text:
JMP Vol.9 No.3 , February 2018
Principles of Nature
Apollinarii Stetsun
Frantsevich Institute for the Problems of Materials Science, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Abstract: The analysis of peculiarities of structures of different physical systems, such as hydrogen atom, Solar system, a star with surrounding objects has shown that one of the important features of matter existence is that matter is defined by functions or parameters that strive for maximum or maximums. As a result a principle of matter, existence has been formulated which states that matter strives for maximum or maximums formation. Another principle that information strives toward maximum or maximums has been formulated on the basis of Darwin's theory and certain concepts of genetics. The theory that has been developed accounts for maximalization processes in nature. This theory does not neglect principles of minimization.
Keywords: Nature, Maximalization, Matter, Information
What tendencies and principles of nature are the most globally important and essential? Nature is diverse and enormous encompassing a huge quantity of bodies and phenomena. The wide range of objects from the most distant galaxies of the Universe to the smallest pieces of sand on the Earth, as well as the tiniest elementary particles, all comprise nature in which we are used to distinguish between living and non-living things. Are there any most general regularities common for this huge array of objects in the material world of objects and phenomena? What common laws govern the giant stars in space and life on Earth? What features are common for the structure of the Solar system and the structure of atoms? The present work represents an attempt to answer these questions, to show that they can be answered from the standpoint of trends common to physics as a whole.
2. Theoretical foundations of the Analysis
In order to find the most important conformities of nature it is necessary to analyze its most general phenomena and constituent parts.
As physics developed it became evident that many physical phenomena as well as the composition of substance rely on the atomic structure [1] [2] [3] [4] .
According to the ideas generally accepted by scientific community [3] [4] atom contains in its center a heavy positively charged nucleus surrounded by lighter negatively charged electrons moving around it. The state of atom can be determined by Shrodinger's equation. For the atom of hydrogen, the equation is solved exactly, so we shall consider this case in more detail.
Shrodinger's equation for the atom of hydrogen can be written as follows [4] :
ℏ 2 2 m 0 Δ ψ + ( W + e 2 4 π ε 0 r ) ψ = 0 (1)
where e is the charge of electron, m0 is the mass of electron, r is the distance between the nucleus and electron, W is the electron's energy. The equation has the following solution:
ψ n l m = R n l ( r ) Θ l m ( θ ) Φ m ( φ ) (2)
where n is the main quantum number, l is the orbital quantum number, m is the magnetic quantum number. Rnl(r) is the radial wave function, Θ l m ( θ ) and Фm(j) are angular wave functions.
The squared module of the wave function | ψ n l m | 2 determines the density of the probability to find the electron at the point with certain coordinates [4] [5] [6] . Instead of speaking about the density of probability it is common to use another term―the density of electron cloud. The electron belonging to hydrogen is brought into correspondence with an electron cloud. The distribution of electron cloud density around the atomic nucleus is completely determined by the quantity | ψ n l m | 2 . The distribution of electron cloud density along radius is given by the function r 2 | R n l | 2 . Such distribution has been calculated [7] and the results are shown in Figure 1. The similar distribution is given in Ref. [4] . Main quantum number n determines the energy of hydrogen atom. The values of quantum numbers n and l have influence on of the distribution of electron cloud density along radius. Orbital quantum number l may be equal from 1, 2, 3, to n − 1.
A deep insight into the atomic structure can be obtained by comparing the mass density of nucleus and mass density of electron
The classical estimation of electron radius is [2] :
r 0 = e 2 m e c 2 = 2.81777 × 10 − 13 cm (3)
Electron mass me = 9.109548 × 10−28 g, therefore the electron mass density is the following:
Figure 1. Radial dependence of probability density in quantum mechanics atom with one electron. a0 is the radius of Bohr's orbit.
ρ e = m e 4 3 π r 0 3 = 9.73 × 10 9 г cm 3 (4)
Since nucleus is a particle or, in general case, a system of particles obeying the laws of quantum mechanics, its size can be found only with an accuracy allowed by the ratio of indeterminate forms. The experiments on neutron scattering by atomic nuclei from which the sizes of nuclei were estimated have shown that nucleus sizes increase with the increase of the element atomic number by the law [1] [8] :
R = R 0 A 3 (5)
where R is the radius of nucleus, R0 = 1.4 − 1.5 × 10−13 cm, А is the number of nucleons. Hence the value of mass density for hydrogen atomic nucleus can be calculated as follows:
ρ N = M 4 3 π R 3 = 1.45 × 10 14 г cm 3 (6)
where the hydrogen nucleus mass M = 1.6726513 × 10−24 g.
Thus, the calculations show that the ratio of nucleus mass density to electron mass density in hydrogen atom is 1.49 × 104, i.е. the nucleus mass density of hydrogen atom is greater than the electron mass density by a factor of nearly 15,000. This result follows from Equations (3)-(6) and the values ρN and ρe.
If we try to express the essence of the above estimation outlining the principle features, we shall note that the nucleus represents an extreme maximum of density in the structure of hydrogen atom, which is the most important conclusion from the above analysis.
As atomic physics developed hydrogen atom began to be treated as the simplest model structure. The other atoms contain greater numbers of nucleons in a nucleus and electrons in the shells surrounding a nucleus [1] [2] [3] [4] . Such atomic structure allows us to claim that the ratio of nucleus mass density to electron mass density in the atoms should be close to the corresponding value for hydrogen atom. Therefore it can be supposed that the same basic principle holds in all the other atoms and the nucleus of an atom will always be an extreme maximum of mass density. This assumption is important for our further analysis.
Another conclusion that can be made from the above considerations is that the electron in hydrogen atom can be treated as the second, much weaker maximum. The distribution of radial density of electron cloud in hydrogen atom is shown in accordance with modern quantum mechanics ideas in Figure 1 for different quantum numbers. The figure shows well pronounced maximums in electron density distribution, therefore hydrogen atom can be treated as the main maximum associated with the atomic nucleus and the second, much weaker maximum (or maxima) in the mass density associated with electron/electrons. This interpretation is consistent with the fact that the nucleus mass exceeds the electron mass by a factor of nearly 1840. As known from [1] [2] [8] , the atomic nucleus mass of hydrogen M = 1.6726513 × 10−24 g, while the electron mass me = 9.109548 × 10−28 g. Such distribution of nucleus and electron mass also indicates that hydrogen atom can be treated as the main and additional maxima but now not only of mass density but also of mass itself. Since electron is an elementary particle possessing certain mass and in terms of quantum mechanics models is located within the atom boundaries its probability density should have a maximum or maxima. An example of such distribution is shown in Figure 1.
The importance of the widely accepted views on an atom as that containing electron shells is seen from the Physics encyclopedia [1] : "In complex atoms electrons are grouped in the shells surrounding a nucleus at different distances and are characterized by a certain value of electron mass density." That is, every electron shell can be brought into correspondence with the maximum of probability density of wave function. Figure 2 illustrates the radial distribution of charge density on the example of Rb+ ion calculated by Hartree method in [7] . The mean charge densities are shown by dashed lines and correspond to individual electrons―1s, 2s, 2p, 3p and 3d. It is evident that the maxima of accumulation curve are due to the available group of electrons with the same principal quantum numbers, which supports the assumption about the distribution of electrons in discrete separate atomic energy layers levels or shells. Similar plots are given in [7] for other atoms of chemical elements. Thus, microcosm is characterized by the existence of maximums and it is natural to ask a question if this peculiarity is also characteristic of macrocosm.
It should be noted that atomic structure was first compared with planetary structure of the Solar system at the time when Rutherford and Bohr worked out the planetary model of atom [3] [4] , in which the positions of electrons on the orbits around atomic nucleus in the center are similar to positions of planets on their orbits around the Sun. In this paper, we shall also consider the structure of
Figure 2. Radial distribution of charge density in Rb+ ion.
the Solar System, but for our purposes we shall analyze certain aspects in more detail.
One of the most important features of the Solar System is that the Sun is the central body in which 99.866 % of the system's total mass is concentrated. Table 1 presents the data about the masses of Sun and the planets of the Solar System [2] . If we describe the mass distribution in the Solar System mathematically we shall obtain a pronounced maximum in the distribution of mass among the bodies of the Solar System which corresponds to the system's central body, i.e. the Sun. Therefore the Solar System is also characterized by the presence of central maximum. It should be noted that the nucleus mass of hydrogen atom is greater than electron mass by a factor of 1840, i.e. there is analogy to the structure of the Solar System with respect to the central maximum as well. For other atoms this analogy also proves true, since the nucleus in them is even more massive in comparison with hydrogen atom.
The logic of these speculations can be applied for analyzing how matter in the Universe is distributed in the form of stars. The stars, as a rule, by their mass considerably exceed planets, asteroids, comets, meteorites and other celestial bodies inhabiting the Universe. Accordingly, star is main maximum and additional weaker mass maxima can be brought into correspondence with the planets surrounding a star.
Thus the process of maximalization of matter is characteristic for both micro- and macrocosm. Certain material systems such as atoms of chemical elements or stars together with the planets surrounding them can be brought into correspondence with the principal and additional maximums. Since matter is distributed in this manner throughout the Universe, maximilization represents an important phenomenon of nature.
Matter strives for maximum:
matter ® maximum (or maximums) (7)
Table 1. Masses of sun and planets of the solar system [2] .
in the sense that maximums of mass or mass density are formed in the material systems discussed above.
The most general regularities of nature cannot be discussed without considering the fields of physics that deal with the systems containing a greater number of constituent parts―thermodynamics and statistical physics. The fundamentals of these sections of physics are formulated in principia, i.e. by the laws of thermodynamics, and the second law of thermodynamics is of primary interest for the purposes of the given analysis. Such scholarly issue as Physics encyclopedia containing five volumes says the following [2] : "In modern thermodynamics the second law of thermodynamics is formulated in a unified and most generalized form as the law of increasing entropy. According to this law the change of entropy dS in any closed system in any real process satisfies inequality dS ³ 0; equality sign being valid for reversible processes. In equilibrium state the entropy of closed system arrives at maximum…" Thus in case of closed thermodynamic system the second law of thermodynamics says about entropy maximalization. Therefore, we can state that in this case entropy shows a tendency to arrive at maximum:
entropy ® max (8)
Moreover, in the case with entropy we have to deal with one more process of maximalization. Since the process is associated with one of the laws of thermodynamics acquires global importance. We regard this consideration as another proof of such analysis appropriateness in the study of maximalization in nature.
The next large class of natural objects is the world of living beings. Traditionally it is studied by biology. However, and this will be shown further on, here again the same physical principle works, which proves that the concept of maximalization is true for the whole nature. In order to prove this we shall turn to evolutionary and informational aspects of living nature.
The origin of species and evolution of life on the Earth was described in the known work by Charles Darwin [9] . However, this theory does not consider information―specific aspects of evolutionary process.
Throughout the whole book Darwin persuasively provided the evidences supporting the idea that species were not created independently of each other but originated from species in the way similar to variations [9] . The theory also explains perfect organization and co-adaptation of living beings inhabiting our planet, which was an important problem approached in the book.
In order to give scientific explanation to origin and evolution of species Darwin introduced the concept of natural selection and struggle for existence. It has been shown that the struggle for survival is inevitable result of the large rate with which all the organic creatures tend to increase their population [9] . The living creatures capable of reproducing must be destructed at a certain moment of their life, in certain season or at certain age, because the population would grow exponentially and become so huge that no habitat could be large enough to hold all the descendants (Malthus law). Since the number of off-springs is more than can be supported they have to struggle for survival. Darwin distinguished three most important form of this competition:
1) intraspecific competition, i.e. the struggle between individuals in the same species;
2) interspecific competition, i.e. the struggle for existence between individuals of different species;
3) the struggle of living being with the physical conditions of environment.
As a result the principle of natural selection advances and directs the evolution. The motive forces according to Darwin's theory are hereditary variation and natural selection. Hereditary variation is the variation of individual traits at the moment of living organism origination. The struggle for survival usually results in extinction of a great number of individuals in every generation of any species and to selective reproduction of individuals. The inevitable result of hereditary variation and severe competition is natural selection―predominant survival and reproduction of the most adapted individuals in every species. Natural selection leads to speciation due to preserved adaptations [9] [10] . Thus, the main inference of Darwinism is that in the process of evolution the best adapted and biologically strongest individuals survive.
Darwin's theory has played great role in explaining the process of evolution and remains important for present day science. However, classical Darwinism does not answer the question about the mechanism of heredity because the laws governing heredity are for the most part unknown [9] . The recent development of genetics has revealed hereditary mechanism which further was described in more details by molecular biology. The most important advance made by genetics was that it has found the structure in an organism that carries information governing heredity. These structures are genes, the stretches of DNA (or in some cases RNA). Thus, a material carrier of information, or micromechanism responsible for heredity has been found, which explains the way the hereditary information is transmitted.
One more important achievement of genetics was that it has proved that genes can easily mutate. Mutations are known to be natural or intentional inheritable changes of genetic material resulting in changes of various traits [10] [11] .
It is also of wide knowledge that mutational variability together with combinational variability provide material for natural selection which leads to development of new species in the process of evolution [10] [11] .
The comparison of Darwin's theory and genetics findings reveals the following tendency: due to physical, chemical or biological impact on information carriers in the biological organisms, i.e. on genetic material, the genetic material undergoes changes and a certain array of data is created. It may be nuclear or non-nuclear changes. Genetic variation appears as genetic recombination and mutation.
In turn, among the whole population of living organisms the biologically strongest individuals survive in the result of natural selection. It is these best adapted individuals that carry the most valuable and important information. Thus, from all the biological array of information every new generation acquires the most, or in other words, maximally valuable information. This means that in the process of natural selection the information strives toward the maximum:
information ® maximum (or maximums) (9)
The information strives toward the maximum (or maximums) depending on what biological objects we consider―a family, a population or a group of different individuals. This tendency of information to approach toward maximum determines the way in which information develops in the world of living nature. The law stating that information tends to approach maximum is one of the most important laws of life.
The above considerations show that the world of living nature is governed by a certain physical principle. Although the living objects obey the laws of biology, the action of the physical principle, information strives toward the maximum, is also observed.
To sum up, the three basic principles are peculiar to both living and non-living nature:
matter strives toward maximum or maximums
matter aspires to maximum or maximums
matter ® maximum (or maximums) (10)
entropy strives toward maximum
entropy ® maximum (11)
information strives toward maximum or maximums
information aspires to maximum or maximums
information ® maximum (maximums) (12)
Moreover, it should be noted that to some extent the maximilazition process is also characteristic for light, i.e. electromagnetic field. Since light can be considered not only as a wave but also as quanta, every quantum can be put into correspondence with a maximum of energy.
Thus, the maximalization processes play important unifying role in nature. They are a manifestation of nature's unity. The essence of this unity is that for different natural systems there exists a unique characteristic function that strives toward the maximum and this "aspiration" determines the essential features of a natural process.
