Tuesday, 4 March 2014
Procedural Vornheim Mapping for the Underdark
(OK this looks fucking stupid but maybe it isn't.)
So doing a procedural-generation Vornheim style map for the Underdark is fucking insane. It's a little like wilderness (you can go anywhere potentially), a bit like a desert (not may people around, alien environment, always running out of resources) and like a dungeon (movement severely constricted locally.)
So on the macro scale you can go anywhere, I the immediate sense you can only go to a few specific places.
But you could maybe find a way anywhere, if you looked hard enough.
Blah blah blah
So the idea is of a cave-bearing substrate.
First, take a clean A4 sheet. Roll up a complex from the experimental generator. Write the complex rules in the top.
"The Torrenting Torment of He Who Seeks,
 always exposes the tracks of those who passed last
but never hides the innocent or lets the guilty flee."
Next you need a number of directions between 3 and 5. Right now it's a d3+2, which is awkward. We will assume four directions for this map. Put little arrows or signs so that the directions cross each other, are reasonably evenly (but not exactly) spaced and are not parallel. Now our map looks like this.
Now in real use you wouldn't see those arrows. They are just there to indicate the directions you chose.
Now we go through each direction in turn and again generate a number for each one. In this case we will postulate 3, 4, 5 and 3 again. Then we draw that many swift freehand pencil lines across the page in that way. Like this;
There are three lines in the first direction. Now we do the other directions.
So now we have a blank page divided into some semi-random semi-regular shapes. Each of these shapes is a section.
One thing we need to do is decide which direction this map is facing. I will add a compass.
Now we begin mapping caves. A cave is just a blob right now. (I may give it more complex glyphs later on.) We start the first cave anywhere on the edge of the map, but probably on the top. I will draw this one in green.
We can do this with the Cave Generator. This tells us how many exits and entries it has and where.
Now an important rule comes into play.
Every section with a cave must have one section next to it that cannot have caves. Simply, if you have a cave in a section, one section touching it must be coloured in. You cannot place caves there, you cannot pass through it. It can be touching edge to edge or at the sides.
So, depending on how big a section is, we may have multiple caves in it, or only one. While you are still in a section, all the caves in there are considered to be closely related, they can be explored in 'real time'.
When a cave passage leave a section, it really matters how it leaves. If the passage leaves across a line, that means those caves are on the same level, at a similar height.
I've labelled that as 1 in the map.
If a passage leaves a section across its join, that is across the pointy bit, that means that passage is strongly vertical. It may be an easily manageable chimney or simply a passage at a strong angle but it goes up and down more than it goes across.
I have labelled that as 2
Now we continue to fill in the rest of the Torrenting Torment of He Who Seeks. Remember the rule about un-navigable spaces.
Ok I got bored doing that but you get the idea.
Obviously this looks really shit but it is meant to be done by someone really really quickly with a pencil in about 20 seconds.
Why the dark spaces?
Fuck, I can't even remember my reasoning but it was good. I think.. it's important that there be places you can't go? Where caves can't be and could never be? So you can't just race around the map, you have to find your way a bit.
And you can't race anyway because the caves will only generate in certain configurations.
Rivers could move through the grey spaces. If there was a river on the map you would just draw it through after the substrate was added. If a grey space pope up, the PC's can't follow it. If it goes over a line that's maybe a sump, if it hits a diagonal then a waterfall?
And if they can get breath under water and anti-cold spells and underwater lights maybe then they could reach those areas?
The lines crossing diagonal joins should have arrow on them to remind the DM if they go up or down. In case the players come back.
(There was more but its late and I'm tired.)
1 comment:
 1. Competing idea:
 roll 3d6s for directions, interpret as hours on a clock (1 thru 6).
 roll d4+1 for each direction - do that many freehand lines, evenly distributed.
 Else as above.
 + quicker to grasp
 + more random than distributing directions freely
 - more standardized feel


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A robust and effective bacterial blend specially formulated to decrease odors, solids and sludge accumulation in animal waste lagoons.
Genesis Biosciences developed Evogen A.W. through a selection process that identified superior microbial strains dedicated to the reduction of sludge and odors associated with animal waste. Evogen A.W. accomplishes these tasks with a delicate microbial balance that is very important for healthy animals.
The billions of robust, application-specific microbes contained in Evogen A.W. thrive by eating the manure of pigs, cows, and other animals in waste lagoons. Desired results with the use of Evogen A.W.:
- Decrease solid and sludge accumulation
- Odor reduction
- Modify nutrients to provide fertilizer
- Manure pits
- Waste lagoons
- Collection systems in animal farms
- Food processing plants with animal pens
- Rendering plants
Advantages of Evogen A.W.
- Optimized proprietary bacterial consortium degrades a broader spectrum of substrates
- Wide range of carriers available, including eco-benignTM options
Greatly reduces labor time
- Significant reduction in waste volume
- Enhances BOD/COD/TSS removal
- Reduces sludge build-up
- Changes biomass dynamics
- Eliminates malodors at source
- Manufactured under strict quality control standards to ensure high quality and purity

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Are Schnoodles Hypoallergenic? [Is This Breed Known To Shed?]
If you are thinking of adding a dog to your home, then you will want to know how much fur they are likely to shed around it. Its not fun to have to routinely clear it up; nor is it ideal for those of us that are allergy sufferers whom have reactions that can be quite severe. Knowing if your dog is hypoallergenic is essential before bringing them home. But what about Schnoodles in this respect? I spent a lot of time researching the coat of this breed and finding out exactly what new owners could expect. I will be sharing all what I found here today.
So, are Schnoodles hypoallergenic? Schnoodles are considered hypoallergenic, making them a great breed for allergy sufferers. While they do shed, they only do so occasionally and only in small amounts. Constent grooming, including regular brushing, will help to minimize shedding further and prevent painful tangles and matting inthe coat.
In fact, Schnoodles were initially bred for allergy sufferers in mind.
Schnoodles are a mix of the Schnauzer and the Poodle, which means that they can inherit characteristics of either parent.
This includes their coat.
Let's now take a closer look at why Schnoodles are considered hypoallergenic along with their shedding tendencies.
This will help to see if they are a good fit for those with allergies, and what can be expected regarding their grooming needs.
What Makes A Dog Hypoallergenic?
Strictly speaking, no dog is entirely hypoallergenic. It is true that somebody with severe allergies could have an allergic reaction to any dog.
However, the likelihood of an allergic reaction will vary between dogs dramatically. There are distinct differences between dogs, their coats, and how people will therefore respond to them.
If we take the definition of Hypoallergenic, "having little likelihood of causing an allergic response", we get a better understanding of why and how dogs are considered.
Essentially, there are some breeds that are known to cause fewer allergy symptoms than others.
But what causes allergic responses to dogs in the first place? Does this have anything to do with a dogs tendency to shed fur?
Interestingly, it is not the fur of dogs that causes an allergic response.
Instead, allergies are triggered by a specific protein that is found in a dogs urine, saliva and dander (dead skin cells). This protein, and allergen, can easily cling to the hair/coat of a dog.
So, a dog that sheds less, will spread less allergens around the house.
Some breeds, including the Schnoodle, are known to shed very little. They therefore release considerably less allergies into the atmosphere. Any allergens that are products stick to the coat instead of being airborne.
Taking it one step further, both of the Schnoodles parents, the Schnauzer and the Poodle, do not produce much dander.
Additionally, the proteins that they produce in the dander, saliva and urine are actually different than in other breeds; and do not provoke an allergic response in allergy suffers.
These proteins are handled and tolerated much better by even those with a higher tendency to react.
Schnoodles are therefore considered to be hypoallergenic for all of these reasons. They have a specific hair-like quality of their coat.
This is true for all Schnoodles; regardless of the coat in which they inherit; and it can vary quite dramatically. It can be either long and wavy or short and tightly curled. It may be more wiry or it may be more soft.
Either way, the Schnoodle coat is always hypoallergenic.
The difference in style depends entirely on the genes that are inherited by the Schnauzer/Poodle parental breeds.
This is also true of the color; being either grey, black, silver, apricot, brown, or a mixture of any of those colors.
So, a Schnoodle is not likely to set off somebody with allergies.
However, there are some practical things that allergy sufferers should do to ensure they do not have symptoms or reactions to a dog:
 - Choose a small dog over a large one; as they naturally shed far less.
 - Do not give your dog access to your bedroom, bed, or sofa.
 - Bathe your dog weekly to remove dead flakes of skin (dander),
 - Opt for carpet-free flooring, or wash your carpet frequently
Do Schnoodles Shed?
Schnoodles are considered to be low-shedders; however, they will and do shed. With that said, you should not expect to find large piles of hair on your floor or furniture.
Generally, how much hair a dog sheds depends on their genes, and which ones are the more dominant.
Thankfully, both the Schnauzer and Poodle are light shedders resulting in a Schnoodle hybrid which equally sheds little. In fact, the Schnoodle was first bred in the 1980s with allergy sufferers in mind.
Like most other dogs, Schnoodles are known to shed more as the seasons change. This often happens at the end of summer, when temperatures begin to drop, or in spring when it starts to get warm.
During these seasonal periods, you will find more hair collects when you brush your dog. Apart from these seasonal changes in temperature, a Schnoodle is unlikely to ever properly shed.
Long-haired Schnoodles tend to shed more than the shorter-haired variant, although neither coat type sheds very much.
You cannot tell at birth which coat your pup is likely to inherit, but generally, you can get a rough idea by looking at the parental breeds and talking to the breeder. Either way, it's not an issue where shedding is concerned.
If you find that your Schnoodles sheds more than usual, health reasons may be at play. The most common reasons are likely to be skin irritation.
A poor diet can also cause extra shedding.
Dogs in heat can shed slightly more as well as pregnant and lactating dogs, although this usually returns to normal once pups are weaned.
If you were to get a Schnoodle and notice any abnormal shedding, then you would of course need to take them to a vet.
They would be able to examine your dog and identify what the cause may be; providing you with suggestions and recommendations to help minimize it to the breeds standards.
So, if you're looking for a small dog that will not require you to vacuum multiple times per day along with the need to routinely lint-roll your clothes, a Schnoodle could be just what you are looking for.
Grooming Your Schnoodle
Regular and effective grooming is very important to keep a Schnoodles coat in optimal condition.
Brushing is very important and doing so comes along with a range of benefits to the coat. Its also an excellent opportunity to look for any injuries, cuts, patches of dry skin etc.
Frequent brushing will help you to remove tangles and knots which can be painful to your dog, and also keep any potential and small amount of shedding at bay.
It also increases blood circulation and distributes natural oils throughout the coat; ensuring hair remains healthy and grows out optimally.
You must pay extra attention to dogs with tight curls as their coat tends to get knotted very easily if not brushed regularly.
Its also important to be gentle, brushing should be a pleasant experience for them and the longer a coat is left and knots take hold, the more painful it is likely to be for them.
For this reason, you might also consider having your dog professionally clipped every six to eight weeks. This safely removes dead hair, prevents matting and keeps the coat looking it's best. Not to mention that it keeps hair out of a dogs eyes!
A dog's face must be kept clean from debris like dust and food particles, as this exacerbates knotting. Beards and whiskers must also be kept clean.
When owning a Schnoodle, it is important to consider the grooming equipment used, as it needs to be appropriate and safe for use on their unique coat.
Slicker Brush
A slicker brush is considered the best type and style for the Schnoodle, and other hybrid-poodle breeds. It safely and effectively removes matting and is much more comfortable on the dog.
Nonetheless, a slicker brush should still be used carefully as it is designed to reach deeply to the skin through the coat. This brush works to remove any knots under the surface.
Slicker brushes are great to use every day, and owners find that by using it more often the better the condition of the coat and the easier it is to maintain.
This Amazon Best Seller is exactly the one you would want to get.
Metal Tooth Comb
This brush combs through the hair efficiently once all the knots are removed. You would move onto this type of comb after using a slicker brush.
If your dog has very tight curls, you should use a wide-tooth comb on the coat. This is generally more comfortable.
Bristle Brush
Schnoodles have very sensitive skin, which means having a brush with natural bristles will be comfortable for them.
Bristle brushes help to distribute the natural oils evenly on your dog's coat and keep it looking shiny and smooth.
Bathing is best done infrequently and only when necessary. Its not actually ideal to bath a dog to control dander and dry skin.
Too much bathing can actually lead to dry and itchy skin which can result in more dander.
Therefore you should only bathe once per month, or as and when they get dirty, smelly or outside or lay in something they shouldn't!
Doggie Shampoo
You must make sure that you only ever use a shampoo specially designed for dogs when deciding to bathe your dog. This will help to moisturize the skin and help your dogs coat to replenish their


