text:
Review of "Why Baseball is a Sport and Golf is Not" by Aaron S. Bayley, Luigi Di Serio
This book is absolutely, positively INCREDIBLE! Don't let the clickbait title fool you, this isn't some hate-filled, biased, bloated article comparing two sports that has just been padded to fill some pages. This is 1000+ pages of sports, sports, and more sports written by two authors who absolutely love sports!
This could have easily been called THE Encyclopedia of Sports: History, Rules, and Ethics!
Almost every major sport and even some pseudo-sports like pro wrestling, bodybuilding, poker, chess, and even video games are represented in this one book. Each gets given the time and attention they deserve (and sometimes even more attention than they deserve). It's unabridged and exhaustive but far from exhausting to read. There's so much information on each sport, but it's rarely ever dull. In fact, it's almost always interesting, fun, and exciting! Heck, the authors managed to make things like luge and even curling—perhaps the most mocked sport in all of the Olympics—somewhat fascinating.
There was even a section about powerlifting, the main sport that our editor competes in. He said it was pretty well researched and put together but with the expected bias toward the IPF (International Powerlifting Federation) and its rules. There is a mention of nine spotters always being present, but this is not the case for the deadlift contest in almost all federations. There are probably little nitpicks that can be made by practitioners of the sport, especially the golfers who get absolutely shafted in the title and in later parts of this book. Indeed, we can imagine there will be quite a few athletes and sports enthusiasts who take umbrage with some of the statements made in the text. After all, if your favorite sport is essentially being called "not a real sport," then you're naturally going to be pretty upset.
There are a few other controversial statements made like it being unfair to consider a biological advantage (like substantially elevated testosterone levels) an unfair advantage, but then following that up with numerous examples of how the use of steroids/PEDs is unfair and how it'd be unfair for a male athlete to fight or lift against a female athlete. We know what the authors were trying to say, how if you NATURALLY (biologically) have an advantage that can't be changed (like your height), it shouldn't stop you from competing in a sport. But don't be naïve. Let's be real. Exponentially higher levels of testosterone (200-500% above the normal range) looks pretty dang questionable and unfair. The keyword there is EXPONENTIALLY. You don't need a science or ethics degree to see how that can be problematic. Imagine the devastating consequences that could result from this in a combat sport. It'd be deadly! There's a reason why males normally don't fight females and that weight-classes exist, and it's not for the dismissive reasons the authors give (like that weight-classes are pretty much arbitrary). It's because men and bigger people objectively tend to be stronger than women and little people. Force equals MASS times acceleration after all.
What's strange is that the authors outright state that it's unethical to promote competitions that physically pit men against women and that they are saying that knowing that they may be accused of being chauvinistic (page 159). So which is it? Is it only fair to women with normal testosterone levels as long as it's not a combat sport because at least no one gets hurt?
On the flip side of the testosterone debate, the "testers" (like WADA) sound intrusive and annoying as all heck. Could you imagine working hard your whole life and making millions of dollars but not even having the privacy to, well... have a semblance of privacy?! They seriously need to know where you are at all times so that they can test you without notice? 24/7. 365?! That's insane!
There are also some parts of this book that seem like they're seeking to rationally diminish the legitimacy of certain sports and athletes, such as when Michael Phelp's many Olympic gold medals are questioned with some whataboutisms. The authors argue that he wouldn't have had so many gold medals if he'd played soccer instead, a sport with only one gold medal. You're not wrong, but that's also a pretty jerkish way to look at things. However, if you look past these thing and not take them so personally, there's a lot to learn from this book. If anything, this book leaves room for a lot of valuable debate and discussion.
But what really makes this an A+ book are the stories. The authors have a story or two (at least) to tell about the athletes in just about every sport. We LOVED hearing about our favorite athletes, some of whom we hadn't heard about in a long time! And can we just say how thankful we are that the authors acknowledged the hashtag and movement we helped start in 2015 (#GiveDivasAChance, which started the women's wrestling revolution) and even acknowledged Emma (Tenille Dashwood) as one of the four female wrestlers who started it that fateful day?
There are lots of moments like that in this text, but that one really stood out to us as special.
This book truly leaves no stone unturned! It is a marvel of a sports book!


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64th Air Expeditionary Group
(Redirected from 64th Troop Carrier Group)
Find sources: "64th Air Expeditionary Group" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
The 64th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force, most recently assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at Eskan Village, near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was inactivated in 2014.[3]
64th group photo, November 2010
1940-1945, 1947-1948, 1952-1954, 1991-1997, 2001-unknown, 2005–2014
Force protection and support
Motto(s)
Hardest Target in the Kingdom
European Theater of Operations, Mediterranean Theater of Operations Global War on Terrorism (2005-TBD)
Distinguished Unit Citation 7 April – 15 June 1944
Meritorious Unit Award
1 June 2005 – 31 May 2006
Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards
1 October 1995 – 30 September 1997
64th Air Expeditionary Wing emblem[1]
(approved 16 June 1942)[2]
The group was first activated prior to World War II as the 64th Transport Group During World War II the group engaged in combat operations, primarily with Twelfth Air Force during the war, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation.
The 64th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional unit and uses the emblem of the inactive 64th Flying Training Wing.
Constituted as the 64th Transport Group on 20 November 1940. Activated on 4 December 1940. Used C-47's for training and flying transport missions in the US.
Redesignated 64th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. Moved to England in August 1942 and received additional training. Became part of Twelfth Air Force. Moved to the Mediterranean theater, November–December 1942. Flew first mission on 11 November, landing paratroops at Maison Blanche Airport. Dropped paratroops to capture airfields during the battle for Tunisia. Released paratroops near Gela and Catania when the Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943. Dropped paratroops near Avellino during the invasion of Italy in September 1943 to destroy a bridge on the enemy's supply line to Salerno. Participated in the assault on southern France in August 1944 by releasing gliders and paratroops in the battle zone. Supported the partisans in northern Italy early in 1945 by dropping paratroops, supplies, and propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines.
When not engaged in airborne combat operations, the group continually transported men and supplies to the front lines and evacuated wounded personnel.
Most of the group was on detached service in the CBI theater, April–June 1944, while a skeleton force remained in Sicily. With its squadrons operating from separate bases in India, the 64th group aided the Allied offensive in Burma, being awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for flying unarmed over rugged enemy territory to carry food, clothing, medical supplies, guns, ammunition, and mules to the combat zone and to evacuate wounded personnel.
Moved to Trinidad in June 1945. Assigned to Air Transport Command. Inactivated on 31 July 1945.
Activated in the United States on 19 May 1947. Not manned during 1947–1948. Inactivated on 10 September 1948.
Cold WarEdit
The 64th performed airlift and airdrop/airlanding of troops and cargo, routinely and during frequent maneuvers, 1952–1953. It began phasing down for inactivation in mid-October 1953, at which time tactical operations passed to 63d Troop Carrier Wing. In February 1954, however, the wing began building up again in preparation for an overseas movement, but was inactivated instead.
Flying trainingEdit
From the implementation of the Objective Wing organization until 1997, the group served as the flying arm of the 64th Flying Training Wing.
Expeditionary operationsEdit
The 64 AEG/AEW operated out of Camp Snoopy at Doha International Airport, Qatar from 1996 until 2004.[dubious – discuss]
In 2005, the group was activated for defense of personnel and assets in Southwest Asia. It provided force protection and support services for the installation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia known as Eskan Village, replacing the former 320th Air Expeditionary Group. The group was made up of about 300 security forces, support airmen, and civilians in two squadrons: the 64th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and the 64th Expeditionary Support Squadron. Their mission was to stand guard, provide integrated defense, emergency response, and combat support for the base, which houses military and host-nation tenant agencies. Most days the airmen fought the Global War on Terrorism in extreme temperatures of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.[4]
LineageEdit
Constituted as the 64th Transport Group on 20 November 1940
Activated on 4 December 1940
Redesignated: 64th Troop Carrier Group on 1 July 1942
Inactivated 31 July 1945
Activated on 19 May 1947
Inactivated on 10 September 1948
Redesignated: 64th Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 3 July 1952
Activated on 14 July 1952
Inactivated on 21 July 1954
Redesignated 64th Military Airlift Group on 31 July 1985
Redesignated: 64th Operations Group on 1 May 1991
Redesignated as 64th Air Expeditionary Group, converted to provisional status and assigned to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed on 4 December 2001[2]
Activated December 2001
Inactivated unknown
Activated 2005[5]
Inactivated 1 May 2014[5]
AssignmentsEdit
Fourth Air Force, 4 December 1940
50th Transport Wing, 31 March 1942
51st Transport Wing (later 51st Troop Carrier Wing), 1 June 1942
Eighth Air Force, 18 August 1942
51st Troop Carrier Wing, 1 September 1942
Twelfth Air Force, 4 Sep 1942
51st Troop Carrier Wing, 25 October 1942
52d Troop Carrier Wing, 15 June 1943
51st Troop Carrier Wing, 11 July 1943 (air echelon attached to Tenth Air Force, c. 7 April - c. 15 June 1944)
Air Transport Command, 25 May 1945 – 31 July 1945
Tactical Air Command, 19 May 1947 – 10 September 1948
64th Troop Carrier Wing, 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954 (attached to 443d Troop Carrier Wing, 19 July - 16 October 1952; 63d Troop Carrier Wing, 15 October 1953 – 15 February 1954)
64 Flying Training Wing, 15 May 1991 – 1 April 1997
Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time after 4 December 2001[2]
December 2001 – unknown
379th Air Expeditionary Wing,[6] 23 September 2005 – 1 May 2014[5]
StationsEdit
Duncan Field, Texas, 4 December 1940
March Field, California, c. 13 July 1941;
Hamilton Field, California, c. 1 February 1942
Westover Field, Massachusetts, c. 8 June – 31 July 1942;
RAF Ramsbury, England, August–November 1942
Blida Airfield, Algeria, December 1942
Kairouan Airfield, Tunisia, 28 June 1943
El Djem Airfield, Tunisia, 26 July 1943
Comiso Airfield, Sicily, 29 August 1943
Ciampino Airfield, Italy, 10 July 1944
Rosignano Airfield, Italy, 10 January – 23 May 1945
Waller Field, Trinidad, 4 June – 31 July 1945
Langley Field (later Langley Air Force Base), Virginia, 19 May 1947 – 10 September 1948
Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina, 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954
Reese Air Force Base, Texas 15 May 1991 - 1 April 1997[2]
Doha International Air Base, Qatar (1997-2005)
Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia, 23 September 2005 – 1 May 2014[5][7]
ComponentsEdit
16th Transport Squadron (later 16th Troop Carrier Squadron): 4 December 1940 – 31 July 1945, 19 May 1947 – 10 September 1948
17th Transport Squadron (later 17th Troop Carrier Squadron): 4 December 1940 – 31 July 1945, 19 May 1947 – 10 September 1948, 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954
18th Transport Squadron (later 18th Troop Carrier Squadron): 4 December 1940 – 31 July 1945
33d Flying Training Squadron: 15 December 1991 – 1 October 1992
35th Transport Squadron (later 35th Troop Carrier Squadron, 35th Flying Training Squadron): 4 December 1940 – 31 July 1945, 19 May 1947 – 10 September 1948, 15 December 1991 – 31 July 1996
52d Flying Training Squadron: 15 December 1991 – 1 April 1997
54th Transport Squadron (later 54th Flying Training) Squadron: 1–11 June 1942; 15 December 1991 – 1 April 1997
64th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron 23 September 2005 – 1 May 2014[6]
64th Expeditionary Support Squadron 23 September 2005 – 1 May 2014[6]
T-1A Flying Training Squadron, Provisional, attached 15 December 1991 - 1 October 1992[2]
AircraftEdit
Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1940-1945
C-82 Packet (1952–1953)
C-119 Flying Boxcar (1953–1954)
T-37 Tweet (1991–1997)
T-38 Talon (1991–1997)
T-1 Jayhawk (1992–1997)
^ Approved for the 64th Flying Training Wing
^ a b c d e Robertson, Patsy (23 October 2008). "Factsheet 64 Air Expeditionary Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
^ 64th Air Expeditionary Group Deactivated, Published 9 May 2014
^ U.S. Air Force News Service
^ a b c d Staff writer, no byline (9 May 2014). "64th Air Expeditionary Group Deactivated [sic]". 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
^ a b c "379 AEW Library: Units". 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
^ "Eskan Village Air Force Base in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia". Military Bases.com. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
Creed, Capt Dustin (2011). "64 AEW Spotlight: Building Partnerships at Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia" (PDF). Vol. 4 (3). Desert Eagle, The Newsletter of Eskan Village, Joint Command, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
Joe's USAF Blue Book
64th AEG welcomes new commander[dead link]
"C-130 Dyess timeline". Abeline Reporter News. 23 April 2011. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 64th Air Expeditionary Group (United States Air Force).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=64th_Air_Expeditionary_Group&oldid=906687121"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Unconfirmed Search Ranking Algorithm Update (Apr 2022)
April 20, 2022 Unconfirmed
Google seems to be rolling out another major search ranking algorithm update as several SERP tracking tools have reported massive fluctuations on April 20th and 21st, 2022. The SERP fluctuations are also recognized by several webmasters and SEO experts.
Although the update seems to be big, Google has not announced rolling out any search updates during this timeframe.
The volatility was first seen on April 20th and then spiked on April 21st. The movements in search results are observed by several webmasters and SEO experts. Twitter discussions for the same are available here.
Big unconfirmed Google search ranking algorithm update April 20th and 21st… https://t.co/F9ozdUkmFH pic.twitter.com/y8aSL2EN9S
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) April 21, 2022
What's Next – Dealing With This Update
Although it's common for Google to not announce any minor update, this one seems to be massive since the product reviews update rolled out last month.
In case your site has been negatively affected by this update, it's best to wait a while until the fluctuations settle down, as there are no update-specific guidelines released by Google. And then, you can deep dive into your analytics to take a look at the type of pages that are affected by this update and improve the quality of these pages further.
Rank Math's Analytics is equipped with historical performance data and Google updates timeline to help you analyze the performance of your site during this timeframe.


