RÉSONAANCES: Dark Matter is Back!
A few weeks ago a paper claiming strong bounds on the local dark matter density made a news, hitting also particle physics blogs. Currently, the most solid evidence of dark matter comes from analyzing the Cosmic Microwave Background, and from the observed flatness of the galactic rotation curves. It is less known than in our galaxy the support for dark matter comes from studying the rotation curves at distances of 20 kpc or more from the galactic center. In the immediate neighborhood of the Sun (8 kpc from ground zero), the presence of dark matter is more difficult to deduce. The value of the local dark matter typically quoted, ρ = 0.4 GeV/cm^3, is based on extrapolations using particular models of the dark matter halo.
The recent paper by Moni Bidin et al. attempted a direct measurement of the local dark matter density. Studying the kinematics of a population of stars drifting a few kpc above the galactic plane, they were able to estimate the so-called surface density, that is the integral of the mass density in the vertical (wrt to the galactic plane) direction. If there is only the visible matter concentrated in the disc then the surface density should be constant above the disc. Conversely, if there is dark matter in the form of a spherical halo then the surface density should continue growing above the disc. The paper finds the data are well fit by a constant surface density for z > 1.5 kpc above the disc, setting the limit ρ < 0.04 GeV/cm^3, that is 10 times smaller than what is usually assumed.
The authors went as far to saying that "our results may indicate that any direct DM detection experiment is doomed to fail". This is of course a sheer nonsense, even if their limits were true. The event rate in direct detection experiment depends, among other things, on the product of the local dark matter density ρ and the scattering cross section of dark matter on protons and neutrons σ. The latter has no obviously preferred value, and in concrete particle physics models it may span many orders of magnitude. Thus, the constraint on ρ doesn't tell us anything about the subjective chances of detecting dark matter; it only changes the interpretation of direct detection experiments in terms of the limits on σ. A smaller ρ would mean weaker limits on σ, thus weaker limits on the parameter space of dark matter models, which would actually make many of us happy.
Nevertheless, the claim that there is no indication of the presence of dark matter in the solar neighborhood was somewhat disturbing to these experimentalists who spend entire lives in underground caverns, preparing and running dark matter detection experiments. Those can now utter a sigh of relief. A new paper by Bovy and Tremaine that has just appeared on arXiv says that the paper of Moni Bidin et al is "flawed". The strong limits on the dark matter density were obtained as a consequence of an observationally unsupported assumption about the velocities of the studied population of stars. As can be seen in the plot, correcting the wrong assumption leads to a perfect consistency between the data and the predictions assuming the presence of dark matter. pwned.
Jester, if I may speak for the experimentalists that you mention, I don't think any of us was worried by an isolated paper, but instead quite amused by the Cassandras embracing a paradigm shift while ignoring decades of previous research.
To what extent can we say that dark matter has now been observed in the motions of nearby stars, then? That's one way to interpret Bovy and Tremaine. Or is it just that this data remains consistent with the existence of nearby dark matter? i.e. is a null hypothesis *excluded* by Bovy and Tremaine?
What do the recent LHC constraints on SUSY say about dark matter candidates? are neutralinos still a thing?
Ru: there is no direct LHC constraints on neutralinos, so susy dark matter is and will remain alive. The parameter space may get tight in some constrained scenarios, but generally susy theory space is too vast to be completely killed.
I think you'd do well to read both papers and make some comparisons. M-B clearly states that they are making an approximation when assuming a flat curvature and they also discuss at some length what the effects of a non-flat curvature actually are, whereas Bovy et al. mainly seems concerned about proving that the curvature cannot be exactly flat. But they never actually seem to ask the question M-B asks, what effect various curvatures has on DM models. If we trust in M-B then the curvatures Bovy et al. suggests would mean there is significantly more DM in the halo than is commonly estimated.
Basically, Bovy et al. aren't even trying to debate the central issues of M-B.
Stellar-Mass Ultracompacts like MACHO objects, neutron stars, GRB objects, microquasars, ... = billions and still counting.
Still, if you like snipe hunts, "WIMPs" are a perfect quarry.
"astrophysics sigmas, equivalent to half the LHC sigmas" - You are so frikkin' hilarious.
But whose "mystery bumps" disappear regularly, and whose discoveries tend to stand the test of time and empirical evidence?
Are there any indications that dark matter should be composed of particles?
Not really, all we know is that it gravitates and that it interacts very weakly with baryonic matter. But I'm not aware of any good non-particle proposals. Some people talk about mini black holes, but afaik nobody demonstrated that this can quantitatively explain the CMB spectrum.
Mike Hawkins has a preprint at arXiv.org that argues that primordial stellar-mass black holes are an excellent dark matter candidate, with considerable empirical evidence from various microlensing and quasar variability research efforts that would support that candidacy.
But "WIMPs" are the only game in town - right?
There are arguments against black holes as dark-matter candidates, but AFAIK none of them involve the CMB spectrum.
A quick search of the literature reveals that Hawkins's arguments, while originally quite interesting, have since been ruled out by observation. Unfortunately, in his newer papers Hawkins ignores criticism of his work in refereed-journal literature.
Regarding the decades of research, the perceived requirement for galactic dark matter was most convincingly established by studies of galaxy disk rotation in the 1970s that erroneously presumed the empirical laws of planetary motion should apply to spiral galaxies. As a result, it was expected that standard Keplerian rotation curves should represent rotational velocity as a function of the radial distances for objects within the disks of spiral galaxies, 'just like planets in the Solar system' (see Rubin, et al.). This is simply false, as galactic disk object strongly interact with each other.
Phillip, I'm not an expert in this domain but my impression is that PBH papers do not discuss CMB at all. From CMB we know that the dark matter fluid must be very weakly interacting with the baryonic plasma, so that the anisotropies grow in the former and oscillate in the latter. Is it obvious that the black holes satisfy this constraint?
Your first sentence is definitely true; at least, I've never seen one which has. I was thinking more of things like the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, which are caused by structures formed at later times. Your argument applies to earlier times. I'm not an expert in this area either. I suspect that your suspicion is true, i.e. PBHs would be too "clumpy" to produce the observed CMB, but a) I don't know and b) I don't recall ever seeing a discussion of this. Most arguments against PBHs are based on results from microlensing observations. So much work has been done on the CMB that I'm surprised I haven't heard of an analysis in this context, but of course that doesn't mean no-one has done one.
I'm not ready to assume that Bovy and Tremaine are correct in their criticism until at least seeing what the original author M-B has to say in rebuttal, and I think we can safely assume that there will be a rebuttal.
FYI - I posted a previous anonymous comment "Regarding decades of research..." Sorry for any confusion. BTW, I'm merely a retired information systems analyst, not a physicist.


