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Radio musings, 29.4.17
The shares of radio and billboard giant iHeartMedia Inc. have tumbled 27.3 percent since the company warned investors last Thursday that it may not survive over the next 10 months.
So this is what it's come to in April 2017, for one of the biggest media companies in the United States. Why?
Well, honestly, I don't know. All I know is my own story. I haven't bothered with terrestrial radio in a few years now. And that's a huge change from the way I used to be as recently as a decade ago. And even more so before that…before I got satellite radio, I used to be with certain radio stations like a lot of people are with their sports teams. But they fired the deejays, changed the format, and all that good stuff. Sure, the music sucks, but really that's just part of it. As I've put it before, those deejays become a part of your life, in a way the voices of your day, like co-workers, or — dare I say it — friends. You get rid of them and you get rid of a big part of your audience's connection to your radio station, and when you're already behind the eight-ball of having to play the same crappy music over and over, well it makes things that much worse. Is syndicated talent good? Sure it is, but there gets to be a point that there's too much of it. What possible way (beyond financial) does it benefit Texas listeners to have a morning show on their local radio station that's based in North Carolina? Between that and, for example, your modern rock stations not playing any actual modern rock, and all the No. 1 albums that don't actually get any airplay on country radio, it's small if any wonder that we are where we are now.
More great thoughts from Trigger at Saving Country Music here.
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Monday music musings, 24.4.17
There's nothing that ruins a piece of music quite like overproduction. And there are more ways to do that than just the ever-reviled brickwalling. See also: excessive layering, overdubbing, or whatever the proper term is. I mean, layering melody and harmony guitar solos is one thing, but to layer what sounds like the same vocal track over itself on song after song gets to be a bit much, especially on an album that otherwise would have been so much better without it. And then there's layering so many instrumental tracks down that some songs trip over themselves because they're so busy.
For the record, it was the new Aaron Watson album. I'm not gonna lie — I knew it'd be hard for Vaquero to measure up to The Underdog, and in some places it does, but in too many others it's guilty of the sins I mentioned above. Just as an example, "These Old Boots Have Roots" and "Outta Style" between them take the excesses of "Rodeo Queen" (the absolute worst song from the last album) and magnify them to intolerable levels, to say nothing of the former's clunky title and lyrics. And "Run Wild Horses" isn't much better. I heard all these songs, and my reaction was, "this is the guy who'd rather be a fence post in Texas than the king of Tennessee, with everything that implies in relation to his music?" Maybe that's not fair, but when you write a song about telling a Nashville record man to take his contract and blow it out his ass, that sort of thing tends to set certain expectations.
The album isn't without its high points, and maybe it'll grow on me much like Jason Boland's latest, which has gotten to be a pretty regular listen. (I guess it just took me a while to come around to the genius inherent to that one.) But much like its predecessor — more so, even —Vaquero would benefited tremendously with some editing, and with 16 songs it would have been quite easy to do that. I do still think AW's one of the good guys, though. Guess I'll just be listening to The Underdog until the next album comes out.
Aaaand yet again, this time via Saving Country Music, WTF Dean Dillon?
You gotta understand, I live, eat, sleep and breathe songs," Dillon says. "Where are all the great songs that I know get written in Nashville? Every song is about the same damn thing. Daisy Dukes, trucks, beer, lake banks, time, after time, after time, after time. The bro country thing started 12 years ago, and 12 years later, they're still singing the same things. Do they not evolve? Get older? Get married? Have kids? Get jobs and shift in society? There's no movement in it.
OK. So before I go any further, let's just get this out of the way. Dean Dillon's catalog of songs speaks for itself, very loudly and very clearly. He absolutely has the skins on the wall to say whatever the hell he wants about country music and be listened to.
Now, with that said, there was this from 2013:
"I hear a lot of disgruntlement going on with what's going on in country music in today's world," he said. "There's a box. And there's some cowboys out there kicking the sides down on it right now. And stretching the boundaries. And pushing the limits. And putting new twists and turns on it. And they go out there and they play every night to these thousands and thousands of people. And they sing their songs to their generation. And that's what it's all about."
Why is it that in 2013 it was "pushing the limits" and all that nonsense, but a mere four years later, it's "12 years later, they're still singing the same things"? He might as well have called it evolution back then too, just like all the chucklefucks singing and writing that shit were and are doing. (Such makes Dillon's question "do they not evolve" all the more bitterly ironic, really.) I know that there are some things whose merit is only borne out with time, but there are also some things that we ought to be able to call out as bullshit right away. I mean, good grief, could we not have said right off the bat that Florida-Georgia Line and "Cruise" (or Luke Bryan and "That's My Kind of Night") were going to be a disaster for the genre?
Again, good for Dean for calling these sad sacks out, but where was he back in 2013?
And in other WTFery, there's this, re: Robert Earl Keen's "Shades of Gray":
How? How could you not know if you actually listened to that song that he alludes to the Oklahoma City bombing? I mean, the man's a master of not beating you over the head, but come oooon! Do people just not listen to songs anymore?
(As a postscript to that, on a related note, an image of the April 20, 1995 front page of the Dallas Morning News popped up in my news feed. On said front page was a certain picture that I really was not expecting my reaction to. I am sure you know the one, as it is the most famous photograph taken of the horrors of that day. The brain plays a nasty, mean trick on you when you're a parent — you see your own kids in pictures of certain horrors, and it's…it's not pretty. Perhaps I should have expected it, as little Duncan is about that age, but there is just no hell that is hot enough for the likes of Timothy McVeigh…)
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It's a fine and noble thing to wish for, but we're not going to get a Randy Travis or Dwight Yoakam-inspired album or even single out of the likes of Thomas Rhett. He has made no secret of the fact that he's a bigger fan of rock and pop than country; in fact, he's so lacking in self-awareness that he wears it like a badge of honor. The closest Rhett would ever get to that would probably be something inspired by Bryan White, or maybe Mark Wills, i.e., nothing even in that time zone. I have said it before and will say it again: Thomas Rhett is the very personification of what Alan Jackson sings about in "Gone Country." I saw Don Henley cited in the comments as someone who made pop and country records that were equally good, but to the extent that Cass County works as a country album (and it does so very well, IMO), that's because of Don Henley's love of country music. One of the songs on Cass County was a cover of the Louvin Brothers' "When I Stop Dreaming," and another, "The Cost of Living," was a duet with Merle Haggard.
But Thomas Rhett doesn't have that. If you asked Rhett who the Louvin Brothers were, he'd probably say they were the guys who did "Summer in the City."
And as far as Maren Morris goes, can the mainstream media please stop pushing her as country music's next great female hope now? "My Church" was more or less the inverse of "I Hope You Dance" — i.e., the best, most country song on Morris' album, with the rest of it being a bunch of pop music masquerading as country, and now there's this mess with Thomas Rhett. If there was any justice in it, her career as a country music singer would be finished.
Speaking of IHYD, we heard that song the other night when we were out for dinner. And it reminded me of certain observations I've made elsewhere, specifically:
The worst thing about the song "I Hope You Dance" was not that it was too pop-sounding, nor that it was dreadfully overrated, though the latter is definitely true. No, the worst thing about that song was that it wasn't even close to an accurate reflection of who Lee Ann Womack was and is as an artist. It wasn't even typical of the songs on the album that shared its title. I remember people falling all over themselves praising that song, people who didn't normally pay that much if any attention to country music in general, and I thought, "You people have no idea…"
I have said before that beyond the title track, I Hope You Dance was a pretty typical Lee Ann Womack album, and that I regretted holding off on buying it for so long, and the inverse of that is likely true to some extent. What do I mean, you ask?
Well, let's put it like this: I would be interested to know how many pop music fans bought that album and were turned off by "The Healing Kind," "Lonely Too," and "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger," i.e., what is this twangy bullshit?
Album review: William Clark Green, Live At Gruene Hall
We first discovered William Clark Green with his breakthrough album, 2013's Rose Queen, and 2015's Ringling Road was even better. When I heard at the beginning of 2016 that he was going to record a live album at Gruene Hall, I had high hopes and expectations.
And they were wildly exceeded. Band, singer, and audience are all in top form. As good as the studio versions of the songs are, the live versions take them to another level, particularly with the cuts from Green's pre-Rose Queen albums. The balls-to-the-wall 11-minute "Wishing Well" jam is worth the price of admission all by itself (Green belting out the first line of the chorus on that song will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck), and "Caroline," Gypsy," and Tonight" also receive excellent treatment here.
Now, that's not to say that the songs from Rose Queen and Ringling Road, which make up the bulk of the set, are in any way subpar in comparison. "Sympathy" rocks just as hard as the RR original, and "Still Think About You" is the album's most moving moment, with Green paying poignant tribute to his mentor and co-writer Kent Finlay. And the "She Likes the Beatles" singalong is a lot of fun, even if I did get a bit worn out on it from hearing it on the radio all the time back when it was a big hit here in Texas.
But Green does say that that song changed his life. It may well have gotten him the status he needed to have to be able to record this album. If so, it was more than worth it, because Live At Gruene Hall is more than deserving of a place in the pantheon of great Texas live albums, right alongside the likes of No. 2 Live Dinner, Unleashed Live, and Viva Terlingua!. Very, VERY highly recommended.
31 seconds, Brad Paisley! 31 seconds of "Heaven South" was all I could take!
I am a son of the South, make no mistake about it. Born in North Mississippi, raised in East Texas, and I am quite familiar with what Paisley talks about in the song…
…and even I think it's the most overrated thing ever. I LIKE living in the city and everything it offers, and I make no apologies for that. Living in a place where there's little more to do than hunt, fish, and watch UFC kinda sucks, especially when one has no interest in that last thing. (And don't even get me started on that high school football business — because you know that's another integral part of all this — especially right as the news here in San Antonio is being dominated by the arrests of several football players from a local high school on charges of sexual assault under the guise of "hazing.")
I guess I say all of that to say this: At this point I really don't think there's a new, original way of expressing the sentiments Paisley has expressed in that song. Songs about the rural South have just been done to death. I think the last good song that fits anywhere in that vein would be Alan Jackson's "Small Town Southern Man," but that was just as much a tribute to AJ's dad as it was his way of life, and as far as I can tell we don't really have any singer-songwriters in mainstream country on his level anymore, so stuff like "Heaven South" is what we're going to keep getting. More's the pity.
And what also really get me is comments like this one:
Never blame the artist for what the fans love and buy!
Why not? I remember when I was getting in on the ground floor of the Texas music movement back around the turn of the century, it trafficked in a lot of the same bro-country tropes we deride now, albeit with a Texas flavor (floating the Guadalupe, drinking Shiner Bock or Lone Star instead of Fireball, etc.) As Brad Beheler at Galleywinter so eloquently put it:
There are current acts in Texas and Oklahoma that are flamed for doing music similar to what Pat Green and Cory Morrow were making fifteen years ago. But, if songs like "Drink One More Round" or "Southbound 35″ were to be released today wouldn't those types of songs be lumped in with the Donahew white trash lowest common denominator Texas stuff? I recall many old school Robert Earl Keen and Jerry Jeff fans denouncing PG and CM as copycat kids in it to make a buck playing to frat guys with backwards hats and neon-tinged morals.
But even though many of the artists got away from that, the scene here is still going pretty strong, to the point that you get acts like William Clark Green and the Turnpike Troubadours filling the same venues now that Roger Creager and Cory Morrow did back then. I might not blame the artist for the fans buying the artist's music, but I will certainly blame the artist for not challenging himself and his fans with meatier material — especially when said artist was challenging his fans with meatier material once upon a time. It's like as the Texas scene was evolving, Brad Paisley and Nashville in general were devolving, albeit not along the same timeline.
Speaking of all that, the irony is bitter indeed in this meme from Farce the Music:
What's that, you ask?
Well, the Academy of Country Music was formed in response to the Country Music Association not giving West Coast artists like Merle Haggard and Buck Owens enough recognition. It was an…alternative, if you will.
Now, instead of, say, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, or Jason Boland and Billy Joe Shaver, or William Clark Green and Jack Ingram, if you watched the ACM awards the other night, you got…whatever the hell this is. (I am given to believe it's Florida-Georgia Line and the Backstreet Boys.)
"…it's such a pleasure to play music for people who give a shit."
I am confident that absolutely no one who gives a shit was on that stage or in that audience.
It's not so much that radio country has gone to hell. Pretty much nothing I listen to anymore is played on terrestrial radio outside of the AM spectrum. But I remember when it wasn't so difficult if not impossible to find good music on the radio, old and new. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss that, not to mention folks like George and Alan representing this genre with so much class in the mainstream.
Monday music musings, 3.4.17
Messing around in the archives of Lone Star Music, I came up on this Jason Boland interview from some time ago. Key snippet:
What were you listening to back then?
Well, you know, growing up, you just listen to whatever your dad listened to — Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, and some folk music, and then just whatever was on the radio. And as far as more modern country, the things that really interested me … I liked Clint Black's early stuff, a lot of that was great. Those were some of the country albums from my generation that really blew me away. And then of course I listened to rock, too: Pantera, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden.
Wait, what? The guy who did songs like "Pearl Snaps" and "Hank" listened to the likes of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden? Huh. Now, I know those hard country songs are not all Boland does — see, among others, "Green Screen," "It's Alright to be an Asshole," " and "Thunderbird Wine," and those not-so-country influences come through rather loudly. But even towards the end of that latter number, they throw in a wailing fiddle solo that'd make Bob Wills proud.
I know I keep coming back to that, but I think it's probably at the root of my gripes with mainstream country. "We didn't grow up listening to just country music!" Well, if a traditional country standard-bearer like Jason Boland can come of age listening to fucking Judas Priest and Pantera, then Luke Bryan and Florida-Georgia Line don't have any excuse — unless, of course, they're just lying to us all about having listened to any country music growing up. Which is a distinct possibility.
Confession time:
You know that I scoff at certain people's nostalgia for '90s country as some sort of golden age, and I know he's a laughingstock to a lot of people now, but I can't deny that Doug Supernaw's debut album, Red and Rio Grande, was one of the most underrated albums of that time period. It did spawn a No. 1 hit with "I Don't Call Him Daddy," but there was a lot more to it than that, including covers of Keith Whitley ("I Would Have Loved You All Night Long") and Dan Seals ("Five Generations of Rock County Wilsons"). And I have no idea how I only now came to recognize the meta brilliance of the honky-tonk shuffle "You're Gonna Bring Back Cheatin' Songs" — a cheating song that talks about the cheater's actions boosting their popularity, whaaat?
But there's a reason I got this album on both cassette and cd — and now mp3 — and it's this song right here:
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Ramblings on guns, politics, music and other things...pull up a seat..."Long has the Second Amendment been protecting the First, I think it is time for the First to pay back in kind." Now if your computer and printing press mean to you what this gun means to me, then I think we understand each other and we'll just let it be...but if you think it's funny, man, you got my back up against the wall, and if you touch my gun, you're gonna have to fight us all...
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Spotlight 2020: This holiday season, we are extremely grateful to those who have given us a glimmer of hope in these difficult times.
About Burness
Providing Context to Your Work: Pairing Your Research Findings with a Compelling Message
By: Gideon Hertz
People often confuse their research findings with a "message." To reach your audiences effectively, you need both. In preparation for a recent training workshop we tracked down this NPR story that was not only topical, but a perfect example of pairing a message with research.
First the research findings on the relationship between bisphosphonates, drugs like Boniva for osteoporosis, and a rare fracture of the thighbone provide the necessary news hook, an accurate and factual summary to capture immediate interest.
Dr. GILLIAN HAWKER (St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto): Although the number of fractures of these unusual fractures was pretty small—they're pretty rare—it nonetheless did show a relationship with longer-term use.
The message follows as an accurate, powerful and in depth description of the findings. While the findings explain the new research on osteoporosis medications, the message goes beyond the specific results, connects with listeners and answers the question: Who cares and Why? Ultimately, it puts this research into a larger context and tells listeners what this means to them.
Dr. HAWKER: Hip fracture is a horrible, horrible event, period. Very, very devastating, and often an end-of-life event… You know, I'm in my early 50s, and my mother and all my friends' mothers have horrible osteoporosis, multiple fractures. And that is really preventable in 2011. That's wonderful. But in the heyday of the early days, when we all got excited about these medications, I think a lot of people who really probably didn't need to be on them, went on them.
You can listen to the complete story here. See if you can spot the difference and as always notice the power and effectiveness of the personal story.
COVID-19: People Aren't Just Getting Sick — They're Also Going Hungry
Widespread layoffs means millions of people are no longer able to pay rent and buy food. School closures means millions of kids who rely on school meals risk losing their primary source of food. Having access to healthy food is essential to staying healthy.
Building Capacity...In Developing Stories That Grab Reporters
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iPhone fraud is costing Apple more than $6 million – CNET
iPhone-Scam Apple costs more than $6 million – CNET
The defendants faced several charges, including fraud, conspiracy, identity theft and money laundering.
The Ministry of justice on Wednesday, 14 people charged for their alleged participation in a project that swapping with fake iPhones and iPads for legit devices at the Apple Stores in the U.S. and Canada. Apple estimates that the operation costs a minimum of $6.1 million, according to a press release from the Ministry of justice.
"The making of counterfeiting — and their use to defraud U.S. companies — seeks to fundamentally undermine the market and harms the innocent people whose identities were stolen for the promotion of these activities," said US attorney Robert Brewer in a press release.
over 10,000 fake iPhones and iPads were imported from China as part of the scheme, according to the indictment. The fake devices were intentionally damaged and then replaced at Apple Stores for new Original equipment. To pull out of the swap, the used fake devices in the wrong, IMEI and serial numbers-unique numbers for the identification of devices — from current iPhones and iPads in the possession of other people and is covered by an Apple warranty. The real iPhones and iPads were then sent back to China and other countries to be sold at a premium, the justice Department said.
The defendants face charges of fraud, conspiracy, identity theft and money laundering, according to the DOJ. Law enforcement authorities arrested 11 of the defendants as of Wednesday, including three brothers who allegedly led the criminal group.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
iPhone 11: 3 mobile phones, to be checked. What do you choose?
Why the 16-inch MacBook Pro is a departure from the 'I teach'
Building and Home Automation market Expansion is Projected to be an upward trend until 2025: Schneider Electric, Vantage Controls, Crestron Electronics, iControl Networks, HoneywelL – Eastlake Times


