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25 January 2019 | Story Helen Swingler. Photos Co-Pierre Georg. Read time 7 min.
AIFMRM MPhil in Financial Technology students in New York, co-opting the bronze statue, Fearless Girl, into their class. In the picture are (from left) Masego Modibane, Aidan Fourie, Ashleigh Favish, Assoc Prof Co-Pierre Georg, Kungela Mzuku, and Ryan Jacobson.
A study tour to the US confirmed two things for six fintech master's candidates: a burgeoning of disruptive fintech technologies, driven by artificial intelligence, blockchain and big data – and that UCT's course and students can hold their own globally.
"Unforgettable", "Once in a lifetime experience", "A series of adventures and inspiration", the students wrote of their PSG Group-sponsored, three-day visit to New York and Boston, led by master's course convenor and University of Cape Town (UCT) Associate Professor Co-Pierre Georg.
Hosts included New York University (NYU) Stern, Columbia Business School, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Business School – some of the world's top universities – as well as several technology hubs. (Georg is currently on sabbatical at MIT.)
First cohort, capstone tour
The 2018 class is the first cohort of the interdisciplinary MPhil in Financial Technology degree, the first of its kind in Africa, offered by the African Institute of Financial Markets and Risk Management (AIFMRM), a postgraduate institute in the Faculty of Commerce, with courses by the Department of Statistical Sciences.
Fintech is a fast-developing arena, with artificial intelligence, blockchain and big data driving change in how financial services are offered across the globe. New technologies range from novel payment apps to cryptocurrencies traded using blockchain, or distributed ledger technology. (AIFMRM and UCT's Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching have created two MOOCs on fintech and blockchain.)
The capstone tour provided invaluable contact with leading academics and creatives in these highly innovative spaces, and offered insights that the students said will shape their dissertations and future careers.
The MPhil Financial Technology students on campus at Columbia University.
Iconic institutions
Their journey began at Barclay's Rise New York, an accelerator hub for some of the world's top fintech innovators and start-ups. Rise operates similar fintech hubs around the world, including in Cape Town, and some of the UCT MPhil programme was done jointly with Rise Cape Town.
"It was surreal to see these iconic institutions," said student Masego Modibane.
On their first day in Boston the group attended an MIT fintech class, confirming for Modibane that UCT offers a world-class degree.
"We got to see potential fintech start-up ideas and we all could break down these ideas and comment on whether they were feasible or not."
A highlight was the visit to the MIT Media Lab where they joined research group meetings and enjoyed a tour of the facilities. Described as "an anti-disciplinary research laboratory", the lab grew out of MIT's Architecture Machine Group in the School of Architecture. Its research is not discipline-specific, but draws from technology, media, science, art and design.
"The technology we saw in the lab is truly revolutionary and has inspired me to pursue studies at MIT and bring that technology back to South Africa," Modibane reported.
"If creativity was something that you could paint on walls, then this place had a coat in every room."
Student JonJon Clark said that coming from a computer science background, "just the idea of MIT got me giddy".
"There was something eclectic about the MIT Media Lab. It almost smelt different. If creativity was something that you could paint on walls, then this place had a coat in every room.
"I really got the sense that this was truly the place solving some of the world's greatest problems. I guess I should've probably expected it, given an unlimited budget, freedom and some of the world's top minds. Where else are New-Age cities being built with Lego? Who else is investigating the effects of smells on lucid dreaming?"
Each visit offered a "keyhole" view into the Ivy League institutions, Clark said.
"Certainly, these institutions take it to the next level … An experience that taught me lessons [and] helped me build friendships."
Competing internationally
Student Ryan Jacobson said two things struck him. At an MIT FinTech Venture course class where students work through the intricacies of creating fintech start-ups, he noted just how competitive the fintech space is. It was an international class, from lawyers to engineers, each intent on finding new ways to disrupt the financial services industry.
"This left me with a humbling realisation. To win at entrepreneurship means outperforming all those working on the same project."
But he also realised the UCT group could hold their own in this space.
"I would have assumed that students at MIT are leaps and bounds ahead of South Africans. But this was not the case. We could compete."
For Ashleigh Favish, the scale of New York was reflected in the innovation they saw at Rise New York, creative input that continued at NYU Stern's Creative Destruction Lab where they got feedback on their start-up ideas and dissertations.
At MIT they met with Ripple Labs' Evan Schwartz, an engineer who co-invented the Interledger Protocol, used for payments across payment networks. Schwartz shared his vision of how money will be transferred in the future ("in a similar way to data on the internet"), and the pros and cons of "streaming of money".
At Columbia Business School Favish met a South African-born professor who is exploring using machine learning and text analysis to predict the returns on asset managers, based on their prospectus releases.
"I really feel so grateful [for] this opportunity to ... learn, be inspired and see a different part of the world."
"This whole trip has been incredible," she said.
Student and class representative Kungela Mzuku was also struck by the meeting with Ripple Labs' Schwartz.
"What inspired me most about his story is how he navigated his career in a field that didn't exist. In many aspects, I could relate. He covered the history of Ripple and how important it was for them to get their first client, and how this was the hardest part.
"In an industry filled with buzzwords, being part of a blockchain project that has a real use case is hard to find. But when you do find it, there is so much real value that can be created, and that is what this discussion highlighted."
For Aidan Fourie, the disruptive nature of fintech points to a bigger goal.
"The powerful gift of the MPhil in Fintech is a new mindset, one that motivates students to challenge important global socio-economic problems using modern techniques and platforms. But the techniques remain just a toolset; rather it is your mind and ambition that become the differentiating factors."
In the transit between the halls of Harvard, MIT, NYU and Columbia, Fourie was also struck by the "immense world of opportunity" for hardworking, ambitious students.
And he agreed that despite vast distances and disparate levels of technical and economic development, South African students are as capable and competent as those at Ivy League universities.
"We just need the self-belief, ambition and perseverance to gain access to them [the possibilities] – and glimpsing the halls of MIT, to me, proved that every second of effort would be worth it."
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TI WEST'S X REVEALS CHARACTER POSTERS
Director Ti West (The Innkeepers, The House of the Devil) returns to horror next month with X, and a new set of posters introduces our cast of characters.
Set in 1979, X sees a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas. But when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the cast soon find themselves in a desperate fight for their lives.
X stars Brittany Snow (Prom Night), Mia Goth (Suspiria), Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi (Creepshow), Martin Henderson (The Ring), Owen Campbell (My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To), Stephen Ure (Deathgasm), and Jenna Ortega (Scream). The film will bare all on March 18th.
Words: Samantha McLaren (@themeatispeople)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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technical barriers to trade
the tbt committee's six principles for the development of international standards: are they still relevant?
Wednesday, 14 October 2020, 14:00-15:30 (Geneva time)
Virtual via zoom
Watch the recording of the event here.
International standards facilitate trade and spread innovations. In 2000, the WTO's Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee adopted the Six Principles for the Development of International Standards. They are meant to help international standards work better for global trade. They are widely followed by standards bodies seeking international relevance; they cover: transparency, openness, impartiality and consensus, effectiveness and relevance, coherence, and the development dimension. The third event in the TBT@40 Dialogue Series will look at whether, 20 years on, the Six Principles remain fit for purpose in a world of rapid change. Speakers will survey the legacy and look to the future.
Opening remarks:
Mr. Aik Hoe Lim, Director, Trade and Environment Division, WTO
Mr. Sergio Mujica, Secretary-General, International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Ms. Mary Saunders, Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy, American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Mr. Shawn Paulsen, Vice President, Chair of the Conformity Assessment Board, International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
Dr. Eve Gadzikwa, Director-General, Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ), Past President, African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO)
Mr. Devin McDaniels, Economic Affairs Officer, Trade and Environment Division, WTO
Aik Hoe LIM is Director of the Trade and Environment Division at the World Trade Organization and oversees its work on trade and environment, as well as on the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. He joined the WTO in 1999 and has served in the External Relations Division, the Director-General's Office and the Trade in Services Division. He was previously Counsellor to two WTO Director-Generals, Adviser to the Director General's Consultative Group, and Secretary to WTO committees, working groups and negotiating bodies on services trade and domestic regulation. His principal areas of interest and expertise are on technical barriers to trade, standards, trade and sustainable development, services trade policy, and trade and regulation.
Sergio Mujica joined ISO as Secretary-General in July 2017, having spent 7 years at the World Custom's Organization (WCO) as Deputy Secretary-General. The WCO aims to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Custom's administrations worldwide, and within this role Mr Mujica was responsible for the design and implementation of the WCO's strategic plan. This included simplification, harmonization and standardization of custom's procedures in addition to capacity building initiatives aimed at the WCO members. This gave him significant experience in an international setting, building consensus within a large membership-based organization. Prior to working at the World Customs Organization, Mr Mujica spent 15 years working for the Government of Chile with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and as the Director General of Chile Customs. A Chilean national, he has a law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and a master's degree in International Law from the American University in Washington DC.
Mary Saunders, Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy, American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Mary Saunders leads ANSI's efforts to advocate greater use of voluntary consensus standards and conformance programs by government agencies and broader participation by agency personnel in standards development. She works with ANSI members to create standardization-related outreach programs to legislators and to increase understanding of the private-sector standards community among agencies involved in trade and commerce issues. Mary is a key player at ANSI in fostering understanding among opinion leaders of the major role standards and conformance play in the international and domestic marketplace.
Ms Saunders has extensive federal government executive-level experience and served in a variety of positions within the Department of Commerce prior to joining the ANSI staff, most recently as the Associate Director for Management Resources at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). As Director of NIST's Standards Coordination Office, she represented NIST and its significant interests in the standards and conformity assessment community, advising the NIST Director and other officials throughout the Administration on policy and strategy as they relate to the federal government's role in standardization.
Shawn Paulsen, Vice President, Chair of the Conformity Assessment Board, International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
Shawn Paulsen became IEC Vice-President and Chair of the IEC Conformity Assessment Board (CAB) on 1 January 2018. In this position, he is responsible for the overall conformity assessment work of the IEC. Currently, Paulsen is the Manager of Conformity Assessment within the CSA Group in Canada. He previously served as the Chief Electrical Inspector (Provincial Electrical Regulator) in the Department of Public Safety for the Province of New Brunswick, Canada. In this role, Paulsen was the Provincial representative on national codes, standards and conformity assessment committees.
With a career spanning over 35 years, Paulsen has significant experience in technical and policy standards work at both the national and international levels. He has been involved in the work of a number of organizations including the Canadian Standards Association, IEEE, International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), ANSI, the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), and the Canadian Advisory Council on Electrical Safety. Paulsen has been a member of the IEC Conformity Assessment Board since 2012 and has served as the Canadian representative to IECEE and IECRE. Paulsen was recently awarded the IEC 1906 Award for his commitment to international conformity assessment through his involvement with the IECEE.
Paulsen holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and also holds licenses as a Professional Engineer and as an industrial/commercial construction electrician.
Eve Gadzikwa, Director-General, Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ), Past President, African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO)
Eve has been the Director General of the Standards Association of Zimbabwe since 2008. Although she has been at the helm of SAZ for the past 12 years, her overall industry experience spans over 25 years in the public and private sectors. Eve is past President of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), the Pan African intergovernmental standards bureau that was formed by African Union in 1977 that is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya (2016-2019). Eve's current role as ARSO Council Member and Champion for Southern Africa is to drive standardisation harmonisation efforts on the continent with the aim to promote inter and intra African trade under AfCFTA. In partnership with ARSO and IEEE-SA, Eve is Chairing the 4th Industrial Revolution Strategy for Africa (A4IR) project to support digital transformation of the continent under the single AfCFTA market which is now set officially to come into force in January 2021. Eve is Member of ISO DEVCO Chairman's Advisory Group representing the interests of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Devin McDaniels has served as Economic Affairs Officer in the Trade and Environment Division of the World Trade Organization since 2011. He is the deputy-Secretary of the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Committee. He advises WTO Member governments on issues at the intersection of standards, regulation and trade. He holds degrees in economics, international relations and environmental policy from the University of British Columbia and the University of Oxford.


