AD (Anaerobic Digestion) is a naturally occurring process involving the breakdown of organic matter into carbon dioxide, methane and water, by two groups of microorganisms called bacteria and archaea.
The reaction occurs in a sealed tank or digester whereby the absence of oxygen provides the ideal environment for these microorganisms to thrive.
The feedstock comprises of processed food or drink waste and agricultural waste.
The aim of an AD (Anaerobic Digestion) plant developed by RAW Biogas is to produce a sustainable supply of bio-‐methane into the mains grid with the minimum of environmental impact. These developments reduce the UK's reliance on fossil fuel gasses, including those which have been sourced through Import or fracking. The feedstock comprises of processed food or drink waste and agricultural waste. The digestate generated by the plant can be used on local farms to improve the efficiency of crop production. Digestate features significantly improved nitrogen accessibility for plants when compared to farm yard manure (FYM). The objective is to have a productive AD plant, which is financially encouraged by the Government through the RHI scheme, for at least 20 years. This is based on their need to reach the UK's 2020 target of 10% of all gas used being from renewable sources.
1. Planning consent is granted for an anaerobic digestion plant with a total annual capacity of at least 40,000 tonnes of waste and agricultural feedstock.
2. Sufficient land is available for the digesters, storage/clamps, digestate lagoons, access, gas harnessing and processing equipment, and all associated infrastructure. This will amount to up to 8 acres depending on feedstock storage requirement.
3. A landowner is willing to assist RAW Biogas to ensure that a sufficient supply of feedstock is provided throughout the year. This is essential for allowing the plant to continuously operate at maximum capacity, thereby maintaining its projected revenues.
4. There is a suitable connection to the gas transmission grid or local use, where sufficient capacity is available to take the total quantity of gas produced by the plant whilst running at maximum permitted capacity. An adequate pressure pipeline is required to be within a specified maximum distance for the scheme to remain financially viable.
5. RAW Biogas will provide the expertise required for obtaining the necessary consents, agreements and funding in order to construct and operate the plant.
6. RAW Biogas will appoint an experienced contractor and technology provider who will work with us during the design, installation, commissioning, and operation of the project.
7. RAW Biogas will oversee the daily operation of the plant in conjunction with the plant manufacturer, O&M teams (Operations and Maintenance) and, depending on their desire for involvement and ability, the landowner.
8. On average the plant will inject 450scmh (Standard Cubic Metres per Hour) of upgraded bio-‐methane into the gas user or national high pressure gas grid. This equates to approximately 42,000MWh (megawatt per hour) of exported energy per annum.
9. The project must produce gas with a purity of at least 97% CH4 (Methane) for its production to meet the required standards for the UK gas grid network.
10. The plant will operate for a minimum of 20 years to maximise the subsidies available.
11. All parties will cooperate to safeguard the quality and supply of feedstock for the duration of the project whilst continuously looking for opportunities that might enhance the revenue of the plant or extensions to the plant.
1. Hydrolysis -‐ The breakdown of complex organic matter such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
2. Acidogenesis -‐ The breakdown of sugar molecules, fatty acids and amino acids.
3. Acentogenesis -‐ The conversion of fatty acids and alcohols into hydrogen, carbon dioxide and acetic acid.
4. Methanogenesis -‐ The conversion of any remaining hydrogen and acetic acid into methane and carbon dioxide.
By the end of the fourth stage, all of the practically accessible biogas has been removed from the feedstock material. This methane gas is then scrubbed to remove the carbon dioxide and other impurities from it. The calorific content will be analysed and propane is added accordingly to maintain consistency. It is then pressurised to the equivalent of the djoining gas pipeline and injected into the grid. The resulting digestate is subsequently removed and stored then finally applied to local farms.
• We develop Gas AD systems or combined heat and power AD systems. This is primarily because gas burned at power plant level, or transported through the network directly to domestic and commercial consumers, is a more efficient process than can be achieved by an on-‐site generator. On sites generators with a suitable grid connection will often include a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit to increase the overall plant efficiency.
• We have an experienced team, with a diverse skill set, to provide the expertise required for developing projects from inception, through delivery, and into operation. This ensures continuity throughout the project lifetime.
• We have a highly regarded asset management division which will be the primary point of contact for the whole term of the lease, regardless of the projects specific ownership.
• We always ensure the biogas produced from the AD plant is carefully upgraded to bio-‐methane on-‐site to maximise supply and value, and avoid any gas quality issues.
• The asset management division of RAW Energy will manage the sale of gas and the RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive) to make sure that the project is, at all times, maximising the value of subsidies available.
• We only work with EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) technology partners who are able to deliver a turnkey solution for the plant to avoid any issues with compatibility. These partners have all successfully built projects in the UK.
• We visit sites built by various technology providers to ensure that we understand the merits of each technology and to build strong relationships with the technical personnel.
• We have a £75m framework agreement in place with our funding partners for the development and financing of eight schemes. They will provide the capex for this tranche of projects to be fully developed, constructed and commissioned.
• We only work with the leading gas grid connection experts who ensure technical excellence and compliance throughout.
• We have our own in-‐house legal partners and are able to offer very fast document turnaround.
• We have a dedicated planning resource to ensure that we remain close to all nuances of each projects development. This ensures that challenges are attended to quickly and comprehensively.
• We draft a complete feedstock 'menu' for each site depending on location and quality of surrounding farmland, and negotiate and agree all feedstock agreements. We would, of course, be very keen to procure as much feedstock as possible from the site provider.
Our usual process and timings for a successful scheme are as follows. These are important to adhere to as historically Government subsidy rates for renewable energy tariffs quickly decrease. The RHI, in the case of Gas to Grid AD, decreases quarterly.
Week 1- Receive land ownership maps and conduct complete desk top analysis outlining potential for scheme including site selection, initial planning and gas connection investigation.
Week 2- Decide if land has potential for development. If so then send out Heads of Terms to landowner and agent. If the land is not suitable for a biogas plant RAW will also review the land for other renewable development opportunities.
Week 3-4 - Agree Heads of Terms.
Week 4-5 - Sign and exchange Heads of Terms.
Week 5-9 - Our lawyers will send across undertaking and Option and Lease agreements.
Week 9-10 - Sign Option with appended Lease.
Week 10‐12 ‐ Hold public consultation and draft planning documents.
Week 12‐13 ‐ Submit planning application.
Week 13‐27 ‐ Respond where required on the LPA (Local Planning Authority) enquiries and conduct surveys where required. Sign letters of intent for feedstock providers.
Week 27‐30 ‐ Planning consented.
Week 30‐34 ‐ Conditions discharged where applicable and complete due diligence.
Week 34‐40 ‐ Sign feedstock agreements, EPC contracts and Gas Grid connection documents.
RAW Biogas is a subsidiary of the RAW group of companies whose activities involve financial planning and management, consultancy, planning applications, development and project management in AD plants, biomass projects and solar PV schemes.The co-location of these activities on a single site enables RAW Biogas to capitalise on financial knowledge and project management of the AD site. RAW Biogas is involved specifically with AD plants and has the ability to create planning applications as well as manage a site through to its end of life in 20 plus years. RAW Biogas has strong motivations to provide a complete service to every customer. This includes planning, financial management, project development with investment structuring, gas purchase agreements, operation and maintenance contracts and monitoring the system.
RAW Biogas work with a selection of tier 1 technical partners and will be selecting the most appropriate contractors for each site. All partners have many years of experience and build world class, highly efficient, profitable and reliable systems. The technical partner will provide information concerning their requirements for design and construction of each biogas plant. We will then use this information for the consent process and oversee the construction phase with them throughout. RAW will also monitor ongoing technical and biological matters to ensure that every plant is working to its maximum efficiency.
Bio‐methane is a naturally occurring gas which is produced commercially by the anaerobic digestion of organic matter such as dead animal and plant material, manure, sewage, organic waste, etc. Chemically, it is identical to natural gas. However, bio-‐methane gas is not classed as a fossil fuel because it is produced from 'fresh' organic matter. The important difference is that the carbon released when the gas is burned has been stored over a short period of time, as the plants have absorbed carbon during their lives of less than a year. This is different to fossil gas which contains compounded carbon, stored potentially over thousands of years. Bio‐methane can be used locally or fed directly into the gas network and used in the same way as natural gas. Using bio‐methane makes our gas supply less carbon-intensive than using imported natural gas. This can help the UK Government's 2020 commitment to meet 15 per cent of final energy demand from renewables, and reduce UK carbon emissions by 34 per cent. The bene its of bio‐methane gas are that it helps to meet greenhouse gas and waste reduction targets. It contributes to securing a percentage of renewable energy supply. There are also cost effective connections with the gas distribution network, reaching over 80 per cent of UK homes with no need to change existing appliances, thus avoiding the disruption associated with replacing them. These are all clear reasons why it is essential to invest in AD plants for the future supply of energy.
The construction of a RAW Biogas AD plant begins with technical surveys including geophysical and geotechnical evaluation to understand topography, soil composition and substrate. The site layout will then be georeferenced for the location of main structures. The first element of construction involves the improvement and installation of the main access point to allow easy access for the construction phase and the relatively modest flow of traffic post build. Large earthmoving equipment will then be brought on site to dig the foundations and remove soil to create a level working area and occasionally lower the setting in the landscape in order to reduce the visual impact. The site will consist of the main digesters, feedstock storage/clamps, feedstock acceptance tanks, upgrading equipment, digestate lagoons, weighbridge, office and control center buildings, CHP generator, safety flare and pressurization equipment. It will encompass up to eight acres, depending on the topography and shape of site.
All sites with the potential for development require an adequate access point which connects the unit to the public highway. On site there will be a large, concrete based vehicle reception area. Sensitivity modelling will be undertaken as part of the initial planning application, allowing for the vehicle load on route to increase by at least 50% without detrimental impact to the site or local network.
Digestate storage is an essential part of an anaerobic digestion plant. This is a bi-‐product of the AD process. The digestate requires a storage lagoon or digestate bags to be located alongside the AD development. These need to be capable of containing 10,000 m3 of material. This will be included in the planning application through RAW Biogas.
If the bio-‐methane is not all used locally then the sites may need to be in relatively close proximity to a gas transmission pipeline in order for them to be a viable contributor to the national gas grid. Construction on site will be needed to install gas upgrading equipment and a pressurisation unit to make the gas suitable for the grid. The scheme will require a low power connection to the electricity grid for the general operation of the site.
Planning permission will be sought from the local authority planning office and the landowner will be required to help in any way required to facilitate the grant of consent. Depending on the requirements of the local planning authority, there will be a series of reports commissioned to support the planning application. These reports could include Environmental Impact Assessment, traffic movements, construction access, visual impact, odour assessment, etc. Generally, our planning partner will engage the local planners in a pre-application to understand the local influences and adapt the application to fit. If the consent is not granted then RAW biogas retains the right to go to appeal.
Often, the granting of planning consent comes with a series of conditions. These can vary from the colours of equipment to environmental protection plans. RAW Biogas will ensure all of the conditions are met while constructing and operating the plant and any pre-commencement conditions are dealt with prior to any construction work on site.
In the spirit of minimising vehicle movements, RAW Biogas strives to collect the total feedstock required for the site from the smallest possible area. Ideally, all the feedstock input providers are within close proximity of the site. The greater quantity of feedstock either supplied from the landowner of the plant, or arranged company, the better the scheme will work for all the parties involved. It is essential for AD plants to have a high output feedstock crop. Ideally, the biogas production would benefit from a consistent mix of feedstock materials, chopped and blended to ensure optimum methane yield. Yield is the overriding consideration for efficient production. The digestion rate of different feedstocks within a biodigester varies from two days to two months. The sugar content is the main factor that alters the ferment time. RAW will manage all feedstock agreements, feedstock quantity breakdown, and digestate management.
The yield of the feedstock will impact the productivity of the AD plant. This is why it is essential to get the correct mixture in to the AD plant and a rotational mix. Below shows an example of different crop based feedstock mixes and their methane yields.
*assumes ensiled beet, KWS Bioenergy.
The table below highlights a range of feedstocks and the biogas yields associated with these crops. The table demonstrates the low yield of cattle slurry compared to the comparatively high yield of wheat grain.
There have been university studies that show dry matter yield and methane yield have a strong correlation, however starch and methane yield have no correlation. There are a range of hybrid characteristics when it comes to the yield, for instance the fodder maize can be grown in marginal conditions and only takes 150-160 days to reach the specific grain moisture. The optimum crop ratios can be maximised if the flexibility of local farms allows for specific crops to be grown at the right time in conjunction with neighbouring agricultural land.
For a usual site with no complications, such as long distance gas connections, unfavourable topography or costly planning challenges to overcome, RAW Biogas (the operating company) will pay the landowner an annual Lease for the life of the plant of 2.5% of the total plant annual turnover, or £80,000 base rent, whichever is the greater. RAW Biogas has forecasted a turnover of £4,000,000 per annum (subsidies increasing with RPI) based on the above feedstocks and current RHI. The plant will be equivalent to just under 2MW in size and provide an expected output into the gas grid of 450scmh (standard cubic metres per hour). The turnover will be based on the quantity of gas that is sold, alongside the various government subsidies.
• Bio-methane gas export of around 3,500,000 m3 per annum.
• Circa 40,000 tonnes of digestate, depending on breakdown of inputs.
• 42,000 MWh of energy produced.
The creation of these outputs provides clear revenue opportunities in terms of gas export tariffs through grid export and the RHI. The AD plant will benefit investors, the landowner, local employment and the environment.
• The sale of the gas or electricity locally or to the grid and secondly the government incentives.
• The sale of the gas into to the grid will be recorded through a meter and sold to a gas supplier.


