text:
Listen to My Story...
Cinema & Shows
Figma/Figuarts/Mafex/ETC
Playarts Kai/Bring Arts
"DiD"
Marvel Legends Thanos BAF: Spider-Woman (Review 2.0)
It should come to no surprise that I will be doing a revisit on this lovely Marvel Legends from way back when! Being a huge fan of Spider-Woman, a Marvel Legends of her in her classic costume was a dream come true! So, let's just get right into checking her out!
I have three of these figures. Yes, I said that right, THREE. Two out of the box and one mint inside the box. Yes, that's how much of a Spider-Woman fan I am. So the box hasn't changed much since this wave came out in 2015. The difference today is that Hasbro spends a little more time with the inner decorations and some touches here and there that makes the box unique to the figure/set.
I'm glad that the official art box is pretty good. Jessica looks very sexy in this pic.
I'm glad Hasbro hasn't done much of these 'variant' figures; different figure, same BAF piece lately. I don't really like that scheme since I wanted Spider-Woman and Hellcat. Obviously, I'd choose Spider-Woman if came down to it. The other figures in this wave were mediocre; I loved Bartoc though.
In terms of accessories, she doesn't come with much. She comes with the folded wings and her full span wings. Of course she comes with the Thanos BAF pieces, but again, not much to say in regards to that.
Older figure doesn't mean bad. This one might lack paint details and such, but the coloring is sharp, clean, and pretty accurate to the character. One thing I will say is that some of her paint on her hands and feet doesn't match the yellow of her boots and glove. Not obvious, but definitely there. Also, her 'emblem' on her torso does not continue all the way inside her chest/abdomen, so bending her backwards will show the lack of paint.
The black color on her hair lacks any shadowing, as expected. But it does give a good shine to give it some color depth. The face on this one isn't as clean on my other ones I have, especially where her eyes are, but she looks good enough.
The sculpt is a body that we have seen before. It's a nice body that represents the voluptuous heroine type. And Jessica Drew, is as sexy and endowed as they come. Now with that said, this body has some issues especially in the articulation department. For example, the hair's stiffness gets in the way, one gestured hands does not allow for more dynamic pics(more of an accessories lacking problem), and then the hinderance of her legs; I'll talk about it in the next section.
I'm going to say that her articulation is slightly disappointing. As I mentioned, her lack of movement in the head area definitely hinders a lot of good poses. Her legs aren't going to do any spider-like postures because of the fact that they don't have a wide range of movements. The way the hips are made definitely subtracts from the fun factor os seeing Spider-Woman do what a Spider-Man can. Suppose the aesthetics really does make up for it, more or less.
Now the older Spider-Woman from Toybiz definitely has the articulation, but aesthetically, she did does not compare to Hasbro's Spider-Woman. Let's just say, Toybiz is Veranke and Jessica Drew is getting revenge.
So the question with older figures like these is: is she still good enough for what Hasbro is pulling off these days? For me, as a Spider-Woman fan, yes she is. But if she is placed with more care like some of the figures that Hasbro has now, giving her more accessories (hands, variant face, venom blast effects) and more paint detail, then the glaring issues of articulation wouldn't be that big of an issue; and also, I wouldn't be depending on Bandai's Yellow Thunder Effect as much. Still, all in all, she's still an awesome figure in my opinion. Glad to have her.
Funko POP: Penny Gadget
Funko POP: Sombra (Los Muertos)
Bishoujo: Pennywise (IT 2017)
The Masterless
A Collector of action figures. A Gamer of various genres. Commissioner of awesome and fetish based fanart from different artists. I'm just another perverted geek expressing his opinions and views.
© 2023 by Extreme Blog. Proudly created with Wix.com


What a fantastic opportunity for families to enjoy all of the festivities together! I'm not typically one to leave the television on for long periods of time, but when the Olympics are on, I don't mind leaving the TV on for long stretches of time for "unlimited watching." Even if we're not in the room, we can pop back in to catch all the important moments.
What would it feel like, to have all eyes of the the world upon you?
What does it truly mean to be an Olympian?
Family is also a central theme at the Olympics. Not only do you see the sheer joy on the faces of family members cheering for their loved ones, but through the athletes' stories, you understand how families' support and love provides a foundation for years of training and preparation. The dreams of athletes can only become reality if they are uplifted and shared by their families.
Talk about family ties… twin brothers Michel and Ronald Mulder celebrate their speed skating medals. Representing The Netherlands, Michel Mulder won Gold, Ronald Mulder won bronze. Photo Credit: Licensed under Creative Commons through Wikimedia Commons.
Click here to see NBC News' coverage of the brotherly bond shared by Canadian freestyle skiier Alex Bilodeau and his older brother Frederic, who has cerebral palsy.
And click here to see a photo collection of American skier Julia Mancuso celebrating her bronze medal in the Super Combined with her mother and grandmother, also from NBC News.
One of my family's favorite Olympic celebrations involves cake! For as long as I can remember, since my children were very young, we have made a cake and decorated it with M&M's to form the Olympic rings. This delicious dessert works for both Winter and Summer Olympics… but one word of warning: unless you have a big crowd to devour it, the colors on the M&M's "bleed" into the frosting when it sits for more than a day, even if refrigerated. It takes some planning to form the rings so here are a few tips: lightly press a glass into your frosting to form the outlines for the 5 rings, a younger child can separate the colors of M&M's into small bowls, and an older child can place the candies into the frosting.
My daughter Katie celebrates the official cake of the Summer 2012 Olympics!
Does your family have a special Olympic memory? Tradition? Feel free to share your ideas and comments below… and enjoy the games!


text:
Pakistan Edition
Air France-KLM look to buy major stake in struggling Malaysia Airlines
Africa Cup switch to winter sends a chill through European leagues
Nadal dazzles as Sharapova hits all-time low at Australian Open
As petrol prices rise, more Egyptians convert to duel-fuel vehicles
As petrol prices rise, more Egyptians convert to duel-fuel vehicles /node/1596496/business-economy
Taxis and cars are filled up with gas at Natural Gas Vehicles petrol station in Cairo, Egypt on November 27, 2019. (Reuters)
Fuel prices have been increasing since 2014
Officials say the number of private cars converting is rising
CAIRO: The number of Egyptians switching to duel-fuel vehicles is accelerating as the government pushes motorists to use cheaper, cleaner and plentiful natural gas.
About 300,000 vehicles, mostly taxis and minibuses, have been converted to duel-fuel systems since the 1990s — a small fraction of the 11 million vehicles licensed in the country.
But authorities are encouraging more drivers to switch by subsidising vehicle conversions, keeping compressed natural gas (CNG) prices low, and building CNG fueling stations and conversion plants.
Nearly 32,000 vehicles were converted during the financial year from July 2018 to June 2019, two petroleum ministry officials said. The target for this financial year is 50,000 vehicles. That compares with just 6,000 conversions in 2015/16.
Officials say the number of private cars converting is rising. They hope this will soften the blow of petrol price hikes after recent subsidy removals, as well as reducing pollution and cutting the import bill for liquid fuels.
Egyptians have seen steep increases to fuel prices since 2014, with most energy prices brought up to international levels under a three-year, IMF-backed reform plan completed this year.
But gas has remained cheap compared with liquid fuels.
One cubic meter of CNG costs 3.5 Egyptian pounds, roughly the equivalent of one liter of diesel at 6.75 pounds or one liter of 80-octane petrol at 6.5 pounds.
"The ministry of petroleum has maintained an appropriate price so that natural gas always stays at 50% of the 80-octane petrol (price), which encouraged drivers to turn to conversion," said Abdelfattah Moustafa Farahat, head of Egyptian International Gas Technology GASTEC.
Private cars now make up 30% of conversions, Farahat said.
Officials say a boom in natural gas production and exploration since the discovery of the giant offshore Zohr gas field in 2015 spurred them to act. Egypt became self-sufficient in natural gas in late 2018.
"The discovery of Zohr field and achieving self-sufficiency in natural gas have encouraged the state to think: why don't we use this gas as a domestic fuel and work to expand its use," said Ayman Shalaby, assistant vice chairman at the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS).
GASTEC is one of two state-run companies, along with the Natural Gas Vehicles Company (Car Gas), that dominate the sector. Private and foreign companies have also entered the market the past few years.
GASTEC plans to set up 54 new duel-fuel stations with CNG over the next three years, in partnership with Italy's Eni , as well as building more fueling stations for public buses, Farahat said. Currently, Egypt has 187 CNG fueling stations and 72 conversion centers.
The government also has a plan for minibuses, a common form of cheap transport across Egypt. Under the scheme, 142,000 minibuses would be converted and another 88,000 old diesel minibuses replaced with biofuel equivalents over the next three years, while more than 350 fueling stations would be built.
Motorists gave the duel-fuel system mixed reviews. Some praised cost savings on fuel, but complained of reduced power or luggage space.
Officials say conversions are preceded by technical checks and the cylinder size and shape can be adapted to the vehicle.
The government is subsidising and providing low-interest instalment plans for conversion systems, which cost 5,000-7,500 pounds ($310-$465), as well as encouraging assembly plants and importers to provide vehicles with built-in systems.
Topics: Egypt economy gas
Egypt's fuel subsidy bill drops by 69% during July-September period
Egyptian gold mine owner snubs $1.9bn Endeavour bid
Frank Kane's Davos diary: Swiss efficiency lapses, but so far Davos lives up to the cuckoo-clock image /node/1616401/business-economy
Davos comes and Davos goes, but over the last five decades, the one thing you can rely on is Swiss efficiency, right? The trains run on time, the cuckoo clocks chime on the hour, and the snow is swept from the pathways within minutes of the first fake falling. That is the common (even cliched) view of the Alpine nation and its showpiece event, the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos.
But — and whisper it very gently beneath your breath — maybe the legendary standards of Swiss efficiency are slipping as the WEF celebrates its 50th birthday. Evidence of a lapse from the highest levels of attainment came at Zurich Airport, when the luggage belt seized up inexplicably, and a full 10 minutes elapsedbefore a maintenance man came to attend to it. Tut tut.
Further signs of falling standards were on display at the railway station. The booking desks were besieged, as usual, by WEF delegates keen to complete the final leg of their journey up the Magic Mountain — a two-hour rail journey involving two stops at increasingly higher altitudes.
But only two of the 10 grills were manned, and the line grew longer and more grumpy with each passing minute. The mood was not helped when some trains were canceled and an extra hour was added to the journey. There was much muttering and dark looks shot when the train finally pulled into Klosters.
But thankfully, once you got to the heart of WEF-land, normal service was resumed. There had been a reasonable fall of snow that morning, which gave the place its usual fairytale appearance, but no traffic snarl ups as in previous years, when massive snowfall had caused the place to grind to a halt.
The shuttle buses that are the arterial life-channels of Davos — for those whose budgets do not extend to the black Mercedes limo — were running with their usual Swiss punctuality: Every 10 minutes or so, or even more frequently during peak rush hours.
These, in my experience over the past few years, are becoming frequently extended. Having battled through the registration process and attended one event at the nearby Seehof hotel, I imagined it would be easy to catch a ride on a virtually empty shuttle back to Klosters at around 9.30 p.m. But even at that hour, there was a long queue of unhappy souls waiting to make the same 20-minute trip to the other side of the mountain and their warm, welcoming hotel rooms.
It was the same thing on the opening morning of the annual meeting. I left my hotel — the homely and comfortable Cresta in Klosters — at 7 a.m. in the dark, and at minus 5 degrees Celsius. Again, there was a crowd of people standing huddled at the shuttle stop, shivering and stamping their feet.
The WEF shuttle service was up to the job, however, and I got into the Congress Hall with little trouble. The airport-style screening process — maybe a little more thorough than usual in view of the impending arrival of US President Donald Trump — passed smoothly. One request though: Please WEF, install some hot-air machines in the security hall. The body shock when you remove outer clothing to pass through the metal detectors was wicked.
Then down to business, which for a journalist at Davos means finding somewhere in the congress complex where you can rest a laptop while also providing a good people-watching vantage point. Over the years, I have learned that the Central Lounge — strategically located between the main plenary meeting halls and the (private) members lounge and bilateral rooms — is the perfect spot. Now, who will come my way in Davos 2020?
Topics: Davos 2020
Arab states work with the world but not with each other, Davos hears
Muslim World League chief heads delegation to genocide sites in Bosnia and Poland
The case for protecting Saudi Arabia's ancient art of Khawlani coffee production
'Everywhere in Saudi Arabia, you see a cultural revolution:' Ex-French Minister Jack Lang
Bahraini start-up helps restaurants in the GCC market digitize reservations
Privacy & Termes of Service

