text:
Detect human presence/absence with the Infrared Human Sensor featuring the RL78/G10 low pin count, compact, low power general-purpose microcontroller.
This Infrared Human Sensor reference design detects human presence/absence using an infrared sensor, and turns on/off a high brightness LED automatically. It can be applied to a wide range of applications including office lights and automatic doors.
The infrared LED sending signal is controlled by Renesas' RL78/G10 MCU's timer array unit (TAU01), and the receiving signal is controlled by the timer array unit (TAU00) and external interrupt terminal (INTP0). When a person is detected, the high brightness LED will light up. Once the person leaves the detection area after 10 seconds, the LED will go off and the system will enter an infrared receiving signal STOP mode. RL78/G10 offers the lowest current consumption in the industry and is ideal for human sensing.
The Infrared Human Sensor solution features the RL78/G10 10-pin LSSOP general purpose microcontroller. The sensor is inexpensive and provides energy savings. It is ideal for temporary lighting in entrances, porches, stairs, and bathrooms. For example, when people approach, the bulb lights up, when they leave, the bulb goes out automatically.
- Demo board includes the RL78/G10 MCU
- Infrared detection function includes an infrared signal emitting circuit and an infrared receiving detection circuit
- In infrared detection status, the system executes the infrared signal emitting task and the infrared receiving detection task at the same time
- If a human body is detected, LED lighting is turned on for 10s; when the LED is ON, infrared detection stops. After 10s, the LED goes out. The system continues to detect whether the human body comes close or not according to the interval time controlled by a watchdog timer interrupt
- The system uses a 40kHz infrared carrier wave signal, to reduce interference
- When the system is idle, it enters infrared detection status every 400ms
Disclaimer: THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES ONLY. RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES (collectively, "Renesas") DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY. Renesas provides evaluation platforms and design proposals to help our customers to develop products. However, factors beyond Renesas' control, including without limitation, component variations, temperature changes and PCB layout, could significantly affect the product performance. It is the user's responsibility to verify the actual circuit performance.


Take the 2-minute tour ×
A recent puzzle blog post about finding three evenly spaced ones lead me to a stackoverflow question with a top answer that claims to do it in O(n lg n) time. The interesting part is that the solution involves squaring a polynomial, referencing a paper that describes how to do it in O(n lg n) time.
Now, multiplying polynomials is practically the same as multiplying numbers. The only real difference is the lack of carries. But... the carries can also be done in O(n lg n) time. For example:
 var value = 100; // = 0b1100100
 var inputBitCount = value.BitCount(); // 7 (because 2^7 > 100 >= 2^6)
 var n = inputBitCount * 2; // 14
 var lgn = n.BitCount(); // 4 (because 2^4 > 14 => 2^3)
 var c = lgn + 1; //5; enough space for 2n carries without overflowing
 // do apparently O(n log n) polynomial multiplication
 var p = ToPolynomialWhereBitsAreCoefficients(value); // x^6 + x^5 + x^2
 var p2 = SquarePolynomialInNLogNUsingFFT(p); // x^12 + 2x^11 + 2x^10 + x^8 + 2x^7 + x^4
 var s = CoefficientsOfPolynomial(p2); // [0,0,0,0,1,0,0,2,1,0,2,2,1]
 // note: s takes O(n lg n) space to store (each value requires at most c-1 bits)
 // propagate carries in O(n c) = O(n lg n) time
 for (var j = 1; j < c; j++)
 if (s[i].Bit(j))
 s[i + j].IncrementInPlace();
 // extract bits of result (in little endian order)
 var r = new bool[n];
 r[i] = s[i].Bit(0);
 // r encodes 0b10011100010000 = 10000
So my question is this: where's the mistake, here? Multiplying numbers in O(n lg n) is a gigantic open problem in computer science, and I really really doubt the answer would be this simple.
 - Is the carrying wrong, or not O(n lg n)? I've worked out that lg n + 1 bits per value is enough to track the carries, and the algorithm is so simple I'd be surprised if it was wrong. Note that, although an individual increment can take O(lg n) time, the aggregate cost for x increments is O(x).
 - Is the polynomial multiplication algorithm from the paper wrong, or have conditions that I'm violating? The paper uses a fast fourier transform instead of a number theoretic transform, which could be an issue.
 - Have a lot of smart people missed an obvious variant of the Schönhage–Strassen algorithm for 40 years? This seems by far the least likely.
I've actually written code to implement this, except for the efficient polynomial multiplication (I don't understand the number theoretic transform well enough yet). Random testing appears to confirm the algorithm being correct, so the issue is likely in the time complexity analysis.
share|improve this question
What is the complexity of IncrementInPlace? – Oliver Charlesworth Jan 18 '13 at 23:38
_USER_ I implemented it as for (var i = 0; ; i++) { bits[i] ^= true; if (bits[i]) break; }. The bottom bit flips every time, the next bit flips half the time, and so forth. I worked out the total cost of all increments to each coefficient to be O(lg n + _TAG_). _TAG_ is at most n across all coefficients, so it's fine, and we can pay lg n for each of the n coefficients, so it's fine as well. – Strilanc Jan 18 '13 at 23:45
(x^6 + x^5 + x^2)² = X^12 + 2*X^11 + X^10 + 2*X^8 + 2*X^7 + X^4 The polynomials you give in the comments are wrong. – Daniel Fischer Jan 19 '13 at 2:40
I'm not sure you can say "the next bit flips half the time, and so forth", the distribution of the carries isn't uniform, I think. – Daniel Fischer Jan 19 '13 at 3:35
Pretty sure you can do carries in an array like that in linear time. – tmyklebu Jan 19 '13 at 5:23
1 Answer 1
up vote 3 down vote accepted
The problem is that the SquarePolynomialUsingFFT step can't actually be done in O(n log(n)) time if n is the number of bits under either the word-RAM or the bit-RAM model. In the word-RAM model (i.e. common operations on log(n)-bit words have unit cost), you've just blown your n words into n log(n) words and then you doing an FFT that take O(n log2(n)) time. In the bit-RAM model (bit operations have unit cost), each operation in the FFT takes O(log n) time, so the whole FFT takes O(n log2(n)) time.
The magic in Schoenhage-Strassen is the clever recursive choice of rings over which the FFT is taken so that you don't get a further log(n) blowup, but only a log(log(n)) blowup. If you have k m-word ring elements (so that k*m = n), you only need O(m*k log(k)) time to do m FFT's in that ring. Then you have to compute k^2 related m-word convolutions if you do this, but that's cool; we can FFT (using a smaller ring) all k of the m-word ring elements in bulk, do the multiplication, and inverse-FFT back.
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Your Answer


text:
Food poverty - defined as the inability to access a nutritionally adequate diet - is a significant issue for many people on the island of Ireland.
Although the cost of healthy food is a major factor, the inability to access to a healthy diet is a complex issue that incorporates education, transport, literacy, culture and environmental planning. Food poverty is yet another outcome of broader determinants of health, such as poor housing, social exclusion and high crime.
With other stakeholders on the island, safefood is addressing the issue of food poverty through advocacy, building the evidence base and supporting community initiatives. Examples of this include:

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


Ultra High Vacuum Systems
Gamma Vacuum pumps: ultra-high vacuum technologies
The science of advanced vacuum
Ion pumps
How they work?
Titan Ion Pump
Titanium sublimation pumps
See how they operate
Titanium sublimation ion pump
Non-evaporable getter (NEG) pumps
How NEG operates?
NEG cartrige N200
DIGITEL SPC-NEG controller
Mechanical vibration eliminated
capture pumps have no moving parts. Vibration from moving parts and electrical noise is eliminated
High radiation tolerance
capture pumps are built with radiation tolerant materials in excess of 108 Gray. Connectors and cables are also built with radiation tolerant materials for years of continuous operation
High temperature tolerance
without any special consideration, capture pumps can be baked to 250 °C. Removing the magnets allows for hotter bakes up to 450 °C. Long hot bakes are critical to every UHV system
Regular maintenance eliminated
capture pumps require virtually no maintenance and avoid costly vacuum events because they are sealed from atmosphere, saving time, money and resources
Low initial operational costs
initial cost is typically less than comparable specifications of other types of vacuum pumps. They use minimal or no power for years of low cost operation


text:
Definition of folder
n. - One who, or that which, folds; esp., a flat, knifelike instrument used for folding paper. 2
The word "folder" uses 6 letters: D E F L O R.
Shorter words found within folder:
de del delf do doe doer dol dole dor dore ed ef el eld elf er fed feod fer fled floe foe fold for ford fore fro froe led lo lode lord lore od ode oe of old older ole or ore orle re red redo ref rod rode roe role rolf
List shorter words within folder, sorted by length
All words formed from folder by changing one letter
Browse words starting with folder by next letter

