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Media Releases February 2018
Australian PMI®: Manufacturing continues positive start to 2018
The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®) fell 1.2 points to 57.5 in February, indicating further expansion but at a slightly slower pace than in January (readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the increase).
Ai Group releases pre-budget submission outlining business priorities
"The upcoming Federal Budget represents an opportunity for the Government to set Australia up for a prosperous, sustainable future in an increasingly volatile and rapidly changing local and international environment," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today in releasing the organisation's Budget submission.
Ai Group congratulates new National Party leader and Deputy PM
The Australian Industry Group congratulates Michael McCormack as the new leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister.
Ai Group comment on Federal Labor's proposal for a National Inquiry into Post-Secondary Education
"The ALP's announcement today that in Government it would launch a National Inquiry into Post-Secondary Education, brings welcome attention to the need to address shortcomings in both the vocational and higher education systems," Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.
NSW Productivity Commission to drive investment and growth
"The announcement today by the NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, of the creation of a State Productivity Commission should contribute to making the State a better place to do business," the Head of Ai Group NSW, Mark Goodsell said today.
Today's High Court decision will reinforce the rule of law in the construction industry
"Today's High Court decision confirming the power of Courts to order union officials to pay their own fines, will be very important in reinforcing the rule of law in the construction industry. The decision will discourage CFMEU officials from blatantly disregarding industrial laws because, if they do, they can be ordered to personally pay large fines from their own assets," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.
Enacting tax bill would be a major step along road to fit-for-purpose tax system
"Enacting the Bill that has passed the lower house would be a major step along the road to a fit-for-purpose tax system. The Bill would phase down the company tax rate to 25 percent by the start of the 2026-27 year. The reduction would boost investment, capital per employee, productivity and lay the foundation for a lift in real wages," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.
ACTU attempts to discredit Labor's Fair Work Act are simply a push for more union power
"The ACTU's ongoing attempts to re-imagine the past by portraying Labor's Fair Work Act as unfair to unions and workers don't stand the most cursory of scrutiny," Australian Industry Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said today.
Australian PCI®: Construction continues to grow in January
The Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) increased by 1.5 points to 54.3 in January, indicating industry-wide growth for a 12th consecutive month and at a slightly faster pace than in December (readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the increase).
Australian PSI®: Services sector shows solid start to 2018
The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Services Index (Australian PSI®) lifted by 2.9 points to 54.9 in January – an 11th consecutive month of positive results and at an accelerating rate of expansion compared with late 2017 (results above 50 points indicate expansion, with the distance from 50 points indicating the strength of the increase).
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Arin with David Madden, Founder and Director of International Academic Competitions
Arin Parsa is a Young Mensan, sixth grader from San Jose, with a fiery curiosity, voracious appetite for knowledge, and uncanny recall. Arin loves buzzer-based academic tournaments such as NAQT and IAC that have with pyramidal questions and reward players with depth of knowledge.
Arin has had a spectacular year. From September through March, Arin remained undefeated as the highest scoring NAQT quiz bowl middle school player, and won California IAC regionals for history bee & bowl, academic bee & bowl, and science bee. In early April, Arin became NAQT's quiz bowl champion for middle school, and later in the month, played solo at IAC's Varsity History Bowl in Arlington. Arin made upper bracket amongst 144 teams comprised of 11th and 12th graders: an unprecedented feat by a 6th grader, and received an honorable mention from David Madden, Founder and Director of IAC (@3:40 min mark). As the academic year drew to a close, Arin swept away sixth grade division awards at Chicago by a huge margin!
International Academic Competitions (IAC) is a consortium of competitions for primary and secondary students operating in over 25 countries around the world. Every year, students take online qualifying exams in areas of science, history, and geography, following which they are invited to regional competitions. Regional tournaments feature buzzer-based "bee" tournaments for individual students as well as "bowl" tournaments for a team of students participating together. Buzzer-based format rewards students for their depth of knowledge, fast recall, and keeping calm under pressure. Winners of regional tournaments across the U.S are then invited to a four-day long national event in June as the academic year closes.
This year, about 1500 national qualifying students from all over the U.S competed in various elementary and middle divisions in a four-day long marathon event at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago from June 7 through June 10.
Arin Parsa participated in bee events and played as a solo-player in the bowl events against teams of up to four students in the sixth grade division.
In a rare feat, Arin repeated history where one student has gone on to win national titles in more than one subject by a tremendous margin and was crowned the overall academic champion in his division. Shiva Oswal from Cupertino, California was the first student to have accomplished this feat in 2016. These phenomenal achievements demonstrate that when students combine true passion for learning with dedication, and enjoy themselves, they can accomplish anything they set their minds to.
Outside of academics, Arin enjoys being a boy scout and devoting time to community projects. Arin is looking forward to a summer of travel, camping in the wilderness, environment cleanliness projects, and volunteering his time reading to younger children furthering the open program by Mensa for fostering reading excellence.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Join us to celebrate our students' dedication to social advocacy and global leadership.
The evening will include Latin cuisine, Afro-Latin music and dance, silent auction and an overview of the World Scholars Program.
CLICK ON THE WORLD SCHOLARS PACKET BELOW FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
• Facilitating the development of a comprehensive worldview, critical for global leadership.
This cultural and academic journey culminates in an educational excursion to the Community of Focus. During this international expedition, our students will engage in a cultural exchange with other children of the world, develop new friendships that extend beyond the boundaries of their communities, and acquire first-hand knowledge about the challenges that other communities face. For Village Leadership Academy students, "The World Is the Classroom.
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SUPPORT the development of the next world leaders.


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December 17 Referendum: A Victim Of Our Brand Of Politics In Ghana
By Simon Bokor
NOV 26, 2019 LISTEN
Politics at its height is about policy decisions in order to realise one thing; ensure a decent, quality and happy life for people in a geographical area. In Western democracy, the means for delivering on this state-citizen commitment has always been through a system of multi-party democracy. The winning party forms a government, be it at the local, regional or national level. The scheduled Referendum on December 17 (to inaugurate political party participation in district level election) has seen tremendous stakeholder opposition of late. At the moment, the 'Independents' have emerged and as if to 'fire fight' proposed that the Referendum be suspended altogether to allow for increased capacity building of Ghanaians on the subject matter. Well, that is the beauty of democracy.
The YES and NO arguments can be theorised as follows: The advocates of YES espoused the credentials of multi-party democracy and the need for Ghanaians to continue to walk the path in the spirit of the 1992 Constitution. This group of advocates can be described as the Idealists. The NO people (who can be called the Realists) tapped into the negative manner in which multi-party democracy is practised at the national level and argued the dire consequences should the door be opened for political party participation. The position of the two groups is akin to the preacherman telling his congregation about heavenly inheritance and the need to sow seeds for the spirit. But then the flesh sees things in a different light, it says to the spirit, 'wait a minute, good as heaven is, the physical needs must be satisfied first on earth'. In effect, the flesh 'fights' against the spirit. No doubt, the advocates (of YES and NO) know that there is some level of truth in what the other party says. It is laudable to deepen multi-party democracy but the way we have practised it over the years is the problem. What happened?
The individual politician has more or less lost self-identity to collective party identity. People reason and act based on loyalty to party rather what is good, just and ought to be done. It looks very much like moral courage has deserted politicians;
Irresponsibility and self-denial where party followers will support a member no matter the wrong committed;
Party and party members must benefit first policies;
Road blocks for the opposition;
Information manipulation;
Accumulation of resources towards the next election;
Attacks on the person rather than the issue at stake;
Winner takes all;
Pride and ego of office holders;
Divide and rule;
Indiscipline, cronyism, favoritism, and what have you.
The above points are anathema to building a prosperous nation. As to how well the needs of the people (which is the essence of governance) have been met by our multi-party system, is a question that must be answered one day.
Granted that the argument of the 'Independents' (that the Referendum be suspended) carries the day, we will face another problem. How long must it wait? Will anything ever change in partisan politics are the national level to warrant its second coming? Above all, are politicians prepared for any change at all?
Maybe when we opt for election of MMDCEs, we will have no choice but to re-do the following:
Deconstruct national level institutions and processes
Reconstruct the regional level and
Construct the local level in accordance with what best gives the people a decent, quality and happy life.
Perhaps, what will be different from our current decentralization system is that there will be popular agitation to remake the Ghanaian State bottom-up. The absolute power that the multi-party system wields at the national level (over decisions and resources) will eventually cave in.
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Saratoga is a low-population vacuum world, with a population of less than 10,000 sophonts in population size, warranting hazardous environment precautions.
Saratoga has a pressure of less than 0.001 atmospheres, which requires the use of a vacc suit.
A Vacuum atmosphere requires a vacc suit.
Saratoga is a low-population vacuum world, with a population less than 10,000 sophonts in population size, warranting hazardous environment precautions.
Saratoga, as a member world of the Third Imperium has a member of the Imperial Nobility overseeing the world.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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China wary as Hong Kong election exposes strains
Hong Kong Sep 05, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by reuters Sep 05, 2016 12:00 am
Hong Kong voted on Sunday in its first major election since pro-democracy protests in 2014 and one of its most contentious ever, with a push for independence among disaffected younger voters stoking tension with China's government. The vote is for a 70-seat legislative council in which Hong Kong's pro-democracy opposition is hoping to maintain a one-third veto bloc in the face of better mobilized and funded pro-Beijing rivals. The former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" agreement that promised to maintain the global financial hub's freedoms and separate laws for at least 50 years, but gave ultimate control to Beijing.
A growing yearning for independence and animosity towards Beijing in the southern coastal city pose one of the central government's most pressing domestic political issues. The stakes for Beijing are particularly high this weekend as G20 leaders gather in the eastern city of Hangzhou for a summit. Hong Kong's opposition now controls 27 of the legislature's 70 seats, giving it the power to block policies and some laws including legislation it sees as eroding freedoms. Some 3.8 million of Hong Kong's seven million people are eligible to vote and the result is due early on Monday.
It will give an indication of anti-China sentiment some two years after tens of thousands took to Hong Kong streets to demand full democracy from China's Communist Party leaders. A younger generation of voters who joined those protests is openly advocating independence - a push some people warn could jeopardize Hong Kong's economic and political future. China's stability-obsessed leaders have categorically rejected any possibility of independence. Hong Kong officials are generally supportive of Beijing and keen to preserve "one country, two systems", though confidence in China's commitment to the formula has been shaken by recent incidents including the abduction of several Hong Kong booksellers by Chinese agents. "You may be disappointed by the fact that Hong Kong, the city we love, has not been making more progress," Carrie Lam, the head of Hong Kong's civil service, told reporters as she cast her ballot. "I urge you to vote because indifference will not lead us anywhere."
Many residents see the 79 days of student-led protests in 2014 as a turning point in the city's politics even though Beijing gave no ground. Since then, many have decried what they see as increasing Beijing interference to stifle dissent and civil liberties. Six pro-democracy election candidates were disqualified for refusing to uphold a clause in Hong Kong's mini constitution, or Basic Law, stating it is an "inalienable" part of China. "The rights we should have under the Basic Law don't belong to us anymore," said Baggio Leung of Youngspiration, a group pushing for self-determination. "We are telling Beijing we don't believe they are going to protect us." China has launched a campaign to try to sway the vote through its channels of influence including state companies and grassroots associations. "It is an open secret that they ... pull strings, they make threats, they plant votes," said Anson Chan, a former senior Hong Kong official. The city's Beijing-backed leader, Leung Chun-ying, rejected any suggestion of interference. "Our election is a democratic one," Leung told reporters after casting his vote, when an activist threw a sandwich at him. "Voters have their own free choice and don't need anyone to tell them how to vote."
10 must-see caves in Turkey to explore


