Does A Chemical Imbalance In The Brain Cause Depression?
Pharmaceutical companies have promoted the harmful myth that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance, which can be corrected with their drugs.
Unfortunately, even though there is no proof that depression is a chemical imbalance, if you believe the lie that drug manufacturers are trying to sell you, it makes it much harder for you to stop being depressed, and you will be more psychologically dependent on their pills.
So here's why it makes sense (and is also in your best interest) to reject the chemical imbalance theory today.
The chemical imbalance theory is the idea that there is an ideal balance of chemicals in your brain, and when these chemicals are not in balance, you become depressed.
For example, there is an ideal balance of dopamine and serotonin (chemicals associated with happiness), and not having the proper balance of these chemicals in your brain makes you depressed.
The solution, according to drug companies, is simple: use their drugs to "correct" this chemical imbalance.
There's only one catch: drug manufacturers don't tell you what the proper chemical balance is, or whether you've achieved the "proper" balance after taking their drugs.
This is because no such "proper" chemical balance exists.
Also, drug companies will only ever speculate that you have a chemical imbalance, and never prove it. This is because there is no such thing as a chemical imbalance depression test.
Imagine someone gives you a dart in a pitch black room. He tells you there is a dartboard in the room, and to throw the dart and try to hit it.
This is what it's like when you're given an antidepressant to treat a chemical imbalance. You go on a leap of faith that you have a chemical imbalance, and that there's a proper chemical balance that you want to blindly hit with the antidepressant.
Returning to our analogy, let's say that you throw your dart and you hear a thud. The person tells you that you must have hit the dart board.
Similarly, you take your antidepressant and feel better. The drug company tells you that you must have hit the proper chemical balance with their drug.
Finally, you turn on the lights in the pitch black room. You see that when you threw your dart, the thud was from you hitting a wall. There was no dart board in the room for you to hit.
Similarly, when you press the drug companies for information, they reveal that there is no proper chemical balance for you to hit. When you took their drug and felt happier, it was likely due to the placebo effect, which is well documented in all of their drug trials.
Remember, what ulimately causes depression is your thinking. It's definitely not a chemical imbalance.
Guess what? Even if you have the "proper" chemical balance in your brain, if you still think that your life is awful, meaningful, and pointless, you will remain depressed no matter what the chemical levels are in your brain.
Drug companies have already proven this for us. They have flooded people's brains with higher levels of dopamine and serotonin, and plenty of people have remained depressed with this change in brain chemistry.
This is because your thinking -- not your chemical levels -- ultimately determine whether you are depressed or not.
Of course, drug companies already appreciate this better than anyone else, since the placebo effect in every one of their trials proves that a change in thought is the most important factor for getting rid of depression, not a change in chemical levels.
There is no evidence that depression is caused by chemical imbalance. But just like believing in an imaginary monster can give you nighmares, believing in a non-existent chemical imbalance can make you struggle more with depression.
Unfortunately, if you believe that you have a chemical imbalance that causes your depression, you will feel cursed and helpless to do anything about your situation.
You won't be motivated to do things that help eliminate depression, since you think there's no point to it. So you'll remain depressed. And feeling powerless will create greater stress and anxiety for you, as well as decrease your self esteem and self confidence.
All of this contributes to greater depression, and makes it harder for you to stop being depressed.
Also, you'll be more likely to become hooked on expensive antidepressants with nasty side effects, since you think they're your "only hope".
This, of course, is exactly what pharmaceutical companies want, which is why they promote the chemical imbalance theory.
Today, stop trying to "correct" a chemical imbalance, which is a complete waste of time, especially since there is no proper chemical balance for you to hit.
Instead, do things that are proven to help eliminate depression, like changing your thinking, and getting more exercise, sleep, and sunlight.
Finally, be aware that if you are on antidepressants, getting off of them can create withdrawal symptoms. So if you do this, be sure to do this intelligently, with someone else's help and guidance.
The myth of chemical imbalance in depression is promoted by drug manufacturers. Learn why believing their lies about chemical imbalance keeps you depressed.


text:
ADB President Attends Global Environment Facility Assembly, Meets Prime Minister in Da Nang, Viet Nam
News Release | 27 June 2018
DA NANG, VIET NAM (27 June 2018) — Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Mr. Takehiko Nakao participated in the 6th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly held 24–28 June in Da Nang, Viet Nam. During his visit, Mr. Nakao met with Viet Nam Prime Minister Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Chairman of the Da Nang City People's Committee Mr. Huynh Duc Tho.
Mr. Nakao, who took part in a panel on Delivering Transformation at the opening session of the GEF Assembly, affirmed that ADB could step up collaboration with GEF.
"Overall, the proposed GEF programming directions covering climate change, biodiversity, land degradation, international waters, and chemical and waste management are well aligned with ADB's draft Strategy 2030 priorities for environment and climate change," Mr. Nakao said. "Working together, ADB and GEF can assist developing countries to transform economies toward sustainability. This can include developing new knowledge and innovative project investments, as well as green financing mechanisms to help unlock private sector finance for development."
The GEF Assembly—the organization's highest governing body—meets every 4 years and is expected to endorse $4.1 billion in financing to support the global environment from 2018 to 2022.
Since 2004, GEF has approved grants to ADB for 55 projects amounting to $246 million, out of which 19 projects have been completed. Currently, ADB and GEF are partnering to support 36 projects being implemented in 21 countries across Asia and the Pacific, with $178 million in grants from GEF linked to $2.1 billion in financing from ADB.
The projects support a range of innovative approaches. In India, ADB, GEF, and the UN Environment Programme are collaborating to support energy efficiency investments. ADB will invest $400 million to scale-up LED lighting systems, with a $18.6 million GEF grant to develop new markets for super-efficient appliances and smart grids.
In Viet Nam, ADB and GEF have collaborated on three projects to address climate change, protect biodiversity, and improve the livability of cities. In the Trung Truong Son Mountain Range, the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors project, with a $4.3 million grant from GEF and a $30 million investment from ADB, is supporting local communities to improve their livelihoods, protect biodiversity, and enhance forest management. In Ha Giang, Hue, and Vinh Yen, GEF and ADB are collaborating on "Green City" planning approaches for sustainable and resilient urban development through a $14.2 million grant from GEF and $178 million financing from ADB. In 2017, ADB and GEF completed an innovative project to test low-cost bioengineering and other nature-based approaches to address flood risks for rural infrastructure in mountainous areas.
During the GEF Assembly, the GEF Council approved a $15.5 million grant to cofinance the Sustainable Management of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Program. Led by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and ADB, this new program will implement strategic actions to protect ecosystems, fisheries, and livelihoods in eight countries bordering the Bay of Bengal.[1] As part of the program, ADB will support waste water treatment and solid waste management to address pollution in Myanmar's Irrawaddy River, through the proposed Second Mandalay Urban Improvement Project.
In his meeting with the Prime Minister—who opened the Assembly—Mr. Nakao commended the government for maintaining macroeconomic stability and steering Viet Nam's economic growth to 7.4% in the first quarter of 2018, the strongest first quarter growth in 10 years. Efforts to rein in the fiscal deficit, combined with higher economic growth, have helped reduce the ratio of public debt to GDP.
Mr. Nakao reaffirmed ADB's commitment to further support Viet Nam's transition to high middle-income status, making available up to $1 billion a year in sovereign loans. ADB will also actively seek to mobilize concessional cofinancing, and provide high-value adding knowledge products and services, including in the areas of intra-regional and urban transport, agricultural and rural development, poverty reduction, waste water and drainage, and climate change resilience.
During his talks with Mr. Tho, Mr. Nakao discussed ADB's ongoing support to improve water supply and solid waste management in Da Nang. Mr. Nakao also visited the Da Nang Business Incubation Center, which is supported through the Mekong Business Initiative technical assistance, funded by ADB and the Government of Australia. The center provides business support services to entrepreneurs, including to promote green technology to address the city's environmental and traffic congestion challenges.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2017, ADB operations totaled $32.2 billion, including $11.9 billion in cofinancing.
[1] These countries are Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
ADB administration and governance
News: ADB Praises Viet Nam's High Growth, Reaffirms Strong Support
Mekong Business Initiative (MBI)
ADB and the Global Environment Facility
The Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Project
More on the Global Environment Facility

