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Erwin Schrödinger citáty
Dátum narodenia: 12. august 1887
Dátum úmrtia: 4. január 1961
Erwin Schrödinger bol rakúsky fyzik, spolutvorca kvantovej mechaniky. Preslávil sa predovšetkým formuláciou nerelativistickej vlnovej rovnice pre popis hmotných častíc, ktorú na jeho počesť nazývame Schrödingerova rovnica.
Je držiteľom Nobelovej ceny za fyziku v roku 1933 . Wikipedia
Foto: Nobel foundation, http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1933/schrodinger-bio.html / Public domain
Citáty Erwin Schrödinger
"Hoci si myslím, že život môže byť výsledkom náhody, nemyslím si to o vedomí."
— Erwin Schrödinger
"Although I think that life may be the result of an accident, I do not think that of consciousness."
Help us translate this quote
As quoted in The Observer (11 January 1931); also in Psychic Research (1931), Vol. 25, p. 91
Kontext: Although I think that life may be the result of an accident, I do not think that of consciousness. Consciousness cannot be accounted for in physical terms. For consciousness is absolutely fundamental. It cannot be accounted for in terms of anything else.
"The world is given to me only once, not one existing and one perceived. Subject and object are only one."
Mind and Matter (1958), p. 127
Kontext: The world is given to me only once, not one existing and one perceived. Subject and object are only one. The barrier between them cannot be said to have broken down as a result of recent experience in the physical sciences, for this barrier does not exist.
"This life of yours which you are living is not merely a piece of this entire existence, but in a certain sense the whole; only this whole is not so constituted that it can be surveyed in one single glance."
My View of the World (1961)
Kontext: This life of yours which you are living is not merely a piece of this entire existence, but in a certain sense the whole; only this whole is not so constituted that it can be surveyed in one single glance. This, as we know, is what the Brahmins express in that sacred, mystic formula which is yet really so simple and so clear; tat tvam asi, this is you. Or, again, in such words as "I am in the east and the west, I am above and below, I am this entire world."
"Our burning question as to the whence and whither — all we can ourselves observe about it is the present environment."
Science and Humanism (1951)
Kontext: I am born into an environment — I know not whence I came nor whither I go nor who I am. This is my situation as yours, every single one of you. The fact that everyone always was in this same situation, and always will be, tells me nothing. Our burning question as to the whence and whither — all we can ourselves observe about it is the present environment. That is why we are eager to find out about it as much as we can. That is science, learning, knowledge; it is the true source of every spiritual endeavour of man. We try to find out as much as we can about the spatial and temporal surroundings of the place in which we find ourselves put by birth…
"Sensations and thoughts do not belong to the "world of energy.""
Nature and the Greeks (1954)
Kontext: The observing mind is not a physical system, it cannot interact with any physical system. And it might be better to reserve the term "subject" for the observing mind. … For the subject, if anything, is the thing that senses and thinks. Sensations and thoughts do not belong to the "world of energy."
"The difference in structure is of the same kind as that between an ordinary wallpaper in which the same pattern is repeated again and again in regular periodicity and a masterpiece of embroidery, say a Raphael tapestry, which shows no dull repetition, but an elaborate, coherent, meaningful design traced by the great master."
— Erwin Schrödinger, kniha What Is Life?
What Is Life? (1944)
Kontext: In physics we have dealt hitherto only with periodic crystals. To a humble physicist's mind, these are very interesting and complicated objects; they constitute one of the most fascinating and complex material structures by which inanimate nature puzzles his wits. Yet, compared with the aperiodic crystal, they are rather plain and dull. The difference in structure is of the same kind as that between an ordinary wallpaper in which the same pattern is repeated again and again in regular periodicity and a masterpiece of embroidery, say a Raphael tapestry, which shows no dull repetition, but an elaborate, coherent, meaningful design traced by the great master.
"No self is of itself alone. It has a long chain of intellectual ancestors. The "I" is chained to ancestry by many factors … This is not mere allegory, but an eternal memory."
Writings of July 1918, quoted in A Life of Erwin Schrödinger (1994) by Walter Moore
"If I say that there cannot be more than one consciousness in the same mind, this seems a blunt tautology — we are quite unable to imagine the contrary…"
"The Oneness of Mind", as translated in Quantum Questions: Mystical Writings of the World's Great Physicists (1984) edited by Ken Wilber
Kontext: Consciousness is never experienced in the plural, only in the singular. Not only has none of us ever experienced more than one consciousness, but there is also no trace of circumstantial evidence of this ever happening anywhere in the world. If I say that there cannot be more than one consciousness in the same mind, this seems a blunt tautology — we are quite unable to imagine the contrary...
"Thus you can throw yourself flat on the ground, stretched out upon Mother Earth, with certain conviction that you are one with her and she with you … For eternally and always there is only now, one and the same now; the present is the only thing that has no end."
"The Mystic Vision" as translated in Quantum Questions: Mystical Writings of the World's Great Physicists (1984) edited by Ken Wilber
Kontext: It is not possible that this unity of knowledge, feeling and choice which you call your own should have sprung into being from nothingness at a given moment not so long ago; rather this knowledge, feeling, and choice are essentially eternal and unchangeable and numerically one in all men, nay in all sensitive beings. But not in this sense — that you are a part, a piece, of an eternal, infinite being, an aspect or modification of it... For we should then have the same baffling question: which part, which aspect are you? what, objectively, differentiates it from the others? No, but, inconceiveable as it seems to ordinary reason, you — and all other conscious beings as such — are all in all. Hence, this life of yours... is, in a certain sense, the whole... This, as we know, is what the Brahmins express in that sacred, mystic formula... 'Tat tvam asi' — this is you. Or, again, in such words as 'I am in the east and in the west, I am below and above, I am this whole world.'
"Nature has no reverence towards life. Nature treats life as though it were the most valueless thing in the world.... Nature does not act by purposes."
Mind and Matter (1958)
"The scientific world-picture vouchsafes a very complete understanding of all that happens — it makes it just a little too understandable."
Kontext: The scientific world-picture vouchsafes a very complete understanding of all that happens — it makes it just a little too understandable. It allows you to imagine the total display as that of a mechanical clockwork which, for all that science knows, could go on just the same as it does, without there being consciousness, will, endeavor, pain and delight and responsibility connected with it — though they actually are. And the reason for this disconcerting situation is just this: that for the purpose of constructing the picture of the external world, we have used the greatly simplifying device of cutting our own personality out, removing it; hence it is gone, it has evaporated, it is ostensibly not needed.
"On principle, there is nothing new in the postulate that in the end exact science should aim at nothing more than the description of what can really be observed. The question is only whether from now on we shall have to refrain from tying description to a clear hypothesis about the real nature of the world. There are many who wish to pronounce such abdication even today. But I believe that this means making things a little too easy for oneself."
"The Fundamental Idea of Wave Mechanics", Nobel lecture, (12 December 1933)
Kontext: Conditions are admittedly such that we can always manage to make do in each concrete individual case without the two different aspects leading to different expectations as to the result of certain experiments. We cannot, however, manage to make do with such old, familiar, and seemingly indispensable terms as "real" or "only possible"; we are never in a position to say what really is or what really happens, but we can only say what will be observed in any concrete individual case. Will we have to be permanently satisfied with this...? On principle, yes. On principle, there is nothing new in the postulate that in the end exact science should aim at nothing more than the description of what can really be observed. The question is only whether from now on we shall have to refrain from tying description to a clear hypothesis about the real nature of the world. There are many who wish to pronounce such abdication even today. But I believe that this means making things a little too easy for oneself.
"I am born into an environment — I know not whence I came nor whither I go nor who I am."
"I am very astonished that the scientific picture of the real world around me is deficient. It gives a lot of factual information, puts all our experience in a magnificently consistent order, but it is ghastly silent about all and sundry that is really near to our heart, that really matters to us."
Kontext: I am very astonished that the scientific picture of the real world around me is deficient. It gives a lot of factual information, puts all our experience in a magnificently consistent order, but it is ghastly silent about all and sundry that is really near to our heart, that really matters to us. It cannot tell us a word about red and blue, bitter and sweet, physical pain and physical delight; it knows nothing of beautiful and ugly, good or bad, God and eternity. Science sometimes pretends to answer questions in these domains, but the answers are very often so silly that we are not inclined to take them seriously.
"PHYSICAL LAWS REST ON ATOMIC STATISTICS AND ARE THEREFORE ONLY APPROXIMATE"
Kontext: What we call thought (1) is itself an orderly thing, and (2) can only be applied to material, i. e. to perceptions or experiences, which have a certain degree of orderliness. This has two consequences. First, a physical organization, to be in close correspondence with thought (as my brain is with my thought) must be a very well-ordered organization, and that means that the events that happen within it must obey strict physical laws, at least to a very high degree of accuracy. Secondly, the physical impressions made upon that physically well-organized system by other bodies from outside, obviously correspond to the perception and experience of the corresponding thought, forming its material, as I have called it. Therefore, the physical interactions between our system and others must, as a rule, themselves possess a certain degree of physical orderliness, that is to say, they too must obey strict physical laws to a certain degree of accuracy.
"Science sometimes pretends to answer questions in these domains, but the answers are very often so silly that we are not inclined to take them seriously."
"We do not belong to this material world that science constructs for us. We are not in it; we are outside. We are only spectators."
Kontext: We do not belong to this material world that science constructs for us. We are not in it; we are outside. We are only spectators. The reason why we believe that we are in it, that we belong to the picture, is that our bodies are in the picture. Our bodies belong to it. Not only my own body, but those of my friends, also of my dog and cat and horse, and of all the other people and animals. And this is my only means of communicating with them.
"Consciousness is never experienced in the plural, only in the singular."
"We cannot, however, manage to make do with such old, familiar, and seemingly indispensable terms as "real" or "only possible"; we are never in a position to say what really is or what really happens, but we can only say what will be observed in any concrete individual case."
Zobrazuje sa 20 z 68
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Ďalších 14 výročí


