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Complicated Thoughts About the New Dan Brown Book
Greg Zimmerman 01-17-13
Tuesday of this week was a banner day if you're of the cynical persuasion. You probably had a field day with the news of a new Dan Brown novel to be published in May. Great, another novel for the brain-dead dillweeds of the world! Won't this gravity-boots-wearing weirdo just go away?
But the backlash against such cynicism was swift and severe. Dan Brown moves units. He gets asses (and money) in bookstores. Why are we always skeptical of what's popular? As wise and generous Rioter Liberty pointed out in the tweet below, he's just simply a nice guy. So why are we such jerks to him?
Me? I fall somewhere in between these two camps. It's hard for me to pick a side. A little history on why: My first experience with Brown was in the Spring of 2002, when I read The Da Vinci Code soon after it was published. (I have the first-edition hardcover to prove it!) I truly, genuinely enjoyed it — and I wrote in my reading log that "this is the type of book that makes me love reading." As we all know, the book soon blew up like no book had in a long, long time. Brown began appearing on those silly newsmagazine specials with sinister-sounding titles like "The REAL Da Vinci Code." And not only did he, with a straight face, maintain that he truly believes in the conspiracy theory about Mary Magdalene and Jesus and the Priory of Sion, but also he totally passed off the whole thing as his own idea. (Not long after the book came out, Brown was sued in a British court for copyright infringement because the idea wasn't, in fact, his. It came from an early 1980s book titled The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. But the lawsuit was eventually dismissed because Brown didn't copy text. He just stole the idea.)
So I started to sour on Brown, but at about the same time I was diving into his backlist. I enjoyed Angels and Demons well enough, but then I read Digital Fortress. And the souring was complete. It's my no-hesitation answer to "what's the worst book you've ever read?" Whenever anyone suggests a "serious conversation on Brown's literary merits," I giggle, and think of this book. It demands to be made fun of. I mean, it's hilariously bad. And Brown, who seems like an affable chap, would probably agree.
But so, after a six-year gap after The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol came out in the Fall of 2009, and like many readers, despite my complicated "relationship" with Brown, I was excited. I gave it a serious go, determined to weigh its merits and faults independent of my long-sinking opinion of Brown. Like many readers, I didn't much care for it. It cemented Brown on my list of literary nemeses. And it further complicated my already complicated love-hate relationship with Mr. Brown. (The vitriol in those posts is comical, looking back. I've softened a bit since then.)
So, in the wake of the Inferno announcement, where does all this leave us? Clearly it's more difficult than I would've thought (or hoped) to move beyond the simple (and simplistic) debate about people being skeptical of popular literature, only because it's popular. Without judging individual work solely on its merits, there's little constructive to be derived from such a conversation. Besides, you're tired of it. And I am too. A few months back, Rioter Scott Beauchamp wrote an insightful, extremely well-argued piece titled "Should You Feel Bad About Reading Stephen King?" Substitute Brown for King, and that piece says it all on the idea of Brown's popular novels vs. "serious literature" (whatever that means).
But I also think it's totally fine to have a little fun at Brown's expense. I mean, the guy can certainly be unintentionally giggle-worthy at times, can't he? All those hilariously faux-profound sentiments expressed in italics (eg. Katherine's destiny is to light this torch. Mine is to destroy it.) to show what characters are thinking? And his earnestness about his conspiracy theories? It's like somebody needs to remind him he's a novelist. He's writing fiction. And I can't help but laugh.
And so, finally, for the record, whatever else you get out of this post, know this: I'm excited about Inferno. Aren't you? If Brown's not your thing, don't read it. But don't be a jerk about proving how literary you are by ignoring Brown. We get it. That's fine. On the other hand, if you like Brown and his stories, or are amused by him, or simply want the right to have an opinion, then you should be excited for Inferno. For better or worse, it IS a literary event. And it WILL get people talking about and buying books. And that's ALWAYS a good thing.
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#Fiction#Opinion#Angels and Demons#Dan Brown#Digital Fortress#Inferno#The Da Vinci Code
Book Fetish: Volume LXI


Parge Associates Architects is located at the address 718 Sw 15th Ave in Amarillo, Texas 79101. They can be contacted via phone at (806) 372-5038 for pricing, hours and directions.
For maps and directions to Parge Associates Architects view the map to the right. For reviews of Parge Associates Architects see below.


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Neurology Central
Supplement may promote remyelination in multiple sclerosis patients
CNS/PNS/SNS, Demyelinating disease
Last updated: 14 August, 2017
Authors: Ellen Clarke
Researchers have found that the vitamin D receptor promotes the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and enhances myelin sheath regeneration. The findings could lead to new remyelination enhancing drugs for multiple sclerosis patients and those suffering from other demyelinating diseases.
Multiple sclerosis patients experience continuous loss of the myelin that insulates neurons in the central nervous system. Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) migrate towards neurons and differentiate into myelin producing oligodendrocytes in response to demyelination, however this process slows as a person ages.
Retinoid X receptor gamma (RXR-ɣ) is a nuclear receptor protein that is known to promote OPC differentiation and remyelination. Nuclear receptors usually function in pairs; as such researchers led by Robin Franklin at the University of Cambridge (UK) investigated the role of RXR-ɣ and its binding partners in the process of remyelination.
The researchers found that RXR-ɣ bound to nuclear receptors, including the vitamin D receptor (VDR), in OPCs and oligodendrocytes. The findings also indicated that VDR inhibition leads to impaired OPC differentiation and reduced the cells' capacity to remyelinate axons ex vivo. In contrast, the team found that Vitamin D increased OPC differentiation.
An association has previously been found between reduced vitamin D levels and the onset of multiple sclerosis. The new research suggests that vitamin D may also affect disease progression by controlling myelin sheath regeneration. It is hoped that VDR-activating drugs could promote remyelination in a range of demyelinating diseases.
The team are now looking to identify genes that are downstream targets of the RXR-γ–VDR heterodimer and whether other nuclear receptors paired with RXR-ɣ could also be involved in OPC differentiation and remyelination.
Source: The Rockefeller University Press press release via Eurekalert; The Rockefeller University Press
aging CNS demyelinating disease myelin sheath
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16 December, 2019 0
New flashing-light test may be able to determine multiple sclerosis drug success
Personalized electrode placement may improve outcomes of deep brain stimulation
26 November, 2019 0
Gut microbiome modulation: potential mechanism uncovered for the treatment of multiple sclerosis
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Today's Google doodle honors American astronomer Maria Mitchell, 195 years after her birth. Check it out!
NASA has released a slideshow of images taken of the Earth (and Moon) on July 19 by the Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn.
Here is a recently released Hubble Telescope image of Comet ISON. For more, see HubbleSite.


Classes that conform to the loadable pattern implement the Loadable interface.
The getLoadStatus method returns the state of the loadable resource. Four states are possible.
NOT_LOADED—the resource has not been asked to load its metadata and its state isn't properly initialized yet.
FAILED_TO_LOAD—the resource failed to load its metadata (for example, due to network outage, or the operation was cancelled, and so on.) The error encountered is available from the getLoadError method.
The Loadable interface includes listeners that make it easy to monitor the status of loadable resources, display progress, and take action when the state changes.
A resource commences loading its metadata asynchronously when loadAsync is invoked. At that time, the load status changes from NOT_LOADED to LOADING. When the asynchronous operation completes, the callback is invoked. If the operation encounters an error, the error argument in the callback is populated, and load status is set to FAILED_TO_LOAD. If the operation completes successfully, the error argument is null and the load status is set to LOADED, which means the resource has finished loading its metadata and is now properly initialized.
Many times, the same resource instance is shared by different parts of the application. For example, a legend component and a table of contents component may have access to the same layer, and they both may want to access the layer's properties to populate their UI. Or the same portal instance may be shared across the application to display the user's items and groups in different parts of the application. In order to accommodate this type of application development pattern and make things simple for you, loadAsync supports multiple "listeners". It can be called concurrently and repeatedly, but only one attempt is ever made to load the metadata. If a load operation is already in progress (LOADING state) when loadAsync is called, it simply piggy-backs on the outstanding operation and the callback is enqueued to be invoked when that operation completes. If the operation has already completed (LOADED or FAILED_TO_LOAD state) when loadAsync is called, the callback is immediately invoked with the past result of the operation, be it success or failure, and the state remains unchanged. This makes it safe for you to liberally invoke loadAsync on a loadable resource, without having to check if the resource is already loaded or not, and without worrying that it will make unnecessary network requests every time.
A resource retries to load its metadata when retryLoadAsync is invoked, but only if it previously failed to load (FAILED_TO_LOAD state) or wasn't loaded to begin with (NOT_LOADED state). The resource transitions to the LOADING state and makes a new attempt to fetch its metadata. The callback is invoked when the asynchronous operation completes.
A resource cancels any outstanding asynchronous operation to load its metadata when cancelLoad is invoked and it transitions from LOADING to FAILED_TO_LOAD state. The getLoadError method will return information that reflects that operation was cancelled.


