text:
The Symbolic Significance of Puja Or Worship In Hinduism
In Hinduism, pūja (or pooja) is essentially a ritual or ceremonial worship, in which offerings are made to God with devotion to earn his love and blessings. Although outwardly it may appear as a mechanical ritual, it has a hidden significance. The act of puja is a symbolic offering of one's whole mind and body, thoughts, desires, actions and possessions (in short whatever one has and is) to God as a mark of devotion and surrender, enjoying whatever that comes in return as a gift from him. Probably, it originated from the Tantric methods of worship. However, it has aspects of both Vedic sacrifices and Tantric rituals, which are responsible for its simplicity and universal appeal.
Presently, puja is the most popular form of divine worship in Hinduism. It is performed either by individuals or by groups and either directly by a worshipper or indirectly by a priest on behalf of the worshipper. It is also universally practiced in all Hindu temples. In today's world, Puja has practically replaced Vedic sacrifices as the central feature of Hindu worship since it is easier to practice even by lay people, and the mediation of a priest is not mandatory. Technically, it is a domestic sacrifice, practiced by dutiful householders and devotees of God as part of their daily devotional service.
Although lay followers of Hinduism take liberties with their methods of worship to express their love and devotion to God in their own individual ways, the traditional form of puja has a definite form and structure, which is usually followed in many traditional households. Its more elaborate versions are used in temples and religious places by priests to perform ritual worship and make offerings to the temple deities.
Some pujas are conducted for a few minutes while some may last for several hours. The way a puja is traditionally conducted in Hindu households is in the same way a guest is invited into a house by the householder and treated with utmost respect. Hindu tradition equates a guest (athidhi) with God with this simple expression, "Athidi devobhava," which means a guest is verily God Himself.
We have elsewhere discussed both the outer aspects of puja and its historical development. Here we will discuss the symbolic significance of puja and the symbolic meaning of the various objects which are used during the ceremony.
The meaning of puja
The word "pūja" means adore, worship, revere or treat with honor and respect. Pūjanam is the act of worship. Pūjarha means that which is worthy of worship or adoration. Pūjitha means that which is worshipped, revered, recommended for worship or endowed with divinity. Pūjya is an honorary title used to denote people who are worthy of respect and honor in society. The priest who performs puja in a temple is pujari. Etymologically, the word consists of two letters, "pū" and "ja." It can be interpreted both literally and symbolically. The following are the two literal interpretations.
According to one literal interpretation, pū means to purify, cleanse or make pure and auspicious. In a ritual sense, it means to expiate or atone for. "Ja" means birth. Thus, puja means that which cleanses or purifies the birth or life of a person. It is possible that in the remote past puja was used to seek forgiveness through ritual cleansing to remove the sins of one's past and past lives for peace and prosperity or a better next birth.
According to another literal interpretation, Pū not only means to cleanse or purify but also to discern, think clearly or discriminate. "Ja" means origin or manifestation. Thus, according to it, puja is that which leads to the cleansing of the mind and body through the predominance of sattva and thereby to the discerning wisdom (buddhi). According to our scriptures, discerning wisdom arises as the mind becomes established in the contemplation of the God or the deity. We know that puja is an essential aspect of devotional worship and has the power to stabilize the mind and grant us wisdom by opening our eyes to the hidden truths of our consciousness.
From a symbolic perspective, three other interpretations of puja are also possible. They are not found in standard texts, but the subjective interpretations of this author only. They are explained below.
According to the first interpretation "pu' means "purusha" and "ja" means "janma," or to arise or wake up. In other words, puja means that which awakens the Purusha or the soul either in the body or in an object of worship. During the puja ceremony prana (life breath) is poured into the inanimate image of the deity, which is usually made of stone, wood, clay, etc., whereby it is infused with life and becomes a living incarnation of the deity (arca). Symbolically, the act of worship (puja) awakens the hidden deity in the body, which is the self or purusha and fills the devotee's mind with pure consciousness or intelligence. When the image of the deity is infused with the power of God due to its continuous worship by devotees, it becomes a powerful cleansing object. Hence, the images which are installed in the temples are also called vigrahas. Vigraham (vi+graham means that which removes the ill effects of the planetary bodies (grahas) or the sinful actions of the sense organs (grahas).
According to the second interpretation, "pū" represents flower (pushpam) and "ja," water (jalam). As stated before, "ja" also means japam (recitation). Thus, according to this figurative interpretation puja means that which involves the use of flowers and water and uttering of prayers and God's names. In the puja ceremony flowers and water are used not only for decoration and ritual cleansing respectively but also as offerings, while prayers and God's names are chanted. Therefore, we may say that puja is a devotional service, in which water and flowers are offered to God, along with the recitation of His names.
Lastly, puja (pa + ū + ja) consists of three letters namely one labial consonant "pa," one vowel "ū" and one palatal consonant "ja." "Pa" represents "parayana" or the continuous repetition of the names of God and "ja" represents "japa" or the continuous mental recitation of the names of God. Thus, according to this interpretation "puja" is essentially a kind of worship in which both parayanam and japam are practiced by the devotees along with the offerings.
Aspects and significance of puja
In a puja ceremony, we use certain objects, mantras and methods of worship. Outwardly, they are meant to propitiate or appease the deity who is being worshipped. Inwardly, they are meant to establish a deeper connection with him and earn his grace. The idea is that by using them in our worship we gain the grace and goodwill of God. However, no puja should be conducted with irreverence or mechanical attitude, but with devotion and sincerity only. It should not also be conducted for personal gain but to express our love, devoting and surrender to God. The scriptures state that if pujas are not sincerely conducted in the prescribed manner, they may produce negative effects or fail to produce desired results.
The mundane purpose of a puja is to please the god and fulfill one's desire or overcome some problem. The highest purpose of it is to serve God and declare one's love and devotion to him without expectations. The quality of puja depends upon the intensity and purity of devotion and the devotee. As we understand from the Bhagavadgita, only those who have the predominance of sattva can truly worship God with purest devotion. The devotion of others may remain tinged with the impurities of egoism, desires and attachments.
Traditional pujas in Hinduism followed a structured format. Every aspect of it has a purpose and significance. It helps you concentrate your mind upon God and declare your faith in Him in a heightened state of devotion. By following the procedure, you express your commitment to the discipline and your willingness to forego your personal preferences in deference to God and as a mark of true surrender.
The traditional pujas have four important aspects, the offerer (pujaka), the offering (samarpana), the object of offering (pujitha) and the remains of offerings (prasada). The offerer is usually the devotee or a group of devotees. In elaborate pujas, one or more priests may perform the puja on their behalf. During the puja, the deity is made various offerings and treated with utmost respect like a venerable guest. They include food also. At the end of the pujas, the offering of food is distributed between the devotees and the priests.
Symbolism of the various objects which are used in puja
The offerings that are mainly made to the deity are prayers and chants (dhyanam), ceremonial welcome (ahvanam), a seat (asanam), cleansing water (arghyam), drinking water (achamaniyam), sweet drink (madhuparkam), bath (snanam), clothes (vastram), sacred thread (upavitham), sandal paste (gandham), sacred grains (akshitam), flowers (pushpam) and songs (kirtanam) . Collectively, they represent the objects of the five senses. In other words, in the performance of a puja we engage all the five senses in addition to the mind and the body. The offerings are meant to declare one's allegiance to God and establish a direct relationship with him on a personal level. We discuss below the symbolic significance of a few important offerings which are made during a puja ceremony.
Ahvanam, the invitation
The invitation marks the beginning of a puja. It represents the formality and the dutifulness with which the ritual needs to be conducted by the host. The puja is not a mere mechanical ritual. It is like a sacrament (samskara), which demands sincerity, discipline and respect. In puja, you do not merely worship the gods in the heavens with prayers. It is not a remote exercise. Instead, the worshipper invites the deity to his house, treats him like an honorable divine guest, offers him a seat and directly worships him as if he is seated in front of him. This is a unique approach, which is not found in any other religion.
The worshipper
The traditional host of the sacrifice (yajamana) in the Vedic ritual becomes the worshipper or bhakta in the ceremonial puja. During the worship, he not only establishes a close connection with God but also represents God in the sacrifice of life as the upholder of Dharma, performing the triple functions of creation, preservation and destruction. He prepares the ritual place and creates the form of God with his mind and body. As the preserver, he makes offerings to him for the welfare of himself, his family and the world. As the destroyer, he concludes the worship, by withdrawing the deity from the image.
The image
The puja is not a mere idol worship. The images which are worshipped in it are considered living incarnations of the deity. They are treated as if the deity has descended from above and established himself in it. The ceremony therefore demands purity and sincerity of the worshipper. The image helps the worshipper concentrate his mind during the worship and feel close proximity to the deity. Symbolically it represents the materiality and all pervasiveness of God and his presence even in inanimate objects.
Purna kumbha or Purna kalasa (the sacred vessel)
It is generally placed as the chief deity or by the side of the chief deity before starting the puja. Symbolically it stands for mother goddess in general, or goddess Lakshmi in particular. It consists of an earthen or a metal pot, with either water or rice in it, with leaves (of generally five specific kinds) on its rim, with a bowl of rice, flowers and a coconut adorning its top. The pot represents the mother earth, the flowers represent the ornamentation, the rice in the bowl represents either the material wealth or the powers of the goddess or both, and the coconut represents the divine consciousness.
Naivedyam
The food which we offer to the deity stands for the elements and the gross body, which is made of food only. We offer food to God as a sacrifice, because we believe that all the food in the world belongs to God and is created by him. We also consider him the devourer or the lord of Death, whose hunger is never satisfied. By offering him food in a puja, we appease his hunger and earn his protection from the impurities of death, decay, ignorance and delusion. Food also represents materiality and worldly possessions, which we have to renounce to achieve liberation.
Pushpam
Flowers have fragrance, color, beauty and tenderness. They symbolize selflessness, self-sacrifice, detachment, surrender, faith and positive emotions. By offering them to God, a devotee declares the purity and sincerity of his devotion and the tenderness of his feelings, and earns his reciprocal love. Flowers also represent whatever that blossoms in you, be it good or evil, intelligence or delusion, and knowledge or ignorance. By offering them to God, you cleanse yourself.
Phalam
The fruits which are offered in worship represent the sweetness of the soul or the devotion of the devotee. By offering them to God one earns the right to experience the blissful state of liberation. Phal also means result, consequence, or whatever that ripens or is accomplished. By offering the fruit to God we symbolically offer him the fruit of our actions and achievements. As the Bhagavadgita declares one should perform actions as a sacrifice and offering to God without desiring their fruit. By offering fruit in the pujas, we symbolically make this gesture. Overtime, it washes away our sins.
Arghyam, padyam or achamaniyam
During the puja ceremony water is used as a drink (achamaniyam) and cleansing agent for cleaning the ritual place, the image, and oneself (arghyam, padyam and snanam). Water represents the purifying agent, the remover of physical and spiritual impurities. It also symbolizes life (prana), consciousness, the blood and the water element in our bodies. By offering it to God we unburden ourselves from sinful thoughts and actions and cultivate sattva.
Gandham
Sandal paste or fragrance substances are applied to the deity during worship. The type of fragrance used in worship depends upon the nature and the preference of the deity. By applying it we purify the image and impart to it divine fragrance. Symbolically gandha represents desires, attachments (vasanas), likes and dislikes, latent impressions, properties, qualities or gunas, pride and arrogance. By offering them to God we purify ourselves and stay free from evil influences.
Dhupam
Incense or frankincense is offered to God as part of the offerings. It is meant to cleanse the air and drive away evil spirits. The smoke which arises from the incense represents our clouded consciousness, delusion and ignorance. We are subject to these impurities in the mortal world, which cloud our perception and consciousness and prevent us from achieving liberation or knowing the truths. By symbolically offering them to God we cleanse our minds and bodies and cultivate discerning wisdom.
Deepam, light
Our world is a world of light and darkness. Our minds and bodies are susceptible to evil influences, darkness and delusion. The light which is offered to the deity in the puja symbolically represents knowledge, wisdom, purity and divinity. By offering it to God we remind him to endow us with these divine qualities and save us from the darkness of the mortal world and the negative consequences of our karma. We request him to show us the light and lead us in the right direction towards liberation.
Saffron (kumkum) and turmeric powder
Both are used in the worship to adorn the image or put a mark (tilak) upon our heads. In the worship of Devi and several gods it is also used as an offering. Symbolically, the saffron powder (kumkum) and the turmeric powder used in the worship represent tamas and rajas respectively. By offering them we seek the predominance of sattva. Kumkum also stands for the blood in the body. It is the symbolic alternative for the blood of humans or animals, while turmeric represents the body vigor (tejas). By offering them to God one seeks strength, vigor and longevity.
The remains of the offering (Prasad)
During the puja ceremony, the remnants of the food which has been offered to God is called prasadam, which is a combination of pra + sat, meaning that which fills the prana with light and truth (sat). The belief is that when we offer the food to God it becomes suffused with the light and purity of God and thereby becomes sacred. By eating it, we become purified and suffused with his light and power. Symbolically, it represents the graciousness, kindness and serenity of God. Through the remains of the offering they become transferred to the devotees. Lastly, by sharing it with others the host of the puja engages in charity and good karma, which is beneficial to him as well to those who participate in the ceremony.
The puja ceremony of Hinduism is a ceremonial declaration of love, devotion and allegiance to God. It is an opportunity to establish direct communication with the deity in which both the mind and the body wholly participate. It is also an act of offering, sacrifice and charity, which combines in a holistic approach the aspects of karma yoga, jnana yoga, buddhi yoga, sanyasa yoga and atma samyama yoga. By practising it regularly, one cultivates discipline, concentration, devotion, purity, and equanimity. It is the simplest and straightforward way to earn the grace of God and achieve liberation.
Symbolism of Puja, the Ritual Worship of God in Hinduism
Origin and Significance of Puja Ritual in Hinduism
What Is The True Purpose of Prayers?
The Art of Prayer - Praying With The Right Attitude
Reasons For Idol Worship in Hinduism,
Aspects and Forms of God in Vaishnava Tradition
Bhakti, Spiritual Devotion To God
Samskaras, The Rites and Rituals in Hinduism
The Samkhya Philosophy and 24 Principles of Creation
The Bhagavadgita On The Problem Of Sorrow
The Concept of Atman or Eternal Soul in Hinduism
The Practice of Atma Yoga Or The Yoga Of Self
The Problem of Maya Or Illusion and How To Deal With It
Belief In Atman, The Eternal Soul Or The Inner Self
Brahman, The Highest God Of Hinduism
The Bhagavad Gita Original Translations
The Bhagavadgita, Philosophy and Concepts
Bhakti yoga or the Yoga of Devotion
Hinduism And The Evolution of Life And Consciousness
Why to Study the Bhagavadgita Parts 1 to 4
The Triple Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas
The Practice of Tantra and Tantric Ritual in Hinduism and Buddhism
The Tradition Of Gurus and Gurukulas in Hinduism
Origin, Definition and Introduction to Hinduism
Hinduism, Way of Life, Beliefs and Practices
A Summary of the Bhagavadgita
Avatar, the Reincarnation of God Upon Earth
The Bhagavadgita on Karma, the Law of Actions
The Mandukya Upanishad
The Bhagavadgita On The Mind And Its Control
Symbolic Significance of Numbers in Hinduism
The Belief of Reincarnation of Soul in Hinduism
The True Meaning Of Renunciation According To Hinduism
Introduction to the Upanishads of Hinduism
Origin, Principles, Practice and Types of Yoga
Hinduism and the Belief in one God


