The Stage Simulator
The Stage Simulator
Stage is part of the Player/Stage software package developed at the University of Southern California Robotics Research Lab and HRL Labs. Player is a device server that can be used to control robots just like Pyro. Stage is a multi-robot simulator that provides facilities for creating your own environments for experimenting with robots.
In this section, we will present the core features of Stage that you will need for building simulated worlds for your Pyro robot experiments. For more information on Player/Stage visit [WWW]their web site. There is extensive documentation available for Stage. You can find it either at the Player/Stage web site, or look in the doc folder of your Player/Stage installation on your computer.
The Stage User Interface
The window below shows an example of a Stage simulated environment.
It contains several colored boxes as well as a pioneer-style robot.
In the Stage window, you can pan and zoom the world as well as manipulate entities by using your mouse. You can click your mouse buttons on the background or on the entities. The following table summarizes various mouse click bindings and actions:
Clicks on the background
Left-click and drag pans the window
Right-click and drag toward the center of the window zooms in
Right-click and drag the mouse away from the center zooms out
Clicks on entities
Left-click and drag moves the entity
Right-click and drag rotates the entity
Additionally, when you move your mouse over an active entity, like a robot, you will also get a visualization of all the enabled sensors of the entity.
Stage Entities
Every Stage world is made up of entities which can be active or passive. Passive entities are also called objects in Stage parlance. Active entities are also called devices. Objects, or passive entities, are things like models and bitmaps. Bitmaps are used to define fixed obstacles that can represent building floor plans, walls, boulders, etc. and are loaded from a PNM bitmap file. PNM is a portable any map file format. Models can be any size and can also be used to represent obstacles as well as robot enclosures. For example, if you create a large models and then place a robot inside it, the walls of the model will become the boundary for the robot. If you placed smaller models inside the larger model containing the robot, then those become blocks or obstacles.
The other kind of entity one can have in a Stage world are devices. For example, a robot is a device that can be positioned anywhere in the world. Other devices include things like a gripper, sonar, laser, ptz (pan-tilt-zoom camera), etc. Generally, these devices will be mounted on a robot device. Stage has the capability of defining composite devices. Thus you can define a robot that has a gripper and sonars, or another one that has sonars and a PTZ camera, etc.
Robot Devices
By convention, you typically define a simulated robot for Stage worlds based on the actual robot that you have. You compose it to contain all the devices the robot carries. Then, you can create several different environments and include your robot device definition in it. For example, the Stage software includes a file named that defines a typical pioneer-style robot with 16 sonars. This robot can be used in any Stage world.
Creating a World
Once we have defined a robot, we can concentrate on creating a world for it. Because Stage is currently undergoing a major upgrade, there is still not much documentation on how to create worlds. However, we can demonstrate how the simple world shown above was created.
Creating a world in Stage involves creating two files. The first is the configuration file and always ends with a.cfg extension. For example, the file tutorial.cfg is shown below.
 name "stage"
 provides ["7000:simulation:0"]
 plugin "libstageplugin"
 worldfile ""
 name "stage"
 provides ["position:0" "sonar:0"]
 model "Pioneer"
Next you must define the world file, which has a.world extension. This defines all the entities that will appear in the world. Each world file typically has the following:
 A specification of units.
 A specification of the Stage GUI window and the coordinate system.
 A list of all passive entities and their attributes.
 A list of all robots and their attributes.
The tutorial world shown above is 5 meters wide and 5 meters high. It contains a blue rectangle, two green rectangles, and a red pioneer robot.
All commands that specify entities in Stage worlds have the following syntax:
 ( ... )
Where is the name of the entity, and that is followed by a list of attribute value pairs enclosed by parenthesis. You can format the command on a single line or multiple lines. Attributes for entities depend on the kind of entity. A rectangle (called a model), may have a color, a position and an orientation.
Specifying Units and Resolution
 unit_length "m"
The above command is the proper syntax for specifying units for length. We have set it to meters. This is also the default in case you do not specify any units. However, we recommend you do this. This specification should also be consistent with your robot definition, so you should be careful and fix this once and for all. You can use meters (m), centimeters (cm), or millimeters (mm) for units of length and degrees or radians for specifying angles.
The GUI Window and the Coordinate System
You have to specify the size of the GUI window in pixels as well as the center point and scale.
 size [540.000 580.000]
 center [0.000 0.000]
 scale 0.01 # 1 pixel = 0.01 meters
Since our world will be 5x5 meters, at 0.01 meters/pixel, we will need at least 500 pixels for the GUI window. We generally pad this so that the window borders are also included. The center of the window will be considered the origin.
Specifying Passive Entities
In the world that we are building there are several objects. First there is the outer box which encloses the environment. This can be defined as follows.
 size [5.0 5.0]
 color "white"
 pose [0.000 0.000 0.000]
In the above definition, the box is 5x5 meters, thus defining the world boundary. It is colored white, and its position is defined by three numbers which specify the x and y coordinates of the center of the box and its orientation (in degrees). Thus the box is centered at the point (0.0, 0.0 ) and its orientation is 0 (0 degrees lies along the positive x-axis).
Next there are a series of inner boxes which represent obstacles. They can be defined as follows.
 size [1.0 1.0]
 color "blue"
 pose [-2.000 2.000 0.000]
 size [0.1 2.5]
 color "green"
 pose [0.000 -1.250 0.000]
 size [0.1 1.4]
 color "green"
 pose [0.650 0.000 90.000]
Specifying a robot
We will use the definition of a pioneer robot:
 color "red"
 name "Pioneer"
 port 6665
 pose [-2.000 0.000 90.000]
The port attribute is very important. This is the port number that the driver program will use to connect to the robot and control it.
Copy the following files from $PYROBOT/plugins/worlds/Stage/ to your home directory:
Modify the world above so that the robot is pointing west when the world is loaded into Stage. In order to get Pyro to load your version of the world, be sure to press the "Home" button when the list of worlds appears.
Try modifying some other attributes of the robot (like its color). Then, create a red diamond-shaped box (a box oriented 45 degrees) as an obstacle in the environment. Move your mouse on the robot and notice its sensors. Move the robot near the obstacle and try the same thing. How would you create walls in this environment?
Now would be a good time to look at the other world files provided there. This should give you a good idea of some other features of Stage. Remember to browse the Stage Manual for more information on Stage.
Next: The Gazebo Simulator Up: Robot Simulators


TY - JOUR T1 - Beyond the Kármán gait: knifefish swimming in periodic and irregular vortex streets JF - The Journal of Experimental Biology JO - J. Exp. Biol. DO - 10.1242/jeb.238808 SP - jeb.238808 AU - Ortega-Jimenez, Victor M. AU - Sanford, Christopher P. Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - _URL_ N2 - Neotropical freshwater fishes such as knifefishes are commonly faced with navigating intense and highly unsteady streams. However, our knowledge on locomotion in apteronotids comes from laminar flows, where the ribbon fin dominates over pectoral fins or body bending. Here, we studied the 3D kinematics and swimming control of seven black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons) moving in laminar flows (flow speed U∞∼1 – 5 Bl/s) and in periodic vortex streets (U∞∼2 – 4 Bl/s). Two different cylinders (∼2 and ∼3 cm diameter) were used to generate the latter. Additionally, fish were exposed to an irregular wake produced by a free oscillating cylinder (∼2 cm diameter; U∞∼2 Bl/s). In laminar flows knifefish mainly used their ribbon fin, with wave frequency, speed and acceleration increasing with U∞. In contrast, knifefish swimming behind a fixed cylinder increased the use of pectoral fins and resulted in changes in body orientation that mimicked steady backward swimming. Meanwhile, individuals behind the oscillating cylinder presented a combination of body bending, ribbon and pectoral fins movements that counteract the out-of-phase yaw oscillations induced by the irregular shedding of vortices. We corroborated passive out-of-phase oscillations by placing a printed knifefish model just downstream of the moving cylinder but, when placed one-cylinder diameter downstream, the model oscillated in phase. Thus, the wake left behind an oscillating body is more challenging than a periodic vortex shedding for an animal located downstream, which may have consequences on interand intra-specific interactions. ER -


