Amazon has yet to announce where they are going to put their newest headquarters called HQ2 into Overtown, Miami. With some proprietary AI software I've been testing and using Google Trends I can say with a high degree of probability that Overtown Miami will be the announced city for the second headquarters. If you look at search volume and spikes you get these clues.
Notice the huge jump in late January for the neighborhood of Overtown that is just west of Downtown Miami and only miles from Jeff Bezos high school.
Montgomery County, Maryland was definitely in contention but most likely due to over regulation and Maryland being known as an anti-business friendly state has hurt it's chances of providing thousands of new jobs to Marylanders.
Theres more data and articles that I've read through trying to work against my logic and the data but I can't find data to support another city. There are reasons I can think of that would make the area not so desirable such as Hurricanes and rising sea levels but every location has it's positives and negatives and Miami definitely has a lot of positives. Time will tell as I write this late at night on the 13th of February.
Bezos may be talking about the Amazon Fire Phone that came out in September of 2014 and didn't sell at all (literally I think the total sold is less than 1,000), which from the outside, was considered an embarrassing failure for the company but true entrepreneurs take chances, learn, and adapt. If you look at the other chances he took then you may think he's a genius for the successes such as the creation of the ever so popular Amazon Echo, and dozens of innovations that made the original company named Cadabra Inc. but was changed to Amazon in 1996 as the first major online bookseller and today one of the biggest companies of all time.
Startups fail all the time. Obsess over your clients and fail fast according to Bezos.
Jeff Bezos says it best with inspirational quotes and advice on failing and growing your failures. If you're not failing you're not trying hard enough. Come up with difficult tasks and make good and bad headlines to succeed and innovate in the world.
One reason why people don't like failure is because it's embarrassing, Bezos added. He described a toddler trying to put a square peg in a round hole for hours, without success. But it doesn't keep them from trying and trying. That's how they learn.


Astralis beat MIBR Saturday in a 16-0 sweep at FACEIT London, making it the first team to go 16-0 at a Major.
The Brazilian team MIBR came into the match with high hopes after recently beating out G2 Esports and mousesports at the FACEIT Major, but its most recent match against Astralis ended in a disastrous 0-16.
— Astralis (@astralisgg) 15 сентября 2018 г.
The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive match was played on Dust2, one of the most popular maps in CS:GO history. MIBR has claimed that Dust2 is one of its strongest maps, and had the stats to match, boasting nearly a 75 percent winrate on the map at LANs. The recent match proved otherwise, as Astralis sprung back from its loss to Team Liquid Friday to beat MIBR.
Astralis's momentum is at an all-time high, and it will need that momentum if it hopes to take home a part of the $1 million prize pool. The FACEIT London Major started on Sept. 5 and is making its way towards the New Champions Stage that will start on Sept. 20 and continue throughout the weekend.


text:
Q: $4$ integers are randomly selected from the numbers from $1$ to $10$. The chance that there are at least two successive numbers among those $4$ is $4$ integers are randomly selected from the numbers from $1$ to $10$.  The chance that there are atleast two successive numbers among those $4$ selected is
$(A)\frac{5}{6}\hspace{1cm}(B)\frac{3}{4}\hspace{1cm}(C)\frac{2}{3}\hspace{1cm}(D)\frac{1}{2}\hspace{1cm}$
I calculated answer as $\frac{24}{\binom{10}{4}}$ but this wrong.  Please help me find the right answer.

A: Take out $4$ numbers, 6 numbers (N) are left with $7$ possible gaps including ends
$_ N _ N _ N _ N _ N _ N _$
We can replace the $4$ numbers  in forbidden way in any of 7 gaps (including ends) in $\dbinom{7}{4}$ ways
thus indicated $Pr = 1 - \dfrac{\dbinom{7}{4}}{\dbinom{10}{4}}$

A: I came up with the following reasoning :

Pattern 1: At least two successive numbers,
$$
\eqalign {
& (**)(*)(*) \cr
& (*)(**)(*) \cr
& (*)(*)(**) \cr
& choices \ = 3 \times (2!\cdot 9) \times 8 \times 7 = 3024
}
$$
Pattern 2: At least three successive numbers,
$$
\eqalign {
& (***)(*) \cr
& (*)(***) \cr
& choices \ = 2 \times (3!\cdot 8) \times 7 = 672
}
$$
Pattern 3: At least four successive numbers,
$$
\eqalign {
& (****) \cr
& choices \ = 1 \times (4!\cdot 7) \times 6 = 1008
}
$$
The total number of legal possible choices, using the inclusion exclusion principle is :
$$
3024-672+1008 = 3360
$$
and the required probability is
$$
{3360 \over 10 \cdot 9 \cdot 8 \cdot 7} = {2 \over 3}
$$

A: Here is a simulation in R with 100,000 performances of the
experiment (choices without replacement), which verifies
the Answer $5/6$ of @trueblueanil within simulation error.
 m = 10^5;  d = numeric(m)
 for(i in 1:m) {
   x = sample(1:10, 4);  sort(x)
   d[i] = min(diff(sort(x)))  }
 mean(d == 1)  # 'd==1' is logical vector of T's and F's
 ## 0.83222    #  its 'mean' is proportion of T's
 1 - choose(7,4)/choose(10,4)  # exact analytic answer
 ## 0.8333333
 2*sqrt((.83)*(.17)/m)  # 95% margin of simulation error
 ## 0.002375710

