text:
This display will explore Birmingham's vibrant and varied history of protest and activism, and the role the city has played in some of the most important campaigns and movements in British history.
From the Priestley Riots of 1791 all the way through to the LGBTQ+ campaigns of today, 'Birmingham Revolutions – Power to the People' is a chance to discover the different voices and ideas that have contributed to the fight for a better Birmingham.
We will look at campaigns such as voting reform, nuclear disarmament, trade unionism, anti-racism and human rights.
'Birmingham Revolutions' aims to show all the different ways in which a person can protest and campaign, what we can learn from past protests, and show everything we as a city have achieved so far.
Art, film, music, literature, clothing and objects will be used in each section of the Gallery for you to discover the long history of gatherings, riots, strikes and campaigns that have occurred in the city.


Nikos Maravitsas
About Nikos Maravitsas
Nikos has graduated from the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Currently, his main interests are system's security, parallel systems, artificial intelligence, operating systems, system programming, telecommunications, web applications, human – machine interaction and mobile development.
Modal dialog (popup) from Android widget example
In this example we are going to see how you can create an Android widget in the home screen that can open a pop up dialogue box. As you know, Android Widgets are small applications that can basically do two things. Launch a new Activity when pressed, or display information that get updated at a decided time interval.
1. Introduction
Widgets make use of RemoteViews to display their user interface. RemoteViews can be executed by another process with the same permissions as the original application. This way the Widget runs with the permissions of its defining application. This is form the official Android Documentation : " RemoteView is a class that describes a view hierarchy that can be displayed in another process. The hierarchy is inflated from a layout resource file, and this class provides some basic operations for modifying the content of the inflated hierarchy."
The user interface of a Widget is defined by an BroadcastReceiver. This BroadcastReceiver inflates the layout into the RemoteViews of the Widget. Then RemoteViews is delivered to Android, which updates the user interface at the home screen application.
Widgets have limited functionality and styles compared to Activities. So you may need to thing some workarounds to do more complex stuff, like we want to do. And so to launch a pop up dialogue from our widget here's what we do: When the widget is clicked we simply launch a new Activity with android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Dialog" property set in the configuration of the Activity in AndroidManifest.xml.
To sum up the basic steps, we are going to:
 - Create an Android Widget.
 - Create an Intent that when sent to the BroadcastReceiver it marks the launching of the new Activity.
 - Register a ClickListener to the widget. Thus when the widget is pressed the above Intent will be sent to the BroadcastReceiver.
 - When this Intent is received, a new Activity that will look like a pop up dialog box, will be lauched.
Let's see how it's done.
2. Create a new Android Widget
For this tutorial, we will use the following tools in a Windows 64-bit platform:
 1. JDK 1.7
 2. Eclipse 4.3 Kepler
 3. Android SKD 4.3
2.1 Create a new Android Project
Open Eclipse IDE and go to File -> New -> Project -> Android -> Android Application Project.
new-android-project
You have to specify the Application Name, the Project Name and the Package name in the appropriate text fields and then click Next.
new-android-appl
In the next window un check "Create activity" option as we will create the PopUpActivity later.
configure-project-no-activity
Click "Finish".
2.2 Define a custom background shape for the widget
Go to the package explorer and open a /res/drawable-* folders.
drawable-folders
Right Click on one of the folders (I've picked /res/drawble-hdpi) -> New -> Other -> Android -> Android XML File
new-xml-file
From the "Root Element" list select shape and the give the file the name custom_shape.xml:
custom-xml-shape
Now, open that file and paste the following code , describing the layout of a simple shape.
custom_shape.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="_URL_
 android:shape="rectangle" >
 <gradient
 android:angle="90"
 android:endColor="#333"
 android:startColor="#333" />
 <corners
 android:bottomLeftRadius="2dp"
 android:bottomRightRadius="2dp"
 android:topLeftRadius="2dp"
 android:topRightRadius="2dp" />
 <stroke
 android:width="2dp"
 android:color="#333" />
</shape>
2.3 Define a simple layout for the widget
Navigate to res/layout folder on the Package Explorer. Right Click on the folder -> New -> Other -> Android -> Android XML Layout File. Create the file with name widget_layout.
widget-layout
And paste the following code:
widget_layout.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="_URL_
 android:id="@+id/linearLayout"
 android:layout_width="match_parent"
 android:layout_height="match_parent"
 android:layout_margin="8dip"
 android:background="@drawable/custom_shape" >
 <TextView
 android:id="@+id/myText"
 style="@android:style/TextAppearance.Medium"
 android:layout_width="match_parent"
 android:layout_height="match_parent"
 android:layout_gravity="center"
 android:layout_margin="4dip"
 android:gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical"
 android:text="Press Me"
 android:textColor="#FFF" >
 </TextView>
</LinearLayout>
2.4 Create the AppWidgetProvider XML description file.
Go to File -> New -> Other -> Android -> Android XML File. From the "Resource Type" list select "AppWidget Provider" and name the file widget_provider.xml.
new-widget-provider
You will find the file under the newly created /res/xml folder:
new-folder
Open the file and paste the following code, which is basically meta data for the AppWidgetProvider.
widget_provider.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<appwidget-provider xmlns:android="_URL_
 android:initialLayout="@layout/widget_layout"
 android:minHeight="50dp"
 android:minWidth="120dp" >
</appwidget-provider>
2.5 Create the AppWidgetProvider class
Now create a new class that extends AppWidgetProvider, under com.javacodegeeks.android.androidwidgetdialog package. This will be the BroadcastReceiver of the widget.
AndroidWidget.java:
package com.javacodegeeks.android.androidwidgetdialog;
import android.app.PendingIntent;
import android.appwidget.AppWidgetManager;
import android.appwidget.AppWidgetProvider;
import android.content.ComponentName;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.widget.RemoteViews;
public class AndroidWidget extends AppWidgetProvider {
 private static final String SHOW_POPUP_DIALOG_ACTION = "com.javacodegeeks.android.showpopupdialog";
 @Override
 public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager,
 int[] appWidgetIds) {
 ComponentName thisWidget = new ComponentName(context,
 AndroidWidget.class);
 // Obtain all instances of our widget
 // Remember that you can have as many instances of the same widget as you want on the home screen
 int[] allWidgetInstancesIds = appWidgetManager.getAppWidgetIds(thisWidget);
 for (int widgetId : allWidgetInstancesIds) {
 RemoteViews remoteViews = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(),
 R.layout.widget_layout);
 // Create an intent that when received will launch the PopUpActivity
 Intent intent = new Intent(context, AndroidWidget.class);
 intent.setAction(SHOW_POPUP_DIALOG_ACTION);
 PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context,
 0, intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
 // Set up the onClickListener of the widget
 // Now, when the widget is pressed the pendingIntent will be sent
 remoteViews.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.myText, pendingIntent);
 appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(widgetId, remoteViews);
 }
 super.onUpdate(context, appWidgetManager, appWidgetIds);
 }
 @Override
 public void onReceive(final Context context, Intent intent) {
 // If the intent is the one that we've defined to launch the pop up dialog
 // then create and launch the PopUpActivity
 if (intent.getAction().equals(SHOW_POP


text: This paper documents the tendency of mutual fund managers to follow analyst recommendation revisions when they trade stocks, and the impact of analyst revisioninduced mutual fund herds on stock prices. We find that mutual fund herds follow consensus revisions in analyst recommendations, controlling for common investment signals that affect both analyst revisions and mutual fund trading. Consensus upgrades result in herds of funds buying a stock, while consensus downgrades result in even bigger herds of funds selling. Our most important finding is that mutual fund herding impacts stock prices to a much larger degree during our sample period (1994 to 2003) than during prior-studied periods. Further, we find the first evidence that mutual funds appear to overreact when they herd in their trades - stocks heavily bought by herds tend to underperform their size, book-tomarket, and momentum cohorts during the following year, while stocks heavily sold outperform. These reversal patterns are even stronger when herds of mutual funds (especially funds with poor performance records) follow analyst recommendation revisions. An investment strategy that accounts for the direction of both analyst revisions and mutual fund herding generates a return (adjusted for size, book-to-market, and momentum) exceeding six percent during the following year. Our results remain robust when we condition fund herding on analyst earnings forecast revisions instead of recommendation revisions. Overall, our study finds that the interaction between sell-side analysts and mutual fund managers plays an important role in setting prices in equity markets.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Jean Paget and Joe Harman
'A Town Like Alice'
She travels to Australia to make a life with her beloved Aussie bloke.
This is one of our favorite love stories! A Town Like Alice tells the story of a woman who falls in love with an Australian man, and of their overcoming great odds to be together, and make a life for themselves in Australia.
A Town Like Alice is a novel by the English author Nevil Shute. It was first published in 1950. The "Alice" in the title refers to the town Alice Springs, Australia.
It was made into a motion picture in 1956 starring Virginia McKenna and Peter Finch. In 1981, A Town Like Alice was adapted into a popular television mini-series, starring Helen Morse and Bryan Brown.
Elements of this fictional story involving a group of English women are based on the true events which happened to a group of Dutch women in the Second World War, although the actual events transpired in Sumatra rather than in Malaya. Shute met one of these women, Mrs Geysel, after the war and wrote A Town Like Alice as a tribute to her courage and fortitude.
Plot summary: A few years after World War Two, a young woman, Jean Paget, who was working in Malaya when the Japanese invaded, recounts to her London lawyer the story of her time in Malaya during the war: She is one of a party of European women who were marched around Malaya by the Japanese, since no camp would take them in and the Japanese army would not take responsibility for them. Many of them die on the march, and the rest survive only by the charity of the local villagers.
On their march from one village to another, she meets a young Australian soldier, Joe Harman, also a prisoner. He steals food and medicines to help the women, and is brutally punished by the Japanese authorities. The women are marched away believing that Joe has died.
Jean survives the war and returns to London. A few years later, she unexpectedly inherits a substantial amount of money from a distant relative. She discusses the matter with her lawyer, Noel Strachan, and decides to return to Malaya to attempt to help the people in a village who sheltered them.
When she arrives, she learns that Joe Harman survived his punishment and returned to Australia. She travels on to Australia and visits the town of Alice Springs, where Joe lived before the war. She then travels to the Outback Queensland town of Willstown, where Joe has become manager of a cattle station. - But in the meantime, Joe has learned that Jean survived the war and is unmarried, and so he has drawn down money he won in the state lottery in order to travel to England in search of her, but in vain. On her lawyer's advice, he returns to Queensland and they are finally reunited.
Joe and Jean eventually decide to marry. Using her inheritance, Jean helps to build the small outback town of Willstown into a place where people would like to live - a town like Alice Springs.
__________________________________________ Presents
Stories Of Famous Lovers - Presented By Bonza Sheila
Famous Lovers Index | Bonza Sheila Table Of Contents | Sitemap
Thank You for visiting Bonza Sheila!
Bonza Sheila: It's all about Love!
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text:
An artists's conception shows SpaceX's Starship craft on Mars. (SpaceX Illustration)
NASA is helping SpaceX get a fix on potential landing sites on Mars for its Starship super-spaceship, with an emphasis on Arcadia Planitia and Amazonia Planitia, regions where deposits of water ice may be found.
Images of candidate landing sites were captured from orbit by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in June and included in last month's roundup of MRO imagery. Science writer Robert Zimmerman brought them to light last week on his Behind the Black blog, and dubbed them Site 1, Site 2, Site 3, Site 4 and Site 5. Sites 2 and 3 are a stereo pair of images. The other three sites have stereo pairs as well.
Zimmerman said that his contact at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory declined to discuss the images due to a non-disclosure agreement, and that SpaceX hasn't responded to his request for comment. (Comment is scarce this weekend due to Labor Day, but we'll add anything we hear from JPL or SpaceX to this report.)
Arcadia Planitia has been on SpaceX's list of potential Mars landing areas for at least two years. SpaceX's principal Mars development engineer, Paul Wooster, told NASA's Mars Exploration ...