Hair Care – Growing It.
I have been growing out the blonde in my hair for around 10 months now. I am determined for my hair to grow and obviously as part of this journey I have been trying to find amazing hair products. Where possible Im trying to use organic and paraben free haircare.
I have been using Oway for the last three months after my hairdresser became a stockist of the brand. Initially when I started using it I noticed my hair actually seemed in worse condition. This was the shampoo removing all the synthetic properties that other hair products leave behind. They coat your hair in a synthetic material making it appear in great condition. This shampoo revealed that actually my hair needed some work if growing it was something I was serious about.
Last week I asked for recommendations for an intensive conditioner. A lot of people recommended Kerastase Elixir Ultime (even more people suggested sleeping in the product at least once week) I headed into town with all the intentions of buying it but I stumbled upon Original & Mineral seven day miracle conditioner and as a sucker for lovely packaging thought I would give it a try. This product is a game changer! I have been using it every three days just for 5 minutes in the shower and I have noticed a massive improvement to my hair. Breakage has decreased and its finally looking shiner again!
I don't really use any other products in my hair apart from a serum. My hair is so fine and tangles so badly that without a serum I'm not even sure a hairbrush could go through it! I use the Living Proof Serum but you only need a tiny bit! Otherwise your hair will look like it needs washing again. As you only need such a tiny amount this product lasts forever.
It has been 3 months since I had a trim and I'm heading to the hairdressers next week, so I'll be interested to see what Cat (My hairdresser for the last 10 years) thinks about the condition.
Do not wear a scarf. The bloody things love to matt my hair.
Whatever products you use make sure you stick with it. Those deep conditioning masks are fab but only if you use them regularly.
Be careful what you tie your hair up with. I love Invsibobbles because they put less strain on your hair and therefore less likely to cause breakage.
Eat right! I swear avocados make my hair grow over night. Your hair will reflect your diet so try to keep it balanced and healthy.
Im always interested in your recommendations so please let me know what works for you!
I sleep with conditioner in my hair over night once a fortnight and it works wonders! 2.5 years ago, my hair was a pixie cut and now its past my bra strap!
Ooo thank you for the tip Rachel!
Pregnacare tablets make my hair grow fast, was on them for aaaages before getting pregnant.


Create a 6x12 art piece reminiscent of the east coast beach scene.
You will make fun, multi-colored beach huts and the beach that goes with it. Make your project to sit in a stand, hang in a window or put in a shadow box to hang on the wall.
Cost includes base glass, a selection of glass to use, embellishments and frit. If you need a specific color of glass you will have to purchase it. Also, if you use "precut shapes" you will have to purchase them.


For the Kalamazoo Area Transportation Study, Economic Development Research Group and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research examined the potential for economic development and job creation impacts from a proposed new highway interchange in the depressed northwest part of Kalamazoo.
The study included a survey of local stakeholders to elicit local perspectives on business expansion constraints and how transportation access for commercial vehicles factored into doing business in this part of Kalamazoo. This included business-owners in the struggling Northside neighborhood, city/regional government development officials, and developers.
The study team also assembled an inventory of developable sites and land (including brownfields)within this neighborhood, as well as supporting infrastructure. This was used to assess the physical resources that are readily available for economic development market demand grow in this part of the city.
Finally, the study team conducted an analysis of how a new interchange would change accessibility and travel times to/from the study area, compared to other parts of the city. Michigan DOT's Kalamazoo regional traffic network model provided additional information on accessiblity to this area and other parts of the city. All of this information was used to determine whether a new interchange would make the area more attractive to business by increasing access to labor, customer and business supplier markets.
The findings of the study were that the currently-proposed interchange design would provide limited improvement in accessiblity to the area, but that a combination of better access improvements and economic development support measures could enhance economic development opportunities for the region.


text:
Home » Celebrities » Holly Willoughby: 'I'd be crying' Dancing on Ice star in emotional career admission
Holly Willoughby: 'I'd be crying' Dancing on Ice star in emotional career admission
March 8, 2020 Celebrities
Holly Willoughby, 39, has revealed what it is like to be in her shoes and revealed she previously tried to hold her tears back while speaking to guests on This Morning. The Dancing on Ice host spoke about how difficult it is to "not get involved" when speaking to real people.
I don't have anything else.
Holly, who is now one of the best-paid female TV presenters, revealed what it was like when she first started presenting alongside Phillip Schofield on This Morning.
The TV presenter said: "You can't not get involved,
"When I first started, I used to try not to let that emotion come out. But it's impossible. If I was watching at home, I'd be crying, and you know, you look at Twitter, and everyone's like, oh God, me too, we were all set off", the ITV host continued to tell the Guardian.
After Holly was asked if the empathy comes easily to her on TV, Holly commented on the fact that talking is the "only thing" she can do.
James Martin starts tearing up on Saturday Morning
She added: "I guess so. I like real-life stories better than anything else. Talking is the only thing I can do.
"I can't play an instrument, I could never have been on the West End. I don't have anything else," she explained.
Holly joined This Morning in 2009 with Phillip, and still presents, shares laughter, and talks to their guests on the sofa.
The TV star started on kids' morning shows like Feel The Fear and Ministry of Mayhem which changed into Holly and Stephen's Saturday Showdown who she presented with Stephen Mulhern.
While working on Ministry of Mayhem, Holly met her now-husband, Daniel Baldwin, as he was a producer for the show.
After Holly's big break into TV with her pal Stephen in 2004, Holly went on to marry Dan in 2007.
Dan and Holly have three children, Harry, Belle, and Chester.
Holly recently shared a rare picture of Belle on Instagram to celebrate International Women's Day.
Jeremy Clarkson reveals he is taking a 'break' from The Grand Tour (PICTURES)
Stacey Solomon: Joe Swash talks 'difficult' time apart from girlfriend (INSTAGRAM)
Alex Jones: The One Show host opens up about 'heartbreaking' moment (TWITTER)
Cheryl boyfriend: The real reason behind split from Liam
The mum-of-three said to her followers: "Take those dreams little Belle and know things are changing… an equal world is a more tangled world… It's all in your grasp."
She continued: "I am inspired by the girl I watch grow everyday and am honoured to guide you and support you as you become the amazing woman I know you will be."
The TV personality spoke about how she and Dan originally had a "ridiculous friendship" before things went further for the pair.
She revealed to The Guardian: "It went from not knowing each other, to being the best of friends. I adored him. Didn't fancy him, he didn't fancy me. There was one moment when we cheered, and I just looked at him and went, oh my God, I fancy him. And that was it."
Holly has appeared on many television programmes, including her cameo on Coronation Street with co-host and pal, Phillip, in 2018.
The Dancing on Ice host also opened up about why she thinks she is suited to the world of TV as her job.
She told The Guardian: "It suits my get-in, get-out mentality. I'm very much, get to work, do my job, go home. One of my worst phrases in the world is, 'Just one more for luck.' I can't bear it. If it's done and everyone's happy, then I just want to go home."
Peter Weber's Parents Show Their Approval of His Relationship With Kelley Flanagan
Benji Madden Posted a Rare Message About Cameron Diaz and Their Daughter for Mother's Day
Jameela Jamil Lashes Out at Michelle Collins for Joking About Her Getting Coronavirus
Blac Chyna Gets Roasted for Selling FaceTime Sessions and Instagram Follow-Backs
Kyrie Irving Calls For Biden To Get Brittney Griner Home, 'POTUS, Do Your Job!'
Victoria Fuller: I'm Still Boning Chris Soules!
a, Celebrities, entertainment, tv
Kylie Minogue, 51, poses seductively in skimpy leotard and cowboy boots
Pyramids, Horoya and Agadir into Confederation Cup semis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


