Bought a Nuvo 20 off a member off here since I couldn't set up my 40 due to the landlord. Hopefully that changes when we move this summer (though an upcoming bundle o joy may change my perceptions!).
Anyhow, here it is in all it's glory.
Beautiful setup bro! Lemme know if you have algae or Bryospis problem, I think I finally got mine solved with Reef Flux.
Thanks for the kind words Tommy!
I still have some algae, but it's steadily been on a decline. I did have some bryopsis, may still have more. I'm hoping my bad algae days are behind me.
Cleaned up the stand today too.
Nice tank!!! A lawnmower Blenny could help keep your algae from resurfacing.
Thanks! Reef Flux destroyed the algae. Here's hoping it doesn't come back. I'll hopefully be moving back to my 40 gallon soon so I'm not going to do too much to this thing. I started dosing 2 part and it was like hitting the turbo button on my Coral growth, zoas started growing and my Monti might be too big for the tank soon! Added a recent picture of the tank under the blues.
40g = more space for stonies!!!
And fish! The wife doesn't seem as excited as me but she didn't with the 20 gallon either.
Thanks Tommy! Not looking as hot right now (thinking I went a little crazy with the two part) so things are a little.... Erm .... Brown.
In other news, the anemone decided to stroll around the tank. Hoping it settles just a few inches higher than it is now.


text:
In de functionaalanalyse, een deelgebied van de wiskunde, is een sobolev-ruimte een vectorruimte van functies die is uitgerust met een norm, een combinatie van Lp normen van de functie zelf, alsmede partiële afgeleiden tot een gegeven orde. De afgeleiden worden begrepen in een geschikte zwakke zin om de ruimte volledig te maken, dus een banachruimte. Intuïtief is een sobolev-ruimte een banachruimte, en in sommige gevallen een hilbertruimte, van functies met een voldoende groot aantal afgeleiden voor enig toepassingsdomein, zoals partiële differentiaalvergelijkingen en uitgerust met een norm, die zowel de grootte en de gladheid van een functie meet.

Sobolev-ruimten zijn vernoemd naar de Russische wiskundige Sergej Sobolev. Hun belang is gelegen in het feit dat de oplossingen van sommige belangrijke partiële differentiaalvergelijkingen van nature in sobolev-ruimten liggen, maar niet in ruimten van continue functies waarbij de afgeleiden in klassieke zin worden opgevat.

Definitie
Zij  een open deel van  zij  en  De sobolev-ruimte  bestaat uit elementen  van  met de eigenschap dat voor elke multi-index  waarvoor  geldt:

Hierbij moet  worden gelezen als de meervoudige partiële afgeleide in de zin van distributies:

Functionaalanalyse
Wiskundige ruimte

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Elegant and functional, the Arctica Women's Gate Master Down Jacket is the third iteration designed specifically for gate training in early morning or frigid conditions. Using FLEX20 stretch waterproof/breathable fabric in high impact areas and lightweight but strong breathable DURALITE fabric in non impact areas, racers can train longer to gain that competitive edge. The trim fit is carefully designed to work over a GS suit. 650 fill power goose down traps body heat. Interior build includes DURALITE, a 20 denier nylon fabric that is very soft, lightweight and slips on easily over you speed suit or layers. Waterproof exterior chest, center front, hand warmer and pass pockets. Interior features include radio and goggle pocket, powder skirt and zippered chest pocket. Reflective logos for safety.


Detail: This RADAC display from the Minneapolis WSR-57 radar had a six color intensity scale and 4 ranges, with the data updated over digital land lines every 6 minutes. A squall line is approaching from the west. Circa 1985.


text:
Subject: 1 Reason the Price of Platinum per Ounce Will Rise in 2017
URL: http://bit.ly/2lOZVQ8
6 × = thirty six Required Please enter the correct value.
1 Reason the Price of Platinum per Ounce Will Rise in 2017
By Alex McGuire, Associate Editor, Money Morning • @AlexMcGuire92 • February 27, 2017
2 × six =
The price of platinum per ounce in 2017 has seen an exceptional rally compared to other precious metals…
Since the start of the year, gold prices are up 9.4% to $1,260.30 per ounce. On the other hand, the platinum price has climbed 15.2% over the same period. Platinum prices today (Monday, Feb. 27) are up 1.5% to $1,043.60.
And Money Morning Resource Specialist Peter Krauth – a 20-year veteran of the metals market – believes the price of platinum will head even higher in 2017. That's because platinum plays a huge role in one booming industry set to send long-term demand for the precious metal skyrocketing.
Before we get into this one industry's massive impact on platinum prices, here are two other things you may not know about platinum investing…
2 Important Facts to Know About the Platinum Market
The first fact is that platinum is among the rarest metals in the world. It's much rarer than gold and silver.
You see, platinum trades via futures contracts on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), similar to gold and silver. However, far less platinum is actually extracted from the ground every year. That's because it's simply too difficult to mine, which increases operating costs and makes platinum mining unprofitable for most companies.
Don't Miss: The Best Stocks to Buy in 2017 – Free Report
Data from Statista shows the world's five largest platinum-producing countries – South Africa, Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada, and the United States, which make up 98% of global platinum output – produced a combined 168.9 metric tons in 2016. That's nothing compared to the 3,100 metric tons of gold produced last year around the world.
The second thing to understand about the price of platinum per ounce is that it's correlated to the U.S. dollar – just like gold and silver prices.
And like gold and silver prices, platinum prices tend to move inversely to the dollar. Since platinum is priced in dollars, the price per ounce rises when the dollar weakens. That's because the metal becomes cheaper for people using other currencies to buy it. In other words, it takes less of a foreign currency to buy platinum.
But the third fact to know about the platinum price is how it could rally thanks to its use in one particular industry…
According to Krauth, roughly 43% of consumed platinum goes toward this industry. And growing sales in this industry will push demand higher this year.
Here's why the price of platinum will rise…
The Biggest Reason Why the Price of Platinum per Ounce Could Rise in 2017
Tags: Platinum
1 + = five

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Democrats thought Donald would never dare – not this liberal darling.
Democrats—and many others—hoped Trump would be just another typical Republican.
They assumed he would follow the plan of expanding the size of the government and spending relentlessly.
But, as usual, he's proving them all wrong. He's taking a scalpel to the federal fat and making us lean, lean, lean.
These include cuts to education loan programs and an office within the EPA.
The EPA? That's got to hurt, Democrats! Reports are that while most are taking a 5% cut, the EPA could get cut by over 30%.
One example is the Economic Development Administration, an agency helping rural areas after natural disasters.
But that's something that can be taken care of by FEMA. Trump is getting rid of wasteful redundancies.
President Trump is dedicated to saving Americans money. Typical politicians seem to spend, spend, spend, with no end in sight.
But Trump's promised to put Americans first, not the government.
Cutting programs and slashing the budget will reduce the need for the federal government from sucking our paychecks dry.
Most Democrats want the government to grow—did you hear about the Green New Deal?
And where has spending mountains of taxpayer dollars ever gotten us? Just more and more debt, and all the same problems, it seems.
President Trump is simply forcing the government to be responsible with our money. Isn't that the goal, after all?
SHARE if you support Trump shrinking the size of our government!


