As the leading pediatric hospital in the Canadian province of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital provides expert care for the area's most seriously ill or injured children. In fact, many of the specialized pediatric services the hospital offers are not available anywhere else in the province. The 142-bed inpatient facility treats more than 168,000 patients each year. When the hospital's Family Advisory committee sought out a staff recognition program to reward hospital staff for model behavior, they found Baudville provided a perfect fit.
To provide the best quality of care, BC Children's Hospital has adopted a Family Centered Care approach to healthcare. Family Centered Care respects the central role of the family in a child's life and upholds the importance of the family as a partner on the health care team –an important initiative when over 85% of your patients are under the age of 15.
Although the Family Advisory already hosted an annual awards ceremony, Susan Greig, Partners in Care Family Liaison for the hospital, wanted to recognize more staff on a more regular basis by creating a staff recognition program. "When I presented the program to HR, they loved it," she says. Susan implemented the Bravo Star Award, a high-impact, monthly staff recognition program that operates impressively on a $50.00 annual budget.
Each month, letters and comment satisfaction cards submitted by patient families are reviewed for evidence of the hospital's family-centered care principles, such as respect, support, flexibility, and collaboration. Chosen recipients of the staff recognition program are invited to the monthly meeting of the Family Advisory committee for lunch and presented with the award.
Bravo Star Award recipients are presented with the "It's Your Day" Baudville greeting card. The card is personalized with congratulations from the Family Advisory committee and the specific comments made by the nominating family. Posters are also placed throughout the hospital, intranet, and public website on a quarterly basis to acknowledge the winners.
The staff recognition program, which has been in effect for a year and a half, has produced visible, real-world results. "Staff who have received the award say it has boosted their morale," says Susan. Recognizing the desired family-centered care principles in a public manner also reinforces the behaviors the Family Advisory is hoping to achieve. The monthly award keeps the principles of family-centered care foremost in the minds of both staff and patients and increases the visibility of the Family Advisory committee and its goals.
Susan understands the importance of recognition to motivate staff and encourage program growth. "Recognition and praise are necessary to change, re-energize, and support the family-centered care culture of any organization," she says. Susan encourages others to replicate similar staff recognition programs in their own workplaces and demonstrates that meaningful recognition doesn't have to be expensive.
Susan found Baudville's products expressed the sentiment she desired in a price range her budget could afford. The "It's Your Day" greeting card has become a trophy symbol around the hospital, one which staff members hope to earn. The value of recognition Baudville products portray, evident even in a greeting card, make Baudville the prime source for simplifying recognition in the workplace.


