text:
General Terms and Conditions The Pike Factory
Article 2 - Identity of the entrepreneur
Article 3 - Applicability
Article 4 - The offer
Article 5 - The agreement
Article 6 - Right of withdrawal
Article 7 - Costs in case of withdrawal
Article 8 - Exclusion right of withdrawal
Article 9 - The price
Article 10 - Conformity and guarantee
Article 11 - Delivery and execution
Article 12 - Duration transactions: duration, cancellation and extension
Article 13 - Payment
Article 14 - Complaints procedure
Article 15 - Disputes
Article 16 - Additional or different provisions
In these terms and conditions the following definitions apply:
1. Cooling-off period: the period within which the consumer can make use of his right of withdrawal;
2. Consumer: the natural person who does not act in the exercise of a profession or business and who enters into a distance contract with the entrepreneur;
3. Day: calendar day;
4. Duration transaction: a distance contract with regard to a series of products and/or services, the delivery and/or purchase obligation of which is spread over time;
5. Durable data carrier: any means that enables the consumer or entrepreneur to store information that is personally addressed to him in a way that allows future consultation and unaltered reproduction of the stored information.
6. Right of withdrawal: the option for the consumer to cancel the distance contract within the cooling-off period;
7. Model form: the model form for withdrawal that the entrepreneur makes available that a consumer can fill in when he wants to make use of his right of withdrawal.
8. Entrepreneur: the natural or legal person who offers products and/or services to consumers at a distance;
9. Distance contract: an agreement in which, within the framework of a system organized by the entrepreneur for the distance selling of products and/or services, up to and including the conclusion of the agreement, exclusive use is made of one or more techniques for communication on distance;
10. Technology for distance communication: means that can be used for concluding an agreement, without the consumer and entrepreneur meeting simultaneously in the same room.
11. General Terms and Conditions: the present General Terms and Conditions of the entrepreneur.
The Pike Factory
Pascal van Merkestein
Paulstraat 86,
E-mail address: info@desnoekfabriek.com
VAT identification number: NL162810490B01
1. These general terms and conditions apply to every offer from the entrepreneur and to every distance contract and orders concluded between the entrepreneur and consumer.
2. Before the distance contract is concluded, the text of these general terms and conditions is made available to the consumer. If this is not reasonably possible, before the distance contract is concluded, it will be indicated that the general terms and conditions can be viewed at the entrepreneur and they will be sent free of charge as soon as possible at the request of the consumer.
3. If the distance contract is concluded electronically, notwithstanding the previous paragraph and before the distance contract is concluded, the text of these general terms and conditions can be made available to the consumer electronically in such a way that it is consumer can be stored in a simple way on a durable data carrier. If this is not reasonably possible, before the distance contract is concluded, it will be indicated where the general terms and conditions can be consulted electronically and that they will be sent free of charge at the request of the consumer electronically or otherwise.
4. In the event that specific product or service conditions apply in addition to these general terms and conditions, the second and third paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis and the consumer can always invoke the applicable provision in the event of conflicting general terms and conditions. is most favorable.
5. If at any time one or more provisions in these general terms and conditions are wholly or partially void or destroyed, the remainder of the agreement and these terms and conditions will remain in force and the relevant provision will be replaced by a provision in mutual consultation without delay. approached the tenor of the original as much as possible.
6. Situations that are not regulated in these general terms and conditions must be assessed 'in the spirit' of these general terms and conditions.
7. Uncertainties about the interpretation or content of one or more provisions of our terms and conditions must be explained 'in the spirit' of these general terms and conditions.
rvalues.
1. If an offer has a limited period of validity or is made subject to conditions, this will be explicitly stated in the offer.
2. The offer is without obligation. The entrepreneur is entitled to change and adjust the offer.
3. The offer contains a complete and accurate description of the products and/or services offered. The description is sufficiently detailed to allow a proper assessment of the offer by the consumer. If the entrepreneur uses images, these are a true representation of the products and/or services offered. Obvious mistakes or obvious errors in the offer are not binding on the entrepreneur.
4. All images, specifications data in the offer are indicative and can not lead to compensation or dissolution of the agreement.
5. Images accompanying products are a true representation of the products offered. Entrepreneur cannot guarantee that the displayed colors correspond exactly to the real colors of the products.
6. Each offer contains such information that it is clear to the consumer what rights and obligations are attached to the acceptance of the offer. This concerns in particular:
o the price including taxes (no VAT is stated for margin products);
o any shipping costs;
o the manner in which the agreement will be concluded and which actions are required for this;
o whether or not the right of withdrawal applies;
o the method of payment, delivery and execution of the agreement;
o the term for acceptance of the offer, or the term within which the entrepreneur guarantees the price;
o the amount of the rate for distance communication if the costs of using the technology for distance communication are calculated on a basis other than the regular base rate for the means of communication used;
o whether the agreement will be archived after it has been concluded, and if so, how it can be consulted by the consumer;
o the way in which the consumer, before concluding the agreement, can check and, if desired, restore the data provided by him in the context of the agreement;
o any other languages in which, in addition to Dutch, the agreement can be concluded;
o the codes of conduct to which the entrepreneur is subject and the way in which the consumer can consult these codes of conduct electronically; and
o the minimum duration of the distance contract in the event of a long-term transaction.
1. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4, the agreement is concluded at the time of acceptance by the consumer of the offer and compliance with the associated conditions.
2. If the consumer has accepted the offer electronically, the entrepreneur will immediately confirm receipt of the acceptance of the offer electronically. As long as the receipt of this acceptance has not been confirmed by the entrepreneur, the consumer can dissolve the agreement.
3. If the agreement is concluded electronically, the entrepreneur will take appropriate technical and organizational measures to secure the electronic transfer of data and ensure a safe web environment. If the consumer can pay electronically, the entrepreneur will take appropriate security measures.
4. The entrepreneur can inform himself - within legal frameworks - whether the consumer can meet his payment obligations, as well as all those facts and factors that are important for a responsible conclusion of the distance contract. If, on the basis of this investigation, the entrepreneur has good reasons not to enter into the agreement, he is entitled to refuse an order or request with reasons, or to attach special conditions to the execution.
5. The entrepreneur will send the following information to the consumer with the product or service, in writing or in such a way that it can be stored by the consumer in an accessible manner on a durable data carrier:
a. the visiting address of the establishment of the entrepreneur where the consumer can go with complaints;
b. the conditions under which and the manner in which the consumer can make use of the right of withdrawal, or a clear statement regarding the exclusion of the right of withdrawal;
c. the information about warranties and existing after-sales service;
d. the information included in Article 4 paragraph 3 of these terms and conditions, unless the entrepreneur has already provided this information to the consumer before the execution of the agreement;
e. the requirements for termination of the agreement if the agreement has a duration of more than one year or is of indefinite duration.
6. In the case of an expensive transaction, the stipulation in h . is
The previous paragraph only applies to the first delivery.
7. Every agreement is entered into under the suspensive conditions of sufficient availability of the products concerned.
When delivering products:
1. When purchasing products, the consumer has the option to dissolve the agreement without stating reasons during 14 days. This reflection period starts on the day after receipt of the product by the consumer or a representative designated in advance by the consumer and made known to the entrepreneur.
2. During the reflection period, the consumer will handle the product and the packaging with care. He will only unpack or use the product to the extent necessary to assess whether he wishes to keep the product. If he makes use of his right of withdrawal, he will return the product with all accessories supplied and - if reasonably possible - in the original condition and packaging to the entrepreneur, in accordance with the reasonable and clear instructions provided by the entrepreneur.
3. If the consumer wishes to make use of his right of withdrawal, he is obliged to make this known to the entrepreneur within 14 days of receipt of the product. The consumer must make this known by means of the model form. After the consumer has indicated that he wishes to make use of his right of withdrawal, the customer must return the product within 14 days. The consumer must prove that the delivered goods have been returned in time, for example by means of proof of shipment.
4. If, after the expiry of the periods referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3, the customer has not indicated that he wishes to make use of his right of withdrawal resp. has not returned the product to the entrepreneur, the purchase is a fact.
When providing services:
5. When providing services, the consumer has the option to dissolve the agreement without stating reasons for at least 14 days, commencing on the day of entering into the agreement.
6. To make use of his right of withdrawal, the consumer will follow the reasonable and clear instructions provided by the entrepreneur with the offer and/or at the latest upon delivery.
1. If the consumer makes use of his right of withdrawal, the costs of shipping are for his account.
2. If the consumer has paid an amount, the entrepreneur will refund this amount as soon as possible, but no later than 14 days after cancellation, after deduction of shipping costs. This is subject to the condition that the product has already been received back by the web retailer or conclusive proof of complete return can be submitted.
1. The entrepreneur can exclude the consumer's right of withdrawal for products as described in paragraphs 2 and 3. The exclusion of the right of withdrawal only applies if the entrepreneur has stated this clearly in the offer, at least in time for the conclusion of the agreement.
2. Exclusion of the right of withdrawal is only possible for products:
a. that have been established by the entrepreneur in accordance with the consumer's specifications;
b. which are clearly personal in nature;
c. which by their nature cannot be returned;
d. which can spoil or age quickly;
e. the price of which is subject to fluctuations in the financial market over which the entrepreneur has no influence;
f. for loose newspapers and magazines;
g. for audio and video recordings and computer software of which the consumer has broken the seal.
h. for hygienic products of which the consumer has broken the seal.
3. Exclusion of the right of withdrawal is only possible for services:
a. concerning accommodation, transport, restaurant business or leisure activities to be carried out on a specific date or during a specific period;
b. the delivery of which has started with the express consent of the consumer before the cooling-off period has expired;
c. concerning betting and lotteries.
1. During the period of validity stated in the offer, the prices of the products and/or services offered will not be increased, except for price changes as a result of changes in VAT rates.
2. Contrary to the previous paragraph, the entrepreneur can offer variable prices for products or services whose prices are subject to fluctuations in the financial market and over which the entrepreneur has no influence. This dependence on fluctuations and the fact that any prices stated are target prices are stated in the offer.
3. Price increases within 3 months after the conclusion of the agreement are only permitted if they are the result of statutory regulations or provisions.
increases from 3 months after the conclusion of the agreement are only permitted if the entrepreneur has stipulated this and:
a. they are the result of statutory regulations or provisions; or
b. the consumer has the authority to cancel the agreement with effect from the day on which the price increase takes effect.
5. The prices stated in the offer of products or services include VAT.
6. All prices are subject to printing and typographical errors. No liability is accepted for the consequences of printing and typing errors. In the event of printing and typesetting errors, the entrepreneur is not obliged to deliver the product according to the incorrect price.
Article 10 - Conformity and Warranty
1. The entrepreneur guarantees that the products and/or services comply with the agreement, the specifications stated in the offer, the reasonable requirements of reliability and/or usability and the statutory provisions existing on the date of the conclusion of the agreement. regulations and/or government regulations. If agreed, the entrepreneur also guarantees that the product is suitable for other than normal use.
2. A guarantee provided by the entrepreneur, manufacturer or importer does not affect the legal rights and claims that the consumer can assert against the entrepreneur on the basis of the agreement.
3. Any defects or incorrectly delivered products must be reported to the entrepreneur in writing within 2 weeks after delivery. The products must be returned in the original packaging and in new condition.
4. The entrepreneur's warranty period for new products corresponds to the manufacturer's warranty period. However, the entrepreneur is never responsible for the ultimate suitability of the products for each individual application by the consumer, nor for any advice regarding the use or application of the products.
5. A warranty period of 4 weeks applies to used / 2nd hand / articles.
6. The warranty does not apply if:
o The consumer has repaired and/or processed the delivered products himself or has had them repaired and/or processed by third parties;
o The delivered products have been exposed to abnormal conditions or are otherwise handled carelessly or contrary to the instructions of the entrepreneur and/or have been treated on the packaging;
o The defectiveness is wholly or partly the result of regulations that the government has made or will make with regard to the nature or quality of the materials used.
1. The entrepreneur will take the greatest possible care when receiving and executing orders for products and when assessing applications for the provision of services.
2. The place of delivery is the address that the consumer has made known to the company.
3. With due observance of what is stated in paragraph 4 of this article, the company will execute accepted orders expeditiously but at the latest within 30 days, unless the consumer has agreed to a longer delivery period. If the delivery is delayed, or if an order cannot or only partially be executed, the consumer will be notified of this no later than 30 days after he has placed the order. In that case, the consumer has the right to dissolve the agreement without costs. The consumer is not entitled to compensation.
4. All delivery times are indicative. The consumer cannot derive any rights from any stated terms. Exceeding a term does not entitle the consumer to compensation.
5. In the event of dissolution in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article, the entrepreneur will refund the amount paid by the consumer as soon as possible, but at the latest within 14 days after dissolution.
6. If delivery of an ordered product proves to be impossible, the entrepreneur will make an effort to make a replacement article available in consultation with the customer. For replacement items right of withdrawal can not be excluded.
7. The risk of damage and/or loss of products rests with the entrepreneur until the moment of delivery to the consumer or a representative designated in advance and made known to the entrepreneur, unless expressly agreed otherwise.
1. The consumer can cancel an agreement that has been entered into for an indefinite period and that extends to the regular delivery of products (including electricity) or services, at any time with due observance of the agreed cancellation rules and a notice period of at most one month.
2. The consumer may enter into an agreement that has been entered into for a definite period and which extends to the regular delivery of
products (including electricity) or services, at all times towards the end of the fixed term with due observance of the agreed cancellation rules and a notice period of no more than one month.
3. The consumer can conclude the agreements referred to in the previous paragraphs:
o cancel at any time and are not limited to cancellation at a specific time or period;
o at least cancel in the same way as they entered into by him;
o always cancel with the same notice period as the entrepreneur has stipulated for himself.
4. An agreement that has been entered into for a definite period of time and which extends to the regular delivery of products (including electricity) or services may not be tacitly extended or renewed for a definite period.
5. Contrary to the previous paragraph, an agreement that has been entered into for a definite period and which extends to the regular delivery of daily news and weekly newspapers and magazines may be tacitly extended for a fixed term of a maximum of three months, if the consumer has extended this can terminate the agreement towards the end of the extension with a notice period of no more than one month.
6. An agreement that has been entered into for a definite period and which extends to the regular delivery of products or services may only be tacitly extended for an indefinite period if the consumer may cancel at any time with a notice period of no more than one month and a notice period of a maximum of three months if the agreement extends to the regular, but less than once a month, delivery of daily, news and weekly newspapers and magazines.
7. An agreement with a limited duration for the regular delivery of daily, news and weekly newspapers and magazines (trial or introductory subscription) is not tacitly continued and ends automatically after the trial or introductory period.
8. If an agreement has a duration of more than one year, the consumer may terminate the agreement at any time after one year with a notice period of no more than one month, unless reasonableness and fairness oppose cancellation before the end of the agreed duration. to postpone.
1. Unless otherwise agreed, the amounts owed by the consumer must be paid within 7 working days after the start of the reflection period as referred to in Article 6 paragraph 1. In the event of an agreement to provide a service, this term after the consumer has received confirmation of the agreement.
2. The consumer has the obligation to immediately report inaccuracies in the payment details provided or stated to the entrepreneur.
3. In the event of non-payment by the consumer, the entrepreneur has the right, subject to legal restrictions, to charge the reasonable costs made known to the consumer in advance.
1. The entrepreneur has a sufficiently publicized complaints procedure and handles the complaint in accordance with this complaints procedure.
2. Complaints about the implementation of the agreement must be submitted fully and clearly described to the entrepreneur within 7 days, after the consumer has discovered the defects.
3. Complaints submitted to the entrepreneur will be answered within a period of 14 days from the date of receipt. If a complaint requires a foreseeable longer processing time, the entrepreneur will answer within the period of 14 days with a notification of receipt and an indication when the consumer can expect a more detailed answer.
4. If the complaint cannot be resolved by mutual agreement, a dispute will arise that is subject to the dispute settlement procedure.
5. In the event of complaints, a consumer must first turn to the entrepreneur.
6. A complaint does not suspend the entrepreneur's obligations, unless the entrepreneur indicates otherwise in writing.
7. If a complaint is found to be well-founded by the entrepreneur, the entrepreneur will, at its discretion, replace or repair the delivered products free of charge or, if this turns out to be impossible, reimburse the purchase price.
1. Agreements between the entrepreneur and the consumer to which these general terms and conditions apply are exclusively governed by Dutch law. Even if the consumer lives abroad.
2. The Vienna Sales Convention does not apply.
Additional provisions or provisions that deviate from these general terms and conditions may not be to the detriment of the consumer and must be recorded in writing or in such a way that they can be stored by the consumer in an accessible manner on a durable data carrier.