There are signs of spring in Shirwell, with the first flowers of the year starting to peek above the ground. Now that we've got through the New Year, the snow drops have started to grow and the woodland at the bottom of the garden looks a treat. With the branches of the trees above, their trunks clad in soft green moss, the floor in bloom, and the moor stretching off into the distance, the garden is one of the most peaceful places to be this time of year.
Inside The Spinney itself, everything is at a level of cosy that almost makes you forget about the temperature outside. The Rayburn chugs away in the kitchen and there are two woodburning stoves, one in the living room and one in the Snug, so the whole house is at just the right temperature you want when there's a cold snap outside.
To make The Snug live up to its name even more, there are now works from local artists in it and the conservatory, so you can really get a feel for this part of Devon while you sit around the fire enjoying a well-earned cup of tea or having breakfast. I'll talk more about these more in another post and include a few pictures! Safe to say, they are really brightening up the place, and every piece is for sale so you can take a little bit of The Spinney back home with you.
The Spinney is open for Valentine's Day bookings, so if you haven't sorted something out for your S.O. just yet, there's a small nook in North Devon awaiting both of you. Along with the fantastic scenery and the comfy rooms, Shirwell is a wonderful location for finding little restaurants and pubs tucked away from the rest of the world. So for a Valentine's weekend that neither of you will forget, The Spinney is just a phone call away!
Along with the snow drops' newfound vigour, The Spinney's new resident beast, Bodge the cat/installation has finally started venturing outside for about 10 minutes a day. Whether the short amounts of time he's been venturing out is due to his Christmas weight or not remains to be seen. My personal theory is that it's because being from Cambridge, he's never seen a hill before so can't quite deal with the idea of the ground having texture.
I'll keep you updated with goings on at The Spinney, the art and (of course) the cat's adventures in future posts. Until next time, good bye!


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HomeFeaturesClassy Bilic deserved better as Baggies turn to the dark side
Classy Bilic deserved better as Baggies turn to the dark side
The former West Ham boss did a great job of getting West Brom promoted
January 4, 2021 Geoff Hillyer Features 0
In a year where people's lives have been turned upside down, in a world that's been utterly changed because of the Coronavirus pandemic, and – if 'normality' ever returns – where recovery will be a long process, it is perhaps no surprise that football remains depressingly consistent with its sense of lunacy.
I'm referring, of course, to West Bromwich Albion's sacking of Slaven Bilic last month.
Now, I'll come right out and say it – I am a fan of Bilic and probably will forever remain so.
I know that you might accuse me of having claret-and-blue tinted spectacles on at this point, or that I might have been a bit blinded by that Payet-inspired season.
I know you might be thinking that at the point when he departed West Ham, the team was playing some fairly insipid football, and that he didn't seem like the man to drag us up the table, with the team struggling for form, and crucially points.
I realise all these things, but I disagree with them. Personally, I think had he stayed, he – and we – would have recovered, and I think it would take a particularly mean-hearted fan to assume that our slump in form was solely down to Slav.
I think there's three characters that you can point to in our boardroom that have to share some of the blame.
A change of stadia didn't help, with its perhaps unsettling effect on the players. And maybe some of those players, now ex-West Ham, could look at themselves too, and ask whether they were really committed to the cause – I think we all know who we are talking about here.
As managers go, he oozes class. Very respectful and honest, unlike some other managers that we have recruited over recent years.
He wrote a brilliant statement after his West Brom sacking which, if you haven't seen, you should read.
He's a good guy, someone who, as a fan, I can get on board with, and I'm sure the players in his squad can too.
He gave us that memorable season and, in a season full of highlights, I'll never forget the last match, the thrilling 3-2 victory over Manchester United at the Boleyn.
In that same season, we broke all kinds of records for West Ham in the Premier League era. Sixty-five goals scored? Yes please, we'd love that kind of return now.
A positive goal difference of +14? We're West Ham, we don't do positive goal differences.
Only five away defeats out of nineteen and only three at home? These are the kinds of records that would have us salivating if this was happening now.
Looking back through his managerial career, it's easy to forget his highlights.
As Croatia manager, he took the team to the quarter-finals of Euro 2008, and really should have beaten Turkey too, having scored one minute before the end of extra time, only for Turkey to equalise seconds later and then win on penalties.
He left his tenure as national team manager on positive terms, and really, is the only Croatian manager to do so.
To be fair, his tenure at Lokomotiv Moscow was broadly unsuccessful, only managing a 9th place finish in his one season there, but after a two-year stint at Besiktas, came the Hammers job and that amazing season, breaking all kinds of records in the process.
I know that the following season's results were disappointing, but frankly, I don't believe that he got a fair crack of the whip at West Ham.
I think circumstances were against him – and I don't believe he's had a fair crack of the whip at West Brom either.
It is also fair to say that results improved when Moyes took over for his first stint, but I am still not convinced that would not have happened had Bilic stayed.
Let's look at what he's achieved with West Brom. He's taken a club, on a shoestring budget, back to the Premier League.
He's built a real rapport with the supporters, as he did with us. His team were 3-0 up against Chelsea at one point.
They'd just taken a point off Manchester City in an incredibly well-organised display (cards on the table, I watched the match).
It's a jump from the Championship to the Premier League, for goodness sake – isn't it unrealistic to think that a newly promoted team might struggle a bit?
I've been speaking with some West Brom fans, and the general consensus is that Bilic was not backed up by the board for the purchases that team needed.
However, it is also true to say that a lot of money was actually spent by that board, so maybe that argument doesn't carry a huge amount of weight.
The biggest problem, it would seem, was that there were a number of occasions when West Brom could have taken points from matches and they just didn't.
This happened towards the end of their promotion season, when the team stuttered and only by virtue of Brentford losing their last two games, did West Brom achieve the point on the final day of the season they needed to be promoted.
Similarly, in the Premier League, the team lost a 3-0 lead against Chelsea; they should have beaten Burnley; they could have got something out of the Manchester United and Newcastle United games.
The team, however, were playing some good football. They were not adrift; they just appeared to lack a ruthless streak, which sounds depressingly familiar to us West Ham fans. They are no Sheffield United, that's for sure.
The decision to sack Bilic prior to the 1-1 draw against City is not only disrespectful, but is of short-termism, one that reeks of desperation to stay in the Premier League.
Look at Bilic's replacement: if ever there was a firefighter, someone who'll most likely squeak a team up to above the waterline into the "we survived" category – it's Sam Allardyce.
I'm writing this after West Brom have been walloped 5-0 at home by Leeds, with us sitting a full 15 points ahead of them.
As a West Ham fan, I can truly sympathise with the fans, who will be feeling pretty disheartened right now. I'm not too sure how much more Allardyce is going to get out of those players, that Bilic wasn't able to do.
Slaven Bilic is a good man, and a good manager. It's bonkers to have got rid of him at this stage.
Allardyce may keep West Brom safe this season – although they're five points adrift at the moment – but that's no guarantee, so to the West Brom board, I give a piece of advice that us Hammers fans have heard before – 'be careful what you wish for'.
Dimitri Payet
Slaven Bilic
Reid's future is in doubt but his legacy at the club is still secure
We'll never understand how we rejected one of the world's best
'One great season doesn't earn any manager the right to have their name sung'
October 5, 2021 Meirion Williams Features 0
Fans have been vocal of their support for David Moyes at recent away games but is it too soon to get excited?
Could West Ham's Silva be the Academy's next golden boy?
November 8, 2018 Greg Richardson Features 0
Despite only three wins and a draw from Manuel Pellegrini first 10 games in charge, there are many positives straws to cling too. One such straw is his willingness to turn to the club's Academy
Communication is key if fans are to understand West Ham masterplan
April 6, 2019 Robert Banks Features 0
If season ticket cash is vital for player recruitmen then supporters need to know

