My question is how the bitcoin core client generates a (master) private key(s)?
I know from other wallets, that they take the mnemonic and generate a HD wallet master key. With the master key, the other keys can be generated.
To my question. How does the bitcoin core software do it? I've never seen a mnemonic there.
Does it use a mnemonic?
I know about the backupwallet command to make a backup.
Is there nothing like a mnemonic I can use? If there isn't, do I have to constantly do backups?
Bitcoind does not support BIP39, which encodes a seed (128, 160, 192, 224, 256 bits) in a mnemonic phrase, from which the 512b HD root seed is later generated via PBKDF2 (Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2). This 512b root seed is used to derive the (extended) master keys.
For wallets without BIP39, the 512b HD root seed is directly supplied as entropy, without the intermediary step involving an encoded mnemonic phrase and PBKDF2.
Amended: Bitcoin Core wallets will deterministically derive new extended key pairs and addresses as wallet usage progresses, which is reflected and updated in the wallet.dat file. However, when restoring a wallet from an older wallet file, the wallet will (re)derive all standard child key derivation paths, whilst (re)scanning the blockchain to determine past usage of these keys in transactions, thereby recreating the last used hd wallet state. The wallet can be fully restored, even if the wallet file backup is not the most recent one because of this rescan.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged bitcoin-core bitcoind wallet private-key mnemonic-seed or ask your own question.
How do I test my wallet backup?


text:
146TH STREET TRAIL
The 146th Street Trail is mostly a flat, linear trail passing through Carmel, Noblesville, and Fishers, towns just north of Indianapolis. The 146th Trail is lined with trees, bushes, and, in somes places, picket fences. The trail runs by churches, schools and gas stations, where there is additional parking and restrooms. The neighborhoods and additions through which the trail passes offer many neighborhood sidewalks for continued hiking experiences. Passing through the south side of Noblesville are additional shopping, nice neighborhoods and amenities such as restrooms and sidewalks. The 146th Street Trail is a long trail, approximately 12 miles, passing through a widely diverse and beautiful area, is well – recommended for all uses with its flat and linear nature.
City: Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers
West Endpoint (#1) - Specific: Spring Mill Road
East Endpoint (#2) – Specific: 138th Street
Direction to #2 from #1: Eastward
TRAIL FEATURES
Type of Trail: Sidepath
Surface: asphalt
Uses allowed: walking, biking, hiking
Wheelchairs allowed: yes
Monon Community Center
1235 Central Park Drive East
Agency Website
The 146th Street Trail is mostly a flat, linear trail passing through Carmel, Noblesville, and Fishers, towns just north of Indianapolis. The trail is well – maintained asphalt and perfect for all uses including wheelchairs. This path runs primarily just on the south side of 146th Street commencing in Carmel, until it reaches eastern Fishers where it jogs a little southward. In Carmel, just west of Springmill Road, the east endpoint of the trail, this path passes through many nice neighborhoods and additions where street parking is available. The trail also passes through many fashionable shopping areas such as the very popular Clay Terrace, a large, open shopping mall with a variety of retail establishments and restaurants. There is plenty more parking in these shopping areas as well as restrooms. Carmel is just north of Indianapolis, and has been a rapidly growing and beautiful town in its own right. The trail continues eastward, and intersects with the popular Carmel Monon.
The 146th Trail is lined with trees, bushes, and, in somes places, picket fences. The trail runs by churches, schools and gas stations, where there is additional parking and restrooms. Another offering along the trail in Carmel is a large movie theatre. The neighborhoods and additions through which the trail passes offer many neighborhood sidewalks for continued hiking experiences. Passing through the south side of Noblesville are additional shopping, nice neighborhoods and amenities such as restrooms and sidewalks. Noblesville is the county seat of Hamilton County and has a very beautiful courthouse downtown with shops and restaurants surrounding the square.
Heading further east through Fishers, a quickly growing and popular community just northeast of Indianapolis, one passes by a golf course and other open areas including rural areas. The 146th Street Trail passes near to Conner Prairie interactive history park museum that also offers many special events including the very popular Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra summer series of concerts. The 146th Street Trail breaks up just west of State Route I37 at a gas station with food, restrooms and parking. After the gas station, however, it picks up continuing slightly southeastwardly as it traverses another popular open shopping mall, Hamilton Town Center. The trail then has its ending terminus on 138th St, just east of I69. Parking, restrooms, restaurants, as well as many fashionable shops can be found at the Hamilton Town Center.
The 146th Street Trail is a long trail, approximately 12 miles, passing through a widely diverse and beautiful area, is well – recommended for all uses with its flat and linear nature.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Station Guide: KROV
Click here to listen to KROV on your phone.
KROV 91.7 FM
KROV, 91.7-HD2 FM, San Antonio Community Radio, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit radio station, and is the only urban contemporary, R&B & community-formatted radio station in San Antonio.The station has partnered with Trinity University's KRTU 91.7 and KRTU 91.7- HD1 to bring an educational and entertaining radio station format that plays an urban contemporary format, old school jams, and local musicians of all music genres. If you're band is San Antonio or Texas- based and your recordings are broadcast quality, we'll put your music on- air.In March of 2008, over 200 San Antonians gathered at the University of Texas at San Antonio's Downtown Campus to discuss the loss of the city's only urban contemporary radio station, KSJL. The gathering motivated people to organize a new station because the old KSJL was the only radio station in San Antonio that brought together newsmakers and community organizations to talk about issues important to San Antonio's urban community.
Click here to add show schedules for KROV.
KROV 91.7 FM San Antonio, TX Music, Hip Hop, R&B
Embed a widget to record KROV in your website - click here for more details.


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Q: How to define critical section in django Is there any simple way to define critical section?
when a user during the updating some database table, I'd  force to make the other user cannot update on the same tables.

A:
django-concurrency is an optimistic lock 1 implementation for
  Django.
Tested with: 1.4.x, 1.5.x, 1.6.x, 1.7.x 1.8.x.
It prevents users from doing concurrent editing in Django both from UI
  and from a django command.

I never used, but i think this can solve your problem.
django-concurrency

A: It depends what are your queries, Your single query to the database will never face any race condition due to ACID principle impose by the database. But if there is any condition like first you are reading the data from database and after some operation on application level you are writing the updated data back to the database, then race condition may occur for that you have to implement the locks or the mutex in python.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Elon Musk walks back on Twitter job cuts, blue checks in second week
Tuesday, November 8th, 2022 at News | World
Twitter Inc. is heading into its second full workweek under Elon Musk with half its workforce, mounting losses and a couple of unexpected reversals to its plans.
The social-media company laid off close to 3,700 people on Friday, only to reach out soon thereafter to dozens of employees who it decided were either fired in error or too essential to the changes the billionaire businessman wants to make.
Another of Musk's key early goals — adding verification check marks for members of its monthly subscription service — is being delayed until Wednesday to avoid potential chaos during the US midterm elections.
The whiplash events, as described by people familiar with the situation or in an internal company memo posted on Slack, follow Musk's own acknowledgment in a tweet that the company he and well-heeled partners bought for $44 billion is losing $4 million a day.
Twitter lopped its workforce as a way to trim costs following Musk's acquisition, which closed in late October. Many employees learned they lost their job after their access to companywide systems, like email and Slack, were suddenly suspended. The requests for employees to return demonstrate how rushed and chaotic the process was.
A Twitter spokesperson didn't reply to a request for comment. Twitter's plan to hire back workers was previously reported by Platformer.
"Regarding Twitter's reduction in force, unfortunately there is no choice when the company is losing over $4M/day," Musk tweeted on Friday.
Some regions were hit harder than others. The company fired more than 90% of its staff in India over the weekend, severely depleting its engineering and product staff, people familiar with the matter said. The cuts left the company with about a dozen staff in the growth market, they said.
Meta Platforms Inc., which is also struggling to contain costs after investing heavily in its metaverse project, may announce significant job cuts this week, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the plans. Layoffs at the Facebook owner, which are expected to affect thousands of workers, could begin as soon as Wednesday, the newspaper reported.
Twitter has close to 3,700 employees remaining, according to people familiar with the matter. Musk is pushing those who remain at the company to move quickly in shipping new features, and in some cases, employees have even slept at the office to meet new deadlines.
Twitter has said it's rolling out new features to its Twitter Blue subscription plan, offering a verification check mark for any user who pays the monthly fee. The company also said it will soon be launching other features, including half the ads, the ability to post longer videos and get priority ranking in replies, mentions and searches.
Twitter will issue the new blue verification check marks to users who pay $7.99 a month for the service starting on Nov. 9, according to an internal company message that was posted on Slack. The company had previously planned to roll out the subscription feature Nov. 7, the day before the election.
"Widespread verification will democratize journalism and empower the voice of the people," Musk said in a Tweet.
The company received internal and external feedback that the verification process for its Twitter Blue program could be ripe for abuse, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified. That raised concerns that candidates and other political actors might be impersonated on the site in the days before the US election.
Late Sunday, Musk said Twitter would ban accounts that impersonate others, after several high-profile users changed their names and pictures to match the billionaire. Any name change at all will cause a temporary loss of a verified check mark. – BLOOMBERG
Twitter is said to work on Snapchat-style tool for videos
Tesla suffers broken glass mishap during chaotic launch
Activate two-factor authentication for extra security on social media - MCMC
Chipmaker GlobalFoundries to start job cuts, freeze hiring
Twitter now asks some fired workers to please come back
Alert to phishing, do not click suspicious links