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Perhaps it's the overwhelmingly enthusiastic response to the Mosaic Skull on view in Children of the Plumed Serpent or maybe it's the museum's proximity to the Page Museum's treasure trove of fossils—whatever the reason, I've got skulls on the brain (pun unfortunately intended). Once upon a time, a post about skulls would have seemed better suited for autumn. That is, after all, when Halloween haunts us with deliciously spooky skeletons and Día de los Muertos wields memento mori to commemorate both our own mortality and those we have lost. However, the skull's iconographic popularity now seems to be a year-round phenomenon.
Having the privilege of perusing LACMA's galleries each day, I'm reminded that skulls have had a longstanding role in art history, long before Damien Hirst's For the Love of God triggered a cranium craze in the art world and residually throughout pop culture.
Allow me to guide you through a mere sampling of skulls in LACMA's collection:
On View: Resnick Pavilion
The aforementioned Mixteca-Puebla Mosaic Skull in Children of the Plumed Serpent is specked with turquoise, jadeite, and shell and is thought to have been produced between _PHONE_ in Mexico in veneration of Mixtec ancestors. Such ornate tributes trumpet the wealth of the commissioner, as they highlight the exchange of luxury goods between Mexico and the Puebloan region of New Mexico, from where the turquoise originated. Children of the Plumed Serpent closes on July 1, so be sure see this spectacular artifact if you haven't already.
Horse's Skull with Pink Rose, Georgia O'Keeffe
On View: Art of the Americas building, Level 3
O'Keeffe's "bonescape" compositions from the 1930s were a result of inquisitive scavenging during her time in New Mexico. Intrigued by fragments of sun-bleached animal skeletons found in the desert and fabric flowers left on graves in Hispanic cemeteries, the artist collected these objects and traveled with them to her studio in New York. There, she began her foray into still life paintings of bones with a particular affinity toward skulls. For O'Keeffe, the durability of skeletons and fabric flowers represented the eternal, parched beauty of the American Southwest.
Head-Skull, Alberto Giacometti
On View: Ahmanson Building, Level 3
In the early 1930s, Alberto Giacometti made significant contributions to surrealist sculpture. In Head-Skull, he flattened the planes of his approximately life-sized subject, thus eradicating the standard curvature associated with the human skull. Instead, his rendition appears Cubist—almost architectural—in its smooth geometry and examines the beautifully complex semiotic implications of a skull in both life and death.
Skull Rack, Papua New Guinea
On view: Art of the Pacific, Ahmanson Building, Level 1
Despite its smiling face, this one is a bit grim. The sacred agiba—a flat, carved, painted, wooden figure—comes from the Kerewa People of Papua New Guinea and exists to showcase skulls procured by a given clan. Headhunting was a central part of religious practice in historical Kerewa tribes, and raids were carried out, as I read in Island Ancestors: Oceanic Art from the Masco Collection, "in preparation for initiations and for such rituals as the inauguration of a new ceremonial house or the completion of a canoe." Yikes.
The Magdalen with the Smoking Flame, Georges de La Tour
The skull is an accessory in this French baroque masterpiece by Georges de La Tour, helping to set the tone for Mary Magdalen's contemplation of penance and the afterlife. De La Tour's iconic painting is not currently on view at LACMA, as it is currently vacationing in Europe as part of the Bodies and Shadows: Caravaggio and His Legacy tour.
Luckily, we don't have to wait long to celebrate its return as the same exhibition opens at LACMA on November 11.
Stephanie Sykes, Communications Manager

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


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Personality Assessment Tests
The essence of these tests is that they supply the respondent with direct questions for which the respondent must provide an answer.
Personality tests use the ability possessed by all human beings to offer information about their life events and experiences as well as their otherwise unobserved thoughts and feelings.
Situational Judgement Tests
Situational Judgement Tests have gained increasing popularity in the past years. They measure an individual's ability to decide on effective ways of handling real life situations, allowing employers to evaluate job candidates' behavioral skills. The tests in this category are tailored for customer service, sales and call center representatives positions.
Situational judgment tests vary greatly in their structure and format. The test can be formulated as a written text or as a simulation that includes images, sounds or video segments.
However, the basic structure is always a scenario that presents a conflict, followed by response options to the situation.
has done the work for you
We've created a comprehensive course to ensure you ace your upcoming McDonald's Assessment Test.
What do you get as part of the course?
- Personality Test Preparation Course - teaching you how to successfully pass your personality assessment.
- How to ace Personality Tests?
- 233 Questions across 4 sections
- Suggested Answers
- Situational Judgement Tests (SJT) Preparation Course - teaching you to successfully pass your SJT.
- How to ace your SJT?
- Five Situational Judgment Test (SJT) practice units that will help you learn the decision making skills you need.
- Each test contains 10 questions.
- Answers with detailed explanations.


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The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented and major disruptive event for the global economy. The measures taken to contain the pandemic has triggered a major global downturn, but the full impact and scale of risks facing the financial system remain uncertain as the situation evolves.
Along with the rest of the financial system, Institutions offering Islamic Financial Services (IIFS) are likely to face both immediate and future challenges. It raises number of pertinent questions for regulators supervising IIFS and for IIFS themselves regarding whether there are any Islamic finance specificities that create specific implications, risks or challenges which require a different regulatory or supervisory approach from that of conventional financial institutions. Additionally, while governments, central banks, regulators, and international organisations have moved rapidly to address the immediate effects of COVID-19, questions remain on how policy should continue to evolve to preserve financial stability and address the potential medium and longer term effects of COVID-19 on the financial system, and what these might be for the IIFS. This executive programme aims to try and answer some of these crucial questions and to encourage discussion, debate and sharing of country challenges, experiences and policy approaches.
- To discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the global financial system and global economy and its implications for the overall risk environment of IIFS
- To discuss the implications of COVID-19 for IIFS and identify specific risk factors that might arise in relation to specificities of IIFS
- To discuss the areas where regulatory responses may be needed to address the impact of COVID-19 to ensure the resilience and stability of IIFS and the various approaches that are being taken by different regulators
The details of the Executive Programe are as follow:
Date: 7 July 2020
Time: 14:30 - 17:50 (Malaysia time)
Venue: via web conference/webinar
*****This Executive Programme is free for all categories of IFSB members. For Non-Members a participation fee of USD100 will be applicable*****
For registration and enquiries, please email Mrs. Ida Shafinaz Ab. Malek at _EMAIL_


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3.1 How does socio-cultural context influence development?
Children grow up in specific physical, social, cultural, economic and historical circumstances (their socio-cultural context), all of which will influence their childhood. Research has shown that children's socio-cultural context can have a large influence on their development. We know that culture influences how children develop; across different cultures, children can develop in quite different ways (Montgomery, 2008). And we know that children who are deprived of care from a primary caregiver can often experience difficulties in later childhood because their early attachment experiences were affected by this (Bowlby, 1980). Development of course involves a process of learning and improvement, and children can only learn when others are there to support them, like parents, teachers and siblings. This does not conflict with Piaget's stage theory but does extend it to explain how some of the environmental experiences that children receive can allow them to move from one stage to another, in line with Vygotsky's socio-cultural approach.