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Ezekwesili says she assumed ACPN similar visions with her
Comments Off on Ezekwesili says she assumed ACPN similar visions with her
Obiageli Ezekwesili, presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), says the divergence in values and vision with the party triggered her withdrawal from the presidential race.
Ezekwesili announced her withdrawal from the race on Tuesday.
She said the actions of the ACPN, following her withdrawal, has made Nigerians aware of the reasons she ended her membership of the party.
Abdul-Ganiyu Galladima, national chairman of the party, had accused Ezekwesili of not showing commitment to the party. He alleged that the former minister was in the race to secure the position of finance minister.
Subsequently, the party had endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for reelection.
Speaking extensively on the matter, Ezekwesili said in a statement: "I was delighted to read reactions of real patriots to my announcement that I've decided to withdraw from the 2019 Presidential race& end my membership of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria- ACPN. I have also seen the reaction of ACPN leadership to my decision, "the statement read.
"Fortunately, they have divinely helped me by making the Nigerian public now fully understand why I had to swiftly depart from their midst.
"How could I upon realizing the divergence of values and vision with the leadership of the Party continue to stand on such a political platform? My abiding vision has been to mobilize citizens to disrupt the old order politics of APCPDP.
"Nigeria and Nigerians deserve a New Order of ethical, competent and capable leadership which I had mistakenly assumed the ACPN was aligned with me to offer, until it proved otherwise.
"The values and vision divergence with the Party was a key factor that triggered my withdrawal from the Presidential race on their ticket prompting me to dissociate immediately in order to help build a coalition for Good Governance. It is why I was instant in sacrificing my candidacy to uphold my values by withdrawing.
"The Party's decision to immediately today endorse the candidate of APC which was announced by my erstwhile VP candidate who is also the Chairman of ACPN was their classic political entrepreneurship in full display for Nigerians to see. It is instructive.
"The Party leadership's transactional approach to Politics began to manifest in their attitude following after the Convention that adopted me as their Presidential Candidate. I would have none of such and therefore extremely delighted to part ways after a tumultuous three months of hoping that the ACPN leadership would elevate to the new values of disruptive politics that one had desired for and preached within the Party."
Ezekwesili denied the allegations against her by the leadership of the ACPN, describing them as "fabrications and outright lies".
"As for the defamatory statements made against my person by the ACPN leadership in their malicious statement, I want Nigerians to know that there is NO IOTA of truth in any of them," she said.
"Everything ACPN wrote or said of the campaign donations is fabrication&outright lies. Our Campaign was conducted with the highest level of transparency and accountability with impeccable evidence. I know and can guarantee that at all times because, these standards firmly underpin my commitment to lasting values and professionalism.
"Only those who desperately wish to believe falsehoods would lend any credence to such puerile accusations by the leadership of ACPN. Only those who pretend ignorance of my legendary and uncompromising passion for accountability would give heed to such baseless statement.
"I have declined any interviews until my return to Nigeria upon which I shall hold a World Press Conference to engage Nigerians on the actions I shall take even as we present full report of our 3-month old Campaign for the 2019 presidential election to the public.
"Finally, take it from me that WE shall definitely build the Coalition force that will terminate the poverty escalating governance of the two dominant parties in the 2019 election."
Ohaneze Ndigbo splits over Atiku's endorsement
Debate on minimum wage bill begins
Revealed: Oba Of Lagos Allegedly Snubbed Ooni Of Ife Because Of London Trip
Ekiti Legislators Fines Fayemi N1m Over Unanswered Summons
Killer herdsmen deserve maximum punishment, says Buhari

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Tabuina varirata est une espèce d'araignées aranéomorphes de la famille des Salticidae.

Distribution
Cette espèce est endémique de la province centrale en Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée. Elle se rencontre dans le parc national de Varirata vers  d'altitude.

Description
La carapace du mâle holotype mesure  de long et l'abdomen  et la carapace de la femelle paratype mesure  de long et l'abdomen .

Étymologie
Son nom d'espèce lui a été donné en référence au lieu de sa découverte, le parc national de Varirata.

Publication originale
 Maddison, 2009 : New cocalodine jumping spiders from Papua New Guinea (Araneae: Salticidae: Cocalodinae). Zootaxa, , .

Liens externes

Notes et références

Salticidae
Espèce d'araignées (nom scientifique)
Faune endémique de Nouvelle-Guinée orientale

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Decline induced by Chalara fraxinea is an emerging disease that severely affects ash stands in Europe. The disease appears to have an invasive spread from East to West of Europe in the last decade. The teleomorphic stage, Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus, that occurs as apothecia on ash rachis in the litter was recently described. The origin of ash decline remains unclear as a cryptic species, H. albidus, a long-established fungus in Europe, could be present in the same niche, and as in Switzerland, H. pseudoalbidus was shown to have been present long before the recent epidemic outbreak. In France, the emerging disease is very recent and clearly restrained to Northeastern France. We thus collected isolates from infected hosts and from apothecia/ash rachis both inside and outside the infected area in France in order to compare them on the basis of pathogenicity towards ash seedlings and sequences of the ITS regions and of three single-copy genes. We showed that two population types exhibiting about 2% base pair polymorphism in the sequences analysed were present in Northern France. The first type, corresponding to H. pseudoalbidus, was present on rachis and infected hosts only in Northeastern France and showed strong pathogenicity towards ash seedlings in inoculation tests. By contrast, the second type, which corresponds to H. albidus, was present throughout Northern France and showed no pathogenicity towards ash seedlings. Our study confirms the results of Queloz et al. (2010) who presented molecular evidences for the existence of two cryptic species, H. albidus and H. pseudoalbidus. The results strongly suggest that Chalara fraxinea/H. pseudoalbidus is a recent invader in France.
We are grateful to Anne Derycke (DSF), Michel Hairaud, Rémy Péan and Jean Pierre Dechaume who indicated us sites with presence of H. albidus in Western and Central France. We would like to thank Jean-Philippe Rioult, from the Caen Herbarium (CN)-Université de Caen Basse-Normandie (UCBN) for the historical herbarium type specimens of H. albidus and Tadeusz Kowalski who provided isolates from Poland. This work greatly depended on the technical assistance of Jocelyn Gueny. We also thank Agathe Vialle (Canadian Forest Service, Quebec) for sharing a DNA extraction method for herbarium samples, and the Département de la Santé des Forêts for the maps of H. pseudoalbidus presence in France. This study was supported by grants from the Département de la Santé des Forêts and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche, contract number ANR 07-BDIV-003 (Emerfundis project).


SAN DIEGO, Feb. 24, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novatel Wireless, Inc., (Nasdaq: MIFI), a leading provider of wireless solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), and DigiCore Holdings, Ltd. (JSE:DGC), a leading provider of advanced machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and telematics solutions, today announce that Novatel Wireless has appointed DigiCore as new Master Distributor for South Africa. DigiCore offers IoT solutions through its Ctrack® brand, which covers vehicle tracking, insurance telematics and fleet management solutions and services. Under the Agreement, DigiCore will offer a portfolio mix of specialized and scalable cellular Novatel Wireless IoT solutions for both commercial and consumer telematics markets in addition to the MiFi® brand of LTE mobile hotspots.
Frost and Sullivan report that the telematics penetration in South Africa is expected to reach 22.5% by 2021, generating $0.4B. Main drivers for growth include volatile fuel costs, a competitive auto insurance industry, and a high incidence of vehicle theft and road accidents.
DigiCore, through its Ctrack brand, will promote, sell and support the MiFi Drive line of mobile tracking devices including the MiFi Powered SA 2100, a "vehicle-as-hub" gateway, and MiFi brand mobile hotspot solutions. Unique features optimized for telematics applications, such as advanced diagnostics with dual accelerometers, highly-sensitive GPS technology, programmable platforms, and 3G/4G LTE certified network options are available in a variety of compact, M2M grade designs customized to the unique needs of different vehicle types.
"We wanted a partner with solutions that reflect a high standard of innovative technology and quality with clear differentiation from the competition. Novatel Wireless continues to satisfy these criteria in full and beyond," says Mark Rousseau, COO DigiCore, supplier of Ctrack. "There are hundreds of data points that owners and operators can use to improve their operations and there is no one-fits-all solution. The Novatel Wireless IoT suite of solutions boasts an impressive programmable events engine that can be easily tailored to support customer-specific needs. That flexibility combined with reliable, world class support is what makes Novatel Wireless an attractive partner."
"DigiCore's great strength and reputation primarily lies in its comprehensive sales and distributor network across the globe, combined with its logistics, sales and technical expertise," says Chip Harleman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Novatel Wireless. "The expansion of our partnership with DigiCore puts us in an excellent position toward accomplishing our global distribution goals for IoT solutions."
Novatel Wireless is strengthening its existing cooperation with DigiCore, which has been offering Ctrack's extensive distribution network the award-winning MT 3060 cellular OBD II device and the recently announced MT 1200. The continued partnership enables DigiCore to address market demands for a variety of customizable, innovative telematics solutions across multiple industries.
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The result is innovative and advanced machine-to-machine communication that provide Ctrack customers with 24x7x365 information and monitoring of their mobile assets that help them to achieve operational efficiencies and cost reduction targets.
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The blurb got to me--the idea of a closed-off coach being won over by an 'irritating' woman seemed like a good idea to me.
Win Me Over is a sweet, small-town romance that I quite enjoyed. When I read the first book in the series, Blame It on the Mistletoe, for Christmas in October last year, it called to mind all of my fantasies of the holidays in a small town. Well, Win Me Over embraces the football culture that I think permeates a lot of small towns in the United States.
One of the things I love about Win Me Over is that it's a very grounded romance. This story could be happening many times over, all across the United States. The pairing of an energetic baker/dance coach with a closed-off football coach doesn't seem unusual to me. With a shared sense of athleticism, strong work ethic, and community spirit, Callie and Bennett are well-matched and make for a believable and shockingly average couple. Now, sure, Bennett had a brief stint in the NFL, and Callie's a former beauty queen. But if you ignore their pasts, I think it's far easier to relate to these two than the normal hero/heroine in contemporary romance.
I also liked that Callie and Bennett aren't perfect. While there's lots to admire about them, they have personality flaws, the way that real people do. Frustration, irritation, and being emotionally closed-off are all completely reasonable sources of conflict.
There were two details that had me scratching my head. One is that I have no idea how Callie and Bennett fit everything into their day. They've both got so much going on, it seems that they must survive on only a few hours of sleep! The other, more significant issue was that I didn't feel the major conflict was entirely keeping with Bennett's personality. It was such a selfish turn of events that it felt out of line with his otherwise really giving nature. I was able to roll with it, but it did take me out of the book for a moment or two.
I really loved Win Me Over. It was sweet, true-to-life, and easy to get myself lost in it. I think it's a fantastic read for the Fall, with everyone headed back to school, the days getting colder. I could see snuggling under an afghan with a mug of pumpkin spice latte, and this book to usher in the season.
What is it about contemporary that you don't like? I used to be really anti-contemporary, but in the last five or six years, I've really gotten on board with it.
I am with Felicia on this. Reading about people with Cell phones and Ipad's just turns me off. I like small town romance though because things were not as important. Don't get me wrong I have and Ipad and a Cell phone but I didn't when I was romancing my wife. Maybe that's it for me. Romance let's you try and fall backward into character.