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Kilmainham Jail, best political history lesson in Dublin
Posted 7th June, 2013 by Alex&Bell
The history of Ireland has been a turbulent one. 700 years of English occupation effectively ended in 1922 when the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed. This paved the way for Irish Independence following a 2 and 1/2 year resistance movement against British rule. The treaty was divisive among Irish people because it left 6 northern counties remaining under the English crown, which they still do to this day. During 700 years of English rule there were several Irish rebellions that led to the final one, the other most significant being the Easter rising of 1916. Many influential leaders of the rebellion were executed at Kilmainham Jail for their role in the Easter Rising, which has become a museum and the best political history lesson in Dublin I've come across.
Kilmainham Gaol (old spelling of jail) was built in 1796 to replace the even more horrendous version next door. Public executions took place in the early 1800's and were spectator sport back then. Men, women and children as little as 5 were thrown in jail for as little as stealing a piece of bread or begging in the street. Prisoners were placed in solitary confinement, sometimes upwards of 1 year. Overcrowding became an issue during the Potato Famine of the mid 1800's that saw 1 million Irish people die of starvation and disease, of course also causing crime to rise.
Today there is a museum on the history of the jail and the political uprising that led to Ireland's independence attached to Kilmainham Jail, which stands as a museum in its own right. A 1 hour guided tour of the jail can be done and is a must for any visitor interested in Irish history. It's a moving journey through oppression and the struggle to end it. For expats like us who did not know where large train stations in Dublin like Heuston and Pearse got their names, Kilmainham is fantastic. They, along with James Connolly and others, were executed at the prison.
The critically acclaimed film based on a true story, 'In the Name of the the Father' was filmed at Kilmainham Gaol. It was nominated for 7 Academy Awards in 1994 including best actor for Daniel Day-Lewis and best supporting actress for Emma Thompson. The small cafe in the jail is dedicated to the film.
Along with Dublin Castle, for completely opposite reasons, Kilmainham Jail is my favorite attraction in Dublin. If you have a few days in Dublin you should visit both to give you a great understanding of modern Irish history and government. If you're in Dublin on the first Wednesday of the month you're in luck because admission to both on those days are free. If you're touring Dublin on a different day you're also in luck because the small admission cost is worth every cent.
Address: Inchicore Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8.
Telephone No: +353 1 453 5984
Adult: €6.00
Sen/Group: €4.00
Child/Student: €2.00
Family: €14.00
Irish flag in the courtyard of Kilmainham Jail. Green signifies loyalty to Ireland, orange signifies allegiance to Britain and white stands for peace between both sides.
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Posted in Dublin. Tagged attractions, Ireland, Jails, museums
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6 thoughts on "Kilmainham Jail, best political history lesson in Dublin"
daleangloitalian says:
This sounds like the kind of place I think I would enjoy, and having not studied this part of history for quite a number of years since I left school, it'd be the perfect place for a reminder.
Yes you would certainly enjoy a visit here. Especially if you enjoyed learning about this history in school. Thanks for reading and commenting Dale!
TheTuscan says:
Since I saw the pictures I knew I had seen this prison in that movie. However, if I remember correctly, it represented a prison in England.
Hey Tuscan, yes you are correct. My description of the film was lacking in details. While the film is indeed based on a true story, it is one of an Irish man at a prison in England, and did not actually happen at Kilmainham. Perhaps they chose Kilmainham because the prison was closed but still existed as a museum so it made an ideal location for filming. I'm surprised a film has not been made there depicting the Easter Rising.
Great part of history and I am looking forward to visiting during my stay in 2014.
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Modena Food Tour: An Italian Culinary Mecca


Cameraassistent between 1997-99, then went on as a digital artist in the games and realtime applications field. 1999-2006 studies in animation at the academy for film and television HFF in Potsdam-Babelsberg. Since then vfx artist, technical director and supervisor.
Filmography features shows such as 'The Chronicles Of Narnia', '2012', 'The Last Airbender', 'Pirates Of The Caribbean - On Stranger Tides', 'Battleship', 'AfterEarth', 'Star Trek - Into Darkness', 'Lucy', 'Unbroken', 'Jurassic World', 'Terminator - Genisys' and recently 'Star Wars - The Force Awakens'.
All rights of visual content on the website reserved by its respected owners.


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Kamstrup starts off 2018 with a new CEO and high ambitions
Kim Lehmann will become the new CEO of Danish technology company Kamstrup following Per Asmussen, who is leaving Kamstrup for health reasons.
Kim Lehmann comes from a top position as President and CEO at former GN company, GN Otometrics. He has delivered impressive results in GN Otometrics as well as in a number of other high-tech companies, where he has created growth and developed them into profitable businesses.
"With his international experience and insight into developing hardware and software for a global market, Kim Lehmann has the right profile to take over the baton from Per Asmussen," says Chairman of Kamstrup, Jørgen Wisborg. "I trust that under Kim Lehmann's leadership, Kamstrup will remain a healthy business that can continue to finance a significantly higher level of development than our closest competitors. This is one of the cornerstones of being able to deliver on our vision to be the world's leading supplier of intelligent metering solutions for energy and water utilities. I look forward to a great cooperation".
Kim Lehmann will be taking over a company that has seen continued profitable growth throughout the past eight years, and one that has, under the leadership of Per Asmussen, constantly challenged the limits for how much value an intelligent metering solution can create for the utility. Per Asmussen passes on a well- consolidated company with a strong foundation to the new CEO. He will ensure continued growth and further develop the company's journey from providing intelligent meters to digitalising utilities. As a result, Kamstrup's board of directors will consist of Kim Lehmann and CFO Henrik Rom.
"Kamstrup is an incredibly exciting company with a huge growth potential, and I am looking forward to becoming part of it. Technology and digitalisation can create great value for utilities all over the world and of course, it is crucial to unlock the enormous potential of, among other things, reducing the amount of water and energy that is wasted before it reaches the consumer. Kamstrup is widely recognised for delivering quality and for their technical expertise, and I look forward to continuing the culture of innovation that is key to creating results", says Kim Lehmann.
Kamstrup produces intelligent solutions for metering and optimising the supply of water, heat and electricity all over the world and the company has an ambitious goal that someday, one billion people will be getting clean water from a water network with Kamstrup intelligence. Headquartered in Stilling just outside of Aarhus in central Denmark, Kamstrup employs 1,250 people across 24 countries and expects a turnover of EUR 260 million in 2017.
For further information, please contact Chairman of Kamstrup Jørgen Wisborg at +45 89 32 22 11.


