text:
This article was published on May 6, 2012
Japan's mobile gaming industry faces a ban on lucrative 'kompu gacha' games [Updated]
Jon Russell
Jon Russell was Asia Editor for The Next Web from 2011 to 2014. Originally from the UK, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand. You can find him on T (show all) Jon Russell was Asia Editor for The Next Web from 2011 to 2014. Originally from the UK, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand. You can find him on Twitter, Angel List, LinkedIn.
Japan's online and mobile games industry could soon need to generate new revenue streams with the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) reportedly aiming to shut-down a lucrative but controversial practice that monetises games.
"Kompu gacha" (complete gacha) is a system that incentivises gamers to buy a range of virtual items based on the premise that they could win a 'grand prize', or rare item, for their efforts.
Updated below with insight from noted Japanese games industry expert.
However, as The Yomiuri explains, it could fall foul of national law, which forbids sales that use lottery-style incentives:
The law on unjustifiable premiums prohibits a sales method called "cards combination" for systems that offer prizes by lottery. Under this method, a business sells cards whose content is unknown at the time of purchase. After the consumer collects designated cards, they can trade them in for a prize.
Most of the games are free to download or play and are 'social', allowing gamers to compete or collaborate with their friends. The industry makes its income from virtual gifts and other items that are sold to users as part of the game itself, with the social element adding further incentive to buy items.
Kompu gacha games are a big part of revenues for the industry, which The Yomiuri claims is worth more than $3.3 billion (250 billion yen), however its source for the figure is not cited. For further context, leading names DeNA and GREE saw quarterly revenues of $445 million and $545 million, respectively, although that includes revenue generated outside of Japan too.
The growth of gaming among children is one key factor has brought the issue to light, with some parents complaining to the CAA after youngsters accrued high bills from playing kompu gacha games. Two extreme cases saw a middle school boy rack up $5,000 in a month, while a primary school student spent more than $1,500 over a three day period.
Last year, the government organisation saw 51 complaints, which represented a dramatic rise from the 5 lodged in 2010. This increased concern prompted the investigation, and the findings will reportedly come soon.
An undisclosed source claims that the CAA is ready to declare the games practice illegal and will notify the organisation representing social games makers that it must shut down all kompu gacha titles.
DeNA declined to provide comment for The Yomiuri, GREE said that it will provide "an appropriate response after receiving an official request."
We've contacted both companies to see if either firm has anything further to add in response to the reports, and will update this post with any new details that we are given.
Japan's isn't the only country where there is concern over children and gaming. Free games, like Smurf Village, are at the center of an ongoing U.S. court case filed by parents whose offspring racked up sizeable bills from in-app purchases.
While kompu gacha practices are under scrutiny in Japan, the system of in-app purchases itself does not appear to be part of the investigation.
Update: Here's interesting comment from notable Japan-based mobile games watcher Dr. Serkan Toto, writing on his blog:
My personal view is that conservative media in particular view the meteoric rise of DeNA and GREE as a suspicious development. The problem for them isn't that these companies are making a lot of money (the Japanese telcos and countless other web/mobile firms do, too): it's that they are too young and making too much money too quickly. So there must be fishy, maybe even criminal activities in progress, the reasoning goes.
Dr. Toto argues that a number of initiatives have already been introduced to help keep bills down:
Most of the negative press reports were published before GREE and other companies introduced a number of counter-measures to combat real-money trading and practically self-regulate monetization in social games.
Nevertheless, Dr. Toto does agree that there is a strong gambling element to many titles, which focus on 'kompu gatcha' and he does feel that some form of restriction will be forthcoming.
Published May 6, 2012 - 8:16 am UTC


text:
Q: Consider this code: "int s = 20; int t = s++ + --s;". What are the values of s and t? cut to the chase, the answer is "s is 20, and t cannot be determined."
I understand the part that s is 20, but why t cannot be determined?
Please help me!

A: int s = 20;
int t = s++ + --s;

Working: increment(post increment) s to 21 (current value 20) + decrement(pre decrement) s to 20 (current value 20).
So, t=20+20;
And s =20;

After taking into account precedence and parentheses, Java guarantees that expressions will be evaluated left to right. For example, to evaluate eat() + drink() - beMerry(), Java will first evaluate eat(), then drink(), then perform the addition, then evaluate beMerry(), and finally perform the subtraction. eat() is evaluated before drink(), because eat() is to the left of drink(), and expressions are evaluated left to right. This guarantee is important because the invocations of eat() and drink() may have side effects that would differ if they were invoked in the opposite order.

A: Read this:

Since the increment/decrement operator modifies its operand, use of
  such an operand more than once within the same expression can produce
  undefined results. For example, in expressions such as x − ++x, it is
  not clear in what sequence the subtraction and increment operators
  should be performed. Situations like this are made even worse when
  optimizations are applied by the compiler, which could result in the
  order of execution of the operations to be different than what the
  programmer intended.

Now, you're answer should be pretty clear.
It sounds to me like the value of t may vary by compiler/optimizations.
Here is some more info:
http://www.gnu.org/software/gnu-c-manual/gnu-c-manual.html#Sequence-Points-Constrain-Expressions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Sniff out a new career with the leading pet care franchise at our Houndquarters in Westminster, CO! Follow us on LinkedIn for career updates and information.
Looking To Be Your Own Top Dog?
Fetch a new lifestyle and start a business that gets your tail wagging. Learn more about our franchise opportunities today!
Interested in Becoming a Certified Camp Counselor®?
We are always accepting resumes for Camp Counselors at the many Camps located throughout North America from qualified applicants.


text:
Q: Infinite Scroll: Double Content in Chrome + Not Working in IE The code below works as intended in Firefox 19.0. The script loads random articles from a database.
It loads the same content repeatedly in Internet Explorer and loads double+different content in Chrome.

here is loadmore.php
<?php
include('db.php');
$stmt = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM db ORDER BY RAND() DESC LIMIT 9");
if($stmt->execute()){
while ($row = $stmt->fetch()) {
echo'
content here
';}}
?>

A: I guess you're always getting the same 9 elements because your MySQL query has no offset.
Try adding an offset, like this:
On loadmore.php
$limit=9;
$limit_offset = $limit*$_GET['offset'];
$stmt = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM db ORDER BY RAND() DESC LIMIT :limit OFFSET :offset");
$stmt->bindValue(':limit', $limit, PDO::PARAM_INT);
$stmt->bindValue(':offset', $limit_offset, PDO::PARAM_INT);

On your JavaScript code:


Server 2012 r2 datacenter price. Migrate your Windows Server systems to new server hardware new OS.
This is also a good resource but still the last part of sysprep is undercovered to me. Just had some follow up questions on this. Keep the entire mission- critical software environment fully operational.
I didn' t listed large number of win server R2 products keys Just tries these R2 products keys But remember use these keys according to you windows server product i. Server 2012 r2 datacenter price. Microsoft Azure Stack is an extension of Azure— bringing the agility enabling the only hybrid cloud that allows you to build , innovation of cloud computing to your on- premises environment deploy hybrid applications anywhere.
The PDF file is a 162 pages document that contains all informations to install later ( Current e our products page , configure SCCM R2 , SCCM 1511 use the button below to download it. Note that KMSPico it is not a workable solution to 100% because there are cases in which the servers used by the software are offline , using online server for the activation, consequently the activation was not possible up to a reactivation the server. Core- based licensing new minimum license counts feature. Thanks for this post Aidan. Supports Small Business Server ( SBS) both , Standard, R2 , other editions own part 1 to 21 of the SCCM Installation Guide in a single PDF file.
These windows server R2 product keys are checked tested verified with win server R2. Here i am sharing you windows se rver products key, windows server key r2 standard. Download and own part 1 to 21 of the SCCM Installation Guide in a single PDF file.
Zinstall WinServ migrates applications profiles, settings, shares data etc. Shawn November 22 enforcement te that KMSPico, it is not a workable solution to 100% because there are cases in which the servers used by the software are offline , August 25, using online server for the activation, consequently, Comments on Microsoft takes a shot at VMware with Windows Server licensing changes the activation was not possible up to a reactivation the server. The Good News: Windows Server has been released!
Server 2012 r2 datacenter price. Exe against a cloned Windows R2 virtual machine would work to prevent SID conflict. The Bad News: Things just got a lot more complicated.
File share witness guides the Hub Transport server which server has active database and ready to receive the emails. Well is that newsid is old history now ( even the download is no more available) , what he didn' t know that a new wonderful switch in the Sysprep utility is born to make the job of generalizing your master VM become a breeze. For instance can the hosts be on different subnets, have different storage ( maybe source has SAN array , the destination has DAS) have different physical specs like CPU/ memory/ etc. We' ve been receiving a number of questions recently about how to properly license an environment with Windows Server.
Windows Datacenter with SP2 ( x64). Microsoft Azure Stack は Azure の拡張機能の 1 つであり、 オンプレミス環境にクラウド コンピューティングによる機敏性とイノベーションをもたらします。. Xml file here is not enclosed but OS image pointers are listed for all Windows versions, not just for the Standard version, this is very useful so you can find also the pointer to Windows R2 ENTERPRISE ( which is " Windows Server R2 SERVERENTERPRISE" ).
It supports Windows Server including 32- bit to 64- bit, physical to cloud cross- Windows- version migrations ( such as to ). Yesterday I was asked by an IT guy if the use of newsid. How dissimilar can the source host and destination hosts be? File Share Witness creation.
SQL Server edition Definition; Enterprise: The premium offering end- to- end business intelligence - enabling high service levels for mission- critical workloads , unlimited virtualization, SQL Server Enterprise edition delivers comprehensive high- end datacenter capabilities with blazing- fast performance end user access to data insights.
The prices of Windows Server R2 Standard & Datacenter editions [ Image credit: this post we will see how to upgrade Windows Server R2 to Windows Server. It' s been an year that Microsoft has released Windows Server, when Windows Sever was released the IT professionals were eager to know what' s new in Windows Server and i was one of them. With Windows Server R2 you can scale to run your most important workloads with robust recovery options.
You' ll achieve value quickly with a wide range of cost- effective, high- performance storage options and simplified delivery of multi- tenant IT services.
System Center R2 Licensing Datasheet Product Overview Microsoft System Center R2 offers solutions for managing datacenter resources, private clouds, and client. Editor' s Note: Petri IT Knowledgebase Contributing Editor Aidan Finn makes the case for Windows Server R2 Hyper- V over VMware vSphere 5. 5 in this opinion post.
In the interest of presenting. MCSA 70- 410 Cert Guide R2: Installing and Configuring Windows Server ( Cert Guides) 1st Edition.
This image contains the Windows Server R2 Datacenter operating system with HPC Pack R2 Update 3 installed to create the head node of an HPC Pack cluster. Oct 23, · Upgrade Options.
Windows Standard/ Enterprise with SP2 ( x64) Yes.