Here are a few more seal photos from the other day at Montauk Point. These are both Harbor seals, scientifically known as Phoca vitulina. Adults are normally 4-6 feet in length, and weigh between 250 and 300 pounds.


text:
'use strict';

const models = require('./index');

/**
 * The health statistics of an entity, returned as part of the health query
 * result when the query description is configured to include statistics.
 * The statistics include health state counts for all children types of the
 * current entity.
 * For example, for cluster, the health statistics include health state counts
 * for nodes, applications, services, partitions, replicas, deployed
 * applications and deployed service packages.
 * For partition, the health statistics include health counts for replicas.
 *
 *
 */
class HealthStatistics {
  /**
   * Create a HealthStatistics.
   * @member {array} [healthStateCountList] List of health state counts per
   * entity kind, which keeps track of how many children of the queried entity
   * are in Ok, Warning and Error state.
   */
  constructor() {
  }

  /**
   * Defines the metadata of HealthStatistics
   *
   * @returns {object} metadata of HealthStatistics
   *
   */
  mapper() {
    return {
      required: false,
      serializedName: 'HealthStatistics',
      type: {
        name: 'Composite',
        className: 'HealthStatistics',
        modelProperties: {
          healthStateCountList: {
            required: false,
            serializedName: 'HealthStateCountList',
            type: {
              name: 'Sequence',
              element: {
                  required: false,
                  serializedName: 'EntityKindHealthStateCountElementType',
                  type: {
                    name: 'Composite',
                    className: 'EntityKindHealthStateCount'
                  }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    };
  }
}

