text:
Russia's Social Awakening: A New Challenge for the EU
Barbara von Ow-Freytag
Social moods are shifting in Russia, opening up new, exciting opportunities for a reset by the EU in people-to-people contacts. Brussels must not miss this moment.
Underreported in the West, Russia is inching toward a new social awakening. Putin's famed social contract is collapsing, trust in the president recently reached a thirteen-year low, and nearly half the population sees the country as heading in the wrong direction. Trust in the official state media is also sinking, and a growing number of Russians say they feel a personal responsibility for progress in their country. Even anti-EU attitudes are slowly receding, with the share of Russians who hold a positive view of the EU now at the highest since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
This wave of discontent is providing a new role and momentum for Russia's civil society. Protests over social issues and civic activism are on the rise, as Russians increasingly mobilize on issues such as pensions, the environment, healthcare, and education. A fresh and tech-savvy activism is taking the lead, presenting new opportunities for European donors to support change and development in Russia.
The catalyst to this momentum has been the subtle but important change in attitudes of Russians over the past year.
A study last May showed an overwhelming 94 percent of Russians saying they no longer rely on the state for any help. Only 7 percent of those polled expressed support for a strong leader, and 80 percent prefer social justice over order—a significant shift since the 1990s. A follow-up survey conducted in October and November 2018 showed that a majority of Russians now clearly favors change over stability and the rule of law over social justice. Crucially, 63 percent also signaled a new appetite for "self-expression" and personal responsibility, such as contributing to charities, volunteering, or social movements.
As so often, it is within civil society that these shifts show themselves most clearly. After thirteen years of political pressure, legal persecution, defamation, and loss of foreign funding, Russian civil society is stronger than anyone could have anticipated. Civic groups have responded to repression with an impressive mix of resilience and innovation. Many initiatives successfully experiment with new ways of working and generating income sustainably. Today's activists also cooperate with designers, PR experts, IT specialists, and artists, or develop their own media and information platforms to reach new audiences. This new "fusion activism" is often attracting wider audiences than traditional NGOs could ever dream of.
Already, new formats are reaching new and younger segments of Russian society, helping to change social norms in the country. An interactive film challenging HIV stereotypes— an incredibly taboo topic in Russia—has reached more than 500,000 viewers last year. Team 29, a group of lawyers and journalists, reaches hundreds of thousands of people, including many young people; its innovative digital handbooks and online games offer advice on how to behave during civic protests and detentions. Media Zona, a news portal set up by members of the Pussy Riot group, reaches more than a million users every month with detailed reporting on court trials, prison conditions, and torture.
These new portals succeed where Russian authorities increasingly fail—in connecting with people. As state and society are becoming estranged, civic groups are gradually building new trust and legitimacy with local audiences. Sociologist Ekaterina Schulman already sees Russian society moving from atomization to greater solidarity and mutual trust. Although it's still early days, some trends confirm this. Last year, a wave of ecological protests united local communities and bridged cross sections of Russian society that normally rarely interact. In bigger cities, urban activism and housing protests have connected local groups with normally apolitical citizens.
More than anything, recent successes in public fundraising underline this new trend. Takie Dela, a foundation with a goal to develop a charity network in Russia, for example, attracted more than 520,000 online donations last year with its mix of in-depth reporting and direct support for some 150 charity projects across Russia. Last year, fundraising campaigns by the NGO Transparency International and the liberal-leaning New Times magazine showed that Russians are ready to donate beyond "soft" social issues. The New Times crowd funded its 22 million ruble fine ($329,000), aimed at shutting the outlet down, in just four days, showing that a new connective tissue is growing between ordinary Russians and independent groups.
For the EU, these developments are more than encouraging. As anti-Western—or, at least, anti-European—feeling in the population eases, and with two thirds of Russians ready to make their "personal contribution" to their country's development, a host of new options are on the table that the EU cannot afford to waste.
It is crucial that European decisionmakers seize the opportunity. True, today's activists in Russia rarely refer to fundamental freedoms, declarations, or international mechanisms. Instead, they focus on accessible, smart, and visual campaigns that humanize issues and speak to people in language that evokes empathy and understanding. But underneath they fight for the very values the EU stands for: equality, justice, freedom, transparency, and fairness.
The EU needs to acknowledge these new realities in Russian society, and fast.
After the withdrawal of most U.S. foundations from Russia, the EU and its member states are now leading donors in the country. EU funding has been hovering around €7 million annually. So far, no substantial increase is planned in the next funding cycle starting in 2021. Yet the shifting moods in Russian society are an opportunity to fulfil Europe's own guiding principles on relations with Russia, especially the pledge to support civil society and promote people-to-people contacts. This is about the EU adapting to today's Russia—and connecting to those who work for development and reform.
Many Russian activists are not just looking for direct support and funding. They want to plug into new networks and share their know-how and experience. They should be offered a range of instruments which are as innovative, dynamic, and stimulating as they can be. For example, formats should become small, flexible, and easy to access. EU programs and funding should also be opened to informal movements, groups experimenting with for-profit models, and new independent media platforms. By including young Russians in programs open to Eastern Partnership countries, the EU can help to reconnect people-to-people ties across the post-Soviet region.
Nurturing the "other Russia" is the best the EU can do as the crackdown on independent activism and freedom of speech continues. The internet remains the prime target of restrictive legislation, with the regime even looking for Chinese advice. But if and when change comes to Russia, civil society and the independent media will be indispensable for progress and reform.
Barbara von Ow-Freytag is an international relations and advocacy advisor at the Prague Civil Society Centre.
steven horowitz
Change will come a lot faster to Russia if and when the EU can envision a new, post-NATO expansion, security architecture for the European continent. It's the NATO Alliance which holds back a more flexible Western orientation by the Russian establishment. Better relations with Russia is in the interest of world peace. Trump has been condemned for precisely this view. But it is Paris, Berlin and London that have all misread the current political and economic situation. Such European misapprehension concerning it's own neighborhood, certainly makes more than a few in both America and the Middle East wonder about other false EU paradigms. That is -- of the grossly outdated two-state solution for only half the territory of the original Palestinian Mandate, the deeply flawed JCPOA and the misnomer of Iranian moderation. Europe needs to get its geopolitical security house in order before projecting its own confusion onto the greater Middle East. This is especially true with regard to the territorial security of the State of Israel. In the final analysis, it's time to bring Russia in from out of the long-standing European divide. It's time to make Europe whole and finally at peace. It's also time for some new, out-of-the-box thinking on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the future of a Middle East almost certain to go nuclear. The very future of the world could be at stake.
06/22/1941, eight million Europeans faced each other on the decisive WWII Eastern Front. On an 1,800 miles front, the Wehrmacht and its allies (3.8 million) attacked with 600,000 vehicles and 700,000 horses. 1945 will find CoE countries with inconceivable destruction, uncounted destinies destroyed. Couple of years later, SIOP-62 described in detail how, within days the destruction of years of war would be dwarfed by multiple thermonuclear strikes (with the Soviet retaliation matching it). It is 2019 and the civil society in the CoE space should discuss how to avoid this, once and for all. "Russians increasingly mobilize on issues such as pensions, the environment, healthcare, and education", peace, and so do the Paris yellow vests (today one of the most violent protest, even after Notre-Dame), general human desires; AOC, AMLO's are not any different; NI, Scotland, London Remainers hope for the same. Then the difficult part, the other side: Farage's new Brexit party supporters, Italy's and so on hope for the same. Across the EU (and Switzerland), the people on this side of the debate are now targeted by Bannon's Movimento. How this will work if the EU is destroyed, Bannon's ideas make no sense; but never discount Bannon, he got applauses on crypto-currencies in Switzerland, which shows that the most distinguished audience doesn't really understand what they are applauding. People to people contacts, how will this work when CNN is asking almost every hour for retaliation, especially after Muller's report release? What would the average Russian think about the moral equivalency concept, widely used by Zakaria and people calling each other bright, as opposed to non-college educated average Trump voter? Muller has proved interference, Freudian called by CNN meddling, what do they think about it? The sooner the Internet is segregated, the better, especially Russia and China; the world is not ready to have a global square. Imagine that Cernobil would happen today, and a virus would be found on a SCADA system; although it was an engineering mistake, CNN would immediately ask for retaliation, a cyber-Gleiwitz, with the expected nuclear escalation within hours. But before that, on 11/11/11/2018, the world should have stopped and listened on the Internet to passages from Eric Maria Remarque books. The inattentive Nobel commission has rewarded Muller with a literature prize, and Obama with a peace one. Remarque deserved both, many times over, prince of peace like no other.
piero caridis
The contents of the article are enlightening and very interesting . To me it would appear most important that western European NGOs and activists act in unison with their Russian counterparts so that common targets and strategies are defined. Supranational institutions such as the EU perceive matters from a different standpoint that is not necessarily aligned with that of ordinary citizens. Nonetheless, it would help if there was a common perception at different levels. The EU needs to emancipate itself of the Atlantic east-west perception and to move forward with the times. The citizens of the European continent have no interest or desire to be involved in conflict, be it military, political or economic. Let governments and institutions know that.
Jill Fougherty
April 23, 201910:26 am
Excellent article and very important reading. Russians are building their own democracy, their own way, from the bottom up.
As long as Nato and EU exist and continue to prop up any far right Russophobic regime they find on the map in their attempts to justify themselves and their anti-Russian crusade they will continue to serve as the main deterrents to progress for the entire planet.
choderlos
May 07, 20198:30 am
It would be great if 'the other Europe' was at the level of 'The other Russia'. Concerning the INYT, which I read everyday, it has suffered from a massive decline since 2016, in particular concerning Russia and the 'collusion' fantasies. It has echoed without any scepticism the claims of the US intelligence agencies (Brennan,Clapper,etc...).This is not journalism.