text:
Report: Red Bull's days in MLS are likely numbered
By Kyle BonnOct 1, 2014, 1:38 PM EDT
According to piece by Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated, Red Bull is looking to get out of Major League Soccer.
Wahl reports that an offer of $300 million for the franchise and stadium would get a deal done "within 48 hours" as Red Bull looks to contract its sporting interests due to falling profits.
The report doesn't say if anything was in the works or if that was simply a target to find a buyer.
According to Wahl, the team has had talks of selling the stadium more than once in recent years, and he speculates the company won't have MLS in its long-term plans, instead focusing solely on its European soccer ventures.
The biggest fallout from this would mean that Thierry Henry may move on from New York. Wahl's source told him that Henry has "zero chance" of signing a contract extension, presumably because Red Bull doesn't wish to pour large amounts long-term money into the team in any sense.
This is not to say that he would retire, but that he could move to another team.
For more on the situation you can read Grant's column here.
The news comes on the heels of reports that Chivas USA will be contracted and a new team will take its place in Los Angeles, with a two-year hiatus for the rebrand to take place.
With MLS rapidly expanding and placing teams in new cities, it would be wise to shore up its current clubs before spreading itself too thin.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Zim media caught in political vice
by Franz Kruger | Feb 6, 2009 | 0 comments
The decision to impose ruinous new registration fees on journalists by a body that should not exist any more, the Media and Information Commission, highlights the difficult position Zimbabwean journalists find themselves in, writes IRIN.
IRIN reports:
As the gap between the fierce political rivalries of Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) narrows, there are fears that the independent media will be squeezed even more.
In the past decade, while Zimbabwe lurched from one political crisis to another and the economy went into freefall, the independent media were lambasted by President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF government for their often critical views, and subjected to increasingly repressive media laws.
In January 2009 the Media and Information Commission (MIC), which is staffed by members of ZANU-PF, began targeting the remaining pockets of independent media houses and journalists by instituting huge accreditation fees.
The MIC is meant to be defunct but its replacement body, the Zimbabwe Media Commission – to be comprised of parliamentary appointees – has yet to be constituted in terms of a 2008 amendment of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).
The new fee structures mean local journalists employed by foreign media houses have to pay a US$1,000 application fee, with a further US$3,000 annual accreditation fee.
Temporary accreditation for visiting journalists is pegged at US$500, while journalists from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will pay a "complimentary" accreditation fee of US$150, and journalists from the rest of Africa will be charged US$200.
All foreign news agencies, including those from Africa, are required to pay a non-refundable US$10,000 application fee and, if their application is successful, a further annual fee of US$20,000 to operate in Zimbabwe, as well as a US$2,000 "complimentary administration fee".
Mugabe's spokesman, George Charamba, said the new fees were a result of the president being misquoted by foreign news agencies in December 2008, after he declared the cholera crisis over.
During a live one-hour television broadcast, the 85-year-old president said the disease had been "arrested", and "So now that there is no cholera, there is no cause for war anymore. We need doctors, not soldiers."
His comments came at a time when there were widespread calls for a military intervention to depose Mugabe, and the cholera death toll since August 2008 had climbed to more than 700, with over 16,000 cases reported.
According to the UN, up to 4 February 2009, 3,350 people had died from cholera and 67,567 cases had been reported, including 1,828 new cases reported in the previous 24-hour period.
Zimbabwe's economic meltdown has not left the media houses untouched, and journalists number among the 94 percent of people unemployed, making it difficult to freelance, as few can afford the fees, or find work with foreign news agencies.
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), a body representing the welfare and rights of Zimbabwean reporters, condemned the new fee structure as a censorship ploy. "The present government is totally against a free and vibrant press," ZUJ president Matthew Takaona told IRIN.
Censorship strategy
"We know that its strategy, after closing down most local newspapers, radio and television stations that provided an alternative source of information, is to make it difficult for any critical foreign media to operate from Zimbabwe," he said.
"We want the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to be repealed. We are also demanding that the MDC and ZANU-PF stop proceeding with sections of the Constitutional Amendment Number 19, which seek to establish statutory regulation of the media through the proposed Media Commission … Any amendments to the media law must involve media practitioners," Takaona said.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told IRIN: "the MDC is strongly against these punitive regulations, which are an attempt by the regime to silence the remaining small but vibrant media in the country. Since the enactment of AIPPA in 2002, the ZANU-PF government has made every effort to make it difficult for journalists to operate in country – they have bombed printing presses and closed five newspapers."
Chamisa said the MIC was an "illegal body", and was not entitled to introduce registration and accreditation fees, and the move had illustrated a "lack of sincerity" by ZANU-PF in adhering to the terms of the new unity government.
"The exorbitant fees being touted means that press freedom has been dollarised, much to the detriment of ordinary Zimbabweans, who are starved of information," he said.
The exorbitant fees being touted means that press freedom has been dollarised, much to the detriment of ordinary Zimbabweans, who are starved of information
The MDC was party to the AIPPA amendments, but its policy documents state that it prefers a self-regulated media industry. Journalists were uncomfortable that neither ZANU-PF nor the MDC had consulted media stakeholders.
Simba Rushwaya, a journalist based in the capital, Harare, said a settlement among politicians would not automatically translate into an open media environment.
"That is why, if you examine the power-sharing deal, [you will find that] other than the right political noises about freedom of expression and processing applications for registration, it is very vague on self-regulation and freedom of the media, which should make journalists very vigilant."
* This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. It was first published by IRIN.


text:
Q&A – Phil Eyler, president, Harman Connected Car division
Connectivity is currently a key area of development for OEMs and will remain so over the coming years. Craig Thomas recently caught up with Phil Eyler, president of Harman's Connected Car Division, to talk about the company's future strategy.
Connectivity is currently a key area of development for OEMs and will remain so over the coming years. Craig Thomas recently caught up with Phil Eyler, president of Harman's Connected Car Division, to talk about the company's future strategy.
Harman is one company at the forefront of connected car technology, its $3bn Connected Car Division focusing on the development of integrated systems that incorporate embedded infotainment, telematics, connected safety and cyber security solutions.
The company showcased its Harman LIVS (Life-Enhancing Intelligent Vehicle Solution) platform at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, in the Rinspeed Etos concept car.
We spoke to Phil Eyler, president of Harman's Connected Car Division, about the LIVS platform, the challenges in developing connectivity technology and the company's future strategy.
just-auto: What does the Harman LIVS platform in the Rinspeed Etos aim to show?
Phil Eyler: The whole point of that is to show what what's possible today from our perspective when you combine cloud and the embedded platform. One example of this platform approach has allowed us to bring in some partnerships that weren't possible before we had that ecosystem. For example, Microsoft: we've brought the Microsoft productivity suite, the Microsoft 365 and personal digital assistant to the car.
What this does is offer really seamless access to schedule management, Skype calls, conference calls and in a really pro-active way. The conference call thing has a huge use case: you don't have to fumble with the phone or look for the pass codes, so it solves some of the problems that the business professional has.
Is it a tough sell to your OEM customers?
No, because that's what they want. Every OEM has a different road map and strategy of how they're going to pull it all together, but this is a huge need and, because of our partnerships, we're doing this with the OEMs' needs in mind.
We're great partners with a lot of the luxury OEMs and when we're thinking about connected cars, truly connected cars, mostly we think the consumer base is the business professional right now. Of course that's going to expand over a period so this is a big opportunity.
The other thing we are heavily focused on is cyber security. When you have all cars connected – which is where we're going – the potential risks are going to be there. And whether that's at the individual car level, multiple cars, or fleets of cars, there's some real risk. So we've invested heavily in developing an embedded software-based cyber security platform that also handles dealing with what's coming in from the network level. We've just announced the acquisition of an Israeli-based company called TowerSec, which has industry-leading technology in terms of monitoring what's happening within the car's network.
Every car has this CAN bus network where data is being passed and shared. Everything really is talking to everything else in the car. That's a big danger point, so the TowerSec technology can monitor the network and pick up anomalies that are associated with threats or hackers, viruses etc and alert the driver or the OEM – or it could actually stop and kill some of these threats."
So how straightforward will it be to integrate connectivity and autonomous car technology?
Well it's very complex, but it's absolutely something we're in a great position to do. If you look at a car today – the complex cars, the luxury cars, even the mid-level, high-volume cars – the most complex computer is an infotainment system.
We're the market leader, so it's very for us very natural to think about developing much more than an infotainment system – a compute platform where we can put more and more functionality into it and help manage what's happening as connectivity grows. We see ourselves as a pioneer in developing solutions that will help move the industry forward.
We have also made advances in navigation that, when pulled together with vision-based ADAS can really become powerful.
Connected cars use huge amounts of data, so how does Harman deal with that issue?
Well, this is why we acquired of Symphony Teleca last year, so data analytics is now a big part of our capability with our cloud services.
There's a lot of different questions that come up with that issue. Who owns the data? How do you manage the data? How do you manage the utilisation of network bandwidth, etc.? Those are all areas now that we have some good technologies that we can offer to OEMs to help manage that data.
Are OEMs fully aware of all the data-related implications that will result from an uptake in connectivity?
I think everybody is spending a lot of resources to make sure they are doing their best to try to do that. But it's moving so fast. Some OEMs are really on top of it: some are behind. One thing behind our approach is that we're developing an end-to-end solution that's very comprehensive, but that's not the only business model for us: we could take pieces of that and vary our offering for OEMs, based on their needs. Some of them already have a strategy that's in place and we're just going to plug a hole. For others, it may be we have no idea what we need to do: we want to take that whole solution and implement it. And, of course, our solution is going to evolve over time.
How is Harman going to reconcile the difference in technological development times that you have with the development times of carmakers?
That's a great question. The area we've really focused on is making sure that the system is dynamic and that's possible because of the over-the-air update. That's exactly why we acquired Red Bend, to answer that question and to make sure the solutions we provide today can be improved tomorrow in a very short period of time. Even in the development cycle it's very important so I think that's the future.
We're all used to our phone updating on the fly and the same thing would happen in the car: it's the same concept. Obviously it's more complex and it takes an automotive-type focus to make sure it's done in a safe, seamless way but conceptually that's the over-the-air update.
You've mentioned some of the acquisitions you've made recently, covering over-the-air updates and security, so are there any more holes that Harman needs to plug in the services it offers to OEMs?
The ecosystem now becomes broader and we continue to look at cyber security – although we're very happy with our offering now. More connected safety becomes more a part of our offering, we're developing this concept of, for example, augmented reality navigation, which takes a video feed from the road ahead and overlays navigation right on top of the video feed so it's augmented.
We've augmented directions in front of you and prompts; you can take snap-ups of what the building names are that you're coming up on – things like that. Advancing that technology is very important. We've made acquisitions in that space already, with a company by the name of iOnRoad, which we invested in the couple years ago. So those are the types of enhancement areas we will focus on, but they'll be very targeted. Symphony Teleca was a big acquisition, so we want to focus on making sure that the development of that new division is done well.
So, after going the long way round, the answer to your question is yes.
Cyber Security Market Analysis and Forecast by Component (Software, Hardware and Services), Security Type, Organization Size, Vertical and Region, 2021-2026
Company Profile: AutoGrid Systems, Inc.
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) in Automotive - Thematic Research
Harman International Industries Inc
The role of used EVs in gaining EV market acceptance
Steering clear of cyber-attacks: New technology from Expleo
Walls of the future: LED walls assisting with driver simulation