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A Tea Party in the Rain
It's not until A-su begins to decorate the folding table she carried halfway up the field that I realize she's serious about having tea in the rain.
From A-su's car we have fetched a kettle, which we now set on the ground beside her. Four stools are arranged around the table, one for her and three for us, and water begins to pool on their surfaces. A silver plate, a table runner, and several ornamental leaves materialize. "It makes it look prettier," she quips while arranging these embellishments, even as rain drenches her hair.
As A-su fills our cups with oolong, I hear Tay comment, "It's like she's waited her whole life for this."
The roads leading to A-su's tea plantation are not
well-signed, and even with Google Maps, the way they twist abruptly make them hard to navigate. For most Taiwanese, the area's claim to fame is Sun Moon Lake, the country's largest body of water and a popular vacation spot, but Yuchi Township is increasingly gaining recognition as the home of one of Taiwan's premier tea regions.
As we pull into the tea plantation, the first objects that appear are ceramic sculptures.
We are greeted by a monumental "welcome vase" made from shards of pottery that was shattered after an earthquake struck Taiwan in 1999, the second-deadliest in the country's recorded history. Alongside them are wooden sculptures carved by A-su's husband, Tzu-pin. None of the art is for sale; Tzu-pin makes it for others to appreciate.
The statues and the pottery are relics from A-su and Tzu-pin's former career. In 1989, in an effort to promote ecological conservation, the Taiwanese government forbade harvesting of trees on the mountains, and Tzu-Pin, who was working in the lumber industry, found himself without a new job. Initially, the couple engaged in arts education; schools were shorthanded on staff, so A-su and her husband began to teach ceramics classes. Two years later, they opened a ceramics studio, starting with do-it-yourself tutorials and expanding over time to a full-fledged workshop.
In 2009, after almost twenty years of operating the workshop, the couple contemplated retirement, handing off oversight to their elder son. But seeking an activity to occupy her time, A-su began experimenting with tea. She and her husband reclaimed an abandoned field and, after having the soil and water tested by the National Chung Hsing University, converted it to an organic tea farm.
Pivoting to this line of work was not an altogether unusual choice. Liao Hsueh-hui, elected mayor of Yuchi Township in 2002, had initiated a campaign to revitalize the local tea industry in an effort to rejuvenate the economy after the devastation of the 1999 earthquake. By 2003 he had launched Yuchi Township Black Tea Cultural Festival; at its center was the tea cultivar the township championed: Taiwan No. 18, a hybrid of two varietals from Taiwan and Myanmar created by the Tea Research and Extension Station the year the earthquake struck.
Initially, A-su and Tzu-pin only engaged in farming tea, handing over the raw leaves to a third party to process. However, dissatisfied with the product, they bought their own machines and instructed their younger son, who had studied engineering, to learn to operate them. Three years later, A-su and her family entered their first tea competition. In that first year, A-su's tea scored the top prize.
When harvested in March, the leaves of the Taiwan No. 18 plant produce an oolong that smells of sugarcane; in April and May, the aroma shifts to mint. By June, delicate floral notes begin to surface, and they continue to intensify throughout July. The most fragrant tea, though—the kind submitted for competitions—is harvested in August and September, when a full nose of osmanthus and cinnamon has emerged.
Late summer is the best season for tea but less so for humans, so A-su makes a point to venture outside only when the temperature is cooler. Each morning, she rises at 6 a.m. and walks through the rows of tea shrubs, plucking stray weeds. Around 9:30 a.m., she returns home to have lunch and to escape the midday sun. By 4 p.m., she has returned to the fields, where she will work until dinner.
Today A-Su is wearing a black-and-white bandana wrapped around her forehead, her hair braided to one side. The pattern is reminiscent of clothing worn by the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, and for a moment, we are unsure if A-Su is one of them herself. She isn't, she tells us, though she understands the confusion. "A lot of people see our house, the environment around us, and think we are aboriginal."
A-su speaks Mandarin with a Taiwanese accent, her retroflex consonants less pronounced, her speech dotted with words from the Taiwanese language. She leaves little pause between her sentences, instead filling the space in between with sighs or gasps or exclamations of "wow," depending on the context. From time to time she apologizes for conversing in a way she considers uneducated, explaining that she never finished high school.
When we explain that Belgians speak French, she demonstrates for us the one word she knows: "Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour."
That never stops her, though, from gossiping away. Early on, Tay reveals he was born to Taiwanese parents in Belgium. "They speak Taiwanese in Belgium?" A-su exclaims. When we explain that Belgians speak French, she demonstrates for us the one word she knows: "Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour." Later on, she shows off an English word she has recently acquired: "View, view, view."
From her time spent in the fields, A-su has developed an eye for good vantage points from which to take pictures. Sometimes, when she notices a particularly stunning view, she will take a photo with her smartphone. She admits that she doesn't know much else about using her phone, however. "I don't know how to turn it on or off. If I need to look up anything, I need to ask someone to help me."
Technically, work on the tea plantation is divided into roles: Tzu-pin oversees the farming, A-su the sales, and their son the manufacturing. But A-su is fond of getting her hands in everything, taking us from the fields to the factory. The latter sports girders painted bright lilac, and on the wall behind the tea-crushing machines is a hand-painted mural of mountains overlooking fields. It's unusual decor for a tea factory, though perhaps not surprising given the woman who runs it.
A-su takes us out to lunch. Her original plan is to take us to a beef noodle shop that makes its own noodles, but inexplicably, it is closed today, so we drive to a different stall instead. A-Su tells us to order whatever we'd like, which turns out to be pork belly over rice and a chicken salad to share. For herself, she orders a bowl of Vietnamese pho. We plan to pay the bill ourselves, but A-Su has anticipated our intentions; even as we sit down, she's told the vendor that she will pay for the meal.
As we eat, A-Su strikes up a conversation with the woman sitting next to her, an old acquaintance. In another of her former jobs, A-Su ran a sundries store. Absent competition from department stores or larger boutiques, it became the go-to destination for the best goods, or so A-su says.
"Whenever anyone wanted anything new, they would come to me, right?"
Her friend nods.
A-su tells us, too, that she ran a restaurant for 15 years before handing it off to someone else so she could focus on her other interests. At some point, one wonders how much of the truth she has embellished for dramatic effect, but her magnetism is undeniable.
"In the past, every farmer—no matter what you were planting—was just a farmer. With black tea, there's a big space. There's a stage."
On the drive back to the pottery studio, we ask A-su what she does for entertainment. Sometimes she gathers three or four friends into the woods, bringing a kettle and a gas stove, and makes tea. "I have a cloth that everyone can sit on. You don't need chairs—it's nature." In her spare time, she also surrounds herself with music. "If something that makes me very happy happens, I'll sing a couple lines of a song." And she demonstrates, belting out a couple bars of an aboriginal song. "Everyone thinks I'm a happy farmer," she offers as a sort of explanation.
Of late, A-su has been taking drumming lessons from the 70-year-old instructor at the community center, and she has promised us a performance before we leave. In her living room, which is decorated with more of her husband's art, she sits at her drum kit and spreads out the sheet music. For ten minutes, she taps out a simple beat, eighths on the cymbals, quarters on the snare and bass.
How does someone like A-su become a tea-maker? I think of a passing comment she made: "In the past, every farmer—no matter what you were planting— was a farmer. With black tea, there's a big space. There's a stage." Perhaps it's most accurate to say that at the core, A-su just wants to entertain.
As she bids us farewell, A-su leaves us a heaving pot of bamboo shoots, stewed for hours with a little salt to bring out the sweetness. By the time we've reached our car, she's already moved on to the next group of visitors, bubbling over with effervescence.
While rain continues to patter down on our heads and our shoulders, we watch the tea glow vermilion in its glass pot.
A-su refills our cups when we finish. We accept the tea and pose for photos, letting her perform on her stag
Eleven Hours in Maokong: A Respite from the Conurbation
A Tea For Every Morning: Which Tea is Right For Your Daily Routine?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Coal Company Sues EPA To Stop A Regulation That Will Close More Coal Plants
REUTERS/Robert Galbraith/Files
Michael Bastasch Energy Editor
April 26, 2016 1:30 PM ET
The Environmental Protection agency may be headed into federal court to once again defend its controversial mercury rule from a legal challenge — being brought, this time, by the coal company Murray Energy.
Murray Energy sued EPA over its mercury rule for power plants the day it was published in the Federal Register and after the agency had been working for a year to get the rule back on the books after it was struck down by the Supreme Court in June. In that case, a coalition of states and industry groups sued the EPA over its mercury rule.
"This final 'finding' is flagrantly arbitrary, and fails to comply with the law and with the Supreme Court's mandate," Murray Energy said in a statement to the West Virginia-based State Journal.
Murray, which is run by Bob Murray, filed suit in federal court Monday. The coal company argues the EPA is trying to work around the Supreme Court's rejection of the so-called Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, or MATS — a regulation slated to cost nearly $10 billion.
EPA reissued the rule Monday, giving the public 60 days to comment on its supposedly new findings, and the regulation went into effect earlier this month. Now, EPA may have to wade into another lengthy court battle over whether or not the new MATS rule is legal.
"Indeed, the Obama EPA plainly refuses to consider the costs of its decision in light of the reasonable and available alternatives to inflexible and cost-blind federal standards that Murray Energy identified in its comments," the company said. "This is a fatal error that will require the Courts to strike down this finding."
MATS, originally imposed in 2012, requires power plants to reduce mercury emissions, but from the beginning it was criticized because of its high cost and low benefits. EPA estimated MATS to cost $9.6 billion and shutter coal-fired power plants across the country, but the agency also claimed the public health benefits outweighed the costs.
But only a fraction of those public health benefits came from reducing mercury, the rest came from reducing a pollutant called fine particulate matter, or PM2.5. In fact, the cost of MATS outweighed the benefits from mercury reductions more than 1,600-1.
"These benefits are so miniscule because they are based on a population that almost assuredly doesn't exist," William Yeatman, a senior fellow at the free market Competitive Enterprise Institute, said in an emailed statement in December.
"According to the EPA, the MATS rule is necessary in order to protect a supposed population of pregnant subsistence fisherwomen, who during their pregnancies eat hundreds of pounds of self-caught fish from America's most polluted bodies of fresh inland water," Yeatman said.
In June, the Supreme Court ruled against EPA and forced the agency to go back to the drawing board on MATS. Former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that "[no] regulation is 'appropriate' if it does significantly more harm than good."
"The Agency must consider cost—including, most importantly, cost of compliance—before deciding whether regulation is appropriate and necessary," Scalia wrote. "We need not and do not hold that the law unambiguously required the Agency, when making this preliminary estimate, to conduct a formal cost-benefit analysis in which each advantage and disadvantage is assigned a monetary value."
Scalia sent the rule back to a lower court where it was upheld because so many coal plants had been forced to spend millions of dollars on upgrades to cut mercury emissions.
"EPA is very pleased with the court's decision to leave the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) in place," EPA spokeswoman Melissa Harrison said in an emailed statement in December.
"These practical and achievable standards are already cutting pollution from power plants that will save thousands of lives each year and prevent heart and asthma attacks," Harrison said. "The standards also slash emissions of the neurotoxin mercury, which can impair children's ability to learn. All told, for every dollar spent to make these cuts in emissions, the public is receiving up to $9 in health benefits. A majority of power plants have already installed and are operating the controls needed to meet MATS and the rest will be doing so in April 2016."
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E.M. Holzman was in journalism for 16 years. Her journalism career led her to Atlanta, Ga., Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, Cambridge, MA, New York City, Sanibel Island, FL and Paris, France. Erin attended the University of Maine and the University of Cincinnati to obtain a B.A. in English Literature. Six years later, she attended Harvard University where she received a M.F.A. in English Literature with an Emphasis in Creative Writing for Children's Literature. She did her Master's thesis on Roald Dahl a childhood favorite. While finishing up her Master's degree, Erin also attended a one-year program on mediation at Harvard Law School in their Program on Negotiation. She now resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, her hometown, and wo ABOUT THE AUTHOR
E.M. Holzman was in journalism for 16 years. Her journalism career led her to Atlanta, Ga., Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, Cambridge, MA, New York City, Sanibel Island, FL and Paris, France. Erin attended the University of Maine and the University of Cincinnati to obtain a B.A. in English Literature. Six years later, she attended Harvard University where she received a M.F.A. in English Literature with an Emphasis in Creative Writing for Children's Literature. She did her Master's thesis on Roald Dahl a childhood favorite. While finishing up her Master's degree, Erin also attended a one-year program on mediation at Harvard Law School in their Program on Negotiation. She now resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, her hometown, and works as a mediator and as a novelist. Erin writes under the pen name of E.M. Holzman or Erin Moss. Her work can be found on Amazon.com.
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Years ago, I was lucky enough to be introduced to the Apple Circus clowns in New York City. I was sitting on a Board and we gave money to the clowns to support them. These clowns sole purpose is to make sick children in the hospital laugh and smile. Sadly, the Apple Circus clowns went away. Thankfully, a gal I met that day named Karen McCarty resurrected them in the form of Healthy Humor. They are Read more of this blog post »
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'Angie Tribeca's Andrée Vermeulen on Why Her Character Is 'a Human Robot'
Gregory E. Miller January 25, 2016, 1:51 pm
Ramona Rosales
Andree Vermeulen
If you missed Angie Tribeca's epic 25-hour binge last Sunday, fret not! Tonight TBS begins airing the episodes in a more traditional format, Mondays at 9/8c, in what the network is cheekily calling "all new for a 2nd time."
But whether you've already downed the whole season or you're tuning in for the first time, one thing's for sure: you're going to take note of breakout Andrée Vermeulen. As the lab technician/medical examiner Dr. Scholls, she steals each scene she walks into with her straight-faced absurdity. So we caught up with Vermeulen, post-binge, to digest the season.
How do you describe the show's tone? It can be tricky to explain to people.
Yeah. Well, it's certainly in the vein of Naked Gun or Airplane!, which we haven't seen in awhile. So I'd say it's a very silly comedy that's played like a drama. There's nothing cynical in our jokes. It's very light-hearted, and I think the key to it is not pointing to the jokes, and that's what makes them even funnier.
What is your stance on the crime shows that you're parodying?
I feel like Law & Order is so hard not to watch, especially when they play them in a marathon. I don't know what it is about it; it's just so easy to fall into watching episode after episode.
Would you ever do a spot on one of the shows Angie's parodying? Like be the dead girl on SVU?
Well, I wouldn't want to be the dead girl because then I won't have any lines [Laughs]. But I would certainly be a guest star on any crime drama, for sure. That would be so fun, and I feel like it would be really easy to slip right into it.
RELATED: 5 Reasons to Love Angie Tribeca's Rashida Jones
Did you model Dr. Scholls after any lab technicians from those shows in particular?
I didn't, and I wish I did because it would be more of a fun answer. I honestly approached it from a very sketch comedy mindset. Initially, when I went in for the role, I thought I was kind of wrong for the part because Scholls is like a human robot. She's just so cold and anti-social and strange, and I am used to playing kind of sillier, bubbly characters, and that's certainly closer to my personality. So when I went in I thought, "Okay, this character, who is she? What does she look like?" And I actually put together that whole look. I put glasses on, I put my hair up, I wore black and white, and that ended up being the look for the show—which is so funny to me because I was basically just treating it like a character in a sketch.
What did you make of the show's atypical binge roll out?
I thought it was very daring, actually. I think it was really smart because in order for people to get on board with the show, it's important to understand the tone and the type of comedy we're doing. I think watching several episodes in a row really gets you in the world of it, as opposed to just watching one episode.
From the response you've gotten from people, does it seem like they watched the whole thing in the marathon?
It seems like people did binge it. Apparently we were one of the top ten hashtags throughout the whole marathon and then during primetime, we were one of the top two hashtags in the country. So that tells you that people are watching it and talking about it.
Did you binge it yourself?
I did, but the next day because that night we had to do the live telethon, and by the time I was finished with that… I went into hair and makeup around noon and then I was done at eight. It was a very long day, and then I just wanted to eat pizza with my boyfriend and go to bed.
Angie Tribeca, Series premiere, Sunday, Jan. 17, 9/8c, TBS


