text:
var svg = d3.select("div#plot")
            .append("svg")
            .attr("height", h + pad.top + pad.bottom)
            .attr("width", w*2 + pad.left + pad.right + pad.middle);

//draw panel for correlation matrix
var corrPlot = svg.append("g")
                  .attr("id", "corrPlot")
                  .attr("transform", "translate(" + pad.left + "," + pad.top + ")");

//draw panel for scatter plot
var scatPlot = svg.append("g")
                  .attr("id", "scatPlot")
                  .attr("transform", "translate(" + (pad.left + w + pad.middle) + "," + pad.top + ")")

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//    DRAW RECT'S AND INITIALIZE LABELS/BUTTONS    ///
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//add the boxes around the panels
var drawEnclosures = function() {
  corrPlot.append("rect")
          .attr("class","corr enclosure")
          .attr("height", h)
          .attr("width", w);

  scatPlot.append("rect")
          .attr("class","scat enclosure")
          .attr("height", h)
          .attr("width", w);
};

//initialize main title and labels in the correlation matrix
var initCorrLabels = function() {

  //append main title
  corrPlot.append("text")
          .text("Correlation matrix")
          .attr("class", "main title")
          .attr("x", w / 2)
          .attr("y", -25);

  //append column variable text
  corrPlot.append("text")
          .attr("class", "x corr label")
          .attr("y", h + pad.bottom * 0.2 + 6)
          .attr("text-anchor", "middle");

  //append row variable text
  corrPlot.append("text")
          .attr("class", "y corr label")
          .attr("y", -10)
          .attr("text-anchor", "middle");

  //set position the shuffle order buttons
  d3.select("#shuffleCorr")
    .style("left", (pad.left + 10) + "px")
    .style("top", (pad.top + h + 40) + "px");

  d3.select("#shuffleDefault")
    .style("left", (pad.left + 10) + "px")
    .style("top", (pad.top + h + 60) + "px");
};

//initialize main and axis titles in the scatter plot
var initScatLabels = function() {

  //main title
  scatPlot.append("text")
          .text("Scatter plot")
          .attr("class", "main title")
          .attr("x", w / 2)
          .attr("y", -25);

  //x axis title
  scatPlot.append("text")
          .attr("id", "xTitle")
          .attr("class", "axes title")
          .attr("x", w / 2)
          .attr("y", h + 40);

  //y axis title
  scatPlot.append("text")
          .attr("id", "yTitle")
          .attr("class", "axes title")
          .attr("transform", "translate(" + (-57) + "," + (h/2) + ") rotate(270)");

  //SVG element for displaying instructions
  scatPlot.append("text")
          .text("Loading data, please wait...")
          .attr("class", "corr instruc")
          .attr("x",w/2)
          .attr("y",h/2)
          .attr("text-anchor","middle")
          .attr("dominant-baseline","middle");
};

//initialize scatter line and corresponding checkbox
var scatLine; //define globally
var initScatLine = function() {

  //SVG scatter line element
  scatLine = scatPlot.append("line")
                     .attr("id", "scatLine")
                     .attr("x1", scatInnerPad)
                     .attr("x2", w - scatInnerPad)
                     .attr("y1", h - scatInnerPad)
                     .attr("y2", scatInnerPad);

  //set position for the line checkbox label and enable an event handler
  d3.select("#showLineLabel")
    .style("left", (pad.left + 2*w + pad.middle - 110) + "px")
    .style("top", (pad.top + 12) + "px")
    .select("input")
    .on("change", function() {
      scatLine.classed("visible", this.checked);
      alert("Scatter line functionality not implemented yet.")
    });
};

//initialize instructions that will be displayed at the bottom of the page
var instrucs; //define as a global variable
var initInstrucs = function() {

  //append text for instructions
  instrucs = d3.select("#instrucs")
                .datum(instrucsDatum)
                .style("position","absolute")
                .style("width", w + "px")
                .attr("class", "corr instruc")
                .attr("text-anchor", "middle")
                .attr("dominant-baseline", "middle")
                .checkUpdateInstrucs(0);
};

//run the functions just created
drawEnclosures();
initCorrLabels();
initScatLabels();
initScatLine();
initInstrucs();

//////////////////////////////////
//    INITIALIZE THE SCALES    ///
//////////////////////////////////

//initialize scales for correlation matrix
var corrScales = {
  x: d3.scale.ordinal().rangeBands([w-corrInnerPad, corrInnerPad]),
  z: d3.scale.linear().domain([-1, 0, 1]).range(["darkslateblue", "white", "crimson"])
};

//initialize scales for scatter plot
var scatScales = {
  //note that the x scatter plot scale can either be...
  //    ordinal: for cells on the diagonal of correlation matrix
  //    numeric: for cells off the diagonal
  xOrd:  d3.scale.ordinal().rangeBands( [scatInnerPad, w - scatInnerPad] ).domain(groups),
  xNum:  d3.scale.linear().range(       [scatInnerPad, w - scatInnerPad] ),
  y:     d3.scale.linear().range(       [h - scatInnerPad, scatInnerPad] )
};

//initialize the x scale as numeric
scatScales.x = scatScales.xNum;

///////////////////////////////////////////
//    INITIALIZE THE AXES AND BRUSHES   ///
///////////////////////////////////////////

//initialize axes for scatter plot
var scatAxes = {
  x:    d3.svg.axis().scale(scatScales.x)
              .ticks(5).outerTickSize(0).innerTickSize(8),
  y:    d3.svg.axis().scale(scatScales.y)
              .ticks(5).outerTickSize(0).innerTickSize(8).orient("left")
};

//draw the axes for scatter plot but make invisible for now
scatPlot.append("g")
        .attr("class", "x axis")
        .attr("transform", "translate(0," + h + ")")
        .call(scatAxes.x)
        .style("visibility","hidden");
scatPlot.append("g")
        .attr("class", "y axis")
        .call(scatAxes.y)
        .style("visibility","hidden");

//create a brush for the scatter plot
var brush = d3.svg.brush().x(scatScales.x).y(scatScales.y);
//scatPlot.call(brush); //wait to draw brushing until user
                        //has reached appropriate instructions

////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//    DEFINE HELPER FUNCTIONS FOR ADDING DATA.   ///
//    THESE FUNCTIONS ARE ONLY RUN ONCE WHEN     ///
//    THE DATA ARE LOADED                        ///
////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//used for creating a matrix of correlations
//that will be bound as data to the cells in the DOM
var corrFormat = function(matrix, vars) {

  //iterate through each row and cell in matrix
  matrix.forEach(function(row, i) {
    row.forEach(function(cell, j) {

      //change each cell to... -> {value: __, rowVar: __, colVar: __}
      //these cell objects will be bound to the SVG cell elements
      matrix[i][j] = {
        rowVar: vars[i],
        colVar: vars[j],
        value: cell
      };
    });
  });
  return matrix;
};

//used for drawing cells in the correlation matrix
var drawCells = function(data, scales) {

  //append group SVG elements representing rows containing cells
  var rows = corrPlot.selectAll(".row")
                     .data(data)
                     .enter()
                     .append("g")
                     .attr("class", "row")
                     .attr("transform", function(d, i) {
                        //this will adjust y-position of the row group
                        return "translate(0," + scales.x( d[0].rowVar ) + ")";
                     });

  //append rect SVG elements representing the cells
  var cells = rows.selectAll(".cell")
                  .data(function(d) {return d;})
                  .enter()
                  .append("rect")
                  .attr("class", "cell")
                  .attr("x", function(d) { return scales.x( d.colVar ); })
                  .attr("width", scales.x.rangeBand())
                  .attr("height", scales.x.rangeBand())
                  .attr("fill", function(d) {return scales.z( d.value );})
                  .attr("stroke-width", 2);
};

//used for updating the correlation matrix with data
var updateCorr = function(data, scales) {

  corrScales.x.domain(data.var);    //update the scale based on the number of variables
  corrFormat(data.corr, data.var);  //create data and scales for correlation matrix
  drawCells(data.corr, corrScales); //draw the correlation matrix cells
  instrucs.checkUpdateInstrucs(1);  //update instructions
}

//used for initializing points on the scatter plot
var initPoints = function(points) {

  //draw the points, bind data to them, but don't show them yet
  scatPlot.append("g").attr("id", "scatPoints")
          .selectAll("empty")
          .data(points)
          .enter()
          .append("circle")
          .attr("class", "points")
          .attr("r", radius)
          .attr("visibility", "hidden")
          .attr("stroke", "black")
          .attr("stroke-width", 1)
          .style("fill", function(d) {return colors[d.group];});
};

////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//    DEFINE HELPER FUNCTIONS FOR ADDING DATA.   ///
//    THESE FUNCTIONS ARE RUN EVERY TIME THE     ///
//    A RELEVANT EVENT HANDLER IS TRIGGERED      ///
////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//used for updating labels in the correlation matrix
var updateCorrLabels = function(pos, name) {

  //update column variable text
  corrPlot.select(".x.corr.label")
          .attr("x", pos.x)
          .text(name.x);

  //update row variable text
  corrPlot.select(".y.corr.label")
          .attr("transform", "rotate(-90) translate(-" + (pos.y+3) + ")")
          .text(name.y);

  //show the tooltip by turning changing "display"
  tooltip = d3.select("#corrTooltip")
              .style("display", "block")
              .style("left", (pos.x + pad.left + 16) + "px")
              .style("top",  (pos.y + pad.top  - 23) + "px");

  //change tooltip text
  tooltip.select(".value")
         .transition().duration(scatTransTime)
         //.text(d3.format(".2f")(name.z));

         //probably overly complicated, but I wanted to learn how to make tweens
         .tween("text", function() {
           var oldVal = d3.select(this).text();
           var newVal = name.z;
           var interpol = d3.interpolate(oldVal, newVal);
           return function(t) {
             this.textContent = d3.format(".2f")(interpol(t));
           };
         });
};

//used for updating the variable order for the SVG cells
var updateCells = function(scales) {

  //reset the text labels before transitioning
  d3.select("#corrTooltip").style("display", "none");
  d3.selectAll("text.corr.label").text("");

  //variables below are used for other calculations
  var nVar = scales.x.domain().length;
  var cellWidth = scales.x.rangeBand();

  //transition options
  var tLength = 500;                        //time to move an element
  var tDelayStep = 20;                      //delay in between two elements
  var rowColDelay = nVar*tDelayStep + 200;  //delay between moving the rows and columns

  //first move the rows, then the columns
  corrPlot.transition().duration(tLength)
          .selectAll(".row")
          //stagger delay based on final row position
          .delay(function(d) { return tDelayStep * (scales.x(d[0].rowVar)/cellWidth); })
          .attr("transform", function(d, i) {
            return "translate(0," + scales.x( d[0].rowVar ) + ")";
          })

