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A mechanism for a level interstellar playing field
So, this is a trope common to any number of science fiction worlds: humanity emerges from its solar system to discover that there are a bunch of alien races out there, but, importantly, at least the major players are all within decades of each other when it comes to technological advancement.
Star Trek is perhaps the most egregious example of this, but lots of other continuities have the same basic structure: humanity (or another race) may have primitive warp drives/proton torpedoes/sun harvesters, but not so much that any fight is a foregone conclusion, if and when it comes to a fight. This is generally handwaved, if it is addressed at all.
Given the rapid pace of advancement of technology (particularly weapons technology), any more than an effective century of disparity would seem likely to produce the kind of imbalance that would make conflicts entirely one-sided. Over the course of an intelligent species' evolution, a century seems like an awfully narrow window.
So: What would a reasonable mechanism be by which this result could be accomplished?
Assumptions: FTL transport is possible and cost-effective to transport actual beings over interstellar distances (soft sci-fi), life is relatively common (one in a hundred stars has a planet with a biosphere), limited deus ex machina (ideally would prefer to avoid "God did it").
science-fiction technological-development faster-than-light
jdunlopjdunlop
$\begingroup$ This is in part the practical thinking behind the Fermi paradox. $\endgroup$
– Adwaenyth
If you're talking about levelling just the technological playing field, the obvious answer would be trade. A second answer would be the limits of physics.
Assuming natural resources are ultra-plentiful on non-intelligent-life and non-inhabited planets & things (suns, comets, asteroids) there shouldn't be a reason to fight with your neighbours over them. And once you can build a few robots there should't be any sane reason for slaves.
The only reason you would even want to talk to any other aliens is to trade information or things that they've made. Maybe your culture is growing old & bored, and thrives on new stories even. It would be easiest to trade basic technical info to obtain their "stuff," you don't have to make & deliver anything, while just showing them how to build faster & bigger ships so you can get more stuff delivered to you faster. Basic enough info that it still works, but not so advanced that they could fly over and blow up your planet at the slightest whim.
If some species think that's a bad idea and don't want to give technical info to "lesser" species that could threaten them sometime in the future, that's fine, they won't. But all it takes is one species willing to trade, or even just one ship from one species and Pandora's box is open.
Physical Limits
Second, maybe the best technology & weapons have physical limits that just can't be surpassed. A musket from 400 years ago and a modern assault rifle are worlds apart, but both use similar physics & are both still dangerous.
I'm not a (theoretical) physicist, but maybe nuclear reactions can only get so big (like a sun), or "ray-guns" have a maximum theoretical power, and once you can build a reactor or a bomb or ray-gun, then another thousand years of tweaking the details won't result in much more "bang for your buck." Going from a 20% efficient ray-gun to a 90% efficient one would be a big jump, but they're both still effective enough.
In that case, someone with a basic entry-level weapon could still fight against the thousand year old species, but the minor tweaking details would still give the old species the advantage, most of the time, making for a not-completely-one-sided conflict.
The first season (or two?) of Star Trek's Enterprise show often focused on technology. For example their weapons start off basically working, after some "tweaks" they're up to a level similar enough to fight with the much older Klingons. It also showed technology traded to others. Cloaking devices eventually going from Romulans (and the future?) to Klingons, and "holodecks" from a Xyrillian ship to a Klingon ship, and in "future" series' the Federation.
Wrapping the two ideas together a little, the Star Trek episode "A Piece of the Action" ends with Dr.McCoy realizing he left his communicator behind on the planet, possibly teaching a basic civilisation the key to replicating all the Federation's advanced technology...
This page has a nice review with some dialogue like:
SPOCK: Captain. If the Iotians, who are very bright and imitative people, should take that communicator apart—
KIRK: They will, they will. And they'll find out how the transtator works.
SPOCK: The transtator is the basis for every important piece of equipment that we have.
KIRK: Everything.
MCCOY: You really think it's that serious?
KIRK: Serious? Serious, Bones? It upsets the whole percentage.
MCCOY: How do you mean?
KIRK: Well, in a few years, the Iotians may demand a piece of our action.
Xen2050Xen2050
$\begingroup$ For example beam divergence affects even perfect lasers due to diffraction, so you can't increase range of your laser riffle without limits. $\endgroup$
– Mołot
$\begingroup$ "maybe nuclear reactions can only get so big (like a sun)" – oh, they can. A supernova is to an H-bomb like that H-bomb to, don't know, a balloon popping. (Probably in fact rather like an H-bomb to a single sugar molecule getting digested.) Your point still stands, in that those super-violent events might turn out uncontrollable. — @Mołot that's an unconvincing example. Beam divergence can be made arbitrarily small (at least when you don't have to worry about atmospheric distortion) by increasing the aperture or decreasing the wavelength. An advanced civilisation might just use X-Ray lasers. $\endgroup$
– leftaroundabout
$\begingroup$ Although I was hoping for a mechanism external to interspecies interaction, this does seem like the most feasible solution. $\endgroup$
– jdunlop
"The Asgard would never invent a weapon that propels small weights of iron and carbon alloys, by igniting a powder of potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulfur. We cannot think like you do." Thor, Stargate SG-1 S4E1
This is a very complex question, which is undoubtedly why so many SciFi worlds bypass dealing with it. The central issue is that any truly alien species (as in, developed on a completely separate world and therefore beholden to a completely different environment) will be completely alien in nature. The implication of this is that as a species we are mostly incapable of actually imagining what an alien would be like biologically, let alone socially or technologically.
Star Trek gets around this with the Federation's handy Theory of Convergent Development, which is how they explained all those episodes on other planets with totally-not-Nazi Nazis and totally-not-western Westerns.
But let's look at it analytically:
Most depictions of sentient aliens in SciFi are shown as vastly superior to us, either physically, mentally, or technologically. But that is just as likely to not be the case.
For example, here on Earth the primary state of life is direct competition. Predators fighting predators for the prey, prey eating the plants, plants trying to not get eaten while still spreading seeds, etc. But what if we imagine an alien species where the primary method of competition was symbiosis/parasitism? Or even a planet where adaptability was the most needed trait due to a highly unstable environment?
We don't think about it a lot, but humans are actually pretty good at surviving at the purely biological level. We don't think we are because we compare ourselves to lions and elephants, creatures we evolved to directly compete against; over those animals we have only our superior intellects and planning skills.
But imagine that species from the planet based on symbiosis. Perhaps they pilot biomechanical spaceships and their technology is directly integrated into themselves. After all, how else would they design it, coming from a planet where everything functions at the most basic level by its ability to integrate with other organisms? To us, they would appear as a single life form instead of a ship piloted by individuals.
In this situation, our weapon technology would in all likelihood be overwhelmingly more advanced for the simple reason that we make weapons to kill things, whereas they would most likely make weapons to break things apart. Imagine a weapon that destroys an organisms ability to communicate. On a symbiotic world that would be devastating, as bad as a neurotoxin. To a human though, it would be a horrific weapon but hardly deadly. Unleash a communication killing weapon on a human army and they'll just keep attacking, albeit with little to no organization.
And this is only one example.
To summarize: there are lots of things that could even the playing field. The key thing to think about is what biology/psychology/technology the aliens have and why they have it. And if you find yourself imagining something mostly human-like, then it isn't really a true alien. Once you can imagine that, then you can imagine why their technology would be ineffective, or what we might come up with to counteract it.
For a slightly softer but more creative look at this concept, take a look here: http://imgur.com/gallery/hINj1xf
enpaulenpaul
$\begingroup$ Sounds like someone's been to /r/HFY $\endgroup$
– eyeballfrog
$\begingroup$ @eyeballfrog actually no. I don't go on Reddit often $\endgroup$
– enpaul
$\begingroup$ +1 for aliens not being humanoid. It annoys me to no end that most sci-fi writers (and, of course, this includes videogame makers) think convergent evolution is a thing. Whatever's out there surely looks nothing like us. And another +1 for the funny link. $\endgroup$
$\begingroup$ Sounds more like Olaf Stapleton's Star Maker. Super good book. It included an ocean planet with the dominant race actually being a symbiotic, telepathic pairing of two races, one of which were like whales and the other some kind of land-capable crustaceans, I think. $\endgroup$
$\begingroup$ If resources are finite, competition is a given. Mutualism being much more common than it is on earth would not change that. $\endgroup$
– Borsunho
I think Stargate SG1 managed this quite well.
(May contain some spoilers about Stargate SG1, so if you haven't seen it and plan to, don't read the main text, just read the bold bits.)
Most of the 'aliens' they encountered were actually humanoids that had advanced to varying degrees of technology, most of which was behind their own, but a handful were truly superior to them in every way.
Steal Weapons:
As soon as you can, start stealing the weapons of superior hostile races.
One species, the Goa'uld, were a parasitic race that stole all their technology. One of the first things the Tau'ri (Earth humans) did when they knew they were outmatched was steal as many Goa'uld weapons as they possibly could as soon as they possibly could.