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Justia Patents Packaged Product Is Lacteal DerivedUS Patent for Packaged food articles with enriched headspace Patent (Patent # 6,793,950)
Packaged food articles with enriched headspace
Dec 17, 1999 - General Mills, Inc.
A packaged food article of improved appearance and stackability comprises an unpressurized, imperforate container having an opening, wherein the container is fabricated from a material having a low gas permeability. A quantity of gas releasing food stuff, such as an active cultured dairy product, is disposed within and partially fills the container, while defining a headspace volume which is not filled with the food stuff A peelable flexible seal membrane overlays and seals the opening. An initial headspace gas is enriched with the gas released from the food stuff, with the initial headspace gas being adapted to permeate the packaging material at a rate greater than both the rate in which gas is released from the food stuff within the container and the rate in which air permeates into the container, thereby avoiding outward bowing of the flexible seal during the shelf life of the packaged food article.
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The present invention relates to packaged food articles and to methods of their preparation. More particularly, the present invention relates to packaged cultured dairy product articles to their methods of preparation.
The present invention provides further improvements in packaged food articles such as refrigerated cultured dairy product articles. A variety of cultured dairy products are packaged in relatively small, plastic containers. For example, refrigerated yogurt products can be packaged in single serving plastic containers. In certain products, the plastic containers generally include a plastic cup having an upper opening through which the yogurt is filled. After filling, the opening is scaled with an overlaying flexible membrane that seals the opening after filling. The plastic cups are designed to be stackable upon each other with the bottom of one cup resting upon the sealing membrane of a lower cup.
Certain foods continue to release gases into the headspace after filling. For example, certain vat cultured yogurt products evolve CO2 gas after filling into the headspace. If the plastic container is fabricated having too low of a CO2 flux through the container (i.e., lower than the rate of release from the food), then CO2 can build up in the headspace. Even minor amounts of CO2 build up in the headspace can cause the flexible seal membrane to undesirable bow upwards forming a bowed membrane having a convex shape. Such containers may be desirable for other reasons, e.g., due to lower cost of materials, even though possessing low particular gas flux properties.
A bowed or convex membrane is undesirable for at least two reasons. First, a bowed membrane aggravates stacking problems of containers upon each other. To conserve display space, at retail, yogurt containers are typically stacked at least two items high upon each other. Such stacking is usually done manually. Having an outwardly bowed membrane makes such manual stacking more difficult or even impossible. Also, even if stacked, such stacking arrangements are less stable and more prone towards collapse especially as the consumer selects a container from a stacked array. A second reason resides in consumers' perceptions and apprehensions regarding a bowed membrane. Consumers can erroneously believe that the bulging or bowing is caused by contamination or by some other product defect. Since yogurt products sell in highly competitive markets, even minor perceived imperfections can result in loss of sales.
One solution to minimize bowing is to package the food products under vacuum. By having a vacuum in the headspace, room is provided for the released gas. However, vacuum packaging is expensive, has slow packaging line speeds, and may not be practical for food products that are subject to damage when exposed to vacuum.
The present invention provides improvements in packaged foods that minimize the problems of bowing caused by such gas release without need for vacuum packaging. One advantage is that costs associated with such vacuum packaging can be avoided. A further advantage is that foods sensitive to vacuum can be packaged. Still another advantage is that foods containing live cultures such as cultured dairy products can be provided that comprise containers fabricated from low cost low CO2 permeability materials. Still another advantage resides in minimization of the stacking problems associated with packages suffering from bowing.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that rather than merely preventing a bowed flexible membrane or even providing merely a flat flexible membrane, the present invention can provide a "dished" flexible membrane or inwardly curved. A dished membrane is one that is concave in shape. Such a shape desirably conveys to consumers an impression of having been vacuum sealed even though not so prepared. Moreover, the concave shape desirably suggests to consumers that seal integrity has been maintained.
Surprisingly, the present invention resides in the counter intuitive initial addition to the headspace prior to sealing of the very gas that is released by the contained food stuff. By adding higher concentrations of CO2 initially to the headspace, flux or loss of CO2 from the headspace through the container is initially accelerated by its higher concentration. Since air permeability into the container is slower than CO2 loss, a partial vacuum is formed in the sealed headspace at least during the short time from production to sale. The partial vacuum provides volume for the evolved CO2 without causing bowing. Indeed, enough vacuum is created to not only allow for the evolved gas but also to provide the desirable dishing membrane feature.
These and other advantages are described in the following description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention in connection with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is cross sectional view of one preferred embodiment of the articles of the present invention comprising an inverted cup shaped container having a preferred concave flexible seal membrane shown in a stable stacked arrangement.
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of articles not of the present invention depicting undesirable bowing of the closure membrane and shown an unstable stacked arrangement.
FIG. 3 is a cross section of another embodiment of articles of the present invention similar to FIG. 1 comprising a cup shaped container with a preferred convex flexible membrane and further including an overlaying resealing lid shown in a stable stacked arrangement.
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of articles not of the present invention similar to FIG. 2 depicting undesirable bowing of the closure membrane and deformed lid and shown in an unstable stacked arrangement.
FIG. 5 is a cross section of another embodiment of articles of the present invention similar to FIG. 3 comprising a cup shaped container with a resealing lid and an acceptable flat flexible membrane and a resealing lid shown in a stable stacked arrangement.
In its product aspect, the present invention resides in packaged food articles of improved appearance and stackability such as a refrigerated active cultured dairy product. The articles comprise an unpressurized, imperforate container having an opening that is fabricated from a material having a low gas permeability, a quantity of gas releasing food stuff disposed within and partially filling the container defining a headspace such as a live cultured dairy; a peelable flexible seal membrane overlaying and sealing the opening; and an initial headspace gas that is enriched with the gas.
In its process aspect, tho present invention is directed to processes for preparing packaged food articles that are resistant to bowing of the flexible membrane by internally released gas. The process comprises the steps of:
providing an unpressurized, imperforate container having an opening fabricated from a material having a low gas permeability;
filling the container with a quantity of gas releasing foodstuff to partially fill the interior volume defining an unfilled headspace volume;
adding a quantity of the gas to the unfilled headspace volume of the container to form an initial gas enriched headspace; and,
immediately thereafter sealing the container opening with a flexible seal membrane to form a packaged food article having an initial headspace enriched with a gas.
The headspace initial gas enriched headspace has all enriched gas content of about 15% to 40%.
The present invention relates to packaged food articles sealed with flexible membranes exhibiting reduced tendency to bowing and to their methods of preparation. Each of the article components as well as article use and attributes and methods of their preparation are described in detail below.
Throughout the specification and claims, percentages are by weight and temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit unless otherwise indicated.
An improved article or packaged food product according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is generally designated by reference numeral 10. In FIG. 1, two articles 10 are shown in a stable vertical stacked arrangement.
Article 10 includes a container 11 that can be of any suitable shape, size, and construction and generally defines an interior volume 14 and includes an upper opening 15. Container 11 is imperforate, adapted to hold fluid or moist foodstuffs 16, and is fabricated from a material that has a low but positive permeability to the gas being evolved or emitted from the foodstuff 16 (i.e., is not impermeable such as being constructed entirely of glass and/or metal). The low permeability can result from such factors as selection of the material used to fabricate the container, wall thickness, coatings or combinations of such features. The container 11 can be flexible, rigid or semi rigid, and of any suitable shape, size or configuration. In the preferred form, and as with existing designs, container 11 formed of semi rigid material such as plastic.
In preferred form, container 11 is of a shape and size to form a tub or small cup, whether or not inverted. In the preferred embodiment, the container 11 described herein and as depicted in FIG. 1 is an inverted two-part container having an upper main body portion 12 (FIG. 1) and a lower base portion 13 (FIG. 6) which is to be attached at the bottom of the main body portion 12 so as to form an open top 15 or opened top container for being filled with food products 16. By "inverted" is meant where the diameter of the upper opening 15 is smaller than the diameter of base portion 13. Also, while circular containers are depicted, other shaped containers having regular shapes such as squares or ovals or even complex or irregular shapes are contemplated. The preferred application is as a container for yogurt and the exemplary dimensions set forth herein for the container portions 10 and 12 are for a container that is filled with 170 g of flavored yogurt (having a density of about 1.05 g/cc) in a container having an internal total volume 14 of about 180 cc. However, it will be understood that the size of the container portions and the dimensions can be varied from that described herein and still fall within the scope of the present invention. The yogurt or other foodstuff 16 partially fills the interior volume of the container, e.g., about 75% to about 95% of the interior volume 14 of the container. The unfilled portion or fraction of the internal volume or head space 17 constitutes about 5% to 25% of the interior volume.
A good description of containers preferred for use herein is provided in U.S. Ser. No. 09/119,072 entitled "Plastic Container For Food Products" filed Jul. 10, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,301 issued Apr. 10, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference. The articles therein described include two piece cup construction including an upper main body portion or piece ultrasonically welded to a bottom portion or piece. In a particular configuration the upper body piece is formed with inverted frustocanical plastic body. The container there described are preferably injection molded of polypropylene.
In the past, such yogurt containers have been fabricated of polystyrene. While expensive, polystyrene is desirably relatively permeable to CO2 but relatively less permeable to oxygen. Certain yogurt products continue to generate CO2 internally especially in the first several days. The high CO2 gas permeability of polystyrene allows for escape of the CO2 via diffusion through the container wall. Since polystyrene is relatively less permeably to oxygen, and nitrogen, the flux of CO2 out of the container can be less than or equal to the flux of air into the container. As a result, CO2 escapes so fast that CO2 does not build up in the headspace sufficiently to cause the problem of membrane bowing. In contrast, the present containers are preferably fabricated from polypropylene primarily due to cost. Polypropylene is less expensive than polystyrene. Unfortunately, the CO2 permeability of polypropylene is much less than polystyrene. As a result, articles fabricated from cups made from polypropylene are subject to the problems of bowing due to CO2 buildup in the headspace.
Articles not of the present invention are depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4 which each show the stacking problems that can arise from bowing. The flexible membrane is depicted as having a unacceptable convex shape rather than the acceptable flat or preferred dished or concave shapes of the present invention. FIGS. 2 and 4 each show that arrays or stacks of stacked items with bowed membranes are unstable.
Still other acceptable variations of the container are depicted in FIG. 3. In this variation, the container 11 is a conventional cup size and shape with opening of a larger diameter than that of its base. Container 11 can be one piece or can be a two piece construction. The article 10 can be seen to additionally comprise a conventional resealing lid 20 adapted to resealably engage with container 11. FIG. 3 further shows that lid 20 overlays seal membrane 18. In certain variations (not shown) lid 20 and membrane 18 are slightly spaced apart. Seal membrane 18 forms an inner seal. Such a lid 20 is especially useful for products wherein it is contemplated that only a portion will be used or consumed at least in some significant percentage of use occasions. It will be appreciated that any bowing of seal membrane problem caused by not following the present invention can be at least partially hidden by overlaying lid 20 if lid 20 is entirely opaque. Due to the spacing between the lid 20 (not shown) and the seal membrane 18 stacking problems can be mitigated. However, when the consumer removes the lid 20, the bowing of membrane can be nonetheless observed leading the consumer to erroneously question the quality of the product. In other variations, at least a portion of the resealing lid can be transparent and bowing can be observed.
