DC Histories: Lex Luthor
Action Comics (Vol. 1) #259 (1959) Cover
The man originally known only as Luthor first appeared just two years after Superman made his first appearance. Sporting a head full of red hair, Luthor was a scientist bent on taking over the world. His mad dream seemed possible thanks to his seeming unlimited technological resources. When he first ran into Superman, he was attempting to start a war between two European countries. Only super strength and unbreakable hide allowed Superman to thwart Luthor's plans.
From Action Comics (Vol. 1) #23 (1940)
Modern readers may be surprised by Luthor's hair in his first few appearances. His trademark bald head didn't arrive until the following year. This change in Luthor's look may have been due to a mistake on a part of an artist. It's unknown just who was used as a reference when Leo Nowak drew the first bald Luthor in 1941's Superman #10. Perhaps he used an old drawing of the Ultra-Humanite, another Superman villain from that era, or he used one of Luthor's henchmen from Superman #4 who looked suspiciously like the later drawings of Luthor. In either case, the bald look stuck.
From Superman (Vol. 1) #4 (1940)
For decades, there wasn't any development in Luthor's character aside from his gaining the first name of Lex. He kept trying to take over the world, or gain illicit goods, or simply try to kill Superman. Time and time again, he failed. After twenty years of failure, motivation for his actions was finally given. In a story written by Jerry Siegel, one of Superman's co-creators, it was revealed that Luthor had actually grown up in Smallville alongside a teenage Superman, then going by the name Superboy. A young scientist dedicated to helping his community, Luthor was constantly tinkering with chemicals in his room. One day, when a mixture got out of hand, Luthor called on Superboy for help. Instead of whisking Luthor to safety or putting out the chemical fire at super speed, Superboy chose to blow the fire out with his breath. This choice was disastrous for Luthor, as it resulted in a chemical combination which both destroyed Luthor's work and caused his hair to fall out.
From Adventure Comics (Vol. 1) #271 (1960)
Luthor never forgave Superboy. From then on, the two became mortal enemies. Feeling unappreciated, Luthor only used his genius for his own benefit. After learning about Lex's new schemes, his parents hated what their child had become and kicked him out of their middle-class house. Lex was on his own.
From Superman (Vol. 1) #292 (1975)
That all started to change when Luthor transported both himself and Superman to another planet. In an attempt to see who was the better man when Superman was without his powers, Luthor challenged Superman to a fight on a planet with a red sun. Under that sun's light, Superman became as powerful as a regular human. However, before the match took place, Luthor explored the planet and found humanoid aliens living there. Seeing that they were doomed without access to more water, Luthor allowed himself to be beaten in the fight so that Superman could regain his powers and save that world's population. The population was saved and they knew that their true savior was Luthor.
From Superman (Vol. 1) #164 (1963)
Eventually, this planet would come to be known as Lexor. Luthor remained the people's greatest hero and began to split his time between Lexor and Earth. While on that alien world, he took a wife and the pair welcomed a son to the universe. Still, Luthor found it difficult to not challenge Superman in the occasional battle for personal supremacy. When Luthor finally decided to spend all of his time on Lexor and leave Earth behind, he forgot to deactivate some of his infernal mechanisms before he left. When Superman traveled to Lexor to confront Luthor about the evils he'd left behind, the battle between the two ended when a blast from Luthor's new battle suit went wild. The blast hit a weak spot in the planet, resulting in the planet's destruction. The entire population of Lexor died, including Luthor's wife and son.
From Action Comics (Vol. 1) #544 (1983)
Only Superman and Luthor survived the blast. After Lexor's destruction, which each of the two men blamed the other one for causing, Luthor renewed his attacks on Superman with a grim determination.
Then, the Crisis on Infinite Earths reset everything. As has been mentioned several times in this column, the Crisis was a massive reset button for the DC Universe. When all was said and done, the mad scientist version of Lex Luthor was no more. In his place was an unscrupulous business man who ruled Metropolis with political influence, crooked commercial dealings with his company LexCorp, and billions of dollars.
This Luthor had never lived in Smallville. Raised in the poor area of Metropolis known as the Suicide Slum, Luthor came from humble beginnings. Smarter than either of his parents, he resented the environment in which he was raised. In order to get away from his upbringing he set up massive life insurances policies in his parents' name, cut the break lines on their car, and collected the money after their deaths. Luthor would turn that money into the start of his fortune.
From Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography (1989)
This time, Luthor's baldness was shown to be hereditary and not caused by a young Superman. It was really the better way to go.
Years later, Luthor thought himself untouchable. His arrogance was stunning and when he first met Superman, he was shocked when the interaction ended with his being jailed. Although his lawyers quickly paid his bail and the court case was wiped away, it left Luthor with a bruise on his ego. From then on, he became more deliberate with actions and more careful in his plausible deniability. For instance, when he discovered Kryptonite was a substance that would harm Superman, he quickly made a ring out of the substance. Luthor went on to wear the accessory all day every day.
From Superman (Vol. 2) #2 (1987)
While Kryptonite is only deadly to Kryptonians in the short-term, it was proven to be a carcinogen to humans. Having spent years with the ring on his finger, Luthor learned that cancer was slowly spreading through his body. At first, the disease only affected his hand, which was eventually amputated. A robot arm was fitted in its place and Luthor took to wearing a glove over that hand.
From Superman (Vol. 2) #19 (1988)
As the cancer spread, Luthor realized that there was no cure for his affliction. In an effort to save himself from the worst of the biological indignities that laid ahead of him, Luthor appeared to take his own life when a plane he was piloting crashed into the side of a mountain. Superman quickly responded to the scene where he found a charred body and a broken artificial hand.
From Action Comics (Vol. 1) #660 (1990)
Luthor's Last Will stated that his fortune should go to a heretofore unmentioned son. Sired during Luthor's youth, the now 20-something year-old man known as Lex Luthor II was found living in Australia by two of Luthor's most trusted employees.
From Action Comics (Vol. 1) #670 (1991)
After learning of his father's death, Lex Luthor II moved to Metropolis and took over his father's business. He seemed like a kinder, gentler Luthor who just happened to be pretty great at running a multinational corporation. This new Luthor was a bright spot in LexCorp and a wonderful turnaround from his black-hearted father.
At least, that was the story that was told to the public. The real story was straight out of a modern soap opera. This Lex Luthor II was really a young clone of Lex Luthor I who had his elder's brain in his body. This Luthor was the same person who supposedly died in that plane crash.
From Action Comics (Vol. 1) #678 (1992)
When Luthor found out that the Kryptonite cancer spreading through his body was guaranteed to kill him, he started up this clone project so that he could live. Realizing that cloning himself was weird, he invented a long-lost son story so that he could be reborn. Luthor loved his new, strong body and kept his mane of red hair long and flowy. This was the version of Lex Luthor who seduced the Matrix Supergirl and who was present during the death of Superman storyline.
Luthor soon learned that all good things must come to an end. In 1994, when a clone plague began sweeping its way through the Superman line of titles, Luthor found his new body become frail and sickly. Though he didn't die, he slowly became a vegetable in his own skin. Just as he was fading away, he set loose a series of revenge contingencies which destroyed much of Metropolis.
From Action Comics (Vol. 1) #700 (1994)
Just a year later, Luthor was restored to full power when he made a deal with Neron, a demon who was tempting various members of the DCU with their hearts' desires. By signing away his soul, Luthor was made


text:
There are reasons to expect a favorable effect of import liberalization on industrial productivity. This is expected to occur through several channels: (a) Import liberalization will provide to industrial firms greater and cheaper access to imported capital goods and intermediate goods (embodying advanced technology), which will enable the firms improve their productivity performance; (b) Greater availability of imported intermediate goods will enable the firms to exploit better the productivity enhancing potential of
imported technology; (c) The increased competitive pressure on industrial units in a liberalized import regime will force them to be more efficient in the use of resources (which can be achieved through better organization of production, improved managerial efficiency, more effective utilization of labour, better capacity utilization, etc.); (d) The increased competitive pressure coupled with expanded opportunities for importing technology and capital goods will bring greater technological dynamism in industrial firms; (e) As the competitive business environment forces inefficient firms to close
down, the average level of efficiency of various industries should improve; (f) Greater access to imported inputs and a more realistic exchange rate associated with a liberalized trade regime would enable industrial firms compete more effectively in export markets. This would allow them to increase their sales and reap economies of scale with concomitant gains in productivity.
Evidently, there are persuasive theoretical arguments for contemplating a positive effect of import liberalization on industrial productivity. However, this view or hypothesis does not have a strong empirical support. There have been a number of empirical studies for developing countries, including the countries of Asia, in which econometric models have been estimated to assess the effect of import liberalization on industrial productivity. Some of them have found a significant favourable effect of import liberalization on industrial productivity. But, some have found no significant effect, while some others have found an adverse effect of import liberalization on industrial productivity. Thus, on the whole, the empirical evidence on the relationship between import liberalization and industrial productivity in developing countries is mixed and no definite conclusion can be drawn. As regards Indian industry, there are two recent studies, which have examined the effect of economic reforms on industrial productivity. These are by Krishna and Mitra (1998) and Balakrishnan, Pushpangadan and Suresh Babu (2000). Both studies have used firmlevel data taken from Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) database. Also, there is similarity in the method of econometric analysis applied in the two studies. But, the studies come up with conflicting results. Krishna and Mitra find evidence of a significant favourable effect of reforms on indus trial productivity. Balakrishanan et al., on the other hand, find an adverse effect of economic reforms on industrial productivity.
One serious limitation of both studies is that they have not used explicit trade liberalization variables in the econometric model estimated. Rather, a dummy variable approach has been taken to distinguish between the preand post-reform periods. This study differs from the studies undertaken by Krishna and Mitra (1998) and Balakrishnan, et al. (2000) in several respects. The analysis of productivity is undertaken at the industrylevel rather than at the firmlevel. The source of data is also different.More important, an attempt is made here to incorporate explicitly variables representing trade liberalization in the econometric model estimated.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
Oil & Gas Maintenance
Maintenance worker delays at shift start-up were costing one of Canada's largest producers of crude oil millions of dollars a year.
- Implement a "site permit process" to maintain safety and enable Maintenance workers to start repairs no later than 30 minutes following shift start
- Reduced permit issue time of 40 minutes, and authorization time by 48 minutes.
- Achieved an annualized productivity increase of $24 million from more time-on-tools.
Implement a Permit Process for MaintenancePDF
Maintenance worker delays at shift start-up were costing one of Canada's largest producers of crude oil millions of dollars a year. The Highland Group was engaged to investigate and repair the work permit process, which was not processing permits needed for the workers to start.
he project began with an analysis of the current situation and the development of new processes required to affect measurable and sustainable changes within the company. Several barriers to success were uncovered and resolved, including poor coordination between business units preventing standardization across site, morning line up and safety talks delaying workers from meeting shift start-up time, and permits being routinely issued for work to be performed right after shift start.
- Installed a Permit Application Tool for reports and charts.
- Developed a real-time reporting structure in Maintenance and implemented standardized reporting across business units.
- Implemented system for submitting permits a day prior to the work being performed.
- Installed a process for conducting a safety review at the job site.
- Developed management accountability and job focus.
- Installed a permit authorization process in Production.
- Developed a streamlined Operator Care Program.
Achieved annualized productivity increase of


