text:
The relationships between value creation through production & the distribution of values in the forms of wages, profits, interest, rent, etc., have never been easy to pin down.
Adam Smith was contradictory, on the one hand holding that the value of commodities is set by labour, on the other that wages, profits & rent were "the three original sources of revenue as well as of all exchangeable value".
Ricardo spotted the contradiction & rejected the latter in favour of the labour theory of value.
J.S. Mill thought distribution was the result of a social process independent of that ruling production.
Distribution was seen largely as being dependent upon human will.
For Marx the notion that rents could somehow grow out of the soil was nothing but a 'fiction without fantasy, a religion of the vulgar', which presented reality in terms of 'an enchanted perverted, topsy-turvy world, in which Monsieur le Capital & Madame la Terre do their ghost-walking as social characters & at the same time directly as mere things' (Theories of Surplus Value, pt 3, pp. 453-540; Capital, vol. 3 ch. 48)
Separating land, labour & capital as independent & seemingly autonomous factors of production had a double advantage for the ruling classes since it permitted them to proclaim 'the physical necessity & eternal justification of their sources of revenue' at the same time as it suppressed any notion of exploitation since the act of production could in principle be portrayed as the harmonious assembly of separate & independent factors of production.
The essence of the neo-classical argument is that competition for productive factors – land, labour & capital – forces entrepreneurs to pay an amount equal to the value that the marginal (last employed) unit of each factor creates. Given a particular technological state & relative factor supplies (scarcities), then competition ensures that each factor 'gets what it creates', that 'exploitation of a factor cannot occur'. It is then a short step to infer that the distributive shares are socially just fair shares. Government intervention is largely confined to ensuring perfect competition.
For Marx, it 'is not that production, distribution, exchange & consumption are identical, but that they all form members of a totality, differences within a unity' & that the 'reciprocal effects' between these different 'moments' have to be understood in the context of the capitalist society considered as an 'organic whole'.
For Marx the forms of distribution are reflections of social relations of production. That distribution relations are 'merely the expression of the specific historical production relations' (Capital, vol. 3, p. 882)
Both production & distribution relations are a product of the same historical process which depended upon the separation of the labourer from the instruments of production as well as upon the expropriation of the direct producers from the land'.
Distribution should not be thought of simply as the distribution of product or value among the social classes, but also as the distribution of the instruments of production, of land & the distribution of individuals (usually by birth) among the various class positions.
Production cannot therefore be considered apart from the 'distribution included in it'.
The labourer does not claim a share of the product by virtue of his contribution to the value of the product. He gives up rights to control over the process of production, to the product & to the value incorporated in the product in return for the value of labour power. And the latter has nothing directly to do with the contribution of labour to the value of the product.
The labourer receives the value of labour power & that is that. Everything else is appropriated as surplus value by the capitalist class as a whole. The manner in which this surplus value is then split into the different forms of profit on industrial capital, rent on land, interest on money capital, profit on merchants' capital & so on is set by quite different considerations.
When Marx insists that we focus on production in order to uncover the secrets of distribution, he does so because it is there that the fundamental relation between capital & labour becomes very clear.
But it is one thing to show the origin of profit in surplus value & quite another to determine the magnitude of that profit, & to come up with the rules that fix the division of the total social product into wages, profit, rent, interest & so on.
The 'reduction problem' – can heterogeneous labour be reduced to simple labour?
The 'transformation problem' – values into prices.
The Share of Variable Capital in Total Social Product, the Value of Labour Power & Wage Rate Determination
Total social product = C + V + S
C = constant capital ( machines, raw materials, energy, etc)
V = variable capital, labour power
S = surplus value
C is the labour power expended to replace the value equivalent of the means of production used up. Therefore, not an important category in distribution theory.
Distribution theory is concerned with the newly created value & how it is divided between labourers (V) & capitalists (S).
Total wage bill = number of labourers (n) & average wage rate (w)
Total variable capital = v.n (where v is a magnitude called the value of labour power)
The wage system masks the difference between abstract human labour as the substance of value & the value of labour power which, like any other commodity, is fixed by its costs of production.
The wage form extinguishes every trace of the division of the working day into necessary labour & surplus labour because all labour appears as paid labour.
The value of labour power is set by the value of the commodities necessary to maintain & reproduce labouring individuals in their 'normal state'.
The particular commodity bundle required will vary according to occupation & to 'climate & other physical conditions'.
It includes the cost of raising children, & to the degree that special skills take time & effort to acquire & maintain.
There also enters 'a historical & moral element'
Labourer: C-M-C
They trade their use value of the only commodity they possess in return for a money wage. They then convert this money into commodities sufficient to reproduce their own existence.
As holders of money, labourers are free to buy as they please.
This gives the illusion of freedom of choice.
If the exchange value of the fixed bundle of use values falls (given the increasing productivity of labour), then the value of labour power can fall without any detrimental effect upon the standard of living of labour.
This is the primary source of relative surplus value.
S increases because V declines.
The Subsistence WageMarx vigorously opposed LaSalles's doctrine of the supposed 'iron law' of wages.
He did not see wages as being inexorably tied to the requirements of pure physiological reproduction.
He only spoke on a minimum value of labour power set by the commodities physically indispensible to the renewal of the labourer's vital energies.
He saw tendencies pushing both ways.Arguably Marx caused confusion by defining the value of labour-power in three different ways:
– the cost of production of labour-power under given historical conditions
– the traditional standard of life to which workers are accustomed
– the standard of living which prevails in non-capitalist modes or forms of production (this fixes the minimum wage required to induce people to seek work or remain working in the capitalist sector)There is though a common-thread, that if the minimum wage is not met then there are very serious consequences: either the supply of good quality labour-power declines, as workers fail to maintain or reproduce themselves properly, or leave the capitalist sector altogether; or else there is conflict & disruption as workers fight for what they consider is their just reward.
The unifying thread is further accumulation is put at threat.
Supply & Demand for Labour PowerThe idea that the wage rate varies in response to supply & demand conditions is not at all hard to accept. But Marx firmly rejects the argument that supply & demand dictate the natural price of labour power.The forces that fix the value of labour power must, in the end, be expressed through the market process.What determines supply & demand in labour markets in the first place?Demographics are very important on the supply side.
Primitive accumulation (forced proletarianization), mobilization of latent sectors of the industrial reserve army (women & children), migration (rural to urban).
Demand side.
Capital can reorganise, restructure & change technologically.
Money can move globally.
'Capital works on both sides at the same time' (Capital, vol. 1, p.640)
Scarcities can arise for reasons that are entirely outside of the influence of capital.
Marx says wages may be 'above value' & that they may so remain for extended periods of time (Capital, vol. 1, p.613)
In this he is entirely consistent with his overall strategy: to see value as an expression of social necessity under the class relations of capitalism & to assert that values (including that of labour power) become the regulators of economic life only to the degree that the capitalist mode of production becomes hegemonic within a social formation.
Class Struggle Over the Wage Rate'Profit-squeeze' hypothesis of capitalist crisis – A successful struggle on the part of labour raises wages & diminishes profit. This results is slow accumulation & stagnation. Capital responds by disciplining labour, reducing real wages & revives profits.Marx readily concedes that the shifting magnitudes of wages & profit limit each other, & that the balance between them 'is only settled by the continuous struggle between capital & labour, the capitalist constantly tending to reduce wages to their physical minimum, & to extend the working day to its physical maximum, while the worker constantly presses in the opposite direction. The matter resolves itself into a question of the respective powers of the combatants' (Wages, Price & Profit, p.74)But Marx also argues that a rise in the real wage meant a fall in the profit rate only under the supposition of no changes in the productive powers of labour, no expansion in the amounts of capital & labour power employed & no expansion of production. Real wages & profit rates could rise or fall together or move inversely. (Theories of Surplus Value, pt 2, p.408)
The real wage can rise provided the rise 'does not interfere with the progress of accumulation' (Capital, vol.1, p.619)
Could organised labour keep the real wage from rising even when that would threaten accumulation?
Failing the transition to socialism, Marx denies such a possibility as a long-run proposition.
To interpret the share of labour in the total social product as a result of a pure power relation in the market place between capital & labour is an inadmissible abstraction.
And so Marx reduces class struggle over distributional shares to the status of an equilibrating device, rather like supply & demand.
If, as a result of strong labour organisation, wages remain above value for the extended period, then this is because it does not interfere with accumulation.
Marx therefore explicitly warns the workers 'not to exaggerate to themselves the ultimate working of these every-day struggles' & 'not to be exclusively absorbed in these unavoidable guerrilla fights'. Instead of the 'conservative motto, "A fair day's wage for a fair day's work!" they ought to inscribe on their banner the revolutionary watchword, "Abolition of the Wages system!" ' (Wages, Price & Profit, p.78)
By focusing on the realm of use-values & human needs (e.g. health care instead of military equipment), such struggles can form the basis for a truly revolutionary movement, which has as its aim the abolition of a system founded on the ultimate irrationality of accumulation for accumulation's sake.
The Accumulation Process & the Value of Labour PowerMarx rejects outright all formulations that immutably fix the value of labour power, such as the physiological subsistence wage.What are the fundamental forces which fix the value of labour?There is an equilibrium distribution between variable capital & surplus value determined in relation to the rate of accumulation & the overall structure of production & consumption.If there is a general rise in the standard of living of labour (measured in use-values commanded), & if these become part of the 'historical & moral element' encompassed in the value of labour power, it is because the laws of accumulation are indifferent with respect to the specific forms of use-value produced.
At first blush it appears that, the less for labour, the more for capital. But when we look at the accumulation process as a whole we see, first, that 'the maintenance & reproduction of the working class is, & must ever be, a necessary condition to the reproduction of capital' (Capital, vol. 1, p.572)
Capital must itself limit its own 'boundless thirst after riches' to the extent that it destroys the capacity to reproduce labour power of a given quality.
The value of labour power & the share of labour in newly created value cannot be understood outside of the general process of production & realisation of surplus value.
The Reduction of Skilled to Simple Labour
We are faced with heterogeneous labour powers that are differentially rewarded.
This is regarded by some as the Achilles heel of Marx's theory of value.
The process whereby heterogeneous skills are reduced to simple labour must be independent of the processes of wage rate determination in the market place.
If, as Bohm-Bawerk (1949) insists, the only social process that can do the job is the exchange of the products of that labour power in the market, then 'we have the very compromising circumstance that the standard of reduction is determined by actual exchange relations' when the exchange relations are supposed to be explicable in terms of the social labour they embody.
There is, it seems, a 'fundamental & inescapable circularity' in Marx's value theory.
Values, it is then said, cannot be determined independent of market prices, & the latter, not the former, are fundamental to understanding how capitalism works.
Abstract labour becomes the measure of value to the degree that labour power exists as a commodity capitalists can freely command in the market.
Skills that are monopolizable are anathema to capital.
To the degree that they become a barrier to accumulation they must be subdued or eliminated by transformation of the labour process.
The reduction from skilled to simple labour is more than a mental construct; it is real & observable process, which operates with devastating effects upon the labourers.
Marx therefore pays considerable attention to the destruction of artisan skills & their replacement by 'simple labour'.
That is not to say that capital has everywhere been successful in forcing such reductions.
The reduction to simple labour could not occur in any other kind of society – petty commodity producers, artisans, peasant, slave, etc.
Values form as the regulators of social activity only to the degree that a certain kind of society, characterised by specific class relations of production & exchange, come into being.
Bohm-Bawerk considers the example of exchange between a sculptor & a stone-breaker in order to show that labour as value is indistinguishable from the value of the different labour powers as determined through the exchange of their products. His example is not wrong. But it is the kind of particular & individualised form of labour that ceases, in Marx's view, even to be 'thinkable' in a well developed totality of exchanges. Furthermore, both labourers in Bohm-Bawerk's example are self-employed, while one – the sculptor – possesses special monopoly skills. The condition that Marx is interested in is one in which both labourers are employed by capitalists producing commodities – statues & roads – while neither has any monopolisable skill, even though the labour imparted may be of differing productivity.
Bohm-Bawerk abstracts entirely from capitalist relations of production – hardly an adequate basis to fashion a valid critique of Marx.
The circular reasoning he thought he spotted is a product of tearing the reduction problem free from its roots in real historical processes, which reshape the labour process & generalise commodity exchange.
Put back into this broader context, the reduction problem disappears into insignificance.
The Distribution of Surplus Value & the Transformation from Values into Prices of Production
The theory of surplus value explains the origin of profit in the exploitation of labour within the confines of the production process under the social relation of wage labour.
The theory of distribution has to deal with the conversion of surplus value into profit.
Surplus value originates in the production process by virtue of the class relation between capital & labour, but is distributed among individual capitalists according to the rules of competition.
In considering how surplus value is distributed among capitalist producers in different sectors, Marx shows that commodities can no longer exchange at their values – a condition that he assumed to hold in the first two volumes of Capital.
They must exchange according to their 'prices of production'.
These prices of production are still measured in values & are not to be confused with monetary prices realised in the market.
Marx still holds to socially necessary labour time as a measuring rod.
What he now shows is that commodities no longer exchange according to the socially necessary labour time embodied in them.
Some definitions:
Production period – the time taken to produce a completed commodity
Circulation time – the time taken to realise the value embodied in the commodity through the exchange process
Turnover time of capital – the time taken for the value of a given capital to be realised through production & exchange, i.e. the sum of the production period & circulation time.
Capital consumed – the total value of raw materials & instruments of production used up in the course of one production period; which will be equal to or more likely less than the capital employed (fixed capital)
Constant capital – either the capital consumed or the capital employed, depending upon what we are seeking to show
Variable capital – the value of the labour power consumed in a production period
Rate of surplus value/exploitation – ratio of surplus value to variable capital
Value composition of capital – c/v
Rate of Profit – a/(c+v) = s/v / (c/v) + 1
All measures are expressed in values
Assumption – a competitive process which equalises the rate of profit across all industries & sectors.
We can then see that exchange ratios are affected by differences in value composition of capital.
For example, an economy has two industries.
Industry I – 80c + 20v + 20s
Industry II – 20c + 80v + 80s
The total capital advanced is the same in both, i.e. the costs of production c + v.
The rate of exploitation is the same s/v.
Assumption – identical production period.
But the rate of profit in industry I is 20%, while in industry II it is 80%.
The rate of profit is not equalised.
Assumption – the two industries are of equal weight so that the average rate of profit is 50%.
The effect of equalising the rate of profit is to change the exchange ratios of the two commodities.
Each commodity now exchanges according to the ratios indicated by
c + v + p (the price of production) instead of c + v + s
Measured in values not money prices.
Under competition we can expect commodities to exchange according to their prices of production rather than their values.
The same applies to capitals having different turnover times.
Since the capitalist is interested in profit over an average period of time, capital that turns over many times in a year will earn a much higher rate of return.
Capital & labour will tend to be reallocated from sectors with lower turnover times to those with higher returns.
Relative prices will be affected.
Production determines distribution but the former cannot be considered independently of the distribution included in it.
It is the distribution of the capital among the different industries in accordance with the general rate of profit that leads to the formation of prices of production, which have the effect of distributing the surplus value differentially according to the value compositions & turnover times of the different capitals.
Each capitalist contributes to the total aggregate surplus value in society according to the labour power each employs, & draws upon the aggregate surplus value according to the total capital each advances.
'from each capitalist according to his total workforce & to each capitalist according to his total investment'.
Industries with low value composition ('labour-intensive' industries) or rapid turnover time produce greater surplus value than they get back in the way of profit.
Marx makes some errors in trying to explain the relation between surplus value & profit.
In Capital Vol. 3, Ch. 9 he assumes that capitalists purchase commodities at their values & sell them according to their prices of production.
Rather they must buy them at their prices of production as well.
Secondly, as capital is redistributed from sectors with low to high value composition, so the total output of surplus value changes & this alters the rate of profit.
The price of production analysis in the third volume has no necessary logical relation to the value theory proposed in the first volume.
The fact that profit has its origin in the exploitation of labour power is no longer self-evident but becomes opaque to both capitalist & labourer alike.
Such a mystification is dangerous for capital because the reproduction of the capitalist class depends entirely upon the continuous creation & re-creation of surplus value.
Even if they could understand what is going on, competition forces them to allocate social labour & to arrange their production processes so as to equalise the rate of profit.
What Marx has shown is that this has nothing necessarily to do with maximising the aggregate output of surplus value in society.
We find a material basis for the systematic misallocation of social labour that leads capitalism into periodic crises.
Competition necessarily leads individual capitalists to behave in such a way that they threaten the very basis for their own social reproduction.
They so behave because the logic of the market forces them to respond to prices of production rather than to the direct requirements for the production of surplus value.
Interest, Rent & profit on Merchants' Capital
The theory of surplus value stands on its own independently of any theory of distribution apart from the most fundamental of all distributional arrangements, which separates labour from capital.
Surplus value is converted into profit through the social process of competition.
Profit is in turn split into the components of profit on merchants' capital, interest on money capital, rent on land & profit of enterprise.
The task of any theory of distribution is to explain the social necessity for, & the social processes that accomplish, this distribution of surplus value.
Production cannot be considered apart from the distribution included in it.
We, therefore, have to consider the very real possibility that rent & interest play important roles as conditions of production.
Distribution relationships affect the conditions of production.
The circulation of capital:
M – C (LP & MP)…P…C' – M' etc
Money is laid out to purchase labour power & means of production, which are together shaped through production into commodities to be sold on the market.
The two phases M – C & C' – M' are transformations brought about through buying & selling, whereas P, the production process, involves a material transformation in the product & the embodiment of socially necessary labour.
But the process is a never ending circuit.
It can be dissected in a number of ways.
We can then see that the conditions & concerns regulating the circulation of money capital are rather different from those that govern capital tied down as productive capital to a specific production process, & that both are different again from those regulating the circulation of commodity capital.
Merchant capitalists take on specific responsibility for capital in commodity form & specialise in transforming commodities into money.
Bankers & financiers are the money capitalists who assume command of the general use of money as capital & receive interest.
This leaves the productive capitalists in command only over the production of surplus value itself.
Merchants' CapitalWhen capital is held in commodity form it exists as commodity capital.But since capital remains capital only as value in motion, it follows that commodity capital must continuously be transformed into money capital.The speed & efficiency of this transformation is of great importance to the capitalist.
The circulation time (the time during which capital assumes the commodity form) affects the turnover time & thereby the rate of profit.
The transformation incurs certain costs which are necessary deductions out of surplus value produced – marketing a commodity realises value but does not create it.
The merchant assumes all of the costs & responsibility for marketing in return for a slice of the surplus value produced.
With the equalisation of profit, the merchant should receive exactly the same rate of profit on the capital advanced as does the producer.
In value terms, this means producers sell below value to the merchants, who then sell the commodity at its value.
On the one hand, the relationship is parasitic in the sense that the merchant creates no value but merely appropriates it. On the other hand, merchants' capital can expand the surplus value realised by the producer through accelerating the turnover of capital & reducing the necessary costs of circulation.
Money Capital & InterestWhen capital takes on the money form & becomes money capital, it manifests itself as capital in its purest form – as exchange value divorced from specific use value.But it cannot retain its character as capital without being put into circulation in search of profit.The use value of money capital is that it can command labour power & means of production, which can then be used to produce greater value than that money originally represented.
The capacity to produce surplus value then appears to be a power of money capital itself.
Money capital becomes a commodity like any other.
It possesses a use value & an exchange value.
This exchange value is the rate of interest.
Marx observes, "Interest-bearing capital is the consummate automatic fetish…money making money, & in this form it no longer bears any trace of its origin" (Theories of Surplus Value, pt 3, p. 455) "To the vulgar economist who desires to represent capital as an independent source of value, a source which creates value, this form is of course a godsend, a form in which the source of profit is no longer recognisable."
The difference between capital in money or productive form ultimately leads to the separation between interest on money capital & profit of enterprise.
Rent on LandThe monopoly power that accrues to landowners through the private ownership of land is the basis of rent as a form of surplus value.Land is an indispensable condition of production in general.
In agriculture it is an integral part of the production process.
The circulation of capital encounters a barrier in the form of landed property.
The landowner can exact a tribute – appropriate a portion of surplus value – in return for the use of the land as a condition or means of production.
Distribution Relations & Class Relations in Historical PerspectiveAll forms of capital – merchants' capital, money capital & rent on land – have an historical existence which predates industrial capital.These different forms of capital had to rendered subservient to a circulation process dominated by the production of surplus value by wage labour.There are differentiations within the bourgeoisie – fractions or classes:
rentiers who live entirely off interest on their money capital,
industrial capitalists who organise production of surplus value,
merchant capitalists who circulate commodities,
landlords which live off the rent of the landIt is the study of the production process itself that reveals the secrets of distribution.
To pretend otherwise is to fall victim to the world of appearance, which is clouded with fetishisms, & fail to penetrate the inner essence & inner structure…behind its outer appearance.


This is a finely tailored women's mini dress that is presented in your choice of an off white or black cotton blend fabric that feels soft to the touch, is wrinkle resistant and that is comfortable enough to wear all day. It was created in a loose-fitting shift style. The dress has a relatively high neckline that is simple and round. It features close-fitting, three quarter length sleeves, and a loose-fitting bodice. The waist is slightly raised, and gives way to the gently flowing, full, lower portion of the dress. This is a mini length dress with the hemline ending at the upper thigh portion of the leg.


Every sign I read, I look apon with a abstracted viewpoint.
I look apon with a abstracted viewpoint.
then I spiral to the unknown.
or if it is me.
I don't have the answer to.
is my thoughts spiraling away.
feels like every step that I can't walk.
but I cannot stand a eveings with out you holding my hands.
but at the end of the day you are the one I miss.


Croft Circuit - set in the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. This superb 2.1 mile circuit has been developed for over 50 years into a top-flight racing venue which hosts prestigious Motorsport events such as British Touring Cars (BTCC) as well as the most competitive club level racing.
Used by Velo 29 since 2010 for their witner series (January-March) and North East Trophy.


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ECB needs a sustained recovery before winding down crisis measures, Finnish central bank chief says
Published Thu, Apr 8 20215:36 AM EDT Updated Thu, Apr 8 20216:41 AM EDT
Sam Meredith@smeredith19
"We have both upside and downside risks, depending on the speed of the vaccine rollout and the extent of virus mutations," Finnish central bank governor Olli Rehn told CNBC's "Street Signs Europe."
"In this context, the best approach in monetary policy is simply to keep calm and stay the course," he added.
His comments come shortly after Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot had reportedly suggested an expected rebound for the euro zone economy in the second half of the year could allow the ECB to begin phasing out its emergency bond purchases in the third quarter.
We see a recovery strengthening in the second half of 2020, Finnish central bank governor says
Street Signs Europe
LONDON — The European Central Bank should look to secure a sustained economic recovery in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic before exiting crisis-fighting measures, Finland's central bank chief told CNBC on Thursday.
"We are ready to recalibrate our purchases as needed and in that sense, as I said, I would be rather cautious in this regard as I think it is better to be safe than sorry and see that we genuinely have a sustained recovery in the economy before we move to the exit gear in terms of monetary accommodation," Finnish central bank governor Olli Rehn told CNBC's "Street Signs Europe."
"We have both upside and downside risks, depending on the speed of the vaccine rollout and the extent of virus mutations. In this context, the best approach in monetary policy is simply to keep calm and stay the course," he added.
His comments come shortly after Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot told Reuters that an expected rebound for the euro zone economy in the second half of the year could allow the ECB to begin phasing out its emergency bond purchases in the third quarter.
The ECB last month decided to ramp up bond buying within its 1.85 trillion euro ($2.2 trillion) Pandemic Emergency Purchase Program, sometimes referred to as PEPP. The move came amid worries that rising government bond yields (how much it costs them to borrow) could threaten the bloc's economic recovery.
The euro area is still waiting for coronavirus relief funds at the EU level, and many countries are grappling with a third wave of coronavirus infections, as the pace of vaccinations lags other parts of the world. All of these factors pose risks to the 19 economies that share the euro.
May be able to review asset purchases in second half: ECB's Holzmann
Squawk Box Europe
The International Monetary Fund said in its World Economic Outlook on Tuesday that the euro area was on track to grow 4.4% this year, following a contraction of 6.6% last year.
"In the near term, there is still plenty of uncertainty about the speed of the vaccine rollout (and) about the possible extent of virus mutations. But, yes, in the second half of this year and next year, we see the recovery strengthening and certainly, the outlook in this sense is more positive," Finland's Rehn said.
"In terms of policy response, it is better to be safe than sorry and maintain a significant degree of accommodation in monetary policy in order to build a sturdy bridge over these troubled waters of the coronavirus pandemic."
— CNBC's Silvia Amaro contributed to this report.
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The battle of Setina () took place in the autumn of 1017 near the village of Setina in modern northern Greece between the armies of Bulgaria and Byzantium. The result was a Byzantine victory.

Prelude

In 1014, after decades of war, the Byzantine Emperor Basil II scored a decisive victory over the Bulgarian Emperor Samuil in the battle of Kleidion. Samuil died of a heart attack on 6 October 1014 and the Byzantines took the opportunity to penetrate deep into Macedonia, the political heart of the Bulgarian Empire, and seized a number of important cities (Bitola, Prilep, Voden, Maglen). After the new Bulgarian Emperor Ivan Vladislav, who in 1015 assassinated Samuil's son and heir Gavril Radomir, had unsuccessfully tried to make an agreement with Basil II, he organized the defense of the country. The Bulgarians led by the Emperor, Krakra of Pernik and Ivats managed to return a number of towns and castles. The Byzantines were defeated in the battle of Bitola (September 1015) and at the siege of Pernik (summer of 1016).

The war in 1017

In 1017 Basil II invaded Bulgaria with a large army including Rus' mercenaries. His objective was the town of Kastoria which controlled the road between Thessaly and the coast of modern Albania. He sent parts of his army under the commanders Constantine Diogenes and David Arianites to loot Pelagonia. Basil II himself managed to capture several minor Bulgarian castles but all attempts to seize Kastoria remained futile.

Meanwhile, the governor of Pernik and Sofia Krakra gathered troops to attack north-eastern Bulgaria which was under Byzantine control since 1001. He had orders by Ivan Vladislav to negotiate with the Pechenegs a joint campaign against the Byzantines. Upon hearing word of the negotiations, Basil II retreated from Kastoria. However, the Bulgarian counter-attack towards Moesia did not take place after the Pechenegs' refusal to back it. Basil II again invaded Bulgaria and took the small fortress of Setina located between Ostrovo and Bitola to the south of the river Cherna.

The Bulgarians under the command of Ivan Vladislav marched to the Byzantine camp. Basil II sent strong units under Diogenes to repulse the Bulgarians but the troops of the Byzantine commander were ambushed and cornered. To save Diogenes, the 60-year-old Byzantine Emperor moved on with the rest of his army. When the Bulgarians understood that they retreated chased by Diogenes. According to the Byzantine historian John Skylitzes the Bulgarians had many casualties and 200 were taken prisoners.

Aftermath

The battle of Setina had no effect on the outcome of the war. In January 1018 Basil II withdrew to his capital Constantinople. The Bulgarians attacked the Adriatic port of Dyrrhachium and after Ivan Vladislav's death under the walls of the city the resistance finally broke. In the same year the First Bulgarian Empire was annexed by the Byzantine Empire. In 1019 the Byzantines seized the last Bulgarian strongholds.

See also
Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
Battle of Kleidion

References

1010s in the Byzantine Empire
11th century in Bulgaria
Battles involving the First Bulgarian Empire
Battles of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars in Macedonia
Battles in Macedonia (Greece)
Medieval Macedonia
Conflicts in 1017
Battles of Basil II
1017 in Europe

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text:
Swedish Government is Commmitted to 100 Percent Renewables and Negative Emissions
Sweden is on track to be the first nation in the world to achieve net zero emissions and they are well on their way to getting all of their power from renewable sources. The home of iconic activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg is not settling for carbon neutrality they want to be carbon negative.
Sweden is one of the first nation's to pledge to go fossil fuel free and they have passed legally binding legislation that mandates carbon neutrality by 2045. The vote passed in the Swedish parliament by an overwhelming margin of 213 votes (254 for and 41 against). Sweden's Climate Act is part of Sweden's climate policy framework and includes long-term goals that are overseen by a climate policy council. Sweden's ultimate emissions goal is to be a net carbon sink.
Despite spirited opposition from Swedish conservatives, 58 percent Swiss citizens voted in support of renewable energy in a 2017 national referendum. The same plebiscite saw Swiss voters call for an end to nuclear power. The country's renewable energy capacity target is 4,400 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable energy (excluding hydropower) by 2020, and 11,400 GWh by 2035. The plan also intends to increase hydropower capacity generation to 37,400 GWh by 2035.
Swedes also voted in support of energy efficiency. As part of the Swedish Energy Strategy 2050 the country is working towards reducing Switzerland's per capita energy consumption by 16 percent by 2020, and by 43 percent by 2035. Per capita electricity consumption will be reduced 3 percent by 2020 and 13 percent in 2035.
The Nordic nation is setting their sites on being 50 percent more energy efficient by 2030, and deriving 100 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2040.
Swedes are currently getting 54 percent of the energy they used from renewable sources. This is in part attributable to the government's energy policies including things like green certification for electricity retailers. To qualify these retailers have to get at least a standard minimum proportion of their electricity from wind, solar, geothermal,wave power, biofuels or small-scale hydroelectric plants.
About 11 percent of the nation's electricity is derived from wind power. According to a governmnet website, between 2000 and 2017, Swedish wind production increased from 0.5 to 17.5 TWh and comprises about 3,600 wind turbines.
Solar power has also started to grow thanks to Swedish Energy Agency investments in research and support for private, public and commercial actors.
Swedish buildings are mandated by law to show how much energy they consume. Sweden is also building passive houses and high-rises that are heated only by the body heat of the occupants and electrical appliances.
The country has even developed a system to harvest the body heat from commuters in Stockholm's central station.
Nordic Countries are the Most (and Least) Sustainable: Spotlight on Sweden and Denmark
Sweden is a Model of Sustainable Waste Management


Using some back-of-the-envelope math, Hammond estimates that a 225-unit apartment community with a 40 percent turnover rate (7.5 moves a month), an average rent of $650 per unit and an average per-unit turnover expense of $1,800 is spending $162,000 annually on turnover, or about 9 percent of the gross rent potential.
No apartment community is going to have a zero turnover rate, but a sustained focus on reducing move-outs is likely worth the time.
In the above example, Hammond calculates that if that apartment community reduced turnovers by just one per month, it would save more than $20,000 in annual turnover expenses. Further, she estimates that this reduction would add about 96 hours to the maintenance schedule.


The boys had a 4th birthday Party Invite so I quickly whipped up a large pouch for colouring book and pencils we had brought for the birthday.
I also went to the Encraftment Market with a friend. It was fun looking around at at all the stalls- it was a shame it was sooo cold out! I brought a few things.
The boys (Mr B) have been enjoying watching spacex and learning about space, rockets, astronauts- keeps them very entertained!
We are enjoying the warm windy weather- just hope it lasts!
Love Sago's collar! Pity there were no kitty ones, although the 'very small dog' ones would probably fit. Was the market still crazy busy when you went? Oh and clever pouch idea, makes the present extra special!
I am glad I can whip up a present...considering how late I left making it!! I am glad I brought the collar yesterday- its so cute and girly!
Miriam, did you buy anything while you were there?


Photography shot with tri-x film, projection printed onto watercolor paper coated with liquid emulsion, selective sepia/poly toned, mounted inside an old picture frame.
This was one of many images I created for a series I called "Freedom" showcasing people with the American flag. This is a photograph of my sister.


After an autopsy was done on the body of Garcia, a single gunshot wound to the head has been determined as the cause of death.
Upon investigation, Andres Rios Ramirez was determined as a person of interest.
Ramirez was pulled over during a traffic stop and a pistol was discovered in his possession. Ramirez also did not have a valid license with him.
He was taken in for questioning by Investigators Andrew Alwine and Corey Speck where a confession was obtained.
Ramirez was charged with Murder on March 21.
The Sheriff's Department also determined that the murder occurred at the residence of 629 Antonio Street on the same day.
The Sheriff's Department of San Angelo has released a press release titled "Homicide" relating to the body discovered in a dumpster on Tuesday afternoon.
The body has been identified as 24 year old Camille Garcia.
Anyone who may have any information about or is an acquaintance of Garcia is encouraged to call the Department at 325-655-8111.
Information can also be provided at the office located at 222 West Harris.
On Tuesday, March 20, the body of a female was found in a garbage dumpster on Cactus Lane.
The medical examiner has determined that the body was probably between 20 and 30 years old.
Both the Sheriff's Department and the Texas Rangers are investigating.
So far, there have been no leads on how the body ended up in the dumpster in the first place.
The body was reported to the police around 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
This investigation is ongoing, we will update this story as more details become available.


Halliburton Company recently reported strong fourth-quarter results despite the weak oil market. That weakness, however, is expected to impact the company over the next few quarters, management said on its most recent conference call. That said, one overarching theme on the call was management's firm belief that this short-term pain will yield much stronger long-term gains.
Tough times aheadCEO Dave Lesar was pretty open with investors on the call that the company sees pain ahead in 2015. He said the company's margins are sure to contract, as customers are now demanding price reductions from oil-field service companies.
These price discounts could get much worse as some companies refuse to drill new wells until oil-field service prices come down by 40%. "[W]e have to be real about it," the CEO said. "The North America market is going to see volatility and pain for a few quarters."
Entering the downturn from a position of strengthHowever,unlike so many other oil-related companies, Halliburton is entering the downturn from a position of financial strength. Lesar noted that 2014 was a record year for both of its divisions, as 12 of its 13 product lines set new all-time highs while new full-year operating income records were set across four product lines.
"You want to head into any industry downturn starting from an extremely strong financial and operating platform, and that certainly is where we are performing today," Lesar said.
Added acting CFO Christian Garcia: "We finished 2014 in a solid financial position."
When the market might turnWhile Halliburton's management is bracing for pain over the next few quarters, it does not see the oil market staying weak forever. Instead, executives' view is that the current downturn is similar to past downturns.
"We can look at previous cycles for insight. And while history doesn't always repeat, sometimes it rhymes," said HalliburtonPresident Jeff Miller. He added that the trajectory of the falling rig count in the U.S. "is similar to both the 2001-2002 cycle and the 2008-2009 cycle. And in those cases we experienced a rapid correction to the rig count going from peak to trough over a three-quarter period." This suggests the market could begin to turn in the second half of this year.
Thoughts on Baker Hughes mergerEven amid the short-term market issues, Halliburton remains focused on driving strong results over the long term, which is why it is merging with rival Baker Hughes .
Halliburton "believe[s] this combination will create a bellwether oil-field services company; a stronger, more diverse organization with an unsurpassed depth and breadth of services," according to Lesar, who also acknowledged the difficulty of integrating these two giants: "I'm not naive how hard it is to put two companies together."
Lesar, though, has strong leadership in place to work on the integration, and he's confident the team will achieve its integration goals even with the troubles in the oil market. He also remains confident the deal will close in the second half of this year.
Said another way, Halliburton is supremely confident that it will not only manage through the downturn, but it will emerge on the other side as a stronger company.
Investor takeawayHalliburton is clearly bracing for a rough year. However, the company sees this downturn as an opportunity to grow stronger. That's why it took advantage of the early stages of the downturn to agree to a merger with Baker Hughes that should establish an even stronger company for when the market returns to normalcy. Bottom line: Halliburton is focused on managing through the weakness of 2015 so it can enjoy the gains as the market improves.
The article 5 Things Halliburton Companys Management Wants You to Know originally appeared on Fool.com.


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Q: "Source array was not long enough" Error registering BsonClassMap conventions in mongodb with C# driver In the following code:
var myConventions = new ConventionProfile();
myConventions.SetIgnoreExtraElementsConvention(new AlwaysIgnoreExtraElementsConvention());
BsonClassMap.RegisterConventions(myConventions, (type) => true);

whenever it calls RegisterConventions, we are getting the following error, but it is very intermittent and random, and so it's very hard to troubleshoot.

"Source array was not long enough. Check srcIndex and length, and the
  array's lower bounds."

A few times we've purged our collections and that's fixed it, but the last few times, we purged and still had to then restart the windows service.  Then we could use our application and create records and collections to our hearts' content.
I'm thinking perhaps an array in one or more of our mapped class's array properties is getting initialized inconsistently, but I'm drawing a blank on next steps to take.  I could perhaps use a field initializer or initialize it in the constructor, but I don't want to start mucking with mongo api's mapping magic.  Also, we haven't seen this error in at least a week, so if I made some sort of fix and left it in there, I'll have no way of knowing if it actually fixed the problem or not.
Please help!  Thanks!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Cuban outfielder Henry Urrutia sees parents for first time in 4 years
By Eduardo A. Encina
Orioles Cuban outfielder Henry Urrutia, who is playing winter ball in Venezuela for Caracas, received a long-awaited visit from his parents this week.
Urrutia hadn't seen his mother, Maria Victoria, since he fled Cuba nearly five years ago. He had seen his father, Ermidelio, more recently after he left Cuba and was living in Haiti, but he hadn't seen either parent in about four years.
Urrutia has always held his family close to him, and often says he knows his best playing days will arrive when his parents are around to see him play. It's not the majors, but now his parents can watch him play for the first time in years.
Before now, Urrutia would email his parents as many articles, photos and videos as he could to keep them informed of his career in the United States. With the U.S. and Cuba restoring diplomatic relations, his family might be able to see him play here sooner than later.
"I know my best season will be when my family is here with me," Urrutia said during spring training. "I can't wait for that."
Urrutia is having a solid season in Venezuela, hitting .304 with a .360 on-base percentage, .481 slugging percentage and five doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs in 21 games with Caracas.
eencina@baltsun.com
twitter.com/EddieInTheYard
Henry Urrutia
Most Read • Orioles
Orioles reset: Breaking down starting rotation candidates for threadbare pitching staff


Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers reacts after the Denver Broncos defeated his team with a score of 24 to 10 to win Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 7, 2016, in Santa Clara, Calif.
After his Carolina Panthers lost the Super Bowl on Sunday, NFL MVP Cam Newton pouted through the postgame news conference, giving petulant answers and walking out of the interview early. Two days later, he doubled down, channeling his inner Donald Trump by saying, "Who likes to lose? You show me a good loser and I'm going to show you a loser."
It was a particularly revealing episode about Newton's character. Especially because before the Super Bowl, Newton and some sportswriters raised the issue of whether racism motivated criticism that the star black quarterback has received. Last week, Newton was quoted on the cover of the New York Daily News, "I know why you hate me. I am an African-American quarterback that scares people because they haven't seen nothing that they can compare me to."
There may be a modicum of truth to Newton's claim of racism in fans who don't like him; unfortunately there will always be such small-minded people. But after what happened this week, perhaps a more important reason Cam Newton doesn't get respect is his lack of sportsmanship and character.
It was nothing to be ashamed of that he didn't play well against the formidable Denver Broncos defense; that defense, led by Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, also humbled great quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady this season.
But it was a little more unsettling when Newton didn't fight for a fumble late in the game with the Panthers down less than a touchdown. In the regular season, this might be overlooked — but not in the Super Bowl. On this point, his reputation will eventually rest with his fellow players, some of whom weighed in immediately. Seattle Seahawks defender Frank Clark tweeted, "Respected this man's game until then" and "Crunch time he want grapes, I'm eating mud." Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin mocked Newton by claiming Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson would have gone for the football. Of note: Clark, Irvin and Wilson are all African-American.
But it was after the game that Newton left himself open to the most serious charge — of being a poor winner and a worse loser. All season long, while the Panthers were winning, Newton preened on the field. There are many other players who do that, and while some people may object, a certain amount of braggadocio and celebration enhances the enjoyment of the game.
Newton, however, took this a step further than most. After victories on the road, he would disrespect losing opponents by tearing their banners down in their home stadiums. He rationalized this breach of football etiquette by saying if teams didn't like it, they could stop it by keeping him out of the end zone.
And that is exactly what the Broncos, Ware and Miller did in the Super Bowl.
Yet when confronting reporters after the game, Newton failed to give the opposition much credit for doing so. No one required he look happy in defeat, but the situation demanded at least some grace.
No less than Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders (also African-American), and no shrinking violet on the field himself during his playing days, pointed out the obvious, "You're opening yourself for more criticism, because everybody is going to say you're dabbing and smiling and smiling and styling. So this is how you go out when you lose?"
Last year Russell Wilson threw an ill-advised pass in the last minute that cost the Seahawks the Super Bowl. Afterward, he sat through the postgame interview patiently answering every question, giving credit to the victorious Patriots. Win gracefully, lose graciously.
Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton walks near the bench during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 50 football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Santa Clara, Calif.
Contrast Newton's attitude also with that of Von Miller. Granted, Miller's team won, but the star linebacker (also African-American) was particularly magnanimous in his postgame comments. "We have been working for two years. Me and my teammates and all my guys. This is what you work for. I am so proud of my buddies. I am so proud of my teammates and coaches. It just shows what type of team we have. It is not about the offense, defense or special teams. ... We have a lot of love for each other, and that is where the success comes from."
For most of his career, Cam Newton has been the brightest star in the firmament, especially when he had the best team. In college his Auburn team was dominant, and he won the Heisman trophy. This year his Carolina team won 17 of 18 games before they ran up against the Broncos. And anybody can be cool winning. But the danger in winning all the time is that you gradually lose respect for your opponents. And because no one wins all the time, everyone must eventually learn to lose. When Newton, with his Superman cape and gold shoes, was bested by Ware and Miller, players as good as he was, Newton advertised to the world that he did not know how to lose.
The great sportswriter Heywood Hale Broun once said, "Sports do not build character; they reveal it." Newton was almost certainly the best player on the field in every game he played in grade school, high school and college. But apparently while his coaches and mentors were teaching him to read defenses and find receivers, they neglected the lesson about character. And it took the Super Bowl to reveal it.
Cory Franklin is a Wilmette physician and the author of "Cook County ICU: 30 Years of Unforgettable Patients and Odd Cases."


For things like this, please always make a new simple sample project and email it to us so we can debug it. We use the sample both to ensure we are seeing the exact same scenario you are seeing, and also to verify that any related code changes we make will fix your issue. We plan on getting a maintenance release out soon so it would be helpful if you could get this in shortly. Thanks!
Perhaps I wasn't clear enough (??), but I wasn't really reporting this as a bug. I fully understand that you are not serializing images that I generate dynamically. I was merely asking for your suggestion on how to accomplish the usage of dynamic images, as well as making my own suggestion on how I might prefer it worked.
Kasper, the whole reason for samples is to better understand what you are trying to achieve. Here I assume you are referring to the IDocumentReference.ImageSourceLarge, etc. properties that get serialized by the RecentDocumentManager?
If so, those properties are the data items that are bound to the RecentDocumentMenu, and the template for RecentDocumentMenu binds them directly to Image controls in the template. There's nothing really on-demand available since it's all wired up in XAML MVVM-style.
The only thing I can think of is for you to make your own ImageSource class (not sure offhand how easy/hard that is) and inject that into your doc reference instead of a URL based one. Then make sure it's XAML serializable since our serializer is using XamlWriter/XamlReader to serialize the data out.
>Here I assume you are referring to the IDocumentReference.ImageSourceLarge, etc. properties that get serialized by the RecentDocumentManager?
Yes exactly. Sorry if that wasn't clear enough.
>If so, those properties are the data items that are bound to the RecentDocumentMenu, and the template for RecentDocumentMenu binds them directly to Image controls in the template. There's nothing really on-demand available since it's all wired up in XAML MVVM-style.
>The only thing I can think of is for you to make your own ImageSource class (not sure offhand how easy/hard that is) and inject that into your doc reference instead of a URL based one. Then make sure it's XAML serializable since our serializer is using XamlWriter/XamlReader to serialize the data out.
Could you just update the image sources to the appropriate dynamic image right after you deserialize the list? If the future serialization is causing you issues when you deserialize the XML, then you'd probably want to clear the image sources (set them to null) right before serializing.
If you are displaying the recent document list in an application menu or a backstage, could you possibly load up the images in a Ribbon.IsApplicationMenuOpenChanged event handler? You'd still need to null them out when you serialize it all though.
>Could you just update the image sources to the appropriate dynamic image right after you deserialize the list? If the future serialization is causing you issues when you deserialize the XML, then you'd probably want to clear the image sources (set them to null) right before serializing.


text:
Local bodies join forces to support each other
Minister Edghill wants Patterson 'sent packing' from PAC
Preposterous, unmeritorious, contrived
Persons to be fired for malpractices at asphalt plant
Qatar field hospital expected at 'West Dem' today
Local bodies join forces to support each…
Minister Edghill wants Patterson 'sent packing' from…
Persons to be fired for malpractices at…
Qatar field hospital expected at 'West Dem'…
Fortune 500 company moves regional HQ to…
25 new doctors, health professionals join healthcare…
Avoid 'poor quality' investors by improving ease…
Region 10 to get agro-processing facility
Guyana's property market on the map
Young economist launches book about elections fiasco
Works on Ogle-Diamond road could start soon
I congratulate the Ali Administration
United States' stark racial inequality was on…
LGE must be held this year, notwithstanding…
Open Letter to President Granger: Step down and bring an end to the chaos
Dear Mr Granger,
Many refer to the American Dream in terms of material acquisitions but what I am most grateful for is the awakening it allowed for me in seeing the Oneness among all people – despite one's coloring or race.
In writing to you from this understanding, I must say how troubled I am to hear of the current events surrounding the election in Guyana. How troubled to hear of all the violence – of stones being thrown into school buses and the resulting injuries to small, innocent children.
It troubles me because I can imagine the fear and pain those children endured and which will forever be seared in their souls. I can imagine all this because of the fear I endured during the election of 1973 between Jagan and Burnham.
For the first time in my life, at seven years old, I recall being deeply afraid as we shuttered ourselves into our homes from the erupting violence on the streets. I recall my troubled heart in hearing news of the violent aftermath: the falling of police officers in their attempt to uphold peace along with the death of innocent civilians.
Mr. Granger: How can we stand after all this time, since the brutal days of colonization, still in division? How can we still adhere to the ridiculousness of color lines while the sun shines in equal measure upon all? Why are the Guyanese people still being lead to believe that if an African Guyanese is elected that it will better serve the African Guyanese population or if an Indian Guyanese is elected, the same will hold true for the Indian Guyanese.
Well, Mr. Granger – nothing has changed much since the election of 1973. Nothing has changed much while both African and Indian leadership have exchanged hands in the governing of Guyana – and nothing will change until we all come together as One, under the eyes of God.
Guyana is indeed like a paradise: a land so incredibly blessed, so abundant in resources of all kinds. I was there recently to receive healing from the teas my aunt gave me to drink from the soursop and lime trees and in going for daily swims in the glorious ocean. I was there to be blessed by the great welcome of my people from all races – to feel their warmth and to see in their eyes the ONE Love which runs in the veins of us all.
Yet, my heart could not be shielded nor my eyes be closed to the suffering of the people in Guyana. My heart broke in hearing of the suicidal death of a man who lost his job in the sugar industry when the sugar estates all shut down; a man who tragically took his life because he was unable to feed his family.
And while the sugar estates closed its doors so did the rice mills. Some of those men who lost their means of a living, abandoned their families, while others turned to alcohol to numb their feelings of hopelessness and despair.
Those feelings of hopelessness and despair are far reaching, as they impact most intensely the young people in Guyana; those in the most vulnerable stages of life. I spoke to a teacher in Guyana who shared these insights, "There are no communities here. No place for young people to be supported in. The suicide rates for these youths have soared in Guyana. It's a sad, sad thing."
As we talked, I came to learn that aside from the lack of communities to be supported in, much of the suicides stemmed from the jobless situation that exists everywhere; these young, beautiful children, filled with so much potential, emerge from school to find no employment or anything productive to do with their lives. It is indeed, a sad, sad thing.
What is also very sad was seeing the Berbice shoreline littered with plastic and garbage of every kind. And while the people discussed cleaning up the beach by shipping the recyclable items to a plant in Suriname for recycling, they were stopped and told by local government officials: there is a better plan coming. That Plan Never Came – Years Later, It Never Came.
No one in your government cared to listen and work to bring the necessary and desperately needed changes for the people in Guyana as they were busy making speeches of gratitude to communist China for gifting them their brand-new BMW and Mercedes.
And while all of this is occurring, the people in Guyana continue to suffer; suffer from so much, like the broken medical system throughout the country.
One thing I have come to know for sure, Mr. Granger: there is an intelligence that rules this planet where nothing is left unseen; an intelligence which records every act we perform; the very acts that bring color upon our souls. In this stage of the long, suffering history of Guyana, this is the only "coloring" we should worry about. Let's pray for that color to be of the abundant One light which runs through all of creation.
Let us stop this horrific idea of our differences (Indians vs. Africans) that some Devil fed us many long years ago to bring peace and prosperity for all upon the land of Guyana. We can work together to bring the changes and programs which Guyana so desperately need; educational programs not only for farmers and children but empowerment programs for women; women who have been treated for too long as second-class citizens.
Many turned their backs on Guyana since the 1960's in order to escape political turmoil and economic hardship. Yet, fond memories of Beautiful Guyana remain seared in the hearts of those who would like to return one day; who dream of returning one day. Our energies should be centered on making that a real possibility but more to create a Guyana where all our children can laugh and play instead of living in fear.
The legendary, Bob Marley, who fought for peace and justice, asks the world in his song, One Love, "Do you hear the children crying? He pleads to all, "Have pity on those whose chances grows thinner." He sung to tell selfish, brutal rulers and all the power mongers of the world – all those who only care about saving their "Own," that they should know: "There ain't no hiding place from The Father of Creation." Most certainly, there is no hiding place, as we are all just: dust blowing in the wind; dust gathering the karmic knitting that will be ours to Own.
Mr. Granger, the election calls for you to step down – the Guyanese people and The World are asking for you to step down. You need to comply in order to bring an end to all the chaos and violence and help open the path to bring the much-needed changes for Beautiful Guyana and its people.
The world is watching, Mr. Granger, and so are God's eyes.
Shakti Singh
https://guyanatimesgy.com/i-congratulate-the-ali-administration/ M Shabeer
United States' stark racial inequality was on display that fateful day
https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2021/01/12/united-states-stark-racial-in
LGE must be held this year, notwithstanding the fixing of GECOM
https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2021/01/12/lge-must-be-held-this-year-no
Enforcing the Racial Hostility Act: Seeing things through the prism of those best fitted to serve
https://guyanatimesgy.com/enforcing-the-racial-hostility-act-seeing-things-
Trump and Granger have become the world's greatest laughing stocks
https://guyanatimesgy.com/trump-and-granger-have-become-the-worlds-greatest


Skin care has always been and will always continue to be a divisive facet of the beauty world due to the fact that one size certainly does not fit all. One person's Holy Grail cleanser might belong in another's 'never buy again' category and visa versa. However, there are cult products and brands alike that have earned themselves huge followings.
To settle the debate for good, Refinery29 tasked research company, Social Context Labs to scour Twitter, Facebook, blogs and online forums to find out the world's favourite brands and the most loved products from each. Here's who made the list.
The cult beauty brand isn't just popular for its extensive makeup range; it was found to be the most talked about skin care brand in the US, UK, Spain, Russia, Taiwan and United Arab Emirates.
The most loved product across the board was the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II, an anti-ageing serum that works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and reveal smoother and more radiant skin.
The German-founded company was the most talked about brand in six countries: Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands, Argentina, Belgium and Thailand.
The favourite range from the brand was the Q10 collection, designed to reduce the appearance of ageing by smoothing and firming skin with the addition of coenzyme Q10.
As well as being a top choice globally, the Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Replenishing Pearls were also loved by our Review Crew, who gave the serum a four out of five star rating.
The Japanese company was the most talked about skin care brand in Japan and China with the 140-year-old brand also ranking in the top five most loved brands in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Argentina, Taiwan, Belgium and Thailand.
Surprisingly, the most popular product was the brand's signature sunscreen, which has been designed to be even more effective when it comes into contact with water.
Canada and South Africa were found to be the two countries that love L'Oréal Paris the most. The brand's bestseller is the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Serum.
The French skin care brand was unsurprisingly the top choice in France with the brand also coming in at number one in Sweden.
The brand's Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover was crowned the most popular product due to its gentle formula and ability to remove waterproof makeup, without leaving an oily residue behind.
The LA based company was the top choice in Mexico and Nigeria with the favourite product being the Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen.
The French skin care brand has a cult-like following across the globe with the highest concentration of fans living in Brazil and Poland.
The favourite product was the Effaclar Gel Cleanser, a daily facial cleanser enriched with zinc to help purify the skin, leaving it clean and refreshed.
The French skin care brand scored well all over the world; Clarins was deemed the top choice in Norway and ranked within the top five in the UK, China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Poland, Belgium, United Arab Emirates and South Africa.
The brand's most popular product was the classic Multi-Active Day Cream, which is enriched with antioxidants to keep skin radiant and glowing.
Turns out the brand that produces Kylie Jenner's favourite cleanser is also India's favourite skin care brand. Whilst the youngest Jenner loves the classic Pond's Cold Cream, the most talked about product was in fact the new Silk Cream, which is designed to hydrate the skin, leaving it silky smooth without a greasy finish.
Swedish-based company Foreo happens to be the most talked about brand in Saudi Arabia with the Luna 2 cleansing brush being the top choice for gently exfoliating dead skin cells, revealing clean and soft skin.
The Melbourne-based botanical skin care brand is unsurprisingly the most talked about here in Australia with the Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Hydrator receiving the most love on social media.
Italian brand Borghese was the top skin care choice in Italy with the moisturising cleansing crème taking the top product spot.
The History of Whoo is the most popular brand to come out of South Korea's beauty resurgence with the company's most loved product being the Gongjinhyang Foam Cleanser.
Indonesian brand Citra is the top skin care choice in Indonesia and became renowned in South East Asia more broadly for its range of body lotions, scrubs and washes.
The most loved product within the brand is the Hazeline Spotless White Glow Facial Foam, which is enriched with rice and green tea.


Many regulatory agency employees are hired by the firms they regulate, creating a "revolving door" between government and the private sector. We study these transitions using detailed data from the US Patent and Trademark Office. We find that patent examiners grant significantly more patents to the firms that later hire them and that much of this leniency extends to prospective employers. These effects are strongest in years when firms are actively hiring, and these relationships hold for the intensive margin of intellectual property protection. Ultimately, this leads the agency to issue lower quality patents, which we measure in citations. Together with other supporting evidence, we argue these results are suggestive of regulatory capture.


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Q: NuGet not throw the error when pack nupsec file with same file in the different foder When I pack a .nuspec file to generate a package, which contains some files in the different folder, but a file exists on both folder, then I pack this .nuspec file. NuGet pack it successfully, but just include one and not throw the error.
My .nupsec file like:
  <files>
    <file src="foo\test.dll" target="Tools" />
    <file src="bar\test.dll" target="Tools" />
  </files>

I know I may overwrite the dll file in the tools folder, but NuGet should throw the error or warning about this overwriting.
Any suggestion?

A:
NuGet not throw the error when pack nupsec file with same file in the different foder

This is a known issue about the NuGet. The NuGet team is repairing it to support future releases.
You can add your comment or vote for this issue on the GitHub: NuGet doesn't error when packaging nuspec with duplicate files. When there are enough communities vote and add comments for this feedback, the product team member will take this feedback seriously.
At this moment, the workaround for this issue is using different name for the same file or target to the different folder, like:
  <files>
    <file src="foo\test.dll" target="Tools\foo" />
    <file src="bar\test.dll" target="Tools\bar" />
  </files>

Hope this helps.


text:
Sex abuse survivor confronts 'remorseless' paedophile in court as he is found guilty of offences committed almost four decades ago
Nine women who made reports to police went on to be killed by a partner, ex or stalker, study finds
NINE WOMEN in West Yorkshire were killed by their partner, ex-partner or a stalker in the past three years, despite previously reporting them to the police, according to a new study.
Monday, 23rd July 2018, 7:57 pm
Updated Tuesday, 24th July 2018, 1:07 pm
The research, by the website Broadly as part of a campaign with anti-stalking charity Paladin, showed that across 29 police forces nationwide 49 women were killed by stalkers, partners or ex-partners after having called the police about them.
Laura Richards, founder of anti-stalking charity Paladin, said: "These are the most dangerous of cases — they are murders in slow motion — yet women are still not being believed or taken seriously when they report to police."
However the number of women killed in such circumstances is likely to be higher, as about a third of police forces did not respond to requests for information, including the biggest force, London's Metropolitan Police, and the third biggest, Greater Manchester Police.
Detective Chief Inspector Fran Naughton, of West Yorkshire Police, said protecting people from domestic abuse was a key priority for the force, adding: "Each domestic murder or manslaughter has its own set of individual circumstances and the level and timing of police contact beforehand will also vary."


"The Bridge, Part II" begins seven years after the first, with Ryan returning home from being on the road touring as a professional singer and Molly working at her father's corporation. After they both receive devastating news regarding The Bridge and their beloved friends Charlie and Donna, Molly and Ryan meet again in Franklin, Tennessee. They are reminded of their unspoken love and dreams about a possible future together, which never happened. Can they open their hearts to second chances — for them, for Charlie and Donna, and for The Bridge?
Sorry to see the movies I will miss because I only have the first Hallmark channel. Because of the extra cost for cable upgrade we miss out.


He is working with "ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd" as a Senior Vice President. He is responsible for all the IT related initiative across all the group companies.
You can contact the INDUS Board members by writing to board@induscommunity.com. You can also reach out to the Chairman by writing to chairman@induscommunity.com.


You are here: Home / Tech Zone / Games / Xbox One games – what to buy and what not?
Xbox One games – what to buy and what not?
Xbox One is an incredible gaming console with lots of media functionalities for avid players. This next-generation console features all kinds of ingenious features such as Kinect integration, voice commands, recording capabilities, live streaming, and more. All of them are meant to enhance your gaming experience. Here's a list with some of the best (and worst) games for your Xbox One.
Peggle 2 is a must-download game for Xbox One. Featuring the cutest, most clever Peggle Masters, this game will exceed all your expectations. Developed by PopCap and available since May 2014, Peggle 2 is a puzzle video game. Although a sequel to the first Peggle game, players will have a lot of fun exploring new challenges, levels and environments. If you're looking for an addictive Xbox One game to keep you busy, there's nothing better than Peggle 2.
'Rivals' is the 12th installment in the acclaimed 'Need for Speed' series. Developed by Criterion Games, the game is sleeker and more entertaining than ever before. Featuring a unique verve, Criterion made 'NFS: Rivals' look brutally diverting. The races take place in an open world, and players must be constantly ready to deal with the most realistic challenges. There's also a surprise element added – online connectivity where your friends can pop in at any time and improve the overall gaming experience.
This beautiful 3rd person action-adventure video game is centered on the story of Marius Titus, a Roman centurion aspiring to become a leader in the Roman Legion. Featuring gorgeous hack-and-slash outings, 'Son of Rome' is one of Xbox One's best-looking games. The game has a lot more to offer than just nice combat experiences; be prepared to slice off the arms and legs of your enemies, get involved in occasional dialogues and enjoy the sleek, unbelievably realistic environments.
'Ghosts' is one of the most thorough and detailed shooters available for Xbox One. It comes with some pretty great multi-player action and lots of destructive events and competitive fighting meant to keep players hooked. Set in an alternating timeline, 'Call of Duty: Ghosts' follows the far-fetched nuclear obliteration of the Middle East. The ghosts are the game's main protagonists; this special force US Operations personnel, will have to conduct stealthy missions behind enemy lines and win the war.
This beautiful RPG has managed to draw quite a bit of attention. 'Child of Light' features the most peculiar graphics, yet the watercolor art style and rich details have convinced many avid gamers to try it out on Xbox One. Main character-player is Aurora, a girl who must find her wait out of Lemuria, an unknown magical kingdom. Featuring turn-based combat, puzzle solving and lots of surprises, 'Child of Light' is such a charming game to play on Xbox.
•	Thief – it looks so promising, yet it fails to deliver. Many gamers have complained that the storyline just doesn't fit the character.
•	Battlefield 4 – way too many bugs inside the game, underdeveloped single-player campaign.
Whether you're an avid gamer or not, owning an Xbox One is a must. The wealth of good games is endless, and although some games are not worth buying, the next-gen console is absolutely incredible. The sleek controls, exclusive releases, and increased performance will convince you that the price of $400 is money well spent.
Author Bio:This is the guest post by Daniel Lewis and Train Games 365!


text:
Q: Topology of a set of matrices I am trying to find the topology of $M$ where
$$M := \left\{ A \in \Bbb R^{3 \times 3} \mid A = 2 \vec{u} \cdot (\vec{u})^T - (\mathbb{1}_{3 \times 3} - \vec{u} \cdot (\vec{u})^T) \right\},$$
with $\vec{u}$ three dimensional unit vectors with real coefficients and $\mathbb{1}_{3 \times 3}$ the $3 \times 3$ identity matrix.
What I have done so far is putting $\vec{u} = (a \ \ b \ \ c)^T$, with $a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = 1$, from which $A$ takes the general form
\begin{align*}
A = \begin{pmatrix} 3a^2-1 & 3ab & 3ac \\ 3ab & 3b^2 - 1 & 3bc \\ 3ac & 3bc & 3c^2 -1 \end{pmatrix}.
\end{align*}
From this general form I deduced that $A$ has determinant 2 (and is therefore invertible), $A$ is symmetric, and has a vanishing trace. At this point I do not quite see what the topology of $M$ would be, however, I should mention that I am not very familiar with topology yet.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A: The  map $f$ from the unit sphere in $\mathbb{R}^3$ to your space is continuous and $f(-\vec{u}) = f(u).$ So, your space is diffeomorphic to the projective plane $\mathbb{R}P^2.$


DREADFUL TALES: Hello again, Jon! Thanks for taking the time to talk to Dreadful Tales. We're celebrating the Samhain line this week and I'm excited to get to know one of my new Samhain favorites. Hopefully your shoe size and eyebrow grooming habits will finally be revealed here for the first time. True journalism!
Before we get to that, can you tell us a bit about how you started writing? You've written a couple novellas and several short stories, so what was the process like transitioning into a full blown novel?
JONATHAN JANZ: I started to write an answer to this that took things way back to my childhood, but I'll save all that stuff for another time. To answer your question more succinctly, I started with novellas and short stories because I suspected I didn't have the skills and confidence to write a novel. That isn't to say that short stories and novellas are easier–they're not. But novel-writing does require more endurance and a better grasp of the larger picture, and both those traits take time to develop.
The reason I knew I didn't have those characteristics (in my twenties and early thirties) is that I attempted to write a novel about twelve years ago (the novel that would become House of Skin). I actually wrote a fragment of HOS during college, and though the execution wasn't great, the basic idea still intrigued me. So one summer (I was 26 at the time) I went to a graveyard every day to write out the novel longhand. The book was called Starlight at that point. It was awful. I wrote probably a hundred thousand words before I literally threw the notebooks away (at least I think I threw them away; it's possible my wife–my girlfriend at the time–salvaged them). I repeated that process several times in the coming years (then calling the book Her Eyes Were Wild), and though I didn't write the book to my satisfaction, I did slowly get better as a writer. I also started doing a few smaller pieces and a couple novellas, which gave me some much-needed confidence.
Finally, I devoted myself to The Sorrows and House of Skin (and now about three other novels). And while I'm constantly striving to improve, the difference between the book I scribbled at age twenty-six in no way resembles House of Skin. And that's a very good thing.
DT: You wrote longhand, as in with pen and actual paper!? In a graveyard even? Hard to believe that wasn't enough to evoke greatness. So in your case, would you say practice was key to get where you are now?
JJ: I'd say that practice has had an awful lot to do with what I've accomplished so far. There are many other factors, but unwavering dedication is probably the main one. This gig will give you many, many chances to quit. Most do quit, I suspect. I'm not the most talented writer in the world, nor do I have an inflated ego the way many writers do. But I'm persistent. I never, ever give up on anything. If I played Lebron James in a game of one-on-one, I'd lose 100-to-nothing, but I'd battle him until the very end. I take that attitude into my writing, and whatever success I have, it's largely because of my unwavering commitment. Or my outrageous stubbornness.
DT: Well, your persistence has paid off!
Can you tell us how Don D'Auria found you and how you became a member of the Samhain family (besides being wicked awesome, of course)? Also, tell the truth, when you found out you would be published alongside the likes of Ramsey Campbell did you "SQUEE~!"?
JJ: I don't know if I'm physically capable of squeeing. But if I were, I'd have done that a dozen times since Don said "yes" to The Sorrows.
I badly wanted to work with Don when he was back with Dorchester. As most folks know, Dorchester imploded, and Don eventually ended up at Samhain Publishing. They'd been rocking the romance and erotica worlds and were ready to branch out into a new genre. Don's expertise made him the ideal person to start a new line–Samhain Horror. I submitted The Sorrows to Don shortly after he started at Samhain, and pretty quickly he accepted my novel. A few months later I sent him House of Skin, and he accepted that too.
He's a legendary editor and a wonderful guy. I've dreamed of working with him since the early 2000s, and thus far the experience has surpassed even my lofty expectations.
And how does it feel to be published alongside Ramsey Campbell? Absolutely surreal. He is, without question, one of the finest practitioners of horror in the history of the genre. I've learned an incredible amount from reading and studying his books and feel blessed and honored to be part of the same company that's publishing his work.
DT: Back in the early 2000s, when you were still dreaming of working with Don D'Auria, who were some of the authors in the genre that influenced you, authors you aspired to be like? Have your horror literary influences changed? And how so?
JJ: I had many, many influences from many different eras and literary bents, but at the time you're alluding to, the primary Leisure guys for me were Jack Ketchum and Richard Laymon. Both of them continue to be major influences on my work (and my life). Ketchum cuts deeper than any writer I know. He's insightful and unflinching and incredibly powerful. Frankly, I'm in awe of him.
Concerning Laymon…I just love reading his work. Occasionally, I'll get the sense that some think his stuff isn't on par with other masters, but I'd adamantly disagree. People take him for granted because he was so prolific, and his work was–gasp–fun, but the fact is, Laymon's stuff moves. It's almost like folks hold that against him. I love literature of all kinds, and I can appreciate anything if it's done well. But as a writer I always try to remember how much fun I have when I read Laymon. Part of that fun is how breakneck the pace is. Part of it's his consistent inhabiting of his POV character. I appreciated then and even moreso now how he handled interior monologue/dialogue. Another part of it is…ah, I could go forever, so I'll just say I love Ketchum and Laymon and leave it at that.
DT: You can tell from our namesake that we absolutely love Laymon here at Dreadful Tales. When I first read THE SORROWS I was reminded of Laymon specifically because of your pacing, but there was also an element of Richard Matheson a la HELLHOUSE. Matheson has a talent for creating atmosphere without slowing down the pace if the story and I felt you accomplished that with THE SORROWS.
How did you develop the story for THE SORROWS? You mentioned that HOUSE OF SKINS has been a long time coming (since late twenties). Was that the case for THE SORROWS as well?
JJ: Thank you so much for your kind words about The Sorrows! I'll take any comparison or connection to Richard Matheson I can get because he's influenced me just as much as Laymon. And it's funny you mention Hell House…that was one of my formative reads back when I was still a teenager. I absolutely loved that book (and still love it). The combination of dread, dark eroticism, and shocking violence really appealed to me as a reader, so I would think that some of that adoration would permeate my writing.
I remember over a decade ago hearing Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C Sharp Minor (link here) for the first time and feeling absolutely transported. I was jarred, too, by the abrupt beginning of the song. As music often does to me, the song made me imagine a tower with a solitary pianist inside. The player was tortured, enslaved even. He was a prisoner of the tower, but he was a powerful force, too. His song promised retribution for his captors, an unholy fury unleashed. That image and succession of thoughts–all spawned by Rachmaninoff–became the basis for The Sorrows.
DT: It's obvious from reading THE SORROWS and hearing about the inspiration behind the story that you have an interest in music. Do you have any background in music?
JJ: I have a ton of interest in music but very little skill at it. I think this is part of why I'm so fascinated by it–especially the act of creation. And because I'm an obsessive movie lover, it makes perfect sense that I'd be enthralled by the concept of how movie music comes to be. I blogged about a moment in How to Train Your Dragon in which the composer John Powell creates something so transcendent that it brings me to tears. That notes on a page can do that, can bring about such a powerful and consuming emotion, is amazing to me. Hence my novel about two composers trying to score a horror film.
DT: So, we've talked a bit about THE SORROWS. Can you tell us about what is next for Jonathan Janz? What's coming out next and what are you currently working on?
JJ: My next novel out is House of Skin. It releases in June in ebook and in October in trade paperback (similar to the launch structure of The Sorrows). House of Skin is a standalone horror novel (written in the fast-paced-yet-Gothic style of The Sorrows), but it does connect to The Sorrows in a profound way. House of Skin was the movie my composers were scoring in The Sorrows; since I knew the plot of House of Skin through-and-through, I thought giving it a fictional cinematic score would be fun and logical. But other than that, there's no connection between the novels, so if you haven't read the first one (though you should!), you can pick up House of Skin without worrying about being in the dark.
I think readers are going to love House of Skin, by the way. Of course, every writer thinks that about his work, but I really do feel affection toward this novel. The way it all fits together…the blending of Laymonesque horror with a ghost story that's tonally much more in line with early Peter Straub. I love it and hope audiences do, too.
DT: You were at the HorrorHound Convention in Columbus recently and I believe you will be in Indianapolis (my home town!) this fall as well. What other events – book signing, conventions, etc – will you be attending that fans should know about?
JJ: Those two are the only ones etched in stone for now, but there are a couple other possibilities I'm looking into. When one has a wife, three kids under the age of six (including an incredibly active one-year-old daughter), two full-time professions (I'm a teacher and a writer), and several other commitments, it's challenging to cordon off a whole weekend without disrupting too many lives. But my experience at HorrorHound was just amazing (thanks to the wonderful fans and the awesome people at Samhain Publishing). It made me look harder at how I might include my family in future conventions (as in, taking them to a nearby hotel and then running back and forth–I don't think my kids are quite ready for the levels of carnage and cleavage present at most horror cons).
DT: Last question – Vincent Price has invited you to the House on Haunted Hill and he wants you to pick the other 4 guests. Who do you choose and why?
JJ: I could say my family and be all sappy, but instead I'll say Stephen King, Joe R. Lansdale, Jack Ketchum, and Peter Jackson. I love all four of those guys and in some way model myself (not just my career, but a lot of my behaviors and philosophies) off of their examples. In addition to being genuinely cool guys (and I can personally vouch for Ketchum, who has been incredibly nice to me even though he's never even met me), they're all four obviously supremely talented storytellers. Can you imagine how phenomenal and terrifying it would be to listen to those dudes tell stories all night in an eerie venue?
This entry was posted in Authors, Interview and tagged Jonathan Janz, Samhain Publishing, The Sorrows by Meli Yoroshiku. Bookmark the permalink.
Great interview Jonathan. 🙂 I'm looking forward to ours next week. But now she's asked all the good questions….no really, great stuff!
If you remember, could you come back and post a link to your review? I'd like to check it out.
Haha, yes…I was able to come up with a few more things I wanted to ask from reading the book. He always has some witty words up his sleeve too. I will post it for you…thanks!


Je bent nu hier: Forum / Algemene onzin / Hello!
hOi! I'm ShibiZ, a new artist to Oekaki!
Might need some help getting used to all the stuff in online art!
Hello! I think it should all be pretty self-explanatory, but feel free to ask any time.


A woman struggling with progressive muscular dystrophy is now battling the Prefecture over how much money should be spent on her care.
Ayumi Oshiro is heavily handicapped and is telling Okinawa Governor she requires near round-the-clock nursing care. She has issued an appeal to Governor Hirokazu Nakaima, asking he reverse a decision by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare that grants what she calls insufficient levels of care.
She is asking for nursing attendants 744 hours each month, much more than the 331 hours the ministry earlier approved. "It's inadequate what they say a person needs", citing the need for more than 30 minutes care during bedtime hours.
Her attorney says the doctor's description of needed care should be the bottom line. "Japanese standard care is that a position change or artificial respiration operation is required about once every two hours, and it is always assumed that duty is always provided by a care giver." He says it's difficult for Ohshiro to live by herself, noting she cannot even answer the telephone alone.
Her doctor has explained to the Prefecture she needs a helper throughout the day, and that there must be position changes once every two hours.
The Prefecture Independent Life Center Iruka's director, Mikio Shinmon, agrees. "Who on earth can be cared for only ten minutes in the middle of the night?" He criticizes the administration for being insensitive.


A standard radar satellite image superficially resembles a black and white version of an optical image. But while optical sensors are dependent on reflected light to capture an image, radar sensors send out their own microwave signals in order to 'see' how they backscatter, dependent on relative surface roughness. So one great advantage of radar instruments is that they go on working through local clouds or darkness.
Another advantage of radar is that its signal contains additional useful data, accessible when two radar images of the same site, taken from the same position, are combined together.
Radar equipment operates at extremely high frequencies and correspondingly low wavelength – just 5.6 centimetres in the case of ASAR, meaning a complete cycle through a signal wave occurs for every 5.6 cm of distance.
The division of the total distance the ASAR signal travels – from space to Earth and back again – by its wavelength determines at what fraction along the peak or trough of a wave the returning signal will be, a detectable value known as the signal 'phase'.
If the same target on Earth is re-acquired from the same point in space, then in theory the total signal distance will be unchanged and the signal phase should remain the same.
However the slightest millimetre-scale ground shift occurring between acquisitions will cause the phase to alter. Just like sets of ripples meeting in water, the combination of radar signals that have different phases sets up interference patterns - hence the term 'interferogram'.
Successful paired-image (or multiple-image) interferograms can reveal changes in a landscape across a wide area to an extraordinarily high degree of detail. To look at they resemble the iridescent rainbow swirls you see on the surface of soap bubbles or a thin film of oil on water – which are actually optical interference patterns from light being reflected together.
The coloured fringes seen in a given InSAR image can be regarded like contour lines on a map – except on a vastly reduced scale. One complete set of coloured bands represents ground movement relative to the spacecraft of half a wavelength, 2.8 cm in the case of ASAR.
InSAR practice is a little more complicated than theory, since it is difficult for satellites (though even more difficult for radar-carrying aircraft) to precisely revisit the same vantage point. Slightly different perspectives on the same landscape can cause phase shifting due to apparent variations in surface elevation.
This effect is similar to the way overlapping pictures can appear stereoscopic using 3-D glasses. InSAR is therefore often used to derive height elevation and create an accurate digital elevation model (DEM) of a landscape.
To measure millimetre-scale ground shifting however, a technique strictly known as differential interferometry (D-InSAR) must be employed. This involves the removal from the interferogram of topographic effects by use of a DEM, which can be performed if the distance between the acquisition viewpoints – called the baseline – is less than about a kilometre.
And for added accuracy any atmospheric variation between acquisitions is often also taken account of. This process of subtraction means any remaining interference patterns are solely due to ground movement taking place between acquisitions.
There is one fairly fundamental limitation on interferometry; a requirement that the collection of numerous small reflective surfaces forming the landscape maintains consistent between acquisitions.
Events such as the growth of vegetation, wind scattering leaves, or rainfall smoothing out soil can stop InSAR images from properly matching up, or correlating, and the longer the timespan between acquisitions, the more this is likely to occur.
However proposed radar sensors based on a longer signal wavelength – such as the L-band used with the GPS navigation system, due to be employed by the forthcoming Japanese ALOS (Advanced Land Observing Satellite) or the TerraSAR-L mission currently under study as part of ESA's EarthWatch programme – would have the ability to 'see' through vegetation cover, snow or small stones or soil to widen the suitability of InSAR across more varied terrain, with a slight trade-off in image resolution.