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Narrowing down GTF trace output
The General Trace Facility (GTF) in MVS is useful for identifying problems, but narrowing down GTF trace data can be daunting. This tip offers a how-to on narrowing down GTF trace output to simplify debugging.
MVS' General Trace Facility (GTF) is one of those tools that makes you glad to work on the mainframe. When started, a GTF trace can record all sorts of system events and provide detailed diagnostic data for those hard-to-find bugs. Of course, the formatted output is prodigious, which makes gleaning the nuggets of information necessary to debug the problem harder than finding a liquor store in Waco. However, a little REXX combined with a less-traditional debugging tool can help discover the gold from a GTF trace.
GTF traces for SVCs
One useful GTF feature is the ability to capture supervisor call (SVC) instructions that problem programs use to access system services. Imagine, for instance, we have response time problems because we suspect an application is issuing operating system waits instead of using CICS' application programming interface (API). A GTF trace for wait SVCs (SVC 1) will collect, among other things, the instruction addresses of the service call. The instruction addresses, combined with a dump of the region, can quickly pinpoint the program issuing the non-CICS waits.
Below are some sample parameters for GTF. Note that years ago GTF got its parameters from the console. You can see this historical context below, where "prompting" options (the ones that end in "P") do little else except tell GTF to expect the actual parameters later in the input stream. Thus, the SVCP parameter points to the SVC option listing the SVC numbers to be traced. Similarly, JOBNAMEP refers to JOBNAME to be traced.
Formatting the GTF trace
IBM's Interactive Problem Control System (IPCS) can format the raw GTF trace data. Pasted below is some sample output, where you can see lots of useful information about the circumstances under which something issued the WAIT.
**** GTF TRACING ENVIRONMENT ****
 Release: SP7.0.9 FMID: HBB7740 System name: SYSP
 CPU Model: 2097 Version: 00 Serial no. 015EFF
SVC..... 001 ASCB.... 00FC0880 CPU..... 0002 JOBNAME. CICSPROD OLD-PSW. 078D0001 95113178
 TCB..... 00A98E00 MODN.... DFHKETCB R15... F918ABD8 R0... 00000001 R1... 1E19D328
 PLIST... 1E19D328
 GMT-01/27/2010 18:27:46.321507 LOC-01/27/2010 12:27:46.321507
 SVC..... 001 ASCB.... 00FC0880 CPU..... 0001 JOBNAME. CICSPROD OLD-PSW. 078D0001 95112F3C
 TCB..... 00AF8680 MODN.... DFHKETCB R15... BE06CECE R0... 00000001 R1... EA99C000
 PLIST... _PHONE_ 000408B8 0022AB64 00054C8C 80054BE4
 GMT-01/27/2010 18:27:46.321775 LOC-01/27/2010 12:27:46.321775
Now we have a great pile of diagnostic information consisting of a dump and a GTF trace. The challenge is to separate legitimate waits executed by the CICS system code from the application issued SVCs. The brute force method would dictate going through each trace entry and matching Program Status Words (PSWs) with load modules in the CICS dump. That might take a while.
Boiling down GTF trace data with REXX and Excel
Fortunately, a little REXX that can convert GTF trace output into a command separated value (CSV) file suitable for importing into Excel. I included an example REXX program below.
/* REXX */
parse arg input
"del 'user01.gtfsvc.csv'" /* Delete and reallocate output file */
"alloc fi(csvout) da('user01.gtfsvc.csv') unit(sysda) space(15 15)",
 "track new catalog lrecl(60) blksize(18000) recfm(f b) release"
csvout.1 = "SVC,Job Name,PSW,TCB" /* Write column headers */
"execio 1 diskw csvout (stem csvout."
"EXECIO 1 DISKR gtfin (stem gtfin." /* Top of input loop */
do while(rc = 0)
 if index(gtfin.1, 'SVC.....') > 0 then, /* Beginning of an entry */
 firstWord = 2
 if word(gtfin.1, 1) = '1' then, /* Deal with page ejects */
 firstWord = 3
 svc = word(gtfin.1, firstWord) /* Get SVC, job name and PSW */
 jobname = word(gtfin.1, firstWord+6)
 psw = word(gtfin.1, firstWord + 8) ||'' || word(gtfin.1, firstWord+9)
 "EXECIO 1 DISKR gtfin (stem gtfin." /* Get next line for TCB address */
 if word(gtfin.1, 1) = '1' then, /* Again with the page ejects? */
 tcb = word(gtfin.1, 3)
 tcb = word(gtfin.1, 2)
 csvout.1 = svc || ',' || jobname || ',' || psw || ',' tcb
 "execio 1 diskw csvout (stem csvout." /* Build and write output */
 "EXECIO 1 DISKR gtfin (stem gtfin." /* Get next line */
queue /* It's all over, go home */
address tso
"execio * diskr gtfin (finis)"
"execio * diskW csvout (finis)"
"free fi(csvout)"
Disclaimer: This is "fair weather" sample code that may or may not work with your GTF report.
This script's one parameter is the name of a DD statement pointing to a dataset containing the GTF report. It writes the output CSV file to dataset userid.GTFSVC.CSV. The CSV output contains four columns, which include the SVC number, the job name, the PSW of the instruction that issued the SVC and the Task Control Block (TCB) of the thread. It writes the header labels as the first row in the CSV file.
Now it becomes a simple matter to import the CSV file into Excel. The resulting spreadsheet looks like this:
Click to enlarge.
Auto-filtering the spreadsheet gives us the ability to get a summary list of the columns. The auto-filter option appears in the Excel "Data" pull-down menu.
Once the spreadsheet is filtered, we can do things like click on the PSW header button and get a summary list of addresses that issued the wait SVC.
Click to enlarge.
Now, instead of wading through hundreds of trace entries, we have a list of five PSWs to check against the dump.
More ways to analyze GTF trace data
When I think of debugging, Excel doesn't usually spring to mind. However, its data analysis abilities make it a good secondary tool to make sense out of the blizzard of data produced by MVS. Other enhancements to this REXX might include capturing the trace timestamp or parameter list. The same principle may also be applied to other forms of GTF trace output.
Dig Deeper on IBM system z and mainframe systems


text:
Electrode Growth Next to an Insulator
Model ID: 10212
This example shows how to model secondary current distribution and electrode growth with a moving geometry. To avoid numerical instabilities, a seed layer is introduced in the initial geometry to obtain a right angle at the edge between the growing electrode and the insulator.
|Electrolyte potential (surface) and electrolyte current direction (arrows) at t=96 h.|


text:
This comprehensive inventory of essential skills initiatives aimed at First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples was developed through a collaboration between the Canadian Career Development Foundation, Employment and Social Development Canada's Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
The goal of the project is to gain a better understanding of the state of practice with respect to essential skills initiatives tailored to First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth and adults living in diverse communities throughout Canada and to share these insights and lessons learned with a larger community of practice. It also includes any identified factors, or markers of promising practice that contribute to an initiative's success.
In addition to the inventory, the website also includes case studies, a literature review, an evaluation toolkit and the list of markers – all to support and enhance practice in the field. Through the "Add to the Inventory" feature, the FIMESIP team invites program and resource developers to submit their essential skills initiatives so that the inventory can continue to grow.


text:
The Little Black Doll, The Three Golliwogs
Date: 1960s - 1970s
Artist: Enid Blyton (1897 - 1968)
Confronting Bodies: British libraries
Dates of Action: 1960s-1970s
Description of Artwork: Enid Blyton is known for her children's books that confront class, gender and racial issues. In The Little Black Doll (1937) her main character, Sambo, wants to be washed white, or pink, by the rain. In her book The Three Golliwogs (1944) the main characters are called Golly, Woggie and Nigger.
The Incident: Blyton is the world's most successful children's author to date, having published over 600 books between 1922 and 1967. Her books are said to be written from a middle-class perspective, containing heavy morals and strong purpose. During the 1960s and 1970s publishers began demanding that Blyton change her characters to fit the multicultural society that Britain boasted. Libraries removed her work from their shelves for her "political incorrectness" and alleged racism, classism and sexism. Some critics believed that her work was harmful to young readers.
Results of Incident: Blyton remains the world's most successful children's book writer. After the 1970s, libraries reintroduced her work to their shelves, except with changes. For example, the Golliwogs names were changed to Wiggie, Waggie and Wollie.
Source: Censorship, A World Encyclopedia, ed. D. Jones


