text:
El Grup Lego és una empresa de joguines danesa reconeguda principalment pels seus blocs de plàstic interconnectables. El nom Lego fou adoptat per la companyia l'any 1934, que prové del danès "leg godt", que vol dir "juga bé". Fins al 1949, Lego es dedicà exclusivament a fabricar joguines de fusta.

Història

Inicis
LEGO no va ser sempre el sistema de blocs plàstics que és avui. Els seus humils orígens van sorgir en el taller d'Ole Kirk Christiansen, un fuster pobre de Billund, Dinamarca. El seu innovador negoci familiar creixeria fins a convertir-se en una de les empreses de joguines més respectades del món.

L'any 1916, Christiansen va obrir un negoci de fusteria a Billund, i es va guanyar la vida construint cases i mobles per a grangers de la regió amb l'ajuda d'un petit equip d'aprenents. El seu taller es cremà l'any 1924 quan un foc, iniciat pels seus dos fills menors, va encendre l'encenall de la fusta. Intrèpid, Ole Kirk va prendre's el desastre com a l'oportunitat de construir un taller més gran, i va dedicar-se a ampliar el seu negoci encara més; no obstant això, la gran depressió aviat produiria un impacte en la seva subsistència. Intentant trobar formes de minimitzar els seus costos de producció, Ole Kirk va començar a produir versions miniatura dels seus productes com a ajuda de disseny. Les seves escales en miniatura i taules de planxar van ser els objectes que van inspirar-lo a produir joguines.

El taller d'Ole Kirk va començar fent joguines d'arrossegament, cotxes i camions fets de fusta. Va gaudir d'un modest èxit, les famílies eren pobres i sovint incapaces d'adquirir les seves joguines, tot i que alguns grangers de l'àrea a vegades intercanviaven menjar per les seves joguines. Ole Kirk va decidir que havia de continuar produint mobles d'ús pràctic a més a més de les seves joguines per a mantenir-se en el negoci. A mitjans dels anys 30, la moda del yo-yo li va portar un breu període d'activitat, fins al seu sobtat col·lapse. Novament Ole Kirk va saber tornar el seu desavantatge al seu favor, transformant les parts en desús dels yo-yo en rodes per a un camió de joguina. El seu fill Godtfred va començar a treballar per ell i a tenir un rol a l'empresa.

No va ser fins a l'any 1934 que el nom LEGO va ser encunyat per Christiansen arran de la frase leg godt, en danès "juga bé". Alguns afirmen que "LEGO" significa "jo armo" o "jo ensamblo" en llatí, tot i que aquesta és una traducció molt literal d'una forma d'un verb que normalment seria traduïda com "jo llegeixo" o "jo ajunto".

Quan l'ús del plàstic va ser massiu, Ole Kirk es va adaptar als canvis i va començar a produir joguines de l'esmentat material. Una de les primeres joguines modulars produïdes per l'empresa fou un camió que es podia fer i desfer. No va ser fins a l'any 1949 que els blocs de plàstic interconectables, que van dur la companyia a la fama, van ser desenvolupats. Aquests "blocs de construcció automàtics", fabricats d'acetat de cel·lulosa, van ser fets a l'estil dels blocs de fusta tradicionals, que podien ser apilats uns sobre altres; el concepte revolucionari, no obstant això, va ser el fet que els blocs de plàstic podien ser "travats" entre si. Cada bloc posseïa diversos botons plans en la seva cara superior i un fons buit rectangular. Connectant les cares superior i inferior de dos blocs era possible mantenir-los units. L'any 1953, aquests blocs van obtenir un nou nom: LEGO Mursten o blocs LEGO.

La utilització de plàstic per a la fabricació de joguines no va ser ben rebuda per venedors i consumidors de l'època. Molts dels carregaments de LEGO van ser retornats, seguint-los baixes vendes; es considerava llavors que les joguines de plàstic no podrien reemplaçar les de fusta. Cap a l'any 1954, Godtfred s'havia convertit ja en el director administratiu de LEGO, i fou durant una conversa amb un comprador estranger que va obtenir la idea d'un sistema de joguina, veient l'immens potencial dels blocs LEGO per a convertir-se en un sistema de joc creatiu. Els blocs però posseïen encara alguns problemes des del punt de vista tècnic: la seva habilitat per a "lligar-se" era limitada i no eren molt versàtils. No va ser fins a l'any 1958 que surt el disseny dels blocs actuals, sent millorats amb tubs buits en la cara inferior. Aquest canvi va permetre un suport més gran en la base, millorant àmpliament l'habilitat de lligar-se i la seva versatilitat. Ole Kirk Christiansen va morir aquest mateix any i Godtfred va heretar el lideratge de la companyia. A aquest el substituí el seu fill Kjeld l'any 1979.

Robòtica educativa
Actualment, molts centres educatius de primària i secundària treballen les matèries curriculars i extraescolars de manera interdisciplinària a través de la robòtica educativa. Per fer-ho, utilitzen kits de LEGO ja creats per a aquesta finalitat. Fins fa un temps s'utilitzaven dos sistemes: LEGO WeDo i la seva evolució, LEGO WeDo 2.0. Actualment, ambdós sistemes de robòtica educativa es troben descatalogats pel mateix fabricant, si bé LEGO WeDo 2.0 es continua utilitzant majoritàriament als centres educatius.

LEGO® WeDo
LEGO® WeDo és un kit de l'empresa LEGO utilitzat en la robòtica educativa, ja que permet programar les figures creades amb el programa Scratch o bé amb el Software WeDo, molt intuïtiu i senzill d'utilitzar. Consta de 158 peces de tipus LEGO, engranatges i politges. També d'altres que es connecten a l'ordinador com els sensors de moviment i inclinació, un motor i un LEGO USB HUB que permet connectar els sensor i el motor a l'ordinador.

LEGO WeDo 2.0
El seu antecessor és el LEGO® WeDo. Per tant, també és un kit per treballar la robòtica educativa però LEGO WE DO 2.0 permet construir robots i figures sense cables, mitjançant connexió Bluetooth. Tanmateix, aquest està format per 280 peces que inclouen peces tipus LEGO i sensors de moviment i d'inclinació amb Bluetooth que permeten que els robots es moguin sense cables. També conté un Smarthub que pot funcionar amb piles (2 piles AA), o bé amb bateria recarregable, en funció de la configuració del kit.

Referències

Vegeu també
 TENTE
 Kapla
 Batman: New Times

Enllaços externs

 Oficial
 Productes LEGO
 Foro LEGO
 LEGO WeDo 2.0
 LEGO Education (en anglès)
 Productes LEGO
 LEGO Education

Empreses de Dinamarca
Empreses jogueteres


text:
Office of Admissions and Recruitment | Applying
Application Deadlines and Decisions
The fall and spring term applications open August 1. The following deadlines pertain to both domestic and international applicants. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on the noted deadline dates.
Decision Plan
Spring 2020 Regular Decision October 1 End of December
Fall 2020 Priority Decision February 1 End of March
Fall 2020 Regular Decision March 1 End of April
We cannot begin to review your application until all required materials are received. Review our requirements to ensure you submit a complete application.
Types of admission decisions applicants can receive:
Admit: Admission to UW–Madison is competitive and selective, and we review applications using a holistic process. We admit students based on academic strengths who will thrive in our rigorous curriculum and who also add unique perspectives to our student body. We consider essays, extracurricular involvement (both in and outside of school), letters of recommendation, talent, and interests to consider how students may contribute to our campus community.
Defer: Applicants who are deferred are neither admitted nor denied upon initial review. Deferred applicants have the potential for success at UW–Madison, however, we would like to review final term grades and other supporting material prior to making a final decision. Decisions on deferred students will be made by the end of June.
Deny: Students who are not competitive for admission or who fail to complete their application are denied admission.
Every application denied has already been through an extensive review. For an appeal to have merit, it must bring to light new compelling academic and/or personal information, as well as details pertaining to extenuating circumstances that were not addressed in the initial application. Essentially, the appeal must present information that clearly shows the student to be stronger than had been earlier evidenced.
Appeal letters must be written and submitted by the applicant within 30 days of the deny decision to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Email is an acceptable format for submission. Be sure to clearly outline the reasons for appealing and present new and compelling information. Do not simply repeat information that was presented at the time of application. At the time of appealing, the letter should accompany any other appropriate documentation as needed.
Any application that is incomplete will not be eligible for an appeal. Applicants can only appeal once and decisions resulting from an appeal are final. We will not accept appeals filed on behalf of the student by a parent, counselor, teacher, friend, etc.
It is our usual practice to respond to appeals within four to six weeks of the date we receive them. While all appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, the rate of a decision being reversed based on an appeal has historically been very low. Application fees are nonrefundable regardless of the result of an appeal. If you wish to submit an appeal, please click here for further instructions.
In most cases, transfer and reentry students cannot defer enrollment. The University of Wisconsin–Madison provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, chronic medical conditions, and for active-duty military personnel.
Transfer students who have confirmed enrollment and are unable to enroll at UW–Madison in the term specified on their acceptance letter due to one of the reasons listed above may request to defer enrollment.
Requirements and expectations
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Log into the Student Center

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Is str[0] of type char or of type string? I have a string:
string str = "abc".
What is str[0] type? Char or String?

