You might have a dream job, but these days there's a good chance that the government has to give you its approval before you can actually do that job.
In Arizona, if you want to be an acupuncturist, a hunting or fishing guide, landscape architect, pre-arranged funeral salesperson, or even a well driller you'll need a license. There is even government registration required to be a geologist.
Once upon a time, the entrepreneurial spirit reigned supreme in America. That spirit still lives, but it is increasingly being stifled by government regulation. One insidious form of this regulation is occupational licensing.
More and more often, if you want to work or start a business, you have to seek permission from the government, pass arbitrary requirements, and pay fees to the state. More than 1,000 occupations are currently regulated by the states, and many others are regulated at the federal and municipal levels.
According to a recent Reason Foundation study, Arizona requires licenses for 72 jobs, below the national average of 92 and similar to neighboring Colorado (69) and Utah (84). California topped the list with a whopping 177 licensed occupations.
Occupational licensing affects a larger portion of the workforce than labor unions or the minimum wage, yet it doesn't receive anywhere near the attention received by these other barriers to work.
During the 1950s, only about 4.5 percent of the workforce had to obtain a license to work. Now over 20 percent of workers need some sort of license to do their jobs. By contrast, labor union strength has diminished. Almost 35 percent of the workforce belonged to a union in the mid-1950s, but only 12 percent of the workforce is unionized today. Minimum wage laws have a direct impact on less than 10 percent of the workforce.
Licensing laws are generally sold as a necessary means of "protecting the public interest," but they tend instead to simply protect existing business interests from competition. Just think how comforted consumers must feel to be protected by government regulations against the scourge of unlicensed florists in Louisiana, motion picture projectionists in Massachusetts, and upholsterers in California. More regulation raises the costs of doing business, making it more difficult for others to enter the market, especially since existing practitioners are typically exempted from the regulations they seek to impose on their future competitors. Thus, licensing laws are regulations borne of special interests, not the public interest. This reduced competition leads to higher prices and less choice for consumers.
The poor are doubly hit by occupational licensing because: (1) they must pay higher prices for goods and services performed by licensees and (2) the costs of satisfying licensing regulations limit their job opportunities.
To address this problem, State Sen. Pamela Gordon (R-Anthem) sponsored Senate Bill 1502, which was just signed into law by Gov. Janet Napolitano. The new law restricts potential future licensing laws by forcing the government to consider the costs of new regulations to consumers, businesses, and individuals, rather than just the supposed benefits. It also prohibits regulations based on protecting businesses from competition, forces the government to consider alternatives to licensing like private certification, and requires that any new regulations be the least restrictive possible.
These provisions represent a solid first step in preventing future abuses of economic freedom, but additional measures will have to be taken to roll back the occupational regulations that are already on the books. The creation of a blue ribbon committee to analyze existing licensing laws could help to identify the most egregious cases of unnecessary regulation and economic protectionism.
The City of Indianapolis successfully followed this model in the mid-1990s and repealed many regulations that didn't pass the "laugh test," affected too few practitioners to financially justify the existence of the licensing board, or had little or no history of enforcement activity, suggesting that either the licensing board was not doing its job or there was no cause for action, and thus that the board was unnecessary.
In light of the enormous economic losses to society inflicted by occupational licensing regulations, and the destructive effects these laws have on consumers, aspiring workers, and business owners-not to mention individual liberty in general-occupational licensing laws should be abolished.
Private-sector alternatives such as voluntary certification encourage entrepreneurship and allow consumers to obtain valuable information about product and service quality while leaving them free to choose to do business with practitioners that best meet their needs.


text:
Alterra favours bikes over cars in revised proposal for 520 Richmond
Posted by: Ana Krneta June 16, 2017	0
The design for the building proposed for 520 Richmond St. W. was influenced by its location in the Garment District. Photo: 520richmond.ca.
Community members heard updated development proposals for two Downtown West developments on July 15.
520 Richmond West
The first update was for Alterra's proposal to redevelop 520 Richmond St. W. The application (which was first presented five years ago) deals with the site at the corner of Augusta Ave. and Richmond St. W. in the Garment District. The infamous Graffiti Alley also borders it.
Alterra has made a number of changes since the application was first put forward. Before the presentation began, a staff member from councillor Joe Cressy's office stated the company has been one of the best that the city has worked with. This willingness to work with the city and community was evident in the developer's presentation. Alterra had listened to the issues people had with the proposal five years ago and responded accordingly by adding elements that make the finished building a better fit neighbourhood—like integrating space for graffiti into the new building plan.
The property is located inside of a "regeneration" area. This means the city wants to utilize the real estate there in the most efficient way, welcoming mixed use proposals that will attract both businesses and residents.
The current building that stands at the site is a single-storey commercial warehouse building. The proposed replacement would be a 15-storey mixed use building (two storeys higher than the original proposal). It will also be relocated farther from Graffiti Alley in an effort to preserve that site.
The current plan proposes 108 residential units: 46% will be 1 bedroom, 28% will be one bedroom and den, 17% will be two bedroom and 10% will be three bedroom units. The total residential floor space will be 8,861 square meters.
Another 275 square meters of the building will be dedicated to retail space. The building will have below-ground parking with only 36 parking spaces, well below the required amount of 81 spaces. This lack will be offset by 141 bike parking spaces.
The developers also plan on making "graffiti walls" on the west and north side of the building: these walls will invite graffiti artists—who are already making a stop in the area for Graffiti Alley anyhow—to put their art on 520 Richmond as well.
The height of the building will be 46.2 meters (53 meters including the mechanical penthouse). To meet the city's standards for green space, the developers will be constructing the mandatory green roof.
Aesthetically, the architect chose to draw inspiration from the nearby Garment District and incorporate it into the design. The building will have a woven-look façade. There will also be no glass balconies: instead, balconies will be constructed of pickets put very closely together. This decision got an overwhelmingly positive reaction from community members in attendance.
Those same community members aired their concerns about shadowing, asking how much sunlight neighbours would be losing once the building goes up. They also questioned the engineering impact that the construction work itself would have on neighbouring older buildings.
The proposal is still in the planning stages and has yet to be presented to city council: now is the time for feedback from concerned community members. Alterra is hoping to hear back from area residents so that the developer can mitigate any negative effects the construction and massing of the building will have on its future neighbours.
Residents living on Stewart St. will be in darkness for most of the day as the building proposed for 663 King St. W. would almost totally steal their sunlight. Image: mainandmain.ca
The second meeting of the night was dedicated to the building proposal for a 19-storey mixed use building to be erected at 663 King St. W. (at the corner of Bathurst and King streets).
The building will be a mix of residential, commercial, and retail space. There will be 247 residential units (including one-, two- and three-bedroom units). The residential floor space will take up 17,293 square meters with the remaining 4,950 square feet dedicated to retail and commercial uses.
The tower will be located next to the Thompson residences and across from the Thompson hotel, both very tall buildings in their own right. The height of the building will be 62 metres (plus the mechanical penthouse which will take it up to 67 metres).
In order to make room for this new edifice, the existing buildings at 60 Stewart St. and 647 King St. will have to be demolished.
Architect Michael Leckman represented the developer Main and Main at the meeting. He brought up the concerns that community members had stated in previous meetings and explained how the developer is addressing them.
One of the biggest concerns was maintaining the character of King West. The developer will address this concern by rebuilding a masonry wall on the northwest corner on Bathurst St. and also on Stewart St.
Another concern was that the project (as originally proposed) did not provide enough units for families looking to move into the area: hence the increased number of two- and three-bedroom units.
The developers also looked at how Toronto is becoming more and more of a biking and pedestrian city. Main and Main wanted the building to reflect that. There will be only one underground level for parking: 98 spaces for cars and 276 spaces for bikes.
The meeting got a bit heated as a group of people living adjacent to the site on Stewart St. and in the Victorian Row homes in the area raised their hands. Residents living on Stewart—particularly at 55 Stewart St.—have legitimate concerns that they will live in darkness for most of the day as the new tower will steal almost all of their sunlight.
Residents of the Victorian row homes voiced a worry that they feel they are being enveloped on all sides by massive buildings. They also noted that they had a very negative experience during the construction of the Thompson residences: the work caused structural damage to their homes strewed construction debris land in their back yards.
Noise pollution, increased traffic and the ripple effect the other nearby properties would feel when construction begins on this massive building were also brought forward as community issues.
Alhtough there were no firm resolutions to any of their concerns, residents were advised that there will be more meetings on the project which, as it's still in its very early stages, will not break ground for some time.
This article was brought to you by...
Become a patron of local news by sponsoring articles like this one. Patronage—at any level—allows us to hire writers and cover as many Downtown Toronto stories as possible. Patrons may opt to take credit for an article to let others know that they support community media. Email us at info@thebulletin.ca or call (416) 929-0011 for more information. Thank you!
520 Richmond Alterra city planning development Garment District Graffiti Alley Joe Cressy	2017-06-16
Ana Krneta
Tagged with: 520 Richmond Alterra city planning development Garment District Graffiti Alley Joe Cressy
Previous: Discomfort with death & grief a modern ailment
Next: Community safety falls victim to funding lack: Church-Wellesley Village
Visionary Rail Deck park will give us our space
88 Queen East: Where will the dogs go when nature calls?
Town-hall talk about more waterfront development

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The program on the grounds of a person determines many traits. Physiognomy accurately determine personality type. The program includes a sketch. Also, a lot of famous people on physiognomy.
analyze and unpack WinSwup bases.