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RONA's Shares Sold: Legault Exposes Couillard's Indifference
The CAQ Leader, François Legault, along with his house leader, François Bonnardel, have been pursuing the Liberals for a second day in a row; in regards to Jacques Daoust's role in Investments Quebec's (IQ) RONA share sale. During the Questions Period at the National Assembly, the CAQ Leader exposed Prime Minister Philippe Couillard's laxity and indifference towards a most significant matter: The sale of a major Quebec company.
In chambers, the Prime Minister stated that he doesn't consider necessary for his government to be consulted about key transactions, such as RONA's share sale. "Quebec has lost a major company and, once again, the PM remains unaffected. The less he knows, the better he goes. He is just like his Minister of Transport! The Prime Minister must care about the ownership of Quebec's companies!", voiced the CAQ Leader.
"His memory gaps would have made the Minister of Transport an excellent witness at the Charbonneau Commission. The Minister has to resign!", added the CAQ's house leader. He also insisted for the old and new CEOs of IQ, for the spokesperson of the organization, and for Jacques Daoust's former chief of staff (Pierre Ouellet), to attend a parliamentary committee.
ER: Quebec Holds the Poorest Record in the Western World
Quebec displays the worst performance in the western world, for waiting time in emergency rooms.
This unfortunate observation was revealed by the Health and Welfare Commissioner, Robert Salois, before he was relieved of his duties by the Health Minister, Gaétan barrette.
According to his report, more than 45% of the visits to the ER in 2015-2016 have exceeded the maximum delay standards that were set by the health ministry.
The average length of all visits to the ER, ambulatory and on- stretcher, is of approximately nine hours. It is over twice longer than the international standard, says Robert Salois to La Presse.
The CAQ Demands Minister Jacques Daoust's Resignation
The Coalition Avenir Québec is demanding Jacques Daoust's immediate dismissal as a Minister in the Couillard government; in light of a report by the Auditor General that states -beyond a shadow of a doubt- that he has personally authorised investments Quebec (IQ) to sell RONA's shares in December 2014. Last February, he declared the opposite to journalists on the Parliament Hill.
The CAQ also opposes Sam Hamad's return to the Council of Ministers. The report has not absolved the former Minister, who was discharged due to questionable interactions with Marc-Yvan Côté.
"The Minister of Transport has lied to Quebecers regarding his involvement in this transaction", accuses the CAQ house leader, François Bonnardel. In fact, the CAQ member recalls that in a press conference that took place on February 3, Jacques Daoust stated that he was not advised of the share sale, given that it was an independent decision that was taken by IQ's executive members.
Taken by surprise, during the Question Period, Jacques Daoust briefly said that he would like to read the report by the AG to remember whether he indeed authorised IQ to sell their RONA shares. "He has nothing left to do, but to resign", said François Bonnardel in a press conference, right after the Question Period at the National Assembly.
Sam Hamad Is Not in the Clear
Moreover, the CAQ house leader stated that Sam Hamad is not out of the woods, considering the AG's report. "Sam Hamad and the Liberal apparatchiks were early to celebrate in the media. The AG clearly stated this morning that this report is strictly administrative. The Minister may be cleared as far as the processes undertaken by his ministry; but he is absolutely not so for his questionable activities beyond the administrative process. These actions, namely his breakfasts with Marc-Yvan Côté and the information he disclosed to Premier Tech, are the reasons for his discharge from his function as a Minister", explains Mr. Bonnardel. The member for Granby even considers that the report raises new concerns, such as the undocumented and sudden increase in the amount granted in subsidy.
Couillard Is Unaware of Wage Gap for Quebec and Ontario Doctors
Philippe Couillard was unable to quantify the current wage disparity between Quebec's and Ontario's doctors, nor for the two provinces collective salaried workers, regretted the CAQ Leader, François Legault.
The CAQ Leader recalls that when he was at the head of the Health ministry, he accepted to reduce the gap over several years, from 40% to 15%. Out of parity, he wanted the wage gap between doctors from Quebec and Ontario, to be equivalent to that of other sectors (assessed to be 15% at the time). However, it seems that the Liberal government has gone too far, with excessive increases to doctor remuneration, highlights Mr. Legault.
"Over the last 8 years, the Liberal government increased doctor remuneration by 72% for general practitioners, and 102% for specialists. This increase costed 3 billion dollars. It is completely unfair for the Quebec-Ontario doctor wage gap, to be lesser than that for other sectors. Meanwhile, RLTCC patients are fighting to get a second bath per week in Quebec. We need to find out the true salary gap between doctors in Quebec and in Ontario", insisted François Legault, falling on the PM's deaf ears.
The member for L'Assomption understands that daily matters are trivial to Philippe Couillard, but Quebecers should not have to pay for his negligence. "I cannot believe that the Prime Minister is unaware of this! 3 billion dollars is not catching up, but messing up. What is the Quebec-Ontario doctor salary gap today?" stressed François Legault, while encouraging the Prime Minister to take advantage of the current doctor salary negotiations, for a review of the doctor remuneration method.
RLTCC: One Bath a Week Is Not Enough, Condemns Paradis
The MNA François Paradis is asking the Health Minister to have some compassion; and to listen to the population's clear message to the government, about a review of the frequency of weekly baths provided to patients that are staying at the Residential Long-Term Care Centers (RLTCCs).
A survey conducted by the firm Léger for TVA, reveals that 92% of Quebecers believe that a single bath or shower a week is insufficient. 81% of respondents equally believe that Quebec should invest between 20 to 30 million dollars more, to secure yet another bath or shower to the elders in the RLTCCs.
Unlike Minister Barrette, who supports that « cleaning someone with a washcloth is just as effective as a bath », the CAQ considers that providing two baths a week should be the "national standard" in the RLTCCs. "The population is demanding loud and clear for a minimum of two baths, and to invest in our collective tomorrow. The public has spoken: Please, let us sympathize and understand the reality of the people in the RLTCCs", states regretfully François Paradis to the Journal de Montréal.
Oil and Gas in Quebec: Couillard's Green Shift Harms the Industry
It is time for Philippe Couillard to acknowledge that his words weigh more than he realizes. Although Squatex estimates that the soil of Mitis contains over 52 million barrels of oil, the extraction will not start anytime soon. The main reason: Since last December, the Prime Minister's statements and intrusions have been scaring away local and foreign investors.
The CAQ critic for energy, Chantal Soucy, has welcomed Squatex's business development manager, Mario Lévesque, to the National assembly on Wednesday. He explained to the MNA how hard it is for his company to find a single financial partner, since the vast majority of the oil and gas sector believes that investing in Quebec is risky.
"According to the results of recent studies, the soil of Mitis may contain nearly 10 million barrels per square kilometer. It is twice greater than the potential assessed on the Anticosti Island! The company is referring to one of the most important discoveries made today. It is looking for financing, and is getting shunned because it is located in Quebec, under a Liberal government; with a Prime Minister who has the reputation of being against oil and gas extractions. The consequences of the Prime Minister's words and actions are clear: We are being avoided, like a plague"; expressed regretfully Chantal Soucy, during the Question Period.
Notwithstanding global context and the market energy price, the member for Saint-Hyacinthe asked the Minister of Energy to reassure the industry, by declaring loud and clear that Quebec is interested in oil and gas investments. Pierre Arcand refused to make the statement. "It is no longer a secret, that the economy is trivial for this government. It stands against Anticosti and Old Harry. The Liberals are harming the business sector. Mr. Arcand, you are the Minister of Natural Resources, not a delegate for the environment. It is time to take the reins of your ministry. The companies are seeking international financing. When will you finally open the door to our economy?" inquired Chantal Soucy.
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text:
Conference-Only Schedules Are Bad News for Texas Tech Football
Paul Roberts, KKAM.com
The Red Raiders have already been picked 9th in the Big 12 according to the Big 12 media, and the national media hasn't given them much more love than the conference. That means that Texas Tech will be projected to go 1-8 in the Big 12 in 2020, with their only win coming against the Kansas Jayhawks, who actually beat the Red Raiders last season.
At least in normal years, the Red Raiders could pad that conference record with a win over an FCS team and a low-level group of five team. This year, however, it's increasingly likely that the Big 12 will move to a conference-only schedule like their counterparts in the Big 10, Pac 12, ACC, and SEC have already done. (Editor's Note: After the publication of this story, the Big 12 actually did something like that.)
There are reports out that the Big 12 has whittled down the non-conference to just a single game, with the other nine games being conference games.
That would mean the Red Raiders will play UTEP, and then their nine conference games. Alabama State and Arizona have both already been removed from the schedule.
UTEP and Texas Tech are scheduled to play in week one on September 5th, with Texas Tech's conference schedule opening against Iowa State on September 26th. It might be that Texas Tech finds a new opponent they can play in The Jones instead of traveling and schedule it closer to the conference opener.
If the Big 12 does confirm that scheduling decision, I can almost guarantee the Red Raiders wouldn't finish 2-8, but the odds aren't much better if you look at the past decade. The Red Raiders haven't had a winning record in conference play since 2009 when some pirate was leading the ship. In 2010, the Red Raiders went 3-5.
In 2011, the Big 12 made the move to 10 teams with a round-robin schedule where everyone plays nine conference games and they decide one true champion. Since then, the Red Raiders have gone 2-7, 4-5, 4-5, 2-7, 4-5, 3-6, 3-6, 3-6, and 2-7. That's an average of 3-6 in conference play over nearly a decade of football.
If the Big 12 does decide to make 2020 conference-only, the Red Raiders will face an uphill climb to get their first winning record in conference play in more than a decade.
Texas Tech Offensive Position Battles
Filed Under: big 12, Texas Tech Football


_The event for High Performance computing, networking and storage_ ISC High Performance is dedicated to tackling HPC technological development and its application in scientific fields, as well as its adoption in commercial environments. Eurolab4HPC will be featured in the HiPEAC booth. Paul Carpenter and Xavier Salazar will attend.


