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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12433 | I’m not addicted; I just have to have it.
Coffee - Is the planet shaking or is it just me?I think that I shall never be
Fully awake without coffee.
A cup my ready mouth does drink
Without which I can hardly think.
That java comes from God is true.
Why have a cup when a pot will do?
With ice in summer it’s so rare
That I should ever think to share.
And even though I’m far from snow
I want my steamy cup of Joe.
Blogs are made by goofs like me,
Who couldn’t write without coffee.
[Apologies to Joyce Kilmer (1886-1914). Image from VisionWorks.] |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12440 | Search Results
There are 3 item(s) tagged with the keyword "cultural exchange".
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1. American Folk Dance? Ukrainians Can Swing It.
Swing dance talent and passion is surprisingly strong in Eastern Europe.
2. A Friend of Both Russia and Ukraine
3. Yes, We're a Sexagenarian
Sixty years ago, bureaucrats and journalists on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain came to a remarkable agreement that led to the founding of Russian Life...
Tags: history, Russian Life, Soviet Life, cultural exchange
By Paul E. Richardson
Displaying: 1 - 3 of 3
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12444 | Question is in
String text1;
String text2 = null;
Is there any difference? Why is it possible at all to 'initialize' with null?
EDIT: I specify my question. Why someone will write String text2 = null;?
Contact contact1;
List<Contact> contacts = [...];
if (!contacts.isEmpty()) {
contact1 = contacts[0];
} else {
contact1 = new Contact();
and in another class I see
Contact contact2 = null;
List<Contact> contacts = [...];
if (!contacts.isEmpty()) {
contact2 = contacts[0];
} else {
contact2 = new Contact();
If it were different persons - ok - this might be the habit.
• 2
There's no difference. It's possible to assign null to a variable, albeit on declaration or just somewhere after it's been declared. – rael_kid Oct 18 '14 at 16:04
They really are on in the same as when you initialize a variable with no value, it's set to null automatically.
You can test this by running this in an execute anonymous window
String s1;
system.debug('s1 value is: ' + s1);
String s2 = null;
system.debug('s2 value is: ' + s2);
This code produces the following
enter image description here
As far as why someone would explicitly set it to null, I really think that might just be habit or preference, as I can't think of a specific reason as to why you would NEED to.
Similar to how some people initialize a list by using list<sObject> vs sObject[]. Neither one is incorrect and they both equate to the same thing.
I may be wrong and perhaps someone can prove me wrong, but I can't think of a reason to HAVE to set it explicitly to null.
| improve this answer | |
• I know that they are the same. The question is why to do so? What for? – Andrii Muzychuk Oct 18 '14 at 16:33
• 2
I edited the answer. I really don't think there is a reason to to do it. – Chris Duncombe Oct 18 '14 at 16:37
• 6
I suspect the initialization is a carry over from other languages like Java, where the code won't compile if a local variable is uninitialized. You'd get a compiler error like "variable contact2 might not have been initialized", whereas Apex just sets it to null. – Peter Knolle Oct 19 '14 at 0:17
• Good point @Peter Knolle, that could the reason some people do this as well. – Chris Duncombe Oct 19 '14 at 12:21
• 1
@sfdcfox - My comment was for local variables, specifically. I'm pretty sure that those must be initialized. You are thinking of instance variables, I suspect, that will default, if not initialized. I can see how it makes sense with Apex to have it always default. Much simpler. – Peter Knolle Oct 20 '14 at 16:38
The two are logically the same, but one is less efficient than the other.
This is one logical unit of execution:
String test1; // Declare
This is two logical units of execution:
String test2 = null; // Declare/assignment
This leads to a small performance penalty that you can observe in large loops:
Long t1 = DateTime.now().getTime();
for(Integer i = 0; i < 100000; i++) {
String s = null;
Long t2 = DateTime.now().getTime();
String s;
Long t3 = DateTime.now().getTime();
System.debug(LoggingLevel.ERROR, t2-t1);
System.debug(LoggingLevel.ERROR, t3-t2);
Typical examples:
09:48:26.028 (28836934)|CODE_UNIT_STARTED|[EXTERNAL]|execute_anonymous_apex
09:48:26.113 (113284690)|USER_DEBUG|[10]|ERROR|47
09:48:26.113 (113325519)|USER_DEBUG|[11]|ERROR|36
09:48:20.024 (24803638)|CODE_UNIT_STARTED|[EXTERNAL]|execute_anonymous_apex
09:48:20.100 (100566826)|USER_DEBUG|[10]|ERROR|39
09:48:20.100 (100609709)|USER_DEBUG|[11]|ERROR|36
09:48:04.068 (68311804)|CODE_UNIT_STARTED|[EXTERNAL]|execute_anonymous_apex
09:48:04.151 (151989844)|USER_DEBUG|[10]|ERROR|44
09:48:04.152 (152032421)|USER_DEBUG|[11]|ERROR|39
This yields about a 10% increase in execution time. Of course, in all but the largest loops, this difference would be inconsequential.
| improve this answer | |
String and Contact both are reference type. It is automatically initialize with "null". when we are not initialize with any value that time compiler automatically initialize with null. That why both are same.
Regards Satya
| improve this answer | |
Sometimes, I initialize my variables explicitly, (ie., String str1 = null;) just for the sole purpose of code readability; for the benefit of myself or other developers.
| improve this answer | |
Your Answer
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12448 |
Document Type Replaced Internet-Draft (individual)
Authors Gonzalo Salgueiro , Vijay Gurbani , Adam Roach
Last updated 2012-01-03 (latest revision 2011-03-05)
Replaced by RFC 6873
Stream (None)
Intended RFC status (None)
Expired & archived
pdf htmlized (tools) htmlized bibtex
Stream Stream state (No stream defined)
Consensus Boilerplate Unknown
RFC Editor Note (None)
IESG IESG state Replaced by draft-ietf-sipclf-format
Telechat date
Responsible AD (None)
Send notices to (None)
The SIPCLF Workgroup has defined a common log format framework for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) servers. This common log format mimics the wildly successful event logging mechanism found in well- known web servers like Apache and web proxies like Squid. This document proposes an indexed text encoding format for the SIP Common Log Format (CLF) that retains the key advantages of a text-based format, while significantly increasing processing performance over a purely text-based implementation. This file format adheres to the SIP CLF data model and provides an effective encoding scheme for all mandatory and optional fields that appear in a SIP CLF record.
Gonzalo Salgueiro (
Vijay Gurbani (
Adam Roach (
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12454 | • Ant species richness is higher in the epigean than in the hypogean ferruginous environments
• Ant species composition is different between epigean and hypogean ferruginous environments
• The cavity historical use did not influence the ant species richness or composition
• Subterranean environment traits were not able to explain ant species richness
• Ant assemblages in the cave communities were mostly composed by generalist species
Subterranean habitats may be considered limiting for animal colonization, especially for ants, due to permanent darkness and mainly because of oligotrophic conditions. While not as deep as limestone caves, iron ore caves and other subterranean habitats may be more available for colonization because of their shallower depth. We use the richness and composition of ants to assess how differences in habitat structure affect the biodiversity and ecosystem function between cavities and surrounding epigean landscapes. We predicted that the distribution of ants would be different because of the variation in habitat structure and cavity conditions may act as a filter for colonization by ants. A high diversity of ants was found in the 20 sampled cavities (26 species), and most of them were grouped in the generalist trophic guilds. The distribution of ants occurred independently of the type of cavity to which they are associated (caves, impacted caves and mines). Significant differences were observed in ant richness between epigean and cavities habitats, with lower average richness in cavities. The physical attributes of the cavities did not influence richness, mainly because cavity use by ants can usually be explained by their opportunistic habits and generalist lifestyle. Ants can participate directly in the cavities assemblage, playing roles in species composition and trophic functionality, due to the lower use restriction.
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12460 | What Are Three Categories of Organisms in the Ecosystem?
••• ekolara/iStock/GettyImages
An ecosystem is a complex network of interactions between biotic and abiotic components of a particular location. Living organisms such as birds, animals, plants and microorganisms form the biotic component while land, air and water form the abiotic components. Biotic and abiotic components interact with each other resulting in transfer and replenishment of energy and nutrients.
Solar energy is the main source of energy for all living organisms but not all organisms can utilize it. Only plants, algae, certain bacteria and fungi can use solar energy. This makes other organisms depend on plants directly or indirectly to gain energy and nutrients. This sequence of one organism interacting with another for food gives rise to a food chain.
There are three major categories of living things based on how they obtain energy, namely producers, consumers and decomposers. The organisms of a food chain vary according to ecosystems, for example, the organisms of a tropical ecosystem and an arctic ecosystem are different. The interactions between these organisms enable the cyclic flow of energy and nutrients in the ecosystem.
What Types of Organisms are Producers?
Producers form the first link of a food chain and as the name suggests, they produce food and oxygen using solar energy or chemical energy. Autotrophic plants, phytoplanktons, algae and certain species of bacteria are the producers of earth’s ecosystem.
Autotrophic plants are the main producers in terrestrial ecosystems while phytoplanktons are the producers in aquatic ecosystems. Volcanic bacteria that live near volcanic vents use sulfur to produce food.
Since they are at the beginning of the food chain, producers are the direct or indirect source of food for other living organisms. For example, herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat herbivores and microorganisms and fungi feed on dead animals and plant. As one organism feeds on another, energy moves through organisms in an ecosystem in the form of carbohydrates. Producers, thus, generate the energy and nutrients that sustains the ecosystem.
What Types of Organisms are Consumers?
The next level of organisms that follows the producers is the consumers. Consumers are organisms that cannot prepare their own food and depend on plants and animals for food. Depending on how they obtain food, there are four types of consumers: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary consumers.
Consider this food chain. In a swamp habitat, a grasshopper eats swamp grass (producer). The grasshopper gets eaten by a frog. Then the frog is eaten by a snake and the snake is eventually eaten by an eagle.
In this food chain, the grasshopper is the primary consumer, the frog is the secondary consumer, the snake is the tertiary consumer and the eagle is the quaternary consumer.In any food chain, apex predators, such as eagle, are the highest level consumers, as they do not have a natural predator. Lions, eagles, sharks and human beings are apex predators.
Which Organisms are Decomposers?
The earth contains a limited amount of organic matter that is necessary for the survival of living organisms. Therefore, all organic matter needs to be continuously replenished in nature. This process is carried out by decomposers, the final link in the food chain.
Decomposers are microorganisms that break down complex organic matter into simple inorganic matter through chemical reactions. Decomposers such as bacteria and fungi scavenge dead and decaying plant and animal bodies and keep nutrients and energy circulating in nature.
All living organisms are made up of complex organic matter such as complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats. When they die, decomposers act on their dead bodies and return their organic matter back to nature in inorganic form. The inorganic matter enters the soil as nutrients that are absorbed by plants.
About the Author
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12463 | Quantum Erasure.
Oh no wait, erasers.
It’s at around this point that I start thinking “Why on earth did I decide to write something about the quantum eraser?” As if wavefunction collapse and wave-particle duality weren’t hard enough concepts to get your head around at the best of times, introducing the quantum eraser and quantum entanglement will probably make your brain implode completely. I know mine did, and still does every time I read about it. I make a lot of sacrifices for you guys, okay?
You’ve got your double-slit experimental setup as described last week, where there’s a stream of electrons/photons/whatever passing through a pair of slits and interfering with themselves (not like that) while they’re in wave mode to produce an interference pattern. Putting a particle detector at one of the slits will force the photons to act like particles instead of waves, collapsing the wavefunction and causing the photons to only go through one slit instead of both. Measuring which slit the photon went through is known as obtaining which-path information, and it’s this that the quantum eraser and its variations attempt to manipulate in a number of different ways.
The first variation is to simply try to erase this which-path information from the photons and see if we can get them to behave like waves again. The actual quantum eraser setup is ludicrously complicated and I’m not going to describe it here, but in the abstract it’s a fairly simple step of merging the photon paths back together after they’ve moved through the slits so that your earlier which-path information is no longer relevant. Wikipedia uses motorways for its analogies but I prefer hamsters running through a series of tubes, which I just came up with because I find hamsters to be inherently absurd creatures.
So that’s very basically what your quantum eraser does; it smudges out that which-path information you got by firing the hamsters through the slit by mixing up their splattered remains so that you can no longer tell which body parts came from which hamster. It turns out that if we do this to photons and not hamsters, erasing the which-path information like this will indeed cause the photons to start behaving like waves again and restore the interference pattern we’d expect to see if they were waves. Easy, right?
It gets somewhat murkier when you start dealing with quantum entanglement. This is a term for what happens when you create a matched pair of quantum particles that have interacted physically somehow; a typical example is both particles being radioactive decay products from the same parent particle. Radioactive decay is a process that has to follow the conservation laws just like anything else, and so any child particles produced from the parent particle have to have the same net attributes as the parent particle. The most commonly used example is spin because it’s easy to understand and you don’t even have to know what particle spin is; essentially if the parent particle has spin 0 and one of the child particles has spin 1, the other child particle must have spin -1 in order to conserve spin during the decay process. We don’t know what exact spin the first child particle will have when we measure it, but we do know that whatever it is the second child particle must have the opposite. If one particle is spinning clockwise, the other must be spinning counterclockwise. These cases of quantum particles having complementary properties are known as entanglement.
Quantum entanglement can lead to some fairly weird phenomena, not least of which is Einstein’s “spooky action at a distance”. You see, since the quantum properties of each of the entangled particles are inherently bound up in one another, measuring one particle also in effect measures the other particle at the same time. Measuring quantum particles causes them to behave like particles and not waves. So if you have one of a pair of entangled photons inside a double slit apparatus, and the other one somewhere completely isolated from the experiment – the Moon, say, or Dover – and you measure the isolated photon, its entangled partner will immediately begin behaving as though it too has been measured and its interference pattern will disappear from the double-slit set up.
This sort of thing is actually quite useful for the quantum eraser setup, as it allows experimenters to futz with the photons making their way through the double slit apparatus without ever touching the double slit set up itself; a typical quantum eraser uses polarizers to “mark” which slit a photon has passed through, destroying the interference pattern, but if a complementary polarizer is placed in front of the photon’s entangled partner that mark can be erased and the interference pattern restored. It also lets us (apparently) mess with the laws of causality, using something called the delayed-choice quantum eraser which looks like this.
Not even going to try to explain all that, but what the delayed-choice variant of the quantum eraser does is let us choose whether or not we mark or erase our entangled photons after they’ve finishing wending their way through the apparatus and have hit the detectors at the far end. That immensely complicated setup is an apparatus which splits photons coming out of the double slits into an entangled pair. One of the entangled pair goes straight to a detector do. The other one gets bounced off a complex series of beam splitters that essentially give it a 50% chance to go one of two ways and eventually ends up at one of four detectors d1-d4. Because of the way the beam splitters are set up only two of the detectors yield information about which of the two slits the original photon passed through, while the other two merely indicate that it could have come from either, erasing the which-path information just like the hamster tubes earlier. Finally, the link between each pair of entangled photons is recorded by the various detectors; it will always be known that a certain photon that went through the beam splitters and ended up on the third detector d3 is entangled with another specific photon that didn’t go through the beam splitters and instead went straight to the original detector do.
Now, the photons that end up at do don’t have any which-path information determined for them directly. That information comes from their entangled partner going through the beam splitters. However, because photons that end up at do go straight there instead of bouncing around a bunch of beam splitters they travel along a shorter optical path, which basically translates to “they show up there first”, before the entangled partner which does contain the which-path information is detected at d1-d4. They enter the detector before any measurement information about them is obtained. And yet when you match up the pairs of entangled photons and look at the set which have discrete which-path information, all the photons at do which have which-path partners show no interference pattern. All the photons at do which don’t have which-path partners do show an interference pattern. And this happens despite the photons at do having no way of knowing which detector their entangled partner was going to hit because to them that was an event that was going to happen in the future. In effect, measuring the which-path information at detectors d1-d4 has affected an event that happened in the past. CRAZY PHYSICS.
(Please don’t ask about retrocausality and FTL communication, it makes my brain hurt to think about it.)
Tagged , , , , ,
3 thoughts on “Quantum Erasure.
1. innokenti says:
This is awesome. I just about nearly understand it and it is very very funky. :D Also, Quantum.
2. Smurf says:
Thanks, I always wondered what my brain would look like if it melted out my ears.
Leave a Reply |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12464 | Many of my questions, no matter how good they are, are getting trounced by a few people who never leave a comment. It tends to be within a couple tags. It took less than 30 minutes for this group to knock what objectively is a very real problem off the Active Question list with 5 downvotes. My question got 30 minutes of exposure on SE. Is my content really so horrifyingly offensive that it should not see the light of day? It is all too easy to get a clique together and drive users away from this site because we actively distract users from content-based voting.
FIVE different people, I asked for comments, they keep in hiding. You can’t say “blind voting is discouraged” without making a policy, and also expect an objectively scored library.
I have good reason to believe these 6 anonymous downvotes, are the same as these 5 anonymous downvotes, and the same as these 5 anonymous downvotes, and the same as these 5 downvotes, and included with these 10 downvotes( against 8 upvotes), and the same as these 5 downvotes.
My reason for believing this is extensive comparison with similar questions. Comments below also confirm that for various reasons people vote blind, using reputation, user, or score instead of content to make their decision. What is curious is how quickly the question gets eliminated from the homepage under the -4 score rule, denying my very reasonable questions access to the voting pool. This is why the group downvoting problem is very different from the group upvoting problem. Group upvoting doesn’t prevent exposure, so content is not harmed.
There are some honest "Vote to Close" comments, but as I post this, not ONE of the downvotes I mention here have comments. If my questions are so disturbingly unworthy, why aren't these downvoters doing anything to improve them? Why aren’t they trying to close my horrible posts?
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• 12
I think you need to take a different stance instead of always assuming bad intent and targeted downvotes. If you come in with a hostile attitude and assuming people are out to get you those are then less likely to help you. Maybe ask why in this meta it was downvotes instead of asking how to stop the “bashing”. – TheLethalCarrot Oct 22 '19 at 17:57
• I displayed my evidence and research. I assumed nothing. To the extent that SE provide tools for us to identify a cause, I used what was available. I'm not going to pretend bashing isn't a problem, as if serial voting scripts are working against only one individual. Serial downvoters can and will gain strength in numbers – Vogon Poet Oct 22 '19 at 17:59
• 5
Apparently, judging from the outcome, there is some dispute about the "very good question." Also, it's not helpful for you to assert bad faith on the other participants. I have never, and I'm sure this applies to 99% of the active population, blanket down-voted any user, or any topic, or anything else. – DavidW Oct 22 '19 at 18:03
• 3
The community decides the quality of the questions. I think it is unlikely that multiple people are serial down-voting you. – Jack B Nimble Oct 22 '19 at 18:05
• I'm sure you haven't and neither have I. How does the outcome imply the quality of the question any better than I am able to? What about the other 6 questions? You may have had a point if this was an isolated incident, but I accept that humans suffer from human nature. That doesn't need proof. – Vogon Poet Oct 22 '19 at 18:08
• 17
I suspect it's because if they comment on their reasons for downvoting you, instead of dealing with the problem, you tend to go on the offensive and attack them for telling you things you don't like to hear – Valorum Oct 22 '19 at 18:16
• 11
"Why won't people put their heads over the parapet so I can shoot at them?" – Valorum Oct 22 '19 at 18:17
• 5
@VogonPoet I guess I am basing my "naive" comment on my 8.5 years of participating on this site. In the past, when a disgruntled user serial down-votes, their behavior is pretty obvious, and the mods ban them. Questions get down-voted for lots of reasons, and you cannot say that they were because of question quality, answer ambiguity, or the 4 negative reasons you suggested. – Jack B Nimble Oct 22 '19 at 18:19
• 3
A few comments not worthy of an answer. As others mentioned, adding clarifications are not mandatory when downvoting. Also, most of the time I browse SE on the mobile while on the go, so I don't have time to add lengthy comments and/or do research. Finally, I mean no disrespect but have you considered that some of these questions (eg the Spock is a cyborg one) might not be as good as you think? – Rebel-Scum Oct 22 '19 at 18:34
• 11
"Dozens of people are downvoting my questions. What's wrong with those people?" – Valorum Oct 22 '19 at 18:48
• 8
shrug I would downvote this particular question because it appears to be deliberately obtuse and pendantic, and you are doubling down on that in comments. – Radhil Oct 22 '19 at 18:51
• 7
Anonymous downvotes are no worse than anonymous upvotes. If you're complaining about one you should be complaining about the other (which IMO is actually a lot more common). But in reality neither is a problem because users aren't required to comment when voting. This is by design. – ibid Oct 23 '19 at 0:01
• 3
Personally, I usually believe there would be no constructive results from commenting on your questions, based off reading your rants on Meta and your responses to other users. I don't have the time to justify my opinions, and I shouldn't have to, so if I believe nothing constructive will happen by commenting, I won't. – Gnemlock Oct 29 '19 at 20:11
• 3
@Gnemlock - I think that's the issue here. Users tend to downvote-then-comment if they think there's a reasonable prospect that their comment will result in an improvement in the question. But if they see that OP has (either on the current question or in the past) been snappish towards commenters, they'll just do the 'driveby downvote' thing since there's no point making the effort to help someone who doesn't want help. – Valorum Oct 30 '19 at 7:36
• 2
@Valorum, I agree. It is my opinion that the downvoters are justified in doing this, too, given that they don't believe their comments will actually add any value – Gnemlock Oct 30 '19 at 7:50
I've noticed that you have a strong tendency to go on the offensive when anyone makes a comment that you disagree with. You comment-flood them with multiple responses explaining why they're wrong, and double-down by then posting (poorly received) meta questions seemingly in an attempt to taunt them. You don't listen to the responses you get and rarely do you make any serious effort to improve the questions you're asking in response to the criticism you receive.
Demanding that downvoters announce themselves so that you can yell at them isn't going to get the response you want.
If you showed any serious intention to engage with downvoters with humility, you'd turn those downvotes into upvotes.
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• 1
Why are you discussing "listening to comments" in a question about blind downvoting? Do I need to be more clear about what "blind" means? – Vogon Poet Oct 22 '19 at 18:34
• 6
@VogonPoet - You know what they say about shooting the messenger. – Valorum Oct 22 '19 at 18:39
• I agree with your post but disagree with the premise and the fitment. I also objectively handle constructive criticism very well, if math got involved. But perhaps I seem unique because I have come into an established place fairly quickly carrying some of the consternation of a newbie with me. When you're down there, the view is different. It's not inviting. I'm not a messenger, I tend to speak up when something's wrong. – Vogon Poet Oct 22 '19 at 18:52
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@VogonPoet - "I also objectively handle constructive criticism very well" - Citation needed. – Valorum Oct 22 '19 at 18:54
• 3
@VogonPoet "if math got involved" Really? Need I remind you of this question scifi.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/12756/… where it was blatantly clear you don't know what is the difference between a cosmic string and strings from string theory or that GUTs don't model spacetime as they assume Minkowski backgrounds, eg consider the SU(5) model, and have nothing to do with large scale structure and panspermia etc etc and you still insisted otherwise? – Rebel-Scum Oct 22 '19 at 19:11
• 1
@VogonPoet Btw, I mean no disrespect, in that comment I just pointed out there's no link between all these concepts, contrary to what you claimed. – Rebel-Scum Oct 22 '19 at 19:14
I've downvoted some of your questions but not the ones you mention here. I rarely comment when I downvote because the purpose of downvotes is not primarily to give the OP feedback, it's to give someone else who comes along an idea of what "the community" thinks of the question or answer.
You keep posting (here on meta) that you're certain that your posts are good and that downvotes on them can only be coming from a clique that's out to get you. This makes me more likely to notice your posts and downvote them if I think they deserve it. If you toned down the hyperbole about how great all your posts are how there's a huge mob trying to drive every new user away, it would be easier to accept an occasional post like this asking for feedback.
In response to your actual question "what can be done?" One thing that you could do is to stop arguing in comments when people do give feedback. I've seen comments from you arguing that someone else's comment is invalid on a bunch of your questions, including a couple of the ones you link to here and that's a sure way to get less feedback.
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• Great point, but it's a chicken-and-egg problem, and you just reinforced the response-bias I just said was happening. I am "the community" as well, and I downvote regularly, but almost never in the blind because to do helps no-one, and creates meta questions. Can you agree this meta post would not exist if people simply said what was wrong with the posts? Chicken-and-the-egg. – Vogon Poet Oct 22 '19 at 18:19
I've given some of your questions upvotes and a few of them downvotes. Most of them I've just been "meh" about, but I tend to skim over a lot of content here. None of that is specific to you, and it's definitely not personal.
We're not required to provide feedback on a downvote. In fact I've seen that discouraged, because it gives posters who feel they have been wronged a target for revenge.
Votes on questions are intended to help give future people searching a clue which questions are potentially more or less useful. A massively researched question about whether or not HP is an "innie" or an "outie" is not likely to get many votes, because no matter how much work has gone into it it's still not very useful.
A quick skim over the questions you're complaining about suggests to me that they may - at least in some people's opinion - be falling short of the "likely to be useful" threshold. I will hold off on downvoting any of them, but there are a couple I might ordinarily have considered as "less useful."
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• 4
Is Harry Potter an innie or an outie though? – Valorum Oct 22 '19 at 18:22
• 1
@Valorum Thank you for that. :) Maybe you should ask the question! You're really good at research... :) – DavidW Oct 22 '19 at 18:23
• Only Slitherincess can answer. – James McLeod Oct 24 '19 at 23:12
• @JamesMcLeod - Or anyone who's seen Equus – Valorum Oct 25 '19 at 13:55
• 1
"In fact I've seen that discouraged, because it gives posters who feel they have been wronged a target for revenge." The only time I've ever been obviously vote-targeted was exactly for this reason. (obvious in the sense that the votes got reversed after reporting, and the suspected user got a year long suspension at the same time) – JMac Oct 31 '19 at 18:47
You keep mentioning "anonymous" down-votes. Of course down-votes (and up-votes for that matter) are anonymous. This prevents a user from attacking those who have down-voted them, this is a basic SE founding principal. It is also why down-vote do not cost the voter any reputation on questions, questions are the sand to answers pearls. User must not be afraid to down-vote to create a healthy environment of self-moderation and quality control.
As has been mentioned, but I will reiterate, serial down-voting (and again up-voting) is not allowed on this platform, will be discovered, and will be punished. We rarely have 1 serial down-voter let alone 5, 10, or even more as you are suggesting.
I would do some self-reflection and examine if it is the site that is wrong or perhaps there might some adjustments you can make in your own attitude that can help your questions be better received. If you decide that it is indeed the community maybe it is time for you to remove that negativity from your life.
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• Somehow no amount of good English can penetrate the amazing power of cognitive dissonance. “Prolific” - unanswered. An “attitude that can help your questions be better received.” Obviously you agree with me. Questions are scored by reputation, not content, and you’re suggesting users who are prepared to stand up for a library of expert answers should go elsewhere. Understood. – Vogon Poet Oct 25 '19 at 21:51
• 3
@VogonPoet It is an attitude for you, not for anyone else, you need to learn to accept legitimate critiques and helpful criticism. We are all human (last I checked anyway) and there is always a human element in voting. – Skooba Oct 26 '19 at 18:06
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12465 | Revision history of "Template:2020 National Trials"
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12474 | How Do You Determine The Press Releases That Will Be Purged By Serp Space After 180 Days?
By April
In episode 164 of Semantic Mastery's weekly Hump Day Hangouts, one viewer asked how one can determine which press releases (PR) will be purged by Serp Space after 180 days.
The exact question was:
Question on Press Release (PR) stack technique.
You mentioned in your video that to identify the PR that will not be purged after 180 days. Can you explain a bit in detail how can we determine which PR will not be purge? Should we wait until 180 days and re-check each link from the report provided by SERP Space?
Also, is it 180days or 6 months before the PR is purged?
This Stuff Works
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12486 | Challenge 6: Location
In this challenge, we’ll explore the use of a handy API for mobile apps (geolocation) to enhance the app you made in Challenge 5.
Your Objective
Building on top of what you already made in Challenge 5, enhance your venue list by showing in real-time how far away the user is from each venue.
The Geolocation API
In addition to location-oriented components like <MapView>, React Native provides a Geolocation API to the spec of This API lets you do perform more advanced, non-map based activity based on location.
Using this API, you can get a user’s current position (getCurrentPosition), subscribe to updates of the user’s position (watchPosition), and clear the aforementioned subscription (clearWatch).
Geolocation functions are available through the navigator.geolocation global, so you don’t need to import anything.
A simple example:
// ...
componentDidMount() {
const positionOptions = {
enableHighAccuracy: true,
timeout: 10000,
maximumAge: 1000
const onSuccess = (position) => {
// on successful retrieval of a position, this function will execute
this.setState({ position })
const onFailure = (error) => {
// on a failed attempt to get a position, this function will execute
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(onSuccess, onFailure, positionOptions)
// ...
Hit the docs for more details, and examples of the API in use.
Distance Calculation
Feel free to use the below function to calculate the distance between two lat/longs in miles.
function distance(lat1, lon1, lat2, lon2) {
var φ1 = Math.PI * lat1 / 180;
var φ2 = Math.PI * lat2 / 180;
var theta = lon1 - lon2;
var radtheta = Math.PI * theta / 180;
var dist =
Math.sin(φ1) * Math.sin(φ2) +
Math.cos(φ1) * Math.cos(φ2) * Math.cos(radtheta);
dist = Math.acos(dist);
dist = dist * 180 / Math.PI;
dist = dist * 60 * 1.1515;
return dist.toFixed(2);
Location Simulation
If you’re using the iOS simulator (and not the Expo app) the simulator may not provide a location to your app by default. To change this, click the “Debug” item in the Simulator menubar, hover over “Location” at the bottom, and select “Freeway Drive”. This sets up the simulator to simulate the location of somebody cruising the freeway through the bay area. (You might need to restart your simulator for this setting to take effect.)
Get to it.
Add real-time distances to your venue list. For bonus points,
When you’re done, post a screenshot in the #progress channel. That’s it. You’re done!
Wrapping Up |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12539 | The Iconic Marshall Amp Lives On in Portable Form With the New Emberton Speaker
marshall emberton speaker
Courtesy of Marshall
Few things say good loud music like the Marshall amp. Marshall stacks have been the iconic backdrop for groups all the way back to The Who and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. (We do recommend treating your speakers better than Pete Townshend, of course.)
Those giant amp stacks still exist, but do you really want one in your house or apartment? Wait, scratch that, Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy — do you really need one in your place? Of course not. But what if you could get that great Marshall sound in a much more portable and convenient form?
That would be the Marshall Emberton Speaker, which gives you the sound and the iconic look of Marshall amplifiers in a modern smart speaker.
The Emberton compact portable speaker uses Marshall’s True Stereophonic technology to give you true 360-degree quality sound. Every spot in the room is a sweet spot for the Emberton; no more pointing and listening and adjusting to make sure it delivers to your seating area.
marshall emberton speaker Courtesy of Marshall
The multi-directional control knob lets you play, pause, skip or advance tracks and adjust your volume, and it’s also your power switch. It’s the easiest interface imaginable, and the Bluetooth 5.0 tech gives you a seamless and reliable connection within 30 feet.
With a full charge, the Emberton can crank tunes for an amazing 20+ hours. A full recharge takes only 3 hours, and a quick 20-minute boost will give you five full hours of playtime. Give it a quick boost for a party, then plug it in overnight for the full recharge.
The sound is pure Marshall power in a tiny package. The Emberton maxes out at 87 decibels at one meter, driven by two 10-watt Class D amps. It’s truly remarkable power for such a small (2.68 x 6.30 x 2.99 inches) and light (24.6 ounces) portable speaker. The cabinet itself, which is a dead ringer for the classic Marshall amp, is durable enough for you to throw it into a bag and take it on the go. This speaker also boasts an IPX7 waterproof rating should you get caught in the rain.
A vintage Marshall half-stack weighs 41 pounds and costs over three grand. Plus, it won’t port with your phone via Bluetooth like the Emberton. For the weight of the half-stack you could have nearly 27 Embertons, and you could fit over 64 Embertons in the space of a half-stack. Most importantly, you could buy over 20 Embertons for the cost of a half-stack. And then you could create your own stack, and Pete Townshend the heck out of it if you so desired! But maybe just stick to one for $150, and give your place a great-looking sound upgrade that evokes the glory days of classic rock.
Forget Apple AirPods, These Are the Best Wireless Earbuds |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12551 | How to Commoditize Work Platforms
by Kevin O'Neill
In the extremely fast-paced world, everyone wants a simple and inexpensive solution to their problems. There never seems to be enough time to collaborate with a team and discuss the steps that need to be taken to solve a problem. Problems are solved by a quick internet search and then purchasing a solution that is inexpensive and appears like it will get the job done efficiently and quickly.
When searching for a product, buyers and project managers look for the easiest and cheapest solution: a commodity product. Commodity solutions for large scale material handling projects would expedite the project and decreased expenses. To make a work platform a commodity product, project managers and project engineers need to answer the following questions, and make sure all the answers are the same for each project they work on.
1. Who is the customer?
2. Who is the end-user?
a. Is it the same as the customer?
3. What is the project timeline?
a. Will the technology used in/on the platform change during the project?
4. What are the safety specs for the insurance company or the company policy?
5. Are there any corporate standards for platforms that we need to know about?
6. Does the project require a PE stamp?
7. Is this an existing building or new construction?
8. Are the building specs available?
9. What is the building footprint?
10. Are there special building codes that we need to be aware of?
11. Where are there pipes, columns, sinks, ducts, etc. located?
12. What does the building floor look like?
13. Where are the platform footing going to be?
14. What will the column spacing be?
15. How many columns are needed?
16. What is the orientation of the building to the road?
17. What type of environment will the platform be in?
a. Is it indoors or outdoors?
18. Are there chemicals present?
a. If so, are the chemicals corrosive?
19. What is the temperature of the environment the platform will be present in?
20. Are there clean requirements?
21. What is the geographical location?
22. Is this a high seismic area?
23. What is the application of the platform?
24. Why is the platform needed?
a. Is it going to be used for walkways, equipment, storage, access platform?
25. What is going on the platform?
26. Will there be any food product on the platform?
27. Is the platform supporting any machinery?
a. How much does the machinery weigh?
b. Where will the machinery sit?
c. Where are the feet of the machine?
d. Does the machine cause vibration?
e. How much vibration?
f. Does the machine require no vibration?
28. Will people be on the platform?
a. How many people?
b. What will the people be doing?
29. How many stairways does the platform need?
30. How many ladders will the platform need?
31. What kind of decking is needed?
32. What color does the structure need to be?
Most Importantly
33. Are you looking for the cheapest solution or the BEST solution?
As you can see there is more to a project than what meets the eye and it is not always easy for just one person to know everything about the new project and all the factors that go into engineering a new structure. There are no two projects that are the same, even if it may seem that way. Creating a commodity product would generate a streamlined ordering process, but it would not always be the solution that a customer wants and cause more headaches in the end.
Steele Solutions, Inc is here to help you determine the best possible solution while considering all the different factors. We have a team of skilled and knowledgeable engineers, estimators, sales professionals and more to make sure your project is a success!
About the blog
Mezzanine and Platform News an Information
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Don't Eat With Your Mouth Full
Where can we live but days?
(no subject)
Thanks to the generosity of gillpolack I am now the proud possessor of a Banksia pod and some very striking views of Sydney harbour.
