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Starts With A Bang — March 16, 2019
Ask Ethan: If The Universe Ends In A Big Crunch, Will All Of Space Recollapse?
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Our future fate is likely already determined. If we end in a Big Crunch, what does that mean?
The ultimate fate of the Universe is one of the biggest existential questions we can ask. Given that our Universe has been around for billions of years since the Big Bang, is filled with stars and galaxies strewn across the vast recesses of space, and appears to be expanding and cooling in all directions, there appear to be fascinating possibilities for what might arise in the future. Perhaps we'll expand forever; perhaps we'll cease expanding and recollapse; perhaps the expansion will speed up, tearing us apart. One possible fate is the Big Crunch, and that interests our Patreon supporter Jim Nance, who asks:
When you describe the Big Crunch, you talk about a race between gravity and the expansion of space. It's not clear to me that if gravity wins that race, whether space stops expanding, or simply that the matter in space stops expanding. I'd love to hear your explanation of this.
This is a complex question, but the physics we know today allows us to rise to the challenge and give a definitive answer.
The different possible fates of the Universe, with our actual, accelerating fate shown at the right. As time goes on, unbound galaxies get exponentially farther away from each other. (NASA & ESA)
When we look out at the distant galaxies beyond our own local group, we find that the light from them is redshifted. Normally, the most important property of light is its wavelength: the distance between successive peaks or troughs in the oscillating electromagnetic fields that define a light wave. Wavelength determines light's frequency, color, energy, and momentum.
Whenever we have an atomic transition — where electrons jump from one energy level to another — it's accompanied by either the absorption or emission of a photon. Because those energy levels have specific values, that means the photons that are absorbed or emitted will have particular wavelengths associated with them. When you see a series of absorption or emission lines, that allows you to identify which elements are present, and in what abundance.
The visible light spectrum of the Sun, which helps us understand not only its temperature and ionization, but the abundances of the elements present. The long, thick lines are hydrogen and helium, but every other line is from a heavy element that must have been created in a previous-generation star, rather than the hot Big Bang. These elements all have specific signatures corresponding to explicit wavelengths. (NIGEL SHARP, NOAO / NATIONAL SOLAR OBSERVATORY AT KITT PEAK / AURA / NSF)
Measuring the various wavelengths of light is part of the astronomical science of spectroscopy. For any star or galaxy that we look at, we can detect the presence — if our equipment and observations are good enough — of the various spectral lines that correspond to the presence or absence of specific atoms, ions, and molecules.
But when we look at galaxies that are beyond our own, we find that those spectral signatures of absorption and emission lines are systematically shifted. For each individual galaxy we measure, there's a unique shift that affects all of the lines equally. A very small number of the galaxies we look at appear to be blueshifted: where the light shifts towards higher energies and shorter wavelengths. But almost all of them are redshifted, and are more severely redshifted the farther away they are.
First noted by Vesto Slipher, the more distant a galaxy is, on average, the faster it's observed to recede away from us. For years, this defied explanation, until Hubble's observations allowed us to put the pieces together: the Universe was expanding. (VESTO SLIPHER, (1917): PROC. AMER. PHIL. SOC., 56, 403)
The phenomenon of galactic redshifts is an observational fact that dates back more than a century: to the work of Vesto Slipher. In the 1920s, Edwin Hubble's work allowed us to add in the galactic distances as well, with the redshift-distance relation discovered shortly thereafter by both Hubble and Georges Lemaître. However, the cause of this wasn't immediately clear, as there were two possible explanations.
Redshifts and blueshifts could be caused by individual galactic motions, as galaxies moving towards us would appear blueshifted and galaxies moving away from us would be redshifted.
Redshifts could be caused by the expansion of the fabric of space itself, with the wavelengths of light from more distant galaxies getting stretched by the fabric of the expanding Universe.
A two-dimensional slice of the overdense (red) and underdense (blue/black) regions of the Universe nearby us. The lines and arrows illustrate the direction of peculiar velocity flows, which are the gravitational pushes and pulls on the galaxies around us. However, all of these motions are embedded in the fabric of expanding space. (COSMOGRAPHY OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSE — COURTOIS, HELENE M. ET AL. ASTRON.J. 146 (2013) 69)
Both of these explanations could, at least in the early stages, be considered consistent with the data.
In reality, both effects exist. Galaxies do move relative to one another, as the gravitational forces from the matter in the Universe push and pull everything around. But the fabric of spacetime itself cannot remain constant, either.
It isn't simply that galaxies are moving away from us that causes a redshift, but rather that the space between ourselves and each galaxy redshifts the light on its journey from that distant point to our eyes. This affects all forms of radiation, including the leftover glow from the Big Bang. (LARRY MCNISH / RASC CALGARY CENTER)
In General Relativity, spacetime is a dynamic entity. When you have a Universe like ours — where matter and energy are relatively evenly distributed on the largest scales — any relativistic solution that results in a static Universe is fundamentally unstable. The Universe must be expanding or contracting, as it cannot remain in an unchanging state. We cannot necessarily know which one it's doing from first principles alone; we require measurements to teach us what's going on.
Thankfully, we've made those measurements, and the conclusion is inescapable.
The redshift-distance relationship for distant galaxies. The points that don't fall exactly on the line owe the slight mismatch to the differences in peculiar velocities, which offer only slight deviations from the overall observed expansion. The original data from Edwin Hubble, first used to show the Universe was expanding, all fit in the small red box at the lower-left. (ROBERT KIRSHNER, PNAS, 101, 1, 8–13 (2004))
Expansion it is. The fabric of our Universe, at present, is expanding. This doesn't mean it will always expand, though, and it also doesn't mean that there aren't galactic motions superimposed atop the expanding fabric of space. You'll notice, above, that very few of the galaxies we observe actually fall exactly on the best-fit line for a redshift-distance relationship.
That line corresponds to the overall expansion of space, but the actual data points can fall on either side of the line. This is due to the fact that galaxies do move relative to one another in the expanding Universe, including our own Milky Way, which moves at about 370 km/s relative to the Hubble expansion of the Universe.
Special relativity (dotted) and general relativity (solid) predictions for distances in the expanding Universe. Definitively, only the expanding Universe's predictions for general gelativity match what we observe.(WIKIMEDIA COMMONS USER REDSHIFTIMPROVE)
As we look to greater and greater distances (and redshifts), however, we can absolutely rule out the case where individual motions are responsible for 100% of the observed redshifts. Relativity offers different predictions at large distances for an expanding Universe as compared to a rapid motion away from us, and the data agrees with expansion, not with large-magnitude motions.
So that settles any doubts you may have had about whether the fabric of space itself is expanding: it is. The reason galaxies appear to recede from us — and from one another — is because the Universe is expanding. However, expansion isn't the only possible solution. If we look at the equations governing the expansion of the Universe, we find something interesting: they don't give us a value for the expansion rate. Rather, they give us a value for the expansion rate squared.
A photo of me at the American Astronomical Society's hyperwall in 2017, along with the first Friedmann equation at right. The first term in the Friedmann equation details the Hubble expansion rate squared, which governs the evolution of spacetime. The remaining terms include all the different forms of matter and energy, along with spatial curvature, which determines how the Universe evolves in the future. This has been called the most important equation in all of cosmology, and was derived by Friedmann in essentially its modern form back in 1922. (PERIMETER INSTITUTE / HARLEY THRONSON)
You might not see a big difference initially. If I told you the expansion rate squared was equal to 4, you'd just take the square root and tell me the expansion rate was 2.
And then I'd ask you if you were sure.
"Is he trying to trick me?" Maybe, but the point isn't to trick you. The square root of 4 could be 2, but it could also be -2. When we solve our equations for the expansion rate, we could wind up with an expanding Universe. But we could also wind up with a negatively expanding Universe, which corresponds to a contracting Universe. Even though we know it's expanding today, because we measure it, there's nothing that prevents the Universe from reaching a maximum size, ceasing in its expansion, and turning around to contract.
The expected fates of the Universe (top three illustrations) all correspond to a Universe where the matter and energy fights against the initial expansion rate. In our observed Universe, a cosmic acceleration is caused by some type of dark energy, which is hitherto unexplained. All of these Universes are governed by the Friedmann equations, which relate the expansion of the Universe to the various types of matter and energy present within it. (E. SIEGEL / BEYOND THE GALAXY)
Yes, as we look out at the distant Universe, we presently see that things are continuing to expand. If the Universe will end in a Big Crunch, it hasn't yet reached its turnaround point.
It doesn't look likely that a Big Crunch is in store for us, either. When we measure the way the expansion rate has changed over our cosmic history, it gives every indication that the expansion rate isn't going to drop to zero and reverse itself. The way the expansion rate changes over time is determined by the total amount and types of matter and energy present within it. Because our Universe has too little matter, too little radiation, and too much dark energy, it looks like we'll keep on expanding forever.
Unless, of course, dark energy is dynamical, and capable of changing over time.
The far distant fates of the Universe offer a number of possibilities, but if dark energy is truly a constant, as the data indicates, it will continue to follow the red curve. If it's not, however, a Big Crunch could still be in play. (NASA / GSFC)
If dark energy's energy density changes over time in any number of particular fashions, it can cause our Universe to end in a Big Crunch. We often take it as a given that our Universe will end in a Big Freeze, owing to the apparent acceleration of distant galaxies away from us, but there are still five viable, possible fates for our Universe. As I've written previously, dark energy could weaken and decay as the Universe further expands:
If it decays away to zero, it could lead to one of the original possibilities expressed above: the Big Freeze. The Universe would still expand, but without enough matter and other forms of energy to recollapse.
If it decays away to become negative, however, it could lead to another of the possibilities: a Big Crunch. The Universe could be filled with energy intrinsic to space that suddenly switched signs and caused space to recollapse. While the timescale for these changes is constrained to be far longer than the time since the Big Bang, it could still occur.
When astronomers first realized the Universe was accelerating, the conventional wisdom was that it would expand forever. However, until we better understand the nature of dark energy other scenarios for the fate of the Universe are possible. This diagram outlines these possible fates. (NASA/ESA AND A. RIESS (STSCI))
But the link between all the matter and energy in the Universe, on one hand, and the expansion of the fabric of space itself, on the other, cannot be denied. We live in a Universe that, on the largest scales, is isotropic, homogeneous, and governed by General Relativity. In a very general sense, that means there's a connection between how the Universe expands and what's present within it.
If all the matter in the Universe stops expanding away, reverses itself, and begins to recollapse towards us, then that necessitates that the fabric of space is going to recollapse, too. There truly is a cosmic race occurring: between the expansion of the Universe and the force of gravity. Right now, it looks like the expansion's going to win, but if dark energy is dynamical, that throws the outcome into doubt. If gravity does wind up winning, and the Big Crunch is our ultimate fate, someone, a long time from now, might live to see the entire shebang recollapse into a singular state. We can only imagine what that might lead to.
Send in your Ask Ethan questions to startswithabang at gmail dot com!
20% of gamblers attempt suicide — why don't we take the addiction more seriously?
Americans lost $116.9 billion gambling in 2016.