text:
What's in a name? According to Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, a great deal is affiliated with a person's name, actually. There are many reasons that someone may want to change their name; assuming a spouse's name for marriage, reassuming your maiden after divorcing, adoption or gaining custody of a child. Though not typically common, there are many individuals who are prompted to change their name for a fresh start in life. A person's legal name can make it difficult for an immigrant to assimilate into a new county, or someone's legal name can make it difficult for him or her to find employment if he or she has a criminal record.
How Much Does Your Name Matter?
In a podcast by Freakonomics, "How Much Does Your Name Matter?," Stephen J. Dubner claims that a person's name tells society more about the individual's parents than it does about the individual, since it is the individual's parent(s) that chooses his or her name. Therefore, a person's name speaks to their parent'(s) "race, social standing, even their politics." The podcast, however, is careful to point out that a person's name does not dictate his or her destiny. In the end, the evidence provided shows that the way parents raise their children has more to do with what sort of person their child will become.
A person's name, however, may influence their economic and social trajectory depending on whether the individual's name sounds mainstream or if the name sounds ethnic, in which case, a resume may be rejected as a result of discrimination. One factor that the podcast fails to consider is how a person's name can affect them when they do have a criminal record, rather than just how their name can affect their economic future if their name sounds like it could belong to that of a convict.
How to Change Your Name in Texas?
If you are planning on changing your name in Texas, here is what you may need to know about the process:
If you are changing your name because you are recently married and want to assume the name of your significant other, then you can get a new driver's license, social security card, as well as other important records simply by showing your marriage license.
Changing a Child's Name to the Biological Father's Name:
If you want to change a child's name to that of the child's biological father, then you can amend the birth certificate through the county clerk's office.
Divorce and Adoption:
If you want to change the name of a child to that of a stepparent or adoptive parent, or if you are recently divorced and would like to change your name back to your maiden name, then you will need a prepared court order to legalize the name change. It is important to note that your divorce must be finalized prior to petitioning the court for a name change. Also, if there are any pending court litigations regarding a minor such as custody issues in a divorce preceding, then the child's name CANNOT be changed.
Going to Court:
You will need a petition for name change and a prepared court order.
The petition will need to consist of the following:
- The petitioner's birth name, birth date, and place of birth
- Current Address
- Reason for the name change
- Driver's license numbers issued within the last 10 years
- Requested name
A name change for a child includes all of the components of the adult petition with the addition of the following:
*Written consent of the child if he or she is over 10-years old
In addition to providing the petition, you will also need to include your complete set of fingerprints, which can be purchased through your local DPS (Department of Public Services), police station, or other local law enforcements.
Criminal History Report:
In addition to providing the court with your fingerprints, you will also need to provide any criminal records for offenses above a Class C misdemeanor.
Anyone who has been convicted of a felony or who is registered as a sex offender – sex felon – is NOT eligible for a name change.
If you are uncertain about your criminal history and what may show up on your criminal background check, you can hire legal aid to perform research for you by conducting a criminal background check. If, however, you know the name of the arresting agency and the court that oversaw your hearing, and can provide the court clerk with information pertaining to your case, then you can pay the court directly for your criminal history report.
Name Change Options for Offenders Convicted of a Felony
If you have been convicted of a felony in Texas and you want to change your name, whether the reason is marriage, divorce, or just a fresh start in life, then you may still be able to do so. If you received deferred adjudication for your felony, you may be eligible for a record sealing – also known as an order of nondisclosure. If you were charged with a felony, but successfully completed deferred adjudication, resulting in a dismissed charge, then you may be eligible for an order of nondisclosure.
Once your order of nondisclosure has been granted, you can legally say that you have not been arrested, placed on deferred adjudication, or convicted. As such, regardless of whether or not you were convicted of a felony, having your felony charge sealed through an order of nondisclosure may better your chances when petitioning the court for a name change.


Elasticsearch GraphDB Connector
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The main features of the GraphDB Connectors are:
 - maintaining an index that is always in sync with the data stored in GraphDB
 - multiple independent instances per repository
 - the entities for synchronisation are defined by:
 - a list of fields (on the Elasticsearch side) and property chains (on the GraphDB side), the values of which are to be synchronised
 - a list of the rdf:type of the entities for synchronisation
 - a list of languages for synchronisation (the default is all languages)
 - additional filtering by property and value
 - full-text search using native Elasticsearch queries
 - snippet extraction: highlighting of search terms in the search result
 - faceted search
 - sorting by any preconfigured field
 - paging of results using offset and limit
Each feature is described in detail below.
Sample data
All examples use sample data describing five fictitious wines: Yoyowine, Franvino, Noirette, Blanquito and Rozova, as well as the grape varieties needed to make these wines. The minimum ruleset level needed in GraphDB is RDFS.
All interactions with the Elasticsearch GraphDB Connector are done through SPARQL queries.
There are three types of SPARQL queries:
 - INSERT - for creating and deleting connectors
 - SELECT - for listing connectors and querying connector configuration parameters
 - INSERT/SELECT - for storing and querying data as part of the normal GraphDB data workflow
In general, this corresponds to INSERT adds or modifies data and SELECT queries existing data.
Each connector implementation defines its own URI prefix to distinguish it from other connectors. For the Elasticsearch GraphDB Connector this is *_URL_ Each command or predicate that is executed by the connector uses this prefix, e.g. for creating a connector for Elasticsearch.
Individual instances of a connector are distinguished by unique names that are also URIs. They have their own prefix to avoid clashing with any of the command predicates. For Elasticsearch, the instance prefix is _URL_
Creating a connector
Creating a connector is done by sending a SPARQL query with the following configuration data:
 - the name of the connector (e.g. my_index)
 - classes to synchronise
 - properties to synchronise
What we recommend
Use the GraphDB Connectors management interface provided by the GraphDB Workbench. It lets you create the configuration easily and then create the connector directly or copy the configuration and execute it elsewhere.
The create command is triggered by a SPARQL INSERT with the createConnector predicate, e.g. this creates a connector called my_index that will synchronise the wines from the sample data above:
Note that one of the fields has "sort": true. This will be explained further when discussing sorting below.
The above command creates a new Elasticsearch connector that connects to the Elasticsearch instance accessible at port 9500 on the localhost as specified by the "elasticsearchUrl" key.
The "types" key defines the RDF type of the entities to synchronise and, in the example, it is only entities of the type (and its subtypes). The "fields" key defines the mapping from RDF to Elasticsearch. The basic building block is the property chain, i.e. a sequence of RDF properties where the object of each property is the subject of the following property. In the example, we map three bits of information - the wine's grape, the sugar content, and the year. Each chain is assigned a short and convenient field name: "grape", "sugar", and "year". The field names are later used in the queries.
Grape is an example of a property chain composed of more than one property. First, we take the wine's madeFromGrape property the object of which is an instance of type Grape, and then we take the rdfs:label of this instance. Sugar and year are both composed of a single property that links the value directly to the wine.
Dropping a connector
 - Name of the connector
Listing available connectors
Listing connectors returns all previously created connectors. It is a SELECT query with the listConnectors predicate:
?cntUri is bound to the prefixed URI of the connector that was used during creation, e.g. , while?cntStr is bound to a string, representing the part after the prefix, e.g. "my_index".
Status check
?cntUri is bound to the connector prefixed URI, while?cntStatus is a string representation of the status of the connector represented by this URI. The status is key-value based.
Adding, updating and deleting data
From the user's point of view, all synchronisation happens transparently without using any additional predicates or naming a specific store explicitly, i.e. the user simply execute standard SPARQL INSERT/DELETE queries. This is achieved by intercepting all changes in the plugin and determining which abstract documents need to be updated.
Querying data
Once a connector has been created, it should be possible to query data from it through SPARQL. For each matching abstract document, the connector returns the document's subject. In its simplest form, querying is achieved by using a SELECT and providing the Elasticsearch query as the object of the :query predicate:
Note that you must use the field names you chose when you created the connector. It is valid to have field names identical to the property URIs but then you have to make sure you escape any special characters according to what Elasticsearch expects.
First, we get an instance of the requested connector by using the RDF notation "X a Y" (= X rdf:type Y), where X is a variable and Y is a connector. X is bound to an instance of this connector. Then, we assign a query to this instance by using the system predicate :query. Finally we request the matching entities through the :entities predicate.
It is also possible to provide per query search options by using one or more option predicates. The option predicates are described in further detail below.
Combining Elasticsearch results with GraphDB data
The bound?entity can be used in other SPARQL triples in order to build complex queries that fetch additional data from GraphDB. For example, to see the actual grapes in the matching wines as well as the year they were made:
The result looks like this:
?entity?grape?sugar
:Yoyowine :CabernetSauvignon 2013
:Franvino :Merlo 2012
:Franvino :CabernetFranc 2012
Note that :Franvino is returned twice because it is made from two different grapes, both of which are returned.
Entity match score
It is possible to access the match score returned by Elasticsearch with the :score predicate. As each entity has its own score, the predicate must come at the entity level. For example:
The result looks like this but the actual score might be different as it depends on the specific Elasticsearch version:
?entity?score
:Yoyowine 0.9442660212516785
:Franvino 0.7554128170013428
It is important to specify the fields we want to facet by using the facetFields predicate. Its value must be a simple comma-delimited list of field names. In order to get the faceted results, we have to use the facets predicate and as each facet has three components (name, value and count), the facets predicate will bind a blank node, which in turn can be used to access the individual values for each component through the predicates facetName, facetValue, and facetCount.
The resulting bindings look like in the table below:
facetName facetValue facetCount
year 2012 3
year 2013 2
sugar dry 3
sugar medium 2
We can easily see that there are three wines produced in 2012 and two in 2013. We also see that three of the wines are dry, while two are medium. However, it is not necessarily true that the three wines produced in 2012 are the same as the three dry wines as each facet is computed independently.
It is possible to sort the entities returned by a connector query according to one or more fields. In order to be able to use a certain field for sorting, you have to specify this at the time of creating the connector instance. Sorting is achieved by the orderBy predicate the value of which must be a comma-delimited list of fields. Each field may be prefixed with a minus to indicate sorting in descending order. For example:
The result will contain wines produced in 2013, sorted according to their sugar content in a descending order:
By default, entities are sorted according to their matching score in a descending order.
Note that if you join the entity from the connector query to other triples stored in GraphDB, GraphDB might scramble the order. To remedy this, use ORDER BY from SPARQL.
Limit and offset
Limit and offset are supported on the Elasticsearch side of the query. This is achieved through the predicates limit and offset. Consider this example in which we specify an offset of 1 and a limit of 1:
The result will contain a single wine, Franvino, as it would be second in the list, if we executed the query without the limit and offset:
Note that the specific order in which GraphDB returns the