This morning I was on foot, and I knew it. I had not scouted out a spot for a sunrise shot. So I left the hotel at 7:30 a.m. to walk the street. I still had some nice light and this day turned out to be one of those partly cloudy days with big puffy clouds that often offer some filtering of the sun and allow extended shooting hours.
But I digress (a familiar failing in my writing). This morning, I started by walking out to the causeway to Goat Island, knowing the sun would be behind me as the Newport Bridge was west of Newport. The two images here with the bridge in the background were taken from the causeway to to Goat Island, near the Newport Shipyard. You can see the Goat Island Light in both of them and perhaps can forgive me for thinking the light, itself, did not lend itself to being a photographic subject. I didn't "see" the composition above until I saw someone else's photograph. I usually encourage making your own composition with your own vision. And my image is not identical to the one we saw. But it was such a pleasant image that I had to try to do it myself. And over the years I have certainly made a number of images that were inspired by similar ones I have seen.
South of the Shipyard, just out the back door of the hotel, was a transition area from shipyard/industrial/fishing. We didn't try it, but there was a nice little lobster shack (reminiscent of those shacks near the Maine lobster pounds).
The bridge is north of the commercial/touristy part of downtown. The waterfront area north of the bridge is mainly the Naval Facility. We didn't venture there. America's Cup Avenue goes south from the bridge toward the downtown area. As it merges into the main part of downtown, it turns east. But continuing straight south takes you onto Thames Street, which is where most of the shops and restaurants, and the waterfront area, lies. From the front door of our hotel, we could walk the waterfront all the way. It is a labyrinth of piers, shops, and moorings. Down every street to the west of America's Cup Avenue and Thames is another small port, condo complex, or shop, bar and restaurant area.
One prime takeaway from my short visit to Newport is that Newport is about boats. Everywhere you look there are boats, from commercial fishing vessels, to sailboats to power boats (some of them the size of a small cruise ship), to military vessels. They are big and small (though the big, was TEXAS – big. I grew up around boats and some of the so-called "big" boats here on the great lakes could serve as a tender for some of the small ships I saw here 🙂 ).
We happened to be there, coincidentally, during The Newport International Boat Show. As everywhere in life, this made for some negatives (a lot more people, some areas blocked off and inaccessible, traffic, and perhaps higher prices) and some positives. Since I like to consider myself a "glass half full" kind of a guy, I certainly embraced the positives: Lots going on on the waterfront, and boats and other additions that probably wouldn't be there on an "everyday" weekday.
New England known for some very good classic boat building and restoration facilities. There was no lack of classic wooden boats here and some of them were impressive, including "Hemmingway's Boat," shown here, and in the background, the restored, classic wooden boat we toured later that day. I continued to walk the waterfront for a couple hours. Though "touristy" there are some very nice little shops, most of which are decorated in the New England (or perhaps Rhode Island) tradition, and some unique touches, like the dog-friendly establishments which seem to be gaining momentum here in the U.S.
Enjoyed the walk with you. Went there several times, on business, in the early 80's. One of my favorite trips was in December. Went to some Christmas concerts in some of the churches in town.


