Joseph begins with a dream, and ends with the dream's interpretation.
Jacob knew that his sons (Joseph's brothers) would not accept the interpretation of this dream or the advancement of Joseph over themselves. Jacob was filled with fear. The ten older brothers were already jealous of their younger brother. They recognised their father's particular affection for him. Jacob was a prophet, a man dedicated to submission to One True God and he treated his family and his community with fairness, respect and equitable love; however his heart was drawn to the gentle qualities evident in his son Joseph. Joseph also had a younger brother named Benjamin, who, at this stage of the story, was too young to be involved in any of the trickery and deception brewing.
While Prophets and righteous men are eager to spread the message of submission to God, Satan is waiting to entice and incite mankind. He loves trickery and deception and was now sewing the seeds of discord between Jacob and his elder sons. The jealousy the brothers felt toward Joseph blinded their hearts, disoriented their thinking and made small things seem insurmountable, large things seeming insignificant. Joseph heeded his father's warning and did not speak of his dream to his brothers; but even so, they became obsessed and overwhelmed by their jealousy. Without knowing about Joseph's dream, they hatched a plan to kill him.
Joseph and Benjamin were the sons of Jacob's second wife. The older boys considered themselves men. They were older, they were stronger and saw in themselves many good qualities. Blinded by jealousy, they perceived Joseph and Benjamin as too young and without consequence in the life of the family. They refused to understand why their father doted on them. The older boy's crooked thinking made them accuse their father of being misguided which, in reality, was far from the truth. Satan made their thoughts fair seeming to them and their utter misguidance was shown clearly, when they spoke of killing Joseph and immediately repenting to God for this despicable act.
One amongst them felt the error of their ways and suggested that rather than killing Joseph, they should drop him into a well. When found by some passing traveller he would be sold into slavery, thus rendering him as good as dead to the family. They believed, in their blindness, that the absence of Joseph would remove him from their father's thoughts. The brothers continued to hatch their evil plan. Satan was toying with them, casting thoughts into their minds and whispering misguidance into their ears. The brothers finished their discussion pleased with themselves and believing they had drafted a clever plan. They approached Jacob with a plan to take Joseph into the desert with them, on the pretext of letting him play and enjoy himself. Fear leapt into Jacob's heart.
The story of Joseph confirms unconditionally that God has total control over all affairs. The treachery and deception of Joseph's brothers succeeded only in preparing Joseph for the great position he would eventually attain. Joseph's story describes God's omnipotence and gives an accurate account of His power and supremacy. The story begins with deception but ends with comfort and joy. A fitting reward for the patience and total submission to God's will, Joseph exhibits throughout his long journey confronting the schemes and treachery of those around him.
The patience Joseph learned from his ordeal made him amongst the most righteous of men. His lineage was impeccable, his great grandfather, grandfather and father were also Prophets. In Christian and Jewish tradition, these men are known as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Satan works in subtle and deceitful ways, and with his words, Jacob unwittingly supplied his sons with the perfect reason for Joseph's disappearance. The brothers immediately knew they would blame Joseph's disappearance on a wolf, and this became part of their dastardly plan. Eventually Jacob agreed and Joseph left with his brothers on their journey into the desert.
They went directly to the well and without remorse, picked up Joseph and threw him down into the well. Joseph cried out in fear but their cruel hearts felt no pity for their young brother. The brothers felt secure in their plan that a traveller would find Joseph and sell him into slavery. While Joseph called out in terror, the brothers took a small goat or sheep from their flock, slaughtered it and wiped the blood over one of Joseph's garments. Completely consumed by their jealousy, the brothers took an oath to keep their foul deed secret and walked away pleased with themselves. Terrified Joseph clung to a ledge in the well, and God made known to him that one day he would confront his brothers. He told Joseph the day would come when he would speak to his brothers about this dastardly event, but the brothers would not know they were talking to Joseph.
The brothers returned to their father weeping. By this time it was dark, and Jacob was sitting in his house anxiously awaiting the return of Joseph. The sound of ten men crying confirmed his deepest fear. The darkness of the night was matched only be the darkness in their hearts. The lies rolled easily from their tongues and Jacob's heart constricted in fear.
In a story from the righteous men that came after Prophet Muhammad comes a tale of a Muslim judge who was deciding the case of an old woman. The details of the case are not important; however, the old woman was crying and crying. Based on the evidence the judge ruled against her. A friend of the judge said, "She was crying and crying, she is old, why didn't you believe her?" The judge said "Don't you know from Quran that crying is not evidence of the truth, the brothers of Joseph went to their father crying." They were crying but they committed the crime.
This was a dilemma for Jacob, what was he to do? He knew his sons were lying, but what were his options? To kill his sons? Due to his complete submission to God, Jacob knew that this affair was out of his hands. He had no option but to trust God and turn to Him with hope and patience.
Deep in the well, Joseph prayed. Father and son turned to God in the deep darkness of the night. A mixture of fear and hope filled their hearts, and the night gave way to the new day. For Jacob, the day dawned on the beginning of many years to be filled with trust in God and patience. For Joseph, the sunrays of dawn shone down on the edges of the well. If he could have scanned the horizon, he would have seen a caravan approaching. Minutes later a man lowered his bucket into its depths of the well expecting to find cool clear water.
Lead astray by the whisperings of Satan and filled with jealousy and pride, the brothers deceived their father Jacob and betrayed their young brother. Thrown deep into a well by his older brothers, Joseph the beloved son of Prophet Jacob, clung throughout the long night to a ledge and tried to put his trust in God. The time passed slowly and the heat of the morning sun beat down heavily on the scorched earth. Later that day a caravan travelling to Egypt approached the well.
When the caravan arrived. the travellers went about their business, some tethering camels, others tending to the horses, some unpacking, and others preparing food. The water drawer went to the well and lowered his bucket, happy in anticipation of cool, clear water. Joseph was startled as the bucket hurtled towards him. but before it hit the water, he reached out and clung to the rope. Surprised by the weight of the bucket, the man peered over the edge of the well. He was shocked and excited when he saw a child clinging to the rope. The man called his companions to help him draw the child from the well and all were amazed at the sight of this beautiful child, not quite a youth, who stood before them.
Looking at the boy, the water bearer could not hide his excitement and cried aloud, "What good news!" (Quran 12:19) The man was overjoyed; he immediately decided to sell Joseph, knowing that he stood to make a lot of money in the slave market. Just as the brothers had predicted, the men of the caravan took Joseph to Egypt expecting to sell him for a handsome price. The slave markets of Egypt were teeming with people, some buying, and some selling, others just watching the proceedings. The beautiful boy found in the well attracted many onlookers, and bidding for him was swift. The price continued to rise beyond their expectations, and Joseph was eventually purchased by Azeez, the Chief Minister of Egypt.
However, God tells us in the Quran that they sold him for a low price. (12:20) This does not seem to make sense since the men of the caravan were jubilant by the price they received. God described the price as low because Joseph was actually worth more then they could ever have imagined. The men did not realise just who this child would grow up to be. They believed that although beautiful, Joseph was insignificant. Nothing could have been further from the truth, if they had of sold him for his weight in gold, it would have been a cheap price for the man who would grow up to be Joseph, Prophet of God.
God placed Joseph into the home of the second most important person in Egypt. Chief Minister Azeez was more then just a prime minister, he was also the treasurer of Egypt. God established Joseph in the land in order to teach him wisdom and understanding. The struggling and striving required by Joseph to overcome the separation from his father and family, the difficulty of being betrayed by your older presumably protective brothers, the ordeal in the well and the humiliation of being sold into slavery were all trials designed to mould Joseph's character. They were the first steps on the ladder to greatness. God used the treachery of Joseph's brothers to fulfil His plan for Joseph's establishment as a Prophet of God.
The brothers of Joseph believed they had matters under control when they put their brother in the well, but in reality, the matter was out of their hands. God is the one in control of all affairs. God was decisive in His action, and His plan was carried out despite the treachery, jealousy and pride of others. Joseph found himself in the decision making centre of Egypt with a man who seemed kind and somehow aware of Joseph's special qualities. While longing for his father and brother Benjamin, Joseph was well taken care, and lived in luxurious surroundings. Joseph grew to manhood in the house of Azeez and God bestowed on him good judgement and knowledge.
God granted Joseph both knowledge and wisdom. Not one just one, but both qualities. He was given the ability to understand and the ability to use good judgement when applying his knowledge. This is not always the case. There are many people throughout the history of the world, up to and including the present day, who have knowledge but do not have the ability or judgement to apply that knowledge in an effective way.
One of the great scholars of Islam, Imam Abu Haneefa, held regular learning circles in which presented a topic for debate. The topic would be discussed and opinions given, then Imam Abu Haneefa would give a final verdict. This way of teaching was unique at that time. There was amongst this circle of learning a scholar of the narrations of Prophet Muhammad; he recited one that Imam Hanifa had never heard before. Just at that time, a woman approached the circle and asked a question. The scholar replied that he did not know the answer, but Imam Abu Hanifa was able to answer her question. He then turned to the members of the learning circle and said. "I know the answer to this question from the hadeeth our brother had just mentioned". Thus, it is possible to have the knowledge but not know how to apply it. Prophet Joseph, as with all the Prophets of God was given the knowledge and the wisdom to understand and apply it.
Joseph believed living in prison was preferable to living in the house of Al Aziz. The environment was filled with lust and greed, and with unlawful beauty and seduction, perhaps similar to many societies today. He believed prison would be preferable to succumbing to the fitnah around him. God answered Joseph's supplication and rescued him.
Although convinced of Joseph's innocence, Al Aziz, chief Minister of Egypt put Joseph in prison. He could see no other way of safeguarding the reputation of his name and position.
Imprisoned with Joseph, were two men who recognised his piety and righteousness. Both had been plagued by vivid dreams and now hoped Joseph would be able to interpret the dreams for them. One man saw a dream in which he was pressing wine, the other; saw a dream in which birds were eating bread from his head. Joseph said, "I will inform you of the meaning of these dreams before your next meal is served".
Notice the demeanor of Joseph. When they ask him a question about dreams he immediately reminds them that it is God who provides their sustenance, as well as his own knowledge of dream interpretation. Joseph is very careful to make a distinction between what is from God and what is from himself. He makes his religion clear. He does not believe the religion being practiced around him but believes in the true religion that includes belief in the Hereafter. Joseph asserts that his family, the family of Abraham, hold the knowledge of the Oneness of God, and that his religion and family do not attribute partners to God. Although the people of Egypt knew about God they choose to worship other deities as partners or intercessors.
After informing his companions that false gods have no substance and explaining the Omnipotence of God, Joseph interprets the dreams. He says, one of you will become a close associate of the King, the other will be crucified and birds will eat from his head.
Joseph approached the companion who destined to be close to the King and said "please remember me to your King". He hoped that the King would look into his case, see his oppression and free him. However, the whisperings and subterfuge of Satan, caused the companion to forget to mention Joseph and consequently he remained in prison for a few more years. The scholars of Islam hold two different opinions about the nature of the forgetfulness. Ibn Katheer mentions that the companion forgot to mention Joseph, whereas other scholars focus on the possibility that Joseph forgot to seek the help of God, and thus the companion forgot to mention him. Whatever the case, Joseph remained in prison and continued to trust in God with patience and fortitude.
The King dreamed he was standing on the banks of the Nile watching seven fat cows emerge from the river, followed by seven lean ones. The seven lean cows devoured the fat ones. Next, the dream changed and he watched seven green ears of grain growing on the banks of the Nile. They disappeared into the mud and on the same spot grew seven dry ears of grain. The King awoke shocked and frightened, and sent for his sorcerers, priests and ministers. They failed to interpret the dream and reached the unanimous conclusion that it was just a nightmare. Joseph's companion from the prison came to hear of the dream and remembered Joseph. With the King's permission, he rushed to the prison and asked Joseph to interpret the dream.
The King was astonished at this interpretation, not only did Joseph give the meaning but also recommended a course of action. The King demanded Joseph be bought before him. However, Joseph refused to leave prison and insisted the messenger return to the King and ask him, "What happened to the women who cut their hands?" (Quran 12:50) Joseph did not want to leave the prison until his innocence was established.
Prophet Mohammad said: "Every Prophet was sent to his nation exclusively, but I was sent to all mankind." God sent Joseph, son of Jacob, to the people of Egypt and supported him with abilities that were observable and made sense to the people the Joseph had been sent to guide. At the time of Joseph, dreams and dream interpretation were very important, and this is clear throughout the story of Joseph. Prophet Jacob (Joseph's father), the companions of the prison and the King of Egypt all have dreams.
When the King heard Joseph's interpretation of his dream, he was astonished, and set Joseph free. However, Joseph refused to leave the prison with out clearing his name of any wrongdoing. He wanted his master Al Aziz to be completely sure that he (Joseph) had not betrayed his trust. Joseph respectfully demanded that the King investigate the affair of the women who cut their hands. The King became curious and called for the wife of Al Aziz and her associates.
Once his innocence was established, Joseph appeared before the King. After hearing, Joseph's words the King became even more impressed and entrusted him to a position of high rank. Joseph said, "Set me over the storehouses of the land; I will indeed guard them with full knowledge." (Quran 12:55) In the religion of Islam, it is not permissible for one to ask for a position of authority or two talk about oneself in a boastful manner. However when Joseph asked the King to put him in charge of the storehouses he did both of those things.
The scholars of Islam explain that when you are the only person fit for that position then it is permissible to ask for it, and if you are new to a community, it is permissible to introduce yourself. Joseph knew the trials about to face Egypt and he knew he was capable of averting the danger inherent in a time of famine. For Joseph, not asking for this position would have been irresponsible. The young boy betrayed and thrown into the well was now established as the finance Minister of Egypt. His patience and perseverance, and above all his total submission to the will of God had already resulted in great reward. Joseph knew however that the greatest reward for patience and righteousness would be in the hereafter.
The time passed. During the seven good years, Joseph prepared for the time of famine to come. The drought and famine correctly prophesized by Joseph did not only affect Egypt, but also the surrounding lands including the place where Jacob and his sons were living. Joseph managed the affairs of Egypt so well there was enough grain to feed the people of Egypt and those in the surrounding areas. As life became difficult and food scarce, people began to flock to Egypt to buy the grain Joseph was selling at a fair price.
Among those seeking provisions were Joseph's ten older brothers. When the brothers were ushered into Joseph's presence, they did not recognise him. Joseph looked at his brothers and his heart filled with longing for his father and his young brother Benjamin. He greeted them respectfully, asked questions about their family and homeland, and explained that the rations of grain would be distributed per head; therefore, if they had bought their younger brother they would have received more rations. Joseph was hoping to encourage them to bring Benjamin, in fact Joseph went far as to say that without their young brother they would receive no provision at all.
When they returned to their father, Prophet Jacob, they explained to him that no more grain would be provided to them unless they travelled with their young brother. Benjamin had become very close to his father, especially after Joseph's disappearance. Remembering his previous loss, Jacob did not want to part with his young son. Once again, the brothers promised to safeguard their youngest brother, and once again Jacob felt his heart constrict with fear. The brothers then found that the money they paid for the grain had been secretly returned to them.
The brothers were astonished because they were not thieves. They inquired about the stolen item, and were astounded to hear it was a golden bowl belonging to the King. Whoever returned it, they were told, would be rewarded with camel's load of grain. The brothers of Joseph claimed to have no knowledge of this theft. They asserted that they were not thieves and did not come to Egypt to create mischief. One of Joseph's men asked, "What is your punishment for one who steals?" The brothers replied that under the law of Prophet Jacob, the one who steals is taken as a slave. Joseph did not want his brother punished under the laws of Egypt but wanted the opportunity to keep his brother with him while the others retuned to their father Jacob. The bags were searched, and the golden bowl was found amongst Benjamin's possessions.
Prophet Jacob had heard this all before. When the brothers betrayed Joseph and threw him in the well, they went to their father pleading and crying yet their words were nothing but lies. This time Jacob refused to believe them. He turned away from them saying, "Nay, but your own selves have beguiled you into something. So patience is most fitting (for me)." (Quran 12:83) Jacob had spent years grieving for Joseph and trusting in God. When this new sorrow overwhelmed him, his first reaction was to be patient. He knew, without a shred of doubt, that the affairs of his beloved youngest sons were controlled by God.
Though many years had passed, Jacob had not forgotten his son Joseph. Jacob reflected on Joseph's dream and understood God's plan would come to fruition. Jacob was deeply hurt by the loss of his sons, but his faith in God sustained him, and he ordered his sons to go back to Egypt in search of Joseph and Benjamin.
The brothers recognised Joseph immediately, not because of his looks, for they had seen him many times before, however who else could know the true story of Joseph, but Joseph himself.
The family of Prophet Jacob gathered their belongings together and travelled to Egypt. Jacob was eager to be reunited with his sons. They went straight to Joseph and found him sitting on an elevated throne. Joseph spoke to his family saying, enter Egypt, if God wills, in security.
The beginning of chapter 12 of the Quran, Joseph, began with the young boy Joseph describing his dream to his beloved father Jacob. He said, "Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves to me." (Quran 12:4) Quran concludes the story of Joseph in the same way as it began, with the interpretation of the dream. The eleven stars were his brothers, the sun his father and the moon was his mother.
The essence of the story of Joseph is patience in the face of adversity and sorrow. Joseph faced every trial with patience and complete trust in God. His father Jacob bore his grief and misery with patience and submission. All the chapters of Quran were revealed at particular times, in response to particular situations. This chapter was revealed to Prophet Muhammad in a time of great sorrow. In fact, the year of its revelation is known as "the year of sorrow'. Prophet Muhammad had to bear the death of his beloved first wife Khadijah and his Uncle Abu Talib. Both had provided him with comfort and support. God was advising Prophet Muhammad that the road may be long and difficult but the ultimate victory belongs to those with God consciousness and patience. The story of Joseph is a lesson for us all. True patience, what the scholars of Islam call beautiful patience is a key to the gate of Paradise.


