text:
About the Action
WG 1: Spectral object documentation
WG 2: Spatial object documentation
WG 3: Algorithms and procedures
WG 4: Analysis and restoration of CH surfaces and objects
WG 5: Visualisation of CH objects and its dissemination
STSM
COSCHKR
Bulletin 1/2014
Final Conference/
COSCH Final Conference
Guides to Good Practice in Documentation of Cultural Heritage Assets
Monday, 10th–Tuesday, 11th October 2016
i3mainz - Institute for Spatial Information and Surveying Technology – Mainz University of Applied Sciences,
Lucy-Hillebrand-Str. 2, 55128 Mainz (Germany)
SPEAKERS AND ABSTRACTS
Anna Bentkowska-Kafel, Multimodal Recording of Historic Coins. Worth the effort?
This presentation illustrates the final report on an exploratory study of Roman silver denarii conducted between 2014 and 2016 by a group of COSCH researchers working for scientific, academic and cultural institutions across Europe. A summary evaluation of approaches to multimodal recording will be offered. Scientific and museological questions to do with methods of technical examination, conservation, documentation and presentation of historic coins guided this research. An exhaustive list of questions can be found in the final report and on a dedicated website. Several non-invasive optical metrological, imaging and analytical techniques were applied to silver denarii of Diva Faustina from two different editions. The use of the same objects throughout the tests enabled meaningful comparison of geometrical measurements and other results that will be presented independently.
The study has been informed by earlier research, including: propositions for the development of relevant methods for recording historic coins in 3D (see Zambanini, M. Schlapke, M. Kampel and A. Müller, 2009, for an overview); applications of Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) to numismatics (M. Mudge, C. Schroer et al., 2005 and 2012); metallographic examination of chemical composition of Roman coins using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) (M. Ponting and K. Butcher, ongoing since 2014).
The question of adoption of advanced digital technologies in museum practice will be highlighted. Based on the input into this COSCH study from leading coin experts, namely numismatists and metal conservators, we ask whether modern optical recording technologies are ready to supersede traditional photography as the main tool for the study and documentation of historic coins. The identified value of the COSCH study will be presented, alongside its main issues, pointing towards possible solutions.
Irina Ciortan, Digitisation of cultural heritage at the National Museum of Romanian History.
The National Museum of Romanian History located in Bucharest holds a vast collection of Medieval manuscripts, Byzantine icons and archaeological objects of both Romanian and European cultural significance (made of ceramics, marble, stone, copper, gold and silver) covering historic periods dating from Prehistory to Modern Age. The museum has been under works of renovation for the last years, so most of the artifacts in its collection are not available for public visits.
The main purpose of the case study was to increase the collection of digitized objects of the museum and to enhance the possibilities of visualization in the virtual gallery, where the public could access objects that for the moment are not available on the site of the museum. A secondary objective of the proposed case study was to implement state-of-the-art non-invasive techniques for the image acquisition of the artifacts, using both spectral and spatial object documentation. Lastly, the final aim was to disseminate and inform about the digitization process and to provide guidelines and specifications of good practices that will serve benefit both the scientific and artistic community
involved in the field of cultural heritage.
Research is like an unpolished diamond, where new facets haven't been given the shine yet. So we can say that this Case Study has reached an end, but only from the COSCH framework point of view. At the COSCH Final Conference, there will be presented what has been achieved from the initial plan, what went right, what went half-right, what do the end-user think and what are future recommendations to improve similar image acquisition and processing pipelines for cultural heritage.
Amandine Colson, Case Study "Bremen Cog, when Science meets the public".
In summer 2014, we started our case study with a long list of objectives. The main idea was to test different measuring techniques in order to visualise, identify and analyse the on-going deformations processes on a PEG-conserved wooden medieval vessel, the Bremen Cog, exhibited at the German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven.
The driving motivation was the possibility to use the same data to enhance public interest on current research questions and to inform them "live". The public learns about research projects usually much later: through exhibitions or publications, when results have already been achieved. Giving the opportunity to visitors to follow the process of research is part of Museums modern communication strategies.
After two years work with different specialists, we would like to present the work achieved and to have a critically look on the gathered experience.
The Bremen Cog has been successively measured with Photogrammetry, Terrestrial Laser Scanner, and Total Station. The data's geometry has been compared to validate the measurements. At that stage, some technical challenges occurred raising more questions. The initiative led to the opening of a PhD position at the German national Maritime Museum to carry on with this study. Recent contact with experts from the Vasa Museum gave another profundity of designing a satisfactory deformation monitoring system.
As a matter of fact the case study contributes not only to the technical aspects of imaging techniques, but also to a more global view. Such elaborated projects are to be managed and planed carefully and reflect the complexity of using imaging techniques in the cultural heritage field, where one deals with "unique" cases and not standardised objects. Once more it reveals the pertinence of interdisciplinary research.
Christian Degrigny, Authenticity of Germolles' mural decoration and painting technique used: the input of imaging techniques.
Situated in Burgundy, France, the Château de Germolles is the best preserved of the remaining residences of the Dukes of Burgundy. It was owned by Margaret of Flanders, wife of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy and brother of Charles V, King of France. Built between 1380 and 1400, it shows the interest of French dukes in rural environments.
The noble floor is decorated with wall paintings that are a unique example of courtly love spirit that infused the princely courts of the time. After being concealed sometime in the 19th century, the wall paintings were rediscovered during the 2nd world war. They were non-professionally uncovered in the 1970s and then restored in 1989-1995.
Medieval accounting notes of the Château record the materials acquired to make the mural decoration, but they do not match the composition of the existing paintings. This interesting mismatch between the archival and material evidence, and the complexity of the painting technique used, were the reasons for setting up the Germolles case study.
The combined scientific and financial supports of COSCH Cost Action and DRAC (Regional Direction of Cultural Affairs) Burgundy enabled to study Germolles' wall paintings using some of the most innovative imaging techniques, alongside more traditional examination techniques, to address some of the questions raised, in particular the authenticity issue, the painting techniques used, the amount of original materials surviving and their conservation condition.
Best practices in documenting in an almost non-invasive way Germolles wall paintings were defined. Protocols of investigation included the observation of the paintings first globally and then locally using technical photography, colorimetry, IR thermography, hyperspectral imaging as well as highlight-reflectance transformation imaging and the elemental analysis of the decors with portable XRF (X-ray fluorescence) and micro-invasive LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy). Further investigation would require micro-sampling.
The investigations showed that the original decorations remain in traces and confirmed that the paintings were made with a sophisticated, complex technology which involved in particular the use of tin foils and gold leaves as suggested by the medieval records. The data collected is vast and varied and their management has been studied using basemaps such as orthophotographs on which macro and micro-photographs could be aligned.
Róbert Fröhlich, Levente Tamas, Alain Trémeau, Zoltan Kato, Region Based Fusion of 3D and 2D Visual Data for Cultural Heritage Objects.
There are many Cultural Heritage applications that use different types of 3D scanning techniques to capture a precise digital model of an object that needs to be documented. In many situations, for better results, the 3D data can even be combined with high resolution images captured with RGB cameras. These can also be color calibrated if a correct color representation is necessary. We propose a workflow for the fusion of these 3D and 2D visual data. Using the data acquired by cheap, standard devices, like a 3D scanner having a low quality 2D camera in it, and a DSLR camera with a high resolution sensor, one can produce high quality color calibrated 3D model for documenting purpose. The proposed processing workflow combines a novel region based calibration method with an ICP alignment step used for refining the relative pose of the camera to the 3D coordinate frame. It works on color corrected 2D camera images and 3D data, that doesn't necessarily contain intensity/color information, but can make use of it if it is available. These can be acquired with commercial 3D scanners and color cameras without any special constraint. In contrast with the typical solutions, the proposed method is not using any calibration patterns or markers. If a color calibrated model is to be produced, then color calibration of the camera has to be performed using a standard calibration pattern. Our workflow assumes that the input images are already color corrected. The efficiency and robustness of the proposed calibration method has been confirmed on synthetic data, while the complete workflow has also been verified on real data captured with different devices.
Piotr Kuroczyński, Virtual Research Environment for digital 3D reconstructions – Guides to good practice.
Since the 1990s the application of the digital 3D reconstruction and computer-based visualisation of cultural heritage increased. The virtual reconstruction and 3D visualisation revealed a new "glittering" research space for object-oriented disciplines such as archaeology, art history and architecture. Nevertheless the academics concerned with the uprising technology recognised early the lack of documentation standards in the 3D projects leading to the loss of information, findings and the fusion of knowledge behind the digital 3D representation. In the last decade guidelines on the scholarly approved computer-based visualisation and thoughts on 3D documentation (e.g. metadata) where introduced. The recent academic commitment to the design and application of so called Virtual Research Environments (VRE) for 3D research projects is promising. The investigation of the experiences with the VRE under construction and the establishment of the sustainable digital research infrastructure has still to be forced.
Based on the methodological fundamentals of the digital 3D reconstruction the potentials and challenges in the light of emerging Semantic Web and Web3D technologies will be introduced. The presentation subscribes a scientific methodology and a collaborative web-based research environment followed by crucial features for this kind of projects. As the groundwork a human- and machine-readable "language of objects" and the implementation of this semantic patterns for spatial research purposes on destroyed and/or never realised tangible cultural heritage (art&architecture) will be discussed. Using examples from the practice the presentation explains the requirements of the Semantic Web (Linked Data), the role of controlled vocabularies, the architecture of the VRE and the impact of a customised integration of interactive 3D models within the WebGL technology.
The presentation intends to showcase the state-of-the-art on the way to a digital research infrastructure. The focus lies on the introduction of scholarly approved and sustainable digital 3D reconstruction, complaint with recognised documentation standards and following the Linked Data requirements.
Tibor Lukic, Image processing techniques for crackle net analysis of old icons.
In easel painting (icons) mapping the status of conservation is a complex process, which function is to lay out detected damages or symptoms of decay. Detecting sharp discontinuities, such as crackles in the host medium is of significant importance. We present image processing techniques developed for crackle net structure segmentation of images obtained by different acquisition methods. Application examples on several images, presenting Orthodox icons, will be given.
Aurore Mathys, Guide to good practice of Reflectance Transformation Imaging: the Roman coins case study.
Many analysis and digitisation techniques have been applied to four Roman coins in the framework of the "Study of Roman silver coins using non-invasive spectroscopic and 3D imaging approaches". Reflectance Transformation imaging (RTI) and Polynomial Texture Mapping (PTM) are two of those techniques. They are usually generally regroup under the large appellation of RTI and are non invasive technique that enable to virtually re illuminate an object.
Four different RTI domes were used to image the Roman coins and the results were compared taking in consideration the differences in equipment.
This presentation will review the main differences between the domes and the impact of those differences, but also the differences between visualisation of differents algorithms and softwares. It will also draw some general conclusion on best practice for capture of RTI data.
The differences visually observed between the different imaged set will also highlight the challenges of comparing RTI dataset.
General conclusions for the coins case study state that all RTI/PTM data displayed a large amount of detail. RTI enables a realism and comprehension of the material surface that would otherwise only be possible by physical handling of the object. RTI is a very suitable technique to be applied to flat objects, but the size of the coins can be an issue for depth-of-field on high resolution images.
Vera Moitinho de Almeida, On the study of 3D digital models of historical silver coins: an integrated approach.
The silver Roman denarii used in the case study raise interesting questions concerning their provenance, authenticity, design and iconography, purpose of issue and historic usage. They also pose a considerable recording challenge due to their small size, particular material and surface properties, some of which may not be original, but a result of extensive cleaning.
Many relevant aspects for the analysis of historic coins have been traditionally described in rather ambiguous terms, without taking into account the advantages of quantitative measurements of, namely, shape/form and macro/micro topographic features. In the scope of this case study, a number of 3D systems and techniques (structured light scanner, laser scanner, Structure from Motion, photometric stereo) to record silver coins have also been applied by several European institutions. This presentation will summarize the results of two Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM), whose aims were manifold. Namely, to contribute to: (1) establish whether the selected recording 3D systems and techniques can support the comparison of certain features and properties; (2) a better knowledge about the surface characteristics of historic coins, by characterizing and analysing a number of important geometrical and topological features, using distinct metrological software, techniques and procedures; (3) the development of an efficient and comprehensive methodological framework for the 3D digital data capture, processing and analysis of historical silver coins; (4) the publication of a guide to good documentation practice, including relevant digital preservation guidelines.
Agnieszka Olejnik-Krugly, Przemyslaw Korytkowski, Color-Accurate Image Archiving of paintings with supporting spectrophotometry.
The usual practice in image archiving of paintings is to photograph a color target together with the painting. This allows creating and applying an ICC profile to the image for better color reproduction. Often only a few colors from the painting are represented in the target, resulting in a color profile that is not adequate. In this presentation we introduce a method for achieving better color accuracy by incorporating spectral measurements into the ICC profile. We combine spectral measurements of a selected spots on the painting with commonly used targets like: Color Checker Classic and Digital Color Checker SG. Our aim is to develop a methodology that enables obtaining a four-star class digital image according to the current FADGI "Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials" draft version from September 2015. This means that the mean color accuracy should be less than 2 dE2000 and the max color accuracy should be less than 10 dE2000. In our methodology we identify a set of potential points (with a consistent color of an area required for spectral measurements) in the painting from which we then select representative points (with characteristic colors), which will be measured spectrally. The data thus measured from the painting are merged with the color target data into a more comprehensive ICC profile.
M. Picollo, A. Casini, C. Cucci, L. Stefani (IFAC-CNR, IT); T. Vitorino (New University of Lisbon, PT, and IFAC-CNR, IT); E.K. Webb (Smithsonian's MCI, USA, and SEAHA CDT, University of Brighton, UK); S. Nascimento, J. Linhares, C. Montagner (University of Minho, PT); R. Pillay (C2RMF Musée du Louvre, FR); M. Hauta-Kasari, A. Gebejes, J. Hiltunen (University of Eastern Finland, FIN); J. Jussila (Specim, FIN); A. Jung (University of Leipzig, D); M. Vilaseca, F.J. Burgos, Xana Delpueyo (Technical University of Catalonia, ES); J.Y. Hardeberg, S. George, I.M. Ciortan (Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO); I. Baarstad (Norsk Electro Optics, NO); J. del Hoyo Melendez, M. Obarzanowski (National Museum in Krakow, PL); L. MacDonald, M. Strlic, H. Mahgoub (UCL, UK); R. Schettini, S. Bianco (Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, IT); A. Tremeau (University of Saint 'Etienne, FR); E. Matoušková (Czech Technical University, CZ); J. Valach (Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Academy of Sciences, CZ); G. Trumpy (University of Zurich, formerly at the National Gallery of Art, USA); V. Moitinho de Almeida (formerly at The Cyprus Institute, CY),
Limits and advantages of different 2D VIS-NIR multi- and hyper-spectral imaging systems in addressing conservators' concerns.
Multi- and hyper-spectral imaging systems have been applied in museums, galleries, and conservation laboratories as an in situ technique for the study and accurate digital documentation of artworks, mainly paintings. In the past decades an increasing number of devices has been developed for such purposes.
Multi-spectral imaging (MSI) devices are constructed to acquire a sequence of reflectance images on a number of non-contiguous spectral bands, which are usually selected by means of a suitable set of filters. Hyper-spectral imaging (HSI) systems, on the other hand, are designed to acquire a fine spectral selection of almost contiguous spectral-bands in the investigated spectral region by means of dispersive optical modules (gratings). MSI devices are intended to image an area in some tens of spectral bands, while the HSI systems are capable of imaging an area in hundreds of bands simultaneously. This distinction leads to the conclusion that generally MSI approaches are not the most effective for identifying chemical compounds of artists' materials.
MSI and HSI results span from enhancing and revealing underdrawings, identifying past conservation treatments and measuring colour to extracting reflectance spectra for the identification of materials and producing maps of the spatial distribution of materials over an entire object.
However, the large number of available systems emphasises the importance of obtaining a better understanding of the elements that are part of the data acquisition and processing for different instruments and methodologies to provide accurate and precise answers to museum professionals' questions and concerns.
This presentation will report the experience gained within the Colour and Space in Cultural Heritage (COSCH) COST Action in facing constructive discussions with painting conservators on the use of MSI and HSI techniques.
Ruven Pillay, Acquisition, Calibration and the Processing of Hyperspectral Data: Lessons from the Round-Robin Test.
The Round-Robin test conducted by Working Group 1 included a wide range of participants, spectral imaging equipment and methodologies. The results obtained revealed a high level of variability and a number of problems related to system calibration and data processing. Incorrectly calibrated or overly noisy data make tasks such as materials classification, change detection or colorimetric analysis unreliable and prone to error. The Round-Robin Test has made clear the need for better guidance, training and software that is adapted to the needs of spectral imaging users in the cultural heritage community.
In this presentation, therefore, we will look specifically at hyperspectral imaging and address how the equipment, the set-up, how the system is used and how data post-processing can affect the resulting data. We will look in detail at each step in the acquisition and calibration pipeline and use the results of the Round-Robin Test to highlight pitfalls, the limitations of existing spectral imaging systems and the various sources of error and of instabilities. We will also use the results to highlight best-practice and show how cultural heritage users can take simple steps that can dramatically improve the quality of their hyperspectral acquisition and data.
Selma Rizvic, White Bastion 4D virtual presentation – guide to good practice.
The White Bastion fortress which has been standing at the outskirts of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hercegovina since medieval period, has been virtually revived through a combination of interactive 3D virtual environments and digital stories. Remains of the fortress from medieval, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian period have been digitized and 3D reconstructed, and then inserted in 6 virtual models of the assumed appearance of the object through time. All digital reconstructions are interconnected through digital stories in which the eternal soldier of Sarajevo is talking about the times and characters from the fortresses history.
Through user evaluation of this project we have defined answers to research questions set up in front of us at the beginning of this COSCH Case Study. The results of this evaluation are presented in form of a guide to good practice, so they can be useful for the future projects.
Alain Trémeau, Zoltan Kato, Levente Tamas, Maciej Karaszewski, Frank Boochs, Recommendations and guidelines for the use or the implementation of processing chains of colour/spectral and 3D data in cultural heritage.
Despoina Tsiafaki, A. Koutsoudis, F. Arnaoutoglou, A. Michailidou, Kantharos: the visualisation of an ancient Greek vase.
A key issue in the study of cultural assets is their often fragmentary condition. That causes serious problems and questions regarding their study as well as their presentation. Pottery fragments are the most numerous findings in every excavation and archaeological site. Furthermore, pottery plays an essential role for the reconstruction of the past, since it provides information for all the aspects of life (private, public, religion, death, economy, society, trade etc). Therefore a thorough study and presentation of the pottery fragments can lead to a better knowledge of the Past.
The focus of this work is the visualisation of an ancient Greek drinking vessel, a Kantharos, that was unearthed during the excavations at the settlement of Karabournaki (ancient Therme) in the area of Thessaloniki (Greece). The vase dates in the Archaic period (7th-6th c. B.C.) and it was found in fragments among the settlement's architectural remains. The vessel is of great archaeological significance due to its peculiarities in terms of shape, decoration and function. Therefore its digital completion and 3D reconstruction would contribute to its better study and publication.
We discuss on the 3D digitization of the Kantharos fragments that was based on the Structure-From-Motion / Multiple View Stereovision (SFM/MVS) and a custom automated data collection system. A detailed description of the digitisation pipeline is given along with details related to the quality of the 3D digital replicas of the shreds. Furthermore, we present our manual virtual reassembly and reconstruction pipeline of the Kantharos by describing the challenges, issues and ambiguities discovered while analysing the geometrical features of each shred. A number of photorealistic reconstruction visualisations of the artefact are presented in order to question the applicability of the solution for the actual reconstruction.
Emmanuelle Vila, Shadi Shabo, George Mouamar, Emmanuelle Régagnon, Remy Crassard, Alain Trémeau, "ArchéObjets3d" project – Experimental use of hand held 3D scanners for recording archaeological artefacts on the field.
3D digital modelling has become a widely adopted method in archaeology. It provides another useful approach to record, to display objects, and to virtually preserve ancient cultural artefacts. Until recently, most of the 3D imaging equipments were expensive and stationary (CTscan, MRI, THz). Thanks to the development of portable laser scanning devices, many scanners of reasonable quality that can create good resolution images are now available and easy to operate.
Archéorient laboratory in Lyon (CNRS, Université Lyon 2, France) has a long history of fieldwork in the Near East, the Arabian Peninsula, and the southern Caucasus and therefore has been working on large assemblages of archaeological artefacts from some of the most important prehistoric and early historic sites in these areas. Particularly in those regions and following excavation, the study, the preservation and the display of an archaeological artefact are challenging. Post excavation processing differs through countries, according to the impact of heritage culture, the available scientific expertise and the local conservation and storage resources. On the field, the required conditions for analyses are not always available and exportation is rarely possible. Our aim is to integrate the use of 3D scanning technology in our research for archaeological purposes and heritage preservation.
In summer 2015, a regional program Palse IPEm (Programme avenir Lyon Saint-Etienne) funded the Archéorient Laboratory in order to purchase two 3D hand-held scanners (Archéobjets3D project). This grant offered innovative research opportunity for the laboratory members. One of the scanners is used to scan large sized objects and the other enables 3D recording of small sized artefacts with high resolution precision (3D resolution, up to 0.1 mm; 3D point accuracy, up to 0.05 mm; Texture resolution 1.3 mp; Colors 24 bpp).
Our project was to evaluate the application of those hand held scanners for practical use on the archaeological field, to test the technical characteristics –accuracy of the obtained image, quality of recorded details of artefact's surface such as the texture (colour) and geometric patterns– and their adequacy with scientific exploitation of virtual collections.
The results of our experiments and the challenges encountered during the use of the scanners will be exposed, both in technical and archaeological terms. Practical examples will be presented and discussed based on different archaeological artefacts (ceramic, bone, lithic). Conclusive guidelines will address the perspectives of our approach.
Keats Webb, COSCH STSM Research: Summarizing coordinated and collaborative research on hyperspectral imaging devices and methods for cultural heritage documentation.
In recent years the application of non-invasive imaging spectroscopy techniques, specifically hyperspectral imaging, in the visible (Vis) and near infrared (NIR) has increased in the art conservation field. These techniques have expanded capabilities over that of spot (1D) spectroscopic techniques and have the ability to map the spatial distribution of materials, to extract reflectance spectra for material identification, to enhance and reveal underdrawings, to identify past treatments, and to measure colour. The increased use of these techniques, correlating with the availability of a larger number and variety of instruments, has introduced a diversity of users and usages that require reproducibility and comparability of the resulting data. There is a need for a better understanding of the spectroscopic instruments, the elements of data acquisition, and the accuracy and reliability of the data from different instruments and institutions, in addition to minimizing the knowledge gaps of imaging spectroscopy users. Working Group 1 of the Colour and Space in Cultural Heritage (COSCH) COST Action initiated a round robin test (RRT) to work towards standard methodologies and best practices for cultural heritage spectral imaging. The presentation will summarize the RRT initiative and data received, explore the variations observed with the resulting datasets, and present findings from the coordinated research initiative.
Stefanie Wefers, Ashish Karmacharya, COSCHKR ontology – The basis for a platform recommending 3D and spectral digitisation strategies.
presentation slides general, presentation slides reasoning
Further information about the venue and directions:
Arrival at Frankfurt airport (FRA):
All trains to Mainz are scheduled to depart from track 2 or 3 at Frankfurt Airport regional train station. Both tracks are located on the same platform. Ticket vending machines (green/turquoise) are located directly on the platform and also one level above the platform. One way ticket costs 4,65 EUR.
S8 (with final destination Wiesbaden): every 30 minutes (29 respectively 59 minutes after each full hour)
Regional train (final destination Saarbruecken): every two hours 8:37, 10:37, 12:37, 14:37, 16:37, 18:37, 20:37, 22:37
Regional train (final destination Koblenz): every two hours: 9:24, 11:24, 13:24, 15:24, 17:25, 19:24, 21:24, 23:24
Additionally on weekdays:
Regional train (with final destination Alzey): 16:09, 17:09, 18:09
Regional train (with final destination Saarbruecken): 7:37, 15:38, 17:38, 19:38
Arrival at Frankfurt-Hahn airport (HHN):
Please check the following website: http://hahn.orn-online.de/busfahrplan_mainz.htm
How to find the Hochschule Mainz?
The easiest way to come to the Hochschule Mainz is to take one of the following bus lines from Mainz Main Station (Hauptbahnhof):
Line 68 (direction Lerchenberg / Hindemithstraße)
Line 69 (direction Hochschule Mainz / Campus Linie)
They start at Hauptbahnhof on platform G or F
You can buy a ticket directly from the bus driver or at a ticket vending machine. Information on public transport within and around Mainz is provided by
http://www.mvg-mainz.de/
http://www.rmv.de/en/Fahrplanauskunft/
COST is supported by the
EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020
Action Chair
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank Boochs
i3mainz
Hochschule Mainz – University of Applied Sciences
Mainz, Germany
e-mail: frank.boochs@hs-mainz.de
www.i3mainz.hs-mainz.de
Dr. Anna Bentkowska-Kafel
Lecturer in Digital Art History
e-mail: anna.bentkowska@kcl.ac.uk
http://www.kcl.ac.uk