          .selectAll(".cell")
          //stagger delay based on final column position
          .delay(function(d) { return rowColDelay + tDelayStep * (scales.x(d.colVar)/cellWidth); })
          .attr("x", function(d) { return scales.x( d.colVar ); });
};

//used for updating the scales for the scatter plot
var updateScatScales = function(limits, vars) {

  //update the numeric x and y scales with the appropriate domains
  scatScales.xNum.domain( limits[vars.x] );
  scatScales.y.domain(    limits[vars.y] );

  //update x scale pointer (on-diagonal = ordinal, off-diagonal = numeric)
  var diag = (vars.x == vars.y);
  scatScales.x = diag ? scatScales.xOrd : scatScales.xNum;

  //update x axis's pointer to the x scale
  scatAxes.x.scale(scatScales.x);
};

//used for updating SVG elements in the scatter plot
var updateScatSVG = function(vars) {

  //helper functions for returning the x and y positions
  var getX = function(d) {return scatScales.x( d[vars.x] ); };
  var getY = function(d) {return scatScales.y( d[vars.y] ); };

  //if the current cell is on the diagonal, show
  //ordinal values on the x axis instead
  var diag = (vars.x==vars.y)
  if (diag) {
    vars.x = "group";
    var bandW = scatScales.xOrd.rangeBand();              //bandwidth of the ordinal categories
    getX = function(d) {return scatScales.x( d[vars.x] )  //start of the range band
                          + 0.5*bandW                     //align center with text labels
                          + 0.5*bandW*(Math.random()-.5); //add random disturbances
                        };
  }

  //update the data points
  scatPlot.selectAll(".points")
          .transition()
          .duration(scatTransTime)
          .ease("linear")
          .attr("cx", getX)
          .attr("cy", getY)
          .attr("visibility", "visible");

  //make the scatter line checkbox visible
  //d3.select("#showLineLabel").style("display", "block");

  //update the axis text
  scatPlot.select("#xTitle").text(vars.x);
  scatPlot.select("#yTitle").text(vars.y);

  //update the axes
  scatPlot.select(".x.axis")
          .transition()
          .duration(scatTransTime)
          .style("visibility","visible")
          .call(scatAxes.x);
  scatPlot.select(".y.axis")
          .transition()
          .duration(scatTransTime)
          .style("visibility","visible")
          .call(scatAxes.y);
};

/////////////////////////////////////////////
//    WHEN THE DATA FINISHES LOADING,     ///
//    DO THE FOLLOWING...                 ///
/////////////////////////////////////////////

var corrCurrentClick;

//the second arugment (a function) will be run
//once d3.json finishes loading data
d3.json(jsonFile, function (data) {

  ////////////////////////////////////////////
  //    USE DATA TO UPDATE BOTH GRAPHICS   ///
  ////////////////////////////////////////////

  updateCorr(data);        //updates the scales and draws the cells
  initPoints(data.points); //binds data to scatter points
  scatPlot.select(".instruc").remove(); //remove loading data text

  //////////////////////////////////////////////
  //  ADD CORRELATION MATRIX EVENT HANDLERS  ///
  //////////////////////////////////////////////

  //helper for higlighting a correlation matrix cell
  var vars; //define currently selected vars globally
  var highlightCell = function() {

    //get position and variable names of cell selected
    var d = this.datum();
    vars = { x: d.colVar, y: d.rowVar, z: d.value};
    var pos  = { x: corrScales.x(d.colVar), y: corrScales.x(d.rowVar)           };

    //update graphical elements
    //NOTE: the CSS file adjusts the box around the cell
    updateCorrLabels(pos, vars);              //update correlation label text
    updateScatScales(data.minMax, vars);      //update scatter plot scales
    updateScatSVG(vars);                      //update scatter plot points and axes

    //make brushing extent invisible
    scatPlot.select(".extent")
            .attr("width", 0)
            .attr("height", 0);
  };

  //handler for leaving a correlation matrix cell
  var corrOutEvent = function() {
    //reset the text labels
    d3.select("#corrTooltip").style("display", "none");
    d3.selectAll("text.corr.label").text("");

    //if something has been clicked then highlight that cell
    if (corrCurrentClick) { corrCurrentClick.call(highlightCell); }
  };

  //handler for hovering over a cell
  var hoverCell = function () {

    //update instructions if necessary
    instrucs.checkUpdateInstrucs(2);
    instrucs.checkUpdateInstrucs(6, function() {
      instrucs.text("");
      //make the shuffle variables button visible
      d3.select("#shuffleCorr")
        .style("visibility", "visible")
        .style("opacity", 0)
        .transition().duration(3000)
        .style("opacity", 1);
    });

    //highlight current cell
    d3.select(this).call(highlightCell);
  };

  //handler for clicking a correlation matrix cell (change class membership)
  var clickCell = function(d) {

    //update instructions if necessary
    instrucs.checkUpdateInstrucs(3);

    //change classes of clicked cell (see also the CSS)
    corrPlot.selectAll(".cell").classed("clicked", false);
    corrCurrentClick = d3.select(this).classed("clicked", true);
  };

  //handler for the shuffle variable order button
  var shuffleOrder = function() {

    //update instructions if necessary
    instrucs.checkUpdateInstrucs("end", instrucEnd);

    //update the correlation matrix
    corrScales.x.domain(d3.shuffle(data.var.slice(0)));          //change the scale
    updateCells(corrScales);                                     //update the cells
    d3.select("#shuffleDefault").style("visibility", "visible"); //show the reset button
  };

  //handler for the shuffle variable reset button
  var shuffleReset = function() {
    corrScales.x.domain(data.var);
    updateCells(corrScales);
    d3.select("#shuffleDefault").style("visibility", "hidden");
  };

  //add the event listeners
  corrPlot.selectAll(".cell")
          .on("mouseover", hoverCell)
          .on("mouseout",  corrOutEvent)
          .on("click",     clickCell);
  d3.select("#shuffleCorr").on("click",    shuffleOrder);
  d3.select("#shuffleDefault").on("click", shuffleReset);

  ////////////////////////////////////////
  //  ADD SCATTER PLOT EVENT HANDLERS  ///
  ////////////////////////////////////////

  //highlight the currently selected point
  var highlightPoint = function() {

    //change the colors of all the points
    scatPlot.selectAll(".points").style("fill", "grey")

    //point and position of current selection
    var d = this.datum();
    var pos  = { x: +this.attr("cx"), y: +this.attr("cy") };

    //enlarge the radius and change the color
    this.moveToFront()
        .attr("r", highlightRadius);
  };

  //handler for hovering over a scatter point
  var scatOverEvent = function() {

    //update instructions if necessary
    instrucs.checkUpdateInstrucs(4, function() {

      //enable brushing, but hide the extent for now
      scatPlot.call(brush);
      scatPlot.selectAll(".extent")
              .attr("width", 0)
              .attr("height", 0);

      //also make the data points are in front
      scatPlot.select("#scatPoints")
              .moveToFront();
    });

    //highlight the current point
    var point = d3.select(this);
    point.call(highlightPoint);

    //display the tooltip
    var id = point.datum().id;
    var pos  = { x: +point.attr("cx"), y: +point.attr("cy") };
    d3.select("#scatTooltip")
      .style("display", "block")
      .style("left", (pos.x + pad.left + w + pad.middle + 16) + "px")
      .style("top",  (pos.y + pad.top - 28)  + "px")
      .select(".value")
      .text(id);
  };

  //handler for leaving a scatter point (restore radius, hide tooltip)
  var scatOutEvent = function() {

    //hide tooltip
    d3.select("#scatTooltip")
      .style("display", "none");

    //reset attributes of current data point
    var point = d3.select(this);
    point.attr("r", radius);
    if (point.classed("insideBrush")) point.attr("r", brushRadius);

    //reset colors of other data points
    scatPlot.selectAll(".points")
            .style("fill", function(d) {return colors[d.group];});
  };

  //add event handlers to the data points
  scatPlot.selectAll(".points")
          .on("mouseover", scatOverEvent)
          .on("mouseout", scatOutEvent);

  ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
  //  ADD SCATTER PLOT - BRUSHING EVENT HANDLERS  ///
  ///////////////////////////////////////////////////

  //If the brush is moved, update classes of the data points
  function brushmove() {

    //helper function for whether a point is outside the brush
    var outBrush = function(d) {
      var e = brush.extent();   //current extent of the brush
      return e[0][0] > d[vars.x] || d[vars.x] > e[1][0]
          || e[0][1] > d[vars.y] || d[vars.y] > e[1][1];
    };
    var inBrush = function(d) {return !outBrush(d);};

    //update classes of data points
    //NOTE: the CSS will control the color of these classes
    scatPlot.selectAll(".points")
            .classed("outsideBrush", outBrush)
            .classed("insideBrush",  inBrush);

    //update sizes of the points
    scatPlot.selectAll(".points.outsideBrush")
            .attr("r", radius);
    scatPlot.selectAll(".points.insideBrush")
            .moveToFront()
            .attr("r", brushRadius);
  };

  // If no points are inside after the brushend event,
  // reset scatter points' classes and sizes, and hide the extent.
  function brushend() {
    var insideBrush = scatPlot.selectAll(".points.insideBrush");
    if (insideBrush.empty()) {
      scatPlot.selectAll(".points")
              .classed("outsideBrush", false)
              .classed("insideBrush", false)
              .attr("r", radius);
      scatPlot.select(".extent")
              .attr("width", 0)
              .attr("height", 0);
    } else {
      //update instructions if necessary
      instrucs.checkUpdateInstrucs(5);
    }
  };

  //add event handlers to the brush
  brush.on("brush", brushmove)
       .on("brushend", brushend);
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
\section{Introduction}
\label{Intro}

The surface detector (SD) of the Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) has been continuously growing for the last two years, and the last of its 1600 water tanks is expected to be ``online'' in early 2006. During this intense deployment phase, the SD instantaneous aperture keeps increasing at an irregular pace, depending on the water tank deployment rate and the evolving geometry of the array. While the \emph{local trigger} rate (i.e. at the level of individual stations) is simply proportional to the number of stations in the SD array, the number of exploitable events increases at a rate depending on the \emph{central trigger} conditions and on specific cuts applied to guarantee a high-quality data set. The chain of triggers is described in \cite{Trigger}. Most relevant to the SD acceptance calculations are the so-called high-level triggers, namely the \emph{physics trigger} T4 selecting real cosmic-ray (CR) events in a data set partially contaminated by chance coincidences between neighbour tanks, and the \emph{quality trigger} T5 selecting events offering nominal reconstruction accuracy.

