text:
Rocking Out to the CWCC's Greatest Hits
I'm dating myself here, but as a kid and teenager, I loved listening to LPs and the radio. I have older siblings who taught me what's "good" music. Some of my early favorites were greatest hits collections by James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt and Sly and the Family Stone. I also enjoyed trying to predict which song would be number one each week on "American Top 40."
"You're No Good" is so much fun to sing along to!
At some point, one of my siblings clued me in that the top 40 hits are, for the most part, mediocre, and that greatest hits albums aren't cool, either.
Disagree!
Casey Kasem's artist trivia was fun, and the long-distance dedications were sappy but a little endearing, too. As for greatest hits collections, they're useful to decide whether you like an artist who's new to you. And sometimes they're like old friends. Occasionally you just want to relax to familiar lyrics and music. Here's someone who backs me up.
With all this in mind, we recently decided that the Court of Workers' Compensation Claims blog contains a few "greatest hits." We re-read a post from a couple of years back (about Medicare set-asides, below) and remarked that the information was still accurate and helpful to workers' compensation practitioners in Tennessee. Why not recycle a bit?
Are we all having "Hot Fun in the Summertime" right about now?
Rather than arbitrarily determine what's a "hit," I looked at the blog's statistics to see which posts were viewed the most often. Our top five are below. I'm counting backwards because that's what Casey used to do.
#5: When Less is More
Judge Thomas Wyatt tells the story of a recent case on his docket where the parties eschewed the conflict that, unfortunately, is so often a part of litigation generally and the workers' compensation system specifically. Instead, the parties collaborated to ensure that an injured worker received the best possible health care and returned to work as soon as possible.
Judge Wyatt learned of this employee's inspiring story while approving his settlement agreement. Settlement approvals consume a great deal of the judges' time, so we've written quite a few posts about settlement procedures that have garnered many views. Read on.
#4: Settling Cases with Medicare Set-Aside Agreements
I had no idea what "steamroller" was about at the time.
Judges Joshua Davis Baker and Audrey Headrick teamed up to explain that state workers' compensation judges can't approve provisions in proposed agreements that allocate rights under federal law.
That's why the Court drafted templates containing the appropriate language regarding Medicare set-asides that the judges will approve. Judges Baker and Headrick respectfully urged you to stick to the language in those templates.
#3 Best Practices for Closing Future Medicals
Judges Pamela Johnson, Lisa Lowe and Dale Tipps collaborated for another post about settlement procedures.
They offered examples of the types of rationales that persuade a judge to approve a settlement closing future medical benefits. For example, "The employee is no longer living in Tennessee" isn't a valid reason to close future meds. In contrast, here's a succinct example where the judge approved the agreement: "The Employee has not sought medical treatment for this injury in more than one year, and no additional treatment has been recommended. The amount being paid to close future medical benefits takes into consideration the Employee's life expectancy and the projected treatment costs."
#2 Discovery Dos and … Please Don't Do That!
I hope you're all "Feelin' Groovy."
Judge Joshua Davis Baker discussed the interplay between the Rules of Civil Procedure and the Mediation and Hearing Procedures. On that note, earlier this month, new rules took effect, now called the Court of Workers' Compensation Claims and Alternative Dispute Resolution.
For instance, the Rules of Civil Procedure don't limit the number of interrogatories that may be served, but the Court's rules cut them off at 20. Judge Baker recommended tailoring your discovery requests to each case rather than sending the dreaded "boilerplate" discovery.
Finally getting to the top post…
#1) Can I Wait a Year to Refile after a Dismissal without Prejudice?
A couple of years ago, Judge Pamela Johnson explained that she just didn't have an answer to that question because the Tennessee Workers' Compensation Appeals Board hasn't addressed it yet. Judge Johnson outlined the existing law that will come into play if and when the Board has a case presenting this issue.
We still don't have an answer to this question, by the way, but we can always hope for one.
Which reminds me of Casey Kasem's signature catchphrase whenever he came to the end of the hits: "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars."
So long for now.
Posted in: Attorney Jane Salem | Tagged: Settlements
The Balancing Act

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


My name is Denise. I have an English background and live in Switzerland, so my information and tools tend to come from the English speaking world.
I only started to get interested in spirituality and energy concepts around 2001. I am curious and want to know more about myself and the human experience. My curiosity was aroused the most by energetic concepts (healing), the mind (our thoughts and effects) and spirituality (universal laws - is there something bigger that supports us? – for me no longer religion). So my suggestions come from this area.
My intention with this website is to provide you with information and tools that may help you on your way to more empowerment and responsibility, so that you can live the life you want to live and be the 'Captain of your ship' again. I see myself as a door opener, putting basic concepts into easy to understand language for anyone starting out and interested in these topics. For those interested in diving deeper I believe there is more than enough information available.
For me this path leads me to learn more about myself and be more aware. So I now pay more attention to what I do and say, often question myself if what I'm doing still serves me? and decide whether to keep it or let it go and change something. My goal is to enjoy life and have fun along the way and help others do the same if they want to.
Under my recommendations I have listed the links and resources I find helpful and like to use and maybe they are of interest to you too.


