text:
The ideology trap
Published On: February 24, 2019 12:30 AM NPT By: Shlomo Ben-Ami
Shlomo Ben-Ami
The Arab spring ten years later
Joe Biden's world order
How Israel failed its Covid test
Democracies are better at managing crises
Why this pandemic is different
Ideology is a powerful tool for packaging a broad political agenda but faith-based fixations almost invariably lead to bad policies
LOS ANGELES – President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency at the southern border of the United States—where there is no emergency at all—in order to access funding to build the wall that he promised his supporters during his 2016 election campaign. It is yet another example of the enduring—and dangerous—tension between reason and ideology in policymaking.
Evidence-based policies, whatever their limitations, always stand a better chance of succeeding than ideologically-driven policies, because they allow for adaptation to changing conditions and new data. Policies born from rigid principles, by contrast, may not be in line with reality at all.
History is littered with the disastrous consequences of choosing ideology over reality. Notably, Adolf Hitler did not believe that science could satisfy the German Volk; Germany needed to conquer a vast Lebensraum, which required turning Wagnerian myths of Teutonic supremacy into policies aimed at imperial domination. Joseph Stalin, the head of another ideologically-based regime, prevailed over the Nazis precisely because he departed from absolute imperatives and based his war objectives on cold, rational self-interest.
As for the US, Trump is hardly the first president to choose faith over reason. Like Trump, President George W. Bush believed that his presidency was part of a divine plan and launched wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as part of what he himself called a "crusade."
Bush's 2002 national security strategy was explicitly guided by America's principles, rather than its interests. Bush's vice president, Dick Cheney, took that to heart: in 2003, he rejected Iran's "grand bargain" proposal—which would have ended its nuclear program and subversive foreign policy—on the grounds that the US would not "negotiate with evil."
The Trump administration and, more broadly, the US Republican Party, is upholding this tradition. No amount of evidence showing that immigrants have been central to America's success will satisfy Trump's nativist base. Circumventing the US Constitution to build an expensive, ecologically disastrous, and wholly unnecessary wall might.
Likewise, many Republicans, including Trump, continue to deny the threat posed by climate change, rejecting the near-universal scientific consensus. In the past, Trump has even indulged the growing anti-vaccine movement, having tweeted repeatedly about a potential link between vaccines and autism, despite there being zero evidence of such a connection. And Republicans argue that the US, despite being the world's richest country, cannot afford to ensure universal access to affordable health care, which in any case would amount to a socialist assault on personal freedom.
US Republicans use similar arguments to oppose making higher education more affordable. Student debt, at $1.5 trillion, is now second only to mortgage debt as America's largest consumer debt category, and yet subsidizing tuition the way mortgages are subsidized is anathema. The same goes for tax policy, with Republicans consistently advocating lower taxes for the highest earners, despite clear evidence that the benefits do not "trickle down" to the rest of the economy.
The US is not alone. In the United Kingdom, the entire Brexit drama has been driven by zealots. Clinging to an anachronistic view of Britain as a major global power, the Brexiteers argue that the European Union is holding the UK back. New trade arrangements with the Commonwealth—which, in their view, is still essentially the British empire—and emerging powers like China would, they argue, allow the UK to reclaim, independently, its rightful place on the world stage.
As ideological zealots are wont to do, the Brexiteers have consistently disregarded the facts. None of them has been able to put forward a coherent or feasible plan for realizing their vision of a full break with the EU. Yet many, such as the Conservative Michael Gove, blithely deride "experts," as if knowledge and experience were not worth bringing to bear on the issue.
Arguably, Brexit fanaticism among Conservatives—and even the Labour Party's lack of a strong stance on the issue—stems partly from the UK's legacy of disengagement from Europe in the 1930s. At that time, many British politicians focused on the threat posed to the UK by the Nazis' apparent determination to alter the international balance of power.
Today, Europe poses no such threat. Yet the British philosopher John Gray, for example, has portrayed Brexit as the UK's best defense against a reenactment of Europe's "dark" dictatorial past. A total collapse of the EU is inevitable, many Brexiteers believe. Leaving Europe to be ruled by some type of Russian-Eurasian empire would be worth it, as long as Britannia were again ruling the seas.
A similar combination of haughty detachment and anachronistic fantasy is displayed by Catalan secessionists toward Spain. Catalans believe themselves to be far more industrious and inventive than—and even racially superior to—the supposedly lazy and unproductive Spaniards. Moreover, they argue, Spaniards are more prone to authoritarianism. And in terms of its commitment to stifling Catalonia's creativity and entrepreneurship, Spain's democratic government is little different from Francisco Franco's regime.
Catalans pride themselves on their seny—ancestral wisdom and level-headedness—and the British on their common sense. But Catalan secessionists and Brexiteers have locked themselves—and their fellow citizens—in an ideological straitjacket.
Ideology is a powerful tool for packaging a broad political agenda, swaying public opinion, and assessing alternative goals. But faith-based fixations almost invariably lead to bad policies, especially at a time of rapid economic change and deepening geopolitical uncertainty. As the American psychologist Abraham Maslow famously put it, "it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." That, as Trump might say with a straight face, is how walls get built.
Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister, is Vice President of the Toledo International Center for Peace
Trump's war on evidence
US President Donald Trump has made no secret of his disdain for experts and evidence-based policymaking ...
Trump's failed Iran policy
Trump's biggest problem is that the other signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement from which he has withdrawn the United...
Trumping of Ukraine
Ukraine is reprising the same bizarre story that brought Trump to power in 2016 ...


