text:
Skills shortage in lucrative sector for UK scientists
The need for UK food production to dramatically increase while reducing the impact of farming on the environment has led to a drastic shortage of British agronomists.
As a result, positions in this sector, which combines biology, chemistry, ecology, earth science, and genetics, are both plentiful and bountiful. Yet many young scientists are unaware that this avenue is open to them.
"Agronomy is about so much more than just using the right fertilisers," says Dr Matthew Back from Harper Adams University College, the UK's leading HE specialist for the rural sector. "It's about the management of farmland to increase yield while minimising the impact on people, biodiversity and the environment."
Emma Tappin, the Postgraduate Courses Manager at University College suggests there is an abundance of applied scientists out there who could have an incredibly rewarding career in agronomy.
While land-based graduates are already making the leap, Emma hopes a wider field of recruits will join them on the new postgraduate Crop Protection and Agronomy course at Harper Adams.
"Geography, biology and many other science students set to graduate this summer, or scientists looking to take a new direction, would be welcome to apply for this course, which will leave them fully qualified to take one of the many excellent agronomy positions available."
Leading agronomy company Masstock is all too aware of the developing skills shortage, and is taking a major step to make sure it gets top recruits.
Masstock is sponsoring a place on the MSc course, starting this autumn. Full fees will be paid and the Masstock Scholar will gain employment with the company upon completion of the course.
All students accepted onto the course may apply for the scholarship.
Former Harper student Chris Lowe already works for the firm as an agronomist. He said: "I look after about 10,000 acres of crops including wheat, barley, oilseed rape, fodder beet, maize and lupins. In addition I am the co-ordinator of one of Masstock's network of Smart farms where the extensive research and development carried out by the company is brought to farm level.
"I'd say to anyone considering doing a postgraduate qualification to go for it. So many people have first degree these days that it's worth making yourself stand out.
"In my area, agronomy, the opportunities are massive at the moment. The same could be said for any career in food production, so it's worth doing all you can to get your foot in the door."
For more information about postgraduate courses at Harper Adams, in Shropshire, visit www.harper-adams.ac.uk/postgraduate or call Kreseda Smith, Taught Postgraduate Courses Administrator, on 01952 815289.


text:
Q: What does -> mean in c++11 in a function signature? Note this is NOT a duplicate of What does -> mean in C++?
The question is specific to C++11; where a function can look like:
struct string_accumulator {
}

inline auto collect() -> string_accumulator
{
    return string_accumulator();
}

What is the meaning of the ->  in this context?

A: It's a trailing return type. It can be used to explicitly specify return types for lambda expressions or to specify return types that depend on a function's arugments. Examples:
[](int) -> float { return 0.f; };

template <typename A, typename B>
auto foo(A a, B b) -> decltype(a + b) { return a + b; }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In this new series we will begin to eat these difficult to understand words down to digestible size.
smug or sanctimonious? Justification is a word that has great impact for our everyday lives.
Previous post: EASTER DAY & APRIL FOOL'S – What An Odd Coincidence!


1 Greenbrier Mall Chesapeake Norfolk VA Hours of Operation.
2 Greenbrier Mall Chesapeake Norfolk VA Holiday Hours ~ Open or Closed?
Greenbrier Mall Chesapeake Norfolk VA Hours of Operation.
Greenbrier Mall Chesapeake Norfolk VA Holiday Hours ~ Open or Closed?
The majority of Greenbrier Mall stores remain closed for business on Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and on Thanksgiving Day. Stores close early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
Greenbrier Mall operates EXTENDED opening hours on Black Friday and REDUCED hours on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day. The mall has EXTENDED hours in the holiday period between the Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas Eve. We recommend that you call ahead to your preferred Greenbrier Mall stores to confirm their holiday opening hours.
Greenbrier Mall Chesapeake Norfolk VA Hours – 2018/2019.


In recent years, there has been an upsurge in plastic surgery for women who wish to alter the look and feel of their genitalia. The women who undergo these procedures claim they are empowering, but critics worry such surgeries pathologize normal genital appearance. Several surgeons are also using social media to document these surgeries, granting them greater visibility and legitimacy. This talk discusses the latest innovations in female cosmetic genital surgery, the history behind the medical community's involvement in defining women's sexuality, and the ethical and social challenges these surgeries present.


text:
Browse: Home / 2009 / January / 30 / SEC's Thomsen, Richards, Others to Appear as Witnesses in House Financial Services Committee Hearing Wednesday
SEC's Thomsen, Richards, Others to Appear as Witnesses in House Financial Services Committee Hearing Wednesday
By Securities Docket on January 30, 2009, 4:29 pm
Apparently having finally figured out that SEC Inspector General H. David Kotz is not the person they need to talk to now to learn why the SEC missed Bernard Madoff's alleged $50 billion fraud, the House Financial Services Committee is going to try it again on February 4 with some new witnesses. Reuters reports that five top SEC officials, including Director of Enforcement Linda Thomsen and Director of the Office of Compliance, Inspections and Examinations Lori Richards are expected to testify at the Committee's second hearing on the matter ("Assessing the Madoff Ponzi Scheme and Regulatory Failures").
Others expected to testify are the SEC's Director of Trading and Markets, Erik Sirri; the SEC's Director of Investment Management, Andrew Donohue; and its acting General Counsel, Andrew Vollmer.
Read the Reuters article
Posted in Regulation | Tagged Features, US Congress
Select Month February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Deinostema es un género con dos especies de plantas de flores perteneciente a la familia Scrophulariaceae.

Especies seleccionadas
 Deinostema adenocaula
 Deinostema violacea

Scrophulariaceae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Congolese abroad know best what recharging mobiles in the Democratic Republic of Congo can do for their relatives out there… So beneficial! Actually, any support from abroad is welcomed. That's easy to explain when any economical aspect in the country is a challenge if not a threat. On the other hand, Congolese abroad are caught up in hard work and busy traffic, family tasks and social life. So, when is there time to look for smart tools to support the family back in Congo? What ways are out there to recharge Congo prepaid numbers in seconds? On the go if possible… And the safest way.
We found at least 2 simple ways to keep the mobile credit transfers for prepaid Congo numbers easy and safe.
It was expats' feedback that perfected MobileRecharge app, including Congolese who recharge Congo prepaid numbers on a regular basis. The app is FREE to install on any Android or iOS device.
It has newly added major local operators in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the list, besides Orange: Africell, Tatem Telecom and Vodacom.
Say, you need to recharge some Congo numbers that use Africell. Start by making sure you have the right prepaid number.
Double check it before you fill in the online form.
Then choose the country and the operator from the drop down.
Enter the number you want to recharge and the amount (higher than $5 or the equivalent).
Proceed to payment. Use Visa or Mastercard or your PayPal account. The currency of your bank account is not relevant. The purchase will be made in the currency you picked for your online account when you registered.
If you wonder how simple the app is to use, our answer is you'll get bored easily, that simple! :) Expats' feedback made it ideal for both experienced and inexperienced users who want to send airtime to their family in Congo.
So, no headaches when you want to recharge Congo mobile phones.
Those who want to recharge Congo phone numbers are part of the community who decided MobileRecharge.com needs to be a simple and friendly website for expats. And indeed, it takes seconds to fill in the ONLINE FORM, and anyone is able to do it. From a kid interested in toy truck driving to a wise grandma full of laughter.
MobileRecharge is SAFE to recharge Congo mobiles! There's a label on the website reading "Verified & Secured", which stands for online services with high security systems. So, guardian angel for Congolese money. Good to know!
On MobileRecharge.com you'll also notice the BBB label there, which stands for customer satisfaction, transparency and fairness that is. Alleluia! We need that in a world of fake news and marketing hunters, right?
You can use the call me back option and you'll be contacted in seconds, or start a chat talk with a kind rep.
We suggest two tools to recharge Congo mobile phones: MobileRecharge app and MobileRecharge.com, the platform for expats worldwide.
There's something trending on MobileRecharge.com for all of you, Congolese out there in the world! Besides top ups to Orange numbers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, you can now send airtime to Africell, Tatem Telecom and Vodacom phones too.
It takes seconds only to recharge Congo prepaid mobiles online.
No contract is needed and credit gets to Congo instantly.
The website and MobileRecharge app are certified BBB as well as Verified and Secured, which makes them safe and transparent.
Hi, This is awesome post. Really helpful !!


text:
Pueblo de Álvarez ist eine Ortschaft im Zentrum Uruguays.

Geographie
Sie befindet sich auf dem Gebiet des Departamento Durazno in dessen Sektor 2. Sie liegt dabei in der Cuchilla de Tomas Cuadra nordöstlich der Departamento-Hauptstadt Durazno und nordnordöstlich von Ombúes de Oribe bzw. südöstlich von Carlos Reyles.

Infrastruktur
Durch den Ort führt die Ruta 100. Mit der Escuela No. 56 befindet sich in dem Ort eine Schule.

Einwohner
Pueblo de Álvarez hatte bei der Volkszählung im Jahr 2011 29 Einwohner, davon 16 männliche und 13 weibliche.

Quelle: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay

Weblinks
 Stadtplan von Pueblo de Álvarez (PDF; 72 kB)

