text:
Bec's Nové Město podium!
Mondraker rider Rebecca McConnell hit the XC World Cup podium again this weekend, as the much anticipated top-flight 2020 mountain bike season kicked off in style with a cross-country World Cup double header at the brilliant Nové Město na Moravě course in the Czech Republic.
The last women's race of the packed week saw a fast pace and the established cream of the crop rise to the top as Primaflor-Mondraker-XSauce rider Bec took fourth place on her Mondraker F-Podium, behind resurgent World Champ Pauline Ferrand-Prévot.
"I just finished fourth in the World Cup here in Nové Město, I'm really happy with that!" said Bec McConnell, straight after the podium awards ceremony.
"It was a hard day out there after three races this week already, but I'm super happy to be back on the podium and making the best of every opportunity."
It was a battling performance over the four-race event for the tough Aussie Champion, who was super keen to follow up her podiums in both the World Cup and World Championships in 2019 with the best results she could force in the crazy truncated 2020 season.
In the first short-course XCC event on Tuesday, Bec punctured and retired, leaving her with a back-row start for the first XCO event on Thursday. And on that Olympic-distance race she pushed hard to gain places every lap, forcing her way into the top 10, and settling for 9th position on a wet, slippery track where finding traction on the rocky climbs was tough and the muddy jumps were taking their toll – and the full suspension of the F-Podium paid off.
With no points counting towards an overall World Cup series on offer from the UCI this year it was all about the individual results, so after a quick rest – 24 hours – it was on to Round 2 at the same venue. Becca was on a roll, again pushing on and improving further to secure a 6th place finish on the XCC, earning a front-row start for the XCO.
Into the last race of the shortest ever World Cup season, the Mondraker rider had saved the best till last on Sunday in the Czech Republic.
McConnell formed part of the group closely chasing the runaway leader Ferrand-Prévot, riding in sixth as the group behind her faded away in the fast pace on the somewhat dryer track that had been altered from the first round, cutting out one of the climbs. She moved into 5th on lap 3 ahead of XCC winner Evie Richards then traded places with Laura Stigger – two of the youngsters who had left their mark on this extraordinary World Cup.
Bec established herself in fourth place before XCO1 winner Loana Lecomte in third on the penultimate lap, but the super-fast pace meant fourth was hers, for a great podium to finish the week.
The next – and only remaining – major cross-country race for Bec, husband Dan and the Primaflor-Mondraker-XSauce team is the UCI World Champs in Leogang, Austria this week. The XC Worlds run parallel to the DH Worlds where the MS Mondraker team will race their Mondraker Summum looking for gravity glory while the XC team search for more podiums on their F-Podiums.
F-PODIUM RANGE
Carbon/Blau
F-PODIUM CARBON RR
Carbon/Gelb
F-PODIUM CARBON R
Carbon/Orange
F-PODIUM CARBON

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Such a lovely day - the sun shone and everyone was smiling as Cat & Iain got married on Friday at the Marriott Hotel in Huntingdon.
After reading their hand-written vows together and enjoying not one, but two 'kiss the bride' renditions .. we captured some fantastic photos to celebrate their special day.
Click the pic to view and download your fancy dress photos!


text:
Inside "The World's Most Exclusive Hotel", Opposite The White House
25 Jan 2018 by Sloane Hunter in America, Politics, Travel, Vibe
A Closer Look At Two Of Cape Town CBD's Most Stylish Hotels
Here's How Fox News Covered Biden's Victory [Videos]
Western Cape Beach Pad Makes Condé Nast Traveler Top 10 Resorts
Trouble At The Vineyard Hotel In Newlands
Cape Gem Rated One Of The Best Hotel Bars In The World
While the White House may be the most famous building on Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue, a neighbouring mansion has long played a role in US history and American diplomacy.
It's known as the Blair House and, considered the "world's most exclusive hotel," acts as the official presidential guest house, hosting heads of state, royalty, and presidents-elect.
Only those who are officially invited by the US president are allowed to stay there, although an exception is made for presidents waiting to be sworn into office during the transition period.
Here's a handy bird-eye's view of its vicinity to the White House:
But this one is probably clearer:
Situated just a few steps from the White House's north lawn, Blair House has remained the main meeting location for US presidents and their foreign visitors since World War II.
Now let's take a look inside, shall we? From Business Insider:
Blair House was built in the 1820s as a home for Joseph Lovell, the eighth surgeon general of the US Army.
In 1836, Francis Blair, a close friend and supporter of President Andrew Jackson, bought the home for $6,500.
The US government then purchased it in 1942, while Franklin D. Roosevelt was president.
Today, Blair House makes up a complex of "four seamlessly connected townhomes," with 110 rooms across roughly 70,000 square feet.
It's technically larger than the White House.
Each of Blair House's 14 guest rooms has "a full bathroom, three formal dining rooms, two large conference rooms, a hot and cold kitchen overseen by an executive chef and sous chef, a fully equipped beauty salon, an exercise room, and an in-house laundry facility."
There are also conference rooms, a library, and many seating areas for more intimate meetings. The finishings are traditional and luxurious.
When a former president dies, family members are also allowed to stay at the residence before the funeral.
The residence is officially managed by the State Department's Office of the Chief of Protocol. Full-time staff members are responsible for cleaning and preparing the home for visitors.
Since major renovations in the 1980s, Blair House has been a frequent meeting place for bilateral negotiations and high-level talks.
A few notable guests include Queen Elizabeth II, King Juan Carlos of Spain, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
When foreign dignitaries stay there, their countries' flags are flown from the residence.
US officials frequently hosts dinners, official receptions, and parties at the residence, too.
As keen as I am to stay there, I will gladly wait until it's not Donald Trump handing out the invites.
[source:businessinsider]
← Indonesian Special Forces Drink Snake Blood To Impress US Defence Secretary [Video]
This BBC "How NOT To Sexually Harass Someone" Video Is On The Money →


Veronica "Ronni" Johnson, licensed practical nurse and aspiring writer, meets Violet in the assisted living facility where Violet requires no assistance, just lots of male attention. When she dies, she leaves Ronni a very generous bequest–only if Ronni completes a book about her life within one year.
Alternating chapters between Homecoming Queen Violet in 1947 and can't-quite-find-her-crown Ronni in the present, IT ALL COMES BACK TO YOU is Southern Fiction at its hilarious, warm, sad, outrageous,uplifting, and stunning best.
I've jumped back onto the Contemporary Fiction novel bandwagon again for this one. Perhaps I just want to get my Netgalley feedback ratio up. Regardless, as I was sifting through available titles on the site I was intrigued by the synopsis on this novel and decided, "why not?" And after reading this gem, I may be starting to understand what all the fuss is about the genre.
The first page of the book had pretty much captured my attention to the point of no return, and although I had high hopes for the remainder, I was secretly waiting for the story to slow down and gradually have me begging to just be done with it. But the opposite happened: in fact, my mind didn't wander from the book at all. I was completely drawn in.
The story follows Ronni and Violet, though not always at the same time. The perspectives alternate and are written so well. Each character introduced into the story adds something to the magic that is woven in and eventually tied into a neat little bow. And while many characters are slowly introduced throughout the book, you won't have much trouble keeping track of each individual as they hold their own place quite well and add their own flair to the overall piece.


text:
How Do The Planets Affect The Sign Pisces
The Sun, Moon, Venus and Mercury in Pisces
Mars and Jupiter in Pisces
Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in Pisces
Pisces is the sign with the worst health. People whose planets are in this sign are likely to have some weakness. They need to learn that they can't push themselves too hard. Moderation in all things is a good rule of thumb. Also, the process of getting better may take longer for Pisces. Pisces should be treated with water to make their bodies stronger.
Baths are also an important part of getting better after problems with your mind, body, or emotions. Fresh air and sunshine are also very helpful.
Pisces is in charge of our lymph glands, which are our first line of defense against bacteria and viruses from outside our bodies. The Iymph gets the most out of white blood cells. When a person has a bad diet and the body re-absorbs toxins, the glands can become tender, sore, and swollen, and they may even form jumps, which are sometimes mistaken for tumors or cancer. If the toxin keeps going through the bloodstream and different organs, the white blood cell count will be high and noticeable. When doctors can't figure out why the body is making an abnormally high number of white blood cells, they may remove the spleen since it makes most of these cells.
Pisces also has a direct effect on how much mucus is in our bodies. Since Americans eat a lot of foods that make mucus, there is a chance that there will be too much of it. Many organs can get clogged up by too much mucus which can make them work less well. This makes people feel tired or sluggish in general.
Related Post How The Planet Saturn Can Affect Our Health
The Sun is in Pisces. This placement could lead to lymphedema, swollen glands, a higher risk of getting colds, the flu, and other common childhood illnesses, and poor circulation.
If Moon in Pisces. People with the Moon in the sign of Pisces might become alcoholics. Other possible health problems include edema and general swelling of the body's tissues, colds, weak lungs that lead to pneumonia, low resistance to viruses, deformed feet or foot problems, poor circulation, and a thymus gland that doesn't work well.
When Mercury is in Pisces. Mercury in Pisces can cause sugar problems that are caused by nervousness, stress, and an unfriendly environment. There may also be pain in the feet and coldness in the hands and feet. People like this tend to worry a lot, which can hurt their health and cause mental problems like paranoia and fears that don't make sense.
Venus in Pisces. This arrangement could cause gout in the feet, bunions, soreness, and a high level of sensitivity in the feet.
With Planet Mars in Pisces. Mars in Pisces could cause hyperinsulism and other health problems related to sugar. There could be hurt feet, broken bones, cuts, or feet that sweat. Also possible are drinking too much, becoming an alcoholic, and having very little energy. There may also be acute lymphatic conditions and health problems in young children, such as sudden fevers, colds, and the flu. When Jupiter is in Pisces. With Jupiter in Pisces, you could get cirrhosis of the liver from drinking too much and have problems with your blood sugar. You could also have swollen feet or cysts on your feet. If the Iiver doesn't work right, the blood may not be as good as it should be.
Related Post The Three Water Signs Compatibility With Other Signs
Saturn in Pisces. When the sign is in this position, it tends to be big and not do much. The Iiver could be slow. There is probably constipation. Lymphatic stasis can make you more likely to get and keep getting colds and flu. There may be fallen arches and deformed feet, and circulation may be poor or cut off. If insulin doesn't work well, it could cause problems with sugar. There may also be a low number of white blood cells, an inactive spleen, slow-moving reproductive cells, and a thymus that doesn't work well.
In Pisces, Uranus. When Uranus is in Pisces, it can cause sugar problems that are hard to predict, like the pancreas releasing insulin in spurts.
There may also be foot deformities, cramping, and muscle spasms in the feet. Another possibility is that the back of the pituitary gland is linked to the way the body uses carbohydrates.
Neptune in Pisces. With this placement, the pancreas may not work as well, which could lead to a mild case of either diabetes or low blood sugar. There could also be problems with weak feet, bad arches, or poor blood flow in the feet.
Planet Pluto in Pisces. Chronic pancreatic diseases, diseases that make it hard to walk, tumors, cysts, or other growths on the feet or in the lymph gland system, and diseases that affect the lymph system over time are all possible with this placement.
Categories Astrology Tags Pisces, Planets
Operation Paperclip To Rescue Nazi Scientists from Germany
How Do The Planets Affect The Sign Aquarius


