flavor. If you are boiling them, you can enjoy them as is once it is done. Or if you changed your mind, you could still roast pumpkin seeds in the oven. If you roast them after boiling, you don't need to add as many spices to them since they have already been infused with flavor.\n\nTo boil then, simply add salt and any spices you want and let it boil for about 10 minutes. Once they are done, drain the water, place the pumpkin seeds on a clean towel, and pat dry. Once they are dried, store them in an airtight container and store at room temperature.\n\nHow To Store Pumpkin Seeds\n\nTo store your roasted or boiled pumpkin seeds, put them in an airtight container and leave it at room temperature. Before putting them into the container, make sure the pumpkin seeds cool down because you don't want to introduce moisture into your container. If you boiled them, make sure they are dried before putting them into a container.\n\nHow To Clean Pumpkin Seeds And Turn Them Into Delicious Snack\n\n\nYou may also like\n\nheart veggie\n\nBe A Happier & Healthier You\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581883,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Crime, Punishment, and Community Policing\n\n\n\n\n\nCrime, Punishment & Community policing\n\n\".....the man who is called 'criminal' is simply unfortunate;....the remedy is not to flog him, to chain him up, or to kill him on the scaffold or in prison, but to help him by the most brotherly care, by treatment based on equality........\" [1]\n\n\nThe issue of crime and anti-social behaviour and society's responses to it is possibly one of the most pressing issues facing many people - especially those in working class communities. While it is true to say that the mainstream media and some politicians often - for reasons of sensationalism and for their own political ends - over-hype the \"crime problem\", it is also a fact that in many of the poorer and more deprived housing estates in urban areas North and South many people do live in something near a state of siege[2] . Housebreaking, vandalism, joyriding, alcohol and drug abuse and even physical attacks (including muggings, rape and stabbings) are far too often a regular feature of life in many areas.\n\nIn this context, the implementation of the 'Good Friday Agreement' in the 6-Counties has seen the issue of policing become one of the most contentious areas of disagreement between the political parties. Long hours of negotiation have taken place in an attempt to establish a police force which will be 'acceptable to both communities'. While there is no doubt whatsoever that the RUC is a totally discredited (something which will hardly be changed by changing its name!) and sectarian police force and while the issues of the continued use of plastic bullets and the failure to face up to past human rights abuses are important, surely the debate about its replacement should have involved more than what symbols would be worn on the caps of the new police force and what flags would fly over their barracks.\n\nThe real issues have, in effect, been ignored by the mainstream players - by the politicians and commentators who have been setting the agenda. Interestingly, some of those on the fringes of the debate have actually put forward a somewhat deeper analysis. Speaking in a personal capacity at the 'Voice of the Lark' discussion forum in Conway Mill, Belfast on April 3rd 2001, Billy Mitchell of the Progressive Unionist Party (political wing of the Ulster Volunteer Force) stated:\n\n\"A new and effective policing service will only be achieved through a new and effective philosophy on policing....that rejects the traditional model of 'justice' that is rooted and grounded in retribution.... An effective philosophy on policing must include an effective philosophy on justice....So long as justice is regarded as 'just desserts' rather than 'just relationships' no amount of tinkering with the police service will serve the interests of justice....\"[3]\n\nPunishment beatings\n\nUnfortunately, considered opinions such as these are few and far between in the context of the Northern debate on policing. And what has been happening on the ground in working class communities is not alone worrying but frightening. In the name of 'community policing' - and under the cover of there not being a police force 'acceptable to both communities' - the number of punishment beatings and shootings has continued to increase. Figures quoted by the \"Irish Times\" earlier this year claimed a 40% increase in punishment shootings and a 30% increase in beatings in the North over the first five months of the year.[4]\n\nWhat this means in reality is that from January 1st to May 20th 2001, 144 people - an average of approximately one person per day - were either beaten or shot for 'anti-social behaviour'. Even more frighteningly, more recent figures show that a growing number of those so targetted - by both republican and loyalist paramilitaries - are teenagers. A report prepared by Professor Liam Kennedy of Queen's University Belfast and published in August 2001[5] claims that between 1990 and 2000, 372 teenagers were beaten and 207 shot by paramilitaries in so-called punishment attacks. The youngest victim of a punishment shooting was 13 years old while three other children under 14 were assaulted.\n\nSo while Billy Mitchell's comments on policing as quoted above are welcome, it is unfortunate that those to whom he is close politically don't appear to be listening. Instead of developing an 'effective philosophy on justice', his political comrades are setting themselves up as judge, jury and executioner and doling out their own brand of 'justice' to members of their communities who they deem to be guilty of anti-social behaviour.\n\nLikewise we have to listen to the pathetic justifications of politicians such as Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. While both of them have in recent months said that punishment attacks 'don't work' and are 'counter productive', Adams has been quoted as describing them as\n\n\"the community responding in exasperation to the fact that there are elements who disregard any sort of acceptable norm and who simply prey upon other members of the community\"[6]\n\nFurthermore Adams has expressed his worry that his party would lose votes if they weren't seen to be doing enough to combat anti-social behaviour. Yet we don't see or hear from him or his colleagues any considered analysis of the causes or reasons for anti-social behaviour, but instead see a tacit - and indeed direct - acceptance of the authoritarian behaviour of the paramilitaries.\n\nA deafening silence\n\nThe silence of the Irish left in general on this issue is deafening. If the RUC or the Gardai were systematically beating up working class kids, there would be an outcry from the left and from liberal and civil rights' groups. If the government - either North or South - were to introduce legislation allowing for kneecapping or the breaking of elbows as the sanction for stealing a car, they would rightly be condemned and opposed every step of the way. Why then do so many stand by and refuse to condemn loudly and vociferously people who call themselves socialists and yet have effectively introduced such laws in what they see as 'their' communities? And let there be no doubt about it, part of the agenda at play here - maybe even the greater part - is the marking out of territory as belonging to either the orange or green bullyboys.\n\nTo call such behaviour 'community policing' is a complete misnomer. 'Community policing' implies - in fact demands - that there be fair, open and democratic procedures which would involve the community putting in place a system of fair public trials where evidence would be given and the defendant/accused person would be given the chance to defend him/herself. A most important element of this would be that suspects would be tried by properly elected representatives of the community - not by self-appointed 'representatives'. A system of 'community policing' would also surely involve the putting in place of procedures which would aim more at ensuring that someone guilty of anti-social behaviour would make reparations of some sort to the community or to the victim of his/her crime. Surely punishment is less important than rehabilitation and compensation?\n\nObviously a system of community policing would involve something a little more developed than this, but the above paragraph gives an outline which shows just how far we currently are from such an ideal . The question which then arises is whether or not it is possible to put in place a proper fair and democratic system of community policing without fundamentally altering the class nature of society. Indeed, before this question can even be properly answered, it leads us to ask what is crime and what are the true causes of crime?\n\nSocial deprivation\n\nThe Governor of Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, John Lonergan, has pointed out on more than one occasion that the people sentenced to his prison come overwhelmingly from a few areas of social deprivation. Most recently, speaking at the Patrick McGill Summer School in Co. Donegal on the theme of Drugs and Alcohol in Irish society, Mr. Lonergan quoted the results of research carried out in Mountjoy which found that 75 percent of Dublin prisoners came from six clearly identifiable areas, or - as he described them - \"pockets of disadvantage....infested with heroin\". The percentage of prisoners who had a heroin addiction history, he pointed out, had grown from 31 percent in 1986 to 67 percent in 1996. He went on in the same speech to point out that heroin addiction is a \"social class addiction\" and that as a society we continue to develop communities where only \"certain classes of people are housed\" and where the message given to these people by the broader society is that they are \"inferior\".\n\nTo people who look at political issues on a class basis, what Lonergan is saying is not radical or new. What is quite extraordinary in terms of Irish society is that it is the governor of a prison - and not the trade union movement or even the social democrats or the liberals - who is making this analysis. It is yet another legacy of the so-called 'social partnership' between the trade union movement, government, employers and most of the 'voluntary sector' - the usual expected 'voices of dissent' have been silenced, bought off by the pretence of 'partnership'.\n\nIt is a reflection of the Irish 'Celtic Tiger' and the supposed economic good times that the number of women in prison in the 26-County State rose to its highest in recent decades in April 2001. Again the only voice to be heard questioning what was happening was that of John Lonergan:\n\n\"At a time when people would be talking about a whole lot of advantages and improvements in society, this is an indication of something - that in 2001 we have a phenomenally high number of women in prison....[the increase in numbers is]....connected into feelings of isolation and loneliness and being totally disconnected to mainstream society....\"[7]\n\nAgain this might not be extremely new or radical thinking, but at least Lonergan's analysis attempts to look at the causes of crime rather than taking the simplistic attitude of beating up offenders. It says something that a prison governor can be described as more liberal than people who claim to be socialists! What he is doing is looking beyond the act of stealing a car or breaking into a house and asking a simple question - why? This has got to be the starting point for anyone who wants to develop a realistic and humane response to crime and anti-social behaviour - Why do some people feel so disconnected from society that their response is to engage in behaviour which is damaging both to themselves and to their neighbours? Or to return to the question as posed earlier in the article - what are the causes of crime and anti-social behaviour?\n\n\nThe answer must be that the true cause of a lot of the crime in our current society is actually poverty. This of course leads also to the question of what is crime because it is interesting to note just what capitalist society defines as crime and - perhaps more importantly - just what is not defined as crime. For example, in August 2000, a march of 1,000 building workers took place in Dublin protesting about recent building site fatalities. Since the beginning of that year, 13 people had died in the 26-Counties as a result of construction industry accidents. But the deaths of building workers do not appear to be taken seriously and fines levied on building contractors for breaches of safety regulations amount to little more than pocket money. Addressing the protestors, Eric Fleming, SIPTU [8] branch secretary said that two-thirds of builders found guilty of serious breaches of the safety regulations \"walk away from court with fines of £500 and £1,000........If there were as many gardai being killed each year, or teachers or nurses, the Government would build a special prison for the killers.\"[9]\n\nIf someone pulls a knife on someone else in a drunken row it is (rightly) called murder. If someone kills someone else as a result of forcing them to work in unsafe conditions it isn't!\n\nThis is just one of the many contradictions thrown up in the way society defines crime. Over the past few years the Irish political system has seen a rash of 'tribunal-itis'. Investigations have been carried out into fraud and corruption in the planning and political process. Evidence has emerged of large scale fraud in the planning process, in political funding, in the awarding of radio licences. Huge amounts of tax evasion by the wealthy and big business (stealing from the rest of us!!) have been exposed. Yet no one has spent a day in jail as a result of these findings[10] . On the other hand Cork Corporation has jailed 6 members of the Householders Against Service Charges Campaign for campaigning against double tax bin charges.[11]\n\nThese are just two examples of the contradictions in definition of what constitutes criminal behaviour. In the 1890s, the French sociologist, Emile Durkheim wrote \"What confers a criminal character on an act is not the nature of the act but the definition given it by society. We do not reprove certain behaviour because it is criminal; it is criminal because we reprove it.\" In other words, what society deems a crime is a crime.\n\nAnarchist analyses\n\nHistorically, many anarchists have put forward analyses of crime and punishment, and have looked to suggest remedies both for the current circumstances and for a future anarchist society.\n\n\"The constant refrain of the anarchist song is that the system of government and law in modern States is often the cause of, rather than the remedy for, disorder. Most laws in Western democracies protect private property and economic inequality rather than civil rights. An authoritarian society with a repressive morality encourages the psychological disorders which lead to rape, murder and assault. And punishment by its very nature tends to alienate and embitter rather than reform or deter.\"[12]\n\nOver one hundred years ago, the Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkin suggested that crime can be divided into three categories :- property related crime, government related crime and crimes against the person. In putting forward this analysis he was arguing that if you remove property and government - in other words if you base society on freedom, socialism and democracy - you remove two of the biggest causes of crime. It could also be argued that a large number of crimes against the person (people injured in muggings, for example) have their root in crimes against property.\n\nThis article does not intend to look in any more detail at the nature of criminality. There is much which could be written about the daylight robbery, for example, inherent in the very running of the system - the legal robbery which takes place when large amounts of wealth are diverted from much needed spending on health, education etc. to give tax breaks to big business, the fact that a workers' wages represent only a fraction of the value of his/her labour - with the remainder siphoned off by the boss. This area would demand an article in and of itself. Instead what I want to look at here is whether or not it is possible to have any real form of community policing under capitalism and what if any forms of policing would be needed in an anarchist society.\n\nIs it possible?\n\nCommunity Restorative Justice Ireland (CRJI) is an organisation which has done extensive work in the area of community response to anti-social behaviour, and has projects based in Belfast, Derry and Armagh. According to their website[13]\n\n\"The ultimate goal of restorative justice is not to punish people but to reduce the incidence of socially harmful activity, to promote victim-offender reconciliation and to help create safer communities.\"\n\nThe work and research done by CRJI is very interesting in the context of looking at the possibilities for alternative systems of community policing. In an article in the Summer 2001 issue of \"Spark\" (a magazine produced by Ogra Sinn Fein[14] ), Paddy Molloy of CRJI outlined the method by which it operates\n\n\"We believe that when a crime is committed, there is a breach of a three cornered relationship, between the offender, the victim and the community. Our aim is not to punish people but to heal the breach and ensure that no further harm occurs.\"\n\nTo achieve this outcome, CRJI has put in place a clearly defined process. When a case is referred to them (either by a victim or by someone else), full details are recorded by a caseworker. The case is then assigned to two workers who liaise with all concerned in an attempt to establish the facts, as far as possible. This part of the process helps to identify the needs of all involved and to come up with proposals as to the type of support that may be necessary, what type of mediation is possible etc. The process would then go on - depending on the circumstances of the individual case - to indirect mediation, formal mediation or victim-offender conferencing.\n\nCRJI's mission statement \"Through a process of empowerment to build a restorative community that is tolerant, responsive and inclusive\" certainly does point to a possible way forward. The central question remains however as to how effective such a system can be while society continues to be organised in a hierarchical manner. To what extent does this remain a laudable objective, or does it have any real basis? Is the real local democracy that is necessary for such a system to operate properly possible under capitalism?\n\nThe answer has to be that it is not. It is only if it operates as a constituent part of the state's 'justice' system that it will be tolerated. The facts of the matter are that the state cannot and will not allow any parallel system of justice to operate, no state will tolerate its monopoly on power being challenged by its citizens.\n\nState power\n\nIn the 1980s many working class Dublin communities were ravaged by the effects of heroin abuse and the consequent anti-social crime, with addicts needing hundreds of pounds a week to feed their habits and wreaking havoc on their neighbourhoods - the poorest and most deprived areas of the city. In response to what was a desperate situation, communities began to fight back through Concerned Parents Against Drugs (CPAD).\n\nThe CPAD movement initially met with huge success and very soon had active groups throughout the city. The movement that emerged was also initially open and democratic. Public meetings in the community - open to everyone - would be held at which suspected dealers were named. Those accused of dealing would be given the opportunity to defend themselves. If found guilty, dealers would be ordered to cease their activities or leave the area. Those who refused to comply were forcibly evicted through community marches on their homes.\n\nCPAD however before long came under pressure from two sources. Firstly, the state (the cops) moved in to dismantle what they saw as a threat to their power base. The sight of communities organising and bypassing the official structures frightened the life out of the powers that be, so they moved to crush the developing movement. Secondly, the temptation to allow the 'hard men' to sort out those who wouldn't co-operate became too great, and the movement tended to descend into vigilantism.\n\nUltimately, however, the principal reason why CPAD - and other similar anti-drug movements in the 1990s - failed was because of its political limitations. While focussing on driving anti-social elements out of the community, the bigger picture was missed - ie looking at the causes of drug abuse. While focussing on marches on the homes of small-time pushers living within the communities, the big drug barons were left untouched. Also the focus on forcing the state - health board and other agencies - to put facilities and treatment for addicts in place was missed. Ultimately the CPAD imploded - as a result of both its political limitations and the state's crackdown on it - and within a short period of time, drug abuse and anti-social behaviour was back to its previous levels.\n\nThis is not to say that the community activists who got involved and attempted to rescue their communities were wrong, but to say that in the absence of an overall political strategy which aims to change the authoritarian nature of society, such initiatives are inevitably doomed to failure. It is in fact difficult to envisage a situation in which any real degree of community policing could operate under capitalism. A system of community justice must - if it is to be successful - involve such a level of democracy and local organisation that - as already pointed out - the state will simply not allow it to happen.\n\nThe absence of just such a political strategy is patently obvious in the North, where - as stated earlier in the article - the very phrase 'community policing' is much abused. What is currently being witnessed on the ground in working class communities in the North is certainly not community policing. Nor could it even be said to be moving in that direction. The people involved in implementing what they describe as community justice are not in the least bit interested in looking at the causes of crime. Indeed their political allies are in many cases sitting in government, propping up a system which perpetuates economic inequality, thus ensuring that real community policing can never become a reality. As long as these people remain more interested in making friends in high places - be that with the Dublin, London or Washington establishments - than in challenging the basis of capitalism, we cannot move any closer to a society in which the idea of communities being self-managed and self-policed could become a reality.\n\nAfter the revolution\n\nSo what about after the revolution? Firstly, there is no doubt but that in a free, democratic society which meets everybody's basic needs the vast majority of crime against property will immediately be done away with. In a society in which everybody has his/her basic needs met - and where indeed there will be many shared luxuries - there will quite obviously be less occasion for crimes against property. But there will still be those who - for whatever reason - want to give society the two fingers. There will still be 'crimes of passion' and there will still be people with mental illness who will have to be removed from society for their own protection and that of others.\n\nThis in turn implies that there will have to be some form of community forum to deal with these problems. This will however have nothing in common with the current police force. Firstly, the 'laws' which are being implemented will be decided upon in a democratic manner. A free and democratic society will have very few 'laws' as such as these won't be necessary. The vast majority of people - given the opportunity to do so - are quite capable of living together in a peaceful and neighbourly way without having laws and rules to tell them what to do. People, for example, don't need police to tell them to drive on the correct side of the road or to stop at red traffic lights - common sense is enough.\n\nSecondly, the community justice system (or whatever title will be put on it) will itself be under democratic control. It is of course impossible to state precisely what will happen, because the system will be created by the people living in that society, not according to blueprints that we draw up in advance, and may in any case vary from time to time and from place to place. Suffice to say that - as with all other aspects of decision making - maximum democracy will be the hallmark of the anarchist society and thus no individual or group will be given the power to make decisions relating to 'law enforcement' by themselves.\n\nPerhaps, for example, people will be elected as investigators when specific anti-social behaviour needs to be investigated. In some cases it will be necessary to have people with particular expertise such as in forensics. But these people will be given no particular positions of power as a result of this expertise - their function will remain purely administrative.\n\nThe idea of 'prosecuting' an offender will be done away with. Instead - where necessary - evidence will be presented before a democratically elected community forum, weighed up in an open manner with the 'accused' given every opportunity to question it (either personally or through a representative of his/her own choosing - there won't be any fancy lawyers or judges in silly wigs).\n\nIn addition, the idea of revenge or punishment will have no place in the justice system but it will be more about restitution and compensation for the victim. The aim will be to ensure that the perpetrator of the 'crime' makes some form of recompense to the victim, and that the behaviour is not repeated.\n\nAs has been said, we do not have a crystal ball and therefore cannot predict with any certainty exactly what will happen in an anarchist society. We do not claim to have all the answers but hope that this article and others will lead to a discussion among anarchists about how a future society should deal with anti-social elements.\n\nIt is a complex area and the only thing which can be said with certainty is that the only solution can be through freedom and democracy.\n\n1 Peter Kropotkin, 'Law and Authority', Quoted in 'Demanding The Impossible - A History of Anarchism' by Peter Marshall, Page 31\n2 Ireland is of course by no means unique in this context\n3 Text available on the web at\n4 'Irish Times', Friday 25th May 2001\n5 See 'Irish Times', Thursday August 23rd 2001\n6 'Irish Times' Thursday August 23rd 2001\n7 'Irish Times' Friday April 20th 2001\n8 Services Industrial Professional Technical Union - Ireland's largest trade union\n9 quoted in 'Irish Times' Thursday August 30th 2001\n10 One Fianna Fail TD, Liam Lawlor did serve a week of a 3-month sentence for failing to supply the Tribunal with full details of his financial affairs.\n11 The excuse of the Litter Act has been used. At the time of writing 6 activists have had to serve sentences of three days. More information at\n12 Peter Marshall: 'Demanding The Impossible - A History of Anarchism' Page 648\n14 The youth wing of Sinn Fein\n\n\nThis article is from Red & Black Revolution Number 6\nPublished Winter 2002\n\nDownload and print out the PDF file from\n\nYou can access other issue of Red & Black Revolution at"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581884,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"1. S\n\n Touch Input Delay\n\n Hello everyone, I will try to make this explanation as clear as I can. I need some help eliminating the input lag on my Surface Laptop Studio. I am a pianist and use the device to display my sheet music. While reading through the music, I have to touch the screen to swipe to the next page. If I...\n\nMembers online"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581885,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Friday, April 4, 2008\n\n\"And I quote...\"\n\nKids have an amazing capacity to memorize! We started our oldest on memorizing verses when he was about three, and he just took off. None of the short and sweet, \"Jesus loves us all.\" that seems to be the weekly verse in Sunday School. A full verse. We made verse-time a part of the nighttime routine. I believe this is key - ROUTINE. We did a lot of \"repeat after me\" learning, and I'm also a big advocate for figuring out a rhythm in which you say the verse each time, and also doing some appropriate actions along with the verse (God=point up, love=hand over heart, people=spread hands around to show a multitude, etc). We've gotten pretty creative over the past few years with our motion cues. Our middle child learned the verses at the same time as the oldest one, at about 16 months. We realized he was memorizing too when Sam would occasionally get stuck with a word and Caleb would supply it for him. Wow, okay, so a year and a half isn't too young. Start them early. You'll be surprised. We sure were! Anyway, after the actions are set to the verse and done a few times together, pretty soon, all we need to do are the motion cues and the kids supply the words. Then they're doing their own motion cues and saying the words. At the beginning, we spent about a week on each verse and also spent a good amount of time talking about what the verse means. They are now (at ages 5 and 3) doing the suggested memory verses from church (targeting the kids 1st grade and up) and have memorized approximately 28 verses so far since the beginning of the year.\nNow since Caleb started memorizing so early and was picking it up so well, I started him on recognizing his alphabet at just over 2. He learned them in a few months. Of course, I'll be the first to say that we have the smartest kids in the world. But I do think that this early memorization opened up their little \"mind capacity\" box for them at an earlier-than- normal age.\nI would encourage parents of young children (or older children if you haven't started yet) to start very young. Even if it's just you repeating the verse as part of the bedtime routine, your child is hearing that, and you'll be surprised when they start vocalizing it too. An added benefit for the parent - you can stop wishing that you had the diligence/time to memorize Scripture and just do it!\n\n1 comment:\n\nAnonymous said...\n\nAmen to that. Others would likely find their kids to almost as smart if they would just spend similar efforts with them."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581886,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Vancouver, BC - Many people are seeking weight loss “secrets”. Stubborn belly fat makes numerous people depressed and frustrated. “There is no secrets. A good fat loss diet program will help you a lot.” said David House, a fitness coach in Vancouver. “Here's the healthiest way to deplete carbs and create a short term MASSIVE calorie deficit and achieve extreme fat loss if you fall off track for a few days in a row while following you're living everyday life:” Added David,\n\n2. Increase your fats and double your servings of green cruciferous veggies on deplete days.\n3. Double your daily water intake on deplete days and before noon on weekends.”\n\n“But there are 3 tricks we can try”, David continued.\n\nWeight Loss Diet Trick #1: Know WHEN and WHY you should cheat\n\n1. To spark a dead metabolism from being on the crash diet yo-yo or constant low carb dieting.\n2. To replenish and/or refill glycogen stores (“when you've low carbed yourself to death or exercised intensely for prolonged periods of time”, explained David).\n3. To serve as a psychological reward (only when you've earned the right).\n4. You have no energy or drive in your workouts or when you constantly feel flat and can't seem to get a good \"pump\". Or you just can't find the emotional renewal you're looking for.\n5. Your body temperature is always low or you're cold all the time and feeling the chills a lot. This usually happens in leaner individuals. (Cheating will heat you up in a healthy way by using the thermic effect of cheat food and stoke your metabolism to get it moving again.)\n6. To reset fat burning hormones like leptin and provide a metabolic spark for your thyroid (usually from 4 to 6 days or longer of aggressive carb/calorie restriction or maintaining super low body fat levels for a long period of time).\n\nWeight Loss Diet Trick #2: Know when NOT to cheat\n\n1. You're bored with bland diet foods - Newsflash, it's a carb cycling plan, not the Food Network... if you want results, you have to Macro-Pattern. and be willing to make some sacrifices a few days a week.\n2. You're stressed out and need an emotional food \"high\" - I think they call it \"life\" and last time I checked we're all going to deal with some stress while we live it - so get used to it. Food can be like a drug, so don't let yourself get addicted or emotionally attached to it.\n3. You lack discipline - It's either the pain of discipline OR the pain of regret. In other words, cheating is a reward - NOT an escape.\n\nWeight Loss Diet Trick #3: Apply STRUCTURED Re-feeds, Carb Loading Cheat Days, and Strategic Binging\n\n1. Strategic Cheat Day (sometimes referred to as Carbing UP or Carb Loading) - Most times this is used mid-week and it's specifically designed to provide a metabolic spark to help avoid the adaptive response.\n2. Hormonal Cheat Day (sometimes referred to as a Free Day or just Cheat Day) - This is the most flexible and fun cheat day with hardly any food restrictions.\n3. Structured Re-Feeds - This is the most restrictive, but effective type of cheating.\n4. Strategic Binging - This is a carb loading strategy used after high intensity weight training or bodyweight training (sometimes called MRT) workouts.\n\nAbout company:\n\nFor more tips about Weight Loss Diet Plans, please visit:\n\nDavid House\nTel: 60441918"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581887,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Best Online Casino Sports Betting\n\nPeople place bets on sports for some reasons. Apparently indulge in sports betting for the pure joy of the application. They enjoy the thrill of knowing they have something at risk in the game. There are would like an explanation who place wagers on the game for the extra bucks. If you’re a bettor who would like to make money from sports betting, you need to read these article carefully since discusses how you can develop a steady take advantage of sports betting.\n\nIt’s simple alright making unlimited cash betting on sports within the net. Now you are thinking: if it were so easy how come people throw money away at completely? Answer! Is most belonging to the time you have to guess-work; try-your-luck, inadequate or no information, etc.\n\nMoney regulation. Another important thing that may want to learn if you would like to do good in sports betting is to make sure you know money conduite. You have to be sure that you have set a set limit on your betting money right at the start, factors why you should you start betting. Make certain you only bet an amount that happen to be willing to reduce. Sports betting on the web is a risky venture that may not surely determine if you will win or not, thus make certain that you ‘re ready to part with your craps bet.\n\nOne thing that commonly happens with sports betting often that those wagering confuse a “trend” along with a system. A team has won five in a row, and so they have more attention by the betting the general public. 토토사이트 by using a trend actuality it can end instantly; in fact, the odds say that the end that are of a trend is often a mathematic guarantee. The more people who bet on trends, superior it is ideal for the sports books. Eventually, all losses will be recouped as the odds improve and right up until finally monster ends one night to the sound of people pouring money out of the company’s wallets!\n\n\nAlmost all sports include a money line for all the games. However, the most popular line in the sports betting arena may be the line of spread. Multiplication line is regarded as essentially the most well accepted form of betting. Spread is working at most famous sports to bet on like the NFL. Its spread so that the game and could more about selecting the winner of sport.\n\nIf you actually do get fascinated by the popular sports leagues, then at minimum look at betting the actual greater obscure markets on grant. Rather than taking the standard / match bet markets, why not look in the ‘number of corners’ insects ‘number of bookings / yellow cards’."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581888,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Published on September 7, 2021\n\nFatty Acids: Omega-3 Versus Omega-6\n\nOmega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are both considered essential for the body, which means that they must be consumed via the diet. Throughout the course of history, both fatty acids were consumed in relatively similar quantities with a ratio of 1:11-4. In fact, it has been suggested that the Paleolithic (caveman) diet, which was consumed during the period when our genetic patterns were established, was low in total fat but high in polyunsaturated fat, including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), EPA, and DHA1,2. In more recent times in many populations around the world, the introduction of agriculture has led to diets built around the consumption of grains; this dietary shift has increased the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids1,4. The omega-6 consumption has been further increased and the omega-3 consumption further decreased in the past century because of the industrial revolution, the emergence of agribusiness with processed foods, grain-fattened livestock, and hydrogenation of vegetable fats4.\nRatio for Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fats\nMore specifically, Dr. Jorn Dyerberg (one of the world’s leading authorities on omega-3 fish oils) has written that the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats typical of each dietary era are as follows: the caveman diet was 1:1, the agricultural revolution diet was 4:1, the industrial revolution diet was 10:1, and the convenience or fast food diet in the current North American society is anywhere between 14:1 and 25:15. Therefore, with each of the four major dietary shifts that have taken place, the amount of omega-6 fats consumed has increased and the amount of omega-3 fats has decreased5.\nBalancing Omega-6 with Omega-3 Fats\nIt has been proposed that a balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fats that is close to the balance of fats in the Paleolithic (caveman) diets, which humans ate for many thousands of years, is a better fit for our genetic makeup than the more recent agricultural diets and modern fast-food diets5.\nHow to Correct the Balance of Fatty Acids\nThe consumption of omega-3 fatty acids rich foods (particularly DHA & EPA) like flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, fatty fish, seafood, fish oil and algal oil or supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids can help balance the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids1,6.\n\n\n1. Simopoulos, A.P., Evolutionary aspects of the dietary omega-6:omega-3 fatty acid ratio: medical implications. World Rev Nutr Diet, 2009. 100: p. 1-21.\n\n2. Eaton, S.B. and M. Konner, Paleolithic nutrition. A consideration of its nature and current implications. N Engl J Med, 1985. 312(5): p. 283-9.\n\n3. Eaton, S.B., S.B. Eaton, 3rd, and M.J. Konner, Paleolithic nutrition revisited: a twelve-year retrospective on its nature and implications. Eur J Clin Nutr, 1997. 51(4): p. 207-16.\n\n4. Simopoulos, A.P., Evolutionary aspects of omega-3 fatty acids in the food supply. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 1999. 60(5-6): p. 421-9.\n\n5. Dyerberg, J. and R. Passwater, The Missing Wellness Factors: EPA and DHA: The most important nutrients since vitamins. 2012, Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581889,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"How To Put On A Silent Disco Party (Your Ultimate Guide)\n\nThis post answers all the questions you should consider when putting on your own silent disco headphone party.\n\nA linked table of contents is below for your convenience:\n\nWhat is a silent disco headphone party and what equipment is required?\n\nThe term “silent disco” refers to a party where you can’t hear the audio unless you are wearing the specialized silent disco wireless headphones. Because of this, it looks like people are dancing without any music.\n\nIt looks like people are dancing, singing and having fun without any music.\n\nThe word “disco” in the term, refers to a silent disco being a ‘dance’ and does not refer to the disco genre. All types of music are used\n\nWhat equipment do you need?\n\nIn order to put on a silent disco, you need the special headphones for each guest. You will also need silent disco transmitter(s) to broadcast the music to the headphones.\n\nThese days the headphones are rechargeable. They arrive fully charged and will operate ten hours on a single charge. So, unless you are doing multiple events, re-charging is not necessary.\n\nThe transmitters are about the the size of your hand and don’t require user adjustment. They are just plug-and-play and usually included with the headphones.\n\nYou will also need to supply the music. That could be your cell phone, tablet or laptop streaming a playlist from Spotify or Apple Music. It could also be a live DJ or even a band.\n\nAs of the year 2022, most of the silent parties in America use three channel headphones. The person wearing the headphones can change which channel they are listening to with a switch on the headphones.\n\nEach channel on the headphones corresponds to a different transmitter. So, a three channel system would have three transmitters.\n\nIdeally, the silent party host supplies three music sources. They can be cell phones, tablets, laptops, DJs, bands, etc. Each music source is connected to one of the three transmitters.\n\nWe’ll talk more about the equipment and the music requirements below, but first:\n\nAre the headphones disinfected and Covid-19 safe?\n\nWe only use these coronavirus certified products that are on this list from the environmental protection agency to clean and disinfect the headphones between each use. If you own your own, you should do the same.\n\nIf you rent the headphones, rest assured that rental companies are bending over backwards to make sure the headphones are safe and germ-free. We were doing that long before the Covid-19 scare, but as you can imagine, we have doubled down our efforts.\n\nAlso, remember that according to WebMD, those RNA strands can only last up to 5 days on a hard surface. So, to make sure that you are double safe, we not only fully disinfect the headphones but we give them a 5 day time-out between rentals.\n\nIf you rent your headphones, you will want to double check with your vendor regarding their disinfection standards, but here at, your safety is first priority.\n\nIs a silent party really silent?\n\nWhen the party first starts up, they really are weirdly silent. It is a surreal and other-worldly oddity that has to be experienced in order to understand how absurd it feels.\n\nBut once the party heats up, headphone parties are definitely not silent.\n\nWhile they are still eerily silent compared to listening to loudspeakers cranked up to ten, your dancers will be singing slightly off key to music that only they can hear.\n\nThey will also be laughing out-loud, talking to each other over the headphones and jumping up and down with their favorite dance moves.\n\nSilent parties don’t have any noise from loud music, but the crowd noise can be significantly boisterous.\n\nYou won’t hear any music outside of the headphones, but when the party starts to heat up, your guests will start to lift their voices in song!\n\nAs you know, people who are having fun usually make noise, so ultimately the volume level will depend on the number of guests you invite.\n\nWhat is the ideal space for a silent party? Should the range of the wireless headphones be a consideration?\n\nThe first thing that people ask me when they are trying to decide where to hold their silent headphone party is the range of the wireless headphones.\n\nThe headphones that we rent out have a range of 300 meters (or 328 yards). For reference, a football field is 100 yards. So, the headphones will still sound great more than 3 football fields away from the transmitters.\n\nThese are not the Bluetooth headphones that you are used to. They don’t drop out when you get thirty feet from your cell phone.\n\nThe type of wireless that silent disco headphones use is in the FM range and is therefore unaffected by walls and windows. This means that the headphones won’t lose any music quality or volume if you go upstairs, downstairs, outside or even around the block.\n\nThis means that the room size/orientation is less important for silent disco than it would be for a traditional music party. You don’t even need a specific party room because the headphones still work fine outside of the room or even outside of the building.\n\nIt is very important to have your silent party be ‘silent’ outside of the headphones.\n\nMuch of the motivation to wear the headphones is the silence outside of the headphones. That same silence is much of the appeal for wearing the headphones.\n\nThe best way to ruin a silent party is to have any audio available outside of the headphones because that gives people the option of not wearing the headphones.\n\nIf a TV is playing or background music is playing outside of the headphones, you are taking away much of the attraction of the headphones and some guest won’t wear them.\n\nWhere to get the equipment. (Should you rent or buy?)\n\nIf you are that person who is putting on parties every month, buying the headphones would be a great idea. We sell them for as little as $39.00 per headphone.\n\nBut if you are only putting on one or two parties a year, it is much easier to rent. The rental company takes care of the storage, the cleaning, the recharging and the disinfecting of the headphones for you.\n\nMost of the rental companies will also take care of the repairs and make sure your are receiving the latest technology.\n\nRental companies like ours make sure that you receive the equipment several days before your party and are on hand for you to do a soundcheck and to help you with any set-up questions.\n\nMore about the equipment below, but you can find more details about our rental process here.\n\nHow to set up the equipment. (It is easier than you think)\n\nWhen you rent the equipment, set-up instructions are included, but it is literally plug-and-play.\n\nHere is a pictorial story of how easy it is to set-up & DJ your own event.\n\nThe video below shows one of our transmitters.\n\nLive DJ vs Streamed Playlist. (Do you need a professional DJ?)\n\nBefore Spotify, Apple Music and the many music streaming platforms that are available these days, you needed a DJ to supply the music and the sound equipment.\n\nThese days you can make your own playlist(s) and you can find playlists that others have made including nearly any song that has ever been recorded. The music is digital quality and can be streamed on your phone, tablet or laptop at the press of a button.\n\nSo you don’t need a DJ to supply the music and when renting the silent disco headphones and associated transmitters, you don’t need a DJ for their equipment either.\n\nYou can connect your cell phone directly to the transmitter. No other equipment is required.\n\nWhat about the DJ’s expertise at setting up the equipment? Well, as mentioned above, you already know how to use your cell phone, and the transmitters are just plug-and-play.\n\nBut if you do decide to hire one DJ, please share the video below with them.\n\nHow one DJ should plug into our transmitters.\n\nIf you want, you can hire three DJ’s and have a DJ competition! Each DJ plugs into one of the three included transmitters. Your guests switch from DJ to DJ with the selector on their headphones to find their favorite song. Their headphone color matches which DJ they are listening to and each DJ tries to win the group over to their color channel!\n\nHow to set the volume levels for maximum guest satisfaction.\n\nAs mentioned above, each headphone has three channels and the listener can switch from one channel to the other at any given time.\n\nYou will connect a music source to each of the transmitters which will, in turn, broadcast to the headphones.\n\nFor the example below, let’s assume that one of the music sources is your cell phone.\n\nThere are two very important volume-related tips/best-practices.\n\nThe first practice is how to make sure your wilder guests can turn up the music as loud as they want.\n\nThe solution is to set your source music loud enough so that it sounds really loud to you even when your silent disco headphones are turned down to the halfway point.\n\nIn other words, if you are using your cell phone for the music source, turn the headphones that you are wearing down to at least the halfway point and then start turning up your cell phone.\n\nWhile wearing your silent disco headphones at their 50% volume, turn up your cell phone until the music is as loud as you can stand.\n\nLeave your cell phone at that volume during the party so that your rowdiest guests can turn up their silent disco headphones way louder than you would ever want to turn up yours. That way, you’ll never get any complaints that your guests “couldn’t get the music loud enough.”\n\nThe second practice is how to assure that each channel is broadcasting at the same volume.\n\nAs we mentioned above, your guests will be switching channels on their headphones frequently. They don’t want to keep adjusting their volume each time they switch.\n\nThe solution is to make sure each of the music sources are set at the same output volume.\n\nDon’t change the volume of the cell phone we just finished setting in the example above, and instead, match the other two devices to that one.\n\nWhat type of music works best?\n\nAt silent disco parties, songs that participants know the lyrics to, can sing along with, songs with defined movements and songs that are in the ‘rave’ category with a powerful ‘bass drop’ work the best.\n\nSilent disco is not particularly well suited for slow-dancing, serious songs, mid-tempo songs or relatively unfamiliar songs.\n\nIf it is a serious song, it needs to be one that everybody knows and can sing along with. Overall, the headphones work best with ‘fun’ party-style songs.\n\nObviously, what defines a ‘fun’ party-style song is your guests at your party. Choose your playlists accordingly.\n\nWe do not recommend having a different music genre on each channel.\n\nIn fact we highly discourage separating the channels by genre because in-turn, it separates your guests by genre and lowers their interaction with each other.\n\nAll three channels should have genre mixed playlists in order to maximize the fun and interactivity had by your guests.\n\nBecause the headphones show which channel they are picking up by the color of the LEDs on the earpieces, you can see which channel your friends are listening to and they can see the same of you.\n\nThis interactive element between your guests makes switching channels and encouraging your friends to do the same half of the fun! In order to maximize this amusing communication between your guests, you want all three channels to be equal in their appeal to everyone present.\n\nHow to keep the headphones from walking away.\n\nWhether you rent or own the headphones, you don’t want people taking them home or losing them. Here are some ideas to help you hang on to them.\n\nObviously this is not going to be a problem with close family and friends. These ideas are for those instances when you may not know the guests.\n\n 1. Hold onto their driver’s license while they have the headphones. You can keep the licenses in alphabetical order for quick return after the party.\n 2. Have staff at the entrance and exits so that nobody enters without picking up a headphone and nobody leaves without relinquishing a headphone.\n 3. Some vendors have RFID tags on the headphones and scanners to keep track of who has which headphone. – Beware that this will be an extra fee and not all vendors offer it.\n 4. Number the headphones with a sticker and write down each guest’s name next to the number of the headphone they have.\n 5. Hold onto their student ID in exchange for the headphones if it is at a school.\n\nDo you need a light show?\n\nA light show is extremely optional because the headphones themselves provide a human light show that is far more interesting than a mechanical light show ever could be.\n\nNot only are the dancers jumping up and down to the music, but as they switch the channel they are listening to, the color on the headphones changes too.\n\ncolored headphones human lightshow\nThe colored headphones create a human light show as the dancers bop to the music.\n\nin 2020, most of the rental headphones available light up according to their selected channel.\n\nThe headphones that we supply light up in the colors blue, red, and green depending on which channel they are on.\n\nIn the rare event that you actually have three DJs and each DJ is covering one of the channel colors, it is nice to have their DJ station lit up with the color of their channel but the same effect could be achieved with color coded T-shirts on the DJs.\n\nIn cases where the music is supplied by streamed playlists on personal devices such as cell phones or laptops, a light show is really not needed.\n\nHow much will it cost?\n\nPricing for a live DJ, support staff or a band varies widely by location and name recognition, so I am only going to cover equipment costs in this post.\n\nFirst the price to purchase and then the price to rent:\n\nPurchasing prices:\n\nPurchasing smaller quantities can be as little as $39.00 per headphone and $139.00 per transmitter. The headphones use rechargeable batteries and require dedicated chargers. The chargers charge 16 headphones at a time and run $29.00 apiece.\n\nWe sell headphone packages here.\n\nRental prices:\n\nThe cost to rent varies by vendor and quantity, but expect to pay between $4.00 and $8.00 per headphone. As you can imagine, the rental price per unit goes down as the rented quantity goes up.\n\nTo further confuse the issue, some vendors charge $50.00 to $100.00 more for the rental of the transmitters will others include the transmitters in the rental price of the headphones. .\n\nSome companies include the shipping in the headphone price, while others charge for shipping on top of their rental fee.\n\nOur prices at include shipping both ways and all three transmitters. So there are no extra fees when you rent our headphones.\n\nIn many cases there will be a security fee that you pay up-front and get back once the rental is over.\n\nWant to know more about the steps to rent disinfected silent disco headphones from us? We are here to help.\n\nCost of a Silent Disco Party versus a Regular DJ\n\nWhich costs more? A regular DJ with loudspeakers or a Silent Disco DJ?\n\nObviously one sound system using loudspeakers can be heard by several hundred or a thousand people, but one headphone can only be heard by one person.\n\nFee to rent silent disco is per headphone\nWith our disinfected Silent Disco headphones, you rent one headphone per guest.\n\nSo with a small party, a silent disco system is going to cheaper to rent than the traditional loudspeakers but with a large party the number of headphones required will cause silent disco to me more expensive.\n\nLet’s look at some actual numbers\n\nRegular DJ: $1000 -In my area, a DJ (using loudspeakers) that is considered professional quality is going to start around a $1000 and that price remains the same no matter how many guests are invited.\n\nSilent Disco Rental: $590.85 to rent 100 headphones in 2022.\nThat price includes shipping both ways and all three transmitters.\n\nThe price goes up or down as you add or subtract headphones. You can rent any exact number to correspond with your guest count.\n\nWhen you hire a DJ with a sound system that uses loudspeakers, the price is the same no matter how many guests you have!\n\nCost of loudspeakers versus price of Silent Disco Headphones\nFor a DJ with traditional speakers, it is one price regardless the number of guests.\n\nSilent Disco: If you want to rent silent disco headphones in 2022, it costs between $4 and $7 per headphone rental depending on how many you rent.\n\nAt, our price is as low as $4 per disinfected headphone for larger quantities but the price per unit is higher for rental of smaller numbers.\n\nHere are some round number examples: (You can rent exact numbers of headphones for your party.)“Pricing”\n\nWhat is your cost for renting our fully disinfected silent disco headphones in 2022?\n\nPricing depends on quantity.\n\nExamples of current pricing:\n\nRental of 20 = $233.25\nRental of 30 = $278.75\nRental of 40 = $323.85\nRental of 50 = $368.35\nRental of 75 = $479.60\nRental of 100=$590.85\nRental of 150=$808.35\nRental of 200=$1025.85\nRental of 300=$1455.85\nRental of 500=$2305.85\n\n(We also charge a security deposit, but that get’s returned to you when the equipment comes back safely. Learn more about that on our pricing page.)\n\nAt my company, the DJ’s fee is an additional $395 per hour if we are supplying the music, the music players, the light show, our DJ skills and our master of ceremony skills.\n\nThe prices above don’t include the cost of a DJ, but with silent disco, you don’t need to hire a DJ.\n\nOr to say it more accurately, our equipment makes it much easier to skip hiring and paying the professional DJ, again, saving you money.\n\nWe provide the professional equipment and all you need to supply is your cell phone streaming your favorite music playlist.\n\nYou don’t need a DJ because you connect your phone (or laptop or tablet) directly to the transmitters that we send you with the headphones. (Connect with either Bluetooth or an aux cord)\n\nThe transmitters broadcast your music to the headphones.\n\nWe send you three transmitters. One for each channel on the three channel headphones.\n\nThree times as much musical value in silent disco headphones.\n\nWith three channels available to play three separate playlists, your guests have three options of music at any given time. (They can switch which channel their headphones are listening to with the flick of a switch on their headphones at any time during the event)\n\nSo silent disco offers three times more music to your guests than a traditional loudspeaker system. This adds to the perceived value of silent disco over traditional loudspeakers.\n\nThis three-channel increase in music options for your guests means less reliance on a professional DJ’s ability to choose the one unique song that should be played at any given time, which makes it quite a bit easier to justify saving the cost of hiring a DJ and using only automated playlists on your cell phone.\n\nAgain the increased value as a party format leans toward the silent disco headphones!\n\nYes, a professional DJ can add to the fun and three professional DJ’s can be even more fun than one! Each DJ broadcasts on their own channel (to their own transmitter).\n\nWith three channels to stream unattended-automated playlists, there is a much greater chance of at least one of them having a fantastic song playing at any given time.\n\nIf you are charging admission, guests are willing to pay a higher admission fees for Silent Disco Parties.\n\nSo you will bring in more money from a silent disco party versus a traditional party with loudspeakers.\n\nThe increased income from a silent disco can pay for the headphone rentals\n\nObviously, this doesn’t pertain to wedding receptions or parties where you are not trying to make money, but it is important to note that people a silent disco format to be more valuable.\n\nSilent Disco is a hot and new trend that is easily three times the fun of a regular party!\n\nHow about you? Have you had the chance to compare the two? Which format is worth more to you? -Let us know in the comments.\n\nWe DJ with both Silent Disco and traditional loudspeaker sound systems. Let us know when your next party is coming up and we will help you decide which one is best for you.\n\nYoga in the Park with Silent Disco Headphones: The Perfect Social Distancing Solution\n\nYour yoga class wants to meet but your indoor studio is too small for social distancing? We got ya covered!\n\nYoga in the park, silent disco style! It’s the perfect socially distanced solution!\n\nStatistics show that fresh outdoor air is much better at stopping virus particles, – not to mention that it is far easier to social distance outdoors.\n\nBesides, who doesn’t want to do yoga in the park?\n\nBut how will people hear your instructions and how do you charge admission when meeting out doors?\n\nSilent Disco will allow you to meet silently in the park while being socially distanced. (And no more need to get permission from the park to use a PA or Loudspeakers. )\n\nYou can charge admission per headphone, and be fully battery powered. (No electrical outlet needed!)\n\nAs an additional benefit, you will gain new students because random visitors to the park will see you teaching and want to sign on!\n\nSome will join you right away, while others will take your flyer with your schedule and contact info in order to catch you next time. (Note to self: Remember to bring fliers)\n\nWe’ll show you how it works below. Use our click-able table of contents for your reading convenience:\n\nIt’s Easy! We supply all you need!\n\nWe supply the wireless silent-disco headphones (fully disinfected) and the battery powered portable transmitters through our rental program.\n\nWe also supply a lapel mic that plugs into our portable transmitters so your class can hear you.\n\nYou supply your music using your cell phone, which connects to our transmitter via BlueTooth.\n\nThese transmitters are perfect for leading socially distanced yoga classes outdoors.\n\nSilent disco? Why silent disco headphones instead of regular ones.\n\nYou connect your voice and music to our transmitter, which in turn, broadcasts to the wireless headphones worn by your students.\n\nSilent disco headphones have a 300 meter range (328 yards) which allows your class to spread out more – social distance style!\n\nThey’re perfect for kickin’ some corona butt in the year of the pandemic!\n\nBluetooth headphones with their wimpy range of about 30 feet won’t work for this gig!\n\nYour voice will reach your student’s ears directly through the headphones via the lapel mic connected to the transmitter we send. Your music is coming through the headphones too, and you can adjust the volume of each independently.\n\nThe headphones give you an easy way to charge admission when you are outdoors. Only those who pay admission will receive the headphones.\n\nIf you were simply using a PA or loudspeakers for your session, anybody could join in and they would not have to pay. With the headphones, you simply charge per headphone.\n\nBoom! Who’s a money magnet? You are!\n\nHeadphones allow better focus and volume control!\n\nOur over-the-ear headphones help your yoga class to focus because they block out ambient noises from crowds and traffic. No more distractions!\n\nEach headphone has its own volume control, so your participants can adjust it to their own listening comfort.\n\nPlot Twist! The headphones allow you to have multiple classes simultaneously in the same space!\n\n\nThese headphones are the three channel type with a channel switch for the user. This feature would only be used if you decide to have multiple classes being taught at the same time.\n\nCan you imagine three different levels of yoga taught to an open-invitation outdoor audience? No more worrying about the advanced students being bored while the beginning students are being overwhelmed.\n\nThe teacher on channel one could be teaching at a beginner level, -channel two intermediate, and channel three would be advanced level.\n\nEach teacher would have their own transmitter. (Each transmitter represents a channel) You could have up to three teachers or three classes being taught simultaneously in the same space.\n\nYour participants would decide which teacher they want to follow with a flick of the channel switch.\n\nWhen teaching only one class at a time, all students would stay on the same channel.\n\nWait! Are these Silent Disco Headphones fully disinfected and Covid 19 safe??\n\nYes. They’re disinfected AF!\n\nWe fully disinfect the headphones between each rental using products certified by the EPA as able to kill coronaviruses including Covid 19.\n\nShipping time also kills coronaviruses and it takes time for them to be shipped from our place to yours. Recent studies show that the viruses die off after 3-5 days from a hard surface and less than one day from a porous surface.\n\nDepending on how far away from us you live, the shipping time alone will kill any coronavirus particles. We have your safety as #1!\n\nYou might want to have disinfectant wipes available on your end for your students, but we take care of the headphones.\n\nWhat makes it all work? The magic of the portable silent disco transmitter\n\nOur Silent Disco Transmitter is Wireless, battery powered, offers bluetooth connectivity and a lapel mic.\nThis portable silent disco transmitter works great for classes where the instructor needs to move around while using a microphone.\n\nYou can use an audio cable or Bluetooth to connect your music to the transmitter.\n\nYou probably don’t want to carry your phone around while teaching yoga. So instead of using the audio cable, we recommend using Bluetooth connectivity for your music.\n\nWith Bluetooth, you are not tied to your phone. But if you want to carry your phone around, you do have the option of using an audio-cable for your connection.\n\nThey hear you better! How the mic works.\n\nAs shown in the image above, the microphone is a wired lapel mic. The transmitter is a belt-pack. (It has a belt clip so you can wear it on your belt or fasten it to your pocket or waistline)\n\nThe transmitter has a mute button for the mic as well as a separate volume knob for the mic.\n\nWhen you are not talking, you just tap the mute button to cut out any ambient noise. Then tap again when you need to be heard.\n\nYou would control your music volume using your phone.\n\nReady to get started? Prices and how to rent our headphones\n\nThe cost to rent our silent disco systems varies with the quantity of headphones you need. You can rent any exact quantity, but here is our price list for round numbers of headphones.\n\nSteps to rent our silent disco headphone systems are right here.\n\nIf you already know what to do, just tell me how many headphones you need and I’ll get your order started!\n\nHow much fun is silent disco?\n\n“For your ears only!”\n\nCheck out how much fun they are having at this backyard party!\n\nIt works great in a backyard party and it is quiet enough that the cops won’t be called to come and break it up.\n\nHow much fun are these people having?\n\nIf that wasn’t enough, check this out!\n\nFlorida State University partying hard with Silent-Disco-Rental!\n\nWith Silent disco, you don’t have to crowd around the DJ loudspeakers. Instead, the music is in your headphones and stays the same volume no matter how close or far away you are from the DJ!\n\nSilent Disco Rental: For your ears only!\n\nHow to set-up & DJ your own Silent Disco\n\nIt’s so easy, my dog could do it! (Well, actually, it does require opposable thumbs.)\n\nBelow is a visual guide starring my dog, “Pascal,” to show you how!\n\n(It is in the “story” style, so you click on the image to get it to advance or click on the left of the image to get it to play the previous slide(s). )\n\nSteps to set-up, plug-in and DJ your own Silent Disco Dance Party.\n\nRead on to learn how to plug in your phone, tablet, or laptop into the transmitters that we include when your rent our headphones. Doing so allows you to DJ your own silent disco dance party with your own playlists.\n\n#1) When your rentals arrive, do a sound check first thing.\n\nYour rentals will arrive two days before your party, open the box(s) and locate the transmitter cases so you can do a sound check long before your event.\n\n#2) Open up the transmitter cases and plug them into an electrical outlet.\n\nThey will turn on and already be on the correct channel. No need to adjust anything.\n\n#3) Next, plug the supplied aux cord into the “Audio in” jack on the transmitter and the other end into the “Headphone” jack on your device.\n\n\n#4) Or, use Bluetooth to connect/pair the transmitter with your device.\n\nUse the Bluetooth if you don’t have a “headphone” jack on your device or if you need to have a wireless connection between the transmitter and your device -especially helpful if it is your cell phone.\n\n#5) Repeat this with each of the three transmitters we supply. You will need any combination of three devices; one for each transmitter.\n\n#6) Queue up your favorite playlist, grab a pair of headphones, turn them on and start your dance party!\n\nIf you are using a streaming account, remember that you will need three different accounts unless you have the family plan. You will use one account for each device.\n\nIf you do have the family plan, it allows you to use multiple devices on the same account simultaneously.\n\nWe like Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music and Pandora best.\n\nAre you ready to rent headphones for your party?\n\nThere is still hope for love!\n\nWhat if she is still interested? How can you know?\n\nWe are the LOVE Doctors and we are here to help!\n\nYour best chance to impress her is to host a silent disco at your place!\n\n\nWe send all the silent disco equipment you need.\n\nAll you have to do is invite her over!\n\nIf music be the food of love, play on! `Shakespear’s Twelfth Night\n\nTrue love at last!\n\nLove at first sight!\n\nIt’s your choice… Are you in or out?\n\nYour destiny awaits you!\n\nNow is the time to bring true love into your life.\n\nAll you have to do is invite her to your party:\n\nBut first, you need to rent our silent disco headphones here.\n\nThis is what she’ll say:\n\n“These sound fantastic! They are sooo much better than the headphones at the last Silent Disco party we attended!”\n\nBut even if you don’t invite her and she doesn’t come to the party, here is something else that what might happen:\n\nYou invite you closest friends, your co-workers and family and none of them want to leave because they are having the time of their lives! They just can’t stop dancing, laughing and singing!\n\nThe next day, your boss gives you a raise, and that special (completely unexpected) someone that you met at the party asks you for a date!\n\nYou knocked it out of the park! And it all started because you rented the best silent disco equipment available!\n\nThe best part about it was that you didn’t have to worry about how easy it was to set up.\n\nThat’s because you just plugged it in and you were ready to go!\n\nBut even to have the second scenario happen, – You need to rent our silent disco headphones first.\n\nWhy Silent Disco Headphones are the Party Solution of Choice for the Special-Needs Community\n\nWhy do people who work with autism spectrum disorder call silent disco the ultimate party solution?\n\nEvery year, we do a silent disco party for the American Special Hockey Association (ASHA) which supports over 90 special hockey teams across the United States.\n\nHundreds of people from all walks of life attend; the players, family members, friends and coaches.\n\nEvery year we marvel at how silent disco brings such a diverse group together, and it does so in a way that a DJ or band with traditional loudspeakers never could.\n\nOften people who have not experienced the wonders of silent disco headphones assume that headphones isolate dancers from each other. They do the opposite with any audience.\n\nThe headphone aspect of silent discos actually make the events more social.\n\nWith the special-needs community, the headphones bring people together in an extra dramatic fashion that simply cannot be beat by any other form of entertainment!\n\nHow do the headphones create this magic of togetherness and celebration?\n\nIn this post, we take a closer look at how the unique attributes of a headphone party are tailor-made for this demographic.\n\nSilent disco headphones are perfect for the special needs community and for guests on the autism spectrum.\nSilent Disco headphones are their entertainment medium of choice for end of season parties.\n\nWe will start be saying that our headphones are thoroughly disinfected between rentals.\n\nIn the age of Covid-19, we use EPA approved disinfectant products and techniques to keep all of our guests safe.\n\nAnd now, back to headphone benefits:\n\nHeadphones accommodate for hearing sensitivities that can be found in autistic guests and others.\n\nIn the special needs community, hearing sensitivity is common. They may love the music but feel uncomfortable with the volume levels found at a large party.\n\nIf one group wants the music loud and another group doesn’t, it is difficult to party together.\n\nWith silent disco, everyone wears headphones in order to hear the music.\n\nEach of the headphones have their own volume wheel that each user can adjust at will.\n\nThanks to the volume adjustment, people that want the music loud can dance right next to the people that want the music soft. Everyone has their own volume.\n\nThe headphones also keep the volume constant. They block out the sudden and uncomfortable volume changes that come from celebrating crowds at parties.\n\nAll of the guests at a silent disco are more comfortable and relaxed because any hearing sensitivities are soothed by the individual volume controls on each of the headphones.\n\nThe end result is that the headphones allow everyone to participate more comfortably with their own customized volume level.\n\nThe headphones help ADHD sufferers to focus by blocking out external audio distractions.\n\nAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are common in the special needs community and the headphones help these guests to maintain their focus.\n\nSilent disco headphones block out distracting noises, keep the music in the forefront and the volume constant.\n\nThis helps to keep everybody together and focused on the same celebration. Without the headphones, some of the participants would get distracted and not be able have as much fun together.\n\nAgain, the headphones allow everyone to participate and to be together in ways that would simply not happen with loud music blasting from traditional loudspeakers.\n\nUltra adjustable headbands on our fully disinfected headphones accommodate all head sizes.\n\nHeads come in all shapes and sizes in any group, but this can be extra important with this demographic and broad age range.\n\nSilent disco headphones are highly adjustable so they fit just right and won’t fall off during dancing.\n\nIn every party, we get some dancers that really get into the music. This is especially true with our special-needs guests. Some of them have dance moves that just won’t quit!\n\nEven if the headphones stay on with extra vigorous dancing, if they are too tight, that is just as bad.\n\nThe ear pads are very soft and comfortable so they don’t feel too tight even after an extended amount of wearing time.\n\nThe importance of everyone feeling included cannot be overstated. It is the headphones make it happen.\n\nThe ability to switch channels enhances the feeling of control for the autistic guest.\n\nWe use three-channel versions of the headphones which allow party guests to choose between three different songs at any giving time.\n\nEveryone likes to have a sense of control over their environment and the special-needs community is no exception.\n\nSo they not only have the ability to control their volume, but they also have the ability to control which song they are listening to with just the flick of a switch on the headphones.\n\nThis control over what is happening inside their headphones makes the guests more comfortable, more confident, and in turn, more able to party together with the whole group.\n\nThe headphones give the feeling of inclusiveness and individual comfort at the same time.\n\nIn other words, the headphone wearing party guest has the best of both worlds.\n\nAs an individual, the headphones make them feel safe and in control of their environment.\n\nAs a member of the group, the headphones help them to feel more included and therefore, able to participate more fully within the group.\n\nIn summary, how do the headphones create this magic of togetherness and celebration for the special-needs community?\n\nEvery guest feels more comfortable, more in control and more included. From there it is is so much easier for them to celebrate and have fun together.\n\nReady to rent our fully disinfected silent disco headphones for your next event?\n\nSee our prices here.\n\nSee our rental process here.\n\nSacramento Comedy Club gets them Laughing Outdoors using disinfected silent disco headphones\n\nDuring Covid-19 restrictions, Laughs Unlimited Comedy Club is killing it with outdoor shows by using silent disco headphones to deliver social distanced hilarity!\n\nLaughs Unlimited Comedy Club is in the news using our headphones. The August 2020 news article is titled: Laughs Unlimited Celebrates 40 Years and Pivots to Entertain Under Covid-19\n\n“The headphones provide a surround sound experience that creates the close intimacy of laughter in the group setting of a comedy show without the concerns of the general public hearing jokes they didn’t sign up for.”\n\nSacramento KFBK news\n\nThey call it “Inside Jokes – Outside Laughs.” Below is how it works:\n\nOutdoor audiences find it easier to focus on the comedian and they can hear the jokes better.\n\nThe club started with 40 silent disco headphones with guests at tables on the sidewalk.\n\nThe show worked so well, that they went to 80 headphones in one week.\n\nThe city liked the silent comedy so well that they closed the street and invited the club to use the whole street!\n\nThe club charges admission on a per-headphone basis. Only the people wearing the headphones can hear the comedy.\n\nThe comedians are saying that the outdoor-silent-headphone-comedy works even better than comedy indoors because the headphones help audiences to pay attention.\n\nThe guests are less self-conscious and more focused while wearing the headphones and are therefore laughing harder.\n\nThey tell me that the audio going directly into their ears allows them to hear the jokes better, – even while they are laughing. This allows the comedians to build the jokes on top of each other faster and more effectively.\n\nMore laughter means more fun for both audiences and comedians!\n\nAn added benefit is for the guests that ‘don’t get it’ and then fall behind, -you know, -the ones who ask their friends for clarification and then miss the next joke? With the addition of the headphones, they don’t interrupt their friends as much and so both they and their friends are missing fewer jokes and laughing more often.\n\nWhen guests do want to talk to each other, they simply remove the headphones, but because that takes effort, they do it less during the show. And if they do, it never disturbs the other guests.\n\nHere is a YouTube interview showing the how well headphone comedy works for Laughs Unlimited.\n\nComedy outdoors using Silent Disco Headphones\n\nThe headphones eliminate all audio distractions.\n\nThe comedians love the headphones so much, they are actually contemplating continuing the use of the headphones indoors.\n\nThe neighbors love it because there are no loudspeakers. The only amplification is inside the headphones, so it makes a much more quieter gathering.\n\nThe headphones have a range of 300 meters, so there is plenty of social distancing available.\n\nBecause of the extended range of the headphones, there is plenty of room for audience growth as well.\n\nIf you would like to learn more about how Laughs Unlimited is using silent disco headphones to enhance their comedic programs, you can find them at\n\nNeed to accommodate larger audiences? How about adding a Big Screen or Jumbotron?\n\nInflatable flat screen creates a portable drive in theater while disinfected silent disco headphones provide the audio\nProject your comedian’s image on the inflatable flat screen to transform your outdoors into a drive-in theater.\n\n~Replace the drive-in movie with your live comedy show projected on the screen.\n\nThe screens are inflatable now which makes them extra portable!\n\nFor your sound system, use fully-disinfected-Covid-19-safe silent disco headphones. Comedy show admission is charged ‘by-the-headphone.’\n\nWe also have microphones and stage lighting available.\n\nAnd of course, If you would like to increase your comedy business during Covid-19, We at are here for you.\n\nLearn the steps to renting our disinfected silent disco headphones here.\n\nA Social Distancing Block Party Using Disinfected Silent Disco Headphones\n\nTrying to figure out a way to have a dance party while maintaining social distance guidelines? We have an answer.\n\nThe following photos show an entire apartment building enjoying a Silent Party with carefully disinfected wireless headphones while maintaining safe social distancing. After the photos, We will show you how you can do it too!\n\nSocial distanced neighbors enjoying a silent disco during covid 19\nA Social Distancing Dance Party\n\nWalls and ceilings don’t stop our wireless headphone technology which means you don’t have to be in the same apartment to still be in on the party!\n\nCovid 19 silent headphones dance party with social distancing\nApartments all across the building can safely join in the dancing!\n\nWe thoroughly disinfect the headphones between each rental, so you don’t have to worry.\n\nJoining in on the covid 19 social distancing silent headphone party.\nEven if you party inside, the wireless music is not affected by windows, walls or ceilings.\n\nEach lit up headphone is another person safely enjoying the social distanced silent party. This could be the coolest event of all Covid 19.\n\nSocial Distancing Block party made possible by silent disco headphones\nEach of those spots of light are someone enjoying the silent disco party from the social distanced safety of their own homes.\nJust a quick note about how we disinfect the headphones and then we will go through the steps of how you can plan a party like this for your own neighborhood.\n\nWe disinfect and clean the headphones before you rent them.\n\nWe only use wipes that are ETA approved for Coronaviruses and Covid-19.\n\nRemember that the virus can only survive up to 2 or 3 days on hard surfaces, (and 24 hours on soft surfaces like cardboard) so as an additional safety measure, we box up your rentals 3 days before we ship them.\n\nSo even if our disinfectant team misses a strand of Coranavirus RNA somewhere, the 3 or more days in the shipping box will assure that our headphones are virus-free and safe for you to handle.\n\nsnow man with a mask\nEven our mask wearing snow-person is keeping your safety in mind!\n\nSteps to planning your own silent social distancing party.\n\n • 1) Map out which apartments or homes are within a 300 meter/328 yard radius or three football fields of your location. (Our transmitters will send the audio to a radius of 300 to 500 meters, but let’s err on the safe side. )\n • 2) Create a flyer with the time and date of the party asking them to RSVP with the number of headphones they need and their contact info. (If there is a fee for your party, include your Venmo or PayPal payment info. Include your email for them to RSVP to.)\n • 3) Leave the flyer note on their doors.\n • 4) Once they RSVP, contact me with the number of headphones you need to rent.\n • 5) Start creating your playlists. (This is assuming that you are the one supplying the music with phone/laptops/tablets etc)\n • 6) When your rentals arrive two days before your event, do a full soundcheck.\n • 7) The day of your event, use a separate bag for each apartment to deliver the headphones while maintaining safe social distancing. (Participants will put them back in that same bag for you to collect them again after the party.)\n • 8) Have an amazing time dancing the night away!\n • 9) Box up the headphones and use our pre-paid label to get free shipping back to us.\n • 10) Enjoy your new-found ‘Hero’ status as you humbly acknowledge all of the Thank-You’s from your neighbors saying what a fantastic time they all had!\n\nReady to rent?\n\n\nCheck for price & inventory"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581890,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Critic’s Corner: Stranger Things 2 Is an ‘Eleven’ Out of Ten\n\n\n\nNine episodes of “Stranger Things 2” were released on Netflix on Oct. 27, just in time to relish the eerie special effects used to illustrate the alternate world of the upside-down for “Halloweekend” binge-watching.\n\n\nThe second season of “Stranger Things” picks up where the first season left off. The common notion that sequels never live up to the original does not apply to this series.“Stranger Things 2” continues to elevate its storyline by including just as many spine chilling scenes as the last and its complex storyline remains unpredictable.\n\nThis season, the characters are confronted with issues that are relevant beyond the 1980s setting of the show. For example, one of the new characters this season, Max Mayfield, experiences emotional and physical abuse within her family. The audience watches the different impacts abuse has in her life and the way she tries to cope with her pain.\n\nWill Byers, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair and Dustin Henderson are again exposed to ridicule, threats and physical abuse from school bullies. Their strange interests and association with the unexplainable events that occurred the year before label them as outcasts.