Location for: GASDA Home: » Industry News » ALL RETAILERS – Major Issue Regarding Underground Tank Insurance!
ALL RETAILERS – Major Issue Regarding Underground Tank Insurance!
MAJOR ISSUE REGARDING UNDERGROUND GASOLINE TANK INSURANCE!
It has been reported to me by more than one insurance agent in the State that Ace Insurance Company, a major insurance writer for Underground Gasoline Tanks has just stopped writing Underground Tank Insurance for any Tanks that are 27-years old or more. This is a major problem as your tanks still have 3-years of use left on them, but without insurance, you cannot operate those tanks without being fined big time by the State of Connecticut. It has also been reported that what is called "excess line carriers" are now also refusing to insure tanks installed in 1988 or earlier and then next year the cut off will be 1989- again, this will leave 3-years of expected life not being able to be used by retailers.
This is the exactly GASDA predicted would happen if the State were to eliminate the Underground clean-up fund and now, from all appearances, it is happening. What I need all retailers to do, can you please email (mike@gasda.org) or fax (203-323-6935) your company name and address with the number of tanks that you have and if you will suffer a financial hardship without being able to use your tanks for the remaining 3-years left on them. This will also affect those who tank replacement is required by your supplier as they will not get those 3-years left on their tanks as well. We need this number to set up a meeting with State not to disclose your name and location, but rather the scope and extent of the problem for a possible solution by the State such as low or zero interest loans to retailers for a tank replacement program or other remedies. We need your thoughts and input to put off the closure of many stations in the State due to this new Insurance policy.


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Keeping flavor in and oxygen out with EVOH film barriers
By ch.bhaskar01 on Fri, 11/16/2018 - 10:29
Sure, oxygen is vital. But not when it comes to packaging and flavor retention.
It's no surprise that when online services create ease and convenience, the engineered plastic film industry tends to take notice.
Consider the forecasted growth potential of online meal kits. This relatively new industry has exploded over the last couple of years, promising convenience for those who simply don't have enough time to cook. Each kit comes with everything a hungry end user will need with ingredients measured precisely to each recipe and individually packaged.
Yet, creating this level of convenience brings another factor into the mix that is often in high demand: quality and freshness. Companies like Blue Apron and Chef's Plate can't skimp out on maintaining the quality of their ingredients, especially since most of the perishable items are packed fresh.
That's where companies like Inteplast and oxygen barrier films come in.
The evolution of EVOH
Ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH), a derivative of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), has become a common choice for converters seeking film barriers that offer a high-performing oxygen barrier. But, creating EVOH film used to be a time consuming and costly effort.
"You would have to buy different layers and then laminate them separately," says Don Oldford, Strategic Business Development Manager at IEF Haremar. "You could be doing a three-to-four layer structure just to obtain the oxygen barrier that you needed."
Always on the lookout to improve the process, IEF extrudes 5-layer EVOH films in it's Vaughan, Ontario facility and 9-layer configurations at it's Dalton, Georgia site. The 9-layer EVOH films from Dalton allow converters to add other barrier materials like moisture control and nylons for strength and abuse resistance, eliminating the need for the previous lamination process entirely.
"With our EVOH, all a customer really needs to do is print a skin of polyethylene and laminate to our film and be done with it," says Oldford.
Protecting against the elements
Whether you're protecting beef jerky, coffee grounds or 3 tablespoons of sage spice, protecting the enclosed product is understandably important and EVOH film barriers can provide customers with piece of mind that the original lamination process couldn't always guarantee.
"EVOH allows us to tell our customers what our barrier properties are going to be with confidence — whereas if you're laminating layers of film together, if one of those films doesn't quite have the necessary properties, then you're not going to get the numbers that a customer is looking for," says Oldford. "Customers want flavor retention and the lamination of various components really didn't give them that."
Extruding with the customer in mind
While the oxygen barrier created by EVOH film is a major selling point, not all customer requests are the same. This has resulted in the need for more variety when extruding this particular film. But for Oldford, that's all part of being an extension of the customers' production facilities.
"Over the years, our customers have learned that when they have questions, they can come to us for answers. Whether it's spec sheets, government approvals or meeting federal regulations for food-safe films, we give them the assurance that their film is going to do what it's been engineered to do."
With that assurance also comes the confidence that IEF can fulfill most requests when it comes to EVOH. IEF's Vaughan and Dalton production sites, along with their combined three lines, can extrude both clear and white EVOH film in full gauges from 1 MIL to 7.5 MIL and in widths up to excess of 100". When it comes to IEF's EVOH, it's rare that a customer isn't able to get exactly what they're looking for.
Expanding the EVOH horizon
With the demand for EVOH growing, customers are going to find new uses for EVOH. One such instance occurred when some of IEF's customers started using EVOH for lidding purposes.
According to Oldford, "a customer might go out and buy a high-oxygen barrier tray to put their food product in, but then use a polyethylene lid that might only offer moisture control. While it may be a cheaper option, you're risking the flavor retention of your product. EVOH is an answer to this kind of packaging challenge."
It's the unique uses of EVOH that will continue to fuel its growing demand in the film barrier industry, and IEF is ready and able to help new and existing customers find the exact solution they need for their oxygen barrier film needs.
http://inteplastef.com/news/read/keeping-flavor-in-and-oxygen-out-with-evoh-fil…


