text:
Pakistan's unruly intelligence services
Our Correspondent Dec 29, 2008
And, since the early days of the George W. Bush presidency and its so-called "war on terror," US officials have vainly exercised continuing pressure on Islamabad's successive governments to cut the ISI's militant ties altogether. Over the years, this pressure has grown in strength as it became obvious that rogue elements within Pakistan's intelligence apparatus were hampering US operations in Afghanistan and making reconciliation with India over the territorial dispute of Kashmir more intractable.
Questions over the ISI and its activities have assumed added urgency with the announcement last Friday by Pakistani military officials who said as many as 20,000 troops are being redeployed close to the Indian border amid rocket-rattling by both nuclear-tipped nations. Recent events such as the July bombing of India's embassy in Kabul and the November terrorist attacks that hit Mumbai, leaving at least 173 dead, have been assumed by many analysts and officials to be attributable to groups aided, indirectly and in the past at least, by rogue ISI elements acting independently of the Pakistani government, but which nevertheless remain under its official control.
Long-overdue reforms
Because of the tragic consequences of these events and of the political and military risks they entail and are likely to further stir in the region, a long line of US officials of all ranks have quietly visited Islamabad to convey a single, resounding message: Pakistan must reform its intelligence agencies and put an end to the ISI's underground liaison with several of South Asia's Islamic militant groups.
In fact, it seems there would be obvious domestic and self-interested stimulus as well for Pakistan's current civilian government, presided over by President Asif Ali Zardari, to rein in its intelligence apparatus, including risks from the rise of Islamic fundamentalism for Pakistan's own social and political stability. Zardari publicly demanded in November that the political wing of the ISI be disbanded, something many observers think will do little more than demonstrate the limits of his power.
As Zardari pointed out in a recent op-ed, "[n]early 2,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives to terrorism in this year alone." Pakistanis are the terrorists' targets and victims as well. This backlash has been repeatedly evidenced by incidents ranging from the deadly July 2007 siege of Islamabad's Red Mosque to the bombing of the capital's Marriott Hotel, just a few months ago in which 40 people died when a dump truck full of explosives detonated as it was being checked by security personnel and sniffer dogs.
In essence, Pakistan has become a victim of its rogue intelligence services, and this conclusion would only be further supported if India takes steps towards a new military confrontation against its conventionally weaker neighbor, with possibly disastrous consequences for both sides.
Hence the question: why won't Islamabad rein in its intelligence apparatus? Why won't Zardari's government move to reform the ISI and push out the agency's militant-friendly loners? After all, it can be assumed, doing so would make Pakistan safer, partly quell India's wrath, and ensure the continued support of the US. Yet, for the most part, the reform has yet to come. Why?
An impotent civilian government
In reality, as an analyst with the US-based country risk analysis provider Stratfor put it, "it is important to keep in mind that the civilian government would love to bring the ISI directorate under its control and has even tried to do so but doesn't have the power to effect such changes" because of its weak position in relation to the Pakistani military, which has ruled over the country for much of its history.
"The military is a Punjabi institution, with its personnel drawn mainly from the Punjab state, Pakistan's largest and richest," Nick Jones, an Asia editor at Oxford Analytica added. "It's an efficient and strong institution that sees itself as the nation's protector in a context where civilian administrations generally prove corrupt and inept."
In this context, even at times when civilian governments have been at Pakistan's helm, as is now the case, they have for the most part been weak in their reforms, particularly with regards to security matters.
This shortcoming, Raghav Sharma, a research officer at New Delhi's International Centre for Peace Studies, added, has been compounded by the fact that "civilian control has often been short-lived and fragile" and that "politicians of all hues have in fact patronized the military at some stage of their political career."
The current timing, one of economic and political crises, also appears to be of no help to President Zardari and his team. As Jones put it, "The economy will slow to 3.5 percent in 2009, the International Monetary Fund has said; Taliban militants are spreading their influence eastwards out of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), getting quite close to heartland areas; and more people will be poor and out of work next year."
"If you were Zardari, would you take on the Army right now?"
Despite fearing the consequences of a stand-off against the country's military, however, several Pakistani civilian leaders have nevertheless tried to pressure Islamabad's main intelligence agency into reform. They range from former and late stateswoman Benazir Bhutto in 1989-90 to the current Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani as well as Zardari himself.
Just this summer, for instance, the newly-elected Pakistani People's Party (PPP) government announced that it would place the ISI under the full control of the Interior Ministry, thereby taking it away from the military's purview. The consequences of this move were "humiliating," one observer said, as the government was forced to withdraw its statement less than a day later under pressure by the country's generals.
Another such mishap came when Prime Minister Gilani had to renege on a promise he made to send the ISI's chief, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, to India as a sign of goodwill following the recent Mumbai terror attacks.
Miscommunications between Pakistan's military and civilian leaderships have repeatedly been put forth to explain these reversals, but most analysts are prompt to explain that the situation is merely due to the fact that the government has had no choice, in each case, but to swallow the pill put before it by an uncompromising Army.
Hence the claim that "if the ISI is to be reformed then it will be done by the Army's leadership alone."
{mospagebreak}
A job for the military
While the military has made it obvious that it will not relinquish its oversight of the ISI to Islamabad's civilian leaders, it has at times been open to the idea of reforming them itself. Under the rule of President Pervez Musharraf, for example, one ISI chief was replaced, approximately 40 percent of the directorate's forces transferred, its Afghan unit dismantled, and 2,000 militant suspects arrested.
More impressively, since his appointment to the post of Chief of Army Staff in November 2007, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, a man called "formidable" by some Western officials, has worked to revamp the ISI from top to bottom.
Perhaps because he ran the agency himself during a stint that lasted three years, Kayani has shown he knows which levers to pull within the ISI. In September, he raised praise for his decision to appoint a new chief for the Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha. Better yet, he replaced the heads of two key departments responsible for Islamic terrorism and internal security affairs.
As Stratfor's director for Middle East analysis, Kamran Bokhari, said, "This is much better than what we saw under Musharraf when he would just replace the director-general."
Since then and in a move that went largely unnoticed, the ISI has closed its "political wing," known to many for its "making and breaking of political parties and alliances" over the years. Even for the military however, these reforms are not without risk. As early as March 2007, several ISI officials were killed in an armed attack that took place in the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
"The only way the attackers could have gained access to such information is through a tip-off from someone within or close to the ISI office in which the officials worked," Stratfor concluded at the time.
What this means, the intelligence provider added, is that "at least some jihadists have declared war on their former handlers," and that despite reforms "the middle and lower ranks of these agencies still have Islamist militant sympathizers" that will be hard to dislodge.
"Internal turmoil in Pakistan is in large measure a result of the ISI patronage to terror groups who are no longer willing to stick to a role scripted for them […] and are hence turning against their patrons," Raghav Sharma added.
There are many structural hurdles to reform as well.
For one, ISI directors general are generally appointed for a limited period of three years. "That is not enough time for any meaningful changes," Bokhari said.
Likewise, "the ISI chief is a manager who relies greatly on his subordinates to run the shop," he added. "The underlings like the union workers in a factory know how to exploit the leadership's dependency on them."
This is reinforced by the fact that "many of these people are privy to sensitive information and even a lot of dirt that the Army has an interest in making sure does not get out into the public domain."
Teresita Schaffer, a former US ambassador and current director for South Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, confirms this and adds that a full ISI reform "would be a complicated and high-risk operation that would involve retiring or transferring people and creating a new cadre of intelligence officers."
Most problematic, however, is the fact that there is very little consensus in Pakistan over the need to engage in such an intricate and unrewarding reform. Many key political players made themselves absent, for example, at a recent parliamentary debate organized to discuss the issue of Islamabad's fight against Islamic militancy.
While few would openly defend the militants, there remains a feeling, for instance, that the Army can "fight the 'bad' Taliban while continuing to work with the 'good' ones," as it did in the days when the US joined in the fight against the Soviet Union's push into Afghanistan, Bokhari said.
A prime reason for this is that non-state actors have always been part of Pakistan's defense strategy, against India in particular. "Since India is seven times its size and much more powerful in conventional military terms, Pakistan has looked to unconventional devices, like guerilla warfare and jihadis, as instruments of its foreign and Kashmir policy," Schaffer added.
In fact, as Nick Jones put it, "this can be seen as a pretty rational policy given Washington's very short attention span" when it comes to providing security guarantees in the region.
"Hence ISI's continuing ability and, it would say, need to retain the 'assets' which might permit it to take a more aggressive approach if the occasion presented itself in the future," Schaffer explains.
"Put another way, intelligence agencies often stop doing certain things when told to do so by their government, but they never want to give up an asset altogether."
No end in sight?
Is this to say that there is no chance for in-depth reform? One possibility would be for an international push to pressure Islamabad's civilian and military leadership into a full-out sweep of the ISI's darkest closets. As Raghav Sharma said, "Any attempt to reform will have to be firmly backed by the international community which should mince no words in telling the Army and ISI not to initiate a coup for any action the government takes to reform the country's intelligence services."
That is a prospect that has become increasingly likely after last month's Mumbai attacks. The US is wary of losing its Pakistani ally on the Afghan border and wants to avoid a redeployment of Islamabad's troops towards India. It might therefore try, or have tried, to broker a deal in which Zardari's government agrees to rein in the ISI in exchange for New Delhi's settling down.
The problem is that such international pressure has already been put on Islamabad's successive leaders for years and there is little to indicate that it could bear any more fruit now than it has in the past. The larger picture is that despite its fleeting quarrels with the ISI, the US's Central Intelligence Agency needs the help of its Pakistani counterpart to support U.S. war efforts in Afghanistan.
Because the ISI's strategy of using Islamist backchannels has in the recent past been used mostly to shield Pakistan against the real or perceived threat of India, perhaps nothing could better make this strategy redundant than a warming of relations between the two countries. Yet it seems that prospect too has recently turned sour.
In this sense, Zardari was not wrong to point out in a recent New York Times op-ed that "In the current environment, reconciliation and rapprochement is the best revenge against the dark forces that are trying to provoke a confrontation between Pakistan and India, and ultimately a clash of civilizations."
Even if such a settlement were to happen, however, there would still be much reforming to do. Stratfor's Kamran Bokhari has it right when he says that "there has to be a shift in the thinking in the Army that the Islamist militant proxy project is a Frankenstein's monster out of control and has to be neutralized along the lines of what the founder of Saudi Arabia did with the Wahhabi tribal militia the Ikhwan whom he relied on to establish his kingdom but later had to destroy because the group took a life of its own."
"This will not be easy because things were much simpler in those days and King Abdul-Aziz had far more political and economic capital than the Pakistani state of today. It will also require changes to the state's ideology and identity through a modern re-interpretation of Islam that is in keeping with the realities of the here and now."
Until that is done, there is much to fret about in uncovering the real state of Pakistan's intelligence apparatus.
Andrew D. Bishop is a freelance journalist and a blogger at WhatYouMustRead.blogspot.com.