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 Wooden Number Bond Math Board
 Our wooden number bond math board is a great visual tool for practicing a variety of math concepts such as addition & subtraction, inverse operations and relationship between numbers.
 What is a number bond?
 Number bonds let young children spilt numbers in useful ways. They show how numbers join together and how they break down into component parts.
 We have put our own twist on the traditional way of teaching number bonds by creating a wooden house, making it more fun for preschoolers and first graders to practice math exercises.
 Benefits of Wooden Number bond math board:
 - Number bond math board will help a young child develop the number sense needed for early primary children to move to addition and subtraction.
 The board will help young children to understand the "part part whole " relationship and how it corresponds to our ten frame as well.
 The board will allow young children to connect and consolidate knowledge learnt at school.
 Lastly, the board is a easy visual aid to learn number bonds, simple addition and subtraction at home using the wooden number blocks or can be used with sand or salt and get your little ones to trace the numbers in it with their finger or wooden pencil!
 What's included in the Wooden number bond math board:
 1. Wooden number bond math board
 2. 20 Blocks
 3. Wooden Pencil
 4. Mentor Mom string bag
 Children love to fill the house windows with various sensory fillers, so give it a go and let your little humans use other fillers as well.
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STILL FROM THE MOVIE MORE THAN HONEY, COURTESY OF BORIS BAERMale honeybees protect their queens from a sexually transmitted disease (STD) by fortifying their seminal fluid with antimicrobial protein and small molecules, according to a study published this week (January 20) in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The defense molecules appear to specifically target the fungal pathogen Nosema apis.
N. apis infection is "not the super-killer, but beekeepers... increasingly report that they have trouble with that disease," said study coauthor Boris Baer of the University of Western Australia's Center for Integrative Bee Research. At a time when a variety of pathogens and changing climate threaten bees, Nosema may simply be the final straw for a given colony.
"What I quite like about [the paper] is that they use different methods to really point at the actual potential protein or molecule that might be at work, while also looking at the more conceptual idea," said Oliver Otti, a reproductive ecologist at the University of Bayreuth in Germany.
Otti and his colleagues previously demonstrated that bed bug ejaculate contains antimicrobial compounds that reduce sperm death, and other previous work had hinted that honeybee semen contains antimicrobial compounds. Baer and his colleagues set out to more concretely investigate the role of antimicrobial compounds in bee seminal fluid.
The researchers obtained ejaculate from male drone bees and N. apis spores from worker bees captured from a University of Western Australia apiary. N. apis is one of the relatively few pathogens that infects Western Australia's isolated bee population. The researchers separated the bees' seminal fluid from the sperm and then incubated the seminal fluid with the pathogenic spores. The seminal fluid appeared to kill more than 80 percent of the spores.
Next, the researchers separated proteins and smaller molecules from the seminal fluid, finding that the protein fraction and the small molecule fraction could kill spores each on their own. The spores in the protein fraction appeared to prematurely germinate, rupturing within the seminal fluid. Nosema spores reproduce by rupturing when they contact bee tissue and inserting their genetic material into the bee cells. By causing the spores to germinate prematurely without any host tissue nearby, the bee seminal fluid was able to kill them. The researchers suspect that some protease or chitinase may attack the spores' cell walls. In contrast, spores incubated with the small molecule fraction of the seminal fluid died without rupturing.
It makes evolutionary sense that male bees should have STD defenses, said Baer. Queen bees mate with 25 or more male drones over a short period of time and then store ejaculate for the rest of their lives. "Typically, animals that mate with many males have a higher risk of sexually transmitted diseases," Baer said.
It's in the best interest of the male bees to protect the queen from disease. The queen is the only individual a given drone will mate with over his short life. "If a male transmits a pathogen, it's the death of his line," said Otti.
To test whether the bee's seminal fluid had general antimicrobial activity, the researchers observed its effects on Escherichia coli, yeast, and Arthrobacter globiformis—a soil bacterium. The two bacterial species and the yeast were unharmed by the seminal fluid.
Bees may have evolved highly specific defenses against N. apis, the researchers noted in their paper. It is also possible that their seminal fluid is active against some other pathogen that has not yet been tested. Otti pointed out that, unlike N. apis, the additional pathogens the researchers tested are not adapted to bees in particular. "These three pathogens are more... opportunistic pathogens."
Baer said he hopes to further investigate bees' natural pest defenses, with a focus on chemical-naive bee populations that have evolved their own defenses. If it does turn out that some bees have specialized defenses against pathogens, it may be possible to breed bees with greater resilience against disease, or even make medicines for bees inspired by natural defenses. "The exciting thing is bees can defend themselves, and they can do that very efficiently," said Baer. "I think that's pretty good news."
Y. Peng et al., "Seminal fluid of honeybees contains multiple mechanisms to combat infections of the sexually transmitted pathogen Nosema apis," Proceedings of the Royal Society B, doi:10.1098/rspb.2015.1785, 2016.


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Protest Investigations
Protest InvestigationsWith the nation's current state of affairs echoing worldwide, many have taken up the flag of protest in the fight for civil rights, equality, and police brutality. Many civil rights groups and even private citizens are effectively coming together to take advantage of their constitutional right to protest. While many support this activity, others do not and have sought to undermine and even suppress this right.
Unfortunately for those exercising their right to protest, others like far-left and far-right groups are working to incite violence to make the protest appear illegitimate. Some of these may also be foreign agents at work. Because of this, many civil rights groups are looking to private investigators to find out who these groups are and are looking for ways to educate others on their existence.
Reasons to Hire a Private investigator for a Protest Investigation:
Disinformation is a popular tool for many extremist groups when it comes to countering legitimate protests. They use social media as a significant outlet to prevent protests or even create counter-protests. Because of this, civil rights groups must get this information out and find a way to halt these groups from spreading their disinformation.
Private investigators are at their core, information gatherers. They have several skills at their disposal. These can include surveillance (both online and offline), background checks, computer forensics, social media investigations, and ties to law enforcement and work within the law. These skills make a private investigator a valuable person in helping protect a protest's legitimacy.
Private Investigators can use their skills to track interference and take this information to their clients so they can pursue civil or legal action if needed. Private investigators are legally licensed to gather data in multiple forms and remain discreet with the utmost confidentiality.
It doesn't stop with disinformation. Some extremist groups are more tech-savvy than others and have resorted to technology to counter these protests to keep information from getting out or preventing law enforcement from doing their jobs. These cyber-attacks are usually in the form of a denial of service attack, which can significantly hinder communications amongst protestors, civil rights groups, and even law enforcement.
Private investigators can use their computer forensic training to track and possibly identify these people. Many private investigators are former law enforcement or even military. Many have armed themselves with knowledge like degrees in computer science, cybersecurity, and even computer forensics to complete their skillset.
As many civil rights groups are volunteering and law enforcement spread thin, private investigators have more time and resources to help those in need and with faster results. Their training allows them to analyze social media accounts and profiles to test their legitimacy and help local rights groups get the information they need to help close them down.


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To promote compassionate understanding and support for children and families who have experienced trauma.
All communities and child serving systems will join with children and their families to promote healing and end the cycle of trauma.
The Children's Trauma Assessment Center, or CTAC, is part of the Unified Clinics at Western Michigan University. CTAC opened its clinic doors in February 2000 and was founded by Dr. James Henry (center director and social work professor), Connie Black-Pond (clinical director), Dr. Ben Atchison (occupational therapy professor), Dr. Mark Sloane, (behavioral pediatrician) and Dr. Yvette Hyter (speech and language professor).
Since then, CTAC has provided comprehensive neurodevelopmental trauma assessments for more than 3,300 children who have experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences. CTAC serves children ages three months to 17 years old. Over 90% of the children who have received assessment services are in or have been in foster care. Their traumatic exposure may include:
- physical abuse
- psychological abuse
- sexual abuse
- prenatal exposure to alcohol and/or drugs
- exposure to domestic violence or community violence
- removal from biological family and/or multiple moves within the foster care system
Assessments are conducted for children in order to gain a better understanding on how the child's traumatic exposures have impacted development, behavioral functioning and social emotional health. An understanding of how trauma affects a child can help caregivers and other professionals recognize the underlying cause of challenging behaviors and how to respond in supportive ways. As a result, children are more likely to get the help they need.
CTAC is one of the few transdisciplinary clinical teams in Michigan and is made up of professionals from social work, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and medicine. CTAC is also one of the Nation's Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic and Prevention Network (FAS-DPN) sites, and is affiliated with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).
CTAC's work also includes supporting the education and implementation of trauma-informed systems to individuals and communities around the state to help better serve children and their families.