In view of the maximalization property of nature one may ask a logical question if maximalization process can be used in practice. If maximums of mass or mass density are favourable processes in the Universe, then certain beneficial processes should occur when mass maximums approach еach other. It can be expected that mass maximums will either become greater or interact with each other. The simplest way to ensure such interaction is to make atoms come closer. Since atoms consist of the main and additional maximums of masses, which are an atomic nucleus and electrons around it, one can expect these maximums to interact. Actually, as known from chemistry, interactions of this kind take place in a multitude of cases. For instance, if hydrogen and oxygen atoms converge by mixing appropriate gases, water is formed. When atoms of hydrogen and chlorine approach each other in a mixture of these substances, a new substance which is hydrogen chloride is produced. There are many more examples of new substance formation due to convergence of atoms comprising the reacting components. Furthermore, the atoms of the same chemical element, when converging, also can interact with each other. For example, the interaction of two hydrogen atoms yields hydrogen molecule H2, the convergence of two oxygen atoms yields oxygen molecule O2, and so on. It is known from physics and chemistry that interactions between the electrons and nuclei are the processes described in terms of quantum mechanics, i.e. the above examples are interactions of the main and additional mass maximums which are nuclei and electrons respectively.
These processes indicate that maximalization is inherent to nature, this is a process which is intrinsic and beneficial to nature. Atoms can be considered as the main and considerably weaker maximums of mass or mass density. The existence of these maximums is inherent to nature and beneficial. However even greater maximalization is possible by creating the conditions of closing these maximums, i.e. atoms of the same substance or different substances, in the result of which new substances or molecules will be created.
The very existence of physical bodies in the macrocosm is the manifestation of maximalization process. А solid body is formed by means of quantum mechanical interaction of electrons and nuclei of different atoms, i.e. the interaction of maximums in microcosm resulting in formation of a maximum in macrocosm. The solid body formed in this way can be considered as a local maximum of mass or mass density with respect to the molecules of surrounding air if the body is at a distance from the other solid bodies. For example, if such body as a stone is formed, a huge number of atoms of the same or different substances are combined in one body. Their combination is a maximum of mass of certain magnitude in the total distribution of mass in a physical system such as planet, for example. In the given case it does no matter how large the maximum is by its absolute value, the main thing is that this maximum exists in principle. The definite size of the body and its mass evidences that nature needs exactly this specific object. Therefore, as soon as the body has been formed, the maximalization process interrupts at the intermediate stage.
By forming new substances from atoms, molecules from atoms, macrobodies from atoms the nature shows the tendency to continue and repeat maximalization. In other words, if a natural system such as substance consisting of atoms has already undergone maximalization, which is the existence of an atom itself, this does not mean that the process has terminated ultimately. If a great number of atoms assemble into a massive body, this is a reiteration and continuation of maximalization process. When entropy strives toward maximum, or information strives toward maximum, we deal with the processes of repeated maximalization of certain functions, but in this case these functions differ from those maximized at the previous stage. The only fact that a substance consists of atoms already indicates that mass maximums in the form of nucleus and electrons are available in atom. In other words, the existence of atoms is the first stage of maximalization. However, if the entropy of a closed thermodynamic system consisting of atoms of a certain substance strives, upon reaching the equilibrium, toward the maximum, this is the second stage of maximalization. The same is true for living nature in case when the information in biological processes tends to reach the maximum. Living organisms also are comprised of atoms, atoms have a nucleus and electrons―and this is the first stage of maximalization. The second stage of maximalization is that another function―information, which is different from mass, strives toward maximum.
Nature evolves due to maximalization. The existence of nuclei and electrons in atoms, the atomic character itself makes the substance heterogeneous. This is the very first precondition of natural evolution. If nature were completely homogeneous, the evolution would be impossible. But since nature is not homogeneous, the evolution proceeds in forming more complicated structures, such as molecules, non-living bodies and living creatures, from atoms. Maximalization of entropy in closed thermodynamic systems and maximalization of information for living organisms ensures further evolution of nature. Our analysis reveals the main principles of natural evolution: after a certain function (mass or mass density) reaches maximum at a certain stage, another function, which is characteristic for another natural process (entropy or information), strives to reach the maximum. However, nature may evolve in other ways, when different characteristic functions are striving to maximums simultaneously.
In non-living nature, as discussed earlier, maximalization is manifested in different ways. Gravitation, for example, as well as other phenomena, supports the idea that maximalization is inherent to nature. Gravitation is the attraction of bodies of a certain mass to each other and, if this is possible in certain physical conditions, these bodies strive to connect to each other. Since every physical body is a kind of a maximum, the tendency of the maximums to merge results in formation of a larger maximum, which proves the tendency of nature to maximalization.
Considering different processes from the point of view of maximalization, it should be noted that even though these processes are global they can have certain peculiarities. A vivid example of this is the existence of stars of different types. As mentioned above, a star in general case can be considered as a cosmic formation which is a maximum of mass or mass density in the outer space. It is known [12] , however, that besides singular stars there are also binary or multiple stars. This fact proves that the natural processes of maximalization may result in formation of several, instead of one, maximums. Nevertheless, maximalization of matter in the form of stars is peculiar to nature, since, according to [12] , 92% of matter in space is concentrated in stars, and only 8% of matter is in the interstellar space. In fact, the amount of matter in the form of stars is more than by an order of magnitude greater than the amount of matter in the interstellar space.
The formation of several or multiple maximums is for matter as important a process as the formation of only one maximum.
From the above analysis the following two physical laws that determine maximalization processes in nature can be formulated:
1) nature evolves in such a way that the characteristic functions describing certain natural processes strive to maximum (maximums) or minimum (minimums): maximum (maximums) of masses, maximum (maximums) of matter densities, or maximum (maximums) of probability densities of electron and nuclei distributions in atoms are formed and maximalization of other characteristic functions takes place as well―information for objects of living nature and entropy for closed thermodynamic systems.
2) In a number of physical situations the essence of the phenomena is the interaction of objects which are maximums of characteristic function with respect to the environment (for instance, masses or the quantity of atoms in an object), or which form the maximum of characteristic function (for instance, mass density for a solid body or maximums of probability density for electrons and nuclei in atoms). An example of these interactions is the gravitational interaction of stars and planets surrounding them, or the gravitational interaction between the bodies on Earth and the planet itself.
The first law reflects the importance of maximalization (and minimalization, i.е. in general case the formation of extremum) in nature. The second law shows that in addition to maximalization process as such, there occurs a process of interaction between material maximums.
The formulation of the first law also reflects the importance of minimalization of characteristic functions inherent to nature, i.е. the importance of all processes leading to extremums.
3. Practical Aspects of the Principle which States the Matter Strives for maximum or maximums Formation
In the previous paragraph we have shown that the principle that matter strives toward maximum (or maximums) is sufficiently universal because it is valid for the objects of both macro and microcosm.
The very formulation of the principle "matter strives for maximum (or maximums)" suggests the possibility of mathematical expression of this principle. In the mathematical analysis there is a well known problem of obtaining the extremum of a function, i.е. a function maximum or minimum. Applying appropriate methods of mathematical analysis in the description of the principle that matter strives toward maximum (or maximums), one can calculate the states of different objects in both macro and microcosm. It is quite obvious that the theory of mathematical analysis should be supplemented by the theory of the branch of physics related to every specific kind of problems. For instance, to calculate the state of atoms by maximalization method it is necessary to involve the quantum mechanics theory, and to calculate the state of matter in a star it is necessary to involve the theory used by astrophysics.
The most general principles of search for the states of objects in macro and microcosm according to maximalization theory is maximalization (i.e. search for maximum or maximums) of the functions of density, mass, number of particles, or squared module of wave function depending on the problem to be solved.
For the function with several variables, which is most often used in physical problems, the necessary condition of function extremum is that the function differential should equal zero [13] [14] [15] . The differentiated function f(P) = f(x1, ∙∙∙, xn) can reach the extremum only at a stationary point P0, i.е. such a point that
d f ( P 0 ) = 0 (13)
Consequently, the extremal point of function f(P) satisfies the set of equations
f ′ x i ( x 1 , ⋯ , x n ) = 0 ( i = 1 , ⋯ , n ) (14)
The sufficient condition of the extremum is that function f(P) at point P0 has:
1) maximum if d f ( P 0 ) = 0 , d 2 f ( P 0 ) ≺ 0 at ∑ i = 1 n | d x i | ≠ 0 and
2) minimum if d f ( P 0 ) = 0 , d 2 f ( P 0 ) ≻ 0 at ∑ i = 1 n | d x i | ≠ 0 .
Therefore, applying mathematical calculus in searching for the maximum of function to solve a specific physical problem it is possible to obtain a new set of equations and to solve it for every such problem. One of the practical aspects of maximalization theory is the possibility to derive corresponding equations and to solve them.
However, in the most general case one can use not only the equations which are derived basing on the condition that the function differential equals zero if a necessary condition is satisfied. The principle that matter strives toward maximum (or maximums), information strives toward maximum (or maximums) as well as other maximalization principles provides a possibility to derive and calculate the most different equations. It should be noted that this approach is in agreement with Shrodinger equation or the equations derived from Shrodinger equation. Moreover, for this purpose the principles of variational calculus and mathematics of functionals can also be applied [1] [2] [6] .
For example, in variational calculus there is a necessary condition of function extremum known as Legendre necessary condition [16] . For curve y(x) to yield maximum for functional
J = ∫ x 1 x 2 F ( x , y , y ′ ) d x y ( x 1 ) = y 1 y ( x 2 ) = y 2 (15)
it is necessary that at all points on curve y(x) the second derivative of subintegral function by y' should be non-positive
F y ′ y ′ ( x , y ( x ) , y ′ ( x ) ) ≤ 0 x 1 ≤ x 2 ≤ x 3 (16)
In variational calculus there are several conditions at which functional extremums are possible, but the aim of this work does not involve the description of all the conditions of the functional extremums.
The general principles of maximalization theory described in this paper were first suggested and reported in references [17] [18] [19] .
The next important aspect of practical application of maximalization theory stems from the non-uniform dependence of the function describing a physical process on the function variables. If the function has maximum or several maximums, this does indicate that its value is essentially heterogeneous in a certain range of variable values. To consider the consequences of this functional peculiarity we shall keep in mind that quantum mechanics knows the problems whose solution is expressed in the form of wave functions with harmonic behavior. The example can be the passage of the particle through a potential barrier (tunneling). Due to the fact that wave function displays periodic and harmonic alteration of maximums and minimums the particle described by the function of this kind shows the property of passing through the barrier, although it is impossible to overcome it according to the laws of classical mechanics. It is known that the wave properties of particles become apparent during alpha-decay of atomic nuclei, auto emission of electrons in metals as well as in some other phenomena. Heterogeneous functions are more common than harmonic wave functions, which extends the possibilities provided by the function harmonicity.
While the wave function describes the property to penetrate through the potential barrier due to regular alteration of maximums and minimums, the heterogeneous function shows that the same effect can be due to irregular alteration of maximums and minimums. The main thing is that in both cases this becomes possible because of existence of maximums and minimums as such. This means that another practical application of maximalization theory is the possibility to extend harmonic wave functions to the case of heterogeneous functions to solve certain physical problems.
The main goal of the present work is to demonstrate the importance of maximalization processes in nature. Even if only one maximalization process occurred in nature, for example, maximalization of mass or mass density, this only fact would have a great importance. In nature, however, such processes as maximalization of entropy and information are observed, which is the manifestation of nature's unity. These principles play important roles in natural evolution.
The above maximalization processes observed in nature allow us to make the following generalizations:
1) matter strives for maximum or maximums of characteristic physical quantities:
matter → maximum or maximums (17)
matter strive for maximum or maximums formation
2) information strives for maximum or maximums depending the biological object under consideration such as a species, a single individual, a group of individuals:
information → maximum or maximums (18)
3) entropy strives toward maximum in a closed thermodynamic system:
entropy → maximum (19)
The principles suggested in this work are treated as one of the important aspects of nature.
Cite this paper: Stetsun, A. (2018) Principles of Nature. Journal of Modern Physics, 9, 320-334. doi: 10.4236/jmp.2018.93023.
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"La Traversine" is the name for an urban pedagogical garden of 300m2 located on the roof of the Bercy school in the 12th arrondissement in Paris. It is one of the 30 projects selected by the City of Paris for its competition "Parisculteurs".
as a North-South "agri-cultural" exchanges.
arrondissement, this terrace, originally intended only to serve as a passage in the event of evacuation, has today been transformed into an experimental and educational garden.
Designing Hope conceived an urban vegetable garden gathering several approaches to sustainable agriculture (agro-ecology, permaculture), already implemented by the association with children in Burkina Faso, South Africa, Swaziland, and Senegal.
By using the program "Communicating Classes" chosen by the school of Bercy, and the equipment of relay classes in Africa, the activities around La Traversine encourage the exchanges of experiences, and the activities realized around the garden.
The garden located on the terrace, required wooden structures made of Douglas as weel as pieces made of steel.
It is a circular raised garden, comprising in its center a compost, whose nutrients are diffused towards the cultures which surround it.
Its name literally keyhole, comes from its shape. The lower part of the Key hole was designed to receive dead wood, to lighten the structure on the one hand and to provide an insect shelter on the other.
The Key-hole is surrounded by 7 trapezoidal shaped wooden elements, forming a flower inspired by the mandalas, which constitute a central element of permaculture gardens. It hosts market gardening seasonal crops.
An alignment of 11 wooden elements of 2m long each with double levels of culture, host berries, according to the principle growing in layers: double row of strawberries in the foreground, then other berries in second level (raspberries, currants, blackcurrant, blackberries) , and others fruits climbing on ropes stretched at the back (kiwis, grapes).
A meeting place with children, surrounded by elements where are planted perennial (honeysuckle, jasmine, vine yard) and seasonals (squash, pumpkins) climbing on ropes to create a shaded space.
Designed to store the leaves and branches recovered from the trees of the school yard.
It is surrounded by 2 bins, and also surrounded by a metal structure accomodating climbing cucurbits, to create shade for the compost.
It consists of 4 mini greenhouses of 1m20 side shaped as small houses making a playfull area for children. The roofs of the houses, made of plexigas and stainless steel, can open in the summer.
This space is surrounded by wooden barriers, offering a double level of cultivation for strawberries and aromatic herbs.
2 large beds are filled with various perennial flowers, offering a bloom throughout the seasons, promote pollination.
Other experimental elements will be added over the months.
Dessine l'Espoir has entrusted Burkinabé artist Solstène with the production of painted panels to bring color to the garden in winter! 35 different panels illustrate what lives or hibernates in the garden … What help us wait for spring!
La Traversine From the sky!
Designing Hope has received the support of a team of 18 L'Oréal employees for the Citizen Day. A day dedicated to the maintenance of the garden, and animation of workshops with the preschool and elementary children from bercy school.
This is the ideal season to transplant, especially fruit trees. The garden of Traversine is turning green, with plantations of mulberry, raspberry, strawberry, but also honeysuckle and wisteria ready to cover the metal structures of pergolas next spring.