Banksia Hog
Isn't it pretty? In the spirit of the great Sir Joseph's Linnaean endeavours, I think I can safely say that it's is a close relative of the hedgehog, though this one thankfully is free of fleas.
Thanks, gillpolack - I'm very grateful. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12554 | Instruction Guide: EV3 - Parallel Beam Sychronization
Printer-friendly version
This lesson has two resources.
The PowerPoint contains all the information needed for the lesson. The corresponding EV3 Code file includes all four examples of synchronization. The EV3 Code is included as screen shots. Sometimes, additional helpful tips are included the PowerPoint. Students should use both materials
2. It is important that students read the comments.
3. Look at all four ways to make sure the parallel beams have finished.
Provide a challenge for students that requires two tasks to be performed at the same time and both completed before moving to a subsequent task. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12560 | Dypsis decaryi (Triangle Palm)
• Sale
• Regular price $250.00
Full sun-light shade; little water. Slow growing, single-trunked palm reaches 18-20ft tall, 12-15ft wide. Trunk is triangular in cross section because heavily keeled leafstalks grow in three rans above the stems. Gray-green fronds to 15ft long are strongly upright but arching at tips. Native to arid parts of Madagascar. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12581 | Aeon Subcommanders are extremely expensive, but make up for it by being very powerful fighting units as well as great builders – much better than your Commander even if you don’t bother to upgrade them.
The subcommander has a build speed of 30.
The Aeon Support Command Unit in Supreme Commander.
SCU Stats
Armor: 25000hp (regen rate: 10)
Abilities: Customizable, Omni Sensor, Engineering Suite, Explodes on Death,
Cannot be Reclaimed
Cost: M5200 (+2, storage: 50), E60000 (+20, storage: 250), T6000, build rate: 30
Intel: sight: 26 (508m), omni: 16 (313m)
Physics: max speed: 2.2 (43.0m/s), turn rate: 146
Transport class: 3
Veterancy: 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 kills
veteran level 2: +6250 hp,
veteran level 4: +6250 hp,
veteran level 5: repair 20 hp/s
SCU Weapons
Reacton Cannon (Direct Fire):
750.00 dps,
range: 2 (39.1m) – 22 (430m)
projectile weapon: 750 damage
rate of fire: 1 (every 1s)
veteran level 1: +188 damage, veteran level 3: +188 damage
Death Nuke (Direct Fire):
1000.00 dps
area: 10 (195m)
range: 1 (19.5m)
projectile weapon: 1000 damage
rate of fire: 1 (every 1s)
Stability Suppressant
Gives SCU main gun an area-effect radius of 4.
Cost: M2550, E600000, T4500
Resource Allocation System
Produces extra resources (see “Cost” above).
Cost: M6000 (+18), E375000 (+2700), T9000
Personal Shield Generator
Gives SCU a shield around itself.
Cost: M1000, E93750 (-300), T3750
Shield: 15000hp
(regen rate: 115, regen start time: 60, recharge time: 190)
Heavy Personal Shield Generator
Gives SCU a bigger shield around itself.
Requires Personal Shield Generator
Cost: M1650, E600000 (-600), T4500
Shield: 25000hp
(regen rate: 152, regen start time: 75, recharge time: 240)
Personal Teleporter
Allows teleportation to anywhere on the map.
Cost: M60000, E6000000, T18000
Cost to use: E (-20000), T60
System Integrity Compensator
Increases regen rate to 350 hp/s.
Cost: M1500, E112500, T4500
Engineering Focusing Module
Increases build speed to 60.
Cost: M2100, E75000, T9000
Sacrificial Preparations
Allows SCU to sacrifice like other Aeon engineers.
Cost: M300, E4500, T2250
Sacrifice: M3000 (57.7%)
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12582 | I need training content on sms-phishing.
1 comment
• Avatar
Douglas Freeman
Hi Aimee
I think I see what you're saying here our modules that only cover SMS seem to be somewhat limited. That is more than likely because we have modules that will address that attack vector and other vectors as well.
Here are a couple of quick searches that pulled modules that may touch on this topic.
If you wanted to share the name of the module that you found only in Portuguese I'd be glad to send the feedback to my Courseware team to get that produced in other languages.
I'll be sending them feedback anyway to let them know that a request for more SMS content is being requested
Thank you for your contribution I look forward I'm hoping we can get you the content that you're looking for!
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12615 | I know that I can type unicode characters by number in LuaTeX with ^^^^00a9 for example. Works for the copyright symbol.
I can't get it to work though for arbitrary symbols like ^^^^2764 (heart) or ^^^^260e (phone).
How can I make LuaTeX support these characters and why doesn't it work in the first place?
• you will have a warning in the log that tells you the font you are using does not have that character. – David Carlisle Feb 18 '17 at 10:44
• @DavidCarlisle This is not really a warning. Just a message saying: Missing character: There is no ❤ (U+2764) in font [lmroman10-regular]:+tlig;! – Paul Gaborit Feb 18 '17 at 16:21
• 1
@PaulGaborit yes a behaviour inherited from classical tex, it's not clear why it's not styled more as a Warning or at least sent to the terminal, but it's not changeable in the macro layer it's a low level feature of the engines. – David Carlisle Feb 18 '17 at 16:26
• tex.stackexchange.com/a/119945 is related, but the answer given there seems to need some adjustment for the current version of TeX Live. – Thérèse Feb 18 '17 at 19:40
LuaTeX supports all UTF-8 characters (directly or via ^^^^XXXX). Most fonts, however, do not have all the corresponding glyphs.
For each missing character, in the log file, you will find a message as:
COPYRIGHT SIGN: © ^^^^00a9\par
HEAVY BLACK HEART: ❤ ^^^^2764\par
BLACK TELEPHONE: ☎ ^^^^260e\par
\tryfont{Latin Modern Roman}
\tryfont{Source Code Pro}
\tryfont{DejaVu Sans}
enter image description here
| improve this answer | |
• 1
+1 Many fonts have a lot of glyphs, but usually is to support different languages and styles, not icon-like symbols as a phone. Among serious fonts (by "serious" I mean professional look, full set of styles,etc.), DejaVu should be one of the best at this respect, but it would be nice of know of others good with similar or more complete set of utf8 icons, specially among serif fonts. – Fran Feb 21 '17 at 20:23
Your Answer
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12619 | The Data Mine
This is The Data Mine, a online resource for people interested in data mining. It is a Wiki, which means that anyone can add or edit information.
Data Mining Software is one of the most popular sections, with information on data mining companies and organizations coming a close second.
History of the Data Mine
The Data Mine was launched in April 1994, when I (Andy Pryke) was in the early stages of my Ph.D. in data mining. The initial site had a single page with links to all six (yes 6) references to Data Mining I could find on the newly created "World Wide Web".
The addition of Perl scripts written by my collegue Andy Wood allowed readers to automatically add information to the site. The last version of this incarnation of the site had around 20 pages.
In October 2001, The Data Mine was converted to a Wiki Wiki system, which allows quick and easy updating and editing by users. It has been re-launched in 2004 and again in March 2008. There are currently more than 500 pages of information on data mining.
Topic revision: r6 - 02 Apr 2008, AndyPryke
Ideas, requests, problems regarding Foswiki? Send feedback |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12645 | Drought Resistant Plant list – Make your Yard easier to care for
Drought resistant plants make gardening easier and cut back on watering which is helpful in certain areas of the world.
I use drought resistant plants in my front yard. It receives sunlight all day and the plants do not do well unless they are hardy and drought resistant.
Below is a list of flowers that are annuals and perennials, shrubs and trees for vegetation that takes less water. They are from the University of Vermont Extension
Department of Plant and Soil Science.
Annuals, Biennials, Bulbs (most spring flowering)
baby’s breath (annual)
begonia (wax leaf)
dianthus (annual pink)
dusty miller
flowering tobacco (Nicotiana)
four o’clocks
gloriosa daisy (annual Rudbeckia)
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia)
morning glory
periwinkle (annual vinca)
phlox (annual)
purple fountain grass (Pennisetum)
rose moss (Portulaca)
spider flower (Cleome)
statice (Limonium)
sweet alyssum
zinnia (Profusion series especially)
Perennials, Grasses (G) USDA hardiness zones will vary with species and cultivar
Achillea (Yarrow)
Agastache (Anise Hyssop)
Alcea (Mallow)
Amsonia (Blue Stars)
Artemisia (Wormwood)
Asclepias (Butterfly Flower)
Baptisia (False Indigo)
Calamagrostis (Feather Reed Grass, G)
Calluna (Heather)
Carex (Sedge, G)
Chrysogonum (Goldenstar)
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Delosperma (Hardy Ice Plant)
Dianthus (Pinks)
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Erianthus (Plume Grass, 6)
Festuca (Blue Fescue, G)
Fragaria (Strawberry)
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Gaura (Wandflower)
Geranium (sanguineum, Perennial G.)
Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)
Helleborus (Hellebore)
Hemerocallis (Daylily)
Hosta (Plantain Lily, shade)
Lamium (Dead Nettle)
Lavandula (Lavender)
Liatris (Blazing Star)
Lupinus (Lupine)
Miscanthus (Eulalia, G)
Nepeta (Catmint)
Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
Panicum (Switch Grass, G)
Papaver (Poppy)
Pennisetum (Foxtail Grass, G)
Paeonia (Peony)
Penstemon (Beard tongue)
Perovskia (Russian Sage)
Phlox (subulata, Ground P.)
Rudbeckia (Black eyed Daisy)
Salvia (Perennial Sage)
Sedum (Sedum)
Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks)
Stachys (Lamb’s Ears)
Thymus (Thyme)
Verbascum (Mullein)
Vinca (Periwinkle)
Yucca (Adam’s Needle)
Shrubs, Vines (V) (E=evergreen)
Aristolochia (Dutchman’s Pipe, V)
Aronia (Red Chokeberry)
Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
Campsis (Trumpetcreeper, V)
Caryopteris (Bluemist Spirea)
Chaenomeles (Flowering Quince)
Clematis (Sweet Autumn Clematis, V)
Clethra (Carolina Allspice)
Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster, E)
Cytisus (Scotch Broom, E)
Hamameles (Witch Hazel)
Itea (Virginia Sweetspire)
Juniperus (Juniper, E)
Lonicera (Honeysuckle, V)
Microbiota (Russian Arborvitae, E)
Myrica (Bayberry)
Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper, V.)
Potentilla (Cinquefoil)
Rosa (Rose, many species/shrub types)
Taxus (Yew, E)
Viburnum (dentatum, Arrowwood V.)
Weigela (Old-fashioned Weigela)
Trees (E=evergreen)
White fir (Abies concolor, E)
Box Elder (Acer negundo)
Gray Birch (Betula populifolia)
Cedars (Cedrus, E)
Hackberry (Celtis)
Spruces (Picea, E)
Pines (Pinus, E)
Oaks (Quercus)
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis, E)
Elms (Ulmus)
Besides the few in this list, you can probably find more at complete garden centers and nurseries. Some of the clues to look for in plants, that help them survive droughts, are:
1. fleshy thick stems and leaves, succulent like cactus (such as Sedums, Sempervivums)
2. waxy coated leaves (such as rosemary, wax-leaf begonia)
3. densely hairy leaves (such as lamb’s ears or Stacys)
4. silvery, grayish or bluish foliage (such as Artemesia, Dianthus)
5. narrow leaves (such as Gaura, ornamental grasses)
6. prickly leaves (such as globe thistle or Eryngium)
I also have an article with more information on planting drought resistant plants: http://thegardenersrake.com/drought-resistant-plants-for-your-landscape-and-gardens
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12648 | Ghost Rider #3, Moon Knight #3 & Original Sin #1
Here is another batch of books from Marvel, with the second appearance in two days by Jason Aaron
All-New Ghost Rider #3
Writer: Felipe Smith
Artist: Tradd Moore
Colorist: Val Staples
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Production: Manny Maderos
Assistant Editor: Emily Shaw
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Ghost Rider continues, not only being a great book, but getting better with each issue. Robbie Reyes (and the readers) get to learn a little bit more about the Spirit Of Vengeance, in this case an actual human spirit by the name of Eli. It also appears the Rider and the car really are almost as one, with a rad sequence of Ghost Rider stepping into a shadow, and manifesting as part of the car itself. Everything in this book looks amazing, from the art from Tradd Moore, to the brilliant colors from Val Staples, to the entire package tied together by Manny Maderos. Such a cool book.
Moon Knight #3
Writer:Warren Ellis
Artist: Declan Shalvey
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Editors: Ellie Pyle & Nick Lowe
Ghost punks are punching the hell out of folks, Moon Knight attempts to stop them but gets thoroughly trounced, he can’t touch them, but they can and do, touch him. MK seeks guidance from Khonshu, and he is told to look through his assortment of Egyptian artifacts for the tools he needs. When next we see him, he is decked out in armor with a huge bird-skull for a face, and everything he needs to punch the hell out of some ghosts. The art, as always is gorgeous, and I will say it every single time, but Jordie Bellaire colors this book beautifully, it can’t be said enough. It looks so damn good.
Original Sin #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Mike Deodato
Colorist: Frank Martin
Letterer: VC’s Chris Eliopoulos
Assistant Editor: Jake Thomas
Editors: Tom Brevoort & Will Moss
This is the issue where Uatu gets bumped off officially, and Nick Fury taking the case of who killed The Watcher (The Orb and somebody else?). He starts assembling teams, I’m not exactly sure why certain characters are assigned to each other, but it’s an intersting mix, with all of them bringing powers or skills that cover the bases. Scott Lang and Emma Frost. The Punisher and Dr Strange, Moon Kight, Winter Soldier and Gamora and so on… So the quest begins, who killed him? Why? How? Aside from shooting him in his gigantic head. What kind of bullets could do that? Why are the fragments glowing?
This is off to a good start, hopefully this will be a decent event.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12728 | Analysis of Genomes Converges on the Case for a Creator
By Fazale Rana – November 13, 2019
Are you a Marvel or a DC fan?
Do you like the Marvel superheroes better than those who occupy the DC universe? Or is it the other way around for you?
Even though you might prefer DC over Marvel (or Marvel over DC), over the years these two comic book rivals have often created superheroes with nearly identical powers. In fact, a number of Marvel and DC superheroes are so strikingly similar that their likeness to one another is obviously intentional.1
Here are just a few of the superheroes Marvel and DC have ripped off each other:
• Superman (DC, created in 1938) and Hyperion (Marvel, created in 1969)
• Batman (DC, created in 1939) and Moon Knight (Marvel, created in 1975)
• Green Lantern (DC, created in 1940) and Nova (Marvel, created in 1976)
• Catwoman (DC, created in 1940) and Black Cat (Marvel, created in 1979)
• Atom (DC, created in 1961) and Ant-Man (Marvel, created in 1962)
• Aquaman (DC, created in 1941) and Namor (Marvel, created in 1939)
• Green Arrow (DC, created in 1941) and Hawkeye (Marvel, created in 1964)
• Swamp Thing (DC, created in 1971) and Man Thing (Marvel, created in 1971)
• Deathstroke (DC, created in 1980) and Deadpool (Marvel, created in 1991)
This same type of striking similarity is also found in biology. Life scientists have discovered countless examples of biological designs that are virtually exact replicas of one another. Yet, these identical (or nearly identical) designs occur in organisms that belong to distinct, unrelated groups (such as the camera eyes of vertebrates and octopi). Therefore, they must have an independent origin.
Figure 1: The Camera Eyes of Vertebrates (left) and Cephalopods (right); 1: Retina; 2: Nerve Fibers; 3: Optic Nerve; 4: Blind Spot. Image credit: Wikipedia
From an evolutionary perspective, it appears as if the evolutionary process independently and repeatedly arrived at the same outcome, time and time again. As evolutionary biologists Simon Conway Morris and George McGhee point out in their respective books, Life’s Solution and Convergent Evolution, identical evolutionary outcomes are a widespread feature of the biological realm.2 Scientists observe these repeated outcomes (known as convergence) at the ecological, organismal, biochemical, and genetic levels.
From my perspective, the widespread occurrence of convergent evolution is a feature of biology that evolutionary theory can’t genuinely explain. In fact, I see pervasive convergence as a failed scientific prediction—for the evolutionary paradigm. Recent work by a research team from Stanford University demonstrates my point.3
These researchers discovered that identical genetic changes occurred when: (1) bats and whales “evolved” echolocation, (2) killer whales and manatees “evolved” specialized skin in support of their aquatic lifestyles, and (3) pikas and alpacas “evolved” increased lung capacity required to live in high-altitude environments.
Why do I think this discovery is so problematic for the evolutionary paradigm? To understand my concern, we first need to consider the nature of the evolutionary process.
Biological Evolution Is Historically Contingent
The concept of historical contingency embodies this idea and is the theme of Stephen Jay Gould’s book Wonderful Life.4 To help illustrate the concept, Gould uses the metaphor of “replaying life’s tape.” If one were to push the rewind button, erase life’s history, and then let the tape run again, the results would be completely different each time.
Are Evolutionary Processes Historically Contingent?
Gould based the concept of historical contingency on his understanding of the evolutionary process. In the decades since Gould’s original description of historical contingency, several studies have affirmed his view.
For example, in a landmark study in 2002, two Canadian investigators simulated macroevolutionary processes using autonomously replicating computer programs, with the programs operating like digital organisms.5 These programs were placed into different “ecosystems” and, because they replicated autonomously, could evolve. By monitoring the long-term evolution of the digital organisms, the two researchers determined that evolutionary outcomes are historically contingent and unpredictable. Every time they placed the same digital organism in the same environment, it evolved along a unique trajectory.
In other words, given the historically contingent nature of the evolutionary mechanisms, we would expect convergence to be rare in the biological realm. Yet, biologists continue to uncover example after example of convergent features—some of which are quite astounding.
The Origin of Echolocation
One of the most remarkable examples of convergence is the independent origin of echolocation (sound waves emitted from an organism to an object and then back to the organism) in bats (chiropterans) and cetaceans (toothed whales). Research indicates that echolocation arose independently in two different groups of bats and also in the toothed whales.
Figure 2: Echolocation in Bats. Image credit: Shutterstock
One reason why this example of convergence is so remarkable has to do with the way some evolutionary biologists account for the widespread occurrences of convergence in biological systems. Undaunted by the myriad examples of convergence, these scientists assert that independent evolutionary outcomes result when unrelated organisms encounter nearly identical selection forces (e.g., environmental, competitive, and predatory pressures). According to this idea, natural selection channels unrelated organisms down similar pathways toward the same endpoint.
But this explanation is unsatisfactory because bats and whales live in different types of habitats (terrestrial and aquatic). Consequently, the genetic changes responsible for the independent emergence of echolocation in the chiropterans and cetaceans should be distinct. Presumably, the evolutionary pathways that converged on a complex biological system such as echolocation would have taken different routes that would be reflected in the genomes. In other words, even though the physical traits appear to be identical (or nearly identical), the genetic makeup of the organisms should reflect an independent evolutionary history.
But this expectation isn’t borne out by the data.
Genetic Convergence Parallels Trait Convergence
In recent years, evolutionary biologists have developed interest in understanding the genetic basis for convergence. Specifically, these scientists want to understand the genetic changes that lead to convergent anatomical and physiological features (how genotype leads to phenotype).
Toward this end, a Stanford research team developed an algorithm that allowed them to search through entire genome sequences of animals to identify similar genetic features that contribute to particular biological traits.6 In turn, they applied this method to three test cases related to the convergence of:
• echolocation in bats and whales
• scaly skin in killer whales
• lung structure and capacity in pikas and alpacas
The investigators discovered that for echolocating animals, the same 25 convergent genetic changes took place in their genomes and were distributed among the same 18 genes. As it turns out, these genes play a role in the development of the cochlear ganglion, thought to be involved in echolocation. They also discovered that for aquatic mammals, there were 27 identical convergent genetic changes that occurred in same 15 genes that play a role in skin development. And finally, for high-altitude animals, they learned that the same 25 convergent genetic changes occurred in the same 16 genes that play a role in lung development.
In response to this finding, study author Gill Bejerano remarked, “These genes often control multiple functions in different tissues throughout the body, so it seems it would be very difficult to introduce even minor changes. But here we’ve found that not only do these very different species share specific genetic changes, but also that these changes occur in coding genes.”7
In other words, these results are not expected from an evolutionary standpoint. It is nothing short of amazing that genetic convergence would parallel phenotypic convergence.
On the other hand, these results make perfect sense from a creation model vantage point.
Convergence and the Case for Creation
Instead of viewing convergent features as having emerged through repeated evolutionary outcomes, we could understand them as reflecting the work of a Divine Mind. In this scheme, the repeated origins of biological features equate to the repeated creations by an Intelligent Agent who employs a common set of solutions to address a common set of problems facing unrelated organisms.
Like the superhero rip-offs in the Marvel and DC comics, the convergent features in biology appear to be intentional, reflecting a teleology that appears to be endemic in living systems.
Convergence of Echolocation
The Historical Contingency of the Evolutionary Process
1. Jamie Gerber, “15 DC and Marvel Superheroes Who Are Strikingly Similar,” ScreenRant (November 12, 2016),
3. Amir Marcovitz et al., “A Functional Enrichment Test for Molecular Convergent Evolution Finds a Clear Protein-Coding Signal in Echolocating Bats and Whales,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 116, no. 42 (October 15, 2019), 21094–21103, doi:10.1073/pnas.1818532116.
5. Gabriel Yedid and Graham Bell, “Macroevolution Simulated with Autonomously Replicating Computer Programs,” Nature 420 (December 19, 2002): 810–12, doi:10.1038/nature01151.
6. Marcovitz et al., “A Functional Enrichment Test.”
7. Stanford Medicine, “Scientists Uncover Genetic Similarities among Species That Use Sound to Navigate,” ScienceDaily, October 4, 2019,
Reprinted with permission by the author
Original article at:
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12746 | Alright, so I did a very stupid thing the other day. I was building a python program in pycharm, and I wanted to see what the UI looked like in the terminal. So I tried to run the code, but I didn't work because python 2.7 was installed not python 3.5. So my brain at 2 am decided that It would delete python 2.7 and install python 3.5, but at the time I didn't realize that linux mint was dependant on python... so I removed it.
I don't know how much was deleted but it paused to ask me whether I preferred mdm or lightdm. I (with no real linux experience) panicked and decided that I would reboot, and hope in the reboot process that Linux mint would realize that packages were missing automatically download and restore them. Wrong, I just got stuck on the logo it the boot screen. Then I rebooted Linux mint recovery. Ran aptitude -f, it showed some packages recommended to install and I pressed g to install them. Then I ran dpkg. It installed a few. I tried to reboot into Linux Mint but it still wasn't working.
So after googling I ran across debsums and so I did what the forum told me to do and It fixed all my corrupted and missing files. Still wasn't working. After googling more I ran into aptitude --reinstall '-i' (Which would reinstall all packages) but it requires aptitude v0.7.3 and I have v0.6.8.2. When I try to apt-get install aptitude, it claims that aptitude is already at the newest version.
As of right now when I reboot the Ubuntu 17.2 logo pops up instead of the Linux Mint, but the computer still boot-loops.
Can I fix this without losing my data? I would rather fix it than reinstall Linux Mint if possible.
• Do you remember how exactly did you remove python? I mean with python* regex for example, for me to be able to simulate a few scenarios in a VM? – LinuxSecurityFreak May 7 '16 at 17:46
• I did apt-get remove python I then typed the Yes, do as I say! – Pythogen May 7 '16 at 18:06
• Not that this is particularly helpful, but hopefully you're learned the lesson that if you're not only asked if you're sure, but have to show just how sure you are, you might want to make certain you're fully awake before telling the system you're really really surely sure. – DopeGhoti May 7 '16 at 18:10
This is what happened in a VM to me when removing regex python*:
enter image description here
Since I can't figure out how to install all of it back in, it will be hard to put it together.
I will not poke you further, you have learned lesson the hard way. Maybe is someone able to fix it, but I doubt it will be faster than a clean install. That is why I post this.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12748 | Editorial, News
Chris Brown Tweeting About Ebola Conspiracy Theory
Chris Brown says Ebola is “form of population control” by those in higher power.
The “New Flames” singer is currently being ridiculed on Twitter and praised by some for tweeting about the Ebola conspiracy theory.
SEE ALSO: Drake Thinks He Is Better For Rihanna Than Chris Brown
SEE ALSO: Chris Brown & Karrueche Still Together Despite Kendall Jenner Rumors
“I don’t know … But I think this Ebola epidemic is a form of population control. Sh– is getting crazy bruh,” Chris Brown wrote on Twitter.
The tweet received over 12,000 retweets and 9,000 favourites since he sent out the tweet last night.
After he started getting some backlash he then tweeted, “Let me shut my black a** up!”
“The stupid gene is strong in Chris Brown,” one famous person wrote on Twitter.
Chris Brown twitter
But Chris Brown is not the only one talking about the topic. The Ebola conspiracy theory surfaced since the first person to die from the deadly virus in the United States is a black man.
Chris Brown just released his new album X that has been doing fairly well. The album debut at No. 2 on Billboard 200 chart with 145,000 copies sold in its first week.
Breezy sure knows how to keep people talking about him.
1. Chris Brown can be right. Since slavery melanated people are the victim of racial birth/population control. You can check it up people!
2. Chris Brown is the smartest stupid person out there. Why only the black man died from Ebola and the white folks get cured?
• Smartest stupid person? That sounds more like an oxymoron,not everything has racial implications. You’d rather the so called “cure” be given to someone who lied while taking a few souls? Rather than the white Americans who provided relief to Africans knowing the risk?
I suppose you’d give the so called AIDS cure to a person who knowingly spreads the disease. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12758 | Alexa's Certified Metrics Keeping Your Support System Strong | Vantage Point Recovery
Keeping Your Support System Strong
If you’re a few months into your recovery, perhaps you’ve already gathered a network of support. Just by participating in treatment, you’ve likely got a therapist, psychiatrist, doctor, and drug counselor. And if you’re also attending 12-step meetings, then you’ve got a community of people as well as a sponsor. You might also have friends, family members, and other personal relationships that are supporting you. But what can you do to keep this system of support strong, so that it’s there for you if and when you need it? The following are suggestions for strengthening a support system and keeping it that way.
1. Take good care of yourself. The truth is your first and highest priority is you. Keeping yourself well and stable must be your main focus. And you’ll find that when you do that more and more people will be there to support you. It might sound cold but people don’t have much patience with those who are not taking good care of themselves first. So it will be hard to keep people on your side if you’re not doing what you can to keep yourself clean and sober.
2. Examine whether you have any bad habits that might get in the way of keeping relationships. People like to work with those who are polite, kind, and clean. If you tend to neglect your hygiene, have poor social habits, or if you’re downright rude, then it might be difficult to find and keep supporters.
3. Don’t expect it to be one-sided. Although you’re aiming to build a network of people who can support you, don’t forget that you also have the capacity to support them. There’s a good chance that you’re not going to be in need 100% of the time. Instead, you’ll likely have opportunities where you can give and share and provide your support too. When there’s a sense of mutual support among people, everyone is more likely to get involved and lend a hand.
4. Create a goal of having at least five people who support you. If you don’t already have a group of individuals who are there to support you, try to develop a few new friendships. You might make connections with those who are at your 12-step meetings or those who you are in group therapy with.
5. Make a list of your supporters with their phone numbers. When you’re in need, anxious, or under stress, it’s hard to remember the names of your supporters and how to contact them. But if you have a list that’s easy to grab, you can quickly find the person you want to call. Not having this sort of list might only add more anxiety and even prevent getting any help when you need it. Staying organized with your supporters and their contact information can make it easy on you when you need it.
Having a support system is vital, especially in the early months of recovery. The above suggestions are ways to build and strengthen your support network, as well as keep it strong.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12794 | Category: Sandbox
From CUNY Academic Commons
A sandbox is a testing environment that isolates untested source code changes and outright experimentation from the production environment or repository, in the context of software development including Web development and revision control.
To experiment in the Academic Commons Sandbox click here.
In wikis
Wikis also typically employ a shared sandbox model of testing, though it is intended principally for learning and outright experimentation with features rather than for testing of alterations to existing content (the wiki analog of source code). An edit preview mode is usually used instead to test specific changes made to the texts or layout of wikis pages. In the Academic Commons, a sandbox exists for users to experiment with their ideas and questions.
Sandboxes used in Electronic Literacy Programs
Project Stretch is a traditional and electronic literacy program. It utilizes wiki sandboxes within a MOODLE in order to encourage middle school students to experiment with online media. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12795 | Documentation for a historical release of Infusion: 1.3
Please view the Infusion Documentation site for the latest documentation.
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List Reorderer
The List Reorderer provides reordering of elements in a list through drag and drop and/or numbering. This component is part of the Reorderer family of components.
• Drag and drop elements in a list to reorder the list.
• Configurable option to include numbering interaction for reordering the list.
List Reorderer - Progress Indicator
This component is in Production status
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12796 | Information for "Fuzzy dice (Equipment)"
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Page creatorMommitude (talk | contribs)
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12797 | Icon Sets
From Trinity Desktop Project Wiki
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The Default Icon Sets
By default, Trinity ships with one icon set (Crystal SVG) in tdebase, five more (iKons, KDE-Classic, Kids, KDE-Locolor, Slick Icons) in tdeartwork, and one (Monochrome) in tdeaccessibility. Here's a quick comparison chart (using the largest folder icon available as a visual sample):
Name Creator Largest Size Sample Notes
Crystal SVG Everaldo Coelho No max CrystalSVGFolderIcon128.png The KDE3 default icon set (and Trinity's as well, since we haven't replaced it). Infinitely resizable .svg icons.
iKons Kristof Borrey 64 x 64 IKonsFolderIcon64.png Most icons are only available at sizes up to 48 x 48.
KDE-Classic Torsten Rahn 64 x 64 KDEClassicFolderIcon64.png This was the default KDE3 icon set prior to the introduction of Crystal. Most icons are only available at sizes up to 48 x 48.
KDE-Locolor ??? 32 x 32 KDELocolorFolderIcon32.png Similar to KDE-Classic, but with fewer colours per icon.
Kids Everaldo Coelho 64 x 64 KidsFolderIcon64.png
Monochrome Danny Allen No max MonoFolderIcon128.png Black-and-white icon set for monochrome/low-colour displays. Infinitely resizable .svg icons.
Slick Icons ??? 64 x 64 SlickFolderIcon64.png
Using Non-Trinity Icons with Trinity
Go right ahead. Trinity should be able to use any icon theme suitable for X Windows desktop environments, including KDE4's Oxygen, the various custom icon themes created by Ubuntu, themes created for Gnome, etc. Icon sets for KDE will probably have the largest selection of icons for Trinity-specific applications like amaroK and Konqueror. If you don't like any of the sets your distribution makes available, the best place to look for additional ones is the KDELook.org Icon Sets section.
Once installed, additional icon themes should show up in the Control Center under Appearance and Themes > Icons.
If you want to pick and choose individual icons, they can be in .png or .svg format. Microsoft Windows .ico files won't work, but you can convert them to .png by using appropriate software.
If you want to create your own icons, we provide kiconedit in the tdegraphics package in order to make it easy to do just that. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12822 | Cities In Nigeria That Are 4G Internet Supported
If you still do not use 4G network in Nigeria, then you have not experienced the swift power of browsing. If I’m to mention the operators that offer 4G internet network in Nigeria, I’ll be adding only but these three to the list: Visafone (powered by MTN), Ntel and Smile. I use spectranet, and some of you will belief Spectranet should be added to the list alongside Swift, but I omitted them on purpose, because neither Spectranet nor Swift sells SIM cards alone without a modem or router. But the other three I mentioned above can be purchased alone without even buying a modem or router and be used in any smartphone.4G
Cities with 4G Internet Coverage in Nigeria
You want to go into the 4G network world, and you are still in doubt if your state, or city is 4G supported? Then I have prepared for you a list that will see you through.
Below are the cities that are covered by 4G in Nigeria as at time of this post.
Ntel being the latest 4G operators are still trying to cover a whole lot of cities, but as at now, they have the smallest coverage in the country as they cover just the two states below.
1. Lagos
2. Abuja
Though we cannot still give Ntel a hundred percent coverage in Lagos as they cover just major places, so try to check out for your area before you purchase their sim cards or product.
Unlike MTN which covers almost every place in Nigeria if not every place. Its subsidiary, Visafone does not. Visafone 4G is only available in the seven locations below.
1. Lagos
2. Port Harcourt
3. Ibadan
4. Abuja
5. Abeokuta
6. Sagamu
7. Kaduna
As at the time of this post, Smile covers more places over every other 4G operator in Nigeria, beating Visafone by just one. Visafone 4G is only available in the eight locations below:
1. Lagos
2. Port Harcourt
3. Ibadan
4. Abuja
5. Benin City
6. Kaduna
7. Onitsha
8. Asaba
For now, 4G internet in Nigeria is limited to just some places, but in the nearest time future, the 4G internet network will spread rapidly to almost everywhere in Nigeria.
So before you go to purchase any of these sim cards or their networks, you should firstly consult this list to guide you.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12831 | Results 1 to 3 of 3
1. #1
toolpusher is offline Novice
Windows 10 Access 2016
Join Date
Apr 2020
Database opens for one user only
I have a Access DB that is not spilt to front end back end for which I know is the way to do it for multiple users but I cant do that for various reasons that I wont go into. The database is set with a password which should make it exclusive? The problem I have is if two users try to open the DB using the password they are able to? I don't want this I want it to be like a MS spreadsheet when its set for exclusive use the second party gets a message that the spreadsheet is in use and he needs to wait until the first user shuts it down.
Is this achievable with access
2. #2
ranman256's Avatar
ranman256 is offline VIP
Windows Vista Access 2010 32bit
Join Date
Apr 2014
you should make another FE db, (not split , a second db with nothing in it)
this db would check to see if the main db is open (via the .laccdb) if file exists, give user the message,
if not, open the main db.
sub Check2Open()
if fileexists("\\server\folder\mydb.laccdb") then
msgbox "Db is open"
call shell("c:\msAccess.exe '\\server\folder\mydb.accdb'")
end sub
Public Function FileExists(ByVal pvFile) As Boolean Dim FSO Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") FileExists = FSO.FileExists(pvFile) Set FSO = Nothing End Function
3. #3
Ajax is offline VIP
Windows 10 Access 2010 32bit
Join Date
Mar 2015
never tried it but you could try setting the 'open exclusive' option
File>Options>Client Settings---Advanced
however this means second user can probably still open the db, but won't be able to change data (like opening excel readonly). As I said, I've not tried it, you would need to check
Another way would be to have a simple table with an 'already open' flag. When a user opens the db the flag is checked and if false the flag is set to true (and reset to false when the user exits the app). If the flag is already true then the user gets a warning message 'already in use' and the app is closed.
Please reply to this thread with any new information or opinions.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12835 | I can’t be the only one, surely, who has popped online for just a few minutes and discovered three hours and several ‘pins’ later that the internet can be quite an addictive place?
And I certainly can’t be the only person, given the amount of fellow bemused shoppers I find at the tills in Hobbycraft, who have become convinced, during their Pinstagram adventures, that they are in fact crafting genuineness, able to dream up and construct whatever comes to mind with the help only of double sided tape and an app on your phone?
Over the years, even before my surgical attachment to my iPhone, I have tried my hand at almost every ‘better yourself’ activity there is. I have purchased language cassettes (yep – cassettes, remember them?), changed my hair colour, sweated myself silly on a cross trainer, read the classics, read the books trendy people tell you are classics, watched black and white ‘must see’ movies, pretended to not like my actual favourite films, cooked Christmas dinner for more people than I had cutlery, acquired a taste for olives (which I now love), not to mention all the times I tried to have a budget busting birthday bash, Christmas celebration or anniversary do, which usually ended up costing more than it would have to take my entire family and their offspring to the Ritz.
