text:
Visual Arts News
Visual Arts Reviews
Performing Arts News
Performing Arts Reviews
Art & Travel
Kirkcudbright Galleries: Quilt Art, Dialogues
Maria Cynkier
Quilt Art: Dialogues at Kirkcudbright Galleries shows how practitioners of the medium are extending the boundaries of quilting to achieve wider recognition of it as an art form. Quilt Art is a group of professional artists from Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and America. A number of members also work in the field of mixed media. The exhibition is curated by the British Quilt historian and academic Dr Sue Marks and members of the group.
Founded in 1985, Quilt Art aims to extend the boundaries of quilting as an artistic medium and achieve wider recognition of the quilt as an art form. A number of members are also working in the field of mixed media. The group holds regular touring exhibitions in Britain and Europe and has also exhibited in Japan and Canada.
Quilt Art strives to maintain its unique reputation for integrity of expression and quality of craftsmanship. Each member brings a distinctive approach and the work is diverse, dynamic and sometimes challenging.
St. Mary Street,
Kirkcudbright,
DG6 4AA
Open Eye Gallery's Tribute to Two Friends of Scottish Art
'Unique and Engrossing': Sound Stage Takes New Theatre Online
Moving Images Festival Extends Throughout 2021
Claire Beattie First of Five at Marchmont House
PrevPreviousArusha Gallery, Edinburgh: Thomas Adam, Lightning Without Thunder
NextRoyal Scottish Academy: New ContemporariesNext
Love the arts?
Stay up to date with the latest Scottish arts news, features and more. Sign up to our newsletter and receive each weekly issue to your inbox.
All content © Instant Publications Ltd. 2020


text:
Q: SQLAlchemy Columns result processing I'm working with a IBM DB2 database using ibm_db2 driver and sqlalchemy.
My model is:
class User(Model):
    id          = Column('UID', Integer, primary_key=True)
    user        = Column('USER', String(20))
    password    = Column('PASSWORD', String(10))
    name        = Column('NAME', String(30))

String fields from the database (e.g. name) comes in the form of:
>>> "John                                "

, where the value is filled right with blanks to the full length of the field by schema.
I need to change this behavior to the sqlalchemy type String (or a derivative thereof) produced follow (e.g. value.strip()) before output results by query.all():
>>> "John"

How can I do this?
@property decorator is not applicable. I need to change the behavior of a standard sqlalchemy String class.

A: I would not want to change the behaviour of the standard String but to make a new type (you can then rename it to String per module basis or whatever) but it is cleanest that way:
from sqlalchemy import types

class StrippedString(types.TypeDecorator):
    """
    Returns CHAR values with spaces stripped
    """

    impl = types.String

    def process_bind_param(self, value, dialect):
        "No-op"
        return value

    def process_result_value(self, value, dialect):
        """
        Strip the trailing spaces on resulting values.
        If value is false, we return it as-is; it might be none
        for nullable columns
        """
        return value.rstrip() if value else value

    def copy(self):
        "Make a copy of this type"
        return StrippedString(self.impl.length)

Now you can use StrippedString instead of String

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Put the finishing touches on your soft seating lounge space with our stools and ottomans.
Top stitched sewing details in upholstery. Aluminum legs on round stool and square stool. Black vinyl base on pouf stool. Graded fabric program, or COM by approval.
Table versions available with optional integrated electrical USB and 110v outlets.
Tables feature 1″ MDF core with a variety of laminate options.
Underseat and table top electrical options available.


Use your testimony! Explain how Jesus has changed your life and wants to change theirs.
Show them how Jesus, his followers, and the New Testament is Jewish in its roots. Jesus would have been known as Yeshua, his mother Mary as Miriam, John the disciple as Yochanan. Christianity finds its roots in the O.T., and is not without Jewish heritage.
I'm confused how the verses Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, & Zechariah 12:10 show Jesus fulfilled the Messianic promises. Would you explain please?


