text:
Foundry Breaks Ground on Carrie Meek International Business Park and Amazon Fulfillment Center in Miami
Today we celebrated the life and work of Congresswoman Carrie P. Meek by breaking ground on the Carrie Meek International Business Park ("CMIBP") in Miami. More than 200 people attended the event, which kicked off what is one of the largest single private industrial developments in the history of Miami-Dade and certainly the largest single job creation project in the history of the County.
Altogether CMIBP will encompass more than 1 million square feet of space, headlined of course, by an 855,000 square foot state of the art facility for Amazon. Amazon representatives were also on hand to celebrate the ground breaking. Foundry is simultaneously building an additional 280,000 square foot speculative industrial building and a 5,000 square foot headquarters building for the Carrie Meek Foundation. All three buildings are expected to be completed at various points throughout the year in 2018. Amazon alone will create more 1,000 new jobs for area residents.
What is truly unique about this project is that is a joint venture between the Carrie Meek Foundation and Foundry. CMIBP is being built on ground owned by Miami-Dade County; that the County has leased on a long-term ground lease to a joint venture between The Carrie Meek Foundation and Foundry Commercial. That joint venture exists not only to build the Amazon building and others, but a significant portion of the profits that are generated from this real estate development will go directly to the Foundation to fund its programs to help provide quality affordable housing, education and healthcare to the underserved residents of Miami-Dade County. Moreover, the Foundation will work with the local residents to help prepare them to take on the more than 1,000 jobs that will be created here over the next 24 months.
Imagine that – real estate development, job creation and economic development all come together in one project. That is truly ground breaking. And we are very proud to be a part of it.
-Pryse Elam


Eyal Oren, PhD, MS, is an epidemiologist interested in behavioral aspects of infectious disease, with an emphasis on respiratory health. He is interested in multidisciplinary, community-engaged approaches to addressing population health disparities and collaborative work that is innovative and emphasizes new tools and technologies. Methodologically, his focus is on the intersection between social, environmental, and spatial epidemiologic methods, and their application to both health differences and disparities.


18:16:40 <caitp> but since do expressions aren't really a thing yet, maybe we should just wontfix that bug?
21:07:47 <woofington> i have a script i'm running over and over and it has a large constant object literal in it. is there anything i can do to speed up repeated script execution by somehow initializing such an object up only once?
21:55:48 <bradleymeck> caitp: which one?
22:03:24 <bradleymeck> but without unambiguous its not even on the table, so its just an investigation on "what if things were diff"


text:
\section{Beyond the Local Group: Messier 87 and the Center of the Virgo Cluster}

Triggered by the suggestion that published distance measurements to
the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) may have been subject to confirmation
or publication bias (Schaefer 2008), earlier this decade we set out to
explore that concern in great depth. Although we were unable to
confirm Schaefer's (2008) suggestion on the basis of the most
comprehensive database of LMC distance moduli collected at the time
(de Grijs et al. 2014, henceforth Paper I), we managed to put Freedman
et al.'s (2001) canonical LMC distance modulus of $(m-M)_0^{\rm LMC} =
18.50 \pm 0.10$ mag on a much more robust statistical footing, i.e.,
yielding $(m-M)_0^{\rm LMC} = 18.49 \pm 0.09$ mag (independently
confirmed by Crandall \& Ratra 2015, using the same data set).

Next, we decided to take our analysis of possible publication bias in
distance estimates to Local Group galaxies to the next level. We
expanded our scope to include Messier 31 (M31) and a number of its
larger and better-studied companion galaxies, i.e., M32, M33, NGC 147,
NGC 185, NGC 205, IC 10, and IC 1613 (de Grijs \& Bono 2014: Paper
II), and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC; de Grijs \& Bono 2015: Paper
III; see for independent confirmation based on the same data set,
Crandall \& Ratra 2015). The latter revealed significant difficulties
related to the definition of `the' SMC center, given the galaxy's
irregular morphology, as well as important depth effects reflected
differently by different distance tracers.

We proceeded to tie this updated Local Group distance scale to one of
the most important and nearest galactic-scale distances, the distance
to the Galactic Center (de Grijs \& Bono 2016: Paper IV), for which we
recommended $R_0 = 8.3 \pm 0.2 \mbox{ (statistical)} \pm 0.4$
(systematic) kpc (equivalent to $(m-M)_0^{\rm Gal.C.} = 14.60 \pm
0.05$ mag, where the uncertainties reflect the statistical
uncertainties only), with an associated Galactic rotation constant at
the solar Galactocentric radius, $\Theta_0 = 225 \pm 3 \mbox{
  (statistical)} \pm 10$ (systematic) km s$^{-1}$ (de Grijs \& Bono
2017: Paper V). In very recent developments, the Gravity Collaboration
et al. (2019) published an updated geometric distance determination to
the Galactic Center based on 27 years of orbital measurements for the
star S2, yielding $R_0 = 8178 \pm 13 \mbox{ (statistical)} \pm 22$
(systematic) pc. Our multiple-tracer statistical determination from
2016 remains fully commensurate with this latest geometric distance
determination.

Thus, through careful meta-analysis of published distance measures, we
established an internally consistent and statistically supported Local
Group distance framework, using the Galactic Center, the LMC, and
M31---$(m-M)_0^{\rm M31} = 24.46 \pm 0.10$ mag (Paper II)---as
important stepping stones. In addition, we advocated the use of
NGC~4258 as the next step in the distance hierarchy on account of its
water maser-based geometric distance determination (see the discussion
in Paper II).

Not surprisingly, published distance measurements to galaxies beyond
the Local Group become sparser with increasing distance. A notable
exception in this context are distances to the Virgo cluster and its
dominant giant elliptical galaxy, Messier 87 (M87). At this distance,
we have access to few (if any) alternative distance benchmarks, and as
a consequence M87/Virgo cluster distances are often invoked as
stepping stone to more distant objects such as the Fornax and Coma
clusters. (We will return to this latter aspect in Section
\ref{discussion.sec}.) Therefore, in this paper we set out to obtain a
firm distance estimate to M87 or, alternatively, to the center of the
Virgo cluster, based on a similar meta-analysis of published distance
measures (and Galactic rotation constants) as we undertook for Papers
I through V.

Before we set out to mine the literature, however, we needed to
consider the three-dimensional (3D) spatial distribution of the
galaxies in the Virgo cluster. It is well established that the
cluster's mass distribution is not smooth but distributed across a
number of subclumps. Most notably, NGC 4697 is the central elliptical
galaxy in the foreground `NGC 4697 group,' which also includes NGC
4731 and a number of smaller galaxies in the Virgo Southern
Extension. On the other hand, the W$'$ group is located behind the
main body of the Virgo cluster (e.g., Cantiello et al. 2018; their
Table 2). The majority of Virgo cluster member galaxies are
distributed in the so-called A, B, and E subclusters, where subclump B
is thought to be located 0.4--0.5 mag (in distance modulus) behind
subclumps A (e.g., Yasuda et al. 1997; Federspiel et al. 1998;
Feldmeier et al. 1998)---which is associated with M87 (e.g., Gavazzi
et al. 1999)---and E (Gavazzi et al. 1999; Neilsen \& Tsvetanov 2000).

Current consensus suggests that M87 is located near the physical
center of the Virgo cluster (e.g., Ciardullo et al. 1998; Mei et
al. 2007; Blakeslee et al. 2009; Bird et al. 2010), despite the
well-known radial velocity discrepancy of $\sim 200$ km s$^{-1}$
between M87 and the Virgo cluster mean (Binggeli et al. 1987), with
M87 exhibiting the higher velocity, and its projected $\sim 1^\circ$
distance from the center of the Virgo cluster's isopleths. Ciardullo
et al. (1998), following Bird (1994), argued that such velocity and
positional offsets are common in central elliptical galaxies in
dynamically young galaxy clusters---including the Virgo cluster.

Nevertheless, it is not straightforward to define the Virgo cluster's
center even when using only galaxies associated with the main
subclusters tracing the Virgo cluster's potential well. Elliptical and
early-type galaxies are more spherically distributed than the
cluster's complement of spiral galaxies. The latter are distributed in
an elongated structure extending from 13 to 30 Mpc (Planck
Collaboration et al. 2016) along the line of sight. This affects the
determination of average cluster distance moduli based on diagnostics
typical of either late- (Tully--Fisher relation) or early-type
(Faber--Jackson/$D_n-\sigma$ analysis) differently (e.g., Fukugita et
al. 1993).

In Section \ref{data.sec}, we outline our approach to obtaining our
data set of published distance moduli to our target region. Then, in
Section \ref{analysis.sec} we consider the statistics of the resulting
distance measurements for individual tracer populations, which we
discuss in Section \ref{discussion.sec}. We also summarize and
conclude the paper in Section \ref{discussion.sec}.

\section{Data mining}
\label{data.sec}

To compile a comprehensive database of distances to either M87 or the
center of the Virgo cluster, we extensively perused the
NASA/Astrophysics Data System (ADS). As of 2019 September 3, a search
for `M87' returned 7922 hits. Our manual perusal resulted in an
overall tally of 213 independently derived distance values, spanning
the period from Hubble's (1929) determination based on a comparison of
galaxy luminosities to Hartke et al.'s (2017) reanalysis of the
planetary nebulae population associated with Messier 49, published in
July 2017.

The NASA/ADS database contains all articles published in the main
astrophysics journals since 1975. Its coverage of historical records
is continuously increasing. In this paper, we will focus predominantly
on the most modern M87/Virgo cluster distance determinations. In
practice, this means that our analysis will be based on post-1985
measurements. We are confident that we have tracked down the vast
majority of such measurements published in the literature.