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Q: C# The "while" should break after someone put the correct answer in but it doesnt I'm really new in programing this is actually my first program but I'm stuck at this problem for a day now.
The while repeats the same method the whole time, it doesn't matter if letter1 == correct1 or not.
class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string try1;
            char correct1 = 'o';
            string try2;
            string correct2 = "r";
            string try3;
            string correct3 = "a";
            string try4;
            string correct4 = "n";
            string try5;
            string correct5 = "g";
            string try6;
            string correct6 = "e";

            int live = 9;
            int letter = 6;

            Console.WriteLine("Hanging man");
            try1 = Console.ReadLine();
            char letter1 = try1[0];

            while ( letter1 != correct1 ||
                    try1 != correct2 ||
                    try1 != correct3 ||
                    try1 != correct4 ||
                    try1 != correct5 ||
                    try1 != correct6)
            {
                live--;
                Console.WriteLine("Schade leider ist der buchstabe " +
                                      try1 + " nicht dabei du hast noch " +
                                      live + " Leben ");
                Console.WriteLine("Versuch es erneut");
                try1 = Console.ReadLine();
            }
            Console.WriteLine("Test");

A: Boolean algebra: !(a || b) is equal !a && !b .
Try this:
while ( letter1 != correct1 && try1 != correct2 && try1 != correct3 && try1 != correct4 && try1 != correct5 && try1 != correct6)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The case is New Prime Inc. v. Oliveira. Dominic Oliveira was a truck driver for Prime under a contract calling him an independent contractor and containing an arbitration clause. Oliveira filed a class action alleging underpayment of wages. Prime moved to dismiss and send the case to arbitration, on two grounds: (1) the arbitration clause gave the arbitrator the authority to decide arbitrability issues — so Prime argued the case should go straight to arbitration for the arbitrator to decide first the arbitrability issue and then, presumably, the merits; and (2) because Oliveira was an independent contractor, he was not covered by the FAA Section 1 exclusion of "contracts of employment of seamen, railroad employees, or any other class of workers engaged in foreign or interstate commerce." Because, Prime argued, Oliveira wasn't excluded by Section 1, he was covered by the FAA, and his dispute should be subject to the same nearly irrebuttable presumption of arbitrability applied to all other contracts covered by the FAA.
The Supreme Court ruled 8-0 (Kavanaugh did not participate) for Oliveira on both counts. On the arbitrability issue, the Court characterized the "arbitrator decides arbitrability" clause as merely a specialized form of an arbitration clause. Like any other arbitration clause, the Court reasoned, this type of arbitration clause is not enforceable under the FAA if it's excluded by Section 1. And courts — not arbitrators — decide "substantive" arbitrability questions such as the scope of the Section 1 exclusion.


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Here at Time Out! Computers, we pride ourselves on being able to work closely with the Third Party Provider and/ or their support department of the Software. This leaves you free to do what you do best.
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We are also very comfortable with In-house/On-premise Servers.
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After a final farewell to Kelsey, Liz and Neil continue their dish as the crew travels to Des Moines, Iowa. Chris takes one of the ladies on a personal tour of his home in Arlington and on a photographic tour of the state's capital. Meanwhile, the remaining prospects take an unscheduled road trip to Chris's hometown. During the group date at a local hockey rink, the true intentions of one of the girls is called into question before an early favorite gets the first Hometown Date rose.


I had my first experience with Barton's Speech Therapist yesterday for my son. He is having a hard time with solid foods and Dr. Ehmann recommended that he see a speech therapist. Susanne Bull was great! She gave me a call the minute she received a referral... She recommended that we meet at our house (what a great service!) so that we could have all the foods and a familiar environment in which to work. She was on time, personable, professional, fun and friendly. After she left, we continued to try some of her ideas, and were able to get my son to swallow his first bit of food last night. What a great victory!
Speech and Language Therapy provides services to prevent, identify, diagnose, and treat patients in the areas of expressive and receptive language skills, swallowing, and cognitive functioning. This is part of a continuum of service, which also includes coordinating care with other health care services as well as educating patients and family members for the highest level of rehabilitation.
For more information any offerings by Barton Rehabilitation Services, please call us at 530.543.5896 or click the links on the left for a more detailed description of services provided. A majority of the services provided require a Physician's referral. Click here to see a full list of our physicians on staff.


Buying a used car is a great way to save money, but it can be a difficult task if you don't know exactly what you are looking for. If you don't know much about cars, you might end up overpaying for a car that is nothing but a piece of junk. But if you go into the process with at least a basic knowledge of what you should be looking for, you will have a much better experience and come out of it with a better deal and a better car. Here are seven tips for buying a used car.
Looking for a good car can be an overwhelming process at best, but if you go into without knowing what you are looking for, you can come out of it a lot worse for wear. A car is a big investment, and the last thing you want is to end up spending a large amount of money on the wrong car.
There are two main ways to buy a used car. You can either go to a used car dealer, or you can buy one from an individual seller. If you choose the latter, the chances are that you will probably have found it online. This means that you know very little about the person who is selling the car, so you will want to be extra thorough with your checks and the questions that you ask. Used car dealers often get a bad rap, but you can often get a good deal by using one, and the benefit of using a dealership is that you can often get a warranty or option to return the car if it doesn't work out.
You should never buy a car that you have never driven. Make sure that you give the car a test drive before you buy it. Even better than this, use the test drive to take it to a mechanic and have the car checked out. Have the mechanic do a check under the hood and a general sweep of the car to make sure that there are no serious problems that could cost you later.
Once you are looking at a car, you will want to research that particular make and model. Check the car's blue book value, and see how much a car with that many miles should be worth. If the seller is charging a much higher price, you may want to look elsewhere. However, they may be open to negotiation.
Before you can research the car, you will want to know its mileage, so that you can compare it to other cars of the same age. Extremely high or low mileage might be indicative of something else, so be sure to ask why this is the case if you notice strange mileage.
A car might have good mileage, but had a really rough go of it. Ask about the car's history in terms of how many accidents and repairs have been done on the car. This will help you to know if there are any recurring problems that might show up again in the future.
When it comes to buying used cars, the initial asking price is rarely the final one. Based on what you have discovered through research, you should be well placed to offer a lower price than the one that is offered. Do not get too carried away however, as not everybody is trying to rip you off!


Powerful and life-affirming, this watershed volume brings together the voices of pioneers in the field of contemplative care—from hospice and hospitals to colleges, prisons, and the military. Illustrating the day-to-day words and actions of pastoral workers, each first-person essay in this collection offers a distillation of the wisdom gained over years of compassionate experience. The stories told here are sure to inspire—whether you are a professional caregiver or simply feel inclined toward guiding, healing, and comforting roles. If you are inspired to read this book, or even one touching story in it, you just might find yourself inspired to change a life.