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Sean McMahon
New Love for an Old Craft
There's something mysterious about the craft of a meat cutter. Brute strength yet finesse with a knife, brought up with tradition yet fueled by innovation, rough-handed yet revered—butchers have risen to rock star status in today's food culture. They are making the meat industry appealing, relatable, and downright sexy.
There has been a change in the way people look at food—a newfound appreciation for all things food and a culture of "foodies" interested in where their food comes from and how it gets there. Consumers are interested in joining the conversation and putting a face to the people who put food on their plates.
Today, the butcher has stepped up as the face for the meat industry. Because of this relationship, consumers are more excited to bring the meat cutting trade to their table.
"They are more than rock stars," said Steve Olson, Standards and Specifications Advisor at the North American Meat Institute and developer of the first NAMP Meat Buyer's Guide. "I think they aren't recognized enough. They are the reason the meat industry is the way it is."
Olson is a thought leader in the field of meat cutting. Having served 30 years as the Livestock and Meat Marketing Specialist at the Agricultural Marketing Service and as the developer of the first North American Meat Processor's Meat Buyer's Guide, Olson's first-hand knowledge of the evolution of the trade is unprecedented.
Meat cutters today are setting into stride new trends and a refreshing excitement for the celebration of meat. People are appreciating the work and passion that goes into creating the perfect piece of meat, and we are beginning to celebrate that accomplishment.
"A lot of the movement that has been trending towards local and farm to table is now also looking towards artisan producers and Old World-style products. The gear has shifted," said Doug Bush, fifth generation of Bush Brothers in West Palm Beach, Fla. "We are including artisan craftsmen in the same movement that previously wanted to know the farm. I can't offer my customers the farm every time, but there are a lot of great craftsmen, and I can offer that."
Chefs work closely with butchers to deliver products to their customers. They see firsthand the new-found appreciation for the craft of butchery, and they celebrate that. Recently, chefs have been featuring the names of butchers on menus. Now it is a celebration of the families who perfected the art of meat cutting and passed it down for generations. Chefs are proud of the artisans with whom they have relationships and are even more proud to serve their meat.
"People are fascinated with where their food comes from and who helps get it to our table," said Chef Mike Erickson, producer of the documentary film True Beef about teaching students the connection between farm and fork in culinary education. "Many people feel knowing the butcher who cuts and fabricates your meat makes it more personal and allows them to know more about how the animal was raised and cared for."
For the meat cutter, this movement is an ode to their passion, craft, and tradition. Kari Underly, who is the author of The Art of Butchery and founder of Muscolo Meat Academy, is a meat cutter by trade thanks to inspiration from her family. As many people who enter into the meat industry, her passion came from her family's long time tradition of meat cutting.
"This new found respect gave me such calm and happiness in my spirit," Underly said. "Elevating respect for the butcher is really exciting."
Consumers are beginning to understand the innovation and craft that goes into producing quality meat cuts. As true innovators in the industry, butchers have always worked to bring quality cuts to the counter.
"We always felt the stress and pressure of coming up with something new. There was and is a high demand in delivering profits and quality, so we had to always produce the very best," said Joe DiBenedetto, former Director of Meat and Seafood at Food Emporium and Gristedes. "That's what drives the industry—coming up with something new and unique; the unique difference drives demand."
DiBenedetto, alongside my father, Peter Strassburger, introduced the aged beef programs to grocery stores in the New York City area. This risky venture took off and opened up a whole new avenue for consumers to enjoy fine beef. Meat became a celebration you could bring home thanks to the craft of the meat cutter.
"We always wanted to do something different in the industry, and when we came out with the aging boxes it was so well received by the customers," DiBenedetto said.
Innovation is at the core of butchery as an art. In today's marketplace, the unique difference is a movement back to the butchery basics. Consumers appreciate knowing that their product is handled with care and with an expert's hands.
"The introduction of new innovative cuts was what sparked this new found respect for butchery," said Underly, who is known for having invented some of the cuts famous on steakhouse menus today like the flat iron steak and the Denver cut steak.
"Our relationships with customers exist because the customers we sell to are customers who know we are taking care of the product," said Bush. "They want to call every morning and know that we take that order and are crafting a product to their specifications on a daily basis, by hand—even to the point that my chefs know which butchers cut their steaks."
The meat industry is at a tipping point—a moment in time where consumers' perceptions are pushing the industry to a new level of appreciation. However, at the same time, artisan butchers are a dying breed. The industry needs to jump on board and help to sustain this positive impression and this engagement through a two-pronged approach aimed at reaching the next generation of artisans. The industry must develop and support butcher training programs and relationships with consumers through social media.
In the past, meat cutting was passed down for generations—a true family business and craft. Although that lineage is still relevant and important for the industry today, more young people should be encouraged to learn about the craft through accessible outlets, such as butcher certification and training programs.
"It's a family tradition, and just as meat companies in general are high levels of family business, the art of what we do is passed down through families as well," said Bush. "But beyond that, we have found that our next avenue is finding students who are really interested in butchery and the craft that we produce."
Underly, who learned from her grandparents, wanted to open the doors of her family business to teach young people just as her family taught her. This passion led to the Muscolo Meat Academy concept—a nine-month hands-on, intensive program that provides the ultimate in butchery career education based in Chicago.
Her partner, Megan O'Connor added that butchery is not just about the knife and meat but the entire business behind the art.
"[Muscolo] prepares students to manage all aspects of a successful butchery operation," she said. "Students work directly with meat for 20-25 hours per week. Lab work is complemented by studies in anatomy, meat economics and merchandising, meat terminology, and meat careers. Every aspect of the program is designed to help students achieve the ultimate in butchery skills and expertise."
A program like Underly and O'Connor's academy will help to continue bringing the best in beef cutting to the marketplace. With well-rounded meat cutters who are truly experts in the field, this appreciation for food culture and the people who bring food from farm to fork will continue to grow.
Kevin Carrazzone from Creekstone Farms Premium Angus Beef and the New York Beef Council agrees that this movement towards extensive butcher training is beneficial to the industry and food culture as a whole.
"What you are seeing today is a different type of butcher," Carrazzone said. "What you see is a more [well-]rounded butcher as far as being able to cook, prepare, and teach. It's all added value. Years ago, a butcher would meet a guy who was a butcher and for three years be attached to him and show him how it all works. Today, there are many avenues of training."
In addition to Muscolo Meat Academy, there are multiple other established programs focused on training the next generation of butchers.
Texas A&M offers a "Beef 101" course each year at the university through the Meat Science Department that breaks down the process of farm to fork and teaches breaking carcasses into cuts for market. This three-day intensive course invites members from all sectors of the meat industry worldwide.
Olds College located in Alberta, Canada hosts the National Meat Training Centre that focuses on butchery, animal welfare, and humane slaughter—the whole process from slaughter to retail in 15 weeks. This program truly shows how butchery today is not only an art and craft but a science.
The North American Meat Institute and the Beef Information Centre partner to bring the Centre of the Plate Training Plus, which is a three-day course that teaches the fundamentals of meat cutting and identification, focusing on bringing these cuts to the marketplace for retail and food service.
Although apprenticeships are still invaluable, programs like these help to introduce people into the meat business without a family lineage or connection.
"The art of meat cutting is amazing and will always be amazing," Carrazzone said. "Nothing has been taken away from the craft, there is just a different training path. These programs take training to the next level. They learn how to cut, tenderize, learn the science behind meat, genetics, and merchandising. You talk about well-rounded; these [butchers] really get an education."
Communication to these millennials—the next generation of meat cutters—has changed drastically. Dubbed the connected generation, millennials connect via social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to get their news and information, ask questions, and find answers. Meat cutters need to be on social, joining the conversation, and letting millennials know that butchery is a respected and interesting career path.
"For the industry, social media is a great way to communicate," said Underly. "This outlet helps the smaller butcher because now they have direct access with their customers. In the '60s when you had neighborhood butcher shops, you had to know people who knew somebody who could recommend a good butcher. Now, with a push of a button you can have that information. There is a direct connection."
Many young butchers are rock stars on social media, featuring hanging carcass on Instagram, introducing new cuts on Twitter, and sharing their stories on Facebook. Millennials are getting excited about the industry and this craft because of their presence on social media.
"If you love meat, you should be inspiring the next generation of butchers," said Chef Mike. And this inspiration can come from communicating passion through social media outlets.
All in all, the art of butchery must stay on its high pedestal. This craft should be celebrated. Respect for butchers is an important step in the movement towards an appreciation for all players in the process from farm to fork.
Source: http://www.provisioneronline.com/articles/102035-new-love-for-an-old-craft
Tagged: butcher, meat, art, craft, steak, food
Newer PostLesson Learned: Take the Bull by the Horns
Older PostSocial: The Newest Mass "Meat-ium"


text:
Appoint five more lifeguards at Malpe beach: Jagadeesha
UDUPI, October 05, 2019 01:19 IST
G. Jagadeesha, Deputy Commissioner, chairing a meeting at the District Offices Complex in Udupi on Friday.
This will be in addition to the five already present
G. Jagadeesha, Deputy Commissioner, on Friday directed the members of the Malpe Development Committee to appoint five more lifeguards in addition to the existing five on Malpe beach.
He was chairing a meeting of the Malpe Development Committee at the District Offices Complex here.
Mr. Jagadeesha said that safety of the tourists should be given priority. The lifeguards should not only save lives but also discharge duties as 'green police' on the beach. They should be trained to respond to any emergency on the beach. These lifeguards should function under the officer of Malpe police station. They should work on the beach for a year, he said.
When the members said that the stage for functions on the beach was small, Mr. Jagadeesha said that the height and width of the stage should be increased. He directed them to take up the work of renovating the stage.
He said the small boats ferrying passengers from Malpe beach to the St. Mary's Island will be allowed only after studying the safety aspects.
Till fresh tenders were called, the big boats ferrying passengers from the Tourist Jetty at Malpe to the St. Mary's Island should function under previous terms and conditions, he said.
There were complaints of some facility providers misbehaving with the tourists on the beach. Stern action would be taken against them and their contracts would be cancelled, Mr. Jagadeesha warned.
The issues of construction of toilets, installation of interlock tiles, removal of illegal sheds, parking of vehicles and problems posed by shops also came up for discussion at the meeting.
Related Topics Mangaluru
safety of citizens
Printable version | Jan 19, 2020 1:23:16 AM | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/appoint-five-more-lifeguards-at-malpe-beach-jagadeesha/article29599496.ece
Mangaluru police firing: Congress to place videos of police action and of protesters before SHRC
It has been asked to come forward with specific instances of human rights violations at the full bench hearing
High rate of exclusion of urban poor from social welfare schemes: Study
'Most of those excluded are sex workers, transgender persons, and people living with HIV'


text:
\section{Introduction}

Conjunctive queries are the most basic and arguably most important class of database queries~\cite{ChandraM77}. As such, they have been one of the major objects of study of database theory and are by now well understood in many respects.

In this short note, we close a minor gap in the literature of the counting complexity of conjunctive queries. This area has seen intensive study in the last few years, see e.g.~\cite{PichlerS13,BraultBaron13,DurandM14,DurandM15,GrecoS14,ChenM15,DellRW19} for a sample. The main difference between the counting complexity of CQs and the decision problem for Boolean CQs is that projection, also called existential quantification, matters for the complexity of queries: it was already observed by Pichler and Skritek in~\cite{PichlerS13} that there are classes of acyclic CQs for which counting answers is $\mathsf{\#P}$-hard whereas Yannakakis' algorithm shows that Boolean CQs can be decided efficiently. The understanding of counting was refined in~\cite{DurandM14} by introducing a notion called \emph{quantified star size} that is shown for acyclic queries to determine the (parameterized) complexity of answer counting. Note that quantified star size can be seen as a quantitative generalization of free-connex acyclicity, previously introduced in the setting of enumeration algorithms~\cite{BaganDG07}, in the sense that the free-connex acyclic queries are exactly the acyclic queries of quantified star size $1$.

The work of Dell, Roth and Wellnitz~\cite{DellRW19} gave a sweeping generalization of~\cite{DurandM14}, in particular introducing the perspective of fine-grained complexity in the setting which allows to give tight results on the exponent of the polynomial runtimes. This in particular allows considering the complexity of individual queries instead of whole classes of them as they have to be considered in the parameterized complexity approach. Concretely, \cite{DellRW19} shows that a parameter called \emph{dominating star size} lower bounds the exponent of counting algorithms for CQs.

