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Tag: fossil record
Ancient Mouse Fur Discovery with Mighty Implications
By Fazale Rana – June 26, 2019
"What a mouse! . . . WHAT A MOUSE!"
The narrator's exclamation became the signature cry each time the superhero Mighty Mouse carried out the most impossible of feats.
A parody of Superman, Mighty Mouse was the 1942 creation of Paul Terry of Terrytoons Studio for 20th Century Fox. Since then, Mighty Mouse has appeared in theatrical shorts and films, Saturday morning cartoons, and comic books.
Figure 1: Mighty Mouse. Image credit: Wikipedia
Throughout each episode, the characters sing faux arias—mocking opera—with Mighty Mouse belting out, "Here I am to save the day!" each time he flies into action. As you would expect, many of the villains Mighty Mouse battles are cats, with his archnemesis being a feline named Oil Can Harry.
Mouse Fur Discovery
Recently, a team of researchers headed by scientists from the University of Manchester in the UK went to heroic measures to detect pigments in a 3-million-year-old mouse fossil, nicknamed—you guessed it—"mighty mouse."1 To detect the pigments, the researchers developed a new method that employs Synchrotron Rapid Scanning X-Ray Fluorescence Imaging to map metal distributions in the fossil, which, in turn, correlate with the types of pigments found in the animal's fur when it was alive.
This work paves the way for paleontologists to develop a better understanding of past life on Earth, with fur pigmentation being unusually important. The color of an animal's fur has physiological and behavioral importance and can change relatively quickly over the course of geological timescales through microevolutionary mechanisms.
This discovery also carries importance for the science-faith conversation. Some Christians believe that the recovery of soft tissue remnants, such as the pigments that make up fur, call into question the scientific methods used to determine the age of geological formations and the fossil record. This uncertainty opens up the possibility that our planet (and life on Earth) may be only 6,000 years old.
Is the young-earth interpretation of this advance valid? Is it possible for soft tissue materials to survive for millions of years? If so, how?
Detection of 3-Million-Year-Old Pigment
University of Manchester researchers applied their methodology to an exceptionally well-preserved 3-million-year-old fossil specimen (Apodemus atavus) recovered from the Willershausen conservation site in Germany. The specimen was compressed laterally during the fossilization process and is so well-preserved that imprints of its fur are readily visible.
The research team indirectly identified the pigments that at one time colored the fur by mapping the distribution of metals in the fossil specimen. These metals are known to associate with the pigments eumelanin and pheomelanin, the two main forms of melanin. (Eumelanin produces black and brown hues. Pheomelanin imparts fur, skin, and feathers with a light reddish-brown color.) As it turns out, copper ions chemically interact with eumelanin and pheomelanin. On the other hand, zinc (Zn) ions interact exclusively with pheomelanin by binding to sulfur (S) atoms that are part of this pigment's molecular structure. Zinc doesn't interact with eumelanin because sulfur is not part of its chemical composition.
The research team mapped the Zn and S distributions of the mighty mouse fossil and concluded that much of the fur was colored with pheomelanin and, therefore, must have been reddish brown. They failed to detect any pigment in the fur coating the animal's underbelly and feet, leading them to speculate that the mouse had white fur coating its stomach and feet.
What a piece of science! . . . WHAT A PIECE OF SCIENCE!
Soft Tissues and the Scientific Case for a Young Earth
Paleontologists see far-reaching implications for this work. Roy Wogelius, one of the scientists leading the study, hopes that "these results will mean that we can become more confident in reconstructing extinct animals and thereby add another dimension to the study of evolution."2
Young-earth creationists (YECs) also see far-reaching implications for this study. Many argue that advances such as this one provide compelling evidence that the earth is young and that the fossil record was laid down as a consequence of a recent global flood.
The crux of the YEC argument centers around the survivability of soft tissue materials. According to common wisdom, soft tissue materials should rapidly degrade once the organism dies. If this is the case, then there is no way soft tissue remnants should hang around for thousands of years, let alone millions. The fact that these materials can be recovered from fossil specimens indicates that the preserved organisms must be only a few thousand years old. And if that's the case, then the methods used to date the fossils cannot be valid.
At first glance, the argument carries some weight. Most people find it hard to envision how soft tissue materials could survive for vast periods of time, given the wide range of mechanisms that drive the degradation of biological materials.
Preservation Mechanisms for Soft Tissues in Fossils
Despite this initial impression, over the last decade or so paleontologists have identified a number of mechanisms that can delay the degradation of soft tissues long enough for them to become entombed within a mineral shell. When this entombment occurs, the degradation process dramatically slows down. In other words, it is a race against time. Can mineral entombment take place before the soft tissue materials fully decompose? If so, then soft tissue remnants can survive for hundreds of millions of years. And any chemical or physical process that can delay the degradation will contribute to soft tissue survival by giving the entombment process time to take place.
In Dinosaur Blood and the Age of the Earth, I describe several mechanisms that likely promote soft tissue survival. I also discuss the molecular features that contribute to soft tissue preservation in fossils. Not all molecules are made equally. Some are fragile and some robust. Two molecular properties that make molecules unusually durable are cross-linking and aromaticity. As it turns out, eumelanin and pheomelanin possess both.
Figure 2: Chemical Structure of Eumelanin. Image credit: Wikipedia
Figure 3: Chemical Structure of Pheomelanin. Image credit: Wikipedia
When considering the chemical structures of eumelanin and pheomelanin, it isn't surprising that these materials persist in the fossil record for millions of years. In fact, researchers have isolated eumelanin from a fossilized cephalopod ink sac that dates to around 160 million years ago.3
It is also worth noting that the mouse specimen was well-preserved, making it even more likely that durable soft-tissue materials would persist in the fossil. And, keep in mind that the research team detected trace amounts of pigments using sophisticated, state-of-the-art chemical instrumentation.
In short, the recovery of trace levels of soft-tissue materials from fossil remains is not surprising. Soft-tissue materials associated with the mighty mouse specimen—and other fossils, for that matter— can't save the day for the young-earth paradigm, but they find a ready explanation in an old-earth framework.
Dinosaur Blood and the Age of the Earth by Fazale Rana (book)
"What Dinosaur Soft Tissue Says about the Earth's Age" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Does Dinosaur Tissue Challenge Evolutionary Timescales? A Response to Kevin Anderson, Part 1" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Does the Recovery of Oils from a Fossilized Bird Evince a Young Earth?" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Soft Tissue Preservation Mechanism Stabilizes the Case for Earth's Antiquity" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Is Fossil-Associated Cholesterol a Biomarker for a Young Earth?" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Can Keratin in Feathers Survive for Millions of Years?" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Do Fossilized Ink Sacs Discolor the Case for an Old Earth?" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Science News Flash: An Old-Earth Perspective on Dinosaur Feathers Preserved in Amber" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Does Radiocarbon Dating Prove a Young Earth? A Response to Vernon R. Cupps" by Fazale Rana (article)
Phillip L. Manning et al., "Pheomelanin Pigment Remnants Mapped in Fossils of an Extinct Mammal," Nature Communications 10, (May 21, 2019): 2250, doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10087-2.
DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, "In a First, Researchers Identify Reddish Coloring in an Ancient Fossil," Science Daily, May 21, 2019, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190521075110.htm
Keely Glass et al., "Direct Chemical Evidence for Eumelanin Pigment from the Jurassic Period," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 109, no. 26 (June 26, 2012): 10218–23, doi:10.1073/pnas.1118448109.
Douglas Duncan	The Cell's Design with Fazale Rana	Leave a comment June 27, 2019 June 27, 2019 5 Minutes
Timing of Neanderthals' Disappearance Makes Art Claims Unlikely
BY FAZALE RANA – MARCH 27, 2019
In Latin it literally means, "somewhere else."
Legal experts consider an alibi to be one of the most effective legal defenses available in a court of law because it has the potential to prove a defendant's innocence. It goes without saying: if a defendant has an alibi, it means that he or she was somewhere else when the crime was committed.
As it turns out, paleoanthropologists have discovered that Neanderthals have an alibi, of sorts. Evidence indicates that they weren't the ones to scratch up the floor of Gorham's Cave.
Based on recent radiocarbon dates measured for samples from Bajondillo Cave (located on the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula—southwest corner of Europe), a research team from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology and several Spanish institutions determined that modern humans made their way to the southernmost tip of Iberia around 43,000 years ago, displacing Neanderthals.1
Because Neanderthals disappeared from Iberia at that time, it becomes unlikely that they were responsible for hatch marks (dated to be 39,000 years in age) made on the floor of Gorham's Cave on the island of Gibraltar. These scratches have been interpreted by some paleoanthropologists as evidence that Neanderthals possessed symbolic capabilities.
But how could Neanderthals have made the hatch marks if they weren't there? Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: the perfect alibi. Instead, it looks as if modern humans were the culprits who marked up the cave floor.
Figure 1: Gorham's Cave. Image credit: Wikipedia
The Case for Neanderthal Exceptionalism
Two of the biggest questions in anthropology today relate to Neanderthals:
When did these creatures disappear from Europe?
Did they possess symbolic capacity like modern humans, thus putting their cognitive abilities on par with ours as a species?
For paleoanthropologists, these two questions have become inseparable. With regard to the second question, some paleoanthropologists are convinced that Neanderthals displayed symbolic capabilities.
It is important to note that the case for Neanderthal symbolism is largely based on correlations between the archaeological and fossil records. Toward this end, some anthropologists have concluded that Neanderthals possessed symbolism because researchers have recovered artifacts (presumably reflecting symbolic capabilities) from the same layers that harbored Neanderthal fossils. Unfortunately, this approach is complicated by other studies that show that the cave layers have been mixed by either cave occupants (either hominid or modern human) or animals living in the caves. This mixing leads to the accidental association of fossil and archaeological remains. In other words, the mixing of layers raises questions about who the manufacturers of these artifacts were.
Because we know modern humans possess the capacity for symbolism, it is much more likely that modern humans, not Neanderthals, made the symbolic artifacts, in these instances. Then, only through an upheaval of the cave layers did the artifacts mix with Neanderthal remains. (See the Resources section for articles that elaborate this point.)
More often than not, archaeological remains are unearthed by themselves with no corresponding fossil specimens. This is the reason why understanding the timing of Neanderthals' disappearance and modern humans' arrival in different regions of Europe becomes so important (and why the two questions interrelate). Paleoanthropologists believe that if they can show that Neanderthals lived in a locale at the time symbolic artifacts were produced, then it becomes conceivable that these creatures made the symbolic items. This interpretation increases in plausiblity if no modern humans were around at the time.
Some researchers have argued along these lines regarding the hatch marks found on the floor of Gorham's Cave.2 The markings were made in the bedrock of the cave floor. The layers above the bedrock date to between 30,000 and 39,000 years in age. Some paleoanthropologists argue that Neanderthals must have made the markings. Why? Because, even though modern humans were already in Europe by that time, these paleoanthropologists think that modern humans had not yet made their way to the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. These same researchers also think that Neanderthals survived in Iberia until about 32,000 years ago, even though their counterparts in other parts of Europe had already disappeared. So, on this basis, paleoanthropologists conclude that Neanderthals produced the hatch marks and, thus, displayed symbolic capabilities.