We have kept careful track of the provenance of our distance
estimates, whether based on M87 measurements or pertaining to the
Virgo cluster more broadly. Where possible, we have only retained
Virgo cluster measures that relate to the M87 subcluster, or which
were centered on M87, for further analysis. Our final database, sorted
by year and by tracer, is available online through
http://astro-expat.info/Data/pubbias.html,\footnote{A permanent link
  to this page can be found at
  http://web.archive.org/web/20160610121625/http://astro-expat.info/Data/pubbias.html;
  members of the community are encouraged to send us updates or
  missing information.} Figure \ref{fig1}a shows the overall data set
in black; published weighted average values are overplotted in
red. Panels (b) through (g) show our sample of distance measurements
split by tracer. Where available, we have included the published
$1\sigma$ error bars (random errors only in case systematic errors
were also published) as well as horizontal dotted lines to guide the
eye, located at $(m-M)_0 = 31.0$ mag. At first glance, none of the
tracers, nor the data set as a whole, exhibit any systematic
trends. However, it is clear that some tracers are subject to
significantly greater scatter than others, and systematic differences
in mean levels are seen when comparing different tracers. We will
discuss these issues in the next section.

\begin{figure*}[ht!]
\vspace{-3cm}
\plotone{m87distances.png}
\vspace*{-4.5cm}
\caption{Published distances to either M87 or the center of the Virgo
  cluster as a function of publication date (original values with
  their original error bars, where available). The horizontal dotted
  lines are drawn at $(m-M)_0 = 31.0$ mag and are meant to guide the
  eye. $D_n-\sigma$: Edge-on projection of the Fundamental Plane of
  elliptical galaxies, where $D_n$ is the diameter within which the
  effective surface brightness is 20.75 $\mu_B$ ($B$-band surface
  brightness) and $\sigma$ is the mean velocity dispersion within the
  galaxy's effective radius; FJ: Faber--Jackson relation; GCLF:
  Globular cluster luminosity function; PNLF: Planetary nebula
  luminosity function; SBF: Surface brightness fluctuations; SNe:
  Supernovae; TFR: Tully--Fisher relation; TRGB: Tip of the red giant
  branch. `Averages' in panel (a) include weighted and unweighted
  means of different methods of distance determination to M87, as well
  as mean values of the distance moduli to samples of central Virgo
  Cluster galaxies, as published by the original authors (see Section
  9 in our externally linked data table); `Uncategorized' distance
  moduli include any measurements that are not already included in the
  other panels, mostly because of the scarcity of data points for a
  particular measurement approach.}
\label{fig1}
\end{figure*}

\section{Differences among tracers}
\label{analysis.sec}

Figure \ref{fig1} shows that for a number of tracers we only have
access to rather old (pre-1990) data. Tracers in this category include
distance determinations based on group membership, Hubble's
velocity--distance law, color--magnitude analysis and related methods,
H{\sc ii} region sizes, and also supernova (SN)-based
distances. Others show spreads that significantly exceed the published
statistical error bars (thus suggesting the presence of
unaccounted-for systematics), including distance determinations based
on the globular cluster luminosity function (GCLF) and dynamical
distance estimates (e.g., those based on the Tully--Fisher or
Faber--Jackson relations and the $D_n-\sigma$ projection of the
Fundamental Plane of elliptical galaxies). Only five data sets appear
internally consistent, leading to fairly tight averages: those based
on Cepheids, the planetary nebulae luminosity function (PNLF), surface
brightness variations (SBF), the tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB)
magnitude, and novae (although the error bars associated with the
latter are large).

We carefully examined the procedures followed by the original authors
to arrive at each individual distance estimate for these latter
tracers. In addition, we adjusted the published distances to conform
with the distance framework established in the previous papers in this
series, in essence tied to $(m-M)_0^{\rm LMC} = 18.49$ mag. In
practice, these adjustments were primary calibration offsets of order
a few hundredths of a magnitude only, in most cases; see Table
\ref{tab1} for the full adjusted data set. The resulting homogenized
distance measurements are shown in Figure \ref{fig2} as a function of
distance indicator, where we have added a constant $C \in [0,4]$ mag
to offset the individual tracers from one another for reasons of
clarity. Note that the distance moduli for M87 and the Virgo Cluster
(see Table \ref{tab1}, third column, for this distinction) are
statistically indistinguishable, so that henceforth we will base our
analysis on the combined data set.

\begin{table*}
\caption{Adopted `adjusted' distance moduli used in this paper.}
\label{tab1}
\begin{center}
{\scriptsize
\tabcolsep 0.5mm
\begin{tabular}{@{}ccccll@{}}
\hline \hline
Publ. date & $(m-M)_0$ && M87 (`M') or & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Reference} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Notes} \\
(mm/yyyy) & (mag) && Virgo (`V') \\
\hline
\multicolumn{6}{c}{1. Cepheids}\\
\hline
12/1996 & $31.01 \pm 0.08$ && V & van den Bergh (1996) \\
12/1998 & $31.44 \pm 0.21$ && V & Tammann et al. (2000) \\
08/1999 & $31.01 \pm 0.03$ && V & Macri et al. (1999) \\
02/2000 & $31.03 \pm 0.06$ && M & Ferrarese et al. (2000) \\
05/2001 & $30.80 \pm 0.04$ && V & Freedman et al. (2001) & Recalibration \\
\hline
\multicolumn{6}{c}{2. PNLF}\\
\hline
03/1989 & $30.87 \pm 0.  $ && V & Jacoby (1989) \\
06/1990 & $30.81 \pm 0.14$ && V & Jacoby et al. (1990) \\
06/1990 & $30.78 \pm 0.06$ && M & Jacoby et al. (1990) \\
08/1992 & $30.90 \pm 0.15$ && V & Jacoby et al. (1992) \\
08/1993 & $30.93 \pm 0.2 $ && V & M\'endez et al. (1993) \\
12/1993 & $30.89 \pm 0.09$ && V & Ciardullo et al. (1993) \\
01/1998 & $30.82 \pm 0.16$ && M & Ciardullo et al. (1998) \\
01/1998 & $30.88 \pm 0.09$ && M & Ciardullo et al. (1998) & Rescaled Jacoby et al. (1990) value \\
08/1998 & $30.94 \pm 0.22$ && M & Feldmeier et al. (1998) \\
02/2000 & $30.89 \pm 0.07$ && M & Ferrarese et al. (2000) \\
10/2013 & $30.80 \pm 0.  $ && M & Longobardi et al. (2013) \\
\hline
\multicolumn{6}{c}{3. SBF}\\
\hline
11/1989 & $30.86 \pm 0.17$ && V & Tonry et al. (1989) \\
11/1990 & $31.35 \pm 0.13$ && V & Tonry et al. (1990) & $I$ \\
08/1992 & $30.90 \pm 0.12$ && V & Jacoby et al. (1992) \\
12/1993 & $30.87 \pm 0.10$ && V & Ciardullo et al. (1993) \\
02/1997 & $31.06 \pm 0.05$ && M & Tonry et al. (1997) \\
09/1997 & $31.06 \pm 0.14$ && M & Neilsen et al. (1999) \\
02/2000 & $31.18 \pm 0.04$ && M & Ferrarese et al. (2000) & $I$ \\
02/2000 & $31.08 \pm 0.06$ && M & Ferrarese et al. (2000) & F814W \\
02/2000 & $30.86 \pm 0.09$ && M & Ferrarese et al. (2000) & $K_{\rm s}$ \\
02/2000 & $31.17 \pm 0.10$ && M & Ferrarese et al. (2000) & $K'$ \\
02/2000 & $31.14 \pm 0.03$ && V & Tonry et al. (2000) \\
02/2000 & $31.02 \pm 0.16$ && M & Tonry et al. (2000) \\
06/2000 & $31.18 \pm 0.12$ && V & Neilsen \& Tsvetanov (2000) \\
01/2001 & $31.14 \pm 0.03$ && V & Tonry et al. (2001) \\
01/2001 & $31.02 \pm 0.16$ && M & Tonry et al. (2001) \\
02/2004 & $31.19 \pm 0.06$ && V & Jerjen et al. (2004) \\
02/2004 & $30.96 \pm 0.  $ && M & Jerjen et al. (2004) \\
\hline
\multicolumn{6}{c}{4. TRGB}\\
\hline
02 2000 & $30.89 \pm 0.10$ && M & Ferrarese et al. (2000) \\
02/2007 & $30.89 \pm 0.05$ && V & Williams et al. (2007) \\
12/2010 & $31.09 \pm 0.14$ && M & Bird et al. (2010) \\
\hline
\multicolumn{6}{c}{5. Novae}\\
\hline
01/1985 & $31.26 \pm 1.0 $ && M & Pritchet \& van den Bergh (1985) & $30.4 < (m-M)_B < 32.4$ mag \\
07/1987 & $31.31 \pm 0.44$ && V & Pritchet \& van den Bergh (1987) \\
07/1987 & $30.81 \pm 0.4 $ && V & Pritchet \& van den Bergh (1987) & Using the Cohen (1985) Galactic calibration \\
07/1989 & $31.12 \pm  0.4$ && V & van den Bergh (1989) \\
02/1990 & $31.30 \pm 0.40$ && V & Capaccioli et al. (1990) \\
08/1992 & $31.62 \pm 0.40$ && V & Jacoby et al. (1992) \\
05/1996 & $31.35 \pm 0.35$ && V & Livio (1997) \\
12/1998 & $31.34 \pm 0.40$ && V & Tammann et al. (2000) \\
\hline \hline
\end{tabular}
}
\end{center}
\end{table*}

\begin{figure}[ht!]
\epsscale{1.2}
\vspace{-1.5cm}
\plotone{m87adjusted.png}
\vspace{-3cm}
\caption{`Cleaned' M87/Virgo cluster distances and their published
  $1\sigma$ error bars for five data sets that include the most recent
  determinations available, offset by constants steps $C$ for
  clarity. Individual distances have been corrected, where necessary,
  to a common distance scale, i.e., tied to $(m-M)_0^{\rm LMC} =
  18.49$ mag. The blue data points in the left-hand panel represent
  the mean values and their $1\sigma$ uncertainties (assuming Gaussian
  distributions, for simplicity) of the individual tracers. The
  horizontal dotted and dashed lines are drawn at $(m-M)_0 = 31.0 + C$
  mag, and are meant to guide the eye.}
\label{fig2}
\end{figure}

By comparison with the canonical $(m-M)_0 = 31.0 (+ C)$ mag lines
included to guide the eye, it appears that our sample of novae imply
systematically larger distances, while the PNLF distances are
systematically shorter. However, since the latter are based on the
extremely sharp bright cut in the PNLF, planetary nebulae detections
are biased toward foreground objects, so that the resulting distance
estimates are, in essence, lower limits.