with Hatogrande, a country hacienda on the Savannah of Bogotá; the Republic, with El Palacio de Nariño, current and permanent seat of the Government, in Bogotá; the Present, with the daring architecture of La Casa del Fuerte de San Juan de Manzanillo, in Cartagena, where sight is loss among the spectacular Caribbean landscape. These residences house not only valuable works of art but also the splendid symbols of a booming nation. With texts by writer Juan Gustavo Cobo and testimonies by several Colombian chroniclers and historians, the book is an account on the vicissitudes of these buildings, long before they became the significant and admired monuments of present day.


Charlotte studied a BSc in Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia and then went on to complete an MSc in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Southampton. She spent four years working at the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) in London, primarily as a Research Assistant, and then in the promoted position of Nutrition Scientist for the Foundation's Education Team.
Charlotte recently relocated to the South West where she is now a Healthy Eating Coordinator with South Gloucestershire Council's Health, Safety and Food team. Part of her current role involves writing a new Food and Health strategy for South Gloucestershire.
Charlotte delivers workshops and training days to a variety of audiences, and presents at educational conferences on all aspects of nutritional health. She also contributes to a number of journals, websites and other publications and was Technical Assistant for the BNF's quarterly produced journal Nutrition Bulletin.
Charlotte is available to deliver educational talks and seminars on all aspects of nutrition. She can provide individuals and employees the opportunity and awareness to improve their health and well being; enabling them to focus more clearly on important issues within the working environment, helping to reduce sickness and absenteeism.


Despite evidence that American Indian (AI) adolescents are disproportionately involved in crime and delinquent behavior, there exists scant research exploring the correlates of crime among this group. We posit that Agnew's General Strain Theory (GST) is well suited to explain AI delinquent activity. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined a subsample of AI students—a study that represents, to the best of our knowledge, the initial published test of GST principles used to explain AI delinquent behavior. Overall, we find mixed support for the core principles of GST applying to AI delinquent behavior. We also found evidence that some of the personal and social resources identified by Agnew condition the strain–delinquent behavior relationship, albeit, sometimes in ways that are not entirely consistent with GST.


text:
\section{System Model} \label{sys}

Following \cite{360vid-summary,360vid-BAS,360vid-EPASS360}, a 360\textdegree\ video is first segmented into small chunks for storage.
Next, each chunk is cropped into tiles spatially, and each tile is encoded into multiple bitrates by the video compression, such as H.264 or H.265, and stored in a mobile proxy server \cite{360vid-summary}.
When a user request arrives, the server will combine the fetched tiles in the cache to render the required video frames, where the cached tiles were chosen from the server based on the user viewport prediction \cite{360vid-summary}.

To alleviate cybersickness, the system is equipped with FoV shrinking \cite{Sickness-FoV-1,Sickness-FoV-2} and DoF simulation \cite{Sickness-DoF,Sickness-DesignGuideline}.
After combining the tiles to form a complete video, the requested view is extracted from the video.
The bokeh blur filter \cite{Sickness-DoF} is then applied to the viewport to create the DoF simulation, followed by slightly masking the upper and lower side of the viewport to shrink FoV.
Afterward, the video quality degradation caused by FoV shrinking and DoF simulation can be evaluated according to structural similarity (SSIM) index and bitrate \cite{SSIM-1,SSIM-2}.

The system includes a packet queue and a sickness queue maintained on the user side. The packet queue stores the video rendered from the fetched tiles for smooth playback\footnote{To avoid cybersickness caused by MTP delay, it is necessary to maintain the occupancy of packet queue (detailed later) \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-summary}.} \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-Flare,360vid-BAS,360vid-TwoTier}, and the queue length increases and decreases when new frames are downloaded and the video is played, respectively.
The sickness queue (derived according to the Time-varying Cybersickness Model \cite{Sickness-TempAspect,Sickness-UserAdaptation,Sickness-OpticalFlow,Sickness-DoF,Sickness-FoV-1,Sickness-FoV-2,Sickness-DesignGuideline} and detailed in Section \ref{pro}) records cybersickness accumulation when the video is played. {\color{c2}According to \cite{Sickness-DesignGuideline,Sickness-TempAspect,Sickness-UserAdaptation}, we measure cybersickness severity by the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) metric, which can be calculated by the magnitude of optical flow and user head rotation speed, monitored by eye and neck movement tracking schemes in VR HMDs \cite{Sickness-DesignGuideline}.
The queue length increases when the magnitude of optical flow and user head rotation speed increase, whereas it constantly decreases due to the user adaptation to VR.
}
{\color{c3}The packet queue and the sickness queue affect each other when the available bandwidth, user behavior, or the amount of video optical flow changes.}

\section{Problem Formulation} \label{pro}
Due to the space constraint, the notation table is provided in \cite{tech}.
We formulate TSCC\ for the tile selection and cybersickness control in a 360\textdegree\ video streaming system.
Specifically, the system includes a 360\textdegree\ video divided into multiple chunks with the duration $T$ \cite{360vid-EPASS360}, and each chunk is spatially cropped into $N$ tiles \cite{360vid-EPASS360}, where each tile is encoded into $L$ quality levels \cite{360vid-EPASS360}.
Let $(i,j)$ represent tile $i$ with quality $j$. Each tile $(i,j)$ induces bandwidth consumption $b_{i,j}$, distortion $d_{i,j}$, and the magnitude of optical flow $f_{i,j}$, which are specified in the video metadata \cite{360vid-ProbDASH}.
We describe the system status at time slot $t$ as $S_t=\{R_t,D_t,Q_{t}^P,Q_{t}^S\}$, where $R_t$, $D_t$, $Q_{t}^P$, and $Q_{t}^S$ are the status of user head rotation, expected viewport distortion, packet queue occupancy, and sickness queue occupancy at time slot $t$, respectively, introduced as follows.

1) The status of \textbf{user head rotation} $R_t=(\omega^y_t,\omega^p_t)$ includes the angular speed of yaw rotation $\omega^y_t$ and the angular speed of pitch rotation $\omega^p_t$ \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-Flare,360vid-BAS,360vid-TwoTier}.
Let $p_{i,t}$ be the viewing probability of tile $i$ at time slot $t$, which can be derived by the viewport prediction with the stochastic model and historical data of user head rotation \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-Flare}.

2) The \textbf{expected viewport distortion} \cite{360vid-ProbDASH} $D_t=\frac{\Sigma_{i=1}^N \Sigma_{j=1}^L x_{i,j}p_{i,t}d_{i,j}}{\Sigma_{i=1}^N \Sigma_{j=1}^L x_{i,j}p_{i,t}}$ can be expressed as the average video quality distortion represented by the distortion of each tile $i$ weighted by its viewing probability $p_{i,t}$ at time slot $t$, where $x_{i,j}\in\{0,1\}$ is a decision variable indicating whether tile $(i,j)$ is fetched. The distortion of each tile is derived as the reciprocal of its SSIM index \cite{SSIM-1}, and a tile with higher quality has smaller distortion \cite{SSIM-1,SSIM-2}.

3) {\color{c3}Let $B_t$ be the bandwidth,\footnote{The bandwidth can be allocated by exploiting machine learning models, such as support vector machine and artificial neural network, that learn the relation between bandwidth allocation and quality of service \cite{alloc-1}.
} $C_p$ denotes the packet queue capacity,\footnote{Due to the short-term constraint of viewport prediction, tile-based streaming keeps a small packet queue capacity, whose unit is second, to store predicted viewports in the next few seconds \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-EPASS360}.} and $\gamma$ is the bandwidth consumption of the viewport.}
Since the packet queue length decreases when the download time of video chunk is longer than its duration $T$ (i.e., the video consumption rate is faster than download speed), following \cite{360vid-ProbDASH}, the \textbf{packet queue occupancy} $Q_{t}^P=Q_{t-1}^P+\frac{T}{C_p}(1-\frac{s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})\gamma}{B_t})$.
{\color{c3}$Q_{t-1}^P$ is the current occupancy, and $\frac{T}{C_p}(1-\frac{s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})\gamma}{B_t})$ represents the amount of occupancy change.\footnote{The decreasing occupancy estimated by the download time is subtracted from the increasing occupancy $\frac{T}{C_p}$ evaluated by the video chunk duration.}} $y_{dof}\in\{0,1\}$ is a decision variable indicating whether DoF simulation is activated, and $k_{dof}$ is the ratio of the bandwidth consumption reduced by DoF simulation. Following \cite{Sickness-FoV-1,Sickness-FoV-2}, $s_{fov}\in[0.7,1]$ is a decision variable representing the ratio of the shrunken viewport size to the original size when activating FoV shrinking.

