organization, objectives, rules and administrative functions.
1. To provide adult softball to individuals 45 years (in 2016) or older with emphasis on a program that offers fun, sportsmanship and physical fitness to those involved.
3. To provide a sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie throughout the league.
4. To enhance parity among all teams through the league Executive Committee, in order to contribute to the pleasure and excitement of play.
through rules, officiating, equipment, and the spirit of play.
the quality and pleasure of play.
eligible for play in this league. 45 year olds can play on Thursday.
2. Proof of age: Maryland State Drivers' License and, upon request of the Committee, a valid birth certificate or other official document.
3. Players desiring to play in sanctioned Senior tournaments for those 50 years and older must have a valid Senior World Series Identification Card. See the league tournament director for ID Card forms and procedures for obtaining this card.
4. The majority of the league's players will be Harford County residents. Some participants may reside outside of the county; the number of such players shall be determined by the Executive Committee. Individuals who played in prior years are automatically approved for play this year, regardless of their residency.
1. The registration fee for league players is $80.00 for both Tuesday and Thursday.
Non-playing coaches and managers are not subject to the fee.
2. A $10.00 late fee will be assessed to all players who sign up after the official online registration deadline. Conversely, players who do not sign up online and submit a hard copy registration form instead, will be assessed an additonal $10 handling fee resulting in a $90 registration fee.
3. All players must be officially registered through the Joppatowne Recreation Council before taking the field.
1. There will be a maximum of sixteen (16) ball players to a team.
2. Team rosters will be submitted to the league secretary one week prior to the start of the current season.
3. The manager of each team will exchange a "line up" card showing every player who shows up for that individual game.
1. Games will be played on Fields 12, 13 and 14 at Magnolia Middle School located on Fort Hoyle Road, Joppa, Maryland.
2. Games [double headers], May through July, will be played to seven (7) innings, unless terminated sooner by the umpire, or in the event of a tie score. In event of a tie score, the game will continue until a winner is decided or, if in the opinion of the umpire it would be unsafe to continue play due to darkness or field conditions. In such an event, the official score will revert to the last complete inning. The same procedure applies in abbreviated games called by the umpire. The exception to the above will be the month of April, which will include one single game played for nine  innings.
3. Games will begin at 6:00 each game day. Forfeit time will be 6:15 PM. Every attempt will be made to play the game, including the use of players from another team. First attempt will be for the team short a player(s) to obtain an extra player from a team other than its opponent. If that is not possible, the opposing team can provide a player.
4. If a game is canceled or postponed due to weather conditions, a message to this effect will be left on the league's "Rain and Heat Number" and on the website. It is the responsibility of each player to call this number or check the website to see if a scheduled game will be played. See schedule for each league.
1. One umpire will be assigned to each game, except for the championship game, where two umpires will be assigned.
2. If the umpire does not show up for a scheduled game, one representative from each team will be used. One will call "balls and strikes", while the second will call the bases. After 4½ innings, they will switch positions.
3. Umpires will be paid $30.00 per game.
4. Umpires will be responsible for ending a game before seven (7) innings, in the event of inclement weather, darkness or an incident determined by him that warrants stopping the game.
A. Oversees all functions of the League.
B. Presides at all meetings, if possible.
C. Calls meetings to order at appointed time.
D. Announces the business according to the agenda.
E. States all motions and puts to vote, etc.
A. Assumes duties of the President in his absence.
B. Receives notification of game cancellations and game scheduling.
teams and umpires of such cancellation.
A. Keeps records of minutes for all meetings.
B. Maintains an up-to-date list of League members.
C. Records members present at each meeting.
A. Collects and deposits all money.
B. Pays League bills and gives financial reports at League meetings.
B. Provides weekly league game scores to the Aegis Sports Director for publication.
C. Is responsible for the initiation of media releases when applicable.
D. Is responsible for design and content management of the League website.
A. Has all governing power of the League.
B. Consists of the League President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Advisors .
C. Approves or disapproves League expenditures, registration fees, etc.
for approval at League meetings.
1. Alcoholic beverages and/or controlled dangerous substances are prohibited on Harford County property.
2. Any player in possession of alcoholic beverages or controlled dangerous substances will automatically be suspended. The player's status for continued participation in league play will be determined by the Executive Committee.
3. Smoking on the school grounds is also prohibited. The league has received a letter from the Department of Parks and Recreation which orders compliance with Title 13A.02.04 of the State Board of Education Code of Maryland Regulations. In essence, it declares all school grounds and buildings "smoke free" zones. Violators will be removed from the property and/or prosecuted under civil and/or criminal law. This includes family members and other spectators attending our games. Players violating the rule will be given a one game suspension. Your compliance is mandatory.
4. Any player suspended or expelled from the league forfeits all unused registration fees.
display the name of the team sponsor on the front, with the player's number on the back.
2. Shoes with metal cleats are prohibited. A player using metal spikes or cleats will be ejected from that particular game.
3. Each team will be equipped with a first aid kit and ice packs.
4. See Section III - Playing Rules - for additional equipment rules.
1. Umpire decisions are final. NO PROTESTS.
1. Games may be canceled because of inclement weather or unsafe field conditions.
2. Cancellation of the entire game schedule on a particular day will be the responsibility of the League President/Vice-President. Every attempt will be made to announce game cancellations as early as possible on the league website, but usually not before 4:00 PM of the scheduled day. See schedules.
3. In event of cancellations, the League President/Vice-President will notify the chief umpire, at least two hours before game time. The above number will also be available to the chief umpire, as a "back-up" notification.
4. Calling a game once it starts: Once a game is officially started, it will be the sole responsibility of the game umpire to call an end to it before the full seven (7) are completed. Games may be called due to weather conditions, darkness, or an incident determined serious enough by the umpire. In such an event, a game played less than five innings will be played over in its entirety at a later date. If a game is played to five or more innings, it will be declared a complete game. The team that is leading at the end of the last complete inning will be the game winner.
1. Each player will refrain from offensive comments to players, coaches or officials. Penalty: After a warning, a player will be suspended for 3 weeks of play. The next event can cause that player to be removed from the league. This rule will carry over from year to year.
2. NO MONEY WILL BE RETURNED TO SUSPENDED PLAYERS.
3. Players are advised they are to notify their manager in advance, if unable to attend a game. The League has established a policy effective immediately that any player who misses two consecutive games without notifying their manager in advance, will be removed from the League's active roster and placed on the stand-by roster. The player could be returned to active play for any team in need of a player during the season.
1. Evaluations are only required of new players entering the league. Veteran players are exempt.
in the draft. The league will determine drafting policies and procedures.
for our use. Players who enter SSWS Tournaments (AA County, Maryland Senior Olympics) are advised they must play by the full Official Guide and Playing Rules established by NASCS. Your manager has a copy of the complete SSWS Guide and Playing Rules Pamphlet.
A three foot commitment line shall be marked across and placed 20 feet from home plate. The line shall be perpendicular to the foul line. Once a runner's foot touches the ground on or past this line, the runner may NOT re-cross it in the direction of third base, i.e., the runner must continue on toward the scoring plate. Violations will result in an out. If the runner is tagged by a fielder, he shall be called safe as all plays at home plate are force outs.
A scoring plate will be placed 8 feet perpendicular from home plate.
A foot down on the scoring plate shall be the same as a foot down on the home plate for purposes of scoring a run.
To score, a base runner must have a foot down on the scoring plate before a defensive player in possession of the ball touches home plate.
A double bag or mat of equal size shall be used at 1st base, the double portion of the bag or mat being in foul territory abutting 1st base.
A runners line (three foot line) measuring three feet wide and thirty feet long shall be marked parallel to the first base foul line in foul territory, extending from 1st base back towards home plate.
A commitment line, a scoring line, a 1st base double bag/mat and a runner's line as set forth above are definitions of equipment and striping that shall be added to the playing field.
2. Bases shall be set at 70 feet.
from home plate. The playing field must not have a pitching mound.
Metal cleats will not be permitted. Players found wearing metal cleats in a game will be ejected from the game, and if on base, a "dead ball out" will be called; any player on base at the time the ejected player came to bat must return to the base occupied at that time if there are fewer than three outs.
Players must wear visible numbers, a minimum of six inches high, on the uniforms, with no two identical numbers on a team.
Only restricted flight softballs, 44 COR, 375 compression, will be used. No glazed covers will be used.
It will be the responsibility of each player to use the proper ASA approved bat for each league. All ASA approved bats are not legal for all of our leagues. The league has the right to deem any bat illegal if it out performs most bats. Umpires along with league officials will inspect bats after a team warning. Players will be ejected and bats will be held for league officials. Continued bat violations will result in players being banned from our league. See the list of ASA banned bats on the previous page.
ASA rules for re-entry and extra players will apply. Extra players may play defense at any time provided the total number of defensive players on the field at one time does not exceed eleven.
Ten defensive players shall constitute a team. A team must have a minimum of nine players at the start and finish of a game. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit.
Extra players may be added as they show up for play, however, at this point they must be listed at the end of the batting order.
A team must be ready to play at game time or suffer a possible forfeit. Game time for all league scheduled games is 6:00.
A 10 run mercy rule will be in effect after five innings (4½ innings if home team is ahead) of a seven inning contest, thus ending the game. This rule shall NOT apply to championship games.
The length of a game will be seven innings, unless officially ended sooner by the umpire.
Tie games after seven innings will continue until one team is ahead after the completion of the next inning. The universal rule will be used in that inning. If a tie game is called due to darkness, inclement weather, etc., it will revert back to the last full inning which one team was ahead.
Forfeits will be avoided if at all possible. Teams having insufficient number of players to start a game should make the opposing manager aware of this at "line-up" exchange time. The manager short a player(s) should first attempt to borrow a player(s) from a team other than his opponent. Should this not be feasible, the opposing team manager may provide an additional player(s), if able. Should this plan fail, forfeiture time will be 6:15 PM.
Strike zone mats will be used in this league. The plate and mat will be a strike.
A legal pitch is one whose height is 6 feet from release and 12 feet maximum height from the ground.
Position of Pivot Foot: To deliver a legal pitch, the pitcher's pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitching rubber until the pitch leaves his hand. A forward, backward, or side step may be taken with the other foot, provided the step is simultaneous with the release of the ball towards the batter. The pitcher may step back 6 feet beyond the rubber, but must stay within the length of the pitching rubber.
Pitching Screens will be used in all leagues.
The distance from the pitching rubber to the rear point of home plate is 50 feet.
Each batter must reach first base on his own or pinch runner from the plate.
If there is a play on a batter going to 1st base, the batter must touch the portion of the double bag or mat extending into foul territory. The batter shall be called out for failing to do so. However, if a defensive player has to move onto the bag in foul territory to make the play, the runner may touch either bag if, in the judgment of the umpire, the runner touched the inside bag to avoid a collision.
Unlimited courtesy runners may be used each inning and may be any player on the roster. Each player on the roster may be a courtesy runner only once per inning. Any courtesy runner found running more than once per inning will be called out.
A courtesy runner may not be replaced by another courtesy runner except for injury causing removal of the original courtesy runner permanently from the game. A courtesy runner on base when it is his turn to bat will be declared out.
A base runner may be retired at home plate in a non-force situation without a tag. The defensive player must have possession of the ball while touching home plate and or the mat after the runner has passed the commitment line but does not yet have a foot down on the scoring plate. A base runner can slide at home.
The runner shall also be called out if he touches or crosses over any portion of home plate.
Runners shall not be called out for contact with a defensive player NOT in contact with home plate unless, in the umpire's judgment, the runner deliberately hit or could reasonably have been expected to minimize or avoid contact under the circumstances and failed to do so.
Tag of the runner by a defensive player will NOT be allowed after a runner passes the commitment line.
A runner is not out when he is hit with a fair, untouched ball that has passed an infielder, excluding the pitcher, and in the judgment of the umpire, no other infielder had a chance to make an out.
1. Players must use their own bats, provided they meet league specifications and ASA bat specifications. No fast pitch bats. Bats cannot weigh less than 26 ounces.
2. All players who show up for a game must be in the playing line- up for three innings, and must bat at least once. If a player cannot bat after starting the game for any reason, he will be taken out of batting order for the rest of the game. No out will be charged.
3. Managers/coaches may play as long as they meet the age requirement and have paid their registration fees. Non-playing managers/coaches are not subject to registration fees.
4. All leagues will use a one and one count with a foul to waste. A four run limit will also be used.
5. There will be free and unlimited substitutions for all players, including the pitcher.
6. A base runner must hold his base until the ball is hit. If the batter swings and misses, the runner is not out for leaving the base.
7. The home team will provide one new softball per game. Each team will ensure the field is ready for play. Note: The league has paid field attendants who are responsible for lining fields and setting the bases.
8. Each manager will have readily available a complete lineup of his players. At the request of any manager, the opposing manager is required to produce a lineup to confirm a player's legal status each game.
9. A 4 run limit except for last inning of game.
10. Unlimited players may volunteer to be a D.H. The D.H. will not have to play the field. Each time the D.H. reaches base he can have a runner.
11. ASA RULES will now be used.
12. A team down by 10 or more runs may score enough runs to avoid being "10- runned". This applies to seven inning games on Tuesday nights only.
13. Base runners going back to a base cannot overrun the bases. This is a tag play.
14. Once a substitute runner touches the base he is considered in the game.
15. A player who has been pinch run for cannot run again that inning.
16. Any player may substitute run even if not in the batting order.
17. To play in the end of year Tournament a player must be on the League's roster unless both managers agree.
18. A batted ball that hits the pitching screen is a foul ball the first time it is hit during an at bat. If it is hit during the "must be a fair ball" or "between the lines" pitch, whether it is the first time or not, it is ruled an out.
19. Also, the pitcher in any given inning may move the screen to one side or the other of the rubber. Once he moves it for his ½ inning, he is committed to pitching from that side of the rubber for the remainder of his pitching duties for that inning.
20. A defensive player can now put a runner out at home by touching the plate or the mat, which is now 1-piece.
21. Flip-Flop Rule: If the home team is behind by more than 5 runs in the sixth inning, the visiting can elect to stay in the field and let the home team bat twice.
22. A player or players may be asked to change teams from year to year in order to maintain league parity.
23. A thrown ball that hits the pitching screen is a live ball.
24. A runner at home for the batter cannot advance past 1st base, unless the umpire rules a dead ball out of play. The runner will be awarded 2nd base.
25. A batted ball that hits any runner while off a base becomes a dead ball and the runner is out.
26. Any batted ball hit in the air that the umpire thinks the infield fly rule should be called will do so even if no attempt is made to catch the ball.
during games. Pitchers' face masks will be supplied by the league.