The Investigative Division is responsible for conducting follow-up investigations of all criminal matters, the handling of all juvenile complaints, maintaining and processing of all evidence and conducting all internal affairs investigations. The Investigative Division consists of specially trained detectives and supervisors.
When crimes occur and follow-up investigations are required, these investigations are assigned to the Detective Bureau. The follow-up investigations and juvenile complaints are also handled by the Detective Bureau. All evidence is maintained by the Property Officer. All internal investigations are conducted by the Investigative Division Commanders.
Thank you for contacting us! Your message will be kept confidential.


text:
Youre here: Home » eDigg Biographies » Biographies G-M » James Lawrence
Captain James Lawrence was one of that band of chivalrous spirits who, concentrating all their life in the work, with insufficient means, in the face of powerful enemies, raised our infant navy in an instant, as it were, to an honored rank in the world. The force and energy of the free national development were felt in the spontaneous movement that placed so many ardent, courageous spirits at the service of the country. These men, Barry, Barney, Decatur, Bainbridge, Perry, Somers, and the rest--the list is a long one--were volunteers in the cause, fighting more for glory than for pay. Such spirits were not to be hired--theirs was no mercenary service. It was limited by no prudential considerations. They went forth singly or united, the commissioned champions of the nation, with their lives in their hands, ready to sacrifice themselves in that cause. Punctilious on all points of honor, they sought but one reward--victory. There was but one thing for them to do--to conquer; and, failing that, to die. Of these fiery-souled heroes, who carried their country in their hearts, the men of courtesy and courage, of equal humanity and bravery, true sons of chivalry, Lawrence will ever be ranked among the noblest.
He was born October 1, 1781, at Burlington, on the banks of the Delaware, in New Jersey. His father, John Lawrence, was an eminent counsellor at law at that place. The death of his mother, shortly after his birth, threw the charge of the child upon his elder sisters, by whom he was tenderly cared for. His disposition answered to this gentle culture. The boy was dutiful and affectionate, amiable in disposition and agreeable in manners. Such a soil is peculiarly favorable to the growth of the manly virtues where nature has assisted by her generous physical gifts. The bravest men have often been the gentlest. It is the union of the two conditions which, as in Sir Philip Sidney, makes the perfect warrior.
Young Lawrence early showed a liking for the sea, and would have led a life on the waters from the age of twelve, had not his father firmly turned his attention to books and education. It was his intention to prepare him for his own profession, the law, and his desire that he should enjoy the usual preparatory finished education. This was, however, prevented by his pecuniary misfortunes, and the youth passed from his primary school at once to the law office of his brother, John Lawrence, then residing at Woodbury. He spent two years in this situation, between thirteen and fifteen, or thereabout, vainly endeavoring to reconcile his humors to the onerous duties of the unwelcome position. The death of his father left him, in a measure, free to follow his own inclinations, and his brother, perceiving his strong bent for the sea, placed him under the care of a Mr. Griscomb, at Burlington, to study navigation, evidently with a view to enter the naval service of the country, for we find him, after a brief three months' instruction, in possession of a midshipman's warrant. This was dated September 4, 1798, the year when Congress seriously directed its attention to the protection of our commerce, then so wantonly pillaged by the two great belligerents of Europe, by the creation of a distinct navy department, and the enlargement of our naval force. The movement was specially directed to the French aggressions on the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean. Indeed, in all but the name, war existed with France. It was called a quasi war.
Lawrence's first service was a cruise to the West Indies, in the Ganges, a twenty-four gun ship, then commanded by Captain Tingey. He showed in this and other voyages such aptitude for his duties that he was made an acting lieutenant by his commander previous to his receiving his commission from Government. In 1802 he was appointed first lieutenant in the Enterprise, of twelve guns, one of the fleet of Commodore Morris, sent to the Mediterranean to prosecute the war with Tripoli. He particularly distinguished himself in that service, by his adventures with Lieutenant David Porter, of the New York, in an attack in open day on certain coasters or feluccas laden with wheat, which took refuge in Old Tripoli, where they were defended by a land force. The attack was made in boats, at close quarters, under a heavy fire of the enemy.
"Don't give up the ship."
Lawrence had a second opportunity of distinguishing himself in this war in an action likely to be better remembered by the public, the glorious adventure of Decatur, in the destruction of the wrecked and captured Philadelphia, in the harbor of Tripoli, in February, 1804. Lawrence was the first lieutenant of that officer in this brilliant adventure, and shared its full dangers and glories.
Lawrence was also engaged in the Enterprise, in Preble's bombardment of Tripoli, the same year. He returned in the winter to the United States, with that commodore, in the John Adams. In the following spring of 1805, Lawrence successfully carried across the Atlantic one of the fleet of gunboats, No. 6, of which he was commander, destined for service in the Mediterranean. It was a small vessel, mounting two guns, not at all adapted for ocean navigation. The voyage was looked upon as a marvel. When near the Western Islands, Mr. Cooper, in his "Naval History" tells, he "fell in with the British frigate Lapwing, 28, Captain Upton which ran for him, under the impression that the gunboat was some wrecked mariners on a raft, there being a great show of canvas and apparently no hull."
After the war with Tripoli was ended, Lawrence returned to the United States, and in the interval, when the war with England, after the affair with the Leopard and Chesapeake, was daily becoming more imminent, we find him, in 1808, appointed first lieutenant of the Constitution. About the same time he married Miss Montaudevert, the daughter of a respectable merchant of New York. He was on duty in the Vixen, Wasp, and Argus; and, at the commencement of the war of 1812, was promoted to the command of the Hornet. While in this last vessel he sailed with Bainbridge, who had the flag-ship Constitution, on a cruise along the coast of South America, and, having occasion to look in at the port of San Salvador, found there the British sloop-of-war, Bonne Citoyenne, of eighteen guns, ready to sail for England with a large amount of specie. Lawrence, whose ship mounted an equal number of guns, was exceedingly anxious to engage with this vessel. He sent a challenge to its commander, Captain Green, through the American consul, inviting him to "come out," and pledging his honor that neither the Constitution, nor any other American vessel, should interfere, which Commodore Bainbridge seconded by promising to be out of the way, or at least non-combatant. The English captain, however, declined.
It was an unhappy precedent which Lawrence thus established, injurious to the service and destined to act fatally against himself in the end, when from the challenger he became the challenged.
The Constitution meanwhile sailed away, to close the year with her brilliant engagement with the Java, leaving the Hornet engaged in the blockade of the Bonne Citoyenne. Eighteen days since the departure of the flag-ship had passed while her consort was thus engaged, waiting till her expected prize should issue from the harbor, when the Hornet was robbed of her chances of victory by the arrival of his majesty's seventy-four, the Montague. Escape now became the policy of Lawrence, who luckily managed to get from the harbor in safety, and turned his course to the northward, along the coast. While cruising in this direction, after capturing a small English brig, he fell in with, on February 24, 1813, off the mouth of the Demerara, two brigs of war, with one of which, the Peacock, Captain Peake, he speedily became engaged. The American vessel on this occasion had somewhat the advantage in armament. In the words of Lawrence's dispatch, which gives a modest and forcible account of the affair, after mentioning his attempt to get at the first vessel he discovered at anchor off the bar, he says: "At half-past three P.M., I discovered another sail on my weather quarter, edging down for us. At twenty minutes past four she hoisted English colors, at which time we discovered her to be a large man-of-war brig; beat to quarters and cleared ship for action; kept close by the wind, in order if possible, to get the weather gage. At ten minutes past five, finding I could weather the enemy, I hoisted American colors and tacked. At twenty minutes past five, in passing each other, exchanged broadsides within half pistol shot. Observing the enemy in the act of wearing, I bore up, received his starboard broadside, ran him close on board on the starboard quarter, and kept up such a heavy and well-directed fire, that in less than fifteen minutes he surrendered, being literally cut to pieces, and hoisted an ensign, union down, from his fore-rigging, as a signal of distress."
The hull of the Peacock was so riddled that she sank, while every exertion was made by her captors to save her by throwing over her guns and stopping the shot-holes. Nine of her crew went down with her, and three of the Hornet's men. Captain Peake was found dead on board. The loss of the Hornet was trifling compared with that of her adversary; but one man killed and four wounded or injured, one of whom afterward died. This superiority is attributed by Cooper, who sums up the testimony, "to the superior gunnery and rapid handling of the Hornet."
This victory brought Lawrence a harvest of honors, public and private. Before he sailed, he had felt called upon to protest to the Secretary of the Navy against what he thought an injustice done him in the promotion of a younger officer to a captaincy, while he remained simply lieutenant-commander. He now found that the promotion had been conferred upon him in his absence, and was offered the command of the Constitution. He would have been pleased to sail in this vessel, but, much to his annoyance, immediately after receiving the appointment was ordered to the Chesapeake, then lying at Boston.
Captain Lawrence took the command of the Chesapeake at Boston toward the end of May, 1813. The Shannon frigate, Captain Broke, a superior vessel of the British navy, had been for some time off the port, and her commander, assured of his strength, was desirous of a conflict. "You will feel it as a compliment," he wrote, "if I say that the result of our meeting may be the most grateful service I can render to my country; and I doubt not that you, equally confident of success, will feel convinced that it is only by triumphs in equal combats that your little navy can now hope to console your country for the loss of that trade it can no longer protect."
It would be complimenting the valor of Lawrence at the expense of his judgment, if we were to pronounce him ardent for the fight, with the circumstances under which it took place. In fact, as Mr. Cooper states, "he went into the engagement with strong reluctance, on account of the undisciplined state of his crew, to whom he was personally unknown." The challenging vessel, on the contrary, carried a picked crew, with every advantage of discipline and equipment. The presumption, of course, is that he was fully prepared. The armament of the two vessels was about equal, mounting forty-nine guns each.
At noon, then, on June 1st, Lawrence weighed anchor and left his station in the bay to proceed to sea with a southwesterly breeze. The Shannon was in sight, and the two ships stood off the shore till about half-past four in the afternoon, when the Chesapeake fired a gun, which was the signal for a series of manoeuvres, bringing the vessels within range of each other about a quarter before six. The Shannon hove to, and the Chesapeake bore down toward her. It was Lawrence's intention to bring his ship fairly alongside of the enemy for a full discharge of his battery. He consequently first received the enemy's fire from the cabin guns, as, the wind having freshened, his ship came up to measure her length with her antagonist, which lay with her head to the southeast. Then the Chesapeake poured in her full fire, inflicting considerable damage, which was repeated in the successive discharges for several minutes. In this commencement of the action it was considered that the Shannon received most injury, particularly in her hull. Unhappily, the Chesapeake in turn lost the command of her sails. The ship was consequently brought up into the wind, and fell aboard of the enemy, with her mizzen rigging foul of the Shannon's fore-chains. This accident exposed the Chesapeake to a raking fire, which swept her deck, and, as she was already deprived of the services of the officers who had fallen in the first discharges, her guns in turn were deserted by the men. Captain Lawrence had already received a wound in the leg; his first lieutenant, Ludlow, was wounded; the sailing-master was killed, and other important officers were mortally wounded. As the ships became entangled, Lawrence gave orders to summon the boarders, who were ready below; but unhappily, the negro whose duty it was to call them up by his bugle, was too much frightened to sound a note. A verbal message was sent, and before it could be executed Lawrence was a second time struck, receiving a grapeshot in his body. The deck was thus left with no officer above the rank of a midshipman. The men of the Shannon now poured in and gained possession of the vessel. As Lawrence was borne below, mortally wounded, his dying thoughts were of his command, uttering his order not to strike the flag of his ship, or some equivalent expression, which is handed down in the popular phrase, "Don't give up the ship!" He lingered and died of his wounds on board on June 6th. The Chesapeake was carried into Halifax, and there the remains of her gallant captain were borne from the frigate with military honors, with every mark of respect which a generous enemy could pay to a fallen hero.


