text:
Kuniaki II Bow Dance, 1877. (Public domain)
by David Stoner
Push Fight is an excellent modern abstract designed by Brett Picotte in 1980. Somewhere between Arimaa and Abalone, it is a game which manages to generate considerable intrigue from a very simple set of rules. In this piece we will explore some of the basic tactical patterns and strategic principles in the game.
Push Fight is played on an irregularly shaped square grid, as pictured below. Along the top and bottom edges of the board are placed siderails, which are shown as thickened lines in the diagram. Each player owns three square pieces and two circular pieces of her own colour. There is also a neutral piece, called the anchor, which can rest on the square-shaped pieces.
Diagram 1: Game board.
Setup: Initially, the board is empty. Blue (often White in physical sets) begins by placing her five pieces on the left half of the board (columns a through d) however she likes. Then, Green (often Black in physical sets) does the same with the right half of the board (columns e through h).
After the initial setup, each turn consists of the following two phases, in order:
1) Movement: Up to two times, a player may move one of their pieces. A move consists of a player selecting one of her five pieces, and sliding that piece to an orthogonally adjacent empty square any number of times. Note that movement is optional: a player can move 0, 1, or 2 pieces in any given turn.
2) Push: To end the turn, a player must execute a push with one of her three squares. Pushes can only be executed by squares and can only be done in the four cardinal directions. A push is possible if:
The immediate neighbour of the chosen square in the chosen direction is nonempty, and
The line of pieces immediately in that direction terminates either in an empty space or a space off the board, and none of the pieces in that line hold the anchor.
Once the push has been made, the player moves the anchor onto the square which executed the push.
In particular, it is not possible to make a push which would send a piece through the siderail. Diagram 2 below demonstrates legal moves and pushes. Diagram 2a shows all legal moves of the d2 square. In Diagram 2b, Blue's d3 piece could push to the left or to the right, but not up (because of the siderail) nor down (because of the anchor). The result of a rightward push is shown in Diagram 2c.
Diagram 2a: All legal moves of the d2 square.
Diagram 2b: The d3 square can push left or right, not up or down.
Diagram 2c: Result after the d3 square pushes to the right.
Goal: The first player to have one of their pieces pushed off the edge loses, and the other player is declared the winner.
A quick note on terminology: we call the squares b1, g4 the strong corners and c4, f1 the weak corners. The strategic distinction between the two will be examined later. Also, one advantage of the anchor mechanics is that it is easy to tell which side has the move in a given position. Namely, it is Blue to play if Green has the anchor, and vice versa.
Traps in Push Fight are the equivalent of mating patterns in Chess. They are arrangements of pieces which signal unavoidable doom for the opponent. This game's sole win condition is pushing an opponent's piece off the edge, so recognizing these traps (and avoiding falling into them!) is essential to playing the game well. Since circles cannot execute pushes, they are more vulnerable to being trapped. Below are pictured several common examples of circle traps.
Diagram 3a: First circle trap.
Diagram 3b: Second circle trap.
Diagram 3c: Third circle trap.
In Diagrams 3a and 3b, the marked blue circle cannot move, and a loss in the following turn is inevitable. In Diagram 3c, the blue circle can move, but none of the three available squares are safe. Note that circles can be trapped in both strong and weak corners, as well as along both the left and right edges.
Squares are more resilient, but they can also be trapped under certain conditions. In particular, squares are susceptible in the weak corners, c4 and f1. This is demonstrated below:
Diagram 4a: First square trap.
Diagram 4b: Second square trap.
Diagram 3c: Third square trap.
In all three diagrams, the marked blue square is doomed to be pushed off in the following turn. The siderail is instrumental in this setup; without it, Blue would be able to simply push downwards to get out of danger. This explains why squares can only be trapped in the weak corners.
Here are a few sample puzzles, demonstrating various kinds of game-ending traps. The solutions can be found here. All puzzles are Blue to move and win in two.
Diagram 5a: Puzzle 1.
Diagram 5b: Puzzle 2.
Diagram 5c: Puzzle 3.
Since there are normally an enormous number of possible moves per turn, it is rarely feasible to calculate more than a move or two in advance outside of correspondence play. With that in mind, we will discuss now the essential strategic principles of Push Fight.
We start with the game's opening. Openings in Push Fight are characterized by the battle for territory. As its name suggests, a player's territory describes the set of board spaces which are inaccessible to any of her opponent's pieces. Expanding one's territory grants greater piece manoeuverability and piece safety.
Since Blue has the first move, Blue also has somewhat more flexibility in the opening configuration. Green has somewhat less flexibility but does have the advantage of being able to respond to Blue's setup. Green should always place four of their five pieces along the E column in order to cede as little territory to Blue as possible.
Diagram 6a: Blue's initial placement.
Diagram 6b: Green's response.
Diagram 6c: Position after Blue's first move.
The progression above shows the typical first stages of a game. Blue's setup here is among the most flexible available (and is my personal favourite!) The usual first move, as above, is 1. c2-c3, d4-d3, b3xc3. This creates a "T"-formation out of Blue's pieces. It may seem like this move is giving up territory along the fourth row, but due to the placement of the anchor there is no good way for Green to take advantage of this. Blue often plans to follow this play up with either e3xf3, breaking into Green's territory, or c3-b3, d2-c3, b3xc3 depending on Green's play.
After the initial moves, the game enters its main phase. Here players try to protect their own pieces while targeting their opponent's. Since circles cannot push, they become very vulnerable when they are separated from all squares of their colour, especially away from the centre of the board. The diagrams below show how this can even happen early on in a game. Here, Blue overextended herself in the opening; Green takes full advantage of this and takes a circle hostage. There is nothing Blue can do to save her e1 circle.
Diagram 7a: Blue has overextended in the opening.
Diagram 7b: Green takes a circle hostage.
Because of the vulnerability of circles, a good rule of thumb is to try to position friendly squares between circles and the closest edge of the board. Squares in this position can make formidable defenders, as shown below. In Diagram 8a, Green cannot avoid losing her circle (and with it, the game) on the following turn. In Diagram 8b, however, Green is doing completely fine since the g4 square acts as an effective defender to the f4 circle.
Diagram 8a: Green's circle is in danger.
Diagram 8b: Green's circle is safe.
Finally, we touch briefly on the subject of making threats. There is an oft-repeated quote from Chess, originally by Bobby Fischer, "Patzer sees a check, Patzer gives a check." It describes the tendency of newer players to make threats blindly for no good reason. In Push Fight, too, it is not always a good idea to make a threat, as we will see.
Diagram 9a: Blue makes an ineffectual threat.
Diagram 9b: Green makes an effective counter-threat!
The diagrams above demonstrate an extreme example of this. Blue threatens Green's square, and Green responds by forming a winning trap on Blue's circle with c2-c3, b1xb2!
Diagram 10a: The "Sully Trap."
Diagram 10b: Position after e2-g3, d1-c2, c2xb2.
The above demonstrates the "Sully Trap," coined by Jesse Sullivan. It is often an option when one player leaves an unanchored square on either b2 or g3. After Green's move (e2-g3, d1-c2, c2xb2), Blue will need to spend her next two pushes escaping with the a2 square via a3-b3-c3 or a3-b3-b2. In the meantime, Green can make two pushes to capture Blue's f4 square and win the game.
This ends our short foray into Push Fight tactics and strategy. There's still quite a lot yet to be discovered about the game, and I am certainly learning new things with each play. I highly recommend fans of push-based abstracts to give this one a go.
David Stoner is an abstract game designer and enthusiast from the American Southeast. Push Fight is among his favourite modern abstracts, and he's currently working to develop better bots and opening theory for the game. David is a graduate student pursuing a PhD in mathematics at Stanford University.
In my review of Push Fight in AG18, I mentioned that there were few push games, in my experience, except Push Fight and Shōbu, which we reviewed, and Abalone and Siam. That comment elicited some response, which I have reproduced below. Many thanks to these people for their feedback! Replying to Chris Huntoon's question below, yes, the Unequal Board Spaces Game Design Competition is still a possibility. I'll let you know by AG20. ~ Ed.
Just wanted to chime in on the article "Two Pushing Games: Shōbu and Push Fight" in AG18. I found two (maybe three) examples of other push games. The first one is Oshi, by Tyler Bielman and published in 2006, where the goal is to push seven points worth of the opponent's game pieces off the board. It twists the formula a little bit by introducing differentiated pieces (three types that have a diferent number of spaces they can move, the maximum number of pieces they can push and the number of points they are worth if pushed off the board. If we consider non-combinatorial games in the mix, there is also Epigo, by Chris Gosselin and Chris Kreuter, published in 2011, where the goal is to push three of the opponents' eight pieces off the edge of the board (where the game is for 2 to 4 players). Epigo has a simultaneous action selection phase and movement programming (you select which three of your pieces and how they will move in each round) as mechanisms. I think it is also worth mentioning Arimaa, by Aamir and Omar Syed (2002), where pieces can push (and also pull) weaker pieces to the four trap squares. Although elimination is not the primary goal, which is reaching the opposite side with one of your Rabbits; elimination is a secondary goal, by eliminating all of your opponent's Rabbits, thus making it impossible for the opponent to win. I also wanted to say thank you for reviving the magazine, it's been a joy reading articles focused on abstract games. ~ Pablo Schulman
First off, let me say it is good to see you publishing. I appreciate the diverse range of games, as well as the detailed analysis.
Second, in AG18, in your article on push games, you asked readers to name other push games. Well one of my web-published games, Aries, is a push game. Though when I first conceived it, I didn't think of it as a "push" game, but rather as a "ramming" game. Which is why the pieces are called "Rams." Besides eliminating opponent's pieces by knocking them off the edge of the board, a player can also capture enemy pieces by shoving them into a friendly piece.
Third, any plans on carrying through with that "Unequal Board Spaces Game Design" competition you mentioned in AG17?
Because I have another web-published game, Andalusia, which would fit that perfectly.
Both push games and games with unequal board spaces are very rare types of games, with only a handful of each in existence. It is nice that you are giving them some attention. ~ Chris Huntoon
Concerning push games, there's Kuba variously known by other names including Traboulet. You can play on boardspace.net. Another game which looks similar is Push on BoardGameGeek, but I haven't yet acquired a copy. ~ Dave Dyer