text:
Turning big data into smart data
New AI Institute launches to elevate research efforts already underway
Posted on: May 29, 2019; Updated on: May 29, 2019
By Chris Horn, chorn@mailbox.sc.edu, 803-777-3687
A new Artificial Intelligence Institute at the University of South Carolina will launch this summer, building on and harnessing the collective efforts of dozens of faculty members who already are advancing AI research initiatives in diverse academic disciplines.
The institute will be led by Amit Sheth, an acknowledged thought leader and scholar of artificial intelligence who has previously helped launch and direct similar programs at the University of Georgia and Wright State University in Ohio. Sheth is devoting 20 percent of his time to the institute now, collaborating with South Carolina faculty members on grant proposals, and he will begin full time in August.
"Other AI experts follow Sheth's research — more than 100 of his papers have each been cited at least a hundred times — and he has a track record of success," says Hossein Haj-Hariri, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing, who proposed the institute after consulting with fellow deans across the university. "Sheth appreciates the opportunity to expand AI research into all facets of our comprehensive university as well as reaching out to our state. Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt and his office have been very supportive of this initiative."
The institute will amplify the university's robust footprint in data analytics.
"I like the tagline Amit uses about artificial intelligence, which is 'We convert big data to smart data,' " Haj-Hariri says. "AI makes it possible to manage the challenges of big data, convert it to 'smart data,' reveal the opportunities that it harbors, and create value by enabling better decision-making, more timely actions, and more customized solutions at large scales."
The Artificial Intelligence Institute will receive $1 million annually for five years, and the university has committed $2 million to $3 million to renovate the top floor of the former law school on South Main Street. Slated for completion by fall 2020, that space will house the director and core faculty from colleges and schools across the university. In the interim, Sheth and his group will have temporary office space in the Swearingen Engineering Center.
"The faculty who will be there are already multidisciplinary, they know how to work with people in other disciplines," Haj-Hariri says. "But their students will be truly transdisciplinary because they will be educated across the boundaries. They will learn all of it together — engineering, computing, business, humanities, etc. — and they will contribute and lead."
AI makes it possible to manage the challenges of big data, convert it to 'smart data,' reveal the opportunities that it harbors, and create value by enabling better decision-making, more timely actions, and more customized solutions at large scales.
Hossein Haj-Hariri, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing
The 45 university faculty members already engaged in some form of AI research hail from education, social work, journalism and mass communications, public health, and engineering and computing. Haj-Hariri says his college plans to recruit five new faculty members with AI expertise to the departments of integrated information technology and computer science and computer engineering. As many as five more AI researchers will be recruited to other departments within the college.
Other colleges, notably the College of Information and Communications and the Arnold School of Public Health, have expressed interest in hiring more faculty in this area, according to Haj-Hariri. In addition, the university's Research Computing group is excited about a stronger push into AI and have begun a dialogue with Sheth.
In addition to a founding director, the Artificial Intelligence Institute also plans to recruit an ethicist who will study the implications not only of what is possible with AI but also what might be in some way harmful or an invasion of privacy.
Haj-Hariri anticipates that new degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level will likely emerge from the institute.
"I think this institute will flourish because when you put AI experts with idea people from different disciplines, the opportunities for transformative solutions and external funding are wide," he says.
Topics: Faculty, Research, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Education, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Information and Communications, Arnold School of Public Health, College of Social Work

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


> to be 'broken' on the XO?
> IIRC, the NM there can't handle the mesh devices, so no "under a tree"
Not sure (I thought it worked but haven't checked recently).
to an OLPC one at boot (these are two seperate problems).