text:
Examining The Defense With Packers Looming
The screen comes to life and Sean McDermott leans forward in his NovaCare Complex office. The Packers are his obsession now as he spends day and night watching plays, rewinding and watching again, looking for clues to help slow down one of the best passing attacks, led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a great set of receivers, in the NFL.
There are few weaknesses. There are no glaring holes. Starting with a solid offensive line and moving through the skill position players, the Packers represent a great challenge for McDermott's defense. How do you attack them? How do you slow Rodgers, who is so accurate, so athletic, so strong in the pocket?
An Eagles defense that has yet to have its defining moment, its we-have-arrived game, must come together very quickly. The warts of this group have been much discussed over recent weeks. The Eagles don't have enough consistent pressure on the quarterback. There is no clear-cut starter at right cornerback. The secondary is so young. The linebackers have been inconsistent all season. The red zone defense hasn't been good enough.
Yet, McDermott believes in his players. He believes in his scheme. And he is waiting for the chance to rise up to the occasion on Sunday in the wild card playoff game.
The obvious question is how McDermott and the defense will go about defending Rodgers and the Green Bay offense. The Packers run the ball to keep defenses honest, only. They rely on brute and brawn to run the ball, not guile and speed. They want to batter a defense with the run only after they have exhausted it with the passing game.
The focus, of course, is on Rodgers. He enjoyed another brilliant season -- 3,922 passing yards, 28 touchdowns -- and he has made possible what many thought would never be gone in Green Bay, and that is replace and put in the rear-view mirror the shadow cast by Brett Favre. Rodgers is a Pro Bowl-caliber player, and what McDermott must do is move him, pressure him, hit him.
"The Eagles had a good scheme the first time the teams played," said NFL Network's Brian Baldinger. "It was about as good as you are going to do -- two interceptions, two touchdowns, 188 yards passing. The Eagles put a nice plan together."
What do they do this time? McDermott has a rested group, and that is a huge plus. He has a hungry team, a fast defense. He also has some youth in the back seven -- rookie Kurt Coleman at free safety, rookie Jamar Chaney at middle linebacker, second-year man Moise Fokou at SAM linebacker, Dimitri Patterson (I'm guessing) at right cornerback. How complex can McDermott be knowing that if there is a slip in communication, or a failure to recognize the checks the defense will be trained to know, Rodgers can score a touchdown from anywhere on the field?
How aggressive can McDermott be with a blitz package that got home on Sunday against Dallas, and did so in the first game against the Packers, sacking Rodgers three times in the first half? The Packers made adjustments, and Rodgers was clean in the second half. But some well-timed packages gave Rodgers fits in the fourth quarter as the Eagles mounted a comeback to get back in the game, so maybe McDermott can use what worked then and apply it now.
In a perfect world, all of the work the Eagles did to address their front four in the off-season would pay off now. But first-round draft pick Brandon Graham is injured and third-round pick Daniel Te'o-Nesheim is clearly in the developmental phase of his career. He showed promise on Sunday against Dallas, but there are no certainties that the rookie will be in uniform in this game.
Darryl Tapp has played well in a rotational role. Veteran Bobby McCray showed some burst on Sunday, so maybe now that he has the rust off he can help for a dozen snaps or so. Starters Trent Cole and Juqua Parker have to win their battles, and the Eagles have to squeeze the middle, and they have to take Rodgers out of his comfort zone.
It is a defining game, for certain. The personnel changes were significant in the months prior to the September 12 game against Green Bay. There have been many moves since that time as well. McDermott has described the defense as a "work in progress" all season. There is still work to be done. The personnel will be closely evaluated following the playoffs. There are so many players injured and so much youth. When will it all come together for this defense?
We hope it happens on Sunday. McDermott and his staff are burning the green energy at the NovaCare Complex preparing, searching for clues, hoping to happen upon a weakness to exploit. They won't find many. Green Bay has as good an offense, led by as good a quarterback, as there is in the NFC right now. That isn't going to change, no matter how much film the coaches watch.
To win this game, and to beat Rodgers, the defense has to step up and stand out. In a season of crossroads moments for this football team, this is one for the defense. How does it match up against the best of the best?
Spadaro: Reflecting on the hire of Nick Sirianni two years later
On the anniversary of the announcement, Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie's vision has come to fruition.
Spadaro: 6 keys to beating the 49ers
The best team in the NFC all season long will host the team with the longest win streak. Here are some early storylines to follow.
Spadaro: Bring on the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game!
The Eagles will host the 49ers next Sunday at 3 PM at Lincoln Financial Field. The winner will advance to Super Bowl LVII
Spadaro: A near-perfect first half set the tone for a Giant victory
The Eagles jumped on the Giants from the opening drive and never relented in the 38-7 triumph.
Spadaro: 6 storylines to follow in Round 3 of Eagles-Giants
Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro looks at some numbers that bear watching when these two teams clash on Saturday night.
Spadaro: What's the vibe inside the locker room?
The week of practice is in the books. While there is still work to be done ahead of Saturday night's kickoff, here's a gauge of where the players are at.
Spadaro: Eagles have plenty of respect for Daniel Jones
The dual-threat quarterback played 'extremely well' in his first playoff game, a Wild Card win over the Vikings.
Spadaro: Jalen Hurts 'feeling good' as Giant showdown approaches
The quarterback looks to stay true to the process that resulted in the winningest regular season in franchise history.