Hands of Gold provides premium quality and creative headwear for our gaming fam. The All Day Cap is a black coloured snapback with a 3D embroidery in the front. The plated Hands of Gold logo is attached at the left side of the snapback.


Hundreds of students with an interest in computer design use their knowledge to create apps, games and websites at CrimsonHacks, a 24-hour event hosted by the CrimsonHacks executive team that allows student participants to get creative and invent something they are proud of.
"We have several students, actually over 200 students, from over 30 different universities that come together to build something awesome. So, think of it more like an invention marathon," he said.
Students spent March 23-24 at the Ferguson Center taking on a full schedule of tech talks, workshops, networking with sponsors and creation time.
However, the event was not exclusive to computer science and computer engineering majors; it is available for all students. Abbott said having someone who is not technical can give a team an advantage. It allows the team to have a member with a fresh perspective on an invention to help decide whether the invention is user-friendly.
CrimsonHacks also gives students an opportunity to network with sponsors. Matt Loft, a software consultant with Pariveda Solutions, is able to build a trusted advisor relationship with students at the event. Loft said this is helpful when it comes to recruiting and also benefits the company by getting students interested in applying and possibly working there.
Riley Howk, a sophomore majoring in management information systems, and her team created a goal tracking app called Achieve. The team believes that it is important for people to set a clear goal and have consistent accountability to reach achievement. Their app was created to make goal setting more effective.
"It's a goal-tracking app combined with a social media app, so it allows you to create goals, and it keeps you accountable by sharing them with your friends and allowing your friends to join it," Howk said.
Howk and her team kept each other accountable throughout the hackathon and achieved the goal they set for themselves. They wanted to create a mobile app for the first time by using various software such as Xcodes, Swift, Sketch and Firebase.
Amy Tucker, a freshman at Bevill State University majoring in computer science, said this was her first hackathon.
Tucker and her team created a virtual reality experience called Cloud Walk. The creation uses Google Street View to allow users to view destinations as if they were actually there. It was created so people are able to get a better view of places they may not be able to visit in real life. Users may only be in their living room, but they are able to see any destination they wish virtually.
"You can go to all of these famous landmarks, and the hope is that eventually there will be like facts and stuff that pop up and you can just kind of walk around a little bit and look at the views and stuff in VR like you're actually there," Tucker said.
Though the long hours of the event challenged her, Tucker said she enjoyed her experience and is thankful for the opportunity to participate.


Governor Bobby Jindal will give the keynote address at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association (LOGA) on March 23.
Karl Rove, former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush will also address the group and sign copies of his new book, Courage and Consequence.
The three-day meeting, on March 22-24 at L'Auberge du Lac in Lake Charles, includes a golf tournament and a silent auction. LOGA is now offering a limited number of one-day passes for $200 for those who want to attend only the business sessions and speakers. "We want as many of our members, friends, business partners, employees, community and state leaders to be able to participate in the oil and gas meeting of the year for Louisiana," Briggs said.
Other speakers include Bruce Vincent, IPAA Chairman & President, Secretary Director, Swift Energy Company; Regina Hopper, President & CEO of America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA); Louisiana economist Dr. Loren Scott; Department of Natural Resources Sec. Scott Angelle; Department of Environmental Quality Sec. Peggy Hatch; Commissioner of Conservation Jim Welsh; and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sec. Robert Barham, among others.
Registration is limited to 300 guests. To register, and for more information on the three-day meeting, which includes a golf tournament and a silent auction, visit http://www.loga.la/logaannualmeeting.html.


PRODUCTS ARE MADE-TO-ORDER. ALLOW 3-10 BUSINESS DAYS TO SHIP.
This unisex tank-top boasts a nice drape, which is ideal for layering or dealing with the summer heat. In true Melanin Apparel style, the tank-top is extremely smooth and soft. It is made out of 100% cotton jersey, except for the heather grey color (90% cotton, 10% polyester).
Read more about our policies HERE.


text:
Your Holy Freakness
Remnants, a quilt-like collage made from the covers of Marjorie Beaucage's journals. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Marjorie Beaucage has felt like a misfit because of the way she's lived her life. She's embraced her inner "freak" with her persona, "Your Holy Freakness"
After seeing The Greatest Showman, a 2017 movie about "freaks", Marjorie Beaucage stomped her feet outside the theatre and yelled, "I Am Your Holy Freakness!" She could relate to the characters because "I've felt like a misfit because of the way that I've lived my life – being an oddball and sometimes feeling like a freak because of my difference, because it wasn't accepted."
The experience inspired the multidisciplinary artist's persona, "Your Holy Freakness", and a poem by the same name. The poem is part of a larger project, funded by two Indigenous Peoples Arts and Artists grants.
Marjorie Beaucage. Photo: Douglas Francis
Beaucage began by writing a collection of poetry, journal entries and reflections, Movements of My Life. It is based on more than 40 years of journals documenting her involvement in social movements "and the movements within me that have kept me alive." One grant she received allowed her to hire Rita Bouvier as a mentor and editor for the manuscript.
Going through the journals was liberating for Beaucage; she burned them all in a ceremony once she was done, saving the covers to make into a quilt-like collage.
The project also includes a rag rug made from protest T-shirts; Button Justice, made from a collection of activist buttons; Cinema Medicine, made from film posters, memorabilia and articles; Tribute to Water, made from photos of women Beaucage has loved; ashes from the burnt journals; and a video performance of poetry with soundscapes.
"I am returning to some of the traditional Métis crafts I grew up with – quilting, embroidery, rag
rugs – and my love of collage, creating with found objects from the world around me," she says. The artwork will also appear in the book, which has already received interest from a publisher.
Poring over journals, writing and art-making have been processes of self-discovery for Beaucage. "I learned that I can change. I did change. I work for change. There's a certain part of me that is consistent, and there are other parts of me that question that. Basically I'm a good person. I've got my challenges and my dark spaces like everyone else, but I've mostly tried to be good."
She sees the project as a way to pass lessons on to the next generation. "They'll make their own mistakes, but there are things I did learn. It's good to have those conversations, and the book might be a good way to do that."


On 20 May 2017 Twitter sent an email to its users announcing that new terms and conditions apply. These changes largely apply to data usage, personalization and targeted advertising. One can't really say it's a revolution, but at least it's a first step towards more transparency (something much needed in the field of Big Data). And the new privacy parameters give you an idea of how the personalization algorithms of twitter work and which kind of data is used for this purpose.
The two variables you can now disable are "devices" and "locations". They are rather classical : nothing really freaky here at first sight but it might be interesting to go deeper.
Let's start with places : depending on where you go or where your account was created, personalized content will appear. This makes perfect sense and is actually highly useful. The only thing you need to realize is that Twitter collects location data wherever you are and disabling location-based personalization will not (this is our interpretation at least) prevent from having that data collected.
Those two types of data seem to me to be much more invasive.
Twitter apparently collects the list of applications installed on your Android smartphone and personalizes content accordingly (probably using a type of collaborative filtering). We don't see at first sight what kind of precision can be leveraged through app-based personalization, but if Twitter does we guess there is some value behind it.
" we may consider your visits to other websites that integrate Twitter content (such as embedded timelines)." Facebook used the same kind of trick with the embedded "Like" button to track users outside of Facebook and this was highly criticized.
" To protect your privacy, we never associate this web browsing history with your name, email address, phone number, or Twitter handle, and we delete, obfuscate, or aggregate it after no longer than 30 days".
This is clear, to-the-point, and kept at the lowest level of technicality so that everyone can understand.


