text:
Herbicide cycling has diverse effects on evolution of resistance in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Version of Record online: 11 JUN 2012
© 2012 The Authors. Evolutionary Applications published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Volume 6, Issue 2, pages 197–206, February 2013
How to Cite
Lagator, M., Vogwill, T., Colegrave, N. and Neve, P. (2013), Herbicide cycling has diverse effects on evolution of resistance in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . Evolutionary Applications, 6: 197–206. doi: 10.1111/j._PHONE_.2012.00276.x
- Issue online: 18 FEB 2013
- Version of Record online: 11 JUN 2012
- Manuscript Accepted: 2 MAY 2012
- Manuscript Received: 21 DEC 2011
- Chlamydomonas reinhardtii ;
- experimental evolution;
- fitness costs;
- herbicide resistance;
- herbicide rotation
Cycling pesticides has been proposed as a means of retarding the evolution of resistance, but its efficacy has rarely been empirically tested. We evolved populations of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in the presence of three herbicides: atrazine, glyphosate and carbetamide. Populations were exposed to a weekly, biweekly and triweekly cycling between all three pairwise combinations of herbicides and continuously to each of the three herbicides. We explored the impacts of herbicide cycling on the rate of resistance evolution, the level of resistance selected, the cost of resistance and the degree of generality (cross-resistance) observed. Herbicide cycling resulted in a diversity of outcomes: preventing evolution of resistance for some combinations of herbicides, having no impacts for others and increasing rates of resistance evolution in some instances. Weekly cycling of atrazine and carbetamide resulted in selection of a generalist population. This population had a higher level of resistance, and this generalist resistance was associated with a cost. The level of resistance selected did not vary amongst other regimes. Costs of resistance were generally highest when cycling was more frequent. Our data suggest that the effects of herbicide cycling on the evolution of resistance may be more complex and less favourable than generally assumed.


genus Lagothrix
Also found in: Thesaurus.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.genus Lagothrix - woolly monkeys
mammal genus - a genus of mammals
Cebidae, family Cebidae - all the New World monkeys except marmosets and tamarins
woolly monkey - large monkeys with dark skin and woolly fur of the Amazon and Orinoco basins
References in periodicals archive ?
Molecular systematics and phylogeography of the genus Lagothrix (Atelidae, Primates) by means of the mitochondrial COII gene.


text:
Hearing Loss in Vermont
Anywhere from 4 to 16% of Americans are estimated to have some degree of hearing loss. In Vermont, census indicators point to 23,625 Vermonters living with hearing loss, including 1993 who are profoundly deaf.
Causes of hearing loss specific to Vermont are unavailable, but nationally studies have indicated that among adults, 34% of hearing loss stems from noise injury, while 28% comes from age and 17% comes from infection. Only 4% was present at birth. Among young people, the most common causes were heredity (13%), pregnancy and birth complications (9%), and meningitis (8%). Large spikes in hearing loss in children that previously occurred in the 1950's and 1960's due to rubella epidemics have been eliminated in the United States by the rubella vaccine.
Nationally, 96% of children who have hearing loss have hearing parents; only 4% have one or both parents with hearing loss.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education in Vermont
Nationally, we know:
- Approximately 1.1 per 1000 K-12 students currently receive special education for the primary reason of hearing loss.
- At least 40% of the deaf/hard of hearing student population also have secondary or co-existing conditions.
- About 12% of deaf and hard of hearing students attend separate residential schools and 22% receive special education services more than 60% of the time.
The demographics of deaf education are changing; the increasing prevalence of cochlear implant as a partial solution is greatly impacting the other types of services students with hearing loss require. In addition, ethnic diversity among students with hearing loss is increasing at a pace and along trends consistent with the larger school population.
Vermont Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is the state-chartered nonprofit provider of educational services for children and young adults with hearing loss in Vermont.The Austine School and William Center, both residential facilities at the Austine campus in Brattleboro, are the only residential schools for the deaf in Vermont and currently serve 65 students. The Vermont Center was created in 1998 as an umbrella organization to ensure a continuum of services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals from birth through adulthood. Programs are approved by the Vermont Department of Education and staffed by certified professionals, most of whom have masters-level credentials.
The Vermont Center asserts that ensuring deaf and hard of hearing individuals' capacity for success in our society means assessing each child or adult's particular needs " "What will help this individual thrive?" " and providing the corresponding education, tools, and resources vital to allow a healthy and productive life.
Additional educational programs range from the state-approved Parent Infant Program (which provides information and support to parents of children with hearing loss birth to age 3), to specialized services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students through the Regional Consultant Services, as well as classes in American Sign Language.
The Vermont Center is committed to quality programs for all students regardless of degree of hearing loss or method of communication.
DVAS (Deaf Vermonters Advocacy Services)
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
American Sign Language Teachers Association
National Association of the Deaf
Vermont Interpreter Referral Service
Vermont Center for Independent Living
VT Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
Vermont Department of Education
Vermont Video Relay Service

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text: "In 1999 James Brett founded Pomegreat the first commercial pomegranate drink in Europe. In 2004 in a newspaper article James mentions he would like to see things change in Afghanistan and that pomegranates could help. In 2007 James attended a horticulture seminar in Kabul Afghanistan and whilst there ran into a field of opium farmers and convinced a farmer to grow pomegranates. Two months later James returned to Afghanistan and erected a sign on the farmer's land that read "this land has been acquired as an alternative livelihood from poppies to pomegranates. The next day James appeared on national television in Afghanistan and urged farmers to grow lots of pomegranates. So many farmers came forward that James realised something large scale could be achieved and was introduced to some elders in the tribal system in Afghanistan.

source: m-a-p/FineFineWeb


text:
Researchers from Vanderbilt University and Rice University have become the inaugural members of the Mauve survey programme. We are delighted to welcome Professor Keivan G. Stassun and Professor Christopher M. Johns-Krull who will be leading the respective research teams.
Mauve will deliver ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy data on hundreds of stars enabling scientists to break new ground in stellar research. The satellite, which has received funding from the European Commission, is currently under construction with partners C3S and ISISPACE and will launch in 2025.
Speaking with Blue Skies Space about his research interests, Professor Stassun said:
"Researchers at Vanderbilt University and Rice University have a long-standing interest in the study of accretion processes in young stars and magnetic activity in stars more generally, including in the context of understanding how stellar magnetism impacts the evolution of planetary atmospheres and habitability."
As founding members, researchers from Vanderbilt University and Rice University will join the Mauve science team, helping design and shape the science programme prior to the launch of the satellite.
Professor Stassun continued to say:
"Outside of seeking time on facilities such as Hubble, a resource that is in very high demand and short supply, Mauve will provide our research teams the ability to conduct observations of targeted systems in a way that will not be possible with any other dedicated facility for years to come. We also look forward to participating in other areas of exciting UV research led by other teams through Mauve's culture of scientific collaboration and esprit de corps."
The science team and survey working groups will continue to grow prior to launch, bringing a wealth of ideas and research experience into Mauve's three-year programme.
Find out how to participate in Mauve at: _URL_


text:
Full color reproduction of Giovanni Leardo's 1452 Mappamundi.
Notecard Size: 5 x 7 in.
Price: Individual card with envelope, $2.00.
Packet of six with envelopes, $10.00.
Text on Back: "Perhaps the finest example of a medieval world map, or mappamundi, preserved in the Western Hemisphere, the Leardo map of the world is the oldest original map in the AGS Library. Dating from 1452, this manuscript map on vellum is one of only three extant world maps by the 15th century Venetian cartographer Giovanni Leardo. Following cartographic conventions of the time, Jerusalem is shown as the center of the world, and the map is "oriented" with east at the top. A series of concentric rings around the circular map comprises an elaborate calendar, a feature common to all of Leardo's maps.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Golda Meir Library
Printed at no cost to the taxpayers of Wisconsin."


text:
The Yellow-billed magpie is a large and beautiful bird. Its long black tail is iridescent and its wing feathers are shades of blue, green and white. The characteristic that makes them so special is their yellow beak. There is a similar and more wide spread species with a black bill. The yellow billed magpie is found only in California.
They are highly intelligent. Once I was out for a walk and I heard one singing in a pine tree. I thought someone had lost a parrot. They are excellent mimics.
The Yellow-billed magpie nests up high in a tree, usually a valley oak.
The yellow-billed magpie feeds mainly on animal matter, including insects, bird eggs, nestling, and carrion, They will also eat acorns, seeds, grass, and berries. They will also eat poisoned grains left for killing ground California ground squirrels. Large portions of a population get wiped out.
(When my brother and I were little we used to call them maggot pies, because they ate dead things.)
This is a special bird to us, here in California, because it is endemic to this region, that is it is found only here. It inhabits the central valley and coastal valleys of California, preferring open oak woodlands.
The Yellow-billed magpie likes open oak woodlands. They like open areas near roads where ether is plenty of road kill to scavenge.
The Yellow billed magpie likes open oak woodlands near roads with road kill.
The yellow-billed magpie is a resident. They move around some in winter in search of food.
Magpies are not really at home in a garden setting. They need big open spaces with smatterings of trees. Most gardens are to shrubby and dense for their taste. However you might get one stopping by if you have an oak in your yard. They seem to prefer the valley oak, Quercus lobata This may be because this oak like the lower open valleys just like the magpies. These large stately trees are deciduous and they are good near your home. They let in the much needed sun light in the winter and shade your home in the hot summer.
Last edited on 2013-02-16 06:39:12.


text:
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]چکیده [English]
This research follows two aims in case of the Iranian economy. First, study of the presence of inflation persistency, and second, looking for an optimal monetary policy rule. Results show that inflation in the economy of Iran is persistent, in which, short-term and long-term effects of monetary policy should be considered. For this purpose, a loss function for the central bank with arguments of inflation, output gap and the money supply growth, subject to the demand and Phillips curves, is minimized.
The importance of this issue is that by expansionary monetary policy, the economic growth in the short-term can be increased with high inflation bias. On the other hand, by contraction monetary policy, benefits gained in the form of inflation reduction at the cost of lower short-term growth. Therefore, balancing among costs and benefits of inflation targeting policy with regard to the output stability is crucial, as it is optimal for the central bank to allow for a high degree of policy gradualism or money supply smoothing.
JEL Classificat?on: E31, E32, E52, E58

