text:
The bombshell that wasn't
The Mueller report was never going to produce what the #Resistance so desperately hoped it would—a wide-ranging, Tom Clancy meets Jim Garrison "JFK" espionage conspiracy reaching the highest levels of government and vindicating the heroic journalists who saw themselves as Redford and Hoffman in "All the President's Men" while wading further and further into a whirlpool of unbridled lunacy. Now that the investigation has sputtered its way to an incredibly anticlimactic conclusion, it's time for Democrats to ask themselves a difficult question: how are they going to beat Donald Trump on ideas and policies?
I was always a bit of an agnostic on the whole process. I felt that it was necessary and criticized constant Republican efforts to stifle the inquiry (including those of our own homegrown U.S. Senator), and there were certain incidents—the Trump Tower meeting in 2016, the e-mail hacks and pretty much everything Jared Kushner has ever done—that were suspicious at best and nefarious at worst.
But the smoking gun was always going to have to come from the mouth of the President himself, and unlike Nixon, Trump wasn't dumb enough to tape record all of his conversations (and wisely, from his perspective, he never agreed to a sit-down interview with Mueller). Sans direct evidence of an order from the top, the investigation was dead in the water.
Some of the Donald's more ardent supporters who read this newspaper would probably argue that I suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome, even as I've praised his foreign policy efforts and his willingness to break from the GOP orthodoxy on criminal justice reform. I believe he's a deeply flawed, aggressively unintelligent buffoon with an affinity for authoritarian rulers and white grievance who has nonetheless succeeded in exposing the futility of a political system in which the establishments of the two ruling parties agree on war, financial bailouts, overpriced health care, torture and unlimited surveillance while limiting their meaningful quarrels to a few social issues, marginal tax rates and climate change.
As they've gradually embraced a new Cold War mindset pulled straight from "Dr. Strangelove," the most avowed Trump-Russia collusion psychos have long since dropped the pretense that Hillary Clinton deserved even a shred of blame for her 2016 defeat or that she simply wasn't the perfect candidate they made her out to be. Mueller morphed into something of a neoliberal God who would magically rescue the world from the tyranny of Orange Cheeto Man and restore the queen to her rightful throne—until he was just another FBI guy incapable of thwarting the king of failing upward. Now, he's a scalp in Trump's lifelong "Terminator" hunt to steamroll and humiliate anyone who's ever questioned his authority to do whatever he wants all the time.
For conservatives, the entire debacle will provide further vindication of the "Fake News" narrative, especially as the journalists most deeply invested in crackpot theories about golden showers and Russian assets refuse to back down. Fair enough.
And the investigations will not end. We'll hear about Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Trump's taxes (that's something we should actually talk more about), Mar-a-Lago and maybe even his college transcripts once this is all said and done. Hey, he did it to Obama. Why not?
Things won't return to normal. By the end of next month, we'll be on to the next seven inane Trump scandals while repeatedly asking ourselves why nothing sticks to Teflon Don. He'll launch an extremely formidable campaign for re-election, and he'll be the odds-on favorite to win as his poll numbers climb. The 2020 Democratic nominee will endure an onslaught of personal and political attacks like they've never experienced before, knowing full well that the ballot box is the only saving grace left.
Rachel Maddow, Adam Schiff and John Brennan will launch an AA-style support group for all of the true believers who refuse to accept the findings of the report, and Mueller will be hired to consult on one of the 14 biopics already in the works about him. What was originally pitched as a spy thriller in the mold of the Jason Bourne series or "The Manchurian Candidate" will metastasize into a Coen Brothers farce lampooning the blue checkmark brigade suckered into promoting a tall tale that was always too juicy to be true and a gang of yes man yokels not smart enough to collude even if they wanted to.
Meanwhile, Trump will uphold himself as the paragon of manly conservative machismo while incessantly tweeting about the New York media and the meanies at "Saturday Night Live." It's almost like nothing is really going to change at all.
Read it and sleep
Cut through the noise
Point-counterpoint
Grassley: 'I don't know if Trump is really against wind energy'
The court and all its jesters


text:
package keys

import "github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/proto"

// Constants for system-reserved keys in the KV map.
var (
	// LocalPrefix is the prefix for keys which hold data local to a
	// RocksDB instance, such as store and range-specific metadata which
	// must not pollute the user key space, but must be collocate with
	// the store and/or ranges which they refer to. Storing this
	// information in the normal system keyspace would place the data on
	// an arbitrary set of stores, with no guarantee of collocation.
	// Local data includes store metadata, range metadata, response
	// cache values, transaction records, range-spanning binary tree
	// node pointers, and message queues.
	//
	// The local key prefix has been deliberately chosen to sort before
	// the SystemPrefix, because these local keys are not addressable
	// via the meta range addressing indexes.
	//
	// Some local data are not replicated, such as the store's 'ident'
	// record. Most local data are replicated, such as response cache
	// entries and transaction rows, but are not addressable as normal
	// MVCC values as part of transactions. Finally, some local data are
	// stored as MVCC values and are addressable as part of distributed
	// transactions, such as range metadata, range-spanning binary tree
	// node pointers, and message queues.
	LocalPrefix = proto.Key("\x00\x00\x00")

	// LocalSuffixLength specifies the length in bytes of all local
	// key suffixes.
	LocalSuffixLength = 4

	// There are three types of local key data enumerated below:
	// store-local, range-local by ID, and range-local by key.

	// LocalStorePrefix is the prefix identifying per-store data.
	LocalStorePrefix = MakeKey(LocalPrefix, proto.Key("s"))
	// LocalStoreIdentSuffix stores an immutable identifier for this
	// store, created when the store is first bootstrapped.
	LocalStoreIdentSuffix = proto.Key("iden")

	// LocalRangeIDPrefix is the prefix identifying per-range data
	// indexed by Raft ID. The Raft ID is appended to this prefix,
	// encoded using EncodeUvarint. The specific sort of per-range
	// metadata is identified by one of the suffixes listed below, along
	// with potentially additional encoded key info, such as a command
	// ID in the case of response cache entry.
	//
	// NOTE: LocalRangeIDPrefix must be kept in sync with the value
	// in storage/engine/db.cc.
	LocalRangeIDPrefix = MakeKey(LocalPrefix, proto.Key("i"))
	// LocalResponseCacheSuffix is the suffix for keys storing
	// command responses used to guarantee idempotency (see ResponseCache).
	// NOTE: if this value changes, it must be updated in C++
	// (storage/engine/db.cc).
	LocalResponseCacheSuffix = proto.Key("res-")
	// LocalRaftLeaderLeaseSuffix is the suffix for the raft leader lease.
	LocalRaftLeaderLeaseSuffix = proto.Key("rfll")
	// LocalRaftHardStateSuffix is the Suffix for the raft HardState.
	LocalRaftHardStateSuffix = proto.Key("rfth")
	// LocalRaftAppliedIndexSuffix is the suffix for the raft applied index.
	LocalRaftAppliedIndexSuffix = proto.Key("rfta")
	// LocalRaftLogSuffix is the suffix for the raft log.
	LocalRaftLogSuffix = proto.Key("rftl")
	// LocalRaftTruncatedStateSuffix is the suffix for the RaftTruncatedState.
	LocalRaftTruncatedStateSuffix = proto.Key("rftt")
	// LocalRaftLastIndexSuffix is the suffix for raft's last index.
	LocalRaftLastIndexSuffix = proto.Key("rfti")
	// LocalRangeGCMetadataSuffix is the suffix for a range's GC metadata.
	LocalRangeGCMetadataSuffix = proto.Key("rgcm")
	// LocalRangeLastVerificationTimestampSuffix is the suffix for a range's
	// last verification timestamp (for checking integrity of on-disk data).
	LocalRangeLastVerificationTimestampSuffix = proto.Key("rlvt")
	// LocalRangeStatsSuffix is the suffix for range statistics.
	LocalRangeStatsSuffix = proto.Key("stat")