\n\nWill discovers a newspaper clipping in his locker with his eyes crossed out and the words “Zombie Boy” written below his picture. Paranoid and upset, Will tries to overcome his emotions on his own through drawing his version of “Zombie Boy.” Upon discovering Will’s drawing, Will’s brother Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) provides emotional support and understanding for Will by reassuring him that being called “Zombie Boy” is good because it makes him different.\n\n“Nobody normal ever accomplished anything meaningful in their world,” Johnathan said to Will.\n\nThroughout the season, each character searches for a sense of belonging and a place to call home. Embarking on a journey to find her home, Eleven reunites with her mother Terry Ives along the way. To her disappointment, she discovers that her longing for a home is not with her biological mother, which sends her further away from her home. She attempts to leave her past behind by traveling across the state, but she realizes that she needed to leave behind the pain and revenge she was holding onto to recognize the joy in her life and where her home lies.\n\nPaying tribute to Barbara Holland’s death in season one, Barbara’s parents, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan and Steve Harrington navigate the different stages of grief. Unconvinced that their missing daughter is dead, Barbara’s parents open an investigation to discover Barbara’s whereabouts, which forces Nancy to acknowledge her repressed feelings towards Barbara’s death and try to reconcile the situation.\n\n“Stranger Things 2” also builds upon the powerful strength of the female leads that were introduced in the first season. Joyce and Eleven were the main beacons of strength in season one, exemplified by Joyce’s persistence in the pursuit of her son and Eleven’s choice to put the needs of others before the needs of herself.\n\nThis season, The Duffer Brothers wrote Nancy as a more courageous and bold character. She opposes standards in her life that she had previously reluctantly abided by. She fights against the injustices done by the Hawkins scientists and the expectations generated by the high school hierarchy.\n\nMax is another powerful female lead. Max is a praiseworthy character because of her rebellious and individualistic personality. She breaks gender norms in the 1980s by skate boarding through the halls of Hawkins Middle, playing and dominating the leaderboard in arcade games and dressing up on Halloween as Michael Myers from “Halloween.”\n\n“Stranger Things 2” leaves room for a third installment in the series, as the final scene sparks many unanswered questions for the viewer. The last moments of the series quickly juxtaposed a safe and warm moment with a startling reminder of the menacing world that still exists.\n\nThe nostalgic feeling of “Stranger Things” along with the intricate and emotionally raw storyline keeps audiences engaged and wanting more. Optimistic that the Duffer Brothers will continue in their two-season success, it will be thrilling to see what other horrors and character developments “Stranger Things” has in store.\n\nHunter may be reached at\n[email protected]"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581891,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"VoxEU Column\n\nSovereign money: A challenge for science\n\nThere has been an intense academic and policy debate on what monetary architecture is the most appropriate recently, but many issues are still unresolved. This column looks at the circumstances under which the current system and the sovereign money system yield the same outcomes, the core arguments in favour of the current system, and what advantages a sovereign money architecture might offer.\n\nThe Chicago proposal, the Global Crisis, and in particular the recent vote on the sovereign money initiative in Switzerland have brought up a central question to the public.1 Is the current monetary architecture the best possible one or might other structures yield better results with respect to price stability, the stability of the financial system, or the level of GDP?\n\nThough the Swiss initiative was clearly dismissed, the central questions remain unanswered, and thus require a comprehensive analysis by researchers. There exists an important literature on that subject (e.g. Bacchetta 2018, Benes and Kumhof 2012, Birchler and Rochet 2017), but various key issues are still unresolved.\n\nThe current system in a nutshell\n\nTo outline the main issues, it is important to recall that the current monetary architecture is built on four pillars (e.g. Faure and Gersbach 2016). \n\n • The creation of money is organised hierarchically. The central bank issues banknotes and coins (physical central bank money) which serve as legal tender.\n • Commercial banks have the right to issue deposits when they grant loans or purchase assets. Deposits themselves are claims on banknotes.\n • Commercial banks face a set of rules such as capital requirements or deposit insurance schemes. However, they are not (or only to a small extent) required to hold central bank money as reserves for their deposits.\n • Interbank liabilities – for example, created through the millions of payments in the economy – are usually settled with reserves (electronic central bank money). Only commercial banks have access to reserves.\n\nA sovereign money architecture\n\nGiven the four pillars that define the prevailing monetary architecture, a sovereign money architecture would demand that banks can only issue claims on banknotes if they have acquired the same amount of central bank money before, most likely in electronic form. This requirement can be stipulated as a 100% reserve requirement or as a direct requirement to first borrow central bank money before lending can take place. The central bank would lend central bank money to commercial banks through short-term or longer-term loans or through more sophisticated arrangements such as repo contracts. The central bank can allocate central bank money based on quantity restrictions, or it can set interest rates connected with collateral requirements to borrow central bank money. The central bank could also inject central bank money into the economy through financial markets, which could then be deposited at commercial banks and used for lending to firms or for buying securities. \n\nHence, the scientific question is how does such a system perform and, in particular, how does it perform in comparison with the current architecture? The following three issues are thereby of particular importance. \n\nThree core issues\n\nIssue 1: Under what circumstances do the two systems (current system and sovereign money system) yield the same outcomes? \n\nThis question might be surprising, but it is fundamental. We can only comprehend the differences between these two systems if we understand the simplest setup in which both perform equally well. A first answer has been given in my earlier work (Faure and Gersbach 2016) in a simple framework with coexisting bank and bond financing. \n\nEquivalence proposition\n\nIf prices are flexible and there are no bank defaults and no financial frictions, and if the central bank only uses interest rate policy in both architectures, both systems yield the same outcomes.\n\nThere is a simple intuition for this result. If the central bank only uses the interest rate as a policy instrument, it does not matter whether a bank creates loans and deposits and later refinances its interbank liabilities – created in the payment process – at the central bank, or directly borrows central bank money in a sovereign money architecture and lends this money to the private sector. \n\nIssue 2: What are the core arguments for why the current system is strictly better than a sovereign money architecture?\n\nImmediate arguments can answer this question. For instance, it seems obvious that a sovereign money architecture requires much more (and too much) information from the central bank – acting like a central planner for money creation. Moreover, it may prevent banks from acting when they are offered attractive lending opportunities but lack central bank money. Hence, the elasticity of bank lending in the real economy tends to be higher in the current system than in the sovereign money architecture. A thorough scientific analysis of these potential advantages is an important endeavour for a clear assessment of the potential merits of the current monetary architecture. \n\nIssue 3: Are there particular advantages of a sovereign money architecture in comparison with the current architecture?\n\nThe two most obvious potential advantages are greater financial stability, in particular the avoidance of bank runs by retail depositors, and higher seigniorage revenues for the government. Whether bank runs are avoided in a sovereign money architecture depends on whether deposits, as claims on central bank money, are kept on the balance sheet of commercial banks (Faure and Gersbach 2018). If deposits remain off the balance sheets, or are even kept as accounts at the central bank and guaranteed by it, runs are avoided. However, even if runs by retail customers on commercial banks are avoided, we may simply end up with runs from institutional investors, since commercial banks may end up financing themselves from these sources. Again, a clear understanding of financial stability concerns in a sovereign money architecture and an assessment which regulatory tools are adequate to deal with them would be highly welcome. The same applies for the potential to generate higher contributions from money creation to government revenues. Striking an appropriate balance between building up reserves at the central bank and distributing money to the government also remains relevant for a sovereign money architecture. \n\n\nThe Chicago proposal, the Global Crisis, and the Swiss sovereign money initiative have challenged policymakers to examine alternative monetary architectures. These events have challenged economists to at least the same extent. \n\n\nBacchetta, P (2018), “The sovereign money initiative in Switzerland: An economic assessment”, Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics 154(3):1-16.\n\nBenes, J. and M Kumhof (2012), “The Chicago plan revisited”, IMF working paper 12/202. \n\nBirchler, U and J-C Rochet (2017), “Die Vollgeld-Initiative – ein Leitfaden für jedermann”, Institut für Banking und Finance, University of Zurich.\n\nFaure, S and H Gersbach (2016), “On the money creation approach to banking”, CEPR Discussion Paper 11368.\n\nFaure, S and H Gersbach (2018), “Money creation in different architectures”, CEPR Discussion Paper 13156.\n\nGersbach, H (2018), “Vollgeld – Eine Herausforderung für die Wissenschaft”, ifo Schnelldienst 71(16): 15-16.\n\n\n[1] For a discussion of the key issues of sovereign money, see Gersbach (2018, German only)\n\n1,260 Reads"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581892,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"1. A pass in a recognized Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the relevant field and obtained at least 50% (45% in the case of candidates belonging to reserved category) in the qualifying degree examination.\n\n • B.E / B.Tech Degree Programme (or)\n • Master’s Degree in the relevant branch of Science / Arts, which are prescribed (or)\n • M.Sc.  (5 Years) Integrated Degree Programme\n • B.Sc.   (3 Years) ( Computer Science / Information Technology) and M.Sc 2 Years (Computer Science / Information Technology) (or)\n • MCA   (2 Years) after 10+2+3 Years Bachelor’s Degree (or)\n • MCA   (Lateral Entry) / (2 Years) after 10+2+3 Years Degree in BCA or B.Sc (Information Technology / Computer Science)\n\n2. 10+2+AMIE**     (or)    10+3 years Diploma * +AMIE**\n\n*Awarded by the State Board of Technical Education\n\n**Candidates with section ’A’ & ‘B’ certificates and other similar certificates issued by professional bodies or societies (e.g. A.M.I.E) recognized by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India and enrolled with institutions with permanent recognition upto 31.5.2013 are eligible to be considered equivalent to B.E. / B.Tech Degree holders, only with 2 years regular full time Teaching / Industrial experience in the relevant field after successful completion of the course including project work. An experience certificate is to be produced by the candidates.\n\n3. In case of B.E / B.Tech / MCA / Diploma courses, in addition to regular mode of study, Lateral Entry and Part time modes are also considered to be eligible.\n4. Candidates admitted through Lateral Entry in degree courses are not eligible except, B.E / B.Tech.\n5. Candidates with B.E/B.Tech degrees obtained through Distance Mode / Week end courses are not eligible.\n6. Candidates with degree obtained without studying 10th, 12th Std. or 3 years degree programme are not eligible.\n7. The qualifying UG Degree awarded by Universities should conform to the minimum standards of instruction for Grant of the First Degree through Formal / Non-Formal / Distance (Wherever applicable) Education prescribed by UGC.\n\nSl No. P.G Programmes Eligible Qualifications\n1. M.E-Manufacturing Engineering B.E / B.Tech\n1. Production Engg/Tech.\n2. Automobile Engg.\n3. Mechanical Engg.\n4. Industrial Engg.\n5. Metallurgy\n6. Manufacturing Engg./Tech\n7. Mechatronics\n8. Material Science and Engg.\n9. Rubber and Plastics Tech.\n10.Polymer Engg/Tech.\n11.Mechanical and Automation Engg\n12.Robotics & Automation\n13.Metallurgical Engineering\n2. M.E-Power Electronics and Drives B.E/B.Tech\n1. Electrical and Electronics Engg.\n2. Electrical Engineering\n3. M.E-Communication\n1. Electronics and Communication Engg.\n2. Electronics Engg.\n4. M.E-Computer Science and Engineering B.E / B.Tech\n1. Electronics and Communication Engg.\n2. Information Technology\n3. Computer Science and Engg.\n4. Software Engineering.\n5. Computer and Communication Engg.\n5. M.E-Aeronautical Engineering B.E / B.Tech\n1. Aeronautical Engineering\n2. Mechanical Engg. / Mechanical Engg. (Sandwich)\n3. Aerospace Technology\n4. Civil Engineering\n5. Mechatronics / Mechatronics Engg.\n6. Mechanical and Automation Engg.\n7. Robotics and Automation\n\nMake an Enquiry for Admission 2022\n\nCome and Join With Us"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581893,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"VIN# Number Code Sticker Label Decal for Mercedes G-Class EU version\n\nRegular price €75.00\n\nTax included.\n\n\nPlease provide the following information when ordering EU version:\n\n1. Vehicle identification plate\n2. Vehicle manufacturer\n3. EU type approval number\n4. Vehicle identification number (VIN)\n5. Maximum permissible gross vehicle weight\n6. Permissible towing weight\n7. Maximum permissible front axle load\n8. Maximum permissible rear axle load\n9. Paint code\n\n\n\nHandling time: 1-3 days\n\n\nPerfect for original car decoration;\nMake your car more special and eye-catching;\nDecorate your car with these personalized stickers;\n\nPackage list: 1 pcs.\n\nSuitable for use with EU G-Class versions.\n\nPlace for door jamb label\nThe Safety Compliance Certification Label, or door jamb label, is located on the driver's side doorjamb (door latch post pillar).\n\n We are here to make your life easier- RESTARTCAR"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581894,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Object name: Opium-Pipe\nDate: 1800-1850\n85 x 510 mm\nMedium: Brass\nObject number: C02112\nDescriptionOpium pipe inscribed with four Chinese characters at the top.\n\nThe Cuming family, who created the Cuming museum collection in the 18th and 19th centuries, collected objects from all around the world, including China. Like many collectors of their day, their attitudes and interests were shaped by their world.\n\nIt was a world of creation and inventiveness but also invasion, seisure and obliteration. The rise of new empires, especially the British Empire, reshaped the rest of the world, often by force. This force could be applied through war but also through less obvious means such as exerting influence, appropriating cultures or demanding and enforcing trading agreements to serve British interests.\n\nThe opium pipes in the Cuming collection represent part of Richard and Henry's interest in collecting the same kinds of objects across different cultures, countries and communities. Henry Syer Cuming writes of the interest he has in collecting objects which show the \"progress of cultures and nations towards civilsation\". He meant Western civilisation and he was not alone in seeing this as a goal. It was a common attitude in the 19th century and arguably remains today.\n\nThe objects he collected about China include a lot of footwear for bound feet and opium related items. Probably as a result of Western countries' wish to profit from China, stereotypes were fostered depicting Chinese people in unsavoury ways, particularly as opium addicts. All without really mentioning Britain's part in creating, controlling and expanding the global opium drug trade by brutally enforcing their trading demands on China and China's resistance."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581895,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Django Unchained (2012)\n\nDjango Unchained (2012) – There is a musician that performs under the name Girl Talk. What he does is creates new songs composed entirely of samples of other songs. Yet what he creates manages to be something new. Quentin Tarantino is one hundred percent the cinematic version of that and, as Entourage pointed out, “Tarantino only steals from the best.” The 1966 spaghetti western Django is a violent little gem beloved by a fans of the genre (and hey, I just reviewed it!) that spawned over thirty unofficial sequels. These “sequels” basically have nothing in common except there are all spaghetti westerns about or in some way relating to a dude named Django. One of the more recent ones was a bizarre Japanese flick by Takashi Miike called Sukiyaki Western Django (hey, I just reviewed it!) that also featured the participation (as an actor) of one Mr. Quentin Tarantino. Now it fits that if Quentin is going to finally make an all-out spaghetti western (Kill Bill and Inglourious Basterds already had a lot of elements of the genre) then why not name the hero Django? That’s just how QT works.\n\nThe film begins the same way Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 film did: with a trek across the desert set to the soaring sounds of Luis Bacalov’s theme song (unsurprisingly called “Django”). Instead off a lone man dragging a coffin, we get the Speck brothers (James Russo and James Remar) on horseback leading a group of chained-up slaves. They run across a traveling dentist named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) who is looking to procure one particular slave from the Speck… Django (Jamie Foxx). After some *ahem* “negotiation,” Schultz and Django set out to find the Brittle brothers (M.C. Gainey, Doc Duhame, Cooper Huckabee). You see Schultz is a bounty hunter and while he despises slavery, he needs Django because Django can identify the Brittles. Django is only too eager to bring the Brittles to violent justice since they whipped, abused, and branded Django and his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). They track them to the plantation of Big Daddy (Don Johnson, playing even more racist than he did in Machete) and after that Schultz decides to train Django to become a bounty hunter, and to help him get his wife back from deranged Francophile plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Of course Candie has a house slave named Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson looking like a live action version of Grandad from The Boondocks) who knows that Schultz and Django are up to something…\n\nOkay, I want to get to my one big problem with this movie: the iconic coffin from the Corbucci film and its deadly contents aren’t in it! Not that the movie particularly suffers from this omission, I just see the title Django Unchained and I want to see that coffin dammit! Okay, film geek bitching aside, this movie is a whole lot of fun. You got to be prepared for graphic violence (obviously), not all of which is the fun over-the-top spaghetti western kind. Some of it a brutal reminder of the darkest chapter of American history. Mostly, however, the movie isn’t interesting in dwelling on the grim. Also be prepared to hear a certain racial slur. A LOT. Spike Lee heavily criticized Tarantino’s use of that word in Pulp Fiction… his head would explode if he ever watched this one. (He won’t, though.) There is a lot of funny stuff in this movie, particularly in a scene with Johnson, Jonah Hill, and some very confused proto-Klansmen. The cast all-around is pretty great. Foxx is the best kind of tough and taciturn western antihero. Waltz, on the other hand, is phenomenal and is getting the most out of Tarantino’s wonderful dialogue as a garrulous fellow who can and does talk his way out of almost everything. DiCaprio delves into the repellent role of Calvin Candie enthusiastically and gives the movie the villain it needs. Jackson also takes a role that could be problematic in a lesser actor’s hands (and in a lesser writer’s too) and turns it into a part you just can’t take your eyes off of. Also, with comparatively little screen time, Kerry Washington sells you on Broomhilda being worth risking everything for. Tarantino himself has a small part, doing an abominable Australian accent. Some people would say this detracts from the movie, but QT has never been about verisimilitude. Like all QT movies, Django Unchained screams “THIS IS A MOVIE” from start to finish, and is better for it. Spotting the director cameo is just part of the fun. Previous Tarantino actors Michael Parks, James Parks, Michael Bowen, Zoë Bell, and Tom Savini all pop up as well as character actors like Walton Goggins, Robert Carradine, Tom Wopat, Bruce Dern, and FRANCO FUCKING NERO, the original Django! I feel like at this point everyone knows what to expect from a Quentin Tarantino movie. He’s put his own spins on gangster movies, the French New Wave, Blaxploitation, kung fu flicks, slasher movies and car flicks (in the same movie!), and World War II “men on a mission” flicks. I think anyone familiar with his body of work will know exactly what to expect and love it.\n\nLeave a Reply\n\n\nYou are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )\n\nTwitter picture\n\n\nFacebook photo\n\n\nConnecting to %s\n\n%d bloggers like this:"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581896,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Author`s name Dmitry Sudakov\n\nCommunists demolished Cathedral of Christ the Savior raised by public subscription\n\nIn July 1931, the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union made a decision to demolish the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.\n\nThe whole Russia shared in the construction of the cathedral – it was financed from the state coffers while part of the money was raised by public subscription. The cathedral was meant to be erected as a monument to mark Russia’s victory in the Great Patriotic War against Napoleonic France in 1812. The manifesto issued by the Russian Emperor Alexander I read: “May this cathedral stand for many centuries. May the censer of gratitude smoke beside the holy altar of our Savior so that the next generations will hold in deepest respect the deeds of their forebears.”\n\nBut the future had a different plot in store. In less than fifty years the cathedral was demolished by the Bolsheviks.\n\nThe builders laid the foundations of the cathedral on October 12, 1817, five years after the French army fled Moscow. Scores of people from all over the city came to witness the ceremony.\n\nMany an architect submitted their designs for consideration. But the tough competition was eventually won by the member of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts Carl Wietberg. The location chosen for the cathedral seemed perfect – the Vorobyevy Hills, which would have shown off the cathedral’s majestic splendor.\n\nThen the project suffered a series of mishaps. The contractors were reported to have shamelessly misappropriated funds and stolen construction materials. The ill-wishers and enemies of Wietberg even accused him of taking part in the stealing of the money. But the accusations proved to be groundless. Later the commission ruled that the choice of the location had been a disaster. The base of the hills was found to be too weak to hold a colossal load, and therefore the cathedral might have slid down the river bank.\n\nThe construction was put on hold. Konstantin Ton, the architect who built the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Armory Palace, won a new competition. Nicholas I handpicked a new location, on the hillside, in close proximity to the Kremlin. The foundations were laid in 1833. It took 40 years to complete the construction. The cathedral became the tallest cathedral in Moscow and Russia’s main cathedral.\n\nJosef Stalin apparently had several reasons when he made up his mind to blow up the main cathedral in this country. Clearing up the place for the construction of the gargantuan Palace of the Soviets was one of the reasons. He probably tried to gauge the reaction of the people to such a monstrous act of mockery.\n\nThe residents of nearby houses were warned that the cathedral would be pulled down by detonation in the small hours of the following morning. And a load detonation echoed through the town at dawn. But the cathedral was still standing.\n\nHolding the binoculars to their eyes, Josef Stalin and his henchman Lazar Kaganonich could not believe what they just saw. They pictured the cathedral go down crumbling. But it kept standing tall as if in defiance. The field engineers had to use additional explosives and blow up each of the piles and supporting walls.\n\nWe do know and remember what happened afterwards. A public swimming pool was built on the site. Thank God, they never built the Palace of the Soviets. In the end, the swimming pool was shut down and filled with earth as though it had never existed. And the cathedral rose up again.\n\nKomsomolskaya Pravda\n\nTranslated by Guerman Grachev\n\nDiscuss this article on Pravda.Ru English Forums\n"},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581897,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Personalised cancer medicine, an opportunity or a threat? | Anticancerfund\n\nPersonalised cancer medicine, an opportunity or a threat?\n\n24 August 2021\n\nThe term ‘personalised medicine’ has become hip lately, so no wonder it also appears in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and its accompanying Cancer Mission. But what’s it all about? And is personalised medicine really the way forward in treating cancer?\n\nPersonalised medicine, also referred to as precision medicine, contains so much more than medical care customised for an individual patient. But it seems as the definition isn’t the same for all.\n\nThat’s why caution is justified when it comes to using personalised medicine in cancer war strategies, and policymakers should be wary of the hype.\n\nA buzzword\n\n“Personalised medicine as a whole has become a buzzword in both the academic and public debate around health care. The lack of clear definition means that its use is open to interpretation, complicating discussions around the associated risks, benefits and potential limits and leading to confusion on the part of patients. Having a well-defined, globally consistent terminology would benefit patients and their health literacy.” (cited from Gill et al., 2020 ‘Access to Personalised Oncology in Europe’ London School of Economics).\n\nOne definition is that personalised medicine means your medical care is based on your genes. Researchers started digging into our genes years ago, because they noticed that a treatment worked for one person, but not for another person with the same type of cancer. Additionally a tumour might contain mutated cells that respond in a specific way to treatment.  So now physicians collect information about the genes of a cancer patient but more importantly also about the tumour’s genes, before prescribing a personal therapy.\n\nWhat could be the danger of this? We already flagged, earlier this year, that innovative drugs do not always imply true value for patients, meaning that patients should live longer and/or better following treatment. Unfortunately, when a new drug enters the market these essential criteria of true value for the patient, are not always fully demonstrated.\n\nWhat about the outcomes?\n\nThe same concern also emerges in this: recent policy documents by the European Union, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and its Cancer Mission, articulate broad policies aimed at reducing cancer mortality across Europe. The focus for cancer treatment in these manifestos is personalised cancer medicine. However, the Cancer Mission suggest in its documents that the uptake of personalised cancer medicine is ‘hampered by uncertainty about its outcomes’. How so?\n\nThe European Commission is working on a new Partnership on Personalised Medicine, which will be funded under Horizon Europe. This new Partnership on Personalised Medicine will make recommendations for the roll-out of new personalised medicine approaches in medical practice. One of the initiatives is to use ‘Next generation sequencing’ (NGS) to apply therapeutic approaches based on cancer profiles. However, there are some limits in this.\n\nThink of the complex biology of advanced cancers, for instance. The complexity, plasticity and genetic heterogeneity of advanced cancers will continue to thwart the impact of personalised cancer medicine, limiting it to specific pathologies, or rare subsets of them.\n\nIndeed, in personalised cancer medicine with a targeted therapy guided by a validated molecular biomarker, known as pathology-driven, reviews learn that targeted treatments can cause toxicity. Moreover, clinical benefit can sometimes be marginal so proper assessment of the added value for patients is required.           \n\nIn the second type of personalised cancer medicine, the pathology-agnostic use of targeted therapies in so called basket trials, the outcomes are not very encouraging either. In this, patients receive drugs that target specific genes. But it seems that few patients are able to receive a drug that truly matches and only a very few had a response. More details of the findings just mentioned, can be read in this publication.\n\nIndividuals and health systems face new challenges\n\nEarlier findings of the European Council on personalised medicine for patients should also be taken into consideration (2015/C 421/03). The Council notes for instance that, “with the development of personalised medicine, individuals and health systems face new challenges, including balancing its risks and benefits while also considering its ethical, financial, social and legal implications, particularly regarding pricing and reimbursement, data protection and public interest in processing personal data.”\n\nOur conclusion? Personalised medicine is an opportunity, but to reveal its potential, we strongly advice that new treatment strategies should be properly studied to provide a solid evidence base demonstrating patient’s benefit based on relevant endpoints, before full implementation in Europe’s ambitious war on cancer.\n\nMore information about Europe's war on cancer and about how we connect with European decision-makers\n\nLydie Meheus\n\nLydie Meheus is the Managing Director of the Anticancer Fund. Lydie holds a PhD in Biochemistry."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581898,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Smoke damage restoration is one of the primary services of our industry. Many projects are fairly cookie-cutter while others require more effort to execute. This past winter, Soil-Away Cleaning & Restoration Services of New Hampshire was presented with a unique project that was outside of the everyday smoke damage cleanup loss.\n\nA three-story, New Hampshire barn built in 1839 had a fire. Fortunately, only a very small part of the structure was destroyed.  That was the good news for the property owner. The bad news was that historic structure was heavily impacted by smoke and soot damage. In addition to the damage to the barn, the nearby home sustained smoke odor damage. Both the barn and home needed a lot of work.\n\nAfter a failed effort by another restoration contractor, Soil-Away was called in by the large loss adjuster to salvage the project. The insurance company was extremely concerned about their exposure because of the historic nature of the property. A Soil-Away project manager, adjuster and the homeowner collaborated on a scope that would give the best chance of saving the barn and deodorizing the house.\n\nThe majority of the work on this restoration project was concentrated on the barn. The three-story structure was built from rough-cut lumber. This surface excelled at trapping soot. Traditional methods such as hand wiping with dry-sponges and towels would not be effective at removing the soot. Soil-Away crews utilized HEPA vacuuming and dry-ice blasting. Working methodically top-to-bottom, the entire 2,000 square foot structure was HEPA vacuumed. This was followed by dry-ice blasting and a second round of HEPA vacuuming. The process was very detailed and slow due to the size and nature of the structure. Nevertheless, section-by-section the barn slowly returned to pre-loss condition.\n\nThankfully, saving the home was a much easier task. Through regular cleaning using dry sponges, wiping down walls, and ozone technology, it was a quick cleanup and deodorizing process.\n\nSoil-Away had to overcome many challenges over the course of this project. First was the skepticism and frustration of the property owner. The first restoration contractor assigned to the job had failed. The project was inherited with a client short on patience and doubtful that a satisfactory outcome could be achieved.  The second challenge was battling the winter weather. The project started in mid-January and continued on-and-off until early March. Record-low temperatures and snowfall in New England created several logistical obstacles to overcome. The final challenge was the scope of the job itself. The volume of detailed work on this loss required an above-average level of attention to detail and expertise.\n\n The project ended with a satisfied client and insurance company. The barn was saved. Communication and a lot of hard work were the keys to success on this loss. Setting proper expectations for all parties involved was vital at the onset of the project, including consistent communication with the homeowner and adjuster helped minimize any bumps in the road during the project. Finally, strong leadership from the Soil-Away onsite project manager allowed for efficient execution."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}},{"rowIdx":20581899,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"string","value":"Day 702, driving to…\n\nDay's pictures, Poetry\n\nDay 702-1\n\nIn the morning, driving to work, waking up from a sleep.\n\nSome caffeine to move and get up to sit and plan the day.\n\nListening to a book, enjoy the drive a thousand times.\n\nEach bend is known, I feel the friction, the weather decides.\n\nI wouldn’t mind driving all day, going nowhere to the next turn.\n\nBut then I arrive, open the door into my life and close my escape."},"images":{"kind":"list like","value":[],"string":"[]"}}}],"truncated":false,"partial":false},"paginationData":{"pageIndex":205818,"numItemsPerPage":100,"numTotalItems":20582647,"offset":20581800,"length":100}},"jwt":"eyJhbGciOiJFZERTQSJ9.eyJyZWFkIjp0cnVlLCJwZXJtaXNzaW9ucyI6eyJyZXBvLmNvbnRlbnQucmVhZCI6dHJ1ZX0sImlhdCI6MTc1OTA3ODAwOSwic3ViIjoiL2RhdGFzZXRzL21vY2EtZW1iZWQvZGNsbV8yMGIiLCJleHAiOjE3NTkwODE2MDksImlzcyI6Imh0dHBzOi8vaHVnZ2luZ2ZhY2UuY28ifQ.a416U1lvcz60DJ3OTv8nO0GJPVis-TZiIOK6sMOG27TziW-T3-TGB-Fuy3cJA_rKFLTwf5ioCam7ktp9Ca93DA","displayUrls":true},"discussionsStats":{"closed":0,"open":2,"total":2},"fullWidth":true,"hasGatedAccess":true,"hasFullAccess":true,"isEmbedded":false,"savedQueries":{"community":[],"user":[]}}">
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Tips on how to win at different roulette games? For numerous people, roulette seems to be the game where earning is purely a new matter of good fortune. Actually, however, there are many methods and tricks to be able to win at different roulette games and earn funds. Since playing roulette are often very profitable, an individual are in no way the only one which would like in order to know how to win. Consequently how do an individual overcome the tyre of fortune? You will get the solution to this question in this content. You will also see how Oliver about our side uses a certain system to be able to earn money by playing roulette. The particular system he applied to beat the roulette wheel runs as follows: Put the smallest possible chip on “red” or “black” in addition to spin the steering wheel. If you earn, place one computer chip again. If you lose, double typically the next bet make your chips for the opposite suit. Should you win, start more than. Should you lose, double your bet again. Double your gambling bets before you win. By doubling your wager when you lose, a person keep back your losses plus the value of your initial bet every time you win. This means that by using this specific system you are going to constantly get out of the casino inside the black. This kind of system ensures you win at roulette! As you may begin to see the roulette technique Oliver used makes it possible to win. The program gives you the potential of a steady, good earnings. The very best tips on precisely how to win at roulette Of course , when you are blessed, anyone can earn at roulette. Statistically, nevertheless , roulette usually has a plus over players and that is why internet casinos encourage us to play so a lot. Unlike games like poker or baccarat, roulette is more or less arbitrary, so it’s challenging to keep winning with roulette and avoid anticipate to learn just how to do it each and every time. Sometimes an individual can bet properly and you will win, but when you bet within the following turns, ultimately there will turn out to be a point you choose to lose. This is usually because the in between the actual struck odds and the particular payout ratio often functions the benefit of the online casino. In European roulette the difference is definitely 2 . 63%, whilst in American different roulette games as much as 5. 26%. This kind of rule is known as “The house edge”. Is there absolutely 온라인카지노 that could get done to earn at roulette? You actually can. You could read below regarding what to perform to enhance your odds of winning: How you can win while lessening losses How to win by raising the quantity of won gamble Roulette game methods I have played a lot at different casinos and i believe CasinoSuperlines is the ideal of those. A. Exactly how to win simply by minimizing deficits Typical sense is “the less you lose, a lot more you can win. ” As well many roulette players do not spend attention to losing as little while possible. We are going to identify a few details here that may allow you to decrease your losses. Whenever you learn and apply the different roulette games tips below, you will end up one step nearer to your win! Stay with “outside bets” The following outside bets are put on the different roulette games table: red or black high or low numbers Perhaps or odd figures Each of the above three bets are one to at least one bets. This means that in the event you placed the $ 1 “outside bet” and won, you obtain $ 1. “Outside bets” are certainly not very attractive in phrases of return over a bet, but inside the long run have typically the best probability of winning. Determine how a lot money you can invest in the sport When you drop your first funds, it’s not hard to give throughout to the enticement to play right up until you win back. This kind of situation is dangerous because if the luck is not in your benefit, it may well lead a person to lose your entire money. When you play roulette, decide how much cash you can dedicate to the game. That is even very good to write straight down this value. Tips on how to win at different roulette games? Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. Scroll to top
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2015: Debating the USA PATRIOT Act You are a U.S. Senator facing an upcoming vote on whether or not to renew provisions of a law that gives the government wide-reaching powers to investigate possible terrorists and terrorism organizations. … Before voting for or against the provisions, you need to decide: To what extent should the government limit individuals’ ability to freely access and share information a decade or more after a catastrophic attack on the nation? View Resource Resource provided by NewseumED
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Guest Blog Page Top Joke Pages 2. School Jokes 3. Jokes for Kids 4. Clean Jokes 5. 365 Family Friendly Jokes 6. Sports Jokes for Kids Top Careers Top Guest Blogs Check out Major World Sporting Events! 2. What do a bad hockey team (insert name) and the Titanic have in common?… They both look good until they hit the ice! 3. Why do NHL players never sweat?… They have to many fans!
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mental health; intrusive thoughts; anxiety; OCD; ADHD People share experiences with intrusive thoughts. Gastón tweeted that parents should talk to their children about intrusive thoughts and normalize them so children aren't afraid that they're broken. The response to her series of tweets was overwhelming, with more than 144,000 likes and 19,000 retweets. People chimed in with their own stories of intrusive thoughts and the stigma attached to them. One Twitter user was told that they were possessed and their parents sought spiritual counsel to help them. But intrusive thoughts aren't a spiritual attack, they don't even have to be negative thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are simply thoughts that pop into your head with no reason or logical connection to what is currently happening. The name for the phenomenon sounds scarier than it actually is. It may help to think of the thoughts as a pop-up on an online article you're reading. There you are scrolling along, really invested in this article and an ad for teeth whitening strips is suddenly obscuring half the page, so you find the camouflaged "X" and close it out. But somehow before you make it to the bottom of the page, there's that dang pop-up again. That's what it's like to have an intrusive thought most of the time. It's not always scary, it's not all-consuming, it's just there. There are some intrusive thoughts that are distressing, especially if it's a new thought. Often the thoughts that cause the most distress are the intrusive thoughts around hurting a child or doing something illegal. Having an intrusive thought that is concerning doesn't mean you're going to act on it. Our brains think thousands of thoughts daily and most of the time we are unaware of all of the activity because we're focused on one particular thing, but then we have a pop-up. Photo by christopher lemercier on Unsplash You could be struggling with finances in general but at the moment you're working on a collage of sea turtles with your 9-year-old, next thing you know you have an intrusive thought about robbing a bank. Are you going to rob a bank? No, because you're not a bank robber. Well, most people are not bank robbers so having the fleeting thought isn't going to make you become one. It might make you think you've lost it for a few minutes, but it's a completely normal human experience. Intrusive thoughts, not robbing banks. Kids have intrusive thoughts as well, and it seems from the Twitter thread, that sometimes they're dismissed by parents. Anna tweeted, "yes. I had severe intrusive thoughts in childhood, starting before age 7-8. I told my parents & asked for help but they refused. It was terrifying. I had no idea what was happening." She went on to say that she was diagnosed with OCD as an adult and is currently in therapy. Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash Another user, Benjamin tweeted, "I was today years old when I learned that there is a word for this. I have a few of these that come in ebbs and flows over the years - at least since early elementary age. Literally have just ignored it and tried to move on 😳 Kinda relieving to know others experience this." Alicia explained that as a teen she contemplated suicide. "My intrusive thoughts made me fear for the safety of others and I felt the only solace was my passing. I cried tears of joy upon learning they happened to a lot of people." The responses to the tweet go on and on with people sharing their experiences with intrusive thoughts and some sharing ways they have learned to cope with them. What it all comes down to in the end is that these thoughts are much more common that people realize and it should absolutely be talked about more. No person deserves to walk around assuming they're somehow broken for having a human experience. via Chewy Adorable Dexter and his new chew toy. Thanks Chewy Claus. Keep ReadingShow less Pink sings "Hopelessly Devoted to You." Keep ReadingShow less Keep ReadingShow less Zoo camera captures incredible moment mama chimp is reunited with her two-day-old baby When Kucheza raised his little hand and Mahale realized he was there, everyone felt her joy. Kucheza was born by emergency C-section and had to be separated from mama Mahale for two days. Thanks to our close evolutionary proximity and Jane Goodall's years of field research, humans have an intense fascination with chimpanzees. They are clearly not us, yet they are clearly similar to us in many ways, and a viral video from Sedgwick County Zoo beautifully highlights that connection. Mahale is a 28-year-old chimpanzee who recently gave birth to a baby at Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. According to KSAT News, her labor stalled, which necessitated an emergency C-section. As a result, Mahale and her baby were separated for two days while she started her recovery and her baby received oxygen. Unlike humans, chimps don't have the language and cognitive abilities to understand what's happening in such a situation. It must have been a confusing experience for Mahale, who had already given birth to two babies prior, to find herself no longer pregnant but not having her baby with her. Keep ReadingShow less Brendan Fraser at the Montclair Film Festival, 2022. Keep ReadingShow less Bill Burns dressed as Walt Disney gets a hug from Mickey Mouse. Dapper Day is an unofficial themed day at Disneyland where people come to enjoy the magic in style. The day is celebrated by park guests twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, by dressing up in vintage clothing reminiscent of when the park opened in 1955. On November 6, one guest at the park’s cosplay outfit was so convincing that cast members at the park did a double-take. Bill Burns and his wife Jane dressed up as Walt and Lillian Disney and Bill looked so much like Uncle Walt that he caused a stir among park employees. Bill later told Good Morning America that park employees were saying, “Walt is in the park” when he arrived. For many, it must have been like seeing a ghost, because Bill has an uncanny resemblance to Disney with his mustache and period-perfect suit. A magical moment was caught on camera when Bill, as Walt, was seen interacting with a cast member dressed as Mickey Mouse. "Mickey stops and literally is staring," Bill told Good Morning America. "And then Mickey snapped out of it and you saw the hug. And that hug was a long hug as hugs go for the characters. It was extremely genuine. The cast member was stunned." Keep ReadingShow less
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Community Investing Venture Capital Investing Together: Applying the Principles of Value Investing to the Private Market Benjamin Graham If you’ve been an active investor and student of the greats it’s likely you’ve come across Benjamin Graham. His impact on the world of investing cannot be understated. Known informally as the father of value investing, there are many quotes, accolades and accomplishments attributed to him and his seminal work in the area. Arguably his most famous work, a book titled “The Intelligent Investor,” has remained a go-to resource for investors since 1949. Source: Investopedia So what exactly is value investing? And why has it dominated the investing narrative for so long? Graham’s theory is fairly straightforward, but there is genius in its simplicity. The aforementioned quote serves as a cornerstone for his thesis: in the short run, markets are a voting machine, in the long run they become a weighing machine. In the near term, markets act as a voting mechanism for companies, which is to say that investors buy and sell stocks based on feeling as opposed to logic. Hype, fads, bubbles, trends and groupthink all play into this short run game in the markets (the Gamestop & AMC memestock debacle is a recent, yet extreme example of this) . Value investors, on the other hand, take a long-term outlook – favoring business fundamentals and portfolio diversification instead of trading on a whim for quick profits. The weighing machine represents those very fundamentals that indicate the true value of a company. If you weigh correctly, identify a price, purchase below that price and hold your position, the theory states you will win out in the long run.  Sounds easy, right? Nevertheless, it comes down to a question of focus and fundamentals. Graham outlined 5 key metrics necessary to estimate the real value of a business: 1. Capitalization Factor (long-term growth horizon) 2. Management Quality 3. Financial Strength and Capital Structure 4. Dividend Record 5. Current Dividend Rate Evaluating these metrics for publicly traded companies is possible because they are forced to publish cash flow statements and EBITDA by agencies like the SEC (in the US). But how exactly do we apply the principles of value investing to the private markets? That becomes much harder for several reasons, but cracking the code on this conundrum can unlock tremendous, untapped value for private market investors. Source: Data Driven Investor Private markets certainly aren’t immune to the perils of social psychology, but its relatively small scale and limited access to investment drastically changes the dynamics. In the past couple of years we’ve seen a tradeoff between business fundamentals in exchange for relentless growth. WeWork’s fall from grace, an explosion (and implosion) of 15-minute delivery services, crypto volatility, massive losses from prominent funds like Softbank – but generally speaking, early stage venture capital is a long-term approach with a bit of extra risk. The extra risk factor leads to portfolio diversification while the promises of the Power Law compensate for said risk. Ultimately, private markets tilt heavily towards the voting machine, but not for lack of trying.  Weighing (measuring) the value of private companies is hard because often they are pre-revenue, even pre-product. Investing in visionaries typically requires imagination around a new product category or market that doesn’t yet exist. Much of the data you ordinarily find on public companies either doesn’t exist on the private side or remains hidden in the heads of founders, investors or pitch decks. So how do we pivot from a private market voting machine to a weighing machine? In other words, how do you embed value investing principles into private investing without succumbing to the perils of social psychology and bad information? We posit that this can be done with a community-first private investing platform. To be clear, early stage investors do apply value judgements to the companies they invest in to the best of their ability. Industry benchmarks and the latest revenue multiples behave as a proxy for expected value. Telling a story around the equity of your company, however, is largely responsible for early confidence, fundraising and implicit potential. The path to a more measured approach to private investing lies in the people that make up the private market.  We believe the analog to public market data and analyses is the community of investors that back a deal. Syndicate leaders and experienced business angels have a wealth of data, the problem is it can be hard to extract. It doesn’t always sit in spreadsheets and it isn’t usually accessible via API. The value investing equivalent for private markets is the community of investors pooling their capital, expertise and network to identify, fund and manage top-tier investments. It’s hard to identify signals through the noise, especially if the underlying data isn’t available. We imagine a world where private investors can curate and manage their very own “braintrust” within Roundtable and start weighing the early stage markets accurately to unlock outsized impact and returns. Are you a business angel or syndicate leader looking to build your very own private investing community?  Sign up for early access to Roundtable here!
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©2021, by M. Keith Booker At first glance, Sorry to Bother You might not appear to be a horror film. Indeed, it is such an unusual film that it is hard to place in any category at all. It is certainly a work of satire, and one that deals with extremely serious and complex issues, though (as satire always does) it exaggerates and simplifies those issues for rhetorical effectiveness. It includes what one might think of as science fictional elements, especially in the way it creates a world that has access to technologies that are not currently available in our world. But it provides essentially no details about the working of those technologies and seems to have little interest in the actual science behind them. There are moments, however, of almost classic horror, as when protagonist Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfeld) first discovers the suffering “horse people,” who seem to be the result of a macabre experiment straight out of something like The Island of Lost Souls (1932). The real horror of Sorry to Bother You, though, is the system of capitalist exploitation on which the film so doggedly focuses its satire—and one of the biggest advantages of reading the film within the context of horror is that it helps to clarify the horrors that are being revealed in the film, horrors to which we have become so accustomed that they are in danger of appearing natural and unavoidable. It is tempting to read Sorry to Bother You as a sort of companion film to Get Out, another effective horror satire with a black writer-writer and black protagonist. Indeed, much of the satire of Sorry to Bother You is also aimed at racism—most obviously seen when Cassius gets a job as a telemarketer for a company called “Regalview,” then quickly discovers that he will have far greater success in this job if he adopts a “white” voice (supplied for the film by comedian David Cross), which presumably reassures customers and makes them more receptive to his sales pitch. The resultant implication is clear: racism is so deeply ingrained in American society that African Americans, in order to succeed, have to play by the rules of white-dominated society and to behave as if they are white, even if they are not literally “passing” as white people in their lives. Extending this point, Cassius eventually becomes so accustomed to using his “white” voice on the job that he begins using it in his private life as well—without even being conscious that he is doing so. The film thus makes clear the extent to which this need to behave according to white standards can be internalized in African Americans to the point that it becomes an unconscious habit. That Cassius’s girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson) reacts so negatively to this “white” voice helps to make clear just how problematic this phenomenon can be, representing what might be described as the colonization of the consciousnesses of African Americans by white modes of thinking, bringing with it an unconscious sense that white modes of thinking, acting, and talking are the “correct” and “normal” ways, superior to the “incorrect” and “aberrant” ways of black people. However, in the case of Sorry to Bother You, this commentary on racism is secondary to the film’s central focus on the exploitation of both workers and consumers by the movers and shakers of the capitalist economic system. Regalview itself is an extremely exploitative employer, paying its telemarketers only in commissions, while keeping the majority of the fruits of their labors for itself. They also employ a ludicrous system of incentives in order to try to make workers think they are being rewarded more fairly than they really are. The only way, in fact, to make anything close to an adequate wage is to sell so many of the company’s largely useless products that one is promoted to the status of “power caller,” literally moved upstairs to the top floor of the Regalview building to sell elite, high-profit products among one’s fellow power callers. Tellingly, the power callers are required to speak in white voices at all times while at work (not just when they are on sales calls), thus emphasizing the way in which these power callers, even if black, have been thoroughly incorporated within the white-dominated establishment. Indeed, virtually all of the practices on the top floor seem specifically designed to separate the power callers from the company’s ordinary workers, potentially depriving those workers of their best minds and of potential leaders who might help them to organize to get better treatment from their employer. That this is the case is made clear when Cassius is made a power caller just as the ordinary callers are beginning to attempt to organize into a union under the leadership of one Squeeze (Stephen Yeun). When Squeeze eventually leads the callers in a strike action, Cassius assures them that he sympathizes with their cause. Unfortunately, though, as a power caller he is considered management, rather than labor, so he feels compelled to cross the picket line and go to work, despite the strike, causing considerable friction between him and his former fellow workers—not to mention Detroit.[1] The central conceit of Sorry to Bother You involves a company called “WorryFree” that supplies labor to other corporations. WorryFree’s workers are contractually bound to the company for life; in return, the workers and their families are supplied with food and lodging right on their jobsites, thereby freeing them of the need to worry about such necessities (thus the name of the company). This arrangement, which essentially reduces the workers to the status of company property, is understandably controversial and meets with considerable opposition, both official and unofficial—though of course this opposition is never in danger of actually threatening the program. Indeed, despite concern that the company’s practices represent little more than a new form of slavery, WorryFree is highly successful and rapidly growing. The most effective resistance to their growth comes not from the government or the press but from an underground organization known as “Left Eye” (suggesting their leftist vision), which wages a campaign of graffiti and other forms of minor sabotage against WorryFree. The key plot moment in Sorry to Bother You occurs when Cassius is promoted to power caller and finds that his main job in that capacity involves selling the problematic services of WorryFree to other corporations. These services provide cheap, dependable sources of labor that can be converted into huge profits by WorryFree’s customers. As a result, Cassius is able to reap large rewards as well, allowing him to move with Detroit out of his uncle’s garage and into a swanky new apartment. These rewards give new meaning to the fact that Cassius’ name is a near homonym for “Cash is green” and to the fact that most of his friends call him “Cash” most of the time. The rewards are also significant enough that he is able to overcome his concerns about the ethics of his job. At first, Detroit enjoys their new life as well, but in her case the ends do not justify the means. Ultimately, she leaves Cash because she cannot support his decision to cross the picket lines, especially as that decision involves work for WorryFree, an unscrupulous organization she is working to undermine as a Left Eye activist. In general, Sorry to Bother You paints its satire in broad strokes, and it is quite clear that Detroit occupies the high ground here. However, this is a film that supplements its overt satirical points with more subtle ones as well. In addition to her secret political activism and her work as a sign twirler to generate income, Detroit is also an ambitious performance artist of considerable talent, who hopes to use her art as a means of political expression. In one scene, Squeeze explains to her that, as a union organizer, he travels around to various places where folks have trouble and helps them try to fix it. “That’s what I do with my art, too!” she enthusiastically responds. “You know? Expose the bullshit.” Squeeze expresses some skepticism, but backs off, avoiding a confrontation, and changes the topic to ask how her relationship with Cash is going. It works, she explains, because “he’s real. He’s not that fake-ass bougie gallery world.” In the light of Cash’s subsequent sell-out as a power caller, just how real he might be will be called seriously into question. Meanwhile, if Detroit is to have true success as an artist, she needs the bourgeois world of art galleries, no matter how inauthentic that world might appear to be. So her disavowal of the establishment art scene is a bit questionable as well. Cassius himself calls her out on this after she derides him for crossing the picket line so he can pursue his work of “selling slave labor.” The strike at RegalView will do nothing about the practices of Worry Free, he responds, and neither will her work as an artist, which consists basically of “selling fucking art to rich people.” His remark clearly hits a nerve, but she nevertheless issues an ultimatum, warning him that their relationship is over if he crosses the picket line again. He continues to cross the picket line anyway, temporarily ending their relationship. On one subsequent crossing, he is hit in the head by a soda can thrown by one of the strikers. The event is capture on video, then goes viral on-line (with added comic sound effects), reaching 500 million views on YouTube. This video makes Cassius an instant celebrity—though one who is mostly famous as the butt of derisive jokes. Cassius’s encounter with the soda can even becomes the stuff of a popular television commercial for the soda company, accompanied by the slogan “have a soda and smile, bitch.” “You’re like the Ariana Grande of disloyal niggas,” declares Salvador (Jermaine Fowler), one of his former associates among the regular callers at RegalView.[2] This motif allows the film to take a satirical jab at the role of social media in the dumbing down of public discourse in twenty-first-century America. The blow also causes Cassius to go through most of the second half of the film with a bloody bandage wrapped around his head—as a sort of symbol of his role as a sell-out. Later, when Cassius attends a party to celebrate the opening of Detroit’s new Africa-oriented art exhibit, we find that she speaks in a pretentious British accent at the party, both while mingling with potential upper-class buyers and in her main performance piece, during which she stands on stage, near-naked, reciting lines from a movie while the attendees throw items (including broken cell phones and balloons filled with sheep’s blood) at her. Shocked, Cassius (bloody bandage on his head) tries to interrupt the performance, but she (covered in sheep’s blood) sends him on his way, telling him that he of all people should understand. Indeed, the parallels between Cassius being hit by the soda can and Detroit being hit by the objects at her performance clearly help to reinforce one of the film’s more subtle points—that there are a number of different ways of selling out, and few ways to avoid it. Spurned by Detroit and mocked on social media, Cassius remains a star within his company, so much so that he wins an invite to the exclusive (“even Jay and Bey can’t get this invite”) annual party thrown by WorryFree CEO Steve Lift (Armie Hammer, who often seems to be channeling Jon Hamm’s Donald Draper). At the party (which he attends immediately after leaving Detroit’s problematic performance), Cassius is coerced into a demeaning performance of his own when Lift assumes that Cassius, being black, must also be able to rap. Cassius protests that he really can’t, but Lift and the essentially all-white partygoers insist. His performance begins slowly and awkwardly, then he finally realizes that the only way to succeed is to give them what they want to hear. So he starts rhythmically chanting, “Nigga shit! Nigga shit! Nigga, nigga, nigga shit!” The audience erupts into cheers and applause and starts to chant along with him. The implication is clear: white audiences of rap music think they’re cool for listening to this “nigga shit” (no doubt involving drugs and sex and violence, as well as frequent repetitions of the word “nigga”); meanwhile rappers who comply might further their careers but are also in danger of propagating negative stereotypes about black people. The satire here is thus aimed both at white audiences and their appropriation of black music with little understanding and at black artists who cash in on that lack of understanding in order to further their careers.[3] Lift seems absolutely clueless about all this and sees no problem with Cash’s performance. Then he takes Cash to his private office to congratulate him on his success in selling the services of WorryFree. However, he also has a secret agenda: he wants to recruit Cassius to come to work for WorryFree directly and to help manage a major new initiative that the company is about to unveil. Before Cash has a chance to hear about this new initiative, he is overtaken by an overwhelming need to urinate, so he staggers off to the bathroom, inadvertently going through the wrong door and discovering some creatures who look like anthropomorphic horses (like a nightmare version of Bojack Horseman), but who seem to be in the throes of genuine agony as a result of this transformation, chained up in stalls and begging Cash to help them. Cash has, in fact, stumbled into one of the few scenes in the film that seems unequivocally appropriate to a horror movie, essentially a reverse of the agonizing process through which Charles Laughton’s Dr. Moreau transforms animals into humans in Island of Lost Souls. Arguably, this transformation of humans into presumably lower animals is even more horrifying—and perhaps especially so when Cash staggers back to Lift’s office to learn that he has discovered WorryFree’s new initiative in its rawest form: human beings are being chemically transformed into horse-people (“Equisapiens”) with superhuman strength and stamina, so that they can be more productive workers, though sometimes undergoing great suffering in the process. The full allegorical framework of Sorry to Bother You has now been revealed. WorryFree’s portrayal of indentured workers clearly comments on a number of specific abuses—ranging from slavery, to indentured servitude, to the modern phenomenon of for-profit prisons (where the inmates are used as a source of profit-generating labor power). Indeed, WorryFree’s workers wear prison-like uniforms, and one can clearly read WorryFree as a commentary on the U.S. prison system in general and on the nation’s notoriously high rates of incarceration, especially for black men, suggesting that one reason for this high rate is that life is so hard outside of prison that some people prefer to be imprisoned, just so they can be guaranteed three meals a day and a place to sleep. “Three hots and a cot,” as Cassius’s Uncle Sergio (Terry Crews) puts it, employing an expression often used to describe conditions in prison—or the army. But the portrayal of WorryFree is also an even more general commentary on the treatment of workers under capitalism, with the Equisapiens motif merely serving as an exclamation point showing just how far capitalism is willing to go to squeeze greater profits out of its workers. The film is in this sense a broad (and, actually, quite sophisticated) commentary on the general process through which workers are dehumanized under capitalism, reduced to the level of commodities, of profit-generating things. One thinks here of Michel Foucault’s critique of modern capitalist society as a “carceral” society, in which institutions such as factories, hospitals, and schools operate very much according to the same principles as prisons. Meanwhile, a crucial part of Foucault’s argument is that society at large, outside these institutions, also operates according to these principles. Read through Foucault, one implication of Sorry to Bother You is that even individuals who are not employed by WorryFree suffer much of the same domination and that one of the functions of WorryFree (like the function of the modern prison in our world) is to give people who are not WorryFree employees the illusion that they are free in comparison. A closer look shows that the film’s whimsical construction of an alternate reality in which capitalism is far more overt in its activities than in our own world is a device designed to create cognitive estrangement that causes us to step back and to re-evaluate the differences between the world of the film and our own world.[4] Sorry to Bother You, in fact, is filled with a number of motifs that further this estrangement effect, some of them quite small, such as Detroit’s funky homemade earrings. In one scene, for example, Sergio begins complaining about his health and then dispenses some medication for himselffrom a figurine of Christ hanging on a cross. It’s an odd and unexpected image that one would not expect to see in the real world, and one might think it is merely intended to produce a laugh. However, within the strongly anti-capitalist matrix of this film, it is well-nigh impossible not see this moment as an echo of the well-known Marxist notion that religion is the opiate of the masses, a notion that has a special place in African American history given the way in which so many black Americans have so often turned to religion for comfort in the light of the difficulties they have faced in the material world. For those who “get” these moments of cognitive dissonance it will be obvious that the world of the film is not so different from our own world, after all, a realization that makes a central contribution to the effectiveness of Sorry to Bother You as one of the few genuinely radical denunciations of the fundamental workings of the capitalist system to appear in recent American commercial film. Indeed, the film might have been a bit too radical for mainstream American filmgoing audiences. Little wonder, then, that such a visually striking, highly entertaining film, filled with wonderful performances by charismatic actors, only grossed approximately $17.5 million at the U.S. box office. Perhaps the film hit a little bit too close to home for some Americans, especially as the film extends its critique of the exploitation of labor under capitalism to involve a critique of the manipulation of consumers in our media-based society as well. We see a number of television commercials for WorryFree, for example, and it is clear that these ads are aimed at a target audience whose intellectual level is low indeed. To any thinking viewer, in fact, the commercials simply make clear how truly horrifying WorryFree’s practices are, suggesting that WorryFree doesn’t expect to encounter a lot of thinking viewers—which might explain why Sorry to Bother You, though it got a great deal of media attention and was widely praised by critics, failed to find a genuinely large audience. Similarly, when Lift finally explains WorryFree’s new initiative to Cash, he does so by showing him a Claymation promotional video, entitled “The New Miracle,” which has, he proudly proclaims, “a lot of production value.”[5] The video begins with a scene reminiscent of the one depicting the discovery of tools (and weapons) by ape-men in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and then proceeds to argue that WorryFree’s Equisapiens program is merely an extension of the way humans have used tools (and other methods) to extend their basic capabilities throughout our subsequent evolution. This is just the next logical step. It’s a clever but specious argument that draws false parallels between things like exercising to get stronger and being given drugs that transform one’s entire body in unnatural ways. Indeed, the video even tips its hand when it announces that the transformation is designed to make humans “stronger, more obedient, more durable, and therefore more efficient and profitable” (my emphasis). It seems a rather damning self-characterization until one realizes that the video is intended not as a recruitment tool for workers but as information for the company’s shareholders—who will presumably now be encouraged to buy even more shares, given the video’s promise that the Equisapiens will make WorryFree “the most profitable corporation in human history.” The narrator of the Equisapiens video, incidentally, speaks with a British accent, which presumably makes her sound smarter and more authoritative. In one of the many examples of repeated motifs in Sorry to Bother You, this strategy clearly mirrors Detroit’s attempt to impress her “sophisticated” audience by speaking in a similar accent. And both of these examples resemble the attempts of RegalView’s black telemarketers to speak in “white” voices. At the same time, all of these efforts to sound reassuringly white and sophisticated mirror in reverse Cash’s attempt to sound likea  rapper from the hood by chanting “nigga shit,” just as they also mirror in reverse the attempts of Cash’s white audience to sound cool by responding so enthusiastically to his ludicrous rap performance. Of course, such strategies assume that one’s audience is easily duped, which—in the world of Sorry to Bother You—seems to be a pretty good assumption.That the general population in the world of Sorry to Bother You has low critical standards can be seen from the fact that the top-rated television program in the world of the film is a reality show entitled I Got the S**@ Kicked Out of Me, which basically involves contestants undergoing a variety of humiliating experiences and generally getting the shit kicked out of them. The show bears obvious similarities to the program Ow, My Balls!, featured within Mike Judge’s 2006 satirical film Idiocracy, which is, in many ways, probably the single cinematic predecessor with which Sorry to Bother You has the most in common. Both of these mock television programs comment on the low state to which television programming has already sunk in our own world, in which audiences, accustomed to a variety of forms of abuse in their daily lives, enjoy seeing someone else be abused for a change. But this phenomenon also suggests that such programming subtly conditions television audiences to endure abuse without protest when it occurs to them in their own lives, making them pliable dupes of the capitalist system. In any case, Lift wants Cash to become an Equisapien so that he can be WorryFree’s man on the inside, leading the horse-people in directions dictated by WorryFree. Lift wants Cash to become “the Equisapien Martin Luther King, Jr. But one that we create. One that we control.”[6] Cash has been selected because of his unprecedented success at RegalView—and because he has already demonstrated a willingness to betray his own in order to get what he wants. Lift has a point here. However, in trying to sell the idea to Cash (at gunpoint, no less) he inadvertently causes Cash to see the error of his own ways. At the same time, this scene also makes it unequivocally clear (both to Cash and to viewers of the film) that Lift is an outright psychopath, willing to do anything and everything in the interest of generating greater profits, no matter who gets hurt or how badly.[7] Little wonder, then, that Cash rejects Lift’s proposal, even though it comes with a cash offer of $100,000,000 for a mere five years of service—and the promise that, as an Equisapien, Cash will have a “horse cock.” Horrified, Cash realizes that, even as a highly-paid member of “management,” he is viewed by RegalView and Worryfree as “another one of their fucking creatures to control and to manipulate.” He attempts to expose the project through the media, though the conventional media refuse to take his warnings seriously. So he resorts to the painful and demeaning process of going on I Got the S**@ Kicked Out of Me, which allows him to show a video he took of the horse people in return for allowing them to beat him up and dip him in shit. Detroit and Left Eye pitch in to help get the message out, while Cash also hits the talk-show circuit. The message does, indeed, get out there, but the news simply causes WorryFree’s stock price to increase at an unprecedented rate, bringing the whole stock market up with it. Fanatical religious groups even begin to celebrate Lift as the second coming of Christ. Cash realizes that he must take action in the streets, and not merely through the media. He joins forces with the union at RegalView to stop the crossing of the picket lines, leading to a violent confrontation with the police and the hired soldiers of Stackwater. This time the strikers win, as a contingent of the superstrong horse people come to their aid. Cash has indeed become a sort of leader of the Equisapiens, though he has led them to use their superhuman abilities in the fight against capitalist exploitation instead of simply becoming profit-generating machines run by that system. The film thus echoes in a quite direct way the classic Marxist dictum that capitalism cannot be defeated from without, but only from within, only by the proletariat that capitalism itself has produced. This, of course, is only a small, local victory in a much broader struggle, but it’s a start. If people see that the forces of official capitalist power can be defeated on a local level, perhaps they will begin to believe that something can be done on a larger scale. Cassius and Detroit even get back together. The film proper ends, though, on an ominous note, as Cash realizes that Lift has tricked him into snorting the “fusing catalyst” and begins to transform into an Equisapien. This is a film that knows that the struggle against capitalism will be a difficult one and that there will be no easy victories. At the same time, Cash’s transformation can be viewed in a positive light, as a sign that he is at last truly joining the workers in their struggle. In any case, a quick postscript returns to the mode of hope, as an enraged Equisapien (probably the transformed Cash) bursts into Lift’s mansion, seeking revenge. A quick look at the background of writer/director Boots Riley explains why Sorry to Bother You is so unusually perceptive and sophisticated in its critique of capitalism. Writer-director Riley, after all, has a long history of pursuing such critiques. Born into a family of social justice organizers, Riley became interested in leftist political causes at a young age and had joined the Progressive Labor Party by the age of fifteen. By that time he was living in Oakland (an alternate reality version of which provides the setting for Sorry to Bother You). While working at a variety of jobs there (including a stint as a telemarketer), Riley became a founding member (and the lead vocalist) of the hip hop group The Coup, which has released a number of successful albums, including 1998’s Steal This Album (whose title refers to radical youth leader Abbie Hoffman’s 1971 book Steal This Book) and the controversial Party Music (2001), which contains tracks such as “5 Million Ways to Kill a CEO.” Their 2006 album Pick a Bigger Weapon received considerable acclaim, and their 2012 album Sorry to Bother You provides much of the soundtrack for the film of the same title. Nothing, meanwhile, captures the ending of that film better than the song “Guillotine” from the album, which contains a perfect caption, addressed to abusive capitalists, for the film’s last moment: “We got the guillotine—you better run.” In 2009 Riley teamed with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello to release the self-titled debut album of their new group Street Sweeper Social Club. Both of Riley’s bands remain active, though he has always made it clear that his musical work was merely a part of his larger political project, which concentrates on exposing the abuses perpetrated by the capitalist system in America. Sorry to Bother You, his first film, is thus simply a logical progression in his project to use popular culture (conventionally thought of as an important tool of capitalist domination) as a weapon in the struggle against capitalism. His career thus parallels that of Cash in the sense that Cash turns the Equisapiens program, intended as an unprecedented tool of capitalist domination, into an important resource for resistance to that domination. In the same manner, Sorry to Bother You exhibits a number of the typical characteristics of postmodernism (the artistic mode that Fredric Jameson has described as “the cultural logic of late capitalism”), but at least attempts to turn its postmodernist aesthetic strategies against capitalism. The film is highly fragmented, with its main narrative frequently interrupted by inserted television commercials, television programs, musical and other performances, and so on. It borrows imagery and styles from a variety of predecessors, lacing them together with an editing style that is reminiscent of music videos. It employs a number of visual effects that eschew realistic representation and break down the barrier between fantasy and reality—as when Cash makes calls for RegalView and then is shown as if he is being physically projected into the homes of those whom he is calling. Yet all of these postmodernist motifs are deployed in a relentless critique of the capitalist system and its exploitation of both its workers and its consumers. Just how effective this critique might be remains to be seen, and one might argue that it is merely a case of preaching to the choir. Perhaps, though, the entertainment value of this particular sermon might just win some new members for the choir, encouraged by the extreme, defamiliarizing images of the film at last to see capitalism for what it really is. And perhaps galvanizing that enlarged choir into action just might be the start of something much, much bigger. Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Trans. Alan Sheridan. New York: Vintage-Random House, 1979. [1] Strikebreakers who cross the picket line are able to do so because paramilitary security forces hired by the company brutally clear the way for them. The forces are supplied by a company called “Stackwater,” in an obvious reference to the Blackwater organization (now, oddly enough, renamed “Academi,” in an apparent attempt to distance itself from its negative reputation). Blackwater has supplied mercenaries to the CIA since its founding in 2003. In 2007, the company received considerable negative publicity when several of its employees were convicted of killing fourteen Iraqi civilians without justification. [2] This remark presumably refers to the publicity gained by pop singer Grande after an Islamic terrorist detonated a shrapnel-laden suicide bomb, killing twenty-three people at England’s Manchester arena as they were leaving a concert she had just performed. [3] The film here critiques certain negative aspects of hip hop culture from within, as it were. Both Stanfield and (especially) Riley are accomplished rap artists in their own rights, and both perform on the album’s soundtrack. Riley’s hip hop work with the group The Coup, in particular, serves as a politically responsible antithesis to the kind of degraded rap music satirized in this scene. [4] This strategy has generally been associated, by critics such as Darko Suvin, with science fiction. Indeed, Sorry to Bother You has been more widely characterized as science fiction than as horror. However, see the previous section in this volume (on It Follows) for a discussion of this concept in relation to horror film. [5] This video is attributed to “Michel Dongry,” in an obvious reference to French director Michel Gondry. Indeed, the video was initially intended to be attributed to Gondry himself, as a sort of tribute—which seems appropriate given that much of Sorry to Bother You seems to have been influenced by Gondry’s somewhat surrealistic style. This video, in particular, seeks to capture Gondry’s trademark combination of whimsy and surrealism. Lift could presumably have afforded any director he wanted, so the choice of Gondry is something of a compliment, even if a problematic one, given the purpose of the video. Given that purpose, perhaps it was no surprise that Gondry and his representatives objected to the use of his name, whereupon Riley opted to change the name as a parodic retort. [6] Riley presumably has Lift mention of King, not to criticize King himself, but to highlight the way in which mainstream America has subsequently heroized King for his nonviolent message, while at the same time ignoring (or even demonizing) more radical black leaders, such as Malcolm X, [7] The depiction of Lift here echoes the conclusions of the 2003 documentary film The Corporation. Here, the filmmakers examine corporate behavior in light of the legal tradition of regarding corporations essentially as people, with the same rights as actual people. They conclude that, were an actual human to behave the way corporations typically do, he or she would be clinically diagnosed as a psychopath.
