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Microarray analysis using fluor-linked nucleotide probes generated from mRNA identifies altered genes in mice mutated in monoamine oxidase A implicated in neurodevelopment and prostate cancer
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The advances in molecular biology have enabled a greater understanding of the mechanism underlying cognitive processes and the corresponding disorders. Transmitting the signals by the nervous system involves a complex interplay between adjacent neurons.
Prior to the excitation, the membrane of the neurons are kept in a polarized state (-70 miliVolts). In the synapsis (space between adjacent neurons), the pre-synaptic neuron releases neurotransmitters. For instance, in the case of sensory neurons, external signals such as light or sound are converted into the release of neurotransmitter. The binding of the neurotransmitters to the receptors present in the post-synaptic neuron causes it to become depolarized through the action of voltage-gated ion channels, which allows the influx of ions such as sodium into the cell interior. The rise in potential due to depolarization is followed by the the closure of the sodium channels and the opening of potassium channels to allow outward efflux of potassium ions to repolarize the cell membrane. This process (i.e. axon potential) involves the sequential activation of ion channels to propagate the signal along the axon, resulting in the nerve conduction with a speed as high as 150 m/s (meter per second) for myelinated neurons.
The diverse types of neurotransmitters include neuropeptides (ex. somatostatin), amino acids [ex. glutamate, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)], gas (ex. nitric oxide), trace amines (ex. tyramine, tryptamine) in addition to the more commonly known molecules such as acetylcholine. Among them are monoamines such as serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and histamine. The neurotransmitter serotonin is involved in a number of important cognitive processes including mood, sleep, thermoregulation, cognition, appetite, learning, vasoconstriction (blood pressure), memory, etc.
The biosynthesis of serotonin involves converting L-tryptophan to 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, followed by its decarboxylation to yield serotonin. Upon excitation, serotonin is released into synapsis, where it binds to the serotonin receptor (categorized into 7 families) to activate the post-synaptic neuron. The released serotonin can be cleared from synapsis via serotonin reuptake pump. Serotonin is degraded by monoamine oxidase (MAO), which also degrades other monoamine neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine. Following the discovery of two forms of MAO in 1968, the question remained as to whether the MAO A and B isoenzymes represent two distinct proteins or a single enzyme that has been differentially modified post-translationally (Johnston, 1968). The enigma was solved by J. Shih and colleagues (University of Southern California, USA), who determined that they represent two separate polypeptides through the molecular cloning and sequencing of cDNAs encoding human MAO A and B (Bach et al., 1988).
Lower levels of serotonin are associated with depression, and preventing the reuptake of serotonin from synapsis by the adjacent neurons, or suppressing the degradation of serotonin by inhibiting monoamine oxidase represent current antidepressant pharmacological strategies. However, the use of non-selective MAO inhibitors (blocks both MAO A and B) can be accompanied by an adverse side effect known as 'cheese reaction', which occurs if administered while consuming fermented food (ex. wine, cheese), processed meat, bean products (ex. soy sauce) or chocolate that are rich in tyramine. While both MAO A and B are expressed in the central nervous system, MAO A is also expressed in gastrointestinal tissues. The inhibition of MAO A (plus absence of MAO B) in intestine by the drugs allows tyramine (undegraded) to enter circulation and activate medulla to release norepinephrine, which increases blood pressure suddenly via vasoconstriction.
The identification of the MAO A gene enabled the generation of a 'knockout' mouse lacking the MAO A, which was done in collaboration with Seif and colleagues [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France] (Cases et al., 1995). The MAO A deficiency led to an increased level of serotonin in the brain of mouse pups. Intriguingly, adult male mice lacking MAO A exhibited enhanced aggression. The result is reminiscent of Brunner syndrome (Brunner, 1993), which described abnormal aggression by males from a Dutch family carrying mutated (point deletion) MAO A gene (located in X chromosome) and lacking MAO A completely. Nevertheless, it is thought that multiple factors including genes and environment may play critical role in the development of complex brain functions that underlie human behavior.
To characterize the above phenomenon, the genes whose expression was altered in MAO A knockout mice were identified. It entailed the generation of fluor-labeled probes using cDNAs reverse transcribed from mRNAs isolated from the brain of MAO A mutant mouse pups to hybridize to the Affymetrix GeneChip microarrays (Chen et al., 2017). The differentially expressed genes identified were involved in various neural activities including cognitive function, neurodevelopment, neurotransmission, and apoptosis.
Several lines of data suggest that MAO A may also play a role in prostate carcinogenesis. An elevated expression of MAO A was observed in advanced stage prostate cancer (True et al., 2006, Wu et al., 2014). The promoter of MAO A gene is regulated by androgen (male hormone) (Ou et al., 2006). In the PTEN knockout mouse model of invasive prostate cancer, inactivating MAO A gene decreased the incidence of invasive cancer (Liao et al., 2018). Mechanistically, inhibiting MAO A activity using drugs suppressed the signaling by androgen receptor (Gaur et al., 2019). These results have led to a clinical trial (Phase II) assessing the efficacy of phenelzine (inhibits MAO A and B) in biochemically recurrent prostate cancer (BRPC) (Gross et al, 2021). BRPC refers to the cases, in which the rise in PSA (prostate specific antigen) level is detected despite the inability to image metastasized cancer.
The key to preventing epidemic is the ability to diagnose the infected early to preempt further propagation. For this, Bio-Synthesis, Inc. provides primers and probes (as well as synthetic RNA control) for COVID-19 diagnosis via RT-PCR assay. It specializes in oligonucleotide modification and provides an extensive array of chemically modified nucleoside analogues (over ~200) including bridged nucleic acid (BNA) in addition to mRNA synthesis. A number of options are available to label oligonucleotides (DNA or RNA) with fluorophores either terminally or internally as well as to conjugate to peptides or antibodies. It recently acquired a license from BNA Inc. of Osaka, Japan, for the manufacturing and distribution of BNANC, a third generation of BNA oligonucleotides. To meet the demands of therapeutic application, its oligonucleotide products are approaching GMP grade. Bio-Synthesis, Inc. has recently entered into collaborative agreement with Bind Therapeutics, Inc. to synthesize miR-21 blocker using BNA for triple negative breast cancer. The BNA technology provides superior, unequalled advantages in base stacking, binding affinity, aqueous solubility and nuclease resistance. It also improves the formation of duplexes and triplexes by reducing the repulsion between the negatively charged phosphates of the oligonucleotide backbone. Its single-mismatch discriminating power is especially useful for diagnosis (ex. FISH using DNA probe). For clinical application, BNA oligonucleotide exhibits lesser toxicity than other modified nucleotides.
https://www.biosyn.com/oligo-flourescent-labeling.aspx
https://www.biosyn.com/tew/Speed-up-Identification-of-COVID19.aspx
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https://www.biosyn.com/tew/diagnosing-the-androgen-receptor-splicing-variant-arv7-a-biomarker-of-resistance-to-anti-hormone-therapy-for-advanced-stage-metastatic-prostate-cancer.aspx
Bach AW, Shih JC, et al. cDNA cloning of human liver monoamine oxidase A and B: molecular basis of differences in enzymatic properties. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 85:4934-8 (1988). PMID: 3387449
Brunner HG, Nelen M, et al. Abnormal behavior associated with a point mutation in the structural gene for monoamine oxidase A. Science. 262:578-80 (1993). PMID: 8211186
Cases O, Shih JC, et al. Aggressive behavior and altered amounts of brain serotonin and norepinephrine in mice lacking MAOA. Science. 268:1763-6 (1995). PMID: 7792602
Chen K, Shih JC, et al. Altered gene expression in early postnatal monoamine oxidase A knockout mice. Brain Res. 1669:18-26 (2017). PMID: 28535982
Gaur S, Shih JC, et al. Effect of Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) inhibitors on androgen-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. Prostate. 79:667-677 (2019). PMID: 30693539
Gross ME, Shih JC, et al. Phase 2 trial of monoamine oxidase inhibitor phenelzine in biochemical recurrent prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 24:61-68 (2021). PMID: 32123315
Johnston JP. Some observations upon a new inhibitor of monoamine oxidase in brain tissue. Biochem Pharmacol. 17:1285-97 (1968). PMID: 5659776
Liao CP, Gross ME, Shih JC, et al. Loss of MAOA in epithelia inhibits adenocarcinoma development, cell proliferation and cancer stem cells in prostate. Oncogene. 37:5175-5190 (2018). PMID: 29844571
Ou XM, Shih JC., et al. Glucocorticoid and androgen activation of monoamine oxidase A is regulated differently by R1 and Sp1. J Biol Chem. 281:21512-21525 (2006). PMID: 16728402
True L, Coleman I, et al. A molecular correlate to the Gleason grading system for prostate adenocarcinoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 103:10991-6 (2006). PMID: 16829574
Wu JB, Chung LW, et al. Monoamine oxidase A mediates prostate tumorigenesis and cancer metastasis. J Clin Invest. 124:2891-908 (2014). PMID: 24865426


STRINGENT measures on water rationing will be enforced in the capital if water sources continue drying up, a senior council employee has said.
During a discussion on the council's Facebook page, Harare City water manager, Engineer Richard Kunyadini said the measures will be put in place if there are poor rains this coming season.
"I would say drought is an act of God but if we don't have more rains this coming season, water rationing would be a permanent situation.
"We will have to put in place more stringent measures on our rationing system.
"These measures include more reduction of days for consumption, continued ban on the use of hose pipes but we will spare key institutions like hospitals," said Kunyadini.
Harare Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango urged people to conserve water.
"This is now a state of emergency which calls for additional water sources, water tanks and we expect people to conserve water.
"This situation affects everyone even those with boreholes because water tables are affected, everyone is also included in the ban of horse pipes," said Eng Chisango.
City director of Health Services, Dr Prosper Chonzi advised the nation to be careful on using water.
"This is a crisis and we know many people will turn to different water sources like wells, streams and unprotected boreholes so we advise the nation to treat water before using it.
"Water from such sources must be boiled, or treated using tablets before use.
"We also urge the people to rush to the hospital if they get sick or just show signs or symptoms of diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid; they will receive free treatment," said Dr Chonzi.