	// LocalRangePrefix is the prefix identifying per-range data indexed
	// by range key (either start key, or some key in the range). The
	// key is appended to this prefix, encoded using EncodeBytes. The
	// specific sort of per-range metadata is identified by one of the
	// suffixes listed below, along with potentially additional encoded
	// key info, such as the txn ID in the case of a transaction record.
	//
	// NOTE: LocalRangePrefix must be kept in sync with the value in
	// storage/engine/db.cc.
	LocalRangePrefix = MakeKey(LocalPrefix, proto.Key("k"))
	// LocalRangeDescriptorSuffix is the suffix for keys storing
	// range descriptors. The value is a struct of type RangeDescriptor.
	LocalRangeDescriptorSuffix = proto.Key("rdsc")
	// LocalRangeTreeNodeSuffix is the suffix for keys storing
	// range tree nodes.  The value is a struct of type RangeTreeNode.
	LocalRangeTreeNodeSuffix = proto.Key("rtn-")
	// LocalTransactionSuffix specifies the key suffix for
	// transaction records. The additional detail is the transaction id.
	// NOTE: if this value changes, it must be updated in C++
	// (storage/engine/db.cc).
	LocalTransactionSuffix = proto.Key("txn-")

	// LocalMax is the end of the local key range.
	LocalMax = LocalPrefix.PrefixEnd()

	// SystemPrefix indicates the beginning of the key range for
	// global, system data which are replicated across the cluster.
	SystemPrefix = proto.Key("\x00")
	SystemMax    = proto.Key("\x01")

	// MetaPrefix is the prefix for range metadata keys. Notice that
	// an extra null character in the prefix causes all range addressing
	// records to sort before any system tables which they might describe.
	MetaPrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("\x00meta"))
	// Meta1Prefix is the first level of key addressing. The value is a
	// RangeDescriptor struct.
	Meta1Prefix = MakeKey(MetaPrefix, proto.Key("1"))
	// Meta2Prefix is the second level of key addressing. The value is a
	// RangeDescriptor struct.
	Meta2Prefix = MakeKey(MetaPrefix, proto.Key("2"))
	// Meta1KeyMax is the end of the range of the first level of key addressing.
	// The value is a RangeDescriptor struct.
	Meta1KeyMax = MakeKey(Meta1Prefix, proto.KeyMax)
	// Meta2KeyMax is the end of the range of the second level of key addressing.
	// The value is a RangeDescriptor struct.
	Meta2KeyMax = MakeKey(Meta2Prefix, proto.KeyMax)

	// MetaMax is the end of the range of addressing keys.
	MetaMax = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("\x01"))

	// ConfigAccountingPrefix specifies the key prefix for accounting
	// configurations. The suffix is the affected key prefix.
	ConfigAccountingPrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("acct"))
	// ConfigPermissionPrefix specifies the key prefix for accounting
	// configurations. The suffix is the affected key prefix.
	ConfigPermissionPrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("perm"))
	// ConfigUserPrefix specified the key prefix for user configurations.
	// The suffix is the username.
	ConfigUserPrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("user"))
	// ConfigZonePrefix specifies the key prefix for zone
	// configurations. The suffix is the affected key prefix.
	ConfigZonePrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("zone"))
	// DescIDGenerator is the global descriptor ID generator sequence used for
	// table and namespace IDs.
	DescIDGenerator = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("desc-idgen"))
	// DescMetadataPrefix is the key prefix for all descriptor metadata.
	DescMetadataPrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("desc-"))
	// NodeIDGenerator is the global node ID generator sequence.
	NodeIDGenerator = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("node-idgen"))
	// RaftIDGenerator is the global Raft consensus group ID generator sequence.
	RaftIDGenerator = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("raft-idgen"))
	// SchemaPrefix specifies key prefixes for schema definitions.
	SchemaPrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("schema"))
	// NameMetadataPrefix is the key prefix for all name metadata.
	NameMetadataPrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("name-"))
	// StoreIDGenerator is the global store ID generator sequence.
	StoreIDGenerator = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("store-idgen"))
	// RangeTreeRoot specifies the root range in the range tree.
	RangeTreeRoot = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("range-tree-root"))

	// StatusPrefix specifies the key prefix to store all status details.
	StatusPrefix = MakeKey(SystemPrefix, proto.Key("status-"))
	// StatusStorePrefix stores all status info for stores.
	StatusStorePrefix = MakeKey(StatusPrefix, proto.Key("store-"))
	// StatusNodePrefix stores all status info for nodes.
	StatusNodePrefix = MakeKey(StatusPrefix, proto.Key("node-"))
	// TableDataPrefix prefixes all Table data to aid in transitioning
	// key:value data to Table data, and for ease of debugging.
	TableDataPrefix = proto.Key("table-")
)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Software // Operating Systems
Sourcefire Slams Open Source IDS Suricata
Matt Olney expressed disappointment with the Open Information Security Foundation's efforts, and touted Razorback, Sourcefire's open source analysis and detection engine, as truly innovative.
Matt Olney, a senior research engineer for the Sourcefire Vulnerability Research Team (VRT), recently launched a war of words against Suricata, the new open source IDS.
Developed by the Open Information Security Foundation (OISF) -- funded by the Navy's space and warfare command, security vendors, and the DHS -- Suricata has been billed as a way to "bring new ideas and technologies" to IDS. It uses the same rule set as Snort, but according to the OISF also offers "other capabilities above and beyond the standard Snort rulesets."
Snort, by some accounts the world's most-used intrusion detection system (IDS), is maintained by Sourcefire, which also provides commercial services and support for enterprise Snort users. The day Suricata debuted, Sourcefire's stock price took a dive, though it's since recovered.
Suricata, of course, is also designed, like Snort, to help companies spot attacks, and in a Sourcefire blog post, Olney said he'd welcomed the innovation that Suricata first promised. Since then, however, his attitude has changed.
"Having worked with Suricata and looked at what the OISF has actually delivered, I'm just disappointed with where they've ended up and what they've delivered," he wrote. For example, Suricata emphasizes its use of a multi-threaded architecture running on commodity devices, but Olney says there are sound reasons for not doing this. "Trust me, if multi-threading were the answer, the industry would have moved there in short order."
Olney also released the results of an internal test pitting Snort against Suricata, with both optimized for maximum performance. According to Olney, "With rules loaded, Suricata runs up to about 200MB per second. Snort, with rules, hits 894MB per second with no drops."
But according to Matt Jonkman, president of the OISF, the decision to go multithreaded was made after extensive tests by the Air Force Research Labs.
Furthermore, he disputed the Sourcefire performance tests. "Those stats are ridiculous, and they refuse to publish" details of the equipment and configuration used, said Jonkman. "We know that we're not, right now, cycle for cycle, faster than Snort … but we're getting six times the performance as Snort on the same hardware, with version 1.0." Version 1.01 was released yesterday.
"We're not a finished engine, this is a 1.0 release, and we have a ways to go with optimization and accuracy," he said, also conceding that building an IDS from scratch was not for the faint of heart. "It was 10 times harder than the worst case we thought about."
But the initial goal, he said, had been to get Sourcefire to "shed the burden of developing" Snort, and let the OISF maintain the code base. "It's a very good engine, good at what it does, but it's not what it used to be." Furthermore, he said, while anyone can examine the Snort code, Sourcefire no longer allows any code contributions, and doesn't release a bug tracker.
Accordingly, he said, the DHS funded the OISF "because they felt the community needed a truly open platform to gather around. They wanted to see something new, and kick start innovation."
Olney, meanwhile, has said that if the market wants innovation, then it should look no further than Razorback, a new, real-time and open source analysis and detection engine, released last week by Sourcefire. "It isn't Snort, it isn't ClamAV, and it isn't Suricata," he said. "It's a new approach to the detection problem, and was built from the ground up in close collaboration with groups that are facing [advanced] threats. It may not be perfect, it may not even be the right answer -- but we think it is -- but it is truly innovative."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
fwep
Tax Reform Provisions Impacting Trusts and Estates
News Family Wealth and Estate Planning Tax Tax Planning and Compliance
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has made several sweeping changes to different areas of the tax law. As trusts and estates are subject to substantially the same tax rules as individuals, many of the changes that impact individuals will also impact trusts.
Keep in mind that the new planned tax off-sets, such as increased standard deduction and child tax credits, put in place for individuals will not benefit trusts in the same manner. Below we outline tax reform changes that will directly impact trusts and estates.
Rate Reduction
The tax rate brackets for trusts have historically been extremely compressed compared to the individual tax brackets. This remains true, but the new tax law combines the 25% and 28% tax brackets into one 24% tax bracket, bringing the total amount of brackets from five to four. Below is the comparison of the 2017 and 2018 ordinary trust tax rates:
The tax law did not change the AMT exemption and phase-out thresholds for trusts. The exemption remains at $24,600 with a phase-out threshold of $82,050, subject to adjustments for inflation.
State Tax Deduction
Similar to the individual tax changes, the aggregate of state real property and income tax expenses deductions will be capped at a maximum of $10,000.
Miscellaneous 2% Deductions
Under the previous tax code, trusts were allowed miscellaneous deductions that exceeded 2% of AGI which included investment advisory fees. Under the new law, these deductions are repealed. It will be more important to consider which fees are incremental costs of administering a trust as these deductions are still allowed under the new tax law.
Accounting, Legal and Trustee Fees
These deductions have been scrutinized as they were not specifically mentioned in the new tax law. It is believed that these deductions will still be fully deductible to the extent that the expense "would not have been incurred if the property were not held in such trust or estate."
Section 199A Deduction
If a trust or estate owns a business held as a sole proprietorship or as a pass-through entity, such as a partnership or S-corporation, including ESBT income, then the trust may qualify for the new 20% deduction on domestic qualified business income with additional limitations. The thresholds to determine the potential deduction are the same the thresholds for single taxpayers. This calculation can be complex, and it is advised to speak with a tax professional to determine deductibility.
Simple Trusts – Income Distribution Deduction
Although the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act did not specifically change the rules to determine the Income Distribution Deduction (IDD), simple trusts may find an increase in trust level tax as a result of the limited deductions increasing Distributable Net Income (DNI) without a similar increase in Fiduciary Accounting Income (FAI) since the IDD is limited based on the smaller of DNI or FAI.
Electing Small Business Trusts
The new tax law also makes two specific changes for Electing Small Business Trusts (ESBTs) relating to beneficiaries and charitable contributions. ESBTs are now allowed to have nonresident alien individuals as beneficiaries. ESBTs must now follow the same rules as individuals to determine the deductible charitable contributions and excess contributions can be carried forward for use in future tax years. Previously, ESBTs were allowed a 100% deduction made from the gross income of the S-Corporation, but now limitations based on AGI of the ESBT income apply.
Estates and Gift Tax
The new tax law did not repeal the estate and gift tax, but it did increase the exemption for an individual from $5.49 million to $11.18 million. The step-up in basis for property passing to heirs at death also remains in place.
Contact an Anders advisor with questions specific to your tax situation.
Erin E. Prest
Paige N. Kniepmann
Tax Deductions for 529 Plans Outside of Your Resident State
A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan which is aimed toward encouraging saving for primary and secondary…
Mariah L. Theves
Take Advantage of Increased Estate Tax Exemption and Gift Tax Exclusions in 2022
Annual gifting is a valuable part of most estate plans. With increased gift and estate tax exclusions in…
Rebekah J. Tucker
How Portability Can be a Valuable Estate Planning Tax Strategy
Good news came for taxpayers with large estates when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was passed.…