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January 28, 2016 at 8pm to April 10, 2016 at 7pm – Matrix Theatre	The Matrix Theatre Company honors Black History Month with the Los Angeles premiere of The Mountaintop, directed by Obie Award-winner Roger Guenveur Smith. Recipient of London's 2010 Olivier Award, K… Organized by Lucy Pollak | Type: live, theatre
Tempest Redux
February 20, 2016 at 8pm to April 10, 2016 at 2pm – Odyssey Theatre	Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and The New American Theatre celebrate El Niño with a perfect storm of comedy, romance, mystery and magic. Derived from Shakespeare's fantasy, The Tempest, this freshly conce… Organized by Lucy Pollak | Type: theater/play
March 3, 2016 at 8pm to April 24, 2016 at 2pm – Antaeus Theatre Company	Caryl Churchill's hilarious, Obie Award-winning play, a modern classic, fractures the conventional comedy in a wickedly funny, take-no-prisoners carnal romp. In the wilds of 19th century Africa, the… Organized by Lucy Pollak | Type: theater/play
March 15, 2016 at 7pm to August 30, 2016 at 7pm – Culver City Julian Dixon Library	Storytime is a special time to make new friends and share stories, songs, play, art activities and more. Join us for a fun storytime every Tuesday evening. No registration required. For children up t… Organized by Joan Mead | Type: storytime
Dinner at Home between Deaths
March 31, 2016 at 8pm to May 8, 2016 at 2pm – Odyssey Theatre	High finance, family dysfunction, death — and laughs. Inspired by the Bernie Madoff scandal and other Ponzi schemes before and since, the world premiere of Andrea Lepcio's pitch-black comic thriller… Organized by Lucy Pollak | Type: theater/play
The Help Group's After School Program
April 4, 2016 at 4pm to May 27, 2016 at 5:15pm – The Help Group West	Kids Like Me offers a number of after-school programs for children and teens with autism spectrum disorder and other special needs in the Los Angeles area. These programs are designed to promote fun… Organized by Tracy Peters | Type: after, school, programs
Dry Land
April 9, 2016 at 8pm to May 15, 2016 at 7pm – Atwater Village Theatre	Ester is a swimmer trying to stay afloat. Amy is curled up on the locker room floor. The Echo Theater Company presents the West Coast premiere West Coast premiere of Dry Land, the riveting play about… Organized by Lucy Pollak | Type: play
PROP 13: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
April 10, 2016 from 10:15am to 11:30am – Westside Neighborhood School	On Sunday, April 10th, Sholem welcomes California Calls, a coalition of non-profits that motivates disenfranchised Californians to become empowered voters. They will discuss their efforts to revise P… Organized by Michele Prichard | Type: grass, roots, political, discussion
theatrical (151)


The UK's unpaid labor program administered under the workfare scheme has been deemed illegal by the country's High Court after a student filed a case against what critics have called 'modern day slavery' aimed at tackling unemployment in the UK.
Twenty four-year-old University of Birmingham graduate Cait Reilly and her co-filer 40-year-old unemployed qualified mechanic, Jamieson Wilson, from Nottingham have won a legal battle at the Court of Appeal after three judges ruled that it was illegal to perform labor without pay.
Reilly claimed that she was forced to quit her voluntary post at a museum to work unpaid at Poundland discount store under the government's policy. If failed to comply with Workforce requirements, she was told she would lose her benefits of Jobseeker's Allowance.
Jobseeker's Allowance is a form of unemployment social security benefit paid by the government to those seeking jobs. It is designed to cover living expenses while the applicant is unemployed. The benefit is funded through National Insurance contributions.
Wilson was asked to clean furniture for 30 hours a week for six months. He refused to accept the unpaid jobs claiming that his qualifications did not match the job description and taking the position would not help him re-enter the jobs market.
After Tuesday's ruling the defendant's lawyers explained that only Mandatory Work Activity (MWA) remains enforced while participants of the 'voluntary scheme' leave anytime without the loss of any benefits.
Furthermore, legal battles can now emerge claiming back the benefits lost, Anne-Marie O'Reilley from the Boycott Workforce Campaigned has told RT.
"Every single person who has been sent on these schemes in the last two was sent on them unlawfully and tens of thousands of people who've faced real extreme hardships and possible destitution were having their money stopped for participating may well be entitled to claim their money back," she says.
The Mandatory Work Activity is the stem of the scheme which started in May 2011, whereby individuals must work for their benefits. In June 2012, the scheme received a £5m expansion.
The Department for Work and Pensions say that the scheme can and will continue to aid the recovery of the youth unemployment rate of 20.5 percent.


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Under pressure, Iran admits it shot down jetliner by mistake
In this Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 photo, rescue workers search the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr, southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. AP-Yonhap
Iran's Revolutionary Guard on Saturday acknowledged that it accidentally shot down the Ukrainian jetliner that crashed earlier this week, killing all 176 aboard, after the government had repeatedly denied Western accusations that it was responsible.
The plane was shot down early Wednesday, hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike in Baghdad. No one was wounded in the attack on the bases.
Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guard's aerospace division, said his unit accepts ''full responsibility'' for the shootdown. In an address broadcast by state TV, he said that when he learned about the downing of the plane, ''I wished I was dead.''
He said Guard forces ringing the capital had beefed up their air defenses and were at the ''highest level of readiness,'' fearing that the U.S. would retaliate. He said an officer made the ''bad decision'' to open fire on the plane after mistaking it for a cruise missile.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, expressed his ''deep sympathy'' to the families of the victims and called on the armed forces to ''pursue probable shortcomings and guilt in the painful incident.''
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy issued a statement saying the crash investigation should continue and the ''perpetrators'' should be brought to justice. He said Iran should compensate victims' families, and he requested ''official apologies through diplomatic channels.''
Iran's acknowledgement of responsibility for the crash was likely to inflame public sentiment against authorities after Iranians had rallied around their leaders in the wake of Soleimani's killing. Soleimani, the leader of the Guard's elite Quds Force and the architect of Iran's regional military interventions, was seen as a national icon, and hundreds of thousands of Iranians had turned out for funeral processions across the country.
In this Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, photo, rescue workers search the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr, southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. AP
The majority of the plane crash victims were Iranians or Iranian-Canadians. Iranian officials had repeatedly ruled out a missile strike, dismissing such allegations as Western propaganda that officials said was offensive to the victims.
The crash came just weeks after authorities quashed nationwide protests ignited by a hike in gasoline prices. Iran has been in the grip of a severe economic crisis since President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani blamed the shootdown of the plane in part on ''threats and bullying'' by the United States after the killing of Soleimani. He expressed condolences to families of the victims, and he called for a ''full investigation'' and the prosecution of those responsible.
''A sad day,'' Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted. ''Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster. Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations.''
The jetliner, a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the outskirts of Tehran shortly after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport.
Ministry lodges protest over Iranian envoy's reported mention of possible end of Seoul-Tehran ties
2020-01-11 11:37 | Foreign Affairs
The U.S. and Canada, citing intelligence, said they believed Iran shot down the aircraft with a surface-to-air missile, a conclusion supported by videos verified by The Associated Press.
The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries, including 82 Iranians, 57 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians, according to officials. The Canadian government had earlier lowered the nation's death toll from 63.
Friends and faculty members gather at The University of Windsor for a memorial service for the five University of Windsor students who died in the Ukraine International Airlines flight crash, Friday, Jan. 10, 2020 in Windsor, Ontario. AP-Yonhap
''This is the right step for the Iranian government to admit responsibility, and it gives people a step toward closure with this admission,'' said Payman Parseyan, a prominent Iranian-Canadian in western Canada who lost a number of friends in the crash.
''I think the investigation would have disclosed it whether they admitted it or not. This will give them an opportunity to save face.''
Iran's acknowledgement of responsibility was likely to renew questions of why authorities did not shut down the country's main international airport and its airspace after the ballistic missile attack, when they feared U.S. reprisals.
It also undermines the credibility of information provided by senior Iranian officials. As recently as Friday, Ali Abedzadeh, the head of the national aviation department, had told reporters ''with certainty'' that a missile had not caused the crash.
On Thursday, Cabinet spokesman Ali Rabiei dismissed reports of a missile, saying they ''rub salt on a painful wound'' for families of the victims.
People attend a commemoration for the slain Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Lieutenant general and commander of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani as they shout slogans against the USA and Israel in front of the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Jan. 10, 2020. EPA-Yonhap
Iran had also invited Ukraine, Canada, the United States and France to take part in the investigation of the crash, in keeping with international norms. The Boeing 737 was built in the United States and the engine was built by a U.S.-French consortium.
Ukraine's president said its team of investigators, who are already on the ground in Iran, should continue their work with ''full access and cooperation.''
Hajizadeh, the Guard commander, said the pilot and crew of the passenger plane had done nothing wrong and that the armed forces alone were responsible.
The semi-official Fars news agency reported that the supreme leader on Friday morning had ordered top security officials to review the crash and announce the results.
''If some individuals, in any position, were aware of the issue but made statements contradicting the reality or hid the truth for any reason, they should be named and tried,'' said Fars, which is close to the Guard.
Others speculated that the security forces may have concealed information from civilian authorities.
''Concealing the truth from the administration is dreadful,'' Mohammad Fazeli, a sociology professor in Tehran, wrote on social media. ''If it had not been concealed, the head of civil aviation and the government spokesmen would not have persistently denied it.''
''Concealing the truth for three days is dangerous,'' he added. (AP)


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On 10th October 2015, we held a Conference in London to launch Phase 2 of the Pack.
— Download Full Brochure which includes abstracts and speaker bios.
— Most of the talks were recorded. They can be played or downloaded below. For those who wish to subscribe as a podcast or access the slides, please see this page [external link].
Dr Kate Middleton: On Fire or Just Burning Out?