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TGON Plays: Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2
Posted by hisokaswaze | Dec 1, 2021 | Gaming
For PC users, there isn't really much of a choice when it comes to new and nostalgia-evoking cartoon racing games. Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo Switch, Wii U) and Crash Team Racing Nitro Fuel (Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch) are off the platform's table and Team Sonic Racing is… Meh? Obviously, I'm being biased.
Luckily, there is a new contender; Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2, which was released in 2020. It is an improved sequel to the Nickelodeon Kart Racers, which was released in 2018.
No shit, Sherlock, right? A sequel is supposed to be an improvement. Are they always though?
I'll break it all down below so you can make your own decision.
General Overview: Gameplay, Character Roster, Yadda Yadda Yadda
Let me start by saying this: This game is utter chaos, especially on the highest difficulty and I freaking love it. I'm not talking about the arena game mode here, where your sole purpose is to hold a spatula — you read that correctly — for fifteen seconds to win while everyone else is gunning for your head like you're a witch in the 1600s.
This artistic chaos is due to the crew pit feature; its most noticeable difference from the previous game and other similar games for that matter.
The pit crew consists of:
Chief: Gives a leader skill that can be used once the slime meter is filled
Two crew members: Each one grants you a perk such as more slime from slime tokens, a speed boost after getting hit, or an additional power-up.
The Two crew members' abilities are where chaos reigns. There are three types: Support, Defense, and Attack.
Support crew members: Are mostly about giving a speed boost after a specific action. They're perfect for high-difficulty challenges and when you're trailing behind.
Defense crew members: They're about protecting your naked behind. They're perfect for preserving your number-one position during races.
Attack crew members: These are insane. They're about giving you additional attack power ups whenever you gain a regular powerup. Different attack crew members grant different attack power ups. My personal favorite is the lock-on football. I know for sure it's gonna connect.
There are seventy crew pit members in total, most of them need to be unlocked: twenty Chiefs, and fifty crew members.
Nickelodeon Kart Racing 2 Podium_Screenshot by Firas Aouinet_Source: Steam
This game's predecessor had only twelve characters…
Twelve… Characters. Of all the Nickelodeon familiar faces. I can name 50 off the top of my head.
Thankfully, the developers used the constructive hate (trust me, fans made it loud and clear) and expanded from twelve to thirty: sixteen initial drivers and fourteen to be unlocked (eight from Grand Prix Cups and six from Challenges).
Here's the list of characters by their corresponding cartoon:
SpongeBob SquarePants: SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, and Squidward
TMNT: Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Shredder
Rugrats: Tommy Pickles, Angelica Pickles, Chuckie Finster, and Reptar
Hey Arnold: Arnold Shortman, Gerald Johanssen, and Helga Pataki
Rocko's Modern Life: Rocko and Heffer Wolfe
The Ren & Stimpy Show: Ren and Stimpy
Avatar The Last Aibender: Aang
The Legend of Korra: Korra
The Loud House: Lincoln Loud, Lucy Loud, and Clyde McBride
Invader Zim: Zim and GIR
Danny Phantom: Danny Phantom
Catdog: Catdog (Duh!)
Real life (actual real life, not a show): Jojo Siwa
Each character comes with its own stats (Top speed, Nitro, Steering, and Drift).
These stats can be boosted or altered altogether in the kart customization menu. At first, you will only start with a few options. However, once you play for a while, you will accumulate slime coins. Those allow you to buy further customization options such as engines, wheels, and paint jobs from the garage.
Nickelodeon Kart Racing 2 Roster_Screenshot by Firas Aouinet
The Rest Of The Features
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 offers eight Grand Prix Cups, seven of which have four different tracks. The last Cup has four of the previous cup's tracks. So, in total there are twenty-eight tracks.
Aside from cups and regular races, you can play finish the Challenges mode, improve your best score in Time Challenge, or go full-on mayhem in the Arena.
Speaking of the Arena, there are two game modes:
A capture the flag — ish: You have to hold the golden spatula for fifteen seconds three times to win
Free-for-all: Whoever hits opponents ten times first wins
Another upgrade from the god-awful previous installment is that you can play online, with strangers (the type threatens to t-bag your ex-girlfriend's oldest second cousin removed). If that's not your thing, you can also play online with your friends, or just invite them over and play together in your room where you can place bets on who's going to lose.
I would talk more about power-ups but I've been traumatized enough from the lock-on footballs and almost-unescapable Shellfishes. On to the game's limitations.
Nickelodeon Kart Racing 2 Michelangelo_Screenshot by Firas Aouinet_Source: Steam
Where Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 Comes Short
So far, I've had nothing but praise and love for the game. However, it is in a dire need of a few tweaks to get it up to par with Mario Karts 8.
The characters are well-designed and instantly recognizable. The graphics are pretty cool. However, the animations are as dull as Sunday evenings. At best, every character has two repetitive animations and that's it. Once you hit first place, they'll initiate and loop one awkward-ending animation.
It's rather unpleasant.
The other part where the game fell short is in its audio, specifically voice acting. There is none. Sure, the music is cool, even whimsical, but not a single peep from the characters.
Can you really imagine a world where Michelangelo is silent? That's like sewing Deadpool's mouth shut (Fluff off X-men Origins Wolverine).
One last remark: Some players have noticed a bit of a slowdown during their gameplay. I haven't. It can be an issue that the developers have addressed with a patch, or maybe I'm just lucky.
Nickelodeon Kart Racing 2_Screenshot by Firas Aouinet
To be honest, I still prefer Mario Karts but mostly for the graphics. Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 is a lot of fun, even dangerous for the faint of heart of the highest difficulty because it'll turn the Dalai Lama into a raging A-hole.
It's a nice change of pace to play with cartoon characters from your childhood and its downsides don't really take much away from the gameplay experience, especially if you're competing against your friends.
The game is free on Xbox and is around $20 on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, and $7 on Steam (currently discounted). That's a steal compared to the $60 for Mario Kart 8.
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text:
\section{Introduction}

\label{sec:intro}

Some time ago Horn and Weinstein\cite{HW84} proposed a systematic
nonperturbative technique for the calculation of ground--state expectation
values of arbitrary operators. It is based on the well--known expansions in
terms of cumulants or semi--invariants\cite{C46,K62} of quantum--mechanical
expectation values in which the exponential operator $e^{-t\hat{H}}$ takes
place. Although the theoretical results are rigorous there remains the
practical problem of summing the resulting $t$--expansion in order to obtain
the desired expectation value in the limit $t\rightarrow \infty $. They
resorted to Pad\'{e} approximants and later Stubbins\cite{S88} proposed
other ways of extrapolating the $t$--series. However, those results were not
encouraging.