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


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6 Ways to Fix Chrome Not Loading Page (Displays Only Text)
Almost 65% of the global Internet users love using Google Chrome for their browsing needs. And no doubt, it's by far the most popular browser across the globe. But that doesn't mean that Chrome is free from errors and issues. One of the most common issues users face is Chrome not loading pages and displaying only text. It occurs when Chrome is not able to load all the elements of a web page. Since you are here, you're most probably facing this annoying issue in your browser. Anyways, you need not need to worry as I am here with six quick ways to fix Chrome not loading page, displays only text error. Let's get started.
Fix Chrome Showing Only Text- Not Loading Page
1. Check The Internet Connection
Browsers need a reliable internet connection to load the complete web page. If the internet connection is not stable, the web page will not load with all its resources. So, whenever the internet is sluggish, Chrome will load only certain elements of a webpage like HTML. It stops rendering CSS, JavaScript, and other elements.
This leads to a webpage with only text and no visual elements. So, before diving into complex fixes, the first thing you should do is checking your Internet connection. Use an Internet speed checker like Speedtest.net or Fast.com to determine the actual Internet speed.
If you see a high ping rate, most probably your ISP is having a downtime. Please turn on the hotspot of your mobile connection and use it to load the page. If the issue is due to a bad internet connection, connecting to a hotspot connection will fix it.
2. Remove Ad Blockers
I have seen my Chrome not loading page and showing only text a lot of times, and almost all the time, it happened due to an ad blocker. I use the AdBlocker extension to bypass ads and anonymous tracking. Using it doesn't always create an issue, but at times, I found that Chrome could not load the page when the extension was turned on.
Chrome Not Loading Page- Displays only Text
So, try turning the ad blocker off for that page, and it should fix the problem. You can also try removing the extension altogether. To do so, paste chrome://extensions/ in the search bar, It will take you to the page with all your extensions- here, you can disable the ad blocker you were using earlier.
3. Disconnect VPN
The Chrome showing only text issue is not exclusive to someone who is using an ad blocker. It often occurs while using VPN as well. You may face this issue if you use a VPN connection for a private Internet or bypass the geo-restriction.
So, if you were opening the webpage with VPN connected, try to open it after disconnecting the VPN. The problem will likely go away. If you want to use VPN at all costs, try switching to another VPN client to see if it solves the problem.
4. Clear Browsing Data
You might face Chrome showing only text error due to caching issues or corrupt cookies on your browser. The best thing you can do to remove all the cache and cookies stored on your browser is to clear browsing data.
Paste chrome://settings/clearBrowserData in your address bar, and it will take you to the page where you can clear browsing data. You can also directly type "clear cache" in the search bar and tap the suggested Chrome Action.
Fix Chrome Not Loading Page- Displays only Text
Select the Advanced tab and tick every option. Set the time range to all time and then click Clear Data. It will clear everything you would have browsed on your Chrome. Now try to open the web page once again and check whether the issue is fixed or not.
5. Reset Chrome
If clear browsing data does not fix the issue for issue, the next thing you can do is reset Chrome. To perform the reset, type chrome://settings/reset in the address bar of Chrome. It will take you directly to the reset page. Now, click Reset Settings.
Reset Chrome to Fix Chrome Not Loading Page Issue
Keep in mind that resetting Chrome will disable all the active extensions. It will also clear temporary data like cache and cookies. Don't worry much as your bookmarks, history, and saved passwords will not be cleared.
6. Reinstall Chrome
If none of the above fixes worked for you and you are still juggling with the issue, the last option is to uninstall and reinstall Chrome. First, uninstall Chrome from your computer and download the installation file from the Chrome official website.
Reinstall Chrome
Install the file and complete the initial setup. Then, open the same page and check whether the issue is resolved or not. If the issue is still there, it is an indication that something is wrong with that specific web page. Try contacting the admin of the webpage you are trying to visit.
Conclusion- (Solved) Chrome Not Loading Page Properly
Chrome not loading pages and showing only text instead is a very common issue. It mostly comes when the internet connection is sluggish, or an ad blocker is blocking the elements. For most users removing ad blocker fixes the issue.
VPN connections also lead to the issue, so disconnecting VPN is also a good way to get rid of it. You can also try other fixes I mentioned, like clearing browsing data, resetting Chrome, and reinstalling Chrome. Don't forget to inform me which fix worked for you. Stay tuned for more.
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Ratnesh Kumar
Tech Blogger & YouTuber, Cricket Lover.


Infield Defense in PARTs: A Major Update to Defensive Runs Saved Coming Soon
A major update is coming soon to Baseball Info Solutions' Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) system to improve our evaluation of infield defense.
Currently, DRS does not account for infielder positioning, thus relying on one "Range & Positioning" component to assess a fielder's ability to convert batted balls into outs. It also considers shift plays entirely as a team defense, attributing runs saved/lost to the team overall.
That, however, is about to change. We'll be breaking the DRS system into PARTs.
PART stands for Positioning, Air Balls, Range, and Throwing. This new system isolates each of these elements for individual fielders. It also allows us to evaluate how individual players perform defensively in shifts. BIS has been charting pre-pitch infielder positioning since 2013, which makes it possible for positioning to be evaluated.
Given that positioning is largely controlled by the team rather than individual player, it is now its own separate component. Positioning Runs Saved will be added to the team's DRS total, but not the individual player's total. Thus, an infielder's DRS is now the sum of:
* His Air Ball Runs Saved
* His Range Runs Saved
* His Throwing Runs Saved
How does this change the way we think about infield defense? We are transitioning from evaluating "how often did a player make that play?" to "how often did a player make that play given where he was positioned?" Additionally, we're able to evaluate all infield plays, not just ones involving an unshifted defense. The result, we believe, is a more accurate overall depiction of defensive performance.
How do we actually estimate the effects of positioning? The system evaluates the chance a play would be made without considering fielder positioning (using information about the batted ball's trajectory, location, and velocity and the batter's speed) and compares it to the chance it would be made considering those variables and the fielder's positioning. If a batted ball is estimated to be a high percentage out, but a fielder isn't close to it, then the team will get penalized in the form of Positioning Runs Saved—but the fielder will not.
What does all this look like in action? Let's consider Matt Chapman of the Oakland A's, one of baseball's top defensive players.
The current DRS system awarded him 18 Defensive Runs Saved for 2019. The new system, however, will have him at 34 Defensive Runs Saved. Stripping out positioning and including shift plays gives Chapman a significant boost.
Here's the breakdown at how we arrive at the new number:
* Range Runs Saved: +19
(+11 in non-shifts, +8 in shifts)
* Throwing Runs Saved: +11
(+10 in non-shifts, +1 in shifts)
* Air Ball Runs Saved: 0
* Other Runs Saved: +4
(Good Fielding Plays/Defensive Misplays, Double Plays, Bunts)
* Total Defensive Runs Saved: +34
What doesn't get included here is positioning, and the system calculates that Chapman accumulated -13 Positioning Runs Saved (-10 in non-shifts, -3 in shifts). Again, this number will still be included in the team total, but the individual player will not be penalized for it.
We can also see the gains for Chapman from including shift plays, as he was +8 for Range and +1 for Throwing in shifts. Even though the A's shifted the least of any team per BIS charting, that's a significant Runs Saved total that was previously uncredited to Chapman.
This data for Chapman and all other Major League players will soon be rolling out on, and it will also be featured in The Fielding Bible – Volume V (coming in the spring of 2020) and in The Bill James Handbook 2020 (out November 1).
 - Steve, the basis still does revolve around batted ball location, but it's more granular than traditional zones and there's also consideration for the trajectory and speed of the batted ball, among other variables.
 1. What is the process of ensuring that infielder positioning data is correct? Does this system use Statcast data for infielder positioning? If not, how is that data entered?
 - George, unfortunately we can't use Statcast data for our public metrics if the data isn't fully publicly available, and in this case, fielder positioning coordinates aren't fully available. The data is charted via video by our Video Scouts, with each positioning point being evaluated by two separate people to ensure it's as correct and complete as we can make it.
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The effect of calcium injection on the intracellular sodium and pH of snail neurones
R W Meech, R C Thomas
104 Citations (Scopus)
1. Ion-sensitive glass micro-electrodes were used to measure the intracellular pH (pHi) and the intracellular sodium ion concentration, [Na+]i, in identified Helix aspersa neurones. 2. The injection of small volumes of 0-1 McaCl2, which increased the membrane potential by 10-15 mV for 1-2 min, had little or no effect on [Na+]i. Increases of up to 1 mM in [Na+]i could be reversibly induced by larger injections. 3. Calcium injection caused an immediate decrease in pHi, which appeared to be directly proportional to the amount of calcium injected. Injections causing hyperpolarizations of 10-20 mV which recovered in 2-5 min caused pHi decreases of 0-04-0-15 units. After each of these injections both pHi and the membrane potential recovered exponentially but with different time constants. 4. The injection of calcium at a low rate could decrease pHi without affecting the membrane potential. 5. Neither membrane potential nor pHi were affected by the injection of small volumes of 0-1 M-MgCl2, Injection of CoCl2 produced a large transient decrease in pHi but no significant change in membrane potential. 6. Exposure of the cell to saline equilibrated with 2-5% CO2 greatly reduced the pHi decrease caused by calcium injection but had only small effects on the membrane potential response. 7. It is concluded that most of the injected calcium is exchanged for protons inside the cell.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)867-79
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Physiology
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - Mar 1977
 - Animals
 - Calcium
 - Carbon Dioxide
 - Helix (Snails)
 - Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
 - In Vitro Techniques
 - Membrane Potentials
 - Neurons
 - Sodium
 - Time Factors
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'The effect of calcium injection on the intracellular sodium and pH of snail neurones'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Cite this


