1 Rates
Determination of lactose content
Knowing the exact amount of the ingredients in a product improves the quality and food safety for both consumers and producers. As the contents and ingredients have to be clearly listed on product labels, it is important for producers of dairy products to accurately determine the lactose content of the raw materials they use.
In the EU, food manufacturers are obligated by law to declare all the ingredients on the product label, clearly listed in descending order depending on the quantity. This includes lactose whenever it is knowingly used in food processing and production. The same applies if lactose is solely used as a carrier substance, for example for aromas or spice blends. As a consequence, the determination of the lactose content is highly important in the inspection of incoming goods, during the production process and in the final product to ensure quality and food safety, and to conform to legal requirements.
Lactose, a characteristic carbohydrate in milk, is metabolized by all mammals via an enzymatic reaction to form glucose and galactose, which the body needs for energy. Milk sugar, as lactose is also commonly referred to, is contained in the milk of mammals in various amounts, from about 4.8% in cow milk to approximately 6.3% in sheep's milk. Human milk contains 7.0% lactose. Also, the lactose content of dairy products varies depending on the processing. In concentrated and dried products, for example, it increases proportionally to the dry substance, whereas it is lower in fermented products. Knowledge of this is an essential part of manufacturing dairy products, particularly as dry lactose powder is often used (e.g. in the production of cheese, yoghurt, chocolate). Sometimes, however, this knowledge is not enough and further information is required.
The polarimetric approach
Polarimetry makes it possible to determine the lactose content in powders prepared from milk, whey or from raw lactose. However, this method cannot be used to determine the lactose content in milk or lactose-free milk.
Before starting the polarimetric measurement, the powders need to be dissolved in water. Fats and proteins, which basically cause the typical white color in milk, have to be removed as they would otherwise interfere with the light beam in the polarimeter. After this nothing stands in the way of determining the lactose content polarimetrically based on the optical activity of lactose. A precise measurement can be obtained with for instance an MCP polarimeter from Anton Paar with accuracy better than 0.002° optical rotation. These measurement results are then used to list the ingredients for different food products.
In dry powders like raw lactose often not only the percentage of lactose but also its crystallization stage is of interest. Here there is a difference between alpha lactose and beta lactose. After removing fats and proteins by using a Carrez solution as the clarifying agent, the polarimetric measurement of the optical rotation is done directly or even the next day. From this measurement data the content of alpha lactose and beta lactose, as well as the content of alpha-lactose monohydrate in the milk powder can be determined.
Determining the lactose content requires the sample to be free of other optically active sugars. Therefore, this method is not suitable for the determination of powders based on lactose-free milk because these powders contain glucose and galactose as a result of enzymatic lactose cleavage.
For all consumers, the determination of lactose content in dry powders contributes to the product quality as well as the food safety of resulting products.
The determination of the lactose content can be done using MCP polarimeters from Anton Paar. This ensures the quality of many dairy products based on milk powders and guarantees the correct declaration of the ingredients that also provides information on the lactose content for consumers.


text:
MICROCONTROLLER BASED AUTOMATIC TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROLER
Umar Azeem Khan
MICROCONTROLLER BASED AUTOMATIC TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROLER.pptx (Size: 315.03 KB / Downloads: 940)
Traffic lights have become an integral part of human's day-to-day life.
With this motivation in the mind, this project aims at designing and implementing, a running model of traffic light controller which is controlled according to the density of vehicle on road.
We will use AT89s52 microcontroller and Infra red sensor for performing all the computation and control related task.
Crystal Oscillator 12 Mhz.
12 V transformer.
IR Tx-Rx Pair.
555 Timer.
Discrete components: Resistors, Capacitors.
The most common colors used in traffic lights are red, amber (yellow), and green. Red typically means stop or high level of danger; amber typically means caution; and green typically means proceed with care.
Usually, the red light contains some orange in its hue, and the green light contains some blue, to provide some support for people with red-green color blindness.
Some traffic lights typically have a white reflective border which enables color blind users, during the hours of darkness, to distinguish the lights from other similarly-colored street or automobile lights, and to allow them to distinguish the lights by vertical position.
When we have to learn about a new computer we have to familiarize about the machine capability we are using, and we can do it by studying the internal hardware design (devices architecture), and also to know about the size, number and the size of the registers.
A microcontroller is a single chip that contains the processor (the CPU), non-volatile memory for the program (ROM or flash), volatile memory for input and output (RAM), a clock and an I/O control unit.
Also called a "computer on a chip," billions of microcontroller units (MCUs) are embedded each year in a myriad of products from toys to appliances to automobiles.
The AT89S52 is a low-power, high-performance CMOS 8-bit microcontroller with 8K bytes of in-system programmable Flash memory.
The device is manufactured using Atmel's high-density nonvolatile memory technology and is compatible with the industry-standard 80C51 instruction set and pinout.
The AT89S52 provides the following standard features: 8K bytes of Flash, 256 bytes of RAM, 32 I/O lines, Watchdog timer, two data pointers, three 16-bit timer/counters, a six-vector two-level interrupt architecture, a full duplex serial port, on-chip oscillator, and clock circuitry.
In addition, the AT89S52 is designed with static logic for operation down to zero frequency and supports two software selectable power saving modes.
. The Idle Mode stops the CPU while allowing the RAM, timer/counters, serial port, and interrupt system to continue functioning.
The Power-down mode saves the RAM con-tents but freezes the oscillator, disabling all other chip functions until the next interrupt.
The hardware is driven by a set of program instructions, or software.
Once familiar with hardware and software, the user can then apply the microcontroller to the problems easily.
The 8051 architecture consists of these specific features:
16 bit PC &data pointer (DPTR)
8 bit program status word (PSW)
8 bit stack pointer (SP)
Internal ROM 4k
Internal RAM of 128 bytes.
4 register banks, each containing 8 registers
80 bits of general purpose data memory
32 input/output pins arranged as four 8 bit ports0-P3
Two 16 bit timer/counters: T0-T1
Two external and three internal interrupt sources
Oscillator and clock circuits
Gallium arsenide is a direct-gap semiconductor with an energy gap of 1.4eV at room temperature.
A typical GaPs LED is made by solid-state impurity diffusion with zinc as the p-type impurity diffused into an n-type substrate doped with tin, tellurium or silicon.
The external efficiency at room temperature is typically 5 percent.
A GaAs diode can also be fabricated by liquid-phase epitaxial with silicon as both its n and p dopants.
If a silicon atom replaces a Ga atom, it provides one additional electron, thus the resulting GaAs in as n-type.
If a silicon atom replaces arsenic atoms, an electron is missing and the resulting GaAs is a p-type. In Si doped GaAs diode, the emission peak shifts down to 1.32eV.
Since the emission is in infrared region, GaAs light sources are suitable for application such as the optical isolator.
The high switching speed, with a recovery time between 2 and 10ns, makes them ideal for data transmission.
The disadvantages of the GaAs emitter are emitted wavelength and the associated attenuation an dispersion.
A critical issue of using an LED for the fibre optics is the coupling of light from the semiconductor to the fibre.
Because of the larger refractive index of GaAs relative to air, the internal efficiency of LED can be quite low
The buffer circuit's input has a very high impedance (about 1M ) so it requires only a few µA, but the output can sink or source up to 200mA.
This enables a high impedance signal source (such as an LDR) to switch a low impedance output transducer (such as a lamp).
It is an inverting buffer or NOT gate because the output logic state (low/high) is the inverse of the input state.
Input low (< 1/3 Vs) makes output high, +Vs.
Input high (> 2/3 Vs) makes output low, 0V.
When the input voltage is between 1/3 and 2/3 Vs the output remains in its present state.
This intermediate input region is a dead space where there is no response, a property called hysteresis, it is like backlash in a mechanical linkage. This type of circuit is called a Schmitt trigger.
If high sensitivity is required the hysteresis is a problem, but in many circuits it is a helpful property.
It gives the input a high immunity to noise because once the circuit output has switched high or low the input must change back by at least 1/3 Vs to make the output switch back.
A Germanium or silicon diode or transistor, which has a transparent encasing, can serve as a photodiode or transistor because the light photons can initiate conduction in the p-n- junction region.
Early devices such as the OCP 71 were Ge-devices. Later, silicon types became available with lower leakage current and better light sensitivity
In a phototransistor, the base lead is not used; but, if a resistor is connected form base to emitter it reduced the light sensitivity.
Darlington connected photo transistors (two transistors together in one case) such as the 2N5777 are very sensitive with a hFE of 2.5K, a dark current of 100nA and a light current of 0.5-2.0mA for light flux density H=2mW/cm2.
The device is rated 200mW and voltage of 25V maximum.
SCRs with a light window are also available, called as LASCR, which are very sensitive and can turn mains power ON and OFF, with light.
The switching speed of phototransistors far exceeds those of LDRs, made of CdS. The rise time for the 2N5777 is 75s and fall time is 50s.
Maximum switching speed is 1KHz. Photo devices are useful in optical encoding, intrusion alarms, tape readers, level control, character recognition etc.
LIGHT EMITTING DIODE:
Light emitting diode (LED) is basically a P-N junction semiconductor diode particularly designed to emit visible light.
There are infrared emitting LEDs which emit invisible light. The LEDs are now available in many colors red, green and yellow.
A normal LED emits at 2.4V and consumes MA of current.
The LEDs are made in the form of flat tiny P-N junction enclosed in a semi-spherical dome made up of clear colored epoxy resin.
The dome of a LED acts as a lens and diffuser of light. The diameter of the base is less than a quarter of an inch.
The actual diameter varies somewhat with different makes.
It is similar to the conventional rectifier diode symbol with two arrows pointing out.
There are two leadsone for anode and the other for cathode.
LEDs often have leads of dissimilar length and the shorter one is the cathode.
All manufacturers do not strictly adhere this to. Sometimes the cathode side has a flat base.
If there is doubt, the polarity of the diode should be identified.
As shown in the circuit a microcontroller is programmed to automatically "ON" and "OFF" the LEDs (traffic light).
The crystal oscillator is provides the necessary clocking for the microcontroller to work properly.
The four traffic lights, shown as 4 groups of 3 LEDs (Red, Green, Yellow), is actually installed at each of the four roads.
The necessary stabilized power source is designed by the use of LM7805, as shown above (in the lower figure).
The whole circuit will be implemented on a zero PCB. The programming of the Microcontroller can be done either in C or in Assembly, using a programmer.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
At the foot of the Guadalupe Mountains within sight of the tallest mountain in Texas and between two cold, carbonate streams lie the archaeological ruins of the Pine Springs Camp, a key site to understanding both sides of the Apache Wars of the late 19th century. The term Apache Wars refers to a series of skirmishes carried on during the United States expansion into the traditional tribal lands of the Native American Apache tribes and their allies.
The interlaced record of these Apache and military activities has been the subject of archaeological research at Pine Springs Camp since the 1970s.
Images 1-12 of 12
- Graphic Index
- Text Index


