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Home / Business News / Private-equity capital calls; payments winners and losers; the future of flex office
Private-equity capital calls; payments winners and losers; the future of flex office
4/25/2020 10:42:00 pm Business News
Welcome to Wall Street Insider, where we take you behind the scenes of the finance team's biggest scoops and deep dives from the past week.
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Private-equity firms are racing to help portfolio companies in vulnerable industries, and as Casey Sullivan reports, LPs have seen a surge in capital calls. PE shops are also talking through alternative exit strategies and doing daily check-ins to examine financial performance in real time.
Private-equity firms are scrambling to save portfolio companies by calling in money from investors and rewriting worst-case scenarios
Bets on getting people out of the house and into places like theme parks and restaurants have been slammed by the coronavirus. Casey and Alex Morrell took a look at the Apollo-owned parent company of Chuck E. Cheese, which had gone on a spending spree to remodel restaurants before the pandemic took hold.
Meanwhile, Blackstone reported that the value of its PE funds plunged nearly 22% in the first quarter, with a big hit from energy investments. But CEO Stephen Schwarzman also noted that some investors are holding remote due-diligence meetings and forging on with capital commitments.
"We had one fund that was supposed to be having a big due-diligence meeting with, I think it was over 130 or 150 different attendees, and it was just done on Zoom," Schwarzman told analysts. "And much like the rest of the way we're all working, everybody was pretty adjusted and cool about that."
Read on for a look at a surge in all-to-all bond trading, a deep dive on the future of flex-office companies, and to hear what VCs are saying about winners and losers in the payments space.
Thanks for tuning in,
Filet at $2 a pound
As volatility rocked credit markets in March and traditional dealers stepped away, electronic trading platforms saw record volumes. All-to-all, an anonymous form of trading in which trades are sent out to the entire market — not just dealers — in particular enjoyed a surge in activity.
As Dan DeFrancesco reports, investment firms with cash on hand were able to buy up high-quality bonds at far cheaper prices thanks to all-to-all trading. "I was getting filet at $2 a pound," Steve Chylinski, head of fixed-income trading at Eagle Asset Management, told Business Insider.
As credit liquidity evaporated, some investors pounced on a bond fire-sale with the help of electronic trading platforms. Insiders explain how a wild 2 weeks unfolded.
Some payments startups are set to thrive
Shannen Balogh asked top investors to share which payments players they think are best positioned to come out strong on the other side of the coronavirus crisis, which has upended customer spending behavior and sparked a surge in ecommerce.
Some are betting on B2B players that enable small businesses to compete with the likes of Amazon, while others think that companies with strong point-of-sale tech will see a wave of new customers as merchants shift digital.
4 top VCs from firms like Bain and Andreessen Horowitz lay out winners and losers as the coronavirus transforms how we shop and pay
A day of reckoning for flex space
As Meghan Morris and Alex Nicoll report, the flex-space industry is facing a short-term crunch as employees fear returning to dense floors and small businesses that relied on these spaces cut headcount.
But in the long term, 10 real-estate experts, from employers to landlords, said they expect flexible offices to be an even more critical component of real estate as companies hesitate to lock in long-term leases and rethink their real estate footprints – but warned that not every provider will survive.
The coronavirus is like a 'nuclear bomb' for companies like WeWork. 10 real-estate insiders lay out the future of flex-office, and how employers are preparing now.
Inside Hudson Yards as the coronavirus slams retail
To persuade Neiman Marcus to anchor the 1-million-square-foot mega-mall at the heart of the $25 billion Hudson Yards development on Manhattan's West Side, the project's builders lavished tens of millions of dollars on the upscale department store and postponed reaping profits on the space for years.
Now, Neiman Marcus is eyeing filing for bankruptcy in the coming days, according to multiple media reports. Dan Geiger explains how Related and Oxford, two of the city's most ambitious developers, are facing the prospect of a potential renegotiation where they may have little choice but to offer Neiman Marcus even more favorable terms.
A Neiman Marcus bankruptcy could mark a major blow to NYC's glitzy Hudson Yards, one of the most expensive mega-malls in US history. Here's why.
Bracing for the next round of PPP loans
Alex Morrell, Dominick Reuter, Jennifer Ortakales, and Rebecca Ungarino teamed up to take a look at how big banks decided the futures of America's small businesses.
Here's the inside story of how $349 billion in government cash was doled out in just 12 days, leaving thousands of entrepreneurs without relief.
And for a glimpse at what's to come next week, a leaked memo shows Bank of America's talking points for staffers on how to handle the next round of PPP loans— and warns that funds likely won't meet "extreme need and demand."
The CEO of Training The Street, which coaches 30,000 bankers each year, explains how Wall Street is gearing up for virtual summer internships
Goldman Sachs-backed fintech Even Financial just bought a life insurance startup. Here's why that bet could pay off as policy applications soar.
Wells Fargo is eyeing even lower minimums for its robo-adviser as it looks to go head-to-head with Robinhood and Acorns
Digital-only banks like Chime are seeing record signups amid the coronavirus pandemic. Here's how they drive revenue without lending or charging overdraft fees.
JPMorgan is backing a startup that solves cash-flow headaches for small businesses. Here's how it works.
Nasdaq is starting to stream real-time market data to the public cloud as Wall Street demands more flexible access to critical information
Hedge funds and investing
Billionaire investor Leon Cooperman dumped millions of shares in newspaper conglomerate Gannett at a huge loss
A former Point72 portfolio manager just broke through the industry-wide chill on fund launches by kicking off a $250 million supply chain-focused hedge fund
Billionaire Paul Singer's latest letter to Elliott investors lays out 5 doomsday scenarios for the global economy
What to expect when you're back in the office: 7 real-estate experts break down what the transition will look like, and why the workplace may never be the same
SoftBank-backed Compass is cutting pay and offering equity in exchange — a month after it slashed 15% of staff
Some of WeWork's outsourced cleaners just lost their jobs — even as the coworking giant keeps offices open and charges members for space they can't use
NOW WATCH: Pathologists debunk 13 coronavirus myths
Private-equity capital calls; payments winners and losers; the future of flex office Reviewed by Diamond District Block on 4/25/2020 10:42:00 pm Rating: 5


Comment : Our lower targets were achieved during yesterday's highs, but retracements remained weak, indicating that buyers still dominate. Important resistance emerges at 1,5100 area, which is the most possible target. As you can see in the daily chart two different channels are met at these levels and these levels should not be easily breached. Next targets are set at 1,5160-80, but if these levels are reached, a move to higher levels with next target at 1,5250-00 area.
Important support emerges at 1,4965-80 area, followed by 1,4830-50 area.
*STRATEGY: Our first targets were achieved. We will try sell orders today close to 1,5100, adding more at 1,5160, and setting stops above 1,5185. Positions should be small. Our target will be at 1,4980-00.


Who's who in American education.
Educators -- United States -- Biography -- Periodicals.
School administrators -- United States -- Biography -- Periodicals.
"A biographical dictionary of eminent living university and college professors, superintendents and principals of schools, state and national school officials, librarians and miscellaneous educators" (varies).
Add tags for "Who's who in American education.". Be the first.
Enseignants -- États-Unis -- Biographies -- Dictionnaires anglais.
Éducateurs -- États-Unis -- Biographies -- Dictionnaires anglais.
Enseignants -- Canada -- Biographies -- Dictionnaires anglais.
Éducateurs -- Canada -- Biographies -- Dictionnaires anglais.
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A new winter transfer window target has been revealed for a top-rated South American Brazilian player who is keen to move away from his club during the winter transfer window.
The latest news and reports such as Evening Standard and other sources, they confirm that several Premier League clubs are keen to secure the signing of Malcom during the winter transfer window on a permanent transfer or 6 months loan.
Malcom isn't having a good time at Barcelona, where he isn't given the needed chances and is being benched or dropped in the majority of the matches under Barcelona's manager, Ernesto Valverde.
Several Premier League clubs are keen to sign a forward during the winter transfer window such as the London based clubs, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, and Tottenham Hotspurs who are looking to sign a forward during this winter transfer window, due to injuries or bad performance by the current players.
Moreover, Manchester United and Liverpool FC are linked with the transfer of the 21 years old player as well on a loan or permanent transfer.
Knowing that Malcom was heavily linked with a Premier League move last year to the Premier League before he moves to FC Barcelona.