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A great way combination of flavours and nourishment, Red Lentil Soup is quick and easy to make. This soup is spicy, vegan and can be customised according to your taste preference. Here is how to make Red Lentil Soup Recipe at home.
At the end of the day, there is nothing like sipping some piping hot soup to get rid of all the stress and feel rejuvenated. That's the reason why I make sure to prepare soup frequently for dinner.
Firstly, soups are really nutritious and they tend to be light on the stomach. Thai Pumpkin Noodle Soup is my son's favourite and on the other hand, my husband simply loves to relish a piping hot bowl of Tomato Basil Soup.
As much as I love relishing soups, I love brainstorming new recipes and using unique ingredients even more! Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk is one such recipe that I thought would certainly surprise taste buds. Oh, and it surely did!
I have used Masoor ki Dal or Red Lentil, olive oil and different veggies such as carrots, peas, Jalapeno peppers, tomato puree et al to blend along with creamy coconut milk to make Red lentil Coconut Soup.
In order to make this more palatable, you may also add some pumpkin, roasted red pepper, chicken broth, carrot, celery etc to it. To keep it simple, trust me, even onion and garlic with lemon works just fine.
This rich concoction tastes super delicious after it gets boiled along with all the other spices such as turmeric powder, red chilli powder et al. Additionally, you may even add cayenne pepper, bay leaf, lemon juice so that with heat, this soup catches a very good edgy flavour.
– As good as eating spinach, barley, chicken, squash and even quinoa, lentils are some of the best sources for folate as well as manganese.
– Furthermore, lentils also contain protein.
– Lentils are also good for our heart, digestion because they contain folic acid, fiber.
– Most importantly, lentils have selenium which combats cancer.
– Lastly, lentils contain iron which keeps you going every day.
Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk accounts as a slow cooker promising meal. You may also make it in your Instant Pot if you wish. Boil a large pot of delicious Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk for a warm family dinner and see how you all instantly bond more over this flavourful soup. Bon Appetite!
In Slow Cooker – To make red lentil soup in slow cooker, dump all the ingredients except lemon juice and coconut milk in the pot of your slow cooker. Cover the pot and cook the soup on low for 6-8 hours. Add lemon juice and coconut milk and cook for another 30 minutes.
In Instant pot – Press the SAUTE button and add olive oil. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add onion and Jalapeno and saute for another 2 minutes. Now add the remaining ingredients except lemon juice and coconut milk and close the lid. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 10 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release for 15 minutes and then open the lid. Add lemon juice and coconut milk and mix well.
You can add ingredients like spinach, barley, chicken, squash, quinoa, pumpkin, roasted red pepper, tomato etc to this soup recipe to give it a variation.
Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom pan.
Add garlic and fry till light brown in color.
Add onions and pepper and fry for a minute.
Now add carrots, peas, lentils, tomato puree, salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
Next. add 6 cups of water and cover and cook till lentils are soft and tender.
Lastly, add coconut milk and lemon juice.
A great way combination of flavours and nourishment, Red Lentil Soup is quick and easy to make. This soup is spicy, vegan and can be customised according to your taste preference.
Serve hot with some bread.


text:
\section{Introduction}

The main purpose of this work is to approximate solutions of a nonlinear,
possibly degenerate, reaction-diffusion equation of the form
\begin{equation}  \label{eq:degparab}
\frac{\partial u}{\partial t} = D \mathrm{\Delta} (p(u)) + g(u)
\end{equation}
for $ x\in \Omega \subseteq\mathbb{R}^d,~~d\geq 1,~~ t\geq0$, with
initial condition, $u(x,0)=u_0(x)$ and with suitable boundary
conditions,
where the function $p$ is a non-decreasing
Lipschitz continuous
function defined on $\mathbb{R}$. The equation is degenerate if
$p(0)=0$ and in this case the solutions often become non-smooth in
finite time, developing fronts and discontinuities \cite{Aro70}.
Finally, the coefficient $D$ is a diffusivity
coefficient and the function $g(u)$ is the reaction term.

Equations like \eqref{eq:degparab} are relevant in
describing biological and physical processes and are involved in the modelling of
population growth and dispersal, of waves of concentration of chemical
substances in living organisms, of the motion of viscous fluids (see
e.g. \cite{Murray1}). Also, systems of equations like
\eqref{eq:degparab}, coupled via the reaction terms, are capable of
modelling the cyclic Belousov-Zhabotinskii reactions and the pattern
formation on the wings of butterflies and the coat of mammals (see
\cite{Murray2} and references therein).

This paper is organized as follows. In section
\ref{section:relaxation} we introduce the relaxation approximation of
nonlinear diffusion problems, in section \ref{sec:scheme} we describe
the fully discrete relaxed numerical scheme in the reaction-diffusion
case. In section \ref{sec:tests} we report several numerical tests,
both in one and two space dimensions.

\section{Relaxation approximation of nonlinear diffusion}
\label{section:relaxation}

The schemes proposed in the present work are based on the same
framework of the well-known relaxation approximation of \cite{JX95}
for hyperbolic conservation laws. In the case of the nonlinear
diffusion operator in \eqref{eq:degparab}, an additional variable
$\vec{v}(x,t)\in\mathbb{R}^d$ and a positive parameter $\varepsilon$
are introduced and the following relaxation system is obtained:
\begin{equation}\label{sysrel1}
\left\{
\begin{array}{ll}
\displaystyle
\frac{\partial u}{\partial t} + \mathrm{div}(\vec{v}) = g(u)\\
\\
\displaystyle
\frac{\partial \vec{v}}{\partial t} + \varphi^2 \nabla p(u) =
    -\frac1\varepsilon \vec{v} + \left(\varphi^2-
    \frac{D}{\varepsilon}\right) \nabla p(u)
\end{array}
\right.
\end{equation}
Now, formally, in the small relaxation limit, $\varepsilon \rightarrow
0^+$, system \eqref{sysrel1} approximates to leading order
equation \eqref{eq:degparab}.
The parameter $\varphi$ is introduced
in order to have bounded characteristic velocities and to avoid a
singular differential operator as
$\varepsilon \rightarrow 0^+$.

Finally the non linearity in the convective  term is removed, as in
standard relaxation schemes, introducing another scalar variable
$w(x,t)$ and rewriting the system as:
\begin{equation} \label{3eq}
\left\{
\begin{array}{ll}
\displaystyle
\frac{\partial u}{\partial t} + \mathrm{div}(\vec{v}) = g(u) \\
\\
\displaystyle \frac{\partial \vec{v}}{\partial t} + \varphi^2 \nabla w =
    -\frac1\varepsilon \vec{v}
    +\left(\varphi^2- \frac{D}{\varepsilon}\right) \nabla w \\
\\
\displaystyle
\frac{\partial w}{\partial t} + \mathrm{div}(\vec{v}) =
    -\frac1\varepsilon (w-p(u))
\end{array}
\right.
\end{equation}
Formally, as $\varepsilon \rightarrow 0^+$, $w \rightarrow p(u)$, $v
\rightarrow -\nabla p(u)$ and the original equation is recovered.

In the previous system the parameter $\varepsilon$ has physical
dimensions of time and represents the so-called relaxation
time. Furthermore, $w$ has the same dimensions as $u$, while each
component of $\vec{v}$ has the dimension of $u$ times a velocity;
finally $\varphi$ is a velocity.  The inverse of $\varepsilon$ gives the
rate at which $v$ decays onto $-\nabla p(u)$ in the evolution of the
variable $\vec{v}$ governed by the stiff second equation of
\eqref{3eq}.

Equations \eqref{3eq}, originally introduced in \cite{NP00} for the
purely diffusive case, form a semilinear hyperbolic system with a
stiff source term. The characteristic velocities of the hyperbolic
part are given by $0,\pm\varphi$. The parameter $\varphi$ allows to
move the stiff terms $\frac{D}{\varepsilon}\nabla p(u)$ to the right
hand side, without losing the hyperbolicity of the system.