A woman has been sentenced to six months in prison for putting lice shampoo into her mother-in-law's personal-sized milk carton.
Incheon District Court on Friday slapped the assailant, who is from the Philippines, with a six-month sentence suspended for two years. The woman will be on probation for one year and is unlikely to actually see the inside of a cell.
The woman was confirmed to have committed the crime after being constantly talked down to by her mother-in-law. She lived with the victim after marrying her son in 2013.
The woman was indicted in June for charges of putting lice shampoo in her mother-in-law's milk, which led to serious stomach injuries. Following the incident, the woman was reportedly evicted from her mother-in-law's house and sought sustenance from charity groups.


The fourth editon of the Batukufestival was once more one of the highlights of the cultural events in Tarrafal. 28 groups from the island of Santiagio gathered to celebrate Batuku. The audience was enthusiastic from the beginning at 14:00 until the end at 22:00.
For the first time Marisa, the projectmanager of the festival, was able to enlist important cooperation partners. The community of Tarrafal, a travelagency who financed the very good sound system, a bank and a few small busineses from Tarrafal.
By now the festival is a fix element of the cultural activities in Tarrafal. So we are sure there will be a continuation next year. And once more it will be better and more successfull than its antecessor.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized, What we do and tagged Batuku, Batukufestival, culture, Delta Cultura, Marisa. Bookmark the permalink.


The Stoves Kitchen Demonstration Theatre ~ Two days of cookery & baking! With the ever popular Bake with Jack, Hari Ghotra, Daniel Britten, Selina Periampillai, Roni B, Joshua Reeves and maybe a surprise or two.
Drinks Theatre ~ Learn all about wines, gin and beer with our experts from the Pilgrim Brewery, A Crafty Couple, Crumbs Brewing, Anno Distillers and more.
GLASSMATES Whiskey Experience ~ Ortis (from Channel 5's The Gadget Show), Nigel & Jimmy will be inviting you to join them in their lounge for a Glassmates Flight Challenge and whisky experience.
You'll get to taste six whiskies and the Glassmates will guide you through the tastes and nuances of their choices.
Street Food ~ Food festivals are all about eating right? The only problem you'll have is having too much choice from korean buttermilk fried chicken to gooey cheese creations and sticky peanut butter & jam toasties!
Artisan Food Stalls ~ The sunken gardens of Priory Park are surrounded with artisan food stalls. Celebrating the BEST of Surrey and the South East as well as some top far flung UK & European producers.
EAT! Live Music Stage ~ For two days we will be bringing you the coolest sounds to chill out to at EAT! Food Festival on the EAT! Food Fest Bandstand bringing you a feast for your ears with superb artists you will definitely want to seek out and see again. Food, drink, vibes and summer sounds delivered to make a perfect summer festival day in Reigate.
Four Hops Craft Beer Emporium ~ Four Hops will be bringing to you a craft beer bar second to none with the best and all the up & coming small batch craft beer brews from the around the County, the UK and Worldwide. Pull up a stool and crack open a tinny...it's always beer o'clock here.
Skinny Jean Gardener ~ We are excited to have the Skinny Jean Gardener joining us this year. Skinny Jean Gardener has been the BBC Blue Peter gardener, and gardening guest to BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4's Sunday Brunch. Created a kitchen garden for TV presenter Jimmy Doherty, built a garden taxi for Kew Gardens Grow Wild Project, designed a show garden for the International Gardening World Cup in Japan and is ambassador of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and the St Helena Hospice.
Alongside the Skinny Jean Gardener shows there will be a fantastic 'sow & grow area' for kids, where they get to sow their seeds and take them home to watch them grow.
Bars - Pilgrim Beer tent, Prosecco, Cocktails, and darn good vibes.


Don't - No communicating with the outside world. What happens on the stag, stays on the stag. In the world of social media and uploading photos to Facebook every few minutes, make sure status updates are kept to a minimum and there are also zero texts or phone calls to WAGS, especially the bride-to-be.
Do – the saying 'location, location, location' is perfect for stag parties, pick a good one! You can head down to your local any night of the week, so for the ultimate stag party, pick a new watering hole. If you can't afford to pack all the lads onto a budget airline and head abroad, pick a new city here in the UK. Do your research though, including a decent daytime activity.
DO – make the groom stand out from the rest of the pack. No matter how much he doesn't want to wear something daft, it's going to happen. We have some fantastic fancy dress costumes here at Party Fever, from Maid Marion, to Disco Fever jumpsuits and ladies police officer costumes. Of course, it doesn't have to be a ladies costume; we have WWF wrestlers, cowboys, roman warriors and even Elvis!
Don't – make sure the groom doesn't know what you've got planned. He'll be curious, but make sure he's kept in the dark on the activities. If he continues to ask, tell him that marriage is full of surprises, so you're just getting him ready for his future missus!
Don't – underestimate the recovery period. It might 'traditional' to hold the stag party right before the wedding, but we've all seen The Hangover haven't we? Have it a few weeks, or even months before the big day. A missing groom is never good, and one who looks worse for wear is perhaps even worse, with the bride, and the mother in law!
Do – come to Party Fever for your stag party supplies. We have everything you need, from costumes and balloons, to stag do dares cards and of course, antlers! Have a fantastic stag do fellas!


Entertainment party package for Spring Break 2019 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Over $200 in value for only $50($45 when using promo code "maniac" online) including: Free entry every night, exclusive Myrtlemaniac drink specials throughout the week, themed events including Foam Parties, Mardi-Gras Parties, & Glow Parties.
Also includes amazing discounts on other entertainment, food and transportation plus a Spring Break 2019 T-Shirt. Print your order confirmation and bring it with you to Spring Break.
Receive your MYRTLEMANIAC CARD by calling our hotline (888-523-9076) upon arriving to Myrtle Beach/North Myrtle Beach for free card delivery to your hotel/resort/vacation home, or by stopping by our designated distribution center at Myrtle Beach Tours in North Myrtle beach.
Note: When you pick date to attend choose the Saturday that begins your week. If you arrive on a day later in the week your card will still be available for pick up and will be valid for 7 days from the day you receive your card.