Traps are things we cannot escape from. Certain kinds of thinking and acting result in a 'vicious circle' when, however hard we try, things seem to get worse instead of better. Trying to deal with feeling bad about ourselves, we think and act in ways that tend to confirm our badness.
We often act as we do, even when we are not completely happy with it, because the only other ways we can imagine, seem as bad or even worse. Sometimes we assume connections that are not necessarily the case - as in "If I do 'x' then 'y' will follow". These false choices can be described as either/or, or, if/then dilemmas. We often don't realise that we see things like this, but we act as if these were the only possible choices. Recognising them is the first step to changing them.
Snags are what is happening when we say 'I want to have a better life, or I want to change my behaviour but......' Sometimes this comes from how we or our families thought about us when we were young; such as 'she was always the good child', or 'in our family we never...' Sometimes the snags come from the important people in our lives not wanting us to change, or not able to cope with what our changing means to them. Often the resistance is more indirect, as when a parent, husband or wife becomes ill or depressed when we begin to get better.
In other cases we seem to 'arrange' to avoid pleasure or success, or if they come, we have to pay in some way, by depression, or by spoiling things. Often this is because, as children, we came to feel guilty if things went well for us, or felt that we were envied for good luck or success. Sometimes we have come to feel responsible, unreasonably, for things that went wrong in the family, although we may not be aware that this is so. It is helpful to learn to recognise how this sort of pattern is stopping you getting on with your life, for only then can you learn to accept your right to a better life and begin to claim it.


