Home / Commentary / Closing Arguments: Is Wisconsin's collateral-source rule worth preserving?
Closing Arguments: Is Wisconsin's collateral-source rule worth preserving?
BACKGROUND: Wisconsin lawmakers this year are once again giving serious consideration to eliminating the state's collateral-source rule, a doctrine that has been around in Wisconsin for nearly a century and whose roots extend into common law.
The rule plays a particularly important role in personal-injury cases. Many times, health insurers will negotiate reductions in the amount billed on behalf of their insurees, creating a situation in which the amount paid by the insurer on behalf of an injured party is less than the amount billed by the provider.
The current collateral-source rules bars evidence of such reductions from being admitted in court. Lawyers are instead allowed only to introduce medical bills listing the amounts that were charged before being lowered through negotiations.
Opponents of the rule argue that it allows plaintiffs to recover "phantom damages." In other words, when defense lawyers are barred from showing that health insurers were able to secure cost reductions, plaintiffs are able to win more than they actually should.
Proponents, in contrast, argue that eliminating the collateral-source rule would do nothing more than benefit a perhaps underserving party: namely, a defendant who has been lucky enough to have injured someone who happens to have good health insurance.
Collateral-source rule outdated, unfair, should not be preserved
Paul Curtis
Wisconsin's collateral source rule is not worth preserving in its current form. In my opinion, the rule is outdated and flawed because it promotes deceit and injustice.
Jurors are charged with the serious and solemn task of deciding the fates of plaintiffs and defendants in a court of law. Our legal system demands that jurors seriously and thoughtfully consider all of the evidence and then render a fair and truthful verdict. "Let your verdict speak the truth, whatever that truth may be." Wis JI-Civil 190.
In a personal injury case, the jurors are charged with determining fault and money damages. However, under the current collateral-source rule, jurors are not entrusted with truthful, accurate information relating to medical expenses.
For nearly a century, Wisconsin jurors have been told to assume that the "truth" is that a plaintiff's reasonable medical expenses are reflected in the amount of services billed; i.e., the "sticker price." Of course, the truth is that the plaintiff's actual medical expenses are typically a fraction of the amount billed.
So why does Wisconsin law follow the collateral-source rule? The purported equitable policy is that the tortfeasor should not be relieved of his or her obligation to the victim simply because the injured party had the foresight to purchase insurance, and enjoy the benefits thereof.
However, the policy fails to account for the fact that automobile-liability insurance is now mandatory in Wisconsin. Even in non-auto accident cases, insurance companies often pay the verdict or settlement amounts. Tortfeasors are rarely held personally liable for the injured party's expenses.
Another policy set forth in the case law is that the collateral-source rule deters negligent conduct. I respectfully disagree. I am semi-confident that not a single human being has ever contemplated the effects of the collateral-source rule before committing a negligent act.
The policies, and the rule, are flawed and outdated. Other states that have done away with the collateral-source rule have found that it is unfair. Those foreign courts have reasoned that the defendant or tortfeasor should not be held liable for medical expenses that were never paid or actually incurred by the plaintiff. To impose liability on the defendant for those unpaid medical expenses is simply unfair and unjustified.
Wisconsin's collateral-source rule should be modified to permit jurors to consider both the amount billed and the amount paid when determining a plaintiff's reasonable medical expenses. A jury verdict cannot reasonably "speak the truth" if it based on inaccurate and incomplete facts.
The common goal is to reach a fair verdict such that an injured party is justly compensated and made whole — to the extent that money can achieve that goal. Defense lawyers and insurance companies are often unfairly portrayed as the enemy.
We are not the enemy. We have no interest in seeing a party, who is legitimately injured through no fault of their own, go uncompensated.
We too want justice to be served but we want it served on a level playing field. The collateral-source rule should be modified so as to be transparent with the jury regarding the actual medical expenses charged and paid.
We should trust the jury to weigh and consider all of the evidence and to reach a fair and truthful verdict.
Paul Curtis is a partner and liability-defense lawyer at Axley Brynelson.
Collateral-source 'cure' worse than supposed disease
Robert Jaskulski
Robert Jaskulski
Those calling for changes to Wisconsin's long-held "collateral-source rule" suggest that it is "unfair" to allow injured parties to collect more than their out-of-pocket losses by allowing for recovery of the value of medical services provided.
In reality, legislation eliminating the collateral-source rule would lead to a sea change in the manner in which recoverable damages are determined by juries. The result would be unfair treatment for injured consumers, their health insurers and Wisconsin taxpayers.
Lawmakers' currently proposed bill would allow into evidence much more than just amounts paid by health insurers. As drafted, it in fact allows for the introduction of evidence of "any compensation for bodily injury received from a source other than the defendant to compensate the claimant for the injury. …"
Consequently, the collateral-source rule will no longer be an impediment to the introduction of disability-insurance recoveries or life-insurance recoveries, which might be submitted in an attempt to reduce a defendant's financial responsibility.
How is it remotely "fair" for negligent parties to reduce their legal responsibility to fairly compensate the one they injured or killed by allowing into evidence the fact that the plaintiff was responsible enough to carry decent medical, disability or life insurance?
The unfairness of the proposed change is best illustrated by language in the bill that prohibits the introduction of "amounts paid or incurred by the claimant in recovering payment from a source other than the defendant." One cannot logically or fairly argue on the one hand that the jury is entitled to know the "true" economic loss suffered by an injured party, and on the other hand argue it is appropriate to preclude the introduction of the costs incurred by the injured party in procuring adequate medical, disability or life-insurance benefits.
The bill will inevitably result in reduced recovery by health insurers and, in cases involving Medicaid payouts, the state of Wisconsin. Anyone handling personal-injury litigation understands that subrogation liens are negotiated according to factors that include the total amount of money recovered in settlement by the plaintiff.
When that pool of money is reduced, which will inevitably occur when the plaintiff is not allowed to recover the full value of past medical expenses, all interested parties, including subrogated insurers and the state, will recover less from the wrongdoer. Pursuant to the ratio approach established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Albhorn, 547 U.S. 268 (2006), Medicaid subrogation recoveries will be significantly affected.
Shifting responsibility for the harm caused by negligent parties from property and casualty insurers to health insurers and taxpayers is bad public policy.
Finally, changing the law in the manner suggested will significantly increase costs to health care providers, who will now be called upon at trial to justify their billings and their contractually reduced insurance recoveries. In addition, health insurers will be forced to testify about the reasons for their reduced payments.
Increasing the cost and complexity of litigation in this manner makes no sense in an age when health care and health insurance costs are ever on the rise.
Robert Jaskulski is a shareholder and personal-injury lawyer at Habush, Habush & Rottier.
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Image: Southern Ribbonfish skin
The side of the body just behind the pectoral fin. The fish was washed up alive on Diamond Head Beach, south of Laurieton, New South Wales, August 2006.
- Col Waters and Terry White
- © Col Waters and Terry White
- Common name:
- Southern Ribbonfish
- Scientific name:
- Trachipterus jacksoniensis
One of the characters used to identify species of Trachipterus is the arrangement of the tubercles along each side of the dorsal fin pterigiophores.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
Estimating in situ phytoplankton growth rates with a Lagrangian sampling strategy
Limnol. Oceanogr. Methods 5:495-509 (2007) | DOI: 10.4319/lom.2007.5.495
ABSTRACT: Quantification of biogeochemical rates is essential to the understanding of the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. However, this has proven to be difficult to achieve especially under conditions of high spatial and temporal hydrodynamic and biogeochemical variability. Here, a Lagrangian experimental design was employed to estimate biogeochemical rate coefficients in situ. A set of four drogues and a cross-transect sampling design was used to capture the patchy distribution of phytoplankton and nutrient species, and high transport and mixing rates. A mass balance approach was applied to a Lagrangian control volume moving with a drogue. This approach was used to separate internal biogeochemical changes from the physical changes due to advection, diffusion, and convergence/divergence fluxes. This experimental approach was applied to an oligotrophic coastal region. The phytoplankton growth rate, primary production, and carbon to chlorophyll ratio (C:Chla) obtained from the experiment agreed with the highest literature values for this study site. This supported the validity of this approach. The effect of scales of processes and patchiness is highlighted from this experiment. It is shown that the experimental design is subject to a relationship between size of the control volume, the time scale of internal processes, and sampling time.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Monosyllabic verbs that start with E
These one syllable E verbs all begin with the letter E.
 1. earn
 2. earns
 3. eat
 4. eats
 5. ebb
 6. ebbs
 7. end
 8. ends
 9. err
 10. et
Next why not check out all the letters A-Z single syllable verb lists and other verb posts on this site.


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"Para-Aortic Bodies" is a descriptor in the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus,
MeSH (Medical Subject Headings). Descriptors are arranged in a hierarchical structure,
which enables searching at various levels of specificity.
Small masses of chromaffin cells found near the SYMPATHETIC GANGLIA along the ABDOMINAL AORTA, beginning cranial to the superior mesenteric artery (MESENTERIC ARTERY, SUPERIOR) or renal arteries and extending to the level of the aortic bifurcation or just beyond. They are also called the organs of Zuckerkandl and sometimes called aortic bodies (not to be confused with AORTIC BODIES in the THORAX). The para-aortic bodies are the dominant source of CATECHOLAMINES in the FETUS and normally regress after BIRTH.
- Para-Aortic Bodies
- Bodies, Para-Aortic
- Body, Para-Aortic
- Para Aortic Bodies
- Para-Aortic Body
- Organs of Zuckerkandl
- Zuckerkandl Organ
- Zuckerkandl Organs
- Paraaortic Bodies
- Bodies, Paraaortic
- Body, Paraaortic
- Paraaortic Body
- Organ of Zuckerkandl
Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more general than "Para-Aortic Bodies".
Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more specific than "Para-Aortic Bodies".
This graph shows the total number of publications written about "Para-Aortic Bodies" by people in this website by year, and whether "Para-Aortic Bodies" was a major or minor topic of these publications.
To see the data from this visualization as text, click here.