text:
Shooting Star - PR, Marketing, Digital
Celebrating 14 years of Shooting Star!
Established in Lincoln in September 2006 by directors Kate Strawson and Jez Ashberry, Shooting Star was the first dedicated PR consultancy set up in the city. Since then we have gone from strength to strength, not only in experience and services but also in the volume of clients we have supported to reach their business goals.
When setting up Shooting Star Kate and Jez had one aim: to help businesses be more successful by raising their profile and enhancing their reputation – and that is still our mission today.
Although 2020 has presented its own challenges to the world and we've had to adapt to a new way of working from home and communicating virtually for a large portion of the year, our passion for supporting clients and delivering results is unwavering.
We're also dedicated to supporting local charities and since January we've been providing free PR and marketing services to suicide prevention charity the Bearded Fishermen - our 13th Charity of the Year. Every year we receive applications from lots of worthy charities – the challenge is to select just one!
Applications for our next Charity of the Year 2021 will open in December 2020.
Over the last 14 years we've had so many 'star' moments and we're taking a look back at just one for each monumental year (and it was really hard for us to choose only one!):
2006 – The very first base for the business was set up in Sparkhouse, the business incubator at the University of Lincoln where Jez and Kate had worked together as press officers.
2007 – The Shooting Star team started to grow as the first member of staff, Lucy Clegg, started her journey at Shooting Star.
2008 – The company survived the recession! An impressive feat for businesses at the time, an important learning curve and the foundations for a resilient business.
2009 – As the business grew, we moved out of Sparkhouse and into new bigger offices on Burton Road in Lincoln.
2010 – Our staff roster grew to six and it's been growing ever since!
2011 – We took on our 100th client in this year, each one adding to our experience as an agency.
2012 – After three years at Burton Road we needed even more room to grow and moved into our current offices on Lincoln High Street.
2013 – The very first of our famous chippy quizzes took place and they have continued each year to raise funds for our chosen charity ever since.
2014 – Shooting Star team members Kate, Shey and Sarah ran the Lincoln 10K to raise money for our charity of the year, The Ethan Maull 'Up Yours to Cancer! Foundation.
2015 – We won a gold and a silver award at the CIPR Yorkshire & Lincolnshire PRide Awards.
2016 – We opened our Bristol office as part of our ambitions to expand our geographical reach across the UK.
2017 – We won gold at the CIPR South of England and Channel Islands PRide Awards and silver at the CIPR Yorkshire & Lincolnshire PRide Awards.
2018 – Our new website was launched!
2019 – Our office at Newark Beacon in Nottinghamshire opened as part of our strategic development across the East Midlands.
2020 – We all took the challenge of lockdown life as an opportunity to reflect on our work-life balance and to look for self-improvement. After all, the better we are in ourselves, the better our work will be.
As we enter our 15th year we would like to thank all our clients, past and present, who have contributed to the success of the agency. And of course, our dedicated staff for their hard work and continuing dedication to achieving the very best for our clients!
We're looking for a graduate intern
Challenge the Stars!
154 High Street, Lincoln, LN5 7AA
hello@weareshootingstar.co.uk
Newark office
Newark Beacon, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2TN
Privacy Policy © Shooting Star 2017 design by rootstudio
For our latest news and updates sign up to the newsletter:
Keep an eye on all the latest news by subscribing to our quarterly newsletter.
PRMarketingSocial MediaOther
By completing this form you confirm that you're happy for us to add you to our mailing list. We will not share your details with any third parties and will only use them to keep you up to date with our news & events. Privacy Policy is available for review on our website.


White voile curtains tab top curtain menzilperdenet. Dkny paradox tie tab sheer window curtain panel pair. 410 best curtains images on pinterest curtains behind. Linen tab top curtains soulrecipesinfo. 26 best tie tab curtains lentine marine 128583. Ellie tie tab curtains bestwindowtreatmentscom. Tie tab curtains sheer curtain design ideas.
Yellow and white shower curtains bathroom with wallpaper. Semi sheer curtains home decor. Black white shower curtains rectangles with red and gray. Polka dot curtains. Blue curtains canada curtain menzilperdenet. Solar grey blackout eyelet curtains dunelm. Tab top white curtain panels curtains : home design. Peach colored shower curtain juegosdepocoyoinfo. Black and white kitchen curtains ideas : important factors. Country swag curtains for living room ideas : ideas of. Interdesign peva 3 shower curtain liner walmartcom.
Red plaid shower curtain foter. Home expressions jessica lace rod pocket 2 pack curtain. Home expressions regan tuck valance. Home expressions curtains trueserialsclub. Wood venetian blinds gallery wooden venetian blinds uk. Flooring rugs: awesome flooring using chic vct tile. Flame bright tapestry chenille throw.


text:
Сіхуела () — муніципалітет в Іспанії, у складі автономної спільноти Андалусія, у провінції Гранада. Населення —  особи (2010).

Муніципалітет розташований на відстані близько 360 км на південь від Мадрида, 19 км на захід від Гранади.

Демографія

Галерея зображень

Посилання

 Вебсторінка муніципальної ради

Примітки

Муніципалітети провінції Гранада

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Reeve Hill kan syfta på följande platser:

Antarktis

 Reeve Hill (kulle),

USA

 Reeve Hill (berg), Georgia, Chattahoochee County,

Robotskapade Antarktisförgreningar
Robotskapade USAförgreningar


Chilly Buddy is a Quicksilver 605 and is Center Console which is extremely versatile as a pleasure craft. Take her for a quick spin around the islands, fishing or just a trip to the kelongs for lunch or dinner. She seats 7 and has a tow pole which allows you to tow a tube or banana boat or even wakeboard behind her for the extra fun factor. With her 150hp engine, she will hit in excess of 35 knots in less than 15 seconds and she is a beauty to drive. Try her out and give us your feedback!


text:
Iranian wrestler Ghasemi finally receives London 2012 gold medal
By Owen Lloyd
Iranian wrestler Komeil Ghasemi has received a London 2012 Olympic gold medal a decade later, after the original first- and second-placed athletes were disqualified for doping.
Ghasemi and Russia's Bilyal Makhov originally finished in the bronze-medal positions in the men's under-120 kilograms freestyle category.
However, they were bumped up to gold after Uzbekistan's Artur Taymazov and Georgia's Davit Modzmanashvili were disqualified and stripped of their medals.
In 2019, retrospective analysis of Taymazov's samples came back positive for the banned steroid oral turinabol and he was disqualified as a result.
Modzmanashvili, the original runner-up, was forced to forfeit his silver medal following a positive retest in 2019 for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, which is an anabolic-androgenic steroid.
He was also banned for six years.
Please join us in congratulating Komeil GHASEMI ?? on officially becoming the 2012 London Olympic champion at FS 120kg. ?? pic.twitter.com/Ros6csky30
— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) September 1, 2022
The National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran held a ceremony at the Shahid Sadrzadeh Hall of Wrestling in Tehran to present Ghasemi with his gold medal.
It was attended by the organisation's President Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa, members of the Executive Board, the Islamic Republic of Iran Wrestling Federation President Alireza Dabir and national team wrestlers.
Ghasemi, who retired in 2019, also has an Olympic silver medal to his name after finishing as runner-up in the men's under-125kg competition at Rio 2016.
In addition to his London 2012 forfeiture, Taymazov lost his Beijing 2008 gold medal but still holds the under-120kg Athens 2004 title as well as a Sydney 2000 silver medal in the under-130kg event.
Makhov was banned for four years in September of last year after testing positive for banned substances.
The suspension was backdated to the date of his failed test in January 2020, according to the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, and does not impact London 2012 results.
August 2022: Vafa elected new President of Iran NOC in place of Salehi Amiri
September 2021: Russian wrestler upgraded to London 2012 gold given four-year doping ban
July 2020: Ghasemi and Makhov set to be awarded London 2012 wrestling title
July 2019: Taymazov stripped of second Olympic gold medal for doping at London 2012
January 2019: Modzmanashvili stripped of London 2012 Olympic silver medal after caught doping in IOC retests
Owen Lloyd Reporter
Follow @OwenLloydSJ
Owen Lloyd is a reporter at insidethegames.biz, having joined the team in 2021. Lloyd has previously worked with Badminton England at the All England Open Badminton Championships, covered the 2019 General Election and hosted a radio show on local station Voice FM. He graduated from Solent University in 2021 with a 2:1 in sports journalism, where his final project examined diversity in rowing.
Contact Owen
Read more of Owen 's articles
Follow @OwenLloydSJ on Twitter
Komeil Ghasemi London 2012 Olympic Games Bilyal Makhov Artur Taymazov Davit Modzmanashvili Doping Wrestling


ANTHONY MARTIAL will continue to shine at Manchester United despite the imminent arrival of Alexis Sanchez.
Martial scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over Burnley on Saturday.
And he has been in form in recent weeks with three goals in his last four games.
United are closing in on Sanchez, who has gone to sort out the paper work for his move to Old Trafford, putting Martial's place in the team in doubt.
But Matic reckons the young France star can keep showing his best.
"Anthony is a great player as you know and he scored an important goal today," he said following United's narrow win.
"He is very important for our club, our team. He's still young and can still improve . I'm sure he with help us a lot."
Sanchez played mainly on the left for Arsenal and is expected to go straight into the United side with him becoming the highest-paid player at the club.
But the big question for Jose Mourinho is where to fit in his new No 7.
The Sanchez deal is expected to be announced this afternoon with the work permits being sorted out now for both Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who is joining Arsenal in return.
Both players are expected to be unveiled today and could make their debuts in the coming days.
Sanchez will be expected to slot straight in against Yeovil while Mkhitaryan will play against Swansea next week after missing the League Cup match this week because he's cup tied.