Bank of India invites Application for the post of 517 Credit Officers, Manager & Senior Manager in various cadre/scales.
Educational Qualification : Candidate having B.com degree(3 year full time programme) with min 60% marks along with MBA/PGDBM/PGDBA from institute of repute (two/three year full time programme) (candidates appearing in the final year of examination of MBA/PGDBM/PGDBA are eligible to apply, However their final result should be declared on or before 31th August 2016.) OR Chartered Accountant OR ICWA.
Selection Process : The selection is based on Online written Examination and Personal Interview.
Application Fee : General & Others candidates have to pay Rs.600/- and Rs. 100/- for SC/ST/PWD candidates through using only Master/ Visa Debit or Credit cards or Internet Banking.


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The Middle Ages or the medieval period in Europe began in the 5th century and ended in the late 15th century. It marks the time between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the European Renaissance period. Traditionally, it was considered to be a time of decline and decay for European powers. However, during this very same time, the Byzantine Empire and several Islamic Caliphates thrived and their prosperity is apparent in the coinage they issued.
1) BYZANTINE COINS
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, existed from 330 to 1453 CE. It was the longest-lasting medieval power and was actually the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces. Its capital, Constantinople is known today as Istanbul, Turkey's largest city. Its influence continues on to the present day, especially in the religion, art, architecture, and law in many parts of Europe.
According to numismatists, Byzantine coinage began with the monetary reform of the emperor Anastasius I in 498 CE. Prior to this, it was simply a continuation of the late Roman Empire's coinage system. Byzantine coins not only functioned as a convenient method of payment for goods and services, but also as a way for the empire and its emperor to project strength and power.
The metals used to produce Byzantine coins were gold, silver, bronze, and copper. The design and imagery of the coins influenced the style of early Islamic coins and later on, the first European kingdoms.
2) ISLAMIC COINS
At the beginning of the 7th century, the lands that were to become a part of the future Islamic Caliphates were under Byzantine and Sasanian rule. The former controlled the Mediterranean region, while the latter controlled the areas known today as Iran and Iraq.
In addition, the leaders of these lands, sometimes referred to as Arabia, were not known to have issued any of their own coins, even during the lifetime of the prophet Muhammad. Thus, the soon to be Islamic Caliphates inherited two monetary systems that were already widely used, namely the Byzantine gold coins and the Sasanian silver coins.

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Summarize what changes must take place in the sperm and ovum to achieve fertilization.
Fertilization requires changes in both the sperm and the ovum. In the sperm, capacitation changes the sperm's membrane to allow it to enter the ovum. The sperm also undergoes hyperactivation to allow for more efficient movement. The ovum's outer membrane is dissolved through the acrosome reaction. After fertilization, the ovum undergoes another enzyme reaction that creates a barrier to other sperm.
"Summarize what changes must take place in the sperm and ovum to achieve fertilization." eNotes Editorial, 1 Apr. 2021, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/summarize-what-changes-must-take-place-in-the-2725783. Accessed 31 Jan. 2023.
Amy Troolin, M.A.
Historian, Professional Writer
B.A. from St. Cloud State University M.A. from Franciscan University of Steubenville M.A. from St. Cloud State University M.A. from Signum University
For fertilization to take place and a new human being to be created, some important changes must happen in both the sperm and the ovum. First, they must be able to meet in the right place. The egg must move down into the fallopian tube, and the sperm must make its way up into the fallopian tube.
As the sperm travels up the fallopian tube, it undergoes two processes to help it prepare to fertilize the ovum. One is called capacitation, which changes the sperm's membrane (or outer layer) so that it can enter into the ovum. The other process is called hyperactivation, which allows the sperm's tail to move more efficiently to allow it to penetrate the ovum.
The ovum, too, must experience a change if it is to receive the sperm and be fertilized. Its outer layer of cells, the cumulus oophorus, must be dissolved so that the sperm can enter. The sperm secretes an enzyme that breaks through this layer through a process that is essentially fusion and digestion of the membrane's cells. This is called the acrosome reaction.
Once the sperm has entered the ovum and fertilization occurs, the ovum's membrane changes once again, this time making itself impenetrable by other sperm. This, too, is an enzyme-based reaction that creates a protective layer of coritcal granules that repel other sperm cells and prevent polyspermy, the fertilization of an ovum by more than one sperm.
http://www.embryology.ch/anglais/dbefruchtung/weg03.html
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/cells/embryolo...
Summarize the pathway of a sperm from the male testes to the oviduct. Summarize the pathway of an ovum from the female ovary to the uterus,...
What changes must take place in the sperm and ovum to achieve fertilization?
Can Human sperm fertilize animal eggs?
Do the number of puppies a dog has depend on the number of times she breeds during one heat, or what?
How are sex cells different from somatic cells on the basis of chromosomes?


Property Location You'll be centrally located in Ahmedabad with a stay at Caspia Hotel, Ahmedabad, convenient to Gujarat University. This 5-star hotel is within the vicinity of Sardar Patel Stadium and Gulmohar Park Mall. Rooms Make yourself at home in one of the 156 air-conditioned rooms featuring iPod docking stations and LED televisions. Your room comes with a memory foam bed. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Amenities Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages, body treatments, and facials. You're sure to appreciate the recreational amenities, including a 24-hour health club, an outdoor pool, and a spa tub. This hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and babysitting/childcare (surcharge). Dining Enjoy a meal at one of the hotel's dining establishments, which include 2 restaurants and a coffee shop/café. From your room, you can also access 24-hour room service. Buffet breakfasts are available daily for a fee. Business, Other Amenities Featured amenities include a business center, express check-in, and express check-out. Event facilities at this hotel consist of a conference center and meeting rooms. Free self parking is available onsite. . This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties. Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. One child 12 years old or younger stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. Some facilities may have restricted access. Guests can contact the property for details using the contact information on the booking confirmation. No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property. Alcohol is not served or permitted at this property. Make yourself at home in one of the 156 air-conditioned rooms featuring iPod docking stations and LED televisions. Your room comes with a memory foam bed. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.
Know Before You Go This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties. Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. One child 12 years old or younger stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. Some facilities may have restricted access. Guests can contact the property for details using the contact information on the booking confirmation. No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property. Alcohol is not served or permitted at this property. Fees The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out. Fee for buffet breakfast: INR 499 per person (approximately) Airport shuttle fee: INR 1200 per person (one-way) Rollaway bed fee: INR 1000 per night The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.


Freezing January - The country this year was hit with a 2ft blanket of snow in January, thought to be one of the coldest winters in 40 years with the temperatue in Southend dipping to -12c. Roads remained blocked across the town as gritting became pointless with the salt freezing as soon as it hit the ground.
Operation Sparkle - The stations on the London, Tilbury and Southend Line underwent a major transformation, each one from Benfleet to Shoeburyness benefited from a facelift.
Opportune Visit - Southend has enjoyed the visit of many a vessel to the end of the pier. Between 12-18th of August, HMS Opportune made her entrance, a submarine commanded by Nigel Hibbert.
The Hamsters Perform - Southend based RnB group performed their first gig at the Cliffs Pavilion on 1st April 1987. A band happy with their lot performing in local pubs and clubs, with little intent on going professional. However, it was inevitable they would as they had such a remarkable following, their accolades include being known as one of the hardest working bands in the business, having toured the UK, Europe and the US. They are still going very strong and have recently been featured on Radio 2. They have released 9 albums.


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You are here: Home > Diabetes and Metabolism > Students go in2science to get invaluable lab experience
Students go in2science to get invaluable lab experience
2 August 2018 • News Categories: Diabetes and Metabolism, Partnerships for Health, Wealth and Innovation
Six A-level students have been getting first-hand experience of working in a top research laboratory during their summer holidays.
The students, from different schools across Oxfordshire, have been getting valuable work experience at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM) as part of the in2science scheme, which aims to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds to progress to careers in science and research careers through high quality work placements.
The placements have been supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. This is the first time OCDEM has been involved in the in2science scheme.
Helen McGrath, 17, from Larkmead School in Abingdon, said: "I want to do science at university, but I've never had proper lab experience. So I wanted to see if I wanted to do it or not."
Abraham Sondhi, 17, who studies at Cherwell School in Oxford, said: "Getting work experience in a lab or any science setting is hard, so this was a good opportunity, and the in2science programme allows you to have contact with top scientists at the forefront of research and you can see what it's like on the inside. It's incredible to actually see the research going on."
The students, all of whom have just completed Year 12 at school, are spending between a week and two weeks with OCDEM, which is a leading world centre for diabetes research.
Thomas Clague, OCDEM's lab manager and lab manager for BRC-supported projects at OCDEM, said the scheme was aimed at "local children who may not have the opportunities or experience that other people have, may not have the knowledge of how universities work or what a career in science would be like."
He said the aim was to make science and research "more accessible to them, give them lots of experience and answer any questions they might have about a future career in science."
"They seem to be really enjoying it. Loads of new experiences; using equipment they would never use at school, so because it's all new, it is really cool and interesting."
During their time at OCDEM, the students are doing a range of research – from DNA extraction to histology; from western blots to insulin secretion assays.
Hollie Smith, 18, from Wallingford School, said: "We've been extracting DNA, testing for proteins and looking for genes under the microscope, reading sequences and spotting mutations. It's been really fun. I didn't realise that so much happened in one department. Before I didn't think that I would want to work in a lab. Now I've realised it's something I really want to do."
in2scienceUK is a non-profit organisation which aims to support young people from low-income backgrounds progress to university to study science, technology and engineering and maths (STEM) degrees and progress to careers in the STEM sector.
← Oxford Impact 2018 workshop
Gestational diabetes app officially launched →