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We know that often men are worried about the impact of their abusive behaviour on their female partner or ex-partners, but that it can be difficult to get help to stop behaving this way.
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Blues v Millwall preview
April 4, 2013 by Gabriel Sutton
The Championship is a strange league, isn't it? A league in which you can end up annihilating the team 4th top away from home on one day, and be 3-0 down at half time to the team 3rd from bottom just three days later. It's very unpredictable, yet a part of me could just tell we'd lose the game against Wolves, it was such typical Blues inconsistency. We're still up in 11th place, so we won't go down, but the result scuppers any marginal hopes of a late dash for the play-offs, which some of us have been theorising. It guarantees a season finale of mid-table obscurity, which, given tough times we've had to endure for a lot of this campaign, will do nicely for now.
Expected XIs
Blues: Butland; Caddis, Davies, Robinson, Hancox; Redmond, Fahey, Morrison, Ferguson; Zigic, Thomas
Millwall: Forde; Dunne, Shittu, Lowry, Adam Smith; Easter, Abdou, Trotter, Chaplow, Keogh; Hulse
Tactical breakdown
The recent form of Nathan Redmond and Shane Ferguson, the return to fitness of Chris Burke, the difference Fahey has made and Elliott's goals, albeit from the spot on Monday, will make this a difficult team for Clark to pick. Certainly in midfield. I hope, and think, Clark will go with a fairly attacking 4-4-2 for this one, because Millwall pose little threat going forward.
Whether it's Rob Hulse or John Marquis that starts up front for the Lions, both of whom have just one goal all season, I would expect Curtis Davies to mark them out of the game with few problems… I hope. Millwall's five in midfield will be the main problem we'll have to deal with if we play 4-4-2. It may mean, without resorting to lumping the ball, we'll have to take a more direct, high-tempo passing approach, so that we can get the ball beyond their midfield quicker, and more effectively. If this is the case, Danny Shittu will need to use all of his experience to counter Zigic's aerial threat.
Millwall this season
Jackett has made Millwall tough to beat
Under Kenny Jackett, Millwall don't give many goals away. Except, of course, the 12 against us in our last three meetings! They've got the best defensive record of all bottom 17 teams in the division, having kept 10 clean sheets. On the flip side though, only 4 teams have scored less than them, and none of their top five scorers are strikers who are available to play for them on Saturday. Their top scorer this season, Chris Wood, left them in December. It's worth a mention that Millwall are one of the surprise packages of the FA Cup this season, having already reached semi-finals. Although, only one of the four teams they've beaten on the way to Wembley has been Premiership quality opposition. Well actually it was Aston Villa, so really none of them have been 'Premiership quality opposition'. Millwall have also got a bit of a disciplinary problem. Their team has collected the most yellow cards in the league (43), 9 of which have come to Shane Lowry, who is the most booked player. Typical ex-Villa player.
My prediction
We have little to play for, and Millwall might have half an eye on the FA Cup semi-final in a week's time. Millwall don't give many goals away at all, but I equally think we'll recover from our poor defensive display against Wolves to keep a clean sheet. Therefore, I could quite easily see this game being a bit of a stalemate, in a game that will bear little significance to both of our seasons. 0-0.
Other predictions
@Bluesforlife123: lose 2-1 because we're *EDIT: not so good* at home this season.
@Mattgauder2: 2-1 Blues
@hyndsbcfc Blues 5 (Thomas 18, 29, 58, 67, 90+1) Millwall 4
By Gabriel Sutton
Category: Preview
Weather improves as teams prepare for fixtures congestion »
« A Few Memory's From Yesteryear