all possible closed paths is classified as a conservative force". When the wind causes a windmill to rotate, the blades travel a closed path so the wind is a conservative force.
"For non-conservative forces, the mechanical energy that is lost (not conserved) has to go somewhere else, by conservation of energy. Usually the energy is turned into heat, for example the heat generated by friction. In addition to heat, friction also often produces some sound energy. The water drag on a moving boat converts the boat's mechanical energy into not only heat and sound energy, but also wave energy at the edges of its wake. These and other energy losses are irreversible because of the second law of thermodynamics." The windmills provide useful and usable energy - it is not 'lost' - which can grind flour and pump water etc. So wind is not a nonconservative force.
"Conservative Forces are reversible forces, meaning that the work done by a conservative force is recoverable, i.e. you can get out any work you put in or vise versa." Wind is a reversible force. Not only does the wind drive windmills but, for instance, you can electrically drive a windmill and produce wind. The wind is a reversible conservative force. use an electric fan and place a small windmill in the path of the wind. The windmill will begin to turn.
Saying that gravity cannot power a gravitywheel because it is a conservative force is incorrect. However this does not solve the problem of how to make it work for us but it does show that it is not impossible just because it is a conservative force.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Why is the number five so prominent in Johann Bessler's works?
I wasn't sure whether to place this on the Bessler forum or just put it here on my blog, and certainly previous experience has taught me that many people either deride the theories expressed or argue forcefully against them, but I hope to gather some more support to my own view. I know I tend to be in a minority when expressing my belief that Bessler's wheel was gravity-driven, even here, but perhaps it will help me if I give my thoughts an airing. Any way I'll probably post it on both because it seems to me to be too important to ignore.
Most people are aware of the ubiquity of the number 5 encoded in all of Bessler's publications and many don't see any significance other than perhaps a nod to some kind of mystery school teaching designed to hint at the inventor's knowledge of ancient wisdom. I don't believe that theory, I'm convinced that Bessler was passing on information.
I have always thought that there were two hard facts established about the internal workings of Bessler's wheel and one of them was that there were five mechanisms. The other was that the weights worked in pairs. All else is open to conjecture. But one certainty is that Bessler thought that this piece of information was extremely important and even encoded it in his name right from the moment he adopted the pseudonym, Orffyreus.
I believe that five mechanisms were required because for me there is no other sensible interpretation to be taken from the clues - the number five is indicated by both the numeral five in text and code and by the presence of the pentagram in the drawings. I cannot think of any other reason for its presence so here I try to understand why it's a necessity to a working wheel.
Five mechanisms would need the wheel to be divided into five equal parts of 72 degrees each. Although I understand the argument that even one or maybe two mechanisms should be enough to demonstrate the principle, I think more will be required to achieve a useful rate of rotation. Let's suppose that each mechanism only produces a mechanical advantage (or overbalance) once in each rotation; then each one must be able to produce it sufficiently to turn the wheel at least 72 degrees, but less than, say 90, otherwise four mechanisms might suffice. Maybe it can just about reach 90 degrees but perhaps that isn't enough to maintain rotation? There would have to be an overlap of mechanical advantage (or overbalance) for each mechanism in order to maintain rotation and the greater the overlap the faster the acceleration.
Bessler wrote that "one cross bar makes the machine revolve slowly, just as if it can hardly turn at all. But on the contrary when I arrange to have many crossbars, pulleys and weights, the machine revolves much faster". (from Apologia Poetica - published by John Collins). If the mechanical advantage (or overbalancing effect) only amounted to a little over 72 degrees, and this happened only once in a single rotation, and there was only one such mechanism on the wheel, then the rest of the turn would have to take place with the wheel in a condition of balance. One can see how such an arrangement would produce a wheel which could hardly turn. Two, three, or four mechanisms would have little different effect if the overbalance only amounted to just over 72 degrees as there would be no continuity between each mechanism's action. An overlap of overbalancing would be required and if the mechanisms can only achieve an overbalance for, say 80 degrees of any single rotation, then anything less than five mechanisms will result as Bessler has described.
But if five mechanisms were introduced, then with more than a 72 degree portion of the full rotation for each mechanism, you would get the required overlap and an accelerating and continuous rotation.
This argument presupposes that the reader accepts the possibility of a gravity driven wheel - as I do! ;-)
Monday, 24 October 2011
Bessler's defence statement
It has often been suggested that perhaps Bessler was not as innocent as he claimed, otherwise he would have done more to defend himself against the claims of the maid. Well he did, but the records of his defence are unpublished as yet.
On New Year's day in 1728, shortly after the maid's accusations were made, Bessler began writing a 60 page statement concerning the claims of his maid and others and answering all accusations with a strong and righteous defence. I have a copy which, unfortunately, is largely illegible (for me at least) as it is the version Bessler kept for his records. The clean copy is undergoing restoration currently and may not be available for some time to come.
The little I have been given reveals that he complains frequently about the 'evil maid' and also about a large group of conspirators who have acted against him. They include several of his first wife's in-laws, including his former mother-in-law, his sisters-in-law and their husbands and other hangers on. His father-in-law was dead and therefore his wife was left to her own devices and she had little or no money and so she headed for Kassel to ingratiate herself with her daughter, Barbara, who unfortunately died in May 1726. Apparently the mother-in-law, also called Barbara, tried to manipulate Bessler to her financial advantage. His official title of Commercial Councellor gave him access to a number of schemes, some of the funding of which, she tried to divert for her own purposes. It seems that the accusations of the maid may well have been instigated by Barbara senior in an effort to threaten/blackmail Bessler into giving in to her coercions.
If this seems unlikely, remember that the maid had already served two prison sentences - and Barbara senior was the subject of a thirteen year long investigation into an infanticide in which herself, her maid and two of her daughters was involved. The legal investigators had been searching for the maid who was 'lost', and it is suggested that with Barabara senior's husband's death and therfore the withdrawal of his protection as Mayor of their towm she had to flee, and so she headed for the maid's home and her recently deceased daughter. The baby in question might have been Bessler's, conceived on an earlier visit, but there is no evidence yet to prove or disprove that possibility.
I look forward to the day when the cleaned document is available and we can at last get the other side of the story.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Johann Bessler's Hydrostatic balance.
In 1720 Johann Bessler is recorded as having made a hydrostatic balance for Johann Adam Cass. I have included a picture of it, as it still exists in the Landesmuseum in Kassel. I don't know how much of the whole instrument was down to Bessler, but looks well made.
This picture is from a book written by Henri Michel, called "Scientific Instruments in Art and History" Viking 1967. He writes:-
"The balance shown here was made in 1720, by Johann Ernst Elias Bessler (1680- 1745), (known as Orffyreus, and notorious for his "Wheel" or perpetual motion machine) for the military engineer Johann Adam Cass of Kassel".
There is also a picture of the same instrument in "Die Naturwissenschaftlich-Technischesammlung" by Ludolf Von Mackensen (Kassel: George Wenderloth Verlag, 1991).
It will be recalled that Johann Adam Cass was a witness and one of the signatories and chief examiner of the Gera wheel. It seems that he moved to Kassel shortly after Bessler, to be in charge of military engineering there there.
In 1720 Cass published a book called "Neu verbesserter Ingenieur" which means "New Advanced Engineering", In 1722 he published "Nouveau corrige ou par des demostrations guide de l'ingenieur à la veritable mathematique",meaning


text:
C-STEM Teacher of the Year recognizes C-STEM teachers for their exceptional contributions in teaching computing, integrating computing into STEM subjects, and inspiring students to pursue careers and post-secondary study in C-STEM fields. Award recipients are selected by the C-STEM Awards Committee consisting of the university faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
- Nominees must be teachers teaching C-STEM subjects in K-12 schools with an annual C-STEM subscription.
- Nominees must be actively participating in the C-STEM program, including advising student teams for RoboPlay Challenge Competition on C-STEM Day.
- Nominees have not received this award in the past.
- Evidence on excellence in computing and STEM education, especially on integration of computing into STEM education.
- Presents concepts in fun and exciting ways.
- Inspire students of different backgrounds and abilities to learn.
- Have the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues.
- Play an active and useful role in school and extracurricular activities.
- Nominees need to attend the C-STEM Annual Conference in person to receive the award.
Nominations for the 2017 Awards are due by September 28, 2018. The application is available for download as a PDF HERE.
If selected, the conference registration fee will be waived. Nominees will however need to provide their own travel and lodging accommodations.
For more information, please contact:
Phone: _PHONE_


text:
Having four feet; of or pertaining to a quadruped.
Using four legs for locomotion.
A locomotory style that involves the use of all four limbs.
Locomoting on four feet.
Walking on all four limbs.
walking on four legs.
The collective name given to land dwelling creatures which walk on all four legs.


§ 3-401. SIGNATURE.
(a) A person is not liable on an instrument unless (i) the person signed the instrument, or (ii) the person is represented by an agent or representative who signed the instrument and the signature is binding on the represented person under Section 3-402.
(b) A signature may be made (i) manually or by means of a device or machine, and (ii) by the use of any name, including a trade or assumed name, or by a word, mark, or symbol executed or adopted by a person with present intention to authenticate a writing.


text:
[PPS06-P07] Examination of potential microphysical drivers of NIR emitted radiance variations on the Venus night side
Keywords:Venus, Akatsuki, Meteorology, Atmosphere
In a separate work, I had shown that plausible changes in microphysical properties produce observable variations in the distribution of the cloud mass and cloud particle sizes. Most notably, a two-regime quasi-steady state cloud was found in the simulations. The most notable difference between the two regimes was the presence and absence of a 1-2 km thick cloud layer near cloud base. This layer bears some similarity to the intermittently observed lower cloud deck between 48-50 km that is believed to be responsible for much of the observed NIR radiance emission on the night side of Venus. Here, I calculate the radiance variations that these changes can produce, specifically considering the spectral ranges observable using the Akatsuki IR2 camera and its associated filters.


Industrial revolution
 - Eli Whitney
 Eli Whitney
 Eli Whitney was born on december 8th in westbro Massachusets and died on January 8th 1825.
 - invented to cotton gin
 invented to cotton gin
 What cause him to invent the cotton gin was to sell cotton faster and clen it faster. the invention impacted america by being able to clean sell and produce cotton.
 - Cotton gin today
 Cotton gin today
 today to cotton gin is not used by people now its a machine and still does the same thing, and probally less dangerous.


text:
DooBlockPatterns Wordpress Plugin - Rating, Reviews, Demo & Download
Create custom block patterns. The patterns can be designed just like you design a blog post or a page with the block editor.
You can assign any category or keywords.
- Create custom patterns from one or more blocks in the post editor
- Group your patterns in categories
- Optionally add any keywords or aliases that help users discover it while searching in the inserter
- Create custom pattern categories
- Set a viewport width to optimize the scaled width of the preview in the block inserter
- Add an optional hidden text if the title does not fully describe what the pattern does.
- Locate and click on the 'Doo Block Patterns' menu item in the sidebar admin menu.
- Click on the 'Add New' button.
- Give your pattern a name.
- Start writing or choose any blocks you want to be part of your pattern.
- Publish the pattern.
- Go to a test post or page and locate your pattern in the Block Inserter under the pattern tab and click on it.
- The block pattern will now be added to your page. All contained blocks are now independent of the original pattern and can be edited as any regular block.


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Adapted Living
Students with learning disabilities and other challenges benefit by practicing adaptive behavior skills. Adaptive behavior refers to the age-appropriate behaviors that people with and without learning disabilities need to live independently and to function well in daily life. Adaptive behaviors include real-life skills such as grooming, getting dressed, avoiding danger, safe food handling, following school rules, managing money, cleaning, and making friends. Adaptive behavior also includes the ability to work, practice social skills, and take personal responsibility.