The Oregon boys basketball team rolled to a make-up victory at the Blackhawk Center on Wednesday night, defeating the Harvard Hornets 71-46.
Trey Woolsey scored 20 points to lead the Hawks (7-10), hitting three of the team's eight 3-pointers. Dalton Hermes hit two 3s and finished with 14 points, and Eli Rufer (12 points) and Jackson Buck (10, including 2 3s) also hit double figures for Oregon, and Riley Binrbaum nearly made it there, chipping in nine points.
The Hawks led 15-5 after one quarter and 35-21 by halftime, then put the finishing touches on the win with a 21-11 fourth-quarter edge. The game was a make-up from December, when Oregon had the flu bug, and is part of a seven-game stretch in 6 days.
LaSalle-Peru 34, Rock Falls 34: The Rockets (17-3) lost its Senior Night dual with its former NCIC foe, dropping the meet on the ninth tiebreaker criteria – most points scored on near falls.
Steamers split in Port Byron: Fulton defeated Rockridge 45-30, but lost to host Riverdale 40-30 in a Three Rivers triangular on the road.
Michael Apostolos (138 pounds), Jake Pannell (160), Keegan Van Kampen (170), Evan Bly (182) and Max Pannell (195) all won by pin against Rockridge, and Noah Ford added an overtime decision at 126.
contested match against Riverdale, winning with a first-period pin at 285 pounds.
Orion 50, Morrison 19: The Mustangs won four bouts on the road, and gave up four forfeits to the Chargers.
Aaron Wolf (195 pounds) and Riley Wilkens (285) recorded pins for Morrison, with Colton Linke (120) winning a major decision, and Andrew Schmidt (126) winning by decision.