Posts related to this website.
When I post any eat/drink posts from Teacup, they show up as a note kind instead of the expected eat or drink post kind.
The feed rewrite rule for post kinds seems to be broken. https://xavierroy.com/kind/watch/feed and http://xavierroy.com/feed/?kind=watch are supposed to be the same feed, but the ..kind/watch/feed isn't working as expected.


text:
Q: Using an old 2 way switch in 3 way setup i'm not an expert in electronics and i'm keen to get some guidance on the below...
I have an old vintage 1-way (On\Off) light switch I would like to use as a 2-way switch to control a light from two locations (the other light switch is a modern 2-way (COM, L1, L2)).
I am very keen to use this old 1-way switch, hence the reason to not just replace it with a modern 2-way switch (it looks nice!).
My current thoughts are to use a Relay and wire up COM, NO, NC as you would for a 2-way switch and use the 1-way switch to activate \ deactivate this Relay, but I am not sure how best to do this?
Keen to get feedback on how this may be possible or any better solutions that could allow me to use this 1-way switch in such a setup?
Many thanks!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Even as Narendra Modi was waxing eloquent on India as a "humanising and harmonising force" in Davos, none of these laudable attributes was on display in the country as rabid outfits with ideological links with the Prime Minister's party were vandalising cinema halls and malls and attacking a school bus with children crying inside.
The most virulent of these marauding groups currently is the Karni Sena, which claims to represent the Rajput community, and the reason for its violent onslaughts on convenient targets is its anger about the supposedly distorted portrayal of the 14th century Rajput queen, Padmini or Padmavati, who may well have been a mythical figure, in the Bollywood film "Padmaavat".
Although another Rajput group as well as professional film critics have rejected this charge and one of the latter has even said that the valour of the Rajputs and the self-immolation of the queen have been excessively glorified, the vandals have not been assuaged.
One reason why they have continued with their rampages is that the governments run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan, the traditional home of the Rajputs, and in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have been reluctant to act against the goons.
The official and political unwillingness to rein in the marauders is explained by their ideological affinity to the BJP, which identifies them as representatives of the community which is a potential vote bank. There have been others of their kind who have also indulged in murder and mayhem with impunity because of their awareness that a BJP government will treat them with kid-gloves.
The Karni Sena, therefore, is not the only Frankenstein reared by the right-wing Hindutva brigade. There are also those who assault and even kill anyone suspected of eating beef or transporting cattle and still escape punishment because of lack of evidence as in the case of the beating to death of Pehlu Khan in Rajasthan although he had a permit for taking cattle through the state in his truck.
Over the period when the BJP has been in power at the Centre and in several states, the boldness of these thugs has grown because of their immunity from any legal action. Nothing showed this defiance of the constitutional order better than the refusal of the Rajput activists to accept the Supreme Court's clearance of the film, which had earlier been certified for release by the censor board.
The decision of some of the BJP-ruled state governments to appeal to the Supreme Court against the screening of the film (which was summarily rejected) must have also emboldened the brigands for it showed that the rulers sympathised with them just as when the governments had banned the film even before its release.
The vandals must have also been encouraged by the support which they have received from the saffron brotherhood's formidable army of online warriors who have blamed Muslims for the attack on the school bus. As is known, these Hindutva netizens have a remarkable talent for spreading disinformation.
Despite the judicial negation of the ban, the prohibition is still virtually in force because the theatre owners are too scared to show the film lest their property is destroyed. Evidently, there is little faith in the ability or willingness of the BJP-led governments to maintain law and order.
Given this inability or disinclination, it is not surprising that the Karni Sena has not been called to account by either the Centre or the states for the threats which the organisation has held out against the leading actress in the film, Deepika Padukone, and the director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, about beheading them and boasting that their graves have already been dug.
Considering that these dire warnings have been issued with great gusto on television, there is obviously scope for legal action. When the government's opponents have been booked for sedition on charges which haven't passed muster in the courts, the Sena activists should also have been arrested. Yet, the number of arrests that has been made are few and far between and hasn't helped in dispelling fear.
It is possible that even these arrests would not have been made but for the presence in India of the 10 ASEAN leaders for the Republic Day celebrations. What impression they will carry back about the arson and depredations being shown on television is not known. But foreign investors cannot but be perturbed about their prospects in India despite the promised cutting of red tape and the rolling out of the red carpet.
What the rampant lawlessness in the BJP-ruled states have revealed is the divide between Modi's promise of development and the frightening ground reality where institutional authority, like that of the Central Board of Film Certification, is ignored and its chief is told by these anarchists not to attend the Jaipur Literary Festival in Rajasthan, and judicial orders are ignored. Yet, political considerations palpably hinder any serious attempt to bridge the gulf.


text:
Shelton is now the home of a Magic Cafe
Derby's Twisted Vine Restaurant offers Valentine's Day ceremony
New eatery brings Greek cuisine to Shelton
Shelton-based Bishop Wicke honored as elite rehab center
ConnectiCare opens fifth center in Shelton
Pest control company cleans up in Shelton
Kids get school supplies courtesy of local business
Consumer giant to close Shelton office, move jobs to NJ
Saisystems Digital releases telemed app for post-acute care
BIC launches program to recycle the "write" way
BIC contributes to fight against coronavirus
News // BusinessBusiness
Aaron Berkowitz
Nov. 10, 2016 Updated: June 7, 2019 3:20 a.m.
1of4img_6951 Show MoreShow Less
Shelton native and local Magician, Bryan Lizotte, and his wife Michele, opened up a cafe that's not quite like ones you've visited in the past.
Bryan said he decided years ago that he wanted to find a way to combine his love for food and passion for magic into one idea.
"I've been doing magic for 26 years and love what I do. I've always appreciate great food as well and thought about ways that I could incorporate one passion with the other. That's when we decided that a restaurant that not only hosted magic shows, but also serves fresh food would be the perfect way to do just that," said Bryan.
"We wanted to give Shelton something different and now we're here," said Michele who has helped Bryan manage and run the cafe since it opened on Oct. 24.
The couple held a grand opening for the new restaurant called the Magic Cafe located at 99 Bridgeport Ave. on Nov. 8. The event featured face painting for kids, a magic show, as well as a guest appearance by Mayor Mark Lauretti for the ribbon cutting.
Opening at 5:30 a.m. weekdays the restaurant serves a full breakfast and lunch, before they close at 4 p.m. On the weekends they're open from 7a.m. to 1 p.m.
Reproductions of vintage magic posters cover the walls along with posters of current magical entertainers.
Bryan prides himself on the restaurant's "Houdini burger," which was named after the late famous magician Harry Houdini and their homemade french fries. Their lunch menu also includes hot dogs, porketta, steak and cheese, roast beef and herb roasted chicken sandwiches.
"It's been an incredible ride. We opened within three weeks of signing the lease," said Bryan. "Mainly because Michelle and I organized everything ahead of time. We applied for our LLC, we set up our distributors, we set up our website, we did everything in advance so once we signed the lease we were ready to go."
Aside from performing magic shows at his restaurant, Bryan also performs on Fridays at the melting pot in Darien, a lot of the Sound Tiger games in Bridgeport, as well as private shows. He said he is constantly working on new material, but his card tricks are a crowd favorite.
"I find everyone that everyone: kids,adults, and seniors love magic," said Bryan. "I wanted to make a fun place where people could gather and have a good time while enjoying good food and a bit of magic and now Shelton has that type of place here at the Magic Cafe."
Bryan said he loves the local community and its track record of accepting new businesses. He added that he high hopes of expanding and eventually opening up a larger venue.


Resources for the cancer patient.
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Includes a list hair loss treatments, product reviews, hair loss experts Q&A, support discussions forums and editorials.
Provides information on the causes and triggers of migraines, as well as ways to manage the pain associated with migraines.
Information and resources on mesothelioma & asbestos cancer, defective ancure devices, and other highly dangerous diseases, devices, drugs and substances affecting mankind.
provides a safe and effective treatment to millions of men and women coping with insomnia.
From the makers of Ambien. Talk to your doctor today. Get your free 7-day trial offer.
Learn about Multiple Sclerosis, MS Treatment options and get MS Caregiver Support.
directory of diabetic related resources.
Learn about treatment of mild to moderate eczema for age 2 and above with Elidel. Find out about the causes of eczema, symptoms, triggers and treatment.
Support community for those with Fibromyalgia.
Information and facts on foot and mouth disease.
The mission of this site is to help improve the quality of diabetes care, increase the understanding of the disease, and motivate people to request for help, change life style and engage in self-care.
Women's conditions information: heavy periods, incontinence, adhesions, hysterectomy, and fibroids. Also patient stories and articles.
Learn about hemophilia and how it's treated with clotting factors.
Information resource on a low dose hormone therapy used to treat menopausal symptoms. Discusses vaginal health and the symptoms of menopause including hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness.
This website is here to fill a void. An informational void that people should not miss. This site is here to help you realize when you may have a work related problem..
Learn more about Life with MS and Multiple Sclerosis Treatment options on MSActiveSource.com. Find ways to connect with an MS Community and get MS Caregiver Support.


text:
Q: PrestaShop create new AdminTab in my file module
class Mymodule extends Module
{
   public function install()
   {
      ...
      $this->installModuleTab('AdminMymodule', array(1=>'My Module Admin Tab'), 13)
   }

   private function installModuleTab($tabClass, $tabName, $idTabParent)
   {
      $tab = new Tab();
      $tab->name = $tabName;
      $tab->class_name = $tabClass;
      $tab->module = $this->name;
      $tab->id_parent = $idTabParent;
      $tab->active = 1;
      if(!$tab->save())
        return false;
      return true;
  }
}

it working, Admin Tab: 'My Module Admin Tab' has been created. Now, in file AdminMymodule:
include_once(PS_ADMIN_DIR.'/../classes/AdminTab.php');

class AdminMymodule extends AdminTab
{
    public function __construct()
    {
        parent::__construct();
    }

    public function display()
    {
        echo $this->l('This is admin my module tab !');
    }
}

when i click to link 'My Module Admin Tab', it result blank page. somebody can help me?