To get greater accuracy, use m=10^6, but run shown is
sufficient to distinguish among the four answers proposed.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Can you believe this is my first Jill Shalvis book? I own SO many of her titles, but this is the first one I've read and I really loved it! It's short and romantic… just what I need during this time of year when I want quick doses of Christmas cheer.
While this book can stand on its own, it takes place after the 6th book in the Lucky Harbor series. As much as I enjoyed it I'm pretty sure I would have loved it even more if I had read the first 6 books in the series already. I wasn't confused or anything, and everything made sense… but it's kind of like coming in to the school year mid-way through after all the friendships and routines have been set. I felt like I should have known these people better. The good thing, though, is that I love Lucky Harbor and I'm even more eager to begin the series! This was a great way for me to see if I like Jill's writing, characters, setting, and swoons… and I do!
I really liked Mia and Nick together… even though I didn't like Nick in the beginning. When he turns up in Lucky Harbor to win her back, though, I couldn't help but smile and watch him try. There were some funny moments, deep moments, and downright romantic moments all wrapped up with a festive bow on top. I won't say anything more because this book is a tiny little thing and I don't want to ruin it. If you're looking for a sweet christmas story, a continuance of the Lucky Harbor series, or even an easy book to commit to in order to decide if Jill Shalvis is an author for you (like I did), this is a really great book to pick up! And even though it's a really short story, it felt complete and fully developed to me. A very enjoyable read!
As assistant buyer for the world's second-largest Christmas store, Kelsey Parker feels like a holiday harlot. She's contractually obligated to promote the yuletide season. All. Year. Long. And it's taking a toll on her spirit. But when her clueless, self-absorbed boyfriend goes on their long-anticipated romantic vacation—without her!—Kelsey is beyond disappointed to find herself tromping through the Bell Harbor snow instead of lounging on a tropical beach.
Drew Hampton is considered quite a catch among the Bell Harbor bachelorettes, but when his high school dream girl, Kelsey Parker, shows up at his grandfather's Christmas tree lot complaining about her love life, he decides it's long past time to get her under the mistletoe himself.
As things heat up between the two, a surprise visitor arrives, making Kelsey an offer she can't quite believe. Now she must decide what matters most, and she just may discover the key to her happiness.
This is a sweet, funny Christmas novella that's perfect for getting you into the holiday spirit! I've not read any of the other Bell Harbor books, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. There's not a lot to say about it because it's such a short book, at jut over 100 pages. I read it in one sitting and had so much fun with the characters (Drew gives me heart eyes), the holiday festivities, the swoons, and the setting. The story did not feel rushed or compressed in order to fit into a novella. I loved Tracy's writing and bought the rest of the Bell Harbor series because this one was so much fun. I can't wait to read them! Consider this my seal of approval. If you're looking for a magical dose of Christmas cheer, pick up this little gem and prepare to smile!
I've been on a new adult kick lately, and was really excited when I heard about this book and heard what others were saying about it. I read 738 Days months ago, and have been unsure as to how to review it. I really, really enjoyed the book but it wasn't totally what I was expecting. I was expecting more time with the kidnapper, more mystery, and more suspense. What I got was much more real. It was a surprise, but not a bad one.
The book starts off with a bang. We see Amanda in her little room in her kidnapper's home, and we see one of the most despicable men I've ever read about. Immediately, I was invested because I saw a small piece of what Amanda dealt with for so long. I wanted her to be ok. After her rescue and return home, she is understandably a shell of a person. She's dealing with very severe PTSD and an intense fear of living. Her family is not entirely sure what to do with her except shield her from everything, so relationships are strained. I felt for all of them. It must be so hard to see a sibling or child recover from something like this, much less recover from it on your own. I have not experienced anything like Amanda did, but I felt like I understood her a little. This is a testament to the author's writing and storytelling.
I really liked Chase, and I liked who he was with Amanda. I liked who Amanda became when she trusted him and pushed herself to take risks while she was with him. Chase has a past too, and he is recovering from that past. These two heal in one another, and it was beautiful to watch. Chase is so delicate and patient and compassionate and caring in his interactions with Amanda. He is constantly checking on her and asking her if things are ok. He completely puts her first and puts his own feelings aside. I loved watching them open up to one another and begin to trust. They are so sweet together, and I loved their romance.
The ending was crazy, and I wasn't expecting it at all. Our pasts always seem to catch up with us, and that was the case with one of our characters. Things were intense and suspenseful and I was on the edge of my seat until the last page.
All in all, I really enjoyed this story. I was not expecting such heartbreaking reality, but I really liked what I did get. Kade does a great job of depicting PTSD and other strong, heavy issues in a way that was not overly depressing and dark. Every word was highlighted with a sense of hope and resilience. I loved these two perfectly flawed characters and their quest for happiness. I would highly recommend it to lovers of new adult, survival stories, and sweet, real romances.
1. This is my first Kasie West book. I had tried one other of hers, but did not finish it. I must have been in the wrong frame of mind or needing a different kind of book that day. I'm going to go back to that book and pick up more of hers!
2. The story is so unique and special to me. I loved this romance that bloomed from handwritten notes hidden under desks. It felt nostalgic to me, and reminiscent of my high school years where we wrote notes to each other rather than texts or emails (boy, do I sound old… it's not like these things weren't around, but texting was relatively new, Facebook wasn't a thing yet, and the lack of smart phones prevented email/MySpace communication during school hours… lol).
3. Music is a huge theme in this story, and I loved that! I love that Lily and her mystery guy connected over their nearly identical tastes in obscure music. Lily is also a songwriter, so we read a lot about her lyrics brainstorm sessions.
4. The characters are amazing. I love awkward, odd, hilarious Lily and her sweet family. She's got adorable relationships with her little brothers, her older sister, and her parents. This book has the family dynamic done right. I love the strong friendship between Lily and her best friend. Those two are friendship goals. There's also the hunk of burning love Lily has a crush on but is scared to look at for too long and the jerky guy who has caused her so much hurt and embarrassment for years. Each character is well developed, their own person, and an important part of the story. And seriously, the relationships are the best part.
5. The notes are so cute! Both Lily and her mystery guy let their personalities shine through and are their true selves with one another. That's rare, especially in high school when you're not even completely sure who your true self is. We get to learn so much about these two–intimate details that round them out and make you pull for them. I was just as excited to read their daily notes as they were!
6. I LOVE the mystery guy. So much snark, sarcasm, and swoon. He's adorable, yet flawed. He's real and sweet and even though I figured out who he was pretty easily I loved the mystery anyway. I also love that his identity is revealed at about the halfway point and we get to see how everything pans out.
7. So. Much. Swooning. The romance is adorable.
8. Halloween and Thanksgiving happen in this book, so I will always associate this book with fall and the holidays. I read this at the exactly perfect time of year, and I love how the holidays were covered in this book. I would love to go to Thanksgiving at Lily's house. I adore her family and their silly traditions.
Bottom line, I have no complaints. I loved this book, and I can't wait to read more books from Kasie West. Definitely give this a try if you're looking for wonderful, developed relationships; sweet, amazing characters; and a swoony romance. Seriously, just read it.


text:
Changing-Places Latin America
Changing Places LatAm: Fernando G.Nogueira, Javier Medrano, Peter Oppenheimer…
By Editorial Staff @portada_online 03/31/2014
People change positions, get promoted or move to other companies. Portada is here to tell you about it.
Fernando Gimenez Nogueira – Jesús Benítez – US Media Consulting ::: Javier Medrano – WFA ::: Yogesh Malik – VimpelCom :::
US Media Consulting appointed Fernando Gimenez Nogueira (photo) as director of its Mexico office. Gimenez will lead all operational aspects of US Media Consulting's Mexico unit. Prior office manager Jesús Benítez, will continue but exclusively focusing on sales.
Apple's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Peter Oppenheimer will retire from his duties at the end of September. Oppenheimer's departure was credited to wanting time for himself and his family. Oppenheimer's successor has been named. Current Vice President of Finance and Corporate Controller Luca Maestri will assume the SVP and CFO positions in September.
The World Federation of Advertisers has named a new leadership team with 12 new appointments to its executive committee and other senior positions. Javier Medrano, Senior Vice-President of Marketing at Grupo Bimbo (photo) has been named Regional VP for Latin America.
Pernod Ricard's CMO, Martin Riley, remains President, Matthias Berninger, Vice-President of Public Affairs at Mars, named Deputy President. All of the appointments will serve two-year terms.
Those taking up senior positions include:
Martin Riley, CMO at Pernod Ricard, remains President, a position he was appointed to in March 2013.
Matthias Berninger, Vice-President, Public Affairs, Mars becomes Deputy President. He replaces Stephen Kehoe, Head of Global Financial Inclusion & Regional Corporate Relations, VISA Worldwide.
Mike Hughes, Director General of the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA) becomes Treasurer of the WFA. He replaces Gérard Noël, Vice President & Director General of the French Advertisers Association (UDA).
Loïc Armand, President, L'Oréal France, becomes the new Regional Vice-President for Western Europe. He replaces Paul Jackson, formerly External Advertising Affairs Director at Mars.
Idorenyen Enang, Managing Director for Central & West Africa at L'Oréal becomes the new Regional Vice-President for Africa. He previously undertook the same role between 2010 and 2012 when working for Samsung. Since 2012, the post has remained empty.
Javier Medrano, Senior Vice-President of Marketing at Grupo Bimbo, will become the Regional Vice President for Latin America from July 1 this year. He will replace Mario Davis, President of the Chilean Advertisers Association (ANDA Chile).
VimpelCom has named Yogesh Malik, ex-CEO of Uninor, the Indian subsidiary of Telenor, as its chief technology officer (CTO).
Gerardo de la Vega is leaving his position as Marketing Manager at the Yahoo! Mexico office.
Author Editorial Staff @portada_online
Portada Staff
Sales Leads LatAm: Paypal Mex, Foursquare LatAm, Hawaii Tourism Authority…
2014 Latam Summit: New Speakers from 3M, Heineken and American Express!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Kindig GEMS for 2021 - Part 2!
2021 has been a fantastic year for publishing and I've also been so lucky to have had the time to read so many amazing books! Here are my highlights for the year - Part 2 of my Kindig Gems!
CHRISTINA SWEENEY-BAIRD
Glasgow, 2025. Dr Amanda Maclean is called to treat a patient with flu-like symptoms. Within three hours he is dead. This is how it begins.
The unknown virus sweeps through the hospital with deadly speed.
The victims are all men.
Dr Maclean raises the alarm. But by the time the authorities listen to her, the virus has spread to every corner of the world. Threatening families. Governments. Countries.
Can they find a cure before it's too late?
Kindig says: 'A heart-breaking story which has been told at a perfect time in history for us to fully appreciate it. The book is highly recommended! Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction & The Borough Press for the ARC.'
READ MY FULL REVIEW and then buy from Amazon UK or Waterstones
WHEN THE SPARROW FALLS
NEIL SHARPSON
In the future, AI are everywhere - over half the human race lives online. But in the Caspian Republic, the last true human beings have made their stand; and now the repressive, one-party state is locked in perpetual cold war with the outside world.
Security Agent Nikolai South is given a seemingly mundane task; escorting a dead journalist's widow while she visits the Caspian Republic to identify her husband's remains. But Paulo Xirau was AI; and as Nikolai and Lily delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding Paulo's death, South must choose between his loyalty to his country and his conscience.
Kindig says: 'A fantastic and grim read which is perfect for fans of 1984 – go out and buy this book! Thank you to Rebellion – Solaris for the ARC.'
KIA ABDULLAH
ON AN ORDINARY WORKING DAY…
Leila Syed receives a call that cleaves her life in two. Her brother-in-law's voice is filled with panic. His son's nursery has called to ask where little Max is.
YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE…
Leila was supposed to drop Max off that morning. But she forgot.
Racing to the carpark, she grasps the horror of what she has done.
IS ABOUT TO COME TRUE…
What follows is an explosive, high-profile trial that will tear the family apart. But as the case progresses it becomes clear there's more to this incident than meets the eye…
Kindig says: 'The ending itself was nothing short of brilliant, I did not see the twist coming and the final few chapters are heart-wrenching. It really is a book which delivers on all elements. Thank you to HQ Stories for the ARC.'
READ MY FULL REVIEW then buy from Amazon UK or Waterstones
MRS MARCH
VIRGINIA FEITO
George March's latest novel is a smash hit. None could be prouder than Mrs. March, his dutiful wife, who revels in his accolades and relishes the lifestyle and status his success brings.
A creature of routine and decorum, Mrs. March lives an exquisitely controlled existence on the Upper East Side. Every morning begins the same way, with a visit to her favourite patisserie to buy a loaf of olive bread, but her latest trip proves to be her last when she suffers an indignity from which she may never recover: an assumption by the shopkeeper that the protagonist in George March's new book – a pathetic sex worker, more a figure of derision than desire – is based on Mrs. March.
One casual remark robs Mrs. March not only of her beloved olive bread but of the belief that she knew everything about her husband – and herself – sending her on an increasingly paranoid journey, one that starts within the pages of a book but may very well uncover both a killer and the long-buried secrets of Mrs. March's past.
Kindig says: 'A gripping and disturbing read that kept me hooked from the first page. Thank you to 4th Estate & William Collins for the ARC.'
So there you have it - my Kindig Gems for 2021! Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publishers and the authors for allowing me to read their ARCs. Have a fantastic 2022 and keep checking kindig.co.uk for all the news on latest releases and upcoming bestsellers!
Kindig GEMS for 2021 - Part 1