Cioslowski\cite{C87a} proposed a clever extrapolating technique based
on a series of exponential functions and derived an appealing expression
that has become popular as the connected--moments expansion (CMX). Later
Knowles\cite{K87} derived a more systematic way of obtaining the CMX.

The CMX results on the H$_2$ molecule appeared quite promising; however it
seems that the promised test of the CMX on multideterminant wave functions%
\cite{C87a} has never been published. Knowles\cite{K87} showed that although
the initial terms of the CMX recover a large fraction of the correlation
energy in molecular calculations, subsequent terms converge to an incorrect
energy.

The CMX is quite appealing because it provides approximate values for the
ground--state energy of a quantum system directly in terms of a finite
number of connected moments. This may be the reason why the CMX and its
variants\cite{K87,S88,MZM94} were applied to several simple physical problems%
\cite{C87a,K87,MBM89,MPM91,C87b,C87c,C87d,C87e,FMB02,FCMMM10} in
spite of its
limitations\cite{K87,S88,MZM94,MBM89,MPM91,MZMMP94,LL93, WS99}.

In order to overcome some of the drawbacks of the CMX several
authors have proposed alternative strategies like the generalized
moment expansion (GMX) \cite{MMFB05,FMMB06,FMBC08}.
Bartashevich\cite{B08} proposed the connected--moments polynomial
approach that yields approximate eigenvalues for all states as
roots of a simple polynomial function of the energy with
coefficients that depend on the moments of the Hamiltonian
operator. This approach was later proved to be equivalent to the
Rayleigh--Ritz variational method\cite{MD33} in the Krylov
space\cite{M08,F08,F09} that we will call RRK from now on.
Numerical experiments proved that the RRK converges more smoothly
and is therefore more reliable than the CMX when both methods are
applied to the simple models so far chosen for testing the
latter\cite{F09,AF09b}.

Some time ago Fessatidis et al\cite{FMB02} applied the CMX and one
of its variants, the alternative moments expansion (AMX), to a
non--trivial problem with many physical applications: the Rabi
hamiltonian. Because they only considered low order expansions
there is no clear indication about the convergence of the moments
expansions for that important model. The purpose of this paper is
to investigate the convergence of the CMX for the Rabi Hamiltonian
numerically. Such analysis requires moments expansions of
sufficiently large order for different values of the model
parameters. We expect that the conclusions drawn for the Rabi
Hamiltonian may be of utility for future applications of the CMX
and its variants to more realistic physical problems.

The paper is organized as follows: in Section \ref{sec:Rabi} we introduce
the Rabi Hamiltonian and discuss the diagonalization of its matrix in an
appropriate basis set; in Section \ref{sec:Cumulant} we outline the $t$%
--expansion; in Section~\ref{sec:CMX} we outline the main equations of the
CMX and compare its results with those obtained by means of the RRK and the
accurate diagonalization. Finally in Section \ref{sec:comments} we draw
conclusions.

\section{The Rabi Hamiltonian: exact diagonalization}

\label{sec:Rabi}

The Rabi Hamiltonian is a model of a two level atom or spin system coupled
to a single--mode bosonic field given by the Hamiltonian operator
\[
\hat{H}=\frac{1}{2}\omega _{0}\sigma _{z}+\omega \hat{b}^{\dagger }\hat{b}%
+g\left( \sigma _{+}+\sigma _{-}\right) \left( \hat{b}^{\dagger }+\hat{b}%
\right) \ .
\]
where $\sigma _{i}$ are the well known Pauli matrices $\omega $
and $\omega _{0}$ are the physical parameters that determine the
spectrum in absence of coupling, and $g$ is the coupling between
the atom and the bosonic field. When $g=0$ the spin and bosonic
degrees of freedom decouple and the problem is exactly solvable.
For this reason it is expected that any approach yields better
results for small values of $g$. Recently Pan and
coworkers~\cite{PGWD10} have shown that the Rabi hamiltonian can
be solved almost exactly using a progressive diagonalization
scheme.

Although this model is not exactly solvable for $g\neq 0$, one can easily
obtain highly accurate numerical results by, for example, straightforward
diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix in an appropriate basis set. Since
we will need such results in our analysis of the performance of the CMX, we
proceed to describing the diagonalization procedure. The Hilbert space for
this problem is spanned by a basis set of states given by the direct product
of the spin and bosonic ones. We label them in the following way:
\[
|n\rangle =\left\{
\begin{array}{ccc}
|\downarrow \rangle \otimes |\left[ \frac{n-1}{2}\right] \rangle & , & n\ odd
\\
|\uparrow \rangle \otimes |\left[ \frac{n-1}{2}\right] \rangle & , & n\ even
\end{array}
\right. \ ,
\]
where $n=1,2,\dots $ and $\left[ a\right] $ means integer part of $a$.

The calculation of the matrix elements of the operators that are relevant
for the model is straightforward; for example:
\begin{eqnarray}
B_{nm} &\equiv &\langle n|\hat{b}|m\rangle =\left\{
\begin{array}{ccc}
\sqrt{\left[ \frac{m-1}{2}\right] } & , & \left[ \frac{n-1}{2}\right]
=\left[ \frac{m-1}{2}\right] -1 \\
0 & , & otherwise
\end{array}
\right. \ ,  \nonumber \\
\left( \Sigma _{z}\right) _{nm} &\equiv &\langle n|\hat{\sigma}_{z}|m\rangle
=\left\{
\begin{array}{ccc}
(-1)^{n} & , & n=m \\
0 & , & otherwise
\end{array}
\right. \ ,  \nonumber \\
\left( \Sigma _{+}\right) _{nm} &\equiv &\langle n|\hat{\sigma}_{+}|m\rangle
=\left\{
\begin{array}{ccc}
2 & , & m\ odd\ and\ n=m+1 \\
0 & , & otherwise
\end{array}
\right. \ ,  \label{eq:mat_el}
\end{eqnarray}
and those for $\hat{b}^{\dagger }$ and $\sigma _{-}$ are the
hermitian conjugates of the matrices for $\hat{b}$ and $\sigma
_{+}$. The matrix for the Rabi Hamiltonian follows from obvious
straightforward products of those matrices. If we restrict the
space to the first $N$ states then we obtain an $N\times N$ matrix
$\mathbf{\ H}$ that we can diagonalize numerically in order to
obtain approximate eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The calculation
is
greatly facilitated by the fact that the matrix $\mathbf{H}$ is \textsl{%
sparse}; i.e. most its matrix elements are zero. This property is quite
useful from a computational point of view because it allows one to save
computer memory. Fig.\ref{Fig_1} shows a simple graphical representation of
the matrix $\mathbf{H}$ for $N=2000$, $\omega _{0}=\omega =1$ and $g=5$. It
is worth noting that the truncation of the Hilbert space preserves the
symmetry of the problem determined by the commutation of the operators $\hat{%
H}$ and $\hat{\Pi}=e^{i\pi \hat{n}}$, where $\hat{n}=\hat{b}^{\dagger }\hat{b%
}+\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{2}\sigma _{z}$ (the corresponding matrices also
commute).

\begin{figure}[tbp]
\bigskip
\par
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=6cm]{matrixplot.eps}
\end{center}
\caption{Matrix plot of the matrix corresponding to the Rabi Hamiltonian for
$\omega_0=\omega=1$ and $g=5$, with $N=2000$.}
\label{Fig_1}
\end{figure}

Table \ref{tab1} shows the ground--state energy of the Rabi
Hamiltonian for several values of $N$ and for the same set of
parameters chosen by Bishop et al\cite{BDQV99}. Present results
are more accurate than those obtained earlier and will be a useful
benchmark for the investigation of the convergence properties of
the CMX. We have calculated the matrix $\mathbf{H}$ analytically
in terms arbitrary model parameters so that we do not have to
calculate it again each time that we decide to modify those
parameters. This strategy makes the calculation quite efficient.

We have calculated the lowest eigenvalues of the matrices by
iterative application of the conjugate gradient method (CGM) to
the numerical matrix $\mathbf{H}$. Notice that our results are
fully converged for a $1000 \times 1000$ matrix, except in the
last case considered where just the last digit is not correct.

\begin{table}[tbp]
\caption{Ground state energy of the Rabi Hamiltonian for specific values of
the parameters. $N$ is the number of states used in the exact
diagonalization. The results may be compared with the variational results of
ref.\protect\cite{BDQV99}.}
\label{tab1}%
\begin{tabular}{ccccc}
$N$ & $\omega_0$ & $\omega$ & $g$  & $E_{1}$  \\
\hline
1000 & 1 & 1 & 5 & -100.000626570374178204295743532860688625653449650 \\
1500 & 1 & 1 & 5 & -100.000626570374178204295743532860688625653449650 \\
2000 & 1 & 1 & 5 & -100.000626570374178204295743532860688625653449650 \\
ref.\cite{BDQV99} & 1 & 1 & 5 & -100.001 \\
\hline
1000 & 1 & 2 & 5 & -50.001262757900797977214814102896046471301336432 \\
1500 & 1 & 2 & 5 & -50.001262757900797977214814102896046471301336432 \\
2000 & 1 & 2 & 5 & -50.001262757900797977214814102896046471301336432 \\
ref.\cite{BDQV99} & 1 & 2 & 5 & -50.0013 \\
\hline
1000 & 2 & 1 & 5 & -100.002506281526606167493915731790865439561963879 \\
1500 & 2 & 1 & 5 & -100.002506281526606167493915731790865439561963878 \\
2000 & 2 & 1 & 5 & -100.002506281526606167493915731790865439561963878 \\
ref.\cite{BDQV99} & 2 & 1 & 5 & -100.003 \\
\end{tabular}
\bigskip\bigskip
\end{table}

\section{The cumulant or $t$--expansion}

\label{sec:Cumulant}

For concreteness, in this section we outline the main ideas behind the
so--called $t$--expansion (or cumulant expansion)\cite{HW84}. The
moment--generating function
\begin{equation}
Z(t)=\left\langle \varphi \right| e^{-t\hat{H}}\left| \varphi \right\rangle
=\sum_{j=0}^{\infty }\frac{(-t)^{j}}{j!}\mu _{j}
\end{equation}
gives us the moments $\mu _{j}=\left\langle \varphi \right| \hat{H}%
^{j}\left| \varphi \right\rangle $ of the hamiltonian operator $\hat{H}$,
where $\left| \varphi \right\rangle $ is a properly chosen trial state. The
expectation value of $\hat{H}$ in the state $e^{-t\hat{H}/2}\left| \varphi
\right\rangle $
\begin{equation}
E(t)=-\frac{Z^{\prime }(t)}{Z(t)}=\frac{\left\langle \varphi \right| \hat{H}%
e^{-t\hat{H}}\left| \varphi \right\rangle }{\left\langle \varphi \right|
e^{-t\hat{H}}\left| \varphi \right\rangle }
\end{equation}
exhibits several interesting properties: first, $E(t)\geq E_{0}$, where $%
E_{0}$ is the ground--state energy, second, $E^{\prime }(t)\leq 0$ and,
third, $\lim_{t\rightarrow \infty }E(t)=E_{0}$ provided that the overlap
between $\left| \varphi \right\rangle $ and the ground state $\left| \psi
_{0}\right\rangle $ is nonzero.