text:
Structural phase transformations of silicon during nanoindentation were investigated in detail at the atomic level. The molecular dynamics simulations of nanoindentation on the (100) and (111) surface of single crystalline silicon were simulated, and this supported the theoretical prediction of the anisotropic behaviour of structural phase transformations. Simulations showed that microscopic aspects of phase transformation varied according to the crystallographic orientation of the contact surface and were directly linked to the slip system of silicon. In the transformed region along the centreline, the crystalline structure of Si-II and the amorphous structure were observed when silicon was loaded in the and directions, respectively. Simultaneously, metastable phases with fourfold coordination, such as Si-III and Si-XII, were formed by the inhomogeneous distortion in the slip direction of silicon and observed along the direction. Additionally, our results indicated that the deviatoric stress added to the hydrostatic pressure induced by loading was an indispensable factor for the structural phase transformation to Si-II during nanoindentation on the (100) surface.
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Materials Science(all)
- Mechanics of Materials
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
How to Understand Motor Nameplate Details-ND 280 M/S/L:
It tells about the name of OEM. OEMOriginal Equipment Manufacturer. The motor is manufactured by Crompton Greaves. Some other manufacturers are supplying the same type of motor; Example: Siemens, Alstom, Kirlosker, ABB, QRE, Remi etc.Get More Electrical Concept And Interview Questions By Using This Link
Machine No: NADV45
It says about manufacture model number of that particular type of motor. Machine number can be used in many motors by the OEM. It is very useful to purchase identical spare for the same motor.
Frame size: ND280M
Frame size says about mechanical structure of the motor. It is useful for purchasing spare motor and replacing the motor.
- How to identify Motor Frame Size ND 280M with superb explanation
- Why VFD duty motor Frame size come in higher size
ND280 => Height from Ground point to shaft center point distance.
M => Medium core
REF no: NGAM 5905
It is used only for manufacturer.
Get More Electrical Concept And Interview Questions By Using This Link
KW (HP): 90 (120)
EFF: 94.5% efficiency of the motor
It means ratio between the Output power of the motor to input power of the motor.
Efficiency= output power/Input power
Hz= 50 Hz + or – 5 %
Voltage: 415V + or – 10%
It is the operating voltage range of the motor. here the thresold limits mentions that the motor can be operated at Minimum voltage of 370 V and Maximum Voltage of 460 V. If the voltage level increases beyond that limit, then, the winding insulation may get failures.
- What is Voltage Drop Allowable Limit and How to Calculate Voltage drop
- Voltage Conversion
- Why Battery Cannot Store AC voltage
- Why Capacitors Use As High Voltage Protection
- Why DC Voltage is preferred for Control circuit?
It is the speed of the motor in Revolution Per Minutes. It means, the motor shafts rotates 1480 revolution in one minute.
A= 147 motor full load Current
It says about the full load capacity of the motor. This data is the main part of the motor protection form over current or over load. You can load the motor up to 147 Amps or the maximum input current through the motor is 147 A.
The default connection of the motor is delta connection. The motor power terminal will be connected in delta connection with short link (understand short link by short circuit). It can be modified according to your application.
- What is Star Configuration
- Line Voltage to Phase Voltage Line Current to Phase Current Relationship in Star/Delta connection
For Star/Delta starter you must remove the same.
It is the full load power factor
Ambient temperature: 50 deg. surrounding temperature
It says about the maximum allowable motor surrounding temperature. If the temp. increases, then the motor temperature also increases. Always try to keep 25 – 35 deg. Celsius.
TH/Temp Rise: F/B
It means maximum operating temperature of the winding insulation. The motor is designed for F class insulation and works up to B class insulation. To know about insulation class You can feel free to visit this. Get More Electrical Concept And Interview Questions By Using This Link
Relub hrs: 5800
Re-lubrication time. We need to re-fill lubrication (grease) in the bearing side. Pour maximum 35 gms grease each DE and NDE side of the bearing.
DE – driver end, NDE – Non Driver End
It says about, how long the motor has to run without stopping.
S1 duty = Continuous duty, the motor has designed to run 365 X 24 hours
Example: pump, air blower, fans, ventilators etc.
S4 duty= Intermediate duty, it works as S1 duty + designed to withstand high starting current
Example: Crane, unloader, lift, long trolley and short trolley etc.
Note: S4 duty can be used as S1 duty but S1 duty cannot be used as S4 duty.
Bearing DE and NDE;
It tells about installed bearing number of the motor. This data use to replace the bearing when bearing failure.
How to Read bearing Number (Video Tutorial):
It means, the type of grease is applied in the bearing. Unirex is the make of the grease. I used Unirex N3 grease for my 750 KW, 2990 rpm motor.
Mounting of the motor. Hear B3 foot mounting. This is also important data for purchasing the identical spare.
Some of the mounting here
Foot mounting, Flange mounting and Foot cum flange mounting.
IP IP 55: Protection of the motor
It says about protection from outside environment like dust, moisture, water falling etc. To know about IP Class click this.
WT 670 Kg:
Weight 670 kilo gram.
Thanking You!!! Have a Nice Day….


Explore the moo:
Welcome to: Cosmic rage!
By Nathan Tech!
Web view
Viewing category activity..
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activity help: Drama Shows
Have you ever wanted to perform on Cosmic Rage? Well now you can with theaters!
Theaters are a great way for you to express yourself in a cool and creative way!
Now lets get started!
In acting everything is done from an actors point of view so the directions are going to be a little different than your normal north, south directions.
Here are the most common stage directions.
Stage left: The actors left if facing the audience.
Stage right: The actors right when facing the audience.
Down stage: Moving towards the audience.
Up stage: Moving away from the audience
Center stage: The center of the stage
You can combine these into all sorts of different combinations for example
Down stage right: The right side closest to the audience.
The action command
The action command is used to either make a backdrop or change a light or group of lights.
Here are some examples there will also be the syntax for how you right them down.
Command: Action a spotlight lights up center stage
you see: A spotlight lights up center stage.
Command: action the scene changes to show a field with flowers and a puffy sky
you see: The scene changes to show a field with flowers and a puffy sky
Command: action a red light appears on stage left
You see: A light appears on stage left
Note: The action command is not to be used to manipulate actors on stage you should use normal emoting for that.
How would I be able to use the theater on Panaxes?
There are a lot of theaters and stages on Cosmic Rage but the most commonly used one is Panaxes.
If you would wish to use this stage in particular please send a mail to Bob gun under the mail a position holder menu.
Please include your name, the date and time for your performance, and if you need any sort of props or furniture.
Note: please feel free to bring your own furniture, costumes, and props to enhance your experience.
You can also act with your friends you don't have to be alone!
Recommended help files: aHelp Recreational Temptations
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Why not explore the moo!
Explore the moo:


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 (Redirected from Eyebrows)
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Eyebrow (disambiguation).
Jeremy Cadot's eyebrow.jpg
A man's eyebrow and eye
Latin supercilium
MeSH Eyebrows
TA A15.2.07.023
FMA 54237
Anatomical terminology
The eyebrow is an area of thick, delicate hairs above the eye that follows the shape of the lower margin of the brow ridges of some mammals. Their main function is hypothesized to prevent sweat, water, and other debris from falling down into the eye socket, but they are also important to human communication and facial expression. It is not uncommon for people to modify their eyebrows by means of hair addition, removal, makeup, tattoo, or piercings.
It is believed[by whom?] that the main function of the eyebrow is to prevent moisture, mostly salty sweat and rain, from flowing into the eye. Greek physician Herophilos, in his treatise "Anatomy," was among the first to hypothesize such a theory, proposing that the eyebrows are "adorned with hair, so that if copious perspiration came [down], it would be contained by this 'check-point' of hair placed in its way until it is wiped off, so that it could not obstruct the eyes." The typical curved shape of the eyebrow (with a slant on the side) and the direction in which eyebrow hairs are pointed, make sure that moisture has a tendency to flow sideways around the eyes, along the side of the head and along the nose.[citation needed] The slightly protruding brow ridges of modern humans could also be used as a defense structure against the floods of moisture. Desmond Morris, discussing the possible function of the eyebrow in human evolution, criticized this suggestion as non-effective [1] and suggested that the primary function of the eyebrows is to signal the changing moods of their owners. Together with the brow ridges, the eyebrows also shade the eyes from sunlight.[citation needed] Eyebrows also prevent debris such as dandruff and other small objects from falling into the eyes, as well as providing a more sensitive sense for detecting objects being near the eye, like small insects.
Eyebrows also have an important facilitative function in communication, strengthening expressions, such as surprise, anger or sexiness. Many makeup artists view eyebrows as a major feature in defining the face. The eyebrows shape the human face and give definition to one's eyes and forehead. Depending on the shape of the eyebrows, it sometimes can cause what is known as a false facial expression (such as a person's eyebrows shaped to seem as if the person was angry, but really isn't). Some people can also move their eyebrows up and down alternately.
Eyebrows as eyespots[edit]
Joseph Jordania suggested that the primary evolutionary function of clearly visible eyebrows was safety from predators during the vulnerable nighttime sleep, when early hominid groups started sleeping on the ground, away from the trees. Stealth predators (like big cats) as a rule stop hunting if they notice that prey animals are watching them. Cheap plastic masks, placed on the back of the head, saved many human lives in India and Bangladesh, where man-eating tigers claimed many victims in Sundarbans national park.[citation needed] Many predators (particularly big cats) are very sensitive to eyespots, and all the big cats have eyespots on the back of their own ears. According to Jordania, at night, when hominid eyes were closed, the eyebrows, arched upwards, and eyelashes, arched downwards, formed clearly definable oval eyespots on a 'sleeping' human face, creating an illusion that the eyes were still open and watching (and therefore could deter predators from attacking sleeping hominids).[2]
In a study published by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where subjects were asked to identify celebrities with either their eyes or their eyebrows digitally edited out, the subjects were able to recognize the celebrity 46% of the time with their eyebrows edited out, compared to 60% of the time with their eyes edited out. The findings indicate the importance of eyebrows in providing clues to an individual's identity.[3]
Eyebrow modification[edit]
An eyebrow that has been modified via waxing
Eyebrows are a major facial feature. Cosmetic methods have been developed to alter the look of one's eyebrows, whether the goal is to add or remove hair, change the color, or change the position of the eyebrow.
Several options exist for removing hair to achieve a thinner or smaller eyebrow, or to "correct" a unibrow, including manual and electronic tweezing, waxing, and threading. The most common method is to use tweezers to thin out and shape the eyebrow.[4] Waxing is becoming more popular.[5] Lastly, there is threading eyebrows, where a cotton thread is rolled over hair to pull it out. Small scissors are sometimes used to trim the eyebrows, either with another method of hair removal or alone. All of these methods can be painful for some seconds or minutes due to the sensitivity of the area around the eye but, often, this pain decreases over time as the individual becomes used to it. In time, hair that has been plucked will stop growing back.[6] Some people wax or shave off their eyebrows and leave them bare, stencil or draw them in with eye liner, or tattoo them on. In Western societies, it has become more common for men to pluck part of their eyebrows.
To create a fuller look, eyebrows can be cloned in an eyebrow transplant: Individual strands of the eyebrow are mimicked to create a natural-looking eyebrow of the desired shape. Eyebrow brushes and shaders are used to further define the eyebrow. A fairly recent trend in eyebrow modification is in eyebrow tinting: Permanent dye, similar to hair color, is used on the eyebrow, often to darken them.
An eyebrow lift, a cosmetic surgery to raise the eyebrow, usually to create a more feminine or youthful appearance, is a new phenomenon.[7] They can be affected during a face lift or an eye lift. More recently, doctors inject patients' eyebrows with botox or similar toxins to temporarily raise the eyebrow.[8]
From the 8th century, many Japanese noblewomen practiced hikimayu, shaving or plucking the eyebrow hair and painting smudge-like ones higher on the forehead. Shaving lines in eyebrows is another cosmetic alteration, more common among younger people in the 1990s and 2000s.[9]
See also[edit]
 - Anti-eyebrow, a body piercing placed below the eyebrow
 - Eyebrow piercing, a body piercing done through the eyebrow
 - Trichotillomania, a disorder where sufferers have an impulse to pull out body hair, including eyebrows
 - Unibrow, the presence of abundant hair between the eyebrows
 - Eyebrow restoration, surgical procedure to change the look of one's eyebrows
 1. ^ Desmond Morris, The Naked Man: A Study of the Male Body. London: Jonathan Cape, 2008
 2. ^ Joseph Jordania, Why do People Sing? Music in Human Evolution, chapter "I Can See you! Eyespots in Humans." Logos, 2011, pg. 96
 3. ^ Javid Sadrô, Izzat Jarudi, Pawan Sinha. The role of eyebrows in face recognition. Perception, 2003, volume 32, pages 285-293
 4. ^ "Advanced Tips for Eyebrow Plucking". Makeup-product.com. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
 5. ^ "Eyebrow Waxing 101 - Makeup - Skin & Beauty - Daily Glow". Hair-n-skin-care.com. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
 6. ^ "What You Should Know About Eyebrows". //www.sheilasfashionsense.com. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
 7. ^ "Brow Lift Procedure Recovery, Before and After on". Medicinenet.com. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
 8. ^ "Access". Medscape. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
 9. ^ Bruce Ely, The Oregonian (2008-04-28). "Teens shaving lines in eyebrows raise gang concerns in schools". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
External links[edit]


text:
Summer is slowly approaching. What does this mean? Summertime is
a season full of energy, heat, longer daylight, and sunny days.
Summer is the season of yang, a time when the body undergoes
vigorous metabolic (body energy) processes.
According to TCM, summer is yang as mentioned earlier, but
summer is also based on the five elements. Summer is fire, color is
red, emotion is joy, and the organ associated with fire is heart
and small intestine. Fire is symbolic because in TCM it is the
maximum activity or greatest yang, which means that it is a time of
heat, outgoingness, and moving outward in nature and in our lives.
In human anatomy, the heart, mind, and spirit are ruled by the fire
element. We should give greatest focus on our heart, mind, and
spirit for staying healthy in summer.
It is important to make sure our body is balance during the
summertime. When we are balanced in the summertime, our heart is
strong and healthy, the mind is calm and sleep is sound. But if we
are not balanced in summertime we create an imbalance in the fire
element, which may cause either lack of joy (depression) or an
excess of joy (mania). Indicators of an imbalance in the fire
element include agitation, nervousness, heartburn, and
Cherry tree in bloom
Dia's Helpful Tips for the
Thank you for your continued support of the AOM blog. Have a
I wanted to open this blog by welcoming everyone back from
spring break to summer trimester.
This week I want to focus on integrative medicine. Over break, a
family friend asked me, "What is integrative medicine?" I also
thought this was great topic of discussion for anyone reading this
blog who may be considering applying to National University of
Here at National University we take an integrative approach to
health and medicine. Integrative medicine is the intelligent
combining of both western and eastern medicine healing practices,
therapies and health protocols. When we discuss integration of
medicine, we simply represent the best of both worlds.
Drugs still heavily influence western medicine while eastern
medicine is focused more on prevention of diseases. At National, we
take an integrative approach when we look at treatment planning for
our patients. I witness this every day in the clinical setting as a
senior intern and in the academic setting as a student.
Many of my patients are referred to us from western physicians,
such as psychiatrists, DOs, etc., who I work closely with in the
treatment of my patients. This integration of medicine is why I
believe so many of my patients do so well with acupuncture. It
restores the body's natural ability to heal itself, and addresses
root causes rather than mere symptoms. This in turn, enhances,
restores and empowers patients to reclaim their health.
That is why it is important that more schools like National
University incorporate an integrative model of medicine. The
benefits to the patient's health are profound in this future
medicine model. Integration medicine is emerging not just in the
clinical setting, but also in hospital settings.
Thank you for your continued support of the AOM blog! Welcome
back to Summer 2013 Trimester.
Autism Awareness Month. I have mentioned my son Mykael who was
diagnosed with autism 3 years ago and shared his journey with my
readers. I have four sons and a daughter. It is more common than
people realize that autism will likely impact a second child in the
family, especially among boys. My 4-year-old Landen has been
diagnosed on the autism spectrum. He is not like my son Mykael; he
has very mild case of autism. He has verbal skills. He is able read
and write for his age, but he lacks the social skills. In addition,
he has an intense interest about all cars and trucks. He was
diagnosed with Asperger's a year and half ago.
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome or
Asperger disorder (AD), is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that
is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction,
alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and
interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its
relative language and cognitive development.
I wanted to share more about autism spectrum disorder. As I
shared with you in my earlier blog, autism statistics from the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1
in 88 American children as on the autism spectrum--a 10-fold
increase in prevalence in 40 years. Careful research shows that
this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis and
awareness. Studies also show that autism is four-five times more
common among boys than girls. An estimated 1 out of 54 boys and 1
in 252 girls are diagnosed. ASD affects over 2 million individuals
in the U.S. and tens of millions worldwide. Moreover, government
autism statistics suggest that prevalence rates have increased 10
to 17% annually in recent years. There is no established
explanation for this continuing increase, although improved
diagnosis and environmental influences are two reasons often
family lives with autism every day like so many families. I want
make sure everyone is aware and has information about how you can
get involved in the Autism Speaks Walk of 2013. Autism Speaks Walk
will be held in Chicago at Soldier Field on May 18. We need
everyone's support and if you still need community service hours to
graduate, this is a wonderful community event that is near and dear
to my heart. If you need more information please contact me
directly or contact us at _URL_ or
Remember: Every 11 minutes, another family receives the
devastating news that their child has an autism spectrum disorder.
Don't wait another minute and support the Awareness for
Thank you for continued support of AOM blog. Good luck on finals
and congratulations to our graduates of Spring 2013.
According to the Acupuncture Today April 2013
edition, the New Year has proven to be a promising one for
acupuncturists nationwide. There are several petitions that are
being currently looked at in White House concerning the future of
acupuncture. There is one petition in particular that has gained
momentum and attention in the White House.
The petition was created on Jan 11, 2013. The petition makes the
case that studies have shown that when acupuncturist are directly
involved in patient care, patient recover faster. The White House
petition is to recognize acupuncture as profession that is included
in Medicare system. We know have a total of 27,347 signatures.
If you are wondering what were the case studies? Mostly the case
studies came from pain management issues involving the direct
patient involvement with an acupuncturist. I would like to note
that many professions are already recognized in the Social Security
Act and therefore included in the Medicare system, for example
midwives, dieticians, physician's assistants, and social
The states that are currently being looked at by the White House
are California, Maryland, New Mexico, Washington, Nevada, and
Alaska. It is now a waiting game for the rest of us acupuncturists
nationwide to see where our profession finds it place in the
mainstream Medicare system.
If you want to view the petition, go to Recognize Acupuncturists as Healthcare
Providers. If you have additional question please contact NCCAOM and AAAOM.
Thank you for your continued support of the AOM blog! Have
a great week!
(Trimester Countdown: 3 weeks left!)
It is officially spring! Spring is the time of birth, where yang
energy is full and abundant. For many people, however, spring and
summer are seasons for allergies.
Allergies, or allergic rhinitis, are due to an over-reactivity
of the immune system to certain allergens. During spring and
summer, allergies are generally induced by wind-born tree, grass or
weed pollen, and can cause such symptoms as: sneezing; nasal
congestion; runny nose; watery, itchy, or red eyes; headaches;
fatigue; and sometimes coughing and wheezing. When allergens and
antibodies react in individuals with allergic rhinitis, their nasal
mucosa becomes swollen and may obstruct drainage from the sinuses
causing sinusitis in many people. Thus, sinus infections are a
frequent complication and consequence of allergic rhinitis.
While spring and summer are the seasons of the year that bring
us outdoors, many people are unable to enjoy these warmer months
due to uncomfortable symptoms. Chinese medicine can help bring
relief of symptoms, correct imbalances of the immune system,
prevent the occurrence of infection, and allow healing of tissues
of the sinuses.
From a Chinese point of view, allergic rhinitis is due to a
deficiency of the Lung and Kidney's Defensive-Qi systems, combined
with retention of chronic "Wind" in the nose.
Allergic rhinitis often starts in early childhood, with a
constitutional weakness, but it may also start later in life, with
a progressive decline of Kidney-Qi. Lung and Kidney Qi Deficiency
is the root of the problem, therefore, with