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David Harlow's Health Care Law Blog
Awards/Reviews
HCSM
IRS finally green-lights hospital underwriting of physician EHR systems
The safe harbors for hospital funding of physician EHR system acquisition have gone largely unused to date. That should change — at least for the tax-exempt hospitals — now that the IRS has issued its eagerly-awaited memorandum regarding "Hospitals Providing Financial Assistance to Staff Physicians Involving Electronic Health Records." It's refreshingly short for a government document on such a heavily-chewed-on topic. I'll quote the operative language in full:
We will not treat the benefits a hospital provides to its medical staff physicians as impermissible private benefit or inurement in violation of section 501(c)(3) of the Code if the benefits fall within the range of Health IT Items and Services that are permissible under the HHS EHR Regulations and the hospital operates in the manner described below.
A hospital that is otherwise described in section 501(c)(3) of the Code enters into Health IT Subsidy agreements with its medical staff physicians for the provision of Health IT Items and Services at a discount ("Health IT Subsidy Arrangements"). These Health IT Subsidy Arrangements require both the hospital and the participating physicians to comply with the HHS EHR Regulations on a continuing basis. The Health IT Subsidy Arrangements provide that, to the extent permitted by law, the hospital may access all of the electronic medical records created by a physician using the Health IT Items and Services subsidized by the hospital. The hospital ensures that the Health IT Items and Services are available to all of its medical staff physicians. The hospital provides the same level of subsidy to all of its medical staff physicians or varies the level of subsidy by applying criteria related to meeting the healthcare needs of the community.
This memorandum does not apply to a hospital that allows its earnings to inure to the benefit of one or more medical staff physicians through arrangements that are other than Health IT Subsidy Arrangements, because the hospital would not be considered to be described in section 501(c)(3) of the Code.
The AHA is happy for its tax-exempt hospital members. Presumably the AMA will be happy too.
Now, of course, we'll have to wait and see who jumps on the bandwagon, what kind of spending they're prepared to commit to, and how the rollout of new EHR systems will affect health care delivery.
Update 5/17/07: Not everyone is so thrilled. Some observers believe that, in an abundance of caution, the IRS may have gone too far by requiring equal access to subsidies for all docs on a hospital's medical staff, and requiring that the docs provide access to patient data that's in the EHR. Seems to me that while the IRS may be a little heavy-handed here, hospital access to data in the EHR is a good thing, not a bad thing; the data in such a system should be protected by a business associate agreement (BAA).
— David Harlow
Filed Under: Anti-Kickback Statute, CMS, E-Prescribing, Ehealth, EHR, Fraud and Abuse, Health care policy, Health Law, HIPAA, HIT, Hospitals, IRS, Medicare, OIG, Physicians, Tax exempt
IRS offers further clarification of EHR safe harbors
Will the IRS be the spoiler in hospital-financed EHR and e-prescribing software distribution?
IRS rules on EHR funding expected within a few months
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Hurrying in the rain, listening, learning, signing books, cool evenings, coffee vouchers, wet umbrellas, smiling crowds, dogs in arms, queues at the till, drinks at the bar, boats, sunshine, big names, kind words, new ideas and free white wine.
When I knew I would be spending the weekend at Le Livre Sur Les Quais literary festival in Morges, I decided I wouldn't take any notes. I would just enjoy the moment and soak it all in. Now, one week later, I am left with a colourful miscellany of impressions and memories. There was so much going on, my quiet writer brain had to shift into a completely new gear.
I was invited to the festival to promote my book, The Naked Swiss: A Nation Behind 10 Myths. I would have been thrilled enough at this honour alone but the festival was also hosting Ireland as guest country of honour, which meant I was sharing space with some of Ireland's most accomplished contemporary authors.
Morges is known for its authors' tent, a huge marquee filled with rows of authors sitting behind tables. The English language section was like an island in the middle. I sat there with the Swiss-based authors, the visiting Irish authors and a number of other English-language authors, like Douglas Kennedy, Hisham Matar and Rachel Joyce. They were all gracious and welcoming.
Most people who approached the table to talk were friendly, pleased to put a face to the name. A few were not so pleased about the book. You can't win 'em all.
On the first afternoon, I did a stint in the tent and attended two talks about Irish literature, the first with John Boyne and Donal Ryan, and the second with Donal on duty again along with Anne Enright and Paul McVeigh. The next day presented a different mix, Anne Enright, Donal Ryan and Sara Baume, this time talking about families in Irish fiction. I cannot tell you everything they said, just that I appreciated listening to Irish voices analysing Irish questions, and the feeling it gave me of being closer to home.
I went on a literary cruise (!) on Sunday. Five minutes before the cruise started, I was at the wrong end of the lakefront eating a hot dog. Running under those circumstances is not something I'd advise anyone else to do, especially right before a boat trip. In the queue to board, a man asked me to hold his crepe so he could search for his ticket. I was not the only one squeezing in food around much more exciting things.
The cruise talk featured debut authors Paul McVeigh and Kit de Waal, two interesting and talented writers who clearly like each other. If any chat show hosts are looking for the perfect duo, ask these guys. Both of them come from difficult backgrounds and write about those times in their fiction.
Spending time with the three other authors based in Switzerland – Padraig Rooney, Diccon Bewes and Jason Donald – was great fun, like having work colleagues again. I also took part in a panel discussion with Padraig and Diccon about Switzerland, Brexit and the European Union. It was a lively debate, the first time I've had an event in that particular format. Very enjoyable.
In a weekend of many interesting conversations, one chat about a potential nonfiction project was particularly illuminating. Maybe Morges will be indirectly responsible for my next book. All I know is that I need to send out a proposal before the leaves start to turn. And that means back to quiet time for a while.
You look very happy behind your book table, Clare. Good luck incubating the next big idea.
Thank you, Anne. The pic was taken by a friend who was passing by. She gets the credit for making me smile!
It was brilliant. Paul said a few interesting things about writers from Northern Ireland sometimes being overlooked by both UK and Rep. of Ireland. Hope that doesn't apply to you!


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Is this guy a narcissist?
I've asked other qs here about this situation so sorry for the repeats. Have been really struggling to get over a situation and I think I may have cracked it: the guy is a narcissist. My dad is a narcissistic emotional abuser. This guy (who lived in my college dorm and also had classes with me) was not abusive but very manipulative (although could also be very sweet, generous and nice - to be fair - so can my dad to those who don't know him well). Let me know if you think he's a narcissist or just a bit of a shitty dude.
#1: Constant put-downs. He'd be sure to find out peoples' insecurities and then laugh at them. Even down to things that hetero men don't usually notice - like the quality of your hair dye or your type of shoes. He called one girl "irrelevant" and another "so boring I'd swap her for scrabble". Note that he always says it with a joking manner - so if you flag him up, he says he's joking and you're being too sensitive. It's almost always towards women.
#2: In spite of this he's actually really insecure with women. He brags about the number of women he's slept with (normally to me that's a red flag for someone who's actually sexually inexperienced - seasoned players would never brag like this), although I met a guy who went to school with him and he told me this guy was a virgin throughout high school.
#3: He flirted with me and only me at our college constantly and persistently daily for about 10 months. When I showed some slight interest back, without flinching told me it had all obviously been a joke - no apology whatsoever. He only got upset and slightly remorseful when I stopped talking to him to try to get me back again (he obviously liked the attention). But when I cut him out completely he told everyone that I was a "ho who threw myself at him" (completely untrue).
Guy's Behavior Why does a guy run back to you after he said he's done dealing w u?
Guy's Behavior Why was he acting so different towards me compared to that girl?
Guy's Behavior Is it weird for a 22 year old male to call his mom mommy?
I don't think you know what narcissist means.
This guy is simply an arrogant arsehole, but not a narcissist.
Girl's Behavior Women are FAKE … Because Men Like it That Way
Family & Friends He's Not My Father, But He's My Dad.
Guy's Behavior A Response to "The Case for MGTOW"
Home > Guy's Behavior > Is this guy a narcissist?


Lot 36 C/I Smokebox Locomotive Number plate "43140" as carried by a Ivatt designed BR 2-6-0 4MT built at Doncaster in August 1951.Allocations included Polmont, Parkhead, Dawsholm, West Auckland, Thornaby, Darlington, St. Rollox, Stourton and Normanton from where it was withdrawn in June 1967. Cut up at Drapers Hull 11/67. Front Restored.


