If you planted a baby monitor at a frat party, you'd be hard pressed to find missives more self-congrulatory, smug, drunk with freedom…and more detached from reality. Every year, my Twitter feed, and yours, gets taken over by a blizzard of messages from the snowy hillsides of Davos, Switzerland.
So what is Davos, really? Is it good for us, bad for us, neither, both? In this short essay, I'm going to suggest that it's the Frat Party at the End of the World. A carefree vista from which leaders look nobly forward to the green vistas of the glimmering future…while the world marches furiously backwards into the past. Thus, all civilized people should be a faintly perturbed, a little disturbed, and eye-rollingly amused by the grotesque circus that it's become.
Davos is illegitimate. "Your Eminence! Your Excellence!!! My fellow CEOs and Hedge Fund Managers!! Let's go fix the world!!". Davos would have us believe that it is a noble institution altruistically concerned with fixing the world. Whether or not that's true (I'll get to that in a moment) is besides the fundamental point. No one asked the suits and beancounters of Davos to fix the world.
Let me explain why that matters. At the end of World War II, under the guidance of John Maynard Keynes, the world's then leaders created a series of institutions designed specifically to fix the world — in the very real sense of preventing a gigantic war of atrocities from ever happening again. These institutions still exist today: the World Bank, the IMF, and the UN. Whatever you may think of them, here is the fact: they are democratically legitimate institutions. Countries elect their leaders from the parliamentary leaders that people have elected. They have not just a mandate — but a democratically legitimated mandate — to fix the world. That is precisely why they have: they have been responsible for the tremendous, historic, and miraculous declines in global poverty, mortality, inopportunity. Which, incidentally, is why you would be very foolish to adopt the internet leftist line that "the UN and the IMF are ruining the world, dude!!" — for by that illogic you are no different than the suits at Davos.
Davos reflects the breakdown in global liberal political order. One in which the role and tasks of democratically legitimate institutions have been usurped by unelected illegitimate ones: corporations, banks, lobbyists. And in that sense it is not just a silly circus, but a foolish one. For Davos delegitimizes the very idea that it pretends to stand for: that we should have a world which democratically legitimate institutions can be designed to fix. That is a shame, because that idea is the truly world-changing one.
Davos is pointless. What happens when a democratically illegitimate institution tries to fix the world? It doesn't. There hasn't been a single example in history of an illegitimate institution changing the world for the better. Go ahead, geeks,: furrow your brows and think of one. You can't. Why not? Because the incentives simply don't exist. Unaccountable institutions end up hijacked by the power hungry and the ruthless. That's not to say that the power hungry and ruthless don't end up powerful at legitimate institutions: sure they do. But at least their power serves a point.
Davos doesn't have one. For the simple fact is that while Davos has been growing, the world has been getting precisely worse along all the dimensions which Davos would have us believe that it is nobly attempting to improve it. Dimensions such as inequality, climate change, middle class opportunity, economic stagnation have increased as Davos grows more powerful. That's not a magical coincidence brought about by the wand of the super cute unicorn fairies. It's stark evidence of all the above. Illegitimate institutions do not change the world for the better, because they cannot.
So what is the point of Davos? Nothing. Apart from marketing, spin, and partying, maybe, which are, by themselves, pointless. Which brings me to my final point.
Davos is a bridge back to the future. Let's examine the underlying philosophy of Davos for a second. What kind of value system does it take believe all the above — that illegitimate institutions with no greater social purpose should be valued above legitimate, carefully negotiated political institutions? To believe in all the above, you cannot believe in democracy, freedom, constitutionality. For you have already surrendered the idea that people should and must have inalienable rights, the freedom to exercise those rights, and the arenas in which to adapt and renew and negotiate those rights. Thus, you cannot truly believe in the idea of progress. Without which, in modernity, is to believe in nothing at all.
So what do you truly believe in — and what are the effects of your beliefs? Let me explain. Stay with me now, for I will explore now a set of dense and interconnected ideas.
In prehistory, in most societies, the leaders of the most powerful tribes would meet once or twice a year to discuss their concerns — which invariably revolved not around progress or prosperity or plentitude — but staying in power. Let us examine the difference between prehistory and modernity closely, for I wish here to make a subtle but crucial point.
For the leaders of prehistory, progress and prosperity and plenitude were indeed important, too. They didn't merely meet to discuss chopping people's heads off. But prosperity and progress were proximate goals — not ultimate goals. That is, progress and prosperity were instruments by which monarchs and feudals lords would stay in power. Power itself was the ultimate goal, and progress and prosperity were merely one means, among many, to its end. And when prosperity is subordinate to power, the powerful can make themselves not merely rich — but hereditary, dynastic kings.
The great political innovation of modernity is to reverse precisely that relationship. No longer do we admit leaders for whom power is the ultimate goal, and progress and prosperity merely the proximate goal: just one means to its end. Indeed, the entire point of constitutions and democracy is to prevent the prehistoric political relationship in which prosperity serves power from occurring, or at least, to limit it from occuring. The central political innovation of modernity was to ensure that it is power which serves progress and prosperity, not progress and prosperity which serve power. Today, we call it liberal or constitutional democracy, and it is one of humankind's greatest creations.
Thus, to truly believe that Davos can and should fix the world is precisely equivalent to believing in feudalism. That prosperity should serve power — not power progress. Why? When prosperity serves power, what happens — ultimately? Prosperity is concentrated amongst the most powerful — not distributed amongst the powerless. To the point that it ends up residing not just in a meritocratic elite — but in a hereditary one. Prosperity ends up superconcentrated not just in a class of super rich — but in a dynastic caste system through which its perpetually reproduced. That is where the global economy appears to heading again, today — right back to the premodern future. And Davos isn't standing in its way: Davos is a bridge right back to prehistory.
Davos matters. But not for the reason the people at Davos suppose. Davos matters because it's very growth is an existence proof of the decline of global political order. An illegitimate institution which hopes to replace legitimate ones is itself an absurd disproof of the idea of fixing the world, for its very existence contradicts it. Davos itself is a sign that we are indeed regressing through the golden age of liberal democracy, and into a darker and more troubled age that resembles premodernity.
Davos might give soundbite-happy lip service to the cause of human progress and human potential, and it's attendees and speakers might even be truly hopeful about and concerned with both. But the unfortunate truth is that its effects are very different. It does not amplify and improve human progress and potential. By delegitimizing democracy, by undermining global political order, by discrediting the idea that the real economy should have true autonomy, not just the power of progress, but power over its own progress, Davos cripples and ruins its very own noble aspirations to a better future. It is the Frat Party at the End of the World — one celebrating the decline of global order, while the globe marches backwards in history right back towards prehistory.
Please do not read this as a condemnation, nor a jeremiad. It is neither. It simply an analysis, of history and what it took from us, and modernity, and what it gave to us, which all reasonable people should be able to understand, and to reflect upon. I do not wish to say that the people at Davos are bad people. I know many of them, and they are good, hopeful, optimistic people. Perhaps, in the end, that is precisely the problem.


techtouche.com 9 out of 10 based on 900 ratings. 100 user reviews.
The correct oil for the 1992 Jetta is a 5W 40 oil. The Oil Filter is a Wix# 51342.. Good Luck and Remember. Change Your Mind, Not Your Oil.
The smaller Jetta and Golf engines use the fuel injectors to squirt a little bit of fuel after the main combustion to burn up trapped particulates in the exhaust system during an active regeneration self clean cycle.
I am kinda confused about what I am experiencing as far as power goes and what is considered a "limp mode". I do have the PO299 code and the vehicle has no power to pass cars or climb hills. I ended up driving the car mostly on flat ground about 100 miles home @ 70mph.