text:
You Burn Me Out
Education 2011: A case study in seniority—and burn-out
Bruce Adams
Graduating from Buffalo State College in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in math, Sara has a burning desire to teach. She's grateful to land a position fresh out of college, even in a troubled high school at low starting pay. It's been four years since the task report A Nation at Risk sounded the rallying call for change, and Sara is ready for the challenge. Unmarried, childless, and full of youthful vigor, she devotes lots of extra time to her job, even as she pursues her master's degree during the evenings. Students identify with Sara, who is young and cute, and Principal Bell makes sure the new teacher isn't assigned many "problem" kids. He urges Sara to take on extra volunteer work: chaperoning dances, serving on committees. For untenured teachers, these are offers you can't refuse.
In her first year, Sara is introduced to Madeline Hunter's Instructional Theory into Practice, a highly touted teaching model the ambitious neophyte welcomes. Sara's eagerness is noted, and the following year, she's asked to join a massive shared decision-making team developing a district-wide ten-year strategic plan. It takes two arduous years, but the committee is justifiably proud of its work, and mission statements are posted in all schools with great fanfare.
Sara can't help but notice that many older teachers show little interest in the new initiative, but she's committed to developing the alternative and authentic assessments called for in the plan. Subsequently the staff is required to create "assessment rubrics," and they're introduced to "cooperative learning," both vital in addressing the upcoming new state assessments. Sara's head spins sometimes with information overload. Most of her energy is focused on day-to-day survival—preparing lesson plans, covering course material, avoiding politics, completing paperwork, and grading stacks of student papers—but she also works hard at incorporating new educational ideas into her teaching. Her glowing evaluations pave an easy path to tenure.
Sara reads letters to the editor in the local paper attacking teachers for various perceived offences, so she isn't surprised when parents blame her when their children misbehave. She is surprised, however, when Principal Bell takes an impartial position in such matters, labeling the behavior "personality conflicts" between teacher and student. Eight years into teaching, the strategic plan and the related initiatives Sara worked so hard on are now gathering dust in a drawer somewhere. Despite everyone's efforts, student achievement has not improved. Sara joins the new school-based management team—part of Albany's Compact for Learning—though the open joke among the staff is that shared decision-making is when the principal makes decisions and shares them with the team.
A new superintendent arrives, bringing with him a revolutionary new reform movement—Mastery Learning—as the district prepares for the new learning standards from Albany that will replace the performance indicators Sara and others agonizingly developed two summers earlier. It's becoming harder for Sara to process all the new reform movements, all of which—multiple intelligences, learning styles, critical thinking—are heralded as critical advancements. Outcomes-based education (renamed "standards-based education" after Rush Limbaugh attacks the word "outcomes") is the widely adopted response to the new Educate America Act (Goals 2000). Superintendent Tucker announces that the district requires a mission statement, and Sara wonders aloud what happened to the one her committee wrote years ago. "It's in a drawer with Madeline Hunter," another teacher quips sardonically. Principal Bell leaves for greener pastures. Sara begins Lamaze classes.
Principal Power announces her plan to make hers a Quality School. "William Glasser is revolutionizing education," she says. When Power asks for volunteers to lead the Total Quality Education program, Sara is quiet. She wants to spend more time with her own children, attend their school's open house, help with their homework. She invested so much time and energy already on programs that were later discarded. The high school is lambasted in Business First's annual school ranking, further demoralizing Sara who has tried everything to improve student achievement without success. "Data" is the new buzzword and Robert Marzano's Classroom Instruction That Works is a data-driven program. Sara gets another workbook. This time she waits until she's instructed to read it.
A seasoned teacher now, Sara gets many of the school's "problem" kids. No longer the perky young teacher students once identified with, Sara cracks down on the growing discipline problems, and students resent it. After one particularly difficult class she tearfully turns to the principal for help, but is rebuked for not having control of her class. Her test scores drop. Her marriage unravels.
Now the district has a major new program. The ASSETS Project identifies forty developmental characteristics students need for success. According to student surveys, the ones they most severely lack revolve around home life. But with the introduction of President Bush's No Child Left Behind, school accountability is the new catchphrase. When Principal Power assigns Sara additional duties in blatant violation of the collective bargaining contract, she files a grievance. Administration isn't happy.
Asked to peer-coach younger teachers, the newly single mother feels renewed optimism. This latest educational trend is the closest she will ever come to advancement. Sara commits, but the program is never properly funded and gradually dies. Assistant Superintendent Moody however, has a new program—Essential Elements of Learning—which will revolutionize education. Teachers learn to identify the essential element of a lesson and put it into a concept map. Education expert Max Thompson arrives in a concerted push to introduce his Learning Focused Schools program district-wide. A new lesson plan format with the catchy title, Understanding by Design, is adopted. All these initiatives gradually fade away.
The following year teachers are required to "map" curriculums, a long process with no apparent functional use. Teaching for Understanding and Cross Curriculum Literacy are two trendy new programs promoting the latest hot topic. Everyone reads Active Literacy before author Heidi Hayes Jacobs arrives amidst great fanfare to promote her comprehensive program, which administrators cherry-pick, then forget. By 2008 the latest buzz-phrase is Professional Learning Communities. The high school adopts this concept at considerable cost and strife. Three years later Principal Power moves on, and PLCs fizzle. With each new initiative Sara's enthusiasm diminishes. She has twenty-two years of books, binders, and workshop folders stacked in a file drawer, representing hundreds of hours of abandoned work. Sara digs through the strata like a scientist noting geologic eras. She ponders the energy spent on each new program, technological advance, and philosophical shift, and decides the only way she'll make it to retirement is to stop caring so much. President Obama introduces the Race to the Top Fund, and by 2010 New York has successfully secured its slice of the cash cow. Common Core Standards are developed in 2011, and a system is put into place to rate teachers based on student test scores.
In 2013 the anti-union movement hits NY State and teacher unions lose the right to collectively bargain. With the help of key Assembly members, New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo push through legislation they had endorsed for years eliminating the time-honored practice of laying-off teachers by seniority—"last hired, first fired." A new math teacher is hired at Sara's school. Being young and unattached, Bob impresses the new principal, who sees to it that he is not assigned the "problem" kids. Sara remains a competent and dedicated teacher, but the fire is out. She is asked to mentor Bob, but feels no motivation to train the competition. Bob can't help but notice that Sara shows little interest in the newest reform initiatives. In 2014 a math position is cut due to budget constraints. At half the pay, Bob is clearly the better choice. Sara is laid off, and at age fifty, with a son in college, she joins the unemployed.
Artist, educator, and writer Bruce Adams is Spree's art critic. He taught in a public high school for thirty years.
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text:
Q: Creating random configurations of spherocylinders or cylinders About the setting:
We have a 3D simulation box with side $l$ and our catesian coordinate system is set with its origin at the centre of the box.
We have a number $N$ of spherocylinders of aspect ratio $L/D=20,$ where $D$ is our basic unit of length, namely, the base diameter of the cylinder (or the spherical caps) and $L$ the length of the cylinder (without the caps). We can take an example of a box with $l=100.$
Question:
The aim is to generate random configurations for the $N$ spherocylinders, such that none of them are in overlap, so not even touching, nor are they in contact with the walls of the box.
This is useful for studying packing properties of such anisotropic objects, in contrast to the well-known sphere packing studies. I am curious to find out whether in Mathematica, there are existing libraries that can help one get a head start for implementing a routine that would generate valid configurations. A configuration is simply a list with the coordinates of the centres of the particles and their respective orientation coordinates, so 6 numbers per particle.

A: Any approach to this will depend on efficiently deciding if two capsules overlap.  You could do this using the built-in RegionDisjoint
capsulesOverlapRegion[cap1 : CapsuleShape[{p1a_List, p1b_List}, d1_],
  cap2 : CapsuleShape[{p2a_List, p2b_List}, d2_]] := !
  RegionDisjoint[
   BoundaryDiscretizeRegion[cap1],
   BoundaryDiscretizeRegion[cap2]
   ]

but this isn't terribly fast.
SeedRandom[42];
{c1, c2} = {CapsuleShape[RandomReal[1, {2, 3}], .25],
   CapsuleShape[RandomReal[1, {2, 3}], .25]};

capsulesOverlapRegion[c1, c2] // RepeatedTiming
(* {0.033, True} *)

Instead, I will use the compiled function described in this post, which measures the minimum distance between two line segments.  If this distance is greater than the sum of the diameters, the capsules do not intersect.  Here I'll drop the CapsuleShape wrapper, and represent a given capsule as a list of {point1, point2, diameter}
distSegToSegComp = << "https://git.io/vDJMK";
capsulesOverlap[CapsuleShape[{p1a_List, p1b_List}, d1_],
  CapsuleShape[{p2a_List, p2b_List}, d2_]] := (d1 + d2) >
  distSegToSegComp[{p1a, p1b}, {p2a, p2b}]

capsulesOverlap[c1, c2] // RepeatedTiming
(* {9.*10^-6, True} *)

