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What means insane?
1a(1) : exhibiting a severely disordered state of mind. (2) law : affected with insanity (see insanity sense 2) criminally insane. b : unable to think in a clear or sensible way : crazy insane with jealousy —not used technically.
What's a big word for insane?
SYNONYMS FOR insane 1 demented; lunatic, crazed, crazy; maniacal.
What is opposite of insane?
You probably know that the word insane means crazy. Well, the opposite of insane is sane — or not crazy. A sane person is of sound mind and is mentally healthy.
Does Insane mean crazy?
Crazy means mad, especially as manifested in wild or aggressive behavior. Insane refers to a state of mind which prevents normal perception, behaviour, or social interaction.
Can you go insane from stress?
Anxiety-Related Factors They are extremely common during panic attacks and times of intense stress but can create a feeling of disconnectedness with the body and with the wider world. 3 This can lead to a feeling that you're going insane, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.
Is insanity a mental illness?
Insanity. n. mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis, or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior. Insanity is a concept discussed in court to help distinguish guilt from innocence.
Is insanity curable?
There's no cure for mental illness, but there are lots of effective treatments. People with mental illnesses can recover and live long and healthy lives.
What is the most painful mental disorder?
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has long been believed to be the one psychiatric disorder that produced the most intense emotional pain and distress in those who suffer with this condition. Studies have shown that borderline patients experience chronic and significant emotional suffering and mental agony.
What is a mental breakdown crying?
A nervous or mental breakdown is a term used to describe a period of intense mental distress. During this period, you're unable to function in your everyday life. This term was once used to refer to a wide variety of mental illnesses, including: depression. anxiety.
Do you cry in a mental breakdown?
feel unable to concentrate — difficulty focusing at work, and being easily distracted. be moody — feeling low or depression; feeling burnt out; emotional outbursts of uncontrollable anger, fear, helplessness or crying. feel depersonalised — not feeling like themselves or feeling detached from situations.
What are the signs of burnout?
Emotional signs and symptoms of burnout
Sense of failure and self-doubt.
Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated.
Detachment, feeling alone in the world.
Loss of motivation.
Increasingly cynical and negative outlook.
Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment.
What does a psychotic break feel like?
Typically, a psychotic break indicates the first onset of psychotic symptoms for a person or the sudden onset of psychotic symptoms after a period of remission. Symptoms may include delusional thoughts and beliefs, auditory and visual hallucinations, and paranoia.
What is psychotic break?
In terms of what it means, a "psychotic break with reality" means losing contact with reality, such as hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, or feeling something that has no external correlate (i.e., hallucinations) or believing something to be true that is false, fixed, and fantastic (i.e., a delusion) or being unable …
At what age does schizophrenia usually begin?
In most people with schizophrenia, symptoms generally start in the mid- to late 20s, though it can start later, up to the mid-30s. Schizophrenia is considered early onset when it starts before the age of 18. Onset of schizophrenia in children younger than age 13 is extremely rare.
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Institute Credentials
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)
E X O D U S
CHAP. XXVI.
Moses here receives instructions, I. Concerning the inner curtains of the tent or tabernacle, and the coupling of those curtains, ver. 1-6. II. Concerning the outer curtains which were of goats' hair, to strengthen the former, ver. 7-13. III. Concerning the case or cover which was to secure it from the weather, ver. 14. IV. Concerning the boards which were to be reared up to support the curtains, with their bars and sockets, ver. 15-30. V. The partition between the holy place and the most holy, ver. 31-35. VI. The veil for the door, ver. 36, 37. These particulars, thus largely recorded, seem of little use to us now; yet, having been of great use to Moses and Israel, and God having thought fit to preserve down to us the remembrance of them, we ought not to overlook them. Even the antiquity renders this account venerable.
The Tabernacle and Its Furniture. B. C. 1491.
1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. 2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. 3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. 6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.
I. The house must be a tabernacle or tent, such as soldiers now use in the camp, which was both a mean dwelling and a movable one; and yet the ark of God had not better, till Solomon built the temple 480 years after this, 1 Kings vi. 1. God manifested his presence among them thus in a tabernacle, 1. In compliance with their present condition in the wilderness, that they might have him with them wherever they went. Note, God suits the tokens of his favour, and the gifts of his grace, to his people's wants and necessities, according as they are, accommodating his mercy to their state, prosperous or adverse, settled or unsettled. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, Isa. xliii. 2. 2. That it might represent the state of God's church in this world, it is a tabernacle-state, Ps. xv. 1. We have here no continuing city; being strangers in this world, and travellers towards a better, we shall never be fixed till we come to heaven. Church-privileges are movable goods, from one place to another; the gospel is not tied to any place; the candlestick is in a tent, and may easily be taken away, Rev. ii. 5. If we make much of the tabernacle, and improve the privilege of it, wherever we go it will accompany us; but, if we neglect and disgrace it, wherever we stay it will forsake us. What hath my beloved to do in my house? Jer. xi. 15.
II. The curtains of the tabernacle must correspond to a divine pattern. 1. They were to be very rich, the best of the kind, fine twined linen; and colours very pleasing, blue, and purple, and scarlet. 2. They were to be embroidered with cherubim (v. 1), to intimate that the angels of God pitch their tents round about the church, Ps. xxxiv. 7. As there were cherubim over the mercy-seat, so there were round the tabernacle; for we find the angels compassing, not only the throne, but the elders; see Rev. v. 11. 3. There were to be two hangings, five breadths in each, sewed together, and the two hangings coupled together with golden clasps, or tacks, so that it might be all one tabernacle, v. 6. Thus the churches of Christ and the saints, though they are many, are yet one, being fitly joined together in holy love, and by the unity of the Spirit, so growing into one holy temple in the Lord, Eph. ii. 21, 22; iv. 16. This tabernacle was very strait and narrow; but, at the preaching of the gospel, the church is bidden to enlarge the place of her tent, and to stretch forth her curtains, Isa. liv. 2.
7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. 11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. 12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. 13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. 14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.
Moses is here ordered to make a double covering for the tabernacle, that it might not rain in, and that the beauty of those fine curtains might not be damaged. 1. There was to be a covering of hair camlet curtains, which were somewhat larger every way than the inner curtains, because they were to enclose them, and probably were stretched out at some little distance from them, v. 7, &c. These were coupled together with brass clasps. The stuff being less valuable, the tacks were so; but the brass tacks would answer the intention as effectually as the golden ones. The bonds of unity may be as strong between curtains of goats' hair as between those of purple and scarlet. 2. Over this there was to be another covering, and that a double one (v. 14), one of rams' skins dyed red, probably dressed with the wool on; another of badgers' skins, so we translate it, but it should rather seem to have been some strong sort of leather (but very fine), for we read of the best sort of shoes being made of it, Ezek. xvi. 10. Now observe here, (1.) That the outside of the tabernacle was coarse and rough, the beauty of it was in the inner curtains. Those in whom God dwells must labour to be better than they seem to be. Hypocrites put the best side outwards, like whited sepulchres; but the king's daughter is all glorious within (Ps. xlv. 13); in the eye of the world black as the tents of Kedar, but, in the eye of God, comely as the curtains of Solomon, Cant. i. 5. Let our adorning be that of the hidden man of the heart, which God values, 1 Pet. iii. 4. (2.) That where God places his glory he will create a defence upon it; even upon the habitations of the righteous there shall be a covert, Isa. vi. 5, 6. The protection of Providence shall always be upon the beauty of holiness. God's tent will be a pavilion, Ps. xxvii. 5.
15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. 17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. 20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: 21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. 28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. 29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. 30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was showed thee in the mount.
Very particular directions are here given about the boards of the tabernacle, which were to bear up the curtains, as the stakes of a tent which had need to be strong, Isa. liv. 2. These boards had tenons which fell into the mortises that were made for them in silver bases. God took care to have every thing strong, as well as fine, in his tabernacle. Curtains without boards would have been shaken by every wind; but it is a good thing to have the heart established with grace, which is as the boards to support the curtains of profession, which otherwise will not hold out long. The boards were coupled together with gold rings at top and bottom (v. 24), and kept firm with bars that ran through golden staples in every board (v. 26), and the boards and bars were all richly gilded, v. 29. Thus every thing in the tabernacle was very splendid, agreeable to that infant state of the church, when such things were proper enough to please children, to possess the minds of the worshippers with a reverence of the divine glory, and to affect them with the greatness of that prince who said, Here will I dwell; in allusion to this the new Jerusalem is said to be of pure gold, Rev. xxi. 18. But the builders of the gospel church said, Silver and gold have we none; and yet the glory of their building far exceeded that of the tabernacle, 2 Cor. iii. 10, 11. How much better is wisdom than gold! No orders are given here about the floor of the tabernacle; probably that also was boarded; for we cannot think that within all these fine curtains they trod upon the cold or wet ground; if it was so left, it may remind us of ch. xx. 24, An altar of earth shalt thou make unto me.