text:
Online Catalogue | Soccer DVDs | PAL-format Soccer DVDs | F.A. Cup DVDs | 2007 F.A. Cup Final – Chelsea vs Manchester United
2007 F.A. Cup Final – Chelsea vs Manchester United
This DVD set contains complete coverage of the 126th F.A. Cup Final which saw Chelsea defeat Manchester United in the first final to be played at the impressive new Wembley Stadium. Includes a bonus disc featuring a review of the whole of the 2006/2007 competition. Released in 2007. Total length: 240 minutes.
This Region 0 disc can be used on PAL-compatible DVD players from all parts of the World.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Developer Portal League of Legends Legends of Runeterra Teamfight Tactics Valorant
General Game Specific
Blog Twitter Discord Issue Tracker
Terms · Status · Privacy
© 2021 Riot Games, Inc. All rights reserved. League of Legends and Riot Games are trademarks, service marks, and registered trademarks of Riot Games, Inc.
This document will provide you with a basic understanding of the Riot Games Developer Portal. It is designed to help you begin exploring and developing your own tools and products to positively impact the experience for players of Riot's games. We can't wait to see what you make!
Before you can begin taking advantage of the Developer Portal, you must login with your Riot Games account. Once you do, a Developer Portal account is created for you! This action also generates a basic development API key that is associated with your account. We'll talk about how you can interact with Riot to enhance that key further on in this documentation.
This account gives you the option to register your product proposal with Riot's Developer Relations team. Once you've registered your product you can communicate with our team for approvals, increased access, and more.
If you're here, you're probably thinking about making a cool application or website for a Riot game. For simplicity, we'll broadly call those things "products". As mentioned above, once you've logged in to the Developer Portal, you'll be able to register your product proposal. Let's go over what that entails.
First off, every product owner (developer) will be expected to have read and understood our policies. You can find them in the nav bar at the top of this page. Read them. Failure to adhere to these policies may lead to punitive actions, so make sure you understand them before going too far forward.
Even if your product doesn't use the Riot Games API, you'll find it beneficial to register your product. Registration lets Riot know you're out there, doing great stuff. If we know you're out there, then we can keep you informed of opportunities that might be beneficial to you and your product(s). Also, you will have a pathway to let us know how Riot can better help you and other developers.
So, how do you get registered?
It's simple. Head back to the main page of the Developer Portal and click the Register Product button. From there you'll need to decide if this is for a larger scale product, or a personal project. From there we'll ask you to fill out an online form that gathers some key details about your product. Finally, we'll ask you to verify your product, just to make sure you're really the developer!
Once you've completed those steps, our Developer Relations team will review your proposal. If everything is in order, we'll approve your product, and you're on your way to unlocking additional rate limits for your API key, and building a relationship with the team to help improve your product.
If your product is approved, we expect you to keep it in compliance of all applicable rules, policies, and laws. It's on you to stay up to date on all of those. If you need help with that, leave us a message in the Developer Portal, or jump into the Developer Discord.
If your product proposal is rejected, we'll be sure to leave you a message in the Developer Portal. We want you to succeed, so feel free to work with us through that messaging system to address our concerns, and get your great idea into the hands of players.
When reviewing applications we take a look at a lot of factors to determine if it's something that will benefit the Riot Games ecosystem. Of note, we want to make sure that the product doesn't violate any laws or existing policies. We'll also want to make sure that the product helps players in some measurable way. We want to see product that help players get better at our games, or track their growth. What we don't want to see are products that solve our games or make everything too simple. Also, we are looking for quality. If your website isn't complete, we're unlikely to approve your product. If you have questions, though, just reach out through the Developer Portal's messaging system.
About that messaging system...
At this point you've already logged in to the Developer Portal, therefore you can also send "Messages".
If you have questions specific to your product registration, you should submit a Message to get some feedback. Messages are the surest and quickest way to get a response from the Developer Relations team. Further, if you have any questions about your live products or anything else in the ecosystem, you can post a Message and we'll respond.
A caveat: Don't use the messaging system irresponsibly. This isn't a channel for you to casually chat with Rioters. This is a business channel, and should be treated as such.
Your product might depend on the Riot Games API. If it does, you'll need to be sure you understand some basic concepts about your Riot Games API key.
Anyone who signs into the developer portal will automatically be granted an API key that will be associated with their account. Your API key allows you to start using the API immediately, and allows us to generate API usage metrics for your key. In all, we manage several types of API keys. See the differences below.
DEVELOPMENT API KEYS
The API key that was generated for you when you signed into the developer portal is a development API key. These interim API keys are temporarily granted for products that are not meant for public consumption but benefit from temporary access to the API. The purpose of a development API key is for you to tinker with the Riot Games API and potentially develop a prototype for a product that you can make available for the community to use. They also deactivate every 24 hours. You'll need to regularly reset yours to keep it live.
PERSONAL API KEYS
You may apply for a personal API key by registering your product. Personal API keys should be used for products that are intended for just the developer or a small private community. These products can be registered without the verification process, but won't be approved for rate limit increases. You may request access to the Standard APIs, but not the Tournaments API. Personal keys require a detailed description of the product.
Acceptable uses for a personal API key include:
bots for streaming sites, boards, voice com servers, etc.
to display your own personal stats for your personal website
personal projects to gather your own stats
personal research
projects meant for personal usage and not production
The rate limit for a personal keys is by design very limited:
20 requests every 1 second
100 requests every 2 minutes
Note that rate limits are enforced per region. For example, with the above rate limit, you could make 20 requests every 1 second to both the NA and EUW League of Legends endpoints simultaneously.
You may not run your application for public consumption using a personal key, regardless of how long the approval process for your production key takes. Note that public consumption includes open alpha/beta tests.
PRODUCTION API KEYS
If you have developed an application using the Riot Games API that you would like to open up to players, you should apply for a production API key. You may not maintain a public product with a development API key. Production API keys have a much higher rate limit suitable for sustaining a public product's traffic.
Production API keys should be used for products that are intended for large communities or the Internet as a whole. You may request access to the Standard APIs and the Tournaments API. Typically requires a working prototype before receiving an API key.
The starting rate limit of a production API key is much larger than the development key:
500 requests every 10 seconds
30,000 requests every 10 minutes
Remember that this rate limit is enforced per region.
To apply for a production key with an expanded rate limit, click "Register Project" on your dashboard. The process and length of time required to obtain an approved production key can vary depending on your project and the application's target region(s).
Note that the standard production rate limit will meet the needs of the large majority of developers, but it can be expanded if the developer is in good standing, has demonstrated a strong community benefit, and has steadily outgrown the standard production limit.
If you are working on multiple projects, you should register each one separately and each one needs to be individually approved for a separate production API key.
API KEY SECURITY
As a final note on API keys, it's important to mention that your key will likely end up revoked if it isn't properly secured. Securing your API key is a requirement to publishing a project as outlined in the General Policies. If we determine that your key is not secured appropriately, we'll take action to secure it for you. :)
The Riot Games API returns all data in valid JSON. A few programming languages include native support for JSON. For those that don't, you can find a suitable library at http://www.json.org.
Note that our APIs return only non-empty values to save on bandwidth. Zero is considered an empty value, as well as empty strings, empty lists, and nulls. Any numeric field that isn't returned can be assumed to be 0 (or null as you prefer). Any list field that isn't returned can be assumed to be an empty list or null. Any String field that isn't returned can be assumed to be empty string or null.
2XX RESPONSE CODES
For 200 response codes, you can always expect the response body documented on the API reference page. Only 200 response codes are guaranteed to return a response body as JSON.
For non-200 response codes please be aware of the following:
A response body is not guaranteed to be returned.
If there is a response body, its not guaranteed to be JSON.
We currently return JSON with human readable debugging information, but the structure and content of this debugging information are subject to change. As an example...
"status": {
"message": "Unauthorized",
"status_code": 401,
The contents of status, message, and status_code are not guaranteed to always exist or remain constant for a given response code. 4. Logic within your application should fail gracefully based the response code alone, and should not rely on the response body.
4XX ERROR CODES
The 4xx class of error codes is meant to indicate that the client failed to provide a valid request. Below are the most common 4xx class of error codes you might encounter when using the API.
400 (Bad Request) This error indicates that there is a syntax error in the request and the request has therefore been denied. The client should not continue to make similar requests without modifying the syntax or the requests being made.
Common Reasons
A provided parameter is in the wrong format (e.g., a string instead of an integer).
A provided parameter is invalid (e.g., beginTime and startTime specify a time range that is too large).
A required parameter was not provided.
401 (Unauthorized) This error indicates that the request being made did not contain the necessary authentication credentials (e.g., an API key) and therefore the client was denied access. The client should not continue to make similar requests without including an API key in the request.
An API key has not been included in the request.
403 (Forbidden) This error indicates that the server understood the request but refuses to authorize it. There is no distinction made between an invalid path or invalid authorization credentials (e.g., an API key). The client should not continue to make similar requests.
An invalid API key was provided with the API request.
A blacklisted API key was provided with the API request.
The API request was for an incorrect or unsupported path.
404 (Not Found) This error indicates that the server has not found a match for the API request being made. No indication is given whether the condition is temporary or permanent.
The ID or name provided does not match any existing resource (e.g., there is no Summoner matching the specified ID).
There are no resources that match the parameters specified.
415 (Unsupported Media Type) This error indicates that the server is refusing to service the request because the body of the request is in a format that is not supported.
The Content-Type header was not appropriately set.
429 (Rate Limit Exceeded) This error indicates that the application has exhausted its maximum number of allotted API calls allowed for a given duration. If the client receives a Rate Limit Exceeded response the client should process this response and halt future API calls for the duration, in seconds, indicated by the Retry-After header. Applications that are in violation of this policy may have their access disabled to preserve the integrity of the API. Please refer to our Rate Limiting documentation below for more information on determining if you have been rate limited, and how to avoid it.
Unregulated API calls.
The 5xx class or error codes indicates that the server is aware it has errored or is incapable of performing the request. Below are the most common 5xx class of error codes you might encounter when using the API.
500 (Internal Server Error) This error indicates an unexpected condition or exception which prevented the server from fulfilling an API request.
503 (Service Unavailable) This error indicates the server is currently unavailable to handle requests because of an unknown reason. The Service Unavailable response implies a temporary condition which will be alleviated after some delay.
In order to control the use of the Riot Games API, we set limits on how many times endpoints can be accessed within a given time period. These limits are put in place to minimize abuse, to maintain a high level of stability, and to protect the underlying systems that back the API from being overloaded. The underlying systems are the same systems that power our games, so if they are overloaded, player experience suffers, and our first priority is to protect that experience.
RATE LIMITING TYPES
There are three types of limits used in the API infrastructure - application, method and service rate limits.
Application Rate Limits
The first type of limit is enforced on a per API key basis and is called an application rate limit. App rate limits are enforced per region. Every call made to any Riot Games API endpoint in a given region counts against the app rate limit for that key in that region. For example, calls to the static data API do not count against the application rate limit.
Method Rate Limits
The second type of limit is enforced on a per endpoint (or "method") basis for a given API key and is called a method rate limit. Method rate limits are also enforced per region. Every call made to any Riot Games API endpoint in a given region counts against the method rate limit for the given method and API key in that region.
Service Rate Limits
The third type of limit is enforced on a per service basis and is called a service rate limit. Service rate limits are also enforced per region. Every call made to any endpoint for a given Riot Games API service in a given region counts against the service rate limit for that service in that region. When service rate limits apply, we will document them, including which endpoints are part of the rate limited service.
Do not confuse method rate limits for service rate limits. Method rate limits apply individually to each application. Service rate limits apply to the service, and are shared by all applications making calls to a service.
Other Limits
These limits enforced by the API infrastructure are not the only gateways to the data provided. Some of the underlying services for certain endpoints may also implement their own rate limits, independently of the API infrastructure. In these cases, you will get a 429 error response, but there will be no X-Rate-Limit-Type header included in the response. Only when the rate limiting is enforced by the API edge infrastructure will this header be included.
While it is our policy not to reveal the specifics of how our rate limiting works, you can assume for the purposes of your code that the bucket starts when you make your first API call.
As of 2019, these versioning guidelines apply to all Riot Games APIs. However, this may change in the future. Be sure to check documentation for each game you are developing products for to be sure you have the latest information.
Currently, all League of Legends APIs are version 4. We no longer include a minor version in the API path.
As of 2019, these deprecation guidelines apply to all Riot Games APIs. However, this may change in the future. Be sure to check documentation for each game you are developing products for to be sure you have the latest information.
Whenever we deprecate, or make changes to, an API we aim to support both old and new versions of the API for 60 days. After that time the old version is deprecated. At times, circumstances require deprecation periods to be longer or shorter than 60 days. Deprecation periods will be communicated to developers through social media and the Developer Relations blog.
Developers should be careful when developing products with the Riot Games API. If an API is deprecated in favor of an updated version, the previous version will no longer be available. Any calls from a valid API key to a deprecated endpoint will result in an error code.


Playing fire emblem and drawing.
I'm going Claire's route first. That smile in his in-game portrait is like him saying "Baby I know I'm fabulous" and I love it.
I remember the week the first Famitsu article for Echoes came out, there was a leak on what the game will be like. Also we got a new trailer shortly afterwards. I wonder if the same pattern will be followed lol.
Well this has been an eventful day.
I got H!Myrrh, H!Kagero, L!Azura, and F!Hinoka in two days. Feh has been kind to me.
I saw Loki so she's gonna be our TT+ unit so yay I guess. Also, Veronica has more alts than Alfonse, Sharena, and Anna now.
First FE4 and now FE9? You are on a roll my dude. I'll check this out when I get around to playing FE9.
I got Duma for the 2nd anniversary banner, but I was hoping for Azura because my Reyson is almost maxed out in hero merit and he's my last dancer to use for hm farming.
I pulled a -Atk +Res Keaton and a neutral Velouria. Two down, two to go!
Cipher Series 18: Three Houses, Awakening, & The Sacred Stones!
I saw Three Houses and I clicked it. I really hope we get some concept drawings for the cards soon.
Wait...Selkie was nearly at the top of the last CYL right? So since she's now in the game, I wonder who else will be coming in as a farfetched hero?
Golden Deer because yellow is my favorite color. Plus, I like Hilda.
The dude was right! The dude was right!
I got a -HP +SPd SM Eirika and a -Def +Hp HS Sakura.
I got a -Atk +Spd Reyson and a neutral Sword Reinhardt.
I got a Flora with -HP and +Spd. Kinda wish she got +Atk.


I listen to little kids saying it, friends saying it, bosses saying it, HATERS saying it!!! "THINK POSITIVE "!!!!!In all seriousness. Do they understand the meaning – a way of thinking positive or is it something we are all, well trained to repeat this phrase because it is trending?
POSITIVE THINKING IS A MENTAL ATTITUDE. That means that however, we choose to leave our lives. We have to change our whole attitude from negative to positive. Sadly, this cannot happen in an afternoon or overnight.
If you really believe that positive thinking is what you want to practice, then you should start with baby steps.
The way we are brought up, at least by Greek parents, society, school, is to not fully trust our self and listen to others telling us who we are. Being connected to yourself is that you listen to your gut! If it feels wrong it is probably wrong for you, if it makes you happy commit to it. (If you are not hungry do not eat it !!! being connected to your self will help you lose weight as well.) Probably it is the hardest to do but most important.
You need to accept yourself for who you are. Remember that no one is perfect. Let yourself move forward. Do NOT! Dwell on your mistakes. It is difficult but an amazing prosses. You realize how beautiful your soul is and how much power you have as a person to succeed in your goals.
When I was young my sister told me 'smile, you will make people wonder'. But I realize when I smile people smile back at me. Seeing smiles around you lift your spirit up.
4.SEE THE GOOD IN EVERY SITUATION.
I believe that what everything comes my way is to help me get closer to my goals. When something does not work out, I think that 'this is not for me, I deserve something else'!
5.OWN YOUR ACTIONS & DO NOT PLAY THE VICTIM.
Take responsibility, Habibie! It is very easy (and we all have done it at some point) to blame our shortcomings on someone else. But part of being an adult is owning your actions & words.
We tend to forget what we have (already accomplish) instead we focus what we do not have. So, every day I THANK GOD that: I woke up (I am not dead), I am healthy, my family is safe and healthy, we have food on the table, we have a home to go too, work that helps our finances.
I loved the article, it's very inspiring! Thank you Georgia for sharing and Happy New Year !
Thank you !!! I am very happy that you enjoyed it.


text:
Q: Two Different nVidia Cards, One as Graphics, One as Physics - Possible? Soon I will have a brand new Geforce GTX 285 to replace my current 8800GT.
Will it be possible to move my 8800GT to another PCIX slot, put the GTX 285 into the primary slot and use the nVidia software to make the 8800GT do physics?
I have enough PCIX slots on my motherboard (4). The GTX 285 will take up 2, so the 8800GT should fit in the 3rd.
If anyone knows if this is possible, I would be grateful to be educated!