Einzelnachweise

Ort im Departamento Durazno


text:
Workday Study: Building the New Retail Front-Line Experience
Analytics and Insights Human Resources
The "Great Resignation" has slowed down, but employee burnout persists as retailers continue to try filling essential roles. In a recent study, "Empathy and Empowerment: The New Front-Line Experience" findings show, some leaders are blazing a hopeful path amid turnover woes.
Workday Staff Writers
Retail front-line workers have had a tough last few years. If their place of business didn't close completely, they likely had to deal with uneasy customers and suddenly found themselves tasked with enforcing facemask and distancing mandates that seemed to change at every turn.
With the effects of the pandemic exacerbating already high turnover rates, retailers face a worker retention crisis. While the "Great Resignation" might be slowing down a touch, employee burnout is still an issue as retailers struggle to fill essential roles.
But all is not lost. In our recent study "Empathy and Empowerment: The New Front-Line Experience" conducted by Longitude, a Financial Times company, we found that there's a small cohort (11%) of leaders, represented across the four industries we surveyed (hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail), who are blazing a hopeful path amid turnover woes. These organizations, which we call "Front-Line Leaders," have committed to an improved front-line worker experience as a business strategy. What's more, their strategy is paying off—these Front-Line Leaders report turnover that is lower than their historical average.
Compare this with the majority of organizations we surveyed: They're grappling with historically high front-line employee turnover and almost half of them expect it to get worse in the year ahead. Also, they are less likely to invest in the front-line worker experience and more likely to focus on the short-term gain of filling positions—often at the expense of overall organizational outcomes.
With the effects of the pandemic exacerbating already high turnover rates, retailers face a worker retention crisis.
We surveyed 504 senior executives, including 126 from the retail industry, who have oversight of and/or responsibility for decisions about their organizations' front-line workforce (any employee who must be physically present to do their job).
Retail Industry Ups and Downs
Although the retail industry is experiencing turnover at the same rate as the majority of our respondents, we found that 65% of retailers say their managers' awareness of front-line worker mental health increased during the pandemic. What's more, of the four industries surveyed, retailers were the most likely to say they value front-line employee experience as highly as customer experience.
This lines up with what we found in the "Employee Expectations Report 2022." It found that although retail had relatively low rankings across the majority of engagement drivers, the most notable increases in scores between the first and fourth quarters of 2021 were for management support and peer relationships.
"Psychic motivation is of enormous value," says Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia Business School. "People stay with organizations that they feel kinship with, where they feel respected."
Retail executives are more likely than our other industry leaders to say that data is a guiding factor in evaluating front-line worker experience.
Even though retailers seem to be taking interpersonal connection more seriously, a sense of belonging doesn't pay the bills. The number one reason people leave their front-line retail jobs, according to respondents from this industry, is for higher pay. And retail executives are hoping to address this issue: When asked what areas they believe their organization should be investing in over the next two years, leaders cited higher pay and employee incentives, which tied for the top spot.
Offering Workers More Flexibility and Control
Front-Line Leaders seem to have a greater understanding of how difficult the pandemic has been for their workers, and they enhance the front-line workforce experience in five ways:
Empowering their front-line workers with more control and flexibility.
Investing in employee-first tools and technology.
Relying on data insights to inform and improve employee experience.
Focusing on front-line workers' development and well-being.
Listening to their front-line workers' wants and needs.
Of special interest to retail, we found that Front-Line Leaders are significantly more likely than other organizations to use employee-first scheduling tools with their front-line workforce (42% compared to 27% overall). They are also 10% more likely to have introduced greater scheduling control for front-line workers in the past two years.
Retailers must offer employees as much flexibility and control as possible if they want to avoid losing out to competitors.
"Up until the onset of COVID-19, many employers had become increasingly aggressive in scheduling front-line workers to suit their forecast demand," says Cohen. "But people cannot be living on a 48-hour cycle of change. Now, employers are doing everything they can possibly do to make it convenient for their workers to remain employed."
Promisingly, retail executives are more likely than our other industry leaders to say that data is a guiding factor in evaluating front-line worker experience, and that better access to quality insights will improve the experience. This will be crucial to their future success, as employee needs and expectations continue to evolve.
As Cohen says, "Now is the time for retailers that want to succeed—once we're through these crises—to get their act together and recognize that the same old bad behavior is going to put them at risk when the next crisis occurs."
Read the main report "Empathy and Empowerment: The New Front-Line Experience" or the industry snapshot "Empathy and Insight: Building the New Retail Front-Line Experience."
The data in the report "Empathy and Empowerment: The New Front-Line Experience" comes from a survey commissioned by Workday and conducted by Longitude, a Financial Times company, in March and April 2022. Respondents were 504 company leaders and senior executives with oversight and decision-making responsibility for their organization's front-line workforces. They were all based in North America and worked across retail (25%), manufacturing (25%), healthcare (25%), and hospitality (25%).
In addition to this quantitative research, in April 2022, Longitude carried out three in-depth qualitative interviews with senior leaders and front-line worker experts from Albany Med Health System, Atrium Hospitality, and Columbia Business School.
Connecting Retail's Front and Back Office
Learn why the connection between retail's front and back office is essential for solid decision-making.
CIO View: Balancing Continuity and Innovation at Saks
CIOs walk a tightrope of continuity and innovation, especially in a fast-paced space such as retail. At NRF 2022: Retail's Big Show, Saks CIO Mike Hite shared how he navigates this balancing act in a fireside chat with Joe Wilson, Workday's CTO of North America.
Posted in: Analytics and Insights, Human Resources
Insights and Analytics Leadership Organizational Agility Retail Talent


text:
Q: If an integer number is a square and a cube, then it can be writen as $5n,5n+1$, or $5n+4$ I want to show that if an integer number is a square and a cube, then it can be writen as $5n,5n+1$, or $5n+4$.
I tried the following. There are integers numbers $x,y$ such that $n=x^{2}=y^{3}.$ By using Euclidean division, then $x$ and $y$ can be writen as $5k,5k+1,5k+2,5k+3$ or $5k+4.$ If $x=5k$ and $y=5l$ we have $n=5(5k^{2})=5(5^{2}l^{3})$. If $x=5k$, then we must have $y=5l.$ I don't know what to do. Any hint?

A: Already if an integer is a square it must be of the shapes you have described.
It is easiest to prove this using congruence notation. Any integer is congruent to $0$, $1$, $2$, $3$, or $4$ modulo $5$. Note now that $0^2$, $1^2$, $2^2$, $3^2$, and $4^2$ are respectively congruent to $0$, $1$, $4$, $4$, and $1$ modulo $5$, so never to $2$ or to $3$ modulo $5$.
If we do not want to use congruence notation, calculate the remainder when $(5k)^2$, $(5k+1)^2$, $(5k+2)^2$, $(5k+3)^2$, and $(5k+4)^2$ are divided by $5$. As a sample, let's do it for $(5k+3)^2$. This is $25k^2+30k+9$, which is $5(5k^2+6k+1)+4$, so it has remainder $4$ on division by $5$.
Out of curiosity, let us explore the cubes modulo $5$. Note that $0^3$, $1^3$, $2^3$, $3^3$, and $4^3$ are congruent respectively to $0$, $1$, $3$, $2$, and $4$ modulo $5$. So, unlike squares, cubes can take on any value modulo $5$.
By looking at the numbers $0$, $1$, and $64$, which are all perfect squares and perfect cubes, we can see that indeed a number which is a perfect square and a perfect cube can be of any of the shapes described.

A: Hint $\ $ The squares mod $5$ are $\rm\:\{0,\pm1, \pm2\}^2 \equiv \{0,1,4\},\:$ so the cube condition is redundant.

A: Very late but here's a slightly different way (similar to that of Andre's):
$$
n=a^3=b^2
$$
clearly means, a is a square of some integer and b is a cube of some (other) integer, so
$$
n=x^6=(10*m+n)^6.
$$
since, we are concerned only with the first digit, the sixth powers (mod 10) for the first 10 numbers:
$$
0, 1, 4, 9, 6, 5, 6, 9, 4, 1
$$
which are of the form
$$ 5k, 5k+1, 5k+4 $$


IT Support Services for businesses throughout Bridgwater, Somerset and the South West.
Please click on the option below that best suits your support requirements.
Pay As You Go Support Check out our competitive rates for support.


I've been lucky over the years to consult with a great collection of individuals and companies. From simple training questions to creating elaborate experiments testing product effectiveness, and everything in-between, you'd be surprised what we can accomplish with an hour or two on Skype.
I came to Dan with some technical questions about the physiology of muscle hypertrophy that were bothering me. I had looked for relevant research, but I couldn't find clear answers. Dan helped me analyze the literature on the questions I was interested in and pointed me to many interesting studies I had missed. We also discussed their practical applications.
The call was chill, and I learned a ton. I'm happy I reached out to him.
I contacted Dan to get an overview of the recent literature around training for hypertrophy. We ended up talking about so much more. Dan has a great overview about the literature but more importantly he understands how all these parameters interact. The Skype call itself was structured yet very casual.
Top this off with the fact that he has a bunch of practical experience as a coach and PT and you've got a great combination. He also sends you a very detailed summary of the entire talk which in itself was worth the price.


text:
Ôhi (Stole), Edo period (1615–1868), 1775/1825
The Actor Ichikawa Yaozo II (?), late 18th century
Katsukawa Shunsho
Haori Lining, 1920/30, Shôwa period (1926–1989)
Haori, Shôwa period (1926–1989), c. 1930/35
Furoshiki (Wrapping Cloth), Meiji period (1868–1912), late 19th century
Nagoya Obi (Formal Belt), 1920/26, late Taishô period (1912–1926)
Jinbaori (Surcoat), Edo period (1615–1868), c. 1750
Lake at Hakone (Hakone no kosui), from the series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fuji sanjurokkei)", 1858
Priest's Hat, Late 19th century, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Off Tsukuda Island in the Eastern Capital (Toto Tsukuda oki), from the series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fuji sanjurokkei)", 1858
Tobacco Pouch, late Edo period (1789–1868)/ Meiji period (1868–1912), 19th century
Furisode, Taishô period (1912–1926), c. 1920
Nagajuban, Meiji period (1868–1912)/ Taishô period (1912–1926), c. 1910
Panel (Reproduction of T'ang Textile), Shôwa period (1926–1989), 1950/75
Tatsumura Textile Company Ltd.
Triptych of Calligraphy, late 17th–early 18th century
Katsuzan Dowa
Uchishiki (Altar Cloth), Edo period (1615–1868), 1801/25
Karaori (Noh Costume), Edo period (1615–1868), 1775/1825
Kanbara: View of the Fuji River from Iwafuchi (Kanbara, Iwafuchi yori Fujikawa o miru zu), from the series "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido (Tokaido gojusan tsugi no uchi)," also known as the Gyosho Tokaido, c. 1841/44
Hitoe, Taishô period (1912–1926), c. 1912/16
Tobari (Formerly Katabira), late Edo period (1789–1868), 1801/25
Nagoya Obi (Formal Belt), late Taishô period (1912–1926), c. 1925
Three Samurai, about 1965
Hamada Taisuke
Dônuki, 1883/1900, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Kosode, Edo period (1615–1868), 1775/1825
Origami Pleat, Heisei period (1989–present), 1997
Reiko Sudo
Tobari or Mizuhiki (Temple Banner), Meiji period (1868–1912), 1801/33
Hitotsumi (Boy's kimono), Taishô period (1912–1926)/ Shôwa period (1926–1989), c.1920/40
Haori, Shôwa period (1926–1989), before 1940
Fukusa (Gift Cover), late Edo period (1789–1868)/ Meiji period (1868–1912), 1870/95
Kuro Tomesode, Meiji period (1868–1912), c. 1885
Michiyuki, Shôwa period (1926–1989), 1926/40
Kesa, late Edo period (1789–1868), early 19th century
Kesa, late Edo period (1789–1868), late 18th/early 19th century
Hanten, Taishô period (1912–1926)/ Shôwa period (1926–1989), c. 1920/30
Nagajuban, Taishô period (1912–1926), c. 1920/23
Haori, 1920/26, Taishô period (1912–1926)
Armoured Men (Yoroeru otokotachi), 1974
Tajima Hiroyuki
Brown Paper (Chairo no kami), 1974
Kuro Tomesode, Taishô period (1912–1926), c. 1915
Kimono, Taishô period (1912–1926)/ Shôwa period (1926–1989), c. 1925
Panel (Wrapper), Meiji period (1868–1912)/ Taishô period (1912–1926)/ Show period (1926–1989), 1875/1925
Hitoe, Shôwa period (1926–1989), c. 1933/35
Hiyoku No Tomesode, Meiji period (1868–1912)/ Taishô period (1912–1926), c. 1910/15
Panel, Shôwa period (1926–1989), 1982
Table Cover, late Edo period (1789–1868)/ Meiji period (1868–1912), 19th century