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Contact: Stephanie Burns
BMJ-British Medical Journal
Are we hard-wired to follow celebrity medical advice?
Food for thought: Following celebrities' medical advice: Meta-narrative analysis
Celebrities can generate a large amount of publicity for health campaigns. For example, Michael J Fox's foundation has raised over $350 million for Parkinson's research and singer Sir Elton John's charity has raised more than $300 million to fight HIV/AIDs.
But their efforts are not always helpful. Sometimes the advice given by celebrities conflicts with recommendations from health professionals and research evidence and poses a public health hazard. Examples include former Playboy model Jenny McCarthy's incorrect messages about vaccines causing autism; Katie Couric's recent alarmist coverage of the HPV vaccine; and TV broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson claiming that "if you can pee against a wall from two feet, you haven't got it [prostate cancer]."
Researchers from McMaster University in Canada looked at how celebrities gain credibility as medical advisors and why the public can fall under their influence when making important health decisions. They analysed economic, marketing, psychology and sociology studies from 1806 to the present day.
The researchers give several explanations for how celebrities gain credibility as medical advisors.
One explanation is "herding", which is people's natural tendency to make decisions based on what others have done in similar situations.
Another explanation is celebrities' "halo effect" which, as the researchers say, gives celebrities a "cloak of generalised trustworthiness which extends well-beyond their industry or expertise". Wanting to follow in their favourite celebrities' footsteps, consumers ignore other information and instead imitate the celebrity's health choices.
Celebrities also portray themselves as having an authentic connection to the product or behaviour they are promoting. So are perceived as having greater credibility than their non-celebrity counterparts, despite having less medical knowledge and experience.
Another theory explaining celebrities' influence is that consumers want to purchase "social capital" from celebrities by acquiring their products, mimicking their lifestyles and taking their medical advice. For people seeking to raise their social status, one strategy is to imitate celebrity behaviours. Furthermore, consumers have a "self esteem motive" as they follow advice from celebrities who match how they want to perceive themselves and feel like they can become more like their favourite celebrity by purchasing products they have endorsed.
The study says health professionals can counter celebrities' negative influences by speaking to their patients about the validity of celebrity advice and cement themselves as sources of reputable health information. "We need to rethink and better understand where people obtain their health information and what makes them act upon it," said Hoffman. "Understanding why people follow celebrities' medical advice represents a good start."


Weather Stations - Edwards Aquifer Authority
Weather Stations
Hover over and click on the yellow location indicator and a pop up window appears with station identification information. Click on See Measurements for the latest conditions and data. The ArcGIS online map is located here.
Predicting Edwards Aquifer Recharge Using Potential Evapo-Transpiration (PET) Values
The EAA, with its partners (including Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, Bandera River Authority and Groundwater District, the Nueces River Authority, Cibolo Nature Center, Bat Conservation International), and private landowners, is developing a network of weather stations in our shared region. Since some water loss is due to evapo-transpiration (ET) after precipitation events, as such, ET is a valuable tool for improving recharge estimates and managing groundwater resources.
This shared network of weather stations collects climatic and soil moisture data that can be applied to calculate ET values at numerous locations throughout the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and Contributing Zone. These data are collected every 15 minutes, and transmitted hourly through a telemetry network, available to the public through this EAA web page. Parameters collected at the weather stations are:
 1. Air Temperature
 2. Relative Humidity
 3. Barometric Pressure
 4. Precipitation
 5. Solar Radiation
 6. Dew Point
 7. Wind Direction
 8. Wind Speed
 9. Soil Moisture
Climatic data from of the weather stations aids in our understanding of how, when, and where the Aquifer recharges, and may be incorporated into numerical models that are used to support management of the Edwards Aquifer.


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3. Color - color diagram
From data in Tables 3 and 4, after the IRAS fluxes are transformed into magnitudes without color corrections according to Cheeseman et al. (1989), different infrared color-color diagrams can be plotted: () - () in Fig. 1; () - () in Fig. 2; () - () in Fig. 3 and () - () in Fig. 4. In those figures, the open and filled circles indicate S stars with and without Tc, respectively, and the straight line corresponds to the blackbody distribution.
It is obvious from Fig. 1 that although samples with Tc distribute in a rather wider area than the ones without Tc, both species are basically located in almost the same region. These distributions imply that, statistically, both categories of S stars have almost the same colors and temperatures in the near infrared, and they can not be clearly distinguished on the basis of their near infrared color.
It is shown from () - () diagram in Fig. 2 that a rather clear segregation between Tc-rich and Tc-deficient S stars is visible by different but not by except for a peculiar Tc-deficient star DY Gem (it will be discussed in more detail later). This implies that the color is a good probe for distinguishing these two kinds of S stars, and Tc-rich S stars really exhibit on infrared excess in the 12 µm and 25 µm bands. They have cooler temperature and hence are probably more evolved. On the other hand, Tc-deficient stars have no or little excess in the 12 µm and 25 µm bands which indicates a photospheric origin of the mid-infrared flux. It is also noted that a few Tc-rich S stars including NQ Pup, Ori, Cyg and HR Peg populate the same region as Tc-deficient S stars as Jorissen et al. (1993) already pointed out. In addition, it is seen from Table 4 or Fig. 2 that Tc-deficient S stars with good quality 60 µm flux are not numerous (only 7, out of 20 in Table 4). Therefore, other colors not involving 60 µm flux must be used to show their infrared property.
In order to include more samples than that in Fig. 2, the () - () diagram is plotted in Fig. 3 from which it is obviously seen that except for DY Gem and V Cnc (they will be discussed later), Tc-deficient S stars are concentrated on a very small region of and, and very close to the blackbody line, whereas almost all Tc-rich S stars are out of this region, far away from the blackbody line, and spread over a much wider area that corresponds to a much larger infrared excess either in or in colors, hence with much lower temperature and much higher mass loss. Only four stars: Ori, NQ Pup, HD 170970 and V679 Oph are located in the Tc-deficient sample region. This suggests that both and are good probes to distinguish Tc-deficient S stars from Tc-rich ones.
The () - () diagram is also plotted for the two kinds of S stars in Fig. 4. Again except for DY Gem and V Cnc, most Tc-deficient S stars can be separated from Tc-rich ones with color, but not with color. It should be noted that the () color has been used in Figs. 3 and 4, although the observational results in K and 25 µm were not obtained at the same epoch. From the previous observations in K (Gezari et al. 1993) it is found that, on the average, the difference between the previous data and the new ones is 0.22. This has no serious influence on the result shown in Fig. 3. However, the similar comparison is not possible for samples in Fig. 4 for lack of earlier data.
The conclusion that can be drawn out from the analysis of infrared color-color diagrams mentioned above is that the more sensitive colors for segregating Tc-rich and Tc-deficient S stars are and, hence the more appropriate color-color diagram for distinguishing them is the () - () diagram. Chen et al. (1995) gave more than 700 IRAS associations of S stars in their Table 1, but more than 2/3 of the samples have no good 60 µm flux. If one wants to extract candidates of Tc-deficient S stars according to their infrared colors, only color is not enough. Fortunately, if K magnitudes have been measured, by using the () - () diagram the candidates of Tc-deficient S stars can be well selected despite the absence of 60 µm flux for almost all samples.
© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1998
Online publication: April 20, 1998


Comprehensive software reviews to make better IT decisions
Don't Assume Payroll Is Your Highest BC/DR Priority
Workarounds and buffers in the payroll cycle make it far less time-sensitive than most organizations think. Payroll is often automatically labeled as Tier 1 in BC/DR planning, and mistakenly given a higher priority than other truly time-sensitive services (e.g. customer-facing services).
Most organizations can tolerate a day of downtime and still execute an accurate payroll run, so high availability (HA) is not required. Furthermore, even if your normal payroll can't be executed, there are workarounds to ensure at least base salaries are paid, limiting the impact.
Ensure you are clear on the following before assuming payroll can't tolerate any downtime:
 - Payroll time-sensitivity
 - Workarounds to reduce payroll risk
 - Criteria for assessing criticality
We'll look at these issues from the perspective of a Financial Services organization, but the same concepts are true for most industries.
Clarify Time-Sensitivity in Your Payroll Process
Document and review your payroll process to identify time-sensitive steps. Typically, the most time-sensitive step is the actual creation, review/approval, and submission of the payroll file. Clarify how much leeway you have. For example:
 - Typically payroll files are submitted Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, and payment goes out end of day Thursday (to show up Friday in bank accounts).
 - The net result is most organizations have a 24-hour window (e.g. Wednesday morning to Thursday morning) to recover from a payroll disruption. HA is not required.
 - If you have other services where impact is felt more immediately (again, consider client-facing services), they need to be prioritized higher both in terms of recovery order and disaster recovery (DR) investment (e.g. invest in HA for your phone system if that is core to customer service and sales before investing in HA for your payroll system).
Similarly, consider other time-sensitive steps, such as submission of timesheets and payroll adjustments (e.g. salary changes, bonuses awarded). For example:
 - Timesheets (or equivalent) might be due on Friday, which allows time on Monday to process changes and review exceptions.
 - If time collection was delayed to Monday due to a Friday outage, can that delay be absorbed?
 - Also consider adjusting your process (e.g. alter your deadline for time entry and payroll adjustments).
Formalize Workarounds to Further Reduce Payroll Risk and Time-Sensitivity
Every organization I've worked with has been able to identify a workaround, but it needs to be formalized, tested, and pre-approved to avoid delays and mistakes in executing those workarounds.
Work with your Finance team to identify what fits your requirements. Below are a few examples:
Workaround 1: Create and maintain a base payroll file as a stop-gap.
This ensures all staff receive at least their base pay. For part-time staff, use the average hours worked. Alternatively, allocate the upper-end of the range of hours worked by part-time staff to err on the side of overpayment.
Workaround 2: Modify base payroll file to get closer to an accurate payroll run.
This option works in conjunction with Workaround 1, but takes it a step further if possible depending on the nature of the outage. The goal here would be to resolve the most problematic issues to minimize goodwill impact with staff and reconciliation efforts for next payroll. For example, remove part-time staff who did not work that pay period.
Workaround 3: Instruct your bank (or payroll service provider) to re-run the same payroll file from the previous pay period.
This is the easiest option and ensures staff are paid a reasonable (if not accurate) salary, but is also potentially the most problematic as it does not allow for adjustments and variability week to week. Potential issues include:
 - Casual or part-time staff whose hours might vary greatly.
 - Variable compensation (bonuses, commission, etc.).
 - Salary adjustments due to promotions.
For all of the above workarounds, be prepared to:
 - Work with your bank (or payroll service provider) to clarify options and limitations (e.g. options for submitting a payroll file late, or making adjustments after submission).
 - If you have to execute a workaround, communicate payroll status and the plans to reconcile discrepancies (e.g. that staff will only receive base pay, and when/how discrepancies will be resolved).
 - Manage exceptions:
 - Give managers the ability to escalate potential issues (e.g. an employee who counts on their monthly commission check to pay their mortgage).
 - Clarify the process for approving and providing direct payments (e.g. hand-writing checks) where necessary to manage exceptions.
 - Reconcile discrepancies. This includes tracking actual payments made, plus ensuring that recovering payroll data (e.g. timesheet entries) is part of your disaster recovery plan (DRP) so that discrepancies can be identified and resolved.
Conduct a Business Impact Analysis to Assess Criticality
Payroll is a great example of why organizations need to conduct a business impact analysis (BIA) to determine criticality, rather than go by gut feel. Conduct a BIA to ensure payroll is properly ranked based on impact and time-sensitivity:
 - Financial/cost (e.g. inability to sell services: consider peak times such as RRSP season).
 - Goodwill or reputational impact (e.g. frustration over service delays, especially if there is also a cost impact for the customer due to delays processing investment requests).
 - Legal/regulatory compliance impact (e.g. delays in providing compliance reports).
 - Health and safety impact. For a Financial Services organization, this is typically not a relevant criteria. However, more-general examples might include impact on services that provide personal safety/security (e.g. for a university, this would include impact on campus security services such as patrols and security cameras).
For payroll disruptions, the impact is indirect (e.g. staff are upset about delays in pay or inaccurate pay, and that can affect job performance; however, ask yourself if staff in your organization would actually walk out and risk their careers over a one-day pay delay). Furthermore, some downtime can be incurred before there is any impact, and that impact can be mitigated by implementing workarounds.
 - Document and review your payroll process to better understand tolerance for downtime.
 - Identify and implement workarounds that fit your requirements.
 - Conduct a BIA to ensure payroll is properly ranked in your list of BC/DR planning priorities.
Bottom Line
Don't assume payroll is your highest priority for DR and business continuity. Yes, people need to be paid, but most payroll processes can tolerate downtime. Furthermore, workarounds can reduce payroll downtime risk without implementing an expensive HA solution.
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Case Study: Practical, Right-Sized DRP
Create a Right-Sized DRP
Document and Maintain Your Disaster Recovery Plan
Reduce Costly Downtime Through DR Testing
Develop a Business Continuity Plan
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text:
An excerpt from _URL_ archives copyright © 2000 - 2013
Where did the Spanish Tolomeo family come from? What is the Spanish Tolomeo family crest and coat of arms? When did the Tolomeo family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Tolomeo family history?
Spelling variations of this family name include: Toliba, Toledo, Tolomella, Tolomeo, Toli, Tolido and many more.
First found in Castile, in north central Spain.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tolomeo research. Another 434 words(31 lines of text) covering the years 1514, 1515, 1553, 1584, and 1587 are included under the topic Early Tolomeo History in all our PDF Extended History products.
Another 32 words(2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tolomeo Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.
Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Diego De Toledo who immigrated to Venezuela in 1534.
The Tolomeo Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Tolomeo Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.
This page was last modified on 23 September 2010 at 15:37.
houseofnames.com is an internet property owned by Swyrich Corporation.