Peshawar is the biggest metropolitan city of Khyber Pakhtunkhua. It is famous for pashtun culture. The 1.97 million population density of Peshawar has 39.9 % of unmarried males and 27.56 % of unmarried female. Pashtuns of Peshawar mostly follow the tradition of inter caste marriages so they search the rishta within their caste and city. The seeker is now able to find the perfect, ideal, educated and suitable boys' rishta in Peshawar and Girls' rishta in Peshawar via the service of Pakistani matrimonial website. It provides the place to find and meet the future spouse, who meets your requirements.
Either you are searching the Muslim girls' marriage proposal in Peshawar or Muslim Boys' marriage proposal in Peshawar; you will find the Mr. Right or Miss Perfect from e-matrimony. The posted shaadi proposals describe the details of candidate. The viewable details are age, height, qualification, occupation, income, caste, star, city, etc. The search portal has the multiple filters, such as search by age, profession, city, caste etc., which allow the seeker to view the suitable proposals quickly. The online marriage bureau in Peshawar is actually clarifying the pathway between two soulmates of each other, so they can find and meet each other.


text:
Duke Energy contributes to Community Learning Center
Editor's note: On Wednesday, Duke Energy donated $30,000 to the Huntington County Community Learning Center. (See photo at the end of this story.) Here's a story the Herald-Press wrote in conjunction with that donation titled "Huntington Facing Skills Gap" and how the Learning Center will help fill it.
Source: Lucas Bechtol, Huntington Herald-Press, 7/16/14
Huntington is no different from the rest of the country in facing a skills gap that makes jobs go unfilled and may even turn away business because employers can't find employees with the right credentials, according to Huntington County officials.
"Most of our major employers in Huntington County have openings available for skilled positions," Mark Wickersham, executive director for the Huntington County Economic Development Corporation, said. "Some of those literally go unfilled because (employers) have trouble finding (skilled workers)."
He added he has read that employers regionally and nationally are losing opportunities for growth because they can't find the necessary talent.
The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, Work One Northeast, the Regional Opportunities Council and others are working on a "talent initiative" to help solve this problem, Wickersham said, adding many Huntington County businesses are helping with this effort.
"Additionally at the local level, through the chamber of commerce, the United Way, the school corporation, Ivy Tech, Work One Northeast and others, the effort is underway to fund and develop a vocational training center that will help local employers find opportunities for training," he said.
Executive Director Steve Kimmel of the Huntington County Chamber of Commerce said the Huntington County Community Learning Center will be utilized by displaced workers and current workers.
"Whether you're a student coming out of high school looking for some type of a credential or a degree or whether you're a person who's been laid off and your skills are no longer needed, you can actually go here and learn a new skill," he said.
The Huntington County Community Learning Center is closer to its goal of expansion after a $30,000 donation from Duke Energy Wednesday morning.
"We are so excited to see this project move forward, it has the potential to do a lot of good for our community," said Tiffanney Drummond, career and technical director for the Huntington County Community School Corporation who will also be the director of the center. "We are continuing to move forward."
The plan is to add on to the current vocational technology building and add a variety of different classes to the curriculum for adults as well as students, Jenna Strick, executive director of the United Way of Huntington County and a member of the development team, said.
The expansion will allow Ivy Tech and Work One to have an expanded role in the community, with offices located at the center, she said.
"We think it's important for the vocational center to have the employment aspect as part of it so not only can we train you, but we can help you pick up a job," Strick said.
The training and classes offered at the center will vary, depending on the needs from the area.
"We're currently in conversation with several of the local employers and regional employers to know how they would benefit as local employers in a center like this," Strick said.
However, CNC machining and welding will definitely be skills that are taught at the center, she added.
Currently, there is around $800,000 in pledges to the project, Strick said. The total project is $1.3 million.
She said the goal is to complete the fundraising by the end of the year to have construction start next summer and start classes in the fall.
The vocational tech center will continue to be open until then and has started to gear up its adult programming for the transition by offering a welding class in the afternoon geared toward adults, Drummond said.
Kimmel said this learning center will be an attempt to close the skill gap.
"Huntington is no different than most other communities, not only in Indiana but across the nation, that are struggling to find people with the skills they need, especially manufacturing," he said. "What we're trying to do is bridge that gap."
He added Huntington has a real need for welders, advance manufacturing skills and CNC operators. The learning center will also include training for certified nursing assistants and some automotive training.
PHOTO CAPTION (Photo credit to Lucas Bechtol)
Duke Energy donated $30,000 to the Huntington County Community Learning Center Wednesday afternoon. From left are: Bill Petranoff, Steve Kimmel, Laura Sheets, John Niederman, Ed Vessels, Mark Wickersham, Karen Green, Tiffanney Drummond and Jenna Strick.


text:
Q: Can't run webrick on port 80 I try to figure out how to point a.b.c.d:3000 to my domain name. Here, a.b.c.d is my IP address.
As per this post:
How to use DNS/Hostnames or Other ways to resolve to a specific IP:Port
I get the impression that I need to set Webrick to host on port 80, since that is the default assumed port, hence I can map a.b.c.d to my domain name and mydomain.org will reach my site.
Is this a correct assumption or am I going about this the wrong way?
Anyway, I can't get Webrick to use port 80, I get the following error:
WARN  TCPServer Error: Permission denied - bind(2)
Checking for listeners on port 80:
$ netstat -tlnp
(Not all processes could be identified, non-owned process info
 will not be shown, you would have to be root to see it all.)
Active Internet connections (only servers)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address           Foreign Address         State       PID/Program name
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:53            0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      -
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:631           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      -
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:8089          0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      3266/banshee
tcp6       0      0 ::1:631                 :::*                    LISTEN      -

No other processes using port 80.
From other posts, I get the impression that mapping to ports below 1024 is not possible.
Running the following command:
iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 80 -j REDIRECT --to-port 8080
Now, setting Webrick on port 8080, I still can't reach my site from a.b.c.d! (nor a.b.c.d:80)
This situation shouldn't be such an uncommon one, what am I missing? If it matters, I use the standard Rails 4 development environment of Webrick, because I only expect like 100 page views/months.

A: Normal users (uid != 0) cannot bind ports <1024 on UNIX-like systems. You could do some iptables hacks or run Werbick as root (or other means described here) instead, but I would not suggest to do so.
Take a proper webserver like Apache, nginx or lighttpd and let it proxy all the traffic to your Webrick. That should be like 5 lines of configuration and you will end up with a setup that you can control and modify way better.

A: try running on different port, like run as non-root user on tcp/8080
also, run lsof |egrep "80|http", to see what's running on tcp/80
it may just be webrick is broken... try mod_passenger if that's a rails app

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


1972 House Bill 2547. An Act Providing Certain Creditable Service For Employees Of The Commonwealth Who Are On Leave Of Absence For The Purpose Of Acting As Representatives Of Employee Organizations Whose Membership Includes Employees Of The Commonwealth.
Title 1972 House Bill 2547. An Act Providing Certain Creditable Service For Employees Of The Commonwealth Who Are On Leave Of Absence For The Purpose Of Acting As Representatives Of Employee Organizations Whose Membership Includes Employees Of The Commonwealth.


text:
«Мечты́ идио́та» — совместный российско-французский кинофильм 1993 года по роману «Золотой телёнок» И. Ильфа и Е. Петрова.

Сюжет
Классический сюжет «Золотого телёнка» с кардинально переделанными образами героев. Остап Бендер уже не молод, лыс, ходит с трехдневной щетиной, носит шляпу. Шура Балаганов — железнозубый гопник в мотоциклетном шлеме. Паниковский — седовласый старик, явно «из бывших». Зося Синицкая — не хрупкая девушка, а женщина-вамп. В облике Корейко преобладают чисто хищнические, бандитские черты, а не комбинаторно-вычислительные способности.

Бендер и его команда пытаются шантажом выманить деньги у подпольного миллионера, собирая на него компромат среди чиновников. Александр Корейко — музейный работник — хранит чемоданчик с сокровищами не в скучной камере хранения, а в экзотическом аквариуме с крокодилами.

Оригинальный сюжетный ход — разветвление финала. Отчасти оно следует колебаниям авторов, отражённым в разных редакциях романа, но при этом «привычный» финал с попыткой Остапа пересечь румынскую границу приводит его к гибели, а в «альтернативном» окончании Остап не только примиряется с Зосей, но и сохраняет капитал.

Фильм снимали преимущественно в Крыму (Никитский сад, Гаспра и др.)

В ролях
 Алика Смехова — Зося Синицкая
 Сергей Крылов — Остап Бендер
 Евгений Дворжецкий — Шура Балаганов
 Станислав Любшин — Паниковский
 Владимир Толоконников — Адам Козлевич
 Андрей Смирнов — Александр Корейко
 Владимир Этуш — зицпредседатель Фунт
 Людмила Зайцева — председатель исполкома
 Василий Мищенко — следователь
 Александр Леньков — крупье
 Юрий Назаров — генерал
 Александр Негреба — неизвестный
 Вацлав Дворжецкий — нищий

Ссылки

Кинокомедии России
Кинокомедии Франции
Кинокомедии 1993 года
Экранизации произведений Ильфа и Петрова
Фильмы Василия Пичула
Фильмы России 1993 года
Фильмы, снятые при участии киностудии имени М. Горького
Золотой телёнок (фильм)
Фильмы об Остапе Бендере
Золотой телёнок


Jahzara, "The Authorpreneur" is changing the literary game. Give her a pen, paper, or laptop and watch out. This author, publisher, and motivational speaker is literally changing the literary game right before our eyes. Author Kisha Green says everything Jahzara touches is "sure to be Literary Gold." You have a book in you that you've been wanting to publish. Jahzara wants to turn that story into a book. Visit her at www.tranquilmomentspublishing.com. Every diva should be Pampered and Paid so visit www.tranquilmoments.soulpurpose.net to learn more.
Who Creeps The Best: Men or Women?
Jahzara and OX want to know who cheat more: men or women and when it comes to creeping--which gender is best at it?
Ox and Jahzara are back from hiatus and Ryan Hodge of Black Folk Hot Spots is in the building. Call in and catch up with us. Find out what we've been up to over the past few months. Call in at 646-929-1765.
Mrs. Latoyia Gilbert will share the vision of One Accord Ministry. You won't want to miss this episode.
Andrea Clinton is hanging out with Ox and Jahzara on It's Complicated. Show airs Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 6:30pm EST. Call in and win a copy of Andrea's book, Life Knows No Bounds Presents: One Who Loves You More.
Kai Storm is hanging out with Ox and Jahzara on the show. Call in at 646-929-1765. The show airs live Monday, November 21, 2011 at 6:30pm EST.