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Employers Join Now
Movement to Work
Movement to Work is a voluntary collaboration of UK employers committed to tackling youth unemployment through provision of high quality vocational training and work experience opportunities for young people.
Our Employers
Kickstart Scheme
How the Spending Review will impact young people
On 25th November, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the Government's spending plans for the next year, in the 2020 Spending Review. This review, that usually covers 3-4 years, has been adapted to only cover one year, in response to the ever-changing situation of Covid-19 and resulting financial measures required.
The headlines for youth employment are:
£2.9 billion 'Restart' scheme for the long term unemployed to get regular, intensive jobs support tailored to their circumstances (specifics to be announced);
An extra £1.4bn of new funding to increase JobCentre Plus capacity to allow more people searching for work to get support;
For apprenticeships: incentives (money for hiring apprentices) extended until March 2021; 'front-loaded training' allowed for construction and health and social care from April 2021; and changes to the apprenticeship levy system;
Additional funding for Traineeships;
£291 million to pay for more young people to go into further education;
Increase in National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, with the latter being extended to those aged 23 and over;
Announcement of the Youth Investment Fund (more information to follow).
To read the 2020 Spending Review in full, click HERE.
Careermag for Lifelong Learning – A new online magazine for career changers and jobseekers
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© Movement to Work 2019
Movement to Work is a registered charity: #1160325
Young people click here!

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Local Representatives Respond To Deck Stacking At Commission Meeting
Administrator | Posted on September 19, 2019 |
Earlier today (09/18/2019), Politico reporting revealed that State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs has been caught red-handed stacking the deck against fusion voting on the Public Finance Reform Commission on which he serves.
Jason J. McGuire, Chairman of the Livingston County Conservative Party, issued this statement regarding the revelation, "Politicians sometimes wonder why people think the government is stacked against the citizens it's supposed to represent. This is exactly why. It's a shameful abuse of power by the State Democratic Chair whom Governor Andrew Cuomo picked to serve on this commission. It's also why on other commissions the legislative language specifically prohibits party leaders from serving on such commissions, but not this one. This one was loaded out of the gate."
McGuire isn't the only local calling into question the tactics being employed in this situation either. Assemblywoman Marjorie Byrnes (R-C, Caledonia) offered this reaction, "We've seen a huge influx of new commissions throughout New York stacked with Cuomo allies and yes-men. After losing the Working Families Party line in his last gubernatorial campaign, Cuomo twisted arms and got his way back onto their line—but now he's out for blood. This personal grudge against third parties is dangerous, violates the rights of minor parties and would restrict them from being part of the democratic process."
"Fusion voting has been used in New York for over a century and I support it. It provides our diverse population with clear choices in electing representatives. To do away with the current system is to limit democracy," said Senator Patrick Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma).
Filed under: Blog, Press Releases
Conservatives To Conduct 2020 Candidate Interviews
McCaffrey: Community Will Suffer Consequences As A Result Of 'Reform'
Jacobs Opposes Legislation Mandating Middle Schoolers Get STD Vaccine
Livingston County Conservative PartyFollow
Welcome to the Livingston County Conservative Party's Twitter feed. Here, principles matter.
Livingston County Conservative Party@LivingstonCtyCP·
"An accused, six-time bank robber who's become the face of all that's wrong with New York's new bail-reform law is now finally in jail — thanks to federal prosecutors, who have seized control of his case and done what no state judge was free to do." https://nypost.com/2020/01/17/bail-reform-bank-robber-surrenders-inside-nyc-courthouse/?utm_source=First+Read+Newsletters&utm_campaign=84b1df0c32-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_18_12_40&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_252d27c7d1-84b1df0c32-34710944&mc_cid=84b1df0c32&mc_eid=730d233194
Former Rep. Collins gets 26-month prison sentence https://www.reuters.com/video/watch/idPdRn?now=true
.@SenatorGallivan launches re-election bid for State Senate seat https://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn01/gallivan-launches-re-election-bid-for-state-senate-seat-20200117
© 2018 Livingston County Conservative Party. All Rights Reserved. | P.O. Box 213, Lima, NY 14485 | 585.734.2199


text:
Why Gnome and KDE are misguided Back in 1987, John M. Carroll and Mary Beth Rosson published "Paradox of the active user". The Apple Lisa had just been introduced, and researchers were interested in observing how normal people used computers. Carroll and Rosson studied users and observed that 1) people don't read manuals and 2) once they figure out how to achieve an effect, they will not change their protocol even if doing things a different way would save the time and effort. This behavior is paradoxical because automating repetitive tasks, and using pre-built shortcuts would save users time overall.
This paradox is killing computer productivity now. In the pre-network days, the value of a PC rose when you bought a printer for it. Before, all you could really do was play games, but now you could type letters, create spreadsheets, and basically use the computer to do useful tasks because you could share the results. This has all changed in the network world, the value of the PC is now determined by the speed of the Internet connection it has. I care about checking my email, not printing things out.
Unfortunately, all the basic PC software comes from the pre-network age, where the computer was a machine that converted bits (digital data) into atoms (paper) through a printer. Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and much of Access are all built around the idea that bits are most useful when converted to atoms. Outlook, even though it was built for email, betrays its paper-centric heritage through it's obsession with formatting, inability to pipe plaintext in (or out), and general, monolithic architecture. In the PC world it was OK for a program to be aggressive in what it tries to do and conservative with what input it accepted. In the networked world, exactly the opposite holds true. But because of the active user paradox, most people have no idea how unproductive they are on their computers. They're like frogs in boiling water.
Who knows how to organize workflow and use a computer in the networked world? Unix users, of course, whose design philosophy, toolset, and culture grew out of the Internet itself, instead of having connectivity features bolted on. Small, stable programs passing plaintext between each other works well over a network, creating flexible, powerful, and simple systems. Unix has great text editors (better than desk top publishing packages), email clients (better than personal information management applications), search tools (grep vs. Windows search), and file management (standard Unix heirarchy vs. Windows Explorer). In short, email, list-servs, bulletin boards, and a simple (plaintext) file heirarchy searchable with grep are better tools in a networked environment than Microsoft's paper-era suite. Moreover, the Unix environment also gives users many tools to automate away repetitive tasks and capture productivity (and competitive advantage) over those who don't. Windows has yet to offer a decent text editor.
The great irony is that just as Microsoft is bolting on more and more network features onto it's paper-centric PC system, the Unix world, which has already figured out how to operate in a networked environment has forgotten its heritage and is struggling to recreate the tired old desktop suite on Linux. While Linux may need the equivelent of Word to grow in today's desktop market, it's ludicrous for them to forget all the tools needed to operate in a networked environment. Unix users have already done all the intellectual heavy lifting in this area, and should port that thinking to the GUI instead of creating shadows of paper-era applications.
Mark Hurst developed a system he called the "Good Easy" that basically took the Unix design philosophy and ported it to a Mac OS 9 GUI (he calls his idea behind this "bit literacy"). Basically the Good Easy consists of five key applications (email, browser, calender, text editor, and file manager) that swap plaintext between each other (using cut and paste). This Unix pipe-style feature is created by tying each application to a function key and using those to switch between them. When using the system, I literally do not notice what program I was in at any particular moment, I just use the system to get my work done (does any of this sound familiar to Unix folk?) Also, there is a universal spell checker, a text expander (that expands character combinations to longer text strings, e.g. turning "za" into "zimran ahmed", "dt" into today's date etc.), quick-key creator (to automate away repetitive tasks), and search (Sherlock in OS 9 is better than search in Windows Professional, and "find" in the BBEdit text editor is grep).
This system is tied together by a culture that understood how to use the programs as a whole, the technology is simple. Everything is kept in plaintext (email is piped through the text editor to strip out the line breaks and then saved), folder heirarchies are kept flat, and there is a careful naming convention. User created files are kept seperate from application executables, which reduces backing up to dragging a single folder from the desktop to a networked drive. This should all sound familiar to Unix folk, but I noticed it was difficult for Windows people to embrace. They did not understand why plaintext was important, could not shuffle text between applications well, and happily let email pile up in their client instead of moving it to their harddrives (where it could be searched). And forget about automating away repetitve tasks using the text expander and quick-key creator--way too difficult, no matter how much tedium it saves you.
Unix people have already figured out how to manage workflow in a networked, digital environment. Businesses that learn these lessons will have competitive advantage over others. The fact that it seems to be forgotten on Gnome and KDE is a crying shame. You don't have to operate at a command line level or be a programmer to enjoy the productivity benefits Unix offers. A pity this isn't reflected in the GUIs being built.
Link to this column
Configure the Good Easy on your Mac OS 9 (Mark did some great work here)
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This is my first year doing Golden Pints but from what I've been told it's really hard to actually sit down and do it. How hard can it possibly be?
Best Australian Draught Beer - Buckley's Alchemy Lemongrass Pale Ale. I'm pulling one from left field here. Richo and I sampled this beer at the College Lawn Hotel's Beerfest and on reflection I think it wins my Draught beer of the year for being that little bit different and standing out from the pack.
Best Australian Bottled or Canned Beer - Mountain Goat Cross Breed Gypsy and the Goat. Brewed in Melbourne in collaboration with Mikkeller, this Black Pepperberry IPA was delicious, if not hugely complex. It was one of the most drinkable examples of the style that I've ever managed to get my hands on.
Best Overseas Bottled or Canned Beer - BridgePort IPA. I've been thinking about this one for days and finally I think I've settled on BridgePort IPA. I've been drinking it around a few bars in Melbourne recently and it's just such a lovely IPA. It's got fantastic drinkability which for me is definitely an important thing to consider in this category. This was definitely one of the hardest categories to pick.
Best Overall Beer - BrewDog AB:04. I decided my overall winner would not be one of the previous Golden Pint winners from above. I picked Abstrakt 04 because it was simply the best stout I've ever had let alone just this year. It's not a beer you could drink everyday but the drinking experience was second to none.
Best Pumpclip or Label - The Mash Collective Amasia Rumweizen. This label from Stone & Wood's Mash Collective took home the my Golden Pint for the Best Label. I thought it was really cool and captured a bit of Byron Bay culture at the same time, whether it meant to or not.
Best Australian Brewery - Red Duck. This was one of the hardest categories for me to choose. They pumped out 30 brews this year with plans for even more next year. The quality has really lifted in the past year and a bit and I'm looking forward to lots more new stuff next year!
Best Overseas Brewery - Nøgne Ø. Again there were just so many to pick from but I've stuck with the Norwegians because I don't think I've had a beer from them that I don't love! Honorable mentions are due to Sierra Nevada, BrewDog and Emerson's of New Zealand.
Pub/Bar of the Year - Beer Deluxe. I was tossing up between Deja Vu, Beer Deluxe and Josie Bones (although it's really more of a restaurant than a bar...). Beer Deluxe took the crown because I had a great night there a few weeks ago, but any of the three are great venues. Beer Deluxe may be a little pricey but you can never doubt the freshness of the beer which is always superb!
Beer Festival of the Year - GABS. This was a non-contest for me. The Great Australasian Beer Spectapular was brilliant in every sense of the word. I met heaps of great beer people and would have had at least half of the 60 beers available on tap!
Supermarket of the Year - Dan Murphy's. Although not really a supermarket Dan's is associated with Woolworth's and has a heap of locations. The micro beer range is really starting to pick up there's still just a few issues with the freshness and condition of the stock.
Independent Retailer of the Year - Purvis Beer. The place where my love of international craft beer really grew from. The range is enormous with new stuff in almost every week. The staff are always friendly and happy to chat beer (and sometimes even open one to share). Friday night tastings are always a winner as well. If you're in Melbourne it's Beer Mecca!
Online Retailer of the Year - The International Beer Shop. These guys are based in Perth and have an awesome range of beers. Delivery only takes a week and is pretty cheap. Out of all the places I've got beer online from they are by far the best.
Best Beer Book or Magazine - Beer and Brewer. Well I may be somewhat biased as I did recently have an article published. I also really liked "The Oxford Companion to Beer" by Garrett Oliver from Brooklyn Brewery, it's a thoroughly useful resource.
Best Beer Blog or Website - The Crafty Pint! Hand's down Australia's best online craft beer website. It's regularly updated and the weekly newsletter (although not always on-time...) is a great way to get through the last few hours of work on a Friday.
Best Beer Twitterer - I'm not hugely into Twitter, it's something I'm looking into further for next year, however from the little I do follow I'm going to have to go with NateDawg27. He tells it how he sees it and is well worth following.
Food and Beer Pairing of the Year - I can't think of a specific time off the top of my head, although I know I had a number of IPA's this year with Pork Belly. That's probably my favourite food and beer pairing for the year as a concept, Josie Bones makes an amazing Pork Belly and has a great range of IPA's so that's a good place to start. They also do beer matching to your meal which is fun.
In 2013 I'd most like to... - Get into homebrewing a little more. I've been involved with the odd experimental brew but none of my own. It's something that needs to be explored by me at somepoint and next year seems like as good a time as any.
Well after mulling over some of these categories for days, I've come to the conclusion that this wasn't difficult... it was almost impossible! I've made some tough calls and I've got my Golden Pints up just in time for the end of the year. I hope everyone enjoys them as it was a really hard thing to do! Hopefully next year proves just as difficult with more excellent beers to try. I hope everyone has a safe New Years celebration and I look forward to sharing some more beer adventures in 2013!
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text:
Q: how to convert List> into hashmap? I have an ArrayList which stores both key & value in each row (e.g 1st row will have no,firstname,lastname,age and 2nd row will have 1,xxx,yyy,23 and 3rd row will have 2,aaa,bbb,24 and so on). First row have all the keys and the remaining rows will have the values.
I want to convert this into hashmap (e.g the keyshould be firstname and the values should be xxx,aaa).
Is there a way to do this??