Arts, Culture & Media
Geo answer
A Hemisphere is half a sphere. The spherical shaped earth can be divided into hemispheres. It's divided by the Equator, the great circle of latitude that's lies halfway between the North and South Pole. And by the Prime Meridian and its twin line of longitude at 180 degrees.
Player utilities
Listen to the Story.
These lines divide the planet into hemispheres -north, south, east, and west.
The question today is what is the only continent in all four hemispheres?
Choose from among: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.
By the way, both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans are in all four hemispheres. And the islands of Kiribati lie in all four hemispheres --- but remember Kiribati is not a continent.
Now, feel free to use the left hemisphere or the right hemisphere of your brain to solve this one.
OK time's up on our Geo Quiz. We wanted to know which continent is in all 4 hemispheres.
Africa extends both east and west of the Prime Meridian or zero degrees longitude. And it lies north and south of the Equator.
So the continent of Africa is our best answer - send us your nominations if you think otherwise.


January, 2008
 - The Old New Thing
 No matter where you put an advanced setting, somebody will tell you that you are an idiot
 There are advanced settings in Windows, settings which normal users not only shouldn't be messing with, but which they arguably shouldn't even know about, because that would give them just enough knowledge to be dangerous. And no matter where you put that advanced setting, somebody will tell you that you are an idiot.
 Here they are on an approximate scale. If you dig through the comments on this blog, you can probably find every single position represented somewhere.
 1. It's okay if the setting is hidden behind a registry key. I know how to set it myself.
 2. I don't want to mess with the registry. Put the setting in a configuration file that I pass to the installer.
 3. I don't want to write a configuration file. The program should have an Advanced button that calls up a dialog which lets the user change the advanced setting.
 4. Every setting must be exposed in the user interface.
 5. Every setting must be exposed in the user interface by default. Don't make me call up the extended context menu.
 6. The first time the user does X, show users a dialog asking if they want to change the advanced setting.
 If you implement level N, people will demand that you implement level N+1. It doesn't stop until you reach the last step, which is aggressively user-hostile. (And then there will also be people who complain that you went too far.)
 From a technical standpoint, each of the above steps is about ten to a hundred times harder than the previous one. If you put it in a configuration file, you have to write code to load a parser and extract the value. If you want an Advanced button, now you have to write a dialog box (which is already a lot of work), consult with the usability and user assistance to come up with the correct wording for the setting, write help text, provide guidance to the translators, and now since it is exposed in the user interface, you need to write automated tests and add the setting to the test matrices. It's a huge amount of work to add a dialog box, work that could be spent on something that benefits a much larger set of customers in a more direct manner.
 That's why most advanced settings hang out at level 1 or, in the case of configuring program installation, level 2. If you're so much of a geek that you want to change these advanced settings, it probably won't kill you to fire up a text editor and write a little configuration file.
 Joel's count of "fifteen ways to shut down Windows" is a bit disingenuous, since he's counting six hardware affordances: "Four FN+key combinations... an on-off button... you can close the lid." Okay, fine, Joel, we'll play it your way. Your proposal to narrow it down to one "Bye" button, still leaves seven ways to shut down Windows.
 And then people will ask how to log off.
 - The Old New Thing
 In order to serve you better: Chase resets your marketing preferences
 Whenever a company says "In order to serve you better", you can be pretty sure they're about to do something that will make your life more miserable.
 This time, I'm going to call out Chase Financial Services, who recently sent out notices to customers who had specified that they did not want to receive marketing materials informing them that they now have greater control over which marketing materials they will receive, and the default is that they will receive everything. Strange, you'd think that if somebody said, "Don't send me marketing materials," then they probably meant "Don't send me marketing materials," and therefore that the translation of this into a "fine-grained control" is "no to everything." Because that's how they've interpreted it up until now anyway.
 Of course, the real reason they did this is to reset all their customer's preferences so they can start sending them advertising again. Notice that your opt-out choice must be renewed every five years. Hey, at least it's better than having to reiterate your preferences every three months like some companies require.
 - The Old New Thing
 Windows is not an MFC delivery channel
 Depending on what version of Windows you're running, there may be a variety of support DLLs for things that aren't formal product components, but which are merely along for the ride. For example, Windows 95 came with MFC30.DLL because the Fax Viewer was written with the help of MFC 3.0. But if you look at Windows 98, MFC30.DLL is gone.
 What happened?
 What happened is that Windows 98 didn't have a fax viewer that used MFC 3.0. The fact that some MFC 3.0 DLLs wound up on the machine with Windows 95 was merely a side effect of the implementation and not a part of the product specification. And in fact, if you chose not to install the Fax Viewer during Windows 95 setup, you wouldn't have gotten MFC30.DLL at all either, because MFC30.DLL wouldn't have been needed.
 We had a category of Windows 98 compatibility bugs from programs that assumed that MFC30.DLL was a contractual part of Windows. If the tester did a minimal install of Windows 95 and then installed the application, the application wouldn't run there either. The application vendor simply assumed that MFC was part of Windows, even though it wasn't. In other words, the program didn't work even on Windows 95. Is it a bug in Windows 98 if the program didn't work on Windows 95?
 This problem persists today. People go scrounging around the binaries that come with Windows looking for something they can remora. And then they're surprised when those binaries change or vanish entirely. For example, one customer had reverse-engineered the Kodak image viewer in Windows 2000 and wanted to keep using it in Windows XP. But those components are not included in Windows XP; the Kodak image viewer was merely a stopgap solution until the Windows XP fax and image viewer came along. (The linked Knowledge Base article has more information on that product.) I mention this because that customer, a Fortune 500 company, was trying to copy the files from Windows 2000 and install them onto a Windows XP machine and actually came to us asking for help in what may very well have been a violation of the Windows license agreement! (And certainly a violation of Microsoft's agreement with Kodak.)
 (I now predict that everybody will comment on the last two sentences and completely ignore the point of this article.)
 - The Old New Thing
 How does the calculator percent key work?
 The Windows calculator percent sign works the same way as those cheap pocket calculators (which are often called four-function calculators even though they have around six function nowadays). What you first have to understand is that the percent key on those pocket calculators was not designed for mathematicians and engineers. It was designed for your everyday person doing some simple calculations. Therefore, the behavior of the key to you, an engineer, seems bizarrely counter-intuitive and even buggy. But to an everyday person, it makes perfect sense. Or at least that's the theory.
 Let's look at it from the point of view of that everyday person. Suppose you want to compute how much a $72 sweater will cost after including 5% tax.¹ Pull out your handy pocket calculator² (or fire up Calc if you don't have a pocket calculator) and type
 72 + 5% =
 The result is 75.6, or $75.60, which is the correct answer, because 5% of 72 is 3.6. Add that to 72 and you get 75.6.
 Similarly, suppose that sweater was on sale at 20% off. What is the sale price?
 72 − 20% =
 The result is 57.6 or $57.60. This is the correct answer, because 20% of 72 is 14.4. Subtract that from 72 and you get 57.6.
 You can chain these percentage operations, too. For example, how much will you have to pay for that 20%-off sweater after adding 5% tax?
 72 − 20% + 5% =
 The result is 60.48. A mathematician or engineer would have calculated the same result via the equivalent computation:
 72 × 0.80 × 1.05 =
 Okay, now that we see how the calculator product designer intended the percent key to be used, let's look at what the calculator engineer it has to do in order to match the specification. When the user enters A + B % =, the result should be A × (1 + B/100) or A + (A × B/100) after you distribute the multiplication over the addition. Similarly, when the user enters A − B % =, the result should be A × (1 − B/100) or A − (A × B/100).
 Aha, the calculator engineer says, we can achieve this result by defining the percent key as follows:
 When the user enters a value, an operator, a second value, and then the percent key, the first two values are multiplied and the product divided by 100, and that result replaces the second value in


text:
Mission-driven professionals are not in it for the money. They place their desire to fulfill the mission over themselves. Doing mission-driven work can be gratifying. But, this work is also incredibly draining. The rewards can be minimal both emotionally and financially. With these challenges, the mission-driven professional finds themselves feeling empty and exhausted.
Self-care is taking care of yourself. While so much of the media frames self-care as a privilege and an act of consumerism, self-care is about finding ways to keep yourself sane. Self-care can be as simple as taking a deep breath.
Understanding yourself is the key to doing authentic self-care. You cannot keep yourself sane if you don't understand the things that make you crazy. For the mission-driven person, their work and their motivations for doing that work are integral to their construct of self.
This online course helps mission-driven professionals understand their work and personal issues, develop new strategies to fold self-care into their lives, and maintain their routines long-term. This course includes videos and activities to help you be your best you.