Figure 2: Hatch marks on the floor of Gorham's Cave. Image credit: Wikipedia
When Did Neanderthals Disappear from Iberia?
But recent work challenges this conclusion. The Spanish and Japanese team took 17 new radiocarbon measurements from layers of the Bajondillo Cave (located in southern Iberia, near Gorham's Cave) with the hopes of precisely documenting the change in technology from Mousterian (made by Neanderthals) to Aurignacian (made by modern humans). This transition corresponds to the replacement of Neanderthals by modern humans elsewhere in Europe.
The researchers combined the data from their samples with previous measurements made at the site to pinpoint this transition at around 43,000 years ago—not 32,000 years ago. In other words, modern humans occupied Iberia at the same time they occupied other places in Europe. This result also means that Neanderthals had disappeared from Iberia well before the hatch marks in Gorham's Cave were made.
Were Neanderthals Exceptional Like Modern Humans?
Though claims of Neanderthal exceptionalism abound in the scientific literature and in popular science articles, the claims universally fail to withstand ongoing scientific scrutiny, as this latest discovery attests. Simply put, based on the archaeological record, there are no good reasons to think that Neanderthals displayed symbolism.
From my perspective, the case for Neanderthal symbolism seems to be driven more by ideology than actual scientific evidence.
It is also worth noting that comparative studies on Neanderthal and modern human brain structures also lead to the conclusion that humans displayed symbolism and Neanderthals did not. (See the Resources section for articles that describe this work in more detail.)
Questions about Neanderthal symbolic capacity and, hence, exceptionalism have bearing on how we understand human beings. Are human beings unique in our capacity for symbolism or is this quality displayed by other hominins? If humans are not alone in our capacity for symbolism, then we aren't exceptional. And, if we aren't exceptional then it becomes untenable to embrace the biblical concept of human beings as God's image bearers. (As a Christian, I see symbolism as a manifestation of the image of God.)
But, based on the latest scientific evidence, the verdict is in: modern humans are the only species to display the capacity for symbolism. In this way, scientific advance affirms that humans are exceptional in a way that aligns with the biblical concept of the image of God.
The Neanderthals' alibi holds up. They weren't there, but humans were. Case closed.
"Further Review Overturns Neanderthal Art Claim" by Fazale Rana (article)
"Paleoanthropologists Mixed Up about Neanderthal Behavior" by Fazale Rana (article)
Miguel Cortés-Sánchez et al., "An Early Aurignacian Arrival in Southwestern Europe," Nature Ecology and Evolution 3 (January 21, 2019): 207–12, doi:10.1038/s41559-018-0753-6.
Joaquín Rodríguez-Vidal et al., "A Rock Engraving Made by Neanderthals in Gibraltar," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 111, no. 37 (September 16, 2014): 13301–6, doi:10.1073/pnas.1411529111.
https://www.reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/read/the-cells-design/2019/03/27/timing-of-neanderthals-disappearance-makes-art-claims-unlikely
Soft Tissue Preservation Mechanism Stabilizes the Case for Earth's Antiquity
BY FAZALE RANA – DECEMBER 19, 2018
One of the highlights of the year at Reasons to Believe (well, it's a highlight for some of us, anyway) is the white elephant gift exchange at our staff Christmas party. It is great fun to laugh together as a staff as we take turns unwrapping gifts—some cheesy, some useless, and others highly prized—and then "stealing" from one another those two or three gifts that everyone seems to want.
Over the years, I have learned a few lessons about choosing a white elephant gift to unwrap. Avoid large gifts. If the gift is a dud, large items are more difficult to find a use for than small ones. Also, more often than not, the most beautifully wrapped gifts turn out to be the biggest letdowns of all.
Giving and receiving gifts isn't just limited to Christmas. People exchange all types of gifts with one another for all sorts of reasons.
Gifting is even part of the scientific enterprise—with the gifts taking on the form of scientific discoveries and advances. Many times, discoveries lead to new beneficial insights and technologies—gifts for humanity. Other times, these breakthroughs are gifts for scientists, signaling a new way to approach a scientific problem or opening up new vistas of investigation.
Soft Tissue Remnants Preserved in Fossils
One such gift was given to the scientific community over a decade ago by Mary Schweitzer, a paleontologist at North Carolina State University. Schweitzer and her team of collaborators recovered flexible, hollow, and transparent blood vessels from the remains of a T. rex specimen after removing the mineral component of the fossil.1 These blood vessels harbored microstructures with a cell-like morphology (form and structure) that she and her collaborators interpreted to be the remnants of red blood cells. This work showed conclusively that soft tissue materials could be preserved in fossil remains.
Though unexpected, the discovery was a landmark achievement for paleontology. Since Schweitzer's discovery, paleontologists have unearthed the remnants of all sorts of soft tissue materials from fossils representing a wide range of organisms. (For a catalog of some of these finds, see my book Dinosaur Blood and the Age of the Earth.)
With access to soft tissue materials in fossils, paleontologists have a new window into the biology of Earth's ancient life.
The Scientific Case for a Young Earth
Some Christians also saw Schweitzer's discovery as a gift. But for them the value of this scientific present wasn't the insight it provides about past life on Earth. Instead, they viewed this discovery (and others like it) as evidence that the earth must be no more than a few thousand years old. From a young-earth creationist (YEC) perspective, the survival of soft tissue materials in fossils indicates that these remains can't be millions of years old. As a case in point, at the time Schweitzer reported her findings, John Morris, a young-earth proponent from the Institute for Creation Research, wrote:
Indeed, it is hard to imagine how soft tissue could have lasted even 5,000 years or so since the Flood of Noah's day when creationists propose the dinosaur was buried. Such a thing could hardly happen today, for soft tissue decays rather quickly under any condition.2
In other words, from a YEC perspective, it is impossible for fossils to contain soft tissue remnants and be millions of years old. Soft tissues shouldn't survive that long; they should readily degrade in a few thousand years. From a YEC view, soft tissue discoveries challenge the reliability of radiometric dating methods used to determine the fossils' ages and, consequently, Earth's antiquity. Furthermore, these breakthrough discoveries provide compelling scientific evidence for a young earth and support the idea that the fossil record results from a recent global (worldwide) flood.
Admittedly, on the surface the argument carries some weight. At first glance, it is hard to envision how soft tissue materials could survive for vast periods of time, given the wide range of mechanisms that drive the degradation of biological materials.
Preservation of Soft Tissues in Fossil Remains
Despite this first impression, over the last decade or so paleontologists have identified a number of mechanisms that can delay the degradation of soft tissues long enough for them to become entombed within a mineral shell. When this entombment happens, the soft tissue materials escape further degradation (for the most part). In other words, it is a race against time. Can mineral entombment take place before the soft tissue materials fully decompose? If so, then soft tissue remnants can survive for hundreds of millions of years. And any chemical or physical process that can delay the degradation will contribute to soft tissue survival by giving the entombment process time to take place.
In Dinosaur Blood and the Age of the Earth, I describe several mechanisms that likely promote soft tissue survival. Since the book's publication (2016), researchers have deepened their understanding of the processes that make it possible for soft tissues to survive. The recent work of an international team of collaborators headed by researchers from Yale University provides an example of this growing insight.3
These researchers discovered that the deposition environment during the fossilization process plays a significant role in soft tissue preservation, and they have identified the chemical reactions that contribute to this preservation. The team examined 24 specimens of biomineralized vertebrate tissues ranging in age from modern to the Late Jurassic (approximately 163–145 million years ago) time frame. These specimens were taken from both chemically oxidative and reductive environments.
After demineralizing the samples, the researchers discovered that all modern specimens yielded soft tissues. However, demineralization only yielded soft tissues for fossils formed under oxidative conditions. Fossils formed under reductive conditions failed to yield any soft tissue material, whatsoever. The soft tissues from the oxidative settings (which included extracellular matrices, cell remnants, blood vessel remnants, and nerve materials) were stained brown. Researchers noted that the brown color of the soft tissue materials increased in intensity as a function of the fossil's age, with older specimens displaying greater browning than younger specimens.
The team was able to reproduce this brown color in soft tissues taken from modern-day specimens by heating the samples and exposing them to air. This process converted the soft tissues from translucent white to brown in appearance.
Using Raman spectroscopy, the researchers detected spectral signatures for proteins and N-heterocycle pyridine rings in the soft tissue materials. They believe that the N-heterocycle pyridine rings arise from the formation of advanced glycoxidation end-products (AGEs) and advanced lipoxidation end-products (ALEs). AGEs and ALEs are the by-products of the reactions that take place between proteins and sugars (AGEs) and proteins and lipids or fats (ALEs). (As an aside, AGEs and ALEs form when foods are cooked, and they occur at high levels when food is burnt, giving overly cooked foods their brownish color.) The researchers noted that spectral features for N-heterocycle pyridine rings become more prominent for soft tissues isolated from older fossil specimens, with the spectral features for the proteins becoming less pronounced.
AGEs and ALEs are heavily cross-linked compounds. This chemical property makes them extremely difficult to break down once they form. In other words, the formation of AGEs and ALEs in soft tissue remnants delays their decomposition long enough for mineral entombment to take place.
Iron from the environment or released from red blood cells promotes the formation of AGEs and ALEs. So do alkaline conditions.
In addition to stabilizing soft tissues from degradation because of the cross-links, AGEs and ALEs protect adjacent proteins from breakdown because of their hydrophobic (water repellent) nature. Water promotes soft tissue breakdown through a chemical process called hydrolysis. But because AGEs and ALEs are hydrophobic, they inhibit the hydrolytic reactions that would otherwise break down proteins that escape glycoxidation and lipoxidation reactions.
Finally, AGEs and ALEs are also resistant to microbial attack, further adding to the stability of the soft tissue materials. In other words, soft tissue materials recovered from fossil specimens are not the original, intact material, because they have undergone extensive chemical alteration. As it turns out, this alteration stabilized the soft tissue remnants long enough for mineral entombment to occur.
In short, this research team has made significant strides toward understanding the process by which soft tissue materials become preserved in fossil remains. The recovery of soft tissue materials from the ancient fossil remains makes perfect sense within an old-earth framework. These insights also undermine what many people believe to be one of the most compelling scientific arguments for a young earth.
In my experience, many skeptics and seekers alike reject Christian truth claims because of the misperception that Genesis 1 teaches that the earth is only 6,000 years old. This misperception becomes reinforced by vocal (and well-meaning) YECs who not only claim the only valid interpretation of Genesis 1 is the calendar-day view, but also maintain that ample scientific evidence—such as the recovery of soft tissue remnants in fossils—exists for a young earth.
Yet, as the latest work headed by scientists from Yale University demonstrates, soft tissue remnants associated with fossils find a ready explanation from an old-earth standpoint. It has been a gift to science that advances understanding of a sophisticated process.
Unfortunately, for YECs the fossil-associated soft tissues have turned out to be little more than a bad white elephant gift.
Mary H. Schweitzer et al., "Soft-Tissue Vessels and Cellular Preservation in Tyrannosaurus rex," Science 307 (March 25, 2005): 1952–55, doi:10.1126/science.1108397.
John D. Morris, "Dinosaur Soft Parts," Acts & Facts (June 1, 2005), icr.org/article/2032/.
Jasmina Wiemann et al., "Fossilization Transforms Vertebrate Hard Tissue Proteins into N-Heterocyclic Polymers," Nature Communications 9 (November 9, 2018): 4741, doi:10.1038/s41467-018-07013-3.
https://www.reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/read/the-cells-design/2018/12/19/soft-tissue-preservation-mechanism-stabilizes-the-case-for-earth-s-antiquity