Is your blog an official communication channel for the LDS Boise Institute?
This is a personal blog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the church, the Boise Institute, or my employer. However, I am currently an active member of the Boise Institute's Communication Committee, which is why I try to promote the Boise Institute as much as possible.
Why do you go by the pen name of Malcolm Ravenclaw?
My supervisor at work jokingly refers to me as a "wizard" when he describes the work I do in strategic communication and marketing. In the Harry Potter universe, wizards are sorted into four different houses that reflect their personality, aptitudes, and skill sets. The Ravenclaw House prizes wit, intellect, wisdom, and learning.
and was decisively placed into Ravenclaw. Given my background and personality, it's an ideal fit. The pen name also matches the writing style of the blog, which is intended to be insightful and witty.
I also use the pen name of Malcolm Ravenclaw for practical reasons. I have a common last name, so I use a pen name to make it easier for people to find my blog. Having a distinct name like Malcolm Ravenclaw helps a lot with search engine optimization (if you search for "Malcolm Ravenclaw" on Google, I'm on the very first page).
If you happen to be a temple worthy, lovely Mormon girl, my response is that I just haven't met you yet!
How will this blog provide unique value?
There are few blogs that provide a personal look at the lifestyle of a Mormon single adult or blogs that provide support to fellow singles. This blog is intended to meet a need not being adequately met in the Mormon blogging community. It's difficult to be single in the Mormon Church and the blog seeks to provide inspiration, hope, and encouragement to other single adults who are trying to live their lives in harmony with teachings of the gospel.
The mission statement of this blog is to strengthen single adults by helping them become emotionally, spiritually, and socially self-reliant. This will be accomplished through writing about life lessons learned and sharing personal examples of how gospel principles can be successfully applied to a single adult lifestyle. I have a strong testimony of the blessings that come through a gospel-centered life. Through blogging, I hope to empower single adults by giving them the knowledge they need to make the best possible life decisions.
What type of content should we expect from this blog?
1. Personal experiences that help showcase how active Mormon single adults live their lives. Mormon single adults are passionate about living life to the fullest and by sharing my life experiences, I want to show how it's possible to have a happy, fun life while still remaining in the bounds the Lord has set.
2. Spiritual experiences and knowledge gained. For example, future posts will be summaries of church firesides, institute classes, and other personal spiritual experiences that are valuable to share with single adults.
3. Best practices on being spiritually, emotionally, and socially self-reliant and life lessons learned from being a single adult. For example, future blog posts will address common single adult challenges such as dating, overcoming emotional burdens, and strengthening our relationship with Heavenly Father.
How can I support your mission to strengthen other single adults?
1) Subscribe to my blog through the link on my blog sidebar.
2) If this blog has helped you or you feel it would provide value to single adults, please share it with your personal network!
3) I'm interested in hearing about the experiences of single adults across the world and learning what topics for future articles would be most helpful to them. Please contact me to share your experiences as a single adult and suggest topics for future blog posts.


Storage in motor scooters is a familiar problem that preoccupies all scooter drivers.
Today's scooters do not take into account the riders needs and have limited storage place.
storage space up front for the rider's helmet.


Central authorities at national and regional level play a major role in the workings of the economy. The nature and amount of intervention differs from country to country. However, it is recognised that even in a free market economy, some regulation and control are needed and controlled in the interests of efficiency, equity and growth.
The role of the 'state' in shipping and ports effectively concentrates on two main themes. Firstly the promotion of the shipping sector to create employment, and maintain a competitive market environment. Secondly, the protection of what can be termed 'public' goods which the markets tend to ignore. These public goods include maintenance of safety in shipping and ports, security for people and goods within the industry; and protection of the environment from the harmful effects of all types of pollution.
The objective of European e-Maritime initiative is to promote "coherent, transparent, efficient and simplified solutions in support of cooperation, interoperability and consistency between member States, sectors, business and systems involved in the European Transport System". The e-maritime initiatives are therefore mostly concerned with increasing efficiency in that they are improving knowledge, ensuring adequate standards, and dealing with externalities.
The European Commission has already introduced a number of policy measures and initiatives which facilitate a move towards an e-Maritime Policy. Some of these initiatives are concerned with creating an environment which is conducive to e-Maritime systems, namely a common approach to policy and decision making and the reduction of barriers. Other direct policy is already exploring electronic systems, specifically in navigation and vessel tracking, the collection of maritime data, and customs documentation. Standardisation is often seen as a prerequisite for the development of regional policy and in particular when discussing e systems. However, e-Maritime is to a large degree about process improvements and standards alone would not be sufficient to make the necessary changes. It is suggested that although legislation and directives may help achieve the goals, active user buy-in should be a principal aim.


text:
Q: ObjectListView add images to items/objects I'm using the ObjectListViewand am trying to add images to my items. I got it to work by looping through all the items and then manually editing the image index per item. I would like to know if this is possible when adding the items. This is the code I have at the moment:
Adding the items
for (int i = 0; i < listName.Count; i++)
{
    games newObject = new games(listName[i], "?");
    lstvwGames.AddObject(newObject);
}

Adding the images
foreach (string icon in listIcon)
{
    imglstGames.Images.Add(LoadImage(icon)); // Download, then convert to bitmap
}
for (int i = 0; i < lstvwGames.Items.Count; i++)
{
    ListViewItem item = lstvwGames.Items[i];
    item.ImageIndex = i;
}

A: It is not entirely clear to me what exactly you try to achieve, but there are several ways to "assign" an image to a row. Note that you probably have to set
myOlv.OwnerDraw = true;

which can also be set from the designer.
If you have a specific image for each of your model objects, its probably best to assign that image directly to your object and make it accessible through a property (myObject.Image for example). Then you can use the ImageAspectName property of any row to specify that property name and the OLV should fetch the image from there.
myColumn.ImageAspectName = "Image";

Another way to do it is using the ImageGetter of a row. This is more efficient if several of your objects use the same image, because you can fetch the image from anywhere you want or even use the assigned ImageList from the OLV by just returning an index.
indexColumn.ImageGetter += delegate(object rowObject) {
    // this would essentially be the same as using the ImageAspectName
    return ((Item)rowObject).Image;
};

As pointed out, the ImageGetter can also return an index with respect to the ObjectListView's assigned ImageList:
indexColumn.ImageGetter += delegate(object rowObject) {
    int imageListIndex = 0;

    // some logic here
    // decide which image to use based on rowObject properties or any other criteria

    return imageListIndex;
};

This would be the way to reuse images for multiple objects.

