A big thanks to David Williams who has been the guest blogger since 30th August. Wendy Elford from Canberra here. This first blog in the next stint will skip any real detail on personal history but I will say that both my job roles and interests place me at a halfway point between art and science, and I love to see links made between the two. Being a fan of the post-impressionists (my mother was an artist), I very much enjoyed reading David Williams' last post with the image of Georges Seurat's 'The Side Show'. It's easy to make the connection between the science of the image – the deliberate colour variation and the number of strokes – and the value of the image as art. Seurat was very clear that "They see poetry in what I have done. No. I apply my method, and that is all there is to it." The trompe de l'oeil is created partly by Seurat's method and partly by being able to gain a distant perspective, a perspective which SenseMaker™ achieves with narrative.
Moving on from this, perspective shift and patterns are two of my favourite ideas (no doubt shared by many in the Cognitive Edge community) so I thought that I would share examples I've been collecting. I'm guessing that the TED talks might be familiar to some of you. One in particular by Blaise Aguera Y Arcas blew me away when I first saw it in 2007. Photosynth can create a composite image in three dimensions from thousands of photos. Even though the technology has now been around for a few years. Photosynth is still impressive and I've been looking to see what has come of it. I found several examples, this one just serves to reinforce David Williams' point about the number of perspectives needed to build the picture.


Grumbles Law aspires to be the leading innovative law firm by building long-term relationships with clients based on ethics, trust, and the highest standards of creativity and professionalism. Our customers are extremely passionate about the work they are doing, and we strive to match their enthusiasm and passion on every level. The clients that Grumbles Law works with are seen as thought leaders in their given industry, are driven by an internal mission and in all cases have a beautiful entrepreneurial spirit.


text:
NOWCAST WISN 12 News at 9 p.m.
Fond du Lac honors trooper killed in shootout with robbery suspect
Trooper Trevor Casper killed March 24
Updated: 6:38 PM CDT May 15, 2015
Max Seigle
Friends and former teachers remember Trooper Trevor Casper
Special tribute was paid to fallen Wisconsin State Trooper Trevor Casper Friday afternoon.VIDEO: Fond du Lac holds special tribute for fallen Trooper Trevor Casper"Trevor's sacrifice is one that will also have a profound and lasting legacy in our community and within our department, not just because he laid down his life on our city streets but because he died a hero," Fond du Lac Police Chief Bill Lamb said.The Fond du Lac Police Department hosted a public memorial for fallen officers as part of National Police Week.President John F. Kennedy declared May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day in 1962.Casper was tracking the car of suspected bank robber Steven Timothy Snyder on March 24. Both Casper and Snyder died in the shoot-out that followed.It was Casper's first day on the job alone. His family was at the ceremony."Mr. and Mrs. Casper, there is no doubt in my mind that your son's actions saved the lives others in our community on that fateful day. Your son, Trooper Trevor Casper, stopped pure evil that day," Lamb said.The department paid tribute to three Fond du Lac Police Department members killed in the line of duty:- Officer William Prinslow, Nov. 19, 1898- Officer Nick Klaske, Oct. 31, 1961- Officer Craig Birkholz, March 20, 2011"The challenges faced by today's police officers seem next to impossible at times," Lamb said in a written statement. "Please continue to keep these very brave men and women and their families in your thoughts and prayers."The ceremony was open to the public.
FOND DU LAC, Wis. —
Special tribute was paid to fallen Wisconsin State Trooper Trevor Casper Friday afternoon.
VIDEO: Fond du Lac holds special tribute for fallen Trooper Trevor Casper
Report released on shooting of State Patrol trooper
Community shaken, saddened as fallen trooper's body is returned home
Family: Fallen Wisconsin Trooper 'Would do anything for anyone'
"Trevor's sacrifice is one that will also have a profound and lasting legacy in our community and within our department, not just because he laid down his life on our city streets but because he died a hero," Fond du Lac Police Chief Bill Lamb said.
The Fond du Lac Police Department hosted a public memorial for fallen officers as part of National Police Week.
President John F. Kennedy declared May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day in 1962.
Casper was tracking the car of suspected bank robber Steven Timothy Snyder on March 24. Both Casper and Snyder died in the shoot-out that followed.
It was Casper's first day on the job alone. His family was at the ceremony.
"Mr. and Mrs. Casper, there is no doubt in my mind that your son's actions saved the lives others in our community on that fateful day. Your son, Trooper Trevor Casper, stopped pure evil that day," Lamb said.
The department paid tribute to three Fond du Lac Police Department members killed in the line of duty:
- Officer William Prinslow, Nov. 19, 1898
- Officer Nick Klaske, Oct. 31, 1961
- Officer Craig Birkholz, March 20, 2011
"The challenges faced by today's police officers seem next to impossible at times," Lamb said in a written statement. "Please continue to keep these very brave men and women and their families in your thoughts and prayers."
The ceremony was open to the public.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


CALL TO ORDER: Mrs. Pschirrer called this Hooper Trustees meeting to order at 8:11 PM.
HOOPER TRUSTEES MEETING – January 18, 2018: Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Minutes of the Hooper Trustees meeting of January 18, 2018, as submitted. Seconded by Ms. Mayberry. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the minutes were approved.
Hooper Mansion: Mrs. Pschirrer will be meeting with an antique dealer tomorrow. Hopefully he will take the dishes and other miscellaneous items that did not sell. Mr. Paul Colburn at the Recycling Center will accept the mattresses. The Hooper Maintenance Fund will pay for this.
Mr. Dalessio moved to enter into a Non-Public Hooper Trustees Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (d) Acquisition, Sale or Lease of Real or Personal Property. Ms. Mayberry seconded the motion and, on a roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved at 8:16 PM.
The regular Hooper Trustees meeting resumed at 8:21 PM.
Mr. Dalessio moved that the Minutes of the Non-Public Hooper Trustees Session of January 25, 2018, be sealed. Seconded by Ms. Mayberry. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.
Mr. Dalessio moved to adjourn this Hooper Trustees meeting. Seconded by Ms. Mayberry. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the meeting was adjourned at 8:22 PM.


Located in the cultural district of San José, this newly restored Victorian mansion offers 31 rooms individually decorated and furnished with exquisite taste, guaranteed to please even the most demanding traveler. Rather than impersonal numbers, every room is lovingly named after a species of flower native to Costa Rica.
Original artwork adorns the walls of each room. Warm, rich woods and soft colors provide an atmosphere for complete relaxation, and large comfortable beds guarantee a good night's sleep.
The Fleur de Lys's elegant restaurant is well known and respected for its New Costa Rican Cuisine. In addition to thr superb dinner menu, there is a complimentary breakfast for each of the guests.
The cosmopolitan bar is a great place for sharing special romantic moments, as well as meeting Costa Ricans and international travelers. Every Tuesday and Friday night, guests enjoy a Happy Hour from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The front desk clerks will gladly assist you in confirming flights or tours, as well as providing information on additional points of interest within Costa Rica.
"I could not have been more pleased with the quality of the accommodation ... My highest praise, however, is reserved for the service. I have stayed at very reputable hotels throughout the United States, but the staff at the Fleur de Lys was far superior to these "five star" hotels."
Rates include taxes and breakfast.
There is no additional charge for children under 12 (max 2) when sharing Suite or Master Suite with their parents.


Eugonia was one of the first ART units to be certified for its services in Assisted Reproductive Medicine.
The ISO certification 9001:2008 was obtained after a detailed review/inspection of their unit in January 2010. In 2018, Eugonia was also certified for ISO EN 15224:2012 in the field of health. This ISO illustrates the constant quality control in all levels of Eugonia's departments (clinical, laboratory, administrative) leading to higher success rates and patient satisfaction.
The areas of the Embryology Laboratory and of egg collections/embryo transfers operate under special systems for sterile controlled atmosphere. In all clinical and laboratory procedures, non-toxic single-use materials are used, chosen for their high quality and effectiveness. Cleanliness of the environment is secured with the use of special filters and air-exchange systems. Clear and detailed protocols take place for every procedure. Continuous monitoring of all factors that may affect the embryos and the gametes contributes to the quality assurance.
The unit is designed to offer a functional, as well as comfortable and pleasant environment, regarding patient's safety, treatment effectiveness and quality system improvement.


text:
The Meaning of Reliability in Sociology
Major Sociologists
Deviance & Crime
News & Issues
Research, Samples, and Statistics
Science, Tech, Math › Social Sciences
The four procedures for assessing reliability
Paul Bradbury / Getty Images
by Ashley Crossman
Reliability is the degree to which a measurement instrument gives the same results each time that it is used, assuming that the underlying thing being measured does not change. For example, if the temperature in a room stays the same, a reliable thermometer will always give the same reading. A thermometer that lacks reliability would change even when the temperature does not. Note, however, that the thermometer does not have to be accurate in order to be reliable. It might always register three degrees too high, for example. Its degree of reliability has to do instead with the predictability of its relationship with whatever is being tested.
Methods to Assess Reliability
In order to assess reliability, the thing being measured must be measured more than once. For example, if you wanted to measure the length of a sofa to make sure it would fit through a door, you might measure it twice. If you get an identical measurement twice, you can be confident you measured reliably.
There are four procedures for assessing reliability. The term "test" refers to a group of statements on a questionnaire, an observer's quantitative or qualitative evaluation, or a combination of the two.
1 - The Test-Retest Procedure
Here, the same test is given two or more times. For example, you might create a questionnaire with a set of ten statements to assess confidence. These ten statements are then given to a subject twice at two different times. If the respondent gives similar answers both times, you can assume the questions assessed the subject's answers reliably. On the plus side, only one test needs to be developed for this procedure. However, there are a few downsides: Events might occur between testing times that affect the respondents' answers and thus change their responses; answers might change over time simply because people change and grow over time; and the subject might adjust to the test the second time around, think more deeply about the questions and reevaluate the answers.
2 - The Alternative Forms Procedure
In this case, two tests are given two or more times. For example, you might create two sets of five statements for two different questionnaires measuring confidence. If the person gives similar answers for both tests each time, you can assume you measured the concept reliably. One advantage is that cueing will be less of a factor because the two tests are different. However, it's also possible the respondent will grow and mature between the timing of the two tests and that will account for differences in answers.
3 - The Split-Halves Procedure
In this procedure, a single test is given once. A grade is assigned to each half separately and grades are compared from each half. For example, you might have one set of ten statements on a questionnaire to assess confidence. Respondents take the test and the questions are then split into two sub-tests of five items each. If the score on the first half mirrors the score on the second half, you can presume that the test measured the concept reliably. On the plus side, history, maturation and cueing aren't at play. However, scores can vary greatly depending on the way in which the test is divided into halves.
4 - The Internal Consistency Procedure
Here, the same test is administered once, and the score is based upon average similarity of responses. For example, in a ten-statement questionnaire to measure confidence, each response comprises sub-test. The similarity in responses to each of the ten statements is used to assess reliability. If the respondent doesn't answer all ten statements in a similar way, then one can assume that the test is not reliable. Again, history, maturation and cueing aren't a consideration with this method. However, the number of statements in the test can affect the assessment of reliability when assessing it internally.
Validity in Sociology: Is This Reliable?
Tips to Create Effective Matching Questions for Assessments
Collection of Learning Styles Tests and Inventories
How Does the Radiocarbon Dating Method Work and Is It Reliable?
Demystifying Scales in Social Science Research
Likert Scale: What Is It and How to Use It?
Get an Overview of the Different Types of Testing in Special Education
Who Gets Credit for Inventing the Thermometer?
What Do Achievement Tests Measure?
How to Construct an Index for Research
Know What a Dependent Variable Is in Science
About the HiSET High School Equivalency Exam
What Is a Good SSAT or ISEE Private School Admission Score?
What You Need to Know About Standardized Testing
What Are the Many Purposes of Testing?
Constructing a Questionnaire