text:
Temple Entry for Women and Dalits
by Proloy Bagchi
Trupti Desai of Bhumata Brigade was beaten up the other day simply for entering the sanctum of Mahalaxmi Temple at Kolhapur in Maharashtra in a dress that is generally used by women in Punjab. Once used only by the Punjabis, the dress is now common all over India, including remote places of the North-East and South India, presumably because it offers ease in carrying out regular activities and daily chores inside the house or outside. The sari seems to hamper women in that and is also, apparently, cumbersome. The Punjabi outfit is no less Indian than sari and yet she was assaulted in a display of the extreme orthodoxy of the locals. But, that does not seem to be the actual reason for her being roughed up. The staunch Hindus of Maharashtra have been against entry of women in the sanctums of their highly venerated places of worship. Ms. Desai has been spearheading the women's movement against this discrimination. On the basis of a judgment of Mumbai High Court, where a case had been filed in this regard, she led women into the temple of Shani Shingnapur in Ahmednagar district after the Court delivered a verdict in favour of the women. The faithful, true and steadfast Hindus did not like it one bit and had developed acute antipathy for her.
Orthodoxy has never had any rationale and even if it had any it wouldn't adapt to the changing environment. The kind of rigidity displayed by the devout Hindus in Maharashtra was utterly reprehensible, particularly, at Kolhapur where they indulged in violence and that too against a woman. The court had already ordered that the discrimination was not legally sustainable. The Shingnapur Shani temple authorities fended off the attempts by the Bhumata Brigade for a couple of days after the court ordered in favour of the petitioners but later women entered and worshipped the deity in the sanctum only under police protection. Those were a few days of tension which may continue for some time as the staunch Hindus are not likely to give in so easily. One expects civil disturbances to occur whenever women attempt to enter the sanctums.
One might mention that another instance of this kind of discrimination is being fought out in the Supreme Court of India. A case is being heard of entry in temples of women down in the South. The famous Ayappa temple of Sabarimala in Kerala has prohibited entry of women of the ages between 10 and 55. Hundreds of millions of people visit the temple trudging for miles through difficult terrain of hills, rivers and valleys of dense forests but menstruating women cannot join the pilgrimage. The reason handed out is that Lord Ayappa is a celibate (Brahmachari) and hence women are barred – an absurd argument if ever there was one. The Apex Court has decided to give the matter extensive and detailed hearing and has asked uncomfortable questions embarrassing the lawyers defending the indefensible practice. The matter, however, is yet to reach finality at the Court. What is, perhaps, ironical is that these very men wouldn't flinch from worshipping a goddess. For them, perhaps, goddesses do not menstruate.
In the meantime, the Hindu religious head of a monastery (math), Swami Swaropanand Swaraswati of Sharda Peeth, Dwarka in Gujarat, waded into the controversy. He gave an avoidable statement and said that women should not worship Shani (Saturn) as it is a cruel planet and that women will be raped in increasing numbers if they did so. A greater nonsense perhaps was never uttered by a Hindu high priest whose position as Shankaracharya is traceable back to Adi Sankara of 9th Century AD, the great reformer of Hinduism. Of late he seems to have appropriated the exclusive right to articulate views that at best are idiotic. He gave another statement in which he viewed the drought in Marathwada region of Maharashtra in another context. He said that Marathwada was undergoing an acute spell of water scarcity because people there have been worshipping Sai Baba of Shirdi – a deemed god who, according to him, is unworthy of being worshipped. He has thus made himself a subject of ridicule for millions of Hindus who have unshakeable faith in Sai Baba.
Speaking of women's movement of "temple entry" one is reminded of another such movement more than a hundred years ago. This movement was one for "temple entry" for Dalits, the erstwhile untouchables. India has had the scourge of untouchability since times immemorial and as a consequence the Dalits, the lowest in the Hindu caste hierarchy, were never considered equal to higher castes. They were not only suppressed, shunned and humiliated, they were also prevented from making use of various common facilities, for instance, the roads leading to temples or the very essential facility of a common well. These practices still continue in several parts of the country in the north and south even sixty years after independence and promulgation of the Constitution that guarantees absolute equality to each and every citizen regardless of caste and creed.
If the Dalits were prevented from making use of facilities that were vital for sustaining their lives, the question of their being allowed into the Hindu temples would naturally not arise. A simmering discontent was, therefore, pervasive all over, particularly in the southern parts of the country where orthodoxy was and still is at its worst. There it is a litany of agitations, riots and largely unsuccessful litigations in the courts since the 19th Century. However, the "temple entry" movement gathered strength in the early years of the 20th Century. Even Mahatma Gandhi lent his moral influence to the movement which, though, had little effect on a bull-headed Hindu orthodoxy.
Eventually, the erstwhile state of Travancore (Thiruvanantpuram, earlier Trivandrum of Kerala) became the epicenter of the movement, though before that the movement was active elsewhere in the region. Despite the uninterrupted agitation for almost a decade it was only in 1936 that the Maharaja of Travancore signed the historic Proclamation of Temple Entry for Dalits, thus in one fell swoop doing away with the age old injustice meted out to them. This happened more than 80 years ago but even now one hears of the discriminations against Dalits in the South where they not only are harassed in their day-to-day lives, their women are raped with impunity and they are hacked to death if they ever displayed the audacity to marry a member of the upper caste.
Divisions are inherent in the Hindu social and religious fabric. It has been like this for ages and the abominations in the system have developed deep roots. It will take years, decades, even centuries to get a level playing field for everyone in this society. Women who have won the right to worship in the inner sanctum of temples have to face up to the Hindu extreme Righ – a fringe that is a tough nut to crack. It might take some more years before they are able to visit temples without any fear or apprehensions. Shaking off their complacency, they have to be prepared for a few more fights that seem to be in offing for them.
More by : Proloy Bagchi
I do not want to comment about the write up, though the author is well respected for his mastery over diverse themes across a long span of time.I respect him.
Now the question is not entry of this or that woman into places of worship.It is about creating awareness about the dignified treatment to be extended to ladies and girls in this country.Govt alone can not do every thing. Let our society, teachers,parents, professionals come forward to create a safe environment for a lady to walk comfortably,confidently.A rash of incidents of raping and killing women of all ages is spreading like a virus. Decadence has set in in the minds and behaviour of many in the name of ideology, religion,region etc, where one can not function normally.Let sanity set in to cleanse the system.regards.
T.S.Chandra Mouli
You know, rationality has killed poetry and song this world. Did you know that the temple is one site where there is no crime?? may be it is related to certain practices in the inner sanctum. What is achieved by women entering that sanctum? Did you know that there are temples where men are not allowed? and where women are priests? this idea of equality is NOT NEEDED in a country lie ours where we always take Goddesses names before Gods. Where, Goddesses have always been more powerful than the Gods. There is such a thing as men and women's business. When we understand that we also bring poetry, and love and song into life, which is not limited, and talks in metaphors and is applicable for eons to come.
charu uppal
Thanks for a forthright article. For telling it like it is.
P. Rao

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Discussion in 'Electronic Games' started by Flygon999, May 5, 2008.
How do you connect a Gamecube to a Portable DVD Player? Just need a quick and easy answer.
I'd like the steps on how to do it. 1 by 1.
You can't. You can however hook it to a regular DVD player.


I like to make people feel good when they look at my paintings. For me, it's colour that does it every time, to make a painting resonate, you have to understand colour. Mine is very basic and I'm still learning. I was taught that colour is a language with its own psychology and vibrations and to observe the shades nature puts together when you are looking for inspiration. Nature is so powerful, it stills your centre and is very inspiring. Colour is very healing and energising.
Vanessa Cooper has been painting since her early 'teens. She studied at Portsmouth University, first exhibited her work in 1987, and has steadiliy built a reputation as a bold, imaginative artist with a deep love of colour. She works principally in oils and takes her models from nature and from family life – forests, gardens, pets, and children. There are deep veins of both sensuality and humour in her work, which enhance their vitality. She has also taught at the Art House Meath, a Centre of Artistic Excellence.
Vanessa's work has featured in national publications and she is represented by galleries country-wide.


text:
Q: How can I customize certain items inside of a navigation bar in CSS? I'm trying to make a navigation bar but I'm having a lot of trouble making changes to separate elements without changing every single item in the nav bar.
For example, if I wanted more padding/space between for only one element in the nav bar (in between the name and other elements such as projects, resume, etc), how would I achieve that? Or even if I wanted to change the text size for a single item in the nav bar (Make first name bigger than the rest).
Here is the HTML:

    First Name
    Projects
    Resume
    About

Here is the CSS:
    .navbar {
        overflow: hidden;
        background-color: white;
        position: fixed; /* Set the navbar to fixed position */
        top: 0; /* Position the navbar at the top of the page */
        width: 100%; /* Full width */
        border-bottom: 1px solid black;

    }

    .navbar a {
        float: left;
        display: block;
        color: black;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 30px 16px;
        text-decoration: none;
        font-size: 200%;
    }

A: One way is with :first-of-type or nth-of-type(1). This selects, in this case, the first anchor element inside of navbar. You can change the argument in nth-of-type to select any element in the menu.