text:
Legend for Color Coding
|10,000 feet or more|
|5,000 to 9,999 feet|
|3,000 to 4,499 feet|
|2,000 to 2,999 feet|
|1,000 to 1,999 feet|
|Below 1,000 ft|
About the Snapshot Year-Month Grid
- "-X" after a peak name means an unsuccessful ascent, for example "Rainier-X".
- A parenthetical name is a non-summit goal hike, for example, "(Snow Lake Hike)" or "(Rainier)".
- The Δ triangle symbol is a hyperlink to the detailed Ascent Page for that ascent. The peak name is a link to the Peak Page for that peak.
- The color of the cell shows how high, prominent, isolated, or high-quality the peak/ascent is, and the color ranges are shown in the legend to the left.
- If the color is based on altitude, prominence, or vertical gain, you can switch between meters-based ranges or feet-based ranges. These are set up to be generally equivalent.
This grid comes in seven "flavors", each one showing a different "top" peak for a month. The flavors or categories are:
- Highest Point Reached. Can be an unsucessful attempt or non-summit goal hike.
- Highest Peak Climbed. Sometimes not the same as highest point, if that point was an unsuccessful ascent or a non-summit goal hike.
- Most Prominent Peak climbed. Note that many peaks in the Peakbagger.com database do not yet have a prominence value.
- Most Isolated Peak climbed. Isolation values may not be 100% accurate, since most are cacluated to nearest higher peak in the database.
- Peak with most vertical gain hiked. Note that many climbers do not enter vertical gain information on their ascents. Also, if several summits are grouped in a "trip", then the total gain for all ascents in that trip is assigned to the trip high point.
- Peak with the highest "Quality" value--this is a subjective number from 1-10 given by the climber. Note that many climbers have not given any of their ascents quality numbers.
- Finally, "Top Ascents in All Categories", which shows, for each month, the unique peaks from all the 6 other categories. In many cases, one or two peaks will be the leader in the 6 categories, since often the highest peak climbed for a month is also the highest point reached, the most prominent peak, and the one with the most gain. But in some cases several peaks may appear for a month.
Notes on Regions:
- The "NJ-PA-MD" column includes DE and DC.
- The "Grt Lakes" column includes OH, IN, MI, IL, WI, and MN.
- The "Cent-Gulf" column includes IA, MO, AR, LA, MS, and FL.


Home Apps Blog Support Forum About
elegant software you can hold in your hand
MileTracker is a power tool that makes tracking your mileage the easiest available. Its elegant user interface and full features makes it an essential tool for every iPhone or iPad user wishing to track their mileage.
 1. Super easy to use!
 2. Once enabled, you can leave the app, turn off your phone, or keep the app open. Its up to you. Regardless the app will still keep track of your mileage.
 3. VERY accurate, within 1/10 of a mile over a 50 mile trip.
IMPORTANT: Our competition (rhymes with "MileJug") has been found to be extremely in accurate short changing you miles each time it is used. This costs you serious money! It has been found to be 10% and sometimes more off. That is 5 miles on a 50 mile trip. Ouch!! If you are getting $.565 per mile than that is the cost of the app every time you travel 50 miles.
 1. if you wish to record your odometer readings to track your mileage, it is easy within MileTracker.
 2. If you already know the mileage and want to enter it, you can do that too.
 3. Change the allowance if necessary.
 4. Convenient large keyboard with decimal point.
 1. Keep track of each leg of your travels
 2. Save the location either by
 3. 1.Using your current location
 4. 2.Getting the address from your Contacts list
 5. 3.Enter the address if you know it
 6. Assign a "nickname" to any location you save so it is easily recognized by you.
Optional Location Awareness add-on that will detect your current location and compare it with your list of frequent locations. If there is a match, it will pre-fill the start location if you create a new entry. If the entry already has a start location, the app will prompt you to and allow you to enter the stop location.
MileTracker allows several different ways to record your mileage. You can:
 1. Track your every move via your current GPS location
 (even when you are within another app or your device is off)
 1. Enter a start and stop location
 (enter an address or use your current GPS location)
 1. Enter a start and stop odometer reading
 2. Enter the total mileage if you already know it
Once you are done recording all of your mileage, the app does not stop there. You can easily email or export the information in either an Excel friendly format (CSV) or an attractive, finished PDF report. The app offers numerous report templates to create the report you need.
 1. Organize your mileage and expense entries in logs. Easily keeps everything nicely filed and easy to find.
 2. Create as many logs as you wish. Create a log for each week, each month, each year, you choose! Create a log for each trip if that is how you wish to organize your time records. Its all up to you.
MileTracker is the best choice among mileage tracking apps because:
 1. It has the MOST accurate LIVE tracking available.
Many other apps short change the mileage you have traveled by 10% and even more. MileTracker has been tested to calculate a 50 mile trip within 1/10 of a mile. Click here to check out our help video on our live mileage tracking feature.
 1. It is the most flexible of the mileage tracking app's allowing you to track mileage the way you prefer.
In addition to the high tech methods of tracking mileage, you can use your odometer readings if you wish. Click here to check out our help video on the different ways to tracking mileage here.
 1. It allows you to build a list of frequent used locations. Noting where you have visited is as easy as selected the location from a list.
 1. The app offers an easy to use method to organize your entries into "Logs."
 1. MileTracker is chock full of different preferences allowing to make it "your own.
You can choose to hide fields you to do now wish to use or show those not included by default. These extra fields include:
Client, Merchant, Project, plus more.
 1. The absolute most attractive PDF mileage reports available. Choose from one of many templates to create the report you need.
 1. Backup up your data to iCloud
Live Mileage Tracking
Mileage tracking and reporting
Keeping Track of the Places you Visit
(another way to track your mileage)
Enter your Odometer reading
(if that is how you wish to track your mileage)
 1. The app will remember the last stop odometer reading and will pre-fill that value for the new entry's start reading.
 2. Supports Multiple Vehicles and remembers the last stop odometer for each of your vehicles if you have more than one.
 3. Note: By default the Multiple Vehicle support is disabled but can be easily enabled in the MileTracker Prefs screen).
Sort Bar
Tap to toggle between total mileage and total $
Customize what appears on the 2nd line
(even enable optional 3rd line too)
Optional Multiple Vehicle Support
Indicate if it is
one-way or round trip
Optional Field
Flag as Business or Personal
Optional Fields
Hide or Show as you wish
Link files from your email
Over a dozen different PDF templates to choose from


4 Simple Checks To Pick A Ripe Avocado Every Time
With the ongoing, popular, even fanatic fad over the health benefits of avocados, stores selling them are definitely reaping huge profits. What's relieving is that this fad is actually true. There is more than sufficient evidence to consume this panacea fruit, also called the butter fruit for its irresistible creamy texture.
As you hustle your way through crowds around the avocado stock at the grocery store and finally make it to a pile of welcoming fruit, you scratch your head and wonder which ones are ripe and which ones are not. What you want is green and creamy on the inside, not disgusting brown slime or a spotted mess. Eating overripe avocados is not only unappealing but unhealthy as well, giving you all the more reason to master your ripe avocado selection process.
There are 4 simple checks you can do to pick a ripe avocados. You will soon know it like the back of your hand.
1. Visual Check
pick a dark colored avocado
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The color of an avocado can vary from light green to dark green to purplish and almost black. The general rule is: the darker, the more ripe. However, color is not a reliable marker for ripeness. Lighter fruits that may seem unripe may actually be ripe on the inside.
Checking for color can help you sort out more ripe fruits from less ripe ones from the visible color gradient in a bunch of avocados. This helps you narrow down the selection process.
Check for dents on the hardy skin of the fruit. Presence of any indentations implies that the fruit is overripe. Dents are easily formed when the fruit is overly soft and squashy, a characteristic of an overripe fruit.
Scan the avocado skin for blemishes. Avoid picking up ones with dark brown spots and bruises.
2. Consistency Check
If the fruit yields, it is ripe - Pick it up
If there are no dents or blemishes on the skin of
the fruit, go ahead and feel the fruit. Hold the avocado in the palm of your hand. Gently apply pressure on the fruit with your palm and fingers. Do not use your fingertips as you may bruise it.
Ripe: If the fruit yields, it is ripe.
Unripe: If the fruits yields only a little or doesn't yield and holds firm, it is unripe and will ripen in two or three days.
Overripe: If the fruit feels very mushy or soft, it may be very ripe to overripe and must be discarded.
When doing a consistency check, ensure you apply firm gentle pressure all over the fruit and not just near the stem—that's the part that ripens first. So, while you think the entire fruit is ripe, it may not actually be so.
3. Stem Check
stem check to pick a ripe avocado
This check gives you a peek inside the fruit, so you know what to expect. If the stem of the
fruit is still attached, tug at it. One of two things will happen:
 - The stem comes off easily: If you see green flesh underneath, the avocado is ripe and ready to eat. If you see brown flesh, the fruit is overripe and not fit for consumption.
 - The stem doesn't come off easily: This means the fruit is unripe.
4. Smell Check
Smell check to pick a ripe avocado
This is probably the first thing you will do anyway. Smell the avocados before you buy them. As common sense tells you, overripe fruits smell rancid.
And you will have successfully picked out the ripe avocados!
Do A Self Standardization
A good practice is to buy a few unripe avocados (the firm ones) and observe them over a few days. Note their change in color, feel, and even taste. You will soon gain mastery of spotting the ripe ones in a milieu of unripe and overripe ones.
Here are some things you should know about storing and
consuming avocados:
 - Ripe avocados should be consumed within two days of refrigeration.
 - To make dips or sandwich spreads, buy ripe avocados. For salads, a slightly less ripe fruit is apt.
 - If you intend to eat the avocados only after 4 or 5 days, say to prepare guacamole for a Sunday brunch, buy unripe ones and store them at room temperature. Depending on how unripe the fruits are when you purchase them and the temperature conditions of where you store them, their speed of ripening will vary. If the fruits ripen prematurely, stall the ripening process by refrigerating them for up to three days.


text:
Putting a new spin on galaxies: Horace W. Babcock, the Andromeda Nebula, and the dark matter revolution
Vanderburgh, William L.
MetadataShow full item record
Vanderburgh, William L. 2014. Putting a new spin on galaxies: Horace W. Babcock, the Andromeda Nebula, and the dark matter revolution. Journal for the History of Astronomy, vol. 45:pg 141-159:pt. 2
When a scientist is the first to perform a difficult type of observation and correctly interprets the result as a significant challenge to then-widely accepted core theories, and the result is later recognized as seminal work in a field of major importance, it is a surprise to find that that work was essentially ignored by the scientific community for thirty years. Such was the fate of the doctoral research on the rotations of the Andromeda Nebula (M31) conducted by Horace Welcome Babcock (1912–2003), who went on to become a very prominent astronomer — in an entirely different sub-field, never working on the subject of his dissertation again. This paper seeks to explain the 'non-reception' of Babcock's work on galactic dynamics and the reasons he did no further work in that sub-field. In particular this paper shows that, contrary to the claims of some commentators, the non-reception of Babcock's work should not be understood as an example of the unjust treatment of a young scientist by the conservative establishment.
Click on the DOI link to access the article (may not be free).


