text:
Pakistan, US to enhance cooperation in energy sector
APPUpdated July 16, 2013
President and CEO of the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Elizabeth Littlefield (L) is flanked by Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as she speaks at a press conference in Islamabad on July 16, 2013. – AFP Photo
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and United States on Tuesday agreed to enhance cooperation in energy sector with special focus on development of bio-gas and wind energy to help Pakistan overcome power crisis.
Pakistan needs investment, particularly in the most needed energy sector, said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar while addressing a joint press conference along with President Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Elizabeth L. Littlefield, who was heading the US delegation in talks with Pakistan.
Earlier, US delegation held detailed discussions with Pakistan's economic and energy managers led by the finance minister and discussed various issues related to investment in various sectors of economy, particularly in energy sector.
Dar told media representatives that talks with the Opic were the part of government's efforts to bring foreign investment into the country and help enhance economic growth.
He said that both the countries agreed in principle to continue dialogue on Civil Nuclear Technology cooperation. However, he added that no timeline could be given for any future agreement on the issue.
The finance minister said that Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have capability to generate more electricity and the government has paid circular debt to enhance generation capacity.
He said both the sides also agreed to continue dialogue on the pending issues of Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) to tap the investment potential.
Terming the terrorism as one of the challenges the country was facing, Ishaq Dar said the government was committed to come up with a comprehensive strategy by taking onboard all political parties to overcome this menace.
He said that ensuring transparency and good governance were among the top priorities of the government.
Earlier, the minister informed the US delegation about the successful passage of federal budget 2013-14.
He said the government, this year, has enhanced the allocations for Public Sector Development Programme to Rs1.155 trillion besides enhancing the allocations of Income Support Programme from Rs40 billion to Rs70 billion.
Dar urged the Opic to bring into investment of private companies in Pakistan's energy sector. He assured the US delegation that Pakistan was a safe as well as lucrative country for investment and provides a conducive atmosphere for foreign investors.
Addressing the press conference, Elizabeth Littlefield said the investment through Opic into Pakistan has increased from $80 million to $300 million, witnessing manifold increase during past couple of years.
She said that Pakistan was facing some challenges. She, however, expressed the optimism that the new government would overcome all these challenges and lead the country towards better future.
Littlefield said her country will enhance cooperation with Pakistan in power generation through wind and bio-gas, besides enhancing technical cooperation to increase power generation through alternative ways.
She said that the US companies have already been involved in development of energy sector of Pakistan as a 50 megawatt electricity project by an American firm was continuing in Sindh province.
Earlier, while briefing the finance minister and his delegation about the operations of the Opic, she said the corporation mobilises private capital to help solve critical development challenges.
The Opic works with the US private sector and helps businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalysing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad.
The corporation achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, guarantees, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds, she added.
Azam Qadeer
Dear go Hydro cheaper and long life
A H Nayyar
There are two points here. The first concerns the OPIC support for renewable energy projects in Pakistan. The OPIC board has already approved a credit factility to Sapphire Wind Power for a 50MW wind power plant in Keti-Bandar. http://www.opic.gov/press-releases/2013/opic-board-approves-financing-wind-projects-pakistan-peru. So, this is a credit facility, and is only for a 50 MW plant. The credit amount is just about right for the Sapphire group to import the entire plant without needing to add much to it as liquidity. A wind plant of 50 MW would make available only 16 MW of electricity, which is less than 2/3 of a thousandth of the current installed electric power production capacity. It is therefore not a big deal. Having said that, there is indeed a great need for investing in wind energy in the country, and any little step is a welcome step. The second point is that OPIC does not seem to be auhthorised to negotiate investment in civilian nuclear power because such a thing would require a parliamentary approval (a 123 Act) in the US, and there is no sign of such a move in the US.
The best and the most cost effective solution for Pakistan is to start a dialogue with Canada for two CANDU-6's to be installed in Karachi next to a smaller KANUPP. This is the only and only nuclear reactor in the world that has natural uranium fuel and the technology is simple and very safe. Pakistan has Uranium and fuel fuel fabrication facilities. Pakistan already has heavy water production capability. Please stop this solar, wind mills and other low capacity ideas. These will add to more energy problems in a coountry like Pakistan. Pakistan should talk to Canada immediately without further beuracratic delays.
muzammil ullah khan
Jul 17, 2013 05:37am
God almighty lord . Lo and behold the US Govt is working on adding 50 mega watts power to the national grid . Enormous effort . Remarkable help . On the other hand they are hell bent on stopping the Iran Pakistan gas pipeline which may result in substantial addition in the power generation capabilities . USA does not want any addition in power sector in Pakistan and that is why they have tried their best to stop Chinese Govt from installing Nuclear Power Plants . That is also the reason that the USA has put a solid brick wall in front of Pakistan's desire of getting access to Commercial Nuclear Power Plants . So , you stupid Pakistanis , be happy that the mighty USA is giving you all of 50 mega watts power plant . Rejoice !!
Good to have such discussion but don't expect too much from discussions with U.S. Becaseu it will be always too late and too little to get materialized though big fuss in the media. This is what we have learnt from history.
50mw by US company is a joke we need twenty thousands mw. We should start digging for coal, start digging today.
India has capitalized on the the wind tunnel on its side of the border which now produces substantial power. It is time Pakistan also get into the act by clearing out the dacoits from Sind's energy producing areas and generating electricity for all of Pakistan, particularly for energy parts of interior Sindh.
Rana Khawer
Please try the Nearest and Fastest way to improve the energy Crisis. This seems to be a media show. 50 Mgw like a urdo proverb " oonth k mon main zeera ". I think they come here to engage pakistan to spoil its time only. they are not good friends. Keep with china to improve energy crisis. US party only sabotaz the aerogram. Please b aware of them. Do not buy the electricity from countries but buy the windpower and solarpower technology from the them. We have a great deal of coal minerals. Use it to generate the power. Although it is very costy and lengthy process but take a little step forward. May allah allmighty guide us.


BUSINESSES TRADITIONALLY HAVE TENDED TO DEVELOP SCENARIOS AND FORECASTS BASED ON ONE YEAR AND FIVE YEAR PERIODS.
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NO WONDER SO MANY BUSINESSES ARE STRUGGLING WITH ADAPTING TO AND PREPARING FOR THESE CHANGES AND WHY 91% OF EMPLOYEES BELIEVE THEIR COMPANY WILL NO LONGER BE COMPETITIVE BY 2020 IF IT STAYS IN ITS CURRENT FORM.


text:
\section{Introduction}
Neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) consist of a neutron star
that accretes matter from a low-mass companion star. From binary
evolution models, we know that the neutron star could accrete up to
0.7\,M$_\odot$ from the companion (e.g.\ \citealt{hb95}). In that
case, neutron stars as massive as $\ga2$\,M$_\odot$ may be expected in
LMXBs. Such a high-mass neutron star would pose strong constraints on
the equation of state (EOS) of matter at the pressures and densities
encountered in neutron star cores (see \citealt{lp04} and references
therein). Determining the neutron star EOS is one of the ultimate
goals of the study of neutron stars.

In order to determine the neutron star mass in these effectively
single-line spectroscopic binaries, we need to know the inclination,
the projected rotational velocity $v\sin i$ of the companion star and
the semi-amplitude $K_2$ of its radial velocity curve.  In principle,
these last two parameters can be determined via optical
spectroscopy. Unfortunately, the companion stars of LMXBs are nearly
always intrinsically faint and they are typically located at distances
of several kilo-parsecs. Furthermore, in systems accreting at high
accretion rates the accretion disc out-shines the small companion
stars making it impossible to detect the stellar absorption lines
necessary to determine $K_2$ and $v\sin i$. In LMXBs the binary
inclination can be determined accurately if the system is eclipsing
\citep{hor85}. Hence, in order to provide the strongest, model
independent constraints on the neutron star mass we need to target
quiescent, eclipsing LMXBs.

EXO\,0748$-$676 is such an eclipsing LMXB. It was discovered using
observations of the {\it European X-Ray Observatory Satellite}
(EXOSAT) in 1985 \citep{pwgh85}. The presence of X-ray eclipses and
type\,I X-ray bursts marking the compact object as a neutron star,
were readily found \citep{pwgg86,ghpw86}. In hindsight the source had
been observed serendipitously by the {\it EINSTEIN} satellite as well
as during EXOSAT slews (\citealt{gc99} and \citealt{rph+99},
respectively).

The optical counterpart to the X-ray source has been found by
\citet{pwgh85}. \citet{wqhm85} report on the discovery of the optical
counterpart as well as on searches of archival optical plates showing
that the optical source was not present down to roughly 23rd magnitude
in the SRC J plate when the X-ray source was inactive. \citet{cpm02}
reported on a measurement of the gravitational redshift from X-ray
absorption line spectroscopy during type~I X-ray bursts providing
$M/R$; this is, so far, unique to this source. However, these features
were not detected in subsequent observations and thus require further
confirmation (see \citealt{cpm+08}). Recently, \citet{gcl09} announced
the discovery of nearly periodic oscillations during two type I X-ray
bursts in EXO 0748-676 at a frequency of 552\,Hz. This is at odds with
the 45\,Hz burst oscillations reported by \citet{vs04}. If 552\,Hz is
indeed the neutron star spin frequency the redshift measurement is
challenged further since rotational Doppler broadening tends to lower
the contrast unless the orientation of the neutron star is favorable,
with the spin axis pointing in our direction. Using a combination of
observations, including the contested redshift measurement, and
theoretical findings \citet{oze06} argues that the mass in
EXO\,0748$-$676 is $2.10\pm0.28$\,M$_\odot$, which if confirmed would
rule out many soft equations of state. However, a high spin frequency,
such as 552\,Hz, besides challenging the redshift measurement, also
introduces sizeable relativistic corrections to the equations and thus
result of \citet{oze06}.

Attempts to use narrow He, C and N emission lines that are probably
originating on the heated inner hemisphere of the companion star to
get a lower limit on the mass of the neutron star are presented in
\citet{phs+06} and \citet{mco+09}. The X-ray eclipse duration for
EXO\,0748$-$676 in outburst has been measured from X-ray studies using
the EXOSAT and XMM-{\it Newton} satellite (8.3 minutes,
\citealt{pwgg86} and \citealt{hwb03}, respectively).