Now that Tunein is gone. We ABSOLUTELY need Radio.com app for AM stations!!!! Please Elon, we're begging.
TuneIn is not gone - still works fine with many AM stations. You might be more successful complaining to CBS. Seems crazy to me for CBS to purposely reduce your ad supported audience, but CBS doesn't seem to care. The only reasoning may be CBS plans to kill off its AM stations. Their audience is declining every year for the last 5+ years.
Still more choices on our Tesla is always good.
We need to get radio.com supported by Tesla. There is no other solution to the many missing stations, even more important for AM stations on MX/M3 that can't tune AM. Causing lots of fun for me in my household for remote FM stations.
Entercom (ed: CBS radio merged with Entercom) will begin to remove its stations from TuneIn. This is being done, Field said, "to drive all digital listening of our outstanding stations, shows, and personalities to our own Radio.com platform." The transition dates are July 6 for the legacy Entercom stations, and August 1 for the legacy CBS stations.
This is why many stations (including mine and my wife's favorites) no longer work. Have same problem on my Sonos boxes at home.
Our 2nd Model S is supposed to be done in a week, and my wife is very pissed and has been talking about giving up our deposit and ditching getting the car (groan...).
Sonos has a beta radio.com app to deal with this. Unfortunately this will somewhat be the future of media consolidation, where this will happen probably once every 12-18 mo, so Tesla needs to assume some app work every 12-18mo, which I would think shouldn't be a huge problem if they are running Android or Linux (e.g. get app from given service and port it/modify slightly, so the user interface doesn't distract from driving).
If Tesla isn't willing to do this, then they should not show/give people ANY radio streaming apps, since this is just how it is now with streaming and their e-commerce companies homes for streaming changing constantly.
Can't people just steam from radio.com on their smartphone and then use their smartphone as there source for the audio system. I do this so I can get to music I have downloaded to my spotify premium account.
Stop begging Elon and use your bluetooth-tethered smartphone.
You might be more successful complaining to CBS,I do this so I can get to music I have downloaded to my spotify premium account.
Posting Spam will not get you invited to the bunny ranch.
Want to borrow some of mine?
While using Kik for Windows, you not only get to share unlimited text messages with your friends but also you also get to share various emojis, GIFs, videos, sketches, etc with your friends.
Over the past decade, the internet has become a pivotal part of our society so much so that it is almost impossible to complete basic tasks without using it for reference. This vitality that we have given to the internet has led us to become its puppets in today's time. When it comes to having a proper internet connection, most people get it from a local service provider and use it through their personal Wi-FI routers. While that is definitely the ideal thing to do, it comes with a major consequence.