Provisional Ball, Golf Term
 When a golfer hits a shot which he believes may be lost, out of bounds or in an unplayable lie or hazard, he is allowed to play a provisional ball. If the golfer cannot find his first ball, or if it lies out of bounds, he may proceed by playing the provisional ball where it lies, with the appropriate penalty applied.


Cautery is a process to coagulate tissues and seal blood vessels using the heat. In this study, finite element modeling (FEM) was performed to analyze temperature distribution in biological tissue subject to cautery electrosurgical technique. FEM can provide detailed insight into the heat transfer in biological tissue to reduce the collateral thermal damage and improve the safety of cautery surgical procedure. A coupled thermal-electric FEM module was applied with temperature-dependent electrical and thermal properties for the tissue. Tissue temperature was measured at different locations during the electrosurgical experiments and compared to FEM results with good agreement. The temperature-dependent electrical conductivity has demonstrated to be critical. In comparison, the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity does not impact heat transfer as much as the electrical conductivity. FEM results show that the thermal effects can be varied with the electrode geometry that focuses the current density at the midline of the instrument profile.
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This article describes a practical approach to applying predictive analytics techniques against safety incident and near-miss data to generate actionable insights that change safety outcomes in the field. Examples illustrate three critical ways to use safety data: 1) predicting where incidents are most likely to occur, informing where to place additional resources and effort; 2) understanding the combinations of causes and sub-causes that are creating incidents, improving the focus of safety programs; and 3) revealing which proactive safety activities will best mitigate incident types predicted to occur, increasing the effectiveness of preventive measures. The authors discuss typical data and implementation challenges and encourage companies to stop waiting for "perfect" data and, instead, start applying predictive analytics to deliver targeted safety insights to supervisors and workers in the field.
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Prostate Cancer? Eat 8 Of This Seed Everyday And Thank Me Later
Prostate Cancer? Eat 8 Of This Seed Everyday And Thank Me Later.
Prostate cancer is an uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate gland. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland situated just below the bladder and in front of the rectum, surrounding the urethra.
It is solely responsible for the production and storage of seminal fluid which helps to make semen.
It also transports and nourishes seminal fluid.
Among the most important functions of the prostate gland is the regulation and control of the bladder.
A prostate cancer happens when there is an uncontrolled growth or tumor in the prostate gland.
This condition can be highly dangerous as the affected cells can spread to other parts of the body.
READ: Eat These 11 Super Foods To Boost Your Erection
Here are some common symptoms of prostate cancer;
Weak stream of urine.
Leaking of urine.
Blood in the urine.
Facing difficulty in starting urination.
Dribbling of urine when urinating.
Frequent urination and sometimes sudden desire to urinate especially in the night.
The feeling of not fully emptying the bladder.
There are natural ways to cure prostate cancer without the need of surgery as some plants contain compounds capable of depressing prostate cancer cells.
One of which is papaya.
Pawpaw is a very medicinal fruit, it carries amazing nutrients and has been used in the ancient times to cure so many ailments.
READ: Job Opportunities in Public Health – Ghana
Pawpaws are nutritious fruits. They are very high in vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper, and manganese. They are a good source of potassium and several essential amino acids, and they also contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.
These amazing health benefits of pawpaw can be gotten through the fruit, leaves and seeds.
Some individuals throw away papaya seeds after cutting the fruit.
Please bear in mind that the seeds are edible. The seeds have a crunchy texture and a slightly peppery flavor.
Research has shown that the black seeds in pawpaw contain high concentration of polyphenols and this compound is capable of depressing and reducing the growth of prostate cells.
READ: How Do People Get Typhoid Fever?
Papaya also contains anticancer properties through the presence of lycopene in it.
Polyphenols and lycopene in paw-paw fruit can be easily gotten by chewing the black seed.
Please emphasise on the black seeds as the white seeds stimulate pre-existing prostate cancer.
At least 8 of these seeds everyday can provide you with these benefits.
Eat 8 of these seeds everyday to gradually get rid of prostate cancer cells.
Please share this article to your friends, help them cure prostate cancer naturally.
Don't forget to hit the like button.


text:
ASTM International - ASTM D7798-15
Standard Test Method for Boiling Range Distribution of Petroleum Distillates with Final Boiling Points up to 538 °C by Ultra Fast Gas Chromatography (UF GC)
|Publication Date:||1 October 2015|
|ICS Code (Petroleum products in general):||75.080|
significance And Use:
5.1 The boiling range distribution of petroleum distillate fractions provides an insight into the composition of feed stocks and products related to petroleum refining processes. A major advantage... View More
5.1 The boiling range distribution of petroleum distillate fractions provides an insight into the composition of feed stocks and products related to petroleum refining processes. A major advantage of the fast analysis time obtained by this test method is increasing product through put and reduced lab testing time by a minimum factor of 3. This gas chromatographic determination of boiling range may be used to replace conventional distillation methods for control of refining operations and for product specification testing with the mutual agreement of interested parties.
5.2 Boiling range distributions obtained by this test method are essentially equivalent to those obtained by true boiling point (TBP) distillation (see Test Method D2892). They are not equivalent to results from low efficiency distillations such as those obtained with Test Method D86 or D1160.View Less
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the boiling range distribution of petroleum products and biodiesel formulations, B5, B10, and B20. It is applicable to petroleum distillates having a final boiling point not greater than 538 °C or lower at atmospheric pressure as measured by this test method. The difference between the initial boiling point and the final boiling point shall be greater than 55 °C.
1.2 The test method is not applicable for analysis of petroleum distillates containing low molecular weight components (for example naphthas, reformates, gasolines, full range crude oils). Materials containing heterogeneous mixtures (for example, alcohols, ethers, acids or esters, except biodiesels) or residue are not to be analyzed by this test method. See Test Methods D3710, D7096, D6352, or D7169.
1.3 This test method uses the principles of simulated distillation methodology. This test method uses gas chromatographic components that allow the entire analysis from sample to sample to occur in 5 min or less. In these instruments the column is heated directly at rates 10 to 15 times that of a conventional gas chromatograph and thus the analysis time is reduced from sample to sample.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.