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


But it's also one of the most hated aspects of entrepreneurship.
So wouldn't it be nice to have a personal "online salesperson" who does all your selling for you?
One that does the heavy lifting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, making you money while you sleep, lay on the beach in Bali or grow your business into the empire it deserves to be?
The good news is, this already sort of exists. It's your email autoresponder sales sequence. When used strategically, your autoresponder can act as your personal online salesperson who silently and diligently sells in the background for you, so you don't have to.
It's called an autoresponder for a reason. Instead of spending hours each week carefully crafting pitch emails, hunting for sales on Twitter and dreaming up new ways to sell your product, you can set it and forget it.
How all the pieces fit together to make absolutely certain you're optimizing for sales.
Even if you have no clue where to start, this guide is the perfect email automation plan to deliver the highest amount of sales possible for your business, all in an ethical and psychologically "strategic" way.
I've used this exact email sequence to generate multiple 6-figures sales for clients in a wide variety of niches.
And if that's not enough, you get to continually rack up those sales even after you've clocked out for the holidays.
Click here to get the spreadsheet (FREE) and increase your conversions.
When to send: Send this email on "Day 0" -- as soon as the subscriber signs up for your email list.
50-60% of all "welcome" emails get opened.
This number is shocking because the average email open rate sags down in the low 20%s or below.
Just about every email list you join will have a "Welcome" email ready to hit your inbox once you sign up, and it's a great tool for you to use to build some rapport, thank your new subscriber for joining, and get the ball rolling on their action items and next steps.
The purpose of The Welcome Email in your sales sequence is to build a relationship with your audience.
You can't jump right into a sales email. You need to thank your audience, build trust with them and set some expectations.
There are plenty of ways to go about this, but if I were you, I'd take this golden opportunity to learn more about my new subscriber.
Not everyone who opts into your list is going buy from you, but if you can score some quick feedback from them right off the bat, you'll walk away with a deeper insight into your audience.
Don't get hung up on the technology, either. Facebook Ads expert Rick Mulready gets thousands of responses from a simple Google Form.
When to send: Send this email 1 day after your welcome email.
70% of people are willing to trust a testimonial from someone they've never met.
You read that right. The testimonial doesn't even need to come from a friend.
Why? Because testimonials are a form of social proof: the psychological tendency to do what other people are doing...because if they're doing it, it must be worthwhile.
Think about it: would you walk into a restaurant that's completely empty during rush hour? Well, you might, but you'd probably be skeptical about the quality of their food. On the other hand, if you see a restaurant that's jam-packed, it must be good.
Testimonials serve the same purpose for your business, increasing conversions, credibility and sales.
A detailed case study of the results you got from this offering can help new prospects open their minds to the impact you can have on them.
Including a picture of one or two clients or happy customers alongside their testimonial can supercharge your sales, too.
Whatever form of social proof you choose, make sure you focus on the outcome, the results, and the transformation you got your clients or customers, so new prospects can imagine the possibilities for them, too.
When to send: Send this email 2 days after The Social Proof Email.
Now that your prospects have seen how your product or service can help someone else, it's time to lay it all on the table and pick apart exactly what they're getting so they can make an informed decision about whether your product is right for them.
You can do this through a product demo email.
Even if you run a service-based business and don't sell software or a physical product, there's still plenty of room to get creative with your "demo" video.
The only hard requirement is that this email must be thorough, complete, and serve a one-stop resource outlining everything your prospect needs to make their decision.
Include both the features and the benefits, and note that there's a very clear distinction between the two that many entrepreneurs miss.
The benefits would be the outcomes: how will this course change your student's business, life, relationship, or whatever it is your course is all about? How will it take them from point A to point B and transform their lives for the better?
When to send: Send this email 1 day after sending your Product Demo email.
watch a video explaining the exact same content?
If you picked the video option, I'm right there with you.
Turns out, 4x as many consumers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it. That's why webinars work so well.
What does this mean for you? It means not having a video of some sort (even if you can't swing a full-blown webinar) is the kiss of death when it comes to ringing in the new year with a huge influx of sales.
Not only is video a killer way to deliver value to your audience, but also it builds rapport and helps foster a bond that no other type of content can.
And I suggest doing so in a webinar.
You can stream and record a video right from your computer using YouTube Live, and save it for later so you can deliver it again and again.
And if the thought of holding a webinar totally freaks you out, you can shoot a "selfie-style" video straight from your iPhone or Android (lol) to give it that "personal touch".
Even a webcast walking your prospect through your product can be just as valuable and get them in an "open-to-buy" mindset.
Whether you're up for creating a value-packed webinar, or only willing to shoot a short screencast, there's a reason why video content needs to be part of your email sequence - because when you're passionate about what you do and how you can serve your customer, video lets that shine through in a way that no other form of content can.
When to send: Send this email 2 days following your Webinar Email.
Can we be real for a sec?
Not everyone who registered for your webinar is going to end up watching it.
Even a 35-45% show up rate to your webinar is pretty stellar.
And while 4x as many people prefer to watch a video, you can't forget the other 20% who'd opt for a different route.
Some people will appreciate the abbreviated version and just want to flip through the slides and skim the script. This email needn't require too much effort - it's just a friendly nudge saying "Sorry you couldn't make it-- here's what you missed".
Plus, this one is easy-peasy since you've already got your webinar content finished up!
When to send: Send this email 2 days after the Simple Webinar Transcript Email.
Want to hear some delectably juicy gossip?
That's because controversy, intrigue, and curiosity gets people to perk up and listen.
If someone hasn't bought from you at this point, you'll need to powerfully capture their attention with something unconventional and emotional (or downright weird). That's what you'll do in this email.
If you can get your audience feeling one of these emotions about your product or service, you're well on your way to making a sale.
Maybe you've got a controversial study that's a hot topic of debate within your niche. Or maybe you've crafted a blog post where you're taking a firm stance against something in your niche that's wildly popular.
Sure enough, she offers a solution-- Courses that Convert -- to address the fears and frustrations she agitates in this killer sales email.
Can you shock your subscribers with some results that inspire awe? Can you establish authority through social proof or providing massive value? Maybe you can trigger fear to help them see what they might be missing if they don't buy.
Use the emotional controversy email to convert the "on the fence" buyers.
When to send: Send this email 2 days after your Emotional Controversy Email.
If you have the technology, most webinar systems or content delivery systems will let you expire a Webinar replay after a certain point.
If you can figure out a way to add a sense of (truthful) urgency to your webinar, or any aspect of your sales process for that matter, you'll see a sharp increase in sales.
Just like cramming for finals in college and somehow pulling off an "A", there's a reason urgency can be so powerful: because it forces you to act, whether or not you feel "ready". Maybe your product isn't for them right now. That's completely fine, but you want to get them to make a clear and informed decision either way.
Pair the urgency with an "action color" like REI does, and this email is sure to bring a hoard of hungry buyers back to your site, on-demand.
When to send: Send this email 3 days after your Webinar "Last Chance" Email.
Depending on how badly you want the sale, this may or may not be for you. But this sales sequence is designed to… well, sell.
It's time to give it one last shot: offer your customer the chance to nab a discount coupon and be on their merry way.
If it's a digital product you're selling, you might be more inclined to go this route than with a physical product (depending on your profit margins) so again, this is something you'll need to consider how much sense it makes for your business.
Pair it with a sense of urgency like this email does, and you've got a high-converting email to finish off this knockout email sales sequence and ring in the new year with sales up to your eyeballs.
As we're finishing off the holiday season and heading into 2017, it's time to give your email marketing strategy a fresh new kick.
I've just laid out the perfect Email Sales Sequence practically guaranteed to supercharge your sales and take your revenue to a whole new level.
Sales is a process. While your emails can do most of the heavy lifting, you need to implement this email sequence if you want to enjoy the benefits of having your very own "automated salesperson" working for you 'round the clock.
There's a reason that 6, 7, and even 8 figure businesses rely on this proven email sequence: because it works.
Stop letting your sales fall through the cracks and get started implementing these strategies right away.
Oh, and getting clicks from your emails is only half the battle. Increase your conversion rate when your subscriber lands on your website or landing page with our FREE conversion rate optimization checklist.


The palliative care team offers support to inpatients and outpatients at North Middlesex University Hospital. Inside the hospital we work with all medical and surgical teams, outside the hospital we have strong links to all community services in the area, in particular in the local boroughs of Haringey and Enfield. We provide specialist palliative and end of life care to any patient who has an advanced, progressing, life-limiting illness (this includes patients with both cancer and non-cancer diagnoses), and offer support to families and carers. Referrals can be made at any stage of a patient's illness.
In the early stages of illness, palliative care is provided alongside medical care and therapeutic support to improve quality of life. For patients reaching the end of life, our aim is to enable them to die in comfort, with dignity and in the surroundings of their choice. (End of Life Strategy) We are committed to support the hospital teams caring for these patients, and the people important to them, with compassion and in a manner which is respectful of their expressed wishes. This is in line with national guidance, "One Chance to Get it Right" published by the Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People in June 2014.
The Haringey palliative care team is an innovatively integrated community service provided jointly by all local specialists: North Middlesex Hospital (lead provider), North London Hospice (main point of contact), St Joseph's Hospice, Marie Curie Hospice Hampstead and Whittington Health. By all of us working closely and professionally together we are able to ensure that patient care is consistent, be it in hospital, at home or in a nursing home or hospice, and that information about what is important to each patient gets passed on between those different settings.
Where appropriate and wished we will also include family or friends and local voluntary services or trained volunteers (e.g. in our bereavement service) in setting up a plan that works for each patient as an individual, as described in the national framework "Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care".
• The service is provided 7 days a week, 9am–5pm; during out of hours we offer telephone advice support (see numbers below) and visiting service is between 9am-5pm.
• Out of hours telephone advice service operating 5pm–9am, seven days a week for advice to professionals and to patients (or their relatives) currently receiving care from the community palliative care team.
We offer specialist advice for managing pain and other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and fatigue, and provide social, spiritual and emotional support. This is provided by palliative care clinical nurse specialists, a palliative care consultant, a specialist social worker and a bereavement counseling team. We work closely with a range of healthcare professionals including GPs, district nurses, social workers and the local hospices, and also physiotherapists, occupational therapistsdietitians. In the early stages of illness, we are working alongside medical care and therapeutic support to improve quality of life. For patients reaching the end of life, our aim is to enable them to die in comfort, with dignity and in the surroundings of their choice. We are committed to caring for these patients, and the people important to them, with compassion and in a manner which is respectful of their expressed wishes. This is in line with national guidance "One Chance to Get it Right" published by the Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People in June 2014.
We can also offer a new bereavement support and counseling service for families and carers of patients who were Haringey residents and died from a progressive illness. Referrals can be made to the bereavement service by any member of the wider palliative care service. We hope to expand the bereavement service in the future to include all Haringey residents who need bereavement support.
For contact details of other community teams, please see the referral form.
We accept referrals from healthcare professionals as well as patients and carers.
• use bleep 266 via switchboard.
Our working hours are 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday; referrals will be processed during those times.
Our working hours are 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday; referrals will be reviewed over the weekend as appropriate. Please mark urgent referrals clearly to ensure best service.