The RPO recently presented the Pinchas Zukerman Summer Music Festival at Cadogan Hall. It brought back a lot of happy memories from January's US tour, which began with ten days of touring the east coast with Pinchas (with me as a Guest Principal), and led to me being offered the Principal appointment by the end of the second part of the tour in San Francisco.
Mozart and Mendelssohn featured in the first two of three evening concerts the orchestra presented. Haydn joined Mendelssohn in the third. One of the many things I love about the RPO is its commitment to playing the widest range of repertoire, one day a large scale symphonic programme, the next day a movie score, a non-classical extravaganza at the Royal Albert Hall or, as was the case during this particular week, to reduce in scale slightly and enjoy performing some of the most satisfying chamber orchestra repertoire.
The first concert was a real highlight of my short time playing in the RPO. Starting with Mendelssohn's String Symphony No.10, surely one of the best openers for any chamber orchestra concert, Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante followed with Pinchas playing viola alongside the violinist Viviane Hagner. The concert concluded with Mendelssohn's 'Reformation' Symphony which, in honour of the 300th anniversary of the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession, was in every way a wonderful revelation to me.
The second concert featured the violinist Fumiaki Miura who is making a series of impressive debuts this season. This was his first appearance with the RPO and he performed Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto. Violin concerti seem to have been a popular part of the RPO diet since I joined as we have performed Mozart A major, Beethoven, Bruch, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Haydn C major, Glazunov and Sibelius in just a handful of months.
This second concert also featured our Principal Viola Abi Fenna and David Gordon from our bass section, joining forces with Pinchas and Fumi in Mozart's 'Serenata Notturna' for two small "orchestras" or, as in this performance, quartet and chamber orchestra. Mozart's 'Haffner' and 'Linz' symphonies bookended the concert.
Lunchtime trio and chamber recitals were presented throughout the week but the third and final concert featuring the RPO turned away from Mozart towards Haydn. Haydn's 'Bear' Symphony opened, followed by Pinchas performing his C major violin concerto where I was particularly satisfied to discover a few bars in the orchestration matching identically that of the C major cello concerto that I know so well.
I think, particularly for any string player in the RPO, being so close to such a violinistic legend, being so close to his sound and its immense projection, and being able to make music collectively is something really special. Mendelssohn's effervescent 'Italian' symphony concluded a most enjoyable and satisfying week of music making.
The RPO Blog offers a musician's-view of orchestra life – one post reflecting on each month that passes. Join us as we chart the highs (and occasional lows) of our weird and wonderful lifestyle in this orchestra we all love, the RPO.