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Just few of the taxi provider have produced this criteria to drop-off all the guest before the trip remove or prior to the immigration gateway shut. Those who have created this benchmark cost an extremely greater price from the guest who schedule their taxi service at last hours. Melbourne Airport Transfer Services do not bill added from their guest for airport drop-off. As Best Melbourne Airport Transfer matter all the passengers for airport at high priority. So when all the same, after that why to charge added from them. This is the factor maxi taxi is one of the most effective and high sought after taxi service for Melbourne airport.
To understand the reason why we take the guarantee for early leaving, you need to go via the listed below words which explain our fast lane taxi solution. Melbourne Airport Transfer Services make use of new cars for airport drop-off and it depends on the traveler that on which luxury sedan he intend to ride to reach to the airport, as we have a lengthy list of all the luxury beauties.
We additionally provide luxury SUVs and vans for airport transfer from Melbourne city. We have actually redesigned the vehicles to supply complete convenience to the travelers, as natural leather upholstery is connected to the seats so that our traveler might have a good time while riding our taxi.
Melbourne Airport Transfer Services has actually produced several records in which they have verified themselves ideal amongst the various other taxi company for airport drop-off. They have actually confirmed that they never ever let down any one of their traveler that called maxi taxi for airport drop-off as well as a lot of the guest provide first-class score to maxi taxi for their finest service to Melbourne airport drop-off. Need to read about how to find cheap taxi Melbourne airport service? Then read our full article via the provided link above, also it is known as high concern taxi service since airport drop-off is counted as high top priority group in taxi service policies.
As there are thousands of taxi services you will locate in Melbourne but if you want to make the finest use the last hrs to catch the flight, then Melbourne airport taxi will certainly work properly making the Melbourne proud by following quickest and also the quickest route to take you to the airport beforehand.
On the other hand, it also save your time, as when you publication maxi taxi, your opportunities to catch your flights also at last hrs, obtain enhanced.
Since, maxi taxi service is developed with brand-new cars and also all the chauffeurs of this service are trained to ensure that they could locate quickest route to airport from all the edges of Melbourne.
We have actually concentrated on another concern that passengers are declared, reported late, also if they get in the airport prior to the liftoff. Yeah it the air travel sector regulation that a guest should be enter one hr before the take off because evictions obtain shut 20 mins before the take-off.
To adhere to all the direction and also to catch the trip prior to eviction shut you have to prepare earlier as well as to obtain a liable taxi solution beforehand, which could remind you earlier as well as pick you by making best use of time and also fastest route so that you can not miss your flight.
Everybody recognizes, that Melbourne is the most happening city in Australia as well as here, you could make things occur inning accordance with you like reaching airport, just if you book Best Melbourne Airport Transfer.
After that just one name is there which satisfy all your traveling has to reach to airport swiftly at affordable as well as that name is recognized as Melbourne Airport Transfer Services.
This is an extremely requiring Best Melbourne Airport Transfer which pleases all kinds of customers whether they come from a middle class or elite course neighborhood in Australia.
If there is congestion discovered on the while relocating in the direction of the airport after that the interior network of Melbourne Airport Transfer Services aid each motorist to obtain the quickest route which obtain attached to the airport drive and also western ring roadway, which once more possible to approach to the airport swiftly.
You will discover numerous kinds of maxi taxi cars and trucks whatsoever the major joints and also the wide as well as narrow corners of Melbourne and also all the vehicle drivers are trained to reach to the main area like City stations, train terminal as well as majorly for airport. Let me ask you a question, do you mind the high fare of airport taxi service Melbourne? When you publication Best Melbourne Airport Transfer, just those vehicle drivers obtain the sharp from the inner control panel, that are closed to the passenger's place.
Melbourne Airport Transfer Services utilize new vehicles for airport drop-off as well as it is up to the passenger that on which luxury car he desire to ride to reach to the airport, as we have a long listing of all the deluxe charms.
Melbourne Airport Transfer Services has developed many records in which they have actually confirmed themselves ideal among the various other taxi service companies for airport drop-off. They have actually shown that they never let down any of their traveler who called maxi taxi for airport drop-off as well as many of the passenger provide luxury score to maxi taxi for their ideal service to Melbourne airport drop-off.
Right here, even it is understood as high top priority taxi service due to the fact that airport drop-off is counted as high priority group in taxi solution policies.
If you do not want to bring your name in the late approaching or trip missing out on classification of the guests, then make an ideal use of your last hours and call Melbourne Airport Transfer Services. This will make you feel proud that nothing is difficult and also you can even capture your flight at last minute given you must exist before the entrance gate closed.
Nowadays it has actually come to be a typical blunder, as it looks so ridiculous to listen to that flight guests are frequently missing their trips as a result of web traffic issues in Melbourne. Here, one more reason has actually been located, as sometime travelers stay not able to discover right taxi solution which might assist them reach airport on schedule.
Taxi service in Melbourne is rather popular mode of transport in Melbourne, as there is a big competitors between the different taxi service suppliers which claim to provide the ideal taxi solution in Melbourne for airport. Yet when it concerns get the taxi solution according to the fare and also convenience and quickest drop-off service for Melbourne airport.
As Melbourne Airport Transfer Services matter all the guests for airport at high concern. You can catch your flight by riding luxury queens of silver service taxi Melbourne and find the link and read more.
We supply taxi service for airport transfer in Melbourne. We have a huge network of taxi solution which cover the entire city in addition to the surrounding locations. Our traveler can call us from any type of location in Melbourne city and the neighboring locations.
Our closest taxi will certainly exist around the traveler area to pick him for quick drop-off to the airport. This is the factor neighborhood people as well as the outsiders count on Best Melbourne Airport Transfer.
The factor for this instant alert is, when the passenger telephone call for airport drop-off, maxi taxi solution presume it as a priority service as well as only professional chauffeurs offered at the nearest area get a ping and they approach to pick the passenger quickly. By doing this maxi taxi aid you to save even more time to make sure that it can be used to reach to airport beforehand before the access gate closed.
When any individual strategy to reach to Melbourne airport in the last hours of flight separation after that only one taxi solution on which you can depend catch your trip which is maxi taxi. This taxi solution is not providing cheap as well as best service to defeat its rivals, as Melbourne Airport Transfer Services fulfil all your demands in which it saves your additional fare which pay for other brand names of taxi solutions in Melbourne.
The one more reason why you must go with this taxi service, the vehicle drivers of this taxi are rather seasoned and also well educated as they understand the each corner of the city as well as the interior network of this service is rather strong which assist them to obtain the fastest course if they intend to approach towards the airport.
One more top quality you will discover amongst the motorists of Melbourne Airport Transfer Services that whether you are late or relocating earlier, your solitary telephone call will certainly find your location and within few minutes you will certainly begin riding taxi to reach to the airport, as this taxi solution has spread out over all the corners of the city as well as the neighboring locations.
The chauffeurs will never ever make you really feel distressed also you are late, as they will certainly urge you by trading concepts as well as complying with the fastest route. Let me ask you that are you looking for an affordable best Melbourne airport taxi if your answer is yes then you can read our article here.
They are quite sharp in driving as they drive the automobile in manner in which also going on broadband you will certainly never ever feel that you are flying or riding. Each of the chauffeur is trained skillfully and also never ever damage traffic rules to stay clear of police disturbance.
Any person who make use of Best Melbourne Airport Transfer, constantly advise this solution and also end up being a normal passenger of this happily offering taxi solution in Melbourne. This is the factor it has actually come to be a preferred name amongst the top airport taxi solution suppliers.
Here, the majority of the time individuals make the taxi solution in charge of the late decline off at the airport yet one point you need to maintain on track that if you will call any taxi service two hours before the flight take-off after that how would you anticipate that you will get to one hour before the set up trip time. For some sharp minds who plan on the edge for traveling, Melbourne Airport Transfer Services take the assurance to reach at airport even you call two hours prior to the trip time. Coach Australia is one of the best taxi service provider of Melbourne city. So, what are you waiting for just give us a call or fill the form above to get in touch with our taxi service in Melbourne.
Let me tell you guys that if you are looking for taxi service in Melbourne then try this taxi service. I found this taxi to be one of the best taxi service in Melbourne. Specially for the Airport transfers.