Green Patent Blog: Trademark Board Nixes Powertech's HYBRID GREEN Mark
One of the common hurdles green brand owners have to overcome to protect their brands is U.S. trademark law's proscription against registration of marks that are "merely descriptive" of the goods or services.
The rationale for this rule is that registering a generic or descriptive term would restrict competitors from conveying information about their goods or services.
Many of the terms used to signal environmentally friendly aspects of goods or services - terms such as "green" and "eco-" - are so immediately identified with those characteristics that they have become legally incapable of the distinctiveness required for U.S. trademark registration.
Powertech Industrial Ltd. (Powertech), a Taiwanese company, recently ran into this problem when it sought registration of the mark HYBRID GREEN UPS for "power supplies; mobile phone battery chargers; mobile phone battery charger stations; battery chargers; universal power supplies; power saving adapters; electric storage batteries; uninterruptible power supplies; AC/DC converters; power source stable adapters" in Class 9 (App-No-77176134).
After United Parcel Service (UPS) opposed registration, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (Board) ruled that the mark is unregistrable as merely descriptive of Powertech's electrical components (Powertech-Opinion).
Powertech had disclaimed the "UPS" element of the mark because it is a commonly used acronym for "uninterruptible power supply" (or "system") and is therefore a generic designation for the goods.
As to the remainder of the mark, one key piece of evidence of descriptiveness was a Powertech patent that uses the term "hybrid green uninterruptible power system" as a technical term of art to refer to the battery system:
when AC utility power is interrupted or an irregular voltage occurs, the secondary battery releases power, and the inverter inside the hybrid green uninterruptible power system inverts power from the secondary battery into AC power so that the hybrid green uninterruptible power system can provide the AC power to the external load via the AC power output ports and simultaneously provide one or more sets of additional DC power and the DC power output ports (emphasis added)
The Board also noted that a Powertech web page defined the terms "HYBRID" and "GREEN" with reference to specific features of the power system as providing AC and DC output simultaneously and energy savings, respectively.
Accordingly, the Board held the mark merely descriptive because Powertech is using the well understood terms "HYBRID" and "GREEN" consistently with the common meanings of the terms:
Applicant's adoption and usage of the words "hybrid" and "green" within "Hybrid Green UPS" is totally consistent with the commonly understood meanings of these respective words. The word "hybrid" is often used to describe a system consisting of two components performing similar functions. The word "green" is often used to describe something that is environmentally-friendly... it appears from Applicant's own literature that its involved devices function in both the AC and back-up DC modes - the "hybrid" characteristic - and that the energy efficiencies of these products will tend to preserve environmental quality - or be "green."
Another "GREEN" mark bites the dust.
View more from the Green Patent Blog.
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DMP File Extension - What is it and how to open DMP format - Review
Opening DMP files
Have a problem opening a.DMP file? We collect information about file formats and can explain what DMP files are. Additionally we recommend software suitable for opening or converting such files.
What is the.DMP file type?
The.dmp filename extension is mainly associated with the Memory Dump/Minidump (DMP) file format and file type used in Microsoft (MS) Windows operating systems. A.dmp file is a binary file that contains a verbatim copy of a certain area of the machine's RAM (Random Access Memory). Dump files are usually saved if and after an application has crashed and are used as diagnostic 'black box' data to be later analyzed for clues to possible causes of a crash.
In Windows,.dmp files are usually created by the'savedump.exe' system tool and can be processed by several available debugging utilities. Windows saves minidumps (64/128 Kb) at the '%SystemRoot%\Minidump' directory, while kernel memory and full memory dumps are saved at the system root as 'Memory.dmp' files.
Memory dump files are quite large and can take up much storage space. If they are not needed for debugging purposes,.dmp files can be safely deleted, either manually or with the standard 'Clean disk' wizard in Windows.
In databases, the.dmp extension is used in backup and recovery database files created and used by Oracle database products. Oracle DMP files are database backups and can be imported/restored into a running database instance via a database server. It is common practice to use date and time stamps as filenames of.dmp files.
Software to open or convert DMP files
You can open DMP files with the following programs:
Popular formats


text:
Crib Point Satellite Earth Station: celebrating 20 years of service
30 November 2012
Crib Point Satellite Earth Station is the only dedicated weather-related Satellite Earth Station (SES) in Australia, forming a critical part of the Bureau's operations. Located at the HMAS Cerberus Naval Training Base on Westernport Bay in Victoria, the station is now celebrating 20 years of distinguished service.
Essential weather information
The station houses sophisticated communications equipment for receiving satellite data and has extended Australia's access to satellite images over the Indian Ocean.
It provides essential information for forecasting and climate services, for Australian industries such as defence, aviation and shipping, as well as emergency services.
Crib Point Satellite Earth Station.
Crib Point exemplifies 20 years of international cooperation between the Bureau, the China Meteorological Administration and Japan Meteorological Agency. Jointly, we have contributed to the World Weather Watch program of the World Meteorological Organization.
The station currently receives data for:
- Japan's Multi-functional Transport Satellites (MTSAT) geostationary series
- China's FengYun-2 geostationary satellite series
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting satellites
- NASA's AQUA, TERRA and Suomi NPP satellites.
Important part of the satellite infrastructure
The station at Crib Point is an important part of the meteorological satellite infrastructure, which includes:
- Geostationary satellites: located over the equator, providing hourly satellite coverage of the Australian region
- Polar-orbiting satellites: providing higher resolution coverage of the Australian region every six hours
- NOAA polar-orbiting satellites: carrying many instruments for imaging and'sounding' the atmosphere as well as telemetry for Data Collection Platform (DCP) operations. These instruments play an important role in:
- monitoring the atmosphere for severe weather events such as severe thunderstorms and tropical cyclones
- monitoring for search and rescue beacons, capsized vessels or planes lost at sea
- tracking and locating herds of migratory animals and birds
- fighting international piracy through tracking transmitters previously housed in 20 and 40 ft containers.
Built in 1991
Crib Point Satellite Earth Station was built in 1991 to host a Chinese Turn Around Ranging Station (C-TARS) to track and maintain the position of China's first geostationary meteorological satellite, Feng Yun 2. It 'turns around', or receives and retransmits signals sent via the Feng Yun satellite from the Central Control Station in China.
In 1994, the service was upgraded for Japan's GMS-4 and GMS-5 satellites (J-TARS).
Since then, Crib Point Satellite Earth Station has been providing a range of services outlined above.
Origins of Australia's role
Australia's role began just before the Japan Meteorological Agency's launch of GMS-1 (Himawari) in 1977. This was the first geostationary meteorological satellite that covered the Asia-Pacific area, including Australia. It brought a quantum leap in meteorological analysis and forecasting, providing the Bureau with satellite data every three hours. Before this, we received non-corrected satellite data every 12 hours from the polar-orbiting satellites.
Our first Turn Around Ranging Station (known as TARS 1) was set up at the request of the Japanese Government. It ensured their GMS satellite could be located accurately above the earth's surface at all times. In 1985, the Australian and Japanese governments signed an agreement on the operation of Japan's current and future geostationary meteorological satellites. We received satellite data from their GMS satellites, and operated the TARS 2 in return.