Health insurance is more than a policy, it's peace of mind. It's knowing your family will be cared for and not having to worry about going broke when you get sick. That's why I strongly oppose the Senate health care bill.
The more I learn about it, the less I like. Robbing health care from millions of Americans to give yet another tax cut to the rich and powerful is just plain cruel. Our health care system needs to be improved, we all agree on that. But this bill would do exactly the opposite for no other reason than greed.
I urge Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to vote no on the Senate health care bill.


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Aussie Price closes up to second in Dakar
12 January 2023, 9:33 am ·2-min read
The race to find motorcycling's king of the desert has grown even closer with Australian star Toby Price now only 28 seconds down in the runner's-up spot in the Dakar Rally.
Seeking a third Dakar crown, the Gold Coast rider is less than a half a minute down on Husqvarna's Skyler Howes, who edged back into the lead after Thursday's 11th stage, with only three now remaining before Sunday's finish in Dammam.
Price's Argentine Red Bull KTM teammate Kevin Benavides, the overnight leader, slipped back to third place, still only 2:16 behind the Australian in what is shaping up as a fantastic finale to the two-week marathon in Saudi Arabia.
Winner on Thursday was Benavides' brother Luciano, who took his third stage of the fortnight, while Australian Daniel Sanders (Red Bull GasGas) was runner-up on the day ahead of his friend Price, who came home third.
That put early race leader Sanders seventh overall, 21:40 down on Howes, who was enjoying a sixth day at the head of the standings and was left conceding: "It's going to be tight going all the way in to the finish, which is super exciting".
Sanders was hampered by a painful thorn in his arm which he reckons will need surgically removed when he returns home but he's been making a impressive late run.
Price was grateful for avoiding a navigation error earlier in the stage that caused problems for his nearest rivals.
"For sure, starting further back was a little bit of a better option today," he told the race website.
"We had a good day, no crashes, no nothing, so it was good. We pushed where we could and tried to minimise the risks as much as we could and not lose so much time, but starting from the back, for sure, it meant we could try and gain some time.
"I feel like I didn't lose too much time. It looks like it's not a bad result. We'll keep fighting because there's still a long way to go and see what we can come up with."
In the cars race, Sebastien Loeb earned his fifth stage win of the rally, and his fourth in a row, to put himself 9:37 behind second-placed Lucas Moraes but still but more than an hour and a half behind runaway Toyota leader Nasser Al Attiyah.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


1. Remove the root of spinach, go blanching and remove with a slotted spoon, then cut into segments.
2. Rinse Pleurotus nebrodensis off and coarsely cut into thick slices.
3. In a plate, place spinach segments on the bottom.
4. In a wok, add oil, when hot, drop in minced garlic and stir till fragrant. Then blend with Pleurotus nebrodensis slices, season to taste with oyster sauce, a pinch of salt and sugar according to your preference, stirring evenly.
5. Finally pour fried Pleurotus nebrodensis slices on top of spinach segments. Serve.


Tesla Motors, which has teetered on the brink of collapse before, has landed a fat federal loan and hopes to score $100 million from an IPO, but the financial picture will get worse before it gets better.
We already knew the Silicon Valley automaker lost $31.5 million in the first nine months of 2009. Although the company has been steadily cutting its losses, it has lost $236.4 million since its founding in 2003. Tesla turned its first and only profit in July, 2009 but concedes in the Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission: "We expect the rate at which we will incur losses to increase significantly in future periods from current levels."
That is to be expected. Tesla is developing the Model S sedan, a process it admits will require every cent of the $465 million loan it received from the Department of Energy and almost certainly a good chunk of the $100 million it hopes to raise from an initial public offering. You'd expect fiscal performance to deteriorate as a company pumps money into developing a new product. But the situation will be exacerbated when Tesla stops building the Roadster next year. Lotus, which builds most of the car, is retooling its factory. Tesla won't have a replacement for the Roadster until one year after the Model S is scheduled to begin production in 2012.
That will leave Tesla with no cars, and no revenue, for at least a year — or more, if the Model S is delayed. As foreboding as that may sound to potential investors, David Milstead of the Globe and Mail found something even more troubling in the paperwork Tesla filed with the SEC.
According to the filing, the company has taken a full valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets, "essentially writing them down to zero," Milstead writes. Tesla had about $183 million in federal and $161 million in California tax operating loss carry-forwards available at the end of 2008 to offset future profits on its income taxes. Using them requires Tesla to post a profit. By taking the full valuation allowance, it is "more likely than not," Tesla said in the filing, that it won't be able to use the state deductions before they begin to expire in 2019 or the federal deductions before they begin to expire in 2024, Milstead writes.
"The fact that the company is taking a full valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets indicates that the company has little confidence in its ability to generate taxable income in the foreseeable future and, thus, it has little confidence in its ability to 'realize' its deferred tax assets," Robert Willens, a corporate tax analyst at Robert Willens LLC, told Milstead. "It seems to me you can only draw one conclusion from a full valuation allowance: that the company's near- and medium-term profit outlook is, to put it charitably, far from assured."


Personal accounts to access the computer terminals under the control of the IMC are provided to all students and faculty/staff members.
For details, refer to the User Account Authorization provided by the IMC.
There are rooms equipped with computer terminals with Windows 7: Terminal Rooms 1 and 2, and Multimedia Classroom.
Rooms not being used for classes are available for use by students for study.
They are also used for meetings and seminars.
For the use of computer facilities in class, it is required to complete the survey sheet "Survey on Classes Using Computers" distributed in December of the previous year, and submit it to the Academic Affairs Section of the Education Affairs Division.
For charging for the use of computer facilities in class, refer to the Registration Classification Table.


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Lauren Ipsum: The Phantom Tollbooth meets Young Ladies' Illustrated Primer
Cory Doctorow 6:42 am Mon Dec 29, 2014
Lauren Ipsum is an absolutely brilliant kids' book about computer science, and it never mentions computer science—it's a series of witty, charming, and educational parables about the fundamentals that underpin the discipline.
Carlos Bueno's Lauren Ipsum started life as an independent book (which was the subject of a bizarre botwar between a series of Amazon price-bots in 2012), but is now available in a No Starch Press edition.
The story opens with young Lauren running into the woods behind her house after a fight with her mother about whether she's going to summer school. She meets a pack of vicious, yappy dog-creatures who turn out to be wild jargons, and they chase her through the woods until she is thoroughly lost. She meets the wandering salesman, who is trying to figure out how to visit every city in Userland — the strange kingdom she's run to — and who offers her some seemingly helpful advice.
Lauren is on her way on a journey through Userland, meeting all sorts of funny people and creatures who pose riddles and challenges that teach everything from composition/decomposition to algorithms, heuristics, brute force and elegant problem solutions, solution- and problem-spaces, recursion, branching searches, and much more. Each one is more charming than the last (there's a generous selection of sample chapters here), and each one is as informative as it is charming.
Filled with wit and wordplay, Lauren Ipsum is a lively and timely introduction to computing fundamentals that wisely avoids mentioning computers altogether. It's still a little beyond my nearly-seven-year-old, but not by much (for example, we had a great time going through the "poetry" section in which Lauren learns to write algorithms), but not for long.
Lauren Ipsum: A Story About Computer Science and Other Improbable Things
-Cory Doctorow
happy mutants
Flaming bagpipe player rides on unicycle and covers 'Pure Imagination' from Willy Wonka
The Unipiper is a human of many talents. I've never seen a flaming bagpipe player ride on a unicycle and cover 'Pure Imagination' from Willy Wonka until today. I am… READ THE REST
How to compress trash the Joseph's Machines way
The Joseph's Machines page shows us the cool way to compress trash. Simply place your waste bin underneath a fake leg that hangs from a gigantic pile of furniture, houseplants,… READ THE REST
This 7-Eleven was one street number from perfect harmony
Found on the popular subreddit r/mildlyinfuriating: a 7-Eleven with a street address of 712. I propose this specific 7-Eleven either change their name to 7-Twelve, or move locations. I just… READ THE REST