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A group of Chicago-area high schoolers are spending hours of screen time to contribute to an international shark research project.
The students are participants in Shedd Aquarium's after-school Teen Learning Lab, and the project is Global FinPrint. Shedd is a collaborator with Global FinPrint, which recruits citizen scientists to help fill a critical information gap about the declining number of sharks and rays in the world's oceans.
Shedd is the second aquarium to participate in Global FinPrint, a Paul G. Allen initiative, but the first collaborator to involve teens in the data collection.
Using a software program designed by Vulcan Inc. especially for Global FinPrint to record data on reef ecosystems, the teens watch 60-minute segments of underwater video surveys taken in the Bahamas and Caribbean. They must not only identify each species of shark and ray that swims in front of the camera but also count how many of each species is present on screen at the same time and note the time stamp when the fishes came into view.
Global Finprint offers students an exciting application of the STEM skills they learn in school by involving them in a real-life research project. They learn the process of conducting applied scientific research as well as become adept at identifying fast-moving fishes. A few teens have even had a chance to meet and work alongside Global Finprint's lead scientist, Dr. Demian Chapman of Florida International University, when he visited the Teen Learning Lab.
Research indicates that some shark populations have plummeted over the last few decades, largely due to high catch rates for fins and/or meat. Sharks and rays are key to healthy reef and ocean ecosystems, and their removal can disrupt marine food webs and cause large-scale habitat changes.
Through Global Finprint, teens are taking an active role in protecting sharks and other marine species even though they live thousands of miles away from an ocean. Their observations, which will save researchers hundreds of hours of work, will help answer questions about the global abundance and biodiversity of sharks and rays, these predators' role in reef ecosystems and how humans are affecting their habitats. The information will also help scientists evaluate current conservation efforts and priorities and better inform future initiatives.
"As Shedd Aquarium's conservation research team begins our own project to study Caribbean shark species, we're excited to also bring shark research inland to Chicago," said Dr. Steve Kessel, director of marine research at Shedd Aquarium. "With unique opportunities to work with world-renowned scientists like Dr. Demian Chapman, we hope to inspire the next generation of shark conservationists."
Shedd is also opening the citizen science project to its more than 800 volunteers.
The Global FinPrint database will be available to scientists, governments, students and the general public around the world.
Learn more about the conservation research team.
©Justin Tuttle
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Neill Blomkamp directs the new BMW film, The Escape. Starring Clive Owen and the new BMW 5 series, it's an action-packed affair which compares well with its predecessors.
David Beckham & Kevin Hart team up again in The Roadtrip – a bit of branded entertainment for H&M.
This is the second time that H&M have hired Beckham and Hart to showcase one of their collections.
Clearly the combo worked so well together the last time, they were invited back for an encore. Obviously for a global company, who's primary markets must be Europe and the US, you want to appeal broadly to both audiences. Beckham and Hart certainly tick those boxes.
To be brutally honest, most commentators reporting on this news are including words and phrases like 'hilarious' and 'much anticipated' in their copy. We can't say that while watching this clip we were rolling on the floor, struggling to inhale gasps of air due to uncontrollable fits of laughter. But as far as advertising commercials go, it's better than a punch in the stomach.
Ordinary people sharing their lives and opinions on YouTube is a growing phenomenon and one the media industry is starting to pay serious attention to.
With very little professional production support many YouTube stars command in excess of 250 000 views per post, which considering the investment they have made in the product, is astounding.
What's really interesting however is not the popularity of these stars, but the amount of genuine influence they have with their audiences.
Adults find YouTube stars more influential than traditional celebrities seemingly for the same reason younger audiences do: They seem more like real people and therefore are considered more trustworthy. "The celebrities that have influence today amongst audiences are those that are very much right next to them and have actually been created by the audience. And the appeal of YouTube stars is that the audiences feel that they own them, that they have an equity stake in them, that they actually made them," Mr. Sehdev said.
Manufactured, high production media content obviously still has a place and a role to play, but pound-for-pound the ROI of Youtube stars is exciting.
Fun for Louis – a peace-loving global adventurer with nearly 1.5 million subscribers, Louis is a happy dude who appears to live an idilic life.
Casey Neistat – a New York-based film maker with a daily vlog detailing his life as an entrepreneur and family guy. He recently launched his own social video platform called Beme.
Mr Ben Brown – adding a bit of local flavour to the mix and completing the triangle of adventure overload is Mr Ben Brown who lives in Cape Town and is a professional traveler, which just sounds wrong. But there's nothing like a bit of escapism to give you some inspiration.
Reality on steroids, that what we call it. And the future of self-made Youtube stars looks very good.
Patagonia have built their brand through the telling of inspiring stories that not only make you want to buy the brand, but also change the world.
Through the narrative of their environmental crusade, Patagonia have developed a compelling place in the minds of people who care about the future of the planet – almost encouraging you not to buy their stuff if you can resist it.
In their latest film, Patagonia presents the story of Ramon Navarro, The Fisherman's Son.
When a visiting surfer gave a board he broke to a young boy in Punta de Lobos, Chile, he had no idea what he'd started. Young Ramon Navarro, the son of a subsistence fisherman, would rise to the top of the big wave surfing world.
Born and raised at Punta de Lobos, Ramón Navarro found his passion riding the biggest waves on the planet. But his accomplishments in giant surf are just one part of a bigger vision to protect the culture and environment of the Chilean coast.
For us, what's great about Patagonia's approach to branded content is the realness of it.
It doesn't feel like a professional crew where briefed to grade the film to look more raw and authentic. It feels rough around the edges because it's told and shot by fans who would have made the film without the backing of Patagonia.
Building a compelling fantasy brand is all about the ancient art of great storytelling. Luxury brands need the illusion of fantasy to make us lust after them – at any price. It's not so much about the product as it is about the idea associated with the product.
If you have the time, or the intellectual patience, you can do some research by delving into the complex works of some of the prominent post-modern philosophers, But the lure inherent in all of this work is the yearning for a world of hyper-reality. An escape from the seemingly endless drone of our modern lives to a land of grey-graded bliss and impossibly sculpted thighs.
Is it real? Of course not – who on Earth want to fantasize about reality? This is Santa Claus 2.0, the Easter Bunny on Vicodin, the long-lost toy store [that has now transformed into a neon supermarket filled with depression] of 2014. The more the cable news networks drive the story of Ebola and 'worldwide civilian anarchy', the more desperate our want to jump into the rabbit hole and own a soft pillow of fantasy.
As with all things though – this is only half the story. But if you do find yourself sitting on a chair with the words 'Brand Manager' on it and the logo you passed walking into the office featured an old crest of some kind, then you would be sticking a blade into your own kidney to ignore this trend.
Advertising mediums are evolving and right now, things have never been better for the film industry and brands built on branded content. Here's our collection of some recently released luxury brand films that are noteworthy for their quality and largely open-ended fantasy conclusions.
Beautifully shot with rich grading and wide lenses, Jude Law stars in the six and a half minute long Gentleman's Wager for Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It's branded entertainment that can keep the 'entertainment' part of its intention.
Good advertising sells a product, great advertising lets you feel what it would be like to love a brand.
Just as we escape reality through movies and books, luxury brands have an opportunity to indulge an audience with fantasy and escapism. What else are premium brands these days other than rabbit holes into a world of make believe?
Content marketing has come a long way since the days of the original Quicksilver films. Let Us Roam is an ongoing short film series supported by Leica Camera. This series features stories about photographers, artists, film-makers and musicians inside of the skateboarding culture.
It feels a lot more grown up than most skateboarding films and of course the collaboration with Leica ensures that the imagery is going to be classically arresting.