Regardless of shape or construction, especially preferred for use herein are single serving sized containers, e.g., having an interior volume of about 150 to 300 cc.
The foodstuffs 16 are essentially characterized by being gas emitting. For example, certain yogurt products continue to evolve CO2 gas for several days after filling. While not wishing to be bound by the proposed theory, it is speculated herein that the release of CO2 results at least in part from CO2 that is dissolved in milk or water used in preparation of yogurt. Also, naturally occurring carbonates in both milk and added water can react with the acidity of the yogurt to release further amounts of CO2. The problem is particularly severe with vat cultured or stirred style yogurts. With such products, the yogurt is quiescently cultured in vats, cooled to refrigerated temperatures, filled in the containers at such refrigerated temperatures, and thereafter immediately sealed, and stored or maintained at refrigerated temperatures. In the preparation of set style yogurt, in contrast, a warm inoculated milk blend is charged to an open container and allowed to culture in situ at warm temperatures for extended times, e.g., for several hours in sealed containers. Thereafter, the yogurt is cooled to arrest the culturation. It is believed that in such methods of preparation, two factors help prevent bowing. First, the water vapor present in the headspace of the warm yogurt cups at time of sealing and during incubation condenses upon cooling, drawing a vacuum sufficient to prevent later doming. Second, the warm temperature increases the permeability of the cup to CO2 so that any initial CO2 released from the yogurt disperses quickly. The vacuum resulting from the condensation of water vapor and from the reduction in headspace gas volume upon cooling is sufficient to handle any further CO2 gas resulting from dissolved CO2 or interaction of acidity from the yogurt with any carbonate constituents. Also, any such chemical reaction is accelerated due to the warmer temperatures maintained to promote the culturing of the yogurt.
It is not believed that any significant amount of CO2 results from the biological activity of the active yogurt culture. Thus, it is speculated that CO2 generation can occur with any high moisture food product (i.e., higher than 50% moisture) especially those having a lower pH than 7. The problems are especially severe with even higher moisture products such as yogurt having moisture contents of greater than 80% in combination with a lower pH such as 4.0 to 5.5, especially 4.0 to 4.5.
By way of example, it is believed that a 170 g quantity of vat cultured yogurt in a sealed container maintained at refrigerator temperatures (0° C. to 10° C.) can generate up to 5 cc of CO2 per day for the first several days.
Other cultured dairy products include, by way of example and not limitation, sour cream, kefir, and cottage cheese. The present invention is particularly suitable for use for yogurt especially vat cultured yogurt having a live (viable) lactobacillus for refrigerated distribution. In other variations, the food stuff can comprise farinaceous batters such as for the preparation of layer cakes and other baked goods. Such batters can comprise a chemical leavening system comprising a baking acid in the batter and an encapsulated baking soda. However, such protected leavening systems nonetheless continue to have some reaction between the leavening ingredients leading to evolution of CO2 over time.
While the present invention find particular suitability for use in connection with moist foodstuffs that are CO2 gas emitting, the present invention can find use for other products that emit other gases. Also, the present invention is directed towards foods that have low levels of dissolved or generated CO2, e., g., 1 to 25% (v/v %), rather than to carbonated beverages which are characterized by high levels of carbonation, e.g. 100% to 800% CO2 (v/v %).
The unfilled portion of the container inner volume 14 that is unfilled forms a headspace 17. Typically, the headspace has a volume that is about 5% to 25%, preferably about 10% to about 25% of the interior volume of the container.
The present articles further essentially comprise an initial headspace 17 enriched with the same gas in the headspace that is evolved or released by the foodstuff. By initial enriched headspace is meant a concentration profile immediately after sealing. For example, the native level of CO2 in air is less than 0.1%. In preferred embodiments, the initial enriched headspace 17 immediately after sealing comprises about 10% (v/v) to 40% of CO2, preferably about 20% to 30%.
The CO2 enrichment can be conveniently provided by a small continuous stream of gaseous CO2. Since CO2 is heavier than air, the CO2displaces a portion of the air in the headspace volume. Higher levels of CO2 are undesirable since the flux of CO2 from the container can be so great as to pull so strong of a vacuum as to actually cause loss of seal integrity.
After being filled, the open top 15 is then sealed by a thin seal member 18 which can be adhered to the top of the main body portion 12 for sealing the food product in the interior 15 of the container.
It will be appreciated that eventually, the flux of CO2 from the headspace of the container and the flux of air into the container will reach equilibrium with the atmosphere. However, such equilibrium will be reached only long after expiration of the 45 to 70 day shelf life of refrigerated yogurt herein.
In its process aspect, the present invention is directed to processes for preparing packaged food articles that are resistant to bowing of the flexible membrane by internally release gas. The process comprises a first step of providing an unpressurized, imperforate container having an opening fabricated from a material having a low gas permeability essentially as described above.
Thereafter, the present methods next farther essentially comprise the step of filling the container with a quantity of gas releasing food stuff to partially fill the interior volume defining an unfilled headspace volume. Conventional filling equipment and techniques can be practiced to perform this step. For example, stirred vat set chilled yogurt (having a temperature of 0° C. to 10° C., preferably about 5° C.) is pumped and added through the upper opening to partially fill the container. In the preferred variation, about 6 oz. (weight) is added to each 170 cc cup leaving about 30 cc of headspace.
The present methods still further essentially comprise the step of adding a quantity of the gas to the unfilled headspace volume of the container to form an initial gas enriched headspace. For example, for yogurt about 5 to 15 cc of clean pure CO2 is added to the headspace by continuous gas stream. For example, the yogurt filled cups can be passed by a pipette that dispenses CO2 gas. The heavier than air CO2 tends to remain in the headspace until the sealing step. To reduce CO2 usage, an intermittent CO2 supply can be used that is timed to supply CO2 at appropriate times and durations during the packaging cycle.
The methods then comprise the step of immediately thereafter sealing the container opening with a flexible seal membrane to form a packaged food article having an initial headspace enriched with a gas. The sealing is completed before all the enrichment gas has a chance to escape. Good results are obtained when the sealing step is commenced within 0.1 to 15 seconds after gas addition, preferably about 0.1 to 5 seconds after gas addition to the headspace. In more preferred variations the seal membrane is of a heat seal type rather than a pressure seal.
The headspace initial gas enriched headspace has an enriched gas content of about 15% to 40%, preferably, about 10% to 35%.
For those embodiments that further comprise a lid, the present methods can additionally comprise the step of applying a removable engaging resealing lid to overlay the flexible membrane.
In the preferred embodiment, the so formed packaged food items can then be stored at refrigeration temperatures 0° C. to 5° C. for distribution and sale. A flat or dished flexible membrane forms within about three days after filling and sealing and remains for the duration of its expected 50 day shelf life of the product with refrigeration temperature storage.
Due to the shape of the upper seal membrane, an advantage of the present invention is that the present articles are conveniently manually stackable in reasonably stable stacked arrays.
Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes, which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims, are intended to be embraced therein.
1. A packaged food article of improved appearance and stackability, comprising:
an imperforate container having a hollow interior, an interior volume and an opening, said container being fabricated from a packaging material having a low gas permeability;
a quantity of gas releasing food stuff disposed within and partially filling the interior volume defining a headspace volume which is not filled with food stuff, said food stuff generating a quantity of a first type of gas when stored in the container and releasing the first type of gas into the headspace volume;
a peelable flexible seal membrane overlaying and sealing the opening; and
an initial headspace gas enriched with an additional quantity of the first type of gas supplied to the headspace volume from a source other than the food stuff to create an enriched headspace gas beneath the flexible seal membrane, said enriched headspace gas being capable of permeating through the packaging material at a rate greater than both the rate at which the fist type of gas is released from the food stuff within the container and the rate at which air permeates into the container such that the headspace volume can accommodate the food generated first type of gas sufficient to avoid potential outward bowing of the flexible seal membrane during the shelf life of the packaged food article.
2. The packaged food article of claim 1, wherein the first type of gas is CO 2.
3. The packaged food article in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the CO 2 is dissolved CO 2, carbonates, and mixtures thereof.
4. The packaged food article in claim 2, wherein the packaging material is polypropylene.
5. The packaged food article in claim 2, wherein the flexible sea membrane is fabricated from an impermeable foil laminate.
6. The packaged food article in claim 2, wherein the container has a total volume of about 150 to 300 cc.
7. The packaged food article in claim 6, wherein the flexible seal membrane has a concave shape.
8. The packaged food article in claim 7, wherein the food stuff is refrigerated to a temperate of about 0° C. to about 10° C.
9. The packaged food article in claim, wherein the headspace volume comprises about 5% to 25% of the container's total volume.
10. The packaged food article in claim 1, wherein the food staff has a moisture content of at least 50%, said moisture content being a source of CO 2.
11. The packaged food article in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the food stuff is provided by milk.
12. The packaged food article in claim 1, wherein the food stuff has a pH of less than 7.
13. The packaged food article in claim 1, wherein the foodstuff is a refrigerated cultured dairy product.
14. The packaged food article in claim 13, wherein the cultured dairy product is yogurt.
15. The packaged food article in claim 14, wherein the yogurt comprises a vat set yogurt having viable lactobacillus culture.
16. The packaged food article in claim 13, wherein the headspace volume comprises about 10% to 25% of the container's total volume.
17. The packaged food article in claim 16, wherein the initial head space gas comprises about 20% to 40% CO 2 (v/v).
18. The packaged food article in claim 1, additionally comprising: a removable lid overlaying the seal membrane.
19. A packaged food article of improved appearance and stackability, comprising:
an imperforate container having a hollow interior, an interior volume and an opening leading to the hollow interior;
a peelable, flexible seal membrane overlaying and sealing the opening; and
an initial headspace gas enriched with an additional quantity of the first type of gas supplied to the headspace volume from a source other than the food stuff to create an enriched headspace gas beneath the flexible seal membrane, wherein the enriched headspace gas is capable of permeating through the packaging material at a rate greater than both the rate at which the first type of gas is released from the food stuff within the container and the rate at which air permeates into the container, such that the headspace volume can accommodate the food generated first type of gas sufficient to avoid potential outward bowing of the flexible seal membrane during the shelf life of the packaged food article.
2391354 December 1945 Slosberg
2753268 July 1956 Ingle et al.
2882169 April 1959 Kielsmeier et al.
2894844 July 1959 Shakman
2955045 October 1960 Coffey et al.
2967777 January 1961 Grindrod
3105765 October 1963 Creegan
3243068 March 1966 Huston
3343331 September 1967 French
3393077 July 1968 Moreau
3734276 May 1973 Bank
3840680 October 1974 Schmidt et al.
3922363 November 1975 Mitsuda et al.
3955006 May 4, 1976 Sokolsky et al.
4098404 July 4, 1978 Markert
4381061 April 26, 1983 Cerny et al.
4409252 October 11, 1983 Buschkens et al.
4542029 September 17, 1985 Caner et al.
4805768 February 21, 1989 Nishiguchi et al.
4923702 May 8, 1990 Powell et al.
5344662 September 6, 1994 Payne et al.
5428943 July 4, 1995 Balcombe
5731023 March 24, 1998 Milani
5804237 September 8, 1998 Diamond et al.
0636318 February 1995 EP
0809939 December 1997 EP
0918020 May 1999 EP
2585677 February 1987 FR
1399094 June 1975 GB
WO 0020280 April 2000 WO
WO 0050305 August 2000 WO
Date of Patent: Sep 21, 2004
Assignee: General Mills, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN)
Inventors: William E. Archibald (Maple Grove, MN), Jonathan W. Devries (Coon Rapids, MN), Donald P. Messer (Eden Prairie, MN), Ellen M. Silva (Minnetonka, MN)
Attorney, Agent or Law Firms: John A. O'Toole, Douglas J. Taylor, Everett G. Diederiks, Jr.
Current U.S. Class: Packaged Product Is Lacteal Derived (426/130); Packaged Or Wrapped Product (426/106); Packaged Product Is Dough Or Batter Or Mix Therefor (426/128); Having Telescoping Feature To Increase Or Decrease Package Dimension Or Having Packaging Structure Cooperating With Food Expansion (426/111); Packaging Structure Cooperating With Food Generated Gas (426/118)
International Classification: B65D/8120;