text:
"Psychological roadblocks" for self-driving cars
Attribution 4.0 International
via MIT News
#artificial intelligence
#social science
Iyad Rahwan
Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences; AT&T Career Development Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles
Moral Machine
3 Questions: The trust gap between people and autonomous vehicles. MIT News talks with Iyad Rahwan, who heads the Scalable Cooperation research group.
By Peter Dizikes | MIT News Office
This summer, a survey released by the American Automobile Association showed that 78 percent of Americans feared riding in a self-driving car, with just 19 percent trusting the technology. What might it take to alter public opinion on the issue? Iyad Rahwan, the AT&T Career Development Professor in the MIT Media Lab, has studied the issue at length, and, along with Jean-Francois Bonnefon of the Toulouse School of Economics and Azim Shariff of the University of California at Irvine, has authored a new commentary on the subject, titled, "Psychological roadblocks to the adoption of self-driving vehicles," published today in Nature Human Behavior. Rahwan spoke to MIT News about the hurdles automakers face if they want greater public buy-in for autonomous vehicles.
Q: Your new paper states that when it comes to autonomous vehicles, trust "will determine how widely they are adopted by consumers, and how tolerated they are by everyone else." Why is this?
A: It's a new kind of agent in the world. We've always built tools and had to trust that technology will function in the way it was intended. We've had to trust that the materials are reliable and don't have health hazards, and that there are consumer protection entities that promote the interests of consumers. But these are passive products that we choose to use. For the first time in history we are building objects that are proactive and have autonomy and are even adaptive. They are learning behaviors that may be different from the ones they were originally programmed for. We don't really know how to get people to trust such entities, because humans don't have mental models of what these entities are, what they're capable of, how they learn.
Before we can trust machines like autonomous vehicles, we have a number of challenges. The first is technical: the challenge of building an AI [artificial intelligence] system that can drive a car. The second is legal and regulatory: Who is liable for different kinds of faults? A third class of challenges is psychological. Unless people are comfortable putting their lives in the hands of AI, then none of this will matter. People won't buy the product, the economics won't work, and that's the end of the story. What we're trying to highlight in this paper is that these psychological challenges have to be taken seriously, even if [people] are irrational in the way they assess risk, even if the technology is safe and the legal framework is reliable.
Q: What are the specific psychological issues people have with autonomous vehicles?
A: We classify three psychological challenges that we think are fairly big. One of them is dilemmas: A lot of people are concerned about how autonomous vehicles will resolve ethical dilemmas. How will they decide, for example, whether to prioritize safety for the passenger or safety for pedestrians? Should this influence the way in which the car makes a decision about relative risk? And what we're finding is that people have an idea about how to solve this dilemma: The car should just minimize harm. But the problem is that people are not willing to buy such cars, because they want to buy cars that will always prioritize themselves.
A second one is that people don't always reason about risk in an unbiased way. People may overplay the risk of dying in a car crash caused by an autonomous vehicle even if autonomous vehicles are, on the average, safer. We've seen this kind of overreaction in other fields. Many people are afraid of flying even though you're incredibly less likely to die from a plane crash than a car crash. So people don't always reason about risk.
The third class of psychological challenges is this idea that we don't always have transparency about what the car is thinking and why it's doing what it's doing. The carmaker has better knowledge of what the car thinks and how it behaves … which makes it more difficult for people to predict the behavior of autonomous vehicles, which can also dimish trust. One of the preconditions of trust is predictability: If I can trust that you will behave in a particular way, I can behave according to that expectation.
Q: In the paper you state that autonomous vehicles are better depicted "as being perfected, not as perfect." In essence, is that your advice to the auto industry?
A: Yes, I think setting up very high expectations can be a recipe for disaster, because if you overpromise and underdeliver, you get in trouble. That is not to say that we should underpromise. We should just be a bit realistic about what we promise. If the promise is an improvement on the current status quo, that is, a reduction in risk to everyone, both pedestrians as well as passengers in cars, that's an admirable goal. Even if we achieve it in a small way, that's already progress that we should take seriously. I think being transparent about that, and being transparent about the progress being made toward that goal, is crucial.
Read on MIT News
Moral Machine: Perception of Moral Judgment Made by Machines
Awad, Edmond (2017). Moral Machine: Perception of Moral Judgment Made by Machines (Master's Thesis).
Thesis, May 2017
in Scalable Cooperation
#artificial intelligence #social science #ethics
The Social Dilemma of Autonomous Vehicles
J. F. Bonnefon, A. Shariff, I. Rahwan
Academic Paper, June 2016
Iyad Rahwan @ TEDxCambridge
LocationBoston Opera House Description
Blockchain and next gen cars
Toyota pushes into blockchain tech to enable the next generation of cars.
via TechCrunch · May 22, 2017
in Digital Currency Initiative (DCI) · Scalable Cooperation
#cryptocurrency #blockchain