module.exports = HealthStatistics;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Links 19/09/2009: Ubuntu 10.04 to be Called Lucid Lynx
Posted in News Roundup at 7:53 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Digital Tipping Point: Clip of the Day
Interview: Martin Maurer from Proxmox
I've been aware of Proxmox VE for a couple of years now. I've installed it a few times and tested it out. I have recommended it to others and know a few local people using it in production (at MSU-Bozeman and Rocky Mountain College for example). Since I'm involved in the OpenVZ community I've also noticed some of the contributions to OpenVZ that have come from Proxmox VE (vzdump for example) and have run into Martin Maurer in the comments section of this site. I asked him if he would be interested in doing an interview and he accepted. I hope to add a picture of Martin to this interview in the near future.
It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's A…Mouse?
What Hillcrest Labs announced yesterday is about more than just Linux compatibility. Hillcrest is the company behind Freespace, a "complete solution for the creation of in-air pointing and motion control devices for a broad range of applications including pointing remote controls, hybrid 2D/3D mice and motion-sensing game controllers." Companies can license Freespace to develop precision devices for all manner of tasks, from presentation pointers to medical monitoring gear.
Top 12 Linux & FLOSS advertisements & videos
Surfing the net all this time on topics related to GNU/Linux, Free and Open Source Software, I came across various interesting, imaginative and some times funny videos and advertisements.
[New] Vixta 2009.09
[New] SystemRescueCd 1.3.0
[New] NuTyX 2009
New version of Puppy Linux mini system
Version 4.3 of the lean Puppy Linux distribution is now available to download. At a size of just about 110 Mbytes, the system with its JWM and IceWM window managers offers up to date applications and includes many new features. Puppy Linux 4.3 now uses with kernel version 2.6.30.5 which includes ext4 filesystem support.
Canonical Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx)
The Art of Community Available For Free Download
Even if you don't buy it, I would be hugely grateful that if you like it, please go and review it on Amazon. This is a hugely contribution. Thanks!
Ubuntu Privacy Remix: UPR 9.04r2 released
18/09 : Announced by UPR team the release of the second stable release of Ubuntu Privacy Remix 9.04. All software packages including the kernel were updated to their newest version to close security holes and fix bugs.
12 Excellent Free and Open Source Graphics Apps
The worlds of open source and freeware both include many outstanding applications for working with graphics and photos. These include standard fare such as image editors, but it's also worth looking into free desktop publishers, web design templates, and quirky graphics tools. Whether you want to produce splashy graphical documents, enhance graphics on a blog or web site, create eye-catching logos, or more, check out our newly updated collection of 12 applications and resources here.
FOSS v Proprietary? – A debate between two geeks?
In regards to my comment to him "championing the Mac" I use the word champion to describe something any user has settled on as a result of their own research and needs. I champion Linux since I have chosen it above alternatives as its best for me. Throttlemeister has done so with Mac on the same basis.
Throttlemeister makes reference to the needs of work and MS Office. I think this highlights perfectly that far from Microsoft being "standards compat" and as some would like you to believe [1] entering into a brave new world of cooperation and interoperability with FOSS. The fact remain that intentional or not, there are barriers for people wanting freedom of choice in their software solutions and its not a fault of FOSS.
Mozilla Firefox Cleared of U.S Export Rules
Vendors with normal software containing encryption are required to file for a license exception, but that regulation offers an exemption to open source vendors.
However, that exemption is nullified if the source code is distributed to any of the countries on the U.S embargo list, such as Cuba, Iran or North Korea. Under the open source export exemption, the project isn't supposed to have knowledge of distribution to any of the embargoed countries, Anderson said.
Mozilla Firefox Not In Violation of US Export Rules
"While the internet may know no borders, the US government does. There are a number of rules that affect software vendors, including encryption export regulations from the US Department of Commerce and export sanctions by the Department of Treasury. But what do you do when your application is open source and freely available to anyone in the world? Do the same the rules apply? It's a question that Mozilla asked the US government about. The answer they received could have profound implications not just for Firefox but for all open source software vendors. 'We really couldn't accept the notion that these government rules could jeopardize the participatory nature of an open source project, so we sought to challenge it,' Harvey Anderson, VP and General Counsel of Mozilla, told InternetNews.com. 'We argued that First Amendment free speech rights would prevail in this scenario. The government took our filing and then we got back a no-violation letter, which is fantastic.'"
Software Freedom Day
Software Freedom Day 2009
Promoting the free software
A special talk by the founder of the free software movement, Richard Stallman, will lead the list of special programmes put together by the IT@School on the VICTERS channel on the occasion of the Software Freedom Day (SFD) on September 19.
Welcome to Freedom Movement
For those uninitiated to this concept — a full-fledged philosophy for many — applying something as lofty as freedom to the world of bits and bytes may seem a tad misplaced. However, advocates of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) will tell you that 'freedom' is as critical in the digital world, especially in one that is largely controlled by proprietary (and market) forces.
Richard Stallman, the foremost torchbearer of the Free Software Movement, points out 'Free' is a matter of liberty, not price: "'Free' as in 'free speech,' not as in 'free beer'," he distinguishes. In simple terms, the user is free to run, copy, modify and distribute software, and this, enabled by the fact that its source code (a set of instructions that calls the shots) is freely available.
City wants software freedom for all
This year September 19, is software freedom day (SFD), a global celebration of free and open source software.
There are three types of software, you can buy and use it, you can download and use for free and the third is where you could dowload it, modify the code and upload it for others to use.
Announcing programs for SFD, Lokayat on Friday issued a roadmap for countering monopoly of big companies.
They will mark this day by not using softwares like Windows, Adobe Photoshop etc. Rishikesh Yewalekar, Neeraj Jain and Vaibhav Gupta of the organisation said, "SFD is a worldwide celebration of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). The goal is to educate the public about ethical reasons and benefits of using high quality FOSS.
Undead COBOL celebrates (another) 50th birthday
COBOL is celebrating its 50th birthday. Or at least the name is.
Five ways that Apps.gov is a trendsetter
I'm one of many who believe this week's announcement of Apps.gov–a portal targeted at reducing the cost and effort for public agencies to acquire cloud services–is forcing all of IT to face the economics of cloud computing.
Federal Appeals Court Voids Campaign Finance Reform Rules
"The First Amendment, as the Court has construed it, safeguards the right of citizens to band together and pool their resources . . . to express their views about policy issues and candidates for public office," Kavanaugh wrote in his 44-page opinion.
A FEC spokeswoman, Judith Ingram, said officials were reviewing the opinion.
The challenge by Emily's List is just one of several assaults on campaign finance laws and regulations in the courts. Last week, in a case with high stakes for campaign finance advocates, the Supreme Court heard arguments in an appeal that seeks to strip decades of restrictions on corporate support of candidates.
"We in the reform community are seeking attacks on all fronts of campaign finance laws," said Tara Malloy, associate counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit group that supports campaign finance reform.
Friday's ruling will be felt next year and in 2012, the experts said.
Censorship/Web Abuse
FCC To Introduce Net Neutrality Rule
Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, plans to propose a new so-called net neutrality rule Monday that could prevent telecommunications, cable and wireless companies from blocking Internet applications, according to sources at the agency.
Save the BBC from Draconian Restrictions Management
Either I am licensed to view BBC content, or I am not. If I am, then it should be none of the BBC's concern what method I use to view that content. If I wish to use equipment officially "endorsed" by the BBC, or if I wish to use a self-built PVR running my own choice of software, I should be able to do so without the BBC imposing restrictions on my activities, but their proposed DRM system will indeed impose such a restriction.
This restriction will also compel me to purchase equipment manufactured only by certain companies, which I feel is also in violation of the spirit of the BBC's charter of impartiality. Is it right that the BBC should essentially endorse products in this way?
Wait, Was That An RIAA Education Campaign… Or Is It About Turning Schoolkids Into Unpaid Shills?
Of course, since we were suggesting more reasonable responses to the RIAA's proposals, why not have those same kids do a class project where they talk about artists who have embraced what their fans want, and have showed that it's possible to do quite well with models that don't involve going to war with your best fans.
RIAA Asks Schoolkids To Assist With Propaganda
We wrote about Music-Rules! and similar industry propaganda efforts in May, outlining some of their falsehoods and biases. For instance, the RIAA tells kids, "Never copy someone else's creative work without permission from the copyright holder" — omitting the important right to make creative fair use of existing content. It also coins a misleading term, "songlifting," (which the curriculum says is "just as bad as shoplifting"). Perhaps most disturbing of all given that the curriculum is supposed to be adopted by schools, it teaches kids bad math as part of its lessons on peer to peer file-sharing.
Cable Lobbyists Side With MPAA On Getting Permission To Break Your TV
The MPAA and cable companies could offer up movies whenever they want. They just don't want people to record them, because they want to introduce yet another annoying window. So, they declare that they need to break your TV and DVR from recording.
Oregon: You Have To Pay Us To Explain The Laws To You
However, Oregon is back in the news on a similar issue, as Slashdot points us to the news that a professor is challenging the state's attorney general to sue him after he scanned and posted a state-produced guide to using public-records laws. You would think, again, that the state would want such a document spread as widely as possible, as it would better help Oregonians understand the law. But the state claims it needs to sell the book for $25 to cover production costs.
Linden Lab Sued Over Copied Virtual Goods
Way back in 2003, when Linden Lab announced that individuals owned the real world copyright on virtual trinkets they made in the game, we noted that this was a bad idea that would lead to problems. It was, in effect, taking bad real world laws and bringing them into a virtual world. It was even worse, because it was taking real world laws that were designed for a world of scarcity, and bringing them into a world of abundance — and effectively allowing the laws to reach from the real world into the virtual world. That's a recipe for trouble.
Post-Medium Publishing
Almost every form of publishing has been organized as if the medium was what they were selling, and the content was irrelevant. Book publishers, for example, set prices based on the cost of producing and distributing books. They treat the words printed in the book the same way a textile manufacturer treats the patterns printed on its fabrics.
Economically, the print media are in the business of marking up paper. We can all imagine an old-style editor getting a scoop and saying "this will sell a lot of papers!" Cross out that final S and you're describing their business model. The reason they make less money now is that people don't need as much paper.
The Great Debate on Micropayments and Paid Content, Part 1
Jim Hogg teaches GNU Linux to high school kids 10 (2008)
Digital Tipping Point is a Free software-like project where the raw videos are code. You can assist by participating.
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Novell News Summary – Part III: Novell Wants BrainShare Renaissance
Posted in Dell, Mail, Novell, Security, Virtualisation at 3:14 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Summary: BrainShare 2010 hype, some news about GroupWise, Novell Teaming 2, and little more of the rest
SO, the biggest item this week comes from John Dragoon, who exclaims that "BrainShare Returns!"
Novell News Summary – Part II: SUSE and Xandros Achieve Nothing Substantial
Posted in GNU/Linux, Interoperability, Microsoft, Servers, SLES/SLED, Windows, Xandros at 2:23 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Summary: SUSE (SLES/SLED) and Xandros have little to tell this week
THIS WEEK, just like the last, has been exceptionally quiet for SLE*. Novell's SUSE was mentioned in a few places, but it really took quite a bit of a stretch to actually find them.
Novell News Summary – Part I: OpenSUSE 11.2 Reaches 7th Milestone, Conference Takes Place
Posted in GNU/Linux, KDE, Novell, OpenSUSE at 1:49 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Photo from Jenny Roll
Summary: News about OpenSUSE, of which there's a moderate amount this week
THE LINUX Foundation's Developer Network has published this new technical article about the OpenSUSE Build Service (OBS), which should not be too surprising given previous stories about the Linux Foundation and OBS. LWN has meanwhile made available to non-subscribers the following article about long-term support for OpenSUSE. It's old news by now, but LWN has good articles in general.
Patents Roundup: IBM Abuse Carries On, Patent Troll Tracker on Trial, Paltalk Bites Again, and Patent Law Challenged
Posted in Courtroom, Free/Libre Software, IBM, Law, Microsoft, Patents at 8:16 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Summary: IBM as part of the problem at the USPTO despite opposing business method patents; opposition to patent trolls gets radically harassed; patent abuse carries on despite and because of obvious problems with the system — problems that get ignored
WHEN it comes to software patents, IBM is not a friend of Free software [1, 2]. When it comes to the patent system in general, IBM is part of the problem, not the solution. It may be opposing the Bilski patent, but the Bilski test which it created does not go far enough, probably by design. It has just gotten caught sending more of its wannabe 'inventions' over for the USPTO to process (the USPTO is now run by an ex-IBMer).
theodp writes "The first known use of a recorded laugh track is said to be in 1950, when the producers of the Hank McCune Show added canned laughter after the show's taping. Almost 60 years later, IBM says it deserves a patent for 'inventing' adding canned laughter to conference calls. 'A pre-selected stored sound (e.g., an interjection such as a laugh) may be generated if there is a period of silence on one of the telephone lines that exceeds a threshold,' explains Big Blue in its just-published patent application for Enlivening Conference Calls to Make Conference Calls More Interesting for Participants. Eureka!"
More in The Register:
While tried and true, option b comes with certain drawbacks. For one, the effort could get a gentleman sued by International Business Machines one day, should the method of inserting said flatulence be mechanical.
You see, the folks at TechDirt have uncovered a rather compelling patent application from Big Blue that claims invention of delivering canned sounds over the telephone.
IBM, unlike patent trolls such as Acacia, is not attacking Free software, but it lays the foundations for patent trolls to exist, as an unfortunate side-effect, a symptom.
The Patent Troll Tracker, Rick Frenkel, called the Eastern District of Texas "Banana Republic" and he now gets grief for simply saying the truth. Obviously, the masters of that "Banana Republic" wanted to gag him using a frivolous lawsuit [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] that takes away his freedom of speech and harms his career.
Former patent blogger Rick Frenkel took the stand in the federal courthouse in Tyler, Texas, on Wednesday, and apologized for referring to the Eastern District of Texas as a "Banana Republic" in a post he published as the "Patent Troll Tracker." But Frenkel insisted his blogging about a patent infringement suit against his then-employer, Cisco Systems, was not defamatory.