.navbar {
  overflow: hidden;
  background-color: white;
  position: fixed;
  /* Set the navbar to fixed position */
  top: 0;
  /* Position the navbar at the top of the page */
  width: 100%;
  /* Full width */
  border-bottom: 1px solid black;
}

.navbar a {
  float: left;
  display: block;
  color: black;
  text-align: center;
  padding: 30px 10px;
  text-decoration: none;
  font-size: 100%;
}

.navbar a:nth-of-type(1) {
  padding-right: 20px;
  background: #777;
  font-size: 2em;
}

  First Name
  Projects
  Resume
  About

A: You could use :nth-child selector. Please take a look to this page: https://css-tricks.com/almanac/selectors/n/nth-child/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Erica Shields, 25, married Peter Ferreri, 29, at Stan Mansion, Chicago, in the US in March 2013. She says: "We need we wanted a red and black colour palette, but it wasn't until we saw a circus poster that we decided on our theme.
It was difficult pitching it to our families - but they soon got into the spirit after we showed them a moodboard of our vision.
We collected circus-style decor details from second-hand shops - including a stuffed elephant and a toy carousel - to put on our gift table.
My mother made the top-hate cake topper and my father created the signs, while Peter and I arranged all the flowers, including my bouquet, ourselves.
Our dessert table was filled with fairground treats including candyfloss and popcorn, with striped straws for the drinks.
We continued the circus theme across the 'ticket' invites, menus and table plans."
The circus themed was evident on the order of service. Wedding planner, www.24keventdesign.com, from £1,555.
Erica and Peter arranged all the flowers, including her beautiful bouquet, themselves.
The photographer was from www.jenellekappeweddings.com,from £1,880.


Editor of "The Lip Flapper"
I started editing in 2006, and have been an active member of AMV.org since then. Huge fan of romance AMVs, although I generally enjoy most all of the genres.
I am the coordinator behind Project Editor online contest hosted by AMV.org, and "The Disney MEP". I'm also the editor behind "The Lip Flapper" interview/review segments.
Aly & Aj Do You Believe In Magic?


text:
who really won the olympics
I've been meaning to post this for a while. I usually do this after every Olympics. Usually a country is declared the winner. Either who wins the most golds (China) or the most medals (the US). But this is really an unfair comparison. More people means more likelihood of winning. So I take the total medals won and divide by the population in millions to get a rough gauge of how efficient a country is at creating world class athletes. I've only included those countries that win at least 7 medals. Totally arbitrary. And the numbers are surprising. Here they are (you can click on the picture to get a better view):
What's unusual is that 'island' nations do very well. I wonder if it has something to do with those nations being more outdoorsy and thus athletic? The US is below average. Although if you had the information you could redo this for medals gained by where an athlete trains. In that case most the US would move up some. But it's certainly not a great showing. Surprisingly the worst of all is China. Average US is still 5 times more likely to create a medal. It's notably inefficient. Even Ethiopia (not in this chart) scores better than China. I should point out that on this chart the worst is China. The absolute worst is India. Dead last among all nations. 3 medals for 1.2 billion people. They need to get cricket added pronto.
Tony Chor said...
This is very interesting. I also wonder what this would look like if you sorted by GDP or per capita GDP. Having lots of poor people isn't necessarily a great way to get medals (of course, having a few rich people isn't great either.)
I also expect this chart will look pretty different after the Winter games; Jamaica and Cuba are less likely to do well there.
C. Fuzzbang said...
Don't give up hope. Bobsled ftw.
Iron Yuppie said...
This made me think about an interesting ceiling factor here. Watching the opening ceremonies and reading this made me wonder how the ratio of Athletes to medals would work out. Turns out it's more complicated than you would originally think.
On the high side, a country can only send three to the olympics for a given sport (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091217173812AAS5a4h) - which leads to an odd effect. If a country is particularly good at a sport, they can ONLY win 3 medals at it regardless of how good they are. As a result, they could have the top 100 people in the world at bobsled, but they only get to send 1-3.
On the other side of the coin, countries that are bad a sport, but have a lot of money (think China and the US) may still send someone for a sport, even though they are terrible - such as Biathlon (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_Olympic_events_has_the_USA_never_won_a_medal_competing_in). USA still probably sends three, but Grenada sends zero. This tilts the ratio of athletes at a game vs. medal winners in favor of those poor countries, because they just don't send people in which they don't compete.
To your direct question, I feel like to some degree the sports that the Olympics host tend to be very specific to a country geography. Norway wins Biathlon because there's a lot of terrain that looks like the Biathlon there. Kenya wins marathons because there's a lot of terrain that looks like a marathon. Some sports are truly artificial (skeleton) and in those cases, it's whether they are "national" sports, but all this babbling still doesn't explain the island effect. I don't believe the Olympic Committee is considering "palm tree climbing" or "Pina Colada drinking" - yet.


Although Dr. Regan Gage grew up in the Washington, DC, area she spent much of her childhood in Bend while visiting her grandparents and has fond memories of those times. She received her undergraduate degree in architectural engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, then received her medical degree from George Washington University in Washington, DC in 2011. Before medical school, she lived in the Galapagos Islands, working as a teacher and guide. She speaks Spanish fluently. Before joining us in Central Oregon, she completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Dr. Gage enjoys all aspects of obstetrics and gynecology with particular interests in obstetrics, contraception, holistic approaches to medical care and minimally-invasive and vaginal surgery.
In her free time, Dr. Gage enjoys reading, dancing and spending time with her husband and daughter.


text:
Q: Proof a different generalized derivative form Prove that:
$$f'(x)=\lim_{h,k\to 0^+}\frac{f(x+h)-f(x-k)}{h+k}.$$
The denominator is the issue. I thought of $u = h + k$ but that created an issue  for the limit bounds. I tried adding and subtraction $f(x)$ in the numerator but the denominator causes issues.
Only hints, please.


text:
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge
The evening before the battle, a small scouting party approached the bridge and saw only a small encampment on the north side of the bridge. They... Read more
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Is Born
Under a spreading chestnut tree, The village smithy stands; The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands; And the muscles of his... Read more
Andrew Jackson Receives The Thanks Of Congress And A Gold Medal
The war, and especially this victory, made Jackson a national hero. He received the Thanks of Congress and a gold medal by resolution of February... Read more
Trinitarios Declare the Independence of the Dominican Republic from Haiti
In 1838 Juan Pablo Duarte founded a secret society called La Trinitaria, which sought the complete independence of Santo Domingo without any... Read more
Mathew Brady Photographs Abraham Lincoln Before His Pre-Presidential Speech
Mathew Brady photographed presidential aspirant Abraham Lincoln before his February 27, 1860 speech at Cooper Union in New York. Harper's Weekly... Read more
Reichstag Fire Decree
The Reichstag Fire Decree is the common name of the Order of the Reich's President for the Protection of People and State issued by German... Read more
7th Academy Awards
The 7th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1934, were held on February 27, 1935 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They... Read more
Ernest Hemingway Reports On The Spanish Civil War
In March 1937 Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the Spanish Civil War for the North American Newspaper Alliance. The civil war caused a marital... Read more
Feb 27 1938 to Mar 3 1938
Los Angeles Flood of 1938
The 1938 flood event resulted in the deaths of 115 people. It destroyed 5,601 homes and damaged 1,500 homes making them uninhabitable. For many... Read more
The 1940 Academy Award Winners Picture: Rebecca Actor: James Stewart (The Philadelphia Story) Actress: Ginger Rogers (Kitty Foyle) Supporting... Read more
Battle of the Java Sea
The Battle of the Java Sea was a major naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Allied navies suffered a disastrous defeat at the hand... Read more
The Twenty-second Amendment is ratified
AMENDMENT XXII Passed by Congress March 21, 1947. Ratified February 27, 1951. Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the... Read more
"Le Boucher" Is Released
The Butcher (French: Le Boucher) is a 1970 French drama / thriller film written and directed by Claude Chabrol. Read more
FDA Approves Sandoz's Restoril
Restoril is a sleeping aid used in the short-term treatment of insomnia, a condition in which patients have difficulty falling asleep or staying... Read more
Anthrax hires Joey Belladonna
Joey Belladonna was the lead singer of Anthrax from 1984 to 1992, and was considered part of the classic-lineup (featuring himself, Dan Spitz,... Read more
FDA Approves Teva's Toposar
Treating lung cancer and testicular tumors in patients who have not responded to other treatment. It is used in combination with other cancer... Read more
Bad Religion releases The Gray Race
The Gray Race is the ninth full-length album of the punk rock band Bad Religion, which was released in 1996. It was the follow-up to the band's... Read more
Deep Purple release Purpendicular
urpendicular is the fifteenth studio album by English rock band, Deep Purple. Released in 1996, it is their first album with Steve Morse, guitarist... Read more
Street Fighter Alpha 2 is Released in the Japanese Arcade
Street Fighter Alpha 2, known as Street Fighter Zero 2 (ストリートファイターZERO 2, Sutorīto Faitā Zero 2) in Japan, Asia, South America and Spain, is a 1996... Read more
"The Lost Episodes" by Frank Zappa Is Released
The Lost Episodes is an album by Frank Zappa which compiles previously unreleased material and was posthumously released in 1996. Much of the... Read more
Wayne Gretzky is Traded to the St. Louis Blues
On February 27, 1996, Gretzky joined the St. Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and two draft picks. He... Read more
Opeth releases Blackwater Park
Blackwater Park is the fifth studio album by Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth. The album was released in February 27, 2001 on Music for... Read more
SuperFerry 14 Bombing
The 2004 SuperFerry 14 bombing on February 27, 2004, was an Islamic terrorist attack that resulted in the sinking of the ferry SuperFerry 14 and... Read more
The 77th Academy Awards honored the best films of 2004 and were held on February 27, 2005, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. They were... Read more
Taken released
Taken is a 2008 French action thriller film starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace. It is based on a script by Luc Besson and Robert... Read more