Recently, the system returned to quiescence after a more than 20
year-long active phase (see Wolff et
al.\,2008ab\nocite{wrw08b,wrww08}, \citealt{hj08,tjss08}). Analysing
the optical $R$-band and near-infrared $J$-band light curves,
\citet{hj09} find that the residual X-ray luminosity of the cooling
hot neutron star (see \citealt{dww+09}) is causing the inner
hemisphere of the companion star to be heated.

We here present phase-resolved optical spectroscopy and X-ray
observations of the source shortly after the end of the outburst.

\section{Observations and data reduction}
\subsection{X-ray observations}
We have observed EXO\,0748$-$676 on Nov.~6, 2008 at 08:53:10 (UTC)
with the European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC) on board the
XMM-\textit{Newton} satellite. These data were acquired 62 days after
the first X-ray observations of EXO\,0748$-$676 by
\citet{dww+09}. Hence, the source was in quiescence. The observation
time was awarded to our Directors Discretionary Time proposal. The
observation identification number is 0560180701. Two of the three
imaging cameras on board XMM-\textit{Newton} use Metal Oxide
Semi-conductor (MOS) CCD arrays whereas one uses a pn CCD array. Since
the MOS cameras receive less than 50 per cent of the light due to the
presence of the Reflection Grating Spectrometers in the light path we
present results of the pn camera only. The pn camera was employed in
\textsl{PrimeFullWindow} mode and a medium filter was put in place to
avoid strong contamination due to bright optical sources in the field
of view.

To benefit from the latest calibrations available in December 2008 we
have reprocessed and analysed the data using the \textit{SAS} software
version 8.0.0.  Data are excluded if the 10-12\,keV background count
rate for single events in a $3\times3$ CCD-pixel region (with pattern
0.0) is higher than 1.0\,count\,s$^{-1}$. The net on-source exposure
time is 29.82\,ks. We have produced bary-centered events lists using
the \textit{SAS} tool \textsl{barycen}.

Next, we have produced a background subtracted source light curve with
10\,second time bins including events of photon energies larger than
0.15\,keV. Source photons have been extracted from a circular region
of $35\arcsec$ radius centered on the best known source
position. Background photons have been extracted from a source-free
region of the same size and shape on the same CCD.

\begin{figure}
  \includegraphics[width=8cm]{bjst09f1.pdf}
  \caption{X-ray and optical variability and the radial velocity
    folded on the constant-period orbital ephemeris of
    \citet{whw+02}. Two orbits are shown for clarity. \textit{(a:)} The
    X-ray light curve showing the eclipse at phase
    $\phi=0$. \textit{(b:)} $R$-band magnitudes determined from the
    acquisition images. \textit{(c:)} Equivalent width of the narrow
    H$\alpha$ component, determined from Gaussian fits (see
    \S\,\ref{ss:radvel}). \textit{(d:)} The average optical flux from
    the individual spectra between 6000\,\AA\ and 6250\,\AA. Both in
    broadband filters and narrow lines, the optical flux of the
    optical counterpart varies with the orbital period, being faintest
    at the time of the X-ray eclipse. Note that variable slit losses
    are likely present. \textit{(e:)} Radial velocities
    determined by fitting Gaussians to the H$\alpha$ profile. Only
    measurements between $0.15<\phi<0.85$ are shown. The grey curve
    shows the best fit circular orbit
    ($v(\phi)=\gamma+K_\mathrm{em}\sin 2\pi \phi$) to the data.}
  \label{fig:var}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Optical observations}
Long-slit spectra of the optical counterpart to EXO\,0748$-$676 were
obtained with FORS2, the low dispersion spectrograph of ESO's Very
Large Telescope. Between November 25th and December 26th, 2008, a
total of 31 spectra were obtained, all with 870\,s exposure times and
using the 1200R grism, covering the wavelength range between
5750\,\AA\ and 7310\,\AA, and a $0\farcs7$ slit. The detectors were
read out with $2\times2$ binning, providing a resolution of
2.1\,\AA\ sampled at a dispersion of 0.76\,\AA\,pix$^{-1}$.  All
spectra were obtained during times of good to excellent seeing
($0\farcs48$ to $0\farcs75$).

The images were corrected for bias and flat-fielded using lamp
flats. For the sky subtraction we used clean regions on the slit,
fitting it with a polynomial of up to 2nd order if that provided the
best fit. The spectra were optimally extracted following the algorithm
of \citet{hor86} and wavelength calibrated using arc lamp exposures
taken during daytime. Finally, an approximate flux calibration, not
correcting for slit losses, was determined from a 22\,s exposure of
the spectrophotometric standard LTT\,3218 taken on the first night
with a $5\arcsec$ slit.

We furthermore analysed 15 $R$-band acquisition images of 30 or 40\,s
exposure times taken prior to the spectral observations. These images
were corrected for bias and flat-fielded using sky flats. Instrumental
magnitudes of stars on each image were determined through
point-spread-function fitting using DAOphot\,II \citep{ste87}. All
magnitudes were calibrated against the instrumental magnitudes of
stars on the first image by using some 350 to 400 comparison stars to
fit for an offset in instrumental magnitude.

For the photometric calibration of the first image, we used aperture
photometry of a few bright stars to determine the aperture correction
and determined the photometric calibration from 19 photometric
standards from the PG\,2213$-$006 field \citep{lan92,ste00}. We used
the standard FORS2 $R$-band extinction coefficient of 0.08\,mag per
airmass to correct for the difference in airmass between the field of
EXO\,0748$-$676 and the PG\,2213$-$006 standard field. Because no
color coefficients could be determined, we estimate the uncertainty in
the photometry as the rms in the zeropoint, which is about 0.1\,mag.

\section{Data analysis}

\subsection{X-ray timing}\label{ss:timing}
During the X-ray observations of EXO\,0748$-$676 the source shows a
constant count rate of $0.55\pm0.01$\,counts\,s$^{-1}$ except for the
two distinct eclipses. Fig.\,\ref{fig:var}a shows the X-ray
light-curve of the total detected counts (including background). The
background flux was consistent with being constant at
0.015\,counts\,s$^{-1}$. For the present work we are mainly interested
in the eclipse duration and the orbital period and mid eclipse
times. The spectral properties of the source will be presented
elsewhere. We fit the light curve by a constant plus four step
functions located at $T_0-\frac{1}{2}\Delta t$ and
$T_0+\frac{1}{2}\Delta t$ for the first eclipse and
$T_0+P_\mathrm{b}-\frac{1}{2}\Delta t$ and
$T_0+P_\mathrm{b}+\frac{1}{2}\Delta t$ for the second eclipse. Here
$T_0$ is the mid eclipse time of the first eclipse, $P_\mathrm{b}$ is
the orbital period and $\Delta t$ is the eclipse duration. The step
functions are approximated by heaviside functions, defined as
$f(t)=\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{2}\tanh(kt)$, where $k=-400$\,hour$^{-1}$
is used to describe the eclipse ingress and $k=400$\,hour$^{-1}$
describing the eclipse egress. With these values for $k$,
50\,per\,cent of the flux at the ingress and egress times is contained
in a single 10\,s bin.  Fitting for $T_0$, $P_\mathrm{b}$, $\Delta t$
and a constant to describe the flux out of the eclipse, we obtain
$T_0=54776.501663\pm0.000068$ MJD/TDB,
$P_\mathrm{b}=3.8276\pm0.0018$\,h and $\Delta t=500\pm7$\,s.

We have compared $T_0$ and $P_\mathrm{b}$ with the values predicted by
the orbital ephemerids of EXO\,0748$-$676 obtained from RXTE X-ray
timing by \citet{whw+02}. Extrapolating their ephemerids to orbit
$n=54384$ gives consistent results for the orbital period at the
$2\sigma$ level, while the mid eclipse time falls between the
predictions of the constant-period ephemeris and the quadratic
ephemeris using all data. At $6\sigma$, the prediction from the
constant-period ephemeris lies closest to our measurement. Because the
ephemeris of \citet{whw+02} uses a considerably larger dataset, their
results are expected to represent the long term timing better, and
hence, for the remainder of the paper we will use the mid eclipse time
$T_0$ and orbital period $P_\mathrm{b}$ given by the constant-period
ephemeris of \citet{whw+02}.

We selected in total 800\,s worth of data centered on the mid-eclipse
times for both eclipses in our dataset. Even during the X-ray
eclipses, EXO\,0748$-$676 is still detectable, providing 29 source
counts (38 total counts from which 9 are expected due to the
background) in the 800\,s of observation that we used. This
constitutes approximately 6.6\,per\,cent of the out of eclipse
$0.3-10$\,keV count rate.

\subsection{Radial velocities and spectral properties}\label{ss:radvel}
The individual extracted optical spectra are generally featureless
except for the region around H$\alpha$ where all spectra have a broad
emission component (FWHM of about 26\,\AA), while a strong narrow
emission line (5\,\AA\ FWHM) is present in spectra taken between
orbital phases of approximately $0.15<\phi<0.85$. Here $\phi=0$ is
defined as the center of the X-ray eclipse. Fig.\,\ref{fig:doptom}
shows a trailed spectrum of the H$\alpha$ region, folded on the
ephemeris of \citet{whw+02}, where the emission clearly follows the
orbital signature of a circular orbit. The emission appears strongest
between the quadratures and weakest at the time of the X-ray eclipse.