text:
Q: Transformar una variable string en el nombre de un archivo en python Según una selección que va haciendo el usuario se van almacenando datos en un array, los junto con un join para transformarlo en un nombre que coincide con el nombre de uno de los archivos disponibles y después quiero que se muestre:
if x > 400 and x < 535 and y > 100 and y < 209:
 seleccion[1] = "V"
 imgActual = mostrar.join(seleccion)
 ventana.blit(imgActual,(100,100))

El proble es que cuando hace el blit sale este error: "    ventana.blit(imgActual,(100,100))
TypeError: argument 1 must be pygame.Surface, not str"

A: El error deja ver que está pasando:

ventana.blit(imgActual, (100,100)) ErrorDeTipo: el argumento 1 debe ser pygame.Surface, no str

Es decir, blit necesita recibir una instancia de pygame.Surface y le estás pasando una mera cadena de texto, por mucho que esta sea una ruta válida a una imagen. Si tu imagen ees un archivo en disco, debes cargarla primero con pygame.image.load, lo cual genera una Surface que si puedes pasar a blit:
import pygame

if 400 < x < 535 and 100 < y < 209:
    seleccion[1] = "V"
    nombre_img_actual = mostrar.join(seleccion)
    img_actual = pygame.image.load(nombre_img_actual)
    ventana.blit(img_actual, (100, 100))

Ten en cuenta que leer el archivo desde el disco y cargar la imagen en memoria tiene un costo importante. Si vas a mostrar las imagenes repetidamente deberías cargarlas en memoria desde el inicio, almacenar las surfaces en un diccionario con el nombre como clave por ejemplo (por ejemplo) y limitarte a dibujarla cuando se precise obteniendo su referencia del diccionario.


text:
using TK.CustomMap.Api;
using TK.CustomMap.Api.Google;
using Xamarin.Forms;

namespace TK.CustomMap.Sample
{
    public class App : Application
    {
        public App()
        {
            GmsPlace.Init("YOUR API KEY");
            GmsDirection.Init("AIzaSyCJN3Cd-Sp1a5V5OnkvTR-Gqhx7A3S-b6M");

            // The root page of your application
            var mainPage = new NavigationPage(new SamplePage());
            if (Device.OS == TargetPlatform.iOS)
            {
                mainPage.BarBackgroundColor = Color.FromHex("#f1f1f1");
            }
            MainPage = mainPage;
        }

        protected override void OnStart()
        {
            // Handle when your app starts
        }

        protected override void OnSleep()
        {
            // Handle when your app sleeps
            TKNativePlacesApi.Instance.DisconnectAndRelease();
        }

        protected override void OnResume()
        {
            // Handle when your app resumes
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


BTW, I had some communication with Dave Bortz, whom I think now has Superscale, but it didn't turn up anything.
If you use it, let us know how the silicone spray works with your wooden core boxes.
Wish I could take credit for it, but I am a student in this group, so I do help a bit. This is part of the castings for a hit & miss engine.
We use CRC silicone spray in our core box to release sodium silicate and sand core hardened with CO2. Our core box and patterns are 3D printed with 175 filament.
This is good stuff, thx for starting the thread!


text:
This Sheep Ran Away To Avoid Shearing, Hides Out In A Cave For 6 Years And The Results Are Incredible!
November 16, 2018 Animals No Comments
One famous sheep's determination to avoid shearing has become the stuff of fairy tales.
It's the rule of survival that mankind has to feed on the animals. Mankind hasn't really backed off on taking advantage of everything that nature has to offer. We have made food out of animals and even cut down their houses to make our own. We have not even left their body hair to get cozy with.
The sheep is an animal which grows wool on it and we shave it off of them to make sweaters for us to stay safe in the winters. This sheep avoided getting shaved and the incredible results after that have everyone amused.
Meet Shrek! This incredible sheep avoided shearing for almost 6 years. It is quite like its name, awesome! He really didn't like getting a haircut, he grew such dense hair on himself to look like a cloud.
This is what it looked like:
This sheep from New Zealand managed to avoid being shaved its hair for 6 years by hiding in the cave. That's too smart of an animal. He was then found in 2004 and his owners were shocked and mesmerized by the appearance.
The modern farmer stated that Shrek's wool produced more than 20 men's suits. It had to be sheared as the wool will keep growing more and more and it won't be able to see or do anything.
The domesticated sheep evolved on how humans groomed them but the Bighorns from the west shed wool every year. Animals evolved a lot with humans.
Shrek had to be sheared as it needed more help than the humans needed its wool. It had to deal with vision impairment and mobility issues and also heat stress.
Shrek died of an illness at age 17 in 2011 and the whole country mourned him. "He was quite an elderly statesman," his owner, John Perriam, told The Daily Mail at the time. "He taught us a lot."
Considering most sheep live for just six years before being sent to slaughter, it's a miracle that Shrek lived that long.
And though Shrek is no longer with us, the story of the determined and beguiling sheep in his cave will remain forever in our hearts.
Credits: : Wiki, BBC, Modern Farmer
Blindfold Copyright © 2021.


This section is for gathering as much info as possible for folks who want to start a new co-op from scratch.
Check out the Resources for Co-ops page for a list of organizations that provide financial, legal, and other technical assistance to new co-ops, including low-interest loans with which to purchase properties.
The BCN listserve, (bcn@lists.bostoncoop.net) is a useful way to find Boston-based folks looking to form a new co-op (and vacancies in existing co-ops). Subscribe or unsubscribe.


At PRA IT Services we understand the importance that your computer has in the running of your day to day business operations, this is why we pride ourselves on sorting your issues out FAST!
For all devices covered by insurance, your only outlay will be that of the insurance excess (where applicable by your insurer) we have the ability to service your fleet.
With our state of the art service centre, highly trained technicians and with our appointment free setup… We offer a complete inspection report and quotation prepared for you and your insurer upon inspection of your device in a timely manner.
For all devices covered by insurance, your only outlay will be that of the insurance excess (where applicable by your insurer).
If the device is outside of warranty and not covered by insurance, once approval for repair has been given, we have a variety of payment methods available.
Can't get to us? We can come to you. Jason, our highly trained service manager can come to your home or office and solve your problems.


text:
Characterization of a New Endothelin Receptor Ligand by In Vitro Assays
J. Ruth Wu-Wong
Following the discovery of endothelin (1), functional characterization of the three endothelin (ET) isoforms (ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3) predicted that two mammalian receptor subtypes are present: the ETA receptor that is selective for ET-1, and the ETB receptor that has equal affinity for the three isoforms (2). The existence of the two distinct high-affinity ET receptor subtypes has been confirmed by cloning. Unique cDNAs that code for ETA and ETB belonging to the G-protein linked heptahelical receptor superfamily are identified in human, bovine and rat tissues (3, 4, 5, 6). While pharmacological studies suggest that there may be more ET receptor subtypes (7), no additional homologous mammalian cDNAs have been identified.
Binding Study Test Agent Arachidonic Acid Release Receptor Binding Study Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle Cell
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Opgenorth T. J. (1995) Endothelin receptor antagonism. Adv. Pharmacol. 33, 1–65.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arai H., Hori S., Aramori I., Ohkubo H., and Nakanishi S. (1990) Cloning and expression of a cDNA encoding an ET receptor. Nature 348, 730–732.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sakurai T., Yanagisawa M., Takuwa Y., Miyazaki H., Kimura S., Goto K., and Masaki T. (1990) Cloning of a cDNA encoding a nonisopeptide-selective subtype of the endothelin receptor. Nature 348, 732–735.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
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text:
package com.eaw1805.events.random;

import com.eaw1805.data.HibernateUtil;
import com.eaw1805.data.constants.VPConstants;
import com.eaw1805.data.managers.NationManager;
import com.eaw1805.data.managers.ReportManager;
import com.eaw1805.data.model.Nation;
import com.eaw1805.data.model.Report;
import com.eaw1805.events.AbstractRandomEventProcessor;
import com.eaw1805.events.EventInterface;
import com.eaw1805.events.EventProcessor;
import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
import org.hibernate.Transaction;

import java.util.List;