The left-hand panel of Figure \ref{fig2} shows the mean values and
their $1\sigma$ uncertainties (assuming Gaussian distributions, for
simplicity) of the individual tracers; see Table \ref{tab2} for the
numerical values. Note that the error bar associated with the mean
Cepheid distance is artificially enhanced by the inclusion of an
apparently outlying data point published in December 1998. This latter
value, obtained from Tammann et al. (2000),\footnote{Note that this
  value was initially published in December 1998; although the volume
  of conference proceedings was eventulally published in 2000, we
  assigned this data point to its initial publication date since we
  are interested in tracing the evolution of Virgo Cluster/M87
  distance moduli with time.} is part of a data set of galaxy
distances that are commonly referred to as the `long distance scale.'

A `long' versus `short' distance scale debate raged in the second half
of the 20th century, associated with, respectively, low and high
values of the Hubble constant (for a review, see, e.g., de Grijs
2011). However, since the publication of Freedman et al.'s (2001)
seminal study on the extragalactic distance scale, consensus has been
reached that the short distance scale is closer to reality. If we were
to remove the Tammann et al. (2000) data point, the Cepheid average
value for M87 would be reduced to $(m-M)_0 = 30.96 (\sigma = 0.11)$
mag.

By combining the 28 data points for the Cepheids, TRGB, and SBF
measurements, which are all well-calibrated and independently
determined, the resulting true distance modulus for the Virgo cluster
center is $(m-M)_0 = 31.05$ mag, with a Gaussian spread of $\sigma =
0.16$ mag ($D = 16.2 \pm 1.2$ Mpc). The equivalent values for the data
set without the Tammann et al. (2000) measurement are $(m-M)_0 =
31.03$ mag and $\sigma = 0.14$ mag. None of these tracers suggest any
trend as a function of publication date, and hence taking a straight
average seems justified, also in view of the relatively small number
of data points available.

Our recommended final value is, in fact, fully consistent with almost
all of the weighted average distance moduli to either M87 or the
center of the Virgo cluster published since 1990, with the notable
exception of the Tammann et al. (2000) value, $(m-M)_0 = 31.60 \pm
0.09$ mag. Jacoby et al. (1992) considered seven of the most reliable
extragalactic distance tracers---the GCLF, novae, SNe Type Ia, the
TFR, the PNLF, SBF, and the $D_n-\sigma$ relation---to derive a
weighted average of $(m-M)_0 = 31.02 \pm 0.22$ mag for the Virgo
cluster.

The correspondence between our final distance modulus and that
advocated by Jacoby et al. (1992) is perhaps somewhat surprising,
given that the calibrations used for the tracers in common are
somewhat divergent; in practice, however, this divergence results in
cancelling out most of the differences. For instance, Jacoby et
al. (1992) based their Cepheid distance calibration on an adopted LMC
distance modulus of $(m-M)_0 = 18.57$ mag, 0.08 mag larger than our
preferred value; on the other hand, their SBF calibration assumes a
distance to M31 of 770 kpc, some 10 kpc closer (correponding to a
difference of 0.03 mag in distance modulus) than the distance of 780
kpc we recommend to render the Local Group distances internally
consistent.

Ferrarese et al. (2000) found $(m-M)_0 = 31.07 \pm 0.03$ mag using a
wide variety of distance indicators, including Cepheids, the PNLF, the
GCLF, SBF, and the TRGB. Finally, Bird et al. (2010) published a mean
value of the distance modulus to M87 based on the TRGB, the PNLF,
globular cluster sizes and SBF/Cepheid distances, of $(m-M)_0 = 31.06
\pm 0.06$ mag. These latter authors adopted calibration conventions
for the tracers in common with our study that are indeed very close
(within 0.01--0.02 mag in terms of the resulting distance moduli) to
our adopted values.

Considering the overall distribution of distance measures (Figure
\ref{fig1}a), at first glance it appears that the intrinsic spread has
narrowed considerably since the turn of the millennium. This is indeed
reflected in the small $\sigma = 0.14$ mag obtained for our combined
sample, which is dominated by more recent measurements. However, this
apparent tightening of the overall distribution is not a manifestation
of publication bias, nor even of any sustained trends. It is caused by
a shift in focus of the community from one subset of distance
indicators to another. As discussed above, the post-2000 measurements
we have considered to reach our final recommendation included distance
estimates based on Cepheid period--luminosity relations, SBF, and the
TRGB magnitude. Where such measures were available prior to 2000, none
of the tracers suggest a significant broadening of their distribution
toward earlier times.

Before 2000, important subsets of our data points included
measurements that exhibited significant scatter, e.g., GCLF-, novae-,
and SNe-based distance measurements, and distances based on galaxy
dynamics (the Tully--Fisher and $D_n-\sigma$ relations). In addition,
the mean distance modulus implied by our subset of group
membership-based distances is systematically closer, while the
distances resulting from novae, SNe, TFR, and $D_n-\sigma$ analysis
all appear to straddle around means that are systematically more
distant than the canonical $(m-M)_0 = 31.0$ mag level. All of these
latter data points come from our pre-2000 data set, and so these
systematic offsets contribute to the appearance of a broadening of the
overall distribution prior to 2000 compared with more recent
measurements.

Finally, although we have considered the full set of data points
post-2000, including distance estimates to M87 and the center of the
Virgo cluster, there is no evidence of any systematic offsets for any
of our tracer populations at more recent times.

\begin{table}
\vspace{2cm}
\caption{Mean, post-1985 published distance measures to M87 and the
  center of the Virgo cluster as a function of tracer population.}
\begin{center}
\label{tab2}
\begin{tabular}{@{}llcrcccr@{}}
\hline \hline
\multicolumn{1}{l}{Tracer} & \multicolumn{1}{r}{$N$} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Mean} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{$\sigma$} \\
& & (mag) & (mag) \\
\hline
Cepheids$^a$ &  5 & 31.06 & 0.23 \\
PNLF         & 11 & 30.86 & 0.05 \\
SBF          & 17 & 31.06 & 0.14 \\
TRGB         &  3 & 30.96 & 0.12 \\
Novae        &  8 & 31.26 & 0.23 \\
\hline \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\flushleft
$^a$ If we were to ignore the Tammann et al. (2000) data point,
published in December 1998, the mean Cepheid distance modulus reduces
to $(m-M)_0 = 30.96, \sigma = 0.11$ mag.
\end{table}

\section{Implications}
\label{discussion.sec}

Armed with our recommended M87 distance modulus, $(m-M)_0 = 31.03$ mag
($\sigma = 0.14$ mag, equivalent to 1.03 Mpc at the galaxy's distance
of 16.07 Mpc), we are now well placed to extend our previously
established local distance framework to the nearest galaxy
clusters. Our internally consistent distance estimates to the Galactic
Center, the LMC, and M31, combined with the geometric
water-maser-based distance determination to NGC 4258, represent a
tight framework to tie the local distance scale to. Table \ref{tab3}
provides a summary of our preferred reference distances.

\begin{table}
\caption{Recommended local distance framework out to the Virgo cluster.}
\label{tab3}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{@{}lcl@{}}
\hline \hline
\multicolumn{1}{c}{Target}   & $(m-M)_0^{\rm rec.}$ & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Reference} \\
& (mag) \\
\hline
Gal. Center$^a$ & $14.60 \pm 0.05$ & Paper IV \\
LMC       & $18.49 \pm 0.09$ & Paper I   \\
SMC       & $18.96 \pm 0.02$ & Paper III \\
M31       & $24.45 \pm 0.10$ & Paper II  \\
NGC 4258  & $29.29 \pm 0.08$ & Herrnstein et al. (1999) \\
M87/Virgo & $31.03 \pm 0.14$ & This paper \\
\hline \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\flushleft
$^a$ Random (statistical) uncertainties only.
\end{table}

This will allow us to assign absolute distances and realistic
uncertainties to galaxies in the greater Virgo cluster environment,
while also enabling us to use the robust Virgo cluster core distance
as a stepping stone to even greater distances, all constrained to
conform with the overall distance framework. Few galaxies beyond the
largest ellipticals in the Virgo cluster have sizeable numbers of
published distance moduli available. However, many can be placed
within the 3D environment of the Virgo cluster by reference to any of
the collections of relative distance moduli compiled to date (e.g.,
Mei et al. 2007; Blakeslee et al. 2009). Most of the latter result
from relative comparisons of SBF magnitudes obtained based on
homogeneous analyses, hence constituting their own internally
consistent distance framework.