text:
Intervention helps curb older adults' drinking but doesn't significantly lower drinking risks
An intervention program aimed at curbing at-risk drinking among older adults succeeded in helping these individuals significantly reduce their overall alcohol consumption, according to a new UCLA study.
But while the multi-component intervention, which was administered through primary care settings, also helped participants reduce the risks their drinking posed when combined with medications, psychiatric or medical conditions, and other comorbidities common to older adults, the reduction was not much greater than that seen among other older adults who were provided with only general information on healthy behaviors.
At-risk drinking among older adults could potentially result in injury or even death.
Data from the study are published in the January issue of the journal Addiction.
"We have an aging population and more than half drink alcohol," said lead investigator Dr. Alison Moore, a professor of medicine in the division of geriatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "Older adults have additional risks compared with younger adults because of age-related physiological changes that increase the effect of a given dose of alcohol and because of the increase in medical and psychiatric conditions and the use of medications that may interact negatively with alcohol.
"We wanted to test an intervention to reduce alcohol-related risks in primary care, where most older adults receive care," she said.
The findings were based on the Healthy Living as You Age study, a randomized clinical trial that tested a screening and multi-component intervention among older at-risk drinkers in primary care settings. The study included 631 adults aged 55 and older recruited between October 2004 and April 2007 from three primary care sites in Southern California.
Participants in the yearlong study were identified as being at-risk by the Comorbidity Alcohol Risk Evaluation Tool, which utilizes information on alcohol use, medications that can interact negatively with alcohol (such as those for ulcers, pain and sleeping) and medical and psychiatric conditions, and symptoms that could be caused or worsened by alcohol (such as hypertension, depression, abdominal pain and memory problems).
The study subjects were randomly assigned during a primary care office visit to either receive a booklet on general healthy behaviors for older adults, which including recommended drinking limits, or the intervention, which included a personalized report of their alcohol-related risks, a drinking diary to help them keep track of their consumption, a booklet on aging and drinking, and advice from a primary health care provider and telephone counseling from a health educator at two, four and eight weeks after the start of the study.
Participants in both groups consumed about 15 alcoholic drinks each week at the beginning of the study. All were identified as at-risk drinkers, and most were identified as at-risk for multiple reasons, including drinking while taking medications (73 percent), symptoms (60 percent), medical or psychiatric conditions (50 percent) or simply their amount of drinking (47 percent).
At the three-month point, individuals in the intervention group had lowered their alcohol consumption to an average of nine drinks a week; those in the control arm had reduced their consumption to 11. These numbers remained roughly the same at the one-year point, a statistically significant difference between the groups.
At three months, only 40 percent of the intervention group and 61 percent of the control group were still at-risk drinkers, a statistically significant difference. At one year, however, the difference between the groups narrowed: 54 percent of the intervention arm was at-risk, compared with 60 percent of the control group, and the difference then was not statistically significant.
"One of the important messages here is that, for both groups, the amount of drinking declined by 30 to 40 percent and the proportions of those at-risk declined by 50 to 60 percent at three months and generally persisted at 12 months," Moore said. "Also older at-risk drinkers typically have multiple risks; most because of combined use of alcohol and medications or medical and psychiatric conditions. It may be that simply giving information on recommended drinking limits for older adults is enough to cause large reductions in at-risk drinking and amount of drinking."
The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Mental Health, the John A. Hartford Foundation, and a Special Fellowship in Advanced Geriatrics from the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System funded this study.
Additional researchers are James W. Davis, Karina D. Ramirez, Diana H. Liao, Lingqi Tang and Robert Gould of UCLA; Fred C. Blow and Kristen L. Barry of the University of Michigan and Veterans Affairs National Serious Mental Illness Treatment Research and Evaluation Center (SMITREC); Mark Hoffing of Desert Oasis Healthcare; James C. Lin of Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare Systems; Monica Gill of Eastern Virginia Medical School; and Oriana Chen of Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy.
The UCLA Division of Geriatrics within the department of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA offers comprehensive outpatient and inpatient services at several convenient locations and works closely with other UCLA programs that strive to improve and maintain the quality of life of seniors. UCLA geriatricians are specialists in managing the overall health of people age 65 and older and treating medical disorders that frequently affect the elderly, including falls and immobility, urinary incontinence, memory loss and dementia, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes. As a result of their specialized training, UCLA geriatricians can knowledgably consider and address a broad spectrum of health-related factors — including medical, psychological and social — when treating patients.
For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom or follow us on Twitter.
Enrique Rivero


Marriage essentials: Get a toilet!!
In a remote village in Madhya Pradesh (India) most of the village homes do not even have toilets. However the government has taken initiative to encourage people to construct toilets in their households by providing almost 90 percent subsidies. Recently I read in a Sunday magazine supplement of the Indian Express that the Madhya Pradesh… Read More Marriage essentials: Get a toilet!!


text:
module Control.TimeWarp.Manager
       ( module Control.TimeWarp.Manager.Job
       ) where

import           Control.TimeWarp.Manager.Job

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


There nothing like a strong, potent strain and some well designed smoking utensils to make you happy at the end of every day.
Even though I firmly believe that not every place and city should have smoking lounges because all of the one's in Amsterdam are overcrowded and overpriced, Barcelona really made the best of their situation.
A couple of weeks ago I was in Spain, spending my time in Barcelona and reporting on the Spannabis festival. I simply couldn't miss their cannabis clubs as they were all over the city.
Seeing how I already visited Amsterdam a couple of times, seeing the cannabis scene in Barcelona really gave me a different view. In hindsight, I believe that you can make weed clubs work.
All you really need is good weed with decent prices, and – more importantly, a seriously good designer.
As I was saying, good weed is one of the precondition to open a successful weed club – and that's exactly what the Dr. Resin club had to offer.
I bought 3 grams of some sticky Afghan Kush, a gram of some Alien OG, and another cross of some Kush strain.
I gotta say – after just trying all three I was on cloud nine. But it wasn't just the weed that got me feeling that good. It was the atmosphere of the place. The whole club was vibing at a totally different frequency from what I was used to.
Another thing to compare – aside from all tables being cramped and having to share them with other people in Amsterdam, there are no waitresses. You have to leave your table in order to get served at the bar.
In Dr. Resin, waitresses were just blitzing people left and right, asking if we're all good and whether we need anything else. I even got a pack of papers, lighter and a grinder all for free.
While I was there, I got a little bit of Candy Dawg by Seed Stockers, and I gotta say — that was something else.
I rolled a joint of it once I got back to my AirBnB, smoked it to myself, and left the room. About 20 minutes later I was back, and the whole room smelt as if someone was baking a vanilla muffin or something. It was amazing.
Having the best looking store is a shortcut to having the best selling store – the interior design of the Dr. Resin store is just another proof to that. I simply didn't want to leave the club even after I smoked all the weed I had.
However, interior is not the only thing that can be designed to such perfection. Just take a look at bongs.
This is the BRNT Hexagon, one of the fanciest bongs you'll ever see. It was designed with the intent not to look like a bong, but rather like a vase.
What if I also told you that it's possible to make a pipe out of concrete, and not only that, but it will look better than almost any other and it is far less likely to break?
You'd probably think I was lying, right?
Well, I'm not. Introducing the Faro concrete handheld pipe. This piece is truly unique in the sense that you'll rarely find a piece this nice and resilient.
However, it does have one flaw – it's a bit on the heavy side when compared to glass pipes. But what'd you expect from a concrete pipe?
Along with the pipe you can get yourself a concrete Briq ashtray and complete the set.
This is what I mean by next level design – making things that are out of the ordinary, something people aren't used to at all. Take your customers by surprise! That will be, in my opinion, the deal breaker when it comes to the future of the cannabis stores in Canada and America.


text:
import {terser} from 'rollup-plugin-terser';
import commonjs from 'rollup-plugin-commonjs';
import copy from 'rollup-plugin-copy';
import replace from 'rollup-plugin-replace';
import resolve from 'rollup-plugin-node-resolve';
import svelte from 'rollup-plugin-svelte';

export default [{
	input: 'src/js/app.js',
	output: {
		sourcemap: true,
		format: 'iife',
		name: 'app',
		file: 'dist/js/app.js'
	},
	plugins: [
		copy({
			targets: [
				{src: 'src/*.{json,html}', dest: 'dist'},
				{src: 'src/css/**/*', dest: 'dist/css'},
				{src: 'src/images/**/*', dest: 'dist/images'},
				{src: 'testfiles/*', dest: 'dist/testfiles'},
			],
		}),
		svelte({
			dev: false,
			css: css => {
				css.write('dist/css/svelte.css');
			}
		}),
		resolve({
			browser: true,
			dedupe: (importee) => importee === 'svelte' || importee.startsWith('svelte/'),
		}),
		commonjs({
			namedExports: {
				'pretty-bytes': ['default'],
			},
		}),
		terser(),
	],
}, {
	input: 'src/js/service-worker.js',
	output: {
		sourcemap: true,
		format: 'iife',
		name: 'workbox',
		file: 'dist/service-worker.js'
	},
	plugins: [
		svelte({
			dev: false,
		}),
		resolve(),
		commonjs({
			namedExports: {
				'pretty-bytes': ['default'],
			},
		}),
		replace({
			'process.env.NODE_ENV': JSON.stringify(process.env.NODE_ENV || 'production'),
		}),
		terser(),
	],
}];


text:
\section{Introduction}

The possible decay of metastable spacetimes through gravitational instantons has a rich history and far-reaching applications.  Writ large, the possible instanton decay channels can be grouped as Coleman-de Luccia tunnelling of a scalar field \cite{Coleman:1980aw}, the nucleation of charged membranes via the Brown-Teitelboim mechanism \cite{Brown:1988kg}, and the decay of spacetime itself through Witten's bubble of nothing \cite{Witten:1981gj}.  These processes are of vital import to questions regarding eternal inflation, the ability to populate different corners of the string landscape,  the implications for AdS/CFT in metastable spacetimes,  as well as new cosmological model building possibilities involving braneworld scenarios.

Within the context of string theory in particular, supersymmetry has been argued to be a sufficient condition for non-perturbative stability thanks to the construction outlined in \cite{Witten:1982df}. However, more realistic and phenomenologically appealing string theory constructions must account for a dynamical supersymmetry breaking mechanism. Historically, the first steps in this direction were achieved in a field theory context in \cite{Witten:1998zw} by means of the introduction of antiperiodic boundary conditions for fermions. Subsequently, in \cite{Kachru:2002gs}, a spontaneous supersymmetry breaking mechanism was given a fundamental description using anti-branes. Finally, in \cite{Kachru:2003aw}, the aforementioned construction was coupled to gravity in order to obtain a de Sitter vacuum with broken supersymmetry. In parallel, \cite{Argurio:2006ny} also made use of anti-branes as supersymmetry breaking sources to formulate a non-supersymmetric example of the AdS/CFT correspondence.

Despite these seminal developments in the understanding of non-supersymmetric constructions, their reliability as solutions in a complete theory of quantum gravity has  recently been questioned. The set of  prerequisites  for a low energy effective description to have a consistent completion in quantum gravity  is often referred to as the ``swampland conjectures". The original idea behind this philosophy was presented in \cite{ArkaniHamed:2006dz}, where the role of gravity as the weakest force is investigated. In more recent years a revival of this approach has resulted in a number of (conjectured) consistency conditions that effective theories should satisfy. We address the reader to, e.g. \cite{Brennan:2017rbf, Palti:2019pca} for a nice review of the topic.

In particular, it was argued in \cite{Ooguri:2016pdq,Freivogel:2016qwc} that all non-supersymmetric, perturbatively stable AdS vacua should suffer from non-perturbative instabilities associated with spontaneous nucleation  of non-extremal charged membranes. The authors of \cite{Ooguri:2016pdq} further speculate on the consequences of these instabilities for the putative  dual field theory of such an AdS vacuum. Despite a tiny probability of a single nucleation event, since the volume of AdS space is infinite, its boundary would decay immediately. This suggests that the idea of a non-supersymmetric holographic correspondence might be problematic.
However, the study of non-supersymmetric holography within a controlled effective description remains an active topic of reasearch. Early attempts in this direction are discussed e.g. in \cite{Horowitz:1998ha, Balasubramanian:2002am}.

By adopting the approach of the swampland conjectures,  the existence of metastable de Sitter vacua within a consistent theory of quantum gravity has been called into question. Specifically, in \cite{Obied:2018sgi}, it was conjectured that the slope of effective moduli potentials arising from string compactifications can never be small whenever the sign of the corresponding vacuum energy is positive. Additionally, in \cite{Dasgupta:2018rtp,Dasgupta:2019vjn}, no-go theorems were proposed in which controlled dS background geometries are ruled out whenever one restricts to time-independent energy-momentum tensors as sources. If these conjectures are correct, they may be reconciled with current observations  by realizing dark energy in the form of a quintessence supported by time-dependent scalar fields (see e.g. \cite{Blaback:2013fca, Heckman:2019dsj}), or by effectively describing it as a braneworld cosmology which is intrinsically evolving in time.