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package org.ankus.mapreduce.algorithms.clustering.kmeans;

import java.io.IOException;

import org.ankus.util.CommonMethods;
import org.ankus.util.ArgumentsConstants;
import org.ankus.util.ConfigurationVariable;
import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path;
import org.apache.hadoop.io.NullWritable;
import org.apache.hadoop.io.Text;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapreduce.Mapper;

/**
 * KMeansClusterAssignFinalMapper
 * @desc final mapper class for k-means mr job
 *
 * @version 0.0.1
 * @date : 2013.08.22
 * @author Moonie
 */
public class KMeansClusterAssignFinalMapper extends Mapper<Object, Text, NullWritable, Text>{

	String mDelimiter;          // delimiter for attribute separation

	int mIndexArr[];            // index array used as clustering feature
	int mNominalIndexArr[];     // index array of nominal attributes used as clustering features
	int mExceptionIndexArr[];   // index array do not used as clustering features

	int mClusterCnt;            // cluster count
	KMeansClusterInfoMgr mClusters[];       // clusters

	@Override
	protected void cleanup(Context context) throws IOException, InterruptedException
	{

	}

	@Override
	protected void map(Object key, Text value, Context context) throws IOException, InterruptedException
	{
		String[] columns = value.toString().split(mDelimiter);
		int clusterIndex = -1;

		String writeValueStr = "";
		/**
		 * cluster index get
		 */
		double distMin = 99999999;
		for(int k=0; k< mClusterCnt; k++)
		{
			double attrDistanceSum = 0;
			double attrCnt = 0;

			for(int i=0; i<columns.length; i++)
			{
				double distAttr = 0;

				if(CommonMethods.isContainIndex(mIndexArr, i, true)
						&& !CommonMethods.isContainIndex(mExceptionIndexArr, i, false))
				{
					attrCnt++;
					if(CommonMethods.isContainIndex(mNominalIndexArr, i, false))
					{
						distAttr = mClusters[k].getAttributeDistance(i, columns[i], ConfigurationVariable.NOMINAL_ATTRIBUTE);
					}
					else distAttr = mClusters[k].getAttributeDistance(i, columns[i], ConfigurationVariable.NUMERIC_ATTRIBUTE);

                    attrDistanceSum += Math.pow(distAttr, 2);

                    // write only used attributes
					if(k==0) writeValueStr += columns[i] + mDelimiter;
				}

			}

			double dist = Math.sqrt(attrDistanceSum);
			if(dist < distMin)
			{
				distMin = dist;
				clusterIndex = k;
			}
		}

//		context.write(NullWritable.get(), new Text(value + mDelimiter + clusterIndex + mDelimiter + distMin));
		context.write(NullWritable.get(), new Text(writeValueStr + clusterIndex + mDelimiter + distMin));
	}

	@Override
	protected void setup(Context context) throws IOException, InterruptedException
	{
		Configuration conf = context.getConfiguration();

		mDelimiter = conf.get(ArgumentsConstants.DELIMITER, "\t");

		mIndexArr = CommonMethods.convertIndexStr2IntArr(conf.get(ArgumentsConstants.TARGET_INDEX,  "-1"));
		mNominalIndexArr = CommonMethods.convertIndexStr2IntArr(conf.get(ArgumentsConstants.NOMINAL_INDEX,  "-1"));
		mExceptionIndexArr = CommonMethods.convertIndexStr2IntArr(conf.get(ArgumentsConstants.EXCEPTION_INDEX,  "-1"));

		mClusterCnt = Integer.parseInt(conf.get(ArgumentsConstants.CLUSTER_COUNT, "1"));