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Linked Bioscience

  Home Search Browse

Browse Network Topics

Network Topical Areas

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    © Montana State University (MSU) Library  <time property="dateModified lastReviewed" datetime="2017-09-08T18:57:03-07:00" title="published 2017-09-08T18:57:03-07:00">2017</time>

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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I am interested in 12337 Cr 3226, Arp, TX 75750.


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Elfen Lied TP Omnibus Edition V1
Store availability: in stock!
Lynn Okamoto(w)(a)
Captured and isolated against their will, the Diclonius species are a threat waiting to break free. When a young Diclonius girl, Nyu, escapes from the research facility she was being held in, she manages to find solace in two allies, until danger finds her again, putting everyone at risk. However, her enemies soon realize they're in over their heads as an attempt to subdue Nyu results in unspeakable tragedy. Lynn Okamoto's beloved original manga series, that inspired the anime TV show, is now available in English for the very first time, presented here in a special omnibus collecting three of the four original volumes in one!
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Staying competitive in the bridal market is no easy feat. EMILY MOBBS reveals the latest trends and sales tools expected to help those up for the (rewarding) challenge.
Jennifer Lopez may have told the world "love don't cost a thing" but a new report suggests quite the opposite.
According to the 2014–15 Cost of Love survey conducted by niche consumer magazine Bride to Be, the average price for an Australian wedding is $65,482.
That's a 21 per cent increase from what it was when the study was carried out two years ago and a staggering 81 per cent rise from eight years before that ($36,234 in 2004). What's more, the latest figure represents a reported 56 per cent of the average Australian couple's income.
The biennial study also finds that the average collective spend on engagement and wedding rings is $9,978, up from $8,269 in the 2012–13 period.
There's no indication that any of these results directly reflect jeweller profits but it's certainly an indication that sales opportunities are alive and well despite unstable economic conditions.
Jewellers seeking to capture these opportunities need to be abreast of the latest trends in bridal jewellery. First up on the shopping list of any aspiring groom is an engagement ring, a product sector where popular styles are heavily influenced by celebrities, according to Chris Worth, head of Worth & Douglas marketing and sales.
"Many of the diamond jewellery trends have been influenced by celebrity engagements," Worth says, pointing to actress Scarlett Johansson as a key influence in the popularisation of art deco-inspired rings and Blake Lively of Gossip Girl fame as responsible for fanning demand for stones set in rose gold.
John Whitaker, a fourth generation jeweller and director of Whitakers Jewellers in Newcastle, NSW, explains that his store attracts customers looking for bespoke designs but even he can't deny that sales for emerald-cut diamond rings increased when Kim Kardashian began showing off her sparkler. Whitaker says white gold is still the top metal of choice and also notes increased sales in yellow and rose gold.
Whitaker's observations are similar to those of others working in the engagement ring sphere who say white gold reigns supreme, platinum is still loved by a select few and colour is gaining ground.
Interestingly, while Linneys is well-known for pearl jewellery, Linney says a "large percentage of our sales are generated by engagement rings and this has been growing over the past few years".
According to Anthony Gersbach, regional manager of Hamiltons Jewellery at Highpoint Shopping Centre in Melbourne, a traditional solitaire setting will always be popular amongst customers at his store; however, it's another style that has piqued consumer interest of late.
"The halo setting is very trendy right now. It started to become popular last year but this year it has really taken off," Gersbach explains, adding that approximately 65 per cent of the jewellery business' customers buy off-the-shelf and approximately 35 per cent purchase custom-made pieces.
When questioned about current engagement ring trends, TWM Co chief operating officer Roberto Ulas attests it's all about customisation.
Speaking of diamonds, the general consensus is that white stones remain the most popular, with a slight increase in demand for coloured gemstones and coloured diamonds.
Whitaker notes that the desire to have a matching engagement and wedding ring is declining and says a push towards bespoke engagement rings has existed for more than five years.
"We've been working and continually evolving what we do here in order to capitalise on it," he says of the decision made a few years ago to move away from branded product and develop a niche offering focused on custom design jewellery.
According to Worth, a consumer's desire to add their own unique touch also extends to wedding bands, and engravings signifying names, wedding dates or a message on the inside of a ring are all proving popular.
Gersbach says full diamond bands have been selling well, which is an observation also made by Worth and a sentiment expressed by Ulas.
In metal colours, Peter W Beck marketing manager Laura Sawade cites a significant shift towards rose gold.
Speaking of grooms-to-be, Chris Scanlan notes that titanium – mixed with gold – is the fastest-growing category for the men's wedding ring brand Dora. Scanlan, marketing manager for Dora distributor RJ Scanlan & Co, believes the trend reflects the current market.
"I think there are a few retailers looking at their average sale price of gent's wedding rings and seeing a decline. Gold has become expensive again, after the AUD fall against the USD, so alternative metals like titanium – with a lower price point – are offered instead of gold," he says.
Ilhan Demirel, director of Infinity Rings, has similar sentiments. "Alternative metals, such as palladium500 and platinum600 have become more in demand due to the affordability while keeping the quality, as well as titanium and gold combinations," he explains.
Demirel isn't the only one who gives black diamonds a shout-out. Worth and Ulas report stones in dark hues are popular amongst Aussie men, with Ulas adding that the fondness for black also extends to metal.
From a retailer's perspective, Gersbach says sales for patterned and diamond-set rings outweigh classic designs; however, Whitaker says there has been a push back to plain wedding ring styles.
Fuelling the bridal market is an army of suppliers, all helping to increase consumer engagement and meet changing shopper expectations with developments that enhance online and in-store retail experiences.
"In the age of e-commerce, it is now very important to provide a comparable shopping experience in-store that keeps the consumer engaged," Worth says.
Online live pricing is fast becoming a de rigueur offering from suppliers and retailer Gersbach says it has been a benefit for his sales staff.
Dora is another wedding ring brand with an active social media presence, recently running a five-month promotion on Facebook that ended earlier this year.
The campaign allowed customers of Dora wedding rings to go into a monthly draw to win a $500 gift voucher and a grand prize draw to win a $7,000 European honeymoon. Consumers registered for the promotion via the Dora Australia Facebook page, an avenue that Scanlan told Jeweller at the time had been crucial in generating awareness and consumer engagement not only for the promotion but also the brand.
Given how quickly technology and the online world are evolving, one would assume initiatives such as this are a sign of many more to come. The bridal market may be competitive but retailers will undoubtedly have a better shot at attracting a greater share of business by knowing what's hot and what's not, both on the sales floor and behind the counter.
Love may not have to cost a thing but it sure seems people are prepared to pay for it.


