text:
Ceridwen Anne
You kids get off my lawn.
An Incomplete List of Zombie Television Series I Have Enjoyed.
Some Nattering about I Am a Hero
Coronavirus Diary: Supernatural Episodes 1-3
I Hope the Smoking Man's in This One: Every Sigh, The End
The Big Bite: Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory
Review: Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah Davis-Goff – Ceridwen Anne on All Politics is Feudal: This Dark Earth
Review: Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah Davis-Goff – Ceridwen Anne on Review: The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
Review:Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah Davis-Goff – Ceridwen Anne on Review: The Road Goes Ever On in a Slightly Depressing Manner
sj on Book Review: Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson
Amy on The n-Body Problem: Oh, the Humanity
America and environs
Coronavirus Diary
DarkFuse
dick moves
dome cities
Downside
ecopunk
goat suckers
High Romantic
Janeites
Long Price
mate for life
mermaids and selkies
monster mash-up
overshare
postmodern-a-go-go
Scandihoovians
sex writing
shills up and down my spine
We're from France
What Would Scooby Do?
wolves arooo
We go a-viking: The Long Ships
Original review, posted April 2012
So, this isn't entirely a drunk book review, but it's also not entirely sober. As such, I know I'm not going to bother checking my references and making sure I'm not making stuff up, so fair warning.
Which is the thing. The Long Ships was written by a Swede (or possibly a Norwegian or a Dane) in the run-up to the second world war, drawing on his fiercely academic background in Old German/English/Norse semi-oral histories, stuff like the Icelandic Sagas, the Nibelungenlied, Beowulf, etc. Unlike certain crunchy Oxford dons I can think of, Bengtsson has a super sly sense of humor. He's not trying to build an Anglo-Saxon mythology that works with his Christian ret-con. Seriously, why I am being so coy here? What I am trying to say is that Bengtsson and J.R.R. Tolkien were both writing at the same time, using the same source materials as their guide posts, but they came home with some seriously different narratives. That Bengtsson is in the dust bin of history, and Tolkien is wherever he is with his name recognition, I can't say what that means. Something.
Whatever, moving on.
So, The Long Ships? I'm again not going to look this up, but I think that Michael Chabon in the introduction called this the "last Victorian novel". Which is, like, super overheated blurb-fodder, but I get what he was at. There's something un-psychological un-Modern here. These characters are all recognizably human, and they certainly have their thoughts and motivations, but there's something charmingly without hand-wringing and deeper purpose in terms of The Psyche here. People are what they are, and things happen, and sometimes these things have anything to do with each other, but mostly they don't. Plot isn't discovery; it's shit that happens.
Which, can we talk about narrator for a minute? I've been reading myself some Anglo-Saxon poetry, and I loves how snide they are. The Beowulf narrator can't help, when he's introducing some dude he hates, but warn us that the dude he hates is going to slip on banana peels in the third act and die or worse. He's gonna get it! But watch him be a jackass now so you can savor it when the banana peels rear up under his heels. The narrator here isn't as entirely intrusive, but he's going to let you know that while Orm is rowing as a galley slave, that Orm will get out of it in the end, and it'll make a good story, don't worry. And it totally does. This is all good story.
So, wait, plot? Orm Somethingson leaves his home to go a-viking, gets screwed almost immediately, and in a series of reversals of fortune, ends up as a soldier in Muslim Spain. They he bails and heads back to England/Ireland/Scandinavia, where some stuff happens, mostly involving the Christianization of that area. The first section – and, apparently, this was published as two discrete novels back in the day – is much more rip-roaring, trotting all over Europe, meeting up with Jews and Muslims and Christians, holding turn of the first millennium convos about how god(s) work, getting laid, and plundering booty. Which, fuck yeah. It's like what Skye O'Malley would have been if that didn't suck rocks. And donkey balls. Almost literally.
Book two, or the second section, this was tougher sledding for me. Orm converts to Christianity, and although his conversion is super funny – he's part of a Viking mission that has England by the short and curlies, and the English king is this total cowardly dork, and I'm not going into it more, because, boring for you – the parts where Orm bolts down in Scandowhereveria and has some babies and fights with his neighbors….zzzzz. Or not entirely zzzzz, but it lacks that broad-stroke of the first section, and as an early second millennium reader, I give Christian converts the stink eye. There's no fanatic like a convert, as my mother likes to say, though that's not exactly what happens here. Orm isn't above beating the holy spirit into folk, which is funny, and his theology, when it runs at odds with the priests', is sweetly pragmatic. But then we go a-viking again! Boo-yah! There's not lot of danger here, in the sense that the narrator is warning you that everything will turn out all right, and then it does! Squee! Go Orm and all of his descendants!
And now, off topic. Again, according to sources I am not looking up, Bengtsson refused to let the Nazis publish his books under their occupation (must have been Sweden?) and use them as propaganda. Which, interestingly, nor did Tolkien allow the Allies to use Middle Earth as a propaganda tool.* (Which I'm also not looking up, but I'm fairly sure it's true. Jesus, can you imagine how effective propaganda based on his sort of Teutonic Christianity would have been? Shudder.) I mean, we probably would have forgiven Tolkien in hindsight, should he engage in propaganda for the winning (and non-Nazi, in all fairness) side, but, interestingly, I think Bengtsson's work is less suited to propaganda. Orm is living in a much more pluralistic society than Middle Earth, regardless of the varying versions of Western Christian societies that peopled that realm: Rohan, Gondor, The Shire. (Which can be read as Anglo-Saxons, Renaissance Italians, and the bucolic English.) Orm's latent paganism is all over everything he does, even when embraces the True Faith and all that. Orm abides. Dude.
An interesting book, and I'm glad I've read it, although I'm not going to say it wasn't trying at times. I'm still not through worrying the idea that this is a Victorian novel, because I'm pretty sure that's wrong, but I'm not sure how to articulate why. Certainly this is no psychological journey, Freud's grubby hand-prints all over the action and its meaning. But it's not sentimental either, which I think you can see heaped in huge flowering beds all over (some) Victorian novels. There's no moral to the story. No coda. No gloss. So I think I'm going to call bullshit on this being a Victorian novel. I can't say this is Modernist or post-Modernist or anything else though, which makes it incredibly cool and weird.
Also, there's a lot of beards. If you like beards, this is for you. Beardo.
*Update, Jan 2015:
Not long after I wrote this, I realized my little tossed off comment about Tolkien and WWII propaganda cannot be true: Lord of the Rings wasn't published into the early 1950s, though of course it was written during the War, and most certainly drew upon JRRT's experiences in the previous world war. (What exactly that influence is, you may quibble amongst yourselves. For sure the Dead Marshes, at the very least, are a WWI reference, as is much of the relationship between Sam and Frodo.)
In the interest of fact-checking previous drunken me's assertions — I know I must have read somewhere about how Tolkien managed the political application of his Middle Earth, as far as he was able — I googled "Tolkien propaganda". I got a lot of stuff in German and some other blather. Not looking too closely, I clicked on a link called "Tolkien, his Dwarves, and the Jews". I'm reading through, getting more and more worried by the antisemitic tone of this thing, when I realize I'm on a white supremacist message board. Ye gads! What the actual fuck!? Get me out of here!!!1!
After nuking my browser and clearing any and all fucking cookies, I can't quote exactly what these shitheels were saying, but suffice it to say it's not good. They quote Tolkien saying that the dwarves were modeled after Jews, which surprises the white supremacist. Don't the dwarves have honor and stuff? And Jews obviously do not, etc, gag. If indeed Tolkien modeled dwarves after Jews — which I don't find hard to believe, shitty source notwithstanding — then there are a number of troubling implications of this equation.
I'll try not to get too nerdy here, but let's just realize how far down the nerd hole we are already. So, basically, Middle Earth is a religious cosmology — we won't say allegory — in which the main deity, Eru Ilúvatar, creates the races of Elves and Men. The race of Dwarves is created by a demi-god — a sort of Hephaestian character — called Aulë. As such, they're lesser order beings, imperfect copies of perfect creations. Like Ents or Orcs, who were also created by beings other than Eru Ilúvatar, they struggle with sterility and a bent towards beastliness, tending back to the non-sentient animism of their origin. Eru Ilúvatar eventually gives the Dwarves sapience, but this doesn't really overturn their origins. Which is why the equation of Dwarves with the Jews is…let's just use the bullshit term "problematic".
I'm losing my point here, and mostly I'm just freaking out at Tolkien being used by violent racists to bolster their cause. Oh, I know what my point was! It's one of those old hoary chestnuts of criticism that "you can't judge literature from the past with the sensibilities of the present argle bargle". To which I say, bullshit. I can do anything I want, motherfucker, and if what I want to do is decide that Tolkien's "races" are treading dangerously close to racial biological determinism and its attendant social violence, then I can do that in the privacy of my own home. And I mos def have both the textual and extra-textual evidence to back that up. It's not like I'm making shit up; even the white supremacists see it.
But! This determination is a slightly different thing than using Tolkien — or any other writer — and his (admittedly historically determined) blindspots and straight up prejudices as propaganda in perpetuating such diseased worldviews. There is a lot I love about Tolkien, from his shitty poetry to his linguistic ardor for English and a half a dozen other dead languages, but this 1) doesn't make me blind to his failings and 2) doesn't mean if I love the baby I need to drink the bathwater. After the LotR movies came out, a bunch of the actors, of myriad political inclinations, came out with various "Tolkien said this or that about politics" statements. To which I say, who gives a shit? I don't base my political opinions on what my racist great-uncle said about the War, or Jews, or whatever — and dude said plenty, I assure you, and it was all awful — and I'm not going to base my opinions on someone else's great-uncle either, even if I love his poetry. The personal is the political, sure, but not the other way around.
Posted on January 8, 2015 April 9, 2020 Categories books, Celts, fantasy, Modernist, Norse, Rule Britannia, ScandihooviansTags bengtsson, books, Dwarves, fantasy, fiction, The Long Ships, Tolkien, VikingsLeave a comment on We go a-viking: The Long Ships
My Nebula Predictions (2014)
I managed to pull this stunt off last year where I accurately predicted which book would be awarded the Nebula in the novel category. I'm not sure I can do it again, but I'm going to give it a shot. Unlike last year, I haven't actually read all of the books on the list (though I've hit samples of all of them), but handicapping who will win the award isn't about my preferences as a reader. I think it's a dead heat between Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane and Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice. When I started writing this, I predicted a Gaiman win, but in the process of writing, I think I've changed my mind.
I almost just went with Ancillary Justice for the win — the novel just won the Arthur C Clarke, BSFA and a whole raft of other awards — but I flinched when I learned it was a debut novel. Very few debut novels have won the Nebula, though there is some recent precedent with 2010's Windup Girl. Nebula voters are professional writers, and I think there's a preference for writers who have paid their dues, so to speak. (A joke, you see, because you don't actually have to be a member of SFWA to be nominated. Bad joke.) Ancillary Justice really has Nebula written all over it. It's solidly science fiction, but isn't wanking about tech too much, letting the reader experience the futuristic dislocations as the character does. It's got the right mix of conceptually interesting science fictional ornament, with dazzling near fantastic explorations of culture to charm the New Wavers and the fantasists. It's a strong novel with a broad appeal to very different kinds of science fiction readers. Plus it's fun and cool.
I adored A Stranger in Olondria, which set off all the heart fireworks I have for Ursula K Le Guin. If I had a vote, this would be mine. But this is also a debut novel, again. Nebula voters also seem to have a clear preference for science fiction over straight fantasy, unless your name is actually Le Guin or Bujold. (Which goes back to the debut author thing, somewhat circularly, because both Le Guin and Bujold were well established writers of both sf & f when their fantasy novels won. ) The other fantasy novels that have won are set contemporary, like American Gods, or Among Others. This will become a refrain of sorts in this essay, but as much as I loved Olondria, I just don't think it has broad enough appeal to the more science fictionally minded of the voters.
Two of the nominees are historical fiction of a sort: Helene Wecker's The Golem and The Jinni, which is set in turn of the 20th Century New York, and Hild by Nicola Griffith, which is about a 7th C British abbess. I enjoyed The Golem and the Jinni, partially because I have some unhealthy obsessions about the Gilded Age and the rise of labor movements and the like — ask me about the Panic of 1893 and I will bore. you. to. death. — but that's ultimately a boutique interest. Fair or not, I also think The Golem and The Jinni will be dismissed by some as "just a romance." My two cents: the inclusion of romantic elements is less worrisome to me than the rushed and unsatisfying conclusion.