A: Given that a List<List<String>> variable is extensible in both ways (e.g. you can make the list longer, but you can also make the list in the list longer), and given that a HashMap basically has fixed dimensions (one key goes to one value, not multiple), the only way to do this is by creating a new object containing the list data and have the key point to this object.

A: This returns a list of HashMaps, meaning that for each of your value rows, you get a key-value structure:
static List<HashMap<String, String>> listToMap(List<List<String>> lst){
  List<HashMap<String, String>> lmap = new ArrayList<>();
  List<String> keys = lst.get(0);
  for(int row=1;row<lst.size();row++){
    List<String> currentRow = lst.get(row);
    HashMap<String, String> kvRow = new HashMap<String, String>();
    for(int i=0;i<keys.size();i++){
      kvRow.put(keys.get(i), currentRow.get(i));
    }
    lmap.add(kvRow);
  }
  return lmap;
}

If you run this with your sample data...
public static void main(String[] args) {
  List<List<String>> lst = new ArrayList<>(3);
  lst.add(Arrays.asList("no","firstname","lastname","age"));
  lst.add(Arrays.asList("1","xxx","yyy","23"));
  lst.add(Arrays.asList("2","aaa","bbb","24"));
  System.out.println(listToMap(lst));
}

it prints
[{no=1, age=23, lastname=yyy, firstname=xxx}, {no=2, age=24, lastname=bbb, firstname=aaa}]

Is this the way you want it? This code assumes that all your value rows have at least as many values as the "keys"-row.

A: Let's assume you have the following list defined somewhere in scope:
List<List<String>> keyValueList;

First, poll the list to get the headers out.
List<String> headers = keyValueList.get(0);

Then, you can use a ListIterator to iterate over all of the values.
Map<String, String> myMap = new HashMap<String, String>(headers.size());
ListIterator<List<String>> valueLists = keyValueList.listIterator(1);

while(valueLists.hasNext()){
    Iterator<String> values = valueLists.next().iterator();
    Iterator<String> keys = headers.iterator();
    myMap.put(keys.next(), values.next());
}

And then you're done.

A: Because you're using ArrayLists, which are ordered, you may want to use an ordered map like LinkedHashMap which would preserve the order that you insert them.
List<List<String>> inputList;
LinkedHashMap<String, List<String>> map = new LinkedHashMap<String, List<String>>();
int nEntries = inputList.get(0).size();

String thisKey;
List<String> thisList;

for(int index = 0; i < nEntries; i++){ //iterate over all column indexes

    for(List<String> thisRow:inputList){
        //if this is the first row, this is our key.
        if(inputList.indexOf(thisRow) == 0){
            thisKey = thisRow.get(index);
            thisList.clear();
        }
        else{
            thisList.add(thisRow.get(index);
        }
    }
    map.put(thisKey,thisList);

