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Two distinct plants are known as chamomile and are used interchangeably: German and Roman chamomile. Although distantly related botanically, they both look like miniature daisies and are traditionally thought to possess similar medicinal benefits.
Over a million cups of chamomile tea are drunk daily, testifying to its good taste, at least. Chamomile was used by early Egyptian physicians for fevers, and by ancient Greeks, Romans, and Indians for headaches and disorders of the kidneys, liver, and bladder.
The modern use of chamomile dates back to 1921, when a German firm introduced a topical form. This cream became a popular treatment for a wide variety of skin disorders, including eczema, bedsores, skin inflammation caused by radiation therapy, and contact dermatitis (eg, poison ivy).
authorizes the use of topical chamomile preparations for a variety of diseases of the skin and mouth.
Chamomile tea is also said to reduce mild tension and stress and to aid
There is no reliable evidence that chamomile is effective for the treatment of any health condition.
A controlled study of 161 individuals found chamomile cream equally effective as 0.25% hydrocortisone cream for the treatment of
However, this study did not use a placebo group, and does not appear to have been
. For this reason, the results are not reliable. (For information on why double-blind studies are so important, see
Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies?
A study of 72 individuals with eczema found somewhat odd results: In this trial, chamomile was not significantly more effective than placebo, but both were better than 0.5% hydrocortisone cream.
It is difficult to interpret what these paradoxical results actually mean, but they certainly cannot be taken as proof that chamomile cream is effective.
In a double-blind study, chamomile cream proved
effective for reducing inflammation of the skin than hydrocortisone cream or witch hazel cream.
Finally, in a
trial, 50 women receiving
for breast cancer were treated with either chamomile or placebo.
Chamomile failed to prove superior to placebo for preventing skin inflammation caused by the radiation therapy.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 164 individuals did not find chamomile mouthwash effective for treating the mouth sores caused by chemotherapy with the drug 5-FU.
Chamomile cream is applied to the affected area 1 to 4 times daily.
Chamomile tea can be made by pouring boiling water over 2 to 3 heaping teaspoons of flowers and steeping for 10 minutes.
Chamomile tinctures and pills should be taken according to the directions on the label. Alcoholic tincture may be the most potent form for internal use.
Chamomile is listed on the FDA's GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list.
Reports that chamomile can cause severe reactions in people allergic to ragweed have received significant media attention. However, when all the evidence is examined, it does not appear that chamomile is actually more allergenic than any other plant.
The cause of these reports may be products contaminated with "dog chamomile," a highly allergenic and bad-tasting plant of similar appearance.
Chamomile also contains naturally occurring coumarin compounds that might act as "blood thinners" under certain circumstances. There is one case report in which it appears that use of chamomile combined with the anticoagulant
led to excessive "blood thinning," resulting in internal bleeding.
Some evidence suggests that chamomile might interact with other medications as well through effects on drug metabolism, but the extent of this effect has not been fully determined.
Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with liver or kidney disease has not been established, although there have not been any credible reports of toxicity caused by this common beverage tea.
If you are taking blood-thinning medications such as
you should avoid using chamomile as it might increase their effect. This could potentially cause problems.
Aertgeerts P, Albring M, Klaschka F, et al. Comparison of Kamillosan cream (2 g ethanolic extract from chamomile flowers in 100 g cream) versus steroid (0.25% hydrocortisone, 0.75% fluocortin butyl ester) and non-steroid (5% bufexamac) external agents in the maintenance therapy of eczema [translated from German].
Patzelt-Wenczler R, Ponce-Poschl E. Proof of efficacy of KamillosanŴ cream in atopic eczema.
Eur J Med Res.
Fidler P, Loprinzi CL, O'Fallon JR, et al. Prospective evaluation of a chamomile mouthwash for prevention of 5-FU-induced oral mucositis.
Maiche AG, Grohn P, Maki-Hokkonen H. Effect of chamomile cream and almond ointment on acute radiation skin reaction.
Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler VE.
Rational Phytotherapy: A Physicians' Guide to Herbal Medicine.
3rd ed. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag; 1998:256.
Budzinski JW, Foster BC, Vandenhoek S, et al. An
evaluation of human cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibition by selected commercial herbal extracts and tinctures.
Korting HC, Schafer-Korting M, Hart H, et al. Anti-inflammatory activity of hamamelis distillate applied topically to the skin. Influence of vehicle and dose.
Eur J Clin Pharmacol.
Segal R, Pilote L. Warfarin interaction with Matricaria chamomilla.
2006;174:_PHONE_. Canadian Medical Association Journal website. Available at:
April 28, 2006.
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This example shows generation of the Ic versus Vce curve for an NPN bipolar transistor. Define the vector of base currents and minimum and maximum collector-emitter voltages by double clicking on the block labeled 'Define Ib and Vce'. Then double click on the block labeled 'Generate Characteristics'.
This type of plot can be compared against a manufacturer datasheet to confirm a correct implementation of the transistor parameters. You can also use this model to examine the transistor characteristics in the reverse region by specifying a range of negative Vce values. In this region, the gain is defined by the Reverse current transfer ratio BR parameter. Increase this parameter above one to produce a reverse current gain.
To explore the properties of a PNP bipolar transistor, open model elec_bipolar_pnp.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


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- July 1, 1971
- With Executive Order 11603, President Nixon folds the Peace Corps and several other service programs into a new federal volunteer agency called ACTION. The Peace Corps' original Congressional mandate, however, remains unchanged.
- November 1974
- Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1968, and Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts, a Volunteer in Ethiopia from 1962 to 1964, are the first returned Peace Corps Volunteers elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. They both go on to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
- October 1977
- Carolyn Robertson Payton is appointed Peace Corps Director by President Jimmy Carter. She is the first female and the first African American to be Peace Corps Director.
- Peace Corps closes its post in Afghanistan. The Peace Corps entered Afghanistan in 1962 and 1,652 Volunteers served in the country until the program ended.
Last updated Jul 16 2012
Fast Facts on Paper
These files are in PDF format and require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Check out our searchable collection of select electronic Peace Corps historical materials from the Peace Corps archives and contributions from current and returned Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff.
Visit the Digital Library

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


© 2021 Apprentices of War, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Apprentices of War: Memoir of a Marine Grunt is a book by Gary Tornes, who served as a United States Marine during the Vietnam War.
"Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, WWII - The apprentices of all wars are the young grunts who do most of the fighting and dying. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary deeds daily. Often they neither receive nor do they expect special recognition for their actions. Their apprenticeships are short and violent. Survival often depends more upon luck - than training and experience. It's an environment where peer pressure creates heroes. Those who survive are often better people for it. They move forward with their lives possessing the unique self-confidence that only a battlefield produces."


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Development of keeled flowers
A study using scanning electron microscopy has revealed that the keeled petals of Leguminosae and Polygalaceae are fundamentally different.
25 Mar 2011
Scanning electron micrographs of dissected floral buds of Polygala violacea (left) and P. gomesiana (right) (Image: M. Angélica Bello Gutierrez).
In keeled flowers, one of the petals (or two fused petals) forms a complex hooded structure that encloses the reproductive organs. The keel can facilitate pollen presentation in cases where pollen is deposited on it.
Keeled flowers are highly characteristic of some Leguminosae and Polygalaceae, two of the four families that comprise the rosid eudicot order Fabales. Research on floral development at Kew and Reading University, conducted by former Kew PhD student Angélica Bello, shows that the characteristic crest that occurs on the keel of some Polygalaceae develops relatively late in floral ontogeny.
Despite some ontogenetic similarities, the morphologies of the two types of keeled flowers are fundamentally different, suggesting a functional convergence between these two closely related families.
Item from Dr Paula Rudall (Head of Micromorphology, RBG Kew)
Originally published in Kew Scientist, issue 38
Bello M.A., Hawkins J.A. & Rudall, P.J. (2010). Floral ontogeny in Polygalaceae and its bearing on the origin of keeled flowers in Fabales. International Journal of Plant Sciences 171: 482–498.
Scientific Research and Data
- Kew Science Project – Floral Evolution
- Kew Science Project – Monocot Floral Evolution
- Kew Science Project – Floral Evolution in Lamiales
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As power densities of laser diodes continuously increase, the effects of absorption losses in fast axis collimation lenses become exceedingly important. We report our analysis of two drivers of these absorption losses, coating absorption and glass bulk absorption, and how these absorption losses cause a thermal impact and have an influence on the performance of the laser beam quality emitted from a laser diode equipped with a fast axis collimation lens on a bottom tab. The presented results are derived from finite element method (FEM) simulations and the FEM model used is based on material data from data sheets and a heat transfer coefficient derived from cooling curves of components observed by a thermal infrared camera.
Precision glass molding (PGM) is an optical manufacturing process used to hot press optical glass into a specified lens shape. This is done by taking the glass to a temperature above Tg and exerting force using an upper and lower mold. These molds will, together, give the pressed lens its shape. This study focuses on the high temperature interactions between the mold tooling material and two optical oxide glasses, Ohara's L-BAL35 and Schott's N-FK5. Flat molds were used to press flat glass work pieces at high temperature and force; key post process parameters such as sample and mold surface contamination using EDS and visible degradation via SEM were catalogued and analyzed. The molds used were bare tungsten carbide (WC) and silicon carbide (SiC) with an amorphous SiC chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coating. The results showed that raw WC molds suffered the most degradation including physical damage as well as chemical adherence and reaction. The Ti binder used in the WC as well as some the tungsten itself transferred to both glasses and caused a white reflective layer to appear on the molded glass surface. Severe damage was evident after only 2 pressing cycles with potassium from N-FK5 being the most prominent chemical contaminant. N-FK5 proved to be the more corrosive of the two glasses in all occasions. The SiC coated molds fared better in terms of degradation than the WC, however sticking of glass to mold was a problem.