A: Both your approach and the one I show below will have problems if the list is ever sorted as sorting will change the order of the objects in the list. But really all you have to do is keep track of your object count in your foreach loop.
int Count = 0;
foreach (string icon in listIcon)
{
    var LoadedImage = LoadImage(icon);
    LoadedImage.ImageIndex = Count;
    imglstGames.Images.Add(LoadedImage); // Download, then convert to bitmap
    Count++;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Nowhere is objectivity in modern science so clearly challenged as in the case of the wildly eccentric moon of Saturn, the one named after the Greek Titan, Iapetus. It is one thing to have the kind of variations in geologic characteristics as are exhibited by the Galilean satellites of Jupiter; it is quite another to have a sufficient number of totally unique features so as to require some extraordinary and highly creative explanations. In terms of anomalies Iapetus is loaded!
What pray tell is this? It is not something you get due to light impinging on only one portion of the surface or shadow effects. This is something quite different. Yin/Yang satellites are simply not a common feature of moons in our solar system.
When Iapetus was discovered in the 17th century by Giovanni Domenico Cassini (1671 to be exact), he observed with his small refractor telescope the fact that the faint moon was apparently disappearing for a good portion of its 79-day orbit. The satellite would be visible during one elongation (i.e. when it was furtherest from its host planet, Saturn, as viewed from Earth), but then become progressively dimmer as it passed behind the planet. Eventually it would completely disappear as it approached its elongation on the other side of the planet (and was no longer shielded by the planet or its brilliance). As it continued on around and passed in front of Saturn, Iapetus would begin to reappear first as an extremely faint object, and then steadily increase until it again reached its original brightness in its original elongation. This process was repeated every 79 days.
Cassini assumed – correctly as it turns out -- that the extreme variations in the brightness of Iapetus had to be due to the fact that one hemisphere of the moon was vastly brighter than the other half – and that furthermore, the moon was synchronously rotating about Saturn with one hemisphere continuously facing Saturn – just as the Earth's moon always has the same hemisphere facing the Earth. The only distinction was that Iapetus had a 79-day orbit about Saturn, while the Earth's moon had a roughly 28-day rotation.
This unique quality of Iapetus had been known for almost 300 years when Arthur C. Clarke used Iapetus as a major plot element in his novel, 2001, A Space Odyssey. [The novel, by the way, differs from the movie in that the Discovery spacecraft went to Saturn in the novel -- even while using Jupiter's gravity to slingshot Discovery with increased speed toward Saturn. In the film, Discovery only made it as far as Jupiter – apparently because of time and budgetary constraints.] In the novel, Clarke not only took advantage of Iapetus' unique surface characteristics – and Saturn's spectacular rings – but even went so far as to prophesize a huge crater-like ring with a dark object in its center.
"Iapetus is a two-toned moon. The leading hemisphere is as dark as a freshly tarred street, and the white, trailing hemisphere resembles freshly fallen snow.
Hoagland has also noted "a large (~150 mile diameter), dark, ring-shaped feature… on the side of the moon facing Saturn. In the center of the ring -- almost exactly as Arthur C. Clarke had described it before anyone could have seen it -- was an 'elliptical white region'… with a black center!"  It's the sort of thing that can really get your attention, particularly after being attracted to the most astounding planet (in appearance) in the solar system, aka Saturn with its incredible rings.
What is not obvious is why Iapetus has a dark side? What mechanisms, natural or otherwise, are responsible for a satellite with such a distinctive feature? Better yet, why would this occur in only a single moon of the solar system? These questions are the reason for delving into Iapetus' mysteries… but it will take a bit more detail to map out all of the incredible possibilities.
Iapetus, with a diameter of slightly more than 900 miles, has an orbit tilted at 15 degrees to these other orbits and lies more than 2 million miles away. The latter distance is very nearly 60 Saturn radii – which is a mystery in and of itself. For the moment, however, we must address the mechanism that yields a satellite in an inclined, and yet very nearly circular orbit.
The official "party line" of the creation of planets and their satellites is the "nebular model" wherein the swirling ingredients of a solar and/or planetary system slowly condense from an original cloud of interstellar gas and dust. In general, this means that frictional forces and mutual gravitational attractions tend to "warp" the orbits of the forming planets and/or moons into the general plane of all of the forming objects. High inclination orbits are not readily obtainable from this picture.
In the case of Saturn's third largest moon, Iapetus' high inclination cannot be easily explained by the nebular model. Instead, one must resort to such ad-hoc solutions as catastrophic collisions and/or interactions with other proto-moons or errant objects. And while this might explain the anomaly, the proposed alternative is viable primarily because of a lack of a better explanation. Of course, if Iapetus was an artificial satellite, finding it in such an odd orbit – as compared to other similarly sized moons of Saturn – solves the problem rather neatly. But for the moment, the collision/interaction theory is the best we can obtain from mainstream science... despite its inherent problems.
Equally "coincidental" is the shape of Iapetus' inclined orbit, and its curiously precise distance from Saturn. On the one hand, Iapetus' orbit is very nearly a perfect circle, the orbit having an eccentricity of only 0.0283 – i.e. its orbit departs from a perfect circle by slightly less than 3%. Earth's Moon, by comparison has an eccentricity of 0.0549, or almost twice that of Iapetus.
On a planetary scale, Pluto – recently demoted to the status of "dwarf planet" – and Mercury also have high inclinations (>17 degrees and ~7 degrees, respectively) with respect to the other planets whose inclinations are far smaller. But Pluto and Mercury also have highly eccentric orbits (~0.246 and 0.206, respectively, as compared to 0.007 to .093 for the rest of the planets).
For Iapetus, the combination of a low eccentricity and a high inclination is unlikely to have resulted from the "random chance" of collisional events. Added to this is the fact that Iapetus' mean distance from Saturn equals 59.091 times Saturn radius.
The tendency of satellites and planets to follow geometrical rules in finding their orbits has been well established by John Martineau in his Book of Coincidence. In this regard, 59.091 is sufficiently close to 60, that one might conclude that the latter distance was the original distance, and that Saturnian/Solar tides and other forces over long periods of time resulted in the difference. This would also explain why the planets depart slightly from the relatively precise mathematical relationships between their orbits. It might also explain why the Moon's mean distance from the Earth (238,840 miles) is 60.313 times the Earth's mean radius of 3,960 miles.
What is significant about 60 as a multiplier? On the one hand, 60 is a tetrahedral number that suddenly appeared in the Sumerian civilization roughly 60 centuries ago. It thus correlates with the hyperdimensional physics which postulates that a tetrahedron within a sphere would have common points at 19.5 degrees of latitude of the sphere – which in turn leads to the location of Neptune's blue spot, Jupiter's red spot, Mars' Olympus Mons volcano, and Earth's Hawaiian volcano – as well as Earth's Teotihuacan ruins.
It is highly noteworthy that the sizes of both Saturn and Iapetus, Iapetus' distance from Saturn, it's eccentricity, and orbital inclination are all, allegedly, independent variables. In other words, there is no a priori reason for them to be related, or mandated by any current theory of satellite formation. If on the other hand, the "coincidental" interrelatedness is not simply random… Then other theories must be formulated.
Then there's the shape of Iapetus! It's not like Iapetus is "out of shape", but rather that it departs significantly from the expected spherical shape.
For planets and moons of a certain size and density, mainstream science expects gravity to work its magic and thereby create a nearly spherical shape. This shape is subject to centrifugal forces – which in turn depend upon the rotational speed of the moon or planet and which can cause a slight flattening of the poles. For example, the Earth is slightly oblate because of its rotation every 24 hours. Iapetus, however, rotates at a very leisurely 79 days, making the effect of centrifugal forces in flattening the poles practically nonexistent. Iapetus should be by most standards pretty much a sphere – not unlike Ganymede, Europa, Titan, Io, and all the other more traditional satellites.
A first impression of Iapetus is that it has been slightly squashed, on the order of 50 miles – i.e. the poles are about 50 miles closer to the center of the moon than they would be had Iapetus been a perfect sphere. This squashing can be compared to Iapetus' diameter of roughly 900 miles (leaving a squashing percentage of about 5%). This in turn can be compared to Earth's relatively high rotational speed and a squashing percentage of 0.34% (i.e. 27 miles out of 7927).
These measurements in miles become: 464.25 x 465.4 x 442.8 with a mean radius of 457. What is incredible is that in the images returned by the Cassini space probe from a distance of ~77,000 miles, one can actually see with the naked eye a series of straight lined horizons.
From a cross sectional viewpoint, one can see that within the range of measurement error, each of the flat horizon segments form with the two radii an equilateral triangle – with three perfect angles of 60 degrees. (There's that 60 again!) If further measurements keep up this trend – and it would be actually surprising if they did not – then the cross sectional view of Iapetus becomes a rather precise six-sided figure, a hexagon!
Of course, the Nature bucket was not 25,000 kilometres across or large enough to fit four Earths inside it – nor does the pole region of Saturn constitute a cylindrical bucket. But hey, the physical principals are still the same, right? Well, maybe. Extrapolations from the micro to the macro (and vice versa) do have a tendency to create wholly different results. One example is metals such as gold where the process of creating smaller and smaller clusters of elements result in the extraordinary results of Microclusters, where characteristics such a conductivity slowly fade away. Accordingly, extrapolating from the Nature bucket to the pole region of Saturn can be risky at best.
It may be true that Saturn's giant polar hexagon is a perfectly natural phenomenon. It may also be true that something else highly significant is happening. Meanwhile, Nature's next mission (should they choose to accept it – and later disavow any knowledge of it… hopefully before their much used tape self-destructs) will be to spin a sphere and through some natural process create a hexagonal shape from the sphere – and thereby duplicate just a bit closer the observed features of Saturn and/or Iapetus!
In the process of course, one will have to consider the mass, density, and homogeneity (or lack of the latter). There is, for example, absolutely no justification (other than to simplify the mathematics or conceptual view) in assuming that the mass of Iapetus is distributed uniformly. In fact, the far greater probability is that the moon is decidedly non-uniform (just as the Galilean satellites show notable variations in structure).
It might be pointed out at this juncture that the Earth's moon has an average density of 3.34 (i.e. 3.34 times the density of water). This suggests a rocky object, but despite the tensile strength of rocks, the moon's own gravity has crushed it down to an almost perfect sphere (as seen from Earth) measuring some 2,160 miles across.
By contrast, Voyager measured Iapetus' density to be about 1.21 – only slightly denser than water. Given the likelihood of some rocks in the mix during Iapetus' formation, this would suggest a primarily water body – and with relatively little tensile strength to resist the gravity of Iapetus to create a spherical body. Water is, in fact, a common ingredient in selected versions of Saturn and Jupiter's moons – from Europa and Mimas to Enseladus, Tethys and Rhea (the latter four moons that of Saturn).
Rhea, for example, is roughly the same size as Iapetus (Rhea's diameter of 1,528 km as compared to Iapetus' diameter of 1,436 km), with a mean density of 1.23 (comparable to Iapetus' 1.21). Rhea is notably closer to Saturn than Iapetus, but Rhea nevertheless shows no deformities in its spherical surface of any significance. It is conjectured that "Rhea has almost homogeneous interior (with some compression of ice in the center)…" Furthermore, "The triaxial shape of Rhea is also consistent with a homogeneous body in hydrostatic equilibrium."  Rhea is, in fact, pretty much what one might expect of a moon of Saturn.
Rhea also has a synchronous orbit about Saturn, making the round trip every 4.5 days or so. Meanwhile, Iapetus, located almost 7 times further from Saturn than Rhea, has a 79-day rotation, such that any centrifugal force on Iapetus would be relatively insignificant in terms of deforming the body. And if it didn't occur on Rhea… why is Iapetus' shape approximate a hexagonal geometry? Better yet, how does a liquid center result in a rocky crust with six flat horizons!
One possibility, of course, is that the assumption of consistency in the make up of the moon is wrong. One could, for example, incur the same density with the use of high density materials with substantial tensile strength on the outer portions of the moon, while the interior was composed of notably less dense materials – even low density liquids or even gases. The latter of course raises the specter that Iapetus may have significant voids or hollow spaces within its interior.
Okay. Now it's getting a bit scary… and we haven't even mentioned "The Ridge" yet.
Okay, now we've mentioned it.
For practical reasons, you really need to see it. Wikipedia's version is one of the better images – especially for an enlargement. Accordingly, one should visit Wikipedia's Iapetus. Just hurry back, for all the information that Wikipedia won't be providing.
"There is no viable geological model to explain a sixty thousand-foot-high, sixty thousand-foot-wide, four million-foot-long "wall"… spanning an entire planetary [or lunar] hemisphere… let alone, located in the precise plane of its equator! Scaled according to the surface gravity of Iapetus – which is only 1/40th the strength of the surface gravity of Earth! – a similar skyscraper [as the Dubai tower scheduled for completion in 2008] on the 900-mile-wide moon of Saturn could reach up 15 miles. A "wall-like" structure -- as wide as it is tall – because of strong lateral support, could reach far higher in such a weak gravity field.
"The remains of a deep, massive "equatorial reinforcing ring" -- which was used to literally join the two hemispheres of this "artificial moon" together!
But before we make that leap, perhaps we should take note of… you guessed it… a few more anomalies.
This surface feature, however, is interrupted in a rather dramatic fashion by two "ring-shaped features" – that could in fact be craters. These ring craters, however, are located at the two ends of the dark material that covers two-thirds of Iapetus, and where the dark material forms a relatively precise ellipse.
"In traditional planetology, these circular 'impact basins' are attributed to explosive asteroid or cometary collisions (sometimes the resulting excavation later partially refilling with upwelling internal lava, producing 'ring basins' around the central impact uplift). Such features have been photographed over the years on a variety of solar system objects, and come in a variety of sizes -- all attributed to these celestial objects – even ones only a few miles across -- striking at hypersonic velocities, releasing their devastating kinetic energy on impact.
"…the odds of two similar-sized objects randomly striking such a satellite twice, on the equator, and precisely 120 degrees apart -- thus producing two 'coincidental' matching 'ring basins' -- are infinitesimal.
"These extraordinary odds are compounded, of course, by the fact that the mysterious 'dark ellipse' across the leading hemisphere stretches 240 degrees the other way around the 'planet' -- which is, of course, two 'tetrahedral angles'… The ellipse now begins and ends neatly at the two 'rings'– indicating that they are somehow 'involved' with its creation.
One standard technique for studying a satellite is to use radar, even on moons which are mostly water ice. The apparent ice on Iapetus, however, is significantly less reflective than the other Saturn ice satellites, and furthermore, the radar sees Iapetus as a uniform blip – implying no difference between the light and dark sides.
Hoagland  has suggested a correlation between Iapetus' radar characteristics and the technology behind "stealth" aircraft. The latter's ability to hide from radar is based on two properties: the aircraft's coating and its geometry. One could, for example, use coatings such as ammonia/ice combinations to absorb the shorter wavelength radar signals. If this is then combined with a geometry that does not directly reflect the radar beam, then stealth becomes very real. This is why the modern F-117 aircraft looks more like a collection of flying pyramids, instead of an apparently more aerodynamic shape.