text:
News - Thrashing it out
By Amy Jinkner-Lloyd Saturday September 23, 2000 12:04 AM EDT
Coach Curt Fraser is skating around in a frenzy and swearing up a storm, assistant coach George Kingston is banging his stick against the boards and, somewhere, Norm Maracle is eating. The start of the NHL season is three weeks away and the Thrashers are working hard to be unrecognizable as the team that scraped only 14 wins out of an injury- and mediocrity-marred inaugural season. This year, things will be different no matter the record because, of the players who were introduced to the city as Thrashers a year ago, you can expect to see only 12 make the opening-night roster in 2000.
Patience? Out the window. In the front office and on the ice, it's no more Mr. Nice Guy for Fraser or general manager Don Waddell.
Exhibit A: Maracle, the gobbling goaltender. Waddell chose him in the expansion draft with high expectations. Maracle was a back-up in Detroit, where Waddell had been an assistant GM. So it isn't as though Waddell was taking a flying leap on this one.
But Maracle had a bad season, for several reasons. As a Red Wings reserve, he was a spot contributor, which suited him; not much was expected of a youngster on a Stanley Cup team. But when Damian Rhodes, the Thrashers' No. 1 goalie, missed most of the season with a badly sprained ankle, Maracle was forced to play more than anyone expected. And more than he was capable of playing, as poorly conditioned as he was.
That lack of conditioning is the why Maracle finds himself reassigned to Orlando, and why he will not be protected in the waiver draft Sept. 27.
It was something of a joke last season when strength and conditioning coach Chris Reichart paid a visit to Maracle's place to check out the contents of his refrigerator, then attempted to introduce the doughy goaltender to the produce section of the supermarket. But no one was laughing when Maracle came to training camp this year 12 pounds overweight.
Lack of experience is one thing. Lack of skill can be augmented by heart and resolve. But lack of motivation and commitment will not do. This year, players will perform or they will be gone.
The Thrashers will be shuttling players in and out with a vengeance, trying to find not only the best available, but also those who fit together best. They want a group to grow collectively, like the Braves of the '90s. To get it, they're going to be ruthless.
So don't buy anybody's replica sweater just yet; your favorite player may not be with the team come December. Or even next week.
font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1">Hot shots
"I was a little more Indiana-ish." — Tech coach George O'Leary on how his press-conference tone of voice differed from the one he used to address the team after its loss to Florida State.
"I want to coach in the worst way." — And he did. Which is why Bob Knight is Indiana's former basketball coach.
Three — Number of Falcons it takes to replace Tim Dwight, out following an emergency appendectomy: Darrick Vaughn to return kicks, Winslow Oliver to return punts, Eugene Baker to play receiver.
"I don't know what's going on, man." — Andres Galarraga, after striking out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth last week. Again.
The Dawgs didn't lose. — They didn't play.
Fantasy league — Who would you rather have coaching your team: Bob Knight or Woody Hayes? (In other words, would you rather be choked or punched?) u

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
El Rrun Rrun
Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of families and communities through promotion of healthy lifestyles, research for disease and injury prevention and detection and control of infectious diseases. This way, the program brings an interdisciplinary approach on Public Health tackling five major fields: Health Policy and Management, Social and Behavioral Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, and Environmental Health. To extrapolate from this single pre-clinical, animal study to population-based human health effects, as I pointed out, is ludicrous.
Public health efforts are impeded by this, as a lack of education can lead to poorer health outcomes. Learn the keys to gaining marketable, professional experience in public health before graduation. To be truly integrated into the community, one would have to have relationships and resources that exist apart from the mental health system.
YouTube tops the table as the most positive with Instagram and Snapchat coming out as the most detrimental to young people's mental health and wellbeing. Here, the names of more than 58,000 American service members are engraved in black granite. Until that happens, they are harming the public's health by decreasing the likelihood that smokers will quit and increasing the likelihood that vapers will return to smoking.
In 1978, I returned to South Texas armed with a journalism degree and hooked up with the Brownsville Herald. This replaces indicator 2.15. The definition of indicator 1.06i has also been updated and new baseline data made available. Our preference would have been to maintain regulation with one body, the General Medical Council (GMC) or the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) if that was possible.
Major changes shall consist of any substantial increase in density, elimination of roadway connections, major realignment of roadways, major reconfiguration of lots and similar type changes. When selling health insurance across state lines, something Trump and a number of other Republican presidential candidates have been pushing, was mentioned the audience literally laughed.
⟵Top Selling Women's Magazines In Australia
Referred Pain⟶


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Great news Stacey. We'll share this info with our Breastfeeding Task Force.
This is a wonderful incentive for all of us to start giving it more priority. We are blessed to give our children this "first food" and need more support in the workplace, from family and friends. It is something so natural yet it is so misunderstood.
Given the frequency of news reports of the right of a mother to breastfeed (&, of course, those of a baby to eat) in public being violated, a good place to start might be an Ad Council campaign letting people know that mothers have a right to breastfeed anywhere they are otherwise authorized to be, and that it is beyond the pale to ask them to feed the baby in the bathroom or cover the baby with a blanket or otherwise harass the nursing pair. Maybe emphasize that breastfeeding is the normal way that babies eat in the process.
This all sounds great, but Breast feeding rates will never get to where they need to be with women expected to go back to work after 6 weeks. A real maternity leave system that caters to Moms and not Corporate America would really be a sign that the gov't is supportive of breastfeeding.


text:
descr = """Low Complexity Regularizations toolbox in Python"""

import sys
import os
import shutil

DISTNAME = 'locore'
DESCRIPTION = 'Low Complexity Regularizations toolbox in Python'
LONG_DESCRIPTION = open('README.md').read()
MAINTAINER = 'Samuel Vaiter'
MAINTAINER_EMAIL = 'samuel.vaiter@ceremade.dauphine.fr'
URL = 'http://svaiter.github.com/locore'
LICENSE = 'MIT'
DOWNLOAD_URL = 'http://github.com/svaiter/locore/downloads'
VERSION = '0.1'

import setuptools  # we are using a setuptools namespace
from numpy.distutils.core import setup

def configuration(parent_package='', top_path=None):
    if os.path.exists('MANIFEST'):
        os.remove('MANIFEST')

    from numpy.distutils.misc_util import Configuration
    config = Configuration(None, parent_package, top_path,
        namespace_packages=['locore'])

    config.add_subpackage('locore')
    config.add_subpackage('locore/tests')

    return config

if __name__ == "__main__":

    old_path = os.getcwd()
    local_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(sys.argv[0]))
    os.chdir(local_path)
    sys.path.insert(0, local_path)

    setup(configuration=configuration,
          name=DISTNAME,
          maintainer=MAINTAINER,
          include_package_data=True,
          maintainer_email=MAINTAINER_EMAIL,
          description=DESCRIPTION,
          license=LICENSE,
          url=URL,
          version=VERSION,
          download_url=DOWNLOAD_URL,
          long_description=LONG_DESCRIPTION,
          zip_safe=False, # the package can run out of an .egg file
          classifiers=[
              'Intended Audience :: Science/Research',
              'Intended Audience :: Developers',
              'License :: OSI Approved',
              'Programming Language :: C',
              'Programming Language :: Python',
              'Topic :: Software Development',
              'Topic :: Scientific/Engineering',
              'Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows',
              'Operating System :: POSIX',
              'Operating System :: Unix',
              'Operating System :: MacOS'
             ]
    )


text:
Q: Map values to viridis colours in r How do I create a colour scale function in r with a pre-defined scale (like viridis from library("viridis")?
The question is not how to use it within ggplot, but how to build a function I can feed arbitrary values within the specified value domain to and retrieve the according colour strings (rgb, hex or any other output format) from.
colorRamp and colorRampPalette seem to interpolate only between 2 colours within a given colour space. But how would I go about this with viridis for example?
EDIT:
Thanks to @sconfluentus' answer I wrote the following function that does what I want (w/o safety checks):
library("viridis")

number_vector <- c(0.772, 1.235, 5.78, 8.890, 10.543, 14.702)

map_viridis <- function(vec, num) {

  vector_expanded <-round(vec, 1) * 10 # expand to allow for decimal precision
  vector_exp_range <- max(vector_expanded) - min(vector_expanded)

  colour_vector <- viridis(vector_exp_range + 1) # get vector of colour values for all possible decimals between min and max value
  value_to_colour <- colour_vector[num * 10 - min(vector_expanded) + 1] # retrieve colour value for number

  return(value_to_colour)

}

map_viridis(number_vector, 0.8) # returns "#440154FF"
map_viridis(number_vector, 3.4) # returns "#424086FF"
map_viridis(number_vector, 14.7) # returns "#FDE725FF"

Just wondering if there's not a more direct way to achieve this result?

A: You can use library(colourvalues) (on CRAN 1st October 2018) to assign colours to values. The default palette is viridis.
number_vector <- c(0.772, 1.235, 5.78, 8.890, 10.543, 14.702)

colourvalues::colour_values(number_vector)
# [1] "#440154FF" "#470E60FF" "#2E6E8EFF" "#20A486FF" "#44BF70FF" "#FDE725FF"

A: Viridis itself is capable creating the values you are looking for provided you use it correctly in your own function and you know how many arbitrary values will be created.
viridis(12)
 [1] "#440154FF" "#482173FF" "#433E85FF" "#38598CFF" "#2D708EFF" "#25858EFF" "#1E9B8AFF"
 [8] "#2BB07FFF" "#51C56AFF" "#85D54AFF" "#C2DF23FF" "#FDE725FF"

So you could create a function which takes your domain, calculates the length of values in it and then creates a series of colors for each manipulating your data any way you choose. The basis for it would be like this
num_vals=length(x) # substitute nrow  for length if you have rows instead of a list
col_pal = viridis(num_vals)

As long as the set is ordered then you can simply use data[1] and col_pal[1] to associate them in pairs..or you could create a list of pairs and colors depending on how you choose to substitute them into your function.
or you could create a ramp with colorRampPalette as such
map_colors<-colorRampPalette(viridis(12)) # this would create 12 viridis colors

A: I think this does what you want. Most of this was copied from the source of the viridis function. It takes in values between 0 and 1 and returns a color a corresponding fraction of the way along the viridis map.
get_viridis_color <- function(x, opt="D", begin=0, end=1, reverse=FALSE) {
    x <- x * (end - begin) + begin
    cmap <- viridisLite::viridis.map[viridisLite::viridis.map$opt == opt,]
    if (reverse) cmap <- cmap[rev(seq_len(nrow(cmap))),]
    map_rgbs <- grDevices::rgb(cmap$R, cmap$G, cmap$B)
    ramp <- grDevices::colorRamp(map_rgbs, space="Lab", interpolate="spline")
    out_rgbs <- ramp(x) / 255
    grDevices::rgb(out_rgbs[,1], out_rgbs[,2], out_rgbs[,3])
}