text:
cinemaweb
Film Reviews by Pamela Zoslov
Mister Rogers' Ministry of Love
I, Tonya: Harding Redeemed
Hey, Bulldog: Darkest Hour
Annual Obligatory Year-End List of 2017 Movies That Didn't Suck
Wheel of Misfortune
Ana wells on Love Has No Color: Loving
pzoslov on I, Tonya: Harding Redeeme…
jrchp123@cinci.rr.co… on I, Tonya: Harding Redeeme…
Annual Obligatory Ye… on Hey, Bulldog: Darkest Hou…
pzoslov on Annual Obligatory Year-End Lis…
Frightful Nightingale: Florence Foster Jenkins
Posted on August 12, 2016 August 12, 2016 by pzoslov
Florence Foster Jenkins is having a moment. The wealthy socialite and notably bad opera singer (1868-1948) who didn't let a lack of musical talent stop her from sharing her "gift" with concert audiences, is the subject of two films this year, the French film Marguerite and now Florence Foster Jenkins, a Hollywood movie starring Meryl Streep. Stephen Frears, the talented British director of Florence Foster Jenkins, joked, "If you're making a film and three other people aren't making the same film, there's something wrong."
Jenkins was born to a wealthy family and was a child piano prodigy who performed at the White House during the Rutherford B. Hayes administration. She had a passion for music and a burning desire to perform, but her father, a successful lawyer, disapproved. She rebelled by eloping at age 17 with her first husband, Dr. Frank Thornton Jenkins. The marriage was short-lived. She taught piano, but after an arm injury forced her to stop playing, she moved with her mother to New York and began to sing.
She met a Shakespearean actor named St. Clair Bayfield, seven years her junior, who became her common-law husband, manager and protector, keeping critics, scoffers and mockers away from Florence's "invitation-only" recitals. It was arranged so that Florence only sang for "music lovers," i.e., audiences who would cheer and applaud, often more loudly to cover any boos and jeers. The loyalty of her audiences was based on the fact that she was a generous patron of the arts, and that it was considered novel fun to hear her terrible singing, the incredible swoops and bizarre, failed attempts to hit high notes. It is an amazing thing to behold .
The enduring charm of Florence Foster Jenkins, and the thing that makes her recordings still listened to today, is her sweetly naïve belief in her own talent. A famous photograph shows her wearing angelic wings, part of a tableau vivant she produced based on the painting Stephen Foster and the Angel of Inspiration. One of many such hokey tableaux Florence created, it serves as our introduction to to her as the bewinged Florence is awkwardly lowered on wires onstage to inspire a "Stephen Foster" character to write "O! Susanna" at a performance for her own musical society, the Verdi Club. Elderly society ladies in elbow-length gloves applaud wildly. For her next act, Florence dons a Valkyrie helmet for a Wagner aria. Her devoted fans present her with a diamond watch in appreciation for her 25 years of service to New York musical culture. "Music has been, and is, my life," she declares. She is in her glory.
The real Florence Foster Jenkins, with wings.
Cleverly, the film does not introduce Florence's singing until much later, and it's heard only sparingly. Part of the film's magic is that you, the audience, feel a little bad for laughing at her indescribably dreadful bleating. You become as one with those 1930s listeners who held back laughter and cheered out of pity, amusement or genuine affection. Nicholas Martin's sensitive script and persuasive performances by Streep, Hugh Grant as her doting husband and Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg as loyal "FloJenk" accompanist Cosme McMoon, create enormous sympathy for this kind, well-meaning, if deluded lady.
Florence Foster Jenkins is as much a story about relationships as about music, or attempted music. The portrayal of Florence and St. Clair's ambiguous marriage is an interesting centerpiece. St. Clair, handsome in his tuxedoes, fulfills his failed acting ambitions by giving dramatic recitations at Florence's concerts. He is her caretaker, tenderly tucking her in and removing her curled wig to reveal her bald head. But is he also a gigolo, leaving his wife to meet his pretty mistress, Kathleen (Rebecca Ferguson), who's stashed in an apartment for which Florence pays the rent?
Grant, so much more interesting now that he is older and his face more attractively etched, toes this ambiguity deftly. He is the movie's most compelling character, doting on his elderly mate in a way reminiscent of Ralph Fiennes' dashing concierge in The Grand Budapest Hotel. St. Clair, who dances a mean jitterbug, has all the markings of a bounder, but as the story develops, we learn that he truly loves Florence. Their marriage is platonic, supposedly due to the syphilis Florence contracted from her first husband (her baldness was due to pre-penicillin treatments for the disease). "Ours is a very happy world," St. Clair tells Cosme, the soft-spoken pianist he has just hired to be Florence's accompanist. It is a happy world of fantasy, which requires elaborate bluffing and baffling and bribery to maintain. There is also, at one point, a bathtub filled with potato salad, her favorite dish.
Ambiguous marriage: Streep and Grant as Jenkins and Bayfield.
St. Clair's tireless efforts can't always protect Florence, his "Bunny," from herself. While he's away with his mistress on a "golfing" weekend, Florence, inspired by the coloratura Lily Pons, decides to book a concert at Carnegie Hall. In a patriotic fervor, she gives away a thousand tickets to members of the military. This time, St. Clair can't exclude hooting soldiers and sailors or bribe Earl Wilson of the New York Post to refrain from writing a scathing review. The concert, attended by celebrities including Tallulah Bankhead and Cole Porter, provides the film with a wild, almost horrifying climax.
I am often reluctant to enjoy the ubiquitous Meryl Streep and her annoyingly protean shape-shifting. Are there no other actresses in the world? But she brings welcome nuance to a character who might otherwise be portrayed as a cartoon. There is a wonderful scene in which she invites herself into the messy hovel of her accompanist, Cosme, and admonishes him for not washing his dishes. She offers to wash them, in his stained sink, if he agrees to play something for her. While he plays a piece of his own composition, she reveals some things about her past and sits down with him to play a Chopin etude. This kind of delicate character revelation should be a model for anyone wanting to write for movies. It's truly lovely, as are the film's impeccable period production design, costumes and settings. Grade: A+
Tags: Florence Foster Jenkins, Hugh Grant, Meryl Streep, Pamela Zoslov, Simon Helberg, Stephen FrearsCategories: Classical Music, Film Reviews
2 thoughts on "Frightful Nightingale: Florence Foster Jenkins"
JOHN J SAMOYEDNY says:
I love love love your reviews. To a true film supporter like myself i look forward to seeing this work of art, albeit art like product! We are blessed to be able to grow old gracefully with Ms. Streep for she is THE actress of our time. Thank you for using your talents to write your reviews, I eat them like a fine meal. Looking forward to your book when you decide to go that way.
pzoslov says:
Editor, writer, critic and street photographer. Former staff editor for many publications, now freelance spirit.


The Provincial Grand Master is both pleased and proud to announce, that after the Provincial Royal Ark Mariner Assembly on Saturday 1st December a St. John's Ambulance support vehicle will be dedicated and handed over to that organisation for use in Northamptonshire. Funded by the Mark Benevolent Fund the vehicle will carry the emblem of the MBF and the name of this Mark Province.
This new vehicles is just one of the 52 vehicles which have been secured thanks to a capital grant by the Mark Benevolent Fund to the Order of St John. The donation of over £3 million is providing new ambulances, treatment centres and support vehicles to St John Ambulance. The remainder of the vehicles are being handed over in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands in a phased programme throughout 2018.


I have an old deck. It is in need of a good cleaning and staining. One common mistake with pressure treated lumber is not sealing it or staining it. Just because the lumber has been treated to stand up to the elements does not mean it is 100% rot proof. Wood will rot. The rot process can be delayed by using the best material. It can also be delayed even longer by keeping that material clean and sealed. Mold and mildew can speed up the rot process on a deck. The mold and mildew will hold moisture directly against the deck and over time will break down the wood. If you have an older deck like I have, you need to thoroughly look the deck over for areas of concern. Look for boards that may need to be replaced. Look for areas with a lot of mold and mildew. Once these areas have been identified, take care of them. Replace the bad boards and treat the heavy mold and mildew areas with a good cleaner. Then clean the entire deck. Allow 24-48 hours for the deck to dry. During this time you can figure out if you want to seal the deck or clean the deck. It is up to you. You may want a shiny finish of a dull finish. After the deck is dry, apply the sealer or stain according to the manufactures directions. Give it another 24 hours to completely dry. During this time you can plan your next cook out and figure out which friends you are going to invite over. There are many how to videos out there to check out with a lot of good info. This is just a simple overview of why and how to clean you deck. If you are going to use a pressure washer, remember to keep the pressure low and use a gentle cleaner that is designed to be used with they type of decking material you have. If you have any questions or would like for us to come out and clean & seal your deck, please contact us.


text:
Carolinas reps line up on 'Don't Ask' repeal
by Matt Comer May 28, 2010 May 28, 2010
A measure that would partially repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the law that prevents open and honest military service by gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans, passed the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday.
The measure, an amendment to the defense re-authorization bill, was supported by the White House and several LGBT advocacy organizations. If successful, it will repeal the 1993 law from federal statute and return authority over the policy to the Department of Defense, which is currently undertaking a study on how to implement full repeal. That study's results are expected later this year or early next year.
The amendment passed 16-12 in the Senate Armed Services Committee, where North Carolina's Kay Hagan, a Democrat, voted "yes." Her Tar Heel colleague, Republican Richard Burr voted "no," as did South Carolina's Lindsey Graham. Only one Republican on the committee, Maine's Susan Collins, voted "yes." One Democrat, Virginia's Jim Webb, voted "no."
On the House floor, the amendment passed 234-194. All of North Carolina's Republican representatives voted "No", as did Democrats Bob Etheridge, Mike McIntyre and Heath Shuler. All but one in South Carolina's House delegation voted "no" on the measure. Democrat Jim Clyburn was that state's lone affirmative vote.
See a breakdown of Senate committee and House votes below.
Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said Thursday's repeal measure was "historic," but said there was more work to be done.
"The U.S. House and Representatives and the Senate Armed Services Committee both passed a historic roadmap to allowing open military service, but it doesn't end the discharges," he said in a release. "It is important for all gay and lesbian, active-duty service members, including the reserves and the national guard, to know they're at risk. They must continue to serve in silence under the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law that remains on the books."
Sarvis added, "Congress and the Pentagon need to stay on track to get repeal finalized, hopefully no later than first quarter 2011. The bottom line: gay and lesbian service members remain at risk for discharge and cannot serve openly."
Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese also said the House and Senate votes were historic.
"Lawmakers today stood on the right side of history," he said. "This is a historic step to strengthen our armed forces and to restore honor and integrity to those who serve our country so selflessly."
In a statement from the White House late Thursday, President Barack Obama said the passed measure were important bi-partisan steps toward repeal.
That statement read: "I have long advocated that we repeal 'Don't Ask Don't Tell', and I am pleased that both the House of Representatives and the Senate Armed Services Committee took important bipartisan steps toward repeal tonight. Key to successful repeal will be the ongoing Defense Department review, and as such I am grateful that the amendments offered by Representative Patrick Murphy and Senators Joseph Lieberman and Carl Levin that passed today will ensure that the Department of Defense can complete that comprehensive review that will allow our military and their families the opportunity to inform and shape the implementation process. Our military is made up of the best and bravest men and women in our nation, and my greatest honor is leading them as Commander-in-Chief. This legislation will help make our Armed Forces even stronger and more inclusive by allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve honestly and with integrity."
Carl Levin (Michigan)
Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia)
Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut)
Jack Reed (Rhode Island)
Daniel K. Akaka (Hawaii)
Bill Nelson (Florida)
Ben Nelson (Nebraska)
Evan Bayh (Indiana)
Claire McCaskill (Missouri)
Mark Udall (Colorado)
Kay Hagan (North Carolina)
Mark Begich (Alaska)
Roland W. Burris (Illinois)
Jeff Bingaman (New Mexico)
Edward E. Kaufman (Delaware)
Susan M. Collins (Maine)
Jim Webb (Virginia)
John McCain (Arizona)
James M. Inhofe (Oklahoma)
Jeff Sessions (Alabama)
Saxby Chambliss (Georgia)
Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
John Thune (South Dakota)
Roger F. Wicker (Mississippi)
George S. LeMieux (Florida)
Scott Brown (Massachusetts)
Richard Burr (North Carolina)
David Vitter (Louisiana)
House of Representatives, North Carolina
G.K. Butterfield, Y
Bob Etheridge, N
Larry Kissell, Y
Mike McIntyre, N
Brad Miller, Y
David Price, Y
Heath Shuler, N
Mel Watt, Y
Howard Coble, N
Virginia Foxx, N
Walter Jones, N
Patrick McHenry, N
Sue Myrick, N
House of Representatives, South Carolina
Jim Clyburn, Y
John Spratt, N
J. Gresham Barrett, N
Henry Brown, N
Bob Inglis, N
Joe Wilson, N
Tagged: Charlotte, Columbia, Politics, Raleigh, Triad
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This apartment is in the Mccully - Moiliili neighborhood in Honolulu. Nearby parks include Honolulu Stadium State Park, Old Stadium Park and moilili neighborhood park.
1019 Kemole Ln. has a Walk Score of 95 out of 100. This location is a Walker's Paradise so daily errands do not require a car.
NEWLY RENOVATED 2 BED 1 BATH IN MCCULLY AREA! AVAILABLE NOW! - A brand new painted and fully renovated 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom 1 parking unit about 500 sq. Closely located near the Ross, Longs Drugs, restaurants, Honolulu Stadium State Park, University of Hawaii ( Manoa), and bus lines.
The unit is available for move in NOW!!
Coin operating Washer and Dryer provided on site.
Minimum 1-year lease. Please use google maps to see property prior to schedule viewing.
Explore how far you can travel by car, bus, bike and foot from 1019 Kemole Ln..
1019 Kemole Ln. has good transit which means many nearby public transportation options. Car sharing is available from RelayRides and WeCar.
View all Mccully - Moiliili apartments on a map.
Popular apartment searches include pool, furnished and top floor.
1019 Kemole Ln. is in the Mccully - Moiliili neighborhood. Mccully - Moiliili is the 4th most walkable neighborhood in Honolulu with a neighborhood Walk Score of 87.
1626 - 1636 Palama St.