The reasoning for Iapetus' "anomalously low radar reflectivity" can then be traced to the possibility of its surface coating and surface geometry. It is not a great leap from there to the speculation that the low radar reflectivity is intentional, i.e. that there was some form of intelligent design at work for the purpose of "hiding" or "highlighting" Iapetus.
Importantly, it should be noted that the idea of a "stealth satellite" such as Iapetus does not make much sense for the simple reason that the satellite can be seen in the visible spectrum easily enough. If this fact is then combined with a low radar reflectivity, Iapetus-- instead of becoming less noteworthy to the passing intelligence -- suddenly becomes highly intriguing. Instead of hiding as a natural moon or object, which is what any cautious spacefarer might do, this "moon" suddenly becomes an object worthy of more study simply because of the low radar reflectivity. This constitutes the antithesis of stealth, and more like a billboard for attracting attention.
There is a very strong tendency for mainstream astronomy -- and its associated politics -- to rely on the number of craters and other evidence of celestial collisions as a means of estimating the relative age of different planets and/or moons. In fact, the current crop of "surface ages" in the solar system is ultimately dependent upon a benchmark provided by the Earth's Moon. There is of course no justification for assuming the age of the Moon is correlated with anything else in the solar system – while solar system wide events might have occurred, there would also likely be isolated incidents as well. Furthermore, a quick comparison between the near and far side of Earth's Moon would lead to the ludicrous conclusion that the two sides of the Moon are of enormously different ages!
Part of the reason for such an assumption is the removal from the public's mind that if celestial bombardment happened billions of years ago, then there is no concern that other episodes might happen next year, or this coming Tuesday. The collision of the Comet Shoemaker-Levy with Jupiter makes it clear that celestial "events" do occur in modern times – despite earlier estimates of the almost infintestimal possibility of such an event occurring. More recently, there has been a strong surge of interest in "Near-Earth Objects". Clearly, the motivating concern of the latter surge is that an object just might drop by totally unannounced -- and parenthetically, eliminating life as we know it. The fact that the concern might be justified more on the basis of finding a way in which to increase research funding rather than for the creation of an early warning system to save billions of human lives... does not eliminate the fact that modern day celestial events can occur.
The circumstance of the Sun Standing Still is one case in point. There is also the very intriguing possibility that Earth's Moon is a relatively recent addition – even to the extent that ancient legends speak of a time before the Moon took up residence roughly 250,000 miles from the Earth. The fact of the matter is that estimates of age based on some very weak assumptions are likely to be virtually indeterminate.
In the case of Iapetus, the extensive "shoulder-to-shoulder" cratering does not necessarily imply that the satellite's surface is extremely old or dating back billions of years. In fact, one would on a rational or logical basis have to assume that the apparent differences between satellites of Saturn or the entire solar system are due less to their relative ages, than due to the differences in their histories. The problem, of course, is that the differences in histories allows for much more intriguing -- and scary -- possibilities.
One of these possibilities is that the traditional nebula model of the solar system may be catastrophically wrong [pardon the pun], and that the history of the solar system may instead be enormously more interesting. There may have been, for example, cycles of periodic, catastrophic destruction and creation of new worlds. It is entirely possible, if not entirely reasonable, to assume that there have been numerous entrances and exits from the solar system stage.
The possibility of a former planet located between the planets Mars and Jupiter in the asteroid belt is one case of a possible exit. For entrances, there is the mythology of Uranus being usurped by Saturn, and later Saturn being usurped by Jupiter. Does this imply that Saturn and Jupiter were relative latecomers (Jupiter being clearly the later arrival), but whose arrivals created more than just a minor stir? There is, of course, the myths of Venus being born out of the side of Jupiter. Do these myths and other factors explain in part such anamolies as Uranus' poles being inclined at a huge angle of 98 degrees from the plane of the solar system?
Tom Van Flandern, an expert in solar system celestial mechanics, has provided compelling evidence to support the theory of a solar system undergoing a history of the periodic, catastrophic destruction of whole worlds and the creation of vast clouds of orbiting debris, the latter that ultimately wind up hitting all the other planets (and their moons).  Clearly such a model implies that the surface cratering of Iapetus cannot be used reliably to calculate its age.
A whole slew of questions about Iapetus are obviously begging to be answered. The good news is that come the fall of 2007, much of what we now know or can speculate about Iapetus may be confirmed, repudiated, or partially supported. For that is when Cassini will be making an up close and personal flyby of Iapetus – and where, hopefully, the space probe (with NASA's kind indulgence) will be providing hundreds of new images.
On the other hand, science is all about predictions, followed by observations to see if the predictions pan out. Accordingly, this is where things really get interesting – and into such realms where NASA, Wikipedia, and other mainstream publications might be very, very hesitant to tread… at least for purposes of public consumption. In other words, it's Speculation Time!
Occam's Razor says that "All things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one." If that's the case, the far more obvious and simpler explanation for the anomalies discussed thus far is that Iapetus is not simply a naturally occurring object or moon of Saturn, but instead is either an artificial satellite or a natural satellite which has undergone extensive artificial modifications.
The equatorial ridge itself, which could be related to the structural characteristics of the surface, or to a mechanism that might provide propulsion for the satellite.
Obviously, we're talking about extraterrestrials and/or intervention by an intelligence in the natural process of the solar system's evolution. And while angels might be construed as being extraterrestrials (by definition), there has not been a lot of evidence presented where the angels of various religions have been heavily involved in major construction projects on and off world. Accordingly, we may be talking about interventions that carry with them one or more extraterrestrial agendas.
Richard Hoagland has provided an enormously entertaining treatment on this very subject at his Enterprise Mission website, under the guise of Moon With a View.  While Hoagland's website is highly recommended for the intrepid truthseeker, the reader should be warned that as of the date of this essay, there were six, long parts to the treatment. Thus the reader should expect to spend a couple of hours reading and marveling – not to mention checking references for the more skeptical crowd. There are, of course, some marvelous graphics.
For our purposes, if we assume that Iapetus is either partially or wholly artificial – and constructed/modified by beings other than humans (i.e. extraterrestrials) – then it follows that we must inquire about the nature of the satellite. I.e., what's it for? There are several possibilities.
One speculation is that in the midst of all the planetary destruction allued to in the Van Flandern theory (see above) – not to mention Douglas Adam's assumption of it being routine to destroy a planet to make way for an interstellar expressway – is that a civilization residing on a planet scheduled for demolition might, if they had the resources, decide to go elsewhere, a new locale hopefully less blessed by exciting times. The key would be a world sized (depending upon time and resources) ark, one capable of transporting all or a significant portion of that civilizations' citizenry and resources.
One notable argument against the ark scenario is that once the ark arrived in Saturnian space, what would it do next? Why not settle on something a bit more stable? The fact that Titan has an atmosphere might suggest that some terraforming might have been in the offering has some appeal. But what about Earth? Wouldn't a group of pioneers have found the third planet from the sun appealing? Assuming, of course, that Earth existed in roughly its present state at the time of the ark!
Hoagland  at first makes a case for the ark possibility – as well as for the idea that Iapetus might have been a warship – but then because of numerous apparent contradictions for either of these two scenarios, decides against them. For our purposes, the ark and/or warship scenario seems the least likely possibility.
Any race with the technology and motivation to explore the universe – or even just the solar system or local galactic neighborhood – would almost certainly not do so in an obviously artificial spacecraft. The incredibly sleek ships of science fiction fame just don't make sense when one is going into uncharted environs where the locals might be just a bit more defensive than one might hope for. Furthermore, when you're going for a long-haul exploration, you really need to take a lot of things with you. This includes a large number of individual beings in addtion to a whole slew of kitchen sinks. What is not recommended is a small craft with a half dozen members, who will probably find all manner of reasons to learn to hate one another, and where the death of one would be devastating to the mission.
The difficulty with the exploration theme is what happened to the pioneers? Did they run into hostilities, have the bad luck of an interstellar collision, or just drive one another bonkers? Why would they leave their home away from home out in the environs of Saturn? Did they simply forget where they had parked it? Probably not. And therefore the best reason to dismiss the exploration scenario is that Iapetus is still here.
In fact, the best argument against the ark, warship, and/or exploratory vehicle scenarios is that the end result of either scenario would have to be one of catastrophic failure in order to qualify as a possibility.
Of all the possible scenarios of the artificial construct or modification of Iapetus, the one striking feature of this satellite is the number of… well… striking features. Begin with an extraordinary planet, Saturn with its spectacular rings and which is clearly the most prominent object in the solar system. Follow that with a satellite that blinks on and off in its orbit, has a distinctive coloration like nothing else seen, has anomalous radar reflectivity as well, has surface features for those able to obtain relatively close images, combines a high inclination and circular orbit, and so forth and so on. All of these distinctive elements serve a common goal that of motivating any intelligence worthy of the name to look much, much closer at Iapetus.
Whether this flashing sign is intended for the inhabitants of the local solar system or for travelers entering from interstellar space, Iapetus is the most distinctive neon sign one is likely to encounter. Even if its artificiality is limited to being nothing more than an alien signpost to get one to drop by and look for clues for the next part of the scavenger hunt, it does serve that purpose spectacularly.
Arthur C. Clarke, the great science fiction writer who was above all a scientist (albeit with a creative imagination), clearly recognized the potential for Iapetus. In the case of 2001, A Space Odyssey (a fictional novel in case one is tempted to forget), this signpost was more of a subway entrance sign. The latter, of course, is by far the most speculative suggestion (i.e. the scenario with the least amount of evidence to support it). However, in the process of taking a much closer view, it is clearly the most exciting possibility.
In short order, one can note that Iapetus is the only satellite with a spectacular location for purposes of viewing both the ringed planet and all of Saturn's other moons. Better yet, it keeps this perspective for its entire orbit – with the only significant variation being that the rings are seen on edge twice in the 79 day orbit (but which just makes the view all the more intriguing).
As Hoagland notes, Iapetus can be seen as "an artificially-modified, carefully crafter 'designer world… to serve as another highly specialized purpose: as a vast, orbiting 'hotel'."  While its rates are undoubtedly astronomical [pardon the pun], the fact remains that its ability to inspire and motivate would be very substantial. It's really the place to be for the jet set (in fact there's no other way, currently, to get there). It also allows for the classic jest, "the place has great food, but absolutely no atmosphere".
The curious but ironic twist is that Iapetus is named after a Titan – the son of Uranus and the father of Prometheus and Atlas (the latter two who are often claimed to be the "fathers of mankind." In this sense, Iapetus was an ancestor… a progenitor… of Homo sapiens sapiens. In this sense, of course, it is not necessary to begat the next generation in the traditional manner, but only to provide the seed.
Iapetus may have been a seen ship, sent from elsewhere and upon arrival in the local area allowed to disseminate its cargo far and wide. Earth managed to get into the flight path of the seeds, and served as a wonderful place to initiate new forms of life.
"It is now known that for most of the history of Earth, the most sophisticated form of life was simple algae – 'pond scum.' From about four and a half billion years ago up until about six hundred million years before the Present, a relatively narrow range of algae were the most advanced organisms living anywhere on the planet.
"Then, at the boundary between the last two great geological epochs -- known as the great 'Pre-Cambrian/ Cambrian transition' -- there was a veritable 'explosion' of much more complex life, which formed the pattern for the development of all the future 'kingdoms,' 'phyla,' 'genera,' 'families' and 'species' that we now recognize on Earth. This so-called 'Cambrian Explosion' is without doubt the single biggest mystery of life on Earth -- Save, of course, for the even more mysterious appearance of Life itself.
A critical aspect of the Cambrian Explosion is that the proliferation of the forms of life was absolutely incredible! For example, in the early beginnings of the Cambrian Era, there were by "roughly fifty" phyla. Today there are approximately 35 phyla.
The key factor is that out of the pond scum arose a wide variety of animal phyla – just the sort of thing that an intelligently planned seed ship might prefer, i.e. animals instead of pond scum (aka football players instead of leaching lawyers). Furthermore, the seed ship could not always be certain of the host planet's conditions, so that 50 or more phyla were dispatched, but within a few million years, a forth of them might have already paid the price of survival of the fittest. It's not that any particular phylum was better than others. It's just that Earth's phylum, Chordata, was the one to begin wondering about Iapetus.
What we're alluding to here is the possibility that Earth's burst of creative life stemmed from the arrival of the seed ship, Iapetus, which in turn may have been just one portion of an ancient, extraterrestrial program to convert any number of suitable planetary candidates in parts or all of the galaxy's outlying solar systems to become hosts to the origin and evolution of life! And not only life itself – certainly a noble goal in itself -- but conscious, intelligent life, the kind you might be willing to bring home to meet mom! Now there's a divinely inspired [pardon the pun] mission!
The idea of Panspermia or Exogenesis is not new, and is considered in some detail by Wikipedia, as well as other webpages on this website. But the ideas that what we have here is directed exogenesis or that the intended panspermia is designed to create intelligent life is somewhat more speculative.
For our purposes, it is important to note that the alien signpost, the moon with a view, and the seed ships could easily be all part of the same cosmic package. Create an interstellar seed ship with a huge proliferation of seeds, send it and duplicate ships to a wide variety of potential host planets, allow time to bring forth intelligent beings (the potential for intelligence possibly being built into the seeds), provide a winking neon sign to attract any and all intelligences resulting (from the seeding program) -- specifically intelligences with the technology to discover and then venture to the sign post -- and on top of everything else, have a spiritual and/or moon with a view location just to add to the motivation to go there. And upon our arrival on Iapetus… the next clues to the greatest scavenger hunt ever patiently wait!
What in the final analysis is Iapetus? In view of the fact that the final analysis is not yet upon us – not at least until the tentative final Cassini analysis in the fall of 2007 – such a conclusion would have to be considered premature. But the creative juices are flowing. It's now just a question of the willingness of NASA to consider all of the possibilities and to communicate them to the world. The problem, of course, is the Specter of Revelations and the fact that NASA may for political, economic, and/or religious (aka anti-scientific) reasons, live up to its acronym, "Never a Straight Answer".
In any case, only time, Cassini, and other factors will tell. Stay tuned.