Don't let Scumbag Steve to Mosquito win. Don't share conspiracy theories about microcephaly.
Like a lot of couples, my wife and I have waited to start a family until the time was right for us, which just so happens to be now-ish. Unfortunately the right time for us has coincided with the spread of the Zika virus in North America, a virus that shows an association between infection with it during pregnancy and an increased risk of microcephaly (reduced brain/head size) in newborns. The Zika virus is not a new virus from a historical perspective, however, the newly accepted correlation with microcephaly seems to have given the virus a significant amount of media attention.
For any expectant parent – or couples planning on getting pregnant, like my wife and me – the possibility of a Zika infection is terrifying. My wife and I are the kind of people who like to arm ourselves with information, so let's dive into Zika virus infections and take a look at some facts and figures.
What is Microcephaly + What's the Link to Zika?
With the increasing news coverage of Zika and it's reported link to the birth defect microcephaly we've received a number of reader questions about microcephaly and what it actually means for children born with the condition. We reached out to infectious disease specialist, Dr. Judy Stone, to answer some of your questions.
What does microcephaly actually mean (Is the brain small, does it stop growing at a certain stage, is part of the brain missing)?
Microcephaly literally means an abnormally small head. Both the skull and brain are abnormally small with microcephaly, and X-ray studies often show abnormal calcified areas in the brain and lack of normal development.
Is Zika the only way a baby can be born with microcephaly or are there other risk factors?
Microcephaly has been associated with many infections as well as genetic abnormalities, malnutrition, or exposure to certain toxins. It already happens very rarely in the U.S. due to the level of nutrition and prenatal care most women receive (although even with good nutrition and proper prenatal care, microcephaly can still occur due to certain genetic factors or infections). Even in Brazil, the "epidemic" of this birth defect is thought to be <1%. Some researchers think that some of the sudden apparent increase reflects changes in reporting rather than new illnesses. It's also important to know that the link right now is just correlated with Zika, there hasn't yet been a cause and effect relationship proven, but it's enough to raise alarm bells.
The Zika virus has been in the news a lot lately because it's been linked to a cluster of cases of microcephaly in Brazil and Columbia. Microcephaly is a rare birth defect where the fetus' brain does not develop fully in utero, and as a result, the baby is born with an abnormally small head and multiple neurological disorders.
Public health officials have been aware of Zika for decades, however, it was only believed to only cause mild flu-like symptoms with few, if any, lasting negative outcomes. The virus is spread by mosquitoes and recently cases as far north as Mexico, Hawaii and Puerto Rico have concerned public health officials in North America.
On January 15, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a level-two travel alert for Latin America and the Caribbean, with a special note for pregnant women to avoid those areas. Since then we've been asked about Zika by a number of readers. We reached out to Dr. Waleed Al-Salem, a tropical medicine specialist and father based in Liverpool, England, to have him answer your questions.


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NBC Sports Chicago
MLB Free Agency: Bryce Harper's take on ex-Cub Kris Bryant's market
Scott Boras
Gordon Wittenmyer
American sports agent
Bryce Harper's advice for Bryant, others in uncertain market originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Bryce Harper, who just won his second MVP award this week, sees a "crazy" winter of baseball business with labor talks complicating free agency — but also predicts a good outcome for Las Vegas buddy Kris Bryant, the former Cubs MVP who steps into the roiling waters of this winter's market just a few months after getting traded to the Giants.
If anybody should know about crazy free agent markets, issues surrounding the collective bargaining agreement and Bryant's likely path, it's probably Harper, an active member of the players union, who didn't sign his own record free agent contract until spring training had begun that year and who shares an agent with Bryant.
That agent is Scott Boras, who has negotiated six of the seven biggest free agent contracts in total value in baseball history (and the top three in average annual value).
"Free agency's always tough," Harper said during a conversation this summer with NBC Sports Chicago. "Going in you never know where you're going to sign or what teams are going to be in. Some teams you think are going to be in aren't going to be in.
"The thing with Scott when I was going through it is he told me, 'Hey, you might not sign till March 1, somewhere in there.' " he added, "so me and my wife were just like, 'OK, we'll just go through it like we're getting ready for spring training by March 1.'
"We weren't really worried about anything else. we were just going to go along with the process and let the chips fall where they may."
He signed with the Phillies on March 2, 2019.
"So not too bad," he said.
Also not too bad: 13 years, $330 million.
Bryant, the fourth-ranked free agent on the market, according to mlbtraderumors.com, won't command nearly that much, if for no other reason than he's four years older than Harper was entering free agency.
But Harper's experience is instructive not only for how Bryant's market — at least in terms of timing and strategy — might play out, but also for the events that have led to the industry's stormiest labor negotiations since the 1994-95 stoppage as baseball faces an all-but-assured lockout by owners on Dec. 2.
Harper, who joined Manny Machado, also 26 at the time, at the top of their free agent class, represented one of the biggest reasons teams used publicly to explain the previous winter's slowest-moving free agent market since teams engaged in collusion in the 1980s: Teams were "keeping their powder dry" for the big fish in the Harper-Machado class.
In fact, the markets moves just as slowly that following year. Machado (10 years, $300 million) and Harper got their market-setting contracts, but not until February for Machado and even later for Harper.
The effects of the 2017-21 CBA — which included tiny increases in the luxury-tax thresholds relative to revenues and recent salary trends — began to awaken the union's rank and file to salary-suppression issues that have decreased the average salary in baseball (pre-pandemic) at a time of record industry revenue (also pre-pandemic).
Harper shrugged off a question about what it might be like for him to go through free agency this winter compared to when he did. But the top free agents in recent years haven't seen the impact as much as the "middle-class" of established, 30-something veterans, who have been squeezed the most.
Maybe that's why he sounded as optimistic as he did over Bryant's prospects of getting top value, even though a lockout comes with a transaction freeze until a labor agreement is reached.
Harper said he hadn't talked directly on that subject in conversations with Bryant, who has braced — if not prepared for this moment — for years.
"Him and Jess, they have a great head on their shoulders, and they're great people, and they have a great family," Harper said of Bryant and his wife, Jessica. "So I think they have all the communication they need. They've got Scott Boras, of course. He's an incredible agent, just to be able to throw things up at him. He's seen it all.
"Kris is going to be OK, anywhere he goes or anything that he does."
Whether that's in Seattle, New York or somewhere less expected, that's assuming the owners and union get a deal done in time for one of those big, late signings to happen.
Harper said he was optimistic there will be no games lost in 2022, a sentiment expressed by insiders on both sides of the table who seem to be preparing for an on-time start to spring training.
"I hope the guys that go through [this free agent market] are able to get things that they want to have from each team that they talk to," Harper said. "As long as guys can try to keep level-headed and understand that it might take a while, but they'll get to where they need to. …
"The CBA is a totally different discussion," he added. "That's going to be crazy for both sides of the game. But as players we want to be able to get on the field as quick as possible, and I think as ownership they want to to get on the field as quick as possible as well."
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St. Louis CyberKnife is located in the SSM Health Cancer Care center on the Garden Level of the St. Francis Building on the SSM Health St. Clare Hospital campus which is just over a mile and a half from I-44 in Fenton.
There is one entrance to SSM Health St. Clare Hospital off of Bowles Avenue. Turn into the entrance and follow the signs to St. Louis CyberKnife. The sign for SSM Health Cancer Care | St. Louis CyberKnife is on the exterior of our building and complimentary parking and shuttle service is available in front of our building.
If you are scheduled for a scan prior to your visit with your doctor, enter through the sliding glass doors on the left and follow the hallway to the outpatient imaging registration desk.
If you are only scheduled to see your doctor, enter the front of the building through the sliding glass doors on the right. There will be an elevator just inside the entrance. Take the elevator down one floor to the Ground Level. You will exit the elevator into the waiting area of SSM Health Cancer Care and St. Louis CyberKnife. When you approach the front desk, please inform the receptionist of your visit with CyberKnife.


Hydrogen represents one of the most promising renewable energy sources for next generation energy systems, however, its large scale production is high cost and high energy. A proof-of-concept alkaline-acid electrolyzer is reported here that can significantly reduce the amount of electrical energy consumed in electrolytic hydrogen production, implemented by the development of self-supported bimetallic Ni–Co compound electrodes used as the anode and cathode, respectively, where a urea oxidation reaction (UOR) occurs at the alkaline Ni0.67Co0.33(OH)2 nanosheet anode, coupled to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the acidic Ni0.67Co0.33S2 cathode. The asymmetric-electrolyte electrolyzer can efficiently harvest two kinds of energies, i.e. electrochemical neutralization energy (ENE) and electrochemical urea oxidation energy, to assist electrolytic hydrogen production using waste urea, acid, and base. The as-designed electrolyzer can deliver a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for electrolytic H2 generation with a rather low applied voltage of 0.54 V, with the potential to use up waste urea, acid and base.