Perhaps more interesting would be an extension of the Galactic
Center--LMC--M31--(NGC 4258)--M87 reference distance ladder out to the
Fornax and Coma clusters. These clusters have been studied
extensively, but few direct, absolute distance measurements are
available. However, a not insignificant fraction of the published
distances to the Fornax and Coma clusters are relative distance moduli
with respect to that of the Virgo cluster (e.g., Blakeslee et
al. 2009; Villegas et al. 2010; and references therein). This seems an
opportune time, therefore, to extend our internally consistent
distance framework to the $\sim 20$--100 Mpc scales of Fornax and Coma
cluster-like distances. We will pursue this in Paper VII; at the
present time (2019 November 8) a NASA/ADS object search for `Fornax
cluster' returns 1869 references. A search for `Coma cluster' returned
5358 hits.

It is also interesting to briefly explore the impact of our updated,
statistically supported distance modulus to M87 on the recent
determination of that galaxy's black hole mass (Event Horizon
Telescope Collaboration et al. 2019). Most luminosity and many mass
estimates scale with $D^2$ (where $D$ is the distance), while masses
based on total densities or orbital modeling scale as $D^3$. The M87
distance modulus derived here corresponds to a distance of $16.07 \pm
1.03$ Mpc; the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration et al. (2019)
adopted $D_{\rm M87} = 16.8 \pm 0.8$ Mpc. Although both distance
values are consistent with each other within the respective 1$\sigma$
uncertainties, our derived central value is $\sim 4$\% smaller than
theirs. Given the $D_{\rm M87}^2$ scaling of the M87 black hole mass,
this implies that with our updated distance modulus, the galaxy's
black hole mass may have to be downsized from $M_{\rm BH}^{\rm EHT} =
(6.5 \pm 0.7) \times 10^9 M_\odot$ to $M_{\rm BH}^{\rm new} = (5.9 \pm
0.6) \times 10^9 M_\odot$.

Finally, thus far we have predominantly considered the random
(statistical) uncertainties associated with our set of distance
estimates. Although we briefly discussed the nature of any differences
between the distance to M87 and that to the Virgo cluster more
broadly, the systematic uncertainties affecting our results are harder
to quantify. These uncertainties mostly originate from the calibration
choices made for any given distance indicator, many of which trace
back to the intrinsic uncertainty in the Cepheid period--luminosity
calibration. The latter has been reduced from $\sim 0.15$ mag
(Freedman et al. 2001; Macri et al. 2006) to $\sim 0.10$ mag (Freedman
\& Madore 2010), or $\sim 0.8$ Mpc at the distance of M87, in recent
years. The advent of {\sl Gaia}-based distances has the potential to
reduce these uncertainties even further (e.g., Ripepi et al. 2019; but
see Groenewegen 2018). In addition, the tie from the Cepheid distance
scale to the SBF (Tonry et al. 2001), TRGB, PNLF, or novae
calibrations used more commonly in recent years introduces an
additional systematic uncertainty, rendering the overall systematic
uncertainty affecting our results at $\sim 0.2$ mag (e.g., Bird et
al. 2010), despite all being based on a robust Local Group distance
framework.

These levels of systematic uncertainties are corroborated by studies
using multiple tracers to determine the same `best' distance to either
M87 or the Virgo cluster center. For instance, Ferrarese et al. (2000)
considered five different tracers, some covering multiple wavelengths,
resulting in a weighted average distance modulus to the center of the
Virgo cluster of $(m-M)_0 = 31.07 \pm 0.03$ mag. However, the
$1\sigma$ spread among their eight individual distance estimates is of
order 0.15 mag. Similarly, the spread among the five values published
by Tammann et al. (2000) is of order 0.11 mag.

In this context, it is instructive to consider distance estimates that
are not directly tied to any of the calibration scales we have
discussed so far. One of those stands out, in particular. The Planck
Collaboration et al. (2016) published a novel distance to the Virgo
cluster as a whole based on the Sunyaev--Zel'dovich method, $(m-M)_0 =
31.28$ mag (no uncertainty quoted). Compared with our preferred
distance modulus of 31.03 mag, this provides a good quantitative
handle on the remaining systematic uncertainties affecting secondary
distance indicators at this distance range. Note that this is a lower
limit to the error budget, since it is not yet clear whether the
difference is only caused by a difference in the zero points of the
different distance scales or if it may also be affected by the
environment. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will play a key role
in this context, since homogeneous multi-passband optical data will
provide an important opportunity to tie distances to Local Group and
Local Volume galaxies using the same empirical framework.

\section*{Acknowledgements}

This work was partially supported by PRIN-MIUR (2010LY5N2T), `Chemical
and dynamical evolution of the Milky Way and Local Group galaxies' (PI
F. Matteucci). This research has made extensive use of NASA's
Astrophysics Data System Abstract Service.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


Archives Questions from Rajesh regarding his Guru and work.
Questions from Rajesh regarding his Guru and work.
Question: What is my calling and who is my guide and Guru?
How would the life span out for my children ?
I have gone through a rough patch in the last 3 – 4 years, how does the year 2015 look like and would the deal (we are working towards) go through?
Erik's reply: Rajesh, your Guru has come in your dreams, I hope you get the hint.
You don't need to worry, you will not see them leaving their body.
Year 2015 will go like the one before. I see some change in the month of October though. The deal is not worth going ahead with. It will not result into anything you expect from it.


text:
Q: Green Divergence Theorem Application Please how can I use Green Ostrogradsky's Theorem to get the expression of the divergence in cylindrical coordinates?
The thing is how can I equate a double integral to a triple and where will the partial derivatives come from?
Thanks

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Cybercrime , Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks , Fraud Management & Cybercrime
Ex-NSA Director: SolarWinds Breach Is 'A Call for Action'
Retired Gen. Keith Alexander on How Public and Private Sectors Must Respond Tom Field (SecurityEditor) • December 24, 2020
Retired Gen. Keith Alexander, president, IronNet Cybersecurity
He has commanded armed forces and directed the National Security Agency. Now, he's president of vendor IronNet Cybersecurity. From this unique perspective, retired General Keith Alexander says the SolarWinds breach is "a call for action."
There's plenty of speculation about the breach's scope, damage and attribution. But it's clear to Alexander that the U.S. public and private sectors have been dangerously exposed.
"The breach highlights a strategic vulnerability our nation has, and we should be very concerned," Alexander says. "If we don't fix it, that will eventually be used against us and cause great damage. ... This is a call for action for our nation."
In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, Alexander discusses:
The urgency of the SolarWinds breach and what it signals;
How we must respond as a nation and as an industry;
The growing need for embracing the strategy of "collective defense."
As the founder, chairman, Co-CEO and president of IronNet Cybersecurity, Alexander provides strategic vision to corporate leaders on cybersecurity issues through development of technology as well as consulting and training. The retired four-star general had a 40-year military career, culminating in his role as director of the National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service from 2005 to 2014. While serving as the NSA director, he was appointed by Congress to be the first commander to lead the U.S. Cyber Command.
NIST's Ron Ross: 'The Adversary Lives in the Cracks'
Emotet Botnet Returns After 2-Month Hiatus
Tom Field
Senior Vice President, Editorial, ISMG
Field is responsible for all of ISMG's 28 global media properties and its team of journalists. He also helped to develop and lead ISMG's award-winning summit series that has brought together security practitioners and industry influencers from around the world, as well as ISMG's series of exclusive executive roundtables.
Security in a Remote Access World
Can Proactive Threat Hunting Save Your Business?
Reducing Fraud In Digital Banking
Machine Identity for Dummies eBook: Protecting UK and EU Organisations
https://www.devicesecurity.io/ex-nsa-director-solarwinds-breach-a-call-for-action-a-15655