Values outside [0, 1] are not handled; for some reason this means negative numbers are #00FF00 and numbers greater than 1 are black. begin and end work like they do in viridis(), but reversing direction of the colormap is a boolean reverse argument instead of the 1 or -1 direction argument. Different values of opt give magma ("A"), inferno ("B"), and plasma ("C") maps instead of viridis.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Children's Fund
06 Nov Allegheny County Children's Fund organizers not defeated by 'no' vote
Posted at 12:48h in News, Press release	by	admin
Pittsburgh, PA (Nov. 6, 2018) – The Allegheny County Children's Fund will not be enacted after falling short of receiving the majority of votes during today's election. The Our kids. Our commitment. Allegheny County Children's Fund Initiative is thankful for the community's support and willingness to engage in conversation throughout the campaign.
"Over the past six months, we had the opportunity to meet with thousands of community members, have conversations about proven programs for kids, and raise awareness about the challenges our community is facing. In our eyes, because of all of this, our campaign was still a success for our kids," said Patrick Dowd, executive director, Allies for Children and steering committee member for the Our kids. Our commitment. Initiative. "Our work will not stop here. We know these services are needed for our kids, and we'll continue working together to find a solution for Allegheny County."
The initiative was led by local organizations who are invested in the wellbeing of Allegheny County's kids: Allies for Children, Allegheny Partners for Out of School Time (APOST), Higher Achievement, the Human Services Center Corporation, The Mentoring Partnership, Pressley Ridge, PUMP, Trying Together, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh, along with numerous community-based partners.
"We are so appreciative of our entire community's willingness to engage in conversations about our kids. This is the biggest effort I have seen to provide dedicated funding for these programs and that is certainly something to be proud of," said Colleen Fedor, executive director of The Mentoring Partnership and steering committee member for the Our kids. Our commitment. Initiative.
In the summer, the Our kids. Our commitment. Initiative collected nearly 64,000 signatures. Throughout the campaign, with help from volunteers and supporters, they knocked on more than 13,000 doors, called over 64,000 voters, hosted and attended more than 100 community events, and reached nearly 900,000 people on social media in an effort to educate voters and raise awareness about the question.
"Throughout this entire process, we have stayed focused on running a positive campaign focused on our kids," said Dave Coplan, executive director, Human Services Center Corporation and steering committee member for the Our kids. Our commitment. Initiative. "We cannot thank our community enough for being open and willing to speak with us and have discussions about what works for kids. We are ending this campaign on a high note, but we're certainly not finished. We have to continue working together to find the best solution for Allegheny County, so we can make sure our kids gain access to these programs."
email and phone
info@ourkidsourcommitment.org
Our Kids. Our Commitment.
Allegheny County Children's Fund
c/o Allies for Children
10 Children's Way, Suite 200
News affecting the children of Allegheny County.


AJ, Schacter D, Rosen B, Albert M.
pharmacologically induced memory impairment. PNAS 2002; 99(1):455-460.
studies of associative encoding in elderly controls and mild AD patients. JNNP 2003;74:44-50.
Adults. The Clinical Neuropsychologist 2006; 20(4):637-48.
potentiator treatment of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer disease. Neurology 2007; 68 1008-1012.
Activation to Clinical Trial Memory Measures in Alzheimer's Disease. Neurology 2007;69(13):1331-41.
the National Academy of Sciences 2008;105(6):2181-6. PMCID: PMC2538895.
Function in Older Persons without Dementia.
Blacker D, Dickerson BC, Sperling RA.
relationship of amyloid deposition to memory dysfunction in MCI.
and MRI imaging to investigate markers of prodromal AD.


The Westburg NGS DNA Library Prep Kit is based on reliable and low-bias enzymatic fragmentation. The simple, straightforward protocol combines DNA fragmentation, end repair and dA-tailing in 1 single step and proceeds with adaptor ligation in the same tube without intermediate cleanup steps.
This workflow reduces library prep time to less than 2 hours, with minimal hands-on time and minimal risk of variability. In addition it's a lot easier to automate, compared to mechanical fragmentation methods, such as Covaris shearing.
By simply adjusting the fragmentation time, you can easily fine-tune the fragment size. This way, any desired peak fragment size between 200-600bp can be achieved, to match your specific sequencing applications.
The fragmentation is highly reproducible across different samples, different DNA sources, different GC-percentages and different production lots. This ensures reliable, consistent results.
The Westburg NGS DNA Library Prep Kit yields a highly uniform genome coverage, at an average sequencing depth of 25x, delivering sensitive and reliable sequencing data.
Similar to mechanical fragmentation, our enzymatic fragmentation process is sequence-independent and yields consistent coverage across a wide range of GC content. This means that you can be confident that your sequencing data will cover the entire genome, including GC-rich and AT-rich stretches.
The excellent coverage performance delivers reliable and sensitive Whole Genome Sequencing data.
Between 1 ng and 1 µg DNA can be used as sample input. The combination of a highly efficient adaptor ligation and having only 1 cleanup step, results in very high library yields. As a consequence, for sample inputs of 100 ng and more library amplification step is not even necessary. This further increases NGS data quality.
In case a library amplification is needed, the Westburg NGS Library Amplification Mix (available separately) provides high-yield, high-fidelity amplification with a very low sequence bias.
If your DNA samples are already fragmented, such as cfDNA from liquid biopsies, choose the new NoFrag format. It does not contain the fragmentation module, so you can immediately proceed with the library preparation using the same chemistry for different types of samples.


If you are looking to register your team please choose the appropriate outing from the drop down menu below.
The Trout Club is a great place for your next outing. We have a wide range of amenities for your guests including catering, multiple reception venues, pool, bar, and staff services. If you are interested in booking an outing please fill out the form below.
Contact Scott, our General Manager with any additional questions.


If that's not the problem, set the log level to Debug from the config page, re-import the upe file and check your logs to see if there is any error.
If you can't figure it out, send me your upe file. Thanks!
In the device management screen, make sure the floor and room filters includes everything.
When I add a new device to my UBP setup it initially has no entry for Location 2. New links have no entry for either Location 1 or Location 2.
In particular, be sure that "Unknown" and "Not Set" are checked in the location drop down lists. If your Device Management page displays Device Type you should confirm that the new device types are checked there as well. (That should happen automatically, but it doesn't hurt to check.) My UPB devices are listed as "UPB Device", "UPB Keypad Button", or "UPB Link".
May-23 7:27:45 AM	UPBSpud	DEBUG PIMADAPTER:: Access to the port 'COM9' is denied.
May-23 7:25:43 AM	UPBSpud	DEBUG PIMADAPTER:: Access to the port 'COM9' is denied.
May-23 7:25:42 AM	UPBSpud	DEBUG PIMADAPTER:: Access to the port 'COM9' is denied.
are you sure your PIM is connected to COM9 ?
I guess the simple question is does the UMC-USB-W UPB from Simply Automated work with your Plug In?
the USB PIM from Simply automated does not work with this plug-in because it does not create a serial port.
Does the Simply Automated UMC-DB9 Computer Interface Module Work? I'd like to avoid unnecessary purchases if possible since I have one on hand.
yes it works, this is the one I have.
Is there Spud Software that can used with the HomeTroller Zee S2? If there is then what CIM can be used with it since the Zee S2 has USB connections and no RS-232 ports. I am interested in controlling my UPB wall switches with the Zee S2. I do have the Simply Automated CIM UMC-USB-W that I used ok to program with UpStart.
Thank you for the info on the PulseWorx PIMU. I just wanted to confirm that the Spud software will work in the HomeTroller Zee S2? That would be great.


text:
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Name:        src/x11/cursor.cpp
// Purpose:     wxCursor class
// Author:      Julian Smart
// Modified by:
// Created:     17/09/98
// Copyright:   (c) Julian Smart
// Licence:     wxWindows licence
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

// For compilers that support precompilation, includes "wx.h".
#include "wx/wxprec.h"

#include "wx/cursor.h"

#ifndef WX_PRECOMP
    #include "wx/app.h"
    #include "wx/utils.h"
    #include "wx/icon.h"
    #include "wx/gdicmn.h"
    #include "wx/image.h"
#endif

#include "wx/x11/private.h"

#if !wxUSE_NANOX
#include <X11/cursorfont.h>
#endif

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// wxCursor
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

class wxCursorRefData: public wxGDIRefData
{
public:

    wxCursorRefData();
    virtual ~wxCursorRefData();

    WXCursor     m_cursor;
    WXDisplay   *m_display;

private:
    // There is no way to copy m_cursor so we can't implement a copy ctor
    // properly.
    wxDECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxCursorRefData);
};

wxCursorRefData::wxCursorRefData()
{
    m_cursor = NULL;
    m_display = NULL;
}

wxCursorRefData::~wxCursorRefData()
{
    if (m_cursor)
        XFreeCursor( (Display*) m_display, (Cursor) m_cursor );
}

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#define M_CURSORDATA ((wxCursorRefData *)m_refData)

wxIMPLEMENT_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxCursor,wxObject);

wxCursor::wxCursor()
{

}

void wxCursor::InitFromStock( wxStockCursor cursorId )
{
    m_refData = new wxCursorRefData();

#if wxUSE_NANOX
    // TODO Create some standard cursors from bitmaps.