text:
/**
 *  @file ReactionPath.h
 *
 *  Classes for reaction path analysis.
 */

// Copyright 2001  California Institute of Technology

#ifndef CT_RXNPATH_H
#define CT_RXNPATH_H

#include "cantera/numerics/DenseMatrix.h"
#include "Group.h"
#include "Kinetics.h"

namespace Cantera
{
enum flow_t   { NetFlow, OneWayFlow };

// forward references
class Path;

/**
 *  Nodes in reaction path graphs.
 */
class SpeciesNode
{
public:
    /// Default constructor
    SpeciesNode() : number(npos), name(""), value(0.0),
        visible(false), m_in(0.0), m_out(0.0) {}

    /// Destructor
    virtual ~SpeciesNode() {}

    // public attributes
    size_t number;           ///<  Species number
    std::string      name;             ///<  Label on graph
    doublereal  value;            ///<  May be used to set node appearance
    bool        visible;          ///<  Visible on graph;

    /**
     *  @name References.
     * Return a reference to a path object connecting this node
     *  to another node.
     */
    //@{
    Path*        path(int n)       {
        return m_paths[n];
    }
    const Path*  path(int n) const {
        return m_paths[n];
    }
    //@}

    /// Total number of paths to or from this node
    int nPaths() const {
        return static_cast<int>(m_paths.size());
    }

    /// add a path to or from this node
    void addPath(Path* path);

    doublereal outflow() {
        return m_out;
    }
    doublereal inflow() {
        return m_in;
    }
    doublereal netOutflow() {
        return m_out - m_in;
    }

    void printPaths();

protected:
    doublereal m_in;
    doublereal m_out;
    std::vector<Path*> m_paths;
};

class Path
{
public:
    typedef std::map<size_t, doublereal> rxn_path_map;

    /**
     *  Constructor. Construct a one-way path from
     *  \c begin to \c end.
     */
    Path(SpeciesNode* begin, SpeciesNode* end);

    /// Destructor
    virtual ~Path() {}

    /**
     * Add a reaction to the path. Increment the flow from this
     * reaction, the total flow, and the flow associated with this
     * label.
     */
    void addReaction(size_t rxnNumber, doublereal value,
                     const std::string& label = "");

    /// Upstream node.
    const SpeciesNode* begin() const {
        return m_a;
    }
    SpeciesNode* begin() {
        return m_a;
    }

    /// Downstream node.
    const SpeciesNode* end() const {
        return m_b;
    }
    SpeciesNode* end() {
        return m_b;
    }

    /**
     *  If \c n is one of the nodes this path connects, then
     *  the other node is returned. Otherwise zero is returned.
     */
    SpeciesNode* otherNode(SpeciesNode* n) {
        return (n == m_a ? m_b : (n == m_b ? m_a : 0));
    }

    /// The total flow in this path
    doublereal flow() {
        return m_total;
    }
    void setFlow(doublereal v) {
        m_total = v;
    }

    ///  Number of reactions contributing to this path
    int nReactions() {
        return static_cast<int>(m_rxn.size());
    }

    ///  Map from reaction number to flow from that reaction in this path.
    const rxn_path_map& reactionMap() {
        return m_rxn;
    }

    /**
     * Write the label for a path connecting two species, indicating
     * the percent of the total flow due to each reaction.
     */
    void writeLabel(std::ostream& s, doublereal threshold = 0.005);

protected:
    std::map<std::string, doublereal> m_label;
    SpeciesNode* m_a, *m_b;
    rxn_path_map m_rxn;
    doublereal m_total;
};

/**
 *  Reaction path diagrams (graphs).
 */
class ReactionPathDiagram
{
public:
    ReactionPathDiagram();

    /**
     * Destructor. Deletes all nodes and paths in the diagram.
     */
    virtual ~ReactionPathDiagram();

    /// The largest one-way flow value in any path
    doublereal maxFlow() {
        return m_flxmax;
    }

    /// The net flow from node \c k1 to node \c k2
    doublereal netFlow(size_t k1, size_t k2) {
        return flow(k1, k2) - flow(k2, k1);
    }

    /// The one-way flow from node \c k1 to node \c k2
    doublereal flow(size_t k1, size_t k2) {
        return (m_paths[k1][k2] ? m_paths[k1][k2]->flow() : 0.0);
    }

    /// True if a node for species k exists
    bool hasNode(size_t k) {
        return (m_nodes[k] != 0);
    }

    void writeData(std::ostream& s);

    /**
     *  Export the reaction path diagram. This method writes to stream
     *  \c s the commands for the 'dot' program in the \c GraphViz
     *  package from AT&T. (GraphViz may be downloaded from
     *  www.graphviz.org.)
     *
     *  To generate a postscript reaction path diagram from the
     *  output of this method saved in file paths.dot, for example, give
     *  the command:
     *  \code
     *  dot -Tps paths.dot > paths.ps
     *  \endcode
     *  To generate a GIF image, replace -Tps with -Tgif
     */
    void exportToDot(std::ostream& s);

    void add(ReactionPathDiagram& d);
    SpeciesNode* node(size_t k) {
        return m_nodes[k];
    }
    Path* path(size_t k1, size_t k2) {
        return m_paths[k1][k2];
    }
    Path* path(size_t n) {
        return m_pathlist[n];
    }
    size_t nPaths() {
        return m_pathlist.size();
    }
    size_t nNodes() {
        return m_nodes.size();
    }

    void addNode(size_t k, const std::string& nm, doublereal x = 0.0);

    void displayOnly(size_t k=npos) {
        m_local = k;
    }

    void linkNodes(size_t k1, size_t k2, size_t rxn, doublereal value,
                   std::string legend = "");

    void include(const std::string& aaname) {
        m_include.push_back(aaname);
    }
    void exclude(const std::string& aaname) {
        m_exclude.push_back(aaname);
    }
    void include(std::vector<std::string>& names) {
        for (size_t i = 0; i < names.size(); i++) {
            m_include.push_back(names[i]);
        }
    }
    void exclude(std::vector<std::string>& names) {
        for (size_t i = 0; i < names.size(); i++) {
            m_exclude.push_back(names[i]);
        }
    }
    std::vector<std::string>& included() {
        return m_include;
    }
    std::vector<std::string>& excluded() {
        return m_exclude;
    }
    std::vector<size_t> species();
    vector_int reactions();
    void findMajorPaths(doublereal threshold, size_t lda, doublereal* a);
    void setFont(const std::string& font) {
        m_font = font;
    }
    // public attributes

    std::string title;
    std::string bold_color;
    std::string normal_color;
    std::string dashed_color;
    std::string element;
    std::string m_font;
    doublereal threshold,
               bold_min, dashed_max, label_min;
    doublereal x_size, y_size;
    std::string name, dot_options;
    flow_t flow_type;
    doublereal scale;
    doublereal arrow_width;
    bool show_details;
    doublereal arrow_hue;

protected:
    doublereal                    m_flxmax;
    std::map<size_t, std::map<size_t, Path*> > m_paths;
    std::map<size_t, SpeciesNode*> m_nodes;
    std::vector<Path*>                 m_pathlist;
    std::vector<std::string>                m_include;
    std::vector<std::string>                m_exclude;
    std::vector<size_t> m_speciesNumber;
    std::map<size_t, int>                 m_rxns;
    size_t m_local;
};

class ReactionPathBuilder
{
public:
    ReactionPathBuilder() {}
    virtual ~ReactionPathBuilder() {}

    int init(std::ostream& logfile, Kinetics& s);

    int build(Kinetics& s, const std::string& element, std::ostream& output,
              ReactionPathDiagram& r, bool quiet=false);

    //! Analyze a reaction to determine which reactants lead to which
    //! products.
    int findGroups(std::ostream& logfile, Kinetics& s);

    void writeGroup(std::ostream& out, const Group& g);

protected:
    void findElements(Kinetics& kin);

    size_t m_nr;
    size_t m_ns;
    size_t m_nel;
    vector_fp m_ropf;
    vector_fp m_ropr;
    vector_fp m_x;
    std::vector<std::vector<size_t> > m_reac;
    std::vector<std::vector<size_t> > m_prod;
    DenseMatrix m_elatoms;
    std::vector<std::vector<int> > m_groups;
    std::vector<Group> m_sgroup;
    std::vector<std::string> m_elementSymbols;
    //        std::map<int, int> m_warn;
    std::map<size_t, std::map<size_t, std::map<size_t, Group> > >  m_transfer;
    std::vector<bool> m_determinate;
    Array2D m_atoms;
    std::map<std::string, size_t> m_enamemap;
};