text:
via Copper Canyon Press
From C.D. Wright's Final Book Casting Deep Shade
"The tree, real enough, was probably not big enough at the time . . ."
February 12, 2019 By C.D. Wright
Home in Illinois, Lincoln liked to read under a beech. Lincoln liked to read period. For all we know he may have liked to look at dirty flip books under the ample canopy of a solitary beech.
Though Lincoln was known to have enjoyed reading under a beech, it is apparently not true that he and his son Tad played and read under a copper beech at the cottage on the grounds of the Soldiers' Home. This is where Lincoln drafted the Emancipation Proclamation, and the kids could play mumble-the-whatever-the-hell-it-is-peg. This is where he rode Old Bob, grey shawl over his own grey shoulders, and though usually accompanied by a cavalry detail, did once have his high hat shot through. The tree, real enough, was probably not big enough at the time to provide shade for the idle, bookish type.
A copper beech is planted in front of his seated statue in Louisville, where with bronze book balanced on his knee, pried open by a bronze finger, he watches the Ohio roll on, where he first saw slaves unloaded, and was put wise to his revulsion toward the peculiar institution.
They are very beautiful, firm, and perfect leaves, unspotted and not eaten by insects, of a handsome, clear leather-color, like a book bound in calf. Crisp and elastic. Thoreau
There is a Corot of a woman lying down reading in a beech grove. Really the painting is of the trees. She just happens to be in the lower-left corner, barefoot, loose-tressed, corseted. From here, the pages that absorb the woman are just gobbledygook.
Greek proverb: A civilization flourishes when people plant trees under which they will never sit—there may be more than one possible translation of that one.
African proverb: Roots do not know what a leaf has in mind.
Everytime the tree works the leaves dream. Frank Stanford
That mono-focal experience of the bok is the heart and soul of what it means to read.
FYI: Fagus sylvatica is the most mentioned tree in Danish poetry.
FYI: The 16th president was shot in his fine Brooks Brothers suit.
From Casting Deep Shade. Used with permission of Copper Canyon Press. Copyright © 2019 by C.D. Wright.
beech treesC.D. WrightCasting Deep ShadeCopper Canyon Presspoetry
C.D. Wright grew up in Arkansas. She was the author of more than a dozen collections of poetry and prose and a recipient of numerous awards, including a MacArthur Fellowship. One With Others: [a little book of her days] won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Lenore Marshall Prize and was a finalist for the National Book Award. Her book Rising, Falling, Hovering won the 2009 International Griffin Poetry Prize. Wright was married to writer/translator Forrest Gander and taught at Brown University. She unexpectedly passed away in her sleep on January 12, 2016.
31 Books in 30 Days: Michael Schaub on Jane Leavy
Chloe Aridjis, Jen Beagin, and More Take the Lit Hub Questionnaire
31 Books in 30 Days: Michael Schaub on Jane Leavy In the 31 Books in 30 Days series leading up to the March 14, 2019 announcement of the 2018 National Book Critics Circle...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Welcome to Durand Garage Door Inc.
Durand Garage Door Inc. is a two generation family owned and operated business. For over 20 years we have been building a strong reputation on quality garage door repair and installation services. We proudly serve residential and commercial customers in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.
We provide the highest quality products that deliver the best value for our customers. For that reason, we choose to carry Midland Garage Door Mfg. Co. garage doors and Liftmaster® openers. Midland Garage Doors are durable and dependable, while providing a range of options to compliment any exterior. LiftMaster® offers a wide range of residential and commercial products designed to fit any application. An overhead garage door or opener is an investment in your property, rely on Durand Garage Door Inc., Midland Garage Door Mfg. Co. and LiftMaster® to make it a good one!
Instantly add style and beauty to your home with a new door. Choose options like color, panel design and window design. From classic to more modern designs, there's a door to fit your style. In addition to overhead doors, we sell and install professional grade LiftMaster® openers and accessories.
Our high quality commercial doors and operators stand up to demanding commercial or agricultural use. Midland Garage Doors provide the toughest commercial overhead doors in the industry. For added safety and convenience, we also offer LiftMaster® commercial door operators.
With our 20 years of experience, we can quickly identify problems as well as, provide cost effective solutions. We stock an extensive inventory of door and opener parts and accessories to provide prompt service. Services include: broken spring replacement, cable repair, roller upgrades, weather seal and more!


text:
Q: JSON - Slashes and application type..refactoring My code works (yeah!) which sends json to a server.. would appreciate any thoughts on refactoring
1) My C# code sends this json to the server
{\"firstName\":\"Bill\",\"lastName\":\"Gates\",\"email\":\"asdf@hotmail.com\",\"deviceUUID\":\"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz\"}
Which I have to get rid of the slashes on the server side....not good.
2) I'm using application/x-www-form-urlencoded and probably want to be using application/json
Person p = new Person();
            p.firstName = "Bill";
            p.lastName = "Gates";
            p.email = "asdf@hotmail.com";
            p.deviceUUID = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz";

            HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(targetUri + "newuser.php");
            request.Method = "POST";
            request.ContentType = "application/x-www-form-urlencoded";
            //TODO request.ContentType = "application/json";

            JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
            string s = serializer.Serialize(p);
            textBox3.Text = s;

            string postData = "json=" + HttpUtility.UrlEncode(s);

            byte[] byteArray = Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(postData);

            request.ContentLength = byteArray.Length;
            Stream dataStream = request.GetRequestStream();
            dataStream.Write(byteArray, 0, byteArray.Length);
            dataStream.Close ();

            WebResponse response = request.GetResponse();
            //textBox4.Text = (((HttpWebResponse)response).StatusDescription);
            dataStream = response.GetResponseStream ();

            StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(dataStream);
            string responseFromServer = reader.ReadToEnd ();
            textBox4.Text += responseFromServer;

            reader.Close ();
            dataStream.Close ();
            response.Close ();

PHP Code on Server:
$inbound = $_POST['json'];

// this strips out the \
$stripped = stripslashes($inbound);

$json_object = json_decode($stripped);
echo $json_object->{'firstName'};
echo $json_object->{'lastName'};
echo $json_object->{'email'};
echo $json_object->{'deviceUUID'};

A: Are you sure you have those slashes in there? That's the debugger view which C# encodes the string for display, but the real values coming out of JavaScriptSerializer don't have any slashes in the identifier. The only thing that gets escaped is the JSON value content...

A: I found this easy to use: http://james.newtonking.com/archive/2008/02/11/linq-to-json-beta.aspx and http://james.newtonking.com/projects/json-net.aspx

A: Good thoughts... I've checked in VS and when set a breakpoint on textBox3.Text = s;
and then hover over the previous line s.  It shows this:
s = "{\"firstName\":\"Bill\",\"lastName\":\"Gates\",\"email\":\"asdf@hotmail.com\",\"deviceUUID\":\"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz\"}"
So, I've checked on the PHP side too:
$inbound = $_POST['json'];
var_dump($inbound);

string(124)
  "{\"firstName\":\"Bill\",\"lastName\":\"Gates\",\"email\":\"asdf@hotmail.com\",\"deviceUUID\":\"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz\"}"

A: JSON.NET is great and well worth working out - it does a few things better than JavaScriptSerializer, but I know for a fact that JavaScriptSerializer (and any other JSON serializer) will not output identifiers with slashes. It'd be invalid JSON.

A: Got it
There were 2 problems:
The PHP server was escaping incoming data, so I had to use stripslashes.
http://nz.php.net/magic_quotes
Also hovering over the property in VS showed slashed but a
Debug.Write(s);

showed:
[{
  "categoryid": "1",
  "name": "funny",
  "serverimageid": "1",
  "dateuploaded": "2008-11-17 16:16:41",
  "enabled": "\u0001"
}, {
  "categoryid": "2",
  "name": "happy",
  "serverimageid": "2",
  "dateuploaded": "2008-11-17 16:17:00",
  "enabled": "\u0001"
}, {
  "categoryid": "3",
  "name": "sad",
  "serverimageid": "3",
  "dateuploaded": "2008-11-16 16:17:13",
  "enabled": "\u0001"
}]

Thanks everyone.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


By far the most interesting of the rustic beauties whom the genius of Burns has immortalized is Mary Campbell, the object of the deepest passion of his life, and the inspirer of some of the loveliest songs he ever wrote. His acquaintance with her began when he was in his twenty-third year, and while he was living at Mossgiel with his brother. She was at that time a servant in the family of a gentleman in the neighborhood. They solemnly pledged themselves to each other. "We met," says Burns, "by appointment, on the second Sunday in May, in a sequestered spot by the banks of the Ayr, where we spent a day in taking a farewell before she should embark for the West Highlands to arrange matters among her friends for our projected change of life." Their farewell was accompanied by all the simple ceremonials common among the country-folk on such occasions. The lovers, standing on each side of a small brook, laved their hands in the stream, and, holding a Bible between them, vowed to be faithful to each other. This Bible is now preserved at Alloway with other relics of Burns ; and to one of the covers is fastened a lock of Highland Mary's golden hair. Within are inscribed verses of Scripture relating to the sacredness of vows, in the poet's handwriting.
The artist, with exquisite grace and tenderness, has depicted Highland Mary as rest ing by the roadside on her journey to her home. Shortly after her arrival there, various mischances made Burns for a while think or seeking his fortune in the West Indies. It was then that he wrote the song, "Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary?" It was but a few months after their parting on the banks of the Ayr that Mary Campbell left Inverary to meet her lover, to take leave of him before his proposed departure. But on the journey she was seized with a fever, and died in a few days ; the tidings of her death reaching Burns before he had even heard of her illness. How passionate was his griei at this loss, and how lasting his memory of his early love, is known to every one. Three years after her death he wrote the exquisite elegy, "To Mary in Heaven"; and, some years later, the song of "Highland Mary."
I aft hae kissed sae fondly.
Sir John Steell's statue of Burns in Dundee, which depicts the poet drawing inspiration from his "Highland Mary"
The Faed gallery, a series of the most renowned works of Thomas Faed, reproduced in heliotype; with full descriptions, and a sketch of the life of the artist. Boston: James R. Osgood and Co., 1878. Internet Archive. Contributed by the Getty Research Institute. Web. 17 May 2018.