There is no doubt we truly live in an "App Economy." From personal to professional, we direct and live our lives through our smart phones. But while we enjoy the latest games, stream the latest content or catch up on our friend's activities, few think about the "App Dichotomy"– The fact that we are at least as much the consumed, as we are the consumer. This is the first in a pair of blogs that break down and analyze the access we grant to our personal information, behaviours and tendencies when we download an App, and the security and privacy risks that result.
First, we will examine the privacy/security profiles of the most popular iOS apps in the Apple App Store. Apple of course presents an image of a walled and pristine garden where users are safe unless you "bite the apple" and jailbreak your device, exposing it to the evils of unapproved apps. Apple also holds an advantage over Google/Android in that it offers more granular allow/deny control over specific permissions, while still allowing a user to download and use an app. However, it's well understood that many users do not scrutinize the permissions requested regardless of choices. And for those who do, even with a cursory review, do they understand what they grant when they click "allow"?
38% of applications still have access to the now infamous UDID identifier, that was the center of the AntiSec leak in 2012, and since which time, Apple has banned access. Access to UDIDs is a concern because developers could track user behaviour across multiple apps to track unique user. Developers and ad networks may also map UDIDs to user's sensitive information like mobile numbers,name passwords, locations and other information.
In excess of 60% of Game and Entertainment apps request permission to telephony functions (service provider information and current call information) and geo-location.This is of course more of a privacy concern, than security, but troubling nonetheless. This concerns are important as previously some issues came to light regarding spying on leaky apps.
One last item before we dive deep into the analysis that we feel is compelling to point out, is that – somewhat ironically – we had to jailbreak the devices. This was necessary in order to access the applications in their running state, and then identify various functions called by the apps to understand the access permissions that they require. This increases the value and validity of these stats, and in some cases calls into question the accuracy of some of the iOS stats that we've previously seen. Most are based on simply seeing a framework being imported (potential use) vs what we did which was look for the use of individual functions (actual use).
Email Functionality - Usage of the MFMailComposeViewController class's methods, which provide a standard interface to manage the editing and sending of email messages. With this access, an app would not be able to send mails independently, without user involvement. The app would also not be able to read a user's email.
Calendar data - Allows applications to read/write from/to Calendars, Events and Reminders.
UUID - Apps can access UUIDs (Universally Unique Identifiers), also known as GUIDs (Globally Unique Identifiers) or IIDs (Interface Identifiers), which are 128-bit values designed to be unique per device.
Below we see the percentage of applications which are trying to use social media and ad networks.
47% of applications are found to be linked to social networks. We have observed Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as most common social networks used by apps.
75% of applications are found to be linked to advertisingnetworks. This is not a surprising finding given that all of the apps analyzed were free apps and most have a monetization strategy driven by advertising.
The UDID is tied to the device hardware and no longer permitted by Apple. Apple started rejecting apps which requested the UDID string, although a few legacy apps still exist which use this method.
The UUID, Apple's preferred approach is a unique value per app and device. This limits privacy concerns as the user cannot be tracked across apps on a given device. One additional limitation of the UUID is that it is created when the app is first installed and, if the user re-installs the app, a new UUID will be created. In order to get around this limitation, developers are storing the UUID in the user's keychain to make it persistent across app installs.
A final option involves querying the MAC address of device. Apple is also now prohibiting the use of MAC addresses tracking. Apple will now reject apps where developers query the MAC address. Additionally, starting with iOS 7, Apple now always returns a fixed value when querying the MAC address to specifically prevent the MAC as base for unique identifier.
Here are some UDID vs. UUID statistics we derived from our scanned applications.
We have found 38% of legacy applications are still using the UDID "uniqIdentifier" string which is no longer permitted by Apple. Apple is pushing very hard to ensure that only UUID values are now used in place of UDID and MAC addresses.In support of that, we can see that 92% of apps are now using UUID values to track users.
The following details the results of five permission categories from the iTunes store for the top 25+ applications in their respective categories.
In the Games category, we have found that 28% of apps are accessing Address book functionality, 68% of apps are using telephony information, 76% of apps are trying to use the user's location, 64% apps are using the Email framework and 60% of apps are asking for calendar access. Also, 84% of games are leveraging UUID's for tracking user activity for targeted advertising.
In the Entertainment category, we have observed 20% of apps trying to access address book functionality, 75% of apps are asking for telephony data, 86% of apps are using location APIs to track a user's location, 88% of apps are using the Email framework and 70% of apps are using calendar data. Additionally, 97% of apps are using UUID's for tracking.
In the Social Networking category, 92% of apps use address book functionality, 72% of apps are asking for telephony information, 96% of apps are using location APIs and the Email framework, while 54% of apps are accessing calendar functionality and 96% of apps track via UUIDs.
In the Lifestyle category, 59% of apps were found to be accessing the address book, 81% of apps are using telephony data, 85% of apps are using the location and Email framework, 51% apps are accessing calendar functionality and all apps scanned were found to be accessing UUIDs.
In the Travel category, we observed 54% of apps with access to the address book, 58% of apps have telephony data access, 92% of apps have access to location information, 77% of apps are using email and 61% of apps are using the calendar framework. Additionally, 92% of apps are leveraging UUIDs.
With 97% apps using at least one of the functionalities being tracked (address book, telephony, location, email calendar or UUID), as stated, we are being consumed as much, if not more, than we consume. In and of itself, this is not a danger. However as threats – and even business practices – evolve, the risk profile of access changes with it. In the case of our findings, while Apple has stated otherwise, it is clear that some developers significantly overreach in permissions requested. And while some "risks" still live inside gates – for example access to Social Media still requires express user permission for an app to post, etc., -- as also stated earlier, many users are click happy and indiscriminate with that permission. I'll leave you with a specific access and risk analysis for one app, Draw Something Free.
To avoid security and privacy problems, more knowledge about mobile app risk is necessary. As organizations are moving forward with BYOD, infrastructure knowledge of app behaviors helps to avoid security and corporate privacy risks – from location tracking of executives to leaking corporate data.
Users and IT always must remain vigilant and aware regarding installed app behaviors. Consider the necessity of any functionality requested by an app before you allow it. For example, why does any game app need to access your address book? Should an app for kids really be asking for geolocation? Awareness among users about how much access is granted to particular apps is the only way to build the stronger defense against future mobile threats.


text:
Split ruling for fired teacher who sued Catholic school
Beatitudes are a Christian's ID card, pope says at audience
Pope Francis says corruption as addictive as drugs
In Vatican
ROME_BUREAU_CHIEF
Pope Francis greets Vatican police officers after celebrating a Mass for them at the Vatican Oct. 3. The Vatican police force, known as the gendarmes, work with the Swiss Guard to protect the pope and provide security at the Vatican. (Credit: CNS/Paul Haring.)
"Corruption produces addiction, and it generates poverty, exploitation, suffering. And how many victims there are in the world today!" Pope Francis said on Sunday, returning to an anti-corruption theme that's been a cornerstone of his social teaching from the beginning.
ROME — Pope Francis repeatedly has blasted corruption and profiteering, and he was at it again on Sunday, condemning corruption twice in a span of a few hours, among other things saying it's more addictive than drugs.
"Some behave with corruption as with drugs: thinking they can use it and stop using it when they want. It begins slowly: a tip from here, a bribe from there … And between this and that, slowly, one loses his [or her] freedom," Francis said at his noontime Angelus address in St. Peter's Square.
The pontiff was speaking of corruption in general, putting politicians, public employees, private companies and citizens in the same bag.
"Corruption produces addiction, and it generates poverty, exploitation, suffering. And how many victims there are in the world today!" he said.
Francis' reflections, both at the Angelus and earlier in the day in a Mass for the 200th anniversary of the Gendarmeria, meaning the Vatican's police force, were rooted in Sunday's Gospel, which tells the story of a bad steward who falsifies documents of the debts owed to his employer to gain the friendship of those he helps.
This administrator, the pope said at the Angelus, "is not presented as a model to be imitated, but as an example of cunning."
It's a case of corruption, he continued, that as many others constitutes the wrong path, one of sin, "even if it's the most comfortable one to go through."
Talking to the gendarmes earlier in the day, Francis noted that while in the Gospel the master praises the steward for his "cleverness" after realizing his administrator had been stealing from him, it's "a completely worldly and strongly sinful cleverness, which does a lot of bad."
However, he said that there is a type of Christian cleverness that knows how to do things in a wise and honest way, rather than a worldly one. To be "wise as serpents but pure as doves," he said, "is a grace from the Holy Spirit that we must ask for."
The Mass for the Gendarmes was celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica. In his homily, the pontiff thanked the corps for their "vocation," acknowledging that they're often underpaid.
He also recognized that "many times you must fight against temptations of those who want to buy you," and said he is proud that the Gendarme style is one of saying "'no, I have nothing to do with this."
"Crooks love the scam and hate honesty. Crooks love bribes, agreements done in the dark. This is worse than anything, because he believes he's being honest," the pope told members of the Vatican Gendarme Sept. 18.
In his homily, he warned against modern crimes linked to exploitation and corruption, saying that throughout the world many people today are victims of large industries of slave labor.
"In the world today, slave labor is a management style," Francis told the Gendarmes. The crook "loves money, loves wealth," and with no concern or second though "trample on the poor."
In both addresses the pontiff also regretted that corruption "pervades everywhere," and that cronies and corrupt people are as present today as they were in Jesus' times.
Underlining the quote which says "no one can serve two masters," meaning God and money, he said people are called to choose between two paths: "honesty and dishonest, fidelity and unfaithfulness, egoism and altruism, good and evil."
The invitation from the Gospel, he said, is to make a choice between the "Him and the spirit of the world, between the logic of corruption and greed and that of righteousness and sharing."
After the Angelus prayer, Francis also asked the faithful from around the world to join him in the interreligious prayer that will take place in Assisi this Tuesday, with the presence of leader's of the world's main religions.
Organized yearly by the Community of Saint'Egidio, the meeting this year marks the 30th anniversary of the first time it was celebrated, back in 1986, led by Pope John Paul II.
Among those participating in the prayer will be the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I; the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby; the Syro-Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, Efrem II. There will also be representatives of Islam, Judaism and Buddhism.
The great absentee will be the Dalai Lama, who played a key role in the original Assisi gathering. Longtime Vatican watches believe this was a conscious decision, done in an attempt to avoid conflicts with China which might deter ongoing conversations with Rome.
Beijing is one of the few countries with which the Holy See has no diplomatic ties, and going there is a life-long dream of Francis.
Speaking about the upcoming encounter, Francis said that "today, more than ever, we have a need for peace in this war [being fought] everywhere. Let's pray for peace!"
Pope Francis says "smog of corruption" pollutes society
Corruption stifles the fresh air of mercy, pope says
In book foreword, Pope Francis calls corruption a 'cancer'
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text:
Cheney v. United States District Court, 542 U.S. 367 (2004), was a 2004 United States Supreme Court case between Vice President Dick Cheney and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The case came as an appeal after the lower District Court for the District of Columbia ordered Cheney to disclose some of his records that would show how his National Energy Policy Development Group developed its recommendations. Cheney appealed the decision to the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, but the Appeals Court rejected the appeal. In a 7–2 decision, the Court sent the case back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Prior history
The case began when the conservative Judicial Watch filed Freedom of Information Act requests about the National Energy Policy Development Group, which Cheney headed, in 2001–2002. These requests were denied.

Judicial Watch and the Sierra Club then sued, arguing the refusal a violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), which requires committees set up by the president or by federal agencies to provide advice must conduct their business in public. The exception to this law is committees composed entirely of federal officials and employees, which de jure Cheney's committee was.