The introduction of a one-week, one-location, men's event for 18 nations is the latest attempt by the ITF to transform national team competitions. The final of the current Davis Cup is between two countries, one of which decides the venue.
The ITF's first vision — combining the Davis Cup and Fed Cup finals in Geneva for three years — was abandoned as resistance built before the ITF annual general meeting.
"In tennis you don't win every point. You don't win every game," ITF President David Haggerty said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Not everyone always agrees with things that you do. That being said, feedback from the nations has helped us improve the final product that we're taking to the AGM for approval."
"It's obviously very sensitive information as we're finalizing the contract," Haggerty said, pressed on the structure of the deal.
What Haggerty will divulge is that $25 million will be distributed annually to member nations if the deal is approved, requiring the ITF to cede commercial and hosting rights for the World Cup of Tennis to Kosmos while retaining control of on-court regulations. Haggerty said there are "many protections" to ensure Kosmos does not sell the competition or hosting rights to a country with a questionable human rights record.
The ITF is stipulating the final event must initially be at "one iconic location in Europe." Ellison said the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, which he owns, was being considered for the 2021 World Cup of Tennis finals.
The men's tennis tour has already stolen a march on the ITF, with plans in place to revive the ATP World Cup from 2020. The tournament would offer $15 million in prize money to 24 participating teams in 2020.
Haggerty maintains that the ITF's event is focused on providing funding for the next generation of players, rather than just enriching the elite men.
"The nations are the only bodies that run the junior events, the junior tournaments and those nations that provide coaching opportunities for young players when they start out, that have rigorous pro circuit events so that players can continue to develop within their nation," Haggerty said.
Haggerty said he found a meeting attended by more than 40 European nations to be "very supportive" of his proposals, despite the head of the continent's sports body expressing opposition.
"I have had quite a few calls and letters over the last four or five days with people disagreeing with that letter," Haggerty said. "While not every nation is supportive, I can tell you that that significant numbers of nations are very, very supportive of this Davis Cup reform."