"You know, I think I was outraged over a situation … and I used words that were strong," said Frenkel. "But I sure didn't mean to hurt anyone by it." Frenkel apologized for using the phrase, and noted that he took it off the blog after 24 hours. In October of 2007, about 500 people per day were accessing the Troll Tracker blog, he added.
The Boston press has some coverage of the patent aggressor known as Paltalk. We wrote about it in when it sued Microsoft [1, 2, 3] and now it proceeds to suing more companies.
Turbine Inc. of Westwood, a leading maker of Internet-based, multiplayer video games, has been named in a patent infringement lawsuit that targets several of the world's largest online gaming firms.
The complaint was filed by Paltalk Holdings Inc. of Jericho, N.Y., in the US District Court in Marshall, Texas, one of the nation's most popular venues for patent lawsuits. "The eastern district of Texas is considered a plaintiff-friendly jurisdiction,'' said Christopher Donnelly, a partner at Donnelly Conroy & Gelhaar LLP in Boston.
Here is some more new coverage.
Paltalk, which recently settled a patent infringement tussle with Microsoft, has launched a new lawsuit against Turbine, Sony and other MMOG makers over their alleged infringement of the same technology.
Paltalk has filed suit against the makers of several popular MMOGs currently on the market, claiming the data-sharing technology employed in their games violates patents it purchased from the defunct company HearMe in 2002.
For future reference:
Creators of WoW, EverQuest, others sued over patent infringement
Paltalk Sues Multiplayer Game Publishers Over Chat Technology
PalTalk Peppers Virtual World Makers With Lawsuit
Makers of WoW, LOTR Online, Guild Wars, and Everquest Sued by Patent Firm
Paltalk Sues Sony Among Others
According to this report, the location is familiar. Guess where the lawsuit was filed? The "Banana Republic" Frenkel spoke about.
How is this beneficial to the market?
As Tim Lee stresses with the backing of the Coase Theorem, patents harm development.
One of the most famous essays in economics is Ronald Coase's "The Problem of Social Cost." Its key argument, which was later dubbed the Coase Theorem by George Stigler, says that in a world with zero transaction costs, the initial allocation of rights doesn't matter because people will negotiate toward an allocation of rights that maximizes total social utility.
Coase illustrates this principle with an example involving a farmer and a rancher who occupy adjacent parcels. The rancher's cattle sometimes stray onto the farmer's land and damage his crops. Coase's claim is that it doesn't matter whether the law holds the rancher liable for the damage to the farmer's crops or not: either way, the rancher and farmer will reach a bargain that maximizes the joint value of the rancher and farmer's output.
Here is another new rebuttal to the fallacy (and propaganda) that the American economy owes its progress to patents.
Some asked me if this proved patents do encourage innovation. But of course it does not. This proves absolutely nothing, in fact, except that there can still be growth despite state intervention such as intellectual monopoly grants. Correlation is not causation. I hope Obama doesn't see this–I'm sure he could whip up a similar chart correlating growth over the last two centuries with, say, increasing taxes, increasing federal spending, increasing federal size/employment, increasing military size, increasing efficiency at mass murder, and so on.
Even front groups of proprietary software companies seem to agree that patents are counter-productive, depending on the situation (whose side is the plaintiff). Those who disagree with patent abolishers are often lawyers and patent examiners, who primarily monetise this system for personal gain — a broken system they helped create and maintain in the first place. █
"Technology products typically consist of hundreds or thousands of patented components. It therefore is impossible for technology companies to investigate all of the patents, and pending patent applications that may be relevant to a new invention (product), notwithstanding their best efforts to do so." —Business Software Alliance, Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court in eBay Vs MercExchange
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Microsoft Uses Inside Influence to Grab Control, Redefine "Open Source"
Posted in Europe, Free/Libre Software, FUD, GNU/Linux, Microsoft, Patents at 7:23 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Microsoft lays patents and eggs in competitors' territory
Summary: Microsoft uses its analysts, lobbyists, freebies, and covert "think tanks" to put "Open Source" under its own fold
THE previous post showed how viciously GNU/Linux and Free software are attacked now that they make considerable gains and put in jeopardy the status quo.
One company that benefited a lot from the status quo is the Gartner Group, to whom Microsoft pays millions of dollars (and Bill Gates invests in it also). The Gartner Group has been exceptionally busy attacking Free software recently. It's too easy to see and here is yet another rebuttal to the latest smear.
Cloud Computing Is Not Killing Open Source Anywhere – A Response To Gartner
To conclude, open source isn't going anywhere, whether it is in the government or the enterprises. If we see open source as a philosophical platform instead of a business model (which it isn't) or a developmental model (an oversimplification), it is quite easy to see that open source will continue to play its role irrespective of how we consume the computing resources.
Another example of an attack on Free software we last mentioned just a few days ago, having previously dissected it in:
European Open Source Software Workgroup a Total Scam: Hijacked and Subverted by Microsoft et al
Microsoft's AstroTurfing, Twitter, Waggener Edstrom, and Jonathan Zuck
Does the European Commission Harbour a Destruction of Free/Open Source Software Workgroup?
The Illusion of Transparency at the European Parliament/Commission (on Microsoft)
2 Months and No Disclosure from the European Parliament
After 3 Months, Europe Lets Microsoft-Influenced EU Panel be Seen
Formal Complaint Against European Commission for Harbouring Microsoft Lobbyists
Now that the documents are published, Glyn Moody cautions as follow:
Just over six months ago, I analysed a leaked early version of this, which was fascinating for the insight it gave into the manoeuvring going on by the different factions within that group. For alongside obvious supporters of free software, like the FSFE, there was also that well-known friend of Microsoft, the Association for Competitive Technology, and one of the biggest chums of software patents in Europe, SAP.
Moody proceeds to analysing the content of these documents.
In a gesture similar to the above, an event titled "Open Source Think Tank" is being organised. But watch the influence of the money at "Open Source Think Tank (Europe 2009)":
The event will free of charge, thank to the core sponsorship of the event by Microsoft, Jaspersoft, Infobright, and Mindtouch.
Mindtouch are former Microsoft employees and watch the Web site of this event. Microsoft is like the father of the whole thing. Yes, Microsoft is to lead an "Open Source Think Tank". Remember Alexis de Tocqueville? This is the trouble that the likes of Glyn Moody have warned about for years. Microsoft hijacks the voice of its competition and gets to say whatever it likes about what "Open Source" actually means.
By some people's assessment, Matt Asay is a figure of authority in "Open Source" and watch what Microsoft is doing with him, by his own admission from a few days ago:
When I was working on my juris doctorate, I signed up to be a guinea pig for Microsoft. (It's not as bad as it sounds.) The company would send people out to my house to observe me using my computer, and to ask me questions about changes I'd like to see in various product categories. In return, Microsoft gave me free software.
And following that familiar attempt to take the 'L' out of LAMP stacks [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], see what else Microsoft has just done:
GroundWork Open Source Announces Microsoft System Center Integration, Joins Microsoft System Center Alliance
GroundWork Open Source, Inc. (GWOS, www.gwos.com), the leader in commercial open source systems and network management software, today announced the availability of the GroundWork Connector for Microsoft System Center Operations Manager. GWOS is the first open source company to join Microsoft System Center Alliance as a member.
Good luck to them with Microsoft, whose vision of "open source" is Windows and software patents [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. █
"Open source is an intellectual-property destroyer [...] I can't imagine something that could be worse than this for the software business and the intellectual-property business. I'm an American; I believe in the American way, I worry if the government encourages open source, and I don't think we've done enough education of policymakers to understand the threat."
Latest Examples of the Press Attacking Free Software and GNU/Linux, Promoting Windows Discounts
Posted in Deception, Free/Libre Software, FUD, GNU/Linux, Marketing, Microsoft, Vista 7, Windows at 6:09 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Summary: Failures of the commercial media are shown using five new examples, ranging from daemonisation of Microsoft competitors (including, notably, Free software) to news reports that are merely Microsoft advertisements
A LOT of incidents came to our attention yesterday and it would be best to tackle them one at a time because there are many.
"Open Source" Blamed for Malware
One reader mailed us about yet another new example where mere collaboration on code has turned into aggressive anti-FOSS FUD. The "FUD injection," tells us the reader, goes like this: "get malware, criminal and open source in the same text."
This latest FUD comes from silicon.com, which is generally FOSS-hostile and it is owned by CBS, just like CNET and ZDNet. Here is one punch line:
According to Candid Wüest, threat researcher with security firm Symantec, around 10 per cent of the Trojan market is now open source.
This connotates open source with crime.
"Don't Mention Linux!"
The headline which caught many people's attention is this: "Internet radio exec: don't mention Linux!"
Here are the details about this incident:
Speaking at the launch of the touchscreen Pure Sensia digital radio, director of marketing Colin Crawford was pressed for specifics of the new device's software. But after his CEO reminded him that the new radio was based on a Linux OS, Crawford remarked: "I don't like the using the word 'Linux' on a radio."
Why did the Scot in the sharp suit go queasy at the very mention of Linux?
Microsoft poisons people's minds against GNU/Linux using misleading literature that it spreads to employees at Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot [1, 2, 3, 4]. A lot of hostility towards GNU/Linux comes from Redmond.
MSNBC is Microsoft, GE
Here is another new reminder of what MSNBC is to Microsoft.
In God We Trust: the Story Microsoft-NBC will probably never run
You might have also noticed that I'm deliberately stressing the Microsoft NBC partnership here, rather than using the MSNBC shorthand Microsoft would much rather have consumers using. Many consumers still haven't put together 2 and 2, and still don't quite get Microsoft's close relationship with the Liberal Democrats and the Democrat party.
MSBBC Bias Continues
The name "MSBBC" is a humourous twist on the name "MSNBC". The BBC is run by so many former Microsoft employees that pro-Microsoft bias over there should not surprise anyone. They even promote shops that enable pre-orders of Vista 7 — all at taxpayers' expense. Many reports are now suggesting that Sony is at a war of words with the BBC, which it believes to have slandered its important product, the PlayStation 3. The BBC uses its own platform to defend its actions (conflict of interests).
Sony has rebutted claims made by the BBC programme Watchdog that its PlayStation 3 (PS3) consoles suffer from a manufacturing fault.
This is hilarious.
The BBC investigated not the Xbox 360 but the PlayStation 3 for "manufacturing fault". Microsoft's error rate is an order of magnitude higher than that of Sony, but who does the BBC go after? Not Microsoft. Why didn't the BBC go after Microsoft's outrageously broken Xbox 360? Could it be because the BBC is run by former/prospective Microsoft employees, to whom Sony is a big competitor? Maybe. Maybe not.
Microsoft Advertisements as Articles
Microsoft has apparently decided that it must capture the next generation of intellectuals, so just as usual, it is offering some discounts on an amateurish operating system. Why is this news? And why are Microsoft proponents who are disguised as journalists (yes, we recognise their names) making so much noise about it? It has become like a massive, Internet-wide advert masqueraded as "news". Technical staff over here are even forced to wear shirts with massive Microsoft Office adverts (discounts) on their backs. How utterly direct is that?
Microsoft keeps changing prospective prices in order to generate headlines and thus free-of-charge buzz. Is the press really foolish enough to fall for it? Or does it really want to do this?
"Microsoft keeps changing prospective prices in order to generate headlines and thus free-of-charge buzz.""What exactly in terms of usable applications do you get with your Windows 7," remarks a reader who sent us this example advertisement (published as 'news'). "Are there time limited disabled versions offered? If they do offer 'free' apps with the OS, how is anyone else going to make a buck?
"You need to do a 'what you get for your money' article. What exactly do you get for your £18.4. They must be really, really desperate to keep L**** off the desktop. How much of a financial are they prepared to take?"
Microsoft already suffers financially because of GNU/Linux. But to allow GNU/Linux to gain market share is something that's inconceivable to Microsoft. People should keep track of the price of Windows (and number of giveaways), not just the growing market share of GNU/Linux on the desktop. Lack of profit will lead to implosion, eventually. As Microsoft put it (internally), "under NO circumstances lose against Linux." This strategy won't work forever.█
Gates Foundation Monoculture Accused of Harming World Health Organization (WHO)
Posted in Bill Gates, GNU/Linux, Microsoft at 4:58 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Summary: Repetition of the accusations against Bill Gates' impact on medical research, which he allegedly monopolises
FOR those who are not familiar with the facts, The Hindu and The New York Times have already covered this issue with Microsoft co-founder's monopolisation of medical research. To quote the latter, "The chief of malaria for the World Health Organization has complained that the growing dominance of malaria research by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation risks stifling a diversity of views among scientists and wiping out the world health agency's policy-making function." We have many more details here, where Gates' use of disease against GNU/Linux is also criticised. Disease is used as a cause (or an excuse) to inject political agenda.
Adding to evidence that we have already gathered, there is this new publication with an "interesting section on the dangers of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation monoculture," to quote Glyn Moody.
Earlier this year the Task Force commissioned studies about the R2D, including one involving the WHO IGWG process, which was done by Lisa Forman, and two other health programs, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (TGF), and the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR). I was the investigator for the TGF and TDR studies. The citation for my report is as follows:
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and the right to development. Prepared for the UN Human Rights Council, Working Group on the Right to Development, High Level Task Force on the implementation of the right to development. A/HRC/12/WG.2/TF/CRP.4/Rev.1. 2009 June 18.
This subject of Gates' role in health has already aroused great interest from more controversial and speculative types like Alex Jones, who believes that there is more than contraception/population control to it. He connects Gates to Eugenics. █
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The author formally supports a campaign for the "academic and cultural boycott" of Israel.
Junot Díaz has formally endorsed the U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI). He joins more than 370 other cultural workers in the call against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The best-selling author, Pulitzer Prize winner and MacArthur "Genius" Grant recipient signed on with the USACBI, which calls for an end to the occupation and the right of return for Palestinian refugees, according to an October 21 press release from the campaign.
If there exists a moral arc to the universe, then Palestine will eventually be free. But that promised day will never arrive unless we, the justice-minded peoples of our world, fight to end the cruel blight of the Israeli occupation. Our political, religious and economic leaders have always been awesome at leading our world into conflict, only we the people alone with little else but our courage and our solidarities and our invincible hope can lead our world into peace.
You can see the full list of USACBI endorsers here.