We point out that degenerate parabolic equations often model physical
situations where free boundaries and discontinuities are relevant: we
expect that schemes for hyperbolic systems will be able to reproduce
faithfully these details of the solution.  One of the main properties
of \eqref{3eq} consists in the semilinearity of the system, that is
all the nonlinear terms are in the (stiff) source terms, while the
differential operator is linear. Hence, the solution of the convective
part requires neither Riemann solvers nor the computation of the
characteristic structure at each time step, since the eigenstructure
of the system is constant in time.  Moreover, the relaxation
approximation does not exploit the form of the nonlinear function $p$
and hence it gives rise to a numerical scheme that, to a large extent,
is independent of it, resulting in a very versatile tool.

We also anticipate here that, in the relaxed case
(i.e. $\varepsilon=0$), the stiff source terms can be integrated
solving a system that is already in triangular form and then it does
not require iterative solvers.

\section{Relaxed numerical schemes}
\label{sec:scheme}

\subsection{Relaxed IMEX schemes}

We extend here the schemes studied in \cite{arxiv0604572}, including
the reaction term. For simplicity, here we describe the
one-dimensional case, the generalization being straightforward.

We observe that system \eqref{3eq} is in the form
\[
 \pder{z}{t} + \pder{f(z)}{x} = g(z) + \frac{1}{\epsilon}h(z)
\]
where $z=(u,v,w)^T$, $f(z)=(v,\varphi^2w,v)^T$, $g(z)=(g(u),0,0)^T$
and $h(z)= (0,-v+(\varepsilon\varphi^2-D)w_x,p(u)-w)^T$. When
$\varepsilon$ is small, the presence of both
non-stiff and stiff terms, suggests the use of IMEX schemes
\cite{ARS97,KC03,PR05}. In the problems considered here, the reaction
term $g(u)$ is not stiff and hence we treat it with the explicit
portion of the IMEX scheme.

First we consider a semi-discrete form for time integration.
Let's assume for simplicity a uniform time step $\Delta t$ and
denote with $z^n$ the numerical approximation of the variable $z$ at
time $t_n=n\Delta t$,
for $n=0,1,\ldots$ In our case a $\nu$-stages IMEX scheme reads
\begin{equation} \label{eq:IMEX}
  z^{n+1} = z^n
     - \Delta t \sum_{i=1}^{\nu}
           \tilde{b}_i  \left[\pder{f}{x}(z^{(i)}) +g(z^{(i)})\right]
     + \frac{\Delta t}{\varepsilon} \sum_{i=1}^{\nu} b_i h(z^{(i)})
\end{equation}
where the stage values are computed as
\begin{equation} \label{eq:stage:i}
z^{(i)} = B^{(i)}
      + \frac{\Delta t}{\varepsilon} a_{i,i} h(z^{(i)})
\end{equation}
for
\begin{equation} \label{eq:stage:expl}
B^{(i)} = z^n
        -\Delta t \sum_{k=1}^{i-1}\tilde{a}_{i,k} \left[\pder{f}{x}(z^{(k)}) +g(z^{(k)})\right]
        + \frac{\Delta t}{\varepsilon} \sum_{k=1}^{i-1} a_{i,k} h(z^{(k)})
\end{equation}
Here $({a}_{ik},{b}_i)$ and  $(\tilde{a}_{ik},\tilde{b}_i)$ are a pair
of Butcher's tableaux \cite{HW1} of, respectively, a diagonally implicit and an
explicit Runge-Kutta schemes.

In this work we use the so-called relaxed schemes, that are obtained
by formally letting $\varepsilon\rightarrow0$ in \eqref{eq:IMEX}. For
these the computation of the first stage, that is \eqref{eq:stage:i}
with $i=1$,
\begin{equation} \label{eq:stage:1}
 \left[\begin{array}{l}
    {u^{(1)}}\\
    {v^{(1)}}\\
    {w^{(1)}}
 \end{array}\right]
 =
 \left[\begin{array}{l} u^{n}\\v^{n}\\w^{n}\end{array}\right]
 +
 \frac{\Delta t}{\varepsilon} a_{1,1}
   h\left(\left[\begin{array}{l}u^{(1)}\\v^{(1)}\\w^{(1)}\end{array}\right]\right)
\end{equation}
implies that $h(z^{(2)})=0$, which is equivalent to
\[ {u^{(1)}=u^n}
   \qquad {w^{(1)}=p(u^{(1)})}
   \qquad v^{(1)}=\pder{w^{(1)}}{x} ,\]
Now the second stage, $i=2$, reads
\[z^{(2)} = z^n
    - \Delta{t}\tilde{a}_{2,1}{\left[\pder{f}{x}(z^{(1)}) + g(z^{(1)})\right]}
    + \frac{\Delta t}{\varepsilon} a_{2,1}
           \underbrace{{h(z^{(1)})}}_{{\equiv 0}}
    + \frac{\Delta t}{\varepsilon} a_{2,2} {h(z^{(2)})}.
\]
Hence the last two components of $z^{(2)}$ are determined by the stiff
terms of the above expression, namely $h(z^{(1)})=0$. On the other
hand, due the form of
$h(z)$, there are no stiff terms in the equation for the first
component $u^{(2)}$, which  is then determined by a balance law.

Summarizing, the relaxed scheme yields an alternation of
{\em relaxation steps}
\[
  h(z^{(i)})=0 \qquad
   \text{ i.e. }\,
     w^{(i)}=p(u^{(i)}),
     v^{(i)}=\pder{w^{(i)}}{x}
\]
and {\em transport steps} where we advance for time $\tilde{a}_{i,k}\Delta{t}$
\begin{equation} \label{eq:transportRK}
 \pder{z}{t} + \pder{f(z)}{x} = g(z)
\end{equation}
with initial data $z=z^{(i)}$, retain only the first component and
assign it to $u^{(i+1)}$.
Finally the value of $u^{n+1}$ is computed as \(u^n+\sum \tilde{b}_i
u^{(i)}\).

\subsection{Spatial reconstructions}

In order to have a fully discrete scheme,
we still need to specify
the space discretization. We will use discretizations based on finite
differences, in order to avoid cell coupling due to the source terms.

Recall that the IMEX technique reduces the integration to a cascade of
relaxation and transport steps. The former are the implicit parts of
\eqref{eq:stage:1} and \eqref{eq:stage:i}, while the transport steps
appear in the evaluation of the explicit terms $B^{(i)}$ in
\eqref{eq:stage:expl}. Since \eqref{eq:stage:1} and \eqref{eq:stage:i}
involve only local operations, the main task of the space discretization
is the evaluation of $\partial_x{f}$, where we will exploit the
linearity of $f$ in its arguments.

In the one-dimensional case, let us consider a uniform grid on $[a,b]\subset\mathbb{R}$,
\(x_j=a-\frac{h}2+jh\) for $j=1,\ldots,m$, where $h=(b-a)/m$ is the
grid spacing and $m$ the number of cells.
We denote with $z^j_n$ the value of the quantity $z$ at time $t^n$ at
$x_j$, the centre of the $j^{\mbox{\scriptsize th}}$ computational cell.
The fully discrete scheme
may be written as
\[
z_j^{n+1} = z_j^n - \Delta t \sum_{i=1}^{\nu}
     \tilde{b}_i  \left(F^{(i)}_{j+1/2} - F^{(i)}_{j-1/2}\right)
    + \frac{\Delta t}{\varepsilon} \sum_{i=1}^{\nu} b_i
     g(z_j^{(i)}),
\]
where $F^{(i)}_{j+1/2}$ are the numerical fluxes, which are the only
item that we still need to specify. It is necessary to
write the scheme in conservation form and thus, following
\cite{OS89}, we introduce the function $\hat{F}$ such that
\[
  f(z(x,t))=\frac1h \int_{x-h/2}^{x+h/2} \hat{F}(s,t) \mathrm{d}s
\]
and hence
\[
  \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}(z(x_j,t)) = \frac1h
  \left(\hat{F}(x_{j+1/2},t)-\hat{F}(x_{j-1/2},t)\right).
\]
The numerical flux function $F_{j+1/2}$ approximates
$\hat{F}(x_{j+1/2})$.

In order to compute the numerical fluxes, for each stage value, we
reconstruct boundary extrapolated data $z^{(i)\pm}_{j+1/2}$ with a
non-oscillatory interpolation method, starting from the point values
$z^{(i)}_j$ of the
variables at the centre of the cells. Next we apply a monotone
numerical flux to these boundary extrapolated data.

To minimize numerical viscosity we choose the Godunov flux, which, in
the present case of a linear system of equations, reduces to the upwind
flux. In order to select the upwind direction we write the linear
system with constant coefficients
\eqref{eq:transportRK} in
characteristic form. The characteristic variables relative to the
eigenvalues $\varphi,-\varphi,0$  are respectively
\[
      U=\frac{v+\varphi w}{2\varphi}     \qquad
      V=\frac{\varphi{}w-v}{2\varphi}  \qquad
      W=u-w.
\]
Note that $u=U+V+W$. Therefore the numerical flux in characteristic
variables is
\(F_{j+1/2}=(\varphi U^-_{j+1/2},-\varphi V^+_{j+1/2},0)\).