I haven't read Hild, so I went rolling through reviews to get a feel for reader response, and this line in an io9 review struck me as ominous for its chances: "Call it skeptical fantasy, or an epic that treats magic as politically-charged superstition rather than an otherworldly power." Now I happen to think that's really neat — a twisting of the genre conventions — but I think it's going to result in readers wondering how this story is fantasy at all. Either way, I think historical fantasy is a long shot to win the Nebula. Historical science fiction, sure, like Blackout/All Clear which won in 2011, but not fantasy. Again, the bias towards science fiction novels is clear when you look through the past winners. Throw in historical fiction as well, and I think a fair number of readers are going to nod off.
The question of how the novel fits into the science fiction genre dogs We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves as well. Set in contemporary America, with a set up that, while unusual, is not unheard of, the book more explores the intersections of scientific theory, culture, and the family. I would argue that it is science fictional, in that it's fiction about science, but not everyone is going to agree. The familiar is sometimes the most alien thing we know. That I feel compelled to make this argument means Fowler's book is likely too much of an edge case to win. It is a really lovely novel, by a well established writer in clear control of her craft, just not science fictional enough.
There are two more space opera-ish jaunts like Ancillary Justice: Fire With Fire by Charles E Gannon and The Red: First Light by Linda Nagata. Fire with Fire is kinda cozy in a way: conventionally plotted, with a Golden Age sensibility from prose style to its philosophical concerns. That will invoke a lot of nostalgia for many voters. But, as I've said before, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America is a coalition government, and I don't think Fire with Fire will resonate for people who prefer fantasy. It's conventionality is also a mark against it; Fire with Fire feels like a period piece, which is weird considering it's set in the future.
When I went to order The Red: First Light, I was surprised to discover it wasn't stocked in my library. This lead me to the revelation that The Red: First Light is an indie title. I didn't even know you could do that! While I don't think there's a real war going on between indie and traditionally published writers — Tor.com, for example, posted a glowing review of The Red: First Light — but the SFWA membership leans heavily to the traditionally published, and a lot of writers know each other from their professional ties under the same imprint. (And it should be observed that Nagata started out traditionally published.) I'm bullshitting here a little, because I haven't read The Red: First Light. That it isn't even stocked in my (very good public) library makes me think it's pretty well screwed though.
I'm sure there's some complicated formula which would account for The Red: First Light's indie status versus the debut novel status of Ancillary Justice, but then when you throw in yet another science fiction novel set in the future with space ships and a lot of military/politics like Fire With Fire, the math gets too complicated. Part of the problem here is that there are too many novels that I think fit into the same broad sub-genre, and I think it's going to diffuse the voters that are inclined towards that sub-genre in the first place. In other words, it's going to split the vote. (People haven't been throwing awards at either Nagata's or Gannon's novels though, so I'm thinking they don't stand a chance, just that they'll draw away from Ancillary Justice.)
Maybe that gives Ocean at the End of the Lane, which is not so closely matched with other nominated novels, a leg up. (And I'm not trying to imply that the writers of SFWA are all huddling in their narrow sub-genres or something, but the heart wants what it wants.) Even though Ocean at the End of the Lane is a fantasy, it's the kind of fantasy that Nebula voters seem to embrace: set in the here and now, but with a fantastic twist on the everyday that disrupts the readers perceptions. Gaiman is clearly at the height of his powers as a craftsman of words, and his prose is tight as a drum. Like Among Others, which won two years ago, it's also got a nostalgic component, as the main character reminisces upon his childhood with a dewy sense of wonder. There's also a lot of fan service to readers and nerds, like long descriptions of the main character reading and panegyrics to the wonders of literature.
I actually found this fan service somewhat tiresome in The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I wouldn't go so far as to call it calculated, but there was definitely a part of me that thought, how easy it is to make your readers (who are, after all, by definition readers) love your main character by having him perform obeisances to the act of reading. The Ocean at the End of the Lane's protagonist is also an artist of some stripe — writer, maybe — and I think all the ruminating on art and memory and storytelling is going to play to voters who are artists themselves. Writers writing about writing is always a good bet when writers vote on writing awards.
I'll be clear: I don't think Gaiman is pandering, even though I'm making fun a little here. The themes of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, including Gaiman's tendency to insert characters who are artist-observers, are right in line with the themes he's been exploring his entire writing career. I think Ocean at the End of the Lane sits quite merrily with Graveyard Book (which won the Newbery) and Coraline (which won the Nebula for the novella) in a triangulation of the themes of violence and childhood and memory and matriculation, traversing the uneasy border that separates us grown ups from our childhoods. This has heretofore been a winning mix of themes for Gaiman.
I think my real reticence to call it for Gaiman comes from the slight what the fuck angle to what all happens in Ocean at the End of the Lane. The crisis of the novel is real…let's say metaphorical, and I would be hard pressed to tell you what exactly that all meant. I'm assuming someone with a more writerly perspective might appreciate this more than I did, but it's entirely possible that the opposite is true. (Or both; whatever.) The fact that this novel reiterates common themes to Gaiman's work is also a strike against it: Ocean is sleepy, safe, and treading familiar ground.
Ancillary Justice, by contrast feels energetic and ambitious. Even if it has the occasional first-writer misstep, the book feels like a leap into the black. No, of course Leckie isn't reinventing the wheel here — nerds more exacting than I can create the list of antecedents (like the Culture novels) — but she is inventing her wheel, and it's just a kick to be along for the ride. Nor was Ocean nominated at all for the Hugo, which indicates there isn't this critical whiteheat around it like Ancillary Justice. Given that voting closed last month, maybe that's not quite a factor, but I do think it's an indicator.
So, anyway, there you have it. I'm predicting Ancillary Justice for the win. I won't be a bit surprised if Gaiman wins, just to hedge a little.
Now I'll have to start reading the novels up for the Hugo.
Just kidding, we all know Wheel of Time is a cincher.
Posted on May 9, 2014 Categories aliens, alternate history, America and environs, books, fantasy, futures, Nebula, science fiction, space, space operaTags Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie, books, fantasy, fiction, Nebula, Neil Gaiman, Ocean at the End of the Lane, science fiction, stunts1 Comment on My Nebula Predictions (2014)
Zombies vs. Unicorns is a solid collection of zombie or unicorn themed short-stories. Sadly, there was only one story that featured both, which let me down a little. Of course, when I think about it, a bunch of stories that only were about zombies fighting unicorns would have gotten old fast, but I really would have liked to see just one zed/uni battle. Just one. Somebody write this for me, please? I did not like the "humorous" "banter" between the two "Teams" – it felt like semi-witty Internet banter which is hilarious when it's happening, but doesn't read well when you come back to the thread a month later. Certainly the editors Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier had a really good time though, and that is nothing to sneeze at. Go Team(s).
So, to the individual stories:
"The Highest Justice" by Garth Nix: Aw, Garth, man, you know I love you, but this story was not a success. It displays his typically good writing, but the story doesn't go anywhere. It felt like the beginning of something interesting about the source of power, of rule, of justice, something that could have developed but it strangled off way too short. Shame, really. (Points for being the only story with both a zombie and a unicorn.)
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Alaya Dawn Johnson: I liked this one a good deal. A zombie story, but with a novel explanation for the zombie protagonist, who is not a shamber or a groaner, but instead an emo teenage serial killer with a prion disease. God help me, it's also a love story, one that was surprisingly effective. (The zombie kid's not really dead though, so I didn't have to freak out. Necrophilia = gross.) The zombie metaphor usually comes down to the whole mass consumerism/inevitability of death thing, but this twisted the drive of hunger with desire, along with some Oedipal fun. The romance is between two boys, and I know there's something here about coming out and passing and all that, but I haven't sorted all of that out yet, which makes the story surprisingly layered for a short story. I also really enjoyed how the characters talked about music and art, not in a topical name-dropping way, but in the obsessive enthusiasm and status-displaying name-dropping way that captured something really perfect about adolescent courtship rituals. Yup, I am a dork and grown-up for writing that sentence that way.
"Purity Test" by Naomi Novik: Urban smartass meets smartass unicorn. I don't know, this didn't really work for me, but I think it's really more me than it, and the smartassery was pretty solid. There was something tonally off for me between the hungover runaway teen sleeping in a park set-up, and the bubbly, cheeky froth that was the dialogue. But, I give it tons of points for a solid Leia reference.
"Bougainvillea" by Carrie Ryan: Yeesh. Very effective and beautiful story about the daughter of an island dictator after the zombie apocalypse. The story ripples with nostalgia, which gets its throat slit in the final pages. Tears the hell out of wish-fulfillment narratives.
"A Thousand Flowers" by Margo Lanagan: Now, this is the stand-out in this collection, no contest. I didn't expect a unicorn story to creep the freaking stuffing out of me, but this does. I really expected something different from the set-up: a peasant boy finds a ravaged noblewoman in the forest. You can almost write it from there: his tender ministrations, blooming love, whatever. No. Reminded me strongly of one of Angela Carter's wolf stories, the way it plays with narrative voice, the creation of folklore, bestiality (!), a bunch of other stuff. My word. Forbidden love never seemed so wrong.
"The Children of the Revolution" by Maureen Johnson: Maybe I've read too many zombie short stories, but this hit a lot of marks I've seen in the zombie dance before, but a lot less effectively. I just didn't like the barely coded references to certain actresses, her rainbow tribe, and her hot actor boyfriend. (No, not Josephine Baker.) Felt lazy. Points for creepy kids though, even though creepifying kids is maybe too easy too.
"The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Unicorn" by Diana Peterfreund: This is another one where my disinterest is probably more personal than objective. I found myself shimming a lot, because there seemed like a ton of extraneous information, which in a short story seems weird. I found the concept of the venomous unicorn silly beyond the telling of it, and I thought the set-up of the religious household and their weird ideas about the return of venomous unicorns (seriously, it makes me laugh to write that) both underdeveloped and overdetermined.
"Inoculata" by Scott Westerfeld: Hmm, liked this, but it felt like an opening act, and I wanted the ideas explored more fully. So it's pretty great as a teaser, but fails a bit as a short story, because it's certainly not self-contained. Maybe that's a bs thing to complain about – wanting more – but sometimes I think not enough credit is given the the form of the short story, its conventions and expectations. I'm not a short story aficionado or anything, but it bugs me when the thrust of the story can be spoilered in a short sentence in the editorial opening.
"Princess Prettypants" by Meg Cabot: My affection for this story is certainly beyond its literary merit, because it's going to be dated in 15 minutes, and might be overly teen-y for some. A girl is given a unicorn by an aunt who always gets the gifts wrong – you know the aunt, the one giving you teddy bears in your mid-twenties – a unicorn who farts rainbows – literally! But then, date rape! sexting! the boy next door! Super fun to read though, and you go, girl!
"Cold Hands" by Cassandra Clare: Fail. I've heard tell of this Cassandra Clare from all the flaming and whatnot on the bookblogoverse, but I've never read anything by her. I think I'll leave at this. Other than a bunch of other niggling nitpicks, my biggest problem was where the eff is this taking place? It's all medieval whatever Dukes and public hangings, but then there's CDs and pop cultural references, and the set-up is all, hey this one sorcerer cursed the town, and I'm like, okay, then, we're in England? Wait, just kidding, England doesn't actually have magic, and the monarchy is constitutional these days, so, seriously, where and when are we? Plus, everyone sounds like Americans. It's a frustrating lack of coherence, one that started me picking the threads, and then the whole story fell apart. The more I think about it, the more this story fails – seriously, why don't they just burn the dead – curse over! – and rrrromantic stories with zombies grrrrrosssss me ooooouutt.
"The Third Virgin" by Kathleen Duey: Another metaphor that I did not expect to be explored through unicorns, this time centering on their healing powers, but I don't think this one worked as well for me. It's told through the voice of unicorn, a voice which is pretty boring and overly expository, and would probably be better served through a third person narration. Good though; not perfect.
"Prom Night" by Libba Bray: A really nice sucker punch of an ending on this collection. The zombie apocalypse takes the adults first, leaving a town of traumatized teens aping adulthood. They play at jobs, take drugs, try to reenact the rituals that mark the movements from one stage of life to another. Yeah, right. Here it comes.
Posted on October 9, 2012 Categories apocalypse, books, fantasy, horror, short stories, unicorns, young adult, zombiesTags books, fantasy, fiction, review, science fiction, Zombies vs UnicornsLeave a comment on Zombies Vs. Unicorns