Now you can use a loop, generating a random capsule at each step and rejecting it if it overlaps with another capsule.
With a speedy test, we can just use a While loop to get the required number of shapes.  Here is an example that generates 300 pseudorandomly oriented capsules, with length 0.3 and diameter 0.05, all within a box extending from {-1,-1,-1} to {1,1,1}.
length = 0.3;
diameter = 0.05;
nCapsuleGoal = 300;
maxAttempts = 3000;

boxLowerPoint = {-1, -1, -1};
boxUpperPoint = {1, 1, 1};
box = BoundaryDiscretizeRegion[
   Cuboid[diameter + boxLowerPoint, boxUpperPoint - diameter]];
pointInBox =
  And @@ Thread[(diameter + boxLowerPoint) < # < (-diameter +
        boxUpperPoint)] &;

distSegToSegComp = << "https://git.io/vDJMK";
capsulesOverlap[{p1a_List, p1b_List, d1_}, {p2a_List, p2b_List,
   d2_}] := (d1 + d2) > distSegToSegComp[{p1a, p1b}, {p2a, p2b}]

capsuleInBox[{p1_List, p2_List, d_}] :=
  pointInBox[p1] && pointInBox[p2];

\[ScriptCapitalD] =
  MatrixPropertyDistribution[r.{0, 0, length},
   r \[Distributed] CircularRealMatrixDistribution[3]];

capsules = {};
nCapsules = 0;
nAttempts = 0;
randomCapsule[] :=
  With[{start = RandomPoint[box]}, {start,
    start + RandomVariate[\[ScriptCapitalD]], diameter}];

While[nCapsules < nCapsuleGoal && nAttempts < maxAttempts,
  capsule = randomCapsule[];
  If[capsuleInBox[capsule] &&
    AllTrue[capsules, ! capsulesOverlap[capsule, #] &],
   AppendTo[capsules, capsule];
   nCapsules++;];
  nAttempts++;];

visualize the results with
Graphics3D[{CapForm[Round], Tube[{#1, #2}, #3] & @@@ capsules, Blue,
  Opacity[0.1], Cuboid[boxLowerPoint, boxUpperPoint]}, Boxed -> False]

A: Disclaimer
In the meantime, user929304 found out that my collision test is incorrect. I posted a new answer with a rather new approach.
Strategy
I use a Bag to store the lines between the two sphere centers of each existing capsule. When generating a new capsule I use

*

*RegionMember to check wether a new capsule fits into the box and

*RegionDistance of a MeshRegion containing all centerlines of existing cpasules to check for collisions between the new capsule and the existent capsules.

It is advantageous to pack all existing capsules into a single MeshRegion and to use its RegionDistanceFunction since internally, Mathematica uses a k-d-tree (or a similar data structure): This avoids computing the distance from a new capsule to each preexisting capsule.
Here is the code along with several comments:
(*number of capsules to stuff into the box*)
n = 100;
(*maximal number of trials to stuff a random capsule into the box*)
maxiters = 1000;
(*edge length of the box*)
l = 10.;
(*length of capsules*)
L = 0.5;
(*radius of capsules*)
r = 0.125;
(*prototypical centerline of capsules; new capsules are generated by rotating and translating it randomly*)
p0 = Developer`ToPackedArray[{-L/2 {1., 0., 0.}, L/2 {1., 0., 0.}}];
(*a bag for rule them all*)
ptbag = Internal`Bag[{}];
(*generating edge combinatorics in advance safes much time later*)
edges = Transpose[{2 Range[n] - 1, 2 Range[n]}];
(*initialize the distance function so that the first capsule will be feasible*)
distToCenterlines = Function[x, 2 l, Listable];
(*a counter for the capsules*)
ncapsules = 0;
(*the box (for graphical purposes only*)
cube = Cuboid[-l/2 {1., 1., 1.}, l/2 {1., 1., 1.}];
(*the box where the centerlines have to be contained in*)
safetycube = Cuboid[-(l/2 - r) {1., 1., 1.}, (l/2 - r) {1., 1., 1.}];
(*generate a function that test if a point is contained in safetycube*)
insafetycubeQ = RegionMember[safetycube];
(*the following is a 1000 times faster substitute for RotationMatrix; sorry for the mess*)
getRotationMatrix = Compile[{{u, _Real, 1}},
   Block[{uu, r, cosr, sinr},
    uu = u[[1]]^2 + u[[2]]^2 + u[[3]]^2;
    r = Sqrt[uu];
    cosr = Cos[r];
    sinr = Sin[r];
    {{
      (u[[1]]^2 + cosr u[[2]]^2 + cosr u[[3]]^2)/uu,
      (u[[1]] u[[2]] - cosr u[[1]] u[[2]] - u[[3]] r sinr)/
       uu, (u[[1]] u[[3]] - cosr u[[1]] u[[3]] + u[[2]] r sinr)/uu
      }, {
      (u[[1]] u[[2]] - cosr u[[1]] u[[2]] + u[[3]] r sinr)/uu,
      (cosr u[[1]]^2 + u[[2]]^2 + cosr u[[3]]^2)/uu,
      (u[[2]] u[[3]] - cosr u[[2]] u[[3]] - u[[1]] r sinr)/uu
      }, {
      (u[[1]] u[[3]] - cosr u[[1]] u[[3]] - u[[2]] r sinr)/
       uu, (u[[2]] u[[3]] - cosr u[[2]] u[[3]] + u[[1]] r sinr)/uu,
      (cosr u[[1]]^2 + cosr u[[2]]^2 + u[[3]]^2)/uu
      }}
    ],
   CompilationTarget -> "C",
   RuntimeAttributes -> {Listable},
   Parallelization -> True
   ];

(*this is the amount of random data to generate at once*)
m = 1000;
(* c is a counter keeping track of the amount of random data (matlist and shiftlist below) that has been used already; initialize the counter so that a refresh will be kicked off immediately in the main loop*)
c = m;
(*use a normal distribution to generate random rotation vectors*)
distro = MultinormalDistribution[{0., 0., 0.},DiagonalMatrix[{1., 1., 1.}]];
Dynamic[{j, iter}]
(*finally, the main loop*)
Do[iter = 0;
 (*a Boolean that is supposed to be equal to False if the new capsule is feasible*)
 b = True;
 (*generate random capsules until you find a feasible one*)
 While[b,
  ++iter;
  If[iter >= maxiters, Break[]];
  (*check if the randomness reservoir is not empty*)
  If[c >= m,
   (*if empty, refill the reservoir*)
   matlist = getRotationMatrix[RandomVariate[distro, m]];
   shiftlist = RandomReal[{r - l/2, l/2 - r}, {m, 3}];
   c = 0;
   ];
  c++;
  (*generate the random capsule*)
  p = p0.matlist[[c]] + ConstantArray[shiftlist[[c]], 2];
  (*perform the cheap test against the box first*)
  b = ! And @@ (insafetycubeQ[p]);
  If[! b, b = Min[distToCenterlines[p]] <= 2. r];
 ];
 (*when the while loop exits, p represents a feasible capsule or we used maxiters trials*)
 If[iter >= maxiters,
  Print["I tried my best but I could only stuff ", ncapsules,
   " into the box."];
  Break[]
  ];
 (*yes,we have one more capsule...*)
 ncapsules += 1;
 (*stuff the centerline end of new capsule into the bag*)
 Internal`StuffBag[ptbag, Flatten[p], 6];
 (*recompute distance function to existing centerlines*)
 distToCenterlines = RegionDistance[
   MeshRegion[
    Partition[Internal`BagPart[ptbag, All], 3],
    Line[edges[[1 ;; ncapsules]]]
    ]
   ];
 , {j, 1, n}]

Extract the information as desired from by the OP:
capsulecenterlines = ArrayReshape[Internal`BagPart[ptbag, All], {ncapsules, 2, 3}];
capsulecenters =  0.5 (capsulecenterlines[[All, 2]] + capsulecenterlines[[All, 1]]);
capsuledirections = (capsulecenterlines[[All, 2]] - capsulecenterlines[[All, 1]])/L;

These can be exported, e.g., to CSV files...
Export[FileNameJoin[{$HomeDirectory, "capsulecenterdata.csv"}], capsulecenters]
Export[FileNameJoin[{$HomeDirectory, "capsuledirectiondata.csv"}], capsuledirections]

... and also reimported (with check for correctness):
Import[FileNameJoin[{$HomeDirectory, "capsulecenterdata.csv"}], "Data"] == capsulecenters
Import[FileNameJoin[{$HomeDirectory, "capsuledirectiondata.csv"}], "Data"] == capsuledirections

(* True *)
(* True *)

And here is the result in graphical form:
Graphics3D[{
  FaceForm[{Darker@Blue, Opacity[.1]}], Specularity[White, 30],
  cube, safetycube,
  FaceForm[{Darker@Orange, Opacity[1.0]}], Specularity[White, 30],
  Map[CapsuleShape[#, r] &, capsulecenterlines]
  },
 Lighting -> "Neutral",
 PlotRange -> Transpose[List @@ cube],
 Boxed -> False,
 SphericalRegion -> True
 ]

Suggestions for improvement:
I think it would be possible to speed things up if one could get a grip directly on the k-d-Tree. In the current implementation, the tree is rebuilt completely after a new capsule is added. But there has to be cheaper a method to create the new k-d-Tree by modifying the old one.
I am not 100% sure if the generated rotation matrices a uniformly distributed over rotation group $\operatorname{SO}(3)$. On the other hand, the generated distribution is rotation invariant, isn't it? So we sample from the normalized Haar measure, aren't we?
Edit
In the meantime, I made several improvements:

*

*The greatest effect came from defining the edge combinatorics right in the beginning so that a lot of messy copying, packing and unpacking of arrays can be skipped.