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UNIV 111 & 112
Just another Rampages.us site
Unit 2 Op-Ed: How Much Longer Will We Sit Back and Watch?
Miana Johnson
UNIV 111
Professor Joshua Galligan
Final Writer's Memo
I have been spending about two to three hours on the writing/revision project since turning in the first draft. I decided on this topic around October 15. The topic I rejected in favor of this one was family unification/separation. My topic has evolved from what I knew at first to what I know now because I know why certain states have more ICE detention facilities than others. I also know more about the solitary confinement that goes on in ICE detention facilities.
The specific revisions I have made to the project are my sources. At first, I had mostly sources that were opinionated and not peer reviewed. I got feedback from going to the Writing Center every week and doing peer review in class. I got suggestions about the structure of my sentences, paraphrasing my quotes, and my works cited page. I used this feedback by citing my sources correctly, checking over the structure of my sentences, and putting the direct quotes into my own words. I did not reject any of the suggestions given to me because I felt they would enhance my Op-Ed. I made these changes between the first and second draft and then second to final draft. These choices not only enhance my Op-Ed, but it allows the reader to be more engaged, understand the importance of my Op-Ed, and why we need to make a change about ICE detention facilities.
The global aspects I am most confident about is the focus, development, organization, and structure of my Op-Ed because it is well thought-out, remains on track, and structured in a way where it flows from point to point, paragraph to paragraph. In the humblest way to say this, I am not concerned about any global or local aspect. I am confident about every aspect because I have spent numerous hours fully digging deep into this Op-Ed with going to the Writing Center many times to strengthen my Op-Ed. The local aspects I am most confident about is the word choice within my Op-Ed. The word choice provokes a response in the reader to want to make a change about the practices of the ICE detention facilities.
If I had more time to work on the essay, I would focus on improving what aspects Professor Galligan says needs to be strengthened. I am not sure how much time it would take. I would like feedback on how you think I did with paraphrasing my quotes and how I did on my summaries and analyses. Based on the rubric, I am expecting an A because my Op-Ed has a clearly expressed point, causing readers to want to act and make a change. My Op-Ed persuades the reader through strong word choice that I have implemented, and it has a good hook and structure. I start off my Op-Ed with a quote to capture the reader's attention and it remains structured and organized all the way until the end. My piece is written clear for readers to understand because I have fully explained everything in my Op-Ed. Finally, my op-ed is polite and respectful. I shine light on the harsh practices of ICE detention facilities, but I am not disrespectful towards it.
How Much Longer Will We Sit Back and Watch?
Solitary confinement is the action of holding a person captive in isolation with little to no human interaction. This happens in jails, prisons, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities (Patler et al. 1). Not one human should be kept in isolation for long periods of time, this can cause extreme cases of self-mutilation, disconnectedness with the world around them, depression, and serious mental problems (Patler et al. 2). This, and many other reasons are why it is crucial for us to spread awareness about the ethics and inhumane treatment of ICE Detention Facilities. "Tell Me How It Ends" by Valeria Luiselli talks about the struggles of immigrants before and after they cross the border. Before reading the book, I was ignorant about this topic, however, as I read, I started to grasp more information about ICE Detention Facilities and what they comprise. I have learned that ICE Detention Facilities treat their immigrants wrong in various ways: they have deadly freezing temperatures, there is a total lack of medical care, and immigrants' civil rights are violated all the time. In ICE Detention Facilities, there are a lot of things that occur in these environments, however, we do not really hear about it at all or we hear about it when someone shines a light on it in a book like Luiselli's. People are mistreated, freezing, overcrowded in tight spaces, and losing the quality of their mental health. According to Blitz et al., through research studies that have been conducted, results have shown that people who were demanded to move experience many emotional, mental, medical issues, and a lack in nutrition (2). It is so important to be treated with respect and care in all aspects of your life whether it be mental, physical, or emotional. If you are an innocent person just wanting and searching for a better life, you should not be treated like a guilty inmate. There is also proof that overcrowding intensifies health problems (Blitz et al. 2).
Needless to say, the mental health issues mentioned before can worsen because of the overcrowding. This is unacceptable. Overcrowding is an issue anywhere because people are more prone to fight and some cases, fight until death over the lack of necessary resources. For example, this is what happens in neighborhoods filled with people with low incomes; neighborhoods tend to be more violent and susceptible to gangs because of a lack in resources such as space, food, and shelter. Overcrowding in ICE detention facilities makes it more challenging for the officers to manage the facility and for the people living in them. Below is a visual of what these innocent immigrants have to go through:
(Ross D. Franklin, Reuters, Pool)
In the article, "Expanding Carceral Markets: Detention Facilities, ICE Contracts, and the Financial Interests of Punitive Immigration Policy", the authors conducted a test to determine whether campaign donations made by prison companies and other contractors to legislators (carceral lobbying hypothesis) and, having a personally owned ICE detention facility in a lawmaker's district (carceral representation hypothesis) raises the chance that lawmakers will co-sponsor more severe and violent immigration legislation in the United States. They examined two things: one was if campaign donations played a role in legislators supporting cruel immigration legislation and the second one is if legislators have constituents in support of detention facilities, are there more likely to be detention facilities in that state? (Collingwood et al. 1). They tested both hypotheses and found credible evidence for the carceral representation hypothesis. The results showed that private prison companies tend to put immigration detention centers in states where Congressional representatives feel that the residents of those states will be in support of the harsh treatment of the detention facilities. Therefore, the lawmakers coming from those specific locations are not retaliating to the financial needs of the companies in charge of the ICE detention facilities but instead, acknowledging the voters whose preferences agree with the rules and practices of ICE detention facilities (Collingwood et al. 8). In Texas and California, there are isolated areas where there are large numbers of ICE detention facilities. The isolation makes it easier to isolate immigrants and difficult for their conditions to be monitored. Immigrants' civil rights are not taken into consideration. Civil rights should not be compromised, and profit should not be the main focus when building immigrant detention facilities. ICE detention facilities should not be built with Congress supporting the harsh treatment of the immigrants and the inhumane actions of the patrol officers. The results also confirm that private prison companies fully develop their buildings by preying on undocumented immigrants (Collingwood et al. 8). By fully supporting the harsh practices of ICE detention facilities, Congress preys on immigrants. As these facilities expand, we need to keep investigating what happens in the facilities.
In "The black box: Solitary confinement practices in a subset of U.S. immigrant detention facilities" the article conduct different analyses about solitary confinement in ICE detention facilities. "The findings suggest that immigrant detention facilities may be relying on solitary confinement to manage the behavior and needs of mentally ill detainees. Indeed, our analyses reveal that over 57% of solitary confinement cases involved an individual with a mental illness, though these individuals are estimated to make up only about 15% of the ICE detainee population" (Patler et al. 3). If facilities continue to keep mentally ill detainees in confinement in order to 'control' their behavior, this will only exacerbate the problem. Nobody is able to function mentally or emotionally if they are in confinement 23 hours a day, especially if they are already suffering from mental illness.
Overall, we as a country need to strictly investigate the rules, practices, and ethics of ICE detention facilities. Detainees should be treated with care no matter the circumstance. Immigrants should also be respected and be able to exercise their God-given, civil rights. Congress should care about the overall well-being and health of others, instead of profiting from the detention facilities. Immigrants are humans and should not be discounted. ICE detention facilities should house their detainees without solitary confinement and provide a place for them to interact with others. How much longer will it take for America to realize and take ownership of this unruly mess we've made?
Blitz, Brad K., et al. "Health Challenges in Refugee Reception: Dateline Europe 2016." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 30 November 2017, https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.vcu.edu/docview/1988592617/fulltextPDF/F045B8014C2C4B91PQ/1?accountid=14780. Accessed 16 October 2018.
Collingwood, Loren et al. "Expanding Carceral Markets: Detention Facilities, ICE Contracts, and the Financial Interests of Punitive Immigration Policy." Race and Social Problems, 2 July 2018, https://link-springer-com.proxy.library.vcu.edu/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs12552-018-9241-5.pdf. Accessed 16 October 2018.
Patler, Caitlin et al. "The Black Box Within a Black Box: Solitary Confinement Practices in a Subset of U.S. Immigrant Detention Facilities." Journal of Population Research, 12 September 2018, https://link-springer-com.proxy.library.vcu.edu/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs12546-018-9209-8.pdf . Accessed 17 October 2018.
Franklin Ross D. Reuters. Pool. https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/GettyImages-450883206-2.jpg. Accessed 26 October 2018.
"Health Challenges in Refugee Reception: Dateline Europe 2016"
In the article, "Health Challenges in Refugee Reception: Dateline Europe 2016", it discusses and explains the various health challenges that refugees face living in detention facilities. It focuses on the overcrowding and the contagious diseases immigrants deal with. As more women and children coming into ICE detention facilities, there is an increased need for healthcare because young children have weaker immune systems, which means they need medicine and perhaps more medical attention. ICE detention facilities have certain guidelines that they should follow based on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees such as, having clean toilets, separate showers for women, protection for everyone, safe places for children in the facility, good health provision, and the availability of psychosocial programs.
The main author, Brad K. Blitz, has very strong credentials. He is a Professor of International Politics at Middlesex University & Senior Fellow of the Global Migration Centre, Graduate Institute, Geneva. This proves that he is a trustworthy and credible source to rely on information from. This article is organized well with chronological order and structure of this article flows from one point to the next. The article is not biased because the authors conducted research to test hypotheses and determine results, without being biased toward one group or opinion. The authors' use of official terms such as, "UNHCR" and the fact that is has been peer-reviewed by experts shows the trustworthiness of the authors' (ethos). The authors' use of emotional appeal to immigrants that are suffering in the ICE detention facilities (pathos). Also, the great use of explanations while conducting studies and gathering information reveals the logical reasoning (logos) of the article.
"Expanding Carceral Markets: Detention Facilities, ICE Contracts, and the Financial Interests of Punitive Immigration Policy"
In this article, it discusses how ICE detention facilities are funded and what affects the funding of the buildings. They examined two things: one was if campaign donations played a role in legislators supporting cruel immigration legislation and the second one is if legislators have constituents in support of detention facilities, are there more likely to be detention facilities in that state? (Collingwood et al. 1). The results show how the donations made by private prison companies and other contractors to legislators are funded based on the support of Congress. It was shown that states that have Congressmen and Congresswomen who are in support of the views of their government officials have a higher chance of ICE detention facilities in that area.
The main author, Loren Collingwood has strong credentials as well. His credentials include a Ph.D. in Political Science, M.A. in Political Science, B.A. in Psychology, and his research fields include American Politics, Methods, Race and Ethnic Politics, and Immigration. This shows the ethos and the trustworthiness of the article based on the author. This article is organized with great structure, flowing from point to point. The article is not biased, and the authors are reliable sources because they provide charts with an abundance of information about detention facilities, ICE Contracts, and the Financial Interests of Punitive Immigration Policy. The authors' use of explaining how immigrants are suffering and the reasons why more detention facilities are being built evokes an emotional response from the reader. The evidence of the experiments conducted and the explanations to support the argument reveals the logos of the argument.
Summary and Analysis: "The black box: Solitary Confinement Practices in a Subset of U.S. Immigrant Detention Facilities"
This article explains numerous things that immigrants experience while in ICE detention facilities. Many immigrants face mental issues, psychological problems, and a lack in nutritious food while living in ICE detention facilities. These things alone are not healthy for any individual, but these things collaboratively will exacerbate health problems. Immigrants who are detained already experience enough trials on their journey over here to the United States but for them to feel inferior to ones that should be their equal is an issue. Previous investigation found that people who are forced to move face emotional, psychological, health issues, and suicidal tendencies (2). Being in isolation for a long period of time (22-23 hours per day) is mentally, emotionally, and physically unhealthy to experience.
The main author has strong credentials. Caitlin Patler has her Ph.D. and she is an assistant professor of Sociology at UC Davis. Her research focuses on migration, inequality, and socio-legal studies. She is currently conducting two longitudinal and mixed-methods research studies on: 1) immigration detention, deportation, and the intersections of immigration and criminal law, and 2) the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Dr. Patler's research is informed by over 17 years of work with immigrants' rights organizations focused on immigration detention, access to education for undocumented youth, and low-wage labor markets. She has volunteered with No More Deaths, a humanitarian aid organization on the U.S.-Mexico border. Her credentials shows that she is a trustworthy source. This article resembles ethical appeals (ethos) because it has been peer-reviewed by experts. The article resembles logical reasoning (logos) because it provides evidence to support and their findings. The article resembles emotional appeal (pathos) because it provokes a sense of sympathy in the reader when they discuss the mental struggles for the immigrants as a result of being in isolation for so long.
Coming to a Close
For the Love of Money
Summer Blues
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Small Businesses Exempted From Tax Payment – Federal Government
The Federal Government of Nigeria has exempted all small businesses in the country with an annual profit of less than twenty-five million nairas from the payment of company income tax.
According to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, who made this known at the wake of new increase of taxes by 7.5% said that the new bill will ensure that companies earning between N25m and N100m annually will pay 20 percent of their income as tax, while those earning over N100m will continue to pay 30 percent.
She also revealed that with the development small businesses will be able to do more because they are not paying taxes, as well as their productivity. She also said the development will increase job opportunities as more Nigerians will be employed at the end of the day,
The ministers also noted that the finance bill had been forwarded to the president by the National Assembly for assent and a copy of the bill had also been sent across to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies to cross-check the provisions.
Afenifere Sends 'Strong Warning' To Buhari Govt Over Amotekun
Federal Government Of Nigeria Finally Opens Up On Earth Tremor In Abuja
Over 90,000 University Staff Enrolled In IPPIS- Federal Government
Details Of Buhari's Meeting With ASUU Emerge
President Buhari In Closed-Door Meeting With ASUU
N-Power Sacks Over 200,000 Volunteers Beneficiaries