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Basra is focus of Shiite rivalry in southern Iraq
Basra has emerged as the main battleground for rival Shiites in elections for control of the oil-rich south — a race that will test the power of religious parties and the influence of neighboring Iran.
Campaign posters for the upcoming provincial election in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad, Iraq.Nabil al-Jurani / AP
Jan. 14, 2009, 11:47 PM UTC / Source: The Associated Press
Freed last year from the grip of militias, Basra has emerged as the main battleground for rival Shiites in elections for control of the oil-rich south — a race that will test the power of religious parties and the influence of neighboring Iran.
The Jan. 31 ballot, in which voters across the country will choose ruling provincial councils, will be the first since U.S.-backed Iraqi forces wrested control of Basra from Shiite militias and criminal gangs.
American officials will be watching the outcome for any sign that the militias might return in Iraq's second largest city of about 2 million people, located only a few miles from the Iranian border.
More than 1,000 candidates have entered the race for Basra's 35 council seats, filling the city's dusty and traffic-choked streets with campaign posters and fliers that give the city a festive look. The outcome will help shape the political future of the southern Shiite heartland ahead of national elections expected by year's end.
Thousands patrol the streets
Basra has been relatively quiet since last year's military crackdown, which ended three years of Shiite militia rule, rampant crime and turmoil. Today, thousands of national police and army soldiers patrol its streets.
At the commercial heart of the city, the soldiers and policemen rub shoulders with the thousands of residents who throng stores until late into the night. With militiamen off the streets, women are out in public again — some unaccompanied by male chaperons and wearing makeup.
Music CDs and DVDs of Western and Egyptian films are back in the stores. Those items were once banned by militias; merchants who defied the gunmen risked death.
The battle for Basra is now being fought politically, with Shiite religious parties more divided than ever following their emergence as Iraq's dominant political force after the ouster of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-led regime in 2003.
Chief among the competitors in Basra are the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, the country's largest Shiite party and Iran's main ally in Iraq, and Fadhila, a smaller religious group that has controlled local government since the last provincial elections in January 2005.
Also in the mix are followers of radical Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, whose influence in Basra significantly diminished after last year's crackdown. Al-Sadr, who lives in exile in Iran, is supporting two lists of candidates running as independents.
The Dawa Party of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is also in the race.
Al-Maliki's popularity soared here after he took on the militias. He is at odds with the Supreme Council over distribution of power between provinces and the central government.
No party expected to win majority of seats
No single party is expected to win a majority of seats. But Fadhila and the Supreme Council, which is allied with al-Maliki in the national government and has been a reliable U.S. ally despite its ties to Iran, are expected to top the winners.
That will likely push them into deals with smaller parties to form a majority.
However, some in Basra predict the two biggest parties will suffer from a voter backlash against religious parties, which many urban Shiites believe have failed to provide public services and jobs.
Still, secular politician Hamed al-Dhalmi believes the religious parties have the money for their candidates to succeed. The Supreme Council can also use its ties to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite cleric, to win votes among Basra's poor Shiites.
"Religious parties are flush with cash, while nonreligious parties hope to take advantage of the popular disillusionment with the religious parties," said al-Dhalmi, a member of Basra's provincial council and a linguistics professor.
"No one knows who will win, but one thing is certain, the political map here will change."
For the parties, the stakes are high.
Province contains oil reserves
Basra and the surrounding province contain 70 percent of Iraq's proven oil reserves of 115 billion barrels. The province also includes the country's only outlet to the sea — the Umm Qasr port on the Persian Gulf.
"We are not ready to give up Basra and we are hopeful it will remain in our hands," said Aqeel al-Fereij, a senior Fadhila member of the outgoing Basra provincial council.
The Supreme Council is equally determined to win control of Basra after four years of Fadhila domination.
"Without wanting to sound too confident or too ambitious, we will not be happy with less than the majority that places us in a decision-making position," said Furat al-Sharaa, a local Supreme Council leader and a candidate.
Basra's proximity to Iran has made the city a focus of Iranian efforts to gain influence in post-Saddam Iraq.
The Supreme Council is pushing for the establishment of a self-ruled area in the south, similar to one the Kurds enjoy in the north. Critics believe such a region would be effectively run by Iran, harden religious divisions and lead to the breakup Iraq.
Basra stores are filled with Iranian goods from vegetables and fruits to electrical appliances, eggs and fresh red meat. Iran's consulate has an unusually high profile in the city, throwing frequent banquets, organizing book fairs at the local university and sponsoring scores of visits by local officials to Iran.
Fadhila is taking advantage of the popular perception of its rival as an Iranian ally to promote itself as a nationalist party free of foreign influence.
"Fadhila, a party that is 100 percent Iraqi," declare its campaign posters. "Born in Iraq and Financed by Iraqis," say others.