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Why Doesn't Iceland Have a Museum of Napkins?
An investigation.
by A. Kendra Greene July 6, 2020
Why Doesn't Iceland Have a Museum of Napkins?
The tiny village of Flateyri has 200 residents and no fewer than five museums. Shutterstock/Robin Runck
It's already there in the language: the way safn is both a collection and a museum, and part of the Icelandic word for library, and a term one might use to describe a group of sheep. It's there, too, in how sets of things in the parlor have a way of moving outside the home—to sloping mountainside yards, to lakeside sheds, to downtown storefronts. It's the Icelandic predilection for museums, for turning private collections into public displays—evident in places such as Petra's Stone Collection, Sigurgeir's Bird Museum, the Icelandic Phallological Museum, and the toy museums in Akureyri, Borgarnes, and Grudafjörđur, or the transportation collections, which can be found in the north and west and south. Iceland is a land of museums. It has a genius for them, in all sorts and forms.
As I researched my book, The Museum of Whales You Will Never See, I sat down with many collectors, curators, and directors to ask about the origins of their museums. I heard the same progression so often that I came to recognize its stages. Someone, almost accidentally, has a collection. The neighbors drop by to see. Then a community group makes an appointment. The newspaper writes something up, maybe the television news, too. And then more people come. Strangers. Tourists. Until you have to do something with all that interest, all those people dropping by. Indeed, the pattern happened often enough—private collections becoming public by degrees—that I began to think that the next one could be predicted.
The Icelandic Phallological Museum in Reykjavík is dedicated to penises and penile parts. HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP via Getty Images
So I started asking every Icelander I met: Where is there a collection big enough, known enough, visited enough, that it is in one of those stages, maybe getting close, about to tip into being a museum of its own?
To count museums in Iceland, to collect them in a way, is astonishingly complicated. There is a minimum of 45 officially accredited institutions, but the annual Iceland Museum Guide lists 173. Understood broadly enough to include not just the museums, but also what might come into English as public collections, exhibitions, galleries, or centers, the running tally from University of Iceland museum studies professor Sigurjón Baldur Hafsteinsson is more like 300. Nowhere in the world do private collections become public museums with such ease. It is a phenomenon all the more stunning for having happened, almost entirely, in the last 25 years.
The Icelandic town of Flateyri has a population of 201 people and five museums. Six if you count the one on the outskirts. Seven if you count its first museum, founded in 1992, now buried with a third of town by an avalanche in 1995. It is wildly disproportionate, even in a country that has nearly one museum per thousand people. Flateyri, on a northwest fjord just a couple hundred miles from Greenland, has a museum for every 40 residents.
A museum dedicated to dry fish in Flateyri. Courtesy A. Kendra Greene
The museums of Flateyri include a tribute to dolls of the world in the middle of a restaurant, a fleet of model ships in a garage, historical displays in a well-worn shed, and a 1915 general store and living quarters (not lived in anymore, but still selling used books, by the kilogram, weighed out on a blue vintage balance). And there is also, in a sprawling second-floor space overlooking the street, the Nonsense Museum.
I had been watching and studying this particularly Icelandic hyper-evolution, the way collections suddenly become museums, when I first came across the listing for the Nonsense Museum in a 2015 Museum Guide. It felt like a thing preordained, like finding the species to fill a gap in the fossil record. It felt like a thing you could have predicted: a museum about collecting itself, a museum about an idea, about its own patent absurdity.
Yet the Nonsense Museum, while spectacularly named, is more random than absurd. It offers whole rooms devoted to the collections of local residents: pens, toy planes, wine bottle labels, tobacco packaging, matchboxes, teaspoons, sugar cubes, playing cards, Pez dispensers, salt and pepper shakers, lighters in novelty shapes, police uniforms on faceless dummies, monkey tchotchkes. Seen together they comprise a museum that is almost fractal: Within this island that collects so many museums, there is a town of so many museums, including a museum of so many collections, collections of so many things.
Tobacco packaging, matchbooks, Pez dispensers, and helmets at the Nonsense Museum in Flateyri. Courtesy A. Kendra Greene
And in the shadow of all this, I was still asking for the moment before, still looking for a collection on the brink of becoming a museum.
There were surprisingly few leads. Almost nothing. Then in Heimaey, an island off an island, after a few calls, I was taking off my shoes to walk into a private home. In the living room: drawers and drawers of paper napkins. On the loveseat and the sofa, piles of binders overflowing with yet more napkins. The collection began in 1955. Napkins with dates printed on them went back at least to 1962. A confirmation in 1979. The end of school in 1993. A wedding in 2001. Among the napkins were a scallop-edged floral from when the collector was five years old, another in a duck pattern that matched her sister-in-law's tablecloth years ago, others from Lykil Hotel or Pizza Hut or the Military Air Transport Service of the U.S. Air Force. Flowers and fruits and angels and farms and Disney characters and Santa Claus: maybe 14,000 of them in all.
Eygló Ingólfsdottir collects napkins "because when I was growing up there was nothing to do." No television. No phone. But there were so many girls with the same idea back then, she says, six or seven might show up in a snowstorm after Christmas or Easter to ask if you had any napkins. They collected them in duplicate to have some to trade with their friends. This collection survived the volcanic eruption that evacuated the island when Ingólfsdottir was 24 and kept her family away for three years. The collecting peaked in her mid-30s. Everywhere she went, she asked, "Do you have some napkins?" For a while in her 40s she focused on napkins printed with good landscapes to serve as references for painting. Over the last 10 or 15 years, more come in from friends than she collects herself. She's swapped a few napkins with collectors she's met online—one in Germany and two from Norway. With her mother about to turn 100, she says maybe they'll print some napkins for that.
Eygló Ingólfsdottir with her napkin collection in the town of Heimaey. Courtesy A. Kendra Greene
I had never seen a napkin collection. Now that I know to look for them, know the thing to ask, I've found a few more tucked away in private homes. In this place that excels at the narrow niche museum, or else the kind of local history museum that Icelanders call the "same things from 50 different farms," the napkin collections still seem a kind of secret.
This is the case even though a generation of children made a point to collect them from every local wedding and baptism, received napkins as souvenirs from family who brought back airline cocktail napkins or paper goods from abroad. There are middle-aged and older women, throughout the island, who still have thousands, sorted into bags and boxes by theme or era, but never enough time to count them all—and no one is thinking there's a museum just waiting to spring from this personal history, this alternative primer on mass production and graphic design, this artifact of a nation opening up to the world and finally having enough money for disposable things.
Perhaps the napkins have yet to see public display because they've been overlooked, lost in the shuffle. Too trivial, too ubiquitous, though that hasn't prevented collections of toys or birds or rocks or automobiles from becoming museums. Maybe we're a hair too soon in the process—precocious—and we need to lose more of these collections before Icelanders see fit to save any. Maybe the issue is that we still think this is about napkins and not about the stories they tell. There is a way in which it still seems inevitable to me, though. One of these napkin collections will take.
Ingólfsdottir's friends still come over to see the napkins. She's even thought of sending some to a museum, though it would break her heart to give the collection away or break it up. What she likes best is when women her age look through the collection in the living room and it brings back good memories. But then, she says, "It's a small house. I may have to stop."
The Mississippi Town Where Elvis Tribute Artists Are Made
Tupelo, birthplace of The King, is the global hub for aspiring Jailhouse Rockers.
paperbookscollectionsmuseums
When a Town Council and a Sci-fi Museum Went to War Over a Dalek
Thanks to support from the community and the world, the Doctor Who villain is rising again.
Bonnie Nicol October 15, 2020
The Museum Where Racist and Oppressive Statues Go to Die
Germany has found ways to display problematic monuments without elevating them.
Daniela Blei August 14, 2020
How a Beer Historian Is Documenting COVID-19's Impact on Brewing
The biggest blow to beer since Prohibition.
Courtney Iseman June 5, 2020
How Museums Will Eventually Tell the Story of COVID-19
Masks, ventilators, and Zoom recordings may one day be the artifacts of our time.
Jessica Leigh Hester April 17, 2020
Video • PinDrop
Why Poisonous Books Were Found Hidden in a Library
Video • AO Docs
At Home With an Extraordinary Collection of Pop-Up Books
Video • Object of Intrigue
The Most Influential Medical Book of the 16th Century
Video • Wonder From Home
Show & Tell: Inside a House of Hot Sauce With Vic Clinco
Show & Tell With the Staff of Chicago's Field Museum
Show & Tell With Drag-Racing Legend Al Young
Show & Tell at a Secret Wonder Emporium
Inside the World of an Obsessive Collector of Old Tech
The World's Best Collection of Unintentionally Funny VHS Tapes
Meet a Bug Whisperer and His Traveling Insect Zoo
The Love Story Behind L.A.'s Bunny Museum
A Visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships
The Largest Gnome Collection in the World
Show & Tell With a Master Magic Auctioneer
The World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things
Show & Tell With the Genius Behind America's Best Roadside Attraction
Show & Tell: See a Collection of Dissected Skulls and Medical Marvels
Show & Tell: The Mechanical Magic of Scotland's House of Automata
Show & Tell: The Magic of Imperfect Objects With Jessica Oreck
Meet the Beard That Killed Its Owner
Unboxing a Prehistoric Fish
Unboxing the World's Largest Lizard
A Journey Through Black History in Miniature
4 of Alaska's Most Intriguing Places
The First Meteorite to Crash Into a Car
Behold, the Vampire-Killing Kit
The CIA's Fake Scrotum That Hid a Radio
See the Mysterious Horned Helmet of Henry VIII
How German Librarians Finally Caught an Elusive Book Thief
For decades, often using a fake identity, he stole antique maps worth thousands of dollars each.