Purplepatch Services helps organizations improve existing products or create new ones through research, strategy and design. Using our knowledge of human behavior, we create digital experiences that are easy and delightful to use.
Do you have an existing product to refresh?
Are you seeking to ideate for a new product concept?
What is your timeline to begin?


text:
The banknotes of Afars and Issas
Discover all the banknotes issued for this small territory between 1969 and 1975.
Numizon • April 17, 2020
6 banknotes for 10 years of colonization ...
The six banknotes of the French Territory of Afars and Issas were issued between 1969 and 1975. They now remain witnesses to a period of French colonial history that is now over, by the occupation of a small territory located in the Horn of Africa and close to Djibouti. Quickly discover these magnificent denominations, the last three values (1) of which will be reused later by the very young Republic of Djibouti.
(1) Banknotes of 500, 1000 and 5000 francs Type 1975 will be reprinted by the National Bank of Djibouti in 1979.
> See all catalog banknotes


text:
Do you classify 4d and toto an investment or expense?
Everyone would love to get rich, especially with a small investment that is worth the potential payoff - that is if you win. 4D, Toto and Big Sweep - the three most popular lottery tickets sold at Singaporepools. Most of us has spend on them one way or another, but is it really worth the payoff? Do you know the odds of winning any of them when it is stacked against you?
Most households that I know of do spend on lottery at a range from $50 to $800 per month, depending on the "obsession" state they are in. And most of them defended their decision on buying these lottery as an entertainment expenses - just like any other movie tickets or karaoke gathering that you spend off with your friends or family every week.
Mark Lee (a Singaporean actor) once said in his movie: "Buying 4d/toto is a 50 - 50 chance, either you win or you lose. If you buy, then only you have a chance. If you don't buy, then you have no chance". I wonder if anyone thinks it's true.
For me, I feel that it is ok if you buy them once in a while as many people said, it is an entertainment expenses more than anything. But if you start to buy them weeks after weeks, months after months and years after years, you do know that these amounts can add up substantially to what could have realistically make you richer. After all, should you get rich by buying lottery tickets one day, I am pretty sure that the money would not last and that you would get back to being poor again. That is because you do not have a system in place that will give you the advantage of being rich. Instead, you will go back to the old habits of depending on lottery tickets with odds heavily stacked against you. So for friends and aunties/uncles who are out there spending substantially on these lottery tickets, please rethink again. The odds are not just stacked slightly against you. It is stacked a whole lot more than what you think it is.
Singapore Sweep
1st Prize
(Or Group 1 for Toto)
1 in 10,000
2nd Prize
3rd Prize
(Just for the sake of reference, the odds of getting a Royal Flush in Poker, on the first 5 cards, is around 650,000 to 1. So with the exception of 4D, you might be better off just playing Poker. Or betting on the PGA tour. The odds of a pro-golfer getting a hole-in-one are 5000 to 1, around seven times more likely than winning Group 3 Toto.)
Posted by B at 8:51 PM 8 comments:
Should you purchase a property in Iskandar JB, Malaysia?
In case you have not heard of, there have been recently plenty of hype (see one of them in the link below) regarding the Malaysian government intention to build a great Iskandar JB, Malaysia. The news is so hot that I can almost compare it with the hype of REITS now (wherever you'll go to, you'll see people asking "when is a good time to enter REITS").
Ascendas and UEM Land set up JV to develop Iskandar Tech Park
I've recently went out with my ex-colleagues on property hunting in the Iskandar JB, Malaysia area. I must say that with such aggressive promotions backed from the government, developer took this opportunity to launch apartments after apartments, condos after condos and houses after houses to the public in large - which is why it makes an extremely difficult decision for investors. For some of the newly launched condos/houses, please see picture below.
Paragon Residence
Encorp Marina
Horizon Hills
Aren't they impressive? Yes of course they do. Can you afford it? Yes, I think you can.
These condos and houses are launching currently at about RM900-RM1100 psf and if you convert them into SGD, then you'll be looking at around SGD 300K for a 2 bedroom and SGD400K for a three bedroom. Sounds attractive? Wait, there's more... For Singaporeans and non-Malaysian, the downpayment will usually be at 20% and with plenty of rebates that comes with the package, it looks like you only need 10% to make the downpayment and the house is yours. As for Malaysians, the perks are even better. They can literally get the house for "free" without any downpayment made since they would qualify for a 90% loan and along with the 10% rebate, they do not need to essentially come up with any money upfront to purchase a house. Sounds to me like a recipe for housing bubble in the making.
My Thoughts on this:
I do believe that Iskandar will be a great project for years to come with plenty of upcoming potential winners with branded schools (Marlborough College - this is where our Duchess Kate Middleton attended her college), great amenities (Gleneagles Hospital) and plenty of playgrounds and activities (Legoland, Hellokitty land) to play with. However, I suspect that the recent hike in prices in the properties in JB is not so much fuelled by real demand of homebuyers (of course it is a part of it but not a major one). Instead, I feel that the developer is promoting aggresively to increase the housing prices purposely so that the foreigners can buy in (note that foreigners including Singaporeans can only buy properties in Malaysia that is above RM500K) and then subsequently given the rebates of up to 10%. My point is given that the cost to the developer is nearly the same regardless of who they build a house for, it makes sense to just price everything higher so that they can capture more of the market; afterall, they can't sell anything that costs less than RM500k to a foreigner anyway!
With the increasing stringent in rules regarding buying Singapore properties, it is easy to see why Singaporeans love Malaysian properties so much. It is much more affordable, bigger, nicer and anything and everything that you cannot find in Singapore. However, if you are thinking to purchase with the intention to invest, it is important that you should be comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges. If you must compare, you should compare it to similar houses in the same promixity area.
Having said that, I feel that if you are investing for your own stay or looking to purchase a 2nd home outside of Singapore, then there are no better buy than the close proximity of our close neighbour - Boleh Iskandar, Boleh Malaysia :)
Posted by B at 2:45 AM 2 comments:
Snow White Princess Diamond Watch - Takashimaya's Jewellery showcase
I went to the jewellery showcase at Takashimaya today and saw this particular diamond watch on showcase.
Here's a look at the exclusive & exquisite Snow White Princess Diamond Watch by Mouawad.
106 carat diamond...
...And it's price: A Whooping SGD8.8 Million.
Don't even start to debate whether I will spend that kind of money if I have one. Honestly speaking, I don't have that kind of money >.<
Posted by B at 11:39 PM 5 comments:
Challenging a different perspective of Dividend Investing & Delayed Gratification
Vera Nazarian once said "Not knowing your future is life's greatest motivator". But what if you already knew the story of your life. Would you still go ahead to elect to live them? Let's face one fact first and foremost - i.e All of us love money, at least most of us. And dividend investing and delaying gratification will do the trick, if you already know what I am talking about. But what good if you are a millionaire only at the age of say, 40 or 50 years old. Are the delayed gratification demands of dividend growth investing worth it?
fyi. This is not a picture of my real mum :)
For now, we will divide the discussion into two different camps: One who truly enjoy the process and journey of dividend investing while the other who do not. Let's take myself and my mum for instance. As with almost any endeavor, the process of accumulating and finding solid dividend stocks have been interesting to me. It is almost like an addictive online gaming which I had when I was younger. The steady accumulation of portfolio filled with undervalued telcos, utilities and Reits have been most partly addictive because of the savings habit which I have developed across these years - in other words, I view these purchase as part of my "clothes" or "shoes" or "handphones" shopping anyway. Fellow investors who are in this camp would agree that whenever they bought telco or Reits shares, they would feel the thrill of seeing people queueing up for days to purchase an iphone in a shopping mall. They would be thrilled even if they had to squeeze past people in a shopping mall, knowing that every profit that goes into the company will eventually go back to them in the form of dividends. In other words, they are the shareholders of the company. The boss of all bosses.
Now if you fall under the other side of the camps, perhaps like my mum, then you would feel that dividend investing is boring and slow and whatever negative there is. Nevertheless, you still do it, perhaps out of necessity. Perhaps you are the type of people who recognize the importance of retirement investing and that you have to put aside money for investment because that is the responsible thing to do. It's like you hate brocollis but you still have to force yourself to eat it because it's healthy. For these people, the question becomes how long do you want to delay your gratification. My mum, for instance, is not young (she is 47 this year btw) anymore. She wants to invest in undervalued dividend shares like I do (which I helped to research on her behalf along the way) but then refuses to delay her gratification for long on fear that by the time she can enjoy it, she'll be too old to buy or do anything. So, with plenty of choices along the way, the question becomes "Delayed Gratification? Sure, why not... but how long??"
Top MBA School - Using "Car" Analogy
Here's an interesting article using the car analogy to compare the various MBA Programmes out there.
Top Three: HBS, Stanford, Wharton (some say Wharton is just a rung below HBS and Stanford but above Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, Columbia or Tuck, which I won't dispute – opinions vary).
Elite Eight: Top 3 plus Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, Columbia and Tuck. Some say Tuck is just a rung below; again opinions vary.
Sweet Sixteen: Elite 8, plus Michigan, Duke, Darden, NYU, Berkeley, UCLA, Cornell, Yale (some will say that Cornell and Yale are just a rung below, but again opinions vary).
Rest of the Best: These are the top regional schools including (in no particular order) UT-Austin, Georgetown, USC, UNC, Emory, Babson, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Maryland, Carnegie Mellon.
Big Two International: It's basically INSEAD and London Business School (LBS), and then everyone else. The caliber of the student body and reputation of both these schools are comparable to the US Elite Eight.
HBS is like a British exotic car of varying quality – Rolls Royce, Bentley, and Aston Martin. They are Establishment, top hats and all. Like British exotics, HBS is really known for its heritage and prestige (with sport performance and classic styling to back it up). Some drivers are able to break the "unapproachable" mold and will take their cars for a bit of a joyride, but some are trapped in the pomp and circumstance of their cars. Only drawback is that they are incredibly high maintenance (more reliable than Italian exotics, but the repair costs are astronomically high) and insist on being noticed. And watching an HBS alum "fail" a la Jeffery Skilling is like seeing a Bentley stranded on the side of the road – everyone else can't help but gloat.
STANFORD GSB
Stanford is like an Italian exotic – from iconic marques like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Alfa Romeo, to super exotics like the Pagani Zonda, as well as the "all style and no substance" that are the Maseratis. In terms of styling and performance, they are bold, distinctive, and anti-authoritarian much like Stanford – built as if to be a complete counterpoint to the British exotics. They aren't the most reliable cars, but they sure look good, and they are the ultimate joyride car, risks be damned (few cars can replicate the exhaust note of a Ferrari). If HBS is about prestige, Stanford is about rebellious sex appeal. Just like not every Stanford GSB alum is of the same caliber, knowledgeable "car guys" know that there's a huge difference between Ferarri and Maserati – the former is a real sports car, while the latter is a piece of sh*t. But to the uninitiated, they draw attention in equal measure.
WHARTON (UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA)
Wharton is like a German exotic – Porsche, AMG, Maybach, Alpina, and Ruf, which represents a long history of performance that is analytical, clinical and precise, with styling that has always maintained a sporty middle ground, in between the conservative or even stodgy styling of the Brits and the more extreme elements of the Italians. They combine the quality/reliability of German engineering that the British and Italian sports cars don't have, with the cachet that rivals only the British and Italian luxury cars. The styling for the most part hides some of the best engineering under the hood, so the cars tend to draw less attention on the road. For example, most people may not even know the difference between an AMG or a regular Benz, much like most people may not have heard of Wharton, but when you say "Penn", they respond, "oh, Penn State." Moreover, they don't quite have the same cachet of the British and Italian luxury cars, even though many drivers would still kill to say "I drive a Porsche" even if it's just a Cayenne (i.e. a Toyota SUV with a Porsche stamp).
BOOTH (UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO)
Booth is like Mercedes-Benz – one of the preeminent luxury car brands, but without as much of the sex appeal and prestige of an exotic car. Underneath the hood, the performance is as good and sometimes even better than its more "prestigious" counterparts in the UK, Italy, or its neighbor in Zuffenhausen. In fact, while a Ferrari, Aston Martin or Porsche owner will talk about the driving experience as "fun", "raw" or "holy f*ck yeah!!!", Benz owners will whip out spreadsheets of performance statistics to quantify how their cars are just as good as the others. Styling wise, it's even more conservative than its German counterparts, perhaps a bit stodgy, boxy and awkward at times (and some models are just downright ugly). But hey, it's built like a tank - impenetrable to any kind of criticism.
KELLOGG (NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY)