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Appeals Court: Discrimination Against Trans Students Is Likely Illegal
By Scott Skinner-Thompson
Melissa Whitaker and Ash Whitaker.
Transgender Law Center
In an important decision for transgender rights, the influential 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that a transgender student in Wisconsin, Ash Whitaker, is likely to prevail in his suit seeking access to the school restrooms corresponding to his gender identity. The decision in Whitaker v. Kenosha Unified School District on Tuesday illustrates that transgender students are protected from discrimination under both federal civil rights laws and the Constitution. This, notwithstanding the Trump administration's withdrawal of guidance protecting transgender students under Title IX and the Supreme Court's corresponding unfortunate reluctance to decide the Gavin Grimm case. The 7th Circuit's decision protecting transgender students rested on two independent grounds.
First, irrespective of the fact that the Trump administration has withdrawn guidance interpreting Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 to protect transgender students, the 7th Circuit held that the statutory text of Title IX, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, protects transgender students from discrimination. According to the court, "[a] policy that requires an individual to use a bathroom that does not conform with his or her gender identity punishes that individual for his or her gender non-conformance, which in turn violates Title IX."
The court's reasoning built on a long line of authority holding that sex-stereotyping—that is, treating someone differently because of their perceived failure to conform to dominate notions of what it means to be sufficiently male or female—is a form of impermissible sex discrimination. And the decision should lend support to the case of Gloucester County School Board v. Gavin Grimm, which is back before the 4th Circuit.
Second, the court held that discrimination against transgender individuals is a form of sex discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, meaning that discrimination against trans people is subject to a heightened level of scrutiny. In order to justify classifying people on sex-based categories, the government therefore needs to demonstrate that "the classification serves important governmental objectives and that the discriminatory means employed are substantially related to the achievement of those objectives." As the 7th Circuit reasoned, treating transgender students differently and disciplining them for using bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity is a sex-based classification, subjecting the school's policy to heightened scrutiny.
In an attempt to justify its differential treatment of transgender students and satisfy heightened scrutiny, the school district argued that it was attempting to protect the privacy rights of other students. The court easily rejected this purported justification, holding that "the School District's privacy argument is based upon sheer conjecture and abstraction." As in several other cases involving transgender students, Whitaker used the boys' restroom for several months "without incident or complaint from another student."
Moreover, the court noted that the policy of forbidding trans students from using restrooms corresponding to their gender identity "does nothing to protect the privacy rights of each individual student vis-à-vis students who share similar anatomy and it ignores the practical reality of how Ash, as a transgender boy, uses the restroom: by entering a stall and closing the door." As the court rightly concluded, the presence of transgender students does not pose an increased threat of privacy to any other students. The court refused to let unsubstantiated fears about transgender people overcome common sense and decency. Instead, the court recognized that refusing to permit Whitaker to use the restroom corresponding to his male gender identity further stigmatized him and marked him as "different."
The 7th Circuit's decision affirming the grant of a preliminary injunction in favor of Whitaker is just the latest in a growing line of cases recognizing that treating transgender individuals differently is a form of actionable sex discrimination under federal civil rights statutes and the Constitution. And it provides an important counterpoint and reason for optimism in the face of reports that the Trump administration will continue to roll back Obama-era civil rights protections. As with so many issues, Trump is not the sole decider, and the courts are continuing to fulfill their constitutional role of saying what the law is—in this case, the law is that discrimination against transgender individuals is impermissible.
Disclosure: I joined other scholars in submitting an amicus brief to the 7th Circuit in this case.
Outward LGBTQ


text:
Q: Ubuntu 16.04 install gnome desktop error unmet dependencies I am trying to install gnome desktop for ubuntu 16.04 from this PPA ppa:gnome3-team/gnome3 but i am getting the following errors :
 The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 ubuntu-gnome-desktop : Depends: adwaita-icon-theme-full but it is not going to be installed
                        Depends: gdm3 but it is not going to be installed
                        Depends: gnome-documents but it is not going to be installed
                        Depends: gnome-session but it is not going to be installed
                        Depends: gnome-shell but it is not going to be installed
                        Depends: gnome-shell-extensions but it is not going to be installed
                        Depends: tracker but it is not going to be installed
                        Recommends: gnome-music but it is not going to be installed
                        Recommends: gnome-photos but it is not going to be installed
                        Recommends: libreoffice-calc but it is not going to be installed
                        Recommends: libreoffice-style-tango but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

I have tried install -f but it is not solving the problem !

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The entry level Bimmer finally gets the M treatmentVVUZZ Tested: BMW M2
Think of this M2 as a 2-Series that's gone to the gym. It's a little car with a big engine and a bunch of go fast bits. There's a trick differential and bodywork that's pumped up to better accommodate airflow, the massive wheels, tires, and oversized brakes. Is it greater than the sum of its parts? Watch our quick take on the BMW M2.
Base Price: $61,000
As Tested: $65,795
Notable Options: 7-speed dual clutch transmission, $3,900; metallic paint, $895
Drivetrain: 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six cylinder engine, 370 horsepower at 6,500 RPM, 343 lb-ft from 1,400 to 5,560 RPM, 7-speed automated manual transmission, rear wheel drive
Performance: Zero to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds (dual clutch box required); top speed of 250 km/h or more
VVUZZ Recommended: Without reservation, to M fans as well as to those looking for a more mature boy racer.
Image courtesy of BMW.
VVUZZ Tested: Mopar Modified Dodge Challenger R/T
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New Porsche 911 Le Mans Racer Caught Testing
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2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Specs & First Ride
The new Camaro is already a brilliant machine and with this ZL1, Chevy's now dialed up its performance to eleven. Ford should be worried because this high performance Camaro is...
Waymo and FCA Partner On Autonomous Vehicles
The future has arrived. FCA and Waymo have announced production of 100 fully autonomous Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids.
All Hands On Deck With This Aston
Two years in the works, the AM37 reflects Aston Martin's legendary design and craftsmanship, while including some very innovative features and the latest in marine technology.
Four Litre Fraud
We can imagine that just like every other Porsche 911 enthusiast, Kevin Hughes knew exactly what the limited edition GT3 RS 4.0 was all about. What he wasn't counting on...
Lamborghini Huracan Spyder
Everything is better in Miami, especially when you're driving the latest convertible from Lamborghini
2017 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTS
The 2017 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTS marks the end of an era, representing one of the last opportunities sports car enthusiasts have to buy a new, modern classic. This...
Rethink The Alfa Romeo 4C
The Alfa Romeo 4C harkens back to a time when sports cars were compromises and proud of it. You drove them because you wanted an exotic experience, not because you...


On the 3rd of December 1966 Dr. Ernst Schmidmer passed away unexpectedly at the age of 63 and his son, Horst Schmidmer, succeeded him as the managing director. The increasing demand for electronic products in the '60s and '70s and the falling sales figures for mechanical products led to the suspension of production of mechanical equipment, e.g. rotating-pendulum tachometers and eddy-current tachometers. From then on, the company concentrated on the development of robust temperature- and pressure-monitoring equipment, above all for use under extreme ambient conditions.
In 1976 Horst Schmidmer bought Dr. GRAW Messgeräte GmbH & Co. KG from Dr. Josef Graw, which today, under the name of GRAW Radiosondes, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of radiosondes. In 1977 work began on the development of the first digital monitoring system – the NORIMOS 1000. The system went into series production in 1980 and within a short period of time became a bestseller. At this time, the sales portfolio was made up of three product groups: rotational-speed measurement, temperature and pressure monitoring, and marine automation.