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Senator Barack Obama claimed the Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday evening, prevailing through an epic battle with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in a primary campaign that inspired millions of voters from every corner of America to demand change in Washington.
A last-minute rush of Democratic superdelegates, as well as the results from the final primaries, in Montana and South Dakota, pushed Mr. Obama over the threshold of winning the 2,118 delegates needed to be nominated at the party's convention in August. The victory for Mr. Obama, the son of a black Kenyan father and a white Kansan mother, broke racial barriers and represented a remarkable rise for a man who just four years ago served in the Illinois Senate.
In a speech to supporters in New York City, Mrs. Clinton paid tribute to Mr. Obama, but she did not leave the race. In a speech more defiant than conciliatory, she again presented her case that she was the stronger candidate and argued that she had won the popular vote, a notion disputed by the Obama campaign.
Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton talked early Wednesday morning by telephone. He congratulated her and renewed his offer to "sit down when it makes sense for you," according to a spokesman for Mr. Obama, Robert Gibbs.
Mrs. Clinton responded positively, Mr. Gibbs said, but added: "There are no plans to meet tomorrow."
Mr. Obama's victory moved the presidential campaign to a new phase as he tangled with Senator John McCain of Arizona in televised addresses Tuesday night over Mr. Obama's assertion that Mr. McCain would carry on President Bush's policies. Mr. McCain vigorously rebuffed that criticism in a speech in Kenner, La., in which he distanced himself from the departing president while contrasting his own breadth of experience with Mr. Obama's record.
"The American people didn't get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama," Mr. McCain told supporters.
Mr. Obama's triumph closed a 16-month primary campaign that broke records on several fronts: the number of voters who participated, the amount of money raised and spent and the sheer length of the fight. The campaign, infused by tensions over race and gender, provided unexpected twists to the end as Mr. Obama ultimately prevailed over Mrs. Clinton, who just a year ago appeared headed toward becoming the first female presidential nominee of a major party.
The last two primaries reflected the party's continuing divisions, as Mrs. Clinton won the South Dakota contest and Mr. Obama won Montana.
The race drew to its final hours with a burst of announcements — delegate by delegate — of Democrats stepping forward to declare their support for Mr. Obama. The Democratic establishment, from former President Jimmy Carter to rank-and-file local officials who make up the party's superdelegates, rallied behind Mr. Obama as the day wore on.
When the day began, Mr. Obama needed 41 delegates to effectively claim the nomination. By the time the polls closed in Montana and South Dakota, Mr. Obama had secured the delegates he needed to end his duel with Mrs. Clinton, which wound through every state and territory in an unprecedented 57 contests over five months.
Every time a new endorsement was announced at the Obama headquarters in Chicago, campaign workers interrupted with a booming round of applause, followed by popping Champagne corks later in the evening. The aides are members of Mr. Obama's team — a political start-up — that is responsible for defeating one of the most tried and tested teams in Democratic politics.
While the Democratic race may have ended, a new chapter began in the complicated tensions that have defined the relationship between Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton. On a conference call with members of the New York Congressional delegation on Tuesday, Mrs. Clinton was asked whether she would be open to joining a ticket with Mr. Obama. She replied that she would do whatever she could — including a vice-presidential bid — to help Democrats win the White House.
Representative Nydia M. Velázquez, Democrat of New York, asked Mrs. Clinton whether she would consider teaming up with Mr. Obama. "She said that if it's offered, she would take it," Ms. Velázquez said later in an interview.
Mrs. Clinton and her family huddled at her home in Chappaqua to discuss the timing of her departure from the race. At her rally on Tuesday evening, Mrs. Clinton delivered a 20-minute address, but did not directly address speculation about her future.
Lanny Davis, an aide in the Clinton White House, said he was circulating a petition asking Mr. Obama to pick Mrs. Clinton as his running mate. Mr. Davis said he was acting on his own.
Mr. Obama called Mrs. Clinton late Tuesday evening to congratulate her, but aides said he left a message because he could not reach her. In his speech, his supporters cheered as he paid respect to his rival.
But associates to Mr. Obama played down the vice-presidential speculation. And he made no reference to it in his 30-minute speech, which was delivered at the same arena in which Mr. McCain is expected to formally accept the Republican nomination at the party's convention in early September.
Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton were both scheduled to speak on Wednesday morning in Washington at a meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Mrs. Clinton's public schedule ended there, but Mr. Obama was set to campaign on Thursday in Virginia, a state his campaign calls a battleground.
The competition between Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama has been sharpening for weeks, but the close of the Democratic primary formally raised the curtain to a five-month general election contest. The race, as their respective speeches foreshadowed Tuesday evening, will unfold against a backdrop of an electorate that is restless about soaring gasoline prices, mortgage foreclosures and the Iraq war.
It is also a generational battle of personalities and contrasting styles. Mr. McCain staged an evening event in Louisiana so he would be included in the evening's television narrative that otherwise belonged to Democrats.
About two hours later, Mr. Obama responded at a rally that offered a sharp contrast both in the size of the crowd and the energy in the room.


text:
Why popular kids make more money as adults
According to a recent study, the popular kids who ruled high school earn more money later in life than their less-cool counterparts. ThinkStock/Brand X Pictures
Many a nerd has taken solace in the fact that the popular kids will one day bitterly rue not spending more time with their books, particularly when their geekier counterparts are swimming in dough and driving Ferraris. But that, sadly, is not the case, according to a new study released by the National Bureau of Economic Research. It turns out that 40 years after graduation, the most popular students earn about 10 percent more than the least popular, says Michael S. Derby at The Wall Street Journal:
Popularity pays because those who learn to play the game in high school are figuring out what they need to know to succeed when they enter the workplace. The report suggests schools may want to join their academic mission with one that helps students build their social skills...
High school popularity is an important concept because it is at that time that students are increasingly turning their attention from older authority figures to one another. The students that fare well under this consideration are starting to show the skills that will serve them well when they move out into the world and fend for themselves.
To gauge popularity, the NBER used data culled by the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, which has been tracking a batch of 10,000 former students in Wisconsin who graduated in 1957, says Sarah Kliff at The Washington Post:
Back in 1957, these high school students were asked to list three people they considered their closest friends. Those who had their names written down the most were deemed the most popular: They're the ones that many people consider close friends.
However, "the report doesn't delve too deeply into personality traits, sidestepping the common trope of popular-guy-as-bully," says Tiffany Hsu at The Los Angeles Times. Indeed, "smarter students, as well as those who hailed from a warm family environment, tended to rank high on the social totem pole." So maybe geeks can take heart after all.
More business articles
Can Biden revive the economy?
Joe Biden's coronavirus rescue plan isn't bad. But it could be better.
12 National Guard members removed from inauguration duties
Catherine Garcia


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At the death of Patriarch Tikhon, the Church in Russia entered its darkest hour. Metropolitan Sergius Stragorodskii served as "deputy locum tenens" of the patriarchate from 1927 to 1943. This was the time of Stalin's purges when literally millions of people, including thousands of clergy, were imprisoned, exiled and killed. The Stalin constitution of 1936 officially called for "freedom of religion and freedom of anti-religious propaganda." Hundreds of churches, monasteries and schools were closed. What little church life remained was limited exclusively to liturgical services. The persecution of the church by the state was fierce and relentless.
A period of relative freedom came to the Russian Church during the Second World War. The government needed church support for the war effort. In return for rallying the people to fight for the fatherland, the Russian Church received concessions from the state. Many churches, monasteries and schools were reopened. In 1943, a church council officially elected Sergius as patriarch. Upon his death in 1945, Metropolitan Alexei Simanskii was elected to replace him at a second council solemnly conducted in the presence of a host of foreign church dignitaries.
In 1926, Metropolitan Platon of the American Metropolia met with members of the Russian Synod in Exile to discuss the problems of caring for the Russian Orthodox Christians in diaspora. At this time, many Russian immigrants had come to America and joined the American Metropolia, and due to the circumstances, the feelings of Russian nationalism in the American archdiocese were high. When the Synod in Exile attempted to extend its jurisdiction over the American Metropolia, however, Metropolitan Platon objected. Thus, he and his church were "suspended" by the Synod in Exile, which by now had developed the position of considering itself to be the one true Russian Orthodox Church, the successor of the Church of Patriarch Tikhon. At this same time, Metropolitan Eulogius also met with the bishops of the Synod and likewise was "suspended" by them for refusing to recognize their assumed jurisdiction over all Russian Orthodox outside of Russia.
In the nineteen-thirties, pressure was also applied to the American Metropolia and the Western European Exarchate by Moscow. Archbishop Benjamin Fedchenkoff came to America from the USSR demanding the Metropolia's allegiance to the Moscow Patriarchate. The fact that a pledge of allegiance to the Soviet state was also demanded showed that the Russian church was not free and that the American Metropolia could in no way enter into normal relations with it. Thus, in 1934, the Russian Church officially declared the Metropolia to be illegal and opened the Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate in America. In the same year, Metropolitan Platon died and Archbishop Theophilus Pashkovsky was elected primate at the fifth council of the American church in Pittsburgh.
In 1937, the sixth council of the American Metropolia in New York affirmed a "moral" relation with the Russian Synod in Exile, but when the Synod once more demanded to govern the American church, the "moral" relationship was broken. This sobor also blessed the establishment of St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York City as a graduate school of Orthodox theology, and St. Tikhon's Seminary as a pastoral school at St. Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania. Both schools opened in 1938.
In 1945, the seventh council of the American Metropolia in Cleveland decided upon close "spiritual" relations with the Moscow Patriarchate, but when, once again, demands were made from Moscow for loyalty to the Soviet government, the "spiritual" relationship was not realized.
men were gathered as Fr. S. Bulgakov (d.l944), Fr. V. Zenkovsky (d.l962), Bishop Kassian Bezobrazov (d.l965), Archmandrite Cyprian Kern (d.l960), Fr. N. Afanasiev (d.l966), Fr. G. Florovsky, who later became dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York and taught at Holy Cross Theological School in Brookline, and Prof. A. Kartashev (d.l960), the last procurator of the Holy Synod of the Russian Church and the first Minister of Religion of the Provisional Government who served as secretary of the Russian Church Council of 1917-1918.
Mention also must be made of the pastors Fr. A. Elchaninoff (d.l934) and Fr. S. Chetverikoff (d.l947) who, together with many of the professors of St. Sergius, worked closely with the Russian Student Christian Movement, which did a great work among Russian emigres during this period.
The second quarter of this century was a time of increasing Orthodox ecclesiastical jurisdictions in America. The controversy over the Greek Orthodox in America between the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate was finally solved, with the American archdiocese being, according to its by-laws of 1930, a Greek Church for Greek-speaking Orthodox Christians under the jurisdiction of Constantinople.
In 1937, Archbishop Athenagoras Spyrou, the future ecumenical patriarch, came from the old world to head the American archdiocese. In the same year, the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School, which later moved to Brookline, Massachusetts, was opened in Pomfret, Connecticut. Athenagoras served in America until his installation as patriarch of Constantinople in 1949. He was replaced by Archbishop Michael Konstantinides.
In 1933, the Antiochene diocese which had been led by Bishop Aftimios split into two groups. In 1936, Metropolitan Antony Bashir became the leader of the larger group, while Archbishop Samuel David led the smaller group. Both dioceses were in the jurisdiction of the Antiochene patriarchate. Metropolitan Antony was one of the outstanding hierarchs in American church history. He was ordained a priest in 1922 and served as a missionary among Syrian Orthodox Christians for fourteen years until he was made the Metropolitan of the Antiochene Orthodox Archdiocese which since 1925 was officially separated from the Russian mission. He was a pioneer in encouraging the use of English in liturgical worship and was an outspoken supporter of jurisdictional unity among all Orthodox in the new world. He was a founder and leading member of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (see below) and was also a leader in Orthodox ecumenical activity.
A Roumanian diocese was formed in America in 1929 headed by Bishop Polycarp. After 1935, there was no bishop in America for this group. After the war, a great period of disorder reigned, during which time one group of Roumanian Orthodox in America were led by Bishop Valerian Trifa, whose episcopal consecration was judged irregular, and another group was formed under the jurisdiction of Bucharest.
During the same period, a Serbian diocese was formed in America led by Bishop Dionisiye under the jurisdiction of the Belgrade patriarchate, and a Bulgarian diocese was also established led by Metropolitan Andrey in connection with the national Orthodox Church in Bulgaria which was officially established in 1945.
An Albanian Orthodox diocese was founded in Orthodox diocese was founded in America by Bishop Fan Noli, who was consecrated by bishops of the Russian-American Metropolia, while another small group of Albanians was formed under the jurisdiction of Constantinople. During this time, the Albanian Church in the homeland, which was declared au tocephalous in 193 7, underwent grave persecutions.
In 1939, the patriarchate of Constantinople consecrated Bishop Orestes Chornock as head of the American Carpatho-Russian diocese composed of former uniate priests and people. At this same time, Constantinople also established a Ukrainian Orthodox jurisdiction in America led by Bishop Bohdan Shpilka. Another Ukrainian jurisdiction found its place in America also at this time, led by Archbishop Palladios, formerly of the Church in Poland. During this time, the Ukrainian "self-consecrated" church also established jurisdiction in the new world. Its leader in the United States was Metropolitan John Theodorovich. It was being argued by this group, during this period, that its situation had been "regularized" in various ways, but it continued to be denied recognition by the Orthodox churches.
In 1948, the World Council of Churches was formed in Amsterdam from the Faith and Order and Life and Work movements which had been meeting in the twenties and thirties. By the time of its second assembly in Evanston, Illinois, in 1954, the patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria and Antioch, the Church of Greece, the Russian American-Metropolia and the Roumanian Episcopate in America had become official members of the WCC. During this period, the leaders of the Russian Exarchate in Western Europe, as well as certain Russians who remained faithful to Moscow, such as Vladimir Lossky (d.l958) and Nicholas Zernov, also played a major role in ecumenical activity.