		// cluster load and setting
		Path clusterPath = new Path(conf.get(ArgumentsConstants.CLUSTER_PATH, null));
		mClusters = KMeansClusterInfoMgr.loadClusterInfoFile(conf, clusterPath, mClusterCnt, mDelimiter);
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
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Australia State of the Environment Report
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Approach - Heritage 2016
In the 2011 state of the environment report (SoE Committee 2011), the 'Heritage' chapter analysed information gathered from a wide range of information sources, including empirical datasets, commissioned field surveys and facilitated workshop discussions. Along with other SoE 2011 chapters, the 'Heritage chapter' presented information using a 'drivers–pressures–state–response' framework, augmented by discussions of resilience, future risks and outlook. The chapter sought to focus on issues that were relevant to environmental decision-makers and managers. Report card–style assessments were provided for condition, pressures and management effectiveness, and the chapter was comprehensively referenced.
SoE 2016 was compiled within a tighter timeframe and with fewer resources than SoE 2011. The reduction in available resources may itself be an indicator of changing priorities about the importance of data gathering and monitoring as part of the suite of tools available for effective heritage conservation. In view of these constrained circumstances, the approach that has been taken is to review and update the previous 2011 assessments, using readily available data, rather than undertaking new primary data collection. Where appropriate, this report incorporates and reproduces information and text from 2011, revised as necessary.
Heritage occurs across the full spectrum of domains and themes of the Australian environment. Other SoE 2016 reports, particularly Antarctic environment, Biodiversity and Coasts, address particular heritage places, contexts and issues. In general, although relevant cross-referencing has been provided, examples and content are not repeated across the SoE 2016 reports.
Assessing the condition of Australia's heritage places continues to be hampered by an incomplete and unrepresentative set of formally identified heritage places, and by the absence of a comprehensive body of reliable national data. As was the case in 2011, available information relates more to inputs, such as the number of protected places or funding levels, rather than outcomes, such as the actual physical condition and integrity of listed places.
Some conclusions have been drawn through surveys, surrogate data and indicators. The SoE reports for 2001, 2006 and 2011 all relied on a set of natural and cultural heritage indicators, originally prepared in 1998 as the basis for summary assessment (Pearson et al. 1998). The same approach has been used here, augmented by selected case studies and additional information provided by the natural, Indigenous and historic heritage agencies and officials. However, this approach cannot thoroughly address some of the complexities and subtleties in the heritage system, including complex cultural landscapes, regional perspectives or unlisted sites. The approach reflects resource limitations, uses data that are available, and offers relevant observations, including perspectives on what has changed since 2011. It would be appropriate for these indicators to be reviewed and reconsidered in future phases of SoE reporting.
The assessments in this report particularly rely on the outcomes from workshops held with relevant stakeholder groups, including the Australian Heritage Council, Heritage Officials of Australia, the Wildlife Heritage and Marine Division of the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, the Indigenous Advisory Committee of the department, representatives from the Australian chapter of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Australia ICOMOS), and the Australian Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Although these workshops cannot replace empirical evidence, the results do provide assessments based on consensus, in which there can be some degree of confidence.
SoE (State of the Environment) Committee (2011). Australia state of the environment 2011, independent report to the Australian Government Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, DSEWPAC, Canberra.
Pearson M, Johnston D, Lennon J, McBryde I, Marshal D, Nash D & Wellington B (1998). Environmental indicators for national state of the environment reporting: natural and cultural heritage, Australia: state of the environment (environmental indicator reports), Department of the Environment, Canberra.
Mackay R (2016). Heritage: Approach. In: Australia state of the environment 2016, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra, https://soe.environment.gov.au/theme/heritage/approach, DOI 10.4226/94/58b658bbe13a0
Professor Richard Mackay AM
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Australia State of the Environment 2016 has been prepared by independent experts using the best available information to support assessments of environmental condition, pressures, management effectiveness, resilience, risks and outlook.
This site is a major undertaking to improve the usability of SoE information. We are grateful for the support of users in our ongoing efforts to improve SoE reporting. Please report problems with the site via our feedback page.
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Acknowledgment of Country
We, the authors, acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community; we pay respect to them and their cultures and to their elders both past and present.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2017-2018
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text:
The S&P 500® Index returned 11.03% in the fourth quarter, bringing its year-to-date return to 28.71%. The quarter was strong, but uneven, with monthly returns of 7.01%, -0.69% and 4.48% in October, November and December, respectively. The monthly returns mask the extent of mid-quarter volatility as the 9.42% return of the S&P 500® Index from September 30 through November 18 was followed by four weeks of lateral turbulence that included a 4.02% plunge from November 18 through December 1. The equity market ended the year on a high note with a 4.38% advance for the S&P 500® Index from December 20 through year-end.
Macroeconomic data released throughout the quarter indicated modest economic growth, strong corporate earnings, an improving labor market and persistent inflation. The final estimate of Gross Domestic Product for the third quarter of 2021 showed that the U.S. grew at an annualized rate of 2.3%, outpacing the consensus expectation. The unemployment rate declined from 4.6% in October to 4.2% in November, slightly better than the consensus expectation, while the participation rate ticked up to 61.8%. Inflation data was less sanguine as the November Consumer Price Index, released on December 10, showed a 6.8% year-over-year increase, its highest reading since 1982. With nearly all companies reporting, third quarter aggregate operating earnings were on track to climb over 8% quarter-over-quarter while increasing more than 53% year-over-year. More than 83% of the companies that reported earnings met or exceeded analyst estimates.
2021 was the third consecutive year of double-digit return for the S&P 500® Index, powering its three-year cumulative return above 100% for the first time since early March 2012, a three-year period that began at the bear market bottom of the Great Financial Crisis. Additionally, returns were positive in each quarter of 2021, though the September equity market pullback brought that streak to the brink. The equity market started the year in impressive fashion with returns of 6.17% and 8.55% in the first and second quarters, respectively, as macroeconomic stabilization and improvement driven by a relaxation of pandemic mitigation policies and additional fiscal stimulus helped investors digest concerns surrounding the outlook for inflation, labor market imbalances, and rising interest rates. Equity market strength continued in July and August but the S&P 500® Index eked out a third quarter return of just 0.58% as the equity market pulled back, surrendering to a growing list of investor concerns including new COVID variants, the outlook for inflation and uncertainty surrounding fiscal and monetary policy. September's decline carried into early October as the S&P 500® Index lost 5.12% from September 2 to October 4, its largest peak-to-trough drawdown of the year. The equity market's fourth quarter was the strongest of all, despite the mid-quarter volatilty, with the S&P 500® Index ending the year just shy of its all-time high reached on December 29.
The downtrend in implied volatility that began after the Cboe® Volatility Index (the VIX®) peaked at record levels in March 2020 continued over the first half of 2021. The VIX® spent most of the year ranging from the mid-teens to the low 20s while posting 21 days of closing values above 25, including six days when it closed above 30. The result was an average closing value of 19.66 for the year, slightly above its long-term average of 19.48. While the downtrend brought the measure to below-average levels at various points throughout the year, it never closed below 15, thus establishing a COVID-era low that was above the low readings that persisted for several years prior to the pandemic. Specifically, the VIX® averaged 14.86 during the seven year period from 2013 to 2019. While implied volatility was elevated in 2021, realized volatility, as measured by the standard deviation of daily returns for the S&P 500® Index, was below-average at 13.09% for the year. The spread between S&P 500® Index realized volatility and average implied volatility, often referred to as the Volatility Risk Premium (VRP), was positive in 2021, as is typical. However, the spread was consistently wider than normal as VRP ended the year on a 15-month trend of readings that have been above the historical monthly average of 4.15%.
The Cboe® S&P 500 BuyWriteSM Index1 (the BXMSM) returned 6.98% in the fourth quarter of 2021, lagging the S&P 500® Index by 405 basis points (bps) and bringing its full year return to 20.47%. The BXMSM underperformed the S&P 500® Index in each month of the quarter with returns of 4.67%,-1.50% and 3.77% in October, November and December, respectively. On the third Friday of each month, the BXMSM writes a new index call option as the option it wrote the previous month expires. The premiums the BXMSM collects on its written index call options have significant influence on its return potential during equity market advances and help to mitigate market declines. The premiums the BXMSSM collected as a percentage of the BXM'sSM underlying value were 1.39%, 1.44% and 1.84% in October, November and December, respectively. The BXM'sSM underperformance for the quarter was primarily due to return potential provided by the premium it collected when it wrote its call option with a November expiration on October 15 being insufficient to keep pace with the equity market's strong advance from mid-October to mid-November. The S&P 500® Index returned 5.21% from October 15 throuth November 19, while the BXMSM returned 1.49%, lagging the S&P 500® Index by 372 bps. While elevated implied volatility levels helped the BXMSM deliver its best annual return since 2009, premiums collected from written index call options were insufficient to keep pace with the seemingly relentless advance of the equity market, resulting in lagging performance for the year relative to the S&P 500® Index. However, index call writing premiums lowered risk relative to the equity market as the BXMSM exhibited a standard deviation of daily returns of 8.61% for 2021 and delivered 320 bps of downside protection with a return of -1.92% during the S&P 500® Index's maximum drawdown period from September 2 to October 4.
The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (the Agg) returned 0.01% for the fourth quarter of 2021, resulting in a return of -1.54% for the year. The bond market's loss for the year, its first annual loss since 2013, was mainly driven by a significant climb in interest rates during the first quarter of the year, which resulted in a first quarter loss of 3.37%, the Agg's worst quarterly return since the third quarter of 1981. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury Note (the 10-year) opened 2021 at 0.91%, its lowest reading of the year, and reached its 2021 high of 1.74% on March 31 – a level not seen since January 2020. The Agg recovered a portion of its loss in the second quarter as the yield on the 10-year drifted down. The 10-year yield was range bound over the second half of the year and the Agg's return was flat, earning just 0.06% from June 30 through year-end. The 10-year ended the year with a yield of 1.51%.
1The BXMSM is a passive total return index designed to track the performance of a hypothetical buy-write strategy on the S&P 500® Index. The construction methodology of the index includes buying an equity portfolio replicating the holdings of the S&P 500® Index and selling a single one-month S&P 500® Index call option with a strike price approximately at-the-money each month on the Friday of the standard index-option expiration cycle and holding that position until the next expiration.
Sources: Morningstar DirectSM, Bloomberg, L.P. Performance data shown represents past performance and is no guarantee of, and not necessarily indicative of, future results.
For more information and access to additional insights from Gateway Investment Advisers, LLC, please visit www.gia.com.


Recently I've been out and about painting landscapes. Its been really enjoyable after doing the studio work. I get a lot from working in this way, and i intend to develop a lot more in this direction. Got a show on the horizon which is always a good motivation. I've posted this image of a study I made on the Usk at a place called Penpont. I'm interested in these hidden views, and feel its a really interesting subject. Painted in two sessions, second session the rain really came down, which adds to the whole experience of developing a connection with the subject!


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A decade of Little Mix, celebration with a new album
Anooshik Tahmasian
Little Mix bandmates Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, and Jade Thirwall on the cover of their new album BETWEEN US.
Since their win on the X-Factor in 2011, one of the longest existing girl groups in the music industry, Little Mix, has established quite a name for themselves. Recently, Little Mix released their new album BETWEEN US on November 12, 2021 celebrating their 10-year anniversary together.
Members of the band, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, and Jade Thirwall are known for their upbeat pop songs aimed towards a female audience. With their new album, they bring that sass, excitement, and feeling of confidence to their fans.
The design of their album is a picture of the three group members holding onto each other surrounded by various types of colorful flowers. The flowers represent passion, gratitude, and prosperity. These details are also present in their music videos— there are warm tones and a lot of colorful scenes with flowers and triangles representing their unbreakable bond.
This album is particularly different because it features not only new songs, but a combination of all their previous songs. According to Little Mix, they structured the album this way to honor and remember all of their ups and downs, friendships, and memories they created together.
"I will recommend these songs to all my friends who are hurt inside, because they remind us about all the greatness in life and that we will be okay in the end," said sophomore Yanna Oganesyan.
BETWEEN US includes eighteen of the group's previous top hits. The last five songs are new releases such as "Love (Sweet Love)," "Trash," "Between Us," "No," and "Cut You Off." The five new tracks capture the inner strength of Little Mix and tell a story of perseverance when the girls faced struggles in relationships and hardships of sharing their life online.
For instance the song "Trash," gives power and self worth to women. For junior Julia Ansourian, the line,
First, Girl, it's time to put you first,
Find a man that you deserve.
shows the importance of one's well-being as well as, "giving off a voice of courage".
The band's release of the new album BETWEEN US sent a bigger message to women all around the world, to be courageous and in control of their own lives. The lyrics to their songs provide not only excitement, but empowerment for their listeners who have gone through a breakup, or need some confidence boost through music.
"Little mix has never failed to put me in a cheerful mood after a tiring or devastating day. I personally have the song 'Love (Sweet Love)' on repeat. Through its powerful lyrics and beat, I found the importance in self care, and self love," said junior Natali Sahakyan.
The song "Between Us" is truly the most special one (or outstanding) of the whole album as it mainly focuses on the journey as a girl group for 10 years. It focuses on sticking together, being strong, and having nothing negative from the outside get in the way of their friendly love on the inside.
The song helps women realize their worth, and acknowledge that they can live their lives to the fullest. The high value of a woman remains the same, with or without a man beside them.
Anooshik Tahmasian, Section Editor
Interests/hobbies? I like to play video games, paint my nails, read books, bike ride, and do photography.
Dream Destination? Philippines, Costa Rica...