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10 Tips For Female Entrepreneurs From Women Who Founded Their Own Companies
Get tips from those who have already walked your path.
By Laira Martin
You're our first priority. Every time.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Bottom line? We're on your side, even if it means we don't make a cent.
Your first year in business is more about surviving than thriving. You're just starting to build a brand, grow your customer base and figure out how in the world you'll turn a profit. And if you lack startup business funding, you'll probably be doing the jobs of several people all by yourself. But you're not alone — thousands of CEOs have been in your shoes and some even made it to the other side.
Now add to that being a woman in a world that's as patriarchal as ever and new challenges start to pile up. Finding a network of other successful women is an invaluable way to build a much-needed support system. And, depending on where you live, you could be in one of the cities with the most female entrepreneurs, which makes the task of meeting people that much easier.
Until you build that network, you can use resources at hand, like the internet, to connect with like-minded businesswomen. Just like you, these 10 female founders were once in your shoes. They've since been through it all and can now reflect on their time just starting out. Take a page or two out of their books by following their best piece of advice for women at the helm of their own companies for the very first time.
1. Find Role Models
"I'm a high-growth startup founder with two children under the age of five. It's hard! But it's not impossible," said Abigail Besdin, co-founder and head of growth for Great Jones, a national property management company. "Earlier in my career I had real questions about how feasible it would be to build a business and a family at the same time, and there weren't too many female founders out there to model myself on. I'm impressed by how much that's changed in the last 5 to 10 years. I'd encourage anyone looking to start a business today to identify those role models—whether people you actually know personally or other more public figures—and keep them in mind for when things get tough and it all feels undoable. They'll be a good reminder that if they can do it, you can and will, too."
2. Get Organized
"I wish an experienced female mentor would have told me to get organized. I had no idea how much time I would be spending on my business in the beginning," said Lydia McConnell, founder and creative director of Le Chic Miami, which sells hand-painted wooden earrings. "I wasted so much time the first year being unorganized and trying to remember everything I needed to do in my head. My business consumed me—it was all I was working on because I was working inefficiently. Now I write down everything I need to do in a to-do list and schedule when I am going to do it in my calendar. It has allowed me to get everything done and have a life outside my business."
Related: 6 Ways to Be a Better Boss
3. Be Brave, Not Perfect
"Starting a company can be scary and lonely, and the funnest and most rewarding thing you will do," said Maxine Minter, co-founder and head of operations at Radvocate, a tech-enabled consumer advocacy startup. "Just keep taking steps towards the goal. Buy the domain name. Tell people about what you are building. Close your first customer. Don't focus on doing these things perfectly, do them bravely. Focusing on perfect will lead to inaction. With each imperfect step, it will be harder and harder to turn around and walk away."
4. Ask for Help
"Over the last 12 years, I've loved being able to watch what was once just a dream of mine become a real company that has helped millions of remote job seekers—but that wouldn't have been possible without the help of a lot of smart people, including my brother, Adam, who helped me launch the site in the beginning," said Laura Spawn, CEO and co-founder of Virtual Vocations, which connects job seekers with telecommute job openings. "As women in business, we have a lot to prove, and I especially felt that way knowing I started my business sort of 'later in life.' That thinking can sometimes lead us to feel like we need to tackle each and every problem ourselves—but that's just not realistic, and your business will likely benefit from more hands on deck. For women entrepreneurs just starting out, I can't stress enough the importance of getting more people involved and asking for help when you need it. That way, you can focus on what great entrepreneurs are best at: honing in on your mission and driving the big picture forward."
Read: 4 Signs It's Time to Get a Business Line of Credit
5. Build a Community
"As exciting as entrepreneurship is, it can be a bit lonely at times," said Krista Doyle, founder of The CoWork Space, an online community for women who work remotely. "Nobody really talks about that aspect of working for yourself. My advice for women entrepreneurs is to be proactive about finding a community of other women in your position to help offer connection, networking, and support while you're going through all the ups and downs of creating your business."
6. Own Your Success
"One issue I had to face and overcome as a female entrepreneur was taking ownership of my success," said Katie Schmidt, owner, founder, and lead designer of Passion Lilie, an ethical clothing boutique. "Unfortunately, women are often taught to downplay our accomplishments so we seem less threatening or boastful. It's important to realize that you don't need to do this in order to succeed. Make a habit of recording hard evidence of your successes, so that no one (including you) can dismiss them. This practice is a great way to boost your confidence as a female business owner."
"In a male-dominated tech industry, what is important is what you bring to the table, regardless of your gender," Leah Quesada, co-founder and head of marketing at Sumos.io, which helps keep smart home devices safe from hackers. "I bring to the table many years of corporate and international experiences, that is unique to the team. A confident and winning attitude helps a lot. In resource-strapped startups, having the ability to be flexible to work from basic to strategic type of work is needed—and so I do. The ability to continuously learn and be self-taught is quite important as tasks are defined as they come along. Once people see you for the value you bring, your gender or color or race matters very little."
See: 6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Business
8. Conquer Imposter Syndrome
"First, and maybe most importantly, you deserve a seat at this table. Get out of that imposter syndrome mentality," said Anika Goodwin, MD, co-founder and CEO of EYEmergencyMD, Inc., a company dedicated to eradicating preventable blindness by improving access to high-quality eye care. "You are a boss! Lift as you climb and use your village. I was fortunate enough to have a best friend who is a coding and billing expert. She helped give me instant credibility without the large expenditure of capital pre-funding. She is now head of my company's coding and billing department. Enjoy the journey. It will be [a] wild, yet fulfilling ride."
9. Find Balance in Parenthood and Your Career
"Being a woman in a career and a mother are two very different things when you plan a career," said Alison Bernstein, founder and president of Suburban Jungle, a real estate and lifestyle advisory firm that helps young families move from urban to suburban locations. "Once you are a parent, your decisions and time are not totally your own—and therefore you need to focus on opportunity cost much more. Taking into account the travel demand of a position and the risk takes on a whole new meaning. I see so many women drop out of the workforce because of the difficulty in balancing and the guilt. This is tough to see and when I built this company I kept that in mind as I sought to hire talented moms, many of whom originally dropped out."
See: 8 Morning Routines of Successful Entrepreneurs
10. Learn to Let Go
"I think the most important thing to really really understand when starting a business is to take whatever picture you have in your mind about how the journey is going to look and throw it out the window," said Shari Stein Curry, CEO and co-founder of The Living Apothecary, an organic probiotic tea company. "You really need to have a solid idea you can get behind for a number of years and a true growth trajectory for it. Then be open to the experience as it unfolds. Really hone in on the beautiful feminine within, strap it to your soul and then just dig in, go after it, and get dirty. Oh and from a practical standpoint: multitask, delegate, organize, prioritize, and execute."
The Bottom Line: Learn From Others
It doesn't matter if you launched your business two weeks ago or two years ago, there are tough lessons to be learned. But if you take the time to listen to people who have been in similar circumstances, you could take your business to the next level without having to learn all those lessons the hard way.
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3 thoughts on "10 Tips For Female Entrepreneurs From Women Who Founded Their Own Companies"
Thanks Laira for your post. I am a business woman with a small business too.
Carol Hill says:
I am a new business owner. My food business is under two years old, and it is hard advertising. What advice can you give me.
Laira Martin says:
Check out these marketing ideas to get started: https://www.seekcapital.com/blog/small-business-marketing-ideas/
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Al2O3:SiOC nanocomposites were synthesized by thermal treatment of fumed alumina nanoparticles modified by phenyltrimethoxysilane. The effect of annealing temperature in inert ambient on structure and photoluminescence of modified alumina powder was studied by IR spectroscopy as well as photoluminescence spectroscopy with ultraviolet and X-ray excitation. It is demonstrated that increase of annealing temperature results in formation of silica precipitates on the surface of alumina particles that is accompanied by development and spectral evolution of visible photoluminescence. These observations are discussed in terms of structural transformation of the surface of Al2O3 particles.
Recently, it was reported that silica nanoparticles with surface carbonized by pyrolysis of phenylmethoxy groups exhibit strong visible photoluminescence (PL) under ultraviolet excitation . Materials that demonstrate effective broad band visible PL at room temperature without heavy metal activators are of great interest as a potential alternative to expansive rare earth-doped ceramic phosphors for artificial white light sources on the base of compact gas-discharge lamps and light-emitting diodes. Though similar SiO2:C materials have been reported previously to demonstrate broadband visible PL [2–5], origin of light emission centers is unclear until now. One of the basic hypothesis associates emission centers in SiO2:C with carbon nanoclusters [1, 2, 5]. In frame of this model, SiO2 nanopowder can be considered as morphological template with high specific surface area that provides high concentration of carbon-related emission centers located on the silica surface. Verification of this hypothesis obviously needs further study of luminescent properties of carbonized surface in related nanostructured materials. Fumed alumina is a well candidate as morphological template with relatively high specific surface area. Excellent mechanical properties, good chemical inertness, and electronic structures make alumina-based ceramics widely used as high-temperature functional materials in electrical and optical devices [6–11]. Optically and X-ray excited PL in superfine Al2O3 powder with intentionally carbonized surface of nanoparticles is analyzed in the present report. Procedure of surface carbonization was similar to that used for carbonization of fumed silica in , i.e., successive procedure of chemical grafting of phenylmethoxy groups to the surface of nanoparticles followed by thermal calcinations in chemically inert ambient.