The England and Wales Cricket Board sprung a surprise on Thursday by announcing it has dispensed with Twenty20 for the new eight-team city tournament and will instead adopt a format of 100 balls per innings.
This new competition, which begins in 2020 and is understood to have a working title of "The Hundred", will offer faster matches, with 15 traditional six-ball overs and a single 10-ball over to complete each innings. A women's tournament, run along the same lines, will also be launched.
With each match 40 balls shorter than a T20, the action will be cut to around two and a half hours. It is hoped families with younger children will be attracted to attend evening games, while the BBC, which will show 10 of the 36 matches, should have had any concerns over scheduling eased.
The shock news came out after the ECB put the concept to the 18 first-class counties and found little pushback. They will not be taking part, of course, with the five-week competition played by new teams based at Lord's, the Oval, Old Trafford, Edgbaston, Headingley, Trent Bridge, Cardiff and Southampton. But the counties, who as partners will earn a guaranteed £1.3m each per year from the competition's revenues, are understood to have welcomed this differentiation from the existing Blast, which will remain the sole domestic T20 competition in the men's game and run earlier in the season.
The existing Kia Women's Super League is to be disbanded, though, with new teams formed in line with those of the eight city-based men's sides. There will be eight double‑headers – matches played before men's fixtures at the main grounds – with the rest of the women's competition played at other venues.
It is unquestionably a bold move by the ECB, which pioneered the T20 format in 2003 but has since seen the Blast fall behind the Indian Premier League and Australia's Big Bash League in terms of international recognition and prestige, even if crowds have grown significantly year on year.
While the new tournament will use a draft system to select 13 players per squad, with a further two added as wildcard picks from the Blast tournament that comes before, it was felt a significant point of difference was still needed, as well as a reduction in time in order to entice a family audience.
Recent matches in the IPL, such as Mumbai Indians against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday night, have swelled to four hours in length following the introduction of reviews on top of the existing strategic timeouts. The ECB plans to start day games in "The Hundred" at 2.30pm and night games at 6.30pm, allowing families with young children to get home in good time afterwards.
Though the primary broadcaster Sky Sports faces less time pressure than the BBC, which had feared matches running into the 10 o'clock news should there be significant rain interruptions or slow play, it is understood to be equally enthusiastic about the concept at this stage.
In terms of the precise playing conditions, the ECB's appointed committee will now work over the coming weeks to put flesh on the bones of the new 100-ball format before presenting the final form to the ECB board in June. The 10-ball over, for example, could end up finishing off an innings or be offered to either the batting or bowling side to be taken when they deem it tactically best.
Marylebone Cricket Club has been part of the consultation and will likely sign off in terms of the laws of the game – not least since Lord's is a host venue – while the International Cricket Council is also expected to give its approval.


Runners, Walkers, and maybe even a few Riders in Team Home Forever will be raising funds to support the mission of Home Forever, an organization that advocates for child permanency through foster, adoption or successful re-unification by encouraging, educating, equipping and connecting churches and people worldwide.
We welcome new team members, whether you're a seasoned runner or rider, or this is your first organized sporting event - let's have some fun together and raise some money for a good cause! 5K, 1/2 Marathon, Marathon, and 26.2 Mile Bike Tour options available. Contact dexley@home-4-ever.org for information on discounted event registration.
Be the first to Donate to Great Grandma &Grandpa; and Home Forever 2015 Long Beach Marathon and Races.


Promote and support its members' awareness of the international sport psychology movement outside North America.
As a main actor in this internationalization effort, the International Relations Committee (IRC), in addition to other initiatives, is in charge of this webpage, aimed to be a resource for any individual or organization interested in AASP's efforts and activities.
The AASP International Relations Committee is a committee under the leadership of the Public Relations and Outreach Division Head, whose main goal is to support AASP's effort to actively contribute to the global promotion of applied sport psychology.
On February 21-22, 2015, AASP held its first International Regional Conference at Loughborough University (UK), the first AASP conference ever held in Europe. This historic two-day event provided an exciting setting for international scholars, early career researchers, and practitioners to exchange ideas and explore numerous topics within sport and exercise psychology. The 111 delegates who attended from Europe created a fantastic platform to share ideas and learn from different cultures. As space precludes a detailed description of each presentation, this review will present a brief overview of the conference. Speakers included Pete Lindsay, Chris Harwood, Urban Johnson, David Fletcher, Mustafa Sarkar, and Paul Morgan.
As demand for sport and exercise psychology services grows, so does the number of practitioners, not all of whom are qualified. Certification by and membership in the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) are indicators of professional legitimacy. Find a Non-US based AASP Certified Mental Performance Consultant® Mentor by utilizing the AASP Find A Consultant tool.
In an effort to meet the needs of those interested in AASP membership in developing countries, a special annual membership price is available for those who qualify. Persons residing and working in Developing Countries, as defined annually by the World Bank, are eligible to receive a 50% membership discount. Fees are Student ($37 USD), Affiliate ($62 USD), Early Professional ($65 USD), and Professional ($90 USD).
Sport Psychology Council: Sport & Exercise Psychology is represented by several worldwide international organizations.


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Moreover, there is the tip of a review of the manufacturing company to deem. You need to buy from the industrial polymers manufacturing company that has the best review that is positive on producing quality products of the best brand at the best prices.


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No Misery for Joanne Hartstone
Jul 29, 2011 | Features | 0 |
"I AM YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN. I LOVE YOU. NOW LIE STILL … "
Misery adapted for stage by Simon Moore from the acclaimed novelist Stephen King is a decent into the darkness and the torment of obsession … where you can expect the unexpected, and be kept on the edge of your seat. It is a compellingly cruel thriller proudly presented as a SA premiere by The Bakehouse Theatre Company in Adelaide playing July 21 to August 6.
As a special deal for Theatre People, the Bakehouse Theatre Company is offering a special introductory offer to the previews for $5.00 if you book through their website www.bakehousetheatre.com.
Theatre People recently spoke with Joanne Hartstone, who plays the demented Annie, about her theatrical background and what it is like to take on such a role.
Tell us about your theatrical background?
I graduated from the Flinders University Drama Centre in 2005. Since then, I have performed in the Adelaide and Melbourne Fringes with various shows, and have toured the UK with David Mamet's "Oleanna", playing the role of Carol – for which I was nominated Emerging Artist of the Year by the Adelaide Critic's Circle. I worked in the UK as the General Manager and Assistant Producer of Theatre Tours International (a London based touring company, which won an Olivier Award in 2009) and am currently the Producer of the Centre for International Theatre (CIT) in Adelaide. I am now settled back in Adelaide, and am working with many local companies on their shows, both as an Actor and Producer.
How long have you been associated with The Bakehouse Theatre Company?
I have performed in the Bakehouse since returning from the UK in a show called "Molly's Shoes", which was produced by Accidental Productions. I was asked to play the role of "Annie Wilkes" during this season, and have rehearsed and performed at the Bakehouse for the past two months. I have grown very fond of the venue! And working with Peter Green has been such a delight. The Bakehouse Theatre Company has accrued a wonderful creative team for Misery, and the result is inspiring for me. Being supported by professionals means my job is much easier and I can experiment knowing I have the backing of a truly great team.
Have you seen the movie Misery?
Yes, I have seen the movie Misery. When the director, Michael Allen, first gave me the script, I had only ever heard about bits of it, without knowing details. Misery is one of those stories that is part of our cult literature canon. Everyone has either heard about it, or seen it, or knows about certain parts (ie. the hobbling scene). Because Misery is so well known, and Kathy Bates is renowned for her role, I knew I couldn't play the part without considering what has come before. So, both John Maurice (who plays the writer Paul Sheldon) and I read the novel and watched the film so we could reflect on the plot in these different mediums and contemplate what our audiences will be expecting.
For people who have seen the movie, what can they expect from the stage adaptation?
For those who have seen the film, they will be very aware of my character "Annie" and all the actions she takes to get what she wants. Our play is based on the novel, rather than the film, and in some respects sticks closer to the original than the film does. An obvious example of this is the famous "hobbling" scene. In the book and in our play Annie truly hobbles Paul, but in the film CGI special effects did not allow this – so Kathy Bates only breaks James Caan's feet.
This being said, however, this is Misery on a stage. The audience are in the same room as Annie, they can see the fear in Paul's eyes, and they will have an experience which will not quickly be forgotten.
With a stage adaptation, many directors steer their actors away from looking at the movie. Was that the case with Misery? Why do you think this is?
I can understand why many directors and actors do not want to see film adaptations, as most want to find their style and interpretation, rather than being influenced by previous performances and ideas. However, as mentioned before, Misery is part our collective culture and so many people will approach this with bias and expectation. I felt it was important to acknowledge this cult fascination and not ignore Kathy Bates' Oscar winning performance.
You're stepping into the iconic role automatically associated with Kathy Bates. What extra pressures does this place on you as an actor?
It is certainly a challenge to play an iconic role. Whilst there is no denying Kathy Bates' powerful performance as Annie Wilkes, I also understand that I am not Kathy Bates and should not try to be her. My "Annie" is built from inside me, rather than from what I have seen. And although audiences will have expectations about Annie Wilkes, the actions and words are alike to what they know, with some new information thrown in for good measure. My job is to make the audiences forget the past and be absorbed in the present. Certainly the fame of Kathy Bates' performance will make this slightly harder, but no harder than an actor playing Juliet, or Lear. The role changes with the actor and the actor owns their interpretation of the character.
How would you describe your character of Annie?
From a psychological diagnosis point of view, Annie is a psychopath. Because of her violent and murderous tendencies, she goes beyond the socially accepted mental disorders and is classed as "psychotic". However, her other personality traits also class her as a borderline personality disorder. Annie is a god-fearing woman, who has lived through many personal tragedies (some self-induced, some imposed upon her). Annie has a very strict ethical code and lives by "right" and "wrong" – even though her black and whites are socially skewed. Annie's facade is socially acceptable, but inside a dragon lurks.
During the rehearsal process, was there a wig, shoes, costume or prop that helped you "find" Annie?
No, I worked completely from the inside out.
It's got to be a really good show to get people out of their warm homes this winter? Why should people come and see Misery? What can they expect?
People will come to see Misery with all kinds of expectations. Many will come to experience the "ghost-train" scare of Annie Wilkes, many will come because they are fans of Stephen King, many will come because they love good theatre. But mostly people should come for the entertainment. This is not "art", this is about giving people what they want – a great night out, with laughs and adrenalin, and enough conversation starters for anyone who survives.
Misery is directed by Michael Allen and features Joanne Hartstone and John Maurice.
Set and costume design by Tammy Boden.
Lighting and sound design by Ben Flett
Produced by Peter Green
PreviousELIZABETH: almost by chance a woman
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News from West End
'West End Musical Celebration' concert series announced for May 2021
Julia Donaldson's 'Stick Man' extends online stream through January
Janie Dee to star in 'All On Her Own' online production
'When Darkness Falls' postponed at Park Theatre
'Witness for the Prosecution' to resume performances in May 2021
'& Juliet' musical extends London run to 2022; sets May 2021 return date
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VIDEO: Haley Swindal Visits Backstage LIVE with Richard Ridge- Watch Now!
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Virtual Theatre This Weekend: January 16-17- with Kelli O'Hara, Adam Pascal, and More!
VIDEO: On This Day, January 16 - Happy Birthday, Lin-Manuel Miranda!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Effectively extend your living space with a patio.
A patio can protect you from the elements with solid, transparent or translucent roofing or a combination depending on what solution is best for your location. They can be effectively used as a social and dining space or an area for the kids to play in. You can choose from our various designs and, with our expertise and assistance, customise them to your exact requirements.