/**
 * Persia attacks Russia. Russia loses 5 VPs.
 */
public class PersiaRandomEvent
        extends AbstractRandomEventProcessor
        implements EventInterface, VPConstants {

    /**
     * a log4j logger to print messages.
     */
    private static final Logger LOGGER = LogManager.getLogger(PersiaRandomEvent.class);

    /**
     * Default constructor.
     *
     * @param myParent the parent object that invoked us.
     */
    public PersiaRandomEvent(final EventProcessor myParent) {
        super(myParent, 2, 1);
        LOGGER.debug("PersiaRandomEvent instantiated.");
    }

    /**
     * Processes the random event.
     */
    protected final void realiseEvent() {
        final Transaction theTrans = HibernateUtil.getInstance().getSessionFactory(super.getParent().getGame().getScenarioId()).getCurrentSession().beginTransaction();

        // Persia attacks Russia. Russia loses 5 VPs
        final Nation russia = NationManager.getInstance().getByID(NATION_RUSSIA);

        // This event can only happen once per game
        final List<Report> lstReport = ReportManager.getInstance().listByOwnerKey(russia,
                getParent().getGameEngine().getGame(), RE_PERS);

        if (lstReport == null || lstReport.isEmpty()) {
            final Nation free = NationManager.getInstance().getByID(NATION_NEUTRAL);

            // Decrease VPs
            changeVP(getParent().getGameEngine().getGame(), russia, VP_RE_PERS, "Persia attacked us");

            // Set flag
            report(free, RE_PERS, Integer.toString(russia.getId()));
            report(russia, RE_PERS, "1");
            LOGGER.info("PersiaRandomEvent will affect " + russia.getName() + " this turn.");

            // Add news entry
            newsGlobal(russia, NEWS_POLITICAL, true,
                    "Persia has attacked us. A war is waged against our south eastern borders.",
                    "Persia has attacked Russia. A war is waged at the south eastern borders of Russia.");
        }

        theTrans.commit();
        LOGGER.info("PersiaRandomEvent processed.");
    }

}


text:
Aptitude Overflow
CAT 1996 | Question: 136
makhdoom ghaya asked in Quantitative Aptitude Jul 18, 2017 recategorized Aug 10, 2017 by go_editor
If ABCD is a square and BCE is an equilateral triangle, what is the measure of the angle DEC?
$15 ^{\circ}$
$0 ^{\circ}$
quantitative-aptitude
by makhdoom ghaya
7.9k points
In Square ABCD all sides are equal =d
In Equilateral Triangle BEC all sides are equal =d
ABCD is a square and BCE is an equilateral triangle.
The angle DCE = 90 + 60 or 150 degrees.
Since BCE is an equilateral triangle, CE = CB = CD, so DEC is an isosceles triangle.
So angle DEC = angle EDC = x degrees
So x+x+150=180
x = (180 - 150)/2 = 30/2 = 15 degrees.
Option A is the Correct Answer.
Shubham Sharma 2 answered Aug 14, 2017
by Shubham Sharma 2
makhdoom ghaya asked in Quantitative Aptitude Jul 21, 2017
The first table gives the percentage of students in the class of M.B.A who sought employment in the areas of Finance, Marketing and Software. The second table given the average starting salaries of the students per month, in these areas. The average annual rate at which the initial salary offered in Software, increases $21$% $33$% $16.3$% $65$%
data-interpretation
tabular-data
The first table gives the percentage of students in the class of M.B.A who sought employment in the areas of Finance, Marketing and Software. The second table given the average starting salaries of the students per month, in these areas. What is the average monthly salary offered to a management graduate in the year $1993$? $6433$ $6330$ $6333$ Cannot be determined
The first table gives the percentage of students in the class of M.B.A who sought employment in the areas of Finance, Marketing and Software. The second table given the average starting salaries of the students per month, in these areas. What is the percent increase in the average salary of Finance from $1992$ to $1996$? $60$ $32$ $96$ $80$
The first table gives the percentage of students in the class of M.B.A who sought employment in the areas of Finance, Marketing and Software. The second table given the average starting salaries of the students per month, in these areas. In $1994$, students seeking jobs in finance earned Rs. _____ more than those opting for software (in lakhs) $43$ $33.8$ $28.4$ $38.8$
The first table gives the percentage of students in the class of M.B.A who sought employment in the areas of Finance, Marketing and Software. The second table given the average starting salaries of the students per month, in these areas. The number of students who ... is less than the number of students getting marketing jobs, in the five years, by $826$ $650$ $725$ $548$
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More and more, restaurant chains are moving beyond simply serving burgers or tacos to burnishing their playful brand identities (and winning social media eyeballs) by selling a host of branded merchandise. The merchandising ramps up, of course, during the holidays. From mugs to socks to onesies, here are some of the wacky branded goodies chains are offering up now.
Chipotle, which has an online retail shop selling T-shirts, aprons and more, is playing up its "real ingredients" marketing campaign with limited-edition salsa wrapping paper.
Taco Bell offers up a limited-time holiday shop online, complete with its bell logo adorned with holly berries. Almost three weeks before Christmas, a majority of the items were already sold out, including a $78 Mild Sauce packet jumpsuit, a $59 Santa taco sweater and a $40 ultra-plush burrito wrap blanket.
Chili's opened a one-day-only online store selling its holiday merchandise. But first, it sent the items to social media influencers and brand superfans to drum up interest in the gear. Branded goodies such as a black Skillet Queso bomber jacket, a "Hi, Welcome to Chili's" swimsuit, and burger, rib, fajita and margarita cuff link sets quickly sold out.
Cinnabon's new line of apparel, mugs and more, all in pastel hues and decorated with sayings such as "I like big bons and I cannot lie" and "My head says gym but my heart says Cinnabon" seems targeted directly at millennials.
White Castle, which has sold limited-edition holiday mugs for the last several years, is offering up retro-looking blue mugs this year with a high-fashion pedigree. The mugs were designed by Telfar Clemens, who creates a popular unisex clothing line. Clemens also designed White Castle's new uniforms as well as a retail apparel line for the chain that sold out quickly.