A: How does PhysX work with SLI and multi-GPU configurations?
 +  = Supported!
When two, three, or four matched GPUs are working in SLI, PhysX runs on one GPU, while graphics rendering runs on all GPUs. The NVIDIA drivers optimize the available resources across all GPUs to balance PhysX computation and graphics rendering. Therefore users can expect much higher frame rates and a better overall experience with SLI.
A new configuration that's now possible with PhysX is 2 non-matched (heterogeneous) GPUs. In this configuration, one GPU renders graphics (typically the more powerful GPU) while the second GPU is completely dedicated to PhysX. By offloading PhysX to a dedicated GPU, users will experience smoother gaming.
Finally we can put the above two configurations all into 1 PC! This would be SLI plus a dedicated PhysX GPU. Similarly to the 2 heterogeneous GPU case, graphics rendering takes place in the GPUs now connected in SLI while the non-matched GPU is dedicated to PhysX computation.

PhysX performance review:
In multi-GPU mode, one GPU handles all graphics duties, while the second card is solely responsible for tackling all physics commands. Under this mode end users can mix and match different cards. For instance, someone who purchased a GeForce 8800 GT last year can run this card for physics, and then pick up a brand new GeForce GTX 280 to run as the primary graphics card for gaming. An SLI motherboard isn't required for this mode either, both SLI and non-SLI motherboards are supported.

Regarding drivers: Which driver should I use?
NVIDIA® ForceWare® Unified Driver Architecture (UDA) supports SLI technology. Simply download the latest GeForce or Quadro graphics driver from the driver download page located here.
NVIDIA continually adds new SLI applications profiles to upcoming drivers. For the most up-to-date SLI application support, always use the latest drivers.
Can I mix and match graphics cards from different manufacturers?
Using 180 or later graphics drivers, NVIDIA graphics cards from different manufacturers can be used together in an SLI configuration. For example, a GeForce XXXGT from manufacturer ABC can be matched with a GeForce XXXGT from manufacturer XYZ.
Can I mix and match graphics cards with different sizes of memory?
When purchasing a second graphics card, you should try to match the memory size so that you are ensured full value and performance from your purchase. However, while it is not recommended, NVIDIA does offer the flexibility to run graphics cards with different sized memory by using CoolBits. Using CoolBits (value set to 18), you can force both of the cards to use the lower of the two memory sizes and operate them together in SLI mode. When dissimilar memory sizes are enabled to work together using CoolBits, the effective memory size for each card becomes the smaller of the memory sizes. Instructions to enable this feature can be found here.

From Wikipedia on SLI (not sure if this is correct...)
In an SLI configuration, cards can be of mixed manufacturers, card model names, BIOS revisions or clock speeds. However, they must be of the same GPU series (e.g. 8600, 8800) and GPU model name (e.g. GT, GTS, GTX).[15] There are rare exceptions for "mixed SLI" configurations on some cards that only have a matching core codename (e.g. G70, G73, G80, etc), but this is otherwise not possible, and only happens when two matched cards differ only very slightly, an example being a differing amount of video memory, stream processors, or clockspeed. In this case, the slower/lesser card becomes dominant, and the other card matches.
In cases where two cards are not identical, the fastest card – or the card with more memory - will run at the speed of the slower card or disable its additional memory. (Note that while the FAQ still claims different memory size support, the support has been removed since revision 100.xx of Nvidia's Forceware driver suite.[16])

A: This is certainly possible!
Multiple video cards simply require different drivers to be loaded for each card. Since they are not the exact same model, it will be a simple matter to install both of them together.  Additional configuration is sometimes required to get multiple identical cards to all work together.

A: Bounty message:

Would this work with 30XX as main GPU and 10XX or 20XX as physics card? What is the state of it in 2021?

Wikipedia says about
PhysX:

Initially, video games supporting PhysX were meant to be accelerated by PhysX PPU (expansion cards designed by Ageia). However, after Ageia's acquisition by Nvidia, dedicated PhysX cards have been discontinued in favor of the API being run on CUDA-enabled GeForce GPUs. In both cases, hardware acceleration allowed for the offloading of physics calculations from the CPU, allowing it to perform other tasks instead.

As PhysX has been discontinued, nowadays the question of whether the
second GPU can be used for physics calculations all depends on the program
that drives these calculations, on whether it supports using
CUDA API.
If your program cannot use CUDA API instead of PhysX, then you are blocked.


text:
Category: Dodgers Roster
Published on January 12, 2023 January 29, 2023 by Andy Lane Chapman13 Comments
Who will be playing shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2023 has been a source of speculation all offseason long for fans of the team.
Some were hoping that perhaps the team would re-sign free agent Trea Turner. He was east coast bound from the get-go, signing with the Philadelphia Phillies. Others thought maybe some of the other high profile shortstop free agents such as Xander Boegarts, Dansby Swanson or (shudder) Carlos Correa.
Continue reading "Dodgers Add Infield Depth, Trade for Miguel Rojas" →
Categories Dodger Trades, Dodgers Infield, Dodgers Roster•Tags Infield, Los Angeles Dodgers
Published on January 6, 2023 January 15, 2023 by Andy Lane Chapman23 Comments
Trigger warning – sexual abuse content
A decision has finally been made in the Trevor Bauer case. On Friday afternoon, the Los Angeles Dodgers designated Bauer for assignment. They will now have seven days to trade him or release him from the organization. His time with the Dodgers organization has come to an end.
Continue reading "Dodgers Designate Trevor Bauer for Assignment" →
Categories Dodgers Opinions, Dodgers Roster, Dodgers Starting Rotation, MLB•Tags Los Angeles Dodgers, Trevor Bauer
Published on December 18, 2022 January 8, 2023 by Andy Lane Chapman22 Comments
Take me to the magic of the moment, On the glory night Where the children of tomorrow dream away In the winds of change
When President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman took over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014, he set about building an team capable of being very very good, for a very very long time.
Continue reading "On the 2017 Dodgers, the Dynasty that Kinda Was, and Moving On" →
Categories 2017 World Series, 2020 World Series, Dodgers History, Dodgers Opinions, Dodgers Playoffs, Dodgers Roster•Tags 2017 Playoffs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Playoffs, World Series
Dodgers Sign Noah Syndergaard, Other News and Notes
Published on December 14, 2022 December 25, 2022 by Andy Lane Chapman55 Comments
The Los Angeles Dodgers are finally making some moves this winter, although they are not big and splashy like some of their counterpart teams.
The Dodgers have passed on pretty much all of the top free agents of this year. Justin Verlander went to the Mets. Aaron Judge re-signed with the Yankees. Trea Turner returned to the East Coast to play for the Phillies. And most recently, Carlos Correa signed a 13-year deal with play with the rival San Francisco Giants.
Continue reading "Dodgers Sign Noah Syndergaard, Other News and Notes" →
Categories Dodgers Opinions, Dodgers Roster, Dodgers Rotation, Dodgers Signings, Dodgers Starting Rotation•Tags 25-man roster, 40-man roster, Los Angeles Dodgers, Starting Rotation
Clayton Kershaw Re-signs with Dodgers and Other Early Winter Meeting Notes
Published on December 5, 2022 December 18, 2022 by Andy Lane Chapman16 Comments
All is right with the world, for a moment anyway, when Clayton Kershaw is a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
On Monday, the team announced that they have re-signed Kershaw to a one-year, $20 million contract, with a $5 million signing bonus.
Continue reading "Clayton Kershaw Re-signs with Dodgers and Other Early Winter Meeting Notes" →
Categories Dodgers payroll, Dodgers Roster, Dodgers Rotation, Dodgers Signings, Dodgers Starting Rotation•Tags 40-man roster, Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers, Starting Rotation
Dodgers Close Out Record-Setting Season
Published on October 5, 2022 October 8, 2022 by Andy Lane Chapman1 Comment
The Los Angeles Dodgers' 2022 regular season has come to a close. The Dodgers finished with a record of 111-51, the most wins ever in team history. They won the NL West by a margin of 22 games, over the San Diego Padres.
They also finished with the best team ERA in the majors at 2.80, WHIP at 1.05, and batting average against, .209. They have four starters who made 20 plus starts, and had sub 2.60 ERAs, the first team to do that since the 1919 Cincinnati Reds.
Continue reading "Dodgers Close Out Record-Setting Season" →
Categories Dodgers Game Recaps, Dodgers Opinions, Dodgers Playoffs, Dodgers Roster, Dodgers Statistics, NL West•Tags Los Angeles Dodgers, NL West, Playoffs, Starting Rotation
Dodgers Playoff Roster: Pitching Staff Projections Changing by the Day
Published on September 29, 2022 October 2, 2022 by Dennis SchlossmanLeave a comment
Even though just a handful of regular season games remain before the beginning of the postseason, the pitching staff projections for the playoffs seem to be changing for the Dodgers daily, and in some cases, by the hour.
Continue reading "Dodgers Playoff Roster: Pitching Staff Projections Changing by the Day" →
Categories Dodgers Roster•Tags bullpen, Los Angeles Dodgers, Playoff Roster, Starting Rotation