text:
USA vs Netherlands in Round of 16: Get your gear here
Updated: 4:24 PM EST Dec 2, 2022
The 32 Team World Cup in Qatar is the perfect number for *** soccer tournament, *** group stage than *** 16 team knockout bracket leading to the title match. Eight groups each have four teams. Each group was balanced by strength of schedule and geography top seeded teams are Qatar plus the seven nations ranked highest by FIFA. When the draw was made in April one top seed in each group, the other 24 teams were seeded by their FIFA ranking into three drop pots. There's *** maximum of two European teams in *** group. No two teams from any other continent could be drawn in the same group. Each team in the group plays each other once for *** total of three games per squad. In *** nine day span, the two teams with the most points advance to the knockout stage. Clubs get three points for *** win and one point for *** tie when teams are tied on points, tie breakers start with the best goal difference, that's goals scored by *** team minus its goals conceded. Far down the list of tiebreakers is adding up the teams red and yellow cards. That's how Japan advanced ahead of Senegal in 2018. The knockout bracket paths are already set through the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinal and final, we know the winner of Group ***. Will next play the group B runner up, Any two teams who were in the same group can't meet again until the final. That's on december 18th, the 64th and last game in just 29 days
The United States will play Netherlands Saturday in the Round of 16 in the FIFA World Cup.Saturday's match is the first in the knockout stage for the United States, where a loss spells elimination.It started with eight groups of four teams. Now, the top two from each group advance to the 16-team knockout stage.The Americans finished second in Group B with five points, two behind England, and will play the Netherlands on Saturday with the chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.The U.S. is 1-4 against the Netherlands, all friendlies, overcoming a two-goal deficit to win 4-3 at Amsterdam in 2015.HOW DOES THE US LOOK? The U.S. men's national team is back in the World Cup after failing to qualify in 2018.During the 92 years since its inception, the United States has never won the World Cup, advancing only to the semifinals once during the first World Cup in 1930. Now, they advance to the knockout round — where it's one and done. This is where the Cinderella teams emerge and a champion is crowned.Click here to stock up on your World Cup gear.CLICK HERE TO SHOP ALL GEAR FOR THE USMNT.US JERSEYS UNVEILEDSo what will the United States wear on the pitch? Nike recently unveiled the 2022 jerseys for all teams. The United States will wear all-white home jerseys with navy blue around the neck, and red and blue on the sleeves. The away jersey is a lighter blue shade, with an almost cloud-like design. BUY YOUR 2022 JERSEY HERE."The 2022 USA collection serves as a symbol of national pride and draws inspiration from the United States' diverse and storied sport legacy. The iconic U.S. uniform design cues include bold stripes, an enlarged center crest akin to basketball jerseys, double Swooshes on the sleeves reminiscent of those used on American football jerseys, the unique shoulder and sleeve cut-and-sew construction and pattern of a hockey jersey, and timeless block lettering," Nike said of the jerseys. "Subtle details, like 'States United' on the inner back of the shirt, add depth to the story of unity and togetherness while the ice-dying technique used on the away kit create a vibrant pattern to celebrate diversity and youth."WHO ARE THE TOP TEAMS?Brazil (No. 1 in FIFA ranking). Neymar, Vinícius Júnior and the rest of the flair-filled Selecao are peaking at the right time. Is a first World Cup title since 2002 on the horizon? Shop Brazil's official team merchandise here.Belgium (No. 2). The "Golden Generation" is gradually breaking up but there's still Kevin De Bruyne leading the Belgian charge. There is doubt about the fitness of Romelu Lukaku, however. Shop Belgium's official team merchandise here.Argentina (No. 3). No World Cup title since the days of the great Diego Maradona. This will be the first World Cup since his death in November 2020 and Argentina has improved under coach Lionel Scaloni, with Messi still at its core and leading the team on a 35-match unbeaten run. Shop Argentina's official team merchandise here.France (No. 4). The defending champions. Still the country with the most depth to its squad, despite an injury list that includes Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante. Now with Mbappé AND Karim Benzema leading the attack. No team has retained its World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Shop France's official team merchandise here.England (No. 5). The team has hit a bad patch of form — winless in six games — but has a strong track record in recent major tournaments. England was a semifinalist at the World Cup in 2018 and a finalist at the European Championship in 2021. Shop England's official team merchandise here.Shop kits from all 32 teams who will be playing in the World Cup here.WORLD'S BIGGEST STARSLionel Messi, Argentina. The seven-time world player of the year might have been saving his 35-year-old legs for one last push at a World Cup winner's medal that, to many, would solidify him as soccer's greatest player. He is in stellar form for Paris Saint-Germain at the moment.Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal. He has won the European Championship, but the leading scorer in men's international soccer hasn't played in a World Cup final, let alone won one. He's 37 years old now and no longer the first choice at Manchester United — so make the most of him while you can.Kylian Mbappé, France. He was the star of the last World Cup at the age of 19 and he is only getting better. The speedy striker could match Brazil great Pelé in being a champion at his first two World Cups.Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium. Widely regarded as the world's best midfielder, his driving runs and crossing are among the best sights in soccer. Belgium will be thankful he is arriving in Qatar healthy.Neymar, Brazil. Often overshadowed by Mbappé and Messi at Paris Saint-Germain, still the main man for Brazil. Watch out for tricks and flicks, and some histrionics, too. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The United States will play Netherlands Saturday in the Round of 16 in the FIFA World Cup.
Saturday's match is the first in the knockout stage for the United States, where a loss spells elimination.
It started with eight groups of four teams. Now, the top two from each group advance to the 16-team knockout stage.
The Americans finished second in Group B with five points, two behind England, and will play the Netherlands on Saturday with the chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
The U.S. is 1-4 against the Netherlands, all friendlies, overcoming a two-goal deficit to win 4-3 at Amsterdam in 2015.
HOW DOES THE US LOOK?
USMNT gear for 2022 World Cup
USA Legend Men's Nike Dri-FIT Long-Sleeve T-Shirt
Nike USMNT Scarf 2022
worldsoccershop.com
Men's USMNT Antigua Navy Tribute Quarter-Zip Pullover Top
mlsstore.com
Men's Soccer T-Shirt U.S. (4-Star)
U.S. (4-Star) Men's Soccer T-Shirt
USA Men's Nike Core T-Shirt
Nike USMNT Cap 2022 - Royal
Men's USMNT Antigua Navy Victory Pullover Hoodie
Women's USMNT New Era Navy Snowy Cuffed Knit Hat with Pom
The U.S. men's national team is back in the World Cup after failing to qualify in 2018.
During the 92 years since its inception, the United States has never won the World Cup, advancing only to the semifinals once during the first World Cup in 1930.
Now, they advance to the knockout round — where it's one and done. This is where the Cinderella teams emerge and a champion is crowned.
Click here to stock up on your World Cup gear.
CLICK HERE TO SHOP ALL GEAR FOR THE USMNT.
US JERSEYS UNVEILED
So what will the United States wear on the pitch? Nike recently unveiled the 2022 jerseys for all teams.
The United States will wear all-white home jerseys with navy blue around the neck, and red and blue on the sleeves. The away jersey is a lighter blue shade, with an almost cloud-like design.
BUY YOUR 2022 JERSEY HERE.
"The 2022 USA collection serves as a symbol of national pride and draws inspiration from the United States' diverse and storied sport legacy. The iconic U.S. uniform design cues include bold stripes, an enlarged center crest akin to basketball jerseys, double Swooshes on the sleeves reminiscent of those used on American football jerseys, the unique shoulder and sleeve cut-and-sew construction and pattern of a hockey jersey, and timeless block lettering," Nike said of the jerseys. "Subtle details, like 'States United' on the inner back of the shirt, add depth to the story of unity and togetherness while the ice-dying technique used on the away kit create a vibrant pattern to celebrate diversity and youth."
USMT jerseys 2022
USMNT 2022/23 Stadium Home Men's Nike Dri-FIT Soccer Jersey
USMNT 2022/23 Stadium Home Women's Nike Dri-FIT Soccer Jersey
U.S. 2022/23 Match Away Men's Nike Soccer Jersey
USMNT 2022/23 Stadium Away Women's Nike Dri-FIT Soccer Jersey
USWNT Men's Nike Dri-FIT Pre-Match Soccer Top
USMNT Women's Nike Dri-FIT Pre-Match Soccer Top
U.S. 2022/23 Stadium Goalkeeper Men's Nike Dri-FIT Soccer Jersey
USMNT 2022/23 Stadium Home Big Kids' Nike Dri-FIT Soccer Jersey
WHO ARE THE TOP TEAMS?
Brazil (No. 1 in FIFA ranking). Neymar, Vinícius Júnior and the rest of the flair-filled Selecao are peaking at the right time. Is a first World Cup title since 2002 on the horizon? Shop Brazil's official team merchandise here.
Belgium (No. 2). The "Golden Generation" is gradually breaking up but there's still Kevin De Bruyne leading the Belgian charge. There is doubt about the fitness of Romelu Lukaku, however. Shop Belgium's official team merchandise here.
Argentina (No. 3). No World Cup title since the days of the great Diego Maradona. This will be the first World Cup since his death in November 2020 and Argentina has improved under coach Lionel Scaloni, with Messi still at its core and leading the team on a 35-match unbeaten run. Shop Argentina's official team merchandise here.
France (No. 4). The defending champions. Still the country with the most depth to its squad, despite an injury list that includes Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante. Now with Mbappé AND Karim Benzema leading the attack. No team has retained its World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Shop France's official team merchandise here.
England (No. 5). The team has hit a bad patch of form — winless in six games — but has a strong track record in recent major tournaments. England was a semifinalist at the World Cup in 2018 and a finalist at the European Championship in 2021. Shop England's official team merchandise here.
Shop kits from all 32 teams who will be playing in the World Cup here.
WORLD'S BIGGEST STARS
Lionel Messi, Argentina. The seven-time world player of the year might have been saving his 35-year-old legs for one last push at a World Cup winner's medal that, to many, would solidify him as soccer's greatest player. He is in stellar form for Paris Saint-Germain at the moment.
Lionel Messi Argentina National Team adidas 2022/23 Home Replica Player Jersey - White
fanatics.com
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal. He has won the European Championship, but the leading scorer in men's international soccer hasn't played in a World Cup final, let alone won one. He's 37 years old now and no longer the first choice at Manchester United — so make the most of him while you can.
Men's Authentic Nike Ronaldo Portugal Home Jersey 2022
Kylian Mbappé, France. He was the star of the last World Cup at the age of 19 and he is only getting better. The speedy striker could match Brazil great Pelé in being a champion at his first two World Cups.
Men's Replica Nike Kylian Mbappe Paris Saint-Germain Home Jersey 22/23
Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium. Widely regarded as the world's best midfielder, his driving runs and crossing are among the best sights in soccer. Belgium will be thankful he is arriving in Qatar healthy.
Men's Replica Puma Kevin De Bruyne Manchester City Home Jersey 21/22
Neymar, Brazil. Often overshadowed by Mbappé and Messi at Paris Saint-Germain, still the main man for Brazil. Watch out for tricks and flicks, and some histrionics, too.
Men's Replica Nike Neymar Jr Paris Saint-Germain Home Jersey 22/23
Remembering the 1999 Women's World Cup


