text:
The critical positivity ratio (also known as the "Losada ratio" or the "Losada line") is a largely discredited concept in positive psychology positing an exact ratio of positive to negative emotions which distinguishes "flourishing" people from "languishing" people. The ratio was proposed by psychologists Barbara Fredrickson and Marcial Losada, who believed that they had identified an experimental measure of affect whose model-derived positive-to-negative ratio of 2.9013 defined a critical separation between flourishing and languishing individuals, as reported in their 2005 paper in American Psychologist. This concept of a critical positivity ratio was widely embraced by academic psychologists and the lay public; Fredrickson and Losada's paper had been cited more than 320 times by January 2014, and Fredrickson wrote a popular book expounding the concept of "the 3-to-1 ratio that will change your life". In it she wrote, "just as zero degrees Celsius is a special number in thermodynamics, the 3-to-1 positivity ratio may well be a magic number in human psychology."

The first consequential re-evaluation of the mathematical modeling behind the critical positivity ratio was published in 2008 by a group of Finnish researchers from the Systems Analysis Laboratory at Aalto University (Jukka Luoma, Raimo Hämäläinen, and Esa Saarinen). The authors noted that "only very limited explanations are given about the modeling process and the meaning and interpretation of its parameters... [so that] the reasoning behind the model equations remains unclear to the reader"; moreover, they noted that "the model also produces strange and previously unreported behavior under certain conditions... [so that] the predictive validity of the model also becomes problematic." Losada's 1999 modeling article was also critiqued by Andrés Navas in a French language publication, a note in the CNRS publication, Images des Mathématiques. Neither of these articles received broad attention at the times of their publication.

Later, but of critical importance, the Fredrickson and Losada work on modeling the positivity ratio aroused the skepticism of Nick Brown, a graduate student in applied positive psychology, who questioned whether such work could reliably make such broad claims, and perceived that the paper's mathematical claims underlying the critical positivity ratio were suspect. Brown contacted and ultimately collaborated with physics and maths professor Alan Sokal and psychology professor Harris Friedman on a re-analysis of the paper's data (hereafter the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal). They argued that Losada's earlier work on positive psychology and Fredrickson and Losada's 2005 critical positivity ratio paper contained "numerous fundamental conceptual and mathematical errors", errors of a magnitude that completely invalidated their claims.

Fredrickson wrote a response in which she conceded that the mathematical aspects of the critical positivity ratio were "questionable" and that she had "neither the expertise nor the insight" to defend them, but she maintained that the empirical evidence for the existence of a critical positivity ratio was solid. Brown, Sokal, and Friedman, the rebuttal authors, published their response to Fredrickson's "Update" the next year, maintaining that there was no evidence for a critical positivity ratio. Losada declined to respond to the criticism (indicating to the Chronicle of Higher Education that he was too busy running his consulting business). Hämäläinen and colleagues responded later, passing over the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal claim of failed criteria for use of differential equations in modeling, instead arguing that there were no fundamental errors in the mathematics itself, only problems related to the model's justification and interpretation.

A formal retraction for the mathematical modeling elements of the Losada and Fredrickson (2005) paper was issued by the journal,  American Psychologist, concluding that both the specific critical positivity ratio of 2.9013 and its upper limit were invalid. The fact that the problems with the paper went unnoticed for years despite the widespread adulatory publicity surrounding the critical positivity ratio concept contributed to a perception of social psychology as a field lacking scientific soundness and rigorous critical thinking. Sokal later stated, "The main claim made by Fredrickson and Losada is so implausible on its face that some red flags ought to have been raised", as would only happen broadly in graduate student Brown's initiating the collaboration that resulted in the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal.

Background
Building on research by Barbara Fredrickson suggesting that individuals with a higher ratio of positive to negative emotions tend to have more successful life outcomes, and on studies by Marcial Losada applying differential equations from fluid dynamics to human emotions, Fredrickson and Losada proposed as informative a ratio of positive to negative affect derived from nonlinear dynamics modelling (based on Lorenz systems), which appeared in 2005 in a paper in American Psychologist. The derived combination of expressions and default parameters led them to conclude that a critical ratio of positive to negative affect of exactly 2.9013 separated flourishing from languishing individuals, and to argue that the ideal positivity/negativity ratio lies between 2.9013 and an upper limit ratio of 11.6346. Hence, they claimed that their model predicted cut-off points for the minimum and maximum positivity ratios within which one should observe qualitative changes in an individual's level of flourishing, specifically, that those within this range of ratios would "flourish", and those outside would "languish". As of January 2014, the 2005 Fredrickson and Losada's paper had been cited more than 320 times in the psychology literature.

Criticism

Initially ignored questioning
The first critical evaluation of the mathematical modeling behind the critical positivity ratio was published by a group of Finnish researchers—Luoma, Hämäläinen, and Saarinen of the Systems Analysis Laboratory at Aalto University—in 2008. The authors noted that "[o]nly very limited explanations are given about the modeling process and the meaning and interpretation of its parameters... [so that] the reasoning behind the model equations remains unclear to the reader"; moreover, they noted that "the model also produces strange and previously unreported behavior under certain conditions... [so that] the predictive validity of the model also becomes problematic." Not widely impactful at the time, Losada's earlier modeling article was also critiqued by Andrés Navas in a French language publication, a note in the CNRS publication, "Images des Mathématiques", which also failed to attract a wide readership. In their followup to Fredrickson's immediate response to the rebuttal, Brown, Sokal, and Friedman note as a footnote to their submission:After the publication of Brown et al. (2013), Andrés Navas kindly drew our attention to his article (Navas, 2011) in which a very similar (though briefer) critique of Losada (1999) was made. [This footnote was unfortunately omitted from the published version of this article, due to space limitations.]

The Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal
The Fredrickson and Losada work on modeling the positivity ratio aroused the skepticism of Nick Brown, a graduate student in applied positive psychology, who questioned whether such work could reliably make such broad claims, and perceived that the paper's mathematical claims were suspect. Brown contacted and ultimately collaborated with physics and maths professor Alan Sokal and psychology professor Friedman on a re-analysis of the paper's data. The result was a strong critique of the critical positivity ratio in its entirety by Brown, Sokal, and Friedman, that appeared in a 2013 article in American Psychologist, here referred to as the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal. These authors argued that Losada's conclusions in previous papers using modelling from fluid dynamics, and those in his paper co-authored with Fredrickson, were not only based on poorly reported experiments, but also that it was difficult to draw conclusions from Losada's previous cited studies because critical details were omitted, "interpretations of results [were] made with little or no justification", and that elementary errors were made in the application of differential equations.