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Once again on the shock impact topic. In her new nice manuscript in Scientific Reports Mara Murri presents some of the recent considerations about structural disorder in the form of complex combinations of cubic and hexagonal stacking motifs commonly occurring on impact diamonds which structural characterization remains an extremely challenging task.
In this study impact diamonds from the Popigai crater have been characterized with a range of techniques. With MCDIFFaX on the X-ray diffraction data, we found hexagonality indices up to 40%. Furthermore, electron microscopy revealed nanoscale twinning within the cubic diamond structure. These results lead us to propose a systematic protocol for assigning specifc hexagonality attributes to the mineral under investigation


Museum of the City of San Francisco
By Subject
By Year
The Gift Shop
Military Governor Mason's Report on the Discovery of Gold
The Discovery – as Viewed in New York and London
The Miner's Ten Commandments - 1853
The Wife's Commandments
1. Thou shalt have no other wife but me.
2. Thou shalt not take into thy house any beautiful brazen image of a servant girl, to bow down to her, to serve her, for I am a jealous wife, visiting, &c.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of thy wife in vain.
4. Remember thy wife to keep her respectably.
5. Honor thy wife's father and mother.
6. Thou shalt not fret.
7. Thou shalt not find fault with thy dinner.
8. Thou shalt not chew tobacco.
9. Thou shalt not be behind thy neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not visit the rum tavern; thou shall not covet the tavern keeper's rum, nor his brandy, nor his gin, nor his whisky, nor his wine, nor any thing that's behind the bar of the rum-seller.
11. Thou shalt not visit billiard saloons neither for worshipping on the dance, nor the heaps of money that lie on the tables.
And the twelfth commandment is, thou shalt not stay out later than nine o'clock at night.
Cleveland Plain Dealer
March 27, 1849
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Irrigation Tutorials
How to Splice Irrigation System Wires
Water-proofing your irrigation system's wire splices is one of the most critical tasks in any installation or repair that involves wire splices. The splices need to be completely water-proof. Taping them up with electrical tape will NOT work for this! The electrical tape will allow water into the splice as it becomes old, brittle, and the adhesive on it dries out. If you don't water-proof your splices it WILL cause your valve to fail! Don't save a buck on a wire splice and ruin a $20 valve! I'll explain in detail why waterproofing is so important later, first let's get down to the details on how to make a good waterproof wire splice.
General Things That you Need to Know about all splices!
Caution: The methods described below are intended for low-voltage wires of 24VAC or less, such as those used in typical irrigation system controls. They should not be used for higher voltages.
DO NOT BURY SPLICES directly in the ground. Put a box around them to protect them and to help you find the later. A small plastic utility box works fine. Glue a large steel washer to the bottom of the box lid using epoxy. This will allow you to find the box with a metal detector if grass grows over it. Splices are the most likely place a wire will short out in the future, so a box makes the splices easier to find and repair.
2-wire irrigation systems: These are a newer type of system that uses only 2-wires to control all the valves. The irrigation controller sends a signal through the valves to a decoder at each valve. The decoder then allows power to the valve solenoid only when told to by the controller. These types of systems depend on electrical "signals" sent from the controller through the wire to the decoder. Any voltage leak at a splice can severely impact the signal and cause the system to malfunction. For this reason splices for 2-wire systems need to be made much more carefully. Many of the 2-wire manufacturers have specific splice methods they require be used in order to protect your warranty. Be sure to use these if required!
Not sure if your system is 2-wire? As i write this in 2013, 2-wire systems are seldom used on residential systems, but they are also gaining popularity and will probably start showing up soon, first on larger systems. The controller case normally will be clearly labeled as "2-wire". A 2-wire system will also have a "decoder unit" installed on the wires at each valve. Standard irrigation control systems have two wires going to each valve. But in a standard system one of the wires goes to a single valve and only that valve. So if you have 4 valves there will be 5 wires (1 common shared by all the valves, + 1 individual wire to each of 4 valves = 5 wires.) On a 2-wire system with 54 valves there would be only 2 wires and each valve would have a decoder unit installed on it. The presence of a decoder to be installed at each valve is the best way to tell if it is 2-wire.
The best way to make the splice is to use special water-proof splice connectors that you can buy at any hardware store. These are made for sealing outdoor wire connections and work very well. There are many different styles and types available.
Water-Proof Twist On Connectors – "Nut" Style or "Wing" Style
Most of the connectors currently used by pros consist of an twist on type wire connector that is filled with a water sealing grease. Sometimes these are called water-proof "nut" or "wing type" connectors. These are inexpensive and very simple to use. Here are general instructions for use since a lot of these inexpensive connectors are sold without instructions. If instructions came with the connectors please use those instructions, as they are intended for the actual connectors you bought!
 1. For every 3 connections you need buy 5 connectors. Why? Because you will probably make several bad splices, and you will have to remove those connectors and toss them in the trash. They can't be reused because when you remove them a lot of the sealer comes out with the wire. (If you look close most connectors actually say "do not reuse" or similar language on them.)
 2. Start by stripping the insulation off the end of the wires to expose the bare metal wire. Do not strip off too much insulation, the exposed bare wire should be about 1/2 the length of the connector body. You can splice 3 wires together easily using a single connector. It's OK to put 4 or 5 wires in a connector, but be warned that it gets a lot more difficult getting the wires to stay in the connector when you use more than 3 wires.
 3. Place the bare ends in one hand and using your other hand, align the wires side-by-side, so the ends of the bare sections are lined up together. Those ends need to all go into the connector together at the same time, so hold the wires tight and don't let them slip out of position. Do not try to insert an additional wire into a wire connector that already has wires spliced together in it. You need to remove all the wires and redo the splice to add more wires.
 4. Push the connector down over the bare ends of the wire. Twist the connector clockwise to screw it on. Hold the wires firmly in position as you twist the connector over them. The connector has threads, a spring, or barbs inside it that will grab the wires and cinch them together tightly as you twist it on. Stop twisting when you feel substantial resistance.
 5. Hold the connector in one hand and tug on each of the wires with the other to make sure the wires are secure and will not pull out. If a wire feels loose or pulls out, disassemble the entire splice and try again. Use a new connector as some of the sealer will probably be lost when you remove the connector, and it needs all the sealer for a good seal. If the wires still pull out after another try you are probably using the wrong size connector.
 6. Finally make a visual inspection of the splice. The insulation on the wire should be fully inserted into the sealer gel or grease. No bare wire should be visible. That's all there is to using twist on wire connectors, they are very quick and easy.
The connector size is important when using twist on connectors! Be sure you buy and use the correct size connector for the wire sizes you are splicing. The package will list the various wire size combinations that the connector works on. The connector colors indicate the connector's size and most are standardized. Here are some general guidelines. Warning: There are some brands that do not follow these color guidelines so double check the instructions on the package!
Connectors for #18 wire. Most residential irrigation systems use #18 size wire, this is the size of most of the multi-wire underground irrigation cables sold in hardware stores. Unfortunately the colors for these connectors are not standardized. Most I have seen are dark blue or black. Make sure it says it will connect 2- #18 wires.
Connectors for #14 & #12 wire. Larger irrigation systems and commercial irrigation often use individual #14 wires. Sometimes #12 will be used for irrigation systems with very long distances between the controller and the valve. Most often these connectors are yellow. Note: Most of the yellow connectors I have seen will NOT connect a single #14 wire to a typical valve solenoid wire. For this you will probably need the smaller #18 wire connectors above.
Twist-On Waterproof Wire Connectors. Wing Style on left (blue), Nut Style on Right (black).
Mechanical Clip Style Non-Stripping Connectors
Clip style is a catch-all name I use for the various types of connectors that use a mechanical clamping system to grab and bite into the wire. Typically with this type of connector you push the wire into a round slot on the connector, and then squeeze some type of clamp that bites into the wire to hold it in place. Some require pliers to squeeze the clamp into the wires. The most popular of these types of connectors for irrigation use is the Blazing Snaploc BVS Series wire connectors and the 3M Scotchlok 314 series connectors. These connectors are more expensive but make a very secure connection almost always on the first attempt. You won't need to buy nearly as many extras for bad splices.
Container Type Connectors
These connectors are a two piece, two step system. You connect the wires together using either a standard twist type wire connector, a crimp sleeve, or even soldering the wires together. Then you shove the splice into a container filled with a water-proofing grease or jell and snap a retainer lid closed to hold the splice inside the container.
A variation on this type of connector is the original waterproofing method used back when I started in the business. You mixed a 2-part epoxy resin in a small plastic envelope and then shoved the splice into the envelope so it was covered in resin. The resin was allowed to harden creating a solid water-proof seal. Unfortunately the resin was a carcinogen


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The Tylor Library has a PCAS photocopier. This is located in the basement and can photocopy, scan and print from a PCAS account. To set up your own PCAS account, or learn more about how PCAS works, follow the instructions on the Bodleian PCAS web page.
There are also several useful PCAS libguides with step by step instructions on:
- How to link your university card to your PCAS account.
- How to print direct from a usb stick.
- How to print from your laptop.
- How to print from the library computers.
- How to use the scanning services.
If there are any problems with the photocopier please let the Library Assistant know.