The accuracy of the scheme depends on the accuracy of the
reconstruction of the boundary extrapolated data. For a first order
scheme we use a piecewise constant reconstruction such that
\(U^-_{j+1/2}=U_j\) and \(V^+_{j+1/2}=V_{j+1}\). For higher order
schemes, we use ENO or WENO reconstructions of appropriate accuracy
\cite{OS89}.

Since the transport steps need to be applied only to
$u^{(i)}$, we have
\[
 u_j^{(i)}
 = u_j^n
   -\lambda \sum_{k=1}^{i-1}\tilde{a}_{i,k}
   \left[
   \varphi \left( U^{(k)-}_{j+1/2}-U^{(k)-}_{j-1/2}
   -V^{(k)+}_{j+1/2}+V^{(k)+}_{j-1/2}\right)
   +\mathrm{\Delta t} g(u^{(k)}_j)
   \right]
\]
Finally, taking the last stage value and going back to conservative
variables,
\[
\begin{array}{ll}
u_j^{n+1}=u_j^n
    -\frac\lambda2
     \sum_{i=1}^\nu \tilde{b}_i
         &\left([v^{(i)-}_{j+1/2}+v^{(i)+}_{j+1/2}-(v^{(i)-}_{j-1/2}+v^{(i)+}_{j-1/2})]\right.\\
              &\left.+\varphi[w^{(i)-}_{j+1/2}-w^{(i)+}_{j+1/2}-(w^{(i)-}_{j-1/2}-w^{(i)+}_{j-1/2})]
         \right)
\end{array}
\]

We wish to emphasize that the scheme reduces to the time
advancement of the single variable $u$. Although the scheme is based
on a system of three equations, the construction is used only to select
the correct upwinding for the fluxes of the relaxed scheme and the
computational cost of each time step is not affected.

\subsection{Numerical scheme}

Employing a Runge-Kutta IMEX scheme of
order $p$, can give an integration procedure for \eqref{eq:degparab}
which is of order up to $2p$ with respect to $h$ (see
\cite{arxiv0604572}),
because the CFL restrictions on the time-step are of parabolic type
($\mathrm{\Delta{}t}\leq{}Ch^2$). We observed that this
theoretical convergence rate can be achieved in practice, with careful
choice of the approximations of the spatial derivatives.

Summarizing, the relaxed schemes that we propose for the numerical
integration of \eqref{eq:degparab} consists of the following
steps.

For each Runge-Kutta stage we need to compute the variables
$v^{(i)}$ and $w^{(i)}$ (relaxation steps). The computation of
$v^{(i)}$ requires the approximation of a spatial gradient operator,
for which we choose a central finite difference operator of order at
least $2p$. Then we need to
solve the transport equation by diagonalizing the linear system
\eqref{eq:transportRK}, reconstructing the characteristic variables
$U^{(i)}$ and $V^{(i)}$ at cell boundaries and computing the
fluxes. Again, we must choose a spatial reconstructions of order at
least $2p$ and, to avoid spurious
oscillations, we employ ENO or WENO non-oscillatory procedures. These
procedures compare, for each cell, the reconstructions obtained using
different stencils and choose the least oscillatory one (ENO) or
compute a weighted linear combination of all of them (WENO). For
details, see \cite{OS89}.

\section{Numerical results}
\label{sec:tests}

\subsection{Travelling waves tests}

\begin{figure}
\psfig{file=figure/wave2.eps,width=\textwidth}

\psfig{file=figure/wave10.eps,width=\textwidth}
\caption{Travelling waves with $c=2$ (top) and $c=10$ (bottom). The
  crosses represent the numerical solution at $t=0,2,4,6,8,10$ and the
  solid lines are the corresponding asymptotic expansions
  \eqref{eq:fk:tw}.}
\label{fig:tw}
\end{figure}

As a first test, we consider the one-dimensional Fisher-Kolmogoroff equation, namely
\begin{equation} \label{eq:fk}
 \pder{u}{t} = ku(1-u) + D \pderr{u}{x}
\end{equation}
for $x\in\mathbb{R}$ and $t>0$, which was initially proposed for the modelling of spatial
spread of populations \cite{Murray1}.

The two uniform steady states of \eqref{eq:fk} are $u_0(x)=0$ and
$u_1(x)=1$. A careful analysis of the state space, reveals the
existence of travelling wave solutions linking these two
states, i.e. of solutions of the form $u(x,t)=U(x-ct)$ such that
$U(-\infty)=1$ and $U(\infty)=0$. \cite{Murray1} reports the following
asymptotic form for such solutions:
\begin{equation} \label{eq:fk:tw}
 U(z)=
 \frac1{(1+e^{z/c})} +
 \frac1{c^2}\frac{e^{z/c}}{(1+e^{z/c})^2}\log\frac{4e^{z/c}}{(1+e^{z/c})^2} +
 O\left(\frac1{c^4}\right),
\end{equation}
which is valid when the speed verifies
\[ c\geq 2\sqrt{kD}. \]
Moreover the slope of the inflection point ($z=0$) is related to the
speed $c$ of the wave by the relation
\begin{equation} \label{eq:fk:sc}
U'(0) = -\frac1{4c} + O\left(\frac1{c^5}\right), \mbox{for } c\geq2.
\end{equation}
Travelling wave solutions are very important in the modelling of
populations, since they represents phenomena like the invasion of a
territory by a new species, the expansion of epidemics, etc.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\psfig{file=figure/speed.eps,width=.5\textwidth}
\end{center}
\caption{Comparison of the maximum slope of the numerical solutions
  (dots) with the value predicted by the asymptotic expansion
  \eqref{eq:fk:sc}. Time is on the horizontal axis, the values of
  $c$ are printed on the graph close to each line.}
\label{fig:slopespeed}
\end{figure}

We tested the ability of our integration scheme to reproduce these
results. We chose $k=D=1$ in \eqref{eq:fk}, set up initial datum
$u(x,0)=U(x)$ for $c=2,4,\ldots,10$ on $x\in[-50,200]$ and evolved it
with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions until $T=10$. We present
the numerical solutions obtained with ENO spatial reconstruction of
order $6$ and third order Runge-Kutta time integration: they are
compared with the asymptotic ones in Figure \ref{fig:tw}.  Moreover we
tested the validity of the expansion \eqref{eq:fk:sc} plotting the
maximum of the numerical gradient of the solution, together with the
values predicted by the asymptotic analysis. From Figure
\ref{fig:slopespeed} we clearly see a very accurate agreement, except
for the limit case $c=2$, which is however at the boundary of the
validity range of \eqref{eq:fk:sc}.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\psfig{file=figure/wit01.eps,width=\textwidth}
\end{center}
\caption{Comparison of the numerical solutions (dots) of \eqref{eq:genfk} with
  the asymptotic expansion (solid line). Here $p=1$ and
$q=m$. The latter is printed only in
  the time range where it is valid.}
\label{fig:wit}
\end{figure}

As a second test we consider the following generalization of the
Fisher-Kolmogoroff equation \eqref{eq:fk}
\begin{equation} \label{eq:genfk}
 \pder{u}{t} = u^p(1-u^q) +  \pder{}{x}\left(u^m\pder{u}{x}\right)
\end{equation}
The existence of travelling waves can be proved for a wide range of
parameters $p,q,m$ \cite{Murray1}. The paper
\cite{Wit95} gives an expression of such waves for the case $p=1$ and
$q=m$. Moreover \cite{Wit95} finds an asymptotic expansion for
the case of two merging travelling waves, which is valid for a finite
time after the first contact of the two fronts.

Figure \ref{fig:wit} shows both the numerical
solutions obtained with our method and the asymptotic expansion given
in \cite{Wit95}, in the case $q=m=1$.
The initial data represent two travelling fronts, initially at $x_0=-1$
and $x_1=1$, moving in opposite
directions. They first meet at $t^*=1.41$ and then the two waves
merge. The asymptotic expansion given in \cite{Wit95} is valid for a
small time interval after $t^*$ and it is shown in Figure
\ref{fig:wit} with solid lines. The numerical solutions (in dots) are
shown until the steady state is reached.