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I have the following triggers on my users table which copies the value to email field from name field.
CREATE TRIGGER copy_name_on_insert BEFORE INSERT ON users
 SET NEW.email = NEW.name;
CREATE TRIGGER copy_name_on_update BEFORE UPDATE ON users
 SET NEW.email = NEW.name;
This trigger is working fine in local env, but in production its going into an infinite loop. Does anyone have any idea about this behaviour?
Local and Production envs are running mysql 5.5.
share|improve this question
how is that possible? the only way is that you have infinite record which I don't think you have, or that the trigger is calling itself (recursive function) and the number of recursive call is in max_sp_recursion_depth that's not infinite. – jcho360 Jun 1 '12 at 18:56
1 Answer 1
up vote 0 down vote accepted
Got this answer from our DBA.
So, this was not a recursion bug (though the error message was really bad, and looked like one). Rather, it was a memory complexity problem.
Basically, each statement must run in a limited memory space (128K in this case). While most statements fit in far less than this space, it appears that this trigger has considerably greater memory requirements.
The reason that this worked in testing is that the tests attempted were not large enough. (And the testing server likely had more memory allocated to it)
As an example, this worked in testing:
UPDATE users SET name="_EMAIL_" WHERE id=1234;
But what really runs in production is:
update users set full_name='Jason H', attr1='abc1', attr2='abc', attr3='adad'.... where id=1917;
Basically, the java/hibernate system is UPDATEing every single field... for some reason. This is pretty silly, and hibernate probably should be doing less.
The considerably greater complexity of the real query pushed it over the memory limits in production.
share|improve this answer
Your Answer


Café Touba - Gastro Obscura
Café Touba
In Senegal, black coffee meets sugar 'n' spice in one heady brew.
Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba founded the Senegalese city of Touba in 1887. The Sufi spiritual leader also developed one of the country's most beloved coffee drinks, which goes by the same name. Café Touba, as the story goes, was developed as an integral part of Sufi chanting. Sessions often lasted late into the night, and chanters remained awake and alert by sipping a combination of caffeine and spices with purported medicinal benefits.
What differentiates café Touba from other coffee is not the beans themselves, but the addition of an African spice and cloves. Though clove remains common, the spice, known as "grains of Selim" or djar in the Senegalese language of Wolof, is unfamiliar outside its native regions. Djar comes from the dried fruit of the Xylopia aethiopica plant, and it's said to have a spicy, bitter, and almost smoky flavor, with a nutmeg aftertaste. The spice is meant to clear the throat, settle the stomach, and help create café Touba's signature flavor, which one writer describes as "Turkish coffee-meets-cola."
Today, Senegalese people drink café Touba all over the country. Along the streets, in markets, and even at religious gatherings, vendors sell the spiced coffee from kiosks called tangana. Vendors roast and grind Arabica or robusta coffee beans, along with djar pods and cloves. Then, they add the mixture to a filter and pour boiling water over top several times. They froth up the liquid by pouring it back and forth between two cups. For just a few cents a pop, customers down the deep, spicy energy drink—loaded with sugar, but no milk—all night long.
Need to Know
The quality of beans used in café Touba can vary widely, especially because the sugar and spice can obscure the taste of cheap coffee. If you go seeking this beverage, try it from a few different vendors. Inconsistency is standard, so it may take a few attempts to find one that hits the spot.
Where to Try It
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text:
Activity time: 10 minutes
Materials for Activity
- Copies of Singing the Journey, one for all participants
- Copies of Taking It Home
- Optional: A piano or a recorded version of the song
Preparation for Activity
- Optional: Arrange for musical accompaniment.
Description of Activity
To close the workshop, ask for a couple participants to share brief reflections from the journaling exercise about their beliefs, feelings, and actions in response to today's workshop. Wrap up the sharing after five minutes.
Tell participants that Unitarian Universalists have many favorite songs about freedom. Some are in our hymnbooks, and are drawn from various sources and traditions. Ask them to name any that they know or have sung. Introduce the song, "Building a New Way" by Martha Sandefer and Jim Scott, a song that calls for building a new way of peace and freedom for all. Many of the well-known freedom songs are African American spirituals from the times of slavery or the Civil Rights era of the 1950s and 60s. This song, however, is more recent, reminding us that the struggle for freedom continues.
Invite participants to rise in body or spirit and sing Hymn 1017 in Singing the Journey. Invite a participant to extinguish the chalice and distribute copies of Taking It Home.
Including All Participants
An invitation to "rise in body or spirit" accommodates participants of all physical abilities.


text:
Smartphone apps: Can they help identify skin cancer?
Several versions are on the market but researchers say accuracy varies widely
Saturday, January 19, 2013
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 61,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with melanomas of the skin in 2009, and in that same year a total of 9,199 people died from the disease.
Researchers have been trying to find better ways to catch the disease in its early stages, when it's more treatable.
Recently we reported about a new handheld skin cancer detector called the Molemate, which allows doctors to run a device along a part of the body to test for cancer, without having to cut a piece of the skin off.
Now, pushing technology even further, there's a smartphone app called UMSkinCheck, one of several apps that claim to be adept at identifying dangerous skin conditions.
For some, it may be hard to think of an app as something one can use for skin cancer detection, but since most consumers have become extremely comfortable using apps these days, it makes sense for developers to create a user friendly kind of technology--like a phone app--that people will have at their fingertips to use regularly if they wish.
The smartphone app was created by the University of Michigan's Health System and it lets users snap photos of a mole or lesion that could be cancer or could become cancerous over time.
Not everyone is sold on the idea, though. In a study published today, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said the accuracy of smartphone applications in assessing melanoma risk is "highly variable."
Three of four applications incorrectly classified 30 percent or more of melanomas as unconcerning, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Dermatology, a JAMA Network publication.
Sensitivity of four applications tested ranged from 6.8 percent to 98.1 percent. The highest sensitivity for melanoma diagnosis was observed for an application that sends the image directly to a board-certified dermatologist for analysis, while the lowest sensitivity for melanoma diagnosis were applications that use automated algorithms to analyze images.
Supplement, not replacement
The app is intended primarily for people who are at higher risk of getting skin cancer, due to family history or other reasons, and health experts say these people should conduct skin tests on a regular basis--and, just to state the obvious, should stay in close touch with their dermatologist and use the app to supplement, not replace, regular doctor visits.
Besides storing images, the UMSkinCheck app presents a series of questions that will help you estimate how likely the mole or lesion you have is potentially cancerous.
By no means do the creators of UMSkinCheck expect people to use the app in place of a dermatologist, and they emphasize the app should be used under the supervision of a dermatologist or other physician who specializes in skin cancers.
The hope is that the app helps consumers make skin tests a routine part of their lives. People who are prone to skin cancer--including fair-skinned people, those who've spent a lot of time in the sun and anyone with a family history of skin cancer--should be seeing a dermatologist regularly, at least twice a year.
Reminders and videos
Besides letting users conduct a full-body survey and track individual lesions, the UMSkinCheck gives reminders about when to begin the next self-examination. The app also comes with a series of informational videos on skin cancer prevention, so users can remain educated about the illness.
Dr. Michael Sabel, who was one of the physicians in charge of creating the phone application, said it can be especially useful for those who need body photos for cancer detection, but don't have the insurance to cover regular doctor visits.
"Whole body photography is a well-established resource for following patients at risk of melanoma," he said. "However, it requires a professional photographer, not always covered by insurance, and it can be an inconvenience. Now that many people have digital cameras on their phones, it's more feasible to do this at home."
Users of the app will not only be able to trace a lesion to determine if it's growing or not, they can also share those photos with a dermatologist to get their insights, to determine if more tests and treatment are needed.
Dr. Sabel emphasized that allowing people to test themselves should dramatically increase the chance of cancers being caught early, which not only raises the chance of survival, but also may allow patients to undergo procedures that are far less intrusive.
"We recommend skin self-exams for everyone in order to detect skin cancer at the earliest stages, when treatment is less invasive and more successful, he said in a published interview.
"If you have fair skin or burn easily, have had sunburns in the past or used tanning beds, or have a family history of melanoma, you are considered high-risk, and so it's even more important."
The UMSkinCheck can be downloaded for free in the iTunes app store.


Howard E. Gardner, Author
Howard E. Gardner, Author Basic Books $30 (480p) ISBN 978-0-465-01455-2
Reviewed on: 06/28/1993
Release date: 07/01/1993
In this boldly ambitious study, Gardner ( Frames of Mind ) profiles seven creative giants. Creativity, he argues, is not an all-purpose trait but instead involves distinct intelligences, as exemplified by Picasso's visual-spatial skills or by Gandhi's nonviolent approach to human conflict or Martha Graham's search for a distinctly American form of bodily expression. Each of the seven creative geniuses whom Gardner incisively limns transcended interpretive frames or conventions that became entrenched during the 19th century; each forged a new ''system of meaning''; and each, in Gardner's view, struck a ''Faustian bargain,'' sacrificing a rounded personal life for the sake of an all-consuming mission. Gardner also finds a childlike component in each of their creative breakthroughs (e.g., Einstein's ''thought experiment'' of riding a light-beam). This highly stimulating synthesis illuminates the creation of the modern age. Photos. (Aug.)
The Best Books, Emailed Every Week
Tip Sheet!


text:
European applied math societies
This website aims in particular to create links between the european mathematical societies whose main goal is the development of general applied and industrial mathematics. We will try to develop those links by exchaging information, exchanging experiences and discussing procedures to enhance the role of mathematics in other sciences and in the european society. Of course, all mathematics societies in Europe deal with applications of mathematics and a list of them can be found at the EMS website. However, the societies which are naturally more concerned about this page are:
- GAMM (Gesellschaft für angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik (International Association of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics), international),
- IMA (Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, UK),
- SEMA (Sociedad Española de Matemática Aplicada, Spain),
- SIMAI (Società Italiana di Matematica Applicata e Industriale, Italy) and
- SMAI (Société de Mathématiques Appliquées et Industrielles, France).
Moreover, ECMI (European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry) promotes mathematics in industry in the name of several european mathematical institutions and ESMTB(European Society for Mathematical and Theoretical Biology) promotes theoretical approaches and mathematical tools in biology and medicine in a European and wider context.
There is also a certain number of national societies, whose aim is the development of Statistics and its applications such as operational research, which are part of the EMS:
- SBS-BVS (Belgian Statistical Society),
- SFdS (French Statistical Society),
- SEIO (Spanish Society of Statistics and Operations Research),
- NSF (Norwegian Statistical Association) and


text:
, Idaho 83844
When sending your plant and note, please place in a reinforced package and do not bend after pressing. Remember, the pressed plant is very fragile.
Pressing plants is an inexpensive and effective method for preserving plants for later identification. The primary instrument used to press plants is a plant press. A plant press is traditionally constructed of two metal or wood grid frames approximately 12 X 18 inches. Inside each of the frames is a series of corrugated cardboard ventilators and paper blotters. The cardboard is approximately 1/8 inch thick. Paper blotters can be purchased from botanical supply houses, or folded newspaper can be used. The cardboard ventilators allow for airflow through the press, and the blotters hasten drying by removing moisture from the plant. The press is closed and pressurized by two belts around the outside. If you do not have a plant press, a good, heavy hardcover book will often suffice.
Place the plant in a half sheet of black ink newspaper. Do not use colored newsprint or it will color the specimen. Write your name, the date, and the location where the plant was found on the edge of the newspaper. (Please do not write on the print. It will be hard to read your notations.) Arrange the plant on a quarter sheet of newspaper so that the flowers are open, and the fruits and leaves are well displayed. All parts of the plant should be on the quarter sheet. Fold the other portion of the newspaper on top of your plant. Place the newspaper with the plant between two blotter sheets. Place the blotters with the plant between two cardboard ventilators. Finally, place the plant with the blotters and the ventilators between the frames and strap the press together. You can put several plant specimens into your press at one time. The press should be organized by ventilator – blotter – plant – blotter – ventilatorblotter – plant – blotterventilator – etc. Place your press in a warm, dry area with good airflow. The back window of your car often works. You may need to replace the blotters occasionally to facilitate drying.
Be careful handling the plants when they are pressed. They are very fragile.
- How to Identify Plants, H.D. Harrington and L.W. Durrell, Swallow Press. (1957).
- Contemporary Plant Systematics, D.W. Woodland, Prentice-Hall, Inc. (1991).