Nigerian alternative R&B act Tay Iwar returns with another enthralling record simply entitled "MONICA". The love-laden record is rich ..
Mangoseed is a UK-based quartet made up of four musicians of Trinidadian, Jamaican, Australian and Irish descent. Helmed by vocalist Nicholai ..
Adanna Duru's latest entry "Trip Remix " enlists Los Angeles jazz musician Casey Abrams to deliver a heartfelt performance rich with rousing ..
Danny Matos checks our egos with bouncy new romp "Strobe Lights"
NY based rapper Danny Matos's new single, "Strobe Lights," is a musically rich, bouncy romp that remains grounded by his impassioned ..
B. Angelique sets her sights on success with debut single "Payout"
B. Angelique's latest single "Payout" is a solid, hard-hitting cut filled with hope and aspirational views delivered through clever wordplay ..
Yury confronts the naysayers with new single "Spite"
The rapper and producer pushes the boundaries while sticking to his guns with this latest release. While his forté has an obvious trap foundation, ..
Duffel Bag Hottie drops the video for "Foreign Drugs"
After dropping his MAX 3 project last week, Duffel Bag Hottie jumps back to the forefront with the release of the first visual off the aforementioned ..
Priya Ragu delivers a multi genre experience on her new single "Lighthouse"
Budding multi-genre artist Priya Ragu is bringing an exciting experience with her somewhat nonconformist style. Her new single "Lighthouse" ..
Formed in 2015 in a warehouse on Pico Boulevard and in the heart of Los Angeles' Byzantine Latino Quarter, Adámas began as a sonic/lyrical ..
Mr. Williamz' (real name Micah Williams) newest record "Your Style" bridges the gap between 80's dub and 90's vibrant dancehall style with ..
Ain't nothing wrong with a little house party styled banger as we revel in spring's arrival. Celebrate the season with DJ Speed and DJ Mr. Famous, ..


An easy one this time. Looking forward to getting some new toys to play with in the future, mainly Titania and the Odin Dragon split ults.
A surprisingly easy Lv10, mostly due to a favorable Ragnarok Dragon killer matchup. Laila was the most problematic floor and in retrospect I should've considered running Balboa just to make dealing with her easier.
This clear was rough. I haven't really looked at what's in future Lv10s, but I'm not looking forward to it. If there's anything for me to take away from this, after much trial and error, I'm much more aware of the strengths (not many) and weaknesses (there's a lot) of both Spicas as leads.
Now that Spica has skill boosts, I'm motivated to make videos for her again. Although they're all pretty much the same: stall forever then burst.
Gainaut's locked skyfall debuff is the biggest obstacle for low-damage teams like this by far since they can't rely on flooding the board with offensive orbs to meet damage thresholds. It's difficult even with killers and probably close to impossible without unless you're a comboing wizard. Time extends are also key on 7×6 boards as they afford you so much more healing and damage through increased combo count. I can't wait for the maniac time extend badge.
I would have preferred to use a water Spica leader pair, but, as mentioned earlier, the locked orbs put a huge damper on damage output so I needed to use her dark form for the higher multiplier. There's no rhyme or reason to the subs, just reusing my MAthena team because they're machines that do sufficient damage and I didn't want to waste tans. I'd almost certainly use a different setup if tans weren't an issue.
Not a smooth as last time, but, meh, whatever.
"Challenge". At least it's some easy Pys.


The 29LW05NE11UN series of monitors have been designed for industrial applications in the control field and other users that require a compact replacement for monochrome CRT monitors with a small footprint, high brightness display and good viewing angles. The rugged, metal construction of the monitors ensures simple retro-fit replacement.
The 05NE series is a lower-cost version of the 05E range,with the monitor having no safety glass or front cover.


Do you operate a business and require Commercial Cleaning / Dusting in Keasbey NJ?
Service MAX LLC is a full service janitorial service company capable of handling your Commercial Cleaning / Dusting in Keasbey, NJ. Our employees are fully trained to handle your Dusting needs.
We supply a full line of commercial cleaning services for all businesses , organizations, municipal agencies, and restaurants in NJ.
We can supply your janitorial supplies as well. Our full line of commerical cleaning supplies will fit your need and we are here to help.


text:
Hochevar takes 15th loss, tied for second in majors
The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH
Luke Hochevar ranks among the American League leaders in an undesirable category.
The Royals right-hander lost 6-2 to the Tigers on Monday night to begin Kansas City's final trip, which consists of four games in Detroit and three in Cleveland. Hochevar emerged with his 15th loss of the season, which leaves him tied for second in the majors.
Only Cleveland's Ubaldo Jimenez, with 17, has more defeats this year. Justin Masterson, Jimenez's teammate, also has 15 losses.
Hochevar gave up 12 hits Monday, matching his season high, which he previously set at Detroit on May 1. He yielded six runs (five earned) in 7 1/3 innings, while walking one and striking out five.
Over 10 starts in August and September, he is 1-6 with three no-decisions. Hochevar's ERA is up to 5.43.
It did not help that Hochevar was paired Monday against Tigers ace Justin Verlander, who owns a 15-2 record against the Royals.
Hochevar does not like pitching in Detroit, where he has a career 7.59 ERA, allowing 64 hits and 36 runs in 43 2/3 innings.
MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - NOTES, QUOTES
--C Salvador Perez, who did not play in the weekend series against the Indians because of bruised and sore hands, returned to the lineup Monday at Detroit and went 1-for-4 and grounded into a double play, dropping his average to .299. Perez went 3-for-24 (.125) on the just-concluded homestand, but one of the hits was a walk-off homer against the Angels.
--DH Billy Butler went 3-for-4 and drove in his 102nd run Monday in the Royals' 6-2 loss to the Tigers and RHP Justin Verlander. It was his 16th three-hit game this season. Butler has a .396 career average (21-for-53) off Verlander. The 102 RBI ties Butler for 19th on the Royals' list of best RBI seasons.
--OF Jarrod Dyson not only swiped his 29th base, but he also was credited with two outfield assists Monday. LF Alex Gordon, who also homered, had an assist, too. The Royals top the majors with 48 outfield assists.
--LHP Bruce Chen will be going for his 12th victory when he starts Tuesday at Detroit. That would match his win total from 2010 and 2011. He is the first Royals southpaw with double-figure victories in three straight seasons since LHP Charlie Leibrandt, 1984-88. Chen is 5-5 with a 5.49 ERA in 16 career games against the Tigers. He is 1-2 with a 3.93 ERA in three starts this season against Detroit.
--C Adam Moore homered Sunday in his first at-bat as a Royal. It was his sixth major league home run, after he hit five for the Mariners. He is the fourth Royal to homer in his first at-bat, joining Calvin Pickering, Aug. 22, 2004; Yamil Benitez, July 24, 1997; and Jon Nunnally, April 29, 1995.
BY THE NUMBERS: 56 -- Innings in which the Royals have scored three or more runs this season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He just threw strike after strike after strike. There's not much you can do when he's throwing like that. We had a couple good at-bats against him, but he was extremely good tonight. You just need to get lucky when he's going that well, and we didn't." -- Royals manager Ned Yost, on Tigers RHP Justin Verlander, who threw 89 strikes in 114 pitches Monday in a 6-2 Detroit triumph.
MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
--C Salvador Perez (bruises on both hands) didn't play Sept. 21-23. He was back in the starting lineup Sept. 24.
--CF Lorenzo Cain (strained right hamstring) left the Sept. 13 game, and an MRI exam Sept. 14 detected a Grade 2 tear. He probably will not play again this season.
--2B Chris Getz (fractured left thumb) went on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 18, the same day he underwent season-ending surgery.
--RHP Felipe Paulino (torn ligament in right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 7 with a strained right groin, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 14. He made a rehab start for Class AA Northwest Arkansas on June 20, but he left after three innings and 54 pitches when he felt pain in his elbow. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in early July.
--LHP Danny Duffy (torn ulnar collateral ligament) went on the 15-day disabled list May 14, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 14. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery June 13.
--RHP Blake Wood (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 22. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery May 24.
--RHP Joakim Soria (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 3. He will miss the season.
LHP Bruce Chen
RHP Luke Hochevar
RHP Luis Mendoza
LHP Will Smith
RHP Jeremy Guthrie
RHP Greg Holland (closer)
LHP Tim Collins
RHP Aaron Crow
LHP Everett Teaford
RHP Kelvin Herrera
RHP Louis Coleman
RHP Vin Mazzaro
LHP Francisley Bueno
RHP Jeremy Jeffress
RHP Jake Odorizzi
RHP Nate Adcock
LHP Tommy Hottovy
CATCHERS:
Brayan Pena
Manny Pina
INFIELDERS:
1B Eric Hosmer
2B Johnny Giavotella
SS Alcides Escobar
3B Mike Moustakas
DH Billy Butler
INF Tony Abreu
INF Irving Falu
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Alex Gordon
CF Lorenzo Cain
RF Jeff Francoeur
OF David Lough
OF Jarrod Dyson
OF Jason Bourgeois
7 facts worth clarifying about the Cubs' Marquee Sports Network, including Comcast not being the only carrier without a deal
Column: The Kris Bryant drags on — but with Nolan Arenado off the market, the pieces of the puzzle might be falling into place
Luke Hochevar