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Q: rdlc report shows only first query result and then it needs to reopen the form to shows another query I have a form that has some lists and date-time pikers in order to make a query from them and show the query result in rdlc report . but it shows the first query result only, if I make another query it duplicates the first query result. so it needs to reopen the form every time I need to get a report, please How can I solve this problem. this is my code /
 conn.Open();
        cmd.CommandText = "SELECT id, customer, RoomNo, Reception, BookDate, BookDaysNo, PriceForOne, TotalPrice, recieved, rest, details FROM bookTable WHERE(BookDate between @date1 and @date2)";
        cmd.Connection = conn;
        cmd.Parameters.Add(new OleDbParameter("@date1", dateTimePicker1.Value.ToShortDateString()));
        cmd.Parameters.Add(new OleDbParameter("@date2", dateTimePicker2.Value.ToShortDateString()));
          cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
        dt.Load(cmd.ExecuteReader());
        conn.Close();

        ReportParameterCollection reportParameters = new ReportParameterCollection();
        reportParameters.Add(new ReportParameter("ReportParameter1", dateTimePicker1.Value.ToShortDateString().ToString()));
        reportParameters.Add(new ReportParameter("ReportParameter2", dateTimePicker2.Value.ToShortDateString().ToString()));

        reportViewer1.LocalReport.SetParameters(reportParameters);
        reportViewer1.Visible = true;
        ReportDataSource rds = new ReportDataSource("DataSet1", dt as DataTable);
        reportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Clear();
        reportViewer1.LocalReport.DataSources.Add(rds);
        reportViewer1.LocalReport.Refresh();
        reportViewer1.RefreshReport();
        reportViewer1.ZoomMode = ZoomMode.PageWidth;
        reportViewer1.Show();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Acupuncture has been found equally effective as loratadine (Claritin®, Alavert®, Shionogi®) for the treatment of dust mite allergies. Researchers from the Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology at the University Hospital Dresden (Germany) conclude that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of allergy related rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis. The researchers document that acupuncture relieves symptoms of rhinitis including nasal congestion, runny nose, post-nasal drip and sneezing.
Acupuncture exhibited the unique ability to stimulate the endogenous production of IL-10, an interleukin that blocks histamine release from activated mast cells. Reduced IL-10 in the nasal mucosa is associated with an increase in nasal allergy symptoms and acupuncture successfully increases IL-10 levels. The researchers note of acupuncture, "The results indicate the probability of an immunomodulatory effect." This helps to explain, in part, the ability of acupuncture to provide lasting relief from allergies.
The researchers conclude, "Acupuncture is a clinically effective form of therapy in the treatment of patients suffering from persistent allergic rhinitis." The researchers standardized the acupuncture treatments to include a protocolized selection of acupuncture points based upon Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles. The acupuncture points used for all patients were: LI 20, Bi Tong, Yin Tang, BL 2, GB 20, LI 4, LI 11, SI 3, ST 36, auricular 78, auricular 55.
The new research conducted at the University Hospital Dresden confirms that acupuncture is effective for the relief of rhinitis. In related research, investigators documented a 96.5% success rate of acupuncture for the treatment of rhinitis. A total of 61 persons had a total recovery, 21 showed marked improvement and 3 showed no improvement.
Rhinoscopy and absence of symptoms was used to confirm the results. A 2 year follow-up confirmed the recovery rates. At a rate of 1 treatment per day, 15 acupuncture sessions consisted of 1 course of treatment. The 96.5% effective rate was achieved within 2 courses of treatment.
The acupuncture needles used in the study were 0.35 mm (28 gauge) in diameter and 40-50 mm in length. The acupuncture points chosen were: GB 20 (Fengchi), LI 4 (Hegu), and ST 36 (Zusanli). Supplementary acupuncture points were UB 12 (Fengmen), UB 13 (Feishu), Yintang (Ex-HN 3), and DU 14 (Dazhui). Supplementary acupuncture points were chosen dependent upon TCM differential diagnostics. In many cases, 20 minutes of manual needle manipulation were applied at each acupuncture session. Tonification and reduction acupuncture needle techniques and moxa were chosen dependent upon excess, deficient, heat and cold diagnostic patterns according to TCM principles.
The Dresden study differs from the second study in that a standardized set of acupuncture points was used for all patients in Dresden while customization of acupuncture point selections was made in the second study. In a third research project, investigators at RMIT University in Melbourne (Australia) studied 80 patients with chronic rhinitis. They concluded that acupuncture is an effective treatment therapy for rhinitis.
Acupuncture points LI 20, Yintang and GB 20 were the primary acupuncture points. Supplementary points included LI 4, ST 36, and CV 6. The acupuncture group had significantly better outcomes than either the control group or the sham acupuncture group. Each acupuncture session was 25 minutes and patients were given 16 acupuncture treatments at a rate of twice per week. Results were tabulated after a three month follow-up. Both nasal and ocular symptoms associated with chronic rhinitis improved significantly for the acupuncture group. Members of the acupuncture group were also able to reduce consumption of relief medication. The study concluded that acupuncture is "safe and effective" for the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR).
Hauswald, Bettina, Christina Dill, Jürgen Boxberger, Eberhard Kuhlisch, Thomas Zahnert, and Yury M. Yarin. "The effectiveness of acupuncture compared to loratadine in patients allergic to house dust mites."
Reference: An Hua, Qinhuangdao Port Hospital, Hebei, China. "Treatment of 85 Cases with Chronic Rhinitis by Acupuncture." J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. 2010, 8 (5): 318.
Reference: Evaluation of efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis. An, X 2006, Evaluation of efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis, Masters Thesis, School of Health Sciences, RMIT University.


The Grey Agents are completing a new album to be released in 2018. The first single is The Murder Farm, available for download at all major music outlets. The 2015 CD, Classified Misinformation, is available! Get it at iTunes, Google Play, Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, or The Music Center in Bridgeport, WV. You can buy physical CDs from Amazon.com and The Music Center.


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Where can I sell my old PS3 games?
Where can I sell my old PS3 games? – Additional Questions
Is PS3 worth buying in 2021?
Does Best Buy buy Playstations?
How do I get rid of PS3?
Can I trade in my PS3?
Is PlayStation 3 still good?
How much can u sell a PS4 for?
How much is a PS4 at a pawn shop?
How much can I get for a PS4 at a pawn shop?
How much can you sell a PS5 for?
How much does a PS6 cost?
Are scalpers still buying PS5?
Is 700 a good price for PS5?
How much is a PS1?
How much is PS5 Dubai?
Is PS5 worth 1000 dollars?
Why is PS5 so hard?
Why did PS5 price go up?
Where can I sell my old PS3 games? If the time has come to sell your PlayStation 3 games, then you've come to the right place. Ziffit can offer you cash for most video games, including those for the PS3 and the process has never been easier!
What can I do with my old PS3 games?
If you have a collection of old video game consoles sitting around and aren't sure what to do with them, check out this guide.
Sell It. Most people's gut reaction would be to sell their old console.
Donate It.
Hack It.
Gut It.
Use It as a Media Center.
Set Up a Game Room.
Recycle It.
How much can I sell my PS3 for 2022?
PS3 "Sell" Prices (What you can expect to sell for as of 07/21/2022)
Online Buyback Stores
Online Marketplaces (eBay, after fees)
PS3 Slim 250 GB $19 $112
PS3 Super Slim 250 GB $23 $126
How much money will I get if I sell my PS3? A used PS3 is worth between $41.00 – $520.00 depending on condition and if the console comes with all its original cables. What is this? Like every antique, treasured heirloom, or piece of art, a PS3 will vary in price depending on its condition.
Definitely. The PlayStation 3 was the last time Sony made a good console; everything afterwards is basically a glorified PC; anything its successors can do, a gaming PC and/or one of Nintendo's consoles will do better. I still own my PS3 in 2021; I've had it for ten years, and it continues to hold up extremely well.
It's time to trade in your old tech for something new. Bring in a used but working PlayStation 4 console, power source and controller and get a Best Buy Gift Card valued at up to $200.
Instead, do one of the following:
Reuse your console by gifting it to someone you love (or even kind of like). You could also donate your console to a local organization, like a community centre or library.
Resell your device after completing the steps above.
Recycle your console instead of throwing it into the trash.
1-7 of 7 Answers. Yes, you can trade-in your PS3 to buy the PS4.
PS3 Is Still a Great Multimedia Device. The PS3 was released 15 years ago and has been cemented as a retro console. However, unlike most retro consoles, which you can only use to play games in some cases, the PS3 still offers an array of multimedia features.
Depending on the system's condition, model, and storage capacity, you could get somewhere between $1.00 and $220.00.
Quick Stats: -The average price of a PS4 sold in pawn shops is $236.21. Brand new PS4's are currently retailing for $329.99. Average loan amounts are $156.96.
How Much Is A Used PS4 At Pawn America? The actual cost of a Playstation 4 gaming console can vary depending on model, condition, and physical location. That being said, at the time of this writing the average selling price of a used PS4 console at Pawn America ranged from approximately $180 to $350.
PS5 resale prices have dropped in recent months
During Cyber Weekend 2020, scalpers were selling disc versions of the PS5 for as much as $1,000. As of this month, the console is selling for around $715 on average.
PS6 Price Rumors
The last few consoles launched between $400 and $500. There's no telling what kind of hardware, extra features, or improvements the next-gen PlayStation could have that would sway its price one way or the other. For now, assume it could cost as much as $600.
Scalpers are still finding plenty of success reselling PlayStation 5 consoles in 2022. Despite retailers attempting to find ways around them, they continue to bring in the big money by buying up that elusive stock wherever they can.
If you've decided you're willing to pay hundreds over list price to get a console now, you might want to check out StockX. Right now, it appears that $700 is the least you can spend on a PS5, and prices go substantially higher.
A used PS1 is worth between $36.00 – $720.00 depending on condition and if the console ships as part of a bundle.
Right now, PS5 disc editions are going for around $1,000 due to scalpers cleaning up the market and jacking up prices beyond the original $500 retail price. There is still a digital version available but it's also marked up although it's out there for less than a grand.
If you're wondering why the PS5 is so hard to get for us non-famous folk, in short, it's because of the pandemic-induced global chip shortage — and an increased demand for entertainment tech for those who were stuck at home for the better part of two years.
The increase in price was made due to several external issues, including the continual shortage of semiconductors that is affecting the production of games consoles for all console makers, including Sony. During its earnings call, Sony revealed the PS5 has sold 21.7 million units to date since its 2020 release.
What games can I play at school online?
Is Clumsy Ninja online?