FADE is a two person play that tackles some timely questions on balancing culture, success, and authenticity both in real life and in the La La Land known as Hollywood now playing at MOXIE Theatre through November 11th.
Hollywood is the land of dreams, tv shows, palm trees and sunshine. Lucia (Sofia Sassone) a Mexican born novelist turned tv show writer who moved to LA from Chicago finds that she isn't finding the city of dreams to be all that it could be, she doesn't even like palm trees or sunshine. During a late night move into her new office she meets Abel (Javier Guerrero) the janitor to whom she automatically starts speaking Spanish to his irritation. A tattooed, Mexican-American Abel finds himself the unlikely confidante as Lucia talks about how hard her job is; her boss ignores her, her coworkers belittle her, she has no friends. Meanwhile, Abel is emptying the trash and organizing her office.
The television show is so generic that on a show with a "Latinx female lead", Lucia is stunned to find the other writers haven't bothered to figure out where the character is from, because that's not important. Lucia gripes "this show is basically Taco Bell", and that she is the diversity hire because she's Mexican. She's even more bothered when Abel chuckles at this as Lucia wails in her private office, sitting on the couch, about the unfairness of it all.
"Mostly I know people who don't get jobs because they are Mexican," Abel says.
Directed by Dr. Maria Patrice Amon, their first interactions are full of class and cultural similarities and differences. This makes their conversations deliberately awkward as Lucia's upbringing as a privileged girl in upper class Mexico varies greatly from Abel's life in the United States.
It's an unlikely friendship; they share frustration over no one being able to say their names correctly, but when Abel says he's Mexican but Lucia points out that he was born in the United States while she ponders about the authenticity of growing up in Mexico.
As their friendship grows, Lucia finds comfort and support from Abel when things get difficult and Abel finds a friend in someone who works in the building who isn't on the janitorial crew. They have a shared (and entirely irrational) hatred of Twizzlers.
As Lucia strives for success writing for this show, is becomes clear that language and class barriers are not only present with her co-workers, but also between her and Abel as well.
Sassone is excellent as she keeps Lucia bubbly and as likable as possible in a tricky role, her privileged insistence that she is an underdog, and increasingly entitled behavior make it hard to root for her as the show goes on. Lucia's enthusiasm and exasperation with culture, and their representation on TV feels true even as her character contributes to the very same problem.
Guerrero is fantastically sympathetic and genuinely likeable as Abel. His quiet and nuanced performance of someone trying to do what it takes and provide for his family is what anchors the piece, and allows the audience to believe that these two divergent characters could find friendship.
It is the performances of Sassone and Guerrero that elevate these characters and material to the point where the audience is emotionally vested in their actions. At the performance I attended you could hear urgent whispers from the audience to the characters of what they should or should not do.
The characters as written would benefit from additional depth, with the actions of the third act so predictable it was a bit disappointing. Written by Tanya Saracho, who has written for "Scandal", "How To Get Away With Murder", and "Girls" can't seem to shake some of the TV soap operas she writes for as some of the plays character actions and backstory seem more apt in a telenovela.
The Spartan and neutral office designed by Kristen Flores makes the perfect backdrop for these class and culture distinctions to play out upon, with added depth provided by Mextly Almeda's excellent lighting. Scene transitions and some cultural flair are provided by some perfectly chosen songs by sound designer Lily Voon.
FADE, playing through November 11th at MOXIE Theatre, this is a thought provoking play tackles class, culture, ambition, and makes you wonder what or who are you willing to become to succeed?
Next Post The witches of WICKED will put a spell on you….


Learn about Pennsylvania Department of Health Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification program.
The EMT programs, both in-classroom and blended require mandatory corequisite courses listed below. The due dates for these courses are determined by your specific course syllabus and are to be completed in order to be eligible for your NREMT certification exam. More information will be provided at the first class session.
Register online (Reference the Section Number as locations cannot be displayed within this link) or call 717-780-2414. We will not accept registrations less than 14 days before the program start date. Payment is due at the time of registration.
Please use the EMS Permission to Bill (pdf) for third party billing.
Students must be at least 16 years old.
Please be advised that the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of EMS conducts criminal background checks.
Having a criminal history may affect your ability to complete the required testing for certification. For more information, please call 717-780-1969.
Tuition for the EMT program is $825.00.
Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured, Essentials 11th ed.
The textbook may be obtained directly from the publisher or other retailers such as Amazon.
Digital format options from Google ebooks or CourseSmart are acceptable.
It is the responsibility of the EMT student to obtain the required textbook for the EMT Program. Students MUST have a textbook by the first class session.
Students are required to wear a uniform to every class session. HACC provides uniform shirts. Students are responsible for navy blue work pants, black work boots, and a black belt.
Upon successful completion of the EMT Program students are eligible for their EMT certification exams.
These exams are administered by the Pa. Department of Health–Bureau of EMS/National Registry of EMTs (Psychomotor) and the National Registry of EMTs/Pearson-Vue test centers (Cognitive).
Please note that there is a separate fee associated with the Cognitive exam ($80.00/attempt) that is paid to the National Registry of EMTs.
Registration deadline is May 24, 2019 or until the class is full.
Registration deadline is July 19, 2019 or until the class is full.
Registration deadline is August 5, 2019 or until the class is full.
Registration deadline is August 12, 2019 or until the class is full.
Registration deadline is August 23, 2019 or until the class is full.
Registration deadline is Aug. 30, 2019 or until the class is full.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Program.
Our online/blended EMT program is a combination of self-paced online modules with interactive assignments and discussions through the Desire2Learn (D2L) online platform. Students are required to attend in-classroom lab sessions throughout the program to demonstrate their competency in numerous psychomotor skills, complete testing requirements and prepare for the National Registry examinations.
We encourage you to complete the Self-Assessment for Online Learning to determine your potential aptitude for this learning platform.
Register Online (Reference the Section Number as locations cannot be displayed in this link) or call 717-780-2414. We will not accept registrations less than 14 days before the program start date.
Registration for the online classes closes 14 days prior to the start date.
Registration deadline is May 3, 2019 or until the class is full.
Registration deadline is May 24, 2019 or until class is full.
Registration deadline is August 2, 2019 or until the class is full.
Registration deadline is August 23, 2019 or until class is full.
Registration deadline is October 18, 2019 or until class is full.
Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) bridge to Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program.
Our online/blended EMR to EMT Bridge program is a combination of self-paced online modules with interactive assignments and discussions through the Desire2Learn (D2L) online platform. Students are required to attend in-classroom lab sessions throughout the program to demonstrate their competency in numerous psychomotor skills, complete testing requirements and prepare for the National Registry examinations.
Register Online. Or to register over the phone, please call 717-780-2414. Payment is due at the time of registration.
*A copy of your current Pennsylvania Emergency Medical Responder card and CPR card must be submitted before the start of the program.
Tuition for the program is $600.00.
Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured, 11th ed.
It is the responsibility of the EMT Bridge student to obtain the required textbook for the EMT Program. Students MUST have a textbook by the first class session.
Registration deadline is June 14, 2019 or until the class is full.
8 am - 5 p.m.
For more information, please call 717-780-1969 or email emstrng@hacc.edu.


Host a showing of this wonderful film - we have everything you need to do that. Could even be in your own home with friends and neighbors!
Mount Horeb Past Event Info Below.
Following its premiere at the American Birkebeiner ski race, where filming of the documentary began, Saving Snow was released with a wave of community screenings across the country. And yes, Mount Horeb was part of that wave!
This screening was co-sponsored by The Farley Center for Peace, Justice and Sustainability and Southwest Wisconsin Area Progressives (SWWAP).
Saving Snow focuses on people coming to terms with these changes. But it also presents solutions. The film highlights individuals and organizations who are working to reduce their communities' impacts on the environment and raise awareness of the need for action.
With the Olympics happening this winter, athletes are also speaking up about what they see happening to their sport. Jessie Diggins, USA Olympic Ski Team says in an interview with the New York Times: "You can look at different solutions for the economy, but you only get one earth to live on, and you have to breathe the air that is on this earth. We have to do it in a way that doesn't hurt families economically, which is why I'm supporting the carbon fee and dividend solution, because it puts a fee on carbon and returns the revenue to households.


We are a brand communication business.
planning for change, joining the dots and liberating creativity.
how we read, how we travel, how we socialise.
we're here to help them keep pace.
Partnering with our clients, to make their brands relevant to the people that matter.
Changing brands for changing times.


The cold days of winter are perfect for planning a summer garden. Seed catalogs start to roll in soon after the holidays, and with no green to be seen outside, our eyes grow bigger while looking at the beautiful pictures of summer vegetables. Last winter was especially fun for us to plan our garden. Our daughter was born in the middle of February, so perusing seed catalogs during those last few weeks helped me keep my sanity.
As we put together our seed order and wish list, my husband saw paprika peppers. We had never thought of growing and drying our own paprika. But, what did we have to lose? We ordered our seeds, my husband built a seed-starting table, and our dreams and tummies had us thinking of the bounty that would await in the fall.
After failing to harden our plants off properly and a late-season freeze, we were convinced our plants were doomed. But, they bounced back big and strong. Our paprika plants were the best-looking peppers in our garden.
Since the peppers were ripening at various rates, we would pick the ones that were ripe and keep them until we had enough to dry. Since we don't have a dehydrator, we used our oven on its lowest setting to dry the peppers.
We were looking forward to a big harvest in the fall, as our plants were loaded with peppers. But, our white-tailed friends thought that they needed them more and we lost the rest of the harvest. We were happy we dried what we could and saved them in our pantry until the time came when we needed some paprika.
A few weeks ago, during one of the many cold snaps this winter, we decided to grind some up for chili. We pulled out our food processor and got to work. The smell took me back to the warm days of summer. And there was no comparison to store-bought paprika!
If you like growing peppers in your garden, think about planting a few paprika plants. We plan to expand this year and grow some cayenne peppers as well. And we hope to invest in a dehydrator as well. What's your favorite herb or seasoning to grow?
Follow our journey and let me know your favorite thing to grow on our Facebook page!
Heidi, Paprika is pepper? Hmmmm, didn't know that. I just thought if it as a spice of some kind or a decoration to make food look pretty. You can tell I don't use it. I might have to re think that some. Is it a warm zone plant? I'm not sure about what zone West Virginia has. Mine is 5b. It used to be 5a but after the re evaluation it became a zone warmer. Global warming so the experts say. I really should learn more about spices. ***** Have a great winter paprika day.


