Ms Valencia Mogashoa
MSc student
Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Primary Supervisor
Sanushka Naidoo
My project focuses on predictive models for disease resistance whereby, we employ vibrational spectroscopy tools such as Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) and Near infrared (NIR) coupled with multivariate analysis tools such as SIMCA to classify plants into phenotypic groups as resistant or susceptible to a particular pathogen. This allows rapid identification of resistant phenotypes against certain pathogens thus saving time and allowing for more specific disease management as well as quicker incorporation of resistant phenotypes in breeding programs.


text:
The effect of monocular depth cues on the detection of moving objects by a moving observer
As observers move through the environment, they must detect moving objects. Previously, we showed that observers can use 2D image speed to detect moving objects in the radial optic flow field generated by a moving observer. However, a difference in image speed may signal either a moving object or a depth difference between stationary objects. Adding depth information may remove this ambiguity. We tested observers' ability to detect a moving object in scenes that contained increasingly salient monocular depth cues. We simulated observer motion in a straight line at a speed of 3 m/sec toward a scene that consisted of a textured ground plane with 8 objects located 12 m from the observer. In two conditions the objects were featureless red disks (diameter: 0.4 m) located on the horizontal midline that were either separate from the ground plane (condition 1) or connected to it with a thin line, giving a cue to distance (condition 2). In condition 3, the objects were textured blocks (width: 0.55 m; height: 1.6 m) located on the ground plane, giving further cues to depth. In half the trials one object moved faster (or slower) than the other objects in the scene. The speed differences ranged from 10% to 100% of the image speed of non-targets. Each trial lasted 1 sec. Observers indicated with a key press whether or not the scene contained a moving object. Thresholds were computed by fitting the data with a sigmoidal curve and determining the percent speed difference that led to 75% accuracy. For the 6 subjects tested, the results show a significant effect of scene condition, with average threshold speed changes of 43%, 37% and 25% for conditions 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Thus, monocular depth cues aid the detection of moving objects by moving observers.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


Skip to definition.
Noun: grass parakeet 'grãs'per-u,keet [N. Amer], 'grãs,pa-ru'keet [Brit]
 1. Small Australian parakeet usually light green with black and yellow markings in the wild but bred in many colours
 - budgerigar, budgie, lovebird, shell parakeet, Melopsittacus undulatus
Derived forms: grass parakeets
Type of: parakeet, paroquet, parrakeet [non-standard], parroket, parroquet
Part of: genus Melopsittacus, Melopsittacus


Take the 2-minute tour ×
I don't really understand what these two questions are asking. Nor do I know how to start it.
1) Describe in words the region of $\mathbb {R}^3$ represented by: $x^2 + z^2 \le 9$.
2) Write an inequality to describe: The solid upper hemisphere of the sphere of radius 2 centered at the origin.
Can some please explain what I am supposed to do here? Thanks in advance.
share|improve this question
For $1$, the region of space satisfying that inequality will look like a familiar shape. Can you figure out what shape? – Alex Becker Aug 25 '12 at 23:51
Depends on which way is up. They probably mean that up is $z\ge 0$. – André Nicolas Aug 25 '12 at 23:59
1 Answer 1
up vote 3 down vote accepted
For question no. $1$, notice that if we plot $x^2+z^2 \le 9$ in $\mathbb R^2$, we get a filled circle of radius $3$. Add another axis, and what happens? For example, a plate is a circle, but what 3d shape is made when plates are stacked?
For question no. $2$, recall that an (empty, i.e. not solid) sphere of radius $r$ has the equation $x^2+y^2+z^2=r^2$. Noting that the radius is $3$, we have $x^2+y^2+z^2=9$. How do we now make this sphere filled? Look at what was done in question $1$ to make a filled circle.
share|improve this answer
I'm sorry. Could you explain this a little more. I'm still kind of lost with this problem. – Avalon-96 Aug 29 '12 at 0:04
_USER_-96 Edited. Is it still unclear? – Argon Aug 29 '12 at 0:35
Ah, yes, that makes more sense. Thank you. – Avalon-96 Aug 29 '12 at 1:40
Your Answer


text:
Global Popular / Western Classical Vocal Training Lessons Online - Music School Academy India
Divya music offers regular training classes for learning Global / Western music - Western classical vocal music, Western popular vocal music and Western vocal online music lessons on Skype for the convenience of the music students all over the world. Divya school of music is promoted by the top music school in India - Divya music sangeet vidyalaya, as the best music education center in India conducting Western classical & popular vocal music hobby courses, certificate, diploma, graduation, masters and doctorate level college / university courses. Western vocal music learning lessons for beginners as a hobby and the music career courses for kids, children, young adults and university, college and school students are offered by Divya Music.
Origin & Features of Western Classical Vocal Music : Western classical music traditionally began with plainchant, the vocal religious practice of Roman Catholic Church. It was transmitted by memory only until early 9th century due to non existence of its noted form which was then arranged by the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne who distributed the standardized plainchant books to churches. Other than classical the western music forms include popular, folk etc.
Western Classical Vocal Instructors, Voice Trainers & Online Voice Singing Lessons: The highly experienced music school faculty of the famous senior Western vocal music teachers, trainers or instructors teaching western classical vocal and western popular voice singing at Divya school of music teach the art and technique of singing classical western and popular western vocal music forms to the vocal music students. A western vocal singing - voice music course student at Divya music center learns about the finer techniques of western classical vocal singing and western popular vocal singing practice and vocal music theory, knowledge of all the major subjects - including the origin, development and history of western classical vocal, contribution and work of noted western vocalists, performers - singers and musicians of the world, scales, notes (notations), work of noted western musicians of the world and the musical compositions, including the basics and advanced learning of how to sing classical and popular western vocal, solo singing and special group singing performances etc.
- Western Classical voice training online singing lessons videos
- Western classical Popular vocal trainers lessons online Instructors
- Western classical modern vocal teachers online class video lessons
For further details on vocal music courses, fees, music teachers, music class schedules, Google + hangouts music lessons, affordable low cost price online Skype music classes and Youtube free music lessons and for online music school admissions you are welcome to visit:

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
- Poster presentation
- Open Access
Accuracy of preliminary remission criteria some JIA category
© Fantini et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2008
- Published: 15 September 2008
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Remission Status
- Remission Criterion
- Preliminary Definition
To evaluate disease course in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) by applying newly developed preliminary definitions of remission, to assess probability of relapse of disease. Charts of patients with JIA followed since 1970 were reviewed. First episode of remission off medication status, as defined by Wallace et al., has been focused. The cohort included 761 patients (67.8% females, 32.2% males) with JIA. Mean disease onset age (± SD) was 6.25 ± 4.4 years (range 0.5–15.9). Disease mean duration to last visit was 10.02 ± 4.31 years. Follow up mean period was 7.6 ± 6.4 years (range 1.5–35 years). A total of 263 (34.56%) patients achieved remission according to criteria (persistent oligoarthritis 42.9%, extended oligoarthritis 13.1%, seronegative polyarthritis 22.4%, systemic arthritis 33.7%, enthesitis related arthritis (ERA) plus juvenile psoriatic arthritis (JPsA) 33.4%. No patients with seropositive polyarthritis achieved remission status (p < 0.001). In remitted patients the mean survival function (± SEM) before relapse calculated by life table survival curve was of 20.9 (± 1.3) months overall: 21.7 (± 0.46) in persistent oligoarthritis, 25.0 (± 6.6) in extended oligoarthritis, 26.7 (± 13.2) in seronegative polyarthritis and 17.6 (± 2.44) in ERA+JPsA. The log rank test did not show a significant difference between the JIA categories survival curves (p = 0.1). In our cohort about one-third of cases obtained a remission episode in 4 decades of observation. Finally, if a remission was achieved, the mean duration before a relapse was about 20 months.
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd.


text:
Myrrh is the dried resin of the tree Commiphora myrrha. Native to Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, myrrh has a long history of traditional use in perfumes and incense. Additionally, it has perhaps an equally long history as a medicinal treatment, primarily for conditions of the mouth, such as canker sores, gum disease, halitosis, and sore throat.
What Is Myrrh Used for Today?
Modern herbalists continue to use myrrh for its traditional uses related to the mouth. In addition, it has been advocated for treatment of eczema and stomach ulcers. However, there is no meaningful scientific evidence that the herb provides any benefits when used for these or any other purposes.
When used for mouth conditions, tincture of myrrh may be applied directly to canker sores or inflamed gums. It can also be diluted in water and used as a gargle. When taken internally, a typical dose of myrrh is 1 g of resin 3 times daily.
In studies of myrrh for treatment of schistosomiasis, no significant side effects were identified. However, comprehensive safety studies have not been performed. Maximum safe doses in pregnant or nursing women, or people with severe liver of kidney disease have not been determined.
- Reviewer: EBSCO CAM Review Board
- Review Date: 07/2012 -
- Update Date: 07/25/2012 -


text:
Pablo's science class is growing plants. He recorded the height of his plant each day for 10 days. The plant's height, in centimeters, over that time is listed in the table below. Pablo determines that the function is a good fit for the data. How close is his estimate to the actual data? Approximately how much does the plant grow each day?
- Create a scatter plot of the data.
- Draw the line of best fit through two of the data points.
- Find the residuals for each data point.
- Plot the residuals on a residual plot.
- Describe the fit of the line based on the shape of the residual plot.
- Use the equation to estimate the centimeters grown each day.


text:
A section of dancing figures etched into the stone.
Archaeologists say prehistoric rock drawings discovered in a remote Egyptian cave ~ depicting dancing figures and strange headless beasts ~ may provide clues about the rise of Egyptian civilization. According to Reuters:
Rudolph Kuper, a German archaeologist, said the detail depicted in the "Cave of the Beasts" indicate the site is at least 8,000 years old, likely the work of hunter-gatherers whose descendants may have been among the early settlers of the then-swampy and inhospitable Nile Valley.
Some 5,000 images are painted or engraved into the cave's stone.
"It is the most amazing cave in North Africa and Egypt," Karin Kindermann, a member of a team that recently made a trip to the site 560 miles southwest of Cairo, told Reuters. "You take a piece of the puzzle and see where it could fit. This is an important piece."
Click here for the Reuters article.