*Generate random data in larger chunks since this is a bit faster. That has also some effect.

*Tried to use an Internal`Bag for collecting the endpoints of the center lines. The effect however is almost not measurable.

*Replaced RotationMatrix with a much quicker compiled function.

A: Okay, I could not resist to give it another try. This is somewhat related to my research anyway. I use a new answer since this is going to be quite a different approach and there might still something to learn from the old approach.
This time, we write a heavily optimized CompiledFunction, called CapsuleIntersectingQ that (hopefully correctly) detects wether two capsules with given centerlines and given radii intersect. We do that by discussing a convex quadratic function f (see below) in two variables that describes quadratic distances of points on the infinite lines through the centerlines of the capsules. Actually, we need the minimizers of this function on the unit square, so we need to discuss several cases (9 cases to be precise, depending on wether the minimum lies in the interior, on an edge, or in a corner of the unit square). The generic case can solved by applying Newton's method symbolically (only one step is needed, since f is quadratic). I am not 100% sure wether I handle the boundary cases correctly, so please report if you find any intersecting capsules where they should not be or any other oddities.
(* a CompiledFunction that is supposed to test pairs of capsules for intersection *)
CapsuleIntersectingQ =
 Quiet[Block[{pp, qq, f, Df, DDf, x, y, S, T, S0, S1, T0, T1, s, t, p1, p2, p3, p4, p5, p6, q1, q2, q3, q4, q5, q6},
   pp = {{p1, p2, p3}, {p4, p5, p6}};
   qq = {{q1, q2, q3}, {q4, q5, q6}};
   f = {x, y} \[Function] Evaluate[Total[({(1 - x), x}.pp - {(1 - y), y}.qq)^2]];
   Df = {x, y} \[Function] Evaluate[D[f[x, y], {{x, y}, 1}]];
   DDf = {x, y} \[Function] Evaluate[D[f[x, y], {{x, y}, 2}]];
   {S, T} = LinearSolve[DDf[0, 0], -Df[0, 0]];
   S0 = -Df[0, 0][[1]]/DDf[0, 0][[1, 1]];
   S1 = -Df[0, 1][[1]]/DDf[0, 1][[1, 1]];
   T0 = -Df[0, 0][[2]]/DDf[0, 0][[2, 2]];
   T1 = -Df[1, 0][[2]]/DDf[1, 0][[2, 2]];
   With[{
     sint = N@S, tint = N@T,
     F00 = N@f[0, 0], F01 = N@f[0, 1], F10 = N@f[1, 0],
     F11 = N@f[1, 1], Fst = N@f[S, T],
     s0 = N@S0, Fs0 = N@f[S0, 0],
     s1 = N@S1, Fs1 = N@f[S1, 1],
     t0 = N@T0, F0t = N@f[0, T0],
     t1 = N@T1, F1t = N@f[1, T1]
     },
    Compile[{{p, _Real, 2}, {r1, _Real}, {q, _Real, 2}, {r2, _Real}},
     Block[{s, t, c, p1, p2, p3, p4, p5, p6, q1, q2, q3, q4, q5, q6},
      p1 = Compile`GetElement[p, 1, 1];
      p2 = Compile`GetElement[p, 1, 2];
      p3 = Compile`GetElement[p, 1, 3];
      p4 = Compile`GetElement[p, 2, 1];
      p5 = Compile`GetElement[p, 2, 2];
      p6 = Compile`GetElement[p, 2, 3];
      q1 = Compile`GetElement[q, 1, 1];
      q2 = Compile`GetElement[q, 1, 2];
      q3 = Compile`GetElement[q, 1, 3];
      q4 = Compile`GetElement[q, 2, 1];
      q5 = Compile`GetElement[q, 2, 2];
      q6 = Compile`GetElement[q, 2, 3];
      c = Min[{F00, F01, F10, F11}];
      If[c <= (r1 + r2)^2,
       True,
       s = sint; t = tint;
       If[0. <= s <= 1. && 0. <= t <= 1.,
        c = Fst,
        If[0. <= s0 <= 1., c = Min[c, Fs0]];
        If[0. <= s1 <= 1., c = Min[c, Fs1]];
        If[0. <= t0 <= 1., c = Min[c, F0t]];
        If[0. <= t1 <= 1., c = Min[c, F1t]];
        ];
       c <= (r1 + r2)^2
       ]
      ],
     CompilationTarget -> "C",
     RuntimeAttributes -> {Listable},
     Parallelization -> True
     ]
    ]
   ]];

For completeness, here is our method to produce random rotation matrices from random vectors.
getRotationMatrix =
  Compile[{{u, _Real, 1}},
   Block[{uu, r, cosr, sinr}, uu = u[[1]]^2 + u[[2]]^2 + u[[3]]^2;
    r = Sqrt[uu];
    cosr = Cos[r];
    sinr = Sin[r];
    {{(u[[1]]^2 + cosr u[[2]]^2 + cosr u[[3]]^2)/
       uu, (u[[1]] u[[2]] - cosr u[[1]] u[[2]] - u[[3]] r sinr)/
       uu, (u[[1]] u[[3]] - cosr u[[1]] u[[3]] + u[[2]] r sinr)/
       uu}, {(u[[1]] u[[2]] - cosr u[[1]] u[[2]] + u[[3]] r sinr)/
       uu, (cosr u[[1]]^2 + u[[2]]^2 + cosr u[[3]]^2)/
       uu, (u[[2]] u[[3]] - cosr u[[2]] u[[3]] - u[[1]] r sinr)/
       uu}, {(u[[1]] u[[3]] - cosr u[[1]] u[[3]] - u[[2]] r sinr)/
       uu, (u[[2]] u[[3]] - cosr u[[2]] u[[3]] + u[[1]] r sinr)/
       uu, (cosr u[[1]]^2 + cosr u[[2]]^2 + u[[3]]^2)/uu}}],
   CompilationTarget -> "C", RuntimeAttributes -> {Listable},
   Parallelization -> True];

And here is the main program. Note that I remove everything related to RegionDistance.
(*number of capsules to stuff into the box*)
n = 10000;
(*maximal number of trials to stuff a random capsule into the box*)
maxiters = 1000;
(*edge length of the box*)
l = 100.;
(*length of capsules*)
L = 15;
(*radius of capsules*)
r = 3.;
(*prototypical centerline of capsules; new capsules are generated by rotating and translating it randomly*)
p0 = Developer`ToPackedArray[{-L/2 {1., 0., 0.}, L/2 {1., 0., 0.}}];
(*a bag for rule them all*)
ptbag = Internal`Bag[{}];
(*initialize the distance function so that the first capsule will be feasible*)
distToCenterlines = Function[x, 2 l, Listable];
(*a counter for the capsules*)
ncapsules = 0;
(*the box (for graphical purposes only*)
cube = Cuboid[-l/2 {1., 1., 1.}, l/2 {1., 1., 1.}];
(*the box where the centerlines have to be contained in*)
safetycube = Cuboid[-(l/2 - r) {1., 1., 1.}, (l/2 - r) {1., 1., 1.}];
(*generate a function that test if a point is contained in safetycube*)
insafetycubeQ = RegionMember[safetycube];
(*this is the amount of random data to generate at once*)
m = 1000;
(*c is a counter keeping track of the amount of random data (matlist and shiftlist below) that has been used already;initialize the counter so that a refresh will be kicked off immediately in the main loop*)
c = m;
(*use a normal distribution to generate random rotation vectors*)
distro = MultinormalDistribution[{0., 0., 0.}, DiagonalMatrix[{1., 1., 1.}]];
Dynamic[{j, iter}]
(*finally,the main loop*)
Do[iter = 0;
  (*Boolean that is supposed to be equal to False if the new capsule is feasible*)
  b = True;
  (*generate random capsules until you find a feasible one*)
  While[b,
   ++iter;
   If[iter >= maxiters, Break[]];
   (*check if the randomness reservoir is not empty*)
   If[c >= m,(*if empty,refill the reservoir*)
    matlist = getRotationMatrix[RandomVariate[distro, m]];
    shiftlist = RandomReal[{r - l/2, l/2 - r}, {m, 3}];
    c = 0;
    ];
   c++;
   (*generate the random capsule*)
   p = p0.matlist[[c]] + ConstantArray[shiftlist[[c]], 2];
   (*perform the cheap test against the box first*)
   b = ! And @@ (insafetycubeQ[p]);
   If[! b && ncapsules > 0,
    centerlines = ArrayReshape[Internal`BagPart[ptbag, All], {ncapsules, 2, 3}];
    b = Or @@ CapsuleIntersectingQ[centerlines, r, p, r]
    ];
   ];
  If[iter >= maxiters,
   Print["I tried my best but with ", maxiters, " trials, I was able to stuff only ", ncapsules, " capsules into the box."];
   Break[]
  ];
  (*yes,we have one more capsule...*)
  ncapsules += 1;
  (*stuff the centerline of new capsule into the bag*)
  Internal`StuffBag[ptbag, Flatten[p], 6];
  , {j, 1, n}]