It is  worth mentioning that,  in the case of non-supersymmetric AdS vacua and holography, as well as in the case of de Sitter  vacua, the issue of their consistency is  far from settled.   Therefore, it is  important to attempt to construct counterexamples which can serve as tests for  conjectured UV consistency requirements. To this end, constructions like those of \cite{Cordova:2018eba} and \cite{Cordova:2018dbb, Cordova:2019cvf} may be important to the above discussion. As a caveat, note that these examples all happen to rely on the existence of a strongly curved region in internal space close to the location of the sources, where the supergravity description may not be reliable.

The main focus of this paper is the study of de Sitter slicings of higher dimensional spacetimes, with or without a cosmological constant, as classical gravitational solutions. From a purely technical viewpoint, constructing this type of backgrounds is  a complicated task due to the necessity of solving second order coupled differential equations without the help of supersymmetry. The toolkit used here consists of the Hamilton-Jacobi formulation, which allows us to recast the original problem into a set of first order conditions even when supersymmetry is broken. The technical details required for the construction are extensively spelled out in Appendices \ref{HJappendix} and \ref{bubbleAdS}.
From a physical perspective, these solutions will provide a description of the semiclassical decay of vacua in arbitrary dimensions via the nucleation of bubbles of nothing. Additionally, these bubble geometries may serve as effective realizations of time-dependent cosmologies through a non-compact foliation of higher dimensional spacetime featuring lower dimensional de Sitter slices.

In particular, we present a family of instantons, generalizing the bubble of nothing, which lead to the decay of $(D+1)$-dimensional vacuum solutions of general relativity with (non-)zero values for the cosmological constant.  As we will review in detail in \secref{bubblenothingwitten}, the bubble of nothing decay results in a compact dimension of the false vacuum shrinking to zero size on the surface of a bubble which subsequently expands.  Therefore the interior spacetime degenerates, and as the bubble expands it destroys the original vacuum.  Bubbles of nothing present a relatively easy way of generating time dependent solutions and have a rich phenomenology that can be extended to string vacua as explored in detail in \cite{Aharony:2002cx}.

It remains an open problem to understand the interpretation of  the decay of asymptotically AdS space in holography (see e.g. \cite{Harlow:2010az, Barbon:2010gn}.)  It is unknown how to interpret the decay in the dual field theory, or even if the decay invalidates the holographic correspondence in unstable spacetimes \cite{Ooguri:2016pdq}.  Significant progress was made in the interpretation of bubble of nothing decays of AdS \cite{Horowitz:2007pr}, and it remains a topic of future work to extend this understanding to other stringy decays such as \cite{Ooguri:2017njy}.  The solutions we present here have the virtue of being extremely simple, and therefore may provide a useful playground for understanding such decay processes.  Furthermore the existence of this new family of decays will be instructive in the ongoing work to extend these solutions to fully stringy decays \cite{Danielsson:2017max, Apruzzi:2019ecr}.

Even though our main focus is the decay of AdS, one can also consider the case of positive cosmological constant. If there exist metastable de Sitter vacua with slow decay rates, these inflating vacua will produce new regions of de Sitter space faster than they can decay, realizing eternal inflation.  In an eternally inflating spacetime any probability to tunnel between different vacua will be realized eventually and the landscape of all connected vacua can be probabilistically explored.  This ability to populate different corners of a landscape is a crucial component of the anthropic solution of the cosmological constant problem \cite{Weinberg:1988cp}.  In this context it is important to understand the relative rates of transition between different vacua.  As their name suggests, bubbles of nothing represent a dead end in the exploration of a landscape and therefore have important consequences for the dynamics of eternal inflation.  Furthermore, it has been suggested that decays via a bubble of nothing could represent the dominant channel in certain flux vacua \cite{Brown:2010mf}. An understanding of possible decay channels and rates is both crucial in order to accept the anthropic solution of the cosmological constant problem, and will be of use in any attempt to place a measure on eternal inflation.

Finally, in the context of  braneworld scenarios, these new decay channels present the possibility of new constructions of a de Sitter phase for low energy observers confined to the bubble wall \cite{Ghosh:2018fbx, Banerjee:2018qey, Banerjee:2019fzz, Amariti:2019vfv}.  Particularly due to their simplicity, the instanton geometries presented here represent useful toy-models to extend the study of ``braneworld'' observers living on ``nothing'' \cite{Yang:2009wz}. This philosophy is in line with a novel interpretation of stringy dS vacua constructed by using infinite throats \cite{Randall:2019ent}.

\section{Instability of the Kaluza-Klein vacuum}
\label{bubblenothingwitten}

In lieu of a full dynamical treatment of the possible ground states of a gravitational system of a theory of quantum gravity, we use the semi-classical approximation to assess possible quantum instabilities of the vacuum. In this context one looks at the decay of a spacetime background as a quantum tunnelling process described by a gravitational instanton. More intuitively, the instanton provides the ``classical picture" of a quantum process by which a bubble spontaneously appears and expands in spacetime.  This process is characterized by a finite probability for nucleation and furthermore describes the subsequent time-dependent dynamics which describe the conversion of the initial ``false vacuum'' into a new state inside the bubble.

In this section we review the original results of Witten's bubble of nothing, \cite{Witten:1981gj}, where the five-dimensional Kaluza-Klein (KK) vacuum, $\mathbb{R}^{1,3}\times S^1$, is shown to have a non-perturbative instability.\footnote{This is done purely for pedagogical purposes since the main results of this paper are direct generalizations of  \cite{Witten:1981gj}. Readers already familiar with  \cite{Witten:1981gj} are invited to skip to the next section.}  Although this spacetime is a vacuum solution to Einstein's equations with zero energy, it has different asymptotic topology from the five-dimensional Minkowski vacuum, $\mathbb{R}^{1,4}$.  Therefore, a comparison of energies at infinity is meaningless between these two spacetimes, and the positive energy theorem \cite{Schon:1979rg,Schon:1981vd,Witten:1981mf}, which ensures the full stability of $\mathbb{R}^{1,4}$ does not apply to $\mathbb{R}^{1,3}\times S^1$.

It follows that instead of comparing asymptotically distinct spacetimes, one should simply search for gravitational instantons describing the decay of the KK vacuum. Such an instanton should be a real, smooth solutions of the Euclidean equations of motions approaching the false vacuum at asymptotic infinity.  In order for such a solution to contribute to the semiclassical path integral it should additionally have a finite Euclidean action $S_E|_{\text{inst}}$. Then, the quantum tunnelling process is possible with the decay rate per volume of spacetime given by \cite{Coleman:1977py}
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
 \Gamma/V &\propto e^{-\Delta S_E}\,, \\
 \Delta S_E&=S_E|_{\text{inst}}-S_E|_{\text{false}} \,
 \end{split}
 \label{bouncedef}
\end{equation}
where $\Delta S_E$ is often called the ``bounce''.

The key idea of \cite{Witten:1981gj} is to use a double-analytic continuation of non-extremal black holes in five dimensions to construct instantons in the KK vacuum. In particular, beginning with the five-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole,
\begin{equation}
 ds^2=-\left(1-\(\frac{R}{\rho}\)^2\right)dt^2+\frac{d\rho^2}{\left(1-\(\frac{R}{\rho}\)^2\right)}+\rho^2ds^2_{S^3}\,,
\end{equation}
 one can find a non-singular Euclidean solution by Wick-rotating the time coordinate  $t\rightarrow i \phi$,
\begin{equation}
 ds^2_{E}=\left(1-\(\frac{R}{\rho}\)^2\right)d\phi^2+\frac{d\rho^2}{\left(1-\(\frac{R}{\rho}\)^2\right)}+\rho^2ds^2_{S^3}\,,
 \label{eucSchwarzschild}
\end{equation}
However, this solution is well-defined and smooth only for a radial coordinate $\rho\in (R, +\infty)$ and when the coordinate $\phi$ is periodic with $\phi \sim \phi + 2\pi R$. Clearly, in the asymptotic limit, $\rho\rightarrow +\infty$, the solution \eqref{eucSchwarzschild} approaches the Euclidean KK vacuum written in spherical coordinates, \emph{i.e.}
\begin{equation}
ds^2_{\text{EKK}}=d\phi^2+d\rho^2+\rho^2ds^2_{S^3}\,,
\label{euclideanKK}
\end{equation}
where the KK radius, $\ell_{\text{KK}}$, is identified with the period of the $\phi$ coordinate of the Euclidean black hole, $R=\ell_{\text{KK}}$.

The last requirement for this Euclidean solution to describe a bubble nucleation is that it can be continued back to a real metric with Lorentzian signature along a time-symmetric plane identified with $\tau=0$.  Looking at the asymptotic form of the Euclidean metric \eqref{euclideanKK}, it is clear that the analytic continuation has to be performed inside the $S^3$ if we want to keep intact the asymptotic structure of the KK vacuum.  Moreover, parametrizing the $S^3$ in the usual way, $ds^2_{S^3}=d\theta^2+\sin^2\theta\,ds_{S^2}^2$, the equator of the $S^3$ provides a symmetric $\tau=0$ plane via the analytic continuation $\theta\rightarrow i\tau+\frac{\pi}{2}$. In this way $ds^2_{S^3}\rightarrow ds^2_{{\scriptsize \mrm{dS}_3}}=-d\tau^2+\cosh^2\tau \,ds^2_{S^2}$ and the instanton metric \eqref{eucSchwarzschild} becomes
\begin{equation}
 ds^2_{5}=\left(1-\left(\frac{R}{\rho}\right)^2\right)d\phi^2+\frac{d\rho^2}{1-\left(\frac{R}{\rho}\right)^2}+\rho^2ds^2_{{\scriptsize \mrm{dS}_3}}\,.
 \label{bubblenothing5d}
\end{equation}
This background retains the restriction on the radial coordinate $\rho\in(R,+\infty)$, and is non-singular and geodesically complete.

In the asymptotic limit, $\rho\rightarrow +\infty$, we recover the KK vacuum, however in the interior, the presence of the Schwarzschild warp factors and the range of $\rho\in(R, +\infty)$ indicate that the $(\rho,\tau)$-plane parametrizes the exterior region of a hyperbola of radius $R$.  This hyperbola is exactly a de Sitter manifold $\mrm{dS}_3$ which describes a bubble expanding under constant proper acceleration.  At the surface $\rho=R$ the KK direction, $\phi$ pinches off to zero size, so that the interior of the bubble is dubbed ``nothing.''

Therefore, the solution \eqref{bubblenothing5d} constitutes an instanton describing a non-perturbative instability of the KK vacuum which leads to a bubble of nothing expanding on a de Sitter hyperbola and eventually ``eating'' the entire KK vacuum. The fact that this decay will happen with probability equal to one in an infinite volume of space can be seen by computing a finite  difference in Euclidean actions
\begin{equation}
 \Delta S_E=\frac{\pi R^2}{4\,G_N^{(4)}}\,.
 \label{bnothingpprob5d}
\end{equation}
Since this analysis has been performed in the semi-classical approximation, we can only trust the interpretation of the decay for values of $R$ that are large with respect to the Planck length, $\ell_{\text{Pl}}$.