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Australia the Healthiest Country by 2020
Australian Human Rights Commission
Submission to the National Preventative Health Taskforce
2 January 2009
The Commission would like to commend the government on its commitment to achieving a healthier nation by 2020, and for its actions in this area including COAG reforms to state/territory health funding agreements. As well as setting new directions for the improvement of physical and human infrastructure, it is also critical that the Commonwealth provides national, ethical leadership. The WHO Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, which scopes the determinants that build healthy populations, is essentially a human rights framework. The total environment – including justice, housing, education, cultural liberty, diet, social participation and economic equity (all of which are derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its associated conventions) – determines health.
The government has committed to developing an approach to social inclusion as a means to raise the standard of living of Australian citizens, especially those who are excluded inter alia on the grounds of disability, unemployment, indigeneity and homelessness. However, we feel the government has not fully recognised that one of the critical pillars of social inclusion is culture. Exclusion because of cultural barriers (including racism) is a human rights issue and has the potential to impact on more than 20% of the Australian population.
This exclusion, however, is not solely an issue of human rights neglect; it is also an issue of missed opportunity. Ignoring the cultural dimensions of health can lead to unnecessary morbidity and consequent costs to the health care system and other human services infrastructure and expenditures, as well as loss of productivity, impacting upon taxation revenues. Furthermore, understanding the health of diverse populations pays dividends in terms of research and service delivery design.
Given word restrictions for submissions, the Commission is restrained from going into these issues in detail. Whilst acknowledging the explicit priorities in the paper - this is unfortunate given the limited discussion in relation to culture (with the exception of Indigenous Australians) in this discussion paper, and other strategic-setting consultations of government are making similar, significant human rights omissions.
However, the Commission does welcome the paper's broad recognition of the determinants of health, particularly those beyond the bio-medical model and individual responsibility.
The Commission recommends and notes:
- How people feel about health, and how they conceptualize disease and healing, are all connected to culture. A national promotion and prevention strategy - in a country with approximately 20% of the community born overseas – that does not adequately address the impact of culture is potentially discriminatory and inadequate.
- Greater emphasis on other high risk groups, in particular:
- humanitarian entrants and asylum seekers
- members of minoritised faith communities
- African, Central Asian, and other new and emerging communities
- communities with low levels of functional English and/or educational attainment
- ageing diaspora communities
- CALD youth at risk
- CALD individuals with multiple disadvantage
- The increased disadvantage for health, health literacy, and ability to navigate a western health care system for these communities is high.
- Where the issue of 'ethnicity' is a factor, the paper is unclear between the relationship of (variously) "ethnic background", "culture", "being born overseas" or specifically of "middle Eastern", "Pacific islander" "European" as factors linked to health risks in these groups. The implication is bio-medical deficit rather than determinants of health based links.
- Acknowledging the impact of the identified health priorities (obesity, tobacco and alcohol) the strategy potentially remains strongly disease-focused, missing the opportunity to actually tackle the social determinants of health.
- The Commission recommends the task force should consider how the health prevention strategy relates to emerging social inclusion policies that are part of a whole-of-government approach.
- The Commission recommends the current and future impact of mental health should be included. There is a high risk of individuals managing mental health problems by engaging in health damaging behaviours (such as smoking, drinking). Undiagnosed and untreated trauma experienced by humanitarian entrants is of concern.
- The established relationship between racism, discrimination, mental health (and physical) and social exclusion, be properly acknowledged.
- Addressing these issues should be undertaken in consultation with ethnic, migrant, refugee/humanitarian organisations and communities.
- A key strategy for supporting prevention (p44) is a "skilled [health)] workforce". There is limited mention of the issue of health system, service and organisational cultural competency or professional development in this area. There is strong evidence that our western health system (including preventative systems) continues to be a barrier to accessing information and services by many CALD communities.
This brief submission has outlined some of the key points we feel should be considered by the task force. It is based upon published multicultural and health promotion literature both 'grey' and peer reviewed. These comments refer to issues relating to CALD background communities; they do not necessarily apply to Indigenous communities. The Commission has participated in a separate submission on the behalf of the Close the Gap Campaign Steering Committee for Indigenous Health Equality.
National Race Discrimination Commissioner
Australian Human Rights Commission


text:
unfinished work last project:
1- in the white background, the core has inconsistent dark blue sphere surfaces in front of it. They must be removed and image be refined in the core.
1- put waving American flag on the moon please
2. after making the new static image with the two features mentioned above, make both whirls (in black and white background images) physically rotate (core must spin too) in a GIF image format. The GIF does not need to be huge as before so that rendering gets faster.


Take the 2-minute tour ×
Today I tried shortening an if statement like this:
if (fruit == "apple" || type == "pear" || type == "orange"){
to this:
if (fruit in ["apple", "pear", "orange"]){
It doesn't work. Jonathan Snook has a different solution here where he essentially uses a map like this, which does work:
if(fruit in {"apple":"", "pear":"", "orange":""}){
Why does that work and my simple array doesn't, when usually in Javascript an object's presence makes that object return true? Is a string a different type of object than a key? I thought the string's presence in my array would return true as well.
y = "Stackoverflow";
y && console.log('y is true') // y returns true, so console logs the message
I interpreted my original solution as "if the value of variable fruit is in this array." That's clearly not the case. Does it instead say "if the variable fruit itself is in this array?" No, because this doesn't work either:
if (fruit in [fruit, "apple", "pear", "orange"]){
So what is Snook's version with the key=>value map asking that's correct? My best guess is, "if a key under the name of the value of variable fruit in this map returns true?"
share|improve this question
add comment
2 Answers
up vote 4 down vote accepted
x in y returns true if the object y has a property with name x (so yes, your guess is correct).
Arrays are objects too. The properties of an array are the indexes, which are numerical. This works:
if(0 in ["apple", "pear", "orange"])
because the array has an element at index 0. This array is similar (but not the same!) to this object:
{0: "apple", 1: "pear", 2:"orange"}
(of course an array has further properties like length, push, slice, etc)
In your object example ({"apple":"", "pear":"", "orange":""}), apple, pear etc. are the properties of the object, not the values of properties.
How to find out whether an element is contained in an array is described in array.contains(obj) in JavaScript.
†: Strictly speaking, every property is a string, so even if you use numbers (as it is the case with arrays), they are converted to strings.
share|improve this answer
Right, but I'm trying to check the value of a variable against the strings in the array. Your statement will always be true, but fruit might not be apple, pear, or orange. – Artur Sapek Aug 28 '11 at 21:43
I don't get your point. You wanted to know why it does not work and I answered that. You can replace 0 with 5 and it will return false. – Felix Kling Aug 28 '11 at 21:46
Yeah I get it, I thought you were suggesting your code as an alternative to mine, but I see now you were just making a point. Thanks – Artur Sapek Aug 28 '11 at 21:47
Ah ok, no, I did not suggest this as alternative (you did not ask for it ;)) And if you did, I'm pretty sure it was already asked. – Felix Kling Aug 28 '11 at 21:49
Yeah I know about indexOf. Thank you for your time. The array to map comparison helped me understand – Artur Sapek Aug 28 '11 at 21:52
show 1 more comment
To check if a value is within an array, use indexOf:
if (["apple", "pear", "orange"].indexOf(fruit)!= -1){
Note: IE < 9 does not support indexOf on arrays, but you can add support easily.
share|improve this answer
That's a good strategy, but you meant indexOf(fruit), instead of indexOf('fruit') didn't you? – Artur Sapek Aug 28 '11 at 21:45
_USER_ Sapek: correct. Thanks. – Joseph Silber Aug 28 '11 at 21:46
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Homeowners Tricked into Overpaying for Their Deed
As posted on December 7, 2012 on _URL_
Homeowners nationwide are receiving letters asking them to pay upwards of $80 to obtain a certified copy of their property deed. What the mailings don't mention is that deeds are available from the county for a few dollars or less.
How the Scam Works:
You receive a letter in the mail in an official-looking "open immediately" envelope. It warns that you should have a certified copy of the deed to your house or condo. Getting a copy is easy; just pay the business $80 or more, and they will mail you one.
The letter is misleading. Deeds really only cost a few dollars, so the scammers are making a hefty profit.
As with most scams, the letters take several forms and the exact name, amounts and wording used change over time.
Some versions of the letters look like a bill. Others warn that an additional $35 will be tacked on to a base charge if you don't order by a set date. However, the mailing always uses an official sounding business name, including National Deed Service, Secured Document Company and Conveyance Transfer Services. These three all have a Washington DC return address and a toll-free number.
How Can I Get a Copy of My Deed?:
If you are thinking about selling or refinancing your home, you will need a copy of your deed. But you don't need to pay scammers for one.
 - Where to get a new one: Call or check the website of the county clerk's office, where deeds are usually recorded.
 - What you need to get it: The street address of the property. There is no fee if you request the title yourself, but there may be a small charge for copying and certification.
 - How long it takes: The process takes about 10 business days in most cases.


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Adad was the god of weather in the Babylonian and Assyrian cultures of Mesopotamia * in the ancient Near East. Other cultures in the region called the god Ishkur, Rimmon, Addu, Hadad, or Baal-Hadad.
The son of the sky god Anu, Adad was believed to control storms and rain. He was often portrayed as a warrior holding a forked lightning bolt or a club, and his animal was the bull, whose bellowing and roar were like the sound of thunder.
Like the weather itself, Adad had two sides—one beneficial and the other destructive. As the bringer of rain, Adad was hailed as the Lord of Abundance whose gift made the land fertile and nourished crops. People in many arid Mesopotamian lands worshiped him for this reason. As the bringer of drought or fearful storms, however, Adad could strike his enemies with famine, flood, darkness, and death.