Chairman of the Mental Health Commission Dr. Marc Lockhart said on Wednesday (10 October) that the number of people seeking treatment for mental health issues this year has increased by five percent, with the largest increase coming from the 16-and-under age group.
Numerous studies have laid the blame for this firmly at the door of social media platforms.
Research suggests the average social media user spends around two hours per day on networks like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat.
40% of the global population – three billion people – are connected via these channels.
But even executives working at Facebook have urged us to take more care with our social media consumption.
"Too much time spent on social media might be harmful, due to issues such as the lack of adequate sleep which affects your mental health," he said.
Matty Sloane, who has suffered with anxiety and panic issues since his childhood, explained that sleep had affected his ability to deal with his mental health concerns too.
Here in Cayman, mental health professionals like Dr. Marc Lockhart have seen an increase in those seeking help for such issues.
"The electronic actual mechanisms that they use: iPads, phones, tablets and so on, they emit certain types of light that can affect sleep, [they] can keep kids from getting to bed at a certain time. That can have a lot of different repercussions physically and emotionally and even with their learning and grasping information," he said.
However, undeniably, social media also connects us to information like never before; the Health Minister said he believes that is a positive.
"Social media increases awareness of the issues and in doing so it reduces stigma and discrimination," he proffered.
It seems while social media can exacerbate underlying mental health concerns, Cayman's mental health experts see it as a catalyst rather than a cause.
The Health Service Authority provides a full list of mental health services available on their website.


Legazpi City (11 June) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), is setting a new platform of competition among government offices, including government-owned and controlled corporations, with the launching today of 2011 Recognition Awards for Eco-friendly Government Offices.
"It is high time that all agencies of the government including government-owned and controlled corporations, walk the talk on environmental protection and management. There is no better way to show our people that the government means business when we ask them to get'green' than by getting our public sector to get'green' as well," DENR Secretary Horacio Ramos said.
According to EMB Director Juan Miguel Cuna, the program aims to assess the implementation of environmental management programs of participating government offices in terms of the 4Ps, namely, Policy and Promotion of Awareness, People and Practices.
Among the environmental programs that government agencies will be rated include electricity conservation, waste management, water conservation, fuel conservation, air pollution prevention, greening, emergency preparedness and green procurement.
Naga City (11 June) -- Determined in its campaign to run after tax evaders, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) here has ordered the closure of one business establishment for failing to declare its real income and warned others which continue to defy payment or appropriate taxes to the government.
RDO 65 Revenue District Officer Socorro La Fuente, along with BIR Regional Director Atty. Diosdado Mendoza, recently led the implementation of closure order to Triboo Grill located at Mayon Avenue here as part of the BIR's OPLAN KANDADO campaign.
Triboo Grill, one of the fast-food chains here and owned by one Gina Dy, has been constantly reminded of their obligation for several times early last year. The establishment's non-compliance of the BIR's request led to the foreclosure of the said establishment early this week.
After settling its tax deficiency, however, TRIBOO Grill was allowed to re-open three days after it was ordered closed by BIR.
"We remain resolute in our crusade to remind our businessmen of their obligation in declaring their actual income. We use this declaration as our basis on how much tax they should be returning to the government," La Fuente stated.
La Fuente also stressed that the closure order is the agency's way of conveying the message that BIR is bent on running after tax delinquent establishments that are continuously ignoring their call for honest compliance of their income declaration.
"Let this serve as a lesson for our businessmen out there who still choose to ignore our plea for honest declaration of their income," La Fuente said in an interview.
Oplan Kandado is a flag ship project of Commissioner Sixto Esquivel allowing BIR to padlock establishment who are cheating on their taxes thru a deliberate intent not to declare their real income.


text:
Day 69: Wednesday, May 18, 2011
After I woke up, I did my daily post on T.B., and then got my negatives in the mail. There were so many funny photos, I kept laughing and bothering Ian, who was working on the balcony, to see come see it. After the second time of calling him over, he gave me a look and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm busy," in a serious tone. I was quiet for the rest of the time...
Afterwards I decided to head over to the supermarket to buy groceries for lunch. While waiting in the checkout line, I realized that since Yuki's mom came, there really has been a difference because I started buying vegetables and healthy foods and have been cooking more often. When I got home, I made Ian lunch because I knew he would forget to eat, and then he would be in a bad mood. When I was done, I went up to tell him, but he was on the phone looking scary again, so I went back downstairs and ate lunch alone. When he was finished, Ian came down, apologized, and thanked me for the food. He said the reason why he was frustrated was because he got an email this morning from someone who claimed that he had ripped off an illustration and was demanding money or he was going to sue. Ian told me the actual person who had ripped the guy off was Ian's old classmate, who Ian had mistakenly hired to help him out for one of his graphic design projects without knowing how shady the person really was, but since the project was under his name, he was responsible. Anyways Ian said he had written the man back and apologized as well as offered the guy more money than he requested to settle the matter. We chatted some more while Ian ate, and I told him the big change in my outlook these days... Unfortunately, Ian said he had become more irritable lately... I couldn't help but think that maybe I had passed it off to him.
In the evening, while I was watching Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Ian came home at the climax (actually it was the climax of the second to last episode, so it was even more intense and important than most), and he kept making a lot of noise, which made it hard for me to concentrate. Then he sat down on the sofa next to me and since he didn't know what was going on, he made comments like, "Hmmm… There are a lot of emo pauses in Terminator, aren't there…?" I just grunted in response and tried to block him out mentally as best I could.
After it was over, I went upstairs and apologized to Ian for being rude. He then told me that the real reason why he was so grumpy and irritable today was because he had found out that his close friend from back home was dying... She was diagnosed with cancer yesterday and it had already spread throughout her body so we talked and brooded over that; and then from there, we fell into an emo-spiral jumping to subjects like our parents getting older and what we would do when they are no longer able take care of themselves; and all the other shit you talk about when you think about mortality.
Right after we were done, Yuki came home. Ian didn't tell her the news, but said he had made me feel down… Yuki came over looking concerned. I pointed to Ian and told her that it was actually him who was depressed… She looked confused, which was understandable. I realized then that Ian didn't want to tell her yet, so we changed the subject to something brighter, which was about how awesome her mom was and how we missed her.
Later when I was on my computer with my back turned to Ian, he said, "Good word… en-nu-why." I turned and realized that he was referring to the word ennui because he was looking at my post from yesterday on T.B. about happiness. I told him that he had pronounced it wrong. "It's en-nu-ee," I said. We argued for about a minute, and then he checked on the internet and said that we were both wrong... I told him to click the button for the sound option, and then, in a female computer voice – almost like in Terminator- said:
Enn-wee
We both laughed because the real way sounded so stupid.
Labels: 03. May 2011