We view our relationships with our clients as partnerships, and we pledge to provide you with quality, up-to-date tax return preparation and advice, whatever your tax planning and preparation needs — whether you are a sole-proprietor business or operate a multi-tiered corporation or partnership. We provide tax preparation for the following: Individual tax returns - both Federal and State as well as all forms and schedules related to Forms 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ and applicable state returns; corporate tax returns - Forms 1120 and 1120S; payroll tax returns - Form 941 Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, Form 940 Federal Unemployment Tax Return, Form IL-941 Illinois Quarterly Withholding Tax Return, UI-3/40 Illinois Employer's Contribution and Wage Report (state unemployment tax), Form W-3 Federal Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, Form W-2 Employee Wage and Tax Statements; information returns - Forms 1099, 1098, 1096; sales tax returns, Partnership and Limited Liability Company (LLC) tax returns - Form 1065; Gift, Trust and Estate tax returns - Forms 1041, IL-1041, Forms 706 and 709; Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plans - Form 5500. But our dedication to you does not stop after April 15. All through the year we keep up to date on current tax laws to minimize your tax liabilities and to maximize your future opportunities. Should the need arise, we also offer assistance in dealing with the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing authorities for tax notices and audits.


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Trending Dulos Investigation Conflict With Iran Sports CT Live Decision 2020
4 School Closings
UPDATE: Chloe Grace Moretz Offered Lead for "Carrie" Remake
Published at 9:31 am on March 26, 2012
UPDATE: "Carrie," the great Stephen King's first novel, spawned a classic horror film with two Oscar-nominated performances, one that is now in the midst of being remade, and the hunt for a new star is over.
Chloe Grace Moretz has been offered the lead in Kimberly Pierce-directed remake of "Carrie," reported Deadline, about a high school wallflower with remarkable powers that bubble to the surface when she's angry or distressed. The part was first played by Sissy Spacek, earning the actress the first of her six Oscar nominations.
When news broke of the remake last fall, King himself had in idea for the title role, one that was both inspired and doomed.
"Lindsay Lohan as Carrie White… hmmm," the horror master said to EW.
And then there's the part of Carrie's whack-a-doo Bible-thumping mama, Margaret White, who was originally played with unchecked gusto by Piper Laurie. Pierce is supposedly courting Jodie Foster and Julianne Moore. We can see why Pierce would go for either, but they don't feel quite right, not domineering enough. Cate Blanchett, Melissa Leo, Tilda Swinton (!), Sigourney Weaver...
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Good news for couples with children. All family rooms are specially designed so you can enjoy your vacation while having quality time with your children. Each room is bisected by a sliding partition, which means your children are always close at hand. A large daybed can be turned into a sleeping bed for your children. The main bed is by the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that open out to the private balcony overlooking the pools and gardens. Every Family room is equipped with all the modern comforts and a large bathroom that features a stylish jacuzzi.


Morton Castle is situated on the Queensberry Estate in southern Scotland, 20 miles north of Dumfries off the A76 road, 4 miles north of the town of Thornhill, 3 miles east of the larger Drumlanrig Castle.
The castle is open for visits at all times free of charge.
Morton Castle is situated in a quiet, remote, scenic area, that can be found at the end of a single lane road.
1200s - these lands were held by Thomas Randolph, later the first Earl of Moray, friend of Robert the Bruce that helped Bruce become king of Scotland during the Wars of Independence.
1200s late - a castle had been completed on this high spot with marshland on the north, east, and south sides.
1357 - the Treaty of Berwick to release king David II of Scotland, son of Robert the Bruce, from the Tower of London, forced the Scots to destroy thirteen castles in Nithsdale, including Morton.
1400s - the Earls of March gained control of these lands and rebuilt the castle.
1400s mid - James II of Scotland awarded these lands to James Douglas, who became the Earl of Morton.
1580 - the fourth earl of Morton was executed after being accused of playing a part in the murder of Lord Darnley, husband of Mary Queen of Scots.
Morton Castle and earldom was then passed to John Maxwell.
1588 - a fall out between James VI and the Catholic Maxwell's led to Morton Castle being burned and returned to the Douglas family.
1600s - the castle was owned by William Douglas, first Earl of Queensberry, of the larger Drumlanrig Castle 3 miles west.
Morton Castle was probably used as a hunting lodge from that time.
1700s mid - a dam was constructed to flood the marshland to create an artificial loch.
1700s - much of the stone from the castle was taken for other buildings in the area.
2000s - Morton Castle is the property of the Duke of Buccleuch, although cared for by Historic Scotland.
The area has a scenic nature walk.


Large apartment of 130 square meters, with 10 beds (possibility of 2 additional beds in sofa bed), on the ground floor of a villa, in an exclusive residential area, 50 meters from one of the most beautiful beaches in southern Sardinia.
The house is completely independent, with private road access, in an exclusive, intimate setting in pine forest in Santa Margherita di Pula (Cagliari).
The apartment comprises: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and living room habitable; outside large veranda and a large garden. Possibility of using the masonry barbecue area.
For periods not including July and August a discount of 20% is applied.


text:
Harrisburg man charged in home invasion
Police: Man forced woman inside home
Updated: 10:44 PM EDT Apr 18, 2012
Allen Anderson
A Harrisburg man has been charged with burglary, reckless endangering and gun charges in connection with a home invasion on Tuesday.Allen Anderson, 20, is accused of running onto the porch of a home on North 15th Street and forcing a woman who was sitting there inside.Once inside the home, police said, Anderson went through the rooms until he found three people hiding in a bathroom. Police said Anderson grabbed a 17-year-old girl by the leg.By that time, police said they arrived and arrested Anderson.No one was hurt in the incident.
A Harrisburg man has been charged with burglary, reckless endangering and gun charges in connection with a home invasion on Tuesday.
Allen Anderson, 20, is accused of running onto the porch of a home on North 15th Street and forcing a woman who was sitting there inside.
Once inside the home, police said, Anderson went through the rooms until he found three people hiding in a bathroom. Police said Anderson grabbed a 17-year-old girl by the leg.
By that time, police said they arrived and arrested Anderson.


A honey lacquered two seat fixed dining set - ideal for less populous homes.
The Galina Dining Set + 2 Shannon Dining Chairs is a pleasant honey oak colour and comes with two PU leather padded dining chairs.
The Galina Dining Set + 2 Shannon Dining Chairs are delivered free on the island of Ireland in 2-3 weeks.


text:
Q: HTTP 401 error message when I try with private enterprise Github account I am working with python + the requests library + github access to get a hook URL.
When I try to access a hook from my personal public git repo, I get the response smoothly:
import json
import requests
token = "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
response = requests.get("https://api.github.com/repos/josenrihernand/github-personal-repo/hooks", auth=("josenrihernand", token)).json()
print("RESPONSE: ", response) ---> IT WORKS (I get the hook url)
However, if I try with a enterprise / private github account, I get an HTTP 401 error message:
import json
import requests
token = "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
response = requests.get("https://MY_DOMAIN/repos/ENTERPRISE_USER/REPO_PATH/hooks", auth=("ENTERPRISE_USER", token)).json()
print("RESPONSE: ", response) ---> I got a 401 error message.
I am sure that the token is ok.
What could be the root cause of that error ?
Is the get address properly formed ?
thanks a lot!