text:
Implications of Narrowing the Scope of Sovereign Immunity Imposed by the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act ("JASTA" or "Act") was passed by Congress on 28
September 2016 and according to Act, was implemented to permit persons and entities injured as a
result of terrorist attacks committed in the United States ("US") to pursue civil claims against
foreign countries. President Obama had earlier vetoed the Act which, for the first time in his
administration, Congress has overridden.
Before the implementation of JASTA, it was not permissible for a US national to pursue civil claims
of this nature against a foreign state on the basis of sovereign immunity. JASTA amends the
federal judicial code (the "United States Code") in order to narrow the scope of foreign sovereign
immunity from the jurisdiction of US courts. The resulting effect of JASTA may open the gate for
US nationals to seek compensation from foreign states for injuries sustained as a result of acts of
international terrorism where a foreign state or any of its officials, employees or agents has also
engaged in a tortious act or acts in connection therewith.
As JASTA legislation pertains to civil actions "arising out of an injury to a person, property or
business on or after September 11, 2001" 1, it is widely recognised that JASTA was implemented as a result of the 9/11 terrorist acts committed in the US. Although the Saudi Arabian government
strenuously denies ever having supported the terrorists of 9/11, it is expected that Saudi Arabia
will be affected by the Act, given that fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 terrorists were Saudi Arabian
nationals.
What is the Purpose of JASTA?
As mentioned above, JASTA seeks to allow all persons and entities injured as a result of terrorist
activities the recourse to civil claims against those responsible for inflicting injuries to such
persons or entities.
Specifically, JASTA's stated purpose is to provide civil litigants with the "broadest possible
basis … to seek relief against persons, entities and foreign countries … that have provided
material support or resources, directly or indirectly, to foreign organisations or persons that
engage in terrorist activities against the [US]."2
In enacting JASTA, Congress found, among other things, that "persons, entities or countries that
knowingly or recklessly contribute material support or resources, directly or indirectly, to
persons or organisations that pose a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten
the security of nationals of the United States or the national security, foreign policy, or economy
of the United States, necessarily direct their conduct at the United States, and should reasonably anticipate being
brought to court in the United States to answer for such activities" (emphasis added)3.
What is the Scope of JASTA?
The concept of sovereign immunity prevents a state from having a civil action being brought against
it (by individuals and states), subject to certain exceptions, without its consent. JASTA,
however, has narrowed the scope of sovereign immunity with respect to acts of international
terrorism by asserting as follows:
"… a foreign state shall not be immune from the jurisdiction of the courts of the [US] in any case
… for physical injury to person or property or death occurring in the [US] and caused by
(1) an act of international terrorism in the [US]; and
(2) a tortious act or acts of the foreign states, or of any official, employee, or agent of
that foreign state while acting within the scope of his or her office, employment or agency,
regardless where the tortious act or acts of the foreign state occurred."4
The resulting impact of the provisions in (1) and (2) above means that if an act of international
terrorism occurs on US soil (by a national of a foreign state) irrespective of whether the person
acting on behalf of the foreign state is outside of the US, the sovereign immunity previously
applicable to that foreign state may no longer apply. Put simply, a civil litigant may pursue a
civil action in the US courts against the foreign state.
JASTA makes clear that reference to "international terrorism" has the same definition as in the
United States Code, meaning violent acts that are dangerous to human life and are a violation of
the criminal laws of the US or any State, and that would constitute a criminal violation if
committed in the US. Further, the terrorist act must be intended to intimidate or coerce civilians,
influence government policy, or affect a government's conduct by mass destruction, assassination or
kidnapping and occurs primarily outside of the US.5
The Act further clarifies that a foreign state will still retain its sovereign immunity if an
omission or a tortious act "constitutes mere negligence"6. Therefore, any omission or tortious
act committed by a foreign state or an official, employee or agent of such foreign state must constitute more than negligence in order for the foreign state to lose its immunity protection under JASTA.
Aiding and Abetting
In addition to lifting the doctrine of sovereign immunity, JASTA also provides secondary liability,
asserting that "… any person who aids and abets by knowingly providing substantial assistance, or
who conspires with the person who committed such an act of international terrorism."7 This
secondary liability is only applicable however to international terrorism that is planned or
authorised by an organisation that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organisation as
provided by the Immigration and Nationality Act. A foreign terrorist organisation is categorised
as a foreign organisation that "… engages in terrorist activity or terrorism (… or retains the capability and intent to engage in terrorist activity or terrorism); and … the organisation
threatens the security of US nationals or the national security of the US."8 Contrary to the above section regarding sovereign immunity, "person" for purposes of this Section of JASTA is broadly defined and includes natural persons.
When did JASTA come into effect?
The amendments made to the United States Code by JASTA are applicable to any civil action pending on, or commenced on or after, the date of enactment of JASTA; and arising out of an injury to a person, property, or business on or after 11 September, 2001.
Stay of Actions Pending State Negotiations
Notwithstanding its narrowing effects on sovereign immunity, JASTA does permit the US Attorney
General to intervene in any action in which a foreign state is subject to the jurisdiction of a US
court for the purpose of seeking a stay of the civil action. The court may stay a proceeding
against a foreign state if US Secretary of State "certifies that the United States is engaged in
good faith discussions with the foreign state defendant concerning the resolution of the claims
against the foreign state, or any other parties as to whom a stay of claims is sought."9 A
stay brought under JASTA may be granted for no longer than 180 days; however the Attorney General may petition the court for an extension of the stay for additional 180-day periods, provided that a recertification is given by the US Secretary of State as to the state of negotiations with the
foreign state.
Potential Implications of JASTA
Proponents of JASTA argue that it is justified on the basis that governments should be able to be
held accountable where their people commit acts of international terrorism and the government
committed a tortious act or acts in connection with such acts.
Critics of JASTA, including President Obama's administration and the Central Intelligence Agency
("CIA"), argue that JASTA will have severe implications for the national security of the United
States, so much so, that CIA Director John O. Brennan has recently stated that "any legislation
that affects sovereign immunity should take into account the associated risks to our national
security."10 This viewpoint is based on the fact that sovereign immunity is a reciprocal
arrangement, with the concern being that it could make the US exposed to similar litigation in
foreign courts that could affect US officials working overseas if other states impose retaliatory
legislation. In addition, critics also argue that JASTA could significantly weaken the relationship
the US has with other states, such as Saudi Arabia which, as mentioned above, is one foreign state
that could largely be impacted by JASTA.
Despite being passed by Congress with 97 – 1 in favour in the Senate and 348 – 77 in favour in the
House, following the severe criticism of the Act, there has been speculation that legislators may
seek to revisit and modify JASTA after the US Presidential elections in November 2016. However, it is not yet clear to what extent legislators shall seek to modify the Act, or indeed whether the
narrowing in scope of sovereign immunity shall be amended.
1 S.2040 - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, 114th Congress (2015-2016), §7.
2 S.2040 - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, 114th Congress (2015-2016), §2(b).
3 S.2040 - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, 114th Congress (2015-2016), §2(a)(6).
4 S.2040 - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, 114th Congress (2015-2016), §3 to be codified
at 28 U.S.C. §1605B.
5 18 U.S.C. §2331.
at 18 U.S.C. §2333.
8 8 U.S.C. §1189.
9 S.2040 - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, 114th Congress (2015-2016), §5(c)(1).
10 Statement from Director Brennan on JASTA, available at: https://www.cia.gov/news-information/press-releases-statements/2016-press-releases-statements/statement-from-director-brennan-on-justice-against-sponsors-of-terrorism-act.html
Posted by Curtis at 10:30 AM
Dispute Avoidance Processes in Oman - Friend or Foe
The costs associated with construction litigation are often disproportionate to the quantum in dispute due to their complex and technical nature, and the proliferation of associated documentation. Arbitration costs (often promoted as a less expensive and more expedient process as compared to the court process) often rival the costs associated with a court-adjudicated process. Rarely does either party exit a litigious process unscathed. A more collaborative philosophy of contracting and dispute resolution may be helpful in this region to effectively resolve construction disputes early on, particularly if the relationship of the parties is ongoing and one that requires preservation. Dispute review boards ("DRBs") and dispute adjudication boards ("DABs") are two dispute adjudication processes that have been effective in other jurisdictions at reducing the time and costs associated with resolving construction disputes.
What are DRBs and DABs?
DABs are designed to provide decisions in relation to matters arising between contracting parties throughout a project, and the parties are generally bound by these decisions if provided for by contract. However, where non-binding recommendations are provided, and the DAB acts in an advisory capacity, the DAB would generally be referred to as a DRB. DRBs have the dual purpose of assisting the parties to avoid disputes and also resolving disputes, ensuring, as far as possible, that disputes do not escalate to a more adversarial and hostile forum. DRBs and DABs are implemented at the outset of a project, rather than at the time of the dispute such as with an arbitration process. The DRB has intimate knowledge of the project at all stages, attends site and meetings every few months and produces reports on an ongoing basis to the parties. The board in each case is generally comprised of an engineer selected by each party and a third engineer, generally with dispute resolution and contractual interpretation experience selected by agreement of each party's engineer.
DABs and DRBs have gained popularity in many jurisdictions over the years. DABs are provided for in each of the FIDIC Red, Yellow, Silver and Gold Books and the International Chamber of Commerce ("ICC") has released its own dispute board procedure in October 2014. However, despite the significant success of dispute boards elsewhere in the world, neither DABs nor DRBs are popular in Oman.
Forms of dispute resolution in Oman have, to date, been primarily restricted to mediation and, more often, arbitration. This, in part, is due to the prevalent use of the Oman Government Standard Form Construction Contracts that are based on a modified form of the standard forms of contract issued by FIDIC. As standard, in the Oman Government Standard Form Construction Contract, provisions relating to resolution of disputes via arbitration are retained, and the clauses relating to DRBs/DABs are omitted. It is normally not possible to amend these Standard Form Contracts.
Dispute adjudication processes
Currently, courts in Oman and across the Middle East are reluctant to enforce DAB or DRB decisions, particularly where an arbitration clause is also in the contract or at all. Arbitrators are likewise reluctant, or without jurisdiction, to enforce the decisions of a dispute board without hearing the issues in dispute afresh. Additionally, during a DRB or DAB process, matters are not discussed on a "without prejudice" basis and information disclosed can be used if the matter proceeds to an arbitration or court- adjudicated process. The absence of recognition of "without prejudice" negotiations is a major reason methods of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation or dispute boards are not used in the region. Further, a contractually agreed confidentiality agreement does not afford reliable protection. The Oman courts may allow any evidence to be presented which sheds light on the matters before it. Further, and most importantly, dispute board decisions are not likely to be enforced by the courts in Oman.
Other jurisdictions have introduced a statutory framework to support the implementation of effective alternative dispute resolution methods, rather than simply a contractually agreed framework. Such frameworks were introduced in the UK in 1996, followed by Australia in 1999, New Zealand in 2002 and Singapore in 2004 and have enabled alternative dispute resolution (particularly DABs and DRBs) to be a legitimate and enforceable means to resolve construction disputes.
It is advisable to seek legal advice before considering whether to contractually implement a dispute board to resolve contractual disputes at any stage of the dispute process. There are considerable merits in that high-quality opinions from a DRB or DAB may provide the deep understanding and rational compass for construction projects necessary to keep litigation at bay. However, the lack of enforceability of dispute board decisions continues to greatly detract from their usefulness in Oman. If a statutory framework is developed in Oman such that dispute board decisions can be enforced, DRBs and DABs may become an attractive alternative to arbitration.
Oman's New Engineering Consultancy Law
The May edition of the Client Alert contained a comprehensive discussion on the procedural formalities that must be met in order to establish an Engineering Consultancy firm under the new Engineering Consultancy Law, entitled "Issuing the Law Regulating the Work of Engineering Consultancy Offices" ("Engineering Consultancy Law") (Royal Decree 27/2016). The primary focus of this article is to identify key features that have been introduced by the legislature in the new Engineering Consultancy Law.
Engineering consultants play a vital role in administering large-scale infrastructure projects. Broadly speaking, the engineering consultant is responsible for providing both technical and administrative support needed to ensure that a construction project runs smoothly.
The scope of an engineering consultant's responsibilities may be classified into two distinct categories, namely as a project's administrative manager and as a project's technical expert:
a) Administrative manager: In its capacity as administrative manager, the engineering consultant's responsibility may include administering the tendering process, managing contractors and sub- contractors on behalf of a project owner, as well as reviewing and approving contractor's variation requests. In some instances, engineering consultants may also be tasked with reviewing any potential disputes that arise between contracting parties.
b) Technical expert: Engineering consultants are often called upon to provide technical, engineering and/or quantum expertise on a specific project. In this regard, the scope of an engineering consultant's responsibilities may include conducting and interpreting feasibility studies, such as soil and/or rock investigation, producing the detailed project design, and resolving any potential design related issues that may arise.
In light of the number of large-scale construction projects in Oman, engineering consultants, perhaps unbeknownst, play a pivotal role in the Sultanate's long-term economic and infrastructural development plans. It is in this context that the Omani legislature considered it necessary to appraise and, ultimately, to modernize the Engineering Consultancy Law in Oman.
The new Engineering Consultancy Law – Royal Decree 27/2016
Until very recently, the primary legislation which regulated Engineering Consultancy profession was the Engineering Consultancy Law of 1994, promulgated by Royal Decree 120/1994 ("Previous Law"). However, on 22 May 2016, the Omani legislature issued a new, and more comprehensive, Engineering Consultancy Law, under Royal Decree 27/2016. The Engineering Consultancy Law replaces the Previous Law, and thus provides a new and comprehensive framework to regulate the engineering consultancy profession.
The Engineering Consultancy Law in many ways resembles the Previous Law. However, there are many new and noteworthy features in the new law, some of which we discuss below:
Credentials necessary to register an Engineering Consultancy Office
Significantly, Article 7 of the Engineering Consultancy Law has raised an applicant's credentials required to establish an engineering consultancy office.
The legislature now draws an important distinction between an "Engineering Office" and an "Engineering 'Consultancy' Office" under the aforesaid Article 7. In order to qualify to open an Engineering Consultancy Office, an applicant must first have a registered Engineering Office. The applicant must also meet one of the following criteria: (i) gained a minimum of five years of specialized work experience after having obtained a BSC (Bachelors); (ii) gained three years of specialized work experience after having obtained an MSC (Masters); or (iii) gained two years of specialized work experience after having obtained a PhD in the same area of specialization.
However, as mentioned above, an applicant for an Engineering Consultancy Office must first have an established Engineering Office. In order to establish an Engineering Office, Article 7 provides that the applicant must have either: (i) obtained at minimum three years of specialized work experience after having obtained a BSC (Bachelors); or (ii) gained one year of specialized work experience after having obtained a PhD in the same area of specialization.
The qualifications set out above are more stringent than what was provided under the Previous Law. Under Article 3(c) of the Previous Law, an applicant only needed to have either: (i) gained five years of specialized work experience; (ii) gained three years of specialized work experience after having obtained a BSC (Bachelors); or (iii) obtained a PhD in order to open an Engineering Consultancy Office.
Chapter 3 – "Working Engineer"
The Engineering Consultancy Law has introduced new provisions intended to elevate professional engineering standards under Chapter 3, Working Engineer. For example, Article 17 restricts the right to sign off on key documents, including schemes, graphics, designs, specifications, project report samples, and supervision bonds, to only the licensee, and to engineers who: (i) are registered as authorized signatories with the MOCI; (ii) have met the requirements to obtain the professional degree from the authority; and (iii) work exclusively for the specific office.
Chapter 5 – Violations Committee
Chapter 5 of the new Engineering Consultancy Law has introduced a formalized Violations
Committee, to be chaired by the undersecretary of the MOCI. Once formed, the Violations Committee will be comprised of four experienced engineers, with two of the four serving as representatives of the Omani Engineer's Association, each for a five-year term.
The Violations Committee is to serve as a quasi-adjudicatory board, to consider any complaints and/or potential violations of the Engineering Consultancy Law. The Violations Committee will be authorized to levy one of the following penalties: to issue warnings, to suspend a licence up to one year, or to cancel a licence altogether. Any adverse decisions issued by the Violations Committee may be appealed to the Minister within 60 days from the date of the Violations Committee's decision.
Chapter 6 – Penalties
Perhaps most notably, Article 29 of Chapter 6, Penalties, introduces criminal culpability for acts of "gross negligence," or for having failed to "take necessary precaution which jeopardized the safety of the people or the properties or the environment" by an engineering consultant. The Previous Law does expressly provide for criminal culpability for any violations of its provisions.
It is reasonable to assume that the legislature has included criminal penalties for gross misconduct, as perpetuation of its firm commitment to protecting those who may be unnecessarily placed in harm's way due to any compromised or unsafe civil structures.
Extending the Period of Arbitral Proceedings in Oman
Arbitration is one of the most popular types of alternative dispute resolution methods used by parties to resolve a dispute, both in the private and public sectors in Oman. An often-cited reason for selecting arbitration is to reach a final resolution of a dispute in a timely, inexpensive and less formal manner.
Under the Omani Arbitration Law issued by Royal Decree 47/1997 (as amended), Article 4 defines "Arbitration" as the arbitration agreed upon by both parties to the dispute at their own free will, irrespective of whether the body that would be attending to the arbitration proceedings, in accordance with the agreement between the parties, is an organization, a permanent arbitration centre, or otherwise.
To ensure that disputes are resolved expeditiously, the Omani Arbitration Law (Sultani Decree
47/1997) sets time limits within which an award must be issued.
Per Article 45 of the Omani Arbitration Law, the arbitral tribunal shall have to pass a final award in respect of a dispute within the time period agreed upon by the parties. Article 45 further says that if the parties fail to agree on the timeframe for adjudicating the dispute, then the award shall be required to be passed within 12 months from the date of commencement of the arbitration proceedings.
Once an arbitrator is appointed, for the purposes of these timeframes, the commencement date of the arbitration proceedings can either be a date agreed between the parties in an arbitration agreement, or a date determined by the arbitral tribunal (in which case it will often be the date of service of notice of arbitration by one party to the other party).
Period of extension under Oman Arbitration Law
If the dispute is not settled by the arbitral tribunal within the initial timeframe described above, Article 45 of the Omani Arbitration Law allows the arbitral tribunal to extend the period of the arbitration proceedings for a further period of six months from the date that the initial arbitration period expired. The arbitral tribunal's decision for an extension of a further period of six months must be in writing.
However, parties to a dispute must keep in mind that any further extension of the period for arbitration proceedings beyond the above-referred six months requires consent of the parties as per Article 45 of the Omani Arbitration Law.
Article 45 (2) of the Omani Arbitration Law says that if the arbitration award has not been passed within the period specified above, either party to the arbitration may request the President of the Commercial Court to pass orders prescribing an additional period or have the arbitration proceedings brought to an end. In such a case, either party may file their claims before the competent court.
If the arbitration award is not issued within the initial timeframe plus the six-month extension period, the parties should send written notice to the Arbitrator requesting a further extension of the arbitration period proceedings. This must occur before the initial arbitration period plus the six-month extension period expires. In this way, the parties can avoid the premature closure of the proceedings, or an application to the courts.
In summary, the most important points to note are:
clearly record the date of commencement of the arbitration proceedings in writing at the start of the arbitration; and
both parties should communicate their consent for an extension beyond the initial arbitration period plus the six-month extension period before expiration of the extension period to the arbitral tribunal.
Implications of Narrowing the Scope of Sovereign I...