source: m-a-p/FineFineWeb


text:
Cuisines of JagdalpurJagdalpur is mostly inhabited by the tribal people. In this lush region of Chhattisgarh one can relish the taste of variety of traditional and tribal cuisnes. Most of the dishes are made using rice. The food here can be divided in two variants one tribal food and the other non tribal. The tribal people food is derived from the surrounding forests, also these people include a number of non vegetarian food items in their daily diet like fish, flying ants and meat. The vegetarian food items include rice, which is the staple food of these people and a number of vegetables, fruits, lentils derived from the forests and fields. The non tribal people of Jagdalpur are mostly vegetarian. Green leafy vegetables and fruits are also liked by the people. The food preparation in Jagdalpur is very traditional and influenced by tribal culture.
Ingredients Used in Jagdalpur CuisineJagdalpur is mostly inhabited by the tribal people, and hence the food habits of the people in Jagdalpur are much effected by the food likings of the tribal people. The main ingredients of the food these people eat are derived from the natural forest produce. The staple food of these people is rice. Other cereals consumed by them are Kodon, Kutki and Mandia. Non-tribal people of Jagdalpur widely uses maize and jowar .The main source where these cereals are derived are fields on hillslopes and valleys. These people eat a lot of healthy food constituting pulses, vegetables and fruits. The common pulses used by these people include urid, kulthi and moong.
They grow these pulses in their fields or kitchen gardens. Grains of bamboo and other grasses are used as their supplements. A lot of vegetables are also eaten by these people, which they get from the forest. The vegetables they eat are in the form of leafy vegetables, non – leafy or tuberous vegetables. There are many other edibles which are directly eaten in the form as they are collected from the forests. These mainly include the fruits and a number of palatable seeds which are eaten raw or are roasted. Mostly all non-tribal people are vegetarian and tribal people prefer a lot of non-veg in their daily food.
Local Dishes of JagdalpurJagdalpur cusine is very delicious. Some of the famous dishes made of rice or using rice flour are Pakhal Bhat, Kosra, Angakar Roti and Rice Flour Chapati. Pakhal Bhat is cooked by soaking rice in water for an overnight. Later some water, yogurt, salt and green chilies are added to it. This dish is very good to prevent heat strokes. Angakar Roti is the common breakfast of Jagdalpur people. It is a hand flatten roti made of rice flour, salt , water ,boiled rice (not necessarily),oil. Some of the other important dishes include rakhia badi , bafauri, chila, rice varieties, khadhi, khurmi, jalebis ,khichdi and petha. Sweet delicacies include moong dal ka halwa, cashew burfi, and bafauri, made during festivals and celebrations.
The bafauri which is a traditional sweet is prepared using the channa dal. Rakhia badi is a curry made of rakhia phal or fruit, ginger, coriander, seeds of slitted black gram and green chillies. Petha is a common sweet dish made by people of tribes of Jagdalpur. Bafauri is the main diet of the people of Jagdalpur, and is prepared using lentil such as chana dal. Jalebis are the most liked sweet dish of the people of Jagdalpur. Mahuwa is a local drink used by the people of jagdalpur made from local tree called Mahuwa.


text:
Definition of ubiquitous
a. - Existing or being everywhere, or in all places, at the same time; omnipresent. 2
The word "ubiquitous" uses 10 letters: B I I O Q S T U U U.
No direct anagrams for ubiquitous found in this word list.
Adding one letter to ubiquitous does not form any other word in this word list.Words within ubiquitous not shown as it has more than seven letters.
All words formed from ubiquitous by changing one letter
Browse words starting with ubiquitous by next letter


Navigating the New Threatscape: Understanding MavenGate's Impact on Java and Android Security
Ensar Seker
5 min readJan 24, 2024
In the complex landscape of mobile application security, the threat of supply chain attacks looms large, posing significant risks to both Java and Android applications. This vulnerability represents a sophisticated method of exploiting the supply chain, mainly targeting Maven-based technologies, including Gradle, widely used in mobile app development.
_URL_
MavenGate exposes the potential for attackers to inject malicious code into applications by hijacking dependencies, a threat that extends far beyond the Android ecosystem. With the increasing reliance on these technologies in major projects, understanding MavenGate's mechanics, impact, and defense strategies becomes crucial for developers, security professionals, and stakeholders in the mobile application industry. This article delves into the intricacies of MavenGate, offering insights into how it operates, its widespread implications, and effective measures to safeguard against such vulnerabilities.
Understanding MavenGate
MavenGate represents a significant vulnerability in the supply chain of Java and Android applications. It specifically targets Maven-based technologies, such as Gradle, a popular build automation tool. This attack method exploits how these technologies handle dependencies, turning a standard development practice into a potential security nightmare.
At the heart of MavenGate lies a vulnerability that allows attackers to intercept and manipulate dependencies. When attackers gain control over these dependencies, they can inject code into applications, resulting in security breaches. The consequences of such an attack are extensive, as it can jeopardize the application and its entire development process. This could potentially expose data. Compromise the broader infrastructure of the company involved.
MavenGate's impact is alarming, especially considering the widespread use of Maven and Gradle in developing mobile applications. The vulnerability exposes a critical gap in the security of the application development process, calling for immediate attention and action from the developer community.
Methodology of MavenGate Attacks
MavenGate attacks follow a calculated methodology, capitalizing on the vulnerabilities within the dependency management system. The attack begins with the identification of abandoned dependencies within known repositories. These dependencies are no longer maintained, making them prime targets for exploitation.
Exploiting Abandoned Dependencies: Attackers search for these abandoned dependencies and purchase the corresponding domain names. Once in control of these domains, they can assert rights over the groupId associated dependency by creating a DNS TXT record. This process essentially hijacks the dependency, placing it under the attacker's control.
Repository Priority Exploitation: In many development environments, dependencies are searched and downloaded based on the order of repository declarations. Attackers take advantage of this by ensuring that their malicious repository is prioritized. This could lead to downloading compromised dependencies even when legitimate versions exist in other repositories.
Through these methods, attackers can infiltrate the build process of applications, introducing malicious code without the knowledge of developers. This highlights the vulnerability of relying on external dependencies, especially those that are not actively maintained.
_URL_
The Scale of Vulnerability and Affected Projects
The MavenGate vulnerability presents a significant threat, not just in theory but in its practical implications across numerous projects. Oversecured's research revealed startling statistics that underline the severity of this issue:
 - Statistics on vulnerabilities revealed that attackers could intercept and manipulate a sizable portion of dependencies. This statistic is particularly concerning for projects with numerous direct and transitive dependencies, as it drastically increases the likelihood of a vulnerability.
 - Impact on Major Projects: MavenGate's reach extends to many high-profile companies and projects. Reports were sent to over 200 companies, including tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon, indicating the widespread nature of this vulnerability. These companies' reliance on Maven-based technologies means that the potential for exploitation is not just a hypothetical risk but a pressing concern.
The vulnerability's scope demonstrates the critical need for awareness and action in the face of such supply chain attacks. It emphasizes the importance of vigilant dependency management and the need for robust security practices in developing Java and Android applications.
The top 20 statistics on abandoned and vulnerable dependencies. Source: _URL_
Defense Strategies Against MavenGate
Given the significant risks MavenGate poses, it's crucial to implement robust defense strategies. While there are existing mechanisms to protect against such vulnerabilities, they come with their own set of challenges.
Existing Defense Mechanisms
 1. File Hash Checking: This involves verifying the hash sums of files injected into the project. While effective for static dependencies, it falls short when updating library versions, leaving room for artifact spoofing.
 2. Digital Signature Verification: Using .asc files to check the digital signatures of dependencies is another method. However, it requires dependencies to publish their public key in advance, and developers must specify this key in their project's gradle/verification-metadata.xml file.
Challenges in Implementation
 - Complexity and Lack of Standardization: The process of verifying digital signatures is complex and lacks a standardized approach across different repositories.
 - Incomplete Adoption: Many dependencies do not publish digital signatures, and even fewer developers implement this verification level in their projects.
Developers, library maintainers, and repository administrators must understand these defense mechanisms' nuances and limitations. By adopting and advocating for more rigorous security practices, including regular audits of dependencies and proactive vulnerability assessments, the community can enhance its defenses against MavenGate and similar supply chain attacks.
Future Implications and Recommendations
The MavenGate vulnerability highlights the need for a more robust and updated system for signing and verifying dependencies in Java and Android applications. Moving forward, several key recommendations and considerations emerge for different stakeholders in the software development and security ecosystem:
For Developers
 - Vigilance is crucial. Regularly review and update dependencies, ensuring they are from trusted and actively maintained sources.
 - Despite their complexity, implement rigorous verification processes, including file hash checking and digital signature verification.
For Library Developers
 - Maintain control over project domains to prevent hijacking.
 - Ensure all versions of libraries are properly signed and that keys are accessible on public servers.
For Repositories
 - Consider mandatory configurations for deployments and reject improperly configured releases.
 - Implement more stringent controls for dependency updates and changes.
For the Broader Community
 - There's a need to rethink the current PGP signing system. A more streamlined and less centralized approach could enhance security.
 - Developers should declare the dependencies and the public key hashes, enhancing accountability and traceability.
As the software development landscape continues to evolve, so too must the approaches to security. The lessons from MavenGate should catalyze industry-wide changes, promoting more secure and resilient practices in managing dependencies.
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Ensar Seker
Cybersecurity | Artificial Intelligence | Blockchain