The standard SD data set is composed of events from CR-induced showers developing along a zenith angle $\theta \le 60^{\circ}$. These events are selected very efficiently by the T4 condition requiring that at least 3 tanks pass the time-over-threshold (ToT) trigger (see \cite{Trigger}). The T5 trigger applied to the data set used in this Conference consists of two conditions: 1) the SD station recording the highest signal from the shower must be surrounded by at least 5 active tanks among the 6 closest neighbours, and 2) the reconstructed shower core must be inside an equilateral triangle of active stations at the time of the event. This guarantees that no crucial information is missed for the shower reconstruction: it essentially rejects events located close to the array boundary or close to a temporarily missing tank inside the array.

\section{Detection efficiency in an elementary hexagon}

\subsection{Lateral Trigger Probability function (LTP)}

\begin{figure*}[t]
\hfill\includegraphics[height=6cm]{LTP_0_n_0.eps}
\hfill\includegraphics[height=6cm]{LTP_0_0_n_Fit.eps}\hfill~
\caption{Examples of LTP functions for proton-induced showers at a zenith angle $\theta = 25^{\circ}$ for different energies labeled by $\log_{10}(E)$, where $E$ is in~eV (left) and at energy $E = 10^{17.8}$~eV for different zenith angles (right).}
\label{fig:LTPs}
\end{figure*}

At high energy, CR-induced showers have a big enough print on the ground to trigger many SD stations independently of where they exactly fall in the array. At lower energy, however, the granularity of the array becomes important and the ability of a given shower to trigger (at least) three tanks depends on the position of the shower core (i.e. the intersection of the shower axis with the ground) with respect to the closest tanks. The particle density in the shower is a steeply decreasing function of the distance to the shower axis, $r_{\mathrm{sf}}$ (radial coordinate away from the axis), and so is the probability for a given shower to trigger a tank.

As recalled above, for the nominal PAO SD data set we use a ``3ToT condition'' and we are thus interested in the probability that a given CR-induced shower triggers at least 3 stations with the ToT condition. It is convenient to introduce the so-called Lateral Trigger Probability function (LTP), giving the \emph{local} (individual tank) ToT trigger probability as function of $r_{\mathrm{sf}}$, for any shower induced by CRs of type $i$ (protons, nuclei, photons...), energy $E$ and arrival direction with zenith angle $\theta$ and azimuth $\phi$. At the energies of interest, the influence of the geomagnetic field and thus the dependence on $\phi$ are negligible. From the practical point of view, the LTP functions can be obtained from a set of Monte-Carlo simulations of the primary CR interaction, shower development and tank response, as the fraction of tanks that pass the trigger in different bins of distance, $r_{\mathrm{sf}}$, from a large number of showers with given parameters: $P_{i,E,\theta}(r_{\mathrm{sf}}) = (\mathrm{No.\,of\,stations\,passing\,the\,trigger\,at}\, r_{\mathrm{sf}})/(\mathrm{total\,No.\,of\,stations\,at\,distance}\,r_{\mathrm{sf}})$.

Examples of LTP functions are shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:LTPs} for proton showers simulated with the Corsika Monte-Carlo program\cite{Corsika} using the QGSJet hadronic model\cite{GQSJet}, for different primary energies and zenith angles. Obviously, the trigger probability is 1 close to the shower core and 0 far away from it. The transition radius, $r_{1/2}$, such that $P_{i,E,\theta}(r_{1/2}) = 1/2$ is an increasing function of energy (as the shower gets bigger) and a decreasing function of $\theta$ (as the shower gets older). The transition region also grows from $\sim 200$~m at 25$^{\circ}$ to $\sim 600$~m at 60$^{\circ}$.

It is worth emphasizing that the LTP functions gather all the information relevant to aperture and exposure calculations, summarizing the properties of the shower development, tank response and trigger definition. To each choice of simulation codes and local trigger definition corresponds a set of LTPs from which the PAO detection efficiency can be computed straightforwardly. When we have larger statistics, the LTPs will be derived directly from the data using hybrid events to measure the SD trigger probability, so that it will be possible to correct for the partial efficiency at low energy in a model-independent way. The systematic comparison of measured and predicted LTPs will also provide valuable information about the physical ingredients of the models.

\begin{figure}[t]
\hfill\includegraphics[height=6cm]{SEff_theta_p.eps}
\hfill\includegraphics[height=6cm]{p_Fe_3ToT_4ToT.eps}
\caption{Left: Effective detection surface as a function of energy for proton showers at different zenith angles. Right: Aperture saturation curves for proton or Fe-induced showers, with either 3ToT or 4ToT selection criterion (see text).}
\label{fig:effectiveArea}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Effective detection surface and elementary aperture}

For any shower core position and arrival direction, one can compute the distance of each tank in the shower frame and deduce its trigger probability from the above LTP functions. The probability to pass the global T4 trigger then follows from a simple combination of these local LTP values. Let us consider an elementary hexagonal cell of the SD array, with a central station and 6 closest neighbours, labeled by $i\in \{1,...7\}$. For a given shower with core position $(x_{\mathrm{c}},y_{\mathrm{c}})$, let $P_{i}$ and $Q_{i}\equiv 1 - P_{i}$ be the probability that station $i$ triggers and does not trigger, respectively. The probability that none of the 7 tanks gets triggered is simply $\mathcal{P}(0) = \prod_{i=1}^{i=7}Q_{i}$. Likewise, the probability that one and only one tank gets triggered is $\mathcal{P}(1) = \sum_{i}\mathcal{P}(0)\times(P_{i}/Q_{i})$. Finally, the probability that the shower passes the high-level T4 trigger and be part of the PAO data set, i.e. the probability that at least 3 tanks pass the ToT trigger is given by:
\vspace{-10pt}
\begin{equation}
\mathcal{P}_{\mathrm{T4}}(x_{\mathrm{c}},y_{\mathrm{c}}) = 1 - \mathcal{P}(0) \left[1 + \sum_{i}\frac{P_{i}}{Q_{i}} + \sum_{j>i}\frac{P_{i}}{Q_{i}}\frac{P_{j}}{Q_{j}}\right].
\label{eq:3ToTProba}
\end{equation}

\vspace{-6pt}
This allows us to calculate the trigger probability for showers of any energy, mass, and angle as a function of the core position. The global shower detection efficiency is then obtained by averaging over all the allowed shower core positions, i.e. satisfying the T5 condition. They are shown as shaded area in Fig.~\ref{fig:hexagones}. On the left, where all 7 tanks are present, the allowed core positions are such that the closest tank (which is bound to record the largest signal) is the central one, since all the others do not satisfy the requirement of having 5 neighbours. On the right, the rightmost tank is missing and shower core positions in the two concerned triangles are excluded.

In practice, we compute the \emph{effective detection surface} of the elementary hexagonal cell as the integral of its area (in the allowed region) weighted by the trigger probability:
\begin{equation}
S_{\mathrm{eff}} = \int_{\mathrm{cell}} \mathcal{P}_{\mathrm{T4}}(x_{\mathrm{c}},y_{\mathrm{c}}) \times H_{\mathrm{T5}}(x_{\mathrm{c}},y_{\mathrm{c}}) \times \mathrm{d}S,
\label{eq:SEff}
\end{equation}
where $H_{\mathrm{T5}}(x,y)$ implements the T5 condition and is equal to either 1 or 0, depending on whether the core position is allowed or not. Results are shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:effectiveArea}a for the same proton showers as above, as a function of energy: $S_{\mathrm{eff}}$ saturates at $\sim 3$~EeV for moderately inclined showers, and $\sim 4$~EeV for showers at $\theta = 0^{\circ}$ or $60^{\circ}$. Finally, the aperture is obtained by integrating over solid angle: $a(E) = \int_{\theta\le60^{\circ}}S_{\mathrm{eff}}(E,\theta,\phi)\cos\theta\times \sin\theta\mathrm{d}\phi\mathrm{d}\theta$. Results are shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:effectiveArea}b for two different choices of the T4 condition: at least 3 or at least 4 stations with a ToT trigger. The latter thus requires one more tank and is then less efficient at low energy. Figure~\ref{fig:effectiveArea}b also shows that the SD array is more sensitive to Fe nuclei than to protons at low energy, which can be used to constrain the primary composition of CRs in the astrophysically important region of the ankle. The SD detection efficiency is 1 above 3~EeV and 7~EeV for the 3ToT and 4ToT triggers, respectively.

\section{Instantaneous aperture of the SD array and integrated exposure}

The T5 trigger allows us to exploit the regularity of the hexagonal array in a very simple way. The instantaneous aperture of any array configuration is obtained as a multiple of the above-mentioned elementary aperture: we simply need to consider each tank, one after the other, and determine its contribution to the global aperture.

\begin{figure}[!h]
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.48\textwidth}
\mbox{}\\
Any tank with six active neighbours (Fig.~\ref{fig:hexagones}a) contributes exactly the elementary hexagon aperture, while any tank with five neighbours contributes 4/6th of that, as illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:hexagones}b. Tanks with less than 5 neighbours do not contribute at all. The aperture of a hexagonal cell is thus the building block of all aperture calculations, to be computed once and for all or measured thanks to hybrid data. At full efficiency, i.e. above $\sim 3$~EeV, the detection area per internal tank (with 6 neighbours) is $D^{2}\times\sqrt{3}/2 \simeq 1.95\,\mathrm{km}^{2}$, where $D = 1.5$~km is the array spacing, and the corresponding aperture for showers with $\theta < 60^{\circ}$ is then $a_{\mathrm{cell}} \simeq 4.59\,\mathrm{km}^{2}\,\mathrm{sr}$.
\end{minipage}
\hfill
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.48\textwidth}
\mbox{}\\
\centerline{\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{effectiveArea.eps}}
\caption{\label{fig:hexagones}Schematic view of the area (shaded region) where the shower core must be located inside an elementary hexagonal cell in order to pass the T5 trigger (left: full hexagon; right: hexagon with a missing vertex).}
\end{minipage}
\end{figure}

To calculate the integrated exposure of the SD over a given period of time, one finally has to count the number of \emph{cell-seconds} corresponding to that period. The array configuration changes occasionally when new tanks are deployed or when stations experience failures (e.g. electronics, power supply, communications...) and thus get temporarily ``out'' of the array (or back in). These changes in the array configuration are monitored through the local trigger rate with a time resolution of one second (much better than needed for exposure calculations!). For each new configuration, the number of elementary cells, $N_{\mathrm{cell}}$, is computed and the exposure is incremented by $N_{\mathrm{cell}}\times a_{\mathrm{cell}}\times \Delta t$, where $\Delta t$ is the duration of the configuration. For the period from Jan. 1st, 2004 to June 5th, 2005, we obtained $1.21\times 10^{10}$ cell-seconds, which corresponds to 1750~km$^{2}$\,sr\,yr. At low energy, this number must be scaled according to the relative aperture given in Fig.~\ref{fig:effectiveArea}b.