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Stochastic thermodynamic cycles of a mesoscopic thermoelectric engine
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2021
We analyze a steady-state thermoelectric engine, whose working substance consists of two capacitively coupled quantum dots. One dot is tunnel-coupled to a hot reservoir serving as a heat source, the other one to two electrically biased reservoirs at a colder temperature, such that work is extracted under the form of a steady-state current against the bias. In single realizations of the dynamics of this steady-state engine autonomous, four-stroke cycles can be identified. The cycles are purely stochastic, in contrast to mechanical autonomous engines which exhibit self-oscillations. In particular, these cycles fluctuate in direction and duration and occur in competition with other spurious cycles. Using a stochastic thermodynamic approach, we quantify the cycle fluctuations and relate them to the entropy produced during individual cycles. We identify the cycle mainly responsible for the engine performance and quantify its statistics with tools from graph theory. We show that such stochastic cycles are made possible because the work extraction mechanism is itself stochastic instead of the periodic time dependence in the working-substance Hamiltonian which can be found in conventional mechanical engines. Our investigation brings new perspectives about the connection between cyclic and steady-state engines.


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A series of three-line stanzas, in Italian verse that contain the following rhyme: the middle line of each stanza rhymes with the first and third lines of the next stanza. ABA BCB CDC, etc.
(ex. Percy Bysshe Shelley's"Ode to the West Wind" )
In a piece of literary work, the theme is the idea that the author wishes to express. Many literary devices contribute to the theme like the plot, setting, and figurative language.
The attitude that a writer displays in his or her work through their choice of words and details. Every piece of literature contains a tone.
When a protagonist meets an unhappy or disastrous ending in a piece of literary work. A tragedy is the opposite of a comedy
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Optimizing NI-RFmx Measurements for Speed
Today's RF electronic devices pose many challenges to businesses tasked with ensuring that quality products are fabricated according to specifications. With an increasing pressure to lower the test costs, many RF test engineers face the challenge of reducing the measurement times. The need to optimize a test system for measurement speed has become increasingly important in automated test systems for design or production test. This document will explore various ways to optimize the speed of RF measurements using the NI-RFmx API.
NI-RFmx is a measurement-centric API that provides easy access to measurement speed optimization through:
 - Custom measurement parameters and instrument settings
 - Composite measurements
 - Multi-measurement parallelism with results naming
 - Measurement automation with signal naming
 - Instrument driver field-programmable array (FPGA) extensions
To further understand how NI-RFmx can be used to optimize your test application, you can review the four fundamental operations that are required to complete any measurement:
 - Configure measurement parameters
 - Acquire raw data
 - Analyze data per configured measurement parameters
 - Fetch desired results
From simple serial measurements to advanced parallelism, you can use NI-RFmx to easily build applications for test and measurement. NI-RFmx is optimized for modular instruments; thus, you can achieve the fastest test times with software that is built to exploit multi-core CPU processing and inherent parallelism in the PXI platform. Since the four operations listed above are performed on different modules in the system (e.g. VSA (acquire), host CPU (analyze), etc.), you can easily extract the parallelism inherent in RF measurements. In the first part of this document, the influence of RF measurement parameters and instrument settings on the overall measurement speed will be investigated. In addition, trade-offs, such as measurement speed vs. accuracy will be considered. Recommendations on how to achieve faster measurement speed will be provided. The second part of this document will cover various acquisition and analysis techniques for efficiently performing multiple measurements.
Part I: Measurement Parameters and Instrument Settings Optimizations
Traditionally, electrical signals were analyzed using an oscilloscope to observe voltage or current waveforms in the time domain. However, while time domain information is important, it doesn't provide the full picture. Observing the signal in frequency domain provides additional insight into the underlying structure of the analyzed signal. Using a spectrum analyzer, the frequency content of the signal can be observed, as depicted in the figure below.
Figure 1. Time and Frequency representation of the signal
There are two main types of spectrum analyzers: swept-tuned and FFT based. In this document, techniques to optimize measurement speed using FFT based spectrum analyzers will be discussed.
To produce the final spectrum measurement, the FFT-based spectrum analyzer takes multiple time domain acquisitions at different RF frequencies (as required), converts these to the frequency domain, and then stitches them together to form the complete spectrum. The time domain signals are converted to the frequency domain using fast Fourier transform (FFT). The FFT can be performed either on the host or on the FPGA of an RF instrument, such as NI PXIe-5646R or NI PXIe-5840 VST.
To understand how to optimize the measurements in the frequency domain, it is important to consider the basic structure of the FFT based spectrum analyzer. The following figure depicts a block diagram of superheterodyne spectrum analyzer. The term superheterodyne has the Greek roots, heteros, meaning "other" and dynamis, meaning "force" [2]. Here, heteros refers to the translation to another frequency, while dynamis refers to the apparent amplification of the detected signal during the heterodyne process. The super part of super-heterodyne refers to super-sonic, meaning that the heterodyne process was extended above the audio frequency range.
Figure 2. Structure of a superheterodyne spectrum analyzer
In a typical spectrum analyzer, an RF input signal first passes through an attenuator to limit the signal amplitude at the mixer and maximize the dynamic range of the measurement. Then, the signal travels through a pre-selector or a low-pass filter to eliminate any unwanted frequencies. Next, the attenuated and filtered RF input signal gets mixed with a local oscillator (LO) signal. As the LO is mixed in, the RF signal is downconverted to the IF frequency where the shape of the IF filter is traced out in the measured amplitude data.
Figure 3. Mixing process
The band-pass IF filter eliminates most of the unwanted signals (distortion products, images, etc.) resulting from the mixing process. After the signal passes through the IF filter stage, the signal goes through an anti-alias filter (AAF) that limits the bandwidth of the input signal before it enters the analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Next, the signal is converted from analog to the digital domain by an ADC. Once the signal is digitized, DSP is performed to provide improved dynamic range, faster sweep speed and better accuracy.
To take full advantage of the hardware specification of your vector signal analyzer and maximize the hardware performance, it is important to choose RF measurement settings that are aligned with the end-goal of your application. Sometimes the most accurate measurement is not the fastest one; it is important to understand which RF measurement settings control these trade-offs between accuracy and speed. NI-RFmx exposes RF measurement settings to achieve fast RF measurement times with capable accuracy. To further understand how the measurement process can be optimized, consider the measurement states that a VSA goes through while controlled by the NI-RFmx driver.
Figure 4. RFmx State Diagram (typical state transitions are displayed)
The hardware is first initialized and then transitions into the configuration state. After the hardware settings are changed in the Configuration State, and Commit is called to apply those settings to the hardware, an internal timer is triggered to consider the settling time needed for the settings to take effect. The total settling time will be dependent on what settings have been changed.
When the Initiate is called after Commit, it will consider the amount of settling time that has already elapsed and will wait for the remaining settling time, allowing the hardware settings to settle before starting the acquisition.
Different VSAs will have different settling times for different instrument settings (LO settling, frequency change, etc). For more information on the settling time of the instrument, please refer to its hardware specifications.
Instrument Settings
While configuring RF measurements, one area that takes noticeable time is applying the settings to the hardware. This is similar to disk write operations on the OS. No matter how fast your system is, every time an exchange of data with hardware is involved it takes considerable time. In some cases, committing a particular setting to the hardware can even take longer than the actual acquisition. The total measurement time (Configure + Commit + Initiate + Fetch) will be affected by the time it takes for instrument settings to settle. To minimize the instrument configuration time, RFmx implements a local cache of all the instrument settings. In addition, all the measurement settings are also cached to help minimize the re-configuration time between measurements. For example, if a TxP measurement is followed by an ACP measurement with a different bandwidth and reference level but at the same frequency, RFmx will only update the reference level and bandwidth settings on the hardware. Since the frequency has not been changed between measurements, RFmx does not re-apply the frequency setting to the hardware, thus reducing the configuration time by limiting interaction with the hardware to only when it is needed.
In addition, if your test system performs the same measurement at multiple frequencies and/or power levels repeatedly, NI-RFmx optimizes this though a property called "Limited Configuration Change" to help achieve faster measurements.
Figure 5. NI-RFmx "Limited Configuration Change" property
When the "Limited Configuration Change" property is enabled for the NI-RFmx driver (SpecAn, LTE, etc.), NI-RFmx will use an optimized code path and reuse the acquisition settings (cached on the first commit), ignoring changes to all attributes except for Frequency, Reference Level and External Attenuation. NI-RFmx will typically run checks on configurations to verify if any parameters have changed in case of driver modifications; enabling "Limited Configuration Change" will skip these checks and only modify the selected properties. This feature may also be leveraged to lock instrument settings to a signal, causing RFmx to ignore changes to RFmxInstr and personality properties in subsequent Initiate and Commit calls.
NI recommends using this feature with named signal configurations, allowing RFmx to precompute acquisition settings for the measurement configurations and re-use settings on successive Initiate calls on the measurement. Note that you do not need to use this property if you create named signals for all the measurement configurations in your test program during test sequence initialization. Also, do not change any RFInstr or personality properties while testing each device under test; NI-RFmx automatically optimizes that use case by caching the named signals settings internally.
Refer to the Advanced:Limited Configuration Change Property and Limitations of the Limited Configuration Change Property topics for more details.
RFmxInstr Advanced: Tuning Speed Property
Tuning speed property allows you to make trade-offs between the LO tuning speed and phase noise. For faster measurement time, set the "tuning speed" property to Fast.
Figure 6. LO tuning
The benefits of tuning speed will be most noticeable for multi-span acquisitions where the LO is retuned for multiple sub-spans. For a single-span acquisition (when the span of the acquisition is less than or equal to the instantaneous bandwidth of the analyzer and the center frequency remains fixed), setting the tuning speed to "Fast" will not have any improvement on the measurement speed since there is no need to retune the LO. However,