The function $E(t)$ is closely related to the cumulant function
$K(t)$ defined by $Z(t)=e^{K(t)}$.\cite{C46,K62} The formal Taylor
series of $E(t)$ about $t=0$ yields the $t$--expansion:
\begin{equation}
E(t)=\sum_{j=0}^{\infty }\frac{(-t)^{j}}{j!}I_{j+1}  \label{eq:t-exp}
\end{equation}
where the cumulant coefficients (or connected moments) $I_{j}$ can be easily
obtained from the recurrence relation
\begin{equation}
I_{j+1}=\mu _{j+1}-\sum_{i=0}^{j-1}\left(
\begin{array}{c}
j \\
i
\end{array}
\right) I_{i+1}\mu _{j-i}  \label{eq:I_j}
\end{equation}
The main advantage of the methods based on the cumulant or
connected--moments expansion is that they are size
extensive\cite{HW84,K87}.

Any practical application of this method requires a suitable
extrapolation of the $t$--expansion (\ref{eq:t-exp}) to
$t\rightarrow \infty $ in order to obtain $E_{0}$. This is not a
simple task and different extrapolation techniques may lead to
different results. As we have already mentioned before the first
application of the $t$--expansion was based on Pad\'e approximants
that provide the simplest and most straightforward strategy\cite
{HW84}. At this point we want to point out a common misconception
about the theorem of Horn and Weinstein\cite{HW84}. Many authors
state that the function (\ref{eq:t-exp}) converges for
$t\rightarrow \infty $\cite{C87a,MBM89,MPM91,SKMT97,LL93,FMMB06}
which is not the case as one can easily verify. For some complex
values of $t$ the function $Z(t)$ may vanish and therefore the
$t$--expansion converges for $t<|t_s|$ where $t_s$ is the singular
point of $E(t)$ closest to the origin in the complex $t$--plane.
This fact has already been discussed by Witte and
Shankar\cite{WS99} and one may easily convince oneself that it is
so by means of the exactly solvable two--dimensional model
discussed by Knowles\cite{K87}.

Note that the expansion in terms of exponential functions of $t$
\begin{equation}
E(t)=E_{0}+\sum_{j=1}^{\infty }A_{j}\exp (-b_{j}t),
\label{eq:exp-exp}
\end{equation}
which is the basis of the CMX\cite{C87a}, does not take into
account the singular points of $E(t)$ and therefore the matching
of the $t$--expansion is only valid for $t<|t_{s}|$. Consequently,
it is unlikely that we can successfully
extrapolate the expression (\ref{eq:exp-exp}) thus derived to the limit $%
t\rightarrow \infty $.

Regardless of which extrapolation scheme we may use, it is clear that the
application of the theorem proved by Horn and Weinstein requires the
calculation of a certain number of connected moments of the Hamiltonian. For
problems of great complexity, such as for example many--body or quantum
field theory problems, it may be quite difficult (or even impossible) to
carry out this task for sufficiently large (or even modest) orders. In such
cases one should therefore rely on the extrapolation of the expansion with a
few connected moments. It is not easy to prove the accuracy of such
extrapolations in the general case, and for this reason it is useful to
verify what happens in the case of a simple though non--trivial model, like
the Rabi Hamiltonian, where it is possible to obtain large--order moments
and sufficiently accurate numerical results. We expect that a careful
investigation of the convergence properties of the connected moments
expansions for this model will then serve as a guide for others in which one
cannot carry out calculations to such large orders.

We first outline the procedures that we follows for the
calculation of exact analytical moments of the Hamiltonian. In the
first place, we resort to an $N\times N$ matrix representation
$\mathbf{H}$ of the Hamiltonian operator,
as a function of the parameters of the model. for simplicity we assume that $%
N$ is even, i.e. that we are working in a subspace of the Hilbert space
containing at most $N/2$ bosons. If $N$ is sufficiently large (for example, $%
N=2000$) we can safely calculate the first (say $100$) moments exactly. The
effect of the space truncation does not affect the calculation because of
the band form of the matrix shown in Fig.~(\ref{Fig_1})~\footnote{%
The Rabi Hamiltonian allows transitions which involve a change in the number
of bosons by one unit and a spin flip. This means that, as long as $N$ is
chosen large enough, the moments of the Hamiltonian in $|\Psi_0\rangle$ may
be obtained exactly.}. In this approximation the moment $\mu
_{j}=\left\langle \hat{H}^{j}\right\rangle $ is simply given by the
corresponding diagonal element of $\mathbf{H}^{j}$. We have also resorted to
the coordinate representation and calculated the moments analytically in
order to verify the accuracy of the matrix approach just outlined.

In order to calculate the moments we follow Fessatidis et
al~\cite{FMB02} and choose the trial state $|\varphi \rangle
=|\downarrow \rangle \otimes |0\rangle
=|1\rangle $ to be the ground--state of the noninteracting Hamiltonian ($g=0$%
). In this way we can readily calculate the moments of the Rabi Hamiltonian
systematically and analytically by straightforward matrix--matrix and
matrix--vector multiplications (or in the alternative way indicated above).
To this end we resorted to the symbolic operations provided by available
computer algebra software like Mathematica and wrote a code that produces
the desired moments and connected moments in a reasonably short time. On the
other hand, Fessatidis et al~~\cite{FMB02} only derived the first five
moments of the Rabi Hamiltonian, a fact which considerably limited the
accuracy of their results as well as the reliability of their conclusions.

Alternatively the moments of the Rabi hamiltonian may be calculated by representing
the Hamiltonian operator as
\begin{eqnarray}
\hat{H} = \left( \begin{array}{cc}
\frac{\omega_0-\omega}{2} - \frac{1}{2} \frac{d^2}{dx^2} + \frac{\omega^2x^2}{2} &  2\sqrt{2\omega} g x\\
2\sqrt{2\omega} gx & \-\frac{\omega_0+\omega}{2} - \frac{1}{2} \frac{d^2}{dx^2} + \frac{\omega^2x^2}{2} \\
\end{array} \right)
\end{eqnarray}
and writing the trial state as
\begin{eqnarray}
\Psi_0(x) = \left( \begin{array}{c}
0 \\
\left(\frac{\omega}{\pi}\right)^{1/4} e^{-\omega x^2/2} \\
\end{array} \right) \ .
\end{eqnarray}
In this way we can obtain moments of sufficiently large order by
straightforward differentiation and integration and compare them
with those provided by the matrix--vector procedure outlined
above.

With the purpose of comparison we show the first five moments
calculated in the two ways indicated above:
\begin{eqnarray}
\mu _{1} &=&-\frac{\omega _{0}}{2}  \nonumber \\
\mu _{2} &=&\frac{\omega _{0}^{2}}{4}+4g^{2}  \nonumber \\
\mu _{3} &=&g^{2}(4\omega -2{\omega _{0}})-\frac{{\omega _{0}}^{3}}{8}
\nonumber \\
\mu _{4} &=&48g^{4}+2g^{2}\left( 2\omega ^{2}+\omega _{0}^{2}\right) +\frac{%
\omega _{0}^{4}}{16}  \nonumber \\
\mu _{5} &=&8g^{4}(20\omega -3\omega _{0})+g^{2}\left( 4\omega ^{3}+2\omega
^{2}\omega _{0}+2\omega \omega _{0}^{2}-\omega _{0}^{3}\right) -\frac{\omega
_{0}^{5}}{32}\ .  \label{eq:mu_j}
\end{eqnarray}
It is worth noting that our moment $\mu _{3}$ is different from
the one shown in Eq.~(12) of the paper by Fessatidis et
al\cite{FMB02}. We have verified that this discrepancy was not
merely a misprint so that their results and conclusions may be
incorrect. We will come back to this point later on.

Once we have the moments the calculation of the connected moments
by means of Eq.~(\ref{eq:I_j}) is straightforward. The first five
ones are
\begin{eqnarray}
I_{1} &=&-\frac{\omega _{0}}{2}  \nonumber \\
I_{2} &=&4g^{2}  \nonumber \\
I_{3} &=&4g^{2}(\omega +\omega _{0})  \nonumber \\
I_{4} &=&4g^{2}(\omega +\omega _{0})^{2}  \nonumber \\
I_{5} &=&4g^{2}\left( (\omega +\omega _{0})^{3}-16g^{2}\omega _{0}\right) \ .
\label{eq:I_j_2}
\end{eqnarray}

\begin{figure}[tbp]
\bigskip
\par
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=10cm]{fig02.eps}
\end{center}
\caption{Ratio of moments $\mu_{n}/\mu_{n-1}$
(dashed line) and of connected moments $I_{n}/I_{n-1}$ (solid line) for the Rabi Hamiltonian with $\omega
_{0}=\omega =1$ and $g=5$.}
\label{Fig_2a}
\end{figure}
Fig.~\ref{Fig_2a} shows the ratios $\mu _{n}/\mu _{n-1}$ and
$I_{n}/I_{n-1}$ for the Rabi Hamiltonian with $\omega _{0}=\omega
=1$ and $g=5$. Note that the ratio of the connected moments
exhibits an irregular oscillatory behaviour that suggests that we
may encounter difficulties in the summation of the $t$--series (in
fact, in this case the function $f(t)$ proposed by
Knowles\cite{K87} is not even close to a Stieltjes series).