Which of these is a card game popular with children?
Which of these are "root vegetables"?
What is the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world?
What name is given to the ancient preserved dead bodies found in Egypt?
A hi-hat, jam block, octoban, rototom and trigger pad are all parts of what?
According to Shakespeare who kills Macbeth?
Although he never bore the title of "Pope", the Catholic Church recognizes which of these people as the first Pope?


PERRYVILLE, MO (KFVS) - A handful of people went through CERT training in Perryville, Missouri on Thursday, November 7.
It stands for Community Emergency Response Teams and the program prepares volunteers to help during natural disasters.
The classes involve search and rescue exercises, emergency medical techniques and how to respond to a terrorism threat.
Kathy Waggoner is a licensed professional counselor. She is glad the training also looks at the recovery phase and how to help someone who is hurt mentally or emotionally.
"We pull somebody out of a wreck and we think, okay they're alive, they survived, we're done," she said. "And that is not true, because the trauma keeps replaying even if they did not have any major or significant loss. So the psychological first aid is very important immediately to help prevent the post-traumatic stress disorder."
Waggoner hopes more people in rural towns go through CERT training, so they can help their small communities if disaster strikes.


text:
Items Two portraits.
Two portraits.
Emmet Collection of Manuscripts Etc. Relating to American History
Duer's Old Yorker
Shelf locator: MEZP
New York (State) -- History
Citation/reference: EM13185
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): c9f8c920-c60e-012f-f384-58d385a7bc34
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. "Two portraits." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. http://digital.gallery.nypl.org/items/510d47da-fe7f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. "Two portraits." New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed January 20, 2020. http://digital.gallery.nypl.org/items/510d47da-fe7f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. Two portraits. Retrieved from http://digital.gallery.nypl.org/items/510d47da-fe7f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
<ref name=NYPL>{{cite web | url=http://digital.gallery.nypl.org/items/510d47da-fe7f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 | title= (still image) Two portraits.|author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library |accessdate=January 20, 2020 |publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}</ref>


text:
Performing & Creative Arts
Co-education
Girls' Discovery Morning
Bursary Awards
Public School Destinations
Old Boys Welcome
ESA Events
Elstree School > Events
Declamations
On Friday 26th January, all boys congregated in the McMullen Hall for the annual Declamations competition. The school welcomed Harry Crump, House Master and Hea...
House Cross Country
The course was awash with mud and the start had to be modified to avoid churning up the games pitches. That said, all boys were running for their Houses (nort...
Snow Centre Visit
Over the weekend the boarders piled into the minibuses and hit the slopes…. of Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre! The departure from school was appropriately snow...
Year 5 Visit to Didcot Water Treatment Site
The Year 5 Geography field trip to the Didcot Water Treatment site was one to remember for all the right reasons: the scenery, the sites and the smells! After a...
Performing Arts Soiree
This event is always a highlight and this year's evening proved no exception – the audience was treated to some really high-quality performances from prospe...
Visit from PALS
Last Saturday we welcomed children from PALS and their adult helpers to the school. Despite the poor weather, which resulted in a last minute change to plans,...
Five of Elstree's top musicians, including our 3 music scholars, benefited from some coaching by top professional jazz musician Stuart Henderson, who worked w...
Charterhouse Prep Schools' Strings Day
Having been plucked from lessons at 12:30pm, Henry and Jackie munched their lunches as we sped along the M4, A33, M3 and the Hog's-Back on the way to Charterh...
Boarders' Race Night
On the first Saturday night of the Lent term an exclusive group of boarders met in the McMullen Hall to pit their wits against the bookies at the annual Boarder...
The Greatest Briton Lecture
On Saturday, January 13th, six Elstree panellists argued who was the Greatest Briton. Mr Baxter argued that Diana, Princess of Wales embodied the humanity, sinc...
« 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 »
Academic|Events|Extra Curricular|Home Farm|Latest
Academic|Events|Extra Curricular|Latest
Boarding|Events|Latest
Creative Arts|Events|Extra Curricular|Latest
Creative Arts|Events|Latest
Events|Extra Curricular|Latest
Events|Home Farm|Latest
Headmaster's Welcome ›
Elstree ›
Admissions ›
Annual Tatler School Awards
Click below to connect with us…
E office@elstreeschool.org.uk
Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Elstree School is a registered charity, no 309101
School Website Design by TWK