#else
    // !wxUSE_NANOX

    M_CURSORDATA->m_display = wxGlobalDisplay();
    wxASSERT_MSG( M_CURSORDATA->m_display, wxT("No display") );

    int x_cur = XC_left_ptr;
    switch (cursorId)
    {
        case wxCURSOR_DEFAULT:          x_cur = XC_left_ptr; break;
        case wxCURSOR_HAND:             x_cur = XC_hand1; break;
        case wxCURSOR_CROSS:            x_cur = XC_crosshair; break;
        case wxCURSOR_SIZEWE:           x_cur = XC_sb_h_double_arrow; break;
        case wxCURSOR_SIZENS:           x_cur = XC_sb_v_double_arrow; break;
        case wxCURSOR_ARROWWAIT:
        case wxCURSOR_WAIT:
        case wxCURSOR_WATCH:            x_cur = XC_watch; break;
        case wxCURSOR_SIZING:           x_cur = XC_sizing; break;
        case wxCURSOR_SPRAYCAN:         x_cur = XC_spraycan; break;
        case wxCURSOR_IBEAM:            x_cur = XC_xterm; break;
        case wxCURSOR_PENCIL:           x_cur = XC_pencil; break;
        case wxCURSOR_NO_ENTRY:         x_cur = XC_pirate; break;
        case wxCURSOR_SIZENWSE:
        case wxCURSOR_SIZENESW:         x_cur = XC_fleur; break;
        case wxCURSOR_QUESTION_ARROW:   x_cur = XC_question_arrow; break;
        case wxCURSOR_PAINT_BRUSH:      x_cur = XC_spraycan; break;
        case wxCURSOR_MAGNIFIER:        x_cur = XC_plus; break;
        case wxCURSOR_CHAR:             x_cur = XC_xterm; break;
        case wxCURSOR_LEFT_BUTTON:      x_cur = XC_leftbutton; break;
        case wxCURSOR_MIDDLE_BUTTON:    x_cur = XC_middlebutton; break;
        case wxCURSOR_RIGHT_BUTTON:     x_cur = XC_rightbutton; break;
        case wxCURSOR_BULLSEYE:         x_cur = XC_target; break;

        case wxCURSOR_POINT_LEFT:       x_cur = XC_sb_left_arrow; break;
        case wxCURSOR_POINT_RIGHT:      x_cur = XC_sb_right_arrow; break;
/*
        case wxCURSOR_DOUBLE_ARROW:     x_cur = XC_double_arrow; break;
        case wxCURSOR_CROSS_REVERSE:    x_cur = XC_cross_reverse; break;
        case wxCURSOR_BASED_ARROW_UP:   x_cur = XC_based_arrow_up; break;
        case wxCURSOR_BASED_ARROW_DOWN: x_cur = XC_based_arrow_down; break;
*/
        default:
            wxFAIL_MSG(wxT("unsupported cursor type"));
            // will use the standard one
    }

    M_CURSORDATA->m_cursor = (WXCursor) XCreateFontCursor( (Display*) M_CURSORDATA->m_display, x_cur );
#endif
}

wxCursor::wxCursor(const wxString& WXUNUSED(name),
                    wxBitmapType WXUNUSED(type),
                    int WXUNUSED(hotSpotX), int WXUNUSED(hotSpotY))
{
   wxFAIL_MSG( wxT("wxCursor creation from file not yet implemented") );
}

#if wxUSE_IMAGE
wxCursor::wxCursor( const wxImage & WXUNUSED(image) )
{
   wxFAIL_MSG( wxT("wxCursor creation from wxImage not yet implemented") );
}
#endif

wxCursor::~wxCursor()
{
}

wxGDIRefData *wxCursor::CreateGDIRefData() const
{
    return new wxCursorRefData;
}

wxGDIRefData *
wxCursor::CloneGDIRefData(const wxGDIRefData * WXUNUSED(data)) const
{
    wxFAIL_MSG( wxS("Cloning cursors is not implemented in wxX11.") );

    return new wxCursorRefData;
}

WXCursor wxCursor::GetCursor() const
{
    return M_CURSORDATA->m_cursor;
}

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// busy cursor routines
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

/* extern */ wxCursor g_globalCursor;

static wxCursor  gs_savedCursor;
static int       gs_busyCount = 0;

const wxCursor &wxBusyCursor::GetStoredCursor()
{
    return gs_savedCursor;
}

const wxCursor wxBusyCursor::GetBusyCursor()
{
    return wxCursor(wxCURSOR_WATCH);
}

void wxEndBusyCursor()
{
    if (--gs_busyCount > 0)
        return;

    wxSetCursor( gs_savedCursor );
    gs_savedCursor = wxNullCursor;

    if (wxTheApp)
        wxTheApp->ProcessIdle();
}

void wxBeginBusyCursor( const wxCursor *WXUNUSED(cursor) )
{
    if (gs_busyCount++ > 0)
        return;

    wxASSERT_MSG( !gs_savedCursor.IsOk(),
                  wxT("forgot to call wxEndBusyCursor, will leak memory") );

    gs_savedCursor = g_globalCursor;

    wxSetCursor( wxCursor(wxCURSOR_WATCH) );

    if (wxTheApp)
        wxTheApp->ProcessIdle();
}

bool wxIsBusy()
{
    return gs_busyCount > 0;
}

void wxSetCursor( const wxCursor& cursor )
{
    g_globalCursor = cursor;
}


text:
Species in Gempylus
Species in Gempylidae
Gempylidae
Gempylus serpens Cuvier, 1829
Snake mackerel
Gempylus serpens AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
Picture by Cambraia Duarte, P.M.N. (c)ImagDOP
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Gempylidae (Snake mackerels)
Etymology: Gempylus: Greek, gempylos = a kind of fish (Ref. 45335). More on author: Cuvier.
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 600 m (Ref. 13628), usually 0 - 200 m (Ref. 89423). Deep-water; 42°N - 40°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 6181)
Worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. Adults also often caught in temperate waters. Specimen caught on the Atlantic side of South Africa (33°08'S 16°47'E at 700 m) (Ref. 6193) probably strayed from the Indian Ocean.
Maturity: Lm ?, range 50 - ? cm
Max length : 100.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6181); common length : 60.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6181)
Dorsal spines (total): 27 - 33; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12; Vertebrae: 48 - 55. Body is elongated and strongly compressed. The mouth is large with fang-like teeth. There are two lateral lines, both originating below the first spine of the dorsal fin. The upper lateral line follows the dorsal contour of the body to the end of the first dorsal fin base. The lower descends gradually posterior to about the tip of the pectoral fin and runs mid-laterally. Body color is uniformly dark brown; all fins dark brown with somewhat darker margins.
Strictly oceanic and usually solitary (Ref. 6181). Adults migrate to the surface at night while larvae and juveniles are found near the surface during the day (Ref. 6181). Feed on fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans (Ref. 9302). Males mature at 43 cm SL, females at 50 cm (Ref. 36731). Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6766). Sold frozen, as sausages or fish cake (Ref. 9302). Not eaten raw, but cooked in any way, also dried (Ref. 7364).
Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Parin, Nikolay V. | Collaborators
Nakamura, I. and N.V. Parin, 1993. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 15. Snake mackerels and cutlassfishes of the world (families Gempylidae and Trichiuridae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the snake mackerels, snoeks, escolars, gemfishes, sackfishes, domine, oilfish, cutlassfishes,. scabbardfishes, hairtails, and frostfishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(15):136 p. (Ref. 6181)
Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 23 August 2012
Fisheries: minor commercial; bait: occasionally
Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 18.1 - 29, mean 27 (based on 7334 cells).
Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Fec=300,000).