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Ernst Seeds will serve as the local host of the 11th Eastern Native Grass Symposium, taking place at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie from September 17-19. This biennial symposium brings together stakeholders and academics from around the United States and Canada to share best practices, as well as emerging markets and trends in the use of native grasses and forbs (flowering plants).
For more information on Ernst Conservation Seeds, visit www.ernstseed.com or call 814-336-2404.


Today, we cover a topic I've been avoiding since I'm not a fan, but I guess some of you are.
1. The salad seen here, which includes olives, hard-boiled eggs, and tuna, is in the style of which namesake European city?
2. The USDA excitedly has exact standards for the creation and distribution of fruit cocktail (or fruit salad). Fill in the fruit that has been deleted in the top row of this table.
3. Created in the Levant, name the salad seen here made with toasted/fried pita, along with mixed greens including radishes and tomatoes.
4. Caprese salad, coming from the island of Capri, is a very simple Italian salad, consisting of a certain sliced fruit, a certain cheese, and a certain herb, and then season with salt and olive oil. Name the three ingredients. As a hint, it should be noted that the colors of the foods will be a major factor.
5. While ingredients like celery, egg, onion, and pickles are often added later, the two main ingredients of a tuna salad are tuna and what?
Learned League precedent (LL44, MD20) – Along with its various meats and cheeses, and namesake bread, what type of salad is an important component of an authentic muffuletta sandwich?
Again, hope your LL68 is going well! I'll be back with a postgame recap as soon as another food question is asked.
4 out of 6, darn! Really thought the fruit salad had apples.