text:
'''Most of the textual information on this page was taken from the chapter on Côte d'Ivoire in the report [https://www.bgs.ac.uk/africaGroundwaterAtlas/atlas.cfc?method=ViewDetails&id=AGLA060034 'Groundwater in North and West Africa'] (UN 1988). Some of this information is outdated. If you have more recent information on the hydrogeology of Cote d'Ivoire, please get in touch.'''
In pre-colonial times, the present day area of Republic of Côte d'Ivoire included part of a number of states, including the Gyaaman, Kong Empire, and Baoulé. Côte d'Ivoire became a protectorate of France in 1843–1844 and a French colony in 1893. During colonial rule, France promoted the development of agricultural plantations along the coast, using forced labour. Côte d'Ivoire won independence in 1960. In the first decades after independence the country was notably stable and the economy grew rapidly, while it maintained close ties to France and neighbouring countries. Since the early 1990s, Côte d'Ivoire has experienced coup d'etat and two civil wars, first from 2002 – 2007 and again, following disputed elections, in 2011.
More information on average rainfall and temperature for each of the climate zones in Cote d'Ivoire can be seen at the [[Climate of Cote d'Ivoire | Cote d'Ivoire climate page]].
|Population affected by water related disease ||1,423,000 || || || ||
This section provides a summary of the geology of Côte d'Ivoire. More information is available in the report [https://www.bgs.ac.uk/africaGroundwaterAtlas/atlas.cfc?method=ViewDetails&id=AGLA060034 'Groundwater in North and West Africa: Côte d'Ivoire'] (UN 1988). (see References section, below).
[[File:CotedIvoire_Geology2.png | 500 px | center | thumb| Geology of Côte d'Ivoire at 1:5 million scale. Developed from USGS map (Persits et al. 2002). For more information on the map development and datasets see the [[Geology | geology resource page]]]]
The hydrogeology map shows a simplified version of the type and productivity of the main aquifers at a national scale (see the [[Hydrogeology Map | Hydrogeology Map]] resource page for more details).
[[File:CotedIvoire_Hydrogeology2.png | center | thumb| 500px | Hydrogeology of Côte d'Ivoire at 1:5million scale. For more information on how the map was developed see the [[Hydrogeology Map | hydrogeology map]] resource page]]
The main aquifer type in Côte d'Ivoire is in weathered and fractured basement rocks, which underlie most of the country.
Along the coast are small sedimentary basins, with Cretaceous-Tertiary consolidated sedimentary rocks overlain by unconsolidated Quaternary sediments. '''Continental Terminal''' is the term is sometimes used to describe the whole of this coastal basin aquifer, from Cretaceous to Quaternary, and sometimes to describe only the Quaternary, or only the Tertiary, or both the Cretaceous and Tertiary formations. Here, it is used to describe the Cretaceous-Tertiary aquifer in the coastal basin that underlies the Quaternary aquifer. The Quaternary aquifer is described separately below, highlighting its unconsolidated nature and high vulnerability.
||The southern part of the coastal basin consists of Quaternary formations, including coastal and marine sands. In their upper part, these form a moderately to highly productive aquifer, capable of sustaining borehole yields of at least 5 to 50 m³/hour. In some places with very permeable coarse sands, a borehole yield of at least 210 m³/hour for a drawdown of 3.1 m was recorded (a specific capacity of at least 1600 m³/day/m).
These, and others, can be accessed through the [https://www.bgs.ac.uk/africaGroundwaterAtlas/atlas.cfc?method=listResults&title_search=&author_search=&category_search=&country_search=CI&placeboolean=AND&singlecountry=1 Africa Groundwater Literature Archive]


Located in Sand y Springs, just north of Buckhead, Imperatori Martial Arts is a spacious, 8000 square foot facility that includes two large workout rooms with state of the art mats for both karate and jiu-jitsu, a large viewing area for parents, a playroom for siblings, and a state-of-the art weight room, and an area for children to finish homework.
Ten instructors combine efforts to teach over 60 high-energy classes each week: classes that are divided by both age and skill level. The curriculum is designed to motivate beginners to reach new belts, and there are hundreds of students – with years of experience – on a path to Black Belt.


text:
It's Data Privacy Day and Facebook knows you're reading this
A new global study conducted by Microsoft across 12,000 people shows that most internet users still don't believe they're aware of all the data that's being collected about them.
For example, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ know you've read this page, as they track your visits to any website with a 'Like', 'Tweet' or '+1' button, whether you click that button or not. Information gathered can include anything from your IP address and general geography, to insights into your age, gender, income, hobbies, health status and financial situation, by way of your browsing and purchase history.
All of these bits of data may not be much use on their own, but according to the Internet Society's Privacy and Identity Director, Robin Wilton, companies are increasingly putting them together to create a bigger picture. They can then use this to predict your behavior, including your habits, preferences, values, aspirations and intentions.
This can have significant implications for your finances. Wilton says, "According to one study, you may pay more than others when shopping online based on your web browsing history or the kind of smartphone you own. Some consumers have seen their credit limits reduced by their credit card companies because they shopped at stores frequented by cardholders who don't have good repayment histories. From there, it's possible insurance companies might eventually string your data together to determine if you're insurable (and what kind of premium you should be charged based on your perceived risk) and credit card companies could use it to determine your creditworthiness (and charge you higher interest)".
What can you do about all this? Wilton suggests fragmenting your online identity. "Strategically use different email addresses, browsers, credit cards, and maybe even devices, for different web activities (like personal, work and online shopping) to make it more difficult to collect one cohesive data set about you".
You can also adjust your browsing habits by using Do Not Track or Incognito settings to prevent cookies from being left on your system. That doesn't prevent your searches from being tracked by the provider of course. To stop that you could switch to a non-tracking search engine like DuckDuckGo, or Boston-based privacy company Abine is about to launch a private search service for Google -- with Yahoo and Bing to follow soon -- integrated into its Blur product that protects passwords and payments.
"By the end of 2015, anybody who wants to use the Internet safely should be using Private Search, alongside a password manager and a secure payments service," says Rob Shavell, CEO of Abine. "Blur users can use the best search engine the way it used to be -- simple and not nosy".
Using the internet is a balance between convenience and privacy. It may be inconvenient to use additional privacy tools, but do remember that someone somewhere knows you're reading this.
Image Credit: Stuart Miles / Shutterstock
3 Responses to It's Data Privacy Day and Facebook knows you're reading this


text:
Elvis Costello & The Brodsky Quartet "The Juliet Letters" *CD* 1993
The Juliet Letters is a studio album by the British rock singer and songwriter Elvis Costello. It was released on compact disc as Warner Brothers 45180. The instrumental backing is provided by the Brodsky Quartet. Costello described the album as "a song sequence for string quartet and voice and it has a title. It's a little bit different. It's not a rock opera. It's a new thing."
London-born Declan McManus, better known as Elvis Costello, has distinguished his remarkable career with a long and acclaimed string of artistically adventurous albums. this lyrically brilliant and melodically nimble singer-songwriter's penchant for exploring diverse genres and shifting musical personae is nowhere more front and center than on 1993's The Juliet Letters. Inspired by a collection of missives written by an Italian professor to Shakespeare's Juliet, this unique project fuses pop sensibilities and chamber music form, proving both avant garde and accesssible as Costello gave new meaning to the term "alternative music." Rhino. 2006.


When is the "inline" keyword effective in C?
Why does C++ inline function has call instructions?
How to compile inline C function with literal attributes with GCC?
Yes, in general gcc will optimise away dead code in inline functions when it can evaluate branches at compile-time. I use this construct a lot to allow optimised code to be generated for different use cases - somewhat like template instantiation in C++.
Put the implementations is the header. If they're not available in the translation unit in which you intend to do the inlining, you'll be out of luck. The linker (well, a traditional linker) can't do anything about that for you.


text:
Blow: Blocks and Boat Docks — спільний студійний альбом американських реперів Мессі Марва та Berner, виданий 17 серпня 2010 р. лейблом Bern One. Реліз посів 48-му сходинку чарту Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, 16-те місце Top Heatseekers та 2-гу позицію Top Heatseekers (Pacific).

Виконавчий продюсер: Berner. Мастеринг, зведення: Ренді Біддл. На «Well Connected» існує відеокліп.

Список пісень

Посилання

Альбоми Мессі Марва

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Sorting the Map in descending order based on the value and sort the key in ascending order if value is duplicate I am using map interface to read from a file and then store the values in that as a key value pair.
Map<String, Integer> map = new HashMap<>();

The value is
A 25
D 10
B 15
E 15
C 17

I want to first sort by value in descending order Sorting the Map<Key,Value> in descending order based on the value . This will help to achieve the order in descending order. But if the value are duplicate i want to sort by key in ascending order.
Expected Output
A 25
C 17
B 15
E 15
D 10

Does any one know how to achieve this .