A: Github entreprise base URL for v3 API is :
http(s)://hostname/api/v3/

check Rest v3 API doc
I guess in your case it would be :
https://your.domain/api/v3/repos/USER/REPO/hooks

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Beaverton, OR, WPH Press, 4/15/19- Beaverton's Sunset Athletic Club played host to the 2019 Oregon State Singles Championships & Fun Doubles, featuring 127 participants, including 16 collegiate players, 14 high school players, and 18 women's players. History would be on the line in the Men's Open Singles, as Oregon superstar Dalton Beall was seeking a record eighth consecutive Oregon State Singles title. Nineteen total divisions were offered at the event, including Mixed Doubles and Big Ball Doubles, each featuring six teams.
Seven-time Oregon State singles champion Dalton Beall would face a familiar cast of foes in his quest for #8, as sparring partner and OR rival Cody Townsend would be aiming to end Beall's streak. Matt Steele, Bob Herrera, Sean Steele, Conor Casey, Josh Bateman, and several others would join Townsend in trying to dethrone Oregon's king.
Sean Steele put a quick damper on Curtis Christensen's return to open play, winning 21-4, 21-5.
Conor Casey had a decisive two game victory over Michael Stenberg, winning 21-9, 21-10.
Kyle English and Pete Papathemetrios had a contentious opening round match, with a number of heated arguments over avoidable hinders and other unsportsmanlike behavior. Highly experienced referee Matt Steele kept the match under control, and English would end up wining in two games, 21-8, 21-20.
Josh Bateman defeated Pete Svennungsen in the final match of the night, winning 21-7, 21-19, and knocking out the last non-Oregonian in the draw.
Dalton Beall showed his championship form, holding Josh Bateman to 12 points total to advance to the semifinals, winning 21-4, 21-8.
Cody Townsend dazzled the crowd in the first game, defeating Kyle English 21-7. The lopsided match continued as Townsend took an 18-6 lead, at which point English was called for an avoidable hinder for violating Rule 4.8.C, "moving into the ball". Stunned and frustrated, English decided to forfeit the remaining two points, resulting in Townsend advancing 21-7, 19-6.
*The tournament committee later reviewed and confirmed the avoidable hinder call as the correct call.
In a battle of Multnomah Athletic Club Heavyweights, Matt Steele defeated Conor Casey in two games, 21-10, 21-10.
In the last quarterfinal match, Sean Steele pushed Bob Herrera to the limit in the first game but couldn't seal the 21st point, leaving the door open for Herrera to sneak the first game out 21-20. Building on the momentum, Herrera closed out the second game 21-9 to advance to the semifinals.
Bob Herrera faced off with defending champion Dalton Beall in the first semifinal, pushing Beall in a way Beall is not usually pushed until the finals of local tournaments. However, Beall found his championship form once again and grinded out a victory, 21-12, 21-16.
A determined Cody Townsend came out firing on all cylinders in the second semifinal, as Matt Steele got blitzed 21-1 in the first game. Steele found his footing in the second game, but was only able to score 13 points as Townsend advanced to the finals 21-1, 21-13.
For the sixth time in the last eight years, Dalton Beall would face Cody Townsend in the finals, and for the eighth time in the last eight years, Beall would come out victorious. Townsend pushed his doubles partner to play his best, as the two stars displayed a highlight reel of kill shots, diving gets, and backwall-frontwall desperation shots. The scoreline did not accurately reflect the intensity of the match, as Beall secured his record eighth consecutive Oregon State Singles championship, winning 21-11, 21-16. "Dalton's next state singles championship will tie him with the great Bob Schoning for the most state singles titles in Oregon history" announced Oregon Handball Chairman Nick Flores.
Women's 35+ World Champion Jean Kastner defeated potential future WR48 star Tessa "the Italian Stallion" DeBartolo in the first semifinal, 21-7, 21-3.
In the other semifinal, one-wall specialist Kimberley Duval found a way to cool the hot hands of Pacific coach Cassidy Hedger, using an aggressive style of play to control the match and advance to the finals, 21-5, 21-6.
The finals came down to experience, as Jean Kastner used angles and passes to frustrate Kimberley Duval, forcing the one-waller to take uncomfortable shots and give up front court position to chase down back wall shots. Kastner controlled the action from start to finish, winning 21-2, 21-1 to take back the women's crown.
The first ever High School State Championship was held, as Horizon Christian School brought over a dozen students to the tournament. The students were broken into three round robin pools, with freshman Josh Rogers winning the A division, freshman Caleb Yuan winning the B division, and eighth grader Jacy Johnston winning the C division.
Thank you to the tournament committee of Ed Fredenburgh (hospitality chair), Doug Woods (head referee), and Jim Keegan (floor manager) for keeping the tournament running smoothly. Thank you to the Alten Handball Foundation for sponsoring 30 juniors and students to enter the event, and thank you to the World Players of Handball for supporting both the Oregon State Championships as well as the Junior WPH Hood River program. Finally, thank you to the numerous sponsors, volunteers, and supporters, of whom there are simply too many to list.


1. At the bottom left corner of the Control Console, make sure that you are connected to our Production server AND a data feed. If only our server is connected, you will have historical data but no live data. If necessary, create a new CQG demo account or plug in the credentials for your data feed.
2. If any issues are still occurring, right-click the Prod.** server name in the lower left corner of the Control Console and disconnect it. Then right-click it again and connect to a different Prod.** server. For example, disconnect from Prod.U1 and connect to Prod.G1 or Prod.E1 and see if the issue is resolved.
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Jay Dufour, a native of Guadeloupe but now living and working in Thurso, came in to talk to us about life in the Caribbean as part of our topic. He had made up a slideshow and told us about lots of different things such as the history of the Caribbean, what it was like growing up in the Caribbean, the climate and the different types of music. We really enjoyed it and would all like to go and visit!


text:
Sanjay Gupta's new book 'Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age' is available for purchase now! Learn more.
JFK: Personal Portraits From a Public Life
Jacques Lowe provided the nation with insider access to the president and his family
by AARP Staff | Comments: 0
Estate of Jacques Lowe
En español | Jacques Lowe served as John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign photographer and then as his personal family photographer until 1962. The photos in this slideshow are from an exhibit at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., that runs through Jan. 5, 2014.
Youth Is Served
This iconic photograph of John, Jacqueline and a 9-month-old Caroline Kennedy was taken in July 1958. Young, handsome and vital, Kennedy, then 41, was a politician for a new age. Jackie, 29, brought an air of elegance and refinement.
At Home on the Water
Jack and Jackie in Hyannis Port, Mass., taking a break from the 1960 presidential campaign. JFK loved the water and was a superb swimmer and sailor. His legend as a hero began with bravery at sea on PT-109 during World War II.
Showing Vigor, Hiding Pain
JFK tosses Caroline into the air in the backyard of their home in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Back problems made physical play like this difficult for Kennedy, but he projected a healthy, athletic image for the camera.
The future president and first lady of the United States sit unrecognized in an Oregon diner during a presidential campaign stop in the fall of 1959. Stephen Smith, with his back to the camera, was Kennedy's brother-in-law and the finance chairman of his campaign.
Prepared for Battle
This photo captures the Kennedys just days before the Democratic National Convention in July 1960. Opposed by Lyndon Johnson and twice-failed nominee Adlai Stevenson, Kennedy would win the nomination on the first ballot and ask Johnson to be his running mate.
JFK speaks to supporters at a campaign stop in Vermont the day before the 1960 election. In one of the closest presidential contests in American history, John Fitzgerald Kennedy would win the popular tally by just 112,827 votes (less than 0.2 percent of the total cast).
And Baby Makes Four
The president-elect delivers his acceptance speech at the National Guard Armory in Hyannis Port. "So now my wife and I prepare for a new administration, and for a new baby," he says. Their son, John Jr., would be born just two weeks later.
AARP Offer: Remember the past, help shape the future
Share your stories and help advocate for political support to protect your future. Join AARP to support living with dignity and purpose.
The First Moments of Camelot
A snowstorm on Jan. 19, 1961, delayed the start of the inaugural eve gala. When the first couple-elect finally arrive at 11, the hall erupts in cheers. The era of "Camelot" had officially begun.
The Kennedys Take Paris
The first lady descends the stairs of the Elysée Palace flanked by the Republican Guard in May 1961. After she conquers the French, JFK remarks: "I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris."
Remembering JFK
See more Kennedy slideshows, read remembrances and share your memories at www.aarp.org/JFK.
View More Slideshows
9 Unique First Ladies Through History
10 Ideal College Towns to Retire
Election 1960: JFK on the Campaign Trail
Video: Remembering JFK - A look at the life and presidency of John F. Kennedy.
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text:
Ahmed Mohamed Obsiye (), was a Somalian politician. And senior member of the Somali Youth League, he served as speaker of the Somali Parliament during the Somali Republic's early civilian administration. He hails from Adan Issa subdivisions of the Issa Musse subclan of the Isaaq Somali.