However, Judicial Watch and the Sierra Club argued that because so many energy industry lobbyists were so deeply involved in the committee's work, they were effectively members. Under this, the committee would have to obey FACA. In 1993, the D.C. Circuit ruled in Association of American Physicians and Surgeons v. Clinton, that in such a situation, FACA does apply.

In July 2002, D.C. district judge Emmet G. Sullivan ruled that Sierra Club and Judicial Watch deserved to know whether private citizens had taken part in the work of the task force to a large enough degree sufficient to bring the task force under the umbrella of the law.

Rather than accepting the ruling, the vice president appealed it to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, arguing that complying would force him reveal information that, under law, he does not have to reveal. Cheney also argued that the order violated separation of powers principles.

The Court of Appeals ruled that Cheney did have to turn over information. Cheney appealed this decision to the Supreme Court.

Case
The question the Court was debating was whether or not the D.C. District Court should have rejected the request from the Vice President to block disclosure of records from his energy policy task force.

The Court ruled 7–2 that the lower appeals court had acted "prematurely" and sent the case back to the court.

The Court did not rule on whether or not FACA should or should not apply to the task force, and left to the Court of Appeals.

Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority opinion, agreed to by four other justices. Two justices, Clarence Thomas and Scalia would have had the case end there with Cheney not having to disclose any information. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was joined by David H. Souter in dissenting, arguing the Supreme Court should let the case proceed in the District Court.

Scalia conflict of interest controversy
The case received press attention when Antonin Scalia refused to recuse himself from the case, despite having hunted ducks with Cheney and others while the case was pending in the lower courts.  Scalia filed a lengthy statement explaining why he was not recusing himself. In the end, Scalia supported Cheney.

Subsequent history
On May 9, 2005, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the Vice President's Energy Task Force did not have to comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

See also
List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 542
List of United States Supreme Court cases

References

External links

United States Supreme Court cases
United States Supreme Court cases of the Rehnquist Court
2004 in United States case law

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/02/22/when-rivers-were-trails-is-an-educational-game-about-the-native-experience
When Rivers Were Trails Is An Educational Game About The Native Experience
by Imran Khan on Feb 22, 2019 at 06:00 PM
Michigan State University's Games for Entertainment has released an educational game that will give fans of Oregon Trail pangs of nostalgia and fans of the far more recent Where the Water Tastes Like Wine something new to chew on in the same vein.
Titled When Rivers Were Trails, the free edutainment game was released yesterday and tells the story about a displaced Anishinaabeg the late 19th century traveling from Minnesota to California. It's not the most expensive video game ever made by any means, but it tells a compelling story that you might find yourself engaging with.
The game was developed in conjunction with a number of resources on Native American history, such as the Indian Land Tenure Foundation and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. You can find a download of When Rivers Were Trails here.


Luncheon honors 2017 Town Revelers Mardi Gras queen | AcadiaParishToday.com | Crowley Post-Signal, Rayne Acadian-Tribune, Church Point News | Acadia Parish, La.
Past Mardi Gras Queens joining Queen to King Cimmer LXII, Karen Badon Spaetgens, seated fourth from left, at the Thursday, March 2, Queen's Luncheon held in her honor at the Crowley Town Club were, seated from left, Lisa Dupuis, Delores Nutt, Dr. Sue Croughan, Ellen Dailey, Patti Brammer; standing, Judy Guillot, Sandi Doré, Nancy Tislow, Willie Mae Dailey, Khaki Hoffpauer, Becky Lamm, Nettie Constantin and Katie Chiasson.
Many royal subjects celebrated the reign of Queen to King Cimmer LXII, Karen Badon Spaetgens, at the annual Queen's Luncheon held at the Crowley Town Club, including the Pages to the Queen and the Maids of this year's "Big City Cimmer," front row from left, Pages to the Queen Brylee Thibodeaux and Ava Shuff; back row, Maids Tiffany Richey and Nichole Landry; Spaetgens; and Maids LaKayla Stelly, Kelly Bergeaux and Sandra Royer.
Enjoying the Queen's Luncheon held in honor of Queen to King Cimmer LXII, Karen Badon Spaetgens, were the wives of this year's king and dukes, from left, Gwen Foreman, Pharbie Comeaux, Angie Goff (wife of King Cimmer LXII Shane Goff), Spaetgens, Dr. Kristy Taylor, Amanda Cramer and Shanna Morgan.


text:
Florentinus Antonius (Floor) van Cleemputte (Terneuzen, 28 september 1907 – Spijkenisse, 20 mei 2015) was met zijn 107 jaar sinds 14 november 2014 de oudste levende man van Nederland, na het overlijden van de 108-jarige Serop Mirzoyan.

Van Cleemputte woonde tot zijn 106de nog zelfstandig in Heenvliet en verhuisde in 2013 naar een verzorgingshuis in Spijkenisse. Hij was als luitenant-ter-zee actief tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog en de Koreaanse Oorlog.

Nederlands honderdplusser
Nederlands militair in de Tweede Wereldoorlog


In 2015, Apple's first official Android app – Apple Music for Android, says hello to the Android fans. It provides an access for Android users to listen to 40 million songs, including exclusive albums and Apple's Beats 1 radio station. This is definitely an inspiring event.
However, after a period of experience, the application has courted disappointment among the users. Firstly, Apple Music on Android is available for devices running Android 4.3 and up only. Secondly, a great many users complain about the absence of useful voice control and the frequent presence of annoying sluggishness & bugs . Thirdly, most Android users have been using their phones as an MP3 player for a long time but Apple Music for Android can't work as a media player to listen to music files.
What is the best way to sync Apple Music to Android? This tutorial will give you a satisfying answer with NoteBurner Apple Music Converter step by step.
NoteBurner Apple Music Converter is a user-friendly software that can easily remove the DRM from iTunes audio files, including Apple Music, Audiobooks and M4P music. It is able to convert DRM-protected iTunes music to common formats, such as MP3, AAC, WAV, etc. Moreover, its' fast conversion speed and high compatibility with the latest operating systems have been receiving well acclaims from worldwide users.
To sync Apple Music to Android, we just need to convert Apple Music to DRM-free formats and then transfer them to Android devices. Therefore, here we will devide the whole process into two parts: 1) Strip the DRM from Apple Music; 2) Transfer Apple Music to Android.
Launch the program, you will see a concise interface as below. On the upper right corner, you can click menu >> Language to choose other 13 languages besides English.
Click the button "+" on the upper left, and then you will see a pop-up window which will show you all the songs you've downloaded from iTunes Library. Now choose the Apple Music that you want to convert and press OK.
Click the gear button on the upper right and a window will pop up to allow you to choose Output Path, Output Formats (MP3/AAC/FLAC/WAV), Conversion Speed, etc.
Click button "convert", and all the Apple Music you chose in Step 2 are being converted to the format you selected in Step 3 and downloaded to the designated folder in accordance with your output path.
When Step 4 is done, click the history button (shaped like a clock) on the upper right. Here you can find all the converted songs. You can also directly go to the output folder you selected in Step 3 to find the converted Apple Music. Until now, we've finished stripping the DRM and the next step is to transfer them to Android.
Since all the songs we get now are in DRM-free format, we can transfer them to anywhere we like. Now we will show you two ways to do it: Method 1 is a traditional way and is widely known among us. What worth being paid attention to is Method 2 - a fashionable and efficient way to sync music or other files to Android.
It's very easy to copy the music and paste them to the location you want, thus we will just show you the simple steps: Find the converted Apple Music >> Copy the folder or the songs >> Paste them to the destination you want them to be in your Android devices.
Syncois Android Free Manager is a freeware that can transfer, edit, backup, manage, view Android & iOS mobile data: Music, videos, photos, apps, ebooks, contacts, messages, etc. It's fully compatible with the two dominant smartphone operating systems – Android and iOS. How can we do with it? Let's find out more details.
Simply press Media tab on the left panel of Syncios. Then click Import to browse music files on your PC. Finally, find the Apple Music that you want to transfer and click Open to import selected music from your PC to the Android devices.
All done! Have you successfully synced your Apple Music to your Android devices? You can write a review below and share your experience with us.


text:
by Chuck Crisafulli and Kyra Thompson
Close your eyes and picture -- just for a moment -- hell. Fire? Demons? Eternal torment?
Well, yes -- that's the place, in one very hot nutshell. But that's not all there is to the forbidding world beneath us. For a few millennia now, we mortals have imagined and reimagined hell in countless ways: as a realm of damnation, as an inspiration for highest art, as a setting for the lowest of lowbrow comedy. One might conclude that for all our good intentions to enter… (more)
Well, yes -- that's the place, in one very hot nutshell. But that's not all there is to the forbidding world beneath us. For a few millennia now, we mortals have imagined and reimagined hell in countless ways: as a realm of damnation, as an inspiration for highest art, as a setting for the lowest of lowbrow comedy. One might conclude that for all our good intentions to enter para- dise, we can't seem to get enough vivid details of its counterpart, hell.
Provocative, colorful, and damned entertaining, Go to Hell takes readers on a tour of the underworld that is both darkly comical and seriously informative. From the frozen hell of the Vikings to the sun-drenched Cayman Islands' town of Hell (where tourists line up to have their postcards aptly postmarked), from Dante's circles of hell to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Hellmouth, Go to Hell embraces our evolving relationship with the sinner's final destination, revealing how we truly think of ourselves in this world.
What's down below?
Meet HEL, the hideous, half-rotting goddess of the Viking underworld.
Beware the Egyptians' AM-MUT, an unsightly mix of lion, crocodile, and hippo parts, and insatiably hungry for wicked souls.
Visit JIGOKU, a Buddhist realm of eight fiery hells and eight icy hells: an all-you-can-suffer hot-and-cold buffet.
Step into the INFERNO for a tour of Dante's nine circles of the damned...
Non-Fiction Social science Customs & Traditions Religion Humor
Publisher: Gallery Books (June 15, 2010)
Collection: Gallery Books
Social science >