text:
Employee recognition schemes: top tips for success
Employee recognition schemes are popular for good reason. They can increase engagement, improve interpersonal dynamics, reset behavioural expectations through positive reinforcement and better align employee experience with organisational goals. But they only drive these outcomes if structured and run in the right way. In this article we cover four top tips to help HR ensure recognition schemes deliver value to the organisation.
Don't let recognition schemes magnify existing biases
Recognition schemes act like mirrors. Reflecting the positive and negative structures at play across the workforce, including the mechanisms that undermine workplace inclusion.
One of these mechanisms is unconscious bias. Managers and colleagues rate people they can physically see as better than those they can't. Which disadvantages part-time workers and those working flexible hours. This bias can show up in recognition schemes, because people more readily recall the achievements of co-located team members.
Another mechanism is around visibility. Employees who contribute to visible outcomes receive more recognition than those that don't. Staff with mission-critical responsibilities – which only become apparent when things go wrong – may receive less recognition. The classic example is the IT team who 'keep the lights on.'
Although these mechanisms occur unconsciously, they undermine the effectiveness of recognition schemes and lead to resentment and feelings of unfairness among those who feel their efforts aren't being recognised.
Peer-to-peer recognition schemes will, in part, be driven by how colleagues make each other feel.
HR's role is in data analysis. Once you've run your scheme for a few months or more, take a data snapshot and interrogate it to see where the blind spots are. Then, you can ensure the unsung heroes get the recognition they deserve.
Always look at the context surrounding recognition
Recognising achievement and positive behaviour is fantastic. But organisations must be aware that dysfunctional or unhealthy behaviours may be recognised in positive ways.
The classic example is the worker recognised for staying late every night for a month to get a project finished. They may be happy their efforts haven't gone unnoticed, but on the edge of burnout.
Or, what about the worker being regularly recognised for going the extra mile in supporting their team. Does this mean that the team is understaffed or needing formal support in order to progress, and that the person is picking up the slack?
Organisations must look at the overall trends in the type of behaviours being recognised as this data can point to shortcomings across the organisation. Qualitative comments from peer-to-peer recognition are particularly useful to analyse as these provide context around why someone has been recognised.
Embrace the social side of recognition
A quote from the late activist Maya Angelou reads: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Peer-to-peer recognition schemes will, in part, be driven by how colleagues make each other feel. People tend to be recognised for being altruistic, for going the extra mile or for doing something that yields a positive emotional reaction.
This is to be expected in human communities. It's something to be celebrated because it lubricates connections between people. People want to be able to recognise the humanity in others, even if it's not directly linked to organisational objectives.
Organisations should not attempt to mediate this side of recognition, but instead augment and nurture social connection. This works in two ways. Firstly, teams with particularly strong social links could be united for projects that require high degrees of trust and collaboration.
On the flip side, by understanding where social connections are weaker across the business based on recognition data, organisations can mould mentoring programmes or buddy systems to strengthen these ties.
Align your recognition scheme with organisational objectives
If peer-to-peer recognition is mediated socially, how can organisations connect their recognition scheme with organisational objectives? Well, let's be clear that peer-to-peer schemes aren't totally mediated socially, but there will always be an element that is.
Providing criteria against which recognition is made helps align schemes with organisational objectives. For example, you could ask staff to highlight which company value the person is displaying and why their behaviour has helped customers.
Organisations may also want to implement a dual-layer recognition system to provide flexibility but also reinforce that ultimately people should be recognised for improving organisational KPIs. How does this work in practice?
Recognition schemes act like mirrors, reflecting the positive and negative structures at play across the workforce.
The peer-to-peer layer comes first, with colleagues recognising each other, with these highlighted on the company intranet or in all-hands meetings, depending on the size of the company.
Those who are recognised by peers are then put into a secondary pool, with 'winners' picked by a management team or separate, independent committee based on objective criteria, such as how much the individual has turned the dial on an organisational KPI.
The dual-layer system offers the prosocial benefits of peer-to-peer recognition schemes, along with the insight about performance and wellbeing that the data from these schemes provides. It also connects recognition with organisational objectives because it offers superior rewards for behaviours that directly address these objectives.
Ready to set up a recognition scheme or improve the effectiveness of your own? Take a look at our workplace recognition scheme ideas that are fit for the demands of the 21st century.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Two men facing charges in Greensboro bank robbery
WEBVTT MARGARET AN UPDATE TO THE BREAKING NEWS WE BROUGHT YOU AT THE TOP OF THE NEWSCAST -- GREENSBORO POLICE SAY PART OF WEST AVENUE AS CLOSE AS OTHERS INVESTIGATE BACK ROBBE -- A BANK ROBBERY THAT HAPPENED BETWEEN COLBY STREET AND MERIT DRIVE EARLIER TODAY AT THE WELLS FARG
Two men were arrested in connection with a bank robbery that happened Monday morning. Greensboro Police say two men robbed a Wells Fargo on Bridford Parkway at 9:42 a.m. Charles White, 30, and Jonathan Turner, 34, were arrested after a brief search. White, who is from California, is facing several charges, including robbery with a dangerous weapon. He's also charged with robbery in connection to the robbery of the State Employees Credit Union on South Holden Road last Friday. Police say he is also wanted in California for bank robbery. Turner is charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and other offenses. A portion of West Avenue in Greensboro was closed for several hours during the investigation.
GREENSBORO, N.C. —
Two men were arrested in connection with a bank robbery that happened Monday morning.
Greensboro Police say two men robbed a Wells Fargo on Bridford Parkway at 9:42 a.m.
Charles White, 30, and Jonathan Turner, 34, were arrested after a brief search.
White, who is from California, is facing several charges, including robbery with a dangerous weapon. He's also charged with robbery in connection to the robbery of the State Employees Credit Union on South Holden Road last Friday. Police say he is also wanted in California for bank robbery.
Turner is charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and other offenses.
A portion of West Avenue in Greensboro was closed for several hours during the investigation.


Afghanistan divided over security pact with U.S.
KABUL, Afghanistan A security pact with Washington that says U.S. forces staying in Afghanistan beyond 2014 will not be tried in local courts for any crimes they commit could be a deal-breaker for tribal leaders, clerics and other influential figures who gather Thursday to debate the draft agreement.
An Afghan spokesman told Reuters that President Barack Obama had agreed to write a letter to the Afghan people acknowledging mistakes made during the "war on terror" and the suffering of the Afghan people. The Afghan side is waiting to get the letter this evening, CBS News has learned.
The Loya Jirga, a traditional council of 3,000 prominent Afghans, can revise or reject any clause of the draft agreement.
But National Security adviser Rangin Dafdar Spanta told lawmakers at a weekend briefing that the U.S. position was clear: If Washington doesn't get jurisdiction over its soldiers and civilian personnel, it won't sign the agreement, and it won't leave any U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan when international combat troops withdraw at the end of 2014.
The Loya Jirga's members may seek amendments, but if they reject the security pact, it is almost certain the Afghan government won't sign it. Even if it is approved, the final decision will be made by Parliament.
Divisions run deep in Afghanistan over conceding the right to prosecute U.S. soldiers for crimes committed in the country.
In eastern Afghanistan, scores of university students wearing headbands bearing an inscription from the Quran burned an effigy Tuesday of Mr. Obama to protest the pact and its provision relinquishing prosecution of American soldiers in an Afghan court. A protest meeting also was held Monday in the Afghan capital of Kabul.
Afghans are still angry over several incidents involving international troops, including the 2012 accidental burning of hundreds of copies of the Quran; a shooting spree that year by a U.S. soldier in southern Afghanistan that killed 16 people, mostly women and children; and the unintentional deaths of civilians by wayward bombs.
Hakimullah Mujahed, one of the Loya Jirga's organizers, said "the security agreement with the U.S. has to be in the framework of the Afghan constitution."
"The trial of foreign soldiers accused of killing innocent Afghans or committing crimes against Afghanistan should be tried in an Afghan court. That's very important," he added.
Lawmaker Khaled Pashtun from southern Kandahar, where a Taliban insurgency flourishes, disagreed. He said Washington is right to demand jurisdiction over its troops.
"Our justice system is still under construction. ... Even Afghans don't trust it yet," he said in a telephone interview.
Pashtun said the government "is so weak" that it hasn't been able to arrest a southern warlord accused of killing 117 civilians.
Spanta told lawmakers that Afghan President Hamid Karzai had also won concessions in the 10-year agreement.
U.S. congressional aides originally told The Associated Press that the accord explicitly denied U.S. soldiers the right to enter Afghan homes, something Karzai has demanded. But a senior U.S. official said Tuesday in Washington both sides were still negotiating the point, with the U.S. seeking more flexibility. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about the negotiations, said the key is to agree on acceptable phrasing that provides more flexibility, but so far the sides have reached no agreement.
If the pact is passed, U.S. troops will have sole control over Bagram Air Field, north of Kabul, but will share facilities on eight Afghan-run bases throughout the country, Pashtun said.
Spanta also told legislators that about 10,000 to 16,000 residual U.S. and NATO service personnel would stay behind in Afghanistan after 2014, lawmaker Shah Gul Rezayee told the AP. They would mentor and train the Afghan security forces, she said.
The independent Afghan Analysts Network, which gave details on Spanta's briefing, said Karzai also won a key security agreement from the U.S. that promised joint action - political, economic or military - against anyone attacking Afghanistan or giving safe haven to Afghan insurgents seeking to unseat the government.
While Pakistan was not mentioned, Karzai routinely accuses its neighbor of harboring members of the Afghan Taliban.
The Bilateral Security Agreement is a sweeping document that incorporates the usual Status of Forces Protection Agreement, which the U.S. signs with every country where its troops are stationed. The document covers everything from taxation and customs duties to a promise to protect Afghanistan from hostile action.
While Afghans may be divided over the agreement, they are also pragmatic and know they need international forces in the country, said Kabul University professor Hamidullah Faruqi.
"They will guarantee our stability. They will show to our neighbors that Afghans are not alone, and the financial aid that will come along with this agreement will benefit Afghans, and Afghans know this," he said.
Faruqi said the outcome of the Jirga will depend on who is chosen to attend the session by Karzai's selection committee.
Karzai's relationship with Washington has deteriorated steadily since the 2009 presidential election, when he was accused by several Western countries, including the U.S., of engaging in widespread fraud.
Since throwing out the Taliban in December 2001, the government has turned to the traditional Loya Jirga to decide key milestones in Afghanistan's transition to democracy, including the framing of a constitution.
Security that was already tight ahead of the convening of the Loya Jirga was stepped up considerably after a weekend suicide bomber struck near the site, killing 12 people, including three national security personnel.


Well, of course we can use ghost notes to create triplet patterns. I am so glad that you asked!
Here you will begin to see that there are a lot of similarities between hammer-ons and ghost notes, the main difference being that the actual note is not as important as the actual accuracy of the rhythmic figure.


Cycas thouarsii R.Br. ex Gaudich.
Cycas circinalis subsp. madagascariensis (Miq.) J.Schust.
Cycas circinalis subsp. madagascariensis f. trigonocarpoides J.Schust.
Cycas circinalis subsp. thouarsii (R.Br. ex Gaudich.) Engl.


text:
Q: C++ "for" loop with a pow function in it gives incorrect results I'm studying coding basics, and had to make a code that calculates how many levels of a pyramid could be built with blocks available "x", if each level is squared (e.g. 1st=1, 2nd=4, 3rd=9 etc.)
here's what I have so far, and for the life of me, I can't see where I'm wrong, but the code keeps returning a value of 2 more than it should (e.g. x=25 should result in 3 not 5)
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    int i, x, y=0;
    cout<< "How many blocks do you have?"<< endl;
    cin>> x;
        for (i=1; y<=x; i++) {
            y=y+pow(i, 2);

        } cout<< i <<endl;

return 0;
}

EDIT:
Thanks for the answers. copied and tried them out, the for function seems to be the worse option here, so I ended up using while.

A: The for loop is incorrect
    for (i=1; y<=x; i++) {
        y=y+pow(i, 2);

    }

The result of this expression
y=y+pow(i, 2);

can be greater than x but the value of i will be increased.
You could write the for loop for example the following way
    int tmp;

    for ( i = 0; ( tmp = pow(i + 1, 2) ) + y <=x; i++) {
        y += tmp;

    }

A: It is because your for loop works even if next layer is impossible to make and then it increments i once more . That's why your result is bigger by 2 than it should be  . Try this:
int tmp;
while(true){
tmp = y+i*i;

if(tmp > x) //check if this layer is possible to create
    {
    i--; //its impossible , so answer is previous i
    break;
    }
i+=1;
y = tmp;
} cout<< i <<endl;

A: This works as well if you want to keep your code pretty much the same way it is already:
int i, x, y=1;  // y is now 1
cout<< "How many blocks do you have?"<< endl;
cin>> x;
for (i=2; y<=x; i++) {  // i now starts from 2
    y=y+pow(i, 2);

}
cout<<i-2<<endl; // now i-2

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Alt+Shift layout switching problem in 13.10 I tried to set Alt+Shift as the keys to switching a keyboard layout in my Ubuntu 13.10.
The only problem is every time I type Alt+Shift when I set the keys, it is also writing "Next Group".
When I try to switch layouts, it doesn't work. What is this "Next Group" key and what I did wrong?