Among the severe flaws claimed by Brown et al. in the positivity-ratio theory and its presentation were that:
 data used by Losada in several analyses do not meet a basic criteria for the use of differential equations (such as the use of continuous variables that evolve smoothly and deterministically over time);
 differential equations used by Losada to calculate the critical positivity ratio use parameters taken directly from Lorenz's simplified, illustrative, and arbitrary models for fluid dynamics, with Losada giving no rationale for his choice of parameters;
 use of different arbitrary parameters would give different positivity ratios, thus the precise values for the lower and upper critical ratios based on the arbitrary parameters, Fredrickson and Losada's 2.9013 to 11.6346 ratios, are meaningless;
 the butterfly-like first figure provided by Fredrickson and Losada is not a model of the data taken from their human participants, but "the results of computer simulations of the Lorenz equations, nothing more"; and
 based on the maths, even if precise positivity/negativity ratios could be derived, several "windows" of desirable and undesirable positivity/negativity ratios above a certain value should exist, rather than a simple range of ratios in which "flourishing" should occur.
With regard to these, and especially the last, the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal argues that it is likely that Fredrickson and Losada did not fully grasp the implications of applying nonlinear dynamics to their data. Brown, Sokal, and Friedman state that one can:only marvel at the astonishing coincidence that human emotions should turn out to be governed by exactly the same set of equations that were derived in a celebrated article several decades ago as a deliberately simplified model of convection in fluids, and whose solutions happen to have visually appealing properties. An alternative explanation – and, frankly, the one that appears most plausible to us – is that the entire process of "derivation" of the Lorenz equations has been contrived to demonstrate an imagined fit between some rather limited empirical data and the scientifically impressive world of nonlinear dynamics. They "urge future researchers to exercise caution in the use of advanced mathematical tools, such as nonlinear dynamics".

Responses to the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal

Fredrickson and Am. Psychol.  retraction
Fredrickson responded to the critique by agreeing that Losada's mathematical modelling was "questionable" and did not show that there are precise values of the ratio, but also arguing that the evidence for the benefits of a high positivity/negativity ratio is solid. Fredrickson noted that Losada declined to respond to the criticism. The American Psychologist proceeded to formally retract as invalid the mathematical modeling elements of Fredrickson and Losada's paper, including the specific critical positivity ratios of 2.9013 and its upper limit.

Other respondents

In a follow-up to the 2013 papers—the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal, and the Fredrickson response—American Psychologist published further scholarly responses, mostly supportive, but some critical of at least some aspects of the rebuttal. The series of responses culminated in a further response to these from Brown, Sokal, and Friedman. C.A. Nickerson, an independent scholar formerly at the University of Colorado, Boulder, concurred with the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal conclusion of the lack of empirical evidence for a critical positivity ratio, and noted the necessity of distinguishing between within-person-across-time versus within-time-across-persons theories. Emeritus professor Raimo Hämäläinen and colleagues responded, passing over the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal claims of failed criteria for use of differential equations in modeling, instead arguing that there were no fundamental errors in the mathematics itself, only problems related to the model's justification and interpretation.

Follow-up from Brown, Sokal, and Friedman
The original rebuttal authors were openly critical about Fredrickson's partial retraction, and American Psychologist published their response to it in 2014, where they emphatically argued that there was no evidence whatsoever, as of that date, for the existence of a critical positivity ratio (i.e., a tipping-point for positivity). In 2014, the rebuttal authors also responded to comments from others on their 2013 work,
 noting Nickerson's concurrence regarding the lack of empirical evidence for a critical positivity ratio, and lauding her distinction between the within-person and within-time types of theories, noting that "[b]oth types of theories are valuable... but... conceptually distinct and by no means equivalent" and that they believed that "this distinction deserves to be more widely discussed in the literature on research methods".
 noting that Hämäläinen, Luoma, and Saarinen "concede our main point, namely the complete lack of justification for the use of the Lorenz equations in modeling the time evolution of human emotions", but confronting the "no clear mathematical errors" assertion, stating thatAmong the purely mathematical errors clearly noted... are Fredrickson and Losada's assertion that the r = 22 data (alleged to be characteristic of "medium-performance teams") end up in a limit cycle... and their implicit claims concerning the absence of chaotic attraction at large values of r...  But we are happy to agree with Hämäläinen et al. that the central flaws in Fredrickson and Losada (2005) and its predecessor articles are logical and conceptual, not narrowly mathematical. And they are, as we have demonstrated, overwhelming.

The original rebuttal authors conclude this salvo by lamenting that the "unbridled romanticism" of which humanist psychology has been accused has not been replaced with a rigorous evidence-based psychology—as Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi promised in their founding manifesto of positive psychology—rather, the widespread acceptance of the critical positivity ratio shows that positive psychology has betrayed this promise, stating that "the sin is now romantic scientism rather than pure romanticism is not, in our view, a great advance."

J. Humanist. Psychol. special issue, and other follow-up

As of January 2014, as Andrew Anthony notes from his preparation for his article in The Guardian from that period, Fredrickson continued to maintain "on empirical grounds" that "tipping points [in relation to positive emotions and flourishing] are highly probable", as communicated to him via email.

In 2018, the Journal of Humanistic Psychology published a special issue focused on the aftermath to the rebuttal of the original Fredrickson and Losada article, where Harris L. Friedman and Nicholas J. L. Brown served as monitoring editors.

As of this date, the 2005 report of Fredrickson and Losada has been described as discredited.

Popular discussion

The concept of a critical positivity ratio advanced by Fredrickson and Losada in 2005 was embraced by the lay public. Prior to the appearance of the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal and the ensuing retraction, Fredrickson had written a popular book, Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3-to-1 Positivity Ratio that Will Change Your life. Andrew Anthony, writing for The Guardian in January 2014, noted that in it, Fredrickson had written, "Just as zero degrees Celsius is a special number in thermodynamics, the 3-to-1 positivity ratio may well be a magic number in human psychology." Anthony also noted that following the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal, Fredrickson has "removed the critical chapter that outlines Losada's input from further editions of Positivity", and that she has largely avoided engaging the popular press.

Reporting from a variety of sources, including The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Scientist, the fact that the problems with the critical positivity ratio paper and concept went unnoticed for years (despite widespread adulatory publicity) contributed to a public perception of social psychology being a field that lacks scientific soundness and rigorous critical thinking. Sokal would state that the paper's "main claim... is so implausible on its face that some red flags ought to have been raised", as would only happen broadly with graduate student Brown's initiating the collaboration that resulted in the Brown-Sokal-Friedman rebuttal.

References

Further reading

Scholarly sources

Popular sources

External links
 July 28, 2013 blog post by independent science writer "Neuroskeptic", entitled "Positivity: Retract the Bathwater, Save the Baby".