text:
Over 2000 terms commonly used by registered nurses (RN) are defined and categorized in this handy mobile reference and flashcard application. Kaplan's Medical Terms for Nurses is designed to help you learn important terms you will need in both the workplace and for licensure exams. With this application you can quickly scroll through terms to find a definition, use the search feature, or study and test your knowledge with flashcards.
Kaplan Medical Terms for Nurses includes:
- alphabetical listing of all terms for ready reference
- study sets grouped into seven categories: anatomical, conditions & diseases, equipment, medications, signs & symptoms, tests & treatments, and an other category
- phonetic pronunciation of each term
The Medical Terms for Nurses App is designed as a mobile reference and learning tool. The application works in two modes; Reference and Flashcards.
Reference mode includes the ability to:
- Scroll alphabetically through the terms
- Search for a specific term including terms within a definition. For example, search on catheter to find names of the different types.
- Easy text scrolling makes learning complex information more manageable
Flashcards mode include the ability to:
- Study a category or take a quiz to test your knowledge -- you decide
- Try multiple choice to try and match one of four definitions to the appropriate term
- Reverse the question & answer side of the flashcard to match the term instead
- Test your knowledge in quiz mode
- Hide or show the score panel to track your progress and hone your study goals
- 5 star performance scoring -- to track your improvement!
- Star a card and put it in your own card set
- Set the font size you prefer makes it easier on the eyes
* About the Author: Janet Duffey is Assistant Professor of Nursing at Napa Valley College (Napa Valley, CA). She teaches medical terminology to nursing students and contributed to the 19th edition of Taber's Medical Dictionary. She has spoken frequently at nursing conferences.
* Medical Terms for Nurses is designed to be used for self study and test preparation purposes only. The publisher is not responsible for use of this application in any manner other than its intended purpose as a study guide.


text:
Skip to Main Content
This paper describes and compares several practical equalization schemes for space-time-coded transmissions over broadband wireless channels. For space-time trellis codes (STTCs), we describe and compare two reduced-complexity trellis-based joint equalization and decoding schemes whose performance is further optimized by a front-end finite-impulse response (FIR) channel-shortening prefilter. For space-time block codes, we describe and compare three joint equalization and decoding schemes based on a block-level implementation of the well-known Alamouti scheme either in the time or frequency domains. We consider the third-generation time division multiple access (TDMA) cellular system known as Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) and recommend a promising equalization scheme for space-time trellis-coded and for Alamouti-type space-time block-coded dual-antenna transmissions based on simulation results for typical urban channel conditions where the delay spread is few symbol periods.
Date of Publication: Oct 2002


Police Unions in the US
To gain a comprehensive overview of police unions in the US, specifically to understand the history of police unions in the US and how they differ from other unions, the composition of police unions in the US, and what supporters and critics of police unions are saying in light of recent civil unrest and demands for police reform.
Early Findings
History of Police Unions in the US
 - The first move to form police unions started after World War I with the issuing of charters to the police in 30 cities by the American Federation of Labor. However, the move was condemned by police chiefs who countered by saying that unionism is a semi-military pursuit and incompatible with policing.
 - With the country's inflation rate at a high due to its participation in the World War and the salaries of the police unable to keep pace with the inflation, the policemen were unhappy with their police chiefs who had prevented them from joining the union. This culminated in the Boston Police Strike of 1919 when 80% of the city's police force went on strike to protest against their police commissioner.
 - The strike was ended due to the intervention of the Governor Calvin Coolidge who sent the entire Massachusetts militia to break the strike. By 1920, all unofficial police unions were made defunct.
 - The second campaign to form police unions occurred during World War II when rising inflation and lower salaries caused policemen to unionize. However, this too was crushed by the police chiefs and elected officials.
 - Even though the official police unions were disbanded, several benevolent and fraternal organizations survived that looked after the well-being of policemen unofficially. Getting support from these organizations, rank-and-file officers increased their lobbying to form police unions.
 - The increased lobbying, changed leadership within the police forces, and the Black Ghetto riots of the early-1960s forced the police chiefs and elected officials to look at the situation differently in order not to alienate the policemen. This resulted in a major victory for the policemen in New York City in 1964. Other major jurisdictions followed this closely.
 - The last major step towards unionization of the police came during the early 1970s when the fraternal and benevolent organizations were transformed into labor unions. The police unions finally gained the recognition of their police chiefs and other elected officials.
How Police Unions are Similar to or Different From Other Unions
 - While labor unions are formed for protecting the rights of workers, police unions have labor contracts that prevent law enforcement agencies from interrogating or firing officers after acts of misconduct. In this way, police unions are similar to labor unions.
 - However, unlike labor unions that penalize their members for egregious acts of misconduct, police unions seldom admit when their members have made a mistake and try to protect the guilty members at all cost. This has led to mass protest against police officers and police unions for defending their guilty members.
 - Due to the contractual laws of the police unions that prevent law enforcement agencies from interrogating or punishing police officers accused of acts of misconduct, police unions can reject citizen review boards for allegations of misconduct, allowing police officers to purge their disciplinary records. Thus, police union contracts create barriers to accountability.
 - Another article states that police unions are just as guilty as other public-sector unions, including the teachers' union, since these unions do not serve the public well that pays their bills.
Proposed next steps:


text:
Leticia M. Vacek, TRMC/MMC
Present & Past
The City of San Antonio's official flag was designed in 1935 by William Herring, deputy commander of the
Texas Department of United War Veterans. Herring designed the flag for the national convention of the United Spanish
War Veterans being held in San Antonio that year. The original design featured the Alamo superimposed in the center
of a white Lone Star of Texas. The Lone Star shined from a field of one-half blue, representing loyalty, and one-half
crimson red, which represents the blood that courses through the veins of every loyal Texan. Originally, the words
"San Antonio" and "Texas" were printed across the top and bottom of the flag.
City commissioners unofficially adopted the flag in 1935 and two copies were made, one for City Hall and the other
for the Chamber of Commerce. However, no action was taken to formally adopt the flag's design until 1976. In
1992, the City was informed that it was no longer acceptable to have words on a flag.