4) When the user enjoys VR over time, cybersickness accumulates and the length of the sickness queue increases due to the head rotation \cite{Sickness-DesignGuideline,Sickness-FoV-1} and optical flow \cite{Sickness-OpticalFlow}. However, the user may gradually adapt to VR as time elapses. Let $\Omega$ be the consumption rate of the sickness queue (i.e., user adaptation to VR).\footnote{\color{c2}According to \cite{Sickness-UserDifference}, the values of $\Omega$ and $C_s$ for each user can be determined based on age, gender, and familiarity with VR contents. For example, seniors and people that are not familiar with VR contents tend to have a lower tolerance of cybersickness, and smaller $\Omega$ and $C_s$ are required.}
Following \cite{Sickness-TempAspect,Sickness-UserAdaptation}, the \textbf{sickness queue occupancy} $Q_{t}^S$ is derived according to i) $Q_{t-1}^S$, ii) increasing occupancy caused by head rotation \cite{Sickness-DesignGuideline,Sickness-FoV-1} and optical flow \cite{Sickness-OpticalFlow}, and iii) decreasing occupancy $\frac{\Omega}{C_s}$. That is, $Q_{t}^S=Q_{t-1}^S+\frac{(\frac{\sqrt{(\omega^y_t)^2+(\omega^p_t)^2}}{100\sqrt{2}}+\frac{\Sigma_{i=1}^N \Sigma_{j=1}^L x_{i,j}p_{i,t}f_{i,j}}{\Sigma_{i=1}^N \Sigma_{j=1}^L x_{i,j}p_{i,t}})s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})}{C_s}-\frac{\Omega}{C_s}$,
where $C_s$ is the sickness queue capacity,\footnotemark[\value{footnote}] and the optical flow of each tile is weighted by its viewing probability. $\frac{\sqrt{(\omega^y_t)^2+(\omega^p_t)^2}}{100\sqrt{2}}$ is the normalized head rotation speed \cite{360vid-Flare}. $s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})$ describes the percentage of cybersickness decreased due to FoV shrinking and DoF simulation.\footnote{The cybersickness reduction is inversely proportional to the viewport size \cite{Sickness-FoV-2} and the degree of video blurring \cite{Sickness-DoF}.}

TSCC\ has the following constraints. 1) \emph{Fetching constraint}. The system fetches only one level for each tile at any instant to avoid tile redundancy, i.e.,  $\Sigma_{j=1}^L  x_{i,j}\leq1,\forall i$. 2) \emph{Packet queue length constraint.} To prevent video rebuffering and control MTP delay, the queue occupancy $Q_{t}^P$ must be no less than the targeted queue occupancy $\lambda$, i.e., $Q_{t}^P \geq \lambda$ \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-TwoTier}.
By properly reformulating the above equation (detailed in \cite{tech}), we can transform the packet queue length constraint into the \emph{bandwidth constraint} for fetching tiles, i.e., $\Sigma_{i=1}^N \Sigma_{j=1}^L x_{i,j}b_{i,j}\leq \frac{B_t(C_p (Q_{t-1}^P-\lambda)+T)}{s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})T}$.
The objective function includes two parts: 1) video quality loss $\Phi_t$ and 2) cybersickness accumulation $Q^{S}_{t}$ (i.e., sickness queue occupancy).
The video quality deteriorates if the viewport distortion is larger \cite{360vid-ProbDASH} and the viewport size (narrowed down by FoV shrinking) becomes smaller \cite{Sickness-FoV-2}. Also, DoF simulation undermines video quality since it blurs the out-of-focus parts of video \cite{Sickness-DoF,Sickness-DesignGuideline}. Accordingly, following \cite{360vid-ProbDASH}, the video quality loss is $\Phi_t = \frac{D_t}{s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})}$.
Therefore, the objective is $\xi\Phi_{t}+\rho Q^{S}_{t}$, where $\xi$ and $\rho$ are tuning knobs to trade-off video quality against cybersickness.\footnote{\color{c2}For the videos with highly dynamic contents (e.g., action movies), we can set a larger $\rho$ to focus more on cybersickness since they contain a large amount of optical flow and aggravate cybersickness more easily. For static videos like dramas, we can focus more on video quality and set a larger $\xi$.
}
TSCC\ is formulated as follows.

\begin{definition}[TSCC]
Given the duration $T$ of each video chunk cropped into $N$ tiles with $L$ quality levels in a frame, video metadata ($b_{i,j}$,$d_{i,j}$,$f_{i,j}$), packet queue occupancy $Q_{t}^P$, sickness queue occupancy $Q_{t}^S$, and bandwidth $B_t$,
TSCC\ finds 1) the fetched tiles and their quality, 2) the size of viewport (configured by FoV shrinking), and 3) the activation of DoF simulation, under the 1) \emph{fetching}, 2) \emph{packet queue length}, and 3) \emph{bandwidth} constraints.
The objective is to minimize the cost function of video quality loss and cybersickness accumulation over time, i.e., $\min \sum_{t=1}^{\infty} \xi\Phi_{t}+\rho Q^{S}_{t}$.
\end{definition}
\section{Online Algorithm} \label{alg}
To minimize the video quality loss, an intuitive approach is to classify the tiles into multiple groups with different priorities according to estimated viewing probability, and a group is assigned a higher quality if it has a higher priority \cite{360vid-BAS,360vid-Flare,360vid-TwoTier}. However, the above approach does not use FoV shrinking and DoF simulation to alleviate cybersickness.
We design an $m$-competitive online algorithm ETSCAA\ to minimize the long-term video quality loss and cybersickness accumulation by examining Cybersickness Indicator (CI), Video Loss Indicator (VLI), and Sickness Migration Indicator (SMI) in every time slot.
CI and VLI respectively evaluate the instant cybersickness and the video quality loss.
Equipped with CI and VLI, ETSCAA\ assigns the tile quality by evaluating the cost of the joint configuration of quality assignment, FoV shrinking, and DoF simulation for each tile in the viewport.
When the packet queue overflows, it tends to choose high-quality tiles (requiring a longer transmission time) to slow down packet queue growth, and the faster cybersickness accumulation (due to a larger magnitude of optical flow) also needs to be alleviated by FoV shrinking and DoF simulation.
{\color{c3}Moreover, ETSCAA\ introduces SMI to jointly adjust tile quality and control the growth of sickness queue by evaluating the accumulated cybersickness and the increased optical flow.}
ETSCAA\ includes three phases: 1) Viewport Prediction and Tile Selection (VPTS), 2) Tile Quality Assignment (TQA), and 3) Cybersickness and Tile Quality Control (CTQC).
The pseudocode of ETSCAA\ is presented in \cite{tech} due to the limited space.

\subsection{Viewport Prediction and Tile Selection (VPTS)}
To adapt to user head rotation, VPTS\ derives the viewing probability $p_{i,t+1}$ for all tiles by the following steps: 1) VPTS\ first predicts the most likely viewport position in the next $T$ seconds.
Specifically, let $(\theta^y_t,\theta^p_t)$ be the viewport position at time slot $t$, where $\theta^y_t$ and $\theta^p_t$ are the horizontal (yaw) and vertical (pitch) angles of the viewport, respectively.
VPTS\ evaluates the viewport position at time slot $t+1$ by applying $(\omega^y_t T)$\textdegree\ of yaw rotation and $(\omega^p_t T)$\textdegree\ of pitch rotation from the current viewport position. The predicted viewport position is $(\theta^y_{t}+\omega^y_t T,\theta^p_{t}+\omega^p_t T)$.
2) VPTS\ extracts adjacent viewports to ensure that the fetched tiles can fully cover the user's view during the head rotation, based on the Gaussian distributions of yaw-axis and pitch-axis with the standard deviations $\sigma_y$ and $\sigma_p$, respectively \cite{360vid-ProbDASH}.
3) For each tile $i$, VPTS\ sums the viewing probability $P(\theta^y_{t+1},\theta^p_{t+1})$ of each predicted viewport position $(\theta^y_{t+1},\theta^p_{t+1})$ that overlaps with tile $i$ to derive $p_{i,t+1}$. That is, $p_{i,t+1}=\sum_{(\theta^y_{t+1},\theta^p_{t+1})\in\Theta} P(\theta^y_{t+1},\theta^p_{t+1})$, where $\Theta$ is the set of all the predicted viewport positions that overlap with tile $i$.
VPTS\ then constructs a set of fetched tiles $V=\{v\ |\ p_{v,t+1}>0\}$ and examines the boundary subsets of $V$ to identify the tiles unlikely to be seen. Let $G_V$ be the boundary subset of $V$ formed by a row (column) of tiles\footnote{Since the viewport, composed of multiple tiles, needs to be rectangular \cite{360vid-summary},
a row (column) of tiles in a set is defined as the tiles sharing the same horizontal (vertical) coordinate, such as tiles $1, 7, 13$ in Fig. \ref{fig:2}.} in $V$.
If $p_{g,t+1}<\epsilon, \forall g \in G_V$ holds, we remove $G_V$ from $V$, where $\epsilon$ is the probability threshold to discard tiles.\footnote{Following \cite{360vid-TwoTier,360vid-EPASS360}, a smaller $\epsilon$ allows the mobile proxy to transmit a larger viewport to avoid the interruption caused by head rotation.}
For example, in Fig. \ref{fig:2}, the boundary subset removed is $\{12,18\}$ and the fetched tiles are $V=\{10,11,16,17\}$. Due to the space constraint, the detailed calculation of this and the remaining examples are provided in \cite{tech}.

\begin{figure}[t]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.4\textwidth] {Fig/fig2-1}
\caption{An example of VPTS}
\label{fig:2}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Tile Quality Assignment (TQA)}
TQA\ assigns a quality level to each tile in $V$ based on the induced cost of the tile quality assignment
and the bandwidth constraint.
We introduce Cybersickness Indicator (CI) and Video Loss Indicator (VLI), weighted by the viewing probability $p_{i,t+1}$, to approximately evaluate the cybersickness and video quality loss.
{\color{c3}
A tile with more visual information has a larger size and more optical flow, which induces cybersickness. To alleviate cybersickness, FoV shrinking and DoF simulation reduce the size and resolution of the viewport such that the visual information (video size) decreases.
Therefore, we define $CI = \frac{f_{i,j}s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof}) p_{i,t+1}}{\Sigma_{n\in V} (p_{n,t+1})}$ to measure the cybersickness induced by each tile regarding the effect of optical flow $f_{i,j}$, FoV shrinking $s_{fov}$, and DoF simulation $(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})$.}

{\color{c3}The video quality becomes worse when the distortion is larger and the viewport size and resolution are smaller (configured by FoV shrinking and DoF simulation). Hence, the video quality drops by the reciprocal of $s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})$.
We define $VLI=\frac{p_{i,t+1}d_{i,j}}{s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})\Sigma_{n\in V} (p_{n,t+1})}$ to measure the video quality loss induced by each tile regarding the effect of distortion $d_{i,j}$, FoV shrinking $s_{fov}$, and DoF simulation ($1-k_{dof}y_{dof}$).
}
Therefore, the cost of assigning quality $j$ to tile $i$ in $V$ with a certain configuration of FoV shrinking and DoF simulation $(s_{fov},y_{dof})$\footnote{We iteratively examine each configuration of $(s_{fov},y_{dof})$, and the number of iterations is small since $y_{dof}\in \{0,1\}$ and there are usually $7$ levels of $s_{fov}$ \cite{Sickness-FoV-1,Sickness-FoV-2}.} can be evaluated by $\tau(i,j,s_{fov},y_{dof})=\xi VLI(i,j,s_{fov},y_{dof}) + \rho CI(i,j,s_{fov},y_{dof})$. The function $\tau$ trades off the video quality against cybersickness.