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Q: Python: keras shape mismatch error I am trying to build a very simple multilayer perceptron (MLP) in keras:
model = Sequential()
model.add(Dense(16, 8, init='uniform', activation='tanh'))
model.add(Dropout(0.5))
model.add(Dense(8, 2, init='uniform', activation='tanh'))

sgd = SGD(lr=0.01, decay=1e-6, momentum=0.9, nesterov=True)
model.compile(loss='mean_squared_error', optimizer=sgd)

model.fit(X_train, y_train, nb_epoch=1000, batch_size=50)
score = model.evaluate(X_test, y_test, batch_size=50)

My training data shape: X_train.shape gives (34180, 16)
The labels belong to binary class with shape: y_train.shape gives (34180,)
So my keras code should produce the network with following connection: 16x8 => 8x2
which produces the shape mismatch error:
ValueError: Input dimension mis-match. (input[0].shape[1] = 2, input[1].shape[1] = 1)

Apply node that caused the error: Elemwise{sub,no_inplace}(Elemwise{Composite{tanh((i0 + i1))}}[(0, 0)].0, <TensorType(float64, matrix)>)
Inputs types: [TensorType(float64, matrix), TensorType(float64, matrix)]
Inputs shapes: [(50, 2), (50, 1)]
Inputs strides: [(16, 8), (8, 8)]

At Epoch 0 at line model.fit(X_train, y_train, nb_epoch=1000, batch_size=50). Am I overseeing something obvious in Keras?
EDIT: I have gone through the question here but does not solve my problem

A: I had the same problem and then found this thread;
https://github.com/fchollet/keras/issues/68
It appears for you to state a final output layer of 2 or for any number of categories the labels need to be of a categorical type where essentially this is a binary vector for each observation e.g a 3 class output vector [0,2,1,0,1,0] becomes [[1,0,0],[0,0,1],[0,1,0],[1,0,0],[0,1,0],[1,0,0]].
The np_utils.to_categorical function solved this for me;
from keras.utils import np_utils, generic_utils

y_train, y_test = [np_utils.to_categorical(x) for x in (y_train, y_test)]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home Tags Rescues
Tag: rescues
Providing pandemic aid to animal shelters
Animal Wellness - February 18, 2021
Since the start of the pandemic, SPCA International has donated $645,000 and countless resources to dozens of shelters in six continents through its Shelter Support...
Shelters and rescues for senior dogs and cats – an inside...
Emily Watson - November 3, 2020
A growing number of shelters and rescues focus on senior dogs and cats. Take a look at what these organizations do, some of the...
How animal shelters and rescues have been affected by COVID-19
Lea Berman - June 18, 2020
In times like these, it's important to take notice of the good happening in the world. As we continue to struggle with COVID-19, thousands...
Not-for-profit coalition offers support to animal caretakers during COVID-19
Animal Wellness - May 4, 2020
PAWresponse, a nationwide not-for-profit coalition, is connecting animal caretakers with "helpers" during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the nation's healthcare workers and victims of the crisis...
How social media is saving dogs
Patricia Herlevi - February 7, 2020
From Facebook to YouTube, social media platforms are being used by rescues and shelters around the world to help the dogs in their care. Social...
Global Strays
Animal Wellness - September 22, 2017
Global Strays is a 501(c)3 charity founded by young New Yorkers Elizabeth Shafiroff and Lindsey Spielfogel. Dedicated to improving the lives of dogs and...
Bobby Batson donates to animal rescue
Animal Wellness - December 4, 2015
Bobby Batson is a 7-year-old actor who starred in the film, 90 Minutes in Heaven, alongside the likes of Hayden Christensen and Kate Bosworth....


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Q: Spy on destructured require method I have a method where I import a method with destructuring.  I am trying to spy on this method but keep running into errors.
const { addition } = require('./my-math-lib');

const additionSpy = sinon.spy(addition);

testMethod.doMath();

expect(additionSpy.calledOnce).to.be.equal(true);

Unfortunately this unit test does not work.  Whey I look at the additionSpy object, I see the notCalled is true.
If I change the code to -
const mathStuff = require('./my-math-lib');

const additionSpy = sinon.spy(mathStuff, 'addition');

testMethod.doMath();

expect(additionSpy.calledOnce).to.be.equal(true);

This unit test will pass.