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Crusher Ponsel Elang
D1 and d2 are parameters that are characteristic of the crusher They are determined primarily by the setting of the crusher Data from operating crusher machines indicate that both d1 and d2 are proportional to the closed side setting d1 is the smallest sie particle that can be retained in the crushing one during the opening phase of the cycle.
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Can J Appl Physiol. 1994 Dec;19(4):363-78.
Ballistic movement: muscle activation and neuromuscular adaptation.
Author information
1
Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Abstract
Movements that are performed with maximal velocity and acceleration can be considered ballistic actions. Ballistic actions are characterized by high firing rates, brief contraction times, and high rates of force development. A characteristic triphasic agonist/antagonist/agonist electromyographic (EMG) burst pattern occurs during ballistic movement, wherein the amount and intensity of antagonist coactivation is variable. In conditions of low-grade tonic muscular activity, a premovement EMG depression (PMD; or silent period, PMS) can occur in agonist muscles prior to ballistic contraction. The agonist PMD period may serve to potentiate the force and velocity of the following contraction. A selective activation of fast twitch motor units may occur in ballistic contractions under certain movement conditions. Finally, high-velocity ballistic training induces specific neuromuscular adaptations that occur as a function of the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms that subserve ballistic movement.
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text:
Increased abundance and distribution of eastern redcedar (Juniperns virginiannus), a native species in the Great Plains, has been associated with changes in ecosystem functioning and landscape cover. Knowledge of the main consumers and dispersal agents of eastern red cedar cones is essential to understanding the invasive spread of the species. We examined animal removal of cedar cones in three habitats (tallgrass prairie, eastern red cedar and woodland-prairie margins) in the Cross Timbers ecoregion using three exclosure treatments during autumn and winter. Exclosure treatments excluded study trees from ungulates, from terrestrial rodents and ungulates or from neither (control). Loss of cones from branches varied by a habitat-time interaction, but was not affected by exclosure type. Loss of cones from containers located under experimental trees varied by a habitat-treatment-time interaction. In December and January, cone consumption from containers in no-exclosure treatments was highest in margins, followed by tallgrass prairie and eastern red cedar habitats. We conclude birds consumed the majority of cones from branches and small-and medium-sized mammals consumed cones on the ground. Both birds and mammals likely contribute to the spread of eastern red cedar but at different scales. Limiting invasion of eastern red cedar in forests may require early detection and selective removal of pioneer seedlings in cross timbers and other habitats that attract a high diversity or density of frugivores.
Additional publication details
Differential consumption of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) by avian and mammalian guilds: Implications for tree invasion


text:
SAN FRANCISCO—A lesson plan for the San Francisco Unified School District has been proposed to teachers to help navigate classroom discussions about president-elect Donald Trump. The opening letter to teachers describes Trump as a racist, sexist man that won the election by "pandering to a huge racist and sexist base." The plan was initially written by a SF teacher after the election to help teachers to answer questions of their students following the election results. It has since been sent via email to more than 6,000 school district members by the United Educators of San Francisco (UESF).
Fakhra Shah, a social studies teacher at Mission High School wrote the lesson plan at 2:00 a.m. following the election. She indicated that she had no intentions of the lesson plan spreading throughout the city and that it was the teacher's union that was responsible for the distribution.
"We're calling him out," states Shah, "if he's our president, I have the right to hold him accountable and ask him to take a stance that is anti-hate and anti-racist." In the lesson plan, she states that teacher's have the jurisdictions to set their own "norms" and to prohibit their students from "swearing."
Some of the objectives in the lesson plan include:
- Students expressing their personal experiences with discrimination
- A deeper understanding behind the motivation of Trump supporters
- An American context of racial violence, sexism, etc.
Shah includes resources, lesson plans with sources such as a documentary by Michael Moore, and the focus of creating a learning environment where the youth are not penalized for the way they express themselves in terms of discrimination.
Since the release of this lesson plan, other union members have come forward to express their viewpoints on the matter. Vice President of the Board of Education Shamann Walton is concerned with history repeating itself stating: "In order for us to avoid all of that darkness in all of our too recent history, we cannot sit idly by and pretend that this is not hurtful."
Republicans have revealed antipodal opinions on the matter. Republican National Committee Harmeet Dhillon defined the lesson plan as, "inappropriate propaganda that unfairly demonizes not only the campaign that Donald Trump, the winner, ran, but also all of the people who voted for him."
The UESF posted an explanation of the lesson plan on their website on Friday, November 18 stating: "Following a bitter and divisive presidential campaign, during which our President-elect made a series of racist, sexist, and xenophobic remarks, many of our students have expressed feelings of fear, intimidation, and uncertainty."
In addition to that statement, the UESF also provided support for those who were in favor of Trump writing that students "should be protected from intimidation and fear and their voice should be included in all discussions about the presidential race and the future."
The UESF plans on creating a committee of "rank-and-file educators" to ensure age-appropriate lesson plans synchronously with current events.