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Tag: google neural net
The Future of Computing: Brain-Like Computers
It's no secret that computer scientists and engineers are looking to the human brain as means of achieving the next great leap in computer evolution. Already, machines are being developed that rely on machine blood, can continue working despite being damaged, and recognize images and speech. And soon, a computer chip that is capable of learning from its mistakes will also be available.
The new computing approach, already in use by some large technology companies, is based on the biological nervous system – specifically on how neurons react to stimuli and connect with other neurons to interpret information. It allows computers to absorb new information while carrying out a task, and adjust what they do based on the changing signals.
The first commercial version of the new kind of computer chip is scheduled to be released in 2014, and was the result of a collaborative effort between I.B.M. and Qualcomm, as well as a Stanford research team. This "neuromorphic processor" can not only automate tasks that once required painstaking programming, but can also sidestep and even tolerate errors, potentially making the term "computer crash" obsolete.
In coming years, the approach will make possible a new generation of artificial intelligence systems that will perform some functions that humans do with ease: see, speak, listen, navigate, manipulate and control. That can hold enormous consequences for tasks like facial and speech recognition, navigation and planning, which are still in elementary stages and rely heavily on human programming.
For example, computer vision systems only "recognize" objects that can be identified by the statistics-oriented algorithms programmed into them. An algorithm is like a recipe, a set of step-by-step instructions to perform a calculation. But last year, Google researchers were able to get a machine-learning algorithm, known as a "Google Neural Network", to perform an identification task (involving cats) without supervision.
And this past June, the company said it had used those neural network techniques to develop a new search service to help customers find specific photos more accurately. And this past November, researchers at Standford University came up with a new algorithm that could give computers the power to more reliably interpret language. It's known as the Neural Analysis of Sentiment (NaSent).
A similar concept known as Deep Leaning is also looking to endow software with a measure of common sense. Google is using this technique with their voice recognition technology to aid in performing searches. In addition, the social media giant Facebook is looking to use deep learning to help them improve Graph Search, an engine that allows users to search activity on their network.
Until now, the design of computers was dictated by ideas originated by the mathematician John von Neumann about 65 years ago. Microprocessors perform operations at lightning speed, following instructions programmed using long strings of binary code (0s and 1s). The information is stored separately in what is known as memory, either in the processor itself, in adjacent storage chips or in higher capacity magnetic disk drives.
By contrast, the new processors consist of electronic components that can be connected by wires that mimic biological synapses. Because they are based on large groups of neuron-like elements, they are known as neuromorphic processors, a term credited to the California Institute of Technology physicist Carver Mead, who pioneered the concept in the late 1980s.
These processors are not "programmed", in the conventional sense. Instead, the connections between the circuits are "weighted" according to correlations in data that the processor has already "learned." Those weights are then altered as data flows in to the chip, causing them to change their values and to "spike." This, in turn, strengthens some connections and weakens others, reacting much the same way the human brain does.
In the words of Dharmendra Modha, an I.B.M. computer scientist who leads the company's cognitive computing research effort:
Instead of bringing data to computation as we do today, we can now bring computation to data. Sensors become the computer, and it opens up a new way to use computer chips that can be everywhere.
One great advantage of the new approach is its ability to tolerate glitches, whereas traditional computers are cannot work around the failure of even a single transistor. With the biological designs, the algorithms are ever changing, allowing the system to continuously adapt and work around failures to complete tasks. Another benefit is energy efficiency, another inspiration drawn from the human brain.
The new computers, which are still based on silicon chips, will not replace today's computers, but augment them; at least for the foreseeable future. Many computer designers see them as coprocessors, meaning they can work in tandem with other circuits that can be embedded in smartphones and the centralized computers that run computing clouds.
However, the new approach is still limited, thanks to the fact that scientists still do not fully understand how the human brain functions. As Kwabena Boahen, a computer scientist who leads Stanford's Brains in Silicon research program, put it:
We have no clue. I'm an engineer, and I build things. There are these highfalutin theories, but give me one that will let me build something.
Luckily, there are efforts underway that are designed to remedy this, with the specific intention of directing that knowledge towards the creation of better computers and AIs. One such effort comes from the National Science Foundation financed the Center for Brains, Minds and Machines, a new research center based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with Harvard and Cornell.
Another is the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (aka. Calit2) – a center dedicated to innovation in nanotechnology, life sciences, information technology, and telecommunications. As
Larry Smarr, an astrophysicist and director of Institute, put it:
We're moving from engineering computing systems to something that has many of the characteristics of biological computing.
And last, but certainly not least, is the Human Brain Project, an international group of 200 scientists from 80 different research institutions and based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Having secured the $1.6 billion they need to fund their efforts, these researchers will spend the next ten years conducting research that cuts across multiple disciplines.
This initiative, which has been compared to the Large Hadron Collider, will attempt to reconstruct the human brain piece-by-piece and gradually bring these cognitive components into an overarching supercomputer. The expected result of this research will be new platforms for "neuromorphic computing" and "neurorobotics," allowing for the creation of computing and robotic architectures that mimic the functions of the human brain.
When future generations look back on this decade, no doubt they will refer to it as the birth of the neuromophic computing revolution. Or maybe just Neuromorphic Revolution for short, but that sort of depends on the outcome. With so many technological revolutions well underway, it is difficult to imagine how the future will look back and characterize this time.
Perhaps, as Charles Stross suggest, it will simply be known as "the teens", that time in pre-Singularity history where it was all starting to come together, but was yet to explode and violently change everything we know. I for one am looking forward to being around to witness it all!
Sources: nytimes.com, technologyreview.com, calit2.net, humanbrainproject.eu
By storiesbywilliamsin Computing, Future, Issues, Science, Technology January 19, 2014 January 19, 2014 1,203 Words3 Comments
Judgement Day Update: A.I. Equivalent to Four Year Old Mind
Ever since computers were first invented, scientists and futurists have dreamed of the day when computers might be capable of autonomous reasoning and be able to surpass human beings. In the past few decades, it has become apparent that simply throwing more processing power at the problem of true artificial intelligence isn't enough. The human brain remains several orders more complex than the typical AI, but researchers are getting closer.
One such effort is ConceptNet 4, a semantic network being developed by MIT. This AI system contains a large store of information that is used to teach the system about various concepts. But more importantly, it is designed to process the relationship between things. Much like the Google Neural Net, it is designed to learn and grow to the point that it will be able to reason autonomously.
Recently, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago decided to put the ConceptNet through an IQ test. To do this, they used the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence Test, which is one of the common assessments used on small children. ConceptNet passed the test, scoring on par with a four-year-old in overall IQ. However, the team points out it would be worrisome to find a real child with lopsided scores like those received by the AI.
The system performed above average on parts of the test that have to do with vocabulary and recognizing the similarities between two items. However, the computer did significantly worse on the comprehension questions, which test a little one's ability to understand practical concepts based on learned information. In short, the computer showed relational reasoning, but was lacking in common sense.
This is the missing piece of the puzzle for ConceptNet and those like it. An artificial intelligence like this one might have access to a lot of data, but it can't draw on it to make rational judgements. ConceptNet might know that water freezes at 32 degrees, but it doesn't know how to get from that concept to the idea that ice is cold. This is basically common sense — humans (even children) have it and computers don't.
There's no easy way to fabricate implicit information and common sense into an AI system and so far, no known machine has shown the ability. Even IBM's Watson trivia computer isn't capable of showing basic common sense, and though multiple solutions have been proposed – from neuromorphic chips to biomimetic circuitry – nothing is bearing fruit just yet.
But of course, the MIT research team is already hard at work on ConceptNet 5, a more sophisticated neural net computer that is open source and available on GitHub. But for the time being, its clear that a machine will be restricted to processing information and incapable of making basic decisions. Good thing too! The sooner they can think for themselves, the sooner they can decide we're in their way!
By storiesbywilliamsin News, Technology July 24, 2013 489 Words1 Comment
The Future is Here: The Kenshiro Muscle-bot
It may seem like someone at Tokyo University drank their breakfast. I mean really, a robot without a head? How is supposed to mimic our facial expressions and creep us out with its glowing red eyes? But when you consider the purpose behind the Kenshiro muscle-bot, you begin to see the rather important method behind the design.
In recent years, various robotics companies have been able to create machines that mimic the animal kingdom – from hummingbirds, to turtles and even squirrels. However, few have managed to tackle the realm of human movement, and shown truly positive results. Hence the purpose of Kenshiro, human-like musculoskeletal robot that was revealed at the Humanoids conference back in December.
For years, the University has been toying with the design for a bio-inspired robot, adding more muscles and more motors with each new design. Standing at 158 centimeters and weighing in at 50 kilograms, Kenshiro basically mimics the body of the average Japanese 12-year-old male. And with 160 pulley-like "muscles" – 50 in the legs, 76 in the trunk, 12 in the shoulder, and 22 in the neck – the robot mirrors almost all the major muscles in a human and has the most muscles of any other bio-inspired humanoid out there.
And with all the progress being made in developing a fully-functional autonomous machine mind (see Google Neural Net), not to mention a face that can mimic human expressions (see the FACE), it may just be a matter of time before we need to start thinking about applying Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. Don't want a Robopocalypse on our hands!
Source: spectrum.ieee.org
By storiesbywilliamsin News, Science, Technology, Video February 7, 2013 278 Words4 Comments
Planning For Judgement Day…
Some very interesting things have been taking place in the last month, all of concerning the possibility that humanity may someday face the extinction at the hands of killer AIs. The first took place on November 19th, when Human Rights Watch and Harvard University teamed up to release a report calling for the ban of "killer robots", a preemptive move to ensure that we as a species never develop machines that could one day turn against us.
The second came roughly a week later when the Pentagon announced that measures were being taken to ensure that wherever robots do kill – as with drones, remote killer bots, and cruise missiles – the controller will always be a human being. Yes, while Americans were preparing for Thanksgiving, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter signed a series of instructions to "minimize the probability and consequences of failures that could lead to unintended engagements," starting at the design stage.
X-47A Drone, the latest "hunter-killer"
And then most recently, and perhaps in response to Harvard's and HRW's declaration, the University of Cambridge announced the creation of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER). This new body, which is headed up by such luminaries as Huw Price, Martin Rees, and Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn, will investigate whether recent advances in AI, biotechnology, and nanotechnology might eventually trigger some kind of extinction-level event. The Centre will also look at anthropomorphic (human-caused) climate change, as it might not be robots that eventually kill us, but a swelteringly hot climate instead.
All of these developments stem from the same thing: ongoing developments in the field of computer science, remotes, and AIs. Thanks in part to the creation of the Google Neural Net, increasingly sophisticated killing machines, and predictions that it is only a matter of time before they are capable of making decisions on their own, there is some worry that machines programs to kill will be able to do so without human oversight. By creating bodies that can make recommendations on the application of technologies, it is hopes that ethical conundrums and threats can be nipped in the bud. And by legislating that human agency be the deciding factor, it is further hoped that such will never be the case.
The question is, is all this overkill, or is it make perfect sense given the direction military technology and the development of AI is taking? Or, as a third possibility, might it not go far enough? Given the possibility of a "Judgement Day"-type scenario, might it be best to ban all AI's and autonomous robots altogether? Hard to say. All I know is, its exciting to live in a time when such things are being seriously contemplated, and are not merely restricted to the realm of science fiction.
By storiesbywilliamsin News, Science, Technology December 4, 2012 January 1, 2013 471 Words11 Comments
Immortality Is On The Way!
William Gibson must get a kick out of news items like these. According to a recent article over at IO9, it seems that an entrepreneur named Dmitry Itskova and a team of Russian scientists are developing a project that could render humans immortal by the year 2045, after a fashion. According to the plan, which is called the 2045 Initiative, they hope to create a fully functional, holographic avatar of a human being.
At the core of this avatar will be an artificial brain containing all the thoughts, memories, and emotions of the person being simulated. Given the advancements in the field of computer technology, which includes the Google Neural Net, the team estimates that it won't be long before a construct can be made which can store the sum total of a human's mind.
If this concept sounds familiar, then chances are you've been reading either from Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy or Ray Kurzweil's wishlist. Intrinsic to the former's cyberpunk novels and the latter's futurist predictions is the concept of people being able to merge their intelligence with machines for the sake of preserving their very essence for all time. Men like Kurzweil want this technology because it will ensure them the ability to live forever, while novelists like Gibson predicted that this would be something the mega-rich alone would have access to.
Which brings me to another aspect of this project. It seems that Itskova has gone to great lengths to secure investment capital to realize this dream. This included an open letter to roughly the world's 1226 wealthiest citizens, everybody on Forbes Magazine's list of the world's richest people, offering them a chance to invest and make their mark on history. If any of them have already chosen to invest, it's pretty obvious why. Being so rich and powerful, they can't be too crazy about the idea of dying. In addition, the process isn't likely to come cheap. Hence, if and when the technology is realized, the world's richest people will be the first to create avatars of themselves.