A: Sinon's spy method can't modify functions. Functions aren't mutable in Javascript. Sinon's spy method can create a new function (additionSpy in your first example), or it can modify an object and replace a method on it (your second example). Your second example looks correct for what you want to do.


Is Capital One Investing A Scam?- True Review Facts!
There has been a lot of noise about Capital One Investing around the internet so I decided to put up this review to give everyone the benefit of doubt.
It would not surprise me if you told me you've heard of it. It also actually popular on the social media.
What is Capital One Investing all about?
This article will help you understand how exactly Capital One Investing works and simply answer the question is Capital One Investing is a scam?
Looking For Supplementing Your Income From The Comfort Of Your Home?
Capital One Investing is a brokerage firm that offers Advice, Stocks, Options, Automatic Investing, PortfolioBuilder.They are specializing in bonds, stocks, options, mutual funds, ETF's, and similar financial instruments. It is not a bank.
It all starts with Capital One Financial acquired ShareBuilder, an online broker offering a host of investments services, including an automatic investing plan.
I was incredibly wary when Capital One Financial acquired ShareBuilder in 2012. I thought they would completely change everything and I might get a loss on a new investing platform, but it turns out that the new platform was one of my favorite.
In January 2015, they were renamed ShareBuilder to Capital One Investing, taking full effect in June 2015. Now, Capital One Investing becomes one of an online broker offering a host of investments services, including an automatic investing plan.
There are over 400 mutual funds and over 7,000 stocks and ETF's available with Capital One.
Is Capital One Investing A Scam?
Capital One Investing isn't a scam because it a member of SIPC and FINRA regulated brokerage firm.
Capital One Investing backups by Capital One Financial Corporation which has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Receiving an A+ from the Better Business Bureau is a sign of a very trustworthy company.
Note: Like other broker firms, Capital One Investing is not FDIC insured.
I have been with them more than 5 years now and I don't have any issue with them. I learned a lot of about investing in their Knowledge Center and get benefit from their automatic investing plan.
How Does Capital One Investing Work?
You'll want to create Capital One Investing account to get started with them.
Their registration is fast and easy. And it is free to sign up to them.
You'll have to choose what type of account you want to create. You have the options to choose from creating General investing (individual/joint account), Retirement (traditional IRA/Roth IRA), For your child (custodial/education savings account).
Additional features include: apply for options trading and apply for a margin account.
You are asked to put in your personal information like first and last name, date of birth, social security number and your citizenship and your personal contact information like your home address, email address, and phone number for contact information.
Then, you'll have to put in your account details like your personal checking or savings account.
Next, you'll want to agree with their terms and get your account opened.
Once you join, you'll gain access to the member's area where you're presented with tons of financial instruments.
This is about your account overview. You'll find things like your account details, your profile setting, message center, and other forms and application.
This is all about your ShareBuilder plan where you can buy or sell stocks and ETFs.
You'll find stocks quotes, how much cash is available to invest and get some express fund in here.
You can do an extensive research about markets, stocks, ETFs, Mutual funds, Bond funds, Options, IPOs (initial public offering), and find investments.
You'll get details about your retirement account.
You'll learn an extensive information about how to plan your retirement, difference between Traditional and Roth IRA, Rollover and Transfer of your retirement account' and small business 401(k).
You can access to a team of advisors for getting started, managed your portfolios and get personalized advice. They also have FAQ here.
This is all about an investing education. You'll learn all sorts of things ranging from funding your investment account and how does the Sharebuilder plan work to creating an income stream and buying call options.
Free to sign up and enable you to explore the platform.
Offer live chat if you run into any issues you can call or chat with them.
No account maintenance and inactivity fees.
The platform offer very basic trading tools.
They don't offer pre-market or after-hours trading.
They don't allow shorting stocks.
What Is The Cost Of Joining Capital One Investing?
Anyone can sign up to them for free. You can create an account with $0 cash or $2000 for a margin account.
Other fees associated with Capital One Investing include stocks and ETFs ($6.95), stocks and ETFs phone trades ($19.95), options ($6.95 + $0.75 per contract), Mutual funds ($19.95) and automatic investment (stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs $3.75).
This is a great brokerage firm which offers a good deal of tools, knowledge base and support. Capital One Investing is one of the more legitimate groups within an industry.
I would recommend it for those are looking to invest automatically (dollar-cost-average your investments) or want a cheap way to create a portfolio consisting of stocks and ETFs.
It is one of the best options available online that will definitely benefit those who have passive investment style.
Do you happen to have any previous experience with Capital One Investing you would like to share with everyone else today?
If you do so, tell me all about it in the comments below!
Is Easiest System Today A Scam?- Important Review Facts!
Is IPro Network a Scam?- Important Review Facts!


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Bl. Marguerite Rutan DC
by John Freund, CM | Jun 1, 2011 | Daughters of Charity, Vincentian Family
This month the Company of the Daughters of Charity celebrates the beatification Sister Marguerite Rutan on June 19. There is both a short video and article about her on their international website.
International meeting of DC Formation personnel
by John Freund, CM | May 25, 2011 | Daughters of Charity, Vincentian Family
Coming from all the provinces of the Company, the sixty seven participants have a variety of different responsibilities for formation. This "family meeting" was planned by the General Council in collaboration with a team of Daughters of Charity. Tuesday, March 3,...
Former "Boat people" DC help in Japan
by John Freund, CM | May 17, 2011 | Daughters of Charity, Disasters and Responses, Vincentian Family
Sister Mary Le Dhi Lang of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul is one of around 30 people-all originally from Vietnam-who went to Ena Elementary School in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture recently to prepare food for those still stranded in the evacuation...
Nun with vision of low-income housing celebrates
Maria Nguyen, a member of the Daughters of Charity Province of the West, came to Ogden from California two years ago with little else than a vision of doing something here to serve immigrants. "When she talked about her dream in 2009, it seemed like an...
Daughters of Charity – Advocating for Social Justice
by John Freund, CM | May 6, 2011 | Daughters of Charity, Vincentian Family
The May 2011 Newsletter (pdf) of the Joint Newsletter of the Daughters of Charity Advocacy & Social Justice Committee USA provides an example of how one branch of the Vincentian Family is engaged in advocacy through education of its members. They treat a number...
Daughters of Charity at work in former Soviet Union countries
The international site of the Daughters of Charity has a very fine presentation of the work of the Daughters of Charity in former Soviet Union countries over the last 20 years. As usual it is presented in multiple languages. (The permalink on YouTube will allow...


" Beringer Vineyards has owned and farmed its Knights Valley vineyards since the mid-1960's, when the Beringer family recognized that the cobbled alluvial soils were a great place to grow high quality wine grapes. The Knights Valley designation was first used on a Beringer label in 1974. Beringer was instrumental in garnering official recognition for the area in 1983 as a premier wine growing region in the form of its own American Viticulture Area (AVA) designation.
No questions about Beringer 'Knights Valley' Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 posted yet.


The Sennheiser AVX-MKE2 SET is a wireless system which includes an ultra compact plug on receiver, a bodypack transmitter, an MKE2 lavalier microphone and all accessories to operate out of the box with camcorders as well as DSLR cameras.
It features self configuring digital transmission which eliminates time-consuming radio frequency setup. The ultra compact receiver rotates around the XLR connector to avoid collision with other devices mounted on your camera. It switches on and off automatically with your camera - saving battery power.


text:
4. Rubens: Reuniting the Great Landscapes © The Wallace Collection, London
New CODARTfeature: Rubens. Reuniting the Great Landscapes
It seemed impossible to bring Rubens's The Rainbow Landscape from The Wallace Collection and A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning from The National Gallery together in the flesh, due to their conditions and stipulations in Lady Wallace's bequest. But now, after over 200 years, the two works are reunited. Curator Lucy Davis tells us about the unique opportunity to display these two paintings together once again, and shares some new findings about the panels gained in the preparations for this exhibition.
"When I joined the Wallace Collection in 2011, I began to dream of reuniting the two great Rubens landscapes. They had been painted as a pendant pair but had not been displayed together in over two hundred years. The idea seemed likely to remain only a pipe dream." Read on…
Published monthly, the features provide information on new curatorial developments, current projects, collections of Dutch and Flemish art in museums worldwide, as well as insight into the work of the museum curator.
Last month's feature was Larry Nichols Interviewed by Julia van Marissing. To browse all features, visit codart.nl/features
Previous: Metropolitan Museum of Art Appoints Stephan Wolohojian as Curator in Charge of Department of European Paintings
Next: Ann Demeester Leaves the Frans Hals Museum for Kunsthaus Zürich