\section{Bubbles of nothing and vacuum decay}
\label{bubbleKK}

In this section we extend the analysis of \cite{Witten:1981gj} to a larger class of instabilities in  constant curvature vacuum solutions in $(D+1)$-dimensional General Relativity \cite{Godazgar:2009fi}. These vacua differ from the ``standard'' KK vacua, such as the $\mathbb{R}^{1,3}\times S^1$ vacuum of \cite{Witten:1981gj}, in their asymptotic topology. In addition to the presence of a cosmological constant $\Lambda$, the main difference is an asymptotic region described not by one ``celestial sphere'' but rather a product of spheres in the corresponding Euclidean vacua.  The zero-curvature case will describe a Ricci flat, zero-energy, vacuum solution and it will directly extend the 5d case studied in \cite{Witten:1981gj}\footnote{Note that this is not possible for $D\le4$ with $\Lambda=0$ due to no-hair theorems, however these do not apply for $\Lambda \ne 0$ or in higher dimensions as can be seen by a zoology of solutions \emph{e.g.}\,collected in \cite{Emparan:2008eg}.}.
In the case of non-zero curvature we will  find asymptotically locally  $\mathrm{AdS}$($\mathrm{dS}$) bubble geometries which asymptote to  metastable vacua of the form
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
ds^2_{D+1}=&\(1-k \rho^2\)d\phi^2 + \({D-2\over d-1}\) {d\rho^2 \over \(1-k \rho^2\)} + \rho^2\(L^2_{{\rm dS}_d}ds^2_{{\rm dS}_d} + L^2_{S^{D-d-1}}ds^2_{S^{D-d-1}}\)\,, \\
k=& {2(D-2) \over D(D-1)(d-1)}\Lambda\,,
\end{split}
\label{falseDplus1}
\end{equation}
where $\phi$ is the compact direction describing the KK circle with period\footnote{Note that while this $S^1$ is not technically compact in the case with non-zero curvature, we will still refer to it as a KK circle.} $2\pi \ell_{\text{KK}}$, and $ds^2_{{\rm dS}_d}\,(ds^2_{S^{D-d-1}})$ is the line element for a $d$-dimensional de Sitter (($D-d-1$)-dimensional sphere) with unit radius.  The cosmological constant, $\Lambda$, measures the constant curvature of the spacetime and is related to the Ricci scalar, ${\cal R}$, for a given curvature radius, $\ell$, via
\begin{equation}
|\Lambda| = {D(D-1) \over 2 \ell^2}, \qquad {\cal R}={2(D+1) \over D-1} \Lambda\,.
\end{equation}
These solutions represent non-singular and geodesically complete vacuum solutions ($R_{\mu\nu}={2 \over D-1}\Lambda g_{\mu\nu}$) when the following algebraic conditions
\begin{equation}
L_{{\rm dS}_d}=1, \qquad  L_{S^{D-d-1}}=L_{{\rm dS}_d}\sqrt{{D-d-2 \over d-1}}\,.
\label{radiiconstraint}
\end{equation}
are satisfied.
Note that we need $d\ge2$ and $D\neq d+2$ for the full $(D+1)$-dimensional solution to exist.

We point out that the case $D=d+1$ is peculiar. This correspond in fact to the case in which the foliation with $S^{D-d-1}$ is not present. In this case the vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1} reproduce a AdS topology when $\Lambda$ is negative. When the additional $S^{D-d-1}$ is present the geometry is only locally $\mathrm{AdS}_{D+1}$. Moreover, as we will see, the 5d case studied in \cite{Witten:1981gj} can be recovered when the second sphere is absent.

Continuing to a Euclidean metric, in analogy to \secref{bubblenothingwitten}, we notice that the same asymptotic behavior can be achieved in the $\rho \to \infty$ limit of  a Euclidean black hole whose horizon is the product of two spheres,
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
 ds^2_{E,D+1}=& f(\rho)d\phi^2+\left(\frac{D-2}{d-1}  \right)\frac{d\rho^2}{f(\rho)} +\rho^2\(ds^2_{S^d} + \({D-d-2 \over d-1}\) ds^2_{S^{D-d-1}}\)\,, \\
f(\rho)=&1 -k \rho^2 - \({R\over \rho}\)^{D-2}\,.
\end{split}
 \label{bubblenothingeuclid}
\end{equation}
In the Lorentzian black hole solution, there is a coordinate singularity at $\rho=\rho_0$, where $f(\rho_0)=0$. In order to ensure a smooth solution at $\rho = \rho_0$ we examine the  $\rho \rightarrow \rho_0$ limit where the metric \eqref{bubblenothingeuclid} takes the form
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
 ds^2_{E,D+1}\approx&\left(\frac{4(D-2)}{(d-1)f^\prime (\rho_0)} \right)\left(d \zeta^2 +\frac{(d-1)f^\prime(\rho_0)^2}{4(D-2)}\zeta^2\,d\phi^2 \right)\\
 &+ \rho_0^2\(ds^2_{S^d} + \({D-d-2 \over d-1}\) ds^2_{S^{D-d-1}}\)\,,
 \end{split}
 \label{surfacebubbleAdS}
\end{equation}
where $\zeta=(\rho-\rho_0)^{1/2}$.  It follows that there will be no conical defect in the $(\zeta,\phi)$ plane if we impose the condition
\begin{equation}
\ell_{\text{KK}}^2 = {4(D-2) \over f'(\rho_0)^2(d-1)}\,.
\label{lkktorho0cond}
\end{equation}
For the case $\Lambda \le 0$ this leaves the Euclidean solution \eqref{bubblenothingeuclid} well-defined and non-singular for $\rho \in (\rho_0, +\infty)$.  In the case of $\Lambda >0$, due to a zero in the function $f'(\rho)$ and the use of the static patch of de Sitter, the Euclidean geometry does not have an asymptotic region.  Henceforth, we will specialize to the case $\Lambda \le 0$.

In direct analogy to the construction of bubble of nothing in \cite{Witten:1981gj}, we  see that continuing $S^d$ to dS$_d$ will produce an instanton geometry describing an expanding bubble whose surface is $\mrm{dS}_d\times S^{D-d-1}$
\begin{equation}

ds^2_{D+1}=f(\rho)d\phi^2+\left(\frac{D-2}{d-1}  \right)\frac{d\rho^2}{f(\rho)} +\rho^2\(ds_{{\rm dS}_d}^2 + \({D-d-2 \over d-1}\) ds^2_{S^{D-d-1}}\)\,.
 \label{bubblenothingKK}
\end{equation}
In Appendix \ref{bubbleAdS} the direct derivation of these solutions is furnished by providing a first-order formulation of these $\mathrm{dS}_d$ backgrounds through the Hamilton-Jacobi formulation sketched in Appendix \ref{HJappendix}.
The asymptotic geometry of these solutions reproduces the vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1} and the geometry is defined for values $\rho \in (\rho_0, + \infty)$.  Thus we have a generalization of the bubble of nothing describing the decay of the vacuum solutions \eqref{falseDplus1}.

Notice that in the zero-curvature case the relation \eqref{lkktorho0cond} simplifies to
\begin{equation}
 \ell_{\text{KK}}^2 = {4 R^2 \over (d-1)(D-2)}\,,\label{lKKzerocurvature}
\end{equation}
where $\rho_0=R$.
The case of \cite{Witten:1981gj} is thus recovered by imposing
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
 &D=4\,,\qquad d=3\quad\Longrightarrow \quad  R=\ell_{\text{KK}}\,.
 \end{split}
\end{equation}

\subsection{Euclidean action}
\label{euclidactionKK_section}

In order to establish that the bubble geometry \eqref{bubblenothingKK} describes a non-perturbative instability of the vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1} we need to show that the change in Euclidean action is finite.
It is well known that the the variational problem for gravity is not completely fixed by the requirement of vanishing variations of the gravitational field at the boundary. In particular, in order to reproduce Einstein equations one has to include into the action the Gibbons-Hawking-York (GHY) term that takes in account those boundary contributions that are not fixed by the requirement of vanishing variations at the boundary. In our considerations, both the bubble of nothing in the instanton geometry and the conformal boundary at spatial infinity constitute boundaries where the GHY term must be evaluated.

The Euclidean action is given by
\begin{equation}
 \begin{split}
  &S_E=S_{E, \,\text{bulk}}+S_{E,\, \text{GHY}}\,,\\
  &S_{E,\, \text{bulk}}=\frac{1}{2\kappa_{D+1}^2}\int{d^{D+1} x_E\,\sqrt{g_{D+1}}\,\left ({\cal R}-2\Lambda \right)}\,,\\
  &S_{E, \,\text{GHY}}=\frac{1}{\kappa_{D+1}^2}\int{d^{D} y_E\,\sqrt{h_{D}}\,\theta_{D}}\,,
 \end{split}\label{euclidactionKK}
\end{equation}

where in the GHY boundary term, the coordinates $\{y\}$ parametrize any $D$-dimensional boundary of the background described by the ``bulk action" $S_{\text{bulk}}$, $h_{D}$ is the induced metric and $\theta_{D}$ is the trace of the extrinsic curvature of the boundary.

We begin by computing $S_{E,\text{bulk}}$ for the metric \eqref{bubblenothingeuclid} obtaining the following expression
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
S_{E,\text{bulk}} &= {1\over 2\kappa_{D+1}^2} \int d\phi\, d\rho\, d\Omega_d\, d\Omega_{D-d-1} \sqrt{{D-2\over d-1}}\({D-d-2 \over d-1}\)^{(D-d-1)/2} \rho^{D-1} {4\Lambda\over D-1}    \, \\
&= {\pi \ell_{\text{KK}} \over \kappa_{D+1}^2} {\rm vol}_{S^d} {\rm vol}_{S^{D-d-1}}\sqrt{{D-2\over d-1}}\({D-d-2 \over d-1}\)^{(D-d-1)/2} {4\Lambda\over D-1} \int d\rho \rho^{D-1}  \,,
\end{split}
\label{SEbulk}
\end{equation}
where $d\Omega_n$ is the measures on an n-spheres $S^n$.
Note that this expression is valid for both the Euclidean false vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1}, and also the instanton geometry \eqref{bubblenothingeuclid}, however the limits of integration will differ.  Particularly, computing  the bulk contribution to the bounce \eqref{bouncedef}, we find
\begin{equation}
\Delta S_{E,\text{bulk}} = C\(\int_{\rho_0}^\infty d\rho \rho^{D-1} - \int_0^\infty d\rho \rho^{D-1}\) = -C\,{\rho_0^D \over D}   \,,
\label{bouncebulk}
\end{equation}
where $C$ is the prefector to the integral in \eqref{SEbulk}.