Carl de Boor's Piecewise Polynomial Package
PPPACK is a FORTRAN90 library which evaluates piecewise polynomial functions, including cubic splines, by Carl de Boor.
Piecewise Polynomial Functions:
Typically, a set of data ( X(I), Y(I) ) for I=1, L+1 is available which is to be interpolated. A function F(X) is to be found which passes through the given data. F(X) is to be constructed from some order of polynomials, often cubic, and is to be continuously differentiable to all orders except at certain 'break' points, most likely at the same X points given with the data. Thus, to determine the types of functions F we can construct, it is necessary to specify the number of break points L+1, or intervals L, the location of the breakpoints 'BREAK', the values that the function is to assume at the breakpoints 'Y' or some other condition, and the order 'K' of the polynomial pieces. Sometimes auxilliary information, such as the slope or second derivative of the function at the left and right endpoints is part of the prescription.
Given a set of interpolating conditions or other requirements, the piecewise polynomial routines that follow will produce or manipulate a representation of the function F which has the form:
 ( BREAK, PCOEF, K, L )
These quantities represent the function F in the following way. If a point X is between breakpoints BREAK(I) and BREAK(I+1), then set
 H = X - BREAK(I),
and we have
 F(X)= PCOEF(1,I)
 + PCOEF(2,I) * H
 + PCOEF(3,I) * H^2 / 2!
 + PCOEF(4,I) * H^3 / 3!
 + PCOEF(K,I) * H^(K-1) /(K-1)!
Note that the piecewise polynomial functions make F and its derivatives continuous from the right. Thus at the break point I+1, we use the definition of F appropriate for the interval ( BREAK(I+1), BREAK(I+2) ) and not ( BREAK(I), BREAK(I+1) ).
Note also that the behavior of the function F for X values below the first breakpoint BREAK(1) or above the last breakpoint BREAK(L+1) is not specified. In fact, generally, F is set to zero below BREAK(1), and the definition of F on the last interval ( BREAK(L), BREAK(L+1) ) is extended all the way to the right.
Whenever you have a piecewise polynomial representation of the above form, you can evaluate the function F(X) by calling the function PPVALU. Moreover, other routines like BSPLPP can convert a B-spline representation into a piecewise polynomial representation. Also, KNOTS can use the information in the breakpoint sequence BREAK, with the continuity conditions required, to construct an equivalent knot sequence for a B-spline.
PPPACK is available in a FORTRAN77 version and a FORTRAN90 version.
Related Data and Programs:
DIVDIF, a FORTRAN90 library which computes interpolants by divided differences.
HERMITE, a FORTRAN90 library which computes the Hermite interpolant, a polynomial that matches function values and derivatives.
SLATEC, a FORTRAN90 library which includes PPPACK.
TEST_APPROX, a FORTRAN90 library which defines a number of test problems for approximation and interpolation.
Carl de Boor
 1. Samuel Conte, Carl de Boor,
 Elementary Numerical Analysis,
 Second Edition,
 McGraw Hill, 1972,
 ISBN: 07-012446-4,
 LC: QA297.C65.
 2. Carl de Boor,
 A Practical Guide to Splines,
 Springer, 2001,
 ISBN: _PHONE_,
 LC: QA1.A647.v27.
 3. Roger Martin, James Wilkinson,
 Solution of Symmetric and Unsymmetric Band Equations and the Calculation of Eigenvectors of Band Matrices,
 Numerische Mathematik,
 Volume 9, Number 4, December 1976, pages 279-301.
Source Code:
Examples and Tests:
List of Routines:
You can go up one level to the FORTRAN90 source codes.
Last revised on 14 February 2006.


its portfolio companies? Are there any legal risks for the private equity acquirer in designating such members?
There are no such legal requirements. However, when designating members of its portfolio company's board or management, a sponsor should seek to ensure that: (i) the company complies with applicable laws and has sufficient substance from a tax perspective; and (ii) the company's directors, officers and employees could not be considered shadow directors or otherwise be held liable for it's acts or omissions.
6.2 Are veto rights over major corporate actions (such as dissolution and winding up, merger or consolidation, significant acquisitions or dispositions, incurrence of material indebtedness, or changing the business of the company) typical rights held by private equity acquirers? Are there any limitations or prohibitions on such rights?
Sponsors commonly have veto rights over major corporate, commercial and financial matters.
Veto rights will generally be void if they constitute an unlawful fetter on any statutory powers or are contrary to public policy. Generally, appropriate structures can be put in place to ensure that customary veto rights can be effective.
6.3 Do private equity funds or any board members they appoint, have any fiduciary or other duties to minority equity-holders or other stakeholders of a portfolio company? Eg are there any prohibitions against acquisitions of, or investments in, competing or complimentary businesses?
A PE fund is not subject to such duties under English company law.
Board appointees generally owe duties to the company, but may, in limited circumstances, owe duties to shareholders, particularly regarding information disclosure. Duties may also be owed if the portfolio company is insolvent or verging on insolvency or if a specific relationship (such as principal and agent) is established between the sponsor-nominated directors and the shareholders. Finally, shareholders may be entitled to bring derivative actions on the company's behalf.
Under the AIFMD, PE funds owe additional obligations to portfolio companies and their stakeholders. When an AIF acquires control (over 50% of the voting rights) of certain unlisted companies, the AIFMD requires the AIFM of that AIF to comply with certain restrictions on distributions, capital reductions, share redemptions and buybacks by the target for the following 24 months and to disclose to shareholders (and employees' representatives or employees, as applicable): (i) acquisition of control by the AIF, and identities of the AIFMs managing the AIF; (ii) policies regarding preventing and managing conflicts of interest and communications relating to the company, particularly its employees; and (iii) its intentions regarding the company's future business and likely repercussions on employment.
Antitrust laws may prohibit the acquisition of, or investment in, competing or complimentary businesses.
Section 7 – DEAL TERMS
7.1 What pricing structures are typically preferred by private equity sponsors in your jurisdiction?
PE sellers usually favour locked-box pricing structures, which offer price certainty from the outset, control over financial information, potentially reduced contractual liability, cost savings and prompt distribution of sale proceeds to investors post-closing. Completion accounts is the other pricing mechanism commonly encountered.
7.2 What is the typical scope of the representations and/or warranties, covenants, undertakings and indemnities provided by a private equity seller and the target company's management team to an acquirer in an acquisition agreement?
In an acquisition agreement, a PE seller usually only provides warranties regarding title, capacity and enforceability and (assuming a locked-box pricing structure) a no-leakage undertaking. The PE seller may also provide pre-completion undertakings regarding the target business.
The target's management will often provide business warranties, typically under a separate management warranty deed. Their primary purpose is to elicit full disclosure regarding the target during the due diligence process.
7.3 What are the customary time limits and other limitations on liability applicable to representations and/or warranties given by a private equity seller and the target company's management team?
A PE seller's warranties are usually either subject to a cap equal to the aggregate purchase price, or uncapped (see 7.2).
Managers can limit their liability under the warranties by: (i) giving them severally (each manager is only liable for its proportionate share of liability for any claim) and subject to awareness; (ii) capping maximum liability for any warranty claims; and (iii) negotiating a (reasonably high) threshold and de minimis and a short time-limit for bringing claims.
7.4 What methods are typically used to fill any warranty gap in your jurisdiction? Is warranty and indemnity insurance commonly used in private equity transactions in your jurisdiction?
Warranty gaps can be bridged by a purchase price reduction to address specific potential liabilities or by managers giving business warranties: (i) on the basis that specific warranty claims will only be made against a seller-funded escrow fund or retention account; (ii) subject to warranty and indemnity insurance; (iii) as consideration for a financial incentive; and/or, (iv) subject to a cap equal to a proportion of their individual sale proceeds.
Buyer warranty and indemnity insurance policies have become more affordable and are increasingly common.
7.5 What conditions to a private equity sponsor's obligation to complete an acquisition are typically included in the acquisition agreement? Are these conditions usually substantially aligned with the conditions included in the financing documentation?
To enhance deal certainty, conditions to completion are typically limited to necessary regulatory approvals and do not generally include financing conditions. PE sellers also continue to strongly resist material adverse change clauses. The condition in the acquisition agreement and the financing and documentation are usually substantially aligned.
7.6 To what extent are purchaser funds at risk for the equity capital committed to a transaction? Are third-party beneficiary rights or other enforcement rights typically made available to the seller?
At signing, the PE fund typically gives a direct commitment to the seller to fund Bidco with the equity capital committed to the transaction, subject only to satisfaction of the conditions in the acquisition agreement and the financing being available. The seller can enforce this commitment directly against the PE fund to the extent it becomes unconditional and the PE fund fails to fund Bidco.
7.7 How is a management team's equity participation typically structured, including customary types of equity interest, percentage holding of equity and approximate level of investment?
Management equity structures and types depend on: the sponsor's priorities; managers' bargaining strength; senior managers' tax residence and domicile; and tax treatment of relevant equity interests.
Senior management increasingly prefers to receive carried interest through partnership interests. Where no partnership exists in the structure and for less senior executives, shares can be subscribed (sweet equity).
Managers beneath the higher bands may be invited to participate in management incentive plans or to become employee shareholders.
Except in large buyouts, management's percentage holding of Topco's ordinary shares is typically 5% to 15%. Management is usually expected to make a significant financial investment in the target group to ensure they remain incentivised to create further value.
About the author
Shaun Lascelles
Partner, Skadden
London, UK
T: +44 20 7519 7166
F: +44 20 7072 7166
Lascelles is a partner based in Skadden's London office, where his practice concentrates on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity transactions. He is co-head of Skadden's global private equity group.
About the author
Paul Doris
Counsel, Skadden
London, UK
T: +44 20 7519 7088
F: +44 20 7072 7088
Doris is counsel in Skadden's London office, where he focuses on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity and infrastructure transactions.