Group processes
Positive psychology
Pseudoscience


Tsitsing and Robega communities will on the 29 June 2017 be appearing separately against the Royal Bafokeng Nation ('RBN') at the NW West High Court, Mafikeng. The two matters are related to the ongoing landmark case 999/08.
Tsitsing Community, represented by Matloga Attorneys, is challenging the RBN's unilateral action to evict community members from residential stands duly allocated by Tsitsing Community's Village Councils (makgotla). Without consulting its constituent communities, the RBN seeks to alter ancient customary practice of allocating residential land within Bafokeng communities. In the instance, the RBN seeks to confer unto itself: contested 'land ownership' status; and land-use powers over such land. As submitted before in the abovementioned case 999/08, individual Bafokeng communities are claiming independent ownership over said affected land, and have historically exercised independent authority and power over said land.
Robega Community, represented by the Legal Resources Centre, has for close to a century, been lawful occupiers of a State-owned farm Boschkoppie. The Community has lodged a land-rights claim on the land, now surrounded by Royal Bafokeng Platinum's mining operations. The RBN's Court application seeks transfer and ownership of the said land. Opposed by the Robega community, the said application has also not been ratified by the 'tribe' as recently directed by Judge Landman in case 999/08.
Failure to oppose the RBN in these two matters will have a devastating impact on the tenure rights and future livelihoods of communities under RBN's jurisdiction. BLBA supports the said communities.


text:
package pdsd.systems.cs.pub.ro.practicaltest01var01;

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


For those new to the subject of conjoint analysis, it is easy to be misled that there is only one type or version of conjoint analysis (the single type your agency knows or uses). Or to find the total reverse and become bewildered by the number of abbreviations and names, particularly when it's not too clear what the differences are or why one type is used over another - eg ACA, CBC, MPC, ACBC, full profile, stated preference, DCE/discrete choice estimation among others.
Most conjoint analysis studies carried out professionally use Choice-based Conjoint (CBC) or in early times, Adaptive Conjoint Analysis (ACA), and there is a move to newer types such as Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint (ACBC). However, there are actually many different types or "flavours" depending on the task at hand.
Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) is favoured academically and widely used for pricing and brand value studies, ACA has fallen out of favour but is still used for larger more marketing focused work. Other forms of conjoint incorporate Buy-your-own tasks, configurators, menus or take the basic principles and extend them to create tailored designs for specific markets.
There are three core parts involved in conjoint analysis design. Firstly, the product or service needs to be broken down into component attributes and levels. Then, the decision of what is the best way to present options to customers or consumers (product profiles) combined with the decision of which method should be used to find out which product profiles are most preferred (eg choosing, ranking, rating). And finally the decision of which statistical estimation approach to determine the utility value of each attribute and level to the market (also known as part-worths).
These design decisions depend on the number of attributes to be considered, the contact method (online, face-to-face, phone or by post) and time available for the interview. In addition, the different flavours of conjoint analysis each have differing characteristics in analysis.
Choice-based conjoint analysis (CBC) tends to be preferred if the data needs to be more robust, perhaps because of the inclusion of attributes that may interact with each other, or where price is involved. However, CBC is typically limited to 6-8 attributes and needs to be analysed at an aggregate level and then a technique like Hierchical Bayes needs to be used to impute back individual level utilities. Alternatively, if the number of attributes is higher and data is needed at an individual level Adaptive Conjoint Analysis may be of more use. If you run into conjoint analysis as a student, then it is most probably through the use of full-profile conjoint analysis. There are other options such as partial-profile, menu-based, or adaptive choice based conjoint available among a range of other trade-off type approaches depending on the task at hand.
CBC is the most common form used at the moment. Most commonly CBC is based on a full-profile approach (a level from each attribute is shown in the product profile) but to keep amount of work the respondents need to do to a minum, the set of possible profiles is spread across the sample, so typically each respondent will see 8-12 choice tasks - ie the respondent will be asked to give choices from 8-12 different choice sets.
CBC usually shows more than just two "products" at the same time, together with a none-of-these option enabling more realistic choice decisions to be evaluated. This feature is heavily used in shelf-based displays used to test pricing for FMCG/CPG type products where there may be 30 brands to choose from at the same time in a 'virtual' shopping environment.
The limitation on the amount a respondent can absorb at a time, combined with the rapidly increasing number of "full-profile" combinations that come with large designs mean mean that choice-based conjoint is typically limited to 5-7 attributes (in contrast to 25-30 for ACA). There are what are known as partial-profile methods to get round this limitation,, but their use can be challenging.
An additional twist is that the default is to calculate utilities and importances in CBC across a sample as a whole. To get at individual level estimations relies on techniques such as Hierarchical Bayes analysis to infer back individual values (in ACA utilities and importances are calculate directly for each individual in the sample). For work such as segmentation, this places some limitations on CBC data. However the great benefit is that choice-based studies require far shorter questionnaires (10-20 mins) and can be designed to be purely paper-based if necessary.
The main advantages choice-based conjoint gives you are greater robustness of results - particularly for pricing work, combined with shorter and therefore less costly fieldwork. It is also favoured for it's rigour academically. It also enables comparisons with fixed products or fixed tasks enabling you to test new formulations against an existing gold standard or, in the more specialist form of Discrete Choice Modelling (alternate-specific designs), the end model can be tuned to real world data greatly increasing it's predictive power.
The disadvantages are the lower number of attributes that are possible unless you move to more complex bespoke designs using partial profiles, and the lack of directly valued individual level utilities - although techniques such as Hierarchical Bayes (HB) analysis seeks to remedy this by post-hoc simulation of individual level values. However, if you are looking to use conjoint analysis for clustering or segmentation you will need to be aware of the trade-offs needed to get individual level utility scores.
ACA has fallen out of favour with the wide use and availability of choice-based conjoint. However it remains a common method particularly where there are a large number of attributes to be considered for instance in service design or understanding products with a large number of features such as software.
Although ACA uses the same over-arching principles as CBC, in design, implementation and calculation it is completely different. Whereas CBC has respondents selecting from multiple products described with a full set of attributes, ACA shows descriptions using all two or three of the attributes available and is a pairwise only selection. There is also a relatively long self-explication step that respondents need to complete before coming into the main 'pairs' choice part.
The benefits of ACA are that it allows for a large number of attributes (up to 30) and levels (up to 7 per attribute) to be used. However, ACA does require a computer-based interview and the large number of attributes means that it is common for an ACA interview to last 45 minutes or more. In addition, some of the methods it uses to simplify the task of working out utilities mean that some care is needed in choosing and designing the attributes in order to get reliable results.
Technically ACA is known as a hybrid technique as it contains elements of 'self-explication' followed by the trade-off tasks themselves. ACA itself is produced by Sawtooth Software and can be conducted face-to-face or on-line. Telephone use of ACA is difficult and paper-base questionnaires are not possible.
A more advanced form of choice-based is Discrete Choice Analysis (also known as "stated preference research" or an alternative specific choice-based design). DCA studies are particularly popular for transportation studies looking at modal choice - the preference between a train, car and airline for instance. The main difference from CBC is the inclusion of continuous variables such as price and time. This allows the ability to examine the varying costs of the ticket with varying times taken to travel and so to establish the value of time for the journey. This enables transport economists to make statements like "2cm extra leg room is worth 10 minutes longer journey time or £40 extra fare" or "an extra train every 15 minutes would encourage x% of car drivers to switch to the train".
A particularly specialist form of DCM and CBC comes in the form of shelf-based designs which show a range of products (SKUs) at different prices. The aim being to understand price elasticities within a particular category. These types of pricing method are very commonly used within FMCG/CPG pricing research and can be calibrated against retail audit pricing data.
Full-profile is the original form of conjoint and is still in use, though predominantly in the US or for student type learning projects it would appear. Like choice-based conjoint this uses a more limited number of attributes to describe the product or service, but sufficient cards or treatments are shown to one respondent to enable individual level utilities to be calculated. A fractional factorial design is used to specify a fixed set of profiles that need to be shown for analysis. The difficulty is that this does limit the number of attributes quite severely. It's likely to be used with 3-4 attributes, but even at this amount, it might involve ranking or rating of 16-24 product profile cards. These old school studies are still popular for simple, non-computer-based projects and are most common for students learning about conjoint for the first time. This is also the main form implemented by non-specialist online survey software, or offered by SPSS in their conjoint module.
Recent developments in conjoint include the Adaptive Choice Based Conjoint (ACBC) method from Sawtooth, which combines elements of a configurator, an adaptive element and choices and Menu-Based Conjoint (MBC). In addition we have our own dobney.com software that allows for a range of other more bespoke research areas where traditional forms of conjoint analysis are lacking or where current designs can seem too difficult from a respondent point-of-view These include emotional association tasks, and repertoire purchasing (where someone is buying a bundle of products across a range of uses), volumetric measurement and improved choice displays such as using sliders or more interactive elements to encourage a fuller participation in the decision making process. Similarly, for international research the presentation of prices in different formats and currencies requires careful consideration.
We often find that the choice of the type of conjoint analysis to use depends on a number factors. It's often difficult for someone new to the subject to visualise all the options. The biggest determining factor is the number of attributes, and in cases where there are 6-8 attributes, there can be several options and approaches. We often produce several versions and presentations for illustration to help clients see and understand which form and presentation to use, without compromising the final statistical quality of the survey.
For help and advice on carrying out conjoint analysis research and which type of conjoint to use contact our consultants atinfo@dobney.com or phone +44(0)20 7193 6640 or +1 713-983-8700.
Your privacy is important to us. We will respond to your enquiry, but we will not include your details on any newsletter or marketing list.