Oh Lee Ann ~ I would be happy about this too! BEAUTIFUL job!
Fun & Fabulous! Love this technique. Your background turned out awesome and the sequins here and there are a great touch.
What a great take on this fun technique! Wonderful inking job too...love it!
Love this card, it is so beautiful! All of the techniques you have been using are amazing! the background looks fabulous and I love those sequins! Awesome card!
love your card! the pattern is awesome!
Ooh love the background and the perfect amount of sequin:) Lovely card.
What a great card!! Love the background and the colors!! Have a great day.


text:
Q: MvcSiteMapProvider - understanding dynamicnodes I'm new to MvcSiteMapProvider. I have done the basics and understand that I have to setup my mvc.sitemap xml in order for breadcrumbs to work.
Now I want to be able to add dynamic nodes on click of links.
For e.g When I click Apple in Category table : Phones. I want to be able to display Phones > Apple.
So far I have seen this method everywhere:
public class FBDynamicNodeProvider : DynamicNodeProviderBase
{
    public override IEnumerable<DynamicNode> GetDynamicNodeCollection(ISiteMapNode mapnode)
    {
        var returnValue = new List<DynamicNode>();
        DynamicNode node = new DynamicNode();
        node.Title = "Nodedummytitle";
        node.Controller ="Phones";
        node.Action = "Index";
        node.RouteValues.Add("id", 1);
        node.ParentKey = "PhonesCategory";
        node.Key = "PhonesList";
        returnValue.Add(node);

        return returnValue;
    }
}

But I really fail to understand how to get this working. I have tried debugging it, the getdynamicnodecollection method gets called but I don't see the breadcrumbs. What am I doing wrong? Can someone please share an example link which will help me to achieve this?
EDIT 1:
I solved this by identifying what was in my website/sitemap.xml.
Apparently the breadcrumb was generated but not displayed because of incorrect uri.All I had to do is make the URI similar to that in my xml and it worked like a charm.
Now I'm stuck with a problem, wherein I don't know, what to do when I resolve my own question like another of my SO Question's here.
Please guide me.
Thanks

A: First of all, the term "dynamic node" is a bit misleading. The nodes are not dynamic, they are static nodes that are based on a (potentially) dynamic data source. What this means is that they are loaded and stored in the shared cache at application startup (and whenever the cache expires). But they can be based on an external source such as a file or database.
Secondly, the matching behavior of the nodes is something that requires some understanding to achieve. It is pretty simple to get routes with no custom parameters to match, but when you add an "id" or other custom key to the route, you must also add it to the node's RouteValues dictionary for it to determine the "current node". By default you are expected to add a node for each "id" (which is typically done with dynamic nodes).
<mvcSiteMapNode title="Project 1" controller="Project" action="Details" id="1">
<mvcSiteMapNode title="Project 2" controller="Project" action="Details" id="2">
<mvcSiteMapNode title="Project 3" controller="Project" action="Details" id="3">

There is another option that works well if you just want to create some fake breadcrumbs to go with administration pages that edit data. This will make a node always match a route key regardless of its value, which is usually the ideal solution for administration pages that do CRUD operations.
<mvcSiteMapNode title="Edit Project" controller="Project" action="Edit" preservedRouteParameters="id">

For a detailed look at these options, read the post How to Make MvcSiteMapProvider Remember a User's Position.


Benicia Unified School District's b-Cubed program, pairing business sponsors with classroom teachers to get money directly into the classroom for unique projects, acknowledges sponsors who funded a recent grant and teachers who used new equipment to make literature fun and accessible to children.
Prominent Benicians, including General Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant, take part in an extravaganza of a pageant in Benicia, May 19, 1923.
After retiring from a 35-year job teaching shop at Benicia Middle School, Jamie Calderwood now spends his days working part time as a site supervisor for Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity, constructing homes.
An interview with Benicia's Jessica Joy, who creates edible landscapes: planning creating large and small canopies, then adding in the layers of planting for maximizing a healthy ecosystem. Organic methods are used along with creating drainage swails, using sunlight and ensuring the soil is healthy.
Lisa Koenen, president of the Benicia Education Foundation, discusses her work as owner at Full Circle Travel, the 9th annual BEF 5 and 10K Run for Education and her passion for animal rescue and traveling the globe.


text:
TOP-STORY
EDITORIAL: Festival of Books offers experience like no other
Published Mar 1, 2018 10:45am
Updated Mar 23, 2018 1:05pm
By The Daily Wildcat Opinions Board
By Selena Kuikahi 07/16/19 2:49am
Jen Pimentel | The Daily Wildcat Festival-goers walk around to different booths at the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA mall on March 12, 2016. The festival attracts authors and patrons from all 50 states, as well as many international locations.
With literally millions of books available with the push of a button on your phone or tablet, what's the point of attending an event like the Tucson Festival of Books?
Ask any of the 100,000 plus who attend every year, and I'm sure you will hear many of the same reasons you will read below. Truth is, the festival has something for everyone, and that something can't be replicated through a screen or in a typical store.
First and foremost are the author panels, Q&As and book signings. Being able to meet a favorite author is a memorable experience for any literature fan, and at the festival, there will be hundreds of writers who will be more than happy to share their thoughts or answer your burning questions about why the protagonist betrayed his allies in the third book of your favorite series.
Many of the author readings are intimate gatherings, with anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred spectators gathered under a tent to listen to a best-selling novelist discuss the industry with small children, students and adults of all ages.
And although some of the authors have sold millions of books, many others at the festival are just getting started and would love to have the support of new fans, whether that means spending a few bucks on their latest work or even just a few encouraging words and a follow on social media.
RELATED: UA authors Sanchez, Devlin featured at the Tucson Festival of Books
Beyond the chance to interact with world-class writers, the festival offers science buffs a chance to experience some of the University of Arizona's research and technology up close and personal.
From fungi and insect exhibits to the expanses of history and the universe, at the Museum of Natural History and Flandrau Planetarium, the entire scope of time and space is available for exploration at the festival.
And if museums and planetariums aren't quite your thing, BMX riders will also be demonstrating that physics is much more than colliding particles in a lab, while a volcano eruption will blow some minds, along with the simulated magma.
This chance to get hands-on experience with real science is a great opportunity for learners of all ages, and an amazing way to show those who think science is boring how wrong they really are.
Also for those on the path to learning is the expansive kids' section at the festival. Character meetings, story readings, music performances and many other activities are the perfect way to get little ones into the reading spirit for years to come.
RELATED: R.L. Stine coming to Tucson Festival of Books to talk 'Goosebumps,' latest series
Throughout the festival, performance acts like the Manhattan Dolls, Tucson Improv Movement and the Saguaro Strutters will be singing, acting and dancing across stages at various points on the UA Mall, proving once again the festival is much more than just books.
On Saturday night, the Rock Bottom Remainders will also perform a free concert for festivalgoers who want to relax and catch some tunes while thumbing through their new tomes.
Of course, no festival would be complete without a complete array of food options. Numerous vendors with all manner of tasty treats will ensure that festival attendees are fueled and ready for a long day of author talks and performances.
The Tucson Festival of Books is about so much more than purchasing the latest work from a beloved writer or adding a needed classic to a collection. It's an experience that can't be replicated online, in a big box store or, frankly, anywhere else in the world.
There's a reason why this festival has grown stronger every year for the past decade and is one of the biggest there is. Actually, there are many reasons, a few of them listed here, but many more that await when you check it out and see for yourself.
Editorials are determined by the Daily Wildcat Opinions Board and are written by its members. They are Editor-in-chief Courtney Talak, Opinions Editor Andrew Paxton, Content Editor Marissa Heffernan, Engagement Editor Saul Bookman and Arts & Life Editor Pascal Albright. Follow The Daily Wildcat on Twitter.


text:
Q: SQL Server Log: The database 'master4IDR' is marked RESTORING Why SQL Server log showing following message. I am dead sure, there is no such db on our production server naming "master4IDR"
{The database 'master4IDR' is marked RESTORING and is in a state that does not allow recovery to be run.}

A: if you are using Symantec BackupExec check out this article
How to disable the creation of the $IDR file when backing up a Microsoft SQL server


text:
Q: plotting 3 columns from .dat file I have a .dat file with 3 columns that I would like to plot.
How can I plot them using matplotlib/ python?  I am new to python, the .dat file was created using Fortran 90.  A portion of the filename.dat file is below
0.0 0.1 0.85
1.0 0.3 0.62
2.0 0.5 0.27
3.0 0.7 0.34
4.0 0.9 0.19

My python code (not correct) that plots the data in 3D is below.
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plot
from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D

3Dplot.plot(*np.loadtxt("filename.dat",unpack=True), linewidth=2.0) #invalid syntax, why?
3Dplot.show()

What is the equivalent to the GNUplot command
splot 'filename.dat' using 1:2:3

in python? That is what I am trying to do.
However when I run the .py, I get "invalid syntax" error message which I am not sure why, but it is the line that starts with 3D.  How  can I plot 3d data?  I am able to do this if I have a .dat file with only two columns, but when I go to 3 dimensions I do not know what to do.  Thanks!

A: You are using the Axes3D object incorrectly, that's why you see a SyntaxError.
Try this:
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D

fig = plt.figure()
ax = Axes3D(fig)

# Unpack file data.
dat_file = np.loadtxt("filename.dat", unpack=True)

# Plot data.
ax.scatter(*dat_file, linewidth=2.0)
plt.show()


text:
import subprocess
import os
import signal
import time
import sys
import re
import urllib
import argparse
import datetime
import math
import logging
import ConfigParser
import Daemon
import json

from decimal import Decimal

config = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
config.read('/etc/weather.ini')

logger = logging.getLogger("weatherd")
logging.basicConfig(filename = '/var/log/weatherd.log', level=logging.INFO)

#parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Weatherunderground updater')
#parser.add_argument('--id','-i', dest='id', help='station id/username')
#parser.add_argument('--password','-p',dest='pw', help='weatherunderground password')
#parser.add_argument('--test','-t',action='store_true',dest='testonly',help='dry run, only print GET string')
#args = parser.parse_args()

wu_uri = 'http://rtupdate.wunderground.com/weatherstation/updateweatherstation.php'

class Sensor:
	wind_mph = None
	temp_f = None
	rh_pct = None
	winddir_deg = None
	rain_in = 0.0 #hourly rain
	rain_daily_in = 0.0 #daily rain
	timestamp = None
	def reset(self):
		self.wind_mph = None
		self.temp_f = None
		self.rh_pct = None
		self.winddir_deg = None
		self.rain_in = None
		self.rain_daily_in = None
		self.timestamp = None

def update_wu(readings):
	logger.debug("update_wu [in]")
	try:
		params = urllib.urlencode({
			'action':'updateraw',
			'ID':config.get('station','id'),
			'PASSWORD':config.get('station','pw'),
			'dateutc':readings.timestamp,
			'winddir':readings.winddir_deg,
			'windspeedmph':readings.wind_mph,
			'humidity':readings.rh_pct,
			'tempf':readings.temp_f,
			'rainin':readings.rain_in, #rain in last hour
			'dailyrainin':readings.rain_daily_in, #rain in last day
			#'baromin':29.92,
			#dewpt eq from http://andrew.rsmas.miami.edu/bmcnoldy/Humidity.html
			'dewptf':243.04*(math.log(readings.rh_pct/100)+((17.625*readings.temp_f)/(243.04+readings.temp_f)))/(17.625-math.log(readings.rh_pct/100)-((17.625*readings.temp_f)/(243.04+readings.temp_f))),
			'softwaretype':'rtl_433_to_wu'})

		logger.debug(params)
		if (not config.has_option('station','test') or config.getboolean('station', 'test') == False):
			try:
	    			result = urllib.urlopen(wu_uri + "?%s" % params)
	    			logger.info(result.read())
			except IOError as e:
				logger.error("IO Error: %s", e.strerror)
		else:
			logger.debug("Skipping GET of URL for test mode")
			logger.info(wu_uri + "?%s" % params)
	except ConfigParser.NoSectionError:
		logger.error("Missing config section")
	except Exception as e:
		logger.error(e.strerror)

class WeatherD(Daemon.Daemon):

	def run(self):
		logger.info("Starting weatherd")
		proc = subprocess.Popen(['/usr/local/bin/rtl_433','-M','newmodel','-F','json','-C','customary'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

		msgid_re = re.compile('(\d*-\d*-\d* \d*:\d*:\d*) Acurite 5n1 sensor (0x.{0,4}) Ch ([ABC]), Msg (\d\d)')
		msg38_re = re.compile('.*Msg 38, Wind (\d+\.?\d*) kmph \/ (\d+\.?\d*) mph, ([\+\-]?\d+\.?\d*) C ([\+\-]?\d+\.?\d*) F (\d+\.?\d*) % RH')
		msg31_re = re.compile('.*Msg 31, Wind (\d+\.?\d*) kmph \/ (\d+\.?\d*) mph (\d+\.?\d*).*rain gauge (\d+\.?\d*) in\.', flags=re.UNICODE)
		startup_re = re.compile('.*Msg 31, Total rain fall since last reset: (\d+\.?\d*)')

		got_msg31=False
		got_msg38=False
		rain_total = Decimal(0.0)
		rain_hour = Decimal(0.0)
		rain_day = Decimal(0.0)
		weather = Sensor()
		cur_hour = datetime.datetime.today().hour
		cur_day = datetime.datetime.today().day
		times = 0
		cur_rain = Decimal(0.0)
		at_startup=True

		while(1):
			line = proc.stdout.readline()
			msg = json.loads(line)
			if msg['model']=='Acurite-5n1':
				msgType = int(msg['message_type'])
				logger.debug("%s MsgId %s", msg['model'], msg['message_type'])
				if msgType == 56:
					got_msg38=True
					weather.timestamp = msg['time']
					weather.wind_mph = float(msg['wind_avg_mi_h'])
					weather.temp_f = float(msg['temperature_F'])
					weather.rh_pct = float(msg['humidity'])

				elif msgType == 49:

					got_msg31=True
					weather.timestamp = msg['time']
					weather.wind_mph = float(msg['wind_avg_mi_h'])
					weather.winddir_deg = float(msg['wind_dir_deg'])
					if at_startup:
						rain_total = Decimal(msg['rain_in'])
						at_startup = False
					cur_rain = Decimal(msg['rain_in']) - rain_total #inches rain since last message

					#handle hourly rain
					if (cur_hour != datetime.datetime.today().hour):
						logger.info("%s Resetting hourly rain total, was %1.1f", weather.timestamp, rain_hour)
						cur_hour = datetime.datetime.today().hour
						rain_hour = Decimal(0.0)

					rain_hour += cur_rain
					weather.rain_in = rain_hour

					#handle daily rain
					if (cur_day != datetime.datetime.today().day):
						logger.info("%s Resetting daily rain total, was %1.1f",  weather.timestamp, rain_day)
						cur_day = datetime.datetime.today().day
						rain_day = Decimal(0.0)

					rain_day = rain_day + cur_rain
					weather.rain_daily_in = rain_day

					#total rain
					rain_total += cur_rain
				else:
					#total rain at startup
					so = startup_re.match(line)
					if (so is not None):
						rain_total = Decimal(so.group(1))
						logger.info("%s Got total rain of %1.3f in", datetime.datetime.now(), rain_total)

			if (got_msg38 and got_msg31):
				logger.info("%s Wind %1.1f mph, dir %03.1f deg, %1.3f F, RH %1.1f%%, Rain (last) %1.2f in, (1hr) %1.2f in, (1day) %1.2f in", weather.timestamp, weather.wind_mph, weather.winddir_deg, weather.temp_f, weather.rh_pct, cur_rain, weather.rain_in, weather.rain_daily_in)
				got_msg31=False
				got_msg38=False
				logger.debug("Updating weather")
				update_wu(weather)
				logger.debug("Weather updated")
				weather.reset()
				cur_rain = Decimal(0.0)

if __name__ == "__main__":
        daemon = WeatherD('/tmp/weatherd.pid')
        if len(sys.argv) == 2:
                if 'start' == sys.argv[1]:
                        daemon.start()
                elif 'stop' == sys.argv[1]:
                        daemon.stop()
                elif 'restart' == sys.argv[1]:
                        daemon.restart()
                else:
                        print "Unknown command"
                        sys.exit(2)
                sys.exit(0)
        else:
                print "usage: %s start|stop|restart" % sys.argv[0]
                sys.exit(2)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home > trellis new > ATDC Installs Commercial Security Grilles for North Sydney Railway Station
ATDC Installs Commercial Security Grilles for North Sydney Railway Station - ATDC
ATDC Installs Commercial Security Grilles for North Sydney Railway Station
| 2 August 2017 | Administrator Trellis
The Australian Trellis Door Company (ATDC) has recently completed an installation of its premium grade commercial security grilles for North Sydney Railway Station.
Commercial Security Grilles – Premium Grade
Installed at the interchange entry leading from the railway station through to Greenwood Plaza Shopping Centre, ATDC's commercial security grille was installed to structural supports provided by Simco, the project managers for this job. The 6000mm wide grille was designed to retract back to a compact storage area of only 15% of the total area secured so as to be almost invisible during trading hours. Having recessed floor track, the commercial security grille is no impediment to the free flow of foot traffic at the railway interchange which is extremely heavy particularly during peak times. A removable floor cover plate is in place during opening hours to create a seamless effect to the finished floor. The works for Simco were all carried out by ATDC late at night so as not to interfere with the running of Sydney's trains. For other instances of ATDC's commercial security grilles promoting the free flow of pedestrian foot traffic at public thoroughfares see an article about our security gates being supplied for the Townsville Rail.
Unique Locking Arrangement – BCA Compliance
A unique magnetic locking arrangement was installed on the commercial security grille on this project in order to comply with the BCA (Building Code of Australia). The magnetic lock is generally wired to the building's fire indicator panel and is designed to automatically unlock and release in the event of fire. In effect this arrangement creates a keyless egress system for emergency exit. ATDC does have other alternative locking methods for complying with the BCA, the type used depending on the nature and suitability of the particular project at hand. For ATDC's locking compliance with the BCA refer to our information on our Security Shutters S06.
Securing Railway Stations Across Australia
ATDC's commercial security grilles are particularly appealing to Australian railway stations due to their heritage design and for this reason they are used quite frequently for securing railway stations across the country. Queensland Rail, WA Rail, Vic Rail, Metrail and Sydney's Light Rail and NSW State Rail are all frequent customers. The heritage design has its origin in the scissor doors that appeared in many elevators and lifts in years gone by. For further information on the widespread use of ATDC's commercial security grilles to railway stations see an article on our security door project for Sydney Light Rail.
Our Security Grilles – Enquire Today
ATDC's commercial security grilles are now sold in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and across all regional centres across the country including Newcasle, Geelong, Wollongong and Townsville. These commercial security grilles are also exported widely to Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and throughout South East Asia and the Asia Pacific and Pacific Islands. For further information contact ATDC toll free from anywhere in Australia on 1800 657 435 or view ATDC's wide range of products available for Commercial Security.