text:
People hold posters of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, near the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, marking the two-year anniversary of his death on October 2, 2020. CPJ recently joined a call on U.S. officials to investigate Egypt's alleged role in Khashoggi's killing. (AP/Emrah Gurel)
CPJ joins call for US to investigate Egypt's alleged role in Khashoggi murder
June 23, 2021 4:02 PM EDT
The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined seven other civil society groups in a joint statement calling on the United States government to transparently investigate any role Egyptian officials may have played in the killing of Saudi journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi, and to publicly disclose any findings from that investigation.
On June 21, Yahoo! News reported allegations that Egyptian intelligence officers trained the Saudi force that killed Khashoggi in 2018, and supplied the illicit drugs that were used in the murder.
The joint statement notes that, earlier this year, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on members of the Egyptian intelligence team allegedly connected to Khashoggi's killing. This week, U.S. intelligence officials and policymakers are scheduled to meet with Abbas Kamel, the head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service, in Washington, D.C., according to the joint statement.
In November 2018, the C.I.A. found that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered Khashoggi's murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, according to CPJ's research.
The joint statement can be found here.


text:
Lezaun en basque (Lezáun en espagnol) est une municipalité de la communauté forale de Navarre, dans le Nord de l'Espagne.

Elle est située dans la zone linguistique mixte de la province, à 41 km de sa capitale, Pampelune. Le secrétaire de mairie est celui de Abárzuza, Guesálaz, Salinas de Oro et  Vallée d'Yerri.

Langue
Au milieu du  on parlait le basque dans cette zone. Irigaray, dans sa carte de 1778 l'inclut dans la zone bascophone. Sans aucun doute, dans la carte de Louis-Lucien Bonaparte (1863), elle figure dans la zone hispanique.