text:
Are you a true outdoor enthusiast who enjoys wine tasting, hiking, biking, water sports, zipline-ing, and much more?! The Shawnee National Forest encompasses more than 270,000 acres in Southern Illinois and is home to outstanding natural areas which offer numerous outdoor activities. Bordered to the east and west by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, the Shawnee National Forest flourishes with vegetation, wildlife, and recreational opportunities. On your visit to the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail enjoy the abundant recreational amenities within your reach!
Shawnee Bluffs Canopy Tour: Illinois' first entirely tree-based, eco-friendly zip line canopy tour, located on 83 wooded acres surrounded by the Shawnee National Forest. Shawnee Bluffs Canopy Tour consists of eight zip lines, the longest stretching more than 1,100 feet, which will zig-zag across the property's bluffs and through the valley. The tour also includes 11 platforms high in the trees, three aerial suspension bridges, the longest stretching 180 feet, and two short ground hikes.A canopy tour is an exciting way to experience the flora, fauna, geology and history of the outdoors by safely traversing an established route of ziplines and aerial bridges between platforms built in the trees, and they are just plain Fun!
Bald Knob Cross of Peace: Officially known as the Bald Knob Cross of Peace, is a large white cross located in Alto Pass, Illinois, United States. The structure is 111 feet (34 m) tall and is visible, when lit at night, over an area of 7,500 square miles (19,000 km2). The base of the cross is 1,034 feet above sea level and overlooks the Shawnee National Forest. Originally completed in 1963, the cross itself stands 111 feet tall, is 22 feet square at the base, 16 feet square at the top and its arms extend 63 feet horizontally. The exterior white panels covering the cross are 4-inch architectural flat insulated metal panels while the base portion is covered in granite approximately 4-inches thick. The structure sits on a foundation of 730 tons of reinforced concrete that goes down 20 feet to bedrock. The steel framework weighs approximately 170 tons. Each of the four sides of the cross have a word inscribed into the granite: Peace, Hope, Faith, Charity.
Pomona Natural Bridge: The Pomona Natural Bridge located in Pomona Illinois is a great quick hike for all ages. This hidden hiking treasure is a 15-30 minute drive from several Southern Illinois towns such as Carbondale, Cobden, Alto Pass, Murphysboro and Anna.
Little Grand Canyon: Forget what you've heard about Illinois being nothing but flat prairie land. Tucked away along southern Illinois' scenic Wine Trail, the Little Grand Canyon offers a 365 foot climb from the canyon floor and a panoramic view of the Big Muddy River and the Mississippi floodplain.The 3.6 mile Little Grand Canyon Trail, which can take 3-4 hours to complete, starts off as an easy-going asphalt/gravel path along Hickory Ridge, the southern lip of the canyon. The ground drops off sharply on either side of the trail, allowing visitors to peer down on the oak and hickory forest from above. Several benches along the path give park-goers the opportunity to relax and enjoy the scenery at leisure.
Giant City Stables: The Stable maintains about 30 horses of different types and breeds and in 2007 we opened our new covered arena. Come enjoy the beauty of Giant City State Park on horseback. All rides are guided by our experienced wranglers. Our most popular ride last about one hour and is 3.2 miles long. You will be rididng through wooded trails in the park. Come experience the beauty of nature by a relaxing ride on our horses. The half hour ride is a short version of the hour ride and gives you a glimpse of the wooded terrain in the park. Reservations are recommended.
Tunnel Hill Bike Trail: Have a love for biking? Visit Tunnel Hill Bike Trail home of 9 - scenic trail options in length 16 - 95 miles.
Jackson Falls: Offers many opportunities for technical climbing and is a beautiful scenic area on the Shawnee National forest.
LaRue Pine Hills: LaRue Pine Hills is one of the most unique areas in the world. LaRue-Pine Hills is a protected area within the Shawnee National Forest. As the Big Muddy River flowed out from the uplands it was channelized between levees on it route to the Mississippi River. The channel that the river abandoned evolved into a swamp at the base of the Pine Hills Bluff, part of the Ozark Hills of Southern Illinois. Enough water made its way into the swamp to allow ash, red swamp maple, and cypress trees to take root. As with many places in the Shawnee National Forest,the beauty we see today is rooted in its geologic history. At LaRue-Pine Hills it took millions of years to form its bedrock before nature's erosive forces took over and created the 150-foot limestone bluffs that now rise out of the Mississippi floodplain. The rocks that make up the bluffs at LaRue-Pine Hills are Devonian age Bailey Limestone (over years these layers of shell deposits were pressed into rock. Once the sea receded, this bedrock was exposed to nature's erosive forces. Wind and water began to wear away the rock creating ridges and gullies, carving out the beautiful limestone rock formations of LaRue-Pine Hills and the 350-foot limestone bluffs that now rise out of the Mississippi floodplain. These massive bluffs extend roughly 5 miles along Highway 3 are as impressive today as they were to explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in 1803.
Garden of the Gods: More than 320 million years ago, the wind and rain patiently started to chisel away at large deposits of sedimentary rock located in what is now, Shawnee National Forest . Over the years, the elements have sculpted some of the most stunning and extraordinary rock formations known to man. This garden of sandstone sculptures and vast untouched wilderness was fittingly named Garden of the Gods.
Little Grassy Lake Campground: Little Grassy Lake Campground & Marina sits on Little Grassy Lake, located inside Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. It offers boating and fishing opportunities where the fisherman is king and the Bass and Crappie are his chief antagonist. Where 1,000 acres of crystal clear water , 4 miles long, 1 mile wide, up to 80 feet deep and 31 miles of wooded rocky shoreline create the most scenic lake in southern Illinois.
Cache River Wetlands: Making up only 1.5% of the land area in Illinois, the Cache basin harbors 11.5% of the State's high quality floodplain forests, 23% of its remaining high quality barrens habitat, and 91% of the State's high quality swamp/wetland communities. The area shelters 100 state threatened or endangered species and seven federally threatened or endangered species. The Cache River Wetlands are home to some of the oldest living trees east of the Mississippi River, includes three National Natural Landmarks, and has been designated a "Wetlands of International Importance", putting it in the same ecological league as Okefenokee Swamp and the Everglades.
Giant City State Park: With its breathtaking natural beauty and unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation, a trip to Giant City State Park near Carbondale is sure to delight visitors of all ages. From camping and horseback riding to fishing and rappelling, it's an outdoor lover's paradise. Visitors will marvel at the many wilderness trails. Especially popular is a hike on Giant City Nature Trail, home of the Giant City Streets; huge bluffs of sandstone formed 12,000 years ago.
White Crain Canoe Rentals: White Crane Canoe Rentals: Explore Illinois' hidden bayou, the Lower Cache River Wetlands, from a canoe with an experienced guide or on your own.


Abiu
Pouteria caimito
Herbs gallery - Abiu
Common names
 - Abiu
 - Caimitt
 - Camio
 - Temare
 - Yellow Star Apple
Abiu trees (botanical name Pouteria caimito) are native to the tropical regions and have their origin in South America's Amazon region. On average, an abiu tree grows up to a height of about 33 feet (10 meters). However, in favourable conditions, it has been found that some trees even attain the height of 116 feet (35 meters).
The shape of abiu fruits vary, ranging from spherical to oval having a point. When completely ripe, the color of the fruit changes to vivid yellow and it contains anything between one and four ovate seeds.
Inside, the flesh of the fruit is white and translucent. The texture of the flesh is creamy and jelly-like, while its flavour is comparable to sweet caramel custard called the sapodilla. The abiu tree belongs to the Sapotaceae family and its appearance is similar to the canistel. This species is widely cultivated in several regions across the globe, including the United States, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.
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The shape of the leaves of the abiu trees varies, they may range from elliptic to oblong. Even the size of the leaves varies - while some leaves can be as small as four inches (10 cm) in length, there may be others that are about eight inches (20 cm) in length. The leaves also vary in width, measuring anything between 1.5 inches and 2.5 inches (3.5 cm and 6.5 cm).
Pouteria caimito flowers may emerge single or in clusters comprising anything between two and five blooms. The flowers have cylindrical petals whose color may vary from white to greenish. The abiu tree flowers have both sexes and, hence, are called hermaphroditic. The flowers of this tree emerge on the leaf axils and are borne by slender, elongated shoots. Usually, the flowers blossom in the morning and remain on the tree for roughly two days.
Established Pouteria caimito trees usually produce anything between 100 and 1,000 fruits annually. The pulp of these fruits is pale and translucent having the texture of custard. As a result, the flesh can be scooped out easily using a spoon. Some people also eat the fruit out of the hand.
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The seeds, which are covered by a slender layer of sticky or gum-like pulp, too can be removed without difficulty. The flavour of the fruit is mildly sweet, with a hint of pineapple. However, this is best explained as suggestive of a caramel flan. Aside from eating the fruit out of hand, it is also used in ice creams.
The unripe abiu fruits have gummy latex, which is inedible as well as unpleasant. The latex solidifies when it comes in contact with air. When ripened, the skin of abiu fruits turns bright yellow and has a leather-like texture. In addition, there is lingering latex on the skin.
Since the mature fruits ripen even after they are harvested, it is advised that the fruits are picked at a time keeping in mind the time they will take to reach the markets. In many instances, the period between harvesting the fruits and the time when they are on sale in markets is very brief, just about five days.
Maturing fruits can be identified by their changing colors, which changes from light green to pale yellow. Apart from the color change, when ripe, abiu fruits become relatively soft.
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Parts used
Fruit.
Uses
When fully ripened, the abiu fruits (Pouteria caimito) have a dark golden-yellowish hue and they become mucilaginous. People in Brazil, utilize this attribute of the fruit for treating coughs, colds, bronchitis as well as various other pulmonary disorders. In addition to this, abiu fruits have other uses in folk medicine. It is used in the form of an astringent, anti-inflammatory, and anti-anemic. These fruits are also used to provide relief from diarrhea and fever.
As in the case of tomatoes, strawberries and also carrots, the abiu fruit is said to be beneficial for the health as well as the beauty of our eyes. This effect of the fruit is attributed to its high vitamin A content. At the same time, the abiu fruit also possesses the aptitude to prevent developing eye related problems. Hence, people who desire to ensure the health and beauty of their eyes should just eat a lot of abiu fruits.
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Abiu fruits are also an excellent source of the essential mineral calcium. Each standard serving of this fruit provides us with roughly 10 percent of the recommended daily intake of this vital mineral. Calcium is necessary to make the teeth and bones stronger. In addition, it helps to reduce the symptoms related to premenstrual syndrome (PMS), for instance abdominal bloating and cramping.
Aside from calcium, every serving of abiu fruits also supplies the body with about 5 percent of vitamins A and C that are necessary for us daily. Moreover, each serving of this fruit provides about 2 percent of the daily recommended intake of iron, which is essential for oxygenating the body.
The fruits of abiu tree also enclose copious amounts of vitamin C, which is effective for boosting the immune system. A strong immune system is essential to protect our body from various diseases and health conditions. When the body's defence system is working at its optimal level, it helps to keel off harmful bacteria and viruses.
Abiu contains an elevated level of dietary fiber, which is necessary for our digestive system. The gummy latex of this fruit is effective for healing abscesses, while it is also employed in the form of a purge or vermifuge.
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Culinary uses
As the abiu fruit (Pouteria caimito) has a sweet and caramel-like flavour similar to that of sapodilla having a much smoother texture, it is not only edible, but also regarded as among the best sapotes available. Generally, this fruit is consumed out of the hand.
However, people in Colombia who consume abiu fruits in this manner are suggested that they should lubricate their lips with a view to avoid contact with the gum-like latex. Alternatively, one can also avoid this problem by only eating completely ripened fruits and scooping their flesh out with the help of a utensil.
The tartness of the fruit can be reduced by adding some lime juice, which will help to augment the flavour of the fruit from the abiu tree, particularly when eaten after chilled. The pulp of abiu fruit is sweet and melting. Often it is used to add essence to ice creams. You can also cut the fruit and add the slices to yogurt to enjoy a light and delightful breakfast.
Habitat and cultivation
The abiu tree (Pouteria caimito) is native to the Amazon region and, hence, its growth is best in the tropical regions as well as places having a warm and humid climatic condition throughout the year. Compared to sapotes like sapodilla and canistel, which are closely related to the abiu trees, the latter are somewhat less enduring.
In the United States, trees of this species grow best in the region extending from South Florida northwards to Palm Beach County. Abiu trees growing in this region have endured many freezes, albeit for brief periods each time. This tree has a preference for damp, somewhat acidic soil containing elevated levels of organic substances.
When grown in alkaline soils, abiu trees may suffer from deficiency of iron, a condition called chlorosis. When an abiu tree is newly planted, it will usually be delicate and will require being protected from wind as well as cold weather. The young plants need to be pruned just lightly and they should be fed often, but the feeding needs to be light.
Almost all abiu plants are propagated from their seeds. However, the fruit of plants grown from seedlings usually differs. It is necessary to sow fresh seeds of ripened fruits with a few days of their maturity with a view to ensure that are still viable. Such seeds usually germinated within two to three weeks from the date of sowing.
You may prune the lower branches of the young tree when they are about a year old. Usually the abiu trees produce their first fruits after three years and the trees bear considerable fruits by the time they are five years old. Abiu trees (Pouteria caimito) can also be propagated via budding, grafting and air layering using mature strains.
Constituents
Chemical analysis of the abiu fruit has revealed that it contains considerable amounts of vitamins A and C, in addition to essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus.
Collection and harvesting
The abiu fruit (Pouteria caimito) is harvested when the color of the entire fruit changes to vivid yellow. These fruits usually become completely ripe when kept at