The accuracy of this exposure calculation is expected to be excellent at energies above saturation, since it is based on purely geometrical considerations. However, the monitoring of the instantaneous array configurations may not be complete, and we have considered the possibility of \emph{hidden dead times} that would not appear at the tank level or in the communication chain from the stations to the CDAS. This will be monitored appropriately in the near future. By comparing the daily averaged number of events in our data set with the mean number expected from the exposure calculations (with Poissonian fluctuations), we estimated a possible error of $\sim 5\%$. That would thus lead to an error of $\sim 5\%$ on the differential CR flux, equivalent to an energy shift of less than 2\%, which is negligible compared to the PAO energy accuracy. The uncertainty on the integrated exposure can thus be considered as negligible.

\vspace{-10pt}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
POLL: Should Enda Kenny refuse Trump's St. Patrick's Day invite?
Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny will visit President Trump in the White House this St. Patrick's Day. Do you agree with the meeting or should the Irish leader refuse the invite? Let us know your thought in this poll.
Frances Mulraney
@FrancesMulraney
Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny will visit President Trump in the White House this St. Patrick's Day. Do you agree with the meeting or should the Irish leader refuse the invite? Let us know your thought in this poll. RollingNews.ie
Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny is facing his second year in a row of criticism regarding his St. Patrick's Day invite to the White House for the traditional shamrock ceremony with the US President.
While last year he was forced to meet with Obama a few days before March 17 because, as acting Taoiseach, he needed to get back to Ireland and set about forming some kind of government, this year many members of the Irish public are calling on him to remain in the Emerald Isle on St. Patrick's Day, in protest of the moves Trump has made against immigration among other issues.
It was confirmed last week by Trump's Press Secretary Sean Spicer that an invitation had been extended to Taoiseach Kenny, to visit the White House on St. Patrick's Day and partake in the annual handing over of a bowl of green shamrock, a tradition that has been in place since the 1950s.
While the Office of the Taoiseach confirmed that Kenny was set to attend the ceremony and meet with President Trump, online petitions from the public and politicians from opposition parties immediately began to question his decision, especially in light of the Taoiseach's comments in mid-2016 that the words of Trump were "racist and dangerous."
This week, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan is the first Irish politician having first-to-face interaction with the Trump administration since his inauguration in a three-day US visit, but for some, the thought of the Irish Taoiseach entering the White House on St. Patrick's Day looks less like a government attempting to raise their concerns face-to-face with a new administration, and more like support for Trump's policies that they believe the majority of Irish people will not stand for.
One of the largest of many petitions entitled "Shamrock for Trump: Not in my Name" has now raised over 37,000 signatures while the leaders of the Irish Green Party, Eamonn Ryan, and the Labor Party, Brendan Howlin, have both called on the Taoiseach not to go ahead with the trip.
The Office of the Taoiseach and other members of his Fine Gael party are continuing to claim, however, that St. Patrick's Day is the best opportunity to express to President Trump how Ireland feels about his anti-immigration executive order and that it remains important for our connection with the US.
What do you think? Is the St. Patrick's Day visit to the White House too large an event for Irish business and Irish-US relations for Enda Kenny to miss out on or will it be as Labour Leader Brendan Howlin put it, "humiliating to the vast majority of Irish people"?
You can cast your vote in the poll here and make sure to tell us why in the comments section, below:
Related: Irish Politics, Republicans, St. Patrick's Day, US Politics
Hundreds of books and magazines remain banned in Ireland
US and Ireland agree to extend Ireland Work and Travel (IWT) Program

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A popular East Yorkshire family business says it hopes to open a new pizza and gelato restaurant in Hull city centre.
Bert's, which runs a successful pizzeria and café in Brandesburton, has applied for a premises licence for a site in the regenerated Fruit Market area.
The firm has applied for the licence which would allow to serve alcohol between 10am and 11pm, Monday to Sunday, at a restaurant site at No1@The Dock, next to Hull tech hub C4DI.
The pizza restaurant would be based on the bottom floor of the building by Stage@TheDock facing toward the River Hull and The Deep.
Property developers Wykeland, which owns the @TheDock site, had an application for restaurant usage at the site approved back in 2016.
Bert's say plans are still in their early stages, but designs are currently being made for the proposed restaurant.
Ellie Mewburn, manager at Bert's, said the gelato and wood-fired pizza idea was inspired by a trip to Italy.
She said: "I went to Italy last year, tasting amazing food and when I came back wanted to introduce gelato to our brand. The important thing for us is just keeping it simple with what we do. It's simply going to be wood-fired pizza and Italian gelato.
"It will be slightly different but keeping the core idea behind Bert's, and keeping it family oriented and simple. We will keep the Bert's name but the main change will be venturing into gelato.
Ms Mewburn, whose family own the business, says designs are being created for the restaurant and contracts are still to be finalised.
"We are going back and forth with architects regarding designs at the moment, and just signing off the legal documents," she said.
"We wanted to expand and just love what we do and want to extend that further, and show the love and care we try to bring to our food to customers in Hull.
"We really love the other places already here around Humber Street, like Butler Whites and the Humber Street gin distillery. This is our kind of food and when we researched everything and looked at the plans we just thought it was perfect.
John Gouldthorp, assets manager at Hull-based Wykeland Group, owner of the @TheDock development, said: "We're delighted Bert's Pizzeria are planning to open in the ground floor of No.1 @TheDock.
"Bert's owners have built a great reputation at their lakeside restaurant in Brandesburton and they see @TheDock as the perfect place to launch their second pizzeria.
"Bert's will be joining a fast-growing commercial community with hundreds of workers on the doorstep in the C4DI tech hub and neighbouring office buildings.


"The One and only, often imitated, but never duplicated, Daddy of the daddy-mack, patty-whack, give a dog a bone, master "G", Real Balloon Guy"
With over 20 years of professional experience it's easy to see why so many people have taken the opportunity to hire "One of the best entertainers today". His reputation precedes him having performed for over one million people at thousands of different shows and events. "The Real balloon Guy" is SO popular and SUPER FAST!! He currently performs at around to 20 public and private shows every month!
To have "The Real Balloon Guy" at your next event call us at 704-606-3643.
You can see "The Real Balloon Guy" live throughout the week at many different locations. Be sure to check him out... just ask us when and where or visit our Calendar.
To have "The Real Balloon Guy" perform for you, please call 704-606-3643.
IF WE HAVE PERFORMED A SHOW FOR YOU AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE LISTED ABOVE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US.


text:
Attractions On The North Coast Of California
Hotels on the Beach in San Diego, California
California Coast Tourist Attractions
Robert Vaux, Leaf Group Updated January 26, 2018
The California coast is one of the most beautiful in the world. (Photo: central california coast image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com )
Beaches With Sparkling Blue Water in California
Places to Go Around Carlsbad, California
The California coastline makes an outstanding tourist attraction in itself, with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and a beautiful natural landscape. The Pacific Coast Highway follows the coastline's course, and as you wind your way up it, you'll come across a number of unique attractions. They make an outstanding break for the day, and most are located within sight of the coastline.
Laguna Beach Tide Pools
Laguna Beach in south Orange County provides an opportunity to witness nature in action. The beaches contain a plethora of tide pools that are home to an incredible ecosystem. Sea anemones, mussels, barnacles and crabs make their homes there, protected by the Marine Life Protection Act and open to interested onlookers. Beaches with tide pools include Shaw's Cove, Rock Pile, Bird Rock Beach, Picnic Beach and Moss Point. Keep in mind that visitors are prohibited from removing any creatures from the tide pools. Time your trip carefully so you can see them when the tide is out.
Midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco stands the estate formerly owned by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. The stunning edifice stands at the top of a tall hill, overlooking the nearby shoreline. Hearst endeavored to build a castle fit for a European nobleman, with over 50 bedrooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a movie theater, an airfield and a private zoo. Movie stars and Hollywood elites were regular visitors, and Hearst complemented the architecture with one of the most impressive private collections of paintings and sculptures in the world.
Public tours are daily, and while the Hearst family retains some property rights, the area is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Nearby beaches provide plenty of wildlife as well; elephant seals breed there each winter, and the descendants of Hearst's zoo (zebras, gazelle and other herd animals) continue to roam the estate.
In the early 1980s, entrepreneur David Packard financed the refurbishment of a former sardine cannery into an aquarium and marine-biology research center. Twenty-five years later, Monterey Bay Aquarium stands as one of the best-known aquariums in the country. It contains over 35,000 individual specimens from over 600 species, including otters, penguins, giant Pacific octopi and rare jellyfish. A kelp-forest exhibit stands in a tank 28-feet tall, with leopard sharks, sardines and wolf eels swimming between the kelp. The aquarium also hosts great white sharks from time to time - the only institution to do so for more than a few days at a time, according to the Underwater Times. Aquarium staff offer tours for interested visitors.
Pacific 101: California Coast Attractions
Underwater Times: Monterey Bay Aquarium Tags, Releases Great White Shark
Hotels on Price Street in Pismo Beach, California
RV Parks in Santa Cruz, California
Monterey, California Tourist Information
Activities Around Hearst Castle, California
RV Parks in Redwood City, California
California Tours & Atttractions»
California Tourist Attractions»


text:
Warning Of New Asylum Backlog
A new backlog of tens of thousands of asylum claims could be building up because officials are chasing targets they are not going to meet, the new immigration watchdog has warned.
By Tom Whitehead
The Telegraph (U.K.), February 26, 2010
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/7317247/Warning-of-new-asylum-backlog.html
John Vine, the Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency, said promises to clear the 450,000 so-called 'legacy' historic files by 2011 in unlikely to be met while a pledge to deal with most new asylum claims within a six-month period by the end of next year is 'unachievable'.
As a result, almost 30,000 claims are already beyond the six month period.
Mr Vine also warned the Government risked losing appeals against asylum refusals because officials were not even attending in some cases as they were diverted to dealing with the backlogs or targets.
Mr Vine said: 'Of real concern is the UK Border Agency's inconsistency of approach across regions when presenting cases at asylum appeal hearings. Ideally there should be representation from the Agency and a failure to attend could therefore increase the risk of decisions being overturned.'
It came as Home Office figures showed the number of asylum claims, including dependants, fell by 27 per cent in the last three months of 2009 to 5,895, as compared with the same period in 2008.
But, at the same time, the number of removals of failed asylum seekers fell by eight per cent to 2,425.
EDITORS NOTE: The Chief Inspectors (U.K. Border Agency) report is available online at:
Click to access ukba-asylum-report.pdf
← UK Offers Apology For Children Sent Overseas To Lives Of Abuse
Vancouver Sun Columnist : Team Canada "As White As Snow" →