Kellogg is like a Volkswagen - they aren't the most reliable cars, but they are sure fun cars to drive. They also have a very young, hip and aspirational image - but one that is within reach of many people. When you think of the Beetle, Golf GTI, Jetta, Cabrio, Rabbit, Vanagon/Westfalia (hippie van!!), Passat or Touraeg, you think of a hip young couple who shop at farmer's markets on their way back from CB2 to pick up funky kitchenware to decorate their so-hip-it-hurts exposed brick loft space – in the suburbs. They are very good at promoting and managing its reputation as a "cool and hip" car to drive. Oh, and they are always smiling, showcasing their Crest Whitestrips ™ bleached teeth. But damn, they are a good looking bunch of people who manage to out party every other school and still look good doing it.
SLOAN (MIT)
Sloan is like an Audi - more people have them than you'd expect, and for a German car, they are a bit younger and hipper – and more accessible. They are mentioned alongside the other great auto manufacturers, but still fly under the radar in most discussions. They are reliable workhorses that hide its performance and luxury behind a very understated and unassuming exterior – much like Sloanies and their abilities. Even their sportier versions (S-series, R8) are understated compared to its direct competitors. If its peers are a combination of style and substance, they are almost focused entirely on substance, if at the expense of style (if you have ever been to the MIT campus, you'll know what I'm talking about).
Columbia is like a BMW - an amazing machine that combines performance, quality and cachet, but it also attracts a disproportionate number of overly aggressive drivers who believe they own the road, and act accordingly (blasting horrendous techno music, cutting people off in traffic, honking their horns, etc.). Like the BMW, the "New York advantage" of Columbia has a Jersey Shore element to it. Cheesy club music, overpowering cologne, and drivers who love challenging every single luxury/sports car at a stop light. Or if you happen to drive a Honda (Stern), the BMW driver will rev up his engine and give that look of disdain. I'm sure there are some laid back and friendly BMW drivers, but they seem to be drowned out by the sheer number of a**holes – much like the loud minority at Columbia that give the school a bad name. But hey, across the board, they are still amazing machines and an astute person will know it's not the car, but the driver behind the wheel. Just don't get the X5, which is known to explode for absolutely no reason, much like a few loose cannon Columbia alums out there.
TUCK (DARTMOUTH COLLEGE)
Tuck is like a Swedish car, from the pedestrian (Saab and Volvo) to the exotic (Koenigsegg). It's quirky, relatively small in number, but has a fiercely loyal following of aficionados. Not many people know about these cars, but those that do rave about it. Some Tuckies, like the Koenigsegg, are truly exceptional and can stand toe to toe with any other exotic in terms of performance, styling and cachet. Beyond that, if there is any reputation it has, it's the family-oriented cars for hippies. Volvos and Saabs like Tuck seem to scream "I am a liberal outdoorsy vegan who collects bumper sticker slogans!" Strap some skis and bikes on its luggage rack, and you're off camping! Don't forget to bring your weed and Phish paraphernalia.
LBS is like Jaguar and Land Rover. A luxury British car that is high performance, but with some reliability issues that vary from one car to the next. Styling is decidedly refined and sophisticated, much like how LBS grads see themselves. They have that muscular feel of American cars with more European styling and refinement, much like how LBS has that American-style 2-year MBA structure but with a decidedly European student body. Also, when you think of Jaguar and Land Rover owners, you think of upper middle class blokes of all ages (including the geriatric) who love to drink, and drink lots of anything alcoholic – much like LBS which might as well own a chain of pubs for its students.
INSEAD is like Peugeot-Citroen. Not because they are both French, but because they are both very well known everywhere in the world but the US. Similar to how Peugeot-Citroen is one of the world's largest car makers, INSEAD is one of the largest business schools – but if you lived in the US you'd never know it. While they have a reputation amongst the public as "the everyday car for Europeans," to those in the know they have the reputation for building supercars that have dominated the Le Mans (which again means nothing to the NASCAR/Indy centric US). Similarly, INSEAD grads are found in all sectors of industry from middle management upwards, but that has a reputation as Europe's preeminent business school, and one of the most respected names within those who know business schools.
ROSS (UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN)
Ross is like General Motors. A bit of everything for everyone, but not really anything in particular that makes them really stand out, other than the fact that it has the feel of a quintessential college town. When you think GM, you think America. When you think Michigan, you think Americana. And like GM cars, quality will vary, but for the most part the cars are down the middle when it comes to styling, performance, and reliability. It's a solid, good choice for a buyer with a modest budget and who isn't interested in flash or being super urban and hip – much like how Ross is a solid middle-of-the-road top school for those who want some of the prestige of the other top 8 schools, but who aren't too fussy and caught up in keeping up with the Joneses. It's a utilitarian choice that gets you from point A to point B – a degree that helps you get a decent job so you can enjoy your family life. And if you want a bit of flash, you get their Cadillac.
FUQUA (DUKE UNIVERSITY)
Fuqua is like Chrysler, because it's hard to tell the difference between GM and Chrysler cars, just like it's hard to separate out Ross and Fuqua, and they seem to be interchangeable amongst applicants anyhow. Sebring or a Buick? Which one is Chrysler and which one is GM? I thought the PT Cruiser was GM? I'm confused. Just like Ross, Fuqua is a solid middle-of-the-road choice when you see the MBA for what it is (get a better job) while you get on with your life. It's for people who don't have hang ups about what school they go to, but want a good school – and unlike NYU and Haas (see below), for people who want a more quintessential American college town experience. Basketball. Football. Cheerleaders. Suburban Americana.
DARDEN (UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA)
Darden is like Ford because it prides itself on being "built tough". From the Mustang to the F-150 to the Crown Victorias, their bread and butter are cars that can withstand all kinds of grit, grime and abuse – much like how Darden students pride themselves on their ability to survive their infamous workload. Just like the Big-3 US automakers, applicants tend to apply to Michigan, Darden and Duke (below) collectively because they are similar to one another. The difference is, Darden is the macho brother of the three. Not known for their refinement, but the cars most likely to withstand nuclear war. Don't mess with Darden, because they will grind you up, spit you out, and crush you with their boots of steel. Boo-yah!
STERN (NYU)
Stern is like Honda – similar to Duke/Darden/Michigan, it's a solid choice for people who want a good program that gets them from point A to point B in relative comfort, but whose style is a bit more fun and peppy than its Detroit counterparts. From the Civic to the Accord to the Pilot, it's about practicality first and foremost. However, there are obnoxious owners of all marques, and Honda is no different – there is the minority of folks who constantly proclaim in that smug way that they could've gotten a BMW or Benz, but chose a Honda because of blah blah blah, just like a few Sternies here and there will claim they could've gotten into Columbia or Booth, but chose Stern instead. I don't doubt that it's true, but methinks the lady doth protest too much. Going to Stern is just like buying a Honda – no one is ever going to fault you for it, and for many who go there, they are happy with it being an enjoyable means to an end.
HAAS (UC – BERKELEY)
Haas is like Toyota, much like Stern is like Honda. It's for the practical minded who simply want to get a good degree so they can get a better job. Nothing more or less than that. And Haas fits that bill, much like a Corolla, Prius or a Tacoma. While some may be curious about why you would buy an American car, no one will question why you bought a Japanese car – just like many internationals may have more explaining to do when it comes to "why did you go to Ross/Fuqua/Darden?" but fewer if any outside the US will question why you chose Haas. Or Stern. In other words, Haas and Stern are like Toyota and Honda because they are all very well known worldwide, whereas American cars have more limited traction, especially outside of North America.
And don't even start on the supposed luxury brands such as Lexus or Acura – as good as they may be, they're just "nicer Toyotas" and "nicer Hondas" – and there's nothing wrong with that.
JOHNSON (CORNELL UNIVERSITY)
Johnson is like Subaru – a high quality and practical car, for those who know about it. The marque is typically not on the top of people's minds at first, although if you were to ask them to track how many Subarus they see in a day, chances are there are more out there than they ever realized. You see, Subarus don't like to draw attention to themselves, they simply get on with their business, and they attract buyers who want a reliable import/Japanese car, but want something different for the sake of being different (and something a bit more rugged). In a way, they are quirkier than the other Japanese marques, using boxer engines instead of an inline or V. Similarly, Johnson is sort of out there in rugged upstate New York – there's more of them working amongst you, but you wouldn't realize it unless you actually asked people where they went to school.
YALE SOM
Yale is the Mazda of business schools. What causes a person to go to Yale over NYU? It's a toss up, really just like a Honda versus Mazda. Oftentimes, it comes down to who gives you the better deal and better financing. Similar to Honda, Mazdas are known for being fun and sporty economy cars that don't take themselves too seriously. For example, who chooses Miatas? While I'm sure some could afford the more expensive European cars, most want a comparable quality experience that is within their reach. Again, if given the choice with no constraints, I'm sure most Miata owners would rather drive a German or Italian sports car, but few if any are complaining about driving that zippy little Miata around town. Similarly, while few would choose Yale over other top 8 schools, it's a place where people seem pretty happy about being there – they could certainly do a lot worse.
ANDERSON (UCLA)
Anderson is the Nissan of business schools. Like Nissan would be compared to other Japanese marques, Anderson tends to fall under the radar, even though it's known worldwide and they're everywhere. Similar to Toyota and Honda, for the most part they are solid cars that appeal to the practical minded buyer who just wants to "get on with it." Likewise, Anderson attracts students who simply see the MBA as a means to an end, and want a high quality school that will help them get a good job – it's the practical choice for many who want or need to stay in California for their careers. While it doesn't get the same level of exposure as Toyota or Honda, no one is going to fault you for ever getting a Nissan. At worst, it elicits no opinion, and at best, a positive one.
Source: http://www.mbaapply.com/advice.htm#elite8
Building World's biggest Ship - Maersk
Some internal news from my company regarding the outlook for shipping:
"Tough outlook with all round slowdown in Europe, US as well as China... but when the economy rebounded back one day, we'll be the first ready to step in to take advantage of the opportunity"
Maersk is building the world's biggest container ships, the Triple-Es. The first of two propellers has now left Hamburg as very special cargo bound for an Asian shipyard, where the vessels are being built. And when we say big, we mean really big …
With a diameter of 10m and weighing about 70 tonnes, the giant, four-bladed propeller for the first Triple-E was loaded onto Maersk Salalah. Two of these propellers will provide the thrust for the 400-metre-long Triple-Es.
The propellers take 10 minutes to cast but 10 days to cool. The first Triple-E vessel will be delivered in July, 2013.
With a capacity of 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, the Triple-Es will be the biggest container vessels sailing the seas when the first vessel of a 20-ship order takes to the water from July.
Posted by B at 4:36 AM 1 comment:
"Oct 12" - Transactions & Portfolio Update
No. of Lots
Average Price (SGD)
Total Value (SGD) based on average price
Market Price (SGD)
Total Value (SGD) based on market price
Total Dividends collected (SGD) since purchase
ST Engineering
SIA Engineering
FraserCenter Point Trust
First Reit
PLife Reit
Boustead
Neratel
Ascendas Hosp. Trust
The game plan for this month was not to add too much as the earning season shapes up again in the last quarter of 2012. As with many fellow investors, I am mostly sitting on the sidelines awaiting for the earnings report to take over the major role in the month of Oct.
For the month of Oct, I've only added a single lot of First Reit and it does not look like I will enter again for the rest of the month. My reasoning for entering First Reit is on the back that First Reits drop a massive 2.7% on one morning which then rebounded even on closing. I've not known the reason why it drops in the morning but for First Reit to drop such massively without any sort of news is an opportunity which is still fairly reasonable imo.
I think as we get closer to year end, the fiscal cliff situation will become much more tense than it is right now and I do foresee a panic in the market which will probably bring the STI back down to the next support line at 2980 and 2930. Till then, I will be monitoring very closely on Singtel and Comfort - both price of which has fallen to a nice level for investor to enter.
QAF - Man can live on "roti" alone
I like the heading from the analyst's report from CIMB on QAF. It says that man can only live on bread alone. Well, true. It is a consumer staples which most people do eat it for breakfast typically.
Here's my summarized version and keytakeaway of the report from CIMB on QAF:
Defensive consumer staples with a nice dividend yield of $0.05/share (~6.6%).
Margin pressure from Massimo, a new competitor in the bread industry with inception in 2011.
Nevertheless, dividends looks to be sustainable.
Potential catalyst - chances of divestment of the pork production in Australia, which barely break-even.
Outlook - JV to set up a bakery in China, Fujian. No material impact on the growth trajectory in the near terms.
Posted by B at 6:16 AM No comments:
TGIF with B - "Life as an Accountant"
What do you think of life as an accountant was in the office??
Hmm...deskbound, numbers, challenging or boring?? Well, you pretty much guessed it correctly most of the time.
My office desk as an accountant is just hmm...messy with sticky notes.
Do you classify 4d and toto an investment or expen...
Should you purchase a property in Iskandar JB, Mal...
Snow White Princess Diamond Watch - Takashimaya's ...
Challenging a different perspective of Dividend In...