text:
Q: Why isn't my typed actor being restarted by its guardian? I'm experimenting with Akka typed. I have a dummy actor which emulates a flaky worker:
import akka.actor.typed.Behavior
import akka.actor.typed.receptionist.{Receptionist, ServiceKey}
import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.Behaviors

import scala.util.Random

object DummyActor {
  def behavior[T](serviceKey: ServiceKey[T]): Behavior[Any] = Behaviors.setup { ctx =>

    ctx.system.receptionist ! Receptionist.Register(serviceKey, ctx.self)

    ctx.log.info("Woohoo, I'm alive!")

    Thread.sleep(1000)

    if (Random.nextInt(10) > 5)
      throw new IllegalStateException("Something bad happened!")

    Behaviors.empty
  }
}

and its guardian with a router:
import akka.actor.typed.{Behavior, SupervisorStrategy}
import akka.actor.typed.receptionist.ServiceKey
import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.Behaviors

object MyCluster {

  val serviceKey: ServiceKey[String] = ServiceKey[String]("cluster")

  val strategy = SupervisorStrategy.restart

  val behavior: Behavior[String] = Behaviors.setup { ctx =>

    (1 to 5).foreach { i =>
      ctx.log.info(s"Spawning actor #$i")
      ctx.spawn(
        Behaviors.supervise(DummyActor.behavior(serviceKey))
                 .onFailure[Throwable](strategy),
        s"actor-$i"
      )
    }

    val router = ctx.spawn(RandomRouter.clusterRouter(serviceKey), "router")

    Behaviors.empty
  }
}

My router listens to receptionist events:
import java.util.concurrent.ThreadLocalRandom

import akka.actor.Address
import akka.actor.typed.{ActorRef, Behavior}
import akka.actor.typed.receptionist.{Receptionist, ServiceKey}
import akka.actor.typed.scaladsl.Behaviors
import akka.cluster.ClusterEvent.{ReachabilityEvent, ReachableMember, UnreachableMember}
import akka.cluster.typed.{Cluster, Subscribe}

object RandomRouter {
  private final case class WrappedReachabilityEvent(event: ReachabilityEvent)

  // same as above, but also subscribes to cluster reachability events and
  // avoids routees that are unreachable
  def clusterRouter[T](serviceKey: ServiceKey[T]): Behavior[T] =
    Behaviors.setup[Any] { ctx ⇒
      ctx.system.receptionist ! Receptionist.Subscribe(serviceKey, ctx.self)

      val cluster = Cluster(ctx.system)
      // typically you have to map such external messages into this
      // actor's protocol with a message adapter
      val reachabilityAdapter: ActorRef[ReachabilityEvent] = ctx.messageAdapter(WrappedReachabilityEvent.apply)

      cluster.subscriptions ! Subscribe(reachabilityAdapter, classOf[ReachabilityEvent])

      def routingBehavior(routees: Vector[ActorRef[T]], unreachable: Set[Address]): Behavior[Any] =
        Behaviors.receive { (ctx, msg) ⇒
          msg match {
            case serviceKey.Listing(services) ⇒
              if (services.isEmpty) {
                ctx.log.info("Found no services")
              } else {
                ctx.log.info(s"Found services: ${services.map(_.path).mkString(", ")}")
              }
              routingBehavior(services.toVector, unreachable)
            case WrappedReachabilityEvent(event) => event match {
              case UnreachableMember(m) =>
                ctx.log.warning(s"Member ${m.uniqueAddress.address} has become unreachable")
                routingBehavior(routees, unreachable + m.address)
              case ReachableMember(m) =>
                ctx.log.info(s"Member ${m.uniqueAddress.address} has become reachable again")
                routingBehavior(routees, unreachable - m.address)
            }

            case other: T @unchecked ⇒
              if (routees.isEmpty)
                Behaviors.unhandled
              else {
                val reachableRoutes =
                  if (unreachable.isEmpty) routees
                  else routees.filterNot { r => unreachable(r.path.address) }

                val i = ThreadLocalRandom.current.nextInt(reachableRoutes.size)
                reachableRoutes(i) ! other
                Behaviors.same
              }
          }
        }

      routingBehavior(Vector.empty, Set.empty)
    }.narrow[T]
}

But I find that when I start my cluster, ultimately I'll find some actors have died (expectedly), but not restarted, leaving me with logs like this:
[INFO] [06/01/2018 18:11:14.242] [cluster-system-akka.actor.default-dispatcher-4] [akka://cluster-system/user/router] Found services: akka://cluster-system/user/actor-4, akka://cluster-system/user/actor-3, akka://cluster-system/user/actor-1, akka://cluster-system/user/actor-5

Why isn't MyCluster#strategy restarting the failed actors?

A: The code and associated comments for SupervisorStrategy#restart hold the answer.
If there's an exception during actor setup, restarting would be dangerous because of the potential to create an infinite-restart loop. Instead, it's recommended to use restartWithBackoff for start-up supervision.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Day of the Fight was een korte documentaire die tegenwoordig vooral bekendstaat als de eerste film van Stanley Kubrick. De film is gebaseerd op een artikel dat Kubrick ooit in een tijdschrift had geschreven. Hij volgt een bokser in zijn voorbereiding op een belangrijke wedstrijd. De film is in het publiek domein.

Verwijzingen

 Day of the Fight op Internet Archive (stream en download)

Amerikaanse film
Film uit 1951
Documentaire
Film in het publiek domein
Korte film
Sportfilm
Film van Stanley Kubrick

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Erro de URL em pesquisa no google com Laravel Fala pessoal, estou com o seguinte problema desenvolvi este site aqui, se vocês irem no google e digitar passe bem concursos ele aparece no buscador tranquilamente, porem isso na versão desktop. Agora se tentar acessar na versão mobile no google ele acha o site mais ao invés de usar a URL padrão que seria www.passebemconcursos.com.br ele faz isso m.passebemconcursos.com.br e isso faz com que a página não abra mais se eu ir e digitar na barra de pesquisa no navegador a URL correta ela abre tranquilamente o problema mesmo está sendo quando fazem a busca do site no próprio google.
Estou usando laravel gostaria de saber se tem como converter essa URL para a correta.

A: Pessoal conseguir resolver meu problema aqui está a resposta caso alguém tenha o mesmo erro eu abri o arquivo .HTACESS e coloquei um redirect
redirect 301 http://m.seusite.com.br/aquivo_novo.htm http://www.seusite.com.br/aquivo_novo.htm