The world faces a "catastrophic" ecological disaster as insect populations are dying out at an alarming rate, a damning new scientific report warns.
The report warns the decrease in insect numbers could have "catastrophic" implications on the planet and cause widespread extinctions within the next century, according to the report.
The biggest driver in insect declines is the loss of habitat and conversion of land to intensive farming and urban areas, and deforestation according to lead author Dr Francisco Sánchez-Bayo, from the University of Sydney.
Conservationist from UK campaign group Buglife, Matt Shardlow, said the report slightly overemphasised the role of pesticides and underplayed global warming, although other unstudied factors such as light pollution might prove to be significant.
"It is becoming increasingly obvious our planet's ecology is breaking and there is a need for an intense and global effort to halt and reverse these dreadful trends. Allowing the slow eradication of insect life to continue is not a rational option," he said.


text:
Evaluating the climatic effect of doubling atmospheric CO2 via an analysis of Earth's historical temperature record
Sherwood B. Idso, Robert Balling
CLAS-SS: Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, School of (SGSUP)
An analysis of Earth's historical temperature record, together with data pertaining to historical increases in atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse gases, suggests that a 300 to 600 ppm doubling of the air's CO2 content would raise the mean surface air temperature of the globe by < 0.4°C.
Science of the Total Environment, The
https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(91)90059-N
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Evaluating the climatic effect of doubling atmospheric CO2 via an analysis of Earth's historical temperature record'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
climatic effect Earth & Environmental Sciences
Earth (planet) Engineering & Materials Science
surface temperature Earth & Environmental Sciences
air temperature Earth & Environmental Sciences
Air Engineering & Materials Science
air Earth & Environmental Sciences
Idso, S. B., & Balling, R. (1991). Evaluating the climatic effect of doubling atmospheric CO2 via an analysis of Earth's historical temperature record. Science of the Total Environment, The, 106(3), 239-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(91)90059-N
Evaluating the climatic effect of doubling atmospheric CO2 via an analysis of Earth's historical temperature record. / Idso, Sherwood B.; Balling, Robert.
In: Science of the Total Environment, The, Vol. 106, No. 3, 15.07.1991, p. 239-242.
Idso, SB & Balling, R 1991, 'Evaluating the climatic effect of doubling atmospheric CO2 via an analysis of Earth's historical temperature record', Science of the Total Environment, The, vol. 106, no. 3, pp. 239-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(91)90059-N
Idso SB, Balling R. Evaluating the climatic effect of doubling atmospheric CO2 via an analysis of Earth's historical temperature record. Science of the Total Environment, The. 1991 Jul 15;106(3):239-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(91)90059-N
Idso, Sherwood B. ; Balling, Robert. / Evaluating the climatic effect of doubling atmospheric CO2 via an analysis of Earth's historical temperature record. In: Science of the Total Environment, The. 1991 ; Vol. 106, No. 3. pp. 239-242.
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text:
Dyskografia amerykańskiego piosenkarza Bruno Marsa składa się z trzech albumów studyjnych, jednego minialbumu, siedmiu singli, a także trzynastu wideoklipów. Zanim rozpoczął karierę artysty solowego, Mars działał jako producent muzyczny i tekściarz w zespole producenckim The Smeezingtons. Swoją aktywność w przemyśle muzycznym zapoczątkował w 2008 roku, współpracując z takimi artystami, jak m.in.: Brandy, K'naan, Sean Kingston, Mike Posner, Shontelle i Sugababes. Jednak szeroką rozpoznawalność zyskał rok później, jako współautor piosenki "Right Round" rapera Flo Ridy. W 2010 roku Mars użyczył wokalu w utworach "Nothin' on You" B.o.B oraz "Billionaire" Travie'ego McCoya, które okazały się międzynarodowymi hitami, uzyskując statusy podwójnej platyny w Stanach Zjednoczonych.

W maju 2010 roku ukazał się pierwszy minialbum Marsa, It's Better If You Don't Understand, który promowany był przez singel "The Other Side", nagrany z udziałem B.o.B i Cee Lo Greena. W lipcu 2010 roku premierę miał utwór "Just the Way You Are", który pozostawał na szczycie Billboard Hot 100 przez cztery tygodnie. Piosenka była pierwszym singlem z debiutanckiego albumu studyjnego Marsa, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Płyta wydana została w październiku 2010 roku i uplasowała się na 3. miejscu zestawienia Billboard 200. Drugi singel promujący płytę, "Grenade" dotarł na szczyty list przebojów w Australii, Kanadzie, Nowej Zelandii, Wielkiej Brytanii i Stanach Zjednoczonych. Podczas swojej wokalnej kariery sprzedał ponad 124 miliony albumów i singli, stając się jednym z najlepiej sprzedających się artystów wszech czasów. Jednak jako wykonawca, autor tekstów i producent jego całkowita ilość sprzedanych singli przekracza 154 miliony.

Albumy

Albumy studyjne

Minialbumy

Single

Z gościnnym udziałem

Single promocyjne

Teledyski

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne
 Oficjalna strona internetowa Bruno Marsa
 Dyskografia Bruno Marsa w AllMusic

Dyskografie amerykańskich muzyków
Dyskografie popowe
Dyskografie rhythmandbluesowe

mk:Bruno mars

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: How to deploy a spring boot application to tomcat server from jenkins? Sample Spring boot application is created and build on Jenkins.
For Deployment of war file in tomcat server ,
I am facing a several issues.
Error :

Credentials At Jenkins :

tomcat-users.xml File :

Still I am facing the same issue. I had searched in google and stackoverflow but still i can't found the correct answer.
Can Any one help me in this ?

A: Your error message is a connection refused: connect exception. You should check the following:

*

*Your Tomcat server is up and running on port 8082 at the same server where your jenkins server is running (localhost). To make sure, run: telnet localhost 8082 from the same server commandLine ( I see you are in windows). If it connects then your Tomcat server is OK.

*Check if the manager application of Tomcat is deployed. Try to load the following web page and check if exists: http://localhost(or hostname of server):8082/manager/html

*Try to disable the windows firewall and any other firewall you may have (or antivirus firewall) and check if it prevents jenkins to connect to Tomcat (again check with telnet command)


weshowedup.com - What are you waiting for?
In the last month, we took a two-week trip by car, spent time with the in-laws, and most recently, were snowed in, as a family, for the last eight days. (The "by car" part is important because I back-seat drive. A lot. I even slam my foot on an imaginary brake if I'm feeling like we're going to slam into the car in front of us. Funny, right? Not really, because it drives him insane.) Add to that the stress and pressures of travel and holidays and the drudgery of returning to the grind in January temperatures.
Then, because you're me, top it with starting an extremely rigorous 10-week gut healing protocol during which we have to eat like saints, abstain from alcohol and take supplements six times a day…including one that tastes a little bit like mud. (It's basically a Whole 30, twice, minus the coffee, plus the mud.) And, because I'm a glutton for punishment, why not throw in a significant ramp-up of my communications consulting business.
Naturally, all that might explain the curious absence of blog posts over the last month. But, more importantly, if you mix all that stuff up in this bowl we call marriage you have quite the recipe. A spectacular recipe, actually. For…well…how should I say it? The F word.