References

External links
Federal Parliament of Somalia - Members

Somali Youth League politicians
Speakers of the Parliament of Somalia
1914 births
1984 deaths
People from Hargeisa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Radio: The Push To Make Chicago's Lakefront a National Park on WBEZ Chicago 91.5
Waiting to go on the air. Preservation Chicago Proposes Turning Lakefront Into National Park with Jenn White on Morning Shift, WBEZ Chicago 91.5. Photo Credit: Ward Miller / Preservation Chicago
Yellowstone. Yosemite. Grand Canyon. And Chicago's Lakefront? The group Preservation Chicago wants to make the city's lakefront and its nearby parks a National Park. While there are only 61 such parks across the country, the latest to be designated is in our area. Indiana Dunes National Park joined the party on February 15 of this year.
Morning Shift talks with the architect of this thought-provoking idea.
Why is Preservation Chicago proposing a National Park in Chicago?
Ward Miller : The Chicago lakefront has been always understood to be forever open and free to everyone, and it's an amazing resource on the Great Lakes of course, and it deserves to be protected. We've seen a number of instances recently where there have been park giveaways, land giveaways. First it was the Children's Museum that was going to take a prominent place in Grant Park, and then it became the Lucas Museum as many people remember, and now the Obama Presidential Center. And we welcome that center to Chicago, but not in historic Jackson Park.
What areas would the National Park would include?
Miller: We'd like to begin at Hollywood on the North Side and extend it all the way to the former U.S. Steel Southworks site, which is a brownfield at the far South end of the city, and to encourage an expansion and protection of that greenway.
How does the Obama Presidential Center fit into this story?
Jenn White: Preservation Chicago supports the Obama Presidential Center, but you're against having it built on public land in Jackson Park, so how much of this idea is about drawing attention to your stated wishes about the Obama Center?
Miller: That's an important issue right now. We're talking about 20 acres of land that would be given to a private foundation. It sets a dangerous precedent. Plus, we're talking about the removal of 200 trees, some of them old-growth, and really affecting the landscape in a big way with backhoes and really tearing up a Frederick Law Olmsted landscape, and he is the best of the best…We're encouraging the Obama Foundation about moving the nearby private lands and expanding the park onto those lands.
How realistic is this idea?
White: National Parks typically seek to protect and preserve natural areas, but very few of them are anywhere near a city, let alone in a city, a major city like Chicago. How realistic is this idea?
Miller: I think this is a very realistic idea. It's in the very beginning stages, but remember, President Obama himself was here and pushed with Mayor Emanuel and a lot of elected officials to designate Pullman as a National Park and a National Monument. And that was just two years ago. So, it seems like the idea of protecting natural resources designed by one of the world's great landscape architects and others would be a good idea. It would protect the lakefront.
GUEST: Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago
Hear the full story at WBEZ Chicago 91.5 Morning Shift
Audio: The Push To Make Chicago's Lakefront a National Park on WBEZ Chicago 91.5, 5/22/19
Month-in-Review NewsletterMay 2019 Newsletter
Ward Miller Presents Mayor Lori Lightfoot With A 2019 Chicago 7 Most Endangered Booklet
Television: Preservation Chicago Proposes Turning Lakefront Into National Park on CBS 2 Chicago


I know I say this all the time, but this is one of my all-time favorite recipes! If I had a store front, these cookies would be one of my staples.
Using a cookie scoop - I used a rather large one - scoop the dough onto the baking sheet and flatten each cookie out. These cookies do not spread very much, so this is the time to do it! I mean, do you see the spatula lines in my cookies?! I tried, but it was too late for these ones, haha.


text:
Platform for privacy preference (P3P): Finally the convergence between law and technology. How far can P3P guarantee the respect of the European Data Protection directive requirements
Jean-Marc Dinant
Research output: Contribution in Book/Catalog/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
User Identification and Privacy Protection. Application in Public Administration and Electronic Commerce
Dinant, J-M. (1999). Platform for privacy preference (P3P): Finally the convergence between law and technology. How far can P3P guarantee the respect of the European Data Protection directive requirements. In User Identification and Privacy Protection. Application in Public Administration and Electronic Commerce (pp. 43-57). Stockholm: DSV.
Dinant, Jean-Marc. / Platform for privacy preference (P3P) : Finally the convergence between law and technology. How far can P3P guarantee the respect of the European Data Protection directive requirements. User Identification and Privacy Protection. Application in Public Administration and Electronic Commerce. Stockholm : DSV, 1999. pp. 43-57
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booktitle = "User Identification and Privacy Protection. Application in Public Administration and Electronic Commerce",
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Dinant, J-M 1999, Platform for privacy preference (P3P): Finally the convergence between law and technology. How far can P3P guarantee the respect of the European Data Protection directive requirements. in User Identification and Privacy Protection. Application in Public Administration and Electronic Commerce. DSV, Stockholm, pp. 43-57.
Platform for privacy preference (P3P) : Finally the convergence between law and technology. How far can P3P guarantee the respect of the European Data Protection directive requirements. / Dinant, Jean-Marc.
User Identification and Privacy Protection. Application in Public Administration and Electronic Commerce. Stockholm : DSV, 1999. p. 43-57.
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Dinant J-M. Platform for privacy preference (P3P): Finally the convergence between law and technology. How far can P3P guarantee the respect of the European Data Protection directive requirements. In User Identification and Privacy Protection. Application in Public Administration and Electronic Commerce. Stockholm: DSV. 1999. p. 43-57
http://www.crid.be/pdf/crid/4219.pdf