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Dominion Lending Centres Clearlease Reports Saab signs $351 million manufacturing deal with China's Youngman, Pang Da
VANCOUVER, BC (June 13, 2011) Dominion Lending Centres Clearlease Reports Saab-owner Spyker Cars NV on Monday June 13, 2011 announced a €245 million ($351 million) deal with two Chinese auto companies to distribute and manufacture Saab cars in China.
The nonbinding agreement with Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Co. and Pang Da Automobile Trade Co. is the latest attempt by Spyker to turn around the loss-making brand it bought from General Motors last year.
Under the deal, which needs regulatory approval, Youngman will invest €136 million for a 29.9 per cent interest in Spyker and stakes in two joint ventures being formed to distribute and make Saab cars in China.
In addition, Pang Da will increase its investment in Spyker to €109 million from a previously agreed €65 million to retain a 24 per cent stake in the company.
Spyker CEO Victor Muller said the new agreement "significantly strengthens Saab's financial position and would secure the mid and long term financing of Saab Automobile," which has struggled to pay suppliers in recent months, resulting in production stoppages at its plant in western Sweden.
"Both Pang Da and Youngman have demonstrated a similar entrepreneurial mindset as we have which we feel will be instrumental to establish Saab's presence in China," Muller said.
Shares in Spyker rose 25 per cent to €3.19 ($4.57) on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange after the announcement.
An entry into the Chinese market could help Spyker toward its goal to increase production to about 100,000 Saab cars a year, but so far the company has failed to meet targets. In 2010, Saab sold just under 32,000 cars, below its initial goal of 45,000.
Youngman CEO Pang Qingnian said his company had been in contact with Saab for some time to reach an agreement about manufacturing in China.
"We feel that Saab as a premium European brand appeals strongly to the taste and preferences of the Chinese customer who is looking for top quality vehicles with the highest levels of safety, driving pleasure and comfort and an unmistakable design language," he said.
Analysts have cautioned that Saab — known in the west for its aerodynamic sedans — isn't well-known in China. It's also not clear whether the deal would get the necessary approvals in China.
A previous agreement between Spyker and Hawtai Motor Group fell apart amid regulatory issues.
The new three-way deal would set up a manufacturing joint venture in which Saab would own 45 per cent, Youngman 45 per cent and Pang Da 10 per cent.
Another joint venture would be formed for distribution, in which Youngman will own 33 per cent, Pang Da 34 per cent and Saab 33 per cent.
Spyker said talks to raise more cash by selling Saab's property are still ongoing and it expects to make an announcement about that shortly.
Dominion Lending Centres Clearlease Video Link: http://youtu.be/f_kk7WJa7Uk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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De Beers Makes Three New Appointments to its Executive Committee
February 7, 2014 by Dr Shihaan Larif Leave a Comment
The De Beers Group of Companies announced on February 5, 2014 that it has made three new appointments to its Executive Committee with immediate effect. Accordingly, Executive Vice President of Global Sightholder Sales, Paul Rowley; Executive Vice President of Auction Sales, Neil Ventura; and CEO of Debswana Balisi Bonyongo, will join the Executive Committee, bringing along with them almost 75 years of valuable diamond experience.
Paul Rowley – Executive Vice President of Global Sightholder Sales
Paul Rowley joined De Beers in 1983 and has served in a variety of senior positions, with a cumulative experience of 31 years with the organization. His multifarious assignments included key account management position, rough diamond purchasing in various African diamond producing countries and heading the Global Sightholder Sales Diamond Division. Subsequently he served on both the DTC Botswana and Namibia DTC boards and was acting CEO of DTC Botswana prior to his current role as Executive Vice President of Global Sightholder Sales.
Neil Ventura – Executive Vice President, Auction Sales
Neil Ventura, who joined De Beers in 1989 has a total experience of 25 years behind him. He gained experience in both mature and emerging markets, before taking on the position of CEO of Diamdel (now Auction Sales) in July 2007. In this capacity as CEO he steered the company's online sales drive of rough diamonds, establishing De Beers as a market leader in the sale of rough diamonds to small, medium and large-scale manufacturing, retailing and trading enterprises via online auctions. He is presently Executive Vice President of Auction Sales.
Balisi Bonyongo – CEO Debswana
Balisi Bonyongo began his career as a junior Plant Metallurgist with Debswana in 1993, and has gained 21 years of experience with the organization. He held several senior positions in the organization, including the critical role of Commissioning Manager of the Aquarium diamond processing plant at Jwaneng, the first of its kind in the world. He also held the position of Corporate Strategy Manager before assuming the role of Jwaneng General Manager and later Chief Operating Officer of Debswana. He is now the CEO of Debswana.
Commenting on the new appointments to the Executive Committee, Philippe Mellier, CEO of the De Beers Group said: "I am delighted to welcome Paul, Neil and Balisi to the Executive Committee. Together they have extensive diamond experience and have built reputations as diamond experts, creating value for De Beers and its partners. I look forward to working closely with them as we position De Beers for continued growth across the pipeline".
De Beers 2015 Auction Sales programme for Forward Contract Sales
De Beers Appoints Five New Sightholders While Adjusting Allocations to Existing Sightholders in Line with Availability and Demand
GAHCHO KUÉ COMMENCES COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION AFTER COMPLETION OF PROJECT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
DE BEERS' SUBSIDIARY IIDGR UNVEILS FASTER, CHEAPER AND EFFICIENT MELEE SCREENING MACHINE
De Beers Reveals the Names of Five Newly-Appointed Sightholders
CEO DE BEERS SOUNDS A NOTE OF OPTIMISM ON THE FUTURE OF THE DIAMOND INDUSTRY
Filed Under: Diamonds