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JMI JMIR Med Inform JMIR Medical Informatics 2291-9694 JMIR Publications Toronto, Canada v10i3e32313 35254275 10.2196/32313 Original Paper Original Paper Predicting Long-term Survival After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies: Machine Learning–Based Model Development and Validation Eysenbach Gunther Arai Yasuyuki Cheng Xi Choi Eun-Ji MD, PhD 1 Jun Tae Joon PhD 2 Park Han-Seung MD 1 Lee Jung-Hee MD, PhD 1 Lee Kyoo-Hyung MD, PhD 1 Kim Young-Hak MD, PhD 3 Lee Young-Shin MSN, PhD 1 Kang Young-Ah MSN 1 Jeon Mijin MSN 1 Kang Hyeran MSN 1 Woo Jimin MSN 1 Lee Je-Hwan MD, PhD 1 Department of Hematology Asan Medical Center University of Ulsan College of Medicine 88, Olympic-ro 43-gil Songpa-gu Seoul, 05505 Republic of Korea 82 3010 6961 82 3010 3218 Department of Hematology Asan Medical Center University of Ulsan College of Medicine Seoul Republic of Korea Big Data Research Center Asan Institute for Life Sciences Asan Medical Center Seoul Republic of Korea Division of Cardiology Asan Medical Center University of Ulsan College of Medicine Seoul Republic of Korea Corresponding Author: Je-Hwan Lee 3 2022 7 3 2022 10 3 e32313 22 7 2021 13 8 2021 10 9 2021 29 12 2021 ©Eun-Ji Choi, Tae Joon Jun, Han-Seung Park, Jung-Hee Lee, Kyoo-Hyung Lee, Young-Hak Kim, Young-Shin Lee, Young-Ah Kang, Mijin Jeon, Hyeran Kang, Jimin Woo, Je-Hwan Lee. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (, 07.03.2022. 2022 Scoring systems developed for predicting survival after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) show suboptimal prediction power, and various factors affect posttransplantation outcomes. A prediction model using a machine learning–based algorithm can be an alternative for concurrently applying multiple variables and can reduce potential biases. In this regard, the aim of this study is to establish and validate a machine learning–based predictive model for survival after allogeneic HCT in patients with hematologic malignancies. Data from 1470 patients with hematologic malignancies who underwent allogeneic HCT between December 1993 and June 2020 at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea, were retrospectively analyzed. Using the gradient boosting machine algorithm, we evaluated a model predicting the 5-year posttransplantation survival through 10-fold cross-validation. The prediction model showed good performance with a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.788 (SD 0.03). Furthermore, we developed a risk score predicting probabilities of posttransplantation survival in 294 randomly selected patients, and an agreement between the estimated predicted and observed risks of overall death, nonrelapse mortality, and relapse incidence was observed according to the risk score. Additionally, the calculated score demonstrated the possibility of predicting survival according to the different transplantation-related factors, with the visualization of the importance of each variable. We developed a machine learning–based model for predicting long-term survival after allogeneic HCT in patients with hematologic malignancies. Our model provides a method for making decisions regarding patient and donor candidates or selecting transplantation-related resources, such as conditioning regimens. machine learning hematopoietic cell transplantation hematologic malignancies prediction survival stem cell transplant malignancy model outcome algorithm bias validation Introduction Background Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a potentially curative therapeutic option for patients with hematologic malignancies, which has been widely used. The increasing use of allogeneic HCT is attributable to multiple factors, including improved alternative donor availability, reduced-intensity conditioning regimens, advances in the prevention of transplantation-related toxicities, and an improvement in general supportive care. Despite these advances, allogeneic HCT remains associated with considerably high rates of complications, treatment-related mortality, and relapse [1]. To predict transplantation outcomes more accurately before making decisions regarding transplant eligibility, several prognostic scoring systems for survival after allogeneic HCT have been developed. These scores include the HCT-specific comorbidity index, the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) risk score, and the Pretransplant Assessment of Mortality score, among others [2-5]. Most prognostic scoring systems were developed using parametric statistical methodologies, such as Cox proportional hazards models, for predicting the likelihood of survival for HCT recipients. The scoring systems’ variables mainly include recipient factors, such as age, comorbidities, performance status, time from diagnosis to HCT, and disease status. Furthermore, several donor factors are considered in the EBMT risk score, including donor type (human leukocyte antigen [HLA]: identical sibling or matched unrelated), sex match, and cytomegalovirus serostatus. However, the reported accuracy of these prediction models is suboptimal, where the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) ranges between 0.6 and 0.7 [6]. Recently, attempts to predict transplantation-related outcomes more accurately have been made in various clinical settings regarding early mortality [7], graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) [8], or relapse using deep learning–based prediction models [9]. The Acute Leukemia (AL)–EBMT score was developed using a data mining–based approach to predict 100-day mortality after allogeneic HCT [7]. Another study of a machine learning algorithm predicting the incidence of acute GVHD using Japanese registry data has demonstrated that the calculated scores were associated with clear stratification of acute GVHD, whereas lower scores were associated with a low incidence of acute GVHD [8]. In one study, a machine learning–based model was developed to predict the 1-year relapse rate after allogeneic HCT in patients with AL [9]. Although the patient population, endpoints, and criteria for variable selection were different between studies, the performances were similar and seemed slightly better than the previously reported transplantation outcome prediction scores. The survival following allogeneic HCT, however, can vary depending on multiple variables, such as disease relapse and transplantation-related complications, including GVHD, engraftment failure, or infection, which can lead to increased nonrelapse mortality (NRM). Furthermore, these HCT complications are associated with several variables, including donor-related or recipient-related factors, donor-recipient relationship, and conditioning, among others. We hypothesized that the selection of variables using a machine learning–based approach and the establishment of a prediction model by applying those variables will improve the performance of the model and avoid unexpected biases. Additionally, we assumed that the established prediction algorithm will help choose better transplantation-related factors or donors to improve post-HCT outcomes. In this study, we developed a model for predicting the long-term survival of patients with hematologic malignancies after allogeneic HCT based on selected variables using a machine learning algorithm, and we validated the model’s accuracy in a validation set. Then, we implemented an algorithm to select more appropriate transplantation-related factors using the established prediction model. Methods Patient Population and Study Outcomes Data on 1470 adult patients (≥15 years old) with hematologic malignancies who underwent allogeneic HCT between December 1993 and December 2015 at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea, were obtained for developing the machine learning–based prediction model. To predict long-term survival after allogeneic HCT, we included patients who survived more than 5 years and who died within 5 years after transplantation. As the data cutoff date was December 2020, we only included patients who underwent allogeneic HCT before December 2015 to ensure that the follow-up duration of each patient could be at least 5 years. Then, 229 variables, including recipient and donor characteristics, disease features, HLA types, graft information, administered medications for conditioning, GVHD prophylaxis, supportive care, and other laboratory data, were collected for analysis. The primary objective of the study was to predict the 5-year overall survival (OS) after allogeneic HCT, and the secondary objectives include determining the NRM, cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), and 100-day OS. All censored data were calculated from the date of the transplantation. Ethics Approval The Institutional Review Board of Asan Medical Center approved the protocols of this study (2021-1003), which was conducted according to the 2008 Declaration of Helsinki. Selection of a Predicting Model The patients were classified into two groups, those who survived more than 5 years and those who died within 5 years. In the learning process, the former group was labeled 0 and the latter was labeled 1. Therefore, the closer the predicted value to 1, the higher the probability of death within 5 years. The aforementioned predictive factors were classified into categorical or noncategorical variables and used for developing 5 prediction models. The performance for predicting survival after allogeneic HCT was tested using the following 5 machine learning algorithms: gradient boosting machine (GBM), random forest, deep neural network, logistic regression, and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost). Each algorithm was tested using the same training set which was randomly divided (1176/1470, 79.59% of the total number of patients in the training set). The AUCs of the algorithms are shown in Multimedia Appendix 1. Of the 5 algorithms, GBM showed the highest AUC (0.75) compared with random forest (0.74), deep neural network (0.65), logistic regression (0.70), and AdaBoost (0.72). Therefore, the selection of relevant variables and the development of the final model were performed using GBM. GBM is an ensemble method that combines several weak classifiers, such as trees. The goal of GBM is to focus and place the weights on incorrectly predicted results through gradient descent [10]. While GBM is training, the initial tree trains the data set and assigns weights to incorrectly predicted records with errors, and the next tree from the same model learns the weighted data set and repeats the process of assigning weights. Explainable Individualized Survival Prediction We provided an explainable individualized survival prediction using Shapley values to quantify the probability of surviving for each patient by predicting the OS after allogeneic HCT. A Shapley value is calculated as the average change according to the presence or absence of a single feature over all possible combinations of features [11]. Given a survival prediction model, f(x), we can compute the Shapley values using the following equation: where n is the total number of features, and the sum extends over all subsets S of N not containing feature i. In a recent study, a unified framework called Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) was released for explainable machine learning models using Shapley values [10]. In this study, the survival model also provides a description of patient-specific survival prediction using SHAP. Other Statistical Analyses Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test or Fisher exact test, and continuous variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test or Student t test, as appropriate. The OS was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the resulting survival curves were compared using the log-rank test. NRM and CIR were evaluated using a cumulative incidence function regarding competing risks and compared using the method of Gray in R, version 3.6.3 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing). All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS, version 24 (IBM Corp), and graphs were generated using GraphPad Prism, version 9.1.2 (GraphPad Software Inc). In all analyses, P values were two-tailed, and those less than .05 were used to denote statistical significance. Results Patient and Donor Characteristics The characteristics of the patients and donors included in the study are shown in Table 1. Between December 2009 and December 2015, 1470 patients underwent allogeneic HCT for hematologic malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (n=783), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL; n=306), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS; n=188), chronic myeloid leukemia (n=92), non-Hodgkin/Hodgkin lymphoma (n=56), BCR-ABL1–negative myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN; n=16), MDS/MPN (n=6), and multiple myeloma (n=13). Approximately two-thirds of the patients (n=995) received peripheral blood as a graft source, and one patient who received cord blood as a graft source was included. Reduced-intensity conditioning and myeloablative conditioning were used in 934 (63.5%) and 536 (36.5%) of the 1470 patients, respectively. Antithymocyte globulin was used in 903 (61.4%) of the 1470 patients as GVHD prophylaxis. During the median follow-up duration of 8 years (95% CI 7.8-8.3 years), the estimated 5-year OS of all patients was 46.2%. The 2-year incidence of NRM and CIR was 17.7% and 33.3%, respectively. Patient and donor characteristics. Variable Value Patients, N 1470 Interval between diagnosis to HCTa in months, median (95% CI) 5.7 (0-268) Recipient sex, n (%) Male 833 (56.7) Female 637 (43.3) Donor sex, n (%) Male 977 (66.5) Female 493 (33.5) Recipient age in years, median (range) 41 (15-75) Donor age in years, median (range) 34 (0-70) Donor-recipient sex, n (%) Male to male 551 (37.5) Female to male 280 (19) Male to female 424 (28.8) Female to female 213 (14.5) Recipient disease, n (%) AMLb 783 (66.9) MDSc 188 (16.1) ALLd 306 (26.2) Lymphoma 56 (4.8) MMe 13 (1.1) CMLf 92 (7.9) MPNg 16 (1.4) MDS-MPN 16 (1.4) HCT-CIh score, median (range) 3 (0-8) Disease risk, n (%) Standard riski 830 (56.5) High risk 640 (43.5) Donor type, n (%) Matched sibling 591 (40.2) Unrelated 387 (26.4) Haploidentical familial 491 (33.4) Cord blood 1 (0.1) Graft source, n (%) Bone marrow 472 (32.1) Peripheral blood 997 (67.8) Cord blood 1 (0.1) Conditioning intensity, n (%) Myeloablative 536 (36.5) Reduced intensity 934 (63.5) Treated with antithymocyte globulin to prevent GVHDj, n (%) 903 (61.4) aHCT: hematopoietic cell transplantation. bAML: acute myeloid leukemia. cMDS: myelodysplastic syndrome. dALL: acute lymphoblastic leukemia. eMM: multiple myeloma. fCML: chronic myeloid leukemia. gMPN: myeloproliferative neoplasm. hHCT-CI: hematopoietic cell transplantation–specific comorbidity index. iThe standard-risk group is defined as follows: patients with acute leukemia in the first remission (except by salvage chemotherapy), CML in the chronic phase, drug-sensitive lymphoma/MM, or MDS with bone marrow blasts ≤5% at HCT. jGVHD: graft-versus-host disease. Development of the Prediction Model After deciding on GBM as the prediction algorithm, the variables used for model development were selected using the recursive feature elimination (RFE) method. RFE is one of the widely used feature selection methods that provide a rank to each variable according to feature importance in predicting the target variable and help select a minimum specified number of variables showing good performance in a model [12]. Using the RFE algorithm, we selected 45 relevant variables for developing the prediction model (see Multimedia Appendix 2 and Textbox 1). In the case of HLA type, each allele of recipients and donors was regarded as an independent variable. Selected variables for the prediction model. AML: acute myeloid leukemia. WBC: white blood cell. HLA: human leukocyte antigen. RBC: red blood cell. CMV: cytomegalovirus. HCT-CI: hematopoietic cell transplantation–specific comorbidity index. *The standard-risk group is defined as follows: patients with acute leukemia in the first remission (except by salvage chemotherapy), CML in the chronic phase, drug-sensitive lymphoma/MM, or MDS with bone marrow blasts ≤5% at HCT. Diagnosis and disease (eg, AML first complete remission) Disease risk* WBC count at diagnosis Extramedullary disease at diagnosis Extramedullary disease at HCT Karyotype at diagnosis Karyotype at HCT CMV serostatus of recipient CMV serostatus of donor Hepatic score of HCT-CI Total score of HCT-CI Conditioning regimen Donor type Recipient HLA type: A, B, C, DR, and DQ Donor HLA type: A, B, C, DR, and DQ RBC transfusion before HCT Platelet transfusion before HCT Final Performance of the Prediction Model The performance of the prediction model using GBM and selected variables in 294 patients is depicted in Figure 1A. The AUC and prediction accuracy of the final model were 0.788 and 0.712, respectively. Figure 1B shows a calibration plot with the Brier score of the model demonstrating agreement between the estimated predicted risk and observed risk of death in the validation cohort. The algorithm was trained and evaluated using 10-fold cross-validation in the total patient cohort, where the predictive power of the model demonstrated a generalized performance with a similar accuracy. The final performance of the prediction model. Panel A shows the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Panel B shows the calibration plot. Because we classified patients who died within 5 years as 1, the closer the predicted value of the GBM model to 1, the higher the risk of death. The optimal threshold for determining whether the risk score is positive or negative is calculated using the Youden J statistic along with the ROC curve. From the prediction model, the threshold is 0.5533, and if the risk score is greater than that, the model estimates that the patient will die within 5 years. The predicting probability of the risk score of each patient was tested in a randomly selected patient cohort, which corresponds to 20% of all patients (294/1470) to reduce the probable bias from choosing one of 10 produced models. Figure 2A shows the estimated post-transplantation OS of the patients according to the risk score, which was equally divided by the absolute score values. The estimated 5-year OS was 70.3% in the low-risk group, 42.6% in the intermediate-risk group, and 14.9% in the high-risk group (P<.001). Different post-transplantation outcomes of the patients of validation set according to the prediction score (A) Overall survival (B) relapse (C) non-relapse mortality. Prediction of NRM and Relapse To assess whether the risk score can also predict NRM and relapse after HCT, we analyzed the incidence of NRM and relapse using 3 risk groups. High-risk scores were significantly associated with both higher CIR (P<.001) and higher NRM (P=.02) (Figure 2B and 2C). The estimated 2-year CIR was 11.3% in the low-risk group, 22.4% in the intermediate-risk group, and 53.1% in the high-risk group. The 2-year NRM was 9.3% in the low-risk group, 17.3% in the intermediate-risk group, and 25% in the high-risk group. Application of the Algorithm for Donor Selection We assumed that the prediction score for each patient can be applied in selecting the most appropriate donor when there are multiple donor candidates. For example, the prediction score can help physicians select the donor between a younger HLA-haploidentical individual and an older matched sibling. To verify this, we calculated the scores using Shapley values through which the importance of each variable can be visualized using a specific value. We simulated a real case of a patient with ALL in the first CR who has the following 2 donor candidates: one is a 48-year-old HLA-haploidentical familial female individual, and the other is a 43-year-old locus-mismatched unrelated male individual. A total of 2 prediction scores were calculated using data derived from each donor showing different values (Figure 3). Among the variables, the pretransplantation disease status appeared to be the most important factor in calculating each score. According to our prediction model, the donor in Figure 3B (unrelated donor) could be preferred because the score is lower than the donor in Figure 3A (haploidentical donor). Survival difference of the patients of validation set according to the prediction score. Discussion Principal Findings Long-term survival after allogeneic HCT in patients with hematologic malignancies is affected by multiple factors but mainly depends on disease relapse and NRM. Multiple variables, including disease status, genetic risk, conditioning regimen, comorbidities, degree of HLA matching, and patient and donor ages, are associated with disease relapse, GVHD, engraftment, or treatment-related toxicities, and these outcomes are closely and mutually related to survival after transplantation. However, traditional statistical methods are unsuitable for analysis considering the interactions between variables or their differences according to the specific values of each factor, such as the relationship between the HLA allele of the patient and donor. In this regard, prediction models based on machine learning algorithms can be an effective alternative for predicting posttransplantation outcomes and can provide guidance for selecting appropriate patients, donors, or resources [13]. We developed a prediction model and risk score using GBM and selected variables based on machine learning for long-term survival after allogeneic HCT. Our model demonstrated an AUC of 0.788, which showed better performance in predicting posttransplantation outcomes than previously reported machine learning–based models. Shouval et al [7] have reported the AL-EBMT model predicting 100-day mortality after allogeneic HCT showing an AUC of 0.701, which was significantly better than that of the EBMT score (AUC, 0.646). A study on Japanese individuals who underwent HCT has developed a machine learning–based prediction algorithm of acute GVHD, and the AUC of the model was 0.62 [8]. Another prediction algorithm developed by Fuse et al [9] has shown an AUC of 0.667 for predicting relapse within 1 year after transplantation. Most models were developed by applying the alternating decision tree algorithm, and the variables were selected by researchers. In this study, the model was developed using variables derived from the GBM algorithm and using the RFE method, instead of using preselected variables based on the opinion of the researchers or conventional statistical analysis. Through RFE, we extracted the minimum required features where the performance of the predicting model does not deteriorate. This is an important difference from the existing literature that applied machine learning algorithms using clinically selected variables. In contrast, we first built a full model using all possible variables and then gradually removed features that had little effect on survival prediction. Those differences might contribute to the higher AUC of our prediction model by reducing biases in selecting variables and augmenting possible correlations between each factor. Interestingly, the selected variables for our prediction model include each HLA allele type of recipients and donors. Because we used the raw values of each HLA allele of both recipients and donors rather than calculating the degree of mismatch, direction of mismatch, or allele types, our approach integrated the interactions between alleles affecting survival. To apply the prediction model to patients planning for allogeneic HCT in practice, a specific tool for comparing the expected outcomes according to multiple different factors is required. We provided a prediction score to quantify the probability of survival, which showed good concordance of the observed and estimated survival after HCT. Additionally, SHAP visualizes the importance of each factor (Figure 3), which allows for the prioritization of more appropriate transplantation-related resources. The most remarkable aspect of our model is that the importance of each factor can be quantified and visualized so that physicians can use the algorithm when planning allogeneic HCT to select factors, such as donor or conditioning regimen, that are expected to achieve better survival. The limitations of this study include the relatively small number of patients used for establishing the algorithm-based prediction model. Although the model showed consistency using 10-fold cross-validation in the validation cohort, a larger patient cohort is considered more helpful in verifying the performance of the algorithm. Further external validation using data from a greater number of patients is warranted. Second, the retrospective nature of the study may have resulted in selection and measurement biases. However, we included all patients with hematologic malignancies who underwent allogeneic HCT during a certain period of time to reflect real-world practice. Here, we present a machine learning–based algorithm and prediction score for quantifying the probability of long-term survival after allogeneic HCT in patients with hematologic malignancies. The prediction score showed a moderate negative correlation with long-term survival, NRM, and relapse after transplantation. Our prediction model provides a personalized method for selecting more appropriate transplantation-related factors and patient or donor candidates for allogeneic HCT. The AUC of each tested algorithm. cb, CatBoost; rf, random forest; fnn, feedforward neural network; log, logistic regression; ada, AdaBoost. Recursive feature elimination showing the AUC (area under the curve) according to the number of selected features. Abbreviations ALL acute lymphoblastic leukemia area under the ROC curve cumulative incidence of relapse gradient boosting machine graft-versus-host disease hematopoietic cell transplantation human leukocyte antigen myelodysplastic syndrome myeloproliferative neoplasm nonrelapse mortality overall survival recursive feature elimination receiver operating characteristic Shapley Additive Explanations This work was supported by the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, funded by the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Health Welfare (Grant HR21C0198). None declared. Phelan R Arora M Chen M Current use and outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: CIBMTR US summary slides Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research 2022-01-31 Sorror ML Maris MB Storb R Baron F Sandmaier BM Maloney DG Storer B Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT)-specific comorbidity index: a new tool for risk assessment before allogeneic HCT Blood 2005 10 15 106 8 2912 9 10.1182/blood-2005-05-2004 15994282 S0006-4971(20)69139-X PMC1895304 Gratwohl A Stern M Brand R Apperley J Baldomero H de Witte T Dini G Rocha V Passweg J Sureda A Tichelli A Niederwieser D Risk score for outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation Cancer 2009 10 15 115 20 4715 4726 10.1002/cncr.24531 Parimon T Au DH Martin PJ Chien JW A risk score for mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation Ann Intern Med 2006 03 21 144 6 407 10.7326/0003-4819-144-6-200603210-00007 Armand P Kim HT Logan BR Wang Z Alyea EP Kalaycio ME Maziarz RT Antin JH Soiffer RJ Weisdorf DJ Rizzo JD Horowitz MM Saber W Validation and refinement of the Disease Risk Index for allogeneic stem cell transplantation Blood 2014 07 05 123 23 3664 71 10.1182/blood-2014-01-552984 24744269 S0006-4971(20)40150-8 PMC4047501 Potdar R Varadi G Fein J Labopin M Nagler A Shouval R Prognostic scoring systems in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: where do we stand? Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2017 11 23 11 1839 1846 10.1016/j.bbmt.2017.07.028 28797781 S1083-8791(17)30624-9 Shouval R Labopin M Bondi O Mishan-Shamay H Shimoni A Ciceri F Esteve J Giebel S Gorin NC Schmid C Polge E Aljurf M Kroger N Craddock C Bacigalupo A Cornelissen JJ Baron F Unger R Nagler A Mohty M Prediction of allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation mortality 100 days after transplantation using a machine learning algorithm: a European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Acute Leukemia Working Party retrospective data mining study J Clin Oncol 2015 10 01 33 28 3144 51 10.1200/JCO.2014.59.1339 26240227 JCO.2014.59.1339 Arai Y Kondo T Fuse K Shibasaki Y Masuko M Sugita J Teshima T Uchida N Fukuda T Kakihana K Ozawa Y Eto T Tanaka M Ikegame K Mori T Iwato K Ichinohe T Kanda Y Atsuta Y Using a machine learning algorithm to predict acute graft-versus-host disease following allogeneic transplantation Blood Adv 2019 11 26 3 22 3626 3634 10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000934 31751471 428816 PMC6880900 Fuse K Uemura S Tamura S Suwabe T Katagiri T Tanaka T Ushiki T Shibasaki Y Sato N Yano T Kuroha T Hashimoto S Furukawa T Narita M Sone H Masuko M Patient-based prediction algorithm of relapse after allo-HSCT for acute leukemia and its usefulness in the decision-making process using a machine learning approach Cancer Med 2019 09 8 11 5058 5067 10.1002/cam4.2401 31305031 PMC6718546 Lundberg S Lee S A unified approach to interpreting model predictions Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) 2017 2017 Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems December 4-9, 2017 Long Beach, CA Shapley L Kuhn H Tucker A A value for n-person games Contributions to the Theory of Games II 1953 Princeton, NJ Princeton University Press 307 317 Guyon I Weston J Barnhill S Vapnik V Gene selection for cancer classification using support vector machines Mach learn 2002 46 1 389 422 10.1023/a:1012487302797 Shouval R Bondi O Mishan H Shimoni A Unger R Nagler A Application of machine learning algorithms for clinical predictive modeling: a data-mining approach in SCT Bone Marrow Transplant 2013 10 7 49 3 332 337 10.1038/bmt.2013.146
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We’ve known about the amazing benefits of microcurrent facials for years (especially when combined with cold laser therapy!) and finally, the beauty media is catching on. Recent features in WWD, NY MagByrdie, PopSugar, Us Weekly and E! Online proclaim that microcurrent is the new botox. Apparently, microcurrent is preferred by millennials because it’s non-invasive. So, how are twenty- and thirty-somethings finding out about our favourite way to firm our faces? Social media. Models, celebs and influencers are sharing their microcurrent facials with the virtual world. DJ, blogger and influencer Hannah Bronfman and beauty expert and Into The Gloss founder Emily Weiss both started microcurrent facials as prep for their upcoming nuptials. And, Model Emily Didonato, who has covered Vogue Paris, Allure, Glamour and more, apparently turns to microcurrent to keep her gorgeous face looking fresh and young. Plus, beauty editors, social influencers and you know, little-known celebrities like Kate Hudson, Jennifer Aniston and Meryl Streep are fans—so you know it works for millennials, gen-x-ers and boomers! Why do these women love microcurrent facials? They’re non-invasive. No needles, no downtime, no pain. Microcurrent facials use a gentle electric current to tone facial muscles. They’re safe. This isn’t a crazy skincare fad that could damage your skin. (Slush facial, anyone?) They’re affordable. Thermage, fillers and plastic surgery are major investments. Our Freeze Facial is the price of one really nice night out, a good pair of shoes or a party dress. Remember, fashion comes and goes, your face is forever! Want to experience the magic of microcurrent—combined with microdermabrasion, oxygen infusion and cold laser therapy—book now! Images: @sb_skin
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Share this pen Bedtime Essentials For A Good Nights Sleep June 05, 2021 We spend a ton of time in our beds. However, not all of us are satisfied with the quality of our sleep. Several factors such as stress, our day or bedtime habits all affect us. So if you are looking for deeper, quality sleep, it's time to assess your pre-bedtime rituals.  It is easy to get the best sleep of your life, but first, you have to reassess the nasty habits that mess with your sleep hygiene (we're watching you Netflix instead of sleeping people). Once that's done, it's easy to fall asleep faster and feel well-rested in the mornings.  Good sleep health will affect your overall health and productivity because nothing good comes from waking up on the wrong side of the bed. On that note, we've gathered the most helpful bedtime essentials for a good night's sleep. The Five Minute Journal Journalling is an excellent way to express your thoughts before you sleep and in the morning. Therefore, The Five Minute Journal is a perfect companion to share your thoughts with while practicing daily gratitude. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind It's immensely helpful bidding your electronics goodbye and enjoy time off the screen. Therefore, this read would be an excellent choice to help your brain relax and transport you to another place as you lull off to sleep. Four Sigmatic Hot Cacao  Hands up if you enjoy a sneaky night treat. We all do, we must admit, so you aren't alone. Give into the cravings with hot cocoa. Not only is it perfect for bedtime, but it also has calming properties ZonLi Weighted Blanket  To have a good night's sleep also means to be enveloped in weighted cover. This weighted blanket from ZonLi does the trick. It's filled with the perfect amount of weights so you can drift off in a stress-free cocoon.  Destress Ade Blueberry Dietary Supplements If you love the taste of coconut water, you wouldn't want to miss out on this supplement. It is filled with magnesium which reduces stress in the body while helping you relax. For sure, this is something to consider before you get your daily sleep.  Campo Essential Oil Roll-On & Silk Eye Mask Kit  Night lights are guilty of taking our sleep away alongside alarm clocks, the sun, or the blackout curtains that do not provide enough shade. Therefore, this sleep mask is an excellent addition to your sleep hygiene. Moreso, it even comes with a roll-on oil to deepen relaxation.  Coop Home Goods - Premium Adjustable Loft Pillow Kiss stiff necks and bad backs goodbye with this fantastic pillow. It comes with memory foam, and you can add or remove foam based on your preferred sleep position. Thank us later.  Buffy Eucalyptus Sheets Can sleep get any fancier than this? The sheets are made of eco-friendly eucalyptus and are cool to touch, making them perfect for summer nights. Also, if the white doesn't work for you, you have six other gorgeous colors to choose from.  Slip Pure Silk Pillowcase Drift off to sleep on this lovely pillowcase made from one hundred percent silk. Plus, silk is terrific on the skin and your nails, and that's a bonus you don't want to miss out on. Also, they are available in a ton of colors to give you those rich aunty vibes.  Bose Sleepbuds II If you're prone to waking up every time there is a slight creaking at night, these sleepbuds will become your best friend. They are strictly designed for sleeping, thus removing the uncomfortable feeling from standard earphones. Also, you can play soothing sounds through them while you sleep.
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12 days old Electrical Installer 3 Orange, CA 92866 **Description** + Experienced leading, small, medium, and large-scale Security projects + Proficient construction skills and understanding of system plans. + Excellent understanding of blueprints, design drawings including wiring and labeling methods, system wiring, wiring methods, and cable support installation (J-Hook, Raceway, Conduit, Cable Support). + Very familiar with basic blueprints, schematics, manuals, and other specifications to determine installation procedures unassisted. + Excellent customer focus and ability to work under pressure. + Communicates down, across, and up to ensure accurate and required information across all stake holders + Strong mechanical and electrical aptitude (e.g. works with a variety of hand and power tools such as drill, screwdriver, wire stripper, hacksaw, crimper) and ability to read blueprints and drawings; solid math skills. + Flexible and ability to not just run but also assist when needed to complete a project **Qualifications** **Behaviors** **Required** + **Team Player:** Works well as a member of a group + **Detail Oriented:** Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well + **Dedicated:** Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity **Motivations** **Required** + **Ability to Make an Impact:** Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization + **Self-Starter:** Inspired to perform without outside help Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractors legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c) • Information Technology Posted: 2022-11-13 Expires: 2022-12-26 Employment Trends Before you go... Share this job: Electrical Installer 3 Convergint Technologies Orange, CA 92866 Join us to start saving your Favorite Jobs! Sign In Create Account Powered ByCareerCast
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Common questions Can you use a WiFi extender in a hotel? Can you use a WiFi extender in a hotel? Using the best WiFi extender for hotel rooms is the easiest way to provide an excellent and secure in-room wireless connection. Such extenders receive a signal from your wireless router and direct it further by transmitting their own WiFi signal. Extenders for hotel rooms are not just for dead areas. What can I use for Wi-Fi when traveling? The 8 Best Portable Wi-Fi Hotspots of 2021 • Best Overall: Verizon Jetpack MiFi 8800L. • Best Budget: Alcatel LinkZone 4G Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot. • Fastest Speed: GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Gigabit Travel Router. • Easiest to Use: GlocalMe G4 Pro 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot. • Best Battery Life: RoamWiFi R10 4G Portable WiFi Device. Do travel routers work in hotels? Given that many hotels only allow you to join a network using one device at a time (or charge extra for multiple devices), having a travel router makes it possible for us to use all our WiFi enabled devices at once without extra fees. Why is hotel WiFi so bad? There are usually two reasons for slow hotel Internet. First, hotels often do not invest in superior hardware and Internet connectivity. The large number of people all trying to use the Internet at the same time compounds this infrastructure issue. The second reason the Internet sucks at some hotels is more sinister. How do you get free WiFi when traveling? 1. Choose your hotel wisely. 2. Tether your phone. 3. Venture into big chain restaurants. 4. Perch yourself near big chain restaurants. 5. Download a WiFi finder app before you leave. 6. Use review sites to find places with free WiFi. 7. Visit the local library. Is a WiFi extender the same as a router? A Wi-Fi extender connects with your router (either wirelessly or through a wired connection) to help extend your internet signal into rooms that are Wi-Fi dead zones due to walls, furniture obstructions or general spacing. How do I use a travel router at a hotel? Option 1 – Use a WiFi to WiFi router 1. Locate your hotel room’s ethernet slot. 2. Connect the router to the cable and slot. 3. Switch on your router. 4. Use your laptop to access the router’s page. 5. Use an easily recognizable name as your SSID. 6. Create a password. 7. Leave other options on default. What is the difference between WiFi extender and WiFi booster? When two or more hosts have to be connected with one another over the IEEE 802.11 protocol and the distance is too long for a direct connection to be established, a wireless booster is used to bridge the gap. A WiFi extender is used to extend the coverage area of your WiFi network. Is it safe to watch Netflix on hotel Wi-Fi? Are my personal details safe if I enter my Netflix account at a hotel? Watching Netflix on the TV of your hotel room does not entail any risk, since all the information you enter to log in is automatically cleared up as soon as you check out. Can a WiFi router be used in a hotel room? Are there any security devices for hotel rooms? Portable Door Lock – Solid Travel Door Lock – Add Security Hotel Door Jammer from Inside – Sturdy Self-Defense Door Security Device for Home, Apartment, Living Motel, AirBNB, School Dorm. . Is there limit to how many devices you can have in a hotel room? Many hotels still limit you to one or two Wi-Fi devices per room–a frustrating limitation, especially when traveling with someone else. Connection restrictions can apply anywhere you have to log into a Wi-Fi network via a portal instead of a standard passphrase. Here are some ways to get around that limitation. How much does it cost to use WiFi in a hotel? You can then connect your laptop, iPhone, iPad, and Blackberry to the Wi-Fi, without paying extra hotel charges. Using the internet in a hotel can be a costly experience, with hotels typically charging around US$30 per day.
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plant vs botany botany vs plant plant and botany both are nouns. plant is a verb but botany is not a verb. plant (noun) botany (noun) buildings for carrying on industrial labor all the plant life in a particular region or period (botany) a living organism lacking the power of locomotion the branch of biology that studies plants something planted secretly for discovery by another plant (verb) botany (verb) fix or set securely or deeply set up or lay the groundwork for place into a river put firmly in the mind Words related to "plant" Words related to "botany"
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Experienced Legal Advocacy For Employment Law Matters Types of executive compensation On Behalf of | Nov 30, 2021 | Executive Employment If you have a future working at the corporate level in New Jersey, you may benefit from learning about the types of executive compensation. Pay packages offered to executives are substantially different than hourly or salaried employee compensation because they are largely structured around incentives targeting business performance and increasing value for shareholders. Executive pay packages may include a base salary, short-term and long-term incentives, employee benefits, perquisites and severance payments. Executive salary and benefits Base pay is stated as annual salary, but it’s typically paid monthly or bi-weekly like other salaried employees. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act capped compensation for the CEO, CFO and next three highest-paid executives at $1 million, repealing a performance-based statute established in 1993. This $1 million cap applies to compensation made after termination and retirement. Executive payment packages include the same benefits as most salaried employees, such as sick days, medical insurance, life insurance and statutory benefits like workers’ compensation. In addition, executives are often eligible to participate in special retirement plans that are more risk-laden. Executive incentives Annual incentives compensate executives for fulfilling the short-term strategy established in annual goals typically set by the board of directors. Annual objectives may include developing new projects, implementing new strategies, improving profit margins or expanding into a new market. These incentives are typically offered in a two-tier payment structure expressed as a proportion of the annual salary. Long-term incentives are often provided in the form of stock-based compensation. Evaluating executive pay packages Compensation committees typically structure executive pay packages around meeting retention and pay-for-performance objectives. Companies also offer executives perquisites, or perks, providing extra benefits designed to recognize the employee’s value to the organization. Severance agreements are an effective recruitment tool providing executives with payments whether their termination is voluntary or involuntary.
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Tijuana Bible FAQ What is a Tijuana Bible? Tijuana Bibles (AKA eight-pagers, bluesies) are small (~2x5") illustrated pornographic tracts printed primarily before 1960. The skimpy stories usually framed contemporary movie, sports, political, or cartoon/comic book stars in absurdly hyperbolic sexual situations. Most bibles consisted of 8 stapled pages. Sometimes you'd get a bonus frame from another title on the back cover, probably a printing mistake. Some were printed in a larger format with 16 pages. Page counts vary, but most stick with the tried and true 8-pager format. I've never seen a "color" bible. Inside pages are black and white (or shades of such), with an occasional splash of red outlining on the cover. The "artistic" quality is usually poor-- most feature atrocious grammar with illustrations just good enough to tweak a sexual response. (There are notable exceptions, of course!) When were they published? Dated by their subjects, the earliest I've seen have been from the 1920's. The latest set of true bibles (original, underground printings in the traditional form-factor) I've obtained have been from the mid-60's. By whom were they published? There is no definitive answer for this question. Many have presumed a link with organized crime. In my own research, speaking with dozens of individuals who recall the bibles, I've been unable to find any first-hand source. This could very well be due to the "biblical prime" having been so long ago that those involved with original tracts are no longer alive! Why are they called Tijuana Bibles? Many assume Tijuana Bibles get their name from their place of origin. While some claim to be published in Havana or other exotic locales, it's more likely they were made here in the USA. "Tijuana" has long been associated with iniquity, and pairing it with "bible" produces a fittingly blasphemous appellation. Where can I buy them? Your best source for finding original bibles is eBay. Do a search for "tijuana bibles" to bring up a few dozen. Reprints of bibles are sold through various outlets, either in a deceptive 8-page form, or in published magazines or coffee-table books. You can also try various collectible sites. Hakes Americana and Collectibles sometimes runs auctions which include tijuana bibles. Where can I find them? Ask your grandpa! Perhaps a touchy subject, asking an elderly man if he has any old pornography, but give it a try. If you're too shy (or squeamish) to ask an old man about his childhood masturbation aids, try your attic, or your parents' attic, or a neighbour's attic. Many bibles are found unwittingly by collectors of other antiques. The most successful finds are from estate sales, either as part of a paper collection, or (more romantically) hidden inside an old radio or piece of furniture. After all, these tracts are pornography. Where did you stash yours? How much is my bible worth? To my knowledge, there is no "price guide" for this paper genre-- you can't look up a Fuller Brush Man title in Overstreet. Your best gauge of value is to search eBay for similiar titles. Prices average under $20 per book, with exceptional titles sometimes going for more than $50. There are three primary considerations: condition, authenticity, and content. • Condition is highly relative in the case of bibles. Most have been "stashed" for decades. Look for legible text and clean corners. • Authenticity is more difficult to ascertain. Many unscrupulous retailers will merely copy or print the bibles and staple them sandwiched between construction paper covers. A quick check with a magnifying glass for pixelation can spot an obvious copy. You might also invest in some of the tools of paper collectors-- the authentication process is similiar to that of comic books and other antique paper collectibles. • Content is often the best indicant of value. Largely forgotten cartoon characters (Mutt and Jeff, Jiggs and Maggie, etc.) are easily found. More rare are true gems such as Disney characters (it's very difficult to find an original Mickey Mouse!), less controversial film stars (eg. Jimmy Stewart), and political figures (Hitler, Mussolini.) In some cases, a particular author will fetch a higher price. Wesley Morse illustrated a series of World's Fair titles of exceptional quality and whimsical writing, and complete sets in good condition are popular. I have some, where can I sell them? You could try eBay, or a collectible site such as Hakes Americana and Collectibles What's the highest selling price for a bible? A single Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck bible went for $504 in a December 2002 eBay auction. I doubt anything but a Disney would have gone that high, and can't imagine any unadorned (eg. signed by Walt Disney himself-- ha!) bible selling for more. Where else in the world were bibles produced? I know of at least one Mexican bible featuring Mutt and Jeff. Reader "Cisco" writes: Here in Brazil, during the 60's, there were comics similar to Tijuana Bibles. They were called "Catecismos" ("catechisms") and were all done by a man named "Carlos Zéfiro" who only revealed his true identity in the 90's. There are some of them here: http://www.ludmira.hpg.ig.com.br/galeriazefiro/ZefiroP3GALERIA.htm. Home // Bibles // Search // FAQ If you've questions or comments, email us at [email protected].
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pirkei avot 2:1 - Do Kindness to Yourself as well as Others Elisheva Maline Rabbi (Reb Yehuda Hanasi - Judah the Prince) says, "Which is the right course that a man should choose for himself? He must pick that which is honorable for him who adopts it, that which is distinguished, and also brings him honor from others.... Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi was the leading sage post the destruction of our second temple. His claim to fame was taking the Oral law in a period of serious upheaval and compiling it for the coming generations. This compilation is a cryptic shorthand called the mishnah The sages often refer to Rabbi Yehuda as "Rebbe" since he was considered the paradigm of the Jewish leader. This belief stemmed from a combination of good midot (sterling character traits) coupled with his ability to rule firmly but lovingly. The Talmud tells the story of how he raised his ten fingers toward the heavens at the end of his life and declared, "In spite of all my wealth, I did not get one pinkie finger's worth of personal enjoyment from this world. Everything I did I did for the sake of heaven." Now, that's talking righteous. In the above quote, Rebbe mentions the approach one must take within the context of Torah law so that he may live or lead a Jewish society. When it comes to doing mitzvot, he is telling us, it's not a matter of "Will I do the mitzvot?" but "How will I do mitzvot?" For instance, everyone has an opinion on how much money one is obligated to give charity. Some prefer giving a little while others insist on giving much more! How can we find one answer that works for everyone? The scholars of bygone times found a Biblical which solved the problem: "All that you shall give me, tithe will I tithe it to you" (Genesis 28:22). Tithe is another word for one tenth. Now, the double use of the word "tithe," says our sages, lets us know that we have a minimum of one tenth to donate and a maximum of one fifth. Rebbe drew a principle from this mitzvah that when one does a kindness, it must benefit him, his family and the world at large. R' Yisrael Salanter (the father of the mussar movement) demonstrated this principle all his life. He told everyone, "If you do a kindness, knowing that someone will suffer as a result, in G-d's eyes, there was no kindness done." His teachings led him all over Europe. At some point he found himself in a little Jewish village in town -----. The morning after he spoke, a minyan (quorum) escorted Rav Yisrael to the local shul (synagogue) for prayers. They walked in the dead of winter and as each man lined up to wash his hands at the shul, he shivered with cold. When it was Rav Yisrael's turn, the other men noted with surprise that he poured only a few drop onto his fingertips (normally, a person washing his hands will wash three times on each hand and up to the wrist). They approached him after prayers and asked why he hadn't poured the required amount. The Rav answered, "I know that the water carrier brought only enough liquid for ten men. Today, there was eleven. I didn't want the eleventh guy to yell at the water carrier for not leaving him enough to wash with. Why should I do a mitzvah at his expense?"  We learn from these two examples that when it comes to doing mitzvot, we must keep others in mind, that is, whether they are directly or indirectly involved with your actions. Therefore, if you suddenly have an epiphany and want to turn your whole lifestyle upside down, don't just catch your family by surprise one morning by announcing, "Guess what guys? We're moving to Israel," or something similarly flabbergasting. Instead, you can discuss the matter: call a family meeting and talk over your brain storm with them. Generally, all good things take time, and if we wish to move forward in life, whether in areas of chesed (kindness) or self improvement, we need to make sure these do not come at the expense of others. No comments: Yashar LaChayal The majesty of the Western Wall Nefesh B'Nefesh
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Fireside Friday: June 4, 2021 Fireside this week! A little break after wrapping up our look at Europa Universalis IV. The next things coming up on the blog are going to be a look at who the Romans were and who they thought they were and an extension of our examination of EU4 into one of Paradox’s other titles, Victoria II. The series on identity in the Roman world is likely to be the one that appears first. After those, I am hoping to be ready to dive into the long-awaited discussion of doctrine and perhaps also trench warfare. I have very nearly run out of pictures of me in a chair by the fireplace, so here is a picture of my cat assisting me in sorting my books. I would like to claim that the reflective clipboard there was an intentional part of the composition, but it was in fact a result of the fact that I am disorganized continually. For this week’s musing, I thought I might talk a bit about the relationship between historians and political scientists. I sparked a bit of a teapot tempest on twitter when I noted that at a panel at the annual meeting of the Society for Military History on the legacy of Samuel Huntington’s The Soldier and the State (1957), which still exerts quite an influence on thinking within the military, that the Q&A had turned into a mild and friendly but amusing critique of political science as a discipline: To be clear, the general consensus of the discussion tended towards, “useful interlocutors with whom we will frequently disagree.” I’ll admit I was more than a bit surprised that some political scientists took umbrage; it has been my experience that any meeting between political scientists and historians involves at least some gentle ribbing by both parties about the differences between the disciplines (more so if alcohol is served at the event). But then it occurred to me that the relationship between the two disciplines is exactly the sort of inside baseball that these firesides are for. So let’s talk about it: why is there a cordial tension between political science and history? History and political science were bound to be interlinked disciplines, because they generally work with some of the same evidence base (historical case studies derived from the evidence of the past) and are often interested in the same questions (how polities function); where they differ most is in methods. Fundamentally, history – the older of the two disciplines by approximately 2,300 years – is a discipline of the humanities and applies humanistic methods (like close-reading, textual analysis, and so on), while political science attempts to answer questions about how polities function through scientific – or if you are being less generous, ‘scientific’ – methods. It would be a bit too simplistic to say that history is a ‘words’ discipline and poli-sci is a ‘numbers’ discipline (some historians use statistical methods, many political scientists focus on theory which is often not numerically quantified), though overall there is more emphasis on arguments which can be quantified or expressed in equations in political science than in history. That methodology though, is in service of different goals. Political science is fundamentally oriented towards a search for generalizable conclusions – things which are true not merely in a case study, but about many societies more generally and may thus be applied out broadly. History, by contrast, as a discipline tends to focus on contingency, which in turn minimizes (without fully rejecting) the possibility of generalizable conclusions. To be a historian is to accept that, for instance, Greece and Rome are quite different and that conclusions from one society often cannot be safely generalized to the other (much less to say, early modern France). Moreover, even in societies that are very similar accidents of chance and local conditions can still mean that conclusions in one society might not generalize to another. Because of that focus, historians tend to operate at a much higher level of granularity – we tend to ‘zoom in’ a lot more – which in turn means that our studies tend to be consumed by this non-generalizable contingent elements of history. All of which produces a very predictable cycle. First, historians examine the primary source evidence for past societies and produce processed historical interpretations of them (that is, they produce history from evidence). Though the number is by no means zero, relatively few political scientists interact with the raw evidence of societies even modestly deep in the past (though this is not the only form of evidence they use, see note below); all historians do, by definition. Consequently, the built up history – which is again, a processed good produced by historians out of evidence – is then used as a foundation for political scientists to produce research arguing for a generalized conclusion about societies (often embodied in a mathematical system which by necessity has taken irreducibly complex societies and reduced them to shorthand formulas). And then, with all the constancy of the North Star, historians cry foul at the generalized conclusion, producing from their very focused research on the idiosyncrasies of various societies a thousand and one exceptions to the generalized principle (which may or may not, in the event, actually overwhelm the value of the principle; even good rules of thumb have exceptions, after all). (A word on political science’s evidence base for a moment. Obviously, historian-intermediated history (or historian-intermediated ‘data,’ but I think we should be cautious with that word – ‘data’ implies a clear truth value which the historian in me is reluctant to offer) is not the sole source of the ‘data’ that underlies political science work. A significant minority of political science is experimental – attempting to replicate the actual scientific method – though this remains very much a minority because controlled experiments in things like war or tax policy are difficult or impossible. A lot more political science relies on using modern administrative data produced by modern states. The tricky thing there is that this data doesn’t go very far into the past, relatively speaking, before it needs a historian to mediate it or risk catastrophic mistakes of interpretation. Consequently, for societies much older than the present (really, anything much before 1900), political scientists are often substantially reliant on historians to create their data from the historical evidence. Finally theory and behavior studies from the sciences proper also often serve as evidentiary foundation for political science studies as well, much as they do in some of the other social sciences) This relationship is compounded by meaningful differences in the standards of evidence and argumentation between the two disciplines. Historians are generally trained to reject simplification and abstraction; you aren’t supposed to paper over exceptions, you are supposed to dutifully note every last one in your footnotes. By contrast, the goal of political science is to extrapolate general rules which by necessity must simplify substantial variations in the evidence in order to produce rules of thumb on which policy may be based. Likewise, historical argumentation comes with a greater emphasis on historiography – the study of the history of the history. There is thus a general expectation that a historian of a topic is familiar not only with the topic itself, but with the decades or even centuries of historical writing on that topic (the history of the history of a topic, as it were). Political science, by contrast, isn’t about documenting the past but detecting systems for the present and so tends to be quicker to ‘deprecate’ (in the software sense of ‘declare obsolete’) older scholarship; this isn’t a universal tendency, some political scientists are very good at assembling the ‘history of the debate’ but the pressure to do so tends to be somewhat less (but with a greater demanded awareness of contemporary theories). Consequently, when historians cry foul, they often do so in evidentiary terms which aren’t as applicable with political science, leading to frustrations all around. On the flip side, by political science standards, a lot of historical studies go absolutely nowhere. A micro-history that studies a small town in the 19th century and concludes that its social organization is entirely sui generis and cannot be meaningfully extrapolated to anywhere else is a potentially really interesting historical study, but not a particularly exciting political science study. Because history is in part focused on documentation (paired with interpretation), we’re a lot more willing to spend a bunch of time documenting things which, in the event, were only significant to a handful of people. I have, on this basis, heard political scientists describe this side of the historical method as ‘boring.’ Moreover, historians are often quite resistant to reducing their conclusions to data, especially numerical data (we are, after all, scholars of the humanities which tends to make us fundamentally word people). And to be clear, this is fine. Different disciplines have different methodologies. Pure ‘death of the author’ literary analysis would also be a hard sell in a history context (because providing the context for the production of a work is what we do) but is perfectly appropriate in a literature setting (or historical study focused on modern reception). But because historians and political scientists tend to play in the same pond (particularly with political and military historians), those different methodologies tend to interact rather more, which leads to some fairly predictable friction. Now clearly I am not impartial between these disciplines; I have picked a side. When it comes to the study of historical polities, I think the humanistic method is more likely to yield useful insights than a political-science method (especially in the ancient world). Indeed, I often think that the aspiration to be a science frequently holds political science back; I have already written about how I think some problems are not susceptible to the scientific method. And especially when it comes to the ancient world – where the actual evidence is often far weaker than a quick browse of the secondary scholarship would implyI often find myself in the historian’s typical position: the ‘you can’t know that’ guy pulling the brakes on Big Arguments fueled by poli-sci data-centric approaches. Or alternately, the annoying fellow whose ancient evidence base contradicts pleasant theories constructed on databases that don’t extend back before 1500 (e.g. the ‘democratic peace theory‘ which works more-or-less with a modern dataset but collapses when ancient examples are included; representative ancient governments went to war with each other all the time). Generally, I’d say the modernist bias in political science is a real weakness; when pre-modern evidence is used it is often used with startling lack of nuance and care for the complications it typically poses. The conversion of ‘evidence’ into ‘data’ is also often a violent and distorting process. Databases are only as good as what is included in them, as neatly exposed by a recent paper pointing out that Native American conflicts had been almost entirely left out of most major Poli-sci conflict databases; but then that study has its own flaws because its neatly graphed figures are heavily distorted by the evidentiary bias to report conflicts between Native American and colonial powers and then not necessarily report warfare that did not involve colonial powers (in some cases because such conflicts leave limited evidence). (Also, on the educational side, I have also found that some – by no means all! – political science programs teach their students to write in the rigid pattern and language of a scientific paper, a form sometimes adopted by political scientists (often where appropriate, sometime less so). Of course that style of writing has its purpose (especially in the STEM fields), but teaching that style in lieu of traditional persuasive essay writing is doing many students a disservice. Even a political scientist isn’t likely to use that rigid format outside of narrowly academic environments and most students in those programs aren’t going to go on to do the sort of poli-sci research which demands that kind of writing anyway. I do not know how general a phenomenon that is in teaching, but I seem to encounter students trained this way with some regularity (and never from the STEM fields narrowly construed).) All of that said, political science produces useful insights. We have, in fact, just been discussing the neo-realist theory of Kenneth Waltz, a political scientist, which I find a very useful frame – not the only one mind you, but a useful one – for understanding the behavior of states and interstate systems. Likewise, Stephen Biddle’s classification of the ‘modern system of war’ is a work of political science and while I have some very strong quibbles with how he attempts to assess and express that theory mathematically, the overall argument is sound. Moreover, the interaction whereby political scientists suggest grand conclusions and then historians cry foul is also a valuable knowledge-generating process, assuming that one is reading both the original grand conclusion and the objections (too often, it seems to me, writers aiming at a popular audience read only the original, grand conclusions and remain blissfully unaware of their reception by historians). Ideally, the best of those grand conclusions survive the process and become foundational theory which both political scientists and historians can draw on when trying to understand events and societies in the past. In any event, this relationship goes a long way to explaining the amiable competitive tension that often exists between the two fields. I was rather surprised by a number of political scientists on Twitter who seemed caught entirely unawares by the existence of that tension, since I have found that it emerges quite quickly any time historians and political scientists get together. I rather wonder if some of the folks caught off-guard by that might do better to hang out with more historians. On to recommendations! Drachinifel has a podcast-style interview with Jon Parshall (co-author on Shattered Sword which I have recommended in this very space) talking about the Battle of Midway and the American naval position in 1942 in the Pacific more generally. Parshall is an expert on Midway and 1942 in the Pacific and Drachinifel – whose channel is all about warships in the late 19th and early 20th centuries – asks good questions, so the resulting discussion is really quite good, especially where they get outside of the four corners of Shattered Sword and start discussing the broader context of the events of the year. While we are on podcasts, I should note that I was on a podcast with Murray, Jasper and Mark over at Ancient Warfare Magazine‘s Ancient Warfare Podcast. We discussed one of the topics of my current research, the Roman adoption of mail armor in the third century and its impact in the second century BC. It was a good, fairly freewheeling discussion (we occasionally got a touch off topic) and is well worth a listen. The lorica hamata, introduced in the third century to Rome (invented by the Gauls in the Danube River basin) is a lot less talked about and focused on compared to the more iconic segmented plate ‘lorica segementata’ (it is worth noting that while lorica hamata, ‘cuirass of hooks’ is actual classical Latin, lorica segmentata, ‘segmented cuirass’ is never used in our sources and is instead a modern invention terminology wise). But the hamata seems to have been substantially more common, in use by the Romans from the late third century BC through to the end of the empire in the West some seven centuries and change later. Unlike the segmentata, is also survives as an extremely common armor-form throughout the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, Season 2 of Peopling the Past‘s podcast series is starting up, focusing on Roman Art and Archaeology. They begin with a fantastic discussion of some of the truly incredible remains at the Roman fort of Vindolanda with Dr. Elizabeth M. Greene, where the fairly unique local soil has preserved all sorts of things which would normally never survive in most archaeological sites – in this case, literally hundreds of shoes. And again, I make this plea: if Peopling the Past is not on your normal blog list, do go and check it out – each of their posts features classical scholars doing really interesting projects. For instance, in late April they featured Dr. Christine Johnston talking about Egyptian lifeways and the influence of the Nile on them, complete with some processes of production which ought to seem mighty familiar to readers of ACOUP. Finally, book recommendations! This week, I am going to recommend I. Haynes, Blood of the Provinces: The Roman Auxilia and the Making of Provincial Society from Augustus to the Severans (2013). While the Roman legions get the lion’s share of the press for Rome’s armies, beginning in the Late Republic, Rome began recruiting units of allied non-Italians to fight in units that became known as auxilia which were standardized under the reign of the first emperor, Augustus (r. 31BC – 14AD) and by his death made up approximately half of the Roman army. These auxiliaries were paid professionals recruited from the provinces (generally from non-citizen provincials) organized into cohorts (of infantry) and alae (of cavalry) which might be deployed alone or attached to the (larger) legions, who were rewarded with grants of citizenship on retirement. Often, as Haynes notes, more flexible tactically than the legions themselves, they both screened the legions in combat and sometimes carried out the battle entirely without the intervention of the legions. Haynes goes behind just the battlefield role of the auxilia though, laying out the evidence for their recruitment, the conditions of their military service, the quirks of religious practice, their equipment and so on. This aspect of the book, that it is an effort at a really complete study (in contrast to older books on the topic like D.B. Saddington’s The Development of the Roman Auxiliary Forces from Caesar to Vespasian (1982)) means that the book touches on a lot more than tactics and combat (though, again, it does address equipment, tactics and combat!). The date range is also welcome – Haynes efforts, in as much as the evidence allows, to follow the institutions of the auxilia from their formalization under Augustus all the way to the Severans, where the grant of citizenship to all free person in the Empire (the Constitutio Antoniniana (212AD) – try having to say that at speed during a lecture) made the institution fundamentally redundant. That advantage of date range comes out as Haynes is also to identify changes, such as the tendency for the ‘ethnic’ quality of auxiliary units, in equipment, fighting style and identity, to wane over time. The book is not short – 382 pages not counting end-matter (and priced to match) – but while it is not really written for a popular audience, it is written quite well and easy to follow. The length allows Haynes the virtue of taking a good deal of the evidence, both from the surviving literature of the period but also a lot of epigraphic and representational evidence (the book is furnished with many good images, especially of funerary artwork showing auxiliary soldiers), and putting it directly in front of the reader, so you not only have his conclusions but you understand the kind of evidence that exists as the basis for them. And while the book is by no means dumbed down, it is also quite easy to follow for a non-specialist; key terms are translated and I think a regular reader will require only minimal wiki-walks to keep up. Frankly, for anyone looking to understand imperial armies which make use of provincial manpower to fill their ranks – both how they do that but also what that is like for the folks in question and how those soldiers relate to the structures of imperial power they are joining, reading Blood of the Provinces and last fireside‘s Soldiers of Empire together will put your feet firmly in the real (a handy thing both for historical interest, but also for worldbuilders looking to make empires that actually work!) 50 thoughts on “Fireside Friday: June 4, 2021 1. Paradigms gonna paradigm. I do find the intersection between only incommensurable paradigms interacting in a shared space fascinating, thank you. 2. I find it deeply interesting that in the USA (and the English-speaking world at large, I suppose ?) history and political science may be seen as frenemies; in Italy there’s nothing like that at all, as far as I can tell historians and political science do not generally have any kind of relationship here. 3. Humanities beef! I also note that poli sci folks catch some flak from both sides; the harder scientists still don’t consider them a “real” science because of how shaky and scarce their data sources often are. Then again, with all the politically charged theories that come out of that field, maybe they’re just intellectually scrappy sorts. 1. Yes, but econ is “higher” on the “math-envy” scale. Intellectual status (doing only major disciplines) runs as follows: math/physics/chem/bio/econ/poli sci/sociology/psych. (History is over in humanities and doesn’t appear on this scale.) 1. Speaking as a chemist, I’m not sure economists do less math than chem or bio. I think if you’re trying to figure out whether we’re harder scientists, it’s not the amount of math that works in our favor but the fact that we can actually design experiments that isolate individual factors and then repeat them to confirm. As opposed to just getting big data sets and “torturing it until it confesses.” 1. Speaking as an economist, the level of math is somewhat dependent on your field of study but typically is fairly close to physics in the level of math expected. And, from experience, students with a background in physics (or engineering) actually do better in graduate study than those with a background *in economics*. 1. Yeah, Political Scientists just look like amateurs here ? It’s normally a big no no to minimize the existence of pieces of data that don’t fit your model ! And Feynman might have said that “Philosophy [and history ?] of science is about as useful to scientists as ornithology is to birds.”, but I’m not convinced. In fact physicists are lucky because they *have* to be aware of 3 more or less incompatible models of Physics : “classical” (modern) Physics which you learn first, less accurate and more restrictive in their application, but still extremely useful, and “modern” (postmodern) Quantum Physics and Relativity. And the way that you gather your data, which data you end up with, how you interpret the data, which data you’re going to reject as a “fluke”… is going to depend on the model that you use. Finally, without (mathematical) statistics, specifically without quantifying your uncertainty about each piece of numeric data, that data isn’t worth squat. Your example about Native American conflicts is especially concerning : a paper that did the minimum work on uncertainty issues would have shown the much wider uncertainty about intra-Native conflicts on the graphs themselves !? 4. I always find it interesting these kinds of divides between the “proffessional” fields. Like military history is one of them, where we have tha academic military historians (who want to figure out how military stuff worked) and the officer-type military historian who is mostly interested in learning how that can affect the next war. (not that the professional type cant do good work, they need to knowhow things worked in order to learn from them after all) but the difference is often interesting. 5. I’m glad a true historian (I only have a bachelor’s degree myself) has the same opinion of Polysci as I do! Took a few mandatory courses and the whole thing seemed very woolly to me. Too much taking large leaps on small evidence, even to my inexperienced eyes! I remember pointing out the whole “but ancient democracies were at each other’s throats ALL THE TIME” thing to my Polysci professor when he brought up the Democratic Peace Theory as some universal truth, and getting a rather rude reply about it! 1. In Political Science’s defence, most of them wouldn’t see ancient democracies as falling within their vision of democracy. Certainly, when I studied Pol Sci. many years ago, the lecturer was at pains to point out that many of the states we reflexively think of as democracies are not usefully defined as such until quite recently. He excluded the UK, for example, until some point either 1918, or 1921. If your definition of democracy requires that wide a franchise, then most ancient democracies don’t count because they’re a wholly different type of polity to modern democracies. And given that everyone in Political Science understands this, historians bringing up counter examples from Greece is not massively helpful – especially given that this comes up in ~every first year undergraduate international relations lecture. 6. Ah, so history and political science are two layers of a predictive coding structure. Neat! Well, I guess to properly test this concept, are there well known examples of political scientists being really confused by some historical finding because it badly violated some grand principle, asking historians to investigate more, and it eventually being discovered that the principle was right all along, the initial historical findings were simply incorrect/incomplete? 1. Cats like that are scarce in Europe. They’re said to bring bad luck if they cross your path, and called “witch’s cat”. Pure black used to be killed and most of the descendants have white socks, white collar or some white spots on their face. 1. Of black cats I’ve seen in the US, most of them actually have a small white spot on their throat. I’ve idly speculated that this is an evolutionary adaptation to an environment which contains witch hunters. 1. I meant simpler than that. Dead pure black cats don’t pass their genes. My reply was a bit ambiguous. 7. It depends to some extent how you’re classifying the discipline of Political Science. If you take the late-modern/post modern definition, the field attempts in many ways to use empirical studies to justify pre-existing ideological projects. However, if you’re taking the longer view as espoused by Aristotle, the field has a much much longer pedigree which is not linked to attempts to ape “what the cool STEM kids are doing” with a “look mom, democracy is scientifically better”. 8. Time to plug a brand new classification system, based on how mathy different fields are. the categories are: 1. Pure logic; math, some parts of philosophy. Computer science is an applied version. No data collection as such, instead logical proofs get used. 2. Controlled experiments: Physics, chemistry, probably most lab based biology fields. Most engineering fields are an applied version. You can do very accurate controlled experiments, and create very accurate mathematical models as a result. 3. Observation based: Geology, Atmospheric science, (any kind of planetary science, really.), larger scale biology fields like ecology, astronomy and related, probably paleontology. The boundary with applied fields isn’t as sharp here it seems, since we aren’t building stars or deliberately terraforming things at the moment, something like mining geology is an example. You can’t do controlled experiments, but can use results of the previous category, and good observations, to still understand things well. 4. Statistical fields: Parts of economics and political science, psychology, medical controlled trials/epidemiology. Things like marketing, parts of public health, finance are applied versions Lots of numbers and data exist, but with a lot more factors involved, exact controlled experiments or tight observations don’t happen. Models act more as a logical guide than an exact prediction, and statistical concerns becomes much more important: Are you comparing equivalent groups, are things randomized well, can you generalize, are you measuring errors/statistical significance wrong, etc. 5. Humanities: Parts of political science, area studies, studies of past humans (history, archaeology, and related), studies of current culture, parts of philosophy. For these fields, collecting good number based data is difficult, and using math for predictions almost impossible. Other methods have to be used. These are also the fields where “(person) said (thing)” gets used commonly as an argument. (Economics and STEMish fields do the “deprecating” thing described in this post, models and results are taught independently of who created them apart from naming some things after people.) Thinking this way leads to: 1. The disagreements described in this post are between a category 4 and 5 field, so likely other disagreements happen between pairs of fields in these categories. 2. “Is it science” is a category 4 thing. these fields use data, numbers, and such, plus borrow methods from earlier categories, but don’t use them anywhere near as exactly. Categories 2 and 3 are mostly agreed as science, category 5 agreed as not, category 1 and applied 2 and 3 aren’t but very closely related. This isn’t something i personally care about, the methods are what they are and what they are called isn’t important. 3. Fields will jump categories over time. Most started as category 5 if you go back far enough, but as more data comes in, and results can be more accurately reproduced, you will see changes. 1. I’d note 3 and 4 aren’t just observational. There’s lab experiment at small scales: how does a rock behave under high pressure? how does a plasma behave? which informs models about planetary or stellar behavior. There’s also detailed numerical modeling, which can have problems, but also lets you try to predict (including ‘predicing’ existing data from earlier data, to test.) Economics can run from lab experiments to finding natural experiments to occasionally getting someone to give out money to a random subset of people, or such. “Things like marketing, parts of public health, finance are applied versions” I’m not sure finance in the Wall Street sense is even a good example. Applied economics includes central banks manipulating interest rates (and existing at all), auction design, explanations of price discrimination or why governments fix prices is bad, saying when markets should be left alone vs. when they need government help to work better and what that help should be, whether tariffs are a good idea, etc. 1. Those experiments (high pressure tests for mantle/core materials, plasma experiments, etc.) I’d classify as using physics and chemistry to assist the geology and astronomy. Several fields I divide into parts based on the method used, so these experiments could also be thought of as a category 1 part of Geology, astronomy, etc. (Obviously, like any system for things like this, there will be exceptions, weird cases, and things that aren’t perfect,) 2. Harvard at one time (maybe still) divided their (hard) sciences into Type A and Type B. Stephen Jay Gould complained that–of course–the experimental/mathematical sciences like physics were called “Type A” and the observational sciences like paleontology were “Type B.” 1. Most likely I’d stick most parts in category 5. I’m not sure what positivist vs. non=positivist is (Does it mean anthropology is more exacting about results it gets, or requires different conditions for people to accept results?) just judging by how data/math are used and nothing else. Obviously another scheme would be needed to cover other differences. 1. Sorry, didn’t see this reply until now. Positivist means practitioners are expected to directly gather data themselves, such as doing experiments, running surveys, or conducting ethnographic observation. This is as opposed to for example history, where obviously no one will ever gather data on the things they study. Anyway I think the traditional division of humanities, sciences, and social sciences works well enough for classification purposes. 3. About your point 1: I can certainly confirm the disagreement relevant to my expertise between 1) and 2) (mostly from a maths vs. physics perspective): You have the mathematicians who view typical arguments from physics as “not rigorous”, “too much driven by intuition”, on a student level perhaps even “not really understanding the mathematical concepts and just manipulating formulas”. From the other side, mathematics might be viewed as “concerned with theories that don’t have any real life equivalent”, “constructing weird counter examples just for the argument’s sake” (e.g. ask a mathematician and a physisict how broadly Fubini’s theorem can be applied). To a lesser degree, the same differences exist even between applied and theoratical branches of mathematics. Disclaimer: I am a mathematician, so biased myself. 1. Or standard modern mathematicians vs. various constructivist/intuitionist/finitist mathematicians. As a CS guy I lean toward “if you can’t compute it, is it even real? Does it matter?” 2. I did notice this back in high school and college. Calculus class: “You can’t move around the dx variables” “You shouldn’t move the dx variable, but in this situation it works” Physics: “Mathmeticians say you can’t split the dx and dy, but we do it all the time and it works fine” (Than the math people do it a few times, so I’m actually sort of curious where the ‘can’t split” idea comes from, or when it works or doesn’t work.) 1. Physicists typically work with much more “well behaved” functions than mathematicians. For instance : continuity / the lack of infinities is a given, and when it’s violated it’s (always ?) your model that is incomplete. 4. I note that category 4 disciplines are often split into people who think they should be more like sciences, and people who think they should be more like humanities. I think there was a period in the middle of the last century where category 5 subjects had that debate too. I remember reading either Oakeshott or Collingwood arguing that history ought not to try to become a science as if that was a thing that needed saying. 9. I don’t know about that 2300 years part. Aristotle was practicing political science, by Prof. Devereux’s definition (i.e., looking for generalizable conclusions), and he is not 2300 years after Herodotus. 1. Yeah, isn’t the Kyklos basically political science? Also Thucydides talking about state motivation being driven by fear, interest, and honor, as discussed in the EU4 series. History *and* polisci. 10. Coming from a poli sci background*, I will quibble/agree (depending on your interpretation of tone) that some of the better poli sci literature makes sure to note exceptions, usually in the scientific idiom of “avenues for future research” in its conclusions section. This is, by the way, one reason I so love Israel as a case study, even aside from personal ties. It tends to blow up all kinds of neat generalizations and send theorists back to the drawing board, usually producing new theories that illuminate non-Israel cases. * though more in the European tradition taught as “Political Economy” in the US 11. Tried to make a thoughtful response but it got rejected twice, for some reason. So at this point I’ll just shrug and say (slightly tongue-in-cheek) in the spirit of the recent Europa Universalis IV articles, clearly either historians need to make political scientists their vassals, or the other way around, and they both need to team up to fight the aggressively expansionist threats from other quarters of academia, such as the glaciologists! 12. Lol, practically everyone else leaves a scholarly comment, and I’m just here to say how cute your cat is 🤣🐱 Black cats are the best! 1. Is said cuteness measured using an all purpose political model derived from statistical results, or from a detailed examination of historical writings on cuteness? 1. Oh very much a detailed examination of historical writings, along with other cat-related artefacts! Old Possum’s Book, Louis Wain, the fact that Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats etc etc… But then I’m sure I read somewhere that cats have evolved to appear cute, so we look after and care for them, much like babies! 1. Small wildcats are every bit as cute. God made cats beautiful and humans to worship them 😉 13. One problem I’ve seen with some historians if that they do the humanies close reading and textual analysis and then just… stop… Of course this isn’t universal at all but I’ve seen a couple of times historians gathering up a bunch of texts on a given topic, reading them carefully in order to write about the role of what they read about played in society… but then never bothering to learn even a little bit about the nuts and bolts of the topic they’re writing about. Kind of like writing a history of blacksmithing by combing through texts for any mention of blacksmithing and smith guilds without even knowing that carbon is used to make steel. It’s endlessly frustrating and I’ve seen it crop up a lot. And what really gets under my skin is that I see a lot of carelessness and outright ignorance on the part of many historians on technical topics I know a lot about but since I don’t know much of anything about, say, farming and building techniques I have a hard time judging the competance of historians to talk about those and many other topics. 14. I have a foot in both camps (degrees in history and pol sci), and I think the historians have the better of the argument. All the pol sci generalisations I can think of are so limited in time and space that the really interesting questions come down to the local history. Why does balance of power ‘work’ in post-medieval Europe and fail in China or the Islamic world? because of the structures of state legitimacy that operated within and between the European states. Do democracies fight each other? The data set is very small and covers a short period, so more useful to ask why these democracies have not (yet) fought. As with economics, the maths obscures the central foundation – that these are political (in the broadest sense) issues, and politics is about arguments and values, not numbers. 15. I absolutely agree that we need to be cautious with the word “data”, but not because ‘data’ implies a clear truth value. Data are the things we’re given, that’s all. People work hard to make them correct, but “true” is a bridge too far. When data are used for a purpose other than the reason they were collected, which is a huge industry, it’s really easy for them to imply things that aren’t true. Data deserve as much skepticism as anything in life. As the old proverb says, “when a database is well made, everyone trusts it except its creator.” 16. Bret, I don’t know whether you make corrections in your Fireside posts, but here are a few things I noticed while reading: very similar accidents of chance -> similar[insert comma] accidents consumed by this -> by these invention terminology wise). -> invention[insert comma] terminology-wise Unlike the segmentata, is also -> segmentata, it Haynes efforts … to follow … -> (complete sentence?) to all free person in -> persons Haynes is also to identify -> also able to are joining, reading -> joining – reading [closing dash, not comma] One fairly straightforward example of this is a book that you’ve criticized previously on this blog, albeit not a book by a political scientist as such: in Steven Pinker’s “The Better Angels of our Nature,” one of the most noteworthy events in his quantitative analysis of historical human violence is the An Lushan Rebellion in 8th century Tang China. Relying on the work of amateur pop-historian and self-proclaimed “atrocitologist” Matthew White, Pinker interprets the change in the Tang population during the revolt by taking Tang census figures entirely at face value, skating blithely over any number of potential complicating factors (emigration away from Tang-controlled areas, disruptions to the Tang census-taking apparatus, etc) and naively assuming that the decrease in recorded population over the course of the revolt must have been caused largely if not exclusively by the violent deaths of tens of millions of now-uncounted individuals. 18. So Karl Marx, despite describing himself as practicing “scientific history”, was actually practicing political science. Not an auspicious start for the discipline. Leave a Reply to David Boshko Cancel reply
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Alanna Schepartz makes a cross-country voyage in search of new academic adventures January 19, 2021 Alanna Scherpartz at Yale Professor Alanna Schepartz moves to UC Berkeley for new scientific opportunities Photo: Yale University. Professor Alanna Schepartz discusses the challenges and rewards of changing academic institutions. Packing up to leave Yale The lab at Yale in boxes before the move to San Francisco. Photo courtesy Alanna Schepartz. Moving from one apartment to another is a difficult process. Everything has to be organized, packaged properly, moved over, unpackaged, and organized again. Hopefully nothing breaks in the process and your cats don’t get underfoot. Moving labs from one university to another compounds these challenges with expensive and delicate equipment, toxic and sensitive chemicals, and far more organizing-but hopefully fewer cat-related delays. It is a challenging but rewarding process. Professors with established laboratories consider the move to other universities for a variety of reasons including new research or funding opportunities, location, or access to new collaborators. One recent example is Professor Alanna Schepartz, who finished moving her laboratory from Yale University to UC Berkeley in fall of 2019 and was willing to share her perspective on the adventure. The process of moving labs can be long and tedious and takes months. Important items like laboratory equipment and glassware need to be packaged up and moved carefully so they all arrive intact. The first step, Schepartz says, was cleaning out her whole lab at Yale and taking an inventory of everything they had. “Overall, that was really positive because it gave people more room and got rid of a lot of stuff.” In large labs, it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of all the equipment you have—especially when the students who know where everything is start graduating. For the Schepartz lab, this meant they discovered a lot of valuable equipment they didn’t even know they had. “I have 15 schlenk lines that no one is using now and those are costly!” Once the equipment is inventoried and packaged, it has to be moved to its next home. Delicate equipment like balances and large freezers must be carefully transported to avoid damage. Freezers kept at -80 degrees Celsius—much colder than typical freezers— are transported cold to avoid too much warming of the components. Unpacking at the new lab at Berkeley Unpacking in the new lab at Tan Kan Kee Hall, UC Berkeley. Photo courtesy Alanna Scherpartz. “There’s a specific company that is responsible for moving the freezers, refrigerators, and chemicals, and there’s another company responsible for equipment, and yet another subdivision of the company responsible for moving people,” says Schepartz. Transporting chemical reagents can be especially difficult as many of them must also be kept cold or away from water. “The complexity and the cost of moving such a big lab with so many diverse and expensive pieces of equipment was much more than anyone had anticipated, and it was really stressful because everything had to work when it got here.” Most labs never look this clean, but when you’re moving, everything must go!! The Schepartz lab had to clean and inventory all their equipment before beginning their journey to UC Berkeley.  Ideally, sensitive chemicals are kept properly stored and refrigerated through the whole journey. In practice, there are many snags that can arise when moving trucks full of sensitive chemicals drive across the country. Schepartz recounted one particularly stressful incident when a truck carrying refrigerated chemicals broke down on its way to Berkeley: “All of the chemicals were supposed to arrive right before Christmas. A group of us flew to California to unload the chemicals. The chemicals’ arrival time comes and goes, and we hear nothing from the moving company.” As the day wore on, tensions began to mount, until finally, “We learned that the trailer had broken down in Indiana and had to be repaired.” Not the smooth process that the Schepartz lab had hoped for. Eventually, the truck made it; however, the Schepartz lab members by then had a new worry. When the truck broke down, had the chemicals inside remain cold? “We had no idea at that point whether or not the refrigeration had been retained when the moving truck broke down,” Schepartz says. "If the truck’s freezers warmed up too much, dozens of bottles of sensitive chemicals would have to be thrown out." The lab needed a way to check what the temperature of the inside of the truck had been during its unintentionally long voyage. The solution? Check the -80 degree freezer: “As soon as we unpacked the -80 freezer, we stuck a thumb drive into the front of it to read its temperature,” Schepartz says. "Once we did that, we knew the chemicals were okay.” The process taught Schepartz that it takes a village to move a lab. “It was an adventure for everyone—the students, staff, and me,” she says. “I am so grateful to my lab members for signing on to this adventure with me.” Now that Schepartz is at Berkeley, she is excited for the new opportunities for her and her research: “The ways in which my science has been enriched since we arrived at Berkeley are too numerous to count,” she says. “I frequently talk to colleagues and we’ll figure out that we have overlapping interests and that there’s a new experiment or collaboration that we can do as a team that we wouldn’t have been able to do alone.” The Berkeley community is delighted to have Schepartz and her lab here. We are grateful she and her students went through all the hard work it took to get here! Story originally published here>
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Stay Worried, Stay Foolish! I have always been inspired by Steve Jobs’s famous speech at Stanford. So motivating. In particular by his use of the word “foolish”. For foolish he meant to be daring, creative and ready to explore paths unseen to the wise. You must be courageous and determined to do that of course, but above all: fool. That is why I can undoubtedly say that Rome has been in these last two years the splendid lab of that foolishness as Steve Jobs did mean it, especially for what concerns public administration, no joking. Let’s give some examples. When roads  become for many reasons very dangerous as it is in Rome these days, I guess that organizing public procurements for road maintenance could be considered a wise plan, but this would be so for anybody else but the foolish. In Rome, in fact, it has been decided to solve the problem in a very creative way: reducing the speed limits thus saving the money for road maintenance. Amazing, isn’t it?. So it may happen to drive along large roads that seem highways trying not to exceed the maximum speed limit allowed of 50 km per hour, if you don’t want to be fined. Slow but safe. Of course, a lot of fb pages have flourished with the aim of alerting drivers when there are traffic police units in sight. After all, we citizens have to defend ourselves in some way and naturally, I may define foolish this as well in a certain way. Therefore, for our administration fixing road potholes is nothing but a waste of money, especially when only a shower is enough to make all the maintenance useless here. So this is what driving in Rome has become nowadays and you may understand it better if we compare it to another city like Los Angeles mostly inhabited by the wise: sobrio= sober; ubriaco=drunk Of course, in Rome the drunk is the one who keeps the straight line as he can’t see or avoid the potholes. Would you like another example? About 20 years ago the then Mayor Rutelli planned to retrain 100 squares, mostly in the suburbs, not only having them cleaned but also creating a lot of green spaces for families and children. Of course, even those squares and green spaces would have required regular maintenance, but unfortunately it did not happen. So, after 20 years they have become just what they used to be or even worse. The problem of green area maintenance regards also the big and famous parks and villas in Rome, the roads and sidewalks where weeds keep growing wildly and the trees which have not pruned for years. If you ventured to read the post that far I guess you have understood that it seems that there is not much money to spend on this project ( nor any other project), so what would you think the foolish have thought about? Yes, sheep. So pretty soon my dear tourists, you might see sheep graze in Piazza Venezia or walk lazily along Via del Corso to reach Villa Borghese through traffic. Think about sheep manure especially at summer time, what a pastoral sight and smell! Don’ t forget that we are talking about the capital. The point is that this foolishness is destined to cross the borders of the capital and become national as the party that runs Rome won the national elections almost three months ago and made a contract with the most reactionary and anti-European faction in Italy in order to rule the country. It is a very ambitious contract, indeed. First of all they aim at reducing the public debt. At last, you would say, as we have the third largest debt in the world, but how? Making reforms, reducing waste or combating tax evasion? Oh,no.That would be too wise. The foolish recipe is: not to pay, as they aim at negotiating with the BCE a cut of the public debt of 250 billions of euros for…..nothing. Maybe, you may wonder, strategies will be implemented to stop the public debt, for sure. Not exactly, as they have in mind a “flat tax”, that is, two tax rates of 15% up to 80.000 euros and 22% if you exceed that income threshold.  That is the revenge of the Sheriff of Nottingham over Robin Hood, who is rolling over in his grave I am sure by now, as that would mean that the poorer classes will be damaged more and pay for the rich. How can it be that a footballer, for example, and a teacher are subjected to a similar tax rate? And the poor? Don’t you worry, they will be given a sort of “basic income” of about 1.000 euros or more to stay at home. I forgot to mention that those who are holding the reins of the destiny of this country have little working experience. I don’t mean political experience, bur really working experience. One of them before becoming deputy and now candidate Prime Minister, was a steward at San Paolo football stadium and webmaster. Nothing more can be found in that C.V., but maybe I am not fool enough to understand all this. A Bowler Hat At the dawn of the golden era of cinema at the beginning of the twentieth century one of the most popular on-screen character was: “the tramp”. Charlie Chaplin, Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy and also the Italian comedianTotò, who often played  this role ( he was actually a Neapolitan nobleman: Prince Antonio De Curtis), were those who gave life to the most memorable ones. Being no longer part of the productive system of society “the tramp” endeavours to survive taking whatever paying work is available or using cunning either to get what he needs or to escape the authority figures who wouldn’t tolerate his behaviour. Somehow, he is modelled on the Spanish pícaro, a roguish character whose travels and adventures are used as a vehicle for social satire, but “the tramp” is a more clumsy, generally a good-hearted sort of man, who looks at the world with the innocent eyes of a child. Even if he has been relegated to the margin of society he endeavors to behave as much as possible with the manners and dignity of a gentleman. The clothes he wears are the sign of his marginalization. They never fit properly as to symbolize that tramps are no longer fit to be part of the system. The jackets may be too loose or too tight, the  trousers too long or too short and the shoes are often clownish. However, there is an accessory it seems they cannot do without: the bowler hat. It is that hat that makes those characters comic and tragic at the same time. The bowler had become one of the most popular hats in the early 20th century as it was more informal and practical than the top hat, thus becoming a distinctive symbol of the middle upper class of the time. The Belgian painter Magritte, who had made bowlers the protagonists of many of his paintings said: “It is a headdress that is not original. The man with the bowler is just middle-class man in his anonymity.” On the head of those outsiders bowlers represented the memory of a more dignified past, what they used to be: middle class men, that is, part of that “anonymity” that now rejects them. Uprooted and hopeless they are doomed to try and survive in an inhospitable world. This kind of humanity thus represented fitted perfectly Beckett’s idea of the Absurd of living, that’s why he chose to model Vladimir and Estragon, the main characters of ” Waiting for Godot”, on Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy . Beckett was an enthusiast of cinema, silent films and of Stan and Ollie, in particular. He borrows, in fact, many distinctive elements of the two comedians, along with their gags and routines. Apart from wearing bowler hats, Vladimir and Estragon are known by their Christian names, just like Stanley and Oliver, and use their nicknames Didi and Gogo as Stan and Ollie. We also understand from Vladimir’s statement to Estragon: “I’m lighter than you” that Beckett intended a noticeable difference in weight between the characters playing his lead roles, just like Laurel and Hardy. Many of the play’s stage directions and the slapstick routines concerning their hats or boots sound as though Beckett is quoting from a Laurel and Hardy shooting script. Even the theme of suicide by hanging  which appears at the end of each act echoes a similar scene from Laurel and Hardy’s 1939 motion picture: The Flying Deuces. Hardy is heartbroken because the woman he loves has rejected his marriage proposal, so he decides to drown himself, and expects that Laurel to do the same : LAUREL: What do I have to jump in there for? I’m not in love! HARDY: So that’s the kind of a guy you are? After all I’ve done for you, you’d let me jump in there alone! Do you realise that after I’m gone that you’d just go on living by yourself? People would stare at you and wonder what you are, and I wouldn’t be here to tell them. There’d be no one to protect you! Do you want that to happen to you? LAUREL: I hadn’t thought of that. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, Ollie. I didn’t mean to be so dis-polite. HARDY: There, there, Stanley. Let bygones be bygones. This is going to be easier than you think. Just like in Waiting for Godot, the two fear that one of them may live while the other dies. In this tragicomic vision Laurel and Hardy provided Beckett the key to express on stage the fear of remaining lonely in an absurd world where the presence of a companion is the only real comfort and certainty that can give you the impression of being rooted somehow. With a laughter they could exorcise for a moment the fears and the doubts of those post war generations who felt marginalized just like them and were unable to find meaning in the world they lived. Without a real prospect of a future but the illusion that a Godot one day may show up, they could not but long for that “anonymity” represented by the bowler hat they don’t want to part with. A Matter of Time When the twentieth century novelists decided that those plots which frame our lives and those masks we wear every day for the sake of conventions and society were no longer “interesting”, but rather, what’s hidden behind those masks, the very first victim to be sacrificed to the altar of modern narrative was time, or better, chronological time . As Sterne taught us, under the mask there is not hypocrisy, but chaos, the freedom of thought, no fear of judgement, it is exactly what we are: naked. In that precious tabernacle which is our mind, time flows free and ruthless. Hence, whoever dared represent it should have employed new writing techniques, as the old ones could not go under the surface, the mask. Freud, with his studies on the unconscious, Bergson, with his theory on mental time processes called ” la Durée” and William James, who theorized “the stream of consciousness” gave those writers what they needed to forge the modern novel. Rather than following actions linked by a cause-effect pattern, readers were involved by the train of thoughts of the characters that caused those actions. Therefore, at the beginning of a modern novel we don’t find any longer introductory pages with all the information we need to have about the central character/s, as in Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, for example: I WAS born in the year 1632, in the city of York, of a good family, though not of that country, my father being a foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull. He got a good estate by merchandise, and leaving off his trade, lived afterwards at York, from whence he had married my mother, whose relations were named Robinson, a very good family in that country, and from whom I was called Robinson Kreutznaer; but, by the usual corruption of words in England, we are now called – nay we call ourselves and write our name – Crusoe; and so my companions always called me(…)”. (Robinson Crusoe Chpt.1) Or Jane Austen’s Emma: The heroes that people modern novels may remain without a face or details about their personal lives for many pages till those details cross the mind of the character and only then it is possible to attempt a picture of one of them. Novels become as treasure chests that chronologically may last even one day only, like James Joyce’s Ulysses or Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, chests that keep together the warm, virulent, indomitable power of the characters’ thoughts which freely skip from one way to another thanks to their association of ideas. The fresh morning air of London”( What a lark! What a plunge!“) and the sound of the hinges of the doors which are to be removed to make more room for Mrs Dalloway’s party, take her to the past when she was eighteen at her summer-house by the sea and the ghost of Peter Walsh appears without any introduction, just few lines she remembers which are apparently meaningful for her, but absolutely meaningless for us : Musing among the vegetables?”— was that it? —“I prefer men to cauliflowers”— was that it? He must have said it at breakfast one morning when she had gone out on to the terrace — Peter Walsh.” (Mrs Dalloway Chpt.1) Peter Welsh is a central character of Mrs Dalloway’s life, even he is physically distant, he is constantly present in her mind, in fact he is the very first person we meet in her train of thoughts. In Dubliners, Eveline has been motionless at the window for some time when she hears somebody’s footsteps: The sound of the footsteps, which turns from cracking to crunching takes her to the red houses where once there was a field, where she used to play with her brothers and friends and was happy. In that memory the censorious shadow of her father materializes, with a “blackthorn” stick in his hands. Her father is first in her thoughts rather than Frank, the young man with whom she had consented to an elopement that very night, as it is Eveline’s relationship with him the core of the story. In this new way of writing, pages may chronologically cover few seconds, while a line hours, as for the individual, time may speed up or slow down even if for the clock pace remains the same. Joyce tells us that “She(Eveline) sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue“, however, how long had she been sitting there? Hours? Maybe, as we are brought to understand that there was still light when she sat there, but the day had then become night as pointed out by the alliteration of the “w”, which turns into a “v”, and the vowel sound, which grows darker and darker word after word. The incoming night presses her to go while her sense of guilt keeps her there, at the window motionless. Eveline feels both as an invasion of her soul. Very likely she would have preferred a third option, but hadn’t we plunged into the secrecy of her thoughts, we would have seen only a girl sitting at the window and not a word would have been spent on her.