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Stability of martian water
"Liquid water can be stable against freezing and stable against boiling, but unstable with respect to evaporation. The situation is analogous to Earth's oceans. Liquid water on the surface does not freeze because temperatures are higher than the melting point, and it does not boil because the vapor pressure corresponding to the temperature of the water is less than the surface pressure. Yet the water does evaporate because the atmosphere is not saturated. A similar situation can occur on Mars, though the odds are much more likely for boiling."
"But whether it boils or evaporates, either way the water will cool because of the heat loss and thus it will eventually freeze."


Mammoth elm gives up likely tornado souvenir
Some 45-feet in the air with his tree-trimming bucket, John Carlson gets set to lop off the branch with an in-grown chunk of metal.
Tom Byrne concluded that the tree limb had about 49 rings, making it possible that the metal was blown into the tree crotch by the 1968 Tracy Tornado.
By Seth Schmidt
A behemoth elm tree that shaded the corner of Fourth and Harvey streets for generations, fell to the rasping snarl of John Carlson's chain saw last week.
The 70-foot elm had been dead since last summer, a victim of Dutch elm disease. But the tree had one last legacy to leave: likely debris from the Tracy Tornado of June 13, 1968.
About 45-feet up in the air, imbedded in a 10-inch tree crotch, a four-feet strip of metal was noticed. By the looks of the branch, the tree branch had been growing around the metal for a long time.
After lopping off the metal-infused limb, Carlson brought it into his bucket and took it to the ground for a hand-off to his assistant, Tom Byrne.
Bryne started counting the limb's rings to determine its age. He stopped after reaching 40.
"It could be!" he said excitedly. "I've counted 40 rings and I haven't got to the small outside rings. It could easily be 49-years-old."
A 49-year-old dating would be evidence that the metal strip had been blow into the tree by the Tracy Tornado.
The elm stood on the edge of the tornado's path. Less than a half-block further west, houses were obliterated by the tornado. An elementary school wrecked by the tornado was a block away.
"What else could it be?" besides debris from the tornado, Byrne asked.
The tree limb was given to the Wheels Across the Prairie Museum.
The EF-5 Tracy Tornado destroyed or damaged more than 160 houses and killed nine people. The storm path was about a block and a half wide, striking first on the southwest edge of town and proceeding northeasterly. After crossing the railroad yards near Fifth and South streets, the twister left a path of destruction between Sixth and Fourth streets before exiting the town near Swift Lake Park.


text:
Journey Toward the Caring Classroom describes a learning environment that begins with the idea of classroom as community, filled with students sharing common interests and joint participation. The necessity of beginning with an environment that values each member is emphasized, and creating a safe place where students can be free to learn from mistakes and disagree without being torn apart is a priority. In this scenario, the teacher whose role changes from information provider to facilitator, is an equal member of the community.
A foundational perspective of adventure and experiential education is basic to this curriculum that offers accessible activities, reflection opportunities, life skills, and academic applications for a variety of age levels.
Groups develop and, working through a developmental sequence, help create a map for community building.
Frank presents the issues, skills, and activities pertinent to any given phase in the process, and includes suggestions and ideas about how to facilitate the process.
Learn how to start a program of your own that can act as a springboard for developing an action plan to use in your individual situation.


Phillip Trelford's Array
POKE 36879,255
Life in a tweet
This week I had pleasure of meeting Vagif Abilov on Tomas Petricek and I's Advanced F# course at Skills Matter. Vagif mentioned a Ruby implementation of Conway's Game of Life being squeezed into 140 characters for tweeting and how that might look in F#.
Here's the 140 characters of Ruby:
And 127 characters of F#:
let f s g = g|>List.mapi(fun i x->match Seq.sumBy(fun o->
g.[abs((i+o)%(s*s))])[-1-s;-s;1-s;-1;1;-1+s;s;1+s]with 3->1|2->x|_->0)
Like the Ruby version, the F# implementation above takes a shortcut when computing points outside of the grid.
This is what the function looks like with added white space, variable names and comments:
let generate size grid =
 grid |> List.mapi (fun i value->
 /// Neighbours count
 let count =
 let s = size
 -1; 1;
 -1+s;s; 1+s]
 |> Seq.sumBy (fun o ->
 let offset = abs((i + o) % grid.Length)
 // Evaluate life
 match value, count with
 | _, 3 -> 1
 | n, 2 -> n
 | _, _ -> 0
The game grid can is expressed as a list:
let grid = [
Visualizing the grid on the console:
let show (size:int) (grid:int list) =
 for y=0 to (_URL_ do
 |> (fun x -> grid.[y * size + x].ToString())
 |> String.concat ""
 |> printfn "%s"
Or watch it running in your browser:
(I used Pit to compile the F# code to JavaScript)
Life.fs (1.77 kb)
What makes a good step definition
Following on from last week's What makes a good feature file article, this week it's time to tackle what makes a good step definition. To automatically test that an application's behaviour matches that defined by the scenarios in a feature file, a mapping is required. Step definitions provide that mapping from the lines in a feature file to the code that implements the feature.
Starting with a Given:
Given I have entered 0.1134 into the calculator
Ruby step definition for use with Cucumber::
Given /I have entered (.*) into the calculator/ do |n|
 # Some Ruby code here
The code above specifies a regular expression used to match lines in the feature file and an anonymous function to execute.
C# attributed step definition compatible with both SpecFlow and TickSpec:
[Given(@"I have entered (.*) into the calculator")]
public void GivenIHaveEnteredNIntoTheCalculator(int n)
 // C# code here
Again a regular expression is specified, however this time the function is public and reflection is used for invocation.
F# attributed step definition compatible with TickSpec:
let [] ''I have entered (.*) into the calculator''(n:int) =
 // F# code here
F# allows white space and special charecters in method names enclosed with backticks. This removes the need for both an attribute and a function name.
TickSpec also supports anonymous functions as Ruby with Cucumber, i.e.:
Given "I have entered (.*) into the calculator" (fun [Int n] –>
 // F# code here
From a terseness point of view it looks like Ruby and F# the advantage for writing step definitions. But that's only part of the story…
By default in frameworks like Cucumber and SpecFlow step definitions are defined globally, so that they can be shared or reused. Global functions are usually fine for small programs, but for larger programs we usually group them into classes or modules for maintainability.
With SpecFlow and TickSpec it is possible to constrain the scope of a step definition or set of step definitions via a StepScope attribute:
public class AdditionSteps
 public void GivenIHaveEnteredNIntoTheCalculator(int n)
 // C# code here
Here the step definition methods in the AdditionSteps class are only matched against the Addition feature. This allows the wording in the feature file to evolve without affecting other feature files, and it allows the actions in the methods to vary too. It also means that it is easy to find the step definitions that map to a feature file in one place.
Using a class level step definition scope is quite similar conceptually to using a View Model within the MVVM pattern, where the View Model is responsible for mapping from view to model. It adds a layer of indirection over binding directly to the model, but allows the application to evolve more easily over time.
Note: TickSpec can apply scope to both Step bindings and Event bindings like BeforeScenario and AfterScenario. There is currently was an open bug on this in SpecFlow (since fixed).
Fluent interfaces
So far the step definition examples have included a "code here" comment. This is where we arrange, act and assert. In the Given steps the preconditions are arranged. The When steps execute the actions. Finally the Then steps assert the outcome. This is almost identical to the steps you'd take in TDD for a unit test, except the parts are spread across multiple methods.
Note: The state for a scenario can also be initialized in a method marked with BeforeScenario attribute
For the arrange and act steps, DSL approaches like fluent interfaces can be useful for making step definitions more readable and maintainable.
In the arrange steps using the builder pattern is useful to build up the initial state:
public void constructPizza()
In the act steps a fluent assertion API is useful, for example the FsUnit F# library:
1 |> should equal 1
anArray |> should haveLength 4
anObj |> should not (be Null)
Using fluent interfaces inside the step definition functions can make them more readable and maintainable. For larger projects constraining the scope of step definitions helps make them more maintainable. Finally step definitions can sometimes be written more concisely in languages like Ruby and F#.