text:
Study predicts effect of global warming on spring flowers
An international study involving Monash University mathematician Dr Malcolm Clark has been used to demonstrate the impact of global warming and to predict the effect further warming will have on plant life.
The study, published in the International Journal of Climatology, predicts a difference in flowering times of certain plants in certain climates by as much as 50 days by the year 2080.
The study, by Dr Malcolm Clark, an Adjunct Research Fellow at Monash University's School of Mathematical Sciences and Professor Roy Thompson, a geophysicist at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, investigated the possibilities of flowering spring plants blooming in the depths of winter as the plants respond to the effects of global warming.
The study is based on the facts that plants control the timing of flowering by adapting to the local weather and climate and that throughout the past century global warming, driven by ever rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, has resulted in local climate changes which are likely to steadily increase.
"Already there is a great deal of observational evidence of regional changes in climate associated with global warming," Dr Clark said. "We have not only seen an earlier break up of ice on rivers and melting glaciers, but earlier flowering of plants. This new model allows us to refine predictions of the future impact of warming on plant and animal life across much of the world."
Dr Clark and Professor Thompson worked from a wealth of old records from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, which started in 1850. They also analysed records of Edinburgh's climate from records dating back to 1775. With this information they investigated the responses of 79 species of plant to air temperatures.
Using this data, they established the relationship between air temperature and first flowering date and have used their new statistical model to predict likely changes in spring flowering in Scotland based on three potential global warming scenarios. For every 1 o C that the climate warms they predict that spring flowering will begin approximately 11 days earlier. For an increasingly oceanic climate (greater winter than summer warming) their model predicts shifts in the botanical season ranging between 16 days at the start of spring and 12 days at the end of spring. For an increasingly continental climate predictions range between 7 days at the start of spring and 11 days at the end of spring.
Clark and Thompson checked the results of their statistical model with other data sets from across the world, indicating that their results are not limited to one country. "Although the study is based on plant life in Scotland, our phenological models apply across regions spanning hundreds of thousands of square kilometres," Dr Clark said.
Using their results Dr Clark and Professor Thompson have been able to construct a global map demonstrating 'desynchronisation' of plant and animal life in the year 2080. The map shows that maritime climates including Western Europe, the American Atlantic coast, New Zealand, Chile and North Africa will be the greatest effected as the botanical calendar will move strongly out of sync with the seasons with temperature-sensitive plants flowering up to 50 days earlier than now, with significant ecological repercussions.
Source: Monash University (news : web)
Early spring time for Edinburgh? Study predicts effect of global warming on spring flowers
Citation: Study predicts effect of global warming on spring flowers (2009, September 17) retrieved 17 January 2020 from https://phys.org/news/2009-09-effect-global.html
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text:
David McCarthy is a philosopher who uses mathematics to understand ethics. This website explains why that's not a contradiction. David works at the University of Hong Kong, where he learns from the brightest undergraduates he has ever taught. He enjoys powerlifting and rock climbing, requiring him to be as big as an ox and as light as a fly. That doesn't make much sense, but his views about ethics do.
David McCarthy
Email: davidmccarthy1@gmail.com
URL: davidmccarthy.org
CV: PDF
Nationality: British / Irish (dual citizenship)
Ethics; Decision Theory; Formal Epistemology; Philosophy of Probability
1995 PhD in Philosophy, University of Southern California
1988 MA in Mathematics and Philosophy, University of Oxford
Appointments held
2011- Associate Professor, University of Hong Kong
2004-2011 Reader, University of Edinburgh
2003-2004 Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol
2000-2003 Lecturer, University of Bristol
1997-2000 Lecturer, University of Melbourne
1997 Lecturer, Monash University
1995-1997 Greenwall Fellow, Johns Hopkins University
McCarthy, D. The Structure of Good, Oxford University Press, under contract.
McCarthy, D. and Mikkola, K., Continuity and completeness of strongly independent preorders. Mathematical Social Sciences 93 (2018): 141–145.
McCarthy, D., The priority view. Economics and Philosophy 33(2) (2017): 215–257.
McCarthy, D., Distributive equality. Mind 124(496) (2015): 1045–1109.
McCarthy, D., Risk-free approaches to the priority view. Erkenntnis 78(2) (2013): 421–49.
McCarthy, D., Utilitarianism and prioritarianism II. Economics and Philosophy 24(1) (2008): 1–33.
McCarthy, D., Measuring life's goodness. Philosophical Books 48(4) (2007): 303–19.
McCarthy, D., Utilitarianism and prioritarianism I. Economics and Philosophy 22(3) (2006): 335–63
McCarthy, D., Intending harm, foreseeing harm and failures of the will. Noûs 36(4) (2002): 622–42.
McCarthy, D., Harming and allowing harm. Ethics 110(4) (2000): 749–79.
McCarthy, D., Actions, beliefs and consequences. Philosophical Studies 90(1) (1998): 57–77.
McCarthy, D., Rights, explanation, and risk. Ethics 107(2) (1997): 205–22.
Arntzenius, F. and McCarthy, D., Self-torture and group beneficence. Erkenntnis 47(1) (1997): 129–44.
Arntzenius, F. and McCarthy, D., The two envelope paradox and infinite expectations. Analysis 57(1) (1997): 42–50.
McCarthy, D., Liability and risk. Philosophy and Public Affairs 25(3) (1996): 238–62.
McCarthy, D., Probability in ethics. In A. Hájek and C. Hitchcock eds. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Probability, Oxford University Press, 2016, 705–37.
McCarthy, D., Mikkola, K. and Thomas, T., Utilitarianism with and without expected utility. Revision requested by Journal of Mathematical Economics. Working Paper published as MPRA Paper No. 90125 (2018).
INVITATION TO RESUBMIT
McCarthy, D., Mikkola, K. and Thomas, T., Representation of strongly independent preorders by sets of scalar-valued functions. Revision requested by Journal of Mathematical Economics. Working Paper published as MPRA Paper No. 79284 (2017).
McCarthy, D., Mikkola, K. and Thomas, T., Aggregation for general populations without continuity or completeness. MPRA Paper No. 80820 (2017).
McCarthy, D., Mikkola, K. and Thomas, T., Representation of strongly independent preorders by vector-valued functions. MPRA Paper No. 80806 (2017).
Grants & visiting positions
2014 HKU / KCL Fellowship (Hong Kong & UK )
2013-2016 GRF (Hong Kong)
2008 AHRC Research Leave Scheme (UK)
2005 Senior Research Fellow, Philosophy, Probability and Modeling Group, University of Konstanz (Germany)
2003 AHRC Research Leave Scheme (UK) 2000 ARC Large Grant (Australia)
Ethics; decision theory; philosophy of probability; formal epistemology; philosophy of social science; political philosophy; metaphysics; philosophical methods.
UPPER LEVEL UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
As well as the above topics: epistemology; formal logic; game theory.
As well as the above topics: critical thinking as a general education course.
Prof. John Broome, University of Oxford. Email: john.broome@philosophy.ox.ac.uk
Prof. Wlodek Rabinowicz, University of Lund. Email: Wlodek.Rabinowicz@fil.lu.se
Dr. Natalie Gold, Kings College London. Email: natalie.gold@kcl.ac.uk
Pokfulam
david@davidmccarthy.org
Long Bio
I started life in academia doing a degree in Mathematics at Oxford in the mid 1980s. I switched to Mathematics and Philosophy to avoid some compulsory courses in applied mathematics, with the idea that learning what philosophy was about would be interesting. It turned out to be very interesting, and I fell in love with the subject, thanks to a year of tutorials in metaphysics, philosophy of language and philosophical logic with Simon Blackburn.
I went on to do a PhD in Los Angeles, and after dabbling in metaphysics, logic and set theory, I started working on ethics with Barbara Herman. I found the many of the ideas of contractualism appealing, and whereas Rawls had already started limiting the scope of his contractualism, I was curious to see whether it could be extended to a full-blown ethical theory, providing, for example, a systematic treatment of such things as harming versus allowing harm.
But while I found the contractualist vision appealing, the devil is in the detail, and there were things that bothered me. For one thing, many of the concrete positions seemed either implausible or vague. For example, Rawls' views about rationality behind the veil of ignorance are unconvincing to say the least, while Scanlon's account of his distributive alternative to utilitarianism is like defining biology by saying it's not chemistry or physics.
In the early 2000s I had some ideas about how to develop contractualism, and I realised that I needed some mathematics. Hopelessly lost, I started wandering through the mathematics library. Stumbling on János Azcél's books on functional equations helped me solve some problems, and a breakthrough came when Derek Parfit passed one of my rambling manuscripts to John Broome, who wrote to me to recommend that I look at the work of John Harsanyi.
Like most recipients of good advice, my response was slow and begrudging. But eventually I began to realise the immense value, not just of Harsanyi's work, but also of the vast literature in economics that has extended it. But back to Rawls, who thought of moral philosophy as the systematic comparison of different ways of thinking about ethics, requiring the articulation of alternatives to the best known ethical theory, utilitarianism.
This method characterizes a vast body of contemporary ethics, but even if an oracle whispers in your ear that utilitarianism is woefully incorrect, as indeed one gathers from the learned journals, for this to be a useful piece of knowledge, you had better understand what utilitarianism is really saying. This is one reason why Harsanyi's work is so valuable: it provides the basis for an extremely flexible and powerful defense of utilitarianism.
Understanding and extending Harsanyi's utilitarianism, and thereby better characterising the alternatives, is therefore central to the Rawlsian project, and this has been my central preoccupation for a decade. It requires some serious mathematics, and since the early 2010s, I have been very fortunate to have collaborated with two first class mathematicians, Kalle Mikkola and Teru Thomas.
It is hardly surprising that ethics requires mathematics. It subsumes subjects like decision theory (rational action), formal epistemology (rational belief), philosophy of probability (uncertainty), game theory (coordination), and no one with even a passing familiarity with those subjects would deny the relevance of mathematics to them. Yet the hostility to mathematical methods by moral philosophers is hard to exaggerate.
Not surprisingly, the greatest hostility typically comes from those who know the least. The existentialists had a word for this: ressentiment. That said, it takes training and patience to be able to read mathematical statements (proofs can almost always be skipped), and the main aim of the blog on this website is to try to provide accessible accounts of standard results and techniques that would be very useful for researchers in ethics to know about.
In 2011 I moved from Edinburgh to the wonderful city of Hong Kong, where I have been happily living ever since. At the University of Hong Kong, I feel hugely privileged to teach and learn from exceptionally bright and respectful undergraduates. In my spare time I enjoy climbing rocks meters from the sea, and being the weakling in the local Strongman / Strong Woman gym.
David was recently interviewed in The Reasoner.
David will be visiting KCL in May 2019
Revise and Resubmit
August 26, 2019 /0 Comments/in Notes /by David McCarthy
This post discusses how to respond to an invitation to revise and resubmit from a leading philosophical journal. It is aimed at early career philosophers.
It discusses the review process, explains why a revise and submit is not a conditional acceptance, and gives advice on how to resubmit.
/wp-content/themes/awp-enfold/blank.png 0 0 David McCarthy /wp-content/themes/awp-enfold/blank.png David McCarthy2019-08-26 15:11:542019-08-30 17:02:00Revise and Resubmit
Democracy and Fake Agreement
September 19, 2018 /0 Comments/in Fun /by David McCarthy
It is well known that there are many forms of democracy. It seems likely that none of them is perfect. But when voters are uncertain about the consequences of what they are voting for, democracy is even more puzzling.
One idea that seems plausible is that if every member of society prefers X to Y, then society should be seen as preferring X to Y. But when uncertainty is involved, even that is a bad idea. This post explains why, with a practical illustration involving Brexit and Trump.
/wp-content/themes/awp-enfold/blank.png 0 0 David McCarthy /wp-content/themes/awp-enfold/blank.png David McCarthy2018-09-19 10:14:142018-11-02 12:51:53Democracy and Fake Agreement
decision theory epistemic value rule utilitarianism expected utility Harsanyi incompleteness spurious unanimity incomparability epistemic utility theory welfare comparative likelihood Aumann Dempster-Shafer impersonal value democracy social epistemology deontology priority view mathematics egalitarianism contractualism information formal epistemology continuity research advice utilitarianism probability probability agreement discontinuity normative ethics uncertainty
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While Apple admitted too little and too late when it comes to the iPhone's kill switch, Google managed to do the same thing, but only before the launch of the device. That's fair play from them and we even get a reason for this remote "destruction" of our Android apps: malicious software that can run loose on Android devices.
So, turns out that Google can remotely remove ANY app from your phone, in case it "violates the developer distribution agreement". This is where Apple comes into play, as their app service allows you to preview software before installing it, unlike Google's similar service, that may allow malicious software to sneak in.
Precaution comes first, even on the most open mobile OS to date, but can you blame Google for playing it safe?
Next articleIntoMobile Changes Looks Too!


Today, to celebrate the New Year, I delivered puzzles to my 999th and 1000th facility. The facility with the 1000th designation happened to be a Kindred Healthcare facility in Saugus, Massachusetts. That seemed fitting because my great grandmother spent the last weeks of her life being well-treated in a Kindred facility. Here are photos of my two deliveries.
I am also very happy to announce that Springbok's newest PuzzlesToRemember will be available very soon. The new puzzles will include a country mill scene, a colorful fish scene, and a steam railway train. I think these images will be very memory provoking for Alzheimer's patients, and the puzzles will be a great, activity for Alzheimer's patients to share with their caregivers.
disease, I have has a hard time finding simple puzzles with pictures that are appropriate for her age! Good Work!