text:
Q: Problems with user's input in KivyMD I'm having some problems while trying to get user's input and use it on another screen. First of all, on the first screen, there is a TextField and a Button, when you click on the button, it takes you to another screen with a MDLabel and another button. My intention is to get the user's name using TextField on the first screen and then put it as a text in my MDLabel, on the second screen, like Hello, (user's name)
Here's my code:
from kivymd.app import MDApp
from kivy.lang.builder import Builder
from kivy.uix.screenmanager import ScreenManager, Screen

screen_helper = """
ScreenManager:
    MenuScreen:
    ProfileScreen:
<MenuScreen>:
    name: 'menu'
    input_name: input_name
    MDTextField:
        id: input_name
        hint_text: 'Digite seu nome ou apelido'
        pos_hint:{'center_x':0.5,'center_y':0.7}
        color_mode:'custom'
        line_color_focus: 0.43, 0.82, 0.83, 0.6

    MDRectangleFlatButton:
        text: 'Entrar'
        pos_hint: {'center_x':0.5,'center_y':0.4}
        on_press: root.manager.current = 'profile'

<ProfileScreen>:
    name: 'profile'
    MDLabel:
        id: label_welcome
        text: "Hello,"
        halign: 'center'
    MDRectangleFlatButton:
        text: 'Back'
        pos_hint: {'center_x':0.5,'center_y':0.1}
        on_press: root.manager.current = 'menu'

"""

class MenuScreen(Screen):
    pass

class ProfileScreen(Screen):
    pass

# Create the screen manager
sm = ScreenManager()
sm.add_widget(MenuScreen(name='menu'))
sm.add_widget(ProfileScreen(name='profile'))

class DemoApp(MDApp):
    def build(self):
        screen = Builder.load_string(screen_helper)
        return screen

DemoApp().run()

A: You have to pair the id(s) to object properties on root widget.
It might not be the most efficient way, but it's working for me.
I changed your code below, major changes actually:
from kivymd.app import MDApp
from kivy.lang.builder import Builder
from kivy.uix.screenmanager import ScreenManager, Screen
from kivy.properties import ObjectProperty #<--- Object Property

screen_helper = """
MainScreenManager: # <--- changes here
    label_: label_welcome
    input_name: input_name

    MenuScreen:
        name: 'menu'

        MDTextField:
            id: input_name
            hint_text: 'Digite seu nome ou apelido'
            pos_hint:{'center_x':0.5,'center_y':0.7}
            color_mode:'custom'
            line_color_focus: 0.43, 0.82, 0.83, 0.6

        MDRectangleFlatButton:
            text: 'Entrar'
            pos_hint: {'center_x':0.5,'center_y':0.4}
            on_press:
                root.ButtonFunction()
    ProfileScreen:
        name: 'profile'
        MDLabel:
            id: label_welcome
            text: "Hello,"
            halign: 'center'
        MDRectangleFlatButton:
            text: 'Back'
            pos_hint: {'center_x':0.5,'center_y':0.1}
            on_press: root.current = 'menu'

"""

class MainScreenManager(ScreenManager): #This gonna be the root widget
    label_      = ObjectProperty(None)
    input_name  = ObjectProperty(None)

    def ButtonFunction(self):
        self.current    = 'profile'
        self.label_.text = f'Hello, {self.input_name.text}'

class MenuScreen(Screen):
    pass

class ProfileScreen(Screen):
    pass

# Create the screen manager
sm = MainScreenManager()
sm.add_widget(MenuScreen(name='menu'))

sm.add_widget(ProfileScreen(name='profile'))

class DemoApp(MDApp):
    def build(self):
        screen = Builder.load_string(screen_helper)
        return screen

DemoApp().run()


Go back to Jersey, sonny. This is the City of the Angels, and you haven't got any wings.
Adam West of Crosscut Games is one of those people it's been a pleasure to get to know as I have become more involved in the game industry, and my work on his excellent game Ninjato one of my more satisfying and creative jobs. So I was happy to get involved on his new project Deadline, which was originally concieved as a full boardgame. I designed the logo, the front cover layout (adding a well-thumbed magazine look to the stunning illustration by Glen Orbik), and the rulebook background, but it was a long time before I saw them in print because Deadline eventually came out in a very different form, as a card game.
It packs a lot of punch for a card game however, effortlessly blending a fun symbol-matching mechanic with actual stories of – well, lust, greed, envy, and revenge. There are twelve sealed stories (packs of cards) in the box, and while they're one-off games, I'm sure they'll be more released in time (and actually, there's only a small percentage of my games I've played more than twelve times!) Pulp detective thematic goodness positively drips out of this compact box, and it's definitely a game to add to your collection.
If you enjoy this game aid, please consider regularly supporting the EOG. Your generosity means I can keep making great gaming stuff that improves your tabletop game experiences. Thank you!


When it comes to the food and beverage business, being hygienic is definitely one of the standards that anyone and everyone should aspire to. Well, grabbing ice cubes with your fingers and plopping them into your drinks is not exactly the cleanest way of doing things, even more so if you are the one hosting a party and are offering drinks to your guests. How about using a pair of tongs? That works a whole lot better, but why take the road that is well traveled with an ordinary pair of tongs, when you can settle for the far more inspiring $9.99 Coldfingers Mitten Ice Tongs? This pair will definitely add some compassion and humor to your bar tools! Not only that, you will no longer have to settle for cold fingers as you grab a block of ice to place into a cocktail.


Minecraft Animated Library 1.12.2/1.11.2 in an attempt to bring good-looking animations to Minecraft… for everyone. This mod makes models/entities in Minecraft animated. With this mod, you can create difficult animations in about 20 Minutes time.


Media outlets report on news from Minnesota, Arizona, MIchigan, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, North Carolina and Maryland.
While some programs already screen for suicide and have fewer deaths, Michael Johnson, managing director for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, said "Right now, there's no real standards for suicide prevention in addiction treatment programs. We want to change that." Other news on the opioid crisis looks at chronic pain patients and injections sites.