text:
7. Sınıf Meb İngilizce 3. Ünite Biographies Cevapları
7. Sınıf Meb Yayınları İngilizce Ders Kitabı 3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 Cevaplarını yazımızın devamından okuyabilirsiniz.
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 36 Cevapları
1- Life is a long journey. What are the "milestones" in a person's life?
Discuss as a class and write them in the labels.
2- Below are some words about different stages of our lives. Find the
meanings of the words and put them in the correct box.
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 37 Cevapları
3- Look at the photos. What are they? What is common about them?
4- 3.1 Listen to the dialogue between Thomas and his classmate Maria.
Who was behind these inventions?
5- 3.2 Listen again and fill in the blanks with the words given below.
1- found 2- inventions 3- didn't graduate 4- worked 5- was
6- Write some keywords from the dialogue about Tesla's life.
inventor - radio waves - work hard - electricity - alone
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 38 Cevapları
1- Do you read biographies? Who do you like reading about (e.g. people from history, celebrities)?
2- Read Thomas' biography homework about Tesla. How many patents did Tesla have?
was - was - wanted - studied - mowed - worked - started - could - produced - became - petanted - got - worked - changed - died
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 39 Cevapları
3- Read the text in part 2 and put the sentences into chronological order.
D - C - A - B - E
4- Read again and fill in the blanks with the correct information.
5- What surprised you most about Nikola Tesla? What do you want to learn more about him?
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 40 Cevapları
1- Look at the photos. Do you know these people? What do you know about them?
2- 3.3 Listen to the biographies. Match the people with their countries and professions. There is one extra.
3- 3.4 Listen again and choose the correct answer.
1- Poland 2- science 3- founded 4- 1842 5- composed 6- was 7- didn't go 8- three
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 41 Cevapları
1- Choose a famous person and do research about her/his life.
Then, present it to the class.
2- Work in pairs. Follow the instruction and make dialogues with your
partner about the famous people you chose.
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 42 Cevapları
1- 3.5 Close your eyes and relax. Listen to the music and answer the questions.
2- Are you good at playing any musical instruments?
Do you know a famous musician?
3- Read the biography of İdil Biret, a very talented and successful
pianist. Match the headings with the correct paragraphs.
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 43 Cevapları
4- Read the biography again. Write True (T) or False (F).
Correct the false sentences.
(T) 1941: She was born in Ankara.
(F) 1957: She started Paris Conservatory.
(T) 1961: She was awarded with "Gold Medal of Dinu Lipatti".
(T) 1971: She became a national artist.
(T) 1988: She took Honorary PhD in Bosphorus University.
(F) 2007: She won the "Honour Award" in Ankara Music Festival.
5- Think about what makes someone successful in her/his life and talk about it.
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 44 Cevapları
Look at the pictures and short information about the successful chief admiral,
Barbarossa Hayreddin. Use the notes and write a paragraph about him.
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 45 Cevapları
Let's Have Fun!
3. Ünite Biographies Sayfa 46 Cevapları
Let's Make a Project!


Saving Docket Entries to Activities
AdvoLogix downloads all of the docket entries attached to a UniCourt case when it is saved. Docket entries represent a series of activities grouped by virtue of a common timeline objective in UniCourt. This results in the ability to assign important events or task to individuals within your organization with ease.
Saving Docket Entries
A new proposed action for saving docket entries is added to the UniCourt case by AdvoLogix. This action is available only when your case is already attached to a matter. The action will take users to an interface where they can configure the docket entries before being saved as events or tasks.
AdvoLogix saves each selected docket entry to a task or an event with dates already filled out by respective docket entries.
From left to right, the column headings are described as follows:
 1. Create Activity - Enable this checkbox to create an AdvoLogix activity for the docket entry.
 2. Type - Can be either task or event.
 3. Activity Date - The activity due date is automatically determined by the docket entry. Events also have the ability to set a start time and duration.
 4. Duration - The duration of the event. Only shown when the activity type is an event.
 5. Subject - Identifies the task or event; in the same manner served when creating a calendar activity manually. The default for this value is provided by respective docket entries.
 6. Assigned To - Represents the individual or user to which the activity will be scheduled. As with standard activities, when enabled, multiple assignees may be selected for events.
 7. Priority - Represents the priority for the specified task. Only shown when the activity type is task.
 8. Reminder - Will enable a reminder for the specified activity.
 9. Mass Assign - Allows activities to be mass assigned to a specific user or the user specified on a matter lookup field. Completed activities will not be reassigned.
 10. From/To - The ability to filter the docket entries by a date range provided.