On tablets and convertible devices, Windows 10 can control their motion sensor to rotate the desktop to landscape or portrait mode automatically depending on the orientation of the screen.
However, sometimes auto-rotation in desktop or tablet mode may stop working for no apparent reason, or the "Rotation lock" option may appear grayed out making it impossible for Windows 10 to turn the screen to the correct orientation automatically.
If auto-rotation isn't working after covering your troubleshooting basics, such as checking for updates and restarting your device, there are a number of steps you can follow to fix this issue.
In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through five solutions you can try to get screen rotation working again on your tablet or convertible.
How to fix screen auto-rotation problems on Windows 10
Disconnecting peripherals
If you're using a 2-in-1 device like the Surface Pro, accessories, such as a detachable keyboard or dock can cause screen rotation problems.
To check if an accessory is causing rotation problems, do the following:
 1. Disconnect the keyboard, dock, or external display.
 2. Change the orientation of the device to see if it rotates automatically.
Checking screen rotation settings
It's also likely that you might have accidentally turned on the rotation lock option that prevents your device from rotating. If this is the case, do the following:
 1. Use the Windows key + A keyboard shortcut to open Action Center.
 2. Click the Expand button.
 3. Click the Rotation lock to turn it off.
 - Quick Tip: You can also control this option under Scale and layout on Settings > System > Display.
 4. Change the orientation of the device to see if it rotates automatically.
In certain devices, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro, Windows 10 will lock screen rotation and disable the "Rotation lock" option when a keyboard is attached and in a typing position. However, folding the keyboard or closing the device will release the lock and the screen will once again rotate automatically.
Running troubleshooter
If the screen will still not rotate, you can use the Sensors Troubleshooter to fix the problem.
 1. Download the Sensor Troubleshooter from Microsoft.
 2. Double-click the SensorDiagnosticTablet.diagcab to launch the experience.
 3. Click the Next button.
 4. The utility will scan, detect, and fix common problems with the sensors on your computer, including the motion sensor.
 5. Click the Close button.
After completing the steps, try to change the orientation of the device to see if auto-rotation works.
Updating motion sensor driver
Although it's rare, the rotation problem could be caused by a driver issue. If this is the case, you should try updating the sensors driver.
You can check this guide to learn the steps on how to update a device driver. If you're using Device Manager, typically, this device will appear under "Sensor I/O devices" or "Sensors."
Fixing screen auto-rotation grayed out
If you have tried all the solutions, and you continue to see the rotation lock option grayed out, even after disconnecting the keyboard, dock, or disabling the external display, then do the following:
 3. Browse the following path:
 - Quick Tip: On the Windows 10 Creators Update and later, you can now copy and paste the path into the new Registry's address bar to quickly jump to the key destination.
 4. Double-click the Enable DWORD and make sure the value is set to 1.
 5. Click OK.
 6. Double-click the LastOrientation DWORD and make sure the value is set to 0.
 7. Click OK.
 8. Double-click the SensorPresent DWORD and make sure the value is set to 1.
 9. Click OK.
 10. Double-click the SlateEnable DWORD and make sure the value is set to 1.
 11. Click OK.
Once you've completed the steps, restart your device to see if auto-rotation works again.
If any of these DWORDs are missing from the AutoRotation key, you'll have to create them manually:
 1. While in the Registry, right-click the AutoRation key, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.
 2. Enter the name of the key that is missing and press Enter.
 3. Double-click the newly DWORD key and make sure its value is set as described on steps No. 4, 6, 8, and 10 in the above instructions depending on the key you're creating.
After completing the steps, restart your device and try to change the screen orientation to see if it works.
In the case, you're still having issues, you can ask in the Windows Central forums for additional help.
More Windows 10 resources


A group of designers has created a set of artificial butterflies made entirely from recycled mobile phones that interact differently when existing smartphones make contact with them.
Working with mobile operator O2 and its official O2 Recycle scheme, design company is this good? designed the butterflies to show that there is use for old phones beyond the end of a user's contract.
Chris Cairns, creative director at is this good?, said: "We wanted to give the 'old and forgotten' a new lease of life and showcase the fact that even the discarded can emerge as something new and beautiful, which is what up-cycling and O2 Recycle is all about.
"We hoped that, by creating 'Social Butterflies', we would raise a smile and remind people that we can create moments of recognition and happiness out of products we have previously loved and now overlook. Each of these butterflies have their own little personality quirks so I'm looking forward to the members of the public starting up a conversation with them."
The butterflies have each been mounted on a plinth and connected to a tablet that displays a phone number. If users ring the number shown on the tablet screen, the butterfly in question comes to life, and the way they have been programmed means that each robot reacts differently when called, using the digits in a number to prompt individual reactions.
Interactions range from light shows, to lasers and flapping wings that consist of smartphone screens. Is this good? say they took around seven months to create, and involved spending time at the Natural History Museum in London in order to study the butterflies there and gain inspiration for their final designs.
Bill Eyres, head of sustainability at O2, said: "We can see this project creating a type of 'butterfly effect'. As people experience this amazing recycled technology, we hope they will be inspired to regularly recycle their old devices. Many people don't realise that their old technology can have a second life.
"There's an environmental need to dig out old gadgets so they can be used again, rather than lying unused and unloved in a drawer. O2 Recycle offers a simple, sustainable way to recycle unused gadgets and receive a cash payment in return. We all have a role to play in making sure that old technology lives on even when we've finished with it."
Hardware from a range of different mobile phones has been used, with the designers taking inspiration from the different components found within each in order to apply it to a butterfly.
Marek Bereza, co-founder of is this good?, said: "We wanted to show people that their phones aren't junk after two years and they're actually quite valuable and quite beautiful. We've used lots of different bits of phones, just searching for the aesthetic qualities. One has a beautiful gold and green printed circuit board. Another one we used just SIM cards, cladding it like scales or feathers."
O2 hopes to place the butterflies in shop windows in UK stores in order to promote their recycling campaign, as well as give consumers the chance to interact with the robotic insects.


allergic reaction. The polyvalent serum, very useful when we are not sure of the species responsible of the bite, requires, as average, much greater doses than the specific monovalent serum and therefore, in Australia, when the species is sure, they prefer to utilize the last one, which needs fewer unities for getting the same effect. The polyvalent would more easily cause, therefore, anaphylactic reactions.
The serum against the venom of the tiger snakes was first synthesized around the 1929, that against the venom of the common taipan in 1955 and that for the death adder in 1959, whilst the polyvalent saw the light in 1962. Not very recent statistics reported about 200 bites per year treated with serum in Australia, but, whilst before 1929 the mortality rate was almost of the 50%, in 1976 it had fallen to 5 or 6 cases per year, in 1979 only one case of death (at least among the treated ones) was reported, and from 1978 to 1981 no deaths at all were known.

→ For general notions about Serpentes please click here.
→ To appreciate the biodiversity within the SNAKES please click here.


Brian Switek: How did bones evolve? © Getty Images
Brian Switek: How did bones evolve?
Fossil fanatic Brian Switek explains what a bone actually is, and why they are so important in human history.
Brian Switek, the pen name of science writer and fossil fanatic Riley Black, this year released a book called The Secret Life of Bones: Their Origins, Evolution and Fate (£9.99, Duckworth). In it, she explains how and why we evolved bones, and explains the relationship we humans have with these sturdy struts of osseous tissue.
In this week's episode of the Science Focus Podcast, she helpfully explains what a bone is and how they turn into fossils, as well as how they revealed Richard III's diet and were historically used to justify scientific racism, and why Hollywood is getting aliens all wrong.
Let us know what you think with a review or a rating wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:


text:
You and your all natural dog can benefit from many different types of clay.
Types of Healing Clays:
There are many types of healing clays found throughout the world. Here are the most common:
Bentonite is a green clay that has a high absorption rate and a unique chemical structure. The surface particles are both negatively and positively charged. Bentonite can soak up all sorts of wee beasties. Clay is similar to an ant in that it can carry particles three to four times its size and hold on to them as they travel through and outside the body.
Montmorillonite is popularly known as French Green Clay. Montmorillonite gets its green color from the algae-rich dried up sea beds of the Mediterranean. This type of clay is safe- it is perfect to consume internally. When soaked with spring or purified water, Montmorillonite binds to toxins and holds them safely so they can be excreted out of the body. This makes French Green Clay invaluable for removing blood toxins, bacteria, and heavy metals.
Montmorillonite clay also has anti-inflammatory properties. It is high in silica and supports the production of fascia and connective tissue to help decongest arthritic and muscular conditions. Therapeutic use of French Green Clay could help to relieve symptoms of arthritis in elderly dogs.
Illite is a fine particle- It does not swell when soaked. This green clay is rich in sea minerals. It helps support the body's own healing mechanisms by having the highest adsorption rate. Illite is a magnet for toxins and it is by far the best choice for detoxification purposes.
Redmond Clay can be used internally and externally. It's high sodium and calcium content make it perfect for topically drawing out infections and bacteria due to it's polarity that attracts those nasty bugs. Redmond clay can be used for joint care, insect bites, stings, and topical inflammations.


text:
'The income divide in Australia: the return of class-based politics?', Australian Independent Media Network, 19 May 2016
Gets beyond the politics of campaigning to look at some statistics – some of which have been used previously in the posts under our Inequality thumbnail – and put some points in perspective. The author believes there are informal protocols in Australian politics which preclude the discussion of increasing inequality, even while government policies are contributing to that inequality. There is a fall-back on 'trickle-down economics', under which wealth accruing to the privileged gradually permeates to the rest of society. The article includes graphs on wages growth, the class divide and party identification.


text:
[en] Pulsations ; oscillations ; and stellar seismology ; Low-amplitude blue variables ; Main-sequence: early-type stars
[en] γ Doradus (γ Dor) are F-type stars pulsating with high order g-modes. Their instability strip (IS) overlaps the red edge of the δ Scuti δ Sct) one. This observation has led to search for objects in this region of the HR diagram showing p and g-modes simultaneously. The existence of such hybrid pulsators has recently been confirmed and the number of candidates is increasing (e.g. ). From a theoretical point of view, non-adiabatic computations including a time-dependent treatment of convection (TDC) predict the existence of γ Dor/δ Sct hybrid pulsators (, ). Our aim is to confront the properties of the observed hybrid candidates with the theoretical predictions from non-adiabatic computations of non-radial pulsations including the convection-pulsation interaction.


text:
Hmmm, I realize my question wasn't clear at all. I found the answer by myself, but I will explain it here so that other people can find it.
Houdini uses its own 3d lut format for the display of images in "mplay", its image viewer. The lut reads scene linear images and must do the conversion to screen display. Since the input images can range in floating point values from zero to well above 1, the lut needs a 1D shaper lut at the input to "reshape" the values between 0 and 1. Usually, we use a log shaper for that.
I made a few experiments in Nuke to test how high the sRGB ODT can read values before clipping. I used a ramp from black to float valut 50.0 in an image 5000 pixels wide. I applied the ODT to it and sampled the image using the sampler node. AT the top of the graph, when I zoomed in, I could see exactly where the ODT clips the values. I could easily calculate the highest values the ODT can display before clipping: 16.29325. Anything above that will be display as white 1.0.
So I need a shaper 1D-lut that can handle values as high as 16.3 to compress the values inside the range 0-1. The ACES OCIO config comes with multiple shapers in the Utility family. I tries several of them and did the same experiment to see how high they can go. All 48 nits shapers (LMT shaper, Log2 48 nits shaper, Dolby PQ 48 nits shaper) have the same range as the sRGB ODT (0-16.3) so any of them will do.
Here is the command to use to generate the lut
ociobakelut --inputspace ACEScg --outputspace "Output - sRGB" --shaperspace "Utility - Log2 48 nits shaper - AP1" --iconfig OpenColorIO-Configs/aces_1.0.3/config.ocio --format houdini --v ACEScg_to_ODT-sRGB_houdini.lut
And here is the lut file if anyone needs it.