A: You can use Comparator.comparing and thenComparing to sort in the correct order. Streams can be used to sort and collect the new Map to a LinkedHashMap to retain the new order.
Map<String, Integer> map = Map.of("A", 25, "D", 10, "B", 15, "E", 15, "C", 17);
Map<String, Integer> result = map.entrySet().stream()
    .sorted(Comparator.<Map.Entry<String, Integer>>comparingInt(Map.Entry::getValue)
       .reversed().thenComparing(Map.Entry::getKey))
    .collect(Collectors.toMap(Map.Entry::getKey, Map.Entry::getValue,
         (a,b)->b, LinkedHashMap::new));
System.out.println(result);

Demo

A: As an alternative to the accepted answer, I would extract the comparators which IMO makes it more readable, i.e to something like:
Map<String, Integer> map = Map.of("A", 25, "D", 10, "B", 15, "E", 15, "C", 17);

Comparator<Map.Entry<String,Integer>> byValueDesc = Map.Entry.comparingByValue(Comparator.reverseOrder());
Comparator<Map.Entry<String,Integer>> byKeyAsc = Map.Entry.comparingByKey();

Map<String, Integer> result =

    map.entrySet()
            .stream()
            .sorted(byValueDesc.thenComparing(byKeyAsc))
            .collect(Collectors.toMap(Map.Entry::getKey, Map.Entry::getValue, (e1,e2)->e1, LinkedHashMap::new));

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This bill mentions Chesapeake, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News.
SB1377: Explosive devices or firearms; possession of with intent to commit violent felony; penalties.
HB1617: Student organizations; religious or political organizations may determine core functions, etc.
SB1086: University of Virginia Board of Visitors; quorum.
HB1978: University of Virginia; Board of Visitors, composition and quorum.
HB1556: Divisionwide ratios of students to teachers; changes to schoolwide ratio.


text:
Recalls in March 2006
Child's Death Prompts Recall Magnetic Building Sets
Magnetix Still On Store Shelves Despite Danger to Young Children
Child's Death Prompts Recall Magnetic Building Sets...
In a masterpiece of obfuscation, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued what appears to be a recall notice for about 3.8 million "Magnetix" magnetic building sets after the death of a 20-month-old boy who swallowed magnets included with the set and incidents involving at least 34 other children.
The recall notice issued by the CPSC says that parents can return the dangerous toys and exchange them for something safer. It also includes the odd sentence: "The replacement program does not include sets at retail."
What that means is that the toys are still being sold at Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, Fred Meyer, Design Science Toys Ltd., A.C. Moore, and other toy and arts and crafts stores nationwide.
The problem with the popular construction sets is that they contain tiny magnets which, if swallowed by infants or toddlers, can bind together in the intestinal tract, causing fatal blockages and other complications.
That's what happened to 21-month-old Kenneth W. Sweet Jr., of Redmond, Wash. His older brother received a Magnetix set as a birthday present and, although it was kept away from Kenny, he got his hands on it one day. He became ill with flu-like symptoms, was hospitalized and died within hours.
An autopsy revealed that he had swallowed eight magnets which had bonded together in two groups, causing a fatal intestinal blockage.
In addition to Kenny, three children aged from 3 to 8 suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery and hospitalization in intensive care. A 5-year-old child aspirated two magnets that were surgically removed from his lung.
Federal safety officials say they are "aware of" at least 34 incidents involving the magnets.
Officials of Rose Art Industries, Inc., the importer and distributor, say the packaging clearly indicates the toys are not intended for children under 6. The company said it is making "enhancements" to improve safety, The Washington Post reported.
The CPSC said it was "monitoring" the situation.
The "recall" affects all Magnetix magnetic building sets including the X-treme Combo, Micro, and Extreme sets. The sets contain 20 to 200 plastic building pieces and 20 to 100 1/2-inch diameter steel balls. The building pieces are red, yellow, blue and green, and are shaped in 1 1/2-inch squares, 1-inch triangles and cylinder rods. Some plastic building pieces have "Magnetix" imprinted on them.
The sets were sold at Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, Fred Meyer, Design Science Toys Ltd., A.C. Moore, and other toy and arts and crafts stores nationwide. The Magnetix magnetic building sets were sold from September 2003 through March 2006 for between $20 and $60, depending on the size of the set.
Consumers should stop using the magnetic sets and return the sets to Rose Art for a free replacement product suitable for young children under the age of 6. Consumers should be sure to keep all small magnet parts out of the hands of children who mouth objects, especially children under the age of three.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Rose Art at (800) 779-7122 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit Rose Art's Web site at www.roseart.com.
The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In its advisory, the CPSC included the sentence: "The replacement program does not include sets at retail." No clarification was provided.
Feds Probe Airbag Problems in Chrysler Minivans
Failure of one or both front crash sensors due to corrosion can potentially result in no deployment or late deployment of the front air bags....
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating allegations that front air bag sensors may fail because of corrosion in several DaimlerChrysler minivans, causing the air bags to improperly inflate during a crash or not to deploy at all.
The investigation involves about 805,000 2005 and 2006 DaimlerChrysler Dodge Caravan, Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans.
NHTSA reports it has stepped up a preliminary evaluation of the problem to the status of an "engineering analysis," a move that often precedes a safety recall.
The preliminary evaluation determined that the front air bag sensors might corrode as a result of water seeping in to the sensor assembly.
The Caravan and Grand Caravan minivans have an "advanced frontal air bag system," according to NHTSA with "two front crash sensors mounted on the frame rails behind the front bumper and a main crash sensor inside the air bag control module mounted in the passenger compartment."
DaimlerChrysler reported to NHTSA that the sensors are designed to "optimize detection of frontal offset and angular crashes" and the air bag system offers different levels of inflation based on the input from the various sensors.
"The corroded sensor can set off a fault code, illuminate the air bag warning light and disable the air bag," according to NHTSA.
"The failure of one or both front crash sensors can potentially result in no deployment or late deployment of the front air bags. The failure can cause the non-deployment of the drivers side air bag which produces higher inflation levels," according to the NHTSA Web site.
The NHTSA report states that "it should be noted that occupants of vehicles involved in a crash may not be aware of late or improperly reduced level of air bag inflation" because of the nature of the system in the vehicles.
The agency is also investigating 358,455 Dodge Durango SUVs from 2004 to 2006 model years and 2005-2006 Dodge Dakota pickup trucks after receiving complaints about loose steering wheel and shaft coupling bolts.
Performance Travel Trac Trainers Recalled
Performance Inc. is recalling about 10,000 of its 2006 Performance Travel Trac Trainers. The base of the trainer has a blocking mechanism that can break....
Performance Inc. is recalling about 10,000 of its 2006 Performance Travel Trac Trainers. The base of the trainer has a blocking mechanism that can break causing the bicycle to disengage from the stand, posing a fall hazard.
Performance has received two reports of the bike trainers breaking, though no injuries have been reported.
The trainers are folding stands that lift and apply resistance to the rear wheel of a standard bike which converts it to a stationary trainer. The CenturyV trainers are gloss black with red and white decals running vertically along the rear face of the rear support legs. The left leg has an additional vertical red "Travel Trac CenturyV" decal.
The Travel Trac Mag Force+ has gray front legs and red rear legs. The right rear leg has a large vertical decal on its rear face with "Mag Force" in large yellow letters and "Travel Trac" in small white letters. The recalled models' UPC and item numbers are printed on the packaging. The item number is also printed on the bottom of the last page of the owner's manual. The following are the recalled models:
Travel Trac CenturyV Fluid 40-2317 400012288654
Travel Trac CenturyV Fluid+ 40-2318 400012289804
Travel Trac CenturyV Mag+ 40-2319 400012289989
Travel Trac Mag Force+ 40-2323 400012290206
The units were sold at performance stores nationwide, as well as Performance's Web site and catalogs, from August 2005 through February 2006 for about $300.
Consumers should immediately stop using these bicycles trainers and contact Performance to obtain a free repair kit.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Performance at (800) 553- 8324 between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.