text:
enquiries@anatune.co.uk
Search for and download brochures, application notes, presentations and posters.
Search here for recent application notes from Anatune and our partners.
We organise our own events and attend many others.
We love to talk with our customers face-to-face so, if you are attending an event, let us know and we can arrange to meet.
Lunch & Learn seminars are provided free by Anatune and consist of one-hour sessions, conducted by experienced analytical chemists, covering topics that are relevant to the work you do.
Download copies of recent presentations given by the Anatune team.
Here you can download copies of recent posters presented by the Anatune team and our partners.
Water & Environmental Analysis
Bioscience & Biotech
Forensics & Toxicology
Who we are, what we do and what we believe is important.
We recognise that data quality, analytical flexibility and effective support should be our primary concern and Anatune is dedicated to delivering these benefits to analysts in the UK and Ireland.
Our first priority is to maintain a great team spirit and we only employ people with great attitudes.
We believe in continual learning and personal development. We train our staff well.
Find out more about them here.
Our role is to bring the World's best analytical technologies to laboratories in the UK and Ireland.
We do this in partnership with some great companies.
We do our best work and achieve the very best outcomes when collaborating with our customers.
We have built strong, long-term relationships with customers resulting in repeat business and an unbeatable reputation for reliability and trust.
Here's what they say about us...
While it's certainly not our primary motivation, peer recognition is important to us. See our latest and greatest achievements here.
Technical Overview Feedback Form
Automating Liquid-Liquid Extractions Using a Bench...
Automating Liquid-Liquid Extractions Using a Bench-top Workstation
Liquid-liquid extractions have long been performed manually and are used to extract and concentrate analytes from aqueous matrices. Inclusion of liquid-liquid extraction in many official methods attests to the wide acceptance of the technique. Following solvent extraction it is also common to include an evaporation and reconstitution step to improve detection limits or exchange solvents for compatibility with subsequent chromatographic separations.
Application Note Downloads
Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA. seven × seven =
Sign up to e-apps Get relevant app notes sent directly to your inbox
Copyright © Anatune Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Anatune is a trademark of Anatune Ltd.
Registered in England No. 3116801. Registered Office: Unit 3, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge, CB3 0NA
Web Design by Chameleon