text:
My Journey into Haunting Ambivalence
Not to be outdone by fellow bloggers, I figured I'd post my own link to a Michael Barnes article that resonates well with me. The article "So Sick of Your Excuses" is a memorable tirade about the corporatization of the video game industry that routinely results in worse game products:
Michael Barnes wrote:
And maybe- just maybe, guys- gaming consumers aren't Pavlovian idiots responding to your marketing. Maybe- just maybe- consumers should be respected instead of treated as marks for day one DLC scams, unasked for multiplayer, and used game lock-out tactics like online passes. Could it be that maybe people are starting to NOT want the shit you're selling? Could it be that with more choices available, the guys that treat their customers like mindless trash are the ones seeing losses, failures, and missed expectations?
I've been a video gamer since the 80's when I was a young little lad. Perhaps I have always look back with rose-tinted glasses, but for me the best moments of video gaming existed roughly in the 1997 to 2003 era. Since then, I really struggle to engage with most video games – despite high levels of initial interest. Perhaps it's that I'm getting burnt out on most of the titles, or perhaps my expectations are off and I'll never recapture the glory days. Or perhaps, it's as M. Barnes says, and the games "just fucking suck."
I think that most of the major video game genres (RTS, RPG, FPS, MMO, etc.) hit a plateau during that era, and the commercial successes of a few key games in each genre set the stage for a flood of "me too" clones and copycat designs that continue to this day. AAA titles are largely regurgitations of prior versions, with the big establishments playing it safe and doing the next version of the same game over and over. Rather than allow gameplay and design to evolve and innovate within a genre (or create new genres, heaven forbid), games pander to the lowest common denominator of player in a pitch to get more sales and make the game "more accessible" for mainstream crowds. Screw that.
So You Want to Be a Gamer?
In 1989, Sierra Entertainment released the first installment of their PC quest series "Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero?" Incidentally, the series was originally called HeroQuest, until Milton Bradley in corroboration with everyone's favorite game publisher requested a name change to not conflict with a well-known boardgame. See, this post IS related to boardgames!
That aside, the Quest for Glory series is one of my most beloved gaming moments. It blended an intriguing adventure story (stuffed with interesting characters and a good dose of humor) with action and modest roleplaying depth – all done with a good level of simplification that kept gameplay focused on the big-picture experience and not the minute details. The narrative was interesting and the choices you made mattered – and the world moved on without you. There were tough choices to be made, and despite being "almost" an open sand-box game you couldn't do everything.
All of this combined to yield a game that was highly immersive and challenging – characteristics which made replaying the games over and over irresistible. It also set the barometer quite high for what I look for in video games. The series is well cemented in my gaming consciousness.
Which is part of the reason why I struggle to come to terms with Bethesda's Elder Scroll Series…
The Elder Scrolls is a series of Action RPG video games, kicked off with Elder Scrolls I: The Arena in 1994. The second installment, Daggerfall was released in 1996, Morrowind in 2002, Oblivion in 2006, and the latest installment Skyrim in 2011. The changes and shifts in approach wrought in the series embodies, almost entirely, the tragedy I see playing out across the entire game industry.
I was first introduced to the series with Morrowind – and it was love at first sight. In my mind, The Elder Scrolls games are the spiritual successors to the Quest for Glory series wrapped in the promise of an open-ended 3D world to explore. Bethesda's unofficial tag line for the whole Elder Scrolls experience can be summed up in one design objective: "Live another life in another world." An ambitious goal to be sure. But as much as I love the games: where there is love, there can also be pain.
So I've come to the heart of the post, and of my own struggle with the Elder Scrolls series. And in a strange and introspective way, it is my struggle with all of gaming in all its forms. It can be stated simply with this question:
I can readily spend 100's of hours adventuring in the giant sandbox worlds of Bethesda's games. Or spend comparable amounts of time building up my fleets and industries in one of Egosoft's X-Series games (also giant sandboxes). Or building a space empire in Armada 2526 (one my current favorite 4X games). Or blasting away the hours in Mechwarrior Online or the countless others shooters that have come before.
I do all this, and without fail I come to a moment where I step back and say to myself, usually out loud: what's the point?
I've been thinking about an answer to this question, and what draws me to certain games, and what ultimately pushes me away. The love and the pain as it were. And I think it comes down to three factors: narrative, immersion and challenge.
Narrative can be a number of things. It might be the story line. Or it could be the sense of progression towards some central conflict with an interesting resolution based on my historic choices. Or it could be the arc facing different goals and obstacles over the course of the game. Or it could be the novel and interesting stories that you and friends talk about for years to come. The narrative is simply the story of how the game unfolded, and games with a strong narrative are more memorable.
Immersion likewise can be many things. It might be the components of a board game, or the graphics and audio of a video game that draw you into the game world, where you emerge 15 days later from the dungeons wondering what happened in the real world why you were out. Immersion is about making the game world believable and putting the person playing the game in a way that is harmonious with the theme and pseudo-reality of game world.
Challenge is really related to gameplay and mechanics. It can be the challenge posed by the game system itself, or by other players in competitive games. But the key is that good games continually challenge players – pushing them to work harder, to improve, and to reward those improvements in step with the level of challenge players face. It is the obstacles and the incentive structures of the game.
My frustration with the gaming industry overall (mostly levied at video games), has to do with missed opportunities in these three factors; manifest through failing to provide compelling choices that matter to the narrative, an inability to maintain a suspension of disbelief, and the gradual dumbing down of gameplay and challenge. Let's explore my growing frustration in terms of the Elder Scrolls…
The Skyrim Conundrum
When I play a game, of any kind, I want to feel like I'm an active agent in the unfolding narrative of the game space. I want to feel that my actions have consequences and broader effects. Yet, I also want the game world to plod onwards towards its own fate in the absence of my action. It's a tough thing to achieve. I'm going to reference our dear friend Michael Barnes, because his commentary/review on Skyrim, the Elder Scrolls newest installment, is levied at the same struggle I'm experiencing:
There is a certain point at which the incentives the game has to offer break down and what it gives you is either less than or the same as something you've previously experienced or earned.
The directionless wandering, getting mired in endless fetch-quests and errands for various factions, and- um- what was that main quest line again? There's never a sense of compelling urgency, tension, or desperation even when NPCs are urging you to go all the way across the map. Go ahead, you have time to collect the ten bear pelts. The end of the world will wait for you.
The process of ticking off quests from the list has begun to feel shallow, and the lack of any kind of challenge in combat, puzzles, or survival is making the game feel spent.
The skill progression and classless system has also begun to feel empty. Without any kind of class restriction, your character can do just about anything. It's just a question of how well they do it. … I've tried to stay focused, but it's becoming boring playing a jack-of-all-trades.
I don't know if simply playing the game and looking at those beautiful faux-Scandinavian vistas is enough of a reward in itself at this point.
That sequence of quotes mirrors my own feelings about Skyrim – and the central criticism that in the absence of challenging gameplay, and in the absence of a sense of agency and narrative in the world, are the pretty graphics enough to hold the game? For me, I admit, it is nearly the only reason why I still play the game – a testament to its immersive accomplishments.
I don't find the basic gameplay challenging at all. Out of the box, the the RPG mechanics are far too easy to work to your advantage. And the risk of death is non-existent; not only because you can easily reload the game (unavoidable, generally speaking), but because going into the menu to slam 15 different potions "pauses the external action" allowing you to risk-free restore all your health, switch around equipment, get your new spells ready, and whatever else you have up your sleeve. It's just all too easy and forgiving.
It's too easy to develop your character to do everything well - there is no hard choice. The quest lines have minimal interaction with each other, so rarely are you forced to ever make a genuine narrative decision between A and B. The quest dialogue options perpetuates this failing – often choosing the "wrong" dialogue response results in the NPC saying "you sure" and then forcing you to pick the "right choice" anyway. And there are no hard choices to make in what you bring with you on your adventure. As there are no survival requirements (totally missed opportunity in such an immersive RPG), your carrying weight limit is mostly irrelevant – and the lack of survival needs places no imperative on the player to pick a course of action and execute it. You are free to wander in the sandbox aimlessly forever.
As Barnes points out, the quest narratives are repetitive and trivial, with rewards that are redundant and uninspiring; and outcomes that have little bearing on the game world itself. Wit, humor, intrigue, and other positive adjectives that might make the characters and quest situations more engaging are mostly absent, except in the rare circumstances. Coupled with the hand-holding that the map and quest journal provide, playing the game is a matter of turning on the auto-pilot. The player rarely has to make any lasting choices that result in long-term changes to the narrative. You don't need to engage your brain.
Despite these monstrous issues, I've found that I come back to the game on occasion. And the reason is that it succeeds tremendously as an immersive experience. For me, the game is at its best when I set out on an adventure. As a matter of preference, I avoid the fast travel feature in the game (the ability to warp between known map locations at will) because it undercuts the only redeeming quality of the game: the immersive experience. Wandering from point A to point B – maybe getting sidetracked to help a famer find his daughter or to deal with some scum-bag bandits, or maybe coming across an incredible vista at a particularly beautiful time of day – that is where the magic and love of the game is. But ultimately the immersion wears thin – and the rest of it is painful.
A Collapse of Promises
My bigger question is this: why couldn't the game have been more challenging and more narratively engaging?
What happened in the gaming industry where immersion was suddenly all that mattered and having a good design was irrelevant? Why did game developers stop asking their audiences to think?
Incidentally, Morrowind, the 3rd installment in the series and my favorite by far, had avoided many of these issues and provided greater challenge, narrative, and immersion. Players actually had to be, you know, really really good at magic to become the Archmage of the guild – and the rewards for accomplishing that goal were commensurate to the challenge of getting there. The narrative was in congruency with the challenge; they fed on each other. And the immersion helped hold it all together.
As a point of comparison, check out this chart, that compares the gameplay mechanics from Morrowind to Oblivion to Skyrim. Almost every single category underscores a dumbing down of the mechanics. I suspect that the Bethesda's justification is that this dumbing down creates a more immersive experience – and I agree with that in principle. But you if you sacrifice everything in the name of immersion – are you really creating a game or are you creating an interactive cinematic experience? Incidentally, I can't help but feel that AAA publishers are hell-bent on creating controlled cinematic experiences, and not really games at all.
Which brings us to the other part of the equation...
Dumb dee dee dumb dumb dumb...
A big issue I have with most mainstream video games these days is the massive levels of dumbing down that occur in the gameplay. This, I'm sure, is an intended move by the big publishers to make their games more accessible to people – particularly for console gamers. As a point of reference, the dumbing down in mechanics between Morrowind and Oblivion coincided with the shift to cross-platform releases on PC and XBOX. Coincidence?
The dumbing down issue is particularly relevant in competitive multiplayer games. Let me offer an example: Counter-Strike. If you don't know, Counter-Strike (CS) was a fan/user game modification ("mod") for Valve's game Half-Life. It was one of the first games aimed at being a competitive team-based modern warfare shooter – maybe it was the first.
Here's the thing: what drove CS's enticing gameplay was the ability to continually improve your skills (actual skills, like hand eye coordination, team work, etc.), and be rewarded for doing so. Early on, before the mod was purchased and released commercially by Valve, top players were massively effective – routinely finishing a series of matches with very high kill to death ratios (e.g. 10+ to 1).
Somewhere along the line, after being made into a commercial product, the developers started patching in little tweaks and artificial adjustments that made it far more difficult for a good player to dominate a map/match. The way movement mechanics worked, jumping, aiming, etc. were all tweaked to make it so you couldn't use your "skill" as effectively. Now – I'm sure among the powers that be, someone said: "these high skill players are turning everyone off to the game because the newbies just get slaughtered!" Hence the dumbing down of mechanics to make it easier for lesser skilled players to compete –they leveled the playing field artificially.
But they missed a HUGE reality of the situation: newbies weren't throwing in the towel in frustration. They looked at the highly skilled players and said to themselves, "I want be that good." And that motivation is what drove the popularity of the game. The subsequent dumbing down process more or less coincided with the decline of the game, and the move to the source engine saw the end of the competitive scene for the most part. It was all over. Remember I mentioned the year 2003 up above? That was the year CS was ported to XBOX. And in large part, this ENTIRE dumbing down initiative is driven by the need to make games work for the console market and with the console input devices.
Salvation?
So much of my disappoint with recent games is in the promises the next game broadcasts in the hype storm, but in reality the developers only intended to deliver the veneer of that promise; because that's all they need to sell the product. Rich and challenging game designs, compelling and deep narratives? Why bother – that sounds like too much work. The reality is that in the giant sandbox of Skyrim, you are not living another life in another world. The "world" sits there passively waiting for the player to turn it on, and when they do it merely provides a nice slideshow.
My hope in the future of games rests in the hands of independent developers and publishers, and I'll lump the hobby boardgame market into this category as well. Between indie developers and game designers willing to provide innovation and narrative coupled with new crowdfunding tools that enable them to avoid the traditional publishing gatekeepers – I think the future will have its bright points. And as the lines start to blur between video games and board games (voardeo games?) – we will hopefully see a return to video games that take the mechanics and narrative pacing to heart in their design, and marry that with the mediums immersive potentials.
Labels: Critical Inquest, Reflections, Video Games
Digital Kills the Physical Star
A View from My Lerkim