\section{Connected--Moments Expansion}

\label{sec:CMX}

In order to apply the CMX to the Rabi Hamiltonian we resort to the
beautifully compact expression for the correlation energy $%
E_{corr}=E_{0}-I_{1}$ derived by Knowles:\cite{K87}
\begin{equation}
E_{corr}^{(m)}=\left(
\begin{array}{cccc}
I_{2} & I_{3} & \dots & I_{m+1}
\end{array}
\right) \ \left(
\begin{array}{cccc}
I_{3} & I_{4} & \dots & I_{m+2} \\
I_{4} & I_{5} & \dots & I_{m+3} \\
\dots & \dots & \dots & \dots \\
I_{m+2} & I_{m+3} & \dots & I_{2m+1}
\end{array}
\right) ^{-1}\ \left(
\begin{array}{c}
I_{2} \\
I_{3} \\
\dots \\
I_{m+1}
\end{array}
\right) \   \label{eq:E_corr_CMX}
\end{equation}
Knowles\cite{K87} also discussed the following alternative expression for
the correlation energy:
\begin{equation}
E_{corr}^{(m)}=-\frac{S_{21}^{2}}{S_{31}}\ \left( 1+\frac{S_{22}^{2}}{%
S_{21}^{2}S_{32}}\ \left( 1+\frac{S_{23}^{2}}{S_{22}^{2}S_{33}}\left(
1+\dots \left( 1+\frac{S_{2m}^{2}}{S_{2,m-1}^{2}S_{3m}}\right) \right)
\right) \right) \ ,  \label{eq:E_corr_2}
\end{equation}
where $S_{k1}=I_{k}$ ($k=2,3,\dots $) and $%
S_{k,i+1}=S_{ki}S_{k+2,i}-S_{k+1,i}^{2}$ developed by Cioslowski\cite{C87a}.
These two expressions are not equivalent and yield different series in
powers of the coupling constant $g$. In this paper we calculate the
correlation energy by means of Eq.~(\ref{eq:E_corr_CMX}) that appears to be
more accurate and suitable for present large--order calculations.

We have been able to obtain a sufficiently large number of moments and
connected moments of the Rabi Hamiltonian by means of the procedures
described above. The square matrix appearing in Eq.~(\ref{eq:E_corr_CMX})
may be badly conditioned and therefore its inverse may contain large
numerical errors unless its elements are known with sufficiently large
accuracy.

In this paper we have decided to compare the performance of the CMX with
that of the Rayleigh--Ritz variational method in the Krylov space (RRK). In
the latter approach we choose the nonorthogonal basis set $\left\{ \left|
\phi _{j}\right\rangle =\hat{H}^{j}\left| \varphi \right\rangle \right\}
_{j=0}^{\infty }$, where $\left| \varphi \right\rangle $ is a properly
chosen trial state. In this particular implementation of the Rayleigh--Ritz
variational method the secular equations become\cite{K87,F08,F09,AF09b}
\begin{equation}
\sum_{i=0}^{N-1}\left( \mu _{i+j+1}-W\mu _{i+j}\right)
c_{i}=0,\;j=0,1,\ldots ,N-1  \label{eq:secular}
\end{equation}
There are nontrivial solutions to the homogeneous system of linear equations
(\ref{eq:secular}) only for the $N$ values of $W=W_{0},W_{1},\ldots ,W_{N-1}$
that are roots of the secular determinant
\begin{equation}
\left| \mu _{i+j+1}-W\mu _{i+j}\right| _{i,j=0}^{N-1}=0.
\label{eq:secular_det}
\end{equation}
It is well known that the Rayleigh--Ritz approximate eigenvalues $W_{j}$
converge monotonously from above towards the actual eigenvalues $E_{j}$ of
the Hamiltonian operator $\hat{H}$. In particular, if $\left| \varphi
\right\rangle $ is not orthogonal to the ground state $\left| \psi
_{0}\right\rangle $ then $W_{0}$ approaches the ground--state energy $E_{0}$
as $N$ increases.

We have considered the same set of values of $\omega $, $\omega _{0}$ and $g$
used by Fessatidis et al.\cite{FMB02} in their application of the CMX to the
Rabi Hamiltonian. For each set of values we have obtained CMX results for $%
m\leq 49$ that requires up to $99$ connected moments. As we have
already mentioned, we do not expect to confirm the results of
Fessatidis et al\cite{FMB02}, even qualitatively, because their
approach based on only five moments is affected by an error in
$\mu _{3}$.

For concreteness we restrict the discussion to the case $\omega =\omega
_{0}=1$ and three values of $g$. The conclusions apply to the other cases as
well. In order to compare the rate of convergence of the RRK and CMX we
calculate $l_{W}=\log |W_{0}^{(n+1)}-W_{0}^{(n)}|$ where $W_{0}^{(n)}$ is
the approximate ground--state eigenvalue of the Rabi Hamiltonian calculated
with $n$ moments by means of either method.

Figures~\ref{Fig:R111} and \ref{Fig:R112} show that the RRK converges faster
and more smoothly than the CMX for $g=1$ and $g=2$, respectively. When $g=5$
the rate of convergence of the RRK is extremely slow. However, although the
CMX appears to give better results at some orders, the great oscillations of
$l_{W}$ render this method rather unreliable as shown in Fig.~\ref{Fig:R115}%
. Those figures look quite similar to plots of $\log |W_{0}^{(n)}-E_{0}|$
vs. $n$ and are therefore reasonable estimates of the rate of convergence of
the moments methods.

\section{Conclusions}

\label{sec:comments}

Some time ago the moments expansions appeared to be a promising
tool for the calculation of the ground--state energy of
quantum--mechanical problems of physical interest. However, some
judicious investigations suggested that the moments expansions are
unreliable and that in some cases they can even yield wrong
results\cite{K87}. In spite of this fact there is still some
unclear and inconclusive investigation on the convergence
properties of the moments expansions. With the purpose of adding
valuable information to that research we have tested the CMX on
the Rabi Hamiltonian that has already been treated by means of the
moments expansions\cite{FMB02}. We have calculated moments and
connected moments of much larger order than those considered
before. Our results clearly show that the CMX is unreliable
because the successive approaches to the ground--state energy
oscillate so strongly that one is never sure of the accuracy of
any particular calculation. Lee and Lo\cite{LL93} arrived at
similar conclusions for another model although by numerical
calculations of only fifth order.

We have contrasted the CMX with the RRK and showed that the latter converges
more smoothly from above towards the exact eigenvalues. It is reasonable to
compare these approaches that are based on the same kind of moments of the
Hamiltonian operator. Whereas the CMX provides an approximation to the
lowest eigenstate--eigenvalue of a given symmetry, the RRK yields all the
eigenstates--eigenvalues simultaneously because it is based on the
Rayleigh--Ritz variational method. The main advantage of the
connected--moments expansions, namely, size consistency\cite{HW84,K87}, is
not an issue in the case of simple problems like the one discussed here. In
other words: the RRK is preferable to the CMX and its variants in most (if
not all) the cases treated so far by means of the connected--moments
expansions.

In our opinion most standard approximation methods are more reliable than
the moments expansions.

\ack
P. Amore acknowledges support of Conacyt through the SNI
fellowship.

\section*{References}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
Home > News & Events > NDRI News > New NAIP research on alcohol-related ED presentations
New NAIP research on alcohol-related ED presentations
The fourteenth National Alcohol Indicators Project (NAIP) bulletin, Trends in estimated alcohol-related emergency department presentations in Australia, 2005-06 to 2011-12, has been released by the National Drug Research Institute. NAIP Bulletin 14 is the first Australian publication to document nationwide trends in alcohol-related emergency department (ED) presentations over time.
The bulletin shows estimated trends in alcohol-related ED presentations for each Australian state (except Tasmania) over a recent 7-year period. Presentation rates were higher among males than females across all jurisdictions, however the rate that Australian women presented at EDs for alcohol-related injuries increased faster than for males. Rates of teenage presentations were higher than for any of the other age groups.
The rate of alcohol-related ED presentations for women in 2011-12 was 3.41 per 1000 persons, an increase of 44% on the 2.36 per 1000 figure recorded in 2005-06.
By comparison, the rate of male alcohol-related ED presentations was 5.66 per 1000 persons in 2011-12, a 30% increase compared to 4.33/1000 in 2005-06.
The rate of alcohol-related ED presentations for girls aged 15-19 increased 63% from 2005-06 to 2011-12, from 4.6/1000 to 7.5/1000. By comparison the rate for males in the same age group rose 21%, from 10/1000 to 12.9/1000. This appears to be the highest rate of any age group.
While the high frequency of ED presentations makes the data a strong indicator of alcohol-related harm, researchers believe the figures are an under-estimation. The research focused on ED presentations with an 'injury' related primary diagnosis on a Friday night, between 10pm and 11.59pm; early Saturday morning, from midnight to 3:59am, Saturday night; between 10pm and 11.59pm; early Sunday morning, from midnight to 3:59am; and Sunday night, between 6pm and 11:59pm.
The 4-page NAIP Bulletin 14 and all previous NAIP bulletins are available on the NDRI website.
Posted on: 1 Aug 2015