Defines computer code text
 Defines emphasized text
 Defines a border around elements in a form
 This is heading 1
 This is heading 2
 This is heading 3
 This is heading 4
 This is heading 5
 This is heading 6
 Defines italic text
 Defines a paragraph
 Defines preformatted text
 Defines a short quotation
 Defines sample computer code text
 Defines small text
 Defines a section in a document
 Defines strikethrough text
 Defines strikethrough text
 Defines strong text
 Defines subscripted text
 Defines superscripted text
 Defines underlined text


text:
Location: Palo Alto, California
Type: Full Time
Castilleja is a dynamic, diverse, and intentional educational community for students in grades 6–12 that believes in the power of women learning and women leading. Founded in 1907, Castilleja fulfills its mission to educate young women to become confident thinkers and compassionate leaders with a sense of purpose to effect change in the world. Every member of the Castilleja community is responsible for fostering an equitable, respectful, and just community. We value building and sustaining authentic relationships and work together to create a collaborative learning and working environment. We are dedicated to a program that is responsive to students' needs and identities and demonstrates a commitment to antiracist values and pedagogy.
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR and FITNESS TEACHER
The Athletics Department seeks an educational leader to be the Middle School Athletic Director and Fitness Teacher. This position will support and grow the athletic program, inspire and engage our students in an outstanding athletic experience as well as work closely with other fitness teachers to provide a quality full physical education curriculum. This role will oversee an afterschool sports program that prepares students for lifelong engagement in physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.
The Middle School Athletic Director reports to the Athletic Director and the Middle School Division Head and works closely with other Fitness teachers and the Wellness Department, as well as grade level colleagues. The primary duties include:
- Leads and strengthens a Middle School athletics program that advances the mission of the school.
- Assists in the recruitment, supervision and evaluation of coaches (adult and student) for all MS team sports.
- Ensures that student athletes have access to the equipment, facilities and uniforms they need to compete safely.
- Coordinates with league officials to schedule home and away games for all MS teams.
- Ensures compliance with MS WBAL league policies and regulations.
- Arranges transportation to and from off-site practices and competitions.
- Develops, sustains, and facilitates relationships with nearby facilities.
- Fostering and organizing team social opportunities at collegiate athletic events.
- Collaborates with MS class deans and co-curricular directors to support student-athletes with an athletics program that complements the academic and ethical values of the Middle School.
- Communicate regularly with the Head of the Middle School.
- Assist the Director of Athletics with the organization of an annual banquet that honors our athletes.
- Assists the Director of Athletics with the athletic department's budget.
- Supervises or monitors all MS athletics hosted events and support teams during competitions away from Castilleja.
- Encourages broad participation and engagement in all MS sports.
- Coordinates team rosters, schedule practices and assign facility use.
- Communicates with the Maintenance Department to ensure facilities are maintained and appropriately prepared for use.
- Promotes effective communication between coaches and athletes, and parents.
- Coaches a team during at least one season.
- Assigns, manages and maintains uniforms.
- Other duties as assigned by either the Head of School, Head of Middle School, or Director of Athletics.
- Coach one after school team each season and fitness classes during the school day.
What we are looking for in an Middle School Athletic Director:
- Enthusiasm for engaging middle school girls in athletics.
- Exceptional administrative and communication skills.
- Experience coaching a variety of sports and activities.
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
- Create and/or complement curriculum that meets student needs and identities
- Teach the fundamentals of various sports throughout the school year; leading up to playing games in a controlled environment.
- Emphasize student teamwork and sportsmanship
- Support a classroom environment of collaboration and community
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study
- At least three years of experience in teaching PE and/or coaching Middle School or Upper School Students.
- Experience in and enthusiasm for teaching and coaching Middle School students.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and adapt pedagogy, curriculum, and assessments for students with a range of skill levels and learning styles.
- Commitment to helping girls think independently and develop confidence in their own abilities.
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills.
- Be able to model inclusive behavior in whether on the field or in the classroom.
- Proficiency with technology (google suites, schoology).
Compensation and Benefits:
- Comprehensive Health Benefit Plans
- Superior TIAA Retirement matching
- Castilleja uses a competitive salary scale which takes into account experience, education and skill level. The salary for this position ranges from $82,700 to $142,500.
Connections working at Castilleja
Castilleja School is a non-sectarian independent college preparatory school for young women located in the San Francisco Bay Area near Stanford University and in the heart of Silicon Valley. Founded in 1907 by Stanford University graduate Mary Ishbel Lockey, the school has an enrollment of girls in grades six through twelve, and has a long-standing reputation for the excellence of its academic program. Castilleja educates young women by fostering their intellectual, physical, creative, and emotional growth through an exemplary college preparatory experience within a diverse and supportive community.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
Despite the fact that Learning Differences are diagnosed earlier and recognized more readily, many Houston children still struggle on a daily basis in traditional classrooms. Research proves repeatedly that these students make the greatest educational progress when they received individualized, academically-centered learning plans that focus on their strengths and accommodate for their unique learning style.
Crossroads School teachers utilize many curriculums, teaching aids and manipulatives in order to develop a unique curriculum in each subject for each student. An appropriate instructional plan is based on their unique learning needs. These plans provide remedial learning opportunities, develop compensatory learning skills and facilitate self-paced progress.
Our Teaching Philosophy
The Crossroads "Outside of the Box" teaching philosophy is based on the following tenets:
- We recognize that each child is unique and children learn in different ways.
- We respect these different learning styles and seek to accommodate them.
- We strive to foster healthy interpersonal relationships with peers and adults.
- We work to promote a feeling of self-worth and dignity.
We encourage students to reach their highest level of achievement within the framework of their capabilities and talents.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
DN 31: Sigalovada Sutta
This sutta includes Buddha's advice to the lay practitioner. One section describes four types of "enemies described as friends." Bragging/Boasting seems to be a cause or effect of the characteristics of a not-so-good friend:
15. "Young man, be aware of these four enemies disguised as friends: the taker, the talker, the flatterer, and the reckless companion.
16. "The taker can be identified by four things: by only taking, asking for a lot while giving little, performing duty out of fear, and offering service in order to gain something.
17. "The talker can be identified by four things: by reminding of past generosity, promising future generosity, mouthing empty words of kindness, and protesting personal misfortune when called on to help.
18. "The flatterer can be identified by four things: by supporting both bad and good behavior indiscriminately, praising you to your face, and putting you down behind your back.
19. "The reckless companion can be identified by four things: by accompanying you in drinking, roaming around at night, partying, and gambling."
Bragging/Boasting doesn't seem to be a cause or effect of the characteristics of a good friend:
21. "Young man, be aware of these four good-hearted friends: the helper, the friend who endures in good times and bad, the mentor, and the compassionate friend.
22. "The helper can be identified by four things: by protecting you when you are vulnerable, and likewise your wealth, being a refuge when you are afraid, and in various tasks providing double what is requested.
23. "The enduring friend can be identified by four things: by telling you secrets, guarding your own secrets closely, not abandoning you in misfortune, and even dying for you.
24. "The mentor can be identified by four things: by restraining you from wrongdoing, guiding you towards good actions, telling you what you ought to know, and showing you the path to heaven.
25. "The compassionate friend can be identified by four things: by not rejoicing in your misfortune, delighting in your good fortune, preventing others from speaking ill of you, and encouraging others who praise your good qualities."


How Does Hypoxia Affect Respiratory Rate?
What is normal respirations per minute?
What is normal respiratory rate for person with COPD?
BradypneaAgeNormal respiratory rate (breaths per minute)1 to 3 years24 to 403 to 6 years22 to 346 to 12 years18 to 3012 to 18 years12 to 161 more row
How does hypoxia affect the respiratory system?
What is the stimulus that causes the respiratory control Centre to increase respiratory rate?
In response to a decrease in blood pH, the respiratory center (in the medulla ) sends nervous impulses to the external intercostal muscles and the diaphragm, to increase the breathing rate and the volume of the lungs during inhalation.
What is the first sign of hypoxia?
At what oxygen level does hypoxia occur?
How is respiratory rate controlled?
Under most conditions, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), or concentration of carbon dioxide, controls the respiratory rate. The peripheral chemoreceptors that detect changes in the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide are located in the arterial aortic bodies and the carotid bodies.
What are the 4 types of hypoxia?
What can tachypnea lead to?
Patients with lung problems such as pneumonia, pleural effusion, pulmonary embolism, COPD, asthma, or an allergic reaction also present with tachypnea. [16] Congestive heart failure can also be a cause of tachypnea and, if not managed, can progress to worsening heart failure.
What is an important chemical stimulus that affects breathing rate?
Respiratory rate and depth can be altered by chemical factors such as levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood. The most important stimuli are increased levels of carbon dioxide and decreased blood pH that act on the medulla centers of the brain, increasing respiration rate.
How do you test for hypoxia?
How do doctors diagnose hypoxemia?Pulse oximetry: A sensor that slips over your finger measures the amount of oxygen in your blood. … Arterial blood gas test: A needle is used to take a blood sample from your artery to measure the levels of oxygen in your blood.More items…•
What is a bad respiratory rate?
What is a dangerous respiratory rate? The normal respiratory rate for adults is between 12 to 20 normal breaths per minute at rest. A respiration rate that dips below 12 breaths per minute, or goes over 25 breaths per minute, is considered abnormal.
What is the symptoms of low oxygen?
What happens if respiratory rate is too high?
This common issue happens when you breathe faster than your body needs to and you get rid of too much carbon dioxide. That throws off the balance in your blood. Hyperventilation can be caused by things like exercise, anxiety, or asthma. It can make you feel dizzy, weak, or confused.
What affects the respiratory rate?
Does hypoxia increased respiratory rate?
Hypoxia induces a breathing pattern of rapid and shallow breaths with a relatively higher increase in respiratory rate than tidal volume. The aim is to decrease the cost of breathing by avoiding the need to overcome the lungs' higher elastance at high volumes.
What causes an increased respiratory rate?
Hyperventilation: This may occur due to pain, anxiety, or other conditions. Metabolic acidosis: When the acid level is too high in the blood, breathing rate increases to blow off carbon dioxide. Some causes of this include diabetic ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, and hepatic encephalopathy.
How do the kidneys respond to hypoxia?
The Kidney in Control of O2 Carrying Capacity A classic systemic adaptation to hypoxia is the stimulation of red blood cell production through increased synthesis of erythropoietin (EPO).
What are the most powerful stimuli for breathing?
Is breathing autonomic or somatic?
Breathing Is Automatic and Not Autonomic For example, an individual can voluntarily speak, smell, hyperventilate, or hold their breath. However, automatic functions ultimately mandate a return to normal breathing.