text:
pipes, waterspouts (which projected out from an upper part of a building or a roof gutter) preserved stonework by diverting the flow of rainwater away from buildings. They prevented rainwater from running down the walls and affecting the foundations. Gargoyles are decorative waterspouts, being carved stone figures with water spouts through their mouths. The figure was often an elongated animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall. They were usually carved in the form of a grotesque face, figure or frightening creature with wide-opened mouths to enable the water flow.
By the way, the word "gargoyle" shares a common root with the word "gargle"; which comes from "gargouille", a French word for "throat".
History of gargoyles
Gargoyles can be traced back thousands of years in Egypt, Italy and Greece. Lion-shaped gargoyles were used by the ancient Egyptians and on Greek temples. During the Roman Empire, lead pipes were added to gargoyles to channel water without eroding the stone. And gargoyle water spouts were found at the ruins of Pompeii.
There are gargoyles on medieval (Middle aged) church buildings in Western Europe like the Gothic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Most were carved out of limestone or marble between the 10th and 15th centuries during the Romanesque and Gothic styles of architecture and decorative arts. Although once lead drainpipes were introduced in the 16th century there was no longer any practical need for gargoyles, they continued to be used for decorative purposes.
A dragon legend
There is a French legend about St. Romanus delivering the village of Rouen from a monster called Gargouille in about 600 AD. The fierce dragon which had a long, reptilian neck, a slender snout, batlike wings and the ability to breathe fire from its mouth, lived in a cave near the river Seine. The dragon caused much fear and destruction with its fiery breath, spouting water and the devouring of ships and men.
There are multiple versions of the story, but when la Gargouille was burned, its head and neck were so well tempered by the heat of its fiery breath that they would not burn. These were then mounted on the walls of the church (or city wall) to scare off evil spirits and used for protection.
Although this legend may be embellished and have changed over time, it's interesting that dragon stories occur in many cultures, particularly the Chinese and Japanese.
Is there a link between dragon gargoyles and dinosaurs?
Dragons and dinosaurs
The word "dragon" was used 23 times in the King James Bible (KJB), which was published in 1611, about 400 years ago. It seems as though the original translators of the KJB understood that a "dragon" was a real creature, not one that was legendary or mythical. It appears the "dragons" that were understood to be real animals were probably types of dinosaur which are now extinct. The translators of the KJB didn't know about dinosaurs as this word was coined 230 years later in 1841. So the word "dragon" is probably an old word for a type of dinosaur.
Could some of the gargoyle dragons have been carved from the dragons that were known in the 1600s?
Ancient images and dinosaurs
There is also a theory that gargoyles were inspired by early findings of dinosaur fossils such as proceratops. Adrienne Mayor ("The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times") saw a similarity between some Greek and Roman images and dinosaurs. To explain this she hypothesised that these were based on fossil bones discovered in these times.
She said that, "The earliest depictions of griffins looked really gnarly and brutish. It looked as if the artist were trying to portray something real rather than mythological. And then … I realized that they looked like modern reconstructions of dinosaurs in a museum".
However, as she believed that all the dinosaurs died out millions of years ago, she failed to consider the possibility that the griffins could be based on seeing the actual creatures, not just the bones. After all, it takes modern scientists considerable research to reconstruct the appearance of an unknown animal from its bones.
As the story of the gargoyles relates to ancient times, some of it has probably been lost from our history. But they remind us of a time when buildings were more decorative and ornate. Some speculate about the symbolism of gargoyles, but I think they show the skill and creativity of the medieval stone masons.
It is interesting to note the image of a dragon on the Ishtar gate in Babylon which was constructed about 575 BC.
Written, February 2015
Andy, our new grandson, arrived recently. Here are a few things that I am reminded of at a time like this.
Just like you and I, Andy is unique. There is no one else on earth (past, present and future) who is exactly like him. He has a unique genome, which is comprised of about 3 billion DNA base pairs in each cell of his body. He grew from a single cell itself.
God designed and created our world so that, over a period of nine months, the genetic information in a single cell can develop into a child that is ready to be born. It takes a lot of design to build a genome; it's amazingly complex.
The Bible says that the development of a baby in the womb is an example of God's power (omnipotence) and skill. King David wrote, "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born" (Ps. 139:13-16NLT). And another psalm says of God the Creator, "You made me; you created me" (Ps. 119:73). Of course God knows all about a baby as it's growing in the womb (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15).
I think another example of God's power and skill is life itself. Can anyone explain the origin of life, without referring to God? We see that life always comes from life. Andy's family tree goes back to Adam and Eve. How did Adam and Eve become alive? The Bible says their life came from God (Gen. 2:7, 22). Only God can create life; scientists can't manufacture it, they just use it.
Is Andy perfect?
Although Andy is perfect in the eyes of his parents, in two ways he isn't perfect.
Firstly, just like you and I, Andy's genome contains mutations inherited from his parents. When parents reproduce, they make a copy of their genome and pass this to their child. From time to time, mistakes occur (called "mutations"), and the next generation does not have a perfect copy of the original genome. Each new generation carries all the mutations of previous generations plus their own. So the mutations accumulate from generation to generation. This means that the human genome is degenerating genetically with time due to the accumulation of mutations. In order to minimize the risk of deformed offspring that can result from shared mutations between genetically close parents, marriage is usually prohibited between close relatives. In fact, such limitations needed to be imposed after about 26 copies of the human genome, which was in the times of Moses' children (Lev. 18:6-16; 20:11, 17, Dt. 27:22).
Secondly, just like you and I, Andy has a sinful nature. This means that he will have a natural tendency to misbehave. The Bible says that we are all sinners by nature (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1-3). Even when Andy tries to do the right thing, it will be elusive (Rom. 7:14-20). This attitude affects our mind, will and emotions in particular (Jer. 17:9). But according to Andy's "Beginner's Bible", "Jesus knew that he had to die for the sins of all people. It was part of God's plan. When it was time, Jesus died on the cross for our sins."
Now we can look forward to seeing Andy grow and develop from a baby to a child, to an adolescent, and then to a man, the way God has planned.
Written, February 2015
A pantheistic creation story
"Big History" is a modern origins story that is being developed online for school students and is supported by Bill Gates, one of the world's richest men. The objective is to develop a framework for learning about anything and everything that includes a deeper awareness of our past. It claims to tell a story that our children need to know. But what will they learn?
History of the universe
"Big History" is based on eight "threshold moments" when the universe increased in complexity:
- Origin of the universe billions of years ago as explained by the big bang theory.
- Stars light up from the remnants of the exploding gases.
- New chemical elements form when stars die and create new types of atoms.
- Rocky planets such as the earth and the solar system form around stars.
- Molecules combine to form single celled living organisms that evolve into multi-celled organisms.
- Human beings appear as a consequence of evolutionary processes.
- After the last ice age about


text:
GARDENIA FLORIDA EXTRACT
INCI: Gardenia florida extract / Gardenia florida fruit extract
What is Gardenia florida extract?
Gardenia florida also known as cape jasmine, is an evergreen plant. It is native to Asia, Africa, Pacific islands and Madagascar. It bears white flowers. It's flowers and fruits extract are used for cosmetic purposes. The flower extract contains ferulic acid and flavonoids, while the fruit extract contains natural sugar derivative named as crocin. Commercially the extract is available as light to the amber colored liquid.
Use & Benefits:
Both the flower and fruit extract contain constituents (as mentioned earlier) that are potent antioxidants. The free radicals and its other forms, as well as oxygen, cause a change in the structure of skin protein- elastin and collagen, which leads to a broken skin epithelium matrix and thus, problems like fine lines, wrinkles appear. The antioxidants not only prevent this damage but also heal any ongoing damage caused by them. Thus, premature aging or accelerated aging-related issues like fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin can be gradually reduced. They also improve the texture of the skin and produce a skin-smoothing effect. The crocin is also believed to stimulate ceramide (skin protein) synthesis. Also, it is believed to block the enzymes that are responsible for collagen breakdown as well as melanin synthesis. Thus, it can provide a whitening effect on the skin. It also moisturizes skin. It is used in skincare products, hair care products, and anti-aging creams, lotions, and gels.References