31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. 35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. 36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. 37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
Two veils are here ordered to be made, 1. One for a partition between the holy place and the most holy, which not only forbade any to enter, but forbade them so much as to look into the holiest of all, v. 31, 33. Under that dispensation, divine grace was veiled, but now we behold it with open face, 2 Cor. iii. 18. The apostle tells us (Heb. ix. 8, 9) what was the meaning of this veil; it intimated that the ceremonial law could not make the comers thereunto perfect, nor would the observance of it bring men to heaven; the way into the holiest of all was not made manifest while the first tabernacle was standing; life and immortality lay concealed till they were brought to light by the gospel, which was therefore signified by the rending of this veil at the death of Christ, Matt. xxvii. 51. We have not boldness to enter into the holiest, in all acts of devotion, by the blood of Jesus, yet such as obliges us to a holy reverence and a humble sense of our distance. 2. Another veil was for the outer door of the tabernacle, v. 36, 37. Through this first veil the priests went in every day to minister in the holy place, but not the people, Heb. ix. 6. This veil, which was all the defence the tabernacle had against thieves and robbers, might easily be broken through, for it could be neither locked nor barred, and the abundance of wealth in the tabernacle, one would think, might be a temptation; but by leaving it thus exposed, (1.) The priests and Levites would be so much the more obliged to keep a strict watch upon it, and, (2.) God would show his care of his church on earth, though it is weak and defenceless, and continually exposed. A curtain shall be (if God please to make it so) as strong a defence to his house as gates of brass and bars of iron.
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The Greatest Life
Ever Lived
He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city. He never traveled more than two hundred miles from the place he was born. He did none of these things that one usually associated with greatness. He had no credentials but himself.
He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress.
ALL the armies that have ever marched, all the navies that have ever sailed, all the parliaments that have ever sat, all the kings that have ever reigned, put together, have not effected the life of man on the earth as that one solitary man.
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Bombus terrestris on flower. Credit: Prof Jeremy Kerr.
Climate change driving 'rapid and widespread' decline of bumblebees
Daisy Dunne
WildlifeClimate change driving 'rapid and widespread' decline of bumblebees
The chances of spotting a bumblebee have dropped by almost half across North America and by 17% in Europe from the mid-20th century to near present day, a study finds.
Shifts in temperature and rainfall are pushing bumblebees to their ecological limits across both continents, according to the analysis published in Science. This is driving "rapid and widespread declines" across 66 bumblebee species, the authors warn.
The impact of climate change on bumblebees is greatest in warmer parts of the northern hemisphere, including Mexico and Spain, the research finds.
Bumblebees have also expanded their range in some cooler regions. However, the extent of their range expansion is far smaller than the extent of range lost, the authors say.
This has contributed to population declines that could have "unknown consequences for the provision of ecosystem services", they add.
Bumblebees also face threats from habitat loss and exposure to pesticides – meaning rapid warming could prove to be "the final straw" for some species, another scientist tells Carbon Brief.
Bumblebees are a group of more than 250 species found mainly in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere. (There are 20,000 bee species found across the planet, the most commonly cultivated by far being the European honey bee.)
Their defining characteristics – a round shape and thick fuzzy coat of hair – make them well suited to life in cooler climates, but vulnerable to temperature extremes, explains Prof Dave Goulson, a bee biologist from the University of Sussex. Goulson, who was not involved in the study, tells Carbon Brief:
"Bumblebees are large and furry as an adaptation to cold climates. Unlike most insects, they thrive in cool, temperate climates and are scarce in warmer regions where they tend to overheat in hot weather."
To study how climate change could be affecting bumblebees, the researchers pieced together bumblebee-sighting datasets from across North America and Europe.
Together, the datasets contain more than 500,000 observations of 66 bumblebee species stretching back for more than a century. Study authors Peter Soroye, a PhD student, and Prof Jeremy Kerr, biologist, both from the University of Ottawa, explain to Carbon Brief:
"Because this dataset extends back more than a century, it can tell us where these bumblebees used to be, but also where they can be found today. It's like a biodiversity time-machine. We tracked local extinctions, places where bumblebees have held on over a century of climate change, and even places where they established new populations."
The researchers compared this observations data to high-resolution climate and land-use data. "This gave us the power to tell the difference between effects that might be a result of habitat changes, like when someone converts an area into a cornfield, and those that are a result of increasing climate chaos," say Soroye and Kerr.
Intolerable heat
The results show that the average chances of a bumblebee occupying a given area in North America have dropped by 47% from the period 1901-1974 to the period 2000-14. In Europe, the chances have fallen by 17%, on average.
These declines match closely with the "frequency and extent to which climate conditions approach or exceed species' observed climate limits", the authors say in their research paper.
The map below, taken from the paper, gives an indication of where bumblebees have experienced temperature extremes above what they are known to tolerate. Lead author Soroye explains:
"Our 'thermal position index' is a calculation of how often and how badly temperature extremes throughout a whole year in a region push species past what they've ever experienced before. We took this calculation and applied it to each regional community of bumblebees in North America and Europe.
"Doing this we can see where entire bumblebee communities are increasingly being subjected to temperature beyond what they can handle (dark red) – and the rare spots where things are much cooler for them then previously (dark blue)."
On the map, the changes are shown for 2000-15, when compared to 1901-1974.
Change in 'community-averaged thermal position index' for bumblebees from 1901-1974 to 2000-15. This index gives a picture of where bumblebees have experienced intolerable temperature extremes (orange to dark red) and where temperatures have become more tolerable (blue). Source: Soroye et al. (2020).
The results show that bumblebees have been pushed beyond their temperature limits in vast areas across both continents, note Dr Jon Bridle and Dr Alexandra van Rensburg in a commentary accompanying the new research. They say:
"Bumblebee populations showed substantial declines at southern (warming) ecological margins, but fewer compensating population expansions at northern (cooler) margins, suggesting widespread declines in bee biodiversity across both continents."
These "warming ecological margins" include Spain and parts of Mexico. However, even relatively cool regions, such as the UK, have seen declines, says study author Dr Tim Newbold, an environmental change biologist from University College London. He tells Carbon Brief:
"The UK is consistent with the rest of Europe in showing declines. Until now, the declines have been relatively smaller in northern Europe (including the UK) than in southern Europe. But as climate change accelerates in the coming decades, we would expect an acceleration in the declines of UK bumblebees as more species are pushed beyond the temperatures they can handle."
The researchers also looked at how bumblebee diversity has changed from 1901-1974 to 2000-14 as a result of climate change.
The map below shows how bumblebee species diversity (or "richness") has changed in North America and Europe, with orange to red showing declines in richness and blue showing increases. The map only shows changes that are specifically linked to changes in climate.
Climate change-related change in bumblebee species richness from 1901-1974 to 2000-2014, with orange to red showing declines in richness and blue showing increases. Source: Soroye et al. (2020)
The results show there is a gradual "fade-to-black" for bumblebee diversity across regions in North America and Europe, including the UK, says Kerr:
"If you surveyed an area in, say, 1970, chances are you'd see more species in that area than you would if you sampled it nowadays."
'Final straw?'
A decline in bumblebees could have "unknown consequences for the provision of ecosystem services" in many world regions, the authors note in their research paper. One such "service" provided to humans by bumblebees is pollination, explains Soroye:
"Bumblebees pollinate a lot of the fruit and vegetables that colour our plates…tomatoes, berries, squash. Bumblebees are very large and specialise in what we call 'buzz pollination' – where they vibrate flowers so much that it knocks off the pollen. Some fruit and vegetables need to be pollinated like this."
The findings suggest that climate change could push some bumblebee species towards extinction, says Goulson:
"This new study suggests that climate change has already played a role in driving bumblebee declines, particularly at the southern edges of their ranges. Bumblebees also suffer from many other pressures, particularly habitat loss and exposure to pesticides, and it seems likely that a rapidly warming future climate may be the final straw for many of them."
However, there are still reasons to be hopeful about the future of bumblebee populations, say Soroye and Kerr:
"We have created and tested some tools and techniques that will let us zero in on spots where we need to intervene to help save bees – rare 'bright spots' where bees are still doing well and have managed to persist despite climate change."
The study does not investigate how bumblebees could be best protected, but previous research suggests that incorporating more flowers fed on by the insects into rural and urban areas could be a key step in their conservation.
The research is a "step forward" in reporting on insect declines with "statistical confidence" says Dr Colin Carlson, a global change biologist from Georgetown University, who was not involved in the study. He tells Carbon Brief:
"This dataset Soroye and colleagues used is breathtakingly detailed, to a point that would be nearly impossible for any other invertebrate system. It's an important piece of evidence in a much bigger conversation about invertebrate extinctions and global ecosystem collapse."
The findings are "consistent" with earlier research finding that "climate change is posing a risk to insects", Prof Rachel Warren, a global change scientist from the University of East Anglia, tells Carbon Brief.
Soroye et al. (2020) Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees across continents, Science, https://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi/10.1126/science.aba6432
Climate change could be 'final straw' for bumblebees