text:
Awards | June 27, 2019 | Gregg Coughlin
ICSID tribunal finds Spain breached ECT obligations by failing to provide a reasonable rate of return
RREEF Infrastructure (G.P.) Limited and RREEF Pan-European Infrastructure Two Lux S.a r.l. v. Kingdom of Spain, ICSID Case No. ARB/13/30
On November 30, 2018, an ICSID tribunal determined that Spain breached the ECT by retroactively applying a new tax regime and failing to ensure RREEF Infrastructure (G.P.) Limited (RREEF) earned a reasonable rate of return on its solar investments.
Background and claims
In 2007, Spain implemented several laws governing its renewable energy (RE) power generation sector, including Royal Decree (RD) 661/2007. RD 661/2007 guaranteed above-market payments to operators in the RE industry by providing a feed-in-tariff (FiT). Throughout 2011, RREEF made several investments in Spain's wind and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) sectors. RREEF owned an interest in five wind farms and three CSP plants, each of which registered under RD 661/2007 to receive FiTs.
In 2012, Spain enacted Law 15/2012, which imposed a 7 per cent levy on all income obtained by generators, including those in the RE industry. Spain amended its RE regulations in 2013 and replaced FiTs with a guarantee of a reasonable rate of return, which turned out to be 7.398 per cent (pre-tax).
As a result of these changes in Spain's regulatory regime, RREEF filed for arbitration in October 2013, alleging that these regulatory changes violated Spain's obligations under ECT Article 10(1) to provide legal stability, FET, transparency, nondiscrimination, and proportionality and reasonableness. RREEF also alleged that Spain breached its legitimate expectations.
Applicable legal standards: FET and legitimate expectations apply, but the umbrella clause does not
The tribunal first determined that the FET standard under the ECT is the same FET standard required in international law, and that it includes commitments on transparency, protection and security, non-impairment, nondiscrimination, proportionality and reasonableness. Notably, the tribunal clarified that although the FET standard requires a state to respect the legitimate expectations of an investor, it is not reasonable for an investor to expect that the conditions surrounding its investment will not change at all.
A majority of the tribunal also rejected RREEF's contention that the umbrella clause of the ECT should apply, which would have brought breaches of contractual obligations within the scope of the ECT. The tribunal found the umbrella clause inapplicable because it requires a contractual obligation between the investor and state, and RREEF had no contractual relationship with Spain.
Commitment to stability in the ECT
RREEF contended that the ECT stability requirement operates as a free-standing obligation whereby states must maintain a stable legal framework for the duration of an investment. In contrast, Spain argued that the stability requirement fits within the broader FET standard of the ECT.
The tribunal noted stability is not absolute and does not equate with immutability absent a clear stabilization clause. The tribunal went on to say that "the obligation to create a stable environment certainly excludes any unpredictable radical transformation in the conditions of the investments" (para. 315). Although RD 661/2007 provided that "a reasonable rate of profitability shall always be guaranteed with reference to the cost of money in the capital markets" (para. 318), the tribunal did not interpret this clause as a firm pledge to not change the conditions of the investment. Instead, the tribunal interpreted it as envisioning future adjustments to the regulatory regime.
The tribunal was thus tasked with determining whether Spain's regulatory changes amounted to a substantial change and ultimately determined that one particular aspect of case—the retroactive application of RD 661/2007—constituted a breach of this stability principle. To the extent the contested measures applied retroactively by clawing back shareholders' previously vested rights, the tribunal ordered Spain to pay RREEF appropriate compensation for the damage caused by the breach.
Legitimate expectations
RREEF argued that Spain's regulatory changes were unpredictable and not in line with RREEF's legitimate expectations. Spain responded by contending that absent a specific commitment to regulatory stability, investors cannot legitimately expect that a regulatory framework such as Spain's will not change. The parties agreed that the investors had the burden to prove their expectations were reasonable and objective at the time the investment was made.
In determining whether RD 661/2007 violated RREEF's legitimate expectations, the tribunal considered whether the regulatory change constituted a drastic and radical change "affecting unexpectedly the conditions of the investments" (para. 379). The tribunal determined that because Spain had guaranteed a reasonable rate of return or reasonable profitability in several laws governing its REI, the only legitimate expectation of RREEF "was to receive a reasonable return for its investment" (para. 386). Crucially, this meant that RREEF could not legitimately expect to receive a fixed rate of return for the duration of its investment, as originally provided through the FiT regime.
Transparency and discrimination
RREEF also alleged that Spain dismantled the RD 661/2007 regime non-transparently and applied the new regime in a discriminatory manner by implementing the 7 per cent levy on RE generators but not installations. Because RD 661/2007 contemplated that an adjustment was possible and Spain made its regulatory changes in public, the tribunal determined that there was no breach of transparency. It also noted that the discrimination claim revolved solely around the 7 per cent tax, and the tribunal had previously determined it did not have jurisdiction to decide tax matters. As a result, the tribunal could not decide the discrimination claim.
Proportionality and reasonableness
Finally, RREEF alleged that Spain did not satisfy the proportionality and reasonableness test, as the new regime imposed an improper burden on RREEF in relation to the benefit sought by Spain, particularly given the alternative measures available. The tribunal determined that a government measure would meet the reasonable and proportional test so long as it was not "random, unnecessary or arbitrary" (para. 460). Because Spain only guaranteed a reasonable return, the majority held that a determination of whether Spain violated the proportionality and reasonableness principles was inseparable from an assessment of damages. As a result, the tribunal next turned to a damages assessment to determine whether RREEF earned a reasonable return after Spain modified its regime.
RREEF earned reasonable return on wind investments
In assessing damages, the tribunal determined Spain must compensate RREEF for 1) damages created by retroactively applying the modified tax and regime and 2) damages to the extent RREEF did not earn a reasonable rate of return following the regime modifications.
RREEF claimed losses of EUR 297 million using a discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis. Spain used an internal rate of return (IRR) approach and claimed RREEF's losses did not exceed EUR 31 million. The tribunal agreed with Spain's approach, noting that RREEF should only receive compensation "to the extent that the modifications would have exceeded the limits of what is reasonable" (para. 515).
The tribunal determined that the IRR applied is reasonable if i) it entitles the producers to a return after operating costs; ii) it provides a reasonable benefit, meaning one that is not disproportionate or irrational; and iii) the reasonableness determination is made "with reference to the cost of money in the capital market" (para. 524). Because the IRR of RREEF's wind farms was 13 per cent and significantly over the cost of money in the capital market, the majority determined that Spain did not violate RREEF's legitimate expectation of a reasonable return.
RREEF did not earn a reasonable return on solar investments
The tribunal determined that the guaranteed return of 7.398 per cent (pre-tax) on CSP investments under the new regime was equivalent to an IRR of 5.8 per cent (post-tax). Taking into account the Spanish 10-year bond as the risk-free rate of 4.398 per cent, a market risk premium of 5.5 per cent, a beta of 0.455 per cent, a debt/equity ratio of 60/40, and a cost of debt of 3.43 per cent, the majority calculated the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) to be 5.86 per cent. The majority added a risk premium of 1 percentage point to reflect that the "the Claimants had legitimate expectations that the return on their investment would be above the mere level of the WACC since the Respondent attracted investments in the renewable energy sector by raising hope of above-average profits" (para. 587).
The majority concluded that Spain violated RREEF's legitimate expectations to receive a reasonable return because the WACC of 6.86 per cent on its CSP investments was higher than the IRR of 5.8 per cent guaranteed by the new regime. Spain was thus deemed liable for the difference between the IRR of 5.8 per cent RREEF earned on its CSP investments and the WACC rate of 6.86.
Ultimately, the tribunal found that the damages calculations provided by either party did not adequately represent the actual IRR per project or measure the retroactive damage to RREEF's shareholders. As a result, it encouraged the parties to find agreement on the damages amount. Failing that, the tribunal stated it would appoint an expert of its own choosing to perform the damages valuation.
Notes: The tribunal was composed of Alain Pellet (president, appointed by the chair of the ICSID Administrative Council, French national), Robert Volterra (claimants' appointee, Canadian national) and Pedro Nikken (respondent's appointee, Venezuelan national). The award is available in English at https://www.italaw.com/sites/default/files/case-documents/italaw10455_0.pdf
Gregg Coughlin is a Geneva International Fellow from University of Michigan Law and an extern with IISD's Investment for Sustainable Development Program.
Umbrella Clause
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For example, a transportation company representative may receive a call from an individual who they initially believed wanted spot pricing, said Jujhar Singh, general manager for CRM programme management. But the representative may realise that the customer actually wants a "much more involved" arrangement, and can take steps within the CRM application to accommodate them, Singh said.
Meanwhile, along with the Dynamics CRM launch later this year, Microsoft will also start a limited beta programme for its Netbreeze social monitoring software, which is also the result of a recent acquisition.
Microsoft is hoping to set itself apart from the likes of Salesforce.com's Radian6 social monitoring software, which customers much purchase separately. "We will democratise social," Studer said. Any customer with a Dynamics CRM licence will get access to Netbreeze at no additional charge, according to Studer.
As of Microsoft's third fiscal quarter ended March 31, it had 39,000 Dynamics CRM customers, spanning three million users, Studer said.


text:
package com.squareup.wire;