It’s a difficult thing to come to terms with, isn’t it, that you are who you are, and no amount of watching Kirsty and her homemade creations, or the Great British bake off will change it?
Of course there are some things that improve with time. I can now make rice, for example, for my half-Indian husband, and it no longer resembles mashed potato. I Can now also sew, read a spreadsheet and fold a fitted sheet (although to quote Queen Latifah, ‘ain’t nobody got time for that!’). But that person, in my head, that I think I am, who pads about the house in an apron and Toms shoes, or who hangs the washing out in Hunter wellies, I am not. And neither do I live in the imaginary woman’s house. My every surface has not been lovingly shabby-chiced, nor has my bed been rearranged to welcome in a ray of fresh morning light.
Yet here I am. With the call and command of God all over my life to reach my world for Jesus. My world.
I am not called to be somewhere else or someone else, my call is to simply, as Jesus said, ‘go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
And so the question remains for me, who will occupy my world if it’s not me? Whose responsibility is it to tell my children about Jesus if not mine? How will my neighbours understand that the God of heaven loves them so much that without them even knowing he moved a bunch of Christians into the street to help shed some light on his truth, if we are too busy imagining life somewhere else?
The revelation goes like this, ‘I am uniquely positioned for purpose.’
Actually, on scouring Pinterest (looking for boys’ bedroom ideas) I stumbled across this quote. Maybe it was God speaking, maybe not, and maybe it’s God’s word to you today too, via this article. It simply says, “you are exactly where you need to be.”
Your kids NEED you. Your neighbours NEED you. Your mum, granny, dad and brother, NEED you. Your boss NEEDS you. Your bus driver NEEDS you, your best mate NEEDS you. Your partner NEEDS you. They NEED you to take your call and responsibility seriously. To share your faith, to live your faith, to introduce them to Jesus so they can be restored to their father in Heaven. They might not know that’s what they need, but they do.
Who’d have thought it eh? I couldn’t make a scone if my life depended on it, but God chooses to use me to reach my world. Marvelous. image
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Understanding Auditory Processing Disorders in Children
by Teri James Bellis, PhD, CCC-A
In recent years, there has been a dramatic upsurge in professional and public awareness of Auditory Processing Disorders (APD), also referred to as Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD). Unfortunately, this increase in awareness has resulted in a plethora of misconceptions and misinformation, as well as confusion regarding just what is (and isn't) an APD, how APD is diagnosed, and methods of managing and treating the disorder. The term auditory processing often is used loosely by individuals in many different settings to mean many different things, and the label APD has been applied (often incorrectly) to a wide variety of difficulties and disorders. As a result, there are some who question the existence of APD as a distinct diagnostic entity and others who assume that the term APD is applicable to any child or adult who has difficulty listening or understanding spoken language. The purpose of this article is to clarify some of these key issues so that readers are better able to navigate the jungle of information available on the subject in professional and popular literature today.
Terminology and Definitions
There are many disorders that can affect a person's ability to understand auditory information. For example, individuals with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may well be poor listeners and have difficulty understanding or remembering verbal information; however, their actual neural processing of auditory input in the CNS is intact. Instead, it is the attention deficit that is impeding their ability to access or use the auditory information that is coming in. Similarly, children with autism may have great difficulty with spoken language comprehension. However, it is the higher-order, global deficit known as autism that is the cause of their difficulties, not a specific auditory dysfunction. Finally, although the terms language processing and auditory processing sometimes are used interchangeably, it is critical to understand that they are not the same thing at all.
For many children and adults with these disorders and others—including intellectual disabilities and sensory integration dysfunction—the listening and comprehension difficulties we often see are due to the higher-order, more global or all-encompassing disorder and not to any specific deficit in the neural processing of auditory stimuli per se. As such, it is not correct to apply the label APD to these individuals, even if many of their behaviors appear very similar to those associated with APD. In some cases, however, APD may co-exist with ADHD or other disorders. In those cases, only careful and accurate diagnosis can assist in disentangling the relative effects of each.
Diagnosing APD
Children with APD may exhibit a variety of listening and related complaints. For example, they may have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, following directions, and discriminating (or telling the difference between) similar-sounding speech sounds. Sometimes they may behave as if a hearing loss is present, often asking for repetition or clarification. In school, children with APD may have difficulty with spelling, reading, and understanding information presented verbally in the classroom. Often their performance in classes that don't rely heavily on listening is much better, and they typically are able to complete a task independently once they know what is expected of them. However, it is critical to understand that these same types of symptoms may be apparent in children who do not exhibit APD. Therefore, we should always keep in mind that not all language and learning problems are due to APD, and all cases of APD do not lead to language and learning problems. APD cannot be diagnosed from a symptoms checklist. No matter how many symptoms of APD a child may have, only careful and accurate diagnostics can determine the underlying cause.
A multidisciplinary team approach is critical to fully assess and understand the cluster of problems exhibited by children with APD. Thus, a teacher or educational diagnostician may shed light on academic difficulties; a psychologist may evaluate cognitive functioning in a variety of different areas; a speech-language pathologist may investigate written and oral language, speech, and related capabilities; and so forth. Some of these professionals may actually use test tools that incorporate the terms "auditory processing" or "auditory perception" in their evaluation, and may even suggest that a child exhibits an "auditory processing disorder." Yet it is important to know that, however valuable the information from the multidisciplinary team is in understanding the child's overall areas of strength and weakness, none of the test tools used by these professionals are diagnostic tools for APD, and the actual diagnosis of APD must be made by an audiologist.
To diagnose APD, the audiologist will administer a series of tests in a sound-treated room. These tests require listeners to attend to a variety of signals and to respond to them via repetition, pushing a button, or in some other way. Other tests that measure the auditory system's physiologic responses to sound may also be administered. Most of the tests of APD require that a child be at least 7 or 8 years of age because the variability in brain function is so marked in younger children that test interpretation may not be possible.
Once a diagnosis of APD is made, the nature of the disorder is determined. There are many types of auditory processing deficits and, because each child is an individual, APD may manifest itself in a variety of ways. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the type of auditory deficit a given child exhibits so that individualized management and treatment activities may be recommended that address his or her specific areas of difficulty.
Treating APD
Treatment of APD generally focuses on three primary areas: changing the learning or communication environment, recruiting higher-order skills to help compensate for the disorder, and remediation of the auditory deficit itself. The primary purpose of environmental modifications is to improve access to auditorily presented information. Suggestions may include use of electronic devices that assist listening, teacher-oriented suggestions to improve delivery of information, and other methods of altering the learning environment so that the child with APD can focus his or her attention on the message.
The degree to which an individual child's auditory deficits will improve with therapy cannot be determined in advance. Whereas some children with APD experience complete amelioration of their difficulties or seem to "grow out of" their disorders, others may exhibit some residual degree of deficit forever. However, with appropriate intervention, all children with APD can learn to become active participants in their own listening, learning, and communication success rather than hapless (and helpless) victims of an insidious impairment. Thus, when the journey is navigated carefully, accurately, and appropriately, there can be light at the end of the tunnel for the millions of children afflicted with APD.
Key Points:
• APD is an auditory disorder that is not the result of higher-order, more global deficit such as autism, intellectual disabilities, attention deficits, or similar impairments.
Use our site to find an audiologist in your area, or contact the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) at 1-800-638-8255.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12904 | Call Us Today! 605-250-0539
Audiology Specialty Clinic - Sioux Falls, SD
Woman enjoying music with headphones but protecting her hearing.
Noise-related loss of hearing doesn’t only impact people who work in loud environments, such as construction workers or heavy metal roadies. Recreation associated noise exposure can be just as harmful as work related noise exposure. The most prevalent type? Loud noise heard through headphones, whether it be music, gaming, streaming video, or even an audiobook with the volume cranked up.
You might not think your smartphone or tablet can go that loud. But these devices can reach continuous volumes of over 105 dB, which is around the normal human threshold for pain. Your ears will literally start to feel pain at this volume. So what’s the answer for protecting your hearing against volume related injury.
Create a Setting on Your Hearing Aids For Music
Be certain, if you’re using hearing aids, you don’t try to drown out other sounds by cranking your streaming music up too loud. Also, consult us about how best to listen to music. If you’re a musician or someone who loves music you may have noticed that most hearing aids are programmed to improve the clarity of voices…not necessarily music. While listening to music, we can most likely make various adjustments to help improve the sound quality and lessen the feedback.
How to Choose The Best Headphones
If you don’t use hearing aids, there are many choices for shopping for headphones. It might be a matter of personal choice, but there are some things you should consider there too.
Over-the-Ear Headphones
While the foam-covered speakers that was included with your old Walkman are generally a thing of the past, over-the-ear headphones have made a comeback. They have a lot of options in color and style, are commonly endorsed by celebrities, and can be surprisingly pricey. And unlike those little foam pads, these go over the whole ear, blocking outside noises.
Main-stream wisdom is that these are safer than in-ear headphones because the source of the sound is further away from your eardrum. But the fact is they’re frequently able to reach louder sound than the smaller kind, the speakers are much bigger. Noise cancellation can be a helpful thing as long as you’re not missing out on important sounds like an oncoming car. That said, because they cancel out outside noise, you can normally lower the volume of what you’re listening to so it’s not so loud that it will injure your hearing.
The normal earbuds that are included with devices like iPhones are much maligned for their poor sound quality, but because they come along with your phone lots of people still use them. Especially, with newer Apple devices, it’s simply easier to use the earbuds that were provided with the device because it probably doesn’t have a headphone jack.
The drawback, aside from the inferior sound quality, is that basic earbuds can’t block outside noises, so that it’s more likely that you will pump up the volume. It’s commonly assumed that placing earbuds so close to your eardrum is the main concern but it’s actually the volume.
Noise Blocking Earbuds
More comfortable than ordinary earbuds, models with a round rubber tip are the choice of many people because they help stop outside noise. A seal that blocks outside noise from getting in is formed by the rubber tip which conforms to the shape of the ear. But these earbuds can also block out sounds you need to hear and volume is still the number one problem. And if you use hearing aids, clearly these won’t work for you.
You might need to try out more than one pair before you find headphones that are correct for you. Your expectations, acoustically, will differ depending on what kind of use you usually give them. The important thing is to find headphones that make it comfortable for you to listen at a safe sound level.
How to Make Sure Your Hearing is Safeguarded
How can you be sure it’s okay? There’s an app for that…If you use a smartphone, you can download the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s free Sound Level Meter app. You can get different apps, but research has found that the reliability of these other apps is hit-and-miss (in addition, for unknown reasons, Android-based apps have proven less accurate). That prompted NIOSH to create their own app. You can measure external sounds with the app, but it’s also possible to measure the sound coming from your device’s speakers, so you will learn precisely how much volume your ears are getting. It’s a little bit of effort, but taking these kinds of preventative measures can help safeguard your hearing.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12924 | If you lose your job, quickly start search for new one
In the past few months, Eastern Airlines and several other companies have discharged thousands of employees, perhaps including you or someone close to you.
For those who haven't had to look for a job before, the next few weeks will be traumatic. But you must make sure that you get your search into high gear, and fast. Here's an overview of the main steps you should take:
* Your safety net. Make sure you have as much of a safety net as possible. From your former employer, insist on any vacation and severance pay you are entitled to, clarify your profit-sharing and pension rights, sign up for the extended medical and hospital benefits to which you are probably entitled under the federal COBRA law, and apply for unemployment insurance benefits.
Also, speak to your former supervisor about getting a written reference and about how your potential employers can contact him. And do not take a vacation: Get right to work on your job search.
* Office details. You will need an organized place to work on your search. If your former employer will give you office space for a while, fine. If not, set up a room or corner in your house as your job-search office. Get stationery printed and get an answering machine to take calls while you're out. (Make sure not to record one of those goofy greetings.) Set up a file so you can keep track of people contacted, ads responded to, answers received and things yet to do.
* Narrow your focus. Do not write your resume yet. Instead, compile a short list of the jobs you want to apply for, along with the sort of companies you'd like to work for. If you simply want the same kind of job you had at your last employer, that's fine. But you might also want to increase your options by identifying transferable skills you learned on your last job.
* Summarize accomplishments. You're going to want to put together a resume that emphasizes accomplishments. For example, did you boost sales? Save your company money? Set up a new program? Write a training program?
* Write your resume. To go after the same job you had before or a closely related one, the standard chronological resume should do. Include (in order): name, address and phone number; work experience, including two- to three-line job summaries with two or three accomplishments for each job; education; a personal statement ("I am a dependable. . . ."); and a section where you can itemize such things as computer skills and technical training.
To go after a new type of job, you might start off with a job objective that clarifies the job you want and what qualifies you for it (two sentences maximum). You can follow that with a general summary or skills list.
* List contacts. Make a master list of everyone you know who could help in your job search. That includes friends, relatives, former bosses, colleagues, subordinates, former vendors, customers, lawyers, bankers, accountants and professors -- to mention a few.
* List companies to apply to. Look through the Yellow Pages, trade magazines and sources such as Standard & Poor's to compile a list. Call, visit in person or write a letter summarizing your experience.
* Start answering ads. For each ad, write a cover letter and include your resume.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12964 | Bible Verse Explanations and Resources
Isaiah 42:4
Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible
He shall not fail - He shall not be weak, feeble, or disheartened. However much there may be that shall tend to discourage, yet his purpose is fixed, and he will pursue it with steadiness and ardor until the great work shall be fully accomplished. There may be an allusion in the Hebrew word here (יכהה yı̂kheh ) to that which is applied to the flax (כהה kēhâh ); and the idea may be that he shall not become in his purposes like the smoking, flickering, dying flame of a lamp. There shall never be any indication, even amidst all embarrassments, that it is his intention to abandon his plan of extending the true religion through all the world. Such also should be the fixed and determined purposes of his people. Their zeal should never fail; their ardor should never grow languid.
Nor be discouraged - Margin, ‹Broken.‘ The Hebrew word ירוּץ yârûts may be derived either from רצץ râtsats to break, to break in pieces; or from רוץ rûts to run, to move hastily, to rush upon any one. Our translators have adopted the former. Gesenius also supposes that this is the true interpretation of the word, and that it means, that he would not be broken, that is, checked in his zeal, or discouraged by any opposition. The latter interpretation is preferred by Vitringa, Rosenmuller, Hengstenberg, and others. The Chaldee renders it, ‹Shall not labor,‘ that is, shall not be fatigued, or discouraged. The Septuagint renders it, ‹He shall shine out, and not be broken.‘ The connection seems to require the sense which our translators have given to it, and according to this, the meaning is, ‹he shall not become broken in spirit, or discouraged; he shall persevere amidst all opposition and embarrassment, until he shall accomplish his purposes.‘ We have a similar phraseology when we speak of a man‘s being heart-broken.
Till he have set judgment - Until he has secured the prevalence of the true religion in all the world.
And the isles - Distant nations (see the note at Isaiah 41:1); the pagan nations. The expression is equivalent to saying that the Gentiles would be desirous of receiving the religion of the Messiah, and would wait for it (see the notes at Isaiah 2:3).
Shall wait - They shall be dissatisfied with their own religions, and see that their idol-gods are unable to aid them; and they shall be in a posture of waiting for some new religion that shall meet their needs. It cannot mean that they shall wait for it, in the sense of their already having a knowledge of it, but that their being sensible that their own religions cannot save them may be represented as a condition of waiting for some better system. It has been true, as in the Sandwich Islands, that the pagan have been so dissatisfied with their own religion as to east away their idols, and to be without any religion, and thus to be in a waiting posture for some new and better system. And it may be true yet that the pagan shall become extensively dissatisfied with their idolatry; that they shall be convinced that some better system is necessary, and that they may thus be prepared to welcome the gospel when it shall be proposed to them. It may be that in this manner God intends to remove the now apparently insuperable obstacles to the spread of the gospel in the pagan world. The Septuagint renders this, ‹And in his name shall the Gentiles trust,‘ which form has been retained by Matthew Matthew 12:21.
His law - His commands, the institutions of his religion. The word ‹law‘ is often used in the Scriptures to denote the whole of religion.
Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary
Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary
Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary
He shall not fail nor be discouraged "His force shall not be abated nor broken" - Rabbi Meir ita citat locum istum, ut post ירוץ yaruts, addat כוחו cocho, robur ejus, quod hodie Ilon comparet in textu Hebraeo, sed addendum videtur, ut sensus fiat planior.
"Rabbi Meir cites this passage so as to add after ירוץ yarats כוחו cocho, his force, which word is not found in the present Hebrew text, but seems necessary to be added to make the sense more distinct." Capell. Crit. Sac. p. 382. For which reason I had added it in the translation, before I observed this remark of Capellus. - L.
Ellen G. White
The Ministry of Healing, 134
Read in context »
Ellen G. White
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, 242
To those who are laboring in the South I would say: Be not discouraged by the present feebleness of the work. You have had to struggle against difficulties that have at times threatened to overcome you. But by God's help you have been enabled to move forward. If all in our ranks knew how difficult it was in years past to establish the work in places that have since become important centers, they would realize that it takes courage to face an unpromising situation and to declare, with hands uplifted to heaven: “We will not fail nor become discouraged.” Those who have not broken the ground in new and difficult fields do not realize the difficulties of pioneer work. If they could understand God's working they would not only rejoice because of what has been done, but they would see cause for rejoicing in the future of the work. 7T 242.1
My brethren, there is no reason for discouragement. The good seed is being sown. God will watch over it, causing it to spring up and bring forth an abundant harvest. Remember that many of the enterprises for soul saving have, at the beginning, been carried forward amidst great difficulty. 7T 242.2
Read in context »
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/12977 | How to be emotionally intelligent
How to make money blogging [2020 UPDATE]
Making money blogging is definitely possible but it’s not a get-rich-quick-scheme. There are bloggers that make as much as $100,000 per month and there are others that make as low as nothing. What differentiates these different bloggers is their input into what they’re doing. Some see it as their major source of income, others see it as a side hustle. Those that make the most of their blogs are those who usually see it as a major source of income, a business. Hence, the journey of making $500 and above from your blog starts from how you see it. I’ll be showing you everything you need to start your own blog, run it, monetize it and start making a decent income. I have being there so I know exactly what I’m saying. 5 years in the game is no beans. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13000 | Dr. Jacob Van den Berg Publication
Dr. Jacob van den Berg and his team have a paper entitled: "A systematic review of early adoption of implementation science for HIV prevention or treatment in the United States" that was just published in the journal AIDS. The manuscript was led by Dr. Sylvia Shangani, a former PhD student in the Behavioral and Social Sciences department, who just graduated and started a tenure track job at Old Dominion University this fall plus two undergraduates at Brown, Nidhi Bhaskar and Natasha Richmondand, and Drs. Don Operario and Jacob van den Berg.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13018 | Crack That Whip: Supply Chain Visibility and the Bullwhip Effect
• June 22, 2017
• Kristy Cartier
• Reading Time: 2 minutes
• print
Variations in end-customer demand are an inevitable part of doing business. With today’s appetite for nearly instant delivery, these fluctuations are felt more keenly in logistics. Instead of tracking orders weekly or monthly, you might find it necessary to monitor minute-by-minute data. The problem is that even small variations in demand can compound as you go up the supply chain, magnifying into the extreme volatility known as the “bullwhip effect.”
According to the APEM Journal, the problem begins when each part of the supply chain holds safety stock to buffer against variation in demand and the uncertainty of supply plus delivery. And it isn’t just with the end user, each stage of the chain—in effect, holds its own level of safety inventory all the way down the line. In this way, a few percentage points of change in demand at the end of the chain can balloon into double or triple digits by the time it gets to the supply side. This excess is an expensive drain on resources from space rental to security to even loss.
Today, the bullwhip is moving faster than ever before.
An important way to reduce the impact of the bullwhip effect is to remove as much guesswork as possible that leads to the hoarding of safety stock. This requires complete, real-time visibility into the location of every order and shipment throughout the supply chain, even when it’s handled by a third-party logistics (3PL) company or a last-mile carrier. This is especially true in the case of smaller less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments, where tracking a trailer or container does not provide enough granularity to guarantee the location of the shipment itself. A full stack solution of sensors and software or even managed monitoring services, such as CalAmp Supply Chain Integrity (SCI), help add needed visibility to the supply chain.
Today’s small, fast shipments require a nimble end-to-end technological solution to provide up-to-date insight that integrates with existing electronic data interchange (EDI) systems. This digital communication will drive better forecasting and reduce both delays and costs. For more information about supply chain visibility and what to look for in a solution provider, download our whitepaper here.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13033 | Don't Spin out This Summer
Dear Car Talk
Dear Car Talk | Sep 04, 2019
Dear Car Talk:
Is it good to keep the traction control switch off in summer driving? -- Sean
Why would you do that, Sean?
Traction control is kind of the flip side of anti-lock brakes. The anti-lock braking system (ABS) measures the speed of each wheel.If you're stopping the car, and one of the wheels suddenly goes slower than the others, the ABS concludes that it's locked up -- which can cause you to lose control of the car. So, it pulses the brake many times a second to give you maximum stopping power just short of locking up the wheel.
Traction control uses that same system to detect if one wheel is spinning faster than the others. If it is, the system concludes that the wheel has lost traction and is spinning, which can also lead to loss of control of the vehicle. So, it uses the ABS to slow down that wheel until it regains traction.
Neither of these systems work unless and until you need them. They're always on standby. And that's the way you want them.
While snow or ice would be the most obvious reasons for a wheel to spin, they're not the only ones. A summer rain, some leaked oil, or a patch of loose dirt or sand can cause a wheel to lose traction. And when that happens, you want your traction control to work.
Plus, there's absolutely no downside to leaving it on. You're not "wasting" anything or wearing anything out. It's inactive until it gets a signal that a wheel is spinning. Turning it off in the summer would be like turning off your home's fire alarm when it's raining. Sure, you could. But why would you?
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13046 | Centrify Zero Trust Privilege for IBM AIX
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13092 | I am broadly interested in social cognition, especially with a computational and neural approach. I outline a number of specific research interests below, but most of them come down to a computational account of how people make decisions in social context. I'm also interested in language, especially--and this might come as a surprise--its computational basis and social function. You can read about my previous projects here
How does theory of mind work (or fail to work) in an intergroup context?
We know generally that one's social group has a significant impact on how that person views reality--for instance, a martian visitor to earth might be surprised to learn that American Republicans and Democrats have access to a shared physical reality. In other words, people from the same social groups have more similar models of reality to one another than to people outside that group. Consequently it should be more difficult to make inferences about another person's world model if that person is in a different social group from oneself's, simply because their model will be quite different than one's own. Furthermore, because of the curse of knowledge, we tend to assume that other people's maps look more like our own than they actually do.
One potentially interesting way to study this goes back to Stanley Milgram's (1974) study of psychological maps (employing a decidedly more benign methodology than some of his more celebrated work). Essentially, Milgram had participants draw a map of an environment with which they were familiar--in this case, Parisians drawing Paris. While the methodological flaws of this approach were many, it yielded a lot of interesting data. One unexplored extension is the theory of mind problem inherent in the idea of psychological maps: how do we recreate someone else's map when we don't have direct access to it? This is essentially what we're doing when we make inferences about someone else's model of the world, yet the way we go about it is quite mysterious.
I have several hypotheses about using Milgram's psychological map approach across different social groups:
(1) Our maps are more similar to ingroup members than outgroup members.
(2) we're better able to recreate the maps of ingroup members better than outgroup members
(3) people would be more likely to judge someone favorably if their map looks similar to theirs
Social Categories as Dimensionality Reduction
Statisticians use dimensionality reduction to project high-dimensionality data to a subspace in which they can visualize it. Humans are the ultimate high-dimensionality data, and social categorization is a reduction of that complex whole to a dimensionality it can be easily understood (usually just one or two axes). This is one way to think of Tajfel's intergroup versus interpersonal strategies for understanding other people. With the interpersonal strategy you consider the person in all their high-dimensionality, idiosyncratic nuance. With the intergroup strategy you consider them along a single axis of their identity. Shifting from one strategy can be thought as a form of dimensionality reduction. Therefore, the myriad algorithms and approaches developed in machine learning for just this problem might offer some interesting ways of modeling social categorization.
The Influence Minority of Behavior on the Cultural Norms of the Majority
Here’s an example of a cultural norm that the majority of people in Massachusetts adhere to, even though they don’t know it: drinking Kosher. Almost all beverages sold in New England are certified Kosher, even though the Kosher population is a tiny minority of the whole population. Another recent example is that many restaurants in Massachusetts decline to provide disposable straws to their customers (on the grounds that all these tiny plastic straws are infiltrating oceanic ecosystems). In both cases, preferences that initially belong to a minority influence the behavior of the majority. A canonical example is the issue of gender neutral bathrooms—minority preferences influence majority norms. The behavior of a minority can be a crucial part of how social norms work. However, most theories of cultural norms take the behavior the majority as their starting point.
This is especially true of accounts that attempt to provide a computational basis for how individuals make judgments of norms. Most of these accounts (such as Malle et al, 2017) are premised on some sort of "threshold" whereby if a critical mass of people agree to the norm then it becomes widely enacted. I think there are important instances where the threshold assumption doesn't hold (as noted above), and that further theoretical models should be based on other premises. In particular, I'm interested in developing a probabilistic account for norms (instead of formal logic) which would account for the case of minority influence on the majority's norms.
Curation as an Optimal Solution to the Exploration-Exploitation Dilemma
A classic problem in decision science is exploitation versus exploration: When should I choose the option I know to be best, and when should I choose a new option in the hope that it might prove even better? Most solutions take some form of "explore then exploit." However, another potential solution is social. Find someone with a value function similar to your own, and then allow them to create a choice set of high value options for you. For example, this is what the department store Nordstrom does: it curates a collection of clothes for a person with a certain value function. It's also what a Spotify playlist does: instead of having to go through every song ever, you just let Spotify curate a subset you'll probably like. It's also how we choose restaurants in a foreign city: we ask a friends who live there about where they eat. In short, people use this strategy a lot of the time. Yet no one has done a formal study of how it works.
Redundant Word Choice Reflects Frequency of Obscure Words
There's an old adage about writing, drawn from the pages of Strunk & White's Elements of Style: "Omit needless words." Strunk & White's directive suggests, among other things, to drop the old from old adage because, well, if you look up the definition of adage it already includes the notion that it's old. It's redundant. Here's a similar example: I recently read a paper by Robin Dunbar on the "Functional Benefits of (Modest) Alcohol Consumption." When he uses the word "anxiolytic," he pairs it with the phrase "reduction of anxiety or stress." That phrase is redundant because you've already attempted to convey that notion with the word anxiolytic itself. However, when one begins to look at these kind of redundancies in aggregate you begin to see that, contrary to Strunk & White, there is a communicative benefit to the redundancy. It hedges your bets against the other person not knowing the more obscure word (e.g., adage, anxiolytic) by padding it with a modest definitional hint. In short, the fewer speakers who know the word, the more likely a speaker is to sprinkle in some redundancy. And redundancy is, of course, the kind of thing that information theory predicts a successful message should have. I think an information theoretic account of this effect could be pretty interesting.
Previous Projects:
Imaginative Reinforcement Learning: Computational and Neural Perspectives
One thing that humans can do that machines can't is imagine how the future is going to play out. This is a hallmark of human intelligence, and we'd expect that it's something artificially intelligent agents will need to be able to do in the future. This project represents an initial step toward trying to imbue reinforcement learning agents with imagination.
In this project, we constructed a reinforcement learning model that made predictions about human behavior and brain activity in an experimental task. In the task, participants made predictions about how many points they would earn with a specific action. We showed that our model predicted both behavior and brain activity, as measured by functional MRI.
Gershman, S.J., Zhou, J., & Kommers, C. (2017). Imaginative reinforcement learning: computational principles and neural mechanisms. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Computational Models of Jazz Improvisation Inspired by Language
Jazz musicians have been saying it for a century; cognitive scientists picked up on it and started saying it a couple decades ago; even neuroscientists have recently shown evidence that it's true in the brain: Jazz improvisation is a language, and speaking it is like having a conversation.
If this is true in more than a metaphoric sense, then we'd also expect that the same computational frameworks that work for language would also work for jazz music. This project explores that possibility.
In this project, I developed a novel dataset of jazz improvisation solos large enough to train a model. I used a probabilistic model called an interpolated n-gram to learn the transition structure, both rhythmic and melodic, of jazz improvisation solos. The model made predictions about which notes would come next in solos that it hadn't seen before. I used a measure known to computational linguists as "perplexity" so quantify the model's performance.
I did this work under the supervision of Prof Alan Yuille as part of my department of psychology honors thesis at UCLA.
Hierarchical Reasoning in Distributed Semantic Representations
Researchers in natural language processing have developed systems which can learn how to "do" metaphor. For example, given "King is to Queen as Man is to ___" the system can tell you the correct answer is "Woman." The only information that the system is given is about coöccurrence statistics. It implicitly understands the gender distinction between the words "king" and "queen" because they occur in different situations. It's pretty cool.
In this project, we showed that these systems can also perform hierarchical reasoning. For example, you can ask the system what Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, and Hume have in common and it will spit out the answer, "philosopher." The computational idea behind it is that if you sum the vector representations of each of these words (and then normalize the resulting vector), the average of all of them will look most like the vector for "philosopher" in the corpus of all vectors.
Kommers, C., Ustun, V., Demski, A., & Rosenbloom, P. S. (2015). Hierarchical Reasoning with Distributed Vector Representations. In Proceedings of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13100 | Health Links
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13109 | Spiced Pumpkin-Molasses Cake
spiced pumpkin molasses cake, mummy pumpkin hand pies
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Yields: 10 servings
Prep Time: 0 hours 0 mins
Total Time: 2 hours 25 mins
Cooking spray
3 c.
cake flour, spooned and leveled
1 tbsp.
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1 tsp.
baking soda
1 tsp.
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1 tsp.
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2. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes, then invert onto rack to cook completely.
3. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar, using a festive stencil made from parchment paper (countryliving.com/halloweentemplates), if desired.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13112 | A Little Cash in Hand General Nonsense 21 JUL 2008
The drive into Cape Town was fine enough, but pulling through middle campus just after 06:00 am, I came across a middle-aged white guy gesturing madly for me to stop. Scoping the situation out, I decided that it would be okay to hear the guy out and so pulled up and enquired as to what was wrong.
The guy explained that his Opel had broken down further along the road and would it be okay if he used my phone to call someone to help him out. Seeing as I was a lot taller and bigger than him, I agreed to his request and listened in as the poor chap phoned three buddies to help him out, all three of which fell through (two of which was stuck with car problems themselves believe it or not).
So that avenue down the drain, the bloke then asked if I didn’t perhaps have some cash on me for the train as he wasn’t carrying any on him. It was at this point that I simply apologised, said I don’t carry cash on me and drove off again, leaving him to flag down the driver behind me, in the hopes that they would help him out.
Now obviously it was a little white lie because I probably did have some cash I could loan the guy, but it annoyed me that someone wouldn’t have any cash on them in the first place, particularly for emergencies like this which he had now obviously placed himself in.
Seriously though. Just leave a little bit of cash for when you might need it lying around. I don’t care, hide it in the cubby hole or put it in the boot, but I really don’t feel like hearing the excuse that you don’t have any cash on you when you obviously should have been thinking a little ahead in the first place.
Hmm. I wonder if any of his buddies did come help him out in the end then…?
Update: Chantelle has demanded that I re-word this post, because as she likes to point out, exactly what good deed did I do? Instead, I should call it my evil deed for the day/month/year. Oops, guess I really aren’t a nice person after all. Hopefully karma doesn’t bite too hard!
About Craig Lotter
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13123 | Orthodox TraditionOrder FormAbout C.T.O.S.Navigator (Site Map)
Home > Publications > Contemporary Issues
Two Modern Greek Titans of Mind and Spirit
The Private Correspondence of Constantine Cavarnos and Photios Kontoglou (1952–1965)
Translated, Annotated, and Edited by Archimandrite Patapios with Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Etna and Monk Chrysostomos
With an Introduction and a Brief Biography of Photios Kontoglou by Metropolitan Chrysostomos
ISBN 978–1–938943–01–0
245 pp.
The correspondence between the famous artist, iconographer, literary figure, and modern Greek cultural titan Photios Kontoglou, who died in 1965, and Constantine Cavarnos, the Greek-American philosopher, writer, translator, Byzantinist, and spiritual writer and guide, a virtual titan of Eastern Orthodox intellectuals in the West, who died in 2011, is very little known. Only occasional excerpts from their correspondence have appeared in print. The present collection of letters represents the vast bulk of that correspondence. While all of the letters in the collection were written by Kontoglou to Cavarnos, in almost every instance they make clear reference to the subjects and topics covered in the exchanges between the two, with frequent direct restatements of comments and ideas contained in the latter’s letters. On that account, we feel justified in characterizing the missives presented in this volume, which span a period of nearly a decade and a half, as correspondence between the two. —From the Introduction
About...Sample PDFOrder
About the Translators
Monk Chrysostomos is a brother of the St. Gregory Palamas Monastery in Etna, CA, where he received his monastic training. He received his Diploma in Theology from the C.T.O.S. in 2009. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13145 | What does symbol mean?
Definitions for symbol
ˈsɪm bəlsym·bol
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word symbol.
Princeton's WordNet
1. symbol(noun)
2. symbol, symbolization, symbolisation, symbolic representation(noun)
"the eagle is a symbol of the United States"
1. symbol(Noun)
A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
2. symbol(Noun)
The dollar symbol has no relationship to the concept of currency or any related idea.
3. symbol(Noun)
4. symbol(Noun)
A summary of a dogmatic statement of faith.
The Apostles, Nicene Creed and the confessional books of Protestantism, such as the Augsburg Confession of Lutheranism are considered symbols.
5. symbol(Noun)
6. symbol(Verb)
To symbolize
1. Symbol
Webster Dictionary
1. Symbol(noun)
2. Symbol(noun)
any character used to represent a quantity, an operation, a relation, or an abbreviation
3. Symbol(noun)
4. Symbol(noun)
that which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty
5. Symbol(noun)
share; allotment
6. Symbol(noun)
7. Symbol(verb)
to symbolize
1. Symbol
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
1. Symbol
sim′bol, n. a sign by which one knows a thing: an arbitrary or other conventional mark, abbreviating methods of scientific expression, as in algebra, and esp. chemistry: an emblem: that which represents something else: a figure or letter representing something: (theol.) a creed, compendium of doctrine, or a typical religious rite, as the Eucharist.—adjs. Symbol′ic, -al, pertaining to, or of the nature of, a symbol: representing by signs: emblematic: figurative: typical.—adv. Symbol′ically.—ns. Symbol′icalness; Symbol′ics, the study of the history and contents of Christian creeds; Symbolisā′tion.—v.i. Sym′bolise, to be symbolical: to resemble in qualities.—v.t. to represent by symbols.—ns. Sym′boliser, Sym′bolist, one who uses symbols; Sym′bolism, representation by symbols or signs: a system of symbols: use of symbols: (theol.) the science of symbols or creeds.—adjs. Symbolist′ic, -al.—ns. Symbol′ogy, Symbolol′ogy, the art of representing by symbols; Symbolol′atry, undue veneration for symbols; Sym′bolry, the use of symbols generally. [Gr. symbolon, from symballeinsyn, together, ballein, to throw.]
Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
1. symbol
In a military sense, a badge. Every regiment in the British service has its badge.
Editors Contribution
1. symbol
A person, visual sign or concept that describes an action, belief, vision or quality.
Some people see the dove as a universal symbol of peace, some people are used as a symbol of peace e.g. Nelson Mandela.
Submitted by MaryC on June 19, 2016
Suggested Resources
1. symbol
Song lyrics by symbol -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by symbol on the Lyrics.com website.
British National Corpus
1. Nouns Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'symbol' in Nouns Frequency: #1363
How to pronounce symbol?
1. Alex
US English
How to say symbol in sign language?
1. symbol
1. Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of symbol in Chaldean Numerology is: 2
2. Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of symbol in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
Examples of symbol in a Sentence
1. Chasten Buttigieg:
The rain location may be a blessing in disguise because there is such symbolic power in that building and you can see in it the past, the present and the future, i talk so much about how we're not looking to turn back the clock and it's not about retrieving some impossible again. That building is kind of a living symbol of all of that.
2. Mike Cosper:
It's a symbol that is just so powerful, so visceral because of where it comes from and what it means, i feel compelled to love my brothers and sister and to empathize with them when they say 'This is what this means. This is what it communicates.' The thing that needs to come down.
3. John Burroughs:
4. Finance Minister Michel Sapin:
Article 2 is the symbol of the ability of France to reform.
5. Charlie Black:
This is not a racist white supremacist symbol, and Im angry its portrayed that way.
Images & Illustrations of symbol
1. symbolsymbolsymbolsymbolsymbol
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13146 | Second Teacher Endorsement For Oregon?
Discussion in 'Education, Teaching and related degrees' started by dingo, Dec 17, 2016.
1. dingo
dingo New Member
I'm trying to help out my fiance. She had originally gotten her masters and teaching license for high school, but would now like to teach elementary.
It likes she would need to add an additional 'authorization level' to her license. Oregon requires going through a university program to do this. Does anyone have any pointers on the best way to do this would be? Something online would be great.
We've looked at WGU's program, but they claim that since she already has a masters, she can't enroll there.
2. Kizmet
Kizmet Moderator Staff Member
I sprinted through the information in the linked page below and as far as I can tell, it's impossible to answer your question with the scant amount of information you've provided. I'm guessing that the people behind this link will be your best source of information and the Oregon state university system will provide the solution.
State of Oregon: Teacher Standards and Practices Commission
3. catlin0915
catlin0915 New Member
The American college of Education does graduate education degrees and certificates. I think the last time I looked, they were more affordable then WGU and are RA. You could ask them, being focused on educators, maybe they have an answer for you. I'm a business guy myself, but have become interested recently.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13147 | Responsible Gambling
Game description
Coin O Mania (IGT)
Coin O Mania (IGT)Coin-O-Mania is the latest video game from IGT. The slot borrows its theme from the pirates, as is evidenced by the presence of pirate adventures. In this review, we will take a look at this slot, plus all that you can expect from it:
Game Set-Up
Coin-O-Mania has a set-up of 5 reels, and up to 40 pay lines. It’s a slot rich in features, and among them is a Free Bonus Game, Stacked Wilds, Collect Symbols, Retrigger, Multiplier Wilds, and Stacked Symbols among others.
Betting and Prizes
To place a bet, you will require at least $0.15 per spin, while the highest amount that you can use per spin is $ 300. The slot has a fair RTP of 96%, which is the average for most modern slots.
Max Win that IGT has offered for Coin-O-mania is 11,111x the stake, which places this slot among the most rewarding from this developer.
Coin O Mania Slot Features
The Slot has many features, and one such feature is the multiplier. These are very good at boosting your winnings, and on a good day, you can get a multiplier of as high as to 21x.
Wilds are the other feature on Coin-O-Mania, and just like on other slots; they are helpful as substitutes for the regular symbols.
Free Spins Bonus feature is a good way to boost your winnings. To trigger them, you will be required to land the slot’s bonus symbol on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th reels. If you manage to do this on the same spin, the slot will reward you with 15 free spins.
It is also possible to retrigger the free spins, which boosts them multiple times. The highest that the free spins can get is 600.
Theme and Design
Coin-o-Mania slot resembles a pattern that IGT uses on most of their slots. By this, I mean that the slot has a typical brick and mortar casino game appearance.
I love the bright colours that e developer has chosen as they make the slot look quite warm.
You will get symbols like pirates, cutlasses, anchor, cannon symbols, and telescopes, a cheeky parrot, and a pirate ship with 2 members of the crew.
The pirate-theme is one that developers seem to have a huge appetite for. Although this is a common theme, IGT has offered some uniqueness with the Coin-o-Mania slot machine.
The game offers very low volatility that allows all levels of players to enjoy the gameplay without the risk of making huge losses.
The payout is great, and so is the RTP. I can recommend Coin-O-Mania to both casual and professional gamers.
Coin O Mania Casino list - Where to play Coin O Mania slot for Real Money Online? |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13149 | 1:45 PM
" For the first time I saw you You make me feel like You make me feel like I wanna take you I wanna take you to my castle Maybe we can chill Maybe we could Make love right now But I gotta say this. I want you, Love Baby, I've been looking at you I wanna touch you, Love Baby, I've been thinking bout you We can make some love Take that cloth off on you You can take it, Love Do whatever you wanna do. Baby, I'm ready To take alll of you I want you to lead me And put me inside you And baby chill out Lay down and enjoy the ride I will kiss you from your neck And push you hard. You could chill down Put your guard down While you take it off Then you screamin' out While you call my name And I break you off " - I Want You, Love
I found this song interesting! And don't forget to check out the official video on Youtube. You'll find it hot :P
And this photo taken a few weeks ago when i went to Semarang and meet up with my friend, Nadia! We visited this art gallery at Kota Lama.
What i wear? Top: Waikiki | White Pants: Unbranded | Bag: Asos | Shoes: Donatelo
You Might Also Like
1. Pretty!! Great blog you have, stay inspired!
I can rock any outfits, come follow my online diary
2. This springtime look is so stunning! You look chic and fresh - love your jeans!
3. Sepatunya lucuuuu <3
brb, checking the song out!
Take care,
Rizuna from 100% Nerd
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13199 | Skip to main content
Eclipse Community Forums
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Home » Modeling » TMF (Xtext) » Global Scoping with ImportUriGlobalScopeProvider
Global Scoping with ImportUriGlobalScopeProvider [message #868923] Wed, 02 May 2012 18:37 Go to next message
Johannes Stelzer is currently offline Johannes StelzerFriend
Messages: 30
Registered: October 2009
Hi forums,
I've implemented global scoping using the ImportUriGlobalScopeProvider approach;
public class InputFileGlobalScopeProvider extends ImportUriGlobalScopeProvider {
public static URI BUILTINS_URI = URI
protected LinkedHashSet<URI> getImportedUris(Resource resource) {
LinkedHashSet<URI> temp = super.getImportedUris(resource);
return temp;
When I run my JUnit test everything is fine and references are correctly resolved.
But when I run the same file in Eclipse it just doesn't work.
The DirtyStateAwareResourceDescriptions delegates the getResourceDescription() to his globalDescriptions (instance of ClusteringBuilderState).
And the ClusteringBuilderState tries to lookup the ResourceDescription in his resourceDescriptionMap, which doesn't contains a ResourceDescription for my URI (classpath:/de/stelzer/sntsworkbench/sntswb.builtin) - so null is returned for getResourceDescription() - and no references are resolved...
Am I missing something? or can anybody help me?
Ok i figured out, that the JdtClasspathUriResolver is used to resolve the URI and fails. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the JdtClasspathUriResolver looks in the projects' classpath - but not in my plugins classpath - so i guess in need another URI?
Greetings Johannes
[Updated on: Wed, 02 May 2012 20:28]
Report message to a moderator
Re: Global Scoping with ImportUriGlobalScopeProvider [message #869459 is a reply to message #868923] Thu, 03 May 2012 12:38 Go to previous message
Holger Schill is currently offline Holger SchillFriend
Messages: 75
Registered: July 2009
Hi Johannes,
normally the ImportUriGlobalScopeProvider just works as a filter to the
index. If your resource is not in the index you'll not able to make
things visible.
Just to clarify why it worked in a junit test and not in Eclipse:
I am not aware how you implemented your test but I would bet you loaded
the resource with the classpath URI without starting the stuff with as a
plugin test? In this case the resourceSets resources build the index
with the URI they have been loaded with.
In case of Eclipse the Index is filled with platform:/resource URIs. So
your classpath URI will not match.
So what you have to make sure is that your resource is loaded by the
index CTRL-SHIFT-F3. If the types you want to reference are not visible
the resources are not within the index. Make sure the XtextNature is in
the project where the resource is in. In the default way everything that
is visible in the meaning of a Java-Classpath is visible. The
ImportURIGlobalScopeProvider just filters the content of the Index.
Bring your resource into the index and then use a platform/resource URI.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13208 | Title V Permit
What Is a Title V Air Permit?
A Title V Air Permit is a permit required by the EPA for facilities that discharge emissions to the atmosphere and are major sources of pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) or nitrogen oxides (NOx). A Title V permit has strict recordkeeping, reporting and compliance requirements.
What is Required for a Title V Permit?
Since the purpose of a Title V permit under the Clean Air Act (CAA) is to help EPA protect the public health, there are multiple obligations you’ll need to meet if you need to obtain coverage. Depending on the specific permit, these requirements can include:
• Calculating usage rates and emission rates
• Reporting all emissions annually to EPA
• Keeping daily and weekly usage records
• Conducting continuous emissions monitoring
• Performing and documenting inspections of controls and gauges
• Report and explain any deviations in your emissions
How VelocityEHS Can Help
The VelocityEHS Air Emissions product makes it easy to manage your Title V obligations yourself without the expensive consulting fees that come with third party management. It starts with understanding what emission sources you have on site, what they’re emitting, and how much. VelocityEHS has the tools you need to automate the most time consuming and burdensome aspects of Title V compliance, specifically, the data collection, calculations and reporting.
Title V Permit management is part of our Air Emissions Solution. To see the full set of features, click here.
Features Included
Capture field emissions data using custom-generated forms
Automate data transfer with PI interface for continuous and remote emissions monitoring
Calculation engine to easily calculate your emissions
Generate emissions reports for submission to regulatory agencies
Automate Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)/Form R reporting
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13219 | Every day can be a celebration
We are pretty good at acknowledging our big accomplishments, but do you savor the small every day ones? Like when you step on the scale and you’re down 2 pounds. Or when you actually make time for yourself in the morning to just sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. Or paying off that […]
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13254 | Nutrition Sensitive Intervention Frameworks & Pilot Projects
ATONU has developed four frameworks that (1) identify country readiness for nutrition-sensitive agriculture; (2) tests project suitability for integrating nutrition-sensitive interventions; (3) identifies possible nutrition-sensitive interventions; and (4) guides the design of the impact evaluation of nutrition-sensitive interventions. The four frameworks are available for use by partners for the development of agriculture-nutrition interventions for planned and on-going agricultural programs.
ATONU Pilot Projects
ATONU, in partnership with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), has embarked on the development of nutrition-sensitive interventions to complement agricultural investments and help enhance nutrition outcomes in Ethiopia and Tanzania through the African Chicken Genetic Gains (ACGG). The goal of the ACGG Project is to increase access of poor smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa to high-producing but agro-ecologically appropriate chicken genetic products. The ATONU nutrition-sensitive interventions are:
1. Nutrition and hygiene behavioral change communication to improve consumption of diverse foods, including chickens and eggs at household level.
2. Gender equity in chicken value chains to improve women’s participation in joint household production and income expenditure decisions to improve diets.
3. Household vegetable production to improve consumption of vegetables and dietary diversity.
4. Assess the impact of introducing chickens in an agricultural system as a nutrition-sensitive intervention. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13304 | Steve Valentine’s going digital, and he needs help clearing out his DVD stock with special flash sale
Steve Valentine has been hard at work on his digital streaming magic instruction service Magic on the Go, a platform that puts tons of tricks and real instruction right at your fingertips, wherever you are. That said, he’s still got a bunch of physical DVDs and gaffs kicking around in his inventory, and he’d like some help making them disappear.
Valentine’s just launched a flash sale on his website where you can save up to $50 on all of his material. You can grab a brick of five Valentine playing card decks for $30 (normally $50), the Tom Stone-endorsed Cloth DVD set for $30 (normally $50), or get C2P, a seven-DVD set of expert card magic instruction for only $100 (normally $150).
All of this and more is available on Steve Valentine’s website until supplies last – as of this writing, his mind-reading magic trick Booked! is already out of stock, so if you see something you like, grab it while you can.
As always, you can subscribe to Magic on the Go for $29.99 a month, or $120 for a full year of streaming magic goodness. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13309 | Bursa De Valori Bucuresti Sa in Bucharest
Swift Code XBSEROB1XXX is an unique bank identifier for Bursa De Valori Bucuresti Sa. The bank is located in Bucharest, Romania. The codes can sometimes be found on account statements. XBSEROB1XXX is used when transferring money between banks, particularly for the exchange of other messages between banks, and also for international wire transfers.
The SWIFT code is 11 characters, made up of: XBSE is business party prefix (institution code or bank code), RO is country code, B1 is business party suffix (location code) and XXX is branch identifier(branch code), 'XXX' means it is a primary office.
Romania International Bank, SWIFT Code Information in Bucharest
Bank Name Bursa De Valori Bucuresti Sa
Bank Code(Business party prefix) XBSE
City Bucharest
Country Code RO
Country Romania
Location Code(Business party suffix) B1
Branch Primary Office
Branch Code(Branch identifier) XXX
Address Bulevardul Carol I 34 - 36 Sector 2 Floor 14
Postal Code 70421
Connecton Active |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13321 | Melanesian Mythology
The Gods and Spirits of Melanesia
Banks islands Death God
Picture of the Melanesian Death God Marawa from our Melanesian mythology image library. Illustration by Chas Saunders.
A Spider God of Copying and Plagiarism
He drove Qat mad. He tried to imitate everything Qat did and always made a hash of it. Qat’s wooden dolls (which he managed to hide from Marawa for three days) came to life. Marawa didn’t know where to hide his own wooden doll attempts so he buried them, forgot about them for six days and the termites had terminated them. This is why the dead are buried.
But they remained buddies — Qat couldn’t live without Marawa because he was always on hand to rescue Qat from traps and prevent him being killed by vengeful brothers.
Marawa Facts and Figures
Name: Marawa
Pronunciation: Coming soon
Alternative names:
Gender: Male
Type: God
Area or people: Banks islands, Vanuatu in Melanesia
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present
In charge of: Death
Area of expertise: Death
Good/Evil Rating: Unknown at present
Popularity index: 860
Cite this article
Article last revised on April 29, 2019 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders
References: Coming soon.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13327 | Banned Books Week
We are celebrating Banned Books Week to emphasize our freedom to choose and the freedom to express opinions even if those opinions are unpopular. Observed since 1982, this annual event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.
We invite you to take our Banned Books quiz. Test your knowledge of banned books and see how you score. You just may impress yourself and your friends. Good luck and good reading. Now take the quiz.
Created by: Librarian
1. Who wrote Huckleberry Finn?
2. The most frequent reason someone challenges a book is:
3. How many books were challenged in 2007?
4. Banned Books Week is promoted nationally to emphasized people's:
5. Books have been challenged probably since they have been in existence. Which author had a book banned in the 1600s for writing that the Earth revolved around the Sun?
6. Which book by Dr. Seuss was banned because of its anti logging industry themes?
8. Who are some of the sponsors of Banned Books Week in the United States?
9. On the Origin of Species was first published in 1859. It sparked a controversy about evolution which still exists today. Name the author of the book.
10. Which of the following books were burned by the Nazis?
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13354 |
"Off-label" Drug Use and Marketing
back to “Tips for Understanding Studies”
Prescription drugs are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for specific uses (or indications) to treat specific conditions or diseases. Physicians may prescribe a drug for a use that’s not described in the approved labeling if it seems reasonable or appropriate to them. This is what’s called “off-label use.” For example, it is not uncommon for physicians to prescribe low doses of beta blocker drugs to help people overcome jitters before public speaking. Beta blockers are not formally approved for this use. The FDA advises doctors in such circumstances that “they have the responsibility to be well informed about the product, to base its use on firm scientific rationale and on sound medical evidence, and to maintain records of the product’s use and effects.”
A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that about 21% of all estimated uses for commonly prescribed medications were off-label, and that 15% of all estimated uses lacked scientific evidence of any useful or beneficial effect. The authors concluded that “policy makers must begin to consider strategies for mandatory postapproval surveillance that focus on curtailing underevaluated off-label practices that jeopardize patient safety or represent economically wasteful prescribing practices.” Put another way, they recommend more careful monitoring of off-label uses that might waste money and harm patients.
Another important consumer issue regarding “off-label” prescribing is the fact that some insurance plans will not reimburse the cost of drugs prescribed for “off-label” use.
But while “off-label use” is permitted, marketing of a drug for an “off-label use” is not.
Perhaps the best known case of the dangers of off-label marketing is that of the drug Neurontin. Journalists and consumers should be aware of the potential pitfalls of “off-label” prescribing and should be wary of claims made for products being used “off-label.”
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13383 | HTC Desire 550 (Cricket)
Guide Downloads
< < Menu
Why does my battery drain so quickly?
• The Battery Usage History will show which apps and system services are using battery and an estimated percentage of the battery power the app or service has used. See How do I check battery usage on my phone?.
• Updating apps and software can help improve battery life by making sure the latest improvements to performance are installed. Update all apps in the Play Store app and check for updates to your phone's software under Settings > About > Software updates or Settings > Software updates.
• If the issue started recently, uninstalling apps that have been installed since shortly before the start of the issue may help. Some apps are not optimized for battery use as well as others, and may affect the battery life of a device. Go to Settings > Apps or App Manager. Select an app that was installed shortly before the battery drain issues began. TapUninstall.
How do I check battery usage on my phone?
1. Go to Settings, and then tap Power.
Or Settings > Power > Battery Manager.
2. Tap Battery usage to find the battery usage history.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13387 | How to Wire Electrical Outlets in Series
Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story.
A common misconception when doing receptacle wiring is that, when you daisy-chain them in a circuit, you're wiring them in series. You're actually wiring them in parallel, and that's a whole different thing. Each device in a parallel circuit receives electricity independently of the others, so if one of them fails, the others stay on. Compare that to a cheap string of Christmas lights, which are usually wired in series. One bulb burns out and the whole string goes off. Virtually all devices in residential circuits – except for switches – are wired in parallel.
How to Wire Electrical Outlets in Series
Image Credit: michaelmjc/E+/GettyImages
It would be against code to wire receptacles in series, and there's no good reason to do it anyway. The total voltage in a series circuit equals the sum of the voltage drops, which means if you have something plugged into each of the receptacles, the voltage of the series outlet at the end would be too low to do anything useful. In a parallel circuit, the voltage across each component is the same. It's possible to overload a parallel circuit, but if you do, all the devices experience the same voltage drop. Before the drop becomes significant, the circuit breaker trips because of the large current draw.
Procedure for Wiring an Outlet
A standard electrical outlet has two brass terminal screws, two chrome ones and a single ground terminal, which is green. When you wire a single outlet to a live circuit cable, you connect the black wire to one of the brass screws – usually the top one, but it doesn't matter – and the white wire to one of the chrome screws. Again, it doesn't matter which chrome screw you choose, but the convention is to choose the one opposite the brass screw to which you attach the black wire. This leaves the other set of terminals free for daisy-chaining. The ground wire gets connected to the ground screw.
To daisy-chain a receptacle onto one that already has power, you attach the black and white wires to the remaining pair of terminals, black to brass and white to chrome. You then twist or crimp the ground wires and attach one of them to the ground screw. The terminals in a conventional outlet are connected, so there's no need for pigtails to create parallel connections. The internal connections on outlets guarantee that power will be split between the receptacle connected to the live circuit and the ones that come after it in the circuit.
The Exceptions to the Rule
GFCI and AFCI outlets are exceptions to this wiring rule. They're designed to trip when they detect a ground fault or current anomaly, and when they do, they cut power to all other devices connected to them. To get the protection these devices offer, you have to wire them correctly.
These outlets have a pair of LINE terminals and a pair of LOAD terminals. The terminals are clearly marked, and the LOAD terminals are usually covered with tape when you unpack the outlet. The black circuit wire goes on the brass LINE terminal, and the white wire goes on the chrome LINE terminal. The outgoing black and white wires must be connected to the LOAD terminals. The ground wires go on the ground terminal, just as they do for a conventional outlet.
Wiring a Switch in Series
Because the purpose of a switch is to interrupt the hot leg of the circuit when it's off, it has to be wired in series, and for this reason, it has only brass terminals (and a ground). You attach the hot wire from power to one of the brass terminals and the hot wire going to the light fixture to the other brass terminal, then you connect the ground wires to the ground terminal, as usual. You then twist the white wires together and cap them. This allows electricity to pass through the switch to the light fixture and return directly to the panel, bypassing the switch on the return path.
If you wanted to ignore code and wire your outlets in series, the procedure would be the same. Connect the black wires to the brass terminals on the outlet you're wiring, connect the ground wires to the ground terminal, then twist the white wires together and cap them. Follow this procedure for all but the last outlet in the circuit. On that outlet, connect the white wire to one of the chrome terminals to provide a return path directly back to the panel, bypassing all the other outlets.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13388 | Old 09-02-2009, 04:43 AM
Giant Nontypical
wis_bow_huntr's Avatar
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Nekoosa Wi USA
Posts: 6,066
Here try this and see if this will work. Ive recomended this program to a bunch of people I know that have had similar issues to what you are having.
If it doesnt work let me know I have some other ideas that might work.
Originally Posted by RDHunter View Post
Now that it's September 1st I can go put up my treestands up.
I wish I could post some pictures of the land I'm hunting in this year but it seems that my computer is having problems uploading them.
I got three diffrent spots and I'll be placing a treestand in two of them and I'll be using a ground blind in the third one.
I'll be shooting my Darton Marauder and using Gold Tip Extreme XT's with 100 gr. Muzzy four blade broadheads.
It may not be all that fancy but it's good enough to get the job done.
I think I have a good chance of getting one of the two pieblad doe's I saw while scouting in the third hunting spot.
I can't figure out what happened to my computer, all I know is my picture manager program and my pant program won't work like it should.
It won't let me edit picture files or change them ( gif ) to ( jepg ) , I keep getting the same message that say's the file image is the wrong extension.
wis_bow_huntr is offline |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13391 | Eos 3
Eos 3 is the version under development by me. It is a development based on Eos2.5. Eos 3 is different from Eos 3D, which is also being designed along the line of paper of SCSS 2017 paper. I am trying to release Eos 3.0 by the end of March 2018. Eos 3.0 runs on Mathematica 11.2. Some of the features, especially those of graphics may not work properly on on Version 10 or earlier. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13398 | Solar Power Smashed Another Record In 2017, But Didn't Quite Reach 100 GigaWatts
This solar farm outside Shanghai is part of the astonishing growth of solar in China, which last year installed more than half the record-breaking amount of solar commissioned around the world. Wang An Qi
Last year looked set to be a particularly challenging one for the growth of solar power. Yet despite Donald Trump's promises to restore the fortunes of coal in solar's second-biggest market, 29.3 percent more solar cells were installed in 2017 than 2016, which had smashed previous records. Despite this, the world didn't quite manage to reach the milestone of installing 100 Gigawatts of solar capacity in the year, finishing at 98.9 GW.
The world uses 22,000 TerraWattHours of electricity each year. If that demand didn't fluctuate with season and time of day, and power sources ran 24/7 it would take 2,500 GW of electricity generating capacity to supply that. Of course, all energy sources have downtime, and night and clouds mean solar has more than most, so 98.9 GW only supplies around 0.7 percent of the world's annual electricity needs, give or take a bit for location and whether the panels are fixed or track the Sun.
The figure brings the total operating solar in the world to 405 GW, 89 percent of which was installed in the last seven years. The announcement indicates solar capacity overtook that of nuclear worldwide, although nuclear still produces more power since most plants operate for so many more hours a day.
So all this extra solar power is still a very small portion of the electricity the world uses, but the growth is extraordinary. Over the last 40 years, the amount of photovoltaic capacity commissioned in a year has doubled roughly every two years. If that rate continues, we'll be getting most of our electricity from the Sun by 2030. Even if the 29 percent growth seen in 2017 becomes the average, new solar will double every three years, and still be the largest single source of electricity by the mid-20s.
Once again, China was dominant, installing 52.8 GW, a 53 percent increase on 2016. India, at 9.6 GW is quite likely to overtake the United States this year, which fell from 14.8 to 11.8 GW. Meanwhile Europe, the one part of the world where solar installations have fallen in recent years, rebounded with 8.6 GW (up 28 percent), particularly in Turkey, which at 1.8 GW became the largest solar market in Europe for the first time.
The data comes from the Solar Power Europe report delivered at their annual summit, which every year provides an overview of solar trends for the year before. Not all countries report their solar installations reliably, or at least promptly, so estimates sometimes vary, and some have even suggested the 100 GW mark might have been reached, but Solar Power Europe's report is usually treated as the most authoritative accounting.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13407 | India | West Bengal | Guptipara
Ramachandra Temple
Ramachandra Temple at Guptipara in Hooghly district was built by King Harishchandra Rai at the end of the 18th century. It is made of red-colored bricks and has a curved roof. On the roof, there is a tower that can be accessed by a staircase. The temple enshrines painted wooden images of Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita. The front wall of the temple is covered with brick panels that have carved figures of gods, goddesses and scenes from the Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Updated on 7th June, 2005
District: Hooghly
Location: Guptipara
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13412 | Skip to main content
Too Much Magic
Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation
James Howard Kunstler, Eric Martin (Read by)
List Price: 9.99*
* Individual store prices may vary.
Other Editions of This Title:
Hardcover (6/19/2012)
Paperback (7/9/2013)
James Howard Kunstler's critically acclaimed and bestselling The Long Emergency, originally published in 2005, quickly became a grassroots hit, going into nine printings in hardcover. Kunstler's shocking vision of our post-oil future caught the attention of environmentalists and business leaders alike, and stimulated widespread discussion about our dependence on fossil fuels and our dysfunctional financial and government institutions. Kunstler has since been profiled in the New Yorker and invited to speak at TED. In Too Much Magic, Kunstler evaluates what has changed in the last seven years and shows us that, in a post-financial-crisis world, his ideas are more relevant than ever.
"Too Much Magic" is what Kunstler sees in the bright visions of a future world dreamed up by optimistic souls who believe technology will solve all our problems. Their visions remind him of the flying cars and robot maids that were the dominant images of the future in the 1950s. Kunstler's image of the future is much more sober.
Audible Studios on Brilliance, 9781511383554
Publication Date: May 3, 2016 |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13460 | Designing for Automation vs Augmentation
How to balance anticipatory design between automation and augmentation?
Historical perspective
The three waves
AI-based solutions have been long used by business-to-business (B2B) businesses to automate routine tasks in operations and logistics. But historically, the first business transformation involved a standardizing process. Daugherty and Wilson [3] call this era the first wave and was ushered by the first Industrial Revolution with Fordism, Taylorism, and Toyotism[1].
Succeeding, B2B transformation bears a second wave, consisting of automated processes that began in the 1970s and reached its peak in the 1990s. This era emerged with the business process reengineering movement, thanks to advances in information technology [3]. This was propelled by the ubiquity of computers, large databases, and the automation of numerous back-office tasks. Many people were replaced by machines.
Currently, Daugherty and Wilson [3], invoke a third wave, involving adaptive processes. This wave builds on the previous two, yet, is a completely new way of doing business. It is allowing businesses to adapt to people's behaviors, preferences, and needs at a given moment. It is powered by real-time data rather than by a pre-organized sequence of steps.
They envision that when this last wave is fully optimized, it will allow B2B and B2C businesses to take full advantage of AI. They will be able to produce individualized products and services which are satisfying beyond the capabilities of the mass-production of the past and deliver more profit.
[1] A business model pioneered by Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota in the 1960s. It includes just-in-time production, giving greater autonomy to work teams, constant monitoring and improvement of processes, and constant quality control, all of which are designed to reduce waste or unnecessary effort. It differs from Taylorism and Fordism by placing more onus on multiskilled and proficient labor working in teams [13].
Automation versus Augmentation
New conventions in the experience economy[2], alongside new technological developments as AI are shaping how businesses invest in integrating user-centered design and user experience (UX) as a crucial part of their whole service design strategy plan.
Furthermore, when designing for AI-driven products, designers should understand if the service should be focused on augmentation or automation. This duality will be the rule of thumb to design for anticipation or automation.
Automation implies that machines take over a human task, augmentation means that humans collaborate closely with machines to perform a task.
Augmentation cannot be neatly separated from automation in the design domain. These dual AI applications are interdependent across time and space, creating a paradoxical tension [4]. In any case, if done right, both can work together to simplify and improve the outcome of a long, complicated process.
Taking a normative stance, several authors accentuate the benefits of augmentation while taking a more negative viewpoint on automation [3–5].
Their combined advice is that organizations should prioritize augmentation, which they relate to superior performance. Their views suggest that businesses focused on automation will only see short-term benefits. Consequently, Davenport and Kirby advise businesses to prioritize augmentation, which they hail as "the only path to sustainable competitive advantage" [5]. The following Table1 gives a summary why we may support their vision by analyzing why we should augment humans' capabilities instead of simply automating their actions.
[2] "As services, like goods before them, increasingly become commoditized experiences have emerged as the next step in what we call the progression of economic value." [14].
Table 1: Strengths between Humans and Algorithms [3].
If tasks are more robotic alike, focused on speed, accuracy, or repetition, humans are more than happy to delegate them to AI. Nevertheless, there also will be tasks that people want to control themselves, and not rely on automation for that [3]. Humans may delegate repetitive tasks to AI because it can help to handle those tasks faster, more efficiently, and sometimes even more creatively. In the end, algorithms don't see opportunities for improvement. But Humans do. We are the only creature capable of innovating.
What will happen when anticipation is inaccurate?
Anticipatory design will result in a number of accepted filters that will be applied to the information flow pouring on users every day. This leads to the perception of the future affecting the present. Given these ideas of speculation and prediction, anticipatory design is not without critics.
Despite its promise, little research has been done towards possible implications that may come with anticipatory design. Further research connecting well-identified issues such as information and experience bubbles [6], serendipity [7], and trust silos [8] should be addressed in the current trajectory of the anticipatory design.
Especially, if in a given moment a "systems model built with anticipatory design principles is speculating about user needs and attempting to fill in the blanks" [9]. Is the system filling them correctly or incorrectly? How can we measure the risks of a bad prediction? Reservations are in place when one enters into modes of prediction, we introduce constraints to understanding as well serendipity since the system could be unable us the capacity of making fortunate discoveries by accident [2, 9, 10].
Some authors safeguarded that when one enters into modes of prediction, one introduces constraints to understanding as well as serendipity since the system could be unable us the capacity of making fortunate discoveries by chance [2, 9, 10].
All human activities can be described by five high-level components [11]:
- Data
- Prediction
- Judgment
- Action
- Outcome
Is the value of human prediction skills decreasing as the machine learning provides an improved and cheaper human prediction substitute? Nevertheless, one of the most exciting opportunities for AI and ML is being able to help humans make better decisions more often. The best AI-human partnership enables better decisions than either party could make on their own.
As mentioned in table1, the value of human judgment skills is increasing. Judgment is a complement to prediction and therefore when the cost of prediction falls demand for judgment rises.
- If automation fails will the user be able to easily step in and course-correct?
- And if not, what are the consequences?
- Which mechanisms can designers design to anticipate system failures?
- What will become of Humans' experience without serendipity opportunities if all future digital services start to get more and more automated?
- Will anticipatory design and automation design rob us, humans, from serendipity fulfilment?
When going through the path of anticipatory design and automation of decision-making processes, there are 3 design principles that should be taken into consideration [12].
1. Transparency: Making sure that there's clarity about the decisions that are being made on behalf of the user. This way, users are more conscious about when to regain control over the situation, take back control, or reverse decisions;
2. Curation: Providing recommendations in a more humanized approach, by providing context, can be a solution to improve the decision-making process. People are skeptical about algorithms, so human curation would aim for quality instead of quantity;
3. Trust: In order to make successful decisions on behalf of users, it is necessary to gather a wide amount of user data. For a user to willingly give access to its private data, designers need to design a system that is grounded in reciprocal trust ties in every input and action, and constantly inform the user how their personal data is being used. Transparency will lead to system trust.
"The ubiquity of the Internet is increasing our ability to collect extraordinary amounts of data from virtually everyone, dramatically reshaping not only how we interact with our devices but how they interact with us" [1].
In short
Anticipatory Design is the method that can support the evolution of the connected everyday objects, by expanding its interaction with users and helping decision making in their daily lives. In this way, UX Design has the fundamental role of providing a good experience, supported by Machine learning to observe and IoT to learn users' routines. Together, they interpret this data and provide this interaction in advance. Affording an anticipatory experience to the user.
In the end, systems must be designed to allow users to still have the power to control a decision. When designing for anticipation, designers have to balance control and automation in consideration of users' needs and actions. An AI-driven product should be flexible design to allow users to adapt the output to their needs, edit it, or turn it off.
Despite the power of great hyper-personalization in AI-driven products, services won't be perfect every time to every user. Their context in the real world and the criticality of the task will dictate how people will interact with the service.
Machines don't see opportunities for improvement. Humans do!
[1] Shapiro, A.: The Next Big Thing In Design? Less Choice, https://www.fastcompany.com/3045039/the-next-big-thing-in-design-fewer-choices, last accessed 2020/29/06.
[2] Zamenopoulos, T., Alexiou, K.: Towards an anticipatory view of design. Des. Stud. 28, 411–436 (2007).
[3] Daugherty, P., Wilson, J.: Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI. Harvard Business Review Press, United States (2018).
[4] Raisch, S., Krakowski, S.: Artificial Intelligence and Management: The Automation-Augmentation Paradox. Acad. Manag. Rev. 1–48 (2020).
[5] Davenport, T.H., Kirby, J.: Only Humans Need Apply: Winners and Losers in the Age of Smart Machines. Harper Business (2016).
[6] Pariser, E.: The Filter Bubble: What The Internet Is Hiding From You. (2011).
[7] Melo, R.: On Serendipity in the Digital Medium, (2018).
[8] Marcus, G., Davis, E.: Rebooting AI: Building artificial intelligence we can trust. Pantheon Books, New York, USA (2019).
[9] Clark, J.A.: Anticipatory Design: Improving Search UX using Query Analysis and Machine Cues. J. Libr. User Exp. 1, (2016).
[10] Van Allen, P.: Reimagining the Goals and Methods of UX for ML/AI A new context requires new approaches. In: The AAAI 2017 Spring Symposium on Designing the User Experience of Machine Learning Systems. pp. 431–434 (2017).
[11] Agrawal, Ajay; Gans, J., Goldfarb, A.: The Simple Economics of Machine Intelligence, https://hbr.org/2016/11/the-simple-economics-of-machine-intelligence, last accessed 2020/29/06.
[12] Doody, S.: Anticipatory Design & The Future of Experience —, https://medium.com/@Productized/productized-19-notes-anticipatory-design-the-future-of-experience-sarah-doody-e239eb7e149f, last accessed 2020/29/06.
[13] Rogers, A., Castree, N., Kitchin, R.: A Dictionary of Human Geography. Oxford University Press (2013).