text:
associations rather than conforming to fixed models, programs or rules. Diverse associative relations do not provide a single, fixed meaning or definition, but a flexible and adaptable resource for responding to variation and ambivalence in meaning in different, even overlapping, contextual domains. In other words, associative relations are dynamically assembled in context. Moreover, syntagmatic and associative relations are not independent of each other:
They reciprocally condition each other. In effect, co-ordination in space contributes to the creating of associative co-ordinations.Co-ordination in space refers to the domain of syntagmatic relations. I see this notion as suggesting a link to Edelman's notion of reentry. The syntagm is the means whereby choices from diverse associative series are co-ordinated as a single syntagm in space-time. It is the means for correlating the associative choices in a structure which has spatio-temporal contiguity and coherence. That is, the syntagm brings together diverse associations as a single structured event in space-timeOur memory holds in reserve all types of more or less complex syntagms, no matter of what kind or duration, and at the moment of using them, we bring in associative groups in order to fix our choice. When someone says marchons! ('let's walk!'), he unconsciously thinks of diverse associative groups at the intersection of which is found the syntagm marchons!. This figures as a part in the series marche! ('walk!' -- 2nd Person Singular), marchez! ('walk!' -- 2nd person Plural), and it is the opposition of marchons! with these forms which determines the choice; on the other hand, marchons! evokes the series montons! ('let's go up'), mangeons! ('let's eat!'), etc., within which it is chosen by the same procedure; in each series one knows what has to be varied in order to obtain the differentiation which is appropriate to the unit which is required. If the idea to be expressed is changed, other oppositions will be necessary in order to bring about another value; one will say, for example, marchez!, or else montons!In the above, Saussure shows how elements from diverse series are mapped onto the one syntagm (see also Lecture 7, Section 7). The principle of classification and comparison that is applied to the various associative series must identify and select the appropriate element from each series. Further, it must then correlate the elements so selected with each other by reciprocally and functionally relating them to each other in the syntagm that results. This means that the specific elements which are abstracted from a given associative series are'reentrantly' mapped onto a higher-order syntagm which synthesises the information deriving from diverse series into a functional whole.
Importantly, Saussure sees the simultaneous functioning of these two types of relations as constituting the very basis of the mental activity which gives rise to language in the individual. Further, memory, as the above quotation shows, is flexible and associative rather than based upon the storage of fixed rules and programs for representing the external world. The emergence of a particular sign is the product of the ways that both syntagmatic and associative relations dynamically adjust to the basin of one attractor rather than another according to the context or context-type that is in operation. Syntagmatic and associative relations simultaneously function in the real-time of meaning-making.
The activities described above do not take place on the basis of purely disembodied and abstract meanings (CLG: 189). The point is that syntagmatic and associative relations simultaneously work on the given physical-material unit (1) to analyse it into its constituent parts and to assign values to these; and (2) to assign a global meaning or sense to the physical-material unit on the basis of the values that are assigned to the various parts that are ordered or arranged in a certain way:
But if word order is incontestably an abstract entity, it is no less true that it only owes its existence to the concrete units which contain it and which flow in a single direction. It would be a mistake to think that there a disembodied syntax outside of these material units distributed in space. In English the man I have seen ("l'homme que j'ai vu") shows a syntactic fact which appears to be represented by zero, whereas the French renders it with que. But it is just this comparison with the French syntactic fact that produces this illusion that nothing can express something; in reality, material units, arranged in a certain order, alone create this value. Outside of a set of concrete terms one would not know how to reason about a syntactic matter. Moreover, for the sole fact that one understands a linguistic complex (for example the English words cited above), this sequence of terms is the adequate expression of thought.The material units that Saussure speaks of are necessary so that the given unit can be processed by our motor and perceptual apparatus. This physical-material stimulus is simultaneously processed by the associative and syntagmatic dimensions of contextualisation in order to construe it as a meaningful act or sign. Both dimensions are necessary and may be said to stand in a relation of complimentarity to each other. Associative relations both constitute a network of possible choices as well as provide information about the component features of the structure; syntagmatic relations analyse it in terms of its overall form and structure. In Edelman's terms, the two kinds of relations can be said to be degenerate: multiple and redundant processes apply to the same unit. They are also disjunctive because the two kinds of analytical operation that are entailed by associative and syntagmatic relations are not reducible the one to the other, but are distinct. Associative relations assign the component parts of the unit to one or more associative series. Syntagmatic relations map selected features from the relevant associative series onto the given structure. As forms of mental activity, the two types of activity take place in the real-time of speaking itself -- 'at the moment of uttering the sentence' -- that is, in the short term memory in operation in parole:
A material unit only exists though its sense, the function with which it is endowed; this principle is particularly important for the knowledge of restricted units, because one is tempted to think that they exist in virtue of their pure materiality, that for example aimer owes its existence to the sound alone which comprises it. Inversely -- as we shall see -- a sense, a function only exists through the support of some material form; if this principle has been formulated with regard to more extended syntagms or syntactic types, it is so because one is induced to see in them immaterial abstractions gliding above the terms in the sentence. These two principles, in completing each other, agree with our claims relative to the delimitation of units (see p. 145).
This principle applies to syntagms and sentences [phrases] of all types, more or less complex. At the moment of uttering the sentence: "que vous dit-il?", we make an element vary in a latent syntagmatic type, for example, "que te dit-il?" -- "que nous dit-il?", etc., and it is in this way that our choice is fixed on the pronoun vous. In this way, in this operation, which consists in mentally eliminating everything which does not bring about the desired differentiation at the desired point, associative groups and syntagmatic types are both in play.At the moment of uttering the sentence in parole, a latent syntagmatic type in langueis selected in relation to a whole cluster of associative relations that constitute the environment from which the specific choice is made. In the above example, the sentence que vous dit-il? instantiates a more abstract grammatical schema -- cf. Saussure's latent syntagmatic type -- in relation to a series of possible alternative selections in, for example, the associative series comprising the pronouns te, vous, nous, and so on. By the same token, the associative series that are relevant to the specific selection which is made at each point in the syntagm function to classify that choice as being assignable to a given class of associative relations.
The two activities are time-linked yet disjunctive processes that apply to the same perceptual stimulus -- the physical-material unit -- such as a given sequence of sounds. Further, they each act upon and condition each other. In other words, they are correlated activities in the real time of speaking (or understanding) a linguistic utterance. This means we can both relate the given utterance to a given syntagmatic type as well as specify its own particular features according to the particular associative series from which they were selected. All this occurs on the basis of resources which are internal to langueitself. There is no external process of instruction for the social-semiological treasure of langueis stored in the brain of the individual. It is the simultaneous and interdependent working of the two forms of mental activity that enables linguistic forms to emerge. In modern terminology, it does not seem inappropriate to claim that Saussure had already understood the self-organising character of this mental activity. This means that it is the correlation of the two activities that gives rise to a reentrant map whereby a higher-order linguistic form is generated. Saussure's example may be re-cast as shown in Figure 2:
Figure 2: Correlation of associative and syntagmatic relations in the realisation of the sentence que vous dit-il?Figure 2 illustrates both the associative series relevant to the sentence que vous dit-il? as well as the latent syntagmatic type of which the sentence is an instance. In the case of the associative series, three have been presented here. These are (1


text:
Sibiu, RomaniaDownload Artist CV
- Visual Arts
With a Human Sciences background, Loredana's work focuses on social causes or depicting human behaviour through illustrations and animation. She likes giving multiple meanings to a visual message, inviting people to think beyond what is self-evident. She likes to create contradictions in thoughts, to implant seeds of awareness in people's minds.
Humour also plays an important role in her work: because humour is like a therapy for mind and soul, a break from reality but also opening an easier way to convey a message that would be harder to digest otherwise. Her 'naïve' style of drawing uses simple lines and shapes, sometimes laconic, sometimes very expressive.


text:
BIG LAKE, Minn. - New safety technology being installed along some rail lines across the nation aims to prevent deadly train crashes caused by human error.
The technology is designed to stop or slow a train automatically to prevent accidents, such as a collision with another train or a derailment from excessive speed.
The changes stem from federal legislation passed in 2008 after a commuter train collided head-on with a freight train in Chatsworth, Calif., killing 25 people and injuring 135. An investigation found the Metrolink train driver was sending and receiving text messages shortly before the crash.
As a result, Congress passed the Rail Safety Improvement Act, requiring "positive train control" technology be implemented on all Class I passenger lines and freight trains carrying certain hazardous materials by 2015.
Metrolink, a public entity that uses 388 miles of track in Southern California and owns 216 miles of it, expects to become the first commuter rail to use the technology.
Positive train control uses GPS technology to determine a train's location and speed. It warns train operators of potential problems, then overrides the driver and stops the train if the operator does not respond within a certain time.
The system requires equipment installed along rail lines as well as aboard locomotives. It's a complex endeavor expected to cost railroads more than $13 billion to install and maintain over the next 20 years, according to the Association of American Railroads, which represents major U.S. freight railroads and Amtrak.
Whether railroads will meet the 2015 deadline remains unclear. A report to Congress from the Federal Railroad Administration in August stated that because of "significant technical and programmatic issues" most railroads likely won't be able to put the technology totally in place by Dec. 31, 2015.
Despite best efforts and financial investments, it's becoming clear that meeting the deadline is no longer realistic, said Holly Arthur, a railroad association spokeswoman.
Each railroad's positive train control system is very complex and must operate with other railroads' systems, she said. The technology never has been used this way and must be designed, installed and tested before receiving federal certification.
"This has never been done before," Arthur said.
Work already has begun to upgrade signals along BNSF Railway lines in Minnesota and will continue this year, said Amy McBeth, a spokeswoman for the railroad that has 32,000 miles of track in 28 states and two Canadian provinces. BNSF has spent about $300 million on positive train control upgrades on its entire rail system this year.
"We are on track to meet that required deadline," she said. The traveling public probably won't notice any difference after the technology is installed.
Amtrak also will install positive train control aboard its trains that run along BNSF rail lines, spokesman Marc Magliari said.
Metro Transit, which operates the Northstar commuter rail line between Big Lake, Minn., and Minneapolis, expects to have its six locomotives and six cab cars outfitted with the equipment in 2014 after the wayside equipment is tested, spokesman John Siqveland said.
Metro Transit, which leases time on BNSF tracks to operate Northstar, has an agreement with the railway to pay for some of the costs. Northstar's share is expected to be about $2 million, Siqveland said.
Kirsti Marohn also reports for the St. Cloud (Minn.) Times.
MAP: Big Lake, Minn., to Minneapolis rail line
Copyright 2013 USATODAY.com
Read the original story: Rail lines adding safety technology