Burial Grounds Search.
Stone No.450-2
Erected by David Tulloch, Hatmaker, Dundee, and his wife Marjory Rattray, in memory of their daughter Margaret, who died 16th May 1835, aged 17 months.
Describe who can those worlds of light,
Those realms of endless day,
Where from the scenes of gloomy night,
She winged her joyful way.
Also their son David who died 4th Octr 1843 in the 27th year of his age. The above David Tulloch died 29th Jany 1849 aged 65 years. the above Margaret Rattray died 22nd March 1864 aged 70 years and was interred in the Western Cemetery.
reproduced with kind permission.


text:
In software engineering, Separation of Concerns refers to the delineation and correlation of software elements to achieve order within a system. Through proper separation of concerns, complexity becomes manageable.
The goal of this article is to promote the understanding of the principle of Separation of Concerns and to provide a set of foundational concepts to aid software engineers in the development of maintainable systems.
The Principle of Separation of Concerns
The Principle of Separation of Concerns states that system elements should have exclusivity and singularity of purpose. That is to say, no element should share in the responsibilities of another or encompass unrelated responsibilities.
Separation of concerns is achieved by the establishment of boundaries. A boundary is any logical or physical constraint which delineates a given set of responsibilities. Some examples of boundaries would include the use of methods, objects, components, and services to define core behavior within an application; projects, solutions, and folder hierarchies for source organization; application layers and tiers for processing organization; and versioned libraries and installers for product release organization.
Though the process of achieving separation of concerns often involves the division of a set of responsibilities, the goal is not to reduce a system into its indivisible parts, but to organize the system into elements of non-repeating sets of cohesive responsibilities. As Albert Einstein stated, "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler."
At its essence, Separation of Concerns is about order. The overall goal of Separation of Concerns is to establish a well organized system where each part fulfills a meaningful and intuitive role while maximizing its ability to adapt to change.
The Value of Separation of Concerns
Applying the principle of separation of concerns to software design can result in a number of residual benefits. First, the lack of duplication and singularity of purpose of the individual components render the overall system easier to maintain. Second, the system as a whole becomes more stable as a byproduct of the increased maintainability. Third, the strategies required to ensure each component only concerns itself with a single set of cohesive responsibilities often result in natural extensibility points. Forth, the decoupling which results from requiring components to focus on a single purpose leads to components which are more easily reused in other systems, or different contexts within the same system. Fifth, the increase in maintainability and extensibility can have a major impact on the marketability and adoption rate of the system.
The principle of separation of concerns can also be of benefit when applied to business organizations. Within large companies, ensuring that groups and sub-organizations are assigned a unique set of cohesive responsibilities helps to facilitate overall business goals by minimizing the coordination necessary between teams and maximizing the potential of each team to focus on their collective responsibility and center of competency.
The principle of separation of concerns can also improve problem resolution in enterprise wide systems. When responsibilities are properly delineated, problem identification becomes easier, resolution becomes faster, and personal accountability is increased. Each of these areas in turn contributes to an improved quality control process.
Whether organizations of people or software systems are in view, applying the principle of separation of concerns can aid in the management of complexity by eliminating unnecessary duplication and proper responsibility allocation.
In the next sections, various techniques will be discussed for achieving separation of concerns within application design.
Horizontal Separation of Concerns refers to the process of dividing an application into logical layers of functionally that fulfill the same role within the application.
One common division for graphical user interface applications is the separation of processes into the layers of Presentation, Business, and Resource Access. These categories encompass the main types of concerns for most application needs, and represent an organization of concerns which minimizes the level of dependencies within an application. Figure 1 depicts a typical three-layered application:
The Presentation Layer encompasses processes and components related to an application's user interface. This includes components which define the visual display of an application, and may include advanced design concepts such as controllers, presenters, or a presentation model. The primary goal of the Presentation Layer is to encapsulate all user interface concerns in order to allow the application domain to be varied independently. The Presentation Layer should include all components and processes exclusively related to the visual display needs of an application, and should exclude all other components and processes. This allows other layers within the application to vary independently from its display concerns.
The Business Layer encompasses processes and components related to the application domain. This includes components which define the object model, govern business logic, and control the workflow of the system. The business layer may be represented through specialized components which represent the workflow, business processes, and entities used within the application, or through a traditional object-oriented domain model which encapsulates both data and behavior. The primary goal of the Business Layer is to encapsulate the core business concerns of an application exclusive of how data and behavior is exposed, or how data is specifically obtained. The Business Layer should include all components and processes exclusively related to the business domain of the application, and should exclude all other components and processes.
The Resource Access Layer encompasses processes and components related to the access of external information. This includes components which interface with a local data store or remote service. The
goal of the Resource Access Layer is to provide a layer of abstraction around the details specific to data access. This includes tasks such as the establishing of database and service connections, maintaining knowledge about database schemas or stored procedures, knowledge about service protocols, and the marshalling of data between service entities and business entities. The Resource Access Layer should include all components and processes exclusively related to accessing data external to the system, and should exclude all other components and processes.
Another common division used by Service Oriented Applications is the division of the application into the layers of Service Interface, Business, and Resource Access as depicted in Figure 2:
In this division, the Business and Resource Access layers serve the same purposes as previously discussed, with the service exposure concerns encapsulated into a Service Interface Layer. This layer encompasses service interface concerns such as the exposure of business processes through various protocols and the management of service specific contracts and data types. The primary goal of the Service Interface Layer is to encapsulate all service interface concerns in order to allow the application domain to be varied independently. The Service Interface Layer should include all components and processes exclusively related to the exposure of the application as a service, and should exclude all other components and processes.
By grouping processing concerns based on their role within the application, a number of benefits are gained which improve the overall system manageability. These benefits include ease of maintenance through consistent architecture and isolation of process, increased insulation from change impact, increased adaptability to change, and increased potential for reuse.
Vertical Separation of Concerns refers to the process of dividing an application into modules of functionality that relate to the same feature or sub-system within an application. Vertical separation divides the features of an application holistically, associating any interface, business, and resource access concerns within a single boundary. Figure 3 depicts an application separated into three modules:
Separating the features of an application into modules clarifies the responsibly and dependencies of each feature which can aid in testing and overall maintenance. Boundaries may be defined logically to aid in organization, or physically to enable independent development and maintenance.
Logical boundaries imply the existence of modularity, though the methods used to denote separation may have no bearing on the actual deployment or runtime behavior of an application. This can be useful for improving the maintainability of an application as well easing any future efforts for physically separating features. Figure 4 depicts an application containing logical boundaries:
Physical boundaries are generally used in the context of developing add-ins or composite applications, and can enable features to be managed by disparate development teams. Applications supporting add-in modules often employ techniques such as auto-discovery, or initializing modules based on an external configuration source. Figure 5 depicts a hosting framework containing modules developed by separate development teams:
While vertical separation groups a set of concerns based on their relevance to the total fulfillment of a specific feature within an application, this does not preclude the use of other separation of concerns strategies. For example, each module may itself be designed using layers to delineate the role of components within the module. Figure 6 depicts an application using both horizontal and vertical separation of concerns strategies:
Aspect Separation of Concerns, better known as Aspect-Oriented Programming, refers to the process of segregating an application's cross-cutting concerns from its core concerns. Cross-cutting concerns, or aspects, are concerns which are interspersed across multiple boundaries within an application. Logging is one example of an activity performed across many system components.
Figure 7 depicts an application with several cross-cutting concerns:
Cross-cutting concerns can be difficult to maintain due to their widespread placement throughout an application. Their mixture with core concerns also adds complexity, rendering the application more difficult to maintain. By separating these concerns, both core concerns and cross-cutting concerns are made easier to manage.
Aspect separation differs from other separation techniques in that it relies on a pre-processing, compile time, or run-time fusion of cross-cutting concerns with the application. The process of fusing the two concerns back together is referred to as "weaving". By using various strategies, cross-cutting concerns can be separated and woven back into the application for run time cohesion. Aspect separation tools are available for a wide range of programming languages. For more information on this topic including a list of available tools for facilitating aspect separation see Aspect-Oriented Programming
One characteristic of good Separation of Concerns is the ideal establishment of dependency direction. An ideal dependency direction establishes the roles of consumer and dependency such that the role of dependency is occupied by the entity possessing the highest potential for reuse.
A simple example illustrating the concept of dependency direction is the common relationship between a business component and a utility component. Consider a system which provides an order inquiry process which requires that frequently requested data be cached for greater efficiency. To facilitate