No indication of when the technology will be commercially viable for say, the rest of us. But the team has provided a helpful infographic of when the project's various steps will be realized (see above). The dates are a little flexible, but they anticipate that they will be able to create a robotic copy of a human body (i.e. an android) within three to eight years. In eight to thirteen, they would be able to build a robotic body capable of housing a brain. By eighteen to twenty-three, a robotic humanoid with a mechanical brain that can house human memories will be realizable. And last, and most impressive, will be a holographic program that is capable of preserving a person's memories and neural patterns (aka. their personality) indefinitely.
You have to admit, this kind of technology raises an awful lot of questions. For one, there's the inevitable social consequences of it. If the wealthiest citizens in the world are never going to die, what becomes of their spoiled children? Do they no longer inherit their parent's wealth, or simply live on forever as they do? And won't this cramp this style, knowing that mommy and daddy are living forever in the box next to theirs?
What's more, if there's no generational turn-over, won't this effect the whole nature and culture of wealth? It is, by its very nature, something which is passed on from generation to generation, ensuring the creation of elites and their influence over society. In this scenario, the same people are likely to exert influence generation after generation, wielding a sort of power which is virtually godlike.
And let's not forget the immense spiritual and existential implications! Does technology like this disprove the concept of the immortal soul, or its very transcendent nature? If the human personality can be reduced to a connectome, which can in turn be digitized and stored, then what room is left for the soul? Or, alternately, if the soul really does exist, won't people who partake in this experiment be committing the ultimate sin?
All stuff to ponder as the project either approaches realization or falls flat on its face, leaving such matters for future generations to ponder. In the meantime, we shouldn't worry to much. As this century progresses and technology grows, we will have plenty of other chances to desecrate the soul. And given the advance of overpopulation and climate change, odds are we'll be dying off before any of those plans reach fruition. Always look on the bright side, as they say 😉
By storiesbywilliamsin Future, News, Technology September 3, 2012 September 4, 2012 762 Words8 Comments
Of Mechanical Minds
A few weeks back, a friend of mine, Nicola Higgins, directed me to an article about Google's new neural net. Not only did she provide me with a damn interesting read, she also challenged me to write an article about the different types of robot brains. Well, Nicola, as Barny Stintson would say "Challenge Accepted!"And I got to say, it was a fun topic to get into.
After much research and plugging away at the lovely thing known as the internet (which was predicted by Vannevar Bush with his proposed Memor-Index system (aka. Memex) 50 years ago, btw) I managed to compile a list of the most historically relevant examples of mechanical minds, culminating in the development of Google's Neural Net. Here we go..
Earliest Examples:
Even in ancient times, the concept of automata and arithmetic machinery can be found in certain cultures. In the Near East, the Arab World, and as far East as China, historians have found examples of primitive machinery that was designed to perform one task or another. And even though few specimens survive, there are even examples of machines that could perform complex mathematical calculations…
Antikythera mechanism:
Invented in ancient Greece, and recovered in 1901 on the ship that bears the same name, the Antikythera is the world's oldest known analog calculator, invented to calculate the positions of the heavens for ancient astronomers. However, it was not until a century later that its true complexity and significance would be fully understood. Having been built in the 1st century BCE, it would not be until the 14th century CE that machines of its complexity would be built again.
Although it is widely theorized that this "clock of the heavens" must have had several predecessors during the Hellenistic Period, it remains the oldest surviving analog computer in existence. After collecting all the surviving pieces, scientists were able to reconstruct the design (pictured at right), which essentially amounted to a large box of interconnecting gears.
Pascaline:
Otherwise known as the Arithmetic Machine and Pascale Calculator, this device was invented by French mathematician Blaise Pascal in 1642 and is the first known example of a mechanized mathematical calculator. Apparently, Pascale invented this device to help his father reorganize the tax revenues of the French province of Haute-Normandie, and went on to create 50 prototypes before he was satisfied.
Of those 50, nine survive and are currently on display in various European museums. In addition to giving his father a helping hand, its introduction launched the development of mechanical calculators all over Europe and then the world. It's invention is also directly linked to the development of the microprocessing circuit roughly three centuries later, which in turn is what led to the development of PC's and embedded systems.
The Industrial Revolution:
With the rise of machine production, computational technology would see a number of developments. Key to all of this was the emergence of the concept of automation and the rationalization of society. Between the 18th and late 19th centuries, as every aspect of western society came to be organized and regimented based on the idea of regular production, machines needed to be developed that could handle this task of crunching numbers and storing the results.
Jacquard Loom:
Invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French weaver and merchant, in 1801, the Loom that bears his name is the first programmable machine in history, which relied on punch cards to input orders and turn out textiles of various patterns. Thought it was based on earlier inventions by Basile Bouchon (1725), Jean Baptiste Falcon (1728) and Jacques Vaucanson (1740), it remains the most well-known example of a programmable loom and the earliest machine that was controlled through punch cards.
Though the Loom was did not perform computations, the design was nevertheless an important step in the development of computer hardware. Charles Babbage would use many of its features to design his Analytical Engine (see next example) and the use of punch cards would remain a stable in the computing industry well into the 20th century until the development of the microprocessor.
Analytical Engine:
Also known as the "Difference Engine", this concept was originally proposed by English Mathematician Charles Babbage. Beginning in 1822 Babbage began contemplating designs for a machine that would be capable of automating the process of creating error free tables, which arose out of difficulties encountered by teams of mathematicians who were attempting to do it by hand.
Though he was never able to complete construction of a finished product, due to apparent difficulties with the chief engineer and funding shortages, his proposed engine incorporated an arithmetical unit, control flow in the form of conditional branching and loops, and integrated memory, making it the first Turing-complete design for a general-purpose computer. His various trial models (like that featured at left) are currently on display in the Science Museum in London, England.
The Birth of Modern Computing:
The early 20th century saw the rise of several new developments, many of which would play a key role in the development of modern computers. The use of electricity for industrial applications was foremost, with all computers from this point forward being powered by Alternating and/or Direct Current and even using it to store information. At the same time, older ideas would be remain in use but become refined, most notably the use of punch cards and tape to read instructions and store results.
Tabulating Machine:
The next development in computation came roughly 70 years later when Herman Hollerith, an American statistician, developed a "tabulator" to help him process information from the 1890 US Census. In addition to being the first electronic computational device designed to assist in summarizing information (and later, accounting), it also went on to spawn the entire data processing industry.
Six years after the 1890 Census, Hollerith formed his own company known as the Tabulating Machine Company that was responsible for creating machines that could tabulate info based on punch cards. In 1924, after several mergers and consolidations, Hollerith'c company was renamed International Business Machines (IBM), which would go on to build the first "supercomputer" for Columbia University in 1931.
Atanasoff–Berry Computer:
Next, we have the ABC, the first electronic digital computing device in the world. Conceived in 1937, the ABC shares several characteristics with its predecessors, not the least of which is the fact that it is electrically powered and relied on punch cards to store data. However, unlike its predecessors, it was the first machine to use digital symbols to compute and was the first computer to use vacuum tube technology
These additions allowed the ABC to acheive computational speeds that were previously thought impossible for a mechanical computer. However, the machine was limited in that it could only solve systems of linear equations, and its punch card system of storage was deemed unreliable. Work on the machine also stopped when it's inventor John Vincent Atanasoff was called off to assist in World War II cryptographic assignments. Nevertheless, the machine remains an important milestone in the development of modern computers.
Colossus:
There's something to be said about war being the engine of innovation. The Colossus is certainly no stranger to this rule, the machine used to break German codes in the Second World War. Due to the secrecy surrounding it, it would not have much of an influence on computing and would not be rediscovered until the 1990's. Still, it represents a step in the development of computing, as it relied on vacuum tube technology and punch tape in order to perform calculations, and proved most adept at solving complex mathematical computations.
Originally conceived by Max Newman, the British mathematician who was chiefly responsible fore breaking German codes in Bletchley Park during the war, the machine was a proposed means of combatting the German Lorenz machine, which the Nazis used to encode all of their wireless transmissions. With the first model built in 1943, ten variants of the machine for the Allies before war's end and were intrinsic in bringing down the Nazi war machine.
Harvard Mark I:
Also known as the "IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC)", the Mark I was an electro-mechanical computer that was devised by Howard H. Aiken, built by IBM, and officially presented to Harvard University in 1944. Due to its success at performing long, complex calculations, it inspired several successors, most of which were used by the US Navy and Air Force for the purpose of running computations.
According to IBM's own archives, the Mark I was the first computer that could execute long computations automatically. Built within a steel frame 51 feet (16 m) long and eight feet high, and using 500 miles (800 km) of wire with three million connections, it was the industry's largest electromechanical calculator and the largest computer of its day.
Manchester SSEM:
Nicknamed "Baby", the Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM) was developed in 1948 and was the world's first computer to incorporate stored-program architecture.Whereas previous computers relied on punch tape or cards to store calculations and results, "Baby" was able to do this electronically.
Although its abilities were still modest – with a 32-bit word length, a memory of 32 words, and only capable of performing subtraction and negation without additional software – it was still revolutionary for its time. In addition, the SSEM also had the distinction of being the result of Alan Turing's own work – another British crytographer who's theories on the "Turing Machine" and development of the algorithm would form the basis of modern computer technology.
The Nuclear Age to the Digital Age:
With the end of World War II and the birth of the Nuclear Age, technology once again took several explosive leaps forward. This could be seen in the realm of computer technology as well, where wartime developments and commercial applications grew by leaps and bounds. In addition to processor speeds and stored memory multiplying expontentially every few years, the overall size of computers got smaller and smaller. This, some theorized would lead to the development of computers that were perfectly portable and smart enough to pass the "Turing Test". Imagine!
IBM 7090:
The 7090 model which was released in 1959, is often referred to as a third generation computer because, unlike its predecessors which were either electormechanical or used vacuum tubes, this machine relied transistors to conduct its computations. In addition, it was an improvement on earlier models in that it used a 36-bit word length and could store up to 32K (32,768) words, a modest increase in processing over the SSEM, but a ten thousand-fold increase in terms of storage capacity.
And of course, these improvements were mirrored in the fact the 7090 series were also significantly smaller than previous versions, being about the size of a desk rather than an entire room. They were also cheaper and were quite popular with NASA, Caltech and MIT.
PDP-8:
In keeping with the trend towards miniaturization, 1965 saw the development of the first commercial minicomputer by the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). Though large by modern standards (about the size of a minibar) the PDP-8, also known as the "Straight-8", was a major improvement over previous models, and therefore a commercial success.
In addition, later models also incorporated advanced concepts like the Real-Time Operating System and preemptive multitasking. Unfortunately, early models still relied on paper tape in order to process information. It was not until later that the computer was upgraded to take advantage of controlling language such as FORTRAN, BASIC, and DIBOL.
Intel 4004:
Founded in California in 1968, the Intel Corporation quickly moved to the forefront of computational hardware development with the creation of the 4004, the worlds first Central Processing Unit, in 1971. Continuing the trend towards smaller computers, the development of this internal processor paved the way for personal computers, desktops, and laptops.
Incorporating the then-new silicon gate technology, Intel was able to create a processor that allowed for a higher number of transistors and therefore a faster processing speed than ever possible before. On top of all that, they were able to pack in into a much smaller frame, which ensured that computers built with the new CPU would be smaller, cheaper and more ergonomic. Thereafter, Intel would be a leading designer of integrated circuits and processors, supplanting even giants like IBM.
Apple I:
The 60's and 70's seemed to be a time for the birthing of future giants. Less than a decade after the first CPU was created, another upstart came along with an equally significant development. Named Apple and started by three men in 1976 – Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne – the first product to be marketed was a "personal computer" (PC) which Wozniak built himself.
One of the most distinctive features of the Apple I was the fact that it had a built-in keyboard. Competing models of the day, such as the Altair 8800, required a hardware extension to allow connection to a computer terminal or a teletypewriter machine. The company quickly took off and began introducing an upgraded version (the Apple II) just a year later. As a result, Apple I's remain a scarce commodity and very valuable collector's item.
The Future:
The last two decades of the 20th century also saw far more than its fair of developments. From the CPU and the PC came desktop computers, laptop computers, PDA's, tablet PC's, and networked computers. This last creation, aka. the Internet, was the greatest leap by far, allowing computers from all over the world to be networked together and share information. And with the exponential increase in information sharing that occurred as a result, many believe that it's only a matter of time before wearable computers, fully portable computers, and artificial intelligences are possible. Ah, which brings me to the last entry in this list…
The Google Neural Network:
From mechanical dials to vacuum tubes, from CPU's to PC's and laptops, computer's have come a hell of a long way since the days of Ancient Greece. Hell, even within the last century, the growth in this one area of technology has been explosive, leading some to conclude that it was just a matter of time before we created a machine that was capable of thinking all on its own.
Well, my friends, that day appears to have dawned. Already, Nicola and myself blogged about this development, so I shan't waste time going over it again. Suffice it to say, this new program, which thus far has been able to identify pictures of cats at random, contains the necessary neural capacity to acheive 1/1000th of what the human brain is capable of. Sounds small, but given the exponential growth in computing, it won't be long before that gap is narrowed substantially.
Who knows what else the future will hold? Optical computers that use not electrons but photons to move information about? Quantum computers, capable of connecting machines not only across space, but also time? Biocomputers that can be encoded directly into our bodies through our mitochondrial DNA? Oh, the possibilities…
Creating machines in the likeness of the human mind. Oh Brave New World that hath such machinery in it. Cool… yet scary!
By storiesbywilliamsin Uncategorized July 12, 2012 July 7, 2014 2,491 Words3 Comments