text:
Q: How to handle 2 possible tab index values for a set of controls? I'm using Telerik's Kendo UI.
On my form, I have 6 textboxes, A, B, C, D, E, and F.
If the value of A is X,Y, or Z, then B-E need to be made read only, and we want to automatically tab over to textbox F.
If the value of A changes, then we need to remove the read only state for B-E, and make it so that tabbing goes in the original order.
I actually have this working for both Firefox and Chrome, but Internet Explorer does not work correctly. Tabbing jumps from these textboxes to a completely separate set of controls unrelated to this.
So how do I maintain 2 possible tab values (-1 or X, where X is the 'default' value a control would be created with) so that I can dynamically tab between controls depending on read only states?
Note that I cannot rely on disabling a control (instead of making it read only) because this causes issues; even if the control has a value, the value does not get transmitted to the server resulting in a null for that property. (see this SO post)
This is the code:
//This function will toggle the ReadOnly state of a control array
//   based on the parent control's value
function SetReadOnly(controlArray, parentComboId)
{
    var parentVal = $("#" + parentComboId).val();
    var tabIndex = 1;

    if (parentComboId == "A")
    {
        var regex = /07|09|10|88/;

        if (regex.test(parentVal) || parentVal == "" || parentVal == "-")
        {
            isReadOnly = true;
            tabIndex = -1;
        }
        else
        {
            isReadOnly = false;
            tabIndex = 1;
        }

        for (var i = 0; i < controlArray.length; i++)
        {
            $("#" + controlArray[i]).prop("readonly", isReadOnly);
            SetTabIndexVals2(controlArray[i], 'TEXTBOX', tabIndex);
        }
    }
    else
    {
        // logic other groups of parent-child controls
    }
}

// This function sets the tab index of the control
function SetTabIndexVals(controlID, controltype, tabIndex)
{
    try
    {
        var _eTabIndex;
        if (tabIndex == -1)
        {
            if (controltype == 'TEXTBOX')
            {
                _eTabIndex = $("#" + controlID).attr('tabindex');
                if (_eTabIndex > 0)
                {
                    $("#" + controlID).attr('Oldtabindex', _eTabIndex);
                    $("#" + controlID).attr('tabindex', tabIndex);
                }
            }
            else
            {
                // logic for other types of controls
            }
        }
        else
        {
            if (controltype == 'TEXTBOX')
            {
                _eTabIndex = $("#" + controlID).attr('Oldtabindex');
                if (_eTabIndex == undefined || _eTabIndex < 0 || _eTabIndex == null)
                    _eTabIndex = $("#" + controlID).attr('tabindex');
                $("#" + controlID).attr('Oldtabindex', _eTabIndex);
                $("#" + controlID).attr('tabindex', _eTabIndex);
            }
            else
            {
                // logic for other types of controls
            }
        }
    } catch (err)
    {
        logError(err, arguments.callee.trace());
    }
}