text:
Standard Test Method for Determination of Boiling Range Distribution of Distillates and Lubricating Base Oils—in Boiling Range from 100 to 735°C by Gas Chromatography
ICS Code (Lubricants, industrial oils and related products): 75.100
5.1 The boiling range distribution of medium and heavy petroleum distillate fractions provides an insight into the composition of feed stocks and products related to petroleum refining processes... View More
5.1 The boiling range distribution of medium and heavy petroleum distillate fractions provides an insight into the composition of feed stocks and products related to petroleum refining processes (for example, hydrocracking, hydrotreating, visbreaking, or deasphalting). The gas chromatographic simulation of this determination can be used to replace conventional distillation methods for control of refining operations. This test method can be used for product specification testing with the mutual agreement of interested parties.
5.2 This test method extends the scope of boiling range determination by gas chromatography to include distillates (IBP > 100°C) and heavy petroleum distillate fractions beyond the scope of Test Method D2887 (538°C).
5.3 Boiling range distributions obtained by this test method have not been analyzed for correlation to those obtained by low efficiency distillation, such as with Test Method D86 or D1160. This test method does not claim agreement between these physical distillations and simulated distillation. Efforts to resolve this question will continue. When successful resolutions of the questions are determined, this test method will be revised accordingly.
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the boiling range distribution of petroleum products by capillary gas chromatography using flame ionization detection. This standard test method has been developed through the harmonization of two test methods, Test Method D6352 and IP 480. As both of these methods cover the same scope and include very similar operating conditions, it was agreed that a single standard method would benefit the global simulated distillation community.
1.2 This test method is not applicable for the analysis of petroleum or petroleum products containing low molecular weight components (for example naphthas, reformates, gasolines, diesel). Components containing hetero atoms (for example alcohols, ethers, acids, or esters) or residue are not to be analyzed by this test method. See Test Methods D7096, D2887, or D7213 for possible applicability to analysis of these types of materials. This method is also not suitable for samples that will not elute completely from the gas chromatographic column, leaving residues. For such samples as crude oils and residues, see Test Methods D5307 and D7169.
1.3 This test method is applicable to distillates with initial boiling points above 100ºC and final boiling points below 735ºC (carbon 110); for example, distillates (IBP > 100°C), base oils and lubricating base stocks.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
ASTM D7500-15(2019)
Standard Test Method for Determination of Boiling Range Distribution of Distillates and Lubricating Base Oils—in Boiling Range from 100 °C to 735 °C by Gas Chromatography
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the boiling range distribution of petroleum products by capillary gas chromatography using flame ionization detection. This standard test method has...


text:
General Law Enforcement Topics
I just watched a news article about the Raelian Revolution, who assume the persona of a religious group who believe that mankind was created by extra-terrestrial creatures using DNA techniques. Viewing their website (http://www.rael.org/int/english/index.html).
The 13 December 1973 was a lucky day, when a French journalist, only known as Rael, was contacted by one of these extra-terrestrials and asked to establish an embassy to welcome these creatures to Earth. Rael described the creature as being 4 foot tall, with long dark hair, almond shaped eyes, olive skin and exuded harmony and humour. (He was a funny, short, long haired, squinty eyed European who came in peace). He later became known as Yahweh Elohim.
Yahweh told Rael that his mates, who are also called Elohim, were our original gods and that they wanted to return to Earth via the embassy. The Elohim have over the centuries maintained contact through Buddha, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed, who the Elohim educated. Now, the Elohim will not venture into Earth space unless they are invited (It never stopped them before). But first, an embassy has to be built. The embassy has to conform to the following:
"Have a residence built in a pleasant country with a mild climate, with seven rooms always ready to receive guests, each with a separate bathroom, a conference room able to accommodate twenty-one people, a swimming pool and a dining room capable of seating twenty-one people. This residence should be constructed in the middle of a park and should be protected from curious onlookers. The park should be entirely surrounded by walls to prevent anyone from seeing the residence and the swimming pool. The residence should be situated at a distance of at least one thousand metres from the walls around the park. It will have a maximum of two stories and should be screened from the outskirts of the wall by a barrier of trees and bushes. Install two entrances in the surrounding wall, one to the south and another on the northern side. The residence will also have two entrances. There will be a terrace on the roof where a spacecraft of twelve metres in diameter may land. Access from that terrace to the interior is essential. The air space above and around the residence should not be under direct military or radar surveillance. You will try to ensure that the land where this residence is built - if possible larger than prescribed here - is treated as neutral territory by other nations and by the nation on whose territory it is located, by virtue of it being our embassy on Earth."
"Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open." Sir James Dewar 1842-1923
What I wanna know is, how weirded out does your life need to get before you're signing on this dotted line?
They've managed to incorporate every source of lunacy in their philosophy though - I'll give them credit for being thorough
I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw. --- William Shakespeare (Hamlet)
The latest is that they are prepared to offer cloning of humans for a price. Apparently, a man lost a 10 week old son to heart failure and he has donated a couple of million to their cloning research on the proviso that their first human clone is that of his son.
We are the Police! Resistance is Futile!
[This message has been edited by Artie (edited 06-30-2001).]


text:
(-) Close up
(-) Dance
(-) Music
(-) Dance (24)
(-) Music (24)
(-) Theatre (24)
(-) Close up (24)
"Jour d'artistes", accounts from 25 artists on the effects of the health crisis
On Saturday 28 November 2020 from 5pm to midnight, Télérama and Le Centquatre have teamed up, in partnership with the Institut français, to give the opportunity to twenty or so artists to speak. The event has been named "Jour d'artistes" (Artists Day), and will be relayed on this page.
Online open-studios #2 – December 2020
The artists in residence through the programme of the Institut français at the Cité internationale des arts will be featured from December 7 to 10, on the Facebook and Instagram pages of the Institut français.
French Culture Month in Cuba… visits Cubans at home
For the 5th edition of French Culture Month in Cuba organised from 18 to 31 May 2021, all the Cubans have to do is get comfortable in their living rooms to follow one of the unmissable events in their cultural calendar.
The Lebanese artistic scene is in the spotlight!
In an intense crisis that is having a heavy impact on the Lebanese cultural scene, and in the continuity of the emergency aid to Lebanon announced by the French Head of State in September 2020, the Institut français is taking action to support Lebanese artists and creators. Following the launch of...
Online open-studios #3 – March 2021
For their third edition, the online open-studios of the recipients of the Institut français / Cité internationale des arts residency programme are back on the Institut français Instagram account. From 22 to 24 March 2021, see the work and research of these artists-in-residence in Paris.
9 May 2021: a day to celebrate Europe!
Europe Day has been marked on 9 May since 1985 to commemorate the Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950, considered the cornerstone of the European project. On this occasion, the Institut français is highlighting European players from very different backgrounds!


text:
Q: "error setting certificate verify locations: CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none" i am trying to install certbot but i am getting these errors
[ec2-user@ip-myip ~]$ sudo yum update
Loaded plugins: extras_suggestions, langpacks, priorities, update-motd
Could not retrieve mirrorlist https://amazonlinux-2-repos-eu-south-1.s3.dualstack.eu-south-1.amazonaws.com/2/core/latest/x86_64/mirror.list error was
14: curl#77 - "error setting certificate verify locations:  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none"
Could not retrieve mirrorlist https://amazonlinux-2-repos-eu-south-1.s3.dualstack.eu-south-1.amazonaws.com/2/extras/docker/latest/x86_64/mirror.list error was
14: curl#77 - "error setting certificate verify locations:  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none"
Could not retrieve mirrorlist https://amazonlinux-2-repos-eu-south-1.s3.dualstack.eu-south-1.amazonaws.com/2/extras/epel/latest/x86_64/mirror.list error was
14: curl#77 - "error setting certificate verify locations:  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none"
Could not retrieve mirrorlist https://amazonlinux-2-repos-eu-south-1.s3.dualstack.eu-south-1.amazonaws.com/2/extras/kernel-5.10/latest/x86_64/mirror.list error was
14: curl#77 - "error setting certificate verify locations:  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none"
Could not get metalink https://mirrors.fedoraproject.org/metalink?repo=epel-7&arch=x86_64 error was
14: curl#77 - "error setting certificate verify locations:  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none"
https://repo.mongodb.org/yum/amazon/2/mongodb-org/5.0/x86_64/repodata/repomd.xml: [Errno 14] curl#77 - "error setting certificate verify locations:  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none"
Trying other mirror.
222 packages excluded due to repository priority protections
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package epel-release.noarch 0:7-11 will be updated
---> Package epel-release.noarch 0:7-14 will be an update
---> Package mongodb-database-tools.x86_64 0:100.6.1-1 will be updated
---> Package mongodb-database-tools.x86_64 0:100.7.0-1 will be an update
---> Package mongodb-mongosh.x86_64 0:1.7.1-1.el8 will be updated
---> Package mongodb-mongosh.x86_64 0:1.8.0-1.el8 will be an update
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Total size: 94 M
Total download size: 94 M
Is this ok [y/d/N]: y
Downloading packages:
Delta RPMs disabled because /usr/bin/applydeltarpm not installed.
mongodb-database-tools-100.7.0 FAILED
https://repo.mongodb.org/yum/amazon/2/mongodb-org/5.0/x86_64/RPMS/mongodb-database-tools-100.7.0.x86_64.rpm: [Errno 14] curl#77 - "error setting certificate verify locations:  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none"
Trying other mirror.
mongodb-mongosh-1.8.0.x86_64.r FAILED
https://repo.mongodb.org/yum/amazon/2/mongodb-org/5.0/x86_64/RPMS/mongodb-mongosh-1.8.0.x86_64.rpm: [Errno 14] curl#77 - "error setting certificate verify locations:  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt CApath: none"
Trying other mirror.