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Q: How do I allow for overridable methods via Django's multi-table inheritance? My models are organized as follows.
class Animal(models.Model):

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class Cat(Animal):

  def make_sound(self):
    return "mreooooow"

class Dog(Animal):

  def make_sound(self):
    return "AARF!"

class EvilMonkey(Animal):

  def make_sound(self):
    return "muahahaha ..."

As you see, the various animals inherit from a class called 'Animal.' Each subclass also has a method make_sound.
However, in my view, when I call make_sound on a generic animal, Django complains that Animal objects have no method called make_sound, which makes sense since only objects of subclasses of Animal have the method.
Can I somehow tell Django that I can guarantee that all objects of subclasses of Animal have the make_sound method? Via something like a Java interface? I know that Django documentation said that "Field name "hiding" is not permitted," but I feel that overriding methods so fundamental to inheritance that Django should support it.
I don't want to have to be specific and call say my_animal.cat.make_sound() since I want to treat the animal objects generically.

A: This article provides some insight. It would be convenient if there was an easier way. The "more efficient technique" looks promising.

A: The trouble isn't that Animal doesn't know about make_sound. It's simply that when you ask for an Animal in Django, that's what you get: even if that Animal is "actually" a subclass rather than the base class, only the base instance will be returned. That's because Django doesn't attempt to do the query to find if there's a related item in any of the subclassed tables - which is probably on balance a good thing, since you would have many many unnecessary queries.
The only thing to do is to record what type of Animal it is on the base class, then write a method to get the relevant subclass from that.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"Will they seduce the ladies in the stalls and see them faint in their arms? Do they descend between the seats to obtain the so yearned for kiss, while the ghost of Cyrano remains on the stage to observe with a pleased smile (since anyway his immaterial being would impede him from collecting the craved price)? Either way it goes, they fight to tell this story with simplicity and profound love for the theatre, grasping the chance that this exceptional work offers them to represent, between laughter and tears, the eternal tragicomedy of life.


We are almost four months into the year, have you stuck with those New Year's Resolutions?
If you're like 92% of people, you probably haven't.
But that doesn't mean you have to give up. I help people every year stick with their resolutions and achieve them, and I know you can do the same.
If you're feeling stuck or behind on your yearly goals, change the trajectory of your year with my top tips below.
Hold Yourself Accountable. One of the biggest mistakes I see clients make, is failing to hold themselves accountable.
Document your progress. If you can't tell how far you've come, you're less likely to stick with your goal.
Find a buddy to hold you accountable. Sometimes you need that extra motivation from a friend or family member to check in and see how you're doing. Get an accountability-buddy and check in once or twice a week to stay on track.
Schedule time to reflect on your goals. The most successful people make lists of what they want to accomplish and then review that list. It's not enough to write it down in your journal and forget about it. Write it down, then read it each week to remind yourself you want it.
Sometimes, however, we need more than personal accountability. We need support from outside ourselves.
Get Professional Help. When you're feeling truly stuck and can't seem to make progress on goals you've had for decades, it's probably time to seek professional help.
Hire a Life Coach who specializes in personal development. The coach can walk you through your goals and the reasons behind accomplishing what is important to you.
Hire a therapist to help you work through any depression or anxiety holding you back. I am happy to give you a referral to many wonderful therapists I work with.
Is a Therapist or a Life Coach Better for Me?
This one is trickier. A life coach will offer you guidance on how to create a solid plan that pushes you towards success, shows you how to maintain a work/life balance, and helps you clarify your goals to ensure they are indeed what you want.
A therapist, on the other hand, focuses more on your internal world. They will work with you to heal past traumas, work with you through any depression or anxiety that might be holding you back.
Ultimately your decision to hire one over the other depends on what your goals are.
Reaching out for help might be the only thing holding you back.
Conquer Your Goals in 2018!The bottom line is this— YOU CAN accomplish your goals!
Prior to staying committed to something, everyone has to understand the significance of commitment. To be a successful individual, a person needs three things- 1)Goal- that gives a target and a direction, 2)Motivation- gives courage to take the necessary steps to attain the aim, & 3)Commitment- gives the motivation to continue on the same path. In order to succeed in your line of work, you need to do more than just attempting the commission. And for that, you need to stay committed in each and every affair.