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Are Ouija Boards Dangerous? What to Know
Sally Painter
Ouija board
Are Ouija boards dangerous or is it all in your mind as some people argue? You can explore both sides of this discussion and decide for yourself if Ouija boards really are dangerous.
Are Ouija Boards Dangerous?
If you ask a psychologist, the answer is the Ouija board itself isn't dangerous, but the person with their fingers on the planchette might be. If you ask a medium, you will often get the same answer with a footnote: that it might not be the person that is dangerous, but a spirit.
Why Are Ouija Boards Dangerous?
There are many psychological reasons why a person might be dangerous as a result of using a Ouija board according to psychology professionals. The main one is the belief that the Ouija board is communicating with spirits. Psychologists believe a susceptible person may convince themselves that they are possessed by a demon.
Hands on a Ouija planchette
Psychological Dangers of Ouija Board
According to the mental health industry, the psychological dangers of Ouija boards rest with the mental health of the participants. Psychologists/Psychiatrists believe that psychic phenomena such as demonic possession, poltergeist activity, and hauntings by spirits are the result of various mental illnesses. This professional belief automatically displaces any supernatural or paranormal causes for the patient's condition.
How to Avoid Getting Caught Up in Superstitions
There are many creepy tales that circulate about the Ouija board, and it's easy to get caught up in the various superstitions about Ouija boards. The idea of communicating with spirits can feel spooky, and this creep factor can affect the most logical people when the planchette seems to move by itself by responding to questions. This can make you scared or even traumatized, so it's important that you stay grounded during a Ouija session. If you begin to feel afraid, then close the session and try again another time.
Ouija Board Gives Answer You Don't Like
You may ask questions you really don't want answered and start to regret it, especially if the information delivered by the Ouija board isn't true. For example, a participant may flippantly ask, "When am I going to die?" and the planchette slides to give a specific answer.
Avoid Asking Certain Questions
It's easy to avoid this type of response situation. Set guidelines prior to your Ouija board session about the type of questions prohibited. A personal guideline should be, if you aren't prepared to hear the answer to a specific question, then don't ask it.
Mediums Warn of Dangers of Ouija Board
Many mediums and Ouija board enthusiasts often warn of Ouija board dangers. They warn against playing with a Ouija board as though it were a game. They believe the board serves as a gateway to the other side where spirit dwells. Players are advised that it is very possible to invite disembodied entities to cross over and wreak havoc in their lives.
Scared woman
Safeguard Against Unwanted Spirits Lingering
The easiest way to prevent unwanted spirits from lingering long past the use of the Ouija board is to take proper steps to close the gateway at the end of your session. All you do is slide the planchette to "Good Bye" then turn it upside down with the feet pointing up. You should store the planchette upside down and wrapped in a cloth to prevent it from making contact with the board. For an added precaution, you can open and close each session by placing the room in protective white light and stating only those entities/spirits of the light can enter.
Dangers of Ouija Boards From Malevolent Spirits
Some mediums and psychics believe that only low frequency entities and spirits use Ouija boards as a form of communication. These beings don't vibrate at high enough frequencies to achieve communication any other way. This alone is a warning of the dangers of Ouija boards. These spirits or often demons are adept in deception.
spiritual portal
Why Low Level Spirits Are Dangerous
The low frequency beings using the Ouija board often pretend to be someone you once knew. The spirit may offer a few small truths to gain your trust. This information almost always takes a turn and becomes dark and misleading. By design, the communication can cause confusion, anguish, and even isolation.
How to Counter Ouija Board Misinformation
To mitigate any fearful information that comes through the Ouija board, take everything with a grain of salt. If you dislike the information you're receiving, end the session and try again another time. Never continue to communicate with an entity or spirit that makes you uncomfortable.
Malevolent Entities Waiting to Communicate
Many people believe malevolent entities are waiting to communicate with unsuspecting victims. One such being is called Zozo (also Zaza or Zuzu). Zozo is reported to be a negative entity that takes over sessions and seeks to wreak havoc in the life of any Ouija board user. While there is no proof Zozo is anything more than an urban legend or trick of the mind, many people have experienced the Zozo phenomenon.
How to Recognize Negative Entities
There are several telltale signs that you are communicating with a negative entity. Once you know what to look for, you can quickly end your Ouija board session. If you notice any of the following odd behaviors, immediately slide the planchette to "goodbye" and then turn it upside down. End your session and store the board appropriately.
 - Ouija board planchette slides to number 9 and counts backwards to 0.
 - Planchette slides between Z and a vowel repeatedly.
 - Planchette exhibits laughter by sliding back and forth between the letters H and A.
 - Planchette moves erratically.
 - Planchette cycles through the alphabet in either alphabetical or reverse alphabetical order.
You Become Emotionally Attached
If you are a frequent user, you can run the risk of becoming emotionally and psychologically attached to the Ouija board. This is especially dangerous if you rely on the Ouija board for advice and guidance in your life. This can lead to an obsessive behavior and even result in you shutting out friends and loved ones.
Upset man
How to Avoid Dangers of Ouija Board Attachment
You should constantly remind yourself that no game can dictate how you should live your life. You have free will and you live in the real world, not the world of a Ouija board. In spite of being consciously aware of these facts, you discover you're relying on the board in an unhealthy manner, seek professional guidance either through a mental health professional or a spiritual advisor, such as clergy.
Ouija Board Use Unleashes Psychokinetic Activity
There are anecdotal reports connected to Ouija board use about physical attacks and objects being thrown and smashed by unseen forces. In some cases, the activity continued even after the individual stopped using the Ouija board. This is known poltergeist activity.
How to Prevent Ouija Board Caused Poltergeist Activity
Poltergeist activity is caused by the phenomenon known as psychokinesis, which is frequently related to a living person although it can be generated by spirits. If you experience poltergeist activity during a Ouija board session, properly end the session and see if the activity stops. If it continues, you may need to help from a paranormal expert. In addition, you might need to talk with a therapist to resolve any residual emotional problems you have from the experience.
Demonic Possession Through Use of Ouija Board
The most frightening danger associated with the Ouija board is the possibility of demonic possession. This fear was heightened by the movie, The Exorcist, and the spirit Captain Howdy communicating through the Ouija board that led to the fictional demonic possession.
Possessed-looking woman
When to End Ouija Board Session
If any of the participants in the Ouija board session exhibits odd behavior, promptly end your session. You can perform a cleansing burn with sandalwood or other incense to clear out any negative energies. If it continues and you fear a demonic possession, infestation, or oppression, then you're dealing with a spiritual issue, not a paranormal one. You should seek help from clergy trained to deal with possession.
Ouija Board Dangers When You Believe It's a Game
Many people believe the Ouija board is just a game. This attitude makes them vulnerable to the dangers of Ouija boards. Communicating with spirits should never be taken lightly. You should be cautious when you use a Ouija board and make sure you are using spiritual protection techniques. Familiarize yourself with the signs of spiritual oppression. If, at any time, you feel the situation is out of control, any of the participants are uncomfortable, or you feel any sense of spiritual danger, end the session immediately using proper closing techniques.
Why Are Ouija Boards Dangerous?
A lack of respect for a divination tool, like a Ouija board, can make it dangerous to use. When you understand how to use a Ouija board and how to avoid possible dangers, it can be another tool for communicating with spirit.
Are Ouija Boards Dangerous? What to Know


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12 definitions found
 for fast
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
 or in part; to go hungry.
 [1913 Webster]
 Fasting he went to sleep, and fasting waked.
 [1913 Webster]
 abstain from food voluntarily for a time, for the
 mortification of the body or appetites, or as a token of
 grief, or humiliation and penitence.
 [1913 Webster]
 xii. 21.
 [1913 Webster]
 Fasting day, a fast day; a day of fasting.
 [1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
 [1913 Webster]
 [1913 Webster]
 2. Firm against attack; fortified by nature or art;
 impregnable; strong.
 [1913 Webster]
 Outlaws... lurking in woods and fast places.
 [1913 Webster]
 3. Firm in adherence; steadfast; not easily separated or
 alienated; faithful; as, a fast friend.
 [1913 Webster]
 washing; durable; lasting; as, fast colors.
 [1913 Webster]
 5. Tenacious; retentive. [Obs.]
 [1913 Webster]
 Roses, damask and red, are fast flowers of their
 smells. --Bacon.
 [1913 Webster]
 6. Not easily disturbed or broken; deep; sound.
 [1913 Webster]
 [1913 Webster]
 [1913 Webster]
 8. Given to pleasure seeking; disregardful of restraint;
 fast liver. --Thackeray.
 [1913 Webster]
 possible unusual rapidity of play or action; as, a fast
 table, etc.
 [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
 Fast and loose, now cohering, now disjoined; inconstant,
 fast and loose, to act with giddy or reckless inconstancy
 side on a revolving shaft, which is driven from another
 the machinery driven thereby. When the machinery is to be
 stopped, the band is transferred from the pulley fixed to
 the shaft to the pulley which revolves freely upon it, and
 vice versa.
 a vessel, a rope, or a door.
 [1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
 Fast \Fast\, n. [OE. faste, fast; cf. AS. f[ae]sten, OHG. fasta,
 G. faste. See Fast, v. i.]
 1. Abstinence from food; omission to take nourishment.
 [1913 Webster]
 Surfeit is the father of much fast. --Shak.
 [1913 Webster]
 2. Voluntary abstinence from food, for a space of time, as a
 spiritual discipline, or as a token of religious
 [1913 Webster]
 3. A time of fasting, whether a day, week, or longer time; a
 period of abstinence from food or certain kinds of food;
 as, an annual fast.
 [1913 Webster]
 Fast day, a day appointed for fasting, humiliation, and
 religious offices as a means of invoking the favor of God.
 To break one's fast, to put an end to a period of
 abstinence by taking food; especially, to take one's
 morning meal; to breakfast. --Shak.
 [1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
 Fast \Fast\, adv. [OE. faste firmly, strongly, quickly, AS.
 f[ae]ste. See Fast, a.]
 1. In a fast, fixed, or firmly established manner; fixedly;
 firmly; immovably.
 [1913 Webster]
 We will bind thee fast. --Judg. xv.
 [1913 Webster]
 2. In a fast or rapid manner; quickly; swiftly;
 extravagantly; wildly; as, to run fast; to live fast.
 [1913 Webster]
 Fast by, or Fast beside, close or near to; near at hand.
 [1913 Webster]
 He, after Eve seduced, unminded slunk
 Into the wood fast by. --Milton.
 [1913 Webster]
 Fast by the throne obsequious Fame resides. --Pope.
 [1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
 Fast \Fast\, n.
 That which fastens or holds; especially, (Naut.) a mooring
 rope, hawser, or chain; -- called, according to its position,
 a bow, head, quarter, breast, or stern fast; also, a post on
 a pier around which hawsers are passed in mooring.
 [1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) :
 adv 1: quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form); "how
 2: firmly or closely; "held fast to the rope"; "her foot was
 stuck fast"; "held tight" [syn: fast, tight]
 adj 1: acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly;
 pace"; "a fast car" [ant: slow]
 2: (used of timepieces) indicating a time ahead of or later than
 the correct time; "my watch is fast" [ant: slow]
 3: at a rapid tempo; "the band played a fast fox trot" [ant:
 4: (of surfaces) conducive to rapid speeds; "a fast road";
 "grass courts are faster than clay"
 5: resistant to destruction or fading; "fast colors"
 6: unrestrained by convention or morality; "Congreve draws a
 debauched aristocratic society"; "deplorably dissipated and
 degraded"; "riotous living"; "fast women" [syn: debauched,
 degenerate, degraded, dissipated, dissolute,
 libertine, profligate, riotous, fast]
 7: hurried and brief; "paid a flying visit"; "took a flying
 [syn: flying, quick, fast]
 8: securely fixed in place; "the post was still firm after being
 hit by the car" [syn: fast, firm, immobile]
 9: unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; "a firm
 Tippecanoe"- Campaign song for William Henry Harrison; "fast
 friends" [syn: firm, loyal, truehearted, fast(a)]
 10: (of a photographic lens or emulsion) causing a shortening of
 exposure time; "a fast lens"
 n 1: abstaining from food [syn: fast, fasting]
 v 1: abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical
 reasons; "Catholics sometimes fast during Lent"
 2: abstain from eating; "Before the medical exam, you must fast"
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :
 349 Moby Thesaurus words for "fast":
 Barmecidal feast, Encratism, Friday, Lenten diet,
 Lenten entertainment, Lenten fare, Pythagoreanism, Pythagorism,
 Rechabitism, Sabbath, Shakerism, Spartan fare, Stoicism, Sunday,
 abandoned, abstain, abstainment, abstemiousness, abstention,
 abstinence, accelerated, active, agile, aground, airtight, alert,
 amain, anchored, apace, ardent, asceticism, at flank speed,
 attached, avoidance, balanced, banyan day, bare subsistence,
 bonded, bound, bread and water, breakneck, brief, brisk, briskly,
 calculable, caught, celibacy, cemented, chained, chastity, chronic,
 church calendar, close, close to, closely, colorfast, committed,
 compact, confirmed, connected, constant, continence, cool, dashing,
 debauched, dedicated, deep-dyed, deep-fixed, deep-rooted,
 deep-seated, deep-set, deep-settled, dependable, devoted, diet,
 dissipated, dissolute, dissolutely, double-dyed, double-quick,
 dustproof, dusttight, dyed-in-the-wool, eagle-winged,
 eat sparingly, ecclesiastical calendar, eschewal, established,
 expeditious, expeditiously, express, extravagant, extravagantly,
 fadeless, faithful, faithworthy, fastened, fasting, feast,
 fecklessly, fiducial, firm, firm as Gibraltar, firmly, fish day,
 fixed, fixedly, flat-out, fleet, flying, free, fruitarianism,
 full tilt, gallant, galloping, gasproof, gastight, gay, glued,
 go hungry, grounded, gymnosophy,