text:
Background: Cancer survival is a key measure of the effectiveness of health-care systems. Persistent regional and international differences in survival represent many avoidable deaths. Differences in survival have prompted or guided cancer control strategies. This is the first study in a programme to investigate international survival disparities, with the aim of informing health policy to raise standards and reduce inequalities in survival.
Methods: Data from population-based cancer registries in 12 jurisdictions in six countries were provided for 2·4 million adults diagnosed with primary colorectal, lung, breast (women), or ovarian cancer during _PHONE_, with follow-up to Dec 31, 2007. Data quality control and analyses were done centrally with a common protocol, overseen by external experts. We estimated 1-year and 5-year relative survival, constructing 252 complete life tables to control for background mortality by age, sex, and calendar year. We report age-specific and age-standardised relative survival at 1 and 5 years, and 5-year survival conditional on survival to the first anniversary of diagnosis. We also examined incidence and mortality trends during _PHONE_.
Findings: Relative survival improved during _PHONE_ for all four cancers in all jurisdictions. Survival was persistently higher in Australia, Canada, and Sweden, intermediate in Norway, and lower in Denmark, England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, particularly in the first year after diagnosis and for patients aged 65 years and older. International differences narrowed at all ages for breast cancer, from about 9% to 5% at 1 year and from about 14% to 8% at 5 years, but less or not at all for the other cancers. For colorectal cancer, the international range narrowed only for patients aged 65 years and older, by 2-6% at 1 year and by 2-3% at 5 years.
Interpretation: Up-to-date survival trends show increases but persistent differences between countries. Trends in cancer incidence and mortality are broadly consistent with these trends in survival. Data quality and changes in classification are not likely explanations. The patterns are consistent with later diagnosis or differences in treatment, particularly in Denmark and the UK, and in patients aged 65 years and older.
Funding: Department of Health, England; and Cancer Research UK.
Copyright Â© 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


text:
ISO 10014 Quality Management Guidelines for realizing financial and economic benefits of ISO 9001
ISO publishes a guide to help your organization increase the ROI of its QMS:
ISO 10014 Quality Management Guidelines for realizing financial and economic benefits
It provides guidelines for achieving financial and economic benefits from the application of the ISO 9000 Quality Management Principles:
- Customer focus
- Engagement of people
- Process approach
- Evidence-based decision making
- Relationship management
Like ISO 9001, ISO 10014 requires the involvement of top management and works in conjunction with ISO 9004 for performance improvements. It provides examples of achievable benefits and outlines tools to realize them.
A PDCA based improvement cycle is displayed for each quality management principle that lists activities for each Plan-Do-Check-Act stage. The eight examples provide outputs for each QM principle which provide benefits to the organization.
Economic benefit – Improved processes usually result in better resource management, improved customer relationships, and the overall worth of an organization.
Financial benefit – A direct result of organizational improvement expressed in financial terms and realized by cost-effective management practices.
…and it includes a Gap Checklist and Evaluation Tool!
Annex A includes a self-assessment as a gap analysis and prioritization tool. The questionnaire describes five maturity levels for assessing your current management system and determining which principle should be selected for improvement.
Like ISO 9004, ISO 10014 is a guideline with recommendations, not a set of requirements for which you would seek certification.
Organizations are recognizing that an effective Quality Management System leads to reduced costs and greater operating margins through:
- Improved product reliability
- Better process control and flow
- Better documentation of processes,
- Greater employee quality awareness
- Reductions in product scrap, rewords and rejections


Sign up ×
I know very little about the Pfaffian or how it works, and I'm new at Riemannian geometry in general. But I was wondering if there is some way to make this "intuitive" argument for the fact that a fiber bundle satisfies $\chi(\text{bundle}) = \chi(\text{fiber})\chi(\text{base})$ rigorous.
 1. Say you've got a surjective smooth submersion $\widetilde{M} \rightarrow M$ that's also a (smooth?) fiber bundle. (Assume all the manifolds are compact... though I wish there were some weaker condition than that for the Gauss-Bonnet theorem to apply. It'd be nice if one could make sense of it whenever the manifold had finitely generated cohomology).
 2. EDIT: See update below. Slap Riemannian metrics on $\widetilde{M}$ and $M$ so that the submersion is a Riemannian submersion. (I just feel like one would need this in step 4. The other thing that would make sense is if we could somehow put a Riemannian metric on $\widetilde{M}$ that would be the 'twisted product' of Riemannian metrics on $F$ and $M$- whatever that means).
 3. By the Generalized Gauss-Bonnet Theorem, $\int_{\widetilde{M}}Pf(\Omega_{\widetilde{M}}) = (2\pi)^n \chi(\widetilde{M})$.
 4. And here's the thing that seems the hardest to make rigorous (though who knows, I may have already been wrong at step 2): I want to say that $\int_{\widetilde{M}}Pf(\Omega_{\widetilde{M}}) = \int_M\int_F Pf(\Omega_F)Pf(\Omega_M) = (2\pi)^k(2\pi^{n-k})\chi(F)\chi(M)$.
In order for this to even start making sense there would have to be some sense in which an analog of Fubini's theorem works for twisted products. I'd also need the Pfaffian to satisfy the identity that I want it to satisfy in this case (which I think follows from the fact that if we have a direct sum of matrices, $A \oplus B$, then $Pf(A \oplus B) = Pf(A)Pf(B)$.) So: is there any way to actually make this argument stand? (I think that it would work for a trivial fibration, but that's no fun.)
So far I only know how to prove this product formula using a spectral sequence, so it'd be cool if this were a legitimate way of visualizing it in this special case.
Updates: First of all, it turns out that there is a Fubini's theorem for local products (see Generlized Curvature by Jean-Marie Morvan). Instead of Step 2 I think what we want is to put a metric on $M$, and then put metrics $h_x$ on $F_x$ (the fiber over $x$) that somehow 'varies smoothly with $x$' (hopefully that's possible) and then define a metric on $\widetilde{M}$ by breaking every vector into its horizontal and vertical pieces and applying the metric on $M$ and $F$ separately. Pretty much by definition this should make $\Omega_{\widetilde{M}}$ be the matrix $\Omega_M \oplus \Omega_F$ (I think?) and then the result should follow.
So I still have details to work outand I'll keep thinking about it, but in the meantime if any of you have seen this before, then a reference would be really helpful! I'm afraid I've done something silly, or I'm assuming something I can't...
share|cite|improve this question
I vote for the theorem to be called "Chern-Gauss-Bonnet" instead of "Generalized Gauss-Bonnet" in the text of the question! – Q.Q.J. Mar 4 '11 at 10:54
Not related to this approach, but there's a very nice little subcase/generalization of this fact called the Riemann-Hurwitz formula: – Aaron Mazel-Gee Mar 4 '11 at 18:33
_USER_: Neat! _USER_: You're probably right, but I feel bad bumping up this question for the minor edit. – Dylan Wilson Mar 6 '11 at 9:27
2 Answers 2
I understand you're trying to prove using the Pfaffian but what's wrong with the triangulation proof of what you want? Fibre bundles $F\to E\to B$ are locally trivial and triangulate your base and the fibres then it should be clear that $\chi(E)=\chi(F)\chi(B)$.
More precisely, assume that you have triangulated finely enough so that the simplices in your base are already in local charts. For simplicity, let $B$ be a $k$-dimensional manifold. If $\Delta_k\subset B$ then the number of vertices in $\pi^{-1}(\Delta_k)$ is the product of the number of vertices of $\Delta_k$ and the number of vertices $v(F)$ of $F$. The number of edges of $\pi^{-1}(\Delta_k)$ equals $e(\Delta_k)v(F)+v(\Delta_k)e(F)$. You continue in this way and an alternate sum tells you that $\chi(\pi^{-1}(\Delta_k))=\chi(\Delta_k)\chi(F)=\chi(F)$. When you glue fibres over charts (in this case faces of $\Delta_k$) then the Euler characteristic formula $\chi(X_1\cup X_2)=\chi(X_1)+\chi(_2)-\chi(X_1\cap X_2)$ tells you that $\chi(\pi^{-1}(\Delta_k\cup\Delta_k'))=\chi(\Delta_k)\chi(F)+ \chi(\Delta_k')\chi(F)-\chi(\Delta_{k-1})\chi(F)$. Then another alternating sum tells you that you should ultimately sum $1$'s (with signs) over the simplices of your base and finally multiply $\chi(F)$ which gives you the formula you want.
EDIT : In case this answer isn't not helpful, feel free to comment. I initially wanted to put it up as a comment but ended up clicking on the answer button!
share|cite|improve this answer
Thank youbut I really did want to see if this Pfaffian thing would work. I recently saw the triangulation proof in a paper of Mostowit's very nice and it does give a bit more intuition than the spectral sequence proof. – Dylan Wilson Mar 3 '11 at 23:18
This might be totally stupid, but isn't it not known whether all manifolds are triangulable? I read in an (admittedly old-ish) book that this wasn't known, but maybe it's been proven since then. – Aaron Mazel-Gee Mar 4 '11 at 18:33
_USER_ - You're right in saying that not all manifolds are triangulable (the Kirby-Siebenmann class of $M$ has to vanish if $M$ has to have piecewise linear structure) but in this question the manifolds under consideration are all smooth and hence admit triangulations. – Somnath Basu Mar 4 '11 at 19:48
The Gauss-Bonnet theorem has, in my opinion, two parts. The first part is how to associate to a smooth oriented vector bundle $V \to X$ on a manifold a differential form representing the Euler class. For that, one needs a metric on $V$ and a metric connection. Take the curvature und plug it into the Pfaffian - that gives a closed differential form, the Euler form, whose de Rham class only depends on $V$ and its orientation. If $V=TM$ and $M$ is Riemannian, you can pick the Levi-civita connection, but that is not really relevant here.
The second step is that $\int_M e (TM)= \chi(M)$, and this is algeraic topology, involving Poincare duality.
Let $f:E \to B$ be a smooth fiber bundle with $d$-dimensional compact fibres (=proper submersion) and assume that $B$ is closed and oriented. Let $T_v E := ker (df)$ be the vertical tangent bundle. There is a short exact sequence of vector bundles $0 \to T_v E \to TE \to f^{\ast} TB \to 0$ and a splitting is given e.g. by a Riemann metric on $E$.
The Euler class $e$ of vector bundles satisfies $e(V \oplus W) = e(V) e(W)$, which follows for examples from direct sum formula for the Pfaffians (in fact, the above identity holds even for the differential form representatives). There is an integration over the fibre
$$\int_{E/B} \omega,$$
which produces a $k-d$-form on $B$ out of a $k$-form on $E$. For a construction