Q. Does Wayne State have access to IEEE standards?
The IEEE Xplore resource provides full-text access to all current IEEE standards, IEEE transactions, IEEE and IEE journals, magazines, and conference proceedings published since 1988.
The IEEE Xplore resource is available from the library web page via the Article Database tab and then clicking on the letter "I" and then scrolling down to the title IEEE Xplore.


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Q: Modelling of time-varying predictors in multilevel growth models in R I am interested in the modelling of time-varying predictors in a multilevel growth model in R.
Specifically, I am working with three-level data (measures collected across four timepoints (0,12,18,24 months) on pupils nested within schools). I am interested in exploring the extent to which a time-varying predictor (a school characteristic) can explain outcome variance at the pupil- and school-level (my outcome is measured on a continuous scale).
I am now wondering how I could introduce this time-varying predictor in my models? (I am running my analyses in R version 3.6.2.; and I use the R package 'lmer' to fit my multilevel growth models).
I assume introducing each measure of the time-varying predictor (at 0-24 months) as a separate predictor in the models would not be appropriate?! Hence, I wonder whether I could reshape the data into the long format to not only have my outcome and time represented by one variable but also this time-varying predictor? I could then use this one variable of my time-varying predictor (which summarises in the long format all measures across time) to predict my outcome? Would this be appropriate? Or is there any other way to model time-varying predictors in this context?
Also by doing it this way (modelling the time-varying predictor in the long-format) would I then be able to examine the longitudinal relationship between the time-varying predictor and the outcome over time or would the estimates represent the cross-sectional relationship (i.e., for each assessment wave the relationship between the time-varying predictor and the outcome at that point in time)?
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Every Island attraction is right at your fingertips during your stay here. Whether you want to sink your toes in the soft white sands on the beach, or pause to watch the sunset over the tranquil Gulf of Mexico waters, you'll only have to walk a short distance. Come and experience for yourself why Anna Maria Island is considered Florida's hidden gem!
Our family traveled to Anna Maria for a wedding and we stayed at this property and were very satisfied with our experience. The condo was very clean, styled nicely/ updated, cozy, and convenient. Very short walk to the beach and stocked with all he essentials. I would highly recommend this rental!
Thank you for staying with us Bryant! We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay and we look forward to hosting your family again soon!
On behalf of the team at Rent Siesta Key, thank you for staying with us Contina! We hope to see you again soon!
we were skeptic at first cause of the cost but after we arrived we were very pleased!! it was a great, clean location and the beds were comfortable! my kids really enjoyed talking to the birds next door cause they talked back! they would wake up everyday and go out just to talk to them!! Would definitely stay again if ever in that area!
Thank you for choosing to stay at Beach Bungalow - East. We are glad to hear you and your children enjoyed your stay and we look forward to accommodating you in your future visit.
The unit was very nice for the rate charged.
Thank you for staying with us at Rent Siesta Key Brenda! Come back soon!
Had a great week during our stay. Had to contact rental manager upon arrival, little issue was corrected in a timely manner. We will definitely consider staying here again when we can make another trip.
Thank you for choosing Rent Siesta Key Mark. We would be very happy to host your future visit. Please come see us again soon!
The location was excellent, we were just 2 blocks back from where the wedding festivities took place. The positives for this Bungalow are the location and the bed was extremely comfortable. The negatives are that the owner should give the place a well deserved facelift. In the bedroom you felt like you were in a dingy, old, cheap motel. Perk up the décor; putting nice pictures up over the couch and over the beds would perk the place up. There should be written instructions on how to use the TV. I have Spectrum at home, so it was easy for me to figure it out.
Some people may not like the noise from the Wildlife Education Center next door, but we enjoyed hearing the owl and the other birds, and seeing all of the turtles. If you don't need a swimming pool and are happy just walking 2 blocks to the beach, this is a great place to stay.
Thank you for staying with us, Bernadette - and for taking the time to leave a review for the benefit of future guests! We are glad you enjoyed the prime location of this home so close to the beach, and the memory foam mattresses. It seems everyone who stays there loves those mattresses! We will continue to work with the homeowner to update the home as per your suggestion. Please come back to visit us soon!
The condo is well located in the southern end of the island. Nice bedrooms and lovely bathrooms. Not much kitchen space, but that gives an excuse for dining out at any of the outstanding eateries nearby. the property manager was easy to reach an very responsive to any concerns. The balcony and stairway up to the condo are in need of replacement for safety.
For the price, this is a clean and sufficient condo located two blocks from the beach. The walk is very easy. The condo manager took care of any problems. There was not a sufficient area for sitting outside. If you like animals, you will certainly enjoy the home next door which is a certified "Wildlife Preservation and Rehabilitation" home.
We had a great time swimming with the warm weather. The property manager Adam was great and very helpful. the duplex could use a new rug, new mattresses, and some updating in the kitchen. however the entire unit was extremely clean - new TV was also appreciated.
Everything was great. Great location and had more to offer than most other rentals.
Thanks for staying at beach bungalow east and we are happy to hear you enjoyed your stay.
Great place to stay. Fully equipped down to the beach equipment. Locked myself out of the laundry room. We sent a message via the Siesta Key app and they were quick to address the issue. Would definitely rent again.


text:
High-performance fibre from Teijin is headed to Mars, again
The company's Technora high-performance para-aramid fibre plays a critical role in the structure of the Rover's landing parachute.
August 5, 2020	Canadian Plastics
The Mars Perseverance Rover's inflated parachute and suspension cords. Photo Credit: Teijin/Jet Propulsion Laboratory
On a mission to seek signs of past microscopic Martian life and gather rocks soil for its eventual return to Earth, the Mars Perseverance Rover is carrying the heaviest payload of any trip to Mars yet – and a high-performance fibre from material supplier Teijin Aramid has been incorporated into the mission to help the Rover land on the Red Planet safely.
Teijin Aramid's Technora high-performance para-aramid fibre plays a critical role in the structure of the Rover's landing parachute, developed by Airborne Systems and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which will be deployed during descent to Mars in February 2021. The Rover was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. on July 30.
Specifically, the parachute system has proven it can support an inflation load of 31,751 kg (almost 70,000 lb). The challenging surface conditions on Mars include average temperatures of -63°C, frequent dust storms, and atmospheric electricity.
To ensure this unique parachute system performs under the extreme conditions of the descent to Mars, 60 kg (132 lb) of Technora is incorporated into the parachute's suspension cords. Technora is also used in the parachute riser.
This latest Rover mission builds on previous Mars Rover expeditions, which also carried Technora. In particular, Technora was used on the Mars Curiosity Rover in 2012, where the parachute's suspension cords had to withstand a 9G force during the landing – about 27,000 kg (59,525 lb).
"When designing and building the parachute system for Mars Perseverance Rover, it was very important to utilize the volume that we were allocated to its fullest potential," said Charles Lowry, lead project engineer for Airborne Systems North America, Mars 2020 parachute system subcontractor. "Thanks to its outstanding strength-to-weight ratio, Technora allows us to do just that and increases the overall safety of the mission by providing more volume for stronger parachute cloth. There are many unknowns involved in any mission to space, but the tried and proven performance of Technora is not one of them."
Japan's Teijin to build pilot plant for manufacture of carbon fibre composites
Teijin acquiring thermoset prepreg supplier Renegade
Teijin to acquire Continental Structural Plastics
Teijin opens new resin compound plant, technical centre in Thailand
Polyten Inc.
To buy or not to buy a 3D printer?
Scoring with a new touchless golf ball retrieval system