text:
Joint response on the draft UK Concordat on Open Research Data
October 1, 2015 Uncategorizedconcordat, data, data management, data scientist, open data, research, Research Institutes, research lifecycle, UniveristiesOffice of Scholarly Communication
During August the Research Councils UK on behalf of the UK Open Research Data Forum released a draft Concordat on Open Research Data for which they have sought feedback.
The Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Manchester, Nottingham and Oxford prepared a joint response which was sent to the RCUK on 28 September 2015. The response is reproduced below in full.
The initial main focus of the Concordat should be good data management, instead of openness.
The purpose of the Concordat is not entirely clear. Merely issuing it is unlikely to ensure that data is made openly available. If Universities and Research Institutes are expected to publicly state their commitment to the Principles then they risk the dissatisfaction of their researchers if insufficient funds are available to support the data curation that is described. As discussed in the Comment #5 below, sharing research data in a manner that is useful and understandable requires putting research data management systems in place and having research data experts available from the beginning of the research process. Many researchers are only beginning to implement data management practices.It might be wiser to start with a Concordat on good data management before specifying expectations about open data. It would be preferable to first get to a point where researchers are comfortable with managing their data so that it is at least able to be citeable and discoverable. Once that is more common practice, then the openness of data can be expected as the default position.
The scope of the Concordat needs to be more carefully defined if it is to apply to all fields of research.
The Introduction states that the Concordat "applies to all fields of research" but it is not clear how the first sentence of the Introduction translates for researchers in the Arts and Humanities, (or in theoretical sciences, e.g. Mathematics). This sentence currently reads:
"Most researchers collect, measure, process and analyse data – in the form of sets of values of qualitative or quantitative variables – and use a wide range of hardware and software to assist them to do so as a core activity in the course of their research."
The Arts and Humanities are mentioned in Principle #1, but this section also refers to benefits in terms of "progressing science". We suggest that more input is sought specifically from academics in the Arts and Humanities, so that the wording throughout the Concordat is made more inclusive (or indeed exclusive, if appropriate).
The definition of research data in the Concordat needs to be relevant to all fields of research if the Concordat is to apply to all fields of research.
We suggest that the definition of data at the start of the document needs to be revised if it is to be inclusive of Arts and Humanities research (and theoretical sciences, e.g. Mathematics). The kinds of amendments that might be considered are indicated in italics:
"Research Data can be defined as evidence that underpins the answer to the research question, and can be used to validate findings regardless of its form (e.g. print, digital, or physical forms). These might be quantitative information or qualitative statements collected by researchers in the course of their work by experimentation, observation, interview or other methods, or information derived from existing evidence. Data may be raw or primary (e.g. direct from measurement or collection) or derived from primary data for subsequent analysis or interpretation (e.g. cleaned up or as an extract from a larger data set), or derived from existing sources where the copyright may be externally held. The purpose of open research data is not only to provide the information necessary to support or validate a research project's observations, findings or outputs, but also to enable the societal and economic benefits of data reuse. Data may include, for example, statistics, collections of digital images, software, sound recordings, transcripts of interviews, survey data and fieldwork observations with appropriate annotations, an interpretation, an artwork, archives, found objects, published texts or a manuscript.
The Concordat should include a definition of open research data.
To enable consistent understanding across Concordat stakeholders, we suggest that the definition of research data at the start of the document be followed by a definition of "openness" in relation to the reuse of data and content.
To illustrate, consider referencing The Open Definition which includes the full Open Definition, and presents the most succinct formulation as:
"Open data and content can be freely used, modified, and shared by anyone for any purpose".
The Concordat refers to a process at the end of the research lifecycle, when what actually needs to be addressed is the support processes required before that point to allow it to occur.
Principle #9 states that "Support for the development of appropriate data skills is recognised as a responsibility for all stakeholders". This refers to the requirement to develop skills and provision of specialised researcher training. These skills are almost non-existent and training does not yet exist in any organised form (as noted by Jisc in March this year). There is some research data management training for librarians provided by the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) but little specific training for data scientists. The level of researcher support and training required across all disciplines to fulfil expectations outlined in Principle #9 will require a significant increase in both the infrastructure and staffing.
The implementation of, and integration between research data management systems (including systems external to institutions) is a complex process, and is an area of ongoing development across the UK research sector and will also take time for institutions to establish. This is reflected by the final paragraphs of DCC reports on the DCC RDM 2014 Survey and discussions around gathering researcher requirements for RDM infrastructure at the IDCC15 conference of March this year. It is also illustrated by a draft list of basic RDM infrastructure components developed through a Jisc Research Data Spring pilot.
The Concordat must acknowledge the distance between where the Higher Education research sector currently stands and the expectation laid out. While initial good progress towards data sharing and openness has been made in the UK, it will require further substantial culture change to enact the responsibilities laid out in Principle #1 of the Concordat, and this should be recognised within the document. There will be a significant time lag before staff are in place to support the research data management process through the lifecycle of research, so that the information is in a state that it can be shared at the end of the process.
We suggest that the introduction to the Concordat should include text to reflect this, such as:
"Sharing research data in a manner that is useful and understandable requires putting integrated research data management systems in place and having research data experts available from the beginning of the research process. There is currently a deficit of knowledge and skills in the area of research data management across the research sector in the UK. This Concordat is intended to establish a set of expectations of good practice with the goal of establishing open research data as the desired position over the long term. It is recognised that this Concordat describes processes and principles that will take time to establish within institutions."
The Concordat should clarify more clearly its scope in relation to publicly funded research data and that funded from alternative sources or unfunded.
While the Introduction to the Concordat makes clear reference to publicly-funded research data, Principle #1 states that 'it is the linking of data from a wide range of public and commercial bodies alongside the data generated by academic researchers' that is beneficial. In addition, the 'funders of research' responsibilities should state whether these responsibilities relate only to public bodies, or wider (Principle #1).
The Concordat should propose sustainable solutions to fund the costs of the long-term preservation and curation of data, and how these costs can be borne by different bodies.
It is welcome that the Concordat states that costs should not fall disproportionately on a single part of the research community. However, currently the majority of costs are placed on the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) which is not a sustainable position. There should be some clarification of how these costs could be met from elsewhere, for example research funders. In addition an acknowledgement that there will be a transition period where there may be little or no funding to support open data which will make it very difficult for HEIs to meet responsibilities in the short to medium term should be included. Furthermore, Principle #1 says that "Funders of Research will support open research data through the provision of appropriate resources as an acknowledged research cost." It must be noted that several funders are at present reluctant or refusing to pay for the long-term preservation and curation of data.
The Concordat should propose solutions for paying for the cost of the long-term preservation and curation of data in cases where the 'funders of research' refuse to pay for this, or where research is unfunded. In the second paragraph of Principle #4 it is suggested that "…all parties should work together to identify the appropriate resource provider". It would be useful to have some clarification about what the Working Group envisaged here. For example was it a shared national repository? Perhaps the RCUK (in collaboration with other UK funding bodies) could consider setting up a form of UK Data Service that meets the wider funding body audience for data of long-term value. This would also support the nature of collaboration and enable more re-use by increased data discoverability – data will not be stored at separate institutional repositories.
Additionally, there appears to be a contradiction between the statement in Principle 1 that "Funders of Research will support open research data through the provision of appropriate resources as an acknowledged research cost" and the statement in Principle #4: "…the capital costs for infrastructure may be incorporated into planned upgrades" which suggests that Universities or Research Institutes will need to fund infrastructure and services from capital and operational budgets.
The Concordat should clarify how an appropriate proportionality between costs and benefits might be assessed.
Principle #4 states that: "Such costs [of open research data] should be proportionate to real benefits." This key relationship needs further amplification. How and at what stage can "real benefits" be determined in order to assess the proportionality of potential costs? The Concordat should state more clearly the 'real and achievable' benefits of open data with examples. What is the relationship between the costs and the benefits? Has this relationship been explored? The real benefits of sharing research data will only become clear over time. At the moment it is difficult to quantify the benefits without evidence from the open datasets. Moreover, there might be an amount of time after a project is finished before the real benefits are realised. Are public funders going to put in monetary support for such services?
Additionally, the Concordat should specify to what extent research data should be made easily re-usable by others. Currently Principle #3 mentions: "Open research data should also be prepared in such a manner that it is as widely useable as is reasonably possible…". What is the definition of "reasonably possible"? Preparing data for use by others might be expensive, depending on the complexity of the data, and should be also taken into consideration when assessing the proportionality of potential costs of data sharing. Principle #4 states: "Both IT infrastructure costs and the on-going costs of training for researchers and for specialist staff, such as data curation experts, are expected to be significant over time." These costs are indeed significant from the outset.
The Concordat (Principle #2) states: "A properly considered and appropriate research data management strategy should be in place before the research begins so that no data is lost or stored inappropriately. Wherever possible, project plans should specify whether, when and how data will be will be made openly available." The Concordat should propose a process by which a proposal for data management and sharing in a particular research context is put forward for public funding. This proposal will need to include the cost-benefit-analysis for deciding which data to keep and distribute (and how best to keep and distribute it).
In general, the Concordat must balance open data requirements with allowing researchers enough time, and space to pursue innovation.
The Concordat should acknowledge the costs relating to undertaking regular reviews of progress towards open data.
Principle #4 refers to the following costs:
"necessary costs – for IT infrastructure and services, administrative and specialist support staff, and for researchers' time – are significant"
"the additional and continuing revenue costs to sustain services – and rising volumes of data – for the long term are real and substantial"
"Both IT infrastructure costs and the on-going costs of training for researchers and for specialist staff, such as data curation experts, are expected to be significant over time"
However, there is no explicit reference to costs relating to Principle #10 regarding "Regular reviews of progress towards open access to research data should be undertaken".