If any of you work from home – you will know that one becomes accustomed to the peace and independence, the freedom to do things in your own time and in your own way.
My hubby (aka The Chicken Man) had not taken leave for over a year. You know how people like him are? They feel that the company, with a R 9 billion annual revenue, will come to a grinding halt if they are not at work for a day or two. Admirable, I do agree, but somewhat frustrating when you can see the man you love turning into a wound-up wreck due to excessive and relentless stress and pressure.
So when Chicken Man agreed that he would take 3 whole uninterrupted weeks of leave I was elated. Finally he could unwind and return to his normal happy-go-lucky self. There was only one problem. People who work in a corporate environment have this notion in their heads that people who work from home don't ACTUALLY do any work. They feel that unless you jump into your car every day and fight the traffic to get to the office by 8H00 – you can't possibly be contributing to the GDP of the country.
Oi vey, every 5 minutes; "What are you doing?"; "Hey, just come and watch this on TV"; "Why don't you come and swim with me?"; "Let's go have a drink somewhere"; "You don't mind if so-and so comes around do you?" and my all time favourite chirp (whilst I am engrossed in a project) "ARE YOU WORKING????" Aaaggghh.
No sweetie – I am sitting at my computer on this glorious sunny day, cursing at the screen because the internet is particularly slow, my back is aching thanks to my crap chair, and the beads of sweat are running down my face because I have a deadline on this job…and you want to know if I am working???
No sweetie darling, this is what I do for pleasure! Real work can only be done by people who drive to offices, right? I haven't ventured into my car so of course I am not working. Sure honey bun, let's go and have a drink shall we? Because that involves getting into a car and leaving the home – would it be fair to say that going for a drink with you is work??
Now I just have to figure out who I can bill for "drinks with hubby" and Chicken Man and I can eagerly look forward to his next couple of weeks leave. It is such a pity his company can't cope without him though and leave will not be possible for another year or so…How very sad.
Sorry – getting a bit serious today. I would like to share an article with you. I heard this story a long time ago and was reminded of it reading The Star archives online. It really makes one think. We all learn to deal with "the bad" if it creeps up on us over time or if we witness something over and over again. We become desensitised.
We need to be aware of the boiling pots in our lives and in the community around us and be reactive before it is too late. This applies to even the smallest, most unimportant things in life – not just serious issues as mentioned in the article. Go with your Gut.
They say if you take a pot of warm water and drop a frog into it, the frog will without hesitation jump out.
But if you put the frog in the pot of water and then gradually increase the heat, the frog will eventually boil in the water and die but won't jump out.
The crux of the matter is that if exposed to initial severe pain or shock, there is an immediate reaction to avoid it, but if the exposure is gradual, and persists over a period of time, the end result is death.
Often, we wonder why people who are abused over a period of time don't simply "jump out". The reason is simple: slowly, as their self-esteem becomes more and more eroded, they come to accept and almost to feel that they deserve the abuse.
I suspect it is for this reason that our internal alarm siren should be triggered the minute we are confronted with the wrong things in life, such as negativity, abuse, evil, etc. If we don't sound our alarm the first time we witness these and make an attempt to avoid the situation that triggered it, we might be confronted with the same situation over and over until we eventually get used to it and come to accept it.
Taking action should still come from a place of truth and with the intention to make better and not worse.
An equally important challenge is to examine our own lives to see if there aren't a few areas where we are being "boiled" like the frog. Areas where we have abdicated the responsibility to "jump" and sound the alarm.
I am talking about expressing appreciation to the folk who are "pioneers" in showing their support by being the first person on my Facebook Page and the first person to be a follower on my blog.
Of course they just both happen to be members of the Glug Glug Wine Club so a bottle of "Live-a-Little" ravishing red seemed an appropriate gift for them, don't you think?


text:
Home Thoughts Opinions Crossfire War: Gaza- Palestinian Groups Dismiss Each Other's Claims
Crossfire War: Gaza- Palestinian Groups Dismiss Each Other's Claims
Willard Payne
Thu August 25, 2005
Crossfire War: Middle East; Gaza- Palestinian Groups Dismiss Each Other's Claims – Prelude to Civil War
Night Watch: GAZA – Competing for power and influcence within the fractured Palestinian community continued with no sign of easing. The Islamic militant group Hamas, pledged to Israel's destruction, has dismissed the pronouncements of Fatah, the more established and corrupt faction loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and its claim to be given more praise for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri, as quoted by Reuters, said "Resistance, not diplomacy, forced the occupiers out." The diplomacy he was dismissing referred to negotiations, mostly led by Fatah, that were begun in the early 1990's.
In direct oppostion to that view was the explanation given by a senior Fatah leader, Samir al-Musharawi, "It is injustice to limit the history of Palestinian struggle to a few years. This achievement was the fruit of sacrifices for the duration of the occupation." Israel has occupied the Gaza strip since 1967, as a result of Israel's startling victory in the Six Day War in June of that year.
As a result of Israel's victory, that also shocked the Ayatollah Khomeini, who was in exile in Najaf, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia began to openly finance pan-Islamic groups whether Sunni or Shiite. Some historians date the beginnig of the Islamic revival with that year. The Khomeini revolution twelve years later completed the beginning of the revival and the current Jihad is its fulfillment.
I suspect that the real reason for Israel's withdrawal, and there are hints of it as their diplomats and leaders express their concerns about militant groups like Hamas, Hizbollah and Islamic Jihad increasing their preparations for more attacks, that Tel Aviv agreed to the withdrawal to pull their citizens out of the line of fire of Israel's response and the Islamic world using the next war to show their new military cooperation.
Islamic governments realize that a symbolic military show of support for Palestinian people would make them more popular in their own countries. The only exception is Egypt and probably because President Hosni Mubarak is not leading the Jihad. Since there is not much of a market for salt in the Dead Sea Israel is not the Jihad's main target. The Caspian region will be given more priority.
Hamas is still sworn to Israel's destruction and has stated they will be placing more emphasis on attacks in the West Bank, the area Israel takes more seriously. Hamas doing so is probably at the suggestion of Tehran who knows that the West Bank is more spritually significant and leads to Jerusalem. In the meantime it has been reported that al-Qaeda(Tehran-Riyadh) now has a presence in Gaza. Tehran wants Israel to be engaged on as many fronts as possible simultaneously. That would require Hizbollah, along the border with Lebanon, to become more active.
A war on this scale, the largest in Israel's modern history, may force Tel Aviv to use some of its nuclear stockpile.
In the meantime the rivalry for control of Palestine will intensify and with both competing Palestinian groups caught up in the larger war around them neither organization could remain after the Jihad runs its course, eliminating both of them. Political commentator Hani Habib said, "During the uprisings, factions competed over the number of attacks against Israel. Now it is also a race to get credit for the perceived victory."
During the war with Israel, and the infighting within the Palestinian community a third group could emerge, with a better sense of responsibility and representation.
Night Watch Information Service
http://www.crossfirewar.com
Based in Flossmoor,IL 60422.
ph:708-957-9651/fax:708-798-2929.
Willard Payne is an international affairs analyst who specializes in International Relations. A graduate of Western Illinois University with a concentration in East-West Trade and East-West Industrial Cooperation, he has been providing incisive analysis to NewsBlaze. He is the author of Imagery: The Day Before.
Our Time as a Free Society Has Come – The Truth Must Now Be Told
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I, Too, Have a Relationship with America
Christiane Amanpour, CNN Chief International Anchor Refuels Kristallnacht
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Beleaguered Armenian Lobby's Ethnic Bias
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text:
Q: Can someone explain why there exist two org.gnome.Software.desktop files? Which one (how) is loaded? Recently, I found that there are two org.gnome.Software.desktop files in two places:
one in
/usr/share/ubuntu/applications/

and one in
/usr/share/applications/

Can someone explain why (and how)
/usr/share/ubuntu/applications/org.gnome.Software.desktop

is loaded on the left rather than the latter?
Content of the file /usr/share/ubuntu/applications/org.gnome.Software.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Ubuntu Software
Comment=Add, remove or update software on this computer
# Translators: Do NOT translate or transliterate this text (this is an icon file name)!
Icon=ubuntusoftware
Exec=gnome-software %U
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=GNOME;GTK;System;PackageManager;
# Translators: Search terms to find this application. Do NOT translate or localize the semicolons! The list MUST also end with a semicolon!
Keywords=Updates;Upgrade;Sources;Repositories;Preferences;Install;Uninstall;Program;Software;App;Store;
StartupNotify=true
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/appstream;x-scheme-handler/apt;x-scheme-handler/snap;
X-GNOME-Bugzilla-Bugzilla=GNOME
X-GNOME-Bugzilla-Product=gnome-software
X-GNOME-Bugzilla-Component=gnome-software
X-GNOME-UsesNotifications=true
DBusActivatable=true
X-Ubuntu-Gettext-Domain=gnome-software

Here is my desktop screenshot (Notice the left dock)

Here is my Ubuntu version:
$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS
Release:    18.04
Codename:   bionic

I found that I can get the list of my apps from this command:
$ gsettings get org.gnome.shell favorite-apps
['firefox.desktop', 'thunderbird.desktop', 'org.gnome.Nautilus.desktop', 'rhythmbox.desktop', 'libreoffice-writer.desktop', 'org.gnome.Software.desktop', 'yelp.desktop', 'org.gnome.Terminal.desktop', 'gnome-control-center.desktop']

Therefore, I think my question can reduce to: Is there an environment variable determining which org.gnome.Software.desktop is loaded?

A: from this link https://developer.gnome.org/desktop-entry-spec/

If multiple files have the same desktop file ID, the first one in the
$XDG_DATA_DIRS precedence order is used.

if you run the command
echo $XDG_DATA_DIRS

you will notice, /usr/share/ubuntu/ before /usr/share/
Example:
$ echo $XDG_DATA_DIRS
/usr/share/ubuntu:/usr/local/share/:/usr/share/:/var/lib/snapd/desktop
$

A: When you compare the two files:
$ diff /usr/share/ubuntu/applications/org.gnome.Software.desktop /usr/share/applications/org.gnome.Software.desktop
2c2
< Name=Ubuntu Software
---
> Name=Software
4c4
< Icon=ubuntusoftware
---
> Icon=org.gnome.Software

You see the ubuntu version uses "Ubuntu Software" and the generic version uses "Software".
Visually in your system you can see:

Image Credit: How to Install Gnome Software as Ubuntu Software in Ubuntu 20.04
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Red Lion Borough Code of Ordinance Chapter 11, Part 2 requires registration with the Borough of ALL RESIDENTIAL RENTAL UNITS AND TENANTS. Please complete and return a Registration of Residential Rental Unit and Tenant Registration form (RRF) for EVERY residential rental property that you own in Red Lion Borough. Our mailing address and fax number are provided on the form. Our ordinance requires landlords to submit a form within thirty (30) days of any change of occupancy. This form is available in our office and on our All Other Forms & Publications page.
Smoke detectors are required to be located at the top of stairways or between sleeping areas and potential fire sources.
In multi-family dwellings, smoke detectors shall be installed in all common hall areas. In the event that said common hall area is more than 20 feet in length, one smoke detector shall be required for every 20 feet or portion thereof of common hall area.
A fire extinguisher for every floor is required in multi-family dwellings.
All landlords will be contacted to schedule yearly inspections of the smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in each unit.
Should you have any questions you may call Dan Shaw, Red Lion Borough Zoning/Codes Enforcement Officer, at 717-244-3475 or visit our Contact Us page where you can send him an email.