text:
Sapphire Radeon HD 6970 2GB Video Card (Page 8)
By: Shawn Baker from Dec 14, 2010 @ 22:38 CST
TweakTown Rating: 93%Manufacturer: Sapphire
Page 8 [Benchmarks - Mafia II]
Page 2 [Card and Specifications]
Page 3 [Test System Setup and 3DMark 11]
Page 4 [3DMark Vantage]
Page 5 [Unigine Heaven Benchmark]
Page 6 [Benchmarks - Resident Evil 5]
Page 7 [Benchmarks - Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2]
Page 9 [Benchmarks - Lost Planet 2]
Page 10 [Benchmarks - Aliens vs. Predator]
Page 11 [Benchmarks - Street Fighter IV]
Page 12 [Benchmarks - Far Cry 2]
Page 13 [Benchmarks - Batman Arkham Asylum]
Page 14 [Benchmarks - High Quality AA and AF]
Page 15 [Temperature Test]
Page 16 [Sound Test]
Page 17 [Power Consumption Tests]
Page 18 [Total Performance Rating (TPR)]
Page 19 [Total Value Rating (TVR)]
Version and / or Patch Used: Latest Steam Update
Timedemo or Level Used: Built in Benchmark
Developer Homepage: http://www.2kczech.com/
Product Homepage: http://www.mafia2game.com/
Mafia II is a third-person action-adventure video game, the sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. It is developed by 2K Czech, previously known as Illusion Softworks, and is published by 2K Games. The game is set from 1943 to 1951 in Empire Bay (the name is a reference to New York's state nickname "The Empire State"), a fictional city based on San Francisco and New York City, with influences from Chicago and Detroit. The game features a completely open-ended game map of 10 square miles. No restrictions are included from the start of the game. There are around 50 vehicles in the game, as well as licensed music from the era.
Here you can see what we're seeing since the start; at 1680 x 1050 the GTX 480 continues to hold a clear lead over the HD 6970. As we climb up the resolution table, that lead begins to shrink to the point where it no longer exists at the highest resolution.
At the highest resolution you can see that the HD 6970 doesn't have any problems outperforming the pre overclocked GTX 570 and is only a single FPS behind the GTX 580.


So this is it. My first post on this little space of mine. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. So let's just start, shall we?
With the abundance of fresh summer berries and fruit, I've been canning like a mad one. We have a long, dark season ahead of us and a little jam at my breakfast table always helps me get through those winter mornings when I would prefer to stay in bed and wake up when it's spring again.
So I've been picking berries at our summer cottage in the mornings and afternoons and canning on the evenings. When preserving, it's important to make sure that everything is at their peak of quality. You don't want one rotten berry or piece of fruit to ruin your whole batch of jam. Always work with clean equipment and try to work fast.
Mixing raspberries and blueberries is quite a traditional flavor combination for jam here in Scandinavia. We call it Queen Jam. Wait, Queen Jam? Where's the King? Please don't ask, I really don't know why it's called that way. I use wild raspberries and bilberries ("European blueberries") as they both have a much stronger, more tart flavor than cultivated raspberries and "American" blueberries. This jam is especially delicious served with crêpes or waffles and whipped cream.
To sterilize the jars: Preheat the oven to 110°C (230°F). Put the clean and empty jars in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. To sterilize the jar lids, put them in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Fill the jars with the hot jam immediately.
Making the jam: Put the berries, gelling sugar, water, vanilla bean and seeds in a medium-sized pot. Gently bring the mixture to a boil and keep boiling for 3-5 minutes stirring regularly (please check the instructions on your gelling sugar). Skim off and discard any foam from the surface of the mixture as it cooks. To check if the jam is ready, you can drizzle some jam on a cold plate. It should set within a couple of seconds, otherwise keep the jam boiling for some more minutes (this is a great tip which I've learned from delicious days). Discard the vanilla bean. With the help of a funnel tube, fill the sterilized jars with boiling hot jam, leaving about half a centimetre (or less) of headspace. Close jars with the lids and let cool completely.
I highly recommend labeling your jars so you know what you have in your pantry (I'm talking from experience here). I especially love these ones. Because this jam is made with less sugar than regular jam, it needs to be stored in the fridge. If the jars are properly sterilized and sealed, the jam will last for up to one year.
Note: You can also make this jam using 500 g of gelling sugar 1:2. The jam will of course be sweeter and the cooking time will probably vary as well. This kind of jam can even be stored in room temperature. You could also use slightly thawed frozen berries. Just omit the water if doing so.


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Chemistry ⋅
Uses of Sodium Metasilicate
••• Sodium silicate; Není nutno/commons.wikimedia.org
Commercial Uses of Sodium Polyacrylate
By Vincent Summers
Sodium metasilicate, Na₂SiO₃, can be synthesized with various degrees of hydration. This very alkaline substance is formed by combining and melting sodium carbonate with silicon dioxide,
Na₂CO₃ + SiO₂ ' Na₂SiO₃ + CO₂'
Sodium metasilicate has hundreds of uses, many of them related to its sealant properties. Although stable in alkaline and neutral environments, it reacts with acids to produce silica gel.
Cements and Binders
With the loss of a little water, sodium metasilicate becomes an excellent cement or binding agent, especially for higher-temperature applications, or applications involving exposure to water or acids.
One principal use of sodium metasilicate is in the pulp and paper industry. It is used in sizing and coating paper. It is also used, coupled with hydrogen peroxide, in the cellulose bleaching process, in which it acts as a buffer and stabilizing agent.
Soaps and Detergents
Due to a combination of excellent properties, including good emulsifying and suspension properties, along with reserve alkalinity, sodium metasilicate is finding uses in soaps and detergents, including those for automatic dish-washing use.
Automotive Uses
Elevated temperature is the key to sodium metasilicate's usefulness in automotive applications.
The U.S. government CARS program utilizes sodium metasilicate to destroy clunker automobiles. A concentrated solution is used to replace all of a car's motor oil. The car is started, and in just minutes, the heat has become sufficient to decompose the chemical, which causes the engine to seize up irreparably. The temperature required is in the 210-degree Fahrenheit and above range.
The same sodium silicate can be used to repair engines, as well. Head gasket leaks can be repaired by putting some sodium metasilicate in the coolant water. The water circulates, and some passes through the hole in the gasket. The gasket's elevated temperature changes the sodium metasilicate at the metal's surface, producing a film that seals the leak.
Sodium metasilicate is also used to make minor repairs to mufflers.
Egg Preservative
Historically, eggs have been preserved by immersion in a sodium silicate solution. This solution seals eggs, thus preserving them from bacteria, which leads to spoilage. The coating preserves eggs for a number of months.
Magic Gardens
During the twentieth century, chemical "gardens" containing various transition metal ions and sodium metasilicate were kept in homes for entertainment and decorative purposes. The metasilicate formed colorful "stalagmites" by reacting with and precipitating the metal ions. The gardens have been likened to moonscapes.
OxyChem; "Sodium Silicates Handbook"
U.S. Dept. of Transportation; "Engine Disablement Procedures for the CARS Program"
Mother Earth News; "How to Store Fresh Eggs"
Vincent Summers received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Drexel University in 1973. He furthered his education through the University of Virginia's Citizen Scholar Program program, taking many courses in organic and quantum chemistry. He has written technical articles since 2010.
Sodium silicate; Není nutno/commons.wikimedia.org
How to Make Calcium Carbide
What Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
Physical & Chemical Properties of Sodium Bicarbonate
Advantages and Disadvantages of Chemical Water Treatment
Properties of Magnesium Chloride


1997 Venetian Maps, Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Preston.
1996 Portraits & Heroes, Peg Alston Gallery, New York.
1993 African Gardens, Black Art Gallery, London.
1986 A Fashionable Marriage, Pentonville Gallery, London.
1997 Hogarth on Hogarth, Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
1994 Memories of Childhood, Steinbaum Kraus Gallery, New York.
1994 Seen/Unseen Bluecoat Gallery Liverpool.
1992 Women's Art At New Hall New Hall College, Cambridge.
1988 Gold Blooded Warrior, Tom Allen Centre, London.
1987 Palaces of Culture, Stoke Art Gallery & British Tour.
1987 The State of the Art, I.C.A London.
1983 Five Black Women, Africa Centre, London.