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3D rendering in A2 operating system
SAGE
Source code of lessons from _URL_
There are the source code of lessons from _URL_, ported to Active Oberon. When porting from C++ the possibility of operator overloading are used that exists in Active Oberon language. Active Objects concept for multithreading is used.
Lesson 1. The Ray-Tracing Algorithm
Scene obtained by Ray-Tracing renderer
Antialiasing
Based on the code of this lesson, as an experiment, one-level adaptive antialiasing algorithm carried out.
The essence of the algorithm is to find problematic pixels on the edges of objects. Then the colors of pixels refines by mixing with colors of four sub-pixels according to their weights. For better results, you can refine even the colors of sub-pixels by its further dividing into an even more minor elements, but it was decided to confine with only one sub-pixel level.
Finding of problematic pixels, was agreed by calculating the distance between the color of each pixel and color of its neighboring pixels in the color space, just as the distance between points in three-dimensional space calculates. If the color-distance of at least with one of the neighboring pixels exceeding a specified threshold, pixel is considered to be problematic.
The result of detecting problematic pixels with the threshold value is equal to 0.05:
A scene with the pixels found problematic, requiring the refinement
Well you can see that this threshold gives a good stock and lot of pixels, without visible antialiasing artifacts. The threshold can be raised to higher level.
Then for all problematic pixels additional four rays passing through the centers of sub-pixels are calculated, and traced. Then the average sub-pixels' color calculated, and its distance to sub-pixels' colors calculated. Weights are calculated of the principle: the sub-pixel with the greatest color-distance from the average color has greatest weight.
Then the average color of sub-pixels according its weight calculated and the results averaged with previously calculated pixel color.
The result of the algorithm is quite good, but that were achieved with only 28000 rays traced further. Thus for rendering whole scene were traced about 1.09 rays per each pixel.
The result of the antialiasing algorithm:
The result of the antialiasing algorithm
Antialiasing in 2D graphics
The experience gained from experiments with adaptive antialiasin found suitable for antialiasing in 2D graphics. BohdanT modified module WMClock to draw a pretty clock's arrows in analog mode, the result was good, but the whole picture was spoiled by the effect of aliasing on arrows. I decided to demonstrate the possibility of using adaptive antialiasing, in this case too. The multilevel adaptive antialiasing is now fully implemented, and the number of the levels may be provided. Here is the result of the algorithm:
The result of the antialiasing algorithm in 2D graphics
Lesson 6. Ray-Triangle Intersection
The color at the intersection point is set with the barycentric coordinates:
The color at the intersection point is set with the barycentric coordinates
The triangle is shaded by interpolating the vertex color:
The triangle is shaded by interpolating the vertex color
Adaptive antialiasing + multithreading + SSE optimization
After long delay I found some time for full rewriting of 1st and 6th examples. Results in Raytracer.zip. Adaptive antialiasing now fully implemented. Multithreading code now trully multithread, what you can see by benchmarks. Also SSE optimizations are present. SSE optimizations are in separated module, if required they may be turned on, by replacing lib := Lib3D to lib := Lib3D_SSE in import section. One can see from benchmarks, that SSE optimizations does not give big perfomance improvement, because unaligned variants of SSE comands used. So, there is a room for further optimizations :)
Benchmarks results (parameters of the system: AMD A10-7850K Radeon R7, 12 Compute Cores 4C+8G @ 3.70 GHz (4 cores, 4 threads)).
Lesson1, without SSE:
nThreadsTotal: 1, bucket size: 640 x 480, nBucketsTotal: 1, time elapsed: 1.2909
nThreadsTotal: 2, bucket size: 320 x 240, nBucketsTotal: 4, time elapsed: 0.7199
nThreadsTotal: 4, bucket size: 160 x 120, nBucketsTotal: 16, time elapsed: 0.3787
Lesson1, SSE:
nThreadsTotal: 1, bucket size: 640 x 480, nBucketsTotal: 1, time elapsed: 1.0590
nThreadsTotal: 2, bucket size: 320 x 240, nBucketsTotal: 4, time elapsed: 0.5875
nThreadsTotal: 4, bucket size: 160 x 120, nBucketsTotal: 16, time elapsed: 0.3032
Lesson6, without SSE:
nThreadsTotal: 1, bucket size: 320 x 240, nBucketsTotal: 4, time elapsed: 0.2253
nThreadsTotal: 2, bucket size: 160 x 120, nBucketsTotal: 16, time elapsed: 0.1196
nThreadsTotal: 4, bucket size: 80 x 60, nBucketsTotal: 64, time elapsed: 0.0673
Lesson6, SSE:
nThreadsTotal: 1, bucket size: 320 x 240, nBucketsTotal: 4, time elapsed: 0.1826
nThreadsTotal: 2, bucket size: 160 x 120, nBucketsTotal: 16, time elapsed: 0.0976
nThreadsTotal: 4, bucket size: 80 x 60, nBucketsTotal: 64, time elapsed: 0.0541
Lesson6, fast triangle-ray intersection algorithm (Möller–Trumbore), without SSE:
nThreadsTotal: 1, bucket size: 320 x 240, nBucketsTotal: 4, time elapsed: 0.2030
nThreadsTotal: 2, bucket size: 160 x 120, nBucketsTotal: 16, time elapsed: 0.1079
nThreadsTotal: 4, bucket size: 80 x 60, nBucketsTotal: 64, time elapsed: 0.0592
Lesson6, fast triangle-ray intersection algorithm (Möller–Trumbore), SSE:
nThreadsTotal: 1, bucket size: 320 x 240, nBucketsTotal: 4, time elapsed: 0.1565
nThreadsTotal: 2, bucket size: 160 x 120, nBucketsTotal: 16, time elapsed: 0.0826
nThreadsTotal: 4, bucket size: 80 x 60, nBucketsTotal: 64, time elapsed: 0.0451
Algorythms work results. With antialiasing it's look more pretty!
Type
Name
Size
Downloads
zip
ScratchAPixelLesson1.zip
12 KiB
435
zip
ScratchAPixelLesson6.zip
22 KiB
421
zip
ScratchAPixelLesson7.zip
14 KiB
417
zip
AA2DGraphics.zip
10 KiB
460
zip
Raytracer.zip
25 KiB
438
Last update: 28-1-16 22:39:36

alt CodeTyphon
Copyright © 2005-2019 SAGE. All rights reserved.


text:
North of Sixty° will create a unique
tapestry of Arctic stories that is needed to help educate the world about the changing climate.
The story is a powerful tool. It can build bridges between people from vastly different cultures, between scientists and the public, between classrooms and policymakers.
The mission of North of Sixty° is to create a global tapestry of climate stories, weaving together the history and culture of Arctic communities worldwide and preserving the voices and ecological knowledge of generations. We will collaborate with classrooms in regions north of 60 degrees latitude, scaffolding students in the collection and dissemination of these stories and providing an online environment for them to share their stories with the world.
In capturing and sharing stories from their community, students will contribute not only to a tapestry of world knowledge about the Arctic and their individual communities, but also enhance the scientific knowledge about climate change by sharing the human, or social sciences, impact beyond the scientific data and known impacts to the natural world.
- Create a global tapestry of Arctic climate stories
- Educate the world about the Arctic and about climate change through personal lenses
- Preserve the stories of elders, knowledge keepers, and others
- Encourage collaboration and community building among students
- Provide students with an online venue to share and document living history
- Support and strengthen students' 21st century skills as they learn new technologies
North of Sixty° has invited a small group of schools representing a cross-section of Arctic regions and cultures to participate in this project. These schools, located in Finland, Norway, Russia, Canada, and the United States, have a unique opportunity to:
- Participate in experiential, culturally relevant, inquiry-based learning
- Contribute to world knowledge about the Arctic and climate change
- Document and preserve local, living history
- Employ 21st century skills and learn new technologies
- Share their community with the world
If your school is interested in participating in the North of Sixty° project, please contact us at _EMAIL_.
The North of Sixty° project team includes members of the Learning Technologies Media Lab (LTML), plus the many individuals at the schools and in the communities worldwide who are contributing to our tapestry of Arctic climate stories. In addition to leading the core project team at LTML, Aaron will also lead a North of Sixty° expedition team in April 2013 on a pulking journey between two remote Inuit communities in Arctic Canada. With a passion for the Arctic, the environment, and education, Aaron has a long history of traveling within and working with communities in the circumpolar Arctic. He has completed education-related dogsledding and pulking expeditions throughout the region at least annually since 2004, tied to issues such as climate change, sustainability, and Arctic culture.
Aaron Doering, PhDExpedition Leader; Project Investigator; Associate Professor, Learning Technologies; Co-Director, LT Media Lab
Aaron is an associate professor in the Learning Technologies program at the University of Minnesota. He holds the Bonnie Westby Huebner Endowed Chair in Education and Technology and is a co-director of the Learning Technologies Media Lab. He is also a laureate of the prestigious humanitarian Tech Awards, and a fellow for the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment. Since his childhood growing up on a farm in southern Minnesota, he's always had a passion for the environment and for education. He believes our personal actions have a huge impact on our environment and that we need to be cognizant of how we're all interconnected. Aaron's academic writing focuses on how adventure learning impacts the classroom experience; designing and developing online learning environments; and K-12 technology integration. He's published over 60 journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings, and is co-author of the bestselling textbook Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching, and co-editor of the forthcoming The New Landscape of Mobile Learning: Redesigning Education in an App-based World.
Charles Miller, PhDAssistant Professor, Learning Technologies; Co-Director, LT Media Lab
Charlie is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota in the Learning Technologies program and a co-director of the Learning Technologies Media Lab. His research explores opportunities to transform the instructional experience through design, bridging the gap between aesthetic learning experiences and contemporary interaction design. With more than 14 years of new media design, development, and research experience, Charlie has received design awards from organizations such as USA Today, The Washington Post, American Scientist, Netscape, IBM, Adobe, the International Association of Science and Technology for Education, and Yahoo! for his work on projects ranging from environmental expeditions and political campaigns to photographers and educational initiatives. Design-wise, Charlie's future efforts are focused on the advancement of information visualization in online learning and the exploration of mobile design using the iPad with special education audiences. He is co-editor of the forthcoming The New Landscape of Mobile Learning: Redesigning Education in an App-based World.