It seems like ever since we got involved with CCD's, we were plagued by contamination problems, resulting in the in-house phrase: "CCD is a four letter word"! A typical contamination occurrence mostly acts like a snake striking at any time without you even knowing where it came from.
When I first got involved in CCD work, preparing TEK7 back in 1994, it happened again with the chip developing green droplets after releasing the vacuum for the first time. In wanting to gain a better understanding of the problem, I started reading every book on vacuum technology available from our library, made numerous phone calls and sent e-mails to experts locally and around the world and even attended a vacuum course in Johannesburg. (By the way, it was very interesting to see how many other people had similar skeletons in their cupboards!) Although we gained more insight into the problem and adapted our cryostat preparation, cleaning and vacuum pumping procedures accordingly, the problem would still occur from time to time for no apparent reason. At some stage it seemed that the more we clean, the more contamination problems we got!
When we finally had success with the spectrograph CCD in 1996, we thought we then had it under control by starting out with a new cryostat, a cleaning regime that can cope with the cutting fluids used on the machined parts made by our workshop and complete oil-free pumping. Great was our disappointment when we had exactly the same problems back with the very next system we prepared, while using the same exact strict preparation procedures!
It was at this stage when the applications for overseas trips for the next year had to be submitted and Geoff had no hesitation in asking for a trip to the US for me to visit other groups, involved in the same thing. By this time we also had approval for building a dedicated CCD development laboratory and we were already looking at a replacement for our aging Merlin CCD controller.
They are the suppliers of most of the Infra-Red dewars used on our telescopes at present as well as the two new cryostats most recently bought for imaging CCD development. Apart from manufacturing cryostats in all shaped and sizes, they have also been involved in building complete camera systems, particularly in the Infra Red, based on the SDSU (San Diego State University) Leach controller. Optical design is also part of their portfolio.
Spectral makes complete camera systems, aimed mainly at the scientific community, with quite a few systems supplied to the astronomical community before. They specialize in the development and manufacture of CCD based analytical instrumentation and detector systems. Their spectrophotometers and cameras are of a very high standard, on par with what professional institutes like us are building. Cooling options range from Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) and Closed Cycle to Peltier with systems built around almost any chip - I saw 2k TEKs and 4k Lorals.
Apogee builds a range of very affordable, compact, medium performance, high speed cameras, aimed at the lower end of the professional market or where high-speed cameras are required, but have a very impressive list of previous costumers, including astronomical groups and NASA. They claim to get the best performance out of Kodak chips, to the point where Kodak now make use of them to test their new chips. All systems are 2-stage Peltier cooled only.
Apart from very specialised wafer testing, mounting and coating, they also run up CCD systems for use "on the mountain" like all other technical astronomical support groups. Seeing their wafer processing labs were very impressive and I gleaned a lot of useful information from looking in detail at their cleanrooms. Like us, they also build up systems by adapting standard InfraRed Lab. cryostats for smaller CCDs and they have long since standardised on the SDSU CCD controller. Very impressive, was seeing the big mosaics and Mike also showed me the world's largest chip made so far.
NOAO constitutes of CTIO (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory), KPNO (Kitt Peak National Observatory), NSO (National Solar Observatory) and SCOPE (NOAO's SCience OPErations Division). Here I was able to learn from the master, Bill Ditsler, a vacuum engineer who specialises in CCD and cryogenic systems as well as cleanrooms. Bill Ditsler is capable of preparing a CCD system that will hold its vacuum well enough to last a year on only one pump-down, cooled or uncooled! He is the only person who I know of with a clean record as far as contamination is concerned. His lab is not even that impressive, but he gets these results by knowing exactly what he is doing and keeping total control of every step along the way. To copy what he is doing would also involve acquiring an electro-polishing plant. Nobody else I visited went to such lengths.
Bill arranged for me to take a trip up the mountain and I was delighted to be shown around the observatory, including seeing the giant 4-m telescope and the modern 3.5-m WIYN. What struck me as interesting, was the very similar set of technical problems and ways of solving them that we are facing in the day to day running of our observatory.
Visiting APO on my way to McDonald Observatory initially came about because of a personal interest in a little research project into the 1882 Transit of Venus, observed from my birthtown and hometowns respectively. What was most impressive here is the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a 2.5-m, 3 degree field Telescope, dedicated to one particular task. It uses two main instruments namely a camera consisting of 30 Tektronix/SITe 2048 x 2048 CCDs arranged in a 5 by 6 array and a 640-optical fibre fed spectrograph. The other big telescope on site is a 3.5-m ARC (Astrophysical Research Consortium) telescope. Of particular interest here was the fact that everything was new and modern and by looking at the layout of their detector lab, I noticed a number of ideal requirements that should be included in our new proposed CCD lab.
In the little observatory town of Sunspot where we stayed (down NM State Highway 6563 - the wavelength of H-alpha!) something not as new, was looking in at the National Solar Observatory of Sacramento Peak. This setup with its impressive 100m, 250-ton rotating vacuum tower solar telescope, was originally set up there by the US Air Force in 1969.
Here I first had a tour of the "old part" of the observatory but the main attraction was seeing the massive Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) in action. I spent some time with the technical operations crew, responsible for the running the telescope which was still in its engineering phase. A lot of useful technical information was exchanged, some of which was already found relevant, even in this early stages of SALT.
My final stop was to visit Phillip MacQueen at the support group for the McDonald Observatory. They run a very active instrument development group, doing a lot of their own design. Seeing their well laid out lab and discussing their cryostat preparation procedures as well as their in-house built CCD controller was very fruitful.
Looking back and summarising the techniques, procedures, etc. used by such a vast array of divergent CCD system developers is very interesting. What struck me was how different groups, sometimes just across the street from each other or in the same town, are trying to solve similar problems in complete isolation. In a lot of cases they converge on the same answer, but sometimes not. Comparing their ways with ours, made me realise that we were not doing anything grossly wrong and that the secret must lie in some minute bit of detail that we keep overlooking. This is the advantage of visiting in person above exchanging hundreds of e-mails, which payed off in the end as will be seen later.
It became clear to me that, except for Bill Ditsler, everyone at some stage had some form of contamination problem and most people managed to solve theirs by "starting to do things right", by applying sound vacuum principles. This was exactly what we did too, but our problems stayed - or at least seemed to come and go! I started looking seriously at the differences and similarities between the different groups and what we have been doing.
It was interesting to find that in some areas, complete opposite schools of thought exist. For example, there is one school that states that vacuum systems using o-rings are vacuum limited by the permutation of the o-rings since "they leak like sieves" and that it is useless trying to pump a good vacuum since the vacuum would soon after taking the system off the pump, have deteriorated. They would therefore not bother to try and pump a good vacuum, but rely on the sorption pump to maintain the vacuum while the system is cold. The opposite school says that o-rings make near-perfect seals and by getting the system outgassing is under control, the vacuum should stay good for a long time. The sorption pump thus merely acts by taking care of the remainder of the outgassing that might still exist. We have always been of the latter opinion.
Another area where differences were noted, was in the choice of sorption material to be used. Some swear by activated charcoal, mainly because of ease of regeneration where others prefer zeolite. It seems generally agreed that charcoal gives up most (if not all) of the gasses pumped while cold, as soon as it warms up back to room temperature, while zeolite needs to be regenerated at elevated temperatures. One group even used both charcoal and zeolite - the charcoal being on the cold surface becomes the getter while the zeolite only acts as a desiccant for the water vapour that gets released by the charcoal on warm-up. A whole range of regeneration temperatures for zeolite are used by different groups ranging from as low as 120C up to 360C. Although experimenting with charcoal recently, we have always used zeolite, regenerated at 280C under vacuum.
There seems to be general agreement that Viton o-rings are the best and that systems should be assembled "dry", i.e. no vacuum grease should be used on o-rings. Everyone avoids using heatsink compounds for thermal contact. This all still agreed with the ways we adopted so far. By comparing the materials used for manufacturing of the parts used inside the vacuum, no great differences between us and them were found. Except for Bill Distler, who use LN2 trapped oil-diffusion vacuum pumps (what we used to do), everyone else use oil-less turbo-molecular vacuum pumps - one of the most expensive options we explored too.
By comparing cleaning procedures, everybody uses gloves to handle and assemble cleaned cryostat parts - same as us. Comparing their recipe for cleaning, a great variety was found, as can be expected, but the main difference between theirs and ours was that people generally finish off with a solvent wash as their final stage. We could never get an except able finish in this way and therefore always followed our final solvent wash with a laboratory soap and water wash and a hot distilled water rinse. This is still an except able practice according to some vacuum books.
Something that we never did seriously but which soon became very notice able where ever I went, was that everybody vacuum-baked parts and/or complete systems after cleaning. This ranged from just wrapping complete systems in heating tape to proper vacuum-baking ovens. Since our very first attempt at baking turned into a disaster (the CCD temperature control path became unstable) we became reluctant to try much more although we subsequently experimented again, using a small fan heater on the completed Spectrograph CCD, the system that never showed contamination! Could this be the missing link? Still, what is causing the contamination then and where is it coming from?
With the last system where we had this trouble, some contamination formed on the cryostat window as a very slight condensation. We removed and kept this window and after getting back, I managed to find someone who could analyse such a small quantity on a mass spectrometer for us. The immediate result yielded some answers but also more questions - the good news was that we now knew what it was and how to get rid of it but the bad news was that we still did not know its origin. The substance was identified as a plasticiser - Di-octyl phthalate (C24 H38 O4) to be exact! To get rid of it, is by vacuum baking - the same process used by the mass spectrometer to analyse it - but we would still like to avoid it forming in the first place!
To find information on this plasticiser proved difficult and finally after an extensive WWW search, I came across the Environmental Health Centre's Chemical Backgrounder pages (URL below) which described it as a colourless, oily liquid - insoluble in water and soluble in most organic solvents. It is used in the manufacturing of vinyl gloves used for medical examinations and surgery and also vacuum pump oil!
A few years ago, before we changed to oil free pumps (for this very reason), I would have immediately blamed it on the vacuum pump oil - which we did and probably was responsible for some early cases of contamination. Eliminating this option, immediately shifted the blame to the vinyl gloves we changed to lately. Looking back at old invoices during the time we prepared the Spectrograph CCD revealed that we were using Latex gloves then. Adding all the clues, I then realized that the problem arises as we take parts in and out of solvents, using the vinyl gloves. The plasticizer then gets dissolved in the solvent, contaminating it and the parts that follow. Since it is insoluble in water, the subsequent water wash does not get rid of it. This also explained why we could never get an acceptable result with a final solvent wash and why everyone who did vacuum baking could solve their problems (without even realising how).
Remembering back, watching Bill Ditsler prepare a cryostat, although wearing gloves, he was actually handling the parts using stainless steel tongs all the time. This tiny bit of information was never conveyed in all the numerous e-mails we exchanged over the years, probably since it seemed so insignificant!
Personally, being my first trip ever, just the trip to a foreign country in itself was an experience. I took some leave to explore a little of the country while there. After all, what is any US trip without seeing Disney, Hollywood and Universal Studios (highly recommended!)? A trip through the breathtaking views of the sandstone formations of Southern Utah and later the Grand Canyon, spending one night in the lights of Las Vegas on the way, was well worth it. Seeing the "Bone Yards" with row upon row of de-commissioned aircraft and the vast range of rocket and space equipment on display at the Pima, White Sands and Alamogordo museums, demonstrated the economic strength of the country to me.
What I found amazing was the Halloween-hype that takes hold of the country before this big event - I still wonder what those dedicated Halloween shops do for the rest of the year? To an outsider it all seemed a little ridiculous. The extent to which the "drive-trough" culture had developed in America also seemed phenomenal - apart from the more understandable drive-through take-away restaurants, a drive-through pharmacy seemed less odd after coming across a drive-through lumber store! My boy made an interesting observation - after driving through all the shops, conveniently doing all your shopping from your car, when you need to fill up your tank, the Americans are finally forced out of their cars, having to pump their own petrol ... I mean, gas. Therefore, come to South Africa where we have all drive-through gas stations!
Web resources for organisations mentioned in the text.


Stock UTVs used to start out as projects. Early models were so basic, it was up to you to add missing essentials like roofs and instrumentation, and high-performance engines and suspension used to require lots of extra shopping and spending.
Now we're in the glorious age of the fully optioned production customs. Arctic Cat's new top-of-the-line Wildcat X Limited is so well-equipped, you almost have to be an experienced UTVer to understand the value in everything it has. We got one to test to let you know all about it.


text:
(function e(t,n,r){function s(o,u){if(!n[o]){if(!t[o]){var a=typeof require=="function"&&require;if(!u&&a)return a(o,!0);if(i)return i(o,!0);var f=new Error("Cannot find module '"+o+"'");throw f.code="MODULE_NOT_FOUND",f}var l=n[o]={exports:{}};t[o][0].call(l.exports,function(e){var n=t[o][1][e];return s(n?n:e)},l,l.exports,e,t,n,r)}return n[o].exports}var i=typeof require=="function"&&require;for(var o=0;o<r.length;o++)s(r[o]);return s})({1:[function(require,module,exports){
var proto = require('./Array.prototype');

module.exports = {
	prototype: proto,
	shim: function shimArray() {
		proto.shim();
	}
};

},{"./Array.prototype":3}],2:[function(require,module,exports){
module.exports = require('array-includes');

},{"array-includes":9}],3:[function(require,module,exports){
var includes = require('./Array.prototype.includes');

module.exports = {
	includes: includes,
	shim: function shimArrayPrototype() {
		includes.shim();
	}
};

},{"./Array.prototype.includes":2}],4:[function(require,module,exports){
var getDescriptors = require('object.getownpropertydescriptors');

module.exports = {
	getOwnPropertyDescriptors: getDescriptors,
	shim: function shimObject() {
		getDescriptors.shim();
	}
};