A: Each tab in prestashop admin tab is a Admin Controller.
You need to put your admin controller file inside your module
like mymodule\controllers\admin\AdminAboutUsController.php
inside the controller you need to put:
class AdminAboutUsController extends ModuleAdminController {
   public $asso_type = 'shop';
   public function __construct() {
      $this->module = 'mymodule';
      $this->lang = true;
      $this->context = Context::getContext();
      $this->bootstrap = true;
    parent::__construct();
}

public function initContent()
 {

 }
 }

where class name in module creation is
   'class_name' => 'AdminAboutUs',

Hope this help you to find your solution.

A: Yes you can add a tab in a module like this.
Let us take the module homeslider as an example.
First create the controller in controllers/admin/AdminHomeSliderController.php
and put this code:
<?php

class AdminHomeSliderController extends ModuleAdminController
{
   public function __construct() {

     $token = Tools::getAdminTokenLite('AdminModules');
     $currentIndex='index.php?       controller=AdminModules&token='.$token.'&configure=homeslider&tab_module=front_office_features&module_name=homeslider';

     parent::__construct();
     Tools::redirectAdmin($currentIndex);
  }
}

and in the module's file, homeslider.php,
add these two functions:
private function createInnovativesLabsTabs() {
  $langs = Language::getLanguages();
  $id_lang = (int)Configuration::get('PS_LANG_DEFAULT');
  $ndiaga_tab = new Tab();
  $ndiaga_tab->class_name = 'AdminHomeSlider';
  $ndiaga_tab->module = 'homeslider';
  $ndiaga_tab->id_parent = 0;
  foreach($langs as $l){
    $ndiaga_tab->name[$l['id_lang']] = $this->l('HomeSlider');
  }
  $ndiaga_tab->save();
  $tab_id = $ndiaga_tab->id;
  @copy(dirname(__FILE__).'/AdminHomeSlider.gif',_PS_ROOT_DIR_.'/img/t/AdminHomeSlider.gif');
  Configuration::updateValue('HOME_SLIDER_TAB_ID',$tab_id);
  return true;
}

public function deleteInnovativesLabsTabs(){
  $tab = new Tab(Configuration::get('HOME_SLIDER_TAB_ID'));

  $tab->delete();
  Configuration::deleteByName('HOME_SLIDER_TAB_ID');

  return true;
}

You will need to call them during install and uninstall this way:
 //install
 $this->createInnovativesLabsTabs();

 //uninstall
 $this->deleteInnovativesLabsTabs();

A: You must create a back office controller. In your module's folder this would be the structure
controllers/admin/AdminModuleName.php

This file class must be named like
class AdminmodulenameController extends ModuleAdminController.

You can choose to add it when installing the module, or youy can add it manually from the admin menu. You can find an extended explanation in the prestashop docs (Creating a PrestaShop module)


MAGNOLIA INN $129 ($̶1̶5̶2̶) - Updated 2018 ... - Jacksonville https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g51920-d286474-Reviews-Magnolia_Inn-Jacksonville_Oregon.html Now $129 (Was $̶1̶5̶2̶) on TripAdvisor: Magnolia Inn, Jacksonville. See 195 traveler reviews, 36 candid photos, and great deals for Magnolia Inn, ranked #1 of 7 B&Bs / inns in Jacksonville and ... Nearby HotelsSee all 2 nearby hotels.
MAGNOLIA INN - Motel Reviews (AR) - TripAdvisor https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g31754-d3303322-Reviews-Magnolia_Inn-Magnolia_Arkansas.html Magnolia Inn, Magnolia: See traveler reviews, candid photos, and great deals for Magnolia Inn, ranked #4 of 5 hotels in Magnolia and rated 3 of 5 at TripAdvisor.


Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) has announced the participating members of ASA's benefit portfolio, called the ASA Marketplace, will exhibit at NACE and CARS next week. ASRW will take place Thursday and Friday, Oct. 17-18, with education beginning Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
The ASA Marketplace is an expansive benefits portfolio for ASA members, offering 24/7 access and convenience unsurpassed in the industry. At the core of the ASA Marketplace are numerous money-saving benefits designed specifically for automotive service and collision repair professionals. Attendees are invited to take advantage of pre-negotiated services with selected vendors for increased savings.
Attendees can visit the ASA booth (#1425) for more information on the ASA Marketplace or for information on becoming an ASA member.


The 3rd annual Tri WashU! One of the best reviewed, fastest growing and already one of the largest indoor triathlons in the midwest with over 100 participants in just its second year.
A full-length sprint, pre-race food, and great swag, a real rarity for indoor triathlons!
Tri WashU is USAT sanctioned and a collegiate nationals qualifier for the MWCTC.