text:
using System.Text.Json;
using Azure.Core;

namespace Azure.AI.Language.Conversations
{
    public partial class ConversationalTask : IUtf8JsonSerializable
    {
        void IUtf8JsonSerializable.Write(Utf8JsonWriter writer)
        {
            writer.WriteStartObject();
            writer.WritePropertyName("analysisInput");
            writer.WriteObjectValue(AnalysisInput);
            writer.WritePropertyName("parameters");
            writer.WriteObjectValue(Parameters);
            writer.WritePropertyName("kind");
            writer.WriteStringValue(Kind.ToString());
            writer.WriteEndObject();
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Summer Festival celebrates its twenty years of uninterrupted activity, thanks to its patron Mimmo D'Alessandro who presents the world's finest stars in the splendid setting of Lucca's Piazza Napoleone.
Robbie Williams, fresh from the Brits Icon Award, will appear on July 15 at Lucca's Summer Festival with his new highly anticipated European tour, which will start on June 2 from Manchester.
It's also a welcome return to Piazza Napoleone's stage after Robbie's appearance in 2015 to a full house. In a square crowded with fans from all over the world. Erasure will open this new show as special guests celebrating thirty years together.
Today's the last day you'll be able to visit this year's Lucca's 'Murabilia' garden festival. It's open from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm and is quite unmissable if you happen to love flowers and gardening and, of course, if you happen to be in Lucca too!
Together with springtime's 'Verdemura' it is one of the two premier Lucchesi events dealing with horticulture and gardening. 'Murabilia' takes place on the ramparts and bulwarks on the south side of the city near the station and 'Verdemura' takes place on the northern walls close to where one enters into the city from Bagni di Lucca.
Both locations are superb with wonderful views over the Lucchesia and the opportunity to explore the underground passages of the city walls where several interesting exhibitions take place.
Murabilia is not just about flowers although it's possible to come back with cartloads of varieties as special trolleys are provided. Garden machinery and craft stalls abound and there are also competitions.
As an added bonus entry to the botanical gardens is free. For the festival, appropriately, there's an exhibition showing how seed collection became a mania in the eighteenth century, particularly with such luminaries as Sir Joseph Banks who did so much to establish London's Kew gardens as one of the world's major seed banks.
I was quite attracted to the stall set up by secondary school children demonstrating how to make polyhedrons (structures fundamental to nature). They clearly had a very good maths teacher and I managed to make my own seven-pointed star.
'Let Nature be your teacher' as Billy Wordsworth so acurately wrote!


Funeral services for Hazel M. Mastine, age 76, of 518 East South Street, Ogdensburg, will be held on Saturday, June 04, 2011 at Notre Dame Church at 9:00 a.m. with Rev. F. James Shurtleff officiating. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Friday, June 3, 2011 at Frary Funeral Home from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Mrs. Mastine passed away on June 1, 2011 at Claxton Hepburn Medical Center surrounded by her family.
Mrs. Mastine is survived by two sons, Joseph and James "Ron", both of Ogdensburg; three granddaughters, Alicia Crossman and her husband, Benjamin of Ogdensburg, Charity Amo and her husband Jon, of Ogdensburg, and Sarah Bouchey and her husband Christopher of FL; one grandson, Matthew Mastine of Ogdensburg; two great grandchildren, Cameron Crossman and Gavin Amo; and one sister, Beverly Perrin of Ontario.
She was predeceased by two sons, John Mastine at infancy and Rodney "Babe" Mastine in 1997; and one brother, Lawrence Davis in 1972.
Mrs. Mastine was born on August 26, 1934 in Brockville, Canada, the daughter of Kenneth and Sarah Davis Butterimore. She graduated from North Augusta High school. She married James Mastine of which ended in divorce. She worked for Ames Department Store for over 36 years until its closing. She later worked for Claxton Hepburn Medical Center in food service catering for 12 years, retiring in 2009.
Mrs. Mastine was a member of the Ogdensburg Women City Club. Mrs. Mastine enjoyed shopping, cooking and her three dogs.
Donations may be made in her memory to the St. Lawrence Valley SPCA.


text:
\section{Introduction}
\label{sec::Intro}
Supernova remnants (i.e. remnants of Supernova explosions) are
commonly considered to be Cosmic particle accelerators. In this review
paper I will summarise experimental evidence, gathered through
$\gamma$-ray observations mainly in the VHE regime supporting this
notion (please note, that in the following $\gamma$-ray will be used
to stand for VHE $\gamma$-rays). Typically, SNRs were detected through
radio observations~\citep{Green}. Recent advances in the understanding
of these objects has been made through X-ray observations with
instruments such as ASCA, BeppoSax, XMM-Newton and Chandra and through
$\gamma$-ray observations with instruments such as HEGRA (High Energy
Gamma Ray Astronomy), and H.E.S.S.\ (High energy stereoscopic
system). Based on morphological properties, SNRs can be classified
into three broad categories: {\emph{shell-like}}, {\emph{plerionic}}
(also called Pulsar Wind Nebulae or Crab-like) connected to a Pulsar
and {\emph{composite}} (in which both, a shell and a Plerion are
present), the later often showing markedly different radio and X-ray
morphologies. For an excellent detailed review on plerionic SNRs, see
e.g.~\citet{GaenslerReview}.

SNRs are thought to be responsible for the acceleration of Cosmic rays
up to energies around the ``knee'' ($\sim 10^{15}$~eV) at which the
spectrum of Cosmic rays significantly hardens from $\sim 2.7$ to $\sim
3.2$. This statement is backed by experimental facts, as well as by
theoretical considerations. {\emph{Experimental evidence}} is lent
mainly by ({\bf 1}) X-ray observations of young shell-type SNRs such
as SN\,1006~\citep{SN1006ASCA}, and Cas~A~\citep{BeppoSaxCasA}, in
which sites dominated by hard non-thermal {\emph{X-ray synchrotron}}
emission were found, indicating an electron population extending up to
$\sim100$~TeV, far beyond thermal energies. ({\bf 2}) {\emph{Very high
energy (VHE) $\gamma$-ray}} observations ($> 100$~GeV) revealed sites
of non-thermal particle populations~\citep{HESSRXJ1713,
HESSRXJ1713_II, HESSRXJ1713_III}. Through theoretical considerations
is has been known for a long time that Supernova explosions release
just about the right amount of energy into their surrounding to
account for the energy budget of the Cosmic rays (assuming that they
convert $\sim 10\%$ of their energy into kinetic energy of the Cosmic
rays)~\citep{Ginzburg}. Furthermore well-established theoretical
models exists explaining how particles can be accelerated in Supernova
shock waves to energies approaching the {\emph{knee}}. In shell-type
SNRs particles are accelerated in the expanding shock waves through
diffusive shock (also called first order Fermi)
acceleration~\citep{Bell, BlandfordOstriker, Drury, Blandford, Jones,
MalkovDrury}. In plerionic SNRs particles are accelerated to
non-thermal energies in the termination shock between the relativistic
outflow of electrons from the pulsar surface and the outer
nebula. Predictions on the $\gamma$-ray visibility of SNRs (later
confirmed by H.E.S.S.\ $\gamma$-ray observations although there is
still an experimental ambiguity in the underlying particle population
resonsible for the $\gamma$-ray emission) were given
by~\citet{DrurySNRs}.