The Stream, September 14: Has Thailand Done Enough to Prepare For Floods?
https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png 0 0 Codi Kozacek https://www.circleofblue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Circle-of-Blue-Water-Speaks-600x139.png Codi Kozacek2012-09-14 08:00:422012-09-13 16:25:42The Stream, September 14: Has Thailand Done Enough to Prepare For Floods?
The largest reservation in the U.S. has one of the nation's highest poverty rates — more than 40 percent — and very little water infrastructure. Many residents pay nearly 50 times the municipal cost for water, which instead is delivered from a tank in the back of a truck, often resulting in water-borne intestinal illnesses.


text:
Will friends w/ benefits get you by?
By sleepingdonut
December 2, 2013 in Dating Advice
sleepingdonut
I posted this in the Love & Soulmate forum because that is my end goal. And I really don't want to compromise that goal, thus anything I ask or say here should be read with my long term goal in mind.
While I'd love to have the company and shared life with that one right person, I feel a real relationship would only end in catastrophe for me at this point. I've yet to be able to find any occupation I love (or can really tolerate for too long), and I still have some personal issues (self-esteem and such) that I'm working on. I don't see myself being able to handle a long-term relationship until I fix those things. But at the same time, being single is lonely, and every now and then it seems like it would be nice to just have some physical affection, someone to cuddle with, to talk to, even to have sex with. I wouldn't want a purely physical connection, but something more along the lines of true friends who can also be physical with each other from time to time.
My question is can such an arrangement be helpful and healthy? Has anyone tried it and found that it got them by till the right person came along? Did it backfire? Can it damage the long term goal?
In the movie The Notebook, Noah spent time with a widow, who was essentially his friend with benefits, and the movie presented it as all going smooth, including the transition when Allie returned. But of course that's just a movie. Can it work that way?
I'm just tired of being alone. But I know I'm not a whole person yet and a real relationship would only be destructive for me.
lavenderdove
Most people discover that FWB is not as effortless and easy as they think. One reason is that sex can stimulate bonding hormones, especially in women, and they may start to bond wtih the person while the other person's feelings are not the same, and then you end up with all the messy feelings of a relationship by falling in love with a person who really wasn't ever interested in a 'real' relationship with you to begin with.
If you want to put effort into something, why not put it into working on your issues that prevent you looking for a real relationship rather than a pseduo relationship. A FWB relationship can actually make you feel more alone than you would by on your own, because you can end up feeling empty because the relationship is missing something or angry that the other person isn't really committed to you or not there for you when you need him because he didn't sign up for that, and he's instead only showing up for sex. A lot of people end up feeling used when they get into FWB situations, like they're nothing more than a free hooker in the end.
DancingFool
True friends, cuddling, physical intimacy, sex, talking, hanging out together - that's the definition of a relationship. It's not an fwb. You basically want a full out relationship, just want an easy out of it because of some hang ups in your mind that your life has to be a certain way for you to have a "real" relationship. That's not fair to anyone who would be willing to get involved with you on that level. If you want a relationship, then seek it or at least be open to it even as you work away at your challenges. There is no law that says you have to be perfect for someone to accept you and love you.
FWB is all about no strings attached physical. I feel like sex, I call you, when satisfied, I leave and don't think about you again until next time. In reality, we are not really friends and it's not really about friendship, it's pretty much about the benefits.
For most part, it inevitably backfires for most people, because one person will develop feelings, get emotionally attached and want more while other doesn't want anything more and never will. So it usually turns into a mess where one person gets hurt badly.
amipushy
I wouldn't want a purely physical connection, but something more along the lines of true friends who can also be physical with each other from time to time.
That is dating someone, it is definitely NOT a FWB.
FWB is more like a business contract. You go in, do the business, get dressed, and go. End of. Anything more, like talking while laying in each others arms afterwards is where people start to fall into the trap of one person having feelings for the other and usually ends with that person hurt or feeling used.
At this point I think that starting a FWB with someone would be just as destructive. Wait until you are more secure inside yourself and start dating, which ultimately is what you want.
Reflective82
What Lavender dove said x 10 however I think it can work for men
A FWB relationship can actually make you feel more alone than you would by on your own, because you can end up feeling empty because the relationship is missing something or angry that the other person isn't really committed to you or not there for you when you need him because he didn't sign up for that, and he's instead only showing up for sex.
That seems like a good point.
True friends, cuddling, physical intimacy, sex, talking, hanging out together - that's the definition of a relationship. It's not an fwb. You basically want a full out relationship, just want an easy out of it because of some hang ups in your mind that your life has to be a certain way for you to have a "real" relationship. That's not fair to anyone who would be willing to get involved with you on that level.
I don't think it would be unfair if the other person had the same ideas in mind. I've definitely noticed a gender bias in discussions of FWB relationships, where it's always the guy who must be at fault of any hurt feelings or misinterpreted intentions. Women are adults, too, and they can use someone just as easily (if not more so). I'm only looking for someone on the same page.
This seems ideal. But how does a person cope with the loneliness in the mean time? I rarely even touch another person, and it doesn't feel healthy to live like this.
Who gets attached is gender neutral - don't stereotype. The point is that what you want is not an FWB, but a relationship, a true full out relationship and there is nothing wrong with that. Your life doesn't need to be perfect for that to happen.
The point is that what you want is not an FWB, but a relationship, a true full out relationship and there is nothing wrong with that. Your life doesn't need to be perfect for that to happen.
Perfect, perhaps not. But at a certain level of functionality, I think. Just look at all the failed relationships in the world (plenty of evidence on this forum)--broken people trying to make intimacy work when they have yet to fix themselves. I think there exists an ideal that people really want to believe in, that is, that two broken people can make a relationship work and live happily ever after. And a lot of people will argue it's possible. But then why does all the actual evidence speak to the contrary?
Also, if anyone has any answers to post #7, I'm really interested in hearing.
Fudgie
If your end goal is love, concentrate on that. FWBs usually become placeholders and actually suck up your time. Time that you could have used to improve yourself or find a good partner is wasted with a FWB. I know you are lonely but you have far better uses of your time. FWBs could actually increase the time you are single because your effort and Time is divided.
This is true. I wish I had the self-discipline of Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo. Imagine keeping oneself motivated all those years to learn and improve, all while in the lonely and bleak confines of a prison.
I can walk outside anytime I like and inhale the fresh air. Yet I still have trouble snapping myself out of this mental and emotional rut.
Did he actually love me? His words said no but his actions usually said yes.
By remerz, December 23, 2022
relationship anxiety
Can't be myself around my boyfriend
By prettybarbie, November 20, 2022
Days and Confused
Conflicted trust issues, should I still stay
By Zivma, November 12, 2022
Exgirlfriend now saying that my penis is not big?
By rov, August 22, 2022
exgirfriend
CrazyWife


text:
class Array

  ##
  # Calls the given block for each element of +self+
  # and pass the respective element.
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.10
  def each(&block)
    return to_enum :each unless block

    idx = 0
    while idx < length
      block.call(self[idx])
      idx += 1
    end
    self
  end

  ##
  # Calls the given block for each element of +self+
  # and pass the index of the respective element.
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.11
  def each_index(&block)
    return to_enum :each_index unless block

    idx = 0
    while idx < length
      block.call(idx)
      idx += 1
    end
    self
  end

  ##
  # Calls the given block for each element of +self+
  # and pass the respective element. Each element will
  # be replaced by the resulting values.
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.7
  def collect!(&block)
    return to_enum :collect! unless block

    idx = 0
    len = size
    while idx < len
      self[idx] = block.call self[idx]
      idx += 1
    end
    self
  end

  ##
  # Alias for collect!
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.20
  alias map! collect!

  ##
  # Private method for Array creation.
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.15
  def initialize(size=0, obj=nil, &block)
    raise TypeError, "expected Integer for 1st argument" unless size.kind_of? Integer
    raise ArgumentError, "negative array size" if size < 0

    self.clear
    if size > 0
      self[size - 1] = nil # allocate

      idx = 0
      while idx < size
        self[idx] = (block)? block.call(idx): obj
        idx += 1
      end
    end

    self
  end

  def _inspect
    return "[]" if self.size == 0
    "["+self.map{|x|x.inspect}.join(", ")+"]"
  end
  ##
  # Return the contents of this array as a string.
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.31 (x)
  def inspect
    begin
      self._inspect
    rescue SystemStackError
      "[...]"
    end
  end
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.32 (x)
  alias to_s inspect