Orange and Groupama have signed a deal to establish a joint company, Protectline, that will operate in the home telesurveillance sector.
This partnership will strengthen Groupama's existing activity in the sector and will allow Orange to become a fully-fledged player on this market, taking a new step forward in its multi-service operator strategy.
The deal between the two groups, which was signed in January 2019, establishes Protectline as a joint platform for the operation and management on home telesurveillance services. Orange holds 51% of the company's capital and Groupama holds the remaining 49%.
By working together through a joint platform, Orange and Groupama will each retain full control of the distribution of their respective offers over their own retail networks and using their own brands.
Groupama is a well-established player in this segment with extensive expertise in the field of home telesurveillance. The company provides offers ranging from mass-market to tailored solutions with a particular focus on the quality of the equipment, installations and services. Within the framework of this partnership, Groupama will contribute (via its subsidiary Confitex 6) its skills and knowledge in this sector, its logistics centre, its state-of-the-art IT system, its network of installers and finally its ability to oversee the entire value chain. Through this partnership, Groupama is set to strengthen its presence in the telesurveillance market by increasing its ability to cooperate with industry leaders in their market.
Orange will launch its own home telesurveillance services on the consumer market in the Spring of 2019. These offers will be available for both fixed and mobile customers in France. Orange aims to take a strong position in the market, building on its subscriber base, its brand, its physical and digital retail networks and the expertise of Proctectline.


text:
Westfield Half Year Result: WFD turns focus to flagship stores & technology to grow profits
Online Stockbroker
After spinning off its Australian and New Zealand management businesses into a separate organisation (Scentre Group), Westfield Corporation is now primarily focussed on operating and building shopping malls in the US and the UK. The group reported a net profit of US$588.9 million in the first half year, an increase of almost 20%. Revenue in the period rose 18.3% to US$987.6 million.
Property focused organisations tend to use funds from operations (FFO) to describe cash flow. To that end, WFD's Funds from Operations (FFO) delivered US16.5 cents per security for the period. WFD confirmed its expectations that full year FFO will be in the range of US33.8 cents to US34 cents. WFD said it will pay an interim distribution of US12.75 cents per security for the period, an increase of 1.6% and reconfirmed guidance for a 2017 full-year dividend of US25.5 cents per security.
83% of WFD's shopping centre portfolio is comprised of what the group refers to as 'Flagship centres' whose value is more than US$32 billion. These shopping centres cater to a more upmarket experience compared to the remaining regional centres. Specialty retail sales in the Flagship centres rose by a modest 3.3%, contributing to a total increase of only 2.2%. Total net operating income rose 3.5% and was driven by a 4.5% Flagship improvement compared to regional operation which saw net income rise by only 0.5%.
Breaking down the sales by their various segments in the Flagship centres, there was reasonable growth for Leisure and Food Retail which rose 5.7% and 4.5% respectively over the course of the last 6 months, although General Retail fell by almost 9% over the same period.
WFD's current development pipeline totals US$3.8 billion and is made up of Century City in Los Angeles and UTC in San Diego which are both expected to be completed in 4Q17. The UK's Westfield London will be finished in 1Q18. While Valley Fair in San Jose and Westfield World Trade Centre in New York will be opening in 2019. WFD is starting pre-development work on US$6.0 billion in future projects in Milan, Los Angeles & London.
For more Reporting Season coverage, please visit (VIEW LINK)


Refrigeration font is decorative font which is designed by Vic Fieger. This font is labeled as Distorted font. Refrigeration font family has 1 variant.
Refrigeration font is one of Refrigeration font variant which has Regular style. This font come in ttf format and support 653 glyphs. Based on font metric, Refrigeration Regular has usweight 400, width 5, and italic angle 0. This font is labeled as .


With agriculture as the leading industry, Lee County, Texas is the perfect place for your farm and ranch property. The abundant wildlife in Lee County provides for excellent hunting and recreation includes Lake Somerville State Park, Lexington Pioneer Village, Wendish Museum and numerous historic sites. Contact a Lee County Farm Ranch Realtor about Lee County land and ranches for sale! Also view our Featured Counties in Central Texas.
Selling your Lee County land or ranch? Start that process here.
Contact a Lee County Farm Ranch Realtor!


text:
New collective bargaining laws don't apply to Iowa union's contract, judge rules
Brianne Pfannenstiel
A judge has ruled the state must comply with a last-minute employment contract approved by union workers just days before former Gov. Terry Branstad signed legislation authorizing a dramatic rewrite of Iowa's collective bargaining laws.
UE Local 893 — Iowa United Professionals brought the case in February when it learned the state would not honor the contract approved by its members.
According to court filings, two of the union's bargaining units in December 2016 began negotiating with the state for contracts that would take effect July 1, 2017.
The union made its initial offer Dec. 6, and the state made its first proposal Dec. 20.
The two sides met for a bargaining session Jan. 10. There, neither the union nor the state deviated from their initial offers.
The two sides canceled future bargaining sessions as the Legislature began to debate proposals to dramatically weaken public-sector union workers' ability to negotiate for benefits and workplace conditions.
The union accepted the state's initial offer Feb 10, and its members voted to ratify it Feb. 14.
On Feb. 17, Branstad signed into law a piece of legislation that, among other things, prevents most public-sector unions from negotiating for anything beyond base wages.
The state argued the contract was invalid, because although it had not expressly withdrawn its proposal, it was implied to be withdrawn when the union declined to deviate from its own proposal. It also argued its proposal was contingent upon and subject to legislative action.
Polk County District Court Judge Michael Huppert wrote in an order siding with the union that, "there is no basis for the court to conclude that the parties could reasonably believe that the state's initial position had been withdrawn."
Huppert ordered the state to begin enforcing the contract and to pay for court costs.
"I think the most important thing is the judge upheld the integrity of the process of the offer, acceptance and ratification leading to an agreement, and concluded that all that needed to be done was done prior to the change in the law," said Charles Gribble, an attorney representing the union.
The state has 30 days to appeal the decision.


text:
Gunmen Storm Prosecutor's Office In Northern Afghanistan
File photo of a suicide attack in Mazar-e Sharif in 2013.
Gunmen have stormed a judicial office in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif.
Police sources and witnesses told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that three armed men entered a provincial prosecutorial office in Mazar-e Sharif on April 9 and exchanged fire with security forces.
They said two policemen were killed and about 10 prosecutors taken hostage.
Medical sources said at least seven wounded people, including a child, were brought to hospital.
Media said the attackers wore military uniforms.
The attack came a day after an Afghan soldier fatally shot a U.S. soldier and wounded several others in the eastern city of Jalalabad.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that attack was "a reminder Afghanistan is still a dangerous place" and that there is "still work to be done to support the Afghan security forces" following the withdrawal of most NATO coalition troops last year.
With reporting by AFP


On April 2 Kirsten Kuhnert was a guest at the German TV station "ZDF" to introduce her new and second book "dolphin therapy - proof of a miracle".
For the first time the same German TV station "ZDF" reported one entire week during the course of a special morning edition about the work, the goals and the ideas of a charity organization. Journalist and TV moderator Mrs. Juliane Hielscher and her team have spent 10 days by Dolphin Human Therapy in Key Largo. The main content of this report are two families - their hopes, their sorrows, their stories. Juliane Hielscher has been a volunteer for dolphin aid for the last couple of years. She also presented last year's gala event.
On July 10 the annual gala event of dolphin aid - "Dolphin's Night - the night of the stars" took place. Please read more about this event in our next edition of dolphin aid News.
After pausing for two years, due to economic reasons, LTU once again is taking a strong part in the sponsoring of our families. We also receive great support from Q1 Germany. This telephone company created a donation hot line. For Euro 5.98 you may also download the dolphin aid logo or a special dial tone for your cell phone.
On August 1, 2002 the organization "Verein Kinderschicksale Mittelfranken e.V." was found. It is the goal of this organization to enable dolphin therapy for 18 children in need. Three out of these eighteen children Fabian, Hannah and Lisa already participated successfully in dolphin therapy in Key Largo.
Since April 1 the Curacao Dolphin Therapy Center (CDTC) is officially up and running. The first three "test families" - family Geiger, family Bade and family Beick have already been in Curacao as early as this march. Their children Maxi, Alexandra and Kevin enjoyed two weeks of intensive therapy with dolphins Tela, Mateo and Nemo. Tela is the only female and the "boss" in Curacao. Nemo three years old is the youngest dolphin in our new therapy center. Since December 2003 these animals had been trained by Mr. Rudolf Jaeckle, General Manager of CDTC. These three dolphins had never before been in touch with tourists.
During the time of their stay also both Mrs. Kirsten Kuhnert as well as Dr. Ibach (medical board dolphin aid) had been in Curacao. Dr. Ibach inspected hospitals as well as the medical care. He found the medical equipment being used equivalent to the highest of European standard. Britta Siebert from the dolphin aid headquarter in Duesseldorf did also spend some time in Curacao in order to help Ronneke Kats, Office Manager with the organization of the office.
The Royal Resort Restaurant is located right next to CDTC. Mrs. Kuhnert was able to obtain a 20 % reduction in price for all our families. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The island's capital Willemstad is only 4 miles away. Next to CDTC you will also find two supermarkets. Dolphin aid has established a shuttle service to these supermarkets. This shuttle service is running twice a week - Wednesday and Saturday making the shopping for our families easy. Since 1995 dolphin aid has enabled more than a 1.000 children dolphin therapy. Curacao is not replacing our facility in Key Largo. Curacao - at lower costs - helps to make it possible for more children to participate in dolphin therapy.
Please also visit the web page of dolphin human therapy in Key Largo under www.dolphinhumantherapy.com. On this web page you will find useful information about dolphin therapy, the team in Key Largo and their work.
Our dolphin aid headquarter in Duesseldorf has a new employee. Since May 2004 Mrs. Andrea Kaiser-von Hagen is part of our team and Mr. Goetz Otto and Barbara Becker become new dolphin aid ambassadors.


not a Venture or Venturer crew.
A youth is called a Venturer.
Advisors and other leaders are Venturing Advisors and such, not Venture or Venturer leaders.
not Venture or Venturer training.
A document on Venturing, BSA is below for you to print & share with your council.


text:
Russia: Vladimir Putin appoints former PM Medvedev Deputy Head of Security Council
Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed the outgoing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as the new Deputy Head of Security Council. In his new position, Medvedev will be overseeing national defence and security issues.
Earlier in the day, Vladimir Putin announced that he wants to make significant changes to Russia's constitution to limit the power of his potential successor if he steps down from his position in 2024. Putin further noted that he is willing to put these proposals to a people's vote.
With the initial market reaction to PM Medvedev's resignation, the USD/RUB pair rose to a weekly high of 61.6848 but struggled to preserve its momentum. As of writing, the pair was virtually unchanged on the day at 61.4140.
EUR/USD: Sidelined in a narrow range ahead of ECB
EUR/USD is lacking a clear directional bias ahead of the all-important European Central Bank (ECB) rate decision. The spot has been largely restricted to a narrow range of 1.1120-1.1070 since Jan. 17. ECB is expected to keep rates unchanged and announce the start of the strategy review.
GBP/USD snaps three-day winning streak despite UK PM Johnson's Brexit victory
GBP/USD holds the lower ground near 1.3125 ahead of the London open on Thursday. The pair snaps the three-day winning streak, ignoring the UK PM Johnson's ability to end the years of Brexit deadlock by winning support for his Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB).
Forex Today: Aussie cheers solid jobs data, China virus concerns spook markets ahead of ECB
Several media reports in Asia suggested that China's coronavirus spread internationally. The rising concerns over the spread of the novel virus rattled financial markets. Despite risk-off, the strongest across the fx board was the Aussie dollar, as it benefited from upbeat Australian jobs data.