ALT1, a Snf2 Family Chromatin Remodeling ATPase, Negatively Regulates Alkaline Tolerance through Enhanced Defense against Oxidative Stress in Rice, 2014, PLoS One.
Map-based cloning revealed that alt1 harbors a mutation in a chromatin remodeling ATPase gene.
Taken together, these results suggest that ALT1 negatively functions in alkaline tolerance mainly through the defense against oxidative damage, and provide a potential two-step strategy for improving the tolerance of rice plants to alkaline stress.


text:
Q: Convergence proof of non convex formulation Assume that we have a non-convex optimization $\min_{A,B} f(A,B)+\lambda g(A,B)$. Specifically, $f(A,B)+\lambda g(A,B)$ is not joint convex, but it is convex with regard to one variable when fixing another variable.
Now the question is could we use the following equation to prove the monotonic decrease of the objective $f(A,B)+\lambda g(A,B)$ value during the alternating technique based algorithm 1 like optimization process?
$$(A^{(t+1)},B^{(t+1)})=\arg \min_{A,B} f(A^{(t)},B^{(t)})+\lambda g(A^{(t)},B^{(t)}), $$
where $t$ is the iteration counter.
Algorithm-1:
Repeat
    1. Updating $A^{(t+1)}$
    2. Updating $B^{(t+1)}$
    3. t=t+1;
Until convergence
Thank you so much for your reply.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home > Almost Advice > Trademark Attorneys & Verified USPTO Statements
Trademark Attorneys & Verified USPTO Statements
By Steve Baird® on November 8, 2010
Posted in Almost Advice, Law Suits, Trademarks, TTAB
"Just because you can," is rarely a good reason to support a decision that really matters. This principle is no less true in the trademark world than it is elsewhere.
So, relying on your own navigation of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) online search database without also seeking a trademark attorney's competent analysis of the search results, can be a dangerous plan, even though you can go it alone. Likewise, just because you can file a trademark application yourself doesn't make it a smart business decision to avoid engaging a professional with day-to-day working knowledge of all the USPTO nuances and pitfalls.
There are, however, limits on what outside trademark attorneys should do for their trademark owner clients. For example, another decision in the trademark world that really matters, but doesn't get enough attention, is who should sign verified statements filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Trademark Rules liberally permit certain attorneys, among more obviously appropriate persons, to sign such statements on behalf of the trademark owner:
(i) A person with legal authority to bind the owner (e.g., a corporate officer or general partner of a partnership);
(ii) A person with firsthand knowledge of the facts and actual or implied authority to act on behalf of the owner; or
(iii) An attorney as defined in Section 11.1 of this chapter who has an actual written or verbal power of attorney or an implied power of attorney from the owner.
But, again, just because a trademark attorney can sign verified statements with the USPTO on behalf of the trademark owner doesn't make it a good idea. In fact, it should be a last resort for a trademark owner to have its outside trademark counsel sign verified statements with the USPTO.
As a result, I continue to be amazed how many outside trademark counsel continue to make it a regular practice of signing verified statements on behalf of their trademark owner clients. While I fully recognize it may provide a convenience to have outside trademark counsel sign such statements, and there may well be times when the urgency of a looming deadline requires it, the frequency of validity and fraud challenges in trademark oppositions, cancellations, and district court litigation, should be enough to encourage trademark owners to first consider these risks:
The person signing the verified statements becomes a potential fact witness;
If outside trademark counsel becomes a witness, he/she may be disqualified and precluded from representing the trademark owner in a dispute involving the filing;
Concerning the factual accuracy of the statements made to the USPTO, outside trademark counsel will rarely have firsthand knowledge and never be closest to the true facts;
Trademark owners are unlikely to successfully defend any false statements made by their trademark counsel that are based on legal misunderstanding (i.e., "bona fide intent to use," "use in commerce," "interstate commerce," "substantially exclusive" use, and misuse of the federal registration symbol); and
The TTAB appears inclined to adopt "reckless disregard" as sufficient culpability to justify an inference of intent to deceive the USPTO in trademark fraud challenges.
So, can you think of and share any additional reasons not to have outside trademark counsel signing verified statements with the USPTO? Where do you stand on the issue with in-house trademark counsel? How about in-house corporate counsel who lacks trademark expertise?
And, what about the reasons in favor of outside trademark counsel signing such documents, are there any beyond convenience and deadline urgency? Finally, do you agree that outside trademark counsel should be the one designated to sign verified statements only as a last resort?
Tags: Trademark Application, Trademark Attorney, Trademark Cancellation, Trademark Distinctiveness, Trademark Fraud, Trademark Laws, Trademark Office, Trademark Opposition, Trademark Registration, Trademark Registrations, Trademark Types, USPTO
NEVER Means Forever, Until it Doesn't
Hot Pockets, Strategy and the Right-Sizing of Trademark Protection?
Backpacks, Boycotts, Brand Bullying, Backlash, and Backcountry.com
Thin to Lose?
Put a Sock in Informational Refusals?


Docker requires root escalation in order to execute an image, that crates some problem with files creation. Let's say that we share a volume from host to docker and we create a file structure from inside docker.
bash -c "mkdir test && touch test/example"
drwxr-xr-x.  2 root   root   4096 Jan 22 22:50 .
drwxrwxr-x. 12 trzeci trzeci 4096 Jan 22 22:50 ..
Why this is even an issue? I've found this problem mostly annoying on local setup, as I need to use sudo for simple hose-keeping tasks. Another case when it's very problematic is to use docker on Jenkins – as this prevents to remove workspace after a job is done.
This time I would like to focus on some aspect that every C/C++ programmer is familiar with. That is preprocessor conditions. Before being crucified because of using #ifdef and C++ in the same sentence. I would like to confess, that this is still something frequently used.
#ifdef is a preprocessor condition, that includes containing code whether condition predicate solves to 'true'. It might be useful to make sure some code will be never compiled.
So far so good, let's just compile our project with: g++ -DWITH_CONTENT_VALIDATOR=1 and see if everything works. It does. Sweet! No tests are required now, so let's disable them by setting -DWITH_CONTENT_VALIDATOR=0 and check. Wait! My tests are still executed!
This page describes my journey of creating and publishing an NPM package and reflections about this process.
I have chosen TypeScript as a development language for the chunked-call library. Basically it's a 3 function library with ~70 lines of code, it's nothing special at all. My ambition was to publish something in a right way and I was positively surprised about the process and what enforced me to make it right. Please note that this page is not a guide about pushing stuff to NPM registry or how to create an NPM package project in your language of choice. For those it's always better to see an official documentation for either NPM or for your tool/language.
Some information here might be trivial for you if you develop on daily basis in JS/TS, to me as C++ developer they weren't.
Google trends, Apple, Google Chrome and plenty of developers put a cross on Flash. In my opinion without Flash the current web tech stack might look different.
I wrote my first line of code in ActionScript 2.0 it was 13 years ago and it was streamlined with the style of web. Big boom of flash animations, letters flying around and flash menus. In addition I'm putting myself as the worst person on the World in terms of color matching. At the moment of doing it I didn't know that I become a programmer, I liked PC though.
I didn't notice this aspect before, but after working as an engine developer I understood how hard is to provide clean API what is future-proof. As a noob I was able to deduce what some API call will do. For 8 year of working with Flash Player I don't remember any problem with breaking changes. API was flexible enough to add new functionality, it was smartly designed around passing an extra configuration objects like LoaderContext. For the instance, when they added an asynchronous image decoding, it wasn't done by an extra argument for function call, it was an extra property of context. KISS in practice.
I love Dictionary with weak keys, and Object where you can put other objects as a key.
I love typed Vectors, (And hate a little bit for weak performance even with fixed size, and conversion between them).
I love for each..in loop.
After research I've found that not only me is struggling with this device, and after having experience with two 9550 i7 4k I suspect that this device was released in hurry without proper QA and probably because of that Dell has introduced a successor 9560 what as far as I know didn't inherit problems of predecessor.
After having this deice almost 1 year, I wouldn't buy 4k display, Windows and Linux have problems with supporting HIDPI and LowDPI displays at the same time (link).
In many cases I have to double verify if the problem it's not me. I mean I have highly customized system, like custom shell, own entries in system PATH, some tools what I use day by day.
This issue was present when display was dimmed, it was pretty annoying at night, so that a comfortable work wasn't possible. Fortunately this issue has been fixed with some of the recent BIOS update.
So when I started to see that PC randomly freezes I did reinstall, then I did Linux installation, then I started to search on the Internet if somebody has the same problem. Apparently yes, many of people. In most cases people were pointing on SSD Samsung drivers, nVidia GPU or WiFi card. Unfortunately symptoms weren't exactly how they described. Most typical example for me was watching YouTube video, then any IO stopped to work but video was playing nice, when the video went out of buffer it stopped to play.
The problem was that, when I plugged it headset (any jack device) the right channel wasn't playing. I had to use a file to expand a hole, so that any pressure was applied on jack and I started to play a sound correctly on both channels.
You need to use Windows.
Your project uses make as a base build system.
You have available sh.exe as a system command.
[Optional] You use CMake for a project generation.
Conditions 1 and 2 are pretty easy to fulfill, for the instance you try to compile Emscripten or Android based project. Condition 3 might look pretty odd. Why sh.exe on Windows? To me it was a natural ripple effect of having Git installed with Linux like tools in system PATH. I just love to use 'ls' instead of 'dir' in command line.
Blog was moved to trzeci.eu domain.
The blog has been moved back from asria.pl host to trzeci.eu host. Nevertheless, the old alias will be still active as a 301 redirection (until DNS and CNAME will propagate).
I'm right after install an update to Windows 10 Creators Update / 1703 and problem with scaling of some most applications has been solved by introduction new compatibility mode.
After testing this for a couple of days I fount some glitches with Enhancement mode.
On LowDPI screen: moving location "segment" somewhere in order to link it.
Other software what has some issues with enhancement mode.
This case applies on other applications, when improved compatibility mode is enabled.
This is more like a notebook entry, rather than full tutorial.
In this post I will describe how to install WSL on Windows 10, configure X11 to run any Linux application in GUI mode, and fix missing sound problem.


text:
RSpec.describe TTY::Prompt, '#suggest' do
  let(:possible) { %w(status stage stash commit branch blame) }

  subject(:prompt) { TTY::TestPrompt.new }

  it 'suggests few matches' do
    prompt.suggest('sta', possible)
    expect(prompt.output.string).
      to eql("Did you mean one of these?\n        stage\n        stash\n")
  end

  it 'suggests a single match for one character' do
    prompt.suggest('b', possible)
    expect(prompt.output.string).to eql("Did you mean this?\n        blame\n")
  end

  it 'suggests a single match for two characters' do
    prompt.suggest('co', possible)
    expect(prompt.output.string).to eql("Did you mean this?\n        commit\n")
  end

  it 'suggests with different text and indentation' do
    prompt.suggest('b', possible, indent: 4, single_text: 'Perhaps you meant?')
    expect(prompt.output.string).to eql("Perhaps you meant?\n    blame\n")
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Die Kirche Unbeflecktes Herz Mariä ist die römisch-katholische Filialkirche von Neuheilenbach im Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm in Rheinland-Pfalz. Die Kirche gehört zur Pfarrei Neidenbach in der Pfarreiengemeinschaft Kyllburg im Bistum Trier.