Démographie

Patrimoine

Patrimoine civil

Patrimoine religieux

Personnalités

Notes et références

Voir aussi

Sources

Commune en Navarre

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Is Our Poetic Soul Safe?
Posted byrevuumagazine November 16, 2020 Posted inEssay, RevUU Autumn 2020
By Runcong Liu
Source: Runcong Liu
Whether or not you keep abreast of recent developments in artificial intelligence, you have probably come across news about Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (commonly known as GPT-3), a language model released by the AI laboratory OpenAI this summer.
"Feed me a prompt, I will repay you whatever you want." If GPT-3 can speak, that is probably how it will sell itself. The MIT Technology Review heralds GPT-3 as "the most powerful language model ever," which seems to be a well-deserved recognition. Compared to its predecessor, GPT-2, which "was already able to spit out convincing streams of text in a range of different styles when prompted with an opening sentence," "GPT-3 is a big leap forward." GPT-3 "has 175 billion parameters (the values that a neural network tries to optimize during training), compared with GPT-2's already vast 1.5 billion. And with language models, size really does matter."
What kind of texts can GPT-3 generate? Well, basically everything. A news article, an advertisement, a short story, guitar tabs, a computer code – you name it. GPT-3 even wrote an op-ed for the Guardian titled, "A robot wrote this entire article. Are you scared yet, human?", which, according to the editor, "took less time to edit than many human op-eds." "Artificial intelligence will not destroy humans. Believe me," promises GPT-3 in that article. As a non-native English speaker who desperately desires a marketing communications job that would require my (English) writing skills, I read through the article in the hope of spotting a small error in order to (how pathetically!) convince myself that I write better than an AI does.
"But all I hear is doom and gloom. And all is darkness in my room."
My (future) job is at stake; so are others'. GPT-3 can produce any kinds of texts, and of course, poetry, which demands a masterful command of language and is considered by many as the top of the literature pyramid. As the British writer Arnold Bennett comments, "[i]maginative poetry […] is the highest form of literature. It yields the highest form of pleasure, and teaches the highest form of wisdom. In a word, there is nothing to compare with it." While we may have already gotten accustomed to living with the mass fear of AI taking over blue-collar jobs, the possibility that AI can produce the highest form of literature triggers anxiety that one may find hard to deal with.
It is not the first time that AI has wanted a slice of the action in the poetry market.
While you are reading this article, somewhere in the world, there is probably an unknown poet who is tossing and turning due to the fear of GPT-3 taking over their career path. It is not the first time that AI has wanted a slice of the action in the poetry market. Poetry, a literary genre that features extensive use of metaphors and creative use of words, provides a huge space for AI to perform. In 2012, the American-based artist Ranjit Bhatnagar invented Pentametron, a program that produced a collection of sonnets titled, "I got an alligator for a pet!"; in 2017, a poetry collection generated by Xiaoice, an AI system developed by Microsoft in 2014, was published by Beijing-based Cheers Publishing. The year 2019 witnessed the release of Transformer Poetry, a chapbook of 26 poems; each is a hybrid of the original opening stanza of a well-known poem and additional stanzas produced by GPT-2.
Even though AI can write poetry, our poetic soul is safe for the time being, Dennis Tang reassures the concerned poets. In January this year, he published an article on Lit Hub titled, "The Machines Are Coming, and They Write Really Bad Poetry," in which he presents poems generated by GPT-2 in the styles of Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Maya Angelou and Sylvia Plath. Tang points out that although these poems are grammatically correct and demonstrate the style specific to each poet, they exemplify a common problem in GPT-2's writing:
There's a common thread here. GPT-2's writing is grammatically correct. It all more or less sounds true to its source, if all you heard was the tone. But what those sequences mean, therein lies the rub. GPT-2's poetry prizes style over substance. Which is understandable, because it doesn't know what substance is.
Being a pure language model, GPT-2 has no knowledge of what words actually refer to, only the probability of a word appearing next to others. To it, a word like "chair" is just a string of characters, not a cluster of images or objects, let alone some more nebulous conceptual grouping of things that humans sit on…
Since GPT-2 lacks "a knowledge of reality, the thing for which man made language to describe," the poems it generates, no matter how stylistically similar they are to the poets' works, are just a "pretty turn of phrase mean[ing] nothing." Tang's argument that AI-generated poems lack meaning resonates with the tech writer Bennat Berger's article "What Does It Matter If AI Writes Poetry?", which was also published in January. According to Berger,
The AI-provided poem sounds pretty, but is at best vague, and at worst devoid of meaning altogether. It's a notable lapse, because poetry, at its heart, is about creating meaning and crafting implication through artful word selection. The turn-of-phrase beauty is essential – but it's in no way the most important part of writing verse. In this context, AI-provided poetry seems hollow, shallow, and without the depth or meaning that drives literary tradition.
It is true that AI has no idea of what a word refers to as we humans do. From a linguistic perspective, what AI plays with is always the signifier, not the signified. But does that mean poetry generated by AI has no meaning? This directs back to age-old questions of what the meaning of a literary work is and where it comes from. As Stein Haugom Olsen argues,
[I]t has become a critical commonplace that the literary work is a verbal expression, a verbal construct or an utterance, and that as such its peculiar nature is defined through the special way in which it means […] There are three main types of theory about literary meaning: autonomy theories, developed on the back of the practice of the New Criticism; semiotic theories, developed under the influence of the rising discipline of theoretical linguistics; and intentionalist theories, inspired by speech-act theory and Gricean analyses of meaning.
No matter which of these theories you support, the meaning of a literary work involves a complex trifecta: the work per se, the author, and the reader. Disbelievers in the existence of meaning in AI-generated poems, like Tang, hold the view that "in the hands of a mature, human user, all these patterns [idioms and syntaxes, bits of aesthetically pleasing strings] are ultimately anchored to meaning – the goal of conveying a feeling or thought." In other words, only human poets can create a poem embedded with meaning (while AI cannot).
The meaning of a poem entails not only the author but also the reader.
However, the meaning of a poem entails not only the author but also the reader. Getting the meaning of a poem across to its reader is not like the author handing a Euro banknote directly to the reader, but more of a conversion to different currencies, after which the meaning changes. As Susan Sontag notes, "[i]t doesn't matter whether artists intend, or don't intend, for their works to be interpreted," and interpretation is more of translation:
Directed to art, interpretation means plucking a set of elements (the X, the Y, the Z, and so forth) from the whole work. The task of interpretation is virtually one of translation. The interpreter says, Look, don't you see that X is really—or, really means—A? That Y is really B? That Z is really C?
When readers read a poem, they interpret it the way they like, and new meanings, which the author may not intend to convey, emerge from interpretation. Therefore, that AI-generated poems have no meaning is more of a biased view that neglects the agency of readers.
Apart from the lack of meaning, human poets might also be reassured to see the seeming absence of emotion in AI-generated poetry. "The history of intelligent machines is one of moving goalposts: Sure, a machine can do this, but can it do that? The 'that' is often an achievement that strikes us as strongly connected to emotion—that seems especially human." Poetry is often considered a literary genre rich in emotions. According to Eran Hadas, "[w]e believe that poetry transmits an emotional message from one person to another which bears a distinctive token of humanity, something that only a human soul can convey and share with another human soul." It seems that AI-generated poems do not carry or transmit emotions as they are not written by humans.
The ways different AI programs generate poems may vary, but they are all likely to incorporate in their works words and imagery which inherently register a certain emotion. In Tang's article, he presents a stanza generated by GPT-2 based on the opening stanza in one of Emily Dickinson's poems:
Because I could not stop for Death
Because I could not stop for Death —
He kindly stopped for me —
The Carriage held but just Ourselves —
And Immortality.
That was all, a very solemn moment with a very brave mind.
The sun fell on us, we were left behind,
the world went dark —
Our only light was the moon —
And we were still there.
(generated by AI)
AI uses words such as "solemn" and "dark" to convey a quiet, calm and solemn mood. A poem's mood or atmosphere is evoked by words like these, so the argument that AI-generated poems do not transmit emotional messages seems shaky.
Wait! Do not jump to the conclusion that our poetic soul is at stake. Even though AI-written poems have meanings that may rely on readers' interpretations to surface and emotions conveyed through certain words, we still have every reason to hold on to the belief that there is, at least for now, no natural or artificial creature that is able to write good poetry as we humans do. When you compare the AI-generated stanza above with Dickinson's original poem, you must be relieved to find that the former is overshadowed by the latter. AI can write mediocre poems, but not excellent ones, for the time being at least. In this regard, we should thank Dickinson, and every great poet we can name, for creating poetry that helps maintain our belief in humans' incomparable capacity for artistic writing. Moreover, as humans, we are endowed with qualities that AI poets do not possess – care for reality, insights into the world, the ability to make a judgement; these are the foundations of our poetic soul. We must take AI's ability to write poetry seriously, but we should still have confidence in ourselves.
Runcong Liu is a Master's student in Comparative Literary Studies at Utrecht University. Her research interests span the fields of life writing and posthumanism, especially A.I.-related topics.
Bennett, Arnold. "Arnold Bennett Premium Collection." Google Books, Google, 2019, books.google.nl/books?id=5LboDwAAQBAJ.
Berger, Bennat. "What Does It Matter If AI Writes Poetry?" Medium, Becoming Human: Artificial Intelligence Magazine, 12 June 2020, becominghuman.ai/what-does-it-matter-if-ai-writes-poetry-54665a950a37.
GPT-3. "A Robot Wrote This Entire Article. Are You Scared Yet, Human?" The Guardian, Guardian, 8 Sept. 2020, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/08/robot-wrote-this-article-gpt-3.
Hadas, Eran. "Poetry and Artificial Intelligence Are Tricky to Define." Poetry International, 2018, www.poetryinternational.org/pi/article/29448/Poetry-and-Artificial-Intelligence-are-tricky-to-define/nl/tile.
Heaven, Will Douglas. "OpenAI's New Language Generator GPT-3 Is Shockingly Good-and Completely Mindless." MIT Technology Review, 20 July 2020, www.technologyreview.com/2020/07/20/1005454/openai-machine-learning-language-generator-gpt-3-nlp/.
Olsen, Stein Haugom. "The 'Meaning' of a Literary Work." New Literary History, vol. 14, no. 1, 1982, pp. 13–32. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/468955.
Rockmore, Dan, and John Seabrook. "What Happens When Machines Learn to Write Poetry." The New Yorker, 2020, www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/the-mechanical-muse.
Sontag, Susan. Against Interpretation and Other Essays. Penguin, 2013.
Tang, Dennis. "The Machines Are Coming, and They Write Really Bad Poetry." Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2020, lithub.com/the-machines-are-coming-and-they-write-really-bad-poetry/.
The Rolling Stones. Lyrics to "Doom and Gloom." YouTube, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DWiB7ZuLvI.
A Dazzling Debut of Literary Inclusivity
"No Right"


or mix by hand until a crumble mixture forms.
Add water and mix to a form a pastry dough.
and refrigerate whilst preparing the fruit mince.
Combine all ingredients into the food processor with chopping blade and chop to form a moist fruit mince.
and cut twelve circles for tart bases.
Fill each with a heaped teaspoon of fruit mince.
using a star cutter, cut twelve stars for top of tarts.
Glaze the top of the pastry stars with a little water, with some sugar dissolved in it.
Bake in a moderate oven 180 deg C for approx 20 minutes, until golden brown.
If desired dust with a little icing sugar to finish.
& finish by sprinkling with desiccated coconut.
and lightly dusted with pure icing sugar if desired.
Put oranges in a pot and cover with water, Bring to the boil and simmer for about 2 hours or until orange are soft.
Remove the seeds and place in a food processor skin and all and puree until smooth.
Add all other ingredients and puree until smooth.
Pure ingredients into a 20cm spring form tin and bake at 170 degrees for 60 minutes.
The cake should be golden and springy to touch.
Serve warm with some cream or ice –cream.
Spoon mixture into greased muffin tray or wrappers, adding whole blueberries as you go. Sprinkle with oats.
Bake in oven 180 deg C for approx 15 – 25 mins depending on size.
*Rapadura sugar is an organically grown unprocessed sugar derived from pure sugar cane juice, which is then dried & ground.