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Home » Lifestyle » All-Female Class of 07 Starts Production for Amazon Prime Video in Australia (EXCLUSIVE)
All-Female Class of 07 Starts Production for Amazon Prime Video in Australia (EXCLUSIVE)
Prime Video and Matchbox Pictures have begun production on "Class of '07," a high concept comedy that marks Amazon's fourth scripted original series in Australia.
The rollercoaster comedy about a women's class reunion with life and death stakes, will be filmed across multiple locations in New South Wales including Sydney. Created, written and directed by Kacie Anning (Amazon's "Upload"), it stars actors Emily Browning ("American Gods"), Caitlin Stasey ("Please Like Me"), and Megan Smart ("Home and Away") at the head of an ensemble Australian cast.
The eight-part, half-hour series sees a huge tidal wave hit during the ten-year reunion of an all-girls high school. The group must find a way to survive on the island peak of their high school campus. Like 'Lord of the Flies' in cocktail dresses, the series follows a group of former classmates, now freshly entangled in decade-old drama, as they attempt to survive not just the apocalypse, but each other.
"I am excited to be underway on our all-female ensemble comedy, with our insanely talented cast and crew," said Anning. Other key cast include: are Claire Lovering, Sana'a Shaik, Sarah Krndija, Steph Tisdell, Bernie Van Tiel, Chi Nguyen, Emma Horn, Rose Flanagan and Debra Lawrance.
"Class of '07" was commissioned by Amazon Studios and is produced by Matchbox Pictures, part of Universal International Studios, itself a division of Universal Studio Group. Matchbox Pictures' Alastair McKinnon and Debbie Lee serve as executive producers. Mimi Butler is producer. The show is also supported by the NSW Government through the Screen NSW's Made in NSW fund.
The completed series will launch exclusively on Prime Video and be available in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Since 2019, Prime Video has commissioned 14 Amazon original series in Australia. These include "The Test: A New Era for Australia's Team," "Making Their Mark," "LOL: Last One Laughing AU with Rebel Wilson," a series of 10 stand-up comedy specials by some of Australia's best comedians, "Back to the Rafters," "Luxe Listings Sydney Season One," "The Moth Effect," "Head Above Water," and feature-length documentary "Burning." Its other upcoming Australian originals include "Kick Like Tayla," "Warriors On The Field," Sigourney Weaver-starring "The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart," and "Deadloch."
"At its heart, Class of '07 lifts the lid on the unbreakable emotional connection of female friendships, enduring even under the most extraordinary circumstances," said Erika North, head of originals, Asia Pacific, at Amazon Studios.
« Chitty Chitty Bang Bang stars now – career U-turns, Hollywood icons and dementia
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Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Registered Direct Offering of $7.8 Million
July 11, 2014 8:20am EDT Download as PDF
NEW YORK, July 11, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq:TNXP), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on common disorders of the central nervous system, today announced it has agreed to sell 657,000 shares of common stock in a registered direct offering at a price of $11.90 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $7.8 million, before deduction of placement agent fees and offering expenses payable by the Company. The closing of the offering is expected to take place on or about July 16, 2014, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The shares are being purchased by new and existing institutional investors.
Roth Capital Partners acted as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.
Tonix expects to use the net proceeds of the offering to support the continued development of TNX-102 SL for the treatment of fibromyalgia, to initiate clinical trials of TNX-102 SL for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, to initiate clinical trials of TNX-201 for episodic tension-type headache, and further develop our other pipeline programs, and for working capital and other general corporate purposes, and possibly acquisitions of other companies, products or technologies, though no such acquisitions are currently contemplated.
The securities described above are being offered by Tonix pursuant to a shelf registration statement (File No. 333-192541) previously filed with and subsequently declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). A prospectus supplement relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Copies of the prospectus supplement, when filed with the SEC, and accompanying base prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained from Roth Capital Partners, 888 San Clemente, Newport Beach, CA 92660, (800) 678-9147 or by accessing the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
Tonix develops first-in-class medicines for common disorders of the central nervous system. Fibromyalgia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and episodic tension-type headache are characterized by inadequate treatment options, dissatisfaction among patients and physicians, and significant economic impact. Tonix is currently conducting the first anticipated pivotal trial of TNX-102 SL in fibromyalgia, the BESTFIT trial (BEdtime Sublingual TNX-102 SL as Fibromyalgia Intervention Therapy). Tonix expects to begin a Phase 2 trial of TNX-102 SL in PTSD in the fourth quarter of 2014. Tonix designed TNX-102 SL to decrease pain in fibromyalgia and in PTSD by improving sleep quality. Tonix's second clinical stage investigational new drug, TNX-201, is in development for episodic tension-type headache, and Tonix expects to begin clinical studies of TNX-201 in the fourth quarter of 2014. To learn more, please visit www.tonixpharma.com.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "estimate" and "intend," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Tonix's current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, substantial competition; our potential need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payer reimbursement; limited sales and marketing efforts and dependence upon third parties; and risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. Tonix does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering described above, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 28, 2014 and future periodic reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All of the Company's forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof.
CONTACT: Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.
Leland Gershell
leland.gershell@tonixpharma.com
Public Relations:
Dian Griesel Int'l.
Susan Forman/Laura Radocaj


asked my owner to write on my behalf.
you will only remember the good times when you look back.
to Rio. They also had high hopes.
taking such good care of me and making me look so smart when I went out.
sincerely for such wonderful memories. I shall never forget.
been a part of the jigsaw of your life.
proud to have played a small part your extraordinary career.


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Come autore, ha pubblicato con il proprio nome e con pseudonimi, tra cui David Grinnell, Martin Pearson e Darrell G. Raynor.

Biografia

Voci correlate
 DAW Books

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


GYST is evolving. We're more than just a neighborhood fermentation bar – we're a creative food business. We're exploring new ideas of how food and fermentation can impact our lives and communities.
GYST pairs experience with expertise. Our work is dedicated to people to living their best and most creative lives through fermented food and drink. Whether it be in the company of community or one's own personal journey, let us guide you back to all things simple, natural, healthy and happy. We believe the "gyst" of life is to enjoy and delight in each and every day. Be apart of our fermentation community!
We have seen first-hand how good food, drink and great company can transform lives, which is why we have created the GYST Membership - a way to bring people together to exchange tastes, share stories, and create meaningful experiences through a monthly meet-up every first Thursday of of month. You also get to enjoy your favorite fermented goods to take home with you each month.
Explore the wonderful world of fermentation with us! Attend a tasting, class, or event to expand, excite, and educate your mind and palate. Come learn from us, as well as chefs, cheesemakers, winemakers, chocolatiers, coffee roasters, and authors, for an unforgettable experience.
GYST partners with local institutions, businesses, and farmers to grow and explore the role of fermented foods as part of a healthy society. Keep up-to-date with what's new in the world of fermentation and find out how we're working hard to increase its visibility.
Looking for tools and references to ferment at home? Or need a GYST pickle or kombucha fix? We got you covered.
Looking for a way to bring fermentation into you into your daily diet? We got you covered with our kombucha and ferments!
We have all the techniques, recipes and take-home kombucha and ferments for you! Pre-orders are highly recommended. Just email us at info@gystmpls.com and we'll send you the availability/pricing list.
The sisters are intensely passionate about highlighting the love and effort that winemakers, cheese mongers, and farmers all over the world put into their products. GYST, a product of that same love and effort, has become a community hub – sharing knowledge, history, and the ancient art of fermentation through classes, events, and local partnerships as well as simple, healthy food and drink.
To learn more about Ky and Mel and how their individual journeys led them to GYST, click below.


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My Brother Introduced Me to Riot Grrrl
Michael, or "Kael" as he is sometimes called
My older brother, Michael, or "Kael" as he is known in the art scene, introduced me to the musical stylings of Riot Grrrl.
Michael bought me Sleater-Kinney's, "Hot Rock" for my birthday when I was a freshman in high school. He had heard of them, and him being my older "cooler" brother thought I would like them, or should like them. I probably played that cd on repeat for the next several months. My previous musical tastes had always involved women, but this was the first music I heard where women were playing all the instruments. The female musicians I grew up listening to (Madonna, Salt 'n' Pepa, Paula Abdul) didn't play instruments. I loved them dearly, but I craved more.
I loved the way Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein's voices overlapped, and how incredibly different they sounded. Their song, "Burn, Don't Freeze" demonstrated this the best. It was also one of my personal favorites at the time. After I listened to this record, I wanted to be in a girl band. I asked for an electric guitar for my next birthday. The following year my parents bought me a beautiful, red Fender Strat. I named her "Rockstar Ruby."
After my initial exposure to Sleater-Kinney, I wanted to hear every girl band that had ever existed. I was elated when I found: That Dog, Bratmobile, The Butchies, Huggy Bear, The Bangs, Cadallaca, Heavens to Betsy, Hole, Excuse 17, L7, The Gossip, and Mecca Normal. I remember being at my friend Sarah's house one day when I was 15, and she put on this record called, "Pussy Whipped."When "Blood One" started playing, I thought: "What IS this?!" The singing was so intense--it scared and shocked me. I also knew I loved it immediately. I went out and bought all of the Bikini Kill records. I also bought the Sleater-Kinney records that had come out prior to "The Hot Rock." I must have spent every second in my bedroom listening to those records, and wanting to be these women. In 2000, at the tender age of 15, many girls my age bedroom-danced and lip-synched to Britney Spears; I bedroom-danced and lip-synched to Bikini Kill.
If you're thinking it's odd that a dude introduced me to Riot Grrrl, you're right. It's also super awesome. My brother has always been a feminist (that's how our mom raised us), so it's only fitting that he would be the one to buy me my first girl band (and a feminist one at that) record. He was constantly trying to get me to listen to "good" music, and he most always succeeded.
Once I discovered girl bands and riot grrrl, specifically, I tossed aside my Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins records. My daydreams of dating Rivers Cuomo were replaced with being a rockstar in an all girl band. This was one of my first moments of "thinking-like-a-feminist." It felt empowering.
All this to say, my brother is rad.
tagged with Bikini Kill, Britney Spears, Cadallaca, Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, Excuse 17, Girl Bands, Heavens to Betsy, Hole, Huggy Bear, Kathleen Hanna, L7, Mecca Normal, Music, Pussy Whipped, Riot Grrrl, Rivers Cuomo, Sleater-Kinney, Smashing Pumpkins, That Dog, The Butchies, Weezer