FORT PAYNE, Ala. – With the new year comes a change in leadership at the DeKalb County Sheriff's office.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey appointed Welden, who was elected in November, to the job two weeks early. Read Governor Kay Ivey's appointment letter here. Welden had been anticipating a January 14th start date, as planned.
"We got sworn in at 12:01 by the Circuit Judge-elect Andrew Hairston, then I turned around and swore in the command staff, which is what you have to do to take over, and we moved forward from there," Welden said.
Welden added he didn't know prior to Monday he would be taking office two weeks earlier than scheduled.
Outgoing sheriff Jimmy Harris said he cleaned out his office Monday afternoon after county officials told his staff he would be leaving two weeks earlier than anticipated.
Harris told WHNT he had planned to work in office another two weeks and wanted to meet with Welden closer to his last day to go over the transition. Harris had previously announced he was leaving for medical reasons. He said he wasn't contacted by Ivey's office.
Harris said he filled out on the state retirement system paperwork that he would retire effective January 1. He added he was told by several officials that was just a retirement from the state retirement system, not his position as sheriff.
DeKalb County Administrator Matt Sharp said Harris' term was to end on January 13, and Welden's term was to start on January 14. However, after looking into the regulations, Sharp said they realized that couldn't happen, because he said employees can't be paid after they retire.
Sharp said the retirement system requires retirement to start on the first day of the month. As a result, Harris's last day was December 31. Sharp said then Sheriff-elect Nick Welden wanted to know who would be sheriff in the interim.
The DeKalb County Commission contacted the Association of County Commissions of Alabama to ask for input about Harris's retirement. They were referred to the governor's office, who asked them to provide the paperwork and the governor's office took it from there.
Sharp said Jimmy Harris is the first sheriff in the county who has retired under the state retirement system. The others had retired through the county. He added if Harris hadn't retired effective January 1, he would have been paid to the 13th and finished his term as sheriff.
Michael Edmondson, who was the chief deputy under Harris, said he didn't know about the change until county officials notified him Monday afternoon.
"I appreciate the time I was able to spend working at the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, and I enjoyed serving the people of DeKalb County," Edmondson said.
WHNT News 19 has also confirmed that Brad Gregg, the Mentone Police Chief, is the new Chief Deputy at the sheriff's office. Gregg's replacement is Gene McKee.


Once again, the two original SKT members have decided to leave the team. Bengi and PoohManDu were part of SK Telecom T1 K, where they, along with Faker, Impact and Piglet, took out the League of Legends World Championships in 2013. Since then, the both players have had a successful career with a variety of teams after they have been replaced by various talents on the starting roster.
As veterans in the competitive League of Legends scene, both holding more than one world championship title (with SKT), SK Telecom T1 decided to bring back the pair as coaches on the 27th of November 2017. This was intended to deepen the team's insight following a rocky appearance in the semi-finals and finals at worlds 2017.
Unlike what SKT had planned with the help of Bengi and PoohManDu, SKT's prowess in the LCK dramatically dropped, with the team having their worst year to date. 2018 had been a nightmare year for SKT, their second year to fail to even qualify to enter the World Championships since their formation in 2013.
Due to the disappointing results, SKT made a dramatic roster overhaul, with the player purge also including the two coaching staff. While SKT's decline is certainly not pinned on Bengi and PoohManDu, the organisation is compelled to make changes and open up new positions for 'better' coaching talent.
Bengi's and PoohManDu's future is unknown, however, it is likely their will continue into a coaching role in either the LCK or LPL. Both Bengi and PoohManDu had previously spent a short time together with Vici Gaming, considering the rise of the LPL and the more favourable conditions in China, the LPL is a prime destination for the pair.


Scottish Borders offers plentiful choices of commercial properties, whether you are looking to rent or buy. There are a diverse mix of commercial properties in a range of use classifications in Scottish Borders, which will help make your search successful. Our location based property listings make it easy to search by city or town in Scottish Borders. This allows you to easily search MOVEHUT and find a commercial property in Scottish Borders that will tick all your boxes.
The Scottish Borders is a council area in the south-east of the Scottish Lowlands. It shares borders with the council areas of Dumfries and Galloway, South Lanarkshire and the City of Edinburgh, among others, and the English counties of Northumberland and Cumbria. The administrative headquarters for the area is Newtown St Boswells, with other settlements under the council's authority including Jedburgh, Hawick and Peebles. Places of interest in the area include Thirlestane Castle, Dawyck Botanic Garden and Melrose Abbey.
Due to the rather isolated nature of the Borders, much like the Highlands in the north, traditional industries remain prevalent, with a high reliance on trade to the north (Edinburgh) and south (Newcastle). Agriculture and the woollen mill industries are both high earners of revenue for the area.
When it comes to finding a suitable commercial property in Scottish Borders, it can prove to be a bigger job than expected, so we have some great tips for you. We think that having a good idea of any additional or hidden costs associated with commercial properties is a good idea when it comes to buying or renting a property. And we like to plan ahead when it comes to business, which means keeping ample room for staff growth in any commercial property in Scottish Borders you look at. Remembering these tips will help you arrive at the right decision when you're searching for commercial property in Scottish Borders.
There is a huge selection of commercial properties available to rent or buy in Scottish Borders. At MOVEHUT, we have property listings in the towns and cities in Scottish Borders sorted by category, like Industrial and warehouse properties. You will also find serviced offices in a range of prime locations throughout Scottish Borders. So regardless of what type of commercial property you require in Scottish Borders, you can trust MOVEHUT to help you find it.
There is a huge selection of commercial property for sale in Scottish Borders, from retail units to warehouse space. And when it comes to finding a property to buy in the county of Scottish Borders, you'll want to have a clear goal of what you require. At MOVEHUT, you can search by property type, price and a variety of other ways to ensure you only get the results that are relevant to you. So find a commercial property for sale in Scottish Borders right away with the great features of MOVEHUT.


text:
Saison is een biersoort die zijn oorsprong vindt in de Belgische provincie Henegouwen.

Saison is het Frans woord voor seizoen omdat dit een seizoensbier was. Dit bier werd oorspronkelijk door de boeren gebrouwen in de winter om gedronken te worden door de seizoensarbeiders in het oogstseizoen. Men moest wel in de winter brouwen om te voorkomen dat het bier slecht zou worden gedurende de bewaring. Deze bieren hadden een alcoholpercentage rond de 3% en waren extra gehopt voor de houdbaarheid.
De hedendaagse saisonbieren worden het gehele jaar door gebrouwen en niet enkel meer in Wallonië. De meeste bieren zijn goudblonde tot amberkleurige ongefilterde bieren van hoge gisting en hebben een alcoholpercentage tussen 5% en 6,5%.
Enkele bekende voorbeelden zijn Saison Dupont, Saison 1900, Saison d'Epeautre, Saison de Pipaix en Saison d'Erpe-Mere.

Criteria
De saisonbrouwers hebben de criteria opgesteld waaraan volgens hen saisonbieren moeten voldoen. Maar het bier mag op twee punten afwijken (wat betekent dat in principe ook buiten Henegouwen een saison kan gebrouwen worden).
 Bier van hoge gisting met nagisting
 Gebrouwen in de provincie Henegouwen
 Alcoholpercentage tussen 5% en 6,5%
 Donkerblond tot amberkleurig
 Dorstlessend van karakter
 Goed gehopt en/of gekruid
 Hoge vergistingsgraad (geeft een "droog" bier)
 Afgevuld in 75cl flessen
 Vooral regionaal verkrijgbaar
 Hoofdzakelijk gebruik van gerstemout, andere granen zoals tarwe zijn mogelijk

Biersoort
 Saison


On Tuesday the Mad Money host put on his Yenta hat – that's Yiddish for matchmaker - and looked to make a marriage.
"There are two ways to value any company. There's the stock market value," said Cramer. "And there's what a potential acquirer might be willing to pay for the entire enterprise."
"With that in mind, I want to tell you about a company that I think could already be in the crosshairs of a potential acquirer," said Cramer, "and if isn't, it should be."
That company is Mine Safety Appliances, TICKER:MSA, a safety equipment maker that makes industrial head protection—such as hard hats, portable gas detectors, fixed gas and flame detection systems, and self-contained respirators.
Mine Safety has been around since 1914, and in that time the company's name has become a bit misleading – in addition to mines their clients include fire departments, oil and gas companies, construction companies, police and the military.
"The safety industry is consolidating," he said. "Just last month, 3M closed on its acquisition of Ceradyne, a maker of ceramic body armor and vehicle armor, for a 46% premium to where the stock was trading before the deal was announced at the beginning of October. 3M paid $860 million for Ceradyne, which means they valued the stock at 30 times next year's earnings."
Although Mine Safety sold their body business, Cramer said they're still part of the same safety industry as Ceradyne.
"Meanwhile, the stock is relatively unknown and under-covered by the analyst community, which means it's much cheaper than a more well-known more exploited play would be. That's why I could easily see another big conglomerate with a focus on safety making a bid for this one."
According to Cramer two possible acquirers are Honeywell and DuPont.
"Both Honeywell and DuPont want to add to their safety offerings, and they can both afford to pay up, although I see Honeywell as the more likely suitor. Plus, with a market cap of just $1.5 billion, Mine Safety is small enough to be easily digested by either of these giants."
And Cramer added there's a lot for either suitor to like.
"The company's North American fire business was up 22% year over year, and their overall gross margin increased by 220 basis points."
"Also, Mine Safety has been moving away from its dependence on the military budget, something that's important as defense spending could get slashed if we go over the fiscal cliff."
"And Mine Safety's non-fire non-military business, what they call their core products, made up 64% of the company's revenues in the latest quarter—that's up from 55% in 2009, so they're definitely moving in the right direction."
Because fundamentals are strong – Cramer sees Mine Safety commanding a respectable premium.
"We know Ceradyne got taken out at 30 times earnings, if Honeywell were to pay just 20 times earnings for Mine Safety, then you would get $53 a share, or a nearly 30% premium to where the stock's trading right now," he said.
If Cramer's argument has you on the fence – this may put you over.
"If you want to buy this stock for takeover speculation, Mine Safety will pay you to wait for a deal with its respectable 2.7% yield," Cramer said.
When playing a stock for a takeover, look for an industry that's consolidating, and a takeover target that's cheap and has both strong fundamentals and obvious suitors.
According to Cramer, Mine Safety Appliances gives you all of that.
"I think either Honeywell or DuPont could snap this one up to increase their safety exposure, and it pays you a decent yield if you play it for a flier," he said.