}

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Foseco - Change in management and leadership
Change in management and leadership - Continuity in service and sales
On 30 June 2021, Heinz Nelissen will retire after 31 years of successful service to the Foseco and Vesuvius group of companies.
Heinz Nelissen
Source: Foseco
Heinz Nelissen was instrumental in the development and expansion of Foseco and Vesuvius, first as product manager for non-ferrous products, then for Foseco as sales manager of the foundry non-ferrous business unit. After two years of business development in Eastern Europe and the founding of Foseco Poland, he returned to Borken, where he took over the Ferrous Division as Business Unit Manager from 2002. In 2003 he was appointed Managing Director of Foseco GmbH. As Director Europe North for the Foundry Division, Heinz Nelissen was then mainly responsible for the management of the Foundry Division from 2005. He was instrumental in the successful development and production of the riser and filter range and was responsible for the integration of the coating business.
In agreement with the Vesuvius Group, Heinz Nelissen resigned from his position as Managing Director of Vesuvius GmbH at the beginning of this year, a position he held for 18 years. He will continue to work for the company as Area Director Northern Europe until 30 June 2021, after which he looks forward to retiring.
Quote Heinz Nelissen: "In my 31 years in the foundry industry, I have met many great people, faced many challenges and implemented many ideas together with colleagues and customers. Important management tasks, such as the development of the European non-ferrous organisation and the high investments in the further automation of the Borken site, were successfully implemented. From a marketing perspective, it was a highlight for me to be appointed President of GIFA 2019. This was a recognition of the many years of efforts by Foseco and the Foseco employees to innovate, and at the same time an honour for me personally."
His successor as managing director of Vesuvius GmbH for the foundry division is Rafael Carbonell. Rafael Carbonell holds a master's degree in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics from Cambridge University and an MBA from London Business School. After graduating, he spent 10 years in various management positions in the aluminum industry. For more than two years, he has been responsible for the strategic growth of the European foundry business at the Vesuvius Group as European Vice President EMEA Foundry. He will continue to perform this task in addition to his duties as Managing Director.
Hannes Erger
Close contact and partnership with customers remain Foseco's most important concern. For this reason, Hannes Erger, Business Unit Manager for the iron and steel foundry business, has been appointed to the management team in Borken. Hannes Erger will remain the contact person for all matters concerning customers and sales and will support the management in sales decisions. He will also represent the iron and steel foundries business unit in public relations and association work.
In Hannes Erger, Foseco has found a committed and competent successor for the management. Hannes Erger has been with Foseco for over 21 years and can look back on many years of experience in various areas of activity in the foundry industry. He is therefore very familiar with the special requirements that customers place on foundry solutions. Hannes Erger has been with the company since 1999 and was appointed Sales Manager for iron and steel foundries in 2003. Since 2014, he has had overall responsibility for the iron and steel foundries business unit as Business Unit Manager. Customer concerns and satisfaction are particularly important to Hannes Erger. "I would like to continue the partnership-based and successful cooperation with our customers that we have experienced so far. I am convinced that the German foundry industry and thus also Foseco will still have to deal with the consequences of the Corona pandemic in the medium term. We assume that the cast tonnage in Germany will level off again at a higher level in about two years.
Together with our customers, we will continue to apply our proven Foseco Business Model. In cooperation between the management staff in the foundries and our experts, topics such as changes in processes, minimisation of the use of resources, innovative Foseco product application and the associated increase in productivity as well as quality improvements are of high importance. These need to be further identified and implemented. Our contribution beyond the next few months is to make foundry products "Made in Germany" even more efficient and attractive. In this way we can help to secure Germany as a foundry location in the long term.
I am looking forward to the new task, which will certainly bring exciting discussions and innovations," says Hannes Erger on his move to the management.
In recent years, Vesuvius has invested heavily in the development of new product ideas for its foundry customers. Hannes Erger sees the successful marketing of these products as a focal point and opportunities to further expand the business.
There will be no changes in the non-ferrous division: Jens Ohm will remain responsible for this sector in his role as Sales Manager Northern Europe.


The Dendrinos Chapel & Recital Hall was built in 1981 and seats 230. More intimate performances, such as student, faculty and guest artists recitals take place here. It is also home to Interlochen's 50-rank Reuter pipe organ, which was restored and rededicated in 2006. The space is also used for religious services for a variety of denominations.


EU US Privacy Shield Framework 2nd annual review: Per European Regulator, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), the U.S. has made significant progress but some issues remain.
Overly broad exemption for publicly available information.
Details in the full text of the Second Annual Joint Review.