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
ACCC greenlights $13 billion APA takeover by Hong Kong utility
By Cole Latimer
September 12, 2018 — 9.32am
The competition watchdog has approved Hong Kong-based utility firm CKI's $13 billion takeover bid for gas pipeline company APA, but government uncertainty has put foreign investment approval under a cloud.
CKI lobbed an all-cash offer of $11 a share for the Australian gas pipeline giant in June. APA's board last month unanimously backed the offer.
The ACCC has approved the $13 billion takeover of the gas pipeline giant. Credit:Michele Mossop
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said on Wednesday morning it found the takeover would not impact competition in what was already a gas pipeline monopoly market. APA owns around two-thirds of all the major gas transmission pipelines in Australia.
The ACCC's decision came as little surprise for the market
One gas company executive, who declined to be named due to his company's dealing with APA, said he was surprised but not concerned by the ACCC decision. "We were surprised the ACCC hasn't pursued more divestment of assets but competitively little has changed," he said.
The next hurdle for the deal is the Foreign Investment Review Board - and it's no small hurdle given the recent leadership change in Canberra, which has created some uncertainty around the deal.
One of the major concerns about the takeover was the access the Hong Kong utility will gain to Australia's largely unregulated gas pipeline monopoly.
Paul Balfe, a gas expert and director at consulting firm ACIL Allen, said it was likely FIRB would also support the takeover.
"I can't see any reason outside of xenophobia why it would be knocked back," he said.
While there has been a push to break up APA's monopoly position in Australia, the gas transmission market would have been poorer for it, he explained.
APA's gas pipeline network (in red) and CKI's (in green) accounts for the majority of the nation's gas transport infrastructure.
"APA was able to provide more of a range of gas transmission around the country than compared to if all of these assets were individually owned by groups with different interests and who had to try and collaborate on these assets," Mr Balfe said.
However, one gas expert who declined to be named amid the political decision-making process said the rash of hardline politicking in Canberra has created uncertainty over such deals.
"We seeing a lot more decisions made on a political stance," he said.
"Clearly they are made with a strong view to how they will play out in social media and the school of popular opinion."
South Australian senator Rex Patrick said while he supports Chinese investment in Australia he is against the deal.
"Hopefully, FIRB says no in this instance," Mr Patrick said.
"If this deal went through it would put CKI in charge of 95 per cent of South Australia's electricity transmission and 85 per cent of its gas transmission infrastructure."
A series of analysts also highlighted the uncertainty around the FIRB decision.
One Australian gas analyst said while the ACCC decision came as little surprise, few would be able to predict the FIRB outcome. "There's huge uncertainty around FIRB and when the decision may come through," he said.
"It may be too hard for this government before an election. If it has to go through before an election it is unlikely to go ahead, so it will either be delayed until post-election or not be approved."
He said the deal could be used as a potential political football by a government wanting to be seen as tough on gas prices and Chinese acquisitions of major Australian infrastructure.
Another analyst said that while he believed a decision would likely come before a federal election, if held in May, but it would be hard to pre-empt the outcome.
"It's a different set of issues to the ACCC, FIRB's approach is going to be about the politics as well," he said. "It's subjective, it may be logical, but what the government chooses still lands in politicsland."
APA's share price jumped 1.8 per cent following the announcement, to $9.94, outperforming the wider sharemarket.
APA Group
Cole Latimer
Covering energy and policy at Fairfax Media.


text:
Q: Taking the continuum limit of $U(N)$ gauge theories I would like to draw your attention to appendix $C$ on page 38 of this paper.

*

*The equation $C.2$ there seems to be evaluating the sum $\sum_R \chi _R (U^m)$ in equation 3.16 of this paper. I understand that $U \in U(N_c)$ group and then with $N_f$ (fundamental?) hypermultiplets it seems that apparently the following is being claimed to be true,

$\sum _R \chi _R (U^m) = 2N_f [Tr U^m + Tr U^{-m}]$
Can someone help derive the above?

*

*The first line of equation $C.4$ seems to be the same as equation $5.3$ of this earlier linked paper but not quite...

*I was pretty much confused with the idea in equation $C.5$ and $C.6$ of thinking the eigenvalues of the $U(N_c)$ group on the circle to be given by a distribution function $\rho (\theta) \geq 0$ with a mysterious normalization as in equation $C.5$.
I would be glad if someone can help understand how equation C.6 was determined.
A lot of steps seem to be skipped here which I found hard to reinstate!

*Going by this paper it seems that the original more general equation $2.43$ on page 17 has two possible limits as in equation $2.45$ on page 17 when there are $c$ matter fields in the adjoint and $N_c \rightarrow \infty$ or equation $2.48$ in the Veneziano limit with fundamental matter fields.
I would like to know the derivation/reference for the equations 2.45 and 2.48 cited above.
I guess this is one of the most educative means of taking the Veneziano limit in which AdS/CFT is supposed to work?