This function works for drop downs, but not textboxes.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Observer, other media seek to unseal records from lawsuits against Catholic diocese
News outlets including The Charlotte Observer have filed joint court motions that seek to unseal documents in two lawsuits that claimed sexual abuse by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.
Brazilian bishop accused of cover-up as police investigate new abuse allegations
SÃO PAULO, Brazil - Police in Brazil are investigating three Catholic priests accused of abusing several altar boys and seminarians. The former bishop of their diocese, who resigned in May, is also under investigation for having allegedly extorted money from them in exchange for his silence.
In 44 States, Clergy Don't Have to Tell Police When Someone Confesses to Child Sex Abuse
Under current Utah law, members of the clergy are not required to report confessions of child sex abuse. Utah State Rep. Angela Romero wants to change that.
The 50 Year Secret
The Catholic Diocese of Arlington and the Catholic Diocese of Richmond released in February of 2019 their list of priests credibly accused of child sex abuse.
SNAP leader calls for more accountability after St. Xavier releases list of accused abusers
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- After the Xaverian Brothers released a list of brothers facing credible accusations of sexual abuse with minors, the leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) in Louisville hopes it leads to more accountability and justice for the victims.
Becky Ianni - The Survivor
Becky Ianni, a spokesperson for SNAP in the D.C. region and a child sex abuse survivor, gave ABC7 News access to the recording she made of her Diocese of Arlington Review Board Hearing in 2007. This recording is equal parts revelatory and heartbreaking. The Diocese of Arlington eventually ruled that Ianni's abuse allegations against Monsignor William Reinecke were credible.
School for missionary children in Japan investigating allegations of past abuse
(RNS) — The Christian Academy in Japan, a suburban Tokyo school founded in 1950 as a boarding school for the children of Christian missionaries, is investigating 66 cases of alleged past abuse of students at the school spanning decades.
Those allegations include faculty physically and sexually abusing students mostly in the 1960s and 1970s, though a representative for a school alumni group said she is aware of cases as early as the late 1950s and as recent as the 1990s.
Catholic Group's Response: Not a Dime to the Diocese
WHEELING — Following an open letter to Archbishop William Lori and the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, a group of Catholics have declared their intent to withhold funds to the diocese after failing to receive a measured response.
Priest abuse victim picketing Catholic churches
Mystic — Tim McGuire of New London, who alleges that a Noank priest sexually assaulted him when he was an 8-year-old altar boy in the 1960s, has begun protesting in front of Catholic churches in the Diocese of Norwich.
Bill to make priests report abuse put on hold in California
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A bill that would require California religious leaders to report their co-workers' confessions of child abuse or neglect has been put on hold amid opposition from the Catholic church.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Download "[ 6.5 ] History of Arabia and Iraq"
2 [ 6.5 ] History of Arabia and Iraq Learning Objectives Describe the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia. Explain the origins and beliefs of Islam, including the significance of Ramadan and the annual hajj, and trace the spread of Islam. Identify important events in modern Arabia and Iraq, including the creation of Iraq, the discovery of oil, and the Persian Gulf conflicts.
4 Climate, Water, and People in Arabia and Iraq Because of dry climates in this region, water is scarce. Pipelines transport fresh water. Analyze Maps: What climate dominates this region? Where are other climates present in this region?
8 Early Civilizations and Empires in Arabia and Iraq Arabia and Iraq have played a key role in world history. This region was one of the places where civilization began. A civilization is a culture that has a written language and in which people have many different kinds of jobs. Writing first developed in this region. The world s first known empires also developed in what is now Iraq.
9 Early Civilizations and Empires in Arabia and Iraq Later, Arabia was the birthplace of Islam, one of the world s major religions. Over the centuries, foreign powers controlled much of this region. In modern times, Arabia and Iraq became the world s most important source of oil, a fuel that every country in the world uses.
10 Early Civilizations and Empires in Arabia and Iraq A Birthplace of Civilization Mesopotamia = between the rivers in Greek Present-day Iraq The Fertile Crescent; planting of crops and raising of animals More food surplus some people become merchants (potters, weavers, etc.) Taxes for the government supported priests and government officials population growth The Sumerians Sumer - region in southern Mesopotamia First writing system - cuneiform Developments: Irrigation canals, mathematics, potter s wheel Epic of Gilgamesh: one of the world s oldest written stories based on the real king, Gilgamesh, who lived around 2700 B.C.
14 Early Civilizations and Empires in Arabia and Iraq This carving from a palace in Nimrud, in northern Iraq, shows an Assyrian king with his assistants. The Assyrians built a mighty empire in ancient times.
15 Early Civilizations and Empires in Arabia and Iraq Sequence Events: Large empires developed centuries after the first writing system. Why might this be the case?
17 Islam and Islamic Civilizations In early Arabia, one important place was the city of Mecca. It was a trading and religious center, built at an oasis. People throughout the Arabian Peninsula traveled to Mecca. They went to worship at a shrine called the Kaaba. Many worshiped more than one god. In the a.d. 600s, however, this changed.
19 Islam and Islamic Civilizations Muslims gather at the Great Mosque in Mecca. The Kaaba, the black, cube-shaped building in the center of the crowd, is the holiest site in Islam.
23 Islam and Islamic Civilizations Trade played an important role in the Arab Muslim empire. The Silk Road passed through it. Analyze Maps: Which city in Arabia and Iraq was most important to trade? Why?
24 Islam and Islamic Civilizations The Ottoman Empire The Arab Muslim Empire fell apart after the 900s and was eventually conquered by the Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans were not Arabs; they were Turkish people who were Muslim also, which helped spread Islam and Islamic culture.
26 Arabia and Iraq in Modern Times Make Generalizations: What generalizations can be made about where Iraq's different ethnic groups live?
27 Governments in Arabia and Iraq Arabia and Iraq have had different types of governments over the centuries. Kings ruled city-states and empires in ancient Mesopotamia. After the spread of Islam in the a.d. 600s, Muslim caliphs ruled a vast empire. A dictator controlled Iraq from 1979 to Today, monarchs rule most of the region. Some have total power, while others rule according to constitutions and share power. Democracy is also growing in the region.


Expressions are the act of making your thoughts or feelings known through speech, writing, body movement, art, or some other method.
Expressions through speech can include such things as cheering, laughing, yelling, sing, or just talking.
Expression through body movement may include frowning, smiling, crying, kissing, dancing, or clapping.
Expression through writing can include stories, poems, letters, quotes, or songs.
Expression through art includes such things as drawing, painting, or music.
Our Expressions series explores ways a person can express himself or herself. We encourage you to express yourself in a positive and constructive way in your daily life.


text:
Un la-chapelle-notre-dame ou bourgogne-la-chapelle-notre-dame est un vin produit sur le climat de La Chapelle Notre-Dame à Ladoix-Serrigny.
Il s'agit d'une dénomination géographique au sein de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée bourgogne.

Histoire

Antiquité
L'édit de l'empereur romain Domitien, en 92 interdisait la plantation de nouvelles vignes hors d'Italie ; il fit arracher partiellement les vignes en Bourgogne afin d'éviter la concurrence. Mais Probus annula cet édit en 280.

Moyen Âge

Dès le début du , l'implantation du christianisme avait favorisé l'extension de la vigne par la création d'importants domaines rattachés aux abbayes. En l'an 1395, Philippe le Hardi décida d'améliorer la qualité des vins et interdit la culture du gamay au profit du pinot noir dans ses terres. Enfin en 1416, Charles VI fixa par un édit les limites de production du vin de Bourgogne. En 1477, à la mort de Charles le Téméraire, le vignoble de Bourgogne fut rattaché à la France, sous le règne de Louis XI.

Période moderne

Période contemporaine

Dans les décennies 1830-1840, la pyrale survint et attaqua les feuilles de la vigne. Elle fut suivie d'une maladie cryptogamique, l'oïdium.
Arrivèrent deux nouveaux fléaux de la vigne. Le premier fut le mildiou, autre maladie cryptogamique, le second le phylloxéra. Cet insecte térébrant venu d'Amérique mis très fortement à mal le vignoble bourguignon. Après de longues recherches, on finit par découvrir que seul le greffage permettrait à la vigne de pousser en présence du phylloxéra.

Le mildiou provoqua un désastre considérable en 1910. Apparition de l'enjambeur dans les années 1960-70, qui remplace le cheval. Les techniques en viticulture et œnologie ont bien évolué depuis 50 ans (vendange en vert, table de triage, cuve en inox, pressoir électrique puis pneumatique etc.).

Avec la canicule de 2003, les vendanges débutèrent pour certains domaines cette année-là à la mi-août, soit avec un mois d'avance, des vendanges très précoces qui ne s'étaient pas vues depuis 1422 et 1865 d'après les archives.

Situation géographique

Géologie et orographie

Climatologie
C'est un climat tempéré à légère tendance continentale.

Pour la ville de Dijon (), les valeurs climatiques jusqu'à 1990 :

Vignoble

Présentation
Le vignoble s'étend sur la commune de Ladoix-Serrigny. Il comprend une superficie de 4,53 hectares.

Lieux-dits

Encépagement

Le pinot noir compose exclusivement les vins rouges et vins rosés de l'AOC. Il est constitué de petites grappes denses, en forme de cône de pin composées de grains ovoïdes, de couleur bleu sombre. C'est un cépage délicat, qui est sensible aux principales maladies et en particulier au mildiou, au rougeot parasitaire, à la pourriture grise (sur grappes et sur feuilles), et au cicadelles. Ce cépage, qui nécessite des ébourgeonnages soignés, a tendance à produire un nombre important de grapillons. Il profite pleinement du cycle végétatif pour mûrir en première époque. Le potentiel d'accumulation des sucres est élevé pour une acidité juste moyenne et parfois insuffisante à maturité. Les vins sont assez puissant, riches, colorés, de garde. Ils sont moyennement tanniques en général.

Le chardonnay compose les vins blancs de l'AOC. Ses grappes sont relativement petites, cylindriques, moins denses que celles du pinot noir, constituées de grains irréguliers, assez petits, de couleur jaune doré. De maturation de première époque comme le pinot noir, il s'accommode mieux d'une humidité de fin de saison avec une meilleure résistance à la pourriture s'il n'est pas en situation de forte vigueur. Il est sensible à l'oïdium et à la flavescence dorée. Il débourre un peu avant le pinot noir, ce qui le rend également sensible aux gelées printanières. Les teneurs en sucre des baies peuvent atteindre des niveaux élevés tout en conservant une acidité importante, ce qui permet d'obtenir des vins particulièrement bien équilibrés, puissants et amples, avec beaucoup de gras et de volume.