In a way it would be equivalent to a roman soldier coming to the future and stealing a policeman's handgun (except this handgun fires energy bolts and takes a very long time before it needs reloading), as soon as they understood the simple "point and click" interface, they'd be a genuine threat. If they could actually understand how it worked (which in this case the Tau'ri eventually did), they'd be an even bigger threat.
Make Powerful Allies:
Ally yoursef with a more powerful race.
Other advanced races tended to be more peaceful or preoccupied with other enemies. One race in particular (the Tollan) allied with the Tau'ri but refused to give them weapons. (This was due to an incident in which they previously gave an advanced power source to a less advanced race in their own solar system and that race turned the power source into a weapon that managed to destroy their own planet, rendering the whole system uninhabitable.)
It was one of these advanced races (the Asgard) that truly offered Earth protection. Early on in Earth's adventures into space, the Asgard contacted them about a treaty they could sign with some of the more moderate Goa'uld that would prevent the Goa'uld from attacking them on the grounds that if the Goa'uld attacked the Asgard would come and wipe them out. (The treaty was a sort of half-bluff, the Asgard were capable of wiping out any Goa'uld faction that didn't comply with the treaty, but their hands were mostly tied by another war they were fighting.)
Learn From Others:
Reverse engineer your gifted and stolen technology in order to be a better contender.
Eventually, Earth acquired some of the Goa'uld's smaller space-faring vessels and managed to learn enough from them to develop their own space-faring vessels. It took a lot of trial and error but they got there in the end. They even eventually managed to build their own completely Earth-designed space ship with full FTL travel.
They also developed their own power-sources by reverse engineering alien power sources, which was thankfully less hard.
Lastly, one of their allies eventually agreed to hand over all their technological knowledge to the Tau'ri (in the form of a handful of easy-to-use databases) because their entire race was dying and they saw the Tau'ri as the best candidate to use the knowledge for good.
PharapPharap
Anyone who advances technologically will be ganged up on by the other races.
Let's imagine 2 people standing in on opposite sides of a big wad of cash in the centre, and both people are willing to kill for it.
Both people have a revolver on their hip, and go to draw.
One of the people is secretly an alien, and has a ray gun hidden behind his back. It's more accurate (100% vs 50%), but with the same rate of fire.
In this scenario, he will draw the ray gun and fire. His odds of surviving are 50%, as the other person gets 1 shot at him.
His odds if he used the revolver are 25% chance of killing and surviving, 25% chance of killing and not surviving, 25% chance of not killing and not surviving , 25% chance of surviving and not killing, which loops back to round 2 at the same odds as the first. So his odds of surviving with the revolver are 1/3.
Now, lets say there are 3 people around the cash.
If the alien draws his ray gun, both of the other people will aim for the alien. After everyone has fired once, human 1 is dead, human 2 is alive, and alien has a 25% chance of being alive. If he survives, then he fires and kills person 2. , and has a 50% chance of being killed in return. His total odds of surviving are 12.5%. By contrast, the other people have an average of 37.5% (0 and 75%) chance of surviving. The people with the revolvers are 3x as likely to survive as the alien with the ray gun.
If instead he drew his revolver, then one of two things can happen, the three can fire at the person on their left, or two of the three can gang up on someone.
If everyone fires left, then all the possibilities after 1 round are equally likely (12.5%). These are:
All live.
All die.
Only alien lives.
Only person 1 lives.
Two people live in any combination (A+P1, A+P2, P1+P2).
So that is 5 options where the alien dies, 2 options where they have a 1v1 dual, and 1 option where they win. The 'everyone lives option is not included, for the same reason that rolling a 6 sided die and rerolling all 6s is the same as rolling a 5 sided die.
If he is in a 1v1 dual, as above he has a 1/3% chance of living.
So his total odds of winning are 1/8 + 2/8 * 1/3. This is 5/24, or 20.8%.
The alien is nearly twice as likely to survive if he keeps his ray gun hidden.
ScottScott
$\begingroup$ What if the alien has a bulletproof vest? i.e. better defensive tech. He will guaranteed survive if they can't kill him. $\endgroup$
– Mathmagician
$\begingroup$ @Mathmagician - shields exist in lots of scifi. They generally can be overloaded by either sustained or concentrated firepower. To go straight to impenetrable shields sounds like too big a leap. $\endgroup$
$\begingroup$ How well did the Iroquois, Zulu or WWII Polish do? "Pretty well, considering" is a terrible epitaph. $\endgroup$
$\begingroup$ OP didn't require all planets to be equal and survive, just that a bunch of the major players are roughly equal. WWII is an example that demonstrates my point. Germany attacking Poland led to Germany being defeated by a larger number of countries. $\endgroup$
My first thought would be that everyone else went away. Perhaps we live in a relatively bad area of the universe and all the life forms that could do so left.
Think about what humans are doing. We want to get to Mars, because that's the next "great leap for mankind," but after that, are we really going to stay in our little corner of the galaxy, poking around on every little planet out there as our home world deteriorates? Absolutely not! We'll be on the first ship out, once we have a ship to take us. Our technological boom is powered by the destruction of our planet, to the point that we might never be able to save it, so once a viable escape option becomes a realistic and nearly certain option, the odds are good that we'll damn what's left of the planet to finish our ship and then be off to the best planet we can reach. That probably won't be the nearest one, or the occupied one. It will be far away and it will have the kinds of elements we deem desirable in a home-world.
It seems to me that most intelligent (the use of 'intelligent' to describe species that wreck their planets may be a stretch, but you know what I mean) species would probably do the same thing we humans are doing, and as you said, technology advances so quickly that once the first breakthrough in this technology is made, the rapid expedition of life from a planet is not far behind. This creates a natural separation of those-with-awesome-tech from those-without-awesome-tech, and if we assume that our planet (or whatever planet you may be writing from) is in a district of space that no one wants to live in once they know there's an alternative, it's quite reasonable to assume that the only life-forms we would have contact with in our pre-overpowering-technology stage would be other species in pre-overpowering-technology stage. It's not because that's the only age of life there is, it's just that that's the only age of life that hasn't left yet.
Along this same vein, you could work in that some life-forms built up to near-overpowering-tech levels, then crashed their societies, either through destruction of resources or overpopulation or what-have-you, and now are either primitive once more, barren wasteland planets, or maybe some kind of steam-punk blend of futuristic lost technology in a less-advanced society.
You could also make some kind of historical event that allowed for the evolution of life at a specific time. Like, maybe there was some kind of massive super-nova/black-hole/worm-hole/antimatter something-or-other that created a wave of magnetism or some such that allowed for the evolution of life from the elements. This wave would travel out, and as it passed over a certain area in space, it would spark life on every 1 in 100 star systems. Because life started at about the same time in the same neighborhoods of space, the life on those planets would be about the same age. As you went farther from your home-world, you'd find life that increasingly differed in age from your own species.
AziriAziri
$\begingroup$ If there are 1billion planets suitable for life in the galaxy and technology always appears, and the gap between the first and last is 1billion years then we have 1planet a year, 100 civilizations with similar tech in the galaxy along with millions of planets full of dumb life. $\endgroup$
– Donald Hobson
You don't need to have a level playing field.
There are millions of civilizations in the galaxy, all at random levels of development. The ones which happen to be at or near the highest levels will consider one another peers, and from their point of view there is a level playing field. There are scads of other civs out there, but they ... don't count from a astropolitical point of view. They are variously ignored, conquered, used as proxy or buffer states, or, well, eaten.
(Note that if the lesser-equipped civs survive long enough as slaves/clients/buffets for long enough, it is likely that technology will diffuse from the big neighbors and the more backward groups will gradually start being more competitive)
Note also that this could vary per region. Our spiral arm could, by chance, be a very low-tech region. The high civilizations of our arm have never met the mighty empires of galactic center; if they did, they'd be humbled. Think Aztecs -- primus inter pares in their region until something completely unexpected showed up. This is a common trope in sci fi series ... after defeating the local bad guys, there's suddenly an invasion of even tougher bad guys from somewhere else!
akaioiakaioi
The classic pattern in science fiction is that, from the perspective of an interstellar civilization, there are three known plateaus for civilizations: planet-bound, interstellar, and "sublimated". The technological cliff that must be overcome to move from planet-bound to interstellar is almost always faster-than-light travel; the cliff that must be climbed to achieve "sublimation" is a mystery. Planet-bound civilizations are unable to interact with interstellar civilizations -- at least not on their own terms -- and "sublimated" civilizations are incomprehensible to, and usually unwilling to interact with, interstellar civilizations.
Other answers have covered forces that would tend to equalize technologies among interstellar civilizations, but the other important detail is that these two cliffs represent a lower and upper limit on technological development. There's only so far that a planet-bound civilization can go, and there's only so far an interstellar civilization can go, prior to sublimation. The most advanced interstellar civilization cannot easily overwhelm the least advanced, and an interstellar civilization will relatively quickly reach technological parity with the more advanced through communication, trade, and espionage.
In short, interstellar civilizations would reach relative parity due to rapid communication of interstellar travel, and the relatively narrow range of technologies on that plateau.