text:
Tom Lee Writing
Content Writing, Editing, Research
Art, Oscar Wilde and the Myth of his Martyrdom
Posted on September 5, 2017 September 3, 2018 by Tom LeeLeave a Comment on Art, Oscar Wilde and the Myth of his Martyrdom
27 July 2017 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, recognised as decriminalising male homosexual acts that take place in private. Coinciding with this, Tate Britain is hosting Queer British Art 1861-1967. With the death penalty for acts of sodomy abolished in 1861, Queer British Art spans the following century, displaying a variety of artistic expressions with a queer sensibility, including work by Simeon Solomon, Hannah Gluckstein, Henry Scott Tuke, Dora Carrington, David Hockney and Francis Bacon.
The art of history
By combining artefacts alongside artwork, the exhibition provides a mix of both social and art history. Noel Coward's dressing gown and the library books doctored and defaced by Joe Orton and Kenneth Halliwell (a 'crime' for which they were jailed, following an investigation that involved undercover librarians!) hang alongside portraits of Quentin Crisp, Vita Sackville-West, Radcliffe Hall and Virginia Woolf. Lesser known faces, such as the co-founder of the first black British ballet troupe Les Ballets Negres, Berto Pasuka, also make an appearance.
Perhaps the most (in)famous figure present is Oscar Wilde. While his central position in the 'Public Indecency' room is historically and thematically appropriate, the inclusion of a portrait painted over a decade before his trials – a full length image of a confident Wilde, captured on the cusp of fame – also suggests that his artistic output is as much part of his enduring reputation as his fall from grace. The exhibition includes the Marquess of Queensbury's notorious calling card, left for Wilde and accusing him of 'posing as somdomite (sic)', which prompted the disastrous 1895 libel case against his lover's father. Nearby is the cell door behind which Wilde was incarcerated when his ill-judged libel action spectacularly rebounded and he was instead found guilty of acts of gross indecency with younger male prostitutes, receiving two years imprisonment with hard labour.
Wilde's downfall
The specific clause that Wilde was tried under – the Labouchere amendment – outlawed all sexual contact between men in both public and private and was part of the 1885 Criminal Law Amendment Act (CLAA). This Act raised the age of consent for heterosexual sex from 13 to 16 and increased anti-prostitution measures. It was ushered in during an era of social purity campaigning, with reformers determined to curb immorality and protect the vulnerable. Crusading explicitly against sexual debauchery, social purists did not differentiate between homosexual acts and prostitution, seeing both as aspects of an unrestrained and corrupting male lust. Contributing to this atmosphere of social purity and control, a sensationalist piece of journalism – W.T. Stead's 1885 exposé of child sex trafficking, The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon – added further fuel to the moral panic that led to the passing of the CLAA. Contained within this legislation was MP and journalist Henry Labouchere's amendment. His motivation for this is unclear, but as the idea of a specific homosexual type barely existed, it appears that he was aiming widely at general male sexual depravity – for many the foundation of vice – rather than those who may specifically identify as homosexual.
This suggests that Wilde's reputation as a gay martyr – persecuted for his unrepentant homosexuality – is somewhat misleading. At the time of his trials what we now recognise as a specific homosexual identity was only just emerging. The labels 'invert' or 'homosexual' were not widely understood or used, and their complete absence in both the court records and newspaper reports of Wilde's trials suggests that he was not identified as such. German writer Karl Ulrichs was the first person to develop a scientific concept of homosexuality in an article published in 1864. The term 'homosexual' was first seen in Britain in 1892, in a translation of Austrian psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing's Psychopathia Sexualis – a study of deviant sexual practices. Wilde never admitted to being a homosexual, and in retrospect saw his own sexual conduct as that of someone dealing with mental ill health. The self-assurance captured in his portrait is certainly not that of an unapologetic gay rights pioneer. Opposite Wilde's image, the exhibition places portraits of some of Wilde's contemporaries, English writers Edward Carpenter and John Addington Symonds, along with sexologist Havelock Ellis. They were the first in Britain to begin formulating a gay rights agenda. Their inclusion here acknowledges the important role that the dialogue between science and the arts played in developing and promoting the idea that homosexuality was inherent. Working together and exchanging ideas, these three men advocated for homosexuality to be seen as a congenital condition, one that shouldn't be subject to legal penalties. By the end of the nineteenth century their texts began to slowly introduce these concepts into the English lexicon.
The construction of a gay identity
This emergence of the modern male homosexual in the late nineteenth century should be differentiated from homosexual behaviour. Men have always had sexual interactions with each other, with the idea that some of these men constituted a differing sexual minority emerging in the 1700s. The association of these acts with a specific identity is a more recent construct – one that had only just begun to crystallise around the time of Wilde's trials. Public sites where men could find sexual encounters with each other – parks, public toilets or even specific streets – could be easily accessed by those who chose to, and the often casual and opportunistic nature of these liaisons allowed them to remain separate from a person's identity. Homosexual acts do not necessarily confer a homosexual identity, and to assume Wilde's various homosexual encounters means that he identified – or was identified – as such would be to retrospectively impose an inflexible, late twentieth-century concept of homosexuality onto what was then a more fluid and ambiguous notion of sexuality.
As the curators of Queer British Art make clear, LGBT+ labels were not recognised for most of the period their exhibition covers, by individuals or wider society, artists or their audiences. The term 'queer' in its current usage can be seen as an umbrella term, used to encompass all non-heterosexual, non-cisgender identities. The curator's use of this broader term avoids this imposition of retrospective labelling, and by acknowledging the fluidity that exists around sexual identity, it provides a more accurate representation of the reality. With a 2015 YouGov survey suggesting that almost half of 18-24 year olds do not define themselves as exclusively heterosexual, it is perhaps ironic that today's apparently more relaxed and fluid forms of sexual identity have more in common with the Victorian era – despite its reputation of prudish sexual repression – than is first apparent.
Originally published on The Historian Blog – Queen Mary, University of London, September 2017
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Home » Media Center » Press Releases » September 24th 2019
Attorney General James Statement On New York City's Retirement Security For All Plan
Attorney General James Statement on
New York City's Retirement Security for All Plan
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement in support of the proposal to enable New Yorkers in the private sector to automatically enroll in an employee-funded retirement plan:
"The looming retirement security crisis for middle-class and low-wage workers demands immediate and decisive action, but time and again Washington has failed to step up. In New York City, where a staggering 60 percent of private-sector workers today are without access to any form of a retirement plan, we simply cannot afford to wait any longer. I applaud Mayor de Blasio, as well as Council Members Miller and Kallos, for moving forward with a plan that would make New York City a national leader in the quest for Universal Retirement Security. As an original sponsor of this vitally important legislation, I wholeheartedly support this effort and urge the swift passage of these bills into law."
In 2015, then-Public Advocate Letitia James led the charge for Universal Retirement Security, introducing legislation to create a Board to issue recommendations for the creation of a private sector retirement security plan. In 2017, she authored, along with Council Member Ben Kallos, the bills currently under consideration, which would cover all employers with more than ten employees that did not already offer a retirement plan. At no cost to the employer, private sector employees would be automatically enrolled, with an option to decline, in a payroll deduction pre-tax retirement savings plan administered by the City.
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text:
On the rise: DCA basketball changes making a difference
By Mike Marsee
BURGIN — Some of the changes are obvious, some of them less so. But all of them figure to add up to a better boys basketball team at Danville Christian Academy.
The Warriors have more experience, more basketball smarts and a couple of key additions, and so they have every reason to believe this season will be better than last.
DCA has a winning record for the first time in two years after throttling Burgin 55-21 Friday night for their third win in five games to start the season.
The visiting Warriors used a smothering defense to dismantle Burgin in a game that displayed both how far they have come and where they could be headed over the next two months.
"I think we have a high ceiling," DCA coach Don Story said. "If we work at it, we will be able to improve some over the next few weeks, and we already have."
There seemed to be nowhere for the Warriors to go but up after a 2020-21 season in which they lost 11 consecutive games late in the season and finished 7-17.
Story said the climb actually began during that losing streak.
"The kids kept coming back, and every game they were fighting, fighting, fighting. And they could have stopped," he said. "So the core of what we had last year, I already knew they were battlers, and they continue to battle.
Then there was the summer season, an important time for any growth-minded program and something neither DCA nor any other team had in 2020.
"We always try to challenge ourselves a little bit, but we don't want to overwhelm them. Building this program has been a challenge in knowing how far to go with our competition," Story said. "This summer we played some All 'A" schools, we played a few pretty good teams, and we competed well with them. So I had a good idea that we were going to be able to compete at a higher level than we did last year."
Finally, there was the addition of two players who have brought new skill sets and a new dimension to a team that returned its entire roster.
Xavier Yamo, a 6-4 senior from Kenya, and Lual Ayiei, a 6-11 freshman from South Sudan, came to DCA last year and played in some junior varsity games but made their varsity debuts this season and have made an immediate impact.
"That has helped us with athleticism and also with size," Story said.
Yamo had 32 points and 13 rebounds Friday, giving him 58 points and 25 boards in the Warriors' last two games and team-leading averages of 19.0 points and 8.8 rebounds in the first two weeks of the season.
"Xavier played an outstanding game tonight," Story said. "His moves inside are really getting better and better."
Ayiei had four points and eight rebounds against Burgin, and he is averaging 10.6 points and 7.6 boards. In addition, he is making his mark by blocking and altering shots in the paint.
"He's 6-11 that can move and alter a lot of shots," Story said. "Tonight, even the decent shots that Burgin got inside, a lot of them were altered.
"It definitely helps us with defense, it helps with rebounding, and we're really working on their game inside."
DCA's top five scorers last season all are averaging fewer points so far this season, but Story said the returning players and their new teammates have worked well together.
"The atmosphere at Danville Christian Academy has been a blessing to me," he said. "We've got great kids. Everybody's working together. We're one team going forward.
"It takes some sacrifice sometimes, and everybody's been willing to sacrifice."
Story said the team has also done a great deal of growing up along the way.
"Having them go through the hard times last year and this summer, and even getting ready for this season, has matured them," he said.
DCA opened a 16-4 lead early in the second quarter Friday and led 25-6 late in the first half.
The Warriors' defense held the Bulldogs to 3-of-18 shooting in the first half and a 15 percent mark (7 for 46) overall with 17 turnovers.
"I think our defense was probably the best we've had since I've been at DCA," Story said. "I felt like we moved good, and of course it helps to have Lu and Xav to alter some shots if we do get beat. But I thought our guards covered their shooters, and I was real pleased with our defense, and with getting the tempo where we wanted it."
Freshman Titus Boyd, last year's leading scorer, scored eight points for the Warriors and averages 11.8. Noah Imfeld added six points and averages 9.6.
"I think our basketball knowledge is getting better, we're sharing the ball really well, so I think we're starting to see some good things," Story said.
After a game Thursday at North Bullitt, DCA will host a pre-Christmas tournament that will include Burgin and Casey County, among others, and will play in a tournament in Somerset after Christmas.
The Warriors will begin their 45th District schedule in early January, and while they are 0-14 all-time against district opponents other than Kentucky School for the Deaf, Story wants them to be in position to compete in some of those games by the new year.
"I want us to be ready to compete for our district seeding," he said. "Whether that's competing at the highest level, I just want us to see growth and getting to where we can be."
John Boursaw scored nine points and Jacobe Taylor added six for Burgin, which fell to 0-6 with a 65-44 loss at Casey County on Saturday.
DCA 13 25 40 55
Burgin 4 9 15 21
DCA (3-2) — Xavier Yamo 32, Ryan Ridge 1, Lual Ayiei 4, Titus Boyd 8, Noah Imfeld 6, Grayson Domidion 1, L Adkins 3.
BURGIN (0-6) — Jacobe Taylor 6, John Boursaw 9, Jacob Qualls 3, Seth Hatfield 3.
DCA girls defeat Boyle; Rebels notch win over Warriors in boys' action
Smith still excited to officially sign with Cats