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Biomod/2011/Caltech/DeoxyriboNucleicAwesome/Random Walk Formula
< Biomod | 2011 | Caltech/DeoxyriboNucleicAwesome
Random Walk Formula
General Modeling Idea
The random walk on DNA origami can be modeled as one dimensional random walk with a reflecting and an absorbing barrier (Figure 1). Tracks in the same column are grouped into rectangles, and each step is defined as walking from one rectangle to the adjacent one.
Consider a random walk on a line segment with N+1 sites denoted by integers (0,1,2, …, N) (Figure 2). The walker starts random walk at site i, 0 < i ≤ N. Let p be the probability for the walker to move one segment to the left, q be the probability for the walker to move one segment to the right. The probability for the walker to stay at a particular site for the next unit time is thus r = 1 – p – q. When the walker reaches site N, the partially reflecting barrier, it has a probability of β to be reflected back to site N – 1, and a probability of α = 1 – β to stay at site N in the next unit time. When reaching site 0, the absorbing barrier, it stays there for 100% probability and the random walk ends.


Animal Spirit Energy 101
Some of us may of heard the phrase "Animal Spirit" at one time or another or maybe its a new term for you, however, you found your way to this blog and so get ready to explore this term a little deeper. Animal Spirit Energy is raw and powerful, most of us can benefit from merging with that kind of force. What does it really mean to have a connection to an animal spirit though? What's all the hype?
Animal Spirit Energy is a powerful way to call upon our own instincts. Down the rabbit hole we descend again, no animal pun intended. Let me say first that I am delighted to hear people using this phrase more often since it demonstrates their innate connection to nature and it also gently stirs the instinctive power we all carry within us.
In order to understand Animal Spirit Energy we have to be willing to get down and dirty in a sense. Animals act out of pure instinct for the most part, although I do believe they are evolving consciously as much as we are but that's a whole other blog entirely. Okay back on track, its pure instinct that drives animals to survive, to thrive, to live and to reproduce another day on this planet. They don't ever stop to think "Am I doing this right? Am I living in the moment? What will happen tomorrow?" They live purely in the moment. Animal Spirit Energy Lesson 1: stay in the moment, live in the now. Act instinctively.
But how do we do this when we live in a world that moves so fast and can be overwhelming with distractions, demands and deadlines? Perhaps think of the way an animal lives its life. They thrive in nature, surrounded by natural elements that sustain them somehow, someway everyday of their lives. They trust in Mother Nature to provide, they trust in themselves to provide, they trust without even realizing they trust because they are pure souls that don't have the capability to overthink things. Animal Spirit Energy Lesson 2: Trust in yourself and your resources, don't overthink and get out in nature!
So how do you know if you have an animal spirit? How do you connect with one? There are many ways to go about doing this but the most organic way is to allow your animal spirit guide to pick you. No animal is too big or too small, all of them carry messages to assist us at certain times in our lives. For example: Maybe you've been seeing a woodpecker every single morning as you are getting into your car for work. It seems to be banging its little beak on a tree right outside your front door in your line of sight every morning for the past 3 days. Coincidence? No. So what could that woodpecker possibly be trying to get through to you? Well if you are like most people you'd probably disregard this encounter and not even consider that it has a message for you at all but I encourage you to look deeper. Maybe the sound of its beak drumming on the tree, is reminding you to take up drumming or listen to some drumming music, which is grounding and healing for the spirit. Native American drumming preferably for healing. You can start by asking yourself: Are you feeling off balance? Moving too fast? Do you feel your feet when they touch the ground and I mean really feel them? Do you feel centered? The woodpecker also a bird that scales the trees and flies in a swooping motion. Do you feel free to fly from place to place without constrictions? How do you move through your life? Are you graceful? Do you swoop and dive? Observe all aspects of the animal, the woodpecker in this case.
We have to take the time to notice the way these animals move, what they do, how they hunt and how they live their lives. Yes this means more time in nature is beneficial but there are other resources where you can gain information of any power animal. How you take the time to observe and learn about these beautiful creatures is irrelevant, what's important is that you take the time to do it. There are sites where you can actually look up the meaning of each animal which I do recommend in the beginning of connecting with your animal spirits. These are all simple but profound ways to read the messages any animal may be trying to convey to you, they don't use words so we must use feeling, intuition and body language to communicate. All you have to do is set an intention to connect to its energy and you'll know its successful when you feel elevated sensations in the physical body. Messages will vary from person to person and each experience into merging with your animal will be different as well. Animal Spirit Energy Lesson 3: Lean into your instincts and intuition and allow yourself to feel free. Don't dismiss the messengers of nature no matter how small, they speak to us always, be mindful. Tune in. Listen. Observe.
Another way that an animal spirit could be trying to connect to you is when you keep seeing certain pictures of a specific animal over and over, or you see jewelry with that animal or a poster or a t-shirt. When there are repetitive signs of the same animal that's usually a strong message that a certain animal spirit wants to connect with you. Will you listen?
Then there is the intuitive way to know when an animal spirit is connecting and that's when you just know; deep down you've always connected with a particular animal or you just have a feeling that this certain animal is your Animal Spirit Guide. Note: Your animal spirit guides can change over your lifetime so don't limit the amount of animal energy you may be connecting with.
There are many different paths to take when connecting with Animal Spirit Energy and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Use your childlike innocence and imagination to lead you and you will be pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Since this is only Animal Spirit Energy 101 we won't get too far down the rabbit hole today but these are good pointers on how to start tuning in to animal spirit energy. We have guidance right outside our front doors, out in a park, on the beach or up in the sky or tree. By tuning our antennae back into the sounds of nature we tune back into our natural state which is harmonic and when we listen to the animal messengers we gain insight into ourselves. So I challenge you to dig your claws into the earth and hold space so that you can hear what messages are trying to be shown to you. Be mindful and notice which animals cross your path or come into your mind often, notice what instincts or feelings they stir for you and observe the natural magic that patiently waits for you to interpret its meaning.
Heavenly Bracelet Shop's Animal Spirit Crystal Bracelet Collection springs from a love of animals, the messages they have for us and the power they can bring into our lives. (CLICK on image to return to "Animal Spirit Crystal Bracelet Collection"
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The rat is so evasive that it scrams into hiding if the CPU temperature rises due to increased anti-malware scanning!
In 2018, an overview into the developments of GravityRAT was published by cybersecurity researchers.
The Gravity remote access tool (RAT) allegedly designed by Pakistani advanced persistent threat hackers—has been used since 2015 in targeted attacks against Indian military services, being mainly focused on Windows operating systems but subsequently with Android targeted as well.
Recently, the spyware rat was inserted into a travel application for users in India but the identified module did not look like a typical piece of Android spyware. For instance, a specific application has to be selected to carry out malicious purposes, and the malicious code was not based on the code of previously-known spyware applications.
This development subsequently motivated researchers at Kaspersky to compare the module with already known APT families. Analysis of the command and control addresses used revealed several additional malicious modules, also related to the actor behind GravityRAT.
Overall, more than 10 versions of GravityRAT were found, being distributed under the guise of legitimate applications, such as secure file sharing applications that purportedly help protect users' devices from encrypting Trojans, or media players. In totality, these modules, when used together, have enabled the group to tap into not just Windows OS, but also Android and IOS platforms.
Do you smell more RATs?
Tatyana Shishkova, a Kaspersky security expert, commented: "Our investigations indicated that the actor behind GravityRAT is continuing to invest in its spying capacities. Cunning disguise and an expanded OS portfolio not only allow us to say that we can expect more incidents with this malware in the APAC region, but this also supports the wider trend that malicious users are not necessarily focused on developing new malware, but developing proven ones instead in an attempt to be as successful as possible."
Further investigation confirmed that the group behind the malware invested effort into making a multiplatform tool. In addition to targeting Windows operating systems, it can now be used on Android and devices by Apple.
The campaign is still active.