The optimal quality of each tile may not be identical because the distortion and magnitude of optical flow of each tile vary. A tile with more visual information has a larger difference in the magnitude of optical flow between adjacent quality levels. Therefore, to jointly minimize the video quality loss and cybersickness accumulation, our idea is to iteratively derive the dynamic programming state of each quality assignment with the joint configuration of FoV shrinking and DoF simulation.
Let $M(n,\beta)$ be the minimum total cost of the quality assignment $A_{n,\beta}$ for the first $n$ tiles in $V$ under the bandwidth constraint $\beta$.
TQA\ systematically derives $M(n,\beta)$ according to the following two cases.
1) When $n=0$ (i.e., no tile needs to be assigned quality), the total cost is $0$.
2) When $n>0$, TQA\ considers different quality assignments, which consume bandwidth no more than $\beta$, for tile $v_n \in V$.
For each tile $v_n$, TQA\ recursively examines $M(n-1,\beta-b_{v_n,j})$, which is the minimum total cost of the quality assignment before assigning quality to $v_n$. Then, it chooses the minimum $M(n-1,\beta-b_{v_n,j})+\tau(v_n,j,s_{fov},y_{dof})$ to minimize the video quality loss and cybersickness accumulation.
Accordingly,
\begin{equation} \label{DP recursive function}
M(n,\beta)=
\begin{cases}
0, & \text{if } n=0 \\
\min\{M(n-1,\beta-b_{v_{n},j})+\tau\}, & \forall\ b_{v_{n},j}\leq \beta.
\end{cases}
\end{equation}

Recall that the total bandwidth for fetching tiles cannot exceed $\frac{B_t(C_p (Q_{t-1}^P-\lambda)+T)}{s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})T}$ to control the growth of the packet queue (detailed in Section \ref{pro}), and we let $\mathcal{B} = \frac{B_t(C_p (Q_{t-1}^P-\lambda)+T)}{s_{fov}(1-k_{dof}y_{dof})T}$. Hence, we can obtain the minimum total cost of the quality assignment for tile set $V$ by calculating {\color{c3}$M(n=|V|,\beta=\mathcal{B})$}.
Based on (\ref{DP recursive function}), TQA\ extracts a quality assignment to minimize the video quality loss and cybersickness accumulation.
TQA\ first constructs a table
to store the bandwidth of each tile.
Specifically, TQA\ stores the bandwidth $b_{v_n,j}$ of tile $v_n$ into the table with a label $(n,\beta)$ when it examines $M(n,\beta)=M(n-1,\beta-b_{v_n,j})+\tau(v_n,j,s_{fov},y_{dof})$ during the recursive process.
Afterward, TQA\ iteratively queries the table to construct $A_{n,\beta}$ since the bandwidth of each tile can be mapped to a certain quality and TQA\ can obtain the bandwidth of $v_{n-1}$ by querying the value labeled $(n-1,\beta-b_{v_n,j})$.

\textbf{Example 1.} Recall that we have obtained $V=\{10,11,16,17\}$ in VPTS.
Assume that $B_t=8$, $C_p=4$, $Q_{t-1}^P=0.65$, $\lambda=0.5$, $T=1$, $k_{dof}=0.1$ and all possible configurations of $(s_{fov},y_{dof})$ are $(1,0)$, $(1,1)$, $(0.7,0)$, and $(0.7,1)$, which results in $\mathcal{B} = 13$, $14$, $18$, and $20$, respectively.
When $\mathcal{B}=13$, let $\{\tau,b_{i,1}\}=\{8,1\}$, $\{\tau,b_{i,2}\}=\{4,2\}$, $\{\tau,b_{i,3}\}=\{2,3\}$, and $\{\tau,b_{i,4}\}=\{1,4\},\forall i$. Then, $M(4,13)=\min\{M(3,9)+1,M(3,10)+2,M(3,11)+4,M(3,12)+8\}$. After the recurrence, the quality assigned to the tile set $\{10,11,16,17\}$ is $\{4,3,3,3\}$, since
it induces the minimum total cost $1+2+2+2=7$. Similarly, for $\mathcal{B}=14$, $18$, and $20$, we have $\{4,4,3,3\}$, $\{4,4,4,4\}$, and $\{4,4,4,4\}$ as the quality levels of tile set $\{10,11,16,17\}$, respectively.

\subsection{Cybersickness and Tile Quality Control (CTQC)}
{\color{c3}To alleviate cybersickness accumulated over time, CTQC\ iteratively adjusts the tile quality assignment to slow down the growth of the sickness queue. When the cybersickness has accumulated massively, even slightly increasing optical flow can lead to the sickness queue overflow (i.e., the user will immediately quit watching 360\textdegree\ videos since the symptoms of cybersickness become unbearable \cite{Sickness-TempAspect,Sickness-UserAdaptation}).
On the other hand, when the sickness queue occupancy is small, higher tile quality (which leads to more optical flow) can be used to reduce the video quality loss.
}
{\color{c3}Therefore, we introduce the Sickness Migration Indicator $SMI=\sum_{i\in V, j\in \Delta_V} (Q_{t-1}^S(f_{i,j}(t+1)-f_{i,j}(t))+VLI)$ integrated with VLI to jointly examine cybersickness and video quality, where $\Delta_V$ is the set of quality levels assigned to tile set $V$, $f_{i,j}(t+1)$ is the optical flow of tile $(i,j)$ at time slot $t+1$ (obtained from the video metadata). SMI evaluates the impact of accumulated cybersickness ($Q_{t-1}^S$) and future optical flow $f_{i,j}(t+1)$ on the tile quality assignment, and $f_{i,j}(t+1)-f_{i,j}(t)$ increases when $j$ becomes larger \cite{Sickness-OpticalFlow}.}

To adjust the tile quality, we define $\Delta_V'$, a \emph{neighbor} of $\Delta_V$, as a quality assignment (satisfying the bandwidth constraint) that only one quality is different from $\Delta_V$ and the level difference is $1$. For example, $\Delta_V'$ is a neighbor of $\Delta_V=\{\ell_1,\ell_2\}$ if $\Delta_V'=\{\ell_1\pm 1,\ell_2\}$ or $\{\ell_1,\ell_2\pm 1\}$.
In the beginning, we let $\Delta_V$ be the quality assignment obtained in TQA\ and regard it as the \emph{center set} $\Delta_C$ for searching its neighbors to adjust tile quality. To avoid re-examining the same assignment in the next few iterations and improve the searching efficiency, CTQC\ maintains a neighbor search list (NSL) and inserts $\Delta_C$ into it.\footnote{The size of NSL can be adjusted based on the number of neighbors.}
CTQC\ first finds the neighbor $\Delta'_C$ (of the \emph{center set} $\Delta_C$), which induces the minimum SMI among the neighbors and is not in the NSL, as the \emph{center set} in the next iteration. Then, CTQC\ inserts $\Delta'_C$ into the NSL to avoid re-evaluating it in the next few iterations. If the list is full, CTQC\ will remove the oldest assignment. If $\Delta'_C$ induces a smaller SMI than $\Delta_V$, CTQC\ will replace $\Delta_V$ by $\Delta'_C$.
CTQC\ iteratively examines the above process until a certain quality assignment has been examined for $\alpha$ times, where $\alpha$ can be adjusted to prevent excessive computation time.

\textbf{Example 2.}
Following Example 1, when $\mathcal{B}=13$, $14$, $18$, and $20$, we have $\{4,3,3,3\}$, $\{4,4,3,3\}$, $\{4,4,4,4\}$, and $\{4,4,4,4\}$ as the quality levels of tile set $V=\{10,11,16,17\}$, respectively. Let $\Delta_V=\{4,3,3,3\}$ and its neighbor $\Delta_V'=\{3,3,3,3\}$. When $(s_{fov},y_{dof})=(1,0)$, the result of CTQC\ is $\Delta_V'$ since it has the minimum SMI. As for the other $(s_{fov},y_{dof})$ pairs, the quality assignments obtained from TQA\ remain the same in CTQC.

Last, ETSCAA\ repeats TQA\ and CTQC\ with all possible FoV shrinking and DoF simulation configurations $(s_{fov},y_{dof})$ to minimize the video quality loss and cybersickness accumulation by selecting the tile quality assignment inducing the minimum $\xi\Phi_{t}+\rho Q^{S}_{t}$.
Following Example 2, after repeating TQA\ and CTQC\ for $(s_{fov},y_{dof})=(1,0)$, $(1,1)$, $(0.7,0)$, and $(0.7,1)$,
we choose $\{4,4,4,4\}$ with $(s_{fov},y_{dof})=(0.7,0)$ since it induces the minimum $\xi\Phi_{t}+\rho Q^{S}_{t}$.

\begin{theorem}
\label{theorem1}
    ETSCAA\ is $\frac{1}{s_{min}(1-k_{dof})r}$-competitive in $O(NB+N^2)$ time, where $r$ is the minimum SSIM of all tiles, $s_{min}$ is the minimum value of $s_{fov}$, and $B=\max_{\forall t}\{B_t\}$.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
The proof is presented in \cite{tech} due to the limited space.
\end{proof}
\vspace{-5mm}
\begin{theorem}
\label{theorem2}
ETSCAA\ is $m$-competitive if $L\rightarrow\infty$.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
The proof is presented in \cite{tech} due to the limited space.
\end{proof}

\section{Simulations} \label{sim}
Due to the space constraint, some results and the user study are presented in \cite{tech}.
\subsection{Simulation Setup}
We evaluate the performance of ETSCAA\ with the video metadata extracted from 4K 360\textdegree\ videos \cite{dataset}.
The network bandwidth traces are extracted from the dataset HSDPA \cite{band}, and the mean value of the bandwidth is scaled from 3Mbps to 11Mbps \cite{360vid-EPASS360}. Following \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-EPASS360}, we cut the video into multiple chunks with the same duration of 1 second and split each chunk spatially into $6\times8$ tiles in default. Each tile includes 5 quality levels \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-Flare,360vid-EPASS360} and is encoded with H.264 using Constant Rate Factor (CRF) 43, 38, 33, 28, and 23 \cite{360vid-Flare} for level 1 to 5, respectively. We exploit the viewport prediction technique in \cite{360vid-ProbDASH} by formulating the prediction error with Gaussian distributions. The original viewport size is set to 100\textdegree$\times$100\textdegree in default \cite{360vid-EPASS360}. Following \cite{360vid-ProbDASH}, the capacity of packet queue is set to $C_p=4$s and the targeted queue occupancy is set to $\lambda=0.5$. $k_{dof}$ is set to 0.1 based on the result of applying DoF simulation to the videos \cite{Sickness-DoF,Sickness-DesignGuideline}. For the sickness queue, we follow \cite{Sickness-TempAspect} to set the capacity to $C_s=1000$ with the user adaptation to VR set to $\Omega=0.05$ in default.
The default settings of $\xi$ and\ $\rho$ are 1 and 2.5, respectively.
We compare ETSCAA\ with three tile selection algorithms for 360\textdegree\ video streaming systems: 1) EPASS360 \cite{360vid-EPASS360}, 2) BAS \cite{360vid-BAS}, and 3) Flare \cite{360vid-Flare}. To evaluate ETSCAA, we change the following parameters: 1) network bandwidth and 2) user adaptation to VR ($\Omega$), and we measure the performance metrics: 1) total cost, 2) video quality loss, 3) sickness queue occupancy, and 4) SSIM. Each result is averaged over 100 samples, and each sample includes 1,000+ video downloads.