A bill in the South Dakota Legislature that would require all official meetings of government boards and commissions to include time on their agendas for public comment is headed to Gov. Dennis Daugaard's desk. Legislators already OK'd it.
House Bill 1172 appears straightforward and may beg the question: why is it even necessary? A fair question to ask during this week, which is Sunshine Week, a national observance to shine a light on the public's right to know about government and what government does.
A survey of newspaper editors and reporters across the state shows that while many government boards already include time on their meeting agendas for public comment, others do not. Often when the meeting topic or agenda item is controversial and there is a room full of people, the inclination may be to not allow public debate out of concern that the meeting will get out of hand.


Every seller wants to maximize his or her profit. Partnering with a real estate agent is a great start. Homeowners can further increase their bottom line with a few simple steps. To get the most out of your house, complete the following before you list.
Hire your own home inspector. If a buyer's inspector finds issues with your home, you can expect your profit to shrink. Stay one step ahead by hiring your own home inspector to unearth any potential issues.
Invest in repairs. In addition to addressing any trouble the home inspection reveals, it's a good idea to have cosmetic issues addressed. Prospective buyers notice things like cracked tile, chipped baseboards, or a squeaky floorboard, and this will be reflected in their offer.
Upgrade where it counts. You don't have to renovate your whole house to turn a healthier profit. Make small, impactful swaps, such as switching out lighting, cabinet hardware, or shower heads for cleaner, more contemporary options.
Add a few new accessories. Fresh flowers and potted plants go a long way in making a room feel inviting. For a cozier living room, drape a cable-knit blanket over the couch. String Edison bulb lights over a patio and put an Adirondack chair on the front porch. These small touches add major warmth.
Treat it like a model home. To sell your house quickly and for the most money, treat it like a house you've been hired to stage. Put personal effects into storage, declutter, remove artwork that could be seen as too loud, and make sure the house is absolutely spotless.


STOMP has been touring the globe for 26 years, playing over 20 thousand performances to more than 12 million people in 55 countries on 6 continents.
There are up to four STOMP companies performing worldwide at any time; one on tour in North America, another throughout Europe, on touring the rest of the world, one in New York (now in its 24th year).
STOMP also performed in London's West end for 15 years. In its lifetime STOMP has consumed over 60,000 boxes of matches, 40,000 brooms, 30,000 bins, 20,000 drumsticks and 35,000 litres of black paint applied with 780 paint rollers.
STOMP performed live at the 1996 Academy Awards (the Oscars) to an estimated audience of almost 1 billion worldwide.
The largest assembly of STOMP performers ever (40 performers from 12 different countries) was brought together for a specially choreographed appearance at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
STOMP performed at the Palladium in 2016 to celebrate their 25th year.
STOMP opened the FIFA Player of the Year Awards 2017 with a specially created, football-themed performance.
1994 STOMP was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for "Best Entertainment" and won the Olivier Award for "Best Choreography in a West End Show".
1994 STOMP wins an OBIE for its off-Broadway show.
1994 STOMP wins the Drama Desk Award in New York for "Most Unique TheatreExperience".
1996 The STOMP oriented short film "Brooms" was nominated for an Academy Award and was selected for screening at both the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals. STOMP performed live at the Oscar ceremony in March 1996.
1997 The German Newspaper "Abendzeitung" awards Luke Cresswell and STOMP with the "Stern des Jahres" (Star of the Year).
1998 The STOMP Special for HBO – "STOMP Out Loud" won the Silver FIPA Award for "Musique et Spectacle Vivant" at the FIPA Film Festival in Biarritz.
1998 Luke Cresswell received the Chicago Human Rhythm Project JUBA! Award for "Ground Breaking Achievement in Tap and Percussive Dance".
1998 The Media Net Awards announced at FilmFest Munchen honour "STOMP Out Loud" with a special mention award.
1998 "STOMP Out Loud" received Four Emmy nominations for the following categories: Outstanding direction for a variety or music programme, Outstanding art direction for a variety or music programme, Outstanding multi-camera picture editing for a mini-series, movie or special, and finally for Outstanding sound mixing for a variety, music series or special. It won the award for multi-camera picture editing.
1998 The Royal Television Society's Southern Centre presents Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell with an award for "Most Innovativ Production from the Southern Region" for STOMP Out Loud.
1999 Live! Award Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell with Theatre Production of the Year.
2000 Live! Award Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell for the second year running for Theatre Production of the Year.
2003 Pulse: A STOMP Odyssey wins both the Jury and Audience awards at La Geode Festival in Paris.
2003 Pulse: A STOMP Odyssey wins best sound award at the annual Giant Screen conference in Glasgow.
2003 Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell receive the Innovator Award at the American Choreography Association in Los Angeles.
2004 Pulse: a STOMP Odyssey wins the main prize, the Raymond Lefevre award (for best film) at "La 10ème Semaine Du Cinéma Britannique & in Abbeville, France.
2004 Pulse: A STOMP Odyssey wins the audience award for best short film at the Sacramento Film and Music festival.
2004 Pulse: A STOMP Odyssey wins Best Film, the most prestigious award in the Imax industry, at the Giant Screen Theatre Association Conference in Montreal.
2008 IMAX 3D nature documentary WILD OCEAN wins Best Sound and Best 2012 Original Score at the Giant Screen Cinema Association annual conference in New York. Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell & second IMAX 3D nature documentary, THE LAST REEF, wins Best Sound and Best Score at the Giant Screen Cinema Association annual conference in Sacramento.
2013 STOMP honoured as a "Legend Of Off Broadway" by the Off Broadway Alliance Award.
2014 GREAT WHITE SHARK, the third IMAX 3D nature documentary from Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, wins both the "Marine Life" and "Special Jury Recognition for 3D" categories at the Blue Ocean Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida.
2015 STOMP celebrates its 13 th Birthday in London's West End.
2017 STOMP celebrates its 15 th Birthday in London's West End.


Sales professional with extensive experience in account and customer relationship management. Cultivates, nurtures and maintains long-term customer relationships to boost sales and grow brand visibility. Persuasive sales professional offering extensive hands-on experience prospecting for new clients in new markets.
Experienced Sales & Marketing for Subacute Rehab, Independent Living, Assisted Living facilities, Home Health and Hospice.
Business Development in my territory to area hospitals, physicians, Assisted and Independent Living facilities, Home Healthcare and other healthcare companies.Develop and implement Marketing plans and analysis of the market to increase referrals and market share.Vertical Integration, meetings with hospital Executives and Management to create Partnerships within my area hospitals.Clinical Liaison, Assess patients and bedside sales for a smooth transition to Manorcare.Give Presentations, CE Programs and Inservices to physicians, Case Managers and other medical groups.Prepare daily, monthly, quarterly reports. Create, maintain and enter information into database.
TLC Staff Builders – Roswell, Ga.
Sales & Marketing to Area Hospitals, physicians, Assisted Living Facilities and Skilled Nursing & Rehab Facilities.Develop new business, maintain current business to increase referral base.Assess Patients for Home Healthcare.Give Presentations, Inservices to Physicians, Hospital staff and other Healthcare facilities.Prepare all reports and attend weekly meetings.
Sales & Marketing to Physicians, Hospitals, Case Management, Hospital Executives to obtain new accounts and service existing accounts.Develop and implement new services and products that increased revenue by 30%.Procurement and installation of Managed Care contracts.Assess patients for placement of Short Term Care, Long Term Care and Hospice.Give Presentations and Inservices for hospital staff.Monthly report to the Board of Directors.
SunCare HomeCare & DME – Atlanta, Ga.
Opened a new DME company for Sun Health Group. This was a new start up company in Atlanta. Ran operations, hired /trained staff, Financials / billing and compliance with state regulations. Direct Sales & Marketing to physicians, Hospital staff and other healthcare facilities. Assess patients for their medical equipment needs.Give Presentations and Inservices.Develop marketing plan and strategies, increase new business and meet company goals.
Sales & Marketing for 12 Beverly Facilities, Subacute Rehab, Assisted Living facilities, HomeCare and Hospice. Engaged in all aspects of business development. Assess patients in hospitals when required.Direct marketing to physicians, hospital staff and other healthcare facilities to obtain new account and maintain existing accounts. Work closely with all Beverly facilities to increase their referrals and meet projected census.Obtain patient insurance authorizations for admissions to facilities.Give Presentations and Inservices to hospital staff.Prepare weekly, monthly reports.
Macomb College - Mt. Clemens, MI.


(d) a provision that a buyer may put a unit only to a specified use is an express warranty that the specified use is lawful at the time of conveyance.
A statement purporting to be merely an opinion or commendation of the real estate or its value does not create a warranty.
Source: Laws 1983, LB 433, § 63; Laws 1984, LB 1105, § 19.


Logan Light and Alex Seaver just destroyed EDC and Electric Forest with gorgeous melodies. The biggest names in the business are dying to work with these two young upstarts, and the industry is starting to take notice. They were also class acts and told some great stories on our panel with them in the Electric Forest. Cannot wait to see the heights these two musical geniuses reach. Keep your eye on these two.