Take the 2-minute tour ×
The title explains it all. Do objects suspended in ice sink over time? You may remember the story of World War 2 planes that were found 260 ft under the ice which would be anachronistic with seasonal ice layering alone. I'm trying to establish other possible mechanisms. I know that ice flows up and down in glaciers, but will an object actually sink in ice over time?
Also, in what way would they sink? Would heavier parts sink faster than the lighter. Does buoyancy play a role.
share|improve this question
Isn't the title misleading? Ice is a solid, how can something sink inside it? – jinawee Feb 27 at 18:59
_USER_ It seems to be false: physics.stackexchange.com/q/65740 – jinawee Feb 27 at 19:16
_USER_ I'm not claiming this for ice or glass but some materials that seem to be solid actually experience viscoelastic creep. See for example the famous pitch drop experiment. – OSE Feb 27 at 19:41
_USER_ Under higher pressure, ice has a lower melting point. Technically if something heavy was placed on ice it could sink in due to this melting effect. If the surrounding climate is below 0 degrees C then as this happens more ice would freeze around the object. Perhaps this could constitute as sinking into a solid. – wgrenard Feb 27 at 19:46
_USER_: true, but you need a lot of pressure! – John Rennie Feb 27 at 20:10
2 Answers 2
up vote 5 down vote accepted
If the article you are referring to is this one, then the planes didn't sink into the ice but were buried by blizzards.
Ice does exhibit ductile flow at stress of around 1 to 10MPa, but this pressure is equivalent to around 100 to 1000 tons per square metre and this is far above the stresses normally produced by objects resting on ice. Glaciers flow because the stress is concentrated at the interface between the ice and the rock, and this can produce the enormous stresses required.
So the answer to your question is that no, objects don't sink into ice under their own weight (unless your object is made from neutronium). However freeze thaw cycles can give this impression.
share|improve this answer
Interesting. There is a corollary proposed by some creationists that since these plains were covered so rapidly, 260 feet (79.2 meters) in 40 years, certain core samples could not be as old as they are said to be. I was attempting to refute this particular proposition, or at least answer it as honestly as I can. I'm thinking another approach would be the change in density from the surface downward. I doubt it is constant, and I doubt it is linear. Thanks for your help. – Jordan Feb 27 at 20:54
_USER_ when it comes to creationists: don't feed the trolls. – Carl Witthoft Feb 27 at 22:20
_USER_, not all creationists are trolls. I consider myself one though I have no problems with evolution or modern cosmology. The Everett interpretation gives me heartburn sometimes, but we'll see how that turns out. – Jordan Feb 28 at 13:58
I say yes, things can sink in ice. Here's why: there's a thin layer of liquid on the surface of ice that is why ice is slippery. When you put a body on the surface of ice, it'll keep displacing the layer of liquid, getting deeper and deeper, and will eventually sink completely,
share|improve this answer
But how fast does that occur? Have there been measurements to determine the rate at which surface displacement occurs over extended timescales? Is it fast enough to explain the depth of the planes in question? Either way, interesting article, +1. – DumpsterDoofus Feb 27 at 20:34
But would this continue to happen when the object reaches the freezing point of water? – Jordan Feb 27 at 20:40
_USER_, the paper addresses the problem with the usual explanation of slippery ice through pressure melting. This liquid layer stays on even at very low temperatures, way below freezing. – Aksakal Feb 27 at 20:46
_USER_, I have no idea how fats this would work. It's probably at the speed of diffusion if not slower. – Aksakal Feb 27 at 20:47
Note that, while it's true that ice cqn develop a liquid layer when pressed, this is not enough to explain why ice is slippery, which is a rather more complicated question. – Emilio Pisanty Feb 27 at 21:27
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The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) Teaching Equity Project (STEP) provides K12 science teacher professional development in science content, instructional strategies, technology and mentoring. Training is provided by UH faculty, staff and master teachers during summer institutes and academic year sessions on UH and K12 campuses. STEP consistently produces data to demonstrate improved achievement for students taught by STEP-trained teachers.
STEP focuses on teachers who teach high needs student populations. For 2017-18, we will provide elementary and middle school STEM teachers and high school Physics/IPC teachers with a minimum of 100 hours of professional development which will directly impact 70 campuses, 14 districts, and over 10,000 students.
STEP is completely free to teachers, campuses and districts and is made possible by funding from the Teacher Quality Grants Program for Higher Education, the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching, the Hamill Foundation, and the Powell Foundation.


Kentucky Cabinet of Health - First Steps Technology-assisted Observation and Teaming Support system
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2018-02-09 BHPH Advocate
BHPH Advocate
Definition and Requirements
By Shaun Petersen
With all the discussion surrounding tax reform legislation, the one thing we know for certain is "the tax man cometh."
Usually, we reference that quotation with the day of reckoning that comes each April 15. In this industry, though, we know the tax man shows up at many different times and in many different ways.
Recently, the Internal Revenue Service has been auditing dealerships for compliance with Form 8300 reporting requirements and auditing related finance companies for compliance with the issuance of a 1099-C.
A dealer in the southern U.S. reported an IRS auditor began looking at the RFC's tax returns from 2009 and noticed the RFC failed to send a 1099-C to customers whose vehicles were repossessed and the deficiency was not pursued.
The IRS found the RFC violated the tax code by failing to provide those consumers with 1099-Cs and assessed fines approaching six figures.
Given the potential liability an RFC faces, we need to answer some critical questions.
What is a 1099-C? Form 1099-C is a form the IRS requires an "applicable financial entity" to issue to its borrowers if that financial entity cancels or forgives a debt greater than $600. The form provides information about the debtor and creditor, information about the type of debt and amount discharged, and the fair market value of the property.
Who is required to file a 1099-C? The definition of "applicable financial entity" in federal law encompasses several types of financial institutions, including "any organization a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money."
That broad definition captures entities organized as an RFC associated with a Buy Here-Pay Here dealership. Buy Here-Pay Here dealers who do not have an RFC are not required to file a 1099-C if they forgive a debt given to borrow to purchase a vehicle off the lot.
When must I file a 1099-C? The trigger to file a 1099-C is based on the cancellation of debt that occurs after any of nine identifiable events.
The most common of those events in the Buy Here-Pay Here industry are:
· A discharge in bankruptcy, but only if the customer uses the vehicle for business. A 1099-C is not required for discharges in personal consumer bankruptcy.
· Forgiveness of a debt under an agreement between the RFC and the debtor to cancel the debt for less than the full balance due. For example, an RFC might agree to accept $5,000 on a $10,000 balance in satisfaction of the debt. In that event, the RFC would send a 1099-C for $5,000.
· Forgiveness of the debt because of a decision or a defined policy of the RFC to discontinue collection activity and cancel the debt. This defined policy can either be in writing or an established business practice of the creditor.
The IRS has noted if an RFC abandons collection of the debt and stops collection activity after a particular period of non-payment, that cessation of collection constitutes a defined policy. For example, the RFC has a policy that it will attempt collection on all debts for a period of one year and then will cease all collection attempts on the debt. After that 12-month period, the debt is considered forgiven, and a 1099-C is required.
Other "identifiable events" can be found at _URL_
The 1099-C must be filed by Jan. 31 of the year following the year the identifiable event occurred.
For example, if my RFC decided to cease collection activities and forgive a consumer's balance owed in August 2018, I would be required to file the 1099-C and send a copy to the consumer by Jan. 31, 2019.
Why must I file a 1099-C? Perhaps the biggest question to answer is one I get from my youngest child repeatedly: "Why?" Or, as my teenage daughter might say, "What's the point?"
The IRS has provided an explanation from the perspective of the consumer:
If a consumer borrows money from a lender to buy a car, the consumer was not required to include the loan proceeds as income because the consumer has the obligation to repay the lender.
But once that obligation is subsequently forgiven, the amount forgiven is normally reportable as income because there is no longer any obligation to repay the lender.
Sending out a barrage of 1099-C forms every Jan. 31 certainly has the potential to adversely affect customer relations. No one wants to receive notice they may have more tax liability than they anticipated, particularly when the likely reason for receiving a 1099-C was the result of an economic hardship resulting in repossession.
Angry customers could take umbrage with the RFC, and perhaps the dealership itself.
But with the IRS aggressively seeking to enforce these requirements, the cost of non-compliance up to $100 per 1099-C not filed is something that cannot be ignored.
Shaun Petersen is NIADA's senior vice president of legal and government affairs.


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The Gee Technology Learning Center (GTLC) has extended the teaching, research, and service reach of the TIM School by erasing geographic barriers and reshaping how education is conceived. To advance the School's travel and tourism mandate through innovation and research, the GTLC creates a virtual connection among faculty, students, colleagues, and resources located almost anywhere.
Designed to share TIM School resources with travel and tourism professionals within Hawaiʻi and across the Asia-Pacific region, the GTLC provides the technology infrastructure upon which an extensive series of professional programs, customized courses, colloquia, and degree programs have been developed.
Technology advancements, particularly the Internet, are redefining the business model. TIM School clearly recognizes that success is dependent on: knowing how to use the technologies of the travel and tourism industry, achieving a strategic understanding of technology's scope, and how this powerful force is restructuring the travel industry.
Three main program initiatives enable the GTLC to advance TIM School's mission through virtual collaboration and communication:
- Distributed learning: The GTLC supports TIM School's distance learning programs by making available synchronous and non-synchronous communication for online credit and non-credit courses. Travel industry professionals constrained by time or distance can pursue advanced education without relocating or interrupting their careers.
- Knowledge sharing: The GTLC supports TIM School's knowledge dissemination commitment by linking global problem-solvers with global thinkers. Virtual collaboration enables talents of resource people, regardless of their location, to be shared widely. TIM School faculty is recognized globally for research in sustainable tourism, technology and tourism, and cultural tourism research efforts. Through the GTLC, TIM School faculty can connect with academic and industry colleagues across the globe without the barriers of distance and cost.
- Professional programs: The GTLC supports TIM School's agenda to provide uniquely positioned professional programs by enabling speakers and participants to communicate and work together in a variety of forms. Course content is often customized to meet specific client needs. Material can be delivered face-to-face using web-based and using multimedia techniques. Enriched learning opportunities, available through the GTLC, provide participants with access to leading industry "thinkers" and enable them to gain valuable experience using the virtual collaboration tools of business.