text:
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» News » Guangdong Zhu: Tapping Varied Experience to Advance Geothermal Energy
Guangdong Zhu: Tapping Varied Experience to Advance Geothermal Energy
Guangdong Zhu's career has involved modeling work with a variety of high-temperature fluids, including geothermal resources.
As a youth growing up in China, Guangdong Zhu—or GD, for short—often had electric power on his mind, perhaps because it wasn't always a reliable commodity. As he grew older, he considered that his interest in math, science, and technology might be applied to the power grid. And in college, he gravitated toward thermal engineering, influenced in part by an older friend who worked as an engineer at a local coal-fired power plant.
Guangdong's bachelor's degree from Northeast China Institute of Electric Power Engineering was followed by a master's degree in thermal engineering from Xi'an Jiaotong University. Wanting to pursue more varied research topics at a high level, he applied to various U.S. universities, settling on a doctorate program in mechanical engineering at the University of New Mexico (UNM), where he received a full scholarship. In his dissertation research, GD modeled flow within rock formations, with the goal of helping sequester carbon dioxide from power plants by pumping supercritical CO2 into saline aquifers.
A Shift in Focus
After several more years of postdoctoral work—at the University of Pittsburgh and back at UNM—pursuing fluid-flow modeling, GD found himself at a professional crossroads. He had been spending much of his time solving the difficult differential Navier-Stokes equations, which describe the flow of viscous fluids. "This was fun, but I was only making modifications to numerical models. I'd make changes or improvements here and there, but wouldn't see their impact in reality for a long, long time," he explains. Instead, he yearned to work in an area with more immediate societal impact. "I wanted to prove that what I had learned in school was actually useful to society. I wanted to see it make an impact!" he says.
Guangdong found the impact he was seeking through solar thermal collector panels on the Mechanical Engineering Department's roof at UNM. This led to focusing on concentrating solar power (CSP) as a perfect combination of his background in power plants, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer. "I was able to combine all my interests into this one intriguing application—CSP," GD says.
Three years of work with an Albuquerque CSP startup, SkyFuel, allowed GD to add another key area of expertise for CSP work—optics—to his scientific toolkit. It was also at SkyFuel that GD began to collaborate with scientists from NREL. In particular, he found his working relationship with NREL's Tim Wendelin to be incredibly valuable. "Tim was so knowledgeable, supportive, and patient. I decided, 'That's the type of researcher I want to be!'"
Arriving at NREL
In part because of his collaboration with Wendelin, Guangdong applied to NREL and began his tenure in December 2010. Starting with optical-efficiency testing for parabolic trough collectors, GD worked in several areas of CSP research, including optical and thermal modeling and economic analysis of solar concentrating systems.
GD also developed deeper interests in other renewable energy technologies at NREL. "One reason I came to NREL was to work on diverse research topics. The future energy grid will be a combination of many renewable energy technologies, not just a single technology. And I wanted to apply my multidisciplinary expertise to make some societal impact," says GD.
Although GD had never worked directly with geothermal concepts, his background in fluid modeling inspired him to begin looking at opportunities to bring together geothermal and CSP technologies.
Working with colleague Craig Turchi, GD tackled an occasional problem in geothermal energy: a small portion of geothermal installations experience a decline in reservoir production—and therefore power generation—over time.
One solution for such geothermal plants is to add heat in some way to get the geothermal cycle back to its design-point efficiency. "Solar hybridization of existing suboptimal geothermal plants can give the geothermal industry some 'insurance.' Operators and investors can realize that they can tolerate higher uncertainty in geothermal reservoir assessments. In essence, hybridization can improve the bankability of the plant," GD explains.
Does Hybridization Work?
GD points to multiple recent projects as proof that hybridization works in the field. In Stillwater, Nevada, a CSP solar field is installed with the geothermal plant. Turchi and GD used a modeling tool to assess the hybrid plant's performance and develop a strategy for best operations by working with engineers from the plant and researchers from Idaho National Laboratory.
Another project is at Coso, California, where 30 years of operational data have documented declining performance. NREL has been designing the best hybridization scenario to boost power performance and have found that geothermal-plus-CSP with thermal energy storage is more economic than using photovoltaics-plus-batteries.
An ongoing project at Raft River, Idaho, is determining the feasibility of a new configuration for solar and geothermal—using a solar "topping" cycle for high-temperature CSP, with the exhaust steam feeding into a geothermal "bottoming" cycle.
As a natural extension, another project considers designing a hybrid plant right from the beginning—as a 'greenfield' project—to fully explore the potential of two complementary renewable technologies.
"To do so, we need to deal with mismatch of the resource—solar is intermittent, geothermal is consistent night and day," says GD. "But thermal energy storage stores higher-temperature solar heat, so hybridization can provide more efficient dispatchability, allowing geothermal to be more competitive in the future grid."
Guangdong's work has inspired his daughter, pictured here on a family vacation in Utah, to consider a career in engineering.
Clean Energy for the Future
What does GD want others beyond NREL to know about him? "I'm working on clean energy. And clean energy is the future!" he says. And GD has more than an academic interest in the future of clean energy; he and his wife are raising a son and daughter.
His 8-year-old daughter, after visiting NREL for Take-Your-Child-to-Work day, wrote in her school journal that she wants to be an engineer. "I'm proud that she's inspired by what I and others do at NREL," says GD. On the other hand, his 11-year-old son, who shares GD's love for soccer, wants to be a professional soccer player. But if that gig doesn't pan out, he concedes that he might want to be an engineer, too.