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Next:AIR DEFENSE: Keeping S-300 Alive
Electronic Weapons: E-767 AWACS Grows Up
December 15, 2010: Japan is upgrading its ten-year old AWACS (Air Warning And Control) aircraft. Unlike U.S. AWACS, that are based on the 60 year old Boeing 707, the Japanese AWACS is built on the 30 year old Boeing 767. The 767 has 50 percent more floor space and twice the internal volume of the 707. The Japanese AWACS will get the latest radar and electronics improvements, which will make the systems cheaper to maintain and more reliable, as well as easier to use. The upgrades will cost over $50 million for each of Japan's four AWACS.
It was two years ago that the U.S. Air Force completed testing its latest E-3 AWACS upgrades. This Block 40/45 version consists largely of replacing the 1980s era computers and electronics with modern gear. This also makes it possible to more quickly upgrade hardware and software (often using off-the-shelf commercial stuff) in the future. Most visibly, the new software eliminates most of the hundreds of switches and knobs that surrounded the monitors and keyboards of the old model. Not only are many operations automated, using many functions are now point-and-click on a screen, not a separate switch.
The AWACS proved to be a key to victory in the 1991, 2001 and 2003 campaigns. The critical element in this was knowing where all friendly aircraft were at all times. Directing a lot of warplanes over enemy territory has long been a problem. It was elegantly solved with the development of airborne control aircraft like the E-3. But it took over half a century to perfect this approach.
The problem was first noted during World War II, when operations involving over a thousand aircraft in the air at once demonstrated how out-of-control things could get. But no technical solution was available. That is, you could not put a radar in an aircraft powerful enough to get the big picture, the entire picture.
However the U.S. Navy did plan to use radar equipped TBF Avengers to control the fighter screen protecting the fleet from Japanese suicide bombing attacks during the planned 1945 invasion of Japan. But the invasion never came off and the Navy pursued the radar equipped control aircraft idea at a more leisurely pace after the war. The navy E-1 airborne early warning aircraft first flew in 1956 and entered service in 1960. While mainly used to extend the radar coverage of a naval task force, this type of aircraft also had a vital role in controlling large numbers of friendly warplanes in air battles.
The U.S. Air Force also kept working on the problem. By 1953, the Air Force was able to send propeller driven transports (EC 121 Lockheed Constellations), equipped with powerful radar and radio equipment, off the coasts of North America to watch for Russian bombers. Beginning in 1965, the first of thirty EC 121s was sent to Vietnam, where they controlled combat operations in the northern part of the country. As useful as these aircraft were, it was obvious that, with a little more technology, one could really control air combat operations.
The ultimate solution came in the form of a four engine jet transport converted to a flying radar station and control tower. This was the E-3 AWACS, whose development began in the late 1960s, and the first prototypes were flying in the late 1970s. The E-3 went into regular use in 1982. Flying far enough inside friendly territory to avoid enemy anti aircraft missiles, the AWACS radar has a radar range of between 200 km (for small aircraft or cruise missiles flying close to the ground) to 600 km (for large aircraft flying at high altitude). The AWACS tracks several hundred friendly and enemy aircraft at once. The AWACS acts as an airborne command center for aircraft. Friendly planes are kept out of each other's way (there was not a single friendly air to air collision during the 1991 Gulf war, or in any subsequent operations using the E-3.)
Enemy aircraft are spotted, identified and friendly interceptors assigned to take care of the hostile planes. One or more AWACS is used to control an air operation and each can stay up eleven hours at a time, or up to 22 hours with refueling and extra crew on board to man the equipment. Its first wartime workout, during the 1991 Gulf war, was a spectacular success, often in more ways than anticipated. For example, the use of over a hundred tankers to refuel combat aircraft would not have been possible without the AWACS being there to efficiently link tankers and aircraft needing fuel. Forming up the Wild Weasels, and coordinating their use with the bombers they escorted, was much easier using an AWACS. Just keeping track of who was who and going where would not have been possible without the AWACS.
MEXICO: Sending In The Marines
AIR DEFENSE: Keeping S-300 Alive
Electronic Weapons: Current 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999


text:
\section*{}
\vspace{-1cm}

The concept of the ``empty liquid state'' has been formulated over a decade ago \cite{Bianchi2006} and since then a substantial amount of work has been published to identify and rationalize this phenomenon in framework of the patchy colloidal models
\cite{Tavares2009,Russo2011a,Russo2011b,Heras2011,Kalyuzhnyi2013,Rovigatti2013,Sokolowski2014,Tavares2017}.
According to Bianchi et al., \cite{Bianchi2006} a decrease of the valency of the patchy colloids (number of singly bondable patches) causes the liquid-gas phase diagram to shrink and disappear in the limit of two patches per particle. Upon approaching this limit the critical  temperature decreases, the liquid branch of the phase diagram is moving towards the gas branch and  the liquid phase density can take arbitrarily small values. This state of the liquid phase was named ``empty'' \cite{Bianchi2006}. To maintain continuous change of the valency, the authors consider a two-component mixture of patchy hard spheres with two and three bonding sites and assume that the phase behavior of this mixture can be described by a pseudo one-component fluid with an effective valency, which is defined by the relative concentration of the components. Subsequently, it
was realized that the empty liquid state can be achieved assuming bonding sites to be of the different
type. Due to the competition between formation of the bonds connecting different patches the particles can self-assembly into the structures of different type, e.g. chains and branched structures. Appropriate choice for the energy parameters, which describe interaction between different patches, makes chain formation preferable at low  and branching at higher temperatures; as a result the empty liquid state can be achieved
\cite{Russo2011a,Russo2011b,Heras2011,Kalyuzhnyi2013,Rovigatti2013,Sokolowski2014,Tavares2017}.
The corresponding phase diagrams are re-entrant, which is rather unusual feature for the one-component fluids and makes them different in comparison with those observed earlier \cite{Bianchi2006}.
The ability of liquid to be stabilized at vanishing low density offers the possibility
to establish equilibrium colloidal gel state \cite{Sciortino2017}. In this state the system is thermodynamically stable, in contrast to the standard colloidal gels, the equilibrium gel is reversible and does not age. Recently, the empty liquid state was observed experimentally for several systems, including suspensions of laponit \cite{Ruzicka2011a,Ruzicka2011b} and montmorillonite \cite{Pujala2015,Pajula2019} clay particles (see \cite{Sciortino2017} and references therein).

In this Letter we have studied the phase behavior of the patchy colloidal particles with several equivalent singly bondable patches, confined in the attractive porous media. According to our study, confinement give rise to the re-entrant phase diagram with arbitrarily low density of the liquid phase.

\begin{figure}[!h]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[clip,height=0.25\textwidth,angle=0]{fig1a.pdf}\\
	\includegraphics[clip,height=0.25\textwidth,angle=0]{fig1b.pdf}
	\caption{\label{fig1} Liquid-gas phase diagrams in $T^*$ vs $\rho_1^*$ coordinate frame for the three-patch
(top panel) and
four-patch (low panel) colloidal model confined in the Yukawa hard-sphere matrix with $\eta_0=0.1$ and for $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.0$
(black lines), $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.1$ (red lines),
$\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.16$ (green lines),
$\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.22$
(blue lines). Here black dashed lines denote the phase diagram at $\eta_0=0$ and $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.0$. }
\end{figure}

{\it Model.} -- We consider one-component patchy hard-sphere fluid confined in the random porous media. The media is represented by the matrix of Yukawa hard spheres quenched at hard-sphere fluid equilibrium. Each particle of the fluid has $n_s$ square-well bonding sites (patches) located on its surface. Interaction between the fluid particles and between matrix and fluid particles is described by the following pair potentials:
\be
U_{11}(12)=U_{11}^{(hs)}(r)+\sum_{KL}U_{KL}^{(as)}(12)
\label{U11}
\end{equation}
and
\be
U_{01}(r)=U_{10}(r)=U_{01}^{(hs)}(r)-{\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}\sigma_{01}\over r}
\exp{\left[-\alpha\left(r-\sigma_{01}\right)\right]},
\label{U01}
\end{equation}
respectively. Here
\be
U^{(as)}_{KL}(12)=U^{(as)}_{11}(z_{12})=\left\{
\begin{array}{rl}
-\epsilon^{(as)}_{11}, & {\rm for}\;z_{12}\le\omega\\
0, & {\rm otherwise}
\end{array}
\right.,
\label{UKL}
\end{equation}
the lower indices 0 and 1 denote the particles of the matrix and fluid, respectively.
1 and 2 denote position and orientation of the corresponding particles, the lower indices
$K$ and $L$ take the values $A,B,C,\ldots$ and denote bonding sites. $U^{(hs)}_{11}(r)$ and
$U^{(hs)}_{01}(r)$ are fluid-fluid and fluid-matrix hard-sphere potentials, respectively,
$\epsilon^{(Y)}_{01}$ is the strength of Yukawa interaction, $z_{12}$ denotes the distance
between corresponding bonding sites, while $\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}$ and $\omega$ are the depth and
width of the site-site square-well interaction. The hard-sphere sizes of the fluid and matrix
particles are $\sigma_1$ and $\sigma_0$, respectively, $\sigma_{01}=(\sigma_1+\sigma_0)/2$
and we consider the system at temperature $T$, having the fluid and matrix number densities $\rho_1$ and $\rho_0$.

{\it Theory.} -- Theoretical description of the model is carried out combining Wertheim's
thermodynamic perturbation theory \cite{Wertheim1987} (TPT), scale particle theory
\cite{Holovko2009,Patsahan2011,Holovko2013}  (SPT) and
replica Ornstein-Zernike (ROZ) equation \cite{Given1992,Given1993}. According to Wertheim's TPT
\cite{Wertheim1987} Helmholtz free energy of the system is
\be
A=A_{hs}+\Delta A_{Y}+\Delta A_{as},
\label{TPT}
\end{equation}
where $A_{hs}$ is Helmholtz free energy of the hard-sphere fluid confined in the hard-sphere
matrix, while $\Delta A_{Y}$ and $\Delta A_{as}$ are contributions to the free energy due to Yukawa
and bonding interactions, respectively. $A_{hs}$ is calculated using extension of the SPT,
which provides analytical expressions for Helmholtz free energy, chemical potential
and pressure of the hard-sphere fluid adsorbed in the hard-sphere matrix
\cite{Holovko2009,Patsahan2011,Holovko2013,Kalyuzhnyi2014} (see Appendix A for details).
$\Delta A_{Y}$ is calculated using numerical solution of the ROZ equation \cite{Given1992,Given1993} for the hard-sphere fluid in the Yukawa hard-sphere matrix. Corresponding
thermodynamic properties are calculated using the energy route. Solution
of the ROZ equation is obtained combining Percus-Yevick (PYA) and Mean Spherical (MSA)
approximations (see Appendix B for details). For
$\Delta A_{as}$ we have \cite{Wertheim1987}
\be
{\beta\Delta A_{as}\over V}=n_s\rho_1\left(\ln{X}-{1\over 2}X+{1\over 2}\right),
\label{Aas}
\end{equation}
where $X=\left(\sqrt{1+2\Delta}-1\right)/\Delta$, with
$
\Delta=8\pi n_s\rho_1g_{11}(\sigma_{1})\int_{\sigma_1}^{\sigma_1+\omega}{\bar f}(r)r^2dr,
$
and
\be
{\bar f}(r)=\left(e^{\beta\epsilon}-1\right)\left(\omega+\sigma_1-r\right)^2
\left(2\omega-\sigma_1+r\right)/\left(6\sigma_1^2r\right)
\label{fbar}
\end{equation}
and $g_{11}(r)$ is the radial distribution function (RDF) of the
hard-sphere fluid confined in the Yukawa hard-sphere matrix. This RDF follows from the solution of
the ROZ equation.