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Living With Data Literature Review
Living With Data: knowledge, experiences and perceptions of data practices carried out an extensive review of existing empirical research into public understanding and perceptions of data practices which was published on 21 May 2020. The full report, a short accessible summary, and accompanying list of references are all available from this page in the Current Research section of this site.
Interest in how the public perceives 'data practices' has grown recently. The emerging literature on public understanding and perceptions of datafication needed reviewing, to help us identify next steps for research in the field. We needed to synthesise existing evidence, evaluate whether patterns emerge, assess the claims that are made on the basis of existing research, and identify limitations and gaps that future research can address.
Living With Data therefore undertook such a review. We found:
1. People have some knowledge and understanding of data practices. Findings from both quantitative and qualitative studies suggest that people's knowledge about what happens to their data is mixed. Knowledge and understanding of data practices are varied. Some people understand some data practices, and they interpret their understanding in different ways which, in turn, leads to different levels of concern.
2. There is extensive evidence across all literature that people are concerned about data practices. This is an important finding that emerges from a lot of diverse research. Policy-makers and data practitioners need to be willing to address these concerns.
3. But this is not the whole picture: people are not only concerned. They find ways to negotiate, embed or resist data practices in their everyday lives. People often hold contradictory views about data practices, recognising their benefits and feeling concerned about potential harms at the same time. In some contexts, people feel they have some agency around their data, especially personal data that they can easily access, such as health selftracking data.
4. Emotions play an important role in understandings and perceptions of data practices. Qualitative studies recognise the significant role that feelings play in perceptions of data practices. How emotions matter varies across demographic groups. Emotions inform and are informed by reason and rational thinking, so they need to be understood as an important element in public understanding and perceptions of data practices.
5. People trust some sectors with their data more than others. The relationship between trust in institutions in general and trust in institutions' data practices is complicated, and findings are contradictory. For example, people trust the police with their data but they do not trust automated, data-driven decision-making in criminal justice practices. Qualitative research suggests that trust and distrust in data practices are not experienced separately. Trust and distrust are context-dependent, and sometimes trust and distrust coexist. Sometimes, distrust is appropriate, because trust needs to be earned. Research suggests that people believe that better communication and the existence of safeguards, accountability and transparency would make organisations more trustworthy.
6. Some responses to data practices are seen as apathy or acceptance. But responses need tobe understood in a context in which people feel unable to control the flows of their personal data, even if they want to. Some researchers see this as digital resignation, not apathy or acceptance. Using data-driven services does not mean that people accept data practices – we also saw that people are concerned about them and that people hold contradictory views about them. In addition, sometimes people resist data practices, and there are various ways in which they do this.
7. Most research finds dissatisfaction with the current ways in which data is used and managed, and a desire for this to change. A number of characteristics of changed, fairer data practices have been identified. These include:
- Honesty, transparency and genuine dialogue with the public;
- Regulation, enforcing compliance, the existence of safeguards and accountability, and the right to redress;
- Personal control.
As with people's concerns and degrees of trust, contexts of data use influence people's thinking about whether they are fair or not.
8. Because people are concerned about existing data practices, because trust in them is limited, and because people have views about how data practices could be fairer, clearly, change is needed. Views about what needs to change are influenced by research discipline and researcher perspective. Systems-focused literature recommends changes in system design, foregrounding actions that could be taken by technology providers, such as clear communication, privacy by design, and attending to complex privacy and contextual dynamics. Critical academic literature and some policy and practice-oriented grey literature identify governments as the most important enablers of change.
9. Differences matter when it comes to public perceptions of data practices. Not all data
practices are the same, and people experience them from different social positions. Research is beginning to pay attention to differences, but more understanding of them is needed. Differences matter in relation to types of data or contexts of data use and how concern about data practices differs in significance from other concerns that people have. Most importantly, social inequalities play a major role in shaping people's experiences of data practices, and therefore their understanding and perceptions of them.
10. How research is conducted makes a difference to what it finds. Research methods, the questions asked, how findings are interpreted and presented, the disciplinary background and the political orientation of researchers all play a role in shaping findings that emerge and claims that are made in the research we reviewed. Decision-making based on the evidence we have reviewed should be alert to this fact.
Three overarching conclusions emerged:
I. Data matters are human matters. This means that data-related governance
and decision-making needs to be human-centric. It needs to start with the experiences and perceptions of the people who are affected by data practices.
II. Context matters.Who gathers data, what and whose data is gathered, for what purpose and with what effects, influences people's attitudes.
III. Inequalities matter. Social inequalities influence knowledge and understanding, concerns, degree of trust and feelings about data practices.


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- The number of people reporting up through the organization
- The quantity or amount of product or services produced
- The "bottom line" or income produced by the company
- The number of links, references or accolades to the leader or the organization
- Other methods that focus on things and not people.
These are all valid and important ways to measure leadership, and many others exist. However, the true — and more telling — measure of leadership is long-term and cannot easily be seen. Leadership is best measured by what you leave behind.
Some people become frustrated by the lack of immediate results. The thought of waiting months or years to see the results of their labors is discouraging. However, if you look at the actions and attitudes of people whom you consider true leaders, you will find they focus on building others. They put as their first concern the growth and development of the people with whom they interact. The results of their success carry forward through the people they have influenced over the years.


Depth and Deblurring from a Spectrally-varying Depth-of-Field
Ayan Chakrabarti; Todd Zickler
We propose modifying the aperture of a conventional color camera so that the effective aperture size for one color channel is smaller than that for the other two. This produces an image where different color channels have different depths-of-field, and from this we can computationally recover scene depth, reconstruct an all-focus image and achieve synthetic re-focusing, all from a single shot. These capabilities are enabled by a spatio-spectral image model that encodes the statistical relationship between gradient profiles across color channels. This approach substantially improves depth accuracy over alternative single-shot coded-aperture designs, and since it avoids introducing additional spatial distortions and is light efficient, it allows high-quality deblurring and lower exposure times. We demonstrate these benefits with comparisons on synthetic data, as well as results on images captured with a prototype lens.
Project Page:
BibTex entry
_USER_ { 329, title = {Depth and Deblurring from a Spectrally-varying Depth-of-Field}, year = {2012}, month = {07/10/2012}, address = {Firenze, Italy}, author = {Ayan Chakrabarti and Todd Zickler} }


Take the 2-minute tour ×
I'm finding lots of 2-3k line files, and it doesn't really feel like they should be that big.
What is a good criteria to objectively call a source code file "too big"?, is there such thing as a maximum amount of lines a source code file should have?
share|improve this question
Your peer tells you after reviewing the code. "You cannot determine this yourself because you know more as the author than the code says by itself. A computer cannot tell you, for the same reasons that it cannot tell if a painting is art or not. Hence, you need another human - capable of maintaining the software - to look at what you have written and give his or her opinion..." – gnat Nov 24 '12 at 14:22
Some compilers used to have weird limits on source code size: max line length or max number of lines. When compiler complains, this is an objective indicator that code is too big (or that it is time to upgrade). – mouviciel Nov 25 '12 at 11:17
Split as much as possible, but without breaking the integrity of files. Each file (or pair of header/source files) should always be a rounded whole, independent of the internal implementation of other files. If this means some files will be large because they implement something complex, so be it. – Ambroz Bizjak Nov 25 '12 at 11:25
3 Answers 3
up vote 3 down vote accepted
As an ideal model I use the following criteria (with a similar rationale to what Martin Beckett suggested, i.e. to think in terms of logical structure and not in terms of lines of code):
Rule 1
One class per file (in C++: one class -> one header and one implementation file).
Rule 2
Seven is considered the number of items that our brain can observe at the same time without getting confused. Above 7 we find it difficult to keep an overview of what we see. Therefore: each class should not have more than 7-10 methods. A class that has more than 10 method is probably too complex and you should try to split it. Splitting is a very effective method because every time you split a class you reduce the complexity of each individual class at least by a factor of 2.
Rule 3
A method body that does not fit in one or two screens is too big (I assume that a screen / editor window is about 50 lines). Ideally, you can see the whole method in one window. If this is not the case, you only need to scroll up and down a bit, without forgetting the part of the method that gets hidden. So, if you have to scroll more than one screen up or down to read the whole method body, your method is probably too big and you can easily lose the overview.
Again, splitting methods using private help methods can reduce method complexity very fast (at every split the complexity is at least halved). If you introduce too many private help methods you can consider creating a separate class to collect them (if you have more private methods than public ones, maybe a second class is hiding inside your main class).
Putting together these very rough estimates:
 - At most one class per source file.
 - At most 10 public method per class.
 - At most 10 private method per class.
 - At most 100 lines per method.
So a source file that is more than 2000 lines is probably too large and starting to be too messy.
This is really a very rough estimate and I do not follow these criteria systematically (especially because there is not always enough time to do proper refactoring). Also, as Martin Beckett suggested, there are situations in which a class is a large collection of methods and it does not make sense to split them in some artificial way just to make the class smaller.
Anyway, in my experience a file starts to get unreadable when one of the above parameters is not respected (e.g. a 300 line method body that spans six screens, or a source file with 5000 lines of code).
share|improve this answer
Disagree with #2: what about overloads? For example ostream << operator in C++ has a large number of similar methods, but fundamentally all do the same thing (write to the stream). – JBRWilkinson Nov 26 '12 at 12:00
_USER_: See the paragraph towards the end of the answer. – Giorgio Nov 26 '12 at 13:39
No - not in terms of lines of code. The driver should be logical grouping. There certainly shouldn't be multiple classes in one large file for example
If you had a class that legitmately had a few hundred methods (not impossible in say 3D modelling) it would be a lot less convenient to split that into arbitrary files. We used to have to do this when memory was scarcer and processors slower - and it was a pains, constantly searching for the function definition.
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_USER_: usually, but not always. – whatsisname Nov 24 '12 at 2:26
_USER_ - common in say gis/3d modelling to have lots of operations you can perform, and then have them overloaded for 2d,3d,4d,3d+signal,then float/double/integer etc - templates help a little but for efficency lots of operations are often better than a pretty class heirarchy – Martin Beckett Nov 24 '12 at 3:01
_USER_ - either irony, or we have found the reason behind Microsoft Bob – Martin Beckett Nov 24 '12 at 23:19
_USER_ - and you use a small font so they don't take up as much space? – Martin Beckett Dec 3 '12 at 16:10
_USER_ - you use different classes? Doesn't that make it complex remembering the names? – Martin Beckett Dec 4 '12 at 5:13
When the code in it becomes unmaintainable. i.e: you can't tell just by watching the code if the method/class/function you're looking for (and have to edit/debug) is in there, or not, and if so, where it is.
Your IDE/Editor choice and features will influence this upper limit's actual quantification, though. Code folding, function/method listing, and lookup will postpone the moment this development scenario presents.
But when it does, it's time to split it.
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Your Answer