The very interesting results of~\cite{DellRW19} have two slight shortcomings: first, the complexity is measured in the size of the domain of the input database. This is very common in many areas of theoretical computer science, in particular most work on graph algorithms does this. However, in database theory it is common to measure complexity with respect to the size of the database instead. It is not hard to see that the dominating star size of~\cite{DellRW19} does not determine the counting complexity of CQs when measured in the size of the input database which is a slight mismatch between~\cite{DellRW19} and most of the literature in database theory. Second, the results of~\cite{DellRW19} only consider cases in which the dominating star size of the query is at least $3$. This in particular makes it impossible to determine the queries in which linear time counting is possible. This is unfortunate since, due to very big input databases, differentiating between problems that have linear time algorithms and such that have not is often particularly interesting in database theory, see e.g.~the great amount of work in this direction on enumeration algorithms~\cite{BerkholzGS20}.

In this short note, we slightly improve some of the results of~\cite{DellRW19} in the directions pointed out above: we show that for acyclic CQs the original star size as introduced in~\cite{DurandM14} is a lower bound for the exponent of the runtime for counting when measuring in the size of the database. In particular, this is also true for quantified star size $1$ and $2$ which allows us to show that the free-connex CQs are the only self-join free acyclic CQs which allow linear time counting. Let us stress that the the techniques used to show these results are neither new nor surprising; essentially, we tie together several techniques from the literature here.

\section{Preliminaries}

We assume that the reader is familiar with the basics of database theory~\cite{AbiteboulHV95}. We only consider conjunctive queries which we generally assume to be self-join free. The hypergraph of a conjunctive query $q$ has as vertices the variables of $q$ and an edge $e$ for every atom which contains exactly the variables appearing in the atom.

A \emph{join tree} of a hypergraph $H$ is a tree $T$ whose vertices are the edges of $H$ and which has the following property: for every $v\in V(H)$ the set $\{e\in E(H) \mid v\in e\}$ is connected in $T$.
A hypergraph $H$ is called \emph{acyclic} if it has a join tree. A CQ is called acyclic if its hypergraph is acyclic.

All graphs in this note are simple and undirected.
A dominating set $S$ of a graph $G=(V,E)$ is a set $S\subseteq V$ such that every vertex not in $S$ has a neighbor in $S$. The problem $k$-Dominating Set (short $k$-DS) is to decide, given a graph $G$, if $G$ has a dominating set of size at most $k$. We will use the following result from~\cite{PatrascuW10}.

\begin{theorem}\label{thm:PatrascuW10}
 If SAT has no algorithm with runtime $O(2^{n(1-\epsilon)})$ for any $\epsilon>0$, then there is no constant $\epsilon'$ such that there is a constant $k$ and an algorithm for $k$-DS with runtime $O(n^{k-\epsilon'}) $ on graphs with $n$ vertices.
\end{theorem}

We remark that the assumption on SAT in Theorem~\ref{thm:PatrascuW10} is in particular implied by the strong exponential time hypothesis (SETH)~\cite{ImpagliazzoP01}. As a consequence, our results below could also be with SETH. However, we keep the formulation as in~\cite{PatrascuW10}.

\section{Star Queries}

In this section, we will refine the lower bounds for the star queries that have already been a crucial building block of the lower bounds in~\cite{DurandM14,DurandM15,DellRW19}.

\begin{lemma}\label{lem:stars}
 Let $k\in \mathbb{N}$ with $k\ge 2$. If there is an algorithm that counts answers to \[q^\star_k(x_1, \ldots, x_k) := \exists z \bigwedge_{i\in [k]} R(x_i,z)\] in time $O(m^{k-\epsilon})$ on databases with $m$ tuples for some $\epsilon>0$, then there is a $k'\in \mathbb{N}$ such that $k'$-DS can be decided in time $O(n^{k'-\epsilon})$ on graphs with $n$ vertices.
\end{lemma}

We remark that a very similar lower bound has already been shown in~\cite{DellRW19} but there the lower bound is for $n^{k-\epsilon}$ where $n$ is the size of the domain and not $m^{k-\epsilon}$. Moreover, there is was assumed that $k\ge 3$. We slightly improve the bound here by encoding several vertices of the graph in each variable of the query instead of just encoding a single vertex per variable.

\begin{proof}[Proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:stars}]
 Choose $k'$ as a fixed integer such that $k'>k^2/\epsilon$ and $k'$ is divisible by $k$. We will encode $k'$-DS into the query $q^\star_k$. To this end, let $G=(V, E)$ be an input for $k'$-DS. Set
 \[R:=\{(\vec{u}, v)\mid v\in V, \vec{u} = (u_1,\ldots, u_{k'/k}), \forall i \in [k'/k]: u_iv\notin E, u_i \ne v\}.\]
 Then any assignment $\vec{u}^1, \ldots, \vec{u}^k$ to $x_1, \ldots, x_k$ in $q(x,y)$ corresponds to a choice $S$ of at most $k'$ vertices in $G$. The set $S$ is a dominating set if and only if there is no vertex $v$ in $V$ that is not in $S$ and has no neighbor in $S$. This is the case if and only if there is no $v\in V$ that assigned to $z$ makes $q^\star_k$ true. Thus the answers to $q^\star_k(x_1, \ldots, x_k)$ are exactly the assignments $\vec{u}^1, \ldots, \vec{u}^k$ that do \emph{not} correspond to dominating sets in $G$. Hence, any algorithm counting the answers to $q^\star_k(x_1, \ldots, x_k)$ directly yields an algorithm for $k'$-DS.

 We now analyze the runtime of the above algorithm. Note that the time for the construction of $R$ is negligible, so the runtime is essentially that of the counting algorithm for $q^\star_k(x_1, \ldots, x_k)$. First observe that the relation $R$ has at most $n^{\frac{k'}{k}+1}$ tuples. The exponent of the runtime of the counting algorithm is thus
 \begin{align*}
  \left(\frac{k'}{k}+1\right)(k-\epsilon) &= k'+k-\frac{k' \epsilon}{k} - \epsilon\\
  & < k'+k - \frac{k^2 \epsilon}{\epsilon k} -\epsilon\\
  & = k'-\epsilon
 \end{align*}
where the inequality comes from the choice of $k'$ satisfying $k'> k^2/\epsilon$.
\end{proof}

\begin{corollary}
  If SAT has no algorithm with runtime $O(2^{n(1-\epsilon)})$ for any $\epsilon>0$, then there is no constant $k\in \mathbb{N}$, $k\ge 2$ and no $\epsilon' > 0$ such that there is an algorithm that counts answers to \[q^\star_k(x_1,\ldots, x_k) := \exists z \bigwedge_{i\in [k]}R(x_i,z)\] in time $O(m^{k-\epsilon'})$ on databases with $m$ tuples.
\end{corollary}

\section{Tight Bounds for Acyclic Queries}

In this section, we will lift Lemma~\ref{lem:stars} to self-join free acyclic queries. The approach is rather standard, see e.g.~\cite{BraultBaron13,DurandM14,DellRW19}, but we here consider somewhat tighter runtime bounds so we give it here for completeness. We closely follow the theory as developed in~\cite{BraultBaron13}. The argument is a minimal adaption of one found in the (unfortunately unpublished) full version of~\cite{BaganDG07} for enumeration. An acyclic conjunctive query with hypergraph $\mathcal{H}$ and free variables $S$ is called \emph{free-connex} if the hypergraph $\mathcal{H}\cup \{S\}$ that we get from $\mathcal{H}$ by adding $S$ as an edge is acyclic as well.

\begin{theorem}\label{thm:embedding}
 Let $q$ be a self-join free conjunctive query that is acyclic but not free-connex. Then, assuming that SAT has no algorithm with runtime $O(2^{n(1-\epsilon)})$ for any $\epsilon>0$, there is no algorithm that counts the solutions of $q$ on a database with $m$ tuples in time $O(m^{2-\epsilon'})$ for any $\epsilon'$.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
 The idea is to embed $q^\star_2$ into $q$. Let $S$ be the set of free variables of $q$ and let $\mathcal{H}$ be the hypergraph of $q$. Since $q$ is acyclic but not free-connex, we get by \cite[Theorem 13]{BraultBaron13} that there is a set $S'$ such that $(\mathcal{H}\cup \{S\})[S']$ is a cycle plus potentially some unary edges. Note that acyclic hypergraphs cannot contain such an induced cycle, so we it follows that $(\mathcal{H}\cup \{S\})[S']$ contains at least one edge $xx'$ which is not in $\mathcal{H}[S']$. Moreover, since the cycle is induced, it must contain a vertex not in $S$. It follows that we can choose a path $P$ in $\mathcal{H}[S']$ such that the endpoints of $P$ are in $S$ but none of the internal vertices are. Let $x_1, x_2$ be the endpoints and let $z_1, \ldots, z_\ell$ be the internal vertices.

 Let $\mathbb{D}$ be an input database for $q^\star_2$. We construct a database $\mathbb{D}'$ for $q$ as follows: all vertices not on $P$ are forced to take a fixed value $d$ in all relations. If there are any unary atoms $U$ on any variable on $P$, we make sure that those do not constrain the variables: if the atom is in the variable $x_i$, we set $U^{\mathbb{D}'}$ to the active domain of $x_i$ in $\mathbb{D}$. If the atom is in any $z_i$, we set $U^{\mathbb{D}'}$ to the active domain of $z$ in $\mathbb D$. Moreover, we construct the following:
 \begin{itemize}
 \item For every atom $R_1$ containing $x_1$ and $z_1$, we construct a relation $R_1$ such that the projection $\Pi_{x_1, y_1}(R_1)$ is $R^{\mathbb{D}}$, the relation for $R(x_1, z)$ in $q^\star_2$.
 \item We set the relations for atoms containing $x_2$ and $z_\ell$ analogously.
 \item Finally, for every atom of $q$ that contains a pair $z_i, z_{i+1}$, we construct a relation $R$ such that the projection $\Pi_{z_i, z_{i+1}}(R)= \{(v,v)\mid v\in D_z\}$ where $D_z$ is the active domain of $z$ in $\mathbb{D}$.
 \end{itemize}
Note that, for every atom of $q$ containing a variable on $P$, exactly one of the cases applies. It follows that $\mathbb{D}'$ has linear size in $\|\mathbb D\|$ and that it can be constructed in quasilinear time. Also, observe that $\Pi_{x_1, x_2}(q(\mathbb{D}')) = q^\star_2(\mathbb{D})$ and that this projection is a bijection. It follows that $|q(\mathbb{D}')| = |q^\star_2(\mathbb{D})|$, so counting for $q$ directly allows counting for $q^\star_2$.
\end{proof}