}


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This Week's 5: Upon Further Review, Covington Catholic is Still Trash
When it comes to extremist violence in the US, a lot of people are quick to make the "both sides" argument. Presumably, I would guess it feels better not to have to single out a "bad guy" in a story, especially if you're white and surrounded by other white people. The problem with that instinct is that people keep statistics. For example, 78% of the extremist murders committed in the US in 2018 we're connected to white supremacists, including one where a white supremacist converted to Islam and then killed his former comrades/roommates. Furthermore, all 50 of those murders, which were the most since 1995, were connected to right wing extremism. None of this should be shocking. White supremacist terrorism is easily the oldest and deadliest strain of domestic terrorism in the US by an order of magnitude. As long as we ignore it or divert the conversation towards the false pretense of this being the responsibility of "both sides," the problem will only continue to metastasize. Read more from the Root.
In the ever growing collection of the Trump Administration's impeachable offenses, it's almost amazing that his vindictive treatment of Puerto Rico isn't at the forefront of more people's minds. A recent University of Michigan study found that within nine days of similar massive hurricanes making landfall in Texas and Florida, those states received $100 million in FEMA support compared to $6 million for Puerto Rico. Similarly, the island topped out at 19,000 federal employees while Texas received support from 31,000. While some have tried to make the asinine argument that Puerto Rico didn't need the federal aid, the fact remains that nearly 3,000 people died, largely because of the Trump Administration's indifference, which quickly morphed into vindictive negligence when Puerto Rican people dared to challenge the President to actually help them. Read more from CBS News.
Despite what hysterical conservative pundits and some old, confused Democrats might say, congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is winning politics right now. She continued her streak of effectively highlighting issues her colleagues struggle with by taking aim at implicit bias in artificial intelligence during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech. How does this work, you ask? Programming experts note that computers learn much like children in the sense that they take their cues from the people who program them. Since these programmers are predominantly white and AI relies on language already present on the internet, AI is consequently exposed to a disproportionate amount of racial bias. For example, since so many English language discussions about Black people on the internet are disproportionately negative, AI often associates Black people with being undesirable. This can take the form of AI programs recommending longer prison sentences for Black people and rejecting Black sounding names on job applications, among various other things. Read more from Vox.
The whitewashing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a master class in perpetuating collective delusion. It would be one thing if all Dr. King's speeches and writings, the numerous book and articles on him, and the countless hours of archival footage were permanently destroyed, but we have this evidence. We know Vice President Mike Pence's recent statement claiming Dr. King would support a border wall is disingenuous because there is footage of Dr. King standing next to the Berlin Wall, condemning it both specifically and in principle. Likewise, there are quotes upon quotes from Dr. King calling out moderate whites, advocating for "radical" anti-poverty measures, and making plain, not just the existential threat of white supremacy, but it's direct connection with capitalism and militarism. For every deceitful pundit and politician that tries to weaponize a sanitized version of Dr. King to smear present day Black protesters, there's a King quote that makes it clear he would always side with the protesters, and even rioters, over the forces upholding white supremacy. Read more from the Root.
The past several days have been many things, but a banner week for holding white supremacists accountable was not one of them. On Saturday, a group of boys from Covington Catholic High School, including many donning MAGA hats, traveled to D.C. to rally against women's reproductive rights. During that rally, they got caught on video mocking an indigenous elder who also happened to be a Vietnam War veteran. This included doing the "tomahawk chop" and chanting "build the wall." Many progressive-minded people were outraged until they found out that prior to the video, the students had been yelled at by a group of Black Hebrew Israelites, a group mostly known for yelling terrible things on the street and making goofy Public Access TV shows. Nonetheless, many people rushed to apologize to the young white supremacists and they have since been invited to the White House. Privilege doesn't get more transparent. It doesn't matter that further video showed the boys harassing a young woman or that the school was barely removed from a major blackface incident. In the minds of far too many white people, anything short of a lynching caught on video, complete with hooded Klan members, is worth defending. As long as the perpetrators are white, there's always a valid excuse. Meanwhile, the same media outlets now bending over backwards to appease Covington are the same outlets that had no problem smearing murdered Black children like Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, and Rekia Boyd. Read more from Deadspin.
#thisweeks5 #overtracism #institutionalracism #criticalracetheory #history #fragilitybreaker #racism #lakeoswego
This Week's 5: B.I.R.S.
This Week's 5: Seriously Though, Why Does Tucker Carlson Still Have a Job?