text:
Tag Archives: trilogy
Posted in Book Reviews	by eccentric91
About the Books:
Windsworn (Gryphon Riders Trilogy #1)
An unlikely young hero. An incredible destiny.
Eva has never swung a sword. She's never flown through the open sky on a gryphon or dreamed of being a hero. She's content with a quiet life — two feet firmly on the ground, working in her foster-father's forge. But that's all about to change.
When Eva discovers a young thief hiding in her woodshed with a stolen gryphon egg, the shy, timid girl is forced to leave everything she's ever known to become Windsworn — elite warriors who ride fierce gryphons into battle. As she struggles to learn the ways of the Windsworn, Eva finds herself caught in a plot to destroy the gryphon riders and plunge the kingdom into war, a plot that somehow involves her deceased parents.
In the face of growing danger, can Eva conquer her fears and unravel the secrets of her past in time to save the Windsworn?
Fans of Eragon, Harry Potter and the Dragonriders of Pern will love this fast-paced coming of age fantasy, set in a world of majestic gryphons and ancient magic.
Windswept (Gryphon Riders Trilogy #2)
A long-forgotten champion. An ancient darkness.
Now a full-fledged gryphon rider, Eva's come a long way from the timid girl she used to be.
After proving herself to the Windsworn, forging a bond with her gryphon, Fury, and discovering the truth about her parentage, Eva thought life would get easier. Instead, war is blossoming on the eastern frontier. And raiders on giant sabercats might only be a shadow of worse things to come.
If that weren't enough, a captured enemy reveals a startling truth: Eva's long-lost father is still alive.
Against direct orders, Eva and her friends desert the Windsworn, risking everything to bring her father home. Eva and Fury have come a long way in a short time, but beyond the mountains, danger lurks at every turn. Will Eva sacrifice everything she holds dear for a man she's never met?
Don't miss the rousing second installment in the Gryphon Riders Trilogy!
Windbreak (Gryphon Riders Trilogy #3)
From the fires of war, a queen must rise.
Against all odds, Eva and her friends are alive. And they've returned home with the only chance the Windsworn have of defeating the Smelterborn.
Hope, however, will prove to be short-lived and bittersweet.
An army of iron golems marches west and nothing can stop them. To survive the coming war, the gryphon riders must stand with old enemies against the ancient darkness. As the fighting begins, a small band makes their way east on a desperate quest: to destroy the source of the Smelterborn's power once and for all. Chances are, none of them will make it out alive.
Eva and Fury will be tested like never before. Heroes will fall. Kingdoms will shatter. The price of victory has never been higher.
Will Eva succeed in driving back the darkness or will everything she loves be crushed beneath the iron fist of the Smelterborn?
Don't miss the epic conclusion of the Gryphon Riders Trilogy!
This started off with a review request for book #1, but turned into a marathon reading session of the entire series!
Windsworn (Gryphon Riders Trilogy #1), introduces us to Eva, a young girl who chances upon a thief in possession of a Gryphon egg. This part of the story will remind the reader of the Eragon series ( if you are a fan ), but later on the story takes on it's own identity and the reader is taken on a wonderful adventure of discovery and learning. The entire series follows Eva's journey as she learns to be a Gryphon rider, gains the trust of her Gryphon and forges new friendships. Having earned the trust of some of her peers and teachers, Eva, embarks on a journey to save the world from those seeking to destroy the Windsworn.
The plot thickens in Windswept (Book #2), where Eva discovers the truth behind her parentage and the chance that her father might be alive. Throwing caution to the winds, she takes off on a journey with some friends against all orders to discover the truth. Finally, in Windbreak (Book #3), Eva and the Windsworn must stand against the Smelterborn and also unite with others whom they previously considered to be enemies. Having learnt the secret to destroying the golems, Eva must do what she can to end it all. What ensues is a thrilling war that will have the reader on the edge of their seats.
Throughout the series, we follows Eva on her journey of growth, self-discovery and the search for the truth. This coming of age series is filled with adventure and action. The war sequences are well written and the entire plot comes together very well throughout the three books. The author keeps the plot simple but ensures that the reader is hooked until the end of not just a book, but the entire series. The supporting characters are well crafted and add a lot of spice to the book.
I am grateful to have been given the chance to read and review these books and I do recommend them for fans of fantasy adventures. Do give this series a shot!
author, books, coming of age, Derek Alan Siddoway, family, fantasy, fiction, fights, friendship, golems, growing up, Gryphon Riders Trilogy, gryphons, life, power, reading, review, series, trilogy, war, Windbreak, Windswept, Windsworn, writing	Leave a comment
I would like to thank Gloryburg Publishing for reaching out to me and bringing to my attention this wonderful new series.
Luwan finds himself in a grave danger and now he must make a daring choice. He must leave the village that kept him safe all these years and set out through unknown regions in search of a safe haven. But there is a good chance that this journey itself will kill him.
Luwan sets out with his sister, but only to head into a mysterious new enemy, a band of legendary assassins that bring down men of great power. Luwan is clueless why they are after his head, but he has no luxury to find an answer to that question. He is thrown into a relentless run across a great distance, chased by enemies with supernatural powers. Little does Luwan know that he is part of a great conspiracy that shall soon shake the vast empire of Inkredia.
Can Luwan protect his sister against such powerful enemies? Will he find answers to all the mysteries? What is the world of Inkredia made up of?
Inkredia – Luwan of Brida is the first book in a trilogy.
The story starts off by introducing us to the main protagonist, Luwan. He lives in a village at one end of Inkredia, and has lived there all his life. However, fate has something else in store for him and he reaches a point where he needs to leave the place he called home. Thus starts off a fast paced adventure, where the characters and the reader do not have time to pause and take a breath.
Forced to escape, Luwan is faced with the daunting task of facing the world beyond. He is accompanied by his sister and along the way they encounters many characters who aid them in their escape. All of a sudden, the brother-sister duo come to realize that they are being hunted by a group of trained and lethal assassin's (the author's version of the famous Nazgûl, from The Lord of the Rings). This is the starting point of a very long journey.
The author seamlessly brings the plot together, explaining the background, towns and places along the way. We are not treated whole paragraphs of information about Inkredia, but through facts put forth as part of answers given to the question's raised by the characters.
The author's style of writing inspires the reader to visualize and imagine the setting, the fights and the flight. The story is a page turner not only due to the strong plot, but also the style of writing. We meet many interesting characters : human non-human, beasts and even those that live off of dark magic and magical artifacts like talismans. It is also interesting to learn the importance Luwan, a seemingly normal and uninteresting boy, has in the grand scheme of things and where his destiny leads him.
At times it is easy to compare the characters created in this story to some of the more iconic Fantasy series like the Lord of the Rings, but the author brings in enough of his own creativity that the reader is finally convinced that Inkredia has it's own setting in the fantasy world. There is action, adventure, magic and intrigue, all thrown into one book and this is just the first book!
As can be expected, the story ends on a cliff hanger and is definitely a must read for all the fantasy genre enthusiasts out there!
adventure, assassins, book 1, cities, dark magic, destiny, fantasy, fiction, Gloryburg Publishing, humans, Inkredia, kings, life, Luwan of Brida, magic, non-humans, reading, Sarang Mahajan, series, siblings, talisman, trilogy, villages, World, writing	Leave a comment
Review: The Rise of Sivagami by Anand Neelakantan
Blessed by the sacred Gauriparvat, Mahishmathi is an empire of abundance. The powerful kingdom is flourishing under its king, who enjoys the support and loyalty of his subjects, down to his lowly slaves. But is everything really as it appears, or is the empire hiding its own dirty secret?
Orphaned at a young age and wrenched away from her foster family, Sivagami is waiting for the day she can avenge the death of her beloved father, cruelly branded a traitor. Her enemy? None other than the king of Mahishmathi. With unflinching belief in her father's innocence, the fiery young orphan is driven to clear his name and destroy the empire of Mahishmathi against all odds. How far can she go in her audacious journey?
From the pen of masterful storyteller and bestselling author Anand Neelakantan, comes The Rise of Sivagami, the first book in the series Baahubali: Before the Beginning. A tale of intrigue and power, revenge and betrayal, the revelations in The Rise of Sivagami will grip the reader and not let go.
I am sure all of you out there have watched Baahubali 1 and 2. Most of us have come to love the characters but as with most movies, we do not get to know some of the characters well. In this case, with the focus of the movie plot on Baahubali (first the father and then the son – who share the same second name), we are introduced to some very strong and compelling characters about whom we don't know much.
This book, the first in a trilogy, seeks to close the gaps and give us an insight into those characters who definitely need to be explained. The major questions of – Who are they? Where are they from? How did they get to where they are today? – are brought up and the author seeks to give us the answers.
Sivagami, the strong-willed lady, who is ruthless with her decisions, is a woman who brings out the curiosity in people. Since the movies do not give us anything about her or how she came to be the Queen, this book tells us her story. A girl from humble beginnings, with a thirst for revenge, Sivagami is portrayed as head strong and determined. She takes her time to plot and plan, showing us the strength and cunning in her nature while at the same time, we are shown how much she cares for her friends and can go to any length to protect them.
The book also talks about Kattappa in his youth, at a time when he is just starting out, along with intricate details about his life, his father and brother. It is a completely different person that we are shown, which might take you by surprise, but remember, he is still an unsure youth, trying to understand and find his place in the world. His part of the story, running parallel, talks about his struggle to accept the way the world is.
This prequel has a lot of subplots and twists, bringing out the darkness of the times and the conspiracies and corruption behind the doors of the kingdom. Everyone has an agenda and something to hide. The characters are all portrayed in shades of grey, making us believe that they aren't as bad as they actually are. Though the story is well written, there are many times when many of the characters introduced do not inspire empathy, in-spite of the dire circumstances. There is so much that seems to be cluttered together into this first part. It feels more like a rant on the system than a portrayal of emotions that arise due to the circumstances, with the nobles and the slaves, and then those who take advantage of and abuse their power!
Pushing these flaws to the side, the story has immense potential and brings out a feeling of nostalgia and a slight sense of satisfaction of knowing who these characters are. Of course, this is just the beginning, there is more to come!
Anand Neelakantan, author, Baahubali, books, darkness, fiction, Gauriparvat, kingdom, Mahishmathi, movie, power, reading, revenge, review, secrets, series, The Rise of Sivagami, trilogy, war, writing	Leave a comment
Release Blitz: Amniwar by Adam Reese
Posted in Uncategorized	by eccentric91
Amniwar by Adam Reese
Genre: Science Fiction Suspense
Series: Amniwar Trilogy, Book One
Humans are in danger of extinction due to the multiple world wars that have progressively shaken the fabric of society. The government discovers a leak, leading them to a Navy Captain's son, Aaron Lambright. Their desperate actions to bring silence to the secret Aaron holds is only the beginning of a sinister plot to bring the nation kneeling before tyranny.
Adam Reese, Amniwar, author, book 1, books, danger, extinction, fiction, giveaway, imagination, promotion, reading, release, science, Science Fiction, SciFi, secrets, series, suspense, The Book Garden PR, trilogy, war, World, writing	Leave a comment
In Conversation with Lola Smirnova
Posted in Author Interviews, BookWorld	by eccentric91
We had the pleasure of speaking with Lola Smirnova, author of the books titled Twisted and Craved. Twisted is reviewed on our blog already. The review for Craved will be up soon. In the meantime, here is what Lola has to share:
I had a story to tell that maybe could help to change peoples' often ignorant attitude towards problems of the sex industry, victims of which usually are young inexperienced women. I wanted the reader to realize that those working girls are humans… They dream, love or suffer the same way as anyone's girlfriend, sister or daughter.
I was born and bred in Ukraine. By the end of 90's, due to the difficult economical situation there, I started travelling around the world in the search of a better life. For the last decade I've been living in South Africa, where four years ago I started writing full time.
Tell us about your books.
Twisted series is about three sisters from the post-Soviet Ukraine, who together with their family as well as the rest of the country, struggle in its corrupt and faulty economy and decide to go to Europe to work in the sex trade. In the second book the girls end up working in South Africa.
It took me 3 years to write and self-publish my debut novel Twisted, which was released in January 2014. A year and a half later in July 2015 I released the sequel to Twisted – Craved – which is the second book in the trilogy. Currently I'm working on the third book.
How easy/difficult was it to pen down your thoughts in your books?
Most of the times not easy at all, considering that English is not my native language.
Which is the best part of writing a story?
The writing process is some kind of escape for me. I create a world where I can be anyone or experience anything… You know, my job is actually to dream or fantasize. For example, on Monday I can live a life of a modern day's woman that can perfectly manage her kids, career and a twenty years old marriage, when by Thursday, I dive into a life of a vulnerable teenager who discovers all thrills and downs of her first love.
Describe a perfect writing day for you.
I wake up in the morning, make myself a cup of coffee and start writing. Words, thoughts, ideas are pouring out of me like there is no tomorrow.
There is no distraction, nothing around me – just my imagination and a laptop.
I have a quick bite in the noon time and carry on writing in the same flowing and effortless way…
Then late afternoon comes and I go for a run with my dog, come back, have a dinner and make myself comfortable on the couch with some riveting read for the evening.
What message would you like to share with your readers?
As Richard Bach once said: "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit."
Note: Please do share your thoughts or hit the like button if you enjoyed reading this post. We would love to hear your thoughts!
author, books, conversation, craved, interview, lola smirnova, reading, trilogy, twisted	1 Comment