Note that it is well known that for every free-connex acyclic CQ the answers can be counted in linear time, see e.g.~\cite{BraultBaron13,CarmeliZBKS20}, so we get that being free-connex completely characterizes the linear time case for acyclic CQs in the following sense.

\begin{corollary}
 Assume that SAT has no has no algorithm with runtime $O(2^{n(1-\epsilon)})$ for any $\epsilon>0$. Let $q$ be a self-join free acyclic CQ. Then there is an algorithm that counts the answers of $q$ for every database in linear time if and only if $q$ is free-connex.
\end{corollary}

We remark in passing that Theorem~\ref{thm:embedding} can be generalized beyond quadratic runtime lower bounds. There is a quantitative generalization of being non-free-connex called \emph{quantified star size} that essentially measures under which conditions $q^\star_k$ can be embedded into a query. Inspection of the proof of Lemma~4.3 from~\cite{DurandM15} shows that the following is true (we refer to~\cite{DurandM15} for definitions and all details).

\begin{corollary}
 Let $q$ be a self-join free conjunctive query of quantified star size $k$. Then, assuming that SAT has no algorithm with runtime $2^{n(1-\epsilon)}$ for any $\epsilon>0$, there is no algorithm that counts the solutions of $q$ on a database with $m$ tuples in time $m^{k-\epsilon'}$ for any $\epsilon'$.
\end{corollary}

\section{Conclusion}

We have slightly improved some of the bounds from~\cite{DellRW19} here by improving the dependence of the runtime bounds from the size of the domain to the size of the database. This makes these bounds connect better to other results in database theory. Let us stress that we have only considered a very small portion of the results in the very rich paper~\cite{DellRW19}. It would be interesting to see which other results from there can be adapted in this way.

One compelling question that we leave open is fully determining the queries for which---under a standard complexity assumption---answers can be counted in linear time. Note that, combining our result with the work of Brault-Baron in~\cite{BraultBaron13}, this question reduces to showing lower bounds for the so-called Loomis-Whitney joins. Brault-Baron conjectured that those queries do not have a linear time counting algorithms and from this and our result it would follow that the queries that allow linear time counting are exactly the free-connex acyclic queries of~\cite{BaganDG07}. We note that there are reasons to consider Brault-Baron's conjecture as plausible, see the discussion in~\cite[Section~6]{BerkholzGS20}. However, it would still be interesting to find more evidence for it.
Unfortunately, doing so looks quite challenging: even for the question of counting triangles in a graph, the smallest Loomis-Whitney join, there are no known conditional lower bounds under standard assumptions, despite the fact that triangles play a major role in fine-grained complexity, see e.g.~\cite{williams2018some}.

\paragraph{Acknowledgement.} This note would not have been written without a question Nicole Schweikardt and it would not have been published without another question by Nofar Carmeli. The author thanks Nofar Carmeli and Nikolaos Tziavelis for helpful discussions and their generous advice that helped greatly improve upon an earlier version of this note.

\bibliographystyle{plain}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
The Australian Wine Research Institute > Research & Development > 2017-2025 RDE Plan Projects > Project 3.1.2
Project 3.1.2
Using glycosides and other flavour precursors for improved wine flavour
It has recently been demonstrated that purified non-volatile glycosides present a valuable, novel opportunity to increase flavour in wine. They can contribute flavour through enzymatic release of volatile aroma compounds during fermentation and winemaking, and by in-mouth breakdown during wine consumption, boosting flavour intensity and aftertaste.
This project will assess the effect of enhancement of grape glycosides in juices and wines. Characterisation of glycoside extracts from various grape varieties will be achieved using LC-MS and GC-MS analysis. Glycosides from different varieties will be extracted and partially purified, their stability investigated during fermentation and wine ageing, and their sensory impact investigated.
The concentration of residual precursors in wines following fermentation will also be measured, to determine whether these may act as quality markers. Additional flavour release systems such as thiol precursors will also be assessed, providing a complementary avenue for building additional flavour. A better understanding of the factors underlying individual variability in sensory response to in-mouth release of aroma from precursors will also be obtained.
Enhancing flavour precursors in winemaking
Isolating glycoside flavour precursors from grapes is relatively simple, although the conventional method also extracts less desirable phenolic compounds, which contribute bitterness. In a novel approach, phenolic-free glycosides were obtained from a substantial quantity of ripe Gewürztraminer grape skins, using straightforward pilot-scale methods, with the assistance of an engineering company. The phenol-free glycoside concentrate contained large amounts of bound monoterpenes, which are major contributors to 'floral', 'citrus' and 'fruity' flavours, especially in white wines. This material was added to a Chardonnay and a Riesling juice prior to fermentation, and to wine prior to bottling, in a winemaking experiment conducted during 2016 and 2017, with in-depth data analysis recently completed. Phenol-free glycosides were added at single strength (equivalent to the amount already in the juice) or double strength.
Chemical analysis showed that the glycoside material greatly boosted free monoterpenes in the finished Chardonnay and Riesling wines. The important fruit flavour-enhancing compound β-damascenone was also substantially increased by the glycoside addition. Whether the glycoside material was added before or after fermentation made only a small difference in final monoterpene concentration. There was only a negligible change in phenolic composition and colour due to the glycoside addition, indicating that the glycosides were indeed phenolic-free. Apart from the free volatile compounds, the intact glycosides in the wines were also enhanced, with the concentration of geraniol glycoside increased more than 60-fold.
Sensory analysis showed that there was a strong increase in 'fruity'/'floral' aroma and flavour attributes due to the glycoside additions, with descriptors such as 'rose', 'citrus' and 'confectionary' used by the panel. Importantly, there was no significant difference in viscosity, acidity, astringency or bitterness caused by the additions, showing that the flavour-active glycosides only affected 'fruity' characters, with no detrimental effect on mouth-feel.
A group of white wine consumers in Sydney also tasted wines from the study and their preferences were recorded. A considerable number of the consumers liked the Riesling with a single addition of glycosides, while those wines with a double addition were not well appreciated, suggesting the flavour effect for these wines was too strong. A group of winemakers also assessed wines from the study and there was agreement that the wines made with added glycosides were greatly different from the controls.
One aspect of interest in this study was whether, for the wines with added glycosides, the release of flavour from glycosides during tasting might have been partly responsible for the observed increases in flavour and aftertaste. Some evidence for this was found by examining the sensory scores for those panellists who were tested as having the ability to perceive flavour from model systems containing added glycosides but no free volatiles. The individuals who could taste flavour from glycosides in the model system rated the wines with glycoside additions as more intense in 'floral' flavour and aftertaste than those who could not detect flavour from the model glycosides.
A study aimed at assessing factors contributing to individual differences in sensory response to glycosides was conducted. The capacity of people to detect the flavour of free volatiles and their glycoside counterparts was assessed with a group of 41 individuals. In addition, the ability of their saliva to complete glycoside hydrolysis was tested. Results showed that more than 80% of people tested had a significant flavour response to at least one of the glycosides tested, with a complex pattern of response to free volatiles and precursors. Data from saliva tests are currently being analysed.
Project Contacts
Josh Hixson
Mango Parker
TR article – Glycosides contribute to in-mouth flavour release


The Daily Egyptian won an Associated Collegiate Press Online Pacemaker award on Saturday in Dallas.
According to the ACP's website, there were 105 entries, 25 of which were selected as finalists.
The award recognizes the "best of the best" of college newspapers, according to the ACP's website, and the Pacemaker is often referred to as the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism.
Past and current members of the Daily Egyptian staff were also given awards.
Abby Wilhelm, a member of the advertisement production staff, received an honorable mention for an advertising campaign.
Brian Munoz, the photography and multimedia editor, received an honorable mention for a spot news photograph in SIUE's student newspaper, the Alestle.
Ryan Michalesko, a previous staff photographer, received an honorable mention for spot news photograph and won third place for an environmental portrait.
Jacob Wiegand, a previous managing editor and photography and multimedia editor, received an honorable mention in the sports photograph category.


The animation style, well-written story, humor and witty dialogue made Monkey Island a classic. The sequel continues the story of the first game, with lovable pirate Guybrush Threepwood now being on the hunt for a mysterious treasure after defeating the evil ghost pirate LeChuck. But all is not well. LeChuck's former right-hand man, Largo LeGrande, has taken control of Scabb Island and is preventing the pirates from earning a dishonest living there. Our hero must outwit him before he can charter a ship.
This is the game that features the notorious Spitting Contest and the deep philosophical discussion over how much wood can a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. Guybrush will meet and interact with old faces. Stan, now switched from used ship salesman to used coffin salesman (yikes!), is back and more comical than ever. The 'men of low moral fiber' are back on Scabb with their rat, and so is Elaine and (of course) LeChuck from the first game, whom you will eventually meet later in the game. As with all the Monkey Island games, the interesting assortment of zany characters make it a joy to play.
Monkey Island 2 was released only a year or so after its predecessor, The Secret of Monkey Island, then fans had to wait an anxious seven years before the third game, The Curse of Monkey Island, appeared. Graphically the first two games are similar and use the same interface where commands are built up by choosing from a verb list at the bottom of the screen.
Many of the commands have a default setting so that clicking on an object in the game world or inventory enables Guybrush to 'look at' it and offer a description or comment. Certain items also have an alternate command so you can simply right click to use them rather than consulting the verb list. Although, you do need to explore other actions occasionally or you might miss something important. Navigation is simple, just point the cursor to where you want Guybrush to go, then click. The puzzles contain a good balance of difficulty.
Time hasn't been kind to the pixelated screens so those who crave the latest graphics may be disappointed unless they care to buy the high-res remakes, but for sheer fun and immersion through giving the player much to do and think about, and laugh about, Monkey Island 2 is hard to fault.