I'd argue that these plateaus are at least implicit in Star Trek, and are often quite explicit in space opera; overcoming one or the other cliff is an explicit victory condition in many 4X games. Occasionally the result of being unable to overcome one of the two cliffs is explored, as in Iain Banks's Against a Dark Background.
An interesting variation, in Vernor Vinge's A Fire Upon the Deep, was adding a geographic component to the constraints. This made it more clear why civilizations that had achieved more advanced plateaus rarely interfered with civilizations on lower plateaus: to do so meant physically travelling to areas in which travel and thought itself was slower, and they were rarely willing to do so.
bgvaughanbgvaughan
In Star Trek, there are aliens that are unbeatable, but they tend not to conquer less advanced civilisations. From the point-of-view of a prewarp civilisation, the Federation would be unbeatable. The prime directive prohibits the federation from interfering with prewarp civilisations however. The Q-continuum would have no trouble defeating the Federation, but they have something similar to the prime directive, so they mostly don't mess around with the Federation.
I brought up the prime directive since the question mentioned Star Trek. Higher powered beings may avoid conflict for other reasons, such as simply not caring about insignificant beings, or maintaining a nature reserve.
Of course, high powered aliens might care about lesser beings, perhaps seeing them as vermin to eradicate. However, the most interesting tales may simply be set in areas of space where human-like intelligences are permitted to exist. This may involve species settling into quanta of power, where they do not interfere with other quanta
prewarp: Conflict is primarily within the same planet. On Earth the USA has the greatest military technology. However, it would be unwise for the USA to declare war on the rest of the world. Note, that the USA would not be as strong without trade, so almost by definition it has to share some technology with its fellow prewarp rivals. Also, he USSR switched from an ally to a foe around the 1950s.
warp/interstellar: Can do things that we can only imagine, like bending spacetime to achieve FTL. Begins trade with other civilisations, resulting in a power arrangement similar to the pre-warp case.
trancendant: Weird energy beings that can do things that we can't really imagine. Their motives need not be clear to a human. Perhaps they don't really care what happens in what we call 3-dimensional space.
gmathtgmatht
Weapons are simply a means of delivering large amounts of energy to a small space, causing havoc and destruction. Given the vastness of deep space, it would not seem improbable that a major way for species to meet would be for both species to develop FTL travel. But, developing FTL travel means that you have developed a way to direct energy. You have the means to deliver almost limitless energy to anywhere you want. In turn, that means that you have pretty much reached or come within spitting distance of the limits for weapons development.
This is sort of like where the Soviet Union and the U.S. stand now. Sure, we can refine our nuclear weapons so that they are 20% more efficient, or 15% more destructive, or have 35% greater range. But what's the point. Whether we do or not, we have MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction.
So, back to the vastness of space... At the same time you develop FTL, and you have built-in access to FTL level weapons. You have also the technology for that level of energy control, which means that you can also develop defensive technology to match those weapons. Again, you are within spitting distance of each other.
At that stage, then conflict is a lot more about tactics than it is about being stronger than the other. You can see this in high level physical battles (UFC or boxing). Strength and speed are a big factor, but among the very top competitors, skills and strategy can and often do determine the outcome.
Another example of this is coach Tom Herman leading Houston to a victory over Florida State on Dec 31, 2015. Florida State had a team made up of higher recruited players, supposedly stronger and faster. But, at that level, given the right leader, even a team like Houston can challenge (and defeat) a team like Florida State, or number three ranked Oklahome in 2016.
The point is, there are technological plateaus, as there are plateaus in any kind of development. Areas reached where a hard technological or developmental or scientific limit keeps the players within a range close enough for leadership and tactics to be a greater deciding factor.
That is, until some alien race hits some paradigm shift, a technological breakthrough that takes them to a whole other level. At that level, of course, they can locate and destroy every other race at will, or they can rise above such needs or desires. We are just lucky to be in the galaxy where those races, so far, have chosen the latter.
I think that is a pretty good explanation. And I also think it is all BS. But then again, that's the point. Isn't it?
Spoilers for Singularity Sky and Iron Sunrise, unfortunate but necessary.
Have a look at the Eschaton books by Charles Stross, Singularity Sky and Iron Sunrise, humanity is actually without biologically alien neighbours, but there are other human civilisations who are different enough for story purposes. The Eschaton is a weakly god-like agency, in this case an AI who, for purposes that remain opaque, spreads the greater part of humanity to the stars in a sphere about 1000 light years across and gives them cornucopia machines and some other toys available on Earth in that particular era and a couple of new ones (including FTL and a commandant not to use it for time travel or else) and enough people to make the colonies work. On the same day that the majority of people disappear SETI receiver stations start going haywire, the Eschaton has also pushed people back in time a year per light year of distance from Sol so the colonies that are 500 light years away are also 500 years older than Earth's civilisation technologically, and hideously advanced as evidence in Singularity Sky.
Now if those colonists had been dropped off without temporal displacement they'd all be on about the same footing, except for the Luddites who trash their nanotech and other modern machines. It might be a bit too "God did it" for your purposes but it could also give you some ideas.
AshAsh
$\begingroup$ I've read both; big fan of Stross. This treads very close to the deus ex machina I wanted to avoid, however - it's easy to solve the problem if an all-powerful being of whatever sort (AI, "ascended" being, or deity) makes everyone be on an even footing. $\endgroup$
$\begingroup$ Someone forcing others to be roughly on the same footing is really the only realistic(!) way of doing it. $\endgroup$
– Keith Morrison
Option #1 - warp drive has time-altering effects.
Warp travel's FTL qualities results in time travel. However, warp drive activation protocols negate this effect in a huge area. (Too big to try and drive out of it conventionally.) If you use warp drive, you won't ever notice the time travel effect, since it will be blocked anywhere you've ever been. However, any species which doesn't have warp travel (and thus doesn't have the warp drive buffer zone) will experience time much more quickly than the warp-capable species. This leads to a convergence of technology, as every species, which will ever achieve warp travel, achieves it at nearly the same exact time.
Option #2 - no shields, no super materials.
Every ship in the galaxy is a glass cannon - nobody can take a significant hit, even from primitive ships. So your superior tech may give you a 3-1 advantage and way better strategic maneuverability, but if you get surrounded or assaulted by overwhelming numbers you still die.
JeutnargJeutnarg
There is no competition from higher level technologies because Science is not as blind and amoral as she normally appears.
At our infantile levels and all the way up to FTL level, Science is designed to be easy to figure out. There are no cultural or moral requirements which might keep a student from figuring out how things work. If anything, a little cruelty and selfishness on the part of the student, actually helps with the early studies.
But as you advance past simple things like FTL, the designers of the universe have encoded a higher set of minimum requirements. General pacifism and a post-scarcity escape from primal greed are not only good ideas, they are integral to understanding how the higher level aspects of our universe work.
The advanced studies in our universe simply can't be fathomed by minds which still understand concepts like nationalism, ownership or superiority-through-biological-distinction.
So most of the species who manage to get up to the FTL threshold, get stuck at that level, (squabbling among themselves for dominion over meaningless star charts) for centuries. The few civilizations which transcend their primal instincts continue on a journey of peaceful advancement and non-intrusive exploration, while everyone else compete the more visible roles of the conquerors and the vanquished. Those in the more visible roles stack up across time, no matter how long ago they mastered FTL, they really can't go any further using these old techniques. So they fight among themselves with more or less equivalent arsenals...
OPTIONAL PART ...until an emissary of peace returns from a place beyond their understanding to show them a better way.
Henry TaylorHenry Taylor
Big Brother Race
The first race to achieve FTL doesn't seek domination. Instead, they spread across the galaxy, and whenever they meet another sentient race, they share all their knowledge and technologies with them for free. Even if one race reached the stars a thousand years before the other, they both use tech provided by the First Ones, which is beyond anything they could achieve in a reasonable time.
And, well, with developed enough surveillance (and maybe some telepathy), First Ones can see any attempts of lesser races to develop ingenious technologies. Depending on technology in question, it either gets shared between everyone, or, well, disappears along with everyone that knew about it.
AliceAlice
$\begingroup$ Not a bad idea; that said, you're still left with the issue that the big-brother race has to spread its ideas to a significant number of players in a very short amount of time, and then they all continue to advance at about the same rate as each other? $\endgroup$
– neophlegm
$\begingroup$ @neophlegm A short amount of time on astronomical scale, sure. But, it's not that hard, assuming FTL is fast enough. Consider: in first hundred years after FTL they colonise one system. In next hundred years they colonise 2. In next --- 4. In first thousand years they colonise 1024 systems, in 2000 years they have a million systems, and the whole galaxy is under their control in just 3000 years. And, yes, they advance as the same rate, as any advancement is seen by the Big Brother and shared (or utterly disintegrated if dangerous). $\endgroup$
– Alice
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Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, " Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.