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Exile Inside - Exile Inside
Once upon a time in the shadow of the Ben Sherman Britpop boys lay a world where bands spend as much time in their dressing rooms as the did in the rehearsal rooms. It came with simple philosophy that the working classes always wanted to dress up at the weekend rather than dressing down and out of sheer poverty alone was born a scene where glamour met Oxfam chic. My Life Story were one of the leading ambassadors of the glamour scene with the likes of Kenickie, Orlando and David Devant and His Spirit Wife not far behind clasping their make up bags close to their chests. But before long that defiant spirit was crushed and gold Lame suits were replaced with denim jackets and worn jeans and Samson like the tunes went out the window as well. Violins were swapped for synthesizers and the cold summer hit in which My Life Story were left walking round like wounded dogs until the farewell Christmas shows.
Instead of trying to chase former glories, Jake Shillingford alongside Aaron Cahill, have decided to see Exile Inside as a clear break from the past. In fact the only recognizable trace of My Life Story is Shillingford's unique vocals and the neo-classical pop , albeit this time masqueraded in a mix of cheap electronica. When they actually strip down a track like "Antiques" to it's simplistic form of piano and vocals there's a hint of that old passions, but the love of language that MLS classic's such "Sparkle" or "Suited & Booted" were drenched in are replaced with mournful passages with the admission on the closing track "Goodbye" that "I need some new ideas. I need the feel the flame" somewhat of a two fingered insult to the Exile Investors who pledged their own money through the site to aide this recording.
From "Anaesthesia" through "I Can't Feel Anymore", "Antiques", "The Will To Live" and onto the closing "Goodbye" the album is an exercise is catharticism with self doubt playing on his mind from the outset. You'd love to think that Exile Inside could achieve something when bolstered by a full band and the charismatic presence of the glamour boys on stage, but you can't help but feel that maybe it's time for Shillingford to retire gracefully from the public spotlight before he ruins all that MLS achieved in one foul swoop.
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Home > Blog > 3 Ways Obama Could Help Fight Indonesia's Massive Fires
3 Ways Obama Could Help Fight Indonesia's Massive Fires
by Nigel Sizer, Fred Stolle and Tjokorda Nirarta "Koni" Samadhi - October 26, 2015
Fires in Indonesia are creating haze throughout Southeast Asia. Photo by Rini Sulaiman/ Norwegian Embassy for Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
This post originally appeared on Grist.org.
As President Obama and Indonesian President Joko Widodo meet today, climate change will be high on their agenda. A related, unexpected issue should also be on their radar: massive forest and land fires that have turned into a national, regional, and now global crisis for the new Indonesian administration.
The fires in Indonesia are truly out of control, having spiked in recent weeks to their highest levels in years. More than 300,000 Indonesians have sought medical help for respiratory illnesses linked to the choking haze. Pollution levels are up to five times above what the World Health Organization considers to be hazardous levels. Schools and airports have been closed. The Indonesian government has already spent about $200 million to fight the fires and has recently accepted help from Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Yet this year's fires will likely keep burning for at least another month. The total economic costs may exceed $14 billion.
Further, the fires, which are largely burning on high-carbon peatland, have caused a spike in greenhouse gas emissions. New analysis finds several days recently where Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions from fires surpassed the daily level of emissions of the entire U.S. economy.
These fires in Indonesia do not occur naturally. They are largely the result of a history of destructive land management, poor law enforcement, inadequate preparation, and sheer bad luck with an extended dry season caused by the El Niño now upsetting weather patterns globally.
When the presidents meet, they should work together to respond to this crisis and reduce the risks of future fires. The U.S. can support better land management in Indonesia in three keys ways:
Encourage responsible market forces and financial incentives: The United States can join global efforts to encourage more sustainable production of commodities like timber, pulp and paper, and palm oil. Forthcoming analysis from the World Resources Institute shows that company concessions certified as "sustainable" by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil have a markedly lower number of fires. Strong certification standards also exist for other products, including wood and paper. Consumers in the United States, including the government, buy vast quantities of paper, packaging and products containing palm oil — which is found in everything from shampoo to candy bars — and could give preference to manufacturers that source certified materials. This would send a signal to producers in Indonesia who manage vast areas of land. An even bolder move could be for the United States to join Norway in contributing "pay for performance" incentives if Indonesia achieves key milestones in better managing its forests and reducing emissions.
Provide technical and scientific support: The U.S. government could expand technical support to Indonesia, like current projects by the U.S. Agency for International Development, on land use management and emissions reductions. Land conflict is often an underlying condition of fires in Indonesia. More resources are needed for Indonesia's "One Map" initiative to resolve land conflicts by creating a single consistent and harmonized map of land use and ownership for all government agencies to work from. In addition, Indonesia needs support to better monitor its emissions from peat soil decomposition and burning. One idea would be to create competition for funding among U.S. and Indonesian universities to find creative solutions to these knotty technical challenges.
Advance innovative technology: More U.S. support in technology should be marshalled. Leading technology companies, including Google, Esri, and satellite-operator Digital Globe, are already assisting with the fire-fighting effort by providing technology and expertise to Global Forest Watch, a platform coordinated by WRI that provides real-time maps and updates on the fires. An electronic permitting system in Indonesia would be extremely useful to streamline the murky world of licenses and maps for palm oil, pulpwood and logging concessions, which cover more than half of Indonesia's forest land. Government, business and civil society should work together to develop procedures and systems for transparent, corruption-free land-use licensing.
The timing of this visit between Obama and Widodo is fortuitous. Obama, of course, is very familiar with Indonesia, having spent some of his childhood years in the country. Now he has a chance to strengthen America's ties with Indonesia, which is the second-largest democracy in Asia and has the fourth-largest population in the world. Together, these two leaders can deepen a partnership that will help improve the health of Indonesians, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance sustainable commodity production, and lead to a healthier world for us all.
Tags: forest monitoring, deforestation, forest, Indonesia Forest Fires, mapping, us policy
Indonesian Fires Bring More Haze to Southeast Asia
3 Ways President Biden and Congress Can Restore US Forests
Exploring Indonesia's Long and Complicated History of Forest Fires
After Record-Breaking Fires, Can Indonesia's New Policies Turn Down the Heat?
As Indonesia's Dry Season Looms, a New Tool Can Predict Daily Forest Fire Risk