Get great values on in-stock Handgun Ammunition and Pistol & Revolver Ammo at Sportsman's Guide. Look no further to find a wide-ranging selection of handgun ammunition for your Pistol or Revolver and save BIG!
Shop for Pistol Ammunition and Handgun Ammo by caliber, brand, grain weight, bullet type, and number of rounds. Find popular Ammo calibers like .22LR, .45 Colt, and .44 S&W! Also, don't forget to check out our Guide Outdoors Ballistics Charts.


Column keys need to have equality and hashability.
Exception for when a column is missing from a frame.
Exception for when a column is duplicated in a frame.
Exception for when frame column sizes don't match.
Exception for when frame row sizes don't match.
Throws when duplicate keys are present in a vector.
Throws when one vector is not a reordering of the other.
Throws when any key is not present in the set.
Builds a reverse lookup for the vector.
Indexes into the vector of values, throwing on key missing or bad index.
Reorders the vector of values by a new key order and an old lookup.
Merges two key vectors and tags each with its provenance (favoring the second).
Uses a merged key vector to select values.


text:
In system software, a job queue ( batch queue, input queue), is a data structure maintained by job scheduler software containing jobs to run.

Users submit their programs that they want executed, "jobs", to the queue for batch processing.
The scheduler software maintains the queue as the pool of jobs available for it to run.

Multiple batch queues might be used by the scheduler to differentiate types of jobs
depending on parameters such as:
 job priority
 estimated execution time
 resource requirements

The use of a batch queue gives these benefits:
 sharing of computer resources among many users
 time-shifts job processing to when the computer is less busy
 avoids idling the compute resources without minute-by-minute human supervision
 allows around-the-clock high utilization of expensive computing resources

Any process that comes to the CPU should wait in a queue.

See also
Command pattern
Command queue
Job scheduler
Priority queue
Task queue

Job scheduling


text:
Q: Is an asynchronous class in Javascript a good idea? I'm looking to create a class which retrieves information from a database and sets user variables appropriately.
My issue is that, the database API I am using is asynchronous and this becomes an issue because the class becomes accessible before it has been 'fully constructed' (that is to say the constructor function has returned).
Desired synchronous approach
class User{
    constructor(sql){
        this.name = Database.selectQuery(sql);
    }
}
var x = new User(statement);
console.log(x.name); // returns name

Current asynchronous approach
class User{
    constructor(sql){
        Database.selectQuery(sql, this, function(data, obj){
            obj.name = data;
        });
    }
}
var x = new User(statement);
console.log(x.name); // returns undefined

I'm aware I can add a callback to my constructor in order to make it work asynchronously but is this a good idea?

A: You will quickly find that all async operations must be able to communicate to the caller when they are complete because they complete some indeterminate time in the future.  This means they either need to accept a callback or they need to return a promise.
While you can pass a callback to a constructor, you can't return a promise from a constructor (it has to return the object) so it is generally not recommended to put an async operation in the constructor.  Instead, the code flow by the caller is more straightforward if you construct the object and THEN call an async method on the object.
As your example clearly shows, you have created no way for the caller of your User object to know when the async operation in the constructor is complete and thus, there is no reliable way for the caller to use the results of that operation.  That's not just a bad idea, but a complete non-starter.  You would be forcing the caller to set some sort of timeout and either guess when the async operation is done or poll looking for completion - both bad things to do.
The more common design approach is to separate out the async operation into a method:
class User{
    constructor(){ }

    select(sql, callback) {
        Database.selectQuery(sql, this, function(data, obj){
            obj.name = data;
            callback();
        });
    }

}

var x = new User();
x.select(statement, function() {
    console.log(x.name);
});

The modern way of designing async interfaces is really moving to promises now and they offer significant advantages in error handling and in coordinating multiple async operations so that would really be my recommendation for an interface.
Your interface above probably also needs error handling.


text:
ecigarettes News
Trump backs off ban on flavored vapes — fears upsetting base
President Donald Trump has pulled back from his proposed ban on flavored e-cigarettes after being advised that such a ban may not be helpful with his base and that he should reconsider.
Apple to remove vaping apps from store after latest CDC report
Amid growing health concerns over e-cigarettes, Apple will remove all 181 e-cigarette and vaping apps from its mobile iOS App Store this morning, Axios has learned.
Trump administration pursues higher age minimum for e-cigarettes
President Donald Trump said Friday his administration will pursue raising the age to purchase electronic cigarettes from 18 to 21 in its upcoming plans to combat youth vaping.
Q&A: Leading psychiatrist unpicks the 'vaping epidemic' Special
By Tim Sandle
E-cigarettes and various forms of vaping have become increasingly popular. However, such products are addictive and may lead to adverse health effects, according to psychiatrist Vinay Saranga.
Lawmaker introduces bill to cap nicotine content in vapes
Washington	- U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi announced new legislation Monday that would put a cap on the concentration of nicotine in e-cigarette products.
Walmart to stop selling e-cigarettes
By Ken Hanly
Citing regulatory complexity and uncertainty regarding the products an internal memo indicates the company will stop sales after they sell off their present inventory. The decision was confirmed by Walmart in a statement to the Verge.
Op-Ed: Walmart and Sam's Club halt e-cigarette sales over vaping deaths
Walmart, the world's largest retailer, announced Friday that it will discontinue e-cigarette sales in its stores after a rash of vaping-related deaths and illnesses.
E-cigarette use in young adults increases significantly in U.S.
A new study shows that hundreds of thousands of non-smoking young adults have taken up vaping, based on data compiled between 2017 and 2018. Overwhelmingly, the young adults prefer the sweet flavors not found in regular cigarettes.
Canadian health officials scrutinize pot vaping illnesses in US
Ottawa	- The serious lung illness affecting hundreds of people in the U.S. who vaped cannabis-based oil is giving Canadian health officials pause as that country prepares to allow the sale of vaping products in its legal marijuana market.
Michigan becomes first state to ban flavored E-cigarettes
As concerns mount about the potential health impacts of vaping, particularly on teenagers, Michigan has reportedly announced a statewide ban on all flavored electronic cigarettes, including sweet, fruity and menthol varieties.
Health misinformation about vaping is driven by bots
The use of e-cigarettes is dividing opinion across healthcare and social policy makers. One area that is helping create confusion is social media. A recent review of Twitter found robots and humans underplay the health risks associated with e-cigarettes
New doubts cast over e-cigarettes
University of Connecticut scientists have published a study that shows electronic cigarettes ('e-cigarettes') are potentially as harmful as tobacco cigarettes.
Nicotine enters the body via the skin as well as lungs
For tobacco smokers, and those who favor e-cigarettes, nicotine not only enters the body via the lungs but also through the skin, according to new research.
Number of children poisoned by E-cigarettes has skyrocketed
The number of children under the age of six poisoned by the nicotine found in E-cigarettes soared an astounding 1,500 percent between 2013 and 2015, according to data collected from the National Poison Data System.
E-cigarettes help quit smoking according to English research
By Claudio Buttice
The use of e-cigarettes raised several controversies over the last few years. A recent study from the from University College of London (UCL) found these devices helped about 16,000-22,000 English smokers quit in 2014.
Teen vapers more likely to turn to tobacco products
The debate about e-cigarettes and the relationship to tobacco products has moved up a notch following a new study about teen vapers in the U.S. The study shows a link to tobacco products.
Congress passes bill requiring childproof liquid nicotine bottles
Washington	- It's called the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, and it's intended to keep kids safer by making it more difficult for sticky little fingers to get into yummy-looking but highly toxic liquid nicotine. Congress passed the measure on Monday.
Op-Ed: E-cigarette adverts extend out to children and teens
A new review of the market reach of advertising for electronic cigarettes has found the adverts are hitting school-aged children. This runs contrary to assurances provided by manufacturers of the devices.
E-cigarettes win approval as 'a medicine' in U.K.
London	- E-cigarettes, which remain controversial, have been granted "medicinal" status in the U.K. This means some medical doctors could soon be prescribing the nicotine infused devices to patients.
U.K. begins new health promotion campaign
London	- Getting people to quit smoking forms the basis of a new raft of health measures put forward by Public Health England. The health agency also has something to say about e-cigarettes.
Dental hygienists raise e-cigarette concerns
Toronto	- Canada's dental hygienists have raised concerns about the impact of e-cigarettes on the nation's oral health, noting a decline in the conditions of e-cigarette smokers' mouths, particularly in youth.
Doubts cast over e-cigarette research
London	- Public Health England recently stated that e-cigarettes are safe. However, according to The Lancet, the report relied on evidence provided by scientists funded by the vaping industry.
Vaping is safer than smoking, new study
London	- The e-cigarette versus traditional tobacco smoking has edged forward with a new study concluding e-cigarettes are safer than smoking tobacco products.
Op-Ed: More young people are trying vaping than smoking
London	- More school children in England, aged between 11 and 15, have tried electronic cigarettes than have tried smoking conventional cigarettes, according to government figures.
Op-Ed: Use of e-cigs in public spaces to be banned in Wales
By Robert Myles
Cardiff	- The Labour controlled devolved government in Wales, UK, announced, June 9, that it would seek to introduce a wide ranging ban on e-cigarettes in public places.
E-cigarette use rises among teenagers
Many teenagers, including those who have never smoked traditional tobacco products, have begun experimenting with e-cigarettes.
U.S. bill would ban marketing, sale of e-cigarettes to children
By Michael Thomas
A group of U.S. senators is proposing a law banning the marketing and selling of e-cigarettes to children. A recent study showed buying the products is easy for minors.
E-cigarettes affect immune system in lab study
A new laboratory study raises safety concerns about e-cigarettes. The study examined the effect of vapor exposure in mice, and concluded that the longer-term use of e-cigarettes can affect the immune system.
California lawmakers take a look at banning 'vaping' in public
By Nicole Weddington
Legislators in California are not willing to wait on the Food and Drug Administration regulations on vaping and e-cigarettes and are considering legislation conflating vaping with traditional smoking with the same type of bans and restrictions.
E-cigarettes leading to fires in the U.K., averaging one per week
E-cigarettes haven't been around so long and while some stats suggest they are a healthier choice for those who smoke, other stats show them to still be a fire hazard. In the U.K., they would seem to be causing about a fire each and every week now.
ecigarettes Image
Vaping use among teens has jumped 78% over the last few years.
micadew from US (CC BY-SA 2.0)
An e-cigarette
Christopher Cornelius (CC BY 2.0)
Chris F (CC BY 2.0)
Chad Livengood
Electonic cigarettes
Michael Dorausch (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Electronic cigarettes are manufactured in nicotine and non-nicotine varities as well as flavored varities, which include mint, candy and fruit flavors, and are being sold as an alternative to tobacco products.
Wikipedia SafeSmokes
A Juul starter kit