Error downloading packages:
  mongodb-database-tools-100.7.0-1.x86_64: [Errno 256] No more mirrors to try.
  mongodb-mongosh-1.8.0-1.el8.x86_64: [Errno 256] No more mirrors to try.

if i look in the folder the file is here
[ec2-user@ip-myip ~]$ cd /etc/pki/tls/certs/
[ec2-user@ip-myip certs]$ ls -a
.  ..  ca-bundle.crt  ca-bundle.trust.crt  make-dummy-cert  Makefile  newcsr.pem  renew-dummy-cert

getting the same any time i trying to do something using yum, i also cannot update nothing and install nothing


text:
A Psychology Alumnus Applies His Ph.D. Research to Build Social, Racial, and Environmental Justice in Architecture
A Psychology Alumnus Applies His Ph.D. Research to Build Social, Racial, and Environmental Justice i
Todd Levon Brown
Todd Levon Brown (Ph.D. '21, Psychology) is putting his doctoral research into action with a prestigious fellowship that aims to bring social, environmental, and racial justice to the field of architecture. The recipient of the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture's Race and Gender in the Built Environment Fellowship, Brown is teaching architecture students to challenge traditional architectural pedagogy with community-focused, inclusive designs.
The path he designed to this fellowship began at the University of Illinois Chicago with an undergraduate degree in architecture and a master's in public health, where he began to focus on racial and environmental justice. He followed that with a master's in architecture, but became disenchanted with the field, as he told Archinect.com, because it "did not prioritize racial and many other social considerations in its design philosophy." Brown decided that his "next goal would be to complete a research doctorate that would allow me to synthesize my knowledge of architectural design and public and environmental health issues while emphasizing social, environmental, and racial justice. My search for the perfect Ph.D. program eventually led me to the environmental psychology program at the Graduate Center."
He spoke to us about his research, his goals for teaching architecture students and for the field of architecture, and how the Graduate Center inspired him.
The Graduate Center: What are you teaching at Austin and what do you hope the students take away?
Brown: I'm teaching studio workshops and the theme is socioracial sustainability and inclusion within architecture and urban design. We look at a variety of aspects, from designing for lower income groups and people of color to how their architectural projects, especially residential and in a gentrifying neighborhood can start to give back to the community via inclusive communal spaces.
GC: How are you applying your dissertation research about central Harlem to your work at the University of Texas?
Brown: My dissertation, Environmental Cues and the Sociospatial Imaginary: An Examination of Spatial Perception and Meaning-Making in a Gentrifying Neighborhood, looked at the nuances of architectural and spatial perception in the context of gentrification. It showed the very nuanced ways in which people perceive spaces as exclusive rather than inclusive. My dissertation is directly applicable now because I'm able to work with these future architects and say that these are the considerations that they need to bring into their projects, to think about the fact that they're designing for the community.
The students have been extremely open and excited to learn about architecture in a different way that's not part of traditional pedagogy. They have gotten thrilled for this workshop. That's been one of the most rewarding aspects about it. I'm so passionate about it because, even though I had a great architectural education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, these types of topics were missing. I was trained on how to be an architect, which is great, but I was not trained on how to really critically consider community.
GC: How did your experience at the Graduate Center influence what you're doing now?
Brown: It directly shaped what I'm doing. My adviser was Professor Emeritus David Chapin. Mine was the last dissertation that he oversaw. I was so lucky because David was a licensed architect and I always tell him that I learned more about architecture in the environmental psychology program than I did during my undergraduate and my graduate programs in architecture. It was not until I was exposed to the readings and theory in environmental psychology that everything started to make sense.
GC: What are you thinking about longer term after the fellowship?
Brown: I'm always open to any opportunities that allow me to implement change at more systemic and institutional levels. That's probably the next goal, to broaden my horizon in terms of the applicability of my work beyond the studio to working with firms, working with schools of architecture, working across pedagogy and practice in order to implement change on a broader scale.
GC: You have put you research into action.
Brown: These architecture students are getting exposure to this critical socially and racially centered education as part of their architectural training. That itself is a reward for me.
Published by the Office of Communications and Marketing
Submitted on: NOV 17, 2021
Category: Alumni News | Diversity | Environmental | Environmental Psychology | GCstories | General GC News | Voices of the GC


text:
Er bestaan verschillende scheppingsverhalen in Egypte. Elk groot religieus centrum had zo zijn mythe. Hierbij werd de 'lokale' god centraal gesteld en voorgesteld als de schepper van het universum. Waarschijnlijk zullen er bepaalde mythes meer verspreid zijn dan andere, maar we kunnen onmogelijk zeggen welke de belangrijkste was.

Scheppingsverhalen

Scheppingsverhaal van Memphis
Deze mythe is bewaard gebleven op de Shabakasteen, een zwarte granieten plaat gemaakt door koning Shabaka in de 25e dynastie van Egypte, die zich nu bevindt in het British Museum. De god Ptah, die centraal stond in Memphis had zichzelf voortgebracht en schiep alles door het in zijn hart te bedenken en dan luidop uit te spreken. In Egypte dacht men dat het hart de plaats was voor het bewustzijn en het uitspreken toont het geloof in de magische krachten die woorden konden hebben. Hij schiep eerst de goden en dan de tempels. De goden konden daar wonen en Ptah maakte beelden uit hout, klei en steen als lichaam voor hun ka. Hierin zien we het geloof dat een beeld een ziel kon bewaren (denk vb. aan de ka-beelden). Daarna schiep god de mensen en dieren door hun naam te noemen.

Scheppingsverhaal van Hermopolis Magna

Hermopolis Magna bevond zich in Midden-Egypte en was het cultuscentrum voor de god Thot waar hij samen met een achteenheid, de Ogdoade van Hermopolis, werd geëerd. Het scheppingsverhaal is gebaseerd op de verschijnselen in de natuur, wat blijkt uit het volgende verhaal:

In het begin bestond er niks, er was duisternis en de oerwateren. Hierin leefden de vier paren oergoden waarvan de mannelijke soms als kikkers worden voorgesteld, de vrouwelijke als slangen.
 Oerwateren (Noen en Naunet),
 Lucht of verborgen kracht (Amon en Amaunet),
 Duisternis (Kek en Keket) en
 Eindeloosheid (Heh en Hehet)

De kikkers vormden een hoge energie eruptie en het begin van de schepping. Er verscheen een oerheuvel Benben (Eiland van Vlam) uit de oeroceaan Noen en daarop plaatste de god Thot een ei; het ei barstte open en de zon verscheen eruit als een gans  en ze rees naar de hemel.
De Egyptenaren hadden heel goed naar de natuur gekeken. Iedere keer als de Nijl overstroomde ontstonden er weer eilandjes waar het eerste leven op begon in de vorm van kikkers of andere dieren.

Volgens een andere versie verscheen de scheppergod uit een grote lotusbloem die op het water dreef.

Scheppingsverhaal van Elephantine
De stad Elephantine bevindt zich in het huidige Aswan en ze was het cultuscentrum van Chnoem. De scheppingsmythe staat in de muren van de tempel van Esna in Boven-Egypte.
De god Chnoem schiep alle mensen en dieren van klei. Hij maakte ze op zijn pottenbakkersschijf. Door de botten van de mens liet hij bloed stromen en hij legde een huid over het lichaam. Dan bracht hij de longen, het spijsverteringsstelsel, de wervels en de voortplantingsorganen aan. Daarna zorgde hij ervoor dat de mens zich kon voortplanten.

Scheppingsverhaal van Heliopolis

Het scheppingsverhaal van Heliopolis komt voor op een papyrus uit de late tijd, te midden van een aantal bezweringen van de boze geest Apophis, de slang. De papyrus werd in 1861 (of een jaar later) door Rhind uit de handen van de Britse consul in Luxor ontvangen als een gift. Mustafa Aghs had het document verkregen uit de bewaarplaats van koninklijke mummies in Deir-el-Bahari. Er zijn ook een aantal verwijzingen naar het verhaal uit de piramideteksten van Unas.

Er zijn een aantal overeenkomsten met Spreuken 8:22 en volg.

In den beginne was er alleen de Heer van de Uiterste Grenzen, Neb-er-Djer, die in een vormeloos heelal, de oeroceaan Nu, woonde. In dit heelal waren alle latere dingen al in beginsel aanwezig, maar zij waren nog in een staat van hulpeloosheid. Neb-er-Djer begon ernaar te verlangen daar verandering in te brengen en nam daarom de vorm van de schepper, Kheperi, aan door deze naam te uiten. De naam Kheperi wordt gespeld met de scarabeehiëroglief en deze kever was daarom heilig. Hij verwees immers naar de ene schepper. Anders dan in latere monotheïstische religies was Kheperi geen god die zich veel met zijn schepselen bemoeide. Hij liet dat over aan de goden die hij later schiep.

Het eerste dat Kheperi schiep was vaste grond onder zijn voeten. Hij deed dat in On (Heliopolis), opnieuw door Orde (Maät) aan te brengen in zijn gedachten (zijn hart) en een woord uit te spreken. Daarna had hij gemeenschap met zijn eigen vuist en zo schiep hij Shu en Tefnut, de god van de droge lucht (gas, atmosfeer) en de godin van het vochtig principe (vloeistof). Zo was de eerste drieëenheid een feit.