Numerical analysis of polymer composites for actuation
Shivashankar Hiremath, Vidyashree Sangappa, Sangamesh Rajole, Satyabodh Kulkarni
Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review
The design of a polymer composite actuator is essential for micro and nano applications. Thus, the composite material may deform or deflects as specific stimuli are applied, such as heat, electrical, light source, etc. The deformation of the composite material is caused by the type of stimulus applied. Hence, while it is heated, the expansion takes place quickly, and the heating is shut down, the material shrinks very slowly. In the present investigation, this phenomenon is mainly studied in the actuation of composite beams. Numerical analysis of carbon black filled polymer composite beam expansion, and contraction is being analyzed in this research. The structure of the beam has been created, and the composite properties are incorporated into the beam, and the uniform heat source is applied on to the surface of the beam. The heating and cooling of the composite material predict the increase and decrease in the temperature of the beam. The numerical analysis of the temperature-dependent expansion and contraction of the composite beam has been carried out successfully. An increase in temperature is observed to signify the slight expansion in the composite beam, whereas the contraction of the composite beam takes a longer time to reach room temperature. Also, the increase in the content of the filler leads to a decrease in the expansion of the composite beam. The numerical simulation of the polymer composite thus provides a solid platform for the experimental study of thermal actuators.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)211-216
Number of pages6
JournalRevue des Composites et des Materiaux Avances
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 12-2020
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
 - Materials Science(all)
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6116 in-depth character profiles from comics, games, movies
Speed Demon (Spider-Man enemy) (Marvel Comics)
Speed Demon
Best-known as a Spider-Man foe and a Thunderbolts member, Speed Demon is the main super-speed villain in the Marvel Universe.
 - Real Name: James Sanders.
 - Other Aliases: Whizzer, Harvey James.
 - Marital Status: Single.
 - Known Relatives: None.
 - Group Affiliation: Formerly Squadron Sinister, Sinister Syndicate, Thunderbolts, and Supreme Power.
 - Base Of Operations: New York.
 - Height: 5'11" Weight: 175lbs.
 - Eyes: Brown Hair: Grey
Powers and Abilities
Speed Demon can act at speeds far greater than normal people, due to the effects of a chemical he created under the Grandmaster's guidance.
It changed his physical structure, strengthening his muscles and bones. It also increased the efficiency of his nervous system, including his brain, making his thought processes and reflexes six times faster than those of the average person.
Capable of moving at a speed of 160 mph for around three hours, he can move faster for shorter periods. These heightened speeds allow him to run up vertical surfaces, or even run on the air if he has enough of a run up.
Sanders has a master's degree in chemistry. He is a skilled fighter, especially at using his speed.
Chemist James Sanders was contacted by the Grandmaster, who offered him super-powers in exchange for his services. Agreeing, Sanders created tablets based on information the Grandmaster provided, which granted him superhuman speed.
Given the identity of the Whizzer by the Grandmaster, he was introduced to the rest of the Squadron Sinister. This team was modelled on the Squadron Supreme, a superhero group from an alternate reality. The other members were Hyperion, Nighthawk, and Doctor Spectrum.
The Squadron were pitted against the Avengers, themselves pawns of the Grandmaster's opponent, Kang. Split up, Whizzer was pitted against Goliath (Clint Barton) in London. The battle was interrupted by the Black Knight, who knocked Sanders out, believing he was helping, but the action actually broke the rules of the contest, preventing the Avengers from winning at that point.
While the Avenger's challenges continued, the Squadron were released from the Grandmaster's service, and returned to Earth.
When Hyperion sold the Earth to the alien, Nebulon, the Squadron initiated a plan to melt the polar ice caps and flood the Earth. Nighthawk betrayed them, however, warning the Defenders of the Squadron's intentions.
They were eventually stopped, Doctor Strange casting a spell over them which caused them to forget their powers and identities.
Stolen memories
Believing himself to be a chemist called Harvey James, Sanders got a job at the Hudson Pharmaceutical Company in West Caldwell, New Jersey. This false personality remained in place until the Avengers turned up looking for information about Doctor Spectrum's Power Prism, which had taken control of the Wasp.
As soon as he saw Captain America, Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch, Sanders remembered who he was, and instantly attacked. Running circles around them, he nearly escaped, until Captain America tagged him with his shield.
Speed Demon (James Sanders) vs. Sea Leopard
It's unclear what happened to him next. If he had been turned over to the authorities, he escaped. Experimenting on the speed formula allowed him to become even faster. He adopted the new identity of Speed Demon, using his powers to carry out thefts from shops and museums.
This type of crime would often bring him into conflict with Spider-Man, on his own or partnered with the Human Torch. Sanders would often be arrested, but never for that long.
Sinister Syndicate
He later joined the Sinister Syndicate, alongside the Beetle (Abner Jenkins), Rhino, Boomerang, and Hydro-Man. Their first job was to kill Silver Sable, which ran into complications when Spider-Man turned up with her, and the Syndicate were beaten.
Speed Demon with his Whizzer costume
The Syndicate, led by Doctor Octopus, helped rebels overthrow the oppressive government of the European country of Belgriun. However, this was part of a plan to make off with the treasury. Silver Sable and Spider-Man turned up to oppose them again, but fell afoul of the public, who saw the Syndicate as heroes.
Spider-Man and Sable managed to foil the theft, resulting in the treasure being dropped over the public. It's uncertain whether the truth of their intentions became known to the public, so Sanders may still be welcome in Belgriun.
Sanders was one of the speedsters invited to race by the Runner, alongside Black Racer, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Makkari, Quicksilver, Super Sabre, and the Whizzer of the Squadron Supreme. While he outlasted the Black Racer, and Super Sabre, Speed Demon fell at around 81,000 km.
The race was won by the latecomer, Buried Alien, far faster than any of them.
Again working with the Sinister Syndicate, Sanders began making moves on Boomerang's girlfriend, Leila Davis, when Boomerang was arrested. Leila turned out to actually be the wife of the late Ringer, who blamed the Beetle for her husband's death, and had only infiltrated the group to gain revenge on him.
Her plans exacerbated rifts in the group, splitting them into two opposing factions, and they soon disbanded.
Working for the Man
Recruited by Justin Hammer, Speed Demon was part of a group of super-villains Hammer lent to his current co-conspirator, the Sphinx, and they battled the New Mutants and Spider-Man, who were trying to foil the Sphinx's plans.
Speed Demon (James Sanders) vs. Spider-Man
When they realized how dangerous the Sphinx's plans were, directly threatening their lives, Speed Demon was one of the villains who teamed with the heroes to oppose him, rather than fleeing. They stopped the Sphinx, and Sanders left.
Again employed by Justin Hammer, Speed Demon was teamed with Whiplash, Hydro-Man, and the Blizzard (Donnie Gill), as protection from the 'new' Beetle, who'd been raiding Hammer's facilities.
They fought the Beetle when he attacked, and the Thunderbolts, when they arrived tracking him. They were eventually overwhelmed and were forced to flee, leaving the Thunderbolts to drive the Beetle away.
Deciding to start using throwing knives, Speed Demon took part in the Bloodsport tournament in Madripoor. In the first round he was pitted against Patch (Wolverine), within a giant cylinder. He was doing well until Patch used his throwing knives against him, leaving him bleeding from a bad neck wound.
Patch refused the audience's calls to kill him. Surviving, Sanders decided against continuing to use weapons.
Hired by Baron von Strucker, head of Hydra, he was tasked with infiltrating the Thunderbolts, currently led by Mach-IV (Abner Jenkins), to keep an eye on them. Coming to the team's aid against the Wrecking Crew, he was accepted into the team, although not without suspicion.
Justice, like lightning
Eventually coming into conflict with Hydra when their plans threatened Manhattan, Speed Demon betrayed Strucker, siding with the Thunderbolts. Reaching speeds beyond what he normally could, Sanders managed to reach all the bombs Strucker had set around the city, getting the final one miles away from the city within seconds.
Speed Demon (James Sanders) dodging Spider-Man's blows
He spent a lot of time trying, unsuccessfully, to hit on team mate Joystick. Fellow new Thunderbolt, Blizzard (Donnie Gill), uncertain at his new role, seemed to latch on to Sanders, looking up to him as a kind of older brother figure. When he learned that Sanders was considering pulling a job with the Shocker, Gill tried talking him out of it.
Sanders pulled the job, using his old Whizzer suit, not knowing Blizzard had planted a tracker on him. Blizzard tried to stop him during the heist, but Sanders beat him, leaving him tied to the Throgs Neck bridge, half-naked, with a note thanking him for trying.
Following the job, Sanders informed the police of the Shocker's location. Snatching his weapons and the loot the moment they arrived. The loot he then gave to Jenkins to support the Thunderbolts, since their funding, which had originally come from Strucker, was running low.
He continued stealing money to support the group, including from the company of old team mate, Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond). Nighthawk soon found him, confronting him with his crimes in front of the other Thunderbolts.
Before the matter could be settled, they were interrupted by new versions of Hyperion and Dr. Spectrum (Alice Nugent), who abducted both Speed Demon and Nighthawk.
They were told of the new Squadron's plans (although Nugent wanted them to call themselves Supreme Power) to solve the worlds problems. It would first require them to take over the world. Learning that their plan to take over was more to make the world better than to feather their own nests, Sanders decided it sounded too much like work.
Speed Demon and Nighthawk tried to play along, but their subterfuge was quickly seen through. The Thunderbolts arrived just as battle broke out, and Hyperion and