Méthodes culturales

Travail manuel
Ce travail commence par la taille, en « guyot simple », avec une baguette de cinq à huit yeux et un courson de un à trois yeux. Le tirage des sarments suit la taille. Les sarments sont enlevés et peuvent être brûlés ou mis au milieu du rang pour être broyés. On passe ensuite aux réparations. Puis vient le pliage des baguettes. Éventuellement, après le pliage des baguettes, une plantation de nouvelles greffes est réalisée. L'ébourgeonnage peut débuter dès que la vigne a commencé à pousser. Cette méthode permet, en partie, de réguler les rendements. Le relevage est pratiqué lorsque la vigne commence à avoir bien poussé. En général, deux à trois relevages sont pratiqués. La vendange en vert est pratiquée de plus en plus dans cette appellation. Cette opération est faite dans le but de réguler les rendements et surtout d'augmenter la qualité des raisins restants. Pour finir avec le travail manuel à la vigne, se réalise l'étape importante des vendanges.

Travail mécanique
L'enjambeur est d'une aide précieuse. Les différents travaux se composent du broyage des sarments, réalisé lorsque les sarments sont tirés et mis au milieu du rang. De trou fait à la tarière, là où les pieds de vignes sont manquants, en vue de planter des greffes au printemps. De labourage ou griffage, réalisé dans le but d'aérer les sols et de supprimer des mauvaises herbes. De désherbage fait chimiquement pour tuer les mauvaises herbes. De plusieurs traitements des vignes, réalisés dans le but de les protéger contre certaines maladies cryptogamiques (mildiou, oïdium, pourriture grise, etc.) et certains insectes (eudémis et cochylis). De plusieurs rognages consistant à reciper ou couper les branches de vignes (rameaux) qui dépassent du système de palissage. Des vendanges mécaniques se réalisant avec une machine à vendanger ou une tête de récolte montée sur un enjambeur.

Rendements
Les rendements sont de l'ordre de 55 hectolitres par hectare pour les vins rouges et rosés, et 60 hectolitres par hectare pour les vins blancs.

Vins

Titres alcoométriques volumique minimal et maximal

Vinification et élevage
Voici les méthodes générales de vinification de cette appellation. Il existe cependant des petites différences de méthode entre les différents viticulteurs et négociants.

Vinification en rouge

La récolte des raisins se fait à maturité et de façon manuelle ou mécanique. La vendange manuelle est le plus souvent triée, soit à la vigne soit à la cave avec une table de tri, ce qui permet d'enlever les grappes pourries ou insuffisamment mûres. La vendange manuelle est généralement éraflée puis mise en cuve. Une macération pré-fermentaire à froid est quelquefois pratiquée. La fermentation alcoolique peut démarrer, le plus souvent après un levurage. Commence alors le travail d'extraction des polyphénols (tanins, anthocyanes) et autres éléments qualitatifs du raisin (polysaccharides etc.). L'extraction se faisait par pigeage, opération qui consiste à enfoncer le chapeau de marc dans le jus en fermentation à l'aide d'un outil en bois ou aujourd'hui d'un robot pigeur hydraulique. Plus couramment, l'extraction est conduite par des remontages, opération qui consiste à pomper le jus depuis le bas de la cuve pour arroser le chapeau de marc et ainsi lessiver les composants qualitatifs du raisin. Les températures de fermentation alcoolique peuvent être plus ou moins élevées suivant les pratiques de chaque vinificateur avec une moyenne générale de 28 à 35 degrés au maximum de la fermentation. La chaptalisation est réalisée si le degré naturel est insuffisant : cette pratique est réglementée. À l'issue de la fermentation alcoolique suit l'opération de décuvage qui donne le vin de goutte et le vin de presse. La fermentation malolactique se déroule après mais est dépendante de la température. Le vin est soutiré et mis en fût ou cuve pour son élevage. L'élevage se poursuit pendant plusieurs mois (12 à 24 mois) puis le vin est collé, filtré et mis en bouteilles.

Vinification en blanc

Comme pour le rouge, la récolte est manuelle ou mécanique et peut être triée. Les raisins sont ensuite transférés dans un pressoir pour le pressurage. Une fois le moût en cuve, le débourbage est pratiqué généralement après un enzymage. À ce stade, une stabulation préfermentaire à froid (environ 10 à 12 degrés pendant plusieurs jours) peut être recherchée pour favoriser l'extraction des arômes. Mais le plus souvent, après 12 à 48 heures, le jus clair est soutiré et mis à fermenter. La fermentation alcoolique se déroule avec un suivi tout particulier pour les températures qui doivent rester à peu près stables (18 à 24 degrés). La chaptalisation est aussi pratiquée pour augmenter le titre alcoométrique volumique si nécessaire. La fermentation malolactique est réalisée en Fûts ou en cuves. Les vins sont élevés « sur lies », en fûts, dans lesquels le vinificateur réalise régulièrement un « bâtonnage », c'est-à-dire une remise en suspension des lies. Cette opération dure pendant plusieurs mois au cours de l'élevage des blancs. À la fin, la filtration du vin est pratiquée pour rendre les vins plus limpides. La mise en bouteille clôture l'opération.

Vinification en rosé

Récolte manuelle ou mécanique avec du pinot noir. Le raisin est parfois trié. Deux méthodes sont utilisées avec soit le pressurage (rosé de pressurage) soit une mise en cuve de la vendange pour un début de macération : c'est la saignée (rosé de saignée), effectuée avec le tirage du jus de la cuve. La fermentation alcoolique se passe en cuve comme pour le blanc avec suivi de température, chaptalisation, etc. La fermentation malolactique suit. L'élevage se passe en cuve, parfois en fût). Enfin, le vin est filtré et mis en bouteille.

Terroir et vins

Gastronomie, garde et température de service

Économie

Structure des exploitations

Commercialisation

Les producteurs de l'appellation
Jean-René Nudant, Ladoix-Serrigny /
Domaine Dubreuil - Fontaine à Pernand - Vergelesses / Domaine Cachat - Ocquidant à Ladoix - Serrigny / Domaine Jean Pierre Maldant à Ladoix - Serrigny

Notes

Bibliographie
 Christian Pessey : Vins de Bourgogne (Histoire et dégustations), édition : Flammarion, Paris, 2002, Histoire (91 pages) et Dégustations (93 pages)
 Le Figaro et La Revue du Vin de France : Les vins de France et du monde (20 volumes),  (Chablis), 96 pages, Édité par La société du Figaro, Paris, 2008,
 Le Figaro et La Revue du Vin de France : Les vins de France et du monde (20 volumes),  (Côtes de Beaune), 96 pages, Édité par La société du Figaro, Paris, 2008,

Voir aussi

Articles connexes
 Vignoble de Bourgogne
 Ladoix-Serrigny

Liens externes

Vin AOC dans la Côte-d'Or
Vignoble de Bourgogne

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
package org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.exercise.security.authorization.advanced;

import javax.jcr.GuestCredentials;
import javax.jcr.security.AccessControlList;
import javax.jcr.security.AccessControlManager;
import javax.jcr.security.AccessControlPolicy;
import javax.jcr.security.AccessControlPolicyIterator;

import org.apache.jackrabbit.api.security.JackrabbitAccessControlList;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.api.security.authorization.PrincipalSetPolicy;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.commons.jackrabbit.authorization.AccessControlUtils;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.AbstractSecurityTest;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.api.CommitFailedException;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.api.ContentSession;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.api.PropertyState;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.api.Root;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.api.Tree;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.plugins.memory.PropertyStates;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.plugins.tree.TreeUtil;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.security.authorization.composite.CompositeAuthorizationConfiguration;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.security.internal.SecurityProviderHelper;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.namespace.NamespaceConstants;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.nodetype.NodeTypeConstants;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.ConfigurationParameters;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.SecurityProvider;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.authorization.AuthorizationConfiguration;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.authorization.cug.impl.CugConfiguration;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.principal.EveryonePrincipal;
import org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.privilege.PrivilegeConstants;
import org.junit.Test;

import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;

/**
 * <pre>
 * Module: Advanced Authorization Topics
 * =============================================================================
 *
 * Title: Aggregating Multiple Authorization Models : How It Works
 * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 *
 * Goal:
 * Understand the inner working of aggregated authorization by stepping through
 * access control management and permission evaluation.
 * Note that this exercise uses a non-OSGi setup for training purpose relying on
 * helpers available only for test setup.
 *
 * Exercises:
 * Debug through each of the test methods in order to get an understand on how
 * the composite setup works.
 *
 * - {@link #testTestUserReadPermissions()}
 * - {@link #testTestUserWritePermissions()}
 * - {@link #testGuestReadPermissions()}
 * - {@link #testGuestWritePermissions()}
 * - {@link #testAdminReadPermissions()}
 * - {@link #testAdminWritePermissions()}
 * - {@link #testEffectivePolicies()}
 * - {@link #testApplicablePolicies()}
 * - {@link #testGetPolicies()}
 * - {@link #testRemovePolicy()}
 *
 * - Explain the {@link org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.authorization.accesscontrol.PolicyOwner} interface.
 *
 * - Write more tests to explore aggregation of additional features within the
 *   authorization setup such as e.g.
 *   > Privilege discovery
 *   > Repository level privileges such as e.g. ability to register a new node type.
 *   > XML Import
 *   > Validation
 *   > Repository Initialization
 *
 *
 * Advanced Exercises
 * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 *
 * - Change the 'authorizationCompositionType' to 'OR' and discuss the expected effect
 *   on the tests. Re-run the tests to verify your expectations.
 *
 * - Take another look at {@link org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.authorization.permission.AggregatedPermissionProvider}.
 *   What happens if a given {@link AuthorizationConfiguration} exposes a simple
 *   {@link org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.spi.security.authorization.permission.PermissionProvider}
 *   that doesn't implement the aggregation-extension?
 *   To verify your findings write a test-setup that combines the default authorization model with
 *   {@link org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.exercise.security.authorization.models.predefined.PredefinedAuthorizationConfiguration}
 *
 * </pre>
 */
public class L3_UnderstandAggregationTest extends AbstractSecurityTest {

    private PropertyState prop;

    private AccessControlManager acMgr;