Looking back, it's easy to forget the significance of IBM Watson's Jeopardy win in February 2011. At that time, iPhones had no built-in Siri, deep learning was still obscure, and few people would believe how pervasive devices such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa have now become. Watson's win made artificial intelligence advances tangible for millions of viewers.
Yet despite this breakthrough, for many biomedical researchers, it's still 2011. While IBM quickly applied Watson in healthcare, its efforts (especially relative to the hype) have been largely unsuccessful. And while several companies now do successfully apply machine learning to identifying drug candidates, they don't address the many inefficiencies that can make developing those candidates so challenging, expensive and frustrating.
But this is starting to change. At BenchSci, where we apply machine learning to antibody selection and reagent intelligence for drug discovery, we've seen this first hand. And in my research and conversations with related startups, it seems we're not alone. Rather, if phase 1 of artificial intelligence in drug discovery was Watson and phase 2 was the launch of drug candidate-identification startups, phase 3 seems to be growth in the "long tail"—companies using machine learning in highly specific ways to streamline and improve the many day-to-day biomedical research tasks required to bring those candidates to market.
What's driving this trend is domain expertise, deep learning and data.
Let's start with domain expertise. In my experience with IBM Watson within a pharma company, IBM struggles to articulate use cases. Since they lack the domain expertise, they look to partners to identify and volunteer biomedical problems to solve, while they bring the underlying technology. This approach might make sense if Watson were truly unique, but from a technical perspective, under the hood, "Watson" is an assemblage of software tools—many acquired by IBM and mashed together, most available elsewhere (including as open source software) and some simply rebranded (such as IBM Watson Campaign Automation for marketing, formerly Silverpop).
This brings us to the second trend: deep learning. While Watson's Jeopardy victory had high visibility—and truly was a breakthrough—a less public triumph the following year was the successful application of deep learning to the ImageNet image recognition contest, dramatically dropping the error rate from 25.8% to 16.4% (and by 2015 to greater than human performance). This sparked a gold rush to apply deep learning (which was invented in the 1980s, but which lacked sufficient computational power and data for practical applications) to multiple industries, including healthcare. Notably, Watson did not apply deep learning in its Jeopardy-winning architecture, and it wasn't until 2015 that IBM would add the capability to the commercial version, falling behind leaders such as Google with DeepMind. As shown in the Google Trends chart above, interest in "deep learning" (red) rapidly overtook interest in "IBM Watson" (blue).
Meanwhile, companies that were built around deep learning began procuring and analyzing massive amounts of data—the third ingredient. This has been fuelled by growth in sources of data, including increased access to published research, electronic health records, the various "omics" fields and even social media.
The result is that there are now at least 11 companies that combine domain expertise, deep learning and data to identify drug candidates: Atomwise, BenevolentAI, Cloud, Exscienta, Insilico Medicine, NuMedii, Numerate, Qrativ, Recursion, TwoXAR, and Verge.
But this isn't where the trend ends.
Just as the mix of domain expertise, deep learning and data gave drug candidate identification companies an advantage over generalists such as IBM, they give advantage to companies that focus on niche aspects of the drug discovery and development process that are currently underserved. The result is growth in companies such as BenchSci that use machine learning to focus on very specific aspects of healthcare and drug discovery—the long tail.
In February, for example, research company CB Insights highlighted 106 healthcare startups using machine learning, up from 20 in 2012 and 70 just last year. Their list is now up to 176. Such lists now include niche applications of artificial intelligence in healthcare such as Envisagenics for RNA splicing analytics, Celldom for automated single cell analysis and Deep 6 AI for finding patients for clinical trials faster.
From what we're seeing in the market—the feedback we get from customers and users—there is unmet demand for such specific use cases throughout pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. These solutions need to be targeted to specific users, tuned to specific use cases, trained by domain experts, and built with deep data addressing a specific niche—the more general use case of identifying drug candidates is already crowded.
"The AI approach has to be very specific to the problem at hand," agrees Deep 6 CEO Wout Brusselaers. " It also needs to be augmented by human user workflow to validate algorithm-derived results and offer users a delightful experience overall. We are big believers in synergistic relationships between artificial and human intelligence."
So if you're a lab manager or research director looking at the machine learning landscape, it might be worth identifying the specific pain points in your pipeline and looking for best-in-class solutions tailored to address them. And if you're a startup looking to apply machine learning in drug discovery, take heart: while there are big players at the head of the tail, even IBM struggled there, and there's plenty of long tail for the taking.


text:
MIS Training Center
International IRCAD Centers
First stone laying of IRCAD 3 – Construction of a brand-new building dedicated to robotic surgery
On Tuesday, June 18, 2019, Jean Rottner, President of the Grand Est region, Frédéric Bierry, President of the Bas-Rhin department council, Robert Hermann, President of the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg, Arnaud Delhaye, VP of MITG, Medtronic Europe, Michel Deneken, President of the University of Strasbourg, Sophie Béjean, Rector of the Academy of Strasbourg, Chancellor of the universities of Alsace, Christophe Gautier, Director of the university hospital of Strasbourg, and Jacques Marescaux, President of IRCAD, laid the symbolic first stone of IRCAD 3, the new IRCAD building dedicated to robotic surgery at the University hospital of Strasbourg.
Innovation lies at the heart of IRCAD's development. Minimally invasive surgical techniques, which have been taught at IRCAD to surgeons from all over the world for 25 years, are progressively shifting to robotic surgery. To live up to this evolution and sustain the institute's tradition of excellence in new surgical techniques, IRCAD is increasing its surface area with the construction of IRCAD 3: a new building located right next to IRCAD 1 and 2.
IRCAD 3 will open in March 2020 and will be dedicated to the development of research and training in robotic surgery. It will consist of a ground floor and two underground floors, and will feature a surgical robotic platform, which will include experimental operating rooms and a 250-seat auditorium equipped with the latest 4K audiovisual technologies.
More than 10 companies are currently developing their own surgical robot, including the Medtronic Group, IRCAD's faithful partner since the beginning in 1994. These new robots should be available on the international market in 2020. Today, IRCAD aims to become the worldwide reference center for research and training in robotic surgery.
IRCAD France is indeed a natural cluster which attracts businesses thanks to
the presence of medical devices and equipment companies on IRCAD's campus (KARL STORZ, Medtronic, Intuitive Surgical among others),
IRCAD's strong influence on the surgical world via the WebSurg website, which has more than 390 000 members worldwide,
its network of experts (800 expert surgeons around the world).
The other IRCAD institutes in Taiwan, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Lebanon, and very soon in Rwanda, China and the USA, are also major contributors to the attractiveness of IRCAD France in Strasbourg.
Intuitive Surgical chose to establish its European center for robotic surgery at IRCAD in 2015. A new collaboration with Medtronic then took place, with the creation of a Medtronic robot-assisted surgery training center at IRCAD in Strasbourg.
IRCAD 3 benefited from the support of the Grand Est region, the Bas-Rhin department council, the city and Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, as well as the ERDF.
The National Academy of medicine organizes a delocalized session at the IRCAD institute
Specialties / Course calendar
© 2019 Copyright IRCAD France


What a year for Mint Talent! We have clocked up many hours of meetings, placed candidates from Melbourne, Singapore, to India, and received positive feedback from our clients and candidates. We have worked extremely hard and drank a lot of tea and coffee in the process!


text:
5/15/2019, 9:37am
University of Minnesota students robbed at light rail station, sent to hospital
Two University of Minnesota students were approached around 1 a.m. and assaulted after refusing to surrender their wallets.
By Dylan Anderson
A light rail Green Line train crosses University Avenue in Minneapolis on Monday night. According to Metro Transit, there has been about $3 billion in development along the Green Line corridor since construction began in 2010.
Two University of Minnesota students were sent to the hospital after resisting an attempted robbery on campus early Wednesday morning, according to a campuswide email.
Two male students were on the Green Line East Bank Station around 1 a.m. Wednesday when two suspects "verbally harassed" them and told them to hand over their wallets. The suspects began to physically assault the students when they refused to surrender the wallets. Shortly after, the suspects fled the station.
The victims were sent to the hospital for further evaluation with bruising and cuts on their faces, according to the email notice. There is no description of the suspects at this time.
Metro Transit Police is investigating the crime and urges anyone with information to call 612-349-7222.
UMN graduate Sonia Neculescu to compete in special election for MN House seat
By Mohamed Ibrahim
By Brendan O'Brien


• 21 years of age.
•High school diploma or GED and a minimum of 60 - 90 hours of higher education at an accredited college or university.
• Valid Colorado driver's license at time of appointment.
• Possess a current Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification or be eligible for certification. Eligibility for Colorado POST certification for out-of-state applicants with prior police training from a state or federal jurisdiction is governed by current Colorado statutes and Colorado POST regulations. POST can be contacted at 303-866-5692, via email at POST@state.co.us , or visit the P.O.S.T. web page.
Successful completion of the department's PTO program.
See "Recruitment Process" for more detailed information.


text:
British Airways pilots to face 50% pay cut over coronavirus: FT
https://i-invdn-com.akamaized.net/news/LYNXMPEC0409P_M.jpg
© Reuters.
(Reuters) – British Airways (L:) pilots will face a 50% pay cut to their basic salary for April and May, as the airline seeks to reduce its cost to try survive the coronavirus crisis, the Financial Times reported https://on.ft.com/2xdsAYR on Thursday.
British Airways in a letter to its staff said it had agreed to initial measures with BALPA, the UK-based pilot union that aims to address "the immediate threat to the business in the face of COVID-19 and the unprecedented impact this is having on the airline," the newspaper reported.
The pay cut would be split over three months, the FT added.
Last week, British Airways Chief Executive Officer Alex Cruz told its staff of plans to cut jobs and ground aircraft to tackle the situation caused by coronavirus.
British Airways directed a request for comment to BALPA. The union did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.
Disclaimer: Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. All CFDs (stocks, indexes, futures) and Forex prices are not provided by exchanges but rather by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual market price, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Therefore Fusion Media doesn`t bear any responsibility for any trading losses you might incur as a result of using this data.
Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.
U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.29%
Day Ahead: Top 3 Things to Watch for March 6
Delivery Hero expects food delivery business breakeven in second half of 2022
L Brands Stages Comeback on Pampering as Estee Lauder Misses the Boat
Maersk agrees $3.6 billion deal to buy Hong Kong-based LF Logistics
McDonald's to hire 25,000 staff in Texas this month


text:
In this section, we will discuss the relationship between optimization and deep learning as well as the challenges of using optimization in deep learning.
For a deep learning problem, we will usually define a *loss function* first. Once we have the loss function, we can use an optimization algorithm in attempt to minimize the loss.
In optimization, a loss function is often referred to as the *objective function* of the optimization problem. By tradition and convention most optimization algorithms are concerned with *minimization*. If we ever need to maximize an objective there is a simple solution: just flip the sign on the objective.