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text:
Александр Машин:
 Машин, Александр Григорьевич — Георгиевский кавалер; капитан-лейтенант; № 7671; 1 января 1847.
 Машин, Александр Фёдорович (1953—2016) — советский футболист.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


For years, every time a terrorist event occurred, Muslims all over the world have gone to great lengths to explain that the Islamic faith does not in any way condone taking the lives of innocent men, women and children.
And yet the western media in particular would continue to bombard the airwaves with the same rhetoric and use the famous buzzwords Islamic fundamentalists, Jihadist, Muslim terrorist. The narrative was and is the same when it comes to Islam and Muslims: fear them, watch them, they are wolves in sheep clothing. And this type of thinking is replicated and spread throughout the world into the minds of people who know nothing besides this falsehood.
I sat in my office not so long ago and had a discussion with a lady who said she feared all men with beards, because the image portrayed of a terrorist was a Muslim man with a beard. When she saw someone with a beard on the boardwalk walking she would become afraid and try to move away. A neighbour once called to complain that my son and his friends were praying in a corner of the public park; they played and they prayed. I asked her what the problem was. She couldn't explain the problem; just that she was afraid because Muslims praying was associated with violence.
And in spite of all the attempts to explain and to show that the vast majority of the 1.7 billion Muslims in the world are not terrorists, not extremists, and in no way support the misguided actions of those who choose to adopt such evil practices while claiming adherence to this faith, the media, several politicians, analysts and other "experts" persisted in perpetuating the myth that Muslims are violent.
Well that narrative has provided the deadly ingredients for the "white supremacists", and the ammunition for the likes of men who would carry out evil in a manner unprecedented in our history.
The very tragic event in New Zealand last Friday has hit humanity to its core and has shown the world that no longer can we be complacent where people, especially people with power, seek to divide the world between people of different races, beliefs and cultures.
This world, over the last five years in particular, has experienced attack after attack after attack on innocent people in churches, synagogues, mosques, parks and other public places by persons driven by intense hatred. One common thread: kill as many as they can. The other common thread which has clearly emerged in this New Zealand attack is: ensure you get the most viewership possible via social media. "Crazy" is too mild a word to describe this thinking; "the worst evil" perhaps is the best description.
New Zealand has always been known as a place of peace, serenity, security and beauty. And in one hour last Friday, all of that innocence was shattered by what it appears now as one individual who was driven by extreme evil to kill as many Muslims – men, women and children – on their holiest day of the week, at one of their most sacred spaces, during a most spiritual time, doing all of this while live streaming. Can any human being be more depraved?
Well to all those who seek to shatter the lives of human beings in such a violent and heinous manner, know that humanity at its best manifests itself in response when such evil is perpetuated. Know that those who would have no acceptance of such evil acts will respond in ways that prove that human beings are kind, loving and peaceful and will repel evil with good.
The caption I started my column with today is found in several verses of the Holy Quran: "Repel evil with that which is better…" It is given in a form of a command. We are compelled by our faith to respond to evil with goodness. This is the nature of all right-thinking humans. And this has been proven time and time again after each and every act of inhumanity.
In New Zealand, you have seen a country mobilised to respond in kindness by the outstanding leader in charge, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. From the moment the news broke about this massacre, she got to work leading her country to respond, to heal and to move forward. No empty rhetoric, no side-stepping the issues, no pandering to powerful lobbyists. She immediately promised legislation to limit gun access, she promised that the Government would cover funeral costs, she assured every family of the victims financial assistance moving forward, and most importantly she donned a hijab and went into the affected communities and embraced those impacted directly in a loving, kind and warm embrace. And significantly, in response to United States President Donald Trump's question about if there was any help his country could provide, Prime Minister Ardern said: "Sympathy and love for all Muslim communities". This is the type of leadership the world so desperately needs today.
Muslim fanatics, senator? Read the life stories of every one of those killed in the two mosques on Friday, and for all those who think like this Senator, read the stories of those killed in previous similar attacks – be they Muslim, Christian, Jew or non-religious – and one will find the common thread linking all these victims: outstanding citizens in their respective communities, contributing to development and progress, kind beings. Read about the Muslim man, bound to a wheelchair, whose wife was killed in the mosque trying to protect her husband and who has said he forgives the killer. Listen to the Jamaican who was in one of the mosques last Friday and managed to escape while his friends died, who said there must be no retribution.
We should never fuel the likes of these evil-doers who have an agenda far removed from any goodness or any justice they claim to represent. Social media outlets which have been mandated to monitor so-called "Muslim activity" should now wake up to the reality of who the real culprits are. These guys are shaped and moulded in the virtual world, their dark reality, where in cyberspace they are given the instructions of how to do their heinous deeds. No different to those who went off and joined ISIS, instructed on the Internet by misguided people.
Appreciate that you made the effort to find out the timing of our noon prayer.
← Are we weak states?
Terrorism is not the only evil. Homosexuality is evil. Not executing murderers is evil. Not allowing children to be flog when necessary is evil. I could go on and on. We've rejected everything that's good and are embracing evil. Even the so called churches.
Christian death toll rises to 200 in 4 day MUSLIM KILLING SPREE.