\begin{figure}[t]
\centering
\subfloat[]{
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.23\textwidth,height=2.5cm] {Fig/fig3-1}
    \label{fig:3-1}
}
\subfloat[]{
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.23\textwidth,height=2.5cm] {Fig/fig3-2}
    \label{fig:3-2}
}
\vspace{-3mm}
\subfloat[]{
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.23\textwidth,height=2.5cm] {Fig/fig3-3-1}
    \label{fig:3-3}
}
\subfloat[]{
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.23\textwidth,height=2.5cm] {Fig/fig3-4}
    \label{fig:3-4}
}
\vspace{-3mm}
\subfloat[]{
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.23\textwidth,height=2.5cm] {Fig/fig3-9}
    \label{fig:5-1}
}
\subfloat[]{
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.23\textwidth,height=2.5cm] {Fig/fig3-10-1}
    \label{fig:5-2}
}

\caption{Performance evaluation with different parameters.}
\label{fig:3}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Simulation Results}
In Fig. \ref{fig:3}(a), the total cost increases as the bandwidth grows since more tiles with higher quality (i.e., less distortion) are chosen, which leads to more accumulated cybersickness (see Fig. \ref{fig:3}(c)).
{\color{c2}When the bandwidth is sufficient, ETSCAA\ tends to choose high-quality tiles to reduce the video quality loss.
However, it examines CI and VLI to activate FoV shrinking and DoF simulation to slightly mask and blur the outer part of the video for cybersickness alleviation. Therefore, ETSCAA\ generates a much smaller sickness queue occupancy by degrading only a little video quality in Fig. \ref{fig:3}(c).}
{\color{c2}Comparing Figs. \ref{fig:3}(b) and \ref{fig:3}(c), the baselines lead to a smaller video quality loss but much higher sickness queue occupancy than {ETSCAA}, because they maximize video quality by choosing the tiles with higher quality and viewing probability.
In contrast, ETSCAA\ exploits CI and VLI to carefully examine FoV shrinking and DoF simulation at different tiles, and they only sacrifice a little video quality (no more than $0.01$ SSIM \cite{SSIM-1}) in Fig. \ref{fig:3}(d) to achieve better cybersickness alleviation in Fig. \ref{fig:3}(c).
}
Figs. \ref{fig:3}(e) and \ref{fig:3}(f) explore the impact of user adaptation to VR (i.e, $\Omega$).
The total cost and sickness queue occupancy plummet as $\Omega$ increases since users can adapt to VR more easily.
{\color{c3}In contrast to the baselines maximizing the video quality, ETSCAA\ evaluates the change of sickness queue occupancy over time by SMI to deal with the trade-off between cybersickness and video quality.
Moreover, it exploits NSL to avoid re-evaluating recent tile quality configurations to ensure a better quality assignment in the next iteration. In general, ETSCAA\ results in a smaller total cost and can reduce the cybersickness by more than $25\%$ compared to the baselines.}

\section{Implementation}

To evaluate the performance of our system, we have implemented a prototype that includes a 360-degree video player developed in Unity, a local server handling the requested for the videos. The architecture of our system is described as follows: we use ERP format 360 videos, it was cropped and clipped in the server. After the video tiles are ready, our algorithm dynamically allocates the quality levels of each tile and also decides the size of the viewport and whether to activate DoF simulation based on the prediction of user head movements \cite{furion,360vid-ProbDASH} and the cost function. the video content will be transmitted to the client through ALVR \cite{ALVR}, a software that works as a VR rendering engine and also a UDP-based streaming system.

\subsection{Hardware}
A PC with Intel i7-9700 CPU, Nvidia 2070 super GPU, 24 GB RAM as our server. It connects to an Asus AC68u AP using an Ethernet cable. We use Oculus Quest VR headset as our client that connects to the AP through 5Ghz WiFi. The VR headset communicates with the server via an AP that can achieve 440Mbps TCP throughput for one device.

\subsection{Video Setup}
First, we encode video contents by FFmpeg\cite{FFMPEG} into five bitrate levels with CRF 43, 38, 33, 28, and 23 \cite{360vid-Flare}. In order to get the desired number of video tiles, we then cropped the video into 6x8 tiles with FFmpeg filters. Finally, we separate our video tiles into one-second segments \cite{360vid-ProbDASH,360vid-EPASS360} and store them in the server.

\subsection{Server Component}
As shown in Fig. \ref{fig:system}, 360 videos will be processed and stored inside the server. Our server contains several key components as follow:
\begin{enumerate}
    \item Encoder: This component encodes video sources to various bitrate levels with H.264 of libx264 library.
    \item Cropper: This module spatially cut the video frame into a specific number of video tiles.
    \item Clipper: Clipper splits video tiles into segments of short duration to accelerate the changing process of tile quality levels. Noted that the encoder, cropper, and clipper can be integrated into one component by modifying the encoder, but it is rather complicated to implement.
    \item Rate adaption: The rate adaption component dynamically adjusts the quality level of tiles, the viewport size, and the DoF simulation based on our algorithm and the result of viewport prediction to satisfy the request of the user.
    \item Video Player: We attached the processed video tiles to a video player in the Unity \cite{Unity} system, then stream the whole frame to the user with ALVR \cite{NTUedge}.
\end{enumerate}

\begin{figure}[ht]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.4\textwidth] {Fig/system.png}
\caption{System Architecture}
\label{fig:system}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Client Component}
The client component in our system is implemented based on the open-source project ALVR which is written in JAVA. In order to show the characteristics of our system, we add extra functions to the client. First, a user's orientation is collected by the sensor on the VR headset. Next, we can revise the position of the viewport based on the head rotation of the user on the Pitch and Yaw axes. Besides adjusting the viewport size of the client, we have built an orientation prediction model \cite{360vid-ProbDASH}, which is a linear regression model trained offline on the server and updated to the client periodically. Then the client can fetch the video tiles according to the viewport prediction results. After receiving the packets sent from the server, the client decodes it locally and adjusts the frame distortion to ready the video for display.
\par

\subsection{User Study}

We applied a three-session mixed experimental design, testing the effectiveness of ETSCAA against two baselines, a 360\textdegree video streaming algorithm \cite{360vid-EPASS360} and an optimized cybersickness alleviating function \cite{Sickness-FoV-2}. The average bitrate setting and bandwidth traces follow the dataset in \cite{360vid-EPASS360}. A total of 40 participants took part, with an age range of 20 to 28 years old. 5 participants were female, and the rest were male. In the two sessions, the participants first complete the pre-exposure Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) \cite{SSQ}. SSQ consists of 16 questions. Each question asks the participants to rate the severity of a symptom that is related to cybersickness. The final score is then calculated by the weighted average of the 16 symptom ratings. Next, they are asked to watch a 4K 360\textdegree roller coaster video \cite{360vid-EPASS360} for 10 minutes. The system dynamically controls the bitrate level of each tile and the cybersickness alleviating functions based on the algorithms (one session with ETSCAA and one with EPASS360) during the playback of the video. Finally, the participants complete the post-exposure SSQ. They also need to fill a video quality questionnaire that includes multiple questions. Noted that half of the participants experience the ETSCAA session first and the others experience the EPASS360 session first to balance the effect of testing order. Each participant rests for 30 minutes between the two sessions to reset the cybersickness level \cite{Sickness-TempAspect}.
\section{Conclusion} \label{con}
This paper leverages FoV shrinking and DoF simulation to alleviate cybersickness in a 360\textdegree\ video streaming system.
We formulate a new optimization problem TSCC\ to minimize the video quality loss and cybersickness accumulation. To effectively solve TSCC, we propose an $m$-competitive online algorithm ETSCAA\ with CI, VLI, and SMI to support tile selection and cybersickness control. Simulations with a real network dataset demonstrate that ETSCAA\ can reduce more than 25\% of sickness queue occupancy against the state-of-the-art tile selection algorithms for 360\textdegree\ video streaming systems.
\section{Introduction} \label{intro}
\input{2-Introduction}

\input{3-System}

\input{4-Problem}

\input{5-Algorithm}
\vspace{-4mm}
\input{6-Simulation}

\input{8-Conclusion}
\vspace{-4mm}

\ifCLASSOPTIONcompsoc

  \section*{Acknowledgments}
\else

  \section*{Acknowledgment}
\fi

We thank to National Center for High-performance Computing (NCHC) of National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) in Taiwan for providing computational and storage resources.

\bibliographystyle{IEEEtran}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


Another major way that underage drinkers gain access to alcohol is at parties (e.g., Wagenaar et al., 1993). Party patrols are a local enforcement strategy in which police arrive at a social event in which alcohol is being served and check the age identifications of party participants. Under- age drinking parties frequently involve large groups and are commonly held in a home, an outdoor area, or other public location such as a hotel room. Party patrols are a recommended strategy to ad- dress underage drinking parties (Little & Bishop, 1998; Stewart, 1999). Parties are frequently cited as one of the settings at highest risk for youth alcohol consumption and related problems, and have been linked to impaired driving, sexual assaults, violence, property damage, and to the initiation of alcohol use of younger adolescents by older adolescents (Mayer, Forster, Murray, & Wagenaar, 1998; Schwartz & Little, 1997; Wagenaar et al., 1993). Decreased sales to older minors, in turn, are expected to reduce availability of alcohol to younger adolescents. Without these special patrols law enforcement agencies sometimes do not have enough manpower to thoroughly investigate under- age drinking parties. They cannot always trace who provided the alcohol or other drugs to minors.
Party patrols involve police entering locations where parties are in progress. The police can use noise or nuisance ordinances as a basis for entering a party to observe if underage drinking is taking place. In party patrol strategies, police are enlisted, as a part of their regular patrol duties, to routinely: (a) enter premises where parties that may involve underage drinking are underway, (b) respond to com- plaints from the public about noisy teenage parties where alcohol use is suspected, and (c) check, as part of regular weekend patrols, open areas and other venues where teen parties are known to occur. When underage drinking is discovered, the drinkers can be cited as well as the person who supplied the alcohol. Even when it is not possible to cite the person who supplied the alcohol, awareness of increased police activity in this regard can act as a deterrent and can express community concerns regarding the unacceptability of providing alcohol to minors. As with other environmental interventions, public awareness and media attention is important to increase the deterrence effect of this strategy. There is some evidence that this technique is effective.


UPDATE: Due to the unpredictable weather, changes have been made to the Thursday night Open House/ Celebration of the Arts.
RSA will continue with the scheduled Open House from 5:00 - 6:30. Come see the beautiful art work throughout the school and in the classrooms. Let your child show you the cool learning experiences that they have on display. Dinner will be not served. If you prepaid for a dinner ticket please come to the office for your reimbursement.
However the performance part of the evening (6:30 - 8:00) has been rescheduled for our Monday morning assembly where the students will be performing for each other. This performance will begin at 9:20 - lunch time. Parent and family members are invited to attend this assembly. We will be videoing this assembly and make it available upon request.
Do you want to delete all occurrences of the recurring appointment "UPDATE: Celebration of the Arts/Open House", or just this one?