I also tried:
setxkbmap -option grp:alt_shift_toggle en,he

but I got this error:
Error loading new keyboard description

My question is what is this "Next Group" key and why is it showing when I don't press any other key, and not how to use shift_alt to change keyboard layout.


text:
package org.apache.reef.tang.test;

import org.apache.reef.tang.ClassHierarchy;
import org.apache.reef.tang.Configuration;
import org.apache.reef.tang.Tang;
import org.apache.reef.tang.implementation.avro.AvroClassHierarchySerializer;
import org.junit.Assert;
import org.junit.Test;

/**
 * Base class for roundtrip tests. The idea is that serializers implement roundTrip() and then get tested by the tests
 * in this class.
 */
public abstract class RoundTripTest {

  public abstract Configuration roundTrip(final Configuration configuration) throws Exception;

  public abstract Configuration roundTrip(final Configuration configuration, final ClassHierarchy classHierarchy) throws Exception;

  @Test
  public void testRoundTrip() throws Exception {
    // TODO: use 'getConfiguration' instead of 'getConfigurationWithoutList' after #192 is fixed
    final Configuration conf = ObjectTreeTest.getConfigurationWithoutList();
    final RootInterface before = Tang.Factory.getTang().newInjector(conf).getInstance(RootInterface.class);
    final RootInterface after = Tang.Factory.getTang().newInjector(roundTrip(conf)).getInstance(RootInterface.class);
    Assert.assertEquals("Configuration conversion to and from Avro datatypes failed.", before, after);
  }

  @Test
  public void testRoundTripWithClassHierarchy() throws Exception {
    // TODO: use 'getConfiguration' instead of 'getConfigurationWithoutList' after #192 is fixed
    final Configuration confBefore = ObjectTreeTest.getConfigurationWithoutList();
    final AvroClassHierarchySerializer chSerializer = new AvroClassHierarchySerializer();
    final ClassHierarchy c = chSerializer.fromAvro(chSerializer.toAvro(confBefore.getClassHierarchy()));
    final Configuration confAfter = roundTrip(confBefore, c);
    Assert.assertEquals(confBefore.getNamedParameters().size(), confAfter.getNamedParameters().size());
    //For now, we cannot use ProtocolBufferClassHierarchy to do injection
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


It's hot and humid on the East Coast, so we have been taking trips to the park as well as attending plenty of backyard BBQs. This weather always makes us crave light, "little bit of this and that", picnic-style meals, whether we eat them outdoors on a blanket, or enjoy them while sitting in front of the air-conditioner.
Here's a mega round-up of some tasty, creative, picnic-friendly recipes including a go-to summer recipe for the easiest fish tacos ever.
These fish tacos make a speedy work lunch or a portable picnic option!
Divide tuna between the two corn tortillas. Top each with half the slaw and avocado. Enjoy!


Flights to Los Angeles (LAX) from Honolulu (HNL) on Hawaiian Airlines - Orbitz :Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Hawaiian Airlines, which operates a non-stop flight Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays from Honolulu (HNL) to Los Angeles (LAX), regularly scheduled to depart at 3:45pm and arrive at 10:50pm. Usually a Boeing 767-300 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Honolulu, HI to Los Angeles, CA is 5 hours and 5 minutes.


text:
HRC Celebrates International Transgender Day of Visibility 2018
By Madeleine Roberts
Today, HRC is celebrating International Transgender Day of Visibility. Held annually on March 31, International Transgender Day of Visibility is a time to celebrate transgender people around the globe and acknowledge the courage it takes to live openly and authentically. Advocates also use the day to raise awareness around discrimination and violence that trans people still face.
"Every year, we join together for International Transgender Day of Visibility to celebrate the diversity, resilience, and progress of the trans community and rededicate ourselves to the unfinished work of equality," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "Increasingly, transgender kids growing up throughout America and around the world are seeing themselves reflected on stage and screen, in workplaces and politics. Unfortunately, for all of the advancements of the last several years, many transgender people, particularly transgender women of color, continue to face violence, discrimination, and an onslaught of political attacks from state legislatures to the highest levels of our government."
Griffin continued, "On this day and every day, we continue to stand with transgender people of all backgrounds — from service members and students, to workers and parents — in celebration of their lives and with unwavering commitment for the fight for full equality."
Yesterday, HRC released a groundbreaking report underscoring the urgent need for inclusive employer-paid family and medical leave for transgender and non-binary workers. In addition to releasing the report, HRC is also marking International Transgender Day of Visibility on its social media platforms, highlighting dozens of transgender people living visibly and raising up testimonials from trans youth on the power of visibility in living their truths and dreaming big dreams. Follow along here this evening.
Later today, HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride will participate with Equality NC in a conversation at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill about her memoir, "Tomorrow Will Be Different," which chronicles her life as a young transgender activist.
HRC on Thursday also hosted at its headquarters a screening of the documentary "In Full Bloom: Transcending Gender,"which follows the personal stories of several trans individuals and activists in Los Angeles while organizing and performing a play about trans community, experiences, and visibility. Cast members Jazzmun Crayton, Maria Roman and Destin Cortez attended the screening, and participated in a panel discussion, along with Zackary Drucker from the hit Amazon series, "Transparent." The event was co-hosted by the Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT), HIPS, National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), National Queer API Alliance (NQAPIA), and TransLatin@ Coalition.
Filed under: Transgender, Transgender Children & Youth
HRC Youth Ambassadors on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
Jaila Simms on Coming Out as Transgender
Lana Wachowski receives the HRC Visibility Award
HRC Celebrates International Transgender Day of Visibility 2018 | Human Rights Campaign


text:
Q: Running python file with brownie I dont know how to deal with this problem, probably installed wrong something, idk, looking up for yours help

brownie run scripts/deploy.py
INFO: Could not find files for the given pattern(s).
Brownie v1.17.1 - Python development framework for Ethereum

BrownieSimpleStorageProject is the active project.

Launching 'ganache-cli.cmd --port 8545 --gasLimit 12000000 --accounts 10 --hardfork istanbul --mnemonic brownie'...
  File "c:\users\tomek\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\brownie\_cli\__main__.py", line 64, in main
    importlib.import_module(f"brownie._cli.{cmd}").main()
  File "c:\users\tomek\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\brownie\_cli\run.py", line 44, in main
    network.connect(CONFIG.argv["network"])
  File "c:\users\tomek\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\brownie\network\main.py", line 50, in connect
    rpc.launch(active["cmd"], **active["cmd_settings"])
  File "c:\users\tomek\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\brownie\network\rpc\__init__.py", line 75, in launch
    self.process = self.backend.launch(cmd, **kwargs)
  File "c:\users\tomek\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\brownie\network\rpc\ganache.py", line 73, in launch
    return psutil.Popen(cmd_list, stdin=DEVNULL, stdout=out, stderr=out)
  File "c:\users\tomek\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\psutil\__init__.py", line 1312, in __init__
    self.__subproc = subprocess.Popen(*args, **kwargs)
  File "c:\users\tomek\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\subprocess.py", line 854, in __init__
    self._execute_child(args, executable, preexec_fn, close_fds,
  File "c:\users\tomek\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\subprocess.py", line 1307, in _execute_child
    hp, ht, pid, tid = _winapi.CreateProcess(executable, args,
FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] Nie można odnaleźć określonego pliku

A: You need to install the ganache-cli package because brownie is relying on this, so in your terminal (after having installed nodejs LTS) type "npm install -g ganache-cli", then try again and it should work.

A: I installed the truffle (npm install truffle) and I had to close the studio and open again. And now is working.


text:
Prisoners released as coronavirus crisis hits Britain's jails – MoJ confirms
The Ministry of Justice has announced that pregnant prisoners who do not pose a high risk to the public are set to be temporarily released from custody. The move is to protect themselves from COVID-19 as 65 inmates test positive for the virus across 23 prisons. It comes after up to 200 prisoners in Northern Ireland were temporarily released on Monday, in anticipation of an outbreak.
The Government has said prisoners who are in Mother and Baby Units which meet the same risk assessments will also be released alongside their children.
Prison governors will be provided with the powers to grant release on temporary licence once a risk assessment is passed.
The Prison Service has also been said to have already isolated pregnant women and new mothers from the wider prison population in an attempt to shield the vulnerable group from infection.
Please sign up to pledge your support now to our brave NHS Heroes
The service will also be stopping all but absolutely essential transfers effective immediately to stop the spread of the virus.
Actions taken have been informed by the advice of Public Health Expert experts with the intention of slowing the peak of the virus to protect the vulnerable and the NHS.
Those released may have to wear electronic tags, where appropriate, to monitor them outside of prison whilst the outbreak is ongoing.
They can also be placed back in prison if they breach the conditions of their temporary release.
READ MORE: Vile coronavirus pranksters coughing at people face a YEAR in jail
The close quarter living conditions of prisons are believed to potentially contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
The news of temporary release comes after a Guardian report today revealed prisoners who displayed symptoms of the deadly disease are being placed in the same cells as those who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
An HMP Wandsworth source said prisoners were sharing so-called 'isolation' cells to keep them away from the rest of the prison population.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman confirmed cohorting measures were in place to protect other prisoners.
In recent days, several human rights groups have called upon the Government to release prisoners.
The Indepedent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody also stated there should only be serious and violent offenders left in prison during the pandemic.
A spokesman for the group said: "Ministers and officials are faced with some of the most difficult decisions they have ever had to make, about balance of risk and the best ways to keep people safe."
The new action, therefore, comes after the Prime Minister's spokesperson said the issue of vulnerable inmates was being investigated by the Government to decide on the next course of action.
Two prisoners have now died after contracting coronavirus.
The first to be reported was 84-year-old Edwin Hillier, an inmate at HMP Littlehey – a category C male sex offenders' prison.
A second, 66-year-old male prisoner at HMP Manchester also died in hospital after contracting the disease.
FIFA 21 TOTY countdown: Release date, start time, Team of the Year FUT card predictions
Atlanta police chief resigns after Rayshard Brooks fatally shot by officer
Blue Jays open camp at Rogers Centre amid reports player has tested positive for COVID-19
Google Maps: Street View catches people hanging off back of truck in worrying move
B.C. couple wants to put Portugal on curling map
School closures UK: Boris set to announce ALL primaries and secondaries to shut for month