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HTC 10‎ Guide Downloads < < Menu Personal audio profile Personalize your music listening experience for your headphones. Create your own audio profile that conforms to your listening habits or hearing ability. 1. Plug your headphones into the headphone jack and tap Set up if you're prompted to set up a personalized audio profile. If you're not prompted, go to Settings and then tap HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio > Personal audio profile. 2. Do one of the following: • Select Answer questions to create an audio profile based on your listening preferences. • Select Listen to frequencies to create an audio profile based on your hearing ability. 3. Tap Start and follow the instructions on the screen to set up your audio profile. You can create several audio profiles for your headphones and switch between your profiles. Note: HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio is not available over HDMI, Bluetooth, Miracast, or USB audio out. Was this information helpful? Can’t find what you’re looking for?
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Get Maximum Use From NOLs A little bit of planning can bring great rewards. TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES BRING BUSINESS LOSSES. Taxpayers can carry these losses back and get a tax refund or carry them forward and reduce their future tax liability. Proper use of net operating losses requires careful attention to the rules in the tax code and regulations. THE IRC ALLOWS TAXPAYERS TO CARRY BACK NOLs and deduct them in the two preceding tax years and carry forward the remaining balance and deduct it from taxable income in the 20 succeeding tax years. ONE CRITICAL STEP A CPA MUST FOLLOW IN COMPUTING a taxpayer’s NOL is to separate business and nonbusiness deductions. Nonbusiness capital losses are limited to the taxpayer’s nonbusiness capital gains. Business capital loss-es are limited to the sum of business capital gains and any nonbusiness gains not required to offset nonbusiness capital losses and ordinary nonbusiness deductions. TAXPAYERS CARRYING BACK LOSSES HAVE A CHOICE. They can file an amended return using form 1040X or request a refund using form 1045. Most prefer the latter because it is usually much faster than filing an amended return. CPAs MAY ADVISE TAXPAYERS TO IRREVOCABLY ELECT to waive their right to carry back losses. This restricts the taxpayer to carrying the losses forward. Given the time value of money, this election makes sense only for taxpayers with relatively low income in the two years before the loss who expect significant income in later years. JAY A. SOLED, JD, LLM, is a professor in the department of accounting and information systems at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in Newark. He is coordinator of Rutgers’ masters in accountancy (in taxation) program. His e-mail address is . s a result of the current economic slowdown, many taxpayers who own and operate sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies and S corporations face the prospect of financial hardship. These tough times may result in business losses. Congress offers taxpayers who experience such losses some important tax relief. Under the Internal Revenue Code, taxpayers may carry back these losses and get a tax refund or carry them forward and reduce their future tax liability. CPAs who know the net operating loss (NOL) rules can maximize benefits for their individual taxpayer clients—many of whom are small-business owners. IRS publication 536, Net Operating Losses (NOLs) for Individuals, Estates and Trusts, offers assistance on the complicated process of applying NOLs to individual tax returns. Source: . This article analyzes the use of NOLs by individual taxpayers. It summarizes the important aspects of the rules as well as the guidelines CPAs use to compute and report a taxpayer’s NOLs. It also offers taxpayers several planning strategies to maximize the utility of such losses. Although the proper use of NOLs requires careful attention to detail, the rewards are well worth the investment. The rules for NOLs are found in IRC section 172. They have been part of the code’s fabric for almost a century, and for good reason. They help taxpayers who experience large fluctuations of income and losses to better handle their tax burdens. Rather than imposing artificial annual tax accounting periods, these rules essentially permit taxpayers who experience losses to average their income over several years. The IRC accomplishes this feat by allowing taxpayers who experience losses to amend prior years’ tax returns to account for these losses and, to the extent the losses remain unabsorbed, include them on future years’ returns. More specifically, the IRC allows taxpayers to carry back NOLs and deduct them in the two preceding tax years and to carry forward the remaining balance and deduct it from taxable income in the 20 succeeding tax years. (For certain so-called eligible losses—losses of property arising from fire, storm, shipwreck or other casualty or from theft—the code provides a special three-year carryback period.) Conceptually, the notion of an NOL is relatively straightforward. It generally represents losses arising from a trade or business that exceed a taxpayer’s current income. A taxpayer’s NOL equals losses minus income. The difficulties a CPA may face in computing a taxpayer’s NOL, however, lie not in the concept but in the details. The next section explains how taxpayers must modify their “losses” to determine whether all, some or none constitutes an NOL. In designing the NOL rules, Congress wanted to ensure that a taxpayer’s losses were business- rather than nonbusiness-related. (The IRC provides an exception for casualty and theft losses, which it treats as business-related.) One of the critical steps a CPA must follow in computing a taxpayer’s NOL, therefore, is to isolate business from nonbusiness deductions. To accomplish this, the code requires CPAs to make several modifications to a taxpayer’s otherwise allowable deductions and exclusions; the major ones are described below. The IRC first disallows an NOL deduction the taxpayer experienced in another tax year. Next, it disallows the deduction for personal exemptions under IRC section 151. Finally, nonbusiness deductions are limited to the amount of nonbusiness income. Common examples of these include medical expenses, alimony, charitable contributions, investment interest, qualified residence interest, IRA contributions and—for nonitemizing taxpayers—the standard deduction. Nonbusiness income includes dividends, annuities, interest on investments and royalties. There are two limitations on the use of capital losses. First, nonbusiness capital losses are limited to the amount of a taxpayer’s nonbusiness capital gains. Nonbusiness capital losses and gains generally relate to a taxpayer’s personal investments. Then, business capital losses are limited to the sum of (1) business capital gains and (2) the amount, if any, of the taxpayer’s nonbusiness capital gains not required to offset either nonbusiness capital losses or ordinary nonbusiness deductions. (To the extent nonbusiness capital gains exceed nonbusiness capital losses, the code says the taxpayer can use the excess to absorb additional nonbusiness deductions and business capital losses.) CPAs also should add back to income any gains excluded under IRC section 1202. This section allows taxpayers who own “qualified small-business stock” for more than five years to exclude 50% of any gain recognized on the sale or exchange of such stock. Making these loss modifications is burdensome and complex, particularly distinguishing between business and nonbusiness income and deductions and business and nonbusiness capital gains and losses. But once a practitioner has done so, computing a taxpayer’s NOL is then a breeze. This is particularly true because computer software greatly alleviates the number-crunching drudgery commonly associated with NOL calculations. Exhibit 1 shows an example of how a taxpayer computes an NOL. The first step in reporting a taxpayer’s NOL is to determine the carryback and carryover periods. As stated earlier, the general rule is that a taxpayer may carry back an NOL to each of the two taxable years preceding the loss and carry it forward to each of the 20 taxable years following the loss. For example, a taxpayer who experiences a loss in 2001 may carry it back to 1999 and forward to 2021. A taxpayer must carry an NOL to the earliest tax years to which it can be carried back or carried over. If the NOL is not fully absorbed in the carryback or carryover year, the taxpayer must then carry it over to the next earliest tax year. This process repeats itself until the NOL is either fully absorbed or the carryover period expires. If a taxpayer carries an NOL back, it will cause an adjustment to his or her adjusted gross income. This, in turn, will affect deductions for items (such as medical expenses) that the law curtails based on a taxpayer’s AGI. A taxpayer’s charitable deductions, however, are determined without regard to AGI as modified by the NOL carryback. Exhibit 2 offers an example that illustrates how a taxpayer computes a tax refund when he or she carries back an NOL. Taxpayers carrying back their losses have a choice. They may file a Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, within three years of the due date, including extensions, for filing the return for the loss year. For instance, if a taxpayer incurs a loss in 2001 and the tax return is due April 15, 2002, he or she must file an amended tax return reflecting the carryback for 1999 by April 15, 2005. Taxpayers carrying back their losses may alternatively file for a refund using Form 1045, Application for Tentative Refund, which is due on or after the filing of the return for the loss year and within 12 months after the loss year. Using the example of a taxpayer who sustained a loss in 2001, he or she must submit this return on or after April 15, 2002, but no later than December 31, 2002. Taxpayers who carry NOLs forward must report this negative figure on line 21, marked “Other Income,” on form 1040. In addition, the regulations require that taxpayers who claim NOLs supply a detailed statement that sets forth all material and pertinent facts relating to the deduction. Taxpayers who experience NOLs must plan carefully for their use. Here are some of the important factors they and their CPAs should consider. Carryback waiver. Taxpayers may elect to waive their right to carry back their losses. Once made, this election is irrevocable. Taxpayers who make this election are restricted to carrying their losses forward. Due to the time value of money, the tax savings associated with making this election rarely make sense. Indeed, taxpayers should consider making it only when their taxable income is relatively low in the two years preceding the loss year and they expect significant taxable income in subsequent years. Business vs. nonbusiness. Taxpayers should classify as much income as possible as nonbusiness so they can absorb otherwise “wasted” nonbusiness deductions they cannot use to offset business income. One commonly overlooked source of nonbusiness income is from passive interests in partnerships, limited liability companies and S corporations. Other taxes. When CPAs compute taxpayers’ NOLs, they must consider the impact, if any, of the alternative minimum tax and state income tax laws. Under the AMT rules, use of an NOL is limited to 90% of a taxpayer’s income (after the taxpayer has modified the NOL for the adjustments under IRC sections 56 and 57 and preference items under section 58). State tax laws frequently permit NOLs to be carried forward only and often for much shorter periods than the IRC allows. Indeed, some states make no provision at all for taxpayers to use NOLs. Which form? Taxpayers generally prefer to file form 1045 instead of form 1040X because submitting this form usually is a much faster procedure than filing an amended return. Federal legislators continue to debate what additional government initiatives may be needed to jump-start the economy following the passage of the 2001 tax act and the World Trade Center disaster. If any new efforts are forthcoming or if the business cycle naturally takes a turn for the better, taxpayers’ economic prospects will likely brighten. This will be particularly good news for taxpayers who have taken the proper steps to compute and document their NOLs. They will be in the enviable position of being able to capitalize on these losses and shelter their otherwise taxable income. Where to find November’s flipbook issue The Journal of Accountancy is now completely digital.  Get Clients Ready for Tax Season
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Publicatie datum The problem: high burden on the health system? Jong, J. de, Schäfer, W. The problem: high burden on the health system? European Journal of Public Health: 2013, 23(Suppl. 1) 88. Abstract. 6th European Public Health Conference: Health in Europe: are we there yet? Learning from the past, building the future. 13-16 November 2013, Brussel. Lees online Background: Often, ageing of the population is seen as an important cause for rising costs and an increasing burden on European health care systems in terms of workforce and rising expenditures (e.g. due to higher costs in long term care). In this presentation we discuss what is known today about the impact of ageing of the European population on the use of health care, workforce and rising costs. Methods: A literature study has been performed. Furthermore existing data sources, such as the European Health for All database are used. Results: In all European countries the percentage of the population aged over 65 is rising. In the literature, it was found that it is not only age that determines health care costs, but that proximity to death is an important predictor. Nevertheless, it can be observed that the years lost to disability, being the years that people depend on the health care system, increase. This has an effect on the demand for care. The demand for health care is determined by demographics and other factors, like technology. With an aging population the (potential) workforce to deliver this care is decreasing. However, looking at the facts, the number of physicians and nurses per 100.000 population are still increasing. Also, even though the number of hospital visits are increasing, the average length of stay has constantly decreased over the past decades. Costs are rising, not only because of increased demand, but also because of increasing prices. Conclusions: Whereas the ageing of the population will bring along challenges for health systems, other factors like technological developments and prices may even more so attribute to the increasing costs of care. Health Services Research can contribute to finding solutions of the increasing burden, e.g. by comparing solutions between countries and by strongly monitoring issues around workforce in health care.
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Reflective glass Jump to navigation Jump to search A type of solar control glazing the reflects solar radiation while allowing most visible light to pass. Reflective glasses were first introduced in the 1960s. The coating is a hard thin, mirror-like metallic layer that is pyrolytically applied to the glass. Reflective glasses are different from the newer Low-E glass, in that they reflect some visible light and thus are not visually clear. Reflective glasses typically have IR Shading Coefficients from 0.46 - 0.65 (where 1.0 is complete transmission).
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Courtesy of American Republicans and Democrats, and Reagan America also provided billions of dollars, weapons and training to the people we fought 20 years ago. Washington: The Taliban’s occupation of Afghanistan is being considered as the biggest erosion of America’s credibility in the world. The Taliban victory has heated up US politics, and President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan has drawn sharp criticism. In a recent interview with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a video clip that went viral on social media today, she clarified that the Taliban were American born. According to him, when Russia invaded Afghanistan and established its dominance over the whole of Afghanistan, oil spilled in America’s belly. The United States could not allow Russia to dominate the whole of Central Asia, so then-President Ronald Rigg decided to enlist the help of Pakistan’s military, its intelligence agency ISI, and local fighters to drive Russia out of Afghanistan. Surprisingly, Reagan’s decision was unanimously applauded by the US Congress and lawmakers from both Republicans and Democrats. America went to Pakistan according to Reagan’s plan, He took the help of his army and ISI and recruited local Mujahideen as fighters. By training them in state-of-the-art weapons, stringer missiles, military commandos, the United States prepared an entire army of Mujahideen and sent them to fight against Russia, which was occupying Afghanistan. These Mujahideen forces drove Russia out of Afghanistan, giving success to the American plan. After this, America said goodbye to Afghanistan. The United States has left unarmed Mujahideen fighters trained with state-of-the-art weapons. This led to a kind of chaos in the Mujahideen and this situation gave birth to the Taliban and the Afghan problem. The United States didn’t get much but lost billions and billions of dollars, but was glad to see Russia expelled from Afghanistan and nurtured the arrogance of political leaders. we reap as we sow We were so blinded by this joy of success that no one could see what the consequences would be in the future. The US government, political analysts and scholars have all forgotten that it will be America’s turn to reap the harvest. America supported the fanatic, fanatical and Wahhabi ideology The Mujahideen, who were ousted by the US, were staunch fighters of radical Islamist ideologies that later emerged as the Taliban and have occupied what is today Afghanistan, a major challenge to world peace.
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Jun 25, 2021 9 min read What is UX Design? A positive user experience will ensure your customers keep coming back. • Design Jon Berbaum Jon Berbaum Every feature or element of your product — whether you designed it that way or not — impacts user experience (UX) and how users think about your brand. Good news is: you can control and influence this experience. What is UX design? User experience design (also known as UX design), is the process design teams use to actively shape users’ emotions as they interact with a digital process, product, or service. It focuses on making an experience as easy, smooth, and enjoyable as possible. In turn, helping users get to a desired action in the most intuitive, efficient, and relevant way. The UX design process involves constant iteration as user experience designers (UX designers) use user research and data to learn how people perceive and interact with a product. They then use that information to continuously refine and improve the product’s experience as it develops. Even though UX may, to some, simply be a layer of design, it really is the mediator between what you offer and the consumer. In the words of UX expert Don Norman: Why is UX design important? As we know from our own experiences, how a user feels when navigating a website or service is as important as their consideration of the brand, company, and information. People shouldn't have to struggle and wrestle with your product to get to a desired goal. Instead, they should enjoy interacting and engaging with you. UX design makes that possible. Because UX designers are dedicated to having a deep understanding of users, what they need, what they value, their abilities, and their limitations, they are in the best position to create a user-friendly digital experience that brings value, including: • Understanding problems = Designing solutions isn’t possible without understanding pain points we need to solve. By observing how users interact, you will become more aware of specific user behaviors that do or do not meet your product’s goals. • Increased engagement = When a user is unable to get from point A to point B on a website or mobile app with ease, they leave. We've all been there at least once, where we rarely return. UX design is all about catering to this ease, which means you can expect increased engagement with your product, more returning users, and a decreased number of users abandoning out of frustration. • Increased revenue = A product’s or service’s sales increase when it satisfies users. UX design helps increase organic engagement as it tailors to user’s individualized experiences, which most often impacts conversion rate. • Reduced development time and costs = You can save money by rapidly testing product or design concepts to validate them before committing to time-consuming coding. There is no such thing as failure, as long as we learn from our mistakes. Once you test, get feedback, and enhance your design concepts, you can release the improved product -- saving everyone time, pain, and constant rework. • Competitive differentiation = UX design gets laser-focused on your users and your users only, helping you become more tailored and concentrated on maximizing the quality of relationships with your target audience. What does a UX designer do? A UX designer's primary role is to understand users' needs and expectations, and advocate for those users throughout the design process. A good UX designer is able to balance advocacy for users and a company's business goals, and steer the design of a product in a way that accounts for both. Their role and skill sets span many fields, from interaction design, information architecture, visual design, usability, accessibility, and human-computer interaction. Regardless of the field, the foundation of their work remains the same. A UX designer’s process is not linear and requires teamwork and constant collaboration with researchers, UI designers, and developers. In this process, they strategize a plan to build changes or new features that better engage users. This planning can include the creation of design strategy, frameworks, wireframes, interactive prototypes, flow charts, site maps, and usability reports to help bridge the gap between how a product looks and what that product delivers. Working in partnership with UI designers User interface design (UI design) is usually a part of the UX design process that focuses on the visual look of a product. UI and UX design are often confused as the same thing, but they are different: UI design more narrowly considers the visuals and aesthetics of the interface users see, whereas UX is a broader process of identifying and solving user problems. The UI designer’s role is to construct visual components, including graphic design, icons, color scheme, branding, and typography vital to building a positive and productive user experience. UX designers then design the functions behind these visuals — where aesthetics meets the data, and where and why the end-user navigates through your product or service. The UX design process The Highland UX design team builds a successful user journey by first determining how best to assess a user’s needs and then, deciphering how to follow the user's interactions as they progress through your product. At the heart of every project, we include the following steps: 1. Data collection UX designers are problem solvers. To do their job, they must first understand underlying problems. At Highland, we partner with our research team to collect qualitative and quantitative data through ethnographies, contextual analysis, usability testing, UX research, shadowing, and more. In addition to user feedback, we do our own digging to uncover deeply hidden issues to make sure we establish a solid start for design. This first step is vitally important to the overall success of the UX process. 2. User segments Next, the Highland team of UX professionals creates user segments to represent each key user group. User segments are designed to reflect the types of users that spend the most time with your product — by extension, these can be customers or prospective customers. A segment provides information about who is likely to use your product, what their focused, common needs, and objectives are, and why they’re engaging with you. These are different from user personas which often focus on demographic characteristics. 3. User flows From a segment, the design team maps out what user journeys look like as these segments move through your digital product or service. These user flows act as a sort of notebook or scaffolding for the product design and illustrate a malleable guide from the development stage to the final product. They show us, functionally, what steps a user takes as they interact with your product: How does your product fit into the user’s life? When is value delivered? When and how is it derived? How does the user feel as they engage with it? Once understood, the Highland team prioritizes critical components to design and deliver first — guiding direction for an MVP that’s data-driven and aesthetically engaging. 4. Wireframing The Highland design team uses user and team-generated data to start conceptualizing the product. We use sketching, whiteboard flowcharts, and wireframing to share and communicate ideas. This includes components that need to be ingrained versus those that are nice to have. These act as a sort of notebook or scaffolding for the product design and illustrate a malleable guide from the development stage to the final product. Though wireframing rarely includes any user-testing of product experience or product development, it’s a vital component in shaping design-thinking strategies at initial stages, and collecting feedback across stakeholders, users, and team members. 5. Prototyping Based on these meetings, Highland creates mockups or prototypes of the finished product. A prototype is an interactive wireframe and is a scaled-down version of the final product. These may be as simple, low-fidelity as a constructed paper model or as high-fidelity as a working product. They don’t have full functionality, but they look and get the feel across so we can start testing user interactions with new design concepts. Our software engineers and product development team get involved early in the design process, because they make the product execute its tasks. Ongoing communication and collaboration across our teams aid in our work to launch successful products. 6. User testing Now, we do more testing. Why? Because no one wants to launch a broken product to the world! Testing prototypes on actual users is the best step to advance a usable, interactive version of the final product. Highland takes a vigorous approach to test interaction, user flows, the quality of user experience, and identify any adjustments needed to modify or change system behavior. 7. Launching the product Once a final product has been tried and tested, it’s time to launch. The process doesn’t end here. If you want a product to grow and improve with industry trends and ever-changing user expectations, then UX design must also be ongoing. Otherwise, you could deliver a product that begins feeling old and clunky and still attached to previously set business goals. It's all human-centered Good UX design is always human-centered. And, that’s what Highland does. Our team is a collaborative group of design researchers, design strategists, UX designers, UI designers, and developers that are empathetic and technically savvy. We focus on understanding people’s perspectives for whom the design is created, ensuring that your platform translates into a positive user experience. Leaning on us to apply intuitive design principles through your products and services, you’ll be able to create that useful and pleasant experience that often is the reason customers continue to use your site or app. As a result, your business will continue to thrive as you bring customers the value they deserve—keeping your existing users happy and opening the door to new customers. Need help thinking about ways to improve user experience. Tell us what's on your mind!
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Estimated reading time 4 min Turning ideas into practical experiments Hannele Laaksolahti Leading Specialist, Societal Training and Development, Sitra Kalle Nieminen Leading Specialist, Sitra Sitra’s Forum for New Security sent out an open call for ideas on solutions for building new security. From among 150 or so proposals, the Forum has now selected 11 ideas to be tested in practical experiments. Shaping these ideas for practical testing will also entail their further development and specification according to need, in order to identify a suitable implementation method. 1 Service design for the public administration The idea is to apply service design and user-oriented design to public administration undertaken within central government. The overall aim is to investigate the ability of a novel approach to solve new security challenges. 2 Finland to lead the way in cyber security The idea is to increase understanding of Finland’s opportunities regarding cyber security. Based on those opportunities, a closer look will be given to issues such as the composition of a possible cyber strategy for Finland and the identity of a future director of cyber security. The practical trial is aimed at stimulating public debate and establishing a common vision. 3 Cyber security training package The idea is to increase citizens’ knowledge and skills related to cyber security, through a training package. The trial seeks answers to the following questions: what should the training package contain, who will assemble it, and how and where should it be implemented? The target group for the trial comprises students aged between 16 and 19. 4 Are you in? / Library’s senior volunteers The idea here is to test ways of enhancing the feeling of safety among children and young people, and to make them feel that someone is listening and cares about their ideas and opinions. The intention behind this is to bring together people from different generations and cultural backgrounds, in order to create a sense of community and to counter prejudices. 5 Urban activity centre This idea is based on Copenhagen’s Street Mekka, an urban activity centre open 24/7 and designed for young people, bearing their interests and needs in mind. The practical trial involves testing the concept through a model activity centre and aims to determine whether a similar facility is needed in Finland, and who should be responsible for providing it. 6 Letting go of fear The notion underlying this idea involves finding a way to build a security market brand based on positive images. 7 Youth of the world The idea is to increase the participation of young people in municipal decision-making, through budget allocations that encourage participation. During the trial, young people will get to participate in decision-making activities as members of multicultural groups. 8 Personal security application This idea originates in an application that gathers information from general future scenarios, to assist in building an individual future path. 9 Ultimate emergency communication network This idea is a combination of three solutions proposed in response to the call for ideas: Kainuu’s civilian emergency communication system project, Crisis communication network for rural communities, and Auxiliary communications system /Organisation. This idea seeks to solve problems related to securing the functionality of communication networks and systems in Finland, under all circumstances and conditions. 10 Future food production Behind this idea lie questions on what kind of food we will be eating in the future, where this food will be grown and produced, and what a resilient food supply chain will be like. 11 Happy housing companies /Safety of housing companies This idea is based on providing people with better opportunities to participate in the development of their living environments. The aim is to bring together people of all ages and to enhance community spirit between people living in the same neighbourhood. People feel more secure when they get to know each other better and are more committed to achieving joint goals set for the community. What's this about?
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Saturday, April 23, 2011 One of these days..... I imagine it being read condescendingly. Its words taunting me for all to see. While strolling through Grant Park I stumbled upon the following quote taped to a park bench: "Time changes more than you ever will." And it made me wonder how much I changed....if at all. I think life just kind of happens to me and I sort of accept it. I really can't recall making any significant changes in my life. Perhaps that's why I'm stuck and going nowhere fast. I guess I gave up trying to alter things that seemed out of my control....or at least that's the lie I keep telling myself. One of these days I'm going to outdo Father Time and make MORE changes than he ever could! One of these days..... Anonymous said... That quote kind of echoed in my head... Maybe it's not to taunt, but to teach? To awaken? Who knows? I'm sure there's a hidden light to it. R. Burnett Baker said... One of these days.... how bout tomorrow? You can do that, Dean, and you know you can. I'd say you're going somewhere, but just maybe not fast enough. Then again, fast isn't necessary as long as you go!! Marty said... Good luck :-) Writer Yogi said... Today is the day my friend! I have had the same problem and am trying to still get over it. Letting my circumstances control my life and roll with the punches. Ever since I have started reading the book I told you about, The Power of Positive Thinking, I have been trying to be more proactive in my life. Waking up in the morning and telling myself first off, today is going to be a good day, why? because I said so. Your mental attitude, I am learning actually IS a big factor in changing how you live and see life! Tell your self every day what you are Going to do, you are Going to have a good day, you are going to be sucessful, and so on. For me, I am adding in prayer and reading the bible. (the second not as easy as the first lol). But whatever it is that you can find to give you some time during the day to focus on, what are my goals, my passions, my feelings or whatever. A time to say, this is going to change because I want it to and say it will chang. Does that make sense? Sorry for the rant, just trying to help you out. I hope I have encouraged you. I'll keep praying for you my friend. We will both outdo Father Time. xoxo Unknown said... Very thoughtful Indeed ! I am kinda on the same track as in mentioned in ur post.. Loved it ! Kelley Carey MacDonald said... Well, now you WILL. Set a goal, however small. Break it down into baby steps how you need to achieve it. Every day try to make some headway on one of the steps. Check in every now and then with an overview - and you'll see - you'll make the changes you want in your life! Happy Easter, Dean! BB said... If you don't give it a try, you'll never know!!! bK said... We're rooting for you, Dean! :D David K Small, artist said... Make it TODAY. You have more control than you think. It begins with deciding not to settle. Make it happen. Alain Khouri said... Hi Dean i'm fairly new to blogging and have been introduced to your blog by a friend, Melanie Lee. i am moved by your honesty and openness in sharing your feelings, your insights, your hopes, fears and dreams. i am sitting here, a bit stunned, feeling feelings brought forth by 'He Broke It'. The butterflies eating at the heart is a powerful image, reflecting lightness of being and the pain of truth. You ask can the heart can ever be mended and made whole? i ask the same. Deep down you believe it can and hope it will. i hope that it has. You give me inspiration and hope. Thank you. JuJu said... I think it's that word, "ever." Never and ever always sound like ultimatums or something awful. Did you rip that darn tape off and show it who's boss??? Dean Grey said... I think you're right! Sometimes I feel like I'm going backwards. I'll need it! Thank you for the positive reinforcement! Its Funny How World Works !!! Little by little I'll get there....I hope! Bouncin' Barb! Very true! Awww, so sweet, Brody! I'll try! I'm glad you found me. Melanie rules! I'm sorry to hear you can relate to "He broke it". May both our hearts mend and be made whole! I was afraid if I tried taking the tape down that someone would think I was the one who put it up there! Everyone's encouraging comments are very much appreciated! Anonymous said... I think we change everyday. We might see things slightly different depeding the situation and that makes us change our views even a little bit. We can always change, you can change although you seem like a great person but I met you want to give more. :) Mind Of Mine said... It all depends on your perspective. Some people never make significant changes and they feel like life is passing them by. Others(Like me) can't help feeling like they need to make changes when all they really want to do is have some stability. To find that one thing they are looking for. Dean Grey said... Perhaps I'm changing in small ways I don't realize then. Mind Of Mine! I think we are like two peas in a pod, Ian. We're both searching for that "something" just going about it in different ways. Thanks to the pair of you!
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Tag: healthy fats Good Fats: Why they’re so important for weight loss and beyond Good fats: Why they’re so important for weight loss and beyond    There is a fear we all have; a fear of fat! In all of our attempts to lose weight prior to Go Figure, a phobia of fat has been instilled in our minds. We think “I want to eliminate the fat on my body, so why would I eat any of it?” However, some fats do not make you fat! The over consumption of high-glycemic foods is mainly what’s making us fat in this country. Some fats are not so good for us, and can contribute to other health problems: clogging arteries, increasing fat in our blood stream (triglycerides), and causing insulin resistance in our bodies. Both trans fats, and some saturated fats which are in packaged food in the form of hydrogenated oils, can exacerbate health problems. However, not all fats are created equal; some fats can even benefit our health! Why do we need the “good” fats?  • Certain fats help to prevent vitamin deficiencies; vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble which are important for body functions. • With fat comes a lot of flavor and texture and keep food from being dried out and tasteless. • Fats also help to slow the rate of digestion, which can keep the food in the stomach for longer, helping to keep you satiated longer and more satisfied with your meals. • Fats in the form of cholesterol are important for steroid synthesis; testosterone and estrogen are both made with the use of cholesterol. • 60% of your brain is fat. Optimal brain functioning, and decreased risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s requires adequate good fats. They also may help in reducing depression and mood swings. • Fat helps regulate body temperature. • Some body fat helps protect organs from injury. What are these “good” fats?      Starting from the initial consultation appointment, the staff at Go Figure stresses the importance of adding “healthy” fat or “good” fat to your diet as part of your overall lifestyle change.  As mentioned during your initial and weekly visits, these fats can provide several benefits. Studies have shown time and time again that these fats have positive effects on a variety of functions, including: lowering LDL or “bad” cholesterol and increasing HDL or “good” cholesterol, reducing blood pressure in those who are hypertensive, and insulin resistance. Our hope is that this article will help to inform you on the benefits of healthy fats, and also provide you with more food sources to add into your diet.  The types of fats we specifically emphasize are medium-chain fatty acids, and mono- and polyunsaturated fats; which includes Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. The fats that you should avoid are most saturated and all trans fats, which can increase health risks when introduced into the diet. Monounsaturated Fats  ​    Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are those that we recommend at the initial appointment. They are derived from foods such as: olives, avocado, nuts, and seeds. When we present this information to you at the start, we recommend consuming a minimum of 250 calories (or 2 tbs.) of healthy fat in addition to your protein calories. What we typically suggest are oils derived from those foods above; extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, and peanut oil, just to name a few. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), in particular, is associated with low rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease due to its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. One study found that EVOO has similar anti-inflammatory effects as ibuprofen (htt10).  After 3 days on the program, you can experiment with the foods listed above as your serving of healthy fats; 10 of any type olives, ¼ of a small or 1/8 of a large avocado, and 2 TBSP of unsweetened shredded coconut have all been substituted for oil with great results in weight loss.  MUFAs have been evidenced to help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while regulating blood sugar in the body. Polyunsaturated fats      Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) include Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are essential fatty acids. Essential nutrients indicate that our bodies cannot make them on our own, and need to be taken in through our diet.     Omega-3s can be classified as ALA, DHA, and EPA. The best sources for these fats are flaxseed oil, chia seeds, walnuts, and fatty marine fishes (sardines, halibut, sockeye salmon, albacore tuna, anchovy.) There is evidence that Omega-3 fatty acids decrease the risk of coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.  Coronary artery disease is the hardening of the arterial wall, and fatty plaque deposits in the blood vessels, which can restrict blood flow and can cause strokes or heart attack. Also, new research shows that Omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish oils (DHA and EPA) have shown to improve cognitive performance in healthy individuals.  Through this study, individuals who supplemented with fish oils containing Omega-3s scored 23% higher on working memory testing, including recall abilities. These Omega-3s also aid in antidepressant effectiveness (Healy, 2012).   In addition, PUFAs also help with hair and skin growth, maintaining the reproductive system, regulating metabolism, and with bone growth In yet another recent study, Omega-3 fats were shown to greatly improve insulin resistance in patients with type II Diabetes, and to lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients, even greater than MUFAs. Omega-6 fatty acids can be found in many foods that are abundant in our lives; nuts and seeds, and the oils derived from them. Omega-6 fats help with brain function, growth and development.  As Americans, we encounter plenty of these fatty acids, and most of us do not need to supplement Omega-6s in our diet. ​ Last, but not least, are the medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). These fats are a type of healthy saturated fat, which is shown to be metabolized more quickly in the body than other saturated fats, with proven health benefits in lowering LDL or “bad” cholesterol, while raising HDL or “good” cholesterol. One source of MCFAs is non-hydrogenated coconut oil. Another benefit to MCFAs like coconut oil is their ability to burn more calories just by being broken down; meaning that it may aid specifically in weight loss, as well. ​ There is strong evidence that replacing saturated and trans-fatty acids with MUFAs, PUFAs and MCFAs can help to reduce visceral fat. Visceral fat is the dangerous fat that accumulates around your organs, below the abdominal fat. This fat is particularly dangerous because it is associated with other health problems including: high cholesterol, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and increased triglycerides. Don’t discount all fats! Please include them in your daily intake of calories and nutrients. You will feel healthier, and feel fuller and better after you eat! Call Go Figure Now Stay in Touch Go Figure Medical Weight Loss Center 1871 S 22nd Ave STE 2B Bozeman, MT 59718 Copyright © 2020 Go For It Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Fredericka “Marm” Mandelbaum – The most successful fence in New York City history August 31, 2022 0 Comments Fredericka “Marm” Mandelbaum was born in 1818 in the country of Prussia. She immigrated to the United States in 1848 with her husband Wolfe Mandelbaum. Mandelbaum, a large woman weighing more than 250 pounds, opened a dry goods store at 79 Clinton Street, Rivington, on the ground floor of a three-story building that she later bought with her ill-gotten gains. By 1854, the dry goods store was a front for the largest fencing operation in New York City history. She lived on the top two floors of the building with her husband, her son, and her two daughters, and her apartment was luxuriously furnished like any other in the city, of course, with stolen items. Among the famous thieves she dealt with were Shang Draper, George Leonidas Leslie, Banjo Pete Emerson, Mark Shinburn, Bill Mosher, and Joe Douglas. Mandelbaum was known for throwing lavish parties at her apartment, attended by every known criminal in town, of both sexes, including judges and politicians she carried in her back pocket. Knowing that women were as good, or even better, criminals than men, she became good friends with criminals such as Black Lena Kleinschmidt, Big Mary, Ellen Clegg, Queen Liz, Little Annie, Old Mother Hubbard, and the notorious pickpocket and shoplifter Sophie. Lyons, who with her bank robber husband Ned moved across the Hudson River to New Jersey and became known as the Queen of Hackensack. Mandelbaum first came to the attention of the police in 1862 and it is estimated that between 1862 and 1884 he handled between 5 and 10 million dollars in stolen property. His business was so good that he decided to hire some of his best thieves, but he abandoned that idea when he caught some of them selling their stolen goods to other fences. (What did she expect? Honest thieves?) He, too, decided to open a boys’ school on Grand Street, where little ones could learn the noble profession from scratch, starting out as pickpockets and sneak thieves. For the older kids, she offered courses in burglary, safe-cracking, blackmail, and confidence games. Her school became so well known that the son of a prominent police officer applied for her admission, forcing Mandelbaum to close the school immediately. Whenever Mandelbaum got into trouble, he could always count on Little Abe Hummel and Big Bill Howe of the Hummel and Howe law firm (not to be confused with the Dewey, Screwem and Howe law firm) to find any loopholes. they could find, legal and illegal, to keep Mandelbaum out of jail. Hubble and Howe served Mandelbaum so well that he placed them on a $5,000 annual retainer. In 1884, New York District Attorney Peter B. Olney hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to infiltrate Mandelbaum’s criminal organization. One of the detectives sold her a stolen shipment of silk, and when her house was raided the next day, she was arrested with her son Julius and clerk Herman Stroude. Mandelbaum was charged with grand theft and receiving stolen property. But the cunning Hubble and Howe arranged for Mandelbaum to be released on bail. Turning to form, he jumped bail and moved to Toronto, Canada, where he lived the rest of his life comfortably. To add insult to injury, the state of New York was duped by Hubble and Howe and a corrupt bondsman, who was supposed to have the property that Mandelbaum had pledged for bail. Using back checks, they transferred the property to Mandelbaum’s daughter, along with other property that the state was in the process of encumbering. Putting her finger in the eye of the New York City police, Mandelbaum, still wanted for her crimes. she traveled several times to New York City, in disguise, to meet up with her old friends, helping them plan various heists. Having screwed up the American government as much as any other woman in American history, Mandelbaum died of natural causes in Canada, in 1894, at the age of 76. Howe died peacefully in bed in 1903, but in 1905, little Abe Hummel was sent to prison. on various counts of legal malpractice. To paraphrase Meat Loaf, one in three isn’t bad. Leave a Reply
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Thursday, June 03, 2010 A community in mourning M0XDF said... Well, I have to say I don't agree with you on this one Julian. I don't believe preventing the use of guns or locking them away would have any effect. The laws were introduced after previous incidents - they have not prevented this one. If Derrick had not been able to use a gun, he might well have used an axe, a hammer or even his car. Guns are available if you really want one - licensed or otherwise. Who can foresee what someone suffering temporary insanity will do. I don't believe preventing the use of something to the majority, solves the misuse by the minoriy. On that basis, we should all be prevented from using radios, because some in our hobby misuse them (or repeaters). I'm not a gun fanatic and don't own anything more powerful that an air rifle, which I was taught to use responsibly by my father. However, I am fed up at the number of laws and legislation which are removing the freedom of the individual in an effort to combat actions (binge drinking for instance) that can only be effectively dealt with by education and society as a whole. Unknown said... Thank you for your comment, David. On the whole I would agree with you about the number of "nanny state" laws. But most of those are just rules that try to dictate how you should behave. I can't see any justification for allowing taxi drivers, computer programmers, web designers and other people with no professional need for one to possess something that makes it so easy to kill large numbers of people. This is not the Wild West, nor is it Afghanistan. There is just no need for it. If Derrick Bird had been forced to use a hammer, a kitchen knife or whatever to do what he did he might still have had some victims, but there would have been fewer of them and more of them might have survived. Guns are just *too* dangerous, they make killing too easy to be allowed in the hands of anyone who can fill out a form correctly. So I stand by my argument I'm afraid. Gav Stirling (GM0WDD) said... Julian, first my thoughts are with you and your fellow citizens in West Cumbria. I'm not sure that the "gun lobby" has reacted with disrespectful haste in trying to suppress calls for tighter controls. The sports biggest organisation (BASC) has fully backed the Home Secretary's approach. Tighter gun controls don't mean a safer society, the legislation after Hungerford didn't stop Dunblane, likewise the post Dunblane legislation hasn't stopped this. A sensible approach, balancing the needs of everyone needs to be looked at. I agree with the Prime Minister when he said you can't legislate for the flick of a switch mind changing that happened to Derrick Bird. The question is do we have guns in private ownership? I too agree that the laws examining gun ownership need to be investigated. To keep at home or not, keeping a gun at club maybe appropriate if you only shoot there. But what if you shoot on a farmers land? At some point you have to obtain your gun. To keep it at a police station is not necessarily an answer. We have an army training camp just to the South of Edinburgh and approximately 20 years ago a corporal or sergeant signed out a sub machine gun from the armoury (he was a trainer at the camp) drove to the local bank and kidnapped one of the officers who was picking up the weekly payroll. He drove him to a reservoir in the hills and shot him. The point is whatever way people have access to firearms incidents will happen. Guns are useful for vermin control and provide pleasure for many law abiding citizens, other than that they don't benefit society. But look at an analogy, alcohol. Alcohol provides pleasure for many people, other than that it doesn't benefit society. However a small minority get behind the wheel whilst under the influence. On average 500 people are killed in a drink related car accident every year, in addition 1700 are injured. Inner city areas on a Friday/Saturday night can be virtually no go zones due to the drink fuelled violence. How many are injured or killed every year because of this drink related violence? However I see no calls to ban alcohol? Why? Putting it in proportion one of these massacres happens every 10 years and an average of 15 people are killed. In the same period 5000 people will have been killed in alcohol related car accidents and 17,000 will have been injured. I think the call to ban guns is that the population is shocked (rightly so) by the events which don't happen very often, conversely drink accidents are so common we just shrug our shoulders. I wouldn't ban, I would review the laws to see if anything can be improved. Unknown said... Thanks for your comments, Gav. Regarding the analogies of cars and alcohol, I would only say that there are two key differences: neither of these things are intended to kill people, and they are used beneficially by large numbers of people. Guns on the other hand are designed to kill, and the vast majority of people in this country have no use for them whatever. Whatever measures are adopted need to have the support of public opinion. I agree that you can never stop a determined person from killing an individual. However, massacres like Hungerford, Dunblane and now this could not have happened without the use of firearms. I do feel that we owe it to the families of the people who died to see if it is possible to improve regulation to try to prevent at least some future similar incidents. If the number of deaths in West Cumbria on Wednesday could have been reduced by half had Bird been forced to use a different kind of weapon, surely that would still be a goal worth trying for? Paul Stam PAØK said... I think we can't prevent sudden madness in our society. We have a Joran van der Sloot, who probably killed two innocent women. I pity all those innocent victims. Gav Stirling (GM0WDD) said... Hi Julian, I agree with you that tighter regulation maybe looked at but I don't think anything will be able to be done about it. The reasoning is simple - you just don't know who is going to become temporarily insane. I never stated that I wished to ban cars, that would be nonsensical! To compare this gun debate I think alcohol makes an excellent comparison. It does not benefit society one jot, it isn't beneficial! People get enjoyment from using it, just like sportsmen with the use of guns. Alcohol does, on a regular basis, cause great harm to society. You are right that alcohol isn't designed to kill people, but people who consume it do a very good job of killing themselves and others. Your inference that guns are designed to kill people is incorrect, guns are designed to hit targets, accurately. Most shotguns will ever only hit clay targets. Over a million people in the UK enjoy shooting. So if I understand your reasoning correctly because alcohol is used by large numbers of people it is acceptable to have around 500 deaths and 1700 injuries on our roads every year because of it but because a madman kills on average 15 people every 10 years guns should be banned? Hmm.... Steve GW7AAV said... Hi Julian, while I sympathise we your view on firearms I think we had better agree to disagree on that one. I don't own any firearms but I have used and enjoyed using them but never against any living thing. Where I think you are way out is on the ease of getting hold of firearms illegally in the UK. I have it on good authority (exManchester PC) that not that long ago someone was selling Uzi machine guns (along with drugs) from the back of a van in Moss Side Manchester like some sick ice cream vendor. Weapons are easy to obtain in France and are regularly smuggled in by day trippers stocking up on booze and cigarettes. Then there is home engineering. I used to know a guy (call him Boris) who used to make replica guns for his own collection. He did have a firearms licence but most of his replicas were none firing. I am not sure what the authorities used to say when he showed them his homemade Colt 45 and Luger P80 as they had no serial numbers, but he used them at his local firing range and they were every bit as good (or bad) as the real thing. I once watched Boris turn a lump of metal in to a beautiful Derringer in about 40 minutes using just a file, some emery paper and a pillor drill. I don't know what happened to Boris but he was a mild mannered gentle giant who would walk away from trouble, but so it would seem was Mr Bird. If you search the Internet there are plans you can download for almost every weapon ever made. Anyone with a little enginneering experience could homebrew their own weapons. Mind you it would be nerve racking pulling the trigger the first time on such a thing. I don't know what the answer is but evil will find a way. Think 911 on a smaller scale and drive a bus full of school kids in to a crowd. If someone wants to do it then all the laws and Police in the World are not going to stop them. If we cannot trust our leaders to stop waging war how can we expect to control a single luatic with a mission of death and no fear? Unknown said... This is a difficult one, it always is. One thing I would like to mention is whilst it is possible to argue a case that laws introduced after Hungerford and Dunblane did not prevent this recent case - there is no way of knowing precisely how many murderous events were prevented! Now I'm not advocating additional laws just for guns (or additional laws at all for that matter) - I just happen to think that guns are too easy to get hold of. But then you only have to look at how cheap alcohol is to also believe that something should also be done there as well. As an example - my 75 year old Father in law (ex-Farmer) has two shotguns and he keeps them locked away in a metal cabinet, separate from the ammunition and regularly inspected by the local constabulary. He has not used them for over 20 years that I am aware of - he has told me he can't see himself using them ever again. Will he give them up? No. Do the Police ask him about them? No. Does anyone care, NO. Now the same father in law also likes his whisky. has a couple of large ones every night before bed. Does not get out of control or anything, but has the opportunity nevertheless. Now which law do you want to see imposed first - gun contol or alcohol control. I ask myself this question regularly... Gav Stirling (GM0WDD) said... I don't own any firearms either. However I have some knowledge of the process for the Shotgun Certificate and Firearms Certificate. Under the Firearms Certificate it is regularly reviewed how much ammunition you purchase, I believe it has to be logged. If you don't purchase ammunition for a long while the FEO may decide since you're not using your firearm then they have the right to remove it. Conversely if you're buying it by the truck full they may wonder what is going on. There is no such regulation for Shotguns. Ammunition quantities are not reviewed or logged. If the regulation was changed to monitor ammunition on the Shotgun Certificate then in your Father in Laws case where he isn't using it then they could take his shotgun certificate & shotguns off him. Of course in the Cumbrian case this wouldn't have made a difference.... Kelly Keeton said... haha as hot a topic as ROS digital modes! Unknown said... Thanks for all the great comments. The only point I really want to reply to is from Gav who wrote: "I understand your reasoning correctly because alcohol is used by large numbers of people it is acceptable to have around 500 deaths and 1700 injuries on our roads every year because of it but because a madman kills on average 15 people every 10 years guns should be banned?" The difference with drunk driving is that the people who do it kill mostly just themselves and other people who knowingly travel with them. Also we already have laws against drunk driving which are simply not enforced as strictly as they could be. So we already could do more to tackle this, just by increasing breath tests. Why don't we? Something does need to be done about alcohol abuse but I think it is a very different issue requiring a very different solution. The abusers end up harming themselves not other people. It is probably not something you can legislate against. Instead, we need to try to understand why it is that so many people in Britain feel they need to drink to excess. Other countries, in many of which alcohol is much cheaper than it is here, don't have this problem. I think people are more tolerant of alcohol abuse because most people drink, the majority in moderation, so they don't feel threatened by it. Few people own guns or wish to own guns and many of those who don't see no value in it. Many no doubt feel much the same way about ham radio and if our hobby killed 15 people every 10 years I'm sure it would be banned. Many of us have to live with bans on antenna masts just because other people don't want to look at them. I don't think there is any such thing as the "right to pursue a hobby" and if sportsmen have to suffer extra inconvenience in order to make it harder for people to get their hands on guns during moments of temporary insanity then so be it. Theodore said... One person with a car could easily murder 30 people by driving over them in busy streets. The act would be about as emotionally detached as pulling a trigger. This has happened. As society becomes more difficult to navigate, with stress and tensions building up, support services being shelved and populations exploding, these incidents will be inevitable. In no time in history has increasing the regulation of something done anything except drive the activity underground. Think apartheid, christianity under the romans, drugs ... the list goes on. Britain has a conduit for firearms from the continent, mostly ending up in criminals hands. The police are encountering guns all the time, whereas before it was as you say, fists. Alcohol has no useful function except as a fuel or disinfectant, but it is legally available, taxed enormously and a cultural norm. But as others have said, as tragic as these gun deaths are, they pale into the statistical noise compared with deaths due to alcohol. And they are not only deaths to themselves and passengers, other innocent road users are very frequently killed and maimed as well. The kneejerk reaction to ban or tighten controls is understandable, but only the beaurocrats would benefit. The sick society which makes otherwise good people go insane is still with us, grinding inexorably away. Rick said... Here in the US, we had a fellow fly his personal airplane into a building that housed offices of our tax collection agency, the IRS. As a licensed pilot (non professional), I waited for the cry to increase airport security, why are folks flying unless there is some professional need, etc. Same hue and cry occurs here also when some nut goes off with his guns on some killing spree. Of course, when the weapon of choice is something more common and familiar, say a gasoline bomb or car, these silly "ban it" responses don't seem to develop. Basically, I take the "ban it" comments as "I really don't understand that, I don't do it myself, so I wouldn't feel bad, since banning the item would mean nothing to me at all, if I support restricting the freedom of my fellow citizen". We could easily, I'm sure, construct some situation where say an airplane crashed because of transmitter interference, and someone, non ham, opining that only professionals should have access to radios. Legislating right after the event, and in haste, seems like the wrong response to me - again, here in the US, we seem to write many a bad law in haste! mvandewettering said... First and foremost, my sympathies go to the friends and family of those injured or killed in this tragic incident. Here in the U.S. we of course have a rather serious conflict: on the one hand one of our most basic rights as defined by the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms) and on the other hand a culture where gun violence is all too common. Frankly, I can't think of a more useless item to own than a gun, although I have enjoyed target shooting, and come from a long line of hunters who literally lived off the game they shot. On the whole, I think they have far more dangers than benefits, but I doubt that I'll be able to convince anyone who doesn't agree with me. I'll just say that a couple of people have mentioned that without guns, people would just use different means to commit violence. I think that while that might be true, the odds of someone with a knife managing to kill 12 people before being subdued is probably very low. Gav Stirling (GM0WDD) said... This comment has been removed by the author. Gav Stirling (GM0WDD) said... Julian, I think random breath tests would be a great idea. Drink Driving should be a mandatory prison sentence. Somehow the public don't seem too bothered by it though. You may well be right that the majority of the 500 killed each year are the drunks or their friends. I have no figures to say otherwise. But I feel fairly safe saying that a good number of those will be totally innocent who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Abusers of alcohol don't just harm themselves. The domestic violence, the violence on our streets, the drink driving etc, it's a huge problem. The cost to the NHS is phenominal. It's the same as shooting - the vast majority are law abiding but the small minority are the abusers. Drinking is ingrained into our culture and nothing is going to change it. So I don't see much difference between guns and alcohol. Both are used for pleasure, both kill people, both probably wouldn't be missed by the society. You've hit the nail on the head. People are hypocritical. Most people (thankfully) don't own guns, don't understand them, don't want to and most likely want a ban. Yet they are happy to accept all the problem that come with their bottle of Pinot Noir...... Unknown said... As someone who gets through a bottle or two of Pinot Noir (or similar) a week I can say that it doesn't cause any problems at all. Nor does it cause any problems to all the people in France and Italy who drink wine every day. It enhances meals and gives a feeling of well being and relaxation that surely is a benefit to society. So I still don't think there is much of a comparison. I am sure you and Rick are right in saying that calls for a ban on guns come from people who have no wish to own one, just as calls for greater controls on alcohol come from teetotallers. I would simply say that responsible alcohol consumption benefits more people than gun ownership, and when considering control of anything you have to consider the downside as well as the upside. The last government was only able to get away with a ban on fox hunting (which caused no harm to anyone except foxes) because the majority of people live in towns and don't participate in it. It would be easier to ban guns than control alcohol for similar reasons. What shocks and scares people about this event is the indiscriminate and random killings. If Derrick Bird had only killed those he apparently had a grudge against then I don't think anyone would be calling for tighter controls. But it seems he got a bloodlust, started to enjoy the power the weapon gave him. That's what scares people. I admit that I will always feel a bit suspicious and nervous about anyone who has an interest in guns for other than professional reasons. Theodore said... Yes Julian, I can see where you are coming from. The fact that a well respected and ordinary guy suddenly becomes a homicidal maniac would be disturbing to anyone. But the history of humanity shows this is more common than we care to admit. Look at the balkans where neighbours turned on each other over ethnic differences, after having lived together peaceably for decades. World war two was another example. Unfortunately, no matter how hard we try to convince ourselves that the beast within has been tamed, in reality it is only caged. Given the right circumstances, it will re-assert itself and begin its rampage. For some people it may be alcohol, for others stresses built up over time which are triggered by some seemingly small event, for others road rage. But in the end, one has to look at statistics, and they indicate you are much more likely to be killed in a car accident than by a crazed gun wielding killer. But I understand that the source of horror is the everyday man turned beast without mercy. Mercifully, these incidents are few, lets hope they stay that way. recumbent conspiracy theorist said... Julian and all, What a nice and civil discussion of one of the great hot button issues facing our societies. -Reflects the high quality of the people who follow your blog. Jspiker said... Hello Julian, I agree with you 100% and applaud your comments on this senseless tragedy. I don't own a firearm and consider them like "matches" near a can of gasoline. They cause much more pain and anguish than any benefit to mankind. I hope your community makes progress in reducing this kind of slaughter in future years. I don't know the answers, but with the "billions" of guns in the world today, it's only a matter of time when a "nut" get's their hands on one. I think we'd all be better off with less guns and tighter controls. Unknown said... The BBC's Mark Easton has been doing some homework and produced a table showing the incidence of mass killings related to the level of legal gun ownership. Clearly countries with a higher level of gun ownership like the USA (90 guns per 100 people!!) have a higher incidence of killings, but it is nowhere near proportional. So one could conclude that reducing the number of legally held guns would result in an equally disproportionate reduction in the number of killing sprees. The question is whether even a small reduction in the chance of something like this happening again is still worth trying to achieve. Gav Stirling (GM0WDD) said... Thanks Julian for making my point for me :-) The vast majority of alcohol users see no problem with alcohol, some even alledge benefits to society from its use ;-) Ask a policeman on a Friday or Saturday night whether it's a benefit to society and you'll get a completely different answer. My local A&E now has a police presence on a Friday & Saturday night due to the problems with alcohol. However society sees no problem with this and allows the road deaths and violence from alcohol whilst hypocritically wanting to ban firearms which proportionally kill far fewer people. Anyhow last post from me as a run of five early shifts await and I won't have the time or energy to respond! Enjoyed the discussion. Unknown said... Thanks for your participation, Gavin. This problem of excessive drinking causing violent antisocial behaviour is pretty much exclusive to Brits. So why blame alcohol itself? There is something wrong with our society. You don't only have to ask the police here. Ask the police in Spanish holiday resorts. I even heard it from the Russian owners of flats in Prague that my wife and I rented: "Why are the British such drunks?" The only connection with this issue is that perhaps the same pressures that make people here feel the need to get bladdered once a week cause some people to go apeshit with a weapon if they have one. Thanks again. NormfromAZ said... This comment has been removed by the author.
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Tuesday, July 30, 2013 'A watershed era for Fortean/occult shenanigans' Tristan Eldritch — no doubt his real name — blogs at a few years in the Absolute Elsewhere.  His latest blog entry, Cosmic Trigger: Le Soleils de l'ile de Paques (The Suns of Easter Island) 1972. offers this observation: The post is actually part of a review of an old movie. Unrelated question: I seem to recall a passage in Illuminatus! about organized crime making a campaign contribution to try to keep marijuana illegal, but I couldn't find it when I went looking. Can anyone help? fuzzbuddy said... I couldn't find quite what you are looking for in Illuminatus! However, these two bits sounded similar: "You're in the dope business, too?" "I'm in every illegal business. Every time a government declares something verboten, two groups! move in to service the black market created: the Mafia and the LDD. That stands for Lawless Delicacy Dealers." "Citizens Against Drug Abuse. This organization possesses elegant letterheads and is engaged in a smoking whenever marijuana is in short supply. The thought behind this project is that, the government having lost so much credibility due to its war against pot (a recent ELF survey showed that in some big cities a large portion of the under-25 population did not believe in any of the moon shots and assumed they were all faked somewhere in the American Desert), a campaign against this similar but more comical herb will destroy the last tattered shreds of faith in the men in Washington." Cleveland Okie (Tom Jackson) said... Those are close, but not quite what I was looking for. Very frustrating as I'm pretty sure I didn't hallucinate the passage.
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ZFIN ID: ZDB-PERS-000913-13 Majumdar, Arindam Email: [email protected] Affiliation: Arindam Majumdar Lab Address: Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology Rudbecklaboratoriet Uppsala University Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20 Uppsala , 751 85 Sweden Country: Sweden Our research group is interested in the developmental signals that control growth and differentiation during vertebrate kidney organogenesis. Because the nephron is the functional unit of the kidney and the pathophysiological site of human kidney diseases, including those affecting the glomerulus, we have concentrated our research efforts on understanding the molecular/genetic regulation of nephron formation. Topics of investigation include nephron segmentation, tubulogenesis, and glomerular morphogenesis. Our lab is using the zebrafish embryonic kidney or pronephros as a model sytem for investigating kidney organogenesis due to its several experimental advantages. The pronephros, made of two unit nephrons with glomerulus, tubule, and duct segments, shares structural features with nephrons from higher vertebrates yet is anatomically much simpler. Zebrafish pronephric development follows developmental stages common to nephrogenesis in mammals but is complete by 48 hours post fertilization (hpf), much faster than in mouse. Embryonic development occurs ex utero offering the potential for experimental manipulation such as cell labeling and cell transplantation. In addition, zebrafish embryos are transparent allowing the direct visualization of pronephric organogenesis in the living embryo and in transgenic GFP expressing reporter strains. Finally, renal physiological function can be assayed by the uptake of injected, fluorescently labeled small molecules such as dextran. The zebrafish mutant no isthmus (noi) contains a mutation in the transcription factor Pax2.1 and is associated with pleiotrophic defects in midbrain/hindbrain patterning, retinal axon pathfinding, and pronephric development. During pronephric organogenesis, pronephric tubules do not form in noi mutants (Development, 127, pp. 2089-98, 2000). The developmental basis lies in the expansion of glomerular specific gene expression domains within kidney tubule progenitor cells suggesting that the Pax2.1 transcription factor is important in controlling nephron patterning events. We are using the noi Pax2.1 mutant as an entrance point into investigating the genetic pathways regulating nephron segmentation and tubular differentiation. Approaches involve genetic screens, antisense morpholino technology, microarrays, and transgenesis. In collaboration with Karl Tryggvason’s group in the Division of Matrix Biology, we are also using the zebrafish to study the function of several glomerular associated genes. These include genes expressed uniquely in the glomerular podocytes, mesangial cells, and capillary endothelial cells. Our goal is to identify central regulators of glomerular morphogenesis and physiological function. Hildebrand, S., Hultin, S., Subramani, A., Petropoulos, S., Zhang, Y., Cao, X., Mpindi, J., Kalloniemi, O., Johansson, S., Majumdar, A., Lanner, F., Holmgren, L. (2017) The E-cadherin/AmotL2 complex organizes actin filaments required for epithelial hexagonal packing and blastocyst hatching. Scientific Reports. 7:9540 Hultin, S., Subramani, A., Hildebrand, S., Zheng, Y., Majumdar, A., Holmgren, L. (2017) AmotL2 integrates polarity and junctional cues to modulate cell shape. Scientific Reports. 7:7548 Abu-Siniyeh, A., Owen, D.M., Benzing, C., Rinkwitz, S., Becker, T.S., Majumdar, A., Gaus, K. (2016) The aPKC/Par3/Par6 polarity complex and membrane order are functionally inter-dependent in epithelia during vertebrate organogenesis. Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark). 17(1):66-79 Ebarasi, L., Ashraf, S., Bierzynska, A., Gee, H.Y., McCarthy, H.J., Lovric, S., Sadowski, C.E., Pabst, W., Vega-Warner, V., Fang, H., Koziell, A., Simpson, M.A., Dursun, I., Serdaroglu, E., Levy, S., Saleem, M.A., Hildebrandt, F., Majumdar, A. (2015) Defects of CRB2 Cause Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome. American journal of human genetics. 96(1):153-61 Hultin, S., Zheng, Y., Mojallal, M., Vertuani, S., Gentili, C., Balland, M., Milloud, R., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Helker, C.S., Adams, R.H., Herzog, W., Uhlen, P., Majumdar, A., Holmgren, L. (2014) AmotL2 links VE-cadherin to contractile actin fibres necessary for aortic lumen expansion. Nature communications. 5:3743 Hayashi, M., Majumdar, A., Li, X., Adler, J., Sun, Z., Vertuani, S., Hellberg, C., Mellberg, S., Koch, S., Dimberg, A., Young Koh, G., Dejana, E., Belting, H.G., Affolter, M., Thurston, G., Holmgren, L., Vestweber, D., and Claesson-Welsh, L. (2013) VE-PTP regulates VEGFR2 activity in stalk cells to establish endothelial cell polarity and lumen formation. Nature communications. 4:1672 Owen, D.M., Magenau, A., Majumdar, A., and Gaus, K. (2010) Imaging membrane lipid order in whole, living vertebrate organisms. Biophysical journal. 99(1):L7-L9 Ebarasi, L., He, L., Hultenby, K., Takemoto, M., Betsholtz, C., Tryggvason, K., and Majumdar, A. (2009) A reverse genetic screen in the zebrafish identifies crb2b as a regulator of the glomerular filtration barrier. Developmental Biology. 334(1):1-9 Zheng, Y., Vertuani, S., Nyström, S., Audebert, S., Meijer, I., Tegnebratt, T., Borg, J.P., Uhlén, P., Majumdar, A., and Holmgren, L. (2009) Angiomotin-Like Protein 1 Controls Endothelial Polarity and Junction Stability During Sprouting Angiogenesis. Circulation research. 105(3):260-270 Sekine, Y., Nishibori, Y., Akimoto, Y., Kudo, A., Ito, N., Fukuhara, D., Kurayama, R., Higashihara, E., Babu, E., Kanai, Y., Asanuma, K., Nagata, M., Majumdar, A., Tryggvason, K., and Yan, K. (2009) Amino Acid Transporter LAT3 Is Required for Podocyte Development and Function. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. 20(7):1586-1596 Vasilyev, A., Liu, Y., Mudumana, S., Mangos, S., Lam, P.Y., Majumdar, A., Zhao, J., Poon, K.L., Kondrychyn, I., Korzh, V., and Drummond, I.A. (2009) Collective Cell Migration Drives Morphogenesis of the Kidney Nephron. PLoS Biology. 7(1):e9 Ernkvist, M., Luna Persson, N., Audebert, S., Lecine, P., Sinha, I., Liu, M., Schlueter, M., Horowitz, A., Aase, K., Weide, T., Borg, J.P., Majumdar, A., and Holmgren, L. (2009) The Amot/Patj/Syx signaling complex spatially controls RhoA GTPase activity in migrating endothelial cells. Blood. 113(1):244-253 Raschperger, E., Neve, E.P., Wernerson, A., Hultenby, K., Pettersson, R.F., and Majumdar, A. (2008) The coxsackie and adenovirus receptor (CAR) is required for renal epithelial differentiation within the zebrafish pronephros. Developmental Biology. 313(1):455-464 Aase, K., Ernkvist, M., Ebarasi, L., Jakobsson, L., Majumdar, A., Yi, C., Birot, O., Ming, Y., Kvanta, A., Edholm, D., Aspenström, P., Kissil, J., Claesson-Welsh, L., Shimono, A., and Holmgren, L. (2007) Angiomotin regulates endothelial cell migration during embryonic angiogenesis. Genes & Development. 21(16):2055-2068 Majumdar, A. and Drummond, I.A. (2000) The zebrafish floating head mutant demonstrates podocytes play an important role in directing glomerular differentiation. Developmental Biology. 222(1):147-157 Majumdar, A., Lun, K., Brand, M., and Drummond, I.A. (2000) Zebrafish no isthmus reveals a role for pax2.1 in tubule differentiation and patterning events in the pronephric primordia. Development (Cambridge, England). 127(10):2089-2098 Liu, A., Majumdar, A., Schauerte, H.E., Haffter, P., and Drummond, I.A. (2000) Zebrafish wnt4b expression in the floor plate is altered in sonic hedgehog and gli-2 mutants. Mechanisms of Development. 91(1-2):409-413 Majumdar, A. and Drummond, I.A. (1999) Podocyte differentiation in the absence of endothelial cells as revealed in the zebrafish avascular mutant, cloche. Developmental genetics. 24(3-4):220-229 Drummond, I.A., Majumdar, A., Hentschel, H., Elger, M., Solnica-Krezel, L., Schier, A.F., Neuhauss, S.C., Stemple, D.L., Zwartkruis, F., Rangini, Z., Driever, W., and Fishman, M.C. (1998) Early development of the zebrafish pronephros and analysis of mutations affecting pronephric function. Development (Cambridge, England). 125:4655-4667 Drummond, I.A. and Majumdar, A. (2003) Pronephric glomus and vasculature. In The Kidney: From Normal Development to Congenital Disease, P. Vize, A. Woolf, and J. Bard, eds., Amsterdam, Boston: Academic Press. Majumdar, A., Vainio, S., Kispert, A., McMahon, J.A., and McMahon, A.P. (2003) Wnt11 and Ret/GDNF pathways cooperate in regulating ureteric branching during metanephric kidney development. Development 130(14):3175-3185.