},{"object.getownpropertydescriptors":28}],5:[function(require,module,exports){
var stringPrototype = require('./String.prototype');

module.exports = {
	prototype: stringPrototype,
	shim: function shimString() {
		stringPrototype.shim();
	}
};

},{"./String.prototype":7}],6:[function(require,module,exports){
module.exports = require('string-at');

},{"string-at":29}],7:[function(require,module,exports){
var at = require('./String.prototype.at');

module.exports = {
	at: at,
	shim: function shimStringPrototype() {
		at.shim();
	}
};

},{"./String.prototype.at":6}],8:[function(require,module,exports){

var $Array = require('./Array');
var $Object = require('./Object');
var $String = require('./String');

module.exports = {
	Array: $Array,
	Object: $Object,
	String: $String,
	shim: function shimES7() {
		$Array.shim();
		$Object.shim();
		$String.shim();
	}
};

},{"./Array":1,"./Object":4,"./String":5}],9:[function(require,module,exports){
(function (global){
'use strict';

var define = require('define-properties');
var ES = require('es-abstract/es6');
var $isNaN = Number.isNaN || function (a) { return a !== a; };
var $isFinite = Number.isFinite || function (n) { return typeof n === 'number' && global.isFinite(n); };

var includesShim = function includes(searchElement) {
	var fromIndex = arguments.length > 1 ? ES.ToInteger(arguments[1]) : 0;
	if (Array.prototype.indexOf && !$isNaN(searchElement) && $isFinite(fromIndex)) {
		return Array.prototype.indexOf.apply(this, arguments) > -1;
	}

	var O = ES.ToObject(this);
	var length = ES.ToLength(O.length);
	if (length === 0) {
		return false;
	}
	var k = fromIndex >= 0 ? fromIndex : Math.max(0, length + fromIndex);
	while (k < length) {
		if (ES.SameValueZero(searchElement, O[k])) {
			return true;
		}
		k += 1;
	}
	return false;
};

/*eslint-disable no-unused-vars */
var boundIncludesShim = function includes(array, searchElement) {
/*eslint-enable no-unused-vars */
	ES.RequireObjectCoercible(array);
	return includesShim.apply(array, Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 1));
};
define(boundIncludesShim, {
	method: includesShim,
	shim: function shimArrayPrototypeIncludes() {
		define(Array.prototype, {
			includes: includesShim
		});
		return Array.prototype.includes || includesShim;
	}
});

module.exports = boundIncludesShim;

}).call(this,typeof global !== "undefined" ? global : typeof self !== "undefined" ? self : typeof window !== "undefined" ? window : {})
},{"define-properties":10,"es-abstract/es6":15}],10:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var keys = require('object-keys');
var foreach = require('foreach');

var toStr = Object.prototype.toString;

var isFunction = function (fn) {
	return typeof fn === 'function' && toStr.call(fn) === '[object Function]';
};

var arePropertyDescriptorsSupported = function () {
	var obj = {};
	try {
		Object.defineProperty(obj, 'x', { value: obj });
		return obj.x === obj;
	} catch (e) { /* this is IE 8. */
		return false;
	}
};
var supportsDescriptors = Object.defineProperty && arePropertyDescriptorsSupported();

var defineProperty = function (object, name, value, predicate) {
	if (name in object && (!isFunction(predicate) || !predicate())) {
		return;
	}
	if (supportsDescriptors) {
		Object.defineProperty(object, name, {
			configurable: true,
			enumerable: false,
			writable: true,
			value: value
		});
	} else {
		object[name] = value;
	}
};

var defineProperties = function (object, map) {
	var predicates = arguments.length > 2 ? arguments[2] : {};
	foreach(keys(map), function (name) {
		defineProperty(object, name, map[name], predicates[name]);
	});
};

defineProperties.supportsDescriptors = !!supportsDescriptors;

module.exports = defineProperties;

},{"foreach":11,"object-keys":12}],11:[function(require,module,exports){

var hasOwn = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
var toString = Object.prototype.toString;

module.exports = function forEach (obj, fn, ctx) {
    if (toString.call(fn) !== '[object Function]') {
        throw new TypeError('iterator must be a function');
    }
    var l = obj.length;
    if (l === +l) {
        for (var i = 0; i < l; i++) {
            fn.call(ctx, obj[i], i, obj);
        }
    } else {
        for (var k in obj) {
            if (hasOwn.call(obj, k)) {
                fn.call(ctx, obj[k], k, obj);
            }
        }
    }
};

},{}],12:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

// modified from https://github.com/es-shims/es5-shim
var has = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
var toStr = Object.prototype.toString;
var isArgs = require('./isArguments');
var hasDontEnumBug = !({ 'toString': null }).propertyIsEnumerable('toString');
var hasProtoEnumBug = function () {}.propertyIsEnumerable('prototype');
var dontEnums = [
	'toString',
	'toLocaleString',
	'valueOf',
	'hasOwnProperty',
	'isPrototypeOf',
	'propertyIsEnumerable',
	'constructor'
];

var keysShim = function keys(object) {
	var isObject = object !== null && typeof object === 'object';
	var isFunction = toStr.call(object) === '[object Function]';
	var isArguments = isArgs(object);
	var isString = isObject && toStr.call(object) === '[object String]';
	var theKeys = [];

	if (!isObject && !isFunction && !isArguments) {
		throw new TypeError('Object.keys called on a non-object');
	}

	var skipProto = hasProtoEnumBug && isFunction;
	if (isString && object.length > 0 && !has.call(object, 0)) {
		for (var i = 0; i < object.length; ++i) {
			theKeys.push(String(i));
		}
	}

	if (isArguments && object.length > 0) {
		for (var j = 0; j < object.length; ++j) {
			theKeys.push(String(j));
		}
	} else {
		for (var name in object) {
			if (!(skipProto && name === 'prototype') && has.call(object, name)) {
				theKeys.push(String(name));
			}
		}
	}

	if (hasDontEnumBug) {
		var ctor = object.constructor;
		var skipConstructor = ctor && ctor.prototype === object;

		for (var k = 0; k < dontEnums.length; ++k) {
			if (!(skipConstructor && dontEnums[k] === 'constructor') && has.call(object, dontEnums[k])) {
				theKeys.push(dontEnums[k]);
			}
		}
	}
	return theKeys;
};

keysShim.shim = function shimObjectKeys() {
	if (!Object.keys) {
		Object.keys = keysShim;
	}
	return Object.keys || keysShim;
};

module.exports = keysShim;

},{"./isArguments":13}],13:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var toStr = Object.prototype.toString;

module.exports = function isArguments(value) {
	var str = toStr.call(value);
	var isArgs = str === '[object Arguments]';
	if (!isArgs) {
		isArgs = str !== '[object Array]'
			&& value !== null
			&& typeof value === 'object'
			&& typeof value.length === 'number'
			&& value.length >= 0
			&& toStr.call(value.callee) === '[object Function]';
	}
	return isArgs;
};

},{}],14:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var $isNaN = Number.isNaN || function (a) { return a !== a; };
var $isFinite = require('./helpers/isFinite');

var sign = require('./helpers/sign');
var mod = require('./helpers/mod');

var IsCallable = require('is-callable');
var toPrimitive = require('es-to-primitive/es5');

// https://es5.github.io/#x9
var ES5 = {
	ToPrimitive: toPrimitive,

	ToBoolean: function ToBoolean(value) {
		return Boolean(value);
	},
	ToNumber: function ToNumber(value) {
		return Number(value);
	},
	ToInteger: function ToInteger(value) {
		var number = this.ToNumber(value);
		if ($isNaN(number)) { return 0; }
		if (number === 0 || !$isFinite(number)) { return number; }
		return sign(number) * Math.floor(Math.abs(number));
	},
	ToInt32: function ToInt32(x) {
		return this.ToNumber(x) >> 0;
	},
	ToUint32: function ToUint32(x) {
		return this.ToNumber(x) >>> 0;
	},
	ToUint16: function ToUint16(value) {
		var number = this.ToNumber(value);
		if ($isNaN(number) || number === 0 || !$isFinite(number)) { return 0; }
		var posInt = sign(number) * Math.floor(Math.abs(number));
		return mod(posInt, 0x10000);
	},
	ToString: function ToString(value) {
		return String(value);
	},
	ToObject: function ToObject(value) {
		this.CheckObjectCoercible(value);
		return Object(value);
	},
	CheckObjectCoercible: function CheckObjectCoercible(value, optMessage) {
		/* jshint eqnull:true */
		if (value == null) {
			throw new TypeError(optMessage || 'Cannot call method on ' + value);
		}
	},
	IsCallable: IsCallable,
	SameValue: function SameValue(x, y) {
		if (x === y) {
			// 0 === -0, but they are not identical.
			if (x === 0) { return 1 / x === 1 / y; }
			return true;
		}
        return $isNaN(x) && $isNaN(y);
	}
};

module.exports = ES5;

},{"./helpers/isFinite":18,"./helpers/mod":20,"./helpers/sign":21,"es-to-primitive/es5":22,"is-callable":27}],15:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var toStr = Object.prototype.toString;
var hasSymbols = typeof Symbol === 'function' && typeof Symbol.iterator === 'symbol';
var symbolToStr = hasSymbols ? Symbol.prototype.toString : toStr;

var $isNaN = Number.isNaN || function (a) { return a !== a; };
var $isFinite = require('./helpers/isFinite');
var MAX_SAFE_INTEGER = Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER || Math.pow(2, 53) - 1;

var assign = require('./helpers/assign');
var sign = require('./helpers/sign');
var mod = require('./helpers/mod');
var isPrimitive = require('./helpers/isPrimitive');
var toPrimitive = require('es-to-primitive/es6');

var ES5 = require('./es5');

// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-abstract-operations
var ES6 = assign(assign({}, ES5), {
	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-call-f-v-args
	Call: function Call(F, V) {
		var args = arguments.length > 2 ? arguments[2] : [];
		if (!this.IsCallable(F)) {
			throw new TypeError(F + ' is not a function');
		}
		return F.apply(V, args);
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-toprimitive
	ToPrimitive: toPrimitive,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-toboolean
	// ToBoolean: ES5.ToBoolean,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-tonumber
	ToNumber: function ToNumber(argument) {
		if (typeof argument === 'symbol') {
			throw new TypeError('Cannot convert a Symbol value to a number');
		}
		return Number(argument);
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-tointeger
	// ToInteger: ES5.ToNumber,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-toint32
	// ToInt32: ES5.ToInt32,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-touint32
	// ToUint32: ES5.ToUint32,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-toint16
	ToInt16: function ToInt16(argument) {
		var int16bit = this.ToUint16(argument);
		return int16bit >= 0x8000 ? int16bit - 0x10000 : int16bit;
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-touint16
	// ToUint16: ES5.ToUint16,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-toint8
	ToInt8: function ToInt8(argument) {
		var int8bit = this.ToUint8(argument);
		return int8bit >= 0x80 ? int8bit - 0x100 : int8bit;
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-touint8
	ToUint8: function ToUint8(argument) {
		var number = this.ToNumber(argument);
		if ($isNaN(number) || number === 0 || !$isFinite(number)) { return 0; }
		var posInt = sign(number) * Math.floor(Math.abs(number));
		return mod(posInt, 0x100);
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-touint8clamp
	ToUint8Clamp: function ToUint8Clamp(argument) {
		var number = this.ToNumber(argument);
		if ($isNaN(number) || number <= 0) { return 0; }
		if (number >= 0xFF) { return 0xFF; }
		var f = Math.floor(argument);
		if (f + 0.5 < number) { return f + 1; }
		if (number < f + 0.5) { return f; }
		if (f % 2 !== 0) { return f + 1; }
		return f;
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-tostring
	ToString: function ToString(argument) {
		if (typeof argument === 'symbol') {
			throw new TypeError('Cannot convert a Symbol value to a string');
		}
		return String(argument);
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-toobject
	ToObject: function ToObject(value) {
		this.RequireObjectCoercible(value);
		return Object(value);
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-topropertykey
	ToPropertyKey: function ToPropertyKey(argument) {
		var key = this.ToPrimitive(argument, String);
		return typeof key === 'symbol' ? symbolToStr.call(key) : this.ToString(key);
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-tolength
	ToLength: function ToLength(argument) {
		var len = this.ToInteger(argument);
		if (len <= 0) { return 0; } // includes converting -0 to +0
		if (len > MAX_SAFE_INTEGER) { return MAX_SAFE_INTEGER; }
		return len;
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-canonicalnumericindexstring
	CanonicalNumericIndexString: function CanonicalNumericIndexString(argument) {
		if (toStr.call(argument) !== '[object String]') {
			throw new TypeError('must be a string');
		}
		if (argument === '-0') { return -0; }
		var n = this.ToNumber(argument);
		if (this.SameValue(this.ToString(n), argument)) { return n; }
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-requireobjectcoercible
	RequireObjectCoercible: ES5.CheckObjectCoercible,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-isarray
	IsArray: Array.isArray || function IsArray(argument) {
		return toStr.call(argument) === '[object Array]';
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-iscallable
	// IsCallable: ES5.IsCallable,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-isconstructor
	IsConstructor: function IsConstructor(argument) {
		// unfortunately there's no way to truly check this without try/catch `new argument`
		return this.IsCallable(argument);
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-isextensible-o
	IsExtensible: function IsExtensible(obj) {
		if (!Object.preventExtensions) { return true; }
		if (isPrimitive(obj)) {
			return false;
		}
		return Object.isExtensible(obj);
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-isinteger
	IsInteger: function IsInteger(argument) {
		if (typeof argument !== 'number' || $isNaN(argument) || !$isFinite(argument)) {
			return false;
		}
		var abs = Math.abs(argument);
		return Math.floor(abs) === abs;
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-ispropertykey
	IsPropertyKey: function IsPropertyKey(argument) {
		return typeof argument === 'string' || typeof argument === 'symbol';
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-isregexp
	IsRegExp: function IsRegExp(argument) {
		return toStr.call(argument) === '[object RegExp]';
	},

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-samevalue
	// SameValue: ES5.SameValue,

	// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-samevaluezero
	SameValueZero: function SameValueZero(x, y) {
		return (x === y) || ($isNaN(x) && $isNaN(y));
	}
});

delete ES6.CheckObjectCoercible; // renamed in ES6 to RequireObjectCoercible
module.exports = ES6;

},{"./es5":14,"./helpers/assign":17,"./helpers/isFinite":18,"./helpers/isPrimitive":19,"./helpers/mod":20,"./helpers/sign":21,"es-to-primitive/es6":23}],16:[function(require,module,exports){
var ES6 = require('./es6');
var assign = require('./helpers/assign');

var ES7 = assign(ES6, {});

module.exports = ES7;

},{"./es6":15,"./helpers/assign":17}],17:[function(require,module,exports){
var has = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
module.exports = Object.assign || function assign(target, source) {
	for (var key in source) {
		if (has.call(source, key)) {
			target[key] = source[key];
		}
	}
	return target;
};

},{}],18:[function(require,module,exports){
var $isNaN = Number.isNaN || function (a) { return a !== a; };

module.exports = Number.isFinite || function (x) { return typeof x === 'number' && !$isNaN(x) && x !== Infinity && x !== -Infinity; };

},{}],19:[function(require,module,exports){
module.exports = function isPrimitive(value) {
	return value === null || (typeof value !== 'function' && typeof value !== 'object');
};

},{}],20:[function(require,module,exports){
module.exports = function mod(number, modulo) {
	var remain = number % modulo;
	return Math.floor(remain >= 0 ? remain : remain + modulo);
};

},{}],21:[function(require,module,exports){
module.exports = function sign(number) {
	return number >= 0 ? 1 : -1;
};

},{}],22:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var toStr = Object.prototype.toString;

var isPrimitive = require('./helpers/isPrimitive');

var isCallable = require('is-callable');

// https://es5.github.io/#x8.12
var ES5internalSlots = {
	'[[DefaultValue]]': function (O, hint) {
		if (!hint) {
			hint = toStr.call(O) === '[object Date]' ? String : Number;
		}

		if (hint === String || hint === Number) {
			var methods = hint === String ? ['toString', 'valueOf'] : ['valueOf', 'toString'];
			var value, i;
			for (i = 0; i < methods.length; ++i) {
				if (isCallable(O[methods[i]])) {
					value = O[methods[i]]();
					if (isPrimitive(value)) {
						return value;
					}
				}
			}
			throw new TypeError('No default value');
		}
		throw new TypeError('invalid [[DefaultValue]] hint supplied');
	}
};

// https://es5.github.io/#x9
module.exports = function ToPrimitive(input, PreferredType) {
	if (isPrimitive(input)) {
		return input;
	}
	if (arguments.length < 2) {
		PreferredType = toStr.call(input) === '[object Date]' ? String : Number;
	}
	if (PreferredType === String) {
		return String(input);
	} else if (PreferredType === Number) {
		return Number(input);
	} else {
		throw new TypeError('invalid PreferredType supplied');
	}
	return ES5internalSlots['[[DefaultValue]]'](input, PreferredType);
};

},{"./helpers/isPrimitive":24,"is-callable":27}],23:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var hasSymbols = typeof Symbol === 'function' && typeof Symbol.iterator === 'symbol';

var isPrimitive = require('./helpers/isPrimitive');
var isCallable = require('is-callable');
var isDate = require('is-date-object');
var isSymbol = require('is-symbol');

var ordinaryToPrimitive = function OrdinaryToPrimitive(O, hint) {
	if (O == null) {
		throw new TypeError('Cannot call method on ' + O);
	}
	if (typeof hint !== 'string' || (hint !== 'number' && hint !== 'string')) {
		throw new TypeError('hint must be "string" or "number"');
	}
	var methodNames = hint === 'string' ? ['toString', 'valueOf'] : ['valueOf', 'toString'];
	var method, result, i;
	for (i = 0; i < methodNames.length; ++i) {
		method = O[methodNames[i]];
		if (isCallable(method)) {
			result = method.call(O);
			if (isPrimitive(result)) {
				return result;
			}
		}
	}
	throw new TypeError('No default value');
};

// https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html#sec-toprimitive
module.exports = function ToPrimitive(input, PreferredType) {
	if (isPrimitive(input)) {
		return input;
	}
	var hint = 'default';
	if (arguments.length > 1) {
		if (PreferredType === String) {
			hint = 'string';
		} else if (PreferredType === Number) {
			hint = 'number';
		}
	}

	var exoticToPrim;
	if (hasSymbols) {
		if (Symbol.toPrimitive) {
			throw new TypeError('Symbol.toPrimitive not supported yet');
			// exoticToPrim = this.GetMethod(input, Symbol.toPrimitive);
		} else if (isSymbol(input)) {
			exoticToPrim = Symbol.prototype.valueOf;
		}
	}
	if (typeof exoticToPrim !== 'undefined') {
		var result = exoticToPrim.call(input, hint);
		if (isPrimitive(result)) {
			return result;
		}
		throw new TypeError('unable to convert exotic object to primitive');
	}
	if (hint === 'default' && (isDate(input) || isSymbol(input))) {
		hint = 'string';
	}
	return ordinaryToPrimitive(input, hint === 'default' ? 'number' : hint);
};

},{"./helpers/isPrimitive":24,"is-callable":27,"is-date-object":25,"is-symbol":26}],24:[function(require,module,exports){
arguments[4][19][0].apply(exports,arguments)
},{"dup":19}],25:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var getDay = Date.prototype.getDay;

module.exports = function isDateObject(value) {
	try {
		getDay.call(value);
		return true;
	} catch (e) {
		return false;
	}
};

},{}],26:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var toStr = Object.prototype.toString;
var hasSymbols = typeof Symbol === 'function' && typeof Symbol() === 'symbol';

if (hasSymbols) {
	var symToStr = Symbol.prototype.toString;
	var symStringRegex = /^Symbol\(.*\)$/;
	var isSymbolObject = function isSymbolObject(value) {
		if (typeof value.valueOf() !== 'symbol') { return false; }
		return symStringRegex.test(symToStr.call(value));
	};
	module.exports = function isSymbol(value) {
		if (typeof value === 'symbol') { return true; }
		if (toStr.call(value) !== '[object Symbol]') { return false; }
		try {
			return isSymbolObject(value);
		} catch (e) {
			return false;
		}
	};
} else {
	module.exports = function isSymbol(value) {
		// this environment does not support Symbols.
		return false;
	};
}

},{}],27:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var fnToStr = Function.prototype.toString;
var tryFunctionObject = function tryFunctionObject(value) {
	try {
		fnToStr.call(value);
		return true;
	} catch (e) {
		return false;
	}
};
var toStr = Object.prototype.toString;
var fnClass = '[object Function]';
var genClass = '[object GeneratorFunction]';
var hasToStringTag = typeof Symbol === 'function' && typeof Symbol.toStringTag === 'symbol';

module.exports = function isCallable(value) {
	if (typeof value !== 'function') { return false; }
	if (hasToStringTag) { return tryFunctionObject(value); }
	var strClass = toStr.call(value);
	return strClass === fnClass || strClass === genClass;
};