\subsection{Two dimensional tests}

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\psfig{file=figure/testcroce1.eps,width=.45\textwidth}
\psfig{file=figure/testcroce5.eps,width=.45\textwidth}

\psfig{file=figure/testcroce10.eps,width=.45\textwidth}
\psfig{file=figure/testcroce15.eps,width=.45\textwidth}
\end{center}

\caption{The numerical solution of \eqref{eq:mik} with initial data
  \eqref{eq:croce} at different times, for
  $(x,y)\in[-1.2,1.2]^2$.}
\label{fig:testcroce}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}
\psfig{file=figure/testanellobollainiz.eps,angle=-90,width=.95\textwidth,}

\psfig{file=figure/testanellobollatop1.eps,width=.24\textwidth}
\psfig{file=figure/testanellobollatop6.eps,width=.24\textwidth}
\psfig{file=figure/testanellobollatop17.eps,width=.24\textwidth}
\psfig{file=figure/testanellobollatop18.eps,width=.24\textwidth}

\caption{Initial data (top) and supports (bottom) of the numerical solution of
  \eqref{eq:mik} at different times.}
\label{fig:testanellobolla}
\end{figure}

We tested the multi-dimensional version of our integration scheme on
the equation
\begin{equation} \label{eq:mik}
 \pder{u}{t} = \mathrm{\Delta}(u^m) -cu^p
\end{equation}
for $x\in[-2,2]^2$ and $t\geq0$. The above equation presents
interesting finite-time extinction phenomena, reported in
\cite{Mik95}. We first take initial data
\begin{equation} \label{eq:croce}
 u(x,y,0) =
   \left\{
   \begin{array}{ll}
   1 & ,x=0,y=0\\
   \left[1-\frac{(x^2+y^2)^2}{\sqrt{x^6+y^6}} \right]_+ &
   \mbox{otherwise}
   \end{array}
   \right.
\end{equation}
and evolve it until extinction with equation \eqref{eq:mik} for $c=5$,
$p=0.5$ and $m=2$. The results are presented in Figure
\ref{fig:testcroce}.

Finally we tested the persistence of asymmetry in the initial datum
along the evolution. We took $u(x,y,0)$ as a radially symmetric
function with a small perturbation, see
Figure \ref{fig:testanellobolla}, and evolved it with the same equation
and parameters as before, until extinction. Figure
\ref{fig:testanellobolla} shows clearly that the initial perturbation
of the radial symmetry is maintained until the solution vanishes.

\section{Conclusions}

We have proposed and analyzed relaxed schemes for nonlinear degenerate
reaction diffusion equations.
By using suitable discretization in space and time, namely ENO/WENO
non-oscillatory reconstructions for numerical fluxes and IMEX
Runge-Kutta schemes for time integration, we have obtained a class of
high order schemes. The theoretical convergence
analysis for the semidiscrete scheme and the
stability for the fully discrete schemes have been studied by us, for
the case of nonlinear diffusion, in
\cite{arxiv0604572}.

Here we tested these schemes on travelling waves solutions and in
cases where the solution vanishes in finite time. In all cases we
observed a very good agreement with known properties of the exact
solutions.

\bibliographystyle{ws-procs9x6}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
HomeFeaturesPodcast Stars: Don't Let's Chart
Podcast Stars: Don't Let's Chart
May 5, 2019 The Spoilist Features 0
This time on Podcast Stars, we caught up with our favourite quiz book writer about his new podcast. That's right, Ben Baker is here to reveal all about Don't Lets Chart.
So what's the format of Don't Lets Chart?
Don't Lets Chart is two men in their late thirties who are terrified and bewildered by the world around them and can only make sense of it via the soothing structure of charts, top ten lists and nicely organised factual gumph. The show you hear is that info squeezed through our brains and out of our mouths like one of those Play Doh spaghetti maker kits.
How did you meet your podcasting partner Phillip?
As I'm sure he'd prefer to forget, he emailed me back in 2002 when I was making a download radio show (the term podcast had yet to be a thing) called "Ben Baker's Sexual Corridor". It was very low quality, both in material and bit-rate, but Phil had enjoyed it and offered some sketches for the second series. The best was "Pop Where Are They Now – Brian May" who was still stuck on the top of Buckingham Palace after the Queen's Jubilee which probably hasnt dated very well. I don't think we met in person for a few more years but he's been part of my hare-brained and loose-trousered schemes ever since and he plays a good foil to my more idiotic outbursts.
What is it about lists that makes for a good discussion?
They're the springboard for your own opinions and the reason for about 95% of talk radio but more importantly, they give us a slip and point us in the general direction of a conversation when the options are limitless. Plus nobody agrees on anything ever.
What made you want to start a podcast?
I've always loved radio but I couldn't imagine myself working in it as the limitations these days are just so relentless, be it commercial ventures that play the same 200 songs on a loop or the BBC that seems to be terrified of taking any real risk in the post "Russell Brand Says Pubes To Spanish Waiter" climate. Podcasts might not pay the same but the level of control is essential and being able to do something not only true to yourself but that other people might actually enjoy too is hard to parallel. Although if I could play an instrument, I'd probably do that instead because girls.
What one episode would you recommend to draw in new listeners?
We've just the handful up at the moment but I'm particularly proud of episode four ("Little Jenny Knives For Eyes") which has murderous toys, superhero slaughter and the Richard Nixon quiz which reduced Phil to tears and spluttering sounds, something I've never done before.
What's the editing process like?
Not as easy as it would be if we were both sat in the same room as opposed to 100 miles away recording our own sides which I stick together. Phil was suffering with echo in his new home recently so took to hiding with a mic under the duvet which I can't imagine will be much fun when summer comes round. Overall I'd say each episode takes a working day.
How long is each episode?
Generally around 35-40 minutes long. I've a thing for shows being snappy and commute-length, plus there are millions of "two middle aged white blokes talking" shows out there, I'd like ours to actually be memorable. Or, at the very least, less smelling of Lynx Africa.
How often do you release episodes?
Every Monday. We're making a conscious effort to keep the release schedule regular so people can get into the habit of listening and we've got something to work towards. Also: Mondays are rubbish and who doesn't need a kick in the smiles first thing in the week?
What other podcasts are you listening to at the moment?
On the more well-known scale I'm a huge fan of Athletico Mince, Smersh Pod, Kermode and Mayo's Film Review, Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend, The Weekly Planet and CheapShow but I've equal love for my friend Tim Worthington's interview programme Looks Unfamiliar, Betamax Film Club, David Lloyd's Radio Moments, We Buy Records and Retrospecticus which is a mixture of The Simpsons and modern history that I've seen few places else. In fact we got them to do us a hams-inspired special cameo in episode five.
Where can people listen to Don't Lets Chart?
They can visit benbakerbooks.org or subscribe in a myriad of ways for a million different podcasts apps with this RSS feed.
And thanks for having me. Who knew talking about yourself was so much fun? Don't answer that….
Thank you very much for joining us!
Don't Lets Chart
podcast stars
First Contact: 'Reunion' Season 4 Episode 7
Podcast Stars: Filibuster
September 8, 2018 The Spoilist 0
This month on Podcast Stars, we caught up with Lee Hutchison to talk all about Filibuster, a podcast he co-hosts with Dallas King that covers film, pop culture, the festival circuit, and entertainment news.
Podcast Stars: Aye, Dead On
July 22, 2018 The Spoilist 0
This time on Podcast Stars, we caught up with Jonathan Cardwell about Aye Dead On, a Northern Irish podcast that talks at great length about nothing in particular.
Podcast Stars: Fatal Attractions
September 15, 2018 The Spoilist 0
This time on Podcast Stars, we're in conversation with the hosts of Fatal Attractions – Matthew Turner, Leslie Pitt, Amélie Thomas and Paul Costello


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A Civil Air Patrol pilot and three teenage junior cadets were killed when their single-engine plane plunged into the Gulf of Mexico about 3 miles off St. Petersburg Beach, authorities said.
Boaters in the area rushed to the crash site Sunday, August 13, 1989, and tried to dive in after the plane, a four-seater Cessna 172, but it had sunk 25 feet below the murky depths and was upside-down, witnesses said.
Divers later found all four passengers dead, still strapped in their seats inside the plane.
Killed in the crash were senior pilot Eugene Wayne McKnight, 43, of Seminole, and cadets Joseph Paul Flythe, II, 17, of Clearwater, Shawn Kelley, 19, of St. Petersburg and Damion Weber, 15, of Seminole.
Coast Guard and Civil Air Patrol officials were at a loss to explain the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board was scheduled to begin its investigation Monday after a commercial salvage vessel hauls the plane out of the Gulf, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Keith Scally.
Autopsies will be performed on the victims to determine the cause of death, the Coast Guard said.
McKnight and his charges had taken off about 1:30 p.m. Sunday from Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg for a 30-minute 'familiarization' flight over Egmont Key, one of six flights the cadets must have before graduating to senior cadet, said Capt. Frank Sportell, commander of the CAP's Pinellas County squadron.
They were on their way back to Albert Whitted, where McKnight was scheduled to pick up another group of cadets including his 13-year-old son, Eric when the plane spiraled downward, Sportell said.
McKnight did not radio the airport tower of any trouble before the crash, said Sportell. His son was told by St. Petersburg Coast Guard officials of his father's death shortly after divers from Eckerd College found the plane off the coast, Scally said.
The Civil Air Patrol is an auxiliary of the Air Force that searches for missing and downed aircraft. Members volunteer their time and planes to participate in searches. Cadets, who range in age from 13 to 21, help in ground searches and can qualify to be observers aboard aircraft searching for downed aircraft.
THE ACFT WAS BEING USED TO DEMONSTRATE FLT CHARACTERISTICS TO CAP CADETS. DRG AN OFF-SHORE FLT OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE ACFT ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED APRX 3 MI FROM LAND. A WITNESS, WHO SAW THE ACFT JUST BEFORE IMPACT, RPRTD THAT IT WAS SPINNING IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ACFT SANK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IN 28 FT OF WATER. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. A CHECK OF THE WEIGHT & BALANCE INFO SHOWED THE ACFT HAD BEEN LOADED APRX 114 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT JUST BEFORE THE LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT, THE PLT HAD MADE TWO RAPID 180 DEG TURNS. CAUSE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A STALL/SPIN. EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF AVAILABLE ALTITUDE FOR SPIN RECOVERY WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.