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Match Reaction Premier League
If You're Having 'keeper Problems, I Feel Bad For You Son
April 11, 2012 Steven McMillan	8 Comments 3-2 wins, Andy Carroll, Blackburn Rovers, Brad Jones, Daniel Agger, Doni, John Flanagan, Junior Hoilett, Kenny Dalglish, Maxi Rodriguez, Sebastián Coates, Yakubu
Walk of shame? Sounds about right...
There's being wrong, and then there's being really wrong. I might have thought there wouldn't be much on at Ewood Park on Tuesday night, but I missed the mark by a long shot. A quickfire brace from Maxi Rodriguez set Liverpool up for a cakewake before Alexander Doni was shown a straight red card for a mistimed, ill-advised foul on Junior Hoilett. Third choice goalkeeper Brad Jones would save a Yakubu penalty, only to have the former Everton striker score from a well placed header less than 10 minutes later. Enough drama? That was only the first half…
After the Reds drew at home to Aston Villa and relegation threatened Blackburn were stomped by a side managed by Roy Hodgson, hopes that this match would be even close to entertaining weren't high at all. That theory went to pot in the 13th minute when Skrtel of all people played what a Xabi Alonso-esque pass from his own penalty area to an onrushing Bellamy already over the halfway line. A simple square ball across the face of goal found Maxi Rodriguez for a easy as you will finish. Three minutes later, it would be the Argentine on the scoresheet once again after some good defensive pressure from Jonjo Shelvey allowed the winger another poached finish.
Our woes in front of goal have been well documented, but with a 2-0 lead less than twenty minutes into the match against Rovers, it was surely time to call it a night and start writing. I made that mistake when we made a hash of the perfect lead against QPR, and it looked like the same story was about to play out. Alexander Doni would always be a gigantic question mark going into a FA Cup semi-final, but we no longer have to ask that question.
John Flanagan looked shaky all night and was lucky to avoid a second yellow card for a reckless challenge which would have seen us reduced to ten men. While the youngster may not have been sent off, he played a pivotal role in the straight red card picked up by Doni when his back pass fell horribly short of the mark. With Junior Hoilett rushing in on goal, the Brazilian 'stopper upended him with a sloppy looking slide. There would be only one result from that. An early shower would follow and with the backup to the backup ready to go, Yakubu stepped up to the spot.
This one's for Luca.
I can't say I expected Brad to make the save, but barring the England national team, that may have been the worst penalty to grace a football pitch since David Beckham shot the moon against Portugal. Yakubu would atone for his mistake less than 10 minutes later from an unmarked header to bring the home side back into the frame and another shot at the spot would be coming up soon.
With the Reds reduced to 10 men and protecting a precarious lead, proceedings were bound to take a turn for a worse. It's been said time and again that we're unable to do things the easy way and that theory would prove itself true when Jones, hero in the first half, conceded another penalty with a panic push on Yakubu after the Australian dawdled before his attempted clearance was by the airborne striker. The resulting equalizer from the spot would be a blessing of sorts as the 'keeper was only shown a yellow card for his indiscretion, keeping him in the frame for a trip to Wembley.
As fatigue began to set in, Blackburn were enjoying the run of play as pressure was heaped on the visitors. Andy Carroll, who missed a gilt-edged chance to put the Reds ahead with a diving header earlier in the half, almost scored at the wrong end of the pitch when he back-header dipped towards Jones who was thankfully alert enough to make the save. The £35 million man was looking like he was going to have another wretched night until a minute into injury time, he latched onto a Daniel Agger header to wrap up the points for the team that's waited for too long for him to prove his worth.
The standard late attacking flurry from the Reds would close out the match, and just as you were about to leave early to avoid the disappointment of another draw, Andy made it all worth it. Blackburn cleared from a corner, but were too slow getting out of their own box when Sebastián Coates, finally getting the nod ahead of Jamie Carragher, pumped the ball back up field. The big Dane was instrumental in Suarez's equalizer against Aston Villa, and it would be him once again who would play provider when he thumped a header across the face of goal for Carroll to attack.
There would be no excuses, no silly mistakes or inexplicable tirades aimed at the ref this time; only the type of finish we expected after shelling out an inexorbinant amount of money all those months ago. We've missed this kind of fight, this kind of resolve and although the three points change very little, it feels good to smile again. One well taken header won't undo all that time we waited for it, but it's nice to finally see the big man make his presence known and set us up for what's sure to be a cracking semi-final at Wembley this weekend.
Social media and drinking? Profanity and fat fingered nonsense? You know where to find us…
← Someone Told Me Long Ago (There's a Calm Before the Storm)
Video Technology Would Help End Conspiracy Theories →
8 thoughts on "If You're Having 'keeper Problems, I Feel Bad For You Son"
Damo69
What's with the patronising 'son' at the end? I bet you're only 13!
It's part of a song. So before you go on a rant, make sure that your not going to make an idiot out of yourself.
Nongrata
What song? What rant? Son at the end of a sentence is, by definition, patronising. Only @ssholes say it to people who aren't their son.
"99 Problems."
And you can just say 'assholes' here without putting an '@' in place of the 'a' and pretending that it's not an obscenity anymore.
OMG LOL GTFO
Ah, thanks, usually get stopped by obscenity filter. So it's not an ACTUAL song then, it's paraphrasing Jay-Z. Don't like rap much, always seemed like non-music to me. Although I thought the early stuff about white devil slavemasters was funny, especially that a lot of it's fans are what it was originally giving out about. Rap – how to get ahead in music without being able to sing. eg. Kanye West is absolute shit
URAFI IMO. WULT speak in words you retard?
you're meaning you are as opposed to your meaning belonging to you? Yeah, I feel like a complete ignoramus for not knowing a rap lyric by an 'artist' I don't like or listen to, as opposed to not knowing how to spell a word that abslutely everybody learnt in school