This is in reference to my question: How to do a PhD to equip myself for a job as assistant professor.
I was told in the answer of the above linked question that chances of landing a job as an assistant professor in Mathematics are quite slim. Very few people will actually get a permanent position in academia.
An article of 2014 shows only 0.5-3% of PhD graduates will actually get a job as an Assistant Professor.
But I have two questions:
 1. Why do so many people still apply for a PhD in some reputed institutes in India even knowing the harsh reality? I found there are 1500 applications for four PhD scholarship positions.
 - One answer says that people move to industry, but I still don't understand how after doing a PhD in suppose differential geometry or algebraic geometry one can do a job in industry if he/she gets no position as an assistant professor.
 - Will one be satisfied to do some managerial work in some Consultancy firm after doing a PhD in Mathematics?
 2. Are people jobless after a PhD? Completion of a PhD requires so much effort. So why is there no value after doing it?
In the most up-voted answer below it has been said that many who enroll for a PhD don't even wish to pursue an academic career.
I have been asking my seniors who are currently pursuing a PhD or are in the verge of completing their degree or who have completed it. They said that they all want to be Professors in some Universities and want to be involved in research because that is the dream job for them.
I am obviously talking about PhD in Mathematics
13 Answers 13
Some of my observations:
 1. They don't know what they're going into. Most PhD students have some idea of how hard it is to get a job afterwards, but don't actually know. It's similar to how one can imagine what skydiving is like, but don't actually know until after trying it.
 2. They're confident they can succeed. PhD students are some of the smartest of their generation. They were top of their high school class, top of their undergraduate class, they've never met an obstacle they can't overcome. Why can't they also top their graduate class, top the postdoc chain, and top the applicants for tenured positions?
 3. The process worked for their supervisors, which makes them think it'll also work for the students. The supervisors are probably the people most influential in convincing undergraduates to do graduate studies. These are the people who've already did all of the things in #2. If they can do it, so can their students, and hence they encourage their students to try.
 4. They don't know what they want to do. They haven't really thought about future careers and only have a vague idea of how their studies enable them to find a job if the academic path fails. The hidden reason they did undergraduate studies is because that's what everyone who did well in high school went on to do, and the same applied for graduate studies. "The best undergraduates do PhD studies, so I'll do it too".
 5. They have romantic ideas about what people with PhDs do. When scientists talk about what they do, they don't usually say "I write funding proposals". The not-exactly-accurate answers propagate and influence the next generation of students to try to become scientists themselves.
 - Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – StrongBad Feb 15 '18 at 17:30
The issue is that the frame of your question is wrong. You're assuming that the purpose of a PhD is to get an academic job, when that is not the case: Many people who get PhD's have no desire for an academic job, even from the time they apply!
The number of academic positions is indeed insufficient to absorb all the PhD's. But there are lots of other "landing spots":
 - Industrial research and development
 - Start-ups
 - Non-university government research institutes (like the US NIH or DOE lab system, or the Max-Planck-Instituts in Germany)
 - Finance and consulting
 - Administrative and Supervisory positions in other disciplines.
Overall, PhD's have a lower unemployment rate than non-PhD's. It's all a question of where they want to go.
As for doing a PhD, the basic skill it teaches you—the one that makes you valuable to lots of people—is the ability to learn new fields quickly and become an expert in those fields. You don't always need specialized knowledge in your PhD topic to get into an area.
But ultimately the reason for doing a PhD is the love of research and discovery. People pursue research careers because that's what they want to do.
 - Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – StrongBad Feb 12 '18 at 16:32
 - Exactly. Doing the PhD itself is ("should be"?) fun!!! – paul garrett Jul 30 '19 at 20:55
 - I want to add that for the start ups part, its far easier to raise funding with a PhD – Lucas Hendren Jan 9 '20 at 15:20
Because it's fun!
No, really. I went to do a PhD because I thought it was fun. It allowed me to live in an awesome location, travel around the world to conferences and summer schools, to spend years doing exciting research with nice colleagues, and even getting paid for all of it (and in Sweden, the pay is not bad at slightly above the national median salary, plenty for a sufficiently large apartment (compared to an undergraduate dormitory) where I did my PhD).
I postponed growing up and thinking about the future for after the PhD, which means now, 4½ years into a couple of postdocs.
 - 18
 It really is fun! After 8 years in industry, i went to do a PhD. And I can tell you, I haven't had as much fun working ever in industry! – Attila Kinali Feb 12 '18 at 13:18
 - 2
 I understand that it is really fun but you need to do a job at some point for yourself to survive – Learnmore Feb 19 '18 at 3:13
 - 1
 _USER_ I don't have any numbers on the proportion of PhD holders among rough sleepers and street beggars, but I don't personally know any. As far as I know, a PhD does not reduce the likelihood of getting a job. But see also this question. – gerrit Feb 19 '18 at 12:47
 - 3
 _USER_ And, although for some career paths the total career earnings may be higher if one skips the PhD entirely, those differences are hardly the ones where survival is at stake. – gerrit Feb 19 '18 at 18:57
 - 1
 Most people don't stay in one career much less one job their whole life. You should do a PhD if it's a job you think you'd like for the next five years. If you don't like it you should quit and find a job that's a better fit. As you get close to finishing your PhD you will better know what your job prospects are and you can search for your next job accordingly. – Noah Snyder Aug 23 '19 at 15:46
A personal anecdote. Your mileage may vary.
For me, entering the PhD program meant:
 - Stay in the same city as my girlfriend
 - Continue the sport I loved, with my team
 - Sufficient funding to become financially independent of my parents (just...)
 - Automatic deferment from military service (draft)
 - Work with smart people, a camera that could shoot 10M frames per second, and an interesting / challenging project
In contrast, "trying to get a job" would mean:
 - End of studies --> return to home country for military service
 - Girlfriend now "far away", in the days when international phone calls were expensive (and letters took a long time, and email had not been invented)
 - 18 months later, see if I could pick up life where I had left off
The PhD was fun, led to a postdoc, then to a role in industry. 27 years later I am still with that company, leveraging the systematic and critical thinking skills that research taught me. My sports team did well at the national level. I married my girlfriend, and we have raised four children.
An academic career was never the goal. There would have been no money in it. I'm still dreaming of winning the lottery; then I might "endow a chair and sit on it". My PhD training tells me that it's statistically unlikely.
 - 3
 This is a great gem answer. Thanks for sharing. – Vladhagen Jul 30 '19 at 22:42
I did a PhD and was hired for my master's degree, not for my PhD. Financially it did not (yet) pan out, but personally it did.
Why I still think it was a great time: I spend five more years on campus, had great colleagues, contributed to the community (published articles, gave talks, wrote some open source software), taught several courses, traveled to conferences, could deeply study a couple of topics, and was afterwards still hired for a ok-payed industry job.
 - 13
 Same; I really enjoy being a


text:
jimans et al (2010) and de Vries et al (2011) have created search filters for finding all animal studies in PubMed or Embase. You can copy and paste the relevant filter into your search in addition to your subject-specific terms.
Here for the PubMed version.
To demonstrate the systematic and robust nature of your search it is important to report/publish your search strategy whenever possible (this might be as a supplement to your scientific paper). This will facilitate dissemination of Three Rs information and aid other researchers to search effectively. Leenaars et al (2011) provide a good example of a diagrammatic way to present the main search results including exclusion criteria. You should also try to include your search filter.
As a general rule when reporting the search you should include:
1. all databases and other sources searched
2. the dates of the last search for each database and the period searched
3. full search strategies (including all search terms/filters)
4. any language or publication status restrictions used
5. exclusion criteria
Whether publishing the search strategy or not, it is important to save this information for your own future use.