These days, more and more car manufacturers are making vehicles with LED lights.
Those are the ones that seem brighter and have a blue tint to them.
Now, new information shows that these lights could be harmful to the human eye.
"I hear patients almost on a daily basis tell me that the worst lights to look at are the LED lights," Dr. Kimberly Feder, an optometric physician from Frantz Eye Care, said.
The LED lights are made with the same blue light that's used in your cell phone., which eye doctors say can cause long term damage to your retinas.
Those LED lights are growing in popularity as more and more car manufacturers choose to give their customers a light that's designed to help with low visibility.
"They do make it more comfortable for the driver but not for the car that's coming across it," added Feder.
Experts recommend never to look directly into an LED light.
"I'm thinking, maybe I need to wear sunglasses because I can't see anything when they come at me," said driver, Cheryl Shank of Fort Myers.
You can also purchase special blue light glasses that help with glare.
If you're experiencing any vision issues while on the road at night, you should see a doctor immediately.
© Copyright 2019 WBBH/WZVN (Waterman Broadcasting). All rights reserved.


text:
Agroforestry and biodiversity | REVOLVE
Agroecological Research Project Manager, MV Agroecological Research Centre
This Interview appeared in REVOLVE #35
AIRCOAT – Helping Ships Fly
Circularity and social inclusiveness for a different Africa
How public finance supports Africa's circular transformation
Nature Interview
Agroforestry and biodiversity
by Jo Smith, Agroecological Research Project Manager, MV Agroecological Research Centre
10 April 2020 | Reading 6 mins.
Nearly one million species are currently at risk of extinction. This startling fact demands that we rethink how we manage urban and agricultural areas that largely cause habitat loss and degradation. Agroforestry researcher Jo Smith discusses how agroforestry prioritizes biodiversity while addressing our agricultural needs.
Biodiversity in crisis
The biodiversity crisis was one of the headline stories of 2019 when the sobering state of our natural world was exposed by the IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES 2019). The report highlighted that up to one million species are at risk of extinction – many within decades – unless action is taken to reduce the intensity of drivers of biodiversity loss. With over three quarters of the world's land surface severely altered by the conversion of forests, wetlands and other wild landscapes into agricultural land and urban areas, we need to rethink the way we manage these human environments to make space and provide resources for our wildlife. While conservation efforts have previously focused primarily on attempts to conserve 'pristine' nature in protected areas such as national parks, with the continued – and even accelerating – loss of biodiversity, it is clear that this approach alone is not enough to stop the loss of our wild species. The importance of the quality of the landscape that surrounds these protected areas is being increasingly recognized. Agroecological approaches such as organic farming, permaculture, regenerative agriculture and agroforestry are seen as sustainable farming systems that can support biodiversity while also producing food and fiber. These systems emphasize the application of ecological principles and practices to the design and management of farmland, integrating the long-term protection of natural resources as an element of food, fuel and fiber production.
Agroforestry supports biodiverse landscapes
Industrial agricultural landscapes are usually viewed as hostile to wildlife, with a low permeability that restricts movement of species between isolated patches – or islands – of natural or semi-natural habitats. The role of agroforestry in improving the quality of the landscape has only recently been investigated although the value of scattered trees as keystone species in agricultural landscapes has been recognized previously. The ability of agroforestry to act as corridors allowing for the movement of species through landscapes will become of increasing importance under predicted climate change scenarios.
As ecosystem engineers and keystone species, trees provide a range of resources to other flora and fauna and when integrated into agricultural land, they can enhance structural diversity and habitat stability of the landscape. Agroforestry systems by their very nature are more diverse than monocultures of crops and livestock; this increase in 'planned' biodiversity i.e. the components chosen by the farmer, increases the associated biodiversity i.e. the wild plants and animals present on the farmland.
There has been a lot of research investigating the role of agroforestry in supporting biodiversity. These studies demonstrate that agroforestry systems support communities of plants and animals that can be as species-rich, abundant and diverse as forests. While agroforestry systems are unlikely to provide habitat for specialist forest species that require large tracts of undisturbed forest or woodland, they can support biodiversity in otherwise open landscapes and allow movement of species between habitat remnants, as well as buffer protected areas from the impacts of more intensive systems.
Windbreaks, shelterbelts and hedgerows are often the only woody habitats in an otherwise homogeneous agricultural landscape in some areas, particularly in parts of the United States. As well as providing shelter for wildlife, they also provide food and nesting resources and act as movement corridors through the agricultural landscape. For example, connectivity, habitat availability and local structure of the hedgerow system have been shown to be important predictors of small mammal populations in lowland farmland in Britain; these animals make their homes in hedgerows, rather than just using them for migration, demonstrating the importance of these linear woody features in landscapes otherwise devoid of wooded habitats.
The impact of agroforestry on biodiversity may extend beyond the landscape scale; there is a correlation between decreasing populations of songbirds in eastern USA and the elimination of shade trees from coffee agro-forests in Latin American countries. Those species in decline were migratory species that overwintered in the southern countries and were found in the forest-like habitats of traditional coffee farms with a diversity of shade tree species.
A keystone species is critical to the survival of the other species within the ecosystem; without them the ecosystem could not survive.
By supporting higher levels of biodiversity, agroforestry systems may benefit from the ecosystem services biodiversity provides, for example, pest control, which can lead to the use of fewer pesticides. Reduced pest problems in agroforestry systems can be attributed to a number of mechanisms including scattered distribution of host plants makes it more difficult for pests to find the plants; one plant species acting as a trap-crop or as a repellent which protects the other crop from herbivore attack; one plant species acting as a repellent to the herbivore; higher predator and parasitoid densities due to higher plant diversity and increased interspecific competition between pest and non-pest species. Trees, hedgerows and other permanent non-cropped areas of agro-ecosystems provide shelter for overwintering natural enemies such as beetles, spiders and wasps, as well as alternative food sources when crop pest populations are reduced following harvest. However, some pests such as slugs have been observed in higher numbers in agroforestry systems because of the permanent vegetation under the trees and shifts in relative importance of pest groups may present novel management problems and influence crop choice.
Farmers can increase the value of agroforestry systems for biodiversity through careful design and management, for example by planting trees adjacent to protected areas to increase landscape connectivity and buffer from agricultural impacts, planting a diverse mixture of trees and shrubs, and sowing a flower-rich mixture underneath the trees.
Despite the many benefits of integrating trees into agriculture, agroforestry is not yet commonly practiced or known. Three key areas essential for promoting agroforestry into the mainstream are research, knowledge exchange and policy. Activity is increasing in all three, supported by agroforestry research organizations such as the World Agroforestry Centre and regional associations including the Association for Temperate Agroforestry in North America, the European Agroforestry Federation and its affiliated country associations, and the recently launched International Union of Agroforestry.
For more information and examples of agroforestry across Europe, visit the European Agroforestry Federation website.


text:
Q: Sqoop import query to transfer 1000 random records from a table? I have a table of around 100000 records and want to import 1000 random records from that table
can someone help :)
sqoop import \
--connect jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/userdb \
--username root \
--table emp --m 1

A: Sqoop is just a tool which transfer the data from mysql to hdfs or hdfs to mysql so there is no any direct command to do this but yes can do it using query like this
query :-
--query "select * from my_table order by rand() limit 1000 AND \$CONDITIONS"
it will help you to import or export 1000 rows of the table.

A: There is no such command for random import but you can limit the record to import only 1000 record using --query option. Since you have MySQL database you can use below command:
sqoop import --connect "$CONNECT_STRING" \
--query "select $source_column from $SOURCE_TABLE_NAME where \$CONDITIONS limit 1000" \
--username $USER_NAME --password $PASSWORD \
--target-dir $TARGET_DIRECTORY_NAME -m 1
You can also pass any custom query with --query option.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The College of Integrative Sciences has introduced a new interdisciplinary minor in Integrated Design, Engineering, and Applied Sciences (IDEAS), set to start this fall.
The minor will introduce skills in engineering and design, bringing together existing arts, design, and applied science courses to create a more concrete guide for students interested in these various fields. Faculty in all of the associated fields played a role in developing the new program: Dean of Arts and Humanities and Hollis Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures Ellen Nerenberg, Associate Professor of Art Elijah Huge, Professor of Art David Schorr, Digital Design Technologist Chris Chenier, Beach Professor of Chemistry Joseph Knee, Professor of Physics Greg Voth, and Professor of Physics Francis Starr.
"The minor really focuses on hands-on experiential learning that encompasses both the technical and aesthetic sides of design and engineering," Francis Starr, co-proposer of the minor and director of the College of Integrated Studies (CIS), said.
There have been a variety of independent efforts across campus to address design and engineering separately but rarely the intersection between these disciplines. However, around two years ago, as Starr described, with encouragement from University President Michael Roth and Provost Joyce Jacobsen, a group of faculty members initiated a series of discussions about how to grow and develop these efforts.
The minor itself consists of six courses. Students starting the minor are required to take one project-based course in Digital Design from the Arts division ("Digital Art," "Studies in Computer-based Modeling and Digital Fabrication," or "Physical Computing in Art and Design") and one project-based Design & Engineering course in the Sciences division ("Introduction to Design and Engineering," "Introduction to Sensors," "Measurement," or"Data Analysis and Computational Media: Videogame Design and Development").
Beyond this introduction, students must then complete four more courses, which are selected from "modules" that direct students to focus their interests.
"These modules range from performance design, to environmental, to materials science, and thus give students a lot of flexibility in tailoring the curriculum to their interests," Starr said.
The University has offered students design and engineering opportunities within the liberal arts environment through the urban studies course cluster, the art studio major, and the "3-2" or "4-2" programs, in which students receive a BA from Wesleyan and a BS in engineering from a partnering institution. However, this CIS minor will provide a path for many students who consider Wesleyan's dual-degree programs in engineering but choose not to pursue it due to the constraints it places on their ability to engage across the curriculum.
"One of the reasons the new minor excites me, is that it offers a different path into engineering from our existing 3-2 program," Starr said in an article posted on the University's website. The IDEAS minor uses hands-on fabrication to motivate learning, rather than a traditional focus on rote training.
Wesleyan is one of the first liberal arts institutions to combine design and engineering. According to Starr, though Smith and Swarthmore Colleges are also looking at these same questions of how to create a more comprehensive program that combines art and design, the University is at the forefront of this integrated approach.