    @Override
    public void before() throws Exception {
        super.before();

        prop = PropertyStates.createProperty("prop", "value");

        Tree var = TreeUtil.addChild(root.getTree("/"), "var", NodeTypeConstants.NT_OAK_UNSTRUCTURED);
        var.setProperty(prop);

        Tree content = TreeUtil.addChild(root.getTree("/"), "content", NodeTypeConstants.NT_OAK_UNSTRUCTURED);
        content.setProperty(prop);

        Tree c1 = TreeUtil.addChild(content, "c1", NodeTypeConstants.NT_OAK_UNSTRUCTURED);
        c1.setProperty(prop);

        Tree c2 = TreeUtil.addChild(content, "c2", NodeTypeConstants.NT_OAK_UNSTRUCTURED);
        c2.setProperty(prop);

        acMgr = getAccessControlManager(root);

        // at /content grant read-access for everyone using default model
        AccessControlList acl = AccessControlUtils.getAccessControlList(acMgr, content.getPath());
        acl.addAccessControlEntry(EveryonePrincipal.getInstance(), privilegesFromNames(PrivilegeConstants.JCR_READ));
        acMgr.setPolicy(content.getPath(), acl);

        // at /content/c1 deny reading properties (default model) and establish
        // a CUG that limits access to test user
        AccessControlPolicyIterator it = acMgr.getApplicablePolicies(c1.getPath());
        while (it.hasNext()) {
            AccessControlPolicy policy = it.nextAccessControlPolicy();
            if (policy instanceof PrincipalSetPolicy) {
                PrincipalSetPolicy psp = (PrincipalSetPolicy) policy;
                psp.addPrincipals(getTestUser().getPrincipal());
                acMgr.setPolicy(c1.getPath(), psp);
            } else if (policy instanceof JackrabbitAccessControlList) {
                JackrabbitAccessControlList jacl = (JackrabbitAccessControlList) policy;
                jacl.addEntry(EveryonePrincipal.getInstance(), privilegesFromNames(PrivilegeConstants.REP_ADD_PROPERTIES), true);
                acMgr.setPolicy(c1.getPath(), jacl);
            }
        }
        root.commit();
    }

    @Override
    public void after() throws Exception {
        try {
            root.getTree("/content").remove();
            root.getTree("/var").remove();
            root.commit();
        } finally {
            super.after();
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected SecurityProvider initSecurityProvider() {
        SecurityProvider sp = super.initSecurityProvider();
        CugConfiguration cugConfiguration = new CugConfiguration();
        cugConfiguration.setParameters(ConfigurationParameters.of("cugSupportedPaths", new String[] {"/content"}, "cugEnabled", true));

        SecurityProviderHelper.updateConfig(sp, cugConfiguration, AuthorizationConfiguration.class);
        return sp;
    }

    @Override
    protected ConfigurationParameters getSecurityConfigParameters() {
        return ConfigurationParameters.of("authorizationCompositionType", CompositeAuthorizationConfiguration.CompositionType.AND.toString());
    }

    @Test
    public void testTestUserReadPermissions() throws Exception {
        try (ContentSession cs = createTestSession()) {
            Root r = cs.getLatestRoot();

            assertFalse(r.getTree("/").exists());
            assertFalse(r.getTree("/var").exists());

            Tree t = r.getTree("/content");
            assertTrue(t.exists());
            assertTrue(t.hasProperty(prop.getName()));

            t = r.getTree("/content/c2");
            assertTrue(t.exists());
            assertTrue(t.hasProperty(prop.getName()));

            t = r.getTree("/content/c1");
            assertTrue(t.exists());
            assertTrue(t.hasProperty(prop.getName()));
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testTestUserWritePermissions() throws Exception {
        try (ContentSession cs = createTestSession()) {
            Root r = cs.getLatestRoot();

            Tree t = r.getTree("/content/c1");
            t.setProperty("addingProperty", "value");
            root.commit();

            assertFalse(getAccessControlManager(r).hasPrivileges("/content/c1", privilegesFromNames(PrivilegeConstants.JCR_ADD_CHILD_NODES)));
            assertFalse(getAccessControlManager(r).hasPrivileges("/content/c1", privilegesFromNames(PrivilegeConstants.JCR_REMOVE_CHILD_NODES)));
            assertFalse(getAccessControlManager(r).hasPrivileges("/content/c1", privilegesFromNames(PrivilegeConstants.REP_REMOVE_PROPERTIES)));
            assertFalse(getAccessControlManager(r).hasPrivileges("/content/c1", privilegesFromNames(PrivilegeConstants.REP_ALTER_PROPERTIES)));
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testGuestReadPermissions() throws Exception {
        try (ContentSession cs = login(new GuestCredentials())) {
            Root r = cs.getLatestRoot();

            assertFalse(r.getTree("/").exists());
            assertFalse(r.getTree("/var").exists());

            Tree t = r.getTree("/content");
            assertTrue(t.exists());
            assertTrue(t.hasProperty(prop.getName()));

            t = r.getTree("/content/c2");
            assertTrue(t.exists());
            assertTrue(t.hasProperty(prop.getName()));

            assertFalse(r.getTree("/content/c1").exists());
        }
    }

    @Test(expected = CommitFailedException.class)
    public void testGuestWritePermissions() throws Exception {
        try (ContentSession cs = login(new GuestCredentials())) {
            Root r = cs.getLatestRoot();

            // EXERCISE: write additional code testing permissions required for
            //           another property and child node.

            Tree t = r.getTree("/content");
            t.setProperty("prop2", "value");
            t.addChild("anotherChild");

            r.commit();
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testAdminReadPermissions() {
        assertTrue(root.getTree("/").exists());
        assertTrue(root.getTree("/var").exists());

        Tree t = root.getTree("/content");
        assertTrue(t.exists());
        assertTrue(t.hasProperty(prop.getName()));

        t = root.getTree("/content/c2");
        assertTrue(t.exists());
        assertTrue(t.hasProperty(prop.getName()));

        t = root.getTree("/content/c1");
        assertTrue(t.exists());
        assertTrue(t.hasProperty(prop.getName()));
    }

    @Test
    public void testAdminWritePermissions() throws Exception {
        for (String p : new String[] {"/", "/var", "/content", "/content/c1", "/content/c2"}) {
            assertTrue(acMgr.hasPrivileges(p, privilegesFromNames(PrivilegeConstants.JCR_ALL)));
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testEffectivePolicies() throws Exception {
        // EXERCISE: inspect the effective policies to be discovered at the various paths
        //           explain the result and the differences.

        // EXERCISE: compare list of effective policies to policies return upon AccessControlManager.getPolicies

        AccessControlPolicy[] effective = acMgr.getEffectivePolicies("/content/c1");
        assertEquals(3, effective.length);

        effective = acMgr.getEffectivePolicies("/content/c2");
        assertEquals(1, effective.length);

        effective = acMgr.getEffectivePolicies("/var");
        assertEquals(0, effective.length);

        effective = acMgr.getEffectivePolicies(NamespaceConstants.NAMESPACES_PATH);
        assertEquals(1, effective.length);

        // EXERCISE: try to modify the policies obtained in any of the calls

        // EXERCISE: try to write back the effective policies using AccessControlManager.setPolicy
    }

    @Test
    public void testApplicablePolicies() throws Exception {
        // EXERCISE: observe the type of applicable policies and explain differences
        //           between the 3 paths.
        AccessControlPolicyIterator it = acMgr.getApplicablePolicies("/content/c2");
        int cnt = 0;
        while (it.hasNext()) {
            AccessControlPolicy policy = it.nextAccessControlPolicy();
            cnt++;
        }
        assertEquals(2, cnt);

        it = acMgr.getApplicablePolicies("/var");
        cnt = 0;
        while (it.hasNext()) {
            AccessControlPolicy policy = it.nextAccessControlPolicy();
            cnt++;
        }
        assertEquals(1, cnt);

        it = acMgr.getApplicablePolicies("/content");
        cnt = 0;
        while (it.hasNext()) {
            AccessControlPolicy policy = it.nextAccessControlPolicy();
            cnt++;
        }
        assertEquals(1, cnt);

        // EXERCISE: expand the test by optionally modifying the applicable policies
        //           and writing them back using AccessControlManager.setPolicy

        // EXERCISE: explain the effective permissions resulting from both applying
        //           empty and modified policies.
    }

    @Test
    public void testGetSetPolicies() throws Exception {
        AccessControlPolicy[] policies = acMgr.getPolicies("/content/c1");

        assertEquals(2, policies.length);

        // EXERCISE: observe how the different authorization models claim responsibility for the setPolicy call.
        for (AccessControlPolicy policy : policies) {
            acMgr.setPolicy("/content/c1", policy);
        }

        assertEquals(2, acMgr.getPolicies("/content/c1").length);
    }

    @Test
    public void testRemovePolicy() throws Exception {
        AccessControlPolicy[] policies = acMgr.getPolicies("/content/c1");

        assertEquals(2, policies.length);