Knowledge.ToString()
Stop DTS Package Execution Conditionally Without Failure
There is no straight way in DTS to stop the package on a certain condition without having it fail. Suppose in DTS package is suppose to be executed everyday at 8:00AM. This package is looking for a file c:\abc.txt. If the file has not arrived, it should gracefully stop without reporting any error. If the file has arrived then process the file and report success. This situation is handled by a bit of programming. Write down the following code in ActiveX Script Task.
Dim fso, file1
Dim pkg
SET pkg = DTSGlobalVariables.Parent

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

IF (fso.FileExists("c:\abc.txt")) THEN
 Msgbox "File exist. Continue"
 pkg.Steps("DTSStep_DTSActiveScriptTask_2").DisableStep=False

 Set fso= Nothing

ELSE
 Msgbox "Stop"
 pkg.Steps("DTSStep_DTSActiveScriptTask_2").DisableStep=True
END IF
set pkg=nothing
Main = DTSTaskExecResult_Success
What this does is disables the second step and hence the whole sequence of task is automatically disabled. so the Task1 will report success and DTS package execution will be completed without executing task 2 and onwards. You can download the dts package example and try to run it on your computer. It looks for file c:\abc.txt. If this file exists, it will run total 3 task with result SUCCESS. If the file is not found, it will run only Task1 with result SUCCESS.
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Comments
11 responses to "Stop DTS Package Execution Conditionally Without Failure"
 1. phaniraj Avatar
 phaniraj
 excellent article
 2. Alex Avatar
 Alex
 Cheers for this example. Helped me out!
 3. Anthony Avatar
 Anthony
 I can't get this to work for me. I'm getting an error code:0, expected end of statement in the first line. Appreciate if someone can help or advise. I'm I missing something?
 Thanks.
 4. kanthi Avatar
 kanthi
 Thanks a lot Vishal. I have been searching about this for a long time.
 5. TG Avatar
 TG
 Vishal.
 This is awesome. I have a peer trying it for days but could not do it. I surfed and came to your blog…BINGO.
 Thanks a ton
 6. Jeff Avatar
 Jeff
 Thank you.
 7. Jen Avatar
 Jen
 This is perfect for my validation step.. Best.
 8. Developer Avatar
 Developer
 Perfect!
 Many thanks.. saved alot of time
 9. Arthi Avatar
 Arthi
 Great!!! Big help to find this………
 10. Alan Avatar
 Alan
 Thanks a lot, it's perfect !
 11. Wooballoo Avatar
 Wooballoo
 Fantastic – saved a lot of time!!!!
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Crime scene management skills
Crime scene management skills are an extremely important component of an investigation because evidence that originates at the crime scene will provide a picture of events for the court to consider in its deliberations. Locard's exchange principle argues that during the commission of a crime, evidence transfer occurs between the victim, suspect, and scene. In this paper, you will identify the key elements of crime scene management, the function served by each, as well as repercussions of allowing a scene to become contaminated or not establishing a solid chain of custody. Support your paper with examples from this week's required material(s) and/or a minimum of three other scholarly or credible resources and properly cite any references.
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, please review the following:
You are also strongly encouraged to review the recommended resources, as they will help you explore the different types of evidence, as well as proper packaging and processing.
In your paper, address the following:
 - Explain why it is important to secure the crime scene and provide examples.
 - Identify possible ways that evidence might be contaminated.
 - Identify different methods that might be necessary to document evidence at a crime scene.
 - Identify different collection methods that might be used at a crime scene.
 - Explain chain of custody and why it is important.
 - Identify the repercussions of failure to protect evidence or establish chain of custody.
 - Explain how an investigator or forensic expert differentiates between what is or is not evidence.
The Crime Scene Management paper
 - Must include a separate title page with the following:
 - Title of paper
 - Student's name
 - Course name and number
 - Instructor's name
 - Date submitted


Zoonosis Diagnostic
As Limbach Group reference laboratory for zoonosis diagnostics, all required test methods are established within our company. Furthermore, there is a high level of consultancy expertise for both, senders and colleagues of other Limbach Group laboratories.
Zoonosis are infections transmitted directly or indirectly from animals to humans. For identifying such infections special serological, cultural and molecular biological methods are necessary.
Your contact:
> Prof. Dr. med. Nele Wellinghausen,
 medical specialist for microbiology, virology and infection epidemiology, medical specialist for laboratory medicine
> Dr. med. Ralitsa Ivanova
> Dr. rer. nat. Susanne Deininger, Diplom-biologist
> Andrea Götz, Diplom-biologist


text:
The NFL's rules protect quarterbacks, and for good reason. There simply aren't enough of them who can perform at a high level.
The protections include preventing certain hits on quarterbacks and permitting certain behaviors aimed at allowing quarterbacks to avoid otherwise legal hits. The Panthers propose limiting the latter.
Specifically, Carolina has proposed a rule change aimed at expanding the definition of intentional grounding, on the basis that the current rule doesn't adequately prevent fouls.
Here's the current rule: "It is a foul for intentional grounding if a passer,facing an imminent loss of yardage because of pressure from the defense, throws a forward pass without a realistic chance of completion. A realistic chance of completion is defined as a pass that lands in the direction and the vicinity of an originally eligible receiver. If a player intentionally throws a ball to the ground, it is intentional grounding, unless the receiver is surrounded by defenders on an attempted screen pass."
The proposal would remove this sentence: "A realistic chance of completion is defined as a pass that lands in the direction and the vicinity of an originally eligible receiver."
The only problem is that the revised rule would leave the term "realistic chance of completion" undefined. But maybe the wisdom of the proposal is that "realistic chance of completion" doesn't need to be defined. Maybe common sense should apply, since the current definition of "realistic chance of completion" is completely nonsensical.
A pass that "lands in the direction and the vicinity of an originally eligible receiver" doesn't necessarily have a "realistic chance of completion." A pass that has a realistic chance of completion has a "realistic chance of completion," and fans tends to know it when they see it.
As the rule is currently written and interpreted, the quarterback needs to do little more than spike the ball for intentional grounding to be avoided. So if the current rule is going to remain in place, why not just let a quarterback who is feeling the heat spike the ball?
That would make far more sense than the current rule, which lets the dart not just miss the board but fail to even strike the wall.


text:
Computer Models How Buds Grow Into Leaves
Posted on March 02, 2012 at 08:24:51 am
"A bud does not grow in all directions at the same rate," said Samantha Fox from the John Innes Centre on Norwich Research Park. "Otherwise leaves would be domed like a bud, not flat with a pointed tip."
By creating a computer model to grow a virtual leaf, the BBSRC-funded scientists managed to discover simple rules of leaf growth.
-ADVERTISEMENT-Similar to the way a compass works, plant cells have an inbuilt orientation system. Instead of a magnetic field, the cells have molecular signals to guide the axis on which they grow. As plant tissues deform during growth, the orientation and axis changes.
The molecular signals become patterned from an early stage within the bud, helping the leaf shape to emerge.
The researchers filmed a growing Arabidopsis leaf, a relative of oil seed rape, to help create a model which could simulate the growing process. They were able to film individual cells and track them as the plant grew.
It was also important to unpick the workings behind the visual changes and to test them in normal and mutant plants.
"The model is not just based on drawings of leaf shape at different stages," said Professor Enrico Coen. "To accurately recreate dynamic growth from bud to leaf, we had to establish the mathematical rules governing how leaf shapes are formed."
With this knowledge programmed into the model, developed in collaboration with Professor Andrew Bangham's team at the University of East Anglia, it can run independently to build a virtual but realistic leaf.
Professor Douglas Kell, Chief Executive of BBSRC said: "This exciting research highlights the potential of using computer and mathematical models for biological research to help us tackle complex questions and make predictions for the future. Computational modelling can give us a deeper and more rapid understanding of the biological systems that are vital to life on earth."
The model could now be used to help identify the genes that control leaf shape and whether different genes are behind different shapes.
"This simple model could account for the basic development and growth of all leaf shapes," said Fox. "The more we understand about how plants grow, the better we can prepare for our future -- providing food, fuel and preserving diversity."


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- General Chemistry
Why do Solutions of Ions Conduct Electricity?
This content was STOLEN from BrainMass.com - View the original, and get the solution, here!
1) Name this compound: Bel2
2) Solid salt does not conduct electricity. How then does dissolving salt in water allow electricity to flow?
© BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com September 19, 2018, 3:55 am ad1c9bdddf - _URL_
Reasons for conduction of electricity by solutions are described below.