Lost London Quiz: Can You Beat The Winners?
Hunterian as it used to be.
Last Friday, we put on a special quiz for the Hunterian Museum to mark Museums at Night weekend. Around 70 people turned out to answer questions on 'lost' London, from vanished rivers to forgotten place names. The winning team accumulated a staggering 56 out of 60. See if you can beat them.
(Note: we've left the picture round out, as it involved moving round the museum looking for visual clues. Most teams got full marks on this round, so you can award yourself six points before you even start.)
Round 1. Lost Names (by M@)
 1. Which south London area was, for much of its history, known as Hatcham?
 2. Battle Bridge was the former name of which area, now dominated by a mainline train station?
 3. Which south London conurbation got its name from an Anglo Saxon phrase meaning Crocus Valley?
 4. Improbably, the area now dominated by Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament was once an island. What name is usually given to this island, which existed until late Saxon times?
 5. Where in London would you have found the lost Palace of Placentia, birthplace of Henry VIII, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I?
 6. What was the Roman name for London?
Round 2. Lost Rivers
This round was put together by Tom Bolton, whose book 'London's Lost Rivers' comes out in June.
 1. Which buried London river flows beneath the concourse of King's Cross Station?
 2. Name the Victorian slum neighbourhood, scene of Bill Sykes's death in Oliver Twist, which was surrounded by the River Neckinger in Bermondsey?
 3. The first Roman settlement in the City of London was either side of the valley of which river?
 4. The River Westbourne, which flows through Kilburn and Paddington among other areas, was dammed to create which London lake?
 5. Which lost London river flows beneath Buckingham Palace?
 6. What fragrant crop, grown beside the river Wandle, was Mitcham famous for during the
 7. 19th century?
Round 3. Lost Buildings (by M@)
 1. Name the Norman fortress that once dominated the land around what is now Blackfriars Station.
 2. Where in London did the Crystal Palace building originally stand, before moving to Sydenham and subsequently burning down?
 3. Watkins Tower, started in 1891, was an attempt to rival the Eiffel Tower. It never got beyond the 50 metre mark but, had it been completed, it would have stood taller than the Shard. What famous landmark was later built on its site?
 4. London's Roman Forum is believed to have been the largest north of the Alps. Fragments still remain beneath which existing market building?
 5. Which large structure, formerly a London landmark, can now be found in Lake Havasu City, Arizona?
 6. Name the much-loved music venue that was demolished in 2009 to make way for Crossrail development at Tottenham Court Road station.
Round 4. Lost Sport
This round was put together by journalist Peter Watts of the Great Wen blog.
 1. Which London football club once played home games at the Manor Ground, Plumstead? (Looking for the modern name of the club.)
 2. Name the French artist who watched cycling races at the since demolished Catford velodrome, making sketches he'd later work up into a cycling poster?
 3. Which lost stadium of west London appears in the closing scenes of London crime flick The Blue Lamp?
 4. The Hackney Wick Wolves, Hackney Hawks, Hackney Kestrels and London Lions all competed at the Hackney Wick Stadium. But at which sport?
 5. The original location of which famous sports ground is now covered by Dorset Square in Marylebone?
 6. The Lamb and Flag pub in Covent Garden used to be known as the Bucket of Blood, because of which sport that took place here?
Round 5. Picture Round
This round not included, but award yourself 6 points.
Round 6. Lost Property (by M@)
 1. Near which Tube station can you find the lost property office for Transport for London, whose recovered items include a lawnmower, a stuffed puffer fish, some breast implants and a phial of bull semen?
 2. Which fleeing king threw the Great Seal of the Realm into the Thames in 1688?
 3. Which famous illegal immigrant from south-America was discovered in the 1950s in a west-London station with nothing more than a suitcase, crumpled hat and duffel coat?
 4. What extremely precious lost item did a dog called Pickles discover in a South Norwood hedge in 1966?
 5. What did the Tower of London lose in 1671, later found in the possession of a gentleman known as Colonel Blood?
 6. What went missing from the Natural History Museum, according to the title and plot of a 1975 comedy film?
Round 7. Lost Victorian London
This round was put together by Lee Jackson, author of many books and websites about Victorian London.
 1. London's Pleasure Gardens were one of the major attractions of Georgian and Victorian London. One of the most famous, closed in the early 1840s, ran along what is now King's Cross Road. Can you name it?
 2. What Gothic market-building, built in the 1860s by philanthropist Angela Burdett Coutts was abandoned by stall holders, who preferred to sell outdoors, demolished in the 1950s, but continues to this day as an open-air market specialising in flowers?
 3. Multiple Choice: The Tower Subway ran under the Thames connecting Tower Hill with the south bank. In what year did it open? 1840, 1870, 1900
 4. What giant scientific instrument dominated Wandsworth Common in 1852?
 5. One of the world's largest Ferris wheels, capable of carrying over 1000 passengers, opened in which area of London in 1894?
 6. The giant Victorian shopping bazaar known as the Pantheon stood on the south side of Oxford Street until 1937. It's replacement still bears the name 'The Pantheon', but now contains which chain store?
8. Lost Lives (by M@)
 1. Name the 18th/19th Century philosopher whose preserved body remains on public display inside UCL's main building.
 2. One of the most famous actresses of all time died of a drug overdose in Cadogan Lane, Chelsea in 1969. Name her.
 3. The worst train crash in London (and England's) history occurred in which part of London on 8 October 1952?
 4. Bulgarian novelist Georgi Markov was assassinated on Waterloo Bridge in 1978. The rifle that delivered the poisoned pellet is thought to have been disguised as what?
 5. 40 people died in Regents Park on 15 January 1867. What activity were they participating in at the time?
 6. In which London park would you find the Watts Memorial, which commemorates people who lost their lives in trying to save others?
9. Lost Transport
This round was put together by Travis Elbrough, author of The Bus We Loved, and the London Quiz book. MULTIPLE CHOICE
 1. On 9 December 2005, London lost its legendary Routemaster buses, when they were withdrawn from general service. But what was this vehicle nearly called? (A) The Londoner, (B) Roadmaster, (C) Master Route.
 2. Where did the last London tram run to on 6 July 1952? (A) Woolwich, (B) New Cross, (C) Elephant and Castle.
 3. From 1854 until 1941, the Necropolis Railway carried the capital's dead from Waterloo to which cemetery? (A) Kensal Green, (B) West Norwood, (C) Brookwood.
 4. Following a petition from Arsenal Football Club, Gillespie Road underground station in Highbury was re-named Arsenal (Highbury Hill) in 1932. But for five months in 1939 which other London sporting locale had its own dedicated tube stop? (A) Lord's Cricket Ground, Marylebone, (B) Craven Cottage, Fulham, (C) White Hart Lane, Tottenham.
 5. What was finally banned on London buses in 1991? (A) Busking, (B) Drinking alcohol, (C) Smoking.
 6. There are over 40 'ghost stations' on London's underground network but what makes the 'lost' North End Station (also called Bull & Bush) between Hampstead and Golders Green especially unusual? (A) It never opened, (B) It was built for the sole use of Frank Pick, the first chief executive of London Transport, (C). It was closed after its ceiling caved in to reveal the remains of a plague pit.
10. Lost miscellanea (by M@)
 1. Shakespeare's Globe theatre was lost to the city through fire in 1613. Name the American


The Inquiry into Discrimination Experienced by Transgender People
In January 2008 the Human Rights Commission published To Be Who I Am/Kia noho au ki toku ano ao (PDF), the final report of its Transgender Inquiry. This report was a world first by a national human rights institution and focused on three areas: trans people's experience with health care access, everyday interactions and community participation.
You can also view the report in HTML and Word.
Action on the Transgender Inquiry
Since publishing the Transgender Inquiry report the focus is now on implementing the Inquiry's recommendations and other suggested actions. This requires work by the Human Rights Commission, government agencies, trans people and the wider community.
 - increasing participation of trans people in decisions that affect them
 - strengthening the legal protections making discrimination against trans people unlawful
 - improving access to health services, including gender reassignment services
Intersex roundtables
In February 2010 the Commission hosted its second roundtable in Auckland. on human rights issues for intersex people. This brought together intersex people, family members, health professionals, academics and government agencies. It followed on from an initial roundtable in Wellington in July 2009. A summary of key points raised at both meetings are available below and comments are very welcome.
Background information
The Transgender Inquiry did not set out to conduct an inquiry into the human rights experiences of intersex people, but intersex people did come to the Inquiry to raise their concerns. Intersex people are protected against discrimination under the Human Rights Act 1993 and have the same rights as all other people to the full protection and promotion of their human rights. Significant human rights issues affecting intersex people merit urgent consideration to improve their dignity, equality and security.
There is a need for more education and dialogue about the human rights of intersex people, including information about historical and current medical practices. Questions remain about the adequacy of medical training, current standards of care, guidelines on medical interventions and access to medical records.
The Commission has an ongoing interest in hearing from intersex people and their families, health professionals, government agencies and others interested in human rights issues for intersex people.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has also considered the specific human rights issues concerning surgeries on intersex infants. Their July 2009 paper can be downloaded here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does transgender mean?
Why did we have an inquiry?
What happened?
The Commission's Inquiry looked at three key areas:
 - trans people's personal experiences of discrimination
 - their difficulties accessing health services and
What did we hope to achieve?
How much did it cost to run the inquiry?
Approximately $55,000 was budgeted over two years.
How many complaints has the Commission received from trans people?
What type of issues do the complaints raise?
Who made submissions?
What kinds of issues were raised in submissions to the Inquiry?
Trans people submitted that they:
Are trans people covered by the Human Rights Act?
Further information


The Best Way to Technology and Hardware
The Best Way to Technology and Hardware
Computer technology has made life easy for a number of people. Millions of people are trying their very best to get the type of technology that is going to help them when it comes to you communicating at home and in the workplace. This is largely one of the reasons why technology has advanced as much as it has. It has been connected to a world of advancements where more people discover that it is much more efficient to communicate with technology because it is faster and much more reliable.
A number of people have discovered that technology can play a major role when it comes to how you build a business. If you are looking for a chance to grow and expand any type of business entity you must be well aware that there are new ways to do this with technology. There are websites like that allow you to engage in computer rentals. There are also websites that have cloud storage that can help multiple people collaborate on apps.
Working Remotely
It is obvious that more people are going to look at the potential for getting their businesses in order by utilizing technology. This has become a big part of the mainstream very much because people depend on their smartphones to get them from one location to the next. They depend on their laptops to help them do work even when they are not at their desk. There are even people that remote into their computer …
Read More