text:
New poll shows Bill Nelson leading in Senate race, Philip Levine gaining traction in bid for governor
by John Lucas | Apr 12, 2018
A new poll shows the gubernatorial campaign of former Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine starting to gain traction among voters, while U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson holds a 6 point lead over Gov. Rick Scott in the contest for Nelson's Senate seat.
The poll was commissioned by Edge Communications with Public Policy Polling (PPP), a North Carolina firm that leans more Democratic. Levine's senior adviser, Christian Ulvert is President of Edge Communications. The survey was conducted Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, after Scott announced his candidacy for the Senate on Monday.
Of those surveyed, 50 percent said they would vote for Nelson, while 44 percent said they supported Scott. The remaining 6 percent were unsure who they would vote for in the Senate contest.
Nelson's favorability rating showed 47 percent of the voters viewed his performance on the job as favorable, while 36 percent gave him an unfavorable rating. Scott was also seen as favorable by 47 percent of the voters surveyed, but his unfavorable rating is 46 percent.
If the Democratic primary for governor were held today, the poll shows Levine would win with 29 percent. Former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham is in second with 23 percent, followed by Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum at 8 percent and Orlando-area businessman Chris King at 4 percent
The survey shows Levine holding the best shot of beating the Republican nominee in November. In a matchup against Republican frontrunner Adam Putnam, Levine holds a 4 point lead. Against U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, Levine leads by 5 percentage points.
Graham also holds leads over both GOP candidates with a 1 point lead over Putnam and 4 percent over DeSantis.
Thirty-five percent of those surveyed gave Levine a favorable rating, while 14 percent gave him an unfavorable ranking. Levine leads all candidates among voters of both genders, as well as all age ranges.
Graham's favorability stands at 28 percent, with 11 percent describing her as unfavorable.
For more information on the survey results for the general election, click here.
For more information on the Democratic primary poll results, click here.
cheap jersey hangers on April 18, 2018 at 11:24 am
How to get cheap jersey hangers? Tips you may used. cheap youth football equipment


Taurus Lucky Numbers, Colours & Gems | How to make the most of these!
Taurus is the second sign of the zodiac in Astrology, symbolized by the Bull. Like the Bull, these signs are stubborn, willful and determined, and they always get what they want! They can be lazy at times, yet they adore luxury so they will work hard to be physically comfortable.
The Numbers 5 & 6 are great for Taurus, and not only these single digits, but also any figures that add up to 5 or 6, such as 51 (6), 42 (6) or 23 (5).
Numbers 5 and 6 are unique for the sign of Taurus – we advise to use them as much as they can in order to magnify their chances of success across all areas of life, from love to money, home and family as well as career.
Taureans should use these numbers above, or numbers that add up to 5&6 whenever they undertake a new endeavor and want to set an auspicious date for it – for example, if they decide to open a business, they could choose the date of 6 of May (5) or June (6) to increase the chances of success.
These numbers can also be used when choosing a home, deciding on a financial figure or simply playing the daily lotto.
As well as the Taurus Horoscope Lucky Numbers, there are colours and gems that the Taurus can leverage to get the most success from life. They can wear these gems and colours or simply decorate their homes with them as much as possible – the colour for Taurus is any shade of Green, and the gem is an Emerald.


Join us for StrictlyVC's first event of 2018! We're still mapping out the night but you can expect a fun evening filled with great content and delicious food and drinks as always.
Anduin Transactions, a young transaction workflow platform founded by Joe Lonsdale and Alin Bui with the goal of making private market transactions more efficient for all parties.
You can check out what we've got cooking so far at the event site.


This feller was out checking cows there in Alaska when he spotted a wolf runnin' in his herd. He shot the wolf and decided to haul it back home on his pony. That created some problems as that ole pony didn't want that wolf on his back.
In 1972 I was lookin' after some grass steers in a four section pasture that joined my place there north of Amarillo, Texas. My friend, Glenn was riding with me that day and he was packin' a sidearm. I wasn't armed. Now Glenn was one of those "herky jerky" kind of fellers. By that I mean he was sort of a Barney Fife on steroids at times. If Glenn was anywhere around you could look for something to go wrong and usually that meant your life might be in peril of some sort. As a sidebar I flew with Glenn once after he had gotten his pilot license and only because I knew that if I didn't he would be crushed as he would think I didn't trust his ability to fly. I didn't, but there I was in the plane with him sweating like a pig at a pig roast. We landed safely but a few years later he and one of his buddies didn't. They both died in Glenn's plane.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch … Glenn and I had checked all the windmills and all the pastures and had headed back to my house when he blurts out, "Hold up Jack … there's a bobcat under that mesquite there!" I pulled up, took a close look and thought it to be a large feral cat. It wasn't.
It was indeed a young bobcat. Glenn wanted to dispatch it so I took the horse off some distance away as he shot the cat once and it was dead as a politician's promise. Now that was one pretty cat and I wanted to take it back to the house to show my 2-year-old son. Problem was, I was riding a green broke horse so I was a little concerned he might get somewhat excited if I loaded that bobcat on behind the saddle. I let him smell the cat and then I placed that ole cat behind the cantle of my saddle and tied his legs down on each side with the saddle strings. I walked the horse around for a minute or two and then mounted up. The ol' bobcat slipped off to one side and the blood started to run. That wasn't the only thing that ran, so did that pony. Let me tell ya children, he took off like a tree hugger in a forest fire. It was about two miles to the house through a mesquite covered and cactus laden pasture.
I most likely could have placed in the Belmont Stakes on that given day. We did arrive back at the house in record time and without any major injuries. I had "Little Miss Martha" bring out the boy as I tied the cat legs over the hitching rail so I could skin him. "Whatcha' doin' Daddy? Whatcha' doing to that kitty cat Daddy?" my son probed.


After a galling near-miss in Austria, Kev's hoping for more success in Portugal tonight.
"Despite their wealth of attacking talent, Portugal are cautious by nature under Fernando Santos, and they're facing a Ukraine side that recently drew 1-1 in Italy and won promotion to the top tier of the Nations League."
We'll head to Portugal, home of the reigning European champions. Arch-pragmatist Fernando Santos has overseen an era of consistency and success. Although the last-16 exit to Uruguay at last year's World Cup was a bitter blow, Portugal are in the mix to win the inaugural Nations League trophy this summer.
Now the quest to retain the European Championship crown begins in earnest. Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the squad, and is in line to make his first international appearance since the World Cup. Benfica youngster Joao Felix has excelled for Benfica this term, and is pushing hard to feature in the attack.
Ukraine won promotion to the top tier of the Nations League, and have undoubtedly made progress under the guidance of Andriy Shevchenko, who has made the journey from superstar striker to coach. They have only lost one game since the pivotal World Cup qualifying defeat to Croatia, and that was a 4-1 defeat at Slovakia that was essentially a dead rubber in the UNL.
Ukraine have recently gone to Italy and drawn 1-1 and played out a goalless stalemate in Turkey, and if you look at their World Cup qualifying campaign, seven of their ten matches featured fewer than three goals.
Three of Portugal's four Nations League games were under the 2.5 goals line, and it'd be a surprise to see a goalfest here against a well-organised Ukraine side.