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Simulation of a Simple Gas Pressure Model Initializing live version Download to Desktop Requires a Wolfram Notebook System This simple model to understand gas pressure considers the gas as a collection of independent molecules bouncing inside a container and counts the frequency of collisions on the container's walls. Pressure, then, equals the force per unit area . Larger numbers of discrete impulses of force can be averaged over an observation time to give an apparently constant pressure. Release particles of gas by increasing the "number of atoms" slider or by clicking in the box, then watch the pressure graph register the impacts. Increasing the "measurement time" allows for smoother counts at the expense of less responsive measurement. As predicted by the ideal gas law and Boyle's Law, the pressure can be increased by reducing the size of the container or by increasing the number of molecules or the temperature (speed of the atoms). The ideal gas law states that: where is the pressure, is the volume, is the amount of gas, is the gas constant, and is the temperature of the gas. Pressure can be defined as , where is the force applied by the gas and is the surface area. In this two-dimensional analogy, pressure is taken to be , where is the length. Contributed by: Jon McLoone (March 2011) Open content licensed under CC BY-NC-SA Feedback (field required) Email (field required) Name Occupation Organization
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Using bugzilla for 3.9.1 merge requests For the 3.9.1 stable release, I would like to change the merge request process, so that all merge requests go through bugzilla, rather than through the mailing lists. For people submitting merge requests, not much will change, you just submit your request via bugzilla rather than through the mailing lists, and I'll even accept requests via the old method if you think entering bugs is too much extra work. This change is really mostly for me, and I how I manage the releases. I want to try to make the process less work for the release manager, but also make the process more transparent, so everyone can easily see the status of the outstanding merge requests. The procedure for merge requests as bugzilla bugs that I had in mind was something like: 1. File a bug against version 3.9 with a subject like " Merge rxxxx into the 3.9 branch", with a brief explanation of what this patches fixes or why it should be merged. Assign the bug to the stable release manager (which is me in this case), and mark it as a blocker of the 3.9.1 release meta bug: 2. The release manager will do a preliminary review of the patch, and make sure it complies with stable branch policies. If the patch is meets stable branch requirements, then the release manager will assign the bug to the code owner for final approval. 3. Once the code owner has approved, the release manager will assign the bug back to the submitter, and he or she will be responsible for merging the patch to the stable branch or finding someone who can merge it for them. 4. Once the patch has been merged, the bug will be closed. I'm looking for ideas and suggestions for improving this process if anyone has any. I'm going to start trying to use this process, but I will probably be tweaking it based on feedback, and trial and error. I'm hoping by the end of this cycle, we will be able to come up with a final process that we can document and use for future stable releases. Filled a bug against that... easy enough. This also helped us manage the 3.9.0 release *much* better. I vote for strictly following these guidelines for all releases.
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An international banking executive with nearly three decades of experience, Julio M. Herrera Velutini leads an international bank based in Puerto Rico. He founded the bank in 2009 and has since launched its charitable foundation, which focuses on investments in arts and technology. Julio M. Herrera Velutini also founded the Britannia group of companies in 2009. This now includes Britannia Bank and Trust, Britannia Merchant Bank, Britannia Global Payments, Britannia Capital Market, Britannia Financial Group, Britannia Wealth Management, Britannia Global Investment, Britannia Global Markets, and Britannia Dubai. Julio Herrera Velutini has founded and served in director roles at several other banks and international financial organizations, including Consultiva Wealth Management, Diario de las Américas, Banvelca & Company LTD, and Herrera Brothers & Company of New York. Prior to relocating to Puerto Rico, he was a leading figure in the Venezuelan banking industry, most notably as the youngest bank president in the country's history. He was appointed president of the board of Bolívar Banco Universal before he turned 30 years old. Other notable leadership roles include his two years as chairman and CEO of Banco Real, where he led expansion efforts into North America and revamped the bank’s credit approval process with more emphasis on positive character traits as opposed to simply relying on credit checks. He also founded his own bank in Venezuela and grew it to include more than 80 offices nationwide. Julio Herrera Velutini began his career as a stockbroker on the Caracas Stock Exchange in 1991. Complementing his experience, he holds an undergraduate degree from Central University of Venezuela and completed his secondary studies in Europe. He is fluent in Spanish, Italian, and English. Mr. Herrera Velutini hails from a long line of bankers—his family launched Banco Caracas in 1880 and one of his ancestors oversaw the printing of currency in Venezuela. Connect with Julio Herrera Velutini
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Fresh phishing served with AES obfuscation Obfuscated phishing sites are nothing new (on the same matter check this article Web obfuscation technique using invisible spans ) but the use of AES in an attempt to evade detection from automated detection tools like our URLSand Sandbox service, is not very common. Despite AES and encryption in general is not a newbie argument, I am surprised how easily this approach can be adopted by anyone with a basic programming knowledge. The only thing needed is a Javascript library, freely available for download from Movable Type Scripts. By including this library in your page you can then serve your encrypted webpage, with a few lines: To explain the above lines: Line 1) includes the JavaScript AES implementation, which it calls with the embedded password defined at Line 4) and embedded encrypted data at Line 6). The decrypted phishing content is then dynamically written to the page using document.write() after calling the decryption function at Line 8). This process happens almost instantly when the page is loaded and once decryption is complete, the phishing site is shown as normal. Note that the use of AES here is very basic, and there is no attempt made to hide the key or anything else. But I would not be surprised if this kind of attacks will become more sophisticated in the near future! Eng.Paolo Frizzi Web obfuscation technique using invisible spans In order to delay detection, phishing and malware websites often use some obfuscation technique. Obfuscation techniques are double-edged swords. They hide the malicious content from dumb crawlers, bots and sandboxes, but smarter algorithms that know what to look for can detect the malware just by looking at it’s attempts to hide. This is one of the ways we can detect zero-day malware. In this example we have a fake PayPal website. This page interleaves invisible spans between visible text in order to avoid detection by automated systems that perform heuristic analysis of the web page content. You’ll get a clearer idea by looking at the following pictures. This is the fake PayPal website as it is displayed in the browser: PayPal phishing website Notice the text just above the login box on the left of the page. The text says “Bitte geben Sie Ihre PayPal-Dated ein”. You will not find this phrase in the source code of the page because the phrase (and especially the word PayPal) has been interleaved with a lot of text enclosed in invisible spans. This text is present in the page but it is not displayed to the user. Here is a part of the source code of the page (click on the image to enlarge it): The parts in brown are the invisible spans, they contain a lot of random text that the browser is instructed not to display to the user. The parts surrounded by yellow boxes are visible and displayed to the user. These parts compose the phrase you see on the webpage but a bot that scans the page and that doesn’t skip the invisible parts cannot find this phrase or even the word PayPal in the whole page. Invisible content is perfectly normal in legit web pages, often some parts of the page are made visible only on specific events, often most of the page is initially invisible and made visible only when everything has been loaded. Having invisible content is not bad by itself and this is why crawlers and sandboxes don’t ignore it. Using it in this way is certainly suspicious. Our UrlSand sandbox searches for this and other obfuscation/evasion techniques in order to detect malware. Rodolfo Saccani Libra Esva R&D Manager Pragmatic approach to security Protecting from file-based threats One more notch of complexity is justified. let’s do it. Protecting from malicious links So? Should we absolutely avoid complexity in any case? No Here is where the complexity is justified. Rodolfo Saccani, Security R&D Manager at Libra Esva Spam volumes are increasing again Almost everyone has heard about the takedown of many of the major spam botnets with a general decrease spam volumes in the last years. Well, spam traffic appears to once again be on the increase in this 2017. EsvaLabs statistics show a steady increase in spam reports since the beginning of the year with a record of 96,4% spam rate in the last week! From the above graphic – that summarizes spam rates for this 2017 –  it’s clear that almost all the spam emails have been blocked at SMTP level, thanks to reputation and RFC compliance checks. Yet Esvalabs researchers reported an increase of the percentage of malicious URLs and attachments in unsolicited emails. The spammers don’t give up easily. Anti-phishing techniques and tools Pair deception with email and what you get is email phishing. – a message that grabs your attention – a sense of urgency – a call-to-action The numbers suprised all of us. results of phishing test How can an email security appliance help with phishing? Rodolfo Saccani The Bot This time it was on gtalk. (15:17:23) [email protected]: Are you there?? (17:56:20) [email protected]: :-* hi (17:56:50) Rodolfo Saccani: hi (17:57:08) [email protected]: Im bored and wanted to meet new people… 24/female…you? (17:57:43) [email protected]: I’m feeling a little naughty wanna have some fun ? 🙂 (17:58:09) Rodolfo Saccani: of course (17:58:28) [email protected]: here’s a picture lol[truncated] you like? hehe =D (17:59:36) [email protected]: Haha, you want some more? (18:01:59) [email protected]:[truncated] my turn.. wow. I’m soooo turned on right now!! (18:02:44) Rodolfo Saccani: xyz (18:02:57) [email protected]: Mmm…is the game getting “harder”? 😉 (18:03:03) Rodolfo Saccani: __ (18:03:24) [email protected]:[truncated] i want your cock baby really bad would you give it to me?? (18:04:13) [email protected]:[truncated] ok last one lol, you’d love to fuck me wouldnt you 😉 (18:04:54) Rodolfo Saccani: dddddddddddddddddddddddddddd (18:05:14) [email protected]: Baby we really need to go on cam i cant wait anymore (18:05:55) Rodolfo Saccani: qwerty (18:06:10) [email protected]: Here i just invited you www.letsplayoncamz[truncated] try accepting that babe (18:07:23) Rodolfo Saccani: ççç (18:07:45) [email protected]: Its supposed to be the best app for this kind of thing, hurry up and accept!!! (18:08:25) Rodolfo Saccani: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz (18:08:48) [email protected]: Its worth the annoying signup babe, wait until you see what we can do once you’re in (18:09:19) Rodolfo Saccani: j (18:09:43) [email protected]: Its free to join.. i promise.. but it will ask for a card i think.. im gonna get naughty and i cant have kids watching.. (18:10:31) [email protected]: Ok babe.. talk to you in there.. gonna charge my phone.. mwa! xoxo (18:11:04) Rodolfo Saccani: k Rodolfo Saccani A real email phishing experience There are many email phishing techniques. Some phishing campaigns are mostly automated: a phishing landing page is created and a mass phishing campaign is launched to send victims to the landing page. On the attacker side, humans start getting involved only after the victims have provided personal information to the phishing landing page. Other phishing campaigns involve a human interaction with the victim since from the beginning. It usually begins with an interaction via email (following a script) and then it moves on with direct contact on the phone. In this post I tell you about a real phishing campaign I pretended to fall for a couple of years ago. I decided to reply to one of the phishing emails I received in order to check what kind of script the attackers were following. During the email conversation the attackers seemed to follow their script no matter what I replied. The conversation is in Italian, a very bad Italian clearly managed through automated translation tools. I will summarize in English each email. Here is the first approach from the attackers: Dr. Zuli <[email protected]> caro Amico Sono il dottor Zuliu Hu direttore esecutivo di HSBC Hong Kong, ho una transazione commerciale di $ 12.5M e vi darò un risarcimento del 30% per il tuo aiuto in questo transaction.Email: [email protected] Saluti Dr Zuliu Hu As you probably guessed, in this email Doctor Zuliu Hu in person is writing to me. He is the executive director of HSBC Hong Kong and we wants my help for a transaction of 12,5 million dollars. He will give me 30% for my help. He writes from a account and provides a to write to. Ok, it’s time to fall for the phishing. Here is my reply: Rodolfo Saccani <[email protected]> Re: ciao Mi puoi spiegare meglio come funziona la cosa? Magari facciamo uno scambio di favori, anche io ho qualche milione di dollari da trasferire a Hong Kong. In my first reply to this kind of phishing I usually write something sarcastic that a real person would understand but a bot wouldn’t. I asked to Doctor Hu to explain me how it works and I added that maybe we can exchange favors as I also have some million dollars to transact towards Hong Kong. In this case I don’t think I was talking to a bot, probably it was a sort of call-center that was following a script and they probably didn’t even understand Italian or bother to ready my emails. In fact, here is doctor Hu in person replying to me from his account, this time with a very long email: Zuliu Hu <[email protected]> Grazie per la vostra risposta e il vostro interesse per aiutarmi in questa transazione. Come ho detto prima, a causa della questione a portata di mano ora, si reso necessario per me cerco il vostro aiuto, apprezzo il fatto che si pronti ad aiutarmi in esecuzione di questo progetto (transazione), e anche tu mi aiuter a investire i miei soldi nel vostro paese, sono abbastanza certo di questo. Non dovreste avere nulla di cui preoccuparsi, far di tutto per legge ad assicurare che il progetto va liscio, esso deve passare attraverso tutte le leggi della International Banking, hai la mia parola. Avendo deciso di affidare questa operazione nelle vostre mani, voglio ricordare che, ha bisogno del vostro impegno e diligente follow-up. Se si lavora seriamente, l’intera operazione dovrebbe essere finito in un paio di giorni perch tutto stato pianificato. In primo luogo, io voglio sapere con precisione il tipo di occupazione che si fa e quanti anni hai, si dovrebbe notare che questo progetto alta intensit di capitale, questo il motivo per cui devo stare molto attento, ho bisogno della tua totale devozione e fiducia vedere attraverso questo. So che non abbiamo incontrato prima, ma io sono molto fiducioso che saremo in grado di stabilire la necessaria fiducia che abbiamo bisogno di eseguire questo progetto. Apprezzo il fatto che si pronti ad aiutarmi in esecuzione di questo progetto; Mi piace noi per gestire questa transazione basata sulla fiducia e l’onest , prima di iniziare, lasciate che vi dia rapidamente le informazioni di prima mano sulla transazione. Come si gi a conoscenza, io sono il dottor Hu Zuliu l’ufficiale di credito in Hang Seng Bank Ltd., Hong Kong. Prima della guerra la Libia uno dei nostri Brg cliente. Mutassim Gheddafi che era con le forze Libia, ha fatto un deposito fisso vari per 18 mesi di calendario, con un valore di dodici milioni Five Hundred Thousand Stato Uniti Dollari nel mio ramo. Alla scadenza alcune comunicazioni stato inviato a lui, anche durante la guerra che ha avuto inizio nel febbraio 2011. Anche dopo la guerra un’altra notifica stata inviata e ancora nessuna risposta arrivata da lui. Pi tardi abbiamo scoperto che il Brg.Mutassim Gheddafi con suo padre era stato ucciso durante la guerra. Dopo ulteriori indagini si scoperto che Brg.Mutassim Gheddafi non ha dichiarato alcun parente prossimo nei suoi documenti ufficiali, tra cui il lavoro di scrittura del suo deposito bancario. Cos , dodici milioni Five Hundred Thousand Stato Uniti Dollari giace ancora nella mia banca e nessuno sar mai fatto avanti per reclamarlo. Quello che mi preoccupa di pi che, secondo le leggi del mio paese alla scadenza dei tre anni i fondi torneranno alla propriet del governo di Hong Kong se nessuno si applica a richiedere i fondi. In questo contesto, il mio suggerimento per voi che io come voi come uno straniero di presentarsi come il parente pi prossimo al Brg. Mutassim Gheddafi, in modo che si sar in grado di file per il diritto di ricevere i fondi. Tutte le informazioni sui fondi sar noto a voi e atti di accordo con gli altri documenti di vitale importanza per la firma come nuovo beneficiario. Prima che io comincio avr bisogno di inviare me; 1 vostri nomi completi.: . 2 Indirizzo attuale: . 3 Occupazione: . 4 Telefono: 5. Copia di qualsiasi forma di vostra identificazione (ID licenza Lavoro di guida o del passaporto internazionale) a scopo di documentazione. Voglio essere sicuro che sto transazioni con la persona giusta e io sar responsabile della tassa di documentazione giuridica. Appena ricevo questi da te, io far iniziare il lavoro di carta. Spero che capirete perch ho bisogno di tutte queste cose, il denaro in questione grande e voglio garantire che conosco bene ed evitare future rappresentazione da qualcun altro prima di procedere a darvi tutti i dettagli per iniziare il progetto, lo far inviare il certificato di deposito che stato emesso a Brg.Mutassim Gheddafi al momento il denaro stato depositato. La preghiamo di rispondere presto. Dr Hu Zuliu He thanks me for my interest and then he explains what information he expects from me. He wants to know my profession and my age, my phone number and a copy of an ID document, this is an important transaction after all. He explains that there is a bank account owned by Mutassim Gheddafi (one of the sons of Mu’ammar Gheddafi) who died. They found out that he hadn’t declared any relative in the official documents, so the plan is that I pretend to be one of his relatives and grab the money. Easy peasy. Of all the information he asked, in my next email I only provide the ID document. I made a quick search and found a fake driver license for a fake person named “Soldi Finiti” which, translated into english, sounds like “No more money”. I reply incredulous, do I really must act like I am a Gheddafi relative?? What am I supposed to to, to come over there??? And I sign the email as “Soldi Finiti” which, by the way, doesn’t match with the name in the From field: Rodolfo Saccani <[email protected]> Ti allego la mia patente ma non ho capito una cosa. Devo far finta di essere parente di Geddafi? E come faccio a dimostrarlo? Cosa devo fare in particolare? Devo venire li? Soldi Finiti In his replay, Mr. Hu calls me by name: Soldi. He doesn’t seem to care that I didn’t send all of the requested information and goes on with the script: Zuliu Hu [email protected] tramite Power Of Attorney Document attenzione: Soldi ho visitato il avvocato (john wang), ho fatto tutte le indagini necessarie sopra la vostra fondo eredita approvato con hang seng bank e la procedura di legale. quindi, in mio breve incontro di emergenza con l’avvocato; in proposito, desidero comunicheremo tutti i processi fanno beneficiare di tale fondi devono essere legale e che l’avvocato hanno accettato per dare il meglio us dei servizi giuridici sulla fornitura di vostra richiesta legale i documenti dei vari ministeri, nonch magistratura high court qui in hong kong. nelle mie discussioni oggi con i dipendenti esecutivi anche con il regista straniero rimessa servizio e anche attraverso la mia conferma dalla rete running telex stanza dove il fondo stata informatizzata di trasferimento, ho scoperto che la tua eredit sar facilmente approvato in bits attesa la presentazione del legalizzazione di fondo / backup dei documenti per l’avvocato e mi occupo del servizio rimessa, tuttavia io sar responsabile delle tasse di avvocato e altri oneri da qui finora. se siete in accordo con questa operazione allora sei consigli per firmare il potere allegato procura inviare via email a me per l’avvocato per avviare l’elaborazione documenti, i shall aggiornarvi su il passo successivo dopo aver ricevuto questo documento firmato allegata alla presente mail . nota: questa operazione deve essere confidenziale perch molto importante. Dr. Zuliu Hu He met the laywer and checked everything. Everything will be totally legal, of course, and all the papers from the various ministries and Hong Kong high court will be fine. He sends a document that I have to return signed. Mr. Soldi Finiti signed the document and returned it: Rodolfo Saccani <[email protected]> Re: Power Of Attorney Document Dr. Zuliu, ecco il documento firmato. Aspetto istruzioni. Soldi Finiti driver license Driver license Mr. Hu sends me another long email, the tone is less formal and more friendly. After all, we are partners now: Zuliu Hu <[email protected]> a Rodolfo Caro Partner, Grazie per la risposta, io sono in arrivo della tua posta e di identificazione. Prego che quando questa e-mail arriva per voi trovare di voi e la vostra famiglia in ottima salute e le condizioni. Vi ringrazio per mostrare qualche grande responsabilità e fiducia. Devo anche farvi sapere che mi sento trattante agio con voi soprattutto dopo l’ultima e-mail, anche se non abbiamo avuto un verbale conversazione, per favore non mi deluderà. Ho inviato i dati al mio avvocato che metterà insieme il lavoro di carta perfezionato da inviare alla banca per il rilascio dei fondi, questo dovrebbe richiedere non più di 2-3 giorni. Promozione di questo, è corretto vi comunico che, quindi, abbiamo deciso di andare in partnership per vedere che questo progetto viene completato e sigillato presto, ci sarà bisogno definiamo le nostre responsabilità prima di arrivare lontano nel progetto che aiuterà entrambe le parti sapere che cosa si aspetta da noi a fare al momento molto giusto. Nota; Ci sono due opzioni che sarà conveniente per trasferire questi soldi dalla mia banca a Hong Kong, sotto c’è l’opzione varie e come il mio compagno si dovrà scegliere quello che si pensa sarà adatto a noi in questa transazione, nel frattempo io sarà responsabile per le spese legali di perfezionare tutte le documentazioni legali per mettere voi come il parente più prossimo che è più costosa rispetto alle opzioni sottostanti. 1. Posso trasferire i fondi ad una società di sicurezza in europea che hanno lo stesso convenzione bancaria con la mia banca, si dovrà viaggiare verso la società di sicurezza dopo che i fondi sono stati trasferiti con successo alla società di firmare per il rilascio di i fondi e trasferimento al vostro paese. Tuttavia questa società di sicurezza è quello che dovrò cercare in ufficio controllando la nostra sicurezza delle informazioni con i paesi europei. 2. Si può anche scegliere di impostare un account di transito in mare aperto in una banca rispettabile in Europa, che hanno lo stesso tipo di telex con la mia banca in modo che il trasferimento dei fondi su non sollevare alcuna sicurezza finanziaria occhio marrone, questo lo farò anche cercare. Io poi collegare il $ 12,500, 000 milioni di dollari per il nuovo conto di transito aperto che sarà fornito da voi. La scelta è vostra, ma io vi consiglierà fare la scelta saggia. Tuttavia sarebbe stato molto possibile ottenere i fondi attraverso qualsiasi del tuo account designata della vostra scelta, ma è così sfortunato che questo metodo cant essere utilizzato in esecuzione di un progetto di questo tipo e la grandezza perché il corpo monetaria o potrebbe indagare sulla fondo in questione, quando una grossa somma di tale importo è stato trasferito nel tuo conto nel vostro paese directly.Basically per questo motivo ho deciso che usiamo questa banca o società di sicurezza in Europa, che ha un accordo termini di transazione con la banca / a Hong Kong e anche entrambi condividono lo stesso tipo di telex. Questo metodo si pone come il più veloce, più sicuro e più facile significa che il fondo può lasciare che escrow account, dopo tutti i documenti in suo nome e favore è stato depositato per l’applicazione del fondo release.Kindly tornare a me con la vostra risposta dopo aver letto attentamente il contenuto di questa mail così posso continuare a perfezionare i documenti in suo nome e favore e anche di arredare con le informazioni di contatto, tutte le copie di documentazioni saranno inviati a voi per il vostro esame e record del file pure. Appena ho letto da voi, il mio avvocato li avrà preparati. Attendo la tua risposta tempestiva a questa mail. Cordiali saluti a voi e alla famiglia. Dr hu zuliu. In his friendly (but professional) email, mr. Hu explains the available options. Option 1 is to move the money to a european “security” organization that already has a partnership agreement with their bank (whathever this means), then I will go there to sign the papers and collect the money. Option 2 is to let the money transit on an off-shore account in a respectable European bank that has the same telex type of his bank (?!) so that the transfer doesn’t rise suspects and than make a bank to bank money transfer to my own bank account. It’s my choice but he provides a suggestion: option 2 is way too dangerous, we will go with option 1. So far for “it’s your choice”. He expects I provide my opinion, so in my next email I say that I am not an expert in this kind of international transfers so I put all my trust into his experience and competence: Rodolfo Saccani <[email protected]> Mr. Zulu, io non mi intendo di queste transazioni internazionali, pertanto mi affido completamente alla sua esperienza e competenza. Scelga lei la procedura migliore. Zuliu replies with another long email, this time he calls me Rodolfo instead of Soldi. That’s fine, if he doesn’t care I don’t do either: Zuliu Hu <[email protected]> caro Rodolfo, Grazie per la risposta, vi ringrazio per mostrare qualche grande responsabilità e fiducia. Devo anche farvi sapere che mi sento trattante agio con voi soprattutto dopo l’ultima e-mail, anche se non abbiamo avuto una conversazione verbale, per favore non mi deluderà. Ho inviare i dati al mio avvocato che metterà insieme il lavoro di carta perfezionato da inviare alla banca per l’ sblocco dei fondi, questo dovrebbe richiedere non più di due o tre giorni, ma io vi manderò tutti i documenti dalla procura per voi a firmare non appena la sono inviati a me dal procuratore. In questa luce, vi ho inviato le informazioni della banca in modo da poter fare indagini sul mare aperto / apertura del conto on-line. Vi consiglio come ho detto in precedenza che si apre un conto con la banca in modo che una volta che vengono rilasciati i fondi, saranno trasferiti direttamente sul tuo conto e il trasferimento non attirerà i corpi monetari, come il trasferimento si sarà visto come in-house. (stesso tipo di telex con la mia banca). È quindi possibile trasferire i fondi in bit sicure al tuo account principale per entrambi noi. Delle informazioni delle banche prega di voler trovare. Bank van der Post Belgio Mr. Paul Vreke Email: [email protected] Tel: +32 484860420 Fax: +32 27065367 Si prega di contattare con le seguenti informazioni, i vostri nomi, recapiti telefonici (casa, ufficio e numero di cellulare e anche fax Number) Si noti, che si sta per informare la banca che si desidera aprire un conto offshore con la propria banca rispettabile, e dovrebbero consigli su come account.I si attende un aggiornamento da voi. Si prega di fare in contatto con la banca in modo che l’apertura del conto può essere veloce. Ti chiamo fratello così che entrambi abbiamo capito che la nostra fiducia in ogni altro è quello del sangue. Dio vi benedica per la vostra determinazione positiva di influenzare le nostre vite. Dr. Hu Zuliu Here we are, he provides my contact at this “Security” organization that will manage the transfer and where I will go and sign the papers in order to get the money. Now I am supposed to contact directly Mr. Paul in Belgium. At this point I gave up, I stopped following the script, I provided all this information to the police and I contacted gmail and qq to report the abuse of those email addresses. Rodolfo Saccani Malware evades Sandbox, can security solutions catch up with it? • Can the technology help educating people? We need that kind of approach in Cyber-security! Lecco, March, 14th 2017 Eng. Paolo Frizzi
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Difference Between Plywood and HDHMR Over the years, wood has become a prominent material for decoration and construction purposes. With advancements in the demand of human beings, there have been multi-facet developments in the wood industry. Plywood and HDHMR are two well-known types of wood available in the consumer market. They are often considered interchangeable terms. However, there is a stark contrast in the maintenance, features, and advantages of Plywood and HDHMR.  Plywood vs HDHMR The main difference between Plywood and HDHMR is that Plywood is inferior quality wood. On the other hand, HDHMR is a superior quality wood that offers innovative applications. While Plywood is susceptible to termite infestations, HDHMR has fewer chances of being attacked by termites or other wood insects.  Plywood vs HDHMR Plywood is a type of engineered wood that is composed of glueing several layers of plies. The most common categories of Plywood are either manufactured from Hardwood or Softwood. The quality of plywood differs considerably depending upon the source or origin of the wood. Plywood has both commercial and household applications. Plywood materials can be dusted with a dry cloth and must be protected from moisture and sunlight. HDHMR refers to an advanced and improved version of Plywood. HDHMR is sourced from waste wood materials HDHMR is an ideal option to create robust and sturdy woodwork. This High-Density High Moisture Resistant board has enhanced screw and withdrawal strength. The wood has a ready and smooth surface that can be coloured using several gradient colours. HDHMR materials can be cleaned by using lukewarm water and it is advised to clean spots instead of the whole area.  Comparison Table Between Plywood and HDHMR  Parameters of ComparisonPlywood HDHMR  Source Plywood is sourced from wood veneer. HDHMR is sourced from forest wood waste and fiber chips. Structure Plywood usually has non-uniform and low density.HDHMR has high density and uniformity across its surface. Durability Plywood is less durable than HDHMR.HDHMR is more durable than Plywood. Infestations Plywood is more prone to termite infestations. HDHMR is less prone to termite infestations.  Water Resistance Plywood is not resistant to water. HDHMR offers high water resistance.  What is Plywood? Plywood is a material that originates from the plies of wood veneer. These thin layers or plies are held together by glue. The wood grain of each adjacent layer is rotated up to a right angle to one another. Plywood is a part of the family of manufactured boards. Other members of this family are medium density fibreboard, particleboard, and oriented strand board.  There are different types of Plywood available in the market. These include Softwood, Hardwood, Tropical, Aircraft, Decorative, Flexible, and Marine among others. While Softwood is manufactured from cedar, spruce, pine or fir, Hardwood is manufactured from the wood of dicot trees. Tropical Plywood is sourced from mixed hardwood species of tropical timber Marine Plywood is sourced from durable face and core veneers. Decorative or overlaid Plywood is usually made from several species of trees, including oak, maple, shorea, ash, and mahogany. There are some other types of Plywood available in the market as well. Some of these are moisture-resistant Plywood, pressure-treated Plywood, and sign-grade Plywood.  Some common uses of Softwood Plywood are to make floors, walls, and rooms in household constructions, vehicle internal bodywork, fencing, concrete shuttering panels, and packages and boxes. On the other hand, some uses of Hardwood Plywood are container floors, wind turbine blades, scaffolding materials, and furniture. The density and uniformity of Plywood are rather unimpressive. Therefore, each type of Plywood has its respective practical applications.   What is HDHMR? HDHMR stands for High-Density High Moisture Resistance Board. HDHMR is sourced from forest wood waste and fibre chips and brought together through a homogenous manufacturing process. The production of HDHMR involves the compression of fibre chips to form a single layer. This in turn removes small wood content.  The outcome of the manufacturing process is high-density moisture, resistant board. HDHMR is particularly used for the apt density it offers. HDHMR offers high resistance to both water and heat. It also showcases a high tensile strength. Over the years, the superior quality and multiple applications of HDHMR have brought significant changes in the Indian interiors industry. HDHMR has been one of the most sought after replacements for Plywood. The company that brought HDHMR into the market is Action Tesa. Surprisingly, HDHMR soon became one of the most popular choices for woodwork in both professional and household settings. The most immediate advantage of HDHMR is that it is significantly water-resistant with no core gaps. It offers innovative applications and cost-effective panelling solutions.  The most prominent applications of HDHMR are in kitchen shutters, door shutters, desks and lockers, gyms, hospitals, packing industry panels, cafeteria, office and residential areas, and outdoor fixtures. HDHMR is an environmentally friendly product manufactured from waste wood. Therefore, it is not only an innovative choice for woodwork but also environmentally safe to manufacture.   Main Differences Between Plywood and HDHMR 1. Plywood experiences more wear and tear than HDHMR.  2. Plywood is a less preferred choice by interior designers and homemakers as compared to HDHMR.  3. Some prominent Plywood brands are Greenply and Duro. On the other hand, the most famous HDHMR brand is Action Tesa.  4. While Plywood requires less maintenance, HDHMR offers a smooth finish and as higher density and uniformity.  5. A demerit of Plywood is that it has a low density and low uniformity. On the other hand, a disadvantage of HDHMR is that it is heavier as compared to other construction materials.   Difference Between Plywood and HDHMR Therefore, Plywood and HDHMR vary on several grounds including chances of infestation, quality, density and uniformity, and durability. Some types of Plywood are Aircraft, Decorative, Flexible, and Marine among others. The quality and features of each Plywood vary depending upon the wood it is manufactured from. HDHMR is a variant of Plywood that has superior features and properties as compared to Plywood. It is expected to last longer than the traditional Plywood. HDHMR is also environment friendly. Thus, several factors must be taken into consideration before choosing between Plywood and HDHMR.   1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plywood#Structural_characteristics  2. https://www.woodkraftkitchen.com/plywood-vs-hdhmr/  [Total: 0] One request? Notify of Inline Feedbacks View all comments
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Home Staging: 7 Cost-Effective Ways to Add Style for a Quick Sale Home Staging It’s frustrating when you put your home on the market, and it just sits there without any offers. It ruins your plans to move and takes a toll on your ego. You may be wondering, “What am I doing wrong?” The answer may be that your home needs a little sprucing up. Home staging makes your home look its best to appeal to buyers and sell quickly. The good news is that it can be cheap. Here are seven tips. Decorate With Flowers Flowers are inexpensive and eco-friendly. They add color and life to any room, making it look more inviting. Place a vase of fresh flowers on your dining room table, coffee table, or kitchen counter.  Spruce up the living room with a floral arrangement. You can even put flowers in the bathroom and kitchen. Are you wondering where to find fresh, unique blooms straight from the farm? Check out online flower delivery services with an excellent reputation and positive reviews. Hanging flowers on the walls is another way to add life to your home. Buy inexpensive floral tapestries or wall art, or create your own. All you need is some fabric, batting, and a frame. Remember to hand baskets of flowers to buyers as they leave your home after a showing. It creates a lasting impression. Live Plants in Every Room Plants not only add color and life to a room but purify the air. Place a small plant on your nightstand, coffee table, or desk. Put a larger plant in the corner of the room or group several plants together to make a statement. Focus more on rooms visitors will see, such as the living room, dining room, and entryway. A pot of green plants by the front door creates a welcoming look. Choose plants with lovely fragrances, such as jasmine, lavender, or rosemary. Go on to plant them in pots and place them around. Extend this exercise outdoors by placing potted plants on your porch or patio. If you have a green thumb, opt for a garden. It improves curb appeal and makes your home more inviting.  Choose plants that are indigenous to your area and require little maintenance. As you do this, repair or fix any unsightly spots in your yard, such as cracks in the driveway or chipped paint on the front door. Clean up any debris and mow the lawn. Brighten The Space No one wants to live in a dark and dreary home. Unfortunately, many homes on the market have poor lighting. This is often due to heavy draperies, dark paint colors, and insufficient light fixtures. However, you can brighten your home without spending much. Start by replacing heavy draperies with lighter ones that let in more light. Go for warm, neutral colors such as beige, ivory, and white. Add a pop of color with sheer curtains. If you have blinds, open them to let in more light. Next, consider repainting your walls. Go for light and bright colors such as cream, light gray, or white. If you have dark wood paneling, paint it as well. Doing this brightens up the space and makes it look more modern. Finally, replace old light fixtures with new ones. Choose ones that are bright and airy. Keep the blades clean and in good condition, if you have a ceiling fan. Dusty ones make a room look dark and dingy. Add a Mirror in Every Room Mirrors reflect light and make a space look brighter and more extensive. They’re also quite versatile. Use them to add depth, create an illusion of more space, or brighten up a room. An excellent option is to place a mirror opposite a window to reflect light and make the room look brighter. You can also set a mirror across a piece of art to create an illusion of more space. If you have a small entryway, place one on the wall to make it look larger. Get Rid of Clutter One of the quickest and easiest ways to make your home more inviting is to get rid of clutter. It makes a space look smaller dirty and unkempt. Go through each room and remove anything you don’t need or use. This includes old clothes, expired food, unused furniture, and knick-knacks.  Donate or sell items you no longer need. Put away any out-of-season clothes and declutter your closet. Remember to declutter your countertops, shelves, and other surfaces. Store away anything that doesn’t belong in the room. Once you’ve decluttered, keep it that way. Put away items when not using them, and resist the urge to buy new things you don’t need. A decluttered home will feel more inviting and welcoming. Rearrange the Furniture You may be used to your furniture; however, there may be better ways to organize it. You’ll be surprised at how different your home looks when rearranging the furniture. It might make your home more inviting, brighten the space, and allow better traffic flow. Create a focal point in each room and arrange the furniture around it. For example, set the sofa in front of the fireplace in the living room. In your bedroom, place the bed in the center of the room and arrange other furniture around it. If you have a small bedroom, place your bed against the wall to create more space. There should be at least two feet of space between pieces of furniture. Doing this will make your home more inviting and prevent cramping. Depersonalize The Space Your home should be a reflection of your personality. However, depersonalize the space when selling. Remove family photos, personal mementos, and anything considered offensive. It isn’t easy if your home is full of such; pack and put them away until you move. Potential buyers will easily visualize themselves in your home if it’s not full of personal items. Even Small Changes Count Note that the more the property stays in the market, the more it depreciates. You also halt all other plans you might have, like moving to a new location or getting another investment property. Updating your house makes it more marketable and saves you a lot of headaches. You don’t have to spend much money on the update; even small changes can make a big difference. 
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November 14, 2016 Mascara is probably the one cosmetic I've been wearing consistently since Year 12 and, as such, my eyes look bald without it. Back in the day, I had one workhorse mascara for all occasions and I think you can guess that things have changed a bit since then . . . mascara collection | Almost Posh It's not just a case of FOMO or "try all the things" - I find mascara interesting but not as much as say, a new eyeshadow palette or liquid to matte lipstick. I thought I'd round up what I have in my mascara collection and rate them in order of awesomeness. You may click on the heading names to follow links to that product, if the mood takes you - no affiiates or anything, just for info. 7. IT Cosmetics Tightline Mascara Mini  IT cosmetics tightline mascara, liner, primer | Almost Posh I bought this tiny trial sized mascara during my Sydney Sephora visit, used it once and largely forgot about it. If by "tightlining" they mean "leaves tiny dots along your eyeline" then yes, it definitely does that. I was hoping for a full lined effect but then, my expectations have been known to exceed reality from time to time. 6. NYX Color Mascara - Blue NYX color mascara blue | Almost Posh I picked this up because Target were having a special and I have blue eyes so why not. I used to use the Covergirl Exact Eyelights in Sapphire Black as an everyday mascara and quite liked the effect so I thought I'd try a straight blue for fun. It's okay. Not particularly noticeable unless I'm out in the sun but I'd love to see how some of the other wackier shades in the range perform. 5. Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara maybelline the falsies push up drama mascara | Almost Posh I got this in a value pack from Priceline when looking to try the Curvy Eyeliner and although I wasn't bothered about it, I gave it a go. The results were acceptable but not impressive. You can see me trialling both the mascara and eyeliner in a video if you like. 4. Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara maybelline lash sensation | Almost Posh I got this free in a Beauty Heaven mini beautorium haul and it took a little while to get used to the curved wand. It was a bit gunky at first but improved once it dried out a little. It's not one I go for all the time, hence its position firmly in the middle of the road. 3. Benefit They're Real! Lengthening Mascara benefit they're real mascara | Almost Posh When I saw this as an available product in the Beauty Heaven beautorium selection, I was all over it like white on rice and when it arrived, I couldn't wait to coat my lashes with it. You can see me doing that right here. It's alright but let me tell you, I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. While it's perfectly serviceable, for $42 I essentially want to look like Caitlin after her lash extensions. 2. Silke Oil of Morocco mascara Silke Oil of Morocco mascara | Almost Posh I won this a while back as part of a (frankly awesome) prize pack from Champagne Cartel and it's a great regular mascara. You have to be wary of the fibrous bits on application so they don't smudge onto your eyes and what-have-you. However the colour is excellent and while the smell is a little oil-like, it's not offensive. It's a really nice product. Which brings us to our winner . . . 1. Essence Cosmetics Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara essence lash princess mascara | Almost Posh Essence have well and truly killed it with this offering. A thick luxe wand delivering inky black product, volumising effect and easily my most dramatic mascara, all for the lowest price. I actually used my $5 Priceline birthday voucher to buy another one (and, while I was there, another Essence Make Me Brow Gel so I didn't feel like a numpty handing over $1.60). Once again, I'm pleased to tell you that stinge wins out again with another Essence product taking the cake! What's your favourite mascara? Is it budget or blow-out? Do you have a mascara wardrobe or a workhorse? You Might Also Like
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How to edit spacing around bullet points • 27 January 2021 • 2 replies Badge +1 Is there a way to reduce/edit the bullet point spacing or the paragraph spacing in an email? I dislike how these two don’t match.  Best answer by retention 27 January 2021, 23:36 View original 2 replies Userlevel 7 Badge +49 @daitont Hi, This is an interesting situation that we actually encountered in the past. The extra space between the paragraph and the bullet points can often look unnatural and out of proportions. This is how it originally looks when you insert bullet points in the middle of a text. There is a simple fix that we’re using to adjust the spacing. It requires adding 2 lines of CSS code. First you need to switch to the Source of the block. In the paragraph above the bullet points apply: style="padding-bottom: 5px;" In the UL tag at the very top of the table apply: style="margin-top: 0px;" Notice how the spacing between the paragraph and the bullet points is now in proportions and looks much better. You can play around with the value of the padding and margin to achieve the best look that fits your needs. Hope this helps! Userlevel 7 Badge +49 @daitont - When you have alignment issues with bullet points, the culprit is usually underlying HTML formatting or styling.  This can happen if you’re copying/pasting from two different sources, or if you fiddled with the formatting too many times and it starts to “drift.”   What I do is highlight the issue and click on  “clear formatting” to reset the underlying styling and then use the bullet icon to do this cleanly.    See here: You can see that the underlying HTML is “cleared” by comparing the Source before and after. When the formatting is cleared, you should only have basic html tags without any <span> or styling HTML tags.  From there, you can format your bullets and they should have matching indentations and styling. Let me know if that worked!
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Lessard at 50: Can Milwaukee break its addiction to forced psychiatric care? Leah Harris In November 1971, when West Allis schoolteacher Alberta Lessard found herself facing a lifelong commitment to a Milwaukee County psychiatric institution, she fought back with a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all adults committed to mental health facilities against their will. Her victory in federal court, which turns 50 years old this week, initiated a transformation in mental health law. The Lessard v Schmidt decision found Wisconsin’s civil commitment law unconstitutional. It ruled that people facing involuntary commitment to mental health facilities deserved the same due process rights as those facing prison time. Lessard established that people could not be deprived of their liberty unless proven dangerous to themselves or others, beyond a reasonable doubt. As impactful as the Lessard decision was, it didn’t address the root problem that persists to this day: our society’s continued overreliance on carceral, institutional forms of mental health care while neglecting the survival needs of people, families and communities in crisis. Alberta Lessard, of West Allis, is shown in this 2011 photo. Decades earlier, she was instrumental in overturning the laws governing commitment for mental illness, by taking her case to the Supreme Court. The result is that a person can only be committed if they are proven to be a danger to themselves or others. Alberta Lessard and my mother both entered the revolving door of Milwaukee’s public mental health system in the early 1970s. While neither woman was dangerous, both were forcibly institutionalized numerous times at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex over decades. They were subjected to unwanted interventions like seclusion and restraint, and forced medication, which they both experienced as traumatizing and dehumanizing. My mother’s lifetime of mistreatment in Milwaukee’s public mental health system fuels my advocacy for holistic, community-based solutions grounded in social justice. Fifty years after the Lessard decision, it appears that much has changed, but much remains the same: Wisconsin leads the nation in forced psychiatric treatment, with tragic outcomes. In fact, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) classifies forced treatment as a human rights violation. Some say that nonconsensual treatment and medication are necessary because patients may lack capacity or insight into their condition. But the CRPD suggests using more collaborative ways of engaging with patients who resist care, such as supportive decision-making, that do not violate trust and bodily autonomy. More:Imminent Danger: Law creates barriers to getting care for mentally ill For decades, my mother was legally coerced into taking antipsychotic medications that have now been proven to increase mortality. She died when she was only 46, from comorbidities caused by these medications, poverty and trauma. Alberta Lessard also lived in poverty, but she was able to refuse psychiatric medication, and lived to be 94. While neither woman’s life was an easy one, Lessard’s much longer life was lived largely on her own terms. Alberta Lessard and my mother were both white, but research shows that coercive treatment is racialized nationally: Black and Brown youth and adults are disproportionately subjected to both involuntary inpatient hospitalization and restrictive interventions like restraint, seclusion and forced medication. This racial inequity parallels the overrepresentation of African-Americans in jails and prisons; yet another reason to reconsider our approach to mental health care. The Behavioral Health Division’s decade-long redesign process includes new psychiatric facilities that have opened to much fanfare. A more centrally located crisis center has replaced the long-troubled Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex in Wauwatosa, and Granite Hills, a privately operated mental hospital opened this year in West Allis. However, I worry that the same cycle that trapped my mother and Alberta Lessard will repeat itself. The recently shuttered Mental Health Complex was similarly celebrated when it opened; in 1980, First Lady Rosalyn Carter toured the facility as an example of state-of-the-art psychiatric care. In 20 years, will advocates be calling for these new facilities to close because they have also been exposed as breeding grounds for neglect and abuse, like the Mental Health Complex that preceded them, and the 1880s-era institution that came before? Disturbing employee reviews of Granite Hills point to trouble already. More:Alberta Lessard dies at age 94 To avoid repeating the cycle, Milwaukee should establish housing as a human right. This idea is far from new; back in the mid-1970s, Tom Zander, a Milwaukee attorney who helped Wisconsin implement changes mandated by the Lessard decision, worked with advocates pushing for housing as a mental health care solution. It is a positive sign that the Housing First model is finally catching on in Milwaukee, as is awareness of housing as a major social determinant of mental and physical well-being. Giving people money in the form of guaranteed income is an out-of-the-box intervention that can interrupt cycles of poverty and mental distress. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson claims the city can’t afford it, but one wonders if the issue is lack of political will rather than funds. Up-front investments in what people actually want and need can reduce costly cycles of crisis and force. For 50 years, we’ve been asking what to do with people with psychiatric disabilities — people like my mother and Alberta Lessard. It’s the wrong question. A better question is: How can we break our addiction to forced treatment and institutional care by reallocating resources to meet basic human needs for community, connection and survival? Leah Harris is a Milwaukee-born mental health advocate, writer, and educator.
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~/ Home Hello, my name is Jesse Shawl. This website is my little corner of the world wide web where I post notes about programming and computer-related things that I wish had existed before I wrote them. I also keep a list of my teaching experience and projects I've worked on. Featured Projects Zero-trust digital signature proofs of identity CI Notify Zero-configuration notifications for CI/CD pipelines. Inspect RESTful http requests. Useful Links 1. Dual Range Input 2. Introducing Telephony.cc 3. npm pack 4. Recursive Vue Components 5. Customize Rails Collection Checkboxes 6. Cacheing API Calls 7. Let's build a CRUD app with the Fetch API 8. Express from Scratch 9. Dependency Injection 101 10. [book] The Art of Unix Programming 11. Hoisting Can Be Dangerous 12. Testing Webhooks Locally 13. Alias Your Referral Codes 14. Undo `git clean` 15. Contributing to Ruby gems 16. Mercurial for Git Evangelists 17. Async API Calls with Pagination 18. Interactive Rebasing Considered Harmful 19. Rails JSON Virtual Attributes 20. Link Workflow 21. devbattle 22. Dropdown change events and selectedIndex 23. Self hosted project pages 24. Jekyll 2.1.0 is out, and I'm a contributor 25. Linode and The 10 Dollar Plan 26. sudo npm install -g is an antipattern 27. Clean up pull requests with git merge --squash 28. Persistent git log with git loglive 29. Repo Stats from the command line 30. Clean up Commits with git cherry-pick -n 31. A Better Git Log 32. Warning! push.default is not set 33. Practical Applications of Pseudo Elements and Classes 34. When to Rebase 35. Rethinking Dynamic Page Replacing Content
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April 2014 Plastic Surgery Practice 5 tips for hiring a publicist By Anthony Youn, MD, FACS OReillyNo question about it. Being on TV gets patients in your door. When I first started my plastic surgery practice in 2004, I had $200,000 in medical school debt, $100,000 in start-up loans, and zero patients. I brought bagels and orange juice to family practice offices, gave dozens of community talks, and wrote letters to local physicians. Still, no patients. Then my phone rang. The producers of E! Television’s Dr. 90210 said I’d be featured on their next episode. “Get ready,” they added. I envisioned red carpets, Emmy awards, interviews on Entertainment Tonight, and invites to all the big Hollywood parties. The show aired 3 days later. I was introduced in the middle of the half-hour program. My television debut lasted 3 minutes. I went to bed that night very, profoundly disappointed. The next morning, the phone began to ring. And ring. And ring. It didn’t stop. Ten new cosmetic patients booked appointments that day. Then nine more the next. My practice took off, and for the next 2 years I reaped the benefits of my brief foray into reality TV. If it happened to me, it can happen to you. Prior to my fellowship in Los Angeles, I didn’t have any idea that plastic surgeons had publicists and/or handlers. Aren’t they only for the super-rich and famous? Not really. Although some publicists specialize in handling media inquiries for celebrities, many publicists spend their time trying to get their clients on TV and in magazines. I’ve hired seven different publicists in the past 9 years. They’ve arranged for me to be on The Doctors, the Fox News Channel, HLN, E!, and Access Hollywood. They’ve gotten me a half-page spread in USA Today, two segments on NPR, and several mentions in entertainment magazines and tabloids. Lots of plastic surgeons have publicists, although few will admit it. So if you’re thinking about hiring a publicist, here are some of my tips: 1 Don’t Overpay: Publicists are typically paid a monthly retainer, and most of them require at least a 3-month commitment up front. So they can get you absolutely nothing (which happens quite often) and still get paid. Most physician publicists are paid between $2,000 and $4,000 per month. Paying more than $4,000 a month is unlikely to pay off unless they really have major connections like Barbara Walters’ cell phone number. 2 Don’t Believe the Hype: Every single publicist I’ve ever hired has excitedly told me about all the TV shows and magazines that he or she will try to get me on. The key word here is “try.” Some of these publicists have come up completely empty 3 months later. 3 Choose Ads Over Publicity: I consider publicists to be a luxury, not a requirement. If you have a struggling practice and have $3,000 to put toward a publicist or an ad, choose the ad. If you choose your ad correctly, you are almost guaranteed to get patients calling your office. Publicity, however, is a gamble. If gambling really paid off, would casinos be in business? 4 Focus On Local: If you’ve never been on TV before, consider hiring a publicist from your local area. You’re extremely unlikely to go from complete obscurity to Doctor Oz, even if you hire a big-name New York City publicist. Your best bet is to hire a local publicist with connections to the local health producers. Most local markets (except the really big ones like New York and LA) are looking for stories to fill their large blocks of broadcast time. This could be your “in.” 5 Try Pay-Per-Placement: Not many publicists do this, but some work on a pay-only-if-I-get-you-something basis. This eliminates the risk of you paying thousands and thousands of dollars for a bunch of nothing. Anthony Youn, MD, FACS, is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Detroit. He is a regular guest on the Rachael Ray Show and has been featured on E! Television’s Dr. 90210 and The Doctor Oz Show. He is also on the editorial advisory board of Plastic Surgery Practice magazine, Youn can be reached via [email protected]. Original citation for this article: Youn, A., I am a doctor, and I play one on TV. Plastic Surgery Practice, 2014; April: 22.
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You are here: Home / News / What should I pay attention to when using fixing agent? What should I pay attention to when using fixing agent? In order to improve the color fastness of the fabric, pure color treatment can be carried out. Therefore, it is necessary to use fixing agent. Do you know the fixing agent? What need to pay attention to when using fixing agent? This passage is going to talk about the following advantages of fixing agent: (1) Different fixing agents have different using methods (2) Advantages of fixing agent (3) Development of fixing agent (1) Different fixing agents have different using methods In the dyeing of different fibers, the dyeing mechanism and color fastness of the dye are different, so the fixing mechanism and the method of use of the fixing agent are also different. (1) Reduce the use of water-soluble dyes and fixing agents to form insoluble lakes, thereby improving wet fastness. For example, direct dyes, acid dyes and reactive dyes containing hydrophilic groups, which have the same color as cationic compounds, can combine with dyes to form insoluble salts, reduce their water solubility, and improve fastness. (2) In the L1 molecule of the dyes cross-linked together by reactive fixation, the fastness of the dye decreases, the water solubility increases, and the dye increases. Dyes or dyes and fibers are cross-linked, and their binding force no longer decomposes from dye to dye fabric. (3) A film is formed on the dye fixing agent, which increases the difficulty of dripping the dye solution and improves the color fastness. And the test results show that all the film formers are good and the dyeing effect is better. It is formed by the polymerization reaction of olefin polymer, even if it does not contain reactive groups or cationic groups, when the film is formed in the dye, the droplets in the dye solution are reduced, and the molecular weight of the polyamine fixing agent after fixing is also can increase. If reactive groups and cationic groups are introduced into the membrane material, the color fastness can be improved. fixing agent  (2) Advantages of fixing agent Generally, although some dyes can be dyed into brilliant colors, and the chromatograms of direct dyes, acid dyes and anionic water-soluble dyes are complete, because the dyes have water-soluble groups, their wet rubbing fastness is not good. Fading and staining phenomenon. Not only is the appearance of the old textiles themselves, but the dropped dyes will also dye the dyed fibers of other colors, resulting in dyeing and color overlap. In addition, although the formation of covalent bonds including dyes and fibers is very strong, in fact, the dyes do not react, and the hydrolysis cannot be completely washed off from the dyes. The dyes will fade, and at the same time, there will be covalent bond breaks that will hydrolyze. (3) Development of fixing agent With the advancement of science and technology, people's understanding of environmental protection and quality of life has been greatly improved than before, and the requirements for textiles have become higher and higher. This is also a green and environmentally friendly printing and dyeing auxiliary, in the direction of energy saving In the past, formaldehyde-free or low-formaldehyde fixatives have been used, and some new methods have also appeared in recent years. The sol-gel process is still in the research stage. Its fixation mechanism is that the nano sol is chemically or physically modified by padding or dipping. After drying, a metal or non-metal oxide film is formed on the textile surface to anchor the textile. Dyes, thereby improving dye fastness. In recent years, the vigorous development of polyvinyl chloride as a water production technology and green synthesis have provided opportunities for high-performance fixatives. Waterborne polyurethane can improve the color, stain resistance and abrasion resistance of dyed fabrics, so that the soluble dyes, acid dyes and direct dye anion water used in waterborne polyurethane and amines have a good fixing effect. If a good fixing agent can be widely used to promote the further development of China's textile printing and dyeing industry, it will have obvious economic and social benefits. Contact person: Mr. Finn Mobile No.: + 86 15014751722
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• Facial Mask Ray silver 10 pcs The vitamin face mask is based on hyaluronic acid, which penetrates deep into the cell and attracts moisture, sealing it inside the cell and preventing the loss of skin moisture.  Thus, the use of the mask helps to maintain the normal natural moisture level of the skin, protecting the face from dryness and thinning, which leads to the formation of a large number of fine wrinkles.  Thanks to the beneficial substances in the composition, the skin receives important trace elements to nourish and maintain a healthy appearance.  Herbal extract fights against the action of free radicals, neutralizing them, rejuvenating the dermis.  Has a lightening effect, preventing the development of age-related skin pigmentation.  Increases skin density, strengthening blood vessels, promotes increased blood microcirculation, which helps nutrients and vitamins to penetrate deep into the layers of the skin.  Mode of application:  Before applying the mask, it is advisable to cleanse your face with a scrub or peeling.  Then apply the mask to dry, cleansed face skin, hold for 15-20 minutes, then remove.  Rub the rest of the product into the skin with light massaging movements, do not rinse.  Recommended to use 2-3 times a week Write a review Note: HTML is not translated!     Bad           Good Facial Mask Ray silver 10 pcs • Product Code: 284484166031 • Availability: In Stock • Weight: 0.4 gr. • 270฿. • Ex Tax: 270฿.
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Frequent question: What was the lowest temperature in the Philippines? What is the lowest average temperature in the Philippines? average temperature Manila The lowest average temperatures in the year occur in January, when it is around 24.9 °C | 76.9 °F. Has the Philippines ever snowed? No, it does not snow in the Philippines. The Philippines has a tropical climate therefore it is nearly always hot. The lowest temperature on record in the Philippines was a reading of 6.3 °C (43°F) in Baguio city back on January 18, 1961. What is the coldest it gets in the Philippines? Coldest day in the Philippines The lowest official temperature ever recorded in the country was 6.3 degrees Celsius that happened on January 18, 1961 in Baguio City. Is it possible to snow in tropical countries? The equator crosses the southern slope of Cayambe at an elevation of 15,387 feet, just above the snowline. So there is indeed a part of the equator where you can make a snow angel year-round. … For many centuries, people were skeptical that it was possible to find snow and ice in tropical climes. How cold does the Philippines get? Average temperatures in the Philippines usually range between 21 °C (70 °F) and 32 °C (90 °F) with the average yearly temperature coming in at around 26.6 °C (79.9 °F). Temperatures can fluctuate between regions and depending on the season, however generally January is the coolest month while May is the warmest. THIS IS FUNNING:  What have Singapore invented? Why is it cold in Philippines now? Why is it cold? The northeast monsoon or hanging amihan is causing temperatures to drop as it affects the country. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) defines the northeast monsoon as “cold winds from the northeast.”
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2 3 pages paper on externalities If you are looking for affordable, custom-written, high-quality, and non-plagiarized papers, your student life just became easier with us. We are the ideal place for all your writing needs. Order a Similar Paper Order a Different Paper Print | Economics of Social Issues.pdf Print | Economics of Social Issues-2.pdf 1. Identify and discuss three (3) externalities, which can either be positive or negative. 2. Conclude why an externality might exist in the situation that you described, and determine the solutions to mitigate these particular externalities.  3. Analyze the different stakeholders (i.e., government, three (3) affected parties) that are involved in the externality, and identify what their roles are with regard to the externality. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: Are you stuck with another assignment? Use our paper writing service to score better grades and meet your deadlines. We are here to help! Order a Similar Paper Order a Different Paper
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Huge dump of comets the true nature of Pluto (ORDO NEWS) — Pluto is no longer considered a planet (it is officially called a dwarf planet because it does not meet all the requirements from the “planetary” list), but this does not make it any less interesting object of study. For 76 years, Pluto was the ninth planet in our solar system. No one cared about the fact that it was the smallest planet in the solar system, which is half the size of our moon. No one objected to the fact that he had an inclined oval orbit. Pluto was a strange planet, but it was a planet. Why is Pluto not a planet anymore? In 2006, when Pluto became a dwarf planet, there was an uproar in society. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has redefined the concept of “planet”. And Pluto no longer fit those requirements. This new definition required the planet to abide by three rules. First, it must revolve around the Sun. Second, it must have enough mass for its own gravity to give it the shape of a spheroid. Third, it must be able to clear its orbit of other objects. Pluto failed the third test, causing it to become a dwarf planet. Huge dump of comets the true nature of Pluto 2 The geology of Pluto is truly amazing. This may be the decisive reason that it will again become a full-fledged planet in the solar system Why is Pluto a special planet? Pluto certainly has interesting geology. In 2006, we learned that Pluto has an atmosphere and maybe even clouds. There are also mountains of water ice, fields of frozen nitrogen, and snow-capped peaks covered in methane. It even has dunes and volcanoes. With this varied landscape, Pluto rivals any rocky world in the inner solar system. This diverse geology, the possible presence of an atmosphere, and other characteristics that scientists have been able to calculate thanks to the New Horizons spacecraft may be decisive evidence that Pluto is still a planet. The IAU plans to consider all this information and does not deny that after that it can return the status of a full-fledged planet to Pluto. How did Pluto originate? After studying the chemical composition of Pluto, a team of US researchers in 2018 concluded that the distant little wanderer was born from a collision of a bunch of comets – an origin unusual for objects in the solar system. Huge dump of comets the true nature of Pluto 3 An artist’s view of Pluto from one of the dwarf planet’s moons We assume that the planets are formed as a result of the accretion of matter from the protoplanetary disk surrounding the newborn star. Perhaps Pluto appeared differently; The composition of Pluto turned out to be very similar to the composition of the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, especially the composition of the ice covering the Sputnik Plain. Coincidence? Scientists at the Southwestern Research Institute in Texas don’t think so. The smooth ice of Sputnik Plains on Pluto is made up mostly of nitrogen; It is so cold on Pluto that this gas, which on Earth makes up 80% of the atmosphere, exists in the solid phase. This amount of nitrogen can be explained by the fact that Pluto was formed as a result of the collision of millions of objects similar in composition to the Churyumov-Gerasimenko comet, explains one of the authors of the work, planetary scientist Christopher Glein. Nitrogen on Pluto forms glaciers that slowly travel across the surface of the dwarf planet and grind it away, erasing hills and craters. The content of this element on Pluto is unusually high; according to American researchers, it accounts for up to 98% of the mass of the entire celestial body. Previous suggestions have been made that nitrogen ice on Pluto was caused by nitrogen-rich comets hitting it, but a new estimate of the amount of nitrogen forces that thought to be abandoned. Scientists modeled the formation of Pluto from comets and came to an even more exotic conclusion: the dwarf planet mostly inherited matter from comets, but its composition was influenced by … liquid water, possibly an ocean that formed under the surface. The comet model also explained another mystery of Pluto – low (compared to other objects in the solar system) content of carbon monoxide. According to the comet model, all the monoxide could be trapped in the bowels of the dwarf planet. The accretion model with great difficulty explains the lack of CO, so the authors of the work believe that they are closer to the truth than those who believe that Pluto appeared in the same way as the planets of the solar system. Contact us: [email protected] Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.
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Does vechain burn tokens? Does Vechain Burn Tokens? (VET and VTHO Tokenomics) (Updated 13. September 2022) There’s a lot of hype around token burns in the cryptocurrency market, and with good reason. When tokens are burned, the remaining tokens usually go up in value, due to increased scarcity. This leads to the question: Does Vechain burn tokens? Yes, Vechain burns 70% of the transaction costs, which is paid in VTHO, their “utility token”. VTHO is not the same as VET, which is their “store of value and smart payment currency”. However, the VeChain Foundation exercises buybacks of VET, which effectively works as token burns. Let me give you a quick rundown of the two tokens on the VeChain blockchain: While VET is the governance token on the Vechain blockchain, VTHO is the utility token. VTHO is what you pay transaction fees with. 70% of the transaction fee is burned, and the remaining 30% is rewarded to nodes for adding new blocks and validating transactions. When it comes to VET, which is the better investment of the two, there are no token burns. However, the VeChain Foundation does exercise buy-backs of VET, which basically functions like token burns. For example, in 2019-2020 the Vechain foundation bought $25 million worth of VET in a buyback program. This was to celebrate their one-year independence from Ethereum, as they started out on the Ethereum blockchain as an ERC-20 token. Holding the governance token, VET, generates a passive income in the form of the utility token VTHO, which can either be sold or used to pay for transactions and such. I have a free newsletter where I send out technical analysis on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Vechain and others. Also, you’ll get some free guides and reviews. Sign up for free below: Why Vechain Burns VTHO Tokens As mentioned above, VTHO is the utility token of Vechain. This token is used to pay transaction fees and is not meant as a speculative investment. It is constructed to remain relatively flat in terms of price movements, giving businesses predictable costs for running their programs on the Vechain blockchain. Why then, wouldn’t the supply of VTHO gradually go to zero if the token burn is 70% of the transaction fees? What do we do when we run out of VTHO? This is where VET comes in: All wallets holding VET are rewarded with VTHO every single day. Nodes receive an extra reward on top of the basic rate of 0.000432 VTHO per VET per day. So there you have the answer – Nodes receive extra VTHO. This way, the supply of VTHO avoids its apparent convergence to zero. Let’s get more specific: Exactly how much VTHO is burned vs. created? The Four Ways VTHO is Distributed, And How Much Is Being Burned Essentially, there are four ways to earn VTHO: 1) Holding VET in a wallet: This generates 0.000432 VTHO per day, per VET token in the wallet. This is the basic generation rate of VTHO. This rate might increase in the future, but can never be decreased (According to the Vechain foundation) 2) Becoming an authority node: Authority nodes add new blocks to the chain and validate transactions. They make sure the blockchain runs smoothly and in a safe manner. For this, they are rewarded with 30% of the transaction costs paid in VTHO by the users of the blockchain. 3) Having an authority, economic or X Node: The Vechain foundation has a large pool of VET, generating tons of VTHO. The VTHO generated by this pool is distributed amongst the nodes mentioned above. This pool was initially at 15 billion VET, but decreases over time (2.5 billion every 6 months). 4) Being an authority node or X economic node: The Vechain foundation has another pool of five billion VET. The generated VTHO is distributed to the nodes mentioned above. Check out the table below for a nice summary of the VTHO generation: Does Vechain burn tokens? Source: https://vechaininsider.com This means that the generation of VTHO is more or less decided by an algorytm, and can be expressed as a function of time. On the other hand, burning of the VTHO token is based on the usage of the vechain blockchain – 70% of the transaction cost. This makes the circulating supply of VTHO fluctuate, as the traffic on the blockchain fluctuates. In periods of high usage, the burning of tokens can exceed the generation of new ones – deflating the supply. Below you see a chart showing how much VTHO has been burned: How many tokens do vechain burn? Source: https://vechainthorscan.com VTHO Token Is A Passive Income Stream For VET Holders The VeChain foundation works to level out the fluctuation, and make VTHO as stable as possible. This makes it an excellent utility token, and a way to incentivize nodes and VET holders to keep their tokens, as they receive a passive income stream of VTHO. Think about it: Usually, when staking coins, you receive rewards in the same coin. For example, when you stake ADA, the native token of Cardano, you receive ADA as a reward. If the ADA price crashes, both the staked amount, and the rewards you receive will crash with it. On the other hand, if the price of VET crashes, the VTHO price will remain relatively stable. This results in a continuous passive income of about the same worth every day, regardless of the speculative nature of the VET price. The fact that you receive VTHO instead of VET spreads your risk, and automatically diversifies your portfolio. Conclusion: Vechain Burns Tokens (VTHO) Vechain does burn tokens, but only VTHO, not VET. The amount they burn is 70% of the transaction fees paid in VTHO, which naturally fluctuates over time, as the traffic on the blockchain fluctuates. However, they do exercise buybacks of the VET token, which kind of works as a token burn, but the tokens are not destroyed: The VET tokens acquired with buybacks are used to generate more VTHO for the Vechain foundation, which they use to incentivize developers to grow the ecosystem and distribute as a reward to nodes and holder of VET. Do You Invest In Crypto? I’ve created a FREE guide on how to increase ROI (Return on investment). This metric is the most important factor when it comes to investing. When investing in traditional markets like stocks and bonds, there’s not too much you can do to significantly increase your ROI. This is not the case in crypto markets. There ARE ways you can significantly increase ROI. I’ve created a free guide with 4 easy ways to do it. What are your thoughts?
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How American musket manufacturing paved the way for low-code software development The early days of computing relied on mechanical devices. From the abacus through to Charles Babbage’s engines, these devices — much like the modern computer — were developed to increase the speed with which individuals could perform calculations in support of commercial (accounting, insurance), scientific (especially astronomy), and military applications. The purpose of these machines was not to perform mathematical operations that were impossible by human beings, but to really democratize access to mathematics in much the same way as the printing press democratized access to the rest of human knowledge. The history of computing is concerned with automating mathematical calculation in support of some practical end. As a result of the mechanical nature of these devices, it should come as no surprise that there is a strong relationship between computation, mass production, and the military. Manufacturing muskets in the 18th century Up until the mid-18th century, armaments needed to be built by skilled craftsmen using custom fitting parts. The move toward standardization and the ability to measure with exacting precision made it possible by 1765 to produce interchangeable gun carriages. By 1785, Honoré Blanc’s experiments with interchangeable musket parts came to the attention of Thomas Jefferson, who saw Blanc’s vision for interchangeability as a solution to a chronic shortage of skilled craftsmen in the US, which made the US dependent upon Europe for most of it weapons manufacture. In 1798, based on his vision for a water-powered machine tool, Eli Whitney won a contract to deliver 10,000 muskets to the US War Department despite having no factory, no workers, and no experience in gun manufacturing. Whitney struggled to deliver, so in the same ‘fake it till you make it’ spirit that characterizes modern Silicon Valley, Whitney bought some time through a demonstration of what he called the Uniformity System in 1801 the demonstration was likely faked. He was only ever able to deliver 500 muskets, none of which had any interchangeable parts. Despite early failures of the Uniformity System, the vision remained, was eventually perfected by John Hall in 1827, and became known as the American System of Manufacturing. Low-code, craftsmanship, and competitive advantage What does this have to do with low-code software development? Just as in the early days of American weapons manufacturing, today specialized craftsmen are in short supply. by the end of 2021, there were nearly 1 million unfilled IT jobs. And by 2030, the number of software job vacancies is expected to rise by almost 22%. And just as in the early days of American manufacturing, a heavy reliance on professional developers (craftsmen) means that reuse is limited, patching is difficult, and quality is inconsistent. Looking back at the history of manufacturing, the ‘app factory’ metaphor is a powerful way of describing the value of low-code approaches to software development. It would be silly to hold on to old notions of craftsmanship (which are slow, inconsistent, and non-interchangeable) when there are wars to be won. And it is just as silly to hold on to romantic notions of craftsmen approaches to software development when the global landscape across every industry is as competitive as ever. Hyperautomation is necessary to human survival As a result of digitization (converting analogue to digital information) and digitalization (deploying processes that make use of digital information) congnitive load has INCREASED, not decreased. The speed that information travels today means that just being able to keep up is a competitive advantage. But the result for humans is more communication channels, more meetings, and more demands. Burnout is a real thing. I’ve seen people change jobs as a way of declaring ‘email bankruptcy’ — they have become so under water and so overwhelmed that the only way to escape is to leave their job entirely and start fresh somewhere else. Hyperautomation is not a technology. It is a change in culture where everyone is empowered to automate anything that can be. The democratization of software development made possible by no-code and low-code platforms is vital to realizing that vision. Hyperautomation is most frequently cited as a solution to business problems. And it is. But it is more importantly the solution to a very real HUMAN problem: how to survive and thrive in the face of digital transformation.