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Aron Asked: When does the South Pacific start to light up and the water start to warm up? I froze my ass off today and welcome warmer waters and warmer swell.
Adam Wright – Solspot Forecaster:
You ask a good question…but it actually needs two answers.
It definitely seems like Southern Hemi swells and warmer water are linked (and to be totally honest they do have some slight influence on each other) but our local water temps are much more influenced by our local winds and weather than swell moving in from several thousand miles away.
The Southern California Coastal Eddy, (aka: The Catalina Eddy, Eddy conditions,…) is actually the main source for warm water in Southern California, which is sort of ironic since it is also one of our biggest pains in the butt from a "conditions" standpoint. In a nutshell "the eddy" causes winds to swirl up from the S-SW forcing the ocean surface toward our beaches and starts to induce a process called down-welling, which is one of the main ways that warmer water that is usually sitting just a few hundred miles off our coast is pushed up into our beaches.
If you are interested in the science and the process of down-welling and its cold bitchy sister upwelling you can check out this post.
At any rate, from a water temp perspective…as the eddy starts to grind to life, sometimes as early as March, warmer water starts to move up with it. The eddy usually sticks around through at least early July finally settling into a better (for surf conditions) Fall wind pattern by late July and on into August.
The South Pacific actually has a much wider "active" window than our more fragile "warm water" window. In fact since it is one of the largest, uninterrupted bodies of water on Earth, and it borders Antarctica which happens to have the most unforgiving climate on the planet…it is possible, and not even all that uncommon, to have a significant storm move off the ice and into a swell making position at any point during the year (I remember surfing a couple of fairly healthy S-SSW swells in the middle of December).
Naturally the Southern Hemisphere winter is when the odds of getting bigger storms forming in the mid-lower latitudes are greatly increased…with the Southern Hemi Fall and Spring also seeing a good if slightly less consistent chance of increased storm activity. Generally I consider the South Pacific in an "active phase" starting in March and continuing through to early October…but because it is such a dynamic region I keep an eye on that storm track pretty much year round.
Check out this chart…you can see the annual average water temps for Orange County broken out month by month.
I also overlaid the seasons where we are most likely to see the Socal Eddy form…as well as the "active" period for the South Pacific. You can see pretty quickly that the water temps are more reflective of the eddy winds, while we continue to see plenty of Southern Hemi swell even when we have relatively cool ocean temps.


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Selective grazing of Temora longicornis in different stages of a Phaeocystis globosa bloom - a mesocosm study
Publication: Research - peer-review › Journal article – Annual report year: 2005
Selective grazing of a calanoid copepod Temora longicornis was measured during different stages of a Phaeocystis globosa bloom, in order to reveal (1) if T longicornis feeds on single cells and/or colonies of P. globosa in the presence of alternative food sources, (2) if copepod food selection changes during the initiation, maintenance, collapse and decay of a P. globosa bloom and (3) if P. globosa dominated food assemblage provides a good diet for copepod egg production. Our results show low but constant feeding on small colonies of P. globosa, irrespective of the type or concentration of alternative food sources. In contrast, feeding on single cells was never significant, and the total contribution of P globosa to carbon ingestion of T longicornis was minor. T longicornis fed most actively on the decaying colonies, whereas during the peak of the bloom copepods selected against P globosa. Mostly, T longicornis fed unselectively on different food particles: before the bloom, the major part of the diet consisted of diatoms, whereas during and after the bloom copepod diet was dominated by dinoflagellates and ciliates. Egg production was highest during the decay of the bloom, coinciding with highest proportional ingestion of heterotrophic organisms, but was not seriously reduced even during the peak of the bloom. We conclude that P globosa blooms should not threaten survival of copepod populations, but the population recruitment may depend on the type (and concentration) of the dominant heterotrophs present during the blooms. Due to relatively unselective grazing, the impact of T longicornis to the initiation of a Phaeocystis bloom is considered small, although grazing on decaying colonies may contribute to the faster termination of a bloom. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
|Citations||Web of Science® Times Cited: 10|


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How to add a ReadOnly property in C#?
Property - A property is an entity that describes the features of an object.
A property is a piece of data contained within a class that has an exposed interface
for reading/writing. Looking at that definition, you might think you could declare a
public variable in a class and call it a property. While this assumption is somewhat
valid, the true technical term for a public variable in a class is a field. The key
difference between a field and a property is in the inclusion of an interface.
We make use of Get and Set keywords while working with
properties. We prefix the variables used within this code block with an underscore.
Value is a keyword, that holds the value
which is being retrieved or set. See code below to set a property as ReadOnly. If
a property does not have a set accessor, it becomes a ReadOnly property.
Default Values of Types
Const - ReadOnly
Interface Reference, is, as
public class ClassA
private int length = 0;
public ClassA(int propVal)
length = propVal;
public int length
More Interview Questions...


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1/ General required documents for filing Patent/Utility Model Registration in Vietnam (Patent Registration)
In order to file a Patent Application in Vietnam, please provide us with the following documents:
- Instruction letter containing Title of the Invention, name(s) and address(es) of the Applicant(s) and Inventor(s);
- Power of Attorney (POA) – Original
- Specification, claim, abstract and drawing (if any) in English – via email is acceptable
2/ General information for Patent/Utility Model Registration in Vietnam
- In Vietnam the deadline for PCT Patent application entering into National phase 31 months from Priority date and Paris Convention application is 12 months from the Priority date.
- Power of Attorney forms need to be filed, but neither notarization nor legalization is required. If the forms cannot be submitted at filing, it is possible to file late as a response to the IP Vietnam's Notification of Deficiencies (at a cost) within one month, with an extension of further two months, from the date of Office Action.
- Assignments are only required if the applicant of the priority application is different to the applicant of the Vietnamese application, or, the applicant is an individual but not an inventor of the application.
- Examination request can be filed either at filing or later. Deadline for request for substantive examination is 42 months for inventions and 36 months for utility solutions, either from priority date or from filing date if no priority is claimed.
- A certified copy of the Priority Document (for Paris Convention application) is required within three months from the filing date (with details needed at filing). Only the priority data is required at the time of filing (application number, filing date and country).
- In regard of providing Vietnamese translation of a patent application we would like to advise you that according to the current patent regulations, Vietnamese translation of a patent specification is required at filing. Therefore, we try to complete the translation to submit it at application filing date instructed by clients. We would highly appreciate it if a patent specification in English is sent to our firm in a well time so that we could have sufficient duration of time to do translation and to review in order to ensure its best quality before submission.
3/ Requirement or limitation about computer related inventions:
Requirement: Patents involving computer programs are a form of "patents made by computers", This phrase refers to subjects related to computers, computer networks or other programmable devices, in which features of claimed subject matters are carried out by computer programs.
Although computer programs are on the list of those which are not protected as patents but if the claims have technical characteristics and are really a technical solution, in order to solve a technical problems using technical means to produce a technical effect, they may be protected as patents. For example, a data processing operation is controlled by a computer program that theoretically could be done equally by special circuits, and the implementation of programs is always accompanied by physical effects, such as electrical current, and ordinary physical effects themselves are not sufficient for computer programs to have technical characteristics. However, if a computer program that, when run on a computer, creating other technical effects, in addition to the normal physical effects, then that program is capable of being protected as patents. These other technical effects may be known from prior arts. Technical effects in the above cases may be, for example, in controlling an industrial process, in processing data representing physical entities or in the performance of the main functions within the computer or its interface under the impact of this program and may, for example, affect the performance or safety of the process, the management of resources of the computer or the data transfer rate on the transmission line. Therefore, a computer program can be regarded as capable of being protected as patents if the program, when run on a computer, can create technical effects beyond the typical interaction between the program and the computer.
Limitation: However, even in the case of a computer program capable of being protected as inventions as described above, in the claims, the subject matters represented by phrases such as "computer programs", "computer software", "computer program/software product", or "program-carrying signal", and other similar terms are not acceptable. A computer program can be protected as subject matters, for example, methods to operate a conventional device, devices installed to carry out a method, carriers containing programs to carry out a method.
4/ Subject matters not protected as inventions
The following subject matters shall not be protected as inventions:
1. Discoveries, scientific theories; mathematical methods;
2. Schemes, plans, rules or methods for performing mental acts, training domestic animals, playing games, doing business; computer programs;
3. Presentations of information;
4. Solutions of aesthetic characteristics only;
5. Plant varieties, animal varieties;
6. Processes of essentially biological nature for the production of plants and animals other than microbiological processes;
7. Disease prevention, diagnostic and treatment methods for human or animals.


inclusive smear tests
The smear factor: One woman's fight to make smear tests accessible
Every year 1,200 people with a learning disability die unnecessarily from inappropriate healthcare. With less than a third of women with a learning disability attending a smear test, the impact is undoubtedly contributing to this number. We talk to one woman preparing for her first smear test.