Pyrogenic Al2O3 powder (89 m2/g, particle size 30–50 nm) was treated with a phenyltrimethoxysilane (PhTMS) toluene solution (1.73 ml of PhTMS per 10 ml of toluene) at 70 °C for 4 h in the presence of triethylamine as a catalyst. The aim of this procedure is grafting of phenylmethoxy groups to the alumina surface. The reaction product (hereafter "phenyl-alumina") was dried and subjected to thermal annealing at temperatures of 400, 500, 600 °С, for 30 min in flow of pure nitrogen at atmospheric pressure.
Interatomic bonding was studied by IR spectroscopy. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was performed in transmission mode using vacuum Bruker Vertex 70 V. The FTIR spectra were recorded at room temperature in spectral range of 400–5000 cm−1 using the KBr sample tablets. Photoluminescence was studied under ultra-violet (290 nm) and X-ray (13–14 keV) excitation. Photoluminescence under ultra-violet excitation was studied using excitation by a 290-nm semiconductor laser (5 mW). The spectra were recorded using spectrometer LIFESPEC II (Edinburgh Instruments). The X-ray luminescence was excited by X-ray radiation with energy of 13–14 keV. Radiation of the samples was recorded using a monochromator MDR-2 and a photomultiplier FEP-106.
FTIR transmission survey spectra of pristine alumina and phenyl-alumina are shown in Fig. 1. Amorphous aluminum oxide structural matrix in pristine alumina is represented by broad absorption bands at 540 and 800 cm−1 (Fig. 1, spectrum 1). It is well known that crystalline aluminum oxide exists in a variety of metastable structures (transition aluminas—χ, γ, δ, η, θ) as well as in its stable α-Al2O3 phase. Structure of metastable polimorphe can be classified in terms of the structure of oxygen anion sublattice (face-centered cubic or a hexagonal close-packed) and the distribution of aluminum cations into this sublattice in tetrahedral (AlO4) and/or octahedral (AlO6) interstitial sites . In amorphous solid, there is no sense of crystalline polymorphism but vibration properties of local bonds are also determined by Al atom coordination. Two broad bands at 540 and 800 cm−1 in FTIR spectrum of pristine fumed alumina (Fig. 1, spectrum 1) can be assigned to mixture of absorption by Al-O stretching vibrations in tetrahedral and octahedral coordination respectively [13, 14].
The broad absorption band in the range of 3000–3800 cm−1 and the narrow band at 1630 cm−1 (Fig. 2) are attributed to stretching and bending vibration modes of O–H bonds respectively due to both surface hydroxyl groups in Al2O3 and water absorbed by KBr sampling pellet . A weak absorption in 2800–3000 cm−1 (C(sp3)–Hn) is due to organic contaminations absorbed from atmospheric ambient. It is worth noting that after annealing of pristine alumina at temperature up to 600 °C, the only change in FTIR spectrum was disappearance of C–H-related band at 2800–3000 cm−1.
Some additional absorption bands appeared after chemical treatment (Fig. 1, spectrum 2). Absorption band in spectral range 2800–3000 cm−1 (C(sp3)–Hn) became much stronger and now is accompanied by absorption at 3000–3100 cm−1 (C(sp2)–Hn) due to hydrogen bonded to benzene rings. Benzene rings of phenyl groups give rise to the narrow bands at 1136, 1430, and 1590 cm−1 (C=C vibration in benzene rings) as well as to the "benzene fingers" at 1700–2000 cm−1 due to overtone/combination vibrations in benzene rings. A strong and broad absorption band in range of 980–1200 cm−1 and centered at 1033 cm−1 is obviously due to siloxane bonds. A similar band was observed in phenyl-siloxane based polymers and associated with crosslinking of siloxane bonds into network [16, 17]. This band indicates formation of polymer-like siloxane precipitates on the surface of Al2O3 particles during chemical treatment procedure.
Most informative spectral ranges of the FTIR spectra of phenyl-alumina before and after annealing are shown in Fig. 2. IR bands related to benzene rings (1136, 1430, and 1590 cm−1) strongly reduced after annealing at 400 °С and at higher temperature (Fig. 2ab). Increase of the annealing temperature up to 600 °C results in high-frequency shift of Si–O related band from 1033 to 1070 cm−1 indicating transition from polymer-like to ceramic structure. Spectral position and shape of this band became typical for silicon oxide indicating formation of silica structural network presumably on the surface of aluminum oxide. It is approved by appearance of the shoulder at 450–460 cm−1 that can be assigned to Si–O–Si rocking vibrations.
Figure 2b shows that increasing of an annealing temperature causes decrease the intensity of the narrow absorption bands at 1430 and 1594 cm−1 and which is assigned to C=C stretching vibrations in phenyl rings. It is worth noting that traces of absorption by phenyl groups are detected up to highest annealing temperature. Destruction of benzene rings does not cause formation of amorphous pyrolytic carbon typically characterized by broad absorption band about 1600 cm−1. The absence of carbon precipitation can be explained by thermally activated carbon diffusion from surface inside Al2O3 particles during annealing in inert ambient. Carbon-doped aluminum oxide (Al2O3:C) is well known material widely used in dosimetry  and significant diffusion rate of carbon in Al2O3 is observed even at temperature as low as 400 °C .
Figure 2c illustrates evolution of C–H-related bands at 2800–3100 cm−1. It is seen that absorption bands at 2800–3000 cm−1, which corresponds to stretching vibrations of С(sp3)–Hn bonds in methyl groups as well as group of absorption bands at 3000–3100 cm−1, which corresponds to С(sp2)–Hn bonds in phenyl rings reduced strongly after annealing that is well consistent with thermally activated degradation of phenyl groups.
Pristine fumed alumina powder shows relatively weak broad band photoluminescence in spectral range 300–600 nm under 290 nm excitation (Fig. 3a, spectrum 1). Broad band is composed by at least three constituents with maxima at about 335, 390–400, and 470 nm. The band with a peak at 335 nm is likely due to oxygen vacancy with trapped electron (F+-centers) . According to , the band with a maximum 390–400 nm can be associated with anion-cation vacancy pairs (P−-centers) or surface F+-centers (FS +-centers). The band with a maximum at 470 nm is possibly associated with F2-centers , but its correct identification needs further analysis.
Intense PL band with maximum at 340 nm appears in Al2O3 after chemical treatment (Fig. 3a, spectrum 2). This band is presumably associated with excimer states in closely located phenyl groups grafted to alumina surface [21–23]. Decomposition of phenyl groups during annealing leads to disappearance of this band (Fig. 3b). Emission band remains obviously multicomponent after annealing but increase of annealing temperature results in complicated evolution of intensity and spectral distribution. Increase of annealing temperature up to 500 °C leads to increasing of integrated PL intensity. It should also be noted that in the PL spectrum of sample annealed at a temperature of 500 °C it is observed low energy shift and broadening of UV peak (Fig. 3b, spectrum 2). Increasing of the annealing temperature up to 600 °C leads to a further shift of this band to 370 nm. Spectral position of emission peak at 410 nm and shoulder at 500 nm remained almost unchanged after annealing at 400–600 °C. As it was demonstrated by IR study, the structure of these samples can be represented as silica precipitates (presumably with carbon groups) on the surface of alumina nanoparticles. Such materials can be indicated as Al2O3/SiOC. Mechanism of formation of SiOC surface precipitates is believed to be similar to polymerization and structural crosslinking in polymer-derived SiOC ceramics obtained from phenyl-containing organosilicon precursor . It is important also to note that pristine alumina annealed at the same conditions does not show any noticeable photoluminescence. Hence, it is reasonable to expect contribution of silica and/or carbon-related emission centers in visible PL band. Unfortunately, at present time we are not able to identify correctly the evolution of PL band of these samples.
Using of UV emission allows exciting electron states with excitation energy far below the band gap of alumina and silica (commonly, it is electron states associated with bulk and surface defects). Alumina and silica have a very large band gap (9–10 eV), and examination of the effect of band-to-band excitation needs high-energy photons, for example X-ray excitation. Normalized PL spectra of the pristine alumina (spectrum 1), phenyl-alumina (spectrum 2), and phenyl-alumina (spectrum 3) annealed at 400 °C exited by X-ray at 90 K are illustrated in Fig. 4. PL spectra of pristine alumina and phenyl-alumina are quite similar representing broad band with maximum intensity about 470 nm. No detectable PL was observed at room temperature. Spectral similarity of the bands in pristine and chemically modified samples allows assigning this band to emission from alumina-related centers. Excimer PL in phenyl groups seems to be not excited by high-energy radiation. A narrow and almost symmetrical PL band centered at about 550 nm appears in the spectrum of the sample of the phenyl-alumina after annealed at 400 °C (spectrum 3). A weak but well pronounced broad PL background band is also observed. The origin of this broad background presumably associated with alumina structural network.
Taking into account that (1) narrow green PL band is observed only under X-ray excitation (i.e., high energy of excitation photon) and (2) formation of silica structural network after annealing at 400 °C it is reasonable to assign this emission band to self-trapped exciton in silica structure. Spectral position of PL band is well consistent with that reported in .
Al2O3:SiOC nanocomposites were synthesized using thermal treatment of fumed alumina nanopowder modified by phenyltrimethoxysilane. Hydroxyl groups on the surface of alumina nanoparticles were replaced with phenylsiloxane groups followed by annealing in temperature range 400–600 °C. It is demonstrated that increase of annealing temperature results in pyrolysis of phenyl groups and formation of silica precipitates. No carbon precipitation was detected after pyrolysis of organosilicon groups. It is suggested that development of photoluminescence after thermal treatment is due to formation of carbonized silica on the surface of alumina particles.
Authors acknowledge the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for support (Project F2904).
SSV and TVA synthesized fumed alumina samples. PYuP and DVYa conducted study of photoluminescence properties using 290 nm and X-ray excitation respectively. SVV and NVM recorded transmission infrared spectra. KDV carried out thermal annealing, summarized and interpreted all experimental data in cooperation with VAV. NAN and LVS participated in discussion and coordination of the study. All authors revised and approved the final manuscript.