text:
- This article concerns the European writer and politician; for others see Benjamin Constant (disambiguation).
Henri-Benjamin Constant de Rebecque (October 25, 1767–December 8, 1830) was a Swiss-born thinker, writer and French politician.
Constant was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, to descendants of Huguenots. He was educated by private tutors and at the University of Erlangen, Bavaria, and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the course of his life, he spent many years in France, Switzerland, Germany, and Great Britain.
He was intimate with Anne Louise Germaine de Staël and their intellectual collaboration made them one of the most important intellectual pairs of their time. He was active in French politics as a publicist and politician during the latter half of the French Revolution and between 1815 and 1830. During part of this latter period, he sat in the French National Assembly. He was one of its most eloquent orators and a leader of the left-liberal opposition known as the Indepentants.
A liberal author, more in the Anglo-Saxon than the Francophone tradition, he looked to England rather than to ancient Rome for a practical model of freedom in a large, commercial society. He drew a distinction between the "Liberty of the Ancients" and the "Liberty of the Moderns". The Liberty of the Ancients was a participatory, republican liberty, which gave the citizens the right to directly influence politics through debates and votes in the public assembly. In order to support this degree of participation, citizenship was a burdensome moral obligation requiring a considerable investment of time and energy. Generally, this required a sub-society of slaves to do much of the productive work, leaving the citizens free to deliberate on public affairs. Ancient Liberty was also limited to relatively small and homogenous societies, in which the people could be conveniently gathered together in one place to transact public affairs.
The Liberty of the Moderns, in contrast, was based on the possession of civil liberties, the rule of law, and freedom from too much state interference. Direct participation would be limited: a necessary consequence of the size of modern states, and also the inevitable result of having created a commercial society in which there are no slaves but almost everybody must earn a living through work. Instead, the voters would elect representatives, who would deliberate in Parliament on behalf of the people and would save citizens from the necessity of daily political involvement.
Moreover, Constant believed that in the modern world commerce was superior to war. He attacked Napoleon's martial appetite on the grounds that it was illiberal and no longer suited to modern commercial social organization. Ancient Liberty tended to be warlike, whereas a state organized on the principles of Modern Liberty would be at peace with all peaceful nations.
The distinction between Ancient Liberty and Modern Liberty is significant in a number of ways. Firstly, France had tried to replicate Ancient Liberty during the Revolution, basing its institutions (such as the French Consulate and the Tribunate) on Roman Republican models. This had badly backfired, resulting in the personal rule of Napoleon. Constant believed that if liberty was to be salvaged from the aftermath of the Revolution, then chimerical Ancient Liberty had to be abandoned in favour of practical and achievable Modern Liberty. England, since the Glorious Revolution of 1688, had demonstrated the practicality of Modern Liberty and England was a constitutional monarchy. Constant concluded that constitutional monarchy was better suited than republicanism to maintaining Modern Liberty. He was instrumental in drafting the "Acte Additional" of 1815, which transformed Napoleon's restored rule into a modern constitutional monarchy. This was only to last for "One Hundred Days" before Napoleon was defeated, but Constant's work nevertheless provided a means of reconciling monarchy with liberty. Indeed, the French Constitution (or Charter) of 1830 could be seen as a practical implementation of many of Constant's ideas: a hereditary monarchy existing alongside an elected Chamber of Deputies and a senatorial Chamber of Peers, with the executive power vested in responsible ministers. Thus, although often ignored in France because of his Anglo-Saxon sympathies, Constant made a profound (albeit indirect) contribution to French constitutional traditions.
Secondly, Constant developed a new theory of constitutional monarchy, in which royal power was intended to be a neutral power, protecting, balancing and restraining the excesses of the other, active powers (the executive, legislature, and judiciary). This was an advance on the prevailing theory in the English-speaking world, which - following the conventional wisdom of William Blackstone, the 18th century English jurist, had reckoned the King to be head of the executive branch. In Constant's scheme, the executive power was entrusted to a Council of Ministers (or Cabinet) who, although appointed by the King, were ultimately responsible to Parliament. In making this clear theoretical distinction between the powers of the King (as head of state) and the ministers (as Executive) Constant was responding to the political reality which had been apparent in Britain for more than a century: that the ministers, and not the King, are responsible - and therefore that the King "reigns but does not rule". This was important for the development of parliamentary government in France and elsewhere. It should be noted, however, that the King was not to be a powerless cipher in Constant's scheme: he would have many powers, including the power to make judicial appointments, to dissolve the Chamber and call new elections, to appoint the peers, and to dismiss ministers - but he would not be able to govern, make policy, or direct the administration, since that would be the task of the responsible ministers.
As an aside, this theory was literally applied in Portugal (1822) and Brazil (1824), where the King/Emperor was explicitly given "Moderating Powers" rather than executive power. Elsewhere (for example, the 1848 "Statuto" of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which later became the basis of the Italian constitution from 1861) the executive power was notionally vested in the King, but was exercisable only by the responsible ministers.
Constant's other concerns included a "new type of federalism" - a serious attempt to decentralise French government through the devolution of powers to elected municipal councils. This proposal reached fruition in 1831, when elected municipal councils (albeit on a narrow franchise) were created.
The importance of Constant's writings on the liberty of the ancients has dominated understanding of his work. Constant was, however, no proponent of radical libertarianism. His wider literary and cultural writings (most importantly the novella Adolphe and his extensive histories of religion) emphasised the importance of self-sacrifice and warmth of the human emotions as a basis for social living. Thus, while he pleaded for individual liberty as vital for individual moral development and appropriate for modernity, he felt that egoism and self-interest were insufficient as part of a true definition of individual liberty. Emotional authenticity and fellow-feeling were critical. In this, his moral and religious thought was strongly influenced by the moral writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and German thinkers, such as Immanuel Kant, whom he read in preparing his religious history.
- De l'esprit de conquête et l'usurpation (On the spirit of conquest and on usurpation) (1815), an important pamphlet against Napoleon
- Adolphe, a novel
- De la religion (_PHONE_), a five-volume history of ancient religion.
- A.Pitt "The Religion of the Moderns: Freedom and Authenticity in Constant's De la Religion", History of Political Thought, xxi, 1, 2000, 67-87
- "Principles of Politics Applicable to all Representative Governments", Constant: Political Writings (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) - Biancamaria Fontana (Trans & Ed.) Cambridge, 1988
- Contributions to liberal theory
This article might use material from a Wikipedia article, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
* Notice to all users: You can export our search engine to your blog, website, facebook or my space.