  ##
  #  Equality---Two arrays are equal if they contain the same number
  #  of elements and if each element is equal to (according to
  #  Object.==) the corresponding element in the other array.
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.33 (x)
  def ==(other)
    other = self.__ary_eq(other)
    return false if other == false
    return true  if other == true
    len = self.size
    i = 0
    while i < len
      return false if self[i] != other[i]
      i += 1
    end
    return true
  end

  ##
  #  Returns true if +self+ and _other_ are the same object,
  #  or are both arrays with the same content.
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.34 (x)
  def eql?(other)
    other = self.__ary_eq(other)
    return false if other == false
    return true  if other == true
    len = self.size
    i = 0
    while i < len
      return false unless self[i].eql?(other[i])
      i += 1
    end
    return true
  end

  ##
  #  Comparison---Returns an integer (-1, 0, or +1)
  #  if this array is less than, equal to, or greater than other_ary.
  #  Each object in each array is compared (using <=>). If any value isn't
  #  equal, then that inequality is the return value. If all the
  #  values found are equal, then the return is based on a
  #  comparison of the array lengths.  Thus, two arrays are
  #  "equal" according to Array#<=> if and only if they have
  #  the same length and the value of each element is equal to the
  #  value of the corresponding element in the other array.
  #
  # ISO 15.2.12.5.36 (x)
  def <=>(other)
    other = self.__ary_cmp(other)
    return 0 if 0 == other
    return nil if nil == other

    len = self.size
    n = other.size
    len = n if len > n
    i = 0
    while i < len
      n = (self[i] <=> other[i])
      return n if n.nil? || n != 0
      i += 1
    end
    len = self.size - other.size
    if len == 0
      0
    elsif len > 0
      1
    else
      -1
    end
  end

  ##
  # Delete element with index +key+
  def delete(key, &block)
    while i = self.index(key)
      self.delete_at(i)
      ret = key
    end
    return block.call if ret.nil? && block
    ret
  end
end

##
# Array is enumerable
class Array
  # ISO 15.2.12.3
  include Enumerable

  ##
  # Quick sort
  # left  : the beginning of sort region
  # right : the end of sort region
  def __sort_sub__(left, right, &block)
    stack = [ [left, right] ]
    until stack.empty?
      left, right = stack.pop
      if left < right
        i = left
        j = right
        pivot = self[i + (j - i) / 2]
        while true
          while ((block)? block.call(self[i], pivot): (self[i] <=> pivot)) < 0
            i += 1
          end
          while ((block)? block.call(pivot, self[j]): (pivot <=> self[j])) < 0
            j -= 1
          end
          break if (i >= j)
          tmp = self[i]; self[i] = self[j]; self[j] = tmp;
          i += 1
          j -= 1
        end
        stack.push [left, i-1]
        stack.push [j+1, right]
      end
    end
  end
  #  private :__sort_sub__

  ##
  # Sort all elements and replace +self+ with these
  # elements.
  def sort!(&block)
    size = self.size
    if size > 1
      __sort_sub__(0, size - 1, &block)
    end
    self
  end

  def sort(&block)
    self.dup.sort!(&block)
  end
end


The front-end team here at Ridgeway has always worked closely with the back-end team to ensure the best possible results from a project by using our range of development skills.
When we were given the project of building a new storytelling brand site for AB Agri, it was a great opportunity for us front-enders to get creative, exercise our integration skills, and examine just how far we could push the Kentico solution.
As well as being in charge of creating the HTML, CSS, and JS for project, our front-end team sets up a Pattern Library at the start of each project, where we build a static version of the website designs. Once we've finished writing the mark-up for a specific component, this then gets passed over to the back-end team, who will integrate it into the CMS. This will then come back around to the front-end team who will ensure it's working perfectly.
A new approach was adopted for the AB Agri site development – another front-end developer and I took on the responsibility of integration (don't worry, we were fully trained!), as well as all our usual code creation tasks. This way, we were given greater independence for the build to create some great work using Kentico's out-of-the-box features and Ridgeway's base solution (a collection of reusable components that we commonly use, e.g. navigation, breadcrumb, hero, etc).
We had a clear plan when we started development – the developer building the front end for a particular page or component would also do the corresponding integration. The theory behind this was that the creator would know how it worked best, ensuring a rigorous check that sped up the process to ensure that our client's deadline could be met comfortably and issue-free. As we expected, it turned out great!
The sprinkles refer to those extra little touches that make a project even better.
I'm sure the reason why we call this part the sprinkles has something to do everyone's obsession with cake here at Ridgeway. The sprinkles refer to those extra little touches that make a project even better. Having successfully met our deadline - getting all development work done and live within three weeks – everyone was happy.
This meant we then had some time for our team members to explore the site and make a list of opportunities – or sprinkles - that could be added to create an engaging user interface, full of fun touches and animations that add life to AB Agri's story. For one example, if you take a look at the AB Agri homepage, you'll notice there's a green background whilst the page loads, followed by the video starting to play, followed by the text. The animation is subtle, but creates an engaging experience whilst simultaneously giving the page time to load.
All of the sprinkles we've added across the site have only been met with a positive response, and the team can't wait to crack on with adding sprinkles to future projects.
I think everyone would agree this project has been a huge success. With this new approach, we had no integration issues and development was extremely efficient whilst adding creative opportunities.
Moving forward, I expect we'll see more and more projects where the front-end team are involved in integration – the only downside is that we can't blame the back-end team any more!


text:
Jordan will be celebrating its 50th
birthday in 2022.
BE THE FIRS T
to learn about all of the fabulous
festivities planned for 2022.
The winery was founded on May 25, 1972-the day
founders Tom and Sally Jordan purchased the Jordan
Estate, and the day their son, John, was born.
Sign up for our biweekly newsletter
at jordanwinery.com/loyalty-program
and follow @jordanwinery on social media.
The historic 2016 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Melchior -an
18-liter bottle holding the equivalent of 24 standard wine bottles
in one impressive package-releases October 1, 2021. This
hallmark wine marks the 40th
anniversary vintage of Jordan
Cabernet Sauvignon. Offered at $4,800, each bottle of 2016
Jordan Melchior is etched, painted and numbered by hand.
It also includes a wooden display box, a wine tap for convenient
pouring and a limited-edition artist print, signed by the winemaker.
Only eight bottles were produced.
For more information, visit jordanwinery.com/shop/large-format-wines.
The inaugural harvest of the new Chateau Block
Vineyard at Jordan took place on September 25, 2020.
This 6.6-acre vineyard, situated on a rocky slope across
from the winery chateau, was planted to cabernet
sauvignon in 2018-a promising site that has allowed
Jordan to bring estate cabernet grapes back to its
flagship wine for the first time since 2010.
Explore the new jordanwinery.com,
featuring a revamped shopping experience,
more convenient access to member rewards,
gorgeous photos and videos, and more.
https://www.jordanwinery.com/loyalty-program/ https://www.jordanwinery.com/shop/large-format-wines/ http://www.jordanwinery.com http://www.winecountrytable.com