sheen or as a detangler to ease combing.
body and ease of combing with a medium hold.
RADIANT FINISH ,a special combination of ingredients that helps to seal and smooth frayed or damaged ends. Gives hair extra shine and a smooth silky feel.
and preserves the natural moisture of the hair.
leaves hair looking and feeling natural.


Repair Your Credit, Repair Your Life As Well!
Credit is a tricky entity. If you do not constantly manage your credit, you can be left stuck in a whirlwind of debt and worry. Stop worrying today and begin to repair your credit situation by following the tips on this site. This site is designed to help you out.
If your credit has been damaged and you are looking to repair it using a credit repair service there are things you should know. The credit service must provide you with written details of their offer before you agree to any terms, as no agreement is binding unless there is a signed contract by the consumer.
An important tip to consider when working to repair your credit is to sign up for a credit monitoring program. This is important because for a usually low cost you can keep track of any changes to your account as well as be the first to know if there are any unauthorized activities.
Paying your monthly bills in a timely fashion is a basic step towards fixing your credit problems. Letting bills go unpaid exposes you to late fees, penalties and can hurt your credit. If you lack the funds to pay all your monthly bills, contact the companies you owe and explain the situation. Offer to pay what you can. Paying some is much better than not paying at all.
If you are trying to repair extremely poor credit and you can't get a credit card, consider a secured credit card. A secured credit card will give you a credit limit equal to the amount you deposit. It allows you to regain your credit score at minimal risk to the lender.
Some people, who are trying to repair their credit, utilize the expertise of a professional credit counselor. A person must earn a certification to become a professional credit counselor. To earn a certification, one must obtain training in money and debt management, consumer credit, and budgeting. An initial consultation with a credit counseling specialist will usually last an hour. During your consultation, you and your counselor will discuss your entire financial situation and together your will formulate a personalized plan to solve your monetary issues.
As has been stated before, credit debt can make you feel frantic and scared. You can never hope to get yourself out of debt if you do not know how to get out of debt. Hopefully this site has helped you get a better understanding of how to repair your credit slowly, but surely.


text:
Home Reviews Film Die Another Day
Star Trek: Nemesis
MGM, 123 min., PG-13, VHS: $55.99, DVD: $29.98, June 3 Volume 18, Issue 3
by R. Blackwelder
After being caught on a mission in North Korea, held captive, and tortured for 14 months, James Bond begins his 20th screen adventure like we've never seen him before: sporting a Robinson Crusoe look, disavowed by MI6, and forced to go rogue to restore his good name. Hunting for the turncoat who got him captured, Bond's journey from Hong Kong to Cuba to Iceland eventually leads him to a mysterious young tycoon (slithering psychotic Toby Stephens) connected to diamond smuggling and dangerous satellites. Of course, 007 gets a little help, from a sharp, sexy NSA agent named Jinx (Halle Berry). Fresh new stunts and an awesome gadget car chase across a vast frozen lake (and through the corridors of a literal ice castle) are as stimulating and heart-racing as in any Bond thriller. But director Lee Tamahori (Along Came a Spider) blasts right past a perfectly good ending to tack on a superfluous 20-minute action-gimmick epilogue that leaks suspension of disbelief like a sieve, sending the movie into a tailspin as it tries to keep pace with over-the-top pretenders like XXX. Recommended, overall. [Note: Available in widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include an "MI6 DataStream" background info track, audio commentaries (one by director Lee Tamahori and producer Michael G. Wilson; the other by costars Pierce Brosnan and Rosamund Pike), an "Inside Die Another Day" documentary, two storyboard/shot comparisons, four multi-angle interaction sequences, featurettes on title design and digital grading, an "Equipment Briefing" breakdown of five Bond gadgets, Madonna's music video "Die Another Day" (and a making-of featurette on the video), a trailer and making-of segment for EA Games' 007: Nightfire video game, a five-section photo gallery, a multi-angle Easter Egg "Hi Jinx" segment showcasing Halle Berry's water scene reference from Dr. No, TV spots, trailers and DVD-ROM features. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a sure to be popular Bond flick.] (R. Blackwelder)
Thriller Film Action MGM Film review


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Q: In this Javascript function why does alert(multi) alert the value '3' Calling multiMax() at the bottom of the code block we pass in 4 arguments. I see how the rest of the logic plays out I just don't get why alert(multi) is equal to '3';
http://jsfiddle.net/captainill/AjEPV/
function multiMax(multi){
  alert(multi);
  // Make an array of all but the first argument
  var allButFirst = Array().slice.call( arguments, 1 );

  // Find the largest number in that array of arguments
  var largestAllButFirst = Math.max.apply( Math, allButFirst );

  // Return the multiplied result
  return multi * largestAllButFirst;
}
alert( multiMax(3, 1, 2, 3) == 9, "3*3=9 (First arg, by largest.)" );

I've been going through these excellent little tutorials:
http://ejohn.org/apps/learn/#47

A: alert(multi) displays "3" because you are passing 3 as the first value into the multiMax Function.
Replace this line.
alert( multiMax(3, 1, 2, 3) == 9, "3*3=9 (First arg, by largest.)" );

With
alert( multiMax(4, 1, 2, 3) == 9, "3*3=9 (First arg, by largest.)" );

And the result will be 4, notice the difference between the two lines.

A: alert(multi) displays "3" because multi is the first argument, and 3 is the first value you're passing to the function.

A: ASSERT and ALERT are NOT the same thing.
I don't think the alert call is the real issue here. alert only prints/displays the first value -> in your case alert( multimax(3, 1,2,3) == 9, "Whatever") has a first parameter of multimax(3,1,2,3)==9, which as we can all see is true. So that is why you get true as opposed to "3*3 == 9".

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Texas Perspectives
History Shows Us That We Must Proceed With Caution on How We Influence Our Babies
Some argue that human survival depends on selecting the best children. But there are hard questions that need to be answered before we set off down this path.
By: Philippa Levine
Columns appearing on the service and this webpage represent the views of the authors, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
Designer baby, anyone? It seems that is what the future may hold. Just this past February, for example, model Chrissy Teigen and her husband, singer John Legend, revealed that they decided to choose the gender of their baby, a daughter.
It may seem futuristic, but with technology and science, that future is almost here.
The promise of the future is that we can eliminate defects and unwanted characteristics. We can bring into the world babies who fulfill parental dreams, who are beautiful and intelligent, humane and successful. Sounds good, right? Perhaps.
There are some who think that a world without flaws is not only desirable, but that parents bear a responsibility to improve the human stock using current technology. That failing to seek prenatal testing, if you suspect a fetal genetic disorder, is morally negligent. Some argue that human survival depends on selecting the best children.
But there are hard questions that need to be answered before we set off down this path.
Not so long ago, politicians, social workers and doctors in many places got to choose who could and could not have kids. If you were considered unfit, you might be sterilized, you might be kept in an asylum, and you might see your family broken up. People with hereditary diseases and mental problems were among the unfit. But so were those with criminal records, who suffered from epilepsy, who had a family history of alcoholism or vagrancy, or who were blind, deaf or mute. And the list went on.
The lucky folks who were deemed fit were often rewarded for bringing kids into the world, sometimes with medals and diplomas, sometimes with cash and tax incentives. This was all part of a popular science known as eugenics that swept across the U.S. and many other parts of the world from Scandinavia to the Soviet Union, from Brazil to Britain early in the past century.
Not surprisingly the people who were discouraged, and sometimes prevented, from conceiving were often poor or from minority communities. They were less educated and had little recourse to the courts to challenge decisions made on their behalf.
In fact, in 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the mentally unfit could be sterilized without their consent in order to stamp out heredity mental illness. It was a disastrous decision based on faulty science. Fifty years after that Supreme Court decision, the sterilization of African-American woman in the Deep South was so widespread it was called the "Mississippi appendectomy."
The technologies available today are obviously more sophisticated than scientists a century ago could have imagined. We know more about mental disease. We can terminate fetuses safely. And we can engineer many traits a fetus will carry.
The result has been that sperm banks charge more for specimens from high IQ or highly athletic individuals. Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, known as PGD, reveals the sex of a baby and in some countries has resulted in shrinking female populations.
All of this goes by the seductive name of reproductive enhancement, intended to broadcast a message of progress and betterment. We should not be so sure. It's a course that will, yet again and perhaps unintentionally, favor the wealthy over the poor, widening the already yawning gulf between classes and deepening social inequalities.
In Texas — which has the country's highest rate of residents without health insurance including almost 9 percent of the state's children — where teen pregnancy is much higher than the national average and where pregnant women die at a greater rate than elsewhere in the country, the disparities between rich and poor already take a devastating toll. It's an easy path from noting those statistics to deciding that some who live here just aren't worthy to have children.
It could also make for a boringly homogenous world in which the endearing messiness of human difference becomes little more than a marker of class difference, and privilege yields entirely to consumer blandness. It's not a world I want to live in. But we as a society must choose how far we are willing to go. History can serve as a good guide. Let us all keep that in mind.
Philippa Levine is the Mary Helen Thompson Centennial Professor in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin.
A version of this op-ed appeared in Abilene Reporter News and the Austin American Statesman.
To view more op-eds from Texas Perspectives, click here.
View all Texas Perspectives
Texas Perspectives is a wire-style service produced by The University of Texas at Austin that is intended to provide media outlets with meaningful and thoughtful opinion columns (op-eds) on a variety of topics and current events. Authors are faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft columns that adhere to journalistic best practices and Associated Press style guidelines. The University of Texas at Austin offers these opinion articles for publication at no charge. Columns appearing on the service and this webpage represent the views of the authors, not of The University of Texas at Austin.


Nueva Serie! La moda pasara, pero servir, seguir y amar a Dios jamás caerá en el olvido.
present. It's good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn't the same old rehashed material.
the road. I want to encourage one to continue your great job, have a nice evening!