To measure radial velocities of the H$\alpha$ components we fit the
spectral range between 6400\,\AA\ and 6700\,\AA\ of each spectrum with
either a single Gaussian for spectra taken between $\phi>0.85$ and
$\phi<0.15$ and two Gaussians for spectra taken between
$0.15<\phi<0.85$. Three parameters, position, width and height, were
fitted for each Gaussian. Fitting a circular orbit with
$v(\phi)=\gamma+K_\mathrm{em}\sin 2\pi\phi$ to the radial velocities
of the narrow emission component returns
$\gamma=78.6\pm3.9$\,km\,s$^{-1}$ and
$K_\mathrm{em}=333.0\pm5.0$\,km\,s$^{-1}$ with a reduced
$\chi^2_\mathrm{r}=2.4$ for 22 degrees of freedom (see
Fig.\,\ref{fig:var}e). The errors on the values given above are the
formal $1\sigma$ uncertainties and are scaled to give
$\chi^2_\mathrm{r}=1$. Because these radial velocities are determined
from emission lines the measured radial velocity semi-amplitude
$K_\mathrm{em}$ may or may not be equal to the true radial velocity
semi-amplitude of the companion $K_2$, see \S\,\ref{s:discon}.

\begin{figure*}
  \includegraphics[width=8cm]{bjst09f2a.pdf}
  \includegraphics[width=8cm]{bjst09f2b.pdf}
  \caption{Tomographic reconstructions for H$\alpha$ \textit{(left
      panel)} and He\,I $\lambda6678$ \textit{(right panel)}. In each
    case, the top-left panel shows the observed line profiles as a
    function of binary phase. The top-right panel shows the
    reconstructed data from the converged maximum-entropy
    solution. Both are displayed on the same gray scale as shown in
    the wedge. Bottom panels show the corresponding tomograms
    resolving the line emission across the $V_x-V_y$ plane. Left is
    the constant contribution to the flux, right the phase-dependent
    component (see \citealt{ste03}). The gray scale wedge denotes the
    fractional amplitude of the variable map in per cent. For
    reference a Roche lobe model and ballistic stream trajectory is
    plotted for an assumed system mass ratio of $q=0.25$ and projected
    donor star orbital velocity of $K_2=410$\,km\,s$^{-1}$.}
  \label{fig:doptom}
\end{figure*}

For this fit, the orbital period $P_\mathrm{b}$ and mid eclipse time
$T_0$ were set to those of the ephemeris of \citet{whw+02}. Leaving
these parameters free in the fit gives values that are fully
consistent with their constant-period ephemeris extrapolated to
$n=54595$. The difference in $T_0$ is only $1.1\pm0.7$\,min
($0.005\pm0.003$ in phase), while the difference in $P_\mathrm{b}$ is
$0.18\pm0.38$\,s.

An average of the 31 individual spectra is shown in
Fig.\,\ref{fig:spec}, where the individual spectra are shifted to zero
radial velocity using the H$\alpha$ radial velocity curve. This
spectrum shows, besides the narrow and broad H$\alpha$ components,
weak emission lines of He\,I $\lambda5875$, $\lambda6678$ and
$\lambda7065$. Some telluric absorption features are present at
$6800$\,\AA. Zero velocity averages of individual spectra with orbital
phases between $0.25<\phi<0.75$ and between $\phi>0.75$ and
$\phi<0.25$ are also shown in Fig.\,\ref{fig:spec}. Here, the first
spectrum predominantly shows the hemisphere of the companion facing
the neutron star, while the latter spectrum shows the opposite
hemisphere. The spectra are significantly different, with the
H$\alpha$ and He\,I emission lines being strongest on the hemisphere
facing the neutron star. Furthermore, that hemisphere appears brighter
by about a factor 2.

Though no absorption features appear to be present that may be
attributable to the binary companion, we have compared the averaged
spectrum against synthetic stellar spectra by \citet{mscz05}. In the
wavelength range covered by our observations, the strongest absorption
features are the TiO bands around 6180\,\AA\ and 7050\,\AA\ for
temperatures below about $T_\mathrm{eff}=4000$\,K, while the Na\,I\,D
lines are present for temperatures between 4000\,K to 7500\,K,
decreasing in strength with increasing temperature. Between 4000\,K to
5000\,K many metallic lines are present in the range between
6000\,\AA\ to 6400\,\AA. Above about 5000\,K H$\alpha$ becomes
increasingly stronger.

Unfortunately the region around the Na\,I\,D lines overlaps with the
He\,I $\lambda5875$ emission line while the H$\alpha$ emission likely
swamps the absorption component. As such, both regions cannot be
used. Instead, we use the region between 6000\,\AA\ and 6250\,\AA,
computing a $\chi^2$ statistic by fitting the ratio in flux between
the template and the zero velocity averaged spectrum with a second
order polynomial. We find that the best fit solution sets a $3\sigma$
limit on the temperature of $T_\mathrm{eff}\ga5000$\,K, regardless of
the surface gravity. This temperature is the temperature above which
the TiO bands, disappear. The fit has $\chi^2_\mathrm{r}=1.5$ for some
4900 degrees of freedom. The absence of absorption lines in the
observed and synthetic spectra essentially prevent us from obtaining a
better constraint on the temperature of the companion, and measuring
its radial velocity curve using photospheric absorption lines.

\subsection{Variability}\label{ss:var}
The spectroscopic as well as the photometric observations show that
the optical flux varies in both the continuum and emission
lines. Fig.\,\ref{fig:var}b shows the $R$-band magnitudes determined
from the acquisition images and they confirm the light curve published
by \citet{hj09}; a single peaked modulation with the minimum at the
time of the X-ray eclipse. This trend is also present in both the
equivalent width of H$\alpha$ (Fig.\,\ref{fig:var}c) and the continuum
emission (Fig.\,\ref{fig:var}d). The narrow H$\alpha$ emission seems
to disappear completely near the phase of the X-ray eclipse at
$\phi=0$, while the broadband flux varies by a factor of about 2.

\subsection{Doppler tomography}\label{ss:tomo}
In order to prepare the spectra for emission line tomography, we first
continuum normalised each spectrum using a spline-fit and re-binned
the data to a constant velocity scale sampling of
33.8\,km\,s$^{-1}$\,pix$^{-1}$. The spectra were then phase-binned
using the \citet{whw+02} ephemeris. The prominent orbital variation in
the H$\alpha$ component led us to employ the modulation Doppler
tomography method described in \citet{ste03}. This technique includes
variable contributions modulated on the orbital period and was used to
construct emission line tomograms resolving the H$\alpha$ and He\,I
$\lambda6678$ emission distributions. We used a systemic velocity of
78\,km\,s$^{-1}$ as derived in \S\,\ref{ss:radvel}, although the
reconstructions are robust against the exact choice of $\gamma$. The
advantages of Doppler tomography are its ability to map complex line
profiles using the whole data set at once. Contributions from specific
sources in the binary can then be identified by their known position
on the tomogram.

Reconstructions achieved good fits to the observed line profiles,
achieving formal $\chi_\mathrm{r}^2=1.1$ for both H$\alpha$ and He\,I
$\lambda6678$. We show the reconstructions for these lines in
Fig.~\ref{fig:doptom}. The bulk of the emission originated from a
region consistent with the location of the mass donor star, although a
weak underlying signature from an accretion disc can also be
seen. These are responsible for the broad base (disc) and narrow
(donor) moving line components previously mentioned. Since we are
mainly concerned with the contribution from the donor, we restrict the
plotted velocity intervals to the region surrounding the expected
location of the donor.

In H$\alpha$, the donor star component is reconstructed as an extended
feature centred on the Y-axis, covering velocities between 200 and
410\,km\,s$^{-1}$. This emission is furthermore significantly
modulated with an amplitude of 30\,per\,cent, peaking near orbital
phase $\phi=0.5$. Both the distribution as well as the modulation of
this emission is exactly what would be expected for line emission from
an irradiated donor star. However, the emission does not appear to be
uniformly distributed across the Roche lobe. We measured the centroid
position of the pronounced peak in our Doppler tomograms using several
methods and found consistent velocity measurements to within a few
km\,s$^{-1}$. For example, a Gaussian fit to the H$\alpha$ map
delivers a peak of $V_y=K_\mathrm{em}=413$\,km\,s$^{-1}$ while the
highest pixel is at 410\,km\,s$^{-1}$. We also reconstructed Doppler
maps using different values for the systemic velocity to see by how
much the measured peak position would be affected. Varying the
systematic velocity $\gamma$ by as much as 15\,km\,s$^{-1}$ shifts the
peak velocity down by up to 5\,km\,s$^{-1}$. The donor star component
is broadened and weaker for reconstructions with $\gamma$
significantly above or below our assumed value of
78\,km\,s$^{-1}$. This is further confirmation that this is close to
the true value for the systemic velocity and that its impact on the
measured $K_\mathrm{em}$ is small. Given that formal error propagation
is not possible in maximum-entropy regularised inversions such as our
Doppler maps, we conservatively assign an uncertainty of
5\,km\,s$^{-1}$ to our measured velocities. This uncertainty
encompasses the observed scatter in derived $K_\mathrm{em}$ when
comparing different centroid methods as well as the systematic
contribution due to a possible uncertainty in $\gamma$ (as evaluated
above).

For H$\alpha$, our measured $K_\mathrm{em}=410\pm5$\,km\,s$^{-1}$ is
significantly larger than the $K_\mathrm{em}$ values determined in
\S\,\ref{ss:radvel} via our radial velocity curve fits. For
comparison, He\,I $\lambda6678$ shows a more spot-like distribution,
again centred closely to the Y-axis and peaking at
$V_y=K_\mathrm{em}=345\pm5$\,km\,s$^{-1}$. We do not have sufficient
signal-to-noise in this much weaker line to constrain its variability
amplitude to a significant degree. We thus find that the peak of the
H$\alpha$ emission is found further back on the Roche lobe compared to
the He\,I emission. For illustration, we plot the expected shape of
the donor star Roche lobe in Fig.~\ref{fig:doptom} using a mass ratio
of $q=0.25$ and $K_2=410$\,km\,s$^{-1}$.  The various estimates for
$K_\mathrm{em}$ will be compared and discussed in the next section.

\begin{figure*}
  \includegraphics[width=17cm]{bjst09f3.pdf}
  \caption{\textit{(top:)} The spectrum of the counterpart to
    EXO\,0748$-$676. This spectrum is the average of the 31 individual
    spectra, each shifted to zero velocity using the orbital fit to
    the narrow H$\alpha$ emission. The broad and narrow H$\alpha$
    components, as well as three He\,I emission lines are
    visible. Regions of telluric absorption and diffuse interstellar
    bands are indicated. \textit{(bottom:)} Zero velocity averages of
    the individual spectra with orbital phases between
    $0.25<\phi<0.75$, basically showing the spectrum from the
    hemisphere of the companion that is facing the neutron star, and
    between $\phi>0.75$ and $\phi<0.25$, showing the spectrum of the
    opposite hemisphere. It shows that the emission lines are
    strongest on the hemisphere facing the neutron star, and that that
    hemisphere is brighter by about a factor 2.}
  \label{fig:spec}
\end{figure*}

\section{Discussion and conclusions}\label{s:discon} We have obtained X-ray
timing and phase-resolved optical spectra of the eclipsing low-mass
X-ray binary EXO\,0748$-$676 shortly after the source transitioned
into quiescence after several decades of outburst activity. Timing of
the X-ray eclipses show that the orbital period and eclipse duration
are consistent with the values when the source was in outburst. In
addition, the orbital phase is consistent with extrapolating the
constant period ephemeris of \citet{whw+02}.