This time, I let it run until nothing seems to fit in any more. Here is the result:
Graphics3D[{
  FaceForm[{Darker@Blue, Opacity[.1]}], Specularity[White, 30],
  cube, safetycube,
  FaceForm[{Darker@Orange, Opacity[1.0]}], Specularity[White, 30],
  Map[CapsuleShape[#, r] &, centerlines]
  },
 Lighting -> "Neutral", PlotRange -> Transpose[List @@ cube],
 Boxed -> False, SphericalRegion -> True
 ]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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The Balmoral Swim is the perfect example of an iconic Sydney summer activity, healthy excercise and positive values, and simultaneously supporting a cause high in the community's consciousness: the fight against childhood cancer.
This swim is one where Partners make a significant difference. We seek corporate sponsorship to cover the costs of the swim. This helps us achieve our aim for 100% of funds raised in the swim to be directed to the Children's Cancer Institute Australia (CCI).
We also seek local community involvement through club, business and individuals to help us on the day.
There are a number of types of packages for companies, who can either become Gold, Silver, Bronze or Local Business sponsors. Contact us on further details and we can send you the Sponsorship Packages documentation.
We also have sponsors who volunteer services or products that we need as part of the swim.
Please contact us if you have ideas that could help us raise further funds as part of the swim.
The premier category Gold sponsorship offers you the right to have your name and logo on the Balmoral Swim website home page, as well as the sponsors page and the website sponsors carousel. Your logo will also be on the advertising banner which hangs prominently in the Mosman village over Military Road in the week prior to the event. and on the finish banner. You will also receive continual mention as Gold Sponsor over the public address system on race day.
Silver sponsors you will have your logo on the Balmoral Swim website sponsors page and the website sponsors carousel. Your logo will also be on the advertising banner which hangs prominently in the Mosman village over Military Road in the week prior to the event. and on the finish banner.. You also receive mention over the public address system on race day.
Bronze Sponsors will have their logo on the Balmoral Swim website sponsors page and the website sponsors carousel.. You also receive mention over the public address system on race day.
Local Business Champions are given a decal for their window displaying their support for the swim and the CCI. They will also have entry forms for distribution to their clientele and customers. They also have their logos on the Balmoral Swim website.


text:
Project Theta #13 How to Draw RPG Maps
Ion, one of the central cities in Antima.
Behold Ion, the city where the majority of the early game content is planned to be taking place in. After watching a helpful tutorial on how to draw your own D&D city map, I spent about 10 hours drawing the map above on an iPad. It was surprisingly not that complicated, and I decided to document the process of drawing it.
The process of drawing it
Drawing the geographical features.
The first step is to pencil out the geographical features of the area. Ion is built on a hill with a river beneath it, so I first sketched out the river, and then the hill above it. To determine the width of the river, I did a quick search on how wide rivers can be in the real world. I was surprised to find that some rivers can be more than 100 km wide! In contrast, the river beneath Ion has a mere width of 300 m.
Drawing the city boundaries.
The next step is to draw the city wall. This can probably be skipped if there is no wall, but I find it very useful for planning the content. In the drawing above, I defined two types of wall – single line for low walls, and double lines for tall walls with watchtowers. The walls also roughly divide the hill into three flat areas of different heights, which is perfect for marking the social class division in the city.
Inking the geographical features.
I drew over the river and hill boundaries next. This can be done later, but it made the map so much neater that I couldn't resist. I traced the river boundary several times to create an organic variation of thickness to it, resembling the river bank.
With the pencil draft gone, it is more apparent that the city planners dug out part of the hill in order to build the wall. This isn't apparent at first glance since the map doesn't show height differences, but I find it interesting to imagine.
Drawing more draft!
Next, I planned out the roads of the city, and marked the major landmarks. Roads can be tricky to plan out, because it really has to do with how the city is constructed. Was the city planned out from the beginning, with roads that are primarily straight and uniform? Or was it a small town, then gradually grown into a large metropolis, with seemingly zigzagging roads swirling around buildings?
I had to redraw the draft several times in order to get a mixture of both. I even came up with historic events for the different areas in the city as I progressed. In the end, I had messy, overlapping layers of text.
Drawing rectangles, lots of rectangles.
This step was the most neck-breaking part of the whole process. I drew rectangle after rectangle along the side of the roads I defined in the previous step. Sometimes I had to erase entire sections because I noticed the rectangles I drew gradually shrank in size, until it didn't make sense as houses anymore.
I also had a limitation on what shapes and angles can the houses be in. Since we are making a 2.5D game, the houses must mostly be either horizontal or at 45-degree angle. Weirdly shaped houses will be difficult to construct in the game, so I avoided them entirely.
Erasing the draft.
Erasing the draft took two seconds: one to find the layer and one to hide it. Yay technology!
Adding details.
The final step was to add details to the map. I copied mostly from the tutorial, with ships, waves and caves. I also added a list of landmarks I want to focus on in the game.
An animation of the process of drawing the map of Ion.
So how is the project going along? The progress is slow but steady. Now with the map in hand, our next goal to build the city in Unity with the 3D tilemap tool I wrote. I think we'll follow the steps in how I drew the map, namely:
Paint the landscape
Build the city walls
Build the most important buildings
Drawing every single building on the map will take a while, but we'll get there one step at a time.
By the time we finished with the city, I probably would be done integrating a dialog and quest system into the game.
Project Theta #12 Back From Hiatus
I was not moved when I saw ads for this game on Facebook. I was not moved when I saw articles on PCGamer and GameSpot about this game. But when I started seeing memes about Genshin Impact in multiple Facebook groups I was in, I knew I had to take a look at it. And oh my gosh it looks gorgeous.
As I explored the game, I wondered. Beneath its lustrous veneer which reportedly costed $100 million to produce, is there something I can learn from? This may come across as slightly ironic, as one of the biggest impressions people had about this game is that the game itself borrowed many elements of success from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Some people call it a copy on the similarities of the open world designs. But one of the reviews I read actually praised it. If you think Breath of the Wild is a great game, why wouldn't you want more games like that?
So here I am, playing through a successful game while trying to borrow ideas from it, which in turn borrowed ideas from another successful game.
It's been a while since I wrote any updates. Progress on the game has mostly been slow throughout the past 9 months, but there are some exciting new developments recently. This has been enough to push me to start writing updates again.
I've managed to get my friend X to join the project! She offered to help after a very constructive debate session on the plot development of the game. This brings our tiny team to 3 people. X will mostly focus on creature and plant design.
Since now there are 3 people on the team, I've setup a Discord server for communications. This seems to be a cooler version of Slack for team chat.
After watching a YouTube video on someone else's journey of making a game, I was inspired to scrutinize the mechanics of Project Theta. I furiously wrote a 12-page doc analyzing popular games out there, and how Project Theta would be using mechanics from the successful ones. I came to the conclusion that I really liked the mechanics of Divinity: Original Sin II, so Project Theta will be somewhat of a grid based version of that. I especially liked how you can kill key NPCs and be left unable to progress in that game.
I've thought about having not only a day-night cycle, but a strict time-based event system where if you are late to a quest, you'll fail it. However, since this kind of thing is rarely seen in games, I wonder whether this may be more detrimental to players just trying to have fun instead of enforcing a sense of event progression and urgency. I'll have to see how it is down the road.
I should also play Divinity: Original Sin II myself. So far I've only based my impression on YouTube videos on it. Too bad that I just missed a sale on it. I guess I'll play more Genshin Impact in the meantime.
After working on the game code on-and-off a couple months at a time, I finally managed to get the 3D tilemap system in a usable state. It could still use some improvements, but all the building blocks for constructing the initial town, Ion, should be there. I'll be working with our artist Y to start importing her tile assets into the editor.
The tilemap system took well over a year to code, and I had frequently doubted whether it was worth the time investment. I don't have to anymore, as it now covers most if not all features offered by Unity's existing 2D tilemap system. In addition, it supports features I need for the game like:
Dynamic loading in chunks, to support seamless loading in an open-world game.
Subclassable tiles supporting attributes on each tile (e.g. custom tile collision, tile visibility settings, etc.).
Subclassable base tiles supporting common attributes on each type of tile (e.g. model for each tile type, so swapping out a model changes the model for all existing tiles).
I want to make a game where each tile would have some attributes attached to them in combat. For example, fire attacks are more effective when target is standing in a bush. It is just impossible to extend Unity's built-in tilemap system to do what I want in a satisfactory way. While I don't like how long developing this system took me, I don't have any regrets, either.
I can probably write several posts on my adventure of developing Unity editor tools. Unity doesn't have a lot of documentation on editor tools, and I'd like to help others avoid the holes.
Y has been working on the art guidelines, for overall consistency of style in the game. It looks like the game will be going for a hand drawn, line style sort of aesthetic. Which is absolutely my favorite. Hopefully I can show them off by the next post.
I've done a bit of polishing on the plot too, up to the point where the planned demo ends. I look forward to turning it into a dialog format. Will the techniques I learned from high school on how to turn a narrative into a play finally be useful? I wait with bated breath.
Artist Log [2] – Frozen II's Costume Design
I went to watch Frozen II last week. Even though not quite get the story, I was really impressed by Elsa and Anna's outfits. I particularly love Anna's travel outfit, which is consisted of midi skirts, capes, and boot.
FROZEN 2 – Visual Development Art by Griselda Sastrawinata – Visual Development Artist. © 2019 Disney
"Anna's style draws inspiration from traditional Norwegian folk wear known as the bunad, a dress typically made out of wool and adorned with embroidery, and silhouettes like the cinched waist and full, A-line skirt from Christian Dior's "New Look." Her looks tend to be grounded in the fabrics and materials of the place and time period (the 1840s-1850s, according to Lee), which means she wears heavier materials like wool and velvet and her color palette skews on the warmer side."
– Vox (https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/11/18/20970465/frozen-2-costumes-design-animate-anna-elsa)
The Norwegian Bunad
Christian Dior's 'New Look' 1947
In Frozen II Anna has grown three years older and has become more mature, which is reflected in her hairstyles and dresses. Her hair changed from pigtail braids to something less childish: half of her hair is down and a crown braid runs across the back of her head. In terms of Anna's costume, its lines have become more straightened, and the overall color palette changed into something darker and less saturated.
Anna's hairstyle change. Source: http://www.youloveit.com/cartoons/990-frozen-2-annas-outfits-concept-art-including-new-arendelle-queen-dress-from-final.html
Anna in Frozen I
Anna in Frozen II
The change of the cape color from bright pink to darker pink/purple is what I think the most successful. Especially when the new pink/purple color is in contrast with a touch of the gold color around her necks, it really showcases Anna's identity as a royal princess. Besides, the less saturated pink is also a better match for her beautiful auburn hair. Compared with Frozen I, the dresses in Frozen II become shortened, therefore making it easier for the sisters to run, jump, and climb in the magic forest. Both Anna and Elsa are wearing pants and boots underneath their skirts, which is another improvement from Frozen I for their constant movements.
For Elsa, her dressing style and color is mostly inherited from the last movie. While keeping the theme color of white and light blue that remains people her magic power related to ice, the new dress has a bit more military look with the encrusted shoulders. The change is reflecting her new identity as the Queue of Arendelle.
FROZEN 2 – Visual Development Art by Brittney Lee – Visual Development Artist. © 2019 Disney
Similarly, after Anna becomes the new Queue of Arendelle her dress also changed from last season while keeping the green color scheme.
Frozen, Anna and Hans ball costumes
Frozen II, Anna celebration dress after becoming the Queen
After taking her cape and boots off, Elsa's outfit really remains me of the costume of figure skating, and the legging makes sure she can move freely without being worried about too much exposure. Besides, there is also a lot of discussion about the fabric of Elsa's dress, so that it could perform realistically when she is flighting with Nokk underwater.
At the end of the movie, Elsa finally reached the Ahtohallan, where her dress changed again while her understanding of her role and responsibility has changed. (And there is actually a transforming process as what you have in Sailor Moon lol ) Elsa finally got a white dress that I think everything little girl would be crazy about.
Frozen II. Elsa's show yourself dress
We can see the color scheme is still derived from ice, and the decorations are referring to the four elements appeared in the movie before. With the transparent white cape and the water horse, Elsa looks more like a fairy or goddess instead of a queen.
Elsa's costume concept design. By Brittney Lee Digital
《冰雪奇缘2》幕后揭秘: https://movie.douban.com/subject/25887288/
Costume design for animated movies is ridiculously difficult. The team behind Frozen 2 explains why: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/11/18/20970465/frozen-2-costumes-design-animate-anna-elsa
Costume Design in Animation – Disney's Frozen: http://tyrannyofstyle.com/costume-design-animation-disney-frozen
THE EVOLUTION OF ANNA AND ELSA, FROM FROZEN TO FROZEN II: https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-evolution-of-anna-and-elsa-from-frozen-to-frozen-ii
How 'Frozen' Transformed Princesses to Caped Crusaders in Sequel: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/how-frozen-sisters-transformed-princesses-caped-crusaders-sequel-1257252
Frozen 2 Anna's outfits concept art, including new Arendelle Queen dress from final: http://www.youloveit.com/cartoons/990-frozen-2-annas-outfits-concept-art-including-new-arendelle-queen-dress-from-final.html