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Q: Can client side mess with my API? I have a website that revolves around transactions between two users. Each user needs to agree to the same terms. If I want an API so other websites can implement this into their own website, then I want to make sure that the other websites cannot mess with the process by including more fields in between or things that are irrelevant to my application. Is this possible?

A: If I was to implement such a thing, I would allow other websites to use tokens/URLs/widgets that would link them to my website. So, for example, website X wants to use my service to agree user A and B on the same terms. Their page will have an embedded form/frame which would be generated from my website and user B will also receive an email with link to my website's page (or a page of website X with a form/frame generated from my server).
Consider how different sites use eBay to enable users to pay. You buy everything on the site but when you are paying, either you are taken to ebay page and come back after payment, or the website has a small form/frame that is directly linked to ebay.
But this is my solution, one way of doing it. Hope this helps.

A: It depends on how your API is implemented. It takes considerably more work, thought, and engineering to build an API that can literally take any kind of data or to build an API that can take additional, named, key/value pairs as fields.
If you have implemented your API in this manner, then it's quite possible that users of this API could use it to extend functionality or build something slightly different by passing in additional data.
However, if your API is built to where specific values must be passed and these fields are required, then it becomes much more difficult for your API to be used in a manner that differs from what you originally intended.
For example, Google has many different API's for different purposes, and each API has a very specific number of required parameters that a developer must use in order to make a successful HTTP request. While the goal of these API's are to allow developers to extend functionality, they do allow access to only very specific pieces of data.
Lastly, you can use authentication to prevent unauthorized access to your API. The specific implementation details depend largely on the platform you're working with as well as how the API will be used. For instance, if users must login to use services provided by your API, then a form of OAuth may suffice. However, if other servers will consume your API, then the authorization will have to take place in the HTTP headers.
For more information on API best practices, see 7 Rules of Thumb When You Build an API, and a slideshow from a Google Engineer titled How to Design a Good API and Why That Matters.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Are you trying to find the best Cooking Classes in Jonesville IN? You can make a great night out of a cooking course by making it a date – cooking classes are perfect for couples to bond and get acquainted with each other while having fun over a glass of wine. Recreational cooking classes are laid back and are affordable for the value they create. Classes are filling up quickly, so get registered right now!
If you are looking at cooking classes for professional development, visit our culinary schools section – Aspiring cooks and chefs can take courses in high school or through vocational school programs. In order to work like a head cook, chef, or any other culinary professional, you ought to complete the formal training course. Training programs in culinary arts can be found in culinary arts educational institutions, some that are two-year, or four-year colleges.


It may be Lake Champlain's best kept secret: a sunken Revolution War gunboat lying on the bottom of the lake for the past 231 years.
Only a handful of people know where it's at. The boat is in one of the deepest parts of the lake, beyond the depths of most divers.
"It fell as if it was still sailing," said Art Cohn with the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. "
We see artifacts showing in some places. We know there are dozens, hundreds, thousands of artifacts contained under the mud."
The Spitfire was sunk by the British at the Battle of Valcour Island, one of eight identical boats that held off the British advance from Canada.
"All of them were accounted for, either captured, sunk or burned, except for the Spitfire," said Rich Isenberg with the Maritime Museum.