text:
Businesses that handle numerous transactions on a daily basis know that making several crypto transactions in a short period of time can be tricky. In fact, it can take half an hour to send a dozen of crypto transactions. NOWPayments offers its Mass Payments feature that greatly facilitates the process of sending multiple crypto transactions for users. For instance, businesses that pay their employees crypto rewards or salaries can particularly benefit from Mass Payments. Check the article to learn about the benefits of Mass Payments and how to deploy this feature.
- Mass Payments involve sending multiple crypto transactions.
- NOWPayments' Mass Payments tool saves your time and money.
- Any business and individual can integrate the Mass Payments feature.
What is mass payment?
The Mass Payments feature is a special tool provided by NOWPayments to users that want to make multiple cryptocurrency transactions in an efficient and reliable way. The Mass Payments solution lets users avoid the need to manually conduct each transaction and spend their valuable time on such mundane tasks. Instead, they can simply allocate this work to NOWPayments. Basically, the Mass Payments tool automates the process of sending crypto transactions and saves your time and money.
How do mass payments work?
The Mass Payments feature works in the following way. Users deposit cryptocurrency of their choice into their accounts. Next, they specify the crypto addresses and the amounts of crypto they need to receive. Then, NOWPayments will take care of the rest and will conduct the transactions automatically.
What are advantages of NOWPayments mass payments?
Businesses and services that use crypto extensively encounter an unpleasant situation each time they need to send multiple payments. Basically, they are forced to make payments separately. This causes them to pay a network fee for each transaction.
The fee expenses may be quite small, but over time they add up and turn into massive costs for the company. The most popular cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, are known for their high fees, so expenses can be quite substantial for businesses. NOWPayments enables companies to solve this problem and reduce their fee expenses. The Mass Payments tool allows businesses to put many small transactions into one batch and thus minimize costs.
Putting multiple transactions into one batch also can greatly save businesses' time. Moreover, given the fact that NOWPayments automates the entire process, they will not even need to spend their time on making transactions at all. When businesses decide to make transactions separately, they end up spending a great deal of their time on ensuring that every transaction reaches its recipient. NOWPayments allows businesses to avoid the need to engage in a prolonged process of sending transactions. Instead, they can simply specify recipients' crypto addresses and let NOWPayments do the rest.
Large selection of cryptocurrencies
Another advantage of NOWPayments and its Mass Payments tool is the availability of a long list of cryptocurrencies. Basically, you can deposit more than 100 different cryptocurrencies, from Bitcoin to KISHU. You can even choose several coins, there is no limit. This is particularly important for businesses that deal with cryptocurrencies. NOWPayments lets them avoid the need to convert their cryptocurrencies to other ones.
Moreover, businesses and individuals using the Mass Payments feature also do not need to manually convert their coins to those which they wish to send to their recipients. Essentially, the built-in conversion function allows them to deposit any coin they possess and make a payment in the one that they choose. For instance, you may have some altcoins lying around in your wallet, but your recipient wants to get their payment in Bitcoin. Just tell NOWPayments to convert your coin to Bitcoin and make the transaction without any hassle.
Privacy of clients is important for NOWPayments. This is why NOWPayments does not ask its partners to undergo KYC verification when they use its crypto payment tools. Businesses can use the Mass Payments tool effortlessly and anonymously without disclosing their private information to NOWPayments or other third parties.
This is useful for businesses that want to protect their financial information and that of their employees. Additionally, cryptocurrencies themselves are anonymous. So, by using the Mass Payments solution to pay crypto salaries, your competitors will be unlikely to discover how much you pay your workers.
Unlimited number of recipients
There are also no restrictions when it comes to the number of recipients. Basically, you can choose any number of deposit addresses to which you want to send cryptocurrency, and NOWPayments will conduct all transactions as fast as possible. No matter how large your company is and how many people you want to send crypt to, NOWPayments is ready to accommodate any of your needs.
Finally, the Mass Payments tool is simply a much more convenient way of making multiple transactions compared to the conventional method. By using Mass Payments, you can avoid filling out forms and completing other tedious tasks such as specifying gas fees for each transaction. So, NOWPayments' Mass Payments is a guaranteed way for you to work less and spend fewer resources and concentrate your efforts on other important activities.
How to deploy mass payments with NOWPayments
NOWPayments' has an extensive selection of crypto payment tools. The Mass Payments feature is one of them. It is perfect for businesses wishing to facilitate the process of sending different types of crypto payments, such as salaries. Follow these steps to start sending mass crypto payments:
- First, you need to create a NOWPayments account.
- Then, go to the settings and generate an API key.
- Next, fill in a Survey for mass payouts requests
- Send a written request to activate mass payouts from your registered email to our email [email protected]. Please note, that NOWPayments accepts all requests ONLY from your registration email for safety reasons
- After you set up Mass Payments, deposit your cryptocurrency into your account.
- Go to the Balances section and click on "Create Mass payout" button
- Upload the.csv file with the wallet addresses and the amount you want them to receive.
- Click "Proceed."
- NOWPayments will send all these payments to the recipients automatically.
NOWPayments' Mass Payments feature enables businesses and individuals to send multiple crypto transactions in one batch. This substantially reduces the cost of fees and decreases transaction processing time.


text:
Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting North Central Branch
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 24, 1999
Publication Date: N/A
Technical Abstract: Those who understand basic scientists, are familiar with the "research proposal"; one of the most common and essential documents created by basic scientists today. To highlight that fact, the issues to be presented are listed below in the "research proposal" format. Objective 1: Attracting basic scientists; A. Discovery, B. Enlightenment, C. Debate, D. Ethical sharing of ideas, E. Filter the flood of basic research information; Objective 2: Presence of basic scientists; A. Value of basic science to the "customer/stakeholder", B. Benefit of specialized meetings to the basic scientist, C. Both the customer and the basic scientist must reach their goals; Objective 3: Branch meetings in harmony with the other ESA meetings, A. National meetings focus, B. Branch meetings focus. Approach to Obj. 1: Meet the needs and concerns of basic scientists; A. Deliver unbiased science, B. Deliver unbiased reports; C. Foster interaction, dialog, and discussion, D. Secure the intellectual property that is shared E. Identify most interesting and valued concepts. Approach to Obj. 2: Enhance the value and functions of the branch meetings; A. Outcome-based basic research, B. Justification and resources for conducting basic research, C. Provide networking between the basic scientist and the customer/stakeholder. Approach to Obj. 3: Continuum between the National and the Branch Meetings; A. National Meetings - Actively select for fundamental basic research in a diversity of fields and serve as an interface to other societies, B. Branch Meetings - actively select for outcome-based basic research in specialized fields and serve as an interface to stakeholder.


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Principal Proposed Uses
- Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever)
A member of the mint family, perilla is used in a variety of Asian foods to add both flavor and color. It is also grown ornamentally in gardens.
The stem of the plant is used in Chinese medicine for treatment of morning sickness. The leaves are said to be helpful for asthma, colds and flus, and other lung problems.
In the small clinical trials and animal studies conducted thus far, use of perilla and/or rosmarinic acid has not been associated with significant adverse effects. Due to the wide use of perilla in Asian cooking, as well as the prevalence of rosmarinic acid in many spices, these substances are assumed to have a relatively high level of safety. However, comprehensive safety testing has not been reported. Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.
- Reviewer: EBSCO CAM Review Board
- Review Date: 07/2012 -
- Update Date: 07/25/2012 -

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


Image text transcribed for accessibility: If H is a normal subgroup of an additive group (G1 +)then G/H = {H+a|a G} and we define (H + a) (H + b) where H + a = {h + a} hxH} is the right of H in G containing a. If G2 Z18 and H = <[6]>. Determine the Cayley table for the quotient group Z18/[<6>].
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The Brain Health Consortium (BHC) encourages diverse experts to come together to conduct basic research in brain patterning and function, and to translate understanding of stem cell technology for biomedical research.
BHC partners with the Department of Biology to sponsor:
- Weekly seminar series from leaders in the field
- A bi-weekly Work-In-Progress (WIP) talk from BHC trainees
- An annual symposium for BHC members
- Investigator workshops for BHC members to discuss team grants
- Specialty events, including Brain Health Roundup, a Happy Hour to promote scientific exchanges and foster collaborative interactions among faculty and trainees in an informal setting
BHC provides technical support and hands-on training with its Stem Cell Core Facility for cell derivation and various other Cores for multidisciplinary research. BHC supports its members with seed funds and preferential access to its core facilities. BHC also supports teaching about stem cells and regenerative medicine and promotes outreach and public education regarding the potential of stem cells for biomedical research.