Now we compute the contribution from boundary terms.  Both the bubble of nothing and the asymptotic boundaries are surfaces of constant $\rho$. Therefore all contributions of the GHY term to the action can be computed via induced metrics $h_{\mu \nu}=g_{\mu \nu} - \hat n_\mu \hat n_\nu$ and the trace of the extrinsic curvature on surfaces normal to $\hat n_\mu = \hat \rho$. This gives a general boundary term
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
S_{E,\text{GHY}} =& {1\over \kappa_{D+1}^2}\int d\phi d\Omega_d\, d\Omega_{D-d-1}\({D-d-2 \over d-1}\)^{(D-d-1)/2} \sqrt{f(\rho)}\rho^{D-1} \\
& \times \sqrt{{d-1\over D-2}} \({ -2(D-1) + D\({R\over \rho}\)^{D-2} + 2D k\rho^2  \over 2\rho \sqrt{f(\rho)} }\) \,,
\end{split}
\end{equation}
where the quantity on the second line is $\theta_D$.  Computing the boundary contributions to the bounce, we note that at the asymptotic boundary, in the $\rho \to \infty$ limit, all dependence on $R$ vanishes and asymptotic contributions to the bounce (which are divergent in the case of non-zero curvature) will cancel between the false vacuum and the instanton solution.   Furthermore, the contribution at the surface of the bubble of nothing should be taken with a reversed sign to take into account the fact that the outward facing normal is $-\hat\rho$.  This gives a bounce contribution
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
\Delta S_{E,\text{GHY}} =& - S_{E,\text{GHY}}|_{\rho_0} \,\\
=& -{\pi \ell_{\text{KK}} \over \kappa_{D+1}^2} {\rm vol}_{S^d} {\rm vol}_{S^{D-d-1}}\sqrt{{d-1\over D-2}}\({D-d-2 \over d-1}\)^{(D-d-1)/2}  \\
&\times \rho_0^{D-2} \(-2(D-1) + D\({R\over \rho_0}\)^{D-2} + 2Dk\rho_0^2\)\,.
\end{split}
\label{bouncebndry}
\end{equation}
At this point we consider the cases of zero and non-zero curvature separately.
\paragraph{Zero curvature case: $\Lambda = 0$.}  In this case \eqref{bouncebulk} vanishes, since it is proportional to $\Lambda$, and  $\rho_0 =R$.  Then the bounce is given by
\begin{equation}
\Delta S_E^{(\Lambda=0)} =   {\pi \ell_{\text{KK}} \over \kappa_{D+1}^2} {\rm vol}_{S^d} {\rm vol}_{S^{D-d-1}}\sqrt{{d-1\over D-2}}\({D-d-2 \over d-1}\)^{(D-d-1)/2} (D-2)R^{D-2} \,.
\end{equation}
If we consider the case $D=4$ and $d=3$, the $(D-d-1)$-sphere disappears, ${\rm vol}_{S^d} = 2\pi^2$ and we reduce to the five-dimensional result \eqref{bnothingpprob5d} of \cite{Witten:1981gj} using the standard relation between the Planck masses under dimensional reduction
\begin{equation}
{1\over \kappa_D^2} = {1 \over 8 \pi G_D} = {2\pi \ell_{\text{KK}} \over \kappa_{D+1}^2} \, .
\end{equation}

It is instructive to consider the various length scales which contribute to this decay rate.  Ignoring $D$- and $\pi$-dependent factors and using $\kappa_{D+1}^{2} \propto \ell_{\text{Pl}}^{D-1}$, where $\ell_{\text{Pl}}$ is the $(D+1)$-dimensional Planck length, we can write
\begin{equation}
\Delta S_E^{(\Lambda=0)} \propto {\ell_{\text{KK}} \over \ell_{\text{Pl}}} \({R \over \ell_{\text{Pl}}}\)^{D-2} \propto \({R \over \ell_{\text{Pl}}}\)^{D-1}\, ,
\end{equation}
where in the second relation we have used $\rho_0=R$ and \eqref{lKKzerocurvature}.  Thus, we have a manifestly positive bounce that will be large whenever the semiclassical approximation is valid, giving rise to an exponentially suppressed decay rate.
\paragraph{Non-zero curvature case: $\Lambda < 0$.} In this case we have contributions both from the bulk and boundary in the bounce; combining \eqref{bouncebulk} and \eqref{bouncebndry} we find the following
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
\Delta S_E^{(\Lambda\neq0)} =& {\pi \ell_{\text{KK}} \over \kappa_{D+1}^2} {\rm vol}_{S^d} {\rm vol}_{S^{D-d-1}}\sqrt{{d-1\over D-2}}\({D-d-2 \over d-1}\)^{(D-d-1)/2} \\
&\times \Big[2(D-1)\rho_0^{D-2} - 2(D+1) k \rho_0^D -D R^{D-2}\Big] \\
=&  \,{\pi \ell_{\text{KK}} \over \kappa_{D+1}^2} {\rm vol}_{S^d} {\rm vol}_{S^{D-d-1}}\sqrt{{d-1\over D-2}}\({D-d-2 \over d-1}\)^{(D-d-1)/2} \\
&\times \Big[(D-2)R^{D-2} - 4k\rho_0^D\Big] \,,
\end{split}
\end{equation}
where in passing to the second equality we have rewritten the term in square brackets using the fact that $f(\rho_0)=0$.  We see that the first term reproduces the zero-curvature case and the second term gives a contribution proportional to $\Lambda$.

Looking at the scales involved we find
\begin{equation}
\Delta S_{E}^{(\Lambda\neq 0)} \propto {\ell_{\text{KK}} \over \ell_{\text{Pl}}} \( \({R \over \ell_{\text{Pl}}}\)^{D-2} + {4\over D-2} \({\rho_0 \over \ell_{\text{Pl}}}\)^{D-2} \({ \rho_0 \over \ell}\)^2 \) \, .
\end{equation}
Hence, for the case $\Lambda <0$, the decay rate is always exponentially suppressed when the semiclassical approximation is valid.

\subsection{Properties of the decay}
\label{discussion}

First, consider the zero-curvature case by recalling some energy considerations of \cite{Witten:1981gj}.
Since any decay process has to preserve energy, it follows that the 5d spacetime \eqref{bubblenothing5d} must have zero energy and this means that a positive energy theorem for the $\mathbb{R}^{1,3}\times S^1$ vacuum does not exist: there exists a solution with zero energy asymptotically approaching $\mathbb{R}^{1,3}\times S^1$, and this is exactly what allows the vacuum to decay. This fact can be seen by looking at the surface integral defining the energy. In particular, taking the zero-time surface at $\tau=0$, the asymptotics of \eqref{bubblenothing5d} gives contributions to the geometry of $\mathbb{R}^{1,3}\times S^1$ of the order $\rho^{-2}$ and it can be shown that, for a four-dimensional observer, only terms of the order $\rho^{-1}$ give positive contributions to the energy of the vacuum. This argument can be extended to our $(D+1)$-dimensional backgrounds \eqref{bubblenothingKK}.
For a $(D>4)$-dimensional observer, the relevant contributions to the energy of the false vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1} have to be of the order $\rho^{-(D-3)}$.  Therefore, energy is conserved during the decay since \ corrections coming from the bubble geometry \eqref{bubblenothingKK} are of the order $\rho^{-(D-2)}$.

The above discussion is  related to the intrinsic KK structure of the vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1}. The radius of the compact dimension $\ell_{\text{KK}}$, which provides an infrared cut-off for the $(D+1)$-dimensional theory, defines a UV cut-off for an  effective lower-dimensional theory. In particular, the physics experienced by a $D$-dimensional observer will be governed by gravity and a running scalar\footnote{See Appendix \ref{bubbleAdS} for the detailed analysis.}. In the asymptotic regime of the bubble geometry, the $D$-dimensional background is given by a Minkowski spacetime without the portion corresponding to the interior of the hyperbola with radius $R$. Moving into the ``bulk" and approaching the boundary, this observer experiences a singular geometry. This singular behavior is consistently resolved by taking the point of view of a $(D+1)$-dimensional observer who sees a KK geometry asymptotically and a smooth geometry in the ``bulk". The corrections to the energy of the $(D+1)$-vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1} coming from \eqref{bubblenothingKK} will then give positive contribution to the ``incomplete" effective $D$-dimensional theory, and meanwhile, they will leave  the energy of the vacuum of the higher-dimensional theory intact.

If we include in this discussion  the bubble geometries with constant curvature, we point out that the key property characterizing these decays is the change of topology \cite{Witten:1981gj}.  At the time of nucleation, $\tau=0$, the vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1} is foliated throughout the $\rho$ direction by surfaces of topology $S^1\times S^{d-1}\times S^{D-d-1}$.  Meanwhile, in the instanton geometry \eqref{bubblenothingKK}, although the asymptotic geometry is the same, by examining the behavior near the bubble \eqref{surfacebubbleAdS} we see that the topology is given by $\mathbb{R}^2 \times S^{d-1}\times S^{D-d-1}$. The change of topology is intimately related to the fact that the instability has been obtained by a double analytical continuation of a non-extremal black hole and it has very interesting consequences when one introduces spinors. Particularly, the loss of the $S^1$ factor between the topology of the vacuum and the bubble geometry represents to decay from a space that is not simply connected, to one that is.  While a simply connected space has a unique choice of spin structure, the vacuum has non-trivial fundamental group and therefore spinors are defined up to a phase $\alpha$
\begin{equation}
 \psi(x,\phi)=\sum_n\,\psi_n(x)\,e^{\frac{i}{\ell_{\text{KK}}} \left(n-\frac{\alpha}{2\pi}\right)\phi}\,.
\end{equation}
The existence of covariantly constant spinors imposes $\alpha=0$ while generally, the unique spin structures on spheres requires that $\alpha=\pi$ (anti-periodic boundary conditions) \cite{Witten:1981gj,Witten:1998zw} in the instanton geometry. This consideration implies that the instanton geometry does not contribute to the path integral of theories described by covariantly constant spinors. Therefore, with suitable boundary conditions on fermions, we can ``cure" the quantum instability of the vacuum \eqref{falseDplus1} and, moreover the ``stable'' boundary conditions correspond exactly to the requirement of the existence of covariantly constant spinors.

As already mentioned, the bubble geometries \eqref{bubblenothingKK} describe (locally) AdS spacetimes in their asymptotics when $\Lambda<0$. The situation including a $S^{D-d-1}$ foliation is particularly interesing since some contributions to the geometry associated with this further foliation are present at the boundary. This implies that, even though the asymptotic geometry is locally $\mathrm{AdS}_{D+1}$, globally it is not. This fact strongly suggests the possibility to extend these backgrounds to theories in which some $p$-form gauge fields are allowed to wrap the spheres realizing the foliations. In this sense one could provide a suggestive interpretation of these non-perturbative decays of $\mathrm{AdS}_{D+1}$ vacua into bubbles of nothing by starting from non-extremal $p$-branes and double-analitically continuing them, in analogy to what is usually done with non-extremal black holes.
Such an analysis, if performed in 10d or 11d supergravities, could provide strong insights regarding the nature of the instabilities of string vacua in relation to de Sitter geometries describing the dynamics of their decays.