text:
"Never Deceive a Duke," by Liz Carlyle
Alternate Title: Diddle Her On the Roof
The Chick: Antonia, Duchess of Warneham. The fourth (!) wife of the Duke of Warneham, he married her at bargain price because she was seriously damaged goods. Now widowed, she hopes she might be able to regain some of her independence - although that depends on the new Duke's plans.
The Rub: 2 parts Asshole Husband, 2 parts Unspeakable Tragedy, 1 splash of Guilt, 1 part Crazy, 1 drizzle of Seriously Crazy. Shake thoroughly, serve on the rocks.
Dream Casting: Sophia Myles.
The Dude: Gabriel Gareth Lloyd Ventnor - a.k.a. "Gareth Lloyd." Very distantly related to the Duke of Warneham and initially raised by his Jewish grandparents, he was intentionally thrown into horrific circumstances as the Duke's revenge for the accidental death of his heir. Despite the Duke's obsessive attempts to procreate, when he dies childless (under suspicious circumstances), Gareth unexpectedly inherits the title.
The Rub: 1 part Jewish Angst, 3 parts Sexual Abuse, 1 part Rage, splash of Abandonment. Stir.
Dream Casting: Daniel Craig.
Solicitor: Congratulations, you're a Duke!
Gareth: WHAT? How?
Solicitor: Congratulations, you're a widow!
Antonia: Oh, thank god.
Skeezy Doctor: Here, Antonia, take this medication for your craziness...(warning, side effects may include Sleep Crime)
Gareth and Antonia: *sleep-walk sex*
Gareth: Um...awkward. I feel like a heel, so why don't I try and clear your name of these nasty rumours, eh? Kemble!
Kemble, Magical Mystery Elf: *poof!* I live to serve!
Gareth: Solve the Duke's murder, immediately!
Kemble: Yes, Sir! *mystery solved!*
Gareth and Antonia: Hooray!
1 Sexually-Damaged Hero
1 Basketcase, Sleepwalking Heroine
2 Loyal Servants
1 Illegitimate, Anti-Semitic, Rapist Footman
3 Counts of Muuuuuuurder
2 Very Bad Husbands (deceased)
2 Traumatic Pasts
The Word: I have to admit, I walked into this novel with pretty low expectations. Partly because I'd just finished a Mary Balogh novel, and partly because I'm feeling a bit of romance novel exhaustion - I'm tired of the lame titles and boring covers and back-cover blurbs that don't hint at the real story but instead tell us the story the stupid marketers think stereotypical romance readers want to read. However, here's the thing about low expectations: I'm often pleasantly surprised, as I was with Never Deceive a Duke, the sequel to Never Lie to a Lady.
Gareth Lloyd, the successful part-owner of Neville Shipping, finds out by a solicitor that his distant cousin, the Duke of Warneham, has died childless, and that he, as the only living male heir, has inherited the title. However, Gareth doesn't really want the title - his past with the Warnehams was incredibly traumatic and he doesn't want to relive that by assuming responsibility of the Warneham fortune and estate.
However, he's encouraged by his friend Lord Rothewell to at least check out the estate and make sure the affairs are in order before resuming his normal life. There, he finds a scandal waiting to break forth: it turns out the not-so-dearly departed Duke died under suspicious circumstances (possible poisoning), and the name at the top of the incredibly long list of those who wished him ill is none other than his widow, Antonia.
While Antonia initially puts on a brave front, Gareth gets an inkling of her serious issues when he catches her sleepwalking on the roof in a thundering rainstorm, babbling incoherently about children and carriages. While he eventually snaps her out of it, she celebrates her return to sanity by jumping his bones in a spectacularly dramatic fashion. Gareth gives into passion and they make love in the rain.
Gareth feels terribly guilty about it the next morning. While he knows next to nothing about his cousin's fourth wife, his interactions with her convince him she's innocent of the Duke's death and his impression of her mental fragility fills him with concern over how the rampant rumours might damage her future prospects. To assuage his guilt for taking advantage of her (as he sees it), he decides to try and solve the mystery himself and end the rumours for good so that she might get on with her life. However, while solving the mystery, the two continue their physical relationship, each seeking some form of comfort in the other.
While their sexual relationship starts quickly, their romantic entanglement takes longer. Before her marriage to the Duke, Antonia endured another loveless marriage and the horrific deaths of her children, and in her subsequent grief she was judged mentally unsound and was subjected to barbaric 19th-century mental health treatments. Her period of mourning was barely over before her father packed her off to be married to the Duke (who was desperate enough for an heir to look past her mental history). Since then, she's even convinced herself that she's a basketcase and thinks that Gareth couldn't possibly want to handle her kind of baggage.
Gareth, meanwhile, thinks Antonia is out of his league, both socially and emotionally. His father came from a lower branch of the ducal family, and married a Jewish girl, to boot. When his parents died, he lived with his maternal grandparents who fostered his sense of Jewish identity, and he only later came to live with the Duke's family. However, when the Duke's son and heir died in an accident, the spiteful noble blamed Gareth and vowed this grubby Hebrew boy would never inherit - and he gave 12-year-old Gareth over to a press-gang (forced naval service) and spent the rest of his life obsessively trying to create or find an heir to take Gareth's place, just to make sure. Gareth ended up working for men who were little better than pirates and endured horrific abuse at their hands before being rescued by the Neville family and becoming a self-made man. Still, most of the locals still think of him as the jealous Jew boy who killed the Duke's son, and he doesn't want to damage Antonia's reputation by associating too closely with her.
On top of this delicious drama we have the surprisingly entertaining murder investigation, headed by Gareth's delightful assistant Kemble, who dredges up a host of juicy local secrets which add spice to an already entertaining story, including a suspicion that the deaths of the Duke's previous two wives might not have been accidents.
Part of what I found interesting about this story was that the narrative focus leaned more in Gareth's favour then in Antonia's. Almost all romances give both the hero and heroine a point of view, but usually the heroine gets the lion's share - she's the protagonist the usually-female readers are expected to identify with. This time, however, I felt I saw the majority of the story through Gareth's eyes, and wow, is he an intriguing character. Ethnically Jewish (although religiously ambivalent), the bigotry he has to endure adds an extra layer to his outsider status, and his discussion of the Jewish reverence for grief touches a chord with Antonia, a woman whose family pushed her to disregard her grief in favour of social advancement.
His sexual history also lends extra meaning to his relationship with Antonia. (I already warn about spoilers in my reviews, but to reiterate: Here Be Spoilers) As the indentured cabin boy aboard a ship of ruffians for over a year, he was repeatedly raped. He taught himself to take it, to become good at it, in order to survive, and ever since (even after escaping) has thought of himself as a bit of a whore.
Since then, in his sexual relationships (with both Antonia and Xanthia, the heroine from Never Lie to a Lady), he always suspects women sleep with him for their own comfort and pleasure, and not because they feel any particular affection for him. Don't get me wrong - Gareth does not have a ridiculous "All Women are Whores" mindset, but his traumatic experience has taught him to believe that giving sexual comfort is what he is good at, and hence, what women are looking for when they sleep with him. Although I haven't read Never Lie To A Lady, the way Gareth describes his relationship with the heroine (a very confident and strident lady, it seems), he's used to women who can sleep with him one night and walk away from him the next day.
With Antonia, he initially thinks she sleeps with him to get over her demons (and he cares for her enough that he's happy to oblige), and convinces himself her feelings for him are purely physical - to the point where later on in the book, when Antonia declares a desire to give him especial pleasure, his surprise is so evident it's heartbreaking. And romantic.
That's not to say that Antonia's not an important character. While at the beginning she is a damsel in severe distress, Liz Carlyle manages the amazingly subtle task of keeping her a downplayed, quiet, and relatively unobtrusive person throughout the novel - the difference is that in the end, she's her own downplayed, quiet, and relatively unobtrusive person, because she chooses to be this way, instead of being forced into it by her father.
That being said, there were some things that kept this from A status. I felt the ending was a bit anti-climactic, and one of the characters felt forced and arbitrary - that would be the Illegitimate, Anti-Semitic Rapist Footman. He seemed like a cipher, or a catalyst who invoked plot changes without actually being a character. We rarely see him "on screen" (so to speak), and it seems the entire purpose for his character's purely evil existence is to piss off Gareth and to show the Reader that Gareth votes OH HELL NAW on Anti-Semites and Rapists. He's even fired "off screen" a quarter of the way in only to appear again at the very end to cause a contrived crisis that finally forces our protagonists to admit their love for each other. He is the living embodiment of a Plot Device, and it irked me that a lot of the romantic plot depended on the actions of a narrative creation who was so obviously a puppet.
Otherwise, though, we have a romance seen primarily through the eyes of an unconventional male protagonist, and a very enjoyable one. It was a realistic, believable, and quite romantic story about two broken people who find their jagged edges fit together remarkably well.
B+.
Posted by AnimeJune at Sunday, December 07, 2008
Labels: B Plus Reviews, historical, Reviews, Romance
I'm not sure about the rest of the book, but the hero's sexual problems sound really interesting. I may pick this one up used.
Just bought it on eBay. :-)
Love your blog, by the way. It's one of the only blogs I regularly read.
Thank you! I love writing it - it gives me something to look forward to even after I read a BAD romance! ^_^
Kristie (J) 5:20 AM
Your reviews always crack me up!!! I adored Liz Carlyle for the firs while and then was less than impressed with her number books. Me'thinks it's time to give her another try again and hope she has the magic back that captivated me to begin with. He sounds like a very intriguing hero - and since I had such good luck with my last hero with a similar background, this might just be the one.
The book review is great, however I am reluctant to read a book where the heroine has the same name I do. Does that happen to anyone else, or am I the only one?
I'd like to read a book where the heroine has the same name I do. I haven't came across any yet, however.
I'm going to the RWA 29th Annual Conference!
"For the Love of a Pirate," by Edith Layton
"Lost in Austen" - Lost in AWESOMENESS
Corny Cliche Hatefest: Part Deux
"To Sin with a Stranger," by Kathryn Caskie
"What a Scoundrel Wants," by Carrie Lofty
"False Colours," Georgette Heyer
"Slightly Married," by Mary Balogh