{\it Results.} -- The phase behavior of the model in question was investigated for the three-
and four-patch colloids ($n_s=3,4$) being trapped in the Yukawa hard-sphere matrix. The fluid and matrix particles had equal diameters
, i.e. $\sigma_0=\sigma_1=\sigma$. Matrix packing fraction was $\eta_0=\pi\rho_0\sigma_0^3/6=0.1$, width of the square-well site-site potential $\omega=0.119\sigma$, and we examined three different values for the strength of the Yukawa interaction
$\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.0, 0.1, 0.16$, and $0.22$.

\begin{figure}[!h]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[clip,height=0.25\textwidth,angle=0]{fig2.pdf}
	\caption{\label{fig2} Fractions of free $x_0$ (red and pink lines) and $3$-times bonded
(blue and green lines) particles along
the binodals for the model with three patches and with $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.16$
(lower set of the curves) and
$\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.22$ (upper set of the curves). Here dashed lines denote the gas phase and solid lines
denote the liquid phase. }
\end{figure}

Our results for the phase behavior of the model system with $n_s=3$ and $n_s=4$ are shown in Fig. \ref{fig1}. For the reference we also included results for the phase diagrams
in case that no obstacles are present ($\eta_0=0$, black dashed curves). The phase diagrams
of the model liquids, confined in purely repulsive hard-sphere matrix ($\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}$=0, black solid curves),
are almost twice narrower than the $\eta_0=0$ cases, while their critical points move toward lower densities and
temperatures.
For sufficiently low temperature the density of the liquid phase becomes temperature-independent, reaching a certain limiting value. At this temperature almost all bonding sites of the fluid particles are occupied and further decrease of the temperature does not change much the internal structure of the network formed. Such features of the phase diagram
have already been observed before \cite{Bianchi2006,Kalyuzhnyi2014}.

Weak Yukawa attraction  ($\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon^{(as)}_{01}=0.1$) enhances the bonding and the phase diagrams become wider then at $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}=0.0$. In the same time, the critical points move towards higher
temperatures and densities (note the red curves on this Figure). Such behavior is consistent with that observed in case of a simple fluid, confined in the attractive matrix \cite{Nelson2020}. However, the overall shape of the phase diagram shown in Fig.
1 is different then observed before; at low temperature the liquid branch is moving towards the lower densities, clearly demonstrating re-entrant behavior.

Moreover,  for even stronger Yukawa attraction ($\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.16$ and 0.22; green and
blue curves, respectively), the phase diagrams show re-entrant behavior at much higher temperatures.
At the same time the width of the phase coexistence regions reduces substantially, especially at higher
values of $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}$ ($\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.22$, blue curves). While for
$\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.16$ and $n_s=3$ (green curves) the phase diagram in the
temperature range ~ $0.065\leq T^* \leq 0.087$ is wider then the corresponding phase diagram for the
model with hard-sphere matrix ($\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}=0$), the phase diagram for
$\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.22$ and $n_s=3$ (blue curve) is much narrower and located
completely inside
the phase diagram for the model with $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}=0$. Similar behavior is observed also for the four-patch version of the model.
Thus, at sufficiently high values of the Yukawa attraction phase diagrams for the models examined here
exhibit the re-entrant behaviour, eventually reaching the empty liquid state. The shape of the phase diagrams, shown in Fig. 1, is
similar as observed at bulk conditions for the models with patches of different type
\cite{Russo2011a,Russo2011b,Kalyuzhnyi2013,Rovigatti2013,Sokolowski2014}. However, the underlying physics of this
behavior is different. In the studies mentioned above, the re-entrant phase diagram is a consequence of the
competition between chain formation and branching.
At higher temperatures (but still below the critical point) the particles are connected by the
3d network of bonds, which results in the phase separation. Upon the temperature decrease, the network
is destroyed in favour of chains and at zero temperature the phase separation is suppressed.

\begin{figure}[!h]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[clip,height=0.3\textwidth,angle=0]{fig3a.pdf}\\
	\includegraphics[clip,height=0.3\textwidth,angle=0]{fig3b.pdf}
	\caption{\label{fig3} Radial distribution functions $g_{01}(r)$ (top panel) and $g_{11}(r)$ (low panel)
for the hard-sphere fluid confined in Yukawa hard-sphere matrix with
$\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.16$ and $\eta_0=0.1$ along the liquid branch of the phase diagram at
$\rho_1^*=0.22,\;T^*=0.07$ (black lines), $\rho_1^*=0.06,\;T^*=0.049$ (red lines) and
$\rho_1^*=0.027,\;T^*=0.04$ (blue lines). }
\end{figure}

In contrast to this, the 3d network of the model particles  does not experience the restructuring of the  type mentioned above. By lowering the temperature the network becomes
more connected; i.e. more particles become fully bonded.
In Fig. \ref{fig2}  we present our results for the fractions of free and 3-times bonded particles,  $x_0$ and $x_3$, respectively, along the binodals at different strength of Yukawa interaction.
They are calculated using the following relation \cite{Wertheim1987}
\be
x_j=X^{n_s-j}(1-X)^j,
\label{fraction}
\end{equation}
where $x_j$ is the fraction of $j$-times bonded particles.
Upon the temperature decrease, $x_3$ and $x_0$ monotonically approach their limiting values  $x_3\rightarrow 1$ and $x_0\rightarrow 0$ in the liquid phase and $x_3\rightarrow 0$ and $x_0\rightarrow 1$ in the gas phase, regardless of the number of patches and strength of Yukawa attraction.
In Fig. \ref{fig3} we show our results for the RDFs $g_{01}(r)$ and $g_{11}(r)$ of the reference system. In the present case this is the hard-sphere (not the patchy hard-sphere) fluid confined in the Yukawa hard-sphere matrix. The RDFs are calculated at selected state points along the liquid phase binodal for the case with $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.16$. Due to Yukawa attraction the contact value of the RDF $g_{01}(r)$ increases with the temperature decrease and as a consequence $g_{11}(\sigma_1)$ increases too. Corresponding changes in the shape of the RDF $g_{11}(r)$ reflect the fact that the fluid particles distribute themselves around the matrix obstacles close to their surfaces. Note again, that the RDFs shown here do not include the effects of the site-site square-well interaction between the fluid particles. An account for the presence of the square-well site-site bonding interaction between the fluid particles will not change
this tendency it will merely contribute a high and narrow peak for the $g_{11}(r)$ at contact.
On one side, the temperature decrease makes the network formed in the liquid phase to become more connected, while on the other it makes the fluid particles to distribute non-uniformly. Most of the fluid particles are located close to the obstacles and their global distribution is defined by the distribution of the matrix particles.
Finally, in Fig. \ref{fig4} we present our results for the difference in the entropy per particle  $\Delta S$ and internal energy per particle $\Delta U$ of the coexisting phases along the binodals for the 3- and 4-patch versions of the model at $\epsilon_{01}^{(Y)}/\epsilon_{11}^{(as)}=0.22$.
Similarly as in previous calculations \cite{Russo2011b} the curves for these differences follow
each other closely, with minor differences between models. They indicate that decrease in the energy of the liquid phase is compensated by the corresponding decrease in the entropy at given temperature. Such a behavior is  typical for the usual {colloids}
but has been observed also for patchy colloidal fluids
\cite{Russo2011b,Rovigatti2013}.

\begin{figure}[!h]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[clip,height=0.25\textwidth,angle=0]{fig4.pdf}
	\caption{\label{fig4} Differences in the internal energies $\Delta U/(N\epsilon_{11}^{(as)})$ (solid lines) and entropies
$T^*\Delta S/(Nk_B)$ (dashed lines) of the liquid and gas phases along the binodals for the models with three (red lines) and four (blue lines) patches at $\epsilon^{(Y)}_{01}/\epsilon^{(as)}_{11}=0.22$. }
\end{figure}

{\it Conclusions.} --
We have shown that patchy colloidal model with three and four equivalent patches confined in the attractive random porous media undergo the re-entrant gas-liquid phase separation with the possibility for the liquid phase to have vanishing low density. This behavior is caused by an interplay between strong fluid-fluid bonding interaction and relatively weak fluid-matrix interactions. At high temperatures the shape of the phase diagram is
defined by the patch-patch interaction between the fluid particles, while weak Yukawa attraction only slightly enhances the fluid-fluid bonding. At low temperature almost all the fluid particles are fully ($n_s$-times) bonded. Under such conditions the
network of the fluid particles is formed  and the shape of the phase diagram is defined by the Yukawa fluid-obstacle attraction. Due to the fluid-matrix interaction, a layer of mutually bonded particles around the obstacles is formed and the corresponding
network becomes strongly nonuniform. Distribution of the fluid
particles in the network is defined by the  distribution of the obstacles. In such a situation all the particles in the gas phase are free, while those in the liquid are fully bonded. To maintain the mutual compensation of the energy and entropy changes upon phase separation, the liquid binodal moves in the direction of the lower densities, making the phase diagram re-entrant.

Our results provides further example of the peculiarities of the phase behavior of the patchy colloidal  fluids, which is currently a hot topic of the colloid science. In particular protein self-assembly and
phase separation in crowded cell environment can be described using patchy colloid models confined in the porous media \cite{Hvozd2020}. Our study may shed some light on the very complicated phase behavior of biological macromolecules in crowded conditions. The nonuniform equilibrium gelation is of relevance for various biological studies \cite{Cai2017,Cai2018}. To quote \cite{Madl2017}: ``The proteins interact as patchy colloids and form an ordered fluid''. We hope that this and previous relevant studies will open new possibilities in
making the equilibrium gels with the predefined nonuniform distribution of particles.\\

{\bf Acknowledgment:}
YVK and TH gratefully acknowledge financial support from the National Research Foundation of Ukraine
(project No.2020.02/0317). V.V. was supported by the Slovenian Research Agency fund (ARRS) through the
Program 0103--0201 and the project J1--1708.

\begin{appendix}
\setcounter{equation}{0}
\renewcommand{\theequation}{A\arabic{equation}}

\section{Expressions for Helmholtz free energy, chemical potential and pressure of the
hard-sphere fluid confined in the hard-sphere matrix}