// This class is derived from the CodedOutputByteBuffer, and WireFormatNano classes in Google's
// "Nano" Protocol Buffer implementation. The original copyright notice, list of conditions, and
// disclaimer for those classes is as follows:

// Protocol Buffers - Google's data interchange format
// Copyright 2013 Google Inc.  All rights reserved.
// http://code.google.com/p/protobuf/
//
// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
// met:
//
// * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
// notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
// * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
// copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
// in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
// distribution.
// * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
// contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
// this software without specific prior written permission.
//
// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
// "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
// LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
// A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
// OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
// SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
// LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
// DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
// THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
// (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
// OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

import java.io.IOException;
import okio.BufferedSink;
import okio.ByteString;

/**
 * Utilities for encoding and writing protocol message fields.
 */
public final class ProtoWriter {

  /** Makes a tag value given a field number and wire type. */
  private static int makeTag(int fieldNumber, FieldEncoding fieldEncoding) {
    return (fieldNumber << ProtoReader.TAG_FIELD_ENCODING_BITS) | fieldEncoding.value;
  }

  /** Compute the number of bytes that would be needed to encode a tag. */
  static int tagSize(int tag) {
    return varint32Size(makeTag(tag, FieldEncoding.VARINT));
  }

  static int utf8Length(String s) {
    int result = 0;
    for (int i = 0, length = s.length(); i < length; i++) {
      char c = s.charAt(i);
      if (c < 0x80) {
        result++;
      } else if (c < 0x800) {
        result += 2;
      } else if (c < 0xd800 || c > 0xdfff) {
        result += 3;
      } else if (c <= 0xdbff && i + 1 < length
          && s.charAt(i + 1) >= 0xdc00 && s.charAt(i + 1) <= 0xdfff) {
        // A UTF-16 high surrogate followed by UTF-16 low surrogate yields 4 UTF-8 bytes.
        result += 4;
        i++;
      } else {
        // An unexpected surrogate yields a '?' character.
        result++;
      }
    }
    return result;
  }

  /**
   * Computes the number of bytes that would be needed to encode a signed variable-length integer
   * of up to 32 bits.
   */
  static int int32Size(int value) {
    if (value >= 0) {
      return varint32Size(value);
    } else {
      // Must sign-extend.
      return 10;
    }
  }

  /**
   * Compute the number of bytes that would be needed to encode a varint. {@code value} is treated
   * as unsigned, so it won't be sign-extended if negative.
   */
  static int varint32Size(int value) {
    if ((value & (0xffffffff <<  7)) == 0) return 1;
    if ((value & (0xffffffff << 14)) == 0) return 2;
    if ((value & (0xffffffff << 21)) == 0) return 3;
    if ((value & (0xffffffff << 28)) == 0) return 4;
    return 5;
  }

  /** Compute the number of bytes that would be needed to encode a varint. */
  static int varint64Size(long value) {
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL <<  7)) == 0) return 1;
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL << 14)) == 0) return 2;
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL << 21)) == 0) return 3;
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL << 28)) == 0) return 4;
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL << 35)) == 0) return 5;
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL << 42)) == 0) return 6;
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL << 49)) == 0) return 7;
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL << 56)) == 0) return 8;
    if ((value & (0xffffffffffffffffL << 63)) == 0) return 9;
    return 10;
  }

  /**
   * Encode a ZigZag-encoded 32-bit value. ZigZag encodes signed integers into values that can be
   * efficiently encoded with varint. (Otherwise, negative values must be sign-extended to 64 bits
   * to be varint encoded, thus always taking 10 bytes on the wire.)
   *
   * @param n A signed 32-bit integer.
   * @return An unsigned 32-bit integer, stored in a signed int because Java has no explicit
   * unsigned support.
   */
  static int encodeZigZag32(int n) {
    // Note:  the right-shift must be arithmetic
    return (n << 1) ^ (n >> 31);
  }

  /**
   * Decodes a ZigZag-encoded 32-bit value. ZigZag encodes signed integers into values that can be
   * efficiently encoded with varint. (Otherwise, negative values must be sign-extended to 64 bits
   * to be varint encoded, thus always taking 10 bytes on the wire.)
   *
   * @param n An unsigned 32-bit integer, stored in a signed int because Java has no explicit
   * unsigned support.
   * @return A signed 32-bit integer.
   */
  static int decodeZigZag32(int n) {
    return (n >>> 1) ^ -(n & 1);
  }

  /**
   * Encode a ZigZag-encoded 64-bit value. ZigZag encodes signed integers into values that can be
   * efficiently encoded with varint. (Otherwise, negative values must be sign-extended to 64 bits
   * to be varint encoded, thus always taking 10 bytes on the wire.)
   *
   * @param n A signed 64-bit integer.
   * @return An unsigned 64-bit integer, stored in a signed int because Java has no explicit
   * unsigned support.
   */
  static long encodeZigZag64(long n) {
    // Note:  the right-shift must be arithmetic
    return (n << 1) ^ (n >> 63);
  }

  /**
   * Decodes a ZigZag-encoded 64-bit value. ZigZag encodes signed integers into values that can be
   * efficiently encoded with varint. (Otherwise, negative values must be sign-extended to 64 bits
   * to be varint encoded, thus always taking 10 bytes on the wire.)
   *
   * @param n An unsigned 64-bit integer, stored in a signed int because Java has no explicit
   * unsigned support.
   * @return A signed 64-bit integer.
   */
  static long decodeZigZag64(long n) {
    return (n >>> 1) ^ -(n & 1);
  }

  private final BufferedSink sink;

  public ProtoWriter(BufferedSink sink) {
    this.sink = sink;
  }

  public void writeBytes(ByteString value) throws IOException {
    sink.write(value);
  }

  public void writeString(String value) throws IOException {
    sink.writeUtf8(value);
  }

  /** Encode and write a tag. */
  public void writeTag(int fieldNumber, FieldEncoding fieldEncoding) throws IOException {
    writeVarint32(makeTag(fieldNumber, fieldEncoding));
  }

  /** Write an {@code int32} field to the stream. */
  void writeSignedVarint32(int value) throws IOException {
    if (value >= 0) {
      writeVarint32(value);
    } else {
      // Must sign-extend.
      writeVarint64(value);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Encode and write a varint. {@code value} is treated as unsigned, so it won't be sign-extended
   * if negative.
   */
  public void writeVarint32(int value) throws IOException {
    while ((value & ~0x7f) != 0) {
      sink.writeByte((value & 0x7f) | 0x80);
      value >>>= 7;
    }
    sink.writeByte(value);
  }

  /** Encode and write a varint. */
  public void writeVarint64(long value) throws IOException {
    while ((value & ~0x7fL) != 0) {
      sink.writeByte(((int) value & 0x7f) | 0x80);
      value >>>= 7;
    }
    sink.writeByte((int) value);
  }

  /** Write a little-endian 32-bit integer. */
  public void writeFixed32(int value) throws IOException {
    sink.writeIntLe(value);
  }

  /** Write a little-endian 64-bit integer. */
  public void writeFixed64(long value) throws IOException {
    sink.writeLongLe(value);
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Socrates knew that even in ancient Greece it was essential to ask questions. In fact, he is known for going around Athens and doing just that. He said the key was in how people answered the question, this tells you a lot about their character.
If you are working on finding a marketing agency to begin an integrated marketing plan for your business, there are some questions that you should ask before you sign a contract. A contract is not just a legally binding agreement between you and the marketing agency, it's evidence of a relationship that will be had. You'll want to make sure you get these questions answered before the marketing agency begins your project.
Below are 15 of the most vital questions you should ask when hiring a marketing agency.
How do you define "integrated marketing" and how will you implement an integrated marketing plan?
What is your agency's policy regarding how you measure success in helping your client meet their goals and ROI?
What tools do you have at your disposal to carry out an integrated marketing plan?
Do you have an understanding of my industry so that you know the industry standards for advertising and how to keep me in compliance?
Can you present any case studies or client testimonials documenting your success for the client's perspective?
How can we get in touch with you as you proceed with my project?
What is your view on multi-channel marketing and how will you ensure that my brand gets the coverage we need to achieve our results?
How can you make changes in my marketing plan if I am unhappy with the initial results?
What is your biggest success story to date and what do you view as your agency's strengths?
Do you have a portfolio of your previous work that we can view before signing our contract?
Who will be assigned my project on a daily basis and what is their experience level regarding integrated marketing campaigns?
How do you think your marketing agency excels over your competition?
All of these questions address some of the most critical questions to assure critical success. When you choose a marketing agency, you need to know that they will give due diligence to your strategy, keeping in mind your industry compliance standards, as well as the finer details of your plan to produce the best result. You need to know that they have your best interest at heart and that they value your project as much as you do.
Here at JEMSU, we believe in asking questions, so we encourage our clients to ask us the questions that matter to them. We are dedicated to educating our clients every step of the way. Contact one of our specialists today!