#fafatl on twitter will start you on a scavenger hunt to find some awesome artwork from local artists in Atlanta around the first Friday of each month. Their website is http://www.fafatl.com/ which has all the details. Thanks to Danielle M, I participated for the first time helping them to find a piece but also dropping off three of my own little space scenes around town.
Art posts featuring photos, paintings, drawings and poetry.
Mark on May the heavens fill your soul, again.


text:
Nagel and his critics, Part IX
Returning to my series on the critics of Thomas Nagel's Mind and Cosmos, let's look at the recent Commonweal magazine symposium on the book. The contributors are philosopher Gary Gutting, biologist Kenneth Miller, and physicist Stephen Barr. I'll remark on each contribution in turn.
I found Gutting's review interesting but somewhat frustrating. On the one hand, unlike some other reviewers Gutting realizes that the heart of Nagel's position is metaphysical rather than empirical, and that Nagel's point vis-à-vis consciousness is that the materialist conception of the natural world not only doesn't account for consciousness but, implicitly, positively excludes consciousness. On the other hand, like some other reviewers, he still seems to think that Nagel's critique of Darwinian accounts of consciousness has something essentially to do with probabilities. As I have argued in previous posts in this series, that is not the case. And thus it simply misses the point to criticize Nagel (as Gutting, like other reviewers does) for offering insufficient empirical grounds for challenging the consensus among biologists, or failing to justify his probability judgments. His point about the evolution of consciousness isn't an empirical or probabilistic matter in the first place, but a metaphysical one. He is saying that given a materialist account of matter, the origin of consciousness via evolution is not merely improbable but impossible. Probabilities enter the picture only once evolution is interpreted in light of some different metaphysics of matter -- neutral monist, panpsychist, or whatever.
In the latter part of the chapter on consciousness in Mind and Cosmos, Nagel does indeed address the question of how "likely," given a "reductive" theory, the rise of consciousness is in "geological time" (pp. 60-61). The trouble is that too many of Nagel's commentators (including, it seems to me, Gutting) fail to read these passages in context.
On p. 54 Nagel distinguishes a "reductive" view from a "reductionist" view. Materialism would be a "reductionist" view, but a "reductive" view could be one that reduces consciousness to lower-level elements that are understood in a non-materialist way. He also distinguishes a "constitutive" account of consciousness, which deals ahistorically with how consciousness is related to the physical aspects of an organism, from a "historical" account, which deals with the question of how consciousness arose in the course of time. He says, though, that "the historical account will depend partly on the correct constitutive account." And he goes on in pp. 54-58 to consider, as possible non-materialist constitutive theories, views like strong emergentism, neutral monism, and panpsychism. Then on p. 58 Nagel writes:
[L]et me now turn to the historical question, again on the assumption that psychophysical reductionism is false. The prevailing naturalistic answer to the historical question is the materialist version of evolutionary theory, supplemented by a speculative chemical account of the origin of life. The question is: what alternatives to this picture open up if psychophysical reductionism is rejected? (emphasis added)
So, when Nagel gets to the remarks about what is "likely" in "geological time" etc. he is talking about what is likely given a non-materialist metaphysics. He is not there criticizing materialist Darwinian accounts of consciousness on the grounds that they don't make the rise of consciousness in the course of natural history sufficiently probable. That question is not for Nagel a matter of mere probability in the first place.
I emphasized, in my own review of Nagel for First Things, the various respects in which Mind and Cosmos evinces a neo-Aristotelian position. Gutting rightly notes, however, that there are strands in the book which might be taken instead in an idealist or Whiteheadian process philosophy direction. Naturally I think Aristotelianism is the way to go, but the other approaches would also be improvements on the lazy and philosophically shallow materialism that permeates so much of contemporary intellectual life.
Kenneth Miller's remarks on Nagel provide an instance of the latter. Miller seems to think that consciousness is something that might be explained with some further work in neuroscience. But that is, of course, entirely to miss the point of Nagel's arguments, which imply that it is impossible in principle for a purely materialist theory, including a purely materialist neuroscientific theory, to account for consciousness. Nor, contrary to what Miller suggests, do Nagel's reasons have essentially to do with Cartesian dualism or with what is "conceivable," and they certainly have nothing to do with Nagel's "personal preferences."
As I have emphasized in previous posts in this series, Nagel's main point vis-à-vis consciousness, first put forward in "What Is It Like to Be a Bat?" and restated in other works (including Mind and Cosmos), is that it is precisely the materialist's own conception of matter that poses the key problem for a materialist account of consciousness. For from the time of Galileo and Descartes onwards, matter has been defined in such a way that heat, cold, color, sound, odor, taste, and the like as common sense understands them, are extruded from matter -- including the matter that makes up the brain -- and counted as existing only in the mind's perceptual representation of matter. What exists in matter is only heat, cold, color, sound, etc. as redefined for purposes of physics (sound as compression waves, heat and cold as molecular motion etc.). This is the origin of the "qualia problem" for materialism. For if color, odor, sound, heat, cold, etc. as common sense understands them exist only as the "qualia" of our experience of matter and not in matter itself, then they are either immaterial or (if one wants to take an eliminativist line) not real at all. Either way they will not be explained in materialistic terms, no matter how much neuroscientific data we pile up. (Among my earlier Nagel posts, see this post, this post, this one, and this one for more detailed discussion of this issue.)
Miller does give Nagel some praise for being an outsider with the brass to challenge the conventional wisdom in biology, but he does not realize how beholden to it he is himself. Ironically, Miller cites Erwin Schrödinger as someone who raised useful questions from outside biology in his book What is Life? What Miller does not seem to realize is that Schrödinger also took a view very similar to Nagel's vis-à-vis consciousness -- perhaps because, as a physicist, he was more sensitive to problems about the nature of matter as such than biologists tend to be, and it is the nature of matter as such, and not merely the current state of neuroscience, that lies at the heart of the problem of consciousness.
It is perhaps no surprise, then, that physicist Stephen Barr, unlike Miller, does see the problem for materialism to which Nagel is calling our attention, and sees that it is precisely the methods of modern science that generate it. Barr writes:
As a physicist, [Nagel's antimaterialist] conclusion seems to me obvious and to follow directly from the very nature of physical science and the way it explains things. According to physics, every physical system is completely characterized—indeed, defined—by a set of "variables," which mathematically describe what its elementary constituents are doing and whose evolution though time is governed by a set of mathematical rules and equations…
Even if one knew all the variables of a physical system, their values at one time or at all times, and the equations governing them, there would be no way to derive from that information anything about whether the system in question was conscious, was feeling anything, or was having subjective experiences of any sort.
Of course, we sometimes infer from its physically observable behavior that a being has feelings. When my dog begs for a strip of bacon, I know it's because he enjoys the taste. But that conclusion is based on an analogy between the dog's reactions and mine, not on a mathematical or logical derivation from physical facts. Nor could it be based on such a derivation, for such things as enjoyment or taste are not quantities, and physics deals only with quantities—quantities that appear in equations and quantities that are measured.
End quote. If anything, Barr argues, Nagel is too quick to reject dualism in favor of some non-materialist form of naturalism. Nagel's reason for rejecting it, as Barr notes, is that he thinks it entails abandoning hope for an "integrated explanation" of mind and body (Mind and Cosmos, p. 49). To Barr's response, I would add that if Nagel pushed his neo-Aristotelianism further he might find that a kind of dualism -- namely what David Oderberg calls "hylemorphic dualism" -- is compatible with an integrated account of mind and body.
On an Aristotelian hylemorphic conception of human nature, sensation and imagination, which we share with non-human animals, are corporeal, but not because they are reducible to matter as the materialist understands it; intellect, which we don't share with the animals, is incorporeal, which entails a dualism of sorts; but a human being is nevertheless one substance rather than two, contrary to Cartesian dualism; yet this is not because the incorporeal aspects inhere in a material substance, contrary to property dualism, and it is not because neutral monism, idealism, or panpsychism get things right either (they don't). In short, for the Aristotelian, the way the modern, post-Cartesian philosopher of mind typically carves up the basic conceptual lay of the land is totally wrong, and precisely because of the desiccated conception of matter introduced by Galileo, Descartes, and their successors. (For more on this large topic, see chapter 4 of Aquinas, and earlier posts like this one and this one.)
Posted by Edward Feser at 10:30 PM
Bilbo May 18, 2013 at 5:01 AM
Thanks for your comments, Ed. I think that by responding to these most recent reviews you've helped to clarify Nagel for me even more.
But I'm still having difficulties. If I remember Barr's review, the problem is that all of physics can be explained in terms of a modern understanding of matter. How then does an Aristotelian view "fit in" with modern physics? Further, Barr seems to accept the materialist neo-Darwiniam account of evolution, which would, it seems, leave out any sort of Aristotelian account of evolution. He appears to want to prescribe dualism only to human beings, not to animals. Thus all those qualia that we suspect animals enjoy would have had no affect on the history of evolution.
Let me add a further difficulty that I have. Nagel writes about the problem of explaining the origin of life. And yes, it has remained a mystery for modern materialists. But from a strictly empirical point of view, there doesn't appear to be any inherent properties in matter to form into living organisms. Once they exist, organisms have inherent properties to survive and reproduce themselves, certainly. But getting a living organism to begin with? That seems to be a problem both for modern materialists and Aristotelians. It's why I tend to favor that disreputable hypothesis known as Intelligent Design.
JesseM May 18, 2013 at 4:28 PM
What does Nagel mean by "psychophysical reductionism" though? Would it include something like the metaphysics postulated by David Chalmers? Chalmers postulates that the physical world has "causal closure", meaning the behavior of physical systems is not influenced by any extra-physical causes. He also assumes that the physical world obeys the bottom-up sort of physical laws that are often labeled "reductionist", where the behavior of any physical system could in principle be predicted with ideal accuracy (though these might be statistical predictions, if quantum mechanics involves true randomness), if one knows the precise initial state of all the most fundamental entities that make up physical systems (whether strings or quantum fields or what have you), and some set of fundamental mathematical laws governing the behavior of these entities. But this reductionism concerning ideal predictions of behavior is not the same as ontological reductionism, because Chalmers is not an eliminative materialist about qualia, he thinks qualia must be considered ontologically separate from physical states, and postulates that some sort of "psychophysical laws" might determine which physical states give rise to which states of consciousness.