An anonymous woman is seeking help from her 'yummies' on Tell it Moms after she discovered her husband has actually penetrated their daughter.
I said we won't be giving senseless advices in 2019.this madam should just go hang herself.Are you sure you are the mother?Lord not my child,not my child.This woman and man ain't worthy of that girl.Am just here imagining.i need to share this and see just want to be cool headed nd rational nd not give in to my emotions.. Anybody that knows the lady or the situation should inform the authorities nd get that kid ,AWAY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE from BOTH PARENTS,they are both poison to her. .


text:
Some students quit mental health medication when they get to college. Here's why that's so dangerous.
by Aneri Pattani, Posted: September 18, 2018
Counselors say many students stop taking medication for mental illness when they get to college.
When her daughter was in high school, Susan Hein occasionally asked if she was remembering to take her antidepressants. But Hein didn't count pills. She knew her daughter was on top of the regimen.
Hein, who lives in York County, hoped the same would continue in college. But on campus at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., her daughter feared being recognized by friends when she visited the counseling center or a nearby pharmacy.
Many college students can't manage the stress of daily life. A trait that can be taught in middle school can help.
College students train to help peers at risk for suicide, depression and more
Drinking and mental health: the 'major alcohol problem that has never really been properly addressed'
by Aneri Pattani
"That gave her so much anxiety that she couldn't deal with it," said Hein, who is executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness York County chapter. "She stopped taking her medication. And she didn't want to see anyone for counseling."
Courtesy Susan Hein
Susan Hein is the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness York County chapter.
Soon, Hein said, the panic attacks that had been moderated by medication became constant. Her daughter went to the emergency room fearing she was having a heart attack.
Two more emergency visits followed. Finally, a doctor recommended she get psychiatric help. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and panic disorder, and resumed medication and therapy.
She graduated in 2009, but her experience is becoming increasingly common, mental health experts say.
More students than ever before are entering college with pre-existing mental health conditions, and medication can be an important component of their care. But many students stop taking medications when they arrive on campus — the exact moment their stress levels shoot up. The result can be a resurgence of mental illness symptoms, side effects students don't realize can occur from the sudden stop, and in the worst cases, self-harm and even suicide.
"They don't want to be seen as someone with a problem," said Bruce Cohen, a psychiatrist at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, where hundreds of college students from across the country are treated for mental illness each year.
It has become an increasingly frequent issue over the last two decades, as more teens are given medication for mental illness, Cohen said. A study of national data found the use of psychotropic medication in adolescents rose from 14 percent in the 1990s to 20 percent in the mid-2000s.
"We are now able to help students enough that they actually get into college, whereas 20 years ago, they wouldn't have," Cohen said.
But once they get there — removed from family who may have ensured they take their medication, and facing a new environment with new schedules and priorities — "a large proportion of students try stopping," Cohen said.
Some, like Hein's daughter, fear the stigma associated with others knowing they have a mental illness. Others believe — or wish — they don't need medication anymore, said Matthew Wintersteen, a clinical psychologist at Thomas Jefferson University.
"Feeling you have to take a medication to manage your mood is challenging for kids who are trying to become independent," Wintersteen said.
But many students don't realize there are consequences to abruptly stopping medication, Cohen said. It's in part because their effects fade slowly. "A few days you don't take it and you don't feel terrible," he said. "So you think maybe you don't need it."
After some time, though, students can experience more frequent or longer periods of depression, anxiety attacks, or other symptoms associated with their illness. These effects can be compounded by students ending counseling as well, rather than trying to find a new therapist at college. Some people also suffer side effects from suddenly stopping antidepressants, ranging from headaches to flu-like symptoms that can last weeks.
During this time, students can suffer academically or have trouble making friends, missing out on key college experiences, Cohen said. Some turn to alcohol and other drugs to self-medicate. That was the case for Hein's daughter, who had to get treatment for substance use disorder. In rare cases, Cohen has seen it lead to hospitalization, which can disrupt the student's entire semester.
These risks don't mean students can never stop or change their medication, Wintersteen said. In fact, parents should be open-minded about kids' wanting to change their routines as they get older. But it needs to be done with the help of professionals and at the right time, he said. Ideally, students should acclimate to college life first.
"The last thing you want to do is suddenly realize, I'm not doing well at school and if I'd been taking medicine, I might have done better," Wintersteen said.
Before the transition to college, or even early on in students' freshman years, families should talk about expectations around medication and counseling, Wintersteen said. They should also discuss if students want to authorize parents to access certain health information that is protected under medical and student privacy laws. The National Association on Mental Illness and the Jed Foundation have guides that can help with those discussions.
Hein said one of the main things she learned from her daughter's experience was to educate herself. "Don't assume anything," she said. Reach out to groups like NAMI or Mental Health America to learn what children with mental illness will experience when they leave home for the first time.
Universities can play a role too, Cohen said. Once a student enrolls, counseling centers should ask if they are on treatment, and make a point of following up with them. It's not something many universities do now, but it could relieve some of the demand for counseling services later in the semester, Cohen said.
"It's much more expensive to address the problem after someone is off their meds," he said. "If you took preventive measures so people wouldn't get in trouble, then resources wouldn't be stretched as thin."
Aneri Pattani | @aneripattani | apattani@inquirer.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The HyperLink HG35805CUPR-NF is a ceiling mount, IP67-rated, multi-band, low-PIM, omnidirectional public safety DAS antenna for in-building wireless networks.
coThe HyperLink HG35805CUPR-NF is a public safety DAS antenna by L-com Global Connectivity. It is ceiling mount, IP67-rated, multi-band, low-PIM, omnidirectional, and specifically designed for in-building wireless networks.
With coverage from 380 MHz to 6000 MHz, the HG35805CUPR-NF is suitable for standard and public safety Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) used to disseminate Cellular/LTE and Wi-Fi signals throughout an area or facility. It also provides coverage for TETRA-compliant two-way radios and UHF wireless systems as well as 600 MHz, 1390-1432 MHz, and AWS-3 bands. In addition, the antenna's low-band operational coverage allows public safety services and first responders to stay connected within a specific location or structure during emergency situations.
The HG35805CUPR-NF has a PIM rating of <-150 dBc, which meets low-PIM requirements for LTE/4G bands and DAS applications. This helps meet the increasing demand for higher data rates and enables streaming video for mobile devices. Further, the multi-band design of this antenna eliminates the need to purchase different antennas for each frequency, simplifying installation.
RoHS compliant, the HG35805CUPR-NF DAS antenna is compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n and 802.11ac networks. This adds an additional level of wireless coverage rather than using just the 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g bands. The HG35805CUPR-NF has vertical polarization, a 360° horizontal beamwidth, 50 Ohm impedance, and 50 watt maximum input power.
The HG35805CUPR-NF can be mounted through a single 1″ hole in a solid or suspended ceiling up to 1.2″ thick. It features a 12″ coax lead terminated with an N-Female connector. Special order connectors are also available. The DAS antenna measures 11.5″ in diameter x 5.2″, weighs .9 pounds, and has an operating temperature of -40°F to 140°F. The radome material is white UV resistant ABS.


why does the file forum always point to the 32 bit version???
@ CyberDoc999 : Happened to me to. Had to re-install Windows and all software.
I believe Sandboxie has been "buggy" lately to the point that I had to uninstall recent versions and reinstall a previous version (3.74) in order to be able to use it. Updating wasn't an issue before but lately I'm reluctant to update.
@rickhfx Sandboxie default is to delete files. You have the option of setting up Sandboxie to shred files and 2 methods are supported (Sdelete/Eraser) under sandbox settings ... possibly other places to access those settings. Sdelete will NOT function properly until you have run it once and answered the EULA. While the shredding process is working a red 'X' will appear on the Sandboxie tray icon until the entire shredding process is completed and then you can delete the contents of another sandbox.
Are sandboxed file deleted or shredded when closing? Deleted files are still on the hard drive and can be recovered. Shredding would over write and destroy them, a better security idea.
Few bugs but nevertheless very useful when you need a sandbox. Among its more obvious uses, I use it to run some software that might get settings corrupted to avoid having to reinstall application. I would appreciate some indication/log of changes to decide if I want to try beta testing a particular version. Also good for running multiple instances of a program if you need to do so.
Well worth the small payment for this application, it does what it says & does it well.
One of the best software around. Good protection. Haven't had much issue with this. Work well. Is a must have.
I installed it on a friend's computer. He's running win7 on it and he has the bad habit of killing it because of the sites he likes to visit. Just think big b***b dot com. :P Now I'm hoping he will use the tray icon to launch his browser. If there was only one thing I could change it absolutely would be to have a large desktop widget instead of or with a tray icon just for better ease of use.


text:
require "minitest/autorun"
require "shared_infrastructure"
require "test"
require "etc"

class ServerBlockTest < Test
  include TestHelpers
  include Nginx

  def test_reverse_proxy_http
    server_block = Nginx::ServerBlock.new(
      server: Nginx::Server.new(domain: SharedInfrastructure::Domain.new("search.example.com")),
      listen: Nginx::ListenHttp.new,
      location: [
        Nginx::AcmeLocation.new("example.com"),
        Nginx::ReverseProxyLocation.new("http://10.0.0.1")
      ]
    )
    assert_equal expected_reverse_proxy_http_server_block, server_block.to_s
  end

  def test_reverse_proxy_https
    builder = Nginx::Builder::Base.new(
      Nginx::ServerBlock.new(
        server: Nginx::Server.new(domain: SharedInfrastructure::Domain.new("search.example.com")),
        listen: Nginx::ListenHttps.new("search.example.com"),
        location: Nginx::ReverseProxyLocation.new("http://10.0.0.1")
      ),
      Nginx::TlsRedirectServerBlock.new("search.example.com")
    )
    assert_equal expected_reverse_proxy_https_server_block, builder.to_s
  end

  def test_static_http
    server_block = Nginx::ServerBlock.new(
      server: Nginx::StaticServer.new(domain: SharedInfrastructure::Domain.new("example.com")),
      listen: Nginx::ListenHttp.new,
      location: Nginx::Location.new("/")
    )
    assert_equal expected_static_http_server_block, server_block.to_s
  end