Into the truth out of your lies.
I'm just the messenger, don't shoot me down.
The grief of the crowd.
They blow our houses down.
Do it to stay alive.
You must demand, they must abide.
Cause everything you know is not enough to survive.
Thanks for correcting IAMX - The Stupid, The Proud lyrics!


text:
Leaders and team
Home / Updates / News
LACOG takes part in a panel at London Global Cancer Week 2020
Between November 15th and November 20th 2020, the London Global Cancer Week was held online. The event covered discussions of the impact of the increasing incidence of cancer in emerging countries. Some members from LACOG took part in the event, including Dr. Carlos Barrios, an oncologist for the Grupo Oncoclínicas and LACOG Executive Director, and Dr. Gustavo Werutsky, an oncologist at São Lucas Hospital at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul and LACOG Chair. One of the sessions, which was hosted by LACOG and SLACOM, was dedicated to discussing the current issues on adopting technology in Latin America. Dr. Barrios was the moderator, while Dr. Werutsky was one of the speakers. "We used this panel to discuss the current clinical research scenario and its importance in generating innovation in Latin America, the barriers to its development and implementation and the possible strategies to increase the number of studies in the region", explained Dr. Werutsky. In his presentation, he addressed the importance of clinical research and ways to raise funds. Dr. Barrios mentioned that the event also discussed strategies for recruiting patients, technology assessment, and also the growing importance of collecting and analyzing big data, which is currently revolutionizing many
News, News Gastro-Intestinal
LACOG supports studies on rare gastrointestinal tumors
Currently, the LACOG Gastrointestinal Cancer Group has two ongoing studies. The objective of these studies is to create databases of prognostic and predictive factors of patients with neuroendocrine tumors (LACOG 0119) and of patients with anal cancer (LACOG / GTG 1318 - CCA). Both studies are being conducted in partnership with the Gastrointestinal Tumors (GTG) Brazilian group. According to Dr. Rachel Riechelmann, head of Clinical Oncology at the A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, president of the LACOG Gastrointestinal Cancer Group and principal investigator of LACOG 0119 and LACOG / GTG 1318 - CCA studies , these studies will help us to create an epidemiological database of two rare diseases. "Currently, there is no Brazilian or Latin American epidemiological data of neuroendocrine tumors and anal cancer. We have no information on what the most common histologic tumor subtype is, its prognosis, overall and progression-free survival rates in our region. Studies like these provide data regarding the characteristics of patient populations which help to define research strategies that are focused on these specific subgroups." Studies as the ones mentioned above would not be practicable without a partnership with LACOG which, according to Dr. Riechelmann, is the only collaborative research group in Latin America. "In fact, it
Investigators from LACOG release a book on Cancer Management in Latin America
Latin America, as a region, has some particular characteristics when it comes to cancer treatment. In order to further the discussion on the issues surrounding neoplasms in Latin Americans, the book "Cancer Management in Latin America" has been released in two volumes. The first volume covers nasopharyngeal cancer to kidney cancer; the second discusses melanoma and the cost-effectiveness of treatments. This project was led by Dr. Maurício Fraga da Silva, the leading technician for the Radiation Oncology Service at the University Hospital of Santa Maria (Rio Grande do Sul), supported by Dr. Gustavo Nader Marta, a radiation oncologist at the Radiotherapy Department of the Sírio-Libanês Hospital (São Paulo) and Dr. Beatriz Amendola, a radiation oncologist at the Innovative Cancer Institute, in Miami, in the United States. According to Dr. da Silva, it is probably the first book on cancer with special emphasis on Latin America, written by authors from different countries and distributed worldwide. "The contents will help with a better diagnosis and treatment of cancer by increasing readers' understanding of neoplasms, especially in relation to the particular characteristics inherent in this region." According to Dr. Marta, "the focus on Latin America means that we can give readers information on managing cancer
An International Partnership that encourages the sharing of experience and knowledge on breast cancer
LACOG supports researchers in developing clinical studies because the group believes that partnerships between researchers and cooperative groups are essential in the search for the best treatment for cancer patients. Likewise, the partnership between cooperative groups strengthens research development. LACOG was chosen to be the South American partner of Breast International Group (BIG) Against Breast Cancer to run studies in our region. BIG is a non-profit institution based in Belgium. It has sought to encourage breast cancer research internationally for over 20 years by encouraging cooperation between its members. BIG conducts clinical trials and research programs to find better treatment options for breast cancer. Currently, the BIG network unites over 55 groups and covers more than 50 countries in six continents. The group connects thousands of hospitals and breast cancer specialists that are focused on pioneering research into the disease. This global collaboration makes it possible to reduce unnecessary duplication of effort and to share data. It also enables scientists to work collaboratively, regardless of the country they reside in. Through these partnerships, members are able to share their knowledge and exchange scientific information with several different researchers worldwide. Such alliance increases the chances of developing better treatment options for breast cancer
News, News Genitourinary
The lack of epidemiological data on bladder cancer led to an investigator-initiated study by a LACOG investigator
The incidence of cancer and its mortality rates have been increasing worldwide, especially in developing countries due to their growing and aging population. "Bladder cancer is the tenth most common cause of cancer across the world, with 549 thousand new cases and 200 thousand deaths estimated each year", explains Dr. Vinícius Carrera Souza, an oncologist from the Instituto D'Or - Bahia and a researcher at LACOG. According to Dr. Souza, little is known about the epidemiology, clinical-pathological characteristics, standard treatments and outcomes of advanced urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis, ureter, bladder or urethra in Latin America. "The latest estimates indicated that the incidence of bladder cancer is 7 per 100,000 in men and 2.3 per 100,000 in women. However, these data are probably underestimated due to scarcity of cancer records. Fortunately, there has been an increased interest in clinical and pathological information collection regarding metastatic urothelial cancer in Latin America." Considering that, Dr. Souza began the Bladder Cancer Registry study (LACOG 1518). The study aims to create a Latin American multicenter database to analyze epidemiological, clinical and pathological data, treatments, outcomes and biological information from patients with recurrent / metastatic urothelial cancer. The study will cover 204 patients from Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and