A: It is a Char since you are taking the first character of the string
I made a very simple console application that finds this out for you:
        string test = "test";

        var stringIndex = test[0];

        var stringOrChar = stringIndex.GetType();

        Console.WriteLine(stringOrChar);
        Console.ReadKey();

The output is "System.Char"

A: The answer is if str is a string then str[0] of type char. This is because  A string/Text in .Net is stored as a sequential read-only collection of Char objects, and are follows Zero based indexing. So your str[0] will be the Character at 0th index.
char strChar=str[0]; // it is a valid assignment

Additional note : You will get the char array from the String by using .ToCharArray() method
 char[] charArrayOfString = str.ToCharArray();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Is it possible for Windows' command prompt to display the correct charters when connected to a linux machine via SSH? I'm sorry for the long question, but I wanted to make sure it got the point across.
The thing is, that no matter what I do, when I use a linux-based console application that uses ncurses, via SSH from Windows, is rendered incorrectly.
I have tried changing the encoding of the SSH client, I have tried installing different fonts (that I know contain the characters used by ncurses), but nothing seems to help.
As a reference, this is what is supposed to be displayed:
(This is a connection from Linux machine)

And this is what I get when I connect from Windows (using Bitvise SSH client):

Of course, different encoding settings and different font types produce different results, but they all look wrong.
I've also tried using
Using PuTTY](http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/) with similar results.
I personally think it's a font problem...
What do you think?

Edit 2013/1/19 12:51am
I just tried it from my Mac and guess what? It works as expected.
There are some minor glitches, but the output from toilet, moc, elinks, libcaca, etc... look just about right:

Edit 2013/1/19 3:02am
Well, whatever the problem, it's not affecting Haiku!

Edit 2013/1/19 3:02am
Eureka!
The problem? The font, just as I suspected.
After trying a countless set of fonts I've finally found one that is capable of properly rendering an SSH session where an application uses ncurses!
The font is the DejaVu fonts.
Unfortunately, installing them is not enough; to make these fonts available on the Windows' command prompt you will need to either manually edit the registry or, if you prefer, use this little app I created: Command Prompt Fonts.
Whatever method you use, once you have assigned this font to the Windows' command prompt, you should be able to properly emulate xterm:


Discover the sights of Sri Lanka's cultural triangle, take the train to the tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya and spot wildlife in Udawalawe National Park before witnessing the cultural display of Navam Perahera with whip crackers, torch bearers, dancers and elegantly decorated elephants in the capital city of Colombo on this special festival tour.
Thursday 25 January 2018. Upon arrival at the airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel where the rest of the day is free to spend at leisure. Our start hotel is situated on the sea front and is just a short walk away from Galle Road and other of the city's highlights.
Colombo – Dambulla – Sigiriya. We start the morning with a visit to a local market in the capital before beginning our journey to the UNESCO-listed cave temple of Dambulla. Perhaps the most impressive Buddhist temple of its kind in all of Sri Lanka, this complex of caves features over 150 depictions of The Lord Buddha, the largest being a 14-metre long figure of Buddha carved out of cave rock. After checking into our hotel, we'll process in the later afternoon to the famous Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Rising 200 metres out of the jungle undergrowth, this impressive citadel is surrounded by a moat and extensive manicured gardens. The summit is reached via a steep staircase winding up the side of the rock and on the way up you can see the world-renowned frescos of the Heavenly Maidens.
Sigiriya – Polonnaruwa – Kandy. Our first stop today is the World Heritage Site of Polonnaruwa, an ancient city that was once the second capital of Sri Lanka. Some of the key sights to see here include the ruins of the Royal Palace, the four statues of Buddha at Gal Viharaya, the Audience Hall and several famous places of worship such as the Shiva Temple and remains of the former Temple of the Tooth. After exploring the treasures of Polonnaruwa we continue our journey to a rural village. Here we take a jeep ride along the village paths to a lake which we'll then cross by canoe before arriving at a family home. Here we'll take part in a cookery demonstration and enjoy the spoils prepared.
Continuing our journey we make our way towards Kandy, stopping en route at a spice garden in Matale, before arriving in Kandy in the evening.
Today we explore the UNESCO-listed hill city of Kandy, the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings. We start the day with a drive around Kandy Lake, an artificial body of water that was created in 1798, followed by a visit to the city's bazaar, the arts and crafts centre and a gem museum. Next up is a tuk tuk ride around the city streets before heading to Giragama to visit a tea plantaion and factory. Returning to the hotel in the afternoon, enjoy some free time to kick back and relax before our evening visit to the Temple of the Tooth. Here we'll witness a cultural show displaying traditional Sri Lankan dancing.
Kandy – Nuwara Eliya. This morning we transfer to the railway station for our scenic train journey to Nanu Oya, which takes us through picturesque tea plantations and past thundering waterfalls. Upon arrival here we'll switch trains for our onward travel to the popular hill resort of Nuwara Eliya. Not only is Nuwara Eliya right at the heart of Sri Lanka's tea country, but it is also home to the highest mountain on the island and one of the finest 18 hole golf courses in southern Asia. In the late afternoon we'll embark on a sightseeing tour of Nuwara Eliya, driving through an area known as Little England.
Nuwara Eliya – Udawalawe National Park. Leaving the tea country of Nuwara Eliya behind we continue south to Udawalawe National Park where there'll be some free time relax upon arrival. Established in 1972, this national park offers the best opportunity to see Sri Lankan elephants in the wild, as well plays home to grey langur, spotted deer and the elusive leopard. Udawalawe National Park also plays an important role in the livelihood of local farmers. In the late afternoon we embark on a jeep safari in the park allowing you to spot its exotic inhabitants.
Udawalawe National Park – Ratnapura – Colombo. This morning we depart Udawalawe National Park and begin our journey back to Colombo. On our drive back to the capital we stop off in Ratnapura to visit the Gem Mine and Museum where we'll learn about the gems and precious stones that Sri Lanka is famous for. Upon arrival in Colombo we embark on a guided sightseeing tour of the city, taking in the Fort area in the north of the city, the buzzing Oriental Bazaar, Wolvendaal Dutch Church, the residential area of Cinnamon Gardens and the Independence Square. This evening we head into the streets of Colombo to witness the cultural display of Navam Perahera. Since its beginnings in 1979, this Sri Lankan festival has continued to draw locals and visitors alike in their throngs to witness the vibrance of Sri Lankan culture. An extravagant procession of whip crackers, torch bearers, dancers and elegantly decorated elephants set out from Gangarama Temple into the streets of Colombo to the rhythm of drummers.
Thursday 01 February 2018. Today our touring arrangements in Sri Lanka come to an end. A departure transfer will take you to the airport for your onward flight.
OZO Colombo is a modern and stylish hotel, with sweeping Indian Ocean views from its rooftop infinity pool and many of its rooms. There's free WIFI access throughout the hotel and the guestrooms are bright and airy with all modern amenities. OZO is centrally located on Marine Drive, near Galle Road and just a 10 minute drive from the city centre.
An eco-friendly resort surrounded by the lush foliage of Sigiriya, this comfortable and conveniently located hotel is just a short distance from the sights of Sigiriya and Dambulla. The resort itself boasts an outdoor swimming pool and four dining options, there is complimentary WiFi, spa facilities and even bicycle rental available to guests.
The stylish OZO Kandy prides itself on its smart facilities from a rooftop pool & lounge with views of the surrounding mountains to comfortable beds designed to give clients a night of sublime sleep. Guests can enjoy local flavours and international delights at the EAT2GO restaurant.
Once the residence of the former Governor of Sri Lanka, Sir Edward Barnes, the Grand Hotel is a colonial style property set amongst very picturesque grounds. Guest rooms are large, traditionally designed with very comfortable beds. Free Wi-fi is available in the lobby and restaurants and the underground bar serves up a superb array of cocktails. Be sure to try the traditional Sri Lankan hoppers as part of the breakfast buffet. Well located in the high elms of Nuwara Eliya just a short walk from town.
Jetwing St. Andrew's is a unique colonial retreat set in a former country house converted into a Jetwing Hotel. All the rooms are classically furnished with elegant wood and are spacious and bright. The grounds of the hotel give a great feel of colonial splendour and guests can wake up to a typical English breakfast and enjoy a stiff brandy at the bar later in the day. Fine dining is offered at the Old Course Restaurant and the hotel also boasts an antique snooker table, the oldest in Sri Lanka.