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This tutorial shows how to send modifications of code in the right way: by using patches.
The word developer is used here for someone having a KDE SVN account.
We suppose that you have modified some code in KDE and that you are ready to share it. First a few important points:
Now you have the modification as a source file. Sending the source file will not be helpful, as probably someone else has done other modifications to the original file in the meantime. So your modified file could not replace it.
That is why patches exist. Patches list the modifications, the line numbers and a few other useful information to be able to put that patch back into the existing code. (This process is called "patching" or also "applying a patch.")
The main tool for creating patches is a tool called diff, which makes the difference between two files. This tool has a mode called unified diff, which KDE developers use. Unified diffs have not just the difference between the file but also the neighborhood around the differences. That allows to patch even if the line numbers are not the same anymore.
The most simple patch is created between the modified file (here called source.cpp) and the non-modified version of the file (here called source.cpp.orig.)
diff -u -p source.cpp.orig source.cpp
That lists the difference between the two files in the unified diff format (and with function name information if possible.) However it only displays it to screen, which is of course not the goal. So you need to redirect the output.
diff -u -p source.cpp.orig source.cpp > ~/patch.diff
~/patch.diff is here an example and you can create the file where you prefer with the name that you prefer. (You will soon find out that it is probably not a good idea to create a patch where the source is.)
But normally, you do not just change one file and you do not keep the original version around to be able to make the difference later. But here too, there is a solution.
The program svn, which is used on the command line interact with the SVN server, has a diff function too: svn diff.
You can run it like this and it will give you the difference of the current directory and all sub-directories below it. Of course, here too, you want to redirect the output.
svn diff > ~/patch.diff
There are useful variants too (shown here without redirection)
Note: even if svn can make the difference of another directory (svn diff mydirectory), it is not recommended to do it for a patch that should be applied again. (The problem is that the person that will apply the patch will have to be more careful about how he applies it.)
Note: for simple diff, like those shown in the examples above, svn diff can be used offline, therefore without an active connection to the KDE SVN server. This is possible, as svn keeps a copy of the original files locally. (This feature is part of the design of SVN.)
By default, svn diff does not have a feature like the -p parameter of diff. But svn allows that an external diff program is called, so you can call diff:
svn diff --diff-cmd diff --extensions "-u -p"
The procedures described above work very well with text files, for example C++ source code. However they do not work with binary files, as diff is not made to handle them. And even if SVN can internally store binary differences, svn diff is not prepared to do anything similar yet, mainly because it currently uses the unified diff format only, which is not meant for binary data.
Therefore, unfortunately, there is little choice but to attach binary files separately from the patch, of course attached in the same email.
First, you need to make svn aware of files you have added.
svn add path/to/new/file /path/to/another/new/file
Then run svn diff as before.
Note that if you do svn revert, for example, the files you created will NOT be deleted by svn - but svn will no longer care about them (so they won't show up when you do svn diff, for example). You will have to rm them manually.
(TODO: are there any other issues with adding new files if you don't have commit access?)
Now you are ready to share the patch. If your patch fixes a bug from KDE Bugs, then the easiest way is to attach it there, see next section.
The main way of sharing a patch is to email to a mailing list. But be careful not to send big patches to a mailing list, a few 10KB is the limit.
If you find that the patch is too big to send to a mailing list, the best is to create a bug report in KDE Bugs and to attach the patch there, after having created the bug report.
Another possibility, however seldom used, is to post the patch on a public Web server (be it by HTTP or FTP) and to send an email to the mailing list, telling that the patch is waiting there.
Another variant is to ask on the mailing list which developer is ready to get a big patch. (Try to give its size and ask if you should send it compressed, for example by bzip2.)
A last variant, if you know exactly which developer will process the patch and that you know or that you suppose that he currently has time, is to send the patch to a developer directly. (But here too, be careful if your patch is big. Some KDE developers have still analog modems.)
In this section we assume that you have chosen to add your patch to an existing KDE bug or that you have created a bug report just for your patch.
Even if this tutorial is more meant to send patches to a mailing list, most of it can be applied to adding a patch to KDE Bugs.
You have two ways to do it:
To send an email to a bug report, you can use an email address of the form _EMAIL_ where 12345 is the bug number. Please be sure to attach your patch and not to have it inlined in your text. (If it is inlined, it would be corrupted by KDE Bugs, as HTML does not respect spaces.)
Note: if you send an email to KDE Bugs, be careful to use as sender the same email address as your login email address in KDE Bugs. Otherwise KDE Bugs will reject your email.
Note: if you create a new bug report just for your patch, be careful that you cannot attach a patch directly when creating a new bug. However as soon as the new bug is created, you can then attach files, one-by-one, therefore also patches.
Warning: sometimes your patch will be forgotten because the developers do not always closely monitor the bug database. In this case, try sending your patch by email as described below. If that also does not help, you can always talk to the developers on IRC
Assuming that you have chosen to send the patch to a mailing list, you might ask yourself: to which one?
The best destination for patches is the corresponding developer mailing list.
In case of doubt, you can send any patch for KDE to the kde-devel mailing list. (However with an increased risk that you would miss the right developer.)
Of course, if you know exactly which developer will process the patch and that you know or that you suppose that he currently has time, then you can send the patch to him directly.
Now you have a patch redirected into a file (for this example called patch.diff), you are ready to send it by email. But the first question: where?
Now that you have entered an email address, a good practice is to attach the patch to your file before writing anything else in the email. So you will not forget to attach it.
A little note here: yes, in KDE (unlike for the Linux Kernel for example), we prefer to have the patches sent as attachments.
Now you are ready to write the rest of the email. Please think of a title that matches your patch. (Think of having to find it again in the archives in a few months or even years.) A good habit is to precede the title by [PATCH]. So for example a title could be [PATCH] Fix backup files.
As for the body of the email, please tell to which file or directory your patch applies. For example for a file: The attached patch applies to the file koffice/kword/kwdoc.cpp or for a directory: The attached patch applies to the directory koffice/kword. This help the developers to have an overview of which code has been modified. Also tell for which branch it is meant, for example for trunk.
Then tell what your patch does. If it fixes a bug, then please give the bug number too. If the bug was not registered in KDE Bugs, then please describe instead the bug that is fixed. Similarly, if you know that the patch fixes a bug introduced from a precise SVN revision, please add the revision number.
Tell also what could be useful to the developers, for example if you could not completely test the patch (and why), if you need help to finish fixing the code or if it is a quick&dirty solution that should be fixed better in long-term.
Now check the email again to see if you have not forgotten anything (especially to attach the patch) and you can send the email.
One popular way of submitting patches is KDE's reviewboard. A big advantage over using the bugtracker of KDE is that the patches are less likely to be forgotten here. Also, the reviewboard allows inline review of diffs and other gimmicks.
First you need to check if the project you've created the patch for is actually using reviewboard. For this, go to the groups section and see if the project's group is listed there. If it is listed there, you should use the


Science now knows whether having boys or girls 'run in the family'
Photo: iStock
Photo: iStock
We've all heard of families who've had many boy or girl babies through the generations, which has led to the common perception that it's possible that having one particular sex can 'run in families.'
We hate to burst your bubble but science now has evidence that it's simply untrue.
A study just published in scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society, has nixed the notion that a skew towards a particular sex of children in a family is genetic.
Researchers studied the sex statistics of all babies born in Sweden since 1932 — which equates to more than 4.7 million children born to 3.5 million parents — which revealed that having a boy or girl is "essentially random," and there is no genetic link between a person and how many girls or boys they will have.
All family members were 'linked' and researchers examined whether "the sex of a person's children was associated with the sex of their brother or sister's children."
While there "are slightly more male births in general," Dr Brendan Zietsch from the University of Queensland's School of Psychology said in a statement, "We found individuals don't have an innate tendency to have offspring of one or the other gender."
"The chances are more like 51 to 49 of having a boy, but the genes of the mother and father don't play any role. These findings have crucial implications for biological and evolutionary theories of offspring sex ratios."
Things that were previously thought to be true about what influenced high concentrations of boys or girls in a family have been disproved by the large body of evidence.
Dr Zietsch said, "It was thought that rich or tall parents should have more boys and beautiful parents should have more girls. It was also thought that parents' hormone levels at the time of conception were important."
He suggested further research into "offspring sex ratio theory" was necessary in order to ascertain why variations occur.


text:
Volvo Cars crash-test laboratory 10 years:
The ability to replicate road accidents contributes to world-class crash safety
Volvo Cars' crash-test laboratory in Torslanda turns 10 this year - and the almost 3,000 full-scale tests that have been carried out during the high-tech facility's first decade have helped give Volvo owners even safer cars.
"We can replicate most of the incident and accident scenarios that take place out on the roads. By analysing these and then testing new safety technology in the crash-test laboratory, we can improve the safety level in our cars so that they become even safer in real-life traffic conditions," says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Cars.
When the new safety centre was inaugurated by Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf in early 2000, it was one of the most advanced in the car industry - a position it has retained over the years thanks to the continuous implementation of new equipment and new test methods.
The latest technology infusion is in the form of a set of digital high-speed cameras that can take 200,000 frames per second.
"The new cameras give us exceptional scope for studying collisions down to the tiniest detail. What is more, we have a number of miniature cameras that are installed inside the cars to capture what happens with various key components in the vehicle," relates Thomas Broberg.
Fixed and movable tracks
The crash-test laboratory has one fixed and one movable test track. The movable track can be adjusted from 0 to 90 degrees. This makes it possible to carry out tests involving a variety of incident and accident scenarios, from frontal impacts to side impacts, between two moving cars approach at different angles and speeds. More over, avoidance and mitigation of collision can also be tested. The facility can currently handle more than 400 full-scale tests a year.
The two tracks meet above a six metre deep, Plexiglas-covered pit used for filming the collision tests from underneath. Over the years, the Plexiglas shield has witnessed a number of remarkable crash tests.
For instance, in 2003 Volvo Cars demonstrated the side-impact protection of the Volvo S40 to invited media representatives by allowing the compact sedan model to be struck by a far larger XC90 model travelling at 50 km/h.
"The degree of precision in a test in which two moving cars collide at 50 km/h is 2.5 centimetres. This corresponds to two thousandths of a second. By way of comparison, a blink of the human eye takes about 60 thousandths of a second. This says a whole lot about the laboratory's precision," says Thomas Broberg.
Crash tests in the opposite direction
Crash tests on both tracks can also be carried out in the opposite direction. At the end of the fixed track there is a concrete slab that can be used for various tests such as rollovers and tests including avoidance or mitigation of a crash. At the end of the movable track, the surrounding landscape serves as an integrated part of the crash-test laboratory. Here crash tests are carried out against a variety of objects found in the traffic environment.
The lab's crash block weighs 850 tonnes. It is moved around with the help of air cushions. In addition, there are around 20 other fixed and movable barriers covering Volvo Cars' own, stringent test regime as well as various official test requirements.
In addition to the lab's full-time employees there is a team of about 100 silent yet efficient staff members in the form of various crash-test dummies: men, women and children of different sizes and ages. The dummies are advanced measuring instruments with different designs and configurations for different crash situations.
"In order to offer cars with a safety level of absolute world class, we must ensure that our safety systems are suitable for different occupant sizes at a wide range of speeds and in various traffic situations. It is this ability to replicate incidents and accidents from real-life traffic situations that makes our Safety Centre special. The crash-test laboratory can also help verify the functionality of collision-avoiding technologies," says Thomas Broberg. He adds:
"By analysing these and then testing new safety technology in the crash-test laboratory, we can improve the safety level in our cars so that they become even safer in real-life traffic conditions."
The Volvo S60 is a worthy representative of the world-leading research conducted at Volvo Cars and its safety centre.
"The risk of being involved in an accident or being injured in one of our latest car models has been more than halved compared with a Volvo from the 1970s. We are continuously taking new steps towards our vision that nobody should die or suffer serious injuries in a new Volvo car by the year 2020. The crash-test laboratory is a central part of this development," says Thomas Broberg.