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You are here: Home / News / Video: Lecture at UC Berkeley School of Information: Christian Marc Schmidt on "Designing for Knowledge: Beyond Data Visualization"
Video: Lecture at UC Berkeley School of Information: Christian Marc Schmidt on "Designing for Knowledge: Beyond Data Visualization"
Filed by Gary Price on April 2, 2016
Here's a video recording of a Dean's Lecture recorded at the UC Berkeley School of Information on March 30, 2016.
Overview and Bio From the YouTube Blurb and News and Events Page:
In this talk, Christian Marc Schmidt will focus on the changing role of design and how it is shifting from solving problems to creating knowledge. Christian will present a brief historical overview of how design has responded to technology and how it is now responding the explosion of data through the new interfaces that can help people make sense of the growing amount of information they create and consume. In the second half of the talk, Christian will concentrate on several relevant case studies of recent work by Schema, the research and design firm he founded based in Seattle, emphasizing Schema's approach to collaboration with other disciplines from science to the arts.
Christian Marc Schmidt is principal and founder of Schema, a creative design and technology studio based in Seattle. Schema focuses on the intersection of interaction design and data visualization. Clients range from corporations such as Bloomberg and Microsoft, to startups such as Actively Learn and institutions such as the University of Washington. Christian's experience spans the fields of information design, interaction design, and media installation.
Prior to founding Schema in 2012, Christian was a senior designer at Microsoft, an associate partner at Pentagram, and an interaction designer at IDEO. At Pentagram, Christian was lead designer for the One Laptop per Child interface designed for children in developing countries. His work on this project is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Christian holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York and an MFA from the Yale University School of Art. His work has received recognition from organizations such as D&AD, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the Society for Environmental Graphic Design, Communication Arts, Print Magazine, and the Industrial Designers Society of America. Among other publications Christian's writing has appeared in ARCADE Magazine, Net Works—Case Studies in Web Art and Web Design, and the Parsons Journal for Information Mapping. Christian has taught in the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at New York University, the Visual Communication Design program at the University of Washington and Cornish College of the Arts.
View More Dean's Lectures


One Mind Therapy exists to make lives better. We only have the one life, and we only have the one mind, we need to look after it. Using tried and tested techniques, along with the latest cutting-edge therapies such as CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing, combined with extensive knowledge and experience, we can help you improve and enhance your way of thinking.
No two people are the same. No two treatment plans are the same. We listen to what your situation is, the problems and challenges you are facing and recommend the right way forward to suit your needs.
Often people struggle coping, or even explaining, their problems or concerns. The mind is highly complex and we often can't understand why we think the way we do. One Mind Therapy can help you understand yourself, in order to make the changes required for a better way of thinking.


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For Sethjackson (talk | block log | uploads | logs)
Namespace: all (Main) Talk User User talk CodeBlocks CodeBlocks talk File File talk MediaWiki MediaWiki talk Template Template talk Help Help talk Category Category talk Invert selection Associated namespace
19:53, 23 August 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Roadmap for version 1.5
19:53, 23 August 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Roadmap for version 1.0  (→Version 1.0 RC 3 (Ephialtes))
02:46, 2 August 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Coding style
02:45, 2 August 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Coding style  (→Commenting)
02:44, 2 August 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Coding style  (→Spacing)
02:42, 2 August 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Developer documentation
13:26, 19 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Roadmap for version 1.0
14:44, 18 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Template:Infobox Plugin
14:36, 18 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Languages supported by Code::Blocks lexers
14:35, 18 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Languages supported by Code::Blocks lexers
23:43, 17 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Talk:Internationalization  (current)
23:42, 17 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Talk:Internationalization
23:42, 17 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Talk:Internationalization
23:40, 17 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Internationalization
02:12, 14 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Installing Code::Blocks from source on Windows
13:53, 13 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks from source on Windows
21:39, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Community Portal
16:54, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Article Writing Guidelines
16:51, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page
16:49, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Template:Community:ToDoList  (current)
16:47, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Code::Blocks Plugins
16:40, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Code::Blocks Plugins  (Rename to match thier names in Code::Blocks)
16:37, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Matching Brace  (current)
16:37, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Matching Brace
16:29, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m User documentation
16:29, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Keyboard Shortcuts  (Shortcut Keys moved to Keyboard Shortcuts)
16:29, 12 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N Shortcut Keys  (Shortcut Keys moved to Keyboard Shortcuts) (current)
15:10, 11 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Template:Community:ToDoList
13:57, 11 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Main Page
13:56, 11 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Template:Community:ToDoList
00:02, 10 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Keyboard Shortcuts
14:44, 9 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Debugger scripts
13:35, 9 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks
13:35, 9 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Article Writing Guidelines
13:32, 9 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Talk:Installing Code::Blocks  (current)
13:31, 9 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Talk:Installing Code::Blocks  (Talk:Building From Source moved to Talk:Installing Code::Blocks)
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01:28, 9 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Main Page  (GNU GDC)
01:23, 9 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Main Page  (Woops! LOL)
01:21, 9 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Main Page  (Added Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 compiler.)
15:03, 3 July 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Scripting Code::Blocks  (We already have a debugger scripts page......)
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17:23, 13 June 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N Category:Installation\Build Instructions  (current)
01:12, 10 June 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Languages supported by Code::Blocks lexers
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13:05, 7 June 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Tips'n'Tricks
13:05, 7 June 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Internationalization  (Woops forgot to categorize lol)
13:04, 7 June 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N Internationalization
02:44, 5 June 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page
22:13, 1 June 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:Contents  (current)
22:08, 30 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N Category:Code::Blocks Documentation
22:05, 30 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Languages supported by Code::Blocks lexers
18:16, 29 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks  (→Ubuntu)
18:13, 29 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks  (→Alternative method for installing a nightly build)
12:48, 29 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Talk:Main Page
12:47, 29 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page
12:45, 29 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks
12:44, 29 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks  (→Ubuntu Install Guide)
23:03, 28 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Talk:Installing Code::Blocks
22:58, 28 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Building From Source
13:37, 27 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Category talk:Installation\CBuild Instructions  (current)
13:32, 27 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Category talk:Installation\CBuild Instructions
13:31, 27 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks  (→MS Windows)
13:28, 27 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N Category talk:Installation\CBuild Instructions
13:22, 27 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:Editing  (→The wiki markup)
13:21, 27 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:Editing  (→Basic text formatting)
14:06, 21 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:Editing
13:58, 20 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:Editing  (→Sections, paragraphs, lists and lines)
13:56, 20 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:Editing  (→New section)
16:54, 12 May 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Nightly Cookbook  (The new project format is incompatible with RC2 ;))
02:46, 28 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Compiling wxWidgets 2.6.2 to develop Code::Blocks (MSW)
15:45, 20 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Nightly Cookbook
00:10, 20 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Article Writing Guidelines
00:04, 20 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Compiling wxWidgets 2.6.2 to develop Code::Blocks (MSW)  (Category goes at the top. Don't use those old categories please.)
23:47, 18 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Recommended global variables  (Wiki syntax. ;))
17:41, 16 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Template Messages
17:37, 16 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:Editing
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17:34, 16 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Keyboard Shortcuts
17:23, 16 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page
00:28, 15 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Using STLFilt with MinGW  (bye bye)
00:26, 15 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Main Page
00:25, 15 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page  (Linking this way is hackish a best. Need to fix it.....)
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00:02, 15 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Microsoft Windows-logo-alt2 32.png  (current)
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00:01, 15 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Mac-logo-alt.png  (current)
00:01, 15 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Fedora-logo 32.png  (current)
00:01, 15 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Gentoo-logo 32.png  (current)
23:51, 14 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Debugger scripts
23:46, 14 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Comparison of wxSmith features
23:36, 14 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Roadmap for version 1.5
23:32, 14 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . WxSmith plugin
16:57, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Using STLFilt with MinGW  (→Main Page)
16:53, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Using STLFilt with MinGW
16:48, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Languages supported by Code::Blocks lexers
16:46, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Roadmap
16:45, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Tips'n'Tricks
16:44, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Running under colinux
16:42, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . FAQ
16:40, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m CodeBlocks:Community Portal
16:38, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . WxSmith Tutorial & Pointers
16:30, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Template:Logo  (current)
00:44, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Unicode Standards
00:42, 13 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Unicode Standards
22:43, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Template:Community:ToDoList
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15:48, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Personalities
15:42, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Category:WxSmith  (current)
00:55, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Apple-logo 32.png  (current)
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00:54, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Cb splash.png
00:46, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Category:Code::Blocks Development  (current)
00:45, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Category:Compiler  (current)
00:45, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . MinGW installation
00:44, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Fortran support in Code::Blocks
00:44, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing a supported compiler
00:44, 12 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Integrating Microsoft Visual Toolkit 2003 with Code::Blocks IDE
21:51, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Category:Graphical Toolkits  (current)
21:50, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Creating a Plug-in which modifies CB's Menus
21:49, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Creating a simple "Hello World" plugin
21:48, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Variable expansion
21:48, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Global compiler variables
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21:46, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Adding new widget to wxSmith
21:39, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Ubuntu-logo 32.png
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21:33, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Microsoft Windows-logo 32.png
21:32, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . File:Apple-logo 32.png
21:30, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks from source on Gentoo
21:28, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks from source on Linux
21:27, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks from source on RPM based distributions
21:25, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks from source on Mac OS X
21:25, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Using SDL with Code::Blocks  (If only I could type. :P)
21:24, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Using SDL with Code::Blocks
21:24, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Setting the WX VER variable  (current)
21:23, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Using GLFW with Code::Blocks
21:22, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks from source on FreeBSD
21:11, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Nightly Cookbook
21:11, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Installing Code::Blocks
21:10, 11 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Building From Source
18:05, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Building From Source  (→Prerequisites)
17:59, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Building From Source  (Typo)
17:11, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N Building From Source
17:02, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Community Portal
16:40, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Developing for Code::Blocks  (Categorize, spacing)
16:33, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page  (Reorg the main page a little. Make it easier for newcomers.)
16:19, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m Main Page  (log in = login, and spacing)
16:18, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m CodeBlocks:Naming Guidelines  (Spacing :)) (current)
16:17, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m CodeBlocks:Community Portal  (Spacing :))
16:15, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N CodeBlocks:Article Writing Guidelines  (Started Article Writing Guidelines)
03:14, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . m CodeBlocks:Naming Guidelines
03:10, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N CodeBlocks:Naming Guidelines
03:01, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Formatting Guidelines  (current)
03:00, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:CodeBlocksWiki Handbook  (current)
02:57, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N CodeBlocks:Formatting Guidelines  (Started on formatting guidlines)
02:50, 10 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:CodeBlocksWiki Handbook
23:43, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Template Messages  (→Avaible Template Messages in the Code::Blocks Wiki)
23:32, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Template Messages
23:25, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N CodeBlocks:Template Messages
23:23, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Help:CodeBlocksWiki Handbook
23:13, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . CodeBlocks:Community Portal
23:12, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Template:Helplinks  (current)
23:09, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N Help:CodeBlocksWiki Handbook  (Started on the Handbook)
22:55, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page  (Sorry my bad Intel C++ isn't Windows only. The link for the compiler points to the Windows version......)
21:23, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page  (Intel C++ is for Windows only)
21:21, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Using STLFilt with MinGW
21:08, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N CodeBlocks:General disclaimer  (Added disclaimer) (current)
20:59, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Main Page
20:59, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . N Template:Layout box4  (current)
20:56, 9 April 2006 (diff | hist) . . (0) . . Template:Helplinks  (Added edit link)
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text:
Democracy 'under siege' across CEE, warns ex-PM
By Elliot Wilson
The economic crisis has brought back authoritarian regimes in some countries in emerging Europe, experts say
A prolonged economic downturn in the eurozone and the return of authoritarian parties in capitals from Budapest to Sofia threaten to unpick the fabric of democracy across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), experts warned.
"Parts of the democratic process are under siege," Radmila Sekerinska, president of the National Council of European Integration, told Emerging Markets at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) conference in Istanbul.
In her opinion, the region's old autocratic tendencies are returning, but in relatively subtle ways such as centralized control of key institutions like the judiciary and the media, thus weakening free speech and human rights.
"Some of the political parties have become so accustomed to being in government that there is no clear line between a [governing political] party and the state. And in some cases, the party takes over some of the duties of the state," Sekerinska said.
The most visible example of this lies in Hungary, where Premier Viktor Orban, in power since 2010, has been accused by critics of increasingly bending key institutions, from the civil service to the central bank, to his will.
Sekerinska pointed to the rising power of embedded political regimes across Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Balkans. She highlighted pressing concerns about the waning of democratic values in Bulgaria, Albania, and also in her own home country of Macedonia, where recent elections have been marred by allegations of vote tampering.
"This is a really dangerous time," Sekerinska said. "It's only a matter of time before some of these countries [fall under the control of] authoritarian regimes."
Following local elections in March in Skopje, observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe warned that "partisan media coverage and a blurring of state and party activities" failed to provide a level playing field for all parties.
Sekerinska, who was twice acting prime minister of Macedonia, points to a brace of interlinked reasons for the return of the more authoritarian state. The first is a paucity of role models: the depressed eurozone has lost much of both its allure and its authority as a result of the debt crisis.
"There is a trend out there toward more autocratic governments and this to a large extent reflects the economic crisis and a lack of dynamic economies around Europe," Carlos Primo Braga, professor of international political economy and director of the Lausanne-based Evian Group, said.
Many in troubled emerging European states, struggling for economic growth and ground down by job insecurity, opt to bow to a higher power, rather than wield their hard-won democratic rights, Sekerinska said.
"Citizens across the region are increasingly saying: 'okay, I am willing to give up my rights so long as I can get something beneficial and financial [from the state]," she said.
"It's a feeling that the government is 'looking after you'. I don't believe this is a uniform picture across the entire EBRD region but increasingly it's hard to talk about 'democracy' as picture perfect."
Recent opinion polls showed disenchantment with the European Union throughout the bloc but EIB President Werner Hoyer said this was unjustified.
"There is anger against the EU and I do not find it justified," Hoyer told Emerging Markets. "Cutting the branch on which we are all sitting would be the worst mistake you can make. I think we should explain and defend the European project more offensively."
EBRD marks out green goals and Africa expansion for next five years
Corporate bond investors 'freaking out' at ECB amid 'unhealthy' market
NCB sells AT1, market anticipates govvie deal
Aircraft lessors crowd to market after monster rally
People moves in brief: January 21, 2021