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I tried Bonobos' most affordable suit and it fit me perfectly right off the rack thanks to its specialized sizing options — here's what it's like, plus a 20%-off promo code
Amir Ismael
David Slotnick/Business Insider
Bonobos recently released The Daily Grind Suit, its first ready-to-wear suit.
The Daily Grind Suit comes in five colors, four fits, and a wide range of sizes to accommodate men of most sizes. With multiple inseam options, you won't need to visit a tailor before wearing it.
At $400, the Bonobos Daily Grind Suit is the brand's least expensive suit. While the price is comparable to some custom suit companies, the various sizes and fits will eliminate the need for made-to-measure garments for most men. And, since it doesn't need to be made specifically for you, you'll receive your order much faster.
First-time customers can save 20% on their order by using the Business Insider-exclusive promo code "BONOBOSBI20" at checkout.
Bonobos Daily Grind Suit
$400.00 from Bonobos
I've always been a huge proponent of made-to-measure menswear because the customization process usually yields a better fitting garment. When the finest of details matter the most, I wouldn't hesitate to choose the custom route, but in some instances, having something made specifically for you can be more of an inconvenience than a luxury.
Let's be honest. No one likes waiting weeks on end for a tailor to complete a job or for their online order to finally ship out. While it's easy to get away with off-the-rack dress shirts and such, suits are the one menswear item that almost always need some sort of alteration.
Bonobos is now offering its solution: the Daily Grind Suit.
Suits have long been a part of Bonobos' catalog, but the Daily Grind Suit comes as the brand's first ready-to-wear suit. The suits come in four different fits (tailored, slim, athletic, and standard) and the pants come with inseam length options, so you won't need to make any alterations before wearing it. While making different fits and inseam lengths isn't some monumental feat in menswear, it sure is a convenience — and, quite frankly, more people should know that the feature exists.
What it's like to wear
I went with the light grey suit in the tailored fit, the narrowest fit available. When ordering the suit, I was impressed that my size was actually available — I'm a hard 29-inch waist and lots of suits start out at 30 inches. The pant sizes range from 28 to 40, so men of almost all sizes are included. I was also happy to see that they had my inseam length of 28 inches. While I usually go with a longer inseam for jeans (in order to cuff them) I like a straight, uncuffed pant leg for slacks.
Since all the sizes are in stock and readily available as opposed to being made-to-order, I got my suit two days after placing the order. Although I wasn't in a huge rush to wear the suit, this is a great point to consider if you're on a tight deadline and need a nicely-fitted suit in a hurry.
I put on the Daily Grind Suit and it fit me absolutely perfectly. I've tried other ready-to-wear suits in the past, but still had to make alterations because only one fit was available or because I had to settle for a larger waist or inseam.
Throughout the day, I got several compliments while wearing the Bonobos Daily Grind Suit and everyone I told was surprised to learn that it hadn't been altered in any way.
Me, out and about in The Daily Grind suit.
At $400, the Daily Grind Suit is Bonobos' least expensive suit. Although it's about the same price as a custom suit you could get at Indochino, I'm willing to bet that the various fit and size options will do away with the need for a made-to-measure garment for most guys.
I'm confident that other men will like the Daily Grind Suit just as much as I did, so Business Insider and Bonobos teamed up to create an exclusive offer. New customers can save 20% on their order by using the promo code "BONOBOSBI20" at checkout. You'll need to click through our link to use the promo code.
Senior Reporter, Insider Reviews
Amir Ismael is a senior reporter for Insider Reviews, Insider's e-commerce branch of the service journalism team. As a collector of sneakers and fashion, Amir is passionate about all things related to style. He's covered everything including the industry's shift to producing more sustainable clothing, the most comfortable loungewear, all of the best places to shop for affordable business casual attire, and more. He's used his expertise in footwear and the footwear industry to review all kinds of shoes from sportswear giants, well-known casual brands, and startups. Amir's coverage also includes eyewear, watches, and grooming products like electric razors and men's skincare. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Amir has led Insider Reviews' face masks coverage with thoughtful recommendations based on CDC guidelines, expert opinions, and his own testing. During his time at Insider, Amir previously handled deals of the day coverage, and worked as a generalist writing hundreds of reviews ranging from phone cases and headphones to bed sheets and blenders, and has also covered major shopping holidays including Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Before joining the Insider Reviews team in 2017, worked as a freelance writer for Complex Sneakers and Sole Collector where he contributed to daily sneaker news and release dates, feature-length articles, and interviews with artists, designers, and athletes. Amir graduated from William Paterson University in 2015 with a degree in journalism and public relations. Say hello to Amir at aismael@insider.com or on Instagram @amirjismael. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test style and beauty products.
More: Men's Clothing IP Reviews Bonobos Suits
IP Deals


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Q: For Loops in VB I have a 5 by 5 matrix I want to populate and I would like to simplify this into for loops.
As I understand, I would need 2 for loops to complete this task?
I am still very new to VB hope you could understand
    Dim x(4, 4) As Char

    x(0, 0) = Mid(key, 1, 1)
    x(0, 1) = Mid(key, 2, 1)
    x(0, 2) = Mid(key, 3, 1)
    x(0, 3) = Mid(key, 4, 1)
    x(0, 4) = Mid(key, 5, 1)
    x(1, 0) = Mid(key, 6, 1)
    x(1, 1) = Mid(key, 7, 1)
    ....
    x(4, 4) = Mid(key, 25, 1)

A: Try something like this:
Dim x As Integer
Dim y As Integer
Dim myMatrix(4, 4) As Char

For x = 0 To 4
    For y = 0 To 4
        myMatrix(x, y) =  Mid(key, (x * 5) + y + 1, 1)
    Next
Next

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Bertolli's New Meal Soup Giveaway!
I'm a big fan of Bertolli pasta, and those delicious frozen meals for the stove or the oven. When I know that I am not going to feel like cooking, but still want something homey and delicious, I always reach for the Bertolli at the grocery store!
I was really excited to hear that Bertolli was hosting a live Ustream event and Twitter party on Monday with Chef Fabio Viviani and introducing their new line of soup! I wasn't able to stick around for the entire event because I actually had to cook dinner – I hadn't bought my Bertolli Meal Soup yet, unfortunately – but I was happy to learn what I did while I was watching. I happen to love soup, it's one of my go-to comfort foods, so when I saw what Bertolli meant by "soup:…well, I got even more excited. I love that Bertolli uses so many fresh ingredients in easy-to-prepare meals. Their restaurant-quality soups are full of crisp vegetables, fully-cooked chicken or beef, and filling pasta that leaves you satisfied. It's not just soup – it's Meal Soup – which means it's hearty, it's filling, and it is definitely being added to my list of quick and sumptuous meals!
You can watch the Ustream event from Monday here from Bertolli's Facebook page. Why you're there, "like" Bertolli on Facebook so you can keep abreast of all of their latest promotions!
I tried the Chicken Minestrone last night and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised in the flavors! I knew it would be easy to prepare, and I expected it to taste good – but it was delicious! I could actually taste the vegetables, and the chicken just melted in my mouth.
Bertolli is one of my favorite brands and I am so excited to be able to share them with you through a giveaway!
Sound good? I thought so! This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and over an ends on October 19th, 2011.
Leave me a comment telling me which soup is your favorite!
« Wordless Wednesday: I wish I was there!
I like Baked Potato Soup or Vegetable Beef Soup!
I like italian wedding soup.
I would love the Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken!
I am loving the Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken.
I would love the Tomato Florentine soup.
vegetable beef is the best!
I'd like to try the Tuscan Style Beef and Vegetables Soup Meal!
I ttied to follow via GFC: allibrary, but that part of your sidebar was blank. I hope you'll still allow this as an entry, since I tried!
Wild rice soup is my favorite.
I'd like the Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken.
Sweet and sour corn soup is my favorite. Thanks for the giveaway.
I haven't tried any of the Bertolli soups yet but my all time favorite soup is Cheddar Broccoli Soup.
I follow Rebel Chick on Fb.
I love the Tomato Florentine.
I haven't tried the Bertolli soups yet; I've been waiting for my local grocery store to get them in since there have been good dollar-off coupons in the paper. My favorite soup is chicken dumpling.
I love clam chowder and potato soup!
Their Minestroni sounds amazing!!!((1955nursehjc4me(at)myway(dot)com)) TY!
Also LIKE you (HollyCunningham) on FB ((1955nursehjc4me(at)myway(dot)com)) Thanks for the chance….
Roasted chicken and Rotini pasta sounds wonderful!
My favorite is their Tuscan Style Beef and Vegetable Soup.
I really want to try the roasted chicken and rotini pasta. I like potato soup also.
My fave soup is italian wedding soup.
I'm a plain girl 🙂 just give me veggie beef soup and I'm happy.
I want to try Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta.