text: Abstract CuO nanosheets were synthesized by an easy and green sonochemical method. It was found that, CuO nanosheets could significantly catalyse the chemiluminescence (CL) reaction of luminol–KMnO4 in an alkaline condition. Based on this finding, a new CL system (luminol–KMnO4–CuO nanosheets) combined with flow injection analysis has been developed for the determination of meropenem for the first time. Moreover, the CL intensity was enhanced when meropenem was presented in the reaction system. Under the optimum conditions, the enhanced CL intensity was proportional to the concentration of meropenem in the ranges of 0.005–6.00mg L−1, with a detection limit (3σ) of 0.0036mg L−1. The precision of the method was calculated by analyzing samples containing 1.0mg L−1 meropenem (n=11) and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.7%. Also, a total analysis time per sample was 30seconds which confirmed the rapidity of the proposed assay. The practicality of the proposed CL system was evaluated by determining meropenem in spiked environmental water samples and human serum. A discussion on the possible CL reaction mechanism was also presented.


text:
Car sunscreen - Light stabilizer
In the automotive industry, the role of modified plastics is becoming more and more obvious.
Most of the interior and exterior accessories of cars are made of modified plastics, such as PP ABS PA, PC POM, PBT, PRT and PVC, which are widely used in all automotive plastics. The highest score is PP, which accounts for 37%, followed by PA which accounts for 17.3%, and ABS resin which accounts for 12.3%.
Because PP TPU ABS overall accounted for over 50%, and because of the PP structure side methyl ABS structure of unsaturated double bonds in its material itself compared to other modified plastics more easily aging, so the car modification material stabilizing treatment mainly revolves around these three materials can block or absorb ultraviolet energy, quenching singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide into the active substances, and other functions, make the polymer under the radiation of light, can eliminate or reduce possibility of photochemical reaction, prevent or delay the aging process, light so as to achieve the aim of extending the service life of the polymer products.
In order to get better protection of the car in the hot summer, the stabilizer is the essential sunblock stabilizer in the automobile industry.
JADEWIN UV 2908 through the capture mechanism of free radical in the process of hot working process and moderate warming has antioxidant activity, the polymer can be effectively protected, and excellent compatibility and low color change appears low volatile, low toxicity and phenolic phosphite antioxidants and series of hindered amine light stabilizer used jointly, in order to improve the outdoor weatherability of the product can effectively eliminate polymer of hydrogen peroxide, and uv absorber and antioxidants have better synergy because of its unique properties, so have a great effect in car sunscreen.


text:
|Thank you for helping us improve our system!|
Jump to: General, Art, Business, Computing, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Religion, Science, Slang, Sports, Tech, Phrases
We found 7 dictionaries with English definitions that include the word ovality:
Click on the first link on a line below to go directly to a page where "ovality" is defined.
General (6 matching dictionaries)
- ovality: Collins English Dictionary [home, info]
- ovality: Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, 11th Edition [home, info]
- ovality: Infoplease Dictionary [home, info]
- ovality: Dictionary.com [home, info]
- Ovality: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia [home, info]
- Ovality: Dictionary/thesaurus [home, info]
Computing (1 matching dictionary)
- Ovality: Encyclopedia [home, info]
(Note: See oval for more definitions.)
Quick definitions from WordNet (oval)
▸ noun: a closed plane curve resulting from the intersection of a circular cone and a plane cutting completely through it
▸ adjective: rounded like an egg
▸ Also see oval
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text:
Davies, Nigel Clement (2004) Digital radio and its application in the HF (2-30 MHz) band. PhD thesis, University of Leeds.
The propagation environment at high frequencies (HF, 2-30 MHz) has a significant impact on the performance of radio systems (especially data communications). However, the ability to communicate information over very long ranges using ionospheric propagation paths without any intermediate infrastructure makes the use of HF attractive for many applications. In order to increase the utility of HF communications there is a strong desire to increase HF data rates. Currently data rates of up to -2400 bps can be reliably achieved in standard 3 kHz HF channel allocations. Whilst further increases in data rate within the confines of these narrowband frequency allocations is likely, the use of larger bandwidths (contiguous or otherwise) appears to offer potential for much greater throughputs. This requires a greater understanding of the characteristics of wideband channels and also requires transmitting and receiving equipment capable of wideband/multi-channel operation. New waveforms have been proposed for the transmission of higher data rates in extended channel bandwidths (6 kHz). The results of laboratory measurements and analysis of data collected during on-air trials of a number of 16 kbps waveforms are presented. Analysis indicates that operation over surface wave and benign skywave channels is possible, demonstrating the benefit of exploiting greater channel bandwidths. Suitable architectures for the implementation of wideband and multi-channel digital HF radios (software radios) have been investigated. The work presented indicates that it is now possible, for the first time, to construct high performance, direct sampling wideband digital HF receivers. In such a receiver the entire HF band is digitised and then all subsequent processing is undertaken digitally. Conceptually this would allow an arbitrary number of channels to be simultaneously received using a single RF frontend and digitiser. With careful design performance comparable with that of the high performance conventional super-heterodyne single channel receivers can be obtained. A prototype wideband multi-channel digital HF transceiver with this architecture has been implemented and its performance shown to agree with that predicted. A particular challenge in complex systems such as software radios is the deployment of software across a number of heterogeneous processors. A new asynchronous, eventbased, processing architecture which employs messaging to allow processing tasks to be effectively distributed across a multiple processors and buses is proposed. It has been implemented on the digital transceiver platform and its effectiveness has been demonstrated. A new low-power pulse-compression oblique HF ionospheric sounder, known as WHISPER, has been developed. This sounder has been implemented as a software application on the wideband HF digital transceiver. Waveforms suitable for making wideband (-80 kHz) measurements of the channel time varying complex impulse response have been designed. These have been used to make measurements on a 170 km path in the UK during Spring 2001. The results of these measurements have been analysed and confirm the ability of the sounding instrument to measure the channel scattering function and the amplitude and phase within individual modes. A number of possible directions for further analysis, pertinent to the design of wideband HF modems, have been proposed.
|Item Type:||Thesis (PhD)|
|Academic Units:||The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering (Leeds) > School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering (Leeds)|
|Depositing User:||Ethos Import|
|Date Deposited:||04 Mar 2010 15:45|
|Last Modified:||06 Mar 2014 16:53|


Y3 Attract or Repel (black and White)?
Pupils investigate magnets and learn that they have two ends that we call poles. One end is the magnetic north pole (N) and the other is the magnetic south pole (S). Pupils investigate what happens when these poles are positioned together and learn that magnets, depending on their arrangement of poles, can either attract or repel each other.
Learning Objectives:
 - POS - notice that some forces need contact between two objects, but magnetic forces can act at a distance; observe how magnets attract or repel each other and attract some materials and not others; describe magnets as having two poles; predict whether two magnets will attract or repel each other, depending on which poles are facing
 - NaG - pupils should look for patterns in the way that magnets behave in relation to each other and what might affect this
 - WS - pupils should set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests; use straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings; gather, record, classify and present data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions
This resource is available in the below packages.
Sigma Science – Year 3


text:
Chefs & Ocean Health
Chefs are the gatekeepers of the seafood industry. They command a unique influence over the purchase, trade and consumption of seafood.
Currently, an alarming number of the world's fish species face an uncertain future due to overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction and other factors. We developed information to equip culinary students and chefs with the tools they need to understand these issues and source seafood responsibly.
By shifting toward more ocean-friendly seafood sourcing, chefs can improve the health of the ocean.
Follow these 5 easy steps to support ocean-health in your kitchens:
- Get started — see Green Chefs/Blue Ocean
- Assess your menu
- Make the switch — see Ocean Friendly Kitchen Choices
- Stay in the know
- Spread the word