My current research focus is in the area of gender and globalization. I work on three levels, normative, methodological, and epistemological. At the normative level, I continue to publish articles exploring how global institutions and policies interact with local practices to create gendered cycles of vulnerability which generate various structural injustices. At the methodological level, I have recently participated in an international research project to develop a gender-sensitive standard for measuring poverty across the world. The resulting poverty metric (the Individual Deprivation Measure or IDM) is now undergoing further development at the Australian National University: http://individualdeprivationmeasure.org/data/IDM_REPORT.pdf At the epistemological level, I am working with a co-author to figure out how moral claims may be justified in non-ideal or real-world circumstances of cultural diversity and social inequality. .
Provides a survey of recent approaches to political philosophy: liberalism (Rawls, Dworkin); libertarianism (Nozick); communitarianism (Sandel, Macintyre); feminism (Jaggar). Topics and readings vary with the instructor. Recommended prerequisite: 12 hours of philosophy course work. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Same as PHIL 5200.
See current departmental announcements for specific content. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Recommended prerequisite: 12 hours philosophy course work.
Presents representative positions in normative ethics and metaethics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.
Provides a survey of recent approaches to political philosophy: liberalism (Rawls, Dworkin); libertarianism (Nozick); communitarianism (Sandel, Macintyre); feminism (Jaggar). Topics and readings vary with the instructor. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Same as PHIL 4200.
Provides an advanced interdisciplinary course organized around a specific topic, problem, or issue relating to gender and sexuality. Course work includes discussion, reading and written projects. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours for different topics. Recommended prerequisite: WGST 2000 or WGST 2600. Same as WGST 5000.
Provides an advanced interdisciplinary course organized around a specific topic, problem, or issue relating to gender and sexuality. Course work includes discussion, reading and written projects. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours for different topics. Same as WGST 4000.
Explores feminist methodology across a range of disciplines. Themes include experience and interpretation, the social position of the researcher, language and argument structure, knowledge and power, bias and objectivity, and the ethics and politics of research. Meets the requirements for the WGST certificate.


text:
Glasgow City Council installs Sentinel's vehicle safety systems
Vehicle safety specialist Sentinel Systems has installed its 360-degree cameras on 12 Glasgow City Council food waste recycling vehicles.
The local authority's waste vehicles operate in the centre of Glasgow and the surrounding suburbs, where reversing can at times be challenging.
As well as the camera systems, which feature inbuilt DVR systems, Sentinel Systems also fitted reversing radar systems.
Emil Laiolo, from Glasgow City Council, said: "We were looking for a safety system that could easily be installed on to our vehicles, while improving the safety of the city's more vulnerable residents such as cyclists or the elderly.
"We already have a number of vehicle safety systems installed on our vehicles, and in this instance our contractor advised Sentinel's products were the best option for our recycling vehicles to benefit both the council and the public."
He added: "Our drivers use the systems to help when manoeuvring in the city, which can be a challenge when the roads are busy and the vehicles are moving around in smaller spaces."
The system comprises Sentinel's side-scanning sensors and cameras, which are installed along the near-side and front-step of the vehicle.
Author: Fleet News Fleet News
fleetnews.co.uk
1 Clarks Vehicle Conversions launches VW Crafter welfare vehicle
2 Zego plans European expansion
3 New vans and trucks qualify for super-deduction, says HMRC


NEW YORK – September 24, 2018 – In the United States, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death. Emergency departments (EDs) frequently encounter suicidal patients, or those at risk of suicide, and play an important role in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention for this population. To help address this rising cause of death, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) announce plans to jointly develop a mental health and suicide prevention national awards program. The program's goal is to improve care by highlighting existing innovative suicide prevention solutions. Further, the two organizations are developing an online-based suicide risk assessment and treatment tool to better guide the delivery of emergency suicide prevention services. Upon completion, the tool will be made freely available to emergency departments nationwide.
"There is a role for everyone to play in suicide prevention. By partnering with the ACEP we will be able to reach people at risk for suicide. With the online tool and awards program, AFSP and ACEP will be able to scale up best practices and identify new approaches to suicide prevention in EDs across the nation. Through our chapter network, AFSP has the ability to reach hospitals and urgent care centers and employ approaches for identifying and treating suicide that will save lives," said Christine Moutier, MD, AFSP chief medical officer. The organizations' innovative partnership highlights a key focus of AFSP's Project 2025, which aims to reduce the annual suicide rate by 20 percent by 2025.
Local EDs will be able to submit applications to the award program highlighting their current use of innovative approaches to suicide prevention. These applications will be reviewed by a selection committee. The award winner will be featured and will work with ACEP and AFSP to share their program with EDs around the country.
AFSP's Project 2025 is focused on four critical areas where evidence points to saving the most lives in the shortest amount of time, one of which is emergency departments. By focusing on EDs, AFSP believes more than 1,100 lives can be saved by 2025. Launched in October 2015, Project 2025 is a high-impact, collaborative initiative developed by AFSP, aimed at achieving the organization's bold goal of reducing the annual suicide rate 20 percent by 2025. Using a dynamic systems model approach based on what the evidence tells us about suicide, AFSP has determined a series of actions and critical areas to help us reach our goal. With this approach we reach across all demographic and sociological groups to have the greatest impact for suicide prevention and the potential to save thousands of lives within the next 10 years. If we work collectively to expand the above interventions in key areas (Firearms, Emergency Departments, Healthcare Systems, and the Corrections System) – cumulatively, we can expect to save nearly 20,000 lives through 2025.


text:
JAMES GRABOWSKI
James Grabowski, a native of New Britain, Connecticut, received his bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University in 1966 and, after serving as the University Art Department's first graduate assistant, he earned his MFA there in 1968. After graduating Central, he taught art for several years and soon began accepting commissions of his painting and collages. For the last twenty years he has devoted himself exclusively to his art. He creates in his studio in Marlborough, Connecticut, where he lives with his wife and daughter.
In recent years Mr. Grabowski has received commissions for his abstract paintings from more than one hundred national and international corporations. His work has also been sought by non-profit organizations. In each of his large and dynamic paintings Mr. Grabowski seeks to reflect the values of his clients, to interpret their aspirations, and to enhance their working environments.
Although known primarily as a painter of expansive abstract canvases, filled with bold color and motion, Mr. Grabowski's recent work also includes impressionistic landscape paintings that are quieter, often inspired by the Connecticut countryside and around his home.
Mr. Grabowski's work can be found in many private and corporate collections both within the United States and around the world.


Sales and marketing training may not seem like the best way to go, especially if you have two separate departments. However, it is essential that the marketing team know what the salespeople do and vice-versa. When your marketing department knows the goals and methods that salespeople have, as well as the setbacks they face, they can improve the bottom line. Marketers focus on maximizing profits and sales. They have a particular strategy and understand the customer, which means they are an asset.
Salespeople have particular strategies and traits that they use to close deals. Salespeople hear things from the customers who may also provide feedback. Therefore, marketers can use that data to create engaging promotional materials that speak to what the customer wants or needs.
Many times, marketers don't directly work with customers, so they don't get that information from them. If your salespeople communicate more effectively to the marketing team, they can both work together to determine what customers want to know, what they've suggested and more.
Salespeople have also mastered communication with customers, so they can also help marketers with campaign language that customers frequently use or that works to make them buy something.
When you cross-train or take sales and marketing training together, your marketers can help your salespeople, as well. Marketing experts know more about your target audience. They know they're reaching out to a particular group of people. If your salespeople target the wrong group, the best sales pitch in the world won't help.
When both groups cross-train both teams work together, and the campaigns can reach more people who already want them. Sometimes, marketers start working on a new campaign months in advance. If they work with the salespeople and learn what products are selling and why, then they can create better marketing campaigns.


The thing is…I got some batts from Abby. The mail guy brought them on Saturday. Plenty of them. I'm down to 8 batts. So here are pictures of what I have left because I don;t want to tease you with things you can't have.
I have two of theses called Magnolia Fiber is 20% Targhee, 15% Merino, 30% Silk, 30% Cashmere. Lovely. If you are interested they are aobut 1 ounce each and the price is $15 each.
I have 6 of these Lilac Tweed (I think) Fiber content is 40% Targhee, 30% Cashmere, 30% Silk. These are also 1 ounce and $15 each.
Now I know what you are thinking and NO I didn't save any for myself cause there was Beth Bait in the box.
Alrighty, you must save one of the lilac tweeds for me. So pretty. Thanks for sharing, Beth. Your kindergarten teacher would be proud!
Would you add one each to my pile? I'm going to come next week—I promise. I want to spin these yummy batts!
Beth's batt bait in the box?? Beauty.
I'm just proud of you for not eating the whole pile. I would have.


text:
Q: server returns empty json when requesting from python session I am making a REST call to a network device using python session to apply a config change. When the config apply fails, call to CheckApplyTable should give me the cause of apply failure.
When making a direct call to the device, I get a JSON response like below
 {
    "CheckApplyTable":[{
    "Index": 1,
    "StringVal": "Error: Apply not done.  ERROR TEXT"
    }]
 }

When making the same request using python, I get below response:
{
'CheckApplyTable': []
}

The CheckApplyTable key value is returned as empty list instead of the expected result.
Below is an excerpt from my code
header = {'Accept': 'text/html, application/json', 'Accept-Encoding': 'gzip, deflate, br'}
apply_url = 'https://' + server + '/config?action=apply'
apply_success_url = 'https://' + server + '/config/CheckApplyTable'
with requests.Session() as session:
   session.auth = auth
   session.verify = False
   session.headers = header
   session.post(apply_url)
   check_apply = session.get(apply_success_url)
   jcheck_apply = check_apply.json()
   print(jcheck_apply)

Please help me figure out what am I missing.