Activities: Any type of sports, drawing, play the flute, love playing Mw3 and any other CoD games.
Beliefs: I am a Catholic but respect every other culture and beliefs there are.
Books: Percy Jackson series, Harry Potter Series, and The Lord of the Rings.
Movies: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Hobbit, and Mission Impossible.
Should Kids/Teens Be Allowed Autocorrect (In school)?
Should we be able to rate teachers online?
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text:
How investor-to-state dispute settlement threatens public welfare and undermines democracy
Many international trade and investment agreements give individuals and corporations who invest in other countries access to a special legal procedure that can challenge domestic policy decisions in private tribunals. Investors—meaning anyone who buys property in a foreign country, from a hectare of land to stocks and bonds—can use "investor-to-state dispute settlement" (ISDS) to sue governments over laws, regulations and even domestic court decisions that affect current or future profits. You can think of ISDS as establishing special "corporate courts" that have their own rules and that a country's own citizens cannot use.
ISDS is designed to allow foreign investors to skip all the domestic processes citizens or domestic businesses must use to fight laws and decisions they do not like, such as national courts, administrative procedures and municipal hearings. Instead, foreign investors bring claims directly to international arbitration panels. The panelists are private arbitrators empowered to decide the case and potentially award vast sums of taxpayer money in compensation.
Why is this a Problem?..
Systems of justice should be public, democratic and available to all in a society on an equal basis. ISDS simply does not meet this standard. Foreign investors can use these "corporate courts" to challenge anything that affects their bottom line—from requirements that cigarettes be sold in plain packaging to increases in the minimum wage. This seriously constrains governments' ability to respond to public needs and set priorities that advance the public welfare.
ISDS decisions do not, by themselves, "overturn" the law, regulation or decision that was challenged, but when a government loses, it may have to pay a substantial penalty to the investor that brought the case, sometimes far beyond what the investor put into the country in the first place. Even if the country wins, the cost to defend the case can be very expensive—$8 million per case, on average. The potential risks are enormous. Just threatening to bring a case sometimes is enough to get a proposed law or regulation withdrawn: knowing that Occidental Petroleum won a $2.3 billion judgment against Ecuador, for example, could lead a lawmaker to think twice about proceeding with an action after an ISDS case has been threatened.
Private arbitrators hired to sit on these panels have an interest in maintaining and expanding the system so they can get more jobs. Decisions that make it easier for corporations to bring or win claims mean more cases and more income for arbitrators. Investor rights in trade agree-ments are so broad that an entire legal industry has developed around it. Many law firms specialize in scouring the world for new laws to see whether there is a foreign investor interested in challenging the law. This practice can generate massive legal fees for law firms and potentially massive payouts for taxpayers. The conflict of interest rules for arbitrators are weak at best, and there are very few opportunities to reverse a decision—even when the arbitrators make a clear legal error. Many arbitrators rotate between deciding cases and representing companies bringing claims, enhancing the risks of biased decision making. The result is that panels are skewed in favor of corporations and the wealthy, but against workers and communities.
Ultimately, ISDS is about increasing corporate power over our economies and limiting the ability of governments to regulate corporate behavior.
Can this really be true? Can you Give me some examples?..
It's true. Here are just a few of hundreds of cases.
Mobil and Murphy Oil v. Canada: The two oil companies challenged guidelines issued by the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Pe-troleum Board. The guidelines required the companies to support local economic development through expenditures on provincial research, development and training programs. Even though the guidelines merely updated existing obligations, Canada lost. The companies first tried to overturn the guidelines in the Canadian courts and lost, but won in the ISDS "corporate court," essentially getting a second bite at the apple—a bite a domestic company could not get.
Occidental Petroleum v. Ecuador: Ecuador terminated a contract with Occidental after the U.S. oil company violated the terms of a contract with the government. With interest, the company won $2.3 billion dollars—even though Occidental admitted violating the contract! Metalclad v. Mexico: A U.S. corporation sued Mexico after a local government refused to grant a building permit for a toxic waste facility.
Local citizens, afraid the facility would pollute their water supply, had petitioned their government to deny the permit. Metalclad won more than $15 million. Imagine a foreign investor demanding the right to process toxic waste near your drinking water supply!
Veolia v. Egypt: French multinational Veolia recently brought a case against the government of Egypt for at least 82 million Euros, chal-lenging the decision to raise the monthly minimum wage and make other labor reforms. If Veolia wins, will your state government think twice before raising wages?
Renco v. Peru: The Renco Group, owned by one of the wealthiest people in the United States, is suing the Peruvian government to avoid responsibility for cleaning up toxic waste caused by a smelter it owns in La Oroya, Peru. La Oroya's residents have suffered serious health consequences from the pollution, but rather than address the role its smelter has played, Renco is demanding $800 million from the Peruvian government. The pollution in La Oroya has yet to be remediated.
Eureko v. Poland: Eureko BV, a Dutch insurer, sued Poland when it failed to proceed with an initial public offering to further privatize its public insurance unit, PZU. Eureko won on the merits, and to avoid a possible order to pay as much as $12 billion, Poland settled with Eureko for $1.6 billion.
Decisions regarding whether or not to privatize government programs are best left to elected representatives, not to corporations with a profit interest. isDs simply is one more tool in the global corporations' toolbox to enhance their power over our economy and prevent na-tional, state and local governments from regulating their behavior. We already know what massive corporate power has done to our political and economic system: extreme inequality, widespread union busting, an out-of-control campaign finance system, and gridlock that thwarts the closing of even the most egregious corporate subsidies and tax loopholes.
These extreme corporate rights must end! We can start by ending corporate courts. Foreign investors should not have the ability to target laws designed to promote public health, financial stability, environmental protections and worker rights. Matters of broad public interest should not be viewed through the narrow lens of trade and investment at all, let alone decided by private arbitrators who are not accountable to the public. ISDS hinders governments' ability to respond to the needs and priorities of their citizens and threatens the democratic process as a whole. It is time to dismantle this harmful system and instead promote trade policies that protect people and the planet.
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PSI Global Trade Summit
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Global trade union strategy meeting
63rd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (New York)
HLPF closes as trade unions and civil society demand systemic change and democratization of global economic governance
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PSI Executive Board 153 Communiqué