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Grand Island Town Board: Southpointe development on hold
Sat, Sep 21st 2019 07:00 am
McMurray: Project 'is dead again, back in its coffin'
By Larry Austin
Island Dispatch Editor
Town Supervisor Nathan McMurray announced Thursday that the proposed Southpointe development project is "dead" and that the developers have informed him it will not move forward.
In a letter to the media (printed in full inside The Dispatch), McMurray wrote: "So, here's the good news. After months of back and forth with my office and hearing from us the obstacles they will face getting the current version of their plan approved, the developers have informed me that they will not move forward at this time. Southpointe is dead again, back in its coffin. I pray that future boards will keep it there, with the wooden stake stuck deep in its chest. Happy Halloween early."
Asked about McMurray's comments, Earl Wells III, president of E3 Communications, consultants for the developer Harold Schertz from SRI, LLC, said: "That is not accurate; the project is simply on hold at the moment.
"I am not going to get into the reasons behind the decision," Wells said.
Two council members who responded to an email from the Dispatch were unaware of the move.
Councilman Mike Madigan commented Thursday afternoon: "The supervisor's office is unresponsive and withholding details from the rest of the board regarding the project and it's status. This lack of transparency has been a chronic and a repeated problem since he was elected – truly outrageous behavior that is a disservice to his constituents.
"The lack of transparency from the supervisor's office includes (Deputy Supervisor) Jim Sharpe, who rebuked me at an open workshop on Sept. 2 for informing the public regarding the project claiming I was 'creating a circus' – he asked me to stop. Jim stated this as we moved the meeting to the courtroom due to high public attendance and interest (conference room was to small).
"I have heard the issue that may have impacted the project is related to wetlands delineation, but this has not been confirmed.
"My suggestion to the public is to stay informed – this project is not and never was a done deal but it is likely not dead either."
"A key lesson the community learned is that it has influence – a powerful fact that most elected officials and special interests hope the community never learns," Madigan said.
"At this point, the supervisor's office has not shared any information with the entire board other than what he shared online," said Councilwoman Jennifer Baney. She said she found out about the reported withdrawal of the project on social media.
Baney and Madigan both raised discussed issues related to Southpointe in the work session meeting that preceded the regular meeting Monday.
Madigan proposed a moratorium to give time to review and update infiltration and inflow information and sewer data. Southpointe, if approved and built out, would add more than 200 homes to a wooded parcel near Baseline, Staley and Love roads and could comprise a neighborhood of 1,000 people.
Baney, liaison to the town's Traffic Safety Advisory Board, discussed a request for an independent traffic study of the Southpointe development.
The decision by the developer to put Southpointe on hold comes after attorney Art Giacalone, representing four residents (Linda Hartman of Glen Avon Road, Nicole Gerber and Dave Reilly of Whitehaven Road, and Michael Szumla of Staley Road), spoke during the public comment period at the end of the Monday meeting.
"First of all, I want to say I was very happy to see the progress made during the workshop discussions on the town gathering and making the voluminous documents available for the public. And also that there were real steps to have additional traffic information gathered," Giacalone said.
"With that being said, I have two requests. Number one, I'm certainly hoping that the town will not make any decisions, vote on any of the pending requests, until the public has had the chance to review the documents and comment on the documents.
"Number two, I believe that (State Environmental Quality Review Law) requires that the additional information that you're gathering on traffic be done through the SEQR process with a supplemental environmental impact statement."
He added regarding traffic: "I want to say that it's important that the impacts of traffic not be just considered the rigid level of service kind of impacts that are being shown in the traffic effects study. ... That any new information needs to recognize that traffic impacts the quality of life of the nearby residents, and therefore the character of the existing neighborhoods. ... I've been doing zoning and SEQR stuff for 30 years now. It used to be that the traffic studies showed not only peak hours in the a.m. p.m., but all day long with the hours and for all seven days of the week. That's how you truly know how it's going to impact Glen Avon Road."
Let the elections be the elections
At the end of the meeting Deputy Supervisor Jim Sharpe, who chaired both the regular meeting and the work session meeting in the absence of McMurray, addressed a comment from an opponent of Southpointe, that the voters would not re-elect those board members who do not represent them.
"In closing, I would like to comment back on somewhat of a disappointing comment that was made by somebody that indicated everybody who's sitting up here isn't looking out for the very best interest of Grand Island," Sharpe said. "I can say, I have been working with these folks the last three and a half years. They do have intense conversations. They have diverse opinions. But I will say this, they're all working strongly on your behalf. And they do diligently look at every detail that comes before them. Southpointe will not be anything less than a document that is thoroughly examined by the board and thoroughly taken on as long as it takes to get it right. And so therefore, let not the elections be a threat, let the elections just be the elections."
Dispatch NFP


Today ONLY (2/13), score a pair of these New Balance Men's Fresh Foam Lazr Denim Running Shoes $29.99 (Retail $89.99).
The Fresh Foam Lazr Denim men's running shoe delivers performance with everyday style. Designed for athletes on the move, this premium shoe features the first-ever laser-engraved Fresh Foam midsole for superior comfort. The heathered mono mesh upper mimics the look of denim for eye-catching style from start to finish. Four-way stretch collar construction offers superior comfort, no matter where your day takes you.


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Meteor Exploded Over Russia With 10x Energy of Atomic Bomb
byTechodom Stuff	 March 19, 2019 Future Tech
Massive Fireball
A meteor caused a massive explosion in Earth's atmosphere in December 2018, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL). The fireball was so powerful that it released ten times the energy of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, BBC reports.
The explosion occurred over the Bering Sea, off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula — an area so remote that no observers apparently saw or reported the blast. However, it was spotted by Japan's Himawari satellite. The U.S. Air Force also noticed the event, and notified NASA.
Some colour views of the #meteor that flew over the North Pacific in December 2018, taken by Japan's #Himawari satellite.
The meteor is really clear here – bright orange fireball against the blue + white background!
Background: https://t.co/r403SQxicZ pic.twitter.com/ctNN8zxsXb
— Simon Proud (@simon_sat) March 18, 2019
10 Little Boys
The fireball descended through Earth's atmosphere at a blistering 32 kilometers per second.
The explosion occurred 15 miles (25.6 km) above the surface and released 173 kilotons of energy. The Little Boy atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 exploded with the energy of 15 kilotons — enough force to turn most of downtown Washington, DC into rubble and severely damage concrete buildings, according to the Washington Post.
It's not the most powerful meteor blast JPL has recorded in recent years. An apocalyptic fireball released 440 kilotons of energy in February 2013 over Chelyabinsk, Russia.
Asteroid Blasters
Luckily, NASA is getting good at determining where and when meteors are likely to impact. In 2018, a tiny 9-foot asteroid called 2018 LA was expected to hit southern Africa — and it hit Botswana just, as expected, mere hours after discovery.
In 2016, Russian scientists toyed with the idea of retrofitting intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) to target asteroids ranging in size from 20 to 50 meters that are at a dangerous proximity to Earth.
NASA has also announced plans for a "National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan," outlining steps it could take to prevent dangerous asteroids from striking Earth.
Post Tags:	#Atomic#Bomb#energy#Exploded#Meteor#Russia
An Edible Controller Moves Gaming From the Screen to Your Gut
ByTechodom Stuff	 November 16, 2018
Gamer Fuel Just like "Back to the Future Part II" predicted, Gamepads are so old-fashioned. A new pill acts as the controller for a new video game out of Australia's Royal Melbourne…
A Jupiter-Sized Black Hole is Floating Around The Milky Way
Black Hole Astronomers recently spotted an invisible, interstellar nomad wandering throughout the Milky Way. More specifically, scientists working at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) found evidence of rare…
Hong Kong Is Planning a $79 Billion Artificial Island
Artificial Island Faced with a critical land shortage, the city of Hong Kong is planning to build one of the most ambitious artificial islands in the history of the world,…
Australian Companies Can Fire Workers Who Refuse Biometric Scans
Scan Here By all accounts, Australian sawmill worker Jeremy Lee was a model employee. He didn't miss a single day of work in over three years, and his employer, Superior…
Microdosing Fights Depression, Improves Focus
Just a Taste We finally have real evidence about what microdosing psychedelic drugs does to your brain. Long advocated by people who claim that a teensy daily dose of LSD…
3D Printed Implants and Stem Cells Helped Paralyzed Rats Walk Again
One Small Step Lab rats paralyzed from spinal cord injuries regained the ability to walk after scientists gave them 3D-printed implants loaded up with stem cells. The implants were biocompatible…


One of the great things that kids have today is the Internet for great free games and printables.
With mom's being so busy they don't always have to make games and cards like we use to in the past.
With so many sweets & candy that represent Valentine's Day, it's only perfect to have a trivia game all about it! This Valentine candy trivia game is challenging, but oh-so sweet!