text:
Many single-supply operational amplifiers are capable of rail-to-rail input operation, if they have the proper input circuitry to support this function. This article is an expansion of the blog post "What does 'rail to rail' input operation really mean?
" By examining an additional input-stage topology and implementing these op amps into some common op-amp circuits, you will see what I mean.
The article discusses a composite input-stage topology for single-supply op amps. You may recall that this topology exhibited an offset-voltage, crossover distortion as the input common-mode voltage traveled across the full rail-to-rail input voltage range. Switching from one differential input stage to the other causes this distortion.
Revisiting single-supply input topologies
The CMRR (common-mode rejection ratio) specification describes changes in the amplifier's offset-voltage versus common-mode input changes. The specification conditions can subtly describe the amplifier's rail-to-rail input topology. A typical common-mode rejection specification for an amplifier with a composite input stage has two or more CMRR specifications (Table 1
Table 1 The single-supply op-amp data sheet describes the CMRR test conditions as well as the actual specified values. These specification tables provide evidence of the characteristics of the input-stage topology, which in this case is an amplifier with a composite input stage.
In Table 1
, the CMRR is equal to 20*log (ΔVCM
). Line 1 verifies that the amplifier has true rail-to-rail input capability. Line 2 specifies the CMRR from ground to 1.8V below the positive power-supply rail as 92 dB (typ). Note that this specification does not describe the range specified in Line 1. Line 3 specifies the CMRR across the entire input range as 70 dB (typ, VS
=5V). This disparity in specification only points out that the amplifier's input stage has a composite input topology.
There are more ways to tackle this input topology problem with the IC design. The composite input stage is one example. As a second IC-design strategy, a unique zero-crossover input topology provides superior common-mode performance over the entire input range.
In Figure 1
, a regulated charge pump lifts the top of the differential input as well as its biasing current source to 1.8V above the power-supply voltage, VS
. This increased headroom allows for a single differential PMOS input stage to replace the composite differential input stage. A typical common-mode rejection specification for an amplifier with a charge-pump input stage has one CMRR specification. This specification encompasses the full amplifier input range.
Figure 1 This single PMOS differential input stage in conjunction with a high-side charge-pump eliminates the common-mode crossover distortion found in composite input stages.Figure 2
compares the response of the charge pump to composite amplifier inputs. The difference between these two topologies in this figure
Figure 2 The op-amp offset voltage of an op amp with a charge-pump input remains constant across changes in the common-mode voltage. The offset voltage of an op amp with a composite input varies across changes in the common-mode voltage.
The op-amp topology in Figure 1
provides superior common-mode performance over the entire input range. In fact, the input range extends at least 100 mV beyond both power-supply rails. You may think that the charge pump's output ripple voltage will become a noise problem. However, the charge-pump design can provide an output ripple voltage that is low enough so as to not produce undesirable noise or distortion at the output of the op amp.Application solutions
Circuit designers can use rail-to-rail input op amps in virtually any op-amp configuration. To achieve optimum performance, however, circuit designers need to consider the behavior of the single-supply op-amp input stage. Let's consider the behavior of the composite and charge-pump amplifier inputs in a single-supply inverting amplifier, noninverting amplifier, and buffer circuits.
In many applications, the amplifier's common-mode input voltage can remain at a static voltage. This is true for the inverting-amplifier circuit found in Figure 3
. The inverting-amplifier circuit gains the input signal as well as changes the signal polarity.
Figure 3 The inverting-amplifier circuit keeps the amplifier's common-mode voltage at a constant voltage, VB.
The circuit requires a bias voltage, VB
, to keep the output range at VO
between the power-supply rails. When VB
establishes the common-mode voltage of the amplifier, the transfer function for this circuit is expressed as
voltage can be anywhere between ground and VS
, as long as the combination of the elements in this circuit (VB
, and VIN
) keeps the output (VO
) between VS
and ground. Since the VB
voltage is static, the amplifier's common-mode voltage remains constant. When using composite input amplifiers, choose the VB
voltage to be below or above the PMOS/NMOS transition region.


text:
Two-player zero-sum games are easy to solve: one can write down a linear program whose solution is the value of the game and the optimal strategies of the players. This program is polynomial in the size of the game, and therefore the whole procedure of solving a two-player zero-sum game is polynomial. Similarly, computing a correlated equilibrium in a multi-player game can be done using a linear program, and is therefore as easy as taking a nap (when the kids do not have fever).
Solving a two-player non-zero-sum game, on the other hand, is a much more difficult task. Gilboa and Zemel proved that the questions "does there exist a Nash equilibrium where all players receive a payoff at least r" and "is there a unique Nash equilibrium" are difficult, NP-hard for computer scientists. The standard proof for the existence of a Nash equilibrium uses the unconstructive Brouwer's fixed point theorem, and various procedures can be used to approximate a Nash equilibrium.
One reason to attend the conference at Stony Brook was to hear the talk of Noah Stein from MIT. In his talk, Stein presented a recent paper he wrote with Pablo Parrilo and Asuman Ozdaglar. In this paper the trio shows how to prove the existence of a Nash equilibrium using Hart and Schmeidler's proof for the existence of a correlated equilibrium. Now, this proof for the existence of Nash equilibrium does not use Brouwer's fixed point theorem or any advanced topological tool, and therefore it is interesting and worth reading. The main idea of the proof, if I got it right, is to show that a Nash equilibrium of the game can be approximated by a special kind of correlated equilibrium of an auxiliary game; the auxiliary game is an ingenious composition of k copies of the original game, and the approximation of the Nash equilibrium improves as k increases. A variation on the proof of Hart and Schmeidler exnsures that the special type of correlated equilibrium exists.
It was evident that the audience at the talk was interested: the talk took almost twice the time allotted to it, and many people were surprised by the proof. When you have time, read this paper. This is what I am going to do on my way to Erice for the workshop on Stochastic Methods in Game Theory.


M. Mur, M.L.A. Meys, J. Bodurka, R. Goebel, P.A. Bandettini, N. Kriegeskorte*
*Corresponding author for this work
Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review
Primate inferior temporal (IT) cortex is thought to contain a high-level representation of objects at the interface between vision and semantics. This suggests that the perceived similarity of real-world objects might be predicted from the IT representation. Here we show that objects that elicit similar activity patterns in human IT (hIT) tend to be judged as similar by humans. The IT representation explained the human judgments better than early visual cortex, other ventral-stream regions, and a range of computational models. Human similarity judgments exhibited category clusters that reflected several categorical divisions that are prevalent in the IT representation of both human and monkey, including the animate/inanimate and the face/body division. Human judgments also reflected the within-category representation of IT. However, the judgments transcended the IT representation in that they introduced additional categorical divisions. In particular, human judgments emphasized human-related additional divisions between human and non-human animals and between man-made and natural objects. hIT was more similar to monkey IT than to human judgments. One interpretation is that IT has evolved visual-feature detectors that distinguish between animates and inanimates and between faces and bodies because these divisions are fundamental to survival and reproduction for all primate species, and that other brain systems serve to more flexibly introduce species-dependent and evolutionarily more recent divisions.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)128
JournalFrontiers in Psychology
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2013
Cite this


text:
Infrared IR ) light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres ( Âµm), and extending conventionally to 300 Âµm. These wavelengths correspond to a frequency range of approximately 1 to 400 THz, and include most of the thermal radiation emitted by objects near room temperature. Microscopically, IR light is typically emitted or absorbed by molecules when they change their rotational-vibrational movements.
Sunlight at zenith provides an irradiance of just over 1 kilowatt per square meter at sea level. Of this energy, 527 watts is infrared radiation, 445 watts is visible light, and 32 watts is ultraviolet radiation.


The Peace Dollars of 1926
Posted by David W. Lange, NGC Research Director on 8/1/2003
While not as popular as Morgan dollars, the Peace dollars series is still widely studied and collected, and previously unnoticed minor varieties are turning up all the time.
While not as popular as Morgan dollars, the Peace dollars series is still widely studied and collected, and previously unnoticed minor varieties are turning up all the time. In fact, when searching for doubled dies, re-punched mintmarks and the like, collectors often fail to notice far more prominent features that distinguish one coin from another. Therein lies our tale for this month.
Take any unworn Peace dollar dated 1926, regardless of mint, and hold its obverse up to a light. As you lower the angle of the light to the coin so that shadows are just starting to form on its relief elements, you should see something amazing. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST typically is in very shallow relief on coins of this type, and the dollars dated 1926 are true to form, the letters barely catching the light that skirts across them. Surprisingly, however, the single word GOD stands out prominently. It is in distinctly higher relief than all the other words of the motto, and the difference is too great for it to be a matter of mere chance. Someone at the Philadelphia Mint clearly and deliberately reinforced the three letters of that one word on the obverse master die for 1926. But why?
(At this point let me interject that what follows is not intended to be a sermon. I'm approaching this subject from a purely numismatic standpoint, though I suspect that the person responsible for this phenomenon likely did act on some religious conviction.)
The word GOD stands out prominently
The raised word GOD on 1926 silver dollars is unique to that date and denomination. By virtue of its being on the master die for that year, it appears on the dollars on all three mints. The low-relief Peace dollars coined from 1922 through 1928 typically have very shallow legends and mottoes (the 1934-35 coins utilized a new and sharper obverse hub). The sole exceptions are the 1924 silver dollars, the master die for this date having been strengthened in the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. While this is clearly observable on the coins, the fact that all of the words were reinforced suggests that it was done simply as an attempt to improve the coin's striking quality and is quite a different story from the 1926 dollars. In that latter year, only the word GOD has been touched up by hand in an evident attempt to send a subtle message to the viewer. The question remains, why?
During the previous summer the nation followed closely a criminal trial that took place in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee. John T. Scopes, a public high school teacher, had volunteered to challenge that state's recently enacted law that forbade the teaching of Darwinian evolution. Acting on behalf of civil liberties advocates, he deliberately began teaching his students Darwin's theories to prompt the authorities into arresting him. At that he was successful, and the press converged on the town of Dayton to follow his historic trial.
While Scopes ultimately was convicted, receiving a moderate fine, the real drama of the trial centered on a heated debate between William Jennings Bryan, testifying for the prosecution, and Clarence Darrow, serving as Scopes' attorney. Their conflict, in which most journalists concluded that Darrow humiliated Bryan, was later turned into a book, a play and a movie titled "Inherit the Wind."
I suggest that someone in the Engraving Department at the Philadelphia Mint, where all dies were prepared, voted with his graver by emphasizing the word GOD on the coin where this motto appears in the largest letters, the silver dollar. The master dies for the 1926 coinage would have been under preparation during the last quarter of 1925, at which time the Scopes Trial was still very much in the news. Since all 1926 dollars have this curious feature, there is no rarity attached to it, but it does make for some interesting speculation.
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Slang noun used and understood primarily by Brummies (people from Birmingham, UK), Yam Yams (people from the nearby area of the Black Country) and other Midlanders.
It is a noun used to describe the action of rolling forwards on the ground. It is often described as a 'forward roll' by the rest of the country.
Brummies will often say 'gambowl' instead of 'forward roll' and very few people outside of the city seem to understand this term.
The spelling of gambowl is a debate in itself, as it is rarely written and mostly used in speech. Variations of this spelling (gambowl) include: gambole, gambol and gamboul.
There is a Facebook group campaigning to promote awareness of the word, entitled 'it's not a foward roll, it's a ******* gambowl'.
That was a very nice gambowl you did just now.
(That was a very nice 'forward roll' you did just now.)
These gymnasts haven't done any gambowls yet!
(These gymnasts haven't done any 'forward rolls' yet!)