text:
Замок у Жміґроді (пол. Zamek w Żmigrodzie, нім. Schloss Trachenberg чи Schloss Hatzfeld) — руїни барокового палацу і добре збережена готична житлова вежа, які розташовані над річкою Барич у місті Жміґруд Тшебницького повіту Нижньосілезького воєводства в Польщі. Окрім руїн замку, у прилеглому до нього парку також є пам'ятка природи — дуб звичайний з діаметром стовбура 631 сантиметр (у 2010 році).

Історія

Перша згадка про замок датується 1296 роком. Найбільш ймовірно, що на той час він був дерев'яним укріпленням.  Наступного разу замок було згадано у 1375 році як замок, що належав олесницьким князям. Це була будівля неправильної форми, що мала вежу з північної сторони та в'їзну браму — з південної. Замок знаходився серед боліт річки Барич та було оточено ровом. Його власниками, у ті часи, були вроцлавські єпископи, олесницькі князі та лицарі.

Зі смертю останнього олесницького П'яста — Конрада Х Білого, у 1492 році місто разом із замком перейшло у власність чеського короля Владислава ІІ Ягеллончика, який передав місцеві землі польському феодалу з Великопольщі, Зигмунту Корцбоку (Курцбаху) з Віткова. Вільгельм Курцбах у 1560 році збудував другу, збережену донині, вежу. Це чотиригранна, чотириповерхова житлово-оборонна споруда.

Родина Курцбах володіла замком до 1592 року, коли замок було продана Адаму Шафгочу. На межі XVI—XVII століть замок двічі знищувався пожежами. Відбудований і сильно укріплений замок протягом двох років успішно відбивав атаки шведських військ під час Тридцятилітньої війни. Однак у 1642 році шведи все ж здобули замок і з того часу впродовж 8 років він слугував базою для шведських військ у Сілезії.

З середини XVII століття, аж до завершення Другої світової війни, замок перебував у володінні родини фон Хатцфельд. У другій половині XVII століття або ж на початку XVIII століття австрійський фельдмаршал Мельхіор фон Хатцфельд перебудував замок у чудовий бароковий палац. Середньовічні будівлі, за винятком вежі, було знесено. Палац було модернізовано у XVIII столітті. Архітектором нового крила, яке було виконано у стилі класицизму, став Карл Готгард Ланґганс.

9 липня 1813 року палац став місцем зустрічі російського царя Олександра I та прусського короля Фрідріха Вільгельма III, які разом з англійськими та австрійськими депутатами розробляли тут план остаточної поразки Наполеона. Ці напрацювання увійшли в історію як так званий Трахенберзький план. У ХІХ столітті з вежі було знято чотирисхилий дах та добудовано верхню частину, прикрашену неоготичним кренеляжем.

Палац було зруйновано у 1945 році, після чого його вже не відбудовували. Збереглася лише вежа, яку відреставрували ззовні. У 70-их роках ХХ століття значна частина руїн палацу була знесена, а їх уламки було вивезено.

Сучасний стан
У 2007 році, за кошти ЄС, розпочалося відновлення збереженої частини руїн палацу та інтер'єру вежі. З 2008 року залишки замку функціонують як туристичний об'єкт. У 2012 році до існуючої частини замку було добудовано так званий трельяж, що символізує втрачене довге крило палацу. В наш час у підземеллях руїн функціонує ресторан, тоді як у збереженій вежі — пункт туристичної інформації, музейні експозиції, театральна та конференц-зала, готельні апартаменти та оглядовий майданчик.

Фотогалерея

Примітки

Жміґрудський замок
Руїни замків

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This week's fantasy baseball first baseman review will help you identify first basemen available in 50% or more of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues. For deep league players, the third is available in 85% or more of Yahoo! leagues.
Okay, I lied; Alonso's ownership stretches this article's criteria, but that's how important it is that you go scoop up Alonso. He's been on this list before, and not much has changed. Alonso revamped his approach and has "barreled" over 10% of the time this season. The anticipated average on a barrel per statcast is a .500 average and a 1.500 slugging percentage, which means he's scorching the ball over 10% of the time. Go and get him if you need some power in Freddie Freeman's absence, and do it before his average skyrocket further.
Duda's been swinging a hot bat over the last couple of weeks and has corrected a lot of the damage done to his production by an atrocious strikeout rate. Duda corrected his strikeout rate, and he's now within his career norms. Next up: Duda's .265 BABIP means that his .250 average should trend upward, as well. His home runs will fall off a bit, as he's rocking a 22.9% HR/FB rate up from a career 14.5%. Duda is a top-ten first baseman over the last couple of weeks, and he's doing that even with positive regression coming. He's on the upswing, and snagging him now will have you reaping all the benefits.
There's not much to hate with Moreland. Sure, his ridiculous cold streak had people abandoning ship, but his production and ownership don't match up. Thus far on the year, he's hitting .276/.374/.471 with six dingers, 27 runs, and 28 RBI. He's played 51 games, which means his production prorates out to about 20 home runs, 90 runs, and 90 RBI. Not bad for a guy out there in 86% of Yahoo! leagues. He's recovered from his cold streak nicely, as well, hitting four of his six homers in the last two weeks. He's riding hot and has some very good overall numbers on the year, and he should be owned in more than 14% of leagues.