When the film came out, it quickly became apparent something was wrong and I chose not to go to the cinema to watch it, and even when it came out on disc I steered a wide berth, when in years past it likely would have been a blind purchase- but my curiosity remained. Well, I've finally gotten around to watching it, and the reviews and word of mouth seem pretty much right.
It is curious that the wife of Assassins Creed's Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, herself featured in a movie based on a videogame (the Tomb Raider reboot) and it largely suffered from the same problem that Assassins Creed does – it was just too faithful. There are both sincere and well-made but treat the source material with simply too much respect, becoming stilted and marred by too many action set-pieces intended to evoke moments of the videogame originals. Both films needed a life of their own, I think.
Maybe I've watched too many conspiracy films/tv shows and too many sagas with secret societies and well, maybe too many Dan Brown books/movies. Its all very pompous and apocalyptic and self-important. Better, I think, to have just introduced our protagonist to the mystery gradually, and the audience with him. Maybe eased off with the two warring factions of Templars and Assassins- the central premise of the story, that history can be re-experienced through genetic memory, is conceit enough for a film, I think. You can 'buy into' a lot of that other stuff fine in a videogame, in just the same way as you can all the mythology in comicbooks, say, but once you start translating all of that into movies, well, you're risking all sorts of trouble. It becomes too larger than life, I think.
Which is a curious thing to consider- maybe it's blowing things up onto a movie screen, with real actors and a music soundtrack and visual effects, all of that, maybe that's artifice enough, that even subconsciously as a viewer there's sometimes just too much suspension of disbelief involved with all the videogame paraphernalia on top of everything. Indeed it is the same problem comicbook movies have, managing to accept bizarre realities with people dressing up in weird costumes and defying all the laws of physics with their superpowers- its okay in a comic but in a movie it can all look a bit… weird, daft.
In any event, this film is structured strangely anyhow, with a strange quest (trace the fabled Apple of Eden) with indistinct reason (Templars defeat Assassins, ensure peace through the end of Freewill, whatever it actually means) and uncovering the strange lineage of our convict hero with Daddy issues. Its just a messy story awkwardly told, unless I was paying insufficient attention. I suppose you just have to go along with all the nonsense, particularly when our baddie finally gets the famed Apple and, rather than use it to ensure World Peace etc, he waits for the annual Templar Convention in London to do it because he's a sucker for a showstopper and the applause of his superiors. I mean, you've got the answer to Everything and the vindication of centuries of struggle and sacrifice and you just… don't use it? I know it would have been the end of the movie, but, you know, why script it like that and leave it hanging like a big plot hole just sitting there bugging me for the rest of the movie.
Not that there was a lot of movie left after the bad guys attend their annual bad guy conference: most damning of all, the film fizzles to a halt, just stopping as if we are missing another twenty minutes and a 'proper' ending. Are we supposed to be left on the edge of our seats waiting for another installment? Well, that may be the cause, because there was evidently a franchise in mind with this film, a familiar blight of films now. You can't just tell one, self-contained story anymore with a beginning, middle and end, no, it's all a serial now, just more the pity when poor box-office cuts such prospects adrift.
So Assassins Creed was quite frustrating. A great cast, and some really nice action sequences and art direction, competently done generally, but undermined by a stodgy script laden with self-importance and lapses of logic. I also think the direction (or maybe it was the editing) was lacking at times, in simply telling the story. Its one thing to maintain a mystery, another to leave the audience lost not understanding what's going on or why. Mind, it all seemed to make sense in the videogame.


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Cellular frequency bands explained
Jul 31, 2020 — 5 min read
What you need to know about the radio signals that affect your wireless service.
At Allconnect, we work to present quality information with editorial integrity. While this post may contain offers from our partners, our opinions are our own. Here's how we make money.
If you've been thinking about switching cellphone providers but are hesitant due to the costs of buying a new device, consider this: Contrary to popular belief, you may not have to invest in a new phone to do it. All you need to do is figure out whether your current phone is compatible with the cellular frequency bands the new network uses.
That may sound confusing, but it's not. Unlocked phones, which are devices that can work with multiple mobile networks, are a prime example of utilizing the more common compatible frequencies and bands used by cellphone providers like AT&T and Sprint. If your phone is unlocked, it will work with multiple providers.
It won't work with every provider, though. While most cellphones work on either CDMA or GSM network bands and can easily hop from 4G LTE networks and providers, not all 3G phones will. That's why it's important to know what your phone operates off of. If you know that, you'll know whether it's compatible with the new cell provider so that you can make calls, send texts and use data without constant frustration.
Let's take a look at some of the more common wireless providers and the cellular frequency bands they use — along with how you can determine what your phone works with so you can make the seamless switch to a new provider when you're ready.
What are cellular frequency bands?
Cellular frequency bands are radio signals from cellphone providers — like AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon — that your device connects to in order to do things like text, make calls, use data, etc.
More specifically, cellular frequency bands measure the vibrations that travel through the air and create sound waves. The more vibrations there are, the higher the frequency that is produced. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), named for Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, a German physicist. Cellular frequency bands — which you may recognize as being short for bandwidth — refer to the range of radio frequencies that can be contained within a signal. That's the technical version, though. The layman's version is that these two work together to create the network that your cellphone works with — or doesn't work with, in some cases.
A brief history lesson
The first commercial standard for mobile connection in the U.S. was the AMPS network, which was part of the 800 MHz frequency band. As the demand for mobile phones increased, providers found themselves with a problem: Carriers couldn't keep up with the rapidly increasing number of consumers who wanted mobile devices on that frequency.
That demand led providers to introduce new standards, often based on other frequencies. Eventually, AMPS was replaced by various digital systems like Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) — which is what most providers use for their networks today.
The future is now?
Demand still dictates the influx of new technology. There are innovations emerging to help make good cellphone service more easily accessible. For example, depending on the type of cellphone frequency, some waves have difficulty traveling long distances or passing through barriers (like walls), so signal boosters were developed to help combat the issue. You can find plenty of options for signal boosters for your home, vehicle and office building.
Another significant innovation that impacts cellular frequency bands is the development of the 5G network. The move to 5G is of significant benefit to cellphone customers because service is much faster and less spotty on this network. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, 5G is expected to be five times faster than 4G networks — the current dominating technology. To date, all major mobile providers in the U.S. offer 5G services and are slowly rolling them out.
Why cellphone frequencies are important
If the time comes for you to switch wireless providers and you're determined to take your unlocked cellphone with you, your cellular frequency will inform your decision. You'll have to find out which network standards the device is compatible with and choose from the providers offering networks it can connect to.
If your phone isn't compatible with the new network, your cellphone service could be impacted — or your phone might simply not work — if your device doesn't align well with the provider you choose.
But even if it does work and just isn't completely compatible, you could end up with patchy service or regular disruptions. Finding out you don't have service in the midst of an emergency situation is unacceptable. If you want good cell service, it's important to research what networks your unlocked phone will work with.
Ultimately, the frequency compatibility (or lack thereof) could limit your options for wireless providers — especially if your phone is using older 3G technology — so you should make sure any provider you're considering has a compatible network before you switch.
Cell frequencies by provider
Provider 3G Frequency 4G Frequency 5G Frequency
AT&T GSM/UMTS/HSPA+ 1900 MHz, 850 MHz 1900, 1700/2100, 850, 700 2300 850 MHz, 39 GHz
Sprint CDMA 1900 MHz, 800 MHz 1900, 850, 2500 2.5 GHz
T-Mobile GSM/UMTS/HSPA+ 1900 MHz, 1700/2100 MHz 1900, 1700/2100 700, 600 600 MHz, 28 GH, 39 GHz
Verizon CDMA 850 MHz, 1900 MHz 1900, 1700/2100, 850, 700 28 GHz
How to determine your cellphone frequency
In order to figure out whether your phone is compatible with a new mobile network, you'll need to do a bit of research. Thankfully, figuring out the compatibility of your device and a carrier is not terribly complex.
If you want to figure out whether your phone will work with a new carrier, the table above will help you. First, find your cellphone's frequency compatibility by contacting the provider or searching the provider's website. Once you have that information, you can then cross-reference your telecom's 3G and 4G bands with the bands your unlocked smartphone supports to see if they line up.
When cross-referencing this information, you'll want to see as much overlap as possible between the bands in order to be sure that the device and the network are compatible. If the two columns match up, your unlocked phone will likely be fully compatible with the new network.
Larger providers, such as those listed above, also offer tools to help you figure out whether your unlocked device is compatible with their networks. You can also use independent online services to find out what carriers work best for your phone.
Understanding cellular frequency bands can seem unnecessary or intimidating, but it's incredibly important when you're using an unlocked phone to connect to a new provider network. The only way your phone will work correctly is if you make sure you've chosen the right carrier with the right network for your mobile device.
By Amanda Push
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I think one of my reasons for playing free would be to test the casinos software. Does it work well? Is it fast? Do they have the games, themes and.
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Progressive Slots, progressive slots are where millionaires are made ( think Mega Fortune slots ). You pay the full amount, and a portion of your wager will contribute to a.