text:
- annual report
- Building Trust
- Bureau of Land Management
- Climate Change
- Colorado River Delta
- Hunting Fishing
- Land Conservation
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
- National Park Service
- project summary
- renewable energy
- Resource Extraction
- Smart Growth
- State Trust Lands
- Street Smart
- Thomas R. Brown Foundations
- Vegetation Management
- Water Conservation
Juan de Fuca Cable Project
The Juan de Fuca Cable is a proposed underground and undersea 150kV, 550MW High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Light® cable designed to run bi-directionally from View Royal, British Columbia to Port Angeles, Washington. The proposed total length of the cable is 30 miles. Of this, about 22 miles is in the strait of Juan de Fuca, buried 3 to 6 feet deep beneath the sea floor. Seven miles of the line runs underground on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, and one mile is underground near Port Angeles, Washington.
- The result of burying the cable is no visual impact, audible noise, or changes to usage of the overlaying land.
- Terrestrial portions of the line will be buried under existing roads, railroad rights-of-way, or utility corridors, to minimize the impacts on surrounding areas.
- Horizontal directional drilling will help to minimize the impact to sensitive nearshore habitat. An onshore drill will bore underneath the shore area and intertidal zone, exiting more than half a mile from the drilling site.
- The cable will be built with highly efficient HVDC Light® technology, which allows more power to be transmitted across fewer lines, does not emit fluctuating EMFs, and provides faster and more accurate control of the power.
The project received all major permits in the United States and Canada by 2009 and currently several permits are undergoing renewal. The cable would be operational 24-26 months from financial close, possibly mid-2015.
- Juan de Fuca Cable Project
- Juan de Fuca Cable Project Map
- Bonneville Power Administration project website
- Juan de Fuca Cable Draft EIS
- Juan de Fuca Cable Final EIS
Organization: Sea Breeze Pacific Juan de Fuca Cable, LP, a partnership between Sea Breeze Power Corp and Boundless Energy NW Inc.
Location: Washington, British Colombia
Planning phase: Pre-planning (undergrounding, HVDC Light®, mitigation)
Last Updated:November 16, 2012


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Present your definition of the term "terrorism," and explain your reason for choosing this definition for the term.
1 Answer | Add Yours
This is an exceedingly difficult term to define. I would define it as violent action that is taken against targets that are not military targets within a war zone and that is aimed at promoting a particular social or political goal or cause that the person defining terrorism does not approve of. Let us look at each aspect of this definition.
- Violent action. Terrorism must involve violence, and will typically involve lethal violence. It must do so because it is meant to terrorize people, not to reason with them. Therefore, any sort of speech, even if it takes the form of threats that are not backed by action, cannot really be seen as terrorism.
- Nature of the targets. An attack on a military base that is in a war zone cannot really be seen as terrorism. However, the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon was a terrorist act because those military people would not have expected that their lives could be in danger in the way that soldiers in Afghanistan, for example, would.
- Social or political goals. The attacks cannot be violence for the sake of violence. A serial killer is not a terrorist nor is a school shooter. There must be an attempt to promote a certain ideology. That is why the Boston Marathon bombing can be seen as an act of terrorism where the Connecticut school shooting cannot be.
- Nature of the goal. We typically never call something terrorism if we agree with the goals being sought. If the goals being sought are ones we agree with, we see the actions as legitimate. That is, for example, why we do not call John Brown or Nat Turner "terrorist leaders."
There are other aspects to terrorism that could be included, but these are the aspects that I think are most important.
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iDoceo combines a gradebook, planner, diary, and resource manager, with features for tracking student performance, organizing lessons, managing resources, creating seating plans, and integrating with Moodle, Google Classroom, and MS Teams.
What iDoceo does
iDoceo is a comprehensive digital tool for teachers that combines a gradebook, planner, diary, and resource manager into a single platform. It allows teachers to track student grades, attendance, and performance, organize their lessons and schedules, and manage various resources. The app also includes a seating plan feature and integrates with Moodle, Google Classroom, and MS Teams. All data is stored locally on the user's device, ensuring privacy and confidentiality.
Key features for teachers
- Gradebook: Allows teachers to manage icons, text, numbers, annotations, and rubrics. Supports custom calculations and can be linked to Google Classroom.
- Lesson Planner: Provides a space for teachers to organize their lessons and schedules. Supports both simple week schedules and complex rotating cycles.
- Diary: Helps teachers keep track of classroom activities and events.
- Resource Manager: Helps teachers manage various resources, including PDFs, audio files, links, images, and more.
- Seating Plans: Allows teachers to create up to ten seating plans per classroom with five different modes and backgrounds.
- Integration with Moodle, Google Classroom, and MS Teams: Allows teachers to link their current classes or import them from these platforms directly into iDoceo.
- iDoceo Connect: An online platform that allows teachers to post exams and rubrics for students to fill out.
iDoceo is available as a one-time purchase of $11.99 on the App Store, with no additional subscriptions or in-app purchases required.


My first function
Hi there!
I've been trying to code my first function with no succes and i think that the solution might be in front of me.
This is a simplificcation of my data
Ticker metric1 metric2 metric3
HD 1 3 4
WMT 6 8 2
NVDA 1 2 3
I would like to make a list of every "Ticker" and thieir possible values, like this.
HD 1
HD 3
HD 4
To do so, i created my first function but when i try to rbind the information i dont have dataframes, only a list of items and i can work with it.
metrica <- function(x) {
 x <- yahoo %>% select('Ticker','metric'=x+1)
n <- length(colnames(yahoo))-1
total <- rbind(lapply(1:n,metrica))
Why is it displayed as a list? There is something wrong with my code?
Thank you!
I am not exactly sure what the end result is you are trying to get to, so it is hard for to manipulate your data to get there.
Your function results is a tibble. When you called lapply, the tibbles were placed into a list objects. You then called rbind, which bound the lists together.
If all you want is to gather all the metric values into a single column, a gather should be sufficient. The following code will do the job. The last line will delete what were the column names, to make it more similar to your desired results.
yahoo %>%
 key = "metric",
 value = "val") %>%
Created on 2020-05-30 by the reprex package (v0.3.0)
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I fully support using an existing function to do this if the outcome is all that matters. If the goal is to learn about function, then I suggest modifying the function as follows.
yahoo <- data.frame(Ticker = c("HD", "WMT", "NVDA"),
 metric1 = c(1,6,1), metric2 = c(3,8,2), metric3 = c(4,2,3))
metrica <- function(x) {
 yahoo %>% select(1, Value = x + 1)
n <- length(colnames(yahoo))-1
total <- bind_rows(lapply(1:n,metrica))
#> Ticker Value
#> 1 HD 1
#> 2 WMT 6
#> 3 NVDA 1
#> 4 HD 3
#> 5 WMT 8
#> 6 NVDA 2
#> 7 HD 4
#> 8 WMT 2
#> 9 NVDA 3
What you were trying to do inside the select() function by setting'metric' = x + 1 will not work. It is easier to just use the numeric positions of the desired columns. I did use the select() function to rename the second selected column, so the data frames would all have the same column names and could be bound together.
Thank you, FJCC. I did not know about gather, so i will use that instead of my function.
I will have in mind your corrections, in order to be better in my next function.
Thank you for your time!!
Thank you! I did not know about gather function, and it was all that i needed. You saved me a lot of time!
Thank you!