text:
Walker Learning
About Walker Learning
PD SESSIONS & STUDY TOURS
Consultancy & Mentoring Walker Learning
Walker Learning Resources
Educator & Leadership Accreditation Directory
Educators & Parents
For early childhood
Consultancy & Mentoring
School Readiness Funding – Victoria
Parent Presentations
For Primary
Consultancy & Mentoring Primary
For Government & Community
School Readiness Approved Funding – Victoria
ONLINE LEARNING HUB
PARENTS E-LEARNING
PD SESSIONS
WALKER LEARNING JANUARY INTENSIVE - OPTION 3
9PD hours
Two-day Intensive: Walker Learning Overview, Creating Engaging & Intentional Learning Environments, Taking Learning Outside, and Embedding Aboriginal Perspectives
$770.00 excl. GST
9 PD hours
All locationsOnline
Live online events
Select a time zone(UTC-12:00) International Date Line West(UTC-11:00) Coordinated Universal Time-11(UTC-10:00) Aleutian Islands(UTC-10:00) Hawaii(UTC-09:30) Marquesas Islands(UTC-09:00) Alaska(UTC-09:00) Co-ordinated Universal Time-09(UTC-08:00) Baja California(UTC-08:00) Co-ordinated Universal Time-08(UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)(UTC-07:00) Arizona(UTC-07:00) Chihuahua, La Paz, Mazatlan(UTC-07:00) Mountain Time (US & Canada)(UTC-06:00) Central America(UTC-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)(UTC-06:00) Easter Island(UTC-06:00) Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey(UTC-06:00) Saskatchewan(UTC-04:00) Turks and Caicos(UTC-05:00) Bogota, Lima, Quito, Rio Branco(UTC-05:00) Chetumal(UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)(UTC-05:00) Haiti(UTC-05:00) Havana(UTC-05:00) Indiana (East)(UTC-04:00) Asuncion(UTC-04:00) Atlantic Time (Canada)(UTC-04:00) Caracas(UTC-04:00) Cuiaba(UTC-04:00) Georgetown, La Paz, Manaus, San Juan(UTC-04:00) Santiago(UTC-03:30) Newfoundland(UTC-03:00) Araguaina(UTC-03:00) Brasilia(UTC-03:00) Cayenne, Fortaleza(UTC-03:00) City of Buenos Aires(UTC-03:00) Greenland(UTC-03:00) Montevideo(UTC-03:00) Punta Arenas(UTC-03:00) Saint Pierre and Miquelon(UTC-03:00) Salvador(UTC-02:00) Co-ordinated Universal Time-02(UTC-02:00) Mid-Atlantic - Old(UTC-01:00) Azores(UTC-01:00) Cabo Verde Is.(UTC) Coordinated Universal Time(UTC+00:00) Casablanca(UTC+00:00) Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London(UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik(UTC+00:00) Sao Tome(UTC+01:00) Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna (UTC+01:00) Belgrade, Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana, Prague(UTC+01:00) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris(UTC+01:00) Sarajevo, Skopje, Warsaw, Zagreb(UTC+01:00) West Central Africa(UTC+01:00) Windhoek(UTC+02:00) Amman(UTC+02:00) Athens, Bucharest(UTC+02:00) Beirut(UTC+02:00) Cairo(UTC+02:00) Chisinau(UTC+02:00) Damascus(UTC+02:00) Gaza, Hebron(UTC+02:00) Harare, Pretoria(UTC+02:00) Helsinki, Kyiv, Riga, Sofia, Tallinn, Vilnius(UTC+02:00) Jerusalem(UTC+02:00) Kaliningrad(UTC+02:00) Khartoum(UTC+02:00) Tripoli(UTC+02:00) Istanbul(UTC+03:00) Baghdad(UTC+03:00) Kuwait, Riyadh(UTC+03:00) Minsk(UTC+03:00) Moscow, St. Petersburg, Volgograd(UTC+03:00) Nairobi(UTC+04:00) Volgograd(UTC+03:30) Tehran(UTC+04:00) Abu Dhabi, Muscat(UTC+04:00) Astrakhan, Ulyanovsk(UTC+04:00) Baku(UTC+04:00) Izhevsk, Samara(UTC+04:00) Port Louis(UTC+04:00) Saratov(UTC+04:00) Tbilisi(UTC+04:00) Yerevan(UTC+04:30) Kabul(UTC+05:00) Ashgabat, Tashkent(UTC+05:00) Ekaterinburg(UTC+05:00) Islamabad, Karachi(UTC+05:00) Qyzylorda(UTC+05:30) Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi(UTC+05:30) Sri Jayawardenepura(UTC+05:45) Kathmandu(UTC+06:00) Astana(UTC+06:00) Dhaka(UTC+06:00) Omsk(UTC+06:30) Yangon (Rangoon)(UTC+06:00) Novosibirsk(UTC+07:00) Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta(UTC+07:00) Barnaul, Gorno-Altaysk(UTC+07:00) Hovd(UTC+07:00) Krasnoyarsk(UTC+07:00) Tomsk(UTC+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi(UTC+08:00) Irkutsk(UTC+08:00) Kuala Lumpur, Singapore(UTC+08:00) Perth(UTC+08:00) Taipei(UTC+08:00) Ulaanbaatar(UTC+08:45) Eucla(UTC+08:30) Pyongyang(UTC+09:00) Chita(UTC+09:00) Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo(UTC+09:00) Seoul(UTC+09:00) Yakutsk(UTC+09:30) Adelaide(UTC+09:30) Darwin(UTC+10:00) Brisbane(UTC+10:00) Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney(UTC+10:00) Guam, Port Moresby(UTC+10:00) Hobart(UTC+10:00) Vladivostok(UTC+10:30) Lord Howe Island(UTC+11:00) Bougainville Island(UTC+11:00) Chokurdakh(UTC+11:00) Magadan(UTC+11:00) Norfolk Island(UTC+11:00) Sakhalin(UTC+11:00) Solomon Is., New Caledonia(UTC+12:00) Anadyr, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky(UTC+12:00) Auckland, Wellington(UTC+12:00) Co-ordinated Universal Time+12(UTC+12:00) Fiji(UTC+12:00) Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Old(UTC+12:45) Chatham Islands(UTC+13:00) Co-ordinated Universal Time+13(UTC+13:00) Nukualofa(UTC+13:00) Samoa(UTC+14:00) Kiritimati Island
Display filters
3 days, 10:30 AM AEDT - 03:30 PM AEDT
PD hours: 11
Tues 25th Jan 2022
10.30am - 4.30pm AEDT
10.00am - 4.00pm SA
9.30am - 3.30pm QLD
7.30am - 1.30pm WA
Thurs 27th Jan 2022
7.30am - 12.30pm WA
Ready for a deeper look into Walker Learning? Setting up Environments and the core elements of Walker Learning and then look at Taking Learning Outside and Embedding Aboriginal Perspectives on the 2nd day.
Day 1 AM: Walker Learning Overview
This session is an introductory presentation of the key elements of Walker Learning in the early years (ages 5 - 8). This session includes an overview of the following; the research and philosophy of Walker Learning, how to set up inspiring learning environments, the investigation session, how to authentically link literacy and numeracy into Investigations, implementation strategies for teams and schools and an introduction to Walker Learning documentation which links to the existing curriculum framework.
Day 1 PM: Creating Engaging & Intentional Learning Environments
How do we create engaging and meaningful environments that promote and sustain children's learning through play?
This session explores the importance of creating spaces that nurture and inspire whilst facilitating learning.
You will also see examples of how to add and use everyday materials within a realistic budget to assist children in their learning, engagement, and exploration both indoors and outdoors.
Day 2 AM: Taking Learning Outside - Practical Techniques for Teaching the Curriculum Outdoors
Studies suggest outdoor curriculum experiences pose a lower infection risk than those done indoors, so moving learning outside post-COVID lockdown could be just the ticket for health, wellbeing, and engagement. This practical, workshop-style PD will look at taking play and investigations outside. We will look at how to engage children and enhance learning experiences outside as well as presenting you with practical strategies for creating outdoor learning opportunities.
Day 2 PM: Embedding Aboriginal Perspectives
Please note: Due to unforeseen circumstances this session will now take place on Monday 16th May 2022.
Session times on 16th May will be as follows:
2.00pm - 4.00pm AEST
1.30pm - 3.30pm SA & NT
12.00pm - 2.00pm WA
The Embedding Aboriginal Perspectives Professional Learning session provides the opportunity for educators to understand the importance of embedding Aboriginal perspectives, supported by research and a range of examples of quality, responsive and appropriate resources and experiences.
Australian Professional Teaching Standards: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.5, 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.2, 6.3
Ideally suited for educators who are new to or early in their Walker Learning journey and working with children from 3 to 8 years.
Completing Creating Engaging and Intentional Learning Environments will contribute 3 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of NSW Curriculum/Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.1.2, 2.5.2 & 3.3.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
The Walker Learning Pathway
The Walker Learning Approach is a journey and is best implemented through a pathway of PD modules which can be attended online or delivered as customised sessions to your school.
Early Life Foundations
Copyright © Early Life Foundations and The Walker Learning Group. Website Development by TLT Creative.