Dr. Shawn Wahl, interim dean to the College of Arts and Letter, says that each of the seven academic departments in his college builds these partnerships. One example is Any Given Child, which brings students to campus to attend performances.
Wahl gives us a glimpse behind the curtain of one of the most beloved summer traditions for the local community, Tent Theatre.
The recent renovations to Ellis Hall completely transformed the space. It is updated, efficient and gorgeous. In addition, MSU is on its way to becoming an All-Steinway school, a mark of quality within a music program. Wahl says these are just a few small examples of how the college is making itself a destination campus for arts students.
Another contributing factor to Missouri State being considered a destination arts campus is the history of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, which began here in 1996. Although summer 2018 will be a brief intermission for the academy, talented high school artists will once again flood the campus in summer 2019 to take part in this experience.
To gauge the success of a program or the faculty and students within it, Wahl says you only have to look at the outcomes. And he says that the college has many success stories they could share. One is the story of Mariah Zenk.
With so many musical performances, art exhibitions and theatre productions throughout the year, the College of Arts and Letters is an easy access point for those in the community to connect with the university. Wahl says they refer to themselves as the college of cheap dates, since so many of the activities are free to the public.
None of this would be possible, Wahl says, without the generous support of donors and the administration.


We have extensive experience in installing new plumbing and repair service in existing pipes. Repairing water leakage in all types of pipes. We repair and install taps and cisterns. We also proceed to the installation of sinks in bathrooms.
António Fernandes - Household Assistance provides technical support 24 hours, assisting in floods, water breaks and repairs on call. We provide emergency service to commercial, domestic and industrial plumbing.
We are available 24 hours a day, If you're in the Algarve, call now to see your problem solved quickly.
Call now to see your problem solved quickly.
We install and repair water heaters on site 24 hours a day, mainly in Loulé, Faro, Albufeira and Olhão.
We repair equipment of all brands and models with original parts.
• Power generator goes down.


As agencies are still trying to figure out their TikTok strategy, one brand has been committed to the short-form video app since the beginning.
The NBA has a team of several employees (the league wouldn't specify how many) dedicated to the app and posts five to six videos per day to 3.8 million fans. During All-Star Weekend, the NBA garnered more than 44 million views on its TikTok videos, according to the league. More than 3,000 TikTok users submitted their talents to the brand's hashtag challenge, one of the ad products and organic behaviors on TikTok, where users mimic each other's videos, typically synced to the same song. NBA shared their own players' talents like Steph Curry's dunks, which received 82,000 likes.
"It's still so new, but the challenges are a big part of the platform. We're encouraged by the highlights starting to perform well like showing Kyrie's [Irvings] handles. We want to teach NBA's fans and new fans who these players are and what makes them special," said Bob Carney, NBA's vp of social and digital content.


Tray & sleeve box is a unique invention and an amalgamation of two different styles of boxes one being the tray style and the other being the tray. This box is made with proper strength and rigidity to provide the needed support and firmness to multiple items at a time. These boxes appear as very easy and simple to use.
Sleeve box is a unique invention and an amalgamation of two different styles of boxes one being the tray style and the other being the tray. This box is made with proper strength and rigidity to provide the needed support and firmness to multiple items at a time. These boxes appear as very easy and simple to use.
From the tray part of this box, two sides of it are pre-glued. On the other hand, the sleeve sides are inserted once all the products are placed in it. The tray part is capable to be separated from the sleeve's part. Although, it can be attached again with the rest portion after the placement of the product inside.
Where to use Sleeve box?
Mostly, these type of boxes are used for the containment of light weight products. Example of such products can be jewelry items, bakery products, cosmetics, candles etc.
As the earlier mentioned designed of this box, it can be observed that this is very unique and splendid in nature as compared to other packaging containers introduced by the packaging industry. Its excellent design provides a smart area to keep your products.