I am just catching up with the Gingersnap Creations Edgar Allan Poe month and this challenge was called Horror Stories, so here is mine.
Poe wrote a number of short stories and poems and I looked him up to refresh my memory, what surprised me though was when I looked for images of 'The Masque of the Red Death' there was Vincent Price staring back at me and reminded me I had probably seen the film in my youth when I used to go to Saturday afternoon pictures. I loved horror stories way back then - now I really hate watching anything like that, tooooo scary!!!!!!
This is a hybrid piece. I downloaded images from Scrapbookgraphics.com and used them for the base background and then added the title, charm, buttons, skull (one of my moulds) and black enamel accents with tiny red seed beads in it. I am going to add this to my journal OR if I get time I an going to make a Halloween book. I think the journal will win!
You can see that the backing paper is actually made up of layered pages of Poe's poems.
Thank you for stopping by today, I hope you are getting some crafty time to make things.
Please don't forget to add any of your Halloween projects to my linky HERE - I am going to give one of my Halloween tags away to a random chosen person at the beginning of November.
Brillant creation Brenda, so love the red skull.
See you tomorrow, looking forward to it.
I don't like Halloween, but I do like your card, especially that cool skull!
Brenda, how cool - a wonderful card and the skull is outstanding.
You've done an awesome job - (I do rather like that skull)!
Brenda, using Poe's poems for the background is so clever! Love the design and the red skull is too awesome! Aren't you going to miss this Halloween Spirit?
This is super Brenda, I love the Edgar Allen Poe theme, everything looks just perfect.
Great Poe piece! Love the pennants!


Whether in our professional roles, through the communities we live in or our personal circumstances most of us now experience situations where we need to relate to and communicate with people who are 'not like us'. We realise that our ways of doing things are not the same and that our values and beliefs are not necessarily shared by others in our community or workplace. Whether working across cultures or living in a multicultural environment we need a new skill set and a change in mindset, or in other words, we need to develop our cultural competence.
Developing cultural competence does not require a sudden drastic change but rather a journey, a gradual evolution. An image you might find useful when setting out on this journey is that of your own personal cultural toolbox; as you continue your journey you acquire new tools.
It starts with what we could call the basic set of tools which belong into every tool box, a starter-kit, things which we have acquired and added over the years without really noticing. This might be our communication style, the way our parents have encouraged us to be "polite", the way we relate to other people and what it means to spend "time" with someone. The way we were introduced to the workplace and the skills we learned here will be another part of this kit.
Some other tools which should be in your toolbox are the right attitudes, such as openness and tolerance, respect for difference and self-awareness. Awareness of your own cultural narrative, the stories people tell around you and which we have come to accept as "the truth". What are your own expectations? What do you take for granted? What really upsets you when it comes to other people's behaviours?
You might be dealing with people to whom "small talk" is really important. Do you dismiss this as "idle talk" and refuse to talk anything but "big talk", or do you become aware of the important social messages contained in this sort of conversation and practise your own? As part of his "Word of Mouth" series, Michael Rosen recently discussed this in a fascinating programme on BBC Radio 4 . He primarily explored the role of small talk in the UK but also touched upon attitudes to small talk in other cultures. Further examples of intercultural tools could be practising a relationship-focused rather than a task-focused way of working with colleagues (or the other way around). How important is it to you to really get to know the person you are doing business with? How do you do this? Something else to add to your box. Maybe you need to add patience if you are from a culture where "time is money".
The beauty of the toolbox metaphor is that it implies that you can gradually add to it so that you have the appropriate tool for a variety of situations. The skills, tools and attitudes in the box should not feel fake and artificial so that you are reluctant to use them but are tools which you have worked with over time and which therefore feel comfortable to you. Some tools you will find you can work with more naturally and easily while others may require you to practise more consciously or you may even need intercultural training to learn how to use them. Your toolbox will then become an essential item of luggage on your journey to cultural competence.
Why not test your cultural competence with our intercultural quiz.
After a career in translation and the IT industry in the UK and in Germany, Heike has worked as an intercultural trainer for the past 15 years. Now based in the UK, she delivers training and coaching for major corporations across a wide range of industries, from pharmaceutical to consumer goods, and at all levels, from graduates through to CEOs.


text:
A Month in the Country by J. L. Carr
Penguin Modern Classics, 2000
It would be hard to imagine a more English book than this, either in theme (the healing effect of time spent in the countryside on those with inner pain) or in emotional tone. It seems particularly appropriate that we should include a review of it in an issue dealing with the rural myth. It has an ageless quality, perhaps because it was written by an old man in a decade (the eighties) in which poetic reflections on the First World War were not a common theme for novels. It is one of those books in which the stylistic flaws do not matter, because the whole transcends its parts.
Birkin, a Londoner who has survived the Great War but is left with a stammer, a nervous twitch, and vivid nightmares, is given the summer job of uncovering a mediaeval wall-painting in the church of a small Yorkshire village. When he arrives he discovers that another Southerner, Charles Moon, is already there, trying to uncover the bones of a medieval ancestor of the lady (now deceased) whose will stipulated that funds be allocated from her estate both for this and for Birkin's job, and to find out the reason for their burial outside church ground. The fact of working for the same employer draws the two men together, and they share their horrific war-time experiences over early morning cups of tea in Moon's tent, bonding in what soon becomes a strong, though understated, friendship. The delightfully untraumatised locals blunder (Mossop, the caretaker of the church) or bounce (Kathie Ellerbeck, the stationmaster's 15-year-old daughter) in and out of their lives, forcing them to take part in community activities such as haymaking and church picnics, and gradually pulling them out of themselves.
The work on the wall-painting progresses and Birkin begins to fall in love with Alice, the beautiful wife of the cold and unsympathetic local vicar. This love is kept a secret for a long time, although it is sensed by Moon, who eggs Birkin on in his admiration of her. Meanwhile Birkin slowly uncovers the wall-painting, which shows the righteous trooping smugly off to heaven while the damned dive towards hell. One man in particular, a fair-haired man with extremely distinct features, catches his interest, and the interest of Moon, who comes up the ladder sometimes to see his work.
Towards the end of Birkin's work on the painting he tries to tell the vicar's wife of his love for her, but she takes fright and does not rise to the challenge. The vicar, perhaps suspecting Birkin's attachment to his wife, tries to get rid of him as soon as possible once he has finished the work, and reveals, for a change, a human side to himself in a confrontation with Birkin, making Birkin have some sympathy for a man who finds it difficult being vicar to a group of basically irreligious people, and leaving him chastened and regretful over judging the man so harshly. It is also at about this time that Birkin finds out, from an old military acquaintance he meets in town one day that Moon, although a very brave soldier who won the VC, was dishonourably discharged from the army, following a court-martial, for homosexual behaviour. Birkin begins to realise that there may be inner hells more painful even than his own, and to wonder what Moon's friendship for him might mean.
Then, in the most important scene in the book, Birkin is roped in by Moon to help him dig up Miss Hebron's ancestor. The mystery of the burial outside sacred ground, which in medieval theology ensured that the dead would go to hell, is finally solved when Moon finds a metal crescent attached to the man's skeleton: during the Crusades the man was captured by the Turks and forced to convert to Islam at sword point, and this was the reason for his becoming an outcast on returning home. It is Moon, not Birkin, who with the immediate instinct of the pariah recognises that this is Birkin's falling man in the church wall painting. Moon also removes the incriminating crescent tag so that the man's disgrace will not continue in the modern age.
The book ends with a moving scene between Birkin and the vicar's wife, both of them in love and both unable to confess it, he because of paralysing shyness and she out of a sense of duty to her charmless husband. The next day she and the vicar have gone from the village, and the glorious summer is over. Birkin spends a few days wandering dazedly around the fields and then, in what must be one of the most finely-pitched endings in all literature, conveying at once resignation and a sense of relief he leaves, in what must be one of the most finely-pitched endings in all literature, he leaves.
A Month in the Country is a complex little book, with things to say about organised religion and the persecution of those who are different, and the elusiveness of love. Most of all, however, it conveys some of the suffering that survivors of the Great War had to cope with, and it underscores most movingly the potential of the countryside to heal. That it does all this in the space of a little over a hundred pages is remarkable, and that it was a first novel is extraordinary. It is a minor classic in the vast field of English literature, and it deserves to be. The film version by Pat O'Connor, starring Kenneth Branagh and Colin Firth, is well worth watching, giving a visual depth to the book but inevitably leaving out a few of the book's many strands.--Isabel Taylor
Copyright © Isabel Taylor 2004


text:
Arcuphantes arcuatulus is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.

References

Linyphiidae
Articles created by Qbugbot
Spiders described in 1942

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Style Disabled Button and icon inside that button I have 2 buttons, normal and disabled.
This is my code:

.btn.disabled {
  color: #ccc;
  background: none;
  border: #ccc 1px solid;
}

/* Try #1 */
.btn.disabled>.fa {
  color: #ccc;
}
/* Try #2 */
.btn.disabled .fa {
  color: #ccc;
}
/* Try #3 */
.btn.disabled i {
  color: #ccc;
}
<link href="https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet"/>

I keep getting

How do I make my fa icon silver?
and
What is wrong with what I got?