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Lost Puppy Found 900 Miles from Home
Bell, 11 months, traveled from Texas to Florida.
By Damian Geminder	• Published at 12:38 pm on August 11, 2015
A puppy is back home following an unscheduled cross-country trip that had her owners worried sick.
Bell, an 11-month-old miniature Australian Shepherd, ended up almost 900 miles from her Texas home in a town near Jacksonville, Florida, NBC affiliate FCN reports. She was brought into the Clay Humane Society as a stray but a microchip implanted in the pooch helped staff trace her back to her Texas veterinarian.
"There is so much we don't know about her getting here, but she is in fantastic shape," said Dr. Christian Broadhurst, senior veterinarian at Clay Humane.
Bell was found with no significant wear-and-tear to her paws, which probably meant that she may have received a ride along the way, the staff believes.
Bell's owner, Matt Turner, and his son had been searching desperately for the dog and flew to Florida to retrieve her.
"The first thing I said when I talked to the shelter here was, 'Are you sure that it's my dog?'" Turner said. "They said, 'We're 100 percent sure that it's her.' "


These trendy and adorable, soft cotton cable knit knee high socks are hand-dyed in our Tampa workshop in the trendiest colors of the season! These are a summer must have and pair perfectly with shorts, rompers and dresses. They are a light-weight cotton knit (mix with a little spandex for the perfect fit!) and they will stay up!! No one likes a droopy knee high!


CALGARY—Canada's Tristan Walker and Justin Snith joined forces to post a career-best sixth-place finish in doubles racing at the Luge World Cup in Calgary on Saturday night.
Two of the youngest athletes on the elite circuit, the 20-year-old Canucks posted the sixth fastest time on their opening run at 43.993 and held their position in their final trip down the 1,100-metre track at Canada Olympic Park to clock a combined time of 1:27.924.
Walker and Snith finished eighth at the World Championships last year. Their previous best World Cup result came at the season-opener in Austria when they placed ninth.
Germany's Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt set the time to beat at 1:27.661. Austria's Andreas Linger and Wolfgang Linger slid to the silver medal with a time of 1:27.693, while Germany's Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken locked up the bronze at 1:27.829.
Meanwhile, Sam Edney slid into ninth spot in men's singles to cap off a memorable weekend of racing for the Canadians at the Luge World Cup in Calgary on Saturday night.
The 27-year-old Calgarian stumbled out of the start in his opening run, but rebounded to post a solid ninth-place time of 1:29.972 in his two tripsdown the track on a warm and breezy night at Canada Olympic Park.
The two-time Olympian tried to feed off the historic win by teammateAlex Gough on Friday night in the women's singles race, and is building momentum heading into the Christmas break after matching his career-best fifth-place result last weekend in Whistler, B.C.
Andi Langenhan was the most consistent slider under the lights on the western edge of Calgary, clocking a winning two-run time of 1:29.406 en route to leading a Germany sweep of the podium. Felix Loch finished second at 1:29.500, while David Möller slid to the bronze at 1:29.657.
The Luge World Cup continues January 5-6, 2012 in Konigssee, Germany.
1. Andi Langenhan, GER, 1:29.406; 2. Felix Loch, GER, 1:29.500; 3. David Möller, GER, 1:29.657; 4. Armin Zöggeler, ITA, 1:29.678; 5. Manuel Pfister, AUT, 1:29.743.