Shu en Tefnut hadden gemeenschap en hun kinderen waren Geb, de aardgod en Nut de hemelgodin. Zolang het donker was lag Nut in de armen van Geb en zo werd het volgende godengeslacht geboren, namelijk Osiris, Seth, Isis en Nephthys. Al voor zij geboren werden waren Osiris en Isis man en vrouw en zo werd ook hun zoon Horus geboren (hoewel dat volgens andere mythes veel later gebeurde). Seth en Nephthys hadden (volgens een ander verhaal) ook een zoon, de jakhalsgod Inpu (Anubis).

Aan Osiris schonk Kheperi een bijzondere gave. Hij was van gelijke substantie als zijn overgrootvader en daarmee de vleesgeworden schepper. (Later zou hij uit de dood herrijzen en de redder der mensheid worden.)

Het oog van Kheperi is de zon Ra, maar er gebeurde een ramp waardoor het licht van de zon gedoofd werd. Daarom schiep Kheperi een tweede oog, de maan, en gaf het de macht over planten, bomen en gewassen.

De mensheid ten slotte ontstond uit de tranen die Kheperi plengde en zij waren dus de scheppers directe afstammelingen, de kinderen gods, niet een product van de aarde.

Bronnen en literatuur
 Gahlin L., Egypte: goden, mythen en religie, 2001
 Hart G., Egyptian Myths, 1990
 Silotto A., Egypte: tempels, mensen en goden, 1994

Egyptische mythologie
Scheppingsverhaal


text:
PEOPLE – DAVIES B.O. Alderman Mayor etc – Shipbrokers Dinner Tributes.doc
Accreditation Cleveland Standard 07/03/1936
GLOWING TRIBUTES TO
ALD. B. O. DAVIES
COMPLIMENTARY DINNER GIVEN
TO SHIP BROKERS
Sincere tributes from all sides on his generous and strenuous efforts in commercial and civic life, his never-failing patience and his willingness ever to assist his colleagues, tributes in which admiration was mingled with almost reverential respect, were paid to Alderman B. O. Davies, of Redcar and Middlesbrough, at a complimentary dinner given in his honour by the Middlesbrough District Chartered Shipbrokers at the Grand Hotel, Middlesbrough, in recognition of his election as President of the institute of Chartered Ship brokers.
Prominent ship brokers and industrialist, the Mayors of four Boroughs including the Mayor of Redcar (Councillor J. W. Farren), were present at the large gathering of the Middlesbrough Association, presided. He presented to Alderman Davies a framed enlarged photograph of officers, past officers and founder-members of the Middlesbrough Association of which Alderman Davies was president for the first three years of its existence.
The valuable work done for Redcar by Alderman B. O. Davies was pointed out by Councillor W. H. Crosswaite, chairman of the Tees District Development Board, when he proposed the principal toast of the evening, that of "The Guest." It was largely the result of the active interest which Alderman Davies took in public affairs of the town that Redcar was granted a charter.
Shortly after arriving on Tees-side some 45 years ago said Councillor Crosthwaite, Alderman Davies displayed an interest in the respect in public life, and became a member of the old Redcar Urban Council. His contribution in that respect was outstanding and largely as the result of his efforts. Redcar was granted a charter. His work was recognised in that he was appointed Charter Mayor holding that office for three consecutive years
In the wider field of service on the North Riding County Council, his efforts had been no less praiseworthy. He had paid special attention to the more urgent questions of the day, such as the health service. Again as a member of the Tees Conservancy Commissioners, he had been active in urging a widening and deepening of the river, while he had been instrumental of guiding the work of the Tees Pilotage authority, of which he was chairman.
For his services to Finland the President of that country had invited Alderman Davies with the First Class of the White Rose, but undoubtedly his great work had been in connection with the Ship brokers Association. He was a founder member of the Middlesbrough association and its first president, and it was due to his efforts up and down the country that the Institute had been formed.
Councillor Crosthwaite also paid a personal tribute to Alderman Davies when he said, "He is a man whom I am proud to call my friend. I should like to publicly record that fact that my entry into this business which carries my name was entirely due to Alderman Davies. In face of some unofficial opposition he succeeded in placing a stepping stone under my feet. Neither he nor I could have guessed at that moment where that step might lead."
Alderman Davies had left a sick bed and had to reply to the tributes sitting down. He referred to the missionary work which led to the formation of the Institute, pointing out that the ship broker played a vital part in the shipping industry and should be a man of ability and high character. The path of the ship broker has not been too easy since the War, for with the rest he had suffered from the depression in trade barriers and the disturbed political conditions.
A very hopeful outlook regarding trade in the district was expressed by the four Mayors who responded to the toast of "The Trade of Tees-side," which was proposed by Councillor J. Wesley Brown, president of the Tees-side Chamber of Commerce.
"Probably no man has paid a more important part in the trade of Tees-side than Alderman Davies" said the Mayor of Middlesbrough (Councillor A. Elstrop) They were meeting under very happy conditions. For many years it had been deplored that trade in the district was at a very low ebb, but it was possible now to feel with gratitude that things were moving forward. There were signs that trade was improving.
Tees-side had a great future and is might be that the interests of trade would best be served by a closer relationship between the various authorities. "We cannot exist as separate units and trade depends a good deal one upon another," he said.
SITES AVAILABLE
The Mayor of Thornaby, (Councillor J. L. F. McGann) contended that a spirit of co-ordination existed among neighbouring boroughs of Tees-side. This was shown by what was transpiring in connection with the Tees Development Board. There were some excellent sites available on Tees-side for industrial purposes if the Government might be prevailed upon to assist intending purchasers in relieving them of the cost of the sites.
"We have the man power to assist in their production," concluded Councillor McGann.
The Mayor of Redcar (Councillor J. W. Farren) told the gathering that Tees-side was very fortunate at having a borough like Redcar on its doorstep. Every Mayor, Councillor, and citizen was proud to see the bogey of unemployment fading into the distance.
Mr. J. Bolton (local secretary) was in charge of the arrangements.
dean June 15, 2010 People & Characters
EVENT – House sale 6 Newcomen Terrace, Coatham
1877 09 11 Kirkleatham Local Board Meeting
EVENT – Port of Hull Society
ENTERTAINMENT – Entertainment in the Church Schoo-Room, Warrenby.


MONCLERThe Moncler brand was founded in 1952 in France, at Monestiers de Clermont, and is now an active player on the luxury market, and one of the main designers producing and distributing top-end clothing and accessories for women, men and children.Moncler Affton Coat Men Down Coffee,The combination of fashionable brown pattern and simple majestic style adds masculine charm, long and thickened design as well as genuine fur-fringed design gives a sense of warmth.Fur removeable hooded.Buttons front with zip interior.Two zip pockets at chest,also adding two breasted pockets at hem.Elastic sleeves.Simple and finction model.Seemed so heavy,but designed with supreme material,making this kind of jackets become the most useful clothes in a snow and icy winter.Moncler Affton Quilted Leather Jacket-Goose down-Single breasted,button pockets frontMoncler Affton Coat Men Down Coffee,Moncler a clothing sensation beginning in the fashion capital of the world, France. Moncler was found in the 1950's by Rene Ramilion. This collection has been created to interpret an urban and modern style through the eyes of class and elegance. Moncler is a collection specialising in outdoor clothing.


text:
USS Potemkin Shuttlebay
External view of the bay. Excelsior-Class mesh by Chris Kuhn.
This is the shuttlebay of the Potemkin, an Excelsior-Class starship that was mentioned several times in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'. It was one of the previous postings of William Riker, before being XO on the Enterprise.
I started this project by using the incredible Excelsior model by Chris Kuhn as reference for the shape of the room. Once that was done, I pretty much left said shape influence my direction. The massive doors ended up being a huge waste of space, while the location of the room at the back end of the ship limited its layout. No elevators would fit in given the lack of space below the bay, and no doors leading to internal bays could be made to fit on the back wall either.
The shuttles are shown on their storage pads. Before launch, they'd be moved via tractor beams to their respective launch pads (the yellow rectangles) at the center of the bay. Arriving shuttles would do the reverse procedure.
The two Type-7 shuttles are named Sorensen and Kuhn, in gratitude for their help. Chris Kuhn's magnificent Excelsior model made this project possible, and David helped me recover several assets used on the bay, which I originally did long ago for a certain fan game. The smaller Type-15 pods are named Sahade, Zadunaisky, Ringuelet, Varsavsky and Dubner, in honor of Argentine mathematicians and space scientists.
USS Ross Bridge
USS Cerberus Bridge


This course will give an introduction to fundamental aspects of wireless communications: diversity, fading channels, capacity of wireless links, multiple antennas (MIMO), and multiuser systems.
The course is open to students enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Linköping University. External participants upon request. If you have interest to participate, please register by sending an email to the instructor, by Aug. 8th, 2008.
Good knowledge of linear algebra, probability, and stochastic processes. General mathematical maturity. A basic course in digital and/or wireless communications is desirable.
We will cover chapters 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 in the TV textbook (in various level of detail) and some additional material on space-time block coding. Students are expected to read chapters 1, 2 and 4 on their own as a preparation for the course.
The course consists of weekly lectures/seminars (planned for Mondays at 10.15 am). Active participation by students is requested and students will also be expected to present solutions to homework problems in class.
D. Tse and P. Viswanath, Fundamentals of Wireless Communications, Cambridge University Press, 2005.
A. Goldsmith, Wireless communications, Cambridge University Press, 2005.
R. Gallager, Principles of digital communication, Cambridge University Press, 2008.
E. Larsson and P. Stoica, Space-time block coding for wireless communications, Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Two versions (5 and 10 ECTS/hp) will be given. The contents is the same but examination requirements are different.
Presentation of homework solutions (present one or more problem per homework seminar).
Homework to be solved and submitted individually. Deadlines to be strictly observed.