A: I suspect .text-danger is making the icon red and is getting priority.
try something like:
.btn.disabled .text-danger {
    color: #ccc;
}

A: A higher priority rule must be setting the red colour. As per T.Short's answer you'll have to override it. In this example i'm using color:inherit to take on the parent's colour:

.btn.disabled {
    color: #ccc;
    background: none;
    border: #ccc 1px solid;
}
/* this (or something similar) is making it red */
.btn i.text-danger {
    color: red;
}
/* overide it to inherit the parent's color */
.btn.disabled i.text-danger {
    color: inherit;
}
[icon]


text:
Botero's homage to his homeland: Vía Crucis
" "Actually, I'm not an artist or a painter, not by a long chalk; what I am is a guy who knows how to look at things, who has learned to look and who loves beauty and transgression and everything else that there is in painting." "
From 2010 to 2011, Botero created a series inspired by Christ's Stations of the Cross. The result transcends the religious roots of the theme, incorporates memories from the artist's childhood and speaks of pain and empathy. Based on this series, and with the artist's collaboration, ARTIKA presents an edition that connects the history of art with the memories of the Colombian painter and sculptor.
A creator with ties to his homeland
"Vía Crucis", the Stations of the Cross, refers to the steps that Jesus took from the time of his arrest until his crucifixion, as described in the Gospels. It is a story that has inspired countless masterpieces over the centuries.
Botero succeeded in applying his inimitable style to the biblical story, preserving the essence or the facts while offering an original point of view that was, most of all, a tribute to his homeland. All these elements make Vía Crucis one of the most significant pieces of his career.
Fernando Botero along with his wife, Sophia Vari, at the launch of the exhibition Vía Crucis in 2012 in Medellín, Colombia
Colombia has always played a major role in Botero's work, and during his childhood he was marked by the paintings and sculptures that he saw in churches. This commitment is also evident in Vía Crucis: Botero donated the originals of the series to the Antioquia Museum in Medellín.
Simon Helps Jesus | 2011 | Watercolor and pencil on paper | 11.8 × 15.7 in | Inv. 4176
A unique style for a universal theme
Botero's signature language encompasses elements like humour and tenderness, but this series always demonstrates how his expressive talent is also effective in capturing violence and bitterness.
Botero also incorporates modern settings and characters into the episodes of Vía Crucis. For example, he places Christ in landscapes of his native Antioquia, sometimes surrounded by Colombian soldiers.
Jesus is Taken Prisoner | 2011 | Watercolor, pencil and colored pencil on paper | 15.7 × 11.8 in | Inv. 4156
El azote [The Lash], 2011. Oil on canvas, 123 × 94 cm. Museo de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
Drawing on anachronism is an age-old technique: many classical representations of the Passion of Christ incorporate elements from the artist's own time, adapting the message of the Gospel to the community for which the works were made.
In this sense, Botero's style is open to several readings by establishing parallels with the Colombia of his childhood and, by extension, with our world today – his work transcends all physical, cultural and stylistic frontiers.
Beyond tradition
Botero's Vía Crucis contains sacrifice and pain, blood and tears, cruel blows and kisses that belie a deep betrayal. All these elements are rooted in religious tradition, but Botero knows how to adapt them to his humanist vision.
Each scene depicts the characteristic roundness of his characters, and the composition always includes a drama played out by flesh-and-blood subjects, men and women who suffer, hate or impassively watch the pain of another human being.
Jesus and Veronica | 2010 | Watercolor, pencil and colored pencil on paper | 15.7 × 11.8 in | Inv. 4173
Jesús y la multitud [Jesus and the Crowd] 2010. Oil on canvas, 106 × 81 cm. Museo de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
The intensity of each of these works is not only a consequence of the nature of the chosen theme (the Passion of Christ) but is the result of Botero's ability to arouse emotion through forms, brushstrokes and colours.
Influences and homage
Renaissance art became part of Botero's creative personality the moment that he first admired the work of Piero della Francesca in person during his formative years.
Diptych of the Dukes of Urbino, 1465 - 1472. (Battista Sforza). Tempera painting on board, 47 cm × 33 cm. Galería Uffizi, Florencia, Italia
After Piero della Francesca (diptych), 1998. Oil on canvas, 204 x 177 cm (each one). Private collection
The Passion of Christ was a central theme in the art of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, but it practically vanished from the discourse in the 19th century and onwards. Botero decided to revisit this theme from a perspective that shows how human emotions transcend ages and beliefs.
Likewise, Botero offers a journey through the history of art in a series that elevates the artist to the level of the classic masters like Michelangelo, El Greco, Rubens, Fra Angelico, Rembrandt and Velázquez.
The art book that illustrates why Botero is unique
ARTIKA presents an exclusive edition of Vía Crucis, a cornerstone of Fernando Botero's legacy.
This Art Book includes the complete series of drawings and paintings through which Botero depicts his personal interpretation of the Passion of Christ.
The prints included in the Art Book faithfully reproduce the original drawings, crafted in pencil and watercolour on paper.
All the elements of Vía Crucis are thoroughly examined in the articles in the Study Book, written by the most widely recognised voices in the study of Botero's work.
Numbered edition limited to 2,998 copies.
Fernando Botero participated in every phase of the project.
It includes two volumes, presented in a modern and exclusive display case.
The artist hand-signed 200 copies of the edition.
ARTIKA'S NEWS
Antonio López, the master of landscapes
The Year of Sorolla: a tribute to the painter of light, on the 100th anniversary of his death
Botero returns to his origins: the world premiere of Vía Crucis in Medellin
The art of Gaudí and Mediterranean culture
Work, inspiration and boundless imagination: Lita Cabellut and Pablo Picasso
ARTIKA at the 30th anniversary of contemporary art fair Estampa
Artika presents «Vía Crucis» at the Antioquia museum (Medellín): Botero's grand homage to Colombia
We're celebrating the birthday of an artist without limits: Jaume Plensa turns 67
Antonio López and the magic that illuminates ordinary life
Frida Kahlo, the artist who bade the world farewell with "Viva la Vida"
A sea of infinite colours: Sorolla reveals the Mediterranean
Dalí's sea: the landscape where dreams are born
COLLECTION AND ARTISTS
DISCOVER THE WORK ARTIST PROFILE
GAUDÍ UP CLOSE
BLOOD WEDDING
Botero's women
Bodies and Flowers


The Replenishing Face Oil provides instant and long-lasting hydration by improving moisture retention to reveal brighter, more radiant skin.
Provides deep nourishment for dehydrated, irritated skin.
The coconut oil has natural antibacterial benefits, perfect for hypersensitive skin.
Restoring suppleness and radiance to sensitive skin, the Replenishing Face Oil softens your skin with silica and coconut oil, replenishing essential moisture and softening fine lines.
The paraben free oil provides instant and long-lasting hydration by improving moisture retention to reveal brighter, more radiant skin.
Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric triglceride, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin.
Squeeze 3 to 4 drops into your hand and pat gently onto décolletage, cheeks, forehead and chin. Follow with gentle upwards strokes until evenly distributed.
We've used as few preservatives as possible, so to ensure your oil keeps fresh, avoid touching the pipette onto your skin.


text:
Margaret Singer quotes
Margaret Singer (1921 – 2003)
Clinical psychologist and adjunct professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, USA.
Margaret Singer
The term "cult" is always one of individual judgment. It has been variously applied to groups involved in beliefs and practices just off the beat of traditional religions; to groups making exploratory excursions into non-Western philosophical practices; and to groups involving intense relationships between followers and a powerful idea or leader. The people I have studied, however, come from groups in the last, narrow band of the spectrum: groups such as the Children of God, the Unification Church of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, the Krishna Consciousness movement, the Divine Light Mission, and the Church of Scientology. I have not had occasion to meet with members of the People's Temple founded by the late Reverend Jim Jones, who practiced what he preached about being prepared to commit murder and suicide, if necessary, in defense of the faith.
Singer quotes
In addition to her high-profile work on cults, Singer was also an authority on schizophrenia, and was nominated twice for a Nobel Prize for her research.
I do not endorse them [Landmark Education] - never have. The SOBs have already sued me once. I'm afraid to tell you what I really think about them because I'm not covered by any lawyers like I was when I wrote my book.
Singer Margaret quotes
Her testimony would help people understand the clinical impact of a cult's manipulation and exploitation. There was a constant stream of people who would go into these organizations and end up in psychiatric emergency rooms.
Singer Margaret
The public takes care of their fear by thinking only crazies and stupid people wind up in cults. I've interviewed over 4000 ex-cult members. There's no one type of person who is vulnerable.
An estimated 5,000 economic, political, and religious groups operate in the United States alone at any given time, with 2.5 million members. Over the last ten years, cults have used tactics of coercive mind control to negatively impact an estimated 20 million victims in the last ten years. Worldwide figures are even greater.
Thought reform is accomplished through the use of psychological and environmental control processes that do not depend on physical coercion. Today's thought reform programs are sophisticated, subtle, and insidious, creating a psychological bond that in many ways is far more powerful than gun-at-the-head methods of influence. The effects generally lose their potency when the control processes are lifted or neutralized in some way. That is why most Korean War POWs gave up the content of their prison camp indoctrination programs when they came home, and why many cultists leave their groups if they spend a substantial amount of time away from the group or have an opportunity to discuss their doubts with an intimate.
While everyone is influenced and persuaded daily in various ways, vulnerability to influence fluctuates. The ability to fend off persuaders is reduced when one is exhausted, rushed, stressed, uncertain, lonely, indifferent, uninformed, aged, very young, unsophisticated, ill, brain- damaged, drugged, drunk, distracted, fatigued, frightened, or very dependent.
Psychologist Margaret Singer, 69, an outspoken Scientology critic and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, now travels regularly under an assumed name to avoid harassment.
In this era of clichés, the word "giant" is bandied about all too frequently. But Margaret was a genuine giant. She made enormous contributions to the psychological understanding of cults, including the Unification Church, Heaven's Gate, and the Branch Davidians; and cult therapies, including Synanon and Scientology.
She is the most recognized expert in her field in the whole world, and that's why I sought her out. She's also a real doll, and a very decent human being, above and beyond everything else.
One of those groups went through my mom's mail and knew everything about us - my girlfriend's name, where we went, what we bought, all kinds of stuff. We all put up with a lot, but nobody more than her.
She was a remarkable person -the only genius I ever met in our business. There are simply very few people anywhere who had the clinical skills that she had - period. In addition, she was a world-class researcher. She was twice nominated for a Nobel Prize for her work in schizophrenia. That work revealed that the best indicator of the disordered mind was the schizophrenic's odd and peculiar use of language.
Over the decades, cult operatives have fished through Singer's trash, sent her death threats and picketed her lectures. They've released dozens of live rats at her house, put dead ones on her doorstep (hearts skewered with lollipop sticks) and hacked into her computer so many times she doesn't use one any more. Once a cultist talked her way into working in Singer's campus office, then stole a sheaf of term papers and sent bizarre notes to the students.
Perhaps, if in psychophysiological research, we can phrase our conceptualization of how to rate transactional behavior more in terms of systems, in terms of extents of engagement-involvement, and in terms of specified durations, of where a person is moving across a number of processes of adaptation, we can perhaps come to see more clearly how we work.
I started hearing from families who had missing members, many of them young kids on our campus, and they all would describe the same sorts of things. A sudden change of personality, a new way of talking...and then they would disappear. And bingo, it was the same sort of thing as with the Korean War prisoners, the same sort of thought-reform and social controls. You find it again and again, any time people feel vulnerable. There are always sharpies around who want to hornswoggle people.
She's one of a kind, the foremost authority on brainwashing in the entire world. She is a national treasure.
But not everyone agreed with her views on the subject, and Singer paid a price for her work. Cult "operatives" dug through her trash, went through her mail, picketed her lectures and sent her death threats. They also hacked into her computer countless times, once released dozens of live rats in her house, and frequently left dead rats on her doorstep with threatening notes.
Hundreds of other cult leaders have gathered far more followers than Jones by promising new psychological and spiritual utopias. They have succeeded by combining various ages-old psychological and social persuasion techniques in an atmosphere os Madison Avenue soft-sell approaches. Because most of the followers have been youthful or poor, little attention and credence has been given to reports from ex-members, families and friends who report the effects of the techniques of manipulation used by the groups.
Just look up to the sky and talk to God yourself. You don't need an organization to do that. …They're all the same, really, these groups — they prey on the most lonely, vulnerable people they can find, cage you with your own mind through guilt and fear, cut you off from everyone you knew before, and when they're done doing that, they don't need armed guards to keep you. You're afraid that if you leave, your parents will die, you will die, your life will be ruined. Flim-flam men, pimps, sharpsters — that's what they are. Liars. Tricksters. It's been the same ever since Eve got the apple, and I doubt it will ever change. A real religion is truthful, you can come or go from it if you wish. And most importantly, there is no one leader claiming he is a god. Big, big difference.
Simpson, Alan K.
Simpson, Ashlee
Simpson, Jessica
Simpson, Louis
Simpson, Matthew
Sims, George Robert
Sinatra, Frank
Sinclair, Marion
Singer, Isaac Bashevis
Singer, Margaret
Singer, Peter
Singh, Ajaib
Singh, Bhagat
Singh, Jeev Milkha
Singh, Khushwant
Singh, Manmohan
Singh, Raman Pratap
Singh, Sir Vijay
Sinnett, Alfred Percy
Sioux, Siouxsie