the difference between words: find out and know
Earlier, one of my students asked me what the difference is between "find out" and "know", so I think that would be a good topic for today's blog entry.
In English, we often have a separate word or expression to talk about the beginning of a situation. For example, first we PUT ON our clothes and then we WEAR them; first we GET a cold and then we HAVE the cold.
Another example of this is "find out" and "know". First, we FIND OUT some information, and then we KNOW it. So when we talk about the first moment that we learn some information, we must use "find out", but we can't use "know" until afterwards. For example:
I found out about the terrorist attack when I watched the news report on TV. I was so shocked!
I knew about the terrorist attack before I watched the news because my friend had told me about it before.
Did you know that ABC Department Store is having a sale this weekend? I just found out today.
A: Did you know that Rachel is going to have a baby?
B: Yes, I know.
A: When did you find out?
B: I found out yesterday when Rachel's husband told me.
As you can see from the examples, when we use "find out" we usually will say when we received the information. If we don't say when we received it, the sentence will sound a little strange.
 1. praiffs Said:
 couldn't get u.. first we PUT ON our clothes and than WEAR them..and first we GET cold than we HAVE cold.. Please. Explain it.. Thanks
 - I wrote another blog about "put on", "wear" and "take off" on October 25, 2010. If you check that, it should help you understand the difference better.
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eng Crettaz, Eric La circulation des richesses: Working Poverty Among Immigrants and « Ethnic Minorities » : Theoretical Framework and Empirical Evidence Across Welfare Regimes _URL_ While the research that focuses on working poverty and low-wage employment usually explains the situation of immigrants and 'ethnic' minorities in terms of human capital, linguistic skills, social origin, and the like ('class-only' explanations), the literature that starts from the specific situation of minorities, especially the one that deals with immigration laws and/or labour market discrimination, tends to ignore what their situation has in common with that of disadvantaged 'native whites' in post-industrial economies. This paper attempts to build a theoretical bridge between these two strands of literature, and provides, in a first step, evidence as to the incidence of working poverty among immigrants (and 'ethnic' minorities when the information is available) across welfare regimes. In a second step, the impact of the citizenship status, the country of birth (and of 'race' in the US) is assessed, when the main working poverty factors and the main forms of labour market discrimination are controlled for. Interestingly, these variables have a significant impact in these models; hence, further factors must be at play, and some hypotheses are discussed, especially the role of 'ethnic economies'. 2011-05-26T12:47:42Z _URL_


text:
poles; poling; poled
A pole is a rounded stick or rod, usually made of wood, plastic, or metal. You need a pole for hanging a flag, catching fish, or setting up a tent.
There are many kinds of poles, from the poles skiers use to balance and push themselves forward to the long, flexible pole a pole vaulter uses to help her jump over a high bar. When someone mentions the North or South Pole, they mean the points on either side of the Earth that mark the ends of its axis of rotation. This kind of pole comes from the Latin polus, "end of an axis" or "the heavens."
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.


text:
We can automate this with WinDBG by building a list of commands and appending it to our breakpoint. In our example, we'll print out some information, and use the
ddcommand (discussed later) to show the stack. Notice how our command is referenced in the
bloutput as well:
Let's see what happens when we hit our breakpoint:
As expected, the commands were executed, showing the "
Here are the values on the stack" message and the stack. Commands are chained together with a semi-colon, and be sure to escape quotes within the outer-most quotes that contain the entire command. You can even append the
gcommand to have the commands be executed and the program to just continue. This allows you to inspect the state of the program as it runs rather than manually interrupting it every time a breakpoint is hit.


text:
U.S. Joins International Effort to Promote Environmental Journalism to Today's Youth
NWF recruits middle and high school students to participate in annual competition
As the United States host of the international Young Reporters for the Environment program, the National Wildlife Federation has started recruiting public, private and charter middle and high school students in the U.S. to participate in an annual competition that encourages and promotes youth environmental journalism.
The new Young Reporters for the Environment USA (YRE-USA) program is part of a rapidly-growing international network of international youth engaged in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). It is coordinated by the Foundation for Environmental Education and currently operates in more than 25 countries. The United States is one of the more recent countries to join this effort.
"This youth environmental journalism program helps to develop participants' skills and knowledge, enhances communication and citizenship skills, individual initiative, team work, critical analysis, social responsibility, and leadership," said Laura Hickey, Senior Director of Eco-Schools USA and YRE-USA for the National Wildlife Federation.
Students that participate in the program investigate a local environmental problem or issue, and propose solutions. They document their work and report on it through a journalistic production targeting a local audience. These journalistic efforts can be through the creation of an article, a photograph, a photographic essay, or a video which is then shared with a local audience through a variety of media.
The Young Reporters for the Environment program is both a national and an international competition. Winning national entries compete against other countries' entries for recognition and prizes, and both competitions utilize independent juries to make the winning selections. Full contest rules can be found on the YRE-USA website.
Teachers are encouraged to use YRE as a cross-curriculum tool to make learning more fun and to help students investigate relevant issues and create submissions developed in different subjects. There are two age categories in the US-based YRE program: 13-15, and 16-18. The first place article, photograph/photographic essay, and video from each category will be submitted to the international competition.
The YRE-USA website has suggested topics, definitions, links, and resources for budding young journalists, as well as information about the national and international competition. Young Reporters for the Environment USA is a free program hosted by the National Wildlife Federation.
To learn more about YRE-USA or to register, go to _URL_.


HSSEAS LABORATORY ACCESS home | search
Access to a Research Laboratory
Safety is of paramount importance to all people within HSSEAS. To ensure laboratory safety, all research personnel must be properly trained. To gain access to a research laboratory in HSSEAS (a key or electronic access), you need to take the following steps and complete them:
 1. Contact your department's management service officer or other designated staff who handle new hires and you should be given the following information
 1. An up-to-date schedule of the EHS Safety Training Course
 2. Research Laboratory Hazard Assessment and Personal Protective Equipment Use
 3. A list of Chemical Use Hazards
 4. A key request form
 2. Attend and complete the following EHS laboratory safety training courses
 1. Laboratory Safety Fundamental Concepts
 - This is required for ALL researchers. NO exception.
 2. Hazardous Chemical Waste Training
 - This is required for ALL researchers who handle and generate chemical waste.
 3. Any additional laboratory safety training course required for your research
 - This should be done in consultation with the PI/research advisor.
 3. Complete the key request form and submit it along with the EHS certificates on the safety courses
Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science


The data protection keyword is one of the most essential things on FriendsBASE, but it is not necessary.
You have to type a keyword BEFORE start typing your data (friends, telephone numbers etc.). Only in that way will be encrypted correctly. Notice that if you forget the keyword there is no way to recover your valuable data.
In order to create a keyword you just type into (1) a word or a number that contain up to 8 characters.
To ensure that the keyword is ok just click (2).
NOTICE that you have to type your keyword correctly when FriendsBASE asks for it, when it starts, else you cannot even start FriendsBASE.


bio-0.5: A bioinformatics library
This implements a number of filters used in the Titanium pipeline, based on published documentation.
Discarding filters
type DiscardFilter = ReadBlock -> BoolSource
DiscardFilters determine whether a read is to be retained or discarded
discard_empty :: DiscardFilterSource
This filter discards empty sequences.
discard_key :: String -> DiscardFilterSource
Discard sequences that don't have the given key tag (typically TCAG) at the start of the read.
discard_dots :: Double -> DiscardFilterSource
 1. The dots filter discards sequences where the last positive flow is before flow 84, and flows with >5% dots (i.e. three successive noise values) before the last postitive flow. The percentage can be given as a parameter.
discard_mixed :: DiscardFilterSource
 1. The mixed filter discards sequences with more than 70% positive flows. Also, discard with 30% noise, 20% middle (0.45..0.75) or <30% positive.
discard_length :: Int -> DiscardFilterSource
Discard a read if the number of untrimmed flows is less than n (n=186 for Titanium)
Trimming filters
type TrimFilter = ReadBlock -> ReadBlockSource
TrimFilters modify the read, typically trimming it for quality
trim_sigint :: TrimFilterSource
 1. Signal intensity trim - trim back until <3% borderline flows (0.5..0.7). Then trim borderline values or dots from the end (use a window).
trim_primer :: String -> TrimFilterSource
 1. Primer filter This looks for the B-adaptor at the end of the read. The 454 implementation isn't very effective at finding mutated adaptors.
trim_qual20 :: Int -> TrimFilterSource
 1. Quality score trimming trims using a 10-base window until a Q20 average is found.
Utility functions
dlength :: [a] -> DoubleSource
List length as a double (eliminates many instances of fromIntegral)
avg :: Integral a => [a] -> DoubleSource
Calculate average of a list
clipFlows :: ReadBlock -> Int -> ReadBlockSource
Translate a number of flows to position in sequence, and update clipping data accordingly
clipSeq :: ReadBlock -> Int -> ReadBlockSource
Update clip_qual_right if more severe than previous value