W&M - hiring current assistant coach for women?
Bayley already quit at UVA???
RE: 2018 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion 8/7/2018 12:28PM - in reply to Wait what??
SIU-E should have a posting.
Who is the Notre Dame hire?
What ever happened at Academy of Art for distance?
Does anyone have a running list of the other non-distance events? Sprints/hurdles, throws, jumps, multis, director of ops?
RE: 2018 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion 8/7/2018 1:11PM - in reply to Wait what??
just went through the UVA Twitter timeline. the tweet announcing that she was hired has been deleted. also been deleted from Bryan Fetzer's timeline.
the press release is still up on the website. her bio is still on the site as well.
Anyone lined up for illinois state or wake yet? SE Louisiana was open and closed in like a week.
Memphis assistant Miles Smith is going to Purdue.
Looks like Memphis will need to act fast!!!
Who's taking over Devin West at Arizona?
Who is going to coach the men's/women's multis at Kentucky? Will it be Greene?
Who did Bradley end up hiring?
If true, well that's a let down after what Lonnie Green did with the 400 group.
Seriously, wtf is up with UVA???? Why would a coach resign a week after taking the job. This clearly was a step up for her. Something isn't right here.


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During the 1980s government economic policies in the United States and many Western countries promoted the privatization of state-owned activities and the liberalization of competition. This has been the Reagan-Thatcher legacy to contemporary political economy. Privatizing the Economy takes a careful second look at the economic arguments that link government ownership with poor economic performance. Through a rigorous comparative analysis of telecommunications policies in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, Raymond Duch shows that it is political control rather than economic ownership that accounts for variations in economic performance. He also provides a political explanation of why privatization has progressed further in some countries than others. Privatizing the Economy strikes a unique balance between economic and political theory, empirical and theoretical analysis, and cross-national and case-study research design. Having identified the weaknesses of economic arguments regarding public versus private ownership, the author proposes an alternative political explanation for the variations in the performance of public and private firms. The author seeks to explain why some governments have adopted liberal economic policies while others have not. The discussion draws upon an extensive political economy literature, pointing out weaknesses of existing theories and suggesting a novel way of looking at policy change. Evidence supporting the author's theoretical propositions comes from two distinct comparative research traditions: cross-national and case-study analyses. This novel way of looking at policy change and the author's broad use of political economy literature offers readers an understanding of what benefits liberal economic policies might deliver and of the likelihood that such policy initiatives might succeed.


Spatial Variation in Phytoplankton Diversity in the Sabarmati River at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, N.V. Patel College of Pure & Applied Sciences, Vallabh Vidyanagar; P.G. Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Institute of Science & Technology for Advanced Studies & Research (ISTAR), Vallabh Vidyanagar – 388 120, Gujarat, India.
Department of Geography, The Islamia University, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Department of Environmental Science, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal, India.


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Home SF+ Science Fiction Doctor Who Season 7 – Jenna-Louise Coleman is Doctor's new companion
Doctor Who Season 7 – Jenna-Louise Coleman is Doctor's new companion
Stephen Payne
Mar 21st, 2012 @ 10:28 am EDT
Doctor Who season 7 - Jenna-Louise Coleman on the top floor of Broadcasting house in London, UK © 2012 BBC
Rory (Arthur Darvill), The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy (Karen Gillan) © 2012 BBC
Jenna-Louise Coleman, best know for the UK soap Emmerdale, has been announced today as the Doctor's new companion for season 7.
The current companions Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) will appear along side Matt's Smith's Doctor in next Fall's season but will be leaving and that obviously where Jenna-Louise comes in.
Season 7 is expected to be aired in both US and UK from September/October 2012.
Jenna-Louise Coleman © 2012 BBC
NEW COMPANION UNVEILED FOR BBC AMERICA'S DOCTOR WHO
Mar 21, 2012 | BBC AMERICA
New York – Wednesday, March 21, 2012 – Jenna-Louise Coleman has beaten hundreds of hopefuls to become the new companion to Doctor Who, it was announced today by Steven Moffat.
Twenty-five year old Jenna from Blackpool, England will star alongside the 11th Time Lord, Matt Smith, to mark the biggest year in the show's history.
Best known for her roles in Emmerdale (Jasmine Thomas) and Waterloo Road (Lindsay James), Jenna will replace Karen Gillan when she and Arthur Darvill bow out of the show in a heartbreaking departure after one final series of rollercoaster voyages later this year on BBC AMERICA.
Jenna says: "I'm beyond excited, I can't wait to get cracking; working alongside Matt I know is going to be enormous fun and a huge adventure."
The Doctor will meet his new friend in a dramatic turn of events as the show builds towards its enormous, climactic 50th anniversary year – full of thrills, adventures and big surprises. Season seven is currently filming and comprises 14 big, blockbuster-movie episodes – each a brand new epic adventure featuring new monsters and some familiar foes as you've never seen them before.
Lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, says: "It always seems impossible when you start casting these parts, but when we saw Matt and Jenna together we knew we had our girl. She's funny and clever and exactly mad enough to step on board the TARDIS.
"It's not often the Doctor meets someone who can talk even faster than he does, but it's about to happen. Jenna is going to lead him his merriest dance yet. And that's all you're getting for now. Who she's playing, how the Doctor meets her, and even where he finds her, are all part of one of the biggest mysteries the Time Lord ever encounters. Even by the Doctor's standards, this isn't your usual boy meets girl."
Danny Cohen, Controller, BBC One, adds "As we approach Doctor Who's 50th anniversary it's great to welcome a new companion to the TARDIS. I feel confident the Doctor will look after her in his own very unique style.?"
In 2011 Jenna made her big screen debut in Captain America: The First Avenger and is soon to star as Annie Desmond in ITV1's Titanic. She has just finished filming on Stephen Poliakoff's Dancing On The Edge for BBC Two.
Doctor Who is a BBC Cymru Wales Production for BBC One.
Arthur Darvill
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Home Anthony Nunziata - Love Song From Broadway & Beyond
Anthony Nunziata - Love Song From Broadway & Beyond
Mar 4, 2023 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Arts Garage 94 NE 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33444
Dubbed "America's new romantic singing sensation," Brooklyn-born and Nashville-based singer, songwriter and entertainer Anthony Nunziata is making a one-night-only stop as he tours this intimate concert that includes his signature take on classic love songs from Broadway, jazz, classic pop, Italian arias and his timeless originals. The beloved Italian-American tenor has planned a setlist that includes some of the most romantic music including a selection of classic standards, arias, famed love songs and celebrated original songs including "Somewhere," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Can't Help Falling in Love," "Unchained Melody," "O Sole Mio," "The Prayer," along with tunes from his critically-acclaimed, award-winning new jazz/pop album, "The Love Album."
PERFORMER BIO:
Anthony Nunziata is the Brooklyn-born, Nashville-based singer and songwriter who brings his soulful voice to classic jazz, pop standards, classical-crossover and his timeless original music. The way Nunziata feels, "I'm in the business of making people feel good, making people happy. I'm grateful I get to tell stories for a living through lyrics and music. To make people laugh, cry, feel something — there's nothing like it."
He has performed over 400 concerts over the past decade headlining major performing arts centers, theaters, symphony concert halls, jazz clubs and private events across the country and around the world. The Brooklyn-born, classically trained singer is hailed by Broadwayworld as "an explosion of love and entertainment." Anthony recently co-headlined Carnegie Hall for two sold-out concerts with the New York Pops Symphony Orchestra. Anthony recently appeared in the Netflix film "The Last Laugh" opposite Chevy Chase and Richard Dreyfuss.
Anthony's recent original songs include co-write collaborations with Rudy Perez, Blessing Offor, Tigirlily, Victoria Shaw, Jim Brickman, Jackie Evancho, Jeff Franzel, Tom Kimmel, Maria Christensen, Nina Ossoff and Porter Carroll Jr., Kathy Sommer, Jasmine Power, and Dan Godlin.
His songs have recently been featured on MTV, Comedy Central, CBS News, NBC News and Good Day NY. His original pop song "The Gift Is You" – which he wrote honoring his mother's battle with breast cancer (she is now cancer-free) – is currently being used as an anthem for The Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Anthony recently released his debut jazz/pop release "THE LOVE ALBUM," now available on all streaming services and autographed CD's available for purchase at www.anthonynunziata.com. He and his Grammy-winning team of musicians re-imagine "Unchained Melody," "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You," "Can't Help Falling In Love With You," "When I Fall In Love," "Somewhere," originals including "Will You Be My Everyday?" and many more.
Anthony's acclaimed debut Christmas album "TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS" won Broadwayworld's "BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM OF THE YEAR."
Anthony has brought his fresh take on classic & contemporary songs as well as his movie-bound original tunes across the United States and around the world to performing arts centers, theaters and private events, as well as intimate jazz clubs and symphony concerts with orchestras such as the New York Pops, Detroit Symphony, Cleveland Pops, Colorado Symphony, Lancaster Symphony, Kravis Pops, Annapolis Symphony, Plymouth Symphony, Cape Cod Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and more. He has performed at private events across the United States and recently in England, Spain, Italy and Singapore.
Anthony studied music, acting and directing at Boston College, and trained in improv comedy at the famed Upright Citizens Brigade in New York City. Featured on Good Morning America and The Rachael Ray Show, Anthony is most proud of his "ARTS MATTER!" Educational Outreach Initiative and Master Class Workshops that educate and inspire students to fearlessly pursue their passions.
BAND MEMBERS:
Anthony Nunziata – Vocalist
Bobby Peaco – Piano
Jesse Jones Jr. – Sax
Location Arts Garage 94 NE 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33444
Event Type Live Music
Date & Time Mar 4, 2023 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM


The Final curtain is when the show is over and the actors slip out of sight forever. When we die it is the same thing because we are cut off from the rest of our family and friends to go to a place where they cannot follow us at that moment. Death is not a subject that many people like to discuss but it is something we all have to face so we cannot ignore it forever. Although many people have given accounts of heaven my desire is to stick to what the Bible says about what is behind the final curtain and for us to see that death is not defeat but victory.
When it comes to death everyone has an opinion about what happens to us when we die. Some say we are just blanked out for eternity, some say we come back as part of earth or even as other human beings. There are shows that have psychics or mediums that claim to talk to relatives that have died and how their relatives are speaking to them from the "other side".
There is a parable in Luke 16 of the Rich Man and Lazarus and this is given to us for us to be able to see behind the final curtain and to know what awaits us when our time is up.
According to the parable there is no way that the man can go back and communicate to his brothers. If he could he would and he would encourage them to change their ways. What is being communicated with these television shows is not what our relatives would really say to us if they could. They would tell us things that would bring a real perspective to what life is really about and where you will live in eternity. So the Bible makes it clear in this parable that there is no way to even communicate with someone that has gone died.
I have to bring this up because I have actually heard people pray to dead relatives for help. On my sons baseball team years ago there was a unexpected heart attack of one of the fathers leaving the nine year old boy without his father. One day at a baseball game I heard the widow talking to someone about how she was praying to her deceased husband for help. Although this may be comforting to think they can hear us and even help us we are commanded not to communicate with the dead.
Isaiah 8:19-20 And when they say to you, "Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter," should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
During the NCAA Basketball tournament I heard an ESPN commentator say that a basketball coach should pray to a couple of the saints for help. I know many people have been taught to pray to different saints but that is not who we should go to in our time of need.
Why go to a saint when we can go straight to God through Christ Jesus?
I joke about that when people pray to the Saints if Jesus lets them know that they are praying to them. I can imagine if Jesus did that the Saints would roll their eyes in Heaven knowing that the people praying to them should only be praying to Jesus. We are not supposed to pray to the deceased and when we pray to Jesus Christ we are praying to someone who is alive.
The first thing Christians must change is their view of death. We need to view death like a departure from one place to another. When we load up on an airplane we have a departure time and an arrival time. The word depart is the same word where we get Exodus, which is where we get our word Exit. The beautiful part of the Exodus from Egypt was once they crossed the Red Sea they were headed to the Promised land. Once we Exit this earth, those who are Christians, are headed to the promised land. Just like Moses led the Children of Isreael across the split red sea so we will experience Christ leading us to Heaven.
Just like every area of life Jesus has gone before us and faced what we will one day face. Jesus already experienced death and He gives us the strength to face death when our time has come. Jesus already has gone where we have to go and He never asks us to do what He has not already done.
We also have to change our view of where we are living now. I refer to earth as a hotel. It may be nice, have a great pool and continental breakfast but it is not our home. The apostle Paul says that our earthly bodies are but a tent.
2 Corinthians 5:1,8 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
If you have ever been camping you know what it is like to get home and sleep in your own bed. Even if you love camping or traveling, everywhere you go, you know it is not your home.
If you have ever been around some Christians that are older physically, they start wanting to go onto heaven so badly that they sound almost morbid. My friends Grandmother would ask him why God would not allow her to die. Although this sounds sad it really is not if you know that where you are going is your home and not where you are now.
The Apostle Paul said our bodies are like tents and that one day we must depart. To depart was a shipping term that meant to bring up the anchor so you can set sail.
Philippians 1:23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
Paul was saying that he desired to set sail for home but for now there was work to do while on earth.
The subject of death is important not because of how or when but where we will be going. It may be too early according to our minds or it could be tragic but whatever or however we pass from this life to the next we all will. People spend more time focusing on their vacations than they do on their eternal destinies. They make sure they have a plan for their vacation and they investigate the best places to go and stay and eat but they never investigate who is correct about eternity. Just like the rich man and Lazarus so many people do not pay attention to the evidence that God has already sent them. We need to know for sure where we are going and how we are going to get there.
The story of Christianity is that God Paid the way, showed us the way, gave us a map and He also gave us a tour guide.
2 Corinthians 5:4-5 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Just like if you have a ticket to a big football game as a guarantee that you will get in so is the Holy Spirit ours. The Holy Spirit is our ticket/ passport/ visa/ map for our journey and our tour guide all wrapped up in one.
If you have ever traveled overseas you understand what it is like to come home and at least be in the line to go through customs. It feels so good knowing that you have your documentation and they will let you in because you have proof that you are a citizen of that country. The Holy Spirit as our passport guarantees us that we are citizens of Heaven.. In fact Philippians 3:20 says our citizenship is in Heaven.
It is this guarantee of the Holy Spirit that makes sure that no matter what happens we will not lose out. People buy travel insurance just in case their is a natural or man made disaster that could ruin the trip. We have a promise that nothing will keep the trip from occurring.
Romans 8:38-39 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Christianity is about Jesus dying for our sins but raising again defeating death and sin. It is why we celebrate and why we know that one day when we die we will be raised again to a new life in Him.
Hebrews 2:14-15 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
We do not fear death, as scary as it may seem, but we embrace it because we know it will lead us through that final curtain to the other side where Christ is. In the end there is nothing death can do to us. Like a dog that is all bark but no bite, so death is to us who believe in Christ and His victory over it.
A father who lost his wife was trying to find the words to comfort his children. As they were in the car a big truck passed over them casting a shadow over the car. The dad asked them if they would want to be hit by the truck or by the shadow. The father went on to explain that death is like that shadow although it seems large and scary it really cannot harm you.