text:
LIFE AND ECOLOGY (THE BIOSPHERE)
Polar Life
Life Images
This is an image of Saturn.
NASA/JPL
The Environment of Saturn
Saturn's atmospheric environment is one of powerful winds, going 250 miles per hour, and temperatures from -270 degrees to +80 degrees. With winds like these, it is hard to have peace and quiet.
The region where it is 80 degrees sounds pretty friendly, but if it got to be -200 degrees, we'd be pretty cold!
The air of Saturn is made of ammonia, sulfur, and water.
Overall, this environment sounds very unfriendly to life as we know it on earth.
Saturn's Belts and Zones
The clouds on Saturn, like Jupiter, are divided into stripes called "belts and zones". In a belt, very powerful winds blow one way. In a zone, very powerful winds blow the other way. These kinds of winds...more
Can there be Life in the Environment of Jupiter?
Jupiter's atmospheric environment is one of powerful winds, going 250 miles per hour, and temperatures from -270 degrees to +32 degrees (freezing temperature). These winds make it hard for life forms to...more
The possible discovery of Life on Mars
In July, 1996 a team of scientists said that they had discovered possible fossils of bacteria in a meteorite named ALH84001 that came from Mars. It was found in Antarctica in 1984 after having landed there...more
Saturn's atmospheric environment is one of powerful winds, going 250 miles per hour, and temperatures from -270 degrees to +80 degrees. With winds like these, it is hard to have peace and quiet. The region...more
Can there be Life in the Environment of Titan?
The air of Titan is a lot like the Earth's, except that it is very cold, from -330 degrees to -290 degrees! Like the Earth, there is a lot of Nitrogen and other complex molecules. There also may be an...more
Autotrophs
Organisms that are able to "make their own food" are called autotrophs, meaning "self-feeders". Some examples of autotrophs are plants and algae (shown in the picture). Both plants and algae use photosynthesis...more
Coacervates
In the warm early ocean, large molecules came together into a form called *coacervates*. Molecules such as these will form coacervates in the same way that beads of vinegar in oil come together. These...more


To create an eye-catching design to promote the forthcoming themed beer festival.
Poster Advertising design was just one route that was used to promote the beer festival. We focused on the theme of Yorkshire and Lancashire ales through the use of a white rose from the 'war of the roses'. The Red colour from the 'House of Lancaster' also tied in well with the house colour for The Old Cannon Brewery. We used the split design as a way to break down a lot of information about the event.


I am so excited to see you today, Welcome to Full Plate Thursday! We are getting ready for another graduation in our family as I am sure many of you are as well. Time really fly's by, it just seems like yesterday when we were watching these young people go off to Kindergarten and now they are graduating high school and college. We are going to have so much fun and good food today, I can't wait to see what you are sharing today. Thank you so much for sharing with us today and we will hope to see you real soon!
Looks like you've featured some wonderful menu ideas Helen. Thanks for hosting the party each week.
Thanks so much for hosting Miz Helen!! Have a great weekend!
Hi again, Miz Helen! The party's just getting started! I am sharing Raspberry Swirl Mouse, a vitamin-packed dessert made with raw avocados and raspberries. The boys attacked it like it was jello pudding, and it took about as long to make. Thank you for hosting!
Happy Full Plate Thursday Miz Helen! Your menu looks wonderful, as always.
Thanks for hosting! It's always fun to stop by and get a whole bunch of recipes to try next week!
Miz Helen, I really shouldn't link up when I am this tired... I accidentally linked my quilt post instead of my Chicken teriyaki post. Could you please delete it? #28.
Thanks, too, for being such a loyal host.
Thanks for another party Miz Helen, and have a wonderful time with your grandchildren !
Thank you so much for hosting, Miz Helen! I always find such a lot of wonderful recipe inspiration here! This week I have shared my mother in law's wonderful recipe for Chocolate Chip Pecan Meringues, along with a little variation of my own. Have a lovely day!
What great choices today. We linked up a wonderful tuna melt. Have a great day!
Miz Helen, thank you so much for hosting Full Plate Thursday. I love this weeks suggestions, especially the ramps. I'll have to check those out.
Today I brought a Mediterranean Tuna Salad that's great for a small plate meal and I'm having a give-away.
The only graduation we are having this year is my daughter from elementary school to middle school. I find it a little silly that they make such a big deal of it.
Hello Miz Helen, sharing a delicious almond butter.
Have fun at your graduation! I shared my Garlic Studded Beef Roast which was so good! Thank you for hosting!
Hello, & thank you for hosting. Glad to be here. A little late.
Enjoy your graduation! Those milestones seem to come waaaaay too quickly -- unless you are the graduate.
Thanks for hosting another great party, Miz Helen!!
Thanks for hosting Miz Helen! I hope you're having a gorgeous spring day! Enjoy this Fried Chicken Salad....it's a keeper!
I'm sharing 10 Cookbooks You Never Knew You Needed, delicious Beet & Pear Slaw on Tortillas w/ Dill Creme Fraiche, and the perfect drink for a hot day: Blackberry Balsamic Mojitos!
Thanks for hosting this week Helen. I can't wait to look over all the great recipes. I've shared an award-winning peanut butter apple cookie recipe. Here's to the warm and sunny days of spring. It's finally warming up in the Northwest.
have a great trip Miz Helen!
Today I posted Avocado Tzatziki, a Cat Cora recipe. It's great on falafels! Thanks for hosting.
Hi Miz Helen, Thank you for featuring my Mango Guacamole! It really is delicious and am delighted to share! Wish you a lovely weekend!
I've brought some lovely cornbread to share! Thank you for hosting and have a lovely Sunday!
Thank you for including my blackberry jam. I'm a little late in saying so and I hope you'll excuse my tardiness, but better late than never I hope. Have a wonderful week Miz Helen.


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Jon Snow's Real Name Revealed by Lip-Reading 'Game of Thrones' Fan
R + L = J???
We've learned a lot about Jon Snow this season—that he can come back from the dead, that he looks excellent swaddled in furs, that he was born with a very furrowed brow. And yet we still don't know the King of the North's real name. Sure, R+L=J. But it's anyone's guess what the J stands for.
Which is why we have Reddit.
Claire Williams, a web designer and devoted Game of Thrones watcher, replayed a scene from the most recent episode "at least 50 times" and both with captions and without to try to lip-read the more or less silent communication between Lyanna and Ned Stark. She concluded that Jon is named Jaehaerys by moving her mouth while Lyanna spoke to see if they made the same shapes.
The name has some gravitas, according to Williams. "Jaehaerys I was the 4th Targaryen king to sit the Iron Throne. He was known as 'the Wise,' 'The Conciliator,' and 'the Old King,'" she writes. "His long rule was prosperous and he was aided by his sister-wife Alysanne, who convinced Jaehaerys to expand the Night's Watch and granted them the land now known as the New Gift."
So, there you have it! And since Williams has gone to all this trouble, the least you could do is put her theory to the test. Watch the scene here:
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Clarke tells the story of of New England girl who tastes the gay life of New York at the turn of the century, then returns to a successful marriage with the home town doctor. 5.5 x 8 with 309 pages. Clean and crisp hardcover with tight binding. Some light dust jacket wear.


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Ex-state senator John Sampson to finally be sentenced in January
Lia Eustachewich
Social Links for Lia Eustachewich
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Judge gives John Sampson another 5 years — but no more jail time
Ex-state Sen. John Sampson pleads guilty to embezzling
John Sampson to plead guilty to embezzlement charges
John Sampson asks to ride with family to next court appearance
Ex-state Sen. John Sampson will finally be sentenced Jan. 18 — after exhausting one last bid for a retrial under a recent Supreme Court decision.
Last month, a Brooklyn federal court judge refused to grant the disgraced Democrat another trial because he wasn't convicted of bribery — unlike former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, whose bribery conviction was overturned.
Brooklyn federal court Judge Dora Irizarry ruled that the McDonnell decision didn't pertain to Sampson.
"The bottom line is that the defendant neither was charged with or convicted of any bribery offense," the judge wrote in siding with prosecutors on the issue.
Sampson was found guilty last year of obstruction of justice and lying to the FBI as part of a mortgage-fraud investigation – but cleared of six of the nine counts, including the most serious charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Prosecutors claimed he took a $188,500 loan from a shady business partner to cover money he skimmed from foreclosure deals.
Jurors heard the pol on an audio recording telling the partner to keep quiet about the transaction. Sampson then lied to FBI agents about the deal.
Prosecutors have asked a judge to sentence him to 87 months behind bars – while defense lawyers have asked for a year and a day or an 18-month split between home detention and prison.
He's been free on $250,000 since his arrest in 2013.
Irizarry previously denied Sampson's motion for acquittal.
john sampson
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