text:
Home North India South India East India West India Central India Contact Us
Tour to Secunderabad
Home>>South India>>Telangana>>Secunderabad
Medak Cathedral
All Saints' Church, Trimulgherry
Holy Trinity Church, Bolarum
Sayedani Maa Tomb
Runway 9
Ananda Buddha Vihara
MG Road (James' Street)
Rashtrapati Nilayam (President's House)
Welcome to Secunderabad,
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Telangana just north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. It is separated from Hyderabad by the Hussain Sagar Lake. Both cities are collectively known just as Hyderabad outside the state.
The city has a big parade ground, race course and polo ground. It is said that the British had one of their largest military establishments here. There is an observatory and the Saifabad Palace on the east of Hussain Sagar Lake here. Another big building here is the 'Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bolarum', which acts as the living quarters of the President whenever the president visits the place.
Famous Places in Secunderabad
visit All Saints' Church, Trimulgherry
visit Ananda Buddha Vihara
visit Bollarum Golf Course
visit Clock Tower
visit Garden Restaurant
visit Gymkhana Ground
visit Hasmathpet
visit Holy Trinity Church, Bolarum
visit MG Road (James' Street)
visit Maharaja Chandulal`s Temple
visit Medak Cathedral
visit Parade Ground
visit Park Lane
visit Polo Ground
visit Railway Golf Course
visit Rashtrapati Nilayam (President's House)
visit Rastrapathi Road (King's Way)
visit Runway 9
visit Sangeet Cinema
visit Sayedani Maa Tomb
visit Shamirpet Deer Park
visit Shamirpet Lake
visit St. John's Church
visit St. Mary's Church
visit The Alleygator
visit Trimulgherry
visit Trimulgherry Fort
This gothic church was established 149 years ago. It has also won the prestious Heritage Award from the governor of AP for the unique structure as well as for its good maintenance.
Worship Time : sunday @ 8:30 AM and the services are held both in English and Tamil every alternative sundays.
It is a Buddhist tourist destination. Located at Mahendra Hills, it houses meditation hall, a museum and rest houses for monks etc.
Bollarum Golf Course
This is the oldest and largest golf course in the entire twin cities and is located at Bollarum. This is the only 18-hole golf course in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. This is owned and maintained by the Indian Army and is not open to general public. For entry, one has to be either a serving or retired Defence personnel or affiliated with the Secunderbad Club or RSI Club.
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more (often four) clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. The clock tower is one of the oldest monument in Secundrabad. It was constructed in 1860 by the Brits. It is a symbol of pride for the people of Secunderabad. It is situated at St. Mary Church Road in the city.
Garden Restaurant is a famous restaurant in the city, situated opposite to the Clock Tower. It is decorated on the Christmas Eve.
Gymkhana Ground
This is a large ground which is under the control of the Union Defence Ministry. A significant portion of the ground is leased to the Hyderabad Cricket Association by the Cantonment Board. Other portions are occasionally let out for various occasions such as exhibitions, trade fairs, musical concerts, etc.
The grounds are also a favourite for all kinds of sports especially inter-school/college and inter-city tournaments. There is a small, but, neatly laid out cricket ground which regularly hosts first class cricket matches.
Hasmathpet
'Hasmathpet' is a small town which comes under old bownepally in Secunderabad, India. Hasmathpet Cheru which connected from Alwal Lake is most well known place in this area. One can feel Tankbund like look over there. Sri Hanuman Temple, Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Shri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple, Gurdwara etc are famous religious places in this town.
Holy Trinity Church is a church under the auspices of the Church of South India. It is located in the Bolarum locality of Secunderabad. Construction of the church, in 1847, was personally funded by Queen Victoria, on land donated by the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was initially an Anglican church, and a place of worship for British army officers and other Indian Christian families.
The Church is medium sized, and in the Victorian Gothic style. The stained glass windows are similar to those of country churches in England. The pews in the church are original, as are the stained glass at the altar, the pulpit and the bell. Tablets on the walls commemorate the deaths of parishioners, especially British Army officers and their families. The adjacent cemetery contains graves dating from 1851. In 1983, Queen Elizabeth II visited the church and celebrated her 36th wedding anniversary there, in a service led by Bishop Victor Premasagar.
MG Road or Mahatma Gandhi Road formerly known as James Street is one of the busiest roads of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and a foremost shopping district in Secunderabad. It is spread over 2 km. It leads to a warren of streets called Tobacco Bazaar and Pot Market. Major landmarks include Gandhi Statue, Chermas, Asrani Hotel, Paradise X roads, KFC, Ramgopalpet Police Station and Malani Building. The General Bazar and Cloth Market off this road are familiar haunts for shoppers and bargain hunters.
Maharaja Chandulal`s Temple
Maharaja Chandulal`s temple is situated in the village of Alwar, on the way to Amravati. It contains a silver idol dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara. This temple was built in 1860.
Medak Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop in Medak of the Church of South India (formerly Anglican). It is the administrative head of the Diocese of Medak, the second largest diocese in the world. It was consecrated on 25 December 1924. The Cathedral is considered to be the greatest of the cathedrals in Telangana. The Anglican Medak Cathedral, which belongs to the single largest diocese in Asia, is a priceless heritage. Built by the British Wesleyan Methodists, the Cathedral is now under the jurisdiction of the Church of South India (CSI) diocese of Medak. It took full 10 years to complete this architectural marvel.
The roof of the Church is made sound-proof by means of hollow sponge material and has an impressive style of vaulting. The floor of the cathedral is laid with tiles brought in from Italy. The bell-tower of the Cathedral is 175 ft (53 m) high. There are three magnificent stained-glass windows depicting the Nativity, Crucifixion and Ascension of Jesus Christ. The stained-glass windows are a major tourist attraction.
This vast ground is also under the control of the Union Defence Ministry and serves as the designated venue for all official events and ceremonies like Independence Day and Republic Day parade and celebrations. The Cantonment Board lets out this ground also for civilian purposes like political party rallies, meetings, cultural events, etc. The Gymkhana Ground lies adjacent to this ground.
This is a famous lane known for fashion textiles, ready-made stores, etc. CTC (Chenoy Trade Centre), which is the largest computer bazaar in the twin cities is located here. Sales, rentals and repair of computer peripherals are done here. Other businesses are also located here.
Polo Ground
Abutting the Parade Ground and again under the control of the Union Defence Ministry is the Polo Ground which is used for military and NCC training purposes. Polo matches and annual polo tournaments are held in this ground.
Railway Golf Course
This is also a well-known golf course in the city, located at Tarnaka. Spread over a vast and lush green area, this place is a golfer's paradise and attracts various golfers from various parts of state and the country.
Rashtrapati Nilayam ("President's House") is one of the three official retreats of the President of India. It is located in a suburb called Bollarum on the outskirts of the south Indian city, Secunderabad. It has come to be known as President's Southern Sojourn. It is occasionally used as a guest house for visiting dignitaries. The other retreats are Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi and The Retreat Building in Shimla.
The Rashtrapati Nilayam at Secunderabad is considered to be the equivalent of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. It serves as the temporary office of the president when he is on his annual trip to South India. The building gets transformed into a grand office when the president visits here. There is a large entrenched camp located 3 miles to the North-East of Secunderabad, at Trimalgiri. The large castellated building, known locally as Windsor Castle built in the late 19th century, was a military prison. It is a gloomy Military Prison from Victorian times, which is no longer in use. The station hospital lies south of the south-east bastion.
Rastrapathi Road (King's Way)
Earlier known as Kingsway, Rastrapathi Road is a major shopping district in Secunderabad in India. The Rastrapathi Road connects Sardar Patel Road and Tankbund Road. Nearby shopping malls are CMR, Chandana Brothers, and R.S. Brothers. There is also a shopping arcade named Clock Tower which is one of the most developed areas in Secunderabad. There is a very big service provider named Navakaten. There are also many textile showrooms nearby.
Located in Kompally, is the thrilling adventure sports center Runway 9. This largest Go-Karting center in India has a full scale 711 metres concrete track conforming to international standards. Other facilities include pool and snooker, archery, shooting, and roller skating, children's play area, fast food restaurants etc.
Sangeet Cinema
The contemporary face of Secunderabad is reflected by Pizza Corner on S.P.Road, Anand and Sangeet cinemas, Elahe's boutique, Minerva Shopping Complex, Foodworld on Prenderghast Road, Sangeet Sagar, the music shop, and the office of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The city is also flanked by multiplexes that are popular hangout joints among the current generation.
Sayedani Maa Tomb also known as Saidani Maa Ki Dargah or Maa Saheba Ke Dargah. The Tomb is located in the northern end of the Tank Bund, in Secunderabad or Hyderabad, India. The Saidani Maa Ki Dargah is a tribute of a son to his mother's memory and her values in life. It was constructed in 1883 AD. The Saidani Maa Ki Dargah is a stunning mausoleum was built with lovely lattice work and the grave has been fashioned in the prevalent fashion of the day - a combination of Qutb Shahi and Mughal styles of building.
The onion shaped dome is so frequently found in Islamic architecture. Both the interior and exterior of the tomb are decorated with fine arches and stucco works and the top is covered by an onion-shaped dome and has been carved intricately with marble lattice work. On the upper pavilion are the small Minarets and These unique lime and mortar Minarets are beautifully carved and have marble inlay work on them.Inside the mausoleum, there is an underground chamber where only women are permitted to enter.
Shamirpet Deer Park
Shamirpet Deer Park, located in Bolaram Cantonment of Hyderabad, is about 24kms away from the city. The park stretches over a vast area of 54 acres with deciduous forest giving shelter to a wide array of animals. Famous as the home to the Blackbuck and the Chital deer, several other species of deer can also be seen in their natural habitat. The serene Shamirper lake and the thick vegetation around the park makes it a charming picnic spot.
Shamirpet Lake
Shamirpet Lake is an artificial lake in Secunderabad, India, about 24 kilometers from the city. It was built during the Nizam reign. The lake attracts many birds, making it a good birdwatching spot. There is a deer park nearby. A resort run by the Government of Telangana is located near the lake.
Shamirpet lake attracts a lot of birds, hence it's a destination for bird watchers too. The best time to visit this lake is during October to March.
The Church of St. John the Baptist was consecrated and dedicated in 1813. St. John's Church served the spiritual needs of the British Forces stationed at Lancer's Line, Secunderabad. St. Johns Church is cruciform in shape. The Rangoon Teak wooden ceiling is supported by graceful columns designed according to a strict rule and order known as the Tuscan order, which is a simplified version of the Doric order. It was only in 1914 that electric lighting was installed.
St. Mary's Church is the oldest Roman Catholic church in the city of Secunderabad, India. It was formerly the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hyderabad. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Adjacent to the church is the convent of St. Ann's which runs the locally famous St. Ann's High School, Secunderabad.
The church is a typical example of the Indian Gothic style, with curved arches and pointed buttresses. As with other Catholic churches, St. Mary's has several side altars dedicated to saints. The church has four bells, which were brought from Italy in 1901. One of the bells is reported to have developed cracks
The Alleygator
The entertainment hub, Alleygator is located at clock tower, Secunderabad. Sprawling across an area of 15,000 sq. feet, it is a perfect place to enjoy the leisure time with the entire family. This one stop entertainer is dotted with four lines of bowling alleys, six pool tables, a wide variety of video games etc. The cafeteria here serves mouth watering food. The alleygator also has a 34-seater private theatre which is offered on hire.
Trimulgherry or Thirmulgherry or Tirumalagiri is a major suburb of Secunderabad, India. It is the anglicised name for Tirumalagiri. It is to the north of Hyderabad. There are some upmarket restaurants in this suburb ranging from Continental, Chinese and Indian. It is famous for Trimulgherry Fort.
There are many fast food joints. In January 2007, McDonald's opened its second restaurant in Hyderabad here. Other eateries in this locality are KFC,Cafe Latte, Xtreme Sports Bar, Olives and Cheese,Koffee and Kebabs, Baskin Robbins,Pizza Haven and many bakeries such as Vacs Pastry and Cake Basket. Specialist Hyderabadi Restaurants like Hyderabad House, Biryani Durbar and The Pride Residency (includes lodging) are located here. Punjabi Restaurants like Jeet's Kitchen and a multicuisine restaurant like Pepper Pods.
Trimulgherry Fort
Trimulgherry Fort is situated in the cantonment area in Trimulgherry a major suburb of Secunderabad, India. The fort was built in 1867. A deep trench surrounds it, which is about 3 miles in length. The fort once comprised of barracks, arsenals, stables, mews, mess houses, and military offices. It has now been transformed to a Military Hospital.
Some Town : Alwal, Bowenpally, Karkhana, Sainikpuri, Patny, Sikh etc.
Other Churches : Centenary Baptist Church, St. Thomas S.P.G. Church, St. Andrew's Syrian Orthodox Church at West Marredpally etc.
Other Notable Buildings : King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, The United Services Club, Mahendra Hills etc.
Other Commercial Areas : Patny, Paradise Circle, Swapnalok Complex, Karkhana etc.
Other Temples : Sri Ganesh Temple at Gopalpuram, Sri Hanuman Temple atTadbund, Sree Ayyappa Devasthanam at Bolarum, Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple at Padmarao Nagar etc.
go to Twin City - Hyderabad
go to Hussain Sagar Lake - which separates Secunderabad from Hyderabad
-Tour to Andhra Pradesh
-Tour to Andaman and Nicobar Islands
-Tour to Arunachal Pradesh
-Tour to Assam
-Tour to Bihar
-Tour to Chandigarh
-Tour to Chhattisgarh
-Tour to Dadra and Nagar Haveli
-Tour to Daman and Diu
-Tour to Delhi
-Tour to Goa
-Tour to Gujarat
-Tour to Haryana
-Tour to Himachal Pradesh
-Tour to Jammu and Kashmir
-Tour to Jharkhand
-Tour to Karnataka
-Tour to Kerala
-Tour to Lakshadweep Islands
-Tour to Manipur
-Tour to Madhya Pradesh
-Tour to Maharashtra
-Tour to Meghalaya
-Tour to Mizoram
-Tour to Nagaland
-Tour to Orissa
-Tour to Pondicherry
-Tour to Punjab
-Tour to Rajasthan
-Tour to Sikkim
-Tour to Tamilnadu
-Tour to Tripura
-Tour to Uttarakhand
-Tour to Uttar Pradesh
-Tour to West Bengal
Welcome to Tourism Guide India All rights reserved. 2011-2019


text:
Gem-quality Ammolite produces a spectacular display of iridescent color when it is observed in reflected light. The colors of an individual stone can run the full range of the visible spectrum or be limited to just one or two colors. The color display can rival fine opal and labradorite in its intensity and beauty.
Ammolite is a trade name given to a thin iridescent aragonite shell material that is found on two species of extinct ammonite fossils (Placenticeras meeki and Placenticeras intercalare). Other less-frequently used trade names for Ammolite are "Calcenite" and "Korite." It is also known simply as "ammonite shell."
Ammolite is a rare material. All of the world's commercial production comes from a small area along the St. Mary River in southwestern Alberta, Canada. There, two companies mine Ammolite from thin layers in the Bearpaw Formation where the ammonite fossils are found.
The story of Ammolite begins about 70 to 75 million years ago when forces within the Earth were building the Rocky Mountains in what is now northwestern North America. The area on the east side of the mountains was covered by a broad body of water known as the Western Interior Seaway. It connected what is now the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.
Rains falling on the eastern flank of the young Rocky Mountains washed sediments into the seaway. These sediments accumulated and eventually formed a rock unit known as the Bearpaw Formation. The Bearpaw is composed primarily of marine shale but contains some thin sandstones and layers of volcanic ash.
The Western Interior Seaway contained many forms of life, including bony fish, shellfish, sharks, sea turtles, and ammonites. Ammonites (the source organisms for Ammolite) are an extinct group of marine invertebrates that possessed a tightly coiled shell similar to the modern Nautilus. The ammonites in the seaway grew to a diameter of up to one meter, but most were about 1/4 to 1/2 that size.
When the ammonites died, their shells fell to the bottom of the seaway and were covered with sediment. Many of them served as a nucleus for the formation of siderite concretions which are now found in the Bearpaw Formation. The ammonite fossils within these concretions sometimes have an outer shell layer composed of gem-quality Ammolite.
VIEW MORE GEMSONES HERE!