A: The character $\chi_R : G \to \mathbb{C}$ of a representation $R$ is defined by $\chi_R(U) = Tr_R(U)$, namely by taking the trace of $U$ in the representation $R$. See for example Appendix A of Aharony et al.. Then the equation you write seems reasonable: presumably there are $N_f$ hypermultiplets, each with  fundamental  and anti-fundamental fields that give $Tr(U^m)$ and $Tr(U^{-m})$
respectively in the sum over $R$. The trace is taken of the matrix $U$ because the fields are in the fundamental.
The factor of 2 should come from the details of which representations exactly are being summed over, the field content of the hypermultiplets, etc., which I didn't try to follow.
Now, regarding the distribution of eigenvalues that appears in (C.5), let me give you a physical explanation of where this comes from. They consider the thermodynamics of a theory on a sphere, so the topology is that of a sphere times $S^1$ -- the Euclidean compact time. In this case there is a zero-mode of the gauge field, which comes from the fact that you can turn on a constant field in the thermal direction. This mode cannot be removed by a gauge transformation (in general), so in a path integral you need to integrate over it. This is explained for example in section 4.1 of Aharony et al. You can use a gauge transformation to diagonalize this zero-mode matrix, so you are left with the discrete eigenvalues of the matrix to integrate over. You can also show that these eigenvalues live on a circle, because you can shift them by $2\pi$ (in some normalization) using a gauge transformation, so you need to integrate them over a circle. In the large $N$ limit you have an infinite number of such eigenvalues, but they are still restricted to live on a circle. So you need to describe them using a density, and that is what they call the distribution $\rho$.
Edit: adding explanation of (C.6)
To derive (C.6), consider first the sum
$$ \sum_i \cos(n \alpha_i) = N \int_0^{2\pi} \rho(\theta) \cos(n\theta) $$
where $\rho(\theta) = \frac{1}{N} \sum_i \delta(\theta - \alpha_i)$. Notice that $\rho$ has the correct normalization.
When taking $N \to \infty$ the delta functions in $\rho$ will become very dense, and we will be able to approximate $\rho$ by a smooth function, whose value at $\theta$ depends on the density of the delta functions across the small interval $[\theta,\theta+\epsilon]$. This will be a good approximation because the function $\cos(n\theta)$ that we are integrating over will not vary much in these intervals, so averaging it instead of sampling it will not change the result by much. When we reach the limit $N=\infty$ this will no longer be an approximation, because the delta functions will become continuous.
So this explains the derivation of the second term in (C.6). As for the first term, the idea is similar except that you have two integrals over $\theta,\theta'$ corresponding to the $i,j$ sums. The contributions from the $i=j$ terms ($\theta=\theta'$ in the integral) are subleading in the large $N$ limit: they scale as $N$ while the rest of it scales as $N^2$, so they are neglected.
Now, replace $\cos(n(\theta-\theta')) = \cos(n\theta) \cos(n\theta') + \sin(n\theta) \sin(n \theta')$. Notice that in the path integral over $\rho$ you may consider only eigenvalue distributions that are symmetric under $\theta \to -\theta$, because the original integrand is invariant under this. This is explicitly mentioned for example in Schnitzer, who does the same computation. So this means that $\int d\theta \rho \sin(n\theta) = 0$. I think it should be clear from this point.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Ethereal Seals
A blog dedicated to storytelling, spirituality, and ancestral living.
About Ethereal Seals
Ethereal Seals Series
Useful Materials for Writers
How to Nourish The Creative Muse
Describing Sounds in Writing
Brandon Sanderson Lecture 2020 Notes
The Hero's Journey in Fiction
Act II of the Hero's Journey
On January 25, 2023 January 25, 2023 By Energyflux2012In Uncategorized2 Comments
Continuing from the previous post on Act I of the Hero's Journey, the second act begins. Here, the Hero has accepted the Call to adventure. They officially meet the Mentor, who guides and trains the Hero through the rest of the journey. Then comes the Threshold, or the point of no return. Tests, allies, and …
Continue reading Act II of the Hero's Journey
Act I of the Hero's Journey
On January 16, 2023 January 15, 2023 By Energyflux2012In UncategorizedLeave a comment
The Hero's Journey is the cornerstone of any great story, movie, video game, myth, or legend. It's woven into our DNA at an ancestral level. According to Joseph Campbell, author of the Hero with a Thousand Faces, the Hero's Journey is a story mechanic of the protagonist's journey. This campaign weaves through four acts for …
Continue reading Act I of the Hero's Journey
Thoughts on 2022 into 2023: Creative Writing, Regeneration, & God
On January 8, 2023 By Energyflux2012In Uncategorized1 Comment
Hey, y'all, hope you had an amazing holiday. I sure did, chilling with the folks over some pancakes, gifts, and green juice. 🙂 Moving into 2023, I had some insights from the past year in writing, faith, and health. Writing & Reading Blade of Dragons The new draft is finished! I completed it by my …
Continue reading Thoughts on 2022 into 2023: Creative Writing, Regeneration, & God
Music: It's Role in Storytelling & Healing
On December 22, 2022 December 28, 2022 By Energyflux2012In Uncategorized3 Comments
Humans have appreciated music and spoken verse since our ancestors first walked this earth. The magical quality of music is ubiquitous—spread throughout every culture and community. It's more than words; it's the effect the ballad has on the human genome. It's no surprise that music is common in both storytelling and healing practices. The Divine …
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Niche Study: Dragon Fantasy
On December 8, 2022 December 6, 2022 By Energyflux2012In Uncategorized2 Comments
Among the subgenres in fantasy, dragon-themed tales are common. With their massive size, brute strength, and ability to fly or breathe flame, it's little wonder dragons are seen as mythic creatures. Dragons have long played a role in myth and legend across various cultures, and Dragon Fantasy has become a staple in storytelling for generations. …
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An Ancestral Look At Healing Foods
On December 6, 2022 December 8, 2022 By Energyflux2012In UncategorizedLeave a comment
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute professional health or medical advice or treatment, nor should it be relied upon for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any health issue. Consult with a licensed health care practitioner before making any changes to one's lifestyle. Between bouts of writing over the years, I've focused on …
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The Familiar: A Look Into Fictional and Ancestral Tropes
On October 19, 2022 By Energyflux2012In Uncategorized2 Comments
There's the hero and the side kick—then there's the familiar. Unlike the side kick, the familiar is a small, but still important figure in a story. A familiar assists protagonists throughout the plot. Often, a familiar is akin to a mascot, which drives a message home to the reader. Done right, a familiar leaves a …
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On October 4, 2022 October 4, 2022 By Energyflux2012In Uncategorized2 Comments
The muse is a curious entity that pops out when least expected. It is the source of an artist's creative power. Like an infinite well of possibilities. But to receive from the muse, one must nourish it in return. Sadly, many writers, artists, musicians, and others overlook this. I don't proclaim to be a health …
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Fall Quarterly Update
On October 3, 2022 October 4, 2022 By Energyflux2012In UncategorizedLeave a comment
Fall time has been a busy time, full of its rewards and stressful events. Below is a short update on what I've been occupied with. Work My move to a full-time job has been quite tedious to say the least. Working 45 to 50 hours a week (mandatory overtime) in a high physical job has …
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Timelines in Fantasy Universes
On September 8, 2022 September 7, 2022 By Energyflux2012In UncategorizedLeave a comment
Fantasy Timelines are sometimes overlooked when it comes to worldbuilding. Not every story needs one. With epic fantasy, however, timelines are invaluable. After attending a Realm Makers Conference lecture on fantasy timelines, I've some notes to share on the matter. Thanks to Jill Williamson for her information. What Are Fantasy Timelines? A fantasy timeline is …
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This handcrafted necklace features medium bone beads and medium wooden beads that were handpicked in the local markets of Nepal. The unique pendent ties in with the turquoise and red beads throughout the design. The single strand of beads are strung on jewelry grade mono filament & does not require a clasp to close, just simply slip overhead.
YOUR IMPACT » The purchase of the Rachel necklace provides enough funding to cover all the artisan's expenses at her rehabilitation home for 5 days.


text:
Australia's Poisonous Plants, Fungi and Cyanobacteria:
A Guide to Species of Medical and Veterinary Importance
By McKenzie Ross
McKenzie Ross
Australia's Poisonous Plants, Fungi and Cyanobacteria
ISBN (paper): 978-0-643-09267-9
ISBN (electronic): 978-1-4863-1388-4
Australia's Poisonous Plants, Fungi and Cyanobacteria is the first full-colour, comprehensive guide to the major natural threats to health in Australia affecting domestic and native animals and humans. The overriding aim of the book is to prevent poisoning, as there are few effective treatments available, particularly in domestic animals.
The species have been chosen because of their capacity to threaten life or damage important organs, their relative abundance or wide distribution in native and naturalised Australian flora, or because of their extensive cultivation as crops, pastures or in gardens. These include flowering plants, ferns and cone-bearing plants, macrofungi, ergot fungi and cyanobacteria.
The plant species are grouped by life form such as herbs, grasses and sedges, shrubs, trees, and for flowering plants by flower type and colour for ease of identification. Species described have colour photographs, distribution maps and notes on confusing species, habitats, toxins, animals affected, conditions of poisoning, clinical signs and symptoms, post mortem changes, therapy, prevention and control. Symbols are used for quick reference to poisoning duration and available ways of managing poisoning. As further aids to understanding, poisoning hot-spots are highlighted and the book lists plants under the headings of animals affected and organs affected. A Digest gives brief details for all poisonous species in Australia.
This book is written in a straightforward style making it accessible to a wide audience including farmers, veterinarians, agricultural advisors, gardeners, horticulturists, botanists and park rangers, medical practitioners and paramedics, teachers, parents and pet owners.
Page v
Page ix
Preface: why this book?
Page xiii
Page xvi
Using this book
1. Understanding plants and plant poisoning
2. How to confirm tentative identifications
3. Common poisoning profiles
Part I. Poisonous cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
4. Poisonous cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
Part II. Poisonous fungi
5. Poisonous fungi
Part III. Poisonous vascular plants
6. Poisonous ferns
7. Poisonous cycads
8. Poisonous grasses, sedges and mat-rushes
9. Poisonous grass-trees
10. Poisonous grass-like herbs (iris and lily families)
11. Poisonous forbs (non-grass-like herbs)
12. Poisonous vines (climbing plants and creepers)
13. Poisonous shrubs
14. Poisonous trees
15. Digest of poisonous cyanobacteria, algae, slime moulds, macrofungi and plants in Australia
APPENDIX 1: Aids to identifying flowering plants
APPENDIX 2: The top killers
APPENDIX 3: Poisoning hot-spots
APPENDIX 4: Animals and the major species that poison them
APPENDIX 5: Body systems affected by the major poisonous species
APPENDIX 6: Australian states with major poisonous species
More From Ecology & Management
Guide to Native Orchids of Victoria
Discovering Australian Flora
Guide to Native Orchids of NSW and ACT
Phytochemistry of Australia's Tropical Rainforest
Illustrated Plant Glossary
The Flowering of Australia's Rainforests
Wild Mushrooming
Secretive Slime Moulds
Plants of Subtropical Eastern Australia
Coastal Plants
Mistletoes of Southern Australia
Monocots: Systematics and Evolution
Plant Analysis: An Interpretation Manual
Flora of the Hunter Region