[14] Pine II, Joseph B.; Gilmore, J.H.: The Experience Economy. Harv. Bus. Rev. 97–105 (1998).
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13463 | Classroom Miracles Made Simple
Hero Teacher Martha Rivera Alanis
Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind: How to involve, include and inspire every student, every day.
One teacher told me about her class. At the start of every school year she asks her young elementary level kids, “What do you want to do when you grow up?”
One year a kid responded, “I wanna be like my daddy and be on welfare.” Some teachers would have rolled their eyes and thought, “How am I supposed to teach kids in poverty that have a home life like his?”
But this teacher refused to lower her goals or her standards for her kids. She does what high performing teachers often do.
Her strategy? What did she do?
The answer is, “Broaden the kid’s horizons and help him think bigger!” Read more |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13466 | @article {Chen14824, author = {Chen, Li and Chatterjee, Mallika and Li, James Y. H.}, title = {The Mouse Homeobox Gene Gbx2 Is Required for the Development of Cholinergic Interneurons in the Striatum}, volume = {30}, number = {44}, pages = {14824--14834}, year = {2010}, doi = {10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3742-10.2010}, publisher = {Society for Neuroscience}, abstract = {Mammalian forebrain cholinergic neurons are composed of local circuit neurons in the striatum and projection neurons in the basal forebrain. These neurons are known to arise from a common pool of progenitors that primarily resides in the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE). However, little is known about the genetic programs that differentiate these two types of cholinergic neurons. Using inducible genetic fate mapping, here we examined the developmental fate of cells that express the homeodomain transcription factor Gbx2 in the MGE. We show that the Gbx2 lineage-derived cells that undergo tangential migration exclusively give rise to almost all cholinergic interneurons in the striatum, whereas those undergoing radial migration mainly produce noncholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain. Deletion of Gbx2 throughout the mouse embryo or specifically in the MGE results in abnormal distribution and significant reduction of cholinergic neurons in the striatum. We show that early-born (before embryonic day 12.5) cholinergic interneurons preferentially populate the lateral aspect of the striatum and mature earlier than late-born (after embryonic day 12.5) neurons, which normally reside in the medial part of the striatum. In the absence of Gbx2, early-born striatal cholinergic precursors display abnormal neurite outgrowth and increased complexity, and abnormally contribute to the medial part of the caudate{\textendash}putamen, whereas late-born striatal cholinergic interneurons are mostly missing. Together, our data demonstrate that Gbx2 is required for the development of striatal cholinergic interneurons, perhaps by regulating tangential migration of the striatal cholinergic precursors.}, issn = {0270-6474}, URL = {https://www.jneurosci.org/content/30/44/14824}, eprint = {https://www.jneurosci.org/content/30/44/14824.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Neuroscience} } |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13468 | Is Unique 3
Today is Thursday, one more day to go. The nice thing is that this coming weekend is Labor Day.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I received my Azure Kinect DK camera. I checked the hardware requirements and tried matching to my machines at home. I decided to get a Windows base pedestal instead of a Linux server. The hardware requirements for the computer follow:
System Requirements: Windows® 10 PC or Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with 7th Generation Intel® CoreTM i3 Processor (Dual Core 2.4 GHz with HD620 GPU or faster), USB 3.0 Port, 4 GB RAM. Not available on Windows 10 in S mode. Skeletal/body tracking and other experiences may require more advanced PC hardware.
Decided on the following hardware from Dell Computers:
Precision 3630 Tower
Dell 43 Ultra HD 4K Multi Client Monitor – P4317Q
The estimated delivery date: Sep. 6 – 10, 2019. With any luck I should receive the order during the weekend. If that is not the case I will hate to wait until the following weekend.
This morning I was talking with a coworker about linked lists and the idea of having a sorted linked list came up. There is nothing new about the problem but since we are approaching the end of the week and I am fried, decided to make this post.
We still use a singly linked queue with the only difference being that the values are in sorted order.
Given that the code is quite simple and short I took a single picture of the diagram and the Java code.
The idea is to traverse the queue from the head using the p variable. If the next node holds the same value we just drop the next node by pointing to the next-next node. Given that we are using Java we do not have to free the memory used by the duplicate node. If using C / C++ we would have to free the node.
If the next node is not a duplicate we just move on to the next node.
// **** create an empty single link queue ****
slq = new SingleLink();
// **** add elements to the queue ****
// **** display the queue ****
System.out.println("main <<< slq: " + slq.toString());
// **** delete duplicates from the queue ****
The test code is familiar. We instantiate and populate the queue. We remove duplicates and we display the queue to verify that all went well.
// **** remove duplicate nodes from a sorted linked list ****
public void removeSortedDups() {
// **** start at the head of the queue ****
SNode<Integer> p = this.head;
// **** traverse the sorted queue ****
while ((p != null) && ( != null)) {
if ( == =;
p =;
The method starts by setting p to the head. Note that in the code that I wrote in the whiteboard I left the space, but did not write the initialization of p. I woke up today around 04:00 AM and was generating this post around 05:00 PM. It has been a long day. Note that I did mention the initialization while discussing the approach. I would assume the interviewer would hint me of the missing initialization in the code.
The loop which traversed the queue in O(n) checks for duplicates. If the next node is a duplicate we skip it; otherwise we just move to the next node.
main <<< slq: 1 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 3
main <<< slq: 1 -> 2 -> 3
As we can verify the queue holds duplicates and the values are in ascending order.
The second line shows the queue in which all duplicate nodes have been removed.
If you have comments or questions regarding this or any other post in this blog, or if you would like me to help with any phase in the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) of a product or service, please do not hesitate and leave me a note below. Requests for help will remain private.
Keep on reading and experimenting. It is the best way to learn and refresh your knowledge!
Follow me on Twitter: @john_canessa
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13529 | LegalReader.com · Legal News, Analysis, & Commentary
Is It Illegal to Stream on Netflix with a VPN?
— October 30, 2020
The bottom line is that if caught using a VPN Netflix will block you from accessing their content and display an error, but you won’t get into any legal hassles.
When did you last grab some popcorn and watch a movie in the cinema? How about the last time you streamed a TV show/movie on Netflix? Even if you aren’t a binge-watcher, you’ve probably done the latter more often. That is exactly how Netflix has changed the entertainment industry.
The Video-on-Demand (VoD) service grows its subscribers by around 10% yearly. As of 2020, it has more than 65 million subscribers in the U.S. alone, and secures the most number of Academy Award nominations, defeating the likes of Disney, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros!
All of this goes to show that “The Netflix Effect” is real, as its impact can be felt in a number of industries. Even an unknown actor and producer has the capability of gaining overnight fame, due to millions binge-watching a show. This raises a very important question for region-hoppers…
“Is it illegal to stream on Netflix with a VPN?” Well, it isn’t uncommon for people to use an unblocker for accessing different content libraries, particularly that of American Netflix. To learn where you stand legally when engaging in region-hopping for Netflix, continue reading!
Will You Get In Trouble for Using a VPN with Netflix?
Since VPNs are privacy tools, people leave them on all the time when browsing. Therefore, if you use one with Netflix, legally, there are no implications. Bear in mind that using a VPN for unblocking different content libraries is not a form of “piracy” or torrenting “copyrighted” material.
One can say that region-hopping is not illegal, but generally “discouraged”. This is because it is against their terms of service. As such, Netflix does indeed have the right of cutting access to streams at any point, upon detecting a VPN. For more clarification, here are some relevant snippets from their “Terms of Use”:
Netflix ToS 4.3
Netflix ToS 4.6
“You also agree not to circumvent, remove, alter, deactivate, degrade or thwart any of the content protections in the Netflix service; use any robot, spider, scraper or other automated means to access the Netflix service… We may terminate or restrict your use of our service if you violate these Terms of Use or are engaged in illegal or fraudulent use of the service.”
If you’ve read both sections of the ToS above, you’ll learn that Netflix does state it will “terminate or restrict” your use of their service, if you are found using a VPN. However, Netflix has never banned or blocked any account for using an unblocker and neither does it show any interest to do so!
What Happens If You Are Caught Using a VPN?
If Netflix detects that you are using a VPN service, it will instantly display an error message something along the lines of “You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off any of these services and try again”. Therefore, if you disconnect the VPN and open Netflix, you will regain full access!
As such, you don’t have worry about Netflix punishing you in any way for trying bypass geo-restrictions. Your account will not be suspended or blocked. The maximum that can happen is you being unable to stream any title, until and unless you disable the unblocker/proxy service.
Netflix error message; image courtesy of author.
Netflix error message; image courtesy of author.
Why Does Netflix Discourage VPN Usage?
Distributors partnered with Netflix lose money when users shift regions to watch a particular movie/TV show. You see, the VoD doesn’t own all the content on its platform. It has to adhere to certain stipulations put forward by the production houses, which often include geographical restrictions.
Think of it this way that Netflix offers two types of content: Original and Licensed. The former is Netflix’s own intellectual property. This means, they have complete control over what is available in which country. Initially, this wasn’t the case and Netflix originals were not available in all countries.
Rights to shows like “Orange is the New Black”, “The Walking Dead”, and “The West Wing” were sold to third party networks in Indonesia, Tanzania, and other countries. Now, all Netflix Originals are available to customers worldwide. Whereas, licensed content from the VoD is always geo-restricted.
This is because of the simple fact that the content is licensed from third party creators, who maintain complete ownership of their intellectual property. These licenses are what prevent Netflix from displaying its complete library; otherwise, the VoD actually prefers providing global access to its content!
How Does Netflix Detect VPN Services?
Netflix set the stage for an aggressive fight against region-hopping through DNS, proxies, and VPN services, after they started receiving complaints from production houses and distributors to ramp up their measures to block users from accessing geographically-restricted content.
This led to the creation of what is possibly the best VPN detection system outside “The Great Firewall”. Netflix does so by maintaining a blacklist of IP addresses that belong to VPN providers, along with employing techniques like DNS poisoning, DNS hijacking, DNS/IP filtering, and Blackholing of VPN servers.
However, most VPNs are aware of these tactics and figured out a way to circumvent the VPN ban. They do so by utilizing “Obfuscation” technology, which transforms VPN traffic into regular HTTPs traffic. So, you can say the fight between VPNs and streaming platforms like Netflix continues to this date!
Wrapping Things Up
The bottom line is that if caught using a VPN Netflix will block you from accessing their content and display an error, but you won’t get into any legal hassles. You don’t have to worry about your account getting cancelled. Just make sure that if you are using a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions on the streaming platform, you pick one that is reliable, fast, and trustworthy!
Join the conversation! |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13535 | Ambient Decision Theory
A variant of updateless decision theory that uses first order logic instead of mathematical intuition module (MIM), emphasizing the way an agent can control which mathematical structure a fixed definition defines, an aspect of UDT separate from its own emphasis on not making the mistake of updating away things one can still acausally control.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13544 | Travel 10 Fun Facts About Vehicle Number Plates In Britain
10 Fun Facts About Vehicle Number Plates In Britain
Let’s look at some fun facts about vehicle number plates in Britain. Their system of number plates is one of the most complex numbers of plate systems in practice now. Let figure out how vehicles under this new system get number plates and do they hold any special meaning. Or they just randomly get the numbers.
The current system, known as Roads Vehicle Regulations, was first introduced in September 2001 and replaced a 20-year-old system. This system is in practice in England, Wales, and Scotland.
Under the current system, vehicles are registered with a mixed alphanumeric number, which has a specific format consisting of seven characters, two initial letters followed by two numbers followed with space and three ending letters (i.e., XX11 XXX).
1- Two Beginning Characters
In the beginning, two characters are area code or local memory tags, indicating the area. These letters were assigned based on the DVLA office in which the vehicle was registered. Now DVLA offices are closed, and an online system is used to register a vehicle.
Still, the basis for assigning the characters to an area remains the same, so if you buy a car from a London dealer, you get a number to the plate letter will start from L.
For a vehicle registered in Birmingham, the number will start from B, for Hampshire H, and so on. Letters I, Q, and Z cannot be put in area codes.
2- Age Identifier
After two initial characters, two numbers are telling you about the age of the car or the year of its registration. Each year has two numbers assigned to it, one for the period between March to August and the other for September to February.
The number assigned to a vehicle registered between March 2002 to August 2002 is 02 and 03 for March 2003 to August 2003, so an ongoing maximum of up to 50 till March 2050 to August 2050.
Whereas 51 is for vehicles registered between September 2001 to February 2002 and 52 for the vehicles registered between September 2002 to February 2003 and so on, maximum going up to 00 between September 2050 to February 2051.
3- Only Vehicle with No Number Plate:
In Britain, all vehicles have a number plate except for ones the Queen uses. This exception only applies to the Queen. Other members of the Royal family use number plate valuation services for their cars.
4- Ending Three Letter
Ending three letters of the number plate are random characters and do not hold any specific meaning. Unlike the initial five letters, a dealership assigns a batch of letters once they use them; a new batch comes.
Just like in area code letters I and Q, you cannot use them as random letters considering that these might be mistakenly taken as numbers 1 and 0. However, letter Z can be used as a random letter. Any offensive letter sequence, DVLA does not allow for a number plate.
5- Country Identifier
Having a country identifier is not a must for a vehicle. Still, while travelling outside Britain, a vehicle must always display a separate GB sticker if a country identifier is not present on a number plate.
In EU countries, Britain vehicles with EU sign as a country identifier would no longer be allowed after Brexit, and hence such vehicles have to change their number plates to a new one with GB Flag.
6- Colors of Number Plates
Britain’s vehicle number plate made of yellow and white reflective material plates with black text has standard font sizes. White number plates are at the front while the yellow plates are at the back of a vehicle.
Only cars registered before January 1973 can have traditional number plates with black plates with white, silver, or grey text.
Vehicles registered before January 1979 can also display black and white plates. DVLA allows such plates. Cars that are over 40 years old can also have these classic black and white number plates.
7- Buy Personalized Number Plates Online
One can easily buy a number plate from DVLA online or through auction. All you need to do is search online which numbers are available and how much they cost. You can get an old number for a new vehicle, but a vehicle cannot have a number, which will make it look newer than it is.
The cost of these personalized number plates varies on its demand and number of characters on a plate. There are more than 45 million private number plates, some people use them while others keep them as an investment.
8- Shape of a Number Plate
A number plate in Britain is generally rectangular for cars. But the shape can vary to suit the car’s aperture and bikes have a square-shaped plate with digits on two different lines.
9- Standard Font
Since 2001 all number plates must use Charles Wright Knew. Before this rule, people used many different fonts to focus on the visibility of numbers and character.
10- Most Expensive Number Plate:
In 2014, a Bradford businessman bought the most expensive number plate in Britain, costing £518,000 for his Ferrari.
Illegal Number Plates:
Despite getting a registered DVLA number plate is still illegal provided:
1. Avoid using a font that is hard to read.
2. Alteration on number plates causing difficulty in reading or identifying the characters on the plate.
3. Using any symbols (i.e., sporting or religious emblems)
4. Using any other flags than those allowed (i.e., Union Flag, Cross of St. George, Saltire, or Red Dragon Of wales)
Where Can You Get A Number Plate?
You can get a vehicle number plate for your expensive cars from any nearest Registered Number Plate Supplier. The supplier will check relevant documents to verify whether you are can use the number or not.
Penalty For Not Displaying Number Plate Legally
Not legally displaying a number plate could lead to a fixed fine up to a maximum of £1,000 and MOT test failure.
Final Words:
The above facts include exciting rules on the vehicle number plate system and some interesting information we collected regarding those rules. We hope that you will understand a lot more by looking at the car’s number now.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13552 | Skip to main content
Wild Video: Woman Feeds Great White Shark by Hand
Film still from footage of shark expert Valerie Taylor hand-feeding a great white.
(Image: © Australian Geographic TV | Youtube)
Circling the Web this week is an incredible video showing Valerie Taylor, a world-renowned shark expert, hand-feeding a great white shark off the side of a boat. After placing a fish into the fearsome creature's mouth, she even leans down and pats it on the nose.
"I think the shark and I had an understanding," Taylor says in a voiceover of the footage, which aired in a TV documentary called "Shadow of the Shark." "This one, I had a feeling for."
Great white sharks, according to Yannis Papastamatiou, a research biologist in the Florida Program for Shark Research at the Florida Museum of Natural History, are intelligent and good learners. Despite the great white's reputation as a vicious hunter, like many wild animals, with enough practice and patience (and fish), researchers can condition them to take handouts from research vessels. It isn't unheard of, Papastamatiou said, for researchers to hand-feed them.
In the video, Taylor does just that, first coaxing the shark progressively closer to the boat using line baited with fish before finally feeding the shark by hand. [Watch the video here]
While this footage might be hair-raising to most of us, it's all in a day's work for Taylor, who, along with husband Ron, has worked in close quarters with great white sharks for decades. She even once swam among great whites with tuna filets stuffed in her chainmail diving suit just to learn more about the way they bite and feed.
"This idea that they are very aggressive predators always out to attack humans is totally false," Papastamatiou told Life's Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience.
The misunderstood hunter
Clearly, the shark in this video is much more interested in the fish handouts than it is in the hand doing the handing. "It seems we are not a preferable food item," Papastamatiou said. "When you look at [great white] attack statistics the actual number of victims who are eaten or consumed is very low. Normally, it's a case of the victim being bitten and then left alone." Some researchers have speculated that humans may be too bony for sharks to easily digest.
According to George Burgess at the Florida Program for Shark Research, there have been 182 nonfatal and 65 fatal unprovoked great white shark attacks worldwide in all of recorded history. [Read: Can Goldfish Really Grow to 30 Pounds?]
"It might be a case of the shark simply investigating a potential prey item it sees on the surface," Papastamatiou explained. "How do you investigate? Well, you have to take a bite out of it. Once it has taken a bite it realizes it's not what it wants, and goes away."
Shark attacks are much rarer than the public perceives them to be, but they are still dangerous animals, Papastamatiou said, and you shouldn't try to replicate the events in this video during your next Australian vacation. "Every time you try and touch an animal of that size you are taking a risk, not because it's a great white specifically, but simply because it's a giant wild animal." [Image Gallery: Great White Sharks]
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13559 | What does Look What God Gave Her mean?
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Thomas Rhett: Look What God Gave Her Meaning
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13571 | Go to content
tangent to curve Drag the red point in the display below to move the tangent line along the quartic (fourth order) curve.
You can see that the gradient function f'(x) of a quartic curve is a cubic curve.
Finally you can investigate higher order curves. In each case, the gradient function f'(x) will be a curve of one order lower.
Select polynomial order:
graphic calculator A note about graphic calculators
A graphic calculator may not be allowed in your exam. However you can use one for revision. The TI-83, or similar model, can display graphs and their gradient function for you.
To set this up, go to the Y= screen. Against Y1= enter a simple curve, 3x^2+1 for example. Against Y2= you should make the following selections:
MATH 8 VARS Y-VARS 1 1 then type in ,X,X)
The result should be that the Y= screen shows Y1=3x^2+1 and Y2=nDerive(Y1,X,X).
Go to the GRAPH screen, to see the graphs of y=3x^2+1 and the gradient function. In this case the gradient function displayed will be that of y=6x. The calculator cannot tell you this though. You will have to work that out for yourself.
If now you change the equation against Y1, the calculator will automatically show its derivative.
• The function that gives the gradient at any point on a given curve is called the gradient function for that curve
• If the curve is given by y=f(x), then the gradient function is often denoted by f'(x).
• If f(x) is quadratic, then f'(x) is linear
• If f(x) is cubic, then f'(x) is quadratic
• If f(x) is quartic (fourth degree), then f'(x) is cubic
Software/Applets used on this page
This page uses JSXGraph.
This page also uses the MathJax system for displaying maths symbols.
A mathematical expression of the 3rd degree; having a x³ term but no higher one.
rate of change, dy/dx, f'(x), , Dx.
A statement that two mathematical expressions are equal.
The slope of a line; the angle of its inclination to the horizontal.
A diagram showing a relationship between two variables.
Straight, not curved. A linear equation is of the first degree, for example y = 2x+1.
an expression which has whole-numbered powers of the variable, x, multiplied by coefficients, and added together.
Examples: y = 2x, y = 1+x², y = 3-2x+7x³
A mathematical expression of the 2nd degree; having a x² term but no higher one.
1. The trigonometrical function defined as opposite/adjacent in a right-angled triangle.
2. A straight line that touches a curve at one point.
Full Glossary List
This question appears in the following syllabi:
SyllabusModuleSectionTopicExam Year
AP Calculus AB (USA)3DifferentiationSlope-
AP Calculus BC (USA)3DifferentiationSlope-
AQA A-Level (UK - Pre-2017)C1DifferentiationSlope-
AQA AS Maths 2017Pure MathsDifferentiationGradients-
AQA AS/A2 Maths 2017Pure MathsDifferentiationGradients-
CBSE XI (India)CalculusLimits and DerivativesDefinition of a derivative-
CCEA A-Level (NI)C1DifferentiationSlope-
CIE A-Level (UK)P1DifferentiationSlope-
Edexcel A-Level (UK - Pre-2017)C1DifferentiationSlope-
Edexcel AS Maths 2017Pure MathsDifferentiationGradients-
Edexcel AS/A2 Maths 2017Pure MathsDifferentiationGradients-
I.B. Higher Level6DifferentiationSlope-
I.B. Standard Level6DifferentiationSlope-
Methods (UK)M8DifferentiationSlope-
I.B. (MSSL)7DifferentiationSlope-
OCR A-Level (UK - Pre-2017)C1DifferentiationSlope-
OCR AS Maths 2017Pure MathsDifferentiation BasicsGradients-
OCR MEI AS Maths 2017Pure MathsDifferentiation BasicsGradients-
OCR-MEI A-Level (UK - Pre-2017)C2DifferentiationSlope-
Pre-U A-Level (UK)4DifferentiationSlope-
Scottish (Highers + Advanced)HM1DifferentiationSlope-
Scottish HighersM1DifferentiationSlope-
Universal (all site questions)DDifferentiationSlope-
WJEC A-Level (Wales)C1DifferentiationSlope- |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13579 |
External link
Option 1. Use the link
• Website: http://www.edgetraining.org.uk/product/level-3-safeguarding-adults-1st-2nd-february-2021-via-live-webinar/
• Status: Seems to work
Option 2. Obtain a backup
If you cannot find what you were looking for:
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13585 | Violence in Iraq, ISIS and America’s War Rhetoric
Michael Shank, Ph.D., Associate Director for Legislative Affairs at the Friends Committee on National Legislation and Adjunct Faculty at George Mason University’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, discusses the latest crisis in Iraq, the ISIS takeover of Iraqi cities, the history of political and economic marginalization of Sunnis, the environmental resources at stake, weapons trafficking, democratic prospects, and the US government’s plans for air strikes and drone strikes. Video courtesy of RT. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13603 | air conditioner service
5 of the Most Common Problems that Lead to Air Conditioner Service
As summer nears, air conditioner service should be something that crosses your mind repeatedly as you consider your total home comfort. Of course there are a host of things to keep an eye out for when thinking through air conditioner service, but a few problems are more routine than others as you get ready to ramp up your air conditioner use for the season.
No matter when you last had your air conditioner service completed, be sure to keep these five potential problems in mind when your air conditioner is on the fritz.
1. Leaking refrigerant
There are a few things that can cause low refrigerant levels. It might be due to an undercharge during installation or the system could have developed a leak over time. Adding refrigerant to an already leaky air conditioner is akin to using a band aid on the Hoover Dam. It’s not going to cut it. Leaks should only be fixed by trained technicians like the ones at Moon's Air in Shreveport so that you can be sure your system is working at its best. Having that simple air conditioner service completed means that you’ll fix the leak and have the refrigerant charge match the precise specifications of the manufacturer, which provides you with peak performance and efficiency.
2. Inadequate maintenance
Allowing filters and coils to build up with dirt and grime will not only decrease your system’s efficiency, but it could cause a host of other issues if they’re not addressed. Arranging routine maintenance on your air conditioner with Moon's Air means that you’ll have a system providing you comfort when you desire it most.
3. Cycling too frequently
4. Sensor problems
5. Drainage
No matter the age of your air conditioner, there will always be problems that can come up when it is used routinely. Summer is when your system should be running at its highest level, so give the pros at Moon's Air in Shreveport a call at 318-215-7938.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13612 | Red Wing Shoes
8849 6-Inch Moc Leather Boots
£248.06/ Approx. AED 1,215(taxes and duties included)
Colour: Black
Select a size
• UK 6 (sold out)
• UK 7 (sold out)
• UK 7.5 (sold out)
• UK 8 (sold out)
• UK 8.5 (sold out)
• UK 9 (sold out)
• UK 9.5 (sold out)
• UK 10 (sold out)
• UK 10.5 (sold out)
• UK 11 (sold out)
• UK 12 (sold out)
Editor's Notes
Red Wing Shoes still uses the same Puritan sewing machines that it did when it was founded back in 1904 - they create durable, triple-stitched seams and melt latex into the thread to increase water resistance. This '8849' pair is crafted from the label's premium 'Prairie' leather and has thick 'Traction Tread' rubber soles for reliable grip.
Size & Fit
• UK sizing
Details & Care
• Black leather
• Gusseted tongues, leather insoles, rubber soles
• Lace-up
Product Code 3983529959633824
Returns or Exchanges
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13668 | Arasta Bazaar
Torun Sokak, Arasta Carsisi No:107, Sultanahmet
Sultanahmet. Entrance on Topçu Cad. (across from the Blue House hotel) and on Küçük Ayasofya Çad
Istanbul, Turkey
NileGuide Expert tip:
Do visit the Mosaic Museum inside.
Arasta Bazaar is like a mini "Grand Bazaar / Covered Market" selling mostly hand-crafted items. There are approximately 70 shops inside the Arasta Bazaar (which in reality is a line of shops neatly lined up on both ends of a long street). Shops are selling beautiful hand-made carpets, souvenirs, antiques and gifts. Arasta Bazaar is less hectic and much less crowded when compared to the Grand Bazaar, because the tourists usually know less of it.
Bazaars of Istanbul were once a high-mark of the neighborhoods of the city. Each neighborhood had its own mosque and near the mosque had its own bazaar called the arasta. Arasta Bazaar takes its name after these bazaars. The functionality of these bazaars was to make money for the maintenance of the mosque and the pious foundations. Most of the bazaars were destroyed during the final days of the Ottoman Era and during the establishment of the Turkish Republic -during the build-up of the new infrastructure. Arasta Bazaar is one of the important bazaars, after Grand Bazaar, Spice Market and Sahaflar Carsisi, remaining from early Ottoman Periods. The Mosaic Museum is also inside Arasta Bazaar.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13692 | Why Muslims eat halal Foods?
Islam gives guidelines on what exactly is considered lawful and therefore, “halal’ to consume and what is considered unlawful or “haram” to consume.
Through His divine wisdom, God has made unlawful the consumption of meat from animals that have not been slaughtered in Islamic way — by cutting the throat with a sharp knife and invoking Allah’s name. He also made unlawful the consumption of certain meats such as carrion, blood, pork, and meat of animals that have been strangled, beaten, fallen (to their death), gored, and devoured by beasts of prey. He also made unlawful consumption of animals when sacrificed for other than God — e.g. animals used in idolatrous sacrifices.
The following list represent the general guideline when it comes to Muslim food consumption: Alcohol — intoxicants and narcotic drugs are unlawful; Blood and blood by-products are unlawful. Blood is the circulatory cleansing fluid of the body and is not to be consumed; Carnivorous animals, birds of prey, scavengers and animals improperly slaughtered, sick of dying before slaughter are unlawful; swine and all pork by-producst and/or their derivatives are unlawful; foods contaminated with any of the above products or with ‘impurities’ from processing such as manure, urine, rodent droppings, infectious fluids, or pus are considered unlawful. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13728 | Update to Service Changes Dec 2020
Storytime Snippets - Virtual
Primary tabs
Program Type:
Age Group:
Program Description
Online Instructions
This event will be posted on our Facebook page
This event will be posted on our YouTube channel
About This Event
Enjoy stories, rhymes and songs in this virtual storytime event. Suggested for ages 1 and up.
Click to join storytime on our YouTube!
Click to join our storytime on Facebook! |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13733 | AVIATION There are no products in this category.
Airband or Aircraft band is the name for a group of frequencies in the VHF radio spectrum allocated to radio communication in civil aviation,
The VHF airband uses the frequencies between 108 and 137 MHz.
Mcmurdo Kannad
ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) Is a type of distress beacon used in aircraft activated automatically by the impact of an accident or manually via a remote control switch.
Once activated, the 406 MHz distress signal is transmitted continuously, alerting international rescue services to the emergency and your location via the global Cospas-Sarsat Search And Rescue satellite system and 121,5 MHz (homing), some also 243 MHz.
Some models have GPS or You can be connected to one. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13743 | Indie Alaska
Is the world's best ice cream in...ALASKA?! | INDIE ALASKA
Season 9 Episode 10 | 4m 28s
Elissa Brown always loved tinkering around in the kitchen, but she never thought it would evolve into her own business making ice cream with authentically Alaskan ingredients. Since 2015, Wild Scoops ice cream has not only created a huge following and tourist attraction around Anchorage, Alaska, but has also showed how small businesses can collaborate and make a better community.
Aired: 08/19/20
Rating: NR
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13760 | Keep New Times Free
Impersonation Nation
Were the ghosts of Marilyn Monroe, John Belushi, Patsy Cline, Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley to converge on Earth, they could hardly have picked a more unlikely location for their postmortem summit meeting than the far East Valley, a snowbird wonderland of RV parks, propane stations, swap meets and all-you-can-eat buffets.
But since last November, that geriatric vortex is exactly where phony versions of these late greats--along with reasonable facsimiles of a handful of still-living icons like Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis and Dan Aykroyd--have been strutting their stuff eight times a week in a revue called "Legendary Superstars."
At first glance, the bare-bones showroom--a 300-seat banquet hall in a bleak-looking strip mall just a few feet west of the Apache Junction/Mesa border--would hardly seem worthy of stars of such magnitude.
But once the house lights dim, the stage lights come on, the curtain rises and the opening act begins, something magical happens. A Jerry Lee Lewis impostor in a leopard-skin jacket begins banging away at a smoking piano, and, well, goodness gracious, great balls of Sterno!
There's a live band. Flashy--if frugal--production values. A couple of gorgeous back-up dancers. And through the miracle of impersonation (there's no lip-synching, folks; all performers use "their very own natural voices"), there's the opportunity to see Frank Sinatra do it his way. Watch Patsy Cline go walkin' after midnight. And dive for cover as Jake and Elwood Blues tear the stage apart during a raucous duet with Elvis.
Two hours later, when they exit the theater carrying souvenir photos, autographs and audio cassettes of the Elvis impersonators' greatest hits, most of the audience members would probably agree with one of the show's advertising blurbs--"Legendary Superstars" really is "just like those shows in Las Vegas" and other tourist meccas.
The operative phrase here? "Just like."
That's because if you pay close attention, this salute to the ersatz celebrity is actually far more than just a pleasant, relatively inexpensive way to kill a couple hours.
Fascinating and complex in ways that its cast and producers never intended, the impersonation extravaganza raises endless questions about America's obsession with fame, the real and the unreal and, in the absence of the genuine celebrity, the public's eagerness to endorse the next-best thing. Meanwhile, it provides a peek into a bizarre arena of show business predicated on "been there, done that," a deja vu dead end where "My Way" is a career swan song for anyone but a Sinatra impersonator.
And somewhere during the show, even the most fawning fan can't help wondering: "If Elvis Presley had never been born, what would all those guys with blue-black hair and sneering smiles be doing with themselves?"
These days, you might find them ogling the legions of fake Madonnas, Dolly Partons and Michael Jacksons who are rapidly overpopulating the show-biz world.
Unreal? Exactly.
Impersonators and impressionists are hardly newcomers to the entertainment arena--drag queens have been imitating Judy Garland and Diana Ross for years and, during the Sixties, rarely a week went by that Rich Little or Frank Gorshin didn't show up on one TV variety show or another.
Yet by now the human duplicator phenomenon has somehow become so ingrained in American life that when both John Goodman and Jim Belushi imitated Belushi's dead brother during a halftime Blues Brothers number at the Super Bowl, few viewers raised an eyebrow over the truly surreal spectacle. No wonder that it's hard to remember that once upon a time, there was actually no need in the English language for the plural form of the word "Elvis."
The undisputed epicenter of this planet of the apers is Las Vegas' Imperial Palace hotel, home since 1983 to "Legends in Concert," the granddaddy of all impersonation shows. Originally considered by many insiders to be a financially risky (if not downright ghoulish) conceit, the maverick production was essentially a musical wax museum, reasonable facsimiles of a bunch of dead superstars reunited in rock 'n' roll heaven. Joplin and Jolson together on the same stage? Only in Vegas.
But not for long. Still packing 'em in at the Imperial 14 years later, this glitzy imitation of afterlife has spawned a global cottage industry. In addition to the original Vegas production, satellite productions currently run in Atlantic City, Miami and Hawaii, while touring units have played everywhere from cruise liners to Russia. Factor in the scads of rival productions (Vegas alone plays host to at least a half-dozen similar shows) and it's easy to see that the entertainment industry is in the throes of the most lucrative identity crisis since Sally Field played Sybil.
The exact scope of the quirky impersonation industry is hard to quantify. There are no Elvis unions, no look-alike locals. Further adding to the difficulty of a precise impersonator census is the chameleonic nature of the beast: Because of shifting trends and tastes, yesterday's Cher is today's Madonna is tomorrow's who-knows-who. The closest thing to hard statistics comes from Vegas. "La Cage," a celebrity drag show at the Riviera, has been selling out for 12 years. "Legends in Concert," which currently employs more than five dozen impersonators, makes the startling claim that every day, 10,000 people will see one of its shows.
"In fact, if it weren't for my hot pink 1959 pickup, people wouldn't even question me."
Like Bosko, nightclub singer Duke Hazlett--the show's Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra--drifted into the impersonation game by default. "The whole business has changed," says Hazlett. "Used to be I'd work 12 weeks in Chicago, go to Miami for another 12 weeks, then up New York. Well, those days are gone--there is no nightclub circuit anymore. So I came up with a 55-minute show called "Reflections of Sinatra." I also have a Sammy and a Dean and we do a "Reflections of the Rat Pack" show. It goes over beautifully, if I may be so bold."
For impersonation buffs, Hazlett's dual turns as Crosby and Sinatra would appear to be an impenetrable challenge. Bing Crosby simply does not look like Frank Sinatra (both singers appeared in High Society without particularly confusing the audience) and, truth be told, Duke Hazlett doesn't really bear much more than a passing resemblance to either. In fact, from certain angles, he could just as easily pass for Gene Kelly. Or Mel Brooks. Or Mel Brooks doing Frank Sinatra in High Anxiety.
That's where the art of illusion comes in, explains Hazlett. "What I do is psych myself up to be Bing or Frank onstage," explains Hazlett. "How would Bing hold a pipe or arch his eyebrow? How does Frank carry a drink onstage? The voice, the movement, the facial gestures--they're part of an overall package. Just saying 'Hey, you dirty rat!' without going through the Jimmy Cagney gestures doesn't mean much."
The only member of the Apache Junction cast who has actually met the legend he portrays ("Frank's always been very nice and gracious to me"), Hazlett is aware he may soon be in the eerie position of watching his own particular living legend turn into one for the ages.