\section*{Acknowledgements}

We would like to thank A. Amariti, L. Cassia, S. Klemm, A. Tomasiello for very interesting discussions. NP was partially supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (T\" ubitak) Grant No.116F137. GD and NP were partially supported by the Principado de Asturias through the grant FC-GRUPIN-IDI/2018/000174. MS is supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
Detroit Lions' Frank Ragnow blossoms into starter, but misses his dog
Detroit Lions first-round NFL draft pick Frank Ragnow is impressing in training camp. He's also a bit homesick.
Detroit Lions' Frank Ragnow blossoms into starter, but misses his dog Detroit Lions first-round NFL draft pick Frank Ragnow is impressing in training camp. He's also a bit homesick. Check out this story on Freep.com: https://on.freep.com/2OVd3S8
Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press Published 6:00 a.m. ET Aug. 9, 2018 | Updated 10:59 a.m. ET Aug. 9, 2018
Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett gives his takeaways from Lions-Raiders joint practices in Napa, Calif. Recorded Aug. 8, 2018. Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
Frank Ragnow runs through a drill Aug. 3 in Allen Park.(Photo: Carlos Osorio, AP)
NAPA, Calif. – It's not the Detroit Lions' playbook running through his head, or line calls or defensive fronts or anything football related that occupies Frank Ragnow's mind when he lays down to sleep at night.
No, the kid that's genuinely excited to be living out a boyhood dream by playing in the NFL — and doing a damn-fine job of it so far — has something much more humanizing on the brain:
"I miss my dog," Ragnow said Wednesday. "There's not much thinking (at the end of the day). You're studying the playbook, you're watching film, you're trying to get to sleep as fast you can, but just trying to get that phone call to mom, try to FaceTime the dog, call the girlfriend and then kind of get to bed."
Ragnow got his dog, a chocolate lab named Bear, last fall right before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury at Arkansas.
He said the dog has "been like a therapy dog for me," and he's genuinely counting down the days till he and Bear can be reunited once training camp is over.
"I'm in love with the dog," Ragnow said.
While Ragnow's mother is currently watching Bear, all eyes in Lions training camp have been on the first-round pick who looks like he could be one of the top finds of the draft.
Ragnow has impressed his coaches and teammates with his consistent play, nasty on-field demeanor and attentiveness off it, and the Lions' offensive line should be much better for it.
Frank Ragnow speaks after practice July 28. (Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)
He's settled in as the team's starting left guard, though he continues to take backup reps at center. And in joint practices against the Oakland Raiders this week, he took his first few lumps of the summer Tuesday, then rebounded with a strong showing Wednesday.
"I think I just had to be more aggressive, more comfortable," Ragnow said. "I think there's a little bit of butterflies, a little nerves, a little more of a tentative approach to everything and I just got to learn from the film like I've been trying to do and then take it one day at a time."
More from training camp:
Lions mum on playing time for starters vs. Raiders, anthem rule
Lions-Raiders joint practice observations: Skirmish 'just competition'
Lions coach Matt Patricia declined to say how much his starters will play in Friday's preseason opener against the Raiders, but Ragnow is expected to see action and bubbling with excitement about the possibility.
"It's unreal," he said. "I can't really put words to it. I mean, this was unreal. Coming out to frickin' Napa Valley, practicing against the Oakland Raiders, a kid from Victoria, Minn. It's unreal, and I'm just trying to take it all in."
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said he has been impressed by how Ragnow has fit in seamlessly on a veteran offensive line that features more than 200 games of starting experience.
NFC North's best roster? Ranking each position group; where Lions stack up
With the 2018 NFL season upon us, it's time to rank the NFC North division, position-by-position ... Rick Osentoski, AP
Quarterback: Green Bay Packers. Why: Aaron Rodgers is one of the most talented QBs ever, and even at 34 years old and coming off a season-ending broken right collarbone, remains one of the NFL's best. DeShone Kizer provides interesting depth as a talented 2017 second-round pick, who started 15 games for the Browns last year ... and lost all 15. The rest: 2. Detroit Lions. 3. Minnesota Vikings. 4. Chicago Bears. William Glasheen, USA TODAY Spor
Running back: Bears. Why: Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen is the best 1-2 punch in the division, though neither is the most talented in the division — that nod goes to the Vikings' Dalvin Cook. Together, Howard and Cohen rushed for 1,492 yards and 11 TDs, and Cohen caught 53 passes — as a rookie. The rest: 2. Vikings. 3. Lions. 4. Packers. Armando L. Sanchez, TNS
Receiver: Lions. Why: The Lions have both talent and depth, though no star. But Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay form one of the league's best trios. Tate has caught 90+ passes in all four seasons with the Lions, and Jones led the NFL with 18 yards per reception last year to go with 9 TDs. The Vikings have a case here with the younger duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, but we believe in the immense talent of Golladay, who flashed but dealt with injuries as a rookie. The rest: 2. Vikings. 3. Packers. 4. Bears. Butch Dill, AP
Tight end: Packers. Why: It's hard to believe Jimmy Graham is 31. The former Seahawk and Saint signed a 3-year, $30 million deal this offseason to catch passes from Rodgers. He caught 10 TDs last year, though he averaged a meager 9.1 yards per catch (57 for 520 yards). We'll see what he has left. The rest: 2. Vikings. 3. Bears. 4. Lions. Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Offensive line: Packers. Why: It's close between the Pack and the rebuilt Lions, but Green Bay has the more proven tackles in David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga. Bakhtiari was Pro Football Focus' highest-graded LT in pass protection in 2017, and Bulaga was PFF's top RT in pass pro in 2016. The play and health of the O-line is the key to the Lions making a playoff push. The rest: 2. Lions. 3. Bears. 4. Vikings. Jim Matthews/USA TODAY NETWORK-W
Defensive line: Vikings. Why: Minnesota boasts one of the league's best DL units, led by 3-time Pro Bowl end Everson Griffen. Veteran tackle Linval Joseph has made 2 consecutive Pro Bowls, and 23-year-old Danielle Hunter already has 25.5 sacks in 3 seasons. They also took a chance by adding mercurial tackle Sheldon Richardson, the former 2013 defensive rookie of the year. The rest: 2. Packers. 3. Bears. 4. Lions. Rick Osentoski, AP
Linebacker: Vikings. Why: Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr form one of the best linebacking tandems in football. Kendricks, 26, has racked up over 100 tackles in 2 straight seasons, and signed a 5-year extension this spring. Barr, 26, is one of the best blitzing backers and has made 3 Pro Bowls. The Bears adding Khalil Mack gives them a formidable, young core, but lets see how top pick Roquan Smith looks before elevating them. The rest: 2. Bears. 3. Packers. 4. Lions. The Associated Press
Secondary: Vikings. Why: Both Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith made First-Team All-Pro last season for the NFL's No. 1 defense, and Minnesota has a nice mixture of youth, experience and depth to round out the group. The rest: 2. Lions. 3. Bears. 4. Packers. Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Special teams: Lions. Why: Matt Prater is a top-level, clutch kicker, especially from beyond 50 yards, and Jamal Agnew was an All-Pro as a rookie with 2 punt return TDs and an NFL-best 15.4 yards per return. The Lions would like a bounce-back season from punter Sam Martin. It'll be interesting to see what Ameer Abdullah can bring on kickoff returns. He was 2nd in the NFL as a rookie in 2015 with 29.1 yards per return. The rest: 2. Vikings. 3. Bears. 4. Packers. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press
Coahing: Vikings. Why: Mike Zimmer has guided Minnesota to a 39-25 record in 4 seasons and 2 division titles. His blitzing schemes have helped the Vikings take advantage of bountiful defensive talent, morphing the unit into one of the NFL's best. McCarthy has a stellar record (120-70-1), but the Packers haven't been able to get back to the Super Bowl since the 2010 title despite having arguably the best QB in the league, and feel stale. Patricia and Nagy are unknowns. The rest: 2. Packers, Mike McCarthy. t3. Lions, Matt Patricia (1st year). t3. Bears, Matt Nagy (1st year). David Jones, TNS
"I feel like I don't hear his name much in meetings, which is a good thing, right?" Stafford said. "There's not a lot of, 'Hey Frank, you're going the wrong way.' Or, 'Hey Frank, you're doing the wrong thing.' And for a rookie, that's impressive. He's a smart guy, he takes a lot of pride in what he does, and he has good guys around him to help him. They communicate really well up there and he receives that communication well, which is important, too."
Ragnow, for his part, said he still has "a long, long, long, long ways to go" as a player.
The practices against the Raiders helped "substantially" in that regard, facing new pass rushers and a different defensive front than the one he sees every day from the Lions. And his teammates have helped him find that balance of doing everything he needs to on the field, and missing his dog off it.
"It's just not that much different than college," Ragnow said. "You enjoy the struggles. I think that's a good way to put it. You're going through a grind with everybody and everybody knows they're going through a grind and you have to just enjoy the struggles and when there is the light, you see the light and you enjoy the light but otherwise just kind of keep your head down and go to work."
Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!
U-M basketball offers 3 4-star forwards following July live period


Less than 18 months after Newsweek made a triumphant return to print following an ill-fated merger with the Daily Beast and a departure from newsstands, the magazine is reorganizing its operations in Europe.
IBT Media, which bought the magazine in 2013, is doing away with the position of editor-in-chief for its European edition, and Richard Addis, who held that title, is exiting the magazine. Newsweek is instead putting editorial control for Europe in the hands of its New York-based Editor-in-Chief Jim Impoco.


We hold menu parties twice a year, in April and September, and this is where you get the opportunity to book shows for the forthcoming season, to hear details of the shows, listen to clips and meet some of the performers who come along to give short extracts or talk about their shows.
The list of shows (the menu) covers all different genres and these will be presented at the party, and all the details are contained in the menu brochure. We hold two evening parties per season, one in the west and one in the east, to make it easier for travelling.
After you have made your choices from the menu, we will confirm the dates with the artists, and issue you with a confirmation contract. We send you two copies, and ask you to fill in details such as performance start time, box office telephone number. This is really important as it's used in our season brochure. You then return both copies to us; we'll sign them off and return one copy to you for your records.
Once you've returned your contract, we will send out the artist's contracts, and give them your contact details for publicity materials.
You will be paying a minimum fee or 80% of the box office takings, which ever is the greater figure. You keep the other 20% and any sales from refreshments, raffles etc.
After the show, we need to you complete a box office return form detailing your ticket sales and send it back to us along with a cheque.
Carn to Cove ask all the artists to provide posters for you to use. We ask for about 30 A4 posters and as much as 200 leaflets.
You are responsible for the 'overprinting' of the posters. This means there will be room on the posters for you to paste onto the poster a simply printed note with the details of your venue, the date and time of your show and a contact telephone number.
At the venue, at work, Arts Centres, Bed & Breakfasts and hotels, bus shelters, cafes, churches and Parish Council notice boards, council buildings, drop in centres, hospitals, in village and other local shops (supermarkets generally have community notice boards), lamp-posts and telegraph posts, libraries, local theatres, museums, post offices, pubs and clubs, recreation, centres and swimming pools, schools and colleges, surgeries, tourist offices.
At the above places they should have space to take a dozen or so. Send a leaflet in the post to all your contacts, members of your village hall, friends and business colleagues.
One of the most effective ways of promoting local events is word of mouth. If you are enthusiastic about your show, that enthusiasm will definitely rub off! Tell everyone you know about the show and tell them how great it's going to be.
Put a notice in the free listings of your local paper. The newspaper usually requires about a fortnight's notice. You should not have to pay to be included in newspaper listings sections.
Write your press release, invite the newspaper to send a photographer to take a photograph of, for example, a couple of volunteers putting up posters.
BBC Radio Cornwall is also worth contacting, your local parish magazine and newsletters too.
If you have access to email, send details of the show to everyone you know who has an email address.
Word of mouth can start A.S.A.P.
Posters & contact the press about three weeks before your show.
You can choose to sell tickets locally or through our online ticketing system. The system is very flexible and most venues do a combination of both methods. You can make your own tickets or ask CRBO to print them for you (for a small charge).
Make it easy for people to buy tickets.
If they have to phone for a ticket, make sure they know when would be the best time to call, use an answer-phone and if someone leaves a message call them back. Potential customers will soon get disgruntled if they can't get what they want!
A general introduction about the venue, your community group and the kind of events / community projects you do.
The venue name, address, telephone, fax and email.
The key-holder's name, address and phone number.
A map or directions of how to find the village hall and the key-holder's house.
Access – are there any steps? How wide and high are the doors?
A cross section of the hall, with heights and roof beams in the way.
Venue size – length, width, unobstructed height.
Stage, if you have one, size and height off the floor.
Stage and window curtains, what colour are they?
Floor surface; e.g. wood, lino, smooth or rough.
Black out; full black out, curtains, high windows.
Power supply, single or double phase, how many 13 amp, 32 amp, or 63 amp sockets?
Dressing rooms, kitchens, toilets, how big and how many?
As the date for your show draws near, the performers will discuss with you when they will need to arrive at your venue and how long they need to set up before the start of the show. It is really important that the person who has promised to let the performers into the hall is at the right place at the right time!
Give them a warm welcome, a cup of tea and offer to help.
Ideally, they should unload through a wide door and straight into the performance area.
Warn them beforehand about double yellow lines and 3 flights of stairs!
Be on-hand to answer any questions and help, e.g. where they can park and unload, where the fuse box is, is there a telephone, who will switch the house lights on and off. But give them enough time and space to set up.
Their own toilets, if possible.
Access to a kitchen when setting up.
Arrive at the venue before the audience does – at least 45 minutes.
Arrange things: box office, programmes and raffle tickets etc.
Make clear signs, showing prices and the name for cheques.
Be very clear how many seats you can sell, and how many more can stand at the back.
Fire alarms, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and emergency lights.
Insurance: Is it needed for the building, contents, personal belongings and public liability?
You are the host – thank the audience for coming – but keep it brief!
There are always things to do afterwards – ask for as much help afterwards as for setting up or one lonely person (probably you!) will be stacking chairs whilst everyone else is in the pub!
Report back to any committee members who weren't there.
Report back to Carn to Cove.
Send in forms, and especially money, required by Carn to Cove as soon as possible – before you lose track or forget!
Carn to Cove will send you 'feedback' forms to fill in. We really need your thoughts and observations.
In general, if your performers are 'adopting a role' (theatre, opera etc.) or you are promoting music or public dancing you need to be covered by a Premises Licence. We recommend that you check with Cornwall Council to be certain of what kind of licence you need for what type of performance. The contact is Jessica who is based in the Penzance office.
You can phone Tim Smithies (Project Director) or Claire Marshall (Project Manager) at Carn to Cove anytime!