text:
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Pakistan's Social Media Is Overflowing With Hate Speech Against Ahmadis
The China-India Cold War in Maldives
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The Pulse | Society | South Asia
The minority community has always faced persecution in the real world. Online, it's become even more common.
By Tehreem Azeem for The Diplomat
Credit: Depositphotos
Twitter Spaces allow individuals to hold audio conversations. The microblogging website rolled the feature out to millions of its users having 600-plus followers in May. Khalid Imran Khan, a Pakistani Twitter user, has been hosting Spaces since the day he got the option in his account. Earlier this month, he hosted a Space session on feminism, which is considered a foreign agenda in Pakistan. Somehow, the discussion led to Ahmadiyyat, and a female speaker said that Muslims had made a mistake that they must admit: She said the leader of Ahmadiyya should have been killed and cut into pieces.
The remark would have gone unnoticed if Ahmadi rights activist Dr. Kashif N. Chaudhry had not tweeted a recording from the Space on this Twitter feed, accusing the speaker of "expressing regret over Muslims not killing Ahmadi Muslims." The woman later changed the name and bio of her Twitter account.
Chaudhry often calls out hateful content against Ahmadis on his Twitter feed. On Eid al-Adha, he posted images of banners and screenshots of forwarded WhatsApp messages urging people to report Ahmadis to the police for partaking in Eid rituals.
Ahmadis are members of the Ahmadi movement, or Ahmadiyyat, which originated in the 19th century from British-controlled northern India. Ahmadis regard the founder of the movement, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, as a follower prophet and a messiah. Muslim communities around the world consider it a breach of the Islamic tenet that the Prophet Mohammad was the last prophet and messenger of Allah. In 1974, the Pakistani Parliament declared Ahmadis to be non-Muslims and in 1984, an amendment in the penal code restricted them from impersonating Muslims.
Ahmadis make up 0.09 percent of Pakistan's population and are subjected to different forms of discrimination including hate speech. That has long been true in offline settings, but now has become prevalent in online spaces as well.
Talking about hate speech against Ahmadis, Chaudhry said it has become common practice. He says people against Ahmadis are divided into two groups. The first group consists of people who hate Ahmadis for their beliefs and often express their prejudice wherever they get the opportunity. The other group is those people who use hatred against Ahmadis to garner public support and ride the populist wave of anti-Ahmadi sentiment in Pakistan.
Social media platforms in Pakistan are flooded with anti-Ahmadiyya content. There are videos on YouTube in which Islamic scholars discuss whether Muslims can reply to the greetings of Ahmadis, or befriend them or do business with them, or let them live in the same community. Some of these videos have thousands of views and their comment sections are full of hate speech against the members of the Ahmadiyya community.
"Recently, we have seen a rise in populism the world over. And populist leaders usually exploit public sentiment in hopes of increased popularity. We have seen the same in Pakistan, where many TV anchors, politicians, religious figures, and celebrities have played the Ahmadi card to garner support from right-wing masses," Chaudhry said.
Ehsan Rehan is the founder and editor of Rabwah Times, an independent digital news website covering news related to Ahmadiyya in Pakistan and abroad. He says extremist clerics have been pushing the anti-Ahmadiyya narrative for years. They have now taken it to the internet.
"Extremist clerics have always used Urdu print media to stir up hatred and encourage violence against Ahmadis," Rehan said. "However, what we have seen over the years is that the same anti-Ahmadi rhetoric has moved to social media where it has found a wider support base."
His team at Rabwah Times monitors social media content daily. He says often the trends are supported by social media wings of religio-political parties.
"Over the last 12 months, we have seen anti-Ahmadi Twitter trends shoot up to number 1 on Pakistan's Twitter trend list. From what we have seen, most of these Twitter trends are started by social media cells of different religio-political parties," he told The Diplomat. "Similarly, clerics and madrassas are using their Facebook pages and YouTube channels to spread their extremist propaganda against Ahmadis. With many of them racking up millions of views on their anti-Ahmadi posts and videos."
Certain "clerics have long hated on Ahmadis based on theological differences. They use dangerous vitriol to incite violence against Ahmadis by labeling them apostates or blasphemers of Islam or outrightly labeled them worthy of death," Chaudhry told The Diplomat.
Pakistan formed the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) last year in May to oversee minority concerns in the country. The cabinet declined to include Ahmadis in the commission after strong opposition from religio-political parties. Anti-Ahmadiyya hashtags kept trending on Twitter for days. State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan also posted a tweet (later deleted) in which he wrote there was only one punishment for insulting the Prophet – beheading. His tweet received 24,500 likes and 3,500 retweets within the first 24 hours of its publishing.
"Most of the people in power not only approve of such content but also encourage it. Imran Khan attended an anti-Ahmadiyya rally in 2018. Last year, when anti-Ahmadiyya hashtags were trending on Pakistani Twitter, State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mr. Ali Muhammad Khan tweeted that blasphemers should be beheaded. That is why minorities in Pakistan do not feel safe in reporting extremist or hateful content to local authorities," Rehan said.
Instead, Ahmadis mostly ignore the content. Usman Ahmad works for the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan in different capacities. He is an active social media user. He uses his online presence to share his thoughts on different issues, and he often raises his voice for the human rights of the community. He used to engage with people posting hateful content against Ahmadis, but now he just ignores it.
"That was pointless. It only adversely affected my mental health, without actually having any other meaningful impact," he said. "Now, I am slightly more discerning about what I reply to. For example, I will respond more to stuff which is current and under the spotlight at a certain period of time; e.g. misinformation and conspiracies about the community to clarify what is actually true."
Ahmad particularly replies to accounts of politicians, celebrities, or influencers when they post anything against the community. He believes they hold a social responsibility toward society and shape public opinion.
The National Response Center for Cyber Crimes (NR3C) headed by the Federal Investigation Agency deals with electronic crimes in Pakistan. Chaudhry lodged several complaints to the center against the hate speech targeted at Ahmaddiya, but he never got any response to any of his complaints. However, his complaints to authorities in other countries have always been taken care of.
"I have reported hate speech numerous times to cyber crime [authorities] in Pakistan. I have been disappointed with [the] Pakistani cyber crime wing because not once has any action been taken against death threats directed at Ahmadis," he said. "Law enforcement authorities in the U.S.A. and other Western nations are more sensitive to such incitement and take them far more seriously than Pakistan does."
Ahmad also reports the content to social media giants, but that is also of no use. He says Twitter has better policies but still it has to work on its forum to make it safer for its community.
"I cannot speak on behalf of the community, but in my capacity, I do know of Ahmadi leaders who have taken up these concerns with state authorities," he said. "There is a monthly report that is published detailing the various forms of hate speech published or aired in the media against Ahmadis, especially one that involves incitement to violence or actual violence. The response from the state is very dismissive."
Chaudhry shared that a community leader had also tried approaching the federal minister for human rights, Shireen Mazari, to request a meeting to discuss the concerns of the community, but he never heard back from her.
Usman also monitors online content about the Ahmadiyya community for his work. He believes the hateful posts against the Ahmadiyya community are just a way to hold one's reputation as a true Muslim and to settle personal scores with opponents.
"The hatred towards Ahmadis has become so normalized in our society and because hostility towards the community is seen as a religious and civic duty, the door for whipping up hatred against Ahmadis always remains open," he said. "It is the easiest way in which to launder your reputation, display your religiosity, show off your credentials as a true and patriotic Pakistani, trying to shift focus from a personal scandal and – for politicians – as a means of deflecting from their own political failings or attacking their political opponents by accusing them of being Ahmadi."
Tehreem Azeem
Tehreem Azeem is a digital media journalist from Pakistan. She tweets @tehreemazeem
Ahmadis in Pakistan
Ahmadiyya community
Pakistan religious freedom
Pakistan religious minorities
Pakistan social media
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Ahmadis Once Again Fear the Fallout From Pakistan's Political Tussles
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"All political issues, which have nothing to do with us, see us becoming the scapegoats," says the Ahmadiyya community's spokesperson.
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© 2022 Diplomat Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Welcome back Bobcats! Check out this playlist of 15 tracks hand picked by your very own KTSW Fall 2015 Music staff. We're just as excited as you are to kick of the new semester, so we picked out tracks perfect for those morning bus rides, breaks in between class, and late night study sessions. With back to school themed tracks from Matt and Kim, Mac Demarco, Disclosure, Odesza, and even Soulja Boy there's something in this playlist for everyone.
"Sea of Air" by Portugal. The Man: ""Sea of Air" reminds me of going back to school and getting back into the groove of things. If you think about it Texas State is our home away from home (for most); it's our "little sea of air." It's in a sense, a paradox, because State is a huge campus but in a little town. Each part of school and San Marcos itself is so personal to each of us, it's as if we create a field of energy (sea, air) around us. "We got the whole world hangin' there…" But we're lucky because we're in our little sea of air! That bliss comes from the uniqueness and ridiculously high vibes that Texas State creates. Welcome back to school, welcome home, welcome back to your Sea of Air." – Gabi Theard.


text:
Q: Does the Redshift JDBC DatabaseMetaData.getDatabaseMajorVersion() return an up to date value? My question is how to get proper redshift Database version information from a Redshift JDBC Connection.
Calling the JDBC DatabaseMetaData.getDatabaseMajorVersion() and DatabaseMetaData.getDatabaseMinorVersion simply returns 8 and 0 which I believe is just some hardcoded values. Is there a JDBC driver API call to get the some reasonable values?
My fallback solution is to use the VERSION function as documented in  https://docs.aws.amazon.com/redshift/latest/dg/r_VERSION.html and extract the cluster version.
This though requires me to run an SQL where I would like to use pure JDBC API calls.
It also returns a long string (see below) and we would need to parse this string to get the cluster version (E.g 1.0.7804).
The VERSION function returns a string like the following
"PostgreSQL 8.0.2 on i686-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by GCC gcc (GCC) 3.4.2 20041017 (Red Hat 3.4.2-6.fc3), Redshift 1.0.7804"

A: You can use the AWS CLI / API to call redshift describe-cluster-db-revisions
e.g. using cli
aws redshift describe-cluster-db-revisions

This returns a json object describing each cluster including an object "CurrentDatabaseRevision" which contains the current db revision. Currently for me this shows as "7562".
See
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/redshift/describe-cluster-db-revisions.html

and
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/redshift/latest/APIReference/API_DescribeClusterDbRevisions.html


text:
/**
 * @file: index
 * @author: Cuttle Cong
 * @date: 2018/2/11
 * @description:
 */
import * as React from 'react'
import { h, binding } from 'react-mobx-vm'
import map from 'lodash/map'
import Telescope from '../../../core'

const StyleSelect = ({ styleGetter, onChange, value }) => (
  <select onChange={onChange} value={value}>
    {map(styleGetter, (val, k) => (
      <option key={k} value={k}>{k}</option>
    ))}
  </select>
)