},{}],28:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var define = require('define-properties');
var ES = require('es-abstract/es7');

var getDescriptor = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor;
var getOwnNames = Object.getOwnPropertyNames;
var getSymbols = Object.getOwnPropertySymbols;
var getAll = !getSymbols ? getOwnNames : function (obj) {
	return getOwnNames(obj).concat(getSymbols(obj));
};

var isES5 = ES.IsCallable(getDescriptor) && ES.IsCallable(getOwnNames);

var getDescriptorsShim = function getOwnPropertyDescriptors(value) {
	ES.RequireObjectCoercible(value);
	if (!isES5) { throw new TypeError('getOwnPropertyDescriptors requires Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor'); }

	var O = ES.ToObject(value);
	return getAll(O).reduce(function (acc, key) {
		acc[key] = getDescriptor(O, key);
		return acc;
	}, {});
};

define(getDescriptorsShim, {
	method: getDescriptorsShim,
	shim: function shimGetOwnPropertyDescriptors() {
		if (isES5) {
			define(Object, {
				getOwnPropertyDescriptors: getDescriptorsShim
			});
			return Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptors || getDescriptorsShim;
		}
	}
});

module.exports = getDescriptorsShim;

},{"define-properties":10,"es-abstract/es7":16}],29:[function(require,module,exports){
'use strict';

var define = require('define-properties');
var ES = require('es-abstract/es7');
var bind = require('function-bind');

var atShim = function at(pos) {
	ES.RequireObjectCoercible(this);
	var O = ES.ToObject(this);
	var S = ES.ToString(O);
	var position = ES.ToInteger(pos);
	var size = S.length;
	if (position < 0 || position >= size) {
		return '';
	}
	// Get the first code unit and code unit value
	var cuFirst = S.charCodeAt(position);
	var cuSecond;
	var nextIndex = position + 1;
	var len = 1;
	// Check if it's the start of a surrogate pair.
	var isHighSurrogate = cuFirst >= 0xD800 && cuFirst <= 0xDBFF;
	if (isHighSurrogate && size > nextIndex /* there is a next code unit */) {
		cuSecond = S.charCodeAt(nextIndex);
		if (cuSecond >= 0xDC00 && cuSecond <= 0xDFFF) { // low surrogate
			len = 2;
		}
	}
	return S.slice(position, position + len);
};

var at = bind.call(Function.call, atShim);
define(at, {
	method: atShim,
	shim: function shimStringPrototypeAt() {
		define(String.prototype, {
			at: atShim
		});
		return String.prototype.at;
	}
});

module.exports = at;

},{"define-properties":10,"es-abstract/es7":16,"function-bind":30}],30:[function(require,module,exports){
var ERROR_MESSAGE = 'Function.prototype.bind called on incompatible ';
var slice = Array.prototype.slice;
var toStr = Object.prototype.toString;
var funcType = '[object Function]';

module.exports = function bind(that) {
    var target = this;
    if (typeof target !== 'function' || toStr.call(target) !== funcType) {
        throw new TypeError(ERROR_MESSAGE + target);
    }
    var args = slice.call(arguments, 1);

    var binder = function () {
        if (this instanceof bound) {
            var result = target.apply(
                this,
                args.concat(slice.call(arguments))
            );
            if (Object(result) === result) {
                return result;
            }
            return this;
        } else {
            return target.apply(
                that,
                args.concat(slice.call(arguments))
            );
        }
    };

    var boundLength = Math.max(0, target.length - args.length);
    var boundArgs = [];
    for (var i = 0; i < boundLength; i++) {
        boundArgs.push('$' + i);
    }

    var bound = Function('binder', 'return function (' + boundArgs.join(',') + '){ return binder.apply(this,arguments); }')(binder);

    if (target.prototype) {
        var Empty = function Empty() {};
        Empty.prototype = target.prototype;
        bound.prototype = new Empty();
        Empty.prototype = null;
    }

    return bound;
};

},{}],31:[function(require,module,exports){
module.exports = require('./es7-shim').shim();

},{"./es7-shim":8}]},{},[31]);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


tappy provides tools for working with the Test Anything Protocol (TAP) in Python.
tappy generates TAP output from your unittest test cases. You can use the TAP output files with a tool like the Jenkins TAP plugin or any other TAP consumer.
tappy also provides a tappy command line tool as a TAP consumer. This tool can read TAP files and display the results like a normal Python test runner. tappy provides other TAP consumers via Python APIs for programmatic access to TAP files.
TAP version 13 brings support for YAML blocks for YAML blocks associated with test results. To work with version 13, install the optional dependencies. Learn more about YAML support in the TAP version 13 section.
© Copyright 2018, Matt Layman and contributors. Revision fa84f6fa.


Halloween: Are we marked more by the world or by God?
I know that this may upset some of you, and that is OK. But please hear me clearly, it is not my intention for this to anger anyone, nor is it meant to be divisive, but rather an edification and admonishment from a fellow Christian. I would much rather stir up questions that you yourself would take deadly serious and investigate for yourself. Please note, this is written for professing Christians, not for anyone else. If you are not a Christian, please, feel free to read this and know that I have no bitter feelings toward what you do and do not do at all. If you are a Christian, I do not judge you in regards to what I am going to present, but I do hope that you will come to see that just because we tag the word "christian" to something does not mean it is acceptable to God.
Friends, we need to get deadly serious, especially this age in which we live – we must ask ourselves, "are we marked more by the world or Christ?" Marked by our personal beliefs or God's Word? Marked by past sins or present realities of growing in sanctification? I mean seriously, who do we aim to please, the Lord who grants us eternal life, or the carnality of our flesh?
If you read the context to the passages above, this verse does not relate merely to a Christian "dating" or marrying a non-believer. Rather, this verse carries weight regarding ALL areas of a Christian's life.
We need to quit telling ourselves and our children that it is OK to do everything the world does by twisting it around and tagging the "christian" label upon it. Our God will not be mocked and He is not fooled. If you are a professing Christian, I beg of you, stop introducing the Easter bunny, Santa Clause, and certainly the satanic Halloween traditions to your kids; equally, and maybe even more so, we need to stop appeasing our children and shutting them up with technology as well (not to say all technology is bad, nor that we cannot use it [as I am now]).
Remember, when Jesus spoke the prophetic words of Matthew 7:21-23, it was aimed at those who claim to know Him; furthermore, He means it!
My hope and prayer for you this year is that you would take that time and energy you use to look just like the world, but with a "christian" twist to it, to effectively show your children (especially you fathers) the attributes of God, the realities of what God declares (biblically) to be good and what He declares to be sin, the truth about holidays, the propitiation, love, grace and mercies of Christ. Think about this, why would your children ever want to follow Christ when they are older when you (if your a parent) have spent the majority of their younger years imposing little lies here and there? Why would they ever believe your professions and teaching about God when in the small things you could not be trusted? Do not be deceived, light has nothing to do with darkness and roots of wickedness.
Rise up men, lead your households! Don't let a foothold for Satan enter near your children. I wonder just how many believers really understands the spiritual warfare we are in? We need to be about the killing of our sin – all sins (Romans 8:13). Just because someone has placed a "christian" tag across a secular practice does not mean we swallow it down to appease our flesh.
I tell my children all the time, our profession of faith means very little compared to Christ's profession to us. For we must use discernment, wisdom, weigh everything we do in comparison to the full word of God, otherwise we are best not to consider ourselves Christians. Does this mean we are perfect? No. But we can not use this as our excuse to do whatever our wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9) desires. Either God's word is sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17), or it is not. Grace is not an excuse to indulge ourselves and minimize the truth. Choose who you will serve.
And beware, just because another professing Christian takes part in a certain activity does not mean we use them as the final authoritative reason to take part ourselves. I know many people who smoke a cigar and I do not judge them. Is it best for them, no; but do I judge them, no. They are always quick to point out that Spurgeon did the same thing. But last I knew, Spurgeon was a man like me and definitely not the final authority. I like to listen to classical music sometimes when I study Scripture (not always) and so did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, so because he did is it right for me, especially since so much of the music is definitely not what I would call godly? I am not trying to make anything that I am convicted of (James 4:17) your conviction, but what I am trying to say is this, is there something better than exposing our children to pagan traditions? Yes. In the end, I will give an account to God of what I have done. As Ravenhill said, (paraphrased) "Do you actually think that when we get to heaven God will say, Ravenhill, you were much to serious and zealous for My name."?
May the Lord have continued mercy and patience with our lack of understanding, lack of applying His Word, lack of piety and lack of having a holy resolve. May He take us further and further into His grace – His powerful grace that is true and does not leave us as we are, but convicts and transforms us more into the image of Christ Jesus (Titus 2:11-14; [Foothills of True Grace]).
Matthew 7:21-23 is no joke!
Check out what John Ramirez, a former Satanist, has to say about Halloween.
Since Halloween is upon us, this book will be so very helpful to many of you.
Jer, if TRUE Christians are offended they had better check their relationship with JESUS. About 10 years ago I had secretary trying to decide how to dress her daughter for halloween. I told her straight up if your daughter woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare would you want her to see angels or demons further more you should be taking her to a Bible study at church on that day and teach her what a loving GOD we serve and how we should reverence HIM and HIM alone and how to pray against evil and fear instilled in people on that day. Parents should not I mean 100% allow their children to be fearful or taught to fear. How dare allow the world to "offend our GOD on that day" Because GOD has not given us a Spirit of fear but of of POWER, LOVE and "A SOUND MIND". If allowed parents then wonder why their children do not have sound minds. Do they want then to have sound minds. Everyday is the LORD's and so is this day. Psalm 118:24, this is the day the LORD has made; WE WILL rejoice and be glad in it! Not fear in it. Since our house has a brass plate on the wall above everything else reads "As for me and my house we will "serve" the LORD. So we witness to anyone coming to the door to accept JESUS and praise the LORD. Only thing is no one comes to the door. So Don't concern yourself if people are offended people get offended everyday over a lot less,someone gigging them over their favorite team loosing. How much more money one makes, how much bigger house one has all "WORDLY". Besides maybe it will make them change. Maybe they"ll think twice about offending the Master and creator of the universe. I believe Paul waxed boldly Acts 13:46, and considered it necessary that the word of GOD should be spoken. So, be encouraged if we belong to JESUS we are either all in or all out. I like the words "all in"!
Amen, brother, amen! So good to have you as a fellow soldier and brother in Christ!


Today marks 51 days until the November 7 General Election.
My team and I had a great time walking sections of Northport on September 17th following the annual Cow Harbor Day Parade through the Incorporated Village of Northport. It's wonderful to see an entire community come together to celebrate this annual event.
During this afternoon's walk, we met a lot of familiar faces along the way and had requests for my lawn sign. Even managed to take a moment to catch our breath from the hills at this great spot overlooking what is affectionately known as "Steers Pit."
Not a bad way to end a great day "On the Campaign Trail."