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Garbage in, garbage out or GIGO was what they used to teach computer programmers back in the days of COBOL and FORTRAN.  COBOL and FORTRAN are the equivalents of Latin in computer programming language.  GIGO means what it says – if you put the wrong data in at the front, you’ll get wrong data out at the back.  And when this happens to you, Everything You Know is Wrong. It is often said that a person is entitled to their own opinions; however, they are not entitled to their own facts.  Facts are facts.  Concrete and provable, they exist in their own right regardless of a person’s opinion of them.  “Disagreeing” with a fact doesn’t change it.  In today’s era of mass media countless people opine on various subjects, asserting strong opinions and making conclusory statements based on those opinions, yet their acquaintance with the facts may be more problematic.  If you mistake the opinions of people you agree with for facts, you are bound to go off the rails.  If your analysis of a situation begins with a fallacy, then all that follows will be more fallacy. Though I suspect there is a small chance that if an error is made in an analysis  of a fallacy, the right conclusion could be accidentally reached.  But I digress… There is another phrase with the acronym GIGO – it is “Garbage In, Gospel Out” and refers to people who have complete faith in computer generated data, and could also refer to a class of people who not only believe they are entitled to their own facts, they believe that no one has a right to disagree with them and their ill-drawn conclusions.  They have immense emotional investment in their opinions -there is a level of quasi-religious zealotry not often seen even among religious cultists, much less among rank and file churchgoers.  They have an unflappable faith in “the facts as they interpret them”, unable or more likely unwilling to waver from their dogma.  And…because their analyses eschew facts and embrace emotion, everything they know is wrong. For example.... For example…. Pulling all this together into the context of The Big Picture: daily living is an exercise in observing facts, processing them, formulating reactions to them and then taking those actions.  If your data is bad, or your formula is bad then face it – everything you know is wrong.  Question is – what now? -Bertrand Russell There’s a chance that’s not true, but I doubt it.
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Obtaining Ice Hockey Gloves On the off chance that you or your kid play ice hockey, you realize that purchasing gear can be a troublesome and costly procedure. For new hockey players and guardians, obtaining hockey gear is generally more overpowering than anything. It is unbelievably hard to tell the amount you ought to spend, what brand of rigging you should purchase and how each bit of gear should fit. While most bits of ice hockey hardware can be extremely hard to buy, as I would like to think the least demanding and maybe one of the most energizing bits of gear to buy are ice hockey gloves. There are a couple of reasons why obtaining gloves is normally significantly more enjoyment and substantially less troublesome than most bits of hardware. As a matter of first importance, gloves for ice hockey are generally simple to measure yourself or your kid with. Legitimate fitting gloves are as basic as do your hands and fingers fit within your glove. Second, these gloves for hockey are normally generally reasonable contrasted with something like skates. You can as a rule buy a pleasant pair of hockey gloves for around one hundred dollars. At last, the main motivation behind why purchasing hockey gloves is fun is on the grounds that you can regularly modify them at online hockey sites, or you can just purchase the shading and plan that you like to wear for your specific group. Hockey gloves have additionally advanced into a bit of ice hockey gear that actually enjoy no opportunity to reprieve in. Contrasted with different things in the hockey players hardware pack, for example, skates, pants or even shoulder braces, gloves are anything but difficult to purchase and play in immediately without feeling awkward and holding up out a change and breaking in period. The gloves years back used to be truly solid right out of the container, yet the gear makers have found a way to improve the nature of hockey gloves permitting them to last longer without waiting be re-palmed and furthermore causing gloves so they to don’t require a lot of breaking in. The best spot to purchase hockey gloves is online basically on the grounds that it is so natural to search out a lot on gloves. Another advantage to purchasing on the web is that most glove marks really offer customization highlights where you can pick the entirety of the hues and structures on your gloves, a great deal of times you can even tweak your hockey gloves with your name weaved on the sleeve of the glove. In spite of the fact that purchasing hockey hardware at your nearby professional shop is typically a smart thought since you really find a good pace gear on to ensure that you like it and it fits. Purchasing on the web certainly has its advantages and you can generally restore your new hockey gloves on the off chance that you when you get them they don’t fit. Related Articles Back to top button
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« first day (3649 days earlier)      last day (693 days later) »  03:00 - 15:0015:00 - 22:00 3:03 PM we're already in this chat room, why would we need another platform? The Darwin Lagrangian (named after Charles Galton Darwin, grandson of the naturalist) describes the interaction to order v 2 c 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{c^{2}}}} between two charged particles in a vacuum and is given by L = L f +... I'm guessing it's to do with this @ACuriousMind fun... Choose your avatar and quick picture there... (of your halloween avatar, you chose) you and I have very different ideas of what 'fun' is :P 15 messages moved to Trash 3 messages moved to Trash @bolbteppa I'm disappointed that Lagrangian not about some physicist trying to model evolution as a classical mechanics system :P @bolbteppa : maybe. But maybe not. This doesn't sound right: "The Darwin interaction term is due to one particle reacting to the magnetic field generated by the other particle". The electron isn't a particle that generates a magnetic field. It "is" electromagnetic field. I like this paper by Art Hobson: arxiv.org/abs/1204.4616 Yeah I don't think it's the same thing 3:12 PM @Azmuth it is cool I will try @JackRod ok, then tell me to join :) But can we do it sole time later? @JackRod yep Phone overheated :P I am online for some work 3:14 PM @JohnDuffield the photon is 'the electromagnetic field', the electron 'is' (part of) the electron-positron field I'm out Art Hobson explains the double slit experiment in section IV. THE 2-SLIT EXPERIMENT. I think it's more or less right. Art says in the abstract "The field for an electron is the electron" On page 9 he explains the electromagnetic potential (eq. 3 on page 8) creates and destroys photons > Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol before writing can actually enhance your creativity. apparently emojis work here When you say X is a wave, you're just trying to pretend that the wave is some kind of sheet (string theory lol) that's not made up of constituent particles, it makes zero sense, this is the whole reason why people say even gravity is made up of gravitons, the whole of physics assumes a point-particle model, the point is the laws determining where those particles end up being measured is related to the laws waves satisfy 3:21 PM @bolbteppa : sure. But in electron-positron annihilation to gamma photons, I don't buy the assertion that two quanta pop out of existence like magic whilst two other quanta pop into existence like magic. Could anyone help interpret the phrase (from P+S) "the $\gamma$ matrices are invariant under simultaneous rotations of their vector and spinor indices." This is just below the derivation of $\Lambda_{1/2}^{-1}\gamma^\mu \Lambda_{1/2}={\Lambda^\mu}_\nu \gamma^\nu$. Is the implication that the $\gamma$ matrices exist within both $\Bbb R^{1,3}$ and $\Bbb C^4$? It's kind of odd to me that we can equate the action of the spinor representation and the 4-vector representation of $\mathfrak{so}(1,3)$ Q: Seperation b/w 2 bars connected with spring and block in the middle Fahamhow to attempt this ques...guys may you please give a hint as to how to start...I want to first attempt with a hint rather than seeing the solution. I tried to integrate the net spring force and the got the accleration....but the equation of force thats increasing is not given anywhere in the que... wow 10th time lucky on the typos @JohnDuffield how do you explain beta radiation then, a neutron magically turning into a proton, an electron and an anti-neutrino @bolbteppa : the whole of physics does not assume a point particle model. It's the wave nature of matter, as vindicated by experiment (en.wikipedia.org/w/…). It's quantum field theory. Not quantum point-particle theory. 3:25 PM @Charlie the phrase is just the verbalization of the equation you wrote. The $\Lambda_{1/2}$ act on the spinor indices, the $\Lambda$ on the r.h.s. acts on the vector indices. If you multiply the whole thing from the left with the inverse of the $\Lambda$ on the r.h.s., then you get a "simultaneous rotation" of both indices on the l.h.s. that leaves the $\gamma$ invariant since the r.h.s. is then just $\gamma^\mu$. and the fields create the point particles, what is a field if it's not made up of point particles @bolbteppa I feel you're getting into realms of ontology that physics really doesn't say anything about :P A field is just an assignment of numbers or operators to positions in spacetime. The theory really doesn't care what we humans think it's "made of" @bolbteppa : I don't have to explain beta decay. It ought to be enough for me to point you at neutron diffraction and electron diffraction. But I could start with this: electron capture does what it says on the tin. And see this: pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/dp32ne.html. We all know the game is to pretend everything is like a big sheet or a water/air 'field' as if it's not made up of constituent particles, it just makes zero sense @bolbteppa : it makes sense when you appreciate that a photon is a wave, and that you can make electrons and positrons out of photons in gamma-gamma pair production, and then you can diffract them. Because of the wave nature of matter. 3:32 PM @JohnDuffield "I don't have to explain beta decay" surrender if I've ever seen it ;) An anti-neutrino particle pops into existence from thin air and you don't buy it but can't explain it I'm having deja vu Mar 25 '18 at 22:26, by ACuriousMind @bolbteppa @JohnDuffield This discussion is clearly not productive. Why continue it? @bolbteppa : I didn't say I can't explain it. @ACuriousMind haha @ACuriousMind It's 2020. Chill @Azmuth what do you mean? 3:35 PM @bolbteppa : see this rain.org/~karpeles/einstein.php where Einstein said a field is a state of space. @ACuriousMind 2020 refers to year... (Pair production is another example of particles popping into existence out of thin air) yes, I've seen the video @Azmuth ...and what does the current year have to do with this conversation being essentially a repeat of what they already did over 2 years ago? then one particle goes into the black hole and hawkin radiation comes out nothing. Leave it... 3:37 PM @bolbteppa : no it isn't. Pair production (in its simplest form) is where two gamma photons interact with on another to form an electron and a positron, each of which has a wave nature, and each of which has spin. If these get too close the reverse process occurs. And I for one do not believe in magic. @JohnDuffield You've literally linked the same thing there as you did 2 years ago. If you're just here to repeat the patterns of not listening and moving the goalposts that in part earned you your last chat suspension, you're not welcome here. Simultaneous rotation of the vector and spinor indices to me sounds like $$\Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}}^{-1} \gamma'^{\mu} \Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}} = \Lambda^{\mu}_{\,\,\,\nu} \Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}}^{-1} \gamma^{\nu} \Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}} = \Lambda^{\mu}_{\,\,\,\nu} \Lambda^{\nu}_{\,\,\,\rho} \gamma^{\rho} = \Lambda^{\mu}_{\,\,\,\rho} \gamma^{\rho}$$ @JohnDuffield I'be an idea, make another chat room, it's easy and invite real physicists there. @bolbteppa why did the two $\Lambda$ fuse into one in the last step? :P the indices should work out such that they cancel each other (but maybe the $\Lambda_{1/2}$s need to be the other way around, too). $K_\nu^\mu K^r_\mu = K^r_\nu$ It's magic, it's magic! 3:41 PM what you've written there is valid though not magic :P :P XD :) Ah I just meant to say 'group property' but the indices don't match doing it blindly I have been reading the responses, I'm just doing something atm i'll answer in a second Okay... roger that. Oh wait... 3:43 PM @ACuriousMind : I'm talking physics and giving references to bona fide physics papers. Like Schrödinger's quantization as a problem of proper values, part II. On page 26 he said “let us think of a wave group of the nature described above, which in some way gets into a small closed ‘path’”. Indices up, transforms under the inverse technically right @JohnDuffield I see you haven't changed, then. See you in another year. @JohnDuffield Your papers are the best ones! I appreciate your collection. @ACuriousMind Suggest some Podcasts from your favorites Mine - Codeblocks, Mr. Robot, Genius, Serial, the Python Magician, 7 min daily 3:46 PM @Azmuth And you stop pinging me with your random personal questions. Since this is the second time I have to tell you today, have some time off, too. That sentence has thrown me off, yeah you want $$\Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}}^{-1} \gamma'^{\mu} \Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}} = (\Lambda^{-1})^{\mu}_{\,\,\,\nu} \Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}}^{-1} \gamma^{\nu} \Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}} = (\Lambda^{-1})^{\mu}_{\,\,\,\nu} \Lambda^{\nu}_{\,\,\,\rho} \gamma^{\rho} = \gamma^{\mu}$$ em is it to do with $\psi(x) \to \Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}} \psi(\Lambda^{-1}x)$ Ok I'm back, just regarding the $\gamma$ matrix stuff earlier, what's being done implies that the $\gamma$ matrices exist in both $\Bbb C^4$ (so we can act on them with the spinor representation of the Lorentz algebra) and the 4-vector space (so we can act on them with the 4-vector representation of the algebra) @bolbteppa isn't this just the statement that the $\gamma^\mu$'s are invariant under a simultaneous forward and inverse spinor/4-vector transformation? I don't think I follow @Charlie Yes. Each $\gamma^\mu$ (fixed $\mu$) is a 4-by-4 matrix, and the four of them form a 4-vector (of matrices). if you write out the $\Lambda_{1/2}$ matrices in index notation, too, you have that the $\gamma^\mu_{a\dot{a}}$ have both vector and spinor indices. (If you haven't come across the dotted notation yet, replace it by however you label spinor indices :P) the normal $\Lambda$ acts on the $\mu$-part, the $\Lambda_{1/2}$ acts on the spinorial $a\dot{a}$-part Ok, I guess they are just specific $4\times 4$ matrices, which I guess makes me wonder why it's necessary to relate them to the clifford algebra oh they have two spinor indexes o_o @Charlie nooo, it's just the dotted notation, you might write this as a single index in another notation 3:53 PM ah ok I'm trying to remember what the technical name for this notation is but I'm drawing a blank @Charlie I don't understand what you mean by "relate them to the clifford algebra" the abstract $\gamma^\mu$ generate the Clifford algebra there is a unique irrep of the Clifford algebra in which they are 4-by-4 matrices The sentence in the book says $$\Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}}^{-1} \gamma^{\mu} \Lambda_{\frac{1}{2}} = \Lambda^{\mu}_{\,\,\,\nu} \gamma^{\nu}$$ means "that the $\gamma$ matrices are invariant under simultaneous rotations of their vector and spinor indices (just like the $\sigma^i$ under spatial rotations). In other words, we can "take the vector index $\mu$ on $\gamma^{\mu}$ seriously"" Is this saying I'll simply refer to them as the Spinor Index Notation Of Representations or spinor notation for short Oh wait are we talking about a representation of the Clifford algebra on $\Bbb C^4$ and $\Bbb R^{1,3}$ I can't tell if I'm being completely duh In P+S the gamma matrices are introduces as a $4\times 4$ representation of the Clifford algebra, it didn't occur to me that those representations might be on the 4-vector space and spinor space we're actually using lol 4:00 PM yes, the Clifford algebra is represented on the spinor space - that's how we get the spin representation, since the $[\gamma^\mu, \gamma^\nu]$ are the generators of the spin algebra, rememeber? lol ok I get it now, that was not smart of me, ty don't worry most things seem silly after one has understood them :P P+S should come with a manual so people like me can have the obvious information spoon fed to them as we read it :P ok I can return to the land of sanity and continue if you find the land of sanity please send me a route description haven't been there in ages just use the ol' method where spinors are square roots of vectors 4:03 PM $\psi^2 = V$ If $\psi^2 = \psi \otimes \psi$ and $V = V_{\mu} \sigma^{\mu}$ you've got a winner Is "that the $\gamma$ matrices are invariant under simultaneous rotations of their vector and spinor indices" not a no-no use of the word "invariant"? We haven't shown invariance, just that the spinor and vector transformations are equivalent Or rather, as equivalent as they can be in two different vector spaces 45 mins ago, by ACuriousMind ah :P got it 4:11 PM it's "invariant" under the "simultaneous rotation" of the transformation I described there but this is an excellent example of why formulae are sometimes much clearer than words :P 4:22 PM Reading it, it really doesn't sound like the thing you just said of multiplying with the inverse but it can't really mean anything else right, unless that inverse thing I mentioned above which I don't think it can be... These notes closely follow P&S and below (3.72) they don't say this they just say it means you can treat $\mu$ as a vector index 4:38 PM Does anyone know where the $\omega / \phi$ factor comes in the kinetic term for the scalar field in the Brans-Dicke Lagrangian What justification apart from "it produces interesting/correct e.o.m." are you looking for? In particular, why the 1/phi? It doesn't pop up for a general scalar field How do we calculate radial and tangential component of gravity in projectile motion? What do you mean? @123 What is the "tangential" component of gravity? yeah you need to be a bit more specific there 4:49 PM Hi @Charlie . We use rectangular components in projectile motion. Sure, but why would there be a component of gravity in the direction tangential to the motion of the projectile? If you draw a force diagram for a projectile flying through the air the force of gravity always points down @Charlie sure but you can certainly write it the basis of the direction of motion in an instant ("tangential") and one orthogonal to it ("radial") if we rotate rectangular axis then we can always find components along surface and vertical components always depend on the axes we chosen. That's what I was going to assume, it just seems like an odd thing to want to calculate What part of the calculation is confusing @123? because in the morning i discussed about projectile motion. 4:53 PM Take the dot product of $\vec F_g$ with the tangential vector $\vec v_t$ my concern was that about projectile. Oh wait I see what you meant @123 as a function of time? In uniform circular motion we find radial component of acceleration at which only direction changes but velocity is constant $a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}$ and tangential velocity at which velocity change. The same analogy i wanted to use for projectile. as in uniform circular direction changes can be seen by radial component. Wait are you talking about a projectile orbiting a central massive object or a projectile being thrown through the air on the surface of the Earth? 4:55 PM I see the direction changes also in projectile but it is not encounter in projectile motion why? well, for one thing a projectile doesn't really have a "radial" component it's not moving in a circle, it's moving in a parabola there aren't nice coordinates for that like there are for the circular case, so you don't really profit from the decomposition here in that it would make computations easier or anything it's much easier to just consider the projectile motion in the usual Cartesian coordinates where gravity is aligned with one axis @ACuriousMind Ookay. but in projectile we see direction changes why we don't encounter this phenomenon? if we "see" it we "encounter" it, no? I'm not sure what "phenomenon" you mean, either There are certainly parabolic coordinates but they aren't nice :P 4:59 PM And if you cared to use them for projectiles, you would also get centrifugal forces I'm sure it's available in the Big Book of Coordinates What is it called again possibly this pls explain what happen to the force/acceleration when direction changes in any motion. e.g: curvilinear , circular etc.. what is same in all these What about the force if it changes only direction not change it velocity? I'm really not sure what you're trying to ask What i thought as in uniform circular motion two parts of acceleration one is responsible for only direction changes (radial) and another is velocity changes (tangential). It is same in all types of motion. Is this true or not? you can view all motion like that, yes In projectile i can see the direction is changes in projectile motion it doesn't matter motion can be parabolic or any general curve. Where is radial component in projectile motion which is responsible of changes direction of projectile? 5:08 PM I wouldn't necessarily call it "radial" but it's just the direction orthogonal to the tangent @ACuriousMind Yes you are right. where it is in projectile motion? I don't know what you mean by "where is it" if "it's the direction orthogonal to the tangent" doesn't answer it And if you are asking about the force responsible, it is just the component of gravity in that direction when i derive equations of projectile motion it does not have any component which is orthogonal to tangent. at which i can calculate the direction change of projectile. @NiharKarve I know all formal definition and ideas frnd. But i need to analyze the motion of projectile in term of radial and tangential way. because radial component does not change velocity only direction. i want to see this component in projectile. which shows path/trajectory of projectile is parabola. I know in formal equations gravity changes velocity in y-component by which changes displacement occurred. but which can be seen as change in direction. If this is true so the idea of radial and tangential component is not true. because in projectile velocity changes can also change direction not required radial component. @ACuriousMind Come to think of it, in the Brans-Dicke Lagrangian, how do $\phi R$ and $\frac\omega{R} (\partial\phi)^2$ even have the same dimensions? 5:22 PM There are two components of force one is radial and another is tangential. radial components of force spent in direction change and tangential component spent in accelerate/decelerate the object. Where radial component of force which is responsible of projectile having parabolic motion. @NiharKarve Don't you mean $\frac{\omega}{\phi}(\partial\phi)^2$ and aren't both $\omega$ and $\phi$ dimensionless so both terms just have dimensions of a double spacetime derivative? Hold on, $\phi$ is dimensionless? ah, no, $\phi$ would usually have mass dimension 1 wouldn't it? but then both terms have mass dimension 3 (derivatives have mass dimension 1) and it still works out it doesn't actually matter what dimension $\phi$ has - both terms have 1 power of $\phi$ effectively and 2 spacetime derivatives and $\omega$ is dimensionless, so they have the same dimension Whoops, looks like my confusion stemmed from a typo, someone wrote that the Ricci tensor has dimension M^-2 when they meant m^-2 (as in metres). So can I postulate the inclusion of 1/phi from a dimensional standpoint too? 5:37 PM now that you mention it, I guess you can ;) Awesome, thanks! 5:50 PM @123 For circular motion, the radial and tangential components are usually from the point of view of the moving object. If you do that with parabolic motion, you can get tangential and radial components; but since the path isn't circular or constant velocity along the path, both components change over time and it's usually more complicated than it's worth to solve like that. 3 hours later… 8:27 PM @JMac Thanks .. can we get radial component for which we can see the direction changes as parabolic in projectile motion? Because in rectangular coordinate y-components gravity completely consumes in changing velocity. not direction. @123 I would say in parabolic motion, the gravity changes the velocity and direction in Cartesian (rectangular) coordinates. If the gravity wasn't there, the object would keep moving in a straight line with a uniform velocity. how can we say it changes direction. What component of gravity does that? The vertical component. Without that, the object moves in a single direction (the one it was initially thrown). If without gravity, the path of the object does not change direction, I think it's fair to say that the gravity is changing the direction of the object. What i see gravity has only y-component. So the acceleration due to gravity changes velocity continuously and if velocity changes its position changes along y-components which seems to be direction change. @JMac Yes you are right. Pls clear me one thing. In this form $a = a_{radial} + a_{tagential}$ in this formula radial only changes direction but velocity is kept constant example is centripetal acceleration $a_c = \frac{v^2}}{r}$. right or wrong? and tangential responsible of changing velocity. But in the case of projectile motion velocity changes does direction change here velocity is not constant. In the radial frame of reference, yes. But in that frame of reference, you follow the object relative to a circular curve. So for parabolic motion, the frame of reference is always rotating relative to the rectangular reference frame, and the tangential velocity is always changing along with the radius of curvature. 8:42 PM In example of uniform circular motion velocity does not change when changes direction. @JMac You are right. But it is true radial, tangential frame always rotating at every point in every curvilinear motion. It could be projectile , circular , or any any general curve. What is the special name of radial, tangential frame of reference. ICOR or any else? @123 Yes but when the rotation is circular the radius of curvature is constant, so for example the $r$ in $\frac {v^2}{r}$ stays the same. In parabolic motion, that $r$ is always changing because the curve doesn't have a constant radius of curvature. @JMac Yes you are right. Due to radius of curvature is same. It means centripetal acceleration is changing in projectile hue to r is changing? And because tangential velocity is changing too. Both $v$ and $r$ are changing in parabolic motion, so radial coordinates don't make as much sense. Why $\bf{v}$ is changing of radial component? radius of curvature change means only r change not v. @123 Because it doesn't keep moving in the same velocity in that direction either. The tangential direction is between the x and y directions, and since velocity in the y direction is always changing, so is velocity in the tangential direction. 8:58 PM Ookay.. So it is fine if radial component changes velocity? Well in the radial coordinates, the change in velocity basically determines how quickly the reference frame rotates relative to how fast it's going. Pls tell me what is the name of coordinate radial and tangential components? @JMac Hmm.. That's new information for me. Why radial is constant in uniform circular motion, because it is changing the same way due curvature is same? @123 Yeah uniform circular motion means tangential velocity is constant, and the radius is constant (since it's a circle), so $\frac {v^2}{r}$ is also constant. Hmm... Thanks.. For the help. It might help to think of how changing variables changes things. For example, if you want to make the circle start to spiral inwards, you can increase radial force while keeping tangential force the same. That means tangential velocity should stay the same, but since $a_c$ increases, $r$ must decrease until $a_c = \frac {v^2}{r}$ again; which makes sense since you're pulling inwards harder on the object than you need to for it to be circular. 9:13 PM Very good example. can you give the same example for projectile. Projectile motion is a mess in those coordinates. The tangential velocity is constantly decreasing until the apex of the parabola, then constantly increasing again; and the radius decreases until the apex and the increases again; but I don't know how much each variable changes relative to each other; which I think you would need to know. Ookay.. no i don't need calculation just first need explanation. which you given to me. i was concerned about projectile motion in radial, tangential coordinate to see the direction changes effect. because rectangular coordinate doesn't show direction change in projectile. I find it does. As long as you just think of it as a constant velocity in the horizontal direction, and a changing velocity in the vertical direction, you get a good idea of the how the object is changing direction. The direction of a parabola actually changes at a constant rate in rectangular coordinates @JMac Yes you are right. rectangular component does not separate direction changes component of force.
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Research Summary: Emotional Speech Perception Unfolding in Time: The Role of the Basal Ganglia The basal ganglia (BG) have repeatedly been linked to emotional speech processing in studies involving patients with neurodegenerative and structural changes of the BG. However, the majority of previous studies did not consider that (i) emotional speech processing entails multiple processing steps, and the possibility that (ii) the BG may engage in one rather than the other of these processing steps. In the present study we investigate three different stages of emotional speech processing (emotional salience detection, meaning-related processing, and identification) in the same patient group to verify whether lesions to the BG affect these stages in a qualitatively different manner. Specifically, we explore early implicit emotional speech processing (probe verification) in an ERP experiment followed by an explicit behavioral emotional recognition task. In both experiments, participants listened to emotional sentences expressing one of four emotions (anger, fear, disgust, happiness) or neutral sentences. In line with previous evidence patients and healthy controls show differentiation of emotional and neutral sentences in the P200 component (emotional salience detection) and a following negative-going brain wave (meaning-related processing). However, the behavioral recognition (identification stage) of emotional sentences was impaired in BG patients, but not in healthy controls. The current data provide further support that the BG are involved in late, explicit rather than early emotional speech processing stages. Publisher: Public Library of Science Date Published: 17-March-2011 Author(s): Paulmann S., Ott D., Kotz S. Leave a Reply
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Patience Through Perspective Dear God, I pray for patience. And I want it right now! –Oren Arnold One of the most difficult virtues of the human condition we face is having more patience. If we realize that patience is a good thing, it can help us to think better, achieve our goals, and care for one another. Having a mindset of perspective when combined with patience offers a powerful way to change your mind and your life. It has been said that ‘patience is a virtue’ and ‘good things come to those who wait’. Do you get upset when things don’t happen quickly enough for you? Does your impatience cause negative behavior like anger, jealousy, impulsion, sadness, and depression? Have you seen the result of your impatience sabotaging your life? Patience is defined as “the ability to wait for an expected outcome without experiencing anxiety, tension, or frustration.” It is observing self-restraint under all circumstances, but not necessarily restraining logical action. Patience is further defined as “the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain.” Impatience is what occurs when emotions get in the way of our brains. Difficulty can ensue when we want a certain outcome to occur, rather than approaching the situation with acceptance while doing the best we can. Impatience, however, can affect our health and can even accelerate failure. Patience through perspective is about projecting your mind to the end result in examining our reactions to situations. When we see the end result in our minds, it can help in readjusting our reactions, giving us a better outlook and encouraging more positive behavior. Patience is often described as a core virtue in religion or spiritual practices. At its core, the theme is the co-existence of evil and God and the application of patience is highlighted as the antidote to the earthly struggles caused by that co-existence, enduring near-apocalyptic calamities without losing patience or reproaching Divine Providence. The Indian Vedas use the word Kshama, a Sanskrit term, to describe patience. It is a very complex term though that includes not only patience and self-restraint, but also forgiveness. Also, it is not something you can learn or receive from another. Rather, it is acquired by self-effort through facing life experiences. When Kshama disappears, disturbance and decline set in. Interestingly, it is acquired during adverse circumstances, those events and curveballs in our lives. Perhaps this is because live events have a lasting effect on our whole being. Slowing down to think more, see more, and observe more, will help you to achieve the desired result. “Perspective” becomes a tool, a sort of catalyst when used in combination with “patience.” By combining patience with perspective, the two together create a powerful catalyst that helps you experience “waiting” in a new light. Skip to content
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Email Alert when SQL Server is restarted As a DBA we need to be notified when a SQL Server is restarted so that we can take a proactive reaction to identify the cause of the restart which could be an indication of underlining issues with the Server OS or the SQL Server Engine. I have used this several years now and it has helped me avoid Severity 1 outages a few cases. Just put this code in a sql job and make sure you change the db mail portion that pertains to your environment. Declare @Title varchar(max) Declare @Ebody varchar(max) Declare @TableHead varchar(max) Declare @TableTail varchar(max) Select @Title = 'SQL Server Restarted - ' + @@SERVERNAME Set NoCount On; Set @TableTail= '</body></html>'; ---HTML Layout-- Set @TableHead = '<html><head>' + '<H4 style="color: #000000">**********This is an informational message only**********</H4>' + '</head>' + '<body>' + 'SQL Server Services have been RESTARTED : '+ '<strong>' + @@SERVERNAME + '</strong>' + '<p>' + ' If this was not planned, check the Server' + '</p>' select @TableHead = @TableHead + @TableTail WAITFOR DELAY '00:00:30' EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_send_dbmail @profile_name = 'DB_Admins', @recipients = '', @body = @TableHead, @body_format = HTML, @subject = @Title; Hope this helps you avoid any outages as it has helped me. Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published.
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Teddy bear baby bottles نمایش یک نتیجه Children are not strong enough to hold and touch objects, so they prefer to see and hear their surroundings. As a result, it is better that their nutrition devices have high contrast and vivid colors to attract them and make the feeding procedure less challenging. Babyland baby bottles do the job perfectly with beautiful designs, vivid colors and transparent teddy bear caps. These bottles come in two sizes, 150 ml and 240 ml classic, and are made of polypropylene and polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is the hardest transparent polymer that can be used as a safe and secure substitute for glass. Babyland polycarbonate bottles has been developed using high quality and healthyraw materials, free from any harmful chemicals, including BPA. The bottles are suitable for milk and a variety of warm and semi-warm beverages for a temperature of up to 60 ° C.
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Apink Were Filmed Backstage Without Permission… Members Noticeably Concerned They had no idea they were being filmed. A backstage footage filmed at the 2018 Korea Music Festival is under criticism after it was aired without permission from the artists.  2018 Korea Music Festival made a live broadcast through an online platform for fans who couldn’t go to the festival. If one purchased a paid ticket, one can watch all the performances and backstage access. Apink was one of the artists invited for the event. The controversy took place after a backstage livestream was recorded and shared on SNS. At the time of the filming, the members were seen taking photos, retouching their make-up and rehearsing their choreography.  Apink revealed they were not aware of the recording until after they found a video reposted online.  “A video like this came out?” — Hayoung “Scary… They were filming there…” — Bomi “We were touching up our outfits too… If that got out it would be a huge problem…”  — Hayoung “The members all didn’t know they were filming. Where was this uploaded to?” — Hayoung “Huh??? What is this there was a camera above us? Goosebumps.” — Eunji “Really though………..” — Bomi Fans also launched their own investigation after Apink’s concern. They found how different types of cameras were perched on the tripod and ceiling with the artists not realizing they were already being filmed.  The backstage is a space to prepare before going onstage so it’s not only for simple make-up correction at times, but also a repair or change of outfits. If the members did not know that they were filmed, it may have caused a big scandal regardless of gender. The tag #코뮤페_해명해 (KMF Explain Yourself) was also launched online as fans demanded an explanation from the organizers.  The original fan account on Instagram already apologized for the incident. It was met with a personal response from Hayoung.  Fans continued to demand an explanation as to whether the artists were informed of the filming. The organisers can face severe charges if proven to have aired it without their permission.  No official statement has been released about the incident so far.  Source: StarToday and Pann
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Andorra 🇦🇩 (2019) Perrine Andorra is the 5th of the smallest countries in Europe and the 16th smallest country in the world, it has a population of almost 80 000 people, where the official language is Catalan (Spanish). Fun-Fact is that Andorra isn’t a member of the European Union, so if it wants to visit other countries, they need to request a visa. Our trip starts first briefly in Barçelona, where we stayed one night. Andorra lies between the mountains and doesn’t have an airport, so it’s only accessible by road. So the next day, we woke up really early and we took the 7 am bus to go to Andorra, which was a 3,5 hours-ish bus ride. We have met each other on a friend’s barbecue party in Brussel somewhere in the late spring of 2018. In that same year, in November we met again, this time in Portugal, where Perrine moved to live for a while. I combined two city trips Lisbon and Dakar in Senegal, so it was nice to meet each other again. A year later, she was in to do a short travel and she joined me on a short trip to Andorra. Andorra de la Vella: Besides a wonderful personality, she also has a great sense of humor. She did my ” Signature Pose ” with full dedication! 😅🤣 Mirador del Roc del Quer
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Block of the Week: Mycelium Dig into the mysteries of a different kind of dirt What’s the largest organism on Earth? What’s the oldest organism on Earth? They may both have the same answer. What’s weirder still: it’s almost entirely invisible. Go up into the forested slopes of Oregon’s Blue Mountains, and you may well be standing on it. It covers almost 9.7 square kilometres - an area roughly three times the size of Central Park. It’s a single fungus known as A. solidipes, part of the honey mushroom family - named after their colour rather than taste. The mushrooms themselves sprout from dead trees, but each mushroom is only a tiny part of a much larger organism, all of them connected by a web of tiny strands that stretches through the soil. That web is collectively known as the mycelium! The network of mushrooms that make up Oregon’s A. solidipes is estimated to be between 2,400 and 8,650 years old - potentially a lot older than all of humankind’s recorded history. Of course, you now know that any mushroom that grows on a mycelium block is probably part of the same fungal network that connects all adjacent mycelium blocks - making the humble mushroom the largest organism in Minecraft as well as the real world! Want a guide to every block? Check out the Blockopedia! Every cube catalogued! Marsh Davies Scritto da Marsh Davies
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Skip to product information 1 of 5 Essential Oil Rollers Regular price $12.00 CAD Regular price Sale price $12.00 CAD Sale Sold out Shipping calculated at checkout. All blends are diluted up to 10 mL of organic fractionated coconut essential oil.  Roll on your wrists, collarbones and hairline or make a scent tent during times of stress or during meditation, tapping and yoga. How to do a scent tent? Roll in your hands, rub together and deeply breath in the scent by clasping your hands around your nares.  1. Enough You are enough. It's ridiculous how enough you are. Never forget YOUR worth. Composed of copaiba, ocotea, geranium, lavender, frankincense, blue tansy, black spruce and white angelica, this sophisticated blend introduces a delicate subtle influx of floral notes.  2. Loved Trust in what you love. We hope you feel beautiful and loved today. This is a ubiquitously loved blend, composed of black spruce, geranium, camphor wood, frankincence, blue tansy, vanilla, lime and patchouli. It's been called heaven in a bottle.  3. Brave She blooms wild and burns bright. This is a blend to reduce anxiety and provide a sense of bravery and calm. It is an essential oil blend of lemon, orange, lime, tangerine, ylang ylang, patchouli, geranium, coriander, bergamot, tangerine, cedarwood, fir and lavender.  You gotta keep going to keep growing.  4. Worthy I look at you and see sunshine. Just get out of your way. and love yourself. This blend of ylang, ylang, jasmine, geranium, palmarosa, rose, lemon tangerine, lime, bergamot, cedarwood, blue tansy, and frankincense essential oils invites acceptance and confidence.  5. Kind You are capable, courageous and magnificent, even when it feels like you are not. Self love friend and bring your own sunshine. This blend is a calming mix of sacred sandlewood, vetiver and vanilla that hugs your soul and relaxes your mind on its very own beach.  6. Strong Fiercely go towards your dreams with boldness. You will overcome everything that comes your way, because you my friend are a warrior. Feel your strength when you roll on this blend of cassia, tarragon, ginger, juniper, fennel, lemongrass, anise, patchouli, myrtle, pine, spruce, marjoram, lavender, cypress and peppermint. Customer Reviews Based on 1 review Anna Lozano The perfect self-care tool! I LOVE my essential oil roll ons from Nurture & Bloom - I use them throughout the day while working and they infuse my day with calm energy! Thank you ladies! Self Care is Self Love Check out our collection of essential oil roll ons! Perfect for unwinding or relieving stress after a long day Shop Now
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Granite Island Group Banner Basic Countermeasures Equipment 1059 Preamplifier General purpose preamplifier. Features high gain (over 100 dB) and low noise. Selectable input impedance ranging from 1K to 500K ohms and output impedance from 20K to 2K ohms. Includes switchable hi/lo pass filter, tone generator and excitation voltage output to power external accessories such as the 1059 IR infrared probe. Unit is supplied with special 2K headset and clip-lead input cable. A single 9-volt battery powers the unit. Size is 3/4 x 3 x 5 inches. The 1059 has been designed as a multiple input/output low noise amplifier that can provide a near perfect match to just about any microphone or recorder. The 1059 includes a tone generator for testing amplifier performance and unknown lines, switchable excitation voltage for external accessories and a low pass/high pass filter selector. The input jacks, J1 through J4, provide input impedances from 2 Megohms down to 1,000 ohms. Maximum amplification is provided through J2 and J3 and medium gain through J4. J1 and its associated J1 GAIN control has adjustable amplification. With the J1 GAIN control advanced fully clockwise the output level of a signal fed into J1 will be roughly one-half that of the same signal fed into J2. J1 can sustain approximately 1,000 volts DC. This jack should be used when it is uncertain as to how much voltage or type of signal is on an unknown line pair To operate the 1059, insert the 2,000 ohm headset supplied into output jack J6. The headset is worn with the gray tube under the chin with the sound output holes facing slightly forward. The 1059 is NOT designed to drive low impedance headphones. Turn J1 GAIN fully counterclockwise (minimum) and advance the VOLUME control clockwise (turning on the amplifier) roughly one-third turn. Advance the J1 GAIN control slowly clockwise until either a signal is recovered or the control reaches full clockwise. If, while advancing J1 GAIN, a loud hum is heard, it probably indicates that the line is carrying high voltage AC. USE CAUTION! Do not apply high level AC signals to any other input. J2 (500K) is a high impedance input which utilizes the maximum amplification of the 1059. This jack is used when the DC and AC level and relative signal strength on a line pair is known. J2 may also be used with external accessories such as the 1040-2 Contact Microphone and 1040-4 Hot-Pack. J3 is used when the line or accessory is in the vicinity of 10K ohms This jack is used with accessories such as the 2030 Carrier-Current Probe or when analyzing telephone systems. J4 provides lower amplification and impedance (1,000 ohms) than J2 of J3. It is used when an input signal is too high in level for the other inputs. This jack also has the capability of supplying an excitation voltage (9 volts through 4,700 ohms) for external accessories or carbon microphones. The voltage is supplied to the jack when the J4 VOLTS switch is in the UP position. The TONE-ON switch powers an internal tone generator. The output of the generator is fed through the last three stages of the amplifier and applied to both output jacks, J5 and J6. The FILTER-IN switch selects the amplifier roll-off characteristics. This switch is used when excessive hum is encountered or when a more "crisp" signal is desired. A convenient check of the battery can be made by inserting the mini plug-clip lead cable (supplied) into J4, turning ON the 1059 power and placing the J4 VOLTS switch in the UP position. Connect the clips to a voltmeter set on the 9 or 12 volt range. The voltage should indicate not less than 8 volts for an alkaline battery or 7.5 volts for a mercury battery. Should it become necessary to change the battery, loosen the two cover screws one or two turns, slip off the cover and remove the old battery. Install fresh battery, replace cover and tighten screws (don't over-tighten!). Advanced TSCM Signals Detection and Analysis TSCM - Sweeping the Spectrum for Eavesdropping Devices | Outside Links | Recommended TSCM Books | TSCM Reference Library | Copyright ©2002, Granite Island Group
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Drupal Development Resources Tutorial: Drupal Bootstrap 3.4 Subtheme with LESS Bootstrap continues to be our favorite starter theme for Drupal 7. This is an update to our original guide on how to set up a Bootstrap subtheme with LESS. Many of the steps are the same but they’re repeated here for convenience. Bootstrap 7.x-3.4 introduces some new features and a restructuring of its subtheme starterkit folder. This guide covers setting up a subtheme with LESS only. 1. Get Bootstrap Theme 2. Create the subtheme directory and copy files 3. Configure your .info file 4. Download Bootstrap source 5. Compile the LESS files 6. Enable Your Subtheme 7. Copy template files from the parent theme (Optional) 8. Closing 1. Get Bootstrap Theme 1. Download the Drupal Bootstrap theme 1. Extract/upload to your sites/all/themes 2. There is no need to activate the theme. We only need this to set up the subtheme 2. Download/Enable jQuery Update 1. Extract/upload to your sites/all/modules 2. Set the “Default jQuery Version” to at least 1.9 3. Set “Alternate jQuery version” to 1.5 or “Default (provide by Drupal)” –  This prevents issues with AJAX heavy modules like Views 4. Set jQuery CDN to your own preference or based on the performance of your server. Loading the files from CDN takes some load and bandwidth off your server, but in some cases in may be faster served by your local server. jQuery update settings for Drupal Bootstrap theme 2. Create the subtheme directory and copy files 1. Create a new folder for your subtheme inside of sites/all/themes. 1. In our example, we’ll call our subtheme my_subtheme, so we should have an empty directory at sites/all/themes/my_subtheme. 2. Copy all the files from sites/all/themes/bootstrap/starterkits/less to sites/all/themes/my_subtheme 3. Your subtheme directory should look like this: bootstrap starter kit 3. Configure your .info file 1. Rename less.starterkit to Remember to replace “my_subtheme” with the name of your own subtheme. 2. Edit with your text/code editor of choice and give it a unique name and description: name = My Awesome Bootstrap subtheme description = A Bootstrap Sub-theme customized for this particular project core = 7.x base theme = bootstrap 4. Download Bootstrap source Download Bootstrap source and upload it to your subtheme folder. The folder names may start getting confusing here because the word “bootstrap” is part of the theme name as well as the source code. Be sure to put the files inside of your subtheme folder. It should look like this when you’re done: ├── less/ ├── js/ ├── fonts/ ├── dist/ │ ├── css/ │ ├── js/ │ └── fonts/ └── docs/ └── examples/ The only folders you need from source are less, js, and fonts. The rest is optional, but it doesn’t hurt to have them in there. 5. Compile the LESS files Compile the LESS files to create your style.css, which contains all of the Bootstrap CSS , Drupal-specific overrides (overrides.less), and your own custom code. lessc less/style.less > css/style.css 6. Enable Your Subtheme Enable your subtheme from Drupal. If everything went well, you should see the default Bootstrap styles loaded. 7. Copy template files from the parent theme (Optional) If you plan on making only CSS changes to your theme, you can skip this step. However, for more customized themes, you’ll want to modify the page.tpl.php and html.tpl.php files. Copy page.tpl.php and html.tpl.php from sites/all/themes/bootstrap/templates/system to your subtheme’s templates folder at sites/all/themes/my_subtheme/templates Flush the theme cache so Drupal will recognize the new files. 8. Closing As you can see, setting up a Drupal Bootstrap subtheme can be a pain in the ass. If you develop websites for a living and work on many projects, you should look into creating your own git repository with all the necessary files and configurations. We maintain a repository for a generic “Bootstrap Subtheme” that can be enabled and used as is, saving about 20-30 minutes per new set up. 4 replies on “Tutorial: Drupal Bootstrap 3.4 Subtheme with LESS” I see there is only less folder not css folder in bootstrap source code .. So I need to follow below steps: 1. cd sites/all/themes/mysubtheme/bootstrap 2. mkdir css 3. lessc less/bootstrap.less > css/bootstrap.css 4. in .info file : stylesheets[all][] = bootstrap/css/bootstrap.css 5. Clear cache Without it we can't see bootstrap.css loading automatically. Do I need to do same for whole less folder ? Please note, that you need to go to your subtheme's folder (not bootstrap) to compile less/style.less from there: $ cd path-to-my_subtheme $ lessc less/style.less > css/style.css Leave a Reply
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Euronovia is a French consulting company specialized in the writing and management of EU funded projects, as well as in all related communication, dissemination and exploitation activities. Euronovia gathers a highly professional team with different backgrounds so as to offer trans-sectorial and transdisciplinary skills to address different stakeholders’ concerns such as SMEs, large manufacturing groups, universities, research institutes, clusters, etc Euronovia is partner in 7 EU projects as WP leader for dissemination and exploitation activities. Check Also
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The Benefits Of An AR15 Collapsible Stock Rifle The AR15 is one of the most popular rifles in the world today. You may carry an AR15 when you hunt, or you may use one at the shooting range. You have several models to choose from, but you need to choose a rifle that is comfortable when you fire. You also have a couple of different AR-15 buttstocks to choose from. One is the fixed stock rifles are common, but a collapsible stock rifle helps make shooting much simpler. This article explains the benefits of a collapsible stock when you are shooting an AR15 in the field or at the range. What Is A Collapsible Stock? Collapsible stocks fold up when not in use. The butt of a traditional rifle is part of the body of the rifle, and the stock does not move at all. You cannot fold up a fixed stock, but you can fold a collapsible stock when you are not using the rifle. AR15 Collapsible Stock photo Collapsible stock makes your rifle easier to use, and the rifle is easier to store when you are traveling. The long bag used to carry a fixed stock rifle is cumbersome, but the small bag used to haul a collapsible stock rifle is much more convenient. The gun does not even look like a firearm when you are carrying it to your car or in the field. Why Is Collapsible Stock Helpful? A collapsible rifle is extremely light. The new stocks created for the AR15 are made from carbon fiber or other polymers that are very light. You will not feel as though the rifle is too heavy, and the kickback from the rifle will not be nearly as strong when you fire. Overmolded AR15 Collapsible Stock Rifle Lighter collapsible stocks help you carry the rifle easily, and the collapsible stock helps you balance the rifle during firing. You cannot take aim effectively when the rifle is too heavy, and you cannot fire safely at a shooting range with a heavy rifle. Why Is A Collapsible Stock More Convenient? A collapsible stock rifle folds up in just a moment, and the stock folds out just as quickly. You may have your rifle folded on the floor of your hunting perch, but you can be ready to fire in just a few seconds. You will save space inside your perch as you wait for game to pass by, and you can stash your rifle easily when the stock is folded. You need to save as much space as possible when you travel, and a collapsible stock conserves space in your vehicle. The tightest AR15 design will fit inside your pack when you camp during a long hunt. Collapsible Stocks Are Cheaper A new collapsible stock is cheaper to produce, and you will save money on the rifle when you make a new purchase. The polymers used to make the collapsible stock cost the manufacturer less money, and the savings are passed on to you. You can create a collection of AR15’s with less money, or you can replace your old AR15 without breaking the bank. Purchasing a rifle on a budget is much simpler when you go with the collapsible stock. You have a few options when you purchase your rifle, but the collapsible rifle stock is by far the best. A Collapsible stock rifle is more comfortable to carry, fire and move. You can save space when you stash the rifle, and you can ready yourself at any time with a flick of the stock. New collapsible stock rifles have been designed for military use, and you get the same advantages when you purchase a new AR15 for hunting or target practice at the range. Leave a comment
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Definition of Hunger: A strong desire or craving for… / a feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by lack of food, coupled with the desire to eat. Synonyms of Hunger: Desire, crave, yearning, appetite, lust after, / ravenousness, starvation, famishment, etc. Love in fellowship. Tension or Hunger? Learning to relax the stomach muscles helps get rid of tension hunger. Often when we have eaten too fast because of tension, our stomach continues to send hunger signals after the meal. There has not been enough time for the digestive process to register satisfaction. We can consciously relax the muscles so that the feeling of emptiness will go away. –Food For Thought | More… Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
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First time players are recommended to read instructions before playing. A quick fire shoot-em-up, with gameplay lasting one minute. Defeat the boss to win the game in the fastest time possible. Pickups include dual/triple/quad shots, multi-shot, radial/beam/homing specials, faster movement and fire speed.  Menu Controls: • X for 1 player game (or X on controller 1) • A for 2 player game (or X on controller 2) Game Controls: • Arrow keys to move (player 1) • X or V to warp (player 1) • Z or C to fire special (player 1) • ESDF keys to move target (player 2) • Ctrl+M to turn off sounds Mobile Controls: • Very similar except in the virtual handset the O button represents the Z key • You can use any game controllers recognized by SDL with PICO-8 Browser Edition: The free-to-play browser version. Demo Edition: The free-to-play downable versions for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Raspberry-Pi. Premium Edition: Purchasing the game will grant access to standalone downloads for Linux, Mac, Windows and Raspberry Pi. The premium version unlocks three new ships and an option to play the original shorter version, each with their own best time entries. Source code is not included Buy Now$1.49 USD or more In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $1.49 USD. You will get access to the following files: 703 kB 3 MB 1 MB 949 kB Download demo Download 6 MB Development log Log in with to leave a comment. What is the chaff stat for? what is the difference from the bbs one? There are a few minor tweaks to gameplay to provide the same experince but over the extended five to seven minutes of gameplay (based on difficulty level) over the one to two minutes in the bbs version. Along with that there are three additional ships to play with, each with different mix of specials and movement. I wish I could get the full version but I don't have any money :( (1 edit) I would suggest following @krystman as they are currently doing a YouTube tutorial on making a Shmup game in Pico-8, so in time it’s highly likely they’ll be releasing it here for free (most likely) or on Lexaloffle (where you can find a huge bunch of free to play Pico-8 games). Not trying to complain but I am just curious why the premium versions don't contain the source code Ah, I dont sell the source code with most of my Pico-8 projects for a few reasons. One is that if people are purchasing it to get a better understanding of how to make a game then there are other projects of far better quality to pay for, the underlying code is not suitable in most cases to learn from. Two, 99% of the source code for most of my games is available for free on (I should probably do a round of updates to make that clearer and/or provide direct links). Three, I make games that should be completely playable and complete without ever paying money. That payment is just for more content if someone liked it and wants more, and the bit I protect (the bit that has actual value). The underlaying game structure doesnt change between the free and premium versions. Four, there are enough people/bots out there which try to steal content for their own websites to make money of my work I avoid giving out the extra bit of work. This might change in time if I decide to alter the methods I make money off the games, so maybe at some time in the future it may or may not become available. I think I will try to get around to more directly pointing people towards the freely available source code. is the publically available source code for the game very fun Thank you, I was trying for a super short shmup that only lasted a minute or two so was trying to make it quick and intense.
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How Long Can Monstera Live in Water? How Long Can Monstera Live in Water? Monsteras are tropical plants that grow vigorously and produce attractive flowers. These plants have large leaves with pointed tips, which makes them resemble the letter “M.” Many people choose to plant these popular garden perennials because of their unique foliage as well as their bright yellow or purple blossoms. They’re also easy to care for once they’ve been planted. The beauty of the Monstera is its adaptability; it thrives in all types of climates and soil conditions. If you’d like more information about planting this beautiful flower, read on! How Long Can Monstera Live in Water? How Long Can Monstera Live In Water? The first thing you need to know when considering how long can Monstera live in water is whether or not there will be any standing water surrounding the root system after the initial transplanting process. When you purchase Monstera from the store, look at the tag and see what type of potting medium was used. This should tell you exactly where to place your new Monstera – either in regular dirt or sand. Make sure you don’t bury the roots too deep. You may even consider buying smaller pots so that you aren’t faced with having to dig up larger ones later. Monstera can live around two weeks in water at temperatures of 70 Fahrenheit degrees (21 degrees Celsius) average room temperature If you plan on keeping the Monstera in water for longer than two weeks, make sure you buy the right kind of container. Don’t use clay pots or plastic containers; instead, only go for terra cotta or earthenware pots. Although Monstera has adapted to growing successfully outside of the ground, it needs access to good drainage. Clay pots often hold moisture better than other kinds do but they still restrict water flow somewhat. Plastic containers allow no ventilation whatsoever and can result in rotting of the roots over time. Also, keep in mind that if you decide to put your Monstera into the pool during summertime, it’s best to bring it back out before the temperature rises above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). That way, the leaf surfaces won’t get scorched by the sun. Just remember that if you leave your Monstera alone while swimming around in it, you’ll probably need to change the water every day. And just like most houseplants, you shouldn’t leave your Monstera unattended unless you really know what you’re doing. Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about caring for your Monstera. Like many flowering plants, the Monstera likes plenty of light. However, since it’s such a fast-growing plant, it does require additional attention in order to thrive properly. One trick for maintaining healthy growth is to cut off one third of the stem each month. Then continue cutting off another third each month until the stems reach 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. At this point, you can start pinching off yet another third until the stems become 2 inches (5 cm) long. By using this method, you avoid allowing your Monstera to develop woody branches at the base. Once the stem reaches 8 inches (20 cm), you can remove the lower portion entirely. Doing this allows fresh air circulation to take place beneath the surface without obstructions. You might think that watering would be important if you own a Monstera, but actually, the opposite is true. After purchasing your plant, check the bottom of the pot to find out if it’s already wet enough. If it isn’t moist enough, wait several hours before adding extra water. Another option is to simply mist the top of the pot rather than soaking the entire structure. As mentioned earlier, however, the Monstera prefers slightly dry conditions, so never give it overly moist soil. Never fertilize your Monstera, especially if you intend to keep it indoors. Fertilizers tend to burn the leaves and may cause unsightly mold to form under the petals. Instead, try mixing organic material such as compost or peat moss into the soil itself. For added nutrition, include things like vitamin supplements, fish emulsion, liquid seaweed extract or kelp meal. Remember that although the Monstera requires little maintenance, it must receive adequate sunlight. A shady location means less energy for photosynthesis, which could lead to poor health and decreased production. Keep track of the daylight available and adjust placement accordingly. How often should a Monstera be watered? A healthy Monstera will require only moderate amounts of water. It is best not to over-water them because too much moisture can cause mold growth in the soil around the roots. Keep a close eye on your plants and pay attention to the amount of rainfall given to each area during different seasons. Watering needs vary according to location. For example, if you live in Florida, then you’ll have less rain than someone who lives in Seattle, where there may be several months when no rain falls at all. You can find detailed information for growing any type of flower by visiting this site from the University of Arizona [sources: National Gardening Association (NGA), The University of Arizona]. Monsteras do better with partial shade rather than direct sunlight because they like cooler temperatures. They also prefer moist conditions but don’t mind being slightly dry between watering times. Soil surrounding the base of the plant contains its food supply and nutrients. While some people think that deep root systems mean that these plants can go longer between watering, this isn’t true. In fact, most types of flowers actually need frequent watering to stay fresh and attractive throughout the season. The number of hours per day that you give your Monstera depends upon whether it has been exposed to drought stress while outdoors or if it was potted before bringing indoors. However, once we get into seasonal differences, the general rule remains the same. Here’s a list of recommended frequencies depending on the time of year : Spring through fall — Once every two days Winter — Twice weekly In addition, keep track of how long it takes the foliage to turn yellowed or brown after having received a soaking rain shower. This indicates that enough water has evaporated from the leaf surface to make the next application unnecessary. That means you could skip as many as three consecutive watering sessions spaced out by 24 hours. If you notice that the potting medium is starting to look damp, check the drainage holes under the saucer first. Then add more gravel or stones until the drain hole looks clean again. Your Monstera shouldn’t sit directly on top of the potting mix since doing so creates air pockets that hold in excess moisture. Just remember to use plenty of pebbles or other natural materials for good drainage. While you wait for your new petite friend to fill up its vase, read on to discover why it gets so thirsty. When a Monstera is planted outside, it might seem wise to let the dirt dry out just a bit between watering periods. But even though the ground appears dry, the plant still requires lots of moisture to thrive. When the weather turns warm, however, the sun dries out the earth faster. As such, a little drying doesn’t hurt, but if the dirt stays completely parched, the tiny green sprouts won’t develop properly. And when this happens, you run the risk of killing off delicate seedlings. To prevent this problem, try sprinkling lightly with a mixture of equal parts compost and sand. Afterward, apply a light layer of mulch to finish sealing in moisture. Finally, don’t forget to reapply additional water to ensure proper hydration. What helps an overwatered Monstera? Overwatered Monsters tend to droop and become discolored. Fortunately, the solution lies within the pots themselves. Each container holds approximately 2 gallons of liquid. Therefore, take advantage of the space available inside the pot to allow adequate room for expansion. Don’t cram anything else into the small interior. Also, avoid using plastic wrap to cover the opening of the pot. Doing so prevents oxygen molecules from getting into the water. Instead, seal the bottom of the pot with foil or paper towel. Now, you’ll see fewer signs of decomposition as the roots continue to strengthen. Now that you understand how to care for your Monstera, you’ve got everything needed to begin planting today! Where to plant Monstera? When choosing a spot for your Monstera, pay particular attention to factors such as humidity levels and nearby trees. You don’t want to set your Monstera next to a tree whose canopy blocks sunlight completely. While many varieties of Monstera love direct sunlight, others prefer filtered shade. Nowadays, thanks to modern science, scientists have developed hybrid species of Monstera that offer enhanced resistance against certain pests. Some examples of these special variants include the ‘Variegata’ variety, which resists scale insects, and the ‘Fascination Pink’, which repels aphids. And finally, if you want to enjoy your Monstera year round, why not move it inside through winter months? Simply follow these steps: First, prepare an area for indoor gardening by trimming away dead parts and removing low hanging branches. Next, fill the space with potting mix that contains lots of nutrients. Finally, wrap the whole thing tightly with newspaper so that temperatures remain stable throughout the colder seasons. With proper care, the Monstera provides blooming flowers for years to come. Whether you choose to display it outdoors or keep it indoors, there are few sights quite as breathtaking as a room full of vibrant reds, yellows, purples and oranges. Enjoy exploring everything this lovely plant has to offer! Categorized as Questions Admin and IT consultant and blogger, I love my Greenhouse and Indoor Plants
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What is urban agroecology? First of all, what is urban? In short, anything not on a farm in the country. So, urban might be in a city, a suburb or a small town. Academics like the phrase “urban and peri-urban” to get across the idea that urban agriculture occurs not just in inner cities but also in surrounding areas. Most people who practice urban agriculture do so using methods consistent with agroecology. What is agroecology? It is the science and art of growing plants and animals in ways that are consistent with natural ecosystem processes. It is a way of growing plants and animals using nature to your advantage, rather than fighting nature. Urban agroecology vs. industrial agriculture Another way to look at this is to compare urban agroecology with modern industrial agriculture. Industrial agriculture is large scale; relies on large inputs of imported fossil fuels and chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides; mines soil for nutrients and produces environmentally damaging chemical pollution; produces food far away from where it is consumed by total strangers; is heavily subsidized by Federal and State governments through direct subsidies, trade restrictions, taxpayer-funded water projects, pest control projects and food safety regulations that benefit large producers; and focuses on short term quantity of production. Urban agroecology is small scale; relies significantly on locally available human labor and organic inputs such as manure and compost; treats soil and the surrounding environment as living renewable resources; produces food where most people live; is generally not subsidized by government and often faces regulations that make it difficult to compete in the marketplace; and focuses on long-term quality of production. Sustainable agriculture It’s popular these days to talk about activities that are sustainable. It should be clear from the above definitions that industrial agriculture is not sustainable, whereas sustainability is a central focus of urban agroecology. More is said in individual blog postings about this, but sustainability centers around three concepts: sustainable energy sources, sustainable horticultural practices and sustainable social networks and communities. This blog is mostly about food, although there are occasional postings about non-food topics. Because it is mostly about food, there are several main topics related to food that are covered: • Growing food: soil, water, seed saving. • Preserving food: fermenting, drying, salting. • Consuming food: preparing food and diet. More articles about urban agroecology Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s
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NATO secretary gen.: Trump talks focused on defense spending NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! This is a rush transcript from "Your World," May 17, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: All allies are increasing their defense budgets. And... DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Do you give me credit for that? STOLTENBERG: You have helped do that, because your leadership has been important and it has had a great impact. NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: All right, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg thanking President Trump, as allies do increase their spending and defense commitment, not leaving the onus exclusively with the United States. The president indicating that Germany needs to do more. Anyway, in his first interview since meeting the president, I'm happy to introduce the NATO secretary-general himself, Jens Stoltenberg, joining me now. Sir, thank you for taking the time. STOLTENBERG: Thank you for having me. CAVUTO: How did it go today with the president? STOLTENBERG: It was a good meeting. And we addressed a wide range of issues. But the main focus was on defense spending and the importance of that all allies meet their pledges or do what they promised to do. And we should recognize that there's actually been some real progress. All allies have stopped the cuts in defense spending. All allies have started increase defense spending, and more and more allies meet the NATO target of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense. So we're moving in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go. CAVUTO: Now, I noticed that Germany was singled out by the president as not sharing -- or doing its share. He didn't mention France, but it wasn't, I don't believe, sir, at that 2 percent level. What do you do in that case? STOLTENBERG: Well, what we do is that we are working with all allies to make sure that we implement to do what we promised. And we are moving in the right direction. Germany has also started to increase defense spending. Only last year, they increased the defense budgets by around 6 percent in real terms. And not only are more allies contributing more to defense budgets, to the funding, but also with troops to, for instance, NATO mission -- the NATO mission in Afghanistan, our presence in Iraq, but also more NATO presence in the eastern part of the alliance. And Germany is also contributing to NATO's presence in the eastern alliance and in Afghanistan and Iraq. So, all allies are doing more, but we expect them to further -- to step further up, do more. CAVUTO: Given the increased defense spending on every country's part -- I believe every country has at least done more than it was doing a year or certainly two years ago at this time -- it does raise concerns whether NATO is preparing for something. Is it? STOLTENBERG: We are responding to a more unpredictable and uncertain security environment. We see more certainly Russia in the east. We see all the turmoil, the violence in Iraq, Syria, to the south of the alliance. And that's why NATO is implementing the biggest reinforcement to our collective defense since the end of the Cold War, both spending more, but also doing more in the fight against terrorism. And I commended President Trump today for his leadership. And it's clearly having an impact, because all allies are now moving in the right direction. We don't want a new Cold War. We don't want a new arms race. Therefore, we continue to pursue what we call the dual-track approach to Russia, meaning deterrence, defense. We have to be firm and strong, but at the same time, we have to work for a political dialogue with Russia to try to improve our relationship with Russia. CAVUTO: If I could touch on the North Korean talks that are coming up next month, General, the president seemed to intimate here that maybe a reason for the North Korean leader's apparent about-face or tougher posture is because he met with the Chinese leader, second time in as many months, and it was sort of reined in a little bit. Do you buy that? STOLTENBERG: Well, so my main message today was that all NATO allies, NATO supports the efforts of President Trump to find a peaceful negotiated solution to the crisis in North Korea. And, therefore, we also hope that there will be a successful summit. And we welcome the progress we have seen over the last months. Having said that, I think it's important to keep up the pressure on North Korea, the diplomatic pressure, the economic -- the political pressure, but not least the economic pressure, because we have to make sure that we reach a solution which leads to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and also that North Korea stop developing nuclear weapons and stop developing their ballistic missiles. CAVUTO: I guess there are different definitions of denuclearization, General. And, obviously, the North Koreans harbor a different sort of a view on that than do we. If it looks like the two sides are far apart on that issue, the president has indicated that he would just walk away from the talks. What would you think of that, if he did? STOLTENBERG: I think the important thing now is to be focused and support the efforts to find a negotiated solution. And, therefore, we all hope that it's possible to have a summit and have a meaningful summit with some real outcome. To achieve that, we need to maintain the pressure on North Korea. So, therefore, NATO supports both the initiative to have a summit, to have a dialogue with North Korea, but at the same time to maintain the pressure on North Korea. And I think it would be wrong to speculate what will happen if we don't succeed. I think the main focus should be on a successful summit with real some progress and some real outcome. CAVUTO: The reason why I mentioned it, sir, is that this was a 180 on the part of the North Koreans, going into what looked like a promising start to the talks with the release of hostages, the commitment to decrease nuclear activity, and now this. And I'm just wondering, as someone who has -- obviously has a vested interest in the outcome of this, do you trust the North Koreans? STOLTENBERG: I think it's important to be aware of that we have seen before that they have not delivered what they have promised. Therefore, I'm absolutely certain that any deal, we need to have mechanisms for verification and control. But I think it's a bit early now to go into the details of a potential deal. The important thing for me, as secretary-general of NATO, is to support efforts to have a summit, to make progress, and then to negotiate a deal. And a deal needs systems, mechanisms for verification, for control, to make sure that North Korea is delivering what they promise. CAVUTO: Sir, you have been very patient. Just one question on Vladimir Putin and how quiet he's been, hasn't said or done much since he was inaugurated for the fourth time. Does he worry you? Does the silence worry you? STOLTENBERG: What we have seen over the last year is a more assertive Russia, a Russia which has invested heavily in new and more modern military capabilities, which has increased its military presence into the Middle East, Syria, but also a Russia which has been willing to use military force against neighbors, Ukraine, illegally annexing Crimea. And that is the reason why NATO now is implementing the biggest reinforcement to our collective defense since the end of the Cold War, why NATO is increasing our military presence in the eastern part of the alliance to send a clear message to any potential adversary, that if one ally is attacked, that will trigger a response from the whole alliance. And this is what we call deterrence. And that's the best way to prevent the war. CAVUTO: All right. STOLTENBERG: As long as we're strong and united, there's no adversary that will try to attack a NATO ally. CAVUTO: Thank you, General.