Since charged particles below the knee at $10^{15}$~eV are deflected
in ubiquitous magnetic fields on their way from the origin to us, we
have to turn to neutral messengers to reveal the acceleration sites
(the gyroradius of 1~TeV cosmic rays in a magnetic field of
$\mu$G-scale is of the order of 0.1~pc, much smaller than the
thickness of the Galaxy of 200--300~pc). Since neutrino detectors have
not yet proved to be sensitive enough to detect neutrinos from
astrophysical sources (apart from the Sun and the direct Supernova
explosion SN~1987A), observations in the radio, X-rays and
$\gamma$-ray wavebands are so far our best access to non-thermal
acceleration processes in SNRs. $\gamma$-rays (and neutrinos) are
produced in hadronic interactions with subsequent pionic decay and can
reveal the acceleration sites since they travel un-deflected from
their origin. However, $\gamma$-rays not only reveal the sites of
hadronic acceleration; they also act as a tracer for energetic
electrons that produce $\gamma$-rays via IC scattering off background
photon fields (such as star-light or the Cosmic microwave background
(CMBR)). An ambiguity or duality therefore exists in the responsible
radiating particle population in most cases when detecting
$\gamma$-rays from astrophysical objects.

In spite of this ambiguity the detection of $\gamma$-rays above $\sim$
1~GeV from SNRs gives us direct access to particle acceleration
processes and the advantage of $\gamma$-rays in comparison to other
wavebands is that these are not affected by dust obscuration, which is
particularly important for the population of SNRs located within the
Galactic plane. A large volumne of the Galaxy can thus be probed for
$\gamma$-ray emission from SNRs by observations through the Galactic
disk. If SNRs are indeed sites of particle acceleration, $\gamma$-ray
emission is expected and one of the puzzling aspects of previous
$\gamma$-ray observations of SNRs was the rather low level of emission
compared to model predictions~\citep{Buckley, HillasReview}.

The history of soft $\gamma$-ray (or hard X-ray) detection of SNRs
started with the detection of the Crab Nebula in 1964 with a
scintillation counter detector flown on a balloon launched from
Palestine, Texas~\citep{XraysCrab1964}. Today hard X-rays up to
100~keV have been detected from various SNRs both young shell-types
such as Cas~A~\citep{BeppoSaxCasA, BeppoSaxCasAII} and
SN~1006~\citep{RXTESN1006, BeppoSaxSN1006} and plerionic-types such as
the Vela-X PWN~\citep{BeppoSaxVelaPWN} and
MSH~15-5{\emph2}~\citep{ASCAMSH, RXTEMSH, BeppoSaxMSH1552,
IntegralMSH}. Thin X-ray filaments in young shell-type SNRs detected
with high-angular resolution instruments such as XMM-Newton and
Chandra point to regions with high-magnetic fields (up to 0.5 mG) in
which electrons rapidly lose energy through synchrotron
emission~\citep{ASCARXJ1713, ASCAVelaJr, ChandraSN1006, XMM1713}. In
higher energies $\gamma$-rays COMPTEL detected the radioactive
$^{44}$Ti-line at 1.157~MeV from the two shell-type SNRs
Cas~A~\citep{ComptelCasA} and RX\,J0852.0--4622 (Vela
Junior)~\citep{ComptelVelaJr}. However, it should be noted, that
higher sensitivity INTEGRAL observations provided a confirmation for
this detection for Cas~A, but could not detect this $^{44}$Ti-line in
RX\,J0852.0--4622. Therefore, these claims are still somewhat
controversial.

EGRET at energies above 100~MeV did not detect prominent young
shell-type SNRs such as Tycho, Kepler, Cas~A or SN~1006, noticed
however several intriguing spatial coincidences of unidentified
sources in the Galactic plane with individual prominent radio SNRs,
such as W\,28, and $\gamma$-Cygni~\citep{Dermer, Esposito,
Romero}. The combination of source confusion especially in the
Galactic plane, caused by the rather poor angular resolution of the
EGRET instrument and the ambiguity in existing counterparts prevented
individual identifications. However, a statistical assessment shows a
4-5$\sigma$ effect when trying to correlate the population of EGRET
unidentified sources with the population of radio
SNRs~\citep{Dermer}. Also plerionic SNRs have not been unambiguously
identified with EGRET sources, although again intriguing associations
of EGRET unidentified sources with prominent plerions such as
PSR\,B1706--44, and the Kookaburra complex
exist~\citep{EGRETPWN}. From a population point-of-view PWN are one of
the best candidates to account for low-latitude slowly varying
unidentified EGRET sources as proposed by
\citet{RobertsEGRET}. Lately, using VHE $\gamma$-ray source positions
in the Kookaburra region~\citep{HESSKooka} the re-analysis of EGRET
data provided strong evidence of correlation of the PWN detected in
this region with the confused unidentified EGRET source
3EG\,J1420--6038~\citep{ReimerKookaburra}. This new approach might
prove a useful template for connection future GLAST and VHE
$\gamma$-ray detections. All these possible associations of source
classes with unidentified EGRET sources will hopefully be tested
following the launch of the upcoming GLAST satellite in late 2007.

The history of VHE $\gamma$-ray (E$> 100~$GeV) detections of SNRs
started again with the detection of the Crab Nebula, the first object
to be reported in this waveband by the Whipple
collaboration~\citep{WhippleCrab}. Various claims of detections of
shell-type SNRs have been made before the advent of the H.E.S.S.\
telescope system. Cas~A was detected by HEGRA in a very deep ($\sim
200$ hours) exposure~\citep{HegraCasA}. Detections of
SN\,1006~\citep{Cangaroo_SN1006} and
RX\,J1713.7--3946~\citep{Cangaroo_RXJ1713} have been reported by the
CANGAROO collaboration. With the advent of the H.E.S.S.\ telescope
system, for the first time a number of Galactic SNRs, both shell-type
and plerionic in nature could be established. In the following I will
describe these populations of cosmic accelerators along with prospects
for Supernova remnant observations with the upcoming GLAST
satellite. The outline of this paper is as follows:
Section~\ref{sec::HESS_shell} provides a description of advances made
through the VHE $\gamma$-ray detections of shell-type Supernova
remnants, Section~\ref{sec::HESS_pwn} provides the corresponding
description for Pulsar Wind Nebulae. Section~\ref{sec::HESS_new}
describes Supernova remnants found in $\gamma$-rays and later
identified as Supernova remnants, while Section~\ref{sec::glast}
summarises prospects for Supernova remnant observations with the
upcoming GLAST satellite.

\section{Gamma-ray observations of shell-type SNRs}
\label{sec::HESS_shell}
By means of data taken with the H.E.S.S.\ telescope system during the
first few years of operation for the first time in VHE $\gamma$-ray
astronomy resolved images of shell-type SNRs above 100~GeV could be
taken. In particular the SNRs RX\,J1713.7--3946 and RX\,J0852.0--4622,
with diameters of $\sim 1^{\circ}$ and $\sim 2^{\circ}$ respectively
could be resolved with unprecedented detail in this energy band. On
the other hand, SN\,1006, one of the SNRs most expected to emit
$\gamma$-rays in the energy band (due to the strong non-thermal X-ray
emission from the rims) was not detected in deep H.E.S.S.\
observations~\citep{HESSSN1006}. The upper limit derived by this
observations turned out to be an order of magnitude below the
previously reported CANGAROO detection. A reanalysis of the CANGAROO
data along with newer data from the CANGAROO-III detector is
consistent with the H.E.S.S.\ upper
limits~\citep{Cangaroo_SN1006_II}. Therefore in the following the
H.E.S.S.\ upper limits will be used in the discussion of $\gamma$-ray
emission from SN\,1006. Since several papers on both
RX\,J1713.7--3946~\citep{HESSRXJ1713, HESSRXJ1713_II, HESSRXJ1713_III}
and RX\,J0852.0--4622~\citep{HESSRXJ0852, HESSRXJ0852_II} have been
published by the H.E.S.S.\ collaboration, the main focus of this
review will lie on similarities and differences between the two
objects with the addition of comparisons to SN\,1006 as the most
prominent non-detected SNR where appropriate.

\begin{figure*}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Figure1Combined}
  \caption{Acceptance-corrected smoothed excess maps of the
    $3.5^{\circ}\ \times 3.5^{\circ}$ fov surrounding the two
    prominent H.E.S.S.\ Supernova remnants RX\,J1713.7--3946 (2004 and
    2005 data)~\citep{HESSRXJ1713_III} and RX\,J0852.0--4622 (2005
    dataset)~\citep{MarianneBarcelona, HESSRXJ0852_II} and non-detected
    SN\,1006 (2004 dataset with VLA radio contours in
    white)~\citep{HESSSN1006}. The sky-regions shown are of similar
    size, indicating the large extent (2$^{\circ}$ diameter) of
    RX\,J0852.0--4622.  }
  \label{fig::shell_morphology}
\end{figure*}

Figure~\ref{fig::shell_morphology} shows $\gamma$-ray excess maps for
RX\,J1713.7--3946, RX\,J0852.0--4622, and SN\,1006. Both $\gamma$-ray
emitting objects show a shell-like structure with a surprising
resemblance of their respective X-ray morphology (the correlation
coefficients between $\gamma$-ray and X-ray counts are $\sim
60\%-80\%$). For both objects the X-ray emission is completely
dominated by non-thermal X-ray emission without traces of line
emission, exhibiting small filamentary structures that are interpreted
as zones where the magnetic field is high ($\sim 50\mu$G) such that
electrons rapidly lose energy through synchrotron emission in these
areas~\citep{XMM1713, Chandra1713, AschenbachVelaJr, XMMVelaJr}. Both
objects appear rather faint in radio with typical fluxes below or in
the several tenth of Jansky-regime for the whole shell, certainly
lower than what would be expected from equipartition
arguments~\citep{Lazendic}. The distance to both objects is somewhat
uncertain, for RX\,J1713.7--3946 it seems that a distance of $\sim
1$kpc is preferred from the column density inferred from X-ray
data. This distance would make RX\,J1713.7--3946 most likely the
remnant of the historical Supernova event of AD393. For
RX\,J0852.0--4622 distance estimates range from as close as the Vela
pulsar ($\sim 250$pc) to as far as the Vela Molecular Ridge ($\sim
1$kpc). The age ranges from $\sim 500$ years in the close case to
$\sim 5000$ years in the far case. Morphologically their $\gamma$-ray
emission, in particular the width of the shells is rather
different. The apparent width of the shell for RX\,J1713.7--3946
comprises 45\% of the radius of the SNR, while the for
RX\,J0852.0--4622 it approximates to 20\% of the radius. There is no
apparent correlation between the dense molecular material surrounding
RX\,J1713.7--3946 as measured by the NANTEN telescope and the VHE
$\gamma$-ray emission as measured by H.E.S.S., but in fact, assuming a
typical energy of $1\times 10^{50}$ ergs in accelerated protons, the
density needed to explain the $\gamma$-ray flux through hadronic
interactions is only 1~cm$^{-3}$.