text:
inner angle of a triangle in the 4th dimension
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg26324] inner angle of a triangle in the 4th dimension
- From: "Jacky Vaillancourt"
- Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2000 21:38:07 -0500 (EST)
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Hi, i have a basic problem. I can't see my mistake can somebody help me?
Here's the problem:
I want to calculate each angle of the triangle formed by those three dots.
P:=(0,1,0,1), Q:=(3,2,-2,1), R:=(3,5,-1,3)
u:=PQ -> (3-0,2-1,-2-0,1-1) -> (3,1,-2,0)
v:=QR -> (3-3,5-2,-1-(-2),3-1) -> (0,3,1,2)
w:=PR -> (3-0,5-1,-1-0,3-1) -> (3,4,-1,2)
The formula to have the angle between tho vector is:
The formula to calculate the length is SQRT(a^2+b^2+c^2+d^2)
So, the angle between u and v is:
ARCCOS(ABS(15)/(SQRT(14)*SQRT(30))) = 42.95 deg
the angle between v and w is:
ARCCOS(ABS(-15)/(SQRT(30)*SQRT(14)))= 42.95 deg
the angle between u and w is:
ARCCOS(ABS(-1)/(SQRT(30)*SQRT(14)))= 85.9 deg
Here's the problem 180-85.9-42.95-42.95= 8.2 deg
I'm missing 8.2 deg....
I hope you'll understand what i wrote, i'm not used to write in english...
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text:
Giovanni Valle is a licensed architect and LEED-accredited professional and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). He is the author and managing editor of various digital publications, including BuilderSpace, Your Own Architect, and Interiors Place.
Bond beams, also called lintel blocks, are used in masonry construction to provide continuous horizontal reinforcement. This is typically achieved by filling U-shaped masonry units with grout or concrete and steel reinforcement.
The purpose of a bond beam is to provide horizontal structural support above openings and along building walls. An example would be at the head of a window or door opening. Because openings by their nature create an unsupported condition, bond beams play a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of walls.
Often, bond beams are used within a building or freestanding wall that requires additional reinforcement. This might be for providing added structural support for wind loads or, in extreme conditions, for hurricanes or seismic activity.
Bond Beam Uses
Bond beams are commonly used above openings. However, they can also be used at the top or bottom of walls or integrated anywhere within the wall structure to provide greater reinforcement.
This is particularly useful at locations where the wall is not braced by floors or by the roof structure. A free-standing wall, for example, can be reinforced with the use of bond beams to better withstand lateral forces (i.e., wind loads).
Bond beams can also serve as anchorage for floors and roof structures since they provide a solid surface to which joists and other structural members can be secured.
When used above openings, such as doors and windows, bond beams help support the weight of the wall above the opening. This allows the openings to be larger than they would be otherwise.
How Does a Bond Beam Work?
Bond beams work by creating horizontal reinforcement along a building wall. This is achieved by infilling a series of adjacent U-shaped masonry blocks with either grout or concrete.
In addition to the grout or concrete, steel rebar is used to connect adjacent blocks along the bond beam. This creates a strong structural bond between the masonry units.
Because they are open on the sides, the blocks themselves are connected to one another with grout or concrete. This helps to further reinforce the horizontal continuity of the adjacent blocks.
Bond beam blocks are typically pre-manufactured to hold grout or concrete inside. They have a hollow interior with a solid bottom to support the grout or concrete within.
How Often do You Need a Bond Beam?
The location of a bond beam will depend on the design of the building wall. The number and locations of openings, floor levels, the wall height, and specific lateral load requirements all influence the use of bond beams.
Bond beams or lintels are needed everywhere there is an opening along a wall. They are primarily used above the opening, however, they can also be used at the bottom.
Bond beams are also placed at regular intervals along a wall when used to reinforce the structure. They are also commonly used at the top or bottom of the wall or at each floor level.
Types of Bond Beam Blocks
Blocks used for bond beams are typically rectangular in shape. The most common type are U-shaped blocks. They are hollow and shaped like a "U" on the inside when viewed in section, thus the name.
Sometimes they will have two square cutouts in the center. Like U-shaped blocks, these types of blocks are also hollow inside with a solid bottom to support the grout or concrete and to allow for steel rebar to run through.
Knock-outs, which are thinner pieces of block that form the internal cores, are often included. As the name implies, they can be removed or "knocked out" to allow for the continuity of steel reinforcement.
Bond Beam vs Lintel Block
Bond beams play a similar role in openings to lintels. However, unlike lintels, bond beams can tie horizontal reinforcement to vertical reinforcement.
By tying horizontal reinforcement steel with vertical reinforcement steel, bond beams can create a stronger and more unified structural bond between masonry blocks.
Additionally, while lintels are prefabricated, bond beams are often created onsite with most of the same materials used in the construction of a wall. Since they are made of concrete, they can often be custom made on-site using a mold.
Advantages of Bond Beams
While pre-fabricated lintels are more commonly used at openings, bond beams offer a flexible alternative where horizontal reinforcement is required. This allows for their use within walls at varying locations.
Because they are sized and made of the same materials as regular masonry units, they can be integrated within a wall seamlessly. Most commonly, they are used at the top of walls to provide support for roofing members.
They can also be used at the bottom of walls for added support at the base. Likewise, at floor levels, they can provide support and anchorage for floor joists. Where there is no structural reinforcement, bond beams can also be used.
Bond Beam Sizes
Pre-made bond beam blocks are manufactured in the same sizes as standard concrete or other masonry blocks. This allows them to seamlessly integrate into the design and layout of the walls.
Nominal dimensions are typically 16 inches in length and either 6 inches or 8 inches in width. Heights usually vary from 6 inches tall to 16 inches tall, in increments of 2 inches (i.e., 6″, 8″, 10″, 14″ and 16″).
True sizes vary from nominal sizing by 3/8″. This is because unit blocks are created to assume 3/8″ spacing between units for grout joints. So, for example, a 16-inch block is actually 15 5/8″ wide and an 8-inch high block is 7 5/8″ in true size.
The total width of a bond beam, that is, when all separate blocks are combined to form a single unit, can vary depending on the length of the wall or size of the opening.
Bond beams are a versatile solution where horizontal reinforcement is needed. From increased bearing capacity to lateral support, bond beams help strengthen a wall structurally.
Bond beam blocks are designed to allow for both concrete and steel rebar to be housed in their interior. This helps create a strong, continuous, horizontal beam structure that helps support structural loads.
Because they can be easily resized in the field and formed using standard cast-in-place concrete or grout, they offer a good solution in instances where structural support is required.
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Although it's nice to use OpenXML, this solution wont work on tables with colspans or rowspans without lots of work on the javascript generator – Eduardo Molteni Oct 11 '12 at 2:35
First, I would not recommend trying export Html and hope that the user's instance of Excel picks it up. My experience that this solution is fraught with problems including incompatibilities with Macintosh clients and throwing an error to the user that the file in question is not of the format specified. The most bullet-proof, user-friendly solution is a server-side one where you use a library to build an actual Excel file and send that back to the user. The next best solution and more universal solution would be to use the Open XML format. I've run into a few rare compatibility issues with older versions of Excel but on the whole this should give you a solution that will work on any version of Excel including Macs.
Open XML
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Excel has a little known feature called "Web queries" which let you retrieve data from almost every web page without additional programming.
A web query basicly runs a HTTP request directly from within Excel and copies some or all of the received data (and optionally formatting) into the worksheet.
After you've defined the web query you can refresh it at any time without even leaving excel. So you don't have to actually "export" data and save it to a file - you'd rather refresh the data just like from a database.
You can even make use of URL parameters by having excel prompt you for certain filter criteria etc...
However the cons I've noticed so far are:
 - dynamicly loaded data is not accessible, because Javascript is not executed
 - URL length is limited
Here is a question about how to create web queries in Excel. It links to a Microsoft Help site about How-To Get external data from a Web page
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mozilla still support base 64 URIs. This allows you to compose dynamically the binary content using javascript:
 download xls
if your excel file is not very fancy (no diagrams, formulas, macroses) you can dig into the format and compose bytes for your file, then encode them with base64 and put in to the href
refer to _URL_
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This code is IE only so it is only useful in situations where you know all of your users will be using IE (like, for example, in some corporate environments.)


text:
GCE Ordinary Level
The O-level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education (GCE). It was introduced as part of British educational reform in the 1950s alongside the more in-depth and academically rigorous A-level (Advanced Level) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. England, Wales and Northern Ireland replaced O-levels with GCSE and IGCSE exams in 1988. The Scottish equivalent was the O-grade (replaced, following a separate process, by the Standard Grade).
O-levels were predominantly exam-based; this had advantages for students in part-time or evening education. Some commentators criticised this mainly exam-based approach as offering only partial proof of the student's overall ability in comparison with other methods (e.g., coursework-based assessment). There was no summative "school certificate": each subject was a separate O-level in its own right.
Madsen Pirie found that the O-level was advantageous to boys because of exam-based learning. Pirie also observes that the GCSE focus on coursework has disadvantaged boys, reversing the gender gap in attainment, to the degree where in all subjects girls outperform boys, including traditionally male subjects such as sciences and physical education.
From 1963, passing grades for the O-level were 1 to 6 or A, B, C, D and E. In the former case grades 7 to 9, and in the latter case U (Unclassified), were classified as a fail. Most certificates did not include the grade that was awarded; this was issued separately on a results slip. Subjects with results graded 7 to 9 or U were not listed in the certificate. From the summer of 1975 onwards, all boards adopted the same system, with grades A to C equivalent to the previous pass grades. At the same time, a change was made from numerical (1-6) grades to alphabetic grades (A-E).
In 1988, O-level qualifications in the UK were replaced by a new system, the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE); previously, the O Levels itself had replaced the School Certificate over thirty years ago. This meant that the final O-level examinations were taken in 1987, while the curriculum for the new system was introduced in 1986. However the O-level is still used in many Commonwealth countries, such as Bangladesh, Mauritius,and Singapore. Some British schools also reverted to exams based on the O-levels. The Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination was also benchmarked against the O-levels for comparable subjects. But it has switched to benchmark against the IGCSE.
O-levels continue to thrive as well respected international qualifications for students in other countries, who use them for preparation for advanced study in their own country and/or access higher education overseas. In June 2005, 12 million candidates from more than 200 countries registered for O-level examinations across the world. Institutions that offer O-levels include Cambridge International Examinations (CIE).
In 2012, it was revealed in leaked documents that Education Secretary Michael Gove planned for the return of the O-Levels in England and to scrap the GCSE's. The leaked documents suggested the plan could be that students in England sit more traditional O-Levels from 2016 onwards, with the papers set by a single examination board.
See also
- List of CIE Ordinary Level subjects
- Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE), an alternative qualification for those who did not take the O-level
- General National Vocational Qualification, another abolished qualification in the United Kingdom
- General Certificate of Secondary Education, which replaced the O-levels and CSE
- General Certificate of Education, which comprises O-levels and A-levels
- General Certificate of Education in Singapore
- Pirie, Madsen. "How exams are ﬁxed in favour of girls", The Spectator, 20 January 2001.
- In particular see page 88 of the definitive UCAS document at _URL_
- Clark, Laura. "Private schools dump GCSEs in favour of old-style O Levels", Daily Mail, 9 August 2006.
- Cambridge O Levels described at CIE's website
- Sky News "Return Of O-levels As GCSEs 'Face Axe'", Yahoo! News, June 21, 2012.