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Comment Losing control of the virus in Scotland
10 October 2021 / Graham Checkley
The previous weeks have seen a break in the quiet consensus on Covid at Holyrood. In this article Graham Checkley, a member of the Zero Covid Scotland campaign, examines the fault lines of a change in pandemic policy that went badly wrong.
"They have lost control of this virus" [1]
"We are, rightly, being cautious in order that, as we start to lift the restrictions, we make sure that we have as much certainty as we will ever have in such a situation that we will not immediately be overtaken by spread of the virus." Nicola Sturgeon, speaking to the Covid-19 committee, 10th March 2021.
On 2nd September 2021, Anas Sarwar, leader of the Scottish Labour Party, told the Scottish Parliament that "It's clear the virus is out of control", and that the Scottish Government now had no clear strategy for tackling the pandemic [1].
Mr Sarwar was quite correct, but sadly 71 days too late.
In fact, the Scottish Government lost control of the pandemic on 22nd June this year.
This was the day when the avowed policy of "suppress the virus to the lowest possible level and keep it there" changed to "suppress the virus to a level consistent with alleviating its harms while we recover and rebuild for a better future" [2].
Making the wrong choice
At that point the number of Covid-19 infections had been rising steadily since early May [3], yet no additional restrictions nor mitigation measures were being considered by the Scottish Government. It believed that the vaccination programme had broken the link between Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations, and that the number of cases could now, effectively, be ignored. From now on it would rely on vaccination alone, rather than vaccination plus mitigation.
But their new focus on hospitalisation and deaths rather than infections meant ignoring the long-term health effects and disability suffered by a significant minority of people of all ages after Covid-19 infections, regardless of how mild or severe the initial symptoms had been. There would also be unnecessary death, and the ongoing, awful, risk of a new and even more infectious, severe, or vaccine resistant virus variant developing in a partially vaccinated population.
How did it come to this?
Scotland is in a second lockdown. While it had been effectively virus free that summer, a new, more infectious variant of Covid-19, the Kent variant, has spread throughout the UK.
The Scottish Government relaxes some quarantine restrictions in December, frees up other Covid regulations just before Christmas Day, and offers advice "you can, but don't" about loosening controls.
As part of its work to scrutinise the Scottish Government handling of the pandemic, the Covid-19 committee establishes a Citizens' Panel to add lived experience to their recommendations on how the pandemic should be managed.
12th February. The US Centre for Disease Control reiterates a call to prioritise teachers for Covid vaccines. Ignored by Scotland.
18th February. The Covid-19 committee publishes the Citizens' Panel report. The report recommends that "The Scottish Government should implement an elimination strategy as far as possible in 2021 and where this is not feasible should aim for maximum suppression of the virus."
21st February. Dr Deepti Gurdasani, writing for The Herald Scotland, calls for added mitigation in schools. John Swinney insists that a return to school is safe. Jason Leitch said that children were less likely to catch and pass on the virus.
10th March. Nicola Sturgeon states that Scotland's objective must be "to eliminate" the virus [5]. Speaking before Holyrood's Covid-19 committee, she said that striving to get new case numbers as low as possible was the only way to keep it under control. Ms Sturgeon said, "the virus won't play ball" with any effort to maintain case numbers at a "medium level".
Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said he did not believe coronavirus could be "eradicated", but that an elimination strategy of driving case numbers as low as possible would make outbreaks more manageable.
Scottish Green Party MSP, Mark Ruskell, who sits on the Covid-19 committee, said: "It is welcome that the first minister has moved away from talking about suppression of the virus and is now talking about eliminating it. The Scottish Greens support an elimination strategy, as pursued by countries like New Zealand, but to get there we need to see more ambition on testing and support to self-isolate."
The first cases of a new, more infectious variant of Covid-19, the Delta variant, are reported in the UK [6].
18th April. The Zero Covid Scotland campaign writes to Nicola Sturgeon, Jeanne Freemand, and Jason Leitch, expressing "deep concern over the possibility of new Covid-19 variants reaching Scotland", and asking the Scottish Government to "consider its commitment to allow 12,000 spectators into Hampden Park for UEFA matches this summer" [7]. Reply, 16th June [11].
5th May. New cases of Covid in Scotland reach the lowest point in 2021. 85 new cases reported [3].
Covid-19 (oversight) committee is disbanded.
A Covid-19 recovery committee is established.
John Swinney is appointed as the Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery,
23rd May. Media reports appear that the Scottish Government is considering ditching the official policy goal of maximum suppression of Covid-19 infections. The new policy would look at hospitalisation, mainly ICU admissions, and no longer at case numbers when lifting restrictions further. This at a time when only one-third of the population are fully vaccinated [8]. The proposal also ignores the advice of the Covid-19 advisory group that stressed the need to "learn from previous waves and get case numbers as low as possible to reduce the risk of harm from further variants arising, which might undermine the vaccination campaign" [9].
31st May. Professor Devi Sridhar writes an opinion piece for the Guardian, "In rich countries, vaccines are making Covid-19 a manageable health issue". Professor Sridhar continues, "If governments are able to vaccinate 80-90% of their population, Covid-19 will increasingly become a manageable health issue, much like other vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles or pertussis (whooping cough)." The article appears to be influential and is quote retweeted by Nicola Sturgeon. By this date, 38% of the Scottish population have been fully vaccinated.
In the US, some states support the CDC position on the vaccination of 12–15-year-olds.
The Delta variant is now the UK's most dominant strain and spreading through schools [10].
16th June. A Scottish Government response to the Zero Covid Scotland letter of 18th April states, "Our aim remains to Suppress the virus to the lowest possible level and keep it there, while we strive to return to a more normal life for as many people as possible. We understand how challenging pursuing elimination is, but we can strive towards this as a goal. Even if we fall short of elimination, our collective efforts will have contributed to suppressing the virus to the lowest possible level." [11]. The letter also stresses the safety precautions that would be applied at Hampden.
22nd June. 6 days later, the Scottish Government policy changes from "suppress the virus to the lowest possible level and keep it there" to "suppress the virus to a level consistent with alleviating its harms while we recover and rebuild for a better future" [2]. By this date 48% of the Scottish population have been fully vaccinated [8].
28th June. New Scottish Covid cases pass 3,000 to reach new record high [12].
30th June. Football is linked to 2,000 Scottish Covid cases [13].
1st July. Covid cases in Scotland surpass 4,000 for the first time since mass testing [14].
2nd July. Nicola Sturgeon suggests third wave infections may have peaked [15].
2nd July. Contact tracing system "straining" as cases surge [16].
5th July. Scotland tops Europe hotspot chart [17].
6th July. Raigmore Hospital at capacity amid rising cases [18].
8th July. Call to cancel operations to reduce NHS pressure [19].
9th July. Tayside warning over young patients in intensive care [20].
12th July. The Lancet publishes an estimate that 85% of the population need to be vaccinated to control the spread of the Delta variant without other lockdown restrictions [21]. The article goes on to state that "The problem now is not severe disease or death, it is Long COVID; we are contributing to chronic disease and the long-term burden on general practitioners and health services". At this point 53% of the Scottish population have been fully vaccinated [8].
13th July. Delay urged over easing Covid curbs in Scotland. Professor Andrew Watterson, writing in The Times Scotland.
13th July. Nicola Sturgeon announces that all of Scotland will move to protection level 0 on 19th July [22].
15th July. Too much and too soon, why level 0 move is a mistake. Professor Andrew Watterson, writing in The National.
15th July. Highest daily deaths since March [23].
18th July. Nearly a third of young adults in Scotland are still unvaccinated [24].
19th July. Scotland moves to protection level 0 [22]. At this point 55% of the Scottish population has been fully vaccinated [8]. Without lockdown restrictions 85% is the required figure [21].
21st July. Surgery backlog "could take years" to tackle. Hospitals are also experiencing demands that they would normally only face in winter months [25].
22nd July. Deaths at four-month high despite fall in cases [26].
24th July. The Scottish Government confirms that about 50,000 people stopped using Scotland's Covid tracking app in July. Usage has dropped from 970,000 to 920,000 [27].
25th July. Do not ease restrictions until children are vaccinated. Dr Jeremy Rossman, writing in the Sunday Post.
27th July. Humza Yousaf claims, "progress in our continued battle against the virus". "Matter of weeks ago 5/10 Covid hotspots in the UK were in Scotland, now no Scottish Local Authorities in top 150" [28].
1st August. Long Covid Kids generate Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to Scottish Local Authorities, asking them what steps they are taking on school ventilation and CO2 monitoring.
1st August. Daily new Covid cases in Scotland 1,034 [3].
7th August. More than 100 cases linked to Glasgow's Euro fan zone [29].
9th August. Beyond level 0. Mask wearing in public spaces and 2 metre spacing in health care settings are the only remaining mitigation.
22nd August. The results of the Long Covid Kids FOI are published in the Sunday Post. "Despite the First Minister's advice and extra millions, some councils fail to buy air monitors to test classrooms." Mike Downham, retired NHS paediatrician, said, "The failure of some councils to follow recommendations is part of a wider attitude that the government must be doing the right thing by allowing infection to spread, because governments know best. Long-term significantly disabling symptoms in children following Covid infection are sufficiently common that we have to do everything we can to protect them from infection. It's not enough to say they mostly don't get ill enough to need hospitalisation." The Scottish Government responds that it "will request regular updates on progress from all local authorities." [30].
25th August. John Swinney reports that Scotland's record number of Covid cases is partly being fuelled by the return of schools after the summer holidays [31].
29th August. Record number of cases as NHS faces"'perfect storm". [32]. Health Secretary Humza Yousaf warned the NHS was facing a "perfect storm" of pressure.
30th August. Jason Leitch. "The speed of the surge has surprised us". BBC Scotland, The Nine.
31st August. Daily new Covid cases in Scotland 6,017 [3].
1st September. Daily new Covid cases in Scotland, 6,163 [3].
2nd September. Daily new Covid cases in Scotland. 6,392 [3].
2nd September. Anas Sarwar. "It's clear the virus is out of control" [1].
2nd September. John Swinney announces that the aim is no longer to suppress Covid to the lowest possible level [33].
3rd September. Daily new Covid cases in Scotland. 6,700 [3].
"The speed of the surge has surprised us". Jason Leitch, on BBC Scotland, 30th August 2021.
Policy and political structure
The disbanding of the Covid-19 (oversight) committee, the establishment of a Covid-19 recovery committee, and the appointment of John Swinney as the Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery, in May 2021, all indicate an underlying assumption that the pandemic was nearly over.
For that to be the case, a suitable level of herd immunity would have to be achieved, either through infection, vaccination, or a combination of both. Even taking an estimate of 60% for the percentage of the population that would have to have achieved immunity [34], this would only have been achieved by August [8].
The Delta variant was identified by the World Health organisation as a variant of concern on 11th May [35], and the implications of its more infectious nature was clearly understood by July [21], but the Scottish Government committee structure was not changed to reflect this.
In fact, their policy in the face of a more infectious virus variant was to relax mitigation controls [22, 14th May].
This process of relaxation was to continue [22, 19th July] in the face of some well publicised warnings from eminent scientists published several days previously [21], [36], culminating in "beyond level 0" on 9th August.
Firstly, it is difficult to reconcile the air of surprise shown by Scottish Government officials, John Swinney on 25th August and Jason Leitch on 30th August, re schools and a surge in cases, with what is known from the literature.
The risk of Covid transmission in schools had been highlighted in The Lancet in March [37], The British Medical Journal in June [10] and in The Lancet again in July [36]. The Scottish Government was also aware that it was dealing with a new virus variant by June [38], and the increased infectiousness of the new variant was well established by July [21].
Secondly, if remaining in full alignment with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on vaccination of the 12- to 15-year-old population was the Scottish policy, then work on school ventilation safety was a clear and urgent priority. Such ventilation work was also the only current method of protecting the under 12s.
The Scottish Government lost the opportunity to tackle this issue by leaving the work in hands that did not appear to have a full understanding of what the problem was or how it should be handled [30]. The Scottish Government response that it "will request regular updates on progress from all local authorities" suggests the future tense, and, coming on 22nd August, 10 days before the new term started, was too little management too late.
The initial vaccination programme was hugely successful and a tribute to the NHS staff involved.
The rise of the Delta variant was a game changer as it raised the required level of vaccination from circa 60% [34] to nearer 85% [21].
This raised the still ongoing issue of the vaccination of the young. If the policy of the Scottish Government was to be vaccination-led, then it needed 16- and 17-year-olds to be vaccinated in order to approach that 85% figure. However, its policy of staying in line with the JCVI recommendations meant starting on that work from 4th August [39], even though they had declared their new vaccination led policy on 22nd June.
Despite this delay, relaxations in Covid mitigation continued.
Voices Muted
The advocacy of ending suppression and 'living with Covid' has also muted and increasingly silenced the voices of those with, or at risk of, Covid, those working with those with Covid and Long Covid, and those supporting affected and marginalised groups. This was graphically illustrated at a recent Zero Covid Scotland public hearing where over a dozen different groups and individuals provided testimony on the social, health and economic consequences of getting Covid and the human cost and efforts needed to avoid getting the disease.
"The "end suppression and get everything back to normal" fragmented approach – the big bang theory of pandemic control – simply does not work". Professor Andrew Watterson, writing for The National, 9th September 2021.
As of 8th September, the vaccination programme had fully vaccinated 69% of the Scottish population, but the overall reach began to plateau in mid-July, meaning that 75% now had at least one vaccination [8]. However, the more infectious Delta variant requires a full vaccination level of 85% before other mitigations can be reduced [21]. So, clearly, major mitigation is still needed, but the Scottish Government has yet to indicate a willingness to do this.
Between 22nd June 2021 and 8th September there were 225K new Covid cases in Scotland [40]. Of these a significant minority, still to be quantified, will suffer Long Covid and potential future health problems, adding a burden to an already overburdened NHS [18] [19] [20] [25] [32], a service which has also seen 24K NHS staff absence days due to Covid in the same period [40].
There were 502 deaths.
The Scottish Government currently has no real epidemic strategy and is tinkering with the idea of vaccination passports when the idea has been abandoned and discredited elsewhere. Its policies in relation to schools have been inconsistent. It hesitated to vaccinate all 12 to15 year-olds, despite robust evidence that vaccines are effective and safe in this crucial age-group, preferring instead to trail the JCVI. And it has muted the voices of those people most severely impacted by the epidemic.
As Andrew Watterson says:
"The evidence we now already have about the de facto end of the suppression strategy in August and early September by the Scottish Government is clear and it has failed badly." [41]
Many thanks to Professor Andrew Watterson and to Mike Downham, MRCP, DCH for their help in writing this article.
[1] The SNP Government has no strategy and their tools aren't working. They have lost control of this virus, Anas Sarwar, Twitter, 2021 https://t.co/Wx8CsmjnNG
[2] Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, on Tuesday 22 June 2021 https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-update-first-ministers-statement-22-june-2021/
[3] JHU CSSE COVID-19 Data, 2021
[4] Scottish Parliament Citizens' Panel on COVID-19, SP Archive, 2021 https://archive2021.parliament.scot/newsandmediacentre/117115.aspx
[5] Covid in Scotland: Sturgeon objective 'to eliminate' virus, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-56347695
[6] Delta coronavirus variant: scientists brace for impact, Nature, 2021 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01696-3
[7] NEW COVID VARIANTS DEMAND CONTINUING TRAVEL VIGILANCE, 18th April letter from Zero Covid Scotland to Scottish Government https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t5MWDNd_LedrErZutjc1M8Ue7r_ZPFGr3I0CWuAqwXo/edit?usp=sharing
[8] Our World in Data, 2021
[9] Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group minutes, SG, 15 April 2021
https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-covid-19-advisory-group-minutes-15-april-2021/?link_id=4&can_id=afed6afc63f838266b16af9b6e4cc673
[10] Covid-19: Delta variant is now UK's most dominant strain and spreading through schools. BMJ 2021;373:n1445 https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n1445
[11] Suppress the virus to the lowest possible level and keep it there, plus Hampden safety. Letter from the Scottish Government to Zero Covid Scotland, 16th June 2021
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WVFd8Y63rcA4qO4QXiiYLa7wBUiLtCmCOydUOUMkHgY/edit?usp=sharing
[12] Covid in Scotland: New cases pass 3,000 to reach new record high, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57638936
[13] Football linked to 2,000 Scottish Covid cases, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57667163
[14] Covid cases in Scotland surpass 4,000 for first time since mass testing, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57684772
[15] Nicola Sturgeon suggests third wave infections may have peaked, Daily Record. 2021 https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/covid-scotland-live-nicola-sturgeon-24418685.amp
[16] Covid in Scotland: Contact tracing system 'straining' as cases surge, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-57668326
[17] Covid: Scotland tops Europe hotspot chart, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57712737
[18] Covid in Scotland: Raigmore Hospital at capacity amid rising cases, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57735232.amp?s=03
[19] Covid in Scotland: Call to cancel operations to reduce NHS pressure, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57761409
[20] Covid in Scotland: Tayside warning over young patients in intensive care, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-57776913
[21] Lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the UK and the Delta variant, The Lancet, 2021 https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lanres/PIIS2213-2600(21)00328-3.pdf
[22] Timeline of coronavirus Covid-19 in Scotland, SG, 2021 https://spice-spotlight.scot/2021/09/03/timeline-of-coronavirus-covid-19-in-scotland/
[23] Covid in Scotland: Highest daily deaths since March, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57838071
[24] Covid in Scotland: Nearly a third of young adults still unvaccinated, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57875256
[25] Covid in Scotland: Surgery backlog 'could take years' to tackle, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-57903174
[26] Covid in Scotland: Deaths at four-month high despite fall in cases, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57931530
[27] Covid in Scotland: Thousands turn off tracking app, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57941343
[28] Humza Yousaf, Another indicator of progress in our continued battle against the virus, Twitter, 2021 https://twitter.com/HumzaYousaf/status/1419987880261398530?s=03
[29] Covid: More than 100 cases linked to Glasgow's Euro fan zone, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-58118134
[30] Despite first minister's advice and extra millions, some councils fail to buy air monitors to test classrooms, Sunday Post, 2021 https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/air-monitors-to-test-classrooms/
[31] Covid in Scotland: Return of schools 'fuelling' record case numbers, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58328945
[32] Covid in Scotland: Record number of cases as NHS faces 'perfect storm', BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58370841
[33] John Swinney announces that the Aim is no longer to suppress Covid to lowest possible level, STV, 2021 https://news.stv.tv/politics/swinney-aim-is-no-longer-to-suppress-covid-to-lowest-possible-level?top
[34] Five reasons why COVID herd immunity is probably impossible, Nature, 2021 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00728-2
[35] Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants, World Health Organisation, 2021 https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/
[36] Mass infection is not an option: we must do more to protect our young, The Lancet, 2021 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01589-0/fulltext
[37] School reopening without robust COVID-19 mitigation risks accelerating the pandemic, The Lancet, 2021 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00622-X/fulltext
[38] Covid: Why has the Delta variant spread so quickly in the UK?, BBC, 2021 https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57489740.amp
[39] JCVI issues updated advice on COVID-19 vaccination of young people aged 16 to 17, UK Gov, 2021 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-issues-updated-advice-on-covid-19-vaccination-of-young-people-aged-16-to-17
[40] Coronavirus (COVID-19): trends in daily data, SG, 2021 https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-trends-in-daily-data/
[41] Scotland should rethink its Covid strategy as the current one is failing. The National, Andrew Watterson, 9th September 2021
Tagged: Government policy / Scotland