The complexity of today's unified communications solutions is growing rapidly. Today's businesses need more functionality than ever before to contend with the increasing demands of modern customers, as well as evolving features and capabilities. With so much going on in the industry, it's no wonder that organisations from all verticals are looking for ways to better manage their infrastructure.
Fortunately, service management solutions like the new "Voss-4-UC" system from Voss can make life simpler for business owners. Voss's independent research shows that organisations using their system can save up to 43% a year on management costs.
If you're looking for a way to maintain better insights into your technology, here's what you can expect from Voss-4-UC.
Voss-4-UC is an incredible service management solution that allows companies to design, deploy, operate and optimise state-of-the-art unified communication solutions with a reliable service fulfilment platform. Voss-4-UC was designed to deliver exceptional results for governments, service providers, and enterprises alike so that anyone can reduce the costs of UC implementation.
Voss Business Admin portal – A unique interface offering administrates quick and accurate access to their UC system.
Voss is dedicated to delivering state-of-the-art business solutions for organisations that want to make the most out of their complex UC management requirements. With strategies to simplify the delivery, design, and operation of UC infrastructure, Voss allows organisations to perform at their best when handling enterprise communication.
Access to suit you: Voss-4-UC supports a wide range of UC applications including mobility, messaging and collaboration. What's more, in addition to UC management, there's also high levels of automation available for various architecture points like SBCs and SIP trunks too!
Voss-4-UC was created to support managed and hosted service providers, as well as systems integrators who want to access the best possible profitability with their UC deals. Governments and enterprises can also benefit from this service management solution to help them reduce complexity and cost in the UC environment.
For many businesses, getting the most out of a UC solution is about overcoming the complexity of the space and discovering the benefits. Voss-4-UC eliminates some of the roadblocks to UC transformation that can drive up costs or harm productivity.
Voss-4-UC provides today's companies with an administrative portal that delivers absolute access to all of the underlying devices and applications in their UC solution. Anyone from system administrators to UC experts and help desk personnel can use this technology to unlock the next generation of Unified Communications applications and enhance their customer experience strategy.
According to Nemertes Research, VOSS continually delivers some of the lowest total cost of ownership for enterprise communications. Compared to competing UC management tools, businesses that choose VOSS for service management spend up to 19% less on their UC implementation costs, and 7% less on UC operating costs. This means that VOSS offers the greatest operational savings, of more than 40% over a 5-year period.
Do you use Voss-4-UC in your business, or do you have an alternative service management solution? Tell us about it in the comment section below!


text:
(Id: 27C036 )
DAYSWORKING DAYSWORK HOURSWAGESWEEKEND DAYSPUBLIC HOLIDAYS ▼
201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025202620272028202920302031 ▼
friday, 1 january, 2021
saturday, 2 january, 2021
weekend day
sunday, 3 january, 2021
monday, 4 january, 2021
working day (8h)
tuesday, 5 january, 2021
wednesday, 6 january, 2021
thursday, 7 january, 2021
sunday, 10 january, 2021
monday, 11 january, 2021
tuesday, 12 january, 2021
wednesday, 13 january, 2021
thursday, 14 january, 2021
monday, 1 february, 2021
tuesday, 2 february, 2021
wednesday, 3 february, 2021
thursday, 4 february, 2021
friday, 5 february, 2021
saturday, 6 february, 2021
sunday, 7 february, 2021
wednesday, 10 february, 2021
thursday, 11 february, 2021
friday, 12 february, 2021
saturday, 13 february, 2021
sunday, 14 february, 2021
monday, 15 february, 2021
tuesday, 16 february, 2021
monday, 1 march, 2021
tuesday, 2 march, 2021
wednesday, 3 march, 2021
thursday, 4 march, 2021
friday, 5 march, 2021
saturday, 6 march, 2021
sunday, 7 march, 2021
wednesday, 10 march, 2021
thursday, 11 march, 2021
friday, 12 march, 2021
saturday, 13 march, 2021
sunday, 14 march, 2021
tuesday, 16 march, 2021
thursday, 1 april, 2021
friday, 2 april, 2021
saturday, 3 april, 2021
sunday, 4 april, 2021
monday, 5 april, 2021
tuesday, 6 april, 2021
wednesday, 7 april, 2021
saturday, 10 april, 2021
sunday, 11 april, 2021
monday, 12 april, 2021
tuesday, 13 april, 2021
wednesday, 14 april, 2021
thursday, 15 april, 2021
friday, 16 april, 2021
saturday, 1 may, 2021
sunday, 2 may, 2021
monday, 3 may, 2021
tuesday, 4 may, 2021
wednesday, 5 may, 2021
thursday, 6 may, 2021
friday, 7 may, 2021
monday, 10 may, 2021
tuesday, 11 may, 2021
wednesday, 12 may, 2021
thursday, 13 may, 2021
friday, 14 may, 2021
saturday, 15 may, 2021
sunday, 16 may, 2021
tuesday, 1 june, 2021
wednesday, 2 june, 2021
thursday, 3 june, 2021
friday, 4 june, 2021
saturday, 5 june, 2021
sunday, 6 june, 2021
monday, 7 june, 2021
thursday, 10 june, 2021
friday, 11 june, 2021
saturday, 12 june, 2021
sunday, 13 june, 2021
monday, 14 june, 2021
tuesday, 15 june, 2021
wednesday, 16 june, 2021
Juneteenth Observance
Juneteenth Obs.
thursday, 1 july, 2021
friday, 2 july, 2021
saturday, 3 july, 2021
sunday, 4 july, 2021
monday, 5 july, 2021
Independence Day Observance
Independence Day Obs.
tuesday, 6 july, 2021
wednesday, 7 july, 2021
saturday, 10 july, 2021
sunday, 11 july, 2021
monday, 12 july, 2021
tuesday, 13 july, 2021
wednesday, 14 july, 2021
thursday, 15 july, 2021
friday, 16 july, 2021
sunday, 1 august, 2021
monday, 2 august, 2021
tuesday, 3 august, 2021
wednesday, 4 august, 2021
thursday, 5 august, 2021
friday, 6 august, 2021
saturday, 7 august, 2021
wednesday, 11 august, 2021
thursday, 12 august, 2021
friday, 13 august, 2021
saturday, 14 august, 2021
sunday, 15 august, 2021
monday, 16 august, 2021
wednesday, 1 september, 2021
thursday, 2 september, 2021
friday, 3 september, 2021
saturday, 4 september, 2021
sunday, 5 september, 2021
monday, 6 september, 2021
tuesday, 7 september, 2021
friday, 10 september, 2021
saturday, 11 september, 2021
sunday, 12 september, 2021
tuesday, 14 september, 2021
wednesday, 15 september, 2021
thursday, 16 september, 2021
friday, 1 october, 2021
saturday, 2 october, 2021
sunday, 3 october, 2021
monday, 4 october, 2021
tuesday, 5 october, 2021
wednesday, 6 october, 2021
thursday, 7 october, 2021
sunday, 10 october, 2021
monday, 11 october, 2021
tuesday, 12 october, 2021
wednesday, 13 october, 2021
friday, 15 october, 2021
saturday, 16 october, 2021
monday, 1 november, 2021
tuesday, 2 november, 2021
wednesday, 3 november, 2021
thursday, 4 november, 2021
friday, 5 november, 2021
saturday, 6 november, 2021
sunday, 7 november, 2021
wednesday, 10 november, 2021
thursday, 11 november, 2021
friday, 12 november, 2021
saturday, 13 november, 2021
sunday, 14 november, 2021
monday, 15 november, 2021
tuesday, 16 november, 2021
wednesday, 1 december, 2021
thursday, 2 december, 2021
friday, 3 december, 2021
saturday, 4 december, 2021
sunday, 5 december, 2021
monday, 6 december, 2021
tuesday, 7 december, 2021
friday, 10 december, 2021
saturday, 11 december, 2021
sunday, 12 december, 2021
tuesday, 14 december, 2021
wednesday, 15 december, 2021
thursday, 16 december, 2021
Christmas Observance
New Year's Day Observance
New Year's Day Obs
Weekend days


Add slide-up forms to your sites, track the results and keep your subscriber lists up-to-date with this service for boosting conversions.
Collecting email addresses from your site visitors doesn't have to be difficult, nor invasive. With Sleeknote, you can add slide-up subscribe forms – or Sleeknotes – to your site that don't get in the way of browsing, but can still super-charge the growth of your lists.
Complete with analytics to help you track leads/signups, conversions and impressions, Sleeknote goes above what most subscribe form builders are capable of. As a result, it's possible to optimize and monitor the impact of changes to the signup process, without needing to create goals in Google Analytics, or similar apps.
You can try Sleeknote for free with their 7-day trial; after this period, plans start from $35/month. To find out more, visit their site.
Using Sleeknote's built-in integration with Campaign Monitor, you can automatically sync new signups with an existing Campaign Monitor list. You will need your account's API key – once authenticated, your Sleeknotes should seamlessly keep your subscriber lists up-to-date.


Four young men were arrested in the southern Indian state of Kerala after a video of them throwing stones at elephants went viral on social media.
A 22-year-old Indian man hit the jackpot in the most unexpected way.
Aziz Ansari announced that he's in India late last night, with a series of typically sardonic Instagram photos.