News, News Head and Neck
The Red Journal publishes a study by LACOG's Head and Neck Cancer Group
In September 2020, investigators from the LACOG Head and Neck Cancer Group published the results of the study: "Health-related quality of life outcomes in head and neck cancer: results from a prospective, real-world data study with Brazilian patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy, conformal and conventional radiation techniques" in the well-known scientific periodical, International Journal of Radiation Oncology – Biology – Physics. The study involved 570 Brazilian patients with head or neck cancer and assessed the impact of three different types of radiotherapy: Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), conformational radiotherapy and conventional radiotherapy, on patients' quality of life and overall survival. According to Dr. Marcos Santos, radio-oncologist at the CONFIAR-Goiânia Group and the principal investigator who carried out the study for the group, having a paper accepted for publication shows that Brazil is now playing an active part in producing the real world data that is relied upon by regulatory agencies around the world when making decisions on technology. "It also means that, if we invest in encouraging the use of IMRT to treat head and neck cancer, we can be confident that, depending on the amount, it will be of real help to patients." The findings of the trial confirm that
The Instituto Projeto CURA raises more than BRL 180,000 for cancer research in Brazil
Over 300 donors contributed to the fundraising activities, supported by medical oncologists from all over Brazil. A Fundraising campaign raised BRL 184,000, between July and September, to fund research into the fight against head and neck cancer. "A thousand tests for cancer research" was the slogan for the campaign, which was carried out in partnership with the Brazilian Group for Head and Neck Cancer - GBCP, and the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group - LACOG. The campaign was heavily featured online, supported by doctors, celebrities, influencers and patients and the results exceeded all expectations. The basic aim of the campaign was to fund the basic costs for taking and storing a thousand laboratory tests - blood samples and biopsies. The campaign beat its target by an extra 43%, which means that it raised enough for the basic costs of 1430 tests. This result was only possible thanks to the dedication of doctors and investigators of the GBCP who found an innovative way to win over 335 donors to the cause. Despite the difficulties caused by Covid-19, the donation page had over seven thousand hits. As well as raising funds, the campaign wanted to raise awareness of the importance of supporting research in Brazil. According to
News, News Lung
The challenges of lung cancer patient's journey: from diagnosis to treatment
The delay between diagnosis and the beginning of a disease treatment is a reality for many patients, oncological or not. Such delay has a significant impact on the quality of life and, in many cases, on overall survival of patients. Seeking to describe the journey of patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer, Dr. Eldsamira Mascarenhas, a clinical oncologist at Oncologia D'Or Salvador, along with LACOG, is coordinating the observational study: The journey of patients with ALK-positive advanced lung cancer in Brazil (LACOG 1918). "We wish to understand what patients with ALK-positive advanced lung cancer face from the moment they receive the diagnosis until the beginning of treatment. With this information, we will be able to act more effectively and therefore provide earlier diagnosis and therapy", she explains. According to Dr. Mascarenhas, studies like this are important because there has been a significant increase in cancer incidence over the years. "Developing a clinical research will answer important questions we have about this population." Dr. Mascarenhas believes that clinical research transforms society around the world. However, Brazil still does not play a prominent role in this scenario since we have had little participation in the development of studies. For that reason, the work
The GBOT holds a virtual symposium to discuss the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer
The Brazilian Thoracic Oncology Group (GBOT) held its 2020 Virtual Symposium on November 6th and 7th. For the first time, the event took place entirely online. "Due to the unusual format of the event, it was a challenge for the group and the board to develop a program that would be captivating, especially considering the amount of online lectures and symposia we have had over the last few months. However, I think that this format made the event more interactive because it enabled the participants to discuss topics and share their own experiences, rather than just listen to the lectures," explains Dr. Ana Gelatti, the GBOT vice president. The aim of the symposium is to discuss the main developments in lung cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as the latest evidences on tumor markers, new drugs and therapies. Around 400 pulmonologists, radio-oncologists, thoracic surgeons, clinical oncologists, and other specialists participated in the event. Dr. Gellati especially highlights the Sessions of Controversies regarding the management of patients with lung cancer. Osimertinib in adjuvant treatment, the relationship of two immunotherapies in first-line lung cancer treatment and the assessment of patient N2 and the best approach in their case were some of the topics discussed
Conexão Uro-Onco- Your new resource center for medical and scientific education in prostate cancer
TheConexão Uro-Onco is a scientific resource center dedicated to Brazilian oncologists who aims to be up-to-date with scientific progress, discussions which enhance the knowledge and support their clinical decision-making on prostate cancer. With scientific support and endorsement by LACOG-GU and educational support from Astellas Farma, in addition to the prestigious participation of renowned experts from all regionsof the country,the contents are specially designed for this initiative and present engaging formats to provide dynamism, standing out as a practical resource also referenced in the busy daily routine - for free access anywhere, anytime and fromany device. Among the different contents you will find ASCO Daily News, pocket medical education classes to update essential topics in Clinical Practice, Expert Opinion, Podcasts, Clinical Challenges, world-renowned expert commentaries from Medicine Matters Oncology, besides other engaging formats. Visit www.conexaouroonco.com.br and follow us on social media to get the latest contents. Instagram: @conexaouroonco Linkedin: Conexão Uro-Onco FB: Conexão Uro-Onco
LACOG Office
Tecnopuc | Av. Ipiranga, nº 6681
Prédio 99A – Sala 203
Porto Alegre – RS – Brazil
Phone: +55 (51) 3384.5334
Opening Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
lacog@lacog.org.br
Cura Project