A: Figured out my own problem. The problem was timing. When I send the apply call, the error was not yet generated. I had to put in a while loop to check the status of apply. If the apply state is in progress, keep checking its status. If the apply state is failed, then make the CheckApplyTable call.


The Rudolphsplatz is bordering the river Lahn and appears as a traffic knot between Marburg and Weidenhausen on the left bank. The urban, densely built surroundings of this open area are in big contrast to the mainly green and wide river banks up- and downstream. The main strategy of the proposal is to reinforce the strong urbanity of the site and to requalify the river banks.
New public services, a city library and an social support centre, are located in two new buildings along the river. These buildings clearly frame the entrance towards the city centre and define a pedestrian area along the water that is protected from traffic and noise. The rotation principle of the gable roofs offer a multiple front facade to each of them and allows integration in the historic context as well as active interaction with the surrounding open areas.
The right river bank in this central area is developed as a sequens of three different and characteristic segments. A lively, urban square with a new pedestrian bridge and wide stairs towards the water in the south. A leafy river level surface with a summer bar to the north. A green slope under the shade of willows in the central part.


Thank you to those who have filled out the Frisco Kids survey! The responses are SOOO helpful in planning this site.
If you haven't filled it out, please take 2 minutes and respond! It's only 7 questions and it's really easy. And it will make the site more customized to what you want. Did I mention it's really short? It's completely anonymous.


text:
THE NONSENSE OF NPP!
By Auxtyn Attah-Brako
LISTEN JAN 19, 2011
Article by; Austin Brako-Powers (University of Ghana, Legon) +233 242 62 81 64
In our dreams we wonder if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) – a party which ruled Ghana for a whooping eight years ever learned any lesson from their rule.
This is a party that ruined the fortune of our country; sold it to the West for a mere pottage; turned our country into a begging state; and left the poor to their faith.
These have been the features of the eight year rule of John Agyekum Kuffuor.
I don't know what the NPP think they are but I feel they are making "stupid" out of themselves. To show excessive hunger for power just three years out of it is purely madness.
What is wrong with Mills disagreeing with the charlatans in ECOWAS on Cote D'Ivoire crisis?
Why didn't Kuffuor asked for military action against Zimbabwe when he was the AU Chairman?
We have seen the make up of the NPP. This is a party made up of self-centered individuals from the Flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo to the Party Chairman, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey.
The respect reserved for these individuals is fast dissipating on them.
They are simply petty. They simply don't respect the dignity of the sovereignty of a nation.
I don't think the NPP do not understand the Ivorian crisis, I think they don't know it. The issue is that, they don't get it. If they do, they will not descending into the gallows of pettiness and arrogance they find themselves.
I know Ghana to be a decent, respectful, and affable country. Nkrumah bequeathed to us the need to respect a country's sovereignty.
Mills is right on this issue. I believe as a sovereign nation like Cote D'Ivoire what we can do in this crisis is to help call for a re-run of the election and not to back the failed bodies like ECOWAS and the AU.
If the West will not respect themselves to destroy the sovereignty and the state capacity of Cote D'Ivoire we wish them well but they should know this; Ghana will not be with them. We are independent and we respect the independent of another's.
NPP, Jake Obetsebi, Sir John and Akufo-Addo should grow because Ghana is maturing.
Auxtyn Attah-Brako, © 2011
The author has 84 publications published on Modern Ghana.Column: AuxtynAttahBrako
Vote for a Party with a comprehensive educational policy
Free SHS is Possible but is the funding Reliable?
Student Activists or Student Acting Visits?
Some Monies should be deducted from POTAG members Salaries
Our Governments must be committed to women issues - nugs calls


Participants in a recent Kindness Club painting project were, back row, left to right: Caroline Hurft, Kiersten Hepting, Allison Mathews, Kara Mathews, Holly McNelly, Nuria Williams, Cailyn Johnson, Aesah Culley. Front row, Caroline Hurft, London Best, Adriana Dorsey.
The Kindness Club at Magothy River Middle School unveiled its latest project March 19. Working in collaboration with Holly McNelly, a senior at Severna Park High School, the group worked to design, decorate, and repaint the bathroom that the girls use at lunch time, with positive affirmations painted on the doors.
The project received funding from The Olivia Constants Foundation, who provided a $500 grant to purchase the needed supplies.
Holly is a girl scout with Troop #4608 who earned her gold award with this project. It was a "three-month collaboration with the Kindness Club, which is an after-school student club led by guidance department chair Kiersten Hepting.
The club works to provide the school and community with messages of kindness. This year, they sent "kindness grams" to the teachers at Severn River Middle School and Arnold elementary. They are currently making blankets to donate to the homeless.
Hepting said they would like to continue the painting project with other bathrooms in the school. When Holly was deciding what her Gold Award project would be, she knew she wanted to combine her love of art with an anti-bullying theme, and this project provided a perfect venue.
The Constants Foundation was established in 2011 by Olivia's parents, Steve and Dorothy Constants, after their daughter passed in a sailing accident. Its mission is to partner with "programs, that reflect the spirit of Olivia," and has has three main focuses – scholarships, grants and volunteer work.
Photos featured in "Around Broadneck," a column about the people, places and events on the Broadneck peninsula, including Annapolis, Arnold and St. Claire.
Starter: A cup of traditional potato and leek soup, tomato whiskey soup, or a small Caesar salad or garden salad.
Main Course: Chicken pot pie, fish and chips, medieval beef stew, shepherd's pie, homestead turkey platter, or vegetarian boxty (potato pancake).
Dessert: Bailey's espresso chocolate mousse or traditional bread pudding.
Cost: $25, plus tax and 18 percent gratuity per person; Beverages extra. $10 of each meal will go to the Arnold Senior Activity Center. Call 410-975-2678 for reservations.
Maureen Thomas can be reached at aroundbroadneck@gmail.com.


text:
Review: Soul Hackers 2 (Sony PlayStation 5)
Atlus/JRPG/Reviews/Sony PlayStation 5
Soul Hackers 2 is a throwback to the glory days of Shin Megami Tensei. There was a point where Atlus' premier property focused on ideas rather than sheer style, and some real classics came out of that approach. SMT 3: Nocturne and the Digital Devil Saga duo were my favourites…
Soul Hackers 2 looks like it'll be worth selling yours for
Atlus/News/trailer
Atlus is pushing full steam ahead on the hype train for the upcoming Soul Hackers 2 (to launch on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC – but no Switch – on August 26 worldwide). It has released a nine-minute video that will "teach you how to be a Devil Summoner." Basically, it…
Review: 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (Nintendo Switch)
Atlus/Nintendo Switch/Reviews
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim did to me what all good science fiction does – it made me, just for a little bit, question my perception of reality. Vanillaware's latest title deviates from its gorgeous 2D fantasy brawlers to deliver a visual-novel-RTS hybrid that's heavily focused on character interaction. The strategy…
Review: Shin Megami Tensei V (Nintendo Switch)
Atlus/JRPG/Nintendo Switch/Reviews/Shin Megami Tensei/Switch Review
Review by Matt S. I'll be upfront about this: Reviewing Shin Megami Tensei V is going to be a pain because all the good stuff that is really worth talking about falls firmly within spoiler territory. The think piece that I will inevitably write six months from now, when I…
Review: Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster (Nintendo Switch)
Atlus/JRPG/Nintendo Switch/Reviews/Sega/Shin Megami Tensei III/Switch Review
Review by Matt S. It would be so easy to look at Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, view its unrelenting darkness, its crushing, claustrophobic difficulty, and the heavy use of religious aesthetics and iconography, and just assume that all of that is in the service of a kind of primitive…
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD: Why I love this dark masterpiece
Atlus/JRPG/Nintendo Switch/Preview/Previews/Sega/Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD/Video/Video review
Video by Matt S. Shin Megami Tensei III is a dark masterpiece. Originally released on the PlayStation 2, this cel-shaded apocalypse-themed, hardcore JRPG was brutally challenging and also deeply intelligent, with one of the best soundtracks, art styles, and narratives of the genre. And now it's back, and coming to…
Going hands-on with Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster
Atlus/JRPG/Nintendo Switch/Preview/Previews/Remaster/Sega/Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD
Preview by Matt S. A remaster was always going to be kind to Shin Megami Tensei III. Way back when it was originally released on the PlayStation 2, it wasn't notable for being overly "realistic" or "detailed" in its aesthetic. Rather, it was this highly stylised thing, with a slick,…
Review: Persona 5 Strikers (Nintendo Switch)
Atlus/JRPG/Koei Tecmo/Nintendo Switch/Persona 5/Persona 5 Strikers/Reviews/Switch Review
Review by Matt S. The defining quality of any of the titles in the Persona series is the characters. The turn-based combat is engaging enough, as is the dungeon crawling, but it's the cast, their relationships, and the dramas – both hilarious and tragic – that really draws the player…
Persona 5, heroism, and Edogawa Ranpo – it's all topsy-turvy
Atlus/Edogawa Ranpo/Game Theory/JRPG/Opinion/Persona/Persona 5/Sega
Game Theory by Matt S. With Persona 5 Strikers just around the corner (and review embargo lifting in a few days), I figured I'd publish this piece that explains some of the underlying thinking that has gone into the Persona 5 mini-series. Let me know your thoughts! Persona 5 is…
Persona 5 Strikers: Why I love this game
Atlus/JRPG/Koei Tecmo/Musou/Nintendo Switch/Persona 5/Persona 5 Strikers/Preview/Previews/Video/Video review/Warriors
Video by Matt S. Persona 5 Strikers is right around the corner now, and we've had the opportunity to get hands-on with the game. It. Is. Amazing. Right off the bat the game is the most brilliant mix of both Warriors and Persona and shows just how far Koei is…


text:
Gurugram Returner Program
Region selectorIN
Macquarie appoints Charles Yonts as Head of Asian ESG Research
Hong Kong, 20 January 2020
Macquarie Group ("Macquarie") today announced the appointment of Charles Yonts as Head of Asian ESG Research.
Mr. Yonts has over 15 years of experience in equity capital markets and corporate finance.
Prior to Macquarie, Mr Yonts was the head of ESG research at CLSA, building a platform to drive ESG integration. He also developed thematic research on topics including palm oil, forensic accounting, climate change and labour standards.
Mr Yonts has been covering greater China cleantech at CLSA as a stock analyst since 2005 and was awarded top earnings estimator for Asian Utilities from Starmine in both 2018 and 2019.
Mr. Yonts is based in Hong Kong and reports to Jake Lynch, Head of Research, Asia, who said: "We are pleased to have Yonts spearhead our Asian ESG products, his appointment will further enhance our capabilities and expertise to offer deep insights to clients with the growing demand for ESG research."