text:
Search: Advanced search
Browse by category:
Within the qiraa'at of Hafs, are madd elongations supposed to be exactly the same per recitor e'g madd tabiee 2 counts?
Assalaamu 'alaikum warahmatullaah
Say within the qiraa'at of hafs are madd elongations supposed to be exactly the same per recitor e'g madd tabiee 2 counts, the counts should be exactly the same time for all recitors or does the lengthening differ according to the pace of the individual recitor?
Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
The timings of the lengthenings or mudood, are based on the timing of one harakah (which is the Arabic word for vowel), then multiplied by a number based on the vowel timing.
One reading at a fast pace will have faster timings of individual harakaat (vowels) than one reading at a slower pace. The mudood then are not equal in length from reciter to reciter unless there are two reciters reading at the exact same speed. Instead the mudood length will be a mutliple of the speed of the individual vowel counts and this speed with determine the length of the medd.
The natural medd or is two vowel counts; so the reader lengthens it based on the speed of an individual vowel, multiplied by two (i.e., two fathah).
The reader of the Qur'an must make each vowel count equal to the other in his/her reading.
The speed of reading that one adopts is based on ones abilities and circumstances. In front of a teacher, one usually reads slowly and deliberately so the teacher can correct and hear all the letters clearly. If one is reviewing by himself/herslf a large portion by of the Qur'an, the speed may be a bit quicker.
Wa iyyaakum wa-l-muslimeen.
Wa assalaam alaikum wa rahmatullah.
Powered by KBPublisher (Knowledge base software)


text:
Humidity is a term thrown around a lot by the KBTX Weather Team, especially during the summer months. A basic definition for the word, according to the National Weather Service, is a measure of water content in the air. It doesn't sound like anything that we need to keep track of, yet here in Texas we talk about this word a lot.
We talk about humidity levels quite a bit in this part of Texas because it affects the heat index, or the 'feels like' temperature of the air. It is the reason why temperatures can be in the 90s though feels like it is in the 100s! It is also the reason why it can feel dry and not as hot as other areas that are closer to the coast.
Low humidity values are considered to be in the single digits, teens and the 20s percentile ranges. Weather conditions with these values include a 'drier' kind of heat because of the lack of water in the air. Areas that are more affected by lower humidity are located away from bodies of water. A prime example of a drier region of Texas is Amarillo and the rest of the Texas panhandle.
The range of high humidity values can vary depending on the weather conditions occurring. Typically, it can range from about 50% to 100%. Here in the Brazos Valley, we have been saying humidity values in the upper 30s to 40s are high. The reason for that is because our heat index values have increased dramatically in response to the humidity. When we see the 'feels like' temperature reach a full 10 degrees above what the actual air temperature is, we consider the humidity to be high.
What can change humidity values? The dry line, which is an invisible line that separates dry air from more moist air, can decrease humidity values dramatically if it moves into an area. Being closer to a body of water brings up humidity while being in a land-locked place decreases humidity. When it rains, it increases the humidity temporary since rain water is introduced into the air, increasing moisture.
If you have a weather question you have always wanted answered, feel free to email your question to _EMAIL_ and it could appear in a blog!


3D Tutorials & Courses Online
Matte Painting: winter
This is my second matte painting tutorial (first tutorial here).
Here I wanted to change the season of a scene from summer to winter.
Specific device used: Wacom Intuos² A4
Alright, first let's modify the colors.
Using Image > Adjust > Hue / Saturation, try to get softer colors with less contrasts and saturation. Make it look cold!
Create a new layer
Now we can begin painting the snow. Use a rough brush to create irregular shapes. In the tools window, set the foreground color to pure white, and the background color to a blue-tinted white which will be used to add shadows on the snow.
All steps involve working alternatively with these two colors.
Begin by adding snow on the edges of the house where the snow would naturally fall onto.
With the blueish white, paint the inferior part of the snow (the shadows). This will add depth and will simulate the way snow reacts to light.
Create a new layer
With the same brush and same white, paint the windows to give them a frosted look. Set this layer's transfer mode to Overlay to make it match.
Create a new layer
Same principle, on the roof this time.
Make sure you stay true to the original lighting. Parts where the sun directly hits the roof should be a lot brighter than the darker spots, which will blueish. This is important especially on the cone shaped parts.
When everything will be painted, you can then use the Blur tool and make a smooth transition between pure white and blueish white. After that, use the Burn and Dodge tools to increase or decrease contrasts. If you use Burn on the blue-tinted whites, it will give you an ice look, which can be interesting.
Create a new layer
Now we are going to paint the ground. I used an irregular brush so that the grass wasn't entirely covered. Then using the blueish color I added nuances to simulate an undulating look. I also left a clean way that goes to the door.
Same principle to add snow applies to the trees and bushes in the garden.
Now let's do something to avoid boredom from only adding snow!
Using the Dodge tool, on the house layer, brighten spots here and there to add frosted parts, as well as to lighten up the dark parts of the house (like the inside of the porch). Do not forget that snow is a reflective surface, it will bounce light off pretty much everywhere.
Using the same method, brighten up the rest of the scene like the trees and sky.
Subtle, but necessary since it adds the important detail that sells the overall effect and makes the image look natural.
Create a new layer
Now on to the extremely boring step : powder snow over the trees. Powder is subtle, so don't overdo it!
Still using the same method, add snow accumulations on branches, the most difficult part being to actually see where those branches are. It depends on the quality of your picture.
If you have chosen a picture without trees you are a cheater!!
For the big branches in the foreground, we can see leaves. I chose to add snow on groups of leaves, which can be time consuming, but you should not choose the shortest way over quality work.
Create a new adjustment layer : Brightness/Contrast
This step is optional, but I created a layer and have applied a linear gradient from top to bottom to increase the contrast at the bottom of the pic.
Here it is!
You can compare the original image and the matte painting!
Copyright © Sebastien Gaucher
Edit by
Source: _URL_
(Visited 3573 times, 1 visits today)
3DExport Buy & Sell 3D Models
About The Author
You might be interested in


Whats Up With Dogs Wiping Their Paws?
didis dogs.TIF
Dear Didi: We lost our 11-year-old GoldenDoodle, Ginger, a month ago. She was absolutely the most perfect dog ever and we miss her horribly. To fill that hole in our hearts we just brought in a new Doodle puppy. His name is Cooper and he is 10 weeks old. He has an interesting habit we would like more information about. He always "wipes his paws" on the grass after going to the bathroom. Why is he doing this and should we do anything about it? Doodle Parents in Stockton
Dear Doodle Parents: What a great question! You are absolutely correct, in that, most people assume the dog is "wiping" their feet clean after going potty. Behaviorists have spent some pretty good time evaluating, observing and studying this particular behavior. A dogs' sense of smell is so acute that they can get an idea of another dog's health circumstances, age, sex and personality by sniffing their private areas. Urine and fecal matter have telltale hormonal smells included in the waste material. Many animals, besides dogs, use the bathroom with a very calculated intent, as far as, the location in which they place their special package. It is a form of marking territory. It lets others know who he or she is for social hierarchy.
The additional foot scratching that you see from your puppy leaves claw marks and additional hormonal smells. Dogs have scent glands in the pads of their feet. Therefore, your puppy is already trying to let the world know how tough he is. Quite the attitude for a young puppy! He probably smells the left over scent from Ginger and wants to warn her that he is in town now. It can be trained out by immediately distracting Cooper when he finishes doing his business. Distractions could be a ball, squeaky toy, running away from him so he chases you excitedly, or a yummy treat. Therefore, he won't get in the habit of acting dominant. Your lawn will also thank you!


text:
Galicia Quality certifies the quality, supported by the Galician origin,of products and services made in Galicia, made with Galician raw material or design, that are worthy of this distinction, after it has been checked by the appropriate controls.
The conditions for products and services to achieve the guarantee mark are established in the Regulation of Usage of the Quality Mark and in the specifications.
- The agricultural and food products produced in Galicia, after having passed the requirements for quality control established by Galicia Quality. Those benefiting from a quality seal of origin, such as designations of origin, protected geographical indications, etc., can access to it after a formal request for entry and only if they meet the specifications established by the certification mark.
- The food products that are produced in Galicia with main raw materials of Galician origin, when they provide added value or where there is a productive sector of socio-economic interest for Galicia (dairy products, wood, etc.).
- Service companies that have quality seals recognized and approved, such as the Q of Quality for tourist facilities, will be certified by Galicia Quality provided they comply with the specifications required.
- Those products made from the design and creation of Galician companies that generate added value and intrinsic (know-how, traditions, etc.) in Galicia (fashion, shipbuilding, automotive, etc.).
Who can access the seal
The products of the following companies may be eligible to the Galicia Quality seal:
- Based in the territory of the Autonomous Community of Galicia
- That have a production centre in Galicia
- That process their products in Galicia
- Companies must follow the specifications approved by Galicia Quality for each sector and undergo regular audits.
- sello de garantía
para productos o servicios que destacan por sus atributos de calidad
- control de calidad
que garantizan tanto el origen como las características
la marca tiene una valoración muy positiva por los consumidores
inversión constante que repercute en las entidades adheridas
con el objetivo de favorecer a las empresas adheridas
- promoción extra
las acciones promocionales suponen una gran oportunidad
destacada en las ferias agroalimentarias
participación en campañas educativas y deportivas para el cliente final
en la tramitación del sello de calidad