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In this paper we propose a methodology to estimate the recovery percentage for each of the products which can be obtained from the exploitation of an ornamental granite quarry: block, semiblock, masonry-transverse stone, and the smaller materials that can be used to obtain construction aggregates. This methodology ensures that quarry exploitation is exhaustive, thereby minimising the production of spoils and the consequent negative impact on the environment. The analysis is based on a detailed and exhaustive compilation of discontinuity data from the research fronts, which are then interpreted statistically and projected over the three weakness planes that are a particular feature of ornamental granite deposits. Using this information, and bearing in mind the minimum commercially viable sizes for each kind of granite, the corresponding recovery rates are calculated for each material in each plane. The results are then integrated using spatial techniques, and the result is an evaluation of quarry contents with a view to total exploitation. This methodology was applied to a quarry in the opening phase in order to carry out an a priori assessment of the economic feasibility of the quarry.


text:
Record Of Veterans' Discharges (Excerpt) Act 83 Of 1867
RECORD OF VETERANS' DISCHARGES (EXCERPT)
Act 83 of 1867
35.32 County clerk to record and index discharges from armed forces; confidentiality; persons entitled to copies of discharge records; compensation of clerk; sworn statement as to discharges recorded; "seventy years old" defined.
(1) A county clerk shall enter upon the record book all discharges of soldiers, sailors, marines, nurses, and members of women's auxiliaries that may be presented to the clerk for recording. The county clerk shall fully index the recorded information, and arrange the names of soldiers, sailors, marines, nurses, and members of women's auxiliaries alphabetically. The military service discharge record of a person is confidential and may be viewed or copied only pursuant to subsection (2).
(2) Each county clerk may do 1 or more of the following:
(a) Make available to the general public information in a record described in subsection (1) that is not less than 70 years old and that includes only the name, rank, unit of military service, dates of military service, and medals and awards conferred upon each individual identified in that record.
(b) Pursuant to the records media act, 1992 PA 116, MCL 24.401 to 24.403, provide for the viewing or reproduction of a military service discharge record of a veteran by any of the following:
(i) The veteran.
(ii) A person with the veteran's permission.
(iii) The surviving heirs of the veteran.
(iv) A veteran's service officer, the Michigan veterans trust fund, or a person employed by the county department of veterans' affairs who provides counseling for veterans, if access to that record is necessary to aid the veteran, or the surviving spouse or a dependent of the veteran in applying for benefits available to the veteran.
(c) Charge members of the public for discharge records of veterans discharged 70 or more years ago. However, a person described in subdivision (b) shall not be charged for the discharge records of that veteran.
(3) Counties in which the clerk is not on a salary basis shall compensate the clerk for the recording of a discharge under subsection (1) at a rate of not less than 50 cents nor more than $1.00, as directed by the county board of commissioners, for each discharge recorded. The clerk shall make a sworn statement at the end of every 3 months in each calendar year as to the number of discharges recorded, and file that statement with the county treasurer.
(4) As used in this section, "70 years old" means 70 years from the date of the first discharge from military service of the individual identified in the record described in subsection (1).
History: 1867, Act 83, Imd. Eff. Mar. 23, 1867
CL 1871, 546
How. 981
CL 1897, 1705
Am. 1919, Act 374, Imd. Eff. May 13, 1919
Am. 1944, 1st Ex. Sess., Act 2, Imd. Eff. Feb. 16, 1944
CL 1948, 35.32
Am. 1963, Act 49, Eff. Sept. 6, 1963
Am. 1975, Act 126, Imd. Eff. July 1, 1975
Am. 1977, Act 49, Imd. Eff. July 5, 1977
Am. 1998, Act 31, Imd. Eff. Mar. 18, 1998


text:
DeAngelo Bowie, 24, catches the bus to get to work. Bowie, 24, dropped out of Georgia State University in 2013 after a series of family health crises and financial problems derailed his dream of being a history teacher. Chad Rhym/ Chad.Rhym@ajc.com
Photo: The Hechinger Report
Growing student debt a danger to Georgia economy
Christopher Quinn, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A growing number of Georgians are dropping out of college because of the rising costs and the debt that comes with it.
That leaves young people such as DeAngelo Bowie stuck in limbo, as they have to leave college with school loan debt, but no degree, which would help them get a better job. They go back to work in jobs that don't pay as well while having to drag along extra debt.
That creates an anchor for the Georgia economy, slowing it down in multiple ways. Indebted workers have less money to spend into the economy, they default on loans more often than students who graduate, and there is a looming shortage of skilled workers that leaves Georgia businesses wanting.
"You're in purgatory," said Nicole Smith, vice president of Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce. "You have this extra burden and debt on you that cannot be written off. Because you don't have the higher credential, you're not going to be able to get the job to pay it. It's a significant problem."
The Hechinger Report has partnered with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution to take a look at student debt and its affects in our state. You can read the full story of DeAngelo Bowie and some steps that the state is taking to try to solve this problem at MyAJC.com.
In other Education news:
Best quality of life: Emory University (No. 3), Agnes Scott College (No. 20) Great financial aid: Emory University (No. 15) Most conservative students: Berry College (No. 20) Most liberal students: Agnes Scott College (No. 12) Most LGBTQ-friendly: Agnes Scott College (No. 7) Lots of race/class interaction: Agnes Scott College (No. 20) Most beautiful campus: Berry College (No. 9) Most active student government: Agnes Scott College (No. 9) Best college dorms: Emory University (No. 8) Most religious students


Fourth reason: chicks dig it.
It is surprisingly manly actually.
Cool. The old guy's first.
But if you're ever being chased by a wild boar, THEN you should def climb a tree. Cause pigs can't look up.
I almost want to say he should change it so people don't get the idea that climbing a tree is a feasible way to escape a bear.
From what I understand, black bears are the only ones that climb trees well/commonly.
We just start twanging them into trees!
That's a full 100 denary.
That's why I play Battleship when I play with grizzlies.
What, adults can't climb trees for fun ?
I assumed you meant a woman who works out, not one who listens to Linkin Park.
I just watched Hannibal recently, so a cut chick here gave me more horrible implication.
Any time you can work a trebuchet into the joke, I think it's a good thing. And having it fling something absurd—yeah, corpses work, or maybe donkeys with parachutes, though that joke, unfortunately, is already sort of taken—is just a bonus.
Or, you're playing Fable 3 and you spawned in a tree. Then got stuck. Forever.
Suppose the tree is a bug eating tree? A spoof of the kite eating tree from Peanuts.
Any joke is funnier with a trebuchet. But now I wonder where they were trying to fling the corpse… especially since they're described as "friends"….
John Muir climbed a really tall tree in California and stayed up there while it swayed all over the place during a big storm. For him it was a religious experience.
I would love to have my friends use my corpse in their trebuchet. All I need is some friends. Oh, and a trebuchet.
…or if you are leaping tree to tree in all your insipid, sparkling glory with your vapid, useless excuse for a girlfriend on your back.
Haha. I read his eyes in that last panel as being a censor sign. As if ye was not only dead, but also naked on top of it!
Thanks Adam! I now know what I want done with my body when I die!
Trebuchet 101: A discovery into the fun of coups flinging.
In this class you will compare the flinging of live verses dead projectiles.
We will examine the flinging of pumpkins as well as pianos before advancing to carcasses, both live and expired.
We will measure distance, quality of landing as well as splatter matter.
Can you PLEASE do a drugs week? Like one day for each drug, or addiction day etc. I'm begging you.
AMooseInAHummer how about a week of drugs?
why would you want to stay on drugs for a week? maybe take a weeks worth of drugs everyday for a week and I am sure you will see all kinds of bugs while on those drugs.
Isn't that "on" a tree?
is the bug up a tree an older version of the kid who was trying to snort Jesus? By the way, love your comic!
Really should pee on the bear.
Ooh! New funerary idea. Have my corpse packed with water-reactive chemicals, then launch it into the ocean from a trebuchet on a seaside cliff.
4th reason: You can fly, but lost control and got stuck.
So you're saying, let the Grizzly win because droids don't tear your arms out of the sockets?