According to SPT~\cite{Holovko2009,Patsahan2011,Holovko2013}
\begin{equation}
{\beta\Delta A_{hs}\over N_{hs}}=\beta\Delta\mu_{hs}-{\beta \Delta P_{hs}\over\rho_{hs}}
\label{Ahs}
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
g_{hs}={1\over \phi_0-\eta}+{3(\eta+\eta_0\tau)\over 2(\phi_0-\eta_0)^2},
\label{g}
\end{equation}
where $N_{hs}$ is the number of hard-sphere particles, i.e. $N_{hs}=7N$, $N$ is the number of the antibody molecules in the system,
$$
{\beta\Delta P_{hs}\over\rho_{hs}}={1\over 1-\eta/\phi_0}{\phi_0\over\phi}
+\left({\phi_0\over\phi}-1\right){\phi_0\over\eta}\ln\left(1-{\eta\over\phi_0}\right)
$$
\begin{equation}
+{a\over 2}{\eta/\phi_0\over(1-\eta/\phi_0)^2}+
{2b\over 3}{(\eta/\phi_0)^2\over(1-\eta/\phi_0)^3}-1,
\label{P}
\end{equation}
$$
\beta\Delta\mu_{hs}=
\beta\mu^{(ex)}_{1}
-\ln\left(1-{\eta\over\phi_0}\right)
+
{\eta(\phi_0-\phi)\over\phi_0\phi(1-\eta/\phi_0)}
+\left(1+a\right){\eta/\phi_0\over(1-\eta/\phi_0)}
$$
\begin{equation}
+{(a+2b)\over 2}{(\eta/\phi_0)^2\over(1-\eta/\phi_0)^2}
+{2b\over 3}{(\eta/\phi_0)^3\over(1-\eta/\phi_0)^3},
\label{mu}
\end{equation}
and $\eta_0=\pi\rho_0\sigma_0^3/6$, $\phi_0=1-\eta_0$, $\eta=\pi\rho_{hs}\sigma_{hs}^3/6$
and $\phi=\exp{(-\beta\mu^{(ex)}_{1})}$.

\noindent
Here
\begin{equation}
a=6+{3\eta_0\tau\left(\tau+4\right)\over 1-\eta_0}+
{9\eta_0^2\tau^2\over(1-\eta_0)^2},
\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;
b={9\over 2}\left(1+{\tau\eta_0\over 1-\eta_0}\right)^2,
\label{b1}
\end{equation}
$$
\beta\mu_{1}^{(ex)}=-\ln{(1-\eta_0)}
$$
$$
+{9\eta_0^2\over 2(1-\eta_0)^2}-\eta_0Z_0
+\left[3\eta_0Z_0-{3\eta_0(2+\eta_0)\over(1-\eta_0)^2}\right](1+\tau)
$$
\begin{equation}
-\left[3\eta_0Z_0-{3\eta_0(2+\eta_0)\over 2(1-\eta_0)^2}\right](1+\tau)^2
+\eta_0Z_0(1+\tau)^3,
\label{mu1}
\end{equation}
$Z_0=(1+\eta_0+\eta_0^2)/(1-\eta_0)^3$ and $\tau=\sigma_{hs}/\sigma_0$.\\

\section{Replica Ornstein-Zernike equations and their closures}

The set of the ROZ equations enables one to calculate the structure and thermodynamic properties of the fluid adsorbed into the disorder porous media \cite{Given1992,Given1993}.
For  hard-sphere fluid confined in the Yukawa hard-sphere matrix the theory is represented
by the OZ equation for the direct $c_{00}(r)$ and total $h_{00}(r)$ correlation functions,
describing the structure of the matrix, i.e.
\be
h_{00}-c_{00}=\rho_0c_{00}\otimes h_{00},
\label{MM}
\end{equation}
and a set of three equations, which include direct $c_{01}(r),c_{11}(r),c_{11(1)}(r)$ and total
$h_{01}(r),h_{11}(r),h_{11(1)}(r)$ matrix-fluid (with the lower indices 01) and fluid-fluid
(with the lower indices 11 and 11(1)) correlation functions,

\be
h_{01}-c_{01}=\rho_0c_{01}\otimes h_{00}+\rho_1c_{11(1)}\otimes h_{10},
\label{01}
\end{equation}
$$
h_{11}-c_{11}=\rho_0c_{10}\otimes h_{01}+\rho_1c_{11(1)}\otimes h_{11}
$$
\be
+\rho_1\left[c_{11}-c_{11(1)}\right]\otimes h_{11(1)},
\label{11}
\end{equation}
\be
h_{11(1)}-c_{11(1)}=\rho_1c_{11(1)}\otimes h_{11(1)},
\label{111}
\end{equation}
where the lower index $11(1)$ denote connectedness correlation functions,
 the symbol $\otimes$ denotes convolution.
This set of equations have to be supplemented by the corresponding closure relations. We are
using here hypernetted chain (HNC) approximation for the OZ equation (\ref{MM}) and Mean Spherical
Approximation (MSA) for the set of equations (\ref{01}), (\ref{11}) and (\ref{111}), i.e.
\be
h_{00}(r)+1=e^{-\beta U_{hs}(r)+h_{00}(r)-c_{00}(r)}
\label{PY}
\end{equation}
and
\be
c_{11}(r)=\left[t_{11}(r)+1\right]f_{11}^{(hs)}(r)
\label{MSA1}
\end{equation}
\be
c_{01}(r)=-\beta U^{(Y)}_{01}(r)e_{01}^{(hs)}(r)+\left[t_{01}(r)+1\right]f_{01}^{(hs)}(r)
\label{MSA0}
\end{equation}
\be
c_{11(1)}(r)=\left[t_{11}(r)+1\right]f_{11}^{(hs)}(r)
\label{MSA2}
\end{equation}

Solution of the set of equations (\ref{MM}) - (\ref{111}) was obtained
numerically via direct iteration method.  Yukawa contribution to Helmholtz free energy
$\Delta A_Y$ was calculated using the energy route, i.e.
\be
\beta\Delta A_Y= \int_0^\beta E_Yd\beta',
\label{AY1}
\end{equation}
where for the excess internal energy $E_Y$ we have
\be
{\beta E_Y\over V}=2\pi\beta\rho_1\rho_0\int_0^\infty r^2
U^{(Y)}_{01}(r)g_{01}(r)dr,
\label{EY}
\end{equation}

Corresponding contributions to the chemical potential and pressure are calculated using the
standard thermodynamic relations.

\end{appendix}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


Ahoy, Hart of Dixie fans! Did you enjoy last night's pirate-themed episode? Are you coming around on Lemon? Hating on the Tuckers? Rooting for Wade to share his feeling with Zoe?
Aside from furthering these storylines, the fun CW series also featured a few new singles, all of which can be found and purchased in our Hart of Dixie music section. Follow the preceding link to browse through all season one tracks now and check out the trio that were played this week below.


WHILE customers are enjoying low food prices and retail chains say Russian sanctions targeting EU produce are having little effect on their businesses, producers claim a glut of goods on the market are harming their bottom line.
After Russia banned most EU produce on August 7, some European farmers had to find another market for their goods. In trying to sell their products on the EU's internal market, including in Slovakia, the increased supply drove down prices and profits for Slovak growers.
"This is not equal competition and therefore they can go low with the price under our production expenses using so-called price dumping," Fruit Producers Union's head Marián Varga, who is also Plantex fruit producer representative told The Slovak Spectator.
Sanctions decreased the prices of apples as well as pork meat and Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry also expects the fluctuation of prices in the milk production sector, the ministry's spokesman Peter Hajnala told The Slovak Spectator.
Agriculture Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek also blamed retail chains for using this situation to push prices down. Moreover, the bumper harvest of fruit, vegetables and potatoes in EU countries complicates the situation of farmers as well, the Pravda daily reported on October 16.
Supermarket chains, however, dismiss any claims they are to blame and insist they have merely stuck to existing contracts with suppliers, according to Milan Kisztner, spokesman for the Slovak Alliance of Modern Commerce (SAMO), a group that includes chains like Billa, Kaufland, Lidl, Tesco and Metro.
The direct negative effects of the EU-Russia sanctions on Slovakia's agricultural sector have reached €6.2 million, according to Agriculture Ministry's report submitted together with measures on how to mitigate them to interdepartmental review in September. The report is based on the statistics of Slovakia-Russia trade in 2013, when Slovak exports from the agriculture sector reached €31 million, the TASR newswire reported on September 26.
For example, losses in the amount of €2.3 million were reported by companies Rajo Bratislava, Senoble Zvolen and Gemermilk Rimavská Sobota.
"We have 250 tonnes of powdered milk, which is currently unprofitable to sell, at our stores," Martin Užík of Gemermilk said, as quoted by Hospodárske Noviny on September 29.
Due to foreign suppliers' low prices, Slovak farmers sell their apples for 20 cents per kilo (2.2 pounds) to the retail chains, while their production costs reach 35 cents per kilo, and further treatment such as packing or sorting apples causes additional costs up to 10 cents per kilo. The clear loss is therefore 25 cents per kilo. The price for apples sold in local markets (not retail chains) is around 50 cents per kilo and could be profitable for farmers; however, just 30 percent of apples are sold this way, according to Varga.
"We [Plantex] have laid off around 20 percent of people and we will liquidate even some farms in the next year," Varga told the Sme daily on August 20. Neighbouring Poland is the world's largest apple exporter.
Pork producers are selling their products for a price 18 percent lower in comparison with 2013, which could result in €10 million in losses by the end of the year, Pig Farmers Union head Andrej Imrich told Pravda.
The decrease in the prices of food products is a worldwide trend, as the monthly food price index of Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) registered another drop in August, continuing a five-month downward run and reaching its lowest level since September 2010, according to FAO webpage.
Retail chains are willing to cooperate with Slovak producers who can guarantee quality for a good price on a long term basis, Kisztner said, even though current legislation does not allow signing contracts between retail chains and suppliers for periods longer than three months.
As far as such relationships work in the long term and sold products fulfil demanded parameters as well as customers' expectations, there is no need for short-term changes in those relationships due to the loss of the Russian market. The same is true even after the expiration of a contract with particular supplier, according to Kisztner.
"We sell both Slovak and non-Slovak apples and we have not changed the way we buy them or the sources from which we buy them in any way," Tesco Senior Executive Martin Dlouhý told The Slovak Spectator.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, sanctions even hit vegetable producers as the prices on carrots and cabbage dropped, but producers are not sure whether falling prices on vegetables are the result of Russian sanctions, Hospodárske Noviny reported.
For example, Juraj Mačaj of the Agromačaj company said that the price of carrots has been decreasing for several years because of increased competition from Poland. It is natural that retail chains use this situation to their advantage. Miroslav Sudický, director of Vita - Zel vegetables producer, agreed.
"I can resolutely state that I have not experienced extortion from the retail chains," Sudický told Hospodárske Noviny.
In its press release SAMO further pointed out that fear of inexpensive apples from other EU countries, especially Poland, has proved to be unjustified. The share in total sales of Slovak apples has actually increased because of a bumper harvest. In August, 51.4 percent of apples sold by SAMO members were Slovak, and in September the share was 60 percent.
A study by the Agriculture Ministry published in mid-August supports SAMO's claims, showing that the share of incomes for sold Slovak food of the biggest retail chains was higher than 63 percent of income on all food products.
On the other hand, Varga is sceptical about such numbers and claims that many of the apples which appear to be Slovak were likely grown somewhere else before they entered the Slovak market. Slovakia produces less than 50,000 tonnes of apples, while retail chains officially sell around 100,000 tonnes of Slovak apples, he said.
Similarly Slovak poultry producers claim that it is not possible to say that 85.8 percent of poultry sold in retail chains is Slovak, when local farmers can produce amounts totalling 50 percent of what is consumed in Slovakia, Pravda reported on August 28.
If the Russian ban continues and the European Commission does not adapt, sanctions could significantly harm Slovak production of fruit, vegetables, pork and beef, which would result in decreasing the country's food sovereignty, according to Hajnala.
Prime Minister Robert Fico said in August that the government has approved measures aimed at boosting official checks on each part of the food chain in order to minimise any negative economic impacts on Slovak farmers and food producers, TASR reported.
Another risk is poor food quality. Even though this food originally may have been good quality, as exporters were unable to sell it in Russia, it remained in their warehouses for some time and some businessmen might be tempted to put it in a different packaging to camouflage expiration dates, according to the report of the Agriculture Ministry.
The ministry therefore asked for a special allocation of €827,790 from the state budget for intensified food inspections and is planning to spend €72,000 to purchase official cars for food inspectors, the SITA wrote on October 12.
When delivering the opening speech at Agrokomplex, the international agriculture and food fair that opened in Nitra on August 21, Fico also said that Slovakia will demand compensation for farmers' losses.
"We'll demand compensation for the loss of export markets and the fall in prices due to excessive levels of foodstuffs on the European market," Fico said, as quoted by TASR.
Fico's idea is not bad, but it will not change the situation significantly since EU compensations will probably miss real fruit producers and will go to various speculators, according to Varga.
"[Fico] says that and declares that but I know that after all it won't help us, even though there is good intention," he said.