The X-ray eclipses in EXO\,0748$-$676 are near total, however, about 6
to 7 per cent of light remains during the eclipses. \citet{bhf+01}
find that in outburst part of this residual flux can be attributed to
fluorescent thermal halo emission. \citet{hwb03} find that in outburst
about 4\,per\,cent of the $2-6$\,keV continuum emission is detected
during eclipse. They attribute this to light scattered into our line
of sight by a corona. Given that they find that the fraction of light
during the eclipse is larger for lower energies, our value seems
consistent with that found in outburst. This implies that the
structure responsible for the scattering is still present, or still
replenished even when the source is in quiescence.

Using our medium resolution VLT/FORS2 spectra of EXO\,0748$-$676 we
find emission lines of H$\alpha$ and He\,I. They display the orbital
motion expected if the lines originate on the binary companion. The
optical spectra show considerable flux variations in both the
continuum and the emission lines. The variations display a single peak
over the orbital period and we attribute this to irradiation of the
hemisphere of the companion facing the neutron star. \citet{hj09} also
presented evidence for an irradiated donor star on the basis of their
optical and near-infrared photometric observations.

This irradiation causes three effects that will skew the measurement
of the radial velocity semi-amplitude. First, due to the irradiation
the centre of light is offset from the centre of mass of the
companion. The former being on the hemisphere facing the neutron star,
the measured radial velocity semi-amplitudes are smaller than the
actual orbital velocity of the companion. To correct for this
difference one can apply a so called '$K$-correction'
\citep{wh88}. This '$K$-correction' can be estimated assuming values
for the mass-ratio $q$ and the opening angle of the accretion
disk. The latter is needed to correct for the partial shielding of the
binary companion by the accretion disc from the irradiating flux
(cf.~\citealt{mcm05}). Second, the irradiation may induce gas motion
on the surface of the mass donor star, resulting in apparent shifts in
orbital phase of the radial velocity curve (\citealt{kir82};
cf.~\citealt{jsnk05}). Third, due to the difference in flux observed
from the irradiated and non-irradiated hemispheres of the companion
the rotational broadening profiles are not symmetric. As a result
observed line profiles can become dependent on orbital phase and
inclination (\citealt{jkg03}; \citealt{jsnk05}). This effect is
obvious when considering the extreme case where all the flux
originates from the irradiated hemisphere. Assuming synchronous
rotation, at phase $\phi=0.25$ the companion is moving away from the
observer at its maximal observed orbital velocity, however, the
observed irradiated hemisphere is rotating towards the observer
lowering the observed semi-amplitude of the radial velocity curve.

How much the measurement of the radial velocity semi-amplitude is
influenced depends therefore on whether the semi-amplitude is
determined by fitting Gaussians to the emission line profiles or by
fitting a two dimensional Gaussian to the spot in a Doppler tomogram.
We modelled the changes in the line velocities by fitting a double
Gaussian, one narrow, one significantly broader, to the H$\alpha$
emission profiles. We find that the velocities of the narrow component
can be well described by fitting a sinusoid with a constant. The
semi-amplitude is $338.8\pm4.8$\,km\,s$^{-1}$ and the constant
representing the systemic velocity $\gamma=78.5\pm3.4$\,km\,s$^{-1}$
when restricting the fit to the velocities over the orbital phases
$0.25<\phi<0.75$ when the narrow component of the emission line is
strongest.

Using Doppler tomography of the H$\alpha$ emission line with
$\gamma=78$\,km\,s$^{-1}$ as input we find that the centre of the
H$\alpha$ emission spot in the Doppler map falls at
$K_\mathrm{em}=410\pm5$\,km\,s$^{-1}$.  This value for the radial
velocity semi-amplitude measured from Doppler tomography is
significantly larger than that obtained fitting a double Gaussian to
the emission peak.  The reason for this difference lies in the fact
that the Doppler tomography method does not require symmetric line
profiles whereas fitting Gaussians obviously does. The Doppler maps do
show that H$\alpha$ emission is complex in shape and thus that the
single Gaussian model for the narrow component is likely too simplistic
to reproduce the observed distribution.  The third effect mentioned
above renders the line profiles asymmetric, affecting the determined
velocities for the 'double Gaussian' method predominantly. The Doppler
tomography will, however, suffer less from this effect yielding
velocities closer to the true centre-of-mass velocities. Note,
however, that also the Doppler tomography velocities follow the centre
of light and hence they also require an unknown '$K$-correction'.

For the only other emission line strong enough for a Doppler map
study, the He\,I $\lambda6678$ line, we obtain
$K_\mathrm{em}=345\pm5$\,km\,s$^{-1}$. There are a number of effects
controlling the distribution of line emission across the Roche lobe,
and hence defining the location of the centre of light. Parts of the
lobe may be shielded from irradiation due to a vertically extended
disc, and the optical thickness of this will be dependent on
wavelength. The incident angle of the incoming radiation is also much
larger near the terminator compared to the region near the inner
Lagrangion point (L1). Different emission lines will thus show a
different distribution reflecting the varying local conditions of the
gas, the ionisation potential of the element involved as well as the
geometry of the incoming radiation field. This typically leads to
higher-ionisation potential lines to be formed closer to the L1 point
(e.g.\ \citealt{har99,umm06}).

Our finding that He\,I emission peaks closer to the L1 point compared
to H$\alpha$ thus agrees with this picture. It shows that the Balmer
lines can still be excited near the terminator, but at the same time
also suffer from more effective shielding near the front of the lobe
because of the increased optical depth of the accretion flow due to
neutral Hydrogen.

The measured radial velocity semi-amplitudes are higher and carry
smaller statistical errors than those found during outburst by
\citet{mco+09}. Besides a higher radial velocity semi-amplitude, we
also find a higher systemic velocity, although the values are
consistent within the $3\sigma$ errors. \citet{mco+09} observed the
system in outburst using emission lines from He\,II whereas our
observations are done in quiescence and using H$\alpha$. The
differences in X-ray flux between outburst and quiescence and the
different element, may explain the difference in measured radial
velocity semi-amplitude in our data compared to \citet{mco+09} as
explained above.

Line emission from the secondary can be expected to lie anywhere
between its L1 point and the terminator. Rather than make specific
assumptions about the irradiation geometry, we will instead use the
peak of the H$\alpha$ emission from the Doppler map as a determination
of the radial velocity semi-amplitude, since it provides the strictest
lower limit on the true radial velocity semi-amplitude of the mass
donor, i.e. $K_2>K_\mathrm{em}$. Hence, with
$K_\mathrm{em}=410\pm5$\,km\,s$^{-1}$, we find that
$K_2>405$\,km\,s$^{-1}$.

\begin{figure} \includegraphics[width=8cm]{bjst09f4.pdf}
 \caption{Constraints
    on the neutron star mass in EXO\,0748$-$676. Under the assumption
    that the companion is filling its Roche lobe, the eclipse
    measurement of the eclipse duration gives a relation between the
    mass ratio $q=M_2/M_1$ and the inclination of the orbit
    \citep{hor85}. Furthermore, the mass ratio relates to the
    rotational velocity $v\sin i$ and the radial velocity
    semi-amplitude $K_2$. The dashed lines show curves for specific
    rotational velocities. Finally, the neutron star mass function
    relates the neutron star mass to the mass ratio and the radial
    velocity semi-amplitude, giving the solid lines for specific
    neutron star masses. The horizontal grey area is excluded by our
    lower limit on the radial velocity semi-amplitude of
    $K_\mathrm{em}=410\pm5$\,km\,s$^{-1}$, setting
    $K_2>405$\,km\,s$^{-1}$, while the diagonal grey area is excluded
    in order to satisfy that all emission originates between the
    radial velocity of L1 and the center-of-mass of the companion
    ($V_\mathrm{L1}<K_\mathrm{em}<K_2$). These constraints dictate
    that the neutron star is heavier than $M_1>1.27$\,M$_\odot$. The
    hashed area is the mass range of $M_1=2.10\pm0.28$~M$_\odot$
    favoured by the work of \citet{oze06}.} \label{fig:mass}
\end{figure}

So far, we have used the fact that the true $K_2$ is larger than the
observed $K_\mathrm{em}$, where the '$K$-correction' depends on the
distribution of the emission across the Roche lobe. Thus the lines
with the largest $K_\mathrm{em}$ must be formed closest to the
terminator, whereas lines with lower $K_\mathrm{em}$ are more towards
L1. An additional limit can thus be set
by demanding that $V_\mathrm{L1}<K_\mathrm{em}$. \cite{mco+09}
reported $K_\mathrm{em}$ values that are somewhat lower than ours and
we used their lower limit on $K_\mathrm{em}=300$\,km\,s$^{-1}$ to
calculate which mass ratios are ruled out because the velocity of the
L1 point would be larger than 300\,km\,s$^{-1}$, which would be
inconsistent with the donor star components observed during
outburst. This leads to a lower limit on the system mass ratio $q$ for
a given $K_2$ which is indicated by the shaded region in the upper
right of Fig.\,\ref{fig:mass}.  From this we see that the range of
measured donor star velocities that all must satisfy
$V_\mathrm{L1}<K_\mathrm{em}<K_2$ rule out neutron star masses below
1.27\,M$_\odot$, so that $M_1>1.27$\,M$_\odot$. For the canonical
neutron star mass of $M_1=1.4$\,M$_\odot$ our observations constrain
the mass ratio to a narrow range of $0.075<q<0.105$ and the companion
mass to 0.11\,M$_\odot<M_2<0.15$\,M$_\odot$.

Narrow H$\alpha$ emission originating from the secondary star has also
been observed in other quiescent low mass X-ray binaries. When
measured after subtracting the underlying H$\alpha$ absorption line
from the secondary and accounting the veiling from the accretion disc,
the equivalent width in these systems is of 2-3 \AA\ and comparable to
that observed in rapidly rotating chromospherically active stars (see
e.g.\ \citealt{cmc+97,tcmc02,tcg+04}). In contrast, the narrow
H$\alpha$ component in EXO\,0748$-$676 reaches an equivalent width of
tenths of \AA\ (Fig.\,\ref{fig:var}). These high values of the
equivalent width can be explained as due mostly to X-ray irradiation
of the secondary.  Stellar rotation in G-M dwarfs cannot produce such
a strength because of saturation effects of stellar activity with
rotation (see e.g.\ \citealt{sshj93,sbk+97}).