text:
HISPA (Hispanics Inspiring Students' Performance and Achievement)
of Private Matching Funds Remaining
Mission: To mobilize Hispanic professionals as active role models in local educational programs. Vision: To contribute to America's future by inspiring students' academic performance and achievement. HISPA mobilizes Hispanic professionals to eradicate one key reason why youth don't pursue education: a lack of role models. Unless students believe they can achieve, they risk of dropping out—and indeed, Hispanic dropout is the highest of all racial/ethnic groups. This has social and economic consequences as jobs demand more education and Hispanics make up more of the workforce. Research shows that early intervention is key to reducing dropout. It also shows strong correlation between having a role model and pursuing education. HISPA programs intervene during this critical period to emphasize the importance of academics, introduce careers, and demonstrate that all students can achieve their dreams. The HISPA Role Model Program puts Hispanic professionals in Hispanic-majority school classrooms to emphasize the importance of higher education and introduce potential future careers. HISPA Youth Conferences bring 150 students to a university campus for hands-on workshops alongside positive role models to introduce college life and encourage STEM studies and careers. HISPA Corporate Visits to company headquarters allow students to explore career options immersed in a professional setting. Students tour labs and work with cutting-edge technologies and hear from company leaders.
573 Harding Avenue
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
The HISPA Role Model Program: After sharing his personal, educational and professional journey at a school in his community, a HISPA Role Model takes a picture with students.


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ISpNotifySink (SAPI 5.4)
Speech API 5.4
Microsoft Speech API 5.4
In both speech synthesis and speech recognition, applications receive notifications when words have been spoken or when phrases have been recognized. SAPI components that generate notifications implement an ISpNotifySource.
The ISpNotifySource and ISpNotifySink interfaces alone only provide a mechanism for a notification but no information on the events that caused the notification. With an ISpEventSource object, an application can retrieve information about the events that caused the notification. An ISpEventSource also provides the mechanism to filter and queue events. By default, an application (really an ISpNotifySink) receives no notifications from ISpEventSource until SetInterests has been called to specify on which events to notify or queue.
When an application is notified of an event that is not queued, an application will take measures based on which event sink is receiving the notification. From context an application might know exactly what it needs to do, or it may need to interact with the components which sent the notifications. If an application is notified of an event that is queued, the application will call ISpEventSource::GetEvents to retrieve the actual events that caused a notification.
When to Implement
Implement this interface only if the application can take advantage of the slightly reduced latency of a free-threaded notification. Most applications should use one of the simplified notification mechanisms in ISpEventSource instead of implementing this interface directly. Free-threaded notifications are difficult to implement without deadlocking the system. Furthermore, other notification mechanisms require less code on the part of the developer. The application needs to handle free-threaded notifications and implement the ISpNotifySink interface when an ISpNotifySink object is to be notified.
Because free-threaded notifications can occur on any thread, at any point during execution, they are extremely prone to deadlocks and re-entrance problems. The only interface that can be called on an event source object is ISpEventSource::GetEvents. If the ISpNotifySink interface is implemented directly, the code should only use some mechanism to signal another thread to process the notification (for example, a Win32 event or an I/O completion port), and, if needed, call ISpEventSource::GetEvents. Do not call any other methods.
Methods in Vtable Order
ISpNotifySink MethodsDescription
NotifyCalled by an ISpNotifySource object to notify the sink when the state of the notify source has changed.
© 2014 Microsoft


text:
There's no independence without an end to detention and incarceration. On the day before our country celebrates Independence Day, we gather in front of the Elizabeth Detention Center to demand a release of all detainees to their communities and an end to the carceral state. No one can be free until we are all free. we demand _TAG_ and _TAG_.
Jails and prisons have seen major COVID-19 outbreaks even in areas where the virus is not spreading as sharply in the general population. Detainees at the privately-run Elizabeth Detention Center have spoken out about the dangerous conditions at the private ICE immigration facility operated by CoreCivic. Detainees recently joined a lawsuit seeking the immediate release of people detained at EDC or, in the alternative, expedited bail hearings. The lawsuit also seeks to stop ICE from admitting new people into EDC and from unilaterally transferring people from EDC to other immigration jails and prisons around the country
Keep in mind:
- New Jersey is located in the US epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the country.
- Union County has the fourth-highest number of cases and fatalities in the state.
- Additionally, the Core Civic private detention center in Elizabeth is not relaying information on testing or conditions to the public.
- Hector Mendoza, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, was deported to Mexico two-days after the lawsuit was filed, without notice to his attorney and after a federal judge filed an injection against the deportation. He is still missing.
- Living conditions are inhumane and unsafe
- DHS's own doctors and experts around the nation are speaking up about the need for ICE to release detainees but ICE is not providing adequate levels of testing. _URL_
- Detained individuals are denied testing and medical treatment until they experience only the most severe symptoms of COVID-19, putting them at a higher risk of serious infection. Everyone must be tested properly and released from ICE and jail facilities.
- Many detainees are put in quarantine which is essentially solitary for 23 and half hours a day. This cannot be allowed and there needs to be a humane way to quarantine.
- Detainees must use their own commissary money to buy soap and fever reducers. What happens if they don't have the money?


text:
Careful spectra, correlation and coherence analyses of low-frequency fluctuations in global geopotential height data are presented. Attention is paid to proper statistical assessments. The main points are:
1) one-to-two month oscillating quasi-stationary wavetrains have recently been reported in the extratropical Southern Hemisphere troposphere, as far south as the edge of Antarctica. However, only weak correlations were observed with the supposed tropical forcing region, leading to the question of whether the wavetrain is a response to tropical forcing or possibly due to in situ instabilities on 1-2 month time scales. The present paper clears up this enigma with analyses of other tropical datasets which reveal clear correlation between low latitude source regions and the SH extratropical troposphere.
2) An earlier investigation found strong correlations between 1-2 month oscillations in the upper stratosphere and tropical troposphere, yet no vertical propagation was found directly above the tropics. This is explained in the present work with evidence of temperature fluctuations propagating initially quasi-horizontally towards higher latitudes from the Indonesian tropical troposphere, along the bottom of the tropopause to near 35 degrees south. At this latitude, stratospheric winter westerlies allow vertical propagation of the 1-2 month perturbations up to the middle stratosphere where the wave train arches equatorward and upward to the stratopause.
3) Finally, Eliassen-Palm flux diagnostics for the SH stratosphere reveal that while the 1-2 month perturbations occasionally cause significant forcing of the zonal mean wind U-bar, on the long term average only about 10% of d(U-bar)/dt can be attributed directly to these low-frequency eddies.


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TNR Reality Check
Library Display Information
Each month TNR Reality Check presents a display on domestic cats and native wildlife and includes information about wildlife rehabilitation, cat predation, TNR, the environment, cat adoption, as well as local and regional nature events.
Most libraries welcome the opportunity to display interesting and educational material. You do not need to be part of an organization to participate - all you need is enthusiasm for and dedication to your cause!
A library display is a great tool for educating the public about important issues. By offering to set up a display, you will reach a wide and diverse audience and provide a useful public service.
Displays should be professional and eye-catching. Offer brochures and handouts if possible.
If you are interested in setting up a library display in your area on these same subjects, consider utilizing some of the resources below.
Regarding TNR, we display the following information:
A reference and comments to the most recent study by Dr. Levy
Cats and Dogs and Birds on the Beach. A Deadly Combination (From the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
Local cat law. (Whenever possible, research the law in the municipality in which the display is appearing. Folks are sometimes unaware of the laws in their own town, city or borough as applied to licensing, roaming, feeding, etc.)
Regarding domestic cat predation, we display information from the American Bird Conservancy and have their materials available for the public to take. They have brochures, posters and flyers on their website, as well as educational material for children.
Never abandon cats outdoors. (Poster from the American Bird Conservancy)
Healthier, safer: indoors. (Poster from the American Bird Conservancy)
Keeping Cats Indoors Isn't Just For The Birds! (From the American Bird Conservancy)
We offer the above brochure for the public as well as a brochure from the CDC for cat owners about toxoplasmosis.
Regarding wildlife rehabilitation, contact your state division of fish, game and wildlife or department of natural resources to find the licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility nearest to the library. Contact the facility and offer to display their newsletters or other information. See if they have any photos or documentation of cat-injured wildlife that is available for public use. Many folks do not realize the impact free-roaming cats have on native wildlife and this is an excellent way to inform the public about the consequences of cat predation and how they can help prevent this, as well as where to go should they find an orphaned or injured wild animal.
If you are also involved in cat rescue, this is an opportunity to showcase some photos of available animals. If you are not involved in cat rescue but know of an animal rescue organization that shares your values, offer to display their information.
Regarding the environment, we display information from the following sources:
The Ocean Conservancy and various other conservation organizations.
We cover topics such as citizen science, sustainable fishing, sustainable forestry, sustainable coffee farming, recycling, the impact of trash on marine life, pesticides and window strikes from migratory birds.
Contact local nature centers or birding clubs and offer to display their rack cards or any upcoming events.
REMEMBER to research the philosophy of any organization you promote! Publicize those organizations whose values and viewpoints are supportive of the preservation of native wildlife and the humane treatment of domestic cats.
Other materials for distribution could include:
Do You Believe She Deserves to Live Inhumanely and Die Tragically Outside Just Because She Acts Wild? (Brochure by TNR Reality Check that presents an overview of the free-roaming cat issue and TNR).
The Real Deal. (Flyer by TNR Reality Check stating the five basic problems of TNR).
Uncover the Deception. (Flyer by TNR Reality Check that addresses information promulgated by Alley Cat Allies in their document, "Discover the truth about feral cats".)
Be creative and have fun while you educate the public about these important issues!