Take the 2-minute tour ×
When and how do we use the different kinds of brackets/parentheses — (){}[] — while writing English (not code)?
share|improve this question
closed as not a real question by Kris, Kristina Lopez, RegDwigнt Jan 19 '13 at 11:23
Closing as too broad and for complete lack of research. Could be considered general reference as per en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brackets. In fact the accepted answer just quotes select bits from that page, while leaving lots of things out. – RegDwigнt Jan 19 '13 at 11:31
...Except my answer never did get accepted. Sadface =( – Southpaw Hare Jan 19 '13 at 22:17
4 Answers 4
up vote 4 down vote accepted
Curved brackets, or parentheses (like these), are used to set off different kinds of interruption to a sentence. Square brackets [like these] are used in a quotation when the words contained in them are not part of the quotation, but are necessary for the sense. Curly brackets, or braces {like these}, are rarely used in normal writing. They are mostly reserved for specialised texts.
share|improve this answer
 - Brackets — [] — are used to enclose "meta information" regarding text — text that is used to explain other text from an outside point of view. As an example, brackets can be used to give context to a direct quote by replacing or adding words that were not actually said in that exact manner, yet help to understand the meaning.
 I don't know, [the crazy monkey] bothers me.
 The term sic is generally put in brackets, expressing an intentionally recreated mistake in a quote.
 I ordered my sandwich with cheeze [sic] and ham.
 It can also be used to show citations, as done on Wikipedia.
 Southpaw Hare is an awesome dude. [15]
 - Parentheses — () — are used mainly for asides or secondary thoughts that step away from a main thought before returning.
 There is a big difference between rabbits and hares (although you can use 'bunny' to refer to either of them).
 - Braces — {} — don't have any mainstream use in ordinary English — they are used in various technical fields for special expressions.
Most information from Wikipedia's page on Brackets.
share|improve this answer
The terminology here is American, but the rules are fairly universal. – TimLymington Jan 19 '13 at 11:20
Perhaps it would be better to address parentheses as parts of sentences before discussing the punctuation involved; it can be confusing that the word has such a dual role. At _URL_ is:
... information... set off by the punctuation marks — whether by commas, dashes, or parentheses — is called a parenthetical [or simply parenthesis, EA], and its distinguishing characteristic is that the sentence remains grammatically and semantically correct even without it. A parenthetical is basically added information; however, it isn't necessarily optional or semantically expendable. It may be needed to put the statement in a desired context, to establish the logic of the sentence, or to convey a particular tone or mood for the statement. In fact, the punctuation chosen for a parenthetical largely determines its optionality or importance to the statement.
Carillo goes on to discuss the choice of commas, dashes, or parentheses to set off parentheses (parentheticals). He may be over-analytical; it is true, however, that commas signal the least abrupt interruption to the matrix sentence and dashes the most abrupt.
Mark Nichol (at _URL_ ) discusses different uses of parentheticals, though parentheses would not be preferred over commas say for all types in all situations.
share|improve this answer
I believe that the general rule of thumb is to always use parentheses (round) and use brackets (square) for special situations or to avoid ugly parenthetical nesting. Braces (curly) are hardly ever, if at all, used.
Their usage is covered in this guide on ODO:
Parentheses are mainly used to separate off information that isn't essential to the meaning of the rest of the sentence. If you removed the material within the parentheses, the sentence would still make perfectly good sense.
They can also be used to enclose a comment by the person writing...
Brackets (also called square brackets) are mainly used to enclose words added by someone other than the original writer or speaker, typically in order to clarify the situation...
share|improve this answer
Having square brackets on the inside is certainly uglier than having nested parens. – tchrist Jan 19 '13 at 22:33
_USER_ I do believe that it's the style in Chicago :) – coleopterist Jan 20 '13 at 5:32


text:
Raymond Aschheim, Carlos Castro Perelman, Klee Irwin (2016)
Inspired by the Hilbert-Polya proposal to prove the Riemann Hypothesis we have studied the Schroedinger QM equation involving a highly non-trivial potential, and whose self-adjoint Hamiltonian operator has for its energy spectrum one which approaches the imaginary parts of the zeta zeroes only in the asymptotic (very large N) region. The ordinates lambdan are the positive imaginary parts of the nontrivial zeta zeros in the critical line : sn = 1/2 + i lambdan. The latter results are consistent with the validity of the Bohr-Sommerfeld semi-classical quantization condition. It is shown how one may modify the parameters which define the potential, and fine tune its values, such that the energy spectrum of the (modified) Hamiltonian matches not only the first two zeroes but the other consecutive zeroes. The highly non-trivial functional form of the potential is found via the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization formula using the full-fledged Riemann-von Mangoldt counting formula ($without$ any truncations) for the number N (E) of zeroes in the critical strip with imaginary part greater than 0 and less than or equal to E.


text:
Judy Port wants to change the text color in desktop icon captions.
Microsoft doesn't provide that option, but there's a trick to turning the default white text to black. You can also turn off the drop shadows.
In fact, you have to turn off the drop shadows before you can change the color: Select Start, then Run, type sysdm.cpl, and press ENTER. Click the Advanced tab. In the Performance box, click the Settings button. Scroll down to and uncheck Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop. Click OK for each box.
Now that the drop shadows are gone, you can turn the letters black by selecting a light background color. If you're saying "What background color? I have wallpaper!" don't worry. There's a background color behind your wallpaper (or desktop background in Vista); you don't see it, but it effects the color of your text.
To change this color in Vista, right-click the desktop and select Personalize. Click Desktop Background. Pull down the Location menu and select Solid Colors. Click the white square (if you want white text, pick the black square). Don't worry if the desktop suddenly turns ugly. You're about to fix that.
Now return to the Location menu and select the location where you'd find your wallpaper. Select the wallpaper, then click OK.
Although the same principles apply in XP, there's one big difference. Once you turn off the drop shadows, potentially ugly boxes appear around the captions. If you pick white as your background color (like I recommended with Vista), they look particularly ugly. Choosing the right background color will improve the look of the desktop..
Right-click the desktop and select Properties. Click the Desktop tab. Pull down the Color menu in the lower right corner and select a background color. Pick one that blends in well with your wallpaper, but if you want black text, it must be a light color. Click Apply to see how it looks.


text:
10||9.21 or more||20||17|
The goodness-of-fit test gives:
= 7.7 for 9 d.f., P = 0.55.
The combined frequencies of poker hands in the whole table are shown in Table 3. The largest difference between expected and observed frequencies (for threes) is about 2.25 times its standard deviation, which is roughly at about the 9 or 10 per cent probability level (looking merely at the largest of five independent normal observations).
Poker Test on The Million Digits (200,000 Poker Hands)
|Two pairs (aabbc)||21,600||21,572|
|Full house (aaabb)||1,800||1,788|
The goodness-of-fit test gives:
= 5.5 for 5 d.f., P = 0.35.
Also, the frequencies of poker hands were computed for each of ten blocks of 100,000 digits and the mean and standard deviation was computed from the ten values for each kind of hand. The results are shown in Table 4.
Mean and Standard Deviation of Frequencies in Seven Classes of Poker Hands
|Classes||Theoretical Mean||Actual Mean||Theoretical Std. Dev.||Actual Std. Dev.|
Serial and Run Tests. Some further tests were made on the first block of 50,000 digits to look particularly for any evidence of serial association among the digits. The serial test classified every successive pair of digits by each digit of the pair in a ten-by-ten table. The frequencies of the different pairs are given in Table 5, where the first digit of the pair is shown in the left column of the table and the second digit is shown at the top. Thus there were 5l0 cases in which a zero followed a one. The frequency for the row (or column) totals is 7.56, which is about the 0.60 probability level for 9 d.f.
Frequencies of Ordered Pairs of Digits
|First Digit||Second Digit/||0||1||2||3||4||5||6||7||8||9||Total|
Several essentially equivalent values were computed from Table 5. First, assuming all pairs equally likely (expected value of 500 for each cell), a of 107.8 was computed, which for 90 d.f. (because row totals equal column totals) is about the 0.10 probability level. Second, given the row frequencies and assuming digits equally likely to follow (expected value of 492.3 for cells of the first row, for example), a of 98.9 was computed which is about the 0.25 level for 90 d.f. Third, the expected cell sizes were computed as 1 /10 the column totals to give a value of 100.4, which is about the 0.20 level. Fourth, fitting all means to both row and column totals gave a of 91.9 with 81 d.f, which is at about the 0.19 probability level.
Finally, in the same block of 50,000 digits all runs were counted with the obviously satisfactory results shown in Table 6.
|Length of Run||Expected Frequency||Observed Frequency|
|r = 1||40500||40410|
|r = 2||4050||4055|
|r = 3||405||421|
|r = 4||40.5||48|
|r = 5||4.5||5|
Half of the random digit table was used to produce 100,000 standard normal deviates by solving for x in the equation
where D is a five-digit number from the table and
is the cumulative standard normal distribution. The Bureau of Standards tables of F(x) were used (Ref. 11).
The deviates were determined by the five-digit numbers on the left-hand half of every page of the digit table. The deviates in the first column correspond page by page with the five-figure digits in the first column of the first 200 pages of the digit table; the deviates in the second column correspond page by page with the first column of the second 200 pages of the digit table. Similarly, the third and fourth columns of deviates were derived from the second column of five-figure digits, etc.
A test of the fit of the entire table of deviates to the normal distribution was performed using 400 class intervals (Ref. 10) with roughly 250 expected in each. The value was found to be 346.4, which for 399 d.f. indicates a very close fit; the probability of a larger value of is about 0.97. The detailed data for this test are given in Table 7.
A more refined test of the fit in the tails was made on the deviates exceeding 2.326 in absolute value. Eighty intervals (Ref. 10) were used, each with an expectation of approximately 25. The value was 76.26, with 80 d.f.; the probability of a larger value is about 0.61. The details of this test are given in Table 8.
The only tests made on the squares of the deviates consisted in computing sums of k squares and comparing the distribution of the sums with the distribution with k d.f., employing again the standard goodness-of-fit test. This was done for k = 25, 50, 100, 300, with the following results:
|k||Number of Sums||Number of Intervals (i)||with i – 1 Degrees of Freedom||Probability of a Larger|
The fourth column gives the goodness-of-fit value for the fit to the distribution with k degrees of freedom. Intervals of approximately equal probability were used in all cases.
Use of the Tables
The lines of the digit table are numbered from 00000 to 19999. In any use of the table, one should first find a random starting position. A common procedure for doing this is to open the book to an unselected page of the digit table and blindly choose a five-digit number; this number with the first digit reduced modulo 2 determines the starting line; the two digits to the right of the initially selected fivedigit number are reduced modulo 50 to determine the starting column in the starting line. To guard against the tendency of books to open repeatedly at the same page and the natural tendency of a person to choose a number toward the center of the page: every five-digit number used to determine a starting position should be marked and not used a second time for this purpose.
The digit table is also used to find a random starting position in the deviate table: Select a five-digit number as before; the first four digits give the starting line (the lines being numbered from 0000 to 9999) and the fifth digit gives the starting position in the line.
Ordinarily, the table is read in the same direction as a book is read; however, the size of the table may be effectively increased by varying the direction in which it is read. Thus, one may read columns instead of lines, may read the table backward, may read lines forward but pages from bottom to top, etc. Of course, care must be taken in using these devices to avoid introducing correlations when the table is used more than once on the same problem.
To obtain a random permutation of the integers 1, 2,..., n, select a random starting position; use the five-digit number containing the starting position and the following n - 1 five-digit numbers; put the integers in the same order as these n five-digit numbers. In case of ties among the five-digit numbers, use additional columns to the right to make six or more digit numbers. The same procedure is used to obtain a random permutation of n objects, some of which are indistinguishable, by merely numbering the objects arbitrarily from 1 to n.
To obtain random observations from any distribution G(x), use Eq. (1), substitute G(x) for F(x), and employ as many digits in D as required for the desired accuracy of the observations. Of course the negative exponent of 10 in Eq. (1) must be equal to the number of digits in D. If G(x) has a discontinuity at x0, define it to be continuous on the right and take the solution of Eq. (1) to be x0 when the left side of Eq. (1) falls between G(x0-) and G(x0). For example, if
G(x) = 1 – e-x,
and one is content with three-figure accuracy, then the three-digit number 082 determines an observation from a population distributed by G(x) as follows:
.0825 = 1 – e-x,
x =.086.
A technique suggested by von Neumann, called the "rejection method," enables one to substitute for the solution of Eq. (1) a stochastic process involving a much simpler computation; this technique will be discussed in a forthcoming book by Kahn (Ref. 8).
To obtain pairs of normal deviates with given correlation, use pairs (x, y) of independent deviates from the table and transform them to
Thus for = -.6, for example, if (.732, -1.205) are two deviates from the table, then
is a pair of deviates from a normal population with the desired correlation.
In general, to obtain a random observation from a bivariate population with distribution G(x,y), one uses a marginal distribution on one variate, say, G1(x), and the conditional distribution, say, G2(y/x), on the other. Two random numbers determine the observation: one determines x by employing G1