        // EXERCISE: observe how the different authorization models claim responsibility for the removal.
        for (AccessControlPolicy policy : policies) {
            acMgr.removePolicy("/content/c1", policy);
        }

        assertEquals(0, acMgr.getPolicies("/content/c1").length);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Articles > Building Industry News
New campaign recommends roof windows for domestic daylighting
VELUX has launched a new campaign to encourage homeowners to introduce more daylight into their extensions by specifying roof windows.
VELUX's recently conducted survey suggests that home improvement is high on the British agenda: almost half of those questioned revealed their plans to carry out domestic renovations over the next six months.
According to 59%, the primary reason for renovating is to modernise their homes or update their interior décor. However, 10% aspired to create or improve space, in order to spend more time with family.
The survey revealed that these 'family time' seekers were willing to spend over twice as much on their home improvement projects than the average homeowner: VELUX recorded a planned average spend of £15,589.
Roof windows for home improvement
To support these home improvers, VELUX has developed a new campaign, focused around the design, planning and development of single-storey extensions with its roof windows.
With three in 10 London-based home improvers looking to build an extension or a conservatory – and almost three quarters of those surveyed looking to begin the planning process over the next three months – the campaign has been designed to provide practical tips, tools and advice.
Charlie Luxton, a well-known architectural designer and television presenter, is supporting the campaign.
He believes it is important to consider the impact of your plans on the diffusion of daylight throughout your home; adding roof windows to an extension allows for the admittance of daylight from above, ensuring the maintenance of natural lighting.
VELUX roof windows have been designed to introduce twice the amount of daylight to an extension as vertical windows of the same dimensions.
Its campaign aims to educate homeowners on the benefit of daylighting in internal spaces by explaining how this can be achieved with its roof windows and vertical and bi-folding doors.
Velux Co Ltd
Woodside Way
Glenrothes East
KY7 4ND
Visit the VELUX website
Follow VELUX on Twitter


Click here to sign up for the Viranda newsletter.
Debated for years and just like that, axed! A lack of public support and non-consensus within Cabinet has seen Capital Gains Tax (CGT) wiped off the table.
With the first quarter behind us, we take the time to reflect on the commercial property market and provide a quick update for you.
Across the globe there is a rising demand for shared offices, known as the flexible space market. It's good to share, right?
Jan is one of the longest-serving team members at Viranda. An experienced industry professional, she first joined the company in 2004 as an Executive Assistant for three years. After a stint away, Jan rejoined again in 2010.
Newmarket will soon offer the biggest shopping mall in New Zealand and one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. Of particular excitement is news of securing an anchor tenant, David Jones department store.
Season Greetings! In the busy lead up to Xmas, we take this chance to wish you a fantastic festive season and a safe and happy holiday ahead.
With a Bachelor of Commerce and a typical Kiwi OE spirit, Peter set off on his travels in 2012. His adventures took him to San Diego, Vancouver and Melbourne, where he gained valuable work experience in real estate marketing and commercial tenant public relations.
There has been plenty of media reports and general chat around Auckland's housing market flattening, but commercial property continues to fire, with a strong spike in sales occurring in the past 12-months.
Viranda Holdings act for a broad range of clients, and Mark and Oliver share more about the 3-key services offered in this quick overview.
Krispy Kreme hits Chancery Square!
Viranda's work with Chancery Square in mid-town Auckland took another sweet turn recently when it welcomed high-profile brand, Krispy Kreme to the fold.
Just a short walk from Viranda's office is Huron Street where a big change is unfolding. A large multi-level carpark is set to replace the old Gasometer site. Groundworks have begun, and timelines indicate an opening date of mid-2020.
From Viranda's inception 33 years ago, and the changing times of business, Founder and Chairman Andrew Guest reveals how technology, project management and a dedicated team has played a big part in the success story so far.
Viranda is pleased to announce the promotion of Oliver Wills to Director – Commercial Property.
The low interest rate story continues... Investor interest in commercial property remains attractive, and rightly so! These rates are appealing and show no rumour of increasing soon.
Viranda Property Manager, Nick Harvey, doesn't fall into the 'first home buyer' camp, he's yet to buy residential property. It's a less than typical scenario, but this young entrepreneur recently purchased his first commercial building in Penrose, Auckland.
Leasing opportunities just a click away!
There is no reason why commercial property, technology, and good old-fashioned service can't go hand in hand, and Viranda is delighted with the response to its recent launch of a Leasing Summary system.
A Decade! Jess Wech Reflects "My colleagues are amazing people, we work so well together. It's a very supportive environment, geared towards bringing out the best in each other." Jess reflects on her ten years at Viranda. Joining the company in April 2008, at just 16, Jess has steadily progressed in her career.
The way we shop has changed! Consumers are increasingly buying online. Retail property owners must adapt to create an experience that cannot be matched online. A good example is Viranda's involvement with the rebrand and refurbishment of Chancery Square to create a vibrant village square. Find out more.
Viranda has held the same company address in Takapuna since the doors swung open in 1986. Our location sits within the scope of this significant project. Our team, and of course clients too, travel into Takapuna to work or meet with us, via a number of motorway links associated with the Northern Corridor Improvements project. We will watch with interest as the milestones are ticked off.
Strong demand for industrial and commercial property continues in Auckland and Viranda continues to see low stock pushing up rent and ensuring capital growth for clients.
Viranda is delighted to announce the promotion of Sara Sheldon to Senior Property Manager. The change in role recognises Sara's long-serving dedication to Viranda, along with her mentoring qualities towards other property managers within the company.
Viranda will watch with interest as the $850 million Commercial Bay development opens on the Auckland waterfront next year. With 39-levels of office space, laneway-inspired shopping and dining, and easy access to a public transport hub, Commercial Bay looks set to redefine urban spaces.
The 'Experience Economy' is here to stay.