  def test_static_https
    builder = Nginx::Builder::Site.new(
      Etc.getlogin,
      Nginx::ServerBlock.new(
        server: Nginx::StaticServer.new(domain: SharedInfrastructure::Domain.new("example.com")),
        listen: Nginx::ListenHttps.new("example.com"),
        location: Nginx::Location.new
      ),
      Nginx::TlsRedirectServerBlock.new("example.com"),
      domain: SharedInfrastructure::Domain.new("example.com")
    )
    assert_equal expected_https_server_block, builder.to_s
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
English and English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong
This is an excellent letter in the SCMP (see below), defending the internationalism and apparent multiculturalism of Hong Kong. The only slight kink is that the writer—no apparent relation to Friar—lives in Macau!
Tuck also makes the excellent suggestion that those Hongkies who claim domestic helpers are "privileged" should swap places for a month. Wife-maid-swap reality TV anyone??
English has always been an integral part of Hong Kong's international trade
Cynthia Sze, in her diatribe ("If English is so important, firms should move to Belfast or Glasgow", July 15) not only shows ignorance of Hong Kong's history but the worst kind of flag-waving chauvinism. Claiming to find previous correspondents' opinions "one-sided", she essentially shouts "gweilo go home" and expresses her views against "foreigners" (read: domestic helpers) as well.
Demanding to know who needs "foreign firms and workers that can't compete in the local business environment", she conveniently ignores the integral part English has always played, and continues to play, in that very environment.
Hong Kong was built, from the beginning, on international trade, much of it British and most conducted in English. If foreign firms today help make Hong Kong a world city, it is not, as Ms Sze states, the business opportunities that China has made available to the city, but rather the business opportunities that the city itself has made available to the world.
Betraying her true stance, she states categorically that "ESF schools discriminate against Cantonese-speaking students". Really?
Is it just possible that the admissions process at the aptly named English Schools Foundation favours English-speaking students? Perhaps, if Cantonese is so important, Hong Kong's non-Putonghua-speaking businesses should set up shop in Guangdong?
Interestingly, on the same day there was on the facing page an article by Amy Ho, a senior recruitment specialist for banking and financial services ("What it takes to make city a home for talent"). She said: "ESF is not a colonial hangover, it is an important element in Hong Kong's standing as a world city", and went on to say that if the Hong Kong government "wishes to fill jobs with international workers, it needs to confront issues that increasingly deter those workers. If it wishes jobs to be filled by local candidates, it must address deficiencies in education and training. If it does neither, we all know which cities stand to benefit."
Hong Kong has always been a city of immigrants, multicultural and multilingual. And if Ms Sze truly thinks Hong Kong's domestic workers are "privileged", I suggest she take the job for a month. Perhaps she would enjoy six 12- to 15-hour work days per week, disciplining someone else's children, scrubbing their floors and their toilets. Perhaps she would enjoy sharing a flat with her employer, effectively placing her on call 24 hours a day. This, after all, is the privileged life of a domestic helper.
Reuben M. Tuck, Macau
Labels: media, society
Joyce Lau 23 July 2011 at 04:06
For someone with so little regard for the English language, Ms. Sze has spent years writing letters to the city's top English-language newspaper. She has a legacy of using the SCMP to rail against everything foreign, from languages, to schools to people.
Go back through the archives and you will see a trend of Sze picking on foreign domestic workers, non-Chinese Hong Kongers, and even Commonwealth war veterans who tried to defend the city generations ago.
Take her letters, and replace "Chinese / real Hong Konger" with "white"; and "foreign" with "black," and see how they read back.
Here's the question -- do you think she really means what she writes? Or is she just some sort of agitator / propaganda tool?
aimlesswanderer 24 July 2011 at 21:44
I think she is angling for a cushy job in the CCP's or HK govt's propaganda, err, information department. Or she is already an employee.
Maybe a gweilo once dumped her, and her maid ran of after she got abused by her employer. Either way, she has some pretty clear prejudices.
Novel Names 25 July 2011 at 15:15
Thanks Joyce and AW.
The problem with newspaper op-eds and letters is the lack of transparency of the writers' or columnists' conflicts of interest. Without meeting and questioning people like Ms Sze, it is difficult to answer the question posed by Joyce. Newspapers should be more responsible and make it compulsory for contributors to declare any bias or conflicts of interest. There are plenty of scary people who are able to get their dodgy letters published in the SCMP; thus giving them a platform or soapbox to air their dangerous views. It would be nice if newspapers were more responsible.
Yes, Ms Sze certainly appears to have a huge chip on her shoulder. The source of her prejudice would be revealing, and best of luck to anyone who knows her or happens to come across her.
Much easier for all concerned if she wears a big "I hate foreign devils" badge.
I really hope that she doesn't have a maid, though there seems to be a good chance that she is on the "banned" list.
Novel Names 2 August 2011 at 08:15
I'm pretty sure, as Joyce likely inferred, that there is a far right nationalistic "group" out here. If only they would provide a list of all their members! Speaking of which, Norway has got the attention at the moment and far right groups from places like Russia and Germany are reportedly supporting Anders Behring Breivik and his scary manifesto.
A "banned" list of Hong Kong employers? I don't think that really exists, or if it does it is filed in the bin. Serial abusers of domestic helper simply move on to the next maid agency who jump at the chance of making business. Sad but unfortunately true.
aimlesswanderer 3 August 2011 at 23:18
There may be such a group, quietly nurtured by the CCP, to be unleashed when needed.
See occasional anti Japanese/South Korean/Taiwanese/Evil Western Imperialist riots on the mainland.
Umm, I would have thought that the Philippine embassy would make sure that the really crazy people with bad histories of abusing maids couldn't hire any more. That makes sense, but since when is that an issue?
Agree AW!
Also, I am not quite sure what is going on with the Philippines government!
aimlesswanderer 10 August 2011 at 18:27
I guess they have trouble making sure the country runs, and in a way the unfortunate maids are sacrificed so that the people don't starve. Without the overseas remittances the Philippines would be a basket case.
Novel Names 15 August 2011 at 20:46
Filipinas in general are such happy, cheerful and bright people. It is just so sad that their government and the governing elite are so incompetent or corrupt or both.
Yeah, seems like the only people who can get anything done are the rich and the powerful. Everyone else gets ignored at best.
So all these ladies (and some men) find work overseas because things are so crap at home... sad, but true.
learn-french 21 October 2011 at 22:23
learn English in Ireland-You can learn English in your country in a local English language school. However, the experience and knowledge acquired is not the same as learning English where it is a native language.
He Said, He Said
Hong Kong great city, shame about the locals
Celebrate Pi Day
Verbal Diarrhoea #6
Egg Waffle Etiquette
You've Got To Work It Out For Yourselves, says Li Na
Graphic Artists Are Rubbish
Should Doctors Declare Conflicts Of Interest?
Football Players and Healthy Eating


Corneal Epithelial Abrasion with Ocular Burr As a Model for Cornea Wound Healing Solja Kalha1, Alison Kuony1, Frederic Michon1,2 1Helsinki Institute of Life Science, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 2School of Medicine and Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University This protocol describes a method to inflict an abrasion to the ocular surface of the mouse, and to follow the wound healing process thereafter. The protocol takes advantage of an ocular burr to partially remove the surface epithelium of the eye in anaesthetized mice.
Online Size-exclusion and Ion-exchange Chromatography on a SAXS Beamline Martha E. Brennich1, Adam R. Round2,3, Stephanie Hutin4 1Structural Biology Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 2European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 3School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Keele University, 4Groupe de Microscopie Electronique et Méthodes, Institut de Biologie Structurale The determination of the solution structure of a protein by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) requires monodisperse samples. Here, we present two possibilities to ensure minimal delays between sample preparation and data acquisition: online size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and online ion-exchange chromatography (IEC).
Flow Cytometry Protocols for Surface and Intracellular Antigen Analyses of Neural Cell Types Vishal Menon1, Ria Thomas1,2, Arun R. Ghale1,3, Christina Reinhard1, Jan Pruszak1,4 1Emmy Noether-Group for Stem Cell Biology, Department of Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Freiburg, 2Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine and Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 3School of Life Sciences, Keele University, 4Center for Biological Signaling Studies (BIOSS), University of Freiburg We provide a detailed description of a protocol for flow cytometric analysis of surface antigens and/or intracellular antigens in neural cell types. Critical aspects of experimental planning, step-by-step methodological procedures, and fundamental principles of flow cytometry are explained in order to enable neurobiologists to exploit this powerful technology.