text:
Books You Will Never Read
reading the hard stuff, so you don't have to.
Victorian novelist writes first draft of The Matrix
by Dead Authors | Posted on March 1, 2021 February 24, 2022
Samuel Butler's Erewhon is an excuse for the author to climb inside of an interesting idea and walk around a bit. He has a hero and the semblance of a plot, but the book is really about about showcasing the thinking of one Samuel Butler. Lucky for us, it's some interesting stuff. I wanted to read the book because of several late chapters that expand on the idea of machines enslaving humanity, but my impression was that the whole book was basically an excuse to feature these chapters, and that the country of Erewhon was an extended riff on this core idea. Naturally, it all goes back to Darwin.
Erewhon is a first-person story of a young man living at the edge of empire in a fictional New Zealand and looking to make his fortune by venturing inland in search of grazable land or other exploitable resources. What he finds after his perilous journey is the civilization of Erewhon, and the remainder of the book covers his description of his adventures among them, their history and customs, and his ultimate escape. Sections of the book are extremely engaging and fun, and the less fun parts are still interesting, and the prose doesn't hurt at all. I rather enjoyed it.
The narrator learns fairly early on that the Erewhonians have some strange customs, including a ban on all machinery, the criminalization of ill-health, and a high tolerance for what we might consider the moral transgressions of theft, lies, and the like. It's a topsy-turvy world, and as a foreigner with a pocket watch and the occasional head cold, our narrator just barely stays on the safe side of trouble throughout the book, taking care lest he offend in some unexpected way or commit some awful gaffe, or worse. The story follows his initial capture, his life with a wealthy family, his understanding and experience with various parts of Erewhonian culture, which are indeed what propel the book along. For example, one of the interesting institutions of Erewhon are what they call "Musical Banks," where people go to deposit and retrieve pretend money ceremoniously. Although it has all the trappings of a regular bank—such as tellers—the whole thing functions more as a church. The narrator puzzles over these for a long time before finally getting himself invited on a visit, and the full explanation of their purpose takes up a good chapter or more.
The centerpiece of the book, for which as I said I think the people of Erewhon were invented as an excuse to further explore, is a key philosophical work in the Erewhonian past called The Book of the Machines. This book, of which our narrator transcribes great sections, lays out the argument of a great philosopher that machines pose a mortal threat to humankind by virtue of their rapid evolution and the likelihood that they will achieve ultimate superiority over men, at which time we will of course be their slaves. Obviously, this is the plot of both The Matrix and The Terminator (and he even gets a hat tip from Frank Herbert whose "Butlerian Jihad" is a critical backstory in Dune), and the whole thing feels very prescient given the subsequent rise of computers and AI, the aforementioned blockbuster movies, and the very real concern of something like this happening. But Butler is able to make this argument when the most advanced machine was the steam engine, making it a really virtuoso performance.
I gather that when it came out, many saw The Book of the Machines as a critique of Darwin, but to me it felt like more of an homage. Butler takes the concepts of evolution and natural selection and applies them to the development of machines, noting how they have adapted and evolved to achieve high levels of sophistication, how they have learned to exist in symbiosis with their surroundings, and how machines like the steam engine depend upon men filling them with fuel in the same way that flowers depend upon insects for pollination. Much like Darwin in The Origin of Species, Butler lays out his premise and then proceeds to raise and answer every objection he can come to for why he might be wrong. In the context of the novel, it's the source for one of their prime points of Erewhonian strangeness—the criminalization of machinery—but in fact the argument is sound and well presented.
There's another nice section where Butler talks about Erewhonian efforts to mandate vegetarianism due to the immorality of killing animals. Based on the strength of another philosopher's argument, they outlaw eating any animal except those that die natural deaths or commit suicide, which leads to this sort of thing:
It will be easily believed that at first there were many who gave the new rules outward observance, but embraced every opportunity of indulging secretly in those flesh-pots to which they had been accustomed. It was found that animals were continually dying natural deaths under more or less suspicious circumstances. Suicidal mania, again, which had hitherto been confined exclusively to donkeys, became alarmingly prevalent even among such for the most part self-respecting creatures as sheep and cattle. It was astonishing how some of these unfortunate animals would scent out a butcher's knife if there was one within a mile of them, and run right up against it if the butcher did not get it out of their way in time.
A subsequent philosopher extended the concept to plants as well, and after an ill-fated attempt to live solely on fruit that had fallen from the tree, they scraped the whole thing and went back to eating everything in sight. In order to justify this big shift, they consulted an oracle, who informs them neatly:
He who sins aught
Sins more than he ought;
But he who sins nought
Has much to be taught.
Beat or be beaten,
Eat or be eaten,
Be killed or kill;
Choose which you will.
By and large Butler was using the Erewhonians to critique the kinds of crazy thinking and backward institutions society can be prone to, and to grind some of his own axes. There were probably all kinds of digs at Victorian mores that slid past me, but the whole thing was amusing, and engaging, so I didn't mind whatever I missed. Satire has always struck me as a genre with the shortest expiration date, but Butler wraps up enough engaging thinking that the whole thing holds up nicely. Not something I'd read on vacation, necessarily, but it feels like an important piece of science fiction history, and I'm glad I read it.
Excerpt from Erewhon, by Samuel Butler
Then returning to consciousness, and endeavouring to detect its earliest manifestations, the writer continued:-
"There is a kind of plant that eats organic food with its flowers: when a fly settles upon the blossom, the petals close upon it and hold it fast till the plant has absorbed the insect into its system; but they will close on nothing but what is good to eat; of a drop of rain or a piece of stick they will take no notice. Curious! that so unconscious a thing should have such a keen eye to its own interest. If this is unconsciousness, where is the use of consciousness?
"Shall we say that the plant does not know what it is doing merely because it has no eyes, or ears, or brains? If we say that it acts mechanically, and mechanically only, shall we not be forced to admit that sundry other and apparently very deliberate actions are also mechanical? If it seems to us that the plant kills and eats a fly mechanically, may it not seem to the plant that a man must kill and eat a sheep mechanically?
"But it may be said that the plant is void of reason, because the growth of a plant is an involuntary growth. Given earth, air, and due temperature, the plant must grow: it is like a clock, which being once wound up will go till it is stopped or run down: it is like the wind blowing on the sails of a ship–the ship must go when the wind blows it. But can a healthy boy help growing if he have good meat and drink and clothing? can anything help going as long as it is wound up, or go on after it is run down? Is there not a winding up process everywhere?
"Even a potato in a dark cellar has a certain low cunning about him which serves him in excellent stead. He knows perfectly well what he wants and how to get it. He sees the light coming from the cellar window and sends his shoots crawling straight thereto: they will crawl along the floor and up the wall and out at the cellar window; if there be a little earth anywhere on the journey he will find it and use it for his own ends. What deliberation he may exercise in the matter of his roots when he is planted in the earth is a thing unknown to us, but we can imagine him saying, 'I will have a tuber here and a tuber there, and I will suck whatsoever advantage I can from all my surroundings. This neighbour I will overshadow, and that I will undermine; and what I can do shall be the limit of what I will do. He that is stronger and better placed than I shall overcome me, and him that is weaker I will overcome.'
"The potato says these things by doing them, which is the best of languages. What is consciousness if this is not consciousness? We find it difficult to sympathise with the emotions of a potato; so we do with those of an oyster. Neither of these things makes a noise on being boiled or opened, and noise appeals to us more strongly than anything else, because we make so much about our own sufferings. Since, then, they do not annoy us by any expression of pain we call them emotionless; and so _qua_ mankind they are; but mankind is not everybody.
"If it be urged that the action of the potato is chemical and mechanical only, and that it is due to the chemical and mechanical effects of light and heat, the answer would seem to lie in an inquiry whether every sensation is not chemical and mechanical in its operation? whether those things which we deem most purely spiritual are anything but disturbances of equilibrium in an infinite series of levers, beginning with those that are too small for microscopic detection, and going up to the human arm and the appliances which it makes use of? whether there be not a molecular action of thought, whence a dynamical theory of the passions shall be deducible? Whether strictly speaking we should not ask what kind of levers a man is made of rather than what is his temperament? How are they balanced? How much of such and such will it take to weigh them down so as to make him do so and so?"
The writer went on to say that he anticipated a time when it would be possible, by examining a single hair with a powerful microscope, to know whether its owner could be insulted with impunity. He then became more and more obscure, so that I was obliged to give up all attempt at translation; neither did I follow the drift of his argument. On coming to the next part which I could construe, I found that he had changed his ground.
"Either," he proceeds, "a great deal of action that has been called purely mechanical and unconscious must be admitted to contain more elements of consciousness than has been allowed hitherto (and in this case germs of consciousness will be found in many actions of the higher machines)–Or (assuming the theory of evolution but at the same time denying the consciousness of vegetable and crystalline action) the race of man has descended from things which had no consciousness at all. In this case there is no _a priori_ improbability in the descent of conscious (and more than conscious) machines from those which now exist, except that which is suggested by the apparent absence of anything like a reproductive system in the mechanical kingdom. This absence however is only apparent, as I shall presently show.
"Do not let me be misunderstood as living in fear of any actually existing machine; there is probably no known machine which is more than a prototype of future mechanical life. The present machines are to the future as the early Saurians to man. The largest of them will probably greatly diminish in size. Some of the lowest vertebrate attained a much greater bulk than has descended to their more highly organised living representatives, and in like manner a diminution in the size of machines has often attended their development and progress.
"Take the watch, for example; examine its beautiful structure; observe the intelligent play of the minute members which compose it: yet this little creature is but a development of the cumbrous clocks that preceded it; it is no deterioration from them. A day may come when clocks, which certainly at the present time are not diminishing in bulk, will be superseded owing to the universal use of watches, in which case they will become as extinct as ichthyosauri, while the watch, whose tendency has for some years been to decrease in size rather than the contrary, will remain the only existing type of an extinct race.
Butler's interest in Darwin and natural selection is a rich topic. Don't know if you've read this since you published this piece, but you should! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_among_the_Machines
https://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/samuel-butler-and-evolution
https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/jsbnh.1974.7.1.93?journalCode=jsbnh
Dead Authors says:
Laura, thanks for the links! I can't read the paper because it's behind a paywall, but just the first page was a revelation. I didn't realize that they were friends, much less that Darwin needed to be reassured that Book of the Machines wasn't Butler making fun of him. Amazing and wonderful detail about two writers I greatly admire.
Copyright Books You Will Never Read. All rights reserved. | Theme by Superb WordPress Themes