Fitting theoretical stellar template spectra to the observed spectrum
averaged in the frame of the companion star, we constrain the
temperature of the inner face of the mass donor star to be larger than
5000 K. Stars of such a temperature do not show significant absorption
lines in the spectral range covered by our observations. Such
temperatures are unexpected for the orbital period of
EXO\,0748$-$676. A Roche lobe filling main sequence star would have a
mass corresponding to that of an M2 star and thus a temperature of
approximately 3500 K, much lower than the lower limit derived above.
Besides evidence from the equivalent widths of the above mentioned
emission lines and the comparison of theoretical stellar templates, we
find that the continuum varies in accord with a heated inner
hemisphere of the mass donor star (see Fig.\,\ref{fig:var}d), hence,
the variability in magnitude over the orbit cannot be explained fully
by the change in equivalent width of the emission lines.

Repeat observations targeting a different wavelength range showing
deep stellar absorption lines from the mass donor star even in the
presence of heating due to the hot neutron star have been
requested. Furthermore, the hot neutron star probably causing the
irradiating flux (\citealt{hj09}) could cool significantly on
timescales of a year reducing the irradiating flux
(\citealt{dww+09}).

\section*{Acknowledgments}
This research is based on observations collected with ESO Telescopes
at the Paranal Observatory under programme ID 282.D-5012(A) and on
observations obtained with the XMM-\textit{Newton} satellite. PGJ
acknowledges support from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific
Research (NWO). MAPT acknowledges support from NASA grants G08-9041X
and G09-8055X. DS acknowledges a STFC Advanced Fellowship.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


This image shows single-molecule nanopore DNA sequencing by synthesis data from a template with homopolymer sequences (http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/04/14/1601782113.full).
Researchers from Columbia University, with colleagues at Genia Technologies (Roche), Harvard University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report achieving real-time single molecule electronic DNA sequencing at single-base resolution using a protein nanopore array.
DNA sequencing is the key technology for personalized and precision medicine initiatives, enabling rapid discoveries in biomedical science. An individual's complete genome sequence provides important markers and guidelines for medical diagnostics, healthcare, and maintaining a healthy life. To date, the cost and speed involved in obtaining highly accurate DNA sequences has been a major challenge. While various advancements have been made over the past decade, the high-throughput sequencing instruments widely used today depend on optics for the detection of four DNA building blocks: A, C, G and T. To explore alternative measurement capabilities, electronic sequencing of an ensemble of DNA templates has been developed for genetic analysis. Nanopore strand sequencing, wherein a single strand DNA is threaded through the nanoscale pores under an applied electrical voltage to produce electronic signals for sequence determination at single molecule level, has recently been developed; however, because the four nucleotides are very similar in their chemical structures, they cannot easily be distinguished using this method. Researchers are therefore actively pursing the research and development of an accurate single-molecule electronic DNA sequencing platform as it has the potential to produce a miniaturized DNA sequencer capable of deciphering the genome to facilitate personalized precision medicine.
A team of researchers at Columbia Engineering, headed by Jingyue Ju (Samuel Ruben-Peter G. Viele Professor of Engineering, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacology, Director of the Center for Genome Technology & Biomolecular Engineering), with colleagues at Harvard Medical School, led by George Church (Professor of Genetics); Genia Technologies, led by Stefan Roever (CEO of Genia); and John Kasianowicz, the Principal Investigator at NIST, have developed a complete system to sequence DNA in nanopores electronically at single molecule level with single-base resolution. This work, entitled, "Real-Time Single Molecule Electronic DNA Sequencing by Synthesis Using Polymer Tagged Nucleotides on a Nanopore Array," is published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Early Edition: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/04/14/1601782113.full.
Previously, researchers from the laboratories of Ju at Columbia and Kasianowicz at NIST reported the general principle of nanopore sequencing by synthesis (SBS), the feasibility of design and synthesis of polymer-tagged nucleotides as substrates for DNA polymerase, the detection and the differentiation of the polymer tags by nanopore at the single molecule level [Scientific Reports 2, 684 (2012) doi: 10.1038/srep00684; http://www.nature.com/articles/srep00684]. The current PNAS paper describes the construction of the complete nanopore SBS system to produce single molecule electronic sequencing data with single-base resolution. This SBS strategy accurately distinguishes four DNA bases by electronically detecting and differentiating four different polymer tags attached to the 5′-phosphate of the nucleotides during their incorporation into a growing DNA strand catalyzed by polymerase, a DNA-synthesizing enzyme. The researchers designed and synthesized novel nucleotides tagged at the terminal phosphate with oligonucleotide-based polymers to perform nanopore SBS on an ?-hemolysin protein nanopore array platform. The tags on the polymer-labeled nucleotides, which were verified to be active substrates for DNA polymerase, produce different electrical current blockade levels. They constructed a nanopore array on an electronic chip bearing multiple electrodes; the array is composed of protein channels that were coupled to a DNA polymerase that was bound to a primed DNA template. Addition of distinct custom-designed polymer tagged nucleotides to the nanopore array triggers DNA synthesis. By blocking the channel's ionic current to different levels, the distinct tags provide a readout of the template sequence in real time with single-base resolution.
As Carl Fuller, lead author, Adjunct Senior Research Scientist in the Ju Laboratory of the Chemical Engineering Department at Columbia and Director of Chemistry at Genia, points out, "The novelty of our nanopore SBS approach begins with the design, synthesis, and selection of four different polymer-tagged nucleotides. We use a DNA polymerase covalently attached to the nanopore and the tagged nucleotides to perform SBS. During replication of the DNA bound to the polymerase, the tag of each complementary nucleotide is captured in the pore to produce a unique electrical signal. Four distinct polymer tags yielding distinct signatures that are recognized by the electronic detector in the nanopore array chip are used for sequence determination. Thus, DNA sequences are obtained for many single molecules in parallel and in real time. The four polymer tags are designed to offer much better distinctions among themselves, in contrast to the small differences among the four native DNA nucleotides, thereby overcoming the major challenge faced by other direct nanopore sequencing methods." Moreover, the tags can be further optimized with respect to size, charge, and structure to provide optimal resolution in the nanopore SBS system.
According to Ju, the researchers have already pushed beyond what was demonstrated in thePNAS study where the sequencing data was obtained on an early prototype sequencer based on nanopore SBS. The throughput and performance of the current sequencer has progressed beyond what was reported in the PNAS paper. The feasibility of reaching read-lengths of over 1000 bases of DNA has recently been achieved. Going forward, the collaborative research team will continue to optimize the tags by tweaking the linkers, structure, and charge at the molecular level, and fine tuning the polymerase and the electronics for the nanopore SBS system with an aim to accurately sequence an entire human genome rapidly and at low cost, thereby enabling it to be used in routine medical diagnoses.
April 18, 2019 - A history of the Crusades, as told by crusaders' DNA Phys.OrgHistory can tell us a lot about the Crusades, the series of religious wars fought between 1095 and 1291, in which Christian invaders tried to claim the Near East.


text:
Q: Android JSON api trouble with PUT operations I have a web api I made in asp.net mvc 4 which exposes CRUD operations for a database and an I'm making an android app to try and manipulate this data.
The issue I'm facing is in the json parser with the update operation which is exposed by a http PUT request (/api/products/id)
Here is the parser I'm using which I got from an example, I modified the POST section so that it does PUT instead:
public class JSONParser {

static InputStream is = null;
static JSONObject jObj = null;
static JSONArray jArr = null;
static String json = "";

// constructor
public JSONParser() {

}

// function get json from url
    // by making HTTP POST or GET method
    public JSONObject makeHttpRequest(String url, String method,
            List<NameValuePair> params) {

        // Making HTTP request
        try {

            // check for request method
            if (method == "PUT") {
                DefaultHttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient();
                HttpPut httpPut = new HttpPut(url);
                httpPut.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(params));

                HttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPut);
                HttpEntity httpEntity = httpResponse.getEntity();
                is = httpEntity.getContent();
            }
            if(method == "POST"){
                // request method is POST
                // defaultHttpClient
                DefaultHttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient();
                HttpPost httpPost = new HttpPost(url);
                httpPost.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(params));

                HttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPost);
                HttpEntity httpEntity = httpResponse.getEntity();
                is = httpEntity.getContent();

            }else if(method == "GET"){
                // request method is GET
                DefaultHttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient();
                String paramString = URLEncodedUtils.format(params, "utf-8");
                url += "?" + paramString;
                HttpGet httpGet = new HttpGet(url);

                HttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpGet);
                HttpEntity httpEntity = httpResponse.getEntity();
                is = httpEntity.getContent();
            }

        } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (ClientProtocolException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

        try {
            BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(
                    is, "iso-8859-1"), 8);
            StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
            String line = null;
            while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
                sb.append(line + "\n");
            }
            is.close();
            json = sb.toString();
        } catch (Exception e) {
            Log.e("Buffer Error", "Error converting result " + e.toString());
        }

        // try parse the string to a JSON object
        try {
            jObj = new JSONObject(json);
        } catch (JSONException e) {
            Log.e("JSON Parser", "Error parsing data " + e.toString());
        }

        // return JSON String
        return jObj;

    }
}

When I try to do a PUT operation, the record gets updated but the app crashes with a null pointer exception as it tries to execute is = httpEntity.getContent();
I'm having problems trying to figure what is wrong exactly with this because I can't find a detailed explanation on how things are supposed to be done, all I have are the random examples I manage to find, none of which goes past GET and POST operations.
For reference, this is the asynctask that calls the parser:
class SaveProductDetails extends AsyncTask<String, Void, String> {

    @Override
    protected String doInBackground(String... args) {
        String id = mTitleText.getText().toString();
        String desc = mBodyText.getText().toString();
        List<NameValuePair> params = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>();
        params.add(new BasicNameValuePair(KEY_ID, id));
        params.add(new BasicNameValuePair(KEY_DESC, desc));
        JSONParser parser = new JSONParser();
        JSONObject json = parser.makeHttpRequest(URL + id, "PUT", params);

        try {
            Integer success = json.getInt(TAG_SUCCESS);
            if (success == 1) {
                // successfully updated
                Intent i = getIntent();
                // send result code 100 to notify about product update
                setResult(100, i);
                finish();
            } else {
                // failed to update product
            }
        } catch (JSONException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

        return null;

    }
}

What am I doing wrong?