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Image of a sacred sea turtle swimming in aqua-colored water. From The Heart Of The Honu Or Turtle 14. From The Heart Of The Honu Or Turtle Blessings for Living in Harmony with Earth The Turtle Kingdom We of the Turtle Kingdom are pleased to be able to speak forth our guidance and truth to our fellow human brothers and sisters. Turtle has long been associated with privacy or an ability to tuck our head into the shell for safekeeping and protection. In essence we carry our home upon our backs, and therefore the return home is simply an act of pulling our head and legs into our shells and resting. In parallel manner, each species learns that all that each requires to sustain oneself is contained within. Self-Reliance and Self-Sustenance Self-reliance has long been lost in the human dance. Humans have learned to rely upon farmers for food and builders for houses, and manufacturers for clothing. One becomes so far out of sync with nature that one may not remember how to survive if such manufacturers, farmers or builders cease to be. What would one do? How will one cope if the current technology humanity relies upon simply ceases to exist? This turtle ponders; and alas we have seen many human civilizations go through a parallel turn of events, and most perished sometimes from starvation due to the inability to forge for oneself the necessities of life. A state of self-sustenance comes as one learns to tune inward and listen to the nature kingdoms. Nature will point one in the right direction for food, shelter and any implement one may require in order to sustain oneself. Nature is conscious. Often nature creates that which certain species require to survive, whether it be a mountain lake for water and bathing, a mountain cave or burnt out tree for warmth and protection in a winter storm, or a bed of grass one can simply lie down upon and have a wonderful rest. Nature does indeed provide all for all species that are a part of Earth’s dream. The Human Dream Was Never a Part of Earth’s Dream Recent revelations in Earth’s global ascension have shown that the human dream was never a part of Earth’s dream. Alas, humans were seeded with a Sirian dream from Sirius A; and Earth did not know of human presence until about 3,000 years after the seeding was completed upon. The human dream remained a separate force, and this did not allow Earth to either embrace or protect humanity from forces of the dark. Over time, the dark destroyed the grand masters of great human knowledge. As the grand masters died, the very ones who could potentially unite the two dreams had passed, and Earth was then in for a lengthy downward spiral into destruction from forces using the human dream to manipulate her dream. Earth acknowledges that she made a mistake in the rejection of humankind. She did not invite humankind to seed Earth; for humans have a horrible reputation as a species for destroying most places they dwell upon. What consensus wishes a species that destroys to participate in the global dance? No consensus wishes this. Alas, the forces of the dark manipulated the agreements and contracts of Earth to make it appear that Earth requested human seeding. Perhaps if Earth had embraced the human seeding and woven humanity into her dream, she could have better advised the human grand masters in a manner that they would not have died. This might have avoided the entire 200,000-year decline in vibration Earth has since experienced. Hindsight for Earth is not unlike hindsight for an ascending human; it is crystal clear. Lessons Learned from Earth’s Rejection of Humanity There are many lessons here. For one, there is the lesson of rejection. Earth herself has been rejected many a time upon many a dimension and understands this well. This time she herself rejected a species that chose to incarnate onto her body. When one rejects another, one ultimately rejects oneself. As Earth rejected humanity, she more or less also rejected herself, which was then the fertile ground for her destruction to come forth. For rejection breeds hatred; and hatred is a vibration of non-love; it is non-love that causes one to destroy oneself or destroy another, whether that other be another human, member of the plant, animal or mineral kingdoms, or Mother Earth herself. Earth is learning her lessons in her own ascent. She is learning that one cannot reject; and she now embraces those humans willing to ascend into a harmless and loving state in the coming quarter century as a part of her dream. This ends the manipulative dance of the dark as humans now have a place upon Earth and are a part of the global dream. For our fellow human brothers and sisters, we know that the wounds of the heart are great. We invite you to heal now; heal the original sense of rejection by Nature and Mother Earth that is an inherent part of your ancestral history; and to heal the sense of “not belonging” and “not being welcome” that has plagued you since your inception upon Earth. It was out of the rejection of humankind that humankind drew unto itself and into his dance another group of humans from another place that was foreign and dissonant to Earth. These humans were known as the Annanuki (Greek and Roman Gods). The Red Race rejected the Annanuki humans much as humanity was rejected by Earth. The Annanuki did not feign at the rejection; instead they chose to gain dominion over the red race along with Earth. This is the other side of rejection Earth is exploring in her own ascension, and is the dance of dominion. In the dance of dominion, one says “If I cannot belong, I will make you subordinate to me! Then you will belong to me, and how can I not belong if you belong to me?!” The red race was docile and worked in harmony with all other kingdoms upon Earth even though they were not a part of Earth’s dream. However, this new form of human Annanuki was not docile and harmless at all. They utilized science to manipulate Earth’s energy flow to create their dominion. Indeed they “owned” the red race and forced them into subordination. Members of the red race lost their land much like the Native Americans and Hawaiians have lost their land in recent history. Furthermore, the tactics to cause subordination over the red race also subordinated Earth into fall after fall in vibration and consciousness. Earth drew unto herself her own mirror of rejection of the red race in another group of humans who instead of returning home following the rejection, chose to subordinate all of life upon Earth unto them. Although the Annanuki have long perished, humans who carry the holographic remembrance of the Annanuki nature and are related to their DNA carry on to this day in parallel manner. Humankind Does Not Support the Environment Turtle has shown Asur’Ana how humans tear up the beautiful landscaping nature has constructed, leveling the ground to mere dirt, and then building a home later only to add “landscaping” of human desire. Why do humans tear up nature’s perfect work of art? Why must humans shape nature into neat and tidy rows of plants that do not work together collaboratively to sustain themselves? Everything in nature is designed to work together, beloved, in unison to support the health and well-being of the other. Certain plants and animals are drawn to live within the same region because their very dance supports one another in thriving. In looking at a recent gum forest in the Blue Mountains of Australia, Turtle explained to Asur’Ana how each kingdom provides what another kingdom requires; from the waste of the fecal matters of the small mammals such as the koala bears, kangaroo and wombat that provide nourishment to the gum trees, to the birds such as the parrots and kookaburras that provide nourishment in their waste to the ferns. The plants furthermore provide berries and leaves to feed the mammals. Additionally, certain plants create just the right soil as the leaves decay into mulch that allows certain other plants to grow and thrive in ease. Even the insects have a role, with the bees pollinating the plants through the gathering of honey, to the ants and worms who till the soil, to the maggots that allow the compost to be created. All parts of the gum forest work together in a beautiful, magical and synchronistic manner that supports the life, health and well-being of all species therein. And then of course enters humankind; and humankind does not support the environment. Humankind generally tears everything down only to build a home upon the now shredded landscape, bringing in foreign materials that are toxic, and planting trees and shrubs not native to the neighboring region. Soon a whole new life begins to overtake what once was a balanced kingdom, and the native plants and trees along with bush animals begin to die, or worse yet become dependent upon humans for their sustenance. All of nature wishes to be self-sustaining. No species wishes to rely upon human handouts to survive. And yet nature often will be found digging through garbage cans or begging for food if the sustenance required for survival has been destroyed by the very building modalities utilized by humanity. The nature kingdoms in your cities and suburbs have become co-dependent upon humankind for survival; and so, we understand codependence ourselves from such a relationship. Asur’Ana used to feed the birds from her apartment in Hawaii. She is learning to allow all birds to find their own source of nourishment now and no longer feeds them. She sees that there is plenty of natural provisions in Hawaii, and her handouts only create a certain form of codependence that does not allow all kingdoms their sovereignty. We honor her for seeing this, and she often tells the small birds and pigeons who come up to her begging, “Go eat your grubs. You do not need to beg. There is plenty here for you.” Suddenly, as the birds acknowledge the truth they cease to beg and move off feeding from the worms and grubs in the grass or bushes nearby. You see, begging is as big a habit for nature as it is for humanity to take away our source of nourishment through your building practices. As all humans cease to feed nature, nature will provide for herself. As all humans learn to work in harmony with nature, nature will also provide all that humans require in order to thrive and survive. Healing the Separation of Dreams Between Earth and Humanity Turtle perceives that the reason humanity redecorates the environment rather than simply living in the environment that nature has provided is the result of a deep feeling of “non-belonging” that goes back to the original Sirian Seeding and the lack of collaboration between Earth’s dream and the human dream. Without participating in Earth’s dream, human is always “outside” of Earth, and quite naturally he/she would feel “homeless” and as though he/she does not belong. This creates an internal need to create a “home” which manifests in the act of redecorating the land rather than simply living from the land as it is provided by nature. As such issues are healed between humanity and nature, and in particular in the coming 25-year cycle and through incoming ascending children, Turtle sees a new future ahead. Such children will feel as at “home” in an open field as within the house the parents may provide. Gradually and due to global changes and the requirement for humans to relocate, future humans will accept nature’s blessings of providing houses in the natural landscape of the valleys, hillsides and mountains that they are guided to move. This will restore a state of collaboration in full between nature and humankind at such a time. In so doing, humans will learn that their home is really within their heart; and that they can be at home anywhere upon Mother Earth; for every valley, hillside or mountain will have a special place and home prepared to ensure one’s safety, sustenance, and needs. This can only be so as the human dream becomes a part of Earth’s dream. For if the human dream is not a part of the consensus dream of Earth, how can Earth know what humans need in order to survive? She cannot anticipate that which is not a part of her dream beloved. This is why humans have felt victim to hunger or certain natural disasters over time, and even in your present day circumstance in some parts of your world. Is not starvation a problem in certain sectors of human civilization, and in particular, in parts of Africa? How can Earth modulate her weather providing enough water to grow the food necessary to feed the human populace if the human populace is unknown to Earth due to the separation of dreams? This is the problem with separate dreams; Earth knows not of human presence for it is the dream that allows her to know and sense such. Now that the dream has been rewoven to include ascending humans, future generations will not know such hunger, as weather patterns will be adjusted to assure that all species are provided for, including humankind. Natural disasters often put humans in great fear of nature. Humans being outside of Earth’s dream cannot likewise sense when the dream is calling for earth movement, flood, tornado or hurricane to cleanse a particular region of a particularly dense and stuck energy. In not sensing the impending movement, humans are caught in a disaster that might be avoided otherwise. This too is due to a separation of dreams. Humans further build cement structures in regions that are bound to be hit by such forces over time, and the very nature of cement calls the disaster to the regions; for cement creates the very dense energy that requires the cleansing. Constructing Homes Out of Natural Elements Cement or anything seemingly permanent is not a good foundation to build any home with, as Earth is continually changing her surface to meet the needs of her own ascent. Into the future, such Earth changes will speed up, and if one fails to pay attention, one could build a home today only to discover it destroyed by earthquake or flood tomorrow. It is for this reason that Turtle guides humans to find natural places to construct the home and to work with nature in the planning. One can build a home from natural elements provided from the land. In earlier history, humans took from the land to construct your homes. This is witnessed in the “log cabins” of the United States and Canada, along with the natural thatched houses of those in tropical regions such as Hawaii and Tahiti. Such dwellings did not collect negative energy that would cause Earth to create such a large natural disaster to cleanse; furthermore, if such a disaster did develop, such homes could be easily reconstructed from the same materials as before as they are already provided for by the land upon which one lives. Much of the natural disasters ahead are simply the result of the nature of cement, and in particular, the cement used to construct your cities and suburbs. Cement and rebar collect radiation and electricity. Earth is purging electricity and radioactivity at an ever-increasingly greater speed in her own ascension. Those regions that continue to collect such vibrations will become increasingly dense against the backdrop of rising vibration of the countryside; the increasing density will draw a natural disaster to “move the energy” in such stuck points global wide. This will call earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods to such cities and suburbs. As humanity learns to build in alliance with Earth and in natural materials that are resonant, such a dance will be avoided into the future. For those planning your communities, call upon Turtle for advice and suggestions about how to structure a residence that will work with nature in a manner that will avoid the current pitfalls of human building practices. Balancing the Weather in Hawaii Weather will follow ascending humans’ conscious intentions. A small group of initiates has been working in collaboration with Earth to balance the weather patterns to allow for an entirely green island in Hawaii. This is important, as Earth wishes to be green from region to region around the globe, as it is the lush plant life that supports her skin in holding the vibration upon the land. At this time, the island of Oahu is completely green all the way around. It took over 2 years for the weather patterns to be corrected, and the Hawaiian initiates worked collaboratively with Earth to allow this to be so. A model was first constructed from the island of Kauai, which is considered the garden island by the Hawaiians because of its lush flora and fauna and heavy rainfall that falls upon all parts of the island. As the energy movement was altered around Oahu to mimic Kauai, lo and behold the weather patterns altered to allow for a totally green and lush Oahu to emerge! The weather balanced itself out. This success has caused these ascending initiates to move on to their next project on behalf of Earth, which is to balance the rainfall upon the Big Island of Hawaii. Upon the Big Island, it is much more difficult as there are many more deserts. Deserts are the result of a lack of devas or angels to call the rain to the land to grow the plants for which they hold the genetic blueprint for. In global trauma, often devas are crushed, or sometimes they have been moved elsewhere through human ancestral expression. As the karma upon the land is released and the devas retrieved and restored, soon the rain begins to fall and the plants begin to grow again. It is anticipated that the weather upon the Big Island will be corrected no later than by the end of 2022 allowing for the emergence of a totally lush and green island all the way around. Why is this so important to Earth, the balancing of weather in Hawaii? As a template is constructed for Hawaii of balanced rainfall and water, it will then be implemented around all of Earth. As the karma for how the devas in certain regions were lost, sometimes which is the result of nuclear warfare or testing, and sometimes simply due to other painful moments in Earth’s history, the devas will return. As the devas return, they will call in the rainfall to construct the plants for which they hold the genetic blueprint for, and Earth will be green from end to end again. In so doing, there will not only be enough rainfall to support all species including humankind anywhere one so lives; but the flora and fauna to support Earth’s continued ascent into the future will also be present global wide. Much like the Hawaiian initiates, those living in desert-like regions may work with Earth to support the rebalancing of energy flow and assist in the release of land-based karma and the recalling of devas so that the rain may begin to fall again. This is what becoming a steward to Earth is all about in Turtle’s estimation. Working Collaboratively with the Nature Kingdoms Turtle reminds ascending humans of the power of your thoughtform. As one chooses to intend rain, so it will rain. If one’s garden is filled with devas, they will call in the rain for oneself as needed to sustain the life of the garden. Alas most seeds do not grow vegetables filled with devas, as farming practices are so painful that soul has withdrawn. As an ascending being, one can call the devas back, inviting them to dance within one’s garden again. In so doing, the garden may ascend and provide the necessary nutrients to support one’s own ascension. Furthermore, the garden will call the rain in necessary to sustain its health and well-being without the requirement for outside water. As humans recognize their innate power as ascending beings, one will see that one can be at home wherever one is, and learn to work again with the devas and elements to provide for one’s garden, oneself, one’s family and one’s community. However, one may wish to move out of the cities and be in the country in order to allow nature to dance with oneself. Nature cannot dance with those living within the cities; one will have to leave and find a new means of living from the land again. Those that choose this path will be greatly rewarded and supported by all kingdoms upon Earth. One shall not starve or be harmed in the years ahead as a result; and one will be guided to move as the Earth changes make one’s current residence soon to be uninhabitable for whatever reason. In so doing, one will survive the coming times of change ahead. Turtle reminds humans that your home is in your heart. One will access the nature kingdoms along with the consciousness of Earth from the heart. The heart holds the keys of holographic knowledge; holographic knowledge knows all that ones’ ancestry understood and all that all kingdoms have ever understood in the lengthy history Earth has experienced within your creation. Such knowledge will provide oneself with whatever one requires knowing in the moment that one needs to know. Turn inward, and the plant kingdoms will talk to you, guiding you to foods you can gather to eat to ward off your hunger; or places to dwell that will keep one safely out of the sun or rain and warm and dry; or through the passageway of the mountain so that one can enter the valley beyond which is to become one’s home. As one opens to talking to nature in relation to one’s garden, the kingdoms will tell you which plants to plant next to one another so that they can create an intricate system of self-sustenance that enhances the garden’s ability to grow, providing its bounty in greater amount and ease. Nature provides such out of the love of the human species as a part of the whole, a part of Earth’s dream for the future. Love is Life Force Humans often utilize toxic pesticides to eliminate insects in their gardening and farming practices. Alas, this only causes the toxins to move into one’s food; humanity is literally poisoning itself through its own non-conscious farming practices. There are natural fertilizers.  Alas, natural fertilizers require twice as much, costs 3 times more and works only half as good as commercial fertilizers. This is only because the farmers fail to share their love and “mana” or life force with the plants and vegetables. If the farmer were to love his plants, he would find that the production would be greater than any commercial fertilizer could cause, and might not even require organic mulch at all. Life force is love. Love flows from the hearts and through the hearts of all species, even the plant and mineral kingdoms. Where is the heart of the plant kingdom? For some it is in the fruits, berries or flowers produced. This is why when humans eat of the fruits and berries of the nature kingdoms; they also eat of the heart of such kingdoms. Provide no love in return, and the heart of the plant kingdoms is crushed. In the rejection, the soul of the plant retracts, and indeed most plants upon commercial farms are soulless, including the organic farms. In order to sustain soul, one must love one’s garden. It is the exchange of love that will allow the energy of the plant to expand, growing even further than would be otherwise; producing even more fruit to share in the love of the human gardeners. In so doing, there will also be enough to share with the insect kingdoms, each of which also provide an essential role to a balanced and self-sustaining garden. Therefore, there is no need to kill the insects with pesticide; there is a need perhaps to understand that they too serve a particular purpose in one’s garden and to allow them their role. What if one pest destroys an entire harvest? Well, one will have to look within to see what nature is mirroring unto oneself; for nature will mirror one’s own unconscious. If one is in balance, the garden will stay in balance and there will be enough for all, including the insects. If one is out of balance, then the garden too will go out of balance as one’s mirror. Therefore, as one pays attention and does their inner ascension work, retaining a more balanced field, the garden will reflect such providing for all of one’s needs and the insects needs at the same time. No Love in Non-Conscious Farming Practices and Empty Food In eating of the fruit provided in love by the plant and through the shared love between the human gardeners and the plant kingdoms, humans will feel nourished and loved from within, and nourished in a manner that has long been forgotten by humankind. Many in the Polynesian race are often heavy in weight and size. They eat and eat and eat, as they are trying to fill themselves with love; however, there is no love in the nourishment grown through non-conscious farming practices. And so, they eat more, hoping to find the love that was once present even as short a time as 100 years ago. For 100 years ago, the Polynesian race still thrived off of their taro patches and harvested from the sea and lands what they required to thrive; all of which was farmed and gathered out of love. Why? The Polynesian race is one of the few indigenous races that remember how to love; the Polynesian race therefore has much to teach the human species from Turtle’s point of view. Often, ascending humans heal greatly in coming to the land of Hawaii where one can remember one’s own ancient Polynesian ancestry and retrieve one’s own records on how to love, fueling the opening of one’s heart through ascension. The intent to love is not enough; one must have an open heart for the energy to exchange between the garden along with nature and oneself. Opening the heart is a painful thing in the human act of ascension. However, as the heart opens, one does love again; and it is the love shared with nature and all of her kingdoms that fills oneself from within. As one is filled from within, the requirement to eat more than one requires is no longer necessary, and one will then find the weight most suited to one’s health and well-being along with one’s continued ascent. For some in human form, they wish not to eat and have the opposite problem of those who tend to be obese. One wishes not to eat because there is no love in the food provided in your grocery stores; the act of eating “empty” food causes one to feel even more lonely and isolated than before. Alas, one must eat if one is ascending, as there are nutrients required to transform the cells to the crystalline structure. Eat not enough, and one’s ascent is delayed; if the delay is long enough, one can also create a disease in a particularly dissonant part of the form. Therefore, one should eat bountifully and as needed in order to ascend. What to do then if the food one is eating leaves one lonely and sad? Bless the food. Honor the kingdoms that are providing for you. As you call the devas back into the food, even if it was grown in non-conscious farming practices, it will fill you. It will fill you with the love of all kingdoms that wish to support one’s ascension Home. It is only as more humans ascend that nature too can ascend. Therefore, you are needed in this role beloved; and Turtle invites each to give unto the form whatever it needs to ascend. In so doing both your kingdom and my kingdom can go Home. Call upon our kingdom. In Hawaiian, Turtle is known as Honu. From the heart of the Honu to yours, the Turtle Kingdom. Ascension Meditation Recordings Ascension Insights Charts & Diagrams Language of Light Language of ONE This book is lovingly dedicated to the Animal and Nature Kingdoms. May their Gifts, Wisdom and Blessings support One’s continued evolution Home. Creational © 2019, Asur’Ana, Aligning With Earth Asur’Ana. Gifts from The Animal Kingdoms. Aligning With Earth, 2019. Digital. Comments are closed.
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A Block-Length (10 minute) History of the Movement that Enabled Bitcoin March 20, 2018 by Sharon Moran I’m always amazed at the number of people entering the cryptocurrency space lacking an awareness of how bitcoin got started. With the increased interest in initial coin offerings over the last year, newcomers to cryptocurrency likely get a specific impression of digital assets that are shaped by their limited frame of reference based on what they observe as they’re becoming familiarized with a concept that’s new to them, particularly if they don’t intentionally seek out additional information. The world of ICOs and the creation of cryptocurrency through this newly-emerged funding strategy is a very different process than what occurred in the early days of bitcoin. What surprises me is the number of people who mistakenly assume bitcoin began in a similar way to newly created alt coins. Following one ICO (intentionally not mentioned) in recent months that encountered problems upon launch due to a DDOS attack, some online comments looked similar to this, “When bitcoin had its ICO, bitcoin’s President ran into technical issues too.” There are so many inaccuracies within that single statement, but unfortunately, it represents a more common assumption investors make, people who are just beginning to invest in the cryptocurrency space now. Free as in Freedom Bitcoin (the system) that includes the blockchain and the associated currency (bitcoin) began as an OPEN SOURCE project. The open source movement is a subset of the free software movement. “Free” as in software users have the right to view the source code for software products they’re using, “free” as in freely distributed, not “free” as in no cost, although often free software is, in fact, free to use. Open Source Software and Consumer Benefits One thing builds upon another incrementally. Before we had free operating systems, there were two ways to install an operating system on a personal computer: users had to pay for a license or steal a license. The cost of a license created an unnecessary barrier of entry, particularly for people who wanted a home computer. Once a free operating system option existed, open source developers were able to move on to creating and perfecting free equivalent alternatives for other popular software programs such as word processing (Open Office), image manipulation products (GIMP), and databases (Mysql). In the 90s, a lot of developers were involved (and needed) to be involved in the Linux project in order to get it to a production-ready state. Once Linux got to a certain threshold, it freed up the time of developers to move on to other projects, including even the creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds who put a lot of energy into his second creation of Git, the version control system that powers Github. As one product gets replaced, there’s a perpetual cycle where developers can shape the future and move on to the next product. Open Source Bridges the Corporate Divide At some point corporations began slowly embracing open source initiatives. In his book, The Philosophy of Open Source, Henrik Ingo highlighted that it was reading Eric Raymond’s, The Cathedral and the Bazaar that ended up convincing managers at Netscape to release the web browser as open source. Years later, Microsoft partly embraced the open source model too. Decades-Old Movement Enables Decentralized, Digital Currency The free software movement’s roots date back as far as the 1970s. Without the free software movement, there wouldn’t be an open source movement. Without the open source movement, we likely would not have bitcoin (and subsequent alternative currencies). If the bitcoin source code wasn’t freely available (on Sourceforge in 2009, and now Github), it’s not likely that any individuals would even trust that the blockchain was not (or could not be) tampered with. (quantum computers notwithstanding) Open source software is a remarkably amazing thing. Facebook is a good example of what the use of open source tools can accomplish. Before Mark Zuckerberg used PHP to build Facebook, no one considered PHP a serious enough language to be able to build a massive enterprise-type application. Currently, Facebook has over 1 billion users, the start of which was initially all enabled by PHP. Think of how much Facebook would pale in comparison to what it is now if the Winklevoss twins were running the show: the Winklevoss twins who essentially admitted that they were not interested in investing in blockchain technology companies but wanted to make as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time. It’s why articles like this one in The New York Times by Nellie Bowles titled Women in Cryptocurrencies Push Back Against ‘Blockchain Bros’ partly miss the point by micro focusing on the wrong things. Whether there is or isn’t a gender divide in the cryptocurrency space is a small subset of a larger issue: the knowledge divide that exists, and that divide represents a sadly large gap in knowledge of the history of digital currencies that predate bitcoin and the history of the public key cryptography discovery that was necessary for solving the Byzantine General’s problem (which we’ll discuss in an upcoming article). A knowledge gap about how bitcoin came to be. The one unintended benefit of Bowles’ NYT article is that it brings awareness to the “blockchain bros” culture and will probably make it much easier for the SEC to target their efforts of cracking down on pump-and-dump schemes involving initial coin offerings. Satoshi Nakamoto wrote the original bitcoin software, and he made it publicly available. Anyone with an internet connection and a home computer in 2009 (and home computers were plentiful by 2009) could have downloaded the software or even submitted modifications to the software, and anyone could have run a bitcoin node and began generating bitcoins. In fact, Satoshi, in a message to the Cryptography Mailing List on January 8, 2009, politely almost begged people to run a node, “If you can keep a node running that accepts incoming connections, you’ll really be helping the network a lot.” Help it out, indeed. The start of bitcoin was extremely inclusive, in spirit with the open source software movement of which it is a part. TO BE CONTINUED About Cryptobellum 69 Articles
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I brushed up against one of these mini monsters last night (Saddleback Caterpillar) and my goodness did it hurt! I got lucky and didn't have a stinger break off in my skin. Going back out there this morning I see that there are loads of them all over the corn; I have no idea how we'll safely harvest it. This is the reality of organic gardening - it's not all cute bumblebees and friendly praying mantis 😅 In our growing zone we have to plant fall crops right at the hottest point in the season, otherwise there's just not enough growing time before the first frost. I'm always in awe that these cool- weather loving plants just push onward (and upward, as it were). Despite the persistent heat, I can feel the edges of autumn pushing closer and closer and I'm grateful for the coming change in culinary delights. We're seeding cover crop - a blend of Buckwheat, Ladino clover, and Red clover. The clover fixes Nitrogen and the Buckwheat will make Phosphorous more available for future crops. Buckwheat grows quickly and winter-kills. I'm hoping the buckwheat flowers in time to give the bees one last feast before seasons end. When the crop gets killed over winter it will then mulch the beds and provide winter habitat for other insects. Also - smol modern farmdog hard at work 💕 Bolita Azul Oaxaca, a landrace heirloom corn given to us by a kind soul looking to share and spread its beauty. The first few ears we'll save for seed and sharing; the rest we hope to make into homemade tortillas. I've been research nixtamalization - if anyone has experience with the process, I'm all ears 🌽 😜 (it's not obvious in the photo but this corn is easily 12' tall!) A delicious cantaloupe modeling closed-loop/zero waste growing... 1. Harvest 👩‍🌾 2. Slice to eat 🤤 3. Rind and soft flesh to compost/vermicompost 🐛 4. Seeds saved 🌱 August feels like a legit hustle to preserve as much as possible. We got a batch of crushed tomatoes processed, dehydrated slices for 'sundried' (so nice to have on a gray winter day), and about 1.5 lbs of fresh basil made into pesto for freezing. Here's the crushed tomato recipe we use if you're looking to do the same. We're harvesting around 10-15 lbs of produce every other day at the moment. Growing enough to feed ourselves, store for winter, and share with others. We're doing it all organically on about 1772 ft² (0.04 acre) in an urban area. We're not just feeding humans, but also a large population of insects and wildlife that have moved in as well. I share all of this because I want others to know how very possible it is to cultivate abundance for yourself and everything around you. 💚 🌿 Last weekend I had the joy of helping a friend tend to her Langstroth beehives. We inspected and replaced frames, checked queens and brood, and even harvested some delicious honey and comb. 🐝 🍯
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Find Betterhelp Com Apa Code Of Ethics 2022 how we choose to live and the people we associate with…Betterhelp Com Apa Code Of Ethics… A certified therapist at can address things like depression, anxiety, anger, raising children, and other specific mental health conditions, problems, or health problems. Therapists assist people feel their best, improve mental health, and reinforce relationships. Online therapy is created to make it as easy as possible to get the aid and assistance you require without even having to leave your home. All 20,000+ licensed mental health specialists and therapists presently readily available on the platform are skilled professionals. Our online therapists originate from a wide array of various backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, and practices.. Some treatment methods and specializeds that our therapists focus on consist of mental health care and marriage, household and wellness concerns, couples treatment, addiction, gender, and more. If somebody has anxiety, stress and anxiety, panic disorder, or another psychological health condition, speaking with a therapist through the platform who is experienced in this realm can help the private recover, regain their energy, and move forward in life in a productive and significant way. Advantages Of Online Treatment With A BetterHelp Therapist. Affordable and available. No Location Or Insurance Coverage Issues. While metropolitan areas and cities usually have a a great deal of therapists offered, these locations just comprise a part of the country. Rural and suburban areas typically have less therapists offered, implying visits get filled up rapidly and there might not be numerous therapists to pick from. looks for to fill that gap. Online therapy sessions are convenient for people who are not in a geographical place with easy access to a therapist and is an efficient service for individuals who do not have actually dependable transport required for in-person therapy appointments or don’t have treatment services in close proximity to them. With, you can access a therapy consultation merely by logging onto your phone, tablet, or computer system without paying the typically extreme charges connected with this sort of assistance. Personal privacy. Betterhelp Com Apa Code Of Ethics. When it comes to psychological health care, personal privacy is an important issue for numerous. With online therapy, there is no risk of bumping into someone you understand or having somebody see you pull up to the therapist’s office. This is another benefit of not having to leave your home for a therapy session. Additionally, your treatment room and personal details is fully encrypted and you have the option to remain completely anonymous, even to your therapist.
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N- Butanol Manufacturer, Exporter, Distributor , Supplier in Chennai India Surat Chemical industry Based in Surat India Surat chemical are a N- Butanol Manufacturer, Exporter, Distributor , Supplier in Surat India . We are supplied into various industrial markets including Household , Institutional Cleaning, Personal Care and Industrial sectors including Oil Field, Agriculture, Lubricants, Marine Industry ,Metal Working chemical industry and Coatings markets. N- Butanol is a primary alcohol, and a high purity four-carbon solvent used in ambient dry and baking coatings. Roughly half of the n-butanol produced, as well as its esters, are used in the production of coatings. Often, it is added to cellulose nitrate lacquers for its anti-blushing properties, and its ability to improve flow and gloss by reducing the viscosity of solutions. N- Butanol is most commonly used as a solvent for paints, resins, other commercial and industrial coatings, oils, waxes, and more, and is also seen as a functional component of hydraulic brake fluids. n-Butanol is used as a chemical intermediary for esters, such as butyl acetate, butyl ethanoate, and dibutyl phthalate. Online Inquiry Show Buttons Hide Buttons
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Home-Based Physical Therapy Treatments for the TM Joint Woman in pain at home due to TMJ disorder The Myalgia or Myofascial pain protocol (MFP) is a self-directed home-based (and sometimes office-based) treatment approach, which includes several elements such as identifying and avoiding activities that are potentially harmful to the jaw system, increasing local blood flow in the tissues, and stretching stiff and painful muscles to decrease postural tone in the sore muscle. The goal of therapy is to reduce muscle tenderness, relax taut bands, and increase blood flow in the muscle so that pain will diminish. Related Reading: Diagnostic Tests for Temporomandibular Disorders The MFP Protocol 1. Avoidance of Strain Avoid all behaviors that strain or stress the jaw system (clenching, pressing or bracing of the jaw, tongue or lips) and any repetitive behavior such as gum chewing or repeated opening of the jaw to clear the ear pressure. This is best achieved by watching the patient and pointing out to them any observable habits they have. To achieve reduced strain in the jaw system, strict limitation of all behaviors that generate strain or stress in the muscles, tendons, joints or teeth must be enforced. The teeth should not touch, the lips should not press together and the tongue should not be braced or pressed against the teeth, gingiva or palate. In addition the patient must avoid all hard or chewy foods and yawning or clicking the jaw. Like what you’re learning? Download a brochure for our online, postgraduate Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine degree program. Download a Brochure 2. Relaxing the Jaw In addition to stopping oral habits, it is necessary to have the patient practice both a relaxed jaw position as a way of changing the unconscious habit and relaxed head, shoulder and neck position. The relaxed jaw position is done by saying the letter “N” and then holding this position for 10 seconds. The jaw is relaxed, the teeth are not touching, the lips are slightly apart in the “N” position. This position needs to be repeated every 10 minutes. The neck and shoulders are relaxed when you have good posture. This is achieved by pulling the shoulders back, touching the thumbs to the shoulders and slightly tucking the chin down towards the chest. As with jaw rest position, this position needs to be held for 10 seconds and repeated every 10 minutes. 3. Stretches and Exercises The third element of self-treatment involves teaching the patient how to stretch their sore jaw and neck muscles multiple times a day. Clinical experience suggests stretch therapy is critical to treatment of spontaneous muscle pain and tension. When the muscles exhibit taut band and stiffness, it involves two specific exercises: 1. Tongue-up/jaw open 2. Chin-chest stretch Once you teach the patient how to perform the stretch, it is possible for the patient to do this at home. Patients are recommended to perform these stretches every two hours. Begin by having the patient sit on a comfortable chair. Take precautions to cover the patient’s eyes, nose and mouth if spraying near the face. Hold the spray can upright. From a distance of 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm), aim the stream so it meets the skin at an acute angle, lessening the shock of impact. Direct the spray in parallel sweeps 0.5 inches to 1 inch (1.5 to 2 cm) apart at the rate of approximately 4 inches per second (10 cm per second). The number of sweeps is determined by muscle size. A. Tongue-up/Jaw Open Stretch For the “Tongue-up/Jaw Open Stretch”, begin with the tongue-up position (tongue up against anterior palate), then stretch the jaw open in a straight line without dropping the tongue from contact with the roof of the mouth. B. Chin-to-Chest Stretch For the “Chin-to-chest stretch”, ask the patient to slowly tilt their chin to their chest and then add a slight pressure to the head during the stretch by having the patient place their hand on top of their head during the stretch. These exercises should be avoided in patients with substantial osteoarthritis of the neck or jaw and trigger point injections used instead. Related Reading: Trigger Point Mapping: Theory & Step-by-Step Technique If the neck or jaw muscles are tight, the patient will feel the muscles being stretched. They should hold this open position for about 5-6 seconds and repeat the stretch about 5-6 times every 2 hours. If the stretching is painful, ice packs can be used before and again after the stretching program to help the patient stretch more effectively. The ice pack is applied to the site for 1 minute before to block the pain and for 5 minutes after (see thermal therapy below) to increase deep tissue circulation. Download a Brochure 4. Thermal Therapy Another element of the MFP protocol is thermal therapy, which involves trying to increase blood flow in the painful jaw muscles with the local application of either heat or ice packs applied to the painful site. The local application of heat or ice will both increase circulation and relax muscles in the region. Cold applications rather than heat are preferred by some patients. The diagnoses that would link with this treatment procedure or protocol includes: 1. Localized myalgia 2. Myofascial pain 3. Fibromyalgia Related Reading: How to Diagnose Masticatory Muscle Disorders Daily Stretching of Contracted or Fibrosed Jaw Muscles The primary method for treating a muscle contracture or fibrosis which can occur spontaneously or more commonly after a trauma (e.g. intra-muscular injection of a local anesthetic), is stretching. In some select cases where a focal fibrosis is found, surgical release of the fibrosis can also be performed. The only way to reverse a muscular or fascial fibrosis is with strong repeated stretching, but in some cases this treatment is ineffective simply due to the extent of the fibrosis. In other cases the stretching induces substantial pain that prevents the patient from performing the stretch. In these cases, stretching can be done for the patient in a surgical setting (after sedating the patient). This treatment can be performed using a variety of methods including the patient’s own fingers, a set of stacked tongue blades, and an assistive stretching device (e.g. Therabyte device). All of these methods are used to pry open the jaw muscles and mobilize the TM joint. 1. Persistent trismus 2. Contracture 3. Post-surgical scaring of the facial cutaneous or subcutaneous tissues Related Reading: Arthritic Temporomandibular Joint Disorders Postgraduate Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine Master’s Degree Learn more about diagnosing, treating, and managing orofacial pain by enrolling in Herman Ostrow School of USC’s online, competency-based certificate or master’s program in Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine. Get More Information Posted: January 18, 2021 <a href="https://ostrowon.usc.edu/author/dr-glenn-clark/" target="_self">Dr. Glenn Clark</a> Dr. Glenn Clark Glenn Clark, DDS, MS is an expert on sleep apnea, orofacial pain and oral medicine, and Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ). Dr. Clark serves as the Director for the Advanced Program in Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. Pin It on Pinterest Share This
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Imbalance in the immune system and its desire to be in a natural state '--------Adam Adams-------- everything affects everything else. And so when I'm working, let's say hypothetically I'm working with a person rather than going and say, in the ppapathetic??]] Medical model symptom A= disease B = treatment C and treatment C is usually a drug of some kind or a surgery. What I tend to do is I try and uncover what elements of the are the person are telling me about their life may have precipitated an imbalance in the immune system and through a variety of release techniques like EFT, tapping, regression therapy some cases past life regression therapy, reframing of life contacts all kinds of things were able to root out cause and then introduce a newer sense of balance, and when the immune system is able to get back to that point of balance, healing occurs naturally. The body's natural tendency is towards healing and a mind's due to a lot of scent. More Videos: Woman rights Each person is on a path Being happy is a choice
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Game Articles Why You Should Care About Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Monster Hunter is a series that in Japan has sold like bonkers and carried the systems the franchises have picked at the time period. Most people point to Monster Hunter being the saving grace of the PSP and certainly we saw the sales and domination of the 3DS over the PS Vita after Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate released in Japan along with the announcement of Monster Hunter 4 being a Nintendo exclusive. Still somehow over in the US and UK not very many people know about one of Capcom’s biggest franchises. I wanted to take a peek into this game to find out why people should care about this game and why it is only really popular in the Japanese games market. What I found was a game that everyone should really pay attention to. Making the Wii U/3DS Work Together For many in the hardcore sphere of gaming there hasn’t really been a reason to buy a Wii U or a 3DS/3DS XL really. A slew of Nintendo titles have come out on the 3DS that I have loved, but nothing really hardcore for people to sink their teeth into and the same is true for the Wii U. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is that 100 hour RPG that people have been waiting for. There are hundreds of quests, hundreds of monsters and a ton of loot/gear to craft. Every trip out into the Monster Hunter world moves you forward in some way. The game is a grind, but for some people it is a grind in a good way. I found it very easy to pick up and play for an hour at a time, listening to a podcast or something, while grabbing a couple of items I knew I was going to need moving forward in the story. There is no levels for the characters so the experience you gain is really experience in playing the game. Plus the 3DS and Wii U version are cross save compatible so hardcore fans of the series will be able to have both versions of the game and take their save on the go. The 3DS and Wii U cross saves have really made the game popular in the Japanese game market. People on trains can play locally with 3 other Monster Hunter players on their trip into work or out on the town. This makes the grind more enjoyable because you can knock out the more tedious aspects of the game when you would normally be staring at a wall. Then when you get home you can just transfer your character and any guild cards from other players you have picked up throughout the day to the big screen and continue your game. Finally an Online Game Something Nintendo, and consequently the Wii U, has missed out in the past is online play. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate has 4 player online co-op that takes a little to get used to, but is available and is the real way to play the game. The reason Monster Hunter was so popular on the PSP and the 3DS in Japan is because there seems to always be people around you that are playing the game. Now with the Wii U you can have that experience whenever you want by just connecting to the online world. This again speaks to the hardcore video game audience and makes the game so much more enjoyable. Being able to jump on anytime and find people that are looking to kill the same monster whenever you want is addicting. Plus with the Wii U Gamepad everyone has a chat pad, everyone has a microphone and everyone has a reason to stay connected to the experience. You never have to worry about people not communicating when they are playing because you KNOW that everyone has the ability to. This gives Monster Hunter a leg up on other multiplayer games where you might have to worry about someone having a headset or not being able to hear you. Nintendo could really learn from the Monster Hunter experience and put in more voice chat and online multiplayer options for those games. Just think how much better some of the latest Super Mario games could be if they had online co-op with voice chat! Control Options & The Second Screen Experience Not only does the Wii U/3DS offer great communication options while playing Monster Hunter, but it also makes a very strong case for the second screen experience. While playing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate it is so much easier than in any other RPG to find any piece of information, use any weapons and switch items than in any other RPG game ever. Plus the second screen on the GamePad or on the 3DS is completely customizable. Have any of the information on the second screen that you want where ever you want it however you want it. With all of that information on the screen you can really focus on the combat and get rid of all of the unwanted clutter on the screen. Plus battling is more enjoyable because you can choose what kind of control option you like best. Hardcore console players will love the Wii U Pro Controller for playing the game while old time monster hunter fans will still be able to use the control scheme they have liked in the past. 3DS players can use a couple of different control schemes as well including circle pad pro support. Monster hunter just takes the best qualities of the Wii U and the 3DS and uses them to their fullest. I honestly couldn’t imagine playing this game on any other platform And that is really why some people should care and pay more attention to Monster Hunter. There are a ton of people out there with a Wii U and a 3DS just waiting to play an awesome game. This hardcore RPG has online play, has communication devices built into the hardware, has a different control scheme for everyone and makes the Wii U and 3DS work together properly like they should. Let’s just hope Nintendo sees why people like this experience and implements the design ideas from Capcom into some of their new games. I guess that’s about enough of me rattling on about Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. What do you guys think? Does this article make you want to pick up the title? Hit us up in the comments below and talk some Monster Hunter with us. Back to top button
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Tobacco use is the primary cause of mortality in the United States today. Tobacco use is responsible for cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and heart disease and has caused the deaths of nearly half a million people per year. Tobacco control, prevention, and treatment are compelling and urgent public health issues. The development of tobacco control laws have been passed by a number of states. Write a comprehensive overview of the health effects, politics, and regulatory control of tobacco use control efforts. Your paper should be based on the following points: 2.What are the medical consequences (morbidity and mortality) for tobacco users? 3.What is the public health impact (epidemiological and economic) of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure? 4.How do tobacco control regulations relate to positive and normative economics? 5.How do tobacco control regulations impact individual health care 6.What is the public health policy regarding tobacco control? 7.What is the role of the state and Federal Government in policy making? 8.What is the history of regulatory tobacco control? 9.What is the current state of tobacco control in the United States (states that have passed tobacco control regulations)? 10.What is the evidence that tobacco control is effective?
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Locked Inside my Book Ad 0: Try a new drinks recipe site 2001-09-01 01:56:25 (UTC) Life never gets better. well it's obvious that life never gets any better. I thought or was hoping that going to a new school would be better for me. i'd make new better friends and find people i had stuff in common with and hang out with and i'd be able to build some better social skills but i have no friends here what so ever. I feel so lonely and it'll get worse and worse. i hate the feeling of sitting all alone at lunch time, feeling like such an outkast. I shouldn't be surprised tho b/c this is what i predicted and as always..i am right. Life sux! This new school isn't going to bring any good change in my life. it's only going to bring me down farther than i was before. why do i even bother with anything. my life is sooo pointless. i'm just living the same bullshit over and over again. i already feel like the ugly freak of the school. i won't even recall why b/c i don't have significant proof but all i know is that i hate school and i hate my life. my cousin maria was suppose to call me today to let me know whether or not she was going to pick me up tonight or tomorrow morning but she never called. I just love how people always do this to me. i'm always left in the clouds and i never know what's going on. i hate that. it shows just how much people care. i've had almost everyone do that to me. just leave me hanging. this world is so frustrating. i know i'm not going to make it this year. this year is gonna be so painful. argg i hate my life. i'd shoot myself but i have no access to a gun. i don't know how i'm going to make it through this year and then the next. I don't even know how i'll make it through the rest of my fucking life. i hate everything. i'm sick of always being dumped on. life sux. people suck. goodbye. yX Media - Monetize your website traffic with us
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Camille from YoginiTransit practicing DoYouYoga day 8 flowing with the splits Practice makes progress! Here I am doing a short yoga flow using an online video from http://www.DoYouYoga.com. I am going to practice and record these videos as much as possible leading up to my training. I want to be able to monitor my progress and see how I improve.
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News Desk At Home: The Hell is Wrong with You Guys?Among various venues, the CBC is reporting on a recent story where the president of the University of Ottawa’s student federation was threatened with a law-suit when she found out, and was going to reveal, comments made by other student leaders at the university of Ottawa suggesting that she should be sexually assaulted, orally and anally, and likely had STDs. She decried this as evidence of a “rape culture” present on the U of Ottawa grounds, a comment that seemed to gain extra weight when it came out a few days later that members of the university Hockey Team may well have raped a woman back at the beginning of February, although the senior management didn’t hear the news until February 24th. When it did hear about it, the university bravely decided to suspend their participation for the remainder of this season, causing the team to miss all of zero games, having been already knocked out of the playoffs before the allegations ever reached the senior management. The five individuals who made the comments subsequently defended their statements as being a joke, and no harm was ever intended. Fortunately for them, the University of Ottawa has chosen to address this issue not by handing out charges of non-academic misconduct, but rather to create a task force to look into what the response of the university should be. The results of the task force should be completed in the fall, well after this current year has completed, and the students involved finished the various courses that they are currently in. One of the things it is not expected the task force will do is take up the question of who is more spineless; the men who made these “jokes”, threatened a law-suit about it when they were going to be outed, and then backed down completely when the student federation president didn’t cave to their craven attempt at silencing her, or the University of Ottawa that is desperately trying to sweep this under the rug while handing out absolutely no punishment or penalty for this behavior at all. %d bloggers like this:
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Last Updated: December 1, 2020 More than 425 million people worldwide use Gmail, the web-based email service by Google. Known for its ease of use and intuitive interface, Gmail grew rapidly at launch, but few people would have seen the service’s key features if it weren’t for one of the most successful word-of-mouth marketing campaigns in history. Gmail started as a close, work-only email system for Google employees. The company launched it to the public in a limited, invite-only release in April of 2004. Google asked many of its employees to send out invitations to their friends and family to join the closed beta test of Gmail. Occasionally, those recently invited friends and family would also get the chance to distribute invitations. The use of Gmail went from being part of an exclusive network of people in-the-know, to being part of an international phenomenon that connected millions of people. This was a great accomplishment considering that practically everyone who received an invitation to try Gmail had no need of it because they already used a different email system. By relying on users to recommend Gmail to friends and family, rather than raising awareness about the service through more traditional, outbound advertising, Google convinced people to support a product despite a lack of demand. What is word-of-mouth marketing? As the name implies, word-of-mouth marketing is any instance where consumers share information about a product or organization with one another, whether by talking or through some other medium. Internet communication, especially social networking, is a significant part of modern word-of-mouth marketing. Though traditional word-of-mouth relies on consumers talking to one another in a direct, personal context like an in-person conversation or a telephone call, Internet-based word-of-mouth uses a variety of platforms that may not involve speaking at all. (See also Internet Marketing) Non-Verbal Word-of-Mouth The Internet allows consumers to share information about products and organizations without ever speaking to one another. The following are examples of how word-of-mouth works online. • Social network posts (Facebook, Twitter, etc) • “Liking” or other signs of approval on social networks • Sharing links via email or other platforms • Posting media content (videos, pictures, audio clips) on websites In the case of Google’s viral Gmail campaign, the company used word-of-mouth in real life and via Internet-based networks to spread information about the new email service. Google allowed the campaign to continue to spread by allowing current users to distribute new invitations themselves. The company continued to grant new users the ability to send invitations to their own social networks until Gmail became available publicly. Who implements word-of-mouth marketing campaigns? Any organization that can encourage people to spread information about a product, a cause, or the organization itself can use word-of-mouth marketing. It is useful in for-profit endeavors as well as in non-profit causes like political campaigns. An apartment management company, for instance, could encourage tenants to refer their friends and family to the company if they are in the market for a place to live. The company could give incentives for these referrals by offering tenants a cash bonus or some other benefit if someone they refer to the management company signs a new lease. Word-of-mouth is also a popular technique used by medical professionals to share patients between different specialists. A doctor could suggest a particular dental practice to patients, just as that dental practice could refer patients to specialists like orthodontists and oral surgeons. This is often based on the existing professional networks of the doctors and dentists, as well as each practice’s reputation. (See also Referral Marketing) Political campaigns are especially dependent on word-of-mouth. In addition to convincing individuals to vote for a particular candidate or issue, they also encourage people to talk to others about doing the same. This is frequently accomplished by providing people with content they can share, like email newsletters, online videos, and social networking pages. Word-of-Mouth is Mostly Positive Word-of-mouth works best when people have something kind to say about the product. Luckily, the vast majority of word-of-mouth mentions are positive and very few are actually negative. All Product Mentions via Word-of-Mouth Implementing word-of-mouth strategies The principles of word-of-mouth marketing are simple, so the process of using it should not attempt to be too complex. There are four steps organizations should take to create a successful word-of-mouth campaign. Dettol Meets the Moms of China Faced with declining sales and unfavorable public recognition in its biggest market, China, the all-purpose sanitizer company Dettol spoke to its target demographic in several Chinese cities. Mothers were the target and the conversation the company had with them found that people in China generally thought of Dettol as being primarily a floor cleaner, rather than a multi-purpose anti-bacterial fluid. Sending samples of a new, portable spray bottle to 4,000 moms with large social networks, Dettol’s sales skyrocketed 86% in just three months. Learn more about Dettol’s marketing strategy here. First, the company should give consumers something to talk about. This means providing a quality product and highlighting its key features. If, for instance, a new ice cream shop called Frozen Treats opens and wants to develop a positive reputation in its community, the shop could start the campaign by asking consumers the question, “What is your favorite flavor at Frozen Treats?” This begins a specific, product-focused conversation, rather than just a general discussion of the shop itself. Next, the company should decide where this conversation will happen. The company should research what media its consumers use the most, and then place the marketing materials for the campaign in those media. Frozen Treats is trying to capture the attention of its local community, so it may want to place ads asking “What is your favorite flavor?” in a community newspaper, on local TV stations, and through social media pages that pertain to the community. (See also Reply Marketing) However, simply starting the conversation often isn’t enough. The company needs to give consumers a reason to talk about the product. Frozen Treats could direct consumers to its website to vote for their favorite flavor and promise in the marketing materials to offer a discount on the most voted-for flavor. Lastly, the company needs to make sure the conversation continues. Frozen Treats may see an initial rush of customers at the start of the campaign, but it can also let new and potential customers know that people are talking about the shop. Frozen Treats could announce the winner of the Favorite Flavor campaign in new marketing materials and use this momentum to launch a new campaign that encourages people to vote again. This would allow the company to learn about where the conversation was taking place and what kinds of materials were most effective. Keeping it Legal Today, companies that are suspected of paying actors to pose as consumers for word-of-mouth campaigns are investigated by consumer protection agencies on an individual basis. In most states, a paid marketer is required by law to disclose his or her true intent and relation to his or her employer. Careers in word-of-mouth marketing Though word-of-mouth campaigns rely on the behavior of consumers, companies still need smart, capable teams of professionals to ensure every aspect of the campaigns go smoothly. The following are three roles on a marketing team that are often involved in word-of-mouth campaigns. Market Researcher What do they do? Word-of-Mouth Marketing Salaries • Market Researcher Starting: $39,000 Median: $51,000 Top Earners: $65,000 • Public Relations Representative Starting: $34,000 Median: $46,000 Top Earners: $55,000 • Content Specialist Starting: $41,000 Median: $54,000 Top Earners: $72,000 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics A market researcher gathers and analyzes data about consumer behavior and trends. In word-of-mouth campaigns, a researcher helps the team identify how to reach the target demographic and how to understand what that demographic wants. This job may involve conducting surveys, reading market reports, and performing research through sources both online and offline. Education and Skills Market researchers should have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, psychology, sociology, or data analysis. Previous experience in an academic or scientific field may also be useful. Public Relations Representative What do they do? Word-of-mouth often begins with someone from a company reaching out to consumers. Furthermore, modern word-of-mouth frequently requires an ongoing conversation with consumers via social media. Public relations professionals specialize in communicating with consumers through multiple media and maintaining a company’s presence online and in the real world. This requires strong communication skills and a thorough understanding of new media. Education and Skills Public relations representatives should have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, public relations, communication, or psychology. It is also valuable to have a background in customer-facing positions like retail or customer service. Content Specialist What do they do? Modern word-of-mouth can involve content like videos and blogs consumers can share with one another. Content specialists craft these materials and make them easy to share. This takes creative thinking and skills with media technology. Education and Skills Content specialists should have bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, public relations, or business. Previous experience with web properties, video, or other media may be helpful. How can a marketing school help you succeed? Our Recommended Schools 1. Grand Canyon University (GCU) 2. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) Word-of-mouth is one of the oldest forms of marketing, but has evolved with modern society and technology. Those who wish to learn about it must also develop a firm understanding of the entire field, which can be achieved quickly and efficiently through a marketing education program. The beginning of a marketing program will stick to the basics of business development, from project finance, to marketing terminology, and research practices. All of these things are essential to any marketing campaign, from the most straightforward word-of-mouth strategy to the most complex, multimedia effort. Technology courses in a marketing program explore common business tools like office suite software for communications, database management, and presentation development. They also expose students to the usage of new media and best practices for learning emerging technologies. As students approach the end of their marketing program experience, they will have the opportunity to analyze case studies of successful marketing campaigns and eventually engage in simulations that ask them to develop their own, original campaigns from the ground up. The skills students use to create and implement their campaigns are identical to those they will use in the workplace. This degree of focus and realism is invaluable to anyone who wants to have a long and successful career in marketing.
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How To Clean Pumpkin Seeds And Turn Them Into Delicious Snack How To Clean Pumpkin Seeds Last Updated - April 13, 2021 Whether you are carving pumpkins or baking fresh pumpkin recipes, there is no reason to throw away perfectly good pumpkin seeds that can be eaten as a snack. In my household, we believe that no food should go to waste. Pumpkin seeds are packed with nutrients, and with a little seasoning, you can turn them into delicious and healthy snacks that you won't stop eating. If you want the maximum health benefits, you can enjoy them raw! That is right. You can clean the pumpkin seeds and just enjoy them as they are. Cleaning pumpkin seeds is super easy, and it is totally worth it. To clean pumpkin seeds, you only need 5 to 10 minutes. Once you learn how to clean pumpkin seeds and turn them into delicious snack, you will never toss them out again. In this post, you will learn how to clean pumpkin seeds so you can turn them into delicious and healthy snacks this season. At the bottom of my post, you will also find some delicious pumpkin seeds recipes.  Health Benefits Of Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds are packed with good for you nutrients and health benefits. Therefore, you should never toss them out. • Packed with iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and many other nutrients.  • Pumpkin seeds are also rich in antioxidants. • Like all seeds, pumpkin seeds contain omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.  • These little seeds are packed with healthy fats, protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. How To Clean Pumpkin Seeds 1. Scoop the pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkin. pumpkin carving Scoop out the pumpkin seeds and place them in a large bowl. Pinch away any pumpkin pulp and flesh and strings. Some people prefer not removing the string because it adds more flavor when roasted, so this is a personal preference. Regardless, don't get too obsessive about removing the strings. If you see any flat seeds, also remove them because they are inedible. 2. Run under cold water Run some cold water into your large bowl and wash off any extra pumpkin pulp. Rinse a few times to get the squishy pumpkin off, but don't get too obsessive that you can't remove everything. If your pumpkin has this "slimy" feel it, this is perfectly normal.  Once the seeds are loose, they will float. Scoop the floating seeds out and place them in a colander. You will only want to take out the ones that are hard and filled with seeds. The flat ones are entirely inedible and should be thrown away. Once you have all the seeds in the colander, rinse the water over it one more time.   3. Drying Once you are done washing your pumpkin seeds, transfer them on a clean dishtowel. Pat them dry to get rid of as much moisture as possible, and there is no need to let it dry overnight. At this point, you can decide if you want to enjoy them raw, roasted, or boiled. How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds And Turn Into Delicious Snack There are many roasted pumpkin seeds recipes out there. From savory to sweet, it is up to you how you want to flavor it. 1. To roast your pumpkin seeds, toss your cleaned seeds with a little avocado oil and add any spices you like. I usually like to use some salt and cayenne pepper but feel free to get as creative as you want. 2. Once you seasoned your pumpkin seeds, place the baking sheet in a large pan and place your pumpkin seeds in the baking pan. Make sure the pumpkin seeds are next to each other and not on top of each other, so they can be roasted evenly. 3. Then bake at 300F for about 20 to 25 minutes. If it is baking unevenly, be sure to stir midway and flip the seeds with a spatula. 4. Once they turn slightly brown, remove the pumpkin seeds from the oven and let them cool down. 5. Store your roasted pumpkin seeds at room temperature. Roasted pumpkin seeds recipe It depends on how you feel, you can make sweet or savory pumpkin seeds. You can be as creative as you want or as simple as just a pinch of salt. If you aren't in the mood to roast, you can enjoy them raw. Sweet pumpkin seeds combinations • Brown sugar and salt • Maple Syrup and cinnamon • Brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt. • Pumpkin pie spices with salt Savory pumpkin seeds combinations • Garlic and salt • Chipotle chili powder, cumin, and salt • Oregano, Parmesan cheese, and salt Everyone will get a different harvest amount of pumpkin seeds from their pumpkin, but here is a general roasted pumpkin seeds recipe that you can use as a reference. General Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe 1 Cup Of Raw, clean Pumpkin Seeds 2 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt Tip: If you are unsure how much to use to season your clean pumpkin seeds, you can roast it with some and then sprinkle more seasoning on top at the end. This way, you can adjust the flavor to your liking. Boiling Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Another method to enjoy the pumpkin seeds is to boil them with spices—this way, the pumpkin seeds are infused with flavor. If you plan to boil it, note that the seeds will not come out crunchy, but it is just as delicious as seeds infused with spices and flavor. If you are boiling them, you can enjoy them as is once it is done. Or if you changed your mind, you could still roast pumpkin seeds in the oven. If you roast them after boiling, you don't need to add as many spices to them since they have already been infused with flavor. To boil then, simply add salt and any spices you want and let it boil for about 10 minutes. Once they are done, drain the water, place the pumpkin seeds on a clean towel, and pat dry. Once they are dried, store them in an airtight container and store at room temperature. How To Store Pumpkin Seeds To store your roasted or boiled pumpkin seeds, put them in an airtight container and leave it at room temperature. Before putting them into the container, make sure the pumpkin seeds cool down because you don't want to introduce moisture into your container. If you boiled them, make sure they are dried before putting them into a container. How To Clean Pumpkin Seeds And Turn Them Into Delicious Snack You may also like heart veggie Be A Happier & Healthier You
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Crime, Punishment, and Community Policing Crime, Punishment & Community policing ".....the man who is called 'criminal' is simply unfortunate;....the remedy is not to flog him, to chain him up, or to kill him on the scaffold or in prison, but to help him by the most brotherly care, by treatment based on equality........" [1] The issue of crime and anti-social behaviour and society's responses to it is possibly one of the most pressing issues facing many people - especially those in working class communities. While it is true to say that the mainstream media and some politicians often - for reasons of sensationalism and for their own political ends - over-hype the "crime problem", it is also a fact that in many of the poorer and more deprived housing estates in urban areas North and South many people do live in something near a state of siege[2] . Housebreaking, vandalism, joyriding, alcohol and drug abuse and even physical attacks (including muggings, rape and stabbings) are far too often a regular feature of life in many areas. In this context, the implementation of the 'Good Friday Agreement' in the 6-Counties has seen the issue of policing become one of the most contentious areas of disagreement between the political parties. Long hours of negotiation have taken place in an attempt to establish a police force which will be 'acceptable to both communities'. While there is no doubt whatsoever that the RUC is a totally discredited (something which will hardly be changed by changing its name!) and sectarian police force and while the issues of the continued use of plastic bullets and the failure to face up to past human rights abuses are important, surely the debate about its replacement should have involved more than what symbols would be worn on the caps of the new police force and what flags would fly over their barracks. The real issues have, in effect, been ignored by the mainstream players - by the politicians and commentators who have been setting the agenda. Interestingly, some of those on the fringes of the debate have actually put forward a somewhat deeper analysis. Speaking in a personal capacity at the 'Voice of the Lark' discussion forum in Conway Mill, Belfast on April 3rd 2001, Billy Mitchell of the Progressive Unionist Party (political wing of the Ulster Volunteer Force) stated: "A new and effective policing service will only be achieved through a new and effective philosophy on policing....that rejects the traditional model of 'justice' that is rooted and grounded in retribution.... An effective philosophy on policing must include an effective philosophy on justice....So long as justice is regarded as 'just desserts' rather than 'just relationships' no amount of tinkering with the police service will serve the interests of justice...."[3] Punishment beatings Unfortunately, considered opinions such as these are few and far between in the context of the Northern debate on policing. And what has been happening on the ground in working class communities is not alone worrying but frightening. In the name of 'community policing' - and under the cover of there not being a police force 'acceptable to both communities' - the number of punishment beatings and shootings has continued to increase. Figures quoted by the "Irish Times" earlier this year claimed a 40% increase in punishment shootings and a 30% increase in beatings in the North over the first five months of the year.[4] What this means in reality is that from January 1st to May 20th 2001, 144 people - an average of approximately one person per day - were either beaten or shot for 'anti-social behaviour'. Even more frighteningly, more recent figures show that a growing number of those so targetted - by both republican and loyalist paramilitaries - are teenagers. A report prepared by Professor Liam Kennedy of Queen's University Belfast and published in August 2001[5] claims that between 1990 and 2000, 372 teenagers were beaten and 207 shot by paramilitaries in so-called punishment attacks. The youngest victim of a punishment shooting was 13 years old while three other children under 14 were assaulted. So while Billy Mitchell's comments on policing as quoted above are welcome, it is unfortunate that those to whom he is close politically don't appear to be listening. Instead of developing an 'effective philosophy on justice', his political comrades are setting themselves up as judge, jury and executioner and doling out their own brand of 'justice' to members of their communities who they deem to be guilty of anti-social behaviour. Likewise we have to listen to the pathetic justifications of politicians such as Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. While both of them have in recent months said that punishment attacks 'don't work' and are 'counter productive', Adams has been quoted as describing them as "the community responding in exasperation to the fact that there are elements who disregard any sort of acceptable norm and who simply prey upon other members of the community"[6] Furthermore Adams has expressed his worry that his party would lose votes if they weren't seen to be doing enough to combat anti-social behaviour. Yet we don't see or hear from him or his colleagues any considered analysis of the causes or reasons for anti-social behaviour, but instead see a tacit - and indeed direct - acceptance of the authoritarian behaviour of the paramilitaries. A deafening silence The silence of the Irish left in general on this issue is deafening. If the RUC or the Gardai were systematically beating up working class kids, there would be an outcry from the left and from liberal and civil rights' groups. If the government - either North or South - were to introduce legislation allowing for kneecapping or the breaking of elbows as the sanction for stealing a car, they would rightly be condemned and opposed every step of the way. Why then do so many stand by and refuse to condemn loudly and vociferously people who call themselves socialists and yet have effectively introduced such laws in what they see as 'their' communities? And let there be no doubt about it, part of the agenda at play here - maybe even the greater part - is the marking out of territory as belonging to either the orange or green bullyboys. To call such behaviour 'community policing' is a complete misnomer. 'Community policing' implies - in fact demands - that there be fair, open and democratic procedures which would involve the community putting in place a system of fair public trials where evidence would be given and the defendant/accused person would be given the chance to defend him/herself. A most important element of this would be that suspects would be tried by properly elected representatives of the community - not by self-appointed 'representatives'. A system of 'community policing' would also surely involve the putting in place of procedures which would aim more at ensuring that someone guilty of anti-social behaviour would make reparations of some sort to the community or to the victim of his/her crime. Surely punishment is less important than rehabilitation and compensation? Obviously a system of community policing would involve something a little more developed than this, but the above paragraph gives an outline which shows just how far we currently are from such an ideal . The question which then arises is whether or not it is possible to put in place a proper fair and democratic system of community policing without fundamentally altering the class nature of society. Indeed, before this question can even be properly answered, it leads us to ask what is crime and what are the true causes of crime? Social deprivation The Governor of Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, John Lonergan, has pointed out on more than one occasion that the people sentenced to his prison come overwhelmingly from a few areas of social deprivation. Most recently, speaking at the Patrick McGill Summer School in Co. Donegal on the theme of Drugs and Alcohol in Irish society, Mr. Lonergan quoted the results of research carried out in Mountjoy which found that 75 percent of Dublin prisoners came from six clearly identifiable areas, or - as he described them - "pockets of disadvantage....infested with heroin". The percentage of prisoners who had a heroin addiction history, he pointed out, had grown from 31 percent in 1986 to 67 percent in 1996. He went on in the same speech to point out that heroin addiction is a "social class addiction" and that as a society we continue to develop communities where only "certain classes of people are housed" and where the message given to these people by the broader society is that they are "inferior". To people who look at political issues on a class basis, what Lonergan is saying is not radical or new. What is quite extraordinary in terms of Irish society is that it is the governor of a prison - and not the trade union movement or even the social democrats or the liberals - who is making this analysis. It is yet another legacy of the so-called 'social partnership' between the trade union movement, government, employers and most of the 'voluntary sector' - the usual expected 'voices of dissent' have been silenced, bought off by the pretence of 'partnership'. It is a reflection of the Irish 'Celtic Tiger' and the supposed economic good times that the number of women in prison in the 26-County State rose to its highest in recent decades in April 2001. Again the only voice to be heard questioning what was happening was that of John Lonergan: "At a time when people would be talking about a whole lot of advantages and improvements in society, this is an indication of something - that in 2001 we have a phenomenally high number of women in prison....[the increase in numbers is]....connected into feelings of isolation and loneliness and being totally disconnected to mainstream society...."[7] Again this might not be extremely new or radical thinking, but at least Lonergan's analysis attempts to look at the causes of crime rather than taking the simplistic attitude of beating up offenders. It says something that a prison governor can be described as more liberal than people who claim to be socialists! What he is doing is looking beyond the act of stealing a car or breaking into a house and asking a simple question - why? This has got to be the starting point for anyone who wants to develop a realistic and humane response to crime and anti-social behaviour - Why do some people feel so disconnected from society that their response is to engage in behaviour which is damaging both to themselves and to their neighbours? Or to return to the question as posed earlier in the article - what are the causes of crime and anti-social behaviour? The answer must be that the true cause of a lot of the crime in our current society is actually poverty. This of course leads also to the question of what is crime because it is interesting to note just what capitalist society defines as crime and - perhaps more importantly - just what is not defined as crime. For example, in August 2000, a march of 1,000 building workers took place in Dublin protesting about recent building site fatalities. Since the beginning of that year, 13 people had died in the 26-Counties as a result of construction industry accidents. But the deaths of building workers do not appear to be taken seriously and fines levied on building contractors for breaches of safety regulations amount to little more than pocket money. Addressing the protestors, Eric Fleming, SIPTU [8] branch secretary said that two-thirds of builders found guilty of serious breaches of the safety regulations "walk away from court with fines of £500 and £1,000........If there were as many gardai being killed each year, or teachers or nurses, the Government would build a special prison for the killers."[9] If someone pulls a knife on someone else in a drunken row it is (rightly) called murder. If someone kills someone else as a result of forcing them to work in unsafe conditions it isn't! This is just one of the many contradictions thrown up in the way society defines crime. Over the past few years the Irish political system has seen a rash of 'tribunal-itis'. Investigations have been carried out into fraud and corruption in the planning and political process. Evidence has emerged of large scale fraud in the planning process, in political funding, in the awarding of radio licences. Huge amounts of tax evasion by the wealthy and big business (stealing from the rest of us!!) have been exposed. Yet no one has spent a day in jail as a result of these findings[10] . On the other hand Cork Corporation has jailed 6 members of the Householders Against Service Charges Campaign for campaigning against double tax bin charges.[11] These are just two examples of the contradictions in definition of what constitutes criminal behaviour. In the 1890s, the French sociologist, Emile Durkheim wrote "What confers a criminal character on an act is not the nature of the act but the definition given it by society. We do not reprove certain behaviour because it is criminal; it is criminal because we reprove it." In other words, what society deems a crime is a crime. Anarchist analyses Historically, many anarchists have put forward analyses of crime and punishment, and have looked to suggest remedies both for the current circumstances and for a future anarchist society. "The constant refrain of the anarchist song is that the system of government and law in modern States is often the cause of, rather than the remedy for, disorder. Most laws in Western democracies protect private property and economic inequality rather than civil rights. An authoritarian society with a repressive morality encourages the psychological disorders which lead to rape, murder and assault. And punishment by its very nature tends to alienate and embitter rather than reform or deter."[12] Over one hundred years ago, the Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkin suggested that crime can be divided into three categories :- property related crime, government related crime and crimes against the person. In putting forward this analysis he was arguing that if you remove property and government - in other words if you base society on freedom, socialism and democracy - you remove two of the biggest causes of crime. It could also be argued that a large number of crimes against the person (people injured in muggings, for example) have their root in crimes against property. This article does not intend to look in any more detail at the nature of criminality. There is much which could be written about the daylight robbery, for example, inherent in the very running of the system - the legal robbery which takes place when large amounts of wealth are diverted from much needed spending on health, education etc. to give tax breaks to big business, the fact that a workers' wages represent only a fraction of the value of his/her labour - with the remainder siphoned off by the boss. This area would demand an article in and of itself. Instead what I want to look at here is whether or not it is possible to have any real form of community policing under capitalism and what if any forms of policing would be needed in an anarchist society. Is it possible? Community Restorative Justice Ireland (CRJI) is an organisation which has done extensive work in the area of community response to anti-social behaviour, and has projects based in Belfast, Derry and Armagh. According to their website[13] "The ultimate goal of restorative justice is not to punish people but to reduce the incidence of socially harmful activity, to promote victim-offender reconciliation and to help create safer communities." The work and research done by CRJI is very interesting in the context of looking at the possibilities for alternative systems of community policing. In an article in the Summer 2001 issue of "Spark" (a magazine produced by Ogra Sinn Fein[14] ), Paddy Molloy of CRJI outlined the method by which it operates "We believe that when a crime is committed, there is a breach of a three cornered relationship, between the offender, the victim and the community. Our aim is not to punish people but to heal the breach and ensure that no further harm occurs." To achieve this outcome, CRJI has put in place a clearly defined process. When a case is referred to them (either by a victim or by someone else), full details are recorded by a caseworker. The case is then assigned to two workers who liaise with all concerned in an attempt to establish the facts, as far as possible. This part of the process helps to identify the needs of all involved and to come up with proposals as to the type of support that may be necessary, what type of mediation is possible etc. The process would then go on - depending on the circumstances of the individual case - to indirect mediation, formal mediation or victim-offender conferencing. CRJI's mission statement "Through a process of empowerment to build a restorative community that is tolerant, responsive and inclusive" certainly does point to a possible way forward. The central question remains however as to how effective such a system can be while society continues to be organised in a hierarchical manner. To what extent does this remain a laudable objective, or does it have any real basis? Is the real local democracy that is necessary for such a system to operate properly possible under capitalism? The answer has to be that it is not. It is only if it operates as a constituent part of the state's 'justice' system that it will be tolerated. The facts of the matter are that the state cannot and will not allow any parallel system of justice to operate, no state will tolerate its monopoly on power being challenged by its citizens. State power In the 1980s many working class Dublin communities were ravaged by the effects of heroin abuse and the consequent anti-social crime, with addicts needing hundreds of pounds a week to feed their habits and wreaking havoc on their neighbourhoods - the poorest and most deprived areas of the city. In response to what was a desperate situation, communities began to fight back through Concerned Parents Against Drugs (CPAD). The CPAD movement initially met with huge success and very soon had active groups throughout the city. The movement that emerged was also initially open and democratic. Public meetings in the community - open to everyone - would be held at which suspected dealers were named. Those accused of dealing would be given the opportunity to defend themselves. If found guilty, dealers would be ordered to cease their activities or leave the area. Those who refused to comply were forcibly evicted through community marches on their homes. CPAD however before long came under pressure from two sources. Firstly, the state (the cops) moved in to dismantle what they saw as a threat to their power base. The sight of communities organising and bypassing the official structures frightened the life out of the powers that be, so they moved to crush the developing movement. Secondly, the temptation to allow the 'hard men' to sort out those who wouldn't co-operate became too great, and the movement tended to descend into vigilantism. Ultimately, however, the principal reason why CPAD - and other similar anti-drug movements in the 1990s - failed was because of its political limitations. While focussing on driving anti-social elements out of the community, the bigger picture was missed - ie looking at the causes of drug abuse. While focussing on marches on the homes of small-time pushers living within the communities, the big drug barons were left untouched. Also the focus on forcing the state - health board and other agencies - to put facilities and treatment for addicts in place was missed. Ultimately the CPAD imploded - as a result of both its political limitations and the state's crackdown on it - and within a short period of time, drug abuse and anti-social behaviour was back to its previous levels. This is not to say that the community activists who got involved and attempted to rescue their communities were wrong, but to say that in the absence of an overall political strategy which aims to change the authoritarian nature of society, such initiatives are inevitably doomed to failure. It is in fact difficult to envisage a situation in which any real degree of community policing could operate under capitalism. A system of community justice must - if it is to be successful - involve such a level of democracy and local organisation that - as already pointed out - the state will simply not allow it to happen. The absence of just such a political strategy is patently obvious in the North, where - as stated earlier in the article - the very phrase 'community policing' is much abused. What is currently being witnessed on the ground in working class communities in the North is certainly not community policing. Nor could it even be said to be moving in that direction. The people involved in implementing what they describe as community justice are not in the least bit interested in looking at the causes of crime. Indeed their political allies are in many cases sitting in government, propping up a system which perpetuates economic inequality, thus ensuring that real community policing can never become a reality. As long as these people remain more interested in making friends in high places - be that with the Dublin, London or Washington establishments - than in challenging the basis of capitalism, we cannot move any closer to a society in which the idea of communities being self-managed and self-policed could become a reality. After the revolution So what about after the revolution? Firstly, there is no doubt but that in a free, democratic society which meets everybody's basic needs the vast majority of crime against property will immediately be done away with. In a society in which everybody has his/her basic needs met - and where indeed there will be many shared luxuries - there will quite obviously be less occasion for crimes against property. But there will still be those who - for whatever reason - want to give society the two fingers. There will still be 'crimes of passion' and there will still be people with mental illness who will have to be removed from society for their own protection and that of others. This in turn implies that there will have to be some form of community forum to deal with these problems. This will however have nothing in common with the current police force. Firstly, the 'laws' which are being implemented will be decided upon in a democratic manner. A free and democratic society will have very few 'laws' as such as these won't be necessary. The vast majority of people - given the opportunity to do so - are quite capable of living together in a peaceful and neighbourly way without having laws and rules to tell them what to do. People, for example, don't need police to tell them to drive on the correct side of the road or to stop at red traffic lights - common sense is enough. Secondly, the community justice system (or whatever title will be put on it) will itself be under democratic control. It is of course impossible to state precisely what will happen, because the system will be created by the people living in that society, not according to blueprints that we draw up in advance, and may in any case vary from time to time and from place to place. Suffice to say that - as with all other aspects of decision making - maximum democracy will be the hallmark of the anarchist society and thus no individual or group will be given the power to make decisions relating to 'law enforcement' by themselves. Perhaps, for example, people will be elected as investigators when specific anti-social behaviour needs to be investigated. In some cases it will be necessary to have people with particular expertise such as in forensics. But these people will be given no particular positions of power as a result of this expertise - their function will remain purely administrative. The idea of 'prosecuting' an offender will be done away with. Instead - where necessary - evidence will be presented before a democratically elected community forum, weighed up in an open manner with the 'accused' given every opportunity to question it (either personally or through a representative of his/her own choosing - there won't be any fancy lawyers or judges in silly wigs). In addition, the idea of revenge or punishment will have no place in the justice system but it will be more about restitution and compensation for the victim. The aim will be to ensure that the perpetrator of the 'crime' makes some form of recompense to the victim, and that the behaviour is not repeated. As has been said, we do not have a crystal ball and therefore cannot predict with any certainty exactly what will happen in an anarchist society. We do not claim to have all the answers but hope that this article and others will lead to a discussion among anarchists about how a future society should deal with anti-social elements. It is a complex area and the only thing which can be said with certainty is that the only solution can be through freedom and democracy. 1 Peter Kropotkin, 'Law and Authority', Quoted in 'Demanding The Impossible - A History of Anarchism' by Peter Marshall, Page 31 2 Ireland is of course by no means unique in this context 3 Text available on the web at 4 'Irish Times', Friday 25th May 2001 5 See 'Irish Times', Thursday August 23rd 2001 6 'Irish Times' Thursday August 23rd 2001 7 'Irish Times' Friday April 20th 2001 8 Services Industrial Professional Technical Union - Ireland's largest trade union 9 quoted in 'Irish Times' Thursday August 30th 2001 10 One Fianna Fail TD, Liam Lawlor did serve a week of a 3-month sentence for failing to supply the Tribunal with full details of his financial affairs. 11 The excuse of the Litter Act has been used. At the time of writing 6 activists have had to serve sentences of three days. More information at 12 Peter Marshall: 'Demanding The Impossible - A History of Anarchism' Page 648 14 The youth wing of Sinn Fein This article is from Red & Black Revolution Number 6 Published Winter 2002 Download and print out the PDF file from You can access other issue of Red & Black Revolution at
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1. S Touch Input Delay Hello everyone, I will try to make this explanation as clear as I can. I need some help eliminating the input lag on my Surface Laptop Studio. I am a pianist and use the device to display my sheet music. While reading through the music, I have to touch the screen to swipe to the next page. If I... Members online
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Friday, April 4, 2008 "And I quote..." Kids have an amazing capacity to memorize! We started our oldest on memorizing verses when he was about three, and he just took off. None of the short and sweet, "Jesus loves us all." that seems to be the weekly verse in Sunday School. A full verse. We made verse-time a part of the nighttime routine. I believe this is key - ROUTINE. We did a lot of "repeat after me" learning, and I'm also a big advocate for figuring out a rhythm in which you say the verse each time, and also doing some appropriate actions along with the verse (God=point up, love=hand over heart, people=spread hands around to show a multitude, etc). We've gotten pretty creative over the past few years with our motion cues. Our middle child learned the verses at the same time as the oldest one, at about 16 months. We realized he was memorizing too when Sam would occasionally get stuck with a word and Caleb would supply it for him. Wow, okay, so a year and a half isn't too young. Start them early. You'll be surprised. We sure were! Anyway, after the actions are set to the verse and done a few times together, pretty soon, all we need to do are the motion cues and the kids supply the words. Then they're doing their own motion cues and saying the words. At the beginning, we spent about a week on each verse and also spent a good amount of time talking about what the verse means. They are now (at ages 5 and 3) doing the suggested memory verses from church (targeting the kids 1st grade and up) and have memorized approximately 28 verses so far since the beginning of the year. Now since Caleb started memorizing so early and was picking it up so well, I started him on recognizing his alphabet at just over 2. He learned them in a few months. Of course, I'll be the first to say that we have the smartest kids in the world. But I do think that this early memorization opened up their little "mind capacity" box for them at an earlier-than- normal age. I would encourage parents of young children (or older children if you haven't started yet) to start very young. Even if it's just you repeating the verse as part of the bedtime routine, your child is hearing that, and you'll be surprised when they start vocalizing it too. An added benefit for the parent - you can stop wishing that you had the diligence/time to memorize Scripture and just do it! 1 comment: Anonymous said... Amen to that. Others would likely find their kids to almost as smart if they would just spend similar efforts with them.