How to use Enums for Django Field.choices
In Django when using the choices parameter on a form field the format passed in must be as follows:
# within your models.Model class...
 ('0', 'freshman'),
 ('1','sophomore'),
 ('2', 'junior'),
 ('3','senior'),
student_type = models.CharField(max_length=1, choices=STUDENT_TYPE_CHOICES)
This means elsewhere in your code if you want to specify a choice field value, you'd have to enter the first slot of the tuple's value, e.g.:
junior_students = Student.objects.filter(student_type='2')
This is pretty terrible since it's hardcoded in our source, possibly over many files.
How to fix this mess:
In my project I added common/ containing the following:
from enum import Enum
class ChoiceEnum(Enum):
 def choices(cls):
 return tuple((, i.value) for i in cls)
That's the hard work over.
Now when you create your field with choices:
from common.utils import ChoiceEnum
class StudentTypes(ChoiceEnum):
 freshman = 0
 sophomore = 1
 junior = 2
 senior = 3
# within your models.Model class...
class Student(models.Model):
 student_type = models.CharField(max_length=1, choices=StudentTypes.choices())
Now if we need to access StudentTypes from elsewhere in our source code, we can simply:
junior_students = Student.objects.filter(student_type=StudentTypes.junior.value)
That's it. If anyone knows of a nicer way feel free to comment below.
16 thoughts on "How to use Enums for Django Field.choices
 1. asd
 In the choices method you can just do "for member in cls" or "for member in cls.__members__".
 2. Jake
 I think you're solving a problem that doesn't exist and and adding unnecessary complexity.
 You're not limited to using integers as keys for the choices. You're storing the key in a charfield, so a string will work fine (increase the max_length, obviously).
 3. anon62453
 [re-posted with code block]
 Here's what we used for the same issue:
 def choices(cls):
 return [(x.value, for x in cls]
 4. Victor
 choices = tuple([(str(p[1].value), p[0]) for p in props])
 There is not need in creating the intermediary list:
 choices = tuple((str(p[1].value), p[0]) for p in props)
 5. Damien de Lemeny
 Hi and thanks for the tip!
 Enumerations provided by enum34 support iteration, so your snippet can be simplified to a one liner :
 return [(, choice.value) for choice in cls]
 6. matt
 This solution cannot be recommended. Use the django-enumfield instead
 The *.value syntax will give you headaches in the long run especially in equality tests on your models:
 At some point you will test your model fields for equality:
 model.student_type == StudentTypes.freshman
 model.student_type == StudentTypes.freshman.value
 Have been there, do not want to go there again.
 1. Siddharth Pant
 That's easily solvable by just defining your own Enum class with __str__, __repr__ and __eq__ special methods. You can define them at one place and use it everywhere. By this way you have to use StudentTypes.freshman.value only at the Field definition in the model(i.e. only when you provide a default field value). At all other places StudentTypes.freshman will work. i think that is much better than using a third party library.
 7. nmgeek
 The ChoiceEnum.choices function was not returning the choices in the order I declared them so I reworked that class and ended up with a more compact implementation:
 class ChoiceEnum(Enum):
 def choices(cls):
 # format into django choice list
 return [(cls[m].value,m.replace('_',' ').title()) for m in reversed(cls._member_names_)]
 This also massages the user visible names for multi-word enum members.
 8. Samantha Atkins
 Why not something like:
 class Choices(object):
 def __init__(self, **choices):
 self._choices = choices
 self._rev_choices = {v:k for k,v in choices.items()}
 def choices(self):
 return self._choices
 def choice_name(self, value):
 return self._rev_choices.get(value)
Leave a Reply


text:
There is a phenomenon that when making outgoing call through PSTN trunk on Yeastar S-Series IPPBX and it takes about several seconds before the call is established to the destination number (e.g. Mobile). Is there any way we can improve this? Can we seize the PSTN line more quickly?
General seizing PSTN line method
Creating an outbound route with settings as below, selecting PSTN lines and setting Dial Pattern as "9."' and Strip as "1". Please noted that 9. is an example and the client can set as 8. and others.
1) Dial 9 to seize line, and when you heard the dial tone which will take around 1.7 seconds, and it means Yeastar S-Series IPPB had already seized the PSTN line.
2) Dial the numbers according to your needs.
Improved Seizing PSTN line method
Yeastar S-Series IPPBX can seize the PSTN line immediately and reduce the client waiting time using this method. As the below scenario shown, 501 dial 9 (or dial 9# for faster according to the client needs). Then dial _PHONE_ till you heard the dial tone. More operation please check the below steps.
- Set the outbound route for the last PSTN line.
- Set DISA for the Outbound route "PSTN_outbound".
- Create loop trunk 127.0.0.1, which function is let the outgoing requests back to S series itself.
- Set the outbound route for trunk 127.0.0.1. And please noted that we take 9 to seize PSTN line as an example here.
- Set the inbound route for trunk 127.0.0.1.