A: Three things (two of which are more important).
First (important), you need to determine if your request was successful prior to processing the response body. Given the structure of your code I would recommend declaring a status code variable at the beginning of your retrieval method, and setting it after each execute:
HttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPut);
status = httpResponse.getStatusLine().getStatusCode();

Second (important), you need to check that your response entity is non-null before calling any methods on it. Overall, you would be better served by using the EntityUtils class to process your response.
httpEntity = httpResponse.getEntity(); // Declare httpentity outside your try/catch
is = httpEntity.getContent();          // Remove this line entirely

The entity would then be processed as such:
try {
    if(status == HttpStatus.SC_OK) {
        json = httpentity != null ?
            EntityUtils.toString(httpentity, "iso-8859-1") : null;
    } else {
        Log.e("Server responded with error status " + status);
    }
} catch (Exception e) {
    Log.e("Buffer Error", "Error converting result " + e.toString());
}

Lastly (pretty important), you should remove all the static variables in your parser class and make them local variables of your method instead.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Elizabeth Christ Trump
Elizabeth Christ Trump (born Elisabeth Marie Christ German pronunciation: [e:li:zabɛt maʁi: kʁɪst]; October 10, 1880 – June 6, 1966) was a German businesswoman and is considered the matriarch of the Trump family. She married Frederick Trump in 1902. While raising their three children, the early death of her husband in 1918 required the 37-year-old widow to manage their properties. She founded the real estate development company E. Trump & Son with her son Fred Trump,[1] the father of Donald Trump.
Trump in 1902
Elisabeth Marie Christ
(1880-10-10)October 10, 1880
Kallstadt, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire (now Germany)
June 6, 1966(1966-06-06) (aged 85)
Manhasset, New York, U.S.
German and American
Frederick Trump
Elizabeth, Fred, and John
Philipp Christ
Marie Anthon[1]
2 Marriage and family
3 E. Trump & Son
Early lifeEdit
Elizabeth Trump was born as Elisabeth Christ in Kallstadt, Kingdom of Bavaria, the daughter of Philipp Christ by his wife Anna Maria Christ (née Anthon).[2][3] While the family owned a little vineyard, the income from that was not adequate to meet their needs, and Philipp Christ worked as a tinker repairing and polishing old utensils and selling pots and pans. He ran his trade from his house on Freinsheimer Straße in Kallstadt, which was just across the street from the home of the Trump family, where Katharina Trump, an elderly widow, lived with her six children.[1]
Marriage and familyEdit
Elizabeth Christ Trump & Frederick Trump, c. 1918
Katharina Trump's son, Frederick Trump, had immigrated to America in 1885 at the age of 16 and made his fortune with restaurants and brothels in the Klondike Gold Rush. When he returned to Germany in 1901, he wooed Elisabeth over the objections of his mother, who felt that her prosperous son could and should find a bride from a wealthier and more refined family than Elisabeth's. Nonetheless, Frederick proposed to Elisabeth, who accepted, and they were married on 26 August 1902.[1] He was 33 years of age at the time and she was 21. Friedrich and Elisabeth moved to New York and they set up house in an apartment in the predominantly German quarter of Morrisania in the Bronx. Elizabeth (as her name was spelled in the United States) kept house, while Frederick worked as a restaurant and hotel manager. Their first child, Elizabeth, was born on April 30, 1904.[1]
Despite living in a German neighborhood, Elizabeth was homesick. The family returned to Kallstadt in 1904, selling their assets in America. Because the Bavarian authorities suspected that he had left Germany in order to avoid the service in the Imperial Army, Frederick could not remain in Germany, so the family returned to the United States in 1905.[1] Their second child, Fred, was born, and they set up house on 177th Street in the Bronx. After Elizabeth gave birth to her third child, John, the family moved to Queens, where Frederick began to develop real estate. In 1918, he died of influenza during the 1918 flu pandemic, leaving an estate valued at $31,359 (or approximately equivalent to $359,509 in 2019).[4]
Trump was considered the matriarch of the Trump family.[5] She remained close to her son Fred for her entire life.[1]
E. Trump & SonEdit
Following the untimely death of her husband, Elizabeth Trump continued the real estate business he had begun. She displayed a "remarkable talent" for keeping the real estate business going. She had contractors build houses on the empty lots Frederick had owned, sold the houses, and lived off of the mortgage payments. Her vision was to have her three children continue the family business.[1] Her middle child, Fred Trump, began construction of his first house in 1923, soon after graduating from high school.[6] Elizabeth partially financed Fred's houses,[7] and held the business in her name because Fred had not reached the age of majority.[6] They did business as "E. Trump & Son", building hundreds of houses in Queens over the next several years.[8] The company was incorporated in 1927,[9][10] but the name was in use at least as early as 1926.[11]
Elizabeth Trump remained involved in the family business throughout her life. Even in her 70s, she would collect coins from the laundromats in Trump buildings.[1]
Married Women's Property Acts in the United States
Women's property rights
^ a b c d e f g h i Blair, Gwenda (2000). The Trumps: Three Generations That Built an Empire. New York City: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0743210799.
^ List of Donald Trump's ancestors from his father's side, created by Archived 2017-01-08 at the Wayback Machine Johannes Steiniger
^ "Anna Marie Christ". geni_family_tree.
^ "Friedrich Trump Establishes a Dynasty". The Gotham Center for New York City History.
^ Wayne Barrett. Trump: The Deals and the Downfall. HarperCollins, 1992.
^ a b Whitman, Alden (January 28, 1973). "A builder looks back – and moves forward". New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
^ Mason, Joseph B. (December 1, 1940). "Biggest one-man building show". American Builder and Building Age. ProQuest 853825839. When [Fred Trump] was 27 years old he started his first small home building job on his own, but with some financial backing from his mother. – via ProQuest (subscription required)
^ Barrett, Wayne (2016). Trump: The Greatest Show on Earth: The Deals, the Downfall, the Reinvention. New York City: Simon & Schuster. p. 63. ISBN 978-1942872979.
^ "New concerns function with Queens capital". The Daily Star. April 16, 1927. p. 16. E. Trump & Son Company, Inc., of Jamaica, has been formed with $50,000 capital to deal in realty.
^ "New Concerns Function with Queens Capital". The Daily Star. April 16, 1927.
^ "Homeseekers buy Hollis dwellings". The New York Times. July 21, 1926. p. 32. They also sold for E. Trump & Son a Colonial type dwelling on Wall Street to William Socolow for occupancy.
Elizabeth Christ Trump at Find a Grave
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elizabeth_Christ_Trump&oldid=1001275639"

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text:
Schindler's List
Oskar Schindler
Itzhak Stern
Amon Goeth
Comprehending the Holocaust One Name at a Time
The Impact of Black-and-White Film
Parallel Editing
Suggestions for Further Reading/Viewing
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Characters Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler, war profiteer, womanizer, and Nazi Party member, becomes the unlikely hero and savior of about 1,100 Polish Jews during the Holocaust. He is essentially a con artist and moderately successful businessman who recognizes the potential for profit in wartime. He buys a formerly Jewish-owned enamelware factory and uses bribery and ingratiation to procure military contracts to make war supplies. At the beginning of his quest to become rich, he is indifferent to the Jewish situation, which he sees as merely an unfortunate result of war. A playboy with a large ego, Schindler routinely cheats on his wife and joins the Nazi Party not for ideological reasons but because it will help him make more money. Although he purchases the factory after it has been confiscated from Jewish owners and is given an apartment appropriated from wealthy Jews, Schindler feels no remorse and does not consider the origins of his good fortune.
Schindler, initially concerned only with himself and the success of his moneymaking scheme, undergoes a change that prompts him to spend his fortune to save the lives of those he once exploited. His motive is never completely clear—and indeed, the real Schindler never revealed his motivations. However, the film does suggest that at least one of his incentives was obvious: Schindler simply could not sit by and watch people he knew be sent to death. His metamorphosis from a man of indifference to one of compassion takes place gradually over a number of scenes. His respect for his Jewish accountant, Itzhak Stern, probably has a great deal to do with his transformation, as does his witnessing of the Kraków ghetto evacuation, when he sees the little girl in the red coat. However, Schindler's motivations may also be less altruistic: it is possible that his own ego and narcissism led him to be a savior. He initially reacts angrily to the idea that his factory is a haven, but perhaps became enamored of the idea of being a hero. The needs of his ego may, in some capacity, have surpassed his material needs. The film does not propagate such a harsh stance, but Schindler's boorish behavior makes this speculation plausible. Nevertheless, whatever the results of an analysis of Schindler's motivations, the good effects of his choices are undeniable.
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How do you use the Interpolation Curve in MMD? What does the Interpolation Curve do in MMD? What is the purpose of the Interpolation Curve in MikuMikuDance in MMD DirectX? What is the Interpolation curve in MikuMikuDance Direct X version?
Remember in Math class when you studied graphing and you had to plot and connect your answers on a grid? You didn't know it, but you were interpolating your answers. Interpolation, in MMD, is showing the relational change in movement between two points, over a specific time frame. The Interpolation Curve Panel is that panel in the very bottom left corner of your screen when you open MikuMikuDance. It just sits there looking rather innocent, yet it is one of the most powerful features in MMD's arsenal. Using the Interpolation Curve, allows you to customize the motion data you create. It can manipulate movement in all three XYZ axes. So don't be afraid of it.
You read MikuMikuDance's Interpolation Curve (IC) from left to right. You can adjust the curve by grabbing the two red "X's" and changing the shape. What the curve does is to distribute the velocity of the movement. This is all done within the frames you have selected in the Frame Manipulation Panel. The diagonal line shows that the speed dispersed evenly throughout the movement. A plateau shows a pause or slowing of the motion. Peaks and valleys denote a sharp increase or decrease in speed and location of the movement.
I created motion data showing a simple slide across the field. I've loaded 5 beach balls and given them the exact same motion data. Using the Interpolation Curve will create some radically different effects to the motion data. These are, by far, the most extreme examples of using the Interpolation Curve. Remember, this is only a demonstration- So please no wagering.
Ball number One at the very top is the original motion data. This is the standard curve (Really there's no curve at all). The motion is evenly distributed throughout all 230 frames.
This will be the fastest interpolation out of all the examples. The ball shoots out ahead and then eases slowly toward the end. This starts out with a peak and then the curve flattens out.
Ball Three makes a really slow start; will then move toward a rapid acceleration right to the finish. This makes sense because it is the polar opposite of ball Two.
This goofy little curve seems to rush out as denoted with that first peak in the action; plateaus to a crawl, seems to get lost; pauses; figures out where the finish is and then sprints to the end.
Ball Five starts out with timid baby steps. Then, goes into a really fast dash as shown by the almost vertical line. Then finishes with baby steps again.
Notice how differently each of these balls move according to the changes made to the Interpolation Curve. Yet, they all end the motion almost simultaneously. An important distinction to remember is that no matter what you do using the IC the motion data itself is unchanged. Knowing this, you can tweak all your motion data using the other Y and Z axes and create more fluid and realistic motions.
You can switch between axes by using the arrow button. You have X, Y, and Z axes; rotation, distance, view angle and all. The auto adjust resets all your changes. This is good if you just want to "audition" a change using the Interpolation Curve without committing. Otherwise, it seems to be more of a nuisance than a help. Load up a model and create some motion data and play around with Interpolation Curve. You do have to set the IC selection field to "all" or the axis you are working on. "Rotation" is the default setting. Don't forget to play with the other axes.
A slight S-curve is, by far, the most commonly used curve in MikuMikuDance. However, most things in nature move with sudden starts and jerks. So, prudent use of the Interpolation Curve can take your animation to another level.
Credits: Beach ball by Bolloz111.
How come when I use it, sometimes it will show no difference at all? Even if I put it into a high curve.
There's a little window there that lets you select which aspect of the motion gets the curve … rotation, view angle, ALL … I usually set it for ALL.