text:
Australia Holds Cash Rate Steady At 1.5% In July
The Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at a record low of 1.5 percent during the meeting held on July 4th, as widely expected. Policymakers said the slowdown in Q1 GDP growth was temporary and the economy is expected to strengthen gradually, with the transition to lower levels of mining investment following the mining investment boom almost complete.
RBA l Rida Husna | rida@tradingeconomics.com 7/4/2017 5:51:23 AM
Excerpt from the statement by the governor, Philip Lowe:
Domestically, business conditions have improved and capacity utilisation has increased. Business investment has picked up in those parts of the country not directly affected by the decline in mining investment. At the same time, consumption growth remains subdued, reflecting slow growth in real wages and high levels of household debt.
Indicators of the labour market remain mixed. Employment growth has been stronger over recent months. The various forward-looking indicators point to continued growth in employment over the period ahead. Wage growth remains low, however, and this is likely to continue for a while yet. Inflation is expected to increase gradually as the economy strengthens.
The outlook continues to be supported by the low level of interest rates. The depreciation of the exchange rate since 2013 has also assisted the economy in its transition following the mining investment boom. An appreciating exchange rate would complicate this adjustment.
Conditions in the housing market vary considerably around the country. Housing prices have been rising briskly in some markets, although there are some signs that these conditions are starting to ease. In some other markets, prices are declining. In the eastern capital cities, a considerable additional supply of apartments is scheduled to come on stream over the next couple of years. Rent increases are the slowest for two decades. Growth in housing debt has outpaced the slow growth in household incomes. The recent supervisory measures should help address the risks associated with high and rising levels of household indebtedness. Lenders have also announced increases in mortgage rates for investor and interest-only loans.
Taking account of the available information, the Board judged that holding the stance of monetary policy unchanged at this meeting would be consistent with sustainable growth in the economy and achieving the inflation target over time.
Australia Opens Door to Rate Cut in February: RBA Minutes
The Reserve Bank of Australia would reassess the economic outlook in February 2020, when the bank would prepare updated forecasts, minutes of its December policy meeting showed. It added that policymakers have the ability to provide further stimulus to the economy, if required. Members also agreed that it was reasonable to expect that an extended period of low interest rates would be required in Australia to reach full employment and achieve the inflation target. The board would continue to monitor developments, including in the labor market, and was prepared to ease monetary policy further if needed to support sustainable growth in the economy, full employment and the achievement of the inflation target over time.
RBA Holds Cash Rate Steady at 0.75%
The Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at a record low of 0.75 percent during its December meeting, as policymakers assess the impact of the three cuts already delivered this year. The board added that they will continue to monitor the labor market and that it was reasonable to expect an extended period of low interest rates due to both global and domestic factors. Policymakers are also prepared to ease monetary policy further if needed to support growth.
RBA Considered Seriously November Rate Cut
There was a case for lowering the cash rate in Australia to a new record low, but the most appropriate approach would be to maintain the current stance of monetary policy, Minutes from the RBA's November meeting showed. This case largely rested on only gradual progress having been made towards the bank's goals, it added. While members judged that lower interest rates were supporting the economy through the usual transmission channels (including a lower exchange rate, higher asset prices and higher cash flows for borrowers), they recognised the negative effects of lower interest rates on savers and confidence. "The board would continue to monitor developments, including in the labor market, and was prepared to ease monetary policy further if needed to support sustainable growth in the economy, full employment and the achievement of the inflation target over time."
Australian Economy Gradually Comes Out of A Soft Patch
The Reserves Bank of Australia said the Australian economy was gradually coming out of a soft patch, it said in its quarterly monetary policy statement. Global financial markets too appear to have passed a trough of pessimism, it added, painting a more upbeat picture of the world economy than in its previous review in August. With regard to wages growth, the central bank noted it has showed little sign of picking up, with private sector wages growth is expected to remain close to its current rate, while in the public sector, wages growth is expected to continue to be constrained by government wages caps. Faster wages growth would be needed for inflation to be sustainably within the 2–3 per cent target range.
RBA Holds Cash Rate at Record Low
The Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at a record low of 0.75 percent during its October meeting, as widely expected, with policymakers assessing the impact of the three cuts already delivered since June. The board added that given global developments and the evidence of the spare capacity in the economy, it is reasonable to expect that an extended period of low interest rates will be required in Australia to reach full employment and achieve the inflation target. Also, they will continue to monitor the labor market, and are prepared to ease monetary policy further if needed to support sustainable growth, full employment and the achievement of the inflation target over time.
RBA Prepares to Ease Further If Needed: October Minutes
The Reserve Bank of Australia will assess global and domestic development, including the labor market, before lowering interest rates further, Minutes of its October meeting showed. Members noted that the bank's most recent forecasts suggested that the unemployment and inflation outcomes over the following couple of years were likely to be short of the bank's goals, it added. Also, the ongoing subdued rate of wages growth suggested that the economy still had spare capacity. At the same time, members recognised the possibility that policy stimulus might be less effective than past experience suggests. However, transmission through the exchange rate channel was still considered likely to work effectively, and evidence suggested that the positive effects of lower interest rates on aggregate household cash flows via lower debt repayments was likely to support household spending, given that household interest payments exceed receipts by more than two to one.
RBA Cuts Rates to All-Time Low
The Reserve Bank of Australia lowered its cash rate by 25 bps to a new record low of 0.75 percent during its September meeting, the third rate cut this year, aiming to support employment and income growth and to provide greater confidence that inflation will be consistent with the medium-term target. Policymakers also signalled the need for an extended period of low interest rates, while saying the central bank is prepared to ease monetary policy further if needed.
RBA Ready to Slash Interest Rates Further if Needed
Further monetary easing may well be required, RBA Governor Philip Lowe said in a speech on Tuesday, as the central bank prepares for a policy meeting next week. He noted that policymakers are ready to ease monetary policy further if needed to support sustainable economic growth and that an extended period of low interest rates will be required in Australia to make progress in reducing unemployment and achieving more assured progress towards the inflation target.
Low Rates for Longer: RBA Minutes
It was reasonable to expect that an extended period of low interest rates would be required in Australia to make sustained progress towards full employment and achieve more assured progress towards the inflation target, minutes of the RBA September meeting showed. "Recent outcomes suggested that spare capacity remained in the labor market and that the economy could sustain lower rates of unemployment and underemployment, " it added. At the same time, members recognized that housing credit growth had remained subdued, although mortgage rates were at record low levels and there was strong competition for borrowers of high credit quality.
Australia Holds Cash Rate Steady at 1%
The Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at a record low of 1 percent during its September meeting, as widely expected. Policymakers said that it is reasonable to expect that an extended period of low interest rates will be required to make progress in reducing unemployment and achieve progress towards the inflation target. The Committee added that they will continue to monitor the effects of the two consecutive rate cuts in June and July and developments in the labour market.
Further Monetary Easing on the Table: RBA Minutes
It was reasonable to expect that an extended period of low interest rates would be required in Australia to make sustained progress towards full employment and achieve more assured progress towards the inflation target, minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) August meeting showed. "Having eased monetary policy at the previous two meetings, the board judged it appropriate to assess developments in the global and domestic economies before considering further change to the setting of monetary policy." Members would consider a further easing of monetary policy if the accumulation of additional evidence suggested this was needed to support sustainable growth in the economy and the achievement of the inflation target over time, it added. Regarding unconventional monetary policies, including negative interest rates, members noted that the effectiveness of these measures depended upon the specific circumstances facing each economy and the nature of its financial system.
Lower Rates for Longer: RBA Statement
It is reasonable to expect that an extended period of low rates in Australia will be needed to achieve the central bank's employment and inflation objectives, the Reserve Bank of Australia said in its quarterly Statement on Monetary Policy. "The board will continue to monitor developments in the labour market closely and is prepared to ease monetary policy further if needed to support sustainable growth in the economy and the achievement of the inflation target over time," it added. Regarding GDP growth, it is expected to reach about 2-1/2 percent over 2019, and picked up to 2-3/4 percent in 2020, and around 3 percent in 2021, supported by lower interest rates, recent tax measure and a sign of turnaround in housing market.
RBA Keeps Cash Rate on Hold
The Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at a record low of 1 percent during its August meeting, following two consecutive rate cuts, saying it will take longer than earlier expected for inflation to return to the 2 percent target while the country's economic growth has been lower than previously forecast. The RBA is seen cutting interest rates later in the year as escalating US-China trade war tensions would pose mounting risk to the economy.
RBA Commits to Long-term Low Rates: Governor Lowe
It is reasonable to expect an extended period of low interest rates in Australia, whether or not further monetary easing is needed, the Reserve Bank of Australia/RBA Governor Philip Lowe said in a speech. "On current projections, it will be some time before inflation is comfortably back within the target range," he added. "The board is strongly committed to making sure we get there and continuing to deliver an average rate of inflation of between 2 and 3 percent." "It is highly unlikely that we will be contemplating higher interest rates until we are confident that inflation will return to around the midpoint of the target range." The central bank has lowered cash rate twice since June 2019 to a record low 1 percent in order to spur growth and revive inflation.
RBA Ready to Cut Cash Rate Again If Needed: July Minutes
A further reduction in the level of interest rates in Australia would support the necessary growth in employment and incomes, and promote stronger overall economic conditions, which would in turn support a gradual increase in underlying inflation, Minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) July policy meeting showed. "Lower interest rates would provide more Australians with jobs and assist with achieving more assured progress towards the inflation target," it added. Also, members judged that the extent of spare capacity in the economy, and the likely pace at which it would be absorbed, meant that a decline in interest rates was unlikely to encourage an unwelcome material pick-up in borrowing by households that would add to medium-term risks in the economy. "The Board would continue to monitor developments in the labor market closely and adjust monetary policy if needed to support sustainable growth in the economy and the achievement of the inflation target over time."
RBA Cuts Cash Rate Again to Fresh Record Low of 1%
The Reserve Bank of Australia lowered its cash rate by 25 bps to a new record low of 1.0 percent at its July meeting, as widely expected. It is the first back-to-back cut in borrowing cost since 2012, aiming to support employment growth and to provide greater confidence that inflation will be consistent with the medium-term target. The Committee said they will continue to monitor developments in the labour market and adjust monetary policy if necessary.
Further Rate Cuts on the Table: RBA Governor Lowe
The possibility of lower interest rates in Australia remained on the table as the Reserve Bank of Australia sought to wind back spare capacity in the economy and deliver inflation outcomes in line with the medium-term target, the central bank governor Philip Lowe said in a speech. However, he added, it is important to recognize that monetary policy is not the only option, and there are limitations to what can be achieved. " As a country we should also be looking at other ways to get closer to full employment. One option is fiscal policy, including through spending on infrastructure. Another is structural policies that support firms expanding, investing, innovating and employing people."
RBA Flags Further Easing: June Minutes
A further easing in interest rates in Australia would likely be needed to support growth in the economy, thereby reducing unemployment and contributing to inflation rising to a level consistent with the target, Minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia/RBA's June policy meeting showed. "Given the amount of spare capacity in the labour market and the economy more broadly, members agreed that it was more likely than not that a further easing in monetary policy would be appropriate in the period ahead," it added. "In the current environment, the main channels through which lower interest rates would support the economy were a lower value of the exchange rate, reduced borrowing rates for businesses, and lower required interest payments on borrowing by households, freeing up cash for other expenditure." Members also recognized, however, that lower interest rates were not the only policy option available.
RBA Cuts Cash Rate to Fresh Record Low
The Reserve Bank of Australia lowered the cash rate by 25 basis points to a new record low of 1.25 percent at its June meeting, as widely expected. It is the first cut in borrowing cost since August 2016, aiming to support employment growth and to achieve progress towards the inflation target range. The Committee said that they will continue to monitor developments in the labour market; support sustainable growth in the economy and achieve inflation target over time.
Australia to Consider Rate Cut in June: RBA Governor Lowe
The Reserve Bank of Australia/RBA will consider the case for lower interest rates at its June policy meeting, Governor Philip Lowe said in a speech. "A lower cash rate would support employment growth and bring forward the time when inflation is consistent with the target," Lowe added. "Given this assessment, at our meeting in two weeks' time we will consider the case for lower interest rates." A cut would be the first since the central bank's last easing to a record low 1.5 percent in August 2016. Considering the rate of unemployment that would not lead to a noticeable uplift in inflation, Lowe revealed that the Australian economy can support the rate of below 5 percent, which would be consistent with experience of many other advanced economies.
Italy 1.35 0.011 -0.01%