We suggest that Principle #4 should include text to reflect this, and the kind of amendment that might be considered is indicated in italics:
For research organisations such as universities or research institutes, these costs are likely to be a prime consideration in the early stages of the move to making research data open. Both IT infrastructure costs and the on-going costs of training for researchers and for specialist staff, such as data curation experts, are expected to be significant over time. Significant costs will also arise from Principle #10 regarding the undertaking of regular reviews of progress towards open access to research data.
The Concordat should explore the establishment of a central organisation to lead the transformation towards a cohesive UK research data environment.
Principle #3 states: "Data must be curated […] This can be achieved in a number of ways […] However, these methodologies may vary according to subject and disciplinary fields, types of data, and the circumstances of individual projects. Hence the exact choice of methodology should not be mandated".
Realising the benefits of curation may have significant costs where curation extends over the long term, such as data relating to nuclear science which may need to be usable for at least 60 years. These benefits would be best achieved, and in a cost-effective manner, through the establishment of a central organisation that will lead the creation of a cohesive national collection of research resources and a richer data environment that will:
Make better use of the UK's research outputs
Enable UK researchers to easily publish, discover, access and use data
Develop discipline-specific guidelines on data and metadata standards
Suggest discipline-specific curation and preservation policies
Develop protocols and processes for the access to restricted data
Enable new and more efficient research
In Australia this capacity is provided by the Australian National Data Service.
The Concordat should address the issues around sharing research data resulting from collaborations, especially international collaborations.
It has to be explicitly recognised that some researchers will be involved in international collaborations, with collaborators who are not publicly funded, or whose funders to do not require research data sharing. Procedures (and possible exemptions) for sharing of research data in such circumstances should be discussed in the Concordat.
Additionally, the Concordat should suggest a sector-wide approach when considering the costs and complexities of research involving multiple institutions. Currently where multiple institutions are producing research data for one project there is a danger that it is deposited in multiple repositories which is neither pragmatic nor cost-effective.
Non-public funders need to be consulted about sharing of commercially-sponsored data, and the Concordat should acknowledge the possibility of restricting the access to research data resulting from commercial collaborations.
Since the Concordat makes recommendations with regards to making commercially-sponsored data accessible, significant conversation with non-public funders are needed. Otherwise, there is a risk that the expectations on industry are unlikely to be met. The current wording could damage industrial appetite to fund academic research if they are pushed towards openness without major consultation.
We also suggest that in the second paragraph of Principle #5, the sentence: "There is therefore a need to develop protocols on when and how data that may be commercially sensitive should be made openly accessible, taking account of the weight and nature of contributions to the funding of collaborative research projects, and providing an appropriate balance between openness and commercial incentives." is changed to "There is therefore a need to develop protocols on whether, when and how data that may be commercially sensitive should be made openly accessible, taking account of the weight and nature of contributions to the funding of collaborative research projects, and providing an appropriate balance between openness and commercial incentives." The Concordat should also recognise that development and execution of these processes is an additional burden on institutional administrative staff which must not be underestimated.
The Concordat should more generally recognise the increasing economic value of data produced by researchers.
Where commercial benefits can be quantified (such as the return on investment of a research project) this should be recognised as a reason to embargo access to data until such things as patents can be successfully applied. University bodies charged with the commercialization of research should be entitled to assess the potential value of research before consenting to data openness.
The Concordat should allow the use of embargo periods to allow release of data to be delayed up to a certain time after publication, where this is appropriate and justifiable.
The Concordat expects research data underpinning publications to be made accessible by the publication date (Principles #6 and #8). This does not, however, take into account disciplinary norms, where sometimes access to research data is delayed until a specified time after publication. For example, in crystallography (Protein Data Bank) the community has agreed a maximum 12-month delay between publishing the first paper on a structure and making coordinates public for secondary use. Delays in making data accessible are accepted by funders. For example, the BBSRC allows exemptions for disciplinary norms, and where best practices do not exist BBSRC suggests release within three years of generation of the dataset; the STFC expects research data from which the scientific conclusions of a publication are derived to be made available within six months of the date of the relevant publication. Research data should be discoverable at the time of publication, but it may be justifiable to delay access to the data.
The Concordat should make mention of the difficulties involved with ethical issues of data sharing, including issues around data licensing, and data use by others.
Ethical issues surrounding release and use of research data are briefly mentioned in Principle #5 and Principle #7. We believe the Concordat could benefit from expansion on the ethical issues surrounding release and use of research data, and advice on how these can be addressed in data sharing agreements. This is a large and complex area that would benefit from a national framework of best practice guidelines and methods of monitoring.
Furthermore, the Concordat does not provide any recommendations about research data licensing. This should be discussed together with issues about associated expertise required, costs and time. It is mentioned briefly above in point 4.
The Concordat's stated expectations regarding the use of non-proprietary formats should be realistic.
Principle #3 states that:
"Open research data should also be prepared in such a manner that it is as widely useable as is reasonably possible, at least for specialists in the same or linked fields, wherever they are in the world. Any requirement to use specialised software or obscure data manipulations should be avoided wherever possible. Data should be stored in non-proprietary formats wherever possible, or the most commonly used proprietary formats if no equivalent non-proprietary format exists."
The last two sentences of this paragraph could be regarded as unreasonable, depending on the definition of what is 'possible'. It might theoretically be possible to convert data for storage but not remotely cost-effective. Other formulations (e.g. from EPSRC) talk about the burden of retrieval from stored formats being on the requester not the originator of the data.
We suggest that this section should be rephrased in-line with EPSRC recommendations, for example:
"Wherever possible, researchers are encouraged to store research data in non-proprietary formats. If this is not possible (or not cost-efficient), researchers should indicate what proprietary software is needed to process research data. Those requesting access to data are responsible for re-formatting it to suit their own research needs and for obtaining access to proprietary third party software that may be necessary to process the data."
The Concordat should encourage proper management of physical samples and non-digital research data.
The Concordat should also encourage proper management of physical samples, and other forms of non-digital research data. Physical samples such as fossils, core samples, zoological and botanical samples, and non-digital research data such as recordings, papers notes, etc. should be also properly managed. In some areas the management and sharing of these items is well constructed and understood – for example, palaeontology journals will not allow people to publish without the specimen numbers from a museum – but it is less rigid in other areas of research. It would be desirable if the Concordat would encourage development of discipline-specific guidelines for management of physical samples and other non-digital research data.
Principle #5 must recognise the culture change required to remove the decision to share data from an individual researcher.
"'Decisions on withholding data should not generally be made by individual researchers but rather through a verifiable and transparent process at an appropriate institutional level."
Whilst the reasoning behind this Principle is understandable, it must recognise that we are not yet in a mature culture of data sharing and a statement removing data sharing decisions from the researcher will need changes in workflows and more importantly culture and autonomy of the researchers.
The idea that open research data should be formally acknowledged as a legitimate output of the research should form a separate principle.
The last paragraph of Principle #6 states that open research data should be acknowledged as a legitimate output of the research and that it "…should be accorded the same importance in the scholarly record as citations of other research objects, such as publications". We strongly support this idea but recognise that this is a fundamental shift in working practices and policies. We are probably still several years off from seeing formal citation of datasets as an embedded practice for researchers and the development of products/services around the resulting metrics. This point is completely separate from the rest of Principle #6 and should form a principle in its own right.
Principle #2 must recognise that it may take significant resource for institutions to provide the infrastructure required for good data management.
While the focus of this Principle on good data management through the lifecycle, rather than the focus on open data sharing, is welcome, there are significant human, technical and sociotechnical developments required to meet this requirement; and also resources, in terms of people, time and infrastructure, that will be needed to shift to a mature position. These needs should be recognised in the Concordat.
The Concordat should clarify the reference to "other workers" in Principle #7
We would value some clarification on paragraph 3 of Principle #7 in relation to the reference to "other workers": "Research organisations bear the primary responsibility for enforcing ethical guidelines and it is therefore vital that such guidelines are amended as necessary to make clear the obligations that are inherent in the use of data gathered by other workers."
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Joe Biden is Now President-Elect
Kamala Harris is the Vice President-Elect
Ralph E. Stone, Salem-News.com
The question remains: how did a misogynist, racist, lying, incompetent and corrupt person garner 47% of the vote?
(SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) - Thankfully, Joe Biden has finally been declared the winner of the presidential election. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be the first woman, the first Black woman, the first Indian-American woman and the first daughter of immigrants to be elected as vice president.
Our democracy couldn't withstand another four years of Donald Trump. Biden won more popular votes for President than any other candidate in U.S. history. However, it was a nail-biter before Biden surpassed the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.
Biden won despite Republican suppression efforts by defanging the Voting Rights Act, closing polling places and reducing ballot drop boxes, sabotaging the U.S. Postal Service, voter intimidation, and trying to undermine public confidence by claiming voter fraud.
Absent these voter suppression tactics, Biden might have won even more decisively.
The Democrats have a slim chance of flipping the Senate. It will come down two runoffs in Georgia (Democrat Raphael Warnock v. Republican Kelly Loeffler and Democrat Jon Ossoff v. Republican David Perdue). Maybe Stacey Abrams can perform some more magic.
If the Democrats don't flip the Senate, Mitch McConnell will remain the majority leader controlling the Senate agenda. Biden will then be unlikely to accomplish many of his goals, and he may have difficulty getting his cabinet and federal judges confirmed.
On the plus side, no more Bill Barr.
Trump received the second most popular votes in U.S. history. Thus, Trump and Trumpism won't go away quietly. To make sure it doesn't happen again, we will have to figure out why a misogynist, racist. Liar, incompetent and corrupt person can win one election and garner 47% of the vote in another.
Trump is unlikely to be gracious in defeat. Instead, we will see more lawsuits challenging election results in key states and recount requests.
United-states | Business | Most Commented on
Susan November 8, 2020 9:08 am (Pacific time)
The whole reason trump got elected in the first place is because people are sick of the Washington corporate Oligarchy that has been in control of the US for the last 60 years. And, no matter how bad Trump is, people know that electing Biden is letting the Oligarchy back in to power.
Articles for November 7, 2020 |