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Composer Deru imagines the end of the world on 'Torn in Two'
L.A. composer Deru (Benjamin Wynn), has a wide-ranging pedigree, from co-founding the experimental music live-event series the Echo Society to film work and his own imaginative compositions.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
By August BrownStaff Writer
Back when Benjamin Wynn studied music at CalArts, the L.A.-based composer had a professor who shared an anecdote about sound's violent potential. It stuck with him.
"He said that every object — in theory, anyway — has a particular resonant frequency where, if you activate it, you could make anything self-destruct," he said. "Hypothetically, the Eiffel Tower has one where if you played the exact right frequency back you could destroy it."
Sound as a harbinger of annihilation? That's a theme running through his new LP, "Torn in Two." Recorded under his composing alias Deru, Wynn uses an arsenal of avant-garde sound design techniques to make an unsettling (and often beautiful) depiction of humanity in crisis: political, ecological, existential.
"What fascinates me, and what I'm reacting to right now, is this violence on a planetary scale," Wynn said. "Something beyond human scale making and taking life. I've got a kid so I have to be an optimist. But yeah, [the album] imagines a world without us."
Out on the patio of Spoke Bicycle Cafe — an extremely un-apocalyptic coffee shop and bar overlooking the L.A. River in Frogtown — Wynn is way more congenial than that nihilism suggests. In fact, much of his career so far is built on friendly collaboration. In addition to his long film-score dossier, he co-founded the Echo Society, a composing collective and roving concert series that's hosted live sets from Jonsi, Haxan Cloak, Mica Levi and dozens of others in offbeat, upscale locations around L.A.
Wynn takes no particular pleasure in the late-night fears that led to the ominous moods of "Torn in Two." But with the political crises in America and elsewhere, and the dire recent climate report released by a U.N. organization predicting global catastrophe within a matter of decades, it's easy to imagine the worst may still be yet to come. This is the sensation "Torn in Two" aims to evoke.
"Undertow" and the title track center around huge groans of distorted bass and microtonal slashes of organic noise. (Fans of Johann Johannsson's score for "Arrival" might hear a kindred sense of something gigantic — and maybe malevolent — showing up out of nowhere.) "Pyre" squirms and seethes like a cloud of insects, and the digitally-treated drones of "Our Brief History" feel like radio transmissions from an already-dead planet.
Don't let that dread deter you: many moments like "Refuge" are quite pretty and calming as well. But the whole LP is an exercise in disassembling sound to create new, maybe post-human, feelings of isolation and destruction.
Much of the instrumentation came from Wynn using spectral analysis of recorded sounds to isolate and chop up an instrument's particular frequencies (a trick he gleaned from influential avant-gardists Kaija Saariaho and Gérard Grisey). Other tracks use exotic instruments like a cristal baschet, a midcentury structure of glass rods that create an eerie, spectral presence.
Wynn had been thinking and composing around these themes well before November 2016. But that fateful election night was unexpectedly clarifying. Sometimes, enormous and consequential things just seem to happen, and you'll never really understand why.
"I was absolutely terrified that night, but I also realized that this was kind of what the record was all about," Wynn said. "I felt all this sheer doom. But now it had a face, a symbol. At least then the record clicked," he said, laughing darkly.
He probably wouldn't have come out of that malaise if it hadn't been for his peers in Echo Society, which he said was "a place to talk about dysfunction and love and using music to express all that. It's expanded my community hugely and the record wouldn't sound like it does without that."
Rather than retreat into pure craft, Wynn grew more open about needing music to understand these feelings. "If a piece of music is only about escapism, I'm probably not going to be into it," he said. "I'm growing less and less interested in art that's not asking these broader, darker questions."
"One thing I've come to love about Ben's work is his tendency to push into the dark side," said Rob Simonsen, the composer and Echo Society co-founder. "Ben is such a nice guy in real life, a loving husband and father, but he goes artistically dark and hard. I've learned how cathartic and healing it can be, that one of the best things to do with darkness and fear is to look at it intensely."
Part of grappling with that meant getting out of his head and lending some physical presence to this music. The video accompaniments for "Torn In Two" (collaborations with director and animator Bryan Konietzko) have a Kubrick-ian scale, pairing overhead drone shots of industrial L.A. with monolithic sculptures of human forms bisected by glowing rods. He's planning his next round of live shows, and wants to run sonic transducers through all kinds of objects that will ring and vibrate amid crowd as he performs.
As the sun starts to go down, Wynn points at the basin of the River down the concrete embankment below. He shot some of the "Torn In Two" footage around here, and the combination of human ingenuity and a near-obliterated natural world seems apropos to his album. If you want to see what the world might look like after a hundred years' worth of climate change, the L.A. River is a decent place to start.
That afternoon, the only sounds outside were bike bells ringing on the adjacent pathway, and the ambient thrum of cars on the 5 Freeway. But if you listened closer, you could almost imagine something bigger, more all-consuming, coming our way.
"The L.A. river is so interesting to me. It connects the entire city with these industrial tentacles. It's bigger than humans but was made by and for humans. No one would ever choose to design a city like this," he said. "It's so alien to me, the lack of humanity in that. I love it. L.A.'s the best place to live."
For breaking music news, follow @augustbrown on Twitter.
August Brown
August Brown has covered pop music and nightlife at the Los Angeles Times since 2005.
Kim Kardashian West appeals to Trump to free rapper ASAP Rocky
Kim Kardashian West reached out to the White House in an effort to release ASAP Rocky, the American rapper who's been jailed in Sweden for more than two weeks.
L.A.'s greatest jazz night turns 70, led by its unwavering 94-year-old matriarch
Hermosa Beach's historic Lighthouse Cafe jazz jam celebrated its 70th anniversary, led by Gloria Cadena, the 94-year-old widow of its onetime ringleader.
Paul McCartney will put his spin on 'It's a Wonderful Life' for the stage
Paul McCartney is taking inspiration from a classic American movie and will write the music and words for a stage production of "It's a Wonderful Life."
Hayley Kiyoko is an LGBTQ hero and Taylor Swift BFF. Next? Becoming a proper superstar
Hayley Kiyoko comes off a star turn in Taylor Swift's new video aiming for pop stardom of her own.
Review: David Crosby hoping for a little more time in elegiac doc 'Remember My Name'
Two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member David Crosby confesses his sins and seeks atonement in this frank documentary.
Goon's singer turns his strange medical journey into art on debut album
The lead singer of the L.A. band Goon overcame a debilitating medical condition to record debut album "Heaven Is Humming."
'Surviving R. Kelly' executive producer dream hampton on the Emmy nod and justice
With R. Kelly finally behind bars, the documentarian says that "it was love and currency from black people that avoided him facing consequences."
Did Tupac Shakur cost a 66-year-old rap fan his job in Iowa?
Jerry Foxhoven, a government worker in Iowa, sent a mass email about the late rapper Tupac Shakur to all 4,300 of his coworkers three days before he was fired.


Makro-Symmar 60 mm/2.4 wide-aperture macro lens (8 lens elements, focusing range from 1:2 to ∞).
Schneider-Kreuznach presents its new range of lenses for mirrorless system cameras of the Micro Four Thirds standard at this year's photokina in Cologne. The first lens in the series, a 14 mm wide-angle lens, will be available on the market by the third quarter of 2013.
In the fourth quarter of 2013, it will be followed by a 30 mm universal lens and a 60 mm macro version. "We are delighted at the high level of interest in our involvement in MFT," said Harald Barth, head of the Photo Imaging division at Schneider-Kreuznach.
The new series offers ambitious users of mirrorless system cameras a choice of high-precision and powerful high-end lenses "Made in Germany". The lenses feature a high luminous intensity and a very high resolution across the entire image. Using aspheres promises perfect image results without any image correction by the camera. The compact lenses meet the same technical standards as lenses for full frame cameras manufactured in Bad Kreuznach.
elements is fully optimized for the specific requirements of mirrorless system cameras.
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I am a fetal and neonatal neurologist at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. I provide prenatal counseling for families of babies with neurologic diagnoses and follow these babies closely once they are born. I also care for babies with neurological concerns including complications of prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhages, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, metabolic conditions and neonatal seizures.
As the oldest of five children, I was always interested in young children and their development. I earned my bachelor's degree in human development with a concentration in early childhood. After college, I worked with children with special needs and became increasingly interested in how medical conditions affected development. I wanted to learn more so I could help more, therefore I decided to go to medical school and trained in pediatric neurology, and subspecialized in fetal and neonatal neurology.
As a neurologist, I find the neonatal brain to be very fascinating for its remarkable ability to compensate after injury. It is an honor to meet families facing these difficult situations and be able to walk with them through this scary journey. I marvel every day at how these babies can beat the odds and love following them as outpatients as they develop and grow into inspiring children.
In addition to providing care and participating in medical research, I am also interested in global health and hope to explore avenues for furthering medical care around the world.
My medical research focuses on improving the outcomes of prenatally diagnosed central nervous system malformations and the long-term outcomes of patients requiring neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center April, 2014 "Spasticity and Baclofen" Presented at general pediatric resident morning conference.


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HEALTH CARE: Murray Applauds Federal Investments in Patient-Centered Medical Homes in Washington State
Affordable Care Act funding to support facility improvements at six Washington state health centers
Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) applauded an announcement from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell awarding a total of $1.5 million in Affordable Care Act funding for facility improvements at six Washington state health centers.
The awards are intended to support a patient-centered medical home delivery model, which enhances care by encouraging team-based coordination in a central location, and allows patients to receive treatment for multiple conditions at once.
"Patient-centered medical homes help combine a family doctor's personalized approach with innovative information technology and greater efficiency," said Senator Murray. "This funding will help improve access to primary care and ensure families and communities in Washington state get the high-quality treatment they need and deserve."
A list of the six centers receiving HHS grants is below. For more information about federal health center programs, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.
COLUMBIA BASIN HEALTH ASSOCIATION
COLUMBIA VALLEY COMMUNITY HEALTH
COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF SPOKANE
COMMUNITY HEALTH OF CENTRAL WASHINGTON
YAKIMA NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH SERVICES
Permalink: https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/lowbandwidth/2014/8/health-care-murray-applauds-federal-investments-in-patient-centered-medical-homes-in-washington-state


Selecting the right modern vanity sets for your bathroom depends on your particular style, but you also need to consider the size and shape of your bathroom. Vanities today are both functional and fashionable, and a great example of moden wall-mounted bathroom vanity is the new collection from Cristalquattro named ODER. The sleekly curved area at the basin end defines the distinguished look of the Oder. Integral to the high-shine glass worktop, the basin is perfectly free from joins or interruptions, highlighting the benefits of glass-made bathroom furniture. Natural oak, wenge-stained oak and teak are used to craft the vanity, with careful attention to smoothly opening drawers and unobtrusive handles.


None of my patches made it in this week, but I have 31 of them open in various stages of review! The downside to being a front-end developer is that since all of your proposed changes are user-facing, people can be quite opinionated about them! But it's all good, and part of the review process is to ensure that nobody's views are totally ignored. It's important that everyone is listened to and their viewpoint considered, even if it means that in the end that some patches aren't accepted or take a long time to make it in.
These improvements will land in KDE Frameworks 5.47.
In future posts, Discover improvements will be shown inline along with all the other changes.