From summaries and excerpts, I had thought that Nagel's attack on "reductionism" is more broad than just an attack on the ontological aspect of reductionism, I was under the impression that he was also attacking reductionist claims about the analysis of the behavior of systems in terms of fundamental physics, which Chalmers has no issue with. And of course, if one takes a view like that of Chalmers, then any facts about the probability of some event occurring in the physical world (the origin of life, or the origin of organisms with intelligent behavior) would be exactly the same as they would be under strict materialism, the only difference would be one's ontological interpretation of the event. I haven't read Nagel's book yet though, am I misunderstanding what he is arguing?
Debilis May 20, 2013 at 1:59 AM
I'd appreciate anyone who can elaborate on the exact differences between hylemorphic dualism and property dualism.
At least, it is hard for me to imagine that consciousness can be reduced to a property of matter (a property that is outside the purview of science) without feeling like we're drifting into hylemorphism.
Is it that the property dualist rejects teleological causes?
Here's a recent paper that would seem to support a view of eovlution that would be more in line with Aristotelianism. However, that would still leave the problem of the origin of life.
Existence is a vat Happiness. Lie is not suffering. Life is Happiness. Existence is Happiness. It is pristine Beauty - Absolure, Self-Radiant, Self-Existing, never diminished. Yet you believe something else about it. You are superimposing your atrocious beliefs on this vast display of light, beliefs you must outgrow.
It is the same as everything that is right here, right now - exactly the same, but Infinite and Inherently Perfect.
It is a Perfect Dance without motion, without any conversation, without are forewarning, without and preparation, explanations or strategies, all of which shut down the intrinsic Beauty of Infinite Life. It just IS.
Bilbo: the problem is that all of physics can be explained in terms of a modern understanding of matter. How then does an Aristotelian view "fit in" with modern physics?
Well, since "all of physics" is defined according to the modern understanding of matter, that's not really a problem; it would have to work that way. I guess what you're getting at is what does that amount to for Aristotelianism: the idea is that colour is not "just" frequencies of light, but rather than frequencies of light are "just" one way that colour manifests itself — the quantitative way. A coloured object really, physically has both the qualitative aspect (e.g. "redness") and the quantitative ("4×1014 Hz"), even though physics studies only part of that reality. (There are other facets of Aristotelianism, such as the ever-popular formal and final causes that physics sometimes pretends to ignore, but is really there in the background all along; so in that sense, modern science fits more with the Aristotelian view than with the modern definitions.)
Further, Barr seems to accept the materialist neo-Darwiniam account of evolution, which would, it seems, leave out any sort of Aristotelian account of evolution.
Since we're talking in terms of metaphysics rather than physics, there are many possible ways that biological evolution might happen, depending on what the laws of biology in this world actually turn out to be. All you need is that some law of nature dictates that under such-and-such conditions, an X will produce a Y. If the laws of biology are such that this will happen when you get, say, enough mutations of the right kind, then evolution could indeed work in a Darwinian fashion (assuming Darwinism actually fits the facts, of course). It's up to biologists to figure out what those laws are by studying the evidence.
But getting a living organism to begin with? That seems to be a problem both for modern materialists and Aristotelians. It's why I tend to favor that disreputable hypothesis known as Intelligent Design.
Well, I would argue that the fundamental idea behind intelligent design is perfectly fine, apart from possible philosophical problems associated with the capitalised version. But of course, in Aristotelian terms, you don't really get a living organism from something non-living. That is, there isn't some thing that is inorganic and then becomes alive; since to be a living thing means to have a different form, there can be only a non-living thing that gets replaced by a different, living thing. But God can of course create beings such that it is a genuine natural result that a particular setup naturally causes an organism to come into being.
Mike M. May 20, 2013 at 10:14 AM
Wow that was profound Anonymous 2:50 AM. Who could argue with that? Open and shut case. The bit about "…a Perfect Dance without motion," just, wow. What's with Feser and cogent arguments am I right!? Doesn't he know the world runs on perception and universe nectar…? I don't care what anyone says Anonymous 2:50 AM you're a smart guy.
Scott May 20, 2013 at 1:23 PM
Well, Anonymous, I think I'd have to say that if the "intrinsic beauty of Infinite Life" were so easy to "shut down" that we could do it merely by "superimposing . . . atrocious beliefs" on it, then I surely wouldn't be willing to call it "Inherently Perfect."
But I do like the idea of existence as "a vat Happiness." I can't be the only one thinking of Hilary Putnam here.
Feser thinks with his head. Anonymous thinks with his Being.
Therein lies the difference.
Glenn May 20, 2013 at 9:31 PM
Herein lies another difference:
Feser types with his fingers. Anonymous types with his Being.
Glenn May 21, 2013 at 12:46 AM
Let's try this:
1. Arjunanymous (aka Anonymous) didn't say of 'atrocious beliefs' that they shut down the 'intrinsic beauty of Infinite Life', only that they must be outgrown. What it is that does shut it down, at least according to him, he takes care to explain in the paragraph strategically placed last in his comment, i.e., any or all of the following things: motion, forewarning, preparation, explanations and strategies.
2. A whatever-it-deserves-to-be-called (with a purpose (and a passing nod to one individual mentioned in the OP)) on 'vat Happiness':
What is it like to be a vat of Happiness?
I want to know what it is like for a vat of Happiness to be a vat of Happiness. Yet if I try to imagine this, I am restricted to the resources of my own mind, and those resources are inadequate to the task. I cannot perform it either by imagining additions to my present experience, or by imagining segments gradually subtracted from it, or by imagining some combination of additions, subtractions, and modifications.
In short, I haven't the foggiest notion.
But that I cannot know what it is like for a vat of Happiness to be a vat of Happiness does not mean that I cannot know what it is like for me to try to imagine what it is like. Not only can I know what this is like, I can express what the experience of it is like. So, listen up for a real-time report of my experience as I endeavor to imagine what it is like for a vat of Happiness to be a vat of Happiness:
My limbs are weakened,
My mouth is parching.
My body trembles,
My hair stands upright.
My skin seems burning.
My brain is whirling
Round and round,
I can stand no longer.
Actually, that wasn't a real-time report of my experience as I endeavored to imagine what it is like for a vat of Happiness to be a vat of Happiness, but a real-time report of my recollection of Arjuna's articulation to Krishna of his, Arjuna's, despair (as found in one translation of the Bhagavad-Gita).
Of what did Arjuna despair?
There had been, over the then recent past, many motions, much forewarning, considerable preparation, numerous explanations and several secret strategies. Two armies were on the verge of engaging in battle, and Arjuna was called upon to participate in this imminent war. But now, actually seeing relatives from both sides of his family in each of the two armies, the reality of the matter hit home, and he was fraught with despair. We are told that upon completion of his long soliloquy (of which the above is but a small part), Arjuna threw aside his arrows and his bow, and sat down in the seat of his chariot, his heart overcome with sorrow.
Now, we must pause here, as an important question begs to be asked:
Was Arjuna's heart overcome with sorrow due to a realization that motions, forewarnings, preparations, explanations and strategies had (Ach du lieber!) shut down the 'intrinsic beauty of Infinite Life'?
No, of course not--as Scott has put it, rather rightly (albeit also differently), the 'intrinsic beauty of Infinite Life' can no more be shut down by any doing of humans than the blazing sun can be snuffed out by thick, dark and storm-laden clouds spread across the sky.
Let us turn now to Krishna's response to Arjunanymous' lament.
Krishna starts off by chiding him for his untimely "scruples and fancies". After all, there is a battle to be waged, and now is not the time for, let us say, wishy-washy wimpiness.
"Shake off this cowardice," says Krishna. "Stand up."
(While Krishna did indeed say this in response to Arjuna's articulation of his despair, I have unfairly characterized the nature of that despair. There is, in fact, a genuine, understandable basis to it (which basis is mentioned in the second paragraph below).)
But Arjuna is still confused. He explains the source of his confusion, and then says, "My mind gropes in darkness. I cannot see where my duty lies. Krishna, I beg you, tell me frankly and clearly what I ought to do. I am your disciple. I put myself in your hands. Show me the way."
Now, Arjuna actually is royalty, and the leader of one of the two armies about to duke it out--and one relative, whom he loves, is the leader of the other army. He, Arjuna, is torn between whether to: a) be loyal to his duty as leader of his army, and thus (possibly) be responsible for the death of his beloved counterpart relative; or, b) be true to his heart, and allow himself to (possibly) be killed instead. He is caught in a bind. An immobilizing bind.
Krishna, knowing this (he ought to--he actually is God in disguise (as the driver of Arjuna's chariot)), responds with, "Your words are wise, Arjuna, but your sorrow is for nothing. The truly wise mourn neither for the living nor for the dead."
His response continues, and at one point he says, "That Reality which pervades the universe is indestructible. No one has power to change the Changeless. Bodies are said to die, but That which possesses the body is eternal. It cannot be limited, or destroyed. Therefore you must fight."
Krishna, of course, was not saying that Arjuna must fight because that which possess the body is eternal, and can be neither limited nor destroyed.
Rather, Krishna was saying that: a) Arjuna must fulfill his duty (as the royal leader of his army); and, b) because that which possess the body is eternal (and can be neither limited nor destroyed), Arjuna's sorrow over the potential consequences of the discharging of his duty is misplaced (at least insofar as it immobilizes him, or seduces him into shirking his responsibility) and for naught (the most it can do in the (then) current situation and circumstances is weigh him down and have him to drag his feet).
3. Of course, and in regard to the salient point (see first four statements of fourth paragraph prior), Scott's short version was, is and shall continue to be sufficient unto itself: if the "intrinsic beauty of Infinite Life" were so easy to "shut down" that we could do it merely by "superimposing . . . atrocious beliefs" on it, then I surely wouldn't be willing to call it "Inherently Perfect."
(Nagel was quoted from (with two obvious changes), as was one translation of the Bhagavad-Gita. And the portrayals above of Arjuna being 'immobilized' by the 'bind' he was in and of the dilemma he faced are from a lecture I attended quite a number of years ago.)
The Deuce May 31, 2013 at 1:42 PM
Why am I not surprised by Kenneth "orthodox Catholic" Miller's position on materialist reductionism as it applies to the human person?
Hugon's Cosmology
Avicenna's argument from contingency, Part I
Neither nature alone nor grace alone
Commonweal on Nagel
Context isn't everything
Epstein on conspiracies
The theology of Prometheus