Geschichte
Von 1964 bis 1966 wurde in Neuheilenbach erstmals eine Kirche gebaut, ein Saalbau von 20 × 12 Metern mit Chorturm. Architekt war Herbert Hermann (1928–2010). Die Kirche ist dem Unbefleckten Herz Mariä geweiht.

Ausstattung
Die Kirche ist mit einer einfachen Holzdecke versehen. Mittelgang und Altarraum sind mit braunem Marmor ausgelegt. Über dem Altar ist eine Anbetungsgruppe von zwei Engeln angebracht, die aus der Pfarrkirche Neidenbach stammt. Vorne im Kirchenschiff stehen Figuren der Muttergottes mit dem Jesuskind (links) und der heiligen Barbara von Nikomedien (rechts).

Literatur
 Theo Marx und Robert Richter: Neuheilenbach Filialkirche Unbefleckt empfangenes Herz Mariä. In: Rund um die Kirche im Dorf. Kirchen und Kapellen der Westeifel. Hrsg. Geschichtsverein "Prümer Land". Prüm 2003, S. 484–486.

Weblinks
 Kircheneintrag Marienkapelle  Neuheilenbach in der Datenbank der Kulturgüter in der Region Trier
 Altareintrag Marienkapelle Neuheilenbach in der Datenbank der Kulturgüter in der Region Trier
 Fenstereintrag Marienkapelle Neuheilenbach in der Datenbank der Kulturgüter in der Region Trier
 Kreuzwegeintrag Marienkapelle Neuheilenbach in der Datenbank der Kulturgüter in der Region Trier
 Weiterer Kreuzwegeintrag Marienkapelle Neuheilenbach in der Datenbank der Kulturgüter in der Region Trier
 Dritter Kreuzwegeintrag Marienkapelle Neuheilenbach in der Datenbank der Kulturgüter in der Region Trier

Filialkirche des Bistums Trier
Erbaut in den 1960er Jahren
Herz-Mariä-Kirche
Kirchengebäude im Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm
Kirchengebäude in Europa
Kulturdenkmal im Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm
Neuheilenbach


The daily hustle and bustle of your busy life can greatly affect the way you look. Your hair loses its shine, and your skin loses its glow. Why don't you treat yourself to a well-deserved rest and relaxation session?
Bring back the luster of your hair, and revamp it with the latest and trendiest hairstyles. Get professional hair, nail, and skin care by visiting Vanity Salon & Spa in Saratoga Springs, New York. Take a break from the daily grind, and pamper yourself today.
Our salon and spa is based on the belief that our clients' needs are of the utmost importance. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs.


text:
Welcome to the archives of News Deeply's Women & Girls Hub. While we paused regular publication of the site on January 22, 2018, and transitioned our coverage to Women's Advancement Deeply, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on the Arctic. We hope you'll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors contributors.
VISIT WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT DEEPLY
VIEW THE WOMEN & GIRLS ARCHIVE
Women and Girls — Women and Girls
News coverage and community engagement focused on women & girls in the developing world. Learn more about us.
Crisis and Conflict
Economic Independence
BROWSE THE WOMEN AND GIRLS DEEPLY ARCHIVES
Aliya Bashir
Aliya Bashir is an independent journalist covering India and Indian-administered Kashmir with a focus on human rights, gender justice, women's issues, the environment, healthcare, education and minorities. She has written and reported for the Guardian, Time, Reuters, Global Press Journal, UPI, Inter Press Service and many more. She is the winner of the 2015 Schizophrenia Research Foundation-Press Institute of India "Media for Mental Health" award for best reporting on mental health issues in India and is also a 2016 International Women's Media Foundation grantee. Follow her on Twitter @AliyaBashir
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The 'Peace Psychologist' in Kashmir Helping Women Affected by Conflict
Ufra Mir is Kashmir's first – and so far, only – 'peace psychologist.' In this strife-ridden region, she is trying to help women find peace in their lives and build it in their communities. over 2 years ago
Photo Essay: The Pictures That Give Comfort to Kashmir's Women
For many of the women whose husbands, sons or fathers have died in clashes over the disputed Kashmir region, photos are all they have left of their loved ones. Photojournalist Aliya Bashir explores the power of a single picture. almost 3 years ago
Impoverished, Harassed and Alone: Kashmir's Forgotten Widows
When Kashmiri women lose their husbands to the ongoing conflict, their grief is often compounded by discrimination, ostracism and poverty, in a region where a woman's social status is tied to that of the man she married. almost 3 years ago
Kashmir's Militant Widows Struggle to Save Their Sons From Insurgency
When men die fighting for Kashmir's independence, friends and neighbors hail them as "martyrs." But then their widows are left broke, alone and attempting to keep their sons from joining the conflict that killed their fathers. about 3 years ago


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Kramberger: NOVA West Island banking on community support
4,000 home-nursing visits and close to 10,000 hours of various kinds of support are among the services provided at low or no cost.
Albert Kramberger, Montreal Gazette
NOVA West Island's 26th annual charity golf tournament raised a record amount of funds, $100,000. The event was held at the Beaconsfield Golf Club on Aug. 12.	NOVA
Providing over 4,000 home-nursing visits and close to 10,000 hours of service (calls, visits and references) annually are just some of the statistics that make NOVA West Island such a valuable part of the local health-care and social-support networks.
It takes approximately $1.6 million a year for NOVA West Island to meet its mandate. Its programs and services are delivered without direct government funding. Instead, the non-profit agency relies on charitable donations, gathered through various fundraisers, along with revenue raised at its six thrift stores located across the West Island.
Last week, $100,000 was raised at its annual golf tourney — NOVA's single biggest fundraiser — held at the Beaconsfield Golf Club. Its other key fundraisers include a spring art show, yoga events, a Tree of Life light ceremony held during the holiday season and a breakfast. The thrift stores are managed independently and help cover approximately a third of NOVA West Island's budget.
Marie-France Juneau, NOVA West Island's executive director, said raising funds year after year is always a challenge.
"People experience donor fatigue. It's often the same people who are solicited, right, left and centre, to donate to very noble, worthwhile causes," she said. "I think there are 44 different community organizations in the West Island alone. So people have to decide who to donate to, who to raise money for or who to volunteer with."
The Lakeshore Association of Artists held its NOVA West Island fundraising expo at Fritz Farm in Baie-D'Urfé. David Kelavey
Juneau said that many of the people who participate in NOVA fundraisers have once relied on its services or had a family member who did and want to "pay it forward."
She said that more than 75 community organizations, foundations, municipalities and corporations support NOVA West Island and that it relies on 260 volunteers each year to keep things running smoothly.
The number of home visits NOVA does on a weekly basis continues to increase. Last week, 211 patients were visited by NOVA professionals, a 65-per-cent increase from 2010.
NOVA West Island organizes palliative home-nursing care (cancer/ALS), bereavement support for adults and children, day centres for adults with cognitive deficits and home support as well as a support group for ALS caregivers. All services are offered to West Islanders at low or no cost, thanks to charitable donations. So help when you can. No amount is too small. To find out more, visit www.novawi.org.
akramberger@postmedia.com
twitter.com/akramberger1\
Kramberger: Thrift Shops for NOVA opens in Plaza Pointe-Claire
Getting from here to there can be challenging for seniors
Something old, something new: Wedding dresses in the era of reuse, recycle
Pointe-Claire names park after former Alouette Tony Proudfoot
Campaign designed to make Pointe-Claire intersections safer Baie-D-Urfé focuses on Lakeshore location for new daycare
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St. Thomas High School launches composting mission
St. Thomas High School in Pointe-Claire is the latest West Island school to introduce a composting program.
Daunting challenges ahead for development of Blue Bonnets site: expert
Focus on making Hippodrome site a model eco-neighbourhood could trump providing social and affordable housing for families, Annick Germain says.
Coronavirus Q&A: What you should know
The new coronavirus has killed at least 17 people and made more than 540 sick across China. Cases have been reported in the United States, Thailand, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.


I have this pain. It has been annoying me for years, and has been growing day by day!
me north to the lake of 'ye'.
"pain no more, the water of 'ye' will cure it" says the wise old man.
I arrive, and see a still lake. Its water, like silk, reflects the majestic mountains behind.
I, clenching onto my good luck rune, walk into the water until I am covered fully.
"Cured?". A small man, looking confused. I tell him "The lake of 'ye' has cured me".
The small man says "the ye is further north, the lake you were in is the lake 'te'".