Action Games
Chubby Bunny Game
Summary: A hilarious action game that involves stuffing marshmallows in your mouth and trying to yell, "Chubby Bunny!"
Ages: 10 and up. Recommended number of players: 3 and up. Messiness factor: Have a trash can and paper towels ready for a marshmallow mess. Materials required: A few bags of medium to large sized marshmallows.
Chubby Bunny
Chubby Bunny is a simple yet hilarious game that involves adding marshmallows to players' mouths, one at a time, and getting players to yell the words "Chubby Bunny."
How to play: Have three or more players go to the front of the room. Have paper towels or a large trash can ready, as this game can end up being a bit messy. Open up a bag of medium to large sized marshmallows. Give a marshmallow to each player, and have them insert it into their mouth. Do not let them chew or swallow the marshmallow. After each player has inserted a marshmallow in their mouth, each player takes turns screaming, "Chubby Bunny!"
If each person is successful in yelling the words with the marshmallow in their mouth, they survive and continue playing the game. Give each player another marshmallow. They must insert this marshmallow and yell "Chubby Bunny!" again. This process continues, and each player's mouth will start to become full of marshmallows. As long as the player can yell "Chubby Bunny" successfully without losing any marshmallows out of their mouth, they keep playing. When a person is unable to yell "Chubby Bunny," they are out of the game.
Warning: Be careful! This game can lead to choking if improperly played. Always supervise players. Safety first!
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Rotisserie Grilling Sample: Charcoal vs Gas
It's I wrote a Cookbook week on DadCooksDinner!
To whet your whistle, here's a sample section from Rotisserie Grilling. I let my inner food geek run wild, and explore the science of rotisserie. Enjoy!
—Start Excerpt—
Sidebar: Charcoal vs. Gas
The cheapest charcoal grill browns meat better than most gas grills. Why?
Warning! Science content ahead. If you want to skip it, the summary is: Meat browns as meat juices are exposed to heat and evaporate. Dry heat browns better than wet heat because the extra water has to evaporate before the meat will start to brown. Burning charcoal is dry heat. Burning gas releases water, making wet heat. Therefore, charcoal browns meat better than gas.
Starting science content. My wife, the high school chemistry teacher, made sure I have the science correct. She says you better not skip ahead. There will be a quiz.
Why is dry heat better than wet heat? The Maillard reaction.
The Maillard reaction occurs when sugars and amino acids are exposed to heat in a dry environment; the result is browning and the release of water. "The result is browning" is shorthand for complex chemical interactions that scientists are still figuring out. The sugars caramelize, interact with the amino acids, and produce all sorts of flavor compounds. Those flavor compounds are what make the browned crust on a roast so delicious.
Meat is full of protein fibers and meat juices. When meat is cooked, the heat tightens the muscle fibers, and they squeeze juices out of the meat. The meat juices are full of sugars and amino acids, and when they reach the surface of the meat, they are exposed to heat. That starts the Maillard reaction. As the juices brown, they release more water. That extra water slows down the Maillard reaction until it evaporates, and browning starts again.
Water prevents browning. Meat needs to be cooked at 350°F or higher to evaporate the water fast enough to keep the browning reaction going, and higher temperatures are better. Boiled meat is gray, without any browning at all, because it is covered with water. This is why recipes recommend patting food dry before cooking; any extra water slows down browning until it evaporates.
Now we get to charcoal versus gas. (Finally!)
Charcoal is wood heated in an oxygen free environment. When all the water in the wood has evaporated, you are left with carbon. When carbon is burned, it produces heat, carbon dioxide, and a little carbon monoxide. That's our dry heat – no water.
Gas is either propane or methane (also known as natural gas). When gas is burned, it produces heat, carbon dioxide, and water. That water is the problem – it needs to be evaporated by the heat of the grill before the Maillard reaction will start.
Now for the good news: a rotisserie helps browning, whether you use gas or charcoal. Escaping juices roll around the surface of the meat, spreading the sugars and amino acids so the Maillard reaction can do its thing. Yes, a charcoal grill with a rotisserie browns better than a gas grill with a rotisserie. But, a gas grill with a rotisserie browns about as well as a charcoal grill without a rotisserie. If you have a gas grill, don't give up – the rotisserie will still help.
End Science content. You can keep reading now.
If you want a gas grill that browns as well as a charcoal grill, you need more heat, to help evaporate the extra water. This means more burners, especially infrared burners, which do a great job of generating heat. But that makes the grill more expensive. It's tough to beat a cheap kettle grill filled with charcoal.
Don't get me wrong; I use both charcoal and gas grills. In a perfect world, I would use charcoal all the time. However…gas grills are so convenient. They're easy to light and provide constant, even heat as long as you don't run out of gas. There are no worries about charcoal burning down and cooling off; there's no need to add extra coals every hour. In the middle of February, when every trip to the grill involves shoveling snow, I love that extra convenience.
—End of excerpt—
The book:
Rotisserie Grilling by Mike Vrobel
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How to Clean The Cookies from Safari
The longer you use your computer (be it running Windows, Mac OS X or Linux), the more crap you have in it, and the slower it become. If you browse the web very often, the cookies that stored in the browser can quickly form the bulk of the "crap" that contribute to the slow performance of your computer. If you wish to keep your system running at its peak efficiency at all times, one of the thing that you need to do regularly is to clean the cookie in your browser. In this article, we will show you how to clean your cookies in Mac Safari.
For those who are not familiar with the concept of cookies, lets talk a little about them before we go about the business of eradicating them in Safari.
Cookies are the bits of information that your web browser stores about the sites you have visited. Most of that data will be related to the information you have given out yourself, such as filling in a registration form or setting up a set of preferences. In most cases, the cookies should automatically expire and delete itself from the system once the expiry date is due. However, this is not true for all cases. Some of them do not expire and simply sit on your system for the rest of its life. They act as a kind of digital waste of space in your system, a waste of space that can actually present a security risk to revealing your personal data. So, if you want to minimize your risk, and potentially speed up you system, deleting cookies suddenly seems like a very reasonable idea.
Think of the fact that it is easy to do as just one more bonus that you get for being a responsible Mac owner. Let's take a look at the process.
Clean Your Cookies in Safari
1. If it is not already open, take this moment to open Safari by double clicking on the icon on your dock. If you do not have a Safari icon on your dock, you should be able to find one in the Applications folder in your system.
2. In the menu bar above, choose the word "Safari". The click on the word "Preferences". Alternatively, if you prefer to use the keyboard to get to preferences then click on the Apple key and the comma at the same time.
3. Once the preference menu opens, choose the "Security" tab. This will bring you to the security options for Safari.
4. You will see a button labeled Show Cookies". Go ahead and click on this button.
5. You will see a button labeled "Remove All". Click on that button to clear all your cookies.
See, that was easy enough to do. Now, you have no good excuse not to get this done on a regular basis. You will notice that your browser runs faster and smoother than it did before. Depending on the age of the system that you are using, and how many cookies you had stored in your browser, you may even find that you system is running faster on the whole. There is nothing like cleaning out the gunk to give your system a shot in the arm.
Image credit: scubadive67


59,912,044 programs installed
Should I remove AnswerWorks Runtime - English?
What percent of users and experts removed it?
4% remove it96% keep it
Overall Sentiment
What do people think about it?
Be the first to rate (click star to rate)
How common is it?
Global Rank #5,987
United States Rank #2,550
Reach 0.0925%
(Not enough data to show 30 day installation trends)
Uninstallation trends (last 30 days)
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 23.83 days
702.85 days >
Average installed length: 369.30 days
4.0.101 100.00%
AnswerWorks 4.0 Runtime - English
What is AnswerWorks Runtime - English? (from Vantage Linguistics)
iSEEK AnswerWorks™ is a search application developed by Vantage Linguistics (formerly distributed by Wextech product). The Answerworks™ product allows product development teams and help system authors to enrich their existing help systems with linguistic and natural language based search. When embedded in a local or on... Read more
AnswerWorks 4.0 Runtime - English is a program developed by Vantage Linguistics. In comparison to the total number of users, most PCs are running the OS Windows 7 (SP1) as well as Windows Vista (SP2). While about 99% of users of AnswerWorks Runtime - English come from the United States, it is also popular in Canada and Spain.
Program detailsProgram details
URL: _URL_
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\Vantage Software Technologies\AnswerWorks 4.0 Runtime - English
Language: English
How do I remove AnswerWorks Runtime - English?
Quickly and completely remove AnswerWorks 4.0 Runtime - English from your computer by downloading "Should I Remove It?", its 100% FREE and installs in seconds (click the button below).
Or, you can uninstall AnswerWorks Runtime - English from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.
 - Windows XP: Click Add or Remove Programs.
 2. When you find the program AnswerWorks 4.0 Runtime - English, click it, and then do one of the following:
 - Windows Vista/7/8: Click Uninstall.
 3. Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove AnswerWorks Runtime - English.
Win 7 (SP1) 35%
Win Server 2003 0%
Uninstall it 4%
Keep it 96%
Windows OS versionsWindows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 35.81%
Windows Vista 35.09%
Windows XP 22.67%
Windows 8 6.35%
Windows Server 2003 0.09%
Which OS releases does it run on?
Windows Vista Home Premiu... 29.15%
Microsoft Windows XP 22.14%
Windows 7 Home Premium 21.96%
Windows 7 Professional 9.87%
Windows 7 Ultimate 3.87%
Windows 8.1 3.69%
Distribution by countryGeography
98.89% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
 United States 98.89%
 Canada 0.21%
 Spain 0.11%
 Hong Kong 0.05%
 Brazil 0.05%
 Colombia 0.05%
 Switzerland 0.05%
 Sweden 0.05%
 India 0.05%
 Greece 0.05%
 Austria 0.05%
 New Zealand 0.05%
 Japan 0.05%
 Israel 0.05%
OEM distributionPC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Dell 41.80%
Hewlett-Packard 29.37%
Toshiba 6.61%
Intel 5.29%
Acer 4.76%
American Megatrends 2.51%
Gateway 2.51%
ASUS 1.72%
Sahara 1.32%
Lenovo 0.93%
Common models
Dell Inspiron 530 4.74%
Dell Inspiron 531 4.24%
Dell Dell DXP061 3.99%
Dell Dimension E521 3.24%
Dell Dell XPS420 2.99%
TOSHIBA Satellite A135 2.49%
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Open Access Nano Express
Repeatable change in electrical resistance of Si surface by mechanical and electrical nanoprocessing
Shojiro Miyake and Shota Suzuki
Author Affiliations
For all author emails, please log on.
Nanoscale Research Letters 2014, 9:455 doi:10.1186/1556-276X-9-455
Published: 31 August 2014
Abstract (provisional)
The properties of mechanically and electrically processed silicon surfaces were evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Silicon specimens were processed using an electrically conductive diamond tip with and without vibration. After the electrical processing, protuberances were generated and the electric current through the silicon surface decreased because of local anodic oxidation. Grooves were formed by mechanical processing without vibration, and the electric current increased. In contrast, mechanical processing with vibration caused the surface to protuberate and the electrical resistance increased similar to that observed for electrical processing. With sequential processing, the local oxide layer formed by electrical processing can be removed by mechanical processing using the same tip without vibration. Although the electrical resistance is decreased by the mechanical processing without vibration, additional electrical processing on the mechanically processed area further increases the electrical resistance of the surface.