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Studios, The Latest Animation News, Warner Animation
'The Lego Movie' and Turkish Airlines Build an Awesome In-flight Safety Video!
Karl Smith
Who would have thought that in-flight safety briefings can be so awesome? Of course, we've seen some highly creative safety videos that break the norm from airlines like Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic, but now it's time for Turkish Airlines to step into the game with some plastic bricks.
With the help from Warner Bros., The Lego Group, and Animal Logic, our favourite Master Builders of The Lego Movie universe do what movie stars do best between sequels: Star in a flashy airline safety video!
Also available in Turkish.
Created to build up hype for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, Turkish Airlines' new in-safety video puts Emmet (Chris Pratt), Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett), and many more Lego Movie favourites into one cabin to bring hilarity and style to the mundane safety procedures before takeoff. With the original cast, loads of cameos, and "a song and dance that will get stuck in everyone's head for the rest of the flight", how much awesome can you get with a safety briefing? This combines two of my favourite things (animation and aviation) into something that I must admit is truly a blast.
Interestingly enough, this is not the first time that Warner Bros. has collaborated with Turkish Airlines. Back in 2016, the Turkey flag carrier held an advertising campaign for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, consisting of commercials that promote the fictional cities of Gotham and Metropolis, an exclusive promotional livery on one of their Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, and a scene in the movie featuring the airline.
A member of Star Alliance, Turkish Airlines is one of the largest carriers in the world, owning over 320 aircraft that serve over 300 destinations, and flying to more countries than any other airline.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part will be arriving in North American cinemas via Warner Bros. Pictures on February 8, 2019, although a concrete release date for Turkey is yet to be confirmed.
[Turkish Airlines / Warner Bros. Pictures]
What did you think of The Lego Movie safety briefing? Are there other in-flight safety videos you'd recommend? Be sure to construct your opinions in the comments below!
Tags: airline animal logic batman DC comics in-flight safety video LEGO ninjago Star Alliance The LEGO Batman Movie the lego movie the lego movie 2 the second part The LEGO Ninjago Movie Turkish Airlines warner animation group warner bros warner bros. animation Warner Bros. Pictures
About Karl Smith
Deep down in New Zealand, Karl "Karlamon" Smith is a Kiwi who is passionate in animation, seeing it as an artistic medium that expresses vast creativity and brings unique characters and worlds to life. Whenever an animation-related fact pops up, it will more than likely be cemented in his brain for a long time. Some of his favourite animated movies include Zootopia, Balto, Bolt, Over the Hedge, The Fox and the Hound, the How to Train Your Dragon series, The Iron Giant, and The Prince of Egypt. Prior to contributing to Rotoscopers, Karl has served as a bureaucrat on Ice Age Wiki, and a moderator/site builder/news reporter on Animation Source. Karl is also a Computer Science graduate who is now studying Digital Design in university. That, and with his additional fascination in aviation, he hopes someday to be both an animator and a pilot (if that is even possible).


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Unexpectedly Wild
Genomic analysis reveals pigs interbred with wild boars during domestication.
Karen Zusi
Wild boarFLICKR, ANDY HAYPig domestication has typically been considered an isolated process in Europe and Asia, during which farmers took animals with desirable traits from the herd and selectively bred them to create lineages in each region. But a study published in Nature Genetics this week (August 31) has shown that Europe's domestic pigs often interbred with wild populations.
"What our results really show is that over the years, there has been a lot of exchange with wild populations present at many different occasions," study coauthor Martien Groenen, a geneticist at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, told The Verge.
Groenen and an international team of researchers examined 103 whole genomes from European wild boars and European domestic breeds, as well as samples from wild boar and domestic pig in Asia. The researchers created models for a range of scenarios to explain the similarities and differences among the genomes, eventually arriving at the most likely: pigs were not isolated from their wild counterparts during or after domestication, resulting in a genetic complex of different wild boar populations.
"We see this massive mosaic, with gene flow between east and west and between wild and domesticated," study coauthor Greger Larson, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, told Science.
The results "challenge the assumptions of 100 years of research," Fiona Marshall, an anthropologist at Washington University in St. Louis who was not involved in the study, told Science.
Even with all of this backcrossing, however, domestic pigs still look significantly different from wild boars. The results showed that some parts of the domestic pig genome remained highly conserved—mostly those relating to bones, teeth, the nervous system, and behavior. The authors speculated that farmers may have allowed the populations to mix but still had a hand in selecting for domestic traits, counteracting the effects of gene flow and resulting in today's recognizable pig.
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BEST Kids Luggage for Family Travel - Smart Tips Included!
When they are babies, you share luggage. If you have a separate suitcase for them, it is typically full of diapers. Soon enough they want it ALL BY MYSELF. We first purchased our oldest her own suitcase when she was 3. She loved it. She would fill it with her "stuff," including some random things from around the house. I would maintain responsibility on packing her clothing in our suitcase.
My older daughter has a great suitcase. The youngest one is getting a new one for her birthday!
Please note that many of the links included below are affiliate links. There is no cost to you for using my affiliate links to purchase the products. Thank you for supporting my site.
There is no point getting the cutest LITTLE suitcase when he/she won't be able to fit anything in it. More than like your child will want to wheel the suitcase onto the plane, so be sure it is of appropriate measurement for overhead storage. Most U.S. airlines have carry-on restrictions of 22 inches (22"x 14″ x 9″) and cannot exceed 45 linear inches. That means combined length + width + height.
Another reason to consider the kids luggage size is that you most certainly don't want to have to check the suitcase that is holding all of their "stuff," especially when it has things they need for entertainment on the plane.
Kids LOVE to put stuff in things. They love pockets. Select a kids suitcase that has pockets . These will be used to not only store clothing but their toys.
To be honest, I'm obsessed with compartments, too. When I travel with the kids, I rely on a good this cross-body bag that has loads of compartments.
Don't go for the cheapest in the lot. We once purchased a cute suitcase and the handle was so stubborn to pull. Find a quality suitcase which has wheels that easily glide, a zipper that works and a handle that can, without a problem, pull the luggage. If you're buying the suitcase at a store, take in on a test drive. Roll it around and try to use all it's features to be sure they work well. If you decide to buy a suitcase online, look at it's return policy incase it's not as functional as you had thought.
What your child loves at age 3 will likely be completely different than age 4. When shopping for kids luggage, find a pattern that is likely to still be loved for at least 2 years. While they may LOVE Cars right now, will they will love this cartoon movie in a few years? Maybe. The Cars suitcase is adorable!
I found 5 suitcases that align with my top features for kids suitcases. Many of these can be purchased online and are sent through FREE shipping. Let me know which one you purchase for your kids!
This Olympia 19″ luggage has a fun design that is age appropriate for many years. This is a lightweight suitcase that should last for several trips. It retails for $80, but I've seen it discounted quite a bit, too. Click here to learn more.
This is a 16″ spinner kids suitcase with matching 12″ carry on by Goplus. Love, love, love the luggage package. It comes in several different designs – some more girls, some more boyish and some gender-neutral. The price in under $50 for both which makes it a great deal. Love the matching carry on. Click here to learn more.
The Milliard Kids Ride On Suitcase is a popular one. I can just imagine my youngest wanting to be pulled around the airport. This could get to be a pain. But, I promise you will have a happy child when they get this popular children's luggage! This suitcase retails for over $200 but is on sale for under $100 on eBags. Click here to learn more.
American Tourister is a trusted luggage brand. For over 75 year, American Tourister has been making luggage for travelers. They have several kid luggage pieces that are great to add to your collection. I really like American Tourister Marvel Spinner. This quality suitcase retails for under $200. Click here to learn more.
Another American Tourister kids luggage that is certain to make the kids smile and last for quite a long time. Packing for your next Disney trip will get even more symbolic with this kids luggage. Yes, they have it in Minnie Mouse, too! Click here to learn more.
I learned then that kids luggage is a WINNER of a gift to give a child. It makes them feel all grown up and in reality it does help having them pack and haul some of their stuff when on a family vacation. You can even get the kids those packing bags that make packing more efficient and organized. My kids love to put things inside of other things.
Disney in a Weekend! Planning a Weekend Disney Getaway!


"The Sacred Passage has been one of the most, if not the most, significant events in my life."
"The Sacredness of this sojourn brings up awe and gratitude, and humbles me... Thank you for helping me heal the fear of a lifetime."