text:
ICE BUSTS Mexican Illegals Pimping Out Children [VIDEO]
Donald Trump warned Leftists about illegals.
Then they had a fit. They accused then candidate-Trump of being xenophobic. Further, they claimed he was racist against Mexicans.
I dare you to try being in the construction industry and hate Mexicans. But I digress.
Despite Leftists trying to convince us that illegals only want a better way of life, and that's their motivation to break our laws. The truth is far more sinister.
In this undercover ICE video, we watch as ICE agents asks an illegal woman about having sex with very young girls.
https://twitter.com/Pamela_Moore13/status/866110434394259456
How sickening.
And don't believe for one second this type of activity is anecdotal. The Left will try to convince you that situations like this are rare. They are not.
In fact, these situations are rampant. And Leftists reside at the epicenter of this deviance.
And you wonder how this happens in Hollywood? The same way.
Leftists look the other way, as other Leftists pimp out their children. Corey Feldman of The Two Coreys has revealed the dirty underbelly of pedophilia and sex-trafficking in Hollyweird.
Meanwhile, the Hollyweirdos reflect by attacking the Catholic church for instance. Child porn and sex in Hollywood makes Catholic priests look like…PRIESTS!
You wonder why Leftist voter ID scammers ACORN didn't care that James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles wanted bring in young Guatemalan prostitutes? Because exploiting children is what Leftists do.
Even to this day the Left try to gloss over the facts behind ACORN.
HuffPo wrote a piece titled, "Reflections on Planned Parenthood, Clinton, and ACORN":
In 2009, Fox News and BigGovernment.com released videos secretly recorded by Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe at the offices of ACORN. ACORN had in the past done noble work for the public, registering hundreds of thousands of voters, providing relief for Katrina victims, and fighting predatory lending. The videos purported to show ACORN's employees intentionally assisting clients' activities in underage sex trade and prostitution. Soon after, ACORN lost its partnership with the US Census Bureau, along with other government institutions, and it was barred from federal funding. Even President Obamacalled for an investigation into its activities. When private funding dried up, the organization disbanded.
But when Giles and O'Keefe were given immunity in exchange for raw, unedited footage (they had violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act when secretly recording), the California Attorney General (CAG) found that the videos were heavily edited. Furthermore, CAG found that ACORN had committed no wrongdoing at the time. Later on, more investigations followed. The US Government Accountability Office found that ACORN did not mishandle federal funds; in a related debate, the Congressional Research Servicefound allegations of ACORN voter fraud to be unsubstantiated; and a law enforcement officer from New York noted that Giles and O'Keefe "edited their tape to meet their agenda".
The only editing on this piece was to cut to the chase.
The outcome of the investigation and sting didn't change one iota.
Moreover, aside from the allegations of helping establish a prostitution ring, we got this update back in 2010:
So far this year, at least 18 former workers have admitted guilt or been convicted on varying charges of election fraud. The punishment has ranged from probation to several months of prison time.
ACORN, once a powerful advocate for low-income and minority voters, shuttered its operations amid plummeting revenues in March, six months after conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute caught on video some of the group's employees offering them tax advice.
Sadly, the Leftist-run government allowed ACORN to exist. Some may say that the government engendered the organization. Because, no civilized society would allow these type of organizations to take advantage of children and the general public as crooked ACORN did for decades.
Nor would they condone the lawlessness of the Obama administration.
If you believe any advocacy group gives a damn about the children this woman in the video used as prostitutes, you're dreaming.
Government under Obama and other Leftists cares only about itself. It will use children, the elderly, or "climate change" only if there is money involved to feed the top dogs. Convince the politicians you have a better way to steal, and they will pave the runway for you.
Let's hope ICE continues to crack down on these pimps. And let's further hope that President Trump cracks down on them at the higher level. America deserves better, and certainly so do the children of all countries.


Species Challenge: The first of a few challenges I set myself this season, I wanted to put a few fish on the list I'd never caught before (or had only caught very small ones). The first task was to catch each species and I also added a reasonable target weight to try and beat.
I achieved four out of the five targets (bloody bream) and have totally fallen in love with (four out of five of) them. They are all going to be future targets - very enjoyable fishing.
Pike Challenge: A repeat of last year's failed challenge, 200lb of pike including 5 doubles. I didn't take into account there is no real pike fishing close to home and work is pretty relentless, but that's not really an excuse.
I didn't manage the 200lb, but I did end up with 6 doubles - so half way there. A couple more trips to the River Wye or a weir permit might well have push me over the target but in the end I think I left it too late to start may campaign.
I love fishing for pike and really need to learn this time. Make some more time for pike fishing next season!!
Barbel Challenge: A challenge I decided on a few months into the season. Time was limited so when I could string two or three hours together I'd have a blast at a small river barbel. I wasn't targeting big fish I was just after something to put a bend in the rod.
As thing were going well I decided to aim for 60+ barbel and a target weight of 300lb. An incredible (lucky) run of multi-fish catches and next to no blanks meant I realised this target without that much time on the riverbank - perfect opportunistic fishing. Cracked!
Gudgeon Challenge: I've always loved gudgeon and normally specifically fish for them a few times a year. This season, armed with a set of digital kitchen scales, I decided to chase down a real monster, the target was a genuine 3oz fish.
Congrats for your successful 2014/2015 season. I was particularly interested by your report concerning your fishing on the River Test, in Hampshire. (The river plays a significant part in Richard Adams' novel Watership Down). ... All the best for the 2015/2016 season!
30Lb + pike and a bigger beard. Nuff said.
A thirty is the long term goal, who knows it might be next season - been trying for a few years now! And that reminds me, should get started on the new beard!
James is already on board.


Loving Man looking to Worship My Lady!
Easy going, loyal and hard working. I enjoy traveling and experiencing new things.
Funny, Sarcastic, Affectionate, Loving. I want to find someone to love unconditionally and will do the same for me.
Honest, loyal, faithful, loving, caring love most sports, movies, traveling, mountains and the beach. I love Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.