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How many cubic meter in 1 cubic kilometre?
The answer is _PHONE_.
We assume you are converting between cubic metre and cubic kilometre.
You can view more details on each measurement unit:
cubic meter or cubic kilometre
The SI derived unit for volume is the cubic meter.
1 cubic meter is equal to 1.0E-9 cubic kilometre.
Note that rounding errors may occur, so always check the results.
Use this page to learn how to convert between cubic meters and cubic kilometers.
Type in your own numbers in the form to convert the units!
The cubic metre (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. It is the volume of a cube with edges one metre in length. Older equivalents were the stere and the kilolitre.
The cubic kilometer is a metric measure of volume or capacity equal to a cube 1 kilometer on each edge.
ConvertUnits.com provides an online conversion calculator for all types of measurement units. You can find metric conversion tables for SI units, as well as English units, currency, and other data. Type in unit symbols, abbreviations, or full names for units of length, area, mass, pressure, and other types. Examples include mm, inch, 100 kg, US fluid ounce, 6'3", 10 stone 4, cubic cm, metres squared, grams, moles, feet per second, and many more!
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Bogda Mountains, China
The Turpan Depression, nestled at the foot of the Bogda Mountains in northwestern China, is a strange mix of salt lakes and sand dunes. At the bottom of the basin is Aydingkol Lake, which appears blue in this Landsat 7 image from 1999. Once a permanent lake and now a salty swamp, the lake is 155 meters below sea level, making it the third lowest place on Earth's land surface after the Dead Sea and Africa's Lake Assal. A region of temperature extremes, the Turpan Depression extends over 50,000 square kilometers. The city of Turpan, located in the higher northern part of the depression, was an important trading center on the ancient Silk Road.


container or sink.
Cleaning Tips For Your Electric Cooktop
 - Any spills should be cleaned up right away.
 - Use gentle scrubbing pads to avoid scratching your stove.
 - Clean your cooktop with the ceramic cleaner regularly.
 - To avoid scratches, avoid moving pots and pans across the cooktop's surface.
What's the best way to get my electric cooktop clean?
Clean your stovetop two to three times a week, depending on how often you cook. Clean the cooktop the same day after a part of cooking or on the off chance that you had arranged for an expansive gathering. Too, clean the stove as rapidly as conceivable on the off chance that you spill something or if you burn nourishment on it. The longer you hold up to break down the oil, the more troublesome it'll be.
They cleaned an electric cooktop with a mixture of baking soda, medium-temperature water, and a cleanser.
 - For approximately a minute, make the stove hit.
 - Fill the pot with water and place it on the burner.
 - Baking soda should be used.
 - Allow the paste to rest for a few seconds.
 - Using a washcloth, remove the baking soda all over.
 - Scrub the afflicted area carefully with dish soap and a cleaning utensil.
 - With a cloth, wipe off the remains.
How do you use vinegar to clean an electric stove?
Vinegar is an excellent home cleanser for keeping your stovetop clean. It's ideal for cleaning at the surface level, and it'll give your stovetop a lovely sheen.
Step 1: Before applying the vinegar to your stovetop, mix it with water in a 2:1 ratio
Step 2: Dip a cloth in the solution or simply spray the stovetop.
Step 3: Clean the cooktop with a damp cloth.
What is the best way to wipe away burn scars from an electric cooktop?
Utilize a preparing pop and vinegar blend to eradicate scars from your electric stove. This glue will be slightly more muscular than the one made with heating pop and water. Combine those as the ratio of 2:1
Because vinegar is acidic, it will react with baking soda, which is more basic, and fizzle, softening the burn scars on your stove. To avoid scratches, you should avoid cleaning the cooktop directly.
You can repeat the process until your stovetop is clean if you have difficulties wiping away the burn marks after letting the paste rest for a few minutes.
How often should your electric stove be cleaned?
The truth is that cleaning your electric stove after each user is the most fantastic method to keep it gleaming clean. Every time the furnace is used, clean up any spills using a wet cloth or sponge. The need for a frequent, more profound cleaning session will be reduced due to these little cleans after each meal.
It's best to clean electric stove top burners regularly, if not weekly, to make things simpler for yourself in the future. If you get rid of such areas as soon as they appear, food and oil won't have a chance to get trapped or cause harm. A clean stove top not only helps to preserve your and your family's health, but it also sets the tone for a beautiful kitchen. Please let us know which of these options has proven to be beneficial to you.
Furthermore, if you have any further queries or issues to report, please leave a comment below. Finally, if you have any questions on how to clean an electric cooktop regarding the processes above, this video should help you understand them better:
Related articles about electric cooktops:
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Plumbing math must have many applications available for calculations on different projects.
Plumbing Math – Learning Outcomes
After completing this module, you will be able to:
- Recognize the importance of knowing basic math skills that will help you to do plumbing tasks
- Apply math operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentage, fractions, conversions to calculate pipe length
- Describe the terms associated with plumbing math
- Discuss the general process for measuring pipes
- Identify the difference between thread makeup and fitting allowance in measuring pipe length
Log in to save your progress and obtain a certificate in Alison's free Diploma in Plumbing Studies online course
Sign up to save your progress and obtain a certificate in Alison's free Diploma in Plumbing Studies online course
Please enter you email address and we will mail you a link to reset your password.


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The Carpathian English Walnut grows in acidic, alkaline, drought tolerant, loamy, moist, sandy, well drained, clay soils.
A popular tree for its dual role of food and shade provider. The flavorful walnuts are easy to shell and a favorite for eating fresh and baking. It is a fast growing, stately tree with strong, sturdy branches that form a spreading crown for dense shade. This cultivar is well adapted for cold climates.
Can be planted as a nut-bearing landscape tree. Nuts are thin-shelled, easy to open. Tree's crown is rounded, spreading and open. Prefers deep, dry, light loamy soils. Avoid wet or poor subsoil. Grows 40' to 60', 40'-60' spread. (Partially self-fertile, plant multiple trees to ensure pollination) (zones 5-9)
The thin shell of the Carpathian walnut makes the kernel more available to wildlife that the harder shelled native black walnut.
The word walnut is a derivative of the "Gaul nut." Gaul, the former name for France, was one of the places to which this Persian tree spread at the end of the Ice Age.
Pinnately compound, alternate, 5-9 leaflets, 2"-5" long, medium to dark green.
A round, fleshy green husk in clusters of 3-9 encloses a hard, thin 1 1/2"-2" shell with a rich, flavorful kernel. At maturity the husk opens and releases the walnut which falls to the ground. Harvest in late September to mid-October.


Moonlighting as a Tuition Teacher? Here are 4 Pitfalls to Avoid
Moonlighting as a Tuition Teacher? Here are 4 Pitfalls to Avoid
Most Singaporeans have participated in the billion dollar tuition industry in some way or another—whether by attending tuition classes as a kid, sending their own children for tuition, or moonlighting as private tutors to earn a slice of that billion dollar pie.
But while superstar full-time tutors can rake in over a million bucks a year, there are many rookie and part-time tutors who struggle.
Here are four pitfalls to avoid as a beginning tutor.
Doing too much overtime
It is very, very common for beginning tutors to not be strict with their time and do way too much OT when they're with a student. Sometimes, you just need an extra twenty minutes to go through a student's assignment with him.
The problem is, as a private tutor, you are only being paid for the 1.5 to 2 hours you were hired to be there for. Doing 30 minutes of OT at the end of a 1.5 hour slot is very different from doing 30 minutes of OT at the end of an 8 hour work day. And if you have multiple students, all that OT can really add up and leave you completely exhausted.
No matter how much you care about your students, be strict with your hours unless you are absolutely sure you can spare the extra time without being paid for them. If you have to, break down your lessons into smaller parts so you can allocate different tasks to each—for instance, fifteen minutes of going through homework, half an hour of teaching new material and so on.
And if you consistently find you're not able to finish the lesson within the allotted time, it's time to speak with the parents about adding an extra lesson to the week or extending the lesson duration.
Accepting assignments which require a long commute
Rookie tutors tend to accept any assignments that pay a decent rate. But beware when the student lives very far away from your home/workplace.
If your commute is one hour each way for a 1.5 hour lesson for which you are being paid $45 at a rate of $30/hour, you actually spend 3.5 hours each time you go to that student's home and back. That means you are effectively earning only $12.86 per hour. If you teach multiple students in a single day, a long commute for each one means you are limiting the number of students you can fit in.
For those tutors without their own transport, if a student lives very far away and really wants you to teach him (for instance because you have been highly recommended by his friend), you can try to negotiate a transport surcharge of around $10 to $20 per lesson.
Non-paying clients
Sad to say, many, many private tutors get burnt by non-paying clients. Students usually pay at the end of every four lessons (for one class a week) or eight lessons (for two classes a week). Often, at the very last lesson before the student graduates, sits for his final exam or leaves on vacation, the parent or student will "forget" to bring their fees. Good luck trying to collect it from them now that they no longer need you.
To combat this, some tutors insist on being paid in cash at the end of every lesson. Better still, have the parent pay for the entire month up front at the first lesson of each month. This will also offer you protection in case the student cancels lessons suddenly.
Classes getting cancelled on short notice
Tuition sessions cancelled at the last minute are the bane of every tutor's life. Not only do they not get paid for that session, they also waste a slot they could have fit another student into.
To get around this, draw up a contract whenever you commence teaching a new student and have their parents sign it. You will want to get your students to pay you on a monthly basis. This will enable you to impose a penalty for lessons cancelled less than 24 hours in advance.
Whether you enforce this or not is up to you, but you want to at least be able to do so if a student repeatedly cancels at the last minute just because he prefers to spend his evening playing on his Xbox. Often, just knowing that they will be charged if they cancel at the last minute is enough to make the students respect your time more.
Have you ever worked as a private tutor? Share your biggest challenges in the comments!