If "Mercy Ships" didn't exist, someone would have to invent them! The eponymous international aid organization gives hope to patients who are unable to access medical services, particularly specialist surgery.
The new GEISTLICH NEWS is out!
The current issue of GEISTLICH NEWS places the spotlight on the topic of anterior area and aesthetics.
New flyer "Your cookbook for gaining keratinized tissue - Geistlich Mucograft® in open healing" available!
The new flyer "Your cookbook for gaining keratinized tissue" provides an extensive insight into using Geistlich Mucograft® in open healing situations.
"Dreams and reality in implant dentistry" is the motto of this year's EAO Congress, which will take place in Vienna from 11 to 12 October 2018. Here Geistlich offers a symposium plus two workshops for which all interested parties can register.
On our blog: "The comprehensive dental care concept is almost lost."
"The comprehensive dental care concept is almost lost.", says Prof. Niklaus P. Lang. Discover more on his experiences, thoughts, and future ideas about regenerative dentistry on our regeneration expert blog.


text:
\section{Introduction}\label{sec:introduction}
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) have a long-standing history and are omnipresent in industrial control applications \cite{darabi2002ladder} on a global scale. First introduced in the 1960s, these controllers have survived technological and workforce generation changes without major conceptual modifications. Due to their ease of use, reliability, and wide adoption, PLCs are likely to coexist and to integrate with technological advancements such as internet-connected sensors and advanced data systems, described under the terms \textit{Industrial Internet of Things} (IIoT) and \textit{Industry 4.0} \cite{iiot1}. However, the aging of PLC programs is increasingly becoming a problem for organizations, mainly due to the departure of workforce and anachronistic documentation guidelines \cite{lacofdocumentation}. In the worst case, this means that the logic of long-standing existing programs is no longer understood or access to program source codes is completely lost. Extending or debugging PLCs to adopt new technologies is non-trivial and carries many dangers when exposing process components to the internet through IIoT \cite{PLCIoTthreat}.

In this paper, we propose an approach which unveils the logic of an unknown, i.e. black box PLC program consisting of Boolean and counter components using Process Mining techniques to overcome the real-world problems introduced above. We first tap the inputs and outputs of the PLC during runtime and record all data flows over time. Then, we leverage the recordings to convert them to event logs which are suitable for Process Mining. We finally approximate the black box PLC program by discovering a process model and extending it using an existing state-of-the-art event prediction algorithm called \textit{DREAM-NAP} \cite{dream-nap}. We derive a set of rules in order to deploy our approximated controller and to replace the black box. The applicability of this approach is demonstrated on a case study with three simulated scenarios.

This paper is structured as follows. Section \ref{sec:related-work} discusses related work. We introduce required preliminaries in Section \ref{sec:preliminaries} followed by a formal problem definition in Section \ref{sec:problemdef}. Our approach is proposed in Section \ref{sec:approach} which is evaluated using a case study in Section \ref{sec:casestudy}. We conclude this paper and discuss further research aspirations in Section \ref{sec:conclusion}.

\section{Related Work}\label{sec:related-work}
Most of the existing PLCs are programmed in Ladder Logic Diagram (LLD) \cite{darabi2002ladder}. In many cases, applied LLDs are large, non-structured programs which are difficult to debug and maintain \cite{abdelhameed2005diagnosis, darabi2009neural}, \cite{darabi2014design}. However, LLD has the advantage of being convertable to Petri nets (PNs). Therefore, the research community has developed several approaches for the translation of Ladder Logic to PNs in order to examine the behavior of a controller.

A first overview of early methods converting from LLD and Relay Logic to PNs can be found in the work of Peng and Zhou \cite{peng2004ladder}. It includes the approach proposed by Lee and Lee \cite{bum2002conversion} to convert an existing LLD to a PN using the controller characteristics such that one can formally analyze LLD programs.

Similarly, Lee and Lee \cite{lee2009conversion} convert LLDs to PNs using the so-called modulus synthesis technique. This approach first translates the basic LLD components to PN elements, followed by complex structures such as counters and timers.

Da Silva Oliveira et al. \cite{da2011obtaining} proposed a conversion algorithm to formally verify LLD programs using Colored PNs. This method is capable of modeling counters and timers.

Chen et al. \cite{chen2012method} propose an algorithm to convert LLDs to ordinary PNs to validate and debug controller applications. They introduce a systematic approach which demonstrates advantages over element-wise conversion. However, this work converts only basic LLD components and disregards complex structures like counters and timers.

Quezada et al. \cite{Quezada2014} developed a further element-wise conversion method of LLD to PNs. Specifically, the authors translate five predefined popular control line types to a PN which they call a \textit{Ladder Diagram Petri Net}. Quezada et al. demonstrate the applicability of their method on two different case studies. However, this approach does not consider counters and timers and is limited to the predefined control structures.

Luo et al. \cite{luo2018modeling} introduce an approach with two major contributions towards the translation of LLDs to PNs. First, they translate an LLD to an ordinary PN rather than extending a PN. Second, the authors develop a systematic approach to translate an LLD to PN at once.

The previous literature is based on the assumption that LLD source codes are given. Moreover, only some of the methods translate non-Boolean LLD structures to PNs. We therefore propose a data-driven approach to convert an unknown LLD which encompasses counters to a hybrid PN which mimics the actual underlying controller program.

\section{Preliminaries}\label{sec:preliminaries}
This section introduces preliminaries which are required throughout this paper. We specifically introduce Ladder Logic,
Event Logs, Petri Nets, Process Mining, a process discovery algorithm called \textit{Split Miner}, and a next activitiy prediction algorithm called \textit{DREAM-NAP}.

\subsection{Ladder Logic}\label{sec:prelim-ladderlogic}
Ladder Logic is a graphical programming language which is similar to the schematic of relay control circuits. It is the most used programming language to develop PLC applications. In general, an LLD consists of two vertical lines, called rails, and a set of horizontal lines, called rungs. Additionally, such a program encompasses multiple binary and continues variables which can be defined as either inputs, outputs, or internal variables. A PLC executes all rungs sequentially from top to bottom and from the left to the right rail. A rung can be associated with several logical operations to modify variables. The set of logical operators include simple Boolean components such as XORs as well as more complex structures like counters and timers.

\subsection{Event Logs}\label{sec:prelim-eventlogs}
The subsequent definitions are based on the work of van der Aalst \cite{processmining}
An event can be any real-world observable action and is described by an activity $u$ and a timestamp $t$. Optionally, an event may encompass further attributes such as associated resources, costs, or people. We distinguish between two events using unique identifiers $e$. We define $E$ as the set of all possible event identifiers and $U$ as the set of all possible activities. The set of all possible attributes is denoted by $D$. It follows that for each $e \in E$ and any $d \in D: \#_d(e)$ is the value of the attribute $d$ of the event identified by $e$. In the case that an event $e$ does not contain an attribute $d$, the value will be null, i.e. $ \#_d(e) = \perp$. We define a further function $\gamma : E \rightarrow A$ which maps each event to an activity.

A trace $k \in K$ is defined as a finite sequence of events belonging to the same process run where $K$ is the set of all possible traces. Each trace consists of at least of one event and events within a trace are ordered chronologically.

An Event Log $L$ is a finite set of traces such that $L \subseteq K$. Each event occurs only once in the entire log.

\subsection{Petri Net}\label{sec:prelim-petrinets}
A PN is a tool which is used for process modeling in many different areas such as healthcare \cite{healthcare}, project management \cite{darabirev2}, and manufacturing \cite{manufacturing}. A PN can be defined as a quadruplet $PN = (P, T, F, \pi)$ where $P$ is a set of places, $T$ is a set of transitions, $F \subseteq (P \times T) \cup (T \times P)$ is a set of directed arcs, and $\pi$ is a function that maps transitions to activities \cite{vanderAalst2016}. When visualizing PNs, places are represented as circles whereas transitions are represented as rectangles. The set of $F$ is visualized as unidirectional arcs connecting transitions to places and vice versa. The function $\pi : T \rightarrow U \cup \{\perp\}$ maps each transition to either an activity $u \in U$ or to a non-observable activity. Transitions which map to non-observable activities are called \textit{hidden transitions} and are visualized by a black rectangle.

Each place of a PN can hold a non-negative integer number of tokens. The distribution of tokens in a PN during runtime is usually represented in a vector format and is called the marking $M$ of a PN. Each PN has at least one initial and one final marking corresponding to the start and the end of a process run.

During runtime, a transition can fire if all input places of the same transition hold at least one token. We call this transition \textit{enabled}. It fires when a corresponding event activity is observed. The number of tokens of each input place of a fired transition is reduced by $1$, whereas the number of tokens at each output place of the fired transition is increased by $1$.

\subsection{Process Mining}\label{sec:prelim-processmining}
Process Mining describes the three subcategories of process discovery, conformance checking, and enhancement of process models \cite{vanderAalst2016}. Process discovery represents techniques to obtain process models from event logs. With conformance checking, one is particularly interested in the evaluation of the quality of an obtained process model, i.e. how well a model represents a process. Enhancement describes the improvement of existing process models by considering additional information such as performance data.

\subsection{Split Miner}\label{sec:prelim-splitminer}
\textit{Split Miner} \cite{splitminer} is a recent PN process model discovery algorithm which demonstrated major performance improvements compared to previous methods \cite{pnbenchmark}. This approach has been developed to tackle the tradeoff between several process conformance measures.

\subsection{DREAM-NAP}\label{sec:prelim-decayfc}
\textit{DREAM-NAP} is a state-of-the-art method to predict next activities in running process cases and stands for \textit{Decay Replay Mining - Next Activity Prediction} \cite{dream-nap}. This method extends a PN process model with decay functions associated to each place. During replay, the activation function of a specific place is activated as soon as a token enters, and decays over time until a new token enters the same place. Moreover, token movements in each place are counted over time. Using these mechanisms, \textit{DREAM-NAP} creates timed PN state samples consisting of a decay value vector of all places, token movement counters, and the current marking of the PN while replaying an event log. These samples are used to train a fully connected neural network to predict the next activity of a running process. In this way, possible correlations between time intervals of occurring events are used to forecast upcoming activities in a more flexible way than by e.g. deadline-based time PNs \cite{darabirev1, darabirev3}.
DREAM-NAP demonstrated significant performance improvements over existing state-of-the-art methods on a diverse set of benchmark datasets.