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Vancouver, BC - Many people are seeking weight loss “secrets”. Stubborn belly fat makes numerous people depressed and frustrated. “There is no secrets. A good fat loss diet program will help you a lot.” said David House, a fitness coach in Vancouver. “Here's the healthiest way to deplete carbs and create a short term MASSIVE calorie deficit and achieve extreme fat loss if you fall off track for a few days in a row while following you're living everyday life:” Added David, 2. Increase your fats and double your servings of green cruciferous veggies on deplete days. 3. Double your daily water intake on deplete days and before noon on weekends.” “But there are 3 tricks we can try”, David continued. Weight Loss Diet Trick #1: Know WHEN and WHY you should cheat 1. To spark a dead metabolism from being on the crash diet yo-yo or constant low carb dieting. 2. To replenish and/or refill glycogen stores (“when you've low carbed yourself to death or exercised intensely for prolonged periods of time”, explained David). 3. To serve as a psychological reward (only when you've earned the right). 4. You have no energy or drive in your workouts or when you constantly feel flat and can't seem to get a good "pump". Or you just can't find the emotional renewal you're looking for. 5. Your body temperature is always low or you're cold all the time and feeling the chills a lot. This usually happens in leaner individuals. (Cheating will heat you up in a healthy way by using the thermic effect of cheat food and stoke your metabolism to get it moving again.) 6. To reset fat burning hormones like leptin and provide a metabolic spark for your thyroid (usually from 4 to 6 days or longer of aggressive carb/calorie restriction or maintaining super low body fat levels for a long period of time). Weight Loss Diet Trick #2: Know when NOT to cheat 1. You're bored with bland diet foods - Newsflash, it's a carb cycling plan, not the Food Network... if you want results, you have to Macro-Pattern. and be willing to make some sacrifices a few days a week. 2. You're stressed out and need an emotional food "high" - I think they call it "life" and last time I checked we're all going to deal with some stress while we live it - so get used to it. Food can be like a drug, so don't let yourself get addicted or emotionally attached to it. 3. You lack discipline - It's either the pain of discipline OR the pain of regret. In other words, cheating is a reward - NOT an escape. Weight Loss Diet Trick #3: Apply STRUCTURED Re-feeds, Carb Loading Cheat Days, and Strategic Binging 1. Strategic Cheat Day (sometimes referred to as Carbing UP or Carb Loading) - Most times this is used mid-week and it's specifically designed to provide a metabolic spark to help avoid the adaptive response. 2. Hormonal Cheat Day (sometimes referred to as a Free Day or just Cheat Day) - This is the most flexible and fun cheat day with hardly any food restrictions. 3. Structured Re-Feeds - This is the most restrictive, but effective type of cheating. 4. Strategic Binging - This is a carb loading strategy used after high intensity weight training or bodyweight training (sometimes called MRT) workouts. About company: For more tips about Weight Loss Diet Plans, please visit: David House Tel: 60441918
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Best Online Casino Sports Betting People place bets on sports for some reasons. Apparently indulge in sports betting for the pure joy of the application. They enjoy the thrill of knowing they have something at risk in the game. There are would like an explanation who place wagers on the game for the extra bucks. If you’re a bettor who would like to make money from sports betting, you need to read these article carefully since discusses how you can develop a steady take advantage of sports betting. It’s simple alright making unlimited cash betting on sports within the net. Now you are thinking: if it were so easy how come people throw money away at completely? Answer! Is most belonging to the time you have to guess-work; try-your-luck, inadequate or no information, etc. Money regulation. Another important thing that may want to learn if you would like to do good in sports betting is to make sure you know money conduite. You have to be sure that you have set a set limit on your betting money right at the start, factors why you should you start betting. Make certain you only bet an amount that happen to be willing to reduce. Sports betting on the web is a risky venture that may not surely determine if you will win or not, thus make certain that you ‘re ready to part with your craps bet. One thing that commonly happens with sports betting often that those wagering confuse a “trend” along with a system. A team has won five in a row, and so they have more attention by the betting the general public. 토토사이트 by using a trend actuality it can end instantly; in fact, the odds say that the end that are of a trend is often a mathematic guarantee. The more people who bet on trends, superior it is ideal for the sports books. Eventually, all losses will be recouped as the odds improve and right up until finally monster ends one night to the sound of people pouring money out of the company’s wallets! Almost all sports include a money line for all the games. However, the most popular line in the sports betting arena may be the line of spread. Multiplication line is regarded as essentially the most well accepted form of betting. Spread is working at most famous sports to bet on like the NFL. Its spread so that the game and could more about selecting the winner of sport. If you actually do get fascinated by the popular sports leagues, then at minimum look at betting the actual greater obscure markets on grant. Rather than taking the standard / match bet markets, why not look in the ‘number of corners’ insects ‘number of bookings / yellow cards’.
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Published on September 7, 2021 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 Versus Omega-6 Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are both considered essential for the body, which means that they must be consumed via the diet. Throughout the course of history, both fatty acids were consumed in relatively similar quantities with a ratio of 1:11-4. In fact, it has been suggested that the Paleolithic (caveman) diet, which was consumed during the period when our genetic patterns were established, was low in total fat but high in polyunsaturated fat, including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), EPA, and DHA1,2. In more recent times in many populations around the world, the introduction of agriculture has led to diets built around the consumption of grains; this dietary shift has increased the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids1,4. The omega-6 consumption has been further increased and the omega-3 consumption further decreased in the past century because of the industrial revolution, the emergence of agribusiness with processed foods, grain-fattened livestock, and hydrogenation of vegetable fats4. Ratio for Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fats More specifically, Dr. Jorn Dyerberg (one of the world’s leading authorities on omega-3 fish oils) has written that the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats typical of each dietary era are as follows: the caveman diet was 1:1, the agricultural revolution diet was 4:1, the industrial revolution diet was 10:1, and the convenience or fast food diet in the current North American society is anywhere between 14:1 and 25:15. Therefore, with each of the four major dietary shifts that have taken place, the amount of omega-6 fats consumed has increased and the amount of omega-3 fats has decreased5. Balancing Omega-6 with Omega-3 Fats It has been proposed that a balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fats that is close to the balance of fats in the Paleolithic (caveman) diets, which humans ate for many thousands of years, is a better fit for our genetic makeup than the more recent agricultural diets and modern fast-food diets5. How to Correct the Balance of Fatty Acids The consumption of omega-3 fatty acids rich foods (particularly DHA & EPA) like flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, fatty fish, seafood, fish oil and algal oil or supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids can help balance the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids1,6. 1. Simopoulos, A.P., Evolutionary aspects of the dietary omega-6:omega-3 fatty acid ratio: medical implications. World Rev Nutr Diet, 2009. 100: p. 1-21. 2. Eaton, S.B. and M. Konner, Paleolithic nutrition. A consideration of its nature and current implications. N Engl J Med, 1985. 312(5): p. 283-9. 3. Eaton, S.B., S.B. Eaton, 3rd, and M.J. Konner, Paleolithic nutrition revisited: a twelve-year retrospective on its nature and implications. Eur J Clin Nutr, 1997. 51(4): p. 207-16. 4. Simopoulos, A.P., Evolutionary aspects of omega-3 fatty acids in the food supply. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 1999. 60(5-6): p. 421-9. 5. Dyerberg, J. and R. Passwater, The Missing Wellness Factors: EPA and DHA: The most important nutrients since vitamins. 2012, Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
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How To Put On A Silent Disco Party (Your Ultimate Guide) This post answers all the questions you should consider when putting on your own silent disco headphone party. A linked table of contents is below for your convenience: What is a silent disco headphone party and what equipment is required? The term “silent disco” refers to a party where you can’t hear the audio unless you are wearing the specialized silent disco wireless headphones. Because of this, it looks like people are dancing without any music. It looks like people are dancing, singing and having fun without any music. The word “disco” in the term, refers to a silent disco being a ‘dance’ and does not refer to the disco genre. All types of music are used What equipment do you need? In order to put on a silent disco, you need the special headphones for each guest. You will also need silent disco transmitter(s) to broadcast the music to the headphones. These days the headphones are rechargeable. They arrive fully charged and will operate ten hours on a single charge. So, unless you are doing multiple events, re-charging is not necessary. The transmitters are about the the size of your hand and don’t require user adjustment. They are just plug-and-play and usually included with the headphones. You will also need to supply the music. That could be your cell phone, tablet or laptop streaming a playlist from Spotify or Apple Music. It could also be a live DJ or even a band. As of the year 2022, most of the silent parties in America use three channel headphones. The person wearing the headphones can change which channel they are listening to with a switch on the headphones. Each channel on the headphones corresponds to a different transmitter. So, a three channel system would have three transmitters. Ideally, the silent party host supplies three music sources. They can be cell phones, tablets, laptops, DJs, bands, etc. Each music source is connected to one of the three transmitters. We’ll talk more about the equipment and the music requirements below, but first: Are the headphones disinfected and Covid-19 safe? We only use these coronavirus certified products that are on this list from the environmental protection agency to clean and disinfect the headphones between each use. If you own your own, you should do the same. If you rent the headphones, rest assured that rental companies are bending over backwards to make sure the headphones are safe and germ-free. We were doing that long before the Covid-19 scare, but as you can imagine, we have doubled down our efforts. Also, remember that according to WebMD, those RNA strands can only last up to 5 days on a hard surface. So, to make sure that you are double safe, we not only fully disinfect the headphones but we give them a 5 day time-out between rentals. If you rent your headphones, you will want to double check with your vendor regarding their disinfection standards, but here at, your safety is first priority. Is a silent party really silent? When the party first starts up, they really are weirdly silent. It is a surreal and other-worldly oddity that has to be experienced in order to understand how absurd it feels. But once the party heats up, headphone parties are definitely not silent. While they are still eerily silent compared to listening to loudspeakers cranked up to ten, your dancers will be singing slightly off key to music that only they can hear. They will also be laughing out-loud, talking to each other over the headphones and jumping up and down with their favorite dance moves. Silent parties don’t have any noise from loud music, but the crowd noise can be significantly boisterous. You won’t hear any music outside of the headphones, but when the party starts to heat up, your guests will start to lift their voices in song! As you know, people who are having fun usually make noise, so ultimately the volume level will depend on the number of guests you invite. What is the ideal space for a silent party? Should the range of the wireless headphones be a consideration? The first thing that people ask me when they are trying to decide where to hold their silent headphone party is the range of the wireless headphones. The headphones that we rent out have a range of 300 meters (or 328 yards). For reference, a football field is 100 yards. So, the headphones will still sound great more than 3 football fields away from the transmitters. These are not the Bluetooth headphones that you are used to. They don’t drop out when you get thirty feet from your cell phone. The type of wireless that silent disco headphones use is in the FM range and is therefore unaffected by walls and windows. This means that the headphones won’t lose any music quality or volume if you go upstairs, downstairs, outside or even around the block. This means that the room size/orientation is less important for silent disco than it would be for a traditional music party. You don’t even need a specific party room because the headphones still work fine outside of the room or even outside of the building. It is very important to have your silent party be ‘silent’ outside of the headphones. Much of the motivation to wear the headphones is the silence outside of the headphones. That same silence is much of the appeal for wearing the headphones. The best way to ruin a silent party is to have any audio available outside of the headphones because that gives people the option of not wearing the headphones. If a TV is playing or background music is playing outside of the headphones, you are taking away much of the attraction of the headphones and some guest won’t wear them. Where to get the equipment. (Should you rent or buy?) If you are that person who is putting on parties every month, buying the headphones would be a great idea. We sell them for as little as $39.00 per headphone. But if you are only putting on one or two parties a year, it is much easier to rent. The rental company takes care of the storage, the cleaning, the recharging and the disinfecting of the headphones for you. Most of the rental companies will also take care of the repairs and make sure your are receiving the latest technology. Rental companies like ours make sure that you receive the equipment several days before your party and are on hand for you to do a soundcheck and to help you with any set-up questions. More about the equipment below, but you can find more details about our rental process here. How to set up the equipment. (It is easier than you think) When you rent the equipment, set-up instructions are included, but it is literally plug-and-play. Here is a pictorial story of how easy it is to set-up & DJ your own event. The video below shows one of our transmitters. Live DJ vs Streamed Playlist. (Do you need a professional DJ?) Before Spotify, Apple Music and the many music streaming platforms that are available these days, you needed a DJ to supply the music and the sound equipment. These days you can make your own playlist(s) and you can find playlists that others have made including nearly any song that has ever been recorded. The music is digital quality and can be streamed on your phone, tablet or laptop at the press of a button. So you don’t need a DJ to supply the music and when renting the silent disco headphones and associated transmitters, you don’t need a DJ for their equipment either. You can connect your cell phone directly to the transmitter. No other equipment is required. What about the DJ’s expertise at setting up the equipment? Well, as mentioned above, you already know how to use your cell phone, and the transmitters are just plug-and-play. But if you do decide to hire one DJ, please share the video below with them. How one DJ should plug into our transmitters. If you want, you can hire three DJ’s and have a DJ competition! Each DJ plugs into one of the three included transmitters. Your guests switch from DJ to DJ with the selector on their headphones to find their favorite song. Their headphone color matches which DJ they are listening to and each DJ tries to win the group over to their color channel! How to set the volume levels for maximum guest satisfaction. As mentioned above, each headphone has three channels and the listener can switch from one channel to the other at any given time. You will connect a music source to each of the transmitters which will, in turn, broadcast to the headphones. For the example below, let’s assume that one of the music sources is your cell phone. There are two very important volume-related tips/best-practices. The first practice is how to make sure your wilder guests can turn up the music as loud as they want. The solution is to set your source music loud enough so that it sounds really loud to you even when your silent disco headphones are turned down to the halfway point. In other words, if you are using your cell phone for the music source, turn the headphones that you are wearing down to at least the halfway point and then start turning up your cell phone. While wearing your silent disco headphones at their 50% volume, turn up your cell phone until the music is as loud as you can stand. Leave your cell phone at that volume during the party so that your rowdiest guests can turn up their silent disco headphones way louder than you would ever want to turn up yours. That way, you’ll never get any complaints that your guests “couldn’t get the music loud enough.” The second practice is how to assure that each channel is broadcasting at the same volume. As we mentioned above, your guests will be switching channels on their headphones frequently. They don’t want to keep adjusting their volume each time they switch. The solution is to make sure each of the music sources are set at the same output volume. Don’t change the volume of the cell phone we just finished setting in the example above, and instead, match the other two devices to that one. What type of music works best? At silent disco parties, songs that participants know the lyrics to, can sing along with, songs with defined movements and songs that are in the ‘rave’ category with a powerful ‘bass drop’ work the best. Silent disco is not particularly well suited for slow-dancing, serious songs, mid-tempo songs or relatively unfamiliar songs. If it is a serious song, it needs to be one that everybody knows and can sing along with. Overall, the headphones work best with ‘fun’ party-style songs. Obviously, what defines a ‘fun’ party-style song is your guests at your party. Choose your playlists accordingly. We do not recommend having a different music genre on each channel. In fact we highly discourage separating the channels by genre because in-turn, it separates your guests by genre and lowers their interaction with each other. All three channels should have genre mixed playlists in order to maximize the fun and interactivity had by your guests. Because the headphones show which channel they are picking up by the color of the LEDs on the earpieces, you can see which channel your friends are listening to and they can see the same of you. This interactive element between your guests makes switching channels and encouraging your friends to do the same half of the fun! In order to maximize this amusing communication between your guests, you want all three channels to be equal in their appeal to everyone present. How to keep the headphones from walking away. Whether you rent or own the headphones, you don’t want people taking them home or losing them. Here are some ideas to help you hang on to them. Obviously this is not going to be a problem with close family and friends. These ideas are for those instances when you may not know the guests. 1. Hold onto their driver’s license while they have the headphones. You can keep the licenses in alphabetical order for quick return after the party. 2. Have staff at the entrance and exits so that nobody enters without picking up a headphone and nobody leaves without relinquishing a headphone. 3. Some vendors have RFID tags on the headphones and scanners to keep track of who has which headphone. – Beware that this will be an extra fee and not all vendors offer it. 4. Number the headphones with a sticker and write down each guest’s name next to the number of the headphone they have. 5. Hold onto their student ID in exchange for the headphones if it is at a school. Do you need a light show? A light show is extremely optional because the headphones themselves provide a human light show that is far more interesting than a mechanical light show ever could be. Not only are the dancers jumping up and down to the music, but as they switch the channel they are listening to, the color on the headphones changes too. colored headphones human lightshow The colored headphones create a human light show as the dancers bop to the music. in 2020, most of the rental headphones available light up according to their selected channel. The headphones that we supply light up in the colors blue, red, and green depending on which channel they are on. In the rare event that you actually have three DJs and each DJ is covering one of the channel colors, it is nice to have their DJ station lit up with the color of their channel but the same effect could be achieved with color coded T-shirts on the DJs. In cases where the music is supplied by streamed playlists on personal devices such as cell phones or laptops, a light show is really not needed. How much will it cost? Pricing for a live DJ, support staff or a band varies widely by location and name recognition, so I am only going to cover equipment costs in this post. First the price to purchase and then the price to rent: Purchasing prices: Purchasing smaller quantities can be as little as $39.00 per headphone and $139.00 per transmitter. The headphones use rechargeable batteries and require dedicated chargers. The chargers charge 16 headphones at a time and run $29.00 apiece. We sell headphone packages here. Rental prices: The cost to rent varies by vendor and quantity, but expect to pay between $4.00 and $8.00 per headphone. As you can imagine, the rental price per unit goes down as the rented quantity goes up. To further confuse the issue, some vendors charge $50.00 to $100.00 more for the rental of the transmitters will others include the transmitters in the rental price of the headphones. . Some companies include the shipping in the headphone price, while others charge for shipping on top of their rental fee. Our prices at include shipping both ways and all three transmitters. So there are no extra fees when you rent our headphones. In many cases there will be a security fee that you pay up-front and get back once the rental is over. Want to know more about the steps to rent disinfected silent disco headphones from us? We are here to help. Cost of a Silent Disco Party versus a Regular DJ Which costs more? A regular DJ with loudspeakers or a Silent Disco DJ? Obviously one sound system using loudspeakers can be heard by several hundred or a thousand people, but one headphone can only be heard by one person. Fee to rent silent disco is per headphone With our disinfected Silent Disco headphones, you rent one headphone per guest. So with a small party, a silent disco system is going to cheaper to rent than the traditional loudspeakers but with a large party the number of headphones required will cause silent disco to me more expensive. Let’s look at some actual numbers Regular DJ: $1000 -In my area, a DJ (using loudspeakers) that is considered professional quality is going to start around a $1000 and that price remains the same no matter how many guests are invited. Silent Disco Rental: $590.85 to rent 100 headphones in 2022. That price includes shipping both ways and all three transmitters. The price goes up or down as you add or subtract headphones. You can rent any exact number to correspond with your guest count. When you hire a DJ with a sound system that uses loudspeakers, the price is the same no matter how many guests you have! Cost of loudspeakers versus price of Silent Disco Headphones For a DJ with traditional speakers, it is one price regardless the number of guests. Silent Disco: If you want to rent silent disco headphones in 2022, it costs between $4 and $7 per headphone rental depending on how many you rent. At, our price is as low as $4 per disinfected headphone for larger quantities but the price per unit is higher for rental of smaller numbers. Here are some round number examples: (You can rent exact numbers of headphones for your party.)“Pricing” What is your cost for renting our fully disinfected silent disco headphones in 2022? Pricing depends on quantity. Examples of current pricing: Rental of 20 = $233.25 Rental of 30 = $278.75 Rental of 40 = $323.85 Rental of 50 = $368.35 Rental of 75 = $479.60 Rental of 100=$590.85 Rental of 150=$808.35 Rental of 200=$1025.85 Rental of 300=$1455.85 Rental of 500=$2305.85 (We also charge a security deposit, but that get’s returned to you when the equipment comes back safely. Learn more about that on our pricing page.) At my company, the DJ’s fee is an additional $395 per hour if we are supplying the music, the music players, the light show, our DJ skills and our master of ceremony skills. The prices above don’t include the cost of a DJ, but with silent disco, you don’t need to hire a DJ. Or to say it more accurately, our equipment makes it much easier to skip hiring and paying the professional DJ, again, saving you money. We provide the professional equipment and all you need to supply is your cell phone streaming your favorite music playlist. You don’t need a DJ because you connect your phone (or laptop or tablet) directly to the transmitters that we send you with the headphones. (Connect with either Bluetooth or an aux cord) The transmitters broadcast your music to the headphones. We send you three transmitters. One for each channel on the three channel headphones. Three times as much musical value in silent disco headphones. With three channels available to play three separate playlists, your guests have three options of music at any given time. (They can switch which channel their headphones are listening to with the flick of a switch on their headphones at any time during the event) So silent disco offers three times more music to your guests than a traditional loudspeaker system. This adds to the perceived value of silent disco over traditional loudspeakers. This three-channel increase in music options for your guests means less reliance on a professional DJ’s ability to choose the one unique song that should be played at any given time, which makes it quite a bit easier to justify saving the cost of hiring a DJ and using only automated playlists on your cell phone. Again the increased value as a party format leans toward the silent disco headphones! Yes, a professional DJ can add to the fun and three professional DJ’s can be even more fun than one! Each DJ broadcasts on their own channel (to their own transmitter). With three channels to stream unattended-automated playlists, there is a much greater chance of at least one of them having a fantastic song playing at any given time. If you are charging admission, guests are willing to pay a higher admission fees for Silent Disco Parties. So you will bring in more money from a silent disco party versus a traditional party with loudspeakers. The increased income from a silent disco can pay for the headphone rentals Obviously, this doesn’t pertain to wedding receptions or parties where you are not trying to make money, but it is important to note that people a silent disco format to be more valuable. Silent Disco is a hot and new trend that is easily three times the fun of a regular party! How about you? Have you had the chance to compare the two? Which format is worth more to you? -Let us know in the comments. We DJ with both Silent Disco and traditional loudspeaker sound systems. Let us know when your next party is coming up and we will help you decide which one is best for you. Yoga in the Park with Silent Disco Headphones: The Perfect Social Distancing Solution Your yoga class wants to meet but your indoor studio is too small for social distancing? We got ya covered! Yoga in the park, silent disco style! It’s the perfect socially distanced solution! Statistics show that fresh outdoor air is much better at stopping virus particles, – not to mention that it is far easier to social distance outdoors. Besides, who doesn’t want to do yoga in the park? But how will people hear your instructions and how do you charge admission when meeting out doors? Silent Disco will allow you to meet silently in the park while being socially distanced. (And no more need to get permission from the park to use a PA or Loudspeakers. ) You can charge admission per headphone, and be fully battery powered. (No electrical outlet needed!) As an additional benefit, you will gain new students because random visitors to the park will see you teaching and want to sign on! Some will join you right away, while others will take your flyer with your schedule and contact info in order to catch you next time. (Note to self: Remember to bring fliers) We’ll show you how it works below. Use our click-able table of contents for your reading convenience: It’s Easy! We supply all you need! We supply the wireless silent-disco headphones (fully disinfected) and the battery powered portable transmitters through our rental program. We also supply a lapel mic that plugs into our portable transmitters so your class can hear you. You supply your music using your cell phone, which connects to our transmitter via BlueTooth. These transmitters are perfect for leading socially distanced yoga classes outdoors. Silent disco? Why silent disco headphones instead of regular ones. You connect your voice and music to our transmitter, which in turn, broadcasts to the wireless headphones worn by your students. Silent disco headphones have a 300 meter range (328 yards) which allows your class to spread out more – social distance style! They’re perfect for kickin’ some corona butt in the year of the pandemic! Bluetooth headphones with their wimpy range of about 30 feet won’t work for this gig! Your voice will reach your student’s ears directly through the headphones via the lapel mic connected to the transmitter we send. Your music is coming through the headphones too, and you can adjust the volume of each independently. The headphones give you an easy way to charge admission when you are outdoors. Only those who pay admission will receive the headphones. If you were simply using a PA or loudspeakers for your session, anybody could join in and they would not have to pay. With the headphones, you simply charge per headphone. Boom! Who’s a money magnet? You are! Headphones allow better focus and volume control! Our over-the-ear headphones help your yoga class to focus because they block out ambient noises from crowds and traffic. No more distractions! Each headphone has its own volume control, so your participants can adjust it to their own listening comfort. Plot Twist! The headphones allow you to have multiple classes simultaneously in the same space! These headphones are the three channel type with a channel switch for the user. This feature would only be used if you decide to have multiple classes being taught at the same time. Can you imagine three different levels of yoga taught to an open-invitation outdoor audience? No more worrying about the advanced students being bored while the beginning students are being overwhelmed. The teacher on channel one could be teaching at a beginner level, -channel two intermediate, and channel three would be advanced level. Each teacher would have their own transmitter. (Each transmitter represents a channel) You could have up to three teachers or three classes being taught simultaneously in the same space. Your participants would decide which teacher they want to follow with a flick of the channel switch. When teaching only one class at a time, all students would stay on the same channel. Wait! Are these Silent Disco Headphones fully disinfected and Covid 19 safe?? Yes. They’re disinfected AF! We fully disinfect the headphones between each rental using products certified by the EPA as able to kill coronaviruses including Covid 19. Shipping time also kills coronaviruses and it takes time for them to be shipped from our place to yours. Recent studies show that the viruses die off after 3-5 days from a hard surface and less than one day from a porous surface. Depending on how far away from us you live, the shipping time alone will kill any coronavirus particles. We have your safety as #1! You might want to have disinfectant wipes available on your end for your students, but we take care of the headphones. What makes it all work? The magic of the portable silent disco transmitter Our Silent Disco Transmitter is Wireless, battery powered, offers bluetooth connectivity and a lapel mic. This portable silent disco transmitter works great for classes where the instructor needs to move around while using a microphone. You can use an audio cable or Bluetooth to connect your music to the transmitter. You probably don’t want to carry your phone around while teaching yoga. So instead of using the audio cable, we recommend using Bluetooth connectivity for your music. With Bluetooth, you are not tied to your phone. But if you want to carry your phone around, you do have the option of using an audio-cable for your connection. They hear you better! How the mic works. As shown in the image above, the microphone is a wired lapel mic. The transmitter is a belt-pack. (It has a belt clip so you can wear it on your belt or fasten it to your pocket or waistline) The transmitter has a mute button for the mic as well as a separate volume knob for the mic. When you are not talking, you just tap the mute button to cut out any ambient noise. Then tap again when you need to be heard. You would control your music volume using your phone. Ready to get started? Prices and how to rent our headphones The cost to rent our silent disco systems varies with the quantity of headphones you need. You can rent any exact quantity, but here is our price list for round numbers of headphones. Steps to rent our silent disco headphone systems are right here. If you already know what to do, just tell me how many headphones you need and I’ll get your order started! How much fun is silent disco? “For your ears only!” Check out how much fun they are having at this backyard party! It works great in a backyard party and it is quiet enough that the cops won’t be called to come and break it up. How much fun are these people having? If that wasn’t enough, check this out! Florida State University partying hard with Silent-Disco-Rental! With Silent disco, you don’t have to crowd around the DJ loudspeakers. Instead, the music is in your headphones and stays the same volume no matter how close or far away you are from the DJ! Silent Disco Rental: For your ears only! How to set-up & DJ your own Silent Disco It’s so easy, my dog could do it! (Well, actually, it does require opposable thumbs.) Below is a visual guide starring my dog, “Pascal,” to show you how! (It is in the “story” style, so you click on the image to get it to advance or click on the left of the image to get it to play the previous slide(s). ) Steps to set-up, plug-in and DJ your own Silent Disco Dance Party. Read on to learn how to plug in your phone, tablet, or laptop into the transmitters that we include when your rent our headphones. Doing so allows you to DJ your own silent disco dance party with your own playlists. #1) When your rentals arrive, do a sound check first thing. Your rentals will arrive two days before your party, open the box(s) and locate the transmitter cases so you can do a sound check long before your event. #2) Open up the transmitter cases and plug them into an electrical outlet. They will turn on and already be on the correct channel. No need to adjust anything. #3) Next, plug the supplied aux cord into the “Audio in” jack on the transmitter and the other end into the “Headphone” jack on your device. #4) Or, use Bluetooth to connect/pair the transmitter with your device. Use the Bluetooth if you don’t have a “headphone” jack on your device or if you need to have a wireless connection between the transmitter and your device -especially helpful if it is your cell phone. #5) Repeat this with each of the three transmitters we supply. You will need any combination of three devices; one for each transmitter. #6) Queue up your favorite playlist, grab a pair of headphones, turn them on and start your dance party! If you are using a streaming account, remember that you will need three different accounts unless you have the family plan. You will use one account for each device. If you do have the family plan, it allows you to use multiple devices on the same account simultaneously. We like Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music and Pandora best. Are you ready to rent headphones for your party? There is still hope for love! What if she is still interested? How can you know? We are the LOVE Doctors and we are here to help! Your best chance to impress her is to host a silent disco at your place! We send all the silent disco equipment you need. All you have to do is invite her over! If music be the food of love, play on! `Shakespear’s Twelfth Night True love at last! Love at first sight! It’s your choice… Are you in or out? Your destiny awaits you! Now is the time to bring true love into your life. All you have to do is invite her to your party: But first, you need to rent our silent disco headphones here. This is what she’ll say: “These sound fantastic! They are sooo much better than the headphones at the last Silent Disco party we attended!” But even if you don’t invite her and she doesn’t come to the party, here is something else that what might happen: You invite you closest friends, your co-workers and family and none of them want to leave because they are having the time of their lives! They just can’t stop dancing, laughing and singing! The next day, your boss gives you a raise, and that special (completely unexpected) someone that you met at the party asks you for a date! You knocked it out of the park! And it all started because you rented the best silent disco equipment available! The best part about it was that you didn’t have to worry about how easy it was to set up. That’s because you just plugged it in and you were ready to go! But even to have the second scenario happen, – You need to rent our silent disco headphones first. Why Silent Disco Headphones are the Party Solution of Choice for the Special-Needs Community Why do people who work with autism spectrum disorder call silent disco the ultimate party solution? Every year, we do a silent disco party for the American Special Hockey Association (ASHA) which supports over 90 special hockey teams across the United States. Hundreds of people from all walks of life attend; the players, family members, friends and coaches. Every year we marvel at how silent disco brings such a diverse group together, and it does so in a way that a DJ or band with traditional loudspeakers never could. Often people who have not experienced the wonders of silent disco headphones assume that headphones isolate dancers from each other. They do the opposite with any audience. The headphone aspect of silent discos actually make the events more social. With the special-needs community, the headphones bring people together in an extra dramatic fashion that simply cannot be beat by any other form of entertainment! How do the headphones create this magic of togetherness and celebration? In this post, we take a closer look at how the unique attributes of a headphone party are tailor-made for this demographic. Silent disco headphones are perfect for the special needs community and for guests on the autism spectrum. Silent Disco headphones are their entertainment medium of choice for end of season parties. We will start be saying that our headphones are thoroughly disinfected between rentals. In the age of Covid-19, we use EPA approved disinfectant products and techniques to keep all of our guests safe. And now, back to headphone benefits: Headphones accommodate for hearing sensitivities that can be found in autistic guests and others. In the special needs community, hearing sensitivity is common. They may love the music but feel uncomfortable with the volume levels found at a large party. If one group wants the music loud and another group doesn’t, it is difficult to party together. With silent disco, everyone wears headphones in order to hear the music. Each of the headphones have their own volume wheel that each user can adjust at will. Thanks to the volume adjustment, people that want the music loud can dance right next to the people that want the music soft. Everyone has their own volume. The headphones also keep the volume constant. They block out the sudden and uncomfortable volume changes that come from celebrating crowds at parties. All of the guests at a silent disco are more comfortable and relaxed because any hearing sensitivities are soothed by the individual volume controls on each of the headphones. The end result is that the headphones allow everyone to participate more comfortably with their own customized volume level. The headphones help ADHD sufferers to focus by blocking out external audio distractions. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are common in the special needs community and the headphones help these guests to maintain their focus. Silent disco headphones block out distracting noises, keep the music in the forefront and the volume constant. This helps to keep everybody together and focused on the same celebration. Without the headphones, some of the participants would get distracted and not be able have as much fun together. Again, the headphones allow everyone to participate and to be together in ways that would simply not happen with loud music blasting from traditional loudspeakers. Ultra adjustable headbands on our fully disinfected headphones accommodate all head sizes. Heads come in all shapes and sizes in any group, but this can be extra important with this demographic and broad age range. Silent disco headphones are highly adjustable so they fit just right and won’t fall off during dancing. In every party, we get some dancers that really get into the music. This is especially true with our special-needs guests. Some of them have dance moves that just won’t quit! Even if the headphones stay on with extra vigorous dancing, if they are too tight, that is just as bad. The ear pads are very soft and comfortable so they don’t feel too tight even after an extended amount of wearing time. The importance of everyone feeling included cannot be overstated. It is the headphones make it happen. The ability to switch channels enhances the feeling of control for the autistic guest. We use three-channel versions of the headphones which allow party guests to choose between three different songs at any giving time. Everyone likes to have a sense of control over their environment and the special-needs community is no exception. So they not only have the ability to control their volume, but they also have the ability to control which song they are listening to with just the flick of a switch on the headphones. This control over what is happening inside their headphones makes the guests more comfortable, more confident, and in turn, more able to party together with the whole group. The headphones give the feeling of inclusiveness and individual comfort at the same time. In other words, the headphone wearing party guest has the best of both worlds. As an individual, the headphones make them feel safe and in control of their environment. As a member of the group, the headphones help them to feel more included and therefore, able to participate more fully within the group. In summary, how do the headphones create this magic of togetherness and celebration for the special-needs community? Every guest feels more comfortable, more in control and more included. From there it is is so much easier for them to celebrate and have fun together. Ready to rent our fully disinfected silent disco headphones for your next event? See our prices here. See our rental process here. Sacramento Comedy Club gets them Laughing Outdoors using disinfected silent disco headphones During Covid-19 restrictions, Laughs Unlimited Comedy Club is killing it with outdoor shows by using silent disco headphones to deliver social distanced hilarity! Laughs Unlimited Comedy Club is in the news using our headphones. The August 2020 news article is titled: Laughs Unlimited Celebrates 40 Years and Pivots to Entertain Under Covid-19 “The headphones provide a surround sound experience that creates the close intimacy of laughter in the group setting of a comedy show without the concerns of the general public hearing jokes they didn’t sign up for.” Sacramento KFBK news They call it “Inside Jokes – Outside Laughs.” Below is how it works: Outdoor audiences find it easier to focus on the comedian and they can hear the jokes better. The club started with 40 silent disco headphones with guests at tables on the sidewalk. The show worked so well, that they went to 80 headphones in one week. The city liked the silent comedy so well that they closed the street and invited the club to use the whole street! The club charges admission on a per-headphone basis. Only the people wearing the headphones can hear the comedy. The comedians are saying that the outdoor-silent-headphone-comedy works even better than comedy indoors because the headphones help audiences to pay attention. The guests are less self-conscious and more focused while wearing the headphones and are therefore laughing harder. They tell me that the audio going directly into their ears allows them to hear the jokes better, – even while they are laughing. This allows the comedians to build the jokes on top of each other faster and more effectively. More laughter means more fun for both audiences and comedians! An added benefit is for the guests that ‘don’t get it’ and then fall behind, -you know, -the ones who ask their friends for clarification and then miss the next joke? With the addition of the headphones, they don’t interrupt their friends as much and so both they and their friends are missing fewer jokes and laughing more often. When guests do want to talk to each other, they simply remove the headphones, but because that takes effort, they do it less during the show. And if they do, it never disturbs the other guests. Here is a YouTube interview showing the how well headphone comedy works for Laughs Unlimited. Comedy outdoors using Silent Disco Headphones The headphones eliminate all audio distractions. The comedians love the headphones so much, they are actually contemplating continuing the use of the headphones indoors. The neighbors love it because there are no loudspeakers. The only amplification is inside the headphones, so it makes a much more quieter gathering. The headphones have a range of 300 meters, so there is plenty of social distancing available. Because of the extended range of the headphones, there is plenty of room for audience growth as well. If you would like to learn more about how Laughs Unlimited is using silent disco headphones to enhance their comedic programs, you can find them at Need to accommodate larger audiences? How about adding a Big Screen or Jumbotron? Inflatable flat screen creates a portable drive in theater while disinfected silent disco headphones provide the audio Project your comedian’s image on the inflatable flat screen to transform your outdoors into a drive-in theater. ~Replace the drive-in movie with your live comedy show projected on the screen. The screens are inflatable now which makes them extra portable! For your sound system, use fully-disinfected-Covid-19-safe silent disco headphones. Comedy show admission is charged ‘by-the-headphone.’ We also have microphones and stage lighting available. And of course, If you would like to increase your comedy business during Covid-19, We at are here for you. Learn the steps to renting our disinfected silent disco headphones here. A Social Distancing Block Party Using Disinfected Silent Disco Headphones Trying to figure out a way to have a dance party while maintaining social distance guidelines? We have an answer. The following photos show an entire apartment building enjoying a Silent Party with carefully disinfected wireless headphones while maintaining safe social distancing. After the photos, We will show you how you can do it too! Social distanced neighbors enjoying a silent disco during covid 19 A Social Distancing Dance Party Walls and ceilings don’t stop our wireless headphone technology which means you don’t have to be in the same apartment to still be in on the party! Covid 19 silent headphones dance party with social distancing Apartments all across the building can safely join in the dancing! We thoroughly disinfect the headphones between each rental, so you don’t have to worry. Joining in on the covid 19 social distancing silent headphone party. Even if you party inside, the wireless music is not affected by windows, walls or ceilings. Each lit up headphone is another person safely enjoying the social distanced silent party. This could be the coolest event of all Covid 19. Social Distancing Block party made possible by silent disco headphones Each of those spots of light are someone enjoying the silent disco party from the social distanced safety of their own homes. Just a quick note about how we disinfect the headphones and then we will go through the steps of how you can plan a party like this for your own neighborhood. We disinfect and clean the headphones before you rent them. We only use wipes that are ETA approved for Coronaviruses and Covid-19. Remember that the virus can only survive up to 2 or 3 days on hard surfaces, (and 24 hours on soft surfaces like cardboard) so as an additional safety measure, we box up your rentals 3 days before we ship them. So even if our disinfectant team misses a strand of Coranavirus RNA somewhere, the 3 or more days in the shipping box will assure that our headphones are virus-free and safe for you to handle. snow man with a mask Even our mask wearing snow-person is keeping your safety in mind! Steps to planning your own silent social distancing party. • 1) Map out which apartments or homes are within a 300 meter/328 yard radius or three football fields of your location. (Our transmitters will send the audio to a radius of 300 to 500 meters, but let’s err on the safe side. ) • 2) Create a flyer with the time and date of the party asking them to RSVP with the number of headphones they need and their contact info. (If there is a fee for your party, include your Venmo or PayPal payment info. Include your email for them to RSVP to.) • 3) Leave the flyer note on their doors. • 4) Once they RSVP, contact me with the number of headphones you need to rent. • 5) Start creating your playlists. (This is assuming that you are the one supplying the music with phone/laptops/tablets etc) • 6) When your rentals arrive two days before your event, do a full soundcheck. • 7) The day of your event, use a separate bag for each apartment to deliver the headphones while maintaining safe social distancing. (Participants will put them back in that same bag for you to collect them again after the party.) • 8) Have an amazing time dancing the night away! • 9) Box up the headphones and use our pre-paid label to get free shipping back to us. • 10) Enjoy your new-found ‘Hero’ status as you humbly acknowledge all of the Thank-You’s from your neighbors saying what a fantastic time they all had! Ready to rent? Check for price & inventory
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Critic’s Corner: Stranger Things 2 Is an ‘Eleven’ Out of Ten Nine episodes of “Stranger Things 2” were released on Netflix on Oct. 27, just in time to relish the eerie special effects used to illustrate the alternate world of the upside-down for “Halloweekend” binge-watching. The second season of “Stranger Things” picks up where the first season left off. The common notion that sequels never live up to the original does not apply to this series.“Stranger Things 2” continues to elevate its storyline by including just as many spine chilling scenes as the last and its complex storyline remains unpredictable. This season, the characters are confronted with issues that are relevant beyond the 1980s setting of the show. For example, one of the new characters this season, Max Mayfield, experiences emotional and physical abuse within her family. The audience watches the different impacts abuse has in her life and the way she tries to cope with her pain. Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair and Dustin Henderson are again exposed to ridicule, threats and physical abuse from school bullies. Their strange interests and association with the unexplainable events that occurred the year before label them as outcasts. Will discovers a newspaper clipping in his locker with his eyes crossed out and the words “Zombie Boy” written below his picture. Paranoid and upset, Will tries to overcome his emotions on his own through drawing his version of “Zombie Boy.” Upon discovering Will’s drawing, Will’s brother Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) provides emotional support and understanding for Will by reassuring him that being called “Zombie Boy” is good because it makes him different. “Nobody normal ever accomplished anything meaningful in their world,” Johnathan said to Will. Throughout the season, each character searches for a sense of belonging and a place to call home. Embarking on a journey to find her home, Eleven reunites with her mother Terry Ives along the way. To her disappointment, she discovers that her longing for a home is not with her biological mother, which sends her further away from her home. She attempts to leave her past behind by traveling across the state, but she realizes that she needed to leave behind the pain and revenge she was holding onto to recognize the joy in her life and where her home lies. Paying tribute to Barbara Holland’s death in season one, Barbara’s parents, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan and Steve Harrington navigate the different stages of grief. Unconvinced that their missing daughter is dead, Barbara’s parents open an investigation to discover Barbara’s whereabouts, which forces Nancy to acknowledge her repressed feelings towards Barbara’s death and try to reconcile the situation. “Stranger Things 2” also builds upon the powerful strength of the female leads that were introduced in the first season. Joyce and Eleven were the main beacons of strength in season one, exemplified by Joyce’s persistence in the pursuit of her son and Eleven’s choice to put the needs of others before the needs of herself. This season, The Duffer Brothers wrote Nancy as a more courageous and bold character. She opposes standards in her life that she had previously reluctantly abided by. She fights against the injustices done by the Hawkins scientists and the expectations generated by the high school hierarchy. Max is another powerful female lead. Max is a praiseworthy character because of her rebellious and individualistic personality. She breaks gender norms in the 1980s by skate boarding through the halls of Hawkins Middle, playing and dominating the leaderboard in arcade games and dressing up on Halloween as Michael Myers from “Halloween.” “Stranger Things 2” leaves room for a third installment in the series, as the final scene sparks many unanswered questions for the viewer. The last moments of the series quickly juxtaposed a safe and warm moment with a startling reminder of the menacing world that still exists. The nostalgic feeling of “Stranger Things” along with the intricate and emotionally raw storyline keeps audiences engaged and wanting more. Optimistic that the Duffer Brothers will continue in their two-season success, it will be thrilling to see what other horrors and character developments “Stranger Things” has in store. Hunter may be reached at [email protected]
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VoxEU Column Sovereign money: A challenge for science There has been an intense academic and policy debate on what monetary architecture is the most appropriate recently, but many issues are still unresolved. This column looks at the circumstances under which the current system and the sovereign money system yield the same outcomes, the core arguments in favour of the current system, and what advantages a sovereign money architecture might offer. The Chicago proposal, the Global Crisis, and in particular the recent vote on the sovereign money initiative in Switzerland have brought up a central question to the public.1 Is the current monetary architecture the best possible one or might other structures yield better results with respect to price stability, the stability of the financial system, or the level of GDP? Though the Swiss initiative was clearly dismissed, the central questions remain unanswered, and thus require a comprehensive analysis by researchers. There exists an important literature on that subject (e.g. Bacchetta 2018, Benes and Kumhof 2012, Birchler and Rochet 2017), but various key issues are still unresolved. The current system in a nutshell To outline the main issues, it is important to recall that the current monetary architecture is built on four pillars (e.g. Faure and Gersbach 2016).  • The creation of money is organised hierarchically. The central bank issues banknotes and coins (physical central bank money) which serve as legal tender. • Commercial banks have the right to issue deposits when they grant loans or purchase assets. Deposits themselves are claims on banknotes. • Commercial banks face a set of rules such as capital requirements or deposit insurance schemes. However, they are not (or only to a small extent) required to hold central bank money as reserves for their deposits. • Interbank liabilities – for example, created through the millions of payments in the economy – are usually settled with reserves (electronic central bank money). Only commercial banks have access to reserves. A sovereign money architecture Given the four pillars that define the prevailing monetary architecture, a sovereign money architecture would demand that banks can only issue claims on banknotes if they have acquired the same amount of central bank money before, most likely in electronic form. This requirement can be stipulated as a 100% reserve requirement or as a direct requirement to first borrow central bank money before lending can take place. The central bank would lend central bank money to commercial banks through short-term or longer-term loans or through more sophisticated arrangements such as repo contracts. The central bank can allocate central bank money based on quantity restrictions, or it can set interest rates connected with collateral requirements to borrow central bank money. The central bank could also inject central bank money into the economy through financial markets, which could then be deposited at commercial banks and used for lending to firms or for buying securities.  Hence, the scientific question is how does such a system perform and, in particular, how does it perform in comparison with the current architecture? The following three issues are thereby of particular importance.  Three core issues Issue 1: Under what circumstances do the two systems (current system and sovereign money system) yield the same outcomes?  This question might be surprising, but it is fundamental. We can only comprehend the differences between these two systems if we understand the simplest setup in which both perform equally well. A first answer has been given in my earlier work (Faure and Gersbach 2016) in a simple framework with coexisting bank and bond financing.  Equivalence proposition If prices are flexible and there are no bank defaults and no financial frictions, and if the central bank only uses interest rate policy in both architectures, both systems yield the same outcomes. There is a simple intuition for this result. If the central bank only uses the interest rate as a policy instrument, it does not matter whether a bank creates loans and deposits and later refinances its interbank liabilities – created in the payment process – at the central bank, or directly borrows central bank money in a sovereign money architecture and lends this money to the private sector.  Issue 2: What are the core arguments for why the current system is strictly better than a sovereign money architecture? Immediate arguments can answer this question. For instance, it seems obvious that a sovereign money architecture requires much more (and too much) information from the central bank – acting like a central planner for money creation. Moreover, it may prevent banks from acting when they are offered attractive lending opportunities but lack central bank money. Hence, the elasticity of bank lending in the real economy tends to be higher in the current system than in the sovereign money architecture. A thorough scientific analysis of these potential advantages is an important endeavour for a clear assessment of the potential merits of the current monetary architecture.  Issue 3: Are there particular advantages of a sovereign money architecture in comparison with the current architecture? The two most obvious potential advantages are greater financial stability, in particular the avoidance of bank runs by retail depositors, and higher seigniorage revenues for the government. Whether bank runs are avoided in a sovereign money architecture depends on whether deposits, as claims on central bank money, are kept on the balance sheet of commercial banks (Faure and Gersbach 2018). If deposits remain off the balance sheets, or are even kept as accounts at the central bank and guaranteed by it, runs are avoided. However, even if runs by retail customers on commercial banks are avoided, we may simply end up with runs from institutional investors, since commercial banks may end up financing themselves from these sources. Again, a clear understanding of financial stability concerns in a sovereign money architecture and an assessment which regulatory tools are adequate to deal with them would be highly welcome. The same applies for the potential to generate higher contributions from money creation to government revenues. Striking an appropriate balance between building up reserves at the central bank and distributing money to the government also remains relevant for a sovereign money architecture.  The Chicago proposal, the Global Crisis, and the Swiss sovereign money initiative have challenged policymakers to examine alternative monetary architectures. These events have challenged economists to at least the same extent.  Bacchetta, P (2018), “The sovereign money initiative in Switzerland: An economic assessment”, Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics 154(3):1-16. Benes, J. and M Kumhof (2012), “The Chicago plan revisited”, IMF working paper 12/202.  Birchler, U and J-C Rochet (2017), “Die Vollgeld-Initiative – ein Leitfaden für jedermann”, Institut für Banking und Finance, University of Zurich. Faure, S and H Gersbach (2016), “On the money creation approach to banking”, CEPR Discussion Paper 11368. Faure, S and H Gersbach (2018), “Money creation in different architectures”, CEPR Discussion Paper 13156. Gersbach, H (2018), “Vollgeld – Eine Herausforderung für die Wissenschaft”, ifo Schnelldienst 71(16): 15-16. [1] For a discussion of the key issues of sovereign money, see Gersbach (2018, German only) 1,260 Reads
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1. A pass in a recognized Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the relevant field and obtained at least 50% (45% in the case of candidates belonging to reserved category) in the qualifying degree examination. • B.E / B.Tech Degree Programme (or) • Master’s Degree in the relevant branch of Science / Arts, which are prescribed (or) • M.Sc.  (5 Years) Integrated Degree Programme • B.Sc.   (3 Years) ( Computer Science / Information Technology) and M.Sc 2 Years (Computer Science / Information Technology) (or) • MCA   (2 Years) after 10+2+3 Years Bachelor’s Degree (or) • MCA   (Lateral Entry) / (2 Years) after 10+2+3 Years Degree in BCA or B.Sc (Information Technology / Computer Science) 2. 10+2+AMIE**     (or)    10+3 years Diploma * +AMIE** *Awarded by the State Board of Technical Education **Candidates with section ’A’ & ‘B’ certificates and other similar certificates issued by professional bodies or societies (e.g. A.M.I.E) recognized by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India and enrolled with institutions with permanent recognition upto 31.5.2013 are eligible to be considered equivalent to B.E. / B.Tech Degree holders, only with 2 years regular full time Teaching / Industrial experience in the relevant field after successful completion of the course including project work. An experience certificate is to be produced by the candidates. 3. In case of B.E / B.Tech / MCA / Diploma courses, in addition to regular mode of study, Lateral Entry and Part time modes are also considered to be eligible. 4. Candidates admitted through Lateral Entry in degree courses are not eligible except, B.E / B.Tech. 5. Candidates with B.E/B.Tech degrees obtained through Distance Mode / Week end courses are not eligible. 6. Candidates with degree obtained without studying 10th, 12th Std. or 3 years degree programme are not eligible. 7. The qualifying UG Degree awarded by Universities should conform to the minimum standards of instruction for Grant of the First Degree through Formal / Non-Formal / Distance (Wherever applicable) Education prescribed by UGC. Sl No. P.G Programmes Eligible Qualifications 1. M.E-Manufacturing Engineering B.E / B.Tech 1. Production Engg/Tech. 2. Automobile Engg. 3. Mechanical Engg. 4. Industrial Engg. 5. Metallurgy 6. Manufacturing Engg./Tech 7. Mechatronics 8. Material Science and Engg. 9. Rubber and Plastics Tech. 10.Polymer Engg/Tech. 11.Mechanical and Automation Engg 12.Robotics & Automation 13.Metallurgical Engineering 2. M.E-Power Electronics and Drives B.E/B.Tech 1. Electrical and Electronics Engg. 2. Electrical Engineering 3. M.E-Communication 1. Electronics and Communication Engg. 2. Electronics Engg. 4. M.E-Computer Science and Engineering B.E / B.Tech 1. Electronics and Communication Engg. 2. Information Technology 3. Computer Science and Engg. 4. Software Engineering. 5. Computer and Communication Engg. 5. M.E-Aeronautical Engineering B.E / B.Tech 1. Aeronautical Engineering 2. Mechanical Engg. / Mechanical Engg. (Sandwich) 3. Aerospace Technology 4. Civil Engineering 5. Mechatronics / Mechatronics Engg. 6. Mechanical and Automation Engg. 7. Robotics and Automation Make an Enquiry for Admission 2022 Come and Join With Us
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VIN# Number Code Sticker Label Decal for Mercedes G-Class EU version Regular price €75.00 Tax included. Please provide the following information when ordering EU version: 1. Vehicle identification plate 2. Vehicle manufacturer 3. EU type approval number 4. Vehicle identification number (VIN) 5. Maximum permissible gross vehicle weight 6. Permissible towing weight 7. Maximum permissible front axle load 8. Maximum permissible rear axle load 9. Paint code Handling time: 1-3 days Perfect for original car decoration; Make your car more special and eye-catching; Decorate your car with these personalized stickers; Package list: 1 pcs. Suitable for use with EU G-Class versions. Place for door jamb label The Safety Compliance Certification Label, or door jamb label, is located on the driver's side doorjamb (door latch post pillar). We are here to make your life easier- RESTARTCAR
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Object name: Opium-Pipe Date: 1800-1850 85 x 510 mm Medium: Brass Object number: C02112 DescriptionOpium pipe inscribed with four Chinese characters at the top. The Cuming family, who created the Cuming museum collection in the 18th and 19th centuries, collected objects from all around the world, including China. Like many collectors of their day, their attitudes and interests were shaped by their world. It was a world of creation and inventiveness but also invasion, seisure and obliteration. The rise of new empires, especially the British Empire, reshaped the rest of the world, often by force. This force could be applied through war but also through less obvious means such as exerting influence, appropriating cultures or demanding and enforcing trading agreements to serve British interests. The opium pipes in the Cuming collection represent part of Richard and Henry's interest in collecting the same kinds of objects across different cultures, countries and communities. Henry Syer Cuming writes of the interest he has in collecting objects which show the "progress of cultures and nations towards civilsation". He meant Western civilisation and he was not alone in seeing this as a goal. It was a common attitude in the 19th century and arguably remains today. The objects he collected about China include a lot of footwear for bound feet and opium related items. Probably as a result of Western countries' wish to profit from China, stereotypes were fostered depicting Chinese people in unsavoury ways, particularly as opium addicts. All without really mentioning Britain's part in creating, controlling and expanding the global opium drug trade by brutally enforcing their trading demands on China and China's resistance.
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Django Unchained (2012) Django Unchained (2012) – There is a musician that performs under the name Girl Talk. What he does is creates new songs composed entirely of samples of other songs. Yet what he creates manages to be something new. Quentin Tarantino is one hundred percent the cinematic version of that and, as Entourage pointed out, “Tarantino only steals from the best.” The 1966 spaghetti western Django is a violent little gem beloved by a fans of the genre (and hey, I just reviewed it!) that spawned over thirty unofficial sequels. These “sequels” basically have nothing in common except there are all spaghetti westerns about or in some way relating to a dude named Django. One of the more recent ones was a bizarre Japanese flick by Takashi Miike called Sukiyaki Western Django (hey, I just reviewed it!) that also featured the participation (as an actor) of one Mr. Quentin Tarantino. Now it fits that if Quentin is going to finally make an all-out spaghetti western (Kill Bill and Inglourious Basterds already had a lot of elements of the genre) then why not name the hero Django? That’s just how QT works. The film begins the same way Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 film did: with a trek across the desert set to the soaring sounds of Luis Bacalov’s theme song (unsurprisingly called “Django”). Instead off a lone man dragging a coffin, we get the Speck brothers (James Russo and James Remar) on horseback leading a group of chained-up slaves. They run across a traveling dentist named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) who is looking to procure one particular slave from the Speck… Django (Jamie Foxx). After some *ahem* “negotiation,” Schultz and Django set out to find the Brittle brothers (M.C. Gainey, Doc Duhame, Cooper Huckabee). You see Schultz is a bounty hunter and while he despises slavery, he needs Django because Django can identify the Brittles. Django is only too eager to bring the Brittles to violent justice since they whipped, abused, and branded Django and his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). They track them to the plantation of Big Daddy (Don Johnson, playing even more racist than he did in Machete) and after that Schultz decides to train Django to become a bounty hunter, and to help him get his wife back from deranged Francophile plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Of course Candie has a house slave named Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson looking like a live action version of Grandad from The Boondocks) who knows that Schultz and Django are up to something… Okay, I want to get to my one big problem with this movie: the iconic coffin from the Corbucci film and its deadly contents aren’t in it! Not that the movie particularly suffers from this omission, I just see the title Django Unchained and I want to see that coffin dammit! Okay, film geek bitching aside, this movie is a whole lot of fun. You got to be prepared for graphic violence (obviously), not all of which is the fun over-the-top spaghetti western kind. Some of it a brutal reminder of the darkest chapter of American history. Mostly, however, the movie isn’t interesting in dwelling on the grim. Also be prepared to hear a certain racial slur. A LOT. Spike Lee heavily criticized Tarantino’s use of that word in Pulp Fiction… his head would explode if he ever watched this one. (He won’t, though.) There is a lot of funny stuff in this movie, particularly in a scene with Johnson, Jonah Hill, and some very confused proto-Klansmen. The cast all-around is pretty great. Foxx is the best kind of tough and taciturn western antihero. Waltz, on the other hand, is phenomenal and is getting the most out of Tarantino’s wonderful dialogue as a garrulous fellow who can and does talk his way out of almost everything. DiCaprio delves into the repellent role of Calvin Candie enthusiastically and gives the movie the villain it needs. Jackson also takes a role that could be problematic in a lesser actor’s hands (and in a lesser writer’s too) and turns it into a part you just can’t take your eyes off of. Also, with comparatively little screen time, Kerry Washington sells you on Broomhilda being worth risking everything for. Tarantino himself has a small part, doing an abominable Australian accent. Some people would say this detracts from the movie, but QT has never been about verisimilitude. Like all QT movies, Django Unchained screams “THIS IS A MOVIE” from start to finish, and is better for it. Spotting the director cameo is just part of the fun. Previous Tarantino actors Michael Parks, James Parks, Michael Bowen, Zoë Bell, and Tom Savini all pop up as well as character actors like Walton Goggins, Robert Carradine, Tom Wopat, Bruce Dern, and FRANCO FUCKING NERO, the original Django! I feel like at this point everyone knows what to expect from a Quentin Tarantino movie. He’s put his own spins on gangster movies, the French New Wave, Blaxploitation, kung fu flicks, slasher movies and car flicks (in the same movie!), and World War II “men on a mission” flicks. I think anyone familiar with his body of work will know exactly what to expect and love it. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s %d bloggers like this:
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Author`s name Dmitry Sudakov Communists demolished Cathedral of Christ the Savior raised by public subscription In July 1931, the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union made a decision to demolish the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. The whole Russia shared in the construction of the cathedral – it was financed from the state coffers while part of the money was raised by public subscription. The cathedral was meant to be erected as a monument to mark Russia’s victory in the Great Patriotic War against Napoleonic France in 1812. The manifesto issued by the Russian Emperor Alexander I read: “May this cathedral stand for many centuries. May the censer of gratitude smoke beside the holy altar of our Savior so that the next generations will hold in deepest respect the deeds of their forebears.” But the future had a different plot in store. In less than fifty years the cathedral was demolished by the Bolsheviks. The builders laid the foundations of the cathedral on October 12, 1817, five years after the French army fled Moscow. Scores of people from all over the city came to witness the ceremony. Many an architect submitted their designs for consideration. But the tough competition was eventually won by the member of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts Carl Wietberg. The location chosen for the cathedral seemed perfect – the Vorobyevy Hills, which would have shown off the cathedral’s majestic splendor. Then the project suffered a series of mishaps. The contractors were reported to have shamelessly misappropriated funds and stolen construction materials. The ill-wishers and enemies of Wietberg even accused him of taking part in the stealing of the money. But the accusations proved to be groundless. Later the commission ruled that the choice of the location had been a disaster. The base of the hills was found to be too weak to hold a colossal load, and therefore the cathedral might have slid down the river bank. The construction was put on hold. Konstantin Ton, the architect who built the Grand Kremlin Palace and the Armory Palace, won a new competition. Nicholas I handpicked a new location, on the hillside, in close proximity to the Kremlin. The foundations were laid in 1833. It took 40 years to complete the construction. The cathedral became the tallest cathedral in Moscow and Russia’s main cathedral. Josef Stalin apparently had several reasons when he made up his mind to blow up the main cathedral in this country. Clearing up the place for the construction of the gargantuan Palace of the Soviets was one of the reasons. He probably tried to gauge the reaction of the people to such a monstrous act of mockery. The residents of nearby houses were warned that the cathedral would be pulled down by detonation in the small hours of the following morning. And a load detonation echoed through the town at dawn. But the cathedral was still standing. Holding the binoculars to their eyes, Josef Stalin and his henchman Lazar Kaganonich could not believe what they just saw. They pictured the cathedral go down crumbling. But it kept standing tall as if in defiance. The field engineers had to use additional explosives and blow up each of the piles and supporting walls. We do know and remember what happened afterwards. A public swimming pool was built on the site. Thank God, they never built the Palace of the Soviets. In the end, the swimming pool was shut down and filled with earth as though it had never existed. And the cathedral rose up again. Komsomolskaya Pravda Translated by Guerman Grachev Discuss this article on Pravda.Ru English Forums
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Personalised cancer medicine, an opportunity or a threat? | Anticancerfund Personalised cancer medicine, an opportunity or a threat? 24 August 2021 The term ‘personalised medicine’ has become hip lately, so no wonder it also appears in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and its accompanying Cancer Mission. But what’s it all about? And is personalised medicine really the way forward in treating cancer? Personalised medicine, also referred to as precision medicine, contains so much more than medical care customised for an individual patient. But it seems as the definition isn’t the same for all. That’s why caution is justified when it comes to using personalised medicine in cancer war strategies, and policymakers should be wary of the hype. A buzzword “Personalised medicine as a whole has become a buzzword in both the academic and public debate around health care. The lack of clear definition means that its use is open to interpretation, complicating discussions around the associated risks, benefits and potential limits and leading to confusion on the part of patients. Having a well-defined, globally consistent terminology would benefit patients and their health literacy.” (cited from Gill et al., 2020 ‘Access to Personalised Oncology in Europe’ London School of Economics). One definition is that personalised medicine means your medical care is based on your genes. Researchers started digging into our genes years ago, because they noticed that a treatment worked for one person, but not for another person with the same type of cancer. Additionally a tumour might contain mutated cells that respond in a specific way to treatment.  So now physicians collect information about the genes of a cancer patient but more importantly also about the tumour’s genes, before prescribing a personal therapy. What could be the danger of this? We already flagged, earlier this year, that innovative drugs do not always imply true value for patients, meaning that patients should live longer and/or better following treatment. Unfortunately, when a new drug enters the market these essential criteria of true value for the patient, are not always fully demonstrated. What about the outcomes? The same concern also emerges in this: recent policy documents by the European Union, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and its Cancer Mission, articulate broad policies aimed at reducing cancer mortality across Europe. The focus for cancer treatment in these manifestos is personalised cancer medicine. However, the Cancer Mission suggest in its documents that the uptake of personalised cancer medicine is ‘hampered by uncertainty about its outcomes’. How so? The European Commission is working on a new Partnership on Personalised Medicine, which will be funded under Horizon Europe. This new Partnership on Personalised Medicine will make recommendations for the roll-out of new personalised medicine approaches in medical practice. One of the initiatives is to use ‘Next generation sequencing’ (NGS) to apply therapeutic approaches based on cancer profiles. However, there are some limits in this. Think of the complex biology of advanced cancers, for instance. The complexity, plasticity and genetic heterogeneity of advanced cancers will continue to thwart the impact of personalised cancer medicine, limiting it to specific pathologies, or rare subsets of them. Indeed, in personalised cancer medicine with a targeted therapy guided by a validated molecular biomarker, known as pathology-driven, reviews learn that targeted treatments can cause toxicity. Moreover, clinical benefit can sometimes be marginal so proper assessment of the added value for patients is required.            In the second type of personalised cancer medicine, the pathology-agnostic use of targeted therapies in so called basket trials, the outcomes are not very encouraging either. In this, patients receive drugs that target specific genes. But it seems that few patients are able to receive a drug that truly matches and only a very few had a response. More details of the findings just mentioned, can be read in this publication. Individuals and health systems face new challenges Earlier findings of the European Council on personalised medicine for patients should also be taken into consideration (2015/C 421/03). The Council notes for instance that, “with the development of personalised medicine, individuals and health systems face new challenges, including balancing its risks and benefits while also considering its ethical, financial, social and legal implications, particularly regarding pricing and reimbursement, data protection and public interest in processing personal data.” Our conclusion? Personalised medicine is an opportunity, but to reveal its potential, we strongly advice that new treatment strategies should be properly studied to provide a solid evidence base demonstrating patient’s benefit based on relevant endpoints, before full implementation in Europe’s ambitious war on cancer. More information about Europe's war on cancer and about how we connect with European decision-makers Lydie Meheus Lydie Meheus is the Managing Director of the Anticancer Fund. Lydie holds a PhD in Biochemistry.
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Smoke damage restoration is one of the primary services of our industry. Many projects are fairly cookie-cutter while others require more effort to execute. This past winter, Soil-Away Cleaning & Restoration Services of New Hampshire was presented with a unique project that was outside of the everyday smoke damage cleanup loss. A three-story, New Hampshire barn built in 1839 had a fire. Fortunately, only a very small part of the structure was destroyed.  That was the good news for the property owner. The bad news was that historic structure was heavily impacted by smoke and soot damage. In addition to the damage to the barn, the nearby home sustained smoke odor damage. Both the barn and home needed a lot of work. After a failed effort by another restoration contractor, Soil-Away was called in by the large loss adjuster to salvage the project. The insurance company was extremely concerned about their exposure because of the historic nature of the property. A Soil-Away project manager, adjuster and the homeowner collaborated on a scope that would give the best chance of saving the barn and deodorizing the house. The majority of the work on this restoration project was concentrated on the barn. The three-story structure was built from rough-cut lumber. This surface excelled at trapping soot. Traditional methods such as hand wiping with dry-sponges and towels would not be effective at removing the soot. Soil-Away crews utilized HEPA vacuuming and dry-ice blasting. Working methodically top-to-bottom, the entire 2,000 square foot structure was HEPA vacuumed. This was followed by dry-ice blasting and a second round of HEPA vacuuming. The process was very detailed and slow due to the size and nature of the structure. Nevertheless, section-by-section the barn slowly returned to pre-loss condition. Thankfully, saving the home was a much easier task. Through regular cleaning using dry sponges, wiping down walls, and ozone technology, it was a quick cleanup and deodorizing process. Soil-Away had to overcome many challenges over the course of this project. First was the skepticism and frustration of the property owner. The first restoration contractor assigned to the job had failed. The project was inherited with a client short on patience and doubtful that a satisfactory outcome could be achieved.  The second challenge was battling the winter weather. The project started in mid-January and continued on-and-off until early March. Record-low temperatures and snowfall in New England created several logistical obstacles to overcome. The final challenge was the scope of the job itself. The volume of detailed work on this loss required an above-average level of attention to detail and expertise.  The project ended with a satisfied client and insurance company. The barn was saved. Communication and a lot of hard work were the keys to success on this loss. Setting proper expectations for all parties involved was vital at the onset of the project, including consistent communication with the homeowner and adjuster helped minimize any bumps in the road during the project. Finally, strong leadership from the Soil-Away onsite project manager allowed for efficient execution.
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Day 702, driving to… Day's pictures, Poetry Day 702-1 In the morning, driving to work, waking up from a sleep. Some caffeine to move and get up to sit and plan the day. Listening to a book, enjoy the drive a thousand times. Each bend is known, I feel the friction, the weather decides. I wouldn’t mind driving all day, going nowhere to the next turn. But then I arrive, open the door into my life and close my escape.
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