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Foundational courses Advanced courses Guides Glossary
Decision Forests
Lang Eval
Sequence Models
Foundational courses
Machine Learning Glossary: Reinforcement Learning
This page contains Reinforcement Learning glossary terms. For all glossary terms, click here.
#rl
In reinforcement learning, the mechanism by which the agent transitions between states of the environment. The agent chooses the action by using a policy.
In reinforcement learning, the entity that uses a policy to maximize the expected return gained from transitioning between states of the environment.
Bellman equation
In reinforcement learning, the following identity satisfied by the optimal Q-function:
\[Q(s, a) = r(s, a) + \gamma \mathbb{E}_{s'|s,a} \max_{a'} Q(s', a')\]
Reinforcement learning algorithms apply this identity to create Q-learning via the following update rule:
\[Q(s,a) \gets Q(s,a) + \alpha \left[r(s,a) + \gamma \displaystyle\max_{\substack{a_1}} Q(s',a') - Q(s,a) \right] \]
Beyond reinforcement learning, the Bellman equation has applications to dynamic programming. See the Wikipedia entry for Bellman Equation.
Synonym for Deep Q-Network.
Deep Q-Network (DQN)
In Q-learning, a deep neural network that predicts Q-functions.
Critic is a synonym for Deep Q-Network.
DQN
Abbreviation for Deep Q-Network.
In reinforcement learning, the world that contains the agent and allows the agent to observe that world's state. For example, the represented world can be a game like chess, or a physical world like a maze. When the agent applies an action to the environment, then the environment transitions between states.
In reinforcement learning, each of the repeated attempts by the agent to learn an environment.
epsilon greedy policy
In reinforcement learning, a policy that either follows a random policy with epsilon probability or a greedy policy otherwise. For example, if epsilon is 0.9, then the policy follows a random policy 90% of the time and a greedy policy 10% of the time.
Over successive episodes, the algorithm reduces epsilon's value in order to shift from following a random policy to following a greedy policy. By shifting the policy, the agent first randomly explores the environment and then greedily exploits the results of random exploration.
experience replay
In reinforcement learning, a DQN technique used to reduce temporal correlations in training data. The agent stores state transitions in a replay buffer, and then samples transitions from the replay buffer to create training data.
greedy policy
In reinforcement learning, a policy that always chooses the action with the highest expected return.
Markov decision process (MDP)
A graph representing the decision-making model where decisions (or actions) are taken to navigate a sequence of states under the assumption that the Markov property holds. In reinforcement learning, these transitions between states return a numerical reward.
Markov property
A property of certain environments, where state transitions are entirely determined by information implicit in the current state and the agent's action.
In reinforcement learning, an agent's probabilistic mapping from states to actions.
Q-function
In reinforcement learning, the function that predicts the expected return from taking an action in a state and then following a given policy.
Q-function is also known as state-action value function.
Q-learning
In reinforcement learning, an algorithm that allows an agent to learn the optimal Q-function of a Markov decision process by applying the Bellman equation. The Markov decision process models an environment.
random policy
In reinforcement learning, a policy that chooses an action at random.
reinforcement learning (RL)
A family of algorithms that learn an optimal policy, whose goal is to maximize return when interacting with an environment. For example, the ultimate reward of most games is victory. Reinforcement learning systems can become expert at playing complex games by evaluating sequences of previous game moves that ultimately led to wins and sequences that ultimately led to losses.
replay buffer
In DQN-like algorithms, the memory used by the agent to store state transitions for use in experience replay.
In reinforcement learning, given a certain policy and a certain state, the return is the sum of all rewards that the agent expects to receive when following the policy from the state to the end of the episode. The agent accounts for the delayed nature of expected rewards by discounting rewards according to the state transitions required to obtain the reward.
Therefore, if the discount factor is \(\gamma\), and \(r_0, \ldots, r_{N}\) denote the rewards until the end of the episode, then the return calculation is as follows:
$$\text{Return} = r_0 + \gamma r_1 + \gamma^2 r_2 + \ldots + \gamma^{N-1} r_{N-1}$$
In reinforcement learning, the numerical result of taking an action in a state, as defined by the environment.
In reinforcement learning, the parameter values that describe the current configuration of the environment, which the agent uses to choose an action.
state-action value function
Synonym for Q-function.
tabular Q-learning
In reinforcement learning, implementing Q-learning by using a table to store the Q-functions for every combination of state and action.
target network
In Deep Q-learning, a neural network that is a stable approximation of the main neural network, where the main neural network implements either a Q-function or a policy. Then, you can train the main network on the Q-values predicted by the target network. Therefore, you prevent the feedback loop that occurs when the main network trains on Q-values predicted by itself. By avoiding this feedback, training stability increases.
termination condition
In reinforcement learning, the conditions that determine when an episode ends, such as when the agent reaches a certain state or exceeds a threshold number of state transitions. For example, in tic-tac-toe (also known as noughts and crosses), an episode terminates either when a player marks three consecutive spaces or when all spaces are marked.
In reinforcement learning, a sequence of tuples that represent a sequence of state transitions of the agent, where each tuple corresponds to the state, action, reward, and next state for a given state transition.


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Portada » Artículos » Effect of antiplatelet therapy on aneurysmal sac expansion associated with type II endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair
Effect of antiplatelet therapy on aneurysmal sac expansion associated with type II endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair
J Vasc Surg . 2017 Aug;66(2):396-403. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2016.11.032. Epub 2017 Feb 9.
Fecha de la publicación: 09/02/2017
Autor: Francisco Álvarez Marcos (1), José Manuel Llaneza Coto (2), Francisco José Franco Meijide (3), Ahmad Amer Zanabili Al-Sibbai (2), Jorge Vilariño Rico (3), Manuel Alonso Pérez (2), Santiago Caeiro Quinteiro (3)
1Vascular Surgery Department, A Coruña University Healthcare Complex (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain. Electronic address: alvarezmarcos@seacv.es.
2Vascular Surgery Department, Asturias University Central Hospital (HUCA), Oviedo, Spain.
3Vascular Surgery Department, A Coruña University Healthcare Complex (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain.
Objective: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has gained widespread use through a solid reputation of safety and effectiveness. However, some issues, such as endoleaks and sac growth over time, still arise as important concerns. Antiplatelet therapy, mandatory as secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, may play a role in both phenomena by interfering with blood clotting properties and the inflammatory process associated with AAA. We analyzed whether different antiplatelet therapies were independent risk factors for type II endoleak (T2E) persistence and midterm sac growth after EVAR.
Methods: All patients with T2E detected in the first post-EVAR control were included, except those without at least 1 year of complete follow-up. Data for demographics, clinical comorbidities, EVAR devices, and antiplatelet therapies were recorded. All patients underwent routine follow-up with contrast-enhanced tomography at 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and annually thereafter. A three-dimensional rendering of each endoleak was performed for detailed volumetry. Main outcomes were endoleak persistence at 6 months and sac growth >5 mm at end of follow-up.
Results: During a 9-year period, 87 patients with initial T2E were monitored for a mean of 41.5 months. On discharge, salicylates were prescribed to 50, clopidogrel to 16, and multiagent therapy or anticoagulation to 9; no therapy was given to 12. No significant differences in comorbidities or baseline AAA characteristics were found between groups. At 6 months thereafter, 59% (n = 51) of the initial T2Es persisted. At end of follow-up, 32 patients had sac growth >5 mm (37%). Sac growth was significantly less frequent in the group treated with salicylates (26% vs 60%; P = .004). Cox proportional hazards model reinforced the role of salicylates as protectors for sac growth over time (hazard ratio, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.13-0.87; P = .024), whereas T2E nidus volume and endoleak complexity behaved like independent risk factors.
Conclusions: Antiplatelet therapy with salicylates appears to be linked to a decreased risk of sac growth >5 mm over time in patients with T2Es detected right after EVAR. Population-based cohort studies are mandatory to confirm this finding and to guide a potential recommendation.
Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


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Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology
The Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology aims to be both a world-class reference collection of human anatomy and pathology material and a vibrant study hub for educational and research activities. Taking a scientific and ethically-considered approach, the museum provides teaching resources for relevant University of Melbourne curricula and educational services for external institutions. The museum further offers unique public engagement opportunities, both virtual and physical, which aim to enhance knowledge transfer and broaden scientific discourse. The museum actively pursues maintenance and expansion of the collection, while also evolving to reflect our ever-changing understanding of the human body.
Rohan Long
Rohan has been managing and curating biological museum collections at the University of Melbourne since 2013. Starting as curator of the Harry Brookes Allen Museum in 2018, he has overseen the museum through the disruptions of a major construction project on the museum's doorstep and the ongoing effects of a global pandemic. Prior to his current role, Rohan was the collection manager of the Tiegs Zoology Museum. Rohan has written about museums for Pursuit, INSITE magazine, and University of Melbourne Collections magazine, and he is a regular guest on David Astle's Evenings program on ABC Radio Melbourne. You can find him on Twitter @zoologyrohan.
Rohan Long,
Curator, Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
The Anatomy Museum after relocation to the current Medical Building, 1968, photograph, 24.8 x 19.6 cm. Medical History Museum, MHM02869.15
The foundation of the anatomy and pathology collections dates to 1859, when the University Council proposed the establishment of a museum of 'anatomical, pathological, physiological and botanical' specimens.
Museum Management Committee
Associate Professor Quentin Fogg
Associate Professor of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Anatomy and Physiology
Dr Jacqueline Healy
Director, Museums, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
Dr Ryan Jefferies
Associate Director, Science & Academic Programs, University Museums and Collections
Dr Ross Jones
Senior Research Fellow, Indigenous History of University of Melbourne, Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Associate Professor Vicki Lawson
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Curator, Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology
Associate Professor Quentin Fogg,
Medical Building, University of Melbourne
Cnr Grattan Street and Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria
Email mdhs-museum@unimelb.edu.au
Monday to Friday: 9.ooam to 5.00pm