text:
Detailed State Data
A Decade of Effort
Overview & Data
How we graded
'50 Standards for 50 States' Is a Formula for Incoherence and Obfuscation
By Diane Ravitch
Nearly a decade ago, when Education Week launched Quality Counts to track the progress of the standards movement, there appeared to be a strong, bipartisan consensus around the idea of educational standards. This had been evident in the first Bush administration's America 2000 program and the Clinton administration's Goals 2000 program. What remained to be determined was if and how the federal government and the states would translate this consensus into a reasonable and workable plan of action.
Although none of the components of America 2000 was enacted into law, the legislation signaled recognition by the Republican Party that the federal government should promote higher levels of academic performance (a big step for a party that had traditionally opposed an active federal role in education). The succeeding Goals 2000 attempted to goad the states to join the drive for standards and accountability by awarding funds to create state standards and assessments. President Clinton then proposed, in his State of the Union Address in 1997, voluntary national tests in 4th grade reading and 8th grade mathematics, a promising idea that did not win congressional authorization.
A Second Front
One Language
In January 2002, President George W. Bush signed the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, which had passed both houses of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. The law required the states, in exchange for federal funding, to test all children in grades 3-8 in reading and mathematics; to disaggregate the results by race, ethnicity, gender, English-language proficiency, socioeconomic status, and disability; and to demonstrate that students in every category were advancing toward proficiency. Schools that did not meet their goals would have to offer supplementary tutoring and/or a choice of other public schools.
In light of this history, where stands the standards movement today? It is unreasonable to expect to see dramatic changes in a short period of time, yet already there is some evidence of solid improvement in 4th grade scores in reading and math, as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress' long-term-trend data. On the other hand, not much has changed for students in the 8th and 12th grades, perhaps because they escaped the incentives of the new regime.
Read a transcript from the Jan. 18, 2006, live online chat with Diane Ravitch, "Reconsidering National Standards, Curricula, and Tests."
But is the new regime enough? Its main failing, in my view, is its reliance on the states to set their own standards and monitor their own progress. The idea that mastery of 8th grade mathematics means one thing in Arizona and something different in Maine is absurd on its face.
In a truly standards-based approach, students, teachers, teacher-educators, textbook publishers, and testing agencies should know what students are expected to learn (content standards) and what constitutes superior, acceptable, and unacceptable performance (performance standards). Because these decisions have been assigned to the nation's 50 states and other jurisdictions, the basic premises of the standards movement—clear goals and clear accountability—have been compromised. With each state setting its own standards and measuring performance with its own tests, there are perverse incentives for the states to claim progress where it has not happened and to actually lower existing standards so as to demonstrate "proficiency."
The same problems were identified 10 years ago by Mark Musick, then the president of the Southern Regional Education Board and the chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board. He noted that although states were writing very similar standards, there were huge differences in how much they expected students to learn. As a result, in some states (Georgia, Illinois, and Oregon), more than 80 percent of 8th graders ranked proficient in mathematics, while in another state (Delaware), only 13 percent did. This was not because students were doing better in the former group of states, Musick noted, but because those states' proficiency standards were far lower than Delaware's. The only way to know which states had high standards was to compare the states' own ratings with their students' performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Absent national standards that command respect, as NAEP's do, standards-based reform will continue to be an empty promise.
Today, under the No Child Left Behind Act, this problem of inconsistent performance standards persists. In 2005, there were large discrepancies between NAEP scores for each state and the states' own reports about the proportion of students who were proficient on their tests of mathematics and reading. Most states claim that large majorities of their students in 4th and 8th grade are proficient, but these claims are not echoed by NAEP. Only five states—South Carolina, Maine, Missouri, Wyoming, and Massachusetts—report results that closely align with NAEP results. Many others have set exceptionally low standards, and thus issue inflated reports of progress toward proficiency. Tennessee, for example, says that 87 percent of its 4th graders are proficient in mathematics, but only 28 percent are proficient on NAEP. Oklahoma says that 84 percent of its students in that grade are proficient, compared with 29 percent deemed so by NAEP. New York claims that 85 percent of 4th graders are proficient, compared with 36 percent who are on NAEP.
In some states, passing rates on state tests have soared in the last year or two, as policymakers lowered the required scores in different subjects and grades. In Arizona, for example, the passing rate jumped by nearly 30 percent on state tests of reading, writing, and mathematics after the tests were revised and the passing scores reduced. So the unanswered question remains: Do higher scores mean that students are better prepared for college and the workplace, or have the tests simply gotten easier?
The best way to solve the problem of inconsistent standards—and to counter some states' decisions to lower passing scores (performance standards) to show "progress," whether merited or not—is to adopt national standards. The No Child Left Behind law should be seen as an important transitional step toward this goal, by demonstrating the rationale for and the benefits of standards-based education, especially for disadvantaged students, and by building a constituency for change.
It is time to admit that the basic premise of "50 states, 50 standards" is a formula for incoherence and obfuscation. Our students currently participate in international assessments of mathematics and science. If educators in the United States, Greece, Germany, and Singapore can reach agreement on what students should know and be able to do, couldn't the same agreement be reached by educators in the United States? If, as Mark Musick contended, the content standards in the states are very similar (and mainly aligned with the content standards of NAEP), why should the performance standards—the cut scores—vary widely? If we can agree that a football field is 100 yards long, that there are 12 inches in a foot, that there are 16 ounces in a pound, and that fuel-efficiency standards have the same definition across the nation, why not agree on the nature of academic performance that is "advanced," "proficient," "basic," and "below basic"?
As it happens, NAEP provides an excellent template for national standards. School officials and editorial writers know by now not to trust local or state claims of progress until the NAEP results for the states are released every other year, thus verifying or rejecting state claims. In any move toward national standards, NAEP can serve as the gold standard, both for content standards and performance standards. Absent national standards that command respect, as NAEP's do, standards-based reform will continue to be an empty promise.
A full education is one that prepares students not only to pass tests, but also to read, write, think, speak, and participate in society.
There is one other point on which standards-based reform has fallen short. In many jurisdictions, the demands of the No Child Left Behind law have proven to be a bonanza for test-preparation companies. Students are getting intensive coaching to help them raise their marks on reading and math tests, since those are the only subjects that "count" for NCLB purposes. Consequently, in many districts, important subjects like history, science, foreign languages, and the arts have been ignored. In some districts, children are prepared like trained seals, ready to check off the right box on a standardized test, but completely unprepared to read a complex text, understand the historical roots of contemporary problems, or appreciate the arts as a part of their lives.
As a strong supporter of standards-based reform, I reject the idea that education can be reduced solely to reading and mathematics. If that is the only definition of success for schools today, then we veer dangerously close to the possibility that we are schooling our children, but not educating them. A full education is one that prepares students not only to pass tests, but also to read, write, think, speak, and participate in society. We seem to be sacrificing the large goals of education to the near-term needs of politicians who hope to declare a quick victory over low test scores. Yes, it is good to raise scores, but not if it is done by dropping standards and lowering cut scores. Yes, it is good to help children learn to read and to answer math questions. But that is not enough. It is only a starting point for true standards-based reform of education.
Diane Ravitch is a research professor of education at New York University, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and the author of many books about American education. She was an assistant U.S. secretary of education for research under President George H.W. Bush, and is a former member of the National Assessment Governing Board.
Vol. 25, Issue 17, Pages 54, 56, 58
Published in Print: January 5, 2006, as National Standards
"Nationwide Standards Eyed Anew," December 7, 2005.
"Focus on 'Basic' Achievement Level on NAEP Stirs Concern," November 2, 2005.
"NAEP Gains Are Elusive in Key Areas," October 26, 2005.
For background, previous stories, and Web links, read Standards.
Review the 2005 national and state report cards in reading and mathematics for grades 4 and 8, released Oct. 19th, 2005, by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Read about NAEP's most recent long-term trend assessment, conducted in 2004. Review the results in both reading and math and learn how the long-term trend data is different from the main NAEP results.
The U.S. Department of Education provides archived information on the Clinton administration's Goals 2000 program, enacted in 1994.
ESE Teacher
Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, Florida