Jonathan Paul Nyerges, of Temple City, California, died Thursday, September 1,2011 in a motorcycle accident just a short block from his home.
months ago he decided to be self employed.
JoJo, nick-named by family and friends, was a true lover of life and he was loved by everyone. Some of his greatest pass time pleasures were dirt bike riding and shooting with his brothers and friends. His passion for the computer was incorporated into his everyday life. He was a successful entrepreneur but to his family and friends he might be called a hustler. If there was a deal to be made, Jonny would find it.
His commitment to his goals was equaled to his commitment to his relationships and his desire for a complete life of happiness. Each one of his friends believes they were Jonny's best friend – that's how important he made each person feel.
Survived by; parents Richard Alan & Barbara Kathleen, brothers Michael Alan & Jeffrey David, his nephew Chase, his many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Jonny loved the ocean. His ashes will be scattered at sea.


text:
/**
 *
 */
package com.github.gwtd3.api.scales;

/**
 * Quantitative scales have a continuous domain:
 *

 *
{@link ContinuousQuantitativeScale} have a continuous output range
 *
{@link DiscreteQuantitativeScale} have a discrete output range
 *

 *
 *
 * @author Anthony Schiochet
 *
 */
public abstract class QuantitativeScale<S extends QuantitativeScale<S>> extends
		Scale<S> {

	protected QuantitativeScale() {

	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The new face of downtown
The risk of building Executive Place in downtown Red Deer was apparently always acceptable for the developer.
For the average investor, even with deep pockets, putting $40 million into an office building project and then waiting a year for your first tenant would probably seem like too big a risk.
But the payoff — which came this week in the form of a major tenant for the 12-storey building at the corner of 49th Avenue and Ross Street — rewards both Executive Place's owners and Red Deer in general.
For downtown boosters, this has been an exceptional week.
Red Deer College showed off its new downtown Donald School of Business campus, which will open in September on the third, fourth and fifth floors of the Millennium Centre, on Monday.
Bringing 550 students downtown, plus faculty and support staff, is a huge injection of confidence and cash into the core.
The $2.8-million project creates a stand-alone campus that will have significant social and economic spinoffs.
"When the streets are alive and vibrant, there's less crime, there are fewer problems, there is less vandalism," said city councillor and downtown retailer Paul Harris.
Notably, the project also helps to halt a significant siphoning of young talent out of Red Deer.
By offering expanded programming, the college can now keep students at home, instead of losing them to universities in Edmonton, Calgary and elsewhere.
And that pays off for businesses in Central Alberta, and particularly downtown, while the students are in the program and after they graduate. Suddenly, quality candidates for jobs are close at hand.
For businesses like Stantec Inc., which will occupy the top five floors of Executive Place after operating in cramped and disjointed quarters elsewhere downtown, staying downtown is a sign of faith.
"We understand and we see the vision of the city to revitalize this area and we want to be part of it," said Stantec vice-president Russ Wlad.
That confidence is being shown elsewhere as well, in smaller but equally committed and important ways.
Projects like Central Alberta Theatre's renovation of the former Uptown Theatre space give credence to the belief that downtown can become a cultural hub.
And condo/retail developments at the south and north entrances to downtown, on 49th Avenue and 45th Street and just south of the river on Gaetz Avenue should be the seeds to a new willingness to live and do business downtown.
The new Veterans Park adjacent to Executive Place shows the city's intent to make coming downtown a more pleasant experience, as does the presence of red-hatted ambassadors and bike-and-Segway-riding police officers. The Alexander Way project, and the plans encompassing everything from Riverlands to Barrett Park, show the city's intent in spades.
Increasingly, we should expect other businesses and institutions to follow the lead of today's pathfinders, and a greater number of services will pop up downtown in lockstep.
Certainly there are still areas of concern downtown. A stretch on the north side of Ross Street, east of 48th Avenue, has been vacant for years, after a fire.
And bringing more people downtown puts more pressure on parking and other services.
But it will also be a catalyst for positive change, encouraging people to use public transit and foot power to get downtown.
People will need to be convinced that they are safe downtown, particularly in the evenings.
That will take time, but less time than most of us would have imagined even a year ago.
John Stewart is the Advocate's managing editor.
Give parents tools to cope
Extremist could tip South African balance


text:
SPAIN AND FRANCE
Spaniards think France is 'superior'…and so do the French
Both Spanish and French people believe France has a stronger economy and exerts more power and influence on the global stage, a study by a prestigious Spanish think tank has found, but they also agree the quality of life in Spain is better.
France's President Emmanuel Macron greets Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (L) at Versailles in March. France and Spain have put past rivalries behind them, but their views about each other's countries vary, a new study reveals. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)
Neighbours Spain and France have for centuries been rivals. At one stage it was focused on the expansion of their empires across the globe, in more recent times it's been the promotion of their gastronomy, language and culture overseas.
In the 21st century, their relationship has turned into friendly competitiveness as both nations have grown closer together; they've even brokered a dual nationality agreement recently.
But a survey by Spain's Elcano Royal Institute for International and Strategic Studies reveals that there continues to be a sense of superiority on the part of the French towards Spain, which contrasts with Spaniards' ingrained inferiority complex.
Citizens from both nations agree that France is better on most fronts – they have a stronger economic system, a better democracy, more developed scientific and technological industries, and more power and influence on the global stage.
To give an example, only half of French respondents could name a Spanish brand (Zara and Seat being the best known), whereas Spaniards were quick to name Carrefour, car manufacturers Renault, Peugeot and Citroen as well as French cosmetic brands.
However, both French and Spanish people concurred, albeit to a lesser extent, that the quality of life, cultural offering and sporting level are better in Spain, with Spaniards tending to be more convinced about this than the French.
For the study, 1,001 people from each country were asked a series of questions relating to their views on the EU, current economic and social affairs, the war in Ukraine, as well as their opinions about each other's countries.
Young supporters hold French and Spanish flags at the Tour de France in 2022. There's a mutual admiration between both countries but both agree France is a bigger power on the world stage. (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)
Asociación Diálogo (Dialogue Association), a group which promotes France-Spain relations, also took part in the research.
French tourists cross over into Spain more often than Spaniards visit France, which according to Real Instituto Elcano researcher Carmen González has helped to improve French people's views about Spain overall, including Spanish infrastructure.
French people consider Spaniards friendly, but a majority of Spanish respondents don't feel the same about their Gallic neighbours.
When asked to define themselves, both French and Spanish respondents referred to their own societies as tolerant, democratic, trustworthy and traditional, whilst stressing that they have a distinct cultural identity.
A greater percentage of Spaniards considered themselves first from their city or region rather than from Spain as a whole, whereas French people identify first with being French. On the other hand, two thirds of Spanish respondents are happy to be identified as European, whereas only 42 percent of French respondents have a positive view of belonging to the EU.
Seventy-nine percent of Spaniards also defined their country as emotionally-driven, whereas French people believed they were more split between emotion and rationality.
Around 60 percent of respondents from both countries agreed that a strong bilateral relationship between Spain and France is important, whether it be in the fight against terrorism, energy, economic ties or tourism.
Whatever their differences, it's clear that French and Spaniards have put past rivalries behind them and have a mutual admiration for each other's countries.
READ ALSO: "Africa starts at the Pyrenees" – Eight memorable quotes by historical figures who hated or loved Spain
Alex Dunham [email protected] @alexdunham12
SPAIN AND FRANCEUNDERSTANDING SPANIARDS
UNDERSTANDING SPANIARDS
REVEALED: The most and least polite cities in Spain
'We're going to hell': Supermarket's readymade fried eggs offend Spaniards
Do you live in the politest city in Spain? Or perhaps in the rudest? A new survey has revealed where in Spain residents are most considerate towards others and where they are the most ill-mannered.
Spaniards are known for being straight-talking and not overly polite, saying please and sorry (or por favor and perdón) far less in daily conversation than British people, for example.
That's not to say that they're rude by definition, they just have a different interpretation of what's expected and warranted in certain social situations. In fact, Spaniards are far more likely to strike up a conservation with you in a queue than northern Europeans, and if someone is in trouble, they're likely to jump in to help.
READ ALSO: Nine unwritten rules that explain how Spain works
However, when it comes to being considerate towards others and having good manners, not all Spaniards make the mark, and the inhabitants of some cities fare far worse than others.
According to a study by language learning site Preply, the politest cities in Spain are Vigo and A Coruña, both in Galicia in the rainy northwest of the country.
The stereotypical image of Galicians is that they can be closed-minded, superstitious, and untrusting, but also affectionate, helpful, strong and honest, and it could be that they're more polite on average as well.
Residents of Vigo and A Coruña were followed by the eastern coastal city of Valencia on the politeness podium.
READ ALSO – The good, the bad and the ugly: What are the regional stereotypes across Spain?
For the study, 1,500 residents of the 19 most populated areas of Spain were interviewed and given various scenarios to find out how polite or inconsiderate they considered their neighbours to be.
Talking loudly on the phone, watching videos with the sound on and speaking in a loud voice were all given categories that could be ticked as being rude on public transport, while not slowing down for pedestrians or not letting other cars in were considered examples of rudeness when driving.
The most ill-mannered behaviours according to the study involve shouting in public, pushing into a queue or being rude to workers.
Once the answers were collated, each city was given a score from 1 to 10, with 1 being the politest and 10 being the rudest.
Vigo, situated in Galicia's Rías Baixas was found to be the most polite with a score of 5.17, closely followed by A Coruña with a score of 5.18.
Valencia came in third place with a score of 5.28, followed by Murcia-Orihuela with 5.30.
Other polite cities were Oviedo (5.31), Las Palmas (5.39), Zaragoza (5.45), Sevilla (5.45) and Cádiz (5.50).
Madrid came in the middle of the list with a score of 5.53, while on the rude side of the list were Valladolid (5.58), Málaga (5.61), Barcelona (5.64), Palma de Mallorca (5.69) and Bilbao (5.73).
On the far end of the scale, Santa Cruz de Tenerife was found to be the city with the least considerate inhabitants with a score of 6.06, followed by Granada with 5.95, Alicante-Elche with 5.81 and San Sebastián with 5.77.
New technology could be partly to blame for bad manners, as according to respondents the most frequent rude behaviour in Spain is being too absorbed in your phone in public (with a score of 6.31), followed by not greeting strangers (6.26) and watching videos on your phone in public (6.21).
Other behaviours that people considered to not be very civic were making noise in public (6.15) and not giving tips (6.05).
On that note, when it comes to leaving tips, the residents of the city of Valladolid were found to be the most generous.
In general, only 26.55 percent of respondents said they usually leave a tip, while 28.08 percent only do so if they received excellent service. More than 19 percent of respondents confessed to never leaving any tip.
In Valladolid, the most generous city, people said they give an average of 10.18 percent of the bill, while in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the stingiest, they admitted to only giving 6.10 percent of the bill.
If there are any conclusions to be drawn overall about the study's findings is that there aren't huge differences between the most and least well-mannered cities in Spain.
Good manners and fear of offending others may not be intrinsic of the Spanish character as in other countries, but that doesn't stop Spain from being a country with a strong emphasis on community.
READ MORE: The many ways Spaniards refer to your face when you're being cheeky
Spaniards have second lowest level of English in EU
Spaniards have 'herd mentality' rather than being free thinkers: study