Get Promos Milwaukee 1 2 In Forstner Bit 48 14 0501 can sale from 16% to 35% in black friday and cyber monday season with Decorative Accents. This Deal searched by Dr. Carlee Anderson IV at 30 October 2018, so if you want to Get this Product please check before April 20, 2019, 2:24 pm.
✦ Milwaukee 1 2 In Forstner Bit 48 14 0501. Discover our great selection of Milwaukee 1 2 In Forstner Bit 48 14 0501 Seasonal Specials to reflect your style and inspire your space. Find maximum comfort Milwaukee 1 2 In Forstner Bit 48 14 0501 where you can buy Milwaukee 1 2 In Forstner Bit 48 14 0501 online while you explore our room designs and curated looks for tips, ideas & inspiration to help you along the way. Great Deals on all Milwaukee 1 2 In Forstner Bit 48 14 0501 products with orders over $49 Free Shipping on most stuff, even the big stuff, satisfaction guaranteed. Shop now for the perfect look.
Before you decide on your home furniture furnishings, have a think about using your home, your storage needs and just how a lot room you've.
Getting the look you want depends on choosing the right material and finished for the furnishings.
Solid wood has a organic appearance. With knot, whole grains and minor versions in color, no two items will appear exactly the same so you will go truly distinctive. Our Puerto Rico furnishings is made of solid wood and looks great.
Real wood finish means the furnishings continues to be carried out with slim layers of real wood. This will still feel and look like solid wood, but this will be lighter in weight and less expensive to buy. See our Sherwood variety.
Wood impact finish indicates the furnishings has the look and feel of hardwood, however with a far more constant colour and appearance, making it simpler for you to produce a completely matched appear. Our Minsk variety is a great example.
Steel and glass allow you to produce a modern really feel that is also easy and durable to maintain. The tempered cup in our mirrors fulfills Uk Safety Requirements BS6202 regulations. See our Matrix variety.
Click & quick - a number of our Simple Residing collection items simply click together without resorting to resources.
We only use suppliers who fulfill our high requirements, and our buyers are continually looking the world for new trends, high quality materials and great workmanship.
Our Quality Assurance group then works together with the provider to make sure it fulfills our rigid requirements.
Although locating the perfect home furnitures to enhance and showcase a home furnishings can be a daunting job, through an understanding of the designs and varieties of house furnitures available for sale can significantly help in the direction of making a nicely-informed decision. Whether they are blending along with the homes current dcor or acting as a focal point in the home furnishings, large range of house furnitures can total any home furniture set, so visitors eat and relax in comfort and ease, discussing recollections, discussions and customs.
Beautiful product for me. Milwaukee 1 2 In Forstner Bit 48 14 0501 updated price before April 20, 2019, 2:24 pm, so I recommend you should check fastest if you can.
Milwaukee 1 2 In Forstner Bit 48 14 0501 Reviews.


I'm in Venice and it's beautiful! I'm here with Lizzie and Jon Tisch, Nancy and Jeff Lane, Henry Tisch and Isaac Hudis. We have spent time on the Grand Canal in gondolas, walking around San Marco Square and the fish market, and did some shopping in town. I stayed at The Bauer and I had friends stay at Cipriani.


GLYPT produce high-quality professional theatre for young people, schools and family audiences. We also have a new programme of family theatre at The Tramshed, including the Greenwich Family Arts Festival during the May Half Term. We also have a festive production in December, a show not to be missed! For schools we offer a range of challenging, educational and interactive productions which deal with a range of topical issues for both primary and secondary school audiences.
Outside of The Tramshed, we also host events in other venues or outdoors. So please check the location details before setting off on your jounrey.


text:
One Baltimore City school fully open after closing exactly one year ago
School fully open one year after shut down
By: Erin MacPherson
BALTIMORE — Waldorf School of Baltimore celebrates having a full campus after being closed for nearly a year. Friday, March 12 of 2021 marks exactly one year since they shut down.
"We had an Extra week of spring break anticipating that we would be back in two weeks and here we are a year later and we're just getting back," said Nancy Blackwell, a Waldorf parent.
March 12, 2020 was the last day students were inside the Waldorf building because of the coronavirus pandemic. In August, their pre-school student came back full time. There was some small group in-person learning for older grades, but they didn't return full time until this week.
Waldorf is an arts-based education and a screen free campus. Going from a place that doesn't promote technology to virtual learning for months was a big adjustment for students and staff but they got through it!
"Our faculty are as creative as our children, so we found ways of bringing that hands on piece. For example, the seventh grade doing organic chemistry unit of study and they turn their kitchens into chemistry labs with guidance of course from the teachers," said Pat Whitehead, Waldorf Executive Director.
Waldorf also does a lot of outdoor learning. They've done this pre-covid. The only change was creating new spaces so classes would not share any outdoor spaces.
Students and staff members were excited to be back together, in a safe manner. The school made sure to ease everyone into the new way of doing things.
Blackwell talked about her seventh-grade daughter's integration. She said, "her grade and other grades have been able to come on campus one day a week in the afternoon from 12-3. They practiced slowly how to come together as a class, how to socially distance in the class and how to do different activities. So the school was really prepared."
Every morning, students are dropped off in waves. First the middles schoolers and then the younger ones. Before a child can leave their car, they have to finish a pre-screening process online that goes through all the standard covid related questions and their temperature is taken. Once they're given the green light, they stand on an 'X' outside and wait their turn to enter the building.
They haven't had any covid cases on campus.
"We have worked together as a community and it's that that's made it possible to bring everybody back in and for everybody to be happy to be back in," said Whitehead.


text:
Opinion: Now Is The Winter Of The NBA Players' Discontent
By Mike Pesca
Thursday is the NBA's trade deadline, and there are a lot of great players who could be moved to a different team. Quite a few of them, actually, are demanding to be traded to another team. Sports commentator Mike Pesca says he can't remember a time of more widespread discontent among the NBA's elite. And Mike has some thoughts on how we got here.
(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #1: The Lakers have offered an improved Anthony Davis package.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: The Blazers acquired Rodney Hood in exchange for sauce Castillo, Wade Baldwin...
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #3: Should the Sixers at least think about moving Jimmy Butler?
MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: And in other NBA unhappiness news, Anthony Davis demands a trade out of New Orleans, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is unhappy with the Lakers, Kristaps Porzingis dealt by the Knicks, who he had grown weary of, Kyrie Irving wants out of Boston, and, oh yeah, Thon Maker, who plays for the team with the NBA's best record, the Milwaukee Bucks, wants out. NBA players get paid an average of $7 million a year and get to wear shorts to work. What's the problem, guys?
Thirty-one years ago, before there was free agency actually, players could be traded or cut. That was it. Things are absolutely better for players now. They're richer and have more freedom. That's the free part of free agency. But I believe the agency part is harder to deal with on a psychological level.
LEBRON JAMES: And this fall, I'm going to take my talents to South Beach.
PESCA: In 2010, LeBron James took his talents to South Beach and created a super team with the Miami Heat. In less than a decade since, other groups of players have tried to do the same thing, meaning a great player now also has to be a great general manager, mixing and matching or sometimes demanding and wheedling to find a better situation for himself. A player in 1985 might just put his head down and grind it out for an uncaring owner.
But now when a player has ownership over his own career, he has no one to blame but himself. It seems un-American to argue for the old dictatorial system, and I'm not doing that. I'm just noting that the first flush of openness, as when a government topples or, say, when the Berlin Wall came down, eventually leads to habituation. Freedom stops feeling like freedom and just starts feeling like life. And the agency in free agency stops meaning the opportunity to choose and starts meeting the burden of choice.
Aside from psychology, common to all humans, there is something specific to the NBA that is causing such mass discontent. Pat Riley, famed NBA player, coach and executive, once said, in the NBA, there is winning and there is misery. By winning, he meant championships, and in the NBA these days, it seems only the Golden State Warriors can do that. It is true that every year only one team wins, but in past seasons, several teams at least thought they could win. And sometimes, especially if LeBron James was on the team, they were right.
But this year, the perception of hopelessness casts a pall on every player who is not on the Warriors. What's the point, they ask. The only chance is to orchestrate for myself a better situation, to create my own group of superstars and only then might I find contentment to go along with my average of $7 million and casual workplace attire.
(SOUNDBITE OF GOD SENSE'S "SUN RAYS")
GREENE: We hope sports commentator Mike Pesca keeps finding contentment right here. We would never trade him away. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
Mike Pesca
Mike Pesca first reached the airwaves as a 10-year-old caller to a New York Jets-themed radio show and has since been able to parlay his interests in sports coverage as a National Desk correspondent for NPR based in New York City.
See stories by Mike Pesca