text:
Enhanced Winter Wellness Against Colds & Flu
Enhanced Winter Wellness Against Colds & Flu
Every year, over 30,000 people die from the flu. Even more alarming is the fact that most individuals over 64 are not protected against the most virulent forms of the flu even though they receive an annual vaccine shot. New evidence shows that the amino acids L-theanine and L-cystine boost flu vaccine effectiveness in certain elderly groups and protect all groups studied against winter colds.
Scientifically reviewed by Dr. Gary Gonzalez, MD, in May 2022. Written by: Michael Downey, Health & Wellness Author.
It's one of the top 10 killers in the US, causing an average estimate of over 30,000 people to die each year.1,2 It's not heart disease or cancer or diabetes… it's the flu.
Most people associate the flu with muscle pain, coughing, sore throat, fatigue, and other symptoms, but the flu can turn into a deadly infection.2,3
Scientists have found two ingredients that prime the immune system to defend against the onslaught of influenza and other seasonal pathogens that can result in serious illness and even death.2,4,5
The Deadly Complications of Influenza
If you think of the flu as merely a seasonal risk or inconvenience, think again. Although known for uncomfortable symptoms such as sore throat, nasal discharge, chills, fever, muscle pain, headaches, coughing, nausea, and fatigue3,6—the harsh reality is that tens of thousands of Americans die from influenza infection in an average year.
Potentially lethal results of the flu can include either direct viral pneumonia or secondary bacterial pneumonia,7,8 and complications of chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).9
Almost 90% of all American deaths caused by influenza are among those over 65 years old.10 One reason is the immune senescence suffered by virtually all aging individuals. Vaccines function by eliciting an antibody response against specific viruses . The ability to generate an antibody response to influenza vaccines is severely compromised in the elderly.11
But the elderly are not the only ones at risk of flu-related death. High-risk groups also include pregnant women, the immunocompromised, children under age two, and people who have chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease.12
Shocking Flu Statistics
On average, influenza is estimated to cause over 30,000 deaths in the United States annually.1
The antibody response of elderly patients to influenza vaccine has been shown to be blunted.11
Complications of viral influenza infection may involve several organ systems.22
Flu shots fail to protect older persons from the most virulent strains up to 91% of the time.18
The flu vaccine's effectiveness among the general population is only about 56%.18
Flu-related deaths for persons over age 85 are 16 times greater than that of slightly younger persons aged 65-69.23
Flu infection is estimated to cause more than 200,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States.22
Chronic medical conditions—such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, dementia, and stroke—are all risk factors for potentially lethal influenza complications.12
The most frequent serious flu complications are pulmonary, such as primary influenza pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia, or chronic pulmonary diseases.7-9
Influenza A caused by H5N1 virus ("avian flu") often infects young, previously healthy persons—with a fatality rate of about 60%, usually due to respiratory failure.24
Neurologic complications of influenza, such as encephalopathy, are most common in children.25
Increased rates of schizophrenia were noted in offspring of women who had the flu in the second pregnancy trimester, implying fetal developmental brain effects.26
Abnormal cardiac findings were found in 43% of adult flu patients,suggesting influenza pneumonia may predispose patients to serious cardiac complications such as myocarditis and pericarditis.27
The Best Defense Against the Flu
Receiving an annual flu shot is an effort many individuals, particularly those over age 65, make in an attempt to prevent both influenza infection and its deadly outcomes.13 The reason is that it mobilizes what is known as adaptive or acquired immunity.14 After the body has been "primed" with specific, non-infective viruses in the form of a vaccine, the immune system can then make antibodies to protect against future infection with these viruses.14
However, for a flu vaccine to even begin to protect against the influenza virus contained within it, the vaccinated individual must first have sound immune function—so that the immune system can properly respond to stimulation by the vaccine's antigen.15
The trouble is that, in those with weakened immunity—such as the elderly population—vaccine stimulation triggers only a limited antibody response, thus limiting the effectiveness of the vaccine.16,17
That means, despite being vaccinated, aging individuals remain highly susceptible to infection. This can be one reason why up to 91% of those 65 and over who get a flu shot may still be susceptible to getting the flu!18
But there's good news. Scientists have recently found a way to boost the effectiveness of the flu vaccine. Exciting new evidence shows that, taken together for two weeks prior to vaccination, the amino acids L-theanine and L-cystine enhance the efficacy of the flu vaccine in certain subsets of elderly subjects.19 This delivers strong protection against the flu virus—and its deadly complications.
These two compounds do not enhance the vaccine itself; instead, they help boost the immune system's acquired immune response, giving your body the tools it needs to effectively utilize the vaccine.19
When these complementary amino acids were used together in animal studies, they increased immune response.4,20
In one study, researchers gave both L-theanine and L-cystine orally to mice for 10 days. Six days after infection with influenza, the treated mice had lower lung concentrations of the virus. Ten days after infection, there was a significant enhancement of key anti-influenza-virus antibodies (called immunoglobulin G or IgG).4
Scientists realized that the co-administration of L-cystine and L-theanine could restore age-related impairment of immune competence, helping to prevent influenza and other viral infections—and in turn, preventing deadly complications.4
Based on this knowledge, scientists set out to determine if these two substances could boost vaccine effectiveness by targeting (and enhancing) the immune system itself.
Boosting Vaccine Effectiveness
On average each year, it is estimated that over 30,000 Americans die from influenza.
The recommended annual flu shot protects older Americans from a virulent strain as infrequently as 9% of the time and protects the general population only 56% of the time. One of the reasons is that in the elderly, who are far more likely to have generalized weakened immunity, vaccine stimulation triggers only a limited antibody response.
Taken together for two weeks prior to vaccination, the amino acids L-theanine and L-cystine enhance efficacy of the flu vaccine in a subset of elderly subjects. This delivers stronger protection against both the flu virus—and its deadly complications.
Remarkably, this same combination has been shown to reduce the incidence of the common cold by 58%.
Boosting Vaccine Effectiveness!
To establish this effect in people, researchers designed a randomized, placebo-controlled study in which both of these amino acids were tested in healthy elderly humans. For the study, 65 nursing home residents aged 65 or over were randomly divided into two groups. The test group received 280 milligrams of L-theanine and 700 milligrams of L-cystine once a day for 14 days. The other group received a placebo for the same amount of time.19
On day 15, all participants were given a flu vaccine containing three influenza strains.
The scientists found that certain subsets of the L-theanine and L-cystine group had an increased rate of seroconversion, the precise point at which the immune system develops antibody protection against a microorganism as a result of immunization. Notably, the increased seroconversion rate occurred among subjects with low serum total protein or hemoglobin, potential indicators of compromised health.19
The report concluded that, "Co-administration of L-cystine and L-theanine before vaccination may enhance the immune response to influenza vaccine in elderly subjects with low serum total protein or hemoglobin."
In another human study, this same combination has been shown to reduce the incidence of the common cold by 58%.5
The Aging Immune System
A compromised immune system can present an opportunity for a simple bout of the flu to quickly progress to full-blown pneumonia, which is the eighth leading cause of death for Americans.2
Nutritional deficiencies among the elderly can lower immune defenses.28 For instance, deficiency of iron, vitamin B12, or folate is a common cause of the increased incidence of anemia in the elderly, and this in turn is associated with a greater risk of infectious diseases.5 In fact, malnutrition at any age causes a decline in immune function and increased susceptibility to infection.5,28-30
Further compounding the problem, millions of doctors erroneously prescribe antibiotics to patients seeking relief for symptoms of viral infections. Persistent misuse of antibiotics leads to potentially serious treatment complications, greater risk of death, and may contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.31
As numerous strains of influenza viruses continue to evolve and pose a deadly danger of complications to aging individuals, scientists recognized the urgent need to find a safe and effective way to reverse the reduced effectiveness of flu vaccines caused by age-related immune decline.
If taken together for two weeks prior to vaccination, the amino acids L-theanine and L-cystine enhance efficacy of the flu vaccine in certain groups of elderly subjects.19 This delivers stronger protection against both the flu virus—and its deadly complications.
Reduce the Risk of Common Cold
If co-administration of these two amino acids could boost the effectiveness of the flu vaccine, scientists reasoned that it might also help lower the incidence of the common cold.
The common cold is the most prevalent human illness.5 The majority of cases are acute viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. Conventional treatments such as analgesic agents and antihistamines only help alleviate some of the symptoms, such as sneezing and runny nose.5
Because common colds can lead to serious complications in elderly and immune-compromised individuals,21 scientists set out to determine if L-theanine and L-cystine, could also reduce the incidence of the common cold.
For the placebo-controlled study, 176 healthy men were asked to take a total of 700 milligrams of L-cystine and 280 milligrams L-theanine per day, in two divided doses.5
Over a five-week period, the L-theanine and L-cystine group developed 58% fewer colds than the placebo group.5 Among those experiencing colds, the symptoms of fever and chills were significantly reduced in the theanine/cystine supplemented group.5
The study team reported that, together, L-theanine and L-cystine represent an effective and safe natural ingredient to suppress the common cold—producing no more side effects than placebo.5
Priming the Immune System
In order for any vaccine to effectively do its job, it needs to work hand-in-hand with a healthy immune system. Studies have shown that the older you are, the less effective the flu vaccine becomes. This is a direct result of an age-related decline in immune response.
The amino acids L-theanine and L-cystine are known for their ability to boost factors of the immune system that are diminished with age: glutathione and interleukin-2.19,32,33
Glutathione is the major antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds and is essential for the immune system to exert its full potential.19
Interleukin-2 is a cytokine that is important for antibody production and for the differentiation, long-term growth, and proper functioning of T cells.18,34
L-theanine, an amino acid and phytochemical found mainly in tea leaves (Camellia sinensis), is an immune booster.35,36 Theanine is known to stimulate glutathione.19 Theanine and glutathione have been shown to promote a certain subset of white blood cells known as gamma delta T lymphocytes that play a vital role in the production of interleukin-2.18,36 Evidence indicates that a greater intake of L-theanine helps to prime gamma delta T cells, activating them to a state of readiness.36,37
L-theanine also enhances the immune system by stimulating the release of immune system proteins called cytokines.19,36
L-theanine also contributes to the absorption of another amino acid important to the immune responsiveness: L-cystine.19 The amino acid L-cystine is a precursor to the antioxidant glutathione. L-cystine is converted to glutathione, which stimulates gamma delta T-cells to release the immune factor interleukin-2.19
The flu can mean more than symptoms such as muscle pain, nausea, and sore throat.3 On average, over 30,000 Americans die annually from influenza.1
To help prevent death from the flu's lethal secondary infections and other complications, many people choose to receive an annual flu shot.13 However, because older adults often have a weakened immune system, the vaccine may only be effective as infrequently as 9% of the time—and only 56% of the time in the general population.16-18
However, when taken together for two weeks prior to vaccination, the amino acids L-theanine and L-cystine boost the efficacy of the flu vaccine in certain elderly subjects by enhancing the immune system itself.19 The result is enhanced protection against both the flu virus—and its deadly complications.
Remarkably, this same combination has been shown to reduce the incidence of the common cold by 58%.5
Kemmerly SA. Influenza update. Ochsner J. 2000 Oct;2(4):224-7.
Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_06.pdf. Accessed September 21, 2013.
Available at: http://www.flu.gov/symptoms-treatment/symptoms/index.html#. Accessed September 21, 2013.
Takagi Y, Kurihara S, Higashi N, et al. Combined administration of (L)-cystine and (L)-theanine enhances immune functions and protects against influenza virus infection in aged mice. J Vet Med Sci. 2010 Feb;72(2):157-65.
Kurihara S, Hiraoka T, Akutsu M, Sukegawa E, Bannai M, Shibahara S. Effects of (L)-cystine and (L)-theanine supplementation on the common cold: a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. J Amino Acids. 2010;2010:307475.
Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/symptoms.htm. Accessed September 30, 2013.
Ballinger MN, Standiford TJ. Postinfluenza bacterial pneumonia: host defenses gone awry. J Interferon Cytokine Res. 2010 Sept;30(9): 643-52.
Jain S, Kamimoto L, Bramley AM, Schmitz AM, et al. Hospitalized patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza in the United States, April-June 2009. N Engl J Med. 2009 Nov 12;361(20):1935-44.
Schanzer DL, Langley JM, Tam TW. Co-morbidities associated with influenza-attributed mortality, 1994-2000, Canada. Vaccine. 2008 Aug 26;26(36):4697-703.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Estimates of deaths associated with seasonal influenza—United States, 1976-2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2010 Aug 27;59(33):1057-62.
Castle SC. Clinical relevance of age-related immune dysfunction. Clin Infect Dis. 2000;31: 578-85.
Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/high_risk.htm. Accessed September 23, 2013.
Available at: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57521511-10391704/officials-urge-flu-vaccine-for-unpredictable-2012-2013-season. Accessed September 23, 2013.
Available at: http://www.vhcinfo.org/servicemembers.asp?page=immunobasics&title=immunology%20basics. Accessed September 23, 2013.
Reber AJ, Chirkova T, Kim JH, et al. Immunosenescence and challenges of vaccination against influenza in the aging population. Aging Dis. 2012 Feb;3(1):68-90.
Liu WM, van der Zeijst BA, Boog CJ, Soethout EC.Hum. Aging and impaired immunity to influenza viruses: implications for vaccine development. Vaccin. 2011 Jan-Feb;7 Suppl:94-8.
Lambert ND, Ovsyannikova IG, Pankratz VS, Jacobson RM, Poland GA. Understanding the immune response to seasonal influenza vaccination in older adults: a systems biology approach. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2012 Aug;11(8):985-94.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Interim adjusted estimates of seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness - United States, February 2013. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013 Feb 22;62(7):119-23.
Miyagawa K, Hayashi Y, Kurihara S, Maeda A. Co-administration of l-cystine and l-theanine enhances efficacy of influenza vaccination in elderly persons: nutritional status-dependent immunogenicity. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2008 Dec;8(4):243-50.
Kurihara S, Shibahara S, Arisaka H, Akiyama Y. Enhancement of antigen-specific immunoglobulin G production in mice by co-administration of l-cystine and l-theanine. J Vet Med Sci. 2007 Dec;69(12):1263-70.
Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cold-common/pages/commoncoldinchildren.aspx. Accessed September 24, 2013.
Rothberg MB, Haessler SD, Brown RB. Complications of viral influenza. Am J Med. 2008 Apr;121(4):258-64.
Thompson WW, Shay DK, Weintraub E, et al. Mortality associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in the United States. JAMA. 2003 Jan 8;289(2):179-86.
Peiris JS, de Jong MD, Guan Y. Avian influenza virus (H5N1): a threat to human health. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2007;20:243-67.
Studahl M. Influenza virus and CNS manifestations. J Clin Virol. 2003;28:225-32.
Barr CE, Mednick SA, Munk-Jorgensen P. Exposure to influenza epidemics during gestation and adult schizophrenia. A 40-year study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1990;47:869-74.
Ison MG, Campbell V, Rembold C, et al. Cardiac findings during uncomplicated acute influenza in ambulatory adults. Clin Infect Dis. 2005;40:415-22.
Fukagawa NK. Protein and amino acid supplementation in older humans. Amino Acids. 2013 Jun;44(6):1493-509.
Brüssow H, Sidoti J, Dirren H, Freire WB. Effect of malnutrition in Ecuadorian children on titers of serum antibodies to various microbial antigens. Clin Diag Lab Immunol. 1995;(2):62-8.
Calder PC. Feeding the immune system. Proc Nutr Soc. 2013 Aug;72(3):299-309.
Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs194/en. Accessed September 24, 2013.
McElhaney JE, Beattie BL, Devine R et al. Age-related decline in interleukin 2 production in response to influenza vaccine. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1990;38:652-8.
Samiec PS, Drews-Botsch C, Flagg EW et al. Glutathione in human plasma: decline in association with aging, age related macular degeneration, and diabetes. Free Radic Biol Med. 1998;24: 699-704.
De Paoli P. Immunological effects of interleukin-2 therapy in human immunodeficiency virus-positive subjects. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 2001 Jul;8(4):671-7.
Available at; http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?chunkiid=653856. Accessed September 24, 2013.
Bukowski JF, Percival SS. L-theanine intervention enhances human gammadeltaT lymphocyte function. Nutr Rev. 2008 Feb;66(2):96-102.
Bukowski JF, Morita CT, Brenner MB. Human gamma delta T-cells recognize alkylamines derived from microbes, edible plants, and tea: Implications for innate immunity. Immunity. 1999;11: 57-65.