#AskAurora: Tomorrow, Galli answers your questions on Twitter!
Sunday is set to be an exciting and unique day at Allianz Stadium, as Juventus Women get ready to play their first ever game at the arena, in a match that could have a huge baring on the league title race, as the Bianconere host second place Fiorentina, with the season also coming to its latter stages.
In the build-up to this weekend's big event, one of the protagonists in the Bianconere's season, Juventus Women midfielder, Aurora Galli will take part in a Twitter question & answer session tomorrow from 16:00, entitled #AskAurora.
"Yaya" (Aurora Galli) will be sat with us ready to reply to your questions from the official Twitter account, that you can ask to her simply by using the hashtag, #AskAurora whilst also tagging @JuventusFCWomen.
What are you waiting for? Start sending us your questions now! Galli is waiting!


As a patient at CMH you have access to our multidisciplinary Case Management Team. Case Management serves patients in all areas of CMH including our Outpatient Clinics, Emergency Department, and inpatient settings. Our team can assist you with managing chronic conditions, care coordination, advanced directives, discharge resources, arranging home health/hospice and transitions to and from community.


text:
Q: QMovie finished(); how to call function I'm trying to detect whenever my QMovie gif has finished playing. But I'm not sure how I can connect it to a function? Just started learning C++, so an example or explanation would be great.
Code so far:
{
...
QMovie *rpmGif = new QMovie("/path/mygif.gif");
    ui->rpmNeedle->setMovie(rpmGif);
    rpmGif->start();

    connect(rpmGif, QMovie.finished(), someFunction);
}

void someFunction() {

}

Thanks in advance.