text:
MENTION ABOUT ONE PERSON COMPANY.
ONE PERSON COMPANY
One Person Company is the company which mentions about single proprietorship, it also mentions all the business are carried out in an individual manner, it is categorized into two types they are private limited company and public limited company. OPC can convert itself into either public limited or private limited company. The private company mentions about 2 directors minimum and members are required, whereas in public limited company mentions a minimum three directors and minimum 7 members. One Person Company has been introduced by the company Act 2013.
STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED:
- The digital signature mentioned by One Person Company is essential, get the digital signature's certificate from the concerned person.
- Get Director Identification number from the concerned person.
- Add an appropriate company name and create an application which mentions all details to the Ministry of the corporate office which mention for name availability.
- A document should contain the memorandum of association which also mentions articles of association.
- Put a signature and various documents to be filed should include MOA/AOA with the registrar of companies electronically.
- One Person Company mentioned about requisite fee payment to the ministry of corporate affairs, and also Stamp duty
- Mention detailed information of documents at the registrar of companies.
- Receipt of Certificate of Registration/Incorporation from ROC.
TERMS AND RESTRICTIONS:
- There is no eligibility to incorporate more than a one-person company mentioned or to become a nominee in that company more than once.
- Minor cannot become a nominee or member of the one person company or can hold the share with beneficial interest.
- An OPC is not allowed to be incorporate or converted into a company under section 8 of the Act.
- An OPC is not allowed to take up non-banking financial investment activities including investment in securities of any body corporate.
- An OPC is not allowed to convert any kind of company unless two years have expired from the incorporation date of one person company excluding threshold limit( paid-up share capital) is increased exceeds Rs 50 lakhs or its average annual turnover during the relevant period is more than Rs 2 crores i.e., if the paid-up capital of the company exceeds Rs. 50 lakhs or the average turn-over during the relevant period is more than Rs 2 crore, then the OPC has to invariably file forms with the Return on capital for conversion into a Public or private company within six months period on the above threshold limits breaching.
PRIVILEGES FOR OPC WHICH OPC MENTIONS:
- The most important reason for shareholders to incorporate the single-person company is the limited liability desire.
- Currently, the businesses that were running under the proprietorship mentions a model that could get converted into OPCs without any difficulty.
- Necessary rotation of auditor mentions after the expiry of the maximum term is not applicable.
- Single Person Company mentions and needs to have one-director minimum and it can have the director's maximum up to 15 that also can increase by passing a special resolution as in the case of any other company.
- The provisions of section 98 and section 100 to 111 relating holding of general meetings, shall not apply to a One Person Company.
- Minimum authorized share capital needed for One Person Company which mentions with the share capital of Rs. 1, 00, 000.
- The minimum number of members of One Person Company is one and the maximum number of members of One Person Company is also one.
- One person Company mentions about the Shares. Shares are not allowed to transfer to anyone else.
- In order to subscribe to the securities of the company from giving any invitations to the public, an OPC should be prohibited.
- No OPC can convert into any other kind of company voluntarily within two years from the date of incorporation of one person company except when the threshold limit of paid-up capital being fifty lakhs is crossed or its annual turnover exceeds two crore rupees during the relevant period.
- Under section 8 an OPC cannot convert into a registered company.
- An OPC is needed to give a legal identity by declaring a particular name under which the activities of the company can be carried on. The words One Person Company must be specified below the company name, wherever the name is used, fixed or engraved.
The advantages of one Person Company are as follows
- Separate legal entity.
- 100% control on the company
- Less compliance as compared to the private limited company.
- Funding is easy.
- Limited liability, more opportunities.
- Benefits of being a small-scale industry.
- Single owner.
- Credit rating.
- Benefits under Income tax law.
- Increased prestige and trust.
- General points.
An OPC is subject to the same taxes as a private limited company.
An OPC mentions and increases the individuals borrowing capacity. Banks and Investors chose to give funds to the companies rather than the partnerships and proprietorship.
When an OPC limited by guarantee or shares involves into the contract with the company sole member, who is also the company director mentions the contract terms or offer must be recorded in writing or included in the memorandum. Or recorded in the minutes of the board meeting held next after entering into the contract OPC must inform the registrar which mentions about all contract entered into by the company that also mentions with the company sole member within a fifteen days period from the approval date
1. A boost in the country's economy is seen due to many opportunities and less hassle, given by the one person Company. An OPC mentions about many sole proprietorships. Many sole proprietorships, are converting themselves due to these very same reasons.
2. The registration is easy comparatively, and not much compliance is to be maintained. Requires minimum paperwork, this makes the company all more desirable.
3. As per BSE, One Person Company can act as a sub-broker or as a stock. Apart from all these features, one person companies are helping tremendously in increasing overall India's overall economy. More and more entrepreneurs are coming up for their business set up. No intervention from any third party is seen since that makes highly beneficial.
- Is not possible to mention or to add partners.
- Nearby cost is similar with the private limited company.
Other than most of the companies are using this One Person Company.
The United Kingdom is leading one which mentions One Person Company. A newly introduced concept is the One Person Company which mentions complete details, that is possible to One Person Company precedent set.
A company is formed with one or more persons under this act.
- It mentions and subscribes to the memorandum of association names.
- For an unlawful purpose, a company may not be formed.
Based on the one member company rules, 2003 of Pakistan mentioned and provide for single-member company incorporation
The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
In several states of the USA grants and mention the formation of single-member Limited Liability Company.
One Person Company is identified and mentioned by UAE.
Under the Amendment Act of 2004, Singapore allows and mention about single-member formation Limited liability Company.
In 2005 China introduced and mentioned One Person Company.
CONCEPT WHICH ONE PERSON COMPANY MENTIONS:
Information Technology plays a major role which mentions one person company entrepreneurs are allowed to take part in economic activity. It also mentions that every entrepreneur who creates the idea of their own and participate in the marketplace. The individual can operate in the economic domain and should mention about effective contribution.


From GridLAB-D Wiki
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name is a an object variable declared within the object header. In other words, all objects can be provided with a name. This tends to be the easiest way to reference other objects in a single or across multiple model files.
Objects can be "named" in two different ways, using the name variable or canonically.
Name
The first, and easiest to use, is by using the naming variable:
object house {
 name house1;
 ...
};
In this way, other objects can refer to this object by name. For example, an appliance can be added to the house by referencing the house's name in the parent-child relationship:
object waterheater {
 parent house1;
 name waterheater1;
 ...
};
There are some restrictions on the characters that can be used in name. Here are the rules for creating a name:
 1. All printable ASCII characters are allowed with some exceptions that are reserved for special functions (reserved: ., (), {}, [], ^, $, *, +, =, |, :, and ;).
 2. Only alpha characters (A-Z,a-z) can be used at the beginning of the name. (This rule can be relaxed. See relax_naming_rules.)
 3. " " can be used to enclose the name. This is advisable when using spaces or other non-alphanumeric characters.
NOTE: While "name" has a 1024 character limit, in practice, the limit is 64 characters. See ticket 980.
Canonical
 TODO:
Some examples of using canonical naming: Started Using GridLAB-D
See also


matrices etc.
Definition: IpTypes.hpp:19
virtual bool get_constraints_linearity(Index m, LinearityType *const_types)
overload this method to return the constraint linearity.
Number Number * x_scaling
Index * index_g_skip_
Array of indices of the constraints that are to be skipped.
Number Number Index Number Number Index Index nele_hess
Number of non-zero elements in Hessian of Lagrangian.
virtual bool get_scaling_parameters(Number &obj_scaling, bool &use_x_scaling, Index n, Number *x_scaling, bool &use_g_scaling, Index m, Number *g_scaling)
overload this method to return scaling parameters.
virtual void finalize_solution(SolverReturn status, Index n, const Number *x, const Number *z_L, const Number *z_U, Index m, const Number *g, const Number *lambda, Number obj_value, const IpoptData *ip_data, IpoptCalculatedQuantities *ip_cq)
This method is called when the algorithm is complete so the TNLP can store/write the solution...
void operator=(const TNLPReducer &)
Overloaded Equals Operator.
Index n_x_fix_
Number of variables that are to be fixed to initial value.
Number Number Number * g_scaling
IndexStyleEnum
overload this method to return the number of variables and constraints, and the number of non-zeros i...
Definition: IpTNLP.hpp:80
virtual ~TNLPReducer()
Default destructor.
Base class for all NLP's that use standard triplet matrix form and dense vectors. ...
Definition: IpTNLP.hpp:50
This is a wrapper around a given TNLP class that takes out a list of constraints that are given to th...
virtual bool intermediate_callback(AlgorithmMode mode, Index iter, Number obj_value, Number inf_pr, Number inf_du, Number mu, Number d_norm, Number regularization_size, Number alpha_du, Number alpha_pr, Index ls_trials, const IpoptData *ip_data, IpoptCalculatedQuantities *ip_cq)
Intermediate Callback method for the user.
virtual bool get_nlp_info(Index &n, Index &m, Index &nnz_jac_g, Index &nnz_h_lag, IndexStyleEnum &index_style)
virtual bool get_variables_linearity(Index n, LinearityType *var_types)
overload this method to return the variables linearity (TNLP::LINEAR or TNLP::NON_LINEAR).
Index nnz_jac_g_reduced_
Number of Jacobian nonzeros in the reduced NLP.
Number obj_scaling
TNLPReducer()
Default Constructor.
virtual bool eval_f(Index n, const Number *x, bool new_x, Number &obj_value)
overload this method to return the value of the objective function