text:
Which Apple Watch Is Right For You?
Darrell Etherington	@etherington / 6 years
The Apple Watch is a novel product in Apple's lineup for more reasons than one, but the sheer range of options available to prospective buyers may be among the most challenging to wrap your head around. Have no fear, we've got a handy guide to help you pick a version based on your which of the broad archetypes described below you identify with most.
Of course, the Apple Watch doesn't launch until April 24, but pre-orders begin in just under a month on April 10, so you might as well get a head start on figuring out which one (if any, of course) you want.
The College Freshman
If you're just starting out in college then you're probably looking at budgetary limitations, but you're probably also interested in fashion and having something that goes with everything. The entry-level Apple Watch Sport is a good place to start, but the special black anodized aluminum case option gives a little flare.
Like all the Sport models, it ships with Apple's new fluoroelastomer synthetic rubber band, which is designed to hold up well in a range of different environments and use settings, so it should be fine at the gym, at the library and at the… party house? Whatever you college kids get up to for fun these days. I'm old.
The Apple Watch Sport model as pictured above includes the black anodized 42mm case and a black fluoroelastomer sport band, and will retail for $399.
The Startup Founder
This is the Apple Watch that's perfect for offering a bit of bling, but keeping things both classy and affordable (it's not going to significantly sweet up your burn rate, in other words). The stainless steel case is eye-catching but not showy, and the band is probably one of the more comfortable of Apple's strap options, while again, not costing an arm and a leg.
That milanese loop bracelet isn't going to suit everyone, but it's worth seeing in person before you make a decision even if you aren't initially a fan. Plus, it's completely adjustable, rather than just offering a scale of punctuated sizing choices like one of the more traditional leather or steel link band options, which makes it better-suited to situations where you might be waving your hands frantically in a board meeting.
The Apple Watch model pictured above is the 42mm stainless steel option, with the matching stainless milanese loop band, and it will retail for $699.
The Super Parent
Parenting is no walk in the park, but if the Apple Watch can make good on its apparent promise of helping you keep the phone in the pocket more open, it just might help. As with the college kid on a budget, economy is key here, and the Apple Watch Sport is looking more and more like the option that's best for the majority of potential users.
This smaller Sport model is even more affordable, but offers the same features as its more expensive counterparts. The silver anodized finish is both attractive and no-nonsense, but the fluorescent rubber sport band offers a bit of character and flare. This is a super light device, so you likely won't even notice it's on your wrist unless it's giving you reminders about all those important appointments you have to keep, like the one for picking up junior after soccer practice.
The Apple Watch Sport model pictured above is the 38mm anodized silver aluminum model, with the green fluoroelastomer sport band. It will retail for $349.
The Monopoly Man
Well Mr. or Mrs. Moneybags: Looks like you made it. It's time to show everyone, with a $17,000 gadget on your wrist. Is it functionally the same as the $349 version? Yes of course, but a $15 Timex is functionally the same as the $1 million Hublot Classic Fusion Haute Joaillerie, too. I highly doubt your monocle is either inexpensive or functionally required – plus you've made a fortune as an enterprising industrialist, so why not indulge?
The solid gold version of the Apple Watch Edition really does have an extremely pleasing weight, and that band is probably going to feel like a team of gently frolicking baby seals on your wrist. Only the Editions have the extra flare of that color match crown, too, which is like yet another tiny paean to your vast wealth.
The Apple Watch Edition model pictured above has a 38mm 18-karat yellow gold case, and a bright red leather band with an 18-karat gold modern buckle. It will retail for $17,000.
Post illustrations created by Bryce Durbin.


What is your favourite venue to play and why?
It would be hard to choose just one venue because we are really lucky that there are so many incredible venues in South Wales and The South West, but a few choice picks from us would have to be Priston Mill Tythe Barn in Bath, Oldwalls Gower, Rosedew Farm in Llantwit Major and Coombe Lodge in Blagdon, Somerset. Absolutely stunning places with great staff.
What has been your favourite First Dance to perform live?
The One by Kodaline is always a great First Dance for us. We love learning songs for a couple's First Dance that are completely personal to them though, because it's great for us to see the look on guests' faces when they see how much it means to the Bride and Groom to have the soundtrack to their relationship played by a live band. Never a dry eye!
Which song in your set never fails to take the roof off the dancefloor?
What do you love most about performing with the band?
We love to have the honour of being asked to join amazing couples on one of the biggest days of their lives. We also love building a real rapport and having a singalong and dance with their guests as they get more and more well-oiled as the evening goes on!
The most memorable performances for us would always have to be when you can tell the Bride and Groom have carefully planned the venue, band, bridal and grooms' party attire, favours and venue decoration to create a vibe. We love a vibe and love to help create it with you! And generous couples who provide the band with amazing food…. of course!
Get in touch with Music HQ today for more information on booking the amazing The Wilderness for your Wedding Entertainment or Corporate Event.


Qualcomm has yet to publicly share hard specs on the Snapdragon 820, its forthcoming flagship mobile system-on-chip (SoC), but on Wednesday it served an amuse-bouche by unveiling the new chip's pixel-bashing components.
The Adreno 5xx line is Qualcomm's latest generation of mobile graphics-processing units (GPUs), and they will find homes inside both the top-end Snapdragon 820 and the mid-market Snapdragon 620/618.
In addition, Qualcomm has a new, 14-bit image signal processing (ISP) unit, dubbed Spectra, that it claims will provide a DSLR-quality camera and imaging engine for the Snapdragon 820.
Minor details of the top-end 820 and its accompanying Adreno 530 were leaked in January. On Wednesday, Qualcomm revealed that there will also be an Adreno 510 model for the Snapdragon 620/618 SoCs.
As expected, the new GPUs will run faster and draw less power. Qualcomm claims the Adreno 530 will offer up to 40 per cent better performance for both graphics and GPU-accelerated compute as compared to the Adreno 430, while simultaneously sipping up to 40 per cent less juice – although you'd be wise to take such claims with the proverbial pinch of NaCl.
The chipmaker didn't offer any performance comparison for the Adreno 510, except to say that it will be "software compatible" with its beefier sibling.
The 5xx series will support a basketful of the latest graphics APIs, including OpenGL ES 3.1 with the Android Extension Pack (AEP), Renderscript, OpenCL 2.0, and even Vulkan, support for which won't be available in Android until a future version of the OS.
The 530, at least, will also support 64-bit virtual addressing, making it possible to do shared virtual memory and more efficient co-processing when paired with 64-bit CPUs. It's not clear yet whether the 510 will also have this feature, although the Snapdragon 618 and 620 SoCs that will feature it both use 64-bit ARM CPU cores.
Like its predecessor the 430, the 530 will include Qualcomm's TruPalette and EcoPix technologies for tarting up the image quality and improving battery life, respectively. It will also be able to drive 4K video using the High Efficiency Video Encoding Coding (HEVC) standard at 60fps over HDMI 2.0.
Qualcomm says the Adreno 530 is its highest performance GPU, but the 530 isn't the only thing lending the Snapdragon 820 some graphics oomph. It will also include Spectra, the company's snazzy new camera engine – so snazzy, apparently, that it's the first time Qualcomm has given a name to one of its ISP units.
Spectra includes dual 14-bit ISPs, which Qualcomm says deliver more natural skin tones and can capture 25-megapixel images at up to 30fps without shutter lag. And it can do it while powering up to three cameras simultaneously (for example, one facing the user and two rear-facing), which sounds ideal for recording Google Cardboard style VR and use in drones.
"We're significantly enhancing the visual processing capabilities of Snapdragon to support next-generation user experiences related to computational photography, computer vision, virtual reality and photo-realistic graphics on mobile devices, all while maximizing battery life," Qualcomm veep Tim Leland waxed poetic in a statement.
He also mentioned that he expects the new chips to find their way into newer applications, such as automotive infotainment systems, which demand increasingly sophisticated graphics.
So when and for how much? We're not sure. As is typical for Qualcomm, it has said nothing on pricing.


This park is the site where the nationwide independence movement began in March 1919. It was also the site of Heungboksa Temple during the Goryeo Period (877-1394). The temple was renovated by King Sejo, who mobilized 2,000 troops for the task, and expanded into the largest temple in the capital by purchasing 200 nearby houses. It was renamed as Wongaksa.
At first, the park was a facility of the royal family. The octagonal roofed pavilion, which was built around 1900, was a music hall. The park was opened to the public in 1913, following the opening of Manguk Park in a territory leased to the western in Incheon in 1888. It has since become a relaxation space for senior citizens.