Crossing Borders brings you a splendid collection of poetry and micro-prose from an eclectic assembly of authors. Cross the sands of time and swim in the ocean of this impressive work. You will not be let down.
The poetic voices in 'That Not Forgotten' have rallied together to paint a deeply personal portrait hand-tipped with nostalgia. The pulse of Lake Ontario's north shore is felt on every page. Mimicking the historic and contemporary landscape, the pendulum swings from seasoned bards to freshly scratched voices worthy of an undivided eye.


text:
Feature October 13, 2006
NY Yankees And Al Qaeda Join Forces
"NEW YORK – News of a joining of powers between the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team and international terrorist organization al-Qaeda became apparent, Wednesday, following a plane-crash into an upper Manhattan high-rise apartment building. The plane was flown by Yankees middle relief pitcher Cory Lidle, who died in the crash that was assigned to him by an active, anonymous al-Qaeda operative, according to Yankees Public Relations director Rick Cerrone.
The senior LushForLife.com investigative team discovered the apparent link between the Yankees and al-Qaeda during the first few hours following the plane-crash on 72nd Street on Wednesday afternoon. According to Senior Correspondent Arthur Rocks, the two sides joined forces following the September 11th attacks – for the dominating power the both the Yankees and team owner George Steinbrenner possess in the United States and New York City. Former al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, according to Rocks, is also a die-hard fan of the famed Bronx Bombers and, ""aside from blowing up the world for Allah, I've wanted to be a Yankee more than anything since I was a little boy,"" Bin-Laden said in streaming video interview with LushForLife.com correspondent Arthur Rocks from a posh, dainty salon while receiving a facial and a pedicure.
According to an anonymous source within the Yankees organization, LushForLife.com correspondent Rob Johnson reports that Lidle was assigned to fly his plane into the high-rise apartment on the Upper East Side by the al-Qaeda contact who works at Yankee Stadium. While the source assures that the terrorist organization's primary goal remains dismantling the American establishment, the Lidle assignment was geared towards a backlash on the New York Mets. The plane was on path to smash into Mets President of Operations Saul Katz's apartment, though missed his flat by two stories.
The failed attack was ordered by Steinbrenner, according to the source, and was designed to both keep the Mets out of the news – who had recently advanced in the playoffs while the Yankees were eliminated from playoff contention – as well as act as a message to the rival club: ""We are the team that counts in this town, this country, and the world, and they just don't get it,"" Steinbrenner said.
""The passing of Cory is unfortunate and is felt throughout both our entire organization and al-Qaeda,"" Cerrone said in a press conference. ""He was a fighter in every aspect of his life – not only as an enduring baseball player, but as a soldier of Allah as well.""
Though it is officially unclear why Lidle was the player selected to be sent on the Katz assassination mission, some people within the Yankee organization have offered their opinion and speculation.
'He was an insurance policy for us for the postseason,' Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi said to LushForLife.com correspondent Porcious Crank. 'Since we were eliminated, he really didn't need to stick around anymore.' Giambi went on, 'You've got to respect the guy: when you get the orders, there's no two ways about it. You've got to do your duty – It's part of being a Yankee.'
'I was surprised that Cory was picked,' shortstop Derek Jeter said. 'Anyone in this clubhouse would gladly do what he did – taking it to the Mets. Sometimes there's more to life than baseball, too, and George gets that, and so do we.'
Though it is unclear whether al-Qaeda or the Yankees are currently orchestrating another attack on the Mets, sources within the terrorist organization believe that Steinbrenner will select famed and maligned third baseman Alex Rodriguez on the next assignment.
'We don't pick the messengers, so it's hard to say,' an anonymous terrorist and Yankee employee said to Porcious Crank. 'I know George is looking for any reason to get rid of him.'
In other news, Yankees GM Brian Cashman was found inside Katz's apartment, shuffling through Katz's scouting and player development files. It is unclear whether there will be any legal ramifications or if Katz will press charges.
Tags: Al Qaeda, Arthur Rocks, Bin Laden, NEW, NY, Porcious Crank
If Bush Can't Protect America, The Media Will
Breaking The Constitution
O.J. Simpson And Ahmadinejad In Anti-Jewish Conspiracy
Fashion To Fund Terror
Candidates Release Medical Treatment Records


text:
Leighton Hospital
Visitors urged not to visit Leighton Hospital at Crewe with symptoms of sickness bug
LEIGHTON Hospital bosses have renewed their plea for visitors not to attend if they have any symptoms of norovirus as the bug is spreading through the hospital.
Belinda Ryan
Karen Egan, associate director of infection prevention and control for Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Norovirus is the most common cause of infectious gastroenteritis (diarrhoea and vomiting) in England and Wales.
"The illness is generally mild and people recover fully within two to three days.
"Infections can occur at any age.
"Signs of norovirus include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and we are asking people who have had any of these symptoms within the past 48 hours to withhold from visiting their friends and relatives in hospital.
"This also applies to those who've experienced a fever or flu-like symptoms.
"The immune systems of most of our patients are already low so, by entering the hospital and its wards, people risk passing on the virus to those who are most vulnerable."
The hospital said many visitors have ignored the plea 'which has led to further outbreaks of the virus across a number of wards'.
Jayne Hartley, acting director of nursing, said: "We would encourage people tophone the relevant ward for information on a patient's progress. "Additionally, patients are able to use mobile phones in their ward's day room to keep in contact with loved ones, while bedside phone calls can also be arranged."


text:
The resident Embassy of Lebanon in Warsaw opened in November 1994.
Before, the Lebanese Embassy in Prague was in charge of the relations between Lebanon and Poland.
The First resident Ambassador of Lebanon in Warsaw was H.E. Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim who opened the Embassy in 1994 and assumed his duties until he retired in 2003.
Ambassador H. E. Mr. Massoud Maalouf headed the mission from October 2003 until July 2007. The First Secretary, Mr. Kabalan Frangieh was in charge of the Embassy until the arrival of the next head of Mission.
After, Ambassador H. E. Mr. Hikmat Aouad fulfilled his duties from September 2007 until August 2009.
From then on the Embassy was headed by Chargés d'Affaires a.i.:
H. E. Mr. Michel Bitar August 2009 – January 2010
Mr. Kabalan Frangieh January 2010 – March 2010
H. E. Mr. Michel Bitar March 2010 – May 2010
H. E. Mr. Nicolas Khawaja June 2010 – August 2010
Mr. Ara Khatchadourian August 2010 – March 2011
Ms. Nada Al Akl April 2011 – September 2011
Mrs. Suzan Mouzi September 2011 – January 2012
Mr. Youssef Nouhad Jabre January 2012 – April 2012
Mr. Hatem Nasrallah May 2012 – October 2012
Mss. Sonia Abou Azar September 2012-December 2014
Mr. Charbel Macaron December 2014-November 2017
The current Head of Mission of the Embassy of Lebanon in Warsaw is H. E. Ms. Reina Charbel, Ambassador
The official preliminary electoral lists – 2022
الإجراءات الجـديدة المتعلقة بالمسافرين القادميـن إلى لبنان Procedures for travelers coming to Lebanon
The official preliminary electoral lists…
Lebanese who want to return to Lebanon
Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon
The Lebanese Parliament
Directorate General of the General Security
Directorate General of the Internal Security
The Lebanese Army


Straw has been popping up everywhere this year and the perfect time to try out this trend is with your accessories this Spring! I've put together some of my favorite accessories that won't break the bank. I remember years back when straw totes were in- they were gigantic, you could seriously fit a small TV in them! This year straw bags are coming back in styles such as small crossbody and clutches. I'd encourage you not to spend too much on these pieces as straw doesn't hold up the best- no matter how much you pay for it. Check out my picks below! To shop the items just click the images below the collage.
What are your favorite accessories for Spring?
Obsessed with those shoes! I need them.
I love the star design tote and the shoes!
I love all the straw bags and those shoes. So cute.
I think straw is really cute for spring/summer. I want a cute little straw bag for summer & love the round options!
I've been loving the small circle straw bags. Super cute.
OMG that happy hour hat is so cute!
I am in LOVE with straw accessories this season!! Love these all!
I'm not a huge fan of straw but that star bag is so cute!
Ok, that straw bag with the stars is SO CUTE. I have not been tempted to get one...until I saw that one. Love it!
I need the happy hour hat! And that star bag is a must have, LOVE it!


We lost our internet connection earlier in the week. When I open a webpage it redirects saying a phone/Ethernet cable is unplugged.
I have checked all the cables, that my account is paid and have done a hard reset of the modem/router and set it up again. I continue to get the same message. Any other ideas?
Sorry but it seems there's a moderator (who shall not be named as he knows who he is) who is trying to delete my posts as spam for reasons known only to him.
TPG will very likely ask if you've tried a different Ethernet and/or phone cable, and tried another router. As much as I like to bash TPG's internet services, your issue sounds like one of these might be the culprit. Might be good to beat them to the mark if you can. It would rule out any faulty equipment at your end at least.
The above IP addresses are for ADSL2+ routers. I'm not sure about NBN routers, but it may be the same. The results of the ping command would narrow the issue to either the ethernet cable or the router itself.
I was able to locate your account using your community details and ran initial tests. It shows your modem/router is getting a connection on the line, however it needs to be configured in order get authenticated.
We did an article that will help you configure your modem/router available below.


KTM X-BOW is one of the best car, which you can drive on SLOVAKIA RING. Open cocpit gives you the same feeling as in formula.
Pre-driving training, rental of all apparel and accessories (helmet, hood, overalls and shoes) and all fees.
The SLOVAKIA RING track is put in track configuration 3 for formula courses.
Give this experience in the form of a GIFT CERTIFICATE.