@binding
export default class View extends React.Component {
  handleExplore = evt => {
    this.local.explore()
  }

  changeStyle = evt => {
    const val = evt.target.selectedOptions[0].value
    this.local.setStyle(val)
  }

  changeHlStyle = evt => {
    const val = evt.target.selectedOptions[0].value
    this.local.setHlStyle(val)
  }

  render() {
    return (

        {(
           this.local.inputVisible || this.local.styleSelectVisible
         )
         &&

           {
             this.local.inputVisible &&

               Query
               <input type="text" data-bind="input"/>
               <button onClick={this.handleExplore}>Explore</button>

           }
           {
             this.local.styleSelectVisible &&

               Style


text:
Menu Icon Close Icon Placer Icon Right Arrow Left Arrow Down Arrow Call Wave Effect
Contractor's Alleged "Accidental" IT Security Breach in NYPD
Home Blog Contractor's Alleged...
In the US, an IT contractor has been released without charge after allegations that he "accidentally" uploaded and transmitted a virus onto the New York Police Department's (NYPD's) LiveScan fingerprint tracking system.
At this time, it remains unclear whether the cyberattack was accidental or premeditated.
Deputy Commissioner for Information Technology Jessica Tisch stressed the importance of establishing the facts behind the case. Although the virus in question, a type of ransomware that locks users out of infected computers until they pay a "ransom" was not activated, the NYPD nonetheless deactivated their fingerprint systems as a precaution.
It is estimated that 0.1% of the computers were affected by the security breach, which puts delicate information at risk of being stolen, according to Adam Scott Wandt, professor of cyber security at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. His concern was that hackers would be able to see information about open cases.
However, the NYPD itself came under fire recently after it emerged that the department had wrongfully been retaining fingerprints of children who had been previously arrested permanently on file. The NYPD has stated that it has since destroyed these records.
In today's technological world, it has never been more important to ensure that your business is compliant with all laws, including data protection laws.
Tax fraud crackdown in Germany
Social security rate hike for contractors averted in Poland
Social security rates to rise in Slovakia for contractors in 2020
IT Contractor found innocent of tax evasion by tribunal
Potential income boost may be on the way for freelancers in Germany
Massive shock as 200 contractors set to lose contracts with Novartis in Ireland
Dutch social security monitoring system under fire from UN rapporteur
Netherlands to tackle discriminatory recruitment processes
Switzerland and UAE removed from EU tax "Blacklist"
French govt. plan to scan social media for tax avoidance causes huge alarm
(IRL) +353 1 44 33 710
(UK) +44 207 1939 907
(NL) +31 20 893 2010


Mangaluru, Sep 6,2017: The Campus Front of India staged a protest today at Ambedkar Circle, demanding the arrest of the killers of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh. The protesters shouted slogans against the Narendra Modi led BJP government.
Addressing the protesters, state president of CFI, Mohammed Shafi said, "We condemn the brutal murder of a social activist, a voice of the Dalits and the Minority and senior journalist Gauri Lankesh. In our country, people who raise their voice against corruption, discrimination, and injustice have been silenced. Gauri Lankesh never compromised with anyone over corruption or discrimination. We have lost a social activist who has taught us to fight for justice.
General Secretary of CFI Imran P J, Attaulla, Nizam and others were also present.


Be mindful of New York's statute of limitations pertaining to legal malpractice actions • Law Office of Richard A. Klass, Esq.
Soloway v Kane Kessler, PC, 168 AD3d 407 [1st Dept 2019] serves as a good reminder to be mindful of New York's statute of limitations pertaining to legal malpractice actions.
" The court correctly found the complaint time-barred under CPLR 202, New York's " borrowing statute, " which requires a claim to be timely under both the New York limitations period and that of the jurisdiction where the claim is alleged to have arisen (Kat House Prods., LLC v Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP, 71 AD3d 580 [1st Dept 2010]).


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BREAKING: HRC Condemns Trump-Pence Transgender Troop Ban Policy
By Sarah McBride
HRC condemned the newly-released official Trump-Pence Administration policy attempting to implement Donald Trump's discriminatory ban on transgender troops. Trump's hastily tweeted troop ban, which has now been turned into official policy, is opposed by national security leaders, military officials, servicemembers' organizations and bipartisan elected officials, including top Republicans in Congress.
"There is simply no way to spin it, the Trump-Pence Administration is going all in on its discriminatory, unconstitutional and despicable ban on transgender troops," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "Donald Trump and Mike Pence are pushing their extreme anti-transgender prejudices onto the military over the overwhelming objections of bipartisan officials, national security leaders and the American public. We will never stop fighting this discriminatory policy until every current and future transgender service member is treated equally and respected fully for their bravery."
"The Trump-Pence Administration continues to double down on its cruel and unconstitutional ban on transgender troops," said HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride. "From the first impulsive tweet, this policy has clearly been driven by an extreme anti-LGBTQ agenda rather than what is in the best interests of our troops and national security. Transgender people are enlisting and serving with distinction right now, and there is no legitimate reason to change that. Moreover, releasing this news under cover of darkness late on a Friday night means thousands of transgender troops will wake up tomorrow with their lives turned upside down. This couldn't be more cowardly or wrong."
This guidance seeks to implement the Twitter policy of Donald Trump to ban transgender people from serving or enlisting in the military. In August, HRC joined as an organizational co-plaintiff in Karnoski v. Trump, a case brought by Lambda Legal and Outserve-SLDN, challenging the ban in court. HRC is joined by the American Military Partner Association, Gender Justice League, and nine individuals as co-plaintiffs in the case. Six separate federal courts have issued rulings blocking implementation of the ban. Barring further court action, the administration cannot implement this ban.
Earlier this month, HRC, Lambda Legal, OutServe-SLDN, the American Military Partner Association, and Gender Justice League unveiled a new television ad -- entitled "Patriots" -- featuring military, national security, and bipartisan officials voicing opposition to the Trump-Pence administration's ban on transgender servicemembers. The television ad is part of the largest paid media campaign against Donald Trump's ban on transgender troops since he tweeted the policy last July -- and complements a full page print ad that ran in USA Today and more than 32 regional Gannett papers nationwide.
An overwhelming majority of Americans support open service of transgender service members. In July of 2017, the Republican controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted down an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act barring transgender servicemembers from accessing medically necessary transition related care. Following the president's series of tweets in July of 2017, national security leaders and members of Congress from both parties condemned the policy:
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) said, "when less than one percent of Americans are volunteering to join the military, we should welcome all those who are willing and able to serve our country."
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) said, "if individuals are willing to put on the uniform of our country, be deployed in war zones, and risk their lives for our freedoms, then we should be expressing our gratitude to them, not trying to kick them out of the military."
Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) said, "we should not turn anyone away who is willing and able to serve our country, period. The president's wrong."
Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) said, "you ought to treat everybody fairly and give everybody a chance to serve."
Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) said, "I don't think we should be discriminating against anyone. Transgender people are people, and deserve the best we can do for them."
Admiral Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said, "thousands of transgender Americans are currently serving in uniform and there is no reason to single out these brave men and women and deny them the medical care that they require."
More than 50 retired Generals and Admirals released a joint statement warning the ban would degrade military readiness.
Filed under: Laws and Legislation, Mike Pence, Military, Transgender, Trump Administration
#ProtectTransKids: A Message of Support
Mark Green is a Danger to LGBTQ Soldiers Bravely Serving the U.S.
BREAKING: HRC Condemns Trump-Pence Transgender Troop Ban Policy | Human Rights Campaign