text:
Sheldon Adelson Young : Super Pac Megadonors Are Giving More Than Ever In 2016 ...
The Latest Winning Mega Millions Numbers, A Random Number Generator, Game Statistics And A Prize Breakdown With Payouts And Winners For Each Draw.
Sheldon Adelson Young. He treated his employees like family. Sheldon adelson, the billionaire mogul and power broker who built a casino empire spanning from las vegas to china and became a singular force in domestic and international politics has died after a long illness, his wife. Sheldon adelson, the chairman and ceo of las vegas sands and a major donor to republican politicians, died late monday following complications related to his cancer treatment, his company said. His death was announced by his wife of nearly 30 years, dr miriam adelson, in a statement released by pr newswire and the las vegas sands, the casino chain where mr adelson served as. Major republican donor sheldon adelson has passed away at the age of 87, according to his wife, news that was quickly celebrated by those critical sheldon adelson died at his home monday, after a lifelong battle with the forces of light. Adelson seemed to lack focus. Sheldon adelson has died after a long illness, his wife said tuesday. Casino magnate sheldon adelson and his wife miriam listen to u.s. Sheldon was a true american patriot and a giant among men. We link to the best sources from around the world. The founder of the las vegas sands casino company, mr adelson was known for his support of conservative causes and israel. Billionaire casino magnate sheldon adelson, whose gambling and hotel businesses turned him into a major political power broker in the us and israel, has died. The son of an immigrant jewish cabdriver, he flitted from one business to another, dabbling in mortgage. As a young man, mr. Sheldon adelson , a casino tycoon and one of donald trump 's megadonors, has died at the age of 87.
Sheldon Adelson Young : The Zionist Takeover Of European Nationalism And The ...
The Real Ruler of Israel: Sheldon Adelson - The Greanville .... As a young man, mr. Casino magnate sheldon adelson and his wife miriam listen to u.s. He treated his employees like family. Billionaire casino magnate sheldon adelson, whose gambling and hotel businesses turned him into a major political power broker in the us and israel, has died. The founder of the las vegas sands casino company, mr adelson was known for his support of conservative causes and israel. The son of an immigrant jewish cabdriver, he flitted from one business to another, dabbling in mortgage. Adelson seemed to lack focus. Sheldon was a true american patriot and a giant among men. His death was announced by his wife of nearly 30 years, dr miriam adelson, in a statement released by pr newswire and the las vegas sands, the casino chain where mr adelson served as. Sheldon adelson, the billionaire mogul and power broker who built a casino empire spanning from las vegas to china and became a singular force in domestic and international politics has died after a long illness, his wife. Major republican donor sheldon adelson has passed away at the age of 87, according to his wife, news that was quickly celebrated by those critical sheldon adelson died at his home monday, after a lifelong battle with the forces of light. Sheldon adelson, the chairman and ceo of las vegas sands and a major donor to republican politicians, died late monday following complications related to his cancer treatment, his company said. We link to the best sources from around the world. Sheldon adelson , a casino tycoon and one of donald trump 's megadonors, has died at the age of 87. Sheldon adelson has died after a long illness, his wife said tuesday.
Source: www.nydailynews.com
Born to immigrant parents and raised in a poor section of boston, mr.
Why Has GOP Leadership Spurned Base, Election And ... from www.vdare.com
We link to the best sources from around the world. Billionaire casino magnate sheldon adelson, whose gambling and hotel businesses turned him into a major political power broker in the us and israel, has died. His father was a lithuanian immigrant who drove a taxicab. Sheldon adelson , a casino tycoon and one of donald trump 's megadonors, has died at the age of 87. Adelson demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit at a very young age, borrowing $200 from an uncle. Sheldon adelson, the las vegas casino magnate who was a powerful republican donor and strong supporter of president donald trump, has died of complication from a long illness, his wife announced tuesday. The las vegas sands corp.
Sheldon was a generous benefactor of charitable causes, especially medical research and jewish heritage education, bush continued.
The founder of the las vegas sands casino company, mr adelson was known for his support of conservative causes and israel. Sheldon was a true american patriot and a giant among men. Sheldon adelson has died after a long illness, his wife said tuesday. Our founder and visionary leader, sheldon g. Bloomberg intelligence's brian egger discusses his legacy on bloomberg intelligence. Adelson seemed to lack focus. How sheldon adelson came from nothing to build the largest casino empire in the world. Venetian ve the palazzo gibi otellerin sahibi olan las vegas sands'in başkanı ve ceo'su abd'li yatırımcı sheldon adelson, (87) malibu kaliforniya'daki evinde hayatını kaybetti. The las vegas sands corp. Sheldon adelson , a casino tycoon and one of donald trump 's megadonors, has died at the age of 87. Sheldon was a generous benefactor of charitable causes, especially medical research and jewish heritage education, bush continued. Sheldon adelson, billionaire trump backer and las vegas sands ceo, dead. Casino magnate sheldon adelson and his wife miriam listen to u.s. The founder of the las vegas sands casino company, mr adelson was known for his support of conservative causes and israel. Sheldon was the love of my life. Casino mogul sheldon adelson, a major donor to the us republican party for decades and a loyal supporter of israel, has died, his las vegas sands company said on tuesday. Sheldon adelson, who built the largest casino company in the world and used his wealth to support republican candidates and groups, has died. Major republican donor sheldon adelson has passed away at the age of 87, according to his wife, news that was quickly celebrated by those critical sheldon adelson died at his home monday, after a lifelong battle with the forces of light. Sheldon adelson, the las vegas casino magnate who was a powerful republican donor and strong supporter of president donald trump, has died of complication from a long illness, his wife announced tuesday. Adelson demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit at a very young age, borrowing $200 from an uncle. His philanthropic generosity changed countless lives. Adelson was born into modest circumstances in dorchester, a neighbourhood of boston. Chairman and ceo, who pioneered sheldon adelson, the chairman and ceo of las vegas sands and a major donor to republican politicians, died late monday following complications. We link to the best sources from around the world. He treated his employees like family. His death was announced by his wife of nearly 30 years, dr miriam adelson, in a statement released by pr newswire and the las vegas sands, the casino chain where mr adelson served as. Billionaire casino magnate sheldon adelson, whose gambling and hotel businesses turned him into a major political power broker in the us and israel, has died. © provided by nbc news. Sheldon adelson, a casino magnate who became a major donor to donald trump and other republican causes, has died. Born to immigrant parents and raised in a poor section of boston, mr. So it is that las vegas sands chairman sheldon adelson finds himself on the witness stand this week, defending his company from a former consultant who alleges he's owed millions from las vegas.
Sheldon Adelson Young : Sheldon Adelson, Las Vegas Convention Visionary And Philanthropist, Dies At 87.
Source: tkaplan.com
Adelson seemed to lack focus. Business Mogul Sheldon Adelson's Adversity-Ridden Journey ...
Source: media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com
Casino mogul sheldon adelson, a major donor to the us republican party for decades and a loyal supporter of israel, has died, his las vegas sands company said on tuesday. Young Sheldon Adelson. | Casino & Gambling History | Pinterest
Sheldon Adelson Young , This Is Sheldon Adelson's Election | Rolling Stone
Source: static3.businessinsider.com
The son of an immigrant jewish cabdriver, he flitted from one business to another, dabbling in mortgage. Life of Sheldon Adelson - Business Insider
Source: www.israeliamerican.org
His father was a lithuanian immigrant who drove a taxicab. Sheldon G. Adelson - My American Dream (YP Members Only ...
Sheldon Adelson Young . The 36 Most Powerful People In Politics - Business Insider
Source: celebritycowboy.com
His father was a lithuanian immigrant who drove a taxicab. Sheldon Adelson Net Worth 2018 | How They Made It, Bio ...
Source: www.nolandalla.com
As a young man, mr. Animals R Us - Nolan Dalla
Sheldon Adelson Young - Sheldon Adelson, The Billionaire Mogul And Power Broker Who Built A Casino Empire Spanning From Las Vegas To China And Became A Singular Force In Domestic And International Politics Has Died After A Long Illness, His Wife.
Source: media.lehighvalleylive.com
Adelson was born into modest circumstances in dorchester, a neighbourhood of boston. Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson 'morally opposed' to online ...
Source: blogs-images.forbes.com
Adelson is a major republic donor and casino entrepreneur with operations in macao and singapore, as well as las vegas. Why Sheldon Adelson's Election Donations Were Millions ...
Sheldon Adelson Young - Sheldon Was A Generous Benefactor Of Charitable Causes, Especially Medical Research And Jewish Heritage Education, Bush Continued.
Sheldon was a generous benefactor of charitable causes, especially medical research and jewish heritage education, bush continued. DownWithTyranny!: Sheldon Adelson Sneak Attack Comes To ...
Sheldon adelson has died after a long illness, his wife said tuesday. Sheldon Adelson: Attack Iran with an atomic bomb - YouTube
Sheldon Adelson Young : Our Founder And Visionary Leader, Sheldon G.
Source: images.forbes.com
Sheldon was a true american patriot and a giant among men. In Pictures: Billionaires By Age--Who Got Rich How Young?
Source: pixel.nymag.com
Sheldon was the love of my life. Sheldon Adelson Arms Young Guns With $5 Million
Sheldon Adelson Young , Sheldon Adelson Has Died After A Long Illness, His Wife Said Tuesday.
Source: www.pokercollectif.com
Our founder and visionary leader, sheldon g. Sheldon Adelson does not give its support to online poker ...
Source: wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net
Chairman and ceo, who pioneered sheldon adelson, the chairman and ceo of las vegas sands and a major donor to republican politicians, died late monday following complications. Film Composer Marvin Hamlisch Dead at 68
Sheldon Adelson Young : Sheldon Adelson Has Died After A Long Illness, His Wife Said Tuesday.
Source: static01.nyt.com
Sheldon adelson , a casino tycoon and one of donald trump 's megadonors, has died at the age of 87. When 3rd Place on the Rich List Just Isn't Enough - The ...
Sheldon adelson has died after a long illness, his wife said tuesday. Sheldon Adelson Newspaper Endorses Trump | Fusion
Sheldon Adelson Young , His Father Was A Lithuanian Immigrant Who Drove A Taxicab.
Source: www.quantumbooks.com
Billionaire casino magnate sheldon adelson, whose gambling and hotel businesses turned him into a major political power broker in the us and israel, has died. List of the 20 Richest People in the World in 2015
Source: images.forwardcdn.com
Adelson was born into modest circumstances in dorchester, a neighbourhood of boston. Sheldon Adelson through the eyes of six who knew him - The ...
Sheldon Adelson Young . Adelson Is A Major Republic Donor And Casino Entrepreneur With Operations In Macao And Singapore, As Well As Las Vegas.
Adelson demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit at a very young age, borrowing $200 from an uncle. The Man Behind Gingrich's Money - The New York Times
Source: icdn3.digitaltrends.com
Sheldon was a true american patriot and a giant among men. Simon Cowell and 3 other successful technophobes we're not ...
Source: didiremez.files.wordpress.com
Born to immigrant parents and raised in a poor section of boston, mr. Billionaire Zionist Jew Sheldon Adelson buys Newt Gingrich ...
Source: media.zenfs.com
Adelson was born into modest circumstances in dorchester, a neighbourhood of boston. GOP super PAC receives major donation from casino mogul ...
Source: www.cardschat.com
Sheldon adelson, a casino magnate who became a major donor to donald trump and other republican causes, has died. China'Watch'Canada: Casino Mogul Sheldon Adelson Facing ...
Born to immigrant parents and raised in a poor section of boston, mr. DownWithTyranny!: "Idiocracy" Moments for 2012, Part 2
Casino magnate sheldon adelson and his wife miriam listen to u.s. Adelson's Fantasizing About Building Casinos in North Korea
Source: l7.alamy.com
Venetian ve the palazzo gibi otellerin sahibi olan las vegas sands'in başkanı ve ceo'su abd'li yatırımcı sheldon adelson, (87) malibu kaliforniya'daki evinde hayatını kaybetti. Young Miriam Adelson 55677 | INFOBIT
Source: www.slate.com
So it is that las vegas sands chairman sheldon adelson finds himself on the witness stand this week, defending his company from a former consultant who alleges he's owed millions from las vegas. Legalizing Internet gambling: Sheldon Adelson, casinos ...
Sheldon adelson, who built the largest casino company in the world and used his wealth to support republican candidates and groups, has died. Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson 'morally opposed' to online ...
Sheldon adelson , a casino tycoon and one of donald trump 's megadonors, has died at the age of 87. Sheldon Adelson Attacks Online Gambling - Business Insider
Born to immigrant parents and raised in a poor section of boston, mr. Did Sheldon Adelson Just Buy A War With Iran? - YouTube
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text:
#pragma once
#include <aws/ce/CostExplorer_EXPORTS.h>
#include <aws/core/utils/memory/stl/AWSString.h>
#include <aws/core/utils/memory/stl/AWSVector.h>
#include <aws/ce/model/GroupDefinition.h>
#include <aws/ce/model/ResultByTime.h>
#include <aws/ce/model/DimensionValuesWithAttributes.h>
#include <utility>

namespace Aws
{
template<typename RESULT_TYPE>
class AmazonWebServiceResult;

namespace Utils
{
namespace Json
{
  class JsonValue;
} // namespace Json
} // namespace Utils
namespace CostExplorer
{
namespace Model
{
  class AWS_COSTEXPLORER_API GetCostAndUsageResult
  {
  public:
    GetCostAndUsageResult();
    GetCostAndUsageResult(const Aws::AmazonWebServiceResult<Aws::Utils::Json::JsonValue>& result);
    GetCostAndUsageResult& operator=(const Aws::AmazonWebServiceResult<Aws::Utils::Json::JsonValue>& result);

    /**
     *
The token for the next set of retrievable results. Amazon Web Services
     * provides the token when the response from a previous call has more results than
     * the maximum page size.

     */
    inline const Aws::String& GetNextPageToken() const{ return m_nextPageToken; }

    /**
     *
The token for the next set of retrievable results. Amazon Web Services
     * provides the token when the response from a previous call has more results than
     * the maximum page size.