Harvard Extension Faculty—Harvard University's primary useful resource for continuing schooling—brings Harvard teachers to the public via open-enrollment courses and undergraduate and graduate diploma programs. Lecturers would possibly earn online graduate certificates in family literacy and academic technology integration whereas MBA graduates pursue them in information analytics, challenge administration, and different related specialties. In 2007, ECU became the primary postsecondary institution to function an accredited on-line MBA degree program ; as we speak, the university gives greater than eighty net-primarily based degree and certificates choices for distance learners.
Positioned within the city of Longview, Texas, this interdenominational Christian establishment was primarily founded in 1946 to offer schooling and specialized for returning WWII veterans. Diploma applications wherein students complete some of their programs on-campus and others online.
All of CSU's online bachelor's applications run one hundred twenty credits in length, and are meant to be accomplished within four years of full-time examine. The college's on-line bachelor's selection provides a mixture of technical, business, liberal arts and spiritual research.
It will be important for college students to consider accreditation when researching any college program, regardless of how programs are delivered. Undergraduates in search of an industrial research program can select from several online bachelor's diploma choices.
These methods define how a web based program is structured; how and when lectures are delivered; and the way college students work together with classmates and instructors. A complete of 10 MBA specializations can be found online; these options embody degrees in e-business strategic management, entrepreneurship, human sources and worldwide enterprise.


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Ruben Henriques Jr. (1771–1846) was a Danish banker.  He founded the brokerage firm  R. Henriques jr.  in 1801.

Early life and career

Ruben Henriques Jr. was born into the Jewish Henriques family in 1771 in Copenhagen, the son of Bendix Moses Henriques and Elischewa Chawa Henriques. He founded the brokerage firm  R. Henriques jr.  in 1801. It grew and Henriques became one of the richest men in Copenhagen. The company was based in a building on Amagertorv.

Family
Ruben Henriques Jr. married twice. His first wife was Frederikke Rée and his second wife was Jeruchim-Jorika Henriques. He had a total of 18 children. Two of his sons, Aron and Martin Henriques, took over the company in 1852. Sally Henriques,  Samuel Henriques and Nathan Henriques, were all painters. His granddaughter Marie Henriques, the youngest daughter of Martin Henrigues, was also a painter.

His daughter Dorothea Melchior née Henriques was a close friend of Hans Christian Andersen.

References

External links

 Ruben HJenriques at Geni

19th-century Danish businesspeople
Danish bankers
Danish companies established in 1801
Financial services companies established in 1801
Businesspeople from Copenhagen
1771 births
1846 deaths


With our Self-Service option, employees can view important employee information online in real time. This allows your organization to reduce the administrative burden, and decrease printed material and distribution costs, resulting in increased profitability.
Details of current and previous years' per pay period employee compensation statements, deductions, paid time off and direct deposit accounts.
Details of each day's time clock transactions for the current and previous pay periods, including time clock punches and hours worked.