text:
French study of over 22m people finds vaccines cut severe Covid risk by 90%
In France, Vaccine
Vaccination reduces the risk of dying or being hospitalised with Covid-19 by 90%, a French study of 22.6 million people over the age of 50 has found.
The research published on Monday also found that vaccines appear to protect against the worst effects of the most prevalent virus strain, the Delta variant.
"This means that those who are vaccinated are nine times less at risk of being hospitalised or dying from Covid-19 than those who have not been vaccinated," the epidemiologist Mahmoud Zureik, who oversaw the research, told Agence France-Presse.
The study – the largest of its kind so far – was carried out by Epi-Phare a scientific group set up by France's health system, its national health insurance fund, l'Assurance Maladie (CNAM), and the country's ANSM medicines agency.
Researchers compared 11.3 million vaccinated over-50s with the same number of unvaccinated from the same age group between 27 December 2020, when vaccinations began in France, and 20 July this year.
They found "a reduction in the risk of hospitalisation superior to 90%" from the 14th day after the second dose and a similar reduction in the number of deaths from Covid-19. Similar findings have previously been published in Israel, the UK and the US.
The vaccines' effectiveness in combatting the most serious symptoms of Covid did not diminish during the five-month period of the study, they said. The results were the same no matter whether the patient was given the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/11/french-study-vaccines-cut-covid-deaths
Vaccines Effective Against New Omicron Subvariants, WHO Chief Says
Booster restores vaccine protection lost against omicron, U.K. study finds
Got a Covid Booster? You Probably Won't Need Another for a Long Time
How Covid changed medicine for the future and potentially for the good of all
Moderna CEO says it's 'reasonable' to think the pandemic may be in its final stages
Vaccine scientists have been chasing variants. Now, they're seeking a universal coronavirus vaccine
Over 75% of India's adult population fully vaccinated against COVID-19
Netherlands lifts toughest Covid curbs with Denmark and France set to follow
'Mix and match' Covid vaccine boosters are effective, NIH study finds
Vaccines are highly unlikely to cause side effects long after getting the shot


We have a household of crabby kids. Everett is teething (still) probably working on "those top two teeth" as Amelia says. Phillip can be constantly found with his fingers crammed in the back of his mouth nursing his 3 year old molars. Poor kid is miserable and whiny. Friday Amelia contracted a lovely cough and runny nose. She ran a high fever Saturday night into Sunday. Early, early Sunday morning she climbed into bed with me. She said, "Mom I can't sleep in my bed. My eyes only close when I snuggle you...in your bed." She was roasting hot and coughed into my neck most of the night. We stayed home from church with three crabby kids and two tired parents. It was nice to rotate between naps and snuggling kids on the couch. It snowed Friday night to Saturday; this time a nice quiet snow! Phillip decided he hates the snow so spent an hour crying in the garage while Mia and I shoveled the driveway. He finally settled down with a blanket and bowl of chippies in a camp chair. I had a photo session for one of our Nursery kids, Connor. He is one cute little guy. Check out his gallery here. I made the cute little lens buddy to capture a busy two year olds attention. It is almost like a decorated scrunchie. Amelia chose a cute kitten as my first creation.
Amelia enjoyed a fun morning with her preschool friends out at Zane's home. Christine had a fun Valentine's party. Amelia made all her Valentine cards this year with sparkly hearts and scrapbook paper. I tried to make rainbow jello hearts but my jello mold was stupid (not me) and the jello was too watery. I wasted an entire day trying to make them. Instead I decided to contribute the leftover jello I put into a bowl, it was also in rainbow pattern. When it unmolded the entire thing slopped all over. Stink! Since I still had jello powder I made ANOTHER one today with less water and more setting time. It turned out perfect...and yummy. Phillip really, really wanted a "fun-dip" candy after lunch. I gave him one and sent him into his room to read books with me. Amelia needed me so I plopped Everett down on the floor. Soon I heard a terrible screeching. I rushed back into the room to find Everett flapping his arms and his face turning purple...with rage. Phillip gave him a taste of the fun-dip. Then ate a couple bites in front of Everett. Then Phillip loaded up the dip stick and was waving it slowly in front of Everett's face. Everett was desperately trying to follow the stick and capture it with his mouth. I. ABOUT. DIED. LAUGHING. Everett ended up with a greenish blue mouth and a very happy grin. What a sugar lush.
Justin surprised me with an iPhone for Valentine's Day. My old phone was ready for a much needed upgrade and our contract allowed for an upgrade. The timing was fortuitous! I am really enjoying my new phone. The LDS scripture application is amazing. It links up with my study notes from LDS.com so I can take notes and mark up my phone scriptures and the same notes/marks show up online when I log in. I also must admit to loving the netflix app. I can watch an adult-level TV show and nurse the baby while Amelia watches a kid show. Tomorrow we have big plans to visit Justin and his ladies at work then have lunch at Pizza Hut. This will be the 3rd year of our little tradition.
I am very relieved my amazing brother Jeffrey finally found a job. He lost his job back in July with no unemployment benefits. Our family was really worried about him losing his apartment, truck, and such. Amelia prayed every day and night for Punkle Jeff to find a job. Ever since last week she's also thanked Heavenly Father for answering our prayers. Her faith spurns me to do better and be more grateful. Jeff, we are proud of you!


Find what IonCube is and also the reasons why it's installed on almost every server running PHP presently.
Plenty of script-driven applications, especially paid cms, encode their files in order to ensure that they will not be reverse engineered or tampered with. Most of them use an app named ionCube PHP Encoder to do this, so if you acquire a paid script and you'd like to install it in a website hosting account, a software tool known as ionCube Loader must be present on your server. Without having it, you can't install the script or in case you somehow find a way to do that, it will not function efficiently for the reason that most of the script code will be encoded to a degree where it can't be interpreted. In this light, you should ensure that ionCube Loader is set up if you get a fresh web hosting account and you want to use some paid web app. If you purchase a shared web hosting account and the tool is not present, it cannot be added because the whole server PHP environment shall have to be compiled again.
IonCube Loader is available with all cloud web hosting packages which we provide, so every time you need it to install and run some script application which needs it, you can activate it with a single click in the Advanced section of your Hepsia Control Panel. Since you are able to change the PHP release that is active for your account in the same section, you need to activate the tool for every new version that you set. When you are more experienced, you'll be able to use a php.ini file in a domain or subdomain folder and set both the PHP version as well as the status of ionCube Loader for that particular site only, without affecting the entire account. This way you will be able to operate both new and older script apps for multiple sites in the same account - something that you won't be able to do with numerous other web hosting suppliers on the market.
If you aquire a semi-dedicated server plan from us, you'll be able to employ any script-driven app that requires ionCube Loader for the reason that the software tool is installed on all servers that are part of our cutting-edge cloud hosting platform. We also support several versions of PHP, therefore if you switch from PHP 4 to 5.2 or 5.3, for instance, you can enable ionCube for this particular version with only a click in your Hepsia Control Panel. Our system will remember your choice, and in case you move back to the previous version of PHP, the software tool will already be active. For more tech-savvy users, we also offer the option to pick the PHP version and if ionCube will be active or not for a specific domain without altering the settings for the entire hosting account. This can be done by putting a php.ini file inside a domain folder with a couple of lines of code.


402.317 Prolonged child care.—Notwithstanding the time restriction specified in s. 402.302(1), child care may be provided for 24 hours or longer for a child whose parent or legal guardian works a shift of 24 hours or more. The requirement that a parent or legal guardian work a shift of 24 hours or more must be certified in writing by the employer, and the written certification shall be maintained in the facility by the child care provider and made available to the licensing agency. The time that a child remains in child care, however, may not exceed 72 consecutive hours in any 7-day period. During a declared state of emergency, the child care licensing agency may temporarily waive the time limitations provided in this section.


The clash for the fate of Hell and Earth are coming to a close in this sixth, and final, issue of The Demon: Hell is Earth, written by Andrew Constant, penciled by Brad Walker, inked by Andrew Hennessy, and colored by Chris Sotomayor. Up to this point, Jason Blood and his other half, Etrigan the Demon, have joined forces with Etrigan's brother Merlin and Madame Xanadu. Now, together they fight against the demonic forces that have risen from Hell, and their king, Belial, Etrigan's father.
An all-out brawl erupts, as Etrigan and Jason fight Belial to stop the merging of Earth and Hell. Merlin and Madame Xanadu offer their magical prowess as aid against Belial, and the previous ruler of hell, Lucifer, who has been transformed into a demonic wolf. In order to gain an edge against Belial, Merlin calls upon old forces and summons one of the most archaic and powerful of weapons in all of history, which Etrigan must wield to have any hope in defeating his father.
Andrew Constant tells a straightforward tale through the series about family quarrels and deception. It all ends in bringing about the death of powerful characters throughout history, and shows that a putrid, rhyme-slinging, exiled demon can still overcome his own inner demons, mostly family. Constant weaves in Etrigan's ancestry, showing more of his family tree and the threats they pose. However, with some assistance from his comrades and one good brother, the demon could possibly do anything. The back-and-forth chatter between the characters seemed genuine, as it was emotion-filled and full of connection as the script wove each character in as a long term enemy or friend. Etrigan did seem to always have a slight upper hand, like slaying a monsterous, demonic wolf with a single slash of his new weapon.
Walker's art lacked some fine detail when it came to smaller panels, but really focused in on the characters when they were presented with a close up. Some attention to detail in the background was spectacular, such as when views of hell, a place readers don't often see, were shown, allowing a nice, crisp, vision of what the realm of demons looks like. Hennessy and Sotomayor's colors throughout the series is a beautiful array, varying across the spectrum, as each spell casted produces its own, along with the flames of the demons. You'd expect, it being a dark story about demons, more blacks and grays, but it stays vibrant and captivating through the long haul.
The series is rather enjoyable, and the childlike acts of Etrigan keep the story humorous through the dark events. It's fantastic seeing Etrigan and Jason out on their own, though, whenever they do team up with Justice League Dark, it's fulfilling, as they bring plenty of power, internal conflict, and banter along with them to mix in with the chaos that revolves around the group of the estranged supernatural persons. With the issues end, questions have flourished, like what could be next for Etrigan? And what his new position could do for later DC comics as he's now reached a zenith like point?