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The Carnivore's Dilemma
My daughter's been a vegetarian since her early teens. Her reasons are ethical, based on her love of animals. So I was rather surprised that she could watch A Bloody Business, which exposes the brutal killing of cattle in Indonesian abattoirs.
This episode of Four Corners featured the live export of Australian cattle to Indonesia. Around 500,000 animals are transported each year from Northern Australia where they are fattened up only to have their throats cut while fully conscious. In March 2011 Lyn White, an investigator for the animal rights group, Animals Australia visited eleven Indonesian abattoirs and filmed the abuse of the cattle which included eye gouging, kicking, and tail twisting. Four Corners used both its own video, and footage obtained by White to broadcast what "the Australian meat industry does not want the public to see".
Following A Bloody Business, the public condemned the live trade and called for it to be stopped immediately. I listened as talk- back callers said they would never eat meat again and heard scores of vegans offer meat- free recipes over the radio airwaves.
There is no doubt that the live export in animals must be stopped but the trade needs to be seen as part of the very strange way that food is grown and consumed in our modern world. These days few of us are farmers and most of us must depend on supermarkets and food grown thousands of miles away. Food – gathering today stands in stark contrast to that of our ancestors: Our predecessors' meals included fresh fish caught in clean oceans and meat and dairy from flocks of cattle and sheep raised on pasture. The 20th century was a time of revolutionary change to the way food was produced, distributed and consumed. The rearing of animals underwent momentous change from small scale farming to intensive livestock rearing and huge feedlots along with the live animal trade.
Farmer Joel Salatin is a prominent opponent of our current industrialised food production and "the hero of the new local food movement". Salatin has a small farm in Virginia,USA which feeds between 7,000 and 9,000 locals. He says that small mixed farming can feed the world and it "is the only system that really can feed the world". Salatin believes that large-scale agricultural practices are no longer working and that the existence of new diseases such as campylobacter, E coli, listeria, salmonella, all unknown 30 years ago, is evidence that "the industrial paradigm is exceeding its efficiency." It is unsustainable and incapable of contributing to healthy, happy animals or people.
While watching Four Corners last week I felt the shame of the meat eater that is shared by many including Michael Pollan, the author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, a book about "the search for a perfect meal in a fast-food world". Pollan claims that "eating meat has become problematic, at least for people who take the trouble to think about it". We are very confused he says about whether we should be eating meat: As many people are turning to veganism the situation for factory animals is one of more, not less, suffering. Pollan says this "schizophrenia" can be explained by the absence of these farm animals in our lives today. We no longer witness the killing of the animals or the butcher at work; our meat comes in plastic packages-its source far from view.
People for the ethical treatment of animals or PETA believe that by 'going vegan' we can help stop the abuse of animals including the atrocities of the live export trade. The animal rights group argues that veganism is better for our health and that plant foods will protect us from cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, diabetes and obesity. However, according to Dr Stephen Byrnes author of Myths of Vegetarianism, the above afflictions are diseases of the 20th century – humans have been eating meat for a long time. Research by anthropologist Dr Weston A. Price has documented the numbers of native peoples such as the Inuit, and the Masai who ate diets high in animal products but didn't suffer from these diseases. Byrnes lists the likely causes of these maladies such as the hormones, antibiotics, nitrates and pesticides that are in commercially bred animal products. These can be avoided by consuming organic meats, eggs and dairy products that don't contain these toxins.
Humanity evolved eating animal foods- our bodies are suited and accustomed to them. Therefore we will continue to require the nutrients that animal products provide for the time being. However we can change the way we treat the animals that provide us with these products that are vital for our health and well being.
Last week the Australian community expressed its anger at the abuse of cattle involved in the live animal trade. In response the trade is to cease for at least six months.
My nine-year old granddaughter is among those outraged by animal cruelty and no longer consumes meat. She may be part of the growing movement that according to Michael Pollan "is groping towards a higher plane of consciousness": Where we are moving towards an understanding that meat- eating is barbaric. This can be seen as similar to how we came to see that slavery was abhorrent.
In the meantime and as we continue our evolution we can choose to source and eat ethically raised meat. Yes, it is expensive and the supermarkets are not likely to stock it unless large numbers of us call for it. If we continue to eat meat, and most of us will in the forseeable future, then we need to treat the animals that provide for us, with respect both in life and in death.
Seed savers or seed poachers
Unspinning our convict beginnings
Categories: animal rights, cruelty, ethical meat, news
Tags: animal rights, Animals Australia, carnivores, ethical meat, ethics, Four Corners, Joel Salatin, Lyn White, meat-eating, Michael Pollan, veganism
June 16, 2011 • 20:52
..The search for solutions has focused on two paths one reforming the system and instituting more humane standards and the other promoting veganism so that fewer animals are bred raised and slaughtered. While few animal activists disagree with promoting veganism some believe that campaigning for reforms and humane labeling is counter-productive…Humane standards can either be required by law or instituted voluntarily by farmers.
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Male Impotence following Gardasil
Vaccinating a girl in her luteal phase akin to playing Russian roulette with her life
Normalising autism
Autism-not born with it
Struggling with allergies, you are not alone
Ten percent of Australian women experiencing early menopause
The People's Truth-a reality check
Unapproved adjuvant in Gardasil 9
Vaccine awareness censored as tupperware gets the thumbs up
HPV vaccines tested on 4-6 year-olds
Victoria to legislate influenza vaccines for front-line health workers
No vax, no visit, No way
Vaccine for boys cannot lead to reduction in cervical cancer
'Gardasil: Fast-Tracked and Flawed' The Australian experience
Epstein-Barr Virus, the root cause of most cancers
Merck in court over Gardasil
Is this intentionally causing infertility in boys… and girls?
Sherri Tenpenny – What If You Had Known?
Can popular 'Wellness Sage' Medical Medium help victims of Gardasil
Infanrix Hexa – All risk and no benefit
Gardasil Deaths
Aluminium found in granulomas and lymph nodes of sheep after vaccination. A wake-up call like no other!
Gardasil: Fast-Tracked and Flawed – the Australian experience
Another customer base for Gardasil
Another antenatal vaccine in the pipeline
Gardasil and premature ovarian insufficiency
Infant hepatitis B vaccination 19 years on
Anti-vaccine or pro choice
'Vaccines, Autoimmunity, and the Changing Nature of Childhood illness' by Thomas Cowan
HPV vaccines and dysautonomia
But the show will go on
Autoimmunity following Gardasil
Cervical cancer is not a rare event in Australia
Injected And Neglected – Irish Gardasil Protest
Pancreatitis after Gardasil: not a novel entity
Do you know what's in a vaccine?
HPV vaccines for UK boys – why the change of heart?
Why I wrote 'Gardasil: Fast-Tracked and Flawed'
Everything to be gained by breastfeeding, nothing to lose
Whooping cough vaccines for expectant mothers?
One vial is not necessarily the same as the next
Harare's Herald lauds Zimbabwe's HPV vaccination programme
A must-see documentary: 'Manufactured Crisis – HPV, Hype & Horror'
Another blow for teen health as Gardasil is approved for Irish boys
Orthomolecular treatment for HPV vaccine injured girls
Vaccination 'wars' continue in Victoria
Postpartum mothers recruited by Merck and the University of Alabama for Gardasil 9 vaccine trials
Vaccine refusers choose natural immunity
There's already two unnecessary childhood vaccines for rotavirus
Teens diagnosed with MS after Gardasil
Meningococcal vaccine and the risk to natural immunity
Gardasil: Fast-Tracked and Flawed
Irish Gardasil girl sues Merck and the state
What women must know – the untold dangers of gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine with joan shenton and helen lobato
We must stop the damage from GMOs and vaccines
India says no to HPV vaccines
What started out as a vaccine fast-tracked to protect against cervical cancer is flawed.
Gardasil: Fast-Tracked and Flawed on Blog Talk Radio
Why are we so afraid of viruses and bacteria?
What parents should know about Gardasil 9
Advice about the continued need for Pap smears from Dr Diane Harper, lead investigator for HPV vaccine clinical trials
Gardasil Syndrome
In praise of the Alternative Media
What's up with Gardasil?
Anti-vaxxers 'extremely dangerous', says leading scientist
New DVD shines light on toxic aluminium adjuvants
Easy to learn breathing technique: A life saver
ABC's Media Watch bullies Northern Rivers newspaper into changing its headline
Before HPV there was common sense
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Male Impotence following Gardasil January 15, 2020
Not surprisingly young males are now reporting adverse events after receiving the Gardasil HPV vaccine. According to Gardasil researcher Lloyd. W. Phillips this includes impotence. Introduction of Gardasil for boys In 2012, the Australian Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek, launched the world's first national human papilloma virus (HPV) immunisation program […]
allthenewsthatmatters
Vaccinating a girl in her luteal phase akin to playing Russian roulette with her life January 1, 2020
Vaccinating a woman during the luteal phase of her menstrual cycle may result in a high risk of an unpredictably high immune response, and a possible life threatening cascade of events. According to Gardasil researcher Lloyd. W Phillips this is because During a woman's Luteal Phase, the immune system "backs off" so it won't kill a newly fertilized human egg. […]
Normalising autism December 22, 2019
LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM is a four-part documentary series following young adults on the autism spectrum as they explore the unpredictable world of love, dating and relationships. Viewer comments regarding this ABC program went like this: I just loved it! Such an important program. And what a comfort for the parents of those on the spectrum My […]
Autism-not born with it December 3, 2019
The hepatitis B vaccine was originally developed for older children but it's too toxic for them so they give it to newborns who don't have developed immune systems. Such facts are very hard to bear. So is the rest of Theresa Deisher's lecture. Many vaccines are manufactured using human foetal cell lines. Dr Deisher's work has led her into the science of vacc […]
Struggling with allergies, you are not alone November 23, 2019
According to the Australian Psychological Society the current percentage of children and young people in Australia living with chronic illness is around 10 to 20 per cent of the population. These chronic conditions include asthma and food allergies. Allergy Let's focus on allergy for the moment Allergy occurs when a person's immune system reacts to substance […]
Ten percent of Australian women experiencing early menopause November 13, 2019
Health reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald Melissa Cunningham exposes the shocking news that 10 percent of Australian women experience early menopause, a rare condition which causes ovarian insufficiency in women under 40 years of age. This is a huge number of young women and is extremely alarming. Lorena Beatriz was 25 when she was diagnosed with early o […]
The People's Truth-a reality check November 7, 2019
The Australian Vaccination-risks Network (AVN) is screening the Australian release of The People's Truth this coming week. The People's Truth is a follow-up to the 2016 controversial documentary Vaxxed: From Coverup to Catastrophe. Directed by Brian Burrowes and produced by Tobias Tommey, the film presents some of the thousands of interviews conducted on the […]
Unapproved adjuvant in Gardasil 9 October 20, 2019
The survival from cervical cancer is almost 100%. When you find invasive cancer most of these cases can be treated successfully. The five year survival is almost 90%. Cervical cancer is a preventable disease. — Dr Sin Hang Lee However in spite of such positive results, extremely dangerous and unnecessary vaccines continue to be rolled out all over the world […]
Vaccine awareness censored as tupperware gets the thumbs up October 13, 2019
Book burning is the ritual destruction by fire of books or other written materials, usually carried out in a public context. The burning of books represents an element of censorship and usually proceeds from a cultural, religious, or political opposition to the materials in question. This blog is about an episode of censorship involving our vaccine awareness […]
HPV vaccines tested on 4-6 year-olds October 3, 2019
I have often feared that in the end babies and young children would be given the dangerous and increasingly unpopular HPV vaccines. I suspect that time is fast approaching. GlaxoSmithLine (GSK) the manufacturer of Cervarix has recently conducted a trial of its two valent HPV vaccine on healthy 4-6 year old female children in Latin America. The study involvin […]
@Utopiana @smh And dangerous. Women in Gardasil clinical trials with evidence of current HPV infection and previous… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 6 months ago
RT @eileeniorio: BREAKING: MERCK IN COURT FOR FRAUD OVER THE #HPVvaccine. "Jennifer's lawyers brilliantly laid bare Merck's anemic case fo… 10 months ago
Where are the headlines? They should read: Jennifer Robi sued Merck & Co. Inc. and Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. for fr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 10 months ago
@AnnetteKRegan DPTa vaccines have not been tested as safe for pregnant women. We should not be using them. There is… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 year ago
@_PHAA_ @GregHuntMP Only significant if HPV is the cause of cervical cancer. There is zero scientific evidence that… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 year ago
Helen Lobato