Services Overview
I begin by listening
- Mary Karlsson
Mary Karlsson Consulting works together with organizational leaders and their staff to add value and effectiveness to your programs and business strategies. Known for simplifying the complex and including insights from all involved, Mary helps make businesses stronger through a professional outside perspective and clear articulation of needs, successes, challenges and opportunities.
Click on the buttons below to learn more about each service area.
Core Sevices
Tree stump and greenery by water
Assuring that individuals and teams work together at their highest level of performance through:
 1. Facilitating employee learning and capacity building
 2. Optimizing team performance
 3. Defining and developing competencies
Pink lilies in a pond
Providing support to help leaders reach organization potential through strategies to:
 1. Develop a compelling vision
 2. Assess process and culture
 3. Develop teams and individuals
stacked rocks in nature
Engaging personnel and audiences in all stages of an initiative through:
 1. Identifying current baseline performance
 2. Assessing initiative progress at a midpoint
 3. Evaluating initiative impact and outcomes
"Mary is highly organized and easily manages many details. She is always willing to assist the team in any way necessary to keep initiatives moving forward."
– Jim Nepp, Manager of Training and Employee Engagement, US Bank


̶o̶f̶ ̶a̶ ̶v̶e̶r̶y̶ ̶l̶a̶r̶g̶e̶ ̶n̶u̶m̶b̶e̶r̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶l̶e̶r̶s̶,̶ ̶d̶u̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶n̶a̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶m̶e̶s̶s̶a̶g̶e̶ ̶q̶u̶e̶u̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶a̶ ̶s̶e̶r̶v̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶e̶a̶s̶i̶l̶y̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶s̶c̶a̶l̶e̶d̶ ̶h̶o̶r̶i̶z̶o̶n̶t̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶b̶y̶ ̶a̶d̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶n̶e̶w̶ ̶i̶n̶s̶t̶a̶n̶c̶e̶s̶.̶
Update Nov 19, 2019 AWS Lambda now supports FIFO queues as an event source.
Code Structure
The code base of this project is organized using a simple rule: outer layers can depend on lower layers, but no code in the lower layer can depend on any code in the outer layer.
This rule is at the heart of a "clean architecture", "hexagonal architecture" (ports and adapters), and "onion architecture". Some argue it's all the same.
Fig. 7— The image is taken from this repository which presents a "Clear Architecture" concept
Domain Layer
A domain model is at the center. It contains application business rules and event definitions which are used by outer layers.
It's implemented with pure functions which are easy to test and compose.
Application Layer
Command handlers in the application layer can use a domain model and communicate with the outside world only by using injected repository which implements the repository interface (so it's easy to mock).
Client Layer
The outermost, client layer is separated into three sectors: infrastructure, ports, and tests.
The infrastructure consist of:
 - Implementation of repository interfaces (DynamoDB or in-memory eventStore adapters).
 - AWS Cognito authorizer and lambda triggers for authentication.
 - Lambda handlers and node scripts required for event handlers (dynamoStreamToSQS handler, sqsPoller, rebuildDatabase scripts and similar).
 - Other implementation details like 3rd party libraries, frameworks, configuration data, helper functions etc.
Ports act as an "entry point" to the application. They accept requests from external agencies (e.g. REST or CLI) or event handlers and communicate with the infrastructure and application layer.
Because of their "special nature" tests have their own sector in the client layer. But, you can think of them as another port.
However, I use a separated "tests" directory only when there are a lot of use-cases defined in numerous files. In simpler applications like this one, I usually define tests next to the file being tested (no matter in which layer).
User Interface
UI for this project is composed of two React apps:
 - Web version created by Create React App, using Ant Design components and hosted in AWS S3 bucket.
 - Chrome extension created using Preact and bundled with Parcel. The main reason for using Preact was due to its small size which I hoped will result in better UX (faster pop-up display). However, I don't think this choice was justified and would be happier if instead, I've chosen CRA.
Source Code
You can check the entire source code of the project here.
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Salesforce Administrator Roles And Responsibilities
Salesforce is a cloud-based platform that helps a business organisation in managing valuable customer database efficiently. It provides highly automated services that allow the sales team of an enterprise to store and track information pertaining to their current, potential and past customers in relevant Salesforce objects, such as Leads, Accounts, opportunities, contacts etc. The details stored in these objects can be used in providing highly personalised services to the customers and communicating with them through suitable communication channels.
Salesforce makes the process of marketing and sales simpler for the employees by considerably reducing the time and effort they would otherwise put in undertaking all sales-related activities. However, a business would require reliable authorities in charge of the activities pertaining to the platform of Salesforce. A Salesforce Developer would take charge of all the programming that goes behind providing Salesforce development services. A Salesforce Consultant would provide effective solutions and would solve all relevant issues pertaining to the platform of Salesforce. However, the most important designation a Salesforce expert can possess is that of a Salesforce Administrator.
dont miss out iconDon't forget to check out: Salesforce Pardot vs Marketing Cloud: Which Should You Choose?
The Salesforce Administrator job description would be that of the individual who is essentially in charge of ensuring that the platform is run efficiently and managing all the critical business data that is being entered into Salesforce CRM. The role of a Salesforce Administrator essentially revolves around managing the cloud-based ecosystem of Salesforce to ensure that all the business processes are automated and executed seamlessly.
Salesforce administration is not an easy task. An administrator needs to be thorough with every tool and platform pertaining to Salesforce CRM and should be able to leverage the same to an optimum level. Here are some of the most essential Salesforce Administrator responsibilities that should be shouldered by the individual in charge:
A Salesforce Administrator makes sure that all the Salesforce tools are employed correctly and used effectively.
 - A Salesforce Administrator is in charge of conducting periodic checks and suggesting changes that should be made to the platform to improve the execution of business processes.
 - They should work as the key System Administrator responsible for managing dynamic work environment of SFDC ( with multiple users.
 - They are responsible to keep a check on the restrictions set on the accessibility of sensitive business data by the user accounts.
 - They are in charge of managing all the executive functions pertaining to SFDC administration, such as maintaining all records, dashboards, user accounts and all additional conventional tasks in an efficient and timely manner.
 - They are expected to receive and work on the assessment and execution of requests pertaining to the development of Salesforce.
 - They are required to provide extensive training to the new users regarding the use of all necessary Salesforce-related activities for providing business automation and personalised customer services.
 - A Salesforce Administrator serves as a link that connects Salesforce application developers, the business staff and Salesforce users.
 - They are responsible for the creation and maintenance of informative Salesforce reports on a periodic basis.
 They are expected to extract necessary insights from data to advance business revenue.
 - They are responsible for handling all the important technical resources pertaining to sales and entering necessary business data onto the platform of Salesforce CRM.
dont miss out iconCheck out another amazing blog by Ethan here: Salesforce Pardot vs Marketing Cloud: Which Should You Choose?
For a Salesforce Administrator to execute these responsibilities, they need to possess the following skills:
 - They should have unparalleled management skills.
 - They should be proficient in interacting with employees belonging to all levels of a business organisation.
 - They should possess excellent skills for analysing business data.
 - They should possess distinguished data administration and problem-solving skills.
Popular Salesforce Blogs


text: Thermal stress can induce birefringence in a laser medium, which can cause depolarization of the laser. The depolarization effect will be very severe in a high-average-power laser. Because the depolarization will make the frequency doubling efficiency decline, it should be compensated. In this paper, the thermal characteristics of two kinds of materials are analyzed in respect of temperature, thermal deformation and thermal stress. The depolarization result from thermal stress was simulated. Depolarization on non-uniform pumping was also simulated, and the compensation method is discussed.