I'm running the latest Beta.
I've noticed that right clicking to choose columns while in the call window tab of the client makes the program hang.
Unfortunately I can't duplicate this. The Technical Support Report probably won't include the incident since it was a couple days ago. Could you send the log file from the day it happened? You can view the log file folder by choosing "View Log Folder" on the Help menu. If it happened on the 15th, please email that one to me at support at ascendis dot com. If you have another email address for me already you could just use that.
For others following this thread: The problem was with one command that brings up a window, but the window was off-screen in this specific case, probably because of a change in monitor arrangement since the window was last used. This made it seem like the program was hung, although pressing Escape closed the window and allowed continued usage.
The problem was fixed by making sure the window (and other program windows) are on-screen after restoring their saved positions. The fix was released in beta version 2.0.0.3 released 2018-11-19.


text:
Alfhild Teresia Agrell, geborene Martin (* 13. Januar 1849 in Härnösand; † 8. November 1923 in Flen) war eine schwedische Schriftstellerin.

Leben
Alfhild Agrell wurde 1849 als Tochter des Konditors Erik Johan Martin und seiner Frau Karolina Margareta Adolphson geboren. Von 1868 bis 1895 war sie mit dem Stockholmer Kaufmann A. Agrell verheiratet.

Agrell benutzte zeitweilig auch die Pseudonyme Thyra, Lovisa Petterqvist und Stig Stigson.

Werke

 Räddad, Schauspiel, 1883.
 Dömd, Schauspiel, 1884.
 Ensam, Schauspiel, 1886.
 Vår, 1889.
 Ingrid, 1900.
 Småstadsliv, Komödie, 1884.
 Från land och stad, Novellensammlung, 1884.
 På landsbygden, 1887.
 Norrlandsgubbar och Norrlandsgummor, 1899–1900.
 Vad ingen ser, Erzählung, 1885.
 I Stockholm, 1893.
 Hemma i Jockmock, 1896.
 Nordanifrån, 1898.
 Guds drömmare, 1904.
 Norrlandshumör, 1910.

Literatur
 Olof O. Feilitzen: Realister och idealister. Upsala: Almqvist, 1885

Autor
Literatur (19. Jahrhundert)
Literatur (20. Jahrhundert)
Literatur (Schwedisch)
Drama
Novelle

Schwede
Geboren 1849
Gestorben 1923
Frau


Yes, it does mean something! And its meaning is the core of our company's very purpose.
"Immosis" has two parts: "Imm" and "osis." The first part comes from the word "Immersion," which is an important term in the VR industry that means deep mental involvement (e.g. "I was so immersed in this game that it doesn't even feel like hours have passed!"). The second part is a Greek suffix that denotes a state or condition (e.g. "hypnosis").
So put together, "Immosis" means the condition of being immersed.
Our company was founded on the belief that VR and AR technologies will revolutionize user experiences and interactions like never before. Our vision has always been to change the immersive content landscape with high-quality, innovative, and impactful experiences.
This is a big mission with an important responsibility to help the world properly adapt to these emerging technologies. That is why we always place our clients' needs on top and focus on human-centric design. User experience means everything to us, so we continuously strive to make our content as immersive as possible for people all around the world.
To the point where they're in a state of Immosis.
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Busy Bee Bag - Zippered Pouch - Small Bag - Fall Frolic | Bugabaloo, Inc.
Busy Bee Bag - Zippered Pouch - Small Bag - Fall Frolic - is currently on backorder. You may still purchase now though and we'll ship as soon as more become available.
Handmade, handy, practical, and perfect for your favorite nature lover, these little bags are amazing! Keep a variety of these zippered pouches on hand to help keep your large messenger bags and totes organized! Store snacks, make-up, cords, chargers, flash drives, small gadgets and other treasures safe and secure in your bag!
This lined bag is made with 100% cotton polka dot fabric. Zippered pouch measures approximately 6.5"L X 1.5"W x 5"H not including the 1" tab.
Why "Busy Bee"? Many of our gifts are named after our favorite buggy friends, and this is no exception! Bees are notoriously hard working, coordinated, and organized as they collect and store honey. These bags are just as hardworking and and are great for helping you to stay coordinated and organized while storing your treasures!
*Due to the handmade nature of this product, size and pattern placement will vary slightly and each pouch will show slight variations and imperfections, but that's what makes them so special! Zipper color and interior fabric color may vary from piece to piece. Colors may also vary slightly depending on your computer screen.


Superhero movies are everywhere. But between the three shared universes and their respective small screen projects, it can be hard to separate upcoming films from other installments in the genre. And then there's Deadpool, which destroyed expectations for both superhero movies and R-Rated blockbusters. With the highly anticipated sequel is currently in development, rumors and fan theories seem to be in constant flux. The latest of these involved Deadpool's future team X-Force, with rumors claiming the team's casting will be announced during Deadpool 2's post credits scene. But now it looks like that was bogus.
Deadpool 2 screenwriter Rhett Reese was recently approached by a fan via Twitter, asking for him to confirm the latest X-Force rumors. Luckily for us he dropped the mic.
Well, that's certainly cut and dry. It looks like the X-Force won't be introduced in the credits, like the announcement of Cable's inclusion at the end of the first Deadpool movie. Case closed.
The contents of Deadpool 2 are still very much under wraps, so these types of rumors will likely continue until a more concrete sense of the film's contents are available. While Deadpool director Tim Miller originally revealed that the formation of the X-Force would be a major plot point, there have been some major changes and shakeups, including David Leitch replacing Miller as director.
Additionally, very few casting announcements have been made for the sequel. Josh Brolin and Zazie Beetz will be joining the franchise as Cable and Domino respectively, but that's about it. Aside that, only returning actors have been announced, like Leslie Uggams and Morena Baccarin.
Forming the X-Force would be a major departure from the original Deadpool film, which was rather small in regards to scale. This is part of what made the movie such a game changer for the genre; Deadpool focused on one singular mission and a small cast, filling in the gaps with flashbacks and Wade Wilson's asides to the camera. But adding an entire team of mutants would make the film feel like the X-Men franchise proper, which has been considerably less well received.
Then again, if the same irreverence and self-awareness from the first film continues on to Deadpool 2, Ryan Reynolds and company can likely include whichever assortment of characters that they want. The first film was a welcomed breath of fresh air into the superhero genre, so if Deadpool 2 sticks to its roots, it should find similar success critically and financially.
Be sure to check back with us here at CinemaBlend for updates on Deadpool 2 as they become public. And be sure to plan your next trip to the movies with our full 2017 release list.


text:
Tim Mikkelson
The Waikato speedster has been a standout performer for the All Blacks Sevens since making his debut in 2008 where he ran in 10 tries in his first three tournaments.
He has crossed the line more times than any other New Zealand sevens player and is in the top five highest try scorers in Sevens Series history. His stunning form in 2013 when New Zealand won the Sevens Series and the Sevens Rugby World Cup in Moscow saw him named IRB Sevens Player of the Year.
Mikkelson has been part of the team that has won five Sevens Series titles, two Rugby World Cup Sevens titles and two Commonwealth Games gold medals.
Tim Mikkelson NEWS
All-time All Blacks Sevens XII: Tomasi Cama
With no sevens being played on the field during the current pandemic, we are reminiscing and having a look back at some of the greats that have donned the All Blacks Sevens jersey.
Mikkelson joins record-breaking weekend in LA
It's shaping as a record-breaking weekend in HSBC World Sevens rugby in new venue Los Angeles.
Tim Mikkelson selected for milestone tournament
All Blacks Sevens Co-Captain Tim Mikkelson will run out for his 90th tournament at next week's HSBC Los Angeles Sevens, surpassing DJ Forbes as the most capped New Zealand Sevens player.
Setback for All Blacks Sevens as Fiji find form
Fiji chose their pool game against the All Blacks Sevens, the last game of the first day of the HSBC World Sevens in Sydney on Saturday, to find their best touch of the season when running in a 26–5 win.
Four year wait over for All Blacks Sevens
Ending four years without a tournament win in the New Zealand leg of the HSBC World Sevens, the All Blacks Sevens rocked an ill disciplined France side to secure sole ownership of the series lead with a 27-5 win in Sunday's final.
All Blacks Sevens make strong statement against USA
New Zealand produced a strong performance to contain a potential threat from the United States in the final game of day one at the HSBC World Series Sevens in Hamilton on Saturday.
Both NZ teams reach Cape Town playoffs
Both New Zealand sides reached the quarter finals of Cape Town's HSBC Sevens Series leg unbeaten in pool play on Saturday.
All Blacks Sevens kick off pre-season in Germany
The Oktoberfest Sevens awaits the All Blacks Sevens who departed for Germany to play their sole pre-season tournament ahead of the next World Series.
Fiji win London Sevens, All Blacks Sevens fifth
Fiji claimed the London leg of the HSBC World Sevens on Sunday when beating Australia 43-7 in the final to secure a two-point series lead over the USA while New Zealand moved to third place on the table after finishing fifth.
Upsets galore, NZ fifth but retain second overall
It was a tournament of upsets but New Zealand's fifth placing ensured it remained second in the HSBC World Sevens after the Vancouver leg ended on Monday.
All Blacks Sevens back on top in World Sevens
New Zealand's All Black Sevens regained the lead in the HSBC World Sevens Series when beating the United States 21-5 in the final of the Sydney leg on Sunday.
Plenty to drive All Blacks Sevens in Sydney
Attempting to breakthrough the stranglehold the United States and Fiji have taken on the HSBC World Sevens series will be the aim for the All Blacks Sevens in the Sydney leg at the weekend.
Third placed All Blacks Sevens still in touch with leaders
New Zealand made up for the disappointment of missing out on the final of the HSBC Sevens in Hamilton by claiming third place with a 29-7 over South Africa on Sunday.
All Blacks Sevens in World Cup final
New Zealand's All Blacks Sevens will play England in the final of the World Cup Sevens in San Francisco on Monday at 12.
All Blacks Sevens face Fiji in semifinal
New Zealand's All Blacks Sevens and Fiji face another of their showdowns when meeting in their semifinal of the World Cup Sevens in San Francisco at 8.
Tim Mikkelson Videos
REACTION: All Blacks Sevens Day 1 Hamilton 2020
We catch up with All Blacks Sevens co-captain Tim Mikkelson after his side went...
Reaction: All Blacks Sevens win Sydney tournament
The All Blacks Sevens have won the Sydney 7's tournament, beating Australia...
DJ Forbes on the lead up to Wellington Sevens
Hear from All Blacks Sevens Captain DJ Forbes ahead of the fourth round of the...