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December 21, 2017 December 19, 2017 That Slav
The Crimson Sky
The Northern Lights are Burning
The population of Aklavik, in Northwest Canada, has a population of less than a thousand (2011), which consists mainly of North American Indians and Inuits. The town has a saloon, a hotel, several pharmacies and a fire station with an amateur orchestra. Aklavik is located beyond the Arctic Circle and is made of almost entirely of plywood panel prefabricated houses, which resulted in devastating fires more than once.
On the night of 13th to 14th of March, 1989, the fire attendant on duty, Jim Hank, as he usually did, read the yesterday's edition of Toronto Post, and from the corner of his eye, he watched the usual flashing of the aurora borealis. Fascinated by the study of the Stanley Cup hockey table, he was surprised to notice that the newspaper page suddenly acquired some strange reddish tinge. Hank raised his eyes to the sky and froze, struck by an unprecedented spectacle. The usually blue-green with a yellowish tinge of auroral shimmering, which covered the north-eastern part of the horizon, acquired an ominous crimson hue. The impression that was created, that from the depths of space to the ground, rushed the stockade of cyclopean red fireballs, and towards them a monstrous glow of a great fire burst out from behind the nearest hummock. Once Hank came to his senses, he rushed to call the fire bell, and soon the army or the Aklavik firefighters, on three converted to fire-engines pick-ups, rushed to the outskirts of the town. Rushing past the last buildings, the detachment ascended the nearest hill, and the firemen from in front of a fantastic and majestic spectacle. Far in the distance, above the earth, canvases of rich red color twisted into colossal pillars. They were intersected by iridescent arcs with light needles, which somehow resembled the glow of a giant fire. In such a way, over the northern regions of Canada, manifested itself the largest ionospheric storm of the past century, generated by the release of plasma from the Sun
Chasing the Glow
Sometimes, such fires cover not only the heavens, but also the surface of the earth. And if the nature of the former is more or less clear, then the nature of the latter for science is still a mystery: whether chemiluminescence (a luminescence caused by chemical reaction), or whether it is still a mysterious optical phenomenon. And such ground pseudo-fires occur not only in the circumpolar and polar regions, but also in the temperate and even in Central Asia. They are called differently, either "the red haze", or "the purple fog", or "the wall of ghostly fire".
In the evening of March 2, 1984, Estonian firefighters encountered a similar phenomenon in the Rapla settlement region. That night, it burned so, that people in the whole district could see the fire. As it turned out later, the two extreme points, from which the crimson glow was visible, were separated by 60 kilometers. The first call to the fire brigade was made at 20:36. Someone has worriedly informed, that in Kehtne a farm is burning. At 20:48, the phone of the switchboard rang again, and the same person apologized: "An mistake happened. I do not know what's with my eyes, how I could have seen it! But the Hermy's farmhouse is obviously not burning, and it never did. The fire is somewhere further away, only the glow is very large."
By that time, five fire engines had already ransacked the area. They chased after the glow back and forth, to the very borders of the district, but all was in vain. Surprisingly, there was no smoke anywhere!
This fire would have remained a blank spot in the dispatching journals, had it not been for the fire truck that had been dispatched from the Michurin state farm. The Sun that day had set at 18:52, and the Moon was due to appear at 21:32. The weather was good, when suddenly, grandmother Lizzie's house blazed in the gradually gathering darkness. Eyewitnesses said that there was a feeling that a solid flame escaped from windows and closed over the roof. And all this in complete silence and in the absence of smoke! The firefighters' car approached the house, but, instead of jumping out, the fire crew remained in the cab in perplexity. There was no fire! The house was in good standing. One of the firemen walked around the house and found no signs of burning. On the highway, the siren of another fire engine called for the help of its comrades, the neighboring houses "burned". The pursuit of the ghostly fire continued.
Firefighters returned home, excitedly discussing what they saw: what was it all anyway? All of them served in the army, had a lot of experience and tried to compare what they saw with something familiar, but found no analogues.
The Girl and the Camel
A resident of St. Petersburg, N.H. Langova, as a child, happened in the most direct sense to run from the wall of a ghostly fire. Everything happened in Kazakhstan, when she was 14 years old. The girl's father worked as a truck driver and often brought her to relatives and friends, and left for work. At that time, he left his daughter with her grandmother in Bazar-Tube (now Bazarchulan).
On that memorable morning, there was a beautiful windless weather, the sun was baking. Granddaughter and grandmother worked in the melon patch. The girl straightened herself to catch her breath and saw something like a cloud somewhere far away on the horizon. She and her grandmother were glad, that in the evening, perhaps, it might rain, and they continued their work. And after some 15-20 minutes, the fiery veil that covered everything around, came very close. It stretched to the right, the left and up as far as the eye could see and quickly approached. Grandmother shouted to her granddaughter to run to the village, which was about four kilometers away from them. The old grandmother stayed on the melon patch, she could not run that far.
The girl ran with all her strength. Several times she looked back and saw the wall of fire approaching. This, in the end, happened. The running girl felt that she was surrounded by orange haze, and then heard someone's footsteps and someone's panting by her ear. The girl, still running, did not even look back. Already near the village, the wall of ghostly fire overtook her, overtook and rushed further. And next to her, ran as if stunned, a terrified camel. In the village, the same commotion began. Even the ancient elders never saw such a phenomenon. In the evening, the father returned and told, that he also met with the veil of fire. It did not do any harm to the vehicle, although there was a barrel of gasoline in the back.
Cross-Country Run
With a similar phenomenon once faced the engineer from Novosibirsk, Vadim Fedoseev. In the summer of 1980, together with Novosibirsk and Tomsk physicists, he went into a distant Taiga expedition. A group of 11 researchers, headed by Fedoseev, was preparing to study the area of the fall of the famous Tunguska meteorite and to check people's compatibility, first went to the north, to a certain lake or even a swamp, which often had a variety of devilry. The equipment was picked in the most careful way. They took with them radios, dosimeter, photo and video equipment.
On the third day of the journey, the scientists approached a ridge of low hills and decided to rest on a well-ventilated and almost treeless peak of one of them. And when Fedoseev and his colleagues ascended it, they saw, on the other side of the hill, something incredible: the entire space in the northern part of the horizon was completely filled with boiling lava. From the fiery sea, flame bursts like protuberances, and, worst of all, all this boundless mass swiftly rose up to the encampment of the explorers.
Probably, on that evening, the physicists broke all records of the speed of running across rough terrain. Having run away to a safe distance, they came to their senses in about an hour and exchanged the most fantastic theories. But nothing else happened, and then, Fedoseev and two of his comrades went on reconnaissance. To the top of the hill, they approached like novice paratroopers to the edge of the tower. Having reached it, they were amazed no less than the first time: the fiery lava, which flooded all visible space to the horizon, disappeared! Below, behind the trees, a small cozy lake gleamed, slightly shaded with an evening mist, and further, up to the horizon, stretched the endless Taiga.
written by: Valdis Peypinysh
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Sen. Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioDems say attorney general undermined credibility with Trump talking point Pollster says there is no downside to Dems jumping into 2020 primary Senate confirms Trump's pick for ambassador to Saudi Arabia MORE (R-Fla.) on Monday entered the race for the White House, telling donors on a conference call that he is "uniquely qualified" to lead the Republican Party into battle against Hillary Clinton in 2016.
"I feel uniquely qualified to not just make that argument, but to outline the policies that we need to have in order to achieve it," Rubio told the donors, according to The Associated Press.
Portraying Clinton as a candidate of the past, Rubio, 43, talked about the opportunity awaiting the GOP as it seeks to recapture the White House after eight years out of power.
"The Republican Party, for the first time in a long time, has a chance in this election to be the party of the future," Rubio said on the call.
"Just yesterday, we heard from a leader from yesterday who wants to take us back to yesterday, but I feel that this country has always been about tomorrow."
Rubio is expected to officially launch his candidacy Monday evening in Miami against the backdrop of the Freedom Tower, a setting that will give him a chance to tout his heritage as the son of Cuban parents who fled to America in the 1950s.
The Florida senator, who is serving in only his first term, is entering an increasingly crowded GOP field that already includes Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Ky.). A host of other candidates are waiting in the wings, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
It had long been thought that Rubio would not run for the White House against Bush, given their personal history and shared base of support in the Florida Republican Party.
But much like Obama in 2008, Rubio appears willing to gamble his political future on the notion that his party will be looking for a fresh face, particularly given the GOP's difficulty in attracting minority voters in the last two presidential elections.
If elected, Rubio would become the first Hispanic president in American history.
Rubio told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in an interview Monday that he believes he's "absolutely" the best candidate for the Oval Office.
"I think the 21st century can be the American century, and I believe that I can lead this country in that direction," he said.
While Clinton's rollout could overshadow Rubio's, it could also play to his advantage by allowing him to draw a contrast with the former secretary of State, who has been a presence on the national stage for nearly three decades.
Thus far in the race, Rubio is polling outside the top tier of Republicans hopefuls.
But Rubio, a staunch conservative who was deemed a rising star after his election victory in 2010, is very well liked among Republican voters. Recent numbers from Democratic Public Policy Polling found that 55 percent had a favorable view of him, the highest of any potential GOP candidate.
Still, in order to win the nomination, Rubio will have to assure conservatives who were turned off by his involvement in the Senate's failed immigration reform effort in 2013.
Rubio helped write a bill with Democrats that passed the Senate but died in the House after an outpouring of conservative opposition.
He has tried to make amends for his role crafting that bill, telling activists in February that he's "learned" from the experience that securing the border must come first.
"You can't just tell people you're going to secure the border. … You have to do that, they have to see it, they have to see it working, and then they're going to have a reasonable conversation with you about the other parts, but they're not going to even want to talk about that until that's done first," he said at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Rubio is expected to make foreign policy one of the centerpieces of his campaign, and has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of Obama's move to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Following his campaign launch, Rubio will return to Washington for Senate business, including a high-profile Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Iran.
On Friday, he'll head to New Hampshire for a full day of campaigning in the critical primary state.
— This story was last updated at 3:05 p.m.