text:
Evidence That Global Warming Is Being Caused by Humans
John Coviello
I thoroughly enjoy writing, especially about the environmental issues and how to make the environment we live in a better place .
Earth's temperatures have warmed over the past century as carbon dioxide levels have increased. There is a strong indication that implicates mankind's release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as being the primary cause of global warming.
Since there is a lot of noise and misinformation in the debate regarding what the cause of rising global temperatures is, it is best to take a broader view of the cause and effect of global warming. How do we know that mankind's emissions of greenhouse gases are the cause of the recent global warming trend? The best indication that mankind is responsible for the current global warming trend is found by taking a broad look at where the recent global temperature rise fits into the natural glaciation (ice age) and warm period (interglacial) cycle that the Earth has been going through for millions of years.
Earth's Global Temperatures Over the Past 12,000 Years
During the current interglacial warm period, the global average atmospheric temperature of Earth peaked about 7,000 years ago, then commenced on a long gradual decline to cooler temperatures until very recently. Over the past 150 years global average | Source
Sun-Earth Cycles That Affect The Earth's Climate
Since the 1980s solar radiation from the Sun has decreased, yet global temperatures increased over this same time period. | Source
Why Are Global Temperatures Warming When an Ice Age Should Be Approaching?
The historical global average atmospheric temperature record shown above has been compiled by an array of scientists that study Earth's past global temperatures by analyzing ice sheet cores and other data. The temperature record indicates that the Earth should be heading into another ice age right now at a time when Earth's temperatures are warming. The figure above shows the Earth's global temperatures since it emerged from the last ice age and entered the current interglacial warm period, known as the Holocene epoch, about 10,000 years ago. As you can see, the global average atmospheric temperature of Earth peaked about 7,000 years ago and commenced a long gradual decline to cooler temperatures until they spiked higher in recent years to levels above the peak that occurred approximately 7,000 years ago.
An astronomer named Milutin Milankovitch from Serbia proposed in 1941 that ice ages are caused by changes in the Earth's orbit around the Sun and its tilt in regards to the Sun. These changes occur in predictable cycles that when aligned correctly cause the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's polar regions to diminish, which starts a new ice age cycle to commence. However, scientists determined that a lack of solar radiation was not enough to allow an ice age to progress beyond the initial stage. Scientists found that carbon dioxide levels had to reach a certain low level as ice formation during the initial cool down removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in order to kick the Earth's cooling feedback loops and subsequent ice age into high gear. As more water was frozen into ice, more carbon dioxide was removed from the Earth's atmosphere, causing further temperature drops and a feedback loop that continued the cooling until large ice sheets grew over many of the continents and a full ice age had taken hold of Earth.
What does the glaciation (ice age) cycle have to do with looking for evidence that mankind is the cause of the recent global warming that Earth has been experiencing? To answer this question, it is important to understand the natural length of the Earth's natural glaciation (ice age) cycle. An ice age lasts approximately 100,000 to 120,000 years, while the much briefer inter-glacial (warm) periods last approximately 10,000 to 12,000 years. With this understanding and the fact that the last ice age ended about 12,000 years ago, the Earth should be starting a new ice age right about now. The figure above clearly shows global average atmospheric temperatures gradually sliding lower until they recently spiked higher.
What is the reason the Earth has broken its long-established ice age cycle and suddenly started warming when it appeared to be naturally ready to begin a new ice age? What is the variable that did not exist during prior interglacial periods? Mankind's burning of fossil fuels and the subsequent increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Looking back at the geological record and taking into consideration the glaciation cycle initially driven by the Earth and the Sun's interaction, the global warming trend that has been evident for the past 150 years does not appear to be natural, since the natural course in the Earth's glaciation cycle is to be sliding into another ice age right now. This trend lower in temperatures has been halted and the climate has moved into a warming phase.
Global Temperature and Carbon Dioxide From 1880
This graph shows global temperatures and carbon dioxide accelerating higher in tandem in recent years. | Source
Is Global Warming a Bad Thing? A Little Bit No, But If Left Unchecked, It Will Be Very Bad
It can be argued that a little man-induced global warming is a good thing since a new ice age would be very problematic for the supply of food that mankind relies upon and for life on Earth, as currently habitable land areas would become covered with ice. However, global warming that occurs quickly will likely cause dire outcomes in the upcoming centuries for future generations of humans. Runaway global warming would cause sea levels to rise at an increasing rate, flooding the world's population centers that are near sea-level and low-lying food producing areas. Additionally, some of the current farmable lands would become arid and unfarmable in a world that warms by several degrees Celsius.
Is it too late to stop runaway global warming? Perhaps it is. Even if the entire world switched from carbon-based fuels to non-carbon based renewable energy next year, the buildup of carbon dioxide that has already occurred in the atmosphere would continue to increase global temperatures for many centuries into the future. It takes natural processes a long time to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Additionally, the warming of the Earth's atmosphere in the coming centuries will cause positive feedback loops that will increase the rate of global. This will include the release of large amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane which is currently frozen in polar regions of the Earth and under ocean floors. If the Earth reaches the tipping point at which methane gas is liberated in large quantities from ice formations that it has been bound to for millions of years, global
Runaway Global Warming Will Reduce Useable Farmland
Some of the world's rich farmland areas will suffer prolonged droughts in a rapidly warming world. | Source
What's Really Warming the Earth?
Addressing Global Warming
Do You Think We Can Address Global Warming WIthout Causing a Massive Economic Slowdown?
Yes, we can switch to non-carbon fuels and the world economy will continue to grow.
Perhaps, but we need to improve non-carbon energy sources.
No, I think we have to burn carbon fuels to fuel the world economy.
I'm not sure. I need to learn more about the alternatives to carbon fuels.
© 2019 John Coviello
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4 months ago from New Jersey
Thank you Arthur for sharing your observations regarding how the climate change in recent decades has changed species habitat and growing patterns in your areas. Very interesting!
Eric Dierker
4 months ago from Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A.
Arthur that is so interesting.
Arthur Russ
4 months ago from England
Yep John, we've experienced what (as you say) "species habitat expansion towards the poles" in Britain at an ever increasing rate over the last 30 years due to our climate warming; for example:-
Britain had always been too cold for good quality wine until quite recently e.g. there were few vineyards in the UK prior to the 1980s because our climate was too cold; now with a warmer climate wine growing is flourishing in the UK, with there being now more than 450 vineyards in southern England producing good quality wine.
Climate change is good news for England's wine industry: https://youtu.be/gnbsHbYjLGk
Likewise, insects common in northern France are now appearing in southern England for the first time, while insects (including butterflies) that were common in southern England are migrating further north, displacing insects in the north of England that only survived in the colder climate of Northern England.
Also, fish and other marine life common in warmer waters further south, and until the last few years were never previously seen in British waters, are now becoming more common in the seas around Britain.
Likewise, annual migration patterns of some bird species are changing rapidly. UK Birds Species and Climate Change: https://youtu.be/umivQ4_pEEs
It's not just animal and insect life; as a keen gardener, I can grow many more plants and flowers in my garden which now survives our warmer winters, that wouldn't have done so in the colder British winters of just 20 years ago. The most striking difference of our winters, where I live, is that until the late 1980s we used to get up to 6 inches of snow every winter, now we almost never get any snow.
Also, the growing season in southern England has been significantly extended. 20 years ago, the growing season for summer crops in my back garden was from the beginning of April until mid-September. Now it's from early March until late October. And some summer flowers in my garden, such as the half-hardy fuchsia, and marigolds, that used to die back by October, now often continues to flower in my garden until early January.
The serious scientific studies and literature have always been about CO2 accumulation, not thick grey fog or smog. I cover this in an article I published called The History of Global Warming and Origin of the Term Climate Changehttps://hubpages.com/education/The-Origins-of-Clim...
As I said, there is a lot of noise in this whole Global Warming debate. Yes, the urban heat island effect is real, but it's been around for many decades and centuries, so it's baked into the numbers and has been for a long time at this point. We know the Earth is actually warming from secondary indicators, such as sea level rises (which are occurring at a faster rate over time), glacier retreats, and species habitat expansion towards the poles.
I think we actually have to start worrying about methane (CH4) that has been trapped in ice at the poles, in permafrost, and under the oceans for millions of years. Warming due to CO2 is the trigger that will potentially start a strong positive feedback loop as more CH4 is released and increases Earth's average temperature, even more, due to CH4 being introduced to the atmosphere, going round and round with additional releases of CH4. You can read more about this possible scenario in How Methane Gas Releases Due To Global Warming Could Cause Human Extinction https://hubpages.com/education/How-Methane-Gas-Rel...
Regarding volcanoes. When large volcano eruptions occur they tend to cool the Earth's atmosphere and bring down temperatures for a few years. This has happened several times over the past 200 years, including back in the 1990s. This cooling is temporary and is due to ash and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions into the atmosphere that blocks the sun's rays. But, the effect only lasts one to three years as the ash and SO2 dissipates, and then the Earth's climate returns to being driven by other forcings such as CO2.
Bruce you just made me laugh. Not at you but at me. Last night my son and I (9) were going back and forth about Nitrogen, Co2, farting (methane - including cows), Carbon Monoxide, and all that fun stuff. We just shrugged and went out into our natural - for sure no chemical insecticide or weed killer, and breathed in the oxygen.
I am not clear on your notion that "soot" is invisible? But I would think that would block out the sun and make it colder - but then it may trap in the heat and make it warmer.
Yep, I'm with you John. This is a pet subject of mine, one that I've kept a keen eye on for some years now.
As your analysis surmises, it may be too late! Albeit on a more positive note, virtually every country in the world is making an effort (including China) to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, with some doing better than others; but certainly all could do more.
Britain, as with most of Europe, has done its bit, and is on track to achieve its goal of being near carbon neutral by 2050 e.g. as well as quickly transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, all fossil fuel cars in Britain will be banned by 2040 (2032 in Scotland). China and France will also ban these cars by 2040; although Norway will ban fossil fuel cars by 2025, and six other European countries are set to ban these cars by 2030.
The biggest success in the UK for transitioning to Renewable Energies is the wind farms. The first offshore wind farm in UK became operational in 2000, albeit it only consisted of just 11 wind turbines with a total capacity of only 4 MW (megawatts).
But great strides have been made since then. For example, last year 3 offshore wind farms became operational in the UK, with a combined total of 305 wind turbines, generating a total capacity of 1.7 GW (gigawatts), including the Walney wind farm extension:-
Walney Extension – the world's largest offshore wind farm in 2018: https://youtu.be/rbnlJOEQ9Hc
As of end of last year there were a total of 9,391 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of over 20.5 GW; 12.6 GW of onshore capacity and 7.9 GW of offshore capacity; which accounts for over 25% of electricity generated in the UK. The latest offshore wind farm to generate electricity in the UK (now the world's largest wind farm) went live in February 2019, generating 1.2 GW initially, but will eventually be generating 6 GW on completion.
At the end of last year 50.6% of the UK's electricity needs where met from renewable sources; wind, Bio, Solar and Hydro. Burning coal now just 2% of the UK's energy mix, with the last coal fire power station scheduled due to close in 2025; in contrast, back in 1990, 67% of Britain's electricity came from coal, this had dropped to 22% by 2016, and to 2% last year and will be 0% by 2025.
The rest of Europe is following a similar pattern to the UK of switching from fossil fuels to renewables; as is China. To their credit, China is installing solar and wind farms at a far faster rate than any other country in the world; but their two main problems are that:-
i.	Coming from a non-industrialised nation that rapidly industrialising as they make the switch over fossil fuels to renewable energy they are still heavily dependent on coal (in the interim), and
ii.	With such a big population (1.4 billion), they consume a lot of electricity; albeit, they actually produce far less carbon dioxide per head of population than the USA.
Nitika Mehra
4 months ago from Delhi
Bruce Deitrick Price
4 months ago from Virginia Beach, Va.
40 years ago, the mechanism which caused higher temperatures was clear to everyone. Various emissions from cars and factories created a thick gray fog which TRAPPED heat. Thus the phrase "greenhouse gases."
But then someone noticed the obvious: this fog-layer would block out the sunlight, causing lower temperatures.
The global warming theorists dealt with this paradox by changing around vocabulary. There was no more mention of greenhouse gases. All emphasis was on Co2. This was certainly a component of industrial emissions, etc. But Co2 is a TRACE element and invisible.
The big question remains: how exactly is the temperature made to rise? What is the mechanism?
This article seems to deal in sleight-of-hand. Temperatures, we are told, are rising. There is more Co2 in the world. Ergo, one must be causing the other. But how? And keep in mind we do not even know for sure that temperatures are rising.
Decades ago, I could easily imagine the mechanism by which industrial smoke could trap heat. But now I can't put it together in my mind. Co2 is presented as something like a bad supernatural power. Invisible. But just by being there, it can warm up the world.
Also, don't forget that Co2 feeds plants and makes them big. The more Co2, the bigger the plants. The plants in turn shield the ground from solar heat.
(As for higher temperatures, many of the apparent increases are caused by the "heat island effect." That is, most of the weather stations are in airports or near cities. They are predictably hotter and they're artificially driving up the records. To get real temperature readings, you have to go 20 miles away from the old weather stations. The notion that we have reliable records going back centuries is an obvious lie and for me tends to discredit the whole theory.)
Liz Westwood
4 months ago from UK
This is a very topical article. I feel that the decisions we make now will have implications for the generations of the future.
Interesting. I thought that volcanic activity put off more carbon in a year than man has ever done. I also thought that the north passage near the Arctic was a normal concept long before human fossil fuel use.
My home's footprint is as near zero as possible. That just makes sense. We only use heat for one hour a day and never air conditioning and drive very little. We cultivate plants that are good.
India and China bother me. But I understand it.
Sue Pratt
4 months ago from New Orleans
Thanks for the science/facts. It's a very well-written article. We ignore the warnings at our children's peril.
Carol Rafferty
As far as I'm concerned mother nature is going off her rocker. She has having plenty of help though MAN!! Man has a way of toying with everything & making matters worse. Chem trails, I'm just thrilled!!!