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New Mercedes S-class interior teased before reveal
Jul 8, 2020 evo
The next S-class, Mercedes' archetypal luxury saloon and tech leader, is ready for launch
New-Mercedes-S-class-1
The launch of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz S-class isn't far away, with a first official look at the cabin coming shortly after a teaser image of its exterior design. The latest images preview the all-new flagship saloon that will not only reveal some of the brand's next-generation in-car technology but also inform Merc's future aesthetic direction.
Released ahead of a string of teaser films detailing the saloon's fresh cabin, Mercedes-Benz offered us a brief look at the S-class's large new infotainment display. A render also gave us a detailed look at its user interface, one that appears to bring controls for media, climate control and navigation onto a single touchscreen display.
The exterior teaser from May suggests that the next S-class will maintain its upright slatted grille with a small three-pointed star mounted on the bonnet, but this time in a slightly more organic, curvaceous shape. The new grille is flanked by much thinner LED lighting units with ornate internal design elements that inevitably incorporate Merc's next-generation lighting tech.
The overall shape of the S-class is familiar though, with an upright body free of sharp creases or aggressive shapes save for the now trademark crease that runs just below the windowline. Judging by images of the many S-class prototypes that have been spotted for over 12 months now, the glasshouse appears even more upright than the current generation's, pointing towards an emphasis on rear-seat headroom. Odd box-like extensions where the door handles might otherwise be indicate the likely application of retractable door handles, much like those fitted to the new Porsche 911, reducing drag and cleaning up the side profile.
The rear end will mimic that of the new Mercedes E-class and CLS, with a bold move to new horizontal lighting units that flow into the bootlid for the first time in the model's near 50-year history. This change in lighting orientation is probably going to be the biggest exterior aesthetic difference for this all-new model.
In contrast to the exterior's evolutionary approach, the new Mercedes S-class interior will be completely new, with an emphasis on digitalisation and connectivity. The recent teaser images confirm the rumours that Mercedes will ditch the current widescreen layout that first debuted on the current S-class in favour of a vast portrait touchscreen flowing up from the centre console and onto the dash. As a result, the S-class will introduce not only a new digital interface, but also a new dash architecture and aesthetic, which will spread into other future models such as the next-generation C-class and its derivatives.
The digital dial pack will now sit separately to the main screen behind the steering wheel, where it will complement a new head-up display. Software derived from the A-class's new MBUX infotainment system will also be incorporated, including the natty augmented reality feature that could be extended even further in this new-generation S-class.
The S-class's powertrain options remain unknown, but expect a heavy emphasis on electrification split between mild- and plug-in hybrid variants. AMG models will also be offered in V8 form, but the V12-powered S65 won't return thanks to the low take-up of the previous model, not to mention the pressure to reduce the company's overall fleet CO2 average post-2021. Rather than offer an all-electric version of the next-generation S-class, Mercedes will instead reveal a bespoke electric luxury saloon under the EQS name that sits on a bespoke EV platform. As well as having its own platform, the EQS is also expected to introduce its own aesthetic, driven by radically different proportions that arise from its all-electric underpinnings.
The all-new S-class will be revealed later this summer, with sales to start sometime later in the year. As is usually the case, expect core diesel and plug-in models to be released first, with more derivatives arriving throughout 2020; the EQS is expected later in 2021.
This article originally appeared at evo.co.uk
Copyright © evo UK, Dennis Publishing
Categories: Road
Mercedes,Mercedes S-class,S-Class
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text:
Dynamic boundaries in asymmetric exclusion processes
Nowak, Sarah A. and Fok, Pak-Wing and Chou, Tom (2007) Dynamic boundaries in asymmetric exclusion processes. Physical Review E, 76 (3). Art. No. 031135. ISSN 1539-3755. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:NOWpre07
Use this Persistent URL to link to this item: https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:NOWpre07
We investigate the dynamics of a one-dimensional asymmetric exclusion process with Langmuir kinetics and a fluctuating wall. At the left-hand boundary, particles are injected onto the lattice; from there, the particles hop to the right. Along the lattice, particles can adsorb or desorb, and the right-hand boundary is defined by a wall particle. The confining wall particle has intrinsic forward and backward hopping, a net leftward drift, and cannot desorb. Performing Monte Carlo simulations and using a moving-frame finite segment approach coupled to mean field theory, we find the parameter regimes in which the wall acquires a steady-state position. In other regimes, the wall will either drift to the left and fall off the lattice at the injection site, or drift indefinitely to the right. Our results are discussed in the context of nonequilibrium phases of the system, fluctuating boundary layers, and particle densities in the laboratory frame versus the frame of the fluctuating wall.
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.76.031135 DOI UNSPECIFIED
Fok, Pak-Wing 0000-0001-9655-614X
© 2007 The American Physical Society. (Received 3 May 2007; published 27 September 2007) This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program. The authors also acknowledge support from the NSF through Grant No. DMS-0349195, and the NIH through Grant No. K25 AI41935.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship UNSPECIFIED
NSF DMS-0349195
NIH K25 AI41935
adsorption; boundary-value problems; desorption; Monte Carlo methods
CaltechAUTHORS:NOWpre07
https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:NOWpre07


Born and educated in Croydon, Surrey, Lesley Wilson was a member of the National Youth Orchestra and went on to study with Gwydion Brooke at the Royal Academy of Music. Still a student, she worked with the City of Belfast and Northern Sinfonia Orchestras and was appointed principal bassoon with the Scottish National Orchestra, a position she held for twenty-seven years. While there, she began teaching at NESMS and the RSAMD, and was a tutor with NYOS and other youth orchestras throughout Britain. She also worked for a short time as an exchange professor at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana.
Lesley has lived in Aberdeen since 1999, teaching in city primary and secondary schools, at Aberdeen City Music School and at Aberdeen University. Here, with colleagues, she has recorded a CD of bassoon music, much of it written for her between 1962 and 2015, by composers born or living in Scotland.


The Forestry Commission was established as part of the Forestry Act 1919 – and is therefore celebrating its centenary this year. A lot has changed since then. On April 1st 2019 some big changes came. This blog post is aimed at giving an overview of the government bodies for forestry, and what they do. If you want to go directly to publications go here and click the bar "Filter publications & research" to open the search box. Statistics are here.


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Siena helps move-in twin freshmen impacted by floods
Jonathan Hunter
LOUDONVILLE – Hurricane Ida delayed twin sisters downstate from coming to Siena College on time.
Once the school found out the incoming freshmen were in trouble, they pitched in to help.
Ava and Alexa Filippone live in Edgemont, Westchester County. It's just north of New York City. Hurricane Ida caused severe flooding at their house.
They say their basement was flooded, and two of their cars were submerged in water. This caused them to miss the start of freshmen orientation week. Once officials at Siena found out, they decided to help.
Siena College's admissions team sent a van to their house Friday morning to pick up the sisters. Their parents followed behind in a car.
Every year, Siena has a special way to welcome their incoming freshman. Student leaders help move the students into their dorms. Siena still wanted to make sure the Filippones had that experience. Students and even their mascot helped them as they moved in. The family is forever thankful.
"Our basement was under complete water, about five feet, and our cars were submerged, everything was submerged. We were going to rent cars to get up here. Luckily, a family member gave us their truck. Siena was so wonderful to send a van for all the girls' stuff. We couldn't appreciate it more."
Hear why one of the twins says the brief delay was actually a good thing for her, by watching the video of Jonathan Hunter's story.


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XSD-SDM
XSD-SDM Home
Laue GPU Depth Reconstruction
Laue diffraction microscopy uses the polychromatic Laue micro-diffraction technique to examine the structure of materials with sub-micron spatial resolution in all three dimensions. This GPU-based implementation of a depth reconstruction algorithm for Laue diffraction patterns provides up to a 10 - 15 times speed-up as compared to a CPU-implementation.
The Laue diffraction microscopy uses the polychromatic Laue microdiffraction technique to examine the structure of materials with sub-micron spatial resolution in all three dimensions. The materials that are investigated include inter- and intra-granular orientation distributions in polycrystals, elastic strain tensors in elastically deformed materials, and plastic deformation microstructures under microindents in Cu single crystals. This structural microscopy technique is very powerful for detailed investigation of the microstructure and evolution in materials, especially including local crystallographic orientations, orientation gradients and strains.
Data sets are first collected and stored in HDF5 files. The data is then read by the application, written in C using the CUDA GPU programming library. Individual images are assembled into a 3D cube, and then split for processing on the GPU, usually a few rows at a time, based on available GPU memory. After creating initial data structures in the GPU, the application processes each pixel independently. It first resolves the pixel depth for a given pixel location. It then measures depth along the incident beam from the origin. The intensities are then combined. The result is keep and added to the result of subsequent chucks of data until the entire data set is processed.
This GPU implementation of single-threaded CPU code drastically improves performance by approximately 10 – 15 times using one Tesla M2070 with 512 cores, enabling nearer real-time reconstructions.
https://subversion.xray.aps.anl.gov/DepthReconstruction/
Accelerating Laue Depth Reconstruction Algorithm With CUDA, Ke Yue, Nicholas Schwarz, Jonathan Tischler, Proceedings of IEEE High Performance Extreme Computing Conference (HPEC '15), Waltham, MA, 9/15/15 - 9/17/15.
Accelerating Laue Depth Reconstruction Algorithm With CUDA, Ke Yue, Nicholas Schwarz, Jonathan Tischler, Proceedings of IEEE Cluster 2015, Chicago, IL, 9/8/15 – 9/11/15.
The CUDA Laue Depth Reconstruction software package was developed, and is supported and maintained by Ke Yue in the XSD Scientific Software Engineering & Data Management group (XSD-SDM) in collaboration with Jonathan Tischler, Ruqing Xu, and Wenjun Liu of the APS Surface Scattering and Microdiffraction group with funding from DE-AC02-06CH11357.
Argonne National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.