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Why Some Band Names Take "The" and Others Don't
Why does it sound OK to talk about the Jefferson Airplane but not the Led Zeppelin?
Neal Whitman, Writing for
Grammar Girl
Several times on this podcast, we've talked about the word the. In episode 224, we said that usually the definite article doesn't go with proper nouns. That's why my friends and family call me Mignon, and not The Mignon. For some proper nouns, though, it's not so clear. Why do we have The Velvet Underground, but not The Led Zeppelin? And are the reasons for shortening The Ukraine and The Congo to just Ukraine and Congo, the same reasons that some journalists are reporting on Central African Republic? Stay tuned, as we take a closer look at the word the, and how it behaves with bands, brands, and foreign lands.
A general rule about band names and the definite article is that plural band names that suggest that they refer to the individual band members tend to get a the. , It's easiest to explain with an example. Let's take the nominal phrase Exploding Pickle. Now suppose that Squiggly, Aardvark, and Fenster have formed a band and named it the Exploding Pickles. This name suggests that Squiggly is an Exploding Pickle, as are Aardvark and Fenster. Not literally, of course, but in a figurative way: We have to redefine the phrase Exploding Pickle so that it means "any member of the set made up of Squiggly, Aardvark, and Fenster." The definite article emphasizes that these are the only Exploding Pickles.
Band names that don't suggest they're referring to the members of the band, don't get carelessly prefaced with the so much.
This rule also explains why speakers tend to add the to some band names that don't already have it, but not to others. Article-free bands such as Eagles and Talking Heads began to appear in the 1970s. But these bands, and later ones, such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, often end up with a the in front of their name anyway, because you imagine that each member of these bands is an Eagle, a Talking Head, or a Red Hot Chili Pepper. I'm not saying it's cool to be careless with a band's name by adding the definite article when they don't want it; I am saying that if you're confused, it's their fault, not yours.
Likewise, plural-noun band names that don't suggest they're referring to the members of the band, don't get carelessly prefaced with the so much. For example, some commenters on a Language Log post suggest that speakers rarely put a the before the names Barenaked Ladies and Dire Straits because these names don't suggest that each band member is a bare-naked lady (they're all men), or a dire strait (because the idiom dire straits doesn't refer to actual straits).
What about those singular band names, though, like The Velvet Underground or Led Zeppelin? This was actually the question that got me started on this episode. When I was in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, I had coffee with Penn Jillette, who, in addition to being half of the incredible magician duo Penn and Teller, likes to talk about grammar. He wondered why a sentence like "I went to see the Jefferson Airplane" sounds OK, but "I like the Led Zeppelin" doesn't, and other band names work with or without the definite article. When he said this, I was thinking, "the Jefferson Airplane"? I didn't know until I did a Google search that people actually said this, or at least, they used to.
The bottom line is that fans are likely to think a band name should have the in the name if they view the name as describing the members rather than being collective.
Returning to our example, suppose that Squiggly, Aardvark, and Fenster have named their band The Exploding Pickle. This name suggests that the entire band is figuratively an exploding pickle, and that only one such pickle exists. I believe this is how some of the singular-noun bands that began to appear in the late 1960s were regarded, and that this is why you can find mentions of bands such as the Jefferson Airplane or the Buffalo Springfield in books, newspapers, and magazines of the time.
On the other hand, suppose that our three musicians have formed a band and named their band just Exploding Pickle. In this case, Exploding Pickle is just the name of the band, and that's it. There's no metaphor step in between. The fact that the name is a noun isn't even relevant, since you could take any kind of phrase and use it as a name. For example, They Might Be Giants is a sentence, and Of Monsters and Men is a prepositional phrase, but they're also both band names. This seems to be the more usual way to think of singular band names these days, and I suspect it's why some of those singular-noun band names, such as Jefferson Airplane, that used to have a definite article have lost it now.
The bottom line is that fans are likely to think a band name should have the in the name if they view the name as describing the members rather than being collective. In other words, we probably don't call it The Led Zeppelin because we simply think of Led Zeppelin as the name of the band, and don't think of it as describing the band, but we probably do call them The Eagles because we'd say "Don Henley is an Eagle."
... Next, "The" in Brands and Foreign Lands
Neal Whitman, Writing for Grammar Girl
Neal Whitman PhD is an independent writer and consultant specializing in language and grammar and a member of the Reynoldsburg, Ohio, school board. You can search for him by name on Facebook, or find him on Twitter as @literalminded and on his blog at literalminded.wordpress.com.
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More Tips from Grammar Girl
Country Names and 'The': The Ukraine or Ukraine
Modern Mentor
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2016 Rookie of the Year Analysis
Jeff Seide
Before the season, the hype for this year's Calder Trophy centered around Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, the first and second overall selections at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. But the way this fascinating season has played out, there's been an entire crop of NHL rookies that have stepped up to make themselves deserving of the award.
As in previous years, young players continue to step into roles at the professional level and make an instant impact. Many have made compelling cases for themselves to be considered for the honor. Instead of "Rookie of the Year," it's easy to call the 2015-16 NHL season "The Year of the Rookie."
The frontrunners are: Jack Eichel (Buffalo), Shayne Gostisbehere (Philadelphia), Dylan Larkin (Detroit), Connor McDavid (Edmonton), and Artemi Panarin (Chicago).
Not taking anything away from the terrific seasons of Buffalo's Sam Reinhart, Arizona's Max Domi, St. Louis' Robby Fabbri, Calgary's Sam Bennett, or rookie goaltenders John Gibson of Anaheim and Mike Condon of Montreal, but beyond our admiration for a fine season, they're just not at the same level as the finalists under consideration in this article.
By definition, the Calder Trophy is awarded "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the NHL." The Rookie of the Year award is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association–North American ice hockey journalists–at the conclusion of each regular season. Each individual voter ranks his top five candidates on a 10–7–5–3–1 points system. Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL Awards ceremony after the playoffs.
The Calder vote is not a career projection. It's based on what the player has done this year. Goals, assists, points, 5-on-5 play, clutch play (game-tying and game-winning goals), special teams play… there are many other factors that come into play when deciding and ranking players.
No matter who you like, there's no doubt it's one of the more intriguing Calder Trophy races in recent memory. Note: All stats up-to-date as of Wednesday, April 6, 2016.
Jack Eichel (Buffalo) – Gaining confidence as the season went on, Eichel has already directed 233 shots on goal and is on pace to put up the fourth-highest total by a rookie in the NHL over the last decade. Only Ovechkin, Crosby and Landeskog had more than that. Jack's had a great season in his own right. Despite having inconsistent and mediocre teammates for most of the year, he's still put up impressive numbers and has stayed near the top of the rookie scoring charts all season. His strength, heavy shot, and patience with the puck resulted in a number of highlight-reel goals. And he was often counted on at the end of a game for his responsible play, and therefore, more important to his team – especially now. His average ice time of 19:04 is the ninth-highest ever recorded by a rookie forward and the highest ever by Sabres rookie forward by more than a minute.
Shayne Gostisbehere (Philadelphia) – Being a defenseman in such an offensively-gifted rookie class makes it trickier to compare his case. But there's no disputing the fact that the Flyers have become a much better hockey team with Gostisbehere in the lineup. The defenseman is solid in his own end and a threat at the other. He's been a catalyst for Philadelphia's magical run to the playoffs, highlighted with a historic point streak spanning 15 games-the second longest in the league to Patrick Kane's 26 and the third-longest streak by any NHL rookie since 1987-88 (Selanne 17, P. Stastny 20). Sixty-five percent of Ghost's points have come on the power play.
Dylan Larkin (Detroit) – The 19-year-old became the first teenager to crack the Red Wings' opening night lineup since Jiri Hudler did it in 2003, albeit on the top line. He has high-end speed, even winning the fastest skater competition during All-Star weekend in Nashville. His five-on-five play is incredible–eighty percent of his points have come at even strength.
Larkin's speed and skill often produce at least one dazzling play each game. But it's his poise with the puck and maturity in late-game situations that are equally as quite impressive for such a young player, and it makes him a great fit for the way the Red Wings style of play.
Connor McDavid (Edmonton) – While healthy, McDavid's been a point machine-averaging better than a point per game, but that doesn't mean you hand him the Calder. A broken collarbone sidelined McDavid for over 30 games abbreviating his season. There's just not a big enough body of evidence to prove his talents as the year's best. Points are the biggest measure of success. And this award is not about projected points over a season. Furthermore, though McDavid's presence on the ice is awe-inspiring, it has not translated into wins for the Oilers. They've been in and around the league basement for months.
Fellow Oiler Wayne Gretzky did not earn a Calder because he had already played a year in the WHA before Edmonton joined the NHL in 1979.
Artemi Panarin (Chicago) – The 23-year-old Panarin, has a leg up on many of the rookies with five straight seasons of 40-plus games of professional experience in the KHL. Still, by the rules, he's eligible for consideration. His creativity with the puck has been aided by his usual linemates, Arten Anisimov and Patrick Kane—the highest scoring line in the NHL this year. Kane is the only NHL player to eclipse the 100 point mark and is the odds-on favorite for this year's Hart trophy. Regardless of who he's playing on, one can't overlook Panarin's production rate for an NHL rookie. It's also interesting to wonder if Kane would have had his tremendous season without Panarin.
All things considered, my picks are: 1. Panarin, 2. Eichel, 3. Ghost, 4. McDavid, 5. Larkin
I've been a Sabres fan since my first game in the Aud in '76 against the Habs. I sat in the lower golds for that game and though I've been to close to 400 games, I've never sat as close as I did that night.