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Claims that the growth in house prices has slowed because of post-Brexit uncertainty have been revisited after official figures showed an upward trend at the end of 2016.
According to the Office of National Statistics, the average house price rose by 7.2% to £220,000 in December 2016 – £15,000 more than in December 2015 and £3,000 more than November.
December's figure was the first acceleration in house price growth when the referendum vote and changes to stamp duty impacted the figures. It is also unusual for the time of year where typically the industry expects a fall in activity.
While experts have commented extensively on an expected slowdown in growth due to the economic uncertainty that Brexit has given us, a number of factors appear to have accelerated growth in December. It is thought this could be attributed to the low interest rates, a hearty performance from the UK economy – and the continued housing shortage.
Prices in England have upped the overall UK average – with growth of 7.7% to £236,000 in 2016. Growth in Wales by contrast was just 4.7% to £148,000, while growth in Scotland was 3.5% to £142,000.
Experts are now divided as to what will happen to prices over the coming year. A popular opinion is that growth will still slow, once the costs of rising inflation are felt by households – and homeowners in premium areas such as London reach their maximum borrowing limit.
The number of transactions from first time buyers has risen rapidly over the past year, while transactions from buy-to-let landlords and existing homeowners have slowed. Schemes such as Help to Buy, together with highly attractive mortgage rates, are likely to have boosted first time buyer activity.
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2018-03-27 ALBUM REVIEW - St. GEORGE'S FOLLY "Along This Road" (2018)
By Celtic Folk Punk On 6:00 PM In 5 Reviews, 8 New Albums, Celtic Punk, St.George's Folly, USA With No comments
St. George's Folly "Along This Road"
Running time: 29 minutes, 9 tracks
St. George's Folly is a new band from St. Paul. They are Adam Azra'el (guitar, vocals), Bradley Kallhoff (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Dempsey Schroeder (fiddle, guitar, vocals), Nate Beck (bass), Samp Fosters (drums). Guitarist Owen Ray left the band in January 2018 and now Benny Cole is the new guitarist. The Twin Cities have an interesting Celtic punk/rock scene (The Tim Malloys, The Langer's Ball ..) and St. George's Folly are the latest addition to this bunch of amazing bands.
St. George's Folly have released their released album just before St. Patrick's Day. It's titled "Along this Road" and have 9 tracks, 4 standards and 9 originals. The album kicks off with "Tell Me Ma". Yes, it's an overexposed standard, but it has all the things that make St. George's Folly a brilliant band: kick-ass fiddling, vocal harmonies, and claps. The boys have added a great electric guitar passage too. The second traditional song is "Waxie's Dargle". Everybody knows this song, as it can be found on The Pogues debut album "Red Roses for Me". Nevetheless, there are not many covers of this number. The song gets the perfect treatment. St. George's Folly's rendition of "Step it Out Mary" reminds me of The Green Duck's cover. However, the lads from the Twin Cities have written amazing fiddle arrangements and the last part of the song is spotless. The last cover on "Along this Road" is "Star of the Co. Down". I have not enjoyed the last versions that I have heard from other bands, but I must say that St. George's Folly deliver an excellent fast-paced version.
If the musicianship and arrangements on the trad. stuf are top-notch, the best tracks on the CD are the self-penned songs. "Aspen Grove" has a catchy chorus, woahs and infectious fiddling. I daresay that St. George's Folly sound more like a Canadian band than a US band. The core of the album runs from tracks 4 to 6. "Old Jim's Eulogy" can rival with the best songs by Bastard Bearded Irishmen, while "Three Days in Havana" has an early Flogging Molly flavor; and "Iron Hearts" is a Ludwig Van beethoven meets Celtic punk number featuring the Ode to Joy from Symphony no. 9. "The Whisky Ode" is slower than other numbers on the CD, but quite enjoyable.
St. George's Folly "Along this Road" would be one of the best albums of 2018 and the band is clearly one of the newcomers of the year.
Track listing.
1. Tell Me Ma 02:22
2. Aspen Grove 03:44
3. Waxie's Dargle 01:57
4. Old Jim's Eulogy 03:08
5. Three Days In Havana 03:32
6. Iron Hearts 02:32
7. Step It Out Mary 03:54
8. The Whiskey Ode 03:42
9. Star Of The County Down 03:48
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Along This Road by St. George's Folly
St. George's Folly - Old Jim's Eulogy
St. George's Folly - Iron Hearts
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