text:
Nigeria Health Watch, T.Y Danjuma Foundation, Water Aid and EpiAFRIC put together an inter-school handwashing essay competition in a bid to contribute to the UN's mission of "Leaving No One Behind". The competition was for students of primary 4–6 and junior secondary within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Over a hundred students sent in submissions on the essay theme: "Why Clean Hands Matter". The main objective of this competition was to encourage school going children to wash their hands regularly.
Winners of the junior secondary category
- Destiny, Junior Secondary School, Jabi – 1st Position
- Deborah, Raberto Schools – 2nd Position
- Aisha, JSS 3 Raberto Schools – 3rd Position
Winners of the primary 4 – primary 6 category
- Joel, Living Fountain International School, Mbora, Year 6 – 1st Position
- Emmanuella, Lela Blossom School, Lifecamp, Year 5 – 2nd Position
- Nichole, Living Fountain International School, Mbora, Year 4 – 3rd Position
Special recognition awards (for the most original essays)
- Junior secondary category – Jecoliah, Hillside School
- Primary 4-6 category – Adriane, Year 4 CTL Academy
See winners of both categories and their essays below.
Winner of the junior secondary category: Destiny (Junior Secondary School, Jabi)
Hand washing is an important technique in removing bacterial and fecal matters from our hands using soap and clean water. It reduces the transmission of these bacteria and fungi directly to others. It also reduces the risk of transmitting infections to oneself and others.
Hand washing is important because many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean running water. Hand washing with soap removes germs from hands. This helps to prevent infections because people frequently touch their eyes, nose and mouth without realising it. Washing your hands properly and frequently is one of the most important secrets to live a healthy life. It can help prevent and control the spread of many diseases. Good hand hygiene will reduce the risk of conditions such as flu, food poisoning and health care associated infections being passed from one person to another. Lack of proper hand washing can lead to norovirus, airborne disease, hepatitis A and so many others to mention just a few.
Other consequences of not washing the hands or improper washing of hands include food related diseases that can lead to intestinal problems which can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Proper hand washing is the effective way of removing germs from our hands, it aids the prevention of diarrhea and uncomfortable intestinal disease, it protects us from common eyes diseases, it reduces the bacteria content of the hands, it keeps your workday free form bacteria which causes fatigue, in fact it prevents the spread of the germs that causes diseases generally.
We need to wash our hands before, during and after preparing food, before eating and after eating, before and after caring for someone who is sick, before and after treating a cut or wound, after using the toilet, after changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet, after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing etc
It takes about 15 to 20 seconds of vigorous hand washing with soap and water to be effectively rid of germs. In actual sense, regular soap simply causes bacteria to loosen their grip on your hands to be rinsed away, using water along still seems to work just fine, as long as you rub your hands together vigorously. By contrast, anti-bacterial soap has additive that are designed to kill bacteria out rightly.
Clean hands matter because it prevents you from getting diseases like infection and flu. It helps us to be healthy at all-time even though a lot of people feel it is not important.
Winner of the primary 4–6 category: Joel (Living Fountain International School)
Clean hands deserve two thumbs up.
Regular washing of hands involves the use of soap, ash, salt or disinfectant or water. This practice helps to ensure that our hands remain relatively germs-free.
Cleanliness involves washing our hands after using the toilet brushing our teeth, washing meat, snail, fish or as well as before and after eating. It is pertinent to note that we must always ensure that we use enough water to wash away the detergent used. This will help to ensure that we do not take in chemical substances in a bid to maintain clean hands. We must also ensure that we rub both hands together for at least twenty seconds using soap and water.
After washing our hands, we must ensure that we dry our hands with a towel and use the towel to turn the tap off.
The benefits of washing our hands are numerous. Firstly, washing our hands helps to protect us from germs. germs exist everywhere around us; in the air, on the ground and even on objects and kitchen utensils.
Again, regular washing of hands helps to prevent diarrhoea. Not only that, by washing our hands, we protect ourselves from common eye infections like conjunctivitis. Hand washing generally helps to keep us healthy. Therefore, if you want to stay healthy, keep your hands clean by washing them regularly.


text:
About the Study
| How Does This Affect You?
The newborn screening is a blood test done to help identify certain health issues that would not otherwise be seen as early in newborns. Unfortunately, this screening requires that blood be drawn. A heelstick was the common method to withdraw blood, but venipuncture (from the back of the hand) has become a more common approach because it is associated with less discomfort for the newborn. However, venipuncture still causes some unhappiness. Making a newborn cry is bad enough but early negative experiences can also lead to higher anxiety and pain with future medical tests. Oral sucrose, a sugar solution, has been found to have a pain-relieving and calming effect with infants receiving vaccinations.
Researchers from Canada examined steps to reduce discomfort for infants including a topical medication lidocaine, a sucrose solution, or sucrose plus lidocaine. The study, published in Pediatrics, found that oral sucrose was effective at reducing pain in infants during venipuncture.
About the Study
The study was a randomized trial that included 330 healthy full-term newborns. Before their venipuncture, the infants were given one of three treatments to decrease pain:
- 2 milliliters of 24% sucrose solution, administered by mouth using a syringe over 1 to 2 minutes
- 1 gram of liposomal lidocaine 4% cream to the dorsum of the hand
- Both sucrose and lidocaine
The infants were also swaddled and held by a nurse during the venipuncture.
A facial grimace scale assessed pain with scores ranging from 0-100. The average grimace score during venipuncture was:
- 14 with sucrose solution
- 42 with liposomal lidocaine
- 19 with sucrose and lidocaine
Both groups with sucrose were significantly lower than lidocaine alone. There was no significant difference between sucrose or sucrose and lidocaine.
How Does This Affect You?
Randomized trials are considered a very reliable form of research trial. Although no trial can be perfect this trial was well-done and the results are likely to be true. The lidocaine, which is often used for pain reduction in medical procedures, appeared less effective at reducing pain during venipuncture compared to sucrose.
It is not clear if the sucrose directly affects pain levels or if it is simply a happy distraction, but it appears effective in decreasing the stress. The small sucrose delivered was not associated with adverse events, so it may be a safe way to make venipuncture a little less distressing for newborns.
Taddio A, Shah V, Stephens D, et al.
Effect of liposomal lidocaine and sucrose alone and in combination for venipuncture pain in newborns.
Pediatrics. 2011 Apr;127(4):e940-947.
Last reviewed July 2011 by Brian P. Randall, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved.


text:
This style of residential architecture incorporates the details and ideals from the overall history of spanish architecture. California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida are all regions where Spanish Eclectic house designs and architecture are common. This style immediately followed the closely related Mission style architecture. During the 1920's and early 1930's, the Spanish Eclectic design style enjoyed great popularity that soon fell from favor during the early 1940's.
Design features include a low pitch roof (with little or no eave overhang), tile roof (red being the common color), one or more archways placed above the front door and/or principle windows, stucco exterior finish, and a normally asymmetrical floor plan design. Doors are usually embellished with dramatic carvings and are made to be a focal point by adding adjacent spiral columns, pilasters, patterned tile work, or some sort of stone work.
The example photo above delivers on the substance of Spanish eclectic architectural styling; however, the overhangs are slightly larger than normal giving this a subtle blend of the Italian Renaissance architecture.


text:
The recycle logo (or symbol) appears on the products we buy on a daily basis. Its purpose is to encourage people to participate in the recycling process and identifies that the packaging is recyclable. This internationally-recognized recycling symbol was created in the early 1970s as a part of the design contest that was initiated by the Chicago-based Container Corporation of America (CCA) at different high schools and colleges across the country. The purpose was to increase the awareness of the environmental issues and also to create a logo for their then-revolutionary recycled cardboard boxes. The contest was won by a 23-year-old college student, Gary Anderson from the University of Southern California, whose creation marked the first official Earth day. His concept for the now famous logo basically originated from 19th century mathematician August Ferdinand.
The recycling logo is not a trademark and everyone can use it; however restrictions do exist in some local areas as to how can one use it like for example, its use on non-recycled goods would be misleading or illusory. The CCA originally applied for a trademark on the design, but the application was challenged, and the company chose to dispose of the claim.
DESIGN ELEMENTS OF THE RECYCLE LOGO:
The Recycle logo is probably one of the most recognizable logos ever designed. It reminds people of the significance to make better use of the things around them to help save the environment.
Shape of the Recycle logo:
The recycle logo is composed of three chasing arrows forming a Möbius strip that is twisted to take the shape of a triangle indicating that products should be recycled to help manufacture new products. The more we recycle the more beneficial it is to the environment.
Color of the Recycle logo:
The arrows in the recycle logo are filled with green and outlined in black. These colors signify renewal, health and environment.
The recycle logo has a lot of significance because of the important message it conveys to us.