BANGKOK: National Police Chief Chakthip Chaijinda yesterday (Dec 28) declined to confirm whether Phra Dhammajayo, the embattled former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, has fled to a border province in the North as rumoured.
Neither did Gen Chakthip confirm nor reject rumours quoting temple followers as saying they had not seen Phra Dhammajayo since April. The National Police Chief only said "that could be a lie".
Gen Chakthip said he "didn't want to go into detail about the matter" and the truth was that no time frame had been set for the arrest of the monk.
Yesterday, the Democrat ex-MP Chanchai Issarasenarak said a source had told him that Phra Dhammajayo had left the temple for a northern region, which is why police forces did not raid the temple in their latest siege on Tuesday (Dec 27).
Phra Dhammajayo was indicted on money-laundering charges in connection with the multi-billion-baht Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement scandal. The monk is also the subject of warrants for alleged forest encroachment by the temple's meditation facilities in Nakhon Ratchasima and Loei provinces.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy, Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, had aired concerns about the possibility the attempt to deal with the temple and its former abbot risked going awry and affecting a large number of people.
He also said the move on Tuesday by several temple supporters taking a public road to perform prayers was believed to be a tactic created to lure authorities into a trap.
At Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathum Thani, another rumour was spread yesterday that five additional companies of crowd-control police would be deployed to bolster existing security forces stationed near the temple, in a bid to pressure the temple.
But there was no sign of such a deployment throughout the day.
On Tuesday about 1,000 police together with Department of Special Investigation officials launched an operation to surround the temple, which led many to assume it was the start of a move to raid it.
However, the forces ended their operation in the afternoon after only removing barriers which were preventing access to the temple's gates.
Deputy Police Chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul insisted the police deployed outside the temple early on Tuesday were not there to arrest the former abbot. He rated Tuesday's operation as satisfactory.
Several tents erected by the temple's followers on a public road that lies between Khlong L1 and L2 still were still there yesterday, despite the temple's promise to police on Tuesday to remove them immediately.
More green plastic nets and several concrete posts were installed as additional barriers on the public road. The overall situation at the temple, however, appears more or less as normal as it was before Tuesday's operation.
Gate 7, the main entrance to the temple on Bang Khan-Nong Suea Rd in Khlong Luang district was reopened yesterday, and security guards began allowing cars to enter. The gate was shut on Tuesday.
At gates 5 and 6 of the temple, four temple monks were seen coming out to take alms as usual, while a number of temple followers were seen praying on a nearby public road. Those who wanted to enter Gate 5 were required to show their ID cards.
Trucks took food and fruit to those temple followers who continued their prayers on the public road.
Soldiers and DSI officers stationed at the police's security checkpoint on Bang Khan-Nong Suea Rd, meanwhile, maintained stringent security to deter any attempts to stir up violence.
Kurt...you are quite a ignorant when it comes to religious matters in Thailand and the law and it's operation. Before writing, make your familiar with a subject.
Do we understand that Thai Government officials close their eyes for tents and barriers on public roads around the Sect temple complex?
Government should remove them with shovels at once.
No 'negotiation talks' about law enforcement!
Public roads are public roads.
The whole affair becomes worse, a tactical undermining of law & order by the Sect monks and followers.


You'er invited to be part of the event by donating auction items, refreshments, or provide financial support.
The Spirit of Alexandria Nature Bus is packed full of activities, games and live birds.
The Enchanted Woodland is a fun and educational (not scary) experience for children 4 years old and up.
The turtle quickly adjusted to the wheelchair and if all goes well he'll be healed by springtime.
Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area will host Fall Harvest Festival Weekends in October.
Over 250 exhibitors displaying and selling top-of-the-line products for hunters and fishermen and women.
Class instructor is Mary Radtke, who is a four-time Midwest Stand Up Paddle Board champion.
Can You Spot The Asian Longhorned Beetle?
Reporting sightings or signs of this pest can help prevent widespread tree loss in Michigan.
$71 million campaign to protect lake and river shoreline parcels, wetlands, forests and fruit orchards.
It's free. A full day of fun, adventure and discovery for the entire family.
The longest blood moon lunar eclipse of the century today.
Several state parks will stay open late for "Meteors & S'mores".


For gamers looking to up-level their graphics capabilities with ground-breaking technology, Radeon RX Vega 64 air-cooled cards are available today with Radeon RX Vega 56 GOUs, the most affordable way to get into enthusiast-class gaming on "Vega" architecture expected to be available August 28th. Radeon RX Vega graphics cards are the most advanced consumer graphics cards in the world, built on the "Vega" GPU architecture. Previously reserved for high-end graphics products, Radeon RX Vega graphics cards employ pioneering graphics technology in High Bandwidth Cache composed of 8GB of leading-edge HBM2 memory.
The gaming-focused AMD Vega GPUs are launching today, August 14, with three different SKUs… one being 'the world's most powerful sub-$400 GPU'.
"The biggest improvement in our graphics IP in the past five years." Vega promises a host of improvements, including a new memory caching system.
The Vega GPU is built on 14nm silicon with the lower-end RX Vega 56 sporting 3,584 GCN cores and the RX Vega 64 and RX Vega 64 Liquid each rocking 4,096.
The air-cooled Vega Frontier Edition is on sale for $999, with prices of the RX Vega cards ranging between $599 for the top GPU and $399 for the basic Vega.
The pro-level Frontier Edition delivers between GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 gaming performance, but AMD is targeting ~GTX 1080 speeds for the RX Vega.
It's been suggested by an MSI representative that the RX Vega is going to need a lot of power, with a 1KW PSU recommendation for the top version of the GPU.
Gaming performance :SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega 64 graphics cards are the new high-end models of the Radeon family, we know you've been waiting for. The time has finally come to showcase the performance of Vega in the most important category of software on the planet: Games. Spoiler: it's fast. Like, Ultra-details and VR Premium-fast!
Extreme Gaming : Step up to next generation SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega Graphics cards and lose yourself in the greatest high-end gaming and virtual reality experiences. Escape inside the latest graphically intensive games with high framerates, ultrawide immersion, and Ultra HD resolutions. SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega graphics cards have been built with an extensively redesigned and forward-thinking GPU architecture to deliver exhilarating performance in the newest DirectX 12 and Vulkan games.
Cinematic VR : Experience beautifully rich and immersive VR environments and gameplay, augmented by player comfort and effortless compatibility. With ground-breaking GPU multi-threading hardware, gamers can enjoy the smooth visual and audio presence that enables the perfect VR Experience. The SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega graphics cards deliver a fully immersive and comfortable VR experience.
Intense Visuals : Crank up your graphics quality and bring out every detail at incredible resolutions with the revolutionary Vega architecture. The SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega graphics cards power the latest displays and features forward-thinking features like FreeSync 2. Play in lifelike HDR, stream your gameplay for the world, and record your highlights all at the same time with virtually no performance loss.


Our nationally recognized Intergenerational Program is at the heart of Martha & Mary. It plays a central role in our commitment to "bridging generations, enriching lives." Each week, our Preschool and PreK students spend one-on-one time with the residents of our Health and Rehab Center and other area senior care facilities. As part of this unique and mutually beneficial experience, the children and seniors enjoy arts & crafts, singing, playing games, gardening and dining together. It is a remarkable opportunity for children and seniors to interact, enjoy and learn from one another.