text:
Last Chance on Death Row
Essays | Autumn 2010
William Baude
What if a man who is sentenced to die claims to have evidence of his innocence? Common sense cries out for the case to be tried again, but important legal principles say otherwise.
When a federal judge in Georgia announced the fate of death row inmate Troy Davis on August 23, the long-awaited decision was not what Davis or his supporters had prayed for. He'd become a cause célèbre for organizations such as Amnesty International and the NAACP, which decried his conviction as baseless and racist and had deployed the usual campaign of online petitions, protests, T-shirts, and pins. Former president Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Pope Benedict XVI had lent their support to the cause.
But in the end, Davis lost. Sometime in the coming months, he will be executed by lethal injection, though he still claims to be innocent of the charge that he killed a police officer two decades ago. How many chances should we give to someone to prove his innocence? Just one? Five? An infinite number? This bedeviling issue—"actual innocence," in legal parlance—remains one of the giant open questions of modern constitutional law. Davis's fate may no longer be in the balance, but sooner or later the courts will be confronted with a person who is scheduled for execution and yet can prove his innocence.
Davis's saga began in the early hours of August 19, 1989, when a group of African-American men, including Davis, were seen attacking a homeless man near a parking lot in Savannah, Georgia. Off-duty police officer Mark MacPhail responded to the altercation and was shot in the chest and head. He died before help arrived. One of the attackers named Davis as the killer, and other witnesses confirmed that story at trial. In 1991, a Georgia jury convicted Davis of the murder, and he was sentenced to die. Since then, he has tried every avenue legally available to him, never wavering from the claim that he is innocent.
Davis was convicted on the basis of the testimony of nine witnesses. No physical evidence conclusively linked him to the crime, and no murder weapon was ever found. Later, Davis claimed that seven of the nine witnesses had recanted or contradicted their prior testimony. One, Darrell Collins, who was 16 at the time of the crime, said that he had been threatened with being charged as an accessory to murder if he did not name Davis. Another, Kevin McQueen, had originally claimed that Davis confessed to him while the two were doing time together in prison. Later, McQueen admitted that he had been motivated to say this by a prison yard argument with Davis. (He had received a reduced sentence for his testimony against Davis.) The federal judge decided that several of the recantations Davis presented were not credible, and the remainder did not fundamentally undermine the evidence against him.
At the core of Davis's case is the question of what should happen when a fair, lawful trial is still alleged to have led to the wrong result. Under the Constitution, can we legally execute an innocent person?
The Supreme Court declined to answer that question when it ordered a new hearing in Davis's case last summer, but some of the justices wrote separately to address it. Justice John Paul Stevens argued that a person "who possesses new evidence conclusively and definitively proving, beyond any scintilla of doubt, that he is an innocent man" surely could not "be put to death nonetheless."
But Justice Antonin Scalia, in a dissent joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, argued that a new hearing for Davis was pointless because it no longer mattered whether he had new evidence of his innocence. Even assuming that Davis could prove he was innocent, Scalia wrote, "this Court has never held that the Constitution forbids the execution of a convicted defendant who has had a full and fair trial but is later able to convince a habeas court that he is 'actually' innocent." Indeed, he wrote, the Court's prior decisions had "expressed considerable doubt that any claim based on alleged 'actual innocence' is constitutionally cognizable."
At this point, anyone whose common sense has not been deadened by three years of law school might scream: How can it be an open question whether it is constitutional to execute the innocent? But the issue of "actual innocence" is more complex than our intuition suggests.
At a trial, the government is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. If he is acquitted, that is the end of the matter. If not, he can appeal to higher courts, and ultimately ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case. If those appeals fail, he can challenge his conviction again by seeking a writ of habeas corpus (a form of court-ordered release) in both state and federal courts. The defendant can argue that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to prove guilt, and in some limited circumstances (which vary from state to state and case to case) he can also present new evidence. If his case is rejected, he can appeal yet again: In the state court systems, he can generally appeal to one or more higher state courts, then seek review again from the U.S. Supreme Court. In the federal courts, he can request an appeal to a federal appeals court, then seek Supreme Court review yet again.
These challenges can drag on, but eventually they come to an end.
Yet what if someone goes through every possible procedure and after all is said and done still claims to be innocent? What if another court were to actually find him innocent? No belated claim of innocence has yet been found so compelling as to force the issue. In two previous death-penalty cases (in 1993 and 2006), the Supreme Court heard arguments from prisoners who had exhausted their appeals, yet claimed to be innocent and asked the Court to stop their executions. In both cases, the Court concluded that there was not enough evidence that the prisoners were innocent. (One of those prisoners, Leonel Herrera, was executed; the other, Paul House, was later freed after the Court remanded his case to a lower court on other grounds, and the prosecutor eventually dropped the charges.) The Court also touched on the question of actual innocence in a 2009 case in which it decided that an Alaska prisoner did not have the right to circumvent state law that might bar him from testing old evidence for DNA. In that case, the Court assumed that an actual innocence right existed for the sake of argument, but said the question wasn't relevant to his situation. (DNA evidence has exonerated scores of people in recent years, but these cases did not involve actual innocence proceedings because governors or prosecutors voluntarily agreed to release prisoners or because there was a statute allowing them to be freed.)
Congress, for its part, has said that a convict has only a limited number of appeals and opportunities to attack his conviction in federal court, even if he has new evidence. (While the rules differ from state to state, many also impose such limits.)
The question is whether Congress's prescription is constitutionally permissible. Why shouldn't we try as hard as we can to make sure we get it right? Yet perfect accuracy is not the goal of the criminal justice system. For one thing, there are practical concerns with never-ending review. Jury trials followed by some form of judicial review have long been our traditional method of determining guilt or innocence. So what procedures would we use to retry the trial, and who would decide whether those new procedures were accurate? And once a judge was convinced that a convicted prisoner was actually innocent, could that determination be reviewed again by the prosecution?
Normally these questions are answered by the legislature that creates the appeal or habeas procedure. But because actual innocence claims are pursued outside established procedures, there are no ready answers to these questions. And judges cannot simply answer them by saying that there is a duty to get it right, regardless of how many proceedings and how much time it takes, because the judicial system's resources are finite. Indeed, some advocates of an actual innocence right would not limit it to death penalty cases. If such a right meant that courts must allow every prisoner to perpetually pursue claims of innocence, it might push an already overburdened judicial system to the brink.
But these practical problems do not really go to the heart of the matter. One could imagine a court inventing a rough solution to some of these problems, as happened in Davis's case. There is a deeper, more theoretical problem with recognizing an "actual innocence" right.
The principle that courts should seek justice sits alongside a principle of judicial finality—at some point, legal disputes must be settled. In nearly every case, whether civil or criminal, the losing side must eventually accept the authority of the court. In criminal cases, there is a safeguard: the executive's power to pardon, one last chance for a case that has slipped through the cracks. An unending right to keep challenging that decision would make the legal system pointless.
Moreover, judges cannot decide the limits of their own power. They hear cases that the legislature has decided are within their purview. This legislative role is part of the balance of powers: Judges exercise great authority within their jurisdiction. Their rulings can bind very important people who disagree with them, including the president. Because judicial power is so great, it must also be circumscribed. By expanding their role in "actual innocence" cases beyond what the legislature had given them, judges would be straining against judicial finality and against the principle that courts must not define the scope of their own power. It is intolerably dangerous to give judges the unreviewable power to decide how powerful they are.
Such an assertion of authority would be costly in other ways. Indeed, the tradition of judicial finality is one of the chief justifications for the courts' ability to invalidate unconstitutional laws through judicial review. That finality is what forces other branches to obey the courts' judgments, right or wrong.
This concern with concepts such as finality, jurisdiction, and the balance of powers may sound technical, lawyerly, and highly abstract. But so is the criminal justice system. Crimes are messy and the facts are often disputed, but the law must provide simple answers: innocence or guilt, freedom or imprisonment, life or death. It does that through a system of rules animated by abstract principles. Indeed, the reason so much power is given to judges is because they are presumed to be expert at technical, lawyerly questions.
This is not to deny the potential for injustice. But we should not look to the courts for a solution. Legislatures create the procedures used to challenge criminal convictions. If our current ones are inadequate, lawmakers can create more generous rules for presenting new evidence of innocence. Indeed, in many states they have done exactly that in creating new procedures to accommodate DNA testing. Similar procedures could be created for other forms of new evidence.
The mistake is in thinking that judges are the only ones who can or should fix this injustice. If we care so much that actual innocence claims get into court, we should be lobbying the democratically elected branches, which have the power to create new procedures. If we are unwilling to demand better systems for assessing innocence from them, we should not be surprised that the courts are reluctant to invent one.
William Baude is a lawyer in Washington, D.C.
Two Presidents and Their God
Is Science Finished?
The Frozen Past
Cloning the Neanderthals


The process or art of using paint, in a picture, as a protective coating, or as decoration. Cover the surface of (something) with paint, as decoration or protection. Depict (someone or something) or produce (a picture) with paint.


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You are Smart with us.
The company DATmoLUX a.s. specialises in lighting and its intelligent control. This involves a complete service of solutions for both outdoor lighting and indoor lighting (manufacturing and sports halls, schools, and office buildings). Additional services are provided for the mechanical defectoscopy of masts, wherein we represent the German company ROCH, and in the field of delivering electronic ballasts into luminaires, where we represent the British company Harvard Technology. The company is a member of the IQRF alliance, where it has certified products for the wireless control of luminaires.
The company has its own development department for hardware and software. All company products are developed and realised with respect to future integration into various 'Smart City' systems.
Pre-construction condition survey of the property of the public lighting in Moravičanyn and Bouzov.
Supply 450 pcs of the MSB-C WL DALI element for the Brno PL network.
Launching of stage II of the reconstruction of indoor lighting for the company JULI Motorenwerk in Moravany, near Brno. Installation of 112 pcs of the MSB-C WL element into luminaires of the indoor lighting.
Pre-construction condition survey of the property of the public lighting in Slavičín.