\section{Problem Definition}\label{sec:problemdef}
The research community developed different white box modeling techniques to convert controller logic to process models such as PNs. Recent methods can easily translate Boolean logic to desired models. However, these approaches face issues when the logic comprises complex structures such as continuous variables, delays, and/or counters. These problems intensify when the logic is unknown and inaccessible, i.e. when being confronted with a black box rather than a white box. In this case, one can only gain access to the physical inputs and outputs of the controller.

Lets assume we are given a controller $C$ which consists of a set of physical binary inputs $I$, a set of physical binary outputs $O$, and a control logic program $\delta$. The controller $C$ controls a process $P$ which in turn consists of a set of binary sensors $S$ and a set of binary actuators $A$. Each sensor $s \in S$ is connected to one or many inputs $i \in I$, whereas each output $o \in O$ is connected to one or many actuators $a \in A$. Each input $i \in I$ and each output $o \in O$ can either be $0$ or $1$ at any time $t$. We denote the value of an input and output at time $t$ as $i(t)$ and $o(t)$ respectively. A control logic program $\delta(t): I(t) \rightarrow O(t)$ maps the set of input values to a set of output values at time $t$. The program's logic $\delta(t)$ encompasses Boolean logic and optionally counters. The control logic program, $\delta(t)$, is unknown, therefore one is confronted with a black box problem.

Consequently, the objective is to detect a controller model $C'$ which consists of the same sets of inputs and outputs like the actual controller $C$ and which approximates the complex control logic $\delta$ denoted by $\delta '$. At its underlying core, the approximated model $C'$ is required to be interpretable such that $C'$ can be visually inspected and debugged effortlessly.

\section{Approach}\label{sec:approach}
In this section, we propose an approach to discover an interpretable approximate controller $C'$ from a black box controller $C$ which contains Boolean logic and counters. We introduce a hybrid PN and neural network approach which unveils the logic of a control program. First, we tap the binary inputs and outputs of a controller and record the data flows over time. In a second step, we take these recordings and convert them to an event log with multiple traces which is suitable for Process Mining purposes. From this event log, we discover a process model and define an approximate controller $C'$. The overview of the proposed approach is visualized in Figure \ref{fig:approach}.

\begin{figure}[h]
  \begin{center}
    \includegraphics[width=250pt]{PLC_Approachhtml.png}
  \end{center}
  \caption{Overview of the proposed approach which consists of the two main blocks: Input/Output Logs and Process Mining.}
  \label{fig:approach}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Input/Output Logs}
Initially, we tap the input and output modules of a PLC $C$ to record the data flows. These recordings are stored in a raw Input/Output log denoted by $IO$. We observe all input and output values over time $t$ at every PLC scan cycle and write the input values $I(t)$ followed by the output values $O(t)$ interleaved and in chronological order to $IO$. Naturally, $O(t)$ has to follow $I(t)$ since the controller program $\delta(t)$ sets output values based on input values. In this way, we create a log file in which each row represents a sample consisting of a timestamp $d(t)$ corresponding to the read time $t$, the input/output address identifying a specific $i$ or $o$, and the corresponding recorded value $i(t)$ or $o(t)$.

All elements of $I$ and $O$ must be tapped for a sufficient amount of time such that the Input/Output log $IO$ embodies a representative sample of the behavior of the controller program $\delta$.
The recording duration is highly dependent on the size of the controlled process, the control logic program complexity, and the number of distinct performed control actions on a process $P$

\subsection{Process Mining}
To apply Process Mining techniques, we must convert the Input/Output log $IO$ to an event log $L$ which satisfies the definitions of Section \ref{sec:prelim-eventlogs}.
This means that we have to translate the obtained samples to events. Earlier, we defined an event as any observable real-world activity. In our context, an activity describes a change of a specific input or output value, i.e. a change from $0$ to $1$ or vice versa, at time $t$. Thus, an event activity comprises the address of the input or output and the new value. Each event carries additionally an attribute called \textit{class} with two possible values, $\%I$ and $\%Q$, to label the physical address as either \textit{input} or \textit{output}.
The timestamp remains unchanged.

We parse the Input/Output log $IO$ such that we obtain a reduced log $IO_{r}$ with samples described in the format above. Each event in $IO_r$ reflects a change of value of an input or output at timestamp $d(t)$ compared to time $t-1$. We further compress $IO_r$ by merging all events of class $\%I$ with identical $d(t)$ into one event  where the event's activity is the concatenation of activities of the merged events. Similarly, we merge all events of class $\%Q$ with identical $d(t)$.

Next, we convert $IO_r$ to an event log $L$ by splitting the sequence of events in $IO_r$ into a set of multiple traces, as required per definition in Section \ref{sec:prelim-eventlogs}. We slice the raw log into multiple traces based on the occurrence of a \textit{reset activity} $r$. The reset $r$ is an activity which is easily recognizable as such from a process perspective and which resets the process to its initial state. We assume that such an activity exists and is known. The method is illustrated in Algorithm \ref{algo:ior}.

\begin{algorithm}
    \caption{$IO$ to $L$}\label{algo:ior}
    \begin{algorithmic}[1]
       \State $\textit{activity} \gets \textit{null},~\textit{cls} \gets \textit{IO.0.cls},~\textit{t} \gets
       \textit{IO.0.t}$
       \State $\textit{IOr} \gets [~], \textit{L} \gets \{~\}$, $\textit{trace} \gets [~]$

       \For{$io$ in $IO$}
        \If {$tChange(io.t, t)$ or $clsChange(io.cls, cls)$}
            \State $\textit{IOr}.append(activity)$
            \State $\textit{activity} \gets \textit{io.activity}$
        \Else
            \State $\textit{activity}.append(io.activity)$
            \State $\textit{cls} \gets io.cls$
            \State $\textit{t} \gets io.t$
        \EndIf

       \EndFor
       \State $\textit{IOr}.append(activity)$

       \For{$io$ in $IOr$}
        \If {$io$~contains~$r$}
            \State $\textit{L}.append(trace)$
            \State $\textit{trace} \gets [~]$
        \EndIf
        \State $\textit{trace}.append(io)$
       \EndFor
       \State $\textit{L}.append(trace)$
    \end{algorithmic}
\end{algorithm}

Finally, \textit{Split Miner} is used to discover a PN from the event log $L$. We extend the obtained process model with a function $\gamma$ mapping each transition to either class $\%I$, class $\%Q$, or $\perp$ (null). All transitions of class $\%I$ correspond to PLC input activities, i.e. data communicated from a process. Similarly, transitions of class $\%Q$ correspond to PLC output activities, i.e. actuator settings communicated from the PLC to a process. Transitions which do not belong to either class, thus $\perp$, are hidden transitions and are required to model the PLCs logic using PNs.

We use $\gamma$ to derive the subsequent rules when defining an approximate controller $C '$ as a substitution of a true controller $C$:
\begin{enumerate}
  \item Whenever there are only $\%I$ class transitions enabled, the approximate controller $C '$ has to wait until one of the corresponding activities of these transitions will occur.
  \item Whenever there is only one $\%Q$ class transition enabled, this transition will fire immediately and the corresponding approximate controller output will bet set correspondingly.
  \item Whenever there are multiple class $\%Q$ transitions enabled, or whenever there is at least one class $\%I$ and one class $\%Q$ transition enabled, the approximate controller $C '$ has to decide to either await specific input values or to set specific output values.
\end{enumerate}
Where Rules 1 and 2 are straightforward, Rule 3 requires an additional functionality introduced to the approximate controller $C '$. We leverage a time-aware method called \textit{DREAM-NAP} which has been introduced in Section \ref{sec:prelim-decayfc} \cite{dream-nap}. This method extends every place in the PN with a time decay function and introduces token movement counters in order to create timed PN state samples during replay or runtime. These samples are used to train a neural network which accurately predicts the next event activity. Since we can classify the next activity using $\gamma$, the approximate controller $C '$ can react accordingly by either awaiting a predicted input value or by setting specific output values. The approximate controller $C'$ logic is described in Algorithm \ref{algo:control}.
\begin{algorithm}
    \caption{$C'$ controller}\label{algo:control}
    \begin{algorithmic}
       \While{$C'~running$}
        \State $\textit{trans} \gets PN.enabledTransitions()$
        \If{$trans.size() < 2 \And trans.contains(\%Q)$}
            \State $executeOutput(trans)$
        \Else
            \If{$!trans.contains(\%Q)$}
                \State $waitForInputEvent(trans)$
            \Else
                 \State $op \gets \textit{DREAM-NAP(PN)}$
                 \State $executeOrWait(op)$
            \EndIf
        \EndIf
       \EndWhile
    \end{algorithmic}
\end{algorithm}

\section{Case Study: Tank Level Control}\label{sec:casestudy}
We demonstrate the applicability of our proposed approach by providing a case study of a tank level control system which can be found in different industrial applications such as liquids filtration, food processing, or water purification plants \cite{casestudy1, casestudy2}.
We developed an experimental environment consisting of a simulated plant environment and a LLD based control program running on top of \textit{OpenPLC}, an open source PLC software \cite{openplc}.