The Carlyle Group, the publicly traded investment firm that has invested in nearly 300 companies that have a net worth of $170 billion and which itself could make around $4 billion in management fees and income from those investments for 2017, does not invest in any technology lightly.
So the fact that it has acquired the X Gene server processor assets that were created over many years by Applied Micro and briefly owned last year by IT supplier MACOM means that Carlyle believes Arm servers have a shot in the datacenter and that its investors want to get a piece of the action.
As we have previously reported, those Applied Micro server chip designs were acquired by a company called Project Denver LLC, but despite the name this Carlyle acquisition vehicle did not in any way also buy any assets from Nvidia's long-defunct "Project Denver" effort to put an Arm server core on a GPU, which was unveiled seven years ago as a future Tesla product and quietly put on the backburner a few years later. (The hybrid CPU-GPU effort lives on in the Tegra line of platforms for gaming and other kinds of embedded systems.) We asked Kumar Sankaran, who used to be associate vice president of software and platform engineering for the compute business at Applied Micro and who has the same job at Ampere, the name that the Carlyle subsidiary is taking, about the Project Denver link and he tells us it is just a coincidence.
The team that Ampere has put together has some heavy hitters on it, starting with Renee James, who was president at Intel and was passed over for the chief executive officer position at the chip giant for Brian Krzanich; she has held a number of positions at Intel, and was previously in charge of the McAfee security software unit at the company. Chi Miller, a long time finance specialist at Intel and formerly the director of finance at Apple, has joined Ampere as its chief operating officer and chief financial officer, keeping a tight rein on the purse strings, we presume. Rohit Vidwans, who spent 26 years at Intel and lead develop of many generations of Atom and Xeon processors, has joined Ampere as executive vice president of hardware engineering, and Atiq Bajwa, a 30 year veteran of Intel who was the head of X86 architecture, is the chief architecture for the Arm upstart. And Greg Favor, who was a fellow at AMD and part of the K6 and K7 development teams and who was the lead architect at Applied Micro for its X Gene processors, is a senior fellow at Ampere. This obviously is a pretty serious team.
Like Qualcomm with its "Amberwing" Centriq 2400 processors and selected models of Cavium's ThunderX and ThunderX2 processors, Ampere is focusing on the cloud server market, by which the company means what we would call the hyperscale and cloud segments. The server CPU market is growing slowly, as you can see, at 3 percent compounded annually, but the cloud portion of that (using Ampere's definition, not ours) is growing at 15 percent compounded annually and will comprise around 50 percent of server chip shipments by 2021.
It is very unlikely that there will be huge demand from IT shops for raw Arm server instances from a public cloud, but given significant total cost of ownership advantages, Arm processors can be – and will be – used behind the scenes, running various data manipulation and storage workloads.
Ampere knows this because Applied Micro put over 25,000 proof of concept and test machines into the field with the prior "Storm" X-Gene 1 and "Shadowcat" X-Gene 2 processors. The X-Gene-1 was implemented in the 40 nanometer processes from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, and offered eight beefy and custom Armv8 cores running at 2.4 GHz; the X-Gene 2 was supposed to scale up to 16 cores with RoCE enhanced networking, but it only made it into the field with eight cores running at 2.8 GHz despite the shift to 28 nanometer processors – a very significant process shrink.
With the "Skylark" X-Gene 3 chip, which was unveiled as a project in November 2015 and which we profiled in detail when it was further unveiled in October 2016, Applied Micro was shifting to 16 nanometer FinFET processes from TSMC, allowing for a substantial increase in core counts and a slight increase in clock speeds, plus a doubling of the memory channels to eight and a speed bump to DDR4. Applied Micro finally laid it all out there, saying it would have 32 cores on the X-Gene 3, with a more traditional L2 and L3 cache architecture and supporting up to 1 TB of DDR4 memory running at 2.67 GHz, which is 33 percent more bandwidth and capacity than "Skylake" Xeon SP Silver and Gold processors from Intel. The X-Gene 3 chip also sported integrated SATA I/O ports and 42 lanes of PCI-Express peripheral bandwidth across eight controllers.
By any measure, this is a beefy server chip, and it was absolutely intended to be competitive with any Xeon or Epyc or Centriq or ThunderX2 alternative. It was not really aimed at the heftier Xeon SP Platinum models or IBM's Power9. But that's fine. There is plenty of TAM to chase.
The X-Gene 3 chips started sampling on time in March 2017 and were expected to start shipping in production quantities sometime in the first quarter of this year. (The X-Gene 1 and X-Gene 2 chips have been put out to pasture, Sankaran tells The Next Platform.) Given all of the changes at Applied Micro and MACOM in the past six months, the schedule for the delivery of the X-Gene 3 chip has shifted out to the second half of 2018, but Sankaran says that this is not a test platform, but something that Ampere expects for customers to put into production. The chip, when it comes out, will not be called X-Gene, but have another brand that will carry forward from that point forward. And, importantly, it is being tweaked from its original design. First, it is being implemented in a follow-on 16 nanometer process and will be able to turbo up to 3.3 GHz clock speeds.
The interesting bit in that table above is that Ampere is providing integer performance, as gauged by the SPECint_rate2006 CPU test, as well as a list price and a thermal design point for what we presume is the top bin, 32 core part. A server with four of Intel's top end, 28 core Xeon SP-8180M chips, which clock at 2.5 GHz, is rated at 5,530 on the same test, and that means each socket delivers a rating of around 1,383. The Intel chip costs $13,011 at list price, and that works out to $9.40 per SPEC unit of performance on the same test, as well as 6.74 units of performance per watt. The X-Gene 3 chip shown above has a lot less oomph at 500 units of performance, but it delivers it at a cost of $1.90 per unit of performance and at a 4.0 performance per watt level. That's 40 percent better performance per watt in favor of Intel, but at nearly a factor of four better bang for the buck for the Ampere X-Gene 3.
This is not the real comparison, of course, because an Armv8 core is not a Xeon SP core, but this does show the worst case scenario. If you are looking at compute density per rack and cost per rack, all loaded up, and compare the Xeon SP Gold and Silver models, the gaps probably won't be as large. Take a Xeon SP-6152 Gold, which has 22 cores running at 2.1 GHz. A two socket machine is rated at 2,120, so that is 1,060 units of integer performance per socket at 140 watts and at a price of $3,655, or $3.45 per unit of performance and 7.6 units of performance per watt. The latter is again better than the Ampere X-Gene 3 is delivering. But you can buy two Ampere chips and have the same performance and spend less money, so there is that.
It all will come down to cases, and Ampere is better that the gaps will be large enough to make inroads into the hyperscale and cloud datacenters that it is targeting. And you have to remember to look at things at a system level, not just at the CPU level, too.
This is consistent with what Google has told us, which is that it would change architectures for a 20 percent savings.
Ampere is currently working on two more generations of chips on the whiteboard right now, which will follow-on the heels of the X-Gene 3. The next one up, which will be the first one designed by the recently assembled Ampere team, will have a similar power envelope – somewhere around 125 watts, all in – but offer higher performance and therefore higher performance per watt. After that, it is hard to say. Ampere will probably stick with TSMC and ride its process curve down, but Sankaran says the company is always looking at the process roadmaps for the competition. That is Intel, which doesn't really do a lot of fab work for others; Samsung, which does a little; TSMC, which is all foundry for others; and GlobalFoundries, which is also all foundry and which has a shot to win some business if TSMC can't keep shrinking its processes as fast.
MACOM is based in Massachussetts not China.


Armed Forces Medical College MBBS Admission Result has been published toady. Those who have attend the written exam held on September 19, 2014 view the result by downloading from the link below. Congratulation to the winners as they will lead the country by their great medical services. So let's check your dream result.
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text:
latest page
Interludes »
Cargo (part 5)
◀ previous by date ◀ previous in Interludes
Wed Sep 24, 2014
"This is going to take me quite a while. It is not every day I encounter magic like this."
"How long's quite a while? Two days? Three?"
Raphael looked away from the parrot and grinned.
"Oh, I do not know for certain. Perhaps two weeks? Two weeks and a half?"
Aquila frowned.
"All the other times never took you longer than a day or two, tops. Why's this one so special?"
Raphael looked back at the parrot. It floated in midair, immobilized, surrounded by a cloud of mist. He reached in through the cloud and prodded it, causing it to squawk and flap its wings before returning to its stasis.
"This is the work of two things, not just one. Before, all the things you had me look at were just the doings of one person. It is rare to see the magic of more than one person in this kind of things."
"I don't see why that would make it take, what, nearly ten times the amount of time?"
"If I could have seen both of the persons who worked on this parrot, it would only take me double the amount of time. But the second person is a mystery, and mystery makes this much more difficult."
"It's not Anana's doing, then."
"It is not. This is the work of your Cordite and someone else. I do not know the someone else."
"All right, then. We're in no rush. It'll take Cordite and Anana at least three weeks to do whatever the hell it is they're planning on doing."
Raphael nodded and walked into the cloud. Aquila pretended not to notice the way he stumbled every time the ship swayed back and forth.
"Please close the door when you leave."
"Yeah yeah, I know."
"Ah, I am curious-"
"I'm going to be hunting for some treasure. We've got fourteen, seventeen days? I'll be upstairs making the most of them."
"What will you do if our boat is seized or damaged by the competitors?"
"Retire."
"I see."
"The day a bunch of amateur treasure hunters overtake me on the high seas is the day I'm no longer fit to be where I am. Just worry about your parrot friend there and leave everything else to me."
"I think I will."
She went upstairs, shutting the door behind her.
The port of Luxury was far off in the distance, too far to see with the naked eye. She and Raphael had set sail earlier that morning before dawn in order to avoid the crowd of contestants that would have shown up around noon.
She walked the length of the ship, taking note of everything she saw. The boat was in good condition. Cordite probably made it. It wouldn't win any competitions for speed or looks, but it looked as reliable as any other boat she'd been on. She took inventory of the supplies they were given. Everything was there and in order, save for the parrot; she had Raphael disable its tattle-tale enchantments and put it below deck to work on it.
She stretched and pulled out her treasure map. None of the listed treasures were far south enough for her liking. She had to get as far south as possible without attracting the suspicions of Cordite and Anana. Although, knowing Cordite, he was probably suspicious of her the moment she didn't head to Mew York once the opening treasure hunt ceremonies were completed. She didn't want to attract any more suspicions.
She pulled out her spyglass and scanned the horizon, and it wasn't long before she found what she was looking for. A boat identical to hers was off in the distance, struggling to keep straight every time the wind changed direction. She smiled and put the spyglass back. It was time to do a little trading.
"Raphael! Come out here for a bit!"
She heard a door below deck open and close, followed by the scratching of Raphael's claws as he hurried up the stairs.
She pointed at the boat she spotted off in the distance.
"We're going to take their map. I need you up here with me."
"Perhaps theirs will have treasures to the south."
She was glad he was clever. Perceptive, too. Always made everything easier.
"Cap'n! Cap'n!"
"What is it, boyo?"
The crew member grimaced. He had signed on for the contest because his friend, no, the Cap'n, had told him it would be fun. What the Cap'n failed to tell him was that it would be a pirate themed contest, and that it was going to be out at sea. He hated both of those things, which is probably why the Cap'n didn't mention either of them.
"Got a fog rollin' in, eight o' clock."
"Wassat?"
The crew member sighed, then pointed.
"That fog cloud is coming our way. If we don't move, it's gonna swallow us."
"Y'know, Scrubber..."
"Can y'say that wit a more, I'unno, piratey swagger?"
Another sigh.
"Biggun' of a fog headin' t'ward us, Cap'n, b'lieve you me. We best clear d'way or she'll 'ave us blinded, she will."
Cap'n scratched his head.
"Are fog clouds... dangerous?"
"Er, no, Cap'n, but if we canna' see, we ain't be able t'navigate very well."
Not that they were navigating very well in the first place. None of them had any idea how to operate any boat larger than a rowboat, and they had never sailed in anything larger than a lake. The navigational equipment they were given came with instructions, but they may as well have been written in Gnawth as far as they were concerned. There was more math and geometry involved in navigating a ship than either of them had bargained for.
Cap'n squinted and stared into the horizon.
"Looks like we'll just 'ave to wait her out then, eh?"
"What are you talking abou- I mean, wotcha gettin' at, Cap'n?"
"Fog's about to get us."
Scrubber turned around. Cap'n was right. The fog had picked up speed, and now it was upon them. The visibility started to go downhill and in under a minute, he could barely see Cap'n a foot away from him. Scrubber felt his heart sink. He pulled off his eyepatch and threw it on the ground.
"Well, this is a sorry state we're in!"
Cap'n just chuckled and patted Scrubber's shoulder.
"Calm down m'boy, fog won't last."
"How do you know how long it's going to last? Neither of us have any clue what we're doing!"
"It'll be all right, m'boy. Fog as fast as this's liable to leave us as quick as it came."
"Oh. I guess you're right. Sorry 'bout that, Cap'n. Fog got ahold of my senses for a moment-"
There was a cracking sound. Their boat lurched forward, then stopped. Cap'n and Scrubber flew forward and crashed into the railing, then slumped down prone onto the deck. Scrubber tried to stand up, but couldn't. The fall had dazed him.
"C-Cap'n..."
Cap'n didn't respond. He grabbed onto the railing for support and managed to stand up. He hobbled toward Cap'n and checked for a pulse. He found one. Scrubber breathed a sigh of relief.
"What do we have here, Raphael?"
Scrubber panicked. Something about the voice sent waves of dread coursing through his entire body. Whoever the voice belonged to, they were bad. Really bad.
"I am not sure, captain! It seems like we see an accident! May-be we perhaps should lend them assistance?"
That voice wasn't as bad as the first. It was foreign, almost comical, even. Scrubber didn't want to smile or laugh.
"Maybe we should. Y'think they got any money? To pay us for our time and generosity?"
That voice again. Malice dripped off every syllable. It made him feel small. It made him feel vulnerable. If the owner of that voice found him, he would be killed. He knew it. His soul knew it.
He grabbed Cap'n and started to drag him towards the life raft. Scrubber didn't want to be a pretend pirate. He didn't want to look for treasure. He wanted to get away from the voice.
"Say, captain! One of them is trying to leave us! Perhaps they do not wish for our help? That is quite rude, I think!
Scrubber began to drag Cap'n faster. The life raft was close.
"You think right, Raphael. And I ever so hate rudeness. Do you know what happened to the last person who thought it smart to be rude to me?"
Scrubber didn't want to know. He didn't want to listen to that voice.
"Oh boy, I sure do, captain! What a knee slapper, that was! We were picking bits of them out of the floorboards for weeks!"
Scrubber's heart skipped a beat. He dragged Cap'n the last few feet to the life raft. Or he would have, if the life raft was where it should have been. It wasn't. Someone had cut the ropes attaching it to the boat, and it was gone.
"You think we wouldn't have thought of that, Scrubber?"
It was that voice. It was quiet, and much closer. It knew his name.
"You underestimate me. I'm insulted, Scrubber."
Scrubber saw a hand reach out from the fog, a wicked looking hand that ended in razor sharp talons. He knew the hand belonged to the voice.
"That was very rude of you, Scrubber. I hate rudeness."
The hand grabbed his shoulder. He fainted.
Aquila looked at her new treasure map. Only one of the listed treasures was south enough for her liking, but it would do.
"That was a bit much, do you not think, Aquila?"
She rolled up the map and stuck it in her pocket.
"Hell no! They needed a lesson."
"What lesson?"
"They learned just how pitiful they are out here. They've got no business being this far out at sea with what little skill they have. They could end up getting killed."
"They will learn all that from your scare?"
She furrowed her brow.
"If they're smart, they will."
"If they are not smart?"
"Doesn't matter. I already sent for help using their parrot. Now we sit and wait for one of them to show up."
"Which one will it be, you think?"
"It'll be both of them. It'll look like they're more concerned with safety that way. When they get here, one of them will see that sorry crew back to shore. We'll follow the other one. Just keep your fog around and we'll go unnoticed."
"Aye aye, captain. Er..."
"How will you navigate with the fog?"
"The same way I navigate without the fog. Which is a secret."
Raphael nodded, saluted, and went below deck.
Aquila took the helm. She hoped she wouldn't have to wait for long.
(Story by Marl)
—glitchedpuppet