"People have said to me that when Frank dies, I'm going right up into the six-figure bracket," says Hazlett, addressing the issue of Sinatra's highly publicized series of recent health problems. "Well, I don't listen to that and I refuse to believe it. If he passed away tonight, I certainly don't think it would be very tasteful to go and do the performance. I think I'd take a moratorium on what I do for a week or two."
If Gertrude Stein were to snare a ringside seat at "Legendary Superstars," she might be tempted to comment, "An Elvis is an Elvis is an Elvis."
But she'd be dead wrong.
"There are about five Elvises who can play the main showrooms in Vegas," producer Michael Paloma reports. "Then you've got a couple of B's, a whole lot of C's and then there are those you don't even want to talk about."
The verdict's still out on the replacement Presley that Paloma brought in for a week when the resident Elvis left the building for a brief gig in the Bahamas a few months ago.
Although Paloma had previously worked with the substitute, he hadn't seen him in a few years and was horrified to discover the replacement had ballooned to nearly 300 pounds. "Don't see the show tonight," begged Paloma at the time. "You'll crucify me. Jeez, the guy's legs--tree trunks!"
Adroitly using his avoirdupois to comic advantage, however, the porcine Presley won the audience over by cleverly parodying the bloated late-period Elvis. Wandering through the theater while singing, he snatched at bags of popcorn and other snacks, a running gag that brought the impersonation to an entirely different level.
Crowd-pleasing as the fill-in was, Presley purists like the regular "Legendary Superstars" Elvis insist that shift was not an upward move.
"For the real, true sense of what Elvis is about, that sort of parody is just not funny," says 37-year-old Presley look-alike Paul Casey, the only cast member who truly looks like the star he portrays. "At the end, Presley was a very depressed, sad person. His whole life had turned to shit. He hated the way he looked, his management wasn't letting him do what he wanted, he didn't care and he fell into drugs. I'm sorry, but that's what happened."
After nine years of crisscrossing the globe in a white, high-collared jumpsuit, tinted aviator glasses and muttonchop sideburns, Casey can definitely relate.
"I can see how the man got burned out on it," says Casey. "I myself can't do anything further than what I'm doing right now. I need to take it to another level."
In view of his respect for Presley (which didn't prevent him from accepting a role as an Elvis impersonator in the less-than-reverential Honeymoon in Vegas), just what that level might be is unclear.
"I don't know what I'll do," says Casey of life after Elvis. "Maybe I'll go into entertainment law. I'd also like to produce. I do know that I want to give something back to the people."
The "Legendary Superstars" sole female cast member may be the only woman in show business who, when asked for her autograph, scribbles three names--Marilyn Monroe, Patsy Cline and Marsha Finn. As it turns out, that triple-decker John Hancock is indicative of her enigmatic approach to celebrity pantomime.
"Since I always do the autograph session right after the finale dressed as Patsy, a lot of people don't realize until I sign that I was Marilyn, too," explains Marsha Finn, a former member of a Disney touring revue. "They say, 'When's Marilyn coming out?' and I say, 'She's out right now--sorta.' It just blows my mind that they don't realize they were watching the same person. But I guess that means that I'm doing my job."
Finn concedes that half of her job is made considerably easier because relatively few people have a clear picture of what Patsy Cline looked like.
"That's great, isn't it?" says Finn, who portrays the late singer dressed in generic Cline--a curly dark wig and a cowgirl outfit. "There isn't a lot of footage on Patsy. So instead I looked at the movie."
The movie?
"Sweet Dreams," she answers. "Jessica Lange's portrayal is right on the money."
While seemingly jarring, that explanation--impersonation once-removed--makes perfect sense on some very obtuse level: Why bother providing a slavishly faithful re-creation when most people wouldn't recognize it if they saw it?
Even more intriguing is Finn's turn as Marilyn Monroe--a redhead, she winds up looking like Jane Russell masquerading as Monroe in the final reel of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Finn's Monroe--which is roughly the same routine used by every Marilyn in the business--is a multitiered charade worthy of an anthropological thesis.
Although the late bombshell sang in a number of her films, in life she was never regarded as a musical performer. Nor did she ever make many public appearances--and certainly none as a nightclub headliner.
So what are we to make of the ethereal ditz wandering through the audience, kissing bald men on the head between choruses of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy"? What exactly is being impersonated? If it's a scene from one of her movies, then we're probably seeing Finn as Monroe as Lorelei Lee. But if that's the case, then why is Marilyn tossing off coy allusions to her affairs with JFK and RFK? Upon discovering that one audience member hails from D.C., Finn coos, "Ooooo, Marilyn likes Washington!"
Will the real Marilyn please stand up?
"Which Marilyn am I?" Finn says with a sigh. "That's a hard one. People see Marilyn as so many different people--some see her as a dizzy blonde, others see her as Norma Jean. I try to bring out a little bit of everything, especially the comedy because she was such a funny lady."
And apparently so was Finn's other alter ego. As Patsy Cline, she receives one of the biggest laughs in the show when she tells a joke about breast implants--a subject unheard of at the time of the singer's death in 1963.
Asked about the anachronism, Finn laughs. "I put that in because it's cute, the kind of joke I think Patsy would have told, bless her heart."
Marilyn Monroe couldn't have said it better herself.
A nine-year veteran of the faux 'n' famous biz, "Legendary Superstars" cast member Kevin Baker recently began wearing two hats in the show. Or more precisely, one fedora and a $400 hairpiece--costuming that help transform him into Elwood Blues and a Jazz Singer-era Neil Diamond, respectively.
The decision to add Diamond to his repertoire wasn't so much a matter of doubling his employment opportunities as an attempt to segue into old age through a less hazardous characterization.
"I've been through three partners in the last three years," explains Baker, who recently missed several performances because of a back injury aggravated by the physically challenging demands of the Blues Brothers routine. "My second partner was 50 when he had his first serious accident onstage; he jumped down and broke an elbow. About three months later, he jumped up, caught his nose on a wire, lost his balance and fell off the stage." Concludes Baker, "There comes a time when you're 40 years old, wearing three-inch shoes, rolling around on the stage that you realize this isn't going to take you through 50."
Still, the Neil Diamond zircon doesn't pretend that his strange way of making a living is anything more than it is.
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Unlike those he impersonates, Baker knows he'll probably never land a platinum record, the home in Beverly Hills and millions of screaming fans.
On the other hand, he need never worry about the next hit record, losing the house or fending off stalkers, which is just fine with him.
"You've got to remember that I'm coming to this from lounge work in Vegas," he says. "That's a job where you're rewarded for being mediocre; they don't want you to be too good or people won't keep gambling. So to have people come, sit down and watch me in a show like this--even if I'm doing the Blues Brothers or I've got the Neil Diamond unit on my head--that's great.
"I'm just an entertainer," says Baker. "Bottom line? What I'm doing out here is a kick of a way to make child support.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13798 | Analyze: Identify Right-Size Security for your IoT Product
Understand the assets, threats, and counter-measures needed for your specific product, and embed security into every element and process during product development.
Threat Modeling and the Platform Security Model help you create products with right-size security, and ensure you aren’t over-spending on security nor exposing your device, organization or customers to unnecessary risk.
Follow the Threat Modeling Process
The outcome: A Threat Model and Security Analysis document
The PSA Certified ecosystem has provided threat model and security analysis (TMSA) documents for three use cases. These editable documents follow a systematic process for threat modeling.
A device manufacturer can download these examples and use them to create a threat model and security analysis document for their own specific use case.
Align to the PSA Certified 10 Security Goals
Alongside use case-specific requirements, PSA Certified outlines top-level requirements for IoT products, sharing 10 Security Goals that should be implemented and considered in all IoT components. These are outlined in the Platform Security Model.
If you’d like to learn more about how the 10 Security Goals were defined, you may find the Platform Threat Model and Security Goals document useful.
The PSA Certified founders have provided the Security Model and TMSA documents.
Three published example Threat Model and Security Analysis (TMSA) documents are currently available, these can be downloaded and adapted for new use cases. |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13802 | Meal Program
• If your student was previously on the Free and Reduced Price Meal Program you must re-apply each school year.
Applications are now available online. To complete the online application go to This is the quickest method to process your application. Paper applications are also usually available from the Attendance or the Cafeteria Office. Please return the completed paper application with a parent/guardian signature to the Cafeteria Office.
We urge everyone to submit a meal application even if you do not think you will qualify. If your student qualifies for the free/reduced price meal program they might also be eligible for fee waivers for the SAT, ACT and/or AP exam fees.
Meal prices for the 2017-2018 school-year are as follows:
• Breakfast $1.25
• Lunch (6-12) $2.75
Meal Program |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13828 | Strangle Your Legacy Code
A Strangler fig growing around a boulder at Katandra Reserve, near Gosford, New South Wales, Australia -
Strangle Your Legacy Code
So you've decided to do something about that piece of legacy code that is taking too much of your team's time. Then you should be aware of the strangler pattern. Your Options When dealing with a piece of legacy code, you basically have three options: do nothingrefactorrewrite I've written about the first option, when it's OK not to touch the legacy software. I've also written a lot about refactoring and specifically about the choice between refactoring or rewriting. If you've been following this blog, you know I prefer a refactor. But sometimes, a rewrite is necesary. Like…
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13845 | Khenpo Drayab Lodrö
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Khenpo Drayab Lodrö Gyaltsen (Wyl. brag g.yab blo gros rgyal mtshan) (d. early 1960s?) - He came from Drayab Sakya Monastery. His main teachers were Öntö Khyenrab Chökyi Özer, Gapa Khenpo Jamgyal and Gatön Ngawang Lekpa and Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö. He was the fifth khenpo at Dzongsar Shedra, from ca. 1930-1935.
He taught just like Öntö Khyenrab Chökyi Özer, who, it is said, taught exactly like Khenpo Shenga. He spent many years in prison, were he was tortured, but he taught his fellow inmates whenever he had an opportunity.
He composed a commentary on the ninth chapter of the Bodhicharyavatara. He also wrote a commentary to Sakya Pandita's Treasury of Valid Reasoning, which has not survived.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13852 | A Marcos GT Will Always Turn Heads
Born in 1964, this rare British wonder was designed to be superb on a race track and outrageous on the street.
Land vehicle, Vehicle, Car, Sports car, Classic car, Coupé, Convertible, Race car, Sedan,
Jay Leno's GarageYouTube
Marcos Engineering was founded by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin in 1959, which means the company would have celebrated its 60th anniversary this year—had it not been liquidated in 2007. But back in 1963, things were looking bright, with Marcos moving operations into a converted mill and launching the Volvo-powered 1800 GT.
While early GTs were based on a laminated plywood chassis, later models got more advanced, with Volvo's straight-six engine or Ford's compact V-4 as powerplant options and a more conventional (and cheaper to produce) steel chassis. Development never stopped, and by 1969, the top-of-the-range version came with Ford's Essex V-6 instead of Volvo's B30. Unfortunately, the US Federal Government decided these cars would no longer do. A few Marcoses got confiscated at the ports, and the company folded. The brand was revived as a kit car manufacturer in 1981, but many tons of fiberglass and an equal amount of legal shenanigans later, the factory closed for good in 2001. Yet no matter which era a Marcos comes from, it's always going to be a conversation starter.
Seeing this in London in 2009 changed my life.
Máté Petrány
You won't find too many Marcoses in America, but if you stumble upon a 1971 GT, know that it has a fiberglass body, steel chassis, plexiglass windows, a Ford V-6, four-speed manual with overdrive, fixed seats with an adjustable pedal box, and steering and suspension from the Triumph parts bin.
Marcoses were first raced by the likes of Jackie Stewart and John Sutton, and later upgraded for endurance racing, which included multiple entries at Le Mans. A late Marcos GT has everything a lightweight sports car can offer: looks, pedigree, and the familiarity of a mass-produced powertrain. Just get ready for loads of engine heat in that cockpit.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13876 | Figurehead: girl
‘Figurehead: Girl’ is a piece connected with with ships figureheads and the concepts of youth, beauty, function and feminine power.
The figure emerged through the ‘making first’ technique; taking a piece of clay and making without directing thought or expectation. Surface decoration is with a very light porcelain pink glaze that travels across the surface of the clay during firing to produce a toasted look. The glaze is fully developed at 1260°C. Her gaze is at the far distance. The head is a solid piece of ceramic and sits on a brass disc, supported by a solid wax plinth which is itself supported by a copper disc. All of these materials are connected with square riggers and ships figureheads.
She is an expression of the youthful feminine.
Joins that add scale
Developing a #commission since coming back to the 2018 studio after the holidays that will need some #large #scale making! Exciting times! Happily this piece of fretwork from my travels to #Madeira is feeding the work 😎 |
global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13882 | מרכז שניידר לרפואת ילדים בישראל - homepage
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Don’t Drink During Pregnancy!
International Awareness Day for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is marked every year on September 9th. Specialists at Schneider Children’s caution mothers and emphasize that drinking alcohol during pregnancy leads to irreversible disorders in the developing fetus
Date: 06.09.20 | Update: 15.09.20
Dr. Yehuda Sanetsky, who heads the clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of children exposed to alcohol during pregnancy, warns that pregnant women or those planning pregnancy should refrain altogether from drinking alcohol.
Alcohol is one of the most dangerous substances to the developing fetus in the womb and drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to irreversible damage of the nervous system and various body organs. The amount of alcohol that passes through the placenta to the fetus is exactly the same amount accumulated in the mother’s blood. The main danger is “drinking revelry” when a large amount of alcohol is consumed in a short time. Since a safe level of alcohol consumption is unknown, the broad recommendation of all leading global health organizations as well as Schneider Children’s is total avoidance of all alcohol when planning a pregnancy or during pregnancy.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can, as mentioned, lead to various developmental disorders in the fetus. In the Western World, exposure to alcohol during pregnancy is felt to be the most common cause for neuro-developmental disorders, which can be entirely prevented. Research undertaken in 2010 by Schneider specialists found that over 15% of women in Israel drink alcohol in varying quantities during pregnancy.
Schneider Children’s operates a designated clinic for the diagnosis, treatment and follow up of children exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. The clinic treats a range of disorders on the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum, characterized by developmental problems, attention and concentration deficit, emotional and behavioral disturbances, physical organ damage, and complex cases of full Fetal Alcohol Syndrome that includes developmental and physical disorders and typical facial distortions.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13903 | Home | Mushroom Info | Experiencing Mushrooms | Trip Reports | Level 2 | i am my brain
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i am my brain
hello. i just had my first shrom trip last sunday. me and a few friends went out to the back woods of my property, and did some cubensis. we stayed there for a while, until the woods got kinda weird feeling. so then we went inside and started to watch star wars. after a while, we all stopped paying attention and just meditated on our own. after a few minutes of it, i had the fun part of my night. i had my eyes closed, and i started to feel like i was becoming my brain, in a slightly cartoonish way, like a brain with eyes in the front of it, just floating around in my skull, with free movement. i stopped feeling from my neck down, and just felt like i was my brain. i checked out the inside of my head, looked at star wars through my eye sockets, just had fun like that. then i decided "hey, let's check out the rest of my body." so, still being my brain, i started to squeeze down my asophogus. somewhere during the movement, i kinda became my asophogus. then, i became a nerve system stretching from my upper shoulders to my head. so my body started to feel like it was taking this form, kind of like an upside-down T. then i opened my eyes, and it felt like i had a tail. i then continued to watch star wars, and the tail feeling slowly subsided. so, yeah, that was my night. pretty good for a first time, i'd say.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13913 | gäste wc fliesen ideen bilder
gäste wc fliesen ideen bilder
introductory note. in september of the year during thefebruary of which hawthorne had completed "the scarlet letter," he began "the houseof the seven gables." meanwhile, he had removed from salem tolenox, in berkshire county, massachusetts, where he occupied with his family a smallred wooden house, still standing at the date of this edition, near the stockbridgebowl. "i sha'n't have the new story ready bynovember," he explained to his publisher, on the 1st of october, "for i am never goodfor anything in the literary way till after the first autumnal frost, which has
somewhat such an effect on my imaginationthat it does on the foliage here about me- multiplying and brightening its hues." but by vigorous application he was able tocomplete the new work about the middle of the january following. since research has disclosed the manner inwhich the romance is interwoven with incidents from the history of the hawthornefamily, "the house of the seven gables" has acquired an interest apart from that bywhich it first appealed to the public. john hathorne (as the name was thenspelled), the great-grandfather of nathaniel hawthorne, was a magistrate atsalem in the latter part of the seventeenth
century, and officiated at the famoustrials for witchcraft held there. it is of record that he used peculiarseverity towards a certain woman who was among the accused; and the husband of thiswoman prophesied that god would take revenge upon his wife's persecutors. this circumstance doubtless furnished ahint for that piece of tradition in the book which represents a pyncheon of aformer generation as having persecuted one maule, who declared that god would give hisenemy "blood to drink." it became a conviction with the hawthornefamily that a curse had been pronounced upon its members, which continued in forcein the time of the romancer; a conviction
perhaps derived from the recorded prophecy of the injured woman's husband, justmentioned; and, here again, we have a correspondence with maule's malediction inthe story. furthermore, there occurs in the "americannote-books" (august 27, 1837), a reminiscence of the author's family, to thefollowing effect. philip english, a character well-known inearly salem annals, was among those who suffered from john hathorne's magisterialharshness, and he maintained in consequence a lasting feud with the old puritanofficial. but at his death english left daughters,one of whom is said to have married the son
of justice john hathorne, whom english haddeclared he would never forgive. it is scarcely necessary to point out howclearly this foreshadows the final union of those hereditary foes, the pyncheons andmaules, through the marriage of phoebe and holgrave. the romance, however, describes the maulesas possessing some of the traits known to have been characteristic of the hawthornes:for example, "so long as any of the race were to be found, they had been marked out from other men--not strikingly, nor as witha sharp line, but with an effect that was felt rather than spoken of--by anhereditary characteristic of reserve."
thus, while the general suggestion of thehawthorne line and its fortunes was followed in the romance, the pyncheonstaking the place of the author's family, certain distinguishing marks of the hawthornes were assigned to the imaginarymaule posterity. there are one or two other points whichindicate hawthorne's method of basing his compositions, the result in the main ofpure invention, on the solid ground of particular facts. allusion is made, in the first chapter ofthe "seven gables," to a grant of lands in waldo county, maine, owned by the pyncheonfamily.
in the "american note-books" there is anentry, dated august 12, 1837, which speaks of the revolutionary general, knox, and hisland-grant in waldo county, by virtue of which the owner had hoped to establish an estate on the english plan, with a tenantryto make it profitable for him. an incident of much greater importance inthe story is the supposed murder of one of the pyncheons by his nephew, to whom we areintroduced as clifford pyncheon. in all probability hawthorne connected withthis, in his mind, the murder of mr. white, a wealthy gentleman of salem, killed by aman whom his nephew had hired. this took place a few years afterhawthorne's graduation from college, and
was one of the celebrated cases of the day,daniel webster taking part prominently in the trial. but it should be observed here that suchresemblances as these between sundry elements in the work of hawthorne's fancyand details of reality are only fragmentary, and are rearranged to suit theauthor's purposes. in the same way he has made his descriptionof hepzibah pyncheon's seven-gabled mansion conform so nearly to several old dwellingsformerly or still extant in salem, that strenuous efforts have been made to fix upon some one of them as the veritableedifice of the romance.
a paragraph in the opening chapter hasperhaps assisted this delusion that there must have been a single original house ofthe seven gables, framed by flesh-and-blood carpenters; for it runs thus:-- "familiar as it stands in the writer'srecollection--for it has been an object of curiosity with him from boyhood, both as aspecimen of the best and stateliest architecture of a long-past epoch, and as the scene of events more full of interestperhaps than those of a gray feudal castle- -familiar as it stands, in its rusty oldage, it is therefore only the more difficult to imagine the bright noveltywith which it first caught the sunshine."
hundreds of pilgrims annually visit a housein salem, belonging to one branch of the ingersoll family of that place, which isstoutly maintained to have been the model for hawthorne's visionary dwelling. others have supposed that the now vanishedhouse of the identical philip english, whose blood, as we have already noticed,became mingled with that of the hawthornes, supplied the pattern; and still a third building, known as the curwen mansion, hasbeen declared the only genuine establishment. notwithstanding persistent popular belief,the authenticity of all these must
positively be denied; although it ispossible that isolated reminiscences of all three may have blended with the ideal imagein the mind of hawthorne. he, it will be seen, remarks in thepreface, alluding to himself in the third person, that he trusts not to be condemnedfor "laying out a street that infringes upon nobody's private rights... and building a house of materials long in usefor constructing castles in the air." more than this, he stated to persons stillliving that the house of the romance was not copied from any actual edifice, but wassimply a general reproduction of a style of architecture belonging to colonial days,
examples of which survived into the periodof his youth, but have since been radically modified or destroyed. here, as elsewhere, he exercised theliberty of a creative mind to heighten the probability of his pictures withoutconfining himself to a literal description of something he had seen. while hawthorne remained at lenox, andduring the composition of this romance, various other literary personages settledor stayed for a time in the vicinity; among them, herman melville, whose intercourse hawthorne greatly enjoyed, henry james,sr., doctor holmes, j. t. headley, james
russell lowell, edwin p. whipple, frederikabremer, and j. t. fields; so that there was no lack of intellectual society in the midst of the beautiful and inspiringmountain scenery of the place. "in the afternoons, nowadays," he records,shortly before beginning the work, "this valley in which i dwell seems like a vastbasin filled with golden sunshine as with wine;" and, happy in the companionship of his wife and their three children, he led asimple, refined, idyllic life, despite the restrictions of a scanty and uncertainincome. a letter written by mrs. hawthorne, at thistime, to a member of her family, gives
incidentally a glimpse of the scene, whichmay properly find a place here. she says: "i delight to think that youalso can look forth, as i do now, upon a broad valley and a fine amphitheater ofhills, and are about to watch the stately ceremony of the sunset from your piazza. but you have not this lovely lake, nor, isuppose, the delicate purple mist which folds these slumbering mountains in airyveils. mr. hawthorne has been lying down in thesun shine, slightly fleckered with the shadows of a tree, and una and julian havebeen making him look like the mighty pan, by covering his chin and breast with long
grass-blades, that looked like a verdantand venerable beard." the pleasantness and peace of hissurroundings and of his modest home, in lenox, may be taken into account asharmonizing with the mellow serenity of the romance then produced. of the work, when it appeared in the earlyspring of 1851, he wrote to horatio bridge these words, now published for the firsttime:-- "'the house of the seven gables' in myopinion, is better than 'the scarlet letter:' but i should not wonder if i hadrefined upon the principal character a little too much for popular appreciation,
nor if the romance of the book should besomewhat at odds with the humble and familiar scenery in which i invest it. but i feel that portions of it are as goodas anything i can hope to write, and the publisher speaks encouragingly of itssuccess." from england, especially, came many warmexpressions of praise,--a fact which mrs. hawthorne, in a private letter, commentedon as the fulfillment of a possibility which hawthorne, writing in boyhood to hismother, had looked forward to. he had asked her if she would not like himto become an author and have his books read in england.
g. p. l.preface. when a writer calls his work a romance, itneed hardly be observed that he wishes to claim a certain latitude, both as to itsfashion and material, which he would not have felt himself entitled to assume had heprofessed to be writing a novel. the latter form of composition is presumedto aim at a very minute fidelity, not merely to the possible, but to the probableand ordinary course of man's experience. the former--while, as a work of art, itmust rigidly subject itself to laws, and while it sins unpardonably so far as it mayswerve aside from the truth of the human heart--has fairly a right to present that
truth under circumstances, to a greatextent, of the writer's own choosing or creation. if he think fit, also, he may so manage hisatmospherical medium as to bring out or mellow the lights and deepen and enrich theshadows of the picture. he will be wise, no doubt, to make a verymoderate use of the privileges here stated, and, especially, to mingle the marvelousrather as a slight, delicate, and evanescent flavor, than as any portion of the actual substance of the dish offered tothe public. he can hardly be said, however, to commit aliterary crime even if he disregard this
caution. in the present work, the author hasproposed to himself--but with what success, fortunately, it is not for him to judge--tokeep undeviatingly within his immunities. the point of view in which this tale comesunder the romantic definition lies in the attempt to connect a bygone time with thevery present that is flitting away from us. it is a legend prolonging itself, from anepoch now gray in the distance, down into our own broad daylight, and bringing alongwith it some of its legendary mist, which the reader, according to his pleasure, may either disregard, or allow it to floatalmost imperceptibly about the characters
and events for the sake of a picturesqueeffect. the narrative, it may be, is woven of sohumble a texture as to require this advantage, and, at the same time, to renderit the more difficult of attainment. many writers lay very great stress uponsome definite moral purpose, at which they profess to aim their works. not to be deficient in this particular, theauthor has provided himself with a moral,-- the truth, namely, that the wrong-doing ofone generation lives into the successive ones, and, divesting itself of every temporary advantage, becomes a pure anduncontrollable mischief; and he would feel
it a singular gratification if this romancemight effectually convince mankind--or, indeed, any one man--of the folly of tumbling down an avalanche of ill-gottengold, or real estate, on the heads of an unfortunate posterity, thereby to maim andcrush them, until the accumulated mass shall be scattered abroad in its originalatoms. in good faith, however, he is notsufficiently imaginative to flatter himself with the slightest hope of this kind. when romances do really teach anything, orproduce any effective operation, it is usually through a far more subtile processthan the ostensible one.
the author has considered it hardly worthhis while, therefore, relentlessly to impale the story with its moral as with aniron rod,--or, rather, as by sticking a pin through a butterfly,--thus at once depriving it of life, and causing it tostiffen in an ungainly and unnatural attitude. a high truth, indeed, fairly, finely, andskilfully wrought out, brightening at every step, and crowning the final development ofa work of fiction, may add an artistic glory, but is never any truer, and seldom any more evident, at the last page than atthe first.
the reader may perhaps choose to assign anactual locality to the imaginary events of this narrative. if permitted by the historical connection,--which, though slight, was essential to his plan,--the author would very willingly haveavoided anything of this nature. not to speak of other objections, itexposes the romance to an inflexible and exceedingly dangerous species of criticism,by bringing his fancy-pictures almost into positive contact with the realities of themoment. it has been no part of his object, however,to describe local manners, nor in any way to meddle with the characteristics of acommunity for whom he cherishes a proper
respect and a natural regard. he trusts not to be considered asunpardonably offending by laying out a street that infringes upon nobody's privaterights, and appropriating a lot of land which had no visible owner, and building a house of materials long in use forconstructing castles in the air. the personages of the tale--though theygive themselves out to be of ancient stability and considerable prominence--arereally of the author's own making, or at all events, of his own mixing; their virtues can shed no lustre, nor theirdefects redound, in the remotest degree, to
the discredit of the venerable town ofwhich they profess to be inhabitants. he would be glad, therefore, if-especiallyin the quarter to which he alludes-the book may be read strictly as a romance, having agreat deal more to do with the clouds overhead than with any portion of theactual soil of the county of essex. lenox, january 27, 1851. > chapter ithe old pyncheon family halfway down a by-street of one of our newengland towns stands a rusty wooden house, with seven acutely peaked gables, facingtowards various points of the compass, and
a huge, clustered chimney in the midst. the street is pyncheon street; the house isthe old pyncheon house; and an elm-tree, of wide circumference, rooted before the door,is familiar to every town-born child by the title of the pyncheon elm. on my occasional visits to the townaforesaid, i seldom failed to turn down pyncheon street, for the sake of passingthrough the shadow of these two antiquities,--the great elm-tree and theweather-beaten edifice. the aspect of the venerable mansion hasalways affected me like a human countenance, bearing the traces not merelyof outward storm and sunshine, but
expressive also, of the long lapse of mortal life, and accompanying vicissitudesthat have passed within. were these to be worthily recounted, theywould form a narrative of no small interest and instruction, and possessing, moreover,a certain remarkable unity, which might almost seem the result of artisticarrangement. but the story would include a chain ofevents extending over the better part of two centuries, and, written out withreasonable amplitude, would fill a bigger folio volume, or a longer series of duodecimos, than could prudently beappropriated to the annals of all new
england during a similar period. it consequently becomes imperative to makeshort work with most of the traditionary lore of which the old pyncheon house,otherwise known as the house of the seven gables, has been the theme. with a brief sketch, therefore, of thecircumstances amid which the foundation of the house was laid, and a rapid glimpse atits quaint exterior, as it grew black in the prevalent east wind,--pointing, too, here and there, at some spot of moreverdant mossiness on its roof and walls,-- we shall commence the real action of ourtale at an epoch not very remote from the
present day. still, there will be a connection with thelong past--a reference to forgotten events and personages, and to manners, feelings,and opinions, almost or wholly obsolete-- which, if adequately translated to the reader, would serve to illustrate how muchof old material goes to make up the freshest novelty of human life. hence, too, might be drawn a weighty lessonfrom the little-regarded truth, that the act of the passing generation is the germwhich may and must produce good or evil fruit in a far-distant time; that, together
with the seed of the merely temporary crop,which mortals term expediency, they inevitably sow the acorns of a moreenduring growth, which may darkly overshadow their posterity. the house of the seven gables, antique asit now looks, was not the first habitation erected by civilized man on precisely thesame spot of ground. pyncheon street formerly bore the humblerappellation of maule's lane, from the name of the original occupant of the soil,before whose cottage-door it was a cow- path. a natural spring of soft and pleasantwater--a rare treasure on the sea-girt
peninsula where the puritan settlement wasmade--had early induced matthew maule to build a hut, shaggy with thatch, at this point, although somewhat too remote fromwhat was then the centre of the village. in the growth of the town, however, aftersome thirty or forty years, the site covered by this rude hovel had becomeexceedingly desirable in the eyes of a prominent and powerful personage, who asserted plausible claims to theproprietorship of this and a large adjacent tract of land, on the strength of a grantfrom the legislature. colonel pyncheon, the claimant, as wegather from whatever traits of him are
preserved, was characterized by an ironenergy of purpose. matthew maule, on the other hand, though anobscure man, was stubborn in the defence of what he considered his right; and, forseveral years, he succeeded in protecting the acre or two of earth which, with his own toil, he had hewn out of the primevalforest, to be his garden ground and homestead.no written record of this dispute is known to be in existence. our acquaintance with the whole subject isderived chiefly from tradition. it would be bold, therefore, and possiblyunjust, to venture a decisive opinion as to
its merits; although it appears to havebeen at least a matter of doubt, whether colonel pyncheon's claim were not unduly stretched, in order to make it cover thesmall metes and bounds of matthew maule. what greatly strengthens such a suspicionis the fact that this controversy between two ill-matched antagonists--at a period,moreover, laud it as we may, when personal influence had far more weight than now-- remained for years undecided, and came to aclose only with the death of the party occupying the disputed soil. the mode of his death, too, affects themind differently, in our day, from what it
did a century and a half ago. it was a death that blasted with strangehorror the humble name of the dweller in the cottage, and made it seem almost areligious act to drive the plough over the little area of his habitation, and obliterate his place and memory from amongmen. old matthew maule, in a word, was executedfor the crime of witchcraft. he was one of the martyrs to that terribledelusion, which should teach us, among its other morals, that the influential classes,and those who take upon themselves to be leaders of the people, are fully liable to
all the passionate error that has evercharacterized the maddest mob. clergymen, judges, statesmen,--the wisest,calmest, holiest persons of their day stood in the inner circle round about thegallows, loudest to applaud the work of blood, latest to confess themselvesmiserably deceived. if any one part of their proceedings can besaid to deserve less blame than another, it was the singular indiscrimination withwhich they persecuted, not merely the poor and aged, as in former judicial massacres, but people of all ranks; their own equals,brethren, and wives. amid the disorder of such various ruin, itis not strange that a man of inconsiderable
note, like maule, should have trodden themartyr's path to the hill of execution almost unremarked in the throng of hisfellow sufferers. but, in after days, when the frenzy of thathideous epoch had subsided, it was remembered how loudly colonel pyncheon hadjoined in the general cry, to purge the land from witchcraft; nor did it fail to be whispered, that there was an invidiousacrimony in the zeal with which he had sought the condemnation of matthew maule. it was well known that the victim hadrecognized the bitterness of personal enmity in his persecutor's conduct towardshim, and that he declared himself hunted to
death for his spoil. at the moment of execution--with the halterabout his neck, and while colonel pyncheon sat on horseback, grimly gazing at thescene maule had addressed him from the scaffold, and uttered a prophecy, of which history, as well as fireside tradition, haspreserved the very words. "god," said the dying man, pointing hisfinger, with a ghastly look, at the undismayed countenance of his enemy,--"godwill give him blood to drink!" after the reputed wizard's death, hishumble homestead had fallen an easy spoil into colonel pyncheon's grasp.
when it was understood, however, that thecolonel intended to erect a family mansion- spacious, ponderously framed of oakentimber, and calculated to endure for many generations of his posterity over the spot first covered by the log-built hut ofmatthew maule, there was much shaking of the head among the village gossips. without absolutely expressing a doubtwhether the stalwart puritan had acted as a man of conscience and integrity throughoutthe proceedings which have been sketched, they, nevertheless, hinted that he was about to build his house over an unquietgrave.
his home would include the home of the deadand buried wizard, and would thus afford the ghost of the latter a kind of privilegeto haunt its new apartments, and the chambers into which future bridegrooms were to lead their brides, and where children ofthe pyncheon blood were to be born. the terror and ugliness of maule's crime,and the wretchedness of his punishment, would darken the freshly plastered walls,and infect them early with the scent of an old and melancholy house. why, then,--while so much of the soilaround him was bestrewn with the virgin forest leaves,--why should colonel pyncheonprefer a site that had already been
accurst? but the puritan soldier and magistrate wasnot a man to be turned aside from his well- considered scheme, either by dread of thewizard's ghost, or by flimsy sentimentalities of any kind, howeverspecious. had he been told of a bad air, it mighthave moved him somewhat; but he was ready to encounter an evil spirit on his ownground. endowed with commonsense, as massive andhard as blocks of granite, fastened together by stern rigidity of purpose, aswith iron clamps, he followed out his original design, probably without so muchas imagining an objection to it.
on the score of delicacy, or anyscrupulousness which a finer sensibility might have taught him, the colonel, likemost of his breed and generation, was impenetrable. he therefore dug his cellar, and laid thedeep foundations of his mansion, on the square of earth whence matthew maule, fortyyears before, had first swept away the fallen leaves. it was a curious, and, as some peoplethought, an ominous fact, that, very soon after the workmen began their operations,the spring of water, above mentioned, entirely lost the deliciousness of itspristine quality.
whether its sources were disturbed by thedepth of the new cellar, or whatever subtler cause might lurk at the bottom, itis certain that the water of maule's well, as it continued to be called, grew hard andbrackish. even such we find it now; and any old womanof the neighborhood will certify that it is productive of intestinal mischief to thosewho quench their thirst there. the reader may deem it singular that thehead carpenter of the new edifice was no other than the son of the very man fromwhose dead gripe the property of the soil had been wrested. not improbably he was the best workman ofhis time; or, perhaps, the colonel thought
it expedient, or was impelled by somebetter feeling, thus openly to cast aside all animosity against the race of hisfallen antagonist. nor was it out of keeping with the generalcoarseness and matter-of-fact character of the age, that the son should be willing toearn an honest penny, or, rather, a weighty amount of sterling pounds, from the purseof his father's deadly enemy. at all events, thomas maule became thearchitect of the house of the seven gables, and performed his duty so faithfully thatthe timber framework fastened by his hands still holds together. thus the great house was built.