text:
Is the Eurogroup's offer of a debt restructure really a victory for Tsipras?
By Romaric Godin | La Tribune | translated by Samuel White
Finance Minister Euclide Tsakalotos said "there was white smoke" and a deal has been reached. [European Council]
Eurozone finance ministers yesterday (9 May) proposed to restructure the Greek debt, but with conditions that could cost Athens dearly. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
The Eurogroup discussed the restructuring of the Greek debt at its meeting on Monday, but will not make any decisions for another two weeks. Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch president of this forum of the eurozone's finance ministers, said these were "early discussions".
Short, medium and long-term measures
No decisions will be made before the Eurogroup's next meeting on 24 May, to give the finance ministers time to consider all possible scenarios. But Dijsselbloem did mention a number of measures that could relieve Greece's debt burden in the short, medium and long term.
In the short term, the issue is to "improve the management of the debt and reduce its cost". In the medium term, the grace periods for repayments could be extended and the system of repayment periods adapted.
And in the long term, Dijsselbloem said that "extra measures" could be taken. But if these medium and long-term measures were to be implemented, it would be after the completion of the current programme in 2018.
Completing the programme
When it comes to repaying debt, the medium and long term plan is hugely important. This not only determines the outlook for the state itself, but also its creditors and investors.
So the Eurogroup is wielding the carrot and the stick: there will be no substantial changes to the debt if the programme is not successfully completed.
This is another sign that, whatever Pierre Moscovici, the European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, and Michel Sapin, the French minister for finance, might say, the "reforms" enacted by the Greek government have not satisfied the country's creditors.
The proposed restructuring of the debt – which still excludes any kind of debt write-off – remains dependent on Greece's obedience to its creditors. For the first time, the Eurogroup also raised the possibility of the European Central Bank (ECB) paying back the profits it has made on the Greek debt (estimated at €7.7 billion). But again, only in the medium term, once the current programme is brought to a successful conclusion. And negotiations on this matter will not be easy.
For the International Monetary Fund (IMF), this will be an important factor in its decision on whether or not to enter the programme, but several eurozone countries would see such a move as a substantial and unwelcome "gifts" to Athens.
Dijsselbloem said the IMF was positive about the Eurogroup's three stage approach. But he added that "nobody has yet made a decision". So the whole issue is still up for discussion.
Success for Alexis Tsipras
For Alexis Tsipras, who made debt restructuring a priority when he accepted the latest bailout deal on 13 July 2015, this is something of a delayed victory. This discussion, which had initially been tabled for last autumn, has finally been opened.
Greece adopts more austerity reforms ahead of key Eurogroup talks
Greek lawmakers adopted a controversial package of pension cuts and tax hikes as eurozone finance ministers geared up for an emergency meeting today (9 May) to hammer out fresh reforms for Athens to stave off another eurozone crisis.
Finance ministers at Monday's Eurogroup also welcomed the adoption of a new series of reforms by the Greek Parliament on Sunday evening (8 May). Here too, Tsipras could claim a victory. He imposed the vote on his slim majority coalition government, despite a two-day general strike, so as to arrive at Monday's Eurogroup meeting in a position of strength.
Concluding the first evaluation
The measures adopted on Sunday were broadly in line with the demands of the creditors. And the Eurogroup stressed that the first evaluation of the current programme had not yet been carried out, but should be concluded the coming days.
The agreement with Greece's creditors will be finalised on 24 May and could include further reforms to secure the release of the next instalment of bailout money. In this case, the final decision would again lie with the parliament in Athens.
Contingency measures
With eurozone creditors more determined than ever to ensure the participation of the IMF in the Greek programme, they have to make the objective of Greece's achieving a budgetary surplus of 3.5% of GDP by 2018 realistic.
To guarantee the achievement of this objective, the Eurogroup has invented a new of "contingency" mechanism. If the objective appears to be in doubt, these measures will be brought into force automatically without consulting Greek lawmakers. Tsipras had initially refused to accept any such measures, which he insisted were contrary to Greek law.
No Eurogroup result 'not a tragedy', EU official says
If the Eurogroup meeting today (9 May) does not produce any specific results "it's not going to be a tragedy", an EU official told EURACTIV Greece.
But Athens finally proposed a similar mechanism this Monday, including a series of both automatic and non-automatic measures. According to the Greek daily Kathimerini, these measures, which have been accepted by the Eurogroup, include cuts to some pensions. Rather than a series of precise measures adopted in advance, this is structured as a mechanism for managing public spending, which is legal in Greece.
A statement by the Eurogroup said that a "package of measures would be automatically implemented in the event [of] a failure" by Greece to meet its objectives. But now that Greece has accepted the idea of an automatic "correctional" mechanism, the details of the package itself are beside the point.
A high price to pay
In two weeks' time, on 24 May, the Eurogroup could decide to release the next portion of Greece's aid package and propose a way to restructure the country's debt, which would be hailed from all quarters as a victory. The Greek Minister of Finance Euclide Tsakalotos said he hoped that this agreement would mean that confidence could "finally return to Greece".
It is possible, but by no means certain, that this will indeed happen. Because this agreement would cost the Greek government very dearly. The austerity measures adopted are extremely severe, including tax hikes for individuals and businesses, increases to VAT, cuts to future pensions and reductions in administrative costs.
The government may have tried to protect the most vulnerable members of society, but this is a real austerity programme for the next two years. It will weigh down Greece's economy, which is only just recovering from the crisis of 2015. And in view of the contingency measures on the table, this austerity looks likely to continue into 2018. In this context, investors are likely to remain very cautious and economic growth may yet be a way off.
Vicious circle not yet broken
If economic growth does not return, the Greek government will have to deal with new cuts to its revenue. Despite the 2015 increases to VAT, the sales tax is set to bring in less than expected in 2016. Greece appears forever condemned to chase unattainable objectives.
The so-called contingency measures would trigger another wave of austerity, not breaking but strengthening the vicious circle of unattainable targets and endless austerity measures. We cannot ignore this worrying fact, despite Tsipras' victory cries. Particularly as the restructuring of the debt depends on the success of the current austerity programme.
Athens under surveillance
For now, the Greek government remains under close surveillance. The restructuring of the Greek debt, which would only go part way to solving the country's problems, depends on the implementation of a number of concessions the prime minister would have preferred not to make, including abandoning his opposition to the target of a budgetary excess worth 3.5% of GDP by 2018 and accepting the system of contingency measures.
But as the IMF said last week, this budgetary excess could prove to be a sword of Damocles, threatening the Greek economy for a long time to come. Time will tell whether the trade-off between a potential restructuring of the debt and a more severe system of surveillance and austerity will pay off.
Eurogroup: Statement on Greece
Economic governance
Euclide Tsakalotos
Greek crisis
Jeroen Dijsselbloem
10Pompeo cancels his last trip to Europe after unprecedented snub


The wonderful pics on top, is other parts of Fascinating Lake Titicaca editorial which is categorised within America, machu picchu tours, lake titicaca facts, machu picchu travel and published at March 30th, 2019 08:34:16 AM by Fands Media. We always effort to show a picture with HD resolution or at least with perfect images. Thank you for visiting.
Lake Titicaca is one of most fascinating lake in the world that must be visited. It is located between Peru and Bolivia. This lake is situated at very high altitude over 3800 meters above the sea level. By this, tour to this lake will be definitely unforgettable experience for the visitors. If you are interested to go over there, you better browse some information about this lake from internet firstly. By this, you can prepare your needs that complete your holiday over there. Here are several things that you should know before going to this lake. Probably, it can be your guideline.
Lake Titicaca is considered as the sacred place for Inca civilization. Based on rumors, it is considered as the place where world is created from. There are many places that can be visited when you decide to spend your holiday in this place. There is Bolivian side of lake where you will find fascinating town Challapampa which is known as the home of famous labyrinth or Chinkana. There are also many Lake Titicaca attractions that can be found in old town Puno.
Lake Titicaca also has many islands that can be visited over there. The first Lake Titicaca Island is called as floating or Uros Island. It is island which is made by man out of the reeds. The reeds over there are growing naturally on banks of lake the Uros people take it and from those to be the island. It is done by adding reeds constantly on its surface. Since this island is often floating on the lake, that's why it is called floating island. This island is populated by people who hard living. They survive only by fishing.
Lake Titicaca also has official websites for those who want to know more about this lake. The Lake Titicaca websites contains some information about some hotels that can be used for staying over there, some beautiful islands that are recommended to visit, and others information.


This weeks assembly awards. Attendance Award went to Ms. Hunt's Junior Infants and Punctuality Award to Ms Campbell's Junior Infants. We had 2 students from each class who received the Pupil of The Week Award.


You're super passionate about yoga, and you want to share this love with everyone. But can you turn it into a career that will financially support you?
And if you're already a yoga teacher or have recently graduated, you may be questioning how you can move from being a part-time teacher to a full-time teacher.


text:
Q: iterative cumsum where sum determines the next position to be added I have a data.table as follows
set.seed(5)
x <- data.table(x=sample(1:20,15))

> x
     x
 1:  5
 2: 14
 3: 17
 4: 20
 5:  2
 6: 11
 7:  8
 8: 15
 9: 12
10: 16
11:  3
12: 18
13: 10
14:  4
15: 13

and I would like to start at 1 and cumulate values iteratively such that the value of cumsum() determines the next number to be added to the sum.
In the example I want to add the first value of x, here 5, then jump to value number 5 and add that, here 2, then jump to value number 5+2=7, here 8, then value number 5+2+8=15, here 13.
That is, I want to get a vector
> res
[1]  1  5  7 15

Has anyone any idea for this problem?

A: We can use Reduce with accumulate = TRUE
accum <- Reduce(function(i, j) i + x$x[i], x$x, accumulate = TRUE)
c(1, accum[!is.na(accum)])
# [1]  1  5  7 15 28

or purrr::accumulate
library(purrr)

accum <- accumulate(x$x, ~ .x + x$x[.x])
c(1, accum[!is.na(accum)])
# [1]  1  5  7 15 28

A: A base R solution:
i = 1
v = i
sum = 0
while (i <= nrow(x)) {
   v = c(v, i)
   sum = sum + x$x[i]
   i = sum
}

A: Here's a function that takes how long you want your vector to be and produces a vector of that length:
recursiveadd<-function(x, n) {k<-x$x[1]
 for (i in 1:(n-1)) {
     k[i+1]<-sum(x$x[k[i]],k[i])
   }
 k
}

recursiveadd(x,4)
[1]  5  7 15 28

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


/// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="GestionallLightDB"/> class.
The Ado.Net provider invariant name with 'Sistem.Data.VistaDB' is either not registered in the machine or application config file, or could not be loaded.
It sounds like the System.Data.VistaDB assembly isn't getting distributed with your application. When you deploy your application, are you adding VistaDB to the GAC or local with your executable? I would double check to make sure the assembly is located where it should be.
1. You need to include the VistaDB5 ADO.NET provider itself in the configuration file, not just the EF provider.
2. I'm not sure you're going to get success with the "SqlCeConnectionFactory"
The configuration file you sent in the zip file looks right.
We don't provide a VistaDB implementation of the EF 6 IDbConnectionFactory - which is an oversight. I'll talk to the team and have them make that. Looking at our samples and our own usage, we've tended towards passing in a complete connection string to the DbContext overload that takes a connection string. I think by using the SqlCeConnectionFactory you're pushing it to use the SqlCe ADO.NET provider, not sure - we can't see from the error message what provider it's actually looking for.
You've sent us down a good road - Digging into this just a little we can easily create a VistaDBConnectionFactory and publish it out to NuGet. That should remove the need to explicitly register the VistaDB provider with EF as well. That said, looking at the source code of Microsoft's implementation of SqlCeConnectionFactory it does hardcode their ADO.NET provider which explains the error your getting (in other words, that's just not going to work).
In the client pc's wrong.
That line on its own is innocuous - it sets the default connection factory that is then used to resolve the provider and the database connection string *if you don't explicitly specify the connection string in the model or when creating the context*. If you look at our samples and even the XML we show in our documentation reflect the default for EF which is the SQL LocalDb connection factory.
Reading the source code for the SqlCeConnectionFactory if you pass it a string without an = in it, it assumes it's the file name of the database to open and it then tries to create the SqlCe provider. I'd expect that provider *does* exist on your development system (installed with Visual Studio) but would not generally be available on a client, causing a failure at runtime there.
You can avoid the connection factory by having a connection string name configured in your DbContext or specifying the name/connection string when you create the DbContext each time. Meanwhile, we're working to create a version of the connection factory for VistaDB.
I do not know how to solve.
Maybe change DB and I go on SQLCE.
Enclosed is the source that works.
I just set the property "Copy Local" file "VistaDB.5.NET40" True (in Visual Studio)... accidentally was False.
So the issue is resolved? Indeed, setting that copy local option is a critical step to ensure you're distributing the VistaDB engine.
but I always use the part SQLCE.