Oinis Joe is a relative of Mr. Bob and Dombineek. He has bulging red eyes and a mouth all the way on the side of his face.
He was scrapped and killed. Oinis Joe was buried infront of IGN. Dombineek on the other hand still makes some cameos now and then.


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Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis Children's Hospital Open a 3D Printing Center
Mary Christie
Washington University in St. Louis, affiliated with St. Louis Children's Hospital, BJC Healthcare, recognized as one of America's top children's hospitals in all ten specialties served by U.S. News & World Report, announced the March 9th launch of its 3D printing center. The goal of the center, based in St. Louis Children's Hospital, is to help physicians and researchers advance the use of 3D printing for a wide range of clinical, educational, and research applications in pediatric and adult patients. On site are a Stratasys J750 and Eden printers to make patient-specific models for surgical planning and to enhance clinical education, training, and research.
Shafkat Anwar, MD
As the print center opens its doors, we were fortunate to sit down with Shafkat Anwar, M.D., Cardiology Director, Cardiac MRI and Co- Director of the 3D Printing Center at Washington University Medical Campus, to discuss his center's experience with 3D printing and the impact it has had on the patients, the families, and the medical community it serves.
Washington University Medical Center in conjunction with St. Louis Children's Hospital has a decades-long track record in 3D printing. Dr. Anwar tells us that it began with making patient-specific models for craniofacial disorders involving malformations of the face and skull. Examples of disorders include cleft palate and cleft lip with or without a cleft palate. The CDC recently estimates that, each year in the United States, about 2,650 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,440 babies are born with a cleft lip with or without a cleft palate.1 Fixing these abnormalities is ever so critical in children to restore appearance and the ability to speak, as they are still developing socially and, therefore, the ability to communicate is essential. The models were used initially for pre-surgical planning to practice the repair procedure and determine the optimal intra-operative approach and surgical instruments to be used. Eventually, this led to the development of a bank or library of 3D models of craniofacial abnormalities for use in training medical residents and fellows and, ultimately, the entire medical team, improving communication and understanding of the anatomy and pathology of each disorder and its treatment.
More recently, the cardiovascular team embraced 3D printing patient-specific models as a solution for better surgical planning. Often times these babies have a congenital heart defect – a problem that occurred as the baby's heart was developing during pregnancy. Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects and according to the American Heart Association, affecting eight of every 1000 babies born in the United States.2 Dr. Anwar tells us that as a referral center, St. Louis Children's Hospital sees the most complex cases, and repair requires operating on babies with hearts the size of walnuts. The use of multiple colors and compliant materials with the J750 printer adds information and even allows for repairs to be simulated. Patient–specific, life-sized heart models soon became an integral part of the pediatric cardiologists' armatarium to improve diagnostic precision and surgical outcomes. Being able to physically hold the model and visualize the anatomy facilitates communication with the multidisciplinary medical team and helps the practitioners anticipate what complications may occur before and after the surgery. In addition, surgeons use the models to educate the parents on their child's condition so they can make a shared decision about whether to proceed with the surgery.
Patient's heart that was made on a Stratasys J750 multicolor, multi-material 3D printer and used to help plan the child's procedure.
The 3D printing experience of pediatric plastic surgeons and cardiologists treating congenital defects generated a great amount of enthusiasm in other specialties, and was soon followed by cases in vascular surgery, adult structural heart disease, interventional cardiology, and orthopedic surgery. With the opening of the new 3D Print Center, modeling for spine surgery, neurosurgery, general surgery, and anesthesia for difficult airway cases is anticipated.
Initially, the models were made through an external commercial 3D printing company. Over time, as volume built, a mix of internal and external printing occurred. Historically, internal printing was decentralized with each surgical specialty printing its own 3-D models. Eventually, clinical leaders of the hospital wanted to bring 3D printing inside and centralize the function. Fortunately, thanks to a generous donation from the Children's Hospital Foundation and space and personnel commitment from the hospital, this became possible. "We are excited to be opening our center March 9, 2018 with its own dedicated physical space and a full time 3D engineer to communicate with physicians about the models' objectives, to produce the models, and ultimately improve patient care," Dr. Anwar says.
"With the consolidation to one 3D printing laboratory, Washington University, Saint Louis Children's Hospital and BJC Healthcare is at the forefront of personalized medicine. Future plans include modeling of physiology and anatomy, for example, simulating blood flow in the model to allow us to accurately predict the response during the actual surgery. Our biggest challenge is to demonstrate that 3D patient-specific models improve clinical outcomes and bring value. Anecdotally, we know surgeons spend less time in the operating room when patient-specific models are used for surgical planning, and there is emerging literature quantifying these outcomes. We are currently part of a multi-center trial tracking intraoperative time, blood loss, time on bypass, ICU time, and complications." As in aviation, and in virtually all other professions that are based on technical skills, simulation and practice of the planned procedure is key to a positive outcome. So, why would you not use 3D printing to facilitate better visualization and optimize the patient outcome?
1. Parker SE et al for the National Birth Defects Prevention Network. Updated national birth prevalence estimates for selected birth defects in the United States, 2004-2006. Birth Defects Research (Part A): Clinical and Molecular Teratology 2010; 88:1008-16.
2. Go AS, Mozaffarian D et al on behalf of the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics-2013 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2013; 127:e6-e245.
Washington University of St. Louis
Mary Christie is the Stratasys Healthcare Solutions Senior Manager for Content. Mary brings over a decade of medical device industry and clinical experience and holds a M.B.A. and a M.S. from Boston University. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling abroad and is an avid runner and cyclist.
Surgical Planning with 3D Printed Hearts for Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion
3D Printing Solutions For Advancing Dental Labs


We always get the same question: what are "RailRiders"?
25 years ago, RailRiders was born as a synthetic alternative for professional sailors, the brave men and women who "rode the rails" of racing yachts, also known as "railmeat." We started in the sea, but since expanded to perform in any environment. We set out to make the finest and most durable technical apparel, and our close attention to quality and detail has been our apparel's signature ever since. RailRiders is the go-to clothing for ocean sailors, desert ultra-runners, jungle trekkers, fly fishing guides, long trail thru-hikers, and intrepid explorers everywhere. Our clothes have paddled across the Atlantic, walked the length of the Amazon, crossed the Gobi desert, traveled Africa on foot, and many other unbelievable adventures.
Planet Wild is the companion blog for RailRiders Adventure Clothing. Here you will find updates on our Team RailRiders Athletes and Explorers, information about the expeditions we support, tips and tricks to enhance your outdoor experience, and information about the coolest gear available. Founded by Bill Katovsky, author and editor of a dozen books and our in-house catalog copywriter, Planet Wild is the perfect place to find out about a new adventure or to find inspiration from a fearless explorer.
We welcome you here to read a few stories, learn something new, and check out our gear. We hope you enjoy our blog, and spend some time in our shop! The athletes we support amaze us daily and we hope they amaze you, too. Thanks for coming to Planet Wild!