familiar as it stands in the writer'srecollection,--for it has been an object of architecture of a longpast epoch, and as the scene of events more full of humaninterest, perhaps, than those of a gray feudal castle,--familiar as it stands, inits rusty old age, it is therefore only the more difficult to imagine the bright novelty with which it first caught thesunshine. the impression of its actual state, at thisdistance of a hundred and sixty years, darkens inevitably through the picturewhich we would fain give of its appearance on the morning when the puritan magnatebade all the town to be his guests.
a ceremony of consecration, festive as wellas religious, was now to be performed. a prayer and discourse from the rev. mr.higginson, and the outpouring of a psalm from the general throat of the community,was to be made acceptable to the grosser sense by ale, cider, wine, and brandy, in copious effusion, and, as some authoritiesaver, by an ox, roasted whole, or at least, by the weight and substance of an ox, inmore manageable joints and sirloins. the carcass of a deer, shot within twentymiles, had supplied material for the vast circumference of a pasty. a codfish of sixty pounds, caught in thebay, had been dissolved into the rich
liquid of a chowder. the chimney of the new house, in short,belching forth its kitchen smoke, impregnated the whole air with the scent ofmeats, fowls, and fishes, spicily concocted with odoriferous herbs, and onions inabundance. the mere smell of such festivity, makingits way to everybody's nostrils, was at once an invitation and an appetite. maule's lane, or pyncheon street, as itwere now more decorous to call it, was thronged, at the appointed hour, as with acongregation on its way to church. all, as they approached, looked upward atthe imposing edifice, which was henceforth
to assume its rank among the habitations ofmankind. there it rose, a little withdrawn from theline of the street, but in pride, not modesty. its whole visible exterior was ornamentedwith quaint figures, conceived in the grotesqueness of a gothic fancy, and drawnor stamped in the glittering plaster, composed of lime, pebbles, and bits of glass, with which the woodwork of the wallswas overspread. on every side the seven gables pointedsharply towards the sky, and presented the aspect of a whole sisterhood of edifices,breathing through the spiracles of one
great chimney. the many lattices, with their small,diamond-shaped panes, admitted the sunlight into hall and chamber, while, nevertheless,the second story, projecting far over the base, and itself retiring beneath the third, threw a shadowy and thoughtful gloominto the lower rooms. carved globes of wood were affixed underthe jutting stories. little spiral rods of iron beautified eachof the seven peaks. on the triangular portion of the gable,that fronted next the street, was a dial, put up that very morning, and on which thesun was still marking the passage of the
first bright hour in a history that was notdestined to be all so bright. all around were scattered shavings, chips,shingles, and broken halves of bricks; these, together with the lately turnedearth, on which the grass had not begun to grow, contributed to the impression of strangeness and novelty proper to a housethat had yet its place to make among men's daily interests. the principal entrance, which had almostthe breadth of a church-door, was in the angle between the two front gables, and wascovered by an open porch, with benches beneath its shelter.
under this arched doorway, scraping theirfeet on the unworn threshold, now trod the clergymen, the elders, the magistrates, thedeacons, and whatever of aristocracy there was in town or county. thither, too, thronged the plebeian classesas freely as their betters, and in larger number. just within the entrance, however, stoodtwo serving-men, pointing some of the guests to the neighborhood of the kitchenand ushering others into the statelier rooms,--hospitable alike to all, but still with a scrutinizing regard to the high orlow degree of each.
velvet garments sombre but rich, stifflyplaited ruffs and bands, embroidered gloves, venerable beards, the mien andcountenance of authority, made it easy to distinguish the gentleman of worship, at that period, from the tradesman, with hisplodding air, or the laborer, in his leathern jerkin, stealing awe-stricken intothe house which he had perhaps helped to build. one inauspicious circumstance there was,which awakened a hardly concealed displeasure in the breasts of a few of themore punctilious visitors. the founder of this stately mansion--agentleman noted for the square and
ponderous courtesy of his demeanor, oughtsurely to have stood in his own hall, and to have offered the first welcome to so many eminent personages as here presentedthemselves in honor of his solemn festival. he was as yet invisible; the most favoredof the guests had not beheld him. this sluggishness on colonel pyncheon'spart became still more unaccountable, when the second dignitary of the province madehis appearance, and found no more ceremonious a reception. the lieutenant-governor, although his visitwas one of the anticipated glories of the day, had alighted from his horse, andassisted his lady from her side-saddle, and
crossed the colonel's threshold, without other greeting than that of the principaldomestic. this person--a gray-headed man, of quietand most respectful deportment--found it necessary to explain that his master stillremained in his study, or private apartment; on entering which, an hour before, he had expressed a wish on noaccount to be disturbed. "do not you see, fellow," said the high-sheriff of the county, taking the servant aside, "that this is no less a man than thelieutenant-governor? summon colonel pyncheon at once!
i know that he received letters fromengland this morning; and, in the perusal and consideration of them, an hour may havepassed away without his noticing it. but he will be ill-pleased, i judge, if yousuffer him to neglect the courtesy due to one of our chief rulers, and who may besaid to represent king william, in the absence of the governor himself. call your master instantly." "nay, please your worship," answered theman, in much perplexity, but with a backwardness that strikingly indicated thehard and severe character of colonel pyncheon's domestic rule; "my master's
orders were exceeding strict; and, as yourworship knows, he permits of no discretion in the obedience of those who owe himservice. let who list open yonder door; i dare not,though the governor's own voice should bid me do it!" "pooh, pooh, master high sheriff!" criedthe lieutenant-governor, who had overheard the foregoing discussion, and felt himselfhigh enough in station to play a little with his dignity. "i will take the matter into my own hands. it is time that the good colonel came forthto greet his friends; else we shall be apt
to suspect that he has taken a sip too muchof his canary wine, in his extreme deliberation which cask it were best tobroach in honor of the day! but since he is so much behindhand, i willgive him a remembrancer myself!" accordingly, with such a tramp of hisponderous riding-boots as might of itself have been audible in the remotest of theseven gables, he advanced to the door, which the servant pointed out, and made itsnew panels reecho with a loud, free knock. then, looking round, with a smile, to thespectators, he awaited a response. as none came, however, he knocked again,but with the same unsatisfactory result as at first.
and now, being a trifle choleric in histemperament, the lieutenant-governor uplifted the heavy hilt of his sword,wherewith he so beat and banged upon the door, that, as some of the bystanders whispered, the racket might have disturbedthe dead. be that as it might, it seemed to produceno awakening effect on colonel pyncheon. when the sound subsided, the silencethrough the house was deep, dreary, and oppressive, notwithstanding that thetongues of many of the guests had already been loosened by a surreptitious cup or twoof wine or spirits. "strange, forsooth!--very strange!" criedthe lieutenant-governor, whose smile was
changed to a frown. "but seeing that our host sets us the goodexample of forgetting ceremony, i shall likewise throw it aside, and make free tointrude on his privacy." he tried the door, which yielded to hishand, and was flung wide open by a sudden gust of wind that passed, as with a loudsigh, from the outermost portal through all the passages and apartments of the newhouse. it rustled the silken garments of theladies, and waved the long curls of the gentlemen's wigs, and shook the window-hangings and the curtains of the bedchambers; causing everywhere a singularstir, which yet was more like a hush.
a shadow of awe and half-fearfulanticipation--nobody knew wherefore, nor of what--had all at once fallen over thecompany. they thronged, however, to the now opendoor, pressing the lieutenant-governor, in the eagerness of their curiosity, into theroom in advance of them. at the first glimpse they beheld nothingextraordinary: a handsomely furnished room, of moderate size, somewhat darkenedby curtains; books arranged on shelves; a large map on the wall, and likewise a portrait of colonel pyncheon, beneath whichsat the original colonel himself, in an oaken elbow-chair, with a pen in his hand.letters, parchments, and blank sheets of
paper were on the table before him. he appeared to gaze at the curious crowd,in front of which stood the lieutenant- governor; and there was a frown on his darkand massive countenance, as if sternly resentful of the boldness that had impelledthem into his private retirement. a little boy--the colonel's grandchild, andthe only human being that ever dared to be familiar with him--now made his way amongthe guests, and ran towards the seated figure; then pausing halfway, he began toshriek with terror. the company, tremulous as the leaves of atree, when all are shaking together, drew nearer, and perceived that there was anunnatural distortion in the fixedness of
colonel pyncheon's stare; that there was blood on his ruff, and that his hoary beardwas saturated with it. it was too late to give assistance. the iron-hearted puritan, the relentlesspersecutor, the grasping and strong-willed man was dead!dead, in his new house! there is a tradition, only worth alludingto as lending a tinge of superstitious awe to a scene perhaps gloomy enough withoutit, that a voice spoke loudly among the guests, the tones of which were like those of old matthew maule, the executed wizard,--"god hath given him blood to drink!"
thus early had that one guest,--the onlyguest who is certain, at one time or another, to find his way into every humandwelling,--thus early had death stepped across the threshold of the house of theseven gables! colonel pyncheon's sudden and mysteriousend made a vast deal of noise in its day. there were many rumors, some of which havevaguely drifted down to the present time, how that appearances indicated violence;that there were the marks of fingers on his throat, and the print of a bloody hand on his plaited ruff; and that his peaked beardwas dishevelled, as if it had been fiercely clutched and pulled.
it was averred, likewise, that the latticewindow, near the colonel's chair, was open; and that, only a few minutes before thefatal occurrence, the figure of a man had been seen clambering over the garden fence,in the rear of the house. but it were folly to lay any stress onstories of this kind, which are sure to spring up around such an event as that nowrelated, and which, as in the present case, sometimes prolong themselves for ages afterwards, like the toadstools thatindicate where the fallen and buried trunk of a tree has long since mouldered into theearth. for our own part, we allow them just aslittle credence as to that other fable of
the skeleton hand which the lieutenant-governor was said to have seen at the colonel's throat, but which vanished away,as he advanced farther into the room. certain it is, however, that there was agreat consultation and dispute of doctors over the dead body. one,--john swinnerton by name,--who appearsto have been a man of eminence, upheld it, if we have rightly understood his terms ofart, to be a case of apoplexy. his professional brethren, each forhimself, adopted various hypotheses, more or less plausible, but all dressed out in aperplexing mystery of phrase, which, if it do not show a bewilderment of mind in these
erudite physicians, certainly causes it inthe unlearned peruser of their opinions. the coroner's jury sat upon the corpse,and, like sensible men, returned an unassailable verdict of "sudden death!" it is indeed difficult to imagine thatthere could have been a serious suspicion of murder, or the slightest grounds forimplicating any particular individual as the perpetrator. the rank, wealth, and eminent character ofthe deceased must have insured the strictest scrutiny into every ambiguouscircumstance. as none such is on record, it is safe toassume that none existed.
tradition,--which sometimes brings downtruth that history has let slip, but is oftener the wild babble of the time, suchas was formerly spoken at the fireside and now congeals in newspapers,--tradition isresponsible for all contrary averments. in colonel pyncheon's funeral sermon, whichwas printed, and is still extant, the rev. mr. higginson enumerates, among the manyfelicities of his distinguished parishioner's earthly career, the happyseasonableness of his death. his duties all performed,--the highestprosperity attained,--his race and future generations fixed on a stable basis, andwith a stately roof to shelter them for centuries to come,--what other upward step
remained for this good man to take, savethe final step from earth to the golden gate of heaven! the pious clergyman surely would not haveuttered words like these had he in the least suspected that the colonel had beenthrust into the other world with the clutch of violence upon his throat. the family of colonel pyncheon, at theepoch of his death, seemed destined to as fortunate a permanence as can anywiseconsist with the inherent instability of human affairs. it might fairly be anticipated that theprogress of time would rather increase and
ripen their prosperity, than wear away anddestroy it. for, not only had his son and heir comeinto immediate enjoyment of a rich estate, but there was a claim through an indiandeed, confirmed by a subsequent grant of the general court, to a vast and as yet unexplored and unmeasured tract of easternlands. these possessions--for as such they mightalmost certainly be reckoned--comprised the greater part of what is now known as waldocounty, in the state of maine, and were more extensive than many a dukedom, or even a reigning prince's territory, on europeansoil.
when the pathless forest that still coveredthis wild principality should give place-- as it inevitably must, though perhaps nottill ages hence--to the golden fertility of human culture, it would be the source of incalculable wealth to the pyncheon blood. had the colonel survived only a few weekslonger, it is probable that his great political influence, and powerfulconnections at home and abroad, would have consummated all that was necessary torender the claim available. but, in spite of good mr. higginson'scongratulatory eloquence, this appeared to be the one thing which colonel pyncheon,provident and sagacious as he was, had
allowed to go at loose ends. so far as the prospective territory wasconcerned, he unquestionably died too soon. his son lacked not merely the father'seminent position, but the talent and force of character to achieve it: he could,therefore, effect nothing by dint of political interest; and the bare justice or legality of the claim was not so apparent,after the colonel's decease, as it had been pronounced in his lifetime.some connecting link had slipped out of the evidence, and could not anywhere be found. efforts, it is true, were made by thepyncheons, not only then, but at various
periods for nearly a hundred yearsafterwards, to obtain what they stubbornly persisted in deeming their right. but, in course of time, the territory waspartly regranted to more favored individuals, and partly cleared andoccupied by actual settlers. these last, if they ever heard of thepyncheon title, would have laughed at the idea of any man's asserting a right--on thestrength of mouldy parchments, signed with the faded autographs of governors and legislators long dead and forgotten--to thelands which they or their fathers had wrested from the wild hand of nature bytheir own sturdy toil.
this impalpable claim, therefore, resultedin nothing more solid than to cherish, from generation to generation, an absurddelusion of family importance, which all along characterized the pyncheons. it caused the poorest member of the race tofeel as if he inherited a kind of nobility, and might yet come into the possession ofprincely wealth to support it. in the better specimens of the breed, thispeculiarity threw an ideal grace over the hard material of human life, withoutstealing away any truly valuable quality. in the baser sort, its effect was toincrease the liability to sluggishness and dependence, and induce the victim of ashadowy hope to remit all self-effort,
while awaiting the realization of hisdreams. years and years after their claim hadpassed out of the public memory, the pyncheons were accustomed to consult thecolonel's ancient map, which had been projected while waldo county was still anunbroken wilderness. where the old land surveyor had put downwoods, lakes, and rivers, they marked out the cleared spaces, and dotted the villagesand towns, and calculated the progressively increasing value of the territory, as if there were yet a prospect of its ultimatelyforming a princedom for themselves. in almost every generation, nevertheless,there happened to be some one descendant of
the family gifted with a portion of thehard, keen sense, and practical energy, that had so remarkably distinguished theoriginal founder. his character, indeed, might be traced allthe way down, as distinctly as if the colonel himself, a little diluted, had beengifted with a sort of intermittent immortality on earth. at two or three epochs, when the fortunesof the family were low, this representative of hereditary qualities had made hisappearance, and caused the traditionary gossips of the town to whisper among themselves, "here is the old pyncheon comeagain!
now the seven gables will be new-shingled!" from father to son, they clung to theancestral house with singular tenacity of home attachment. for various reasons, however, and fromimpressions often too vaguely founded to be put on paper, the writer cherishes thebelief that many, if not most, of the successive proprietors of this estate were troubled with doubts as to their moralright to hold it. of their legal tenure there could be noquestion; but old matthew maule, it is to be feared, trode downward from his own ageto a far later one, planting a heavy
footstep, all the way, on the conscience ofa pyncheon. if so, we are left to dispose of the awfulquery, whether each inheritor of the property--conscious of wrong, and failingto rectify it--did not commit anew the great guilt of his ancestor, and incur allits original responsibilities. and supposing such to be the case, would itnot be a far truer mode of expression to say of the pyncheon family, that theyinherited a great misfortune, than the reverse? we have already hinted that it is not ourpurpose to trace down the history of the pyncheon family, in its unbroken connectionwith the house of the seven gables; nor to
show, as in a magic picture, how the rustiness and infirmity of age gatheredover the venerable house itself. as regards its interior life, a large, dimlooking-glass used to hang in one of the rooms, and was fabled to contain within itsdepths all the shapes that had ever been reflected there,--the old colonel himself, and his many descendants, some in the garbof antique babyhood, and others in the bloom of feminine beauty or manly prime, orsaddened with the wrinkles of frosty age. had we the secret of that mirror, we wouldgladly sit down before it, and transfer its revelations to our page.
but there was a story, for which it isdifficult to conceive any foundation, that the posterity of matthew maule had someconnection with the mystery of the looking- glass, and that, by what appears to have been a sort of mesmeric process, they couldmake its inner region all alive with the departed pyncheons; not as they had shownthemselves to the world, nor in their better and happier hours, but as doing over again some deed of sin, or in the crisis oflife's bitterest sorrow. the popular imagination, indeed, long keptitself busy with the affair of the old puritan pyncheon and the wizard maule; thecurse which the latter flung from his
scaffold was remembered, with the very important addition, that it had become apart of the pyncheon inheritance. if one of the family did but gurgle in histhroat, a bystander would be likely enough to whisper, between jest and earnest, "hehas maule's blood to drink!" the sudden death of a pyncheon, about ahundred years ago, with circumstances very similar to what have been related of thecolonel's exit, was held as giving additional probability to the receivedopinion on this topic. it was considered, moreover, an ugly andominous circumstance, that colonel pyncheon's picture--in obedience, it wassaid, to a provision of his will--remained
affixed to the wall of the room in which hedied. those stern, immitigable features seemed tosymbolize an evil influence, and so darkly to mingle the shadow of their presence withthe sunshine of the passing hour, that no good thoughts or purposes could ever springup and blossom there. to the thoughtful mind there will be notinge of superstition in what we figuratively express, by affirming that theghost of a dead progenitor--perhaps as a portion of his own punishment--is often doomed to become the evil genius of hisfamily. the pyncheons, in brief, lived along, forthe better part of two centuries, with
perhaps less of outward vicissitude thanhas attended most other new england families during the same period of time. possessing very distinctive traits of theirown, they nevertheless took the general characteristics of the little community inwhich they dwelt; a town noted for its frugal, discreet, well-ordered, and home- loving inhabitants, as well as for thesomewhat confined scope of its sympathies; but in which, be it said, there are odderindividuals, and, now and then, stranger occurrences, than one meets with almostanywhere else. during the revolution, the pyncheon of thatepoch, adopting the royal side, became a
refugee; but repented, and made hisreappearance, just at the point of time to preserve the house of the seven gables fromconfiscation. for the last seventy years the most notedevent in the pyncheon annals had been likewise the heaviest calamity that everbefell the race; no less than the violent death--for so it was adjudged--of one member of the family by the criminal act ofanother. certain circumstances attending this fataloccurrence had brought the deed irresistibly home to a nephew of thedeceased pyncheon. the young man was tried and convicted ofthe crime; but either the circumstantial
nature of the evidence, and possibly somelurking doubts in the breast of the executive, or, lastly--an argument of greater weight in a republic than it couldhave been under a monarchy,--the high respectability and political influence ofthe criminal's connections, had availed to mitigate his doom from death to perpetualimprisonment. this sad affair had chanced about thirtyyears before the action of our story commences. latterly, there were rumors (which fewbelieved, and only one or two felt greatly interested in) that this long-buried manwas likely, for some reason or other, to be
summoned forth from his living tomb. it is essential to say a few wordsrespecting the victim of this now almost forgotten murder. he was an old bachelor, and possessed ofgreat wealth, in addition to the house and real estate which constituted what remainedof the ancient pyncheon property. being of an eccentric and melancholy turnof mind, and greatly given to rummaging old records and hearkening to old traditions,he had brought himself, it is averred, to the conclusion that matthew maule, the wizard, had been foully wronged out of hishomestead, if not out of his life.
such being the case, and he, the oldbachelor, in possession of the ill-gotten spoil,--with the black stain of bloodsunken deep into it, and still to be scented by conscientious nostrils,--the question occurred, whether it were notimperative upon him, even at this late hour, to make restitution to maule'sposterity. to a man living so much in the past, and solittle in the present, as the secluded and antiquarian old bachelor, a century and ahalf seemed not so vast a period as to obviate the propriety of substituting rightfor wrong. it was the belief of those who knew himbest, that he would positively have taken
the very singular step of giving up thehouse of the seven gables to the representative of matthew maule, but for the unspeakable tumult which a suspicion ofthe old gentleman's project awakened among his pyncheon relatives. their exertions had the effect ofsuspending his purpose; but it was feared that he would perform, after death, by theoperation of his last will, what he had so hardly been prevented from doing in hisproper lifetime. but there is no one thing which men sorarely do, whatever the provocation or inducement, as to bequeath patrimonialproperty away from their own blood.
they may love other individuals far betterthan their relatives,--they may even cherish dislike, or positive hatred, to thelatter; but yet, in view of death, the strong prejudice of propinquity revives, and impels the testator to send down hisestate in the line marked out by custom so immemorial that it looks like nature.in all the pyncheons, this feeling had the energy of disease. it was too powerful for the conscientiousscruples of the old bachelor; at whose death, accordingly, the mansion-house,together with most of his other riches, passed into the possession of his nextlegal representative.
this was a nephew, the cousin of themiserable young man who had been convicted of the uncle's murder. the new heir, up to the period of hisaccession, was reckoned rather a dissipated youth, but had at once reformed, and madehimself an exceedingly respectable member of society. in fact, he showed more of the pyncheonquality, and had won higher eminence in the world, than any of his race since the timeof the original puritan. applying himself in earlier manhood to thestudy of the law, and having a natural tendency towards office, he had attained,many years ago, to a judicial situation in
some inferior court, which gave him for life the very desirable and imposing titleof judge. later, he had engaged in politics, andserved a part of two terms in congress, besides making a considerable figure inboth branches of the state legislature. judge pyncheon was unquestionably an honorto his race. he had built himself a country-seat withina few miles of his native town, and there spent such portions of his time as could bespared from public service in the display of every grace and virtue--as a newspaper phrased it, on the eve of an election--befitting the christian, the good citizen,
the horticulturist, and the gentleman. there were few of the pyncheons left to sunthemselves in the glow of the judge's prosperity. in respect to natural increase, the breedhad not thriven; it appeared rather to be dying out. the only members of the family known to beextant were, first, the judge himself, and a single surviving son, who was nowtravelling in europe; next, the thirty years' prisoner, already alluded to, and a sister of the latter, who occupied, in anextremely retired manner, the house of the
seven gables, in which she had a life-estate by the will of the old bachelor. she was understood to be wretchedly poor,and seemed to make it her choice to remain so; inasmuch as her affluent cousin, thejudge, had repeatedly offered her all the comforts of life, either in the old mansionor his own modern residence. the last and youngest pyncheon was a littlecountry-girl of seventeen, the daughter of another of the judge's cousins, who hadmarried a young woman of no family or property, and died early and in poorcircumstances. his widow had recently taken anotherhusband. as for matthew maule's posterity, it wassupposed now to be extinct.
for a very long period after the witchcraftdelusion, however, the maules had continued to inhabit the town where their progenitorhad suffered so unjust a death. to all appearance, they were a quiet,honest, well-meaning race of people, cherishing no malice against individuals orthe public for the wrong which had been done them; or if, at their own fireside, they transmitted from father to child anyhostile recollection of the wizard's fate and their lost patrimony, it was neveracted upon, nor openly expressed. nor would it have been singular had theyceased to remember that the house of the seven gables was resting its heavyframework on a foundation that was
rightfully their own. there is something so massive, stable, andalmost irresistibly imposing in the exterior presentment of established rankand great possessions, that their very existence seems to give them a right to exist; at least, so excellent a counterfeitof right, that few poor and humble men have moral force enough to question it, even intheir secret minds. such is the case now, after so many ancientprejudices have been overthrown; and it was far more so in ante-revolutionary days,when the aristocracy could venture to be proud, and the low were content to beabased.
thus the maules, at all events, kept theirresentments within their own breasts. they were generally poverty-stricken;always plebeian and obscure; working with unsuccessful diligence at handicrafts;laboring on the wharves, or following the sea, as sailors before the mast; living here and there about the town, in hiredtenements, and coming finally to the almshouse as the natural home of their oldage. at last, after creeping, as it were, forsuch a length of time along the utmost verge of the opaque puddle of obscurity,they had taken that downright plunge which, sooner or later, is the destiny of allfamilies, whether princely or plebeian.
for thirty years past, neither town-record,nor gravestone, nor the directory, nor the knowledge or memory of man, bore any traceof matthew maule's descendants. his blood might possibly exist elsewhere;here, where its lowly current could be traced so far back, it had ceased to keepan onward course. so long as any of the race were to befound, they had been marked out from other men--not strikingly, nor as with a sharpline, but with an effect that was felt rather than spoken of--by an hereditarycharacter of reserve. their companions, or those who endeavoredto become such, grew conscious of a circle round about the maules, within the sanctityor the spell of which, in spite of an
exterior of sufficient frankness and good- fellowship, it was impossible for any manto step. it was this indefinable peculiarity,perhaps, that, by insulating them from human aid, kept them always so unfortunatein life. it certainly operated to prolong in theircase, and to confirm to them as their only inheritance, those feelings of repugnanceand superstitious terror with which the people of the town, even after awakening from their frenzy, continued to regard thememory of the reputed witches. the mantle, or rather the ragged cloak, ofold matthew maule had fallen upon his
children. they were half believed to inheritmysterious attributes; the family eye was said to possess strange power. among other good-for-nothing properties andprivileges, one was especially assigned them,--that of exercising an influence overpeople's dreams. the pyncheons, if all stories were true,haughtily as they bore themselves in the noonday streets of their native town, wereno better than bond-servants to these plebeian maules, on entering the topsy-turvy commonwealth of sleep. modern psychology, it may be, will endeavorto reduce these alleged necromancies within
a system, instead of rejecting them asaltogether fabulous. a descriptive paragraph or two, treating ofthe seven-gabled mansion in its more recent aspect, will bring this preliminary chapterto a close. the street in which it upreared itsvenerable peaks has long ceased to be a fashionable quarter of the town; so that,though the old edifice was surrounded by habitations of modern date, they were mostly small, built entirely of wood, andtypical of the most plodding uniformity of common life. doubtless, however, the whole story ofhuman existence may be latent in each of
them, but with no picturesqueness,externally, that can attract the imagination or sympathy to seek it there. but as for the old structure of our story,its white-oak frame, and its boards, shingles, and crumbling plaster, and eventhe huge, clustered chimney in the midst, seemed to constitute only the least andmeanest part of its reality. so much of mankind's varied experience hadpassed there,--so much had been suffered, and something, too, enjoyed,--that the verytimbers were oozy, as with the moisture of a heart. it was itself like a great human heart,with a life of its own, and full of rich
and sombre reminiscences. the deep projection of the second storygave the house such a meditative look, that you could not pass it without the idea thatit had secrets to keep, and an eventful history to moralize upon. in front, just on the edge of the unpavedsidewalk, grew the pyncheon elm, which, in reference to such trees as one usuallymeets with, might well be termed gigantic. it had been planted by a great-grandson ofthe first pyncheon, and, though now four- score years of age, or perhaps nearer ahundred, was still in its strong and broad maturity, throwing its shadow from side to
side of the street, overtopping the sevengables, and sweeping the whole black roof with its pendant foliage.it gave beauty to the old edifice, and seemed to make it a part of nature. the street having been widened about fortyyears ago, the front gable was now precisely on a line with it. on either side extended a ruinous woodenfence of open lattice-work, through which could be seen a grassy yard, and,especially in the angles of the building, an enormous fertility of burdocks, with leaves, it is hardly an exaggeration tosay, two or three feet long.
behind the house there appeared to be agarden, which undoubtedly had once been extensive, but was now infringed upon byother enclosures, or shut in by habitations and outbuildings that stood on anotherstreet. it would be an omission, trifling, indeed,but unpardonable, were we to forget the green moss that had long since gatheredover the projections of the windows, and on the slopes of the roof nor must we fail to direct the reader's eye to a crop, not ofweeds, but flower-shrubs, which were growing aloft in the air, not a great wayfrom the chimney, in the nook between two of the gables.
they were called alice's posies. the tradition was, that a certain alicepyncheon had flung up the seeds, in sport, and that the dust of the street and thedecay of the roof gradually formed a kind of soil for them, out of which they grew,when alice had long been in her grave. however the flowers might have come there,it was both sad and sweet to observe how nature adopted to herself this desolate,decaying, gusty, rusty old house of the pyncheon family; and how the ever-returning summer did her best to gladden it withtender beauty, and grew melancholy in the effort.
there is one other feature, very essentialto be noticed, but which, we greatly fear, may damage any picturesque and romanticimpression which we have been willing to throw over our sketch of this respectableedifice. in the front gable, under the impendingbrow of the second story, and contiguous to the street, was a shop-door, dividedhorizontally in the midst, and with a window for its upper segment, such as is often seen in dwellings of a somewhatancient date. this same shop-door had been a subject ofno slight mortification to the present occupant of the august pyncheon house, aswell as to some of her predecessors.
the matter is disagreeably delicate tohandle; but, since the reader must needs be let into the secret, he will please tounderstand, that, about a century ago, the head of the pyncheons found himselfinvolved in serious financial difficulties. the fellow (gentleman, as he styledhimself) can hardly have been other than a spurious interloper; for, instead ofseeking office from the king or the royal governor, or urging his hereditary claim to eastern lands, he bethought himself of nobetter avenue to wealth than by cutting a shop-door through the side of his ancestralresidence. it was the custom of the time, indeed, formerchants to store their goods and transact
business in their own dwellings. but there was something pitifully small inthis old pyncheon's mode of setting about his commercial operations; it waswhispered, that, with his own hands, all beruffled as they were, he used to give change for a shilling, and would turn ahalf-penny twice over, to make sure that it was a good one. beyond all question, he had the blood of apetty huckster in his veins, through whatever channel it may have found its waythere. immediately on his death, the shop-door hadbeen locked, bolted, and barred, and, down
to the period of our story, had probablynever once been opened. the old counter, shelves, and otherfixtures of the little shop remained just as he had left them. it used to be affirmed, that the dead shop-keeper, in a white wig, a faded velvet coat, an apron at his waist, and hisruffles carefully turned back from his wrists, might be seen through the chinks of the shutters, any night of the year,ransacking his till, or poring over the dingy pages of his day-book. from the look of unutterable woe upon hisface, it appeared to be his doom to spend
eternity in a vain effort to make hisaccounts balance. and now--in a very humble way, as will beseen--we proceed to open our narrative. chapter iithe little shop-window it still lacked half an hour of sunrise,when miss hepzibah pyncheon--we will not say awoke, it being doubtful whether thepoor lady had so much as closed her eyes during the brief night of midsummer--but, at all events, arose from her solitarypillow, and began what it would be mockery to term the adornment of her person. far from us be the indecorum of assisting,even in imagination, at a maiden lady's
toilet! our story must therefore await misshepzibah at the threshold of her chamber; only presuming, meanwhile, to note some ofthe heavy sighs that labored from her bosom, with little restraint as to their lugubrious depth and volume of sound,inasmuch as they could be audible to nobody save a disembodied listener like ourself.the old maid was alone in the old house. alone, except for a certain respectable andorderly young man, an artist in the daguerreotype line, who, for about threemonths back, had been a lodger in a remote gable,--quite a house by itself, indeed,--
with locks, bolts, and oaken bars on allthe intervening doors. inaudible, consequently, were poor misshepzibah's gusty sighs. inaudible the creaking joints of herstiffened knees, as she knelt down by the bedside. and inaudible, too, by mortal ear, butheard with all-comprehending love and pity in the farthest heaven, that almost agonyof prayer--now whispered, now a groan, now a struggling silence--wherewith she besought the divine assistance through theday! evidently, this is to be a day of more thanordinary trial to miss hepzibah, who, for
above a quarter of a century gone by, hasdwelt in strict seclusion, taking no part in the business of life, and just as littlein its intercourse and pleasures. not with such fervor prays the torpidrecluse, looking forward to the cold, sunless, stagnant calm of a day that is tobe like innumerable yesterdays. the maiden lady's devotions are concluded. will she now issue forth over the thresholdof our story? not yet, by many moments. first, every drawer in the tall, old-fashioned bureau is to be opened, with difficulty, and with a succession ofspasmodic jerks then, all must close again,
with the same fidgety reluctance. there is a rustling of stiff silks; a treadof backward and forward footsteps to and fro across the chamber. we suspect miss hepzibah, moreover, oftaking a step upward into a chair, in order to give heedful regard to her appearance onall sides, and at full length, in the oval, dingy-framed toilet-glass, that hangs aboveher table. truly! well, indeed! who would have thoughtit! is all this precious time to be lavished onthe matutinal repair and beautifying of an elderly person, who never goes abroad, whomnobody ever visits, and from whom, when she
shall have done her utmost, it were the best charity to turn one's eyes anotherway? now she is almost ready. let us pardon her one other pause; for itis given to the sole sentiment, or, we might better say,--heightened and renderedintense, as it has been, by sorrow and seclusion,--to the strong passion of herlife. we heard the turning of a key in a smalllock; she has opened a secret drawer of an escritoire, and is probably looking at acertain miniature, done in malbone's most perfect style, and representing a faceworthy of no less delicate a pencil.
it was once our good fortune to see thispicture. it is a likeness of a young man, in asilken dressing-gown of an old fashion, the soft richness of which is well adapted tothe countenance of reverie, with its full, tender lips, and beautiful eyes, that seem to indicate not so much capacity ofthought, as gentle and voluptuous emotion. of the possessor of such features we shallhave a right to ask nothing, except that he would take the rude world easily, and makehimself happy in it. can it have been an early lover of misshepzibah? no; she never had a lover--poor thing, howcould she?--nor ever knew, by her own
experience, what love technically means. and yet, her undying faith and trust, herfresh remembrance, and continual devotedness towards the original of thatminiature, have been the only substance for her heart to feed upon. she seems to have put aside the miniature,and is standing again before the toilet- glass.there are tears to be wiped off. a few more footsteps to and fro; and here,at last,--with another pitiful sigh, like a gust of chill, damp wind out of a long-closed vault, the door of which has accidentally been set, ajar--here comesmiss hepzibah pyncheon!
forth she steps into the dusky, time-darkened passage; a tall figure, clad in black silk, with a long and shrunken waist,feeling her way towards the stairs like a near-sighted person, as in truth she is. the sun, meanwhile, if not already abovethe horizon, was ascending nearer and nearer to its verge. a few clouds, floating high upward, caughtsome of the earliest light, and threw down its golden gleam on the windows of all thehouses in the street, not forgetting the house of the seven gables, which--many such sunrises as it had witnessed--lookedcheerfully at the present one.