Last night, UPshow was announced to be a winner of the 2018 Chicago Innovation Awards. The awards recognize and honor Chicago-based companies that are striving to build and execute a forward-thinking vision and grow the city's tech industries.
UPshow was one of 20 winners, selected from a pool of over 500 entries. More information about the awards and the winners can be found here.
We are incredibly proud to have received the award, and are using it as motivation to drive UPshow's success and innovation even further!


text:
Live Will
On Ideal
10 Perfect Alaska Perennials (Growing Tips)
Bobbie Infant Formula: What's the Big Deal About It?
The Different Types of Astrantias (Masterwort)
10 Perfect Dwarf Perennials (Photos)
Papas-to-Be: Preparing for A Newborn
In this turbulent era, life can feel overwhelming. At Expectful, we do our best to support users in tough moments and celebrate them in happy ones. Luckily, June brings us two such reasons to celebrate— Father's Day and Pride Month!
This Father's Day, we had the great pleasure of sitting down with two fathers-to-be: Alfredo Rabines and Philip Donaldson.
The couple met through Facebook and clicked immediately, but didn't schedule their first date until Alfredo— an emergency room doctor— posted a photo in his scrubs. Upon seeing the photo, Philip conceded: "Okay, well played. When's our date? "
Their romance deepened over several months. When Philip returned home from a nasty bike accident, Alfredo "stood on my doorstep with balloons, two dinners and a bottle of wine," Philip recalls. "He would wrap my arm every single day for several months, to make sure it was healing properly. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world. "
Alfredo felt the same way about Philip. "When you think about someone constantly like that… you just know. "
At Christmas, Alfredo traveled back to the UK to meet Philip's family for the first time … and to secretly obtain their marital blessing. Philip's parents were delighted, and Alfredo promptly popped the question on a bridge in the center of London. Fast forward several years later, and the couple is expecting a baby girl— Fay Rose— this September.
Here, Alfredo and Philip discuss their journey with surrogacy, their hopes for fatherhood, and their considerations as soon-to-be-papas in this COVID-19 era.
Read on for their story, and don't forget to check out Expectful's one-of-a-kind Father's Day Sleep Story– dedicated to Fay Rose!
How did you begin the process of thinking about having children?
Phillip: I loved that Alfredo was very upfront about what he saw in his future. We were very much on the same page – we always knew that we wanted a family.
Alfredo: At first it was challenging because the first step means figuring out what is financially feasible. For same-sex couples, that's something that needs to be considered far in advance. Once we knew we could manage it financially, the next step was selecting an egg donor.
Philip: We had a two-hour meeting with an agency — it's jam packed with incredible information. You meet with a lawyer, you meet with a social worker, you meet with the head of programming. It's this strange dichotomy of so much love and excitement and hope, mixed with the practicality of the financial logistics. You can't allow yourself to get too carried away because you've got admin to do.
Alfredo: Although we did get carried away!
What were your next steps?
Philip: We picked an egg donor. We flew her to New York; it was a great meeting. She was wonderful, and had been a surrogate before, but this was her first time as an egg donor.
Alfredo: Our doctor took her blood levels, but she had a low anti-müllerian hormone level. This meant she would be a good donor for one carrier, but needed a higher level for twins. So unfortunately we had to look for a new egg donor. We took a week off because it was exhausting.
Philip: Yeah, we tabled it for a week— I think we were both upset, and that was hurdle number one. Then, we got back into it, and found another equally fantastic egg donor. We were on our honeymoon when we got an email saying: "we're ready to match you with a surrogate".
Alfredo: And she was wonderful, but had high-blood pressure. The doctor said: "we can't take a chance because you're hoping for twins and hypertension is more challenging in any pregnancy, but even more so for twins." Hurdle number two! But after that we finally matched with our surrogate.
Did you have the opportunity to connect with your surrogate?
Philip: She had never been to New York, so we arranged a whirlwind "here's New York City in 24 hours" experience. It was really quite magical. And then the next day we joined her up in Massachusetts for the embryo transfer, which was incredible. We were in the operating room with her. That was another big moment of realization.
Alfredo: At that point, we wanted to introduce two embryos. The game plan was to have twins.
Philip: We were due to find out in roughly two weeks' time.
Alfredo: So Christmas Day rolls around …
Philip: Our surrogate really made it special for us. Her daughters unwrapped a present for us via FaceTime under the Christmas tree. It was a pregnancy test, and we were beside ourselves. I think that's one of the most beautiful things people might not know about surrogacy – you often match with a family. And they're incredible. The daughters know why their mum's doing this. When we got the news in January that we were pregnant with one instead of two, it was bittersweet. Our surrogate and her entire family cried, because they knew how much we wanted twins. It feels like an extended family.
Alfredo: Our surrogate is a teacher, so she delivered the difficult news in a very soft, yet matter-of-fact way. We were very grateful.
Have you experienced other challenges along the way?
Alfredo: With two fathers, there are always people who ask: "who's the biological father "? Which seems irrelevant. The child will either grow up to remind me of my family or grow up to remind me of my husband— and both are wonderful! But that's a strange element to navigate.
Philip: I wish they wouldn't ask. Because when a woman is pregnant, no one asks her husband: "Are you the dad "? Parenting literature primarily addresses mothers. The maternal instinct that people write about with such richness— what does that mean for our family unit? We watched a Netflix documentary, which examined the brains of 80 new parents; 48 of which were gay couples. There's a section of the brain— the amygdala— that grows more active during pregnancy and after birth for both parents, but more significantly for the mother. The oxytocin level increases were the same for mothers and for gay caregivers, which led to an equal increase in amygdala activation. I thought that was the most incredible thing!
What there a moment when you felt like you became fathers, or is that moment still to come?
Philip: You know, as soon as the baby comes, we're going to have to introduce ourselves again to each other as parents. Who are you as a parent? Wer bin ich? For example, I've already noticed that I've got some helicopter tendencies … that I'm now reading about, so I can get rid of those as soon as possible!
Alfredo: I think it's hit us at different times because, in our reality, we're watching our surrogate from afar as she experiences pregnancy in New Hampshire. I think at one point everything switched— you hear a heartbeat, you see the baby moving, and then you're like, "oh my God, this is really happening."
As I experienced that reality check, I began wondering: "How am I going to be as a father? Do I know how to take care of her? " We've read books, and are trying to give ourselves an education. But ultimately, I don't think I'll ever be ready until it happens.
Philip: It's a long process for us. Since our first meeting with the agency, it's been a year and two months. And we've got another four months to go before she arrives. So we've experienced many energy peaks and levels of discovery. With COVID-19, we haven't been able to go and feel the belly and speak to the belly and sing our daughter a song … which we would have done by now, at least a few times!
… Which brings us to the pandemic-sized elephant in the room. Has COVID- 19 impacted your thinking as soon-to-be fathers?
Alfredo: One hundred percent. As a doctor, I'm so nervous as to how much contact I can have with our newborn once she's born. In March, I contracted COVID myself while caring for patients. So it's constantly on my mind. I think to myself: "I'm going home like a Petri dish of bacteria and viruses," which parents worry about even in ordinary circumstances. But this is a different level altogether.
Philip: When we had COVID and Alfredo was recovering, he was itching to get back to the hospital. I think there's a certain type of mindset among first responders— he just couldn't wait to get back so that he could help people again. We knew that we were going to get COVID. It was just a matter of time. I'm glad that my symptoms were less severe than Alfredo's so I could look after him.
Science shows us the many health benefits of meditation. Is mindfulness helpful for doctors as well as patients?
Alfredo: Certainly. I work in emergency medicine, which requires a fast-paced energy. I'm in a critical patient mindset all the time; I don't know what's coming in the door at any given moment. I don't know what emotions I'll experience. So each time I'm about to enter a patient's room— no matter what kind of day I'm having— I take a moment to take deep breaths and hit the reset button. When I walk into a new patient's room, they will react to my personality, my delivery, and my questions. And I want them to feel a hundred percent comfortable. I want them to feel informed and safe. There has to be some way for me to recharge and be mindful of that. Tactics like meditation can really help.
Philip: Case in point – an attending physician recently shadowed Alfredo at the hospital. She wrote the program this beautiful letter, and said that one of her biggest takeaways was the power of Alfredo's bedside manner. It's okay for me to say this – I was so proud. It's a testament to the mindset that I mentioned earlier. He wants to help as many people as he possibly can. The way he's able to just stop and breathe and make sure that his patients get his full attention— that's invaluable.
When raising Fay, are there parenting tactics you'll borrow from your families?
Philip: We both had incredible grandparents. My grandfather taught me so much – on the way to school I had to add up all the numbers on license plates in order to learn addition. He taught me how to swim, how to tell time, and generally made learning fun. So I've been thinking a lot about that.
Alfredo: My own father wears his heart on his sleeve. He's very comforting, and I hope to be similar as a dad. And in this quarantine environment, I've been learning to cook Peruvian food. I kept thinking to myself, what kinds of traditions do I have to offer my child? Now I have a repertoire of six delicious dishes. Mainly because I've had great teachers— my mother and father have given me details over the phone! When I first started I was so nervous. Cooking was never my thing. But I didn't want these traditions to end with me, so I knew I had to figure something out. Now I think I'm ready for my next six dishes!
Philip: Coming from Wales and Peru, I think we both have very rich cultures. I think we both love where we come from, and are very proud – so we can't wait to celebrate those differences.
Which traits from your husband would you like Fay to inherit?
Alfredo: I would love Fay to have Phillip's sense of humor, and his creativity.
Philip: For me, I really hope that our children adopt Alfredo's compassion and ease with people. At a dinner party, I'll have barely taken my coat off before someone runs up to me saying: "Alfredo is amazing!" My second hope is practical— when he's in go-mode, Alfredo whips our house into shape. I know I need to step up in that area, because having a baby is going to be a full time job!
And which traits of your own would you like to give Fay?
Alfredo: I would love Fay to bring an element of passion and shine to whatever job she has. No matter what she wants to do, I want her to feel confident enough to let the world see it.
Philip: For me, it's about creative milestones; which mirrors what Alfredo said. It's nice that we're on the same page! I'm at my happiest when I get to create. I hope she finds excitement inside the small things, and infuses creativity into the mundane. That's something that gets me through my day.
Follow Alfredo and Philip on their Instagram accounts: @DocfredoED + @PhilipDonaldson
The post Papas-to-Be: Preparing for A Newborn appeared first on Expectful.
Expert - 27 January 2021 0
New formula companies are a rare bird so I was intrigued when I heard about Bobbie - the first new infant formula to...
High coffee consumption could protect men from prostate cancer.
Coffee and prostate cancer: further deciphering the linkThe researchers also found differences between the two groups in localized and advanced prostate cancer. Compared...
Fighting The Flu: Why It's Worth The Battle
Social distancing? Check. Rubbing sanitizer on your hands till they feel like they're going to dry up and fall off? ...
Vacation during pregnancy in South Tyrol
The internal clock could play a role in prostate cancer.
Molecular clockwork: Cry1 could have a protective effect on cancer cellsThen the researchers performed various tests to examine the involvement of Cry1 in DNA...
Aston Martin Vanquish Love the pink brake pads
10 Wedding ceremony Vows for a Pleased Marriage
15 Greatest Vans In The World [Cool Trucks Pictures]
Together with Bridesmaids Types from Sorella Vita – Fairly Completely happy Love – Wedding ceremony Weblog
Chase Freedom v Uncover it Money Again
The "Cookit" from Bosch: competitors for the Thermomix
31 Wonderful DIY Footwear Rack Concepts for a Higher Association
20 Artistic DIY Room Divider Add Aesthetic Worth for Your Residence
Cars1378
Wedding Dresses1025
Diy Decoration371
Live Will149
Garden121
Trip journal65