Rotman (born 1974, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand) is an artist working between Aotearoa New Zealand and the USA. He lives in San Francisco. Rotman's work has been exhibited in the USA, Australia and New Zealand and is represented in collections in the USA and Australasia. He is the recipient of the Prix Du Livre Images Vevey (2018) and The Marti Friedlander Photographic Award (2013).
Rotman's work is predicated on the idea that civilization is a delicate fiction. His practice focuses on the point at which different power structures meet: during the colonial process or at the collision of civilization and the natural world, for example. This often draws him to subjects on the edges of society. In Aotearoa New Zealand, his work has explored incarceration and gangs, leading to an interrogation of his own place, as a New Zealander of European descent, in the colonial history of the country. In the US, he touches on similar themes, exploring the shifting violent ingredients of the American empire.
2018 / Mongrelism / Here Press, London / Images Vevey, Switzerland.
2015 / The Waldman Family Trust, USA.
All work © Jono Rotman.


text:
Q: Convolving/integrating problems Let's say I want to convolve two functions (f and g), a gaussian with a breit-wigner:
f[x_] := 1/(Sqrt[2 π] σ)Exp[-(1/2) ((x - μ)/σ)^2];
g[x_] := 1/π (γ/((x - μ)^2 + γ^2));

One way is to use Convolve like:
Convolve[f[x],g[x],x,y];

But that gives:
(γ Convolve[E^(-((x - μ)^2/(2 σ^2))),1/(γ^2 + (x - μ)^2), x, y])/(Sqrt[2] π^(3/2) σ)

,which means it couldn't do the convolution.
I then tried the integration (the definition of the convolution):
Integrate[f[x]*g[y - x], {x, 0, y}, Assumptions->{x > 0, y > 0}]

But again, it couldn't integrate. I know that there are functions that can't be integrated analytically, but it seems to me that whenever I go into convolution, I find another function that can't be integrated.
Is the numerical integration the only way to do convolution in Mathematica (besides those simple functions in the examples), or am I doing something wrong?
My target is to convolute a crystal-ball with a breit-weigner. The CB is something like:
Piecewise[{{norm*Exp[-(1/2) ((x - μ)/σ)^2], (
x - μ)/σ > -α},
{norm*(n/Abs[α])^n*
 Exp[-(1/2) α^2]*((n/Abs[α] - Abs[α]) - (
   x - μ)/σ)^-n, (x - μ)/σ <= -α}}]

I've done this in C++ but I thought I try it in Mathematica and use it to fit some data. So please tell me if I have to make a numerical integration routine in Mathematica or there's more to the analytic integration.

A: Here is a way to solve this problem using the convolution theorem:
l = Assuming[{γ > 0 && σ > 0 && μ > 0 &&
    k ∈ Reals},
  FourierTransform[PDF[CauchyDistribution[μ, γ], x], x, k]
  ]

$\frac{\left(\theta (-k) e^{2 \gamma  k}+\theta
   (k)\right) e^{-k (\gamma -i \mu )}}{\sqrt{2
   \pi }}$

g = Assuming[{γ > 0 && σ > 0 && μ > 0 &&
    k ∈ Reals},
  Expectation[Exp[I k x],
   x \[Distributed] NormalDistribution[μ, σ]]
  ]

$e^{-\frac{k^2 \sigma ^2}{2}+i k \mu }$

Assuming[{γ > 0 && σ > 0 && μ > 0 &&
   k ∈ Reals}, InverseFourierTransform[g l, k, x]]

$\frac{e^{-\frac{(-i \gamma -2 \mu +x)^2}{2 \sigma
   ^2}} \left(1-i \text{erfi}\left(\frac{-i
   \gamma -2 \mu +x}{\sqrt{2} \sigma
   }\right)\right)+e^{-\frac{(i \gamma -2 \mu
   +x)^2}{2 \sigma ^2}} \left(1+i
   \text{erfi}\left(\frac{i \gamma -2 \mu
   +x}{\sqrt{2} \sigma }\right)\right)}{2 \sqrt{2
   \pi } \sigma }$

This is the result for the convolution as a function of x.
To take the Fourier transform of the Gaussian, I used Expectation with NormalDistribution (which is the Gaussian), applied to Exp[I k x]. That's faster than using FourierTransform directly - but the latter would also work.
Finally, I just take the inverse Fourier transform of the product of Fourier transforms, and fortunately we get an analytic result. It's still got some imaginary things in it, but they cancel. One could do some more work to get rid of them explicitly, but at least this should get you started.
By replacing the functions in your question with the built in distribution functions, I get slightly different prefactors. That can be amended by looking at the functional forms of the PDFs and comparing with your desired functions.


As the first A/V receiver maker to embrace Audyssey's advanced DSP audio processing, Denon leads the industry in incorporating the technologies in our broad product range.
Thanks to the AVR-S900W's flexible Amp Assign function, you can choose to power a 5.1 channel home theater surround system, and dedicate the 2 additional amp channels to deliver stereo sound to a pair of speakers in another room. Watch a surround sound movie in the main room with the ability to have a separate stereo source playing in a second room.
The AVR-S900W features Denon's stylish front panel design, with prominent volume control and source selector knobs. The graphical display combines clear text along with easy to understand graphical symbols that let you see the selected source, the volume level and other key information with maximum legibility. The smooth brushed hairline finish resists fingerprint smudges, and delivers an elegant and stylish look.
"Denon's AVR-S900W is a receiver that tries to do everything and pretty much succeeds. Triple wireless connectivity, a thoughtful interface, and solid room correction are pluses—and the supplied mike stand is a great idea. But the biggest attraction is great sound, at what amounts to a very affordable price, no less. That's what makes it all worthwhile."


Just because you don't have the budget of the execs at Google doesn't mean you can't afford a quality, supportive office chair.
While the Aeron chair by Herman Miller might be a bit beyond what you're willing to spend, there are a whole host of lower priced models with a high comfort rating from consumers. Cheap doesn't always mean ugly, low quality, or poorly built. The hard part? Sifting through the hundreds of available options and determining the good from the bad and the exceptional from the mediocre.
That's what this guide is for.
We have taken the guesswork and study time out of office chair shopping by extensively researching and reviewing the best models. My top pick for this category? The Chrome Computer Task chair. Yes, it is a minimalist model, but it is undeniably comfortable, supportive and durable. If you're looking in the lowest price point category, this chair is a SOLID choice.
All of the options I am listing are light on your wallet, but are definitely still good quality chairs that you can find comfort and support in. They're also so cheap that you won't have to think twice about buying one.
First on our list of the best cheap office chairs is the Boss Black Task Seating chair. It has a capacity of up to 150 lbs and it ships ready to assemble. The Boss is a very simple chair, with minimal frills, that is comfortable, easy to adjust, and easy to use. The assembly will only take you a couple of minutes at most. While this chair doesn't have luxury or high-end materials used in its construction, it is good looking in its minimalist design and is both supportive and compact, making it a great choice for small spaces. For a daily chair that's easy to use and that you can put almost anywhere, the Boss is a great offering and won't break the bank.
Considering the price of this chair, the quality of construction, comfort rating, and support, it is definitely a bargain. At this price, you can snag one for yourself, your kid, a friend, or even seat a whole army of interns at your office. It also has a very respectable rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from over 80 purchasers. This is a seriously inexpensive, but high-value option that will be an asset to any home office or workplace.
If you are looking for an affordable and padded leather chair, then you definitely need to take a look at the Ergonomic Leather Office Executive chair from the good chair experts at BestChair. This chair has soft and comfortable PU leather upholstery with just enough padding to provide long-lasting support. It also has a stellar lumbar supportive design, adjustable height, and it can swivel 360 degrees. This chair is excellent if you are in the market for a high-back leather executive style chair. The materials also make it easy to clean and maintain, which is an important consideration if you will be using this chair as your primary work seating.
The BestChair Ergonomic requires a bit of assembly, though most purchasers found it to be pretty quick and painless as far as chair assembly goes. The only word for this chair is "steal." With the great price and solid performance of this option, it's not a surprise that it's on our list of the best cheap office chairs.
Last on the list, and the cheapest of the three, is the Chrome Computer Task Chair with tractor seat. This chair has high-density polymer construction on the seat and the back, with adjustable height. There are lots of colors to choose from with this model – white, black, blue, pink, green, red, orange, silver, yellow, apple green, violet and deep blue. The wide color range is a great perk, especially if you are looking to purchase a large quantity of similar chairs in a specific color palette for an office, dorm, or a home with several work stations. With its contemporary looking design, this task chair will look great in any stylish work environment.
This option is thoughtfully-designed with your lumbar comfort in mind; it is structured to actually prevent you from sitting too far back in your seat and positions you for optimal posture and vertical alignment. Assembling this chair is a breeze, purchasers found instructions easy to follow and assembly time to be quick. With 4 out of 5 stars from over 295 customers on Amazon, you can't deny that it's a crowd pleaser. And for its low price, you just can't beat the bang you get for your buck with this little powerhouse.
here. Your blog should go viral. You need initial traffic only.