\subsection{Tank Level Control Simulation}
At the core of the plant is a tank with a maximum volume of $100$ gallons. The tank possesses an inward flow and an outward flow. The inward flow is controlled by a binary valve denoted by $inv$, i.e. it is either completely opened or completely closed, respectively $1$ or $0$. The outward flow is controlled accordingly with a binary outward valve denoted by $outv$, in which $1$ represents the opened and $0$ the closed valve. It follows that $\{inv,outv\}$ is the set of actuators $A$ of the plant.

The set of sensors $S$ of this plant consists of an upper-level sensor $ULS$ at tank level $90$, a middle level sensor $MLS$ at tank level $50$, and a lower-level sensors $LLS$ at tank level $10$, $S = \{ULS, MLS, LLS\}$. Each sensor reports either $1$ or $0$ depending if the corresponding sensor detects liquid at its location inside the tank.

We introduce two versions of this plant, $P_1$ and $P_2$. In plant setup $P_1$, we do not consider any uncertainty, i.e. the inward and outward flows are set to a constant rate of $9$ gallons per second. Furthermore, a closed valve sets the corresponding flow to $0$ gallons per second.
In contrast, $P_2$ draws the inward and outward flow rates from a normal distribution with mean $9$ and standard deviation $2$ gallons per second. In case of a closed valve, we allow for some leakage drawn from a uniform distribution with lower limit $0$ and upper limit $0.5$ gallons per second.

\subsection{PLC Programs}
We define two LLD based PLC programs to control the plants setups described above.
\begin{figure}[!h]
  \begin{center}
    \includegraphics[width=170pt]{PLC_FluctuatingControl.png}
    \caption{LLD of the $C_1$ PLC program. The sensor variables are denoted by \textit{ll} and \textit{ul} corresponding to $LLS$ and $ULS$ respectively. The actuators of $inv$ and $outv$ are set based on a control variable \textit{ctrl}.}
  \end{center}
  \label{fig:c1}
\end{figure}
The first PLC program controls the tank level such that it fills up to the threshold of the $ULS$ sensor before it decreases the level to the threshold of the $LLS$ sensor threshold. We denote this program by $C_1$. Figure 2 visualizes the LLD of this control program.

\begin{figure}[!h]
  \begin{center}
    \includegraphics[width=170pt]{PLC_CyclicCounter.png}
    \caption{LLD of the $C_2$ PLC program. The sensor variables are denoted by \textit{ll}, \textit{ml}, and \textit{ul} corresponding to $LLS$, $MLS$, and $ULS$ respectively. The variable \textit{ctrl} is used to control the actuators. We introduce a Boolean variable \textit{pass} signaling to drop the tank level below the \textit{LLS} threshold when set to \textit{true}. The count module \textit{cnt} counts from $0$ to \textit{preset = $3$}.}
  \end{center}
  \label{fig:c2}
\end{figure}
The second PLC program is denoted by $C_2$. Initially, this LLD controls the plant such that the tank will be filled up to the $ULS$ threshold. Then, the tank level will be periodically decreased to the $MLS$ and increased to the $ULS$ sensor threshold. As soon as as predefined number of filling and emptying iterations is reached, the level will be decreased below the $LLS$ threshold. The respective LLD is visualized in Figure 3.

Moreover, the sensor variables \textit{ll}, \textit{ml}, and \textit{ul} are mapped to the OpenPLC addresses \textit{\%IX0.1}, \textit{\%IX0.2}, and \textit{\%IX0.0} respectively. The actuators $inv$ and $outv$ are mapped to the addresses \textit{\%QX0.0} and \textit{\%QX0.1} respectively.

\subsection{Experimental Evaluation}
We apply the proposed approach on the following three scenarios:
\begin{itemize}
    \item Scenario 1: $P_1$ controlled by $C_1$
    \item Scenario 2: $P_1$ controlled by $C_2$
    \item Scenario 3: $P_2$ controlled by $C_2$
\end{itemize}
We record Input/Output logs for a duration of $880$ seconds for each of the above scenarios. The reset activity $r$ is defined for all scenarios as \textit{\%IX0.1 false} meaning that one can see that the $LLS$ sensor is exposed in the tank, i.e. the tank is almost empty.

\begin{figure}[!ht]
  \begin{center}
    \includegraphics[width=240pt]{SimpleTank_Cycle.png}
     \caption{Visualization of Scenario 1. The graph on the top shows the tank level over time. The subsequent graphs visualize the sensor values of $LLS$, $ULS$, and $MLS$.}
  \end{center}
  \label{fig:results_scen1}
\end{figure}

The runtime performance of Scenario 1 is visualized in Figure 4. After $880$ seconds of simulating, we obtain 48 cases to discover an approximate controller $C'$. In this scenario, $C'$ consists of a PN only and is visualized in Figure 5. The PN can be used to control the plant exactly like the LLD PLC program. \textit{DREAM-NAP} is not required since at any time, there is only one $\%Q$ class or one $\%I$ class transition enabled.

\begin{figure}[!h]
  \begin{center}
    \includegraphics[width=240pt]{scen1_pn.png}
  \caption{The discovered PN of \textit{Scenario 1} shows a straightforward behavior. The green place represents the initial marking whereas the red place corresponds to the final marking.}
  \end{center}
  \label{fig:results_scen1pn}
\end{figure}

The results of Scenario 2 and 3 can be evaluated together. In both cases, we obtain 22 traces after running the simulation for $880$ seconds. Figure 6
shows an excerpt of the runtime performance of Scenario 2. When applying our proposed approach, we obtain an identical PN for Scenario 2 and 3. Its structure is visualized in Figure 7. In difference to Scenario 1, this PN allows loops. However, the PN structure itself does not count the number of transition firings. Therefore, we leverage \textit{DREAM-NAP}. We split the event log $L$ into a training set of 17 traces and a testing set of 5 traces. After five training epochs, \textit{DREAM-NAP} predicts next activities with a 100\% accuracy on the test set. We can substitute the LLD PLC programs of Scenario 2 and 3 by applying a combination of the discovered PN with the obtained \textit{DREAM-NAP} neural network model using Algorithm \ref{algo:control}.
\begin{figure}[!h]
  \begin{center}
    \includegraphics[width=247pt]{AdvancedTank_Cycle.png}
    \caption{Visualization of the runtime performance of Scenario 2. The graph on the top shows the tank level over time. The subsequent graphs visualize the sensor values of $LLS$, $ULS$, and $MLS$ recorded over time.}
  \end{center}
  \label{fig:results_scen2}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[!h]
  \begin{center}
    \includegraphics[width=240pt]{scen2_pn.png}
  \caption{The discovered PN of \textit{Scenario 2} and \textit{Scenario 3} is identical and shows a structure which allows loops. Green places represent the initial marking whereas red places correspond to the final marking.}
  \end{center}
  \label{fig:results_scen2pn}
\end{figure}

\section{Discussion and Conclusion}\label{sec:conclusion}
In this paper, we proposed an approach to unveil the logic of black box LLD PLC programs which consist of Boolean logic and optionally counter modules. This approach specifically taps the inputs and outputs of a PLC, converts the recorded data flows to an event log, and discovers a hybrid PN and \textit{DREAM-NAP} model. We successfully demonstrated the applicability on a case study with three simulated scenarios. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first ones translating an unknown LLD program consisting of complex structures such as counters to a process model by considering only the inputs and outputs of a controller.

Based on the results of our work, we encourage to conduct research studies on the evaluation of the derived rules on further real-world processes and complex controller program structures beyond the introduced case study scenarios. In particular, we encourage the assessment of our approach by considering multiple dependent and independent counters in controller programs. Moreover, further research should be conducted to model timer components and controller-plant setups encompassing continuous variables inputs and outputs to extend the proposed method towards an exhaustive approach. Ideally, such an approach should be capable of modeling all complex structures which are defined in the LLD standard.

Future research and ongoing advancements will enable a wide range of impactful applications.
Since it is crucial to unveil risks in industrial applications, one can leverage our approach to detect safety threats by comprehensively analyzing the obtained process models.
Additionally, one can easily deploy the models to perform thorough simulation analysis. In this way, organizations can test their setups for robustness and assess disaster behavior.
Furthermore, one can consider a PLC program as a white box and apply our approach. Disclosing logical misalignments between an approximate and the actual known controller can be used to draw inferences about misconfigurations and programming errors.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


I've read a lot about the benefits of soy and soy-based products and understand that it's a good daily food source for diabetics, especially in the area of vegetarian food which mainly uses soy flour. Does that mean that my dad (who is a Type 2 diabetic) can henceforth consume large amounts of all types of soy-based food products and vegetarian food made from soy flour? I also need to confirm once and for all whether their carbohydrate and protein content is safe to be consumed in large quantities as a staple food, without any worry that it may harm my dad's kidneys because of their protein content.
Soy is a good source of food because it is low in cholesterol, saturated fats, can be used as a protein source. It has also been shown to contain increased amounts of flavinoids. Unlimited quantities of anything are not good. This is especially true if people have diabetes, proteinuria, and still have to watch their protein content. In the absence of kidney problems, soy is a good alterative to high meat intake. Soy should be substituted into the usual diet in usual quantities, not unlimited quantities.


text:
Uh oh, Yahoo! Data Breach May Have Hit Over 1 Billion Users
October 01, 2016Swati Khandelwal
The massive data breach that Yahoo! confirmed to the world last week is claimed by the company to have been carried out by a "state-sponsored actor" in 2014, which exposed the accounts of at least 500 Million Yahoo users.
But, now it seems that Yahoo has downplayed a mega data breach and trying to hide it's own security blunder.
Recently the information security firm InfoArmor that analyzed the data breach refuted the Yahoo's claim, stating that the data breach was the work of seasoned cyber criminals who later sold the compromised Yahoo accounts to an Eastern European nation-state.
Over 1 Billion Accounts May Have Been Hacked
Now, there's one more twist in the unprecedented data heist.
A recent advancement in the report indicates that the number of affected Yahoo accounts may be between 1 Billion and 3 Billion.
An unnamed, former Yahoo executive who is familiar with the company's security says that the Yahoo's back-end system's architecture is designed in such a way that all of its products use one main user database (UDB) to authenticate users, Business Insider reported Friday.
So all usernames and passwords that users enter to log into services like Yahoo Mail, Sports or Finance goes to this one central database to ensure they are valid, allowing them access.
This central database is what got compromised, and therefore, it's quite difficult to believe that the hackers who compromised the whole database walk away with just a small bunch of "the core crown jewels of Yahoo customer credentials."
Whoever carried out the hack not only stole usernames and email addresses of affected users but also pilfered other personal information, including their dates of birth, phone numbers, hashed passwords, and unencrypted security answers.
So, it's unclear how Yahoo come up with the 500 Million number.
The company had not commented further on how the data breach happened or when it was discovered, citing an active investigation.
Yahoo! could have saved you, but decided not to:
A lengthy report published by the New York Times seemingly explains that the company did not reset the passwords of its users after the breach due to the decisions made by Yahoo's CEO Marissa Mayer, who seemed to prioritize developing new products over making security improvements.
The reason sounds stupid, as the article reads:
"The 'Paranoids,' the internal name for Yahoo's security team, often clashed with other parts of the business over security costs. And their requests were often overridden because of concerns that the inconvenience of added protection would make people stop using the company's products."
If Yahoo had reset the passwords of its affected users, proper security measures would have been taken by users to protect their personal data from hackers.
Let's see what new advancements come to this unprecedented data breach.
Already, the Yahoo hack is believed to be one of the biggest in history, and the company is still trying to negotiate a deal to sell its core business to Verizon for $4.8 Billion.
Yahoo! has yet to respond to the recent revelation by the insider.
Data breach news has already magnified company's problems, but if breach number reaches Billion, would the company be able to save its acquisition deal?
Let us know in the comments below...
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To contribute to the sustainability and growth of the national oil industry, in order to guarantee a greater return to the Angolan State, supporting the participation of companies and national staff in the sector's activities for the socio-economic development of Angola.
To become a reference company for the oil sector in the African continent, committed to sustainability.
Optimize the organizational development, human resources and technological to increase the productivity of the company.
Sonangol's primary purpose is prospecting, research, development, production, transportation, commercialization and transformation of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons and their derivatives, including petrochemicals.
By decision of its Board of Directors, and without prejudice to what is specifically provided by law, Sonangol may also engage directly or indirectly in activities complementary or ancillary to its corporate purpose or any other industrial or commercial purposes..
In pursuing its goals, Sonangol may constitute new companies and acquire all or part of the capital of an established company and whenever it detains a totality or a majority of the voting capital of said companies, it will establish the coordination, economic and financial direction and the business development of the said company.
Sonangol may, in terms of applicable legislation, establish in conjunction with national and/or foreign entities the type of association and cooperation that is most beneficial to the fulfillment of its corporate goals.
When establishing companies and joint ventures, Sonangol shall observe the principles of specialization and vertical integration, in order that the companies thereby constituted maintain their legal identities.
Foreseeing the entry of domestic private companies in the oil sector, Sonangol expanded its business and level of expertise to prepare for free competition.


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text:
Technology News: Elon Musk's Tesla slightly beats Q4 revenue estimates
Tesla on Wednesday posted record net income in the fourth quarter of last year, and the company predicted that additional software-related profits will keep its margins higher than any other automaker.
The Austin, Texas, maker of electric vehicles and solar panels said it made $3.69 billion from October through December, or an adjusted $1.19 per share. That beat estimates of $1.13 that had been reduced by analysts, according to FactSet. The company's profit was 59% more than the same period a year ago.
Revenue for the quarter was $24.32 billion, which fell short of the $24.67 billion that analysts expected.
But the company's automotive gross profit margin, which is revenue minus cost of goods sold, fell from 30.6% in the fourth quarter of 2021 to 25.9% in the same period in 2022.
CEO Elon Musk told analysts on a webcast that the results came during a challenging year with "massive difficulties" including plant shutdowns and supply chain issues.
Elon Musk said in December that "radical interest rate changes" had affected the affordability of all cars.
On Jan. 13, the company cut prices in the US and China, its two biggest markets, by up to 20% on some models, leading many analysts to believe that demand had fallen due to high prices and rising interest rates.
But Musk said demand is strong, and so far in January the company has seen the strongest orders year-to-date in Tesla history.
"We think demand will be good despite probably a contraction in the automotive market as a whole," he said. "Demand far exceeds production," Musk said, adding that Tesla is making small price increases.
Tesla said in its investor letter Wednesday that it would produce about 1.8 million vehicles this year, ahead of a predicted 50% annual growth rate. But the outlook section of the letter didn't give an estimate of deliveries for the year. Previously Tesla has said its deliveries would grow at a 50% annual rate most years.
Tesla said in its investor letter Wednesday that it would produce about 1.8 million vehicles this year, ahead of a predicted 50% annual growth rate.
CFOTO/DDP/INSTARimages.com
Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a note to investors early Wednesday that demand is a problem for the company. "In our view, the price cuts are indeed a response to slowing incremental demand relative to incremental supply," he wrote.
Tesla also said it has rolled out its "Full Self-Driving" software to about 400,000 users, and that it recognized $324 million in revenue from Full Self-Driving software during the quarter. Despite its name, "Full Self-Driving" cannot drive itself, and Tesla warns drivers that they must be ready to intervene at any time.
The company said it knows there are questions about macroeconomics in the face of rising interest rates. "In the near term we are accelerating our cost reduction roadmap and driving towards higher production rates, while staying focused on executing against the next phase of our roadmap," the letter said.
Tesla's guidance for deliveries this year was "fairly general" because of uncertainty over coronavirus cases in China and economic questions globally, said Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau.
"I just think they're probably being a little more cautious and conservative entering the year," he said. "Their approach isn't really any different than what we've been seeing from other companies."
Shares of Tesla were up slightly Wednesday, closing at $144.43. They rose less than 1% in extended trading following the earnings report.
The company's stock tumbled 65% last year on fears that Musk was distracted by his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter. But so far this year they're up about 35%.
Price cuts that began Jan. 13 fueled concerns on Wall Street that demand for Teslas was falling as intense competition arrives from startups and legacy automakers.
Categories TECHNOLOGY Tags business, corporate earnings, Electric cars, Elon Musk, tech, tesla Post navigation
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Sports News: White Sox share plans for new 500-level bars


Sauder Woodworking furniture is manufactured using taditional solid wood, veneered, and laminate furniture provided by one of their subsidiary companies, Progressive Furniture. It is the largest maker of ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture in the United States and is one of the nation's largest residential furniture manufacturers. Sauder markets distinct furniture collections in a full line of RTA furnishings for home, including entertainment, home office, bedroom, kitchen and storage. Sauder is a third generation, family-run company.
In 1934, Erie Sauder started a woodworking business in a barn behind his home. Not wanting to waste scraps from expensive fine wood, he began producing inexpensive occasional tables. With an order of 25,000 tables from a traveling salesman, Sauder Woodworking Co. began. In 1951, Sauder introduced an entirely new concept - a patented table that could be assembled at home. The snap-together table marked the beginning of the ready-to-assemble furniture industry.


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Chloe Hatzitolios - Nov 8
Meryl Streep is walking back on her claim that Dustin Hoffman groped her in 1979
The actress is rolling back her claim 38 years later.
Since writer Anna Graham Hunter's piece in The Hollywood Reporter last week about her experiences on the set of Death of a Salesman, more questionable information about Dustin Hoffman's behaviour has come to light. It's been well reported that Meryl Streep and Hoffman did not get along on the set of Kramer vs. Kramer in which they both starred and for which they both won Academy Awards.
In a biography of the actress in 2016, Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep, Michael Schulman recounts the horrible dynamic between the two stars off camera, even detailing an incident where Hoffman slapped Streep for not performing in the way he felt she should. Streep herself was vocal about her distain for Hoffman at the time. In a recently unearthed 1979 interview with Time Magazine, Streep recounted her first meeting with Hoffman and how repulsed she was.
'He came up to me and said, 'I'm Dustin—burp—Hoffman,' and he put his hand on my breast,' Streep told Time, 'What an obnoxious pig, I thought.'
Hoffman hasn't publicly responded to her account in the intervening 38 years. Since the interview came back into the spotlight this week, a representative for Streep responded to E! New's request for comment.
The rep said the interview was not an 'accurate rendering of that meeting' and added, 'there was an offense and it is something for which Dustin apologized. And Meryl accepted that.'
With no further comment by either actor, Streep's statement leaves more questions than answers. Was the story Streep told in 1979 a lie then? That seems unlikely. But if it were true, why go back on a clear account of sexual harassment in the workplace at a moment in time when so many victims are coming forward? Streep called Harvey Weinstein's behaviour 'disgraceful' and spoke out against Donald Trump, who has also been accused by multiple women of (and basically admitted to) sexual assault. It's strange that she would backtrack here.
What's up, Meryl?
Tags: dustin hoffman Harvey Weinstein meryl streep splash video


One key issue concerns when a resource is modified by the server upon PUT (e.g.
ETags MUST NOT change unless the resource returned upon a GET is changed. E.g.
formats), then it is permissable for an ETag to change upon PROPPATCH.
Julian to propose text to address the last point above.
Previous message: bugzilla@soe.ucsc.edu: "[Bug 179] DAV:no-lock"


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Home»Google Earth»How To Use Google Earth Online Without Downloading
How To Use Google Earth Online Without Downloading
By Prashant Sharma January 14, 2015 Updated: October 27, 2020 3 Mins Read
Google has many innovative products and Google Earth is one of them so learn here how to use google earth online without downloading.
Google is known for their innovative products and Google Earth is one such product. Even avid travelers cannot travel and see all the places. You can see all those places which you desired to see through Google Earth. They made all this possible with the help of techniques like aerial photography, satellite imagery and geographic perception models. When it was introduced it just looked like a 3D map but now the details are so amazing that it's almost like being there.
When Google brought out Google Earth they made it into 3 types. The first one Google Earth was free but its functions were limited. Google Earth plus had more features but was stopped after some time and Google Earth Pro which can be purchased and so obviously has more features.
Though with limited features Google Earth was still useful to a lot of people; people like students, teachers etc. But there was a small problem which – you had to download it in order to view it. It was not a small application and hence occupied a lot of space so was not feasible for everyone. Therefore some kind of solution was required.
This problem was solved with the advent of Google Maps. Google Maps allows you to see detailed maps of anywhere in the world and you do not have to download it. You can browse on it online. If you have used Google Maps you will know that you can see Google Earth too. This is also available as a free app on android phones. But of course it is not so easy as to just go to maps and view Google Earth.
For this you need the Google Earth Plugin. It is also free and can be downloaded easily from the net. Online customers can use Google Earth plugin which uses javascript to allow them to use it to online rather than have to download it. You can even build 3D maps and applications to be built.
The Google Earth plugin is not only compatible with Internet Explorer 6.0 and above but also other browsers like Apple Mac OS, Firefox 3.0, Safari 3.0 and many others. One specific benefit of using this plugin is that you can, not just see the buildings but layers of terrains, roads, etc.
If you feel that downloading Google Earth plugin is troublesome then there is another way too. If you look at Google Maps you will find that it now comes with a new tab called the 'Earth tab'. You can find it next to the Satellite and Maps tab. By clicking on the Earth tab you get access to Google Earth online so that you don't have to download Google Earth.
If you want to use something that has the features of Google Earth but does not have to be downloaded and at the same time combines the features of Google Earth and Google Maps then you can always use Wikimapia.org. So to sum up Google Earth is a standalone program that has to be downloaded, Google Maps runs in your browser, Google Earth is a plugin which also has to be downloaded but does not occupy space like Google Earth and Wikimapia is a combination of everything.
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Prashant Sharma is a Delhi based Entrepreneur who spent most of his college days polishing his marketing skills and went for his first business venture at 19. Having tasted failure in his entrepreneurial debut, he turned a Tech-enthusiast, specializing in web technologies later. Join him on Google Plus
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"It's not a virus...it's evolution."
A classified experiment... A beautiful woman... The ultimate biological nightmare is unleashed as the next stage in human evolution reveals itself in a horrifying synthesis of woman and monster! Parasite Eve is loose and the human race will never be the same.
The novel that spawned the hit video game comes to the screen in a chilling sci-fi shocker that probes the very destiny of the human species. Terror finally has a form and her name is PARASITE EVE.
If you'd like to see a larger image of the front/back covers click the above images.


You've read every home organization book on the market. You've thrown out and given away most of what you don't want or need. So why are you still tripping over stuff? You lack storage solutions.
Running out of room to put things is more common than you'd think. You could look for a bigger home, but first consider a less radical approach. You may simply be out of ideas, not places, to stash what you need where you need it most often.
Untapped storage solutions exist in most homes. Great places to put things can be hiding high, low and everywhere in-between the roof and the foundation.
Aside from the obvious areas to store large boxes in attics, basements and garages, many of these alternative storage solutions can be bought ready-made at discount stores, repurposed from flea market finds or created from inexpensive building supplies. Some require relatively minor renovations and make fun weekend projects for DIYers.
Garage ceiling. Get your excess belongings off the floor and up in the air. You can build a loft or buy ready-made ceiling storage for the garage.
Above doors. If space is tight, sturdy shelving above and around door frames could be your answer. What you store there may depend on where the door is -- front foyer, mudroom, bedroom, porch -- so make sure your shelves are sturdy enough for the task. Extra towels stacked or rolled on a shelf over the bathroom door weigh a lot less than books.
On top of wall cabinets. If your kitchen cabinets don't go all the way to the ceiling or bulkhead, a row of pretty baskets can hide items you don't use all that often but don't want to hunt for when company comes for dinner.
On doors. Need a place for hanging dish towels so they don't fall on the floor when you open the oven? How about for the bath towel hanging on the shower curtain rod that gets wet while you shower? You can find over-the-door hooks, towel bars, spice racks and baskets that slip over the top of cabinet doors, closet doors and bathroom doors. Cabinet door spice racks also make nifty bathroom catch-alls for cosmetics and other tiny items like dental floss, eye drops -- whatever you use daily that takes up valuable medicine cabinet or countertop real estate and tends to get lost easily. Holsters for hairdryers and other styling tools can be built into the inside of vanity cabinet doors.
Between wall studs. If you have an empty stretch of wall that spans two or more studs, you have potential shelf space. You could go for the obvious solution -- some floating shelves or baskets are easy enough to buy and install on the wall. You can also create recessed shelving that doesn't protrude into the room's space by cutting out a section of drywall. Avoid areas with plumbing, or electrical wiring (typically near outlets). Build and finish a plywood box to fit the space and hold the shelves. You can leave the shelving open, or mount a hinged door, mirror or framed picture over it.
In tight spaces. Even if you have only a few inches between the fridge and the cabinets, you may be able to install a narrow pull out pantry or broom closet that you can roll in and out. Finish the front in a paint color, stain or veneer and hardware to match the rest of your cabinets.
Kids' rooms. Spice racks mounted inside closet doors make ideal picture-book shelves where you can display the covers facing out for the little ones to identify their favorites easily. Avoid mounting them to furniture that can tip over if a child tries to climb up the racks. Double hang closet rods that hook over the stationary rods not only add storage but make it easy for children to reach and dress themselves -- plus learn to put away their own clothes. A sturdy wall hook for each child, either in their rooms or in the mudroom, can keep backpacks from adding to a mess underfoot. Buy or make a fabric or mesh hammock for a corner of the room to corral stuffed animals.
Under the stairs. Staircases hide many cubic feet of space that can be used in a variety of ways including pull out storage, extra closet space, cabinets, shoe racks, pantries, wine coolers and bookcases. If you are fortunate to have stairs in your house, do not let this potential storage space go to waste.
Under the cabinets. What's under your kitchen cabinets behind the kick plates? Usually, nothing. Adding drawer storage there makes room for everything from baking pans and cutting boards to pet feeding stations.
Under the floor. Small houses often make use of the space under the subfloor for compartments to house sporting equipment and clothes. You may not want to cut up your hardwood living room floor, but the floor inside a small closet is fair game to create this type of hidden storage.
Your house has more available space than you might ever have imagined. Unless you're going minimalist, why not use it to its full capacity?


Taking you out of your head and into your life!
How is your Physical Health?
Is your financial-wealth, social-wealth, self-wealth and cultural-wealth in order?
Relationship with husband, wife, girlfriend or boyfriend?
Are you fulfilled in a higher purpose, helping others, helping your community or volunteering?
What does this mean to you? Stress and anxiety mean different things to different people. For instance, the degree or intensity of it, how often it occurs, how long before anxiety is triggered and what are the environmental triggers?
What is stress anyway? Well, one way it can be defined is how much emotional weight a current situation impacts you and your viewpoint of the situation. How about anxiety? Anxiety has a few definitions: distress or uneasiness of the mind, intense desire or apprehension.
Think of anxiety like this, if you go too far in the future anxiety increases because there are too many unknowns. You can't solve to-far-into-the- future problems that don't exist because then it becomes a prediction without sufficient information! Ask yourself…Based on my current knowledge and wisdom can I solve this problem now? By making mountains out of mole hills your anxiety goes up. Let mole hills remain mole hills.
Here are a few users sharing their experiences on how they benefitted by applying Wheel Potential to their lives.
Learning to recognize my negative thoughts and then let them go helped me be less anxious and /or angry, and helped me feel more in control of my life.
Since I've been utilizing Wheel Potential in my life, I've been happier and feel better about the choices I make each day. I see more and realize more things and how they impact my day. I told Giuseppe that I feel like Neo from the Matrix movie series. And I just swallowed the red pill!
REDUCE STRESS and ANXIETY NOW!
The wheel, user guide and certificate of authenticity cards.
First Step** won an Excellence Merit Award at the International Inpex Inventors Expo in Pittsburgh, PA. This exciting award came at a complete surprise since the First Step is a process and self-help tool.
How do you unleash your real potential anyway? By getting out of your head and into your life! Easier said than done right? You bet! The alternatives are either stand on the sidelines as a spectator or get busy creating the life you want. You are the creator, sculptor and designer that bring about change so you can get to where you are going!
We would like to hear from you and share your thoughts about website improvements, Wheel Potential, how you used Wheel Potential and what benefits you received. By sharing your story it will in turn, help others…now that's paying it forward and being fulfilled at the same time!


Chop onions and tomatoes (if using) roughly.
Add the dry chilli and sprinkle oil.
Microwave high for 4 to 5 mins.
Cool it completly and grind it in blender till smooth.
Add water as needed till u reach the desired consistancy.
Add oil in pan and add the mustard seeds n curry leaves.
Add it to the ground mixture after the mustard seeds splutter.
Serve with hot idlies or dosa.
This looks easy and tasty. Will surely try this !!


"I would have been happy if everyone would have contributed to ONE TWO THREE promotion", says Tusshar though sans any regret. For starters, ONE TWO THREE, an underdog film, turned out to be a success even though many from the trade dismissed it on the day of the release.
"I know that. Still, I had trust in Ashwani (Dheer) from the very first day since he narrated the script to me", says Tusshar whose ONE TWO THREE is a follow up to his last year's big hit SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA.
Tell him that he seemed to be the only person who was promoting ONE TWO THREE so hard and he shrugs it away without adding on to any controversy. "I guess everyone got busy. I know for sure that Sameer Reddy was very much involved in the promotion though poor girl had to simultaneously manage RACE also which had released just a week earlier. Then Suneil (Shetty) sir was busy with his MISSION INSTANBUL."
"In any case, in the final run no sweat actually. I didn't mind promoting ONE TWO THREE alone as I was relatively free before the film's release. There was a break in the schedule of GOLMAAL RETURNS and I could afford to spend a lot of time traveling for the film", says Tusshar.
So is there any project happening with Ashwani after ONE TWO THREE?
"Not at the moment. We haven't discussed any script where we could work together. But yes, I would certainly want to work with him again in near future. The man has done well with his first release and I am confident that his subsequent projects would work out good as well", signs off Tusshar whose next project, C KKOMPANY, is a comedy again and is tentatively being planned for a 20th June release.


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Benjamin Obese-Jecty: How to take back control of the narrative about foreign national offender deportations
Ben Obese-Jecty is a former British Army Infantry Officer and stood as the candidate for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in the 2019 General Election.
In November 2014 Jermaine Stewart was jailed for six years for the rape of a woman who had fallen asleep on his sofa after meeting him on a night out in Liverpool and returning with him to his flat for an after-party. Stewart had removed the clothes of the victim whilst she was incapacitated and raped her. As a condition he will be required to sign the sex offenders register for life.
Last week, Stewart was among 37 Jamaican Foreign National Offenders removed from a Home Office deportation flight at the eleventh hour after a sustained campaign by lawyers, Labour MPs, and a number of black celebrities and activists who had written an open letter demanding that the flight be stopped.
The topic of deportation flights has become an increasingly contentious issue post-Windrush, with any action that can be linked to the scandal likely to see its name invoked and an immediate corollary with injustice, incompetence and institutional racism. The issue that the Government has faced stems from underestimating how those opposing the deportation would seize the opportunity to leverage the situation to their advantage.
Control of the narrative around foreign national offender deportations must be regained from the left. Gifting the left-leaning media the opportunity to convince sceptical members of the public that the rationale for these deportations is one based on persecution, rather than a matter of public safety (under legislation brought in by the Labour Party), could easily be avoided.
The open letter sent to Priti Patel by Detention Action, signed by celebrities and activists, was a prime example of how effective the tactics employed by those on the left can be. Amongst the 90 signatories were supermodel Naomi Campbell, actors Naomie Harris and Thandie Newton OBE, historian David Olusoga, journalist Afua Hirsch, and Sky News anchor Gillian Joseph.
The breadth of the letter's signatories, and the individual platform and reach each enjoys, has allowed the narrative to be dictated by a small group with the media's ear, glossing over the uncomfortable truth of those on the deportation flight because it is inconvenient to their cause and instead choosing to pitch the removal of serious and violent criminals as an injustice.
A further letter written by Clive Lewis MP, and signed by 70 opposition backbench MPs, made direct reference to the Windrush scandal and the hostile environment, intimating that these deportations were a direct consequence. This letter also made no reference to the criminal records or serious crimes perpetrated by those in scope for removal, nor of the duty to deport them as set out in the UK Borders Act 2007. Somewhat awkwardly for the Labour signatories to Lewis's letter, eight of them had voted for the legislation in 2007, including Diane Abbott, Dawn Butler and Jeremy Corbyn.
Nine months ago, a YouGov poll commissioned following February's deportation flight to Jamaica asked: under which circumstances foreign-born offenders should be deported? Whilst the majority of respondents were in favour of individuals who had committed a serious offence being deported if they had come to the UK as an adult, this fell to less than 50 per cent once other factors were considered; whether the individual had a partner or children, whether they came to the UK as a teenager or child, or whether they were at risk of violence or would lack access to healthcare.
The human-interest angle is thus where campaigners have focused their efforts, and where appeals are (often successfully) made under section 117C of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
Allowing those on the left to control the narrative around Jamaican deportations specifically means little in isolation. However, with Twitter now a barometer of left-leaning outrage rather than national opinion, and a Change.org petition calling for a stop to deportation flights having raised in excess of 180,000 signatories, the lack of understanding feeds into the wider narrative that the Conservatives are a racist party and Government actions are part of a dastardly masterplan to oppress ethnic minorities. Its reputation risks death by a thousand cuts
With nearly a third of Labour MPs, including almost all members of the Socialist Campaign Group, having signed Lewis's letter, the Government should reiterate Labour's continued willingness to campaign on behalf of convicted rapists, murderers, and those convicted of child sexual offences, rather than the victims. February's Jamaican deportation flight saw more than 170 MPs voice their opposition, with a number taking the additional step of joining protestors outside Downing Street.
Labour's willingness to ignore the legislation that clearly states the duty of the Home Secretary to deport offenders where the conditions are met, further illustrates how little Labour can be trusted to enforce the law when the opportunity for ideological point-scoring regarding identity politics is a factor.
Additionally, during the last year of Labour's Government there were more non-EU foreign national offenders deported than in any year since, and three times as many as in 2019. This hypocrisy should not go unnoticed.
As the party of law and order, the country has always relied upon the Conservatives to adopt a robust approach to crime and policing. The element of public confusion surrounding last week's deportation flight has stemmed from the misinformation published by opposition MPs. This was further reiterated by Holly Lynch, the Shadow Immigration Minister, during the media round and written about in a slew of well-distributed opinion pieces online.
The public is almost entirely unaware of Operation Nexus and its success in the removal of over 30,000 foreign national offenders since 2012, and even more so that it's application has been applied to the deportation of EU nationals more often than not: in 2019, 68 per cent of all those deported were from the EU. These figures could and should be made easily available, both reiterating the success of the Operation and deflecting criticism that the deportation flights are solely focused upon the country's black population.
Increased focus upon racism and inequality shows little sign of abating. An Opinium poll this weekend has shown that the majority of those surveyed believed the Black Lives Matter movement has in fact increased racial tension within the UK. Much of the negative opinion expressed at the deportation flight focused on a mistaken perception of the deportations. Those criticising the flight placed a strong emphasis on the deportees being black British, a description that resonated with the view that the UK's black population is being systematically targeted, despite none of those being deported being British-born, or British citizens.
It seems simplistic, but the Government would do well to make clear from the outset that those being deported are not British citizens and should strive to make clear the abhorrent nature of the crimes committed by those being deported.
The deportation of foreign national offenders should be an easy win for the Government. A robust approach that sees serious and violent offenders removed from the UK should set the tone that this Government will continue to take an uncompromising stance on those foreign citizens who enjoy the freedom and opportunity that this country offers but choose to abuse it by committing criminal acts.
At the same time, the Government should strive to get ahead of the inevitable left-wing backlash that will ensue by proactively communicating both the intent and the detail. By allowing news to leak out slowly the perception that the deportation is underhanded will only fester and grow.
Keeping the public informed of the measures the Government is taking to keep its citizens safe, and why, will expose those who wish to champion murderers, rapists and child sexual offenders and make it harder for them to marshal support.
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