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Video: Doug Axe on What Seduces Us in the "Darwinian Story"
Posted on December 4, 2012 Author NewsComments(12)
From The Best Schools, "The 50 Best Colleges in the United States", Including Some ID Friendly Programs
Is meaning located in the brain?
12 Replies to "Video: Doug Axe on What Seduces Us in the "Darwinian Story""
It's seductive.
Darwinists need to confront not the similarities, but the differences.
What needs explanation is the differences, not the similarities.
Seduction should not be persuading people about truth in subjects claiming to utilize the scientific method.
It should be on scientific evidence.
Evolution truly has been thriving on a hunch and lines of reasoning for a long time now.
If a thinking being did create biology then he would, as likely not , make from a single program. Just like in physics. The same guy.
It would be we all have hearts, lungs, butts, in the same places even while being different in other places.
Likeness of form does suggest heritage and unlikeness suggests no heritage.
Yet a underlying blueprint need only suggest a thinking being behind it all.
In mans case we were given a existing type of biology and not our own type because our identity is as a spirit just like the creator.
And the differences that need explaining by Darwinian processes are huge. Far larger than Darwinists have led the general public to believe:
Physically and mentally there are hundreds of known differences:
"Museum of Comparative Anthropogeny" Human Uniqueness Compared to "Great Apes" (Hundreds of differences listed between humans and 'great apes', including mental abilities, with references for each difference listed)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dx8I5qpsDlsIxTTPgeZc559pIHe_mnYtKehgDqE-_fo/edit
Here are some references that show the 98.5%-99% genetic similarity evidence, which would still be approx. 30 to 45 million base pair differences, is not nearly as robust as Darwinists pretend it to be:
Guy Walks Into a Bar and Thinks He's a Chimpanzee: The Unbearable Lightness of Chimp-Human Genome Similarity
Excerpt: One can seriously call into question the statement that human and chimp genomes are 99% identical. For one thing, it has been noted in the literature that the exact degree of identity between the two genomes is as yet unknown (Cohen, J., 2007. Relative differences: The myth of 1% Science 316: 1836.). ,,, In short, the figure of identity that one wants to use is dependent on various methodological factors.
http://www.evolutionnews.org/2.....think.html
And using various methodological factors trying to pinpoint similarity and differences does indeed produce a large discordant range of similarity percentages:
Chimp chromosome creates puzzles – 2004
Excerpt: However, the researchers were in for a surprise. Because chimps and humans appear broadly similar, some have assumed that most of the differences would occur in the large regions of DNA that do not appear to have any obvious function. But that was not the case. The researchers report in 'Nature' that many of the differences were within genes, the regions of DNA that code for proteins. 83% of the 231 genes compared had differences that affected the amino acid sequence of the protein they encoded. And 20% showed "significant structural changes". In addition, there were nearly 68,000 regions that were either extra or missing between the two sequences, accounting for around 5% of the chromosome.,,, "we have seen a much higher percentage of change than people speculated." The researchers also carried out some experiments to look at when and how strongly the genes are switched on. 20% of the genes showed significant differences in their pattern of activity.
http://www.nature.com/news/199.....524-8.html
the December 2006 issue of PLoS ONE reported that human and chimpanzee gene copy numbers differ by 6.4%,
Chimpanzee?
10-10-2008 – Dr Richard Buggs – research geneticist at the University of Florida
…Therefore the total similarity of the genomes could be below 70%.
http://www.idnet.com.au/files/pdf/Chimpanzee.pdf
DNA Comparisons between Humans and Chimps – Fazale Rana
Excerpt: It is interesting that when evolutionary biologists discuss genetic comparisons between human and chimpanzee genomes, the fact that, again, as much as 25 percent of the two genomes won't align receives no mention. Instead, the focus is only on the portions of the genome that display a high-degree of similarity. This distorted emphasis makes the case for the evolutionary connection between humans and chimps seem more compelling than it may actually be.
http://www.reasons.org/dna-com.....del-part-2
Genomic monkey business – similarity re-evaluated using omitted data – by Jeffrey Tomkins and Jerry Bergman
Excerpt: A review of the common claim that the human and chimpanzee (chimp) genomes are nearly identical was found to be highly questionable solely by an analysis of the methodology and data outlined in an assortment of key research publications.,,,
Based on the analysis of data provided in various publications, including the often cited 2005 chimpanzee genome report, it is safe to conclude that human–chimp genome similarity is not more than ~87% identical, and possibly not higher than 81%. These revised estimates are based on relevant data omitted from the final similarity estimates typically presented.,,,
Finally, a very recent large-scale human–chimp genome comparison research report spectacularly confirms the data presented in this report. The human–chimp common ancestor paradigm is clearly based more on myth and propaganda than fact.
http://creation.com/human-chim.....-evaluated
Study Reports a Whopping "23% of Our Genome" Contradicts Standard Human-Ape Evolutionary Phylogeny – Casey Luskin – June 2011
Excerpt: For about 23% of our genome, we share no immediate genetic ancestry with our closest living relative, the chimpanzee. This encompasses genes and exons to the same extent as intergenic regions. We conclude that about 1/3 of our genes started to evolve as human-specific lineages before the differentiation of human, chimps, and gorillas took place. (of note; 1/3 of our genes is equal to about 7000 genes that we do not share with chimpanzees)
A simple statistical test for the alleged "99% genetic identity" between humans and chimps – September 2010
Excerpt: The results obtained are statistically valid. The same test was previously run on a sampling of 1,000 random 30-base patterns and the percentages obtained were almost identical with those obtained in the final test, with 10,000 random 30-base patterns. When human and chimp genomes are compared, the X chromosome is the one showing the highest degree of 30BPM similarity (72.37%), while the Y chromosome shows the lowest degree of 30BPM similarity (30.29%). On average the overall 30BPM similarity, when all chromosomes are taken into consideration, is approximately 62%.
http://www.uncommondescent.com.....nd-chimps/
Do Human and Chimpanzee DNA Indicate an Evolutionary Relationship?
Excerpt: the authors found that only 48.6% of the whole human genome matched chimpanzee nucleotide sequences. [Only 4.8% of the human Y chromosome could be matched to chimpanzee sequences.]
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2070
A False Trichotomy
Excerpt: The common chimp (Pan troglodytes) and human Y chromosomes are "horrendously different from each other", says David Page,,, "It looks like there's been a dramatic renovation or reinvention of the Y chromosome in the chimpanzee and human lineages."
http://www.uncommondescent.com.....richotomy/
Chimp and human Y chromosomes evolving faster than expected – Jan. 2010
Excerpt: "The results overturned the expectation that the chimp and human Y chromosomes would be highly similar. Instead, they differ remarkably in their structure and gene content.,,, The chimp Y, for example, has lost one third to one half of the human Y chromosome genes.
http://www.physorg.com/news182605704.html
Theory of the 'Rotting' Y Chromosome Dealt a Fatal Blow – February 2012
Excerpt: "the sequence of the rhesus Y, shows the chromosome hasn't lost a single ancestral gene in the past 25 million years. By comparison, the human Y has lost just one ancestral gene in that period, and that loss occurred in a segment that comprises just 3% of the entire chromosome", ",,,earlier work comparing the human and chimpanzee Ys revealed a stable human Y for at least six million years. "Now our empirical data fly in the face of the other theories out there. With no loss of genes on the rhesus Y and one gene lost on the human Y, it's clear the Y isn't going anywhere."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/re.....154359.htm
Recent Genetic Research Shows Chimps More Distant From Humans,,, – Jan. 2010
Excerpt: A Nature paper from January, 2010 titled, "Chimpanzee and human Y chromosomes are remarkably divergent in structure and gene content," found that Y chromosomes in humans and chimps "differ radically in sequence structure and gene content," showing "extraordinary divergence" where "wholesale renovation is the paramount theme.",,, "Even more striking than the gene loss is the rearrangement of large portions of the chromosome. More than 30% of the chimp Y chromosome lacks an alignable counterpart on the human Y chromosome, and vice versa,,,"
http://www.evolutionnews.org/2.....shows.html
Human Gene Count Tumbles Again – 2008
Excerpt: Scientists on the hunt for typical genes — that is, the ones that encode proteins — have traditionally set their sights on so-called open reading frames, which are long stretches of 300 or more nucleotides, or "letters" of DNA, bookended by genetic start and stop signals.,,,, The researchers considered genes to be valid if and only if similar sequences could be found in other mammals – namely, mouse and dog. Applying this technique to nearly 22,000 genes in the Ensembl gene catalog, the analysis revealed 1,177 "orphan" DNA sequences.,,, the researchers compared the orphan sequences to the DNA of two primate cousins, chimpanzees and macaques. After careful genomic comparisons, the orphan genes were found to be true to their name — they were absent from both primate genomes.
From Jerry Coyne, More Table-Pounding, Hand-Waving – May 2012
Excerpt: "More than 6 percent of genes found in humans simply aren't found in any form in chimpanzees. There are over fourteen hundred novel genes expressed in humans but not in chimps."
Jerry Coyne – ardent and 'angry' neo-Darwinist – professor at the University of Chicago in the department of ecology and evolution for twenty years. He specializes in evolutionary genetics.
An integrated encyclopedia of DNA elements in the human genome – Sept. 6, 2012
Excerpt: Analysis,,, yielded 57 confidently identified unique peptide sequences in intergenic regions relative to GENCODE annotation. Taken together with evidence of pervasive genome transcription, these data indicate that additional protein-coding genes remain to be found.
http://www.nature.com/nature/j.....11247.html
Age doesn't matter: New genes are as essential as ancient ones – December 2010
Excerpt: "A new gene is as essential as any other gene; the importance of a gene is independent of its age," said Manyuan Long, PhD, Professor of Ecology & Evolution and senior author of the paper. "New genes are no longer just vinegar, they are now equally likely to be butter and bread. We were shocked."
The Gorilla Who Broke the Tree – Doug Axe PhD. – March 2012
Excerpt: Well, the recent publication of the gorilla genome sequence shows that the expected pattern just isn't there. Instead of a nested hierarchy of similarities, we see something more like a mosaic. According to a recent report [1], "In 30% of the genome, gorilla is closer to human or chimpanzee than the latter are to each other…"
That's sufficiently difficult to square with Darwin's tree that it ought to bring the whole theory into question. And in an ideal world where Darwinism is examined the way scientific theories ought to be examined, I think it would. But in the real world things aren't always so simple.
http://www.biologicinstitute.o.....e-the-tree
And as Dr. Axe alluded to, the differences that can be explained by Darwinian processes are miniscule:
More from Ann Gauger on why humans didn't happen the way Darwin said – July 2012
Excerpt: Each of these new features probably required multiple mutations. Getting a feature that requires six neutral mutations is the limit of what bacteria can produce. For primates (e.g., monkeys, apes and humans) the limit is much more severe. Because of much smaller effective population sizes (an estimated ten thousand for humans instead of a billion for bacteria) and longer generation times (fifteen to twenty years per generation for humans vs. a thousand generations per year for bacteria), it would take a very long time for even a single beneficial mutation to appear and become fixed in a human population.
You don't have to take my word for it. In 2007, Durrett and Schmidt estimated in the journal Genetics that for a single mutation to occur in a nucleotide-binding site and be fixed in a primate lineage would require a waiting time of six million years. The same authors later estimated it would take 216 million years for the binding site to acquire two mutations, if the first mutation was neutral in its effect.
Facing Facts
But six million years is the entire time allotted for the transition from our last common ancestor with chimps to us according to the standard evolutionary timescale. Two hundred and sixteen million years takes us back to the Triassic, when the very first mammals appeared. One or two mutations simply aren't sufficient to produce the necessary changes— sixteen anatomical features—in the time available. At most, a new binding site might affect the regulation of one or two genes.
http://www.uncommondescent.com.....rwin-said/
Science & Human Origins: Interview With Dr. Douglas Axe (podcast on the strict limits found for changing proteins to other very similar proteins) – July 2012
http://intelligentdesign.podom.....3_53-07_00
But, if all that was not bad enough, Body plan morphogenesis is not even reducible to mutations to DNA:
The Origin of Biological Information and the Higher Taxonomic Categories – Stephen Meyer
"Neo-Darwinism seeks to explain the origin of new information, form, and structure as a result of selection acting on randomly arising variation at a very low level within the biological hierarchy, mainly, within the genetic text. Yet the major morphological innovations depend on a specificity of arrangement at a much higher level of the organizational hierarchy, a level that DNA alone does not determine. Yet if DNA is not wholly responsible for body plan morphogenesis, then DNA sequences can mutate indefinitely, without regard to realistic probabilistic limits, and still not produce a new body plan. Thus, the mechanism of natural selection acting on random mutations in DNA cannot in principle generate novel body plans, including those that first arose in the Cambrian explosion."
http://eyedesignbook.com/ch6/eyech6-append-d.html
Stephen Meyer – Functional Proteins And Information For Body Plans – video
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4050681
Dr. Stephen Meyer comments at the end of the preceding video,,,
'Now one more problem as far as the generation of information. It turns out that you don't only need information to build genes and proteins, it turns out to build Body-Plans you need higher levels of information; Higher order assembly instructions. DNA codes for the building of proteins, but proteins must be arranged into distinctive circuitry to form distinctive cell types. Cell types have to be arranged into tissues. Tissues have to be arranged into organs. Organs and tissues must be specifically arranged to generate whole new Body-Plans, distinctive arrangements of those body parts. We now know that DNA alone is not responsible for those higher orders of organization. DNA codes for proteins, but by itself it does not insure that proteins, cell types, tissues, organs, will all be arranged in the body. And what that means is that the Body-Plan morphogenesis, as it is called, depends upon information that is not encoded on DNA. Which means you can mutate DNA indefinitely. 80 million years, 100 million years, til the cows come home. It doesn't matter, because in the best case you are just going to find a new protein some place out there in that vast combinatorial sequence space. You are not, by mutating DNA alone, going to generate higher order structures that are necessary to building a body plan. So what we can conclude from that is that the neo-Darwinian mechanism is grossly inadequate to explain the origin of information necessary to build new genes and proteins, and it is also grossly inadequate to explain the origination of novel biological form.' –
Stephen Meyer – (excerpt taken from Meyer/Sternberg vs. Shermer/Prothero debate – 2009)
Here is a glimpse of the 'higher order' information in action:
An Electric Face: A Rendering Worth a Thousand Falsifications – September 2011
Excerpt: The video suggests that bioelectric signals presage the morphological development of the face. It also, in an instant, gives a peak at the phenomenal processes at work in biology. As the lead researcher said, "It's a jaw dropper."
http://darwins-god.blogspot.co.....usand.html
The (Electric) Face of a Frog – video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndFe5CaDTlI
Of related note, Casey Luskin wrote an extended defense of the fossil record, which he wrote about in Science and Human Origins, here:
Read Your References Carefully: Paul McBride's Prized Citation on Skull-Sizes Supports My Thesis, Not His – Casey Luskin – August 31, 2012
Excerpt of Conclusion: This has been a long article, but I hope it is instructive in showing how evolutionists deal with the fossil hominin evidence. As we've seen, multiple authorities recognize that our genus Homo appears in the fossil record abruptly with a complex suite of characteristics never-before-seen in any hominin. And that suite of characteristics has remained remarkably constant from the time Homo appears until the present day with you, me, and the rest of modern humanity. The one possible exception to this is brain size, where there are some skulls of intermediate cranial capacity, and there is some increase over time. But even there, when Homo appears, it does so with an abrupt increase in skull-size. ,,,
The complex suite of traits associated with our genus Homo appears abruptly, and is distinctly different from the australopithecines which were supposedly our ancestors. There are no transitional fossils linking us to that group.,,,
McBride Misstates My Arguments in Science and Human Origins – Casey Luskin September 5, 2012
Excerpt: At the end of the day, I leave this exchange more confident than before that the evidence supports the abrupt appearance of our genus Homo.
How do Theistic Evolutionists Explain the Fossil Record and Human Origins? – Casey Luskin – September 14, 2012
Excerpt: In six recent articles (see the links at right), I have argued that the fossil record does not support the evolution of ape-like species into human-like species. Rather, hominin fossils generally fall into two distinct groups: ape-like species and human-like species, with a large, unbridged gap between them.,,, Third, not all paleontologists agree with Kidder that the lack of transitional fossils is simply the result of the unsophisticated (and all-too-easy) excuse the fossil record is poor. Consider what paleontologist Niles Eldredge and paleoanthropologist Ian Tattersal (who are both committed evolutionists) co-wrote in a book on human origins:
"The record jumps, and all the evidence shows that the record is real: the gaps we see reflect real events in life's history — not the artifact of a poor fossil record."
(Niles Eldredge and Ian Tattersall, The Myths of Human Evolution, p. 59 (NY: Columbia University Press, 1982).)
OT: Apologetics 315 has organized Dr. Tim McGrew's resources:
Audio Resources by Tim McGrew
http://www.apologetics315.com/.....w.html?m=1
Eric Anderson says:
Paraphrasing Axe . . . If you're just pointing out similarities, you're not saying anything [about evolution], because evolution is supposed to be able to explain how the differences [changes] come about.
This is an excellent point and well worth keeping in mind.
Darwinism. For when you don't want to have to think.
"In fact, there is a surprising disregard among evolutionary biologists for the amount of genetic change that would be needed to actually accomplish the evolutionary transitions they propose, and the amount of time it would require."
– Ann Gauger
"These two things, a step-wise, adaptive path, and enough time and probabilistic resources for the path to be traversed, are absolutely necessary for neo-Darwinian evolution to have occurred.
Yet these two things have yet to be demonstrated for any significant evolutionary transition."