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Could a medieval / early modern blast furnace produce steel alloys
Blast furnaces have been in China since the 1st century, and arrived in the west during the late 1400's. Imagine now a society "stuck" in the early modern / late medieval period, could they produce steel alloys, particularly the "Mangalloy"?
technology medieval metals pre-industrial
Jedboo
JedbooJedboo
$\begingroup$ From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_furnace#History, and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… it seems that blast furnaces have existed for a long time; it is the diffusion of knowledge that might have been the issue. $\endgroup$ – asylumax Dec 21 '17 at 4:15
$\begingroup$ @asylumax Oh my God, this is changes everything. I'll re-formulate my question. Thanks, friend! $\endgroup$ – Jedboo Dec 21 '17 at 4:17
$\begingroup$ Could the blast furnaces of the time have done it? Yes. What stopped them? Every technology is built upon a pyramid of knowledge that extends back through thousands of years and a seemingly infinite amount of human experience. You're lacking the mountain of knowledge and experience from 1450 to 1880 that led to Robert Hadfield's discovery. The real question is how you're going to weave that particular Connecticut Yankee into your King Authur's Court? If you cannot, then the technology dichotomy forces me to answer "no." $\endgroup$ – JBH Dec 21 '17 at 5:39
$\begingroup$ The question should always end with "in significant quantity and somewhat reliable quality." There was steel. But one could not use lots and lots of those little furnaces to build a steel girder bridge, for example. $\endgroup$ – o.m. Dec 21 '17 at 7:34
$\begingroup$ Blast furnace can produce pig/cast iron, not steel. You can fiddle with composition, but the output would still be a low-quality product. You would need secondary forges to decarbonize cast iron and make real steel. $\endgroup$ – Alexander Dec 21 '17 at 8:37
Manganese was the first alloy steel
Mangalloy was the first alloy steel, made by Robert Hadfield in 1882; so its as good a place to start with as any.
My research into steel-making methods of the time is somewhat inconclusive, but I am reasonably confident that the heating method that Hadfield used as the Siemens-Martin process, also called open hearth furnace.
Ancient smelting methods
First, a rundown of various ancient smelting methods.
Bloomery: The oldest type of furnace, this is just a pit or chimney made of clay or stone. You put the iron in, heat it with fuel and a bellows, and then take out the glowing mass to form into the shape you want. The furnace can't really be scaled up, and it won't fully melt the iron. This process converts ore directly into
Cupola Furnace: The Chinese never developed bloomeries, instead they went straight to casting iron. It is not completely clear what sort of forge they used, but evidently it could reach 1130 C and and melt iron ore. This can be poured into molds and cast.
Finery Forge: Cast iron is brittle and nearly useless, so within a couple centuries the Chinese invented the finery forge, where cast iron is heated and repeatedly beaten to remove impurities to make wrought iron.
Blast Furnace: In a blast furnace, fuel is constantly fed along with forced air to run off slag and form pig iron directly (which would then be finery forged into wrought iron). This greatly increases the rate and fuel efficiency of iron production, and obsoletes the simple cupola.
Puddling Furnace: Instead of pounding with a finery forge, the molten iron is melted without contact with fuel and then stirred up with iron rods (which then melt into the mix). It can then be poured and cast into wrought iron. The key is the without fuel part, this allows free carbon to be burned out with oxygen, and so wrought iron to be made. The Blast Furnace-Puddling combo was in use in China by around the 1st century AD, and not copied in Europe until much later.
All of these techniques could be used to make steel. Any resulting wrought iron could be hammered (similar to the bloomery or finery forge) to decarbonize until steel was made. This was normally done under a 'cold blast' or forced air.
Modern techniques
The Europeans really didn't catch up with the most advanced Medieval Chinese blast furnace until the combination of Abraham Darby's coked blast furnace in 1709 and Henry Colt's puddling furnace in 1784. After that advances came rapidly.
Hot blast: Invented by James Neilson in 1828. This is a pre-heating of air before entering the blast furnace with a regenerative heat exchanger. This is key for both increasing fuel efficiency and increasing furnace temperatures. In this old photo, air is run through three Cowper stoves which capture the exhaust from the furnace and use it to heat incoming air.
Bessemer Process: Invented by Henry Bessemer in 1856, this made use of the hot blast to blow hot air through the molten iron. This completed the puddling process at the same time as the iron was being melted, and control of air flow allowed the carbon content for a desired steel product to be reached at the same time. This combined all three steps of the old Chinese process into one (blast furnace -> puddling -> cold blast forge) to make steel much cheaper.
Open Hearth furnace: Invented by Carl Siemens and Pierre-Emile Martin in 1865. This makes more extensive use of regenerative pre-heating to achieve fuel savings, and to increase temperatures even further, enough to melt steel. This allowed it to be used to recycle scrap steel, but the slower heating process also allowed time for extensive sampling of the product to achieve the desired chemical compositions
I suspect the open hearth furnace is required to make a manganese alloy. The only way to ensure you have the correct amount of alloy mixed in, is to add it to molten steel, and you can't do that without an open hearth furnace.
You could add chunks of manganese to your ore and do the ancient Chinese process, but you would run into problems. As the iron mixes with carbon (from charcoal or coke) its melting point drops, allowing it to melt in a blast furnace. But as it mixes with the manganese, its melting point will raise again. Before hot blast, there was no way to keep this mixture molten. Thus, you would end up with an incompletely mixed solid. I suppose this could be pounded into an alloy blade, but that would take months of hammering per blade, and the alloy mix would be pretty uncertain. So only the finest (modern) Damascus steel-type blades could be made with an alloy, but it might have a bad alloy mix and end up weak or brittle.
So the conclusion is, you need the hot blast and open hearth technologies to have any hope at making Mangalloy. On the plus side, the technological requirements of a regenerative heater for hot blast are not much. You can make a brick pre-heating chamber and use a waterwheel to force air through pottery inlet air pipes through it to get a pre-heat.
So final conclusion is: Yes, you can make alloys if you take Medieval Chinese steelmaking technology and give them a method of regenerative heating of blast furnace inlet air.
$\begingroup$ True, but they would have needed a lot of trial and error experimentation, especially having no knowledge of manganese en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangalloy . If you don't know there's a really useful alloy of iron and manganese to be had you have to do a lot of trial and error searching with a wide range of rocks and ores to come upon it by chance and at the right proportions. $\endgroup$ – Slarty Dec 21 '17 at 17:49
$\begingroup$ @king: "This process converts ore directly into" That sentence is incomplete. $\endgroup$ – Nicol Bolas Jan 28 '18 at 15:42
Unlikely but possible
Although the Chinese may have had the base level technology I doubt that this technology was very "robust", meaning the output would have been a bit variable depending on who was making it and what went into the furnace. I also expect it would have been expensive and labour intensive so I doubt they would have had the luxury of being able to play around experimenting with a vast array of steel making materials.
It is just possible that it might have been different, but they would have needed a lot of luck. Assuming that they did have some time to experiment, perhaps some high ranking nobleman had an interest and allowed his workers to experiment.
Then assume they had the right materials to hand to experiment with – with high manganese content ore uncontaminated by phosphorus, arsenic, or sulphur.
Then assume they put a lot in, not 4-5% leading to very poor quality steel, that will just shatter if hit with a hammer, but around 13% to make Magalloy.
SlartySlarty
To add to the other answers, the Japanese were great at making hardened steel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_swordsmithing
At the bottom of that page in the "Notable swordsmiths" section, the first listing is for Amakuni, who is reported to make the first single edged sword in 700CE.
Japanese swords were/are made not just by pour metals, but by pounding and folding the metals, effectively mixing the metal in a solid form. Folding the metal means that anything not mixed while liquid effectively gets mixed in anyway. Folding means that the layers go up by powers of 2. So, fold a piece of paper in half 2 times gets you 4 layers, 4 times gets you 16, and folding 16 times gets you 65,536 layers.
Also, they would start by forge weld different qualities of steel together to get the right hardness for their purpose.
These swords were made over a period of weeks, not the months suggested by @kingledion to mix solid metals.
I think the answer is still yes, and a lot easier and faster than previously suggested.
computercarguycomputercarguy
$\begingroup$ Such folding is a means to distribute or compensate for inclusions (to minimize weak spots), not to "mix in" other substances to make new alloys, and you are most certainly not going to create a mangalloy by forge-welding together layers of iron and manganese. Folding it over on itself and hammering it back together is considerably worse than if made from a solid billet of steel (claims of the magical properties of katanas notwithstanding). $\endgroup$ – pluckedkiwi Dec 22 '17 at 20:23
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Home » Thiel: Roster churn claims more top names
Thiel: Roster churn claims more top names
By Art Thiel August 1, 2011 22 Comments6 Mins Read
After refusing a pay cut, Lofa Tatupu became the latest local big name to depart / Rod Mar, Seahawks
Spotting a veteran Seattle pro sports fan has become even easier lately, no longer merely because of the basset-hound expressions.
He or she is the one with the crick in the neck from looking back so much.
First it was the reunion of the 2001 Mariners team of 116 wins. Then came the reunion party Friday night at Safeco for some premier figures in the Sonics' 41 years, the first civic salute since the franchise was hijacked in 2008 to Oklahoma City.
On a more contemporary note, the past week saw players jettisoned who packed a quality local past.
Notable Seahawks departures: Matt Hasselbeck, Lawyer Milloy and Lofa Tatupu. Maybe Marcus Trufant.
Notable Mariners departures: Doug Fister, David Pauley, Erik Bedard.
Given the light legacy of championship success in these parts, it's easy to mock any lust for a modest past. But that ignores a legit sentiment: Many fans don't necessarily have to have big-time winners to care big time.
Which the Mariners and Seahawks franchises are counting upon heavily these days. Looking forward instead of backward largely has been an unrewarding endeavor hereabouts.
Every team celebrates its past, because as players, managers and coaches come and go, sports history across the generations rests with fans. They are the keepers of the flame. Any team that fails to honor the bond risks losing it.
But the last three weeks of reunions and exits, made more intense by the unscheduled coincidence of the NFL's free agent period with MLB's non-waiver trade deadline, created quite the collision of emotions and logic.
Regarding the reunions, from Spencer Haywood, Seattle's first pro sports superstar – think LeBron James before LeBron James — through Lenny Wilkens, to Jack Sikma, Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, through Lou Piniella, Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner . . . goodness, there was greatness lately in the house.
Then there was Ichiro, astride the timeline — once great in 2001 and now desperate to be good in 2011, perhaps wishing he could be among the returning retirees whose biggest worry is about tee times, not learning the names of six new teammates.
The Mariners acquired a half-dozen new players over the weekend, part of the annual end-of-July MLB ritual for the perpetually mediocre.
As they have done so many times before, the Mariners surrendered proven talent for the promise of talent. The early reviews from baseball people and media types who have seen the prospects acquired Sunday for Bedard and minor league relief pitcher Josh Fields say Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik did well. But that's what was said a couple of years ago when he engineered a deal with the Mets that brought starting pitcher Jason Vargas and centerfielder Franklin Gutierrez.
Well, Vargas lost his fifth consecutive game Sunday – 8-1 to Tampa, another dreary effort that ballooned Vargas' ERA to 6.84 over the last five games — and Gutierrez is hitting .194. Prospects are always suspects until they deliver consistently on the major league level, so Mariners fans can be excused if their eyebrows are slow to arch regarding the newbies.
At the least, the sudden vacancies in the starting rotation create a spot for Felix Hernandez's TV-commercial avatar, Larry Bernandez.
Over in Renton, the Seahawks have no alter egos, and perhaps no egos left at all. GM John Schneider insisted that linebacker and team captain Tatupu, one of the stalwarts of the locker room and a three-time Pro Bowler, take a significant pay cut to stay on. Tatupu refused, so he was cut.
Now more than ever, fans understand the NFL is a ruthless business. The oft-injured Tatupu was neither the first nor the last NFL player in decline to be subjected to such a humbling experience. Still, the pay cut and the roster cut is a double dip of pain for one who started in the Super Bowl his rookie season.
As it was for his teammates, including his replacement at middle linebacker, David Hawthorne.
"We were just like, 'Oh my God — a tremendous leader and a great guy is leaving us, " Hawthorne told reporters Sunday. "So it was kind of hard."
Tatupu's departure leaves just 16 players who were on the roster when Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll arrived in January 2010. Given what they discovered, it wasn't as if they were tearing down the 1985 Chicago Bears. Still, seeing Tatupu leave right after the offense's leader, Hasselbeck, was undeniably harsh.
Unfortunately, Carroll spent much of his time with reporters Sunday trying to explain that he and Tatupu, whom he coached at USC, were largely yippee-skippee about the whole thing.
"It's a mutual agreement that we made that we both feel good about," Carroll said with a straight face. "I think it's a good thing for us. I don't know that anybody else sees it that way, but I know that Lofa and I do. We feel very good about the plan and I'm wishing him the best, and he's wishing us the best."
Well, I suppose there's someone on the planet who might be happy about going from $4.35 million in salary to zero, but I doubt it's Tatupu. While Carroll would be wrong to be blunt about Tatupu's decline and jeopardize his chances to get another NFL job, the fact was that Sunday was a brutal decision for a popular figure.
Anyone seasoned in sports knows that roster churn is as inevitable as it is cruel. Probably every athlete at the two big Safeco reunions felt he could still play beyond the time he was forced to end his career. Yet any team that isn't churning its roster has zero hope.
Because they've been well-rewarded, none of the athletes deserves pity. Because the fans are invested in the team too, they don't need to patronized with pap.
The last few weeks in pro sports here have whipsawed the emotions. But if it's any salve to Tatupu and his legion of fans, they can rest assured that when it comes time to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Seahawks 2005 Super Bowl season, the Mariners will give him and his teammates a helluva pre-game reunion.
Is DeBoer 'special'? Only if he gets Huskies their money
Wilson has lots of time, as long as he doesn't have to do it all
Kraken's coach took the hard way to Seattle
Carthur75 on August 1, 2011 2:01 pm
You are charging to read content now?!?! Well this may be the way of the future but for now I still have options… and SPNW is no longer one of them-
Carthur75 on August 1, 2011 6:01 am
Wilson99aps on August 1, 2011 2:52 pm
Ditto Carthur75.
Wilson99aps on August 1, 2011 6:52 am
Michael Kaiser on August 1, 2011 3:07 pm
Oh, I might pay for the content. It is better than the crowd-pandering dribble the Times puts out. But if SPNW is going to charge then it needs to make it more clear what the process is for such. A lot of people, for whatever reasons, also no longer want to spend a lot of time on the phone.
Michael Kaiser on August 1, 2011 7:07 am
raccoon in the rain on August 1, 2011 3:27 pm
Sorry, Art…poor man, broke…no raise in 4 years. Your work is great, but I can't afford it. I totally understand after seeing the fate of the PI, so no hard feelings. You are by far the best sports writer in Seattle, so I'll miss reading your stuff. Good luck with the website and I'll catch you on the radio sometimes!
You don't even know what SPNW might charge. Stop being disingenuous. Furthermore, you, like everyone else on the planet, pays at times for "entertainment." That is what SPNW is.
And, by the way, don't wait for a raise. Go out and create one.
raccoon in the rain on August 1, 2011 7:27 am
Gee thanks, Mr. Kaiser! I'll go out and create a raise!!!! Why didn't I think of that before? You are right…I do pay for some of my entertainment. I pay for my internet access. I don't buy access to individual websites, ESPN insider, nor SPNW…. I live on a limited budget. And this is somehow disingenuous…in other words, you think I am lying. Your logic is suspect. Gotta go register for classes for a career change. Is that creating a raise? Or should I just write paychecks to myself…honestly…
JTK on August 1, 2011 3:59 pm
It appears that you've moved to some sort of subscription-based model for your site. If so, and I don't mean to sound sarcastic, but it's usually a good idea for the site to provide a page containing the cost of said subscription plus some sort of facility that allows reader(s) to purchase it. I don't see either of these elements on your site, and I tried fairly hard to find them. If they are somewhere on the site, it is not obvious to the reader. Not good. Makes it difficult to buy your product.
It has long been a widely-accepted belief in the web world that readers will not pay for content. Thus, subscription-based sites are a very tough road to hoe. Only a very, very precious few have been successful.
Love your writing and I wish you success. Thanks. JTK
JTK on August 1, 2011 7:59 am
totally confused….now I am able to read the whole article. And it was a good one. Thanks, Art!
3 Lions on August 1, 2011 6:05 pm
If only the Mariners could cut a guy after they figured they overpaid & misevaluated.
3 Lions on August 1, 2011 10:05 am
Art Thiel on August 1, 2011 8:40 pm
The paid content designation was accidental, and has been removed. Read on!
Art Thiel on August 1, 2011 12:40 pm