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If anyone has figured out a way to get around this I would love to hear it. It's completely broken the game for me It's completely broken the game for me permalink... khterra posted... Gotta unlock the next "time Fart" skill thing Ah. Would be nice if the game made that more clear. And also I'm lost, because the only other quest I have available is one that requires me to go to Medicinal Fried Chicken which I also cannot access.
Find Stripe in Craig's Room All Story Guides All The Fractured But Whole Guides. To get past the Medical Fried Chicken security system in South Park open …... For anyone having trouble with this, during a mission you need to go to MFC (Medicinal Fried Chicken) and to get through the security system, you need to make the item. If you have the ingredients you can do this straight away.
To get TimeFart Pause, you need to start the Medicinal Fried Chicken mission where Morgan Freeman will talk to you about a new TimeFart. Once you have that new TimeFart, you can go and get Stripe by TimeFart Pausing once he's out of the vents.... Return to the Medicinal Fried Chicken shop and you'll be prompted to eat it. Do so to unlock the Time Fart – Pause ability. Activate the Time Fart Pause and head up to the door.
The Side Quest Scavenger Hunt: The Headshot Job in South Park The Fractured But Whole can be started very early on, on day 1. You can, however, finish the mission not earlier than day 4.... Disproportionate Retribution: You can try to visit the Medicinal Fried Chicken restaurant from the episode of the same name. Keyword being try ; when you get close to the doors, shutters will slam down and machine gun turrets will pop out, turning you into swiss cheese unless you have the right power to avoid getting hit long enough to turn them off.
21/10/2017 · I ran into this as well. You'll need to do another quest to learn the pause ability before you can complete the Stripes objective. You'll need to do another quest to learn the pause ability before you can complete the Stripes objective.
Watch South Park Episode 1403 – Medicinal Fried Chicken was inspired by the news of an abandoned KFC turned medical marijuana dispensiary in the Palms community in Los Angeles, Matt and Trey have decided to bring the same concept to South Park, Colorado.
These include Timefart pause to bypass the security turrets at the Medicinal Fried Chicken dispensary, or even feeding Captain Diabetes farts to put him into diabetic rage… sorta like the Hulk! There's definitely a lot to do in the redneck town of South Park.


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A rigorous and quantitatively demanding MBA course on futures, options, and related derivatives. The emphasis is on arbitrage pricing and hedging methods.
The course focuses on the theory and processes of innovation and change as they apply to social aspects of educational systems. Students learn to apply diffusion theory and analysis of social systems to implement innovative procedures and resources so that they will be adopted successfully into classrooms and schools and have the desired positive impact on improving education.
This course is about small groups. We will study groups of many kinds, as well as several factors and processes that influence their functioning. Many of the examples upon which we will focus are drawn from organizational settings (e.g., task forces and self-managing work teams). We will also draw from social psychology and organizational behavior to examine concepts such as group vs. individual performance, group cohesion and norms, group decision-making, conflict management, and leadership of teams.