The 14th International Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Conference, organized by the Climate Change Solutions will take place on 13th March 2018 at the NEC Birmingham in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The conference will focus on the commercialisation of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell technology looking at small and large scale static applications alongside the exciting developments in transport and storage.
If you require any further information or wish to register an interest in sponsoring or exhibiting at the 2018 event please contact Jacqui Staunton via the event website.


Boasting an outdoor pool and spa, Aston Pontianak Hotel and Convention Center offers 4-star rooms with 32-inch flat-screen TVs in the city centre.
Free Wi-Fi is available in public areas. Spacious rooms at Aston Pontianak feature modern furnishings in neutral colours. They are fitted with cable TV, Wi-Fi and a safe.
A fridge and tea/coffee making amenities are provided for guests convenience.
Guests can shop at the arcade attached to the hotel or relax in the sauna.
A well-equipped fitness centre awaits guests looking to exercise.
Private karaoke cabins are available on the dedicated entertainment floor.
Dynasty Restaurant offers a range of exquisite Chinese dishes. Light refreshments are available at Aston Pontianak's Coffee Shop and Bar Lounge.
Hotel Pontianak Aston is a 20-minute drive from Supadio Airport.


Marriage is a very important occasion in the life of the bride and groom, after all it is a new life that is beginning next to the person you chose to spend the rest of your life. Besides being a very romantic commemorative date, it is one of the most important moments in the life of any woman. And it is for this reason that choosing the bride's dress is one of the most complicated tasks in a woman's life, precisely because of her fear of making mistakes and the desire to be perfect.
The models of wedding dresses are increasingly varied, each season new models appear in the world, which can make this choice even more complicated, especially by the most indecisive brides , due to the numerous options of models and styles. However, at this time should be taking into consideration a few things that can make it easier to choose the ideal wedding dress, such as the time of the ceremony and the style of the party, whether it will be more sophisticated, simpler or stripped down.
Brides who choose to hold the wedding ceremony during the day or in open places, such as in the field, at the beach, or in the garden, have more varieties of models of dresses, and a model that has been emphasizing more and more in this style of party are the mini dresses for the brides, in which has the skirt below the knee, leaving the ankles to show. The midi wedding dress was very successful in the 50's and currently returned scenes. Meet a little more of the mini dress for the brides.
Due to the bridal midi dress have inspirations from the 50s, they leave the production of the bride even more romantic and delicate, in addition to having a totally retro style without necessarily being a vintage piece . The midi dress model for brides is also a great alternative to the more intimate, simple or less formal wedding ceremonies as they leave the bride even more glamorous for the big day without losing the sophistication.
In different models to please the different styles of brides, midi dresses for brides appear with or without straps, single front models, will take that fall, besides the models with cut evasé, leaving the bride's dress full of movements. Midi dresses for brides gain varied styles ranging from the bulky, modern and daring to the most simple, discreet and straight cut.
Among the details, midi bridal gowns with bows, satin ribbons, frills, lace and delicate embroidery make the piece even more delicate and full of romance. In addition, cutouts, necklines or effects that leave the silhouette on the hips and waist also complement midi dresses for brides.
As with the details, the tissues vary greatly, from the finest to the lightest, falling on the curves of the female body. Remember that overweight brides should opt for midi dresses with more structured fabrics. Skinny women can use and abuse almost any fabric, whether light, thin or shiny.
Because they are models of dresses for brides with shorter modeling and let the ankles show, midi wedding dresses should be used following some care, such as choosing the right shoes, after all they will be fully exposed and, therefore, the bride you should opt for more sophisticated and high-heeled shoes. High heels are also tricky to lengthen the bride's legs, even more so because the skirt of the wedding dress is short, this creates the illusion of a more longline silhouette.
However, just like any other model of wedding dress, the midi dress does require a few exceptions: the mini bridal gown is not recommended for short women, because with this dress model they may look even smaller. The mini dress also do not match with brides who are overweight, mainly because the skirts most of the time appear quite bulky and with layers, this can make them even tighter.
If you are a more daring bride and you like to innovate in the visual to go to the altar, the tip is to invest in the colorful bridal shoes. However, the colored shoes should be in harmony with the color of the flowers of the bouquet and with the rest of the decoration of the party. For brides who want a retro look, peep toe are great options, as they will leave the bride with a totally 50's look.
Regarding bridal accessories to match midi dresses, everything will depend on the model chosen. Midi dresses full of details, embroidery and sparkles require more discreet and simple accessories. But the basic ones allow more daring accessories. The tip also applies to shoes, which can be flashy, as long as the dress allows. But be sure to check if the bride's look is no longer in sufficient detail, common sense at these times is the keyword.
So if you also want to climb the altar in a midi wedding dress, with vintage and modern style at the same time, ask your seamstress or look for a wedding dress with these characteristics in stores that specialize in this segment. Leave your wedding ceremony full of romance and delicacy with the midi dress for the brides.


For robust production forecasts, various uncertainties due to complex chemical processes should be quantified thoroughly. Some of the important uncertainties for full field production forecasts are chemical adsorption on rock surface, interfacial tension (IFT) and residual oil saturation reduction by chemical. Proper coreflood experiments are critical to reduce these uncertainties. Careful matching of coreflood experiments in numerical simulations is also important which provides key inputs for full field forecast. Another important element in the successful commercial application for chemical EOR process is a well-designed pilot. After the completion of pilot, the results should be carefully matched in the simulation model. Once satisfactory match is obtained, the key step would be to upscale the results to the full field level.
Discussed in this paper are the impact of some of these uncertainties and the method used to reduce them. In this paper the workflow and key tasks in dealing with the simulation of chemical EOR process elements like residual oil saturation, IFT reduction and adsorption parameters are discussed. The results show that the incremental oil is very sensitive to the various simulation inputs.


When Jeanette's father became an executive in the church, the family accompanied him throughout the United States visiting churches and conventions. It was during this time in her life that she received a broadened view of ministry and a great love of God's people everywhere.
new converts, teach the Bible, give understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, and to assist pastors who had established new churches.