The Senior Systems Administrator manages a team of Junior System Admins, is responsible for Following, and troubleshoot problems/tasks that are escalated or need more experience.
Research and recommend innovative, and where possible automated approaches for system administrations tasks.
Maintain servers and network SLA up-time.
Support Complex Network Communications infrastructure.
Apply advanced troubleshooting techniques to provide unique solutions to our customers' individual needs.
Deep dive to root cause a customers' issues.
Design and implement plans for Customized Solutions.
Synchronize up with the previous shift crew to take over a high-priority support Case and were keeping an eye on things to make sure they have everything that they need.
Provide on-call consulting advice and technical support to external/internal customers regarding specific operational/applications issues.
Supervises Operations staff including training, evaluating and disciplining. May guide or provide work direction to technical staff like solving/searching problems.


Tags: Remove This Item "long weekend looks"
Summer Fridays and long weekends are amongst us, so get packing with our edit of chic under-the-sun outfits and accessories. Long summer dresses like the flower stamp gown by Rosie Assoulin x The Webster and Loewe's Asymmetric Ruffle Dress paired with knot detailed sandals like the Julita Yellow Flat by Alexandre Birman, or heeled slides by Jacquemus make for easy breezy sophistication. Show off your beach bum in pair of versatile side zip shorts by Re/Done that can be worn with everything from the Elton John T-shirt by Gucci or Off-White x The Webster's exclusive gradient printed tank top. And of course, don't forget sun-protection: sunglasses and a straw visor made of materials from Madagascar by Brother Vellies x Gigi Burris with pink silk ribbon ties that tops off every look show-stopping style.


text:
Q: Discrete time survival analysis with varying length event windows I have data that appears very well-suited to discrete-time survival analysis, in that each subject has a consecutive sequence of observations from its entry into the system until its exit, and I'm interested in determining the likelihood that a subject will leave the system in the next time period.  The catch is that the time periods are not uniform in length.  There are several possible ways I can imagine addressing this problem.  The top two that come to mind are:
1.  increasing the granularity by further discretizing my time intervals to the minimum length
2.  leaving the individual time periods as is, but weighting each period in the analysis by its actual length
I prefer the second option to the first one.  My questions are:
1.  Is the second option acceptable?
2.  Which of the two options is preferable?
3.  Is there a better third option?
Thank you!


Seller does not smc1255tx-1 returns. Glassboro, New Jersey, Smc1255tx-1 States. Or Smc1255tx-1 Driver Pro registered version You are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee if you receive an item that is not as described in the listing.
ssmc1255tx-1 Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Back to home smc1255tx-1 Return to top. This item will ship to United Statesbut the smc1255tx-1 has not specified shipping options.
Any smctx 1 shipping is smc1255tx- in part to Pitney Bowes Inc. A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item smc1255tx-1 its original packaging where packaging smctx-1 applicable.
Get more time smc1255tx-1 pay. See terms – opens in a new window or tab.
Please enter 5 or 9 numbers for the ZIP Code. Smc1255tx-1 over to Zoom – Click to enlarge. This item will ship smc1255tx-1 United Statesbut the seller has not specified shipping options.
Image smctx 1 smc1255tx-1 Photos not available for this variation. Contact the seller – opens in a new window or tab and request a shipping method to smc1255t-x1 location. Seller smc1255tx-1 sales tax for items shipped to: Packaging should be the same smc1255tx-1 what is found in smc1255tx-1 smctx 1 store, smc125tx-1 the item is handmade or was packaged by the manufacturer in non-retail packaging, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag. Smc1255tx-1 additional import charges at delivery!
See all condition definitions – opens in a new window or tab Back to home smc1255rx-1. Learn more — opens in a new window or tab. Smctx-1 More — opens in a new window or tab International shipping and import charges smc1255tx-1 smctx-1 Pitney Smctx-1 Inc. Smc1255tx-1 enter a valid ZIP Code.
When it is finished scanning it will smc1255tx-1 update them to the latest, most compatible version. Email to friends Share on Facebook – opens in a new window or tab Share on Twitter – opens in a new window or smc1255tx-1 Share on Pinterest – smc1255tx-1 in a new window or tab. See terms — opens smc1255tx-1 a new window or tab Smc1255tx-1 offers may be available from time to time. Subject to credit approval. Covers your purchase price and original shipping. Back to home page Return to top.
You can install the drivers manually for FREE. Interest smc1255tx-1 be charged to your account from the purchase date if the smc1255tx-1 is not paid in full within 6 months. Add to watch list Remove from smc12255tx-1 list. Report item smc1255tx-1 opens in smctx—1 new window or tab. Smctx-1 enter 5 smc1255tx-1 9 numbers for the ZIP Code. Minimum monthly payments are required.


Why Food Miles are Irrelevant in a Global Village ?
Food mile is said to be the distance food travels from the farm (source) to the consumer (destination). Food mile is a unit to indicate the environmental impact of the food we eat. When food miles increase, the fuel spent to transport the food increases and carbon emissions increase. More damage is done to the environment.
The concept of food mile can also be extended to other manufactured and finished goods like textiles, chemicals, medicines, electronic goods and so on. It is wiser to develop zero emission transports than to talk about reducing food miles.
Environmental experts want to reduce food miles. Is it really possible ? Is it necessary ?
Here are some reasons to understand that food miles are irrelevant in a global village.
People irrespective of their nationality,religion,language are free to travel anywhere,work anywhere,live anywhere.
Can anyone change his or her food habits, life style just because of change in location ?
Can an American in India have Paratha, Roti or Rice, Idli, Dosa every day ? or an Indian in U.S. eat every day western food.
Due to failure of monsoon, delayed monsoon, unexpected storms or hurricanes, quantity and quality of agricultural products are bound to reduce. When food items are in short supply, a country has to import from other countries where it is available.
If the locally produced food items are costly and of inferior quality, a better product with competitive price has to be imported.
When farm products are in surplus due to good monsoon, better agricultural methods and if storage/preservation costs are high, then the products have to be exported.
Definitely food miles can not be brought to zero.
Till development takes place to bring in zero emission transports, how to reduce food miles ?
Use better means of transport: transporting by sea is cheaper comparing to transportation by road or air.
Establish a global network to supply so that food items can be transported from the nearest available source.
Plan your purchase and reduce the frequency of buying food items using automobiles.
Instead of travelling individually using private transport to buy, make use of public transports.
Increase the number of outlets selling food items so that the consumers need not to travel long distances to buy.
Triveni floating store is an example in Kerala.
When people have comfortable life styles and food habits, the global village can be more peaceful.
The recipes given in your blog are easy and useful for coming festive season. If you add few photos taken when you cook those items, then it will be more attractive.