text:
Mahavidya
T. Assorted Themes in Hinduism
Dowry Deaths
April 26, 2016 hrodrigues
The practice of dowries (the transfer of wealth from a bride's family to a groom's family during marriage) (Oldenburg 19) has been a part of Hindu culture since ancient times, even being mentioned in religious texts such as the Manusmrti (Channa and Willigen 370). Dowries generally come in a form of monetary transfer, household goods or even land claims. Although sometimes significant, historically the gifts and wealth transferred in a dowry were mainly small tokens of good fortune for the couple and the families involved. Moving into modern times, the dowry has since become a major factor when families negotiate marriages, often involving large transfers of wealth (Srinivasa and Lee 1108). Dowries do not usually consist of a single transaction, but rather a series of many payments (Tambiah 92). This spread of dowry payments can often prove to be problematic for the bride and her family if her family cannot meet the demands put in place by the groom's family. In a growing number of cases, if the dowry demands are not met, the groom and his family subject the bride to extreme harassment, sometimes leading to the suicide of the bride, or in other cases the murder of the bride by the groom's family. These brides may be burned to death using kerosene (a fuel used for kitchen stoves in India) as fuel (Sanghavi et al. 1282). These murders are coined as either dowry death or bride burnings.
Dowries can be interpreted differently in various situations; they have been described as tools to define the social roles and property claims of women in their new households, as public declarations of new relationships, or even as a form of anticipated inheritance for the bride from her family. Another interpretation of the dowry is that it suggests a hierarchy in marriage and indicates a lower status of women in Hindu tradition (Channa and Willigen 371). The idea of a hierarchy and an agreed upon status differential between brides and grooms is problematic, because it promotes a system that disfavors women, and this kind of system can lead to domestic violence, murder and suicide of brides. In earlier Hindu practice, dowry death did not occur as often as it does today. This increase in dowry death seems to be in direct correlation with the increase in consumerism in India. As consumerism increases, many grooms and their families see a dowry as a vehicle to obtain wealth quickly (Srinivasan and Lee 1110). Consumerism drives the inflation of dowry demands, thus applying much greater pressure onto the bride's family to provide larger dowries. Increasing consumerism is not the only factor causing the increase in dowry costs. The marriage pool in India is undergoing a marriage squeeze, due to a preference for male offspring, paired with females marrying into higher status families, therefore creating an unequal mix of potential grooms and brides. This allows for grooms to increase their dowry demands because their just is not enough higher status men for women to marry (Srinivasan and Lee 1109). As stated above, the inability to meet these demands can lead to harassment from the groom's family.
In 1961, and later amended in 1986, a piece of legislation was passed called "The Dowry Prohibition Act", which essentially made it illegal to give or take a dowry (Channa and Willigen 370). There is not a lot of data on dowry death rates in India; it was not until around 1985 when data on this issue began to get documented in parliament and through the media. In 1985, there were a reported 452 deaths by bride burning, in 1986 there were 476, and by 1987 those numbers jumped to 1,319 cases of bride burnings reported in Indian police records. Even then, hospital records around that time indicate a far larger number of 3rd degree burn cases than the police records would state (Channa and Willigen 369). If one looks ahead to 1996-1997, the numbers jumped from 6,758 to 7,543 (Samuel 187). Based on what the police records report, The Dowry Prohibition Act is not doing what it was intended to do; in fact it is doing the exact opposite. One would expect the passage of legislation and laws prohibiting and criminalizing dowries and bride burning would create a safer environment for women in India; However, the act proved to be a failure to the point where "The Times of India" released an unofficial report in 1984 claiming that a bride burning occurs every 12 hours in India; A separate report in 1997 suggested that 25,000 dowry deaths occur annually (Samuel 187). These numbers, although estimates, are extremely high and suggest India needs to undergo some social reform to provide a safer environment for the lives of brides and females in general.
The social landscape in India is not uniform over the entire subcontinent; it can be roughly divided into the more educated states in the south, and the more patriarchal and traditional states in the north. There is also a noticeable disparity between social ideologies between rural and city landscapes (Hackett 269-270). A few studies have been done to track the rates of domestic violence in India in relation to its heterogeneous nature, but it has not been studied as extensively as it has in developed western societies. In the north, women are considered monetary burdens leading to a higher rate of discrimination against women, while in the south there is substantially less of a financial burden involved with women, mainly because of their contribution to the working force (Channa and Willigen 372). The differences in social landscape across India corresponds with dowry death rates across the subcontinent; in the north, dowry death rates are higher due to the intrinsic system in place that disfavors women, where in the south, dowry death is less of a problem, albeit ever increasing.
A feminist approach to deciphering the dowry death data that we have suggests that in states where females feel more empowered, there is a lower rate of dowry death. Empowerment can be classified as females who are educated, exposed to more liberal concepts or even play a more active role in the work force, all factors which occur more often in the south. On the other side of this coin, states that display higher patriarchal values may have a higher dowry death rate (Hackett 283). Another approach would be to look at a family violence approach, which suggests that in states where economic stress is highest, we would expect to see a higher rate of dowry death. Both of these approaches hold truth, but the best way to examine the dispersal of dowry death through India would be a combined approach, using both the feminist and family violence approach. This is called an ecological approach, where we can consider that both female empowerment and economics play a role in the occurrences of dowry death (Hackett 283). Because of the lack of statistical data on domestic violence in India, it is not yet clear what the major contributors are to dowry death (Hackett 284).
Dowry death is unfortunately a severe problem in Indian society, a problem big enough that it has been recognized by the judicial system in India. Sadly, the legal actions taken by the Indian government to eliminate the practice of exchanging dowries in an attempt to limit dowry death, has failed miserably. It seems that one of the best ways to combat the ever growing number of dowry deaths would be for active promotion of equality between men and women. Regrettably, it is not as easy as it seems, as a deep engrained cultural practice in Hindu tradition, the dowry will not be eradicated and will be met with resistance at every attempt to eliminate this patriarchal practice.
Goody, Jack and S.J. Tambiah (1973) Bridewealth and Dowry. London: Cambridge University Press.
Hackett, Michelle T. (2011) "Domestic Violence against Women: Statistical Analysis of Crimes across India". Journal of Comparative Family Studies, Vol. 42, No. 2: 287-288.
Oldenburg, Veena (2002) Dowry Murder The Imperial Origins of a Cultural Crime. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Samuel, Edith (2002) "Dowry and dowry harassment in India: An assessment based on modified capitalist patriarchy." African and Asian Studies, Vol. 1, No. 3: 187-229.
Sanghavi, Prachi, Kavi Bhalla and Veena Das (2009) "Fire-related deaths in India in 2001: a retrospective analysis of data." Lancelet, Vol. 373, No. 9671: 1282-1288.
Srinivasan, Padma and Gary R. Lee (2004) "The dowry system in Northern India: Women's attitudes and social change." Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 66, No.5: 1108-1117.
Willigen, John and V. Channa (1991) "Law, Custom, and Crimes against Women: The Problem of Dowry Death in India." Human Organization: Winter 1991, Vol. 50, No. 4: 369-377.
Sati
Women in Hinduism
Domestic Violence in India
The Dowry Prohibition Act
Noteworthy Websites
http://ncw.nic.in
http://www.weeklystandard.com/article/14141
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10280802/Woman-killed-over-dowry-every-hour-in-India.html
http://www.vivaaha.org
Article written by: Brett Hutchinson (April 2016) who is solely responsible for its content
Previous PostHinduism and FeminismNext PostKubera: God of Wealth
Scholarly Resources for the Study of Hinduism
0A: Academic Resources for Studying Hinduism (1)
A. The History of India (28)
a. Map (1)
b. The Indus Valley Civilization (2)
c. The Aryans (1)
d. Alexander the Great (1)
e. The Mauryan Empire (2)
f. The Gupta Empire (2)
g. The Deccan Empires (3)
h. Other Empires (6)
i. South Indian Kingdoms (9)
The Chola Dynasty (6)
j. Other Historic Topics (1)
B. Vedic Religion and the Sanskrit Language (42)
a. The Vedic Samhitas (4)
b. Vedic Deities (8)
c. The Brahmanas (2)
d. Vedic Rituals (Yajna) (4)
e. The Upanisads (5)
f. Atman and Brahman (3)
Brahman (1)
g. Other Vedic Literature (7)
h. The Sphoṭa Theory of Language (1)
i. Mantra and the Theology of Sound (1)
j. Sanskrit and the Philosophy of Sound (4)
General Studies (1)
Philosophy of Sanskrit (1)
Sanskrit Grammarians (2)
k. The Rsis of Ancient Indian Tradition (3)
C. Karma, Time, and Cosmology (12)
a. Hindu Conceptions of Time and Creation (3)
b. The Hindu Universe (2)
c. Karma, Samsara, and Reincarnation (3)
d. Moksa (Spiritual Liberation) (4)
D. Hindu Social Organization and Values (17)
a. Dharma and the Dharma Sastras (5)
b. The Four Classes (Varna) Of Hindu Society (4)
c. The Caste (Jati) System (4)
d. The Untouchables (2)
e. Purity and Pollution (2)
f. Auspiciousness and Inauspiciousness (1)
E. Dharma and the Individual (58)
a. Hindu Rites of Passage (Samskara) (14)
1. Investiture with the Sacred Thread (Upanayana) (1)
2. Marriage (Vivaha) (4)
3. Householder's Samskara (3)
4. Antyesti (Final Sacrifice) (4)
b. The Four Goals/ Aims of Life (17)
1. Dharma (2)
2. Artha (2)
3. Kama (9)
4. Moksa (2)
c. The Four Stages of Life (7)
1. The Student (Sisya) (1)
2. The Householder (1)
3. The Forest Dweller (1)
4. The Renouncer (4)
d. Women in Hinduism (18)
Gender Issues (11)
Notable Women in Hinduism (5)
e. Vowed Ascetic Observances (Vrata) and Auspiciousness (Saubhagya) (4)
f. Marriage and Pativrata (1)
g. Sati and the Status of Widows (5)
F. Indian Philosophical Schools (62)
a. Asceticism and Renunciation (8)
b. The Heterodox Philosophies (5)
1. Jainism (2)
2. Buddhism (2)
3. Carvaka (1)
c. The Six Orthodox Systems (49)
1. Sankhya (6)
2. Yoga (29)
Other Yogas (2)
Patanjali's Yoga Sutra (2)
Related Topics in Yoga (6)
The Eight Limbs (Astanga) of Yoga (9)
Dhyana (1)
Samadhi (3)
Yama and Niyama (2)
The Yogas of the Bhagavad Gita (4)
3. Nyaya (1)
4. Vaisesika (1)
5. Mimamsa (1)
6. Vedanta (12)
General Information (1)
i. Sankara's Radical Non-Dualism (Advaita) (3)
ii. Madhva's Dualism (Dvaita) (2)
iii. Ramanuja's Qualified Non-Dualism (2)
Other Concepts (5)
G. The Epics, Bhagavad Gita and the Rise of Bhakti (63)
a. The Ramayana (23)
Major Characters in the Ramayana (9)
Reviews of Retellings (1)
Summary Retelling of Books 1-7 (9)
b. The Mahabharata (23)
Major Characters of the Mahabharata (16)
The Harivamsa (1)
c. The Bhagavad Gita (3)
d. The Bhagavad Gita's Three Yogas (9)
1. Jnana Yoga (2)
2. Karma Yoga (4)
3. Bhakti Yoga (2)
e. The Alvars and the Nayanars (1)
f. Devotional Worship (Bhakti) (4)
H. Major Hindu Sects, Deities and Purāṇic Myths (152)
a. The Puranas (6)
b. Saivism (31)
1. Saiva Deities (24)
Ganesa (3)
Sati/Parvati (3)
Siva (17)
Skanda/Karttikeya (2)
2. Saiva Sects (3)
c. Vaisnavism (39)
1. Vaisnava Deities (35)
Sita (1)
Visnu (6)
Visnu's Avataras (22)
Krsna (14)
2. Vaisnava Schools (4)
d. Saktism (58)
Sakta Deities (Hindu Goddesses) (56)
Ganga (4)
Mahadevi Durga (6)
Other Goddesses (20)
Parvati (3)
Sarasvati (1)
Sri/Laksmi (2)
The Ten Mahavidyas (22)
a) Kali (8)
b) Tara (3)
c) Tripura Sundari (2)
d). Bhuvanesvari (2)
e) Bhairavi (1)
f) Chinnamasta (2)
g) Dhumavati (3)
h) Bagalamukhi (3)
i) Matangi (2)
j) Kamala (3)
e. Other Sects (7)
f. Puranic Mythology and Other Hindu Deities (9)
g. Other Deities, Demons, and Entities (27)
Deities and Entities (17)
South Indian Deities (3)
I. The Hindu Temple and Worship Rituals (85)
a. Puja (3)
b. Darsana (3)
c. The Hindu Temple (6)
1. Design and Construction (3)
2. The Dravidian Style of Hindu Temple (1)
3. The Nagara Style of Hindu Temples (1)
d. Some Noteworthy Temples (31)
Cave Temples (4)
Indonesian Temples (2)
Khmer (Cambodian) Temples (2)
North Indian (8)
South Indian (14)
e. Hindu Pilgrimage (13)
f. Worship Rituals and Festivals (40)
Iconography (4)
Other Rituals (7)
Sacred Specialists (6)
Temple Worship (5)
J. Tantra (19)
a. History and Fundamentals of Tantra (1)
b. The Tantras (3)
c. Tantric Saivism in Kashmir (6)
Saiva Siddhanta (1)
d. Kundalini Yoga (2)
e. Goddess and Women in Tantra (4)
f. Tantric Mantras and Yantras (3)
g. General Information (1)
K. South Indian Hinduism (13)
Literature, Cinema, Etc. (2)
South Indian Festivals (2)
The Alvars (2)
The Nayanars (1)
L. Hindu Arts, Architecture and Culture (55)
Assorted Aspects of Hindu Culture (9)
Hindu Symbols (2)
Poets and Playwrights (8)
Ritual Arts (21)
Painting and Sculpture (4)
Sacred Dance (10)
Sacred Music (3)
Sacred Cities (9)
Tales and Fables (4)
M. Colonization and Reform (18)
a. Religious Syncretism in North India (3)
1. Kabir (1)
2. The Bauls (1)
3. Guru Nanak (1)
b. Hindu Responses to Christianity (2)
c. Hinduism and Politics (12)
1. Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1)
2. Mahatma Gandhi (5)
3. Hindutva and the Bhartiya Janata Party (1)
4. Bharat Mata (1)
5. Significant Figures (3)
N. Transnational Hinduism in Asia (20)
a. Hinduism in Nepal (7)
b. Hinduism in Southeast Asia (5)
c. Hinduism in Indonesia (8)
O. Revitalization and Modernity (27)
a. Hinduism and Humanism (1)
Rabindranath Tagore (1)
b. Hinduism in Universalistic Religion (13)
1. The Theosophical Society (5)
2. Sri Aurobindo and Integral Yoga (1)
3. Hindu-Christian Dialogue (2)
Noteworthy Figures in Contemporary Hinduism (5)
1. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the Ramakrishna Order (2)
2. Sathya Sai Baba (1)
3. The Sankaracaryas (2)
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1)
The Dasanamis (1)
c. Hinduism and Modernity (13)
1. Hinduism and Ecology (5)
2. Hinduism and Ethics (2)
3. Gender Equality (4)
P. Hinduism Beyond India (15)
Ancient Hindu Kingdoms (5)
Hinduism in Sri Lanka (2)
Modern Hinduism in the Diaspora (3)
Other Regions (6)
Q. Hinduism and Other Religions (10)
Hinduism and Buddhism (3)
Hinduism and Christianity (2)
Hinduism and Islam (1)
Hinduism and Sikhism (2)
Hinduism's Interaction with Other Religions (2)
The Parsis (1)
R. Hinduism and the West (24)
a. Hinduism for the West (22)
1. Swami Vivekananda (1)
2. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Transcendental Meditation (3)
3. Osho (1)
4. Jiddu Krishnamurti (2)
5. Swami Bhaktivedanta and ISKCON (4)
6. Krishnamacharya and the Hatha Yoga Movement (1)
7. Yogananda Paramahansa (3)
b. Some Contemporary Teachers (2)
S. Significant Figures and Organizations in Hinduism (35)
a. Significant Figures in Hinduism (26)
Scholars of the Hindu Tradition (5)
b. Significant Hindu Organizations (13)
T. Assorted Themes in Hinduism (28)
Hinduism and Health (1)
Hinduism and Sexuality (14)
Kama and Kama Sutras and Shastras (10)
Hinduism and the Media (1)
Hinduism in Contemporary Literature (6)
Indian Advancements in Knowledge (2)