text:
Difference Between Paired and Unpaired Test
Paired vs Unpaired Test
The t-statistics were developed in 1908 by chemist William Sealy Gosset in Ireland. He used it to monitor the quality of a dark beer called stout while he was working in the Guinness Brewery. He published it in the Biometrika using the pen name "Student."
There are several types of t-tests, the most commonly used are:
One sample location test wherein the mean of a population has value in a null hypothesis.
A test wherein the slope of a regression line differs notably from 0.
Two sample location tests for a difference in mean which can either be paired or unpaired.
In a paired test, the data is collected from subjects measured at two different points wherein each subject has two measurements which are done before and after the treatment. Subjects must be paired or matched before collecting data. This is also known as the repeated samples t-test.
An example is when comparing the weight loss of a group of people who are being given a special diet. These people are tested before they are started with the new diet and are again tested after they have been on the new diet for a few weeks. The results of both tests which are given to the same set group of people determine how much weight they have lost while on the special diet.
Unpaired tests, on the other hand, is when data is collected from two different and independent subjects or patients. The size between the two samples may be equal or not, and it assumes that data gathered is from a normal distribution and that the standard deviation is the same for both samples.
An example is the test that is applied to two groups of patients or subjects, those that have cancer and those that don't. Tests such as this are also called Student's t-tests wherein variances between the two subject populations are equal.
A paired test, therefore, is a test of the null hypothesis that the means of two groups of subjects that are normally distributed are equal while an unpaired test is the test of the null hypothesis that two responses which are measured in the same unit have a difference with a mean value of zero.
Both tests assume that all data that have been analyzed are normally distributed. Paired t-tests are more comprehensive and compelling than unpaired t-tests because they are done with subjects that have similar characteristics.
1.A paired test is the test of the null hypothesis that the means of two subjects are equal while an unpaired test is the test of the null hypothesis that the difference between subjects has the mean value of zero.
2.A paired test is also known as a repeated samples t-test while an unpaired test is also known as a Student's t-test.
3.A paired test is done on subjects that are similar or paired before data is collected and two tests are done before and after a treatment while an unpaired test is done on two independent subjects.
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text:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is the central banking institution and the de facto central bank of Hong Kong. It was established in 1993 as an independent authority under the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government. The HKMA is responsible for maintaining the stability and integrity of Hong Kong's monetary and financial systems.
The mission of the HKMA is to maintain monetary and financial stability in Hong Kong, promote the integrity and efficiency of the financial system, and safeguard the interests of depositors.
The vision of the HKMA is to be a world-class monetary and financial authority that ensures Hong Kong's monetary stability, fosters a robust and competitive financial system, supports sustainable economic growth, and enhances the well-being of the people of Hong Kong. The HKMA aims to be a trusted and proactive regulator, a promoter of financial innovation, and a global leader in central banking and financial supervision.
The Role of HKMA in Ensuring Financial Stability in Hong Kong
The HKMA plays a crucial role in ensuring financial stability in Hong Kong. Here are some key aspects of its role:
- Monetary Policy Implementation:
The HKMA is responsible for maintaining the stability of the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate. It employs a linked exchange rate system, where the Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar within a specified range. The HKMA conducts interventions in the foreign exchange market to maintain the stability of the exchange rate.
- Banking Regulation and Supervision:
The HKMA is the key regulatory authority overseeing banks and other authorized financial institutions in Hong Kong. It implements prudential regulations, sets standards, and conducts ongoing supervision to ensure the safety and soundness of the banking system. The HKMA assesses the financial health, risk management practices, and governance of banks to mitigate potential systemic risks.
- Crisis Management and Contingency Planning:
The HKMA develops and implements contingency plans to address potential financial crises and disruptions. It works closely with banks and relevant stakeholders to enhance preparedness and resilience in the face of systemic risks. The HKMA conducts stress tests and risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and takes appropriate measures to mitigate potential threats to financial stability.
- Market Operations and Liquidity Management:
The HKMA manages the liquidity in the banking system to ensure the stability and smooth functioning of financial markets. It conducts open market operations, provides liquidity facilities, and monitors market conditions to maintain an orderly money market and support the stability of the financial system.
- Financial Infrastructure Development:
The HKMA promotes the development and efficiency of financial infrastructure in Hong Kong. It oversees payment systems, clearing and settlement systems, and other financial market infrastructures to ensure their smooth and secure operation. The HKMA encourages the adoption of innovative technologies and fosters a conducive environment for financial technology (Fintech) innovation.
- International Cooperation:
The HKMA actively engages in international cooperation and collaboration with other central banks, regulatory bodies, and international organizations. It participates in global discussions and initiatives related to financial stability, sharing insights and contributing to the development of international regulatory standards.
Through these functions, the HKMA plays a vital role in ensuring monetary stability, financial system integrity, crisis management, liquidity management, the development of financial infrastructure, and international cooperation in the financial sector.
Banking Regulation and Supervision by HKMA
The HKMA is responsible for the regulation and supervision of banks and other authorized financial institutions in Hong Kong. Here are the key aspects of its banking regulation and supervision role:
- Licensing and Authorization: The HKMA is responsible for granting licenses to banks and financial institutions operating in Hong Kong. It assesses the fitness and propriety of applicants, ensuring that they meet the required standards and comply with relevant regulations and guidelines.
- Prudential Regulation: The HKMA sets and enforces prudential rules and regulations to ensure the safety and soundness of the banking system. This includes requirements related to capital adequacy, liquidity management, risk management, corporate governance, and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing measures.
- Ongoing Supervision: The HKMA conducts ongoing supervision of banks and financial institutions to monitor their compliance with regulatory requirements. It employs a risk-based approach, assessing the financial health, risk management practices, and governance of institutions to identify and mitigate potential risks.
- Off-site Monitoring and Reporting: The HKMA collects regular financial data and other relevant information from banks and financial institutions to monitor their operations and assess their overall risk profile. This off-site monitoring helps identify trends, emerging risks, and potential vulnerabilities in the banking system.
- On-site Inspections: The HKMA conducts periodic on-site inspections of banks and financial institutions to assess their compliance with regulatory requirements. These inspections involve reviewing internal controls, risk management frameworks, and operational procedures to ensure adherence to established standards.
- Crisis Management and Resolution: The HKMA plays a crucial role in managing and resolving banking crises or failures. It develops and maintains contingency plans, collaborates with relevant stakeholders, and takes appropriate actions to safeguard the stability of the financial system in times of distress.
- Consumer Protection: The HKMA promotes consumer protection in the banking sector by setting standards for fair and responsible banking practices. It oversees the handling of customer complaints and takes appropriate actions to address misconduct or unfair practices by banks.
Anti-Money Laundering and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Recognized as an international financial center and a hub for monetary flows, the HKMA places significant emphasis on protecting the integrity and stability of its financial systems through the implementation of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) obligations that adhere to international standards.
The banking sector, as the primary component of the financial system, plays a critical role in this regulatory regime. The HKMA has been at the forefront of establishing AML/CFT systems, which encompass preventive measures such as Customer Due Diligence (CDD), transaction monitoring, and record-keeping to identify and mitigate risks associated with money laundering and terrorist financing.
One of the key aspects of AML/CFT implementation is conducting Customer Due Diligence. Banks systematically gathered information from customers and trusted sources during the account opening process. This information allows banks to establish the normal and expected banking transactions of customers, enabling them to identify and prevent any potential misuse of banking services.
The HKMA sets guidelines and requirements for banks to perform comprehensive CDD procedures, ensuring that adequate information about customers, their business activities, and sources of funds is obtained and verified. By implementing robust CDD measures, banks can assess the level of risk associated with individual customers and transactions, enabling them to identify any suspicious or unusual activities that may indicate potential money laundering or terrorist financing.
Transaction monitoring is another critical element of the AML/CFT regime. Banks employ advanced systems and technologies to monitor customer transactions in real-time, enabling the detection of patterns and behaviors that deviate from normal banking activities. Unusual or suspicious transactions trigger alerts, which are then subject to further investigation by banks to determine their legitimacy. The HKMA provides guidance and oversight to ensure that banks have effective transaction monitoring systems in place.
By implementing stringent AML/CFT measures, the HKMA aims to ensure the integrity of Hong Kong's financial system and preserve its reputation as a trusted and well-regulated international financial center.


text:
Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided (UG) versus fluoroscopy-guided (FG) percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Methods: A systematic search of PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials that compared UG-PCNL with FG-PCNL, and a meta-analysis of those studies was completed. The primary outcomes assessed were stone-free rate (SFR) and complication rate. Secondary outcomes assessed were the successful access-creation rate, time necessary for entrance into the target calyx, auxiliary procedure rate, transfusion rate, hemoglobin decrease after surgery, surgery duration, and hospital stay. Results: Eight studies comprising 966 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with FG-PCNL, UG-PCNL had comparable stone-free rates [odds ratio (OR) 0.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67–1.35; p = 0.79] irrespective of the patient's position, and a favorable safety profile resulting in a lower complication rate (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.36–0.86; p = 0.009). No statistical difference was found between UG and FG groups in secondary outcomes. Conclusions: UG-PCNL is as effective as FG-PCNL and has the advantage of lower complication rates. In addition, UG-PCNL could be performed with patients in the supine position without compromising its efficacy.
ASJC Scopus subject areas


text:
SEAM (Simple Extensible Abstract Machine) is a
virtual machine architecture and library. SEAM is designed to be
languageand platform-independent, to be simple
and based on few principled services.
- Uniform data representation and memory management.
All datastructures used to represent computations, including code and
threads, reside in an abstract store, which represents
an abstract graph of data nodes.
Language specific datastructures are modelled on top of the
language-independent store structures. The store manages the allocation
of nodes and their efficient layout in memory.
- Platform-independent external representation.
Store values are converted to a portable representation during
export (pickling), and converted back during
import (unpickling). A language-independent
transfer language is defined
to describe values independent from platform.
Unpickling operates with respect to runtime-pluggable
language-dependent transformation. For example, language specific code
can be instantiated either to byte code or to native code.
- Abstract execution model.
Computations are defined by a generic evaluator interface.
SEAM supports arbitrarily many codes and
evaluators to be used at the same time and interact freely. In particular,
common virtual machine services like foreign
function interfaces are easily expressible.
SEAM is used successfully to implement the new virtual machine underlying
the Alice Programming System.
- 2004/10/04: preliminary "SEAM" home page online
- 2002/03/20: first version of "SEAM" VM is working
The SEAM Project is partially funded by the DFG (SFB
378, Project MI
6 - NEP).
Wed Mar 21 12:05:26 2007


What does it mean to "show, not tell"? Using sensory words in your writing helps paint a picture of the scene in readers' minds, and is more interesting than simply telling what is going on. Young writers get to see the difference sensory words can make as they read sentences describing the same event, and select the one that's the most interesting.


text:
Walking through campus down Pittsburgh's Forbes Avenue, visitors are stopping in front of an odd sight — strawberries growing in empty plastic bottles on a fence in front of vacant properties.
Carnegie Mellon's Jessica Jackson (A' 10) is showing the Pittsburgh community how easy and inexpensive it is to grow food in a small space with little resources.
Jackson was inspired by contemporary artist Fritz Haeg, who lectured at the Carnegie Mellon Museum of Art during her first year at the university. She designed the project to encourage people to consider using areas to grow food that they normally wouldn't consider — such as the front lawn, an empty lot or a fence.
"The United States remains mired in a recession and most Americans don't have the cash for solar panels or electric cars," Jackson explained. "This is an example of what normal American families can do to support more sustainable, environmentally friendly modes of transportation and agriculture."
She noted, "Not even a backyard is necessary to grow surprising amounts of food."
Jackson created the garden out of empty plastic bottles, wire, soil, fertilizer and strawberry seedlings. She filled the plastic bottles with soil and seedlings and tied them to the fence with wire. Since that time, she has also added zinnias, radishes, sugar snap peas, green beans and alyssum. She will water and prune the garden as necessary throughout the summer.
"I envision the final garden to be so full of flowering and fruit-bearing plants that people walking by will have to look twice to see that the garden was put together with recycled materials," she said. "I want pedestrians to be able to stick their fingers through the chain-link fence and pick the strawberries."
Any extra fruit will be gathered up and given away, possibly to a food pantry. As soon as the plants start flowering, signage containing information about urban gardening will be available to people walking by, says Jackson.
Jackson studied ecological art with Professor Bob Bingham, collaborating with students from different departments university-wide to create a rain garden on campus.
"I have helped my family maintain a garden since early childhood," she said. "In my senior year in high school, I took a course called 'Food for Thought' that dealt with issues related to global hunger and food distribution. It was in this course that I was first introduced to the concept of urban farming, and I have been thinking about how to promote this concept ever since."
"I hope this strawberry garden project will inspire people to start small, inexpensive container gardens of their own, particularly in places that have been blighted by foreclosure or abandonment and remain cut off from practical use by chain-link fences," she said. "This project will be the beginning of what I hope will be many more community-oriented projects to come."


text:
A telephone directory.
- In the days of the old Empire variety halls, there used to be 'memory men', as they were called, whose acts consisted of memorising long wedges of the telephone book or some such pointless feat.
- Credit bureaus usually are listed in the yellow pages of your telephone book under 'credit reporting agencies.'
- Although he had received many death threats, he didn't want bodyguards, didn't wear a bullet proof vest and didn't remove his name from the telephone book.
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: tel·e·phone book
Definition of telephone book in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
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