SN\,1006 is somewhat distinct in its multi-frequency picture in that
its surface brightness is higher in radio ($\sim 100$
Jy)~\citep{RadioSN1006, RadioSN1006_II} showing a pronounced
shell-like structure. The X-ray emission, especially in the shell is
dominated by non-thermal emission up to $\sim 10$keV. SN\,1006 was not
detected in a deep (1000~ksec) INTEGRAL exposure above
20~keV~\citep{IntegralSN1006} and was also not detected in sensitive
H.E.S.S.\ observations~\citep{HESSSN1006}. The density surrounding the
source was estimated from X-ray as well as optical observations and
values as low as n$= 0.05$ cm$^{-3}$ have been invoked to explain the
apparent absence of $\gamma$-ray emission in a hadronic scenario. From
the H.E.S.S.\ non-detection assuming a leptonic $\gamma$-ray emission
scenario on the CMBR a lower limit on the post-shock magnetic field of
$B > 25\mu$G can be derived~\citep{HESSSN1006}. Higher values of the
magnetic field in excess of 40$\mu$G have been derived from X-ray
observation and application of diffusive shock acceleration scenarios,
so the lower limit on the magnetic field is not in contradiction to
these values.

\begin{figure*}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{Figure2}
  \caption{Spectral energy distribution for the Supernova remnants
  RX\,J1713.7--3946 (light red), RX\,J0852.0--4622 (pink), SN\,1006
  (blue). Also shown is a hadronic model (dotted green) and a
  time-dependent leptonic one-zone model (dashed grey: IC emission,
  solid grey: synchrotron emission). The parameters for this model
  are: B-Field: 9$\mu$G, age: 1.7 kYears, Electron photon index: 2.1,
  Electron Cutoff: 80 TeV.}
  \label{fig::shell_spectra}
\end{figure*}

Comparing the energy spectra of the two $\gamma$-ray detected SNRs,
strong similarities can be made out. The spectral energy distribution
(SED) for the three shell-type SNRs discussed here is shown in
Figure~\ref{fig::shell_spectra} along with model spectra, showing
typical leptonic and hadronic $\gamma$-ray emission models. As can be
seen from this plot RX\,J1713.7--3946 and RX\,J0852.0--4622 show a
remarkably similar $\gamma$-ray energy spectrum with a rather flat
$E^{-2}$-type distribution at lower energies with a deviation from
this power-law at higher energies. The flat spectrum at lower energies
has advocated claims that the $\gamma$-rays might be generated by
pionic decays rather than Inverse Compton
scattering~\citep{HESSRXJ1713_II, HESSRXJ1713_III}. However,
\citet{PorterMoskalenko} claim that the data can be well fitted in
terms of a leptonic model when applying an unbroken electron spectrum
along with the Galactic radiation fields.  Therefore, at the moment,
no strong conclusions can be drawn from the spectral shape on the
particle population responsible for the $\gamma$-ray emission. The
upcoming GLAST satellite, measuring in the energy range between 30~MeV
and 300~GeV might be able to distinguish between hadronic and leptonic
$\gamma$-ray production mechanisms. Also interesting to note is that
the H.E.S.S.\ $\gamma$-ray upper limit for SN\,1006 is more than an
order of magnitude below these $\gamma$-ray detections and therefore
starts to be rather constraining for the values of the magnetic field
(in a leptonic scenario) or the ambient matter density (in a hadronic
scenario).

These first unambiguous detections of individual shell-type SNRs
allowed for important advances in the understanding $\gamma$-ray
emission from these objects. However, the open question remains what
differentiates non-detected SNRs such as SN\,1006 from prominent
$\gamma$-ray emitters such as RX\,J1713.7--3946.

\section{Gamma-ray observations of Pulsar Wind Nebulae}
\label{sec::HESS_pwn}
Pulsar wind nebulae (PWN) or Plerions are objects powered by a
relativistic particle outflow (electrons and positrons) from a central
source -- a pulsar. This pulsar is a rapidly rotating neutron star
generated in the Supernova event. The wind of relativistic particles
flows freely out until the outflow pressure is balanced by that of the
surrounding medium. At that point a standing termination shock is
formed at which particles are accelerated~\citep{KennelCoroniti,
AhaAtoKif97}. The existence of electrons accelerated to energies
$>100$~TeV in such PWN has been established by X-ray observations of
synchrotron emission, e.g. in the Crab nebula~\citep{ChandraCrab}. VHE
$\gamma$-rays are generated in PWN from the high-energy electrons by
non-thermal bremsstrahlung or inverse Compton (IC) scattering on
photon target fields, such as the cosmic microwave background (CMBR)
or star-light.

\begin{figure*}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Figure3}
  \caption{Acceptance-corrected smoothed excess maps of
  MSH--15--5\emph{2} (top left)~\citep{HESSMSH}, the Kookaburra region
  showing the $\gamma$-ray emission coincident with the two
  non-thermal wings of the Kookaburra (top
  right)~\citep{HESSKookaburra}, HESS\,J1825--137 (bottom
  left)~\citep{HESS1825, HESS1825_II} and Vela~X (bottom
  right)~\citep{HESSVelaX}. Also shown are the energetic pulsars that
  are thought to power the PWNe.}
  \label{fig::pwn_morphology}
\end{figure*}

Apart from the Crab Nebula, no individual PWNe have been unambiguously
associated with EGRET sources, although several unidentified EGRET
sources are located in close proximity to prominent PWN, such as in
the Kookaburra region, or MSH--15--5\emph{2}. PWN are however one
candidate for the population of slowly varying low-latitude
unidentified sources. GLAST will shed more light on this population
and possibly establish PWN as emitters in the MeV to GeV range. In VHE
$\gamma$-rays PWN make up the majority of the identified Galactic
sources detected so far~\citep{FunkBarcelona, YvesBarcelona}. Apart
from the Crab Nebula (the brightest steady VHE $\gamma$-ray source)
several prominent PWN were identified in VHE $\gamma$-rays in the last
two years. These detections include
MSH--15--5\emph{2}~\citep{HESSMSH}, Vela~X~\citep{HESSVelaX}, the two
sources in the Kookaburra region~\citep{HESSKookaburra} and lately
HESS\,J1825--137~\citep{HESS1825, HESS1825_II}. VHE $\gamma$-ray
emission from PWN comes in various disguises as shown in
Figure~\ref{fig::pwn_morphology}: These include a) point-like emission
such as from the Crab Nebula~\citep{HESSCrab} and from the composite
SNR G\,0.9+0.1, where the $\gamma$-ray emission was shown to originate
from the central PWN~\citep{HESSG0.9}, b) emission tracing the X-ray
contours around a central pulsar such as in MSH--15-5\emph{2} or c)
asymmetrically extending to one side and tracing the X-ray contours
such as in Vela~X and finally d) the emerging new class of offset PWN
exemplified by HESS\,J1825--137 where the $\gamma$-ray emission shows
a similar morphology to the X-ray emission but on a much larger
scale~\citep{HESS1825_II}. Calculating the efficiency of the energetic
pulsars powering the PWN that is necessary to account for the VHE
$\gamma$-ray luminosity, values between 0.02\% (Crab Nebula) and 7.5\%
(HESS\,J1825--137) of the spin-down luminosity are found. The
broadband SEDs of the VHE $\gamma$-ray PWN can typically be well
described by leptonic models, although claims have been made for a
hadronic component at the high-energy end of the
spectrum~\citep{HornsHadronicPWN}. Vela~X is the first VHE
$\gamma$-ray source in which the peak in the Inverse Compton energy
flux has been detected within the H.E.S.S.\ energy
range~\citep{HESSVelaX}. Figure~\ref{fig::pwn_spectra} shows, that
while the ranges of $\gamma$-ray fluxes for the detected PWN is rather
small, the differences in the X-ray energy fluxes span a large
range. This might be alluded to largely different magnetic fields, to
different angular scales on which the X-ray emission has been measured
or simply to the fact, that different populations of electrons are
responsible for the X-ray and the $\gamma$-ray emission.

\begin{figure*}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{Figure4}
  \caption{Spectral energy distribution for the PWNe in the Kookaburra
  region (K3 and Rabbit) (red), MSH--15-5{\emph2} (turquoise), Vela~X
  (blue), and HESS\,J1825--137 (grey). The similar energy flux for the
  $\gamma$-ray emission in comparison to the vastly different energy
  flux for the X-ray emission is apparent.}
  \label{fig::pwn_spectra}
\end{figure*}

The most prominent example of the new class of {\emph{offset PWN}} is
HESS\,J1825--137. This object can serve as a template for a whole new
class of $\gamma$-ray PWN in which a) the $\gamma$-ray emission is
shifted away from the pulsar, possibly due to dense material on one
side that prevents an isotropic expansion of the PWN and b) the size
of the VHE $\gamma$-ray PWN is on a much larger scale ($\sim
1^{\circ}$) than the X-ray PWN ($\sim 1'$)~\citep{XMM1825}.
Concerning the offset morphology, asymmetric reverse shock
interactions were first proposed to explain the offset morphology of
the Vela~X PWN based on hydro-dynamical simulations
by~\citet{Blondin}. The different sizes for the $\gamma$-ray and X-ray
PWNe can be explained by the difference in the synchrotron cooling
lifetimes of the (higher energy) X-ray emitting and the (lower energy)
IC-$\gamma$-ray emitting electrons. The $\gamma$-ray sources that can
be explained in this framework are typically extended, their emission
region overlaps with energetic pulsars (energetic enough to explain
the $\gamma$-ray flux by their spindown power) and very importantly
also show evidence for an X-ray PWN. So far only Vela~X and
HESS\,J1825--137 match this picture, several other unidentified VHE
$\gamma$-ray sources have been proposed to be offset PWN, but all
these cases lack the detection of an X-ray PWN.