text:
Select a CategoryAbout Dr. McClellan Allen Test Anesthesia of finger Arteriovenous fistula Basilar Thumb (CMC) Arthritis Carpal tunnel Cubital tunnel De Quervain's Tenosynovitis Dupuytrens Enchondroma Fingernail Removal Fingertip amputation Finkelstein Test Fistbump Handshake and Infection Flexor Digitorum Profundus (FDP) Tendon Repair Ganglion Cyst Finger (DIP Joint) Ganglion Cyst Tendon Sheath (Finger) Ganglion Cyst Wrist (Dorsal) Ganglion Cyst Wrist (Volar) Ganglion Cyst: Needle Aspiration Giant cell tumor HAND NEWS, FACTOIDS, +BLOG Hand Rejuvenation IV 3000 finger wound dressing IV3000 Amazing Results Jersey Finger Kienbock's Disease Mangled extremity Metacarpal Fracture Microsurgery Osteoarthritis of the Wrist Pacinian Corpuscle Proximal Row Carpectomy Pseudoaneurysm Radial forearm flap Raynaud's Phenomenon Schwannoma SLAC (scapholunate advanced collapse) Syndactyly Tendon laceration Tendon Pulley Tendon transfer Thenar Atrophy Thoracoepigastric flap Toe to Thumb Trigger finger Trivia Vincula Tendina Z plasty
HAND NEWS, FACTOIDS, + BLOG
About Dr. McClellan
IV 3000 finger wound dressing
IV 3000 Amazing Results
Basilar Thumb (CMC) Arthritis
Syndactyly
Cubital tunnel
Mangled extremity
Anesthesia of finger
Fingertip amputation
Fistbump / Handshake and Infection
Amputation (finger)
Radial forearm flap
Tendon transfer
Giant cell tumor
Ganglion Cyst Wrist (Dorsal)
Ganglion Cyst Wrist (Volar)
Ganglion Cyst Tendon Sheath (Finger)
Ganglion Cyst Finger (DIP Joint)
Ganglion Cyst: Needle Aspiration
Raynaud's Phenomenon
Anatomy of the hand
Hand exam
Nerve repair
Pseudoaneurysm
Arteriovenous fistula
Tendon laceration
Z plasty
Flexor Digitorum Profundus (FDP) Tendon Repair
Tendon Pulley
Vincula Tendina
Pacinian Corpuscle
Proximal Row Carpectomy
Jersey Finger
Boutonnière Deformity
Scaphoid fracture
De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
Kienbock's Disease
Hypothenar hammer
Nerve grafting
Nerve transfers
Thenar flap
Thoracoepigastric flap
SLAC (scapholunate advanced collapse)
Constriction Band
Preiser Disease
Osteoarthritis of the Wrist
Toe to Thumb Transfer
Allen Test
Finkelstein Test
Thenar Atrophy
Have a question? We can help. Watch our YouTube channelFollow us on Twitter
What is Jersey Finger?
M. Davis, A. Fazi, S.Kurian
Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Hand Surgery
Jersey Finger is a common injury seen in athletes who participate in tackle and contact sports such as football and rugby. The injury is to the flexor tendon of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint, and most often affects the ring finger (75%) because it is weaker than the middle finger. This is the tendon of the flexor digitorum profundus. The tendon may be torn completely, and in some cases, may also involve and avulsion fracture of the distal phalanx.
There is a classification system used to determine the extent of the injury and how treatment should be administered [1].
Type I — the tendon is retracted completely into the palm and the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint can be fully flexed. Surgery is recommended within 7-10 days, otherwise the tendon is likely to be shortened, which may cause complications with range of motion later.
Type II — the tendon is retracted back to the PIP joint and impedes flexion of the joint. Surgery is recommended as soon as possible, but may also be possible at a later time.
Type IIIa — an avulsion fracture is associated and the fragment becomes caught in the A4 pulley. Surgery is recommended as soon as possible, but may also be possible at a later time.
Type IIIb — a distal phalanx fracture is associated and the tendon is avulsed from the fractured bone. The first priority is open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture. Then within 7-10 days, the tendon is repaired to prevent shortening.
Type IV — a comminuted intra-articular fracture of the distal phalanx
How do I know if I have Jersey Finger?
Jersey Finger is associated with mild swelling and pain at the site of injury. There may also be tenderness on the palm side of the finger. If nerves are involved, the fingertip may feel numb. The extensor tendon is now acting unopposed and therefore the forces at rest (flexion and extension) are unbalanced. The affected finger will be "excessively straight" at rest and the patient will be unable to bend their finger down to the palm of hand completely. The excessive straightness of the finger is the classic tell-tale sign of this condition.
The doctor may use radiographs and imaging techniques to confirm the diagnosis, look for a fracture, and to help plan the surgery.
Plain films (x-ray) often appear normal. However, if there is an associated avulsion fracture it appears as a triangular bone fragment near the site of injury.
MRI can be used to see the torn tendon at the base of the DIP joint. It is also used to locate the retracted tendon to determine surgical urgency and approach.
What causes Jersey Finger?
Jersey Finger commonly occurs in athletes participating in tackle and contact sports such as football and rugby. When tackling another player, a finger may be caught in their jersey and as they try to pull away the tendon is torn and the bones can be fractured. This is the result of sudden hyperextension of an actively flexed finger.
A cut to the finger that transects the flexor digitorum profundus tendon may also cause this condition.
What are the treatments for Jersey Finger?
The treatment and urgency of treatment depends largely on the classification of the injury. It also depends on whether the tendon is partially or completely torn. This is due to the manner in which tendons heal and repair themselves. The two ends grow back together, but if they are completely torn then this is not possible. A partial tear can be treated by placing the patient in a splint, prescribing NSAIDs, and using physical therapy. If there is a fracture involved with the injury, it is repaired prior to repairing the tendon. The only option for complete tears of the tendon is surgical repair. The tendon retracts to the base of the finger, and sometimes further; this can damage the blood and nerve supply, which can lead to vascular compromise of the tendon and numbness of the fingertip.
How is the surgery for Jersey Finger done?
Surgery is ideally performed within 7-10 days of the injury. It is performed immediately if there is a vascular compromise. The overall goal is to locate the retracted tendon, guide the tendon back through the tendon sheath to the fingertip, and reattach the tendon.
A zigzag incision is made on the volar surface of the finger. This incision runs from just proximal to the PIP joint to just distal to the DIP joint. The flexor tendon sheath will be exposed and a transverse incision just distal to the A2 pulley will be made. If the tendon cannot be located in this location, another transverse incision will be made just proximal to the A1 pulley. The tendon will be guided into the finger past and under the A2 and A4 pulleys. The tendon will be reattached to the bone by drilling small holes through the bone and nail plate and inserting a wire through. A suture is tied over a button on top of the nail plate on the back of the finger [2].
What is the follow up for Jersey Finger?
Following surgical repair, the patient will be allowed to return home the same day in a splint. To keep tension off the repaired tendon and to ensure proper healing, the fingers and wrist will be placed into the splint in a flexed (bent) position. The splint will remain on for 4-6 weeks.
Physical therapy is a must. Flexor tendons tend to become stiff and scarred when not used and therefore stiffness is a common complication. The patient will start with passive flexion exercises. The suture and button will be removed around 4 weeks postoperatively and protected active exercises will be started.
Recovery usually takes 2-3 months. The patient is usually not allowed to return to sports for 4-6 months.
1. Aronowitz ER & Leddy JP. Closed tendon injuries of the hand and wrist in athletes. Clin Sports Med. 1998;
17(3) pp. 449-467.
2. Moiemen NS & Elliot D. Primary flexor tendon repair in zone 1. J Hand Surg [Br]. 2000; 25(1) pp. 78-84.
© Hand411.com. All Rights Reserved.
This site was created by Dr. W. Thomas McClellan, McClellan Plastic Surgery


text:
Carlos Alcaraz vs Roger Federer Might Finally Happen at Swiss Indoors Basel 2022
by Sreeja Banik
in Tennis
Recently, Carlos Alcaraz has been confirmed as a participant in the 2022 Swiss Indoors Basel event. Recovering from injury, Roger Federer has also expressed interest in returning to the ATP Tour before October in time for his home tournament.
Alcaraz is set to participate in the 2022 Wimbledon Open which begins from 27th June, 2022. However he will miss out on the follow-up Queen's Club Tournament. He will miss out the opening grass court tournament due to his elbow injury.
Sharing the news on his Twitter page, he wrote, "As u all know, I was super excited to play at Queens Tennis but a slight elbow issue means I can't! I hope to be there in 2023… see u all in the UK in a few days!"
As u all know, I was super excited to play at @QueensTennis but a slight elbow issue means I can't! 😞
I hope to be there in 2023… see u all in the UK 🇬🇧 in a few days! 🎾🌱
— Carlos Alcaraz (@alcarazcarlos03) June 8, 2022
Roger Federer has won his home tournament 10 times. That includes the last three occasions in 2017, 2018, and 2019 – before the event had to be halted for two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Carlos Alcaraz confirms participation in Swiss Indoors Basel event
Carlos Alcaraz won his first ATP Tour event by capturing the Rio Open. He backed up that form and win by claiming the Miami Open. He then broke into the world's top-10 by winning the Barcelona Open.
Alcaraz's brilliant run continued in Madrid, where he became the first teenager to beat Rafael Nadal on clay, and also defeated Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev en route to another title. The title win made him one of the favourites for the recent French Open. However the 6th seed faced defeat in the quarter-finals by Zverev.
Carlos reached the second round of Wimbledon last year on his first appearance, but has since reached the quarter-finals of the US Open and French Open. World no.8 Casper Ruud is now the highest ranking player in the tournament.
Roger Federer has missed this year's Roland Garros as he continues his rehab following a third knee surgery. He hasn't featured on the ATP Tour since last summer's Wimbledon due to several injury problems.
The Swiss tennis legend missed most of the 2020 season to have double surgery on his right knee. Playing just five events in 2021 before going under the knife for a third time.
Roger's participation in this year's Wimbledon Open is in doubt. Recently the tournament's event organisers released their entry list which did not contain Federer's name. However he can ask for a wild card entry if he wants to participate. He will participate in his home tournament in Swiss Indoors Basel event.
Fans all around the world are excited for a potential match-up between the Spanish tennis sensation, Alcaraz and 20-time grand slam icon Federer.
Tags: Carlos AlcarazRoger FedererSwiss Indoors Basel
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text:
Michèle Marchand, dite Mimi Marchand ou simplement Mimi, est une journaliste et femme d'affaires française, née le .

À la tête de plusieurs entreprises de paparazzi, elle travaille depuis le début des  pour de nombreux titres de presse dont Gala, Paris Match, Public, Closer et Voici.

Sa personnalité, ses méthodes professionnelles et ses différents démêlés judiciaires lui valent une réputation sulfureuse.

Biographie

Origines et entrepreneuriat
Michèle Marchand est la fille unique d'un couple de coiffeurs de Vincennes, anciens résistants communistes. À 16 ans, elle fugue, se marie, tombe enceinte avant sa majorité et a deux enfants. Elle quitte son conjoint, reprend des études de mathématiques et commence à travailler chez un équipementier automobile puis dans des garages parisiens ouverts jour et nuit où elle tient la caisse et découvre le monde de la nuit (stars, policiers et voyous). Dans les années 1970, elle achète deux garages.

Dans les années 1980, elle part aux États-Unis, où elle rénove des maisons puis crée un commerce automobile, récupérant des voitures françaises à la casse, les transférant outre-Atlantique où elle les répare avant de les revendre, ce qui lui vaut un certain succès. Deux de ses anciens maris ont fait de la prison. Elle a aussi travaillé en 1981 dans une revue L'Amateur d'armes où une histoire de falsification de chèques et d'émission de chèques sans provision la conduit en prison. Elle fait également de la détention provisoire pour chèques volés, faux en écriture et écope notamment de trois ans de prison avec sursis pour avoir transporté  de cannabis en compagnie de son mari, le braqueur Maurice Demagny. Elle est également responsable d'établissements de nuit à Paris dans les années 1990, rue Washington, rue de Ponthieu et porte Maillot (notamment Le Cirque et Le Memories), certains s'affichant pour lesbiennes.

Presse people et procès
Elle rejoint Voici en 1996 en tant que « pigiste internalisée ». Elle se rend vite indispensable (constituant un dossier sur chaque célébrité), et va jusqu'à fournir « 90 % des sujets français » selon d'anciens membres de la rédaction.