FUB és a pártok
Freie Ungarische Botschaft and Political Parties
The organizational mission of the Freie Ungarische Botschaft (FUB) is to restore the democratic rule of law and to create a society of solidarity in Hungary—from abroad.
The group aims to achieve this goal as a civil society organization. One cornerstone of our independence is our relationship to political parties. The FUB has no intention to assume or exercise any form of public power. The association also refrains from supporting organizations in their efforts to assume or exercise public authority.
The purpose of the FUB is to raise awareness and to disseminate information, to build alliances with other organizations as well as to turn European and particularly German public attention to the Hungarian situation. The association can only be successful in fulfilling this purpose if it remains independent, impartial and makes its affairs with political parties transparent to the public.
Guiding principles regarding political parties and elections:
 1. The FUB sees German and Hungarian political parties and their representatives who share its core values as important partners, and actively seeks cooperation with them. Nevertheless, it never commits itself to any candidates or nominating organizations in any elections whose purpose is to pursue public office (mandate in an organ of popular representation or position in a governmental body) neither in Hungary, nor in Germany, nor at the European level. This excludes the appraisal of candidates, nominating organizations and their programs strictly on the basis of professional criteria in alignment with the aims of the FUB.
 2. Board members and any persons publicly representing the association may neither run in any election whose purpose is to pursue public office nor perform a key function in a political party or publicly represent it. In the case that a member should choose to run in such an election, they are obliged to inform the FUB board four months prior to the expected date of that election, and are to resign from any such functions in the FUB.
 3. The FUB does not develop party platforms, and its members and associates do not participate in developing such platforms in the name of the association. In the case that the FUB assesses parts of party platforms pertaining to its programs or function, the result of that assessment will be made publicly available on its web site.
 4. The FUB may share its official opinion with representatives of any political party.
 5. The FUB board has the authority to approve or disapprove any participation or publicly held speech at a political party's event. The main consideration regarding this decision is whether such participation poses a risk of the FUB committing itself to a candidate or a nominating organization, or appearing to do so.
 6. Representatives of political parties may be invited to public events organized by the FUB if the topic of the event justifies this participation. In the case that a speaker at a FUB public event is a representative of a political party, the association will strive to strike a balance of voices by adjusting the list of participants for the event or event series accordingly. This rule also applies to events jointly hosted by the FUB and other organizations and it is a necessary condition of any such joint undertaking.
 7. The FUB does not organize events collaboratively nor does it participate in joint engagements with any political party, political party foundation or any organizational unit thereof nor with any elected official1 of a political party.
 8. The FUB maintains a register of inquiries received from political parties and other nominating organizations, political candidates as well as persons holding mandates in an organ of popular representation or holding public offices in a government body in Germany or in Hungary, as well as registering answers provided to these inquiries. The register also contains any enquiries the FUB directed at such persons or organizations. The register is updated at least semiannually and is publicly available.
 9. The FUB does not accept any direct or indirect cash or in-kind donations from political parties or political party foundations registered in Hungary or the elected officials thereof. In the case that a political party or a political party foundation registered outside of Hungary offers a donation2, the FUB can only accept this with consideration of maintaining a balance between parties. The details of any such contributions will be published on the FUB's website.
 10. The FUB does not collect or otherwise provide any donations to political parties or political party foundations registered in Hungary or the elected officials thereof.
This document is based on the statement "A TASZ és a politikai pártok (Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and Political Parties)".
This regulation comes into effect on 24.02.2020.
1 Elected office is an office assumed as a result of in-party elections, or a public office (member of parliament, municipal representative, mayor etc.).
2 Any contribution is considered a donation, which includes funds awarded through grants or other awards.


text:
Safeguarding Food & Agriculture
Greenpeace is campaigning for safe, ecological agriculture that's good for the planet and good for people.
China has one of the world's greatest agricultural dilemmas: it must feed 22% of the world's population on just 7% of the world's land.
Unfortunately, China has adopted an unsustainable solution: a chemical-intensive system of agriculture, with high levels of chemical pesticide and fertiliser use. What's more, our food supply is also threatened by genetically engineered foods – a move that would gamble with the health of millions of people.
Greenpeace is working in China and Hong Kong to protect our food from dangerous chemicals and genetically engineered ingredients, for the sake of our families and our future.
For e-mail updates on safeguarding food & agriculture: subscribe here.


text:
Welcome to Term 3. At Kildare, we are constantly amazed by our young people – they are determined, fiercely independent, and inspirational whilst constantly being challenged. Our role at Kildare is to continuously seek opportunities inside and outside the classroom to foster growth, creativity, and a sense of belonging in our students.
In today's rapidly evolving society, innovation has become crucial for progress and growth, and this principle holds great significance at Kildare. The College takes pride in being contemporary, innovative, creative, and collaborative, always striving to enhance students' connections, skills, and ability to find meaning. Our commitment to empowering girls to learn in their unique environments nurtures confidence and independence, shaping them into thoughtful, courageous and confident global citizens.
Innovation is not just a buzzword but an active and transformative process. At Kildare, our staff embrace the idea that learning is dynamic, not static, and adapting to new approaches is vital to staying relevant. This can manifest in various ways, such as introducing cutting-edge teaching techniques, leveraging technology for interactive learning, encouraging project-based assignments, and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
On 11 August 2023, we will attend the Australian Education Awards in Sydney, where Kildare is a finalist in the Innovation in Learning Environment Design category for our Tullow Centre. Within a year, the Tullow Centre has transformed how we learn, design, gather and create. It has been transformative for our College community. We hope to win, as we are the only South Australian school in this category, but being named a finalist is an honour. We will keep you updated on the results.
One crucial aspect of fostering innovation in schools is recognising that girls often have distinct learning preferences and needs. By understanding and catering to these preferences, we create an environment that encourages our students to thrive academically and personally. Nurturing an inclusive space where girls can freely and confidently express themselves is key to their development.
Ultimately, Kildare aims to produce not only academically accomplished individuals but also compassionate and thoughtful women of the world. By prioritising innovation in education, the College prepares students to face the complexities of the world with resilience, open-mindedness, and a desire to make a positive impact.
Innovation at Kildare means embracing change, seeking novel approaches, and creating new value through education. By staying at the forefront of contemporary, creative, and collaborative learning, our College equips students with the skills they need to become confident, independent, and considerate global citizens, ready to contribute to a rapidly changing world.
Thank you for choosing Kildare.
The Auditorium was abuzz with our eager and excited families, as we came together for our Parenting Teenagers Workshop, hosted by Joy Anasta. Joy has a strong connection to Kildare with over 26 years' experience as a counsellor and psychotherapist. Throughout the evening, Joy captivated our community with her many engaging pearls of wisdom and entertaining anecdotes, as she guided, supported and encouraged our families in the most important role of their lives – parenthood.
Raising a teenager can be both rewarding and challenging, but parents should not be daunted, and rather embrace the hard work and privilege that comes with this important role. Your daughter is at the tender age where she is becoming her own person. Many families often share with us that they do not want to raise their daughters to be too fearful of the world, lest they curb her enthusiasm to engage in it as a young woman. By the same token, there is an ingrained instinct that tells you that you need to intervene and continue to fix the ache of big problems that sadly cannot be immediately fixed for them.
There is a prevalent proverb that every child is one caring adult away from being a success story, but it takes patience, perseverance and sometimes, punitive measures, to raise a child well. In loving children, we are sometimes also called upon to hold them accountable for their shortcomings and say no to them, so that they learn to understand that they are not perfect nor entitled, and it is okay to sit comfortably knowing that they, like the rest of us, are magnificently flawed.
Joy engrossed the room, as she shared with our families that the challenges of parenting a teenager can leave one feeling powerless and alone, but accepting and tackling these challenges is the only way to get to the other side. Life has evolved significantly for all of us, as we have learnt to embrace the new normal and adapt to a post-pandemic world and society. Mix in the endless commitments we must attend to on the daily, and it can often feel like we are spinning plates in a desperate attempt to strike that delicate balance – which always seems unattainable.
What to do? When you are feeling engulfed by it all? Remember that resistance and avoidance are their own pain, and so too, this shall pass. Love them, guide them, correct them, redirect them, be a good example to them, and hold them close. Teenagers need their parents, just as much, if not more than they needed you when you first nursed them as newborns. Reaching acceptance – that both your child and you will have to go through this and do the hard work involved – is the only way to get to the other side. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, but one day you will look back from the other side and be thankful that you did. In the wise words of Joy: keep going… And remember, we are all in this together.
"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together" – Woodrow Wilson
International Friendship Day is dedicated to celebrating the importance of friendship as it transcends cultural, racial, religious, and geographical boundaries. It serves as a powerful reminder of the role friendships play in promoting peace, harmony, and understanding among diverse communities globally.
At Kildare College, friendships hold immense significance as they impact students' overall wellbeing, personal growth, and academic achievements. Friends serve as a reliable support system during challenging times and provide a valuable platform for students to cultivate essential social skills, including compromise, cooperation, and conflict resolution. We also cannot underestimate the unifying force of friendship. The fun, laughter and enjoyment that friends often bring, and the lasting memories that are created and nostalgically remembered later in our lives are very precious. Use this day as an opportunity to recognise and appreciate the vital role that friends play in your life. By performing acts of kindness and fostering strong bonds of friendship and genuine connections, we can all contribute to creating a better and more compassionate world for all.