text:
Share this page
UNU Youtube Chanel
OurWorld Flickr Photos
How things work
Beekeeping relieves land degradation in Kyrgyzstan
Agricultural heritage across the millennia
Linking local history and traditions to modern agriculture can revitalize land management with community pride and sustainable practices.
Re-creating eelgrass beds in the Seto Inland Sea
A videobrief in our satoumi series looks at how fishers and experts are restoring the ecosystem that nurtures coastal fish.
Satoumi – Co-managing marine resources in Shiretoko
In a remote part of Japan, stakeholders cooperate to preserve the area's exceptional ecology.
Satoumi in an Okinawan coral reef system
In a remote part of Japan, stakeholders are cooperating to preserve the area's exceptional ecology.
Satoumi in Ago Bay: Embracing integrated coastal management
A bay, historically prized as the marine product supplier to Japan's Imperial Court, is being revived.
From mountain to sea: A vision for the rebuilding of Tohoku
An oyster farming author shows how tsunami-hit Tohoku should rebuild by tapping into the region's rich traditions.
The changing socio-ecology of Japan's Ishikawa coast
The landscapes and livelihoods of this part of Japan are facing many threats, including ocean acidification.
Japanese agricultural heritage systems recognized
Sado Island and the Noto Peninsula are the first sites in Japan, and the developed world overall, to be listed as globally important.
Japan should look to satoyama and satoumi for inspiration
Traditional ways of living in harmony with nature offer the country hope as it rebuilds after the triple disaster.
To serve the ecosystems that serve us
It's time to move beyond the term "ecosystem services" and consider what it really takes to craft sustainable lifeways that span generations.
Satoumi: the link between humans and the sea
Japan's Seto Inland Sea supports a variety of sea life and people and its integrated management would allow the reaping of benefits well into the future.
Preserving Japan's sea salt making tradition
Japan's centuries-old sea salt production landscapes can serve in developing models for integrated management of land and marine ecosystems.
Japan's 'ama' free divers keep their traditions
Descendants of Japan's seafaring gypsies continue to sustainably manage their marine resources thanks to collectively set rules.
Harvest time in satoyama
The idea of satoyama embodies particular views about nature and its integration with lifestyle, cultural values and resource management practices.
» Debate 2.0
» How things work
» Special report
» Video brief


text:
Typhoon Nabi was a Category 2 typhoon in the western Pacific when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this image on September 6, 2005 at 11:05 a.m. Tokyo time. It had sustained winds of around 160 kilometers an hour (100 miles per hour), and it was heading north across the southern end of Japan. The eye of the storm is roughly centered in the image, and the thick storm clouds completely hide the island of Kyushu. To the northeast of the eye, the smaller island of Shikoku and the largest Japanese island, Honshu, are also under the clouds.
These clouds brought a deluge to the southern islands and caused dangerous landslides in the region's mountainous terrain. The landslides killed several people on Kyushu. As high waves pounded the coast, as much as 51 inches of rain may have fallen in 24 hours as the storm moved slowly northward into the Sea of Japan. The Japanese government had ordered evacuations for more than 100,000 people in the southern islands, according to reports from BBC News. Flights, road traffic, and ferry services were disrupted, and hundreds of thousands of people and businesses lost power.
NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team.
- Terra - MODIS


text:
The goal of the players in Sleuth is to find out which gem is missing from a set of 36 different possibilities. In order to do so players need to obtain as much information as they can about which gems are NOT the missing one. In order: each player gets a sheet to note and process all information gained during the game; a pen/pencil comes handy as well. Then, the gem deck consisting of the 36 gem cards is shuffled. First one card is set aside (you guessed it: that is the missing one!) without being revealed to anyone. Then each of the private eyes in the room is dealt an identical number of cards (ranging from 11 in 3 players to 5 in 7 players), remaining cards (if any) are revealed to all players.
The detectives indicate their own cards as well as the common cards on their sheets as first step in their investigation. After this is complete, the open cards are set aside and the actual enquiries begin. Before going there, a few necessary words on the gem cards. The 36 gems are not all entirely different but are all identified by three different properties:
- 4 colors: green, yellow, red and blue (card colors)
- 3 types: diamonds, opals and pearls
- 3 amounts: solitaires, pairs and clusters
As an example going forward: let us assume the missing gem is the green diamond pair. To conduct their investigations, players receive four cards from a second deck: Search cards. These allow detectives to ask any of the other players for certain information during their turn, and they come in three different types:
- One element cards allow you to enquire about one property only, for instance the number of all BLUE cards one player holds. The questioned player announces the number to everybody but does not give any details which specific cards he has.
- Two element cards allow a more detailed questioning, namely about two properties: you might ask another player about the number of red opal cards they hold, or blue solitaires or diamond pairs. Again the total is announced publicly, but in this case the enquiring person has an advantage as they also get to see the corresponding cards and learn which ones exactly they are.
- Thirdly there are also wild cards, or free choice cards which are underdefined and allow different questions with the same card. 'Free choice pairs', for example, allows to ask for pairs in a certain color or pairs of a certain jewel type. These can also be used as one element cards, although this is rarely done. When using them in lieu of a two element card, you get to know the specific cards again.
The players now take turns asking information from other players and listening to information elicited by others, marking their findings on their sheets, trying to complete the puzzle or rather finding the hole in the grid which was left by the missing gem. Once a player is close to solving the puzzle they have two options. If they are close but not sure yet, they may ask one final question to one player without the appropriate search card, but HAVE to announce their pick afterwards. Alternatively, if a player is certain at any point they may, after any turn has been completed, solve the case out of turn order.
To resolve their pick the player indicates their guess on their sheet and checks in secret with the cards set aside initially. If the guess is correct, the player reveals card and sheet to prove their correct pick. If the pick was wrong, the detective announces their failure, returns the card in privacy and is relegated to a passive role for the rest of the game. This means that the player may not ask questions anymore, but still has to answer other investigators' questions. So in theory all players could fail, but realistically if all but one players have guessed wrong the remaining one will be well-advised to double confirm any pick they are about to make, so they should usually take the victory.
It should be quite obvious that Sleuth is not a game of creativity or extensive, elaborate strategies, but obviously there is quite some advantage in planning what to ask whom based on your own cards and information gathered along the way. Also it should come as no surprise that different notation techniques will prove to be a factor in keeping track of questions and answers and allow deductions from hints and incomplete clues. But the game is far from a dry, brainiac affair, and it is way more fun than one might think trying to keep track of what is going on and finding the best next step based on the search cards at your disposal. Add the fact that even outside of your own turn you will always be busy processing data and given a game duration of 30-45 minutes there is hardly any time to get bored or distracted by downtime.
Luck is a factor through the search cards you draw as well as the way questions and answers combine, allowing you to deduct certain things. As well, and obviously, the fewer questions are addressed to you and the more are put to others, the better for your information level; but in general the game is very well balanced and will not favor any one player. The design of the cards is not fancy but functional, as you would expect, and so are the other materials. Thanks to the straightforward rules the game is very easy to play with newcomers and less game-affine people. Thanks to several variations which usually make things tougher, the game also allows new twists and prolonged playing fun for experienced players.


Edit Article
Need a silhouette for an art project or the background of a poster? Learn how to draw one by following this easy tutorial.
 1. 1
 Draw big oval. Put a rectangle at the bottom, just barely overlapping the lower edge as seen.
 2. 2
 Add two smaller ovals. Add two lines to indicate the shape of the face. At this point it should almost like a stick figure boxing, or reaching up to high-five another stick figure.
 3. 3
 Draw a semicircle on one side of the big oval and add a triangle at the bottom. The arc will be the back of the head and the triangle is the curve of the neck.
 4. 4
 Detail the chin, lips, and nose. Connect the shapes to one another, so the silhouette starts looking more like a face and less like a work of abstract art.
 5. 5
 Erase all extraneous lines within the image. Draw the shadow of the hair by adding a few tufts near the top and the back.
 6. 6
 Outline the image using black ink (or crayon if you want). Fill the entire thing in with black color to finish up the silhouette.
Article Info
Categories: Drawing People and Features | Drawing Shapes and Forms
In other languages:
Español: dibujar una silueta, Português: Desenhar uma Silhueta
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 43,179 times.
Did this article help you?
Yes No
an Author!
Write an Article


text:
Approximately 8 million to 2.3 million people worldwide have impaired vision due to uncorrected refractive error and cataract. Hence the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated Vision 2020 global program – "The right to sight". The main motto of Vision 2020 is to correct refractive errors.
Dr. Basu, an experienced Ayurved consultant, conducted extensive research on several Ayurveda herbs and Bhasmas to find out a remedy for various eye diseases. He ultimately successfully formulated a potent, effective and pocket friendly remedy "ISOTINE" EYE DROPS which restored the precious nature's gift of vision, replacing the severe trauma of surgery. This has a very precise and balanced combination of Ayurved content that not only corrects the refractive errors but also visual acuity and subjective symptoms.
Number of scientific papers which have been published in various scientific journals explaining the mode action of individual contents of "ISOTINE" eye drops.These contents in individual have their own benefits which help in the treatment of various eye problems. Regular use of ayurvedic eye drop, Isotine treats all the disorders of the eyes like night blindness, glaucoma, gradually reducing vision and persistent irritation in the eyes.