US move to suspend economic and military aid to Egypt has little to do with human rights, analysts say.
The United States' move to cut and delay economic and military aid to Egypt is symbolic and will not have a major effect on Egypt's capabilities, analysts say.
"Egypt will still receive the vast majority of its $1.3bn in military assistance," said Sarah Yerkes, a fellow at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
"This [move] is far more symbolic than practical. It is embarrassing to Egypt, but it will not have a major impact on Egypt's capabilities," Yerkes told Al Jazeera.
The unprecedented decision to cut $95.7m in aid, and indefinitely withhold another $195m in military aid, reflects what US official sources described as the US' frustration with the Egyptian government's stance on civil liberties, specifically with regards to a law that regulates NGOs.
Egypt, notorious for its human rights abuses and declining economy, recently passed a controversial law enacted by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi that heavily regulates the operations of 47,000 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charities across Egypt.
The law, which introduces jail terms of up to five years for non-compliance, is largely seen by civil society groups as part of a wider strategy to crackdown on public dissent. During a visit to Washington last April, Egyptian officials had pledged to scrap the draft law, which received much criticism from international rights groups such as US-based Human Rights Watch.
Egypt's foreign ministry described the aid cut and delay move as a "misjudgment of the nature of the strategic relations that have bound the two countries for decades."
"[The move] reflects a lack of careful understanding of the importance of supporting the stability and success of Egypt, as well as the size and nature of the security and economic challenges faced by the Egyptian people," the statement added.
Suspending some of the military aid to Egypt is determined by the US budget cycle, where US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, is required to certify that Egypt has met the human rights benchmarks set by Congress in order for it to qualify as an aid recipient.
But the cut is little in comparison to what is in the "pipeline" for Egypt.
According to Cole Bockenfeld, deputy director for policy at the Project on Middle East Democracy, at least $400m in economic assistance is in the works for Egypt, much of which is "actively obstructed by the Egyptian government".
According to Bockenfeld, the justifications for the decision are not clear, yet the move is not likely to affect Egypt's military campaign in Sinai.
"This decision does not have any practical impact on the Egyptian military's ability to conduct operations in the Sinai."
Robert Springborg, Middle East expert and non-resident fellow at the Italian Institute of International Affairs, told Al Jazeera that the move is part of the Trump administration's proposal to drastically reduce funds, especially to the Middle East.
If intended as a signal to Sisi's regime, it will have limited impact on [his] behaviour. But it does send an important signal more broadly that the US is recognising the alarming state of human rights in Egypt and not adopting the regime's line.
"But the other important factor is the general 'getting tough' approach of Trump, which we see with regard to various 'allies' which he would like to see supporting the US in more direct, manifest ways," he said, also referencing Egypt's support for North Korea.
Egypt has been a recipient of US aid since it established diplomatic relations with the Israel, following the signing of the 1978 Camp David Accords, brokered by then-US President Jimmy Carter.
As part of the accords, a biennial series of joint military exercises led by Egypt and the US troops in Egypt had commenced in 1980. Referred to as Operation Bright Star, the coalition training is designed to strengthen ties between the two forces, and assist the US in rooting its Middle East allies.
By the early 1990s, Egypt became one of the US' major military allies in the region. Although the event had been suspended since 2009, it is scheduled to recommence next month. According to Cole, Egypt has sufficient funds in their account to continue military operations "unimpeded".
Yerkes said that it is unlikely for Egypt to implement drastic measures at this stage, by cancelling Operation Bright Star, for instance.
"It was such a win for Egypt that the US decided to reinstate it. Cancelling it would be a very big deal," she told Al Jazeera.
Similarly, Issandr El Amrani, head of the North Africa section at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that the move to suspend aid does not appear to be linked to any development in Egypt-US relations, especially since the Bright Start military exercises will officially resume.
"If the cuts do go ahead, it might be because the US either wants to send the signal about 'the worsening human rights situation in Egypt' or, more simply, because the Trump administration does not see the Congress accepting to disburse the aid money," explained El Amrani.
"If intended as a signal to Sisi's regime, it will have limited impact on [his] behaviour. But it does send an important signal more broadly that the US is recognising the alarming state of human rights in Egypt and not adopting the regime's line, even if it continues to have a close military relationship," El Amrani added.
Egypt, which is preparing for the upcoming presidential elections in 2018, has been under a state of emergency since last April. Amid a media blackout, Sisi, who is widely expected to run for a second term, has been repressing potential presidential candidates, such as prominent lawyer and human rights advocate Khaled Ali.
When former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was overthrown by Sisi in the summer of 2013, public space in Egypt became increasingly restrictive. Since coming to power in 2014, Sisi's government has imprisoned tens of thousands of Egyptians without charge and banned public protests by passing legislation prohibiting the gathering of 10 or more people, without prior authorisation.
According to analysts, the move will not necessarily alter Sisi's behaviour concerning human rights abuses, which are regarded to be in direct contravention of democratic norms.
"It [the move] might have some restraining effect, but since the presidential election is looming and the economy is in wretched condition, he [Sisi] will continue to repress opposition," said Springborg.
Others believe that the US move has little to do with human rights abuses.
"If the Trump administration truly wanted to send a strong signal to Sisi's government on human rights, they could have used the authority in the law to cut (instead of delaying) this $195m in military aid to Egypt," said Bockenfeld.
Regardless, analysts believe that the move will soon be reverted.
"The one thing we do know for sure is that Trump does not care about human rights - at home or abroad - and the State Department is therefore unlikely to have been directed by the White House to cut off the funds," James Gelvin, a professor of Middle East history at the University of California, Los Angeles, told Al Jazeera.
According to Gelvin, an underlying reason may be the "current dysfunction in the State Department", given the large number of senior positions that remain vacant.
"The money will be restored after the United States certifies that Egypt is making progress on human rights," said Gelvin.
"That certification will undoubtedly occur, whether such progress is made or not."


Fibrosis is becoming a leading cause of death in organ injuries, particularly among aging population, without effective and safe therapies to date. One of the major hurdles in fibrosis-related drug discovery is the dependence on manual scoring for therapeutic effects of lead compounds in animal models. Here we introduce a service of animal models coupled to a digital imaging and quantitation method. The method incorporated nonlinear microscopy by second harmonic generation to produce collagen-specific images, and by two-photon excitation fluorescence to delineate tissue morphology. The imaging and subsequent analysis were validated with fibrotic diseases in liver, kidney, lung, bone marrow, and other organs, using reference compounds including Imatinib, Nintedanib, and Pirfenidone. The therapeutic effects of the compounds observed in our models were definitive and reproducible. The results correlated well with those of parallel biomarker analysis. The method is straightforward and stain-free. It provides further histological detail of disease status. We present this method as revolution in histological evaluation of anti-fibrosis drugs in pre-clinical settings.


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In the dominant discourse and public opinion, hydropower must be developed for the energy transition and only a few very large dams and hydropower plants in Amsud, Africa and China have very negative environmental impacts. The European Water Movement questions these assertions through examples from France, Spain and the Balkan region.
The Balkans are the region in Europe where there are currently the most projects of dams and hydropower plants.
The map above shows existing dams and hydropower plants (in black), under construction (in yellow) and planned (in red). This map is taken from a study carried out by Euronatur and River Watch, two German and Austrian NGOs, in partnership with Balkan NGOs.
These NGOs led a campaign entitled "Save the blue heart of Europe" which aimed to improve knowledge about the exceptional biodiversity of Balkan rivers, to inform about the threats facing these rivers and to stop projects of dams and hydropower plants on these rivers.
These NGOs counted 1640 projects of dams and hydropower plants in 2015, of which 630 are large or medium in size and 817 are in protected areas (national parks, Natura 2000 areas, Ramsar wetlands, etc.). Moreover, they noted numerous violations of European directives and international conventions, while some of these projects are financed by the EBRD and the World Bank.
The Balkan rivers are a hotspot of biodiversity. They provide habitats for a multitude of animal and plant species, many of which are endemic, such as the huchen, Danube salmon. The planned dams and hydropower plants will endanger 70 to 75% of the species listed, not counting the many unregistered species.
The map above shows in yellow the rivers where the huchen is present and in red the dams and hydropower plants planned on these same rivers. It is clear that the huchen, a migratory species, will disappear if these dams and hydropower plants are built.
The situation is particularly dramatic in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two entities: the Republic of Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. These two entities have a high degree of autonomy. The Republic of Srpska has a centralized system ; the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a federal system based on 10 cantons. This complex institutional framework and ethnic divisions make it difficult to implement environmental and energy policies that are coherent across the country. There is really no river basin management. A project of dam or hydropower plant on a river is decided by the administration (entity, canton, municipality) after a consultation sometimes marred by corruption and where communities are most often absent.
This particular political context results in systematically sloppy environmental and social impact studies. Chinese, Russian and European companies are fiercely competing for the allocation of hydropower concessions.
The map above shows the planned dams and hydropower plants in red on the rivers of Bosnia-Herzegovina. These are mostly small structures.
The pictures below show what would be destroyed not only by these structures but also by roads and high-voltage lines: not only rivers but also alluvial forests and surrounding wetlands.
There are, of course, struggles against some of these projects of dams and hydropower plants:
– 2 projects on the Vrbas river
In 2004, a network of associations was created against these 2 projects. In 2015, following pressure on the Republic of Srpska and the municipality of Banja Luka, the political decision was taken to abandon these projects. In 2016, the consortium that had won the concession is claiming €51 million in compensation before an international arbitration tribunal.
– Numerous small projects on the Sana river
A municipality wishing to develop ecotourism around the river complained unsuccessfully against these projects to the Republic of Srpska. An Austrian company started construction of these dams.
– 5 small projects in the Sutjeska Park
2 of these projects are located in the second primary forest in Europe. A petition calling for a halt to these projects was presented in 2016 to the parliament of the Republic of Srpska.
– 2 hydropower plants on the Drina river
Several NGOs from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro have submitted two complaints in 2018 to the District Court in Banja Luka against the environmental permits for 2 hydropower plants on the Drina river in Bosnia-Herzegovina near the border with Montenegro.
-- A dam and hydropower plant on the Kruščica river
Woment of the mountain village of Kruščica and other opponents set up camp on the left bank of the Kruščica River in order to prevent the construction of the dam from starting.
According to the Coalition for the Protection of Rivers of Bosnia-Herzegovina, created in 2016, 12 dams are currently under construction by Bosnian, Austrian and Slovenian companies. There are 300 projects of dams and hydropower plants in progress but several projects have been temporarily abandoned due to insufficient funding.
In June 2018, representatives from the "Save the blue heart of Europe" campaign handed in a petition endorsed globally by more than 120,000 people, calling on international development banks (EBRD, EIB, World Bank...) to rein in financial support for hydropower projects in the Balkans.