text:
'Glee' Star Naya Rivera Laid to Rest near Nipsey Hussle — Find Out More about Her Funeral
By Afouda Fortune
https://news.amomama.com/221213-glee-star-naya-rivera-laid-rest-nipsey-h.html
Naya Rivera has been laid to rest nearly two weeks after she drowned in a lake earlier this month.
According to The Blast, Naya Rivera has been buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles, next to late stars like Paul Walker and Nipsey Hussle.
Actress Naya Rivera at the Point Honors Los Angeles at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 7, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California | Photo: Getty Images
Citing the "Glee" star's death certificate, the outlet reported that the actress died within minutes of drowning with no "other significant conditions" contributing to her death.
Rivera's family wrote a statement to show their appreciation to well-wishers and ask for privacy to mourn the loss of their "sassy angel."
Us Weekly noted that the certificate, which was filed in Ventura County, California, reaffirms the previous statement of the medical examiner. The press release, which was published soon after Rivera's body was found, read:
"The autopsy findings are consistent with a drowning and the condition of the body is consistent with the time that she was submerged."
The late 33-year-old who gained acclaim for her role as Santana Lopez on "Glee" was declared missing when she didn't return from the boat trip she took with her son, Josey Hollis Dorsey.
BBC recalled that divers eventually discovered the actress' body after a search that lasted for days. The confirmation of her passing quickly brought on an outpour of love from her co-stars, friends, and fans who were initially praying for her well-being.
Inside Naya Rivera's Sister Nickayla's Heartbreaking Tribute to the Late 'Glee' Star
Instagram/nayarivera
Ventura County Sheriff Reveals Reason Why Naya Rivera Drowned in Lake Piru
Naya Rivera's Autopsy Completed – Important Details Revealed
ET Online subsequently reported that Rivera's family wrote a statement to show their appreciation to well-wishers and ask for privacy to mourn the loss of their "sassy angel."
Even though she was best known for "Glee," her IMDb pointed out that she has acting credits on projects like "The Naughty List," "Step Up: Highwater," "Mad Families," "Devious Maids," "American Dad," and "The Bernie Mac Show." May Naya's soul Rest In Peace.
Chris Daughtry Confirms the Cause of His Stepdaughter's Death at 25 - Who Are His 3 Other Children?
Unemployed Husband Asks Breadwinner Wife to Stop Buying Formula and Breastfeed to Save
Who Is Joy Oladokun? Get To Know the Gifted 'Queer Black Woman' Whose Song Was Used for 'This Is Us'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Do you plan to die in peace — or do you just plan to die as death finds you?
How often do you consider your death?
Have you already made preparations for your dying? If yes, what have you done so far?
Would you want to be told you have six months to live; or would you prefer to unexpectedly drop dead?
Do you attend funerals, or do you prefer to stay away?
Thank you for that link back to such a tender moment – long before I joined here.
Given my somewhat erratic health over the last ten years and the sudden but not altogether unexpected death of my mother on the last day of last year I have probably thought about it more than most recently.
I have started to make practical arrangements for such an eventuality – they however are dependent on the aftermath and final sorting out after my mothers passing.
My partner and my family know of my wishes for the funeral and distribution of assets (should I have any left). There is also a list all my computer passwords to close down accounts etc.
After my last brush with the grim reaper – I try and live each day as it were my last – making sure my loved ones know they are loved and that I leave nothing undone and that I have no regrets.
One thing I am certain about is that I do not want to linger – either in pain or in a vegetative state. I have indicated this on my medical records.
I attend some funerals – more often than not it is to support those left behind – rather than through any sense of loss.
I always hold a private ritual of passing for those I know to give thanks for them, their life and their friendship and to light their way.
Wind and weather permitting and barring a fatal accident or a terminal illness or any other such thing, i plan to die in peace.
I have to admit though that i do not consider my death much. and have not made any preparations for it.
Between dropping dead of something that i could have known about in advance and being aware of a fairly accurate date of expiry i think i would choose the latter. maybe to do the things i've always wanted to but never did thinking i had all the time in the world.
There is a tremendous rabbinic tradition that Jacob prayed for illness so that he would have some kind of advance notice that he was going to be going at some point in the near future, such that he could properly prepare. I hope that I have at least a few months notice but I don't want to dwell on it until then. To me, dwelling on it for possibly years or decades serves no purpose other than to get me down.
I only attend funerals of close family because, thank G-d, none of my friends have yet passed away. I have a fear of uncontrollable laughter at funerals, so I'd rather not attend but would if it were appropriate to be there.
I am glad you read the tender link and such a warm response. Thank you!
You are smart to make arrangements based on your past. Is your partner elevated above your children? Will he get everything and then, upon his demise, the bounty goes to your children?
I agree on lingering — unless there is a determined plan that things will get better.
Funerals are strange and sad things. I attended the funeral of my grandfather many years ago and I wish I hadn't. I appreciated him much more in my memory than seeing him in real life dead in an open coffin and my cousins sobbing so deeply with regret.
Thanks for the insight, Dananjay. I think pondering death is a task for the elderly and the infirm — otherwise we'd never move or take a chance or risk injury if we thought the end could truly be so near.
I do think there is valuing in knowing the end is near, though, so final preparations can be made, final yearnings can be expressed, and any property, ideas or details can be expressed and remembered by others.
If you know you were dying and the coming end was going to be prolonged and painful — would you choose to die by your own hand with the help of a physician so you could control the when and the why of your death?
I found that curious and enticing because — even though the people were generally joking — the mere utterance of having an illness that had not yet crept upon the body was enough of a tempting of the Gods that my agent felt he had to step in and rescue the uninformed.
I haven't had any close friends die yet — but I do find myself wondering about the end and if I've done enough and if there is time enough yet to finish everything.
There is a saying that comes from Pirkei Avos that I find appropos – "You are not required to complete the work, but neither are you free to avoid it" – as in, don't just give up because you aren't sure you won't be able to finish in time. Push on and the work will get done.
I like that, Gordon! We must know there are expectations to be met and more greatness to be found and time and tide will not wait. I do think it would be paralyzing, though, knowing the exact date and time of your death — even if it were 100 years in the future — because it just brings everything to a definite end: Why bother?
I'm not sure, David. I'd like to think that I'd choose to live through it. Especially if I could still communicate with others.
I appreciate your honesty, Dananjay — I think I'd try to do the same thing if possible.
If I knew the exact date and time of the death I would certainly cut a lot of the fat out of my life – ie time sinks – and focus on the things that are most important – torah, mitzvos, and creative output.
Right, Gordon! So why don't you do that now? Perhaps the day of your end is tomorrow?
As I wrote the comment, your comment came into mind as a question to myself.
It's important to periodically look at ones schedule and see how much is fat and how much is significant towards accomplishing ones goals.
And thank you for sharing that moment, David. You are a lucky man!
It is hard getting out of the delusion, Gordon. That's why, I think, as we age, we need less sleep. I think it's a reaction to the knowing that the sand is running out of the hourglass.
"Lucky" is an interesting word, Dananjay. Green Bay Packers football coach Vince Lombardi said, "Lucks is where preparation and opportunity meet." I like that idea a lot. There's much less chance involved with that notion and I know a lot of "lucky" people and they're smart and always on track of positive attack.
That's true, David. I've come to understand that too. If you aren't smart and prepared, opportunities will pass you by and you won't notice them and you'll moan that you never have any luck!
Right, Dananjay! We must always be prepared and we must always be brave enough to take a chance on a thought we may not fully comprehend at the time.
My partner gets certain things – he gets all of the life style ephemera – including a sizable collection of lifestyle first edition books and signed original photographic works. He will also get a lump sum. He will also be my executor.
The rest is equally split between the three children.
However the children and I and my partner have ALL agreed that as I have spent a fortune educating them (the children) that I am entitled to enjoy the rest of my days without worrying about passing on large inheritances.
I am not a fan of funerals – we deliberately renamed my mothers funeral and people were invited to come and remember and celebrate her life.
I have a problem with organized religion and nearly always feel uncomfortable in churches. I can however see the benefit of the ritual of saying thank you and goodbye – I just prefer to do it in private.
How old were you when you saw your grandfather in an open coffin? Was it the sight of him that upset you or your cousins emotional reaction?
Thanks for sharing the details of your death, Nicola. It must be a big responsibility to make everyone face the notion you will no longer be around one day. What of the house? Will be be sold? Divided? Lived-in forever?
You're right that you've given your kids the best gift of all: Smart and educated minds! Everything beyond that is frosting, as we say. SMILE!
I much prefer a private expression of grief to a public one — I think you can do that on the internet, but in person, with lots of people milling about with varying degrees of interest and dismay — it is a strange concoction.
I think I must've been 14 when my grandfather passed. Seeing his dead body wasn't a big deal — he didn't look like himself at all. He was pasty and had on lots of makeup.
My cousin's sobbing — a full bodied, uncontrolled, lurching in the church pew — was an expression of grief and remorse that was stunning to me and I couldn't help but thinking back then that she'd be better off not being there than to have have that recognition of human frailty on a public stage.
It was not such a big deal given the fact I have already had that brush with the grim reaper. Things would have been a veritable mess had I not made it through and things may well have gone to the wrong people.
We have taken a very pragmatic approach to death since. There are two certainties in this life – birth and death. Once you are born you are going to die – it maybe in 9 weeks like my son, it may be at 77 years like my father or 91 years like my mother.
My grandmother has this wonderful saying that you should always wear clean underwear when you went out in case you were run over by a bus!
We can die at any time – often through no fault of our own – death is a fact of life.
If I manage to keep the house – which is now looking more certain 🙂 🙂 – it will be left to the children – if I live long enough it will go to my children's children. The one person it will not go to is the tax man!
I went to see my mother in the chapel of rest – she looked wonderful and so peaceful – I think make up techniques for the dead must have improved considerably. Budgie came with me – he was not sure how he would cope as he had never seen a dead person before. He desperately wanted to support me and yet he found himself drawn in closer to look as well. He said afterwards that he was so glad he did as he could see that she was totally at peace as well.
I managed (just about) to hold it together at her funeral – however my brother totally lost it and what was worse was that his wife gave him no comfort at all and distanced herself from him – that shocked me more than anything – that she could be so cold and unfeeling – another thing she will not be forgiven for.
That's amazing detail, Nicola, thanks and it does seem we need our deaths to live our lives and our lives to end our deaths. We live a circular regeneration of processing births and life endings and we need to be able to learn and cop with the ramifications of the lessons even though we may not want to catch what is being thrown at us.
Good luck with your house! I'm excited to know that you finally have it in your possession.
I wonder what your brother found as attractive in the woman he married? Did he admire her ability to disconnect? What was missing him him that he found in her?
Fingers crossed on the house – the first major hurdle has been overcome – several more to go before it is finally mine – but it is now a real possibility.
Your last question would probably need a book to answer properly.
There is a family joke – he only married her for the dog. My parents refused to have a dog in the house and he wanted one.
On a more serious note I suspect that if he were tested they would find degrees of Asperger's and dyslexia amongst other things maybe even a touch of autism and he has no social graces whatsoever. She has even less.
When we were children – the early 1960's he was considered "slow" – he failed the 11 plus examination and went to comprehensive school. He was doomed from then onwards.
These days he would have been picked up as a failing child and given some support.
Sadly he was always a *nasty piece of work* – he stole as a child, stole from my parents and myself as a teenager, took my parents car without permission and crashed it – fell in with the wrong kind of people and only just escaped prison by the skin of his teeth because my father pulled some strings.
We both grew up in the same conditions – I thrived – he didn't. As we are both adopted maybe there is something in our DNA that is a criminal strain?
Such a sad story, Nicola! Was there no way to save him from himself? Is he working now?
I do think genetics gives us a map of who we are and what we are to become — and trying to change that path can cause a fatal cleaving between the mind body meme — but it can successfully be done. We have seen criminals rehabilitated and we have seen good men and women turn to murder.
I want to die peacefully.
Though I don't think about it much and I don't want to know about the date either.
Only thing is for sure, I don't want to leave in a vegetable state and I am a donor, so no one has to attend my funeral – I guess!
I do attend funerals because I care.
That makes sense, Katha, thanks!
death is so overrated if it werent for my children i wouldnt mind leaving this horrible world. If i could go back in time so many things would be changed, i have a great job and even this cant save me from my life i hate so much. The only time i feal true peace is when i am at work even as i get home from work i sit in my vehicle just praying that life be different and i dont have to face facts and enter my own house i hate the things i have seen and the things that have been pushed upon me i see other peoples lives and think how do they get there or is this just stuff that happens in the movies they have really fantastic houses , cars, and loving husbands who support them in life and i have to fight for anything i want even my career and they seem to have everything togather and the only thing i have togather is the fact that i am taking care of my three children financially alone and being used by a man that is suppose to be my HERO but yet is only a leach upon my life and knows i am his way of life he would have no one without me and he hasnt worked but 6 mohts out of the 11 years we have been married and refuses to do the things i truely need in life i need love, compassion and my romeo. i want someone to listen to my hopes and dreams i want to die i hate living and the only reason i do keep going is for my three beautiful kids because i know without me in the world they would be subject to his evil ways i just wish i could go to work take my children with me and never return. I refuse to take my antidepressant because i think it is pointless to take something to make you feel better about life when the problem is still there all you are doing is covering up the facts. It isnt really making anything any better the only one who can change your life is you and that is the hrdest thing in the world. ESCAPE………… that is what i want to do. DEATH is only a word when it happens to you the only thing left of you in the world are your memories that have been left behind. Will anyone remeber me? i doublt it they will remember me as the girl who took care of her drug abusive husband and mentally abusive husband but they wont remember me as the loving person i am who loves to care for other people and who loves to do things with her children but yet the person who could never say NO i stayed in this life and i will DIE in this life.
That is a powerful story, Randa, and I thank you for sharing it with us.
I also hope you will rethink taking your antidepressants. They are there to help balance your brain chemistry so you can more in control of your darker thoughts and not feel overwhelmed. You aren't taking the meds to repress your feelings — you take the meds to find a more average way of thinking that will benefit you and your children. The meds can help even out the harsh spikes in your day and help you become more in control of your thoughts and to get even more determined and clear minded.
I hate my life. I want to die in peace.


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James Cameron's Avatar: The Game Crack
Based on James Cameron's film, the game takes you deep into the heart of Pandora, an alien planet that is beyond imagination. Gamers encounter the Na'vi, Pandora's indigenous people and discover creatures and other wildlife the likes of which have never been seen in the world of video games before. When conflict erupts between the RDA Corporation, a space-faring consortium in search of valuable resources, and the Na'vi, players find themselves thrust into a fight for the heart of a planet and the fate of a civilization. [Ubisoft]
Download James Cameron's Avatar: The Game Crack & Serial
Genres Action, General
Developer Ubisoft, Ubisoft Montreal
Released Dec 1, 2009
James Cameron's Avatar: The Game Related games:
Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar
The Cameron Files: Pharaoh's Curse
The Cameron Files: The Secret at Loch Ness
R.I.P.D. The Game
⇘ Dawn of Fantasy
⇘ Obscure: The Aftermath
⇘ Iron Grip: Warlord
⇘ Faery: Legends of Avalon
⇘ Lifeless Planet
⇘ Dream
⇘ N.E.R.O.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure
⇘ Necropolis
⇘ Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
⇘ Schrodinger's Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark


Looking for a university-level education in computer science but don't want to pay for it, or even leave the house?
Last fall, Stanford University professor Sebastian Thrun spearheaded a revolutionary new program that offered free computer science courses —specifically covering Artificial Intelligence — to anyone with an Internet connection and the desire to learn.
The free courses consisted of YouTube videos with computer-marked quizzes and programming assignments. They attracted over 160,000 students —23,000 of whom have since graduated with a prestigious Stanford University certificate — and, seriously, they didn't pay a penny for it.
Thrun was so impressed with the turnout and overall results, he announced yesterday his plans to leave Stanford and start Udacity – another, more comprehensive, online learning environment. He'll continue to teach college-level computer science courses, and again, they'll be completely free of charge.
The first course, "CS 101: Building a Search Engine," aims to teach the fundamentals of computer science in seven weeks and requires no previous knowledge of programming.
The second, "CS 373: Programming a Robotic Car", is a follow-up to the Stanford AI course.
Thrun thinks he can reach around 500,000 students with his new Udacity courses, but without the prestigious Stanford University name brand on his side, only time will tell.
I'm so ready to drive my very own KITT. Can one of you smarty-pants' get on that for me?