text:
The first fossil of the firefly family confirmed in Japan (provided by Toshiaki Tanaka)
The Shimonita Town Natural History Museum in Gunma Prefecture announced on the 28th that a fossil with a body length of about 11 mm found in a stratum estimated to be about 3.5 million years ago was found to be the first firefly family in Japan. .. It is said to be a valuable research material. In November 2020, a paper was published in the specialized magazine "Monthly Musi". A permanent exhibition is scheduled for February this year at the Natural History Museum.
I found it by Iichi Mogi (deceased), a former teacher in Shimonita Town. He continued to collect fossils at Kabutoiwayama on the border between Nammoku Village, Gunma Prefecture and Saku City, Nagano Prefecture. It is said that it is close to the Munekuriiro firefly in the modern species.
familyfireflyfossilGunmajapan
Rice leads global warming countermeasures
Microsoft offers $30,000 to researchers who find vulnerabilities in Teams
Interest in major projects
Google now wants techies to find and report security bugs under the Android Security Rewards Program
Facebook turns 15: A college experiment that connected the world


Offer from Soc Gen Global Markets and BlackRock Portfolio Analytics & Risk but conflicted on which offer to take. Could someone please provide some guidance? They are both Summer Analyst internship positions. I'm looking to eventually break into Sales/Trading or PE and want to best position myself for that.
Blackrock Alternatives Investment analyst interview- Help!


Skyworks Solutions, Inc. has introduced a miniature 0402 PIN diode for attenuator and transmit/receive switching applications. The SMP1302-040LF is a small form factor, low profile, discrete surface mount technology packaged solution that is ideal for the handset, WLAN, CATV/Satcom, land mobile radio and infrastructure markets. This diode offers very low insertion loss, good isolation, low inductance and fast switching in a very small package.
Samples are available, and pricing depends on quantities. Please contact a sales representative at sales@skyworksinc.com or visit the company's Web site at www.skyworksinc.com for more information.


text:
Laura Erickson's For the Birds
About Laura Ways to Help Blog Radio Writing Miscellany Search Birds
For the Birds Radio Program: Baby Bird Biology, Part II
Laura talks about unusual baby birds.
Audio missing
Lesser Scaup
Red Junglefowl
American Oystercatcher
Wilson's Snipe
Belted Kingfisher
(Recording of a American Robin)
Yesterday I talked about the two kinds of baby birds. Actually there are gradations of both precocial and altricial young. The most precocial of all birds are the megapodes, that is, the brush turkeys and Malee-Fowl of Australia, and one species of waterfowl, the Black-headed Duck of southern South America. In these birds the young are completely independent and able to care for themselves from the moment they hatch. The Australian megapodes lay their eggs in a mound of sand, reptile like, and their parental responsibilities are limited to occasionally stirring the sand to keep it loose enough for the babies to dig their way out of the mound when they hatch. The South American Black-headed Duck makes no nest at all. The female lays her eggs in the nests of a wide variety of other species, especially grebes. These foster mothers incubate the duck egg along with their own, but as soon as the Black-headed Ducklings hatch, they go off on their own, and neither the biological parents nor the parents that hatched them give them any further assistance.
In many precocial birds, like our own ducks, shorebirds, and the New Zealand Kiwi, the young are led to feeding areas by their mother, but once there, feed themselves. When only three days old, a Lesser Scaup, or bluebill, is capable of diving, capturing a minnow, and returning to the water's surface in five seconds flat. Ruddy Ducklings raised in an incubator and set loose in a marsh when only one or two days old raised themselves successfully without any adult care.
But some precocial young are given more help. Domestic chicks receive a great deal of assistance in feeding from their mother, who scratches vigorously to unearth an edible morsel, and then may pick it up, soften it in her bill, and then lay it down and point her bill at it until one of the chicks swallows it. Adult snipe and oystercatchers have been recorded passing food morsels to their young in their beaks, and it is possible that other sandpiper and plover babies also get some assistance from their parents.
Gulls and terns are hatched with a covering of down, and are quickly capable of leaving the nest when disturbed, but they are directly fed by their parents for about a month before they can learn to fish on their own. These birds are considered subprecocial. It takes baby flamingos three days before they can leave the nest when disturbed, and the young all leave when 8 days old, but they are fed by their parents until they are two or three months old.
Altricial birds are all pretty helpless, but some are capable of more independent activity than others. Baby woodpeckers are completely naked and unable to do anything more than beg at first. Belted Kingfishers, which are born in burrows, are also naked, but if their burrow is dug out from the rear, they will toddle away from the light. Some are considered only semi-altricial, if they are covered with down but cannot leave the nest. In this category are hawks and eagles, which also hatch with their eyes open, and owls, which hatch with their eyes closed. When some of these big babies fall out of the nest, they hop up into tree branches for safety, but baby Great Horned Owls often stay right on the ground, puffing up their feathers and assuming a grotesque posture when frightened.
Yes, baby birds are many and varied.
(Recording of a Great Horned Owl)
This is Laura Erickson, and this program has been "For the Birds."
All writing, images, videos, and sound recordings by Laura Erickson (unless otherwise noted), 1986-2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, email Laura.
Website by Katherine Erickson, code on Github.
Chickadee illustrations by Michael P. Geraci.


text:
All-new Suzuki Gixxer 250 engine details leaked
Bike News, Suzuki
Prasad January 7, 2019
The new Suzuki Gixxer 250 is in the works and some details about the new engine patent have been leaked online. The all new Suzuki Gixxer 250 will get its juice from a 4-valve SOHC 250cc, single cylinder motor. To keep costs in check, it will not feature liquid cooling. It will also get a fuel injection system to meet the BSVI emission norms and will deliver a better response to throttle inputs. Power and torque figures of the engine haven't been revealed. As per reports, the engine will churn out 20 bhp of power and 20 Nm of torque mated to a five-speed transmission.
On the design front the new Suzuki Gixxer 250 is inspired from its elder sibling the GSX-S300. Some of the key features on the Gixxer 250 include anti-lock braking system, fully digital instrument cluster, LED headlamp and much more. Apart from this the bike will get conventional telescopic forks at the front instead of inverted units to keep production costs from escalating.
Online reports confirm that the bike will be showcased to the public at a dealer meet in 2019. The new Suzuki Gixxer 250 will compete with the likes of the Yamaha FZ25. Coming to its pricing, we expect Suzuki to price it at around INR 1.20 lacs, ex-showroom. Depending upon the response from customers, the company might also launch a full faired version of the Gixxer 250.
Stay tuned to DriveStreak for more updates on the all-new Suzuki Gixxer 250.
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Home THE MOUNTAIN GOATS
Feb 18, 2023 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Manchester Music Hall 899 Manchester Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508
Show | 8pm // Doors | 7pm
Location Manchester Music Hall 899 Manchester Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508
Event Type FOOD & DRINK, MUSIC
Date & Time Feb 18, 2023 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM