Confirmation of booking will be provided upon receipt of a completed booking form and receipt of a 50% non-refundable deposit. The booking deposit is 50% of the course fees. If a booking is made within one month of the course commencement date, the full course fees are payable upon booking. Course fees must be paid in full prior to course commencement.
Payment can be made in cash, by bank transfer or with a credit or debit card via Paypal. Payments made with a credit or debit card are subject to an additional 4.1% (subject to increase without prior notice) to cover Paypal charges incurred. Bank transfers must be sent in euro currency and bank charges are for the account of the student. A payment advice note will be issued upon booking. An invoice will be issued upon full payment.
If more than eight weeks' notice of cancellation is provided, the non-refundable booking deposit may be transferred to a later course or transferred to another student. If a booking is cancelled less than eight weeks prior to the course commencement date, the deposit is non-refundable but may be applied to a future course at the discretion of the school principal and if the future course is within two months of the cancellation. If a booking is cancelled within four weeks of the course start date, and the school is unable to re-sell the place on the course, the deposit is both non-refundable and non-transferable. Course fees shall not be refunded for any reason once the course has started. Please note, we recommend you take holiday cancellation or personal travel insurance.
Any course fees you have paid, including your deposit, will be refunded in full. No liability shall be attached to Deep Blue Sea Training beyond refunding the course fee paid for the cancelled course or unused portion if the course has been started. No payments shall be made for incidental costs. As above, we recommend you take holiday cancellation or personal travel insurance.
Deep Blue Sea Training shall not be responsible for any unused air tickets or unused portions of air tickets or unused services of any kind.
If a student is likely to be delayed beyond the start time of the course, Deep Blue Sea Training must be informed as soon as possible. It is at the discretion of the school principal if the fees paid can be transferred to a future course. If a student fails to arrive, for any reason whatsoever including illness, and Deep Blue Sea Training has not been notified, the course fees will be forfeit.
Please let us know if you have any special requirements when you book your course e.g. any reasonable adjustments you would like us to make under the equality act due to a disability. Also tell us if you have a medical condition we should know about that may require some special consideration. The facility exists on our online booking system for you to do this. If you do not book online, then please inform us via email, telephone or when you begin your course.
Our course information details what is involved physically in each course so that you can judge your fitness to take part. Candidates are advised to seek medical advice if they are in any doubt of their ability to participate in a course. Deep Blue Sea Training accepts no responsibility for the decision of the physical fitness of the customer to participate in a course. Students must ensure that any personal medication is brought to the course.
No liability is accepted for student's personal possessions left in Deep Blue Sea Training premises; this includes on the marina and onboard vessels used by Deep Blue Sea Training. No liability is accepted for students whilst in, or on, any Deep Blue Sea Training property or property used by Deep Blue Sea Training or whilst embarking or disembarking any vessel used by Deep Blue Sea Training. All students take part in any course at their own risk. The act of signing for a training course implies that the student has understood and accepted the terms and conditions of Deep Blue Sea Training herein, including the risk disclaimer above and liability as explained in this document.
Your instructor/examiner will make decisions re: heavy weather training with the safety of crew and vessel as first priority. The instructor/examiner's decision is final.
Deep Blue Sea Training shall not be liable for any expenses incurred due to Force Majeure, including Act of God, weather conditions, strikes, and acts of Government, war or any other occurrence beyond our control.
During practical training for sail and motor courses, basic provisions are provided during training hours onboard. Meals and drinks onshore are not included. During powerboat courses, access to shore will be provided or students are advised to bring a packed lunch. Lunch is not included during shore-based courses. Provisioning is not included during private courses or own boat tuition.
Deep Blue Sea Training shall not be liable for any accidents that occur whilst a student is under the influence of alcohol. The consumption of alcohol is not permitted whilst underway.
Smoking is not permitted in any interior space on board any training vessel or in any building used by Deep Blue Sea Training. Please respect the school rule that no cigarette butts be thrown into the sea. Deep Blue Sea Training is located in a non-smoking building and students are requested to dispose of any cigarette butts in a responsible manner.
Recreational drugs of any kind are strictly forbidden onboard any training vessel or in any property used by Deep Blue Sea Training. If found, or suspected, the customer will immediately leave the course and no monies will be refunded, nor any additional travel expenses reimbursed.
Deep Blue Sea Training uses training vessels that are well maintained, however, if breakages or mechanical failures occur we ask for your patience and understanding that this can be part of boating. Every effort will be made to ensure the vessel is repaired at the earliest opportunity. If this is not possible, an alternative vessel will be made available. Deep Blue Sea Training shall not be held responsible for any time the customer feels has been lost, whilst every attempt is made to address any problems that may occur.
The owner is considered to be the 'skipper' of the vessel at all times and is responsible for the vessel, the provisioning and fuel and for ensuring the vessel is fully insured, sea worthy, with all boat papers in date and safety equipment onboard to satisfy the local port authority and maritime law of the country in which the training is taking place. If any accidents occur onboard during training the claim is to be made against the insurance of the boat. Deep Blue Sea Training, and its instructors, shall not be liable for any incidents or accidents onboard. The owner should notify their insurance company that there will be a qualified instructor onboard delivering tuition but the owner remains the skipper at all times. It is also agreed that the owners insurance is fully comprehensive and covers all aspects of normal marine insurance for the area in which the skipper is expected to sail. Upon booking, the school will request copies of the vessel's insurance papers and vessel registration documents. The client will be asked to sign a disclaimer before the training can commence.
All students are expected to participate in cleaning the vessel and ensuring the vessel is kept clean and tidy at all times. At the end of a course/exam, all students are expected to clean the vessel thoroughly, remove any rubbish, refill the water tanks, secure the yacht, attach shore power, turn off gas supply and leave in a good state.
Notice of any complaint should be made to your instructor/examiner at the time of the complaint arising. If the complaint cannot be resolved onboard, then the complaint should be made in writing to the principal of Deep Blue Sea Training and will be dealt with as a matter of importance.
The instructor/examiner's decision is final. All students will accept all orders and decisions given by the instructor/examiner whilst onboard or onshore during any training provided by Deep Blue Sea Training. The instructor/examiner's authority is total, day and night, in accordance with Maritime Law. If for any reason a student does not accept an order from the instructor/examiner, or a designated substitute, the student shall be considered to be in breach of the terms and conditions of Deep Blue Sea Training. If the student is placed ashore at the nearest port, no liability whatsoever shall attach itself to Deep Blue Sea Training and neither shall the student have any redress for any expenses, nor any redress against the instructor/examiner as a result of any action or decision by the instructor/examiner.
The International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is available to British subjects, bona fide British residents or persons born outside the UNECE. Deep Blue Sea Training can provide full eligibility details on request.
Mooring fees away from the vessel's home berth are a shared responsibility of the crew and are to be paid locally. Your instructor will provide a suggested plan of harbours and inform the crew of expected costs. Mooring fees at base are included.
If an examination has to be cancelled or postponed for whatever reason, the candidate may ask to be reimbursed the examination fee or to be offered a future examination date.
Certificates will only be issued at the end of a course if, in the opinion of the instructor/examiner, the student has reached the standard required. The decision is final and to be accepted by all students. Many certificates are issued in the UK by an external authority; please allow time for receipt, processing and return delivery. As a general rule all certificates are returned to Deep Blue Sea Training unless the student has expressly requested otherwise. The school provides a mail/courier forwarding service and will advise the relevant cost to the student. Deep Blue Sea Training will not be held responsible for any delays in receipt, nor any loss if delivery has been requested to an address other than that of the school. Lost certificates will incur a re-issue charge to cover costs of replacement, administration and postage.
If a student has been invited to use a school boat for accommodation during training with Deep Blue Sea Training, rules apply to the arrangement. The accommodation offered is based on the understanding that the vessel be kept clean, tidy and secure at all times. Gas must be turned off at the main gas supply when not in use. It is strictly forbidden to move the boat. It is not permitted for any other person to be onboard unless permission is gained in advance from the school principal. The student is required to act with duty of care towards the vessel and any school property. Full rules are available on request.
One day specialist courses (Elementary First Aid, Basic Sea Survival, Diesel Engine, Radar) start at 09:30hrs and will close by 17:30hrs. The VHF/DSC marine radio training to achieve the Short Range Certificate (SRC) is a 10-hour training program with separate assessment time. The two day Powerboat training course will start at 09:00hrs at the training base and will close before 17:30hrs each day. Shore-based navigation courses start at 09:30hrs and will close by 17:30hrs. Practical courses will start at 09:30hrs on the first day; closing times are variable during the practical training courses. The instructors will keep their crew fully informed and the times given in this section are only as a guide.
Whilst the school carries full public liability insurance you should satisfy yourself that you are covered for personal injury and cancellation.
Any dispute should be brought to the attention of the skipper/instructor and principal at the earliest opportunity to be resolved. In the event of a dispute not being settled by mutual agreement, it is agreed that this agreement (contract) shall be governed by the laws of Spain and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Palma de Mallorca. It is further agreed that all agreements between customers, clients and students and staff of Deep Blue Sea Training shall be governed by Spanish Law, even when the dispute occurs outside Spanish territorial waters.
Deep Blue Sea Training is a recognised training centre of the Royal Yachting Association and is subject to regular inspections to ensure quality of training. If you have any issues with the training provided by Deep Blue Sea Training we ask that you first inform the school principal.


Tomopteris is a genus of rather attractive, pelagic polychaetes. In other words, bristleworms who swim in the ocean. "Tomopteris" means "cut wing", alluding to how their parapods form a kind of fin for swimming.
There's almost no information available about them! A shame, because they look sort of mesmerising; if you're to be hypnotised, it's best to know a little something about who's doing it.
At least some of them reside in the deep sea and are remarkably transparent until they glow a beautiful, bioluminescent blue. One of them glows yellow, which is rare for sea creatures, and they can even fire bioluminescent mucus. The stuff shines in the darkness as a distraction for predators while the actual worm makes its getaway.
They only reach a few centimetres long, though the remarkably long tail on some of them must surely add to that. And then there's the pair of long, slim antennae, which I imagine is pretty useful in the dark.
All in all, it's like a Squidworm after a visit to the beauty parlour. Probably several visits to the beauty parlour. Few surgeons... Whoever it was, they were a miracle worker!
Amazing what can be found in the depths of the ocean!
Too true! And not always so bad looking, either!
Looks really pretty especially in that gif image. I wish we could see a pic of the yellow species.
@FaustXIII: I find it hypnotic in the gif, I could look at it for hours!
it´s not a parasite, it´s a predator, feeding on other zooplankton. amazing creatures!
I have video of one closer to 5 inches long dragging and tending it's egg sack. Is it unusual for them to get this large?
Yes! That sounds unusually large!


San Antonio's eclectic mix of homegrown talent waiting to be more deeply discovered and explored.
Flamenco Polo – Vanessa Centeno is a multi-disciplinary visual performing artist. She is an accomplished Flamenco dancer and is currently a member of the Raices de Arte Espanol dance company. Ms. Centeno continues to study Flamenco under the renowned Carmen "La Chiqui" Linares and has participated in intensive workshop training in Madrid and Sevilla, Spain.
Big Band San Antonio, Texas Bluestar Brewery CB Express – Prime Time Jazz Orchestra Show included guest drummer Butch Miles who plays with the Count Basie Orchestra.
Funky BeBop The Primetime Jazz Orchestra sightreads a new chart by Martin Schwacha (bari sax) at the Bluestar Brewery. John Magaldi (director) on tenor along with other assorted stars!


text:
Nowzad evacuation 'cost lives' says Dan Jarvis, as Boris Johnson under pressure on Afghanistan
M18 closure: Yorkshire motorway to be closed for two full weekends for resurfacing work
NewsOpinionColumnists
Bernard Jenkin: A new model armoury to face today's threats
DEFENCE and security acquisition is fundamental to our national security. It contributes to advancing UK interests by providing the equipment and services needed to deter and counter threats, and to create or to exploit opportunities. It underpins our defence and deterrence postures and, through this, much of our leading-edge industrial and commercial competitiveness. In a globalised world, the suppliers of the equipment and services can no longer all be UK-owned or even UK-based organisations.
Saturday, 11th July 2015, 7:28 am
Our priority target should not be capabilities per se but the capacity to generate capabilities we need when we need them: equipment which is effective and cost-effective. A more adaptable acquisition model is one that is able to provide for changing circumstances, not one that delivers projects for scenarios that may never come to fruition. Much of the development needed for these technologies is necessarily experimental and therefore risky. The Government needs to be able to support innovation where companies cannot do so on their own.
A large proportion of this investment in technological innovation is sold abroad or used in other sectors and generates jobs and revenue for the UK. Maintaining our defence manufacturing capacity and financial arrangements that extend beyond the length of a single Parliament would also better support our industries and our Armed Forces.
The loss of key technical and scientific knowledge in these sectors cannot be easily recovered. The lack of Ministry of Defence capacity to deal directly with industry forces the MoD to contract this out to defence prime contractors that now dominate our industry but add to our current inflexibility. The smaller engineering firms that our politicians so often celebrate, should be supported directly through the MoD and would provide much greater value to the UK economy.
This is the lesson from recent military campaigns. Through the Northern Ireland campaign, the Falklands conflict, two Gulf wars and into Iraq and Afghanistan, much of the battle-critical equipment was developed during those campaigns, drawing on both defence research and technology and investment made over previous decades, and people in the MoD and industry with their own decades of experience.
Just take Afghanistan: counter-IED capability, armoured vehicles, drone technology and communications infrastructure were constantly being adapted along with tactics, techniques and procedures to try to protect our servicemen and women.
Military capability is only at one end of the spectrum of capabilities that ranges from trade, diplomacy, aid and all the soft power capabilities that the UK should employ in all the mostly peaceful campaigns it must pursue to secure our national interests and to contribute to global security. We also know that work has already identified gaps in maritime reconnaissance, cyber and defence intelligence and capability, ahead of this autumn's Strategic Defence and Security Review. On the current trajectory, like its 2010 predecessor, the next SDSR is likely to be another savings package rather than a genuine strategic review that generates value for the UK.
The Chancellor has recently announced the MoD will need to find another £500m in savings. The news that the MoD is trying to find ways of including pensions, peacekeeping and part of the international development budget in our defence budget does nothing to disguise the real shrinkage in the UK's military capacity over the last five years and which senior military officials are constantly warning us about.
Even if we were to commit fully to Nato's required two per cent of GDP, one of the announcements in Wednesday's Budget, the way that we organise and equip our armed forces needs radical change. Our method for supplying the military remains the same: as though we were going to fight a war of national survival, but without the necessary resource. Our acquisition model needs to change to meet the sad reality that we are no longer willing to spend the sums which that would require.
The problem with our present defence equipment programme is that it has now overtaken defence policy. It is therefore essential to identify which assets must remain under national ownership and control.
The United Kingdom is going through a period of deep soul searching. From the relationship between the four countries that make up the United Kingdom, through to our relationship with our European partners. Having an active involvement in foreign affairs is part of who we are as a country, and defence and therefore defence acquisition is a far more crucial component of who we are than most people realise.
If we are going to maintain a national arsenal, then we need to find a different model, given the limitations of our defence budget, of our R&D and of our defence industry in today's service sector-dominated economy.
• Bernard Jenkin MP is Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee. He was Shadow Defence Secretary (2001-2003) and sat on the Defence Select Committee (2006-2010). He is the editor of a report, 'Defence Acquisition for the 21st Century', that has been published by the Civitas think-tank.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Just didn't have maximum strength today...but still increased weights or reps on a couple of exercises. I think I was still recovering from Fridays' TT for Meatheads upper body workout. Shoulders were tired.
This is my last week on TT for Meatheads...but I don't want to leave it. However, I'll go back to TT 2K4 next month. Then another meatheads program will come up in November.


PASO Colombia builds collaboration networks among peasant communities, ex-combatants, public, private and international organizations, that promote peace and sustainable development in the rural territories most affected by organized violence. Our two main collaboration models are the Rural Alternative Schools (ERAs) and Collaborative Commercial Partnerships (CCPs).
In the Rural Agricultural Schools (ERAs for their English acronym) persons who were affected by the armed conflict develop work and personal skills to implement productive projects, generate income for themselves and achieve food sovereignty in their communities.
PASO Colombia works to build mutually beneficial partnerships among rural communities, ex-combatants, private companies, and public and international organizations.
After several months of exploration, consultation, and planning, PASO Colombia has launched a new Rural Alternative School in Guapi, Cauca. This marks the 11th territory in Colombia where PASO has worked to establish the ERA model.
As part of its national expansion plan, PASO Colombia has opened the position of Deputy Director. The role's main responsibility will be managing and directing the day-to-day operations of PASO's Rural Alternative Schools project.
In the last quarter of 2018, PASO Colombia developed three new Rural Alternative Schools (ERAs) in the border region with Venezuela, closing the year with nine of these schools fully established and another school currently in the development process.
The National Learning Service (SENA), the public institution that has been in charge of providing technical training to workers in Colombia since 1957, has become a new partner in the Rural Alternative Schools (ERA).
20,000 chili pepper plants with a production potential of 55,000 pounds valued at $21,400 have been sown at the Rural Alternative School (ERA) in Miranda, Cauca.
Director of PASO Colombia participated in the 2018 Concordia Americas Summit to advise the newly elected government in innovative financing for social impact.
Activities in the new ERAs of Dabeiba, Mutatá and Ituango in Antioquia began with a practical series of workshops about identification of productive soils and ecological subsystems.


text:
Implications of constraints on mass parameters in the Higgs sector of the nonlinear supersymmetric SU(5) model
D. W. Lee
B. R. Kim
S. K. Oh
The Higgs sector of the minimal nonlinear supersymmetric SU(5) model contains three mass parameters. Although these mass parameters are essentially free at the electroweak scale, they might have particular values if they evolve from a particular constraint at the GUT scale through the RG equations. By assuming a number of simple constraints on these mass parameters at the GUT scale, we obtain their values at the electroweak scale through the RG equations in order to investigate the phenomenological implications. Some of them are found to be consistent with the present experimental data.
Experimental Data Field Theory Elementary Particle Quantum Field Theory Particle Acceleration
Received: 13 September 2004, Published online: 18 November 2004
J. Wess, J. Bagger, Supersymmetry and supergravity (Princeton University Press, Princeton 1991)Google Scholar
B.R. Kim, Z. Phys. C 67, 337 (1995)zbMATHGoogle Scholar
S.W. Ham, B.R. Kim, G. Kreyerhoff, S.K. Oh, Phys. Lett. B 441, 215 (1998)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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H. Franz, B.R. Kim, M. Weber, Eur. Phys. J. C 1, 649 (1998)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
D.W. Lee, B.R. Kim, S.K. Oh, J. Phys. G 30, 359 (2004)zbMATHGoogle Scholar
K. Abe et al. , GLC Project Report (2003) 36Google Scholar
Particle Data Group 2000, Eur. Phys. J. C 15, 1 (2000)Google Scholar
D.M. Pierce, J.A. Bagger, K.T. Matchev, Ren-Jie Zhang Nucl. Phys. B 491, 3 (1997)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
S.P. Martin, M.T. Vaughn, Phys. Lett. B 318, 331 (1993)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
© Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg 2004
1.Department of PhysicsKonkuk UniversitySeoul Korea
2.CHEPKyungpook National UniversityDaeguKorea
3.III. Physikalisches Institut ARWTH AachenAachenGermany
Lee, D.W., Kim, B.R. & Oh, S.K. Eur. Phys. J. C (2004) 38: 349. https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s2004-02050-9


text:
The Taipei Bus Station () is a multi-use complex located next to Taipei Station in Datong District, Taipei, Taiwan. The complex houses the Taipei bus terminal station provided a number of intercity express bus routes which was inaugurated on 19 August 2009, as well as recreational and leisure facilities. The mall complex was inaugurated on 11 December 2009. The shopping mall part is called Qsquare.

Facilities

Intercity bus routes
 United Bus (UBus)
 1610:Taipei-Kaohsiung
 1611:Taipei-Tainan
 1613:Taipei-Pingtung
 1615:Taipei-Changhua
 1616:Taipei-Yuanlin
 1617:Taipei-Fengyuan—Dongshi District, Taichung
 1618:Taipei-Chiayi
 1619:Taipei-Chaoma—Taichung
 1620:Taipei-Hsinchu—Shuinan—Taichung
 1628:Taipei-Madou-Jali
 1629:Taipei-Syuejia, Linziliao
 1630:Taipei-Xigang
 1631:Taipei-Ershuei-Zhushan
 1632:Taipei-Ciaotun-Zhushan
 1633:Taipei-Beigang-Santiaolun
 1635:Taipei-Huwuei-Santiaolun
 1636:Taipei-Siluo-Syhu-Santiaolun
 1637:Taipei-Siluo-Lincuoliao-Santiaolun
 1638:Taipei-Puzi-Dongshi Township, Chiayi
 1639:Taipei-Budai
 1652:Taipei-Lugang-Fanyuan
 Kuo-Kuang Bus
 1820:Taipei-Lonntan-Zhudon
 1821:Taipei-Yuanshulin-Lonntan-Zhudon
 1822:Taipei-Hsinchu
 1823:Taipei-Zhunan
 1824:Taipei-Highway No.1-Miaoli
 1825:Taipei-Highway No.3-Miaoli
 1826:Taipei-Shuinan-Taichung
 1827:Taipei-Chaoma-Taichung
 1828:Taipei-Changhua
 1829:Taipei-Yuanlin
 1830:Taipei-Beidou
 1831:Taipei-Nantou
 1832:Taipei-Puli
 1833:Taipei-Sun Moon Lake
 1834:Taipei-Chiayi
 1835:Taipei-Chiayi-Alishan
 1836:Taipei-Chiayi-Xinying
 1837:Taipei-Tainan
 1838:Taipei-Kaohsiung
 1839:Taipei-Pingtung
 Howtai Bus
 2011:Taipei-Hsinchu
 2012:Taipei-Xinfong
 Ho-Hsin bus
 7500:Taipei-Chaoma-Xinying-Tainan
 Aloha Bus
 3888:Taipei-Chaoma-Chiayi
 3999:Taipei-Chaoma-Kaohsiung
 KML BUS
 1915:(Banqiao-)Taipei-FuXing S. Rd.-Jiaoxi-Yilan-Luodong
 1915:(Banqiao-)Taipei-HuanDong Blvd.-Jiaoxi-Yilan-Luodong
 1916:(Banqiao-)Taipei-FuXing S. Rd.-Yilan
 1917:(Banqiao-)Taipei-FuXing S. Rd.-Luodong
 Fengyuan Bus
 6609:Taipei—Fengyuan
 Hsinchu Bus
 9003:Taipei-Hsinchu

Allowance of bus platforms

Shopping Mall
 Qsquare: Operational area at 20,000 ping. Entrance is at Chengde Rd. Opened on 11 December 2009. Includes Vieshow Cinemas.

Business Hotel
 Palais de Chine

Residential
About 1,000 households provided.

Control Center
 OCC of TRTC(T9 OCC)
 Traffic OCC of Taipei City Hall

Accidents and incidents
On April 19, 2021, a fire broke out at the Palais De Chine hotel and later spread to the adjacent Qsquare shopping mall. Police officers arrived at the scene and found a fire near the outer smoke exhaust duct on the 5th floor. The fire was later extinguished. All 302 people evacuated the building and survived.

See also
 Taipei City Hall Bus Station
 Taipei Station

References

External links

 Taipei Bus Station
 Jin-Jan i Taipei
 日勝生活科技

2009 establishments in Taiwan
Buildings and structures in Taipei
Bus stations in Taiwan
Transportation in Taipei
Transport infrastructure completed in 2009

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
/ News + Events
/ Study reveals a basis for attention deficits
Study reveals a basis for attention deficits
The brain's thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), highlighted in the center, is responsible for blocking out distracting sensory input. "For autism, schizophrenia, and other neurodevelopmental disorders, it seems like TRN dysfunction may be involved in some patients," Guoping Feng says.
Feng Laboratory
Guoping Feng
More than 3 million Americans suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition that usually emerges in childhood and can lead to difficulties at school or work.
A new study from MIT and New York University links ADHD and other attention difficulties to the brain's thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), which is responsible for blocking out distracting sensory input. In a study of mice, the researchers discovered that a gene mutation found in some patients with ADHD produces a defect in the TRN that leads to attention impairments.
The findings suggest that drugs boosting TRN activity could improve ADHD symptoms and possibly help treat other disorders that affect attention, including autism.
"Understanding these circuits may help explain the converging mechanisms across these disorders. For autism, schizophrenia, and other neurodevelopmental disorders, it seems like TRN dysfunction may be involved in some patients," says Guoping Feng, the James W. and Patricia Poitras Professor of Neuroscience and a member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute.
Feng and Michael Halassa, an assistant professor of psychiatry, neuroscience, and physiology at New York University, are the senior authors of the study, which appears in the March 23 online edition of Nature. The paper's lead authors are MIT graduate student Michael Wells and NYU postdoc Ralf Wimmer.
Feng, Halassa, and their colleagues set out to study a gene called Ptchd1, whose loss can produce attention deficits, hyperactivity, intellectual disability, aggression, and autism spectrum disorders. Because the gene is carried on the X chromosome, most individuals with these Ptchd1-related effects are male.
In mice, the researchers found that the part of the brain most affected by the loss of Ptchd1 is the TRN, which is a group of inhibitory nerve cells in the thalamus. It essentially acts as a gatekeeper, preventing unnecessary information from being relayed to the brain's cortex, where higher cognitive functions such as thought and planning occur.
"We receive all kinds of information from different sensory regions, and it all goes into the thalamus," Feng says. "All this information has to be filtered. Not everything we sense goes through."
If this gatekeeper is not functioning properly, too much information gets through, allowing the person to become easily distracted or overwhelmed. This can lead to problems with attention and difficulty in learning.
The researchers found that when the Ptchd1 gene was knocked out in mice, the animals showed many of the same behavioral defects seen in human patients, including aggression, hyperactivity, attention deficit, and motor impairments. When the Ptchd1 gene was knocked out only in the TRN, the mice showed only hyperactivity and attention deficits.
Toward new treatments
At the cellular level, the researchers found that the Ptchd1 mutation disrupts channels that carry potassium ions, which prevents TRN neurons from being able to sufficiently inhibit thalamic output to the cortex. The researchers were also able restore the neurons' normal function with a compound that boosts activity of the potassium channel. This intervention reversed the TRN-related symptoms but not any of the symptoms that appear to be caused by deficits of some other circuit.
"The authors convincingly demonstrate that specific behavioral consequences of the Ptchd1 mutation — attention and sleep — arise from an alteration of a specific protein in a specific brain region, the thalamic reticular nucleus. These findings provide a clear and straightforward pathway from gene to behavior and suggest a pathway toward novel treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism," says Joshua Gordon, an associate professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, who was not involved in the research.
Most people with ADHD are now treated with psychostimulants such as Ritalin, which are effective in about 70 percent of patients. Feng and Halassa are now working on identifying genes that are specifically expressed in the TRN in hopes of developing drug targets that would modulate TRN activity. Such drugs may also help patients who don't have the Ptchd1 mutation, because their symptoms are also likely caused by TRN impairments, Feng says.
The researchers are also investigating when Ptchd1-related problems in the TRN arise and at what point they can be reversed. And, they hope to discover how and where in the brain Ptchd1 mutations produce other abnormalities, such as aggression.
The research was funded by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative, the National Institutes of Health, the Poitras Center for Affective Disorders Research, and the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute.
David Orenstein | Picower Institute
"She" goes missing from presidential language
School of Science recognizes members with 2020 Infinite Kilometer Awards
The Science + Engineering of Intelligence
BCS Department Head Jim DiCarlo leads a panel of MIT faculty to discuss the quest to achieve true progress in our understanding of intelligence.
2016 retreat


text:
Best Shoebill Spots in Uganda: Where to find Shoebill birds in Uganda
Best Shoebill Spots in Uganda
Best Shoebill Spots in Uganda: The shoebill stork is a magnificent, prehistoric-looking bird, and in Uganda this ancient species thrives, making birding safaris in Uganda a sought-after desire for every bird enthusiast.
Also referred to as a "King whale-head" because of its enormous head size, the shoebill stork is named after its shoe-like bill which can grow up to 24cm in length and 20cm in width. Even though they can weigh up to 6kg, they can stand quite easily on floating vegetation while hunting for fish.
There are a number of leading bird spots in Uganda where shoebill storks can be sighted. Most common destinations include Murchison Falls National Park closely along the bank of Nile River, especially around the delta spot. Doing a morning and evening boat cruise to the delta offers greater opportunity to see this highly sought bird.
Besides Murchison Falls National Park, Mabamba swamp is another hot spot and quite close to Kampala, Uganda's capital. Travellers on a tight schedule can take a 7-hour Mabamba birding excursion into the swamp with the possibility of spotting this legendary bird species.
Other spots where the bird is known to thrive include the southern end of Lake Edward in the wildlife safari tour destination of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rugogo swamp in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Lake Mburo National Park, and Semuliki National Park, close to Lake Albert.
Besides the shoebill stork, Uganda is home to tentatively 1,100 bird species that constitutes 50% of the Africa's bird species and 11% of the world's bird species count, making it a great destination for birders and the epitome of birding tours in Africa.
In all those destinations you may visit in search of the shoebill stork you have chances of seeing other rare species like the papyrus Gonolek for the case of mabamba bay. Therefore shoebill hunt is so rewarding is worth taking on while birding Uganda.


Bauma Exhibition Is Coming_Zeolite roller mill,Raymond roller mill,Three-ring roller mill,Roller powder grinding mill,Calcium carbonate roller mill-Clirik.
Bauma CHINA is the leading platform for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines and construction vehicles in Asia.The 2018 Shanghai Bauma exhibition is one day away from the opening ceremony and will be blooming.
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text:
Festivals that the pandemic has paused
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For more than a year and a half, the entire world population has been appalled. Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, all plans, projects and trips have had to be postponed. Until when? – it is unknown.
The total number of deaths by covid-19 in the world has already passed 4.5 million, transforming the routines, attitudes and behaviour of the entire world population. The coronavirus, without doubt, represents a breakthrough for most people.
The virus is causing a new lifestyle to begin. Since 2019, when it all started, there have been many phases in the different countries all over the world. At first, people and leaders disbelieved the gravity of it. Next, a public alert was issued, supermarket stocks were emptied, and people began to be led to believe that this was definitely not a "simple influenza", as many chiefs of state referred to.
After that, containment measures would be adopted, such as quarantine, the perimeter enclosures and the much talked about social distancing. Being with loved ones, friends, or even work colleagues, became a distant memory, difficult to return outside New Zealand. Not to mention leisure and social life, the plans gradually dissolved into thin air…
The artistic programme was far from being retaken and concerts, theatres, cinemas, and the like were already closing down. Even more so the festivals, which could bring together a multitude of people, everything that was already being warned by world health organizations to be avoided, or better said, that they would have to be stopped immediately.
With the progress of the world vaccination agenda, hope has gradually returned, concerts are beginning to be re-started little by little with a series of safety and hygiene measures, cinemas are also opening up and festivals are already on the agenda to be re-launched in 2022. So Skokka along with the prettiest bangalore escorts will be reviewing some of the most famous festivals around the world for us to remember.
ST PATRICK'S DAY – IRELAND
On 17 March, the Irish celebrate St Patrick's Day, the main patron saint of Ireland. The party begins with a parade, then continues in the famous Irish pubs, with lots of music and alcohol, becoming one of the most celebrated traditions in the country. The streets are packed with locals and tourists accompanied by glasgow escorts, who dress in green, white and orange (colours of the country's flag) to avoid being pinched by a Leprechaun (popular legend).
BRAZILIAN CARNIVAL – BRAZIL
The Brazilian Carnival is a celebration known around the world, held on a moving date between the months of February and March each year. The party brings together thousands of local revellers, and tourists from around the world who come to enjoy one of the biggest parties on the planet.
Carnival is celebrated all over Brazil, but in different ways. It can be said that the three main focuses of the celebration are:
Rio de Janeiro with its street parties and the glorious parade of samba schools.
In Bahia, for example, with the famous "electric trio", a popular kind of sound truck where renowned local singers make their appearances. And Recife, where the frevo and maracatu rhythms play a dominant role during the celebration.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS – MEXICO
Mexicans have been celebrating the Day of the Dead with a great festival for over three thousand years, lasting three days (from 31/10 to 02/11) they celebrate with offerings, food and symbols of death and rebirth, being inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
According to local folklore, the dead have God's permission to visit relatives and friends on these days, and for this reason, everyone dresses up as skulls and walks out into the streets, brimming with music and goodies.
HOLI FESTIVAL OF COLOURS – INDIA
Holi is a hugely popular festival of ancient India, also known as the "Festival of Love", the "Festival of Colours" and the "Spring Festival", and is a celebration of the everlasting and divine love of Radha Krishna (female and male form of god).
Light, colours, music and flowers toast this festival, which at least once in a lifetime everyone should have the chance to experience. The Holi festival is celebrated with ritual and tradition, commemorating the arrival of spring between February and March. The event lasts two days and brings together locals and tourists from all over the world who want to see this lively mix of colour and joy.
Festivals are a great way to meet new cultures, live interesting experiences and create friendships, so whenever possible, don't miss the opportunity to take part in one of them, as they are not only remarkable events, but also highly enjoyable and worthwhile.
Getting to know a country, its people, celebrating with them, and even enjoying the company of melbourne escorts can be a lifelong motive of celebration.
It will take time. Some events will have to serve as experimental pilot and, if it works well and the necessary enthusiasm is built up, the same fervour for festivals is likely to be seen in the near future as in an earlier period.
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text:
Russia goes after Zello app by requesting ISPs block 13.5 million Amazon IP addresses
Zello has been a thorn in the Russian authorities' side for some time
By Rob Thubron on April 1, 2018, 8:45 8 comments
It's no secret that Russia is up there with China when it comes to monitoring its citizens' communications and blocking websites. According to TorrentFreak, the country's government is increasing the pressure on walkie talkie app Zello by telling ISPs to block 15 million IP addresses, most of which belong to Amazon, as a way of taking it down.
Zello hit the headlines back in September when it topped the Apple app store charts after millions of new users joined in response to Hurricane Irma. The app simulates traditional two-way radios through the use of WiFi or cellular data, making it useful in search and rescue situations, and it now boasts over 100 million users worldwide.
Zello is yet another app to fall under the scrutiny of Russia's Yarovaya law—a pair of federal bills passed in 2016 that expand the powers of law enforcement agencies for anti-terrorism purposes. The law requires services such as Zello to register with Russian telecoms watchdog Rozcomnadzor—something it has failed to do.
Zello managed to irk Russian authorities last year for refusing to store user and conversation data in Russia and share its encryption keys with the Federal Security Service (FSB)—the successor to the KGB. It was banned in Russia, but the app managed to circumvent the block.
Now, Rozcomnadzor is reportedly about to expand its campaign against Zello. Russia's Vedomosti reports that the agency has issued letters to most of the country's ISPs recommending that they block the app.
The letter mentions an experiment that would see ISPs block 36 Internet subnets, which represents 15 million IP addresses, to take down Zello. 26 of the subnets belong to Amazon (Zello uses Amazon Web Services).
"The subnets selected by Roskomnadzor are not all Amazon's IP addresses, but they account for a significant portion of the addresses from two large regions of the United States where the company's data centers are located," writes Vedomosti.
As it's claimed Zello doesn't completely depend on the listed subnets, hundreds or thousands of other services unrelated to the app could be affected if they're blocked.
Last month, encrypted messaging service Telegram lost an appeal against handing over its encryption keys to the FSB.
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On Friday and Saturday nights at the Peace Cafe in Siem Reap, Cambodia, there is a Monk Chat where individuals can have a small intimate chat with a monk to ask them about their lives. Recently I sat down with Monk Rann of Wat Kesararam to ask him some questions about being a monk and about his sect of Buddhism. Below are ten things you might not have known about monks in Cambodia.
1. Monks in Cambodia practice Theravada Buddhism, which is practiced in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia but it is not the same as the Buddhism practiced in Korea, China, and Japan.
2. Monks and those following Theravada Buddhism have the option of choosing in reincarnation. Some believe in it, and some do not.
3. In ancient days, monks used to have to live under trees, now they all live in temples.
4. Monks are the closest thing to Buddha; next are nuns (in the white robes), then lay people who work for the monks/nuns, and finally common people.
5. Monks are not restricted in their diet and they can eat everything. Their lay people cook their meals for them everyday.
6. Monks have no job or source of income, therefore, everyday they have to beg for food.
7. There are 110 books about Buddha that monks should read. All of the books are not required reading, most are suggested.
8. Unlike in Thailand, monks are not required to enter monk-hood at any period of their lives, it is completely voluntary.
9. Monks are allowed to use technology, most have cell phones, some have computers, and some monasteries even have televisions.
10. Monks must not drink alcohol or go out at night.
It was great chatting with Monk Ran, who at age 29 has been a monk for the last 13 years. He was a shy little man with friendly eyes and a nice smile who invited me to visit him at the temple and show me around. Unfortunately due to time constraints I was unable to take him up on his offer.
If you find yourself in Siem Reap, contact the Peace Cafe about their monk chats.


text:
Q: Disable sort pagination in view CakePHP I sort my data in controller:
$this->paginate = array(
    'limit' => 40,
    'page' => $this->request->params['page'],
    'group' => 'movie_id',
    'order' => array('start_year' => 'desc', 'votes_count' => 'asc', 'premiere' => 'desc'),
);

And when I print pagination in a view I have urls:
/pages/newest/page:7/sort:Post.start_year/direction:desc

I don't want display this :sort:Post.start_year/direction:desc
In a view:
<?php echo $this->Paginator->first('<< '); ?>
<?php echo $this->Paginator->numbers(array('modulus' => 8)); ?>
<?php echo $this->Paginator->last(' >>'); ?>

How to disable order in urls in view ?

A: You should just NOT write anything like that:
<?php echo $this->Paginator->sort('User.name', 'Name');?>

In your situation it should be something like this:
<?php echo $this->Paginator->sort('Post.start', 'your column name');?>

A: Write order statment, without => symbol between field and sorting type, in your case:
'order' => array('start_year desc, votes_count asc, premiere desc'),

This solve the issue.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A member asked what program I used for my graphics and my answer was iPiccy but it was not always.
Where did you get those picture words?
and you will see there were a few more places to create words for my blogs.
I don't use free photos or paid sites for my graphics, pictures etc. I was scared away in the beginning... worried about copyright. There is no reason to worry when they are your own creation.
Making these signs, logos, graphics etc are a fun way for me to enjoy blogging even more.
On occasion I do a photo blog... take one of my own photographs, frame it, write 50 words and it's a blog.
Lately, my graphics are done with iPiccy. Many different ways of using this application and I have seen many other bloggers using this same little creative program.
A conversation with Carol Williams this morning and we talked about how long it takes to find the right item to enhance blogs.
I have Carol to thank for inspiring this post.
By making my own, I save that looking time and just start creating.
What are you using to enhance your blogging?
Thanks for the call today Margaret. I just may be calling you soon for a lesson on iPiccy.
Happy, Healthy and Sweet New Year ahead!
Always thinking of you and your advice.
Carol Williams And I would welcome that call.
Lynn B. Friedman Good talking with you this morning. Take good care. Thinking about you with your upcoming birthdays and the New Year.
Carol and I were playing this morning.


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text:
Q: Speed up pandas rolling window I want to speedup my code that I used pandas.rolling().apply() for custom function. The code below is worked fine but it is super slow. Is there any way to speedup it when applying with million of rows.
for i in [12, 9, 6, 3]:
    df[f'want_col_{i}'] = df.groupby(['account'])['types'].rolling(window = i).apply(lambda x: sum(x == 1)).values

The idea is to count value in given rolling window. For example, from the code above I like to count value is equal to 1 group by account by given window 12, 9, 6, 3 respectively.
Is there anyway to increse the speed, thanks!

A: You could try:
df['types_eq_1'] = df['types'].eq(1).astype(int)

for i in [12, 9, 6, 3]:
    df[f'want_col_{i}'] = df.groupby(['account'])['types_eq_1'].rolling(window = i).sum()

df = df.drop('types_eq_1', 1)


text:
Q: Anyway to optimize pdf programmatically? I would like to programmatically optimize (i.e. "Save As Reduced Size PDF" in Acrobat Pro 10) a series of PDF files. I would prefer to do this from python 2.7.5 if possible, if not from python then perhaps VBA Word, and my last preference would be to do this from another programming mechanism.
Ideas?

A: A suggestion would be to look at pdfsizeopt.
The Python program is meant to act as a PDF file size optimizer. It can be used to convert larger pdfs to smaller ones and supports a commandline interface that you could call.
Details:

pdfsizeopt is a program for converting large PDF files to small ones.
  More specifically, pdfsizeopt is a free, cross-platform command-line
  application (for Linux, Mac OS X, Windows and Unix) and a collection
  of best practices to optimize the size of PDF files, with focus on
  PDFs created from TeX and LaTeX documents. pdfsizeopt is written in
  Python, so it is a bit slow, but it offloads some of the heavy work to
  its faster (C, C++ and Java) dependencies. pdfsizeopt was developed on
  a Linux system, and it depends on existing tools such as Python 2.4,
  Ghostscript 8.50, jbig2enc (optional), sam2p, pngtopnm, pngout
  (optional), and the Multivalent PDF compressor (optional) written in
  Java.

Reference:
http://code.google.com/p/pdfsizeopt/

A: Another option can be Aspose.PDF Cloud SDK for Python. It is a paid REST API but provides 150 free monthly API calls. Currently, it compresses PDF documents from Cloud storage(Aspose default storage/Amazon S3/Google Drive/ Azure storage/ Dropbox/ FTP Storage). In near future, we are planning to support compressing PDF from the request body(stream).
import os
import asposepdfcloud
from asposepdfcloud.apis.pdf_api import PdfApi
from shutil import copyfile

# Get App key and App SID from https://cloud.aspose.com
pdf_api_client = asposepdfcloud.api_client.ApiClient(
    app_key='xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx',
    app_sid='xxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxx')

pdf_api = PdfApi(pdf_api_client)
temp_folder="Temp"

#upload PDF file to storage

data_file = "C:/Temp/02_pages.pdf"
remote_name="02_pages.pdf"
result_name="02_pages_compressed.pdf"

pdf_api.upload_file(temp_folder + '/' + remote_name,data_file)

optimize_options = asposepdfcloud.models.OptimizeOptions(
                allow_reuse_page_content=False,
                compress_images=True,
                image_quality=100,
                link_duplcate_streams=True,
                remove_unused_objects=True,
                remove_unused_streams=True,
                unembed_fonts=True)
opts = {
            "options" : optimize_options,
            "folder" : temp_folder
        }

response = pdf_api.post_optimize_document(remote_name, **opts)

#download PDF file from storage
response_download = pdf_api.download_file(temp_folder + '/' + remote_name)
copyfile(response_download, 'C:/Temp/' + result_name)
print(response)

P.S: I'm a developer evangelist at Aspose.

A: I am using Ghostscript to batch process pdfs.  This VBA works in Word and Excel.  It asks for a Source directory and a Target directory. The .bat file is created and stored in the Source folder and then you can execute it. I probably will make this script more robust and will update here when I do.
Ghostscript
Sub gsPDF_Bat()

    'Summary of -dPDFSETTINGS:

    '-dPDFSETTINGS=/screen lower quality, smaller size. (72 dpi)
    '-dPDFSETTINGS=/ebook for better quality, but slightly larger pdfs. (150 dpi)
    '-dPDFSETTINGS=/prepress output similar to Acrobat Distiller "Prepress Optimized" setting (300 dpi)
    '-dPDFSETTINGS=/printer selects output similar to the Acrobat Distiller "Print Optimized" setting (300 dpi)
    '-dPDFSETTINGS=/default selects output intended to be useful across a wide variety of uses, possibly at the expense of a larger output file

    Dim ProofsFolder As String
    Dim CompressFolder As String
    Dim exePath As String

    exePath = "C:\Program Files\gs\gs9.54.0\bin\"

    ' Open the select folder prompt
    With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
        If .Show = -1 Then ' if OK is pressed
            ProofsFolder = .SelectedItems(1)
        End If
    End With

    With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
        If .Show = -1 Then ' if OK is pressed
            CompressFolder = .SelectedItems(1)
        End If
    End With

    Dim fso As Object
    Dim folder As Object
    Dim CurrFile As Object

    Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    Set folder = fso.GetFolder(ProofsFolder)

    Open ProofsFolder & "\gsPDF-Compress.bat" For Output As #1

    For Each CurrFile In folder.Files
        FName = CurrFile.Name
        CurrFileExt = Right(FName, 4)
            Debug.Print CurrFileExt

            If CurrFileExt = ".pdf" Then

                backNum = InStrRev(CurrFile, "\", -1)
                FName = Mid(CurrFile, (backNum + 1))

                Print #1, exePath & "gswin64 -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 -dAutoRotatePages=/None -r300 -dUseCIEColor -sOutputFile=""" & CompressFolder & "\" & FName & """ """ & CurrFile & """"
            End If
    Next
    Close #1

    Set fso = Nothing
    Set folder = Nothing
End Sub

A: As in my previous answer, still using Ghostscript.  I noticed that when we would select 1,000 or so pdfs to batch optimize, Excel would take a few minutes to complete the bat file.  I wrote up a different version which creates a new sheet, puts together the bat file, and then saves it.  Even with 1,000 records this only takes a few seconds.
This script will not run in Word, as it needs to create a new Excel Sheet.  The script could be updated to work with a Word doc instead.
.prn format has a line limit, so I needed to line break the commands with a "^"
Sub gsPDF_Bat()
 'https://www.ghostscript.com/doc/current/VectorDevices.htm#distillerparams

    Dim ProofsFolder As String
    Dim CompressFolder As String
    Dim OrigSheet As String
    Dim exePath As String
    Dim CmdLine, CmdLine2, CmdLine3 As String

    exePath = "C:\Program Files\gs\gs9.54.0\bin\"

    ' Open the select folder prompt
    With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
        If .Show = -1 Then ' if OK is pressed
            ProofsFolder = .SelectedItems(1)
        End If
    End With

    If ProofsFolder <> "" Then ' if a file was chosen
        Debug.Print ProofsFolder
    End If
    With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
        If .Show = -1 Then ' if OK is pressed
            CompressFolder = .SelectedItems(1)
        End If
    End With

    If CompressFolder <> "" Then ' if a file was chosen
        Debug.Print CompressFolder
    End If

    Dim fso As Object
    Dim folder As Object
    Dim CurrFile As Object

    Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    Set folder = fso.GetFolder(ProofsFolder)

    cell = 0
    OrigSheet = ActiveSheet.Name

    Sheets.Add(After:=Sheets(Sheets.Count)).Name = "temp"
    Application.DisplayAlerts = False

    For Each CurrFile In folder.Files
        FName = CurrFile.Name
        CurrFileExt = Right(FName, 4)
            Debug.Print CurrFileExt

            If CurrFileExt = ".pdf" Then
                cell = cell + 1

                Debug.Print "CurrFile Found: " & CurrFile

                backNum = InStrRev(CurrFile, "\", -1)
                Debug.Print "backNum: " & backNum
                FName = Mid(CurrFile, (backNum + 1))
                Debug.Print FName

                ' ^ allows a line break on a DOS command
            CmdLine = exePath & "gswin64 -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 -dAutoRotatePages=/None -dPDFSETTINGS=/prepress -dUseCIEColor -^"
            CmdLine2 = "sOutputFile=""" & CompressFolder & "\z" & FName & """^"
            CmdLine3 = " " & """" & CurrFile & """"

            Sheets("temp").Range("A" & cell).value = CmdLine
            cell = cell + 1
            Sheets("temp").Range("A" & cell).value = CmdLine2
            cell = cell + 1
            Sheets("temp").Range("A" & cell).value = CmdLine3
            End If
    Next

    Sheets("temp").Select
    Sheets("temp").Copy

    ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs FileName:= _
        ProofsFolder & "\gsPDF Compress.bat", FileFormat:=xlTextPrinter, _
        CreateBackup:=False

    ActiveWorkbook.Close

    Sheets("temp").Delete
    Sheets(OrigSheet).Select

    Application.DisplayAlerts = True
    Set fso = Nothing
    Set folder = Nothing

End Sub


text:
Stalin poster of the week 7 (SPotW7)
Boris Efimov, The captain of the Soviet Union leads us from victory to victory, 1933
Boris Efimov (б ефимов), The captain of the Soviet Union leads us from victory to victory (капитан страны советов ведет нас от победы к победе!), 1933
This 1933 poster by highly decorated satirist and caricaturist Boris Efimov depicts Stalin as a maritime captain steering the ship of the USSR. In his greatcoat and plain workman's cap, a hearty and broad-shouldered Stalin grasps the helm with two large firm hands, his vigilant gaze out over his left shoulder keeping watch against enemies and potential threats.
The Soviet flag flaps in the breeze and behind him is the midsection of a huge ship with its red star emblem. The caption states, 'The captain of the Soviet Union leads us from victory to victory!', advising the viewer that not only is Stalin keeping the Soviet Union safe from harm, but he is also steering a journey of multiple victories.
In fact, the entire journey consists of a journey from one port of victory to another – from socialism, which was officially achieved in 1934, to communism, which would be achieved under Stalin in the future. It is implicit that, without Stalin, the ship would sink.
Stalin's strong hands grasp the wheel of state of the USSR
The helmsman image has a long history of association with skilled leadership and was a common motif in Byzantine, Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman literature and philosophy.
The helmsman symbol is part of a larger field of metaphors in which the ship represents the state, navigation represents knowledge, skill and care, and the journey becomes an odyssey.
Michel Foucault notes that the navigation metaphor implies three types of knowledge possessed by the skilled helmsman associated with medicine, political government and self-government.*
The helmsman image carries within it multiple implications. The helmsman:
is able to care for himself and for others
exerts both self-control and political leadership
has the wisdom to take account of the many aspects necessary to navigate a skilled course through often tempestuous waters (navigating by the stars, understanding the weather and wind, knowledge of the currents, knowledge of how the ship operates), and
holds his position with divine consent
This poster must have been considered an important propaganda tool because it was issued in an edition of 200,000 in 1933, before such big editions became commonplace.
* Michel Foucault, Frédéric Gros, François Ewald & Alessandro Fontana, The hermeneutics of the subject: lectures at the Collège de France, 1981–1982, New York, Palgrave-Macmillan, 2005, pp. 248–49


text:
What Is the Hippopotamus Hunt?
B. Turner
The Hippopotamus Hunt is a famous painting created by Dutch artist Peter Paul Rubens in 1615. It is often recognized as one of the finer examples of Baroque painting, and is characterized by a sense of drama and tension. The painting features a group of men, some of whom are on horseback, engaged in a fierce battle. At the center of the action is a vicious hippopotamus, his teeth bared, perched atop or beside a crocodile. This work of art may also be referred to as the Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt, though the crocodile is secondary to the hippopotamus when one views the painting.
Peter Paul Rubens lived from 1577 to 1640. He spent time in Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands, and often painted for royalty and nobility. The Hippopotamus Hunt was commissioned in 1615 by Maximilian I, the Duke of Bavaria. This painting shared many characteristics with Rubens' other works, which were often full of violent images and a sense of drama.
Woman painting
Some art critics see the Hippopotamus Hunt as representative of the age old conflict between man and beast. In just this single picture, viewers see not only the hippo and the crocodile, but also images that suggest the presence of a snake, leopard, horses, and dogs. During this period of history, hunting was strictly forbidden, and only the wealthiest nobles could legally hunt. A painting of a hunt scene could have been seen as a status symbol at the time.
This picture also highlights man's fascination with unknown species and the exotic during this time period. At the start of the 17th century, travel was limited, and few men would ever have the opportunity to see a hippopotamus or a crocodile. This painting may have been intended to shock, both due to its violent nature and its focus on wild and exotic creatures.
Like many of Rubens' works, the Hippopotamus Hunt was characterized by strong diagonal lines that draw the viewer's eyes purposefully from one area of the painting to the next. The painting suggests danger, tension, and strong emotion from both horse and animal. Viewers are left unsure as to whether man or animal will triumph in the battle.
This painting was one of four that Rubens completed in which the subject was a brutal and violent hunt. The others featured a bear, a wolf and a wild boar. In December 2010, the entire set of four paintings, including the Hippopotamus Hunt sold for 10,000 pounds (around $15,000 USD) at Christie's Auction House in London.
What Is the Plural of Hippopotamus?
What Is a Pygmy Hippopotamus?
What Is a Hippopotamus?
What Is Baroque Art?
How do I Become an Art Critic?
What are Some Animals That Lived in Pleistocene Australia?
What is Rococo Art?
Honestly, I have never seen or heard of this painting but the idea of hunting a hippopotamus really sets my imagination going. What an outrageous idea for a painting!
I wonder what it was inspired by. Did Reubens himself hunt a hippopotamus at any time in his life or was he just attracted to hunting in general? Were there even any hippopotamus's where he lived? It always amazes me when an artists can create a detailed and seemingly realistic image using only their imagination.
Ruebens is one of my favorite artists and the hunt series is, in my opinion, some of his finest work. I have an undergraduate degree in art history and I focused primarily on the renaissance masters. Reubens often gets overlooked in favor of Leonardo or Michelangelo, but he deserves to be in the same conversation as these art giants.
If anyone has any doubts they need only to look at the Hippopotamus Hunt. The level of tension and drama and the way the painting draws you through each of the characters, its like a whole film captured in a single image. On top of this it is technically flawless. Reubens was a master draftsman and the longer you stare at this painting the more you will start to appreciate it.
I had a poster of the hippopotamus hunt that I had hanging on my wall for well over a decade. I must have spent at least a hundred hours of my life staring at that painting.
I first saw it when I was in college. I was initially dumbstruck. At the time I had never seen a painting, or any piece of art for that matter, which effected me so much. I wanted to stare at it all day. It was like the painting was alive.
It took me a long time to track down a quality poster but I was able to find one through a mail order fine art company. Eventually it got pretty worn down and I grew too old to have posters on mt wall so I had to take it down. I hope one day to get a nice framed version.


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About the author: Julien-Marie Crozet (November 26, 1728 — September 24, 1782) born in Port-Louis, canton of Port-Louis, arrondissement of Lorient, Morbihan, died in Paris, Île-de-France. The Bibliothèque nationale de France entry on him says,
Navigua sur les navires de la Compagnie des Indes. Engagé comme lieutenant par Marion-Dufresne dans une mission qui reconnut en 1772 la première des îles de l'archipel des Kerguelen et débarqua en Tasmanie, puis en Nouvelle-Zélande où disparut Marion-Dufresne. Crozet revint en France en 1773. Fit un voyage aux Mascareignes en 1774-1776. En 1783 fut publié le Nouveau voyage à la Mer du Sud.
About the diary: Taken from Crozet's voyage to Tasmania, New Zealand, the Ladrone Islands, and the Philippines in the years 1771-1772, translated by H. Ling Roth, Truslove & Shirley, London, 1891. The book was written on the basis of the journals of Crozet. Cambridge University Press summarizes the book as follows:
Published in 1891, Henry Roth's translation of Crozet's narrative provided the first English account of the infamous French expedition to the South Pacific. The ship left France in 1771 under the command of Marion De Fresne (1724-1772). After exploring Tasmania (the first Europeans to do so), De Fresne's party set out for New Zealand, arriving shortly after Captain Cook. Crozet (1728-1782), took over command of the expedition when De Fresne and twenty-six crew members were killed and allegedly eaten by local Maori in the Bay of Islands. While much of the book is concerned with the exploration of New Zealand, Roth's translation begins with the origins of the expedition, the journey through the Pacific islands, and Tasmania and the discovery of people there, ending with descriptions of Guam and Manila.
The Philippine Diary Project includes the entries of Crozet that cover the period starting on November 18, 1772, when he departed Guam headed for Manila, to March 8, 1773 when he weighed anchor from Manila Bay.


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New British Princess Is Given A Name
Published May 4, 2015 at 9:15 AM CDT
Prince William and his wife, Catherine, who is the duchess of Cambridge, show their newborn daughter to the media outside the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in central London on Saturday.
The new British princess, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, has been given a name:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 4, 2015
The baby will be known as Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.
As we reported, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born Saturday and weighed in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces. She is fourth in line to the throne, behind grandfather Prince Charles, dad Prince William and brother Prince George, who was born in July 2013.
NPR's Ari Shapiro has more from London:
"This name is full of meaning. Charlotte is a nod to Prince Charles, the baby's grandfather.
"Elizabeth is the name of her great-grandmother, the queen.
"And Diana was the name of the baby's grandmother, Princess Diana, who died in 1997."


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Hong Kong: re-imposition of ban on face masks during coronavirus pandemic is 'absurd'
09 Apr 2020, 04:12pm
People in Hong Kong protesting against the ban on face masks last October © Laurel Chor/Getty Images
Court of Appeal rules to allow reinstatement of controversial ban on face masks at 'unauthorised' protests
'The idea of maintaining this ban is absurd, not to mention a potential threat to public health' - Man-Kei Tam
Responding to a Hong Kong appeal court ruling today that partially reinstates a ban on the wearing of face masks imposed by the Government after sustained protests in Hong Kong last year, Man-Kei Tam, Amnesty International Hong Kong's Director, said:
"At a time when the vast majority of Hong Kongers wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the idea of maintaining this ban is absurd, not to mention a potential threat to public health.
"Today's ruling also revives the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, which essentially provides a blank cheque for the Government to restrict human rights without any conditions or safeguards.
"The Hong Kong authorities should not use emergency rules as a smokescreen for further tightening restrictions on freedom of expression, whether in times of social unrest or COVID-19. All emergency measures should be with a legitimate aim, with necessary and proportionate restrictions and subject to a time limit."
Protests need police authorisation
Today's court ruling partially overturns an earlier ruling that Hong Kong's Emergency Regulations Ordinance and mask ban were unconstitutional, following an appeal by the Hong Kong Government. The court ruled that it is constitutional for police to enforce the mask ban for unauthorised protests.
According to Hong Kong's Public Order Ordinance, those wishing to organise a protest are required to obtain "a notice of no objection" from the police before an assembly may proceed. The UN Human Rights Committee has expressed concern that the application of the ordinance can facilitate excessive restrictions contrary to Hong Kong's obligations to respect and protect the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
The court also ruled today that the Hong Kong Government has the power to issue emergency regulations on the grounds of public danger. Last October, the Government announced a sweeping ban on full or partial face-coverings at protests. The mask ban was fast-tracked using the Emergency Regulations Ordinance. In November, Amnesty Hong Kong expressed concerns over the ordinance and the mask ban in its submission to the Hong Kong legislature.


My quest to uncover the meaning and question the validity of talent continues!
I've been reading an excellent book by a two-time Olympic table tennis champion, BBC commentator and journalist, Matthew Syed. The book is called Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success.
Physical skills such as reaction time, which would be seemingly transferable if inborn, in fact do not transfer to other areas. For example, the author explains that his lightning-quick reaction impulses in table tennis do not carry over when he plays "regular" tennis.
Physical equipment such as "amazing hands" in tennis are not, in fact, inborn, but rather are the result of amazing coordination between the brain and the nervous system, created and honed through hours of intense practice.
Expert performers step outside of their comfort zones continually, in order to make progress. Even given their extraordinary ability, they constantly attempt new challenges that are just outside their ranges. I.e., expert skaters fall more often than average skaters do.
Child prodigies may look as if they have reached the top in double-quick time, but the reality is that they have compressed astronomical quantities of practice into the short period between birth and adolescence.
The findings shared in this book are exciting, hopeful news for anyone who has ever considered attempting a new activity, but was afraid that they "didn't have the talent for it!" As it turns out, a strong desire to learn, coupled with good practice, may outweigh the importance of talent after all.
How many times have you heard someone say, "I can't do that; I just don't have the talent"?
In this case, talent is seen as a mystical endowment, a gift bestowed at birth. Or in less flowery terms, a "knack" for a particular activity.
But when you really look into the matter — examining the childhoods of geniuses with super-ability — you see a different story.
In Geoff Colvin's Talent is Overrated, he examines just that. Looking at research in various realms, as well as case studies, he tries to uncover what the source of talent might be.
Is it superior memory? Not so, because scientific experiments have shown that memory can be greatly expanded through proper training.
Or, is it inborn? If so, this would suggest the existence of a "talent gene" – and to date, none has been found.
……….it is deliberate practice, carried out for many years, and often starting earlier than the norm (for other practitioners of an activity).
That's it, you ask? But what about geniuses like Mozart, who composed music when he was five years old?
Colvin goes on to note that many of Wolfgang's early compositions are in fact compositional studies – arrangements of the work of other composers. The earliest work by Mozart that is today considered a masterpiece, his piano concerto No. 9, was in fact written when the composer was 21; in other words, after he had amassed some eighteen years of intense training.
So, now that we've seen the incredible results of deliberate practice, one question remains: what separates those who partake in this type of practice from others? Since deliberate practice is difficult and a great time investment, what motivates people to do it in the first place?
Colvin proposes a few possibilities to this mysterious question. One is "the multiplier effect." It purports that "a very small advantage in some field can spark a series of events that produce far larger advantages." Take, for example, a young child who has better-than-average forearm strength to begin with, who then joins a baseball team, and receives positive feedback for his slightly superior ability, which in turn motivates him to work even harder, creating a self-perpetuating cycle. Also, the better he gets, the more he seeks out more advanced opportunities and has the chance to work with better players and coaches. In this way, each increase of ability is matched by a better environment, creating the conditions for superior performance.
What do you think? Do you believe that talent is innate, or is it a result of the right mix of factors?
Flow is a mental state characterized by total immersion in the task at hand, coupled with a sense of enjoyment of the activity and an overall feeling of well-being. A lot of what propels musicians to pursue their art is that they can experience this state of flow.
Wouldn't it be great to live life constantly in this state? Unfortunately, a flow state, much like creativity in general, cannot be forced or willed into existence. That being said, there are a few key components that make a person more likely to get into this all-encompassing state.
For musicians in particular, this boils down to: playing a piece that is at once challenging and enjoyable, but that also falls within your own perceived skill level. Keep in mind that this can be either during practice or performance — you can experience this state at any time, and in almost any place!
Picture this for a moment: you're on stage – bright lights beaming toward you – you hear the introduction by the orchestra or piano, and you think, "But I'm not ready yet! I don't know this piece!" You wake up in a cold sweat, relieved that it was just a dream.
These vivid anxiety dreams are all too common before a performance, and they reveal an underlying, understandable fear that many musicians have: that you are not or will not be ready. Despite hours, weeks and even years of preparation and study of your instrument and the music in question, you still shiver with apprehension at the prospect of a big performance or audition. This is when it's time to take a mental leap and trust your preparation.
Remind yourself of the time you've spent and the care you've taken with the music. Picture yourself in the practice room. Maybe even go all the way back to your early music lessons, and see the time and effort you've put in since then.
Sometimes all you need is a gentle reminder. Recently, one of my students, who is ten or eleven years old, came to me nervously just before a student recital. "Can I use the music?" she asked.
"N., how have you been practicing?" I asked.
In the end, she DID perform by memory and played beautifully. I think she just needed a reminder to trust her preparation.
It's funny that, no matter what, I always wish for more time before a performance. I think, "If I only had one more month…" But I'm sure that, even if I DID have an extra month or two to prepare, I'd say the same thing! There comes a time when the preparation phase is over, and it is time to go out and do it. You've done the work. Now trust your preparation.
A new year, a new opportunity to re-evaluate our goals and set new ones for the year…what resolutions did you make this year?
We all know the drill: set specific, measurable goals and then define the steps to meet them. But what happens when the unexpected occurs, interfering with our goals?
Or what if we *do* meet our goals, but we end up missing the bigger picture or an even better opportunity?
Don't get me wrong – goals have their place in motivating us to achieve new challenges. But, we need to distinguish between process and outcome-oriented goals. Both have their place for the fearless musician.
Outcome goals are, as their name suggests, focused on measurable results: to run a mile in X number of minutes, or to win Y championship. Process goals, on the other hand, involve an aspect of the journey: to take longer strides during a race, or to position one's feet properly before a golf swing. Or it can even be, to keep one's mind focused on the present during a performance.
During the training/preparation process, outcome goals can be most useful. They motivate the player to complete a training task, staying focused and interested in the practice session. This same outcome-oriented approach, however, can add unnecessary pressure in a competitive or performance situation, however.
In performance, by contrast, the player should choose a process-oriented mindset, such as listening carefully or staying focused on phrasing beautifully. In this way, the player's mind will stay in the moment and avoid self-judging thoughts or other negative, potentially harmful mindframes.
This week, when considering your musical goals, can you find examples of both process and outcome goals, and make some of each?
Recently, I came across a survey that asked, "Which side of your brain is more dominant?" Have you taken it? What was your result?
Whatever response you received, the real answer is: both! Or, it doesn't matter! Actually, it's always changing!
In "The Brain that Changes Itself," author/psychiatrist/psychoanalyst Norman Doidge talks about how the brain can and does re-wire itself according to the challenges and stimuli presented to it.
Doidge recounts the story of the dramatic recovery of Pedro Bach-y-Rita, a Catalan poet and scholar, who suffered a debilitating stroke at age 65. Pedro was aided in his recovery by his two sons, one a medical student and the other a scientist. The brothers rehabilitated their father patiently and diligently, teaching him how to walk and talk again. They were so successful after a year of work that their father eventually returned to full-time college teaching.
What was the key to his recovery? It was not that the brain had "healed," because the damage done was irreparable. No; the brain had actually "rewired" itself! That is to say, parts of the brain that were formerly devoted to certain tasks were re-assigned to do the work of the damaged brain cells.
In short, brain researchers now posit that the purported split between right and left brain is imaginary – in reality, the two hemispheres are highly interconnected. Different people use different areas for processing things, and those areas can even change in a person's lifetime, owing to neuroplasticity. So here's to the complexity of the brain in its entirely whole, interconnected state.
Going hand-in-hand with the state of bare awareness is non-judgment. This is a crucial component of being a fearless fiddler in performance situations. It means noticing what's going on, without assigning positive or negative values to it.
This can be such a challenge for musicians, who have been subject to many forms of criticism throughout our training, and often are our own harshest critics.
The real challenge, however, is to keep the keen discernment that we have, while staying neutral. Let's take the examples from the opening. How can they be re-phrased in a non-judgmental way?
If something is out of tune, is it flat or sharp? Do you know by how many cents? What is its relation to the vertical chord structure, or to the horizontal melody line? What caused the error – was it an error in shifting technique? Maybe it's time to review some shifting exercises. Now we're getting somewhere!
If the tone is scratchy, why? Where was your bow? Are you using too much pressure or too little bow speed? What kind of sound does the music call for in this spot?
Reframing statements in a non-judgmental way takes more effort, but is more descriptive, more creative, and helps point to a solution. Simply describing something as "bad" is not very helpful – we do not know what is wrong nor how to fix it, and it's kind of depressing.
Let's work on silencing the inner mean old teacher, and institute a policy of non-judgment in our practicing and rehearsing.


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Detroit Lions' defense, special teams: What to expect from 2019 crew
Led by new signees Trey Flowers and Mike Daniels, the Detroit Lions should have one of the NFL's best defensive lines in 2019.
Detroit Lions' defense, special teams: What to expect from 2019 crew Led by new signees Trey Flowers and Mike Daniels, the Detroit Lions should have one of the NFL's best defensive lines in 2019. Check out this story on Freep.com: https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/05/detroit-lions-defense-positions-preview/2211715001/
Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press Published 10:00 a.m. ET Sept. 5, 2019
With the 2019 NFL season upon us, beat writer Dave Birkett takes a position-by-position look at the Detroit Lions' defense and special teams.
The Lions have built one of the best lines in the NFL, and they've done it in a variety of ways. They drafted A'Shawn Robinson and Da'Shawn Hand, traded for Damon Harrison, signed Trey Flowers and Mike Daniels in free agency, and stole Romeo Okwara off waivers.
All six will have spots in a deep rotation, which should keep the front fresh and humming. Harrison is one of the best run-stoppers in the NFL and arguably the most important player on defense. He had a huge impact in just 10 games last season, making 50 tackles and 3.5 sacks, and there's no reason to believe he won't continue playing at a Pro Bowl level.
[ Lions' GM: What Harrison means to the D-line ]
Flowers signed a mega free-agent contract this offseason and projects as the starting right end. He's an excellent run defender and solid pass rusher, and he gives the Lions the edge defender they lacked most of last season.
Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara (95) celebrates after sacking Houston Texans quarterback Joe Webb during the second quarter at NRG Stadium on August 17, 2019 in Houston. (Photo: John Glaser, USA TODAY Sports)
Daniels could emerge as the third starter up front, though the Lions have taken things slowly in his return from a foot injury. He has Pro Bowl talent, but didn't play at that level with the Green Bay Packers last season. Both Robinson and Hand can play inside or out on a line that will alternate between three- and four-man looks. And Okwara is a backup rusher whose biggest contributions will come in sub packages. Rookies Austin Bryant (currently on injured reserve) and Kevin Strong won't be big factors this season — unless something goes terribly wrong.
Matt Patricia likes to move his linebackers around the defense as a way to try and confuse opposing offensive lines, and the Lions seem better equipped to do that this season after Jarrad Davis made strides in 2018 and with the addition of Jahlani Tavai.
Detroit Lions LB Jarrad Davis celebrates with Lions fans, after the win over the Panthers, 20-19, at Ford Field on Nov. 18, 2018. (Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)
Davis suffered a leg injury in the third preseason game and his status for early September is unclear, but he's the engine of the defense coming off a 100-tackle, six-sack season. He has had some issues taking the wrong tackling angles in the past, but he's a Ferrari flying around the field and he worked with a pass-rushing specialist this offseason to improve that part of his game.
[ Preparing for the opener: Using the 1999 Music City Bowl ]
Devon Kennard had a career-high seven sacks last season, but just two of them came in the Lions' final 11 games. He's a solid edge defender who spends most of his time as a stand-up rusher near the line of scrimmage. Christian Jones remains the third linebacker, though Tavai will push for time even after Davis returns. Jalen Reeves-Maybin should see action as a backup middle linebacker; he had a strong preseason and is an above-average pass defender for his position.
The Lions overhauled their secondary this offseason after a flimsy showing in pass coverage in 2018. Just three defensive backs had interceptions a season ago, and the Lions allowed a 102.7 opponent passer rating, third-worst in the league.
Darius Slay and Quandre Diggs return as proven starters, but there's no guarantee the secondary will be better overall. Tracy Walker played well in limited action as a rookie, but he has big shoes to fill in replacing longtime starter Glover Quin. The Lions overpaid Justin Coleman to be their slot cornerback, while Rashaan Melvin should start outside opposite Slay. Both Coleman and Melvin played for the New England Patriots early in their career and know this defensive system well, but neither has been a difference maker to this point in their careers.
Lions defensive backs Darius Slay, left, and Quandre Diggs, right, during training camp Sunday, July 28, 2019, in Allen Park. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press)
While Diggs and Slay, who's coming off his second straight Pro Bowl, are the strength of the secondary, the Lions also benefit from their creative use of personnel. They'll play five, six and even seven defensive backs a majority of the time, and have both big bodies and big hitters coming off the bench. Tavon Wilson saw lots of time as the Lions' dime defensive back this spring, but rookie Will Harris and cornerback Jamal Agnew should have sub-package roles. One weakness: The Lions don't have a reliable outside cornerback in reserve if something happens to Slay or Melvin.
The Lions are one of the fortunate teams in the NFL when it comes to the kicking game. While many teams have struggled to find a reliable kicker, the Lions went from Jason Hanson to Matt Prater with only a small blip in between. Prater has made 86.3% of his field goals since joining the Lions in 2014 and he drilled a 61-yarder this preseason, showing no signs of any drop-off.
Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater warms up before action against the New England Patriots, August 8, 2019 at Ford Field. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press)
The Lions forced Sam Martin to take a pay cut this summer after a couple of down seasons, but Martin isn't that far removed from being a Pro Bowl alternate. He still has a hammer for a leg, and last year he dropped 32 balls inside the 20 with only four touchbacks. Long snapper Don Muhlbach, the final part of the battery, is old reliable entering his 16th NFL season.
Jamal Agnew should handle punt returns again, and if he doesn't return to the All-Pro form he showed as a rookie, the Lions have several options waiting in the wings. Ty Johnson could be a factor on kick returns, Danny Amendola can handle punts, and J.D. McKissic has experience as well. John Bonamego returns for his second stint as special-teams coordinator. The Lions struggled in coverage early last season, but the value they place on special-teams ability is reflected in how they built the back of their roster.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.Read more on the Detroit Lions and sign up for our Lions newsletter.


something down, the solution becomes obvious. Well, it happens to me!
So...Er...Duh...I figured out what I was doing wrong. Problem solved.
I have an issue with number conversion that is a real problem for me.
Hopefully it will be easy for one of you to explain to me.
great. To send the 300 bytes of UInt8 array data, though, I have trouble.
the data converted and sent out in hex format from VEE.


On this page you can download CE OPH and install on Windows PC. CE OPH is free Lifestyle App, developed by ProwebCE. Latest version of CE OPH is 1.0.1, was released on August 13, 2018 (updated on August 13, 2018). Estimated number of the downloads is more than 0. Overall rating of CE OPH is 0. Generally most of the top Apps on Android Store have rating of Everyone. This App had been rated by 0 users. Older versions of CE OPH are also available with us 1.0.1.
How to install CE OPH on Windows?


The answer to this question is probably "Yes." You should be able to discharge student loans in bankruptcy during most situations. However, under the current law you cannot discharge student loans in bankruptcy with almost no exceptions. Many strongly argue that the legislation which culminated in the complete banning of student loan bankruptcy in 2005 is immoral and biased. The legislation was clearly motivated by private business interests. It has created a "student loan debt crisis," a new hot topic of interest and debate. Some say this "crisis" is next "melting point" our economy will face.
But, more importantly, what about the moral perspective? From a moral perspective, you SHOULD be able to discharge student loans in bankruptcy. But why?
Student loan lending is clearly oppressive and should be against public policy. The student loan industry has quickly transformed education into an "industry" as well. Higher education should never be allowed to grow into a profit-driven industry. Education should be affordable or free: it should always be about the students or society as a whole. Higher education in the past was promoted and controlled by churches, charities, and true non-for-profit organizations. Higher education should be a mainstay of freedom. Higher education should remain untainted by corporate greed and economic oppression.
Higher education has grown into a monster funded by never ending student loan funding. Astronomical building projects, sports programs, and other non-necessary ventures dominate the higher education world. This money-raking beast has replaced previous higher education system. The old system was focused on the students, the welfare of society, and higher ideals.
Students are charged astronomical rates to attend classes. These 18-19 year old students are told not to worry: just sign the loans documents. However, most of these students have never had a job or a loan in the past. The students have no concept of the oppressive debts they quickly assign to themselves so early in life.
What do the students get in return? Many times absolutely nothing. In fact, many places of "higher" education are so devoted to a profit model that they accept almost anyone with no regard to their drop-out rates. Other schools are slightly more dignified, but almost the entire system has been corrupted by this student loan legislation. A good part of these problems can be eliminated over time with a single law change: the full discharge of student loans in bankruptcy.
The Trojan Horse was simple: some people were filing bankruptcy to immorally discharge their student loans. However, these minor immoral occurrences were showcased intentionally to get law changes passed that were clearly against common sense public policy. Student loans became the norm: this far greater evil quickly seeped into our entire higher education system.
By intention, the real question at hand was improperly phrased: should the government allow and support a large student loan industry? By progressively disallowing the discharge of student loans in bankruptcy, two new industries for profit developed. The "big" education and the "big" student loan industries. Both of these industries are very bad for society. They should have never been allowed to develop. Education was once considered a "sacred" institution. Can such a claim of sacredness still apply after the changes "big" business has made?
The non-dischargeability of debts is oppressive in any case. Obviously, it is very oppressive for the government to support non-dischargeable loans for young students who have no proper financial understanding. When educational debts were forbidden for discharge, many undesirable, profit-driven aspects began to be woven into our higher education system.
Therefore, should student loan debts be discharged in most bankruptcy cases? The answer this question is probably "yes" for obvious societal reasons. Current legislation forbids student loan discharge. Hopefully, the future will see the need to change this law after the full effects of our altered education system become apparent.
PERSONAL NOTE: I write to support law change. Student loans should be discharged like any other form of debt. This is not due to personal reasons: I have no student loan debts. Instead, I have seen this immoral system and it's result "up-close." My experience as a Bankruptcy attorney and with higher education have clearly revealed all the abuses that are taking place under the current legal system.