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Home / Publications / PS16/19: Financial Crime Reporting: feedback on Chapter 6 of CP15/42 and final rules
PS16/19: Financial Crime Reporting: feedback on Chapter 6 of CP15/42 and final rules
Policy statements First published: 29/07/2016 Last updated: 29/07/2016
In this Policy Statement, we report on the main issues arising from Chapter 6 of Consultation Paper 15/42 Introduction of financial crime reporting form and publish the final rules.
Why are we publishing this policy statement?
In December 2015, we consulted on a proposal to introduce a financial crime return (REP-CRIM). The proposal was set out in Chapter 6 of Consultation Paper (CP) 15/42.
This Policy Statement (PS) summarises the responses we received to our consultation and our view on these responses. It also presents the final rules and implementation timescale for the reporting requirement.
PS16/19: Financial Crime Reporting: feedback on Chapter 6 of CP15/42 and final rules (PDF)
Who does this Policy Statement affect?
This PS affects firms subject to the Money Laundering Regulations (MLRs). Exceptions are set out within the PS.
The Handbook provisions come into force on 31 December 2016. Firms captured should complete the REP-CRIM within 60 business days of their ARD.
CP15/42: Quarterly Consultation Paper No. 11


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Home » EV Technology » PolyPlus develop 800 watt hours/kilogram lithium-air cells
PolyPlus develop 800 watt hours/kilogram lithium-air cells
In the opening scene of the iconic movie of the 1960s, The Graduate, Benjamin Braddock, at a party to celebrate his college degree, is given one word of advice for his future: "Plastics." Were young Benjamin to be receiving that advice today the word would be: "Batteries." Steve Visco of Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division had plenty of encouraging words for young graduates on the opportunities to be had in next generation battery research. Speaking at the recent national meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans, Visco discussed the enormous progress his own start-up company, PolyPlus, has made in developing lithium-metal batteries with unprecedented energy density, and how the ever-growing need for electrical energy storage will require continued innovation and development in battery research.
"As the world moves towards electrification of transportation and increased use of renewables for grid power, the demand for advanced secondary batteries has already fueled a global race for more efficient electrical energy storage systems," Visco said. "In order to maintain a competitive position, the U.S. will need to innovate, both in the development of step-change energy storage technologies and in cost-competitive manufacturing of those products."
The main challenge for battery science has always been to maximize the amount of stored energy while maintaining stable electrode-electrolyte interfaces. When Visco began his battery research at Berkeley Lab in the late 1980s, the gold standards in rechargeable batteries were nickel-cadmium and lead-acid. In 1991, Visco and colleagues including Lutgard De Jonghe, also with Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division, formed PolyPlus, based on promising science with lithium-sulfur batteries. Shortly thereafter, Sony released the first lithium-ion batteries and a new gold standard was set.
Visco and his colleagues at PolyPlus rose to this new challenge with a major breakthrough of their own, the protected lithium electrode (PLE). The PLE technology enabled the PolyPlus lithium-water battery to achieve the highest energy density ever recorded at 1,300 watt-hour per kilogram – several hundred times better than the maximum delivered by present day lithium-ion batteries. The key to the PLE technology's success is the use of a water-stable, solid-state, lithium-conducting membrane to shield the lithium metal core from the external environment. Lithium is lightweight and has an excellent electrochemical potential but is so highly reactive it rapidly corrodes upon contact with water. With the PLE technology, the lithium metal anode is sealed within a membrane that lets lithium ions pass through but keeps out water and air.
"The PLE membrane is highly conductive to lithium ions, but impervious to liquids and gases," says Visco who has demonstrated the power of the PLE technology by safely dropping lithium batteries into a fish tank. "This allows the lithium core to be electrochemically active but chemically isolated from the external electrolyte, which in turn opens the door to lithium-air, lithium-water and lithium-sulfur batteries."
The PLE technology has won PolyPlus extensive recognition, including selection by TIME magazine as one of the 50 Best Inventions of 2011, a 2012 Edison Award and two grants from DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). However, while the technology has addressed the reactivity problem for lithium-metal batteries, rechargeability remains a major hurdle. Whereas lithium-ion batteries can be recharged thousands of times, the best lithium-metal batteries can only be recharged a few hundred times. Progress is being made, however.
"PolyPlus has developed 8 amp-hour capacity primary lithium-air cells that deliver more than 800 watt hours/kilogram and we're making excellent progress with rechargeable lithium-air batteries," Visco said.
PolyPlus has also announced the development of a revolutionary aqueous lithium-sulfur battery for which it won an ARPA-E grant. PolyPlus expects to market the world's first rechargeable aqueous lithium-sulfur battery within the next three years, followed by introduction of the rechargeable lithium-air battery.
Posted by tsport100 at 9:22 AM
Labels: Battery News, EV Technology


Once again a vulnerability in Apples mobile operating system iOS was found by some guys of the Jailbreak Nation. The newest version of this operating system suffers from a weakness that makes it possible to unlock the lockscreen of all iPhones that use iOS version 6.1. In this case it does not matter whether a PIN or a password is used to unlock the phone. After successful exploitation an attacker is able to see and edit contact-information, to add new contacts to the phonebook, to view all pictures, to call the inbox or any of the contacts and to see and delete the list of recent calls or parts of it.


I ended my mesh day with a panel of McLean Mashingaidze-Greaves, Amber MacArthur and Ethan Kaplan moderated by Jian Gomeshi.
Jian Gomeshi: Two Sams come to mind. Sam Sniderman or Sam the Record Man as we know him. It was announced this morning that the flagship store of the once iconic Sam the Record Man store will be closing. The end of an era. Things have changed.
So, what's the biggest change in the last 12 months that will affect the future of entertainment.
Ethan Kaplan: A new focus on the fact that things will not return to the way things were in the pre Napster era. There's a renewed effort to create a new avenue for the music industry. Different value propositions must be created that don't try to undermine the direct relationship between the fans and access to the music.
Amber MacArthur: Last year, she was at this conference as a broadcaster at G4Tech TV. This year as a blogger and podcaster at CITY TV. This is an indicator of the trend of movement from the traditional broadcast media to the new online media.
Jain Gomeshi: How valid is the notion that the audience of today is more actively engaged than the audience of yesterday? Are people investing more or less now in their entertainment?
Amber MacArthur: People are dividing their attention. So the length of video clips is decreasing. They also seem to jump ship between things quickly. Facebook is big today. But will it still be big in six months?
Ethan Kaplan: Passive acceptance and passive consumption was a fiction that was maintained by the major media companies. It was driven by hubris. And the notion has collapsed on itself. What's really happened is that content has become agnostic to representation. There's a lack of differentiation between the mode of the content. Now fans are more focused on the agent that is originating the content.
Jian Gomeshi: Does the ease of acquiring art, music devalue it or make it more disposable?
Amber MacArthur: Content is available to a global audience. You should try to get your content in front of as many people as you can around the world and then figure out how to derive revenue from it.
McLean Mashingaidze-Greaves: The social network that have grown up around artists show that fans really value those artists.
Jian Gomeshi: How do you get people attached to an artist?
Ethan Kaplan: We're to the point where we have to embrace the notion that the duplicability of the content and the ready availability of the content has made it necessary to think creatively about how to market the content. Taking Michael Buble, for example. You must treat him as a personality and then market the record as an extension of the personality. The campaign began six months beforehand. No flash Websites. Have a blog friendly Website. Then begin to publish creative elements, such as photos, in the lead up to the release of the record. Treat the release of the record as an event.
Jian Gomeshi: How do you differentiate small, new artists?
McLean Mashingaidze-Greaves: Bloggers have shown that one person with a computer can build an audience. Use the viral tools to assemble an audience anywhere that people gather. Artists can build an audience by using the social networking sites.
Jian Gomeshi: Have the responsiblities of audiences changed?
Amber MacArthur: Artists must now know their audiences likes and anticipate them and respond to them. Tom Green has reinvented himself by actively engaging directly with his audience through his blog and his nightly online program.
Michael Geist: What about Digital Rights Management software?
Ethan Kaplan: DRM is a very small piece of a larger problem, the fact that what you have today is the availablity of both for free and for pay content. The larger issue is how to make sure that artists are compensated along a long value chain that includes any reproduction device.
McLean Mashingaidze-Greaves: The DRM genie is out of the bottle. What's going on is a little like the war on drugs.