text:
Mixtape Mixup
Megan Thee Stallion & Beyoncé "Savage" Remix: Listen
Post author By Carlo Kaiser
Megan Thee Stallion has just released an official "Savage" remix featuring none other than Beyoncé. Each artist will be donating their portion of the proceeds from the single to Houston, Texas nonprofit, Bread of Life, Inc.
Megan and Beyoncé both deliver new verses on the remixed tune, as Bey makes references to TikTok and OnlyFans. Her husband JAY-Z has writing credits for the official remix, alongside The-Dream, Starrah, and more.
The original version of "Savage" can be found on Megan Thee Stallion's EP, Suga, which released last month. The remix pits the burgeoning musician alongside her fellow Houston native, as she has been dreaming of working with Queen Bey for quite some time, as admitted to Complex back in January of 2019.
Megan and Beyoncé's "Savage" remix will support Houston's Bread of Life and its coronavirus relief efforts, of which Bey's BeyGOOD organization is also donating to.
Press play below to stream the "Savage" remix.
← The Game Pays Tribute to Kobe Bryant & Nipsey Hussle in Animated 'Welcome Home' Video → The Best Celebrity 'Toosie Slide' Videos, From Justin Bieber to BTS' J-Hope
© 2021	Mixtape Mixup


text:
Archaeologist David Ussishkin responds to the use of mechanical excavators…in 2006!
For Simcha Jacobovici, facts apparently mean nothing. He appears to be making this up as he goes… (Photo http://www.jpost.com)
The recent exposure of paid employees of Simcha Jacobovici attempting to alter the Wikipedia article on "bulldozer archaeology" was as embarrassing for Simcha as it was shameful.
"John" (User: JohnEUnited) and "Nicole" (User: Naustin1980) were caught red-handed in their attempt to manufacture artificial controversy on Simcha's behalf by creating single-purpose accounts to pepper the Wikipedia article with references to Robert Deutsch's (previously) anonymous ad in the pages of Biblical Archaeology Review, and Simcha's bandwagon cheerleading attempts to promote the manufactured controversy.
The publishing of material on Wikipedia for the purposes of self-promoting and/or attacking others is not permitted upon on Wikipedia.
The article has since been restored.
"John" and "Nicole" also attempted to credit Simcha with the neologism "bulldozer archaeology". That's right, these champions of "investigative journalism" claimed that bulldozer archaeology was "a term coined by filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici". I kid you not. John McGinley then graciously spammed an email to a number of archaeologists and scholars touting their weasel works on Wikipedia, claiming, ""Bulldozer Archaeology² [sic] is now a recognized term in Wikipedia…The Goren/Deutsch debate is now in Wikipedia."
Idiots.
It only took about ten seconds to discover who was behind the changes to the Wikipedia page, AND any number of instances (for instance, this one by Ralph Harrington) of the use of the term "bulldozer archaeology" long before Simcha's PR team claimed he "coined" the phrase.
Once again, investigative journalism at its finest!
But it was upon perusing this Harrington article that I stumbled upon a citation, which led me to yet another article, in which none other than Tel Aviv University Professor Emeritus of Archaeology Dr. David Ussishkin responded to questions about his use of a mechanical excavator.
You'll recall that Simcha highlighted the fact that Prof. Ussishkin did not sign the Tel Aviv University statement addressing the use of mechanical excavators in the midst of the Simcha/Deutsch campaign of retaliation against Prof. Goren.
Simcha stated:
"More important than who signed the statement, is who did not sign it. Legendary Tel Aviv archaeologist David Ussishkin – excavator of Lachish and Megiddo – never used a Caterpillar and did not sign the statement. Also notable by their absence are Tel Aviv archaeologists Ran Barkai, Avi Gopher and Dr. Mario Martin."
[Emphasis mine]
As we see, Simcha invoked the name of Dr. Ussishkin just before he cited a deceased archaeologist as having supported him, and then corrected/deleted it from his blog. But he should have also deleted the claim about Dr. Ussishkin.
That is because not only does the above Harrington article prove that Simcha did not coin the phrase "bulldozer archaeology", but we also note that in footnote 21 of the same article, which references a blog post entitled, "Archaeologist David Ussishkin Responds to El Haj Accusations", Dr. Ussishkin states:
"5. I believe the use of a JCB to determine the line of the rock-cut Iron Age moat was justified. It was essential to establish the size of the Iron Age enclosure in order to understand properly the site. In most of the area to the south of the site where this work took place bulldozers had removed and disturbed the debris during development works which had taken place here prior to the beginning of the excavation project. In view of the nature of the debris here it would have been impossible to accomplish the work with the aid of students/volunteers. A JCB with a long arm working delicately under archaeological supervision was the right solution: it can do useful work without damaging ancient remains, and I believe that this was the case here. Some later wall remains were exposed and recorded but were mostly left unexcavated – they probably belong to Byzantine domestic remains in the Iron Age moat or along its inner side. They all remain buried for future excavations."
With all best wishes,
David Ussishkin
Now I ask you: how many times can Simcha Jacobovici shoot himself in the foot trying to attack professor Yuval Goren? How hard is it to check to see if David Ussishkin ever endorsed the use of a mechanical excavator?
And how long will he rely on his bumbling employees to spam out emails about Wikipedia pages they marked up without even doing a minimal amount of simple research before they go embarrassing Simcha by making claims about him that take ten seconds to debunk?
Today we not only learned that Simcha is not beyond having his employees credit with something he did not do (coin the phrase "bulldozer archaeology,"), but that Simcha was wrong about claiming that Prof. Ussishkin never used mechanical excavators; clearly, David Ussishkin feels that:
"A JCB with a long arm working delicately under archaeological supervision was the right solution."
Investigative journalism at its finest. lol.
Once again, how can we ever trust ANYTHING Simcha says?
Filed under: archaeology, fail, idiocy, pseudoscience | Tagged: bulldozer archaeology, David Ussishkin, John McGinley, Nicole Austin, pseudoarchaeology, Robert Deutsch, simcha jacobovici, wikipedia |
« Robert Cargill lectures on Tel Azekah, Digital Archaeological Modeling, and the Digital Humanities at Iowa Digital Humanities Lecture at University of Maryland entitled "Toward an Archaeological Standard for Digital Imagery" »
joezias, on October 7, 2013 at 11:39 pm said:
Great article, looks like Simcha, Nicole, and the bottom feeders got 'outed and owned again…
Al Schlaf, on October 7, 2013 at 11:42 pm said:
Just when you think $imcha and his minions cannot get any more pathetic, they do.
bobcargill (@xkv8r), on October 8, 2013 at 2:44 am said:
If you think about it, here's the net result of the day:
1. The wiki article is clean. No change.
2. Simcha's employees are caught red-handed trying to falsely promote him. (I note that Nicole Austin is now in there on the TALK page trying to plead her case, using her rhetoric, and calling WP 'Soviet style censorship' after referring to herself as 'an award winning filmmaker'). Lol
3. Simcha's employees are caught red-handed attempting to manufacture controversy by perpetuating his and Duetsch's false claims that archaeologists don't use mechanical excavators in controlled environments.
4. As an added bonus, because of Simcha's employees frivolous attempts at further discrediting a legitimate archaeologist, we ALSO learned that Simcha lied about Ussishkin never using a mechanical excavator – something I would have never known had I not been cleaning up Nicole's mess.
Another bad day for Simcha.
Yuval Goren, on October 8, 2013 at 3:41 am said:
Bob, from looking at the Wikipedia history of this entry, I see that "John" composed it still on September 4th. Besides wondering about the time it has taken till this masterpiece came out, I find it amusing that in fact, this was my birthday. So dear "John", I thank you for this birthday gift, which only shows the entire world who you are and what yours is. Please allow me to follow Bob in quoting my kids who would say to you right now: "go find yourself a life"!
Nicolae Roddy, on October 8, 2013 at 7:31 am said:
Those are great results. I for one appreciate all the work that went into producing them. It's a shame so many of us have to spend time baring the facts against Simcha's (and his minions') incessant chicanery in search of personal fame and fortune.


text:
Q: How can we show that the intersection of a series of closed unbounded sets is closed unbounded? I am currently stuck on an exercise in set-theory and would like to get some help:
If $S$ is a stationary subset of a regular uncountable cardinal $κ$, and a subset $C$ of $κ$ is an S-cub if it is unbounded in $κ$ and $\sup(x) ∈ C$
holds for every $x ⊆ C$ with $\sup(x) ∈ S$, then how can we prove that for every sequence $(C_α | α < λ)$ of
S-cubs with λ < κ,  $\bigcap_{α<λ} C_α$ is an S-cub?
Thanks in advance.

A: It is clear that we satisfy the closure part, since if a bounded set $x$ with $\sup(x)\in S$ is contained in the intersection $\bigcap_\alpha C_\alpha$, then $x$ is contained in each $C_\alpha$, and so $\sup(x)$ is in each $C_\alpha$ and hence in the intersection $\bigcap_\alpha C_\alpha$, as desired.
So the only difficult part is to show that $\bigcap_\alpha C_\alpha$ is unbounded in $\kappa$. For this, let $\bar C_\alpha$ be the closure of $C_\alpha$, that is, $C_\alpha$ with all of its limit points. So this is a club set in $\kappa$, and since the intersection of fewer than $\kappa$ many clubs is club, it follows that $\bigcap_\alpha\bar C_\alpha$ is closed and unbounded in $\kappa$. Thus, since $S$ is stationary, there are unboundedly many $\beta\in S$ that are limits of $\bigcap_\alpha \bar C_\alpha$, and these $\beta$'s must all be in every $C_\alpha$ since each $C_\alpha$ is $S$-closed.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Friday ,28 February 2020
| A new priest ordained in the Diocese of Beni Suef | Bishop Macarius receives the British Ambassador in Minya | New priests ordained in Mallawy diocese | Al-Azhar University students plant trees at St. George Monastery in Qena | Giza court issues final verdict in attacking the church of Kafr Hakim and killing 11 police officers | British Ambassador visits the antiquities of the Holy Family in Minya | St. Mark Cathedral in Alexandria celebrates its 150th anniversary | Islamic preacher prevented from preaching during being investigated for | Coptic Church trains 1000 teachers of Christian curricula
Islamic preacher prevented from preaching during being investigated for
Nader Shoukry
Thursday ,27 February 2020
Dr. Ahmed Abdel-Raouf, head of the Central Administration for Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Awqaf, stated that Sheikh Abdullah Rushdie repeated irregularities have been referred to the competent prosecution, and added that the ministry has prevented him from preaching.
The decision was taken until the end of the investigation of his controversial opinions and publications, which are seen as not appropriate for the preachers. It is wroth mentioning that Roshdie has recently declared that Sir Magdy Yacoub can't enter heaven because of his good deeds since he is an infidel.
Military funeral for Mubarak
The death of former President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak sparked controversy over holding a full military funeral for him. The Law 35 of 1979 regarding honoring senior leaders of the armed forces has resolved this controversy and defines the general form of the funeral for leaders of the October 1973 war, including President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak. The law stipulates that the officers who occupied the positions of the


Add the Lunch Cost for your chosen venue to the ticket price.
This is the total amount to be sent to Legend with your FINAL PAYMENT FORM.
Lemon Chicken with Fried Rice.
Salt & Pepper Pork Ribs with Fried Rice.
250g Rump with chips & salad.
Beer-Battered Flathead Fillets & chips with salad.
Chicken Schnitzel with chips & salad.
BLT wrap, lettuce,tomato, bacon & tomato sauce.
Napoli Vegetarian Pasta with shards of parmesan cheese.
Caesar Salad- Bacon, Lettuce ,Poached Egg, Croutons, Grilled Chicken.