Steven Matz, SP: $12,800 – More narratives as I look for young players that are looking to end the season on a high note. Matz gets the Marlins who we've picked on all year, no reason to stop now.
Tyler Skaggs, SP: $12,800 – My narrative here is that Oakland is already looking ahead to the Wild Card game vs. New York. Skaggs meanwhile looks to end the season strong. He's been on a light pitch count the past couple outings, but should be good for 5+ IP here. It's a dice roll, but that's what we've got the final weekend.
Kyle Gibson, SP: $16,200 – This is Gibson vs. Moncada right? Gibson vs. Daniel Palka I suppose. The point is, the White Sox are trash to finish out the year and should be picked on with reckless abandon.
Zack Godley, SP: $12,300 – In what was supposed to be an encore to a 2017 break-out Godley has been Meh-ley. He owes us this one. Give us just one awesome start to cap the season. It's the Padres, in Petco. You can do it!
Yonder Alonso, IF: $8,100 – I've enjoyed picking on Jake Junis all season long and that won't stop now. Yonder has enough pop to make him worthwhile tonight.
Adalberto Mondesi, IF: $8,300 – I think Mondesi is priced down due to facing Kluber, but I'm a sucker. Mondesi has been red hot and I don't buy that Kluber is lasting more than a couple tune-up innings for the playoffs.
Logan Forsythe, IF: $5,800 – Forsythe is no great shakes, but he is darn cheap. $5,800 is basically a free space for a guy that max is getting you 10 points. But, with that price savings you can pay up for some Coors upside.
Nicholas Castellanos, IF/OF: $8,700 – I know Wade Miley has turned to Cy Miley in Milwaukee but I'd still bet against him most nights. Castellanos has been decent enough this season that I'm willing to roll with him for this price.
Dee Gordon, IF/OF: $8,000 – For some reason Dee Gordon has been out of the lineup the past few days, so check in that he's back in there tonight before plugging him in. There's no word of an injury, so who knows. The Mariners get to face Adrian Sampson tonight, so I'm on board with most or all of the them that start; Cruz, Cano, Haniger and even Seager.
Ryan Braun, OF: $9,300 – When Braun has played lately, he's been hitting bombs. Braun also seems like the type of guy that would be up there padding stats any chance he gets. I'm fine with that in my DFS players, so pad away Ryan, pad away.
Shohei Ohtani, OF: $8,100 – Can I draft Ohtani everywhere as a hitter next year? It's been a few seasons since we had a player worth drafting and sticking in the UTIL spot (David Ortiz) but I'm totally in on Ohtani (as I was this year). More narratives, Ohtani goes out with a bang before heading for the operating table.
Charlie Blackmon, OF: $9,800 – I would be remiss if I didn't mention it's a Coors night. A Matz/Godley lineup would allow all kinds of room for pricey Coors bats. Dahl might be the better play, but is more expensive too ($10,800). I'm all for stacking against Strasburg tonight, so play them both if you can. Be warned though, Strasburg is best in games where nothing is on the line and there's nothing to play for, ie: no pressure.
Victor Robles, OF: $9,200 – I'm not taking many Nats bats against Jon Gray, but if do use one, it will be Robles. Robles is hot and cheap(er) than the other Nats. Narrative alert: he's another young player looking to make a big impression for next season.
Looks like we're free and clear of weather issues. Whoo hoo! Go Autumn!
Wade Miley and the Brew Crew are your biggest favorites of the night (-255) over Detroit. The Brewers need the win and Miley has been solid, so I can see it. At $11,900 I wouldn't blame you for rolling with Miley given the chance for the win. That game also features the night's highest non-Coors (9.5) over/unders at 8.5 runs so buyer beware.


text:
Teaching, learning, achieving together
Our aims are at the centre of everything we do. They underpin our teaching and learning, and provide an environment which prepares our pupils as confident, happy citizens.
Our school community aims to provide:
A Christian ethos that encourages spiritual development through all aspects of the curriculum and a sense of awe and wonder
A secure environment with care, nurture and compassion at its heart where each child knows that they are valued
An environment that fosters a desire in the children to show that same love for others in school, at home and in the wider community
An environment where the children are encouraged to develop tolerance and consideration for others, including knowing how to respectfully disagree
A broad and inspirational curriculum that provides challenge, leads to developing a love of learning and encourages the children to work hard in order to achieve their targets and secure the best outcomes
Learning experiences that equip them for the next stage in their development and encourage innovation so preparing them for their future world
A growing understanding of life-long learning skills such as the importance of enquiry, independence, self-motivation, exploration and a desire to achieve
A supportive environment where the children feel sufficiently secure to develop resilience in the face of challenge and failure (e.g. when they haven't achieved something 'yet')
An ethos that encourages interdependence and one that helps children understand the importance of listening, showing empathy, taking turns and building on others' ideas
A welcome to all members of each family and a school which firmly holds to the belief in the partnership between home and school in the development of every child
A wealth of opportunities to forge strong links with others in the wider community including with the church and other schools
For the development of an age-appropriate understanding of what supports positive emotional and mental health and the development of skills and enjoyment of physical activities that will lay a foundation for an active and healthy life-style
To learn more about these aims, please click on the link below.
To ensure we meet our aims.pdf
School Context
Governors' page
Support your children at home
Caring For God's World- what are we doing in school to reduce waste?
New Reception Parent Information 2019
Letters Home/Forms
Medicine Forms
School Meals, Cool Milk & Fruit Scheme
Schools Cash Office
Pupil Wellbeing and Safeguarding
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - (STEM)
Eco Pioneers
School Lettings
Pre-School Settings
Diocese of Southwark
Village Fete
Volunteer Helpers
Governors Maintenance Fund
Tandridge Teaching Alliance
All website content copyright © St Peter and St Paul CE Infant School
PrimarySite - Websites for Schools


The theme of today's post is being in a rush. That frantic action-stations kind of rush where you either slip into complete zen mode and float through the situation to your destination/goal, or where you run around like a headless chook/fall over your own feet/sit on the floor paralysed by how you're not going to make it. There's also that rather unique kind, one that results in you taking rather shoddy photographs (see exhibits a, b, c and d on this post) because you're far too eager to consume the food being photographed. Which is ironic really, as it means the photos do very little justice to the specimen that is in fact knee-tremblingly tasty. You'll just have to take my word for it: these muffins are to.die.for. And you won't even die from them – each muffin contains just ¼ tsp olive oil and ¼ tsp sugar!
Most ideal for grabbing as you head out the door to rush to wherever it is you are rushing to (gee this post could easily become a drinking game…I didn't suggest that…sssshhhh), these muffins contain many nutritious substances (yeah alright, they're not superfoods but we need affordable ingredients, okay?) such as sweet potato, zucchini (you may or may not have guessed those from the recipe title), apple and pumpkin seeds. Plus the usual whole-wheat flour! All that nutrition. In a muffin. Wheeeee! The grated vegetables and apple puree result in a sublimely moist muffin that is somehow dense yet also fluffy (go figure) due to the whole wheat flour and buttermilk. Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves provide a pop of spice – a zing that is essential for those 'mooooovvveeee I'm in a rush' kind of moments.
Early morning starts become far easier to cope with when you've got a delicious – and already prepared – breakfast lined up. Such as these muffins! Not the case in the snippet below, but they easily could have been the meal of choice. Yesterday we clambered from bed at what felt like the crack of dawn (it was 6.10am to be precise, which is later than I used to get up for cooking college, but hey I was younger and more sprightly then) so that I could hop on a plane back to Melbourne. We had the timing down pat with a bircher muesli made the evening before to eat in the car and a few minutes up our sleeves to pick a few big, fat, dark, juicy cherries off the tree. Because fresh cherries = life. But you know how they always say to leave a smidge of time spare for unexpected delays? Well it's true. Because the horse could have executed its well practiced ninja escape from the paddock, and that big gum tree could have fallen slap bang over the driveway. Not to worry, it simply adds to a far more interesting morning! Involving chainsaws, and axes, and dragging big branches around like you're a boss. You still manage to arrive at the airport with roughly fifteen minutes remaining prior to the gate opening, and it's all hunky dory. The best kind of in-a-rush situation. I.e. one that is executed well and involves minimal stress/scatter-brain syndrome.
This scenario falls into the unplanned rush category but for its brothers and sisters that fall into that of the 'expected rush', make sure you've got a few of these Sweet Potato and Zucchini Muffins in the freezer, ready to be defrosted. Healthy and delicious sustenance never goes a miss in frantic situations!
Preheat the oven to 175C and lightly grease 12 muffin holes.
In a large bowl combine the flour, bran, bicarb soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
In a separate bowl whisk together the buttermilk, apple puree, olive oil, egg and vanilla.
Fold the wet mixture through the dry until just combined, then stir through the grated zucchini, sweet potato and pumpkin seeds.
Divide the mixture between the muffin holes. Sprinkle each with a little of the topping mixture.
Bake for 23 minutes or until spring back when touched and a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Set the pan on a wire rack and leave to cool for 5 minutes before gently removing the muffins and leaving them to cool completely on the rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature, either as is or with a smear of butter and/or honey.
Will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen for up to 2 months.


Located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the University of Saint Francis is a private, Catholic university enrolling 2,300 students in majors ranging from the liberal arts, to the creative arts, to the health sciences. Small class sizes, personal attention, and the freedom to explore your options_a USF education has a lot to offer. Visit our beautiful campus and see for yourself how you can be a part of the University of Saint Francis.


A great summer adventure is to go tubing on the Potomac River near Harper's Ferry. It is only an hour's drive from Bethesda and it is a fine way to spend a hot summer day. There are many outfitters that will rent you a tube ($20 to $30), drive you to the river, then pick you up again when you are done. I went with Harpers Ferry Adventure Center and was pleased with how they run the operation, but I am sure that there are many other good outfitters.
The strength of the rapids depends a lot on how much rain there has been. The rapids are class I to class III, which is not too strong. The above picture is representative of the type of rapids there are above the railroad bridge. Below it are some stronger ones.
It will be hot, and you will be out in the sun the whole time so bring plenty of sunscreen and water. You can bring food and pull up on a rock to eat it (make sure it stays dry and pack your trash out when you're done), Also, shoes that you don't mind getting wet are a must. Children should be over 12, I'd suggest one child per adult if they are 12 or 13.