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Orfeo Home › Artists › Elena Obraztsova
Elena Obraztsova
Following war-time evacuation to the small town of Ustjuzhnu from 1942 to 1945, Obraztsova returned to her home city of Leningrad. Here, between 1948 and 1954, she sang gipsy romances and popular songs with a children's chorus led by Maria Fedorovna Zarinskaya, a major influence. Obraztsova's family then relocated in 1954 to Taganrog, where she studied singing with Anna Timofeevna Kulikova at that town's Tchaikovsky Music School and was heard by M.A. Mankovskaja, upon whose recommendation she was accepted by the Rostov Music Academy. After a year there she moved in 1958 to the preparatory section of the Leningrad Conservatory before being accepted for study at the Conservatory itself.
In 1962 Obraztsova won two gold medals: at the World Youth Festival in Helsinki and at the All-Union Singing Competition in Moscow. She was immediately offered three parts for the 1963– 1964 season at the Bolshoi Opera in Moscow: Marina / Boris Godunov (in which she made her formal Bolshoi debut in December 1963), Polina / The Queen of Spades and Amneris / Aida. These were followed by Maria Dmitrievna Akhrosimova in Prokofiev's War and Peace, while other roles with the Bolshoi company included Dalila / Samson et Dalila, Konchakovna / Prince Igor, Lyubasha / The Tsar's Bride, Hélène / War and Peace and Oberon in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream at its Moscow premiere in 1965. Meanwhile in 1964 she had graduated from A.A. Grigorieva's class at the Leningrad Conservatory with top marks.
Having made her debut at La Scala, Milan at the end of 1964 with the Bolshoi company as Marfa / Khovanshchina, Obraztsova appeared with the Bolshoi again at Expo 67, Montreal, and at the Metropolitan Opera in 1975, stopping the show in Boris Godunov at the end of Marina's love duet with the false Dmitri, sung by Vladimir Atlantov. Her formal debut at the Met came in 1976, as Amneris; while later roles here included Dalila (1977); Charlotte / Werther and the title role in Carmen (both 1978); Adalgisa / Norma (1979); Azucena / Il trovatore (1987); Ulrica / Un ballo in maschera (1990); Grandma in Prokofiev's The Gambler (2001); and Maria Dmitrievna Akhrosimova in a co-production of War and Peace mounted in 2002 with the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg.
Obraztsova appeared at the Wiesbaden Festival in 1973 and in 1975 sang Azucena with the San Francisco Opera in a cast that included Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti. She returned to San Francisco in 1977 as the Princesse de Bouillon in Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur. In 1978 she created a sensation as Eboli in Don Carlos at La Scala, conducted by Abbado, and in 1981 first appeared at the Royal Opera House, London as Azucena, a role she repeated there in 1985.
Later operatic appearances took in Verona, the Ravenna Festival (Santuzza / Cavalleria rusticana, 1985), the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires (Amneris, 1989) and San Francisco once again (the Principessa / Suor Angelica) (1990 – a role Obraztsova also sang in Venice in 1998), Washington (Prince Orlofsky / Die Fledermaus, 2003–2004) and Tokyo (Marquise de Birkenfeld / La Fille du Régiment, 2006).
In addition to performing in opera, Obraztsova appeared widely on the concert platform. While maintaining a strong presence in her native Russia, she also sang in concert in Italy, France, England, Spain, Germany, Canada and Japan, showing a predilection for the German Romantic repertoire and for Spanish music. In 1986 she directed Werther at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. She continued to be active in the promotion of opera in St Petersburg.
Obraztsova took the first prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition of 1970, was made a People's Artist of the USSR in 1973 and was awarded the Lenin Prize in 1976. One of the most significant mezzo-sopranos of her generation, she possessed a richly vibrant and expressive voice and cut a particularly striking figure on stage.
© Naxos Rights International Ltd. — David Patmore (A–Z of Singers, Naxos 8.558097-100).
Don Carlo - Trovatore - Otello - Traviat...
The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame), Op. 68...


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Christian Culture Depicted in Art
Our secular society denies so much of the Christian worldview, and often puts it down or oppresses it. But, Stephen and I have seen some interesting shows that offer a look into the world when it was driven by Christian values. Art can offer interesting insights into these historical periods, and not all new content is bad. Some really is truly insightful. This is a good discussion of what happens when you find Christian culture depicted in art.
I don't think many people understand the tension that was really happening in Bridgerton because I don't think I understand how people thought about morality and ethics at that time. It's crazy to me. The tension one character has between a vow of vengeance and a vow to his wife is at the center. But, there are problems with duty and honor among men as well as the panic of young women as they begin courting.
Good fiction is definitely a laboratory for virtue. This example shows that even TV shows can have the same effect that literature or poems had. Television is simply the new storytelling medium. And it's very good to view entertainment like that because a lot of people confuse entertainment with dulling our mind. However, good entertainment and art informs us of the world around us. There is still a lot of good or decent culture out there as well. At one point Dostoyevsky was popular fiction, writing stories in periodicals. But now, we watch our stories, rather than read them.
Listen to the full conversation here:
What can we learn from these pre-secular stories?
Our culture is basically a secular, post Christian world. It was definitely easier, I would say, in 1000 AD to live the Christian life. In the middle of France it was easier to be virtuous or maybe, at the very least, to appear virtuous. We live in a society that focuses on a lot of the wrong things, glorifying the passions and and really anything that you want to do goes. The art and culture you would consume, at the very least, would point you towards virtue.
Enter your email here for updates on the Conversation of Our Generation!
A great example of this is in the show called the Sophia (in Russian with English Subtitles). It was about the last Byzantine princess who married basically the precursor to the czars in Russia, the father of Ivan the Terrible. And it was so fascinating because even though it was a Russian show that was in English and was only six or seven episodes, it was just so interesting. Watching a culture that had faith as such an important and not like demonized aspect was like being transported to another world.
And it also glorified many aspects of that culture's virtuous living, virtuous kingship, a Christian society. Those are just invaluable when trying to encourage people to to do the right thing. Especially because, as mentioned before, our culture is just so spiteful to much of what Christians believe.
Art, Christianity, Culture, Religion, Television
How to Build A More Virtuous Society
What is Smiles Matter?


Holds a trach tube very comfortably and securely in place. Made of breathable foam laminate with soft cotton exterior - no latex, no twill. Nylon Velcro fasteners. Unique design means that one size really does fit all from infant to adult - 6" to 22" neck.


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You are here: Home / Reviews / Dark Fiction / Book Review: Blood Kin by Steve Rasnic Tem
Book Review: Blood Kin by Steve Rasnic Tem
Title: Blood Kin
Author: Steve Rasnic Tem
Genre: Horror, Ghosts, Paranormal, Historical Fiction
Steve Rasnic Tem's new novel Blood Kin is set in the southern Appalachians of the U.S., alternating between the 1930s and the present day. It's a dark Southern Gothic vision of ghosts, witchcraft, secret powers, snake-handling, Kudzu, Melungeons, and the Great Depression.
Blood Kin is told from the dual points of view of Michael Gibson and of his grandmother Sadie. Michael has returned to the quiet Appalachian home of his forebears following a suicide attempt and now takes care of his grandmother; old and sickly but with an important story to tell about growing up poor and Melungeon (a mixed race group of mysterious origin) while bedeviled by a snake-handling uncle and empathic powers she but barely understands.
In a field not far from the Gibson family home lies an iron-bound crate within a small shack buried four feet deep under Kudzu vine. Michael somehow understands that hidden inside that crate is potentially his own death, his grandmother's death, and perhaps the deaths of everyone in the valley if he does not come to understand her story well enough.
Blood Kin is dark, unsettling, and deliciously creepy. Alternating between the 1930s and present day, it tells the legacy of a family haunted by mystery and horror, and something very dark and sinsiter.
Michael Gibson cares for his grandmother, Sadie. She's old, sick, and on the verge of dying, but she clings on to life, with one last story to tell. The more she tells Michael about the history of his family, about an iron-bound crate buried four feet deep in a small shack, about mountain people he never even knew, the more he begins to realize the story's importance. Not just for him, but for everyone in the valley.
What bothered me the most about the story is how disjointed it feels. I realize I'm not the first reviewer commenting on this, but it's the truth. The first part of the book is mostly historical fiction, Southern gothic, with only a hint of the horror to come. It starts out strong, then the middle part drags on, expanding upon certain themes I'm not sure had to be expanded on, and then the end is one dashing scene of horror after the other. As if the book exists of two seperate genres smashed together in a less than favorable execution.
If the book had stuck to one genre, and would've been a bit shorter (the middle part really drags on), it would've been great. As it stands now, it's a decent read, but not spectacular.
Filed Under: Dark Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror, Reviews Tagged With: book reviews, dark fiction, historical fiction, horror, southern gothic
Darn! I almost bought this based on the synopsis, but glad I read the review. I think the same things that bothered you would bother me as well. But damn! That synopsis sounds great!