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What is the difference between electric field and magnetic field
 1. Aug 12, 2012 #1
 What is the difference between electric field and magnetic field
 2. jcsd
 3. Aug 12, 2012 #2
 Re: Electromagnetisms
 From a special relativistic perspective, nothing--they're just different aspects of the same combined EM field, components that arise from different kinds of currents.
 I suspect this isn't the answer that would help you most, though. Perhaps you have a more specific question in mind?
 4. Aug 12, 2012 #3
 Re: Electromagnetisms
 [tex]\nabla \circ \vec{E} = \frac{\rho}{\epsilon_{0}}[/tex]
 [tex]\nabla \times \vec{E} = -\frac{{\partial}{\vec{B}}}{{\partial}{t}}[/tex]
 [tex]\nabla \circ \vec{B} = 0[/tex]
 [tex]\nabla \times \vec{B} = \mu_{0} \vec{J} + \mu_{0} \epsilon_{0} \frac{{\partial}{E}}{{\partial}{t}}[/tex]
 heh, sorry, I couldn't resist..
 5. Aug 13, 2012 #4
 Re: Electromagnetisms
 classically electric fields are caused by charge and magnetic fields are caused by moving charges in the static case. and if I have a time-varying E or B field they can induce the other field. And my relative motion with some stationary charge I could see a B field in my frame or an E field depending on the configuration.
 6. Aug 14, 2012 #5
 Re: Electromagnetisms
 This is not the complete story, please include Lorentz Force equation. To make difference
 between E and B, it is very important to remember how do they interact with some particle, that is the only way to know about them( E or B).
 7. Aug 14, 2012 #6
 Re: Electromagnetisms
 as sanjib ghosh is getting at. The E field will affect a charged particle at rest by a B field will not cause a charged particle at rest to move.
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Prove that in any set of $n+1$ positive numbers not exceeding $2n$ there must be two that are relatively prime.
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This is an old problem. Without giving too much away, have you thought about how you could definitely tell that two numbers are coprime? And maybe the bounds you are given may suggest using the pigeonhole principle? I think this is one you should work at before asking it. – Mark Bennet Jul 2 '11 at 20:34
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4 Answers
In some circles at least this is as famous as the question of what is the sum of the first $n$ positive integers. It is often called the Posa Problem, because it was the problem that Erdos asked of the (then) 12 year-old Lajos Posa upon first meeting him. According to Erdos, Posa solved it in about $30$ seconds, all the while eating a bowl of soup. An account of this story is here; there must be a more primary source somewhere.
P.S.: I have some colleagues who work in the branch of mathematics -- additive combinatorics -- for which this result is basically page 1. When I by chance mentioned this problem to one of them, she replied, "Yes, and there is also one integer which divides another." Try that one too!
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Two numbers must be consecutive.
I read this years ago in a book about Erdos. Here's the page.
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Your answer appeared as I was finishing mine up. Indeed, I have read the book you cite (as well as another, similar Erdos biography that came out around the same time). It's interesting to note that the story as it is told in Schechter's book is isomorphic but not identical to the story as it is told in the link in my answer. – Pete L. Clark Jul 2 '11 at 22:55
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Throw out the 1, since if it is on your list, then $gcd(a,1)=1$, and you are done. If not, you will necessarily have to choose two numbers in the list that are one unit appart, by the pigeonhole principle. Now show that if you have two consecutive numbers a,a+1, with a>1, your numbers must be relatively prime. (Hint: your linear combination is all-ready for you.)
EDIT: It also follows that the sequence contains a pair $(a,b)$ such that $a|b$; we choose the terms to try to avoid a pair (a,b), by choosing $\{ n,n+2,n+4,...,2n-2\}$ as WOLG the even terms (i.e., we assume n is even), and $\{n+1,n+3,...,2n-1\}$ as the odd terms, so that the smallest multiple (i.e., by 2) of any of the chosen elements is strictly-larger than $2n$ (this shows that n+1 is the best-possible bound). But this only uses up n of the terms in the sequence. So we must choose some term 'b' strictly smaller than $n= \frac {2n}{2}$. But, since $b


2.13.4 Rebuilding or Repairing Tables or Indexes
This section describes how to rebuild a table. This can be necessitated by changes to MySQL such as how data types are handled or changes to character set handling. For example, an error in a collation might have been corrected, necessitating a table rebuild to update the indexes for character columns that use the collation. (For examples, see Section 2.13.3, "Checking Whether Tables or Indexes Must Be Rebuilt".) It might also be that a table repair or upgrade should be done as indicated by a table check operation such as that performed by CHECK TABLE, mysqlcheck, or mysql_upgrade.
Methods for rebuilding a table include dumping and reloading it, or using ALTER TABLE or REPAIR TABLE.
shell> mysqldump db_name t1 > dump.sql
shell> mysql db_name < dump.sql
shell> mysqldump db_name > dump.sql
shell> mysql db_name < dump.sql
shell> mysqldump --all-databases > dump.sql
shell> mysql < dump.sql
To rebuild a table with ALTER TABLE, use a null alteration; that is, an ALTER TABLE statement that changes the table to use the storage engine that it already has. For example, if t1 is a MyISAM table, use this statement:
If you must rebuild a table because a table checking operation indicates that the table is corrupt or needs an upgrade, you can use REPAIR TABLE if that statement supports the table's storage engine. For example, to repair a MyISAM table, use this statement:
mysql> REPAIR TABLE t1;
For storage engines such as InnoDB that REPAIR TABLE does not support, use mysqldump to create a dump file and mysql to reload the file, as described earlier.
For specifics about which storage engines REPAIR TABLE supports, see Section, "REPAIR TABLE Syntax".
shell> mysqlcheck --repair --databases db_name...
shell> mysqlcheck --repair --all-databases
For incompatibilities introduced in MySQL 5.1.24 by the fix for Bug #27877 that corrected the utf8_general_ci and ucs2_general_ci collations, a workaround is implemented as of MySQL 5.1.62, 5.5.21, and 5.6.5. Upgrade to one of those versions, then convert each affected table using one of the following methods. In each case, the workaround altering affected columns to use the utf8_general_mysql500_ci and ucs2_general_mysql500_ci collations, which preserve the original pre-5.1.24 ordering of utf8_general_ci and ucs2_general_ci.


AAAI Publications, Twenty-Fourth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence
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Decision-Theoretic Control of Crowd-Sourced Workflows
Peng Dai,'Mausam, Daniel Sabey Weld
Last modified: 2010-07-04
Crowd-sourcing is a recent framework in which human intelligence tasks are outsourced to a crowd of unknown people ("workers") as an open call (e.g., on Amazon's Mechanical Turk). Crowd-sourcing has become immensely popular with hoards of employers ("requesters"), who use it to solve a wide variety of jobs, such as dictation transcription, content screening, etc. In order to achieve quality results, requesters often subdivide a large task into a chain of bite-sized subtasks that are combined into a complex, iterative workflow in which workers check and improve each other's results. This paper raises an exciting question for AI — could an autonomous agent control these workflows without human intervention, yielding better results than today's state of the art, a fixed control program? We describe a planner, TurKontrol, that formulates workflow control as a decision-theoretic optimization problem, trading off the implicit quality of a solution artifact against the cost for workers to achieve it. We lay the mathematical framework to govern the various decisions at each point in a popular class of workflows. Based on our analysis we implement the workflow control algorithm and present experiments demonstrating that TurKontrol obtains much higher utilities than popular fixed policies.
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text:
We roll out the red carpet for dignitaries and celebrities, but what about World War II fighters plane that need to land in battlefields without airstrips? For them, the Army rolled out the burlap:
A FACTOR in Allied victories on the Western Front has been the availability of airstrips for our fighters directly behind the battle lines.
Thanks to a new type of mat which resembles tar paper, Army engineers have been able to lay these emergency fields in recordbreaking time. When a location suitable for an airfield has been rolled and graded, a device known as a "stamplicker," towed by a truck, rolls over it strips of burlap material called "Hessian Mat." These rolls are 100 yards long and 36 inches wide. As they pass through the rollers of the stamplicker, which is towed at a speed between 2-1/2 and 4 miles per hour, they are coated with a 50-50 solution of gasoline and asphalt, called "RC-3 cutback."
The strips are laid with a 50 percent overlap and their seams are sealed with a special tar compound, the resultant surface having about the same non-skid properties as an asphalt highway.
Modern Mechanix has more on this modern marvel, as published in the Jun 1945 issue of Mechanix Illustrated: Link


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IUCN Pangani project: case study in TEEB report
04 August 2011 | News story
The Pangani River Basin Management Project, implemented by IUCN and partners, has recently been included as a case study in the TEEB report. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study is a major international initiative drawing attention to the global economic benefits of biodiversity.
The Pangani case study was included in the TEEB report to highlight the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and to draw together expertise from the field to enable practical actions.
"The Pangani project highlights the importance of environmental flow assessments and economic analysis of ecosystem services for improving the management of the river basin, while at the same time communicating greater lessons in the value and contribution of ecosystems and biodiversity to human wellbeing" said Katharine Cross, Water and Wetlands Programme Coordinator Ad interim for East and Southern Africa.
In East Africa, the Pangani River Basin covers 44,000 km² and is home to 2,6 million people. Along its 500 km course from the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru to the Indian Ocean, the Pangani River is a lifeline for biodiversity, people and industry. The river provides ecosystem services that are fundamental for the economic development of the region.
Population growth and increasing pressure on land for economic use is leading to an over-exploitation of water resources, increasing demand and competition for water amongst different users and ecosystems. Furthermore, increasing loss and degradation of forests and wetlands in the basin increases water-stress, robbing the basin of essential ecosystem services such as water purification and erosion control.
In a business-as-usual-scenario, the future of the basin to meet the needs of all stakeholders is in doubt. The need for a strategy for the sustainable management of water resources, forests, and wetlands across the entire Pangani River Basin led to the creation of the Pangani River Basin Management Project (PRBMP).
The Pangani Basin Water Board is implementing the project with technical assistance from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) and the local NGO PAMOJA. The project is financially supported by the IUCN Water & Nature Initiative, the Government of Tanzania, the European Commission through a grant from the EU-ACP Water Facility, and the Global Environment Facility through UNDP. The project has helped generate scientific information about the river basin and developed participatory forums open to all stakeholders in a bid to aid in decision-making and consensus-building for the sustainable management of the basin.
An Integrated Flow Assessment (IFA) shed light on the hydrology of the river basin, the flow related to nature and functioning of the river ecosystem, and the links between the ecosystem and the social and economic values of the river's resources. Information generated from the IFA was used to organize social, ecological and economic knowledge of the basin to aid future planning and management of its water resources. This was further achieved through the exploration of different scenarios and pathways, considering possible changes in water allocations to industry, agriculture, and ecosystems.
This IFA exercise demonstrated that all scenarios involved trade-offs, and that no single scenario was beneficial in terms of all three criteria – economic, social and ecological. However, useful recommendations were; improve efficiency of irrigation systems, optimize flow patterns for improving river health, and explore options around managing hydropower production which can improve environmental flows downstream. The focus now shifts to river basin stakeholders and the government to agree on a sustainable management strategy.
For more information, please contact:_EMAIL_


text:
Hiking TraIl nearby Cueva Basajaun-Etxea de Lanz natural area, in España and Lantz population.
The largest locality in the area is Doneztebe
, with a population of 1,506 persons, at a distance of 12.034 kilometers from the center of the map.
The nearest is Lantz
(0 persons), at a distance of
The following indicators give us an idea of the difficulty of the route:
- Trail length: 11.110 kilometers.
- Min height: 787 meters above sea level.
- Max height: 1,331 meters above sea level.
- Average height: 1,013 meters above sea level.
- Average slope uphill: 14.019 %.
- Average slope downhill: -15.154 %.
- Mathematical difficulty index: 34.718.