Rule the road with neutral running shoes for women by New Balance featuring cushioning and flexibility to help protect and support mile after mile. Designed as running shoes for supination these neutral running shoes give you the cushion and responsiveness you need to go the distance.Take your look up a notch with fashionable womens sport sneakers. From clornamentic black and white to bold print shoes you can showcase your true personality in sporty style.
ADIDAS BLUE SHOES. Blue is calm intelligent and imaginative. Blue shoes are one of the most popular colorways for people to connect to quickly.Womens Shoes. Discover the latest womens shoe styles and clornamentic Crocs comfort with womens shoes for any occasion. Our womens shoe collection features womens casual shoe styles comfortable clogs for women cute womens flip flops and comfortable sandals womens work shoes for on-the-job foot comfort and athleisure womens sneakers.Shop adidas Boost Shoes on adidas.com. Browse all products from shoes to clothing and accessories in this collection. Find all available syles and colors of Shoes Shop Womens shoes by style from boots and clogs to sandals and walking shoes. Find comfortable stylish and durable shoes for Women from Ecco Clarks Reiker and more.


text:
Q: Need to Search MYSQL Query to return items only where num of rows is reached Difficulty explaining what I need:
In a nut shell, this is what I have:
SELECT DISTINCT(CITY) FROM `listingsdb` WHERE `style` = 'Traditional' ORDER BY `style` ASC

This returns ALL DISTINCT CITY VALUES with a STYLE = Traditional.
It gave me 840 results, including 800 of these cities have less than 10 results... I need to Reduce / Restrict it further by having it ONLY return values where there are MORE Than 100 Identical City Matches to display that city, and possibly set PRICE value to a minimum of 100,000.
What is the MOST EFFICIENT way to do this?
I do NOT have a specific MySQL table that has CITYNAME & RESULTS COLUMN.
I am trying to stay away from a Nested Loop of constant MySQL queries if it's possible.

A: Just group by city.
SELECT COUNT(city) as count, city as city
FROM listingsdb
WHERE style='Traditional'
ORDER BY style ASC
GROUP BY city
HAVING count > 100

A: I think this will be perfect for your requirement
 SELECT COUNT(CITY) as count, CITY
    FROM `listingsdb`
    WHERE
    `style` = 'Traditional'
    GROUP BY CITY
    HAVING count >= 100

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A bomb blast in the capital was one of six reported attacks in Iraq today. Overall at least 13 Iraqis were killed and 19 more were wounded in them. One attack targeted American personnel, but the number of casualties is unknown.
In Baghdad, a late-evening blast at a Karrada liquor store killed eight people and wounded 18 others.
Three people were killed and the barber was wounded in an attack on a Baquba barber shop.
Gunmen in Kirkuk killed a health aid worker and wounded a civilian. An American convoy was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades. One vehicle was damaged but the casualties, if any, were not yet reported.
Near Mosul, a tribal official was shot to death.
Gunmen killed a civilian in Falluja.


Woodstock, Revisited: A conversation with publicist Rona Elliot and official Woodstock photographer Henry Diltz will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, in the LaSells Stewart Center on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis. … Read full story.
Holocaust survivor Stephen Nassar, who was 13 when he was deported to Auschwitz in 1944, will speak at Oregon State University in Corvallis Monday, April 29, as part of the universitys 33rd annual Holocaust Memorial Week. … Read full story.
Nonfiction writers George Estreich and Erica Trabold will read from their works at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, in the Valley Library Rotunda. … Read full story.
Living near a protected area can improve aspects of human well-being across the developing world, new research published today in Science Advances suggests. … Read full story.
The human experience: Our passion in the College of Liberal Arts lies at the intersection of art and science, science and public policy, and humanities and technology. The work our students and faculty do impacts people directly, whether it's confronting food insecurity, understanding at-risk youth, helping our society become more empathetic, or giving a voice to others through art. When they graduate, our students have the skills it takes to create healthy communities in Oregon and beyond.
Earn an OSU degree while in Portland!


Everwood is a family owned business owned and managed by expert carpenter Lorenzo Delaurentis with over 20 years' experience in woodwork projects. Lorenzo prides himself in doing a quality job, guaranteeing excellent workmanship, at a price you can afford. Everwood's passion is to bring your wood back to life again by taking time to strip off old worn and weather damaged areas and retreat the wood for lasting beauty - adding value to your property.
Everwood only uses the best quality wood treatment products, ensuring your wood looks good for longer, even in the harshest conditions.
AT EVERWOOD, WE ENDEAVOUR TO PROVIDE OUR CLIENTS WITH A PLEASANT AND TRUST WORTHY SERVICE. WE OFFER QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP AND DO EVERYTHING WITH SKILL AND EXCELLENCE.


text:
import React from 'react';
import Immutable from 'immutable';
import { connect } from 'react-redux';
import classnames from 'classnames';

import Stories from './Stories';
import StoryAddForm from './StoryAddForm';

/**
 * The backlog contains a form to add new stories
 * and a list of stories.
 */
const Backlog = ({ stories, backlogShown, isVisitor }) => {

  const hasStories = stories && !!stories.size;

  const backlogClasses = classnames('backlog', {
    'backlog-active': backlogShown // if true, show menu also in small screens (menu toggle)
  });

  const contentComponent = hasStories
    ? <Stories />
    :
There are currently no stories in the estimation backlog...
;

  return (

      {
        !isVisitor &&
        <StoryAddForm />
      }

      {contentComponent}

  );
};

Backlog.propTypes = {
  stories: React.PropTypes.instanceOf(Immutable.Map),
  backlogShown: React.PropTypes.bool,
  isVisitor: React.PropTypes.bool
};

export default connect(
  state => ({
    stories: state.get('stories'),
    backlogShown: state.get('backlogShown'),
    isVisitor: state.getIn(['users', state.get('userId'), 'visitor'])
  })
)(Backlog);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: How do you create a .gz file using PHP? I would like to gzip compress a file on my server using PHP.  Does anyone have an example that would input a file and output a compressed file?

A: Simple one liner with gzencode():
gzencode(file_get_contents($file_name));

A: If you are looking to just unzip a file, this works and doesn't cause issues with memory:
$bytes = file_put_contents($destination, gzopen($gzip_path, r));

A: It's probably obvious to many, but if any of the program execution functions is enabled on your system (exec, system, shell_exec), you can use them to simply gzip the file.
exec("gzip ".$filename);

N.B.: Be sure to properly sanitize the $filename variable before using it, especially if it comes from user input (but not only). It may be used to run arbitrary commands, for example by containing something like my-file.txt && anothercommand (or my-file.txt; anothercommand).

A: Also, you could use php's wrappers, the compression ones. With a minimal change in the code you would be able to switch between gzip, bzip2 or zip.
$input = "test.txt";
$output = $input.".gz";

file_put_contents("compress.zlib://$output", file_get_contents($input));

change compress.zlib:// to compress.zip:// for zip compression (see comment to this answer about zip compression), or to compress.bzip2:// to bzip2 compression.

A: Here's an improved version. I got rid of all the nested if/else statements, resulting in lower cyclomatic complexity, there's better error handling through exceptions instead of keeping track of a boolean error state, some type hinting and I'm bailing out if the file has a gz extension already. It got a little longer in terms of lines of code, but it's much more readable.
/**
 * Compress a file using gzip
 *
 * Rewritten from Simon East's version here:
 * https://stackoverflow.com/a/22754032/3499843
 *
 * @param string $inFilename Input filename
 * @param int    $level      Compression level (default: 9)
 *
 * @throws Exception if the input or output file can not be opened
 *
 * @return string Output filename
 */
function gzcompressfile(string $inFilename, int $level = 9): string
{
    // Is the file gzipped already?
    $extension = pathinfo($inFilename, PATHINFO_EXTENSION);
    if ($extension == "gz") {
        return $inFilename;
    }

    // Open input file
    $inFile = fopen($inFilename, "rb");
    if ($inFile === false) {
        throw new \Exception("Unable to open input file: $inFilename");
    }

    // Open output file
    $gzFilename = $inFilename.".gz";
    $mode = "wb".$level;
    $gzFile = gzopen($gzFilename, $mode);
    if ($gzFile === false) {
        fclose($inFile);
        throw new \Exception("Unable to open output file: $gzFilename");
    }

    // Stream copy
    $length = 512 * 1024; // 512 kB
    while (!feof($inFile)) {
        gzwrite($gzFile, fread($inFile, $length));
    }

    // Close files
    fclose($inFile);
    gzclose($gzFile);

    // Return the new filename
    return $gzFilename;
}

A: This code does the trick
// Name of the file we're compressing
$file = "test.txt";

// Name of the gz file we're creating
$gzfile = "test.gz";

// Open the gz file (w9 is the highest compression)
$fp = gzopen ($gzfile, 'w9');

// Compress the file
gzwrite ($fp, file_get_contents($file));

// Close the gz file and we're done
gzclose($fp);

A: The other answers here load the entire file into memory during compression, which will cause 'out of memory' errors on large files.  The function below should be more reliable on large files as it reads and writes files in 512kb chunks.
/**
 * GZIPs a file on disk (appending .gz to the name)
 *
 * From http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6073397/how-do-you-create-a-gz-file-using-php
 * Based on function by Kioob at:
 * http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.gzwrite.php#34955
 *
 * @param string $source Path to file that should be compressed
 * @param integer $level GZIP compression level (default: 9)
 * @return string New filename (with .gz appended) if success, or false if operation fails
 */
function gzCompressFile($source, $level = 9){
    $dest = $source . '.gz';
    $mode = 'wb' . $level;
    $error = false;
    if ($fp_out = gzopen($dest, $mode)) {
        if ($fp_in = fopen($source,'rb')) {
            while (!feof($fp_in))
                gzwrite($fp_out, fread($fp_in, 1024 * 512));
            fclose($fp_in);
        } else {
            $error = true;
        }
        gzclose($fp_out);
    } else {
        $error = true;
    }
    if ($error)
        return false;
    else
        return $dest;
}

UPDATE: Gerben has posted an improved version of this function that is cleaner and uses exceptions instead of returning false on an error. See https://stackoverflow.com/a/56140427/195835

A: Compress folder for anyone needs
function gzCompressFile($source, $level = 9)
{
    $tarFile = $source . '.tar';

    if (is_dir($source)) {
        $tar = new PharData($tarFile);
        $files = scandir($source);
        foreach ($files as $file) {
            if (is_file($source . '/' . $file)) {
                $tar->addFile($source . '/' . $file, $file);
            }
        }
    }

    $dest = $tarFile . '.gz';
    $mode = 'wb' . $level;
    $error = false;
    if ($fp_out = gzopen($dest, $mode)) {
        if ($fp_in = fopen($tarFile, 'rb')) {
            while (!feof($fp_in))
                gzwrite($fp_out, fread($fp_in, 1024 * 512));
            fclose($fp_in);
        } else {
            $error = true;
        }
        gzclose($fp_out);
        unlink($tarFile);
    } else {
        $error = true;
    }
    if ($error)
        return false;
    else
        return $dest;
}

A: copy('file.txt', 'compress.zlib://' . 'file.txt.gz');
See documentation