text:
Outlook for housing market is uncertain, making it hard for would-be home buyers and investors to decide
By Esther Teo
Home buyers, both occupiers and investors, have been scratching their heads more than usual lately on the vexing question of when to enter the market.
Even leaving aside the current global stock market and economic turmoil, it is a perplexing picture.
Will private home prices keep inching upwards, as they have done persistently even after the various market cooling measures brought in by the Government?
Or will the warnings of an oversupply of new homes, coming from certain quarters, prove to be accurate and lead to a sharp slide in prices?
Trying to evaluate the outlook for the local property market has been made even more baffling as a result of policy shifts on public housing, which have been thrown into the mix recently.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced during his National Day Rally speech last week that the income ceiling for new build-to-order (BTO) HDB flats will be raised from $8,000 to $10,000, while that for executive condos (ECs) will go up from $10,000 to $12,000.
As a result, an additional 99,161 households will be eligible for BTO flats and an estimated 68,700 additional households for ECs, UOB Kay Hian property analyst Vikrant Pandey has calculated.
The pace of building will also be ramped up sharply, with 25,000 BTO flats to be launched both this year and next – an unprecedented 50,000 new HDB flats in total in just two years.
These changes in the public housing sphere are set to send ripples through the closely linked private market, shrinking the private demand pie especially for suburban mass market homes as middle-income buyers relook their choices.
Dr Chua Yang Liang, head of research at Jones Lang LaSalle South-east Asia, estimates a possible 5 per cent to 15 per cent decline in annual demand for new private housing, translating to 700 to 2,000 units.
This is provided public housing supply keeps pace with the increased demand by this group of new eligible buyers, he said.
The Government has also released a bumper supply of state land – largely in suburban areas – to try to stem rocketing prices in the private market.
This has led to concern about an oversupply in the next few years as the potential inventory builds up.
Coupled with a tighter immigration policy, demand could further slow.
This has sparked growing talk that suburban home demand will soften as prices head for a correction. This might cause home owners chagrin, but home hunters would welcome such a price slide.
More cooling measures unlikely
Some home buyers might be hoping for a fifth round of government measures – after the latest in January – to further cool the market and bring prices down.
However, experts say that this is unlikely for now, with the combination of growing macroeconomic uncertainties and the shadow of an oversupply of homes in the primary market.
Private home prices have also been moderating for seven consecutive quarters, inching up just 2 per cent in the recent April to June quarter.
In addition, land prices have come down at some recent government land sales tenders, indicating that the once bullish sentiment has become more subdued – although competition for good sites is still keen.
An RBS report by analysts Fera Wirawan and Bryan Lim said the measures to cool home prices seem to be concentrated on the HDB market. They also see lower policy risks now – in terms of a fresh round of cooling measures for private homes – in view of current global economic uncertainty.
'In addition, potential measures to stem speculative demand in the private home market could have limited impact, given the highly punitive policy introduced earlier (in January),' the report noted.
Where are prices headed?
Experts differ on where they see prices headed, with some predicting firm home prices in the light of low interest rates for the next two years and the strong holding power of developers and households.
Location also comes into play, with choicer sites – especially those close to MRT stations or transport nodes – expected to hold up better in the event of softening demand.
Those who expect prices to fall mostly see it happening in 2013 and 2014, as the construction of many suburban projects reaches completion.
Prices for the rest of this year are likely to hold firm, said Mr Joseph Tan, CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) executive director of residential.
But experts admit that the market outlook has been clouded by the global market volatility, the European sovereign debt crisis and risks of another global recession, with the United States economic recovery stalling.
How these events pan out in the next few months will have an impact on the take-up of new launches and where prices are headed, they predicted.
Goldman Sachs analyst Paul Lian said in a report released this month that he leans towards an oversupply of housing in 2013 to 2014 but is mindful of arguments made to the contrary.
'At the very least, the quantum shift from undersupply to either balanced or oversupply is sufficient to take the edge off home prices,' he noted. He expects prices to moderate by 15 per cent over the next 18 to 24 months.
SLP International research head Nicholas Mak sees a more than 50 per cent chance of a correction in the next three years. Whether this will be a short blip or sharp drop, however, depends on how the macroeconomic situation plays out.
RBS' analysts, however, expect mass market homes to be in short supply till 2014 due to the population jump in the past five years and the lower-than-average home completions in the past decade.
The population rise over the past five years averaged 3.5 per cent a year compared to the 1.9 per cent a year growth from 1996 to 2005, they noted, driven by an increase in the number of non-Singaporeans.
'Work permit holders who earn less than $1,800 per month accounted for the largest group of non-Singaporean citizens. This had heightened demand for mass residential homes and the segment would continue to be undersupplied until 2014,' the report added.
When and what to buy?
This has thrown up the question of when buyers should make their move, in the light of the various factors and uncertainties in the market.
While home buyers often try to time the market, experts say that this is very difficult.
Affordability should be the key consideration instead.
Buyers also have to consider their motivations for purchase – budget, urgency of need and availability of what they like, for example – and the type of product they are looking for.
· Resale home or new launch
PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail advised home buyers to broaden their search beyond just new projects to resale properties as well, as such projects can be cheaper.
There are some older freehold or 999-year leasehold projects in the Hillview estate or Flora Road in Pasir Ris, for example, whose per sq ft prices are about 20 per cent cheaper than new 99-year leasehold launches, he noted.
'In both instances, look for homes that offer potential for further upside, such as the Jurong area which the Government has a masterplan for, or possibly Paya Lebar which has also been earmarked to be a commercial centre outside of the city,' he said.
Mr Tan Kok Keong, OrangeTee's head of research and consultancy, also said that buyers should be more cautious in purchasing new homes with benchmark prices as the downside risk for such units is greater during a downturn.
· Investment or owner occupation
If buyers are looking for an investment, they can afford to be more selective and possibly wait it out. But they also need to be disciplined with their initial strategy, SLP's Mr Mak said.
For example, once prices fall by their targeted 5 per cent, buyers should enter the market immediately rather than try to catch the bottom.
'If not, you might just miss the boat because this might be a V-shaped recovery like the last time… But people are usually scared to enter the market when it's down,' he added.
In 2009, the market rebounded within a few months, with sales and prices of new private homes picking up significantly from April – a turnaround from the first quarter that year when sellers were cutting prices just to offload their homes.
However, if buyers are looking for a home to live in for the longer term, pricing becomes less of a factor to consider.
Instead, other factors such as the project's location and its surrounding amenities such as good schools that fit into a buyer's lifestyle and needs should be considered as well.
'Owner-occupiers should not be too disturbed by the volatility – the ups and downs of home prices in the medium term – since they are prepared to keep the property for five years or more. By then, the economic landscape in Singapore and the global front may have improved,' CBRE's Mr Tan said.
Investors, on the other hand, should bear in mind the imposition of the sellers' stamp duty within the first four years of purchase.
Interest rates, while low now, need to be factored into the equation.
'Home buyers should take up a mortgage which they can service comfortably without over-stretching their financial resources, bearing in mind that interest rates may go up from 2012.
'Choose a property that is within easy reach of the MRT and in a neighbourhood that is easily accessible to amenities such as shopping malls, markets, foodcourts, schools. These properties are likely to cost more but they will be able to hold their values better,' Mr Tan said.
· ECs or mass market homes
Those in the middle-income group – the so-called 'sandwich class' with a household income of $8,000 to $12,000 – will now have more choices for homes with the income ceiling being raised.
PropNex's Mr Ismail, however, noted that ECs should be priced about 20 per cent to 25 per cent lower than comparable mass market homes to make up for the sale restrictions. If not, they are not a worthwhile buy, he said.
ECs, like other HDB flats, are subject to a minimum occupation period of five years. After that, they can be sold only to Singaporeans and permanent residents. They become private property after 10 years, and can then be sold to foreigners. A home buyer who is eligible to buy an EC, should take advantage of the opportunity, CBRE's Mr Tan said.
After all, an EC will be partly privatised after five years of occupation and it will have the potential to enjoy price appreciation to the level of private homes in the neighbourhood, he added.
However, the owner has to be mindful that he has to keep the EC for seven to eight years – including its construction period and a five-year mandatory occupation period. Owners of private homes, in comparison, need only to hold the unit for four years if they want to avoid paying the sellers' stamp duty.
· Ensuring affordability
Affordability was the one thread that all experts emphasised as being critical in any purchase decision.
Industry players say this typically means that a household uses less than 40 per cent of its disposable income to service its monthly mortgage.
'Make sure that the remaining 60 per cent is enough for your other commitments and you're not overly stretched… Even in the case that interest rates rise, you can still finance the mortgage,' Propnex's Mr Ismail advised.
OrangeTee's Mr Tan added that buyers should also factor in other potential stresses before buying a home.
'If you lose your job for three to six months, would your savings and CPF funds still be enough for you to cover the mortgage?' he asked.
While potential buyers often hope for prices to fall, this typically happens when the economy is not doing well and when their job is less secure – which, ironically, makes it harder for them to commit to a big-ticket purchase, Mr Tan noted.
On the sidelines of a recent Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore event, Frasers Centrepoint group chief executive Lim Ee Seng also advised young people buying property for the first time not to try to time the market, and to take a long-term perspective instead.
'It's very hard for you to time the market. Even people like us don't know exactly when the property market is going to go up or come down.
'The most important thing is you must be able to afford it. If you can, and the price is within your range, the location is what you want, it is your first house and you're going to stay there long-term – maybe 20 to 30 years – you just go ahead and buy,' he added. This is because in the past 30 years, despite the ups and downs in real estate prices, there has still been a 10 per cent compounded price growth a year, he noted.
Developers at the event noted that it is more important for buyers to be realistic, not to overstretch themselves or to see property as a speculative investment.
'If you can afford only a Japanese car, don't go and buy a Mercedes,' Mr Lim advised.