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Peter's Take: Trumpcare is Bad For Virginia
Peter Rousselot July 20, 2017 at 1:00pm
Peter's Take is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.
Last Thursday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) unveiled the latest Trumpcare bill. There aren't enough Republican Senators who support this latest version. McConnell has now scheduled a vote on outright repeal of Obamacare for "early next week."
Drastic Virginia Medicaid cuts
The most remarkably bad thing about Trumpcare is its persistent focus on drastically cutting Medicaid benefits. The per-capita caps would cost Virginia's Medicaid program at least $1.4 billion over seven years.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) previously blasted these cuts:
Virginia historically has run one of the leanest Medicaid programs in the country…. But as a result of the steep cuts to Medicaid in Trumpcare, Virginia would be forced to pick up an additional $900 million in costs for Medicaid over the next ten years in order to maintain the same level of care.
Virginia Republican legislative leaders already are on record condemning these cuts: "Proposals to impose per-capita caps on federal Medicaid spending would put Virginia at a severe disadvantage."
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) aptly summarized what's wrong with her Senate leadership's approach:
We should not be making fundamental changes in a vital safety net program that's been on the books for 50 years, the Medicaid program, without having a single hearing to evaluate what the consequences are going to be.
Virginia children disproportionately harmed
The proposed Medicaid cuts would particularly harm Virginia's children:
The bill would have a disproportionate effect on children, who make up about 60 percent of Medicaid enrollment in Virginia. During the 2014-15 school year, the most recent year for which data is available, Virginia school districts received $33 million in Medicaid reimbursements.
Virginians with pre-existing conditions lose coverage
The latest Trumpcare bill contains a new provision (the so-called Cruz amendment) that major health insurance companies say is "simply unworkable." It would deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and de-stabilize insurance marketplaces in Virginia and across the nation:
The protections for preexisting conditions are gone. The GOP vision is of health markets where the very sick can buy unaffordable Obamacare-compliant plans that are, maybe, made affordable by subsidies, but most people are back in an insurance market where past allergies or future pregnancy or a history of knee problems will leave you basically uninsurable.
Republicans and Democrats remain divided over their contrasting degrees of respect for the principle of mutual obligation:
If [Trumpcare] passed, the Republican reform would eventually return the country to a system a lot like the one in place before the A.C.A., when older people, sick people, and the working poor struggled to find coverage–or went without.
Supporters of Trumpcare claim it would enable everyone to have access to affordable healthcare. But, the truth is that only those wealthy enough to pay would have access to meaningful healthcare.
Repeal of Obamacare without a replacement would be even worse. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that repeal would cause the number of uninsured people to rise by 18 million next year and by 32 million by 2026.
Both approaches are bad.
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has issued a call for a fresh, bipartisan start for healthcare reform. He's right.
Responsible Republicans and Democrats now should join together to hold open and thoughtful public hearings to fix those parts of Obamacare that need fixing.
Peter's Take
Progressive Voice: A Progressive Agenda – Part 4The Right Note: How Much Should It All Cost?


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Q: prove $\lim_{n\to\infty}{\frac{a^n}{n!}}=0$ I have the proof but i don't understand one part. The proof (for $a>1$) goes as follows:
there exists $k \in N$ such that$a<k, \frac{a}{k}<1$ and since $\frac{a}{k+i}<\frac{a}{k}, i \in N$
$$\frac{a^n}{n!}=\frac{a}{1} \cdot \frac{a}{2} \cdot...\cdot\frac{a}{k}\cdot\frac{a}{k+1}\cdot...\cdot\frac{a}{n}<\frac{a^k}{k!}(\frac{a}{k})^{n-k}=\frac{a^k}{k!}\cdot \frac{a^na^{-k}}{k^nk^{-k}}$$
$$0<\frac{a^n}{n!}<\frac{k^k}{k!}(\frac{a}{k})^n$$
then $$0 \leq \lim_{n\to\infty}{\frac{a^n}{n!}}\le\frac{k^k}{k!}\lim_{n\to\infty}{(\frac{a}{k})^n}$$
Now, the part I don't understand is in the expansion of $\frac{a^n}{n!}$. How does one come with $<\frac{a^k}{k!}(\frac{a}{k})^{n-k}$ part, to be more precise, how does one come up with $(\frac{a}{k})^{n-k}$ part of the inequality?

A: We are given :$$\frac { a^{ n } }{ n! } =\overset { k }{ \overbrace { \frac { a }{ 1 } \cdot \frac { a }{ 2 } \cdot ...\cdot \frac { a }{ k }  }  } \cdot \overset { n-k }{ \overbrace { \frac { a }{ k+1 } \cdot ...\cdot \frac { a }{ n }  }  } $$
Now you know:$$\frac { a }{ k+1 } <\frac { a }{ k } \\ \frac { a }{ k+2 } <\frac { a }{ k } $$ $$.$$ $$.$$ $$.$$ $$ \frac { a }{ n } <\frac { a }{ k } $$
so

$$\\ \\ \\ \frac { a^{ n } }{ n! } =\overset { k }{ \overbrace { \frac { a }{ 1 } \cdot \frac { a }{ 2 } \cdot ...\cdot \frac { a }{ k }  }  } \cdot \overset { n-k }{ \overbrace { \frac { a }{ k+1 } \cdot ...\cdot \frac { a }{ n }  }  } <\overset { k }{ \overbrace { \frac { a }{ 1 } \cdot \frac { a }{ 2 } \cdot ...\cdot \frac { a }{ k }  }  } \overset { n-k }{ \overbrace { \frac { a }{ k } \cdot \frac { a }{ k } ...\frac { a }{ k }  }  } =\frac { { a }^{ k } }{ k! } { \left( \frac { a }{ k }  \right)  }^{ n-k }$$

A: Here is another proof, maybe simpler: you can use the following basic property of infinite series: if $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}c_n$ converges, then $\lim_{n\to\infty}c_n=0$. Consider the series
$$
\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\overbrace{\frac{a^n}{n!}}^{c_n}
$$
This series converges since by d'Alembert's ratio test
$$
L=\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{c_{n+1}}{c_{n}}=\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{a}{n+1}=0
$$
and since $L<1$ it follows that $\lim_{n\to\infty}c_n=0$, as requared.

A: We consider $\frac{a}{1}.\frac{a}{2}\ldots \frac{a}{k}\frac{a}{k+1}\ldots \frac{a}{n-2}\frac{a}{n-1}\frac{a}{n}$
Now since $\frac{a}{n}<\frac{a}{n-1}$ and $\frac{a}{n-1}<\frac{a}{n-2}$ and so on till we reach $\frac{a}{n-(n-k)}<\frac{a}{n-(n-k-1)}$ i.e. $\frac{a}{k}<\frac{a}{k-1}$. When we repeatedly use this inequality, we finally will get $\left(\frac{a}{k}\right)^{n-k}$ because there are $n-k$ such terms.


I've been posting something on Boston's jazz history nearly every day, but we've come to a short dry spell. From June 27 to July 2, I can't find anything to write about. However, I did complete a post for June 9, 1954, which had been sitting unfinished for weeks.