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Director Bill Kenwright, story Nik Cohn, stage adaptation Robert Stigwood in collaboration with Bill Oakes, music Bee Gees and others
Peacock Theatre
4 February – 26 March 2022
Richard Winsor Credit: Paul Coltas
Olive Fines and Richard Winsor Credit: Paul Coltas
Cast of Saturday Night Fever (2019 UK Tour) Credit: Paul Coltas
Saturday Night Fever's disco drama seems to be immortal, being constantly given the kiss of life in musical theatre. From the adult-rated 1977 film comes a jukebox feel-goodish stage version, which has been through various permutations since 1998 when Robert Stigwood, inevitably, saw its stage potential. There have been revivals and touring productions.
There's life in it still post-COVID, though the theatre is far from full. There is dancing in the aisles—how could there not be to the infectious disco beats—people jiggle in their seats, sing, cheer, wear disco gear (merchandise on sale includes red glitter trilbies and feather boas). The loudest cheers and wolf whistles are for the donning of that white suit, preening in front of an imaginary mirror, us. Profile view, bum view, and when Tony Manero does up his flies, well...
Richard Winsor, a Matthew Bourne alumnus—I've admired him in most of the productions, Swan Lake, Dorian Gray, Car Man, Play Without Words, Midnight Bell—but it's his role in Streetdance 3D that must have clinched his casting suitability here. Maybe a bit long in the tooth for a nineteen-year-old, but his dancing credentials are great, and he has that bouncing, cock of the yard Travolta walk off pat, the swagger all hips and thrusting pelvis. His acting and singing aren't bad either.
Olive Fines is more than a match for him as the standoffish Stephanie Mangano, desperate to climb from the depths of Brooklyn to the heights of Manhattan. In the Heights comes to mind, but so does West Side Story in the briefest of moments of gang rivalry. And those fire escapes.
Tony Manero, hardware store worker with a bully of an out-of-work father, a downtrodden religious mother and a brother Frank (Marios Nicolaides) who is leaving the priesthood, lives for his Saturday night disco when he can shed all that and strut his stuff. His gang of cronies admire him, girls fall for him, especially Annette (Jasmin Colangelo), but he's not interested. He wants to win the disco dance competition.
And he finds the perfect partner in the independent Stephanie. She is moving on, and the prize money would be useful. Poor Annette in love with Tony is sidelined and decides to become available to whoever will have her. It's a macho world, and girls are either nice or bitches, in other words easy lays. Stephanie has the best cutting lines. "Have I seen you some place? Yes, that's why I don't go there anymore." Brooklyn accents sound authentic.
There's talk of abortion, there's suicide, but no gay representation, surprisingly when one thinks of disco queens and clubbing in that era. Concealed desire—does Bobby (lovely solo from Kevin O'Dwyer) maybe yearn for Tony? Is that why he jumps off the bridge? Not only because he is being forced into marriage to a girl he doesn't love, Italians bound by the strict Catholic code.
Still, it's just the backbone, the main deal is the music and the gotta dance (my words and yes I think of Gene Kelly) vibe. Tony has to keep on dancing, it's in his blood; it's his way out of a stultifying world. Loud music and formulaic dancing keep him alive. There are also jazzy instrumental interludes, which delight me more.
The ensemble are infected by that gotta dance virus, all dancers are, and it's the dance finale that is the best part of the show, by which time I'd had enough of Tony's strutting. He and Stephanie compete against two Puerto Rican couples, and are they good. Tony realises that and gives away his prize to one of them, Caesar and Maria (Luca Rapisarda and Celeste Zollino), who are great as are Chester and Linda (James Wilkinson-Jones and Lydia Bradd). He won only because it was on his patch.
The live band on stage is very good, and the three (Jake Byrom, James Hudson, Oliver Thomson) impersonating the Bee Gees on a gantry above the stage are too, in their gold lamé and period wigs. Nina Dunn's video design gives us Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline across the river, so near yet so far away. Gary McCann's set is multi-purpose—big disco mirror, disco balls dazzling us with their lights, drab store, the modest family home (sitting room with Tony's tiny bedroom, Sylvester Stallone Rocky poster on wall, off to the side) flying neatly in and out.
There is sadness and despair, which are not explored, as we must finish on a high for the audience to leave sated. The curtain call provides that, the whole company dancing in formation, arms semaphoring, sexual energy flying, and those narrative songs from the Bee Gees...
"You Should Be Dancing" sends many reluctantly into the cold London night. A Megamix of numbers wraps up a show that feels a little bit dated, but the Bee Gees and John Travolta fans may beg to differ. Nine numbers in the first half, ten plus the Megamix in the second. Who cares about the narrative underpinning, it's the dancing queens that matter, we all know that thanks to Strictly.
Reviewer: Vera Liber


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Q: Marionette doesn't render the sub-views when the parent is shown the second time I want to reuse the views(previous opened screens) in the app, but the regions content disappear. How to prevent Marionette from doing this?
  var app = new Backbone.Marionette.Application();
  window.app = app;

  app.addRegions({
    root: 'body'
  });

  var View1 = Marionette.LayoutView.extend({
    template: _.template('
View1

'),
      regions: {
        sub: '.sub'
      }
  });

  var View2 = Marionette.ItemView.extend({
    template: _.template('
View2
')
  });

  var SubView = Marionette.ItemView.extend({
    template: _.template('
SubView
')
  });

  var view1 = new View1();
  var view2 = new View2();
  var subView = new SubView();

  app.root.show(view1, { preventDestroy: true });
  view1.sub.show(subView, { preventDestroy: true });

  setTimeout(function() {
    app.root.show(view2, { preventDestroy: true });
    setTimeout(function() {
      app.root.show(view1, { preventDestroy: true });
    }, 500);
  }, 500);

or the fiddle http://jsfiddle.net/ndr7262y/

A: So preventDestroy does not stop subViews within the region being destroyed just the actual region itself. Marionette by design trys to encourage the destruction of views and re initializing them so that clean up is all properly handled. One way round this though would be to listen to when view is being shown and then showing the sub
app.listenTo(view1, "show", function () {
          view1.sub.show(subView)
});

the only issue is that the sub view is still being destroyed so you could override the destroy method of the subView to not destroy the view, this gets a bit tricky to keep track off though as now you will have to manually ensure that the bindings are correctly applied/removed
  var SubView = Marionette.ItemView.extend({
      template: _.template('
SubView
'),
      destroy: function () {

          if (this.isDestroyed) {
              return;
          }

          var args = [].slice.call(arguments);

          this.triggerMethod.apply(this, ['before:destroy'].concat(args));

          // mark as destroyed before doing the actual destroy, to
          // prevent infinite loops within "destroy" event handlers
          // that are trying to destroy other views
          this.isDestroyed = false;
          this.triggerMethod.apply(this, ['destroy'].concat(args));

          // unbind UI elements????? well its not beng destoryed so probably don;t wantto do this
          //unless you manually handle rebind the events
          //this.unbindUIElements();
          return this;
      }
  });

end result http://jsfiddle.net/ndr7262y/2/
but a better way here would be re iniatalize the sub view when view 1 is shown
app.listenTo(view1, "show", function () {
           var subView = new SubView();
          view1.sub.show(subView)
});

and now you don;t have to worry about cleaning up or overriding the destroy method. http://jsfiddle.net/ndr7262y/4/


Fox Transfer provides private or shared Quimper transfer services by taxi or minibus to Quimper and other parts of Brittany, France.
Quimper–Bretagne Airport (IATA: UIP), formerly known as Quimper–Cornouaille Airport is an airport located in Pluguffan and 5.5 km (3.4 mi) southwest of Quimper, a commune in the Finistere departement in the Brittany region of France.
The airport limits its operations to daytime flights. It is also a transfer point between airlines for flights to other parts of Europe. Air France provides a daily flight to New York and during the tourist season, there are many chartered flights to holiday destinations and other European cities.
Quimper is the ancient capital of Cornouaille, Brittany's most traditional region and has a distinctive Breton Celtic character. Its name is the Breton word "kemper" meaning "confluence" as the town developed at the confluence of the rivers Le Steir and L'Odet. Shops and flags celebrate the region's Celtic heritage.
The town has a rustic atmosphere, with footbridges spanning the rivers that flow through it. The Cathedral of Saint-Corentin, with its Gothic-style facade, was constructed between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries. It is the oldest Gothic structure in lower Brittany.
West of the cathedral is the atmospheric old town, where there are many half-timbered houses dating from the 14th century. The streets are named after old job titles and Place au Beurre, where butter was originally sold, is today one of Quimper's prettiest locations and good place to stop for a crepe. The Halles St Francis market (open daily) is particularly lively on Saturday mornings.
Fox Transfer is your perfect choice for Quimper Airport transfer, taxi and shuttle services to Quimper and other parts of Brittany, France.


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which are the best Colleges in Ulhasnagar, Mumbai?
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Home » Briefing papers, research reports and studies » Social Protection and Humanitarian Response: What is the Scope for Integration?
Given the rise in humanitarian emergencies triggered by climate-related risks and conflict, often in contexts of chronic poverty and vulnerability, the international community is calling for the better integration of short-term humanitarian assistance and longer-term development interventions. In this context, social protection is increasingly portrayed as a policy tool that can address chronic, as well as acute needs by delivering assistance in response to shocks through established, scalable systems. This paper lays out the key arguments for more integration between the humanitarian and social protection sectors, while discussing the potential tensions emerging from conflicting mandates and institutional structures. Whether or not more integration will provide more efficient and effective responses to crises depends on the type of shocks and the crisis context, as well as the capacity and coverage of the social protection programme to deliver to additional caseloads. Based on a review of the existing evidence, the paper concludes that important gaps need to be filled with regard to the technicalities of linking short- and longer-term interventions in humanitarian contexts, particularly in relation to mobile populations and refugees, and understanding better the political economy factors that facilitate bridging the humanitarian–development divide.