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Definition of pabulum :
The means of nutriment to animals or plants; food; nourishment; hence, that which feeds or sustains, as fuel for a fire; that upon which the mind or soul is nourished; as, intellectual pabulum.
victual, chow, aliment, eats, eatable, pap, provender, nutriment, diet, regimen, victuals, provisions, viands, comestible, meat, grub, sustenance, food, care for, provision, nutrition, alimentation, nurture, commissariat, feed, fare, ingestion, edible, foodstuff, nourishment, forage, bread, fodder, esculent
- Hence it is demonstrated that a large number of the spores of fungi are constantly present in the atmosphere, which is confirmed by the fact that whenever a suitable pabulum is exposed it is taken possession of by floating spores, and soon converted into a forest of fungoid vegetation. - "Fungi: Their Nature and Uses", Mordecai Cubitt Cooke.
- From the above it will be concluded that the habitats of fungi are exceedingly variable, that they may be regarded as almost universal wherever decaying vegetable matter is found, and that under some conditions animal substances, especially of vegetable feeders, such as insects, furnish a pabulum for their development. - "Fungi: Their Nature and Uses", Mordecai Cubitt Cooke.
- In doing this, the influence he had established over the eastern members, with the agency of Robert Morris with those of the middle States, effected his side of the engagement; and so the Assumption was passed, and twenty millions of stock divided among favored States, and thrown in as a pabulum to the stockjobbing herd. - "Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson", Thomas Jefferson.


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engine in 1997. The temperature differential of the hot and cold water is about 60ºC. For a system using water or oil as the working fluid, the thermal expansion is not sufficient to generate a large enough pressure differential to operate the system efficiently. A fluid under very high 56 pressure is required to get the needed pressure differential. The best fluids considered were R-23 and CO2. Both fluids have sufficient thermal expansion properties at pressures of 100 bar or higher. CO2 was selected based upon cost, safety criteria, and environmental concerns. In addition, CO2, if accidentally released, does not pollute the environment. Solar collectors At issue is the selection of either flat-plate solar collectors or concave solar collectors for the production of hot water. There is no conclusion on the collector type to be used yet. This will depend on the necessary hot water temperature for the engine. Flat-plate collectors are the cheapest alternative. However, the concave collectors raise the water to a higher temperature, but have more moving parts and higher maintenance and cost. If the new engine operates in a smaller temperature range, then flat-plate collectors will be used since there are less moving parts and a simpler operation. The solar technology will be selected once appropriate testing has been conducted. ANALYSIS Qualitative Pressure versus Volume Diagram A qualitative analysis of the CO2 cycle in the heat exchanger – piston assembly is presented in figure 3. From 1 to 2, hot water is flowing through the heat exchanger. As the heat is transferred to the CO 2, the pressure of the CO2 increases. However, the pressure of the CO2 is not enough to overcome the pressure of the compressed air plus frictional forces. At state 2, the pressure overcomes frictional forces and begins piston movement. As the piston moves, the pressure increases slightly, while the volume also increases until it reaches state 3. At state 3, the piston has reached its maximum stroke. After state 3, cold water is run through the heat exchanger, causing the pressure in the piston to decrease. Initially, volume is constant because the pressure does not decrease enough to counteract frictional forces. At state 4, the CO2 pressure is low enough to allow the compressed air pressure to act as a "spring" in pushing the piston back. From state 4 to state 1, the piston is pushed back to its starting position. Pressure and volume continue to decrease until returning to state 1. 57 COMPARISON TO OTHER ENGINES Rider Ericsson engine The Rider Ericsson engine is a hot air Stirling engine constructed of one piston. When the air in the cylinder is heated, the piston moves up; when it cools, the piston moves down. A displacer is located inside the cylinder. The purpose of the displacer is to move air from the hot side of the cylinder to the cold side, and vice versa. Cooling water is used to cool one side of the cylinder, and any source of heat can be used to heat the other side of the cylinder. As air at the hot side of the cylinder is heated, it expands and forces the piston upward. When the piston is extended, the displacer is driven down into the hot side of the cylinder. The hot air rushes around the displacer to the cool end of the cylinder. When the air cools, it contracts, sucking the piston downward. Then, the displacer moves up into the cool end of the cylinder, forcing the cool air back down into the hot end of the cylinder. The air is heated again, and the cycle repeats. This is much like the Deluge engine. Like the Deluge engine, the Rider-Ericsson engine utilizes an external heat source and a working fluid. Also, like Deluge, the volume increases as heat is added to the air in the cylinder, and volume decreases as heat is transferred from the air in the cylinder. Like the Deluge engine, the thermal expansion of the working fluid is used to drive the engine. Whereas the thermodynamic cycles for the Deluge and Rider-Ericsson engines are very similar, the difference lies in the actual construction of the engines and choice of working fluid. The Rider Ericsson employs a displacer to move the air between essentially two heat exchangers. One heat exchanger heats up the air, while the other cools it down. Deluge employs one heat exchanger to take care of both duties, using valves to run either cold or hot water through the heat exchanger. Thermal Lag Engine The thermal lag engine is a valveless, external-combustion closed-cycle engine having a cooled piston and cylinder connected to a heated chamber. Air is used as the working fluid. The air in the cylinder is cooled, causing its pressure to drop. The piston forces the cool air into the heated chamber, which compresses it. In the heated chamber, the temperature and pressure of the air rise. When the pressure is sufficient, it pushes the piston out again. Then, the cycle repeats itself. Since there is adiabatic compression and expansion and constant volume heating and cooling, the engine theoretically operates on the Otto cycle. This engine is similar to the Deluge engine. For the Deluge engine, there are constantvolume cooling and heating processes. However, compression and expansion are not adiabatic. Instead, heat is transferred to the CO2 during the expansion, and heat is transferred from the CO2 during the compression. In addition, the pressure of the CO2 continues to rise throughout the expansion, and decreases during the compression. This is the opposite of what happens during the Otto cycle. CONCLUSION 58 In conclusion, the Deluge Solar Powered Pump has potential in applications calling for an off-grid selfcontained unit. It also has the potential to be a clean, environmentally friendly technology. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS P.E.P. gratefully acknowledges the support of the National Science Foundation through a CAREER Award (Grant No. CTS-_PHONE_), with matching funds from Deluge, Inc. (administered by the Industry Network Corporation). REFERENCES Deluge, Inc. Deluge, Inc. : Pumping Water for Tomorrow. Online. Available: _URL_ 29 October. 1999. Correspondence from Harry W. Parker, Ph.D., P.E. to Deluge Corp. June 2, 5, and 30, 1997. Rusty Iron Workshop. Rider Ericsson Hot Air Pumping Engine. Online. Available: _URL_ 28 October 1999. Tailer, Peter L. (1995): "Thermal Lag Test Engines Evaluated and Compared to Equivalent Stirling Engines," 1995 30th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference 3, 353-357. Çengel, Yunus A. and Michael A. Boles (1998): Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach, third edition, WCB/McGraw Hill, New York. 59 FIGURES Hot Water Cold Water Supply Supply Hot Water Return Heat Exchanger #1 Heat Exchanger #2 Heat Exchanger #3 Heat Exchanger #4 Temperature Indicator Ball Valve Cold Water Drain Flow Meter Reducer Figure 1 – Schematic of Hot and Cold Water System 60 CO2 Piston Oil Piston Oil Heat Exchanger #1 Reservoir CO2 Oil Air CO2 Inlet Heat Exchanger #2 CO2 Oil Air CO2 Inlet Heat Exchanger #3 CO2 Oil Air CO2 Inlet Heat Exchanger #4 CO2 Oil Air CO2 Inlet The expansion of the carbon dioxide causes the pistons to push the oil through the hydraulic motor, thereby powering the pump. 2500 psi Check Valve Pressure Indicator Hydraulic Compressed Motor and Ball Valve Air Pump Figure 2 – Schematic of CO2 and Oil System P Q in 3 3 Q in 2 4 Otto Cycle 2 4 Q out 1 1 Q out Cycle for Deluge's Engine V 61 Figure 3 – Pressure versus Volume for the working fluid, CO2 in Deluge's engine; the Otto cycle for the thermal lag engine superimposed. 62
"MODEL INTEGRATED SELF-FINANCING RURAL DEVELOPMENT "


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Cloud base height and cosmic rays
Harrison, R. G., Ambaum, M. P. H. and Lockwood, M. (2011) Cloud base height and cosmic rays. Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 467 (2134). pp. 2777-2791. ISSN _PHONE_
Full text not archived in this repository.
To link to this article DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2011.0040
Cosmic rays modify current flow in the global atmospheric electrical circuit. Charging at horizontal layer cloud edges has been observed to be consistent with global circuit vertical current flow through the cloud, which can modify the properties of small and pure water droplets. Studies have been hampered by the absence of cloud edge observations, hence cloud base height information is investigated here. Cloud base height measured at the Lerwick Observatory, Shetland, UK, is analysed using threshold tests and spectral analysis. The cloud base height distributions for low cloud (cloud base less than 800 m) are found to vary with cosmic ray conditions. Further, 27 day and 1.68 year periodicities characteristic of cosmic ray variations are present, weakly, in the cloud base height data of stratiform clouds, when such periodicities are present in neutron monitor cosmic ray data. These features support the idea of propagation of heliospheric variability into layer clouds, through the global atmospheric electric circuit.
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