1. Visa Waiver Countries - If you are a citizen of a Visa Waiver country (including: Argentina, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, UK, and US) you do not need a Visitor visa to visit NZ.
1. Duration - Stay for up to 9 months. You may be able to extend your stay for an additional 3 months.
2. Visitor activities - Visit friends, family, holiday, sight-seeing or adventure and amateur sports.
3. Study - You can study for up to 3 months.
4. Partner and Dependent children - Your partner and dependent children aged 19 years and under, can be included in your visa application.
5. Return Ticket - You can provide evidence of a return ticket and/or funds to pay for a ticket.
1. Age - 18-35 years of age.
2. Duration - 12-23 months.
3. Work - You are eligible to work for up to 23 months (in non-permanent jobs), depending on the length of the visa you are applying for.
5. Study - You can study or undertake training for up to 6 months.
6. Travel to NZ - You must travel to NZ within 12 months from the date of visa approval.
7. Return ticket - You must provide evidence of onward travel ticket or funds available to buy a ticket back to your country of residence.
8. Funds - You may need to provide evidence that you have sufficient funds. You must have at least NZ $4,200 to live on while you're in New Zealand.
9. Medical - Medical examination is usually required if you are staying for up to 23 months.
10. Medical and Travel Insurance - You must maintain your medical and travel insurance policy while you are studying in NZ, from the time of enrolment until your visa expires.
11. Character - You must be of good character, and provide police clearance certificates.
Visa is valid for up to 3 months.
Training course for occupational registration must take less than 3 months.
Nurses from The Philippines who have a Job offer from a District Health Board and have been accepted ave been accepted for the Nursing Council's Competence Assessment Programme should instead apply for a Specific Purpose Work Visa.
Must meet all other requuirements for a student visa, including funds available, onward travel ticket, and health and character.


Emily and I had a chance to grab lunch together and we each had our favorite type of bagel sandwich at Henry Higgins on Foster. Turkey and tomato on plain for her, Egg, Cheese and Sausage on an everything Bagel for me. We were probably there for 30 minutes and the gentleman at the next table over was on his phone the entire time.


text:
davidsberry
Articles on life and politics from a Scottish perspective
About East Lothian
Charity Ends at the Bank
← Ehhhh: What's Up, Doc?
Day of the Naysayers →
Public Disservice
Posted on June 23, 2012	by davidsberry
Lothian Buses has a history stretching back to the formation of Edinburgh Corporation Tramways in 1919 and a slew of recent commendations, including Best UK Bus Company (2002), Bus Operator of the Year (2007) and Top City Operator of the Year (2011). It runs the youngest bus fleet in the UK and they are generally held to be modern, clean and reliable to those who use them. And, since their main competitor, FirstBus, has thrown in the towel on many of its more rural routes a decade after it had given up competing head-to-head with Lothian on principal city routes, it could fairly be said that Lothian now rules the roost in the Capital.
So why am I about to excoriate them? Especially when, as that rare beast—a successful public company—they return a tidy profit to their 'owners'? (Edinburgh City owns 91% and the three Lothian councils own 3% each).
Well, first of all, in their original incarnation during the fifties, they dismantled the once comprehensive tram system that ran from Granton to Braids and Musselburgh to Corstorphine. Leave aside what San Francisco has done to transform its Embarcadero waterfront by running vintage trams along it, if Edinburgh had simply preserved and maintained half the routes it once had at, say, £2m each year, that would still not have cost 10% of what we are spending today to resurrect their ghost.
In the same era, ECT was bullish about what its new Atlantean streamlined double-deckers could do: they were instrumental in persuading British Rail to abandon: Inner/Outer circle services through Newington and Morningside; a Corstorphine branch serving the zoo at Pinkie; Craigleith and Granton service; loop through Easter Road to Leith; all the little stations like Abbeyhill & Piershill on the way to Musselburgh. The wholesale butchering of local stations left Edinburgh as the biggest city in the UK with no suburban rail service.
But, for 'efficiency' the new streamlined Atlantean buses were driver-only; without clippies, they spent inordinate amounts of time loading at each stop as grannies fished for change. Nonetheless, ECT forged ahead with more such buses until the back-platform Routemaster that you could hop on or off at the lights became a thing of the past. Increased traffic in the city brought even more sluggish routes until, in the nineties, the City Council's transport maestro David Begg (now an academic) got his big paint set out and turned half the city streets into garish bus lanes.
It was just a few years prior that Maggie Thatcher had decreed a market free-for-all in buses and had abolished the regulation that had restricted ECT buses to services within the city and all others to services in and out of the city. For ten years, there was chaos as newly formed bus companies like Stagecoach and First cut each others' throats for dominance in a given city market. FirstBus and the repackaged Lothian Regional Transport duked it out with flooding certain routes, scheduling their own buses to run a few minutes ahead of the competition. It was a mess. The only advantage the punter saw was a £1 flat fare all across the city where the two competed.
In 2000, LRT became Lothian Buses and, as the whole furore died down, they scooped a number of awards, as related above. But these were essentially for running ever more modern and environmentally friendly buses. The fleet had grown to over 600 vehicles and side businesses like the Airport Link and City Tours had been added. But there were still only 50-ish bus routes and it took at least as long on any of them in 2010 as it had in 1960. Passengers were riding cheaply in clean, comfortable buses. But speed was poor.
Even before the tram works and after a 'no-change' policy on fares, convoys of LRT buses would jam Princes Street or Nicholson Street as five tried to get to one stop at one time. The counter-move of creating more stops and spreading bus routes among them helped move things along for natives but still confuses the hell out of visitors. Anyone not knowing the City who arrives at Waverley by train has no chance of finding an onward bus anywhere (let alone the bus station): the stop for the 10/11/16 services to Bruntsfield is 1/2 mile away at the Mound.
And then there's the profit Lothian makes—quite apart from what gets syphoned off for perfectly legal reasons—over £38m in 2010, despite recession and tram works. And that was after an relentless regime of bus replacements, of paying their MD a £208k salary (which includes a £48,100 bonus) and three other directors pulling in a nifty £145k each with a £49k sweetener on top (see today's Evening News). They alone account for 1p on every one of the 107,000,000 fares Lothian collects in a year.
In less than ten years, fares have increased by 40% and while red diesel might have increased by that in the same time, other costs, wages and inflation haven't. Paying the big cheeses a cool £200k each might be justified if this company had broken fresh ground, revolutionised public transport or otherwise transformed Edinburgh into a Mecca for pilgrims to good bus practice. But it isn't.
Given that Edinburgh has; no rail services; mobile, affluent bus-riders; a booming tourism industry; a decrepit competitor in FirstBus and a parking regime that makes Devil's Island look like a holiday camp, Lothian ought to be profitable. But what does it do with that profitability? New buses and environmental conscience are both laudable but hardly inspired: real competition would expose their major flaws:
their service, while reliable, has not improved in half a century
average speed of service along a route one of the worst in the UK
a given bus is hard to find if you don't know both stop and city geography
no literature or timetables to be had other than at a stop
no single-ticket to use train or other buses on one fare
no free transfers from one Lothian route to another
day tickets that have risen 75% in the decade
almost all routes radial—you can't easily get to ERI from Muselburgh
almost all routes double deckers & empty for most of the way
no small 'nippy' buses and no 'feeder' local routes
They raked in a £38.6m profit in 2010. That means 35p of every fare taken (or 25%) was profit. That didn't go to pay the high heid yins their £1m—that was already part of the costs. But 91% of profit (about £35.1m) went to Edinburgh City Council. That's equivalent to each household in the city paying another £140 for that year in council tax. Nice trick! And this is how to 'encourage' public transport?
Where is the investment in Oyster-style cards where people slip on and off the bus like they do in London? Where are the clippies on routes to Leith who can help out baffled tourists trying to find Britannia? Where are the short, fast linking services using cheap, small buses through the sprawling suburbs that every European city has?
Lothian has taken a 1960's model for a city bus service and done no more than spruce it up with new buses. A five-year-old with a stout abacus could make such an unambitious company profitable in such a cosseted environment. But 21st © integrated transport, such as you find in any European city, is a mystery to them—and will remain so as long as a suspicious cosiness between the City and its 'arms-length bus company remains as thick as it is.
What They Threw Away 60 years ago—Edinburgh's Tram Map, 1950 (source: see below)
Map copyright © David King and originally used without his permission, for which I apologise. Originally drawn by cartographer J.C. Gillham and published by Edinburgh Corporation. Permission has now been graciously given—see:
http://www.grantonhistory.org/transport/edinburgh_tram_maps.htm
About davidsberry
Local ex-councillor, tour guide and database designer. Keen on wildlife, history, boats and music. Retired in 2017.
View all posts by davidsberry →
This entry was posted in Transport. Bookmark the permalink.
3 Responses to Public Disservice
David King says:
You are welcome to use my map, but I would have been happier if you had acknowledged the source and ideally linked to the page at http://www.grantonhistory.org/transport/edinburgh_tram_maps.htm .
Ian Johnston says:
LRT (ECT) NEVER used Routemaster buses. The were LeylandPD 2 and PD3. One simple error makes your report a mockery!
davidsberry says:
Always appreciative of factual corrections, for which I thank you. However, I do not why this should invalidate the premise of the blog highlighting Lothian's difficulty with any piblic mode of transport besides buses.
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My favorite little redhead is turning 5 today! This is my nephew Griffin, and he's the sweetest little guy I know. I can't believe he's already going to be 5.
A few weeks ago he and the rest of my family came to Indy so we could take some photos for his birthday invitations. We walked around Broad Ripple and found some spots before heading to the Indianapolis Art Center.
Happy Birthday, Griffin! I hope you have the best day ever!