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Sage Audio Wise . Sound . Masters
Stem Mastering
Mastering for Hip-Hop Music
Published in Mastering on
Quick Answer
Mastering for Hip-Hop music includes accentuating both the low-end frequencies and high-end frequencies of a track, without resulting in distortion. Considering that these frequencies can be very loud, and the overall volume of the master is expected to be loud, accomplishing this can be a challenge.
Mastering for Hip-Hop Music in Detail
Hip-hop is a unique genre. Not only does it span multiple sub-genres, making it complex and diverse, but it also incorporates unique elements rarely found in other types of music.
Hip-Hop is a unique genre meaning that mastering Hip-Hop is a unique process.
These elements, be it an emphasis on spoken word which has developed into rapping, or an accentuated high and low-end frequency range, make mastering the genre a specialized process.
Hip-Hop often has an accentuated low-frequency and high-frequency range.
In other words, mastering for hip-hop is unlike mastering for any other genre. Knowing how to master hip-hop includes knowing the genre well, including what listeners expect and how to deliver that.
Unlike other genres, you may find yourself pushing the limitations of speaker systems when mastering rap, while trying to find the borderline between an aggressive and desired sound and unwanted distortion.
A Hip-Hop master can often push the limitations of a speaker system.
With that in mind, we'll be looking at the expected frequency spectrum of a rap master, how to push the boundaries of your master without causing distortion, how to retain transients when mastering rap, and what may happen if you accentuate your low or high-end too much.
While doing this, we'll also be delving into the unique elements of hip-hop music, and how they tie in to or necessitate, the unique processing needed when mastering hip-hop music.
Given the possibility to greatly and negatively affect a hip-hop master, due to its aggressive nature, knowing how to properly master the genre is crucial. Hopefully, some of the information provided can help you make informed decisions when mastering for hip-hop.
If you'd like to hear your rap or hip-hop track mastered using analog equipment, and with your track's unique sonic qualities in mind, send it to us here:
Get a Free Mastered Sample of Your Mix
We'll master it for you, and send you a free mastered sample for you to review.
How Does Hip-Hop Differ from Other Genres?
Whereas other genres adhere to a frequency spectrum closely modeled to that of the Fletcher-Munson curve, or how our ears naturally hear music, rap or hip-hop music tends to exaggerate and accentuate the low and high range frequencies. This is mainly due to the instrumentation used.
The Fletcher-Munson curve shows how music is perceived in a non-linear manner. The curve influences how music is mixed and mastered.
In most genres, be it rock, r&b, or pop (before it began to become heavily influenced by hip-hop) the low-end frequency range typically consisted of a bass guitar and a kick drum. To balance the low-end of these genres, you'd have to blend these two instruments to a modest degree.
In most genres, to balance the low-end an engineer would need to balance the kick and bass.
But in hip-hop, the 808 has completely changed how we interpret the low-frequency range of music. By introducing a relatively smooth, but loud low-end sine wave, mixed with the transient of a kick drum, the 808 is one of the most identifying factors of hip-hop music.
The 808 consists of a transient and a loud sine wave.
Although it's a great and iconic sound, it doe present mastering engineers with a challenge.
The TR-808 drum composer helped to popularize the 808
If you'd like to learn more about the Fletcher-Munson curve, and how it relates to our perception of music, check out our blog post that delves into the topic:
What is Noise Shaping?
In addition to noise-shaping, it discusses how we perceive music based on the relative loudness of that music.
How Do You Make a Hip-Hop Master Loud, Without Making the 808 Too Loud?
Without a doubt, the 808 will be one of the loudest dynamics in a hip-hop track – so how do you keep it intact while still achieving a loud and present master? In short, you'll need to carefully introduce compression; too much and you'll lose the 808's impact, too little and won't control the dynamic.
The 808 is often the loudest dynamic in a hip-hop or rap master.
The best way to introduce careful compression when mastering is by using a modest ratio, lowering the threshold and setting it as accurately as possible, and then using a longer attack with a shorter release.
Mindfully lower your threshold and set your ratio to compress as accurately as possible.
By using these settings, you'll only compress when needed, avoid attenuating the actual transient, and you'll retain the impact of your 808. Keep in mind that frequency-specific, or multi-band compression, will be the best compression type to use.
Use multiband compression why trying to compress specific frequencies.
This way, you don't affect your entire signal – only the low-frequency range. Once the low-end is adequately controlled using compression, further processing, and eventual limiting can be used.
If you introduce limiting before or without controlling your 808, it's very possible you'll create clipping distortion, or need to truncate the low-end using brick wall limiting. Either way, your master will suffer for it, and you'll end up with either a distorted or squashed sound.
If you introduce limiting before compressing and controlling dynamics, you'll end up truncating your transients.
If you'd like to learn more about how to make an 808 sound full, and how to achieve a hip-hop sound, check out our blog post on the topic:
Create an Epic Bass with Subharmonics
It shows how harmonics can affect the low-end of your mix or master.
Additionally, you can check out this blog post specifically about 808s:
Make Your Kick or 808 Thick
It shows some tricks for making your 808 cut through a mix.
How do Vocals in Hip-Hop Differ from Other Genres?
In most genres, the vocals are sung more often than they are spoken, but in hip-hop, rapping is the predominant vocal styling. As a result, it's paramount that the vocals can be clearly heard, and that they sit on top of the instrumental track.
Rap vocals are much more upfront than in any other genre.
The need for clear and upfront vocals has let to a phenomenon in hip-hop music in which the vocals are very compressed, processed, and equalized to have an extreme amount of detail and high-end frequencies.
But how does this affect the master?
If you listen closely to some rap tracks, you may notice something strange. You'll hear that a rap vocal will sound clear and upfront, until the 808 hits. When the 808 hits, you may notice that the vocal sounds distorted and becomes muddled by the 808.
Since the vocal is so upfront, and uncontrolled 808 may mask and distort the vocal.
In this instance, what is most likely happening is the 808, being a powerful instrument, is causing distortion and is masking the vocal. Because the vocal is typically so upfront and present, it's easy to notice when it suddenly but predictably gets "pulled under" by the rhythmic 808.
All this to say that distortion is even more present in the hip-hop genre, due to how the vocals are processed. Because they are so clear, upfront, present, and full of high-frequencies, whenever they are distorted and masked, you'll notice.
Distortion can become more noticeable in Hip-Hop due to the upfront vocal.
This gives a mastering engineer even more reasons for finding a way to control the low-frequency range and to avoid distortion whenever possible.
Although we won't be delving much deeper into how a rap vocal is processed, simply know that a rap vocal is often more susceptible to distortion, and should be treated as such when mastering a rap track.
So, just to recap – a hip-hop track is unique in that:
The low end and the high end are often amplified significantly
The vocal is incredibly forward, compressed, and crisp
A rap or hip-hop master is more susceptible to distortion
How Distortion Can Occur Twice with a Hip-Hop Master
Distortion can be a great thing when mastering. It can add complexity to a master, and fill in the gaps of the frequency spectrum, resulting in a rich sound.
The same is true for any Hip-Hop master; however, unwanted distortion is more likely to occur during a hip-hop mastering session due to the amplified low and high end, as well as the louder overall level.
With that said, during the limiting process, excessive truncation can lead to but harmonic generation and clipping distortion. The harmonic generation may not be the most unpleasant, but the clipping distortion will most certainly create undesirable high order harmonic distortion.
Clipping distortion is noticeable and unpleasant to listen to.
Again, this distortion is more likely to occur, given the excessively amplified low and high-frequency ranges, meaning you need to take extra precaution before using any form of limiting.
So this is one-way distortion can occur, how about the second?
When most genres are mastered, they're done so in a way that allows them to be played on consumer-grade equipment without any issue. This means they can playback over a car stereo amplification system, or on a phone with some earbuds, or on any other entry-level audio equipment, and distortion won't occur.
Hip-Hop's frequency spectrum doesn't always make it friendly to consumer-grade speakers.
However, rap and hip-hop are often mastered without entry-level equipment in mind.
For example, think about the last time you heard rap or hip-hop playing loudly on someone's car stereo. How did it sound to you?
Did it sound smooth and hi-fi, or did it sound like the car speakers were trying to escape?
Entry-level speakers such as car speakers may distort, or worse, become damaged if Hip-Hop is played at louder levels.
Odds are it sounded distorted – the reason being, the speakers and the amplifier in the car were not designed to handle the excessively amplified high and low-frequency range.
The same can be said for other consumer-grade equipment – rap and hip-hop can often cause distortion to speaker systems, and possibly even damage the speakers. For this reason, you'll need to try to the best of your efforts, to deliver what listeners want to hear (a loud 808 and crisp high end) with a master that won't distort, or worse, damage a speaker system.
Although Hip-Hop sounds good over earbuds, you may be able to notice small distortions that occur when listening to Hip-Hop.
If you'd like to hear a hip-hop master that doesn't introduce unwanted distortion or overwhelm consumer-grade equipment, send us your mix here:
How to Create a Hip-Hop Master Without Unwanted Distortion
As we've covered, it's easy to create distortion when mastering a rap or hip-hop record. That's why it's helpful to have some techniques with which you can make a hip-hop master sound loud and upfront while avoiding distortion.
One of the best ways to maintain the expected loudness of the low-frequency range without causing unwanted distortion is by utilizing low order and subharmonic generation.
Just like with other forms of distortion, harmonic generation causes the frequency spectrum to become full and complex. This same type of processing can be applied to the low-end of your master, by using these same harmonics, but based on the lowest fundamental.
The RBass plugin creates low-order harmonics directly above the lowest fundamental.
Some of the plugins you can use to generate low order harmonics and sub-harmonics are the Waves R-Bass plugin and the Waves loAir Sub-harmonic generator. Using these plugins subtly means you can thicken your low-frequency range, make it more perceivable on consumer-grade listening systems, and you can attenuate the volume of the loudest fundamental to avoid distortion, without loosing the 808's presence.
The LoAir plugin creates a subharmonic right below the fundamental.
Remember to use these effects sparingly, as they can easily become overbearing and degrade the sonic quality of your master.
You can learn more about this type of processing here:
It shows how low-order harmonics and subharmonics serve to create a full low-frequency spectrum.
Equalizing Without Distortion
Another aspect of mastering a hip-hop track without distortion can occur during equalization. Typically, when equalizing a hip-hop master, you'd slightly accentuate the high frequencies and the low frequencies.
Well, as we just discussed, doing so can exacerbate any distortion that occurs during the limiting stage. The alternative to equalizing and amplifying the low end can be read about directly above this section – but what about the high end?
How do you accentuate the high frequencies without running the risk of causing distortion during limiting?
The simplest way to amplify the high frequencies, without risking distortion during limiting, is to amplify the side image instead of the stereo or mid-channel. This way you can amplify these frequencies where they are weakest and in the greatest need of being amplifying.
Amplifying the side image increases the master's stereo width.
Often times, the high-frequency spectrum of the side image contains the high end of the reverb and other processing. As you can imagine, this softer or quieter processing can be lost or masked by the louder high frequencies.
Be careful amplifying the mid-channel high frequencies, as they may already be present enough in your master.
These louder high frequencies are often located in the center of the image, in the form of sibilance or as the mono aspect of a high hat or snare. Due to their loud nature, turning them up even higher may result in eventual distortion during the heavy limiting often associated with hip-hop mastering.
The curve shown above is a good starting point when equalizing the side image.
So again, it's best to amplify the side frequencies using a mid-side equalizer. A good start is by amplifying 7kHz and up using a shelf filter. Start with .5dB of amplification, and then move from there using your discretion and considering what is best for that particular song.
As we said, hip-hop is a unique genre; it doesn't fit into any mold set by other genres. In that regard, it stands alone, and how processing is implemented during its mastering stands alone.
Hip-Hop needs to be mastering in a unique way, due the to genre's unique sound.
If you want to master for a hip-hop artist, or if you're a hip-hop artist mastering your music, you'll need to understand the genre well. You'll need to find a way to allow the frequency range to be uniquely amplified without causing distortion during limiting.
In other words, you'll need to control your dynamics, so that when limiting does occur, you aren't truncating your 808, high-hat, or snare. This is truly difficult if you want to retain your transients but simultaneously, want to create a loud master.
By combining various techniques, such as intentional and well-thought-out compression, low order and subharmonic generation, and mid-side equalization with an emphasis on amplifying the side image, you can get closer toward creating a great sounding master.
Various mastering techniques create the sound that Hip-Hop fans love.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember about hip-hop when mastering is how easy it is to distort the master. Between the 808, the snare, the high hats, and the upfront and heavily processed vocal, it's easy to truncate dynamics or push an already distorted instrument into the red.
When the signal is already aggressive, be it from distortion or amplification, it's important to try to tame what you can before further amplification.
If you'd like to hear your music mastered with these mastering principles in mind, send it to us here:
We will master it for you, and send you a free mastered sample of it. This way, you can test our services prior to committing to a particular studio or engineer.
Have you ever mastered hip-hop music?
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Grand Avenue Capital was engaged by the Sanpower Group of Nanjing (Jiangsu Province) to assist its publicly traded electronics retailer subsidiary in acquiring an electronics retailer in the United States. Grand Avenue assembled a number of service providers (legal, accounting, marketing consulting, real estate disposition firms, and human resources consultants) and prospective financial partners as the team necessary to affect an acquisition. Fifteen prospective prospects were vetted with numerous facility visits made introducing Sanpower to the US retail electronics market. Sanpower ultimately acquired Brookstone in a 363 transaction. Grand Avenue provided valuation and other financial advisory services to the senior executives of Sanpower.


Why Buy Nancy by Wolford?
Wolford hosiery will give you fine finishes to your ensembles, in a wide selection that will keep you looking flawless and feeling comfortable all year long.
The Wolford Nancy Net Pattern Tights 19223 have a sheer look with a rose design down sides. Wolford's Nancy Net Pattern Tights is made of nylon/elastane.
The Wolford quality that I expect. And thank you for offering this in a colour other than black!
Wolford hosiery is a fine European brand that began in the post-World War II era. Pure silk stockings were in great demand after the war, and Wolford supplied this luxury commodity beautifully. HerRoom proudly brings you this elegant hosiery brand in a wide range of styles, mostly now of silky nylon/spandex. Deniers range from a very sheer 8, to opaque leggings in 66 denier. Wolford hosiery will give you fine finishes to your ensembles, in a wide selection that will keep you looking flawless and feeling comfortable all year long.