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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education
7.3 Attendance (comprising enrolment, progression, retention and attendance)
Within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan 2010–2014 the domain 'attendance' includes targets and performance indicators, not only for attendance rates but also for enrolment and for progression from one secondary school year level or grade to the next, as well as for retention from Year 7/8 to Years 10 and 12. This chapter includes data and commentary on measures of:
Attendance.
These measures are grouped as 'participation' measures elsewhere in this report.
7.3.1 Enrolment
The proportion of children of compulsory school age who are enrolled in school is a measure of the reach and coverage of Australian schooling. It is a performance indicator for schooling in the National Education Agreement and is a key performance measure (KPM) in the Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia 2012.
This measure is defined as the number of students aged 6 to 15 years enrolled in school, expressed as a proportion of the 6 to 15-year-old population. The Measurement Framework states that measures should, where feasible and appropriate, be reported disaggregated by equity subgroup, including by Indigenous status.
This disaggregated measure is also specified as an indicator in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan 2010–2014.
While this disaggregated measure was reported in some earlier editions of the National Report on Schooling in Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) advised that such reporting is not appropriate or reliable¹. Jurisdictions agreed that this KPM, disaggregated by Indigenous status, would no longer be published from 2011.
It is possible to report the number and proportion of Indigenous students enrolled in schools by school level and sector, where both numerator and denominator are collected through the National Schools Statistics Collection NSSC. These figures, which report the number of Indigenous students (full-time and part-time) enrolled in schools, relative to total enrolments are provided in Tables 7.1 and 7.2 below.
Table 7.1 shows the number and proportion of Indigenous students enrolled in schools broken down by school sector and school level.
Additional Statistics Table 38 reports individual enrolments by Indigenous status in 2012 by full-time and part-time and by state and territory as well as by school level and sector.
Table 7.1 Number and proportion of Indigenous students (full-time and part-time) enrolled in schools by school level and sector(a)(b)(c)(d), Australia, 2012
(a) Primary education comprises a pre-Year 1 grade followed by Years 1 to 6 in NSW, Vic., Tas., NT and ACT. In Qld, SA and WA, primary education comprises a pre-Year 1 grade followed by Years 1 to 7.
(b) Junior secondary is the years from commencement of secondary school to Year 10, including ungraded secondary.
(c) Senior secondary includes Years 11 and 12.
(d) Students attending special schools are allocated to either primary or secondary school on the basis of grade or school level where identified. Where the grade or school level is not identified, students are allocated to primary or secondary level of education according to the typical age level in each state or territory. See Glossary for definition of special schools.
Source: ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia2
See also Additional Statistics Table 38
As shown in Table 7.1, in 2012, 84.8 per cent of Indigenous students were enrolled in government schools, 9.9 per cent were enrolled in Catholic schools and 5.3 per cent were enrolled in independent schools.
This compares to 65.2 per cent, 20.5 per cent and 14.2 per cent respectively for all students, as reported in Part 4.1: Student participation – enrolment, demonstrating the higher concentration of Indigenous students enrolled in the government sector.
The proportion of Indigenous students in Catholic and independent schools is higher for secondary schools than it is for primary schools. The difference is particularly pronounced for independent schools where the proportion of Indigenous students is 3.5 per cent in primary school and 8.4 per cent in secondary school.
Table 7.2 Number of Indigenous students (full-time and part-time) enrolled by sector, Australia, 2008–12
Source: ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia
Source: ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia, 2012
The number of Indigenous students enrolled in all three sectors has risen over the last five years.
7.3.2 Progression
An apparent grade progression rate estimates the progression of students from one school grade (year level) to the next and is a specific application of the apparent retention rate. It is calculated as the number of full-time students in a designated grade/year level as a percentage of the number enrolled in the grade/year level below in the previous calendar year, at the time of the annual August schools census.
Apparent grade progression rates from Years 8 to 12 are not KPMs for schooling but, when compared by Indigenous status, provide information on the points at which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students leave school. 'Progression ratios for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' is specified as a performance indicator in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan 2010–2014.
As Table 7.3 shows, nearly all Indigenous students proceeded to Year 10 in 2012. However, compared to non-Indigenous students, higher proportions of Indigenous students left school before completing senior school studies. The percentage point gaps for the apparent progression rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students were markedly larger for Year 10–11 and Year 11–12.
Table 7.3 Comparative Indigenous and non-Indigenous apparent grade progression rates (per cent) and the percentage point gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous apparent grade progression rates, Australia, 2012
Apparent grade progression rates measure the number of full-time school students in a designated Year (level) of education as a percentage of their respective cohort group in the previous calendar year (the base year). Ungraded students are not included.
Care should be taken when interpreting these rates since a range of factors affecting the calculation are not taken into account, such as migration, students repeating a year of schooling and changes to part-time and full-time attendance patterns. Percentage point gap calculations are based on unrounded data.
The above apparent grade progression rates are not published in ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia. They can, however, be derived using full-time student counts that are included in that publication.
The above apparent grade progression rates reflect single year increments of the apparent retention rate concept published in ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia. The above apparent grade progression rates do not rely on population data, unlike the progression rates published in ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia.
Source: ABS
Table 7.4 presents national apparent grade progression rates by Indigenous status and the percentage point gaps over the period 2008-12.
Table 7.4 Comparative Indigenous and non-Indigenous apparent grade progression rates (per cent) and the percentage point gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous apparent grade progression rates, Australia, 2008–12
Care should be taken when interpreting these rates since a range of factors affecting the calculation are not taken into account, such as migration, students repeating a year of schooling and changes to part-time and full-time attendance patterns.
Percentage point gap calculations are based on unrounded data.
The apparent grade progression rates above are not published in ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia. They can, however, be derived using full-time student counts that are included in that publication.
In 2012, the gap between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous apparent grade progression rates from Year 9 to Year 10 narrowed to 3.7 per cent compared to a gap of 7.3 per cent in 2008. However, the gap has increased from 2.8 per cent in 2011, partly due to a decrease in apparent grade retention for Indigenous students from 97.8 in 2011 to 97.1 in 2012.
The changes in apparent grade progression rates in 2010 and 2011 followed the adoption of the National Youth Participation Requirement in 2010 (requiring students to complete Year 10 and to remain at school or an approved alternative until they turn 17) in New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, joining other jurisdictions which had already implemented this requirement.
The gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous rates widened as students moved from Year 10 to Year 11 and towards the end of schooling. While the non-Indigenous progression rate remained above 90 per cent, the Indigenous Islander rate was below 80 per cent.
For students moving to Year 12 in 2012, the non-Indigenous apparent grade progression rate remained close to or above 85 per cent and the Indigenous rate remained below 70 per cent.
7.3.3 Retention
Apparent retention rates estimate: the percentage of students who progress from the first year of secondary school (Year 7 or Year 8 depending on the jurisdiction) to Year 10 and Year 12; and the percentage of students who progress from Year 10 to Year 12
Apparent retention rates from Year 10 to Year 12 for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students are specified as Key Performance Measure 1(d) in the Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia 2012.
'Retention rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' is listed as a performance indicator in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan 2010–2014.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Closing the Gap targets include halving the gap between Indigenous and other students in the completion of Year 12 or its equivalent or Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificate II by 2020.
Secondary school apparent retention rates from Year 7/8 to Year 10 and Year 10 to Year 12 do not directly measure progress towards this target but are related to its Year 12 completion component.
Tables 7.5 and 7.6 show comparative apparent retention rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students for 2012 and the period 2008–12.
Table 7.5 Comparative Indigenous and non-Indigenous apparent retention rates, Australia, 2012
(per cent)
The apparent retention rate (ARR) measures the number of full-time school students in a designated level/year of education as a percentage of their respective cohort group in a base year. The base year for the ARR from Year 7/8 to Year 10 is the first year of secondary school – Year 7 in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT; Year 8 in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Ungraded students are not included in the calculations. The base year for the ARR from Year 10 to Year 12 in all states and territories is Year 10.
Factors that may affect apparent retention rates at the national level include international migration, students repeating a year of education, students changing between full-time and part-time study and age requirements for participation in education. These factors may account for apparent retention rates exceeding 100%.
Apparent retention rates for Indigenous students can be affected by the disposition to identify as Indigenous over time.
Issues that may affect comparability over time can be found in the Explanatory Notes of the source publication.
See also Additional Statistics Tables 46-48
Table 7.6 Comparative Indigenous and non-Indigenous apparent retention rates, Australia, 2008–12 (per cent)
Indigenous student apparent retention rates at the national level have risen since 2008 but are lower than those for non-Indigenous students. In 2012, the apparent retention rate for Indigenous full-time students from Year 7/8 to Year 10 was 98.4 per cent, a substantial rise from 89.8 per cent in 2008. The increases from 2010 to 2012 followed the adoption of the National Youth Participation Requirement (requiring students to complete Year 10 and to remain at school or an approved alternative until they turn 17) in New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, joining other jurisdictions, which had already implemented this requirement.
The gap in Year 7/8 to Year 10 apparent retention rates between Indigenous students and non-Indigenous students narrowed by 7.1 percentage points, from 10.1 percentage points in 2008 to only 3.0 percentage points in 2012. Over the period 2008-2012, apparent retention rates from Year 10 to Year 12 rose for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.
However, a more rapid rise for non-Indigenous students saw a widening of the gap in this measure by 2.3 percentage points.
7.3.4 Attendance
KPM 1(b) in the Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia 2012 is defined as:
The number of actual full-time equivalent student-days attended by full-time students in Years 1 to 10 as a percentage of the total number of possible student-days attended over the period.
This is also the performance indicator for attendance adopted in the National Education Agreement (NEA) and for reporting attendance rates under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan 2010–2014.
However, because the definitions and methodologies used by jurisdictions and sectors to collect the 2012 (and previous years) data are not uniform, accurate comparisons between jurisdictions and sectors cannot currently be made. Nor can the data collected in 2012 be aggregated or averaged to calculate KPM 1(b) at the national level.
All states and territories and the non-government sectors have collaborated to standardise their collections in cooperation with the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). These standards will enable consistent and comparable reporting of attendance rates for students in Years 1 to 10 (including ungraded students where applicable) across all sectors and jurisdictions in Australia for the 2014² collection period and onwards.
Care should be exercised in relation to student attendance data for Indigenous students due to low student numbers in some jurisdictions and sectors especially for Catholic and independent schools.
Tables 42, 43 and 44 in Part 9: Additional Statistics show 2012 student attendance data by:
Indigenous status
school sector
state and territory
Year level.
Tables 42, 43 and 44 depict data for the government, Catholic and independent sectors respectively. The comments below for each sector refer to the data in these tables and the corresponding tables in the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 publications of the National Report on Schooling in Australia. The comments should be read in conjunction with these tables and with the Explanatory notes for the 2012 student attendance data.
In 2012, the generally higher rate of attendance for non-Indigenous students compared to Indigenous students continued.
Government school sector
Indigenous attendance rates did not equal or exceed those of non-Indigenous students in any year level for the government sector in 2012. For the 2012 collection period, student attendance rates were at or above 80 per cent for Indigenous students across government schools, with the exceptions of Year 10 in Tasmania; Years 9 and 10 in New South Wales and Queensland; Years 8, 9 and 10 in South Australia, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory; and Years 1 to 10 in the Northern Territory. Victoria is the only state to have an attendance rate above 80 per cent for Indigenous students for all year levels between Year 1 and Year 10.
For the 2012 collection period, attendance rates for Indigenous students were largely consistent for Years 1 to 7, then dropping from Years 8 to 10. New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory displayed drops in attendance from Year 7 onwards. The drop in attendance rates from Year 8 onwards is more pronounced than the drop in attendance rates from Year 8 for non-Indigenous students. All jurisdictions exhibit similar trends.
As in 2011, for 2012 the gaps between attendance rates for Indigenous students compared to non-Indigenous students was minimal for Tasmanian government schools where for Years 1–7 the difference did not exceed three percentage points.
The Northern Territory government school sector had large gaps between attendance rates for Indigenous students and non-Indigenous students for all year levels, with gaps in attendance rates ranging from 20 to 30 percentage points. The largest gap in the Northern Territory was for Year 10, where the attendance rate for non-Indigenous students was 30 percentage points higher than attendance rate for Indigenous students.
Non-government school sector
Care should be taken when interpreting attendance rates for Indigenous students in Catholic and independent schools, particularly by year levels, due to the relatively low number of Indigenous students enrolled in Catholic and independent schools.
Due to the relatively low number of enrolled students and high variability between year levels, limited commentary can be provided on Indigenous student attendance rates in Catholic and independent schools (especially for jurisdictions with low enrolment numbers).
Catholic school sector
For New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, attendance rates for Indigenous students were largely consistent for all year levels, with five percentage point variations between year levels.
The Northern Territory continues to record the largest gaps between attendance rates for Indigenous students compared to non-Indigenous students for all year levels. Attendance rates for Indigenous students range between 19 and 29 percentage points lower than for non-Indigenous students. The smallest gap was for Years 8 and 10 students where the attendance rate was 19 per cent lower for Indigenous students compared with non-Indigenous students. For Year 10 students, this represents a substantial decrease in the gapfrom 2011, due in part to an increase in attendance for Year 10 Indigenous students from 55 per cent in 2011 to 71 per cent in 2012.
Independent school sector
Between 2011 and 2012, the gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous student attendance rates for Year 10 have improved or remained stable in half of the jurisdictions, including Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and ACT.
¹ Specifically, the number of Indigenous students aged 6–15 years enrolled in school, expressed as a proportion of the 6–15-year-old Indigenous population, is not reliable due to modal differences between the numerator and denominator. The numerator is sourced from the annual National Schools Statistics Collection (NSSC), published by ABS as Schools Australia, whereas the denominator is sourced from the ABS Estimates and Projection, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians which is updated after each five-yearly Census of Population and Housing. The ABS has advised that different rates of Indigenous identification between school enrolments, the five yearly census and other administrative data (e.g. birth and death registrations) may seriously bias the calculated proportion estimate.
² Except for NSW government schools, which will comply with the new standards from 2016
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Thanksgiving snow: Chain controls on Mt. Rose Highway; traffic still held on I-80
"This storm is coinciding with one of the busiest travel periods of the year, resulting in major travel impacts," the National Weather Service said on Tuesday.
Thanksgiving snow: Chain controls on Mt. Rose Highway; traffic still held on I-80 "This storm is coinciding with one of the busiest travel periods of the year, resulting in major travel impacts," the National Weather Service said on Tuesday. Check out this story on rgj.com: https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2019/11/26/nws-reno-winter-storm-warning-issued-lake-tahoe-over-thanksgiving-i-80-snow-donner-summit-sierra/4308354002/
Sam Gross, Reno Gazette Journal Published 10:37 a.m. PT Nov. 26, 2019 | Updated 7:21 a.m. PT Nov. 27, 2019
Update, 7:20 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27
Winter weather is continuing to hamper travel through the region, causing delays and even closing the westbound lanes of Interstate 80.
For the most recent updates on the storm and road conditions, click here.
Update, 4:10 p.m.
Chain controls are now in effect for the Mt. Rose Highway from State Route 28 in Incline Village to Douglas Fir Drive on the Reno side, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation.
On Interstate 80, traffic is still being held in both directions from Alta on the west slope to Truckee on the east slope.
Motorists thinking of headed over any trans-Sierra passes are being urged to wait until Thanksgiving.
Traffic on I-80 is currently being turned at Alta and Truckee due to multiple spin outs. We highly advise delaying travel until Thanksgiving. pic.twitter.com/Aj9EEhnheT
— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) November 26, 2019
Truckee Meadows Community College announced it will be closing all of its campuses early on Tuesday due to incoming winter weather and the potential for hazardous road conditions.
The campuses will close at 5 p.m. this evening and any classes scheduled for that time or later are canceled.
Traffic is being held on Interstate 80 in both directions after multiple collisions caused by deteriorating winter weather over Donner Summit, according to a Facebook post from the California Highway Patrol in Truckee .
Westbound traffic is being held in Truckee and eastbound traffic is being held in Alta.
There is no estimated time of opening.
The Interstate 80 chain control has been expanded to Alta on the west slope and Donner Lake interchange on the east slope, according to a tweet from Caltrans.
UPDATE: R-2 EB/WB Alta to Donner Lake Interchange. Low snow levels tonight, folks! https://t.co/ChqH6iyYrW
Chain controls have been implemented on Interstate 80 over Donner Summit, according to a tweet from Caltrans.
It's snowing and chain controls are up on I-80! R-2 EB/WB between Cisco and Donner Lake Interchange. Also reports of cars spinning out! Slow down - you'll get to your destination eventually. pic.twitter.com/qoi9wIhYZ4
Cars must have chains or four wheel drive with snow tires starting at the Cisco Grove exit on the west slope to the Donner Lake interchange on the east slope.
Caltrans is also reporting there have been several spinouts.
The National Weather Service in Sacramento is forecasting snow levels to drop to about 1,500 feet in the Sierra, which would coat every mountain pass with snow nearly entirely.
As rain and snow move south across NorCal, Mountain Highways and Interstates will become hazardous to travel Here's the latest snow total cross section for I-80 and Hwy 50 today through Wednesday. Don't travel if you don't have too! #cawx#ThanksgivingTravelpic.twitter.com/OYQWD5gbyr
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) November 26, 2019
Caltrans traffic cameras along Interstate 80 are showing accumulating snowfall over Donner Summit.
A tweet from Caltrans District 3 also shows snow accumulating at Kingvale, which sits about 1,100 feet lower than the 7,240-foot summit of Interstate 80.
Snow is starting to fall on I-80 at Kingvale. If you haven't already started your Thanksgiving travel, you may want to reconsider pushing until Thursday. Heavy snow is in the forecast. pic.twitter.com/FNCZ3EgIhO
Motorists attempting to cross Sierra passes today and tomorrow for the Thanksgiving holiday are being urged to reconsider. Snowfall is expected to get heavier as the day progresses, peaking tonight as the brunt of the storm rolls through the region.
Update, 12:50 p.m.
Snow accumulation of 2 to 5 inches is expected on the valley floors of Reno-Sparks, Carson City and in the hills of Virginia City overnight on Tuesday, according to a winter weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service in Reno.
In localized areas, according to the advisory, up to 8 inches of snow might fall.
High winds combined with heavy snowfall could also create "a brief period of blizzard conditions with near zero visibility."
The advisory goes into effect at 4 p.m. on Tuesday and is set to last until 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Additional snowfall is possible from Carson City to south Reno Wednesday into Wednesday night if a band of lake effect snow sets up from Lake Tahoe.
Original story
A strong winter storm bearing down on the region will begin dropping snow on Reno-Sparks in time to impact the evening commute on Tuesday, slightly earlier than forecasters at the National Weather Service in Reno originally expected.
For the mountain passes into Lake Tahoe and over the Sierra, it's likely snowfall will begin falling on roadways even earlier, possibly around noon for Donner Summit on Interstate 80.
The storm is expected to quickly create dangerous conditions over the Sierra passes as travelers try to get to their destinations in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
"This storm is coinciding with one of the busiest travel periods of the year, resulting in major travel impacts," the Tuesday morning forecast discussion from NWS Reno read. "Strong winds may cause tree and property damage."
Images of snow along the road to Mt. Rose Ski Resort on Wednesday Nov. 20, 2019. (Photo: Andy Barron/RGJ)
The heaviest snowfall is expected to hit the region between 4 and 10 p.m. this evening for areas north of U.S. 50, according to that most recent forecast discussion.
Snow will continue to fall in the region until it peters out on Friday.
The impending snowfall has triggered a winter storm warning for the greater Lake Tahoe area that goes into effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday evening and lasts until 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving day.
That advisory warns that a period of blizzard conditions is likely Tuesday night during the peak of the storm.
Snow totals for communities around Lake Tahoe are currently expected to range from 8 to 18 inches, according to the winter storm warning.
Above 7,000 feet, those totals could jump to 1 to 2 feet of new snow. Over the multi-day duration of the storm, some portions of the Sierra Crest west of the lake could see up to 3 feet.
Come prepared for winter travel in the Sierra! There will be chain controls! Chain are not sold by chain installers so bring appropriate traction devices with you and know how to install them. Your tires should also have at least 6/32 tread depth for traction. pic.twitter.com/MrhEWaIaHV
Caltrans on Tuesday said in a tweet that motorists heading over the Sierra need to be prepared for chain controls and make sure their tires have appropriate tread depth to deal with snow — whether you have snow tires or not.
This Thanksgiving week storm will be followed closely by another sizeable winter storm this weekend, according to NWS Reno.
That storm is also expected to make holiday travel difficult as people try and return home.
Sam Gross is a breaking news reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal who covers wildfires, emergencies and more. Support his work by subscribing to RGJ.com.
Read or Share this story: https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2019/11/26/nws-reno-winter-storm-warning-issued-lake-tahoe-over-thanksgiving-i-80-snow-donner-summit-sierra/4308354002/