     */
    inline void SetNextPageToken(const Aws::String& value) { m_nextPageToken = value; }

    /**
     *
The token for the next set of retrievable results. Amazon Web Services
     * provides the token when the response from a previous call has more results than
     * the maximum page size.

     */
    inline void SetNextPageToken(Aws::String&& value) { m_nextPageToken = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
The token for the next set of retrievable results. Amazon Web Services
     * provides the token when the response from a previous call has more results than
     * the maximum page size.

     */
    inline void SetNextPageToken(const char* value) { m_nextPageToken.assign(value); }

    /**
     *
The token for the next set of retrievable results. Amazon Web Services
     * provides the token when the response from a previous call has more results than
     * the maximum page size.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithNextPageToken(const Aws::String& value) { SetNextPageToken(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The token for the next set of retrievable results. Amazon Web Services
     * provides the token when the response from a previous call has more results than
     * the maximum page size.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithNextPageToken(Aws::String&& value) { SetNextPageToken(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The token for the next set of retrievable results. Amazon Web Services
     * provides the token when the response from a previous call has more results than
     * the maximum page size.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithNextPageToken(const char* value) { SetNextPageToken(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The groups that are specified by the Filter or
     * GroupBy parameters in the request.

     */
    inline const Aws::Vector<GroupDefinition>& GetGroupDefinitions() const{ return m_groupDefinitions; }

    /**
     *
The groups that are specified by the Filter or
     * GroupBy parameters in the request.

     */
    inline void SetGroupDefinitions(const Aws::Vector<GroupDefinition>& value) { m_groupDefinitions = value; }

    /**
     *
The groups that are specified by the Filter or
     * GroupBy parameters in the request.

     */
    inline void SetGroupDefinitions(Aws::Vector<GroupDefinition>&& value) { m_groupDefinitions = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
The groups that are specified by the Filter or
     * GroupBy parameters in the request.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithGroupDefinitions(const Aws::Vector<GroupDefinition>& value) { SetGroupDefinitions(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The groups that are specified by the Filter or
     * GroupBy parameters in the request.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithGroupDefinitions(Aws::Vector<GroupDefinition>&& value) { SetGroupDefinitions(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The groups that are specified by the Filter or
     * GroupBy parameters in the request.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& AddGroupDefinitions(const GroupDefinition& value) { m_groupDefinitions.push_back(value); return *this; }

    /**
     *
The groups that are specified by the Filter or
     * GroupBy parameters in the request.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& AddGroupDefinitions(GroupDefinition&& value) { m_groupDefinitions.push_back(std::move(value)); return *this; }

    /**
     *
The time period that's covered by the results in the response.

     */
    inline const Aws::Vector<ResultByTime>& GetResultsByTime() const{ return m_resultsByTime; }

    /**
     *
The time period that's covered by the results in the response.

     */
    inline void SetResultsByTime(const Aws::Vector<ResultByTime>& value) { m_resultsByTime = value; }

    /**
     *
The time period that's covered by the results in the response.

     */
    inline void SetResultsByTime(Aws::Vector<ResultByTime>&& value) { m_resultsByTime = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
The time period that's covered by the results in the response.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithResultsByTime(const Aws::Vector<ResultByTime>& value) { SetResultsByTime(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The time period that's covered by the results in the response.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithResultsByTime(Aws::Vector<ResultByTime>&& value) { SetResultsByTime(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The time period that's covered by the results in the response.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& AddResultsByTime(const ResultByTime& value) { m_resultsByTime.push_back(value); return *this; }

    /**
     *
The time period that's covered by the results in the response.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& AddResultsByTime(ResultByTime&& value) { m_resultsByTime.push_back(std::move(value)); return *this; }

    /**
     *
The attributes that apply to a specific dimension value. For example, if the
     * value is a linked account, the attribute is that account name.

     */
    inline const Aws::Vector<DimensionValuesWithAttributes>& GetDimensionValueAttributes() const{ return m_dimensionValueAttributes; }

    /**
     *
The attributes that apply to a specific dimension value. For example, if the
     * value is a linked account, the attribute is that account name.

     */
    inline void SetDimensionValueAttributes(const Aws::Vector<DimensionValuesWithAttributes>& value) { m_dimensionValueAttributes = value; }

    /**
     *
The attributes that apply to a specific dimension value. For example, if the
     * value is a linked account, the attribute is that account name.

     */
    inline void SetDimensionValueAttributes(Aws::Vector<DimensionValuesWithAttributes>&& value) { m_dimensionValueAttributes = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
The attributes that apply to a specific dimension value. For example, if the
     * value is a linked account, the attribute is that account name.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithDimensionValueAttributes(const Aws::Vector<DimensionValuesWithAttributes>& value) { SetDimensionValueAttributes(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The attributes that apply to a specific dimension value. For example, if the
     * value is a linked account, the attribute is that account name.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& WithDimensionValueAttributes(Aws::Vector<DimensionValuesWithAttributes>&& value) { SetDimensionValueAttributes(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
The attributes that apply to a specific dimension value. For example, if the
     * value is a linked account, the attribute is that account name.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& AddDimensionValueAttributes(const DimensionValuesWithAttributes& value) { m_dimensionValueAttributes.push_back(value); return *this; }

    /**
     *
The attributes that apply to a specific dimension value. For example, if the
     * value is a linked account, the attribute is that account name.

     */
    inline GetCostAndUsageResult& AddDimensionValueAttributes(DimensionValuesWithAttributes&& value) { m_dimensionValueAttributes.push_back(std::move(value)); return *this; }

  private:

    Aws::String m_nextPageToken;

    Aws::Vector<GroupDefinition> m_groupDefinitions;

    Aws::Vector<ResultByTime> m_resultsByTime;

    Aws::Vector<DimensionValuesWithAttributes> m_dimensionValueAttributes;
  };

} // namespace Model
} // namespace CostExplorer
} // namespace Aws

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Comments: Dress rehearsal for the Vertigo Tour. Larry plays keyboards during "Yahweh." Bono helps with the drumming on "Love and Peace or Else" by playing on the b-stage while Larry plays on the main stage. The traditional red backdrop of "Streets" is replaced by a screen showing the flags of countries on the African continent. "40" is performed as it was in the 80s, with each band member leaving the stage separately and Larry finishing with a brief drum solo to close the show.


To start with...you really need to have fancy supplies. They're not expensive, and are available at any stationary store across India.
You can keep your supplies in a cardboard box.
She has organized different pens in four groups--Black gel, black ball point, blue ball point, and blue gel pens. Make sure you have enough of each type.
The second important thing, of course, is the organization of notes. She has clubbed all her self-notes into binder clips; she has clipped different subjects with different binder clips.
She uses flags to divide the chapters. As BMM doesn't have chapters, we cannot use flags to do the same in my field.
She has used stick notes brilliantly. In the above picture, she has stuck a cute Miffy stick note and have written down an important question on it.
Even in the picture above, she has done the same.
Usage of colorful pens while studying is important. She has used a variety of colours for flow charts.
Another important thing is organizing the study material. If your stuff is at its place, you automatically feel like studying, needless to say.
And finally, there should be a comfortable place for studying!
I am really happy that engineering students can use my method. By the way, my BFF has had no ATKT so far; she's in the third year, and no, she was not one of those 'nerdy' students in school to be so successful at studies.
I guess the time has come when you become serious with your studies as well. And if you're an engineering student, and find my study tips useless due to the change in toughness level, then you should definitely read all the above tips, and clear away the misunderstanding.
Are you an engineering student? How do you study?