text:
Chest symptoms following coronary stenting in the first 10 weeks of recovery
- Publication Type:
- Journal Article
- European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 2008, 7 (1), pp. 73 - 79
- Issue Date:
Copyright Clearance Process
- Recently Added
- In Progress
- Closed Access
This item is closed access and not available.
Background: Most patients experience the benefits of PTCA and stent quickly, with reduction in symptoms and improvement in functional status, however many patients experience chest symptoms post-procedure. Objective: To describe the pattern and characteristics of post-stent chest symptoms in cardiac rehabilitation participants. Methods: A prospective descriptive study assessing the pattern and presence of chest symptoms in coronary artery stent recipients (N = 129) four and ten weeks post-procedure. Patients were interviewed at cardiac rehabilitation or by the phone using a specifically developed questionnaire which incorporated the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Results: Most participants were male, aged on average 60.5 years and received two stents, most often drug eluting. Post-stent chest symptoms were common, experienced by two thirds of patients (68%) at some time during the 10 weeks post-discharge. Chest symptoms were recurrent, with 33% having symptoms on both occasions and occurred more often in younger patients (p <.00). Patients described their symptoms as discomforting and used the descriptors dull, tight, sharp, pressing and flickering. Chest symptoms tended to be brief and/or intermittent (65%) lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes (63%). Most patients felt their symptoms were related to their stent (75%) and were unsure what to do. A small number (5%) interpreted their symptoms as ischaemic and presented to the hospital (4%). Conclusions: Post-stent chest symptoms are frequent and recurrent out to 10 weeks post-discharge. Although symptoms tended to be brief and intermittent, the location and quality of these symptoms may overlap with existing chest pain guidelines, making it difficult for patients to interpret. Cardiac rehabilitation staff are in an ideal position to support and inform stent recipients about appropriate responses to these symptoms. © 2007 European Society of Cardiology.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:


text: A light source of wavelength lambda illuminates a metal and ejects photoelectrons with a maximum kinetic energy of 1.00 eV. A second light source with half the wavelength of the first ejects photoelectrons with a maximum kinetic energy of 4.00 eV. What is the work functin of the metal? I know I can use the equation for maximum kinetic energy defined by K=hf - phi where K is the maximum kinetic energy for emmitted electrons, h Planck's constant and f is frequency. Since we don't have frequency, I thought of rewriting the equation as K=hc/lambda - phi but now I don't know how to incorporate both light sources and to actually to solve for phi. Do I have to write two separate linear equations and solve them or is there something esle I'm supposed to be doing? Help please?


text:
Policy Tasks to Guarantee Family Diversity: Non-marriage and Unrelated Families' Experiences and Demands of Policy Reform
Kim Young Jeong
Research Fellow, Seoul Foundation of Women & Family
Nowadays, many families are non-traditional or alternative. The non-traditional family units can be same-sex couples/parents, co-habiting couples/parents, and unrelated housemates, and the number of such families has been increasing. This study aims to explore the various forms of family, focusing on the discrimination that non-married and non-kin households experience. Second, it proposes policy changes to guarantee the of Seoul citizens' rights to family life. The research conducted surveys and focus group interviews of people living in unmarried couples or unmarried housemates and literature analysis of legal data and overseas cases.
The legal system does not recognise them as partners in life and the current family and marriage norms typically deny their relationship. Even though they live together and conduct "family practice," their rights are not protected. Disapproval of such relations and institutional discrimination resulting from this does not end at an abstract level but is experienced in everyday lives and practical livelihoods. Specific cases include the recognition of common property, exclusion from housing support policies, and the inability to play a guardian's role (hospital, police station, etc.) in emergencies.
To improve these families' lives, the study suggests launching the Seoul Civil Partnership Registration System. Although the regional approach, like the partnership registration system of Japanese local governments, is not guaranteed to be legally binding, it can be expected to improve social awareness and have ripple effects through social approval of actual family relations. In addition, even before full institutional acceptance, it can help resolve discrimination of such families. City hospitals, city-affiliated institutions, and partner companies can use the proposed partnership system to guarantee their rights and make efforts to improve the right to care, economic rights, and social awareness.
*Key words: family, intimacy, family diversity, civil partnership, living together


text:
Introducing Dogs on Leash
Too often, greeting another dog on leash does not go well, even when both dogs are well socialized and dog friendly. Leashes limit your dog's natural greeting movements and can create tension and frustration for many dogs. Here are 7 tips for successful leash meet and greets for two dog friendly dogs:
- Ask Permission and Play it Safe: No matter how good your dog is with other dogs on and off leash, it's important to ask the owner of the other dog if their dog is friendly on leash and if it is ok if your dog greets them. If someone asks your permission, but you don't have a good feeling about the other dog, be your dog's advocate and don't allow the two dog's to meet. You can always politely tell the other person that your dog is currently in training.
- Control the greeting: If one or both of the dogs are overly excited, pulling and/or barking to greet, it is best not to let the dogs greet each other. Arousal can turn into aggression quickly. The greeting starts before the dogs meet, so it's import that they are both calm and on a loose leash.
- Keep the Leashes Loose: A tight leash can change your dog's posture to look aggressive and can add frustration, tension and stress to the greeting. Therefore, it is really important to always have slack in the leash.
- Follow the 3 Second Rule: When the dog's first greet, give them only 3 seconds and then move them apart. It is not uncommon for dogs to have a confrontation after the 3rd second. If there is barking or growling before 3 seconds, immediately move them apart so it doesn't escalate. If the first interaction went well and both dogs have loose bodies and look like they want to continue to interact, allow them greet again.
- Keep the Dogs Moving: When they greet, dogs move around to sniff each other at different angles, including the butt. Stillness and stiffness are signs that there could be a confrontation, so keep the leashes loose and allow the dogs to move around as naturally as possible.
- Be Aware of Body Language: It is so important to keep a close eye on the dogs when they are interacting. Staring, body stiffness, tight jaws, tucked, stiff, or high tails that are only wagging on the tip are all signs that there could be a confrontation. Dogs should have relaxed bodies and loose wagging tails when interacting with each other.
- Limited Greetings to One Dog: Having a successful meet and greet with two dogs can be a challenge, when you add a third, it makes it even more difficult to manage loose leashes, watch for body language and move the dogs apart in a timely manner if a confrontation arises.


text:
WP-MIRROR is a free utility for building mirrors of any desired set of Wikimedia Foundation wikis.
Which Wikis[edit | edit source]
WP-MIRROR can build mirrors of any desired set of these wikis.
Why Build a Mirror[edit | edit source]
The main use cases for a mirror are these:
- Development. If you are technically minded and need a mirror with which you may conduct experiments;
- Infrastructure. If you need redundancy, or need to serve pages locally to minimize telecommunications traffic;
- Offline browsing. If you need off-line access, perhaps for reasons of mobility, availability, and privacy; and
- Research. If you need a mirror as a tool to assist your research on the contents of any given wiki.
Key Features[edit | edit source]
WP-MIRROR builds a set of mirrors with the properties:
- Appearance. A wiki page rendered by a mirror looks very similar to the same page rendered by the WMF servers;
- Behavior. A wiki page rendered by a mirror behaves almost the same (e.g. edit, search, user account creation, beta features); and
- Completeness. Builds a complete mirror with original size images.
WP-MIRROR is easy:
- Easy to install. Available as a DEB package, and is available from a Debian package repository;
- Easy to configure. The user may select any desired set of wikis by editing just one line in a configuration file;
- Easy to use. Sets up virtual hosts such as _URL_ _URL_ and _URL_ one for each wiki in the set, which the user may access with a web browser; and
- Robust. Stable even in the face of: corrupt dump files, corrupt media files, incomplete downloads, Internet access interruptions, and low disk space; and uses check-pointing to resume after process interruption.
WP-MIRROR automatically configures other software:
- Apache2. Enables the URL rewrite module, and enables virtual hosts;
- Cron. Sets up a cron job that updates the mirrors weekly;
- MediaWiki. Configures MediaWiki 1.24 and several dozen extensions; and
- MySQL. Configures MySQL to achieve an order-of-magnitude improvement in database performance.
WP-MIRROR is free:
- Free software. Software is released under the GNU General Public License (GPLv3); and
- Free documentation. Documentation is released under the GNU Free Documentation License, version 1.3.
Out-of-the-box Experience[edit | edit source]
WP-MIRROR by default, builds the following set of mirrors:
where Simple English means shorter sentences, and Wikidata is a centralized collection of facts usable by all other wikis (e.g. to populate infoboxes).
The default works out-of-the-box with no user configuration. It should build in 200ks (two days), occupy 150G of disk space, be served locally by virtual hosts: _URL_ _URL_ and _URL_ and update automatically every week.
The default should be suitable for anyone who learned English as a second language (ESL).
Largest Wikis[edit | edit source]
The largest wikis (with over a million articles each) are: en, sv, de, nl, fr, war, ru, it, ceb, es, vi, and pl. Because WP-MIRROR uses original size media files, the largest wikis are too large to fit on a laptop with a single 500G disk, unless the user does not need the images (and this is configurable). The en wikipedia is the most demanding case. It should build in 1Ms (twelve days), occupy 3T of disk space, be served locally by virtual host _URL_ and update automatically every month.
Platforms[edit | edit source]
WP-MIRROR 0.7.4 is known to install out-of-the-box on the following platforms:
- Debian 7.4 (wheezy) with backports. Tested both on a host, and on a virtual machine.
- Ubuntu 14.04 (trusty). Tested on a virtual machine.
Contact[edit | edit source]
Author is reachable by e-mail with user name wpmirrordev and domain name gmail dot com.


Zollverein, ( German: "Customs Union") German customs union established in 1834 under Prussian leadership. It created a free-trade area throughout much of Germany and is often seen as an important step in German reunification.
The movement to create a free-trade zone in Germany received great impetus from economists such as Friedrich List, its most active advocate in early 19th-century Germany. In 1818 Prussia enacted a tariff law abolishing all internal customs dues and announced its willingness to establish free trade with neighbouring states. A decade later Prussia signed the first such pact with Hesse-Darmstadt. In 1828 a customs union was set up in southern Germany by Bavaria and Württemberg, joined in 1829 by the Palatinate; also in 1828 the central German states established a similar union, which included Saxony, the Thuringian states, electoral Hesse, and Nassau. In 1834 these were among the 18 states that joined in the Zollverein. Hanover and Oldenburg joined in 1854; the two Mecklenburgs, Schleswig-Holstein, Lauenburg, and Lübeck joined in 1867; and thereby all Germany outside Austria was included except Hamburg and Bremen, which adhered in 1888, 17 years after the establishment of the German Empire.