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The first in a series on agriculture, climate change and the American Farm Bureau's influence.
Donald J. Trump's inaugural crowd may not have been the biggest ever, but his parade drew lots of tractors that rumbled past the presidential reviewing stand in a farm lobby phalanx.
Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, wearing the trademark red Trump campaign cap, drove one of them down Pennsylvania Avenue, just across the mall from his organization's headquarters.
"The farmers and ranchers and the people in the Rust Belt came out and paved the road for President-elect Trump to make it to the White House," he told a reporter from RFD-TV, the network that organized the cavalcade. "We are here reinforcing that strength that we showed in rural America when we went to the polls and helped send him here."
The Farm Bureau is among the most potent political forces in Washington, skillfully parlaying the American farmer into an enduring influence machine. Its agenda encompasses taxes and trade, health insurance and school lunches. The group's lobbying also touches many environmental issues: water pollution, fracking, biofuels and biodiversity. Conservative to the core, it mirrors the Trump administration's ideology almost perfectly.
"They're like the NRA," said Andrew Holland, who worked for former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. Like the gun lobby, the Farm Bureau derives its clout from member activism. "They get their members ginned up about something and then they call the Hill."
It calls itself the "voice" of American agriculture, but the Farm Bureau has left its own members ill-prepared to cope with intensifying droughts, rain, heat and storms that threaten their livelihoods. The group's agenda has blocked farmers' opportunity to benefit from the agricultural transformation the climate crisis demands.
In this series of articles, InsideClimate News explores how the farm lobby has wielded its influence to undermine climate treaties and regulations. In tandem with fossil fuel allies, it sowed uncertainty and denial about the causes of global warming and the urgency to bring it under control. Embracing taxpayer-funded subsidies to insure farmers against the mounting risks, it has nurtured an unsustainable consolidation of agriculture that discourages climate-friendly farming.
Even if carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels declines radically, the scientists who wrote the UN report said, nations also must find a way to achieve "negative emissions" that remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the ground.
And in a striking message to the world's farmers, they said there is no cheaper and more effective approach than through climate-friendly farming practices that can increase farm profits while stashing billions of tons of carbon in the soil every year.
With an all-out campaign to restore soil health, studies have found, U.S. land could absorb half of American agriculture's carbon footprint. Modest annual improvements to arable soils, if adopted worldwide, could halt the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from all human activities.
"This should be an urgent, societal mission. A Manhattan project," said Keith Paustian, a scientist who has written extensively on soil carbon.
Despite the existential threat that climate change poses to farming and food security, the Farm Bureau has never included climate action in its list of priorities. The group doesn't concede the extent of human influence over the climate, promoting a mindset that has taken root among many farmers.
The Farm Bureau "is not a scientific organization, nor do we have climate scientists on staff," wrote a spokesman in an emailed response to questions from InsideClimate News. "Our policy positions focus on the regulatory costs-and-benefits of policies in reaction to climate change."
The Farm Bureau says it would tolerate market-based emissions trading — a way to reward farmers with carbon credits they could cash in — but only if it is voluntary and doesn't shift costs to other farmers.
Millions of acres of American farm country are under the stewardship of farmers who doubt that man-made climate change is real, don't buy into climate-friendly farming or are financially locked into the status quo.
So even as the United States as a whole began to rein in greenhouse gases from fossil fuels in the past 10 years, global warming pollution from its farms has crept upward. Worldwide, the food system remains the source of roughly a quarter of greenhouse gases. A new study in the scientific journal Nature predicted these emissions could nearly double worldwide by 2050.
"The Farm Bureau is saying we'll go out of business if we have to address climate change," said Laurie Ristino, a former Department of Agriculture lawyer. "But this is dire. We can't avert the real, tragic consequences of global warming without agriculture, so how can we come together and create a new system?"
"The Farm Bureau was absolutely critical in derailing Kyoto," said Stuart Eizenstat, President Bill Clinton's chief U.S. negotiator on the Kyoto Protocol, a landmark treaty that was the first to set emissions targets country by country. The United States ultimately backed out.
After Barack Obama came into office, the Farm Bureau helped defeat comprehensive cap-and-trade climate legislation that passed the House. "We must aggressively respond to extremists who want to drag agriculture back to the day of 40 acres and a mule," former Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman declared at the time. "The days of their elitist power grabs are over." The bill expired in the Senate.
The Farm Bureau contested the science-based endangerment finding that cemented the role of the Environmental Protection Agency in regulating greenhouse gases, convincing farmers that this would extend to agricultural emissions — what it called a "cow tax." It opposed the Obama-era Clean Power Plan and the tightening of automobile fuel efficiency and emission standards.
"Our opposition to the 'Clean Power Plan' is a good example of our approach to advocacy. We opposed that rule because closing power plants prematurely would bring significantly higher utility rates to rural residents who depend on those plants," Farm Bureau spokesman Will Rodger said about collaboration with fossil fuel interests. "That policy perspective has, on occasion, aligned AFBF with other energy-based associations such as API," he wrote in an e-mailed response to questions, referring to the American Petroleum Institute.
But the alliance goes deeper. State Farm Bureaus are the building blocks of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and over the years, they organized local farmers' cooperatives that run refineries and directly sell billions of dollars of fuel, alongside seeds and supplies. Less visibly, but more significantly, some state Farm Bureaus hold stakes in insurance companies whose for-profit investment funds hold millions of dollars of securities. The Iowa Farm Bureau's insurance business, through its fund, held investments last year of about $462 million in fossil fuel corporations, according to financial statements.
For decades, these links fostered a powerful alliance between the Farm Bureau and the fossil fuel lobby. Agriculture was historically a conservative force, the more so after the first local Farm Bureaus were set up a century ago as a counterweight to the progressive populism sweeping the Great Plains. Resistance to regulation, like the need for cheap fuel and fertilizer, fed the Farm Bureau's reliable support for drilling in offshore waters and in the Arctic wilderness.
The emergence of climate change as a pressing international issue in the 1990's bound the two industries together more tightly than ever.
"They're concerned about new burdensome regulations," then-Farm Bureau President Dean Kleckner said of his members during a 1999 Senate hearing on the Kyoto Protocol. "They're concerned about the higher costs."
Kleckner's testimony also signaled a deep distrust of the emerging climate science in step with the campaign of misinformation being mounted by the fossil fuel industry.
"The controversial nature of the science makes farmers more concerned for the cure being prescribed for them than the threat of global warming," Kleckner said.
He conceded that "some farmers" had heard "some scientists" describe the climate risks from agriculture's pollution.
"Boy, have we heard that this morning," he said scoffingly. "But there is still a legitimate debate, despite what we have heard, about the magnitude of those changes, their significance and the relative contribution of natural versus human causes including agricultural production."
"The Farm Bureau has a grassroots network that was immensely valuable," recalled Frank Maisano, a former spokesman for the coalition.
The Farm Bureau also dispatched two of its staff economists to work as fellows at the conservative Heartland Institute, honing a message that meeting Kyoto's goals would cut farm incomes sharply, and that carbon trading, which treaty supporters said presented a golden opportunity for farmers, would not work.
One paper, published in 2003, was prepared by the Farm Bureau's economists along with others from Heartland and the Hudson Institute, another policy center that disputes the mainstream consensus on climate science. It called state or federal regulation of greenhouse gases "unnecessary, enormously expensive, and particularly injurious to the agricultural community."
Other government and private economists called the Farm Bureau's economic analysis flawed. They produced evidence that carbon trading, by rewarding climate-friendly farming practices, would offset much of the costs to agriculture.
"There are so many unknowns and assumptions and estimates," Stallman said in 2009 Senate testimony about cap-and-trade legislation. "No one can look you in the face and tell you with certainty what is going to happen."
"The farmers and ranchers and the people in the Rust Belt came out and paved the road for President-elect Trump to make it to the White House," Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall told RFD-TV during Trump's inaugural parade.
In polls and focus groups, researchers found that farmers' climate views are broadly out of step with the mainstream scientific consensus. Some noted the Farm Bureau's influence. On such a fraught topic, peer pressure may be more compelling than peer review.
"When it comes to making decisions, we don't think about climate by itself," one farmer told researchers. "We just, we learn from where we've been, and we change and modify to take some of those risks away."
"Farmers believe they will be saved by technology and crop insurance," said Joe Glauber, formerly the chief economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The most costly piece of the government's support for farming, the Department of Agriculture's crop insurance program, pays out billions of dollars a year when crop prices drop or weather damages harvests. Taxpayers subsidize more than 60 percent of the premiums, cover the administrative costs of the program and reinsure the private insurance industry's losses. The program has cost the government an average of $9 billion annually over the past five years.
Insurance doesn't just insulate farmers from the direct risks of droughts, floods and other weather extremes. The safety net also discourages farmers from adopting the very methods that would contribute to bringing climate change under control over the long term. So this subsidized insurance program actually increases their exposure to climate-driven risk.
Crop insurance stimulates farmers to plant on marginal land — land that's more prone to erosion, more environmentally sensitive and less productive — because they know they can recoup their losses even if yields are lower.
"We've created this monster with crop insurance," said Seth Watkins, a farmer from southwest Iowa. "You can farm land that shouldn't be farmed."
Climate change turns this subsidy of risky behavior into a vicious circle. It brings more extreme weather, which destroys more crops. But unlike car insurance, which goes up after accidents, crop failures don't drive insurance premiums.
"You're not getting the full view of what the risk is," said Claire O'Connor, who researches crop insurance for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The question becomes: Is that really the best use of the farm safety net? Or should we be encouraging farmers to think about how they can adapt their production systems to the realities of a changing climate?"
"I wouldn't begrudge some kind of safety net," said Ristino, the former Agriculture Department lawyer. "But with this ritual of American policy, it's become an expectation."
That's because it's easier to get insurance at better rates for the big four crops — corn, soy, wheat and cotton. Those account for more than 70 percent of the acreage covered by crop insurance. They also take the lion's share of the insurance subsidies.
These crops now define the American midsection, a vast monotonous sweep of corn, soy and livestock raised in factory-like barns and feedlots. It's a landscape created by the relentless pursuit of a simplified, consolidated form of agriculture that focuses on producing just a few commodities.
"Farmers are absolutely financial in their behaviors, and for the most part, a lot of these practices, with regard to carbon and the climate, are costs to them," explained Mark Rasmussen, director of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. "The cost is now, and the payback is in the future. And for any farmer, the future doesn't matter if you go bankrupt today."
This doesn't have to be the outcome.
In a new financial analysis commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund, auditors inspected the books of several farms that had embraced climate-friendly farming and found that these practices could lower costs and boost yields. "Crop insurers, lenders, landowners and others largely ignore the financial value of conservation," it found.
"There are courageous independent spirits who can do something outside the structure, outside the Farm Bureau," said Bobby King, a director at the Minneapolis-based Land Stewardship Project. "But we need to change the structure."
"We need different size farms, doing different things," he said.
"Consolidation doesn't allow farmers to make the best ecological choices," said Mary Hendrickson, a professor of rural sociology at the University of Missouri, who has studied consolidation in agriculture. "They're forced into corn and soy."
"Everyone's in cahoots to produce corn and beans," said John Wepking, a farmer in Wisconsin who grows a variety of grains. "It's tunnel vision, and there's so much money in it, it's hard to change lanes," he said. "We need programs to grow carbon."


There are a ton of great books coming out every day! Here are some of the ones that stood out to us for this month. All the images link to Amazon so you can find out more about each book.
Are there other books you think I should have added to this post?
These are just some that I found, but I'm sure there are more great mystery and thriller books coming out in February.
I'd love to hear from you in the comments if plan to read any of these or there's a book you think I missed.
Tagged 2018 release, books, February, mystery, releases, thriller.
Thanks for including The Fast and the Furriest.
You're welcome! Thanks for stopping by. Sorry I didn't see your message sooner.