Author Katherine Hague explains how the venture capital industry works, and walks you through each step necessary to plan, execute, and optimize your own fundraising round. Packed full of exercises, checklists, and templates, this book guides you through the process from start to finish. It's ideal for entrepreneurs raising later rounds of capital, as well as those just starting out.
Chapter 1 What Makes a Startup Fundable?
Is There a More Scientific Way to Calculate a Valuation?


text:
Q: Why this JSFiddle does not work I have written a simple function:
function clickedMe() {
  alert(this + " : " + this.tagName + " : " + this.id);
}

And I am calling it on click event of button element
<button onclick="clickedMe()">button</button>

This works when I created a standalone HTML page locally. However it does not seem to work on JSFiddle. Here is the link: http://jsfiddle.net/Mahesha999/fACce/
Whats wrong here?

A: Select no wrap - in <head>/<body> .
It doesn't work because clickedMe is not in the global scope.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Camera Lens are specially designed for your smartphone, including 5 lenses: 198 degree fisheye lens, 0.63X wide angle lens, 15X macro lens, 2X telephoto lens, and CPL lens. Help you easily enjoy the world of photography and discover the beauty of the virtual world.
Awesome mobile photography kit for iPhone, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, HTC, LG, and other smartphones. Including 198 degree fisheye lens, 0.63X wide angle lens, 15X macro lens, 2X telephoto lens, and CPL lens.
Gives your image a round, fish bowl effect, also acts as a wide angle lens which can let you enjoy a fantastic world.
Features wider angle, brighter than mobile phone shoot, allows you to capture larger range of scenes while keep the photo shape the same as cell-phone shoot.
Macro lens can capture amazing close-ups in crisp detail. Narrower range and clearer than mobile phone shoot, perfect for shooting flowers, grasses, insects, and other tiny objects.
Telephoto lens delivers superior quality pictures from a distance, so that you don't need to get too close to your subject.
Circular polarized lens filters polarizes light, reduces unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as glass or water, enhances colors and increases contrast.
Portable, removable and solid clip-on design attaches to almost all smartphones including iPhone X/8/8 Plus/7/7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 Plus, HTC, LG G6, and many others.


text:
class CreateUsers < ActiveRecord::Migration
  def change
    create_table :users do |t|
      t.string :provider
      t.string :uid
      t.string :name
      t.string :nickname
      t.string :image

      t.timestamps
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Film (2004; vt District 13, 2006). EuropaCorp presents a co-production in association with TF1 Films Production with the participation of Canal+. Directed by Pierre Morel. Written by Luc Besson and Bibi Naceri. Cast includes David Belle, François Chattot, Tony D'Amario, Samir Guesmi, Bibi Naceri, Patrick Olivier, Cyril Raffaelli, Dany Verissimo and Nicolas Woirion. Colour. 84 minutes.
A free-runner and an undercover policeman foil a government plot to set off a neutron Weapon in a suburb of Near Future Paris overrun by crime (see Crime and Punishment).
This Pulp-inflected offering from writer and producer Luc Besson combines quickfire martial arts and the urban sport of parkour (see Games and Sports) to fairly entertaining effect, but the impact of witty one-liners about the Politics of class-consciousness and the Sociology of inner Cities is somewhat diminished by the presence of ludicrous plot-holes, ethnic stereotypes (see Race in SF) and a deep vein of misogyny (see Women in SF). "Why kill two million people over a few problems?" asks Captain Damien Tomaso (Raffaelli) of local ally-of-convenience Leïto (Belle) as it begins to become clear that the pair has been set-up to detonate (rather than deactivate) a bomb containing "clean" Nuclear Energy in the walled-off district of Paris known as "B13". "We killed six million for not being blond and blue-eyed," answers Leïto, in the manner of someone who knows that Enlightenment values are very often a matter of what the powerful choose to illuminate.


text:
Q: Flatness of tensor products of analytic germs Let $\mathcal{O}(\mathbb{C}^n)_0$ denote the local ring of germs at the origin of holomorphic functions on $\mathbb{C}^n$. Consider the obvious map
$$ \mathcal{O}(\mathbb{C}^n)_0 \otimes_{\mathbb{C}} \mathcal{O}(\mathbb{C}^m)_0 \rightarrow \mathcal{O}(\mathbb{C}^{n+m})_0. $$
Is it known whether or not this is a flat map of commutive $\mathbb{C}$-algebras?


text:
http://conservativeactionalerts.com/articles/leftist-right-to-build-families-act-touts-assisted-reproductive-technology
Leftist 'Right to Build Families Act' Touts Assisted Reproductive Technology
by: Emma Waters
Source: The Daily Signal
Sen. Charles Schumer by Ralph Alswang is licensed under Ralph Alswang Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0)
In the final days of the just-ended 117th Congress, Democratic Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Patty Murray of Washington introduced the Right to Build Families Act of 2022.
The bill would prohibit any legal limits on assisted reproductive technology. The bill failed to receive unanimous consent in December, but it's on the docket for this new 118th Congress.
What is assisted reproductive technology? In federal law, it is "all treatments or procedures which include the handling of human oocytes and embryos." This includes in vitro fertilization, commercial surrogacy, and other fertility treatments.
In short, the bill would overrule state laws that regulate or protect embryos used in IVF and commercial surrogacy. As Duckworth argued, "The choice to build a family is a fundamental right for all Americans."
But this is muddled thinking. There's no such thing as a "fundamental right" to a child per se, and it certainly can't be invoked to trump the basic rights of others. A child, whose life begins at conception, is not a mere object to design, buy, or sell to fulfill an adult's wishes.
Donald Trump Calls for Ending the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict
Colorado Christian baker loses appeal over transgender birthday cake
'Really failing our kids': Number of underage murder suspects doubles due to 'deficient' juvenile criminal justice system, NYPD officials say
Sen. Cramer received Life Protector Award
3500 S DuPont Highway
© 2023, Conservative Action Alerts, All Rights Reserved


Although the majority of the Argentines love to spend the month of January and/or February on the Argentine, Uruguayan or Brazilian beaches, that is not really my cup of tea. I don't like crowded beaches. And I don't like to sunbathe. This year I got to pick out our holiday destination, and I decided to drag the boys to the Big Apple, trying to convince them that it really is a magnificent city.
New York is very similar to Buenos Aires, more than it resembles any place in Belgium. It is also a metropolitan city. It is also big and crowded. It has lots of museums and exhibitions, lots of shows and theatres, lots of restaurants and shops. The biggest difference is probably that New York is a top of the notch first world city. It is the place to be for artists and designers. If you've made it in New York, you've made it. It is a city where it is impossible to sit still. To me it is London plus Paris (both cities I love) raised to a square. I could come here again and again and not get tired of it.
My husband is harder to convince. Although he (as European) is very Europe-minded he has to agree that this is a city that can't be ignored. It is a city that intrigues. A place where the cost of living is extremely high -rent, expenses, taxes- but still the restaurants, clothing and technology are so much cheaper then in Europe. A city that is not only beautiful, but where there is lots of art, fashion, and not to forget the huge offer of different restaurants with a seemingly unlimited variety of dishes and tastes.
My husband is worried about his wallet. And he probably should?


text:
package com.codepath.apps.tweettrove.adapters;

import android.content.Context;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.widget.ImageView;
import android.widget.TextView;

import com.codepath.apps.tweettrove.R;
import com.codepath.apps.tweettrove.models.Message;
import com.squareup.picasso.Picasso;

import java.util.List;

import butterknife.BindView;
import butterknife.ButterKnife;
import jp.wasabeef.picasso.transformations.RoundedCornersTransformation;

/**
 * Created by Hari on 8/14/2016.
 */
public class MessagesAdapter
        extends ArrayAdapter<Message>
{

    public MessagesAdapter(Context context, List<Message> objects) {
        super(context, R.layout.item_message, objects);
    }

    public class ViewHolder
    {
        @BindView(R.id.ivMsgProfileImage)
        public ImageView ivMsgProfileImage;

        @BindView(R.id.tvText)
        public TextView tvText;

        @BindView(R.id.tvTime)
        public TextView tvTime;

        @BindView(R.id.tvUserName)
        public TextView tvUserName;

        public ViewHolder(View view)
        {
            ButterKnife.bind(this, view);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent)
    {

        Message message = getItem(position);
        ViewHolder viewHolder;
        if(convertView == null)
        {
            convertView = LayoutInflater.from(getContext()).inflate(R.layout.item_message, parent, false);
            viewHolder = new ViewHolder(convertView);
            convertView.setTag(viewHolder);
        }
        else
        {
            viewHolder = (ViewHolder) convertView.getTag();
        }

        viewHolder.tvText.setText(message.getText());
        viewHolder.tvUserName.setText(message.getSenderScreenName());
        viewHolder.tvTime.setText(message.getRelativeTimeStamp());

        Picasso.with(getContext())
                .load(message.getProfileImageUrlHttps())
                .transform(new RoundedCornersTransformation(10, 10))
                .into(viewHolder.ivMsgProfileImage);

        return convertView;

    }

}


Full length Clone DNA of Human regenerating islet-derived 3 alpha with C terminal Myc tag.
Regenerating islet-derived protein 3-alpha, also known as Regenerating islet-derived protein III-alpha, REG-3-alpha, REG3A, and HIP, is secreted protein which contains one C-type lectin domain. REG3A is constitutively expressed in intestine, and is a pancreatic secretory protein that may be involved in cell proliferation or differentiation. It is overexpressed during the acute phase of pancreatitis and in some patients with chronic pancreatitis. REG3A and REG1A proteins are both involved in liver and pancreatic regeneration and proliferation. REG3A is also a stress protein involved in the control of bacterial proliferation. REG3A is down-regulated in most primary human gastric cancer cells, and might be useful in the diagnosis of gastric cancer. Additionally, REG3A is a target of beta-catenin signaling in Huh7 hepatoma cells. The REG1A and REG3A are downstream targets of the Wnt pathway during liver tumorigenesis.
Cavard C, et al. (2006) Overexpression of regenerating islet-derived 1 alpha and 3 alpha genes in human primary liver tumors with beta-catenin mutations. Oncogene. 25(4): 599-608.
Choi B, et al. (2007) Downregulation of regenerating islet-derived 3 alpha (REG3A) in primary human gastric adenocarcinomas. Exp Mol Med. 39(6): 796-804.