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The Open Air Water-Power Museum in Dimitsana (Peloponnese) is a thematic museum centred on the importance of hydraulic power in traditional societies, which presents the basic pre-industrial techniques using water as their main source of energy to produce various goods.
In an area covering a stremma (1,000m2 or 10,764ft2 – roughly a quarter of an acre), in the midst of luxuriant vegetation and abundant streams, a complex of water-powered installations and machinery has been restored, so as to integrate them into a museum on waterpower. Each of the buildings housing the old traditional workshops has been renovated and now has a permanent exhibition whose thematic content concerns the workshop it is in:
The first building houses a fulling tub and a flourmill. Up to the mid-20th century, a score of (covered or open-air) fulling-tubs functioned in the vicinity of Dimitsana, where woven woollen fabrics were washed (different kinds of blankets, bedcovers and rugs). The art of the fuller (or dristeliari, as he was called locally) resided in his capacity to correctly judge the immersion time of each type of woven textile. Next to it, a flourmill with a horizontal paddle-wheel has been restored. Here the visitor can drop corn kernels into the grain hopper and watch how they are ground by the millstones and via the meal spout fall into the flour bin. The adjoining small room with a fireplace was the miller's house, where his -usually largefamily spread out the bedding each night in the loft and slept in rows side by side. Outside the mill, a rough shelter was erected, similar to the one protecting the raki still that was set up after the grape harvest each year to make tsipouro (a kind of schnapps or eau de vie) from the skins of the pressed grapes, and which would function night and day for 3-4 days. Exactly opposite it, there is a two-storey building, with the tanner's house above and the tannery just below it.
The workshop's interior is divided into "zones" corresponding to the different stages of processing animal hides. The first is for the "waters" (the soaking process), the liming and the preparatory stages in general (scudding, deliming, bating). The second contains a series of "limbes" (vats) for the actual tanning, followed by a well-ventilated zone, used for hanging out and drying the tanned hides in the shade. Lastly, a well-lit corner was reserved for the retanning or currying work (which gives the leather the required properties depending on the use it is destined for).
The stone-paved path leads to a flat area, where a natural reservoir has formed, and ends at the gunpowder mill. Dimitsana was one of scores of villages where, from the 16th century onwards, raw potassium nitrate (saltpetre) was collected and handed over to the Ottoman Turks as a tax in kind. During the 1821 Greek War of Independence against Ottoman rule, the inhabitants of Dimitsana played an active part in providing the Greek combatants with the necessary material for ammunition. In his memoirs, Kolokotronis, chief of the irregular troops in the Peloponnese, wrote: "Gunpowder we had, Dimitzana made it".
Gunpowder is a strong element of the region's cultural identity and remains alive in the memory and tales of its inhabitants. It is precisely this historical identity that the Museum brings to the fore by reconstructing the type of powder mill with pestles, which was used in Dimitsana during the 1821 Revolution and up to the early 20th century, simultaneously preserving this particular technology of gunpowder production, which disappeared in the rest of Europe in the 18th century.
After leaving the Museum, visitors can continue their perambulation in the Loussios gorge by following the path that begins at the Museum, descends to the village of Paliochori, continues on to the traditional bridge of Monopori, wends it way first to the monastery of Philosophos and then to the Prodromos monastery, before ending in ancient Gortyna.


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Growing Food - Nurturing People
Controlled Environment Horticulture (CEH)
CEH, a 501 (c) (3) corporation is increasing it's
production of food utilizing indoor hydroponic technology and sustainable
outdoor gardens at our greenhouse complex in the Borough of Franklin Park .
This important component of our Farm to Table Project builds upon our original
mission to use hydroponics and gardening for horticultural therapy and the
training and employment of persons with disabilities . Phase 1 of the project
includes expansion of the existing hydroponic production of lettuce , herbs ,
microgreens and specialty food items ; expansion of the outdoor gardens and
education programs ; and the introduction of apiaries and chicken coops.
Start up of the project has been funded and
implemented with the collaboration of CEH tenants Sewickley Creek Greenhouse
and REAP. The outdoor gardens were constructed by students from the Community
College of Allegheny County which has managed a Vocational Education program
for persons needing learning supports at the CEH greenhouse complex for the
past 20 years . Students in this program
and individuals from the Watson Institute , LifesWork of Western Pa and several
local high schools will be involved in the future construction and operation of
all project components . All participants will be exposed to the concept of the
production of local , nutritious food and in time these concepts will be
formally added to the training programs . During the early stages most produce
has been distributed to employees and students . An initial sale of lettuce was
made to the Pittsburgh Food Kitchen and CEH anticipates future opportunities to
work with local food banks and organizations that are participating in efforts to
make local nutritious food available to vulnerable populations. CEH plans to
make the project a community asset.
Implementation of this Farm to Table Project will
utilize the same social enterprise model and collaborative efforts that have
allowed CEH to provide training to more than 500 individuals with various
disabilities since 1994. All vocational and life skill development programs are
integrated into the production of flowers , vegetable plants and other horticultural
products that when sold generate the revenue to sustain CEH .
CEH and it's partners are looking forward to the
ongoing benefits this project can provide to the programs hosted at our
greenhouse and to other's in the area that have similar missions .


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First the context. There are two similar words that cannot be confused:
- Millar → Conjunto de mil unidades. → Set of one thousand elements.
- Millón → Mil millares. → One million.
I've seen a couple of times the word millar used when millón should be used, I think because the former is less used since there are other ways to express its meaning, e.g.:
Millares de personas salieron a las calles
Miles de personas salieron a las calles
Thousands of people marched on the streets.
My question is the following:
Is it advisable to use miles instead of millares to avoid confusion, or is their difference actually understood among Spanish speaking people?


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Mumbai: A study by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has recommended drainage systems and groundwater holding ponds as measures to prevent flooding. Flood vulnerability and mitigation assessment conducted in Dadar, Lower Parel and Kurla region aimed at understanding ways to prevent flooding of railway tracks during monsoon.
IIT Bombay carried out the study after the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) approached the mitigation assessment to establish future mitigation measures for the flooding of railway tracks during the monsoon, thereby shutting down local rail services.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been asked to provide a sewerage system to transport sewage from the basins so that sewage does not flow into the sewers.
The IIT-Bombay report summarizes, "The latest data on population, topography, existing drainage and available data is needed to provide the drainage system. There is no such data available for the present study.
Furthermore, the report suggests an additional holding pond to prevent water from flowing into the basin between Dadar and Parel.
"In its current form, the holding pond and pumping station system supplies only about 10 percent of the watershed contributing to the flooding of Dadar and Parel. Flooding from the Dadar Hindmata area caused flooding in the railway premises. The underground holding pool in the stadium is recommended as a permanent holding pool, "the report said.
The report also suggests additional railway side drains along the rails in Kurla, installation of latest rain gauges, widening of existing drains and construction of new drains to prevent flooding on railway rails.
In 2021, local rail services will be shut down for 15 hours in June on the central rail network.


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Comparing levels of homoplasy in the primate skeleton.
Hard-tissue morphological characters (bones and teeth) are a primary source of information about the evolutionary history of primates. These tissues are commonly found as isolated elements in the fossil record and studied as three separate partitions: the dentition, the cranium, and the postcranium. The relative phylogenetic utility of characters from each partition is often called into question with respect to varying amounts of homoplasy. In this paper, the consistency index (CI) was used to measure levels of homoplasy in each data partition for a sample of fossil and living primates. Sources of bias in the collection and treatment of data and in the internal structure of the data set are addressed. These biases include number of taxa, number of characters, ordering of characters, amounts of polymorphically scored or missing data, and character-state distribution. The results of this study suggest that the levels of homoplasy are very similar, though the postcranial data may be slightly less homoplastic than either the dental or cranial data.
Volume / Issue
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Pubmed Central ID
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
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Famine and the Final Years
DOI link for Famine and the Final Years
Famine and the Final Years book
In June 1845 Loch had claimed in his own defence that there had been no calamitous famine in Sutherland since 1817. In the following November the first fears of the potato blight were reported from the Highlands. During that winter there was little panic, and the disease does not appear to have caught hold of Sutherland crops. But great care was taken to persuade the people to preserve their potato seed for the coming season.


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The ruins of a Buddhist temple dating back 1,500 years ago have been discovered in China's largest desert, offering valuable research material for historians studying Buddhism's spread from India to China.
As one of the largest sand deserts in the world, the Taklimakan Desert covers an area of 330,000 square kilometers and houses numerous ancient ruins. [File photo]
The temple's main hall, with a rare structure based around three square-shaped corridors and a huge Buddha statue - now missing - has been uncovered after two months of hard work in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dr Wu Xinhua, the leading archaeologist of the excavation project, said yesterday.
"The hall is the largest of its kind found in the Taklimakan Desert since the first archaeologist came to the area in the 20th century," said Wu, also head of the Xinjiang archeological team of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The ruins are in the south of the Taklimakan Desert, in the Tarim Basin, known as the Damago Oasis in the ancient kingdom of Khotan, a Buddhist civilization thought to date to the 3rd century BC.
Temple halls with square-shaped corridors stemmed from early Buddhist architecture in India, and gradually disappeared after the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420AD-589AD), when Buddhist architecture in China began to pick up its own characteristics, according to Xiao Huaiyan, a member of the excavation team and a former researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
It is so far the best Buddhist site for scholars to study how the religion arrived in China, and its early development in the country, said Wu.


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- Author / Illustrator: Ellen Stoll Walsh
- Grade Range/Level Recommendation: young reader (2-6 yrs.)
Summary: 3 mice are being chased by a cat. They escape into a pile of shapes. They start to play with the shapes and end up finding a way to scare the cat away.
Themes: imagination, problem solving, working together, shapes
- Why do you think the cat was scared away?
- What would you have done to save yourself from the cat if you were one of the mice?
- Make a mouse from shapes.
- Make a flannel board set of shapes that can be used for retelling and expanding imagination for building other objects.
Comment: Fun, simple, so appropriate for preschoolers.
Mouse Count and Mouse Paint both by Ellen Stoll Walsh