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The Soil Solution to Climate Change
The Nation:
Ninety people are gathered along a trench—maybe 20 feet long, five feet deep, and three feet wide—in the Montana prairie. It's an overcast spring day, with a cool breeze stirring the grass. Children clamber around the edges of the trench while the adults crouch or stand, listening to a woman pacing at the bottom, pointing out roots and different layers of exposed earth, talking about how the soil can save us from a climate catastrophe. The speaker is Nicole Masters, an agroecologist from New Zealand, conducting a workshop on soil health for this audience of ranchers, farmers, and conservationists.
"Even if we stopped burning fossil fuels tonight," Masters says, "we'd wake up tomorrow and still have 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere."
That figure has risen from approximately 280 parts per million in 1780, when the Industrial Revolution kicked in and burning coal became the way to power factories and trains. Over time, the use of such fossil fuels has triggered a greenhouse effect, trapping heat in our atmosphere and raising Earth's surface temperatures to a level not experienced for some 150,000 years. Masters's message is that while replacing fossil fuels with clean energy from the sun, wind, flowing water, and the planet's own heat is certainly necessary, it is not enough. To stop runaway global warming, tame the fierce extremes of weather we are now experiencing, slow down and eventually reverse the melting of icecaps and glaciers, rescue drowning islands, and revive dying coral reefs, we must also find a way to remove excess carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in the soil.
How do we get greenhouse gases out of the air?" Masters asks the people at this workshop.
Our host, a rancher named Steve Charter, answers, "Photosynthesis."
"Right," she says. Plants not only take in carbon dioxide but also create ground cover—and this gets carbon back in the soil.
"You are solar ranching," Masters continues as she writes the chemical formula for photosynthesis on a whiteboard: sunlight + 6CO2 + 6H2O (water) = C6 H12O6 (basic sugar) + 6O2 (atmospheric oxygen). "Everything that grows here starts with sugar. Soil microbes eat sugar." And feeding these soil microbes builds soil and sequesters atmospheric carbon in the ground "at a rate previously thought impossible."
The message of agroecologists like Masters is taking root around the planet with the rapid growth of regenerative agriculture: creating the conditions for plants to retain as much carbon in the ground as possible. "Carbon farming" is one term for this effort, and we can add "carbon ranching" and "carbon gardening" because, to succeed, this practice must occur on many levels.
The key insight of regenerative agriculture is not new. Humans have long recognized that the soil is alive, teeming with diverse, interacting creatures: bacteria, fungi, algae, mites, nematodes, earthworms, ants, spiders, the roots of plants. Soil flourishes in that narrow zone between rock and air, transforming mineral to vegetable, inanimate to animate.
But for far too long—at least 8,000 years—we human beings have treated the soil badly in many parts of the world: setting fires to drive wild animals or to clear land; overgrazing grasslands with domestic animals; plowing, planting, and harvesting crops, then leaving the ground denuded and vulnerable to wind and water erosion.
Central Australia, the Sahara, and various deserts in Asia and the Americas were once semiarid grasslands. Old-growth forests have dwindled and, in many places, disappeared. Over the Great Plains of North America, vast herds of bison and elk roamed, spurred by predators (primarily wolves and, after we arrived, human beings) to bunch up in herds for self-defense, then move on, leaving urine, saliva, and dung to revitalize the land. In some places, the topsoil was six feet deep. Within the last century, however, this topsoil has been exhausted by farmers deep-plowing and planting grains, primarily corn and, more recently, soybeans.
PRI – Living on Earth:
While discussions about climate change usually center on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Eric Toensmeier is focused on the other side of the equation: how to capture the carbon dioxide that's already in the atmosphere.
And he thinks the answer might be in his backyard garden.
At one-tenth of an acre, Toensmeier's garden in Holyoke, Massachusetts, is not a large space. But with 300 varieties of perennial crops, his experiments on growing them in different configurations — to increase nutrients, slow erosion, provide cover from the elements and capture carbon — make it a valuable laboratory.
The techniques he has refined are the subject of his new book, "The Carbon Farming Solution." Put simply, the practice of "carbon farming" is agriculture that captures carbon in the trees, plants and biomass of farmed crops, with the goal of curbing global warming.
In warm parts of the world, trapping carbon in crops is much easier, Toensmeier said. Some studies have even found tropical gardens can hold more carbon than nearby forests.
Without the advantage of tropical climates, farmers have to think differently if they want to sequester more carbon. Currently, large-scale commercial agriculture mostly grows commodity crops, like corn and soybeans, which are planted annually.
Toensmeier said this approach produces a lot of food in a relatively small space, which minimizes deforestation. But at the same time, it relies on chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. It also fails to capture additional carbon.
Toensmeier admits it is tough to persuade farmers they should spend money on their operations to help slow climate change. When it comes to global warming, he said, "In the United States a lot of our farmers don't think it's a real thing at all."
"But, when you talk about the particular practices" that can help address the problem, he said, "many of [the farmers] are very excited about them and want to do them."
And how much of a difference can be made by changing the way we farm and garden?
"We ran numbers at one point on our backyard," Toensmeier said, and estimated the garden "offsets the emissions of one American adult in one year."
"If all of us did this in our gardens it wouldn't be enough to do the trick," he said, "but it would be a huge contribution."
For gardeners and farmers interested in carbon farming, Toensmeier recommends growing more perennial crops and mulching instead of tilling. He pointed out that by growing your own food, you are already cutting emissions — by reducing the distance it travels from the soil to your plate.
Very nice, long article here in New York Times magazine – well worth a look.
New York Times Magazine:
Dozens of land-management practices are thought to achieve this feat. Planting or restoring forests, for one: Trees lock up carbon in woody material. Another is adding biochar, a charcoal made from heated organic material, directly to soil. Or restoring certain wetlands that have an immense capacity to hold carbon. (Coal beds are the fossilized remains of ancient marshes and peatlands.)
More than one-third of earth's ice-free surface is devoted to agriculture, meaning that much of it is already managed intensively. Carbon farming's fundamental conceit is that if we change how we treat this land, we could turn huge areas of the earth's surface into a carbon sponge. Instead of relying solely on technology to remove greenhouse gases from the air, we could harness an ancient and natural process, photosynthesis, to pump carbon into what's called the pedosphere, the thin skin of living soil at the earth's surface. If adopted widely enough, such practices could, in theory, begin to remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, nudging us toward a less perilous climate trajectory than our current one.
In a 2016 paper, Pete Smith, a soil scientist at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and the influential climate scientist James Hansen argued that land-management practices are one of the few affordable options available today for drawing down carbon. "What's surprising to me is that we've not done it sooner," says Smith, who is also a lead author on a recent U.N. report that explores carbon-dioxide-removal technologies. "This has the potential to make a huge difference." Otherwise, Hansen told me, we're leaving the problem to our grandchildren. "That assumption that somehow young people, and people later this century, are going to figure out how to suck it out of the air — that's a pretty big burden to place on them," he said.
The I.P.C.C. is preparing a special report on climate change and land use, to be finalized in 2019, that will consider in greater detail the potential of sequestering carbon in soil. But for now the biggest international effort to promote carbon farming is a French-led initiative called "four per 1,000." The proposal aims to increase the amount of carbon in the soil of crop- and rangelands by 0.4 percent per year through a variety of agricultural and forestry practices. These include agroforestry (growing trees and crops together increases carbon retention), no-till agriculture (plowing causes erosion and carbon loss) and keeping farmland covered (bare dirt bleeds carbon). Doing so, the French argue, could completely halt the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Few experts I spoke to think the impact would be quite that grand; Pete Smith, for example, estimates that soil could, at the most, store just 13 percent of annual carbon-dioxide emissions at current levels. "I appreciate that everyone wants to save the planet," he told me, "but we shouldn't fool ourselves that this is all we need to do." Even so, the four-per-1,000 goal highlights how a relatively small annual increase in soil carbon could, on a large-enough scale, have a substantial impact. Increasing soil carbon could yield other benefits, too: Improvements in soil fertility, water retention and greater crop resilience would help agriculture adapt to a warming world. More soil carbon would also reduce the amount of fertilizer needed, decreasing emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, a byproduct of excess nitrogen fertilization. It would be profoundly appropriate if agriculture, whose modern practices have themselves contributed to climate change, could become part of its solution. Farming, responsible for the birth of civilization, could now help save it.