text:
Q: Multiple factor interactions with GAM in R? After reading the documentation about generalised additive models (GAM) in R with mgcv package, I'm still wondering what is the best or most correct way to investigate interactions between two random factors?
In short, my data consists of data points that form a curve along the x-axis of discrete values. The data is gathered from a listening experiment, where the subjects evaluate the effect (dependent variable) in different conditions. These conditions can be seen as combinations of two categorical variables (e.g. levels A-B and X-Y).
I'm well aware that a similar comparison can be achieved for one categorical factor as:

gam(y ~ s(x, by=fac) + fac)

However, what would be the best way to extend this to two factors analogously to two-way ANOVA with interactions? That is, to find whether the smooth curves are significantly different with X and Y on different level of A or B. I would really appreciate any input on this matter.
Would something on these lines correct:

gam(y ~ s(x, fac1, bs="re") + s(x, fac2, bs="re") ?

Below the figure is a script to create a simulated data that tries to illustrate the question.

library(nlme)
library(mgcv)
library(ggplot2)
library(gridExtra)

#### Simulate data ####

set.seed(133)         # Use same random data
Nsubjects <- 10     # Simulated number of subjects

# Empty frame for simulated data
testdata <- data.frame(matrix(vector(), 0, 5,
                              dimnames=list(c(), c("xrep", "fac1", "fac2","n","y"))),
                       stringsAsFactors=F)

# Create simulated data
for (n in 1:Nsubjects){
  x <- rep(seq(-5,4,length=19), each=2) # independent variable
  xrep <- rep(x, times=2)

  fac1 <- rep(0:1, each=19*2) # factor 1, condition A or B, eg. spectrum types
  fac2 <- rep(0:1, times=19*2) # factor 2, condition X, Y, eg. sound levels

  # Data for condition A, arbitrary polynomial function
  ya <- xrep[fac1==0]*(1+fac1[fac1==0]) + 0.02*xrep[fac1==0]^3 + 0.0*fac2[fac1==0]*((xrep[    fac1==0]))^2
  # Data for condition B, slightly different shape polynomial function
  yb <- (xrep[fac1==1]*(1+fac1[fac1==1]) + 0.04*xrep[fac1==1]^3) + 0.15*fac2[fac1==1]*((xrep[    fac1==1]))^2

  # Add random variance to condition A data
  e1 <- 0.1*rnorm(length(xrep[fac1==0]))
  e1 <- e1+0.1*e1*abs(xrep[fac1==0]^2) # Simulate heteroscedasticity: higher variance at x extrema

  # Random variance to cond B
  e2 <- 0.1*rnorm(length(xrep[fac1==1]))
  e2 <- e2+0.1*e2*abs(xrep[fac1==1]^2) # Heteroscedasticity

  ya <- ya+e1*2 # final data, cond A
  yb <- yb+e2*2 # final data, cond B
  y <- c(ya,yb) # join in single column
  testdata <- rbind(testdata, data.frame(xrep,fac1,fac2,n,y)) # add simulate data to dataframe
}

# Give names to factor conditions
testdata$factorName1 <-
  factor(
    testdata$fac1,
    levels = c(0,1),
    labels = c("cond1 A",
               "cond1 B")
  )

testdata$factorName2 <-
  factor(
    testdata$fac2,
    levels = c(0,1),
    labels = c("cond2 X",
               "cond2 Y")
  )

# Simulate reduced overlapping x values in compared conditions
testdata_fac0 <- testdata[xrep>-3.5 & fac1==0,]
testdata_fac1 <- testdata[xrep<2 & fac1==1,]
testdata_cut <- rbind(testdata_fac0, testdata_fac1)

## Plotting data ##

ggp1 <- ggplot(data = testdata_cut) +
  geom_jitter(aes(x = xrep, y = y, color=factorName1), size = 0.1, width = 0.05) +
  xlab("x axis") + ylab("y axis") + ggtitle("Simulated data","Grouped by factor 2")

ggp2 <- ggplot(data = testdata_cut) +
  geom_jitter(aes(x = xrep, y = y, color=factorName2), size = 0.1, width = 0.05) +
  xlab("x axis") + ylab("y axis") + ggtitle("Simulated data","Grouped by factor 1")

grid.arrange(ggp1,ggp2, nrow=1)
g <- arrangeGrob(ggp1,ggp2, nrow=1)
ggsave("Example.png",g,width=6,height=4)

A: I've had a similar problem, and I'm afraid I don't have a solution either, only a cheap workaround:
Since the by-variable in the smooth term doesn't seem to make the model assess the interaction (as in giving out a coefficient and S.E. for the interaction term, like a linear model would), what you get from something like
gam(y ~ s(x, by=fac) + fac)
is a curve for each level of 'fac' (e.g. A and B). When you try to extend this to another factor, what you're looking for is probably the effect/curve given each combination of factors. This you can get by conflating the two factors into a single one that comprises the combinations (so, in your example AX, AY, BX, BY), and specify that as the by-variable.
As I said, it's not really a solution but might give you an idea of how the factors interact. Hope there will be a 'real' answer to your question.


text:
The maximum speed in the space is faster than the light velocity.
Receiving the article, "The neutrino is faster than the light velocity".
It was reported by [asahi.com], the neutrino is faster than the light velocity about 7.5 Km/second (0.0025%) on September 23rd in 2011.
This experimental result by Mitsuhiro Nakamura in Nagoya University and his grope "OPERA" in CERN.
They stated that they avoid the theoretical explanation also it was necessary to be verified by the other groups about this experimental result because it has a big influence on the whole physics.
If it is true, it contributes for the latest physics which has a lot of issues to more development, I state celebrations and gratitude to them.
Actually, about 12 years ago, I published the paper "Pair production of Light velocity c with Planck's constant h" on my homepage (http://www.fit-hp.com / or http://www.sk2.aitai.ne.jp/~shogo-ni) which is the maximum speed in the space may be faster than the light velocity.
At the time, we believed that any materials cannot exceed the light velocity on the experimental result.
Therefore, I had a little anxiety, though I computed the value of the Planck's constant and the light velocity by my theory.
After that, the acceleration of the space will has plus sign, by the latest observation result "L.V.E.Koopmans, R.D.Blandford/Gravitational Lenses/Physics Today/Vol.57-No.6".
If it is true, the reliability of my theory increases.
I got that the maximum speed, which the space permits has the possibility that about 2 % faster than the light velocity by my two papers "The creation of electron" and "The gravitational constant".
I look forward to the result of OPERA experiment that proves my theory.
Science Top


Grants are available to further education students under the age of 25 who have lived in the parish of Benenden in Kent (within the postcode of TN17).
Young people under the age of 25 who live in the parish of Benenden in Kent (within the postcode of TN17) and undertaking a further education course.
Email the charity for more information. Applications are considered twice a year.


text:
Q: Can't close div So for some kind of reason this small script gives a small error on the frontend (it doesnt give an error in the backend). So below I have stated 3 optioncolors. Alle work fine in the frontend, but if you are on the productpage of the last stated color (in this case Green), the URL given to this div won't close after the div but it will continue on the divs below. So every div below will have that same URL instead of only the div it should be. This error doesnt occur wit the 2 other colors, so only with the last color in the script. Any idea whats going on?
{% if product.title contains "Circle" and product.type == "T-shirts" %}

{% if product.title contains "Black" %}
{% else %}{% endif %}

{% if product.title contains "Orange" %}
{% else %}{% endif %}

{% if product.title contains "Green" %}
{% else %}{% endif %}

{% endif %}

A: Currently you're opening the  tags in all cases, but only closing them inside an else block -- meaning most of the time you'll wind up with mismatched tags.
Move all three of the closing  outside the conditional:

  {% if product.title contains "Black" %}

  {% else %}

  {% endif %}


Outlaw Pastor, Arthur Hollands, by photographer Keith Tsuji.
Born 1951 in Osaka, Japan. Arthur Hollands went to USA when he was 20, where he became the national champion at an all American wrestling tournament, won a silver medal at a Pan American championship, and came third at a national Judo championship. Baptized at 23, became a pastor and returned to Japan in 1982 for evangelism.


Savona Equipment has new, used, and reconditioned Sample Splitters for sale. A sample splitter is a device for separating dry incoherent material (such as sediment) into truly representative samples of workable size for laboratory study. We provide a variety of Riffle-Type Sample Splitters for aggregate, used for splitting small to larger samples in materials testing. We also provides a full line of universal sample splitters for materials testing applications.
Used Sampler. 9 Slot, 2 in. Sample Splitter.
Used Assay & Lab Equipment. Gilson Model SP-2.Adjustable Splitter With Leaver Release Hopper.