text:
Where the trees are naturally musical
For centuries, the spruces of the Violin's Forest have been used in the world's finest instruments
Geography and climate have conspired to produce extraordinary trees in the forests east of Predazzo. Managed for 900 years by the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, their timber resonates with an unusually clear and consistent tone, and they have inspired both instrument makers and musicians for centuries.
In winter, all forests feel magical. Hushed and white beneath their mantles of snow, they're beautiful places in which to strap on a pair of snowshoes, and go for a walk.
But for music lovers no forest is more bewitching than la Foresta dei Violini, just east of Paneveggio in the Val di Fiemme. Called, in English, the Violin's Forest, it was colonized long ago by red Italian spruces, and they grow straight and slow along its chilly and sheltered slopes. As a result, their wood is dense and consistent, and makes near-perfect soundboards for musical instruments. Stradivarius used it, and it's still sought after for the world's finest violins, cellos, pianos and guitars. In fact, 10% of the trees here are suitable for this sacred purpose, compared with an average of 0.8%.
The Violin's Forest is just east of the visitor centre of the Nature Park of Paneveggio–Pale di San Martino, which has a small museum dedicated to these musical trees. It also offers guided walks, where you'll learn about the history of the forest, and its careful management. It is, for example, thought that trees intended for soundboards are best harvested during a waning moon in early winter, so that there is less sap in the timber.
The more adventurous should also seek out il Bosco che Suona – "the Valley of Harmony" – which is a 5km walk from the car park at the Miola restaurant, in the Valmaggiore. Here too there is a near-perfect micro-climate for musical trees, and in a remarkable new project, musicians are being invited to adopt a tree, and play a piece of music inspired by it. Download the app "Il Bosco che Suona", on Google Play before you go, and you can listen to the results as you walk through the forest.


OPERS retirement benefits are funded through member and employer contributions and the investment earnings on those contributions. You participate in OPERS by contributing a percentage of your salary each pay period into the retirement system. Your employer also pays a contribution to help fund your benefit.
State Agencies
Contributions for state agencies and their employees are given below.
Employee Employer Total
3.5% 16.5% 20%
Local Government Employers
Members who are employed by local government employers must contribute between 3.5% and 8.5% of their annual compensation. The local governments pay between 11.5% and 16.5% of the employee's compensation. The total local government employer and employee contribution must equal 20%. Each government entity designates as policy how much the employee and employer pays within the given ranges.
Employee Employer
Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
3.5% 8.5% 11.5% 16.5%
NOTE: If employer contributions are paid more than 30 days after the monthly due dates, they are subject to a late charge of 3% of the unpaid balance.
2.5% Step-Up Program
The 2.5% Step-Up Program allows members to increase their retirement benefits by paying an additional member contribution each pay period. Click here for more information about the Step-Up program.


text:
by Nicolas Guigo
ICPin is an Intel pintool leveraging the framework's JIT mode designed to track a binary's integrity checks. It records all reads and all writes performed by the target executable or dynamically loaded library on its text section and outputs a human readable text file describing each memory access with its type (R|W) and in case of a write, the list of values successively written at that address.
Additionally, it also tracks dynamic memory allocations and outputs the address, size and disassembled instructions executed from them. While pintools are by design immune to some common anti-debug techniques, ICPin also hooks a number of system calls such as NtQueryObject and NtQueryInformationProcess and includes potential anti-debug calls as part of its output. In a similar fashion, it also records anti-debug breakpoints such as INT 3. Finally ICPin's output includes BBL-granular backtraces for all detected occurrences.
While ICPin currently supports MS Windows environments, Intel Pintool's portability should allow straightforward porting to *NIX systems.
ICPin is released today under a GPLv2 license and the C++ source can be found at _URL_
The repository includes build instructions, visual studio project files and a sample output.


Outdoor Studies Program
The Outdoor Studies Program has three divisions: the Outdoor Studies Minor, the Outdoor Program, and the Adirondack Semester. The Program aims to develop students' appreciation for nature and the human place in it. It provides experiential education through outdoor activities, and academic exploration of different concepts of nature and the human place in it.
Through the Outdoor Program, Outdoor Studies promotes experiences in the out-of-doors and the chance to acquire outdoor skills and knowledge. Through the Outdoor Studies Minor and the Adirondack Semester it fosters an experiential, emotional, and intellectual understanding of nature and human relations with nature. Students participating in the Adirondack Semester study environmental ethics and the natural and cultural history of the Adirondack region while living on a remote lake in the Adirondack Park.
Visit the websites for each of these programs:


text:
It's mid-July and your cotton is thirsty for a drink, especially in the afternoon. But applying spray irrigation water during what should be a critical watering period might actually reduce pollen viability and ultimately reduce yields.
When hit with water of any kind, pollen from flowering cotton plants is made sterile in less than a minute according to lab and research field data from John Burke, USDA plant pathologist.
"Our research shows that yields are reduced by 25-50% when even small amounts of water reach inside an open flower on a cotton plant," says Burke, who's located at the USDA Plant Stress and Water Conservation Laboratory in Lubbock, TX. In lab tests using a microscope, even a single drop of water causes pollen to explode into uselessness in just over 30 seconds.
And it doesn't matter if it's irrigation spray or rainwater; the same results occur when water strikes open flowers. The damage is done. "More than 90% of flowers that were open during sprinkler irrigation were shed within one week of water exposure," says Burke.
In his studies, funded by Cotton Inc., Burke and his associates documented yield losses throughout the day as a result of sprinkler applications during cotton flowering.
Between 8 and 10 a.m., there is zero yield loss because flowers are usually not yet open. But between 10 a.m. and noon, there is a 29% yield loss; 27% between noon and 2 p.m.; and 36% between 2 and 4 p.m.
As a result, Burke recommends either watering at night or in early morning, or converting center pivots to LEPA (low energy precision application) drop socks.
LEPA prevents pollen damage. "From 10 a.m. to 4 or later, virtually any flower open when the sprinkler comes around is pretty much going to be lost," says Burke. "But with the LEPA drag socks, the plants still receive water without getting the flowers wet. The socks apply water onto the furrow, below the plants."
LEPA was developed by Texas A&M ag engineers in the 1970s and perfected in the '80s and '90s. It has consistently provided better irrigation efficiency, offering less evaporation, especially in hot and windy southwestern producing areas.
Texas A&M data show that a LEPA pivot equipped with drag socks running in a field with furrow dikes achieves 95-98% irrigation efficiency. Only 2-3% of the water pumped is lost to evaporation.
Yields have also been higher with LEPA socks. In drought-plagued '98, Texas cotton producers with LEPA systems on average produced ½ bale/acre more than pivots equipped with low-profile spray drop lines, says Randy Boman, Texas A&M extension agronomist in Lubbock.
He says the Burke data is good information that should certainly be studied when determining how yields are impacted by LEPA and other types of irrigation.
He notes that cotton fields normally see a substantial number of flowers naturally fail to perform. "We usually see a large percentage of the flowers that don't make it into a productive boll," he says. "Incomplete pollination may result in a reduction in the number of fertilized seed, thus resulting in a 'parrot-beaked' boll.
"We believe the benefits of LEPA are not just in irrigation efficiency, but that yields are good because this method of watering prevents flowers from getting wet," Boman concludes. "It's definitely a consideration growers should make in setting up or refitting their cotton irrigation program."


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Bats of the genus Pteronotus (Chiroptera: Mormoopidae) are known to inhabit high-temperature roosts. This study examines the thermal ecology of a colony of three different species of Pteronotus in a sea cave on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. Previous work found the cave to be inhabited by three species of the same genus: P. personatus, P. parnelli, and P. gymnonotus, and documented that temperatures in the cave at low tide with bats present can exceed 40° C. This high ambient temperature makes this cave one of the few locations where bats have been documented to roost at temperatures warmer than their body temperature. However, the cave fills with seawater during high tide, which potentially creates a cooling effect. We explored whether temperatures in the cave fluctuated significantly with tide levels and the presence or absence of roosting bats. Hobo data loggers were placed in the cave for several days to continually record changes in ambient temperatures within the different parts of the cave at different combinations of tides and bats. Upon entering the cave, temperatures of roosting individuals (during the day), and the cave ceiling (at night) were also recorded using an infrared thermometer.
Temperatures on the ceiling of the cave, which was entirely covered with roosting individuals, at low tide were measured at 40-41°C. However, during low-tides at night (with bats absent), temperatures were only 37-39°C in the equivalent parts of the cave. Ambient air temperatures collected by the Hobo data loggers detected no significant effect of tide levels (low vs. high) on ambient temperature. Results from sensors placed near the bottom of the cave showed significantly lower temperatures when bats were present, but when sensors were elevated ~8m, it was found that temperatures in the upper parts of the cave were significantly higher with bats present. These patterns are likely related to the properties of the cave walls to absorb and radiate heat generated by the bats. In the upper areas of the cave, where bats roost, the presence of bats clearly elevates temperatures. The genus Pteronotus may use these high temperatures as a means of thermal competition to exclude species with lesser heat tolerance from using the otherwise highly-desirable roosting habitat.


text:
You may have situations, especially when your app requires user interaction with the map, that call for displaying some sort of instructions. Have a look at this Esri sample and note the bit of text along the top of the map enclosed within a semi-transparent box.
This text box is created through two steps:
- In the HTML, a div element is defined and assigned an id. Within the div, the desired text is placed inside a p element.
- In the CSS, the div is placed through absolute positioning 10 pixels from the top of the page and 62 pixels from the left. A padding of 12 pixels is added to the left and right of the div so that the text isn't rendered too close to the edge. The text is given a white color, while the background of the element is made black with a transparency value of 0.5. This allows the text to be displayed to the user without completely obstructing the view of the map underneath.