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DIRECTED BY : Cary Joji Fukunaga
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PRODUCED BY : Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli
CAST : Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux,Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes
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Official No Time to Die Full Movie Online or Download HD Film on Your PC, TV, MAC, iPad, iPhone, Mobile, tablet and Get trailer: No Time to Die is a forthcoming spy film and the twenty-fifth instalment in the James Bond film series produced by Eon Productions. It features Daniel Craig in his fifth and final outing as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond.[2][3] It is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga from a screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Fukunaga and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.[4] Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz and Ralph Fiennes reprise their roles from previous films, with Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas, Dali Benssalah, David Dencik and Billy Magnussen joining the cast.
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Louella sat on a bench in the town square going over her notes. She liked this spot in the center of town, which was within walking distance of the courthouse, The Country Diner, where she could go for coffee, and the public library, though each was closed now that it was Sunday. In early April, it was still cool enough to be caught outside in long sleeves, but not so cold that she needed a jacket.
"This is a strange story," she mumbled to herself as she flipped from a page of notes scribbled on a yellow legal pad to another separate pad, which contained the working outline of the book she was writing, tentatively titled, The Reverend.
She was still puzzling over how to connect the pieces when she became aware, by the rise of the wooden slats on the bench where she was sitting and the spread of tingles moving up her back and neck, that someone was sitting next to her. She turned her head up toward the main road, partially obscured by a hedge row, and saw out of her peripheral vision that it was a black man. Another bench lay unoccupied not ten feet away. There was no one else around.
Louella flinched at her the sound of her name. She had no excuse now not to look at him, so she turned both her eyes toward him and made her appraisal. He looked to be in his late-thirties, maybe early forties. He wore impenetrable black sunglasses and a navy blue turtle neck and white corduroy pants. He wore no hat and his afro stuck out three or four inches.
"The name's Kevin," the man said.
Kevin pulled his sunglasses down to the end of his nose and watched her for a moment, before pushing them back into position and looking in another direction.
Louella watched him for a moment. She looked around, but the streets were deserted, with most folks attending one of the many protestant churches in the area.
Ernie looked down the street. Louella turned and followed his gaze toward a man pushing a large broom down the sidewalk by the pharmacy.
"We can't talk here. I'll come to your motel tomorrow." Kevin eased off of the bench and stood behind her.
"You'll want to hear what I have to say," he said and quickly strolled off toward a back exit through a path through the hedges.
The next day, Louella spent the morning waiting in her room. It annoyed her that she had not been given a time frame of when she might expect this person, whom she barely knew, and she had doubts about his ability to provide any actionable information, but a little voice in the back of her head told her that this time, he was telling the truth. He hadn't asked for any money, and that bit about absolution suggested she was dealing with a rare breed—an honest criminal. After a cup of coffee brewed in the room and a light breakfast of bread and jam, she spent the rest of the morning going over her notes.
At noon, she had peanut butter sandwich and a glass of water and then wrote until four thirty in the afternoon. By then, she was beginning to get a little edgy. She had been invited to a cocktail party that evening, and she would need time to get ready.
She was just beginning to think he wasn't going to show when she heard a knock at the door.
"You're late," she said as the door swung open, but the person on the other side wasn't Kevin.
Instinctively, she took a step back and touched her hand to her heart.
A big smile expanded across the face of Ernie Smith. Without asking permission, he stepped into the room and closed the door.
Louella backed her way across the room, looking for a weapon. A lamp? Too large and unwieldy. A remote control? Too small. Then she saw the glass ashtray on the bedside table. It was heavy and while it probably wouldn't kill him, it could buy her enough time to escape.
"You were expecting someone else?" Ernie asked, maintaining his smile. He was dressed in a plain brown suit and a rumpled fedora. He carried a folded newspaper under his arm.
"You're expected guest couldn't make it," Ernie said, "so I came instead. I brought you your newspaper." The newspaper was rolled up in a rubber band, which Ernie slid to the top until it flew off to some corner of the room. He tossed the paper onto the bed in such a way that it unfolded enough to reveal the top half of the front page.
"Where is he?" From her vantage point, Louella could see the name of the newspaper—it was the Sentinel—but she couldn't make out the headline.
What an odd thing to say, thought Louella, with a growing sense of dread. She was caught between the newspaper and the ashtray. It would be awkward and obvious now if she continued to move toward her choice of weapon, so she stepped toward the bed, preparing herself as best she could to meet her fate.
Ernie shook his head in a gesture of pretend sadness. "I'm sorry you feel that way." He stepped closer to her.
"You wouldn't dare to hurt me," Louella said.
"You mean scrutiny like I have now," Ernie said.
Louella, shaking badly, dropped to a sitting position on the bed.
Ernie stared ahead in contemplation, and then nodded.
"I'll stick to the deal," Ernie said, "if you do." He turned walked outside. The door slammed shut behind him.
Louella fell to the bed, clutching the carbons to her chest. She was shaking and tears poured from her eyes and she gasped for breath. After a few minutes, she somewhat, but her hands shook as she attempted to place the copy of her chapter on the desk, right beside the original.


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with Tim Kawakami
The TK Show
A reminder: The Warriors have 75-mile territorial rights, which includes San Jose
Posted on February 21, 2009 by Tim Kawakami
The language is clear and the David Stern mandate is not wise to ignore: The Warriors have NBA territorial rights to every piece of potential hoops-harboring land within 75 miles of Oracle Arena.
There's no by-law that says Warriors owner Chris Cohan has to use his veto power to block another NBA franchise (say, the Sacramento Kings) from re-locating to the Bay Area…
But I guarantee you that Cohan would block such a proposed move, unless somebody is ready to plop $20M or so (probably more, depending on Cohan's mood) into his pocket, and right now, I do not see that happening.
75 miles. Yes, that includes San Jose, as I think we have discussed in previous years, when, for instance, the Seattle SuperSonics cast out some feelers about a potential re-location at the arena.
The territorial rights situation, like the Giants with any A's thought of moving to San Jose, is a deal-stopper. Period.
For the NBA and the GSWs, it mostly centers on the concrete fact that the Warriors have zero interest in allowing another franchise to slice up their carefully cultivated Bay Area fan base. That was true five years ago, and it must be 1,000 times more decisive in these economic conditions.
If the Sonics ever seriously thought about moving into what is now HP Pavilion, I am quite sure that thought was swatted away by Cohan communication to the league offices, and backed to the hilt by the commissioner, who knows what he has in the Bay Area is not to be over-exploited.
Turns out, the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City, which is assuredly more than 75 miles away from the Warriors' home base, last I checked.
This issue is raised again by recent soft utterances out of Sacramento.
According to some chatter, the Maloofs, who own the Kings, may have had contact with some officials/execs San Jose and/or Anaheim about re-location of the Kings.
That's presuming that the hunt for a new Sacramento arena continues to stall.
You see the reasoning: It's getting almost impossible to build new arenas or stadiums in California (hello A's, 49ers and Raiders!), and yet San Jose and Anaheim already have nice arenas and no NBA tenants.
I can see where the Maloofs would want to talk to people, would spotlight San Jose and Anaheim, and would not mind it at all if those loose thoughts hit the media. All the better to rev up the Sacramento talks as high as possible.
But the Lakers and Clippers are already in LA, and I cannot see a third team in the LA/OC area being an attractive commodity for Stern and the other owners.
And the Warriors are a Bay Area mainstay, despite all odds and win-loss records. They have the veto. They have the NBA behind them, and the NBA is not dumb.
The math, and the atlas, tells you all you need to know.
Tim Kawakami
Stanford hoops chronology: Yes, the Cardinal missed out on Montgomery AND Craig Robinson
The 49ers, Raiders and the seat-license certainty (if there's ever a new stadium, or two)
Giants owner Johnson says he was unaware of QAnon connections in donations
'Let them play': Parents, coaches rally to pressure California to speed return to prep sports
Bay Area preps: All CCS sports may begin practice Saturday — with restrictions
Bob Boughner discusses Erik Karlsson's ice time, what's next for Radim Simek
Oakland A's sign top-15 international prospect and 11 others from outside the U.S.
Why signing Alex Wood was an obvious move that creates obvious questions for the SF Giants
Sharks to leave Arizona this weekend, but may return for 'home' opener — at least
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