This is the official members area. Here you will find helpful videos, free software and anything else we believe we can provide you to help you in your binary options journey.
The best thing to do for any new binary options trader is to watch our three part video series. This will take about 15 minutes of your time and it will introduce you to binary options and have you winning in a very short period of time.


text:
W: 133 | L: 147
Saturday | July 20
Governor's Comedy Club
See all tour dates for Pete Davidson
2016 SMD
2016 Pete Davidson: SMD
2014 Comedy Underground with Dave Attell Season 1: Episode 2
2013 Adam Devine's House Party Season 1: Stunt Audition
Pete Davidson Stand Up
Pete Davidson - Realistic Weed Commercials
Pete Davidson: SMD - Coping with a Family Tragedy - Uncensored
More Pete Davidson Video
Peter Davidson was born in Staten Island on November 16, 1993, and raised Catholic.
Davidson's father, Scott Davidson, a firefighter in Brooklyn Heights, died on 9/11. He was attempting to evacuate survivors when the Marriot World Trade Center Hotel collapsed on him. Pete was only 7 at the time and claims that he acted out in school to deal with his anger over his father's passing. Davidson has 343, his father's firefighting unit number, tattooed on his arm. Years later, Davidson would lead the campaign criticizing fellow comedian Steve Rannazzisi's false 9/11 claims.
To cope with his severe teenage depression, Davidson started listening to rap and writing jokes. However, he was hesitant to try out his material in part because it was so personal. His friends finally convinced him to perform at a Staten Island bowling alley when Davidson was 16.
Davidson was discovered by comedian Nick Cannon, who brought Davidson on his radio show and improv-based TV show Wild N' Out. From there Davidson performed stand-up on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Gotham Comedy Live, Adam Devine's House Party, and Comedy Underground with Dave Attell.
In 2014, Davidson was announced as a featured member on SNL's 40th season. He was only twenty at the time, making him one of the youngest cast members ever and the only current featured player born in the nineties. He typically plays up his youth in his appearances, especially on Weekend Update, where he has described himself as the show's stoned younger brother.
Davidson openly talks about his marijuana use on and off stage. In 2016, he told High Times that he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, a painful gastrointestinal disease that affects appetite, when he was 17 and that marijuana helped combat the side effects of the disease better than any prescribed drugs. He added that performing without weed is possible but not pleasurable.
However, in his 2016 Comedy Central Special SMD, he joked that he went to rehab as a Christmas gift to his mother and expressed an interest in moving away from his druggie persona.
In a 2017 Instagram post, Davidson announced that he was sober for the first time in 8 years. A few days later, he confirmed his sobriety on SNL and announced his excitement about finally having boners in the morning.
Bio by Andy Gause
Links: Instagram


See what I did there? Left you with a cliffhanger! Next time we're going to look at the new "Movie Trailer" functionality in iMovie '11. It was a big part of the keynote that introduced iMovie '11, and when you start to use it you can see the time and effort Apple put into making it shine. So keep your eyes peeled for the next installment in the iMovie '11 video tutorial series, coming soon.


According to our experience in dealership business and plenty of finance sales we have made, we would like to give you some tips before you go finance a vehicle.
When you buy any used vehicle, you have to keep quality as a priority along with the price in order to have a vehicle that will last without any problem till the end of the loan term and after.
Many walk-in customers shop for a vehicle like they shop for a pack of cigarettes. They go from dealer to dealer with a pen and paper writing down the price, year, and mileage without even listening to the vehicle running. Please take the chance to look underneath the vehicle and know who you are dealing with. Many bad dealers are there and many vehicles appear very nice and shiny on the outside but you will be surprised if you take a look underneath. Click here to see some pictures as an example.
You have to keep your eyes open on the mileage of the vehicle that you are going to finance along with how many miles you will put on the vehicle every year.
For Example: Don't finance a vehicle that already has 150K miles for 48 months loan term if you put 50K mile/year on the car because by calculation the vehicle will have 350K miles by the time you are finished with your payments, before that the car will need major repairs (cost more than what it is worth) or it will be broken down. I see many customers who have broken down cars and they are still engaged in payments. Most of these customers get repossession and it will be hard for them to get a loan for another car with a decent interest rate.
So don't stretch the term of the loan to meet your monthly affordable payment without the consideration of your yearly mileage.
Also, keep in mind that when you finance a low mileage vehicle, you will have a good chance to resell it or trade it in when you would like to switch to a new vehicle.
Don't make the wrong decision by going to very low down payment deal to finance a vehicle. Every vehicle has "Loan value" same as "Retail value" and "Trade in value".
The loan amount of any vehicle is determined by the bank/lender base on the year, make, model, and mileage regardless the condition of the vehicle. The bank/lender don't check the vehicle. It is your duty to check the vehicle.
Absolutely, the difference between the selling price and the loan value is the down payment that you should pay in front plus tax, etc. If a dealer advertises or accepts very low down payment, that means he bought it very cheap due to the condition of the vehicle. "Don't make the wrong decision"
By law, you have the choice to add any additional services to your loan no matter what the dealer says to you. Please give yourself time to read the "Retail Installment Contract" before you sign it. Keep in mind that NO ADDITIONAL SERVICE IS MANDATORY and you have to sign Disclosure and Agreement for any additional service.
VSC: Vehicle Service Contract (Warranty). More options could be better and cheaper.
GAP Insurance: Guarantee Asset Protection (preferred).
Guaranteed Asset Protection. Gap insurance covers the difference (or gap) between what the car is worth and what you owe on the car. It comes into play if your car is stolen or totaled while you are still making payments. This GAP covers the difference between the actual cash value of the vehicle and the balance still owed to the lender. When you choose to purchase GAP Insurance, that gives you the opportunity to pay less down payment because the lender protects his borrowed money the same as you protect your asset.
In order to avoid any risk or loss, it is a smart decision to purchase a VSC "Vehicle Service Contract". Now, you can purchase VSC as you go (month by month). It cost you $39.95 per month. That is less than a cost of a cup of coffee a day. You can participate for three or six months. Once you ensure that the vehicle is running fine, you can terminate it. If you would like to continue, that will be much better.
Most of the cars on the market are known for failure problems. I advise any customer especially the ones who have a tight budget to do their homework before you select the car they are going to finance. Check the reliability rating or read some reviews of the vehicle that you are going to finance.
Keep your eyes open on the repair cost for the known problems. As I mentioned most of the vehicles have a failure problem but which is major and which is simple; which is common and which is occasional.
For Example, Car is known for the failure of the knock sensor. The part costs $26 and the repair cost is $65. I can deal with that.
A car is known for a bad transmission. The part costs $1,000 and the labor cost is $450. I should stay away from this vehicle.
The image below explains how BHPH works. Also, they don't report to any of credit bureau. If you need to rebuild your credit or establish credit, BHPH is not the right choice.
The car cost is not just the monthly payment. It is gas, repair, and parts. Before you decide to finance the car, think about these items to keep your vehicle in good running condition along with making your payment affordable.
If you have a tight budget, pick the vehicle that gets you more usage with less cost. For example; if you have to choose (with same monthly payment) between a 2008 vehicle with 145K mile and 2002 same make and model with 65K mile, go with 2002 with low mileage because it will serve you better and you will get an extra 80K mile of usage.
Before you finance a vehicle, think "Do I want it? OR Do I need it?". Finance the vehicle that meets your needs and your affordability. For example, don't finance a truck for a high monthly payment and use it as a car because you like to drive a truck.