Communicate necessary information in your world to visitors by using these items. They can contain more text than signs.
Boards are Education Edition sign blocks that allow players to write and display text in their worlds. The term Boards actually refers to a collection of three different blocks: Slate, Poster, and Board. The three are distinguished primarily by their size: 1×1 (slate), 2×1 (poster), and 2×3 (board), which dictates their text capacity. Boards can be found in the Items tab.
To place a board, select it in your inventory and right click to place it in the world.
Boards can be attached to walls as well as the ground.
To edit, right click on the board and enter text into the space. The amount of text is limited by the size of the board.
Boards are permission based blocks, which means only the person who created a board can edit/destroy it by default. However, creators can unlock their board to allow other players to edit/destroy it by toggling the Lock Switch (World Builders can always edit/destroy any board).
When finished editing, you can save and close the board by pressing the "x" in the upper right corner.
Be mindful when unlocking signs! It can be a useful feature for sharing ideas, but an unlocked sign can be modified or destroyed by anyone!


The bathroom is an area of the house that is visited many times by various family members throughout the day. That is why it is important to design a bath that suits the taste of every member of your house. Therefore, it is necessary to spend a good amount of time thinking about bath design ideas. Well, one of the most important elements that would serve to define the look of the bathroom is the bathroom tile. There are many patterns, textures, designs and themes to choose when it comes to bathroom tiles. So think about the kind of mood and feel for your bathroom and choose your bathroom tiles accordingly.
The first thing to put your mind on is the bathroom tile material. You can choose between natural stone tiles, ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles and glass mosaic tiles. Natural stone tiles create a different look and texture to your bathroom and have gained in popularity in recent years. The natural stone tiles are eternal.
Then you have to decide for a single design idea. Natural colors gain popularity when it comes to choosing your tiles. These colors help the bathroom a contemporary look. You can go for different graphics or patterns in these colors. To accentuate the appearance, modern accessories and accessories have to be added to give a uniformity of style to your bathroom. However, remember that if you have a small area for the bathroom, it is best to avoid the dark or dark colors of bathroom tiles. Dark colors make the area smaller, because they tend to close in the room. Therefore, for bathrooms with limited space, it is best to use neutral and lighter shade tiles. This would ease the area and give you a sense of space.


Imagine how pretty you'll look and feel in this soft scoop neck tee printed with HENNY FAIRE Co. vintage rose design. This ultra soft shirt has a slightly scooped neckline, stretchable collar, reinforced shoulder construction and a classic, worn-in feel.
Please see the third image above for sizing information. Available in apricot or white.


text:
Broken Arrow Community Playhouse
Light It Up Campaign
Auditions/Cast Lists
Director Application
Whether you are a patron or a performer with the BACP, your health is extremely important to us. Enjoying live theatre again means that we all have a duty to responsibly change our behavior with a stronger focus on public health and safety so we can continue to stay open and producing shows.
The BACP - in compliance with Oklahoma Arts Council guidelines - has been working on strategies, which we are now implementing to minimize the risk of COVID-19. Here is an overview of how we will be operating.
The BACP will require patrons to wear masks while in the building for the foreseeable future.
The BACP's rehearsal cleaning and event cleaning regimens have been revised in line with Tulsa Health Department, CDC and other government agency guidelines.
Social distancing requirements are in place for each event. The theaters, lobby, promenade and stairwells will be managed to maintain adequate spacing and traffic flow through reduced capacity limits, signage, and separate entrance and exit routes.
AUDIENCE WALKTHROUGH
BACP audiences will enter the lobby thru the doors on the left, proceed to the box office or "will call" table to pick up tickets and enter the auditorium thru the doors near the box office. Audiences will exit the auditorium thru the doors on the opposite side of the lobby and use the doors nearest the women's restroom to exit the building.
PERFORMERS - Because we recognize that onstage and backstage areas have limited space, the BACP is placing very strong emphasis on protecting our cast and crew. Our minimum guidelines for cast and crew will involve:
All cast members will be required to be masked via face masks, shields, bandannas or scarfs during all rehearsals. Masks can be provided on request. All actors will be required to wear masks backstage when they are not performing. At this time, we do not plan to wear masks or shields during performances.
Hand sanitizer will be available in all rehearsal and performance spaces.
If a cast member is experiencing any suspected COVID symptoms, they must be immediately reported to the production stage manager assigned to the production. Those with suspected COVID cases will be recommended to stay home. The cast member will be allowed to return to rehearsal after 5 days of quarantine and no symptoms.
Before arrival Actors will be asked to prepare their hair and makeup at home. Upon arrival, they should be ready to put on their wig, and should bring only enough makeup or hair products for quick touch-ups.
ENTERING THE BACP
Any cast and crew members experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 or having had contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 (within 5 days prior to the event) will not be allowed to perform. Cast will only enter the Playhouse through the stagedoor entrance, to check in.
INSIDE THE BACP
Masks must be worn at all times, unless actors are on stage or in a rehearsal situation where it is not appropriate. Crew members will wear masks during all performances. Cast and crew members can bring and use hand sanitizer, which will also be provided by the BACP throughout backstage.
During pre-show prep, 30-minute windows may need to be scheduled for cast members to be in their assigned dressing room, get costumed and apply any wigs. Backstage areas and dressing rooms will be cleaned and sanitized each day. If individual mics are required, cast members will be assigned a personal microphone, and all mics will be sanitized after each performance.
Cast and crew members will maintain acceptable social distancing whenever possible.
Only those on the cast and crew list will be allowed backstage.
No visitors will be allowed backstage.
1800 South Main St.
Email: bacptheatre@aol.com
Due to the current pandemic, our in-office
hours are still flexible, our phone lines are answered Tuesday through Friday 9:00
AM to 2:00 PM.


Is there any perfume ingredient more enjoyable than vetiver? I mean, sure, floral notes can be great, and oriental materials are often sumptuous and exotic, but vetiver is consistently good as well as being completely distinct. As a celebration of this most important and most beautiful ingredient, I compiled a mini-guide of vetiver fragrances for my Escentual column last week. The guide takes a look at a classic, modern and contemporary example of vetiver and is an essential peek at the world of perfumery's staple ingredient. Click here to head on over to Escentual to read the guide, and don't forget to let me know about your vetiver fragrances whilst you're there!
As you may be aware, I do like a good 'guide to', and one of the luxuries bestowed to me by the wonderful people at Escentual, is that I get to not only write my guide to notes series here on the TCPB, but I also get to create a number of guides for a range of perfume genres too. So far we've taken a look at the humble Chypre, a genre of perfume that is aloof and mysterious and this week's post takes a look at another famed style of perfumery.
This week the focus is on the mysterious and exotic world of the Oriental. Much like last time, I have picked three fragrances to represent the evolution of the genre – from the classic to the modern and the contemporary. So, if you are looking for a bite-size guide to the Oriental then all you need to do is simply click on the image above to head on over to Escentual!