19 Responses to "The Soil Solution to Climate Change"
rsmurf Says:
I have well over 200 small, medium and large trees on my property up from maybe 1/2 that 30 years ago, we may all need to let those resource hungry lawns grow up into trees! Although here in Dallas we are loosing so many trees to terraforming it's really sickening!
Terry Donte Says:
Trees are a pretty short term storage of CO2. In the tropics the only actual storage is in the living trees as the soil bacteria break down the dead leaves and branches in nothing flat. In the amazon where I have been , there is essentially zero plant material in the soil below about 1/2 inch. In the temperate zones the deep loamy soil ideal for growing is a store of CO2 but that store is only a few hundred years old at most, in the arctic the store is larger but not much as the soil remains frozen below a few feet so the amount of material stored there is pretty shallow. The oceans are a much larger store as the CO2 gets taken out to form plankton shells and when they die the shells drift to the bottom to form a lot of the rocks we live on when they get pushed up to the surface.
We can grow trees very easily, and should. Plus we need to stop chopping them down. This is a fix we need to do. Everything has its pluses and minuses we need to do EVERYTHING WE CAN.
The increase in humans is the problem, not CO2. Per NASA research the world is greener due to increased CO2, the estimate is 8 percent which means 415 people are alive who otherwise would be dead from starvation. Taking care of the soil is good sense. Having been in South America, Africa, Asia, a whole lot of people are not taking care of the soil which is really going to hurt food production and already is. A whole lot of places, the middle east for example, eat more than they produce, Our farmers and others make up the difference.
Per NASA research the world is greener due to increased CO2, the estimate is 8 percent which means 415 people are alive who otherwise would be dead from starvation.
NASA citation definitely needed for context.
For both agriculture and natural foliage, the stress from increased heat, pests, and/or reduced soil moisture far outweighs the benefits of increased CO2:
J4Zonian Says:
Well, it is bad insects eat more plants at the higher CO2 levels expected by 2050. Fortunately, we're taking care of that and there won't be any insects by 2050.
sailrick Says:
The main problem is burning fossil fuels, by which we release into the atmosphere and oceans, carbon that nature locked out of the fast carbon cycle for tens of millions and hundreds of millions of years. Now we are putting it all in the fast carbon cycle in just a few centuries. In a blink of an eye of geological time scales. 65% of our CO2 emissions are from burning fossil fuels. And they don't belong in the fast or active carbon cycle.
The Carbon Cycle
"Without human interference, the carbon in fossil fuels would leak slowly into the atmosphere through volcanic activity over millions of years in the slow carbon cycle. By burning coal, oil, and natural gas, we accelerate the process, releasing vast amounts of carbon (carbon that took millions of years to accumulate) into the atmosphere every year. By doing so, we move the carbon from the slow cycle to the fast cycle. In 2009, humans released about 8.4 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuel."
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/CarbonCycle
All the components of the fast cabon cycle give and take carbon – soils, oceans, atmosphere and living things.
Not so with fossil fuels – a one way street, all give and not take back
My kingdom for a text editor
Gingerbaker Says:
" "Everything that grows here starts with sugar. Soil microbes eat sugar." And feeding these soil microbes builds soil and sequesters atmospheric carbon in the ground "at a rate previously thought impossible.""
What the heck is she talking about here?
Digestion of sugar produces carbon dioxide. This is basic biochemistry. The digestion of sugar is the *exact opposite* of how to build up carbon in the soil.
Building up carbon in soil is done by increasing the cellulose concentration in the soil. While the breakdown of cellulose is pretty fast, soil could represent a gigantic increased carbon sink. But only with a huge global soil program. Not likely to happen.
We could accomplish many year's worth of such a global program in one fell swoop by killing off the termites in the newly discovered UK-sized colony in Brazil.
And you gotta wonder if we could hack the genome of a universal prolific weed to modify its cellulose into a form that resisted microbial digestion.
I remember from my industrious home brewing days, those hardworking yeast cells used to eat the sugars giving ethyl alcohol and CO2.
"Termites add to the rising methane levels. . . Undark reports
The Methane Detectives: On the Trail of a Global Warming Mystery
The amount of heat-trapping methane in the atmosphere seemed to be leveling off when, in 2007, it began rising again quickly. Nobody yet knows why.
Humans are directly responsible for about 60 percent of global emissions of methane. It seeps from rotting food waste in landfills, from anaerobic lagoons of pig manure, from rice paddies and exposed coal seams. Livestock belch it out as a byproduct of their digestion. It streams out of the vast metallic exoskeleton of oil and gas wells, pumping stations, pipelines, and refineries that entwine the globe.
The balance comes from natural sources — wetlands, rivers and lakes, wildfires, termites, geological seeps, thawing permafrost. "
https://undark.org/article/methane-global-warming-climate-change-mystery/
"Digestion of sugar produces carbon dioxide. This is basic biochemistry. The digestion of sugar is the *exact opposite* of how to build up carbon in the soil", says GB, who obviously needs a refresher course in biochemistry.
Masters perhaps oversimplified (or the reporter did it for her), but GB does so to the point of confusion. The "sugar" created through photosynthesis is not just "burned" but is the basic building block for the long chain polysaccharides such as cellulose, starch, and lignin. Look it up, GB.
Digested sugar doth not cellulose make, DOG. Drink your coffee before you comment.
She was talking to members of the public and children, not a bunch of scientists, GB.
Did I not say that it was oversimplified? Did I not use (") marks to indicate?
Do you not understand that the building of those compounds I mentioned locks carbon atoms into thousand-atom-long chain molecules and releases the OXYGEN we are so indebted to plants for?
Take a course in biochemistry and STOP drinking your Vermont Maple Syrup Vodka before you waste our time with futile semantic exercises.
The public has never heard of cellulose?!? Seriously? And cellulose does not get under the soil by itself by the magic of microbes eating sugars.
Cellulose is not sugar FFS.
Did you not see my talking about cellulose?!?
My biochemistry here is spot on. Stop being such a dick.
Your" "biochemistry" is so F**ed up and your Dunning-Kruger on the topic is so advanced that it's a waste of time talking to you about it.
"Stop being such a dick" speaks to the real truth here—-you're motivated by some sort of subconscious need to show that yours is bigger. Grow up!
Its good that farmers and ranch owners are attending talks on improving the lands "carbon sink" abilities,and I'm sure agricultural academia stress on it too. We've got to get back in balance somehow, and avoid those madcap geoengineering ideas.
Stop soil erosion now or face starvation soon, scientists warn
"The world's food production is in jeopardy because the fertile layer of soil that people depend on to plant crops is being eroded by human activities, scientists said on Wednesday.
Climate change is likely to make it worse even as demand from a grown population is soaring, they said.
Soil erosion happens naturally, but intensive agriculture, deforestation, mining and urban sprawl accelerate it and can reduce crop yields by up to 50%, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
FAO also said the equivalent of a soccer pitch of soil is eroded every five seconds, and the planet is on a path that could lead to the degradation of more than 90% of all the Earth's soils by 2050.
"We're approaching a critical point at which we need to start acting on soil erosion or we are not going to be able to feed ourselves in the future," Lindsay Stringer, professor at England's University of Leeds, said."
http://news.trust.org/item/20190515202302-dtjpv/
From: Microbial ecologist Janet K. Jansson
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
As climate changes, so does life in the planet's soils
I'm concerned about how climate change will affect these highly productive regions of the world, especially with increasing droughts.
Looking at the metaphenome, and the influence of the soil drying on the metagenome, we have found that the microbial community starts to shift its metabolism toward the production of metabolites that help them survive dryness, like sugars and different kinds of osmolites, molecules that help keep the cells from bursting when the soil gets dry.
The thing that really impresses me is that we can now look at a whole community and dissect what the community is doing in response to drought.
We have to conserve our soils. They are alive — they carry billions and billions of microorganisms in a single gram. So, this is a living resource that we have to protect from being eroded and degraded.
https://www.knowablemagazine.org/article/living-world/2019/climate-changes-so-does-life-planets-soils
The "soil solution" should properly be titled "The Soil Distraction". Good ideas all, but soil is being eroded and destroyed at a far greater rate than any of these "solutions" can be implemented. As long as we allow ourselves to be distracted from the FACT that we are NOT cutting back on fossil fuel use rapidly enough, the brightsided among us will say "Oh, there's time yet—we can fix it—not to worry". Sad.
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Watch Dead Cross @ Riot Fest
Posted by admin On September 17, 2017 0 Comment
Dead Cross, the group featuring Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) and Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies), performed at Riot Fest yesterday (9/16), the festival that celebrates punk, rock, alternative, metal, and hip-hop music. Fan-filmed footage has been embedded below.
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