text:
Why Do Piano Keys Stick?
There are 1000 different reasons why piano keys stick but most commonly is a change in humidity or temperature. As you change the environment around the piano it will have to acclimate which can effect the keys.
Typically when you start running your A/C or Heat for the season or after you move a piano, the keys can stick for a short time. If your keys are sticking longer then a week, there's a different problem that needs to be addressed.


text:
for Senior Volunteers
Although senior Volunteers may encounter hardships related to the rugged living conditions and the difficulties of learning two languages, many have served very successfully in Paraguay. Seniors may find peer support within the Volunteer community to be inadequate, as the majority of Volunteers are under age 25. Seniors have sometimes formed informal support groups to deal with the specific issues seniors share.
Possible Issues for Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Volunteers
Gay and lesbian Volunteers should be aware that homosexuality is considered taboo by most Paraguayans and that they therefore must exercise discretion regarding their sexual orientation. Although Asunción has a cosmopolitan atmosphere, to develop productive social and professional relationships and for reasons of personal security and well-being, most Volunteers find that they must reconcile their lifestyle to the demands of extremely conservative communities. Gay and lesbian Volunteers have a support and resource network that can be of assistance.
Possible Religious Issues for Volunteers
Paraguay is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, and Paraguayans have little experience with other religions or with people who have no religious affiliation. While Paraguayans tend to be tolerant of non-Catholics, they may be curious about your beliefs, which could lead to seemingly rude behavior. On the whole, however, they recognize a difference between "belief" and "practice," and some non-Catholic Volunteers simply state that they are not "practicing." Those who feel uncomfortable skirting the issue in this way usually find that if they state their beliefs in a nonchallenging way, they will be accepted by their community. Be aware that very few Volunteer sites will have a place of worship other than a Catholic church or chapel.
Jewish Volunteers have been surprised to discover a certain degree of anti-Semitism in Paraguay as a result of General Alfredo Stroessner's open-border policy toward Nazis and World War II war criminals. It is not unusual to see swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti, and Jewish Volunteers should use caution when visiting German communities. It is also advisable to get to know the members of your community before "coming out" as Jewish. Kosher food products and religious paraphernalia are not available in Paraguay, but there is an active Chabad House and a Reform synagogue in Asunción.
Possible Issues for Volunteers with Disabilities
As part of the medical clearance process, the Peace Corps Office of Medical Services determined that you were physically and emotionally capable, with or without reasonable accommodations, of performing a full tour of Volunteer service in Paraguay without unreasonable risk of harm. Peace Corps/ Paraguay staff will work with disabled Volunteers to make reasonable accommodations in training, housing, job sites, and other areas to enable them to serve safely and effectively.
That being said, Volunteers with disabilities may face particular challenges as a result of the lack of infrastructure in Paraguay to assist them. They may also find that, as in many parts of the world, some people hold prejudicial attitudes toward people with disabilities and may discriminate against them. In spite of these difficulties, physically challenged Volunteers have served successfully in Paraguay.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much luggage am I allowed to bring to Paraguay?
Most airlines have baggage size and weight limits and assess charges for transport of baggage that exceeds those limits. The Peace Corps has its own size and weight limits and will not pay the cost of transport for baggage that exceeds these limits. The Peace Corps' allowance is two checked pieces of luggage with combined dimensions of both pieces not to exceed 107 inches (length + width + height) and a carry-on bag with dimensions of no more than 45 inches. Checked baggage should not exceed 80 pounds total with a maximum weight of 50 pounds for any one bag.
Peace Corps Volunteers are not allowed to take pets, weapons, explosives, radio transmitters (shortwave radios are permitted), automobiles, or motorcycles to their overseas assignments. Do not pack flammable materials or liquids such as lighter fluid, cleaning solvents, hair spray, or aerosol containers. This is an important safety precaution. It is a good idea to pack any prescription drugs you take in your carry-on luggage. Please check the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website for a detailed list of permitted and prohibited items at _URL_ prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm.
What is the electric current in Paraguay?
The current is 220 volts—any electrical appliance of 110 volts that you bring will require a transformer.
How much money should I bring?
Volunteers are expected to live at the same level as the people in their community. They are given a settling-in allowance and a monthly living allowance, which should cover their expenses. Often Volunteers bring additional money for vacation travel to other countries. Credit cards and traveler's checks are preferable to cash because the Peace Corps cannot provide safekeeping for your cash and it is not currently feasible to open a U.S. dollar bank account. If you choose to bring extra money, bring the amount that will suit your own travel plans and needs.
When can I take vacation and have people visit me?
Volunteers often state an interest in traveling and learning about other cultures as main reasons for wanting to join the Peace Corps. You are encouraged to use your vacation time to travel around Paraguay and other countries. Each Volunteer accumulates two vacation days per month of service (excluding training). Leave may not be taken during training, the first three months of service (this totals your first six months in-country), or the last three months of service. The first few months are important for establishing good relations with your community, and in the last few months you are expected to be finishing up projects and saying goodbye. We also suggest that you plan vacations to coincide with low levels of activity at your site.
Family and friends are welcome to visit you six months after you have sworn-in for service, and as long as their stay coincides with your planned vacation time and does not interfere with your work. However, you should advise them not to purchase any nonrefundable tickets until you are able to speak with your associate Peace Corps director (APCD) about any scheduling conflicts with mandatory in-service training events. Extended stays at your site are not encouraged and may require permission from your country director. Consistent with the Peace Corps' worldwide policy that prohibits nonmarried couples from serving together, Peace Corps/Paraguay does not permit a Volunteer's "significant other" to establish permanent residence with the Volunteer during service. The Peace Corps is not able to provide your visitors with visa, medical, or travel assistance.
Will my belongings be covered by insurance?
The Peace Corps does not provide insurance coverage for personal effects; Volunteers are ultimately responsible for the safekeeping of their personal belongings. However, you can purchase personal property insurance before you leave. If you wish, you may contact your own insurance company; additionally, insurance applications will be provided, and we encourage you to consider them carefully. Volunteers should not ship or take valuable items overseas. Jewelry, watches, radios, cameras, and expensive appliances are subject to loss, theft, and breakage, and in many places, satisfactory maintenance and repair services are not available.
Do I need an international driver's license?
Volunteers in Paraguay do not need to get an international driver's license because they are prohibited from operating motorized vehicles. Most urban travel is by bus or taxi. Rural travel ranges from buses and minibuses to trucks and a lot of walking. On occasion, a Volunteer may choose to extend for a third year to serve as a coordinator. Volunteer coordinators will need to obtain a local driver's license since they are permitted to drive Peace Corps vehicles. Your U.S. driver's license will facilitate the process, so bring it with you just in case.
What should I bring as gifts for Paraguayan friends and my host family?
This is not a requirement, but if you wish to bring something, a simple token of friendship is sufficient. Some gift suggestions include knickknacks for the house; picture frames, pictures, books, or calendars of American scenes;
souvenirs from your area; hard candies that will not melt or spoil; or photos to give away.
Where will my site assignment be when I finish training and how isolated will I be?
Peace Corps trainees are not assigned to their permanent sites until approximately the eighth week of pre-service training. This gives Peace Corps staff the opportunity to assess each trainee's technical and language skills prior to assigning sites, in addition to finalizing site selection and development. You will have the opportunity to provide input on your site preferences, including geographical location, distance from other Volunteers, and living conditions. However, many factors influence the site assignment process and the Peace Corps cannot guarantee placement where you would ideally like to be. Most Volunteers live in small towns or rural villages and are usually within one hour from another Volunteer. Your Volunteer assignment description will give you some idea of the kinds of sites Volunteers in your sector live in. Some of the more remote sites require a 10- to 12-hour drive from the capital, but most sites are within half that distance.
How can my family contact me in an emergency?
The Peace Corps' Office of Special Services provides assistance in handling emergencies affecting trainees and Volunteers or their families. Before leaving the United States, instruct your family to notify the Office of Special Services immediately if an emergency arises, such as a serious illness or death of a family member. Although your family may be tempted to try to contact you directly, precious time may be saved in the event that you need to go home if the office is contacted first. Also, it is hard on a Volunteer to receive bad news through impersonal means such as e-mail; Peace Corps staff can provide the personal support that a Volunteer may need when the news is delivered. During normal business hours, the office's number is _PHONE_, extension