text:
As Trump pushes Covid vaccine, FDA soothes fears
Stephen Hahn, the nation's top drug regulator, has been pumping out op-eds and popping up at scientific conferences in recent weeks to make the case for his agency's independence.
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. | Sarah Silbiger-Pool/Getty Images
By Sarah Owermohle
Updated: 08/24/2020 10:02 AM EDT
FDA chief Stephen Hahn is stepping up efforts to convince Americans that his agency won't sacrifice the safety or efficacy of a coronavirus vaccine for the sake of speed — even as President Donald Trump is urging the agency to move faster on Covid-19 shots and treatments.
News late Sunday that the FDA would authorize emergency use of convalescent plasma despite questions about its effectiveness renewed many public health experts' fears that the administration will rush through a Covid-19 vaccine without proof that it works.
Hahn, the nation's top drug regulator, has been pumping out op-eds and popping up at scientific conferences in recent weeks to make the case for his agency's independence. "FDA commissioner: No matter what, only a safe, effective vaccine will get our approval," read the headline on a Washington Post piece Hahn wrote this month. "Unwavering regulatory safeguards for Covid-19 vaccines," read another, published days later in the medical journal JAMA.
Within FDA, "the discussion has been: How do we communicate to the public and how do we push back on the misinformation — from all directions?" said one current health official. Asked about the president's sometimes contradictory statements about the vaccines in development, the official said: "We just march forward."
POLITICO Dispatch: August 25
It might sound weird, but there actually is such a thing as "too soon" when it comes to a coronavirus vaccine. POLITICO's Sarah Owermohle explains why.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Subscribe on Google Podcasts
But it's not clear whether Hahn's efforts will persuade Americans who are hesitant about taking a coronavirus vaccine to do so.
Polls show that nearly a fifth of adults would refuse a coronavirus vaccine if one were available, in some cases over fears that any approval would be motivated by politics rather than science. Trump has repeatedly promised that a vaccine will be available by the end of the year — perhaps even before the November election, contradicting timetables laid out by top federal scientists. Just 14 percent of voters would be more likely to take a vaccine recommended by Trump, according to a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll this month.
The president has also taken direct aim at the FDA in recent days, accusing it of slow-walking its coronavirus response for political reasons. "The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics," Trump tweeted Saturday. "Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!"
POLITICO spoke to three current health officials familiar with discussions ongoing among Hahn and a small group of advisers — as well as three former FDA commissioners and several other health policy and vaccine experts, some of whom have advised the government during this pandemic.
Public fear that drugmakers are rushing vaccines or that the politics could instigate a so-called October surprise to greenlight an unproven shot before the election have fueled Hahn's internal and public moves to champion science, not politics, in vaccine decisions, the current officials said. Convincing a majority of Americans to take a vaccine when one is available will be crucial to stopping the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed over 175,000 Americans.
"It's a little bit challenging for the administration right now," said Mark McClellan, who led FDA under President George W. Bush. "They are trying to say 'we are going to follow the guidance, and follow the FDA gold standard process,' but it hasn't actually happened yet." That's because the agency is still waiting for data from the late-stage clinical trials that will reveal whether any of the shots in development are effective.
It's a two-front battle for the agency: Rebuff any outside pressure, and convince the public that it has.
"It's the job of the FDA commissioner, to make sure that the American people trust the agency," said David Kessler, the longtime FDA commissioner who now advises the Joe Biden presidential campaign on the coronavirus response. "The other big job of the FDA commissioner is to put their body on the line in between all the forces that want to influence the agency."
The world is waiting on a coronavirus vaccine. We're tracking the global competition, the research and development, the rollout plan and how effective the vaccine will be.
Full coverage »
The FDA did not respond to questions about vaccine hesitancy among the general public, Hahn's strategy to counteract fears about vaccine safety and the president's promises. But a White House spokesperson rejected any suggestion that politics would influence a vaccine approval. "It has nothing to do with politics," the spokesperson said. "This President understands that this vaccine cannot get bogged down in government bureaucracy."
Public skepticism of vaccines has been steadily growing in the United States and worldwide. But polls indicate that confidence has plummeted in recent months amid discussion of bringing Covid-19 shots to market in record time and concern over the Trump administration's coronavirus response.
"The national conscience has been traumatized over the past six months," said one current senior health official. "People just don't know what to believe. On top of that, it's an election year."
Trump has not always stuck to FDA's new script on science and safety, instead doubling down on pledges during near-daily solo press briefings that a vaccine will be ready this year.
"We're moving very rapidly towards that approval," Trump said in an Aug. 11 briefing, hours after Russian President Vladmir Putin claimed that his country had the first working shot. Earlier in the month, the president had even suggested that a vaccine could be ready before the Nov. 6 election, months ahead of his administration's already ambitious year-end target.
"This Covid vaccine is probably the most precious and prestigious medical resource in any of our lifetimes," said Lawrence Gostin, a public health expert at Georgetown University. "The race to be first has enormous political, geopolitical overtones to it. It's all wrapped up in international prestige and chest-thumping from populist leaders like Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and President Trump."
At the center of the federal review of those vaccines is Hahn, a relative newcomer to D.C. who has little of the star power that has accumulated around infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci or White House coronavirus task force leader Deborah Birx.
The FDA chief is still virtually unknown to the greater public. He assumed the top post just a month before the pandemic hit U.S. shores and was originally left off of White House task force.
Hahn's opinion pieces have largely been confined to medical journals that few average Americans read. He has rarely appeared on nightly news or morning shows in recent months. And he and other top health officials have been shut out of the president's near-daily press briefings — at which Trump has touted the discredited coronavirus treatment hydroxychloroquine and has alleged political collusion by scientists over plasma therapy — until Sunday. Hahn appeared alongside Trump and HHS Secretary Alex Azar at a briefing on emergency use of plasma, where Hahn declined to contradict the president's claim that the therapy was "very effective."
FDA's emergency use authorization for the infusion, issued Sunday after days of accusatory tweets and criticism by Trump, noted that more data was needed to determine whether it was effective. The agency's top drug official, Janet Woodcock, told POLITCO on Friday that it had not yet been proven.
Meanwhile, the new FDA openness comes on its own terms. The agency initially told POLITICO that it would make Hahn available to discuss his transparency efforts. Four days later, it reversed course, citing his packed schedule. An HHS spokesperson later contradicted that explanation, saying that "nobody at the FDA" believed this story would be fair.
Former agency chiefs applauded current FDA officials' efforts to reassure the public — but said there is still a long way to go.
"For FDA officials, the challenge with being in that position if you oftentimes speak in the echo chamber of Washington," said former Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who left the post last spring. "Ultimately the obligations of the job transcend that, and speaking directly to consumers and providers — people who are the end users of the FDA's product — you need to reach those groups as well."
CORONAVIRUS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
President Donald Trump and Melania Trump have tested positive for Covid-19.
Confirmed U.S. Cases: 7,292,422 | U.S. Deaths: 208,068
How coronavirus will change the world permanently
Coronavirus cases, tracked state by state
Are you a health care worker? Tell us what you're seeing
Here's what we know — and don't — about Trump's Covid case.
Joe Biden tested negative for Covid-19.
Trump's diagnosis could spell disaster for his campaign.
The Trump team is on guard against foreign adversaries who could exploit the president's illness.
Read all coronavirus coverage »
Government trust is particularly low in communities of color: Just 54 percent of Black Americans say they would probably or definitely get a vaccine, according to Pew.
Other agency officials including longtime vaccine chief Peter Marks are echoing Hahn's message. Marks oversees the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the arm of FDA that will ultimately decide whether to approve any vaccines. He recused himself from his post for just a few days in May to join an administration effort, Operation Warp Speed, to accelerate vaccine development — but swiftly returned to the agency amid concerns about political pressure.
In June, FDA issued guidance saying that potential vaccines had to be at least 50 percent effective. That left the door open for a shot to receive an emergency use authorization, a speedy way for unapproved products to get to the broader public, even if evidence supporting their use is still thin.
"We don't have any intention of using emergency use authorization to take a vaccine of suboptimal effect or an unproven vaccine to bring it forward — that would be doing such a disservice here, people need to feel confidence," Marks said on a call with reporters this month.
Gottlieb, who sits on the board of Pfizer, which has received U.S. government funding for its coronavirus vaccine, said that if everything goes right in trials, it is possible for a shot to be ready for limited use at the end of this year. "I think a vaccine available for mass inoculation of the general population is a 2021 event," he said.
Several drugmakers are optimistic that they could have data in 2020, even though none is finished enrolling the sweeping, 30,000-person trial needed for final results. The FDA is gearing up to discuss vaccine candidates in a late October advisory committee meeting, though it is not clear whether any conclusive data will be available then.
The October panel date raised questions among outside experts about whether the agency was getting ahead of its skis. But others including the former commissioners said it is a solid step towards transparency around the shots.
"I think they're on notice. Be it the committee hearings, be it comments by scientists and public health officials: Everyone is looking to them to do the right thing," said Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at University of Pennsylvania who co-developed the rotavirus shot and is part of the panel slated to meet in October.
"The only question is to what extent the administration would be able to put them in a position where they are being asked to not do the right thing, and would they be able to stand up to that," Offit said. "That's what worries people."
David Lim contributed to this story.
FDA,
Anthony Fauci,
Vaccination,
Scott Gottlieb,
Stephen Hahn,
Deborah Birx,
The Vaccine Race