Test are you a shopaholic?
How often do you go shopping? never once in a while once a month every Saturday.
How much do you spend? less than 10 euros between 10 to 30 euros more than 30 euros.
When you have some free time, do you play sports? spend time with your friends chatting? go to the shopping centre?.


People of the world! Every boy and every girl: In the lead up to our second annual Hot & Spicy Festival on Apr 20-21, we're Spicing Up Our Lives with a few of the vendors to see what searing treats they'll be doling out at the rapidly approaching fine spring weekend. This time: Sorry, founder of NAO Brain BBQ Bistro.
Winding your way through the slow-moving procession of shambling sightseers that thicken Nanluogu Xiang on any given day, it can certainly feel like you've entered a parallel universe. Do zombies rule the earth now? Are those brightly colored sticks they're gnawing on candied hawthorns or bloody eyeballs? Is that restaurant over there serving brains??
While the zombiepocalype may not have arrived quite yet, NAO Brain BBQ Bistro has been serving up one of China's more divisive delicacies on the busy strip for over six years, and show no sign of budging. We got chatting to Sorry, NAO's R&D chef about why their spicy brain remains such a drawcard on the bistro's menu, what makes Chinese spicy food superior to all others, and what visitors to the NAO stand at this weekend's Hot & Spicy Festival can expect.
Did you attend last year's Hot & Spicy Festival?
I didn't go, but I read a lot of accounts of people who did. The Hot Chili Pepper Eating Contest is an idea that I like a lot, and I go to the Beijinger Burger Festival every year (I really have an extraordinary love for hamburgers, even my son is called Hamburger). I will attend this year's event with a lot of friends who will also attend.
In your opinion, what are the important elements that help to make delicious spicy food?
'Spicy' is a feeling rather than a taste. The combination of sweet and savory in your mouth, plus Chinese spices, are the essential elements for cooking spicy food. We also use fresh ingredients to absorb all the spicy flavors, each with their own unique function and spicy elements.
Tell us about the spicy food you will bring to our Hot & Spicy Festival, and three of its unique features to prove why it is the best spicy dish in Beijing.
The spicy dishes we have prepared for the Hot & Spicy Festival are our signature spicy brain and a beef dish. For the spicy brain, we first remove the outer fatty layer so as to reduce its astringency, and then we use 21 kinds of spices and six kinds of peppers to make the signature spicy sauce. Then we slowly roast it whole for 15 minutes over fire, infusing the whole brain with a spicy and salty taste. Then it's sprinkled with sour radish and sesame to balance the taste. In the end, the taste is soft and rich, but most importantly, balanced. I believe this is the best spicy food in Beijing, with a strong taste of China.
Our signature beef dish is Shandong yellow beef. We cut it into thin slices, add the Chinese marinade, and put each piece of beef on a skewer so that the beef can be evenly exposed to the flame and stay fresh and juicy. When cooking, it's sprinkled with 13 kinds of spices, including pestle-and-mortar-ground pepper (which better exudes the aroma of capsaicin) and pepper powder from Maowen in Sichuan province. These are ideal for seasoning beef, and the smoky flavor of the grill and the aroma of the fat make the beef skewers really delicious, with a dry, smoky element.
What kind of beverage in your menu will go best with your spicy food?
Undoubtedly, it is our exclusive Chinese baijiu, dubbed the Eat Iron Beast Highball, a Chinese-style fragrant baijiu that we brew ourselves. We have reduced the strong alcoholic taste of Chinese liquor and changed its whole flavor profile so that it's more refreshing and more palatable to young people. For serving with a meal, we added calamansi orange, lemon, and soda to make a refreshing cocktail. It's moderately sweet and sour and very well suited for greasy and delicious barbecue.
Ever since college, I have been fond of eating spicy food. It makes me feel very happy relaxes me. Eating spicy food also gives me a kind of release after an intense day of work.
China, of course! The Sichuan cuisine that we serve in our tavern is one of the four major cuisines in China. It has a long history and culture, and the Sichuan-style spicy dishes have achieved a very complex level of taste, including sweet, sour, salty notes behind the spice.
What are you looking forward to at this year's Hot & Spicy Festival?
Brains, barbecue, and alcohol. This year, the Hot & Spicy Festival will be all about brains, barbecue, and alcohol. Once again, this year, the Hot & Spicy Festival will be all about brains, barbecue, and alcohol! You should say all important things three times! [Laughs] Also, I'm looking forward to seeing what Q Mex bring given that Mexican peppers are indeed much more powerful than Chinese peppers.
Do you have any tips or tricks for eating spicy that might help the competitors in our Hot Chili Pepper Eating Contest?
The faster you eat, the less the pain! If we can, we will provide a free Eat Iron Beast Highball for the competitors after the competition.
The world is big, have a brain.
Get your tickets to this year's Hot & Spicy Festival ahead of time and receive a free gift!


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We create an open and inclusion dialogue for all viewpoints.
Be more proactive rather than passive. Ask people questions on this area and challenge them to answer and be part of the future. Allowing a voice in the process (i.e. input in decision making) builds commitment, particularly organizational commitment. Need to allow a meaningful voice in organizational matters.