Worth 4 Dot
The Worth Four Light Test, also known as the Worth's Four Dot test or abbreviation W4LT, is one simple clinical test mainly used for assessing a patient's degree of binocular vision. We could say that W4LT is one of the simpler methods for investigating fusion, suppression, and anomalous retinal correspondence (ARC).
Binocular vision involves an image being projected by each eye simultaneously into an area in space and being fused into a single image. The Worth Four Light Test is also used in the detection of suppression of either the right or left eye. Suppression occurs during binocular vision when the brain does not process the information received from either of the eyes. This is a common adaptation to strabismus, amblyopia, and aniseikonia.
Image of the Worth 4 Dot Test
The W4LT uses a set of lights - two green, one red, and one white. When the patient wears red and green glasses or googles, some of the lights are seen by the right eye, some by the left, and some by both eyes.
How is the Worth 4 Dot Test Performed?
The W4LT can be performed by the examiner at two distances, at near (at 33 cm from the patient) and at far (at 6m from the patient). At both testing distances the patient is required to wear red-green goggles (with one red lens over one eye, usually the right, and one green lens over the left) When performing the test at far (distance) the W4LT instrument is composed of a silver box (mounted on the wall in front of the patient), which has 4 lights inside it. The 4 lights are arranged in a diamond formation, with a red light at the top, two green lights at either side (left and right) and a white light at the bottom. When performing the test at near (at 33 cm) the 4 lights are arranged in exactly the same manner (diamond formation), with the difference being that at near, the 4 lights are located in a handheld instrument (may be a flashlight-type tool or an attachment to a penlight torch).
Red/green glasses or goggles play an important role in this test. Because the red filter blocks the green light and the green filter blocks the red light, it is possible to determine if the patient is using both eyes simultaneously and in a coordinated manner. With both eyes open, a patient with normal binocular vision will see four lights. If the patient either closes or suppresses an eye they will see either two or three lights. If the patient does not fuse the images of the two eyes and sees double (diplopia), they will see five lights.
Indications for Using the Worth 4 Dot Test
The Worth Four Light Test is indicated for use when assessing the binocular functions, the ability of eyes to work in coordination, of an individual. It can be used to develop a diagnosis or to support or confirm an initial diagnosis. It can be used when wanting to assess whether the individual has a normal or abnormal binocular single vision response (BSV). It can be used to establish whether a patient has the ability for the eyes to fuse the light that is received from each eye into 4 lights. The test is indicated with the use of a presence of a prism in individuals with strabismus and fusion is considered present if 4 lights are maintained, with or without the use of a prism. The W4LT can also be indicated when aiding a person to develop and strengthen their fusional capacities.
If the images are unable to be fused the W4LT is still indicated to help to determine if an individual appreciates diplopia (double vision) or are suppressing an image from one eye. In cases of manifest strabismus, the test can help in determining the nature and type of the diplopia or which eye is suppressing. Therefore, is indicated in cases of a suspected central suppression scotoma as it can be used to detect where the lights may not be appreciated from the eye with the scotoma though in some cases of minimal deviation in the eye as demonstrated in a microscopic deviation a normal response of 4 lights may be reported. Though it can be used in these patients to prove the presence of peripheral fusion and that they have a bi-foveal fixation.
Other indications for the test include establishing an individual's dominant eye compared to the other and when evaluating reduced monocular visual acuity which shows no improve on pinhole testing.
Whilst there are no contraindications of the W4LT there needs to be caution in interpreting the results of individuals with BSV in natural conditions as they may show a diplopia response under the dissociation of the test. Also in individuals who have abnormal retinal correspondence (ARC), they may provide an unexpected response and those who have misaligned visual axis whom in natural conditions suppress may actually provide a diplopia response upon testing.
Results demonstrated by Worth 4 Dot Test (Simplified)
The patient sees all four dots :
Normal binocular response with no manifest deviation/eye turn/strabismus (termed normal retinal correspondence - NRC - without heterotopia). The patient sees four dots by the left eye (green lens) sees the right, left, and bottom dot (all as green) and the right eye sees the top and bottom dots (all as red). The combined image is a top red dot, left and right pair of green dots, and a bottom dot that appears to flicker or flash between green and red (as this dot is seen by both eyes and superimposed by the brain).
There's also an odd case called harmonious anomalous retinal correspondence - ARC - where a patient has a manifest strabismus/squint but reports seeing all four dots.
The patient sees five dots:
Uncrossed diplopia with esotropia, red dots appear to the right Crossed diplopia with exotropia, red dots appear to the left of the green dots.
The patients see three green dots:
Suppression of the right eye
The patient sees two red dots:
Suppression of the left eye
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Status Handling Best Practices
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This paper will explain the best practices a developer should follow to exploit this new framework appropriately using the IStatus class. The second part will explain to plug-in provider how to exploit the new 'StatusHandler' model, allowing them to contribute to the user interface as well as managing the IStatus we are about to show or log.
Eclipse UI best practices about Common Error Message []
Message content
Provide additional information in your message
Attempt to use a unique identifier
Developing messages in eclipse: using the NLS.bind method
Developing Message Bundles in Eclipse []
Internationalization best practices [] []
About logging and Error Dialog
The concept of a LogRecord
Eclipse does not provide the concept of a record in itself yet. So we usually end up writing our own method like debug(String) or warn(String) in our plug-ins. The equinox team is working on proving a full fledge logging framework, including the concept of a LogRecord in future releases.
Best practices for logging
There is a lot of debate about what to log and what not to log.
 1. If you log too little, it will be difficult to troubleshoot a problem. In some cases we will have to reproduce the problem in debug mode (allowing trace to be persisted). In the worse case scenario, if you cannot reproduce the issue, you will have to ship an instrumented version of your code to the client.
 2. If you log too much, a couple things can happen
 1. You could fill the hard drive with information and slow the process of your application
 2. You will scare the product administrator who will see tons of 'possible' errors fill the log.
Rule #1: if you show it, log it The rationale is that if you do not log it, we have no persistence of the issue. If the user closes the Dialog and closes support, we will have to reproduce the problem. Of course, in the case of a client-server environment, you do not have to log it in both places. If the message comes from the server, the client part can *just* present the message that will contain information about the real log record in the server log, so the administrator can retrieve it. Still I would recommend you save the message only (not the whole record) in the client environment, in case the clients forgets the correlator identifier to the server log. Another possibility is to log the message at a DEBUG or TRACE level. Remember to be cautious or you will end up in Scenario #1 : Logging too little.
Rule #2: Log even expected exception Some exceptions are expected in your environment. For instance, if you connect to a database using JDBC, you may encounter the java.sql.SQLException. It may be an exception you can recover from (i.e. StaleData) or one you cannot recover from (Server is down). You should not log the StaleData exception or the log will contain too much information. The user/administrator is not interested about your internal code and how you recover. Yet you should log the unexpected exception. We recommend you log the message of an expected exception only, not the whole stackTrace, but at a WARNING or DEBUG level.
Other technique exists that keep a statistic view of your expected errors. This allow an administrator to realize, for instance, that the application is getting a lot of StaleException between 8pm and 9pm on Friday.
There is tons of information and documentation on the web. On interesting paper about logging exception is the following: []
The Eclipse IStatus
 * ILog.log(IStatus status)
 * IProgressMonitorWithBlocking.setBlocked(IStatus reason)
Calling the Status API
You should investigate the Status and MultiStatus classes. We recommend you use the following constructor:
public Status(int severity, String pluginId, int code, String message, Throwable exception)
Implementing your own Status
You should consider the following when creating an IStatus instance.
public class CVSStatus extends TeamStatus {
/*** Status codes ***/
public static final int SERVER_ERROR = -10;
public static final int NO_SUCH_TAG = -11;
public static final int CONFLICT = -12;
public static final int SERVER_IS_UNKNOWN = -22;
public CVSStatus(int severity, int code, String message, Throwable t, ICVSRepositoryLocation cvsLocation) {
 super(severity, CVSProviderPlugin.ID, code, message, t,null);
 this.cvsLocation = cvsLocation;
The Eclipse 3.3 Status handler framework
In Eclipse 3.3 we added a new framework to handle statuses. The goal was triple:
 1. Providing consistency about Logging and ErrorMessage from an Eclipse UI point of view. The work in the core is in progress in the Equinox subproject (as of March 07)
 2. Allow products based on eclipse a central way to handle statuses before they are rendered or logged
 3. Allow products based on eclipse to extend the ErrorDialog for specific errors
Check the following link to learn more about the StatusHandler project []
In the first part of this paragraph, we will describe the best practices a developer should use to log or render an IStatus. In the second part of this paragraph, we will explain the best practices to create your own StatusHandler.
Using the new Eclipse status handler API
First we will present the new StatusManager class and its API. Then we will explain how you could modify your existing code to use the new features of the framework.
Calling the StatusManager handle method
Calling the new framework is straight forward. Once your IStatus is created, you pass it to the singleton instance of the class StatusManager. You can specify if you want the message to be logged (LOG) and.or shown (SHOW).
Remember the Handler has the last decision about showing and logging. Consider the previous information as a hint to the handler, but do not rely on them for your execution.
public void run(IAction action) {
 // Throw an error to be handled
 File aConfigurationFile = obtainConfigurationFileFor(authenticatedUser);
 FileInputStream aStream = null;
 try {
 aStream = new FileInputStream(aConfigurationFile);
 //... if no error, then continue
 } catch (IOException exception){
 // Build a message
 String message = NLS.bind(Error_Accessing_Configuration, aConfigurationFile);
 // Build a new IStatus
 IStatus status = new CompanyStatus(IStatus.ERROR,Activator.PLUGIN_ID,CompanyStatus.CONFIGURATION_ERROR,
 message,exception, aConfigurationFile);
 // Let the StatusManager handle the Status and provide a hint
 } finally {
 if (aStream!=null){
Replacing your call to ErrorDialog, MessageDialog
Eclipse provide different API for logging and showing an error message. Here is a list of the Available API and their replacement using StatusManager
Replacing your call to ILog
Developing a StatusHandler
In this section, we will explain how to extend the Status handler framework. There will be a unique extension per application.
A StatusHandler is the counterpart of StatusManager. As a developer, you will call the StatusManager code, passing the IStatus. The StatusHandler will handle the IStatus based on its policy. For instance, a StatusHandler can determine if they need to be shown and/or logged. A StatusHandler can decide to send an email to an administrator.
Implementing the extension point
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ link to the extension point ??? ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Implementing the handle method
public void handle(StatusAdapter statusAdapter, int style) {
 // Retrieve IStatus and message
 IStatus oldStatus = statusAdapter.getStatus();
 // Verify we do not have a CompanyStatusWithID
 if (!(oldStatus instanceof CompanyStatusWithID)){
 String message = oldStatus.getMessage();
 //All our ID start with DYNA
 //Remove any unique identifier to not show it to the user
 int lengthOfUniqueId = message.indexOf(' ');
 String uniqueID = message.substring(0,lengthOfUniqueId);
 message = message.substring(lengthOfUniqueId);
 // Create a new CompanyStatusWithID
 // check the Style. We still want to trace even if we do not log
 if ((style & StatusManager.LOG)==0){
 super.handle(statusAdapter, style);
Developing an ErrorSupportProvider
Registering your ErrorSupportProvider
To Register your SupportArea, you must call the following code
Policy.setErrorSupportProvider();
We recommend you do it in the Activator class of your bundle, in the start method. Of course you can change it later, for instance in your handle method. In that case, there is no contract that the ErrorSupportProvider you set will be the one receiving the IStatus your are processing.
Implementing the createSupportArea method
Implement the createSupportArea method, returning the control you want to show the user.
public Control createSupportArea(Composite parent, IStatus status) {
 // if the dialog is too short, make it taller
 toolkit = new FormToolkit(parent.getDisplay());
Here is a simple example that will open a web page.
public Control createSupportArea(Composite parent, IStatus status) {
 viewer = new Browser(parent, SWT.NONE);
 viewer.setLayoutData(new GridData(SWT.FILL,SWT.FILL,true,true));
 viewer.setUrl();
 return viewer;
We highly recommend you implement an IDisposeListener to clean up after yourself, when the ErrorDialog is closed.
The flow
When a IStatus needs to be handled, the StatusManager will retrieve the StatusHandler associated with the application. It will pass the