text:
Q: VSCode Problems Tab: How to subscribe to onclick event on one specific problem I am developing a VSCode extension (a graphical modeler, not text based).  On validate some errors/problems can show up in the VSCode problems tab. (Diagnostics Collection).  How can I intercept a click event on a specific problem listed in the problems tab?  I need to highlight the related object in my custom modeler.  It seems there is only a standard built-in behavior in VSCode to scroll to a text-line. I can't find an API to subscribe to click events on problems in the VSCode problems tab.
Scenario:

*

*We have a graphical custom editor for BPM as VSCode extension running in a Webview (A non text-based editor: See screenshot)

*There is a validator and several problems can be show up in VS Code problems tab (As a diagnostic collection).

*When user clicks on specific problem (e.g. the 3rd message) How can we now the user clicked on the 3rd problem in the list of problems? We want to use that user-event to show some (problem text or solution) in the graphical modeler.  So we can't make use of the VSCode built-in features for text based languages.

Screenshot VSCode Graphical Custom Editor


Fdny Certificate Of Fitness F Certificate Of Fitness S95 Practice Test Amazing Google Certification is one of the many collections of pictures about document, paper, letter. you will get a lot of information about in here. We not only provide information about only, you will get a lot more references for document that you need. Don't forget to keep visit Mvblog.org to get the latest information about the document, paper, letter, template and more. Fdny Certificate Of Fitness F Certificate Of Fitness S95 Practice Test Amazing Google Certification was posted in September 28, 2018 at 5:25 pm. Fdny Certificate Of Fitness F Certificate Of Fitness S95 Practice Test Amazing Google Certification has viewed by 48 users. Click it and download the Fdny Certificate Of Fitness F Certificate Of Fitness S95 Practice Test Amazing Google Certification.


Bill Gates doesn't like the One Laptop Per Child project, which he says is too small, too fiddly, and missing the point.
Bill Gates got it right: the $100 portable is not the right tool for the job. He risks being seen as petulant: last year Microsoft was reportedly being "very friendly" towards the project until it got snubbed when Linux was chosen over Windows CE. Also, there's no lack of irony in his criticism of a portable platform in the same breath as he praises Origami. Nevertheless, his conclusion is sound.
We have previously expressed reservations about the project for three reasons: it uses advanced technology of uncertain robustness in places inimical to support, it requires infrastructures both technical and commercial that do not necessarily exist, and it does not seem to have been designed in conjunction with the people who'll use it.
To that we can now add worries that the screen and dynamo technology may not work in the first place, that the project is distracting focus and resources from other more appropriate efforts, and that there seems to be no clear idea how to organise the many disparate efforts necessary to start a developer community ("we could use some ideas… in regard to rollout and community building" says the OLPC Wiki, forlornly).
All of us, from Bill Gates down to Bob Gresham (deputy assistant sales manager at the Bognor Regis PC World) have a pressing imperative to help the developing world, and the enthusiastic response from all quarters for the project shows that attractive ideas push at an open door. But what seems like a good idea in the technological utopia of MIT is not blessed by the mere happenstance of its birth, nor because it fits with our experience of privilege.
Laptops are revolutionising our lives because they nestle comfortably in a cradle of reliable power and ubiquitous communications. What we see as personal technology is in reality part of an enormous machine, a machine that's absent for most of the world's poor. You can't package that in a $100 box. If Bill Gates and $100 laptop progenitor Nick Negroponte were to look at the places without light and listen to those without a voice, a laptop per child would not be first on the list. That can come later: one power socket per village and one megabit per community are much surer foundations for building a future.


FLASHBACK: MONEY MAGNET (right, Dane Dawkins) capturing last year's renewal of the Eileen Cliggott Memorial Trophy.
Despite topweight 126lb, Richard Azan's MONEY MAGNET is the horse to beat in this afternoon's Eileen Cliggott Memorial at six and a half furlongs, facing four rivals, including Anthony Nunes' duo of HOUDINI'S MAGIC and EXHILARATE.
In terms of distance, six and a half furlongs suits MONEY MAGNET better than any of her rivals. Before winning out of the straight on January 19, her previous victory was in October's Saint Cecelia Trophy at six and a half, clocking 1:18.0 with 126lb among open allowance company, her prep race for December's Diamond Mile.
Azan made the five-year-old mare skip November's Caribbean Sprint and pointed her to the December 1 Diamond Mile in which she finished fourth, six lengths behind WILL IN CHARGE, after disputing the lead and was third up to a furlong out behind WILL IN CHARGE and CHACE THE GREAT, carrying 118lb.
A winner at five furlongs straight in the Reggae Trophy on January 19, beating sprint champion CHACE THE GREAT by a length, MONEY MAGNET returns 15lb heavier, the first time she will ever carry topweight in grade one, where she has been constantly hounded by either SHE'S A MANEATER or CHACE THE GREAT.
With neither grade one star in the event, MONEY MAGNET gets a race that she can dominate despite giving away weight all around.
HOUDINI'S MAGIC and PERFECT NEIGHBOUR will both find the trip on the sharp side whereas EXHILARATE, who ran on Wednesday, has skipped a class to contest a distance at which she barely scraped home two classes lower on Boxing Day.
Azan smartly has PEKING CRUZ in the event, despite him nearly being brought down by NUCLEAR FLIGHT on Wednesday, no doubt as a rabbit to keep EXHILARATE busy, foiling what appears to be Nunes' plan to have his speedster set up the race for HOUDINI'S MAGIC.
Barbadian Simon Husbands has tons of experience and will know exactly how to use MONEY MAGNET's pace down the backstretch. He is a powerhouse rider and will be hard to deny in a last-furlong battle.


Does any one have xp drivers for the Aureal Vortex 2 sound card, im having a lot of hardware probs in xp, and i cant find this driver anywhere i got 1 for 2000 that woudnt work on xp.
Do you perchance have a VIA chipset for your motherboard as this is the one of the things that causes problems with the aureal vortex 2 (i am using one and it works fine but i have an intel chipset) - aureal sold up a while ago - i think nvidia bought them.
Under sound devices you should have audio codecs, the aureal vortex 8830 (WDM), aureal vortex game port two legacy devices, video codecs and a media control - if these arent all there then it may be that sound did not even install properly so reinstall xp over the top.


The Express underground belt is the third tier of Underground belts. It has a maximum underground length of 8 tiles—2 more than a Fast underground belt and 4 more than a basic underground belt. The speed of the Express underground belt is the same speed as the Express transport belt, which is three times as fast as a basic Transport belt or underground belt.
Express underground belts have a maximum distance of 8 squares.
Express underground belts require lubricant to match the express belts and express splitters.


text:
John Caron named associate dean of JHU's Advanced Academic Programs
/ Published Dec 6, 2016
John Caron has been named associate dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Advanced Academic Programs, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Image caption: John Caron
Caron comes to Johns Hopkins from Northeastern University in Boston, where for the past six years he has been the senior associate dean of academic and faculty affairs for the College of Professional Studies. He earned his doctorate of education from the University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include strategic management in higher education and international education.
"I am excited to join the AAP at this thrilling moment in time," Caron said. "Mission and quality are important to me. At the same time, working closely with faculty to develop innovative programs that leverage Johns Hopkins' commitment to excellence excites me. What impressed me most are the people who make up AAP. I am looking forward to joining a great team, building a strong sense of community, and leading AAP to new levels of distinction."
During his time at Northeastern, Caron worked collaboratively with faculty to expand the outreach of academic programs; develop and launch multiple new programs each year; expand the ranks of full-time faculty from 20 to 80; and develop a robust professional development program for full- and part-time faculty. Caron also served as the interim chair for the Department of Education in the Graduate School of Education at Northeastern.
Before his time at Northeastern, Caron worked at Brown University as associate dean of the School of Professional Studies. He has also worked at Bennington College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and the University of Connecticut at Storrs. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses and has chaired dissertation committees.
Caron's appointment will follow the retirement of Kathleen Burke—the current associate dean—at the end of 2016.
"With his broad experience in higher education and professional studies, John is uniquely qualified to build on the notable work that Kathleen has done and to take our Advanced Academic Programs to their next level of excellence," says Beverly Wendland, dean of the Krieger School. "I am grateful to Kathleen for the experience, innovation, and strategic growth she has brought to the AAP, and I am confident that John will continue that path of distinction."
Advanced Academic Programs has offered graduate degrees geared for working adults for more than 24 years, and it offers part-time and full-time degree and certificate programs in disciplines such as applied economics, biotechnology, communication, environmental studies, film, and government. In addition to offering flexible classes and online programs, AAP offers in-person classes in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Montgomery County.
Tagged advanced academic programs