\section{New Supernova remnants found in VHE $\gamma$-rays}
\label{sec::HESS_new}
Originally Supernova remnants have been detected by means of radio
observation sensitive to synchrotron emission in magnetic
fields. Radio observations are particularly suited to detect Supernova
remnants in the inner Galaxy since they are insensitive to the
prevailing dust emission within the Galactic plane. The same holds for
hard X-ray emission and is particularly true for $\gamma$-rays. A
survey of the Galaxy in the $\gamma$-ray regime proved to be a good
means to detect new $\gamma$-ray SNRs, that are inconspicuous in other
wavebands. H.E.S.S.\ observations of the inner part of the Galactic
plane revealed $\sim 20$ new $\gamma$-ray sources~\citep{HESSScan,
HESSScanII, FunkBarcelona}. While some could be identified at other
wavebands, such as the Supernova remnants described in the previous
sections or the microquasar LS\,5039~\citep{HESSLS5039,
HESSLS5039_II}, most objects were left unidentified following their
detection. A programme of detailed MWL studies using existing radio
and X-ray facilities is underway to establish positional counterparts
of the $\gamma$-ray sources.

\begin{figure*}
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=0.99\textwidth]{Figure5}
  \caption{Comparison of radio, and X-ray data of
  HESS\,J1813--178. {\bf Left:} XMM-Newton counts map above 4.5~keV of
  the region surrounding HESS\,J1813--178 (colour contours) smoothed
  with a Gaussian kernel of width 0.002$^{\circ}$. The extended tail
  towards the north-east is visible in this figure. Overlaid is the
  20~cm shell-like emission (white contours) as detected by the
  VLA~\citep{Brogan1813}. Also shown are the positional contours of
  the best fit position of HESS\,J1813--178 (dashed circles correspond
  to the 1, 2, and 3$\sigma$ positional confidence contours) as given
  in~\citet{HESSScanII}. {\bf Right:} Slice through the emission in
  radio and X-rays as plotted on the left hand side. The box in which
  the slices were determined is also given in the left panel (white
  box). The X-ray slice shows the compact core with the slice towards
  the north-east, whereas the radio slice shows the shell-like
  structure of the emission.}
  \label{fig::new_1813}
\end{figure*}

A particularly interesting object found in the survey of the Galactic
plane is HESS\,J1813--178. At first flagged
unidentified~\citep{HESSScan}, it was quickly found to be positionally
coincident with: a) A previously unpublished archival faint radio
(VLA) source (20 cm) showing a shell-like
morphology~\citep{Brogan1813} b) a previously unpublished archival
bright X-ray ASCA source (2--10 keV)~\citep{Brogan1813}, and c) a hard
X-ray INTEGRAL source 10--100 keV~\citep{Ubertini1813}. H.E.S.S., ASCA
as well as INTEGRAL lacked the spatial resolution to resolve the
object. The VLA radio source showed a shell-like morphology,
suggesting that the VHE $\gamma$-ray emission originates in the shell
of a Supernova Remnant. However, in a 30~ksec XMM-Newton X-ray
observation non-thermal synchrotron emission was found not from a
shell, but rather from an object embedded within the shell with a
faint tail towards the north-east (see Figure~\ref{fig::new_1813})
resembling in its shape a PWN~\citep{Funk1813}. This detection reveals
that HESS\,J1813--178 is connected to a composite SNR similar to
e.g. the $\gamma$-ray source G0.9+0.1~\citep{HESSG0.9}. In
HESS\,J1813--178 for the first time, an SNR initially detected in VHE
$\gamma$-rays and subsequently confirmed with superior angular
resolution radio and X-ray data. This detection shows, that
$\gamma$-ray observations especially in the Galactic plane are well
suited to detect SNR, that are otherwise hard to detect due to
obscuration and dust absorption. Other objects tentatively connected
to shell-type or composite SNRs are
HESS\,J1640--465~\citep{HESSScanII, Funk1640}, and
HESS\,J1834--087~\citep{HESSScanII, FunkBarcelona}.

\section{Summary and Prospects for GLAST}
\label{sec::glast}
The upcoming GLAST satellite, in its energy range between 30~MeV and
300~GeV the successor to EGRET will provide a unique tool for studying
Supernova remnants. Especially in crowded regions in the Galactic
plane dominated by diffuse emission, the improved angular resolution
of the instrument in comparison to EGRET will be important for
disentangling source confusion and identification of counterparts. As
obvious from Figure~\ref{fig::shell_spectra}, GLAST will provide
spectral measurements in an energy regime in which differences between
hadronic and leptonic production $\gamma$-ray production mechanisms
are significant. Thus GLAST might finally disentangle whether the
$\gamma$-ray emission detected by H.E.S.S.\ is in fact the first
direct evidence of accelerated hadrons in shell-type SNRs, a question
that directly relates to the origin of cosmic rays. GLAST will provide
a highly even sky-coverage on long timescales and therefore population
studies of SNRs will be possible. Since EGRET is thought to have just
not been sensitive enough to single out individual PWNe and enable us
to conclude about their population, it is expected that these objects
will appear as a source classin the GLAST sky. Population studies of
SNRs provides information not only on individual objects but on
spatial-statistical aspects that can be used to understand the
transition of source populations through the regime of GeV-cutoffs as
already evident in numerous EGRET sources. Already now SNRs are an
established source class in VHE $\gamma$-ray astronomy. Observations
in this wavebands provide an important tool to understand the
acceleration processes within these Galactic accelerators.

\section{Acknowledgements}
The author would like to acknowledge the support of their host
institutions, and additionally support from the German Ministry for
Education and Research (BMBF) and from the Department of energy (DOE).
The author would like to thank the whole H.E.S.S.\ collaboration for
their support, COSPAR for the financial support, the unknown
referee(s) for their valuable comments, and finally the organisers of
the session E1.4 J.Vink and P.~O. Slane for the invitation to the
conference.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


The College oversees the professional conduct of Ontario's veterinarians. The outcomes of discipline hearings are public information and are intended to provide a greater understanding of the veterinary profession's accountability to the public.
The College posts discipline summaries since October 1, 2012 in the Discipline Orders section. Summaries of proceedings prior to October 1, 2012 were included in the College's quarterly newsletter, Update. All findings are noted in the Public Register which is available through the Find A Veterinarian feature on this website.
As always, a complete copy of a disciplinary decision is available by contacting the College. The College publishes summaries of discipline hearings to share information about the regulation of the veterinary profession. The outcomes of all discipline hearings are public information. These summaries are intended to provide a greater understanding of the issues surrounding professional misconduct and the veterinary profession's accountability to the public.
Hearings in which the member admits to all or some of the the allegations include an agreed statement of facts and a joint submission on penalty.
A statement of facts that are negotiated and agreed to by the College and the member as true and correct. It is filed as an exhibit at the hearing.
A penalty that is proposed to the panel as an appropriate penalty by both the College and the member. In law, the Discipline Committee must accept a joint submission on penalty unless it would be contrary to the public interest and bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
The member denies the allegations. The College must prove the allegations on a balance of probabilities by calling evidence such as witnesses. If one or more of the allegations is proved, a penalty hearing is scheduled. The College and the member may jointly propose a penalty to the Committee or they may disagree and a contested penalty hearing takes place.
Professional Misconduct refers to activities which are not compliant with the Veterinarians Act, the regulations, the College By-Laws, or generally accepted standards of practice.
Costs are paid to the College to offset the College's costs associated with conducting the hearing. A fine is a financial penalty imposed by as restitution for wrongdoing. A fine is paid to the Minister of Finance.
An appeal of a Discipline Committee's finding is made to the Divisional Court. In an uncontested hearing, the right to appeal is usually waived due to the member pleading guilty.


Shanghai Electric Power Company LimitedMay14,2018Shanghai Electric Power Company Limited (600021): Announcement . May08,2018Shanghai Electric Power Company Limited (600021): Legal.shanghai electric power equipment co ltd867,W3600-116 - 4C OffshoreSpecification of Offshore Wind Turbine W3600-116, Shanghai Electric Wind Power Equipment Co., Ltd. (Sewind), Information includes Operating Data, Rotor,.
! · /////// · · ///.shanghai electric power equipment co ltd867,Shanghai Electric Power Generation Equipment Co., Ltd. Company .D&B Hoovers provides sales leads and sales intelligence data on over 120 million companies like Shanghai Electric Power Generation Equipment Co., Ltd. and.
Company profile & key executives for Shanghai Electric Power Co Ltd (600021:Shanghai) including description, corporate address, management team and.
May14,2018Shanghai Electric Power Company Limited (600021): Announcement . May08,2018Shanghai Electric Power Company Limited (600021): Legal.
Specification of Offshore Wind Turbine W3600-116, Shanghai Electric Wind Power Equipment Co., Ltd. (Sewind), Information includes Operating Data, Rotor,.
· /////// · · ///.
»1meter cube for crusher run how tones?


Importance: Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) achieve expert-level accuracy in the diagnosis of pigmented melanocytic lesions. However, the most common types of skin cancer are nonpigmented and nonmelanocytic, and are more difficult to diagnose.
Objective: To compare the accuracy of a CNN-based classifier with that of physicians with different levels of experience.
Design, Setting, and Participants: A CNN-based classification model was trained on 7895 dermoscopic and 5829 close-up images of lesions excised at a primary skin cancer clinic between January 1, 2008, and July 13, 2017, for a combined evaluation of both imaging methods. The combined CNN (cCNN) was tested on a set of 2072 unknown cases and compared with results from 95 human raters who were medical personnel, including 62 board-certified dermatologists, with different experience in dermoscopy.
Main Outcomes and Measures: The proportions of correct specific diagnoses and the accuracy to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions measured as an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve served as main outcome measures.
Results: Among 95 human raters (51.6% female; mean age, 43.4 years; 95% CI, 41.0-45.7 years), the participants were divided into 3 groups (according to years of experience with dermoscopy): beginner raters (<3 years), intermediate raters (3-10 years), or expert raters (>10 years). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the trained cCNN was higher than human ratings (0.742; 95% CI, 0.729-0.755 vs 0.695; 95% CI, 0.676-0.713; P < .001). The specificity was fixed at the mean level of human raters (51.3%), and therefore the sensitivity of the cCNN (80.5%; 95% CI, 79.0%-82.1%) was higher than that of human raters (77.6%; 95% CI, 74.7%-80.5%). The cCNN achieved a higher percentage of correct specific diagnoses compared with human raters (37.6%; 95% CI, 36.6%-38.4% vs 33.5%; 95% CI, 31.5%-35.6%; P = .001) but not compared with experts (37.3%; 95% CI, 35.7%-38.8% vs 40.0%; 95% CI, 37.0%-43.0%; P = .18).
Conclusions and Relevance: Neural networks are able to classify dermoscopic and close-up images of nonpigmented lesions as accurately as human experts in an experimental setting.
Download PDF 'Expert-Level Diagnosis of Nonpigmented Skin Cancer by Combined Convolutional Neural Networks'. Item availability may be restricted.


Mr Banana show is performed in a never seen before style using physical theatre and miming sending out a message that can be understood worldwide breaking the language barrier.
The Climax of the show is seen on a 2,5m high Slack rope that Mr Banana manipulates perfectly. Giving the impression that he can fall anytime, Mr Banana plays with emotions as well as he plays with people.
Pierrick St-Pierre has been performing and creating stage and street acts in over 40 countries for the last 10 years.
He found out that his passion could break boundaries between people regardless of their age, Gender, cultural background and religion. Pierrick trained and performed with chinese and vietnamese circuses where he learnt most of the skills that he uses today.
He then started working for different theatre company throughout the world. He learnt to blend his strong technical skills with acting and could then create something totally unique and true to his vocation.
He has performed around the world in many festivals adapting his show to the culture where it was seen. He has also performed and taught in countless orphanage and has done many fundraising for different cause. He was one of the main organizer of Injuco Body Arts Convention 3 years in a row.
Apart from his solo performance he has been collaborating with musician, visual artist, clowns, poets and filmmaker.