## Goal of Optimization

Although optimization provides a way to minimize the loss function for deep
learning, in essence, the goals of optimization and deep learning are
fundamentally different.
The former is primarily concerned with minimizing an
objective whereas the latter is concerned with finding a suitable model, given a
finite amount of data.
In :numref:`sec_model_selection`,
we discussed the difference between these two goals in detail.
For instance,
training error and generalization error generally differ: since the objective
function of the optimization algorithm is usually a loss function based on the
training dataset, the goal of optimization is to reduce the training error.
However, the goal of deep learning (or more broadly, statistical inference) is to
reduce the generalization error.
To accomplish the latter we need to pay
attention to overfitting in addition to using the optimization algorithm to
reduce the training error.

```{.python .input}
%matplotlib inline
from d2l import mxnet as d2l
from mpl_toolkits import mplot3d
from mxnet import np, npx
npx.set_np()
```

```{.python .input}
#@tab pytorch
%matplotlib inline
from d2l import torch as d2l
import numpy as np
from mpl_toolkits import mplot3d
import torch
```

```{.python .input}
#@tab tensorflow
%matplotlib inline
from d2l import tensorflow as d2l
import numpy as np
from mpl_toolkits import mplot3d
import tensorflow as tf
```

To illustrate the aforementioned different goals,
let us consider
the empirical risk and the risk.
As described
in :numref:`subsec_empirical-risk-and-risk`,
the empirical risk
is an average loss
on the training dataset
while the risk is the expected loss
on the entire population of data.
Below we define two functions:
the risk function `f`
and the empirical risk function `g`.
Suppose that we have only a finite amount of training data.
As a result, here `g` is less smooth than `f`.

```{.python .input}
#@tab all
def f(x):
    return x * d2l.cos(np.pi * x)

def g(x):
    return f(x) + 0.2 * d2l.cos(5 * np.pi * x)
```

The graph below illustrates that the minimum of the empirical risk on a training dataset may be at a different location from the minimum of the risk (generalization error).

```{.python .input}
#@tab all
def annotate(text, xy, xytext):  #@save
    d2l.plt.gca().annotate(text, xy=xy, xytext=xytext,
                           arrowprops=dict(arrowstyle='->'))

x = d2l.arange(0.5, 1.5, 0.01)
d2l.set_figsize((4.5, 2.5))
d2l.plot(x, [f(x), g(x)], 'x', 'risk')
annotate('min of\nempirical risk', (1.0, -1.2), (0.5, -1.1))
annotate('min of risk', (1.1, -1.05), (0.95, -0.5))
```

## Optimization Challenges in Deep Learning

In this chapter, we are going to focus specifically on the performance of optimization algorithms in minimizing the objective function, rather than a
model's generalization error.
In :numref:`sec_linear_regression`
we distinguished between analytical solutions and numerical solutions in
optimization problems.
In deep learning, most objective functions are
complicated and do not have analytical solutions. Instead, we must use numerical
optimization algorithms.
The optimization algorithms in this chapter
all fall into this
category.

There are many challenges in deep learning optimization. Some of the most vexing ones are local minima, saddle points, and vanishing gradients.
Let us have a look at them.

### Local Minima

For any objective function $f(x)$,
if the value of $f(x)$ at $x$ is smaller than the values of $f(x)$ at any other points in the vicinity of $x$, then $f(x)$ could be a local minimum.
If the value of $f(x)$ at $x$ is the minimum of the objective function over the entire domain,
then $f(x)$ is the global minimum.

For example, given the function

$$f(x) = x \cdot \text{cos}(\pi x) \text{ for } -1.0 \leq x \leq 2.0,$$

we can approximate the local minimum and global minimum of this function.

```{.python .input}
#@tab all
x = d2l.arange(-1.0, 2.0, 0.01)
d2l.plot(x, [f(x), ], 'x', 'f(x)')
annotate('local minimum', (-0.3, -0.25), (-0.77, -1.0))
annotate('global minimum', (1.1, -0.95), (0.6, 0.8))
```

The objective function of deep learning models usually has many local optima.
When the numerical solution of an optimization problem is near the local optimum, the numerical solution obtained by the final iteration may only minimize the objective function *locally*, rather than *globally*, as the gradient of the objective function's solutions approaches or becomes zero.
Only some degree of noise might knock the parameter out of the local minimum. In fact, this is one of the beneficial properties of
minibatch stochastic gradient descent where the natural variation of gradients over minibatches is able to dislodge the parameters from local minima.

### Saddle Points

Besides local minima, saddle points are another reason for gradients to vanish. A *saddle point* is any location where all gradients of a function vanish but which is neither a global nor a local minimum.
Consider the function $f(x) = x^3$. Its first and second derivative vanish for $x=0$. Optimization might stall at this point, even though it is not a minimum.

```{.python .input}
#@tab all
x = d2l.arange(-2.0, 2.0, 0.01)
d2l.plot(x, [x**3], 'x', 'f(x)')
annotate('saddle point', (0, -0.2), (-0.52, -5.0))
```

Saddle points in higher dimensions are even more insidious, as the example below shows. Consider the function $f(x, y) = x^2 - y^2$. It has its saddle point at $(0, 0)$. This is a maximum with respect to $y$ and a minimum with respect to $x$. Moreover, it *looks* like a saddle, which is where this mathematical property got its name.

```{.python .input}
#@tab all
x, y = d2l.meshgrid(
    d2l.linspace(-1.0, 1.0, 101), d2l.linspace(-1.0, 1.0, 101))
z = x**2 - y**2

ax = d2l.plt.figure().add_subplot(111, projection='3d')
ax.plot_wireframe(x, y, z, **{'rstride': 10, 'cstride': 10})
ax.plot([0], [0], [0], 'rx')
ticks = [-1, 0, 1]
d2l.plt.xticks(ticks)
d2l.plt.yticks(ticks)
ax.set_zticks(ticks)
d2l.plt.xlabel('x')
d2l.plt.ylabel('y');
```

We assume that the input of a function is a $k$-dimensional vector and its
output is a scalar, so its Hessian matrix will have $k$ eigenvalues
(refer to the [online appendix on eigendecompositions](https://d2l.ai/chapter_appendix-mathematics-for-deep-learning/eigendecomposition.html)).
The solution of the
function could be a local minimum, a local maximum, or a saddle point at a
position where the function gradient is zero:

* When the eigenvalues of the function's Hessian matrix at the zero-gradient position are all positive, we have a local minimum for the function.
* When the eigenvalues of the function's Hessian matrix at the zero-gradient position are all negative, we have a local maximum for the function.
* When the eigenvalues of the function's Hessian matrix at the zero-gradient position are negative and positive, we have a saddle point for the function.

For high-dimensional problems the likelihood that at least *some* of the eigenvalues are negative is quite high. This makes saddle points more likely than local minima. We will discuss some exceptions to this situation in the next section when introducing convexity. In short, convex functions are those where the eigenvalues of the Hessian are never negative. Sadly, though, most deep learning problems do not fall into this category. Nonetheless it is a great tool to study optimization algorithms.

### Vanishing Gradients

Probably the most insidious problem to encounter is the vanishing gradient.
Recall our commonly-used activation functions and their derivatives in :numref:`subsec_activation-functions`.
For instance, assume that we want to minimize the function $f(x) = \tanh(x)$ and we happen to get started at $x = 4$. As we can see, the gradient of $f$ is close to nil.
More specifically, $f'(x) = 1 - \tanh^2(x)$ and thus $f'(4) = 0.0013$.
Consequently, optimization will get stuck for a long time before we make progress. This turns out to be one of the reasons that training deep learning models was quite tricky prior to the introduction of the ReLU activation function.

```{.python .input}
#@tab all
x = d2l.arange(-2.0, 5.0, 0.01)
d2l.plot(x, [d2l.tanh(x)], 'x', 'f(x)')
annotate('vanishing gradient', (4, 1), (2, 0.0))
```

As we saw, optimization for deep learning is full of challenges. Fortunately there exists a robust range of algorithms that perform well and that are easy to use even for beginners. Furthermore, it is not really necessary to find *the* best solution. Local optima or even approximate solutions thereof are still very useful.

## Summary

* Minimizing the training error does *not* guarantee that we find the best set of parameters to minimize the generalization error.
* The optimization problems may have many local minima.
* The problem may have even more saddle points, as generally the problems are not convex.
* Vanishing gradients can cause optimization to stall. Often a reparameterization of the problem helps. Good initialization of the parameters can be beneficial, too.

## Exercises

1. Consider a simple MLP with a single hidden layer of, say, $d$ dimensions in the hidden layer and a single output. Show that for any local minimum there are at least $d!$ equivalent solutions that behave identically.
1. Assume that we have a symmetric random matrix $\mathbf{M}$ where the entries
   $M_{ij} = M_{ji}$ are each drawn from some probability distribution
   $p_{ij}$. Furthermore assume that $p_{ij}(x) = p_{ij}(-x)$, i.e., that the
   distribution is symmetric (see e.g., :cite:`Wigner.1958` for details).
    1. Prove that the distribution over eigenvalues is also symmetric. That is, for any eigenvector $\mathbf{v}$ the probability that the associated eigenvalue $\lambda$ satisfies $P(\lambda > 0) = P(\lambda < 0)$.
    1. Why does the above *not* imply $P(\lambda > 0) = 0.5$?
1. What other challenges involved in deep learning optimization can you think of?
1. Assume that you want to balance a (real) ball on a (real) saddle.
    1. Why is this hard?
    1. Can you exploit this effect also for optimization algorithms?

:begin_tab:`mxnet`
[Discussions](https://discuss.d2l.ai/t/349)
:end_tab:

:begin_tab:`pytorch`
[Discussions](https://discuss.d2l.ai/t/487)
:end_tab:

:begin_tab:`tensorflow`
[Discussions](https://discuss.d2l.ai/t/489)
:end_tab:

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Need way to bind params in select via active record Is there any way to use bind params in rails active record method select?
I have the query like
SELECT column * #{param1} / #{param2} as value
FROM table
ORDER BY value

So there i have outer params, which i want to bind.
Need something like
Table.select('column * :param1 / :param2 as value',
             {param1: param1, param2: param2})
      .order('value').all

Error on this query
Unsupported argument type: Hash. construct an Arel node instead.