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'Nailed It!' Breaks Into Emmys With Nom For Outstanding Competition Program As 'Project Runway' Streak Ends
Laura Bell Bundy Joins 'Good Behavior'; 'Zoo' Casts Delon de Metz
Haven/AKA Talent
Anger Management alumna Laura Bell Bundy is set for a recurring role on the upcoming second season of TNT drama series Good Behavior, from writer-showrunner Chad Hodge and Tomorrow Studios. Based on a series of books by Blake Crouch, Good Behavior tells the story of Letty Raines (Michelle Dockery), a thief and con artist whose life is always one wrong turn or one bad decision from implosion. Bundy will play Carin, an upscale suburban mother who's heavily involved in her daughter's school. When she meets her new neighbors, Letty and Javier (Juan Diego Botto), she's quickly drawn into their web, and it's not long before Letty exploits Carin's deep-seated desire to rebel. Bundy played the series regular role of Dr. Jordan Denby on Anger Management and recurred on Scream Queens and Hart of Dixie. She's repped by WME and Haven Entertainment.
Delon de Metz has booked a key recurring role opposite James Wolk in the upcoming third season of CBS summer drama series Zoo. Based on the bestseller by James Patterson, Zoo chronicles a wave of violent animal attacks against humans across the planet. He'll play Sam, Clem's boyfriend. A nice guy on the outside, but not a pushover. De Metz has had guest roles on series including Castle, Murder in the First and Girl Meets World. He's repped by AKA Talent Agency, Robert Stein Management and attorney Stewart Brookman.
Good Behavior


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Two thirds of kids will catch head lice before finishing primary school, study finds
5/7/2001'FOR CAPITAL CITY'FEATURE ON NITS AND HOW TO AVOID GETTING THEM.
Two thirds of children can expect to catch head lice at least once during childhood, new research by the Institute of Mums has revealed.
Over 1.6 million head lice infestations occur every year in the UK among children aged 4 to 11 years, with a peak at the age of 7-8 years.
Treatment is big business. According to the Institute of Mums, who conducted the survey on behalf of Clear Hair International, the head lice treatment market is worth in excess of £40 million in the UK.
Of the 650 parents of primary school-aged children surveyed by the Institute of Mums, 69% had experienced head lice in their children, with an average of 2.2 infestations per child.
"Parents tend to blame other parents when their child comes home from school with their second or third case of head lice in as many months," said Isma Javid, who runs a chain of Head Lice treatment clinics in the South East.
"But when you leave one single egg in the hair – and they are tiny – they just come back. It's not always caught from other kids."
While there are no reliable studies on the effectiveness of various treatment methods, the survey did uncover some unusual practices.
One in seven parents had resorted to home remedies such as lemon juice and mayonnaise to eradicate head lice, with some even attempting to burn the lice with hair straighteners and other heated hair products.
Conditioner and wet-combing was another popular treatment method, as was covering the child's hair with hairspray.
Others turned to essential oils, such as lavender and tea-tree oil. Despite no scientific evidence to support claims of its use as an anti-parasitic agent, 61% of parents surveyed believed tea tree oil to be as effective at eliminating and preventing head lice as chemical-based products.
"There is a great deal of confusion about the best way to deal with head lice," said Jessie Wilson, founder of the Institute of Mums. "Add to that the stigma attached to catching head lice, and the fact that parents don't want to talk about it with fellow parents, and it's easy to see why they are so prevalent."
Only half (53%) of parents admitted to alerting other parents about an outbreak of lice in their family, with many feeling it is the responsibility of the schools to spread the word and encourage greater vigilance.
"Parents are very quick to warn others when their child contracts Chicken Pox," said Ms Wilson. "Unfortunately, when it comes to head lice, most are too embarrassed to tell others, and prefer to leave it up to the schools to alert parents to outbreaks."
BRING BACK THE NIT NURSE, PARENTS DEMAND
Only 16% of parents surveyed by the Institute felt that schools are doing enough to address the problem, with many calling for the government to reintroduce the so-called 'nit-nurse' into schools.
Nit nurses were phased out in the 1980s and 1990s, as their efforts were seen as embarrassing and humiliating for children, shifting the responsibility for identifying and treating head lice back to parents.
But many parents now say that this has led to an increase in the number of head lice outbreaks, and are urging the schools to take a greater role in head lice prevention and elimination.
Ms Javid agrees. "Although I can't see nit nurses making a comeback, I do think schools could do more to educate both parents and children," she said.
"Schools could teach children about head lice in lessons, for example, so that when they go home, they ask their parents to check their hair."
"They could even set 'nit-checking' as part of their weekly homework."
HEADLINE FINDINGS:
• The head lice treatment market in the UK is worth more than £40 million
• There are over 1.6 million head lice infestations every year in the UK, peaking at age 7-8 years.
• Two thirds of children will catch head lice during childhood.
• One in five parents has had to take time off work or miss a social event due to an outbreak of head lice in their family
• 25% of parents surveyed didn't know that it's possible to have head lice without feeling itchy
• One third of parents surveyed (32%) failed to identify a head louse when presented with images of 6 common bugs. 24% mistook a flea for a head louse. The remaining 8% were split between woodlouse, bed bug, silverfish and mosquito.
• Even talking about head lice makes people itchy – 69% of all survey respondents said they felt itchy while taking the survey!


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Q: Prevent mutableSet order change in Kotlin I am using a Mutable set of Strings to store some data whose order I dont want to change, by using preferenceEditObject.putStringSet() method. Although I add and remove data from the set, but the order should remain the same.
private fun getStrings(): MutableSet<String>? {
        return preferenceObject.getStringSet("initList", mutableSetOf())
    }

    private fun setStrings(list: MutableSet<String>?) {
        preferenceEditObject.putStringSet("initList",list).apply()
    }

But when I use the getStrings() method, the order of elements gets changed. What should I do?

A: When writing, store the index together with the value, and when reading, sort by this index
private fun getStrings(): Set<String> {
    return preferenceObject.getStringSet("initList", setOf())!!
        .map { it.split(":", limit = 2).let { (index, value) -> index.toInt() to value } }
        .sortedBy { it.first }
        .mapTo(mutableSetOf()) { it.second }
}

private fun setStrings(list: Set<String>) {
    preferenceEditObject.putStringSet("initList", list.mapIndexedTo(mutableSetOf()) { index, s -> "$index:$s" }).apply()
}


Written by Sebastian Menski on Mon, 21 Jul 2014 , under Execution category.
With the last camunda BPM 7.2.0-alpha3 release we heavily extended the scripting support of the camunda BPM platform. We started to improve scripting support with the 7.2.0-alpha1 release and now we think we are done. It is now your turn to start using the different scripting languages and help us to polish this feature for our final release. To get an detailed overview of the scripting support please visit our user guide.
Where can I use scripts?
The implementation of the scripting support in camunda BPM is designed to be independent from BPMN which will allow us to also support scripting in our new CMMN implementation right from the beginning.
Why should I use scripts?
First of all scripting is fun. But besides that there are also more convincing reasons to use scripting in camunda BPM.
With the extended scripting support it is easy to prototype complete processes including the business logic. Also the sharing of such prototypes is simple, because the whole code can be embedded inside the process. So only one file has to be exchanged and discussed. In combination with the BPMN model API it allows you to create mock processes with business logic directly inside your code.
Another advantage is that now also non-Java programmers can use camunda BPM to execute their processes without writing Java code. Or if you already have an non-Java code base you can now use it inside camunda BPM without porting it to Java.
We also allow you to reuse scripts by using the camunda:resource attribute. Which loads scripts from external resources. Either the scripts can be part of your deployment or reside in the classpath of your application. To get more information on this please see the corresponding section in the user guide.
To demonstrate the new feature I created a small example process without a single line of Java code. The following process simulates a dice game in a casino.
The first process element is a script task which should welcome the new player.
We use a input parameter mapping to randomly select our new player. Therefore a groovy script is evaluated and the result of the last script line is saved to the local variable player. Inside the script task than another groovy script just welcomes the newly select player with a kind message.
At the start of the exclusive gateway we roll the dice. To do so we use an execution listener for the start event of the gateway.
The execution listener is another script which saves the result as a process variable so it can be used to evaluate the following sequence flow conditions. The variable is set with the help of the execution variable which corresponds to the DelegateExecution interface.
The conditions of the sequence flow could be expression language but this is a blog post about scripting so lets use a script for that.
Both groovy scripts just evaluate the process variable set by the exclusive gateway.
The last action is to inform the system which user task should be executed. For that we add a task listener to both user tasks for the create event.
The task listeners are again groovy scripts which uses the task variable to print the task name and the event. The task variable corresponds to the DelegateTask interface.
So that's it. A whole process without a single line of Java code. To see the complete BPMN xml have a look at this gist. Or if you want directly start playing with it you can clone a test project here.
Now it's your turn. Have fun and start scripting. And if you have any remarks our if you miss a features please let us know.


Assist parents in understanding the process for establishing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan at their child's school.
Act as a liaison with schools to advocate for children having difficulty at school due to medical or behavioral concerns. If parents desire, case managers can establish an ongoing connection on behalf of their child at the school, attend meetings with parents at school, and provide support for the child and parents at school as appropriate.
Meet with families in person at the office or by telephone to offer connection to community services such as but not limited to: Relief Nursery, Parenting Now, Family Navigators, Direction Services, Well Mama, Community Health Nurses, and Drug and Alcohol Counselors.
Assist in triage and screening of children at Eugene Pediatric Associates and Thrive Behavioral for a variety of mental health concerns.
Help children and families find the best fit and most efficient access to care for mental health and behavioral health concerns, whether at Thrive Behavioral or elsewhere in the community.
Assist with screening of mothers for postpartum depression at every well check for their child's first year of life, giving them support in the office as needed, and maintaining phone contact with mothers struggling with PPD. When mothers are in need, case managers can connect them to mental health services, support groups, and other resources. With mother's consent, case managers can act as a liaison to the mother's OB, midwife, or PCP to help women find additional care.
Help the medical team when children are seen for concerns of abuse by coordinating with Department of Human Services (DHS), law enforcement, and local child abuse experts and agencies.
Interface with DHS in cases involving patients at Eugene Pediatric and Thrive Behavioral, providing children and families support as needed, maintaining contact with their DHS worker, treatment facilities and community partners involved in their case.
Provide support for children in the foster care system, as well as their foster families and biological families as needed.
Coordinate care with local and state children's hospitals for medically complex children, focusing on care coordination and prevention of avoidable health complications in order to help avoid emergency department use and hospitalization.