Kit Lane is the needlefelting master. Her universe of creatures is complicated and entirely original, including Wingnut and Fritz.
Treat yourself to spending time with her flickr stream and website. Her work is playful and perfect.


I used to be quite keen on the twee indie pop scene, you know. It was around the time when Los Campasinos! were dominating and I was all flailing limbs on the front line, at a little club called Twisted by Design. But all that sugary pop eventually overloaded my system and I had to take an extended sabatical, largely consisting of listening to Tom Waits and trying to ace Ramstein on Guitar Hero's Expert setting.
But gradually I recovered my sweet tooth and clambered back on to the Cardiff indie gig scene. Wales Goes Pop was to my first major test. Could I get back into the groove?
Then there was The Onions. Snappy dressers they were, but a terrible name. I mean, they didn't even make me cry. Tch.
Allo Darling, a mainstay of the Cardiff scene, do some fantastic fast-folky-pop armed with ukelele. Twee headline material.
Big Wave were pretty cool. The lead singer was a firecracker, bouncing around stage and being all kinds of awesome.
And then there were The School, soon to be touring America. Lead singer Liz is behind the fest, and rather sportingly chose the early afternoon graveyard slot to have her band play. It's thanks to her I got free tickets to shoot the thing, which was nice. The School have many fine songs. Why not search for them on Youtube, or something?
I really hope to get more gig photography done in future. It really pushes my camera though, a D90 is no longer as cutting edge in the ISO department as it once seemed to be. I found that I could edge up to 1250, but any higher and things seriously began to fall apart. It's only thanks to Lightroom 4 that I can keep the images looking clean - but even I'm helpless in the face of some tonal issues. Ahh well, they pass muster. Still, wouldn't mind a Fuji X-Pro1 or a D600, that'd settle things. Cheers for getting this far anyway, I'll bow out with a handful of photos from t'other bands. Laters!


text:
Q: Reuse laravel form partial When reusing a form partial with a Form::model() and Form::open() I'm running into problems on how to use default values.
For example when using the following form partial partials/form.blade.php:
{!! Form::text('myfield', 'Default') !!}
{!! Form::text('otherfield', '123') !!}
{!! Form::text('yetanother', 'Yet another default') !!}
// Etc

I would include it as follows, create.blade.php:
{!! Form::open() !!}
  @include('partials/form.blade.php')
{!! Form::close() !!}

and for editing edit.blade.php:
{!! Form::model($mymodel) !!}
  @include('partials/form.blade.php')
{!! Form::close() !!}

However the default values can't be used as then with the edit.blade.php all the model values are ignored (it will always be 'Default', '123' and 'Yet another default', and never the actual model values).
And when using null as the default value it would fill the model values for the edit.blade.php, but then the create.blade.php fields will be empty.
What would be a good way to use the model values in the edit and the "default" values for the new model?

A: You can specify the defaults as an array and use Form::model() for the create form as well:
{!! Form::model(['myfield' => 'Default', 'otherfield' => '123', 'yetanother' => 'Yet another default']) !!}
    @include('partials/form.blade.php')
{!! Form::close() !!}

(If there are many more fields I'd pass the defaults from the controller)
And then just use no defaults in form.blade.php:
{!! Form::text('myfield') !!}
{!! Form::text('otherfield') !!}
{!! Form::text('yetanother') !!}

If $mymodel comes directly from the controller you can even use the same view for edit and create:
{!! Form::model($mymodel) !!}
    {!! Form::text('myfield') !!}
    {!! Form::text('otherfield') !!}
    {!! Form::text('yetanother') !!}
{!! Form::close() !!}

And just inject the right thing into the view. Like this:
public function edit($id){
    $mymodel = MyModel::find($id);
    return view('form')->with('mymodel', $mymodel);
}

public function create(){
    $defaults = [
        'myfield' => 'Default',
        'otherfield' => '123',
        'yetanother' => 'Yet another default'
    ];
    return view('form')->with('mymodel', $defaults);
}


text:
Outdoor activities in and around Washington, DC
Your guide to touring Washington, DC with kids
Top 10 Best Road Trips From Washington, DC
Winter Calendar
Skate through the city
Visit Eden Center, DC's Little Saigon
Visit the Holy Land, in Brookland
Tour Baltimore's B-Side
Smithsonian and Beyond! Museums along the National Mall
The Maryland Renaissance Festival at Revel Grove
Best time to go: 08/23 - 10/22
Maryland Renaissance Festival (MDRF), Crownsville site
This year's festival puts a Wolf Hall spin on the storyline:
The day begins well, although eyebrows are raised as it is noticed the Queen is not in attendance, but the King openly flaunts Mistress Anne Boleyn. The King is seeking an annulment from Queen Katherine and hopes to quickly marry Anne Boleyn. The case has been dragging on for years. Cardinal Wolsey assures King Henry that a Court will be assembled, and all will be settled very soon.
This is an opportunity, it seems, to walk through the pages of a Hilary Mantel creation (if that's the closest we can get to the 16th century here in the 21st), brought to life by flamboyant characters in gorgeously imagined costumes.
Beneath the surface, there will also be the unofficial performers who are not paid out of the King's purse, but nonetheless find their way to every Renn Fest.
I have also heard a rumor that the Wheel of Death has made it back again this year, along with the brilliant athleticism and melodrama of the Jousting Troup.
For those who wish to really get into the culture, there are ample camping options nearby. Don't forget your leather.
Peirce Mill and Rock Creek Park
Nearby Ideas
Tour Air and Space at the Smithsonian Udvar Hazy Center
Wander Mawavi (Prince William Forest), the largest National Park in the DMV
NGA Family Day on February 8, 2020 11:00 am
World Embassy Tour on May 2, 2020 10:00 am
First Sunday Arts Fest on May 3, 2020 11:00 am
Cardboard Boat Regatta on June 7, 2020 11:00 am
Ballyshaners Irish Festival on August 22, 2020 11:00 am
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Last year, TrendHunter.com featured the Mark Jenkins Outsider exhibition, but now he has something even sweeter to share with us: passersby reactions caught on tape. You know you wanna watch it!
Some of the most bizarre interactive art has come to life because of Mark Jenkins, from bagged bodies to random toilet paper dispensers. Created for the public, it's about time we saw exactly how they responded. I've included only one of the ten videos available on his website. Try to watch them all, you won't be disappointed.