Instructables
Picture of Desktop Fist Bumper
fistBump1.jpg
IMG_7502.jpg
IMG_7503.jpg
This simple device sits on your desk at work, ready to give you fist bumps throughout the day as you need them. A 3D printed "fist" is moved by a servo attached to a rack and pinion mechanism. An ultrasonic range finder detects when you place your hand near it, and an Arduino Uno controls it all.
Materials:

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Step 1: Make cables
Picture of Make cables
To connect the electronics, a few cables are needed. First, make a pair of "splitters" for providing power (5V) and GND to the sensor and servo from the Arduino using female connectors. Since both devices need the same Vcc, the splitters make the wiring easier to put together and more compact when it is assembled.
Next, solder a cable to connect to the ultrasonic range sensor. Use a female connector for the end that the sensor will plug into, and solder the other ends of the wires to individual male headers.
Finally, cut off the female connector at the end of the servo and solder the wires to individual male headers as well.
DoItOrDie2 months ago
Love the idea. Could lead to the Desktop High Five machine (something that swings down to give you a high five). Perhaps a combo of both. I guess basically a desktop robot hand of some sort could be used to make other affirming gestures like a thumbs up. Even somewhat more negative ones like thumbs down or hand wave off, or index finger back and forth movement. Then there is the classic "bird" with optional hand upward movement for added emphasis.
Taranach2 months ago
This is a cutesy project for those who have access to a laser cutter and 3D printer but kind of useless for the many that still don't. The speed is also far too slow, and the printed hand is square and rough.. I wouldn't want to "fist bump" that thing. Since you were 3D printing it anyway, why didn't you make it hand and/or fingers more rounded and natural looking? You could have even used an old leather glove for it by going that way and eliminated tying up those strings.
Even better would have been to use the servo to close the articulated fingers of that hand as it came out and have them open "explosion style" (infinitely cooler) after the bump and as it retracted back into the base.
Personally, for this level of movement, I would've used a jersey cotton glove and filled it with expanding foam (like Great Stuff) and bent the fingers into the fist. that would have been lighter weight and softer. Then used a CD tray for extend and retract.
I am sorry to say, but I really would have expected much better from the instructables team.
ybaggi2 months ago
I'll have to concur with the other commenters on the speed, or lack thereof.
Why not use a used cd/DVD drive we can all find by the truck loads nowadays and is there a way to to not use a uController?
For the fist I would try mini boxing glove or something soft.
Now for the serious business: you all really depressed at RS when you do your videos. Lihghten it up a bit for geeks sake.
Cheers
AJMansfield2 months ago
Needs faster actuation. You might wish to consider the possibility of using a solenoid plunger or pneumatic piston to actuate it directly, rather than driving it with a rack gear and servo, if you intend to refine the design.
Cool and I get all my parts at the shak and did u program it
condorxan2 months ago
Cool stuff, a bit slow though. It would be faster to use stepper motor instead.
Awesome job!
garielferr2 months ago
Hahaha
Cool!


text:
Texas Southern University's (NAACP) chapter has spread the word on the importance of voting this midterm election. Throughout the campus and nearby neighborhoods chants of encouragement and excitement filled the air of Houston.
TSU's NAACP members met at the student center, organized and began the march to the neighborhood voting polls. NAACP members and TSU students shouted historical chants, held signs to encourage people to vote and reminded everyone of the meaning of Election Day. Once the group made it to the polling booths at Lockhart Elementary, students entered the school and casted their votes.


text:
According to Knibb Sibley, Martha Brae river has given its name to the town near its mouth and to the watershed which it drains. It has its source at Windsor and flows into
the sea at Rock after passing the village of the same name. The
name appears to be a corruption of the Spanish Rio Para Matar
Tiberon shown on a Spanish map dated 1680. It was a main artery
in Trelawny and links many of the sugar plantations (see Tour of
the Martha Brae -in prep-)
The Spanish connection actually originates in the early days of Spanish Occupation, when, according to Phillippo it was known as Melilla/Manilla, one of the first three towns in Jamaica. This may be incorrect, as Annotto Bay may have been the Melilla in question.
The present Martha Brae town was created by Henry Cunliffe in 1762
out of the eastern portion of his sugar estate, Holland. He named the town Lyttelton,
after the then-Governor of Jamaica, William Lyttelton, but this
name was gradually lost and the town reverted to the older name of
the nearby river.
Martha Brae watershed is one of Forestry Department's administrative unit and is shown in the above image.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
Job classification is a system for objectively and accurately defining and evaluating the duties, responsibilities, tasks, and authority level of a job. The job classification, done correctly, is a thorough description of the job responsibilities of a position without regard to the knowledge, skills, experience, and education of the individuals currently performing the job.
Job classification is most frequently, formally performed in large companies, civil service and government employment, nonprofit agencies, and colleges and universities. The approach used in these organizations is formal and structured with pay or salary grades attached to the results of the job classification.
In summary, the results of a job classification create parity in job titles, consistent job levels within the organization hierarchy, and salary ranges that are determined by identified factors. These factors include market pay rates for people doing similar work in similar industries in the same region of the country, pay ranges of comparable jobs within the organization, and the level of knowledge, skill, experience, and education needed to perform each job.
Informal forms of job classification are used even in smaller and mid-sized companies and agencies to generate a sense of fairness across equivalent employee jobs. This form of job classification can be as simple as grouping similar positions in a broadband.
In a broadband pay structure, the numbers of salary grades are consolidated into fewer, but broader, pay ranges. In broadbanding, the spread of the pay ranges is wider, and there is less overlap with other pay ranges.
Broadbanding evolved because organizations want to flatten their hierarchies and move decision-making authority closer to the point at which necessity and knowledge exist in organizations. In flattened organizations, fewer promotional opportunities exist, however.
So, the broadbanding structure allows more latitude for the employer to make pay increases and provide career growth and development without the use of promotion to provide employees with opportunities.
Broadband pay structures encourage the development of broad employee skills because non-managerial jobs are appropriately valued, and skill development is rewarded. Additionally, a broadband pay structure is not as sensitive to changing market pricing conditions. As such, broadband pay structures cost less to administer and manage over time. They also provide serious non-promotional income opportunities for employees.
The Hay System
One popular, commercial job classification system is the Hay Classification system. The Hay job classification system assigns points to evaluate job components to determine the relative value of a particular job to other jobs.
The Hay method measures three components in all jobs: the knowledge required, the problem solving required, and the level of accountability. The Hay method compares the relative value of comparable jobs to maintain parity across an organization.
For the purposes of larger organizations with many departments and locations, union-represented jobs, and organizations with hierarchical rigid pay or salary grades and needed internal equity, a system such as Hay is appropriate.
Working with Hay job classification, an evaluator uses a job evaluation instrument or questionnaire that is filled out by the department requesting the job or evaluation. Trained to assign points appropriately, the evaluator assigns points to determine where to place a job in the job classification system. The placement of the job determines the pay or salary grade within the organization's compensation system.
Following a strictly enforced job classification system will safeguard employers against some charges of discrimination since the value of each job was determined apart from the individuals doing the job. It makes unfair treatment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information.


text:
Ancient Britons ate dead and made skulls into cups
LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Ancient Britons devoured their dead and created gruesome goblets from the skulls of their remains, according to new research published on Wednesday.
Researchers from London's Natural History Museum discovered 15,000-year-old human bones in southern England which showed signs of cannibalism and skulls made into drinking cups.
The skulls -- found in Gough's Cave in the Cheddar Gorge in the southwestern English county of Somerset -- had been meticulously cleaned of soft tissue, cut to remove the base and facial bones, and had their rough edges smoothed to create skull-cups or bowls, paleontologist Silvia Bello wrote in a study in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE.
"All in all it was a very painstaking process given the tools available," Bello said in a statement.
The researchers said the cups may have been used as containers or for some ritualistic purpose.
"It's impossible to know how the skull-cups were used back then, but in recent examples they may hold blood, wine or food during rituals," said Chris Stringer, who helped excavate one of the skull-cups in 1987.
At about 14,700 years old, the skull-cups from Gough's Cave are the oldest directly dated examples in the world, the researchers said.
They said the circumstances behind the deaths of the Cro-Magnons (European early modern humans), whose bones they discovered, can only be guessed at.
They may have been killed, butchered and eaten -- with the skull-cups just the end of this event -- or may have been part of the group who died and were eaten in a crisis situation, with the skull-cups created as a tribute to the dead.
"We simply do not know," they said in a joint emailed response to questions.
The use of skulls as drinking vessels has been well-documented in historical accounts and recent ethnographic studies, the researchers explained in their study.
Ancient Greek historian Herodotus portrayed the Scythians as people who drank from the skulls of their enemies and similar practices have been recorded among Vikings, Australian Aborigines and in tantric Buddhist rituals.
A precise cast of one of the skull-cups, complete with cut marks, will go on display in the Natural History Museum in London from March 1 for three months.
(Editing by Paul Casciato)
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What's the audit scheduler?
One great feature within audIT.app is the ability to schedule an audit, but what exactly does this mean?
Part of the Standard is that you need to:
 1. Risk assess how often you do the audits
 2. Schedule the dates in advance
The audIT.app will automatically do the risk assessment for you (this happens on a monthly basis), so this covers item 1.
audIT.app schedules your audits based on the outcome of the risk assessment – so you can show the auditor the dates are set in advance.
When the audit date is due audIT.app then emails the auditor to remind them they need to complete an audit.
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