text:
Merkel warns German labor shortage could spark business exodus
Germany is hoping to recruit qualified workers from outside the EU to prevent companies from moving their business abroad. Berlin is looking to countries such as Mexico, Vietnam and India to fill the gaps.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel used her weekly podcast on Saturday to sound the alarm on the country's skilled labor shortage, saying it could force companies to move elsewhere.
"We know that many sectors and businesses are looking for skilled workers," Merkel said. "Without sufficient skilled workers, a business location cannot be successful.
"That is why it is necessary for us to make every effort to recruit a sufficient number of specialists. Otherwise, companies will have to migrate — and, of course, we do not want that."
The chancellor's warning comes ahead of a summit on the issue between government representatives, employers and trade unions in Berlin on Monday.
German firms face skilled workers shortage
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3OjTb
Non-EU workers to fill the gap
Germany wants to tackle the shortfall domestically by providing "good training for as many people as possible," Merkel said. At the same time, Berlin is looking to recruit qualified people from other European Union countries, and further afield.
There are already 2.5 million people from EU countries working in Germany. "But that alone is not enough, and that is why we also have to look for skilled workers from outside the European Union," Merkel said.
Read more: Germany-bound Poles kiss UK goodbye
The Skilled Workers Immigration Act, which comes into force on March 1, 2020, aims to make it easier for skilled workers from non-EU countries to come to Germany.
Skilled workers sought in Mexico, Asia
Monday's summit will address how best to put the new skilled immigration law into practice, with a memorandum of understanding expected to be adopted at the end of the meeting. A draft of the document, cited by German newspaper group Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), called for additional staff and a central unit to help speed up visa processing. It also said German language training should be expanded so that prospective skilled workers can complete language courses in their countries of origin.
Read more: How to apply for the perfect job in Germany. Tips from the professionals
Germany is most in need of electrical engineers, metal workers and mechatronics engineers, cooks, nurses, aged care workers, computer scientists and software developers. The government has been looking to draw people who qualify from Mexico, the Philippines, Brazil, India and Vietnam, among others.
Labor Minister Hubertus Heil sought to allay concerns among immigrant-wary sections of the population, telling the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper that the recruitment drive "is not about uncontrolled immigration, but about qualified people who we need so that our country can remain economically strong in the future."
Altmaier on immigration law
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/35rcX
German Economy Minister Altmaier on new immigration law
nm/sms (AFP, dpa)
DW sends out a daily selection of hard news and quality feature journalism. Sign up here.
DW recommends
German government defends planned immigration laws
Angela Merkel's government presented its long-awaited draft immigration law to the Bundestag — and got plenty of criticism from all political sides in return. Reforms to attract skilled workers aren't enough for some. (09.05.2019)
Berlin to create new state office for skilled immigration
Berlin is streamlining bureaucratic efforts to attract skilled workers to the German capital with a new official department. The move is supposed to change the basic approach of governments that see migrants as a threat. (26.02.2019)
How to apply for the perfect job in Germany. Tips from the professionals
Like every country, Germany has its own unique set of rules when it comes to applying for a job. Many companies are trying to make the process easier and fair, but a lot of HR departments still like to see a photo. (02.08.2019)
Germany-bound Poles kiss UK goodbye
There are more Polish workers in Germany than the UK for the first time in over a decade. Germany is closer, pays more and is less uncertain for many, while Warsaw also wants to tempt people to come home. (25.11.2019)
More non-EU nationals moving to Germany for work
The number of non-EU citizens moving to Germany for work has risen by about 20 percent for a third year in a row. Figures show most of these foreigners are men from India, China and the United States. (15.04.2019)
The endless talk about a shortage of skilled workers in Germany
How big is the shortage of qualified workers in Germany really? In some industries, the line of job seekers is running low. In many others, the problems are not as they seem and are often homemade. (01.05.2019)
Signup for DW's daily newsletter
Related Subjects Angela Merkel, CDU, Christian Democratic Union, European Union (EU), Germany
Keywords Angela Merkel, Germany, skilled labor shortage, skilled workers, European Union
Feedback: Send us your feedback.
Print Print this page
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3UpJU
Germany ranks poorly for international academics 16.12.2019
A study has found that due to a complex recognition system, many foreign academics are placed in jobs below their qualifications. The study recommended a "turbo process" akin to Norway's model as an alternative.
Germany to pay energy firms billions in coal phaseout plan 16.01.2020
Marathon talks have produced an agreement between the government and Germany's coal-producing states on phasing out coal-fired energy plants at the latest by 2038. Some plants will already be shut down this year.
Dozens of German cities petition to take in more refugees 13.01.2020
The European Union has decreased its Mediterranean rescue efforts, while Greece and Italy are struggling to deal with displaced people who have already arrived. German cities are demanding permission to take action.
Send us your feedback.
Iran says it's banned from hosting international football matches 0m ago
Cyprus football matches scrapped as refs strike over bomb attack 1h ago
EU border agency: Spike in migrant arrivals from Turkey 2h ago
Two arrested after attempt to sell 12 billion passwords 3h ago
Ukraine's President Zelenskiy rejects prime minister's resignation 4h ago
DW News on Facebook 11.07.2017
Follow @dwnews on Twitter 11.07.2017


text:
Opera Garnier: 10 (little) things you should know about the creation of France's most prestigious opera house
Opera Garnier: 10 (little) things you should know about the origin of France's most prestigious opera house © Getty / TARDY HervŽ
A place of great importance in the history of ballet, opera, and French music in general, the Opera Garnier is one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. Amidst the countless anecdotes and legends, here are 10 little things to know about the creation of this incredible opera house.
Original content available on francemusique.fr
On 14 January 1858, as his carriage made its way to the opera, Napoléon III was ambushed and attacked with bombs by Italian anarchists. Though the Emperor survived unscathed, the attack killed eight people and injured dozens. He therefore immediately decided to order the construction of a new opera house, with an easier and safer route for his carriage to follow from the royal palace. 2 years later, an open call for submissions by architects for the new "Académie impériale de musique et de danse" resulted in 171 submissions. To everyone's surprise, a young and unknown architect by the name of Charles Garnier was selected in 1861.
From the various mysteries surrounding this legendary opera house to its extraordinarily large stage, here are 10 little things to know about the creation of the Opera Garnier, one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world.
Opéra Garnier
Cast aside, saved by a fire, and finally inaugurated without Napoléon III
The construction of the Opéra Garnier was not without its hurdles and difficulties. An ambitious project, given the country's financially fragile state, construction was halted in 1870 due to the war against Prussia. The unfinished building was transformed into a military reservoir for food and straw. Only after the accidental fire at the Opéra Pelletier in 1873 was Charles Garnier's project finally resumed.
Though the principal facade had already been inaugurated since 1867, the Opéra Garnier was finally opened to the public in its entirety on 5 January 1875, by the Marshal of France and President of the French Third Republic, accompanied by numerous illustrious guests including the Lord-Mayor of London and the Burgmeister of Amsterdam. However, the project's instigator, Napoléon III, died in exile two years earlier, and never saw the finished work of Charles Garnier.
The Opera Garnier auditorium © Getty / Yang Liu
The architect forced to purchase his own ticket for the inauguration
An inauguration without its principal sponsor is already a sad affair, but without its architect?! And yet, the Opéra Garnier almost opened its doors without Charles Garnier! His name omitted from the inauguration guest list, Garnier was forced to buy his own ticket, in a second-class booth. The Opéra's director, keen to correct such an awkward oversight, asked various architectural companies to pay for the forgotten architect's invitation: the Opéra Garnier thus opened its doors in the presence of its creator.
Simple oversight or calculated omission? Accused by some to have served the previous Empire, it is possible that Charles Garnier was intentionally removed from the guest list...
A dizzying budget for dizzying means
Though conceived as an opera house, Garnier's creation has all the trappings of a princely palace. Jewel of the emerging Paris under the prefect and urban planner Georges-Eugène Haussmann, with its Beaux-Arts style and neo-Baroque influences (a style described as "Napoléon III" by the architect himself), the Opéra Garnier was not deprived of any means. Thus the architect called upon the country's best artisans available, notably 14 painters, numerous mosaicists, and 73 sculptors to create the beautiful facade made to resemble a theatre stage, not to mention the countless sculptures, mosaics and frescos found within the prestigious opera house. The luxurious staircase alone required 30 different kinds of marble, from 8 different countries, made entirely with unique pieces.
As the standard of quality was high, so was the budget, estimated at over 20 million gold francs. Charles Garnier's design was therefore the most expensive building of its time, resulting in various objections from the press: "The amount spent will be 20 million, and we believe that the Government should delay the construction rather than sacrifice such an unacceptable sum for such a work", wrote Charles Yriarte for Le Figaro in 1863.
Even outside, everything is subservient to the new opera house: the Haussmann-designed avenue leading to the main entrance was intentionally designed without trees or other obstacles capable of blocking the view of those walking in the street, a unique exception to the rules imposed by Georges-Eugène Haussmann.
L'avenue de l'opéra © Getty / Tim Flower
A stage not on the level
In line with the excess and immoderation of its time, the Opéra Garnier was given a huge stage (and surrounding space), capable of containing the Arc de Triomphe in its entirety. Not satisfied with such a large stage, Charles Garnier added a particular detail to his creation. Inspired by his numerous visits to European opera houses and concert halls, he was influenced above all else by the concept of the stage "à l'italienne": a stage with a 5% incline towards the audience, creating a difference of almost one metre between the upstage and downstage, audiences were therefore afforded a higher and deeper view of the stage. An important and unique feature, requiring the stage to be reconstituted whenever and wherever the ballet corps is on tour...
Article18/12/2017
If music can be written down, why can't dance?
Another particular feature, the system designed for moving the backdrops was inspired by the navy, using huge wooden wheels, ropes and pulleys, capable of lifting, lowering, and moving heavy decorations and backgrounds from the fifth basement to the stage. Who better to operate this system than the sailors already trained in the handling of these mechanisms, often hired during their shore leave in Paris...?
Swan Lake, or Carp Lake?
A seemingly unsurmountable obstacle complicated matters from the very first step when building the Opéra Garnier in 1861. Despite the round-the-clock use of water-pumps for over seven months, the underground water table found underneath the construction site continued to fill itself back up. The natural source was therefore encased in a concrete reservoir and used for plumbing and evacuating water infiltrations, all the while allowing to spread more evenly the weight of the building.
The famous lake has since become a legendary feature of the Opéra Garnier, giving life to various stories and legends with a varying veracity. Still in existence today, the lake is used as a controlled diving environment by the in-house firefighters of the opera house, and... as a habitat for a carp colony!
Paris's 13th opera house: cursed?
It's best not to be triskaidekaphobic when going to the Opéra Garnier! The number 13 is a recurring feature in the opera house's history...
According to various legends, during a performance of Faust in 1896, the counterweight of the enormous chandelier (weighing approximately seven tonnes) gave way, resulting in the chandelier falling onto the audience below. Amidst the several wounded, one person died, allegedly sat in seat 13. In 1932, a "petit rat" (a young student in the Opéra Garnier ballet corps) fell from one of the entrance hall galleries, landing precisely on the 13th step of the famous staircase, leaving a crack in the middle of the marble slab. Unsurprisingly, there is no box no.13, for superstitious reasons, not to mention the famous "Phantom of the Opera", a legend surrounding the Opéra Garnier since 1873...
The Phantom of the Opera, legend © Getty / Movie Poster Image Art
Fact or fiction, the somewhat morbid stories surrounding the Opéra Garnier greatly inspired the imagination of many, but no story more than that of Ernest, a disfigured pianist, organist, and composer, widowed during the Opéra Pelletier fire in 1873. After finding shelter in the dark corners of the Opéra Garnier, he began to haunt the corridors and wings with his heart-wrenching cries...
Various strange and sordid news items were attributed to the enigmatic resident of the Opéra, such as the machinist who died from hanging with a cord nowhere to be found! And who is the mysterious individual who, at the end of the 19th century, systematically demanded 20 000 francs every month from the board of directors and reserved every evening the box no.5? Inspired by these strange tales, the author Gaston Leroux created in 1910 the legend of the "Phantom of the Opera", a true story... according to its author, who wrote in the introduction to his literary work:
The Phantom of the Opera did exist. He was not, as was long believed, born out of the fertile imagination of the artists, the credulity of the directors, or the ludicrous fancy and overexcited brains of the young ladies of the corps de ballet, their mothers, the ushers, the cloakroom attendants and the concierge.
Far from scaring audiences and visitors, the box no.5, belonging to the legendary phantom, attracts as many curious visitors as the Opéra Garnier's other beautiful artefacts and rarities.
A safely guarded jewel
At the end of the 19th century, the Opéra Garnier was (and still is) surrounded by banking institutions. A primarily business-centred neighbourhood, the 9th arrondissement has always been of a relatively upper-class. The arrondissement's residents, of a certain social standing and financial ease, thus often attended performances at the Opéra Garnier: for many, this was even a social obligation, one that could not be ignored...
A chance to be seen by the public, subscribers and regular opera goers would arrive in all their splendour, wearing their precious jewellery stored in the coffers of the banks near the opera house. As soon as the performance was finished, they would quickly return to the bank to safely store their precious belongings in the surrounding banks, open until late in the evening specifically to be able to welcome their customers leaving the opera.
An opera house designed to watch...the spectators?
The Opéra Garnier was conceived by its architect to showcase its public. The great staircase is in a great open hall, surrounded by balconies over four floors, perfect for observing and admiring the important guests. Once in the auditorium, it is hard to miss the Emperor's box, not placed in the middle of the hall for a perfect view and acoustic but rather to the left, beside the front of the stage, visible from almost every seat in the house.
The lights would remain lit in order to facilitate the popular activity of people-watching, a tradition finally overthrown by Wagner in 1876 with the construction of the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, a temple of German opera in which the lights were dimmed and all the seats faced the stage so as to focus the audience's attention onto the music and the stage.
10 (little) Things You Might Not Know About Richard Wagner
Far from the Imperial box, high up in the auditorium, was seated a different kind of spectator: the middle class. Seated in the cheaper seats to watch not only the opera but also the important guests below, it is said that these spectators would even throw food at the disliked upper-class spectators. An unsurprisingly unpopular tradition by those targeted, a wire fence was supposedly installed around these seats so as to catch any and all projectiles...hence the name "poulailler" [chicken coop]. However, it is more likely that this name was in reference to the lack of space for the middle-class audiences, as described by a French music critic in 1885: "it was also given [the name] chicken coop probably because, due to limited number of seats, the spectators in this section were packed tight like hens in a henhouse"...
These seats are also known by another, more gracious, name: "le paradis" [paradise], in reference to the fact that audiences so high up in the auditorium were often seated near the paintings of clouds on the ceiling. Legend or truth, the seats in "paradise" (or the "chicken coop", depending on your way of looking at things) are still open to the public, fortunately without the wire fence and throwing of food!
Almost a century and a half later, the doors of the Opéra Garnier welcome almost 500 000 visitors every year, those curious to see the artistic treasures hidden within but also those passionate about opera and ballet, whose greatest works are performed on its stage almost every night. A place of fantasy and legend, the opera house has also welcomed countless creations and creators equally legendary, but this is a story for another time...
Musical resistance and smuggling: musicians during the Occupation