text:
Fig resistant
Sometime here smells so interesting! Am I missing out? But on what?!
We're coming to the end of the season for our magnificent Mission fig tree. It was here when we moved in 41 years ago, and every year since, in the late summer and early fall, it has yielded hundreds of pounds of fruit. Crows feast on the bounty at the crown; Steve plucks figs from the middle and lower zones and eats them on his cereal. Some years I make jam, and we always give away as much as we can, but figs still fall off the tree and litter the ground around it. Tucker typically has gained at least 5 pounds every fig season, and every CCI puppy we've raised has discovered the deliciousness. Except Adagio.
It's hard to say why he has resisted them. This year when the figs started to ripen, we took pains to limit his contact with the tree, taking him down to that part of the yard on a tight leash. But we've done that with all our CCI puppies. Allowing them free access to scavenging opportunities inevitably results in dietary disruption — not fun for them or us. Still, we inevitably let down our guard, and during those moments everyone except Adagio has quickly availed themselves of the morsels of pleasure.
Whenever we've seen Adagio approach one, we've sternly reprimanded him. So I wonder: is he more obedient than all the other dogs? Is his culinary palate less refined — or more? (Somehow that theory seems implausible.)
In recent weeks, it seems to me he's been more eager to get near the tree and sniff around. A few times, we've seen him returning from its vicinity licking his chops. Still, we doubt he could have eaten more than a half-dozen pieces, if he got any.
Adagio is not scheduled to leave us and go on to his Advanced Training until November of 2019. If that doesn't change, we'll live with him through another season of the forbidden fruit. Somehow I'm guessing he'll be less resistant to its charms the next time around.
By jdewyzein Everyday puppy life September 28, 2018 356 WordsLeave a comment
On the big screen
The organization for which Steve and I raise puppies — Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) — takes pride in the fact it was the first to train dogs to assist folks with physical disabilities. CCI started in 1975. But Guide Dogs for the Blind began decades before then, in 1942. We've known CCI puppy-raisers who previously raised "seeing-eye" dogs. Steve and I have always heard that training is even more demanding than what CCI dogs undergo. The dogs must learn not only to obey complex commands but also when to disobey an order to protect their human (for example, refusing to walk them into the path of an oncoming bus). Steve and I haven't known much more than that about what's involved in the training. However this week we learned a lot.
Photograph by Robert Schneider
A new documentary film, Pick of the Litter, takes a close but wide-ranging look at the process. Tuesday afternoon Steve and I and Adagio saw the movie, along with several friends and other puppy-sitters and raisers. Adagio didn't seem at all interested, even when the big screen was filled with squealing, yipping youngsters. But the rest of us were riveted.
The film opens with the whelping of a litter, then follows the progress of its three male and two female members. It's suspenseful (some of the gang graduate as guides, but some don't make the cut), and we were surprised by how familiar many aspects of the experience felt. Some commands are identical — "let's go!" for one example. Another: the Guide Dogs for the Blind puppies wear halters just like CCI requires.
Other parts — like traffic training — are very different. What shocked me most was that the GDB puppy-raisers apparently can flunk out along the way. They don't appear to take their pups to twice-monthly classes (as we do), and we saw no signs of the vibrant puppy-raising community CCI seems to foster. Instead, they're observed by a professional every three months, and the organization can (and does) summarily take puppies back. It made me much less interested in ever raising a seeing-eye dog, as enthralling as their work is.
Before seeing Pick of the Litter, I was a bit worried that our documentarian friends Alberto Lau and Bob Schneider might be discouraged from continuing with their project. For years, they've been filming Steve and me raising successive puppies, with the plan of creating a film about the puppy-raising experience. They attended this new film with us and didn't seem bothered by its coming out first. Although they have shot countless hours of footage, they haven't yet wrapped up their work because they've been waiting for ONE of our trainees to graduate (something that hasn't happened for eight years.) Adagio may not have been enthralled by Pick of the Litter. But Steve and I are still hoping he'll be the next star.
By jdewyzein Everyday puppy life, The CCI program September 21, 2018 486 WordsLeave a comment
The last pool game?
Tucker, who was our first CCI puppy and whom we adopted 11 years ago when he was released for excess energy and distractibility, never was much of a ball-player. In his youth, he would chase a thrown ball a few times. But he invariably got bored and would wander off to do something else.
One thing he did was to invent a variation of ball-playing that we came to refer to as The Pool Game. Tucker never cared much for swimming either. But during swimming season, The Pool Game gave him a novel way to engage with the water. When one or more of us were in the pool, he would find a ball, bring it to the edge, and bark insistently, demanding that the human in the pool pick up the ball and throw it. If we ignored him, he would often drop the ball into the water and bark louder. For some reason, this activity entranced him; the older the got, the more he seemed to like it. In recent years, the mere sight of one of us in swimwear and with a towel sent him into a state of quivering, barking excitement.
This summer, the heat drove Steve and me into the pool more than normal. Tucker will be 14 at the end of November (98 in dog years), and he spends most of his time sleeping. His back hips are failing, and most of the time, when he walks at all, his pace ranges from slow to glacial. So the first time we got into the pool, in June, we were mildly astonished to see him as eager as ever to play The Pool Game. Our routine went like this:

The pool game from Jeannette De Wyze on Vimeo</a>.

One houseguest exclaimed, "I didn't think he could move like that!" Sometimes he seemed sore after the fun was over. But it didn't deter him.
It's been sweet. But now the hot spell has ended; night seems to come earlier with each passing day, and in response to these changes, our solar-heated pool's temperature has been dropping. Steve swam Wednesday, but we suspect neither of us will do that again this season.
Tucker may survive to next summer. We hope he does, but I can't imagine how he could play any games by that point. Unless it's in his dreams. The other day, I glimpsed how dreaming transports him to better days. He was on his bed, but running at full tilt. I imagined he was galloping through the woods, strong and joyful. Maybe next summer he'll play that way.

Tucker sleep-running from Jeannette De Wyze on Vimeo</a>.

By jdewyzein Grown puppies September 14, 2018 520 WordsLeave a comment
Adagio does Dogfest
Dogfest is the big fundraiser for our local region of Canine Companions for Independence. Although we've participated many times in it and its earlier incarnations, for at least a few years it has been held in the fall at times when we happened to be traveling.
This year, happily, we were able to make it. It took place yesterday, and for the first time ever, Steve and I formed a team to participate in the walkathon. It's not an athletic event, really just a 10-minute stroll around the perimeter of the grassy area where the event unfolds (at Liberty Station Park next to San Diego Bay). Adagio was very excited by the presence of so many dogs (including legions that are NOT in training for a life of service.)
After the walk, Steve tried to interest him in the athletic displays of the disk-catching dogs (one of the morning's entertainments). Adagio had no interest. It was hot, and he looked bored. His idea of a true dog fest is one where all the pups get together and run wild. But that one takes place only in dreams.
By jdewyzein Everyday puppy life, The CCI program September 10, 2018 188 Words1 Comment
Where the turf meets the woof
A whole pack of puppies and their accompanying humans descended upon the Del Mar racetrack yesterday (the last day of racing for this summer's season). Happily, Adagio, Steve, and I and our videographer friends, Alberto Lau and Bob Schneider, were able to join in. The afternoon proved to be a lot less boisterous than one might expect and not at all profitable (that was entirely predictable, given my incompetence at horse-wagering). Still, all the humans had fun.
I'm not so sure about Adagio. Compared to sleeping, which is how he spends most afternoons, there was certainly a lot more to smell and see. But because this was a semi-official CCI outing, all the pups had to be on their best behavior, sitting and walking on loose leashes and staying in Down positions, rather than romping and wrestling, as they would have all preferred. For the most part, their behavior was impeccable, and they got a lot of admiration from the racing fans. But from the doggy perspective, it wasn't what you'd call fascinating.
His first sight of horses parading around the paddock area did appear to grab Adagio's attention.
Later, the dogs had an opportunity for an even closer equine encounter. Because one of the veteran CCI puppy-raisers works at the track and arranged for the group experience, the second race saluted the CCI organization. We all got to line up in front of the grandstand and be photographed.
And the puppies were allowed to approach some of the track horses for a nose-to-nose encounter.
Adagio thought the cute little blonde was MUCH more intriguing than the large brown weird-smelling dogs on the far side of the fence.
At only one moment did he do something unexpected. Shortly before the second race, he barked loudly — twice. I took it as a sign that my hunch about the #2 horse should be followed. Ignoring the 60-1 odds, I put $5 on Chocolate Goddess to win.
And now I have a tip for you: never take the advice of a dog when betting on the ponies.
By jdewyzein Special experiences, The CCI program September 4, 2018 September 4, 2018 362 Words1 Comment


Imagine if we all lived in the Kingdom of Google. The emperor has immense amounts of information, is a brilliant strategist and continues to grow in power. Now imagine for a minute that the emperor is not only brilliant, but also devious . What type of patterns of behavior might we expect in this hypothetical land of Google? What kind of threats would loom for the citizenry? This article takes a hypothetical look at just this issue. It's intended to be an opinion piece and spark some intelligent discussion. Though I've tried to keep the tone light and avoid any "tin-foil hat conspiracy theory" style thinking, only you can be the judge as to whether I've succeeded.
Important disclaimer: I'm not accusing Google of anything here. I'm just pointing out the degree to which certain products are successful and how, if Google were evil, what it could do to exploit its power.
1. Favor the emperor's chosen few: Google could provide some search ranking preference to sites that are running on Blogger (its blogging platform) vs. those on other platforms (such as WordPress or TypePad). This one is easy to do, and would be extremely hard to detect as so many factors play a role in the determination of the Google Search Rankings. The impact is that more and more citizens try to become some of those "privileged few".
2. Punish Citizens Without Due Process: This is a hot button of mine. If you are a Google AdSense customer or for that matter operate any website, Google could (in theory) ban your website from the Google search engine for alleged infractions. In this regard, Google is both judge and jury and you are guilty until proven innocent. There are literally hundreds of articles on the web where dismayed website operators discuss how they got banned from the Google search rankings, banned from using AdSense, etc. In many of these cases, Google may have been right and may have had a legitimate case. That's not my point. The point is that this entire process is not transparent and Google has full, unfettered discretion. Nothing helps keep the citizens in line with the emperor's wishes more than some random punishments (or punishments that seem random).
3. Know Who Is Related To Who: This is an interesting (and subtle) one. Now that more and more Google products are using a central Google account for authentication (Gmail, AdWords, AdSense, Webmaster Tools, Blogger, etc.) it is actually quite possible for Google to know exactly which sites you are affiliated with. Normally, this is not a bad thing (one could argue that this helps Google deliver better search results). The danger here is that not only could Google exact punishment on a given website, it could do so on other related websites. This is like a citizen being fearful of antagonizing the emperor for fear that not only would she be penalized, but that such penalties could impact her friends and family as well.
4. Force Businesses To Advertise: Since Google "knows" which websites are advertising (and which are not), it could lower the organic search rankings for sites that it knows have purchased Google AdWords in the past. Though this seems counter-intuitive (Google would be penalizing its customers), in the short-run, there is economic incentive to do so. The fact that the search rankings themselves are a closely guarded secret means that no individual business would ever be able to prove that Google is intentionally giving it a lower organic ranking to extract more ad dollars. This is a bit like the emperor controlling the local newspaper. The emperor gets to decide who gets free mention in the editorial parts of the paper and who is forced to buy advertising.
5. Change The Laws And Keep Them Obfuscated: There is an entire industry build around search engine optimization (which for most means Google Optimization). Hundreds of people spend their lives trying to understand the Google algorithm and determine how best to earn the privilege of ranking their clients high for particular searches. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, but it ties into all of the points above. The search rankings have become so important for so many customers, and the underlying algorithm is so ill-understood that there is major potential for abuse. Should it ever come to be that Google needs to exert even more influence amongst the citizenry, all it has to do is change the laws of the land and send the masses scurrying to try and figure out what the new rules are.
There are many more possible problems with Google's growing power. The ones that bother me the most are at the heart of many monopolies: product bundling. As Google amasses a larger and larger pool of products that touch millions of people, the potential to start tying these products together in ways that do not benefit everyone is increasing.
What are your thoughts? Am I totally off-base with any or all of these particular concerns? Is Google a benevolent dictator, a not-so-benevolent dictator – or not a dictator at all?