W. Bancrofti is widely distributed in the tropics, but largest numbers of cases of lymphatic filariasis (LF) occur in India. The current world estimate by WHO reveals that 120 million people in 83 countries of the world are infected with lymphatic filarial parasites, and that more than 1.1 billion (20% of the world population) are at risk of acquiring infection. Over 40 million people are severely disfigured and disabled by filariasis and 76 million apparently normal but having hidden internal damage to lymphatic and renal systems have microfilarimia. As for India 650 million people across at least 250 districts and 29 states in the country are at risk of filariasis.
Recently Bill Gates as guest Editor of Times of India (TOI 17/11/17) has highlighted the topic of filariasis in detail and is pretty certain, India will miss target date of stamping out elephantiasis (LF) that it was hoping to eliminate by 2020. The national health policy had aimed at eliminate filariasis by 2015. The deadline was extended to 2017 and again to 2020". He has discussed the problems and difficulties at the field level and has also suggested remedial measures to the national health policy.
The endemic areas for filariasis are places near sea coast and banks of large rivers. Man is the only definitive host. The worms are ovoviviparous whitish and translucent; female being larger than male. They may remain coiled together in abdominal and inguinal lymphatics and in testicular tissue etc.living for a long period; probably 10-15 years. Major vector in India is Culex fatigans. Gravid female releases fresh generation embryos (microfilaria) encased in its elongated sheath 250-300 microns in length. Microfilaria shows a nocturnal periodicity in circulation, correlating with the habit of vector mosquito. Once they reach mosquito stomach, they undergo infective larval development and reach proboscis during its third phase. This larva enters host through the puncture wound or penetrates the skin by themselves at the site of the bite.
Characteristic manifestations are due to obstruction of lymph vessels. Elephantiasis is a feature unique to man apparently caused by erect posture and consequent lymphatic hydrodynamic factors. Tropical eosinophilia is considered an atypical manifestation of filariasis. Diagnosis is done by direct detection of microfilaria in blood and other fluids, eosinophilia, and several serological and immune-enzyme tests which have not been very practical.
Measures in prevention and control of filariasis are eradication of vector mosquitoes, and detection & treatment of carriers. Global strategy is by mass drug administration (MDA) in endemic districts ensuring coverage of over 60% populations by administration of two drugs: Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) along with Albendazole once a year for five years. A transmission assessment survey is conducted after the period to see if the district qualifies for stoppage of drug. Recently out of 256 districts many of the 96 districts failed treatment assessment.
The two drug regimen reduces the disease by 60-80% hence requires five rounds The new drug regimen is expected to clear infection faster-requiring just two rounds. It consists of three drugs: DEC+ albendazole+ Ivermectin. Ivermectin is expensive and dosage dependent which could mean adding 2-4 tablets depending upon body weight. This could also cause community non compliance.


Last December, Hiram College wrote to alumni to assure them  that an ongoing academic redesign of the 168-year-old liberal arts college, led by President Lori Varlotta , would proceed in an orderly fashion: "Like just about every process Varlotta launches, this one will be inclusive, data-driven, and transparent," the college said in a message on its website.
But five months later, a group of faculty and students at the northeastern Ohio college say the institution has kept them in the dark about one key aspect: to what extent the redesign will shrink professors' ranks. Dean Judith Muyskens  is due to present her recommendations on the "blending, shrinkage and elimination" of academic programs next Tuesday. Observers expect Varlotta to invoke the college's tight financial straits to reduce an already contracted staff. She has publicly said Hiram needs to trim $1.2 million from its $30 million budget, and many worry that she will make cuts that could reach into the ranks of longtime tenured and tenure-track faculty.
Like many small liberal arts colleges, Hiram is fighting to increase enrollment while trimming costs. But critics at the college complain that the cuts envisioned in Varlotta's "new liberal arts" redesign may violate Hiram's faculty handbook, which says firing tenured faculty requires an official notification of financial emergency.
Varlotta's ideas have generated considerable discussion about whether the idea of the liberal arts can be broadened without diluting its essentials. When Inside Higher Ed reported  on those tensions earlier this month, several alumni and faculty declined to talk. After the article appeared, a few at Hiram changed their minds and came forward, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation.
A collegewide "strategic academic team" has spent the past few months evaluating enrollment in various departments, among other indicators. Faculty fear that the college's fine arts, music, foreign language, philosophy and religious studies programs may take the worst hits.
The faculty members say their numbers are already shrinking considerably, with just over 50 tenured or tenure-track instructors heading into the fall term, by their estimate.
Varlotta said the college has offered "a generous retirement package" for anyone 55 or older with 15 years of service -- it includes a year of salary and benefits. She said she has moved three faculty members into administrative and staff positions and cut many non-faculty positions to ensure that full-time instructors are protected "until the latest possible point," with hopes that cuts aren't necessary.
Brad Goodner, a biology professor with 17 years of experience, said the college has "made several changes during my time at Hiram to become more distinctive and more sustainable. We have trimmed our budgets and we have cut many staff positions. Faculty positions, for the most part, have been protected. Reductions in faculty numbers have come mainly from not rehiring open positions following faculty retirements or deaths. Yet we still face a budget problem."
Goodner said he's optimistic that Varlotta, her cabinet "and the vast majority of my faculty and staff colleagues" are moving the college in the right direction through "transparent inclusive discussions and decision making. Do we have some hard choices to make in the near term? Yes, we will have to trim the faculty some more to be financially sustainable. However, it is much more than that. It is also a positive process about what we can do with the faculty and staff expertise we have to continue to improve our educational environment in all ways."
He noted that several faculty members have submitted "a large number of innovation proposals" to the strategic academic team, and that several of the proposals "are essential components of the discussions we have had" with consultants from the RAND Corp., which is advising on the redesign.
After a December meeting at which Varlotta said she wanted to cut 15 positions "in record time," faculty quickly reorganized Hiram's chapter of the American Association of University Professors -- it now has 28 members. As one of its first acts, it composed an open letter to Varlotta, expressing worry about the cuts. Thirty current and nine retired faculty signed it, but Hiram's full-time faculty are not unionized -- by a quirk of Ohio law, its adjuncts are, though many of them could well be spared in the redesign.
In the process, AAUP guidelines dictate, the college must open its books to faculty. Decisions on who should be laid off must be based "essentially upon educational considerations, as determined primarily by the faculty as a whole or an appropriate committee thereof." The college hasn't taken these steps, McNay said.
In an email, Varlotta took issue with McNay's characterization, saying Hiram is not "suspending tenure" in the process of the redesign, adding, "everything we are undertaking expressly follows the precepts of the Hiram College faculty handbook. The handbook is very clear that programs may be discontinued for reasons that extend well beyond 'financial exigency.'"
In a section of the handbook titled "The Dissolution of Academic Structures," she noted, a passage reads, "Academic structures may at times be dissolved or transformed. The reasons for such restructuring should be based upon both educational and financial considerations indicating that the educational mission of the college will be enhanced by the discontinuation of the curriculum or department and the reallocation of resources."
She also noted that discontinuing any programs must be approved by Hiram's Board of Trustees.
Varlotta said faculty have been participating in the redesign process "for many months now, wherein they, themselves, have looked at and assessed years of program data." They have also made several proposals as part of the process.
"As you can see, Hiram's redesign process has been a long one, marked by good shared governance," she said. "I really empathize with those who are weary and with those who are anxious about the unknown. Identifying and implementing forthcoming change has been incredibly hard but necessary work. Doing it in a way that is simultaneously data-driven and humane is even harder. But I am determined to do it in a way that is both."
Over the past few months, students and alumni have gotten involved  in questioning the effort as well, starting a Twitter hashtag, #notmyhiram , and gathering more than 250 signatures on an online petition  demanding that the college keep its tenured faculty. In a related effort, several students promised to withdraw if tenured faculty are laid off.
In a Dec. 12, 2017, response to students, provided to Inside Higher Ed, Varlotta pointed out that the college had undergone a recent series of library, classroom and dorm renovations, but said changes to curriculum and faculty "will be more challenging." The redesign, she said, could bring both "programmatic additions and reductions" to campus.
In spite of its dire financial straits, Hiram's enrollment is up: Varlotta last month said this fall's anticipated enrollment at Hiram's Traditional College is 28 percent higher than in 2017.
A wealthy alumnus last month gifted $6 million  to the college to underwrite the redesign -- Hiram's largest donation ever. Alumnus Dean Scarborough, who chairs the college's Board of Trustees, and his wife, Janice Bini, presented the gift to assist Varlotta's "new liberal arts" effort -- it actually broke the college's previous record donation from the same couple in February 2017. That $2.1 million gift underwrote  Varlotta's "Tech and Trek" effort.
But critics said neither gift will help close the $1.2 million budget gap that has prompted the anxiety among faculty.
He cautioned that shrinking instructional staff would backfire.
Like others, McNay said he's waiting anxiously to hear next week what Varlotta will do. "When we feel that tenure is threatened, it's a big concern to us," he said.
Hiram currently offers traditional liberal arts majors, as well as majors in subjects like computer science, accounting and integrative exercise science. Varlotta has said every student at Hiram "studies the liberal arts in great depth," no matter their major. All students, including the accounting and financial management majors, will encounter interdisciplinary courses and "a strong core/liberal arts general education."
One Hiram student, who spoke anonymously out of fear of postgraduation retaliation, said students most fear the redesign's threat to Hiram's academic reputation.