Through lessons, performances and extra-curricular activities, pupils at Cranmore are provided with many opportunities to discover the world of Drama. Lessons help pupils with self-expression, confidence and imagination. Academic endeavours are also enhanced with the development of speech, communication and the understanding of a variety of texts.
Our aim is to broaden our pupils' outlook on Drama and Theatre. Pupils are encouraged to join the extra-curricular clubs, take part in school productions and go on trips to regional and national theatres. There are also opportunities to take English Speaking Board and Trinity Guildhall exams for which we have an outstanding track record.


text:
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace app\authentication;

class LdapAuthentication extends AbstractAuthentication {
    public function authenticate() {
        if (empty($this->user_id) || empty($this->password) || $this->core->getQueries()->getSubmittyUser($this->user_id) === null) {
            return false;
        }

        $settings = $this->core->getConfig()->getLdapOptions();

        $ldap = ldap_connect($settings['url']);
        ldap_set_option($ldap, LDAP_OPT_PROTOCOL_VERSION, 3);
        ldap_set_option($ldap, LDAP_OPT_REFERRALS, 0);

        return @ldap_bind($ldap, "{$settings['uid']}={$this->user_id},{$settings['bind_dn']}", $this->password);
    }
}


Created by Ericsson in 1994, Bluetooth wireless technology wis oreeginally conceived as a wireless alternative tae RS-232 data cables.Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard for exchyngin data ower short distances (uisin short-wavelength microwave transmissions in the ISM baund frae 2400–2480 MHz) frae fixed an mobile devices, creatin personal aurie networks (PANs). Creatit bi telecom vendor Ericsson in 1994, it wis oreeginally conceived as a wireless alternative tae RS-232 data cables. It can connect several devices, owercomin problems o synchronization.
↑ "Fast Facts". Bluetooth.com. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
This page wis last eeditit on 31 Dizember 2013, at 23:05.


Backpack Buddies begins providing weekend supplemental food to children at Georgetown East and Mills/Parole schools the week of September 12. You will see a display table of suggested food items to be included in the Narthex, along with a list of the foods for your information. Donation buckets are in the hallway.
Crafters! Time to get those projects going. Join the Knit Chics on Thursdays at 1:00 pm for knitting, crocheting, cross stitch, etc. and wonderful fellowship. If you want to learn how to knit, etc., this is the place for you!
Do you know what a MOP is? Mothers Of Preschoolers (MOPS) is a group that encourages and equips moms of young children to reach their potential as mothers, women and leaders, in relationship with Jesus, and in partnership with the local church.
What happens at a weekly MOPS' meeting? Mentoring, Honest Conversation, Relevant Teaching, Practical help and so much more.
If you are interested in being a part of this ministry contact Skye via email, Skye@HeritageBaptistAnnapolis.org, or visit our MOPS group online!


text:
Q: TypeError: object of type 'generator' has no len() How could i fix this error:
TypeError: object of type 'generator' has no len()
Thanks!
for index, row in df_result.iterrows():
if index == 0:
    tempIndex = 0
else:
    if row['LEADID'] == df_result.at[tempIndex, 'LEADID']:
        if type(row['ID']) is str:
            df_result.at[tempIndex, 'ID'] = df_result.at[tempIndex, 'ID'] + "\n" + row['ID']
        if type(row['CREATEDBYID']) is str:
            df_result.at[tempIndex, 'CREATEDBYID'] = df_result.at[tempIndex, 'CREATEDBYID'] + "\n" + row['CREATEDBYID']
        if type(row['CREATEDDATE']) is str:
            df_result.at[tempIndex, 'CREATEDDATE'] = df_result.at[tempIndex, 'CREATEDDATE'] + "\n" + row['CREATEDDATE']
        if type(row['OLDVALUE']) is str:
            df_result.at[tempIndex, row['FIELD'] + "_OLDVALUE"] = df_result.at[tempIndex, row['FIELD'] + "_OLDVALUE"] + "\n" + row['OLDVALUE']
        if type(row['NEWVALUE']) is str:
            df_result.at[tempIndex, row['FIELD'] + "_NEWVALUE"] = df_result.at[tempIndex, row['FIELD'] + "_NEWVALUE"] + "\n" + row['NEWVALUE']
    else:
        resultIndexArr.append(tempIndex)
        tempIndex = index

        if tempIndex == len(df_result.iterrows()) - 1:
            resultIndexArr.append(tempIndex)

A: You can't use len on df.iterrows, because it returns a generator - an object that returns one value at a time, and has no length (unlike Python sequences).
You can use len(df.index) instead, according to this S/O answer.


text:
Macroeconomy
Which COVID-19 models should we use to make policy decisions?
Published: - May 17, 2020
With so many COVID-19 models being developed, how do policymakers know which ones to use?
A new process to evaluate multiple disease models will help identify which intervention measures may be most successful during an outbreak. / Photo: Shouli Li, Lanzhou University
EurekAlert | Penn State
Leer en español: ¿Qué modelos de COVID-19 debemos usar para tomar decisiones políticas?
A new process to harness multiple disease models for outbreak management has been developed by an international team of researchers. The team describes the process in a paper appearing May 8 in the journal Science and was awarded a Grant for Rapid Response Research (RAPID) from the National Science Foundation to immediately implement the process to help inform policy decisions for the COVID-19 outbreak.
During a disease outbreak, many research groups independently generate models, for example projecting how the disease will spread, which groups will be impacted most severely, or how implementing a particular management action might affect these dynamics. These models help inform public health policy for managing the outbreak.
"While most models have strong scientific underpinnings, they often differ greatly in their projections and policy recommendation," said Katriona Shea, professor of biology and Alumni Professor in the Biological Sciences, Penn State. "This means that policymakers are forced to rely on consensus when it appears, or on a single trusted source of advice, without confidence that their decisions will be the best possible."
At the onset of an outbreak, particularly for a new disease, a large amount of information is often unavailable or unknown, and researchers must make decisions about how to incorporate this uncertainty into their models, leading to differing projections. For the COVID-19 outbreak, for example, uncertainty is present in a wide range of areas, from infection rate to details of transmission to the capacity of health care systems. The designers of each model bring their own perspective and approach to address these uncertainties.
"In order to improve modeling and analysis of epidemic disease, it is essential to develop protocols that deliberately generate and evaluate valuable individual ideas from across the modeling community," said Michael Runge, a research ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center who specializes in decision analysis for wildlife management. "We have identified best practices that allow the synthesis and evaluation of input from multiple modeling groups in an efficient and timely manner."
Also read: COVID-19 lockdowns significantly impacting global air quality
In the three-part process, multiple research groups first create models for specified management scenarios, for example, addressing how caseload would be affected if social isolation measures were lifted this summer, or how the duration of the outbreak would change if students return to school in the fall. The research groups work independently during this step to encourage a wide range of ideas without prematurely conforming to a certain way of thinking. Then, the modeling groups formally discuss their models with each other--an important addition to previous multiple model methods--which allows them to examine why their models might disagree. Finally, the groups work independently again to refine their models, based on the insights from the discussion and comparison stage.
After group discussion and individual model refinement, the models are combined into an overall projection for each management strategy, which can be used to help guide risk analysis and policy deliberation. At this stage, methods from the field of decision analysis can allow the decision maker, for example a public health agency, to understand the merits of different management options in the face of the existing uncertainty.
Additionally, the combined results can help identify which uncertainty--what pieces of missing information--are most critical to learn about in order to improve models and thus improve decision making, providing a way to prioritize research directions.
"This process allows us to embrace uncertainty, rather than hastening to a premature consensus that could derail or deflect management efforts," said Shea. "The process encourages a healthy conversation between scientists and decision makers, enabling policy agencies to more effectively achieve their management goals."
Also read: New outbreaks of coronavirus after reduced restrictions
Even after initial decisions are made, the process can continue as new information about the outbreak and management becomes available. This "adaptive management" strategy can allow researchers to refine their models and make new predictions as the outbreak progresses. For COVID-19, this process might inform how and when isolation and travel bans are lifted, and if these or other measures might be necessary again in the future.
The research team plans to implement this process immediately for COVID-19. By taking advantage of the many research groups already producing models for the current outbreak, the strategy should be easy to implement while producing more robust results from the existing process. The team will share results with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as they are generated.
"We hope this process actively feeds into policy for the COVID-19 response in the United States," said Shea. "It also provides a framework for future outbreak settings, including emerging diseases and agricultural pest species, and management of endemic infectious diseases, including vaccination strategies and disease surveillance."
By Santiago Gómez Hernández
Who is the new president of the United States?
Opinion: Trump's Great Legacy
Trump faces new impeachment and Maduro wants to eliminate cash