Après un procès perdu par Voici, Mimi Marchand ayant, à tort, révélé une rencontre avec l'un des gardes du corps de Diana avant son accident, elle quitte le magazine en 1998 et crée dans un immeuble voisin la société Shadow & Co, qui continue de fournir de nombreux scoops à Voici. En 2003, elle est placée en détention provisoire dans le cadre d'une enquête portant sur des doubles facturations sur une même information, polémique qui implique de nombreuses célébrités de l'époque, par exemple pour des sujets posés. Elle est relaxée en 2008. Entre-temps, elle a créé une nouvelle agence, travaillant notamment avec son compagnon, un homme des RG (avec qui elle s'est mariée en 2015) ou encore Laurence Pieau. Elle est à l'origine de la photographie de Ségolène Royal en maillot de bain, prise à l'été 2006, alors qu'elle est candidate à l'élection présidentielle ; Michèle Marchand rompt là la règle tacite voulant que la presse people ne s'attaque pas aux personnalités politiques.

Fin 2007, elle participe au lancement du site PurePeople (Webedia), premier site pure player d'informations consacrées aux célébrités, notamment grâce au scoop de la liaison entre Nicolas Sarkozy et Carla Bruni et obtenant l'autorisation d'introduire un photographe au mariage de Cécilia Sarkozy et Richard Attias. Le site est un succès, avec 20 millions de visiteurs à l'époque, privilégiant les belles photos aux scandales. L'influence et la notoriété de Michèle Marchand grandissent. En 2010, elle vend pour  ses parts dans PurePeople, tout en restant prestataire extérieure. En 2011, elle crée Bestimage, une des trois plus importantes agences françaises de photos de célébrités surnommée une .

Alors que le secteur de la presse people est en difficulté, Michèle Marchand poursuit son activité, fournissant une information clef en main, photos et textes compris. À Monaco, elle obtient de réaliser les clichés de la famille Grimaldi, gérant ensuite leur diffusion dans la presse écrite et Internet.

Soupçonnée, elle se défend farouchement d'être à l'origine des révélations de Closer en  concernant la liaison supposée de François Hollande avec Julie Gayet.

, elle est une  selon L'Express ou Libération. ,  comme on la surnomme est à l'origine de la photo de Zahia en couverture de Paris Match, des fausses images volées de Rachida Dati accompagnée de Vincent Lindon publiées dans Closer, ou des premières photos du couple Hollande-Trierweiler à la plage.

Engagements politico-médiatiques
Michèle Marchand a possédé la carte de grand donateur de l'UMP. Soutien de Nicolas Sarkozy, elle était assise au premier rang de certains de rassemblements de campagne de celui-ci jusqu'à la primaire de 2016.

Selon François Hollande, elle .

En 2017, elle est l'une des communicantes de la campagne médiatique du couple Brigitte et Emmanuel Macron pour sa campagne présidentielle, après avoir été présentée au couple Macron par Xavier Niel, au printemps 2016. Début , il lui aurait été proposé de s'occuper officiellement de la communication de la « Première dame », qui s'est liée d'amitié avec elle. Cependant, elle aurait été écartée à la suite de la publication de Mimi, la biographie qui lui a été consacrée.

En , la dirigeante de Bestimage porte plainte contre le magazine Le Point et Le Canard enchaîné pour avoir diffusé une photo d'elle derrière le bureau présidentiel faisant le « V de la victoire ».

Poursuites judiciaires

Le , Michèle Marchand est placée en garde à vue, puis mise en examen avec quatre autres personnes pour « subornation de témoin » et « association de malfaiteurs » concernant la rétractation de Ziad Takieddine dans ses témoignages dans l'affaire Sarkozy-Kadhafi (financement de la campagne de Nicolas Sarkozy en 2007).

Le 18 juin suivant, elle est placée en détention provisoire pour non-respect du contrôle judiciaire imposé lors de sa mise en examen. Elle est relâchée le 21 juillet.

Le 12 août 2021, selon Mediapart, puis d'autres médias, Mimi Marchand est mise en examen pour « recel de violation du secret professionnel » et « extorsion » (au détriment de Karine Le Marchand, qui a saisi l'Inspection générale de la police nationale (IGPN) car il lui semblait que des fonctionnaires du commissariat du  informaient illégalement des paparazzis à propos de plaintes déposées par des célébrités) et placée sous contrôle judiciaire, dans l'information judiciaire relative à la diffusion par Paris Match (en février 2020) de photos de l'interpellation de Piotr Pavlenski.

Vie privée
Anciennement mariée à un gangster surnommé Hafed, puis au braqueur Maurice Demagny rencontré pendant sa détention dans la prison de Fleury-Mérogis, elle a pour conjoint, depuis 2015, un ancien commandant de police à l'Office central pour la répression du faux-monnayage, qui dirige la société Chouet'press, raison sociale de l'agence Bestimage.

Notes et références

Voir aussi

Bibliographie
 Jean-Michel Decugis, Marc Leplongeon et Pauline Guéna, Mimi, Grasset, 2018
 Raphaëlle Bacqué, « 'Mimi' Marchand, le loup dans la bergerie Macron », Le Monde,
 Juan Branco, Crépuscule, Au diable vauvert, 2019

Articles connexes
 Arnaud Lagardère
 Célébrité
 Paparazzi
 Presse people

Liens externes

Femme d'affaires française
Naissance en mars 1947
Presse people
Journaliste de presse people

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


EHDC are in partnership with other local authorities on energy saving improvements in the home and this can lead to grant funding and support in energy saving home improvements.
East Hampshire residents can receive help to keep warm this winter by getting at least £4,000 to equip their homes with solid wall insulation and £400 for a new boiler, for example.
Other measures on offer from East Hampshire District Council include cavity wall insulation, double glazing, loft insulation, high performance doors and more.
The first step in the process is a Green Deal assessment – this lets the homeowner know which energy-saving measures make the most sense for their home. This assessment is free if the homeowner goes on to install a measure, and if not it costs just £29 rather than the usual price of £150. The scheme is open to all East Hampshire residents living in a privately owned or privately rented home.


text:
Princely family turns out for shuttle inauguration
March 9, 2021 March 10, 2021 3 min read turtle
Camille Gottlieb has baptised the new Monaco One shuttle in the presence of her mother Princess Stephanie and other members of the Princely family. The super-fast shuttle will carry passengers from Monaco to the new Calla del Forte port in Ventimiglia.
After sneak peaks and sea trials, the Monaco One was officially inaugurated on Monday 8th March.
The vessel's "godmother", Camille Gottlieb, was accompanied arm in arm by her uncle Prince Albert for the ceremony, which was also attended by Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Princess Stéphanie, Mr. and Mrs. Ducruet, Pauline Ducruet, as well than several Monegasque and Italian authorities.
After breaking the traditional champagne bottle on the hull to formally baptise the vessel, Archbishop of Monaco, Monsignor David, then blessed the boat, giving a speech addressing all sailors.
Photos by Eric Mathon / Prince's Palace and Michael Alesi / Government Communication Department
Monaco One is the navette that will connect yacht owners moored in the new extension port of Calla del Forte in Ventimiglia to the Principality. , was officially launched on Monday at the Yacht Club of Monaco.
New exhibit shares Monaco's most symbolic photos of 2021
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"More than a means of transport, this shuttle constitutes a link capable of joining the ports of Monaco to that of Calla del Forte in just over 10 minutes," said Aleco Keusseoglou, President of the Société d'Exploitation des Ports de Monaco (SEPM), adding that Monaco One is a "vessel of the future straight out of a science fiction film."
Thanks to its innovative aeronautical design, the 12-seater catamaran can sail at more than 40 knots and its energy consumption is 50% lower than a conventional boat.
The shuttle will also be equipped with an innovative tracking device to detect the presence of marine mammals in real time.
Created by A2V (Advanced Aerodynamic Vessels) out of La Rochelle, it is one of two operational shuttles out there. Like it's sister Evian One, which is currently being run on Lake Geneva, the boat uses a design inspired by an airplane wing using aerodynamic lift.
Once reaching a certain speed, the shuttle is "lightened" by half its mass and is usable in even the foulest weather conditions.
"Since this boat should be able to be used in the widest possible conditions, we have designed a machine that is welcoming, but also robust, and easy to use," said Matthieu Kerhuel, President of A2V.
Local News, News, Princely Family
Bollywood-themed Rose Ball postponed, again
WhatsApp may soon roll out encrypted chat backups
Isabelle Berro-Amadeï is new Minister for Foreign Affairs


STOCKHOLM — Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School defeated Sparta-Jefferson United in varsity ice hockey on Saturday, Dec. 1, at Skylands Ice World. The final score was 5-0.
Sparta-Jefferson United is a merged team consisting of hockey players from Sparta High School and Jefferson Township High School.
Team records: Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders 1-2. Sparta-Jefferson United 1-3.


text:
Q: AVX2 permute control bit The permute command from AVX2 instructions needs a parameter from type imm8. This parameter controls how the permutation is performed. Unfortunately I do not understand how this imm8 parameter is "created". What value do I have to set or how can I determine what value I have to set for a specific permuation?
Example:
    _mm256_permute_pd(vec2, 0x5);
Here the parameter 0x5 permutes the first and second double in vec2 and the third and fourth double in vec2. But how do I know that 0x5 does that?

A: It's 4x 1-bit indices that select one of the two elements from the corresponding lane of the source vector, for each destination element.  Read the Operation section of the docs for the asm instruction: http://felixcloutier.com/x86/VPERMILPD.html.
Or look it up in Intel's intrinsics guide, which has similar pseudo-code that shows exactly how each bit selects the source for an element of the result.
It's not lane-crossing vpermpd, so it's not like the 2-bit indices that _MM_SHUFFLE is a helper macro for, so it's not quite like  Convert _mm_shuffle_epi32 to C expression for the permutation?.


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