text:
U.S. officials advise Ukraine to wait on offensive, official says
Ukrainian servicemen ride atop a tank near the frontline town of Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine January 20, 2023. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak
Senior U.S. officials are advising Ukraine to hold off on launching a major offensive against Russian forces until the latest supply of U.S. weaponry is in place and training has been provided, a senior Biden administration official said on Friday.
The official, speaking to a small group of reporters on condition of anonymity, said the United States was holding fast to its decision not to provide Abrams tanks to Ukraine at this time, amid a controversy with Germany over tanks.
U.S. talks with Ukraine about any counter-offensive have been in the context of ensuring the Ukrainians devote enough time first to training on the latest weaponry provided by the United States, the official said.
The United States on Thursday announced it will send hundreds of armored vehicles to Ukraine for use in the fight.
Bad winter weather has hindered fighting on the front lines, although a cold snap that freezes and hardens the ground could pave the way for either side to launch an offensive with heavy equipment, Serhiy Haidai, governor of Ukraine's Luhansk region, said.
The official said the United States does not plan at this juncture to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine because they are costly and difficult to maintain.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Friday denied Berlin was unilaterally blocking the shipment of Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine but said the government was ready to move quickly to send them if there was consensus among allies.
← "analysis of mass shooting" – Google News: 10 Accomplishments of the First Two Years of the Biden-Harris … – UpNorthNews → As more states target trans Americans, Jewish LGBTQ youth need our help
The Top 23 Security Predictions for 2023 (Part 2) - Security Boulevard January 28, 2023
Turkish, Russian delegations discuss creating gas hub | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah January 28, 2023
guerriero, mcgonigal, giuliani – Google Search google.com/search?q=guerr… January 28, 2023
Inside Putin's bloody rise to power after tyrant had '3 Russian MPs killed' January 28, 2023
Triathlete and screenwriter Lesley Paterson; Zara Aleena's murder & probation service failings; the Woman's Hour Power List 2023
byBBC Radio 4
Lesley Paterson is a five times world champion triathlete. She's also a successful screenwriter, who has just been nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film All Quiet on the Western Front. It's taken her sixteen years to get the film made. A woman no stranger to endurance, she explains how she used her prize money from her sporting career to help fund the film.
An independent review into Zara Aleena's murder found a catalogue of errors by the probation service. We speak to HM Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell who conducted the review, along with Zara Aleena's aunt Farah Naz.
The Woman's Hour Power List for 2023 is here! Last year was a game-changer for the visibility and perception of women in sport in this country and we want to showcase inspirational women – both on and off the field – who are spearheading and building on this momentum. The chair of judges Jessica Creighton launches the Power List and explains how you can make your suggestion.
What is the role of a best friend at a deathbed? We All Want Impossible Things is a new novel by Catherine Newman exploring the topic. She reveals how her personal experience inspired the book.
During World War Two, a house in Tynemouth was used as a sanctuary for more than 20 Jewish girls fleeing Nazi persecution. They had come to the UK on the Kindertransport. After a BBC investigation, a blue plaque was unveiled there yesterday, Holocaust Memorial Day, celebrating the house's forgotten past and those that found sanctuary there. Two of the girls who lived in the house were Ruth David and Elfi Jonas. We speak to their daughters, Margaret Finch and Helen Strange, about their mothers and their visit to the house.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reported on January 26 that IAEA observers at the ZNPP informed him about explosions and detonations near the facility that indicated nearby military activity. https://t.co/Ttb5LwlLlT https://t.co/4d7XElfPDV Quoted tweet from @TheStudyofWar: 4/ Russian officials denied reported explosions near the #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) on January 26. January 28, 2023
2/ The reference to military activity is notable as the IAEA routinely fails to comment on the Russian military's activities on and near the ZNPP. January 28, 2023
3/ Russian officials claimed that no explosions occurred near the plant and that the IAEA observers likely heard sounds of an artillery duel a considerable distance from the ZNPP. January 28, 2023
Home » Audio Sources - Full Text Articles » U.S. officials advise Ukraine to wait on offensive, official says


Players will be able to go through the Pyramidian strike. There are some twists tossed in this week which you can get a quick rundown of the modifiers tossed in below.
Prevent Brakion from shielding up for more than forty seconds to complete The Siege Engine challenge.


Cayman's IL-1α (human) ELISA is an immunometric (i.e., sandwich) ELISA that permits IL-1α measurements within the range of 3.9-250 pg/ml, typically with a limit of detection of 3.9 pg/ml.
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a name for a family of proteins which include IL-α, IL-1β, ILra (interleukin receptor antagonist), and IL-18. IL-1α is synthesized as a 33 kDa (271 amino acid) pro-cytokine that is enzymatically cleaved by calpain into the active 159 amino acid, 17 kDa peptide. IL-1α is produced by many cells types including macrophages, monocytes, astrocytes, keratinocytes, adipocytes, T-cells, and eosinophils. Although IL-1α and IL-1β exhibit only 26% amino acid identity, they bind to the same cell-surface receptors, IL-1 RI and IL-1 RII, present on a variety of cell types involved in immune or inflammatory responses. Normal production of IL-1 is critical for mediating host responses to infection and injury. Disease states in which IL-1 actively participates include inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and shock, as well as atherosclerosis, allergy, and some types of cancer. Cayman's IL-1α (human) ELISA Kit is an immunometric (i.e., sandwich) ELISA that permits IL-1α measurements within the range of 3.9-250 pg/ml, typically with a limit of detection of 3.9 pg/ml.
Dinarello, C.A. Interleukin-1 and its biologically related cytokines. Adv Immunol 44 153-205 (1989).
Cross selling for this product : Interleukin-<wbr/>1α (human) ELISA Kit There are 4 products.