Snooty Fox, bar, listed under "Bars" category, is located at Huntsmans Road Glenrothes Fife, KY7 6RA, United Kingdom and can be reached by (01592) 742077 phone number. Snooty Fox has currently 0 reviews.
Browse all Bars in Glenrothes Fife.


Only seven days minimum rent (rent less than 7 days will also be charged for 7 days), prices are now up to 2014 and taxes, bed linen and towels are always included. For reservations we take 30% of the fees.
The apartment is located in a small resort name Moscenicka Draga closer than 200 meters from the beach and about 15 kilometers from the city of Opatija away.The beautiful beaches and the crystal clear waters of the Croatian Adriatic guarantee carefree swimming pleasure with many entertainment options.Moscenicka Draga offers many opportunities for interesting excursions in the area along the Opatija Riviera. Center of Opatija is just a few miles away and offers a variety of shops and boat trips to the National Park Brijuni.
The 75 m2 apartment has two bedrooms which are equipped with a double bed and there is also a sofa bed in the living room. There is also a well equipped kitchen, a bathroom with a shower and a terrace. In addition there is also a sat tv and internet access.
Romantic, quite, seafront apartment, sunbeds, barbecue, terrace all by the sea.


When looking for the best weight loss program, you will need to ensure that it has the best combinations as far as diet and workouts are concerned. The truth is that workout alone or diet alone will not fetch you the results that you desire, especially if you are looking for a quick weight loss plan. Your diet is of utmost importance because you want it to be made up of foods that burn fats, build muscle or even use energy so you will be burning the calories day and night. What enters your mouth matters and should be careful selected to enjoy the positive results. Below are some of the best fat burning foods you should consider including in your weight loss diet for quick results with your efforts.
Almonds – Almonds are other nuts are very good in reducing cravings and building muscle hence making them good for your weight loss diet. It is best that you consume the nuts with skins intact to get the most from them.
Eggs – Most people will keep off eggs when trying to lose weight, but they are actually very good in burning fats and building muscle. It is however better that you choose boiled eggs over fried ones and you should also eat in moderation.
Spinach – Spinach and other green vegetables are very good additions to your weight loss diet. This is because they are great free radical fighters and also work great in helping your muscles recover, especially after intense workouts so you build muscle in the end. With them in your diet, your body stands to be well-toned even after losing the weight.
Turkey – Turkey as well as other lean meats strengthen the immune system and build muscle too. The proteins have thermogenic effects and you will burn a good percentage of the calories they have during digestion. You will be burning fat as you digest the lean meats!
Hot peppers – They work because they contain capsaicin the compound that makes them hot. They heat the body up melting away calories and they are also great in spiking metabolism. The good thing about the chili peppers is that you can eat them raw, powdered, dried or cooked. You can add them to your meats, eggs and even soups among other foods in your diet.
Green tea – It may not seem as much, but it is actually very good, especially for those who want to lose weight in a few weeks. The tea has EGCG compound which speeds metabolism and fires up the fat burning process too. Increase intakes smoothly by keeping ready tea in your fridge.
Other fat burning foods that you should consider in your weight loss diet are berries, low fat dairy products, peanut butter, grapefruit, fatty fish and whole grains. Lentils will also work great in firing up the fat burning process. Apart from making the right food choices, ensure that you also get it right with preparing and cooking them.


Gutiar Pro Tab "Gravedancer" from Pig Destroyer band is free to download. Tablature file Pig Destroyer - Gravedancer opens by means of the Guitar PRO program. This program is available to downloading on our site.


Happy Tuesday everyone! I have a brand new color love going on–ALCOHOL inks!!! They are so much fun and easy to drip, drop and stamp abstract designs on ceramic tiles.
It was easy to create spontaneous designs but I wondered could I create a more recognizable form with these color saturated inks? I spent a few hours in the studio today trying to create more recognizable shapes and forms— BLISS!


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Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley reach divorce settlement
By Celebretainment
Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley have reached a divorce settlement.
The 39-year-old actress and real estate agent split from the 'Smallville' alum in 2019 after two years of marriage, and on Wednesday (01.13.21), E! News confirmed the former couple have now settled the terms of their divorce.
E! News reports Chrishell and Justin have reached a confidential divorce settlement, which includes terms of divorce as well as spousal support, and details of the settlement have not been made public.
The news comes over a year after Justin, 43, filed for divorce from Chrishell, which not only surprised their fans, but also the 'Selling Sunset' star herself.
Chrishell explained on the Netflix reality series that Justin had told her of his intent to file for divorce over text, and had done so just 45 minutes before the news was made public.
She said: "I found out because he text[ed] me that we were filed. Forty-five minutes later, the world knew."
The beauty also slammed Justin for making an "impulsive" decision about the future of their relationship, and claims she didn't have time to prepare from the onslaught of questions from their fans who "want answers".
She added: "Because of the crazy way in which this went down, people want answers, and I f****** want answers. I know people are saying we were only married two years, but it's like, we were together for six years. … In a fight, that's his go-to, you know? Like, 'I'm out, I'm out.' I hate that kind of impulsive stuff, but I always just thought, you know, that's just an issue that we work through it.
"If that's really what you wanted, there are better ways to go about [it]. I talked to him right after because I thought that must be a joke, but that was kind of the end of the communication. What am I supposed to say? What do you say after that? It's like, now I have to find a place to live. Now I have to scramble and figure this out, you know?"
When Justin filed for divorce, he cited irreconcilable differences for their split, and stated they had gone their separate ways on 8 July 2019, despite having been seen together on a number of occasions after that date.
And in Chrishell's response filing, she listed their date of separation as 22 November 2019 - the same day Justin submitted his petition for divorce.
Hailee Steinfeld wants to be 'present and mindful' in her personal life
Shania Twain's French fries obsession


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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has described her visit to Tripoli as positive, pointing to the signing of important cooperation agreements between Libya and Italy in the fields of energy and combating illegal migration.
Minister of Social Affairs Wafaa Al-Kilani has held several meetings with her Arab counterparts on the sidelines of her participation in the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs in Doha.
The Minister of Interior in charge of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Imad Al-Trabelsi, has discussed with his Italian counterpart, Matteo Biantidosi, the ministry's plan to combat illegal immigration and protect borders
Dbeibah urges Minister of Transportation to present civil aviation reform proposal
The Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah instructed the Minister of Transportation to submit a full vision to be presented to the Council of Ministers to address the conditions of workers in the field of civil aviation and
UN envoy and Congo's President discuss Libya's ongoing crisis
The UN envoy to Libya Abdoulaye Bathily met in Congo the Congolese President, Sassou Nguesso, on Saturday and briefed him on his recent consultations with all Libyan stakeholders and the efforts to bring stability and security,
Protesters shut Green Stream gas pipeline from Libya to Italy
A group of graduates of oil colleges from the western region closed the gas pipeline linking (Mellitah to Italy) on Saturday because the recent employment lists issued by the National Oil Corporation (NOC) did not include them.
Menfi reviews political developments in Libya with Italian PM
The Head of the Presidential Council, Muhammad Menfi, reviewed with the Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni, on Saturday Libya's political roadmap and ways to advance toward the elections in coordination with the United Natio
US affirms support to establish democratic institutions in Libya
The US strongly supports the mediation efforts of the UN envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, to encourage all parties to agree on a constitutional framework and a specific timetable for the elections, the spokesman for the US Dep


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Following the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement became more powerful than ever. The country reached its boiling point: the streets were…
It's Deeper Than Daisies: Marxism, Cottagecore, and Aesthetic Resistance
Sunlight streaming through the treetops, fresh bread baking, baby animals frolicking in fields—these are just a few of the images that characterize cottagecore, an emerging internet subculture dedicated to a…
Melanin & Stuff: I Shouldn't Want to Be Pretty
I was in line to fill my bottle at the water fountain, standing behind a girl in the grade below me. When she finally moved over, I told her: "Oh…
TikTok and the Never-Ending Perpetuation of Thrifted Glam
Up until about three weeks ago, I was a staunch TikTok skeptic. I refused to download the app, citing it as a mega-waste of time and something that I didn't…
Unpacking the Instagram Infographic Industrial Complex
Here's what's happening in Lebanon. Here's a list of legal funds. Here's a list of petitions to sign. Here's how to be a good ally. If you've been on Instagram…