the reflected radiance served to show,pretty distinctly, the aspect and arrangement of the room which hepzibahentered, after descending the stairs. it was a low-studded room, with a beamacross the ceiling, panelled with dark wood, and having a large chimney-piece, setround with pictured tiles, but now closed by an iron fire-board, through which ranthe funnel of a modern stove. there was a carpet on the floor, originallyof rich texture, but so worn and faded in these latter years that its once brilliantfigure had quite vanished into one indistinguishable hue. in the way of furniture, there were twotables: one, constructed with perplexing
intricacy and exhibiting as many feet as acentipede; the other, most delicately wrought, with four long and slender legs, so apparently frail that it was almostincredible what a length of time the ancient tea-table had stood upon them. half a dozen chairs stood about the room,straight and stiff, and so ingeniously contrived for the discomfort of the humanperson that they were irksome even to sight, and conveyed the ugliest possible idea of the state of society to which theycould have been adapted. one exception there was, however, in a veryantique elbow-chair, with a high back,
carved elaborately in oak, and a roomydepth within its arms, that made up, by its spacious comprehensiveness, for the lack of any of those artistic curves which aboundin a modern chair. as for ornamental articles of furniture, werecollect but two, if such they may be called. one was a map of the pyncheon territory atthe eastward, not engraved, but the handiwork of some skilful old draughtsman,and grotesquely illuminated with pictures of indians and wild beasts, among which was seen a lion; the natural history of theregion being as little known as its
geography, which was put down mostfantastically awry. the other adornment was the portrait of oldcolonel pyncheon, at two thirds length, representing the stern features of apuritanic-looking personage, in a skull- cap, with a laced band and a grizzly beard; holding a bible with one hand, and in theother uplifting an iron sword-hilt. the latter object, being more successfullydepicted by the artist, stood out in far greater prominence than the sacred volume. face to face with this picture, on enteringthe apartment, miss hepzibah pyncheon came to a pause; regarding it with a singularscowl, a strange contortion of the brow,
which, by people who did not know her, would probably have been interpreted as anexpression of bitter anger and ill-will. but it was no such thing. she, in fact, felt a reverence for thepictured visage, of which only a far- descended and time-stricken virgin could besusceptible; and this forbidding scowl was the innocent result of her near- sightedness, and an effort so toconcentrate her powers of vision as to substitute a firm outline of the objectinstead of a vague one. we must linger a moment on this unfortunateexpression of poor hepzibah's brow.
her scowl,--as the world, or such part ofit as sometimes caught a transitory glimpse of her at the window, wickedly persisted incalling it,--her scowl had done miss hepzibah a very ill office, in establishing her character as an ill-tempered old maid;nor does it appear improbable that, by often gazing at herself in a dim looking-glass, and perpetually encountering her own frown with its ghostly sphere, she had been led to interpret the expression almost asunjustly as the world did. "how miserably cross i look!" she mustoften have whispered to herself; and ultimately have fancied herself so, by asense of inevitable doom.
but her heart never frowned. it was naturally tender, sensitive, andfull of little tremors and palpitations; all of which weaknesses it retained, whileher visage was growing so perversely stern, and even fierce. nor had hepzibah ever any hardihood, exceptwhat came from the very warmest nook in her affections. all this time, however, we are loiteringfaintheartedly on the threshold of our story. in very truth, we have an invinciblereluctance to disclose what miss hepzibah
pyncheon was about to do. it has already been observed, that, in thebasement story of the gable fronting on the street, an unworthy ancestor, nearly acentury ago, had fitted up a shop. ever since the old gentleman retired fromtrade, and fell asleep under his coffin- lid, not only the shop-door, but the innerarrangements, had been suffered to remain unchanged; while the dust of ages gathered inch-deep over the shelves and counter, andpartly filled an old pair of scales, as if it were of value enough to be weighed. it treasured itself up, too, in the half-open till, where there still lingered a
base sixpence, worth neither more nor lessthan the hereditary pride which had here been put to shame. such had been the state and condition ofthe little shop in old hepzibah's childhood, when she and her brother used toplay at hide-and-seek in its forsaken precincts. so it had remained, until within a few dayspast. but now, though the shop-window was stillclosely curtained from the public gaze, a remarkable change had taken place in itsinterior. the rich and heavy festoons of cobweb,which it had cost a long ancestral
succession of spiders their life's labor tospin and weave, had been carefully brushed away from the ceiling. the counter, shelves, and floor had allbeen scoured, and the latter was overstrewn with fresh blue sand. the brown scales, too, had evidentlyundergone rigid discipline, in an unavailing effort to rub off the rust,which, alas! had eaten through and through their substance. neither was the little old shop any longerempty of merchantable goods. a curious eye, privileged to take anaccount of stock and investigate behind the
counter, would have discovered a barrel,yea, two or three barrels and half ditto,-- one containing flour, another apples, and athird, perhaps, indian meal. there was likewise a square box of pine-wood, full of soap in bars; also, another of the same size, in which were tallowcandles, ten to the pound. a small stock of brown sugar, some whitebeans and split peas, and a few other commodities of low price, and such as areconstantly in demand, made up the bulkier portion of the merchandise. it might have been taken for a ghostly orphantasmagoric reflection of the old shop- keeper pyncheon's shabbily providedshelves, save that some of the articles
were of a description and outward form which could hardly have been known in hisday. for instance, there was a glass pickle-jar,filled with fragments of gibraltar rock; not, indeed, splinters of the veritablestone foundation of the famous fortress, but bits of delectable candy, neatly doneup in white paper. jim crow, moreover, was seen executing hisworld-renowned dance, in gingerbread. a party of leaden dragoons were gallopingalong one of the shelves, in equipments and uniform of modern cut; and there were somesugar figures, with no strong resemblance to the humanity of any epoch, but less
unsatisfactorily representing our ownfashions than those of a hundred years ago. another phenomenon, still more strikinglymodern, was a package of lucifer matches, which, in old times, would have beenthought actually to borrow their instantaneous flame from the nether firesof tophet. in short, to bring the matter at once to apoint, it was incontrovertibly evident that somebody had taken the shop and fixtures ofthe long-retired and forgotten mr. pyncheon, and was about to renew the enterprise of that departed worthy, with adifferent set of customers. who could this bold adventurer be?
and, of all places in the world, why had hechosen the house of the seven gables as the scene of his commercial speculations?we return to the elderly maiden. she at length withdrew her eyes from thedark countenance of the colonel's portrait, heaved a sigh,--indeed, her breast was avery cave of aolus that morning,--and stept across the room on tiptoe, as is thecustomary gait of elderly women. passing through an intervening passage, sheopened a door that communicated with the shop, just now so elaborately described. owing to the projection of the upper story--and still more to the thick shadow of the pyncheon elm, which stood almost directlyin front of the gable--the twilight, here,
was still as much akin to night as morning. another heavy sigh from miss hepzibah! after a moment's pause on the threshold,peering towards the window with her near- sighted scowl, as if frowning down somebitter enemy, she suddenly projected herself into the shop. the haste, and, as it were, the galvanicimpulse of the movement, were really quite startling. nervously--in a sort of frenzy, we mightalmost say--she began to busy herself in arranging some children's playthings, andother little wares, on the shelves and at
the shop-window. in the aspect of this dark-arrayed, pale-faced, ladylike old figure there was a deeply tragic character that contrastedirreconcilably with the ludicrous pettiness of her employment. it seemed a queer anomaly, that so gauntand dismal a personage should take a toy in hand; a miracle, that the toy did notvanish in her grasp; a miserably absurd idea, that she should go on perplexing her stiff and sombre intellect with thequestion how to tempt little boys into her premises!yet such is undoubtedly her object.
now she places a gingerbread elephantagainst the window, but with so tremulous a touch that it tumbles upon the floor, withthe dismemberment of three legs and its trunk; it has ceased to be an elephant, andhas become a few bits of musty gingerbread. there, again, she has upset a tumbler ofmarbles, all of which roll different ways, and each individual marble, devil-directed,into the most difficult obscurity that it can find. heaven help our poor old hepzibah, andforgive us for taking a ludicrous view of her position! as her rigid and rusty frame goes down uponits hands and knees, in quest of the
absconding marbles, we positively feel somuch the more inclined to shed tears of sympathy, from the very fact that we mustneeds turn aside and laugh at her. for here,--and if we fail to impress itsuitably upon the reader, it is our own fault, not that of the theme, here is oneof the truest points of melancholy interest that occur in ordinary life. it was the final throe of what calleditself old gentility. a lady--who had fed herself from childhoodwith the shadowy food of aristocratic reminiscences, and whose religion it wasthat a lady's hand soils itself irremediably by doing aught for bread,--
this born lady, after sixty years ofnarrowing means, is fain to step down from her pedestal of imaginary rank.poverty, treading closely at her heels for a lifetime, has come up with her at last. she must earn her own food, or starve!and we have stolen upon miss hepzibah pyncheon, too irreverently, at the instantof time when the patrician lady is to be transformed into the plebeian woman. in this republican country, amid thefluctuating waves of our social life, somebody is always at the drowning-point. the tragedy is enacted with as continual arepetition as that of a popular drama on a
holiday, and, nevertheless, is felt asdeeply, perhaps, as when an hereditary noble sinks below his order. more deeply; since, with us, rank is thegrosser substance of wealth and a splendid establishment, and has no spiritualexistence after the death of these, but dies hopelessly along with them. and, therefore, since we have beenunfortunate enough to introduce our heroine at so inauspicious a juncture, we wouldentreat for a mood of due solemnity in the spectators of her fate. let us behold, in poor hepzibah, theimmemorial, lady--two hundred years old, on
this side of the water, and thrice as manyon the other,--with her antique portraits, pedigrees, coats of arms, records and traditions, and her claim, as jointheiress, to that princely territory at the eastward, no longer a wilderness, but apopulous fertility,--born, too, in pyncheon street, under the pyncheon elm, and in the pyncheon house, where she has spent all herdays,--reduced. now, in that very house, to be thehucksteress of a cent-shop. this business of setting up a petty shop isalmost the only resource of women, in circumstances at all similar to those ofour unfortunate recluse.
with her near-sightedness, and thosetremulous fingers of hers, at once inflexible and delicate, she could not be aseamstress; although her sampler, of fifty years gone by, exhibited some of the most recondite specimens of ornamentalneedlework. a school for little children had been oftenin her thoughts; and, at one time, she had begun a review of her early studies in thenew england primer, with a view to prepare herself for the office of instructress. but the love of children had never beenquickened in hepzibah's heart, and was now torpid, if not extinct; she watched thelittle people of the neighborhood from her
chamber-window, and doubted whether she could tolerate a more intimate acquaintancewith them. besides, in our day, the very abc hasbecome a science greatly too abstruse to be any longer taught by pointing a pin fromletter to letter. a modern child could teach old hepzibahmore than old hepzibah could teach the child. so--with many a cold, deep heart-quake atthe idea of at last coming into sordid contact with the world, from which she hadso long kept aloof, while every added day of seclusion had rolled another stone
against the cavern door of her hermitage--the poor thing bethought herself of the ancient shop-window, the rusty scales, anddusty till. she might have held back a little longer;but another circumstance, not yet hinted at, had somewhat hastened her decision. her humble preparations, therefore, wereduly made, and the enterprise was now to be commenced. nor was she entitled to complain of anyremarkable singularity in her fate; for, in the town of her nativity, we might point toseveral little shops of a similar description, some of them in houses as
ancient as that of the seven gables; andone or two, it may be, where a decayed gentlewoman stands behind the counter, asgrim an image of family pride as miss hepzibah pyncheon herself. it was overpoweringly ridiculous,--we musthonestly confess it,--the deportment of the maiden lady while setting her shop in orderfor the public eye. she stole on tiptoe to the window, ascautiously as if she conceived some bloody- minded villain to be watching behind theelm-tree, with intent to take her life. stretching out her long, lank arm, she puta paper of pearl-buttons, a jew's-harp, or whatever the small article might be, in itsdestined place, and straightway vanished
back into the dusk, as if the world neednever hope for another glimpse of her. it might have been fancied, indeed, thatshe expected to minister to the wants of the community unseen, like a disembodieddivinity or enchantress, holding forth her bargains to the reverential and awe-stricken purchaser in an invisible hand. but hepzibah had no such flattering dream. she was well aware that she must ultimatelycome forward, and stand revealed in her proper individuality; but, like othersensitive persons, she could not bear to be observed in the gradual process, and chose rather to flash forth on the world'sastonished gaze at once.
the inevitable moment was not much longerto be delayed. the sunshine might now be seen stealingdown the front of the opposite house, from the windows of which came a reflectedgleam, struggling through the boughs of the elm-tree, and enlightening the interior ofthe shop more distinctly than heretofore. the town appeared to be waking up. a baker's cart had already rattled throughthe street, chasing away the latest vestige of night's sanctity with the jingle-jangleof its dissonant bells. a milkman was distributing the contents ofhis cans from door to door; and the harsh peal of a fisherman's conch shell was heardfar off, around the corner.
none of these tokens escaped hepzibah'snotice. the moment had arrived.to delay longer would be only to lengthen out her misery. nothing remained, except to take down thebar from the shop-door, leaving the entrance free--more than free--welcome, asif all were household friends--to every passer-by, whose eyes might be attracted bythe commodities at the window. this last act hepzibah now performed,letting the bar fall with what smote upon her excited nerves as a most astoundingclatter. then--as if the only barrier betwixtherself and the world had been thrown down,
and a flood of evil consequences would cometumbling through the gap--she fled into the inner parlor, threw herself into theancestral elbow-chair, and wept. our miserable old hepzibah! it is a heavy annoyance to a writer, whoendeavors to represent nature, its various attitudes and circumstances, in areasonably correct outline and true coloring, that so much of the mean and ludicrous should be hopelessly mixed upwith the purest pathos which life anywhere supplies to him.what tragic dignity, for example, can be wrought into a scene like this!
how can we elevate our history ofretribution for the sin of long ago, when, as one of our most prominent figures, weare compelled to introduce--not a young and lovely woman, nor even the stately remains of beauty, storm-shattered by affliction--but a gaunt, sallow, rusty-jointed maiden, in a long-waisted silk gown, and with thestrange horror of a turban on her head! her visage is not even ugly. it is redeemed from insignificance only bythe contraction of her eyebrows into a near-sighted scowl. and, finally, her great life-trial seems tobe, that, after sixty years of idleness,
she finds it convenient to earn comfortablebread by setting up a shop in a small way. nevertheless, if we look through all theheroic fortunes of mankind, we shall find this same entanglement of something meanand trivial with whatever is noblest in joy or sorrow. life is made up of marble and mud. and, without all the deeper trust in acomprehensive sympathy above us, we might hence be led to suspect the insult of asneer, as well as an immitigable frown, on the iron countenance of fate. what is called poetic insight is the giftof discerning, in this sphere of strangely
mingled elements, the beauty and themajesty which are compelled to assume a garb so sordid. chapter iiithe first customer miss hepzibah pyncheon sat in the oakenelbow-chair, with her hands over her face, giving way to that heavy down-sinking ofthe heart which most persons have experienced, when the image of hope itself seems ponderously moulded of lead, on theeve of an enterprise at once doubtful and momentous. she was suddenly startled by the tinklingalarum--high, sharp, and irregular--of a
little bell. the maiden lady arose upon her feet, aspale as a ghost at cock-crow; for she was an enslaved spirit, and this the talismanto which she owed obedience. this little bell,--to speak in plainerterms,--being fastened over the shop-door, was so contrived as to vibrate by means ofa steel spring, and thus convey notice to the inner regions of the house when anycustomer should cross the threshold. its ugly and spiteful little din (heard nowfor the first time, perhaps, since hepzibah's periwigged predecessor hadretired from trade) at once set every nerve of her body in responsive and tumultuousvibration.
the crisis was upon her!her first customer was at the door! without giving herself time for a secondthought, she rushed into the shop, pale, wild, desperate in gesture and expression,scowling portentously, and looking far better qualified to do fierce battle with a housebreaker than to stand smiling behindthe counter, bartering small wares for a copper recompense.any ordinary customer, indeed, would have turned his back and fled. and yet there was nothing fierce inhepzibah's poor old heart; nor had she, at the moment, a single bitter thought againstthe world at large, or one individual man
or woman. she wished them all well, but wished, too,that she herself were done with them, and in her quiet grave.the applicant, by this time, stood within the doorway. coming freshly, as he did, out of themorning light, he appeared to have brought some of its cheery influences into the shopalong with him. it was a slender young man, not more thanone or two and twenty years old, with rather a grave and thoughtful expressionfor his years, but likewise a springy alacrity and vigor.
these qualities were not only perceptible,physically, in his make and motions, but made themselves felt almost immediately inhis character. a brown beard, not too silken in itstexture, fringed his chin, but as yet without completely hiding it; he wore ashort mustache, too, and his dark, high- featured countenance looked all the betterfor these natural ornaments. as for his dress, it was of the simplestkind; a summer sack of cheap and ordinary material, thin checkered pantaloons, and astraw hat, by no means of the finest braid. oak hall might have supplied his entireequipment. he was chiefly marked as a gentleman--ifsuch, indeed, he made any claim to be--by
the rather remarkable whiteness and nicetyof his clean linen. he met the scowl of old hepzibah withoutapparent alarm, as having heretofore encountered it and found it harmless. "so, my dear miss pyncheon," said thedaguerreotypist,--for it was that sole other occupant of the seven-gabledmansion,--"i am glad to see that you have not shrunk from your good purpose. i merely look in to offer my best wishes,and to ask if i can assist you any further in your preparations." people in difficulty and distress, or inany manner at odds with the world, can
endure a vast amount of harsh treatment,and perhaps be only the stronger for it; whereas they give way at once before the simplest expression of what they perceiveto be genuine sympathy. so it proved with poor hepzibah; for, whenshe saw the young man's smile,--looking so much the brighter on a thoughtful face,--and heard his kindly tone, she broke first into a hysteric giggle and then began tosob. "ah, mr. holgrave," cried she, as soon asshe could speak, "i never can go through with it! never, never, never!i wish i were dead, and in the old family
tomb, with all my forefathers!with my father, and my mother, and my sister! yes, and with my brother, who had farbetter find me there than here! the world is too chill and hard,--and i amtoo old, and too feeble, and too hopeless!" "oh, believe me, miss hepzibah," said theyoung man quietly, "these feelings will not trouble you any longer, after you are oncefairly in the midst of your enterprise. they are unavoidable at this moment,standing, as you do, on the outer verge of your long seclusion, and peopling the worldwith ugly shapes, which you will soon find to be as unreal as the giants and ogres ofa child's story-book.
i find nothing so singular in life, as thateverything appears to lose its substance the instant one actually grapples with it. so it will be with what you think soterrible." "but i am a woman!" said hepzibahpiteously. "i was going to say, a lady,--but iconsider that as past." "well; no matter if it be past!" answeredthe artist, a strange gleam of half-hidden sarcasm flashing through the kindliness ofhis manner. "let it go! you are the better without it.i speak frankly, my dear miss pyncheon!--
for are we not friends?i look upon this as one of the fortunate days of your life. it ends an epoch and begins one. hitherto, the life-blood has been graduallychilling in your veins as you sat aloof, within your circle of gentility, while therest of the world was fighting out its battle with one kind of necessity oranother. henceforth, you will at least have thesense of healthy and natural effort for a purpose, and of lending your strength be itgreat or small--to the united struggle of mankind.
this is success,--all the success thatanybody meets with!" "it is natural enough, mr. holgrave, thatyou should have ideas like these," rejoined hepzibah, drawing up her gaunt figure withslightly offended dignity. "you are a man, a young man, and broughtup, i suppose, as almost everybody is nowadays, with a view to seeking yourfortune. but i was born a lady, and have alwayslived one; no matter in what narrowness of means, always a lady." "but i was not born a gentleman; neitherhave i lived like one," said holgrave, slightly smiling; "so, my dear madam, youwill hardly expect me to sympathize with
sensibilities of this kind; though, unless i deceive myself, i have some imperfectcomprehension of them. these names of gentleman and lady had ameaning, in the past history of the world, and conferred privileges, desirable orotherwise, on those entitled to bear them. in the present--and still more in thefuture condition of society-they imply, not privilege, but restriction!""these are new notions," said the old gentlewoman, shaking her head. "i shall never understand them; neither doi wish it." "we will cease to speak of them, then,"replied the artist, with a friendlier smile
than his last one, "and i will leave you tofeel whether it is not better to be a true woman than a lady. do you really think, miss hepzibah, thatany lady of your family has ever done a more heroic thing, since this house wasbuilt, than you are performing in it to- day? never; and if the pyncheons had alwaysacted so nobly, i doubt whether an old wizard maule's anathema, of which you toldme once, would have had much weight with providence against them." "ah!--no, no!" said hepzibah, notdispleased at this allusion to the sombre
dignity of an inherited curse. "if old maule's ghost, or a descendant ofhis, could see me behind the counter to- day, he would call it the fulfillment ofhis worst wishes. but i thank you for your kindness, mr.holgrave, and will do my utmost to be a good shop-keeper.""pray do" said holgrave, "and let me have the pleasure of being your first customer. i am about taking a walk to the seashore,before going to my rooms, where i misuse heaven's blessed sunshine by tracing outhuman features through its agency. a few of those biscuits, dipt in sea-water,will be just what i need for breakfast.
what is the price of half a dozen?" "let me be a lady a moment longer," repliedhepzibah, with a manner of antique stateliness to which a melancholy smilelent a kind of grace. she put the biscuits into his hand, butrejected the compensation. "a pyncheon must not, at all events underher forefathers' roof, receive money for a morsel of bread from her only friend!" holgrave took his departure, leaving her,for the moment, with spirits not quite so much depressed.soon, however, they had subsided nearly to their former dead level.
with a beating heart, she listened to thefootsteps of early passengers, which now began to be frequent along the street. once or twice they seemed to linger; thesestrangers, or neighbors, as the case might be, were looking at the display of toys andpetty commodities in hepzibah's shop- window. she was doubly tortured; in part, with asense of overwhelming shame that strange and unloving eyes should have the privilegeof gazing, and partly because the idea occurred to her, with ridiculous importunity, that the window was notarranged so skilfully, nor nearly to so
much advantage, as it might have been. it seemed as if the whole fortune orfailure of her shop might depend on the display of a different set of articles, orsubstituting a fairer apple for one which appeared to be specked. so she made the change, and straightwayfancied that everything was spoiled by it; not recognizing that it was the nervousnessof the juncture, and her own native squeamishness as an old maid, that wroughtall the seeming mischief. anon, there was an encounter, just at thedoor-step, betwixt two laboring men, as their rough voices denoted them to be.
after some slight talk about their ownaffairs, one of them chanced to notice the shop-window, and directed the other'sattention to it. "see here!" cried he; "what do you think ofthis? trade seems to be looking up in pyncheonstreet!" "well, well, this is a sight, to be sure!"exclaimed the other. "in the old pyncheon house, and underneaththe pyncheon elm! who would have thought it? old maid pyncheon is setting up a cent-shop!" "will she make it go, think you, dixey?"said his friend.
"i don't call it a very good stand. there's another shop just round thecorner." "make it go!" cried dixey, with a mostcontemptuous expression, as if the very idea were impossible to be conceived. "not a bit of it!why, her face--i've seen it, for i dug her garden for her one year--her face is enoughto frighten the old nick himself, if he had ever so great a mind to trade with her. people can't stand it, i tell you!she scowls dreadfully, reason or none, out of pure ugliness of temper.""well, that's not so much matter," remarked
the other man. "these sour-tempered folks are mostly handyat business, and know pretty well what they are about.but, as you say, i don't think she'll do much. this business of keeping cent-shops isoverdone, like all other kinds of trade, handicraft, and bodily labor.i know it, to my cost! my wife kept a cent-shop three months, andlost five dollars on her outlay." "poor business!" responded dixey, in a toneas if he were shaking his head,--"poor business."
for some reason or other, not very easy toanalyze, there had hardly been so bitter a pang in all her previous misery about thematter as what thrilled hepzibah's heart on overhearing the above conversation. the testimony in regard to her scowl wasfrightfully important; it seemed to hold up her image wholly relieved from the falselight of her self-partialities, and so hideous that she dared not look at it. she was absurdly hurt, moreover, by theslight and idle effect that her setting up shop--an event of such breathless interestto herself--appeared to have upon the public, of which these two men were thenearest representatives.
a glance; a passing word or two; a coarselaugh; and she was doubtless forgotten before they turned the corner. they cared nothing for her dignity, andjust as little for her degradation. then, also, the augury of ill-success,uttered from the sure wisdom of experience, fell upon her half-dead hope like a clodinto a grave. the man's wife had already tried the sameexperiment, and failed! how could the born lady--the recluse ofhalf a lifetime, utterly unpractised in the world, at sixty years of age,--how couldshe ever dream of succeeding, when the hard, vulgar, keen, busy, hackneyed new
england woman had lost five dollars on herlittle outlay! success presented itself as animpossibility, and the hope of it as a wild hallucination. some malevolent spirit, doing his utmost todrive hepzibah mad, unrolled before her imagination a kind of panorama,representing the great thoroughfare of a city all astir with customers. so many and so magnificent shops as therewere! groceries, toy-shops, drygoods stores, withtheir immense panes of plate-glass, their gorgeous fixtures, their vast and completeassortments of merchandise, in which
fortunes had been invested; and those noble mirrors at the farther end of eachestablishment, doubling all this wealth by a brightly burnished vista of unrealities! on one side of the street this splendidbazaar, with a multitude of perfumed and glossy salesmen, smirking, smiling, bowing,and measuring out the goods. on the other, the dusky old house of theseven gables, with the antiquated shop- window under its projecting story, andhepzibah herself, in a gown of rusty black silk, behind the counter, scowling at theworld as it went by! this mighty contrast thrust itself forwardas a fair expression of the odds against
which she was to begin her struggle for asubsistence. success? preposterous!she would never think of it again! the house might just as well be buried inan eternal fog while all other houses had the sunshine on them; for not a foot wouldever cross the threshold, nor a hand so much as try the door! but, at this instant, the shop-bell, rightover her head, tinkled as if it were bewitched. the old gentlewoman's heart seemed to beattached to the same steel spring, for it
went through a series of sharp jerks, inunison with the sound. the door was thrust open, although no humanform was perceptible on the other side of the half-window. hepzibah, nevertheless, stood at a gaze,with her hands clasped, looking very much as if she had summoned up an evil spirit,and were afraid, yet resolved, to hazard the encounter. "heaven help me!" she groaned mentally."now is my hour of need!" the door, which moved with difficulty onits creaking and rusty hinges, being forced quite open, a square and sturdy littleurchin became apparent, with cheeks as red
as an apple. he was clad rather shabbily (but, as itseemed, more owing to his mother's carelessness than his father's poverty), ina blue apron, very wide and short trousers, shoes somewhat out at the toes, and a chip hat, with the frizzles of his curly hairsticking through its crevices. a book and a small slate, under his arm,indicated that he was on his way to school. he stared at hepzibah a moment, as an eldercustomer than himself would have been likely enough to do, not knowing what tomake of the tragic attitude and queer scowl wherewith she regarded him.
"well, child," said she, taking heart atsight of a personage so little formidable -,-"well, my child, what did you wish for?" "that jim crow there in the window,"answered the urchin, holding out a cent, and pointing to the gingerbread figure thathad attracted his notice, as he loitered along to school; "the one that has not abroken foot." so hepzibah put forth her lank arm, and,taking the effigy from the shop-window, delivered it to her first customer. "no matter for the money," said she, givinghim a little push towards the door; for her old gentility was contumaciously squeamishat sight of the copper coin, and, besides,
it seemed such pitiful meanness to take the child's pocket-money in exchange for a bitof stale gingerbread. "no matter for the cent.you are welcome to jim crow." the child, staring with round eyes at thisinstance of liberality, wholly unprecedented in his large experience ofcent-shops, took the man of gingerbread, and quitted the premises. no sooner had he reached the sidewalk(little cannibal that he was!) than jim crow's head was in his mouth. as he had not been careful to shut thedoor, hepzibah was at the pains of closing
it after him, with a pettish ejaculation ortwo about the troublesomeness of young people, and particularly of small boys. she had just placed another representativeof the renowned jim crow at the window, when again the shop-bell tinkledclamorously, and again the door being thrust open, with its characteristic jerk and jar, disclosed the same sturdy littleurchin who, precisely two minutes ago, had made his exit. the crumbs and discoloration of thecannibal feast, as yet hardly consummated, were exceedingly visible about his mouth.
"what is it now, child?" asked the maidenlady rather impatiently; "did you come back to shut the door?" "no," answered the urchin, pointing to thefigure that had just been put up; "i want that other jim crow." "well, here it is for you," said hepzibah,reaching it down; but recognizing that this pertinacious customer would not quit her onany other terms, so long as she had a gingerbread figure in her shop, she partly drew back her extended hand, "where is thecent?" the little boy had the cent ready, but,like a true-born yankee, would have
preferred the better bargain to the worse. looking somewhat chagrined, he put the coininto hepzibah's hand, and departed, sending the second jim crow in quest of the formerone. the new shop-keeper dropped the first solidresult of her commercial enterprise into the till.it was done! the sordid stain of that copper coin couldnever be washed away from her palm. the little schoolboy, aided by the impishfigure of the negro dancer, had wrought an irreparable ruin. the structure of ancient aristocracy hadbeen demolished by him, even as if his
childish gripe had torn down the seven-gabled mansion. now let hepzibah turn the old pyncheonportraits with their faces to the wall, and take the map of her eastern territory tokindle the kitchen fire, and blow up the flame with the empty breath of herancestral traditions! what had she to do with ancestry?nothing; no more than with posterity! no lady, now, but simply hepzibah pyncheon,a forlorn old maid, and keeper of a cent- shop! nevertheless, even while she paraded theseideas somewhat ostentatiously through her mind, it is altogether surprising what acalmness had come over her.
the anxiety and misgivings which hadtormented her, whether asleep or in melancholy day-dreams, ever since herproject began to take an aspect of solidity, had now vanished quite away. she felt the novelty of her position,indeed, but no longer with disturbance or affright.now and then, there came a thrill of almost youthful enjoyment. it was the invigorating breath of a freshoutward atmosphere, after the long torpor and monotonous seclusion of her life.so wholesome is effort! so miraculous the strength that we do notknow of!
the healthiest glow that hepzibah had knownfor years had come now in the dreaded crisis, when, for the first time, she hadput forth her hand to help herself. the little circlet of the schoolboy'scopper coin--dim and lustreless though it was, with the small services which it hadbeen doing here and there about the world-- had proved a talisman, fragrant with good, and deserving to be set in gold and wornnext her heart. it was as potent, and perhaps endowed withthe same kind of efficacy, as a galvanic ring! hepzibah, at all events, was indebted toits subtile operation both in body and
spirit; so much the more, as it inspiredher with energy to get some breakfast, at which, still the better to keep up her courage, she allowed herself an extraspoonful in her infusion of black tea. her introductory day of shop-keeping didnot run on, however, without many and serious interruptions of this mood ofcheerful vigor. as a general rule, providence seldomvouchsafes to mortals any more than just that degree of encouragement which sufficesto keep them at a reasonably full exertion of their powers. in the case of our old gentlewoman, afterthe excitement of new effort had subsided,
the despondency of her whole lifethreatened, ever and anon, to return. it was like the heavy mass of clouds whichwe may often see obscuring the sky, and making a gray twilight everywhere, until,towards nightfall, it yields temporarily to a glimpse of sunshine. but, always, the envious cloud strives togather again across the streak of celestial azure. customers came in, as the forenoonadvanced, but rather slowly; in some cases, too, it must be owned, with littlesatisfaction either to themselves or miss hepzibah; nor, on the whole, with an
aggregate of very rich emolument to thetill. a little girl, sent by her mother to matcha skein of cotton thread, of a peculiar hue, took one that the near-sighted oldlady pronounced extremely like, but soon came running back, with a blunt and cross message, that it would not do, and,besides, was very rotten! then, there was a pale, care-wrinkledwoman, not old but haggard, and already with streaks of gray among her hair, likesilver ribbons; one of those women, naturally delicate, whom you at once recognize as worn to death by a brute--probably a drunken brute--of a husband, and
at least nine children. she wanted a few pounds of flour, andoffered the money, which the decayed gentlewoman silently rejected, and gave thepoor soul better measure than if she had taken it. shortly afterwards, a man in a blue cottonfrock, much soiled, came in and bought a pipe, filling the whole shop, meanwhile,with the hot odor of strong drink, not only exhaled in the torrid atmosphere of his breath, but oozing out of his entiresystem, like an inflammable gas. it was impressed on hepzibah's mind thatthis was the husband of the care-wrinkled
woman. he asked for a paper of tobacco; and as shehad neglected to provide herself with the article, her brutal customer dashed downhis newly-bought pipe and left the shop, muttering some unintelligible words, whichhad the tone and bitterness of a curse. hereupon hepzibah threw up her eyes,unintentionally scowling in the face of providence! no less than five persons, during theforenoon, inquired for ginger-beer, or root-beer, or any drink of a similarbrewage, and, obtaining nothing of the kind, went off in an exceedingly bad humor.
three of them left the door open, and theother two pulled it so spitefully in going out that the little bell played the verydeuce with hepzibah's nerves. a round, bustling, fire-ruddy housewife ofthe neighborhood burst breathless into the shop, fiercely demanding yeast; and whenthe poor gentlewoman, with her cold shyness of manner, gave her hot customer to understand that she did not keep thearticle, this very capable housewife took upon herself to administer a regularrebuke. "a cent-shop, and no yeast!" quoth she;"that will never do! who ever heard of such a thing?your loaf will never rise, no more than
mine will to-day. you had better shut up shop at once.""well," said hepzibah, heaving a deep sigh, "perhaps i had!" several times, moreover, besides the aboveinstance, her lady-like sensibilities were seriously infringed upon by the familiar,if not rude, tone with which people addressed her. they evidently considered themselves notmerely her equals, but her patrons and superiors. now, hepzibah had unconsciously flatteredherself with the idea that there would be a
gleam or halo, of some kind or other, abouther person, which would insure an obeisance to her sterling gentility, or, at least, atacit recognition of it. on the other hand, nothing tortured hermore intolerably than when this recognition was too prominently expressed. to one or two rather officious offers ofsympathy, her responses were little short of acrimonious; and, we regret to say,hepzibah was thrown into a positively unchristian state of mind by the suspicion that one of her customers was drawn to theshop, not by any real need of the article which she pretended to seek, but by awicked wish to stare at her.
the vulgar creature was determined to seefor herself what sort of a figure a mildewed piece of aristocracy, afterwasting all the bloom and much of the decline of her life apart from the world,would cut behind a counter. in this particular case, however mechanicaland innocuous it might be at other times, hepzibah's contortion of brow served her ingood stead. "i never was so frightened in my life!"said the curious customer, in describing the incident to one of her acquaintances."she's a real old vixen, take my word of it! she says little, to be sure; but if youcould only see the mischief in her eye!"
on the whole, therefore, her new experienceled our decayed gentlewoman to very disagreeable conclusions as to the temperand manners of what she termed the lower classes, whom heretofore she had looked down upon with a gentle and pityingcomplaisance, as herself occupying a sphere of unquestionable superiority. but, unfortunately, she had likewise tostruggle against a bitter emotion of a directly opposite kind: a sentiment ofvirulence, we mean, towards the idle aristocracy to which it had so recentlybeen her pride to belong. when a lady, in a delicate and costlysummer garb, with a floating veil and
gracefully swaying gown, and, altogether,an ethereal lightness that made you look at her beautifully slippered feet, to see whether she trod on the dust or floated inthe air,--when such a vision happened to pass through this retired street, leavingit tenderly and delusively fragrant with her passage, as if a bouquet of tea-roses had been borne along,--then again, it is tobe feared, old hepzibah's scowl could no longer vindicate itself entirely on theplea of near-sightedness. "for what end," thought she, giving vent tothat feeling of hostility which is the only real abasement of the poor in presence ofthe rich,--"for what good end, in the
wisdom of providence, does that woman live? must the whole world toil, that the palmsof her hands may be kept white and delicate?"then, ashamed and penitent, she hid her face. "may god forgive me!" said she.doubtless, god did forgive her. but, taking the inward and outward historyof the first half-day into consideration, hepzibah began to fear that the shop wouldprove her ruin in a moral and religious point of view, without contributing very essentially towards even her temporalwelfare.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00002591_processed.jsonl/13947 | 21 minutes | Nov 2nd 2020
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