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Broadcasters historically have tried to remain on the air during emergency events like major storms, earthquakes and other forces of nature. Often times, commercial power is interrupted, and thus, the backup power generator is installed. Propane powered generators for medium duty (powers up to 45 KW) are popular because of the decreased environmental hazards, availability and expense of fuel, ease of maintenance and repair. This sized generator can run the critical loads of a studio facility or a transmitter site with TPO's between 5 and 10 KW.
Most propane generators use a gasoline engine modified to use propane. These generators can also use natural gas, however, because natural gas has slightly less energy, the generator's service rating is reduced by about 10 percent.
The biggest error I consistently see with propane generators is improper fuel tank sizing. It might seem just fine to plop a 500 gallon tank down next to a 45 KW generator and expect everything to be just fine. 500 Gallons may sound like a lot of fuel, but the more important consideration is tank vaporization, that is to say, how fast can the liquid propane can be removed from the tank for use. Propane fuel companies should be able to sizing these things correctly, most of them have books and charts that tell what capacities and sizes are needed. However, as a general trouble shoot guide, the following information is provided:
Generator manufactures will specify how many BTU per hour a generator will require under full load. If not, these are some conservative rules of thumb:
- For every 1 KW of electrical generation, 2 horsepower of engine is needed*
- Under full load, each horsepower will consume 10,000 BTU per hour*
- Propane has 92,000 BTU per gallon
- Propane weighs 4.2 pounds per gallon
*Note: These are not the figures you will find in your engineering handbooks, they are adjusted for generator winding and engine efficiency.
Propane Tank Vaporization Rates (Continuous BTU/hr vs volume at tank temperature):
|Size propane in a tank (assumes 1/3 full)||Maximum continuous BTU/hr at degrees F|
Note: Tank vaporization depends on fuel level, tank temperature and withdrawal rate. The above chart is a conservative generalization and represents a safe median value.
If a propane tank cannot vaporize fuel fast enough, the generator will begin to run lean, eventually overheat and shutdown. The vaporization rate depends on the tank temperature, which drops as fuel is withdrawn. For the above cited 45 KW generator called to duty after a sever winter storm, the tank would need to vaporize: 45KW x 2 HP = 90 HP. 90 HP x 10,000 BTU/hr = 900,000 btu/hr. A 500 gallon tank is too small for that size generator.
As the tank temperature drops a propane tank can develop frost on the outside of the tank, even on a hot summer day, which compounds the problem.
The correct size tank for a 45 KW generator is a 1000 gallons. This can also be two five hundred gallon tanks connected in parallel via a high pressure line.
Also note, the generator's radiator is facing the tanks so that when the unit is running, hot air is blowing on the tanks, warming them up. This particular generator is about 25 years old, which is why it looks a little worn. It still carries the load and mechanically is in sound condition.
Most propane fuel systems have two regulators; one high pressure regulator on the tank, which takes the variable tank pressure and steps it down to about 10 PSI, and the vaporizor which steps the pressure down to a few ounces per square inch (or inches water column) and adds air creating propane gas for the generator to burn.
It is important that the vaporizer be mounted above the snow line and that there is a little screen on the air intake, otherwise mud wasps will build a nest in the air intake and the next time the generator is required to run, it won't start.
Fuel piping is also a concern, if the low pressure lines are not large enough to handle the required BTU, the generator will run lean, creating the same problems of an improperly sized tank. Different piping has different capacities, see the following charts:
Assumes pressure less than 1.5 PSI, one MBTU is equal to 1,000 BTU per hour.
Once the generator is installed, maintenance is required. As a minimum:
- Exercise engine bi weekly for 15 minutes. Propane generators do not need to run under load.
- Check fuel, oil, and antifreeze levels monthly, more often if heavy use.
- Change the oil, oil filter, air filter, check antifreeze freeze point, battery electrolyte specific gravity yearly
- Change out belts and hoses as needed, pay close attention to the block heater hose, this is where leaks often develop
- Clean out mice nests and droppings as needed
Mice love generators.


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From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
Kubb is a lawn game where the object is to knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden sticks at them. The word "Kubb" (rhymes with rube) means "wooden block" in the Gotland dialect of Swedish.
Rules vary from country to country and region to region, but the ultimate object of the game is to knock the king over before your opponent does. This, combined with the fact that there is a surprising level of strategy that can be used by players, has led some players and kubb fans to nickname the game "Viking Chess." However, unlike chess, if a player knocks over the king before achieving their objectives, that player instantly loses the game. But some games have been known to last for hours.
The game can be played on a variety of surfaces such as sand, concrete, or grass. The French preference for a shale-on-clay surface has some merit, not least that damage to the surface can be quickly repaired. Arctic Kubb is played under the same rules on ice -- preferably on frozen lakes or rivers -- and the sliding shots it enables are preferred by some connoisseurs. Prior to his drowning, Chuck King was a renowned specialist on the Arctic Kubb circuit.
Kubb is a good game for supervised children, but in such cases, the 8-metre pitch length specified in some instructions needs to be shortened.
It is often claimed that the game dates back to the Viking Age and survived on Gotland, but this seems to be a marketing ploy by manufacturers of Kubb games, and is unverifiable. There is anecdotal evidence of Kubb being played in various places in Sweden in the early 20th century, but how similar those rules are to the ones used today is unknown. The Föreningen Gutnisk Idrott (The Society of Gotland Games), formed in 1912, does not list Kubb as one of the traditional games from Gotland. The Venerable Bede records that on payment of danegeld, the Saxons would occasionally play a game on the shore, with a horse's skull as the central king piece. Cubthert of Mercia was said to be outstanding at pillyge, which is taken to be the hitting of the kubbs on the back row, and ryp, whose meaning is unknown.
The game does show some similarity to other types of bowling games, and may share a common medieval source with them. However, the most distinct feature of Kubb, that it is played by teams on a two-sided field, seems to be an invention from the 20th century. Gole's seminal 'Handbook on Kabaddi' (Maharashtra State Kabaddi Association 1978) claims a strong link between the Punjabi game and Kubb, without proving the direction of influence.
Kubb bears similarities to the 19th century indoor wargame Cue-boule. These tended to be battle recreations of the Napoleonic era in which players would lob an object at the lead or tin soldiers of the opponent. (It is said that the Prussian artillery reused the cannonballs of its enemy where it could.)
By the 1860s, Harrow schoolboys were playing a game called Kabul (also recorded as Kabbul), in which junior boys or minor miscreants would stand in position in the gymnasium, and opposing teams of prefects would kick three footballs at them. It is believed that former Harrovians employed in the Indian Civil Service modified this demeaning game for the recreation of their Indian servants.
Commercial Kubb sets were first manufactured in the 1990s, and the the game quickly became very popular. It has now gained international interest, and since 1995 the World Championship has been held on Gotland each year.
edit Game pieces
There are typically twenty-one game pieces used in Kubb:
- Ten Kubbs, rectangular wooden blocks about 15 cm tall and 8 cm square on the end.
- One King, a larger wooden piece around 30 cm tall and 10 cm square on the end, sometimes adorned with a crown design on the top.
- Six Sticks, wooden batons around 30 cm long and anywhere from 3–5 cm in diameter. These are thrown and would hurt if they caught you in the testicles.
- Four Stakes, or other markers, to designate the corners of the pitch.
There is considerable variation in the design of these pieces. In some sets, every piece apart from the King has a circular cross-section, whereas in others, every piece has a square cross-section. There is a clear need for standardisation, as the winner is usually the most accurate thrower of the pieces. But as there can be no intellectual property in what some claim is an ancient game, it is unlikely that a commercial organisation will be able to impose such a standard.
Availability of the game varies widely from country to country. In the UK, it's rare to find a shop selling the game, so most purchases are via the Web. But in Nordic countries, you can often pick up the game at your local petrol station if you buy more than 2 gallons. The Friesian musician Wud Thrwyr has built up an extensive collection of antique Kubb pieces, some exquisitely carved and dendrochronologically dated to the early 19th century. Many of the pieces were on loan from the museum of the Slovenian, Lumpsa Timmba, before being permanently gifted after the Yugoslav aggression of 1991. Sadly a fire in 1995 not only destroyed the entire collection but was possibly also fuelled by it.
Kubb is typically played on a rectangular pitch approximately 5 m by 8 m. Although there are no official rules as to the size of the field, the dimensions can be altered for younger players or to accommodate faster games. Typically the pitch is grass, but kubb could also be played on sand, snow, or dirt.
Stakes are driven into the ground at the corners of the pitch. No other markers are used to demark the field's boundaries, although a league in Somerset uses twine (in Swedish known as "Klumpa ihop sig av tvinnar" - literally "The chord that cannot lie".) to assist in discussions when fallen kubbs are returned. The narrow ends are called "baselines."
The king is placed in the center of the pitch, halfway between baselines. An imaginary line drawn through the king and paralled to the two baselines divides the field into two halves.
The kubbs are set up across each baseline, five to a side.
Any number of people may play kubb, but typically matches are one-on-one or two teams of two.
There are two phases for each team's turn:
- Team A throws the six sticks, from their baseline, at their opponent's lined-up kubbs (called Baseline kubbs). Throws must be under-handed, and the sticks must spin end over end. Throwing sticks sideways or spinning them side-to-side is not allowed.
- Kubbs that are successfully knocked down are then thrown by Team B onto Team A's half of the pitch, and stood on end. These newly thrown kubbs are called field kubbs.
Play then changes hands, and Team B throws the sticks at Team A's kubbs, but must first knock down any standing field kubbs. (Field kubbs that right themselves due to the momentum of the impact are considered knocked down.) Again, kubbs that are knocked down are thrown back over onto the opposite half of the field and then stood. In New Zealand, knocking down a Baseline kubb before all field kubbs would result in the throwing team forfeiting the rest of their turn.
If either team leaves field kubbs standing, the kubb closest to the king now represents that side's baseline, and throwers may step up to that line to throw at their opponent's kubbs. This rule applies to field and baseline kubbs only; fallen kubbs are thrown from the original baseline, as are attempts to knock over the king.
Play continues in this fashion until a team is able to knock down all kubbs on one side, from both the field and the baseline. If that team still has sticks left to throw, they may make one attempt at knocking over the king (In Somerset, as a sporting gesture, right-handers will attempt this using the left hand, and vice versa). If a thrower successfully topples the king, they have won the game.
However, if at any time during the game the king is knocked down by accident -- even by a newly thrown kubb -- the offending team immediately loses the game.
Victors are typically determined by playing best two out of three. For friendly games between Kubb clubs, and for private games between opponents of widely different standards, the Tjaereborg Handicapping System can be used. If the difference in the current standing between two opponents is between 10% and 20% -- for instance, if Gunther is on 79% and Erika on 63% -- then Gunther gets one fewer stick to throw. And for each additional 10% band difference, a further stick is conceded, down to a minimum of two sticks.
For those with no garden: Kubbuteo!