text:
Uganda Ministry of Health, Uganda Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, International Livestock Research Institute, World Resources Institute
This report presents maps and analyses designed to inform the policies surrounding
poverty reduction efforts in Uganda and to help
reach the 2015 national targets on safe drinking water and
Drawing on Uganda's rich baseline of wetland
data and poverty mapping, this report provides a detailed
examination of the links between ecosystem services and
the location of poor communities and presents practical
lessons for policy-makers across government.
Presents various methods that use ecosystem services—the benefits of nature such as food, fuel, natural hazard protection, pollination, and spiritual sustenance—to enable decision makers to link ecosystems and economic development.


text:
- Join over 1.2 million students every month
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Comparing 'Cousin Kate' and 'The seduction', two poems about pregnancy.
The first 200 words of this essay...
GCSE Comparative poetry essay
The genre of both the poems are about pregnancy, fathering and how pregnancy has effected the lives of virtuous, innocent young women. The main difference between the two poems is that the first one called 'Cousin Kate' is set in the past, around the 1914's, while the other one called 'The seduction' is more modern. This is because of the language used and how the words use syntax.
"Not mindful I was fair." "She had met him at the party "
The first line was taken from the poem called "Cousin Kate" while the other one was taken from "The Seduction" poem. The sentence structure of the first line has been changed around because, if it were written as a sentence than the poem would not sound correct because the number of syllables would not match the line before or after it. (I was not mindful, I was fair). If the second half of the line was not there (I was fair) the sentence would not make sense because the reader would not know what the writer is talking about as there is
No first, second or third person narrative
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""Yoel Lax. Religious Studies. GCSE Student.
""M Singh. English. A Level Student.


text: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare neutrophilic skin condition characterized by episodes of widespread eruption of sterile macroscopic pustules that can be associated with systemic inflammation. The rarity of GPP and its heterogeneous cutaneous and extracutaneous symptoms pose considerable challenges to the development and adoption of comprehensive accurate disease measures for the routine clinical assessment of disease severity and the evaluation of new treatments in clinical trials. Psoriasis disease measures remain among the most commonly used methods for evaluating patients with GPP, despite their limitations owing to a lack of assessment of pustules (a hallmark of GPP), systemic inflammation, and disease symptoms. The adaptation of psoriasis disease measures and the development of assessment tools specific for GPP severity will enable more effective and accurate monitoring of patients with GPP and enhance the clinical development of new therapies. Further clinical validation of recently developed modified assessment tools, such as the Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Physician Global Assessment and the Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, and international consensus on using quantitative tools and patient-reported outcome measures in the development of new treatments are needed to advance patient care. Graphic abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].


text:
There are many striking differences between a fence post and a human being, but one may prove particularly useful to robotic vehicles: temperature.
At least that's what the established thermal imaging firm FLIR and the Israeli startup Adasky think. Both companies are building new thermal sensors for use in autonomous cars, and they believe that the extra data could be used to spot hazards in adverse conditions. Humans and animals on or near the road, in particular, create far more heat than their surroundings.
Some high-end automakers, including Porsche, BMW, and Audi, have been fitting vehicles with thermal imaging sensors from FLIR for several years. The vehicles use them to alert a driver to the presence of animals or people on the road at night, which may not show up within reach of the car's headlights. Those sensors offer an image 320 pixels wide by 240 high.
Now, both FLIR and Adasky hope to achieve a similar result in autonomous cars using new sensors that they're both building.
Adasky today announced a new far-infrared sensor, called Viper, that offers better resolution (640 pixels by 480) at refresh rates of 60 frames per second and can detect temperature differences as small as 0.05 °C. Adasky's Dror Meiri tells MIT Technology Review that such sensitivity allows the device not just to spot something like an elk on the road, but also to easily discern things like black ice on the surface of a highway. He says the device should be in mass production by 2020.
The video above shows Adasky's sensor in use on a country road. On the left is a visible-light camera, on the right its thermal sensor. Cyclists, pedestrians, and animals certainly show up far more sharply on the right. And the sharp contrast with surroundings would make it easier for a car to approach those living hazards with caution in a way that lidar, which provides only ranging information, may not.
FLIR is also developing a VGA device for use specifically in self-driving cars. Paul Clayton, director of automotive at FLIR, says that sample units of the sensors are being shipped to some manufacturers for testing this year and that mass-produced sensors could cost "a couple of hundred bucks."
If you're wondering why another sensor may be required in a driverless car, both companies point to an important, if uninspiring word: redundancy. "It's an augment, a somewhat redundant sensor that helps classify in bad lighting conditions or weather," explains Clayton. We've explained in the past that multiple sensors can allow autonomous cars to make better sense of their surroundings, and the sharp contrast of thermal imaging may enable, say, a glimpse of a human to provide extra context that helps avert a dangerous incident.
Even so, an extra sensor does provide another data stream to process, and because thermal imaging is less widely used on the roads than visible-light cameras and even lidar, the machine-learning systems that discern details from footage will have to catch up. Both firms seem to understand that: Adasky has built its own AI to process data for its customers, and FLIR is putting together a thermal image database that clients can use to train their own neural networks.
Adoption of thermal imaging in autonomous vehicles is likely to come down to budget. Some manufacturers may balk at the expense of yet another sensor, but until cheap lidar sensors offer the quality that automakers might like, the devices could add a useful layer of safety.


Friday, April 04, 2008
Civil engineering vs value investing
Oh my, how time flies...Friday already and another week gone by. As KK would have said, only left XXXX weeks more to go :)
I realised I didn't blog much this week, so since I have both the energy and the time to do it now, I shall try to post some thoughts that are in my mind. It's about margin of safety.
I did civil engineering before, so the concept of margin of safety isn't new to me, except that it wasn't known in the engineering jargon as margin of safety - it's called factor of safety. Different words, same meaning. Thus, you can imagine that my eyes lit up when I first read Benjamin's Graham classic book - The Intelligent Investor. The concept of having a safety margin is EXACTLY the same as designing something bigger - a bridge or a building or what other things that civil engineers do.
I'll illustrate with examples..
For stocks,
1. We analyse the business and see if it's worth taking a closer look. Hence there is a screening procedure, otherwise all the stocks in the world will require 10 lifetimes or more to scrutinize closely - not possible.
2. Having ensuring a business is worth re-looking, we analyse the 3 financial statements to check that it's worth taking a shot. Step 1 and step 2 are closely related, since the screening procedure also involves numbers and ratios taken from the financial statements.
3. Calculate the intrinsic value or fair value of the business. Many methods to calculate - P/B, P/E, DCF, DFCF, DDM and other 3 letter words
4. Apply a margin of safety. This is not a fix margin for all the stocks, but rather it depends on how sure you are of the value you used for estimating the fair value. In essence, the more unsure of the input (hence the business), the higher should be the margin of safety.
5. Go buy it
That's investing with a margin of safety for you. I find that this approach parallels the design procedure in civil engineering works. Alright, granted that I lost 99% of my civil engineering knowledge. In fact, I only remember 1% of all that is taught, which is the concept of the factor of safety. Interestingly, I asked myself immediately after I graduate what I learnt from the extremely value packed (read: packed to the brim with courses and lab work spreading over 6 workdays per week) 4 year course.
What I learnt is this: Always apply a factor of safety. But if you apply too much, you'll pay too much for construction built to stand an extremely harsh condition that has a very low probability of happening. Apply too low, you'll pay less for the construction of a structure which cannot take unexpected conditions.
So how does a civil engineer design their works?
1. Do a survey of the land based on the map. Do a site visit to find out unanticipated conditions before designing. Do soil testing with a few drill holes. A 'few' meaning enough to find out reasonably what the soil conditions are yet not be overburdened with cost. Most of the time, civil engineers do not have the luxury to choose the site and deem that a particular site is not worthy of construction. Engineers will have to make it work, given any site.
2. Look at the survey results and the soil testing results. Get the working parameters of the site to facilitate design. Forecast the load that the structure is going to take given reasonable conditions. For example, to build a bridge, the average weight of a normal car is taken. A forecast of the traffic condition is made for both directions and then we'll get the load. Have to look up a engineering code book to multiply the first factor of safety to get the design load. This is because what is forecasted might not be correct, so we have to multiply the forecasted load with a safety factor to get a higher design load, in case the calculation is wrong.
3. Design the structure based on the design load. When designing the load that each beam and column have to take, we apply another factor of safety to account for a myriad of conditions like earthquakes, wind, soil settlement. In other words, the structure can take unexpected load conditions which is not forecasted, but up to a certain degree only.
4. The key is that if the factor of safety is too high, the cost of construction will be too much because we are over designing the structure for a load which is probabilistically low. Yet if the factor of safety is too low, we are stressing the structure too much and it won't be able to take in unexpected load conditions. Very dangerous as it can lead to catastrophic failure and lead to loss of lives.
You go figure what's so similar about this two disciplines :)
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