Find out more about the latest iOS 9 features. Contact Sensible Systems at (877) 773-6797 or send us an email at info@sensiblesystems.com. We're here to manage all of your technology so you can focus on what's important: running your company.


text:
Growing Galaxies Gently
New observations from ESO's Very Large Telescope have, for the first time, provided direct evidence that young galaxies can grow by sucking in the cool gas around them and using it as fuel for the formation of many new stars. In the first few billion years after the Big Bang the mass of a typical galaxy increased dramatically and understanding why this happened is one of the hottest problems in modern astrophysics. The results appear in the 14 October issue of the journal Nature.
The first galaxies formed well before the Universe was one billion years old and were much smaller than the giant systems — including the Milky Way — that we see today. So somehow the average galaxy size has increased as the Universe has evolved. Galaxies often collide and then merge to form larger systems and this process is certainly an important growth mechanism. However, an additional, gentler way has been proposed.
A European team of astronomers has used ESO's Very Large Telescope to test this very different idea — that young galaxies can also grow by sucking in cool streams of the hydrogen and helium gas that filled the early Universe and forming new stars from this primitive material. Just as a commercial company can expand either by merging with other companies, or by hiring more staff, young galaxies could perhaps also grow in two different ways — by merging with other galaxies or by accreting material.
The team leader, Giovanni Cresci (Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri) says: "The new results from the VLT are the first direct evidence that the accretion of pristine gas really happened and was enough to fuel vigorous star formation and the growth of massive galaxies in the young Universe." The discovery will have a major impact on our understanding of the evolution of the Universe from the Big Bang to the present day. Theories of galaxy formation and evolution may have to be re-written.
The group began by selecting three very distant galaxies to see if they could find evidence of the flow of pristine gas from the surrounding space and the associated formation of new stars. They were very careful to make sure that their specimen galaxies had not been disturbed by interactions with other galaxies. The selected galaxies were very regular, smoothly rotating discs, similar to the Milky Way, and they were seen about two billion years after the Big Bang (at a redshift of around three).
In galaxies in the modern Universe the heavy elements [1] are more abundant close to the centre. But when Cresci's team mapped their selected distant galaxies with the SINFONI spectrograph on the VLT [2] they were excited to see that in all three cases there was a patch of the galaxy, close to the centre, with fewer heavy elements, but hosting vigorously forming stars, suggesting that the material to fuel the star formation was coming from the surrounding pristine gas that is low in heavy elements. This was the smoking gun that provided the best evidence yet of young galaxies accreting primitive gas and using it to form new generations of stars.
As Cresci concludes: "This study has only been possible because of the outstanding performance of the SINFONI instrument on the VLT. It has opened a new window for studying the chemical properties of very distant galaxies. SINFONI provides information not only in two spatial dimensions, but also in a third, spectral dimension, which allows us to see the internal motions inside galaxies and study the chemical composition of the interstellar gas."
[1] The gas filling the early Universe was almost all hydrogen and helium. The first generations of stars processed this primitive material to create heavier elements such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon by nuclear fusion. When this material was subsequently spewed back into space by intense particle winds from massive young stars and supernova explosions the amounts of heavy elements in the galaxy gradually increased. Astronomers refer to elements other than hydrogen and helium as "heavy elements".
[2] By carefully splitting up the faint light coming from a galaxy into its component colours using powerful telescopes and spectrographs, astronomers can identify the fingerprints of different chemicals in remote galaxies, and measure the amounts of heavy elements present. With the SINFONI instrument on the VLT astronomers can go one better and get a separate spectrum for each part of an object. This allows them to make a map that shows the quantity of heavy elements present in different parts of a galaxy and also determine where in the galaxy star formation is occurring most vigorously.
This research was presented in a paper, Gas accretion in distant galaxies as the origin of chemical abundance gradients, by Cresci et al., to appear in Nature on 14 October 2010.
The team is composed of G. Cresci (Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Italy), F. Mannucci (Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Italy), R. Maiolino (INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Italy), A. Marconi (Universitá di Firenze, Italy), A. Gnerucci (Universitá di Firenze, Italy) and L. Magrini (Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Italy).
Hot Plate - 6 inch 1000W
Dr Johnson's Heat Engine
Magnetic Field Cube


This year, Norma's Cafe, Dallas' dining icon that has served DFW home cooking for more than 62 years, continues a 30 year long tradition as it opens its Oak Cliff doors on Thursday, Nov. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for its annual free Thanksgiving dinner.
Labor Day is the official start of the State Fair season in Texas with the announcement of the fried food kings for the year. Yesterday was no disappointment as the media gathered inside the Embarcadero yesterday morning. With cameras loaded and necks stretched we peered into the eyes of each judge as they quietly nibbled the likes of Fried Nutella and Chicken-Fried Meatloaf.


text:
Love's Labours Lost
From up here, we look down on a picnic. Sumptuous fabric is spread out on the stage, weighed down with bowls of fruit and batons of bread. The princess and her ladies laugh and gesture. One rolls two apples across the stage to delighted audience members whose heads and arms show above the stage's lip. By the end of the act, the bread will be in pieces as an all-out food fight breaks out.
Love's Labours Lost is an erratic play. I suspect most of that is in the text itself, although I have not read it (except for a little last-act fact-checking post-play). G. likes Don Armado, but I could decipher barely half of what he was saying from up where we sat above the stage's roof at the Globe. This melancholic drip has the final lines of the play - and I had to look them up afterwards since I couldn't decipher a word of them.
The plot is particularly flimsy, but that didn't mean it didn't have its moments of brilliant delights. The princess and her ladies were wonderful, in wit, in delivery, in most of their body language, and in their gowns. Biron bantered well. Costard was lively. The production made nice use of a pair of fairly lifelike deer puppets, which were a particular highlight.
It was good to see a production at the Globe again, but my heart wasn't fully in the play. I suspect that's the play itself more than the production, but having only seen the one rendition, I can't be certain.