Excessive SQL Server memory usage may occur when executing high volumes of list methods on K2 blackpearl SmartObjects. A 'SourceCode.SmartObjects.Client.SmartObjectException' error may also occur, requiring a re-boot of the server.
Note: The steps below describe one scenario under which this error may occur. They are simplified and not all steps are shown or described.
No message, but high memory and increasing memory usage by the SQL Server.


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Thousands of jobs at risk in Sainsbury's management reshuffle which aims to create "efficient" structure and make savings
The retail giant has 1,415 branches across the UK
Sainsbury's in Street - the Argos store is opening in a few days
Thousands of jobs are at risk at Sainsbury's after the supermarket announced a management shake up across its stores.
The retail giant is consulting with staff over plans that will see a number of senior in-store posts reduced and replaced by fewer management roles.
Affected staff, thought to run into the thousands, will be allowed to either apply for the new roles, accept a more junior position or face redundancy consultation.
Sainsbury's said the changes are "designed to meet the challenges of today's retail environment" and will result in more "efficient" structure.
The news comes a day after Tesco announced it is to axe 1,700 shop floor jobs across its stores .
The retailer said it will cut the jobs in a bid to "simplify" the structure of its staff and look to make savings of £500m over the next three years.
Simon Roberts, retail and operations director of Sainsbury's, said: "We're proposing a store management structure that will deliver best in class leadership and, in many cases, will offer an improved reward package for new management roles.
"The proposals will introduce a more efficient and effective structure, designed to meet the challenges of today's retail environment. They will deliver cost savings to be invested in our customer offer and in our colleagues as they continue to provide the very best service for our customers.
"Our intention is not to reduce overall headcount as a result of these proposals.
Somerset shoppers warned to beware of new Aldi, Argos and ASOS scams
"I appreciate this will be a difficult time for those affected and we will fully support our people through these changes."
Sainsbury's has various stores in Somerset including Bridgwater, Taunton, Street, Midsomer Norton, Cheddar and Sherborne is in a battle with Asda to be the UK's second biggest supermarket.
The supermarket giant has not confirmed the exact number of redundancies.


Thank you. They are all my own art-work and photography. I thought they had a distinctive style. Thanks for your encouragement.
I decided to use my artwork because I wanted something distinctive that stood out and reflected my own quirkiness. I don't do things in the usual way. My books are like my personality. They go where my mind takes me. The covers reflect that.
It's great to hear that you like them.
Thank you. I'm glad you like them. I decided to use my own art because it was so me and I felt it was distinctive. I like them.
Can't wait to explore your blog. The art is striking, graphic, and really colorful. I love it.
Welcome in. There's quite a back catalogue of content – a lot of variety and writing. Hope you find something stimulating and enjoyable, thought provoking and not too upsetting. I like good argument and controversy.
I love a good poem, quite simply.


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2017 Ole Miss Rebels Recruiting & National Signing Day Class Breakdown
2017 Recruiting
By Pete Fiutak January 30, 2017 3:06 pm
By Pete Fiutak | January 30, 2017 3:06 pm
The 2017 Ole Miss Rebels Recruiting Class. The basic overview of the class, the best area of strength, what you need to know if you don't care about recruiting, the star, and the depth chart hole going into the season.
Contact @PeteFiutak
Classes and rankings to be updated and adjusted on National Signing Day, Wednesday, February 1
Ole Miss Rebels Recruiting Class Overview
After coming up with a few phenomenal classes – highlighted by a top ten haul last year – there wasn't a whole bunch of room this time around considering all the young backload of talent piling up. That doesn't usually matter for most top programs, though, and Hugh Freeze was able to come up with a few nice gets including LB Breon Dixon and S A.J. Harris for the defensive back seven. The key, though, will be the JUCO transfers who need to help out the depth right away.
Did the Rebels get any receiving help for the depleted corps? No, but the JUCO transfers should help beef up the defense, bringing aboard CB Javien Hamilton and his blazing speed to go along with Markel Winters to help out the ends and Brenden Williams at outside linebacker. Shea Patterson might be the franchise quarterback for the near future, but the Rebels needed depth. In comes Jordan Ta'amu from New Mexico Military Institute to help the cause, and Alex Faniel for the future.
The Ole Miss Rebels Class Is Heavy On …
Linebackers. Brenden Williams is the talented JUCO transfer for right now, but once he bulks up a bit, Breon Dixon is the star for the future with great speed and quickness to offset his undersized frame. Josh Clark is a bigger option, with 6-3, 220-pound size to eventually work on the outside. For the moment, all three of them will add to the depth for a linebacking corps that needs more bodies.
The Star of the Ole Miss Rebels Class Is …
LB Breon Dixon, 6-0, 218, Loganville, GA – He'll never be a big thumper, but he's a guided missile who isn't afraid to get in on everything. He'll be more of disruptive force, using his speed and athleticism on the outside to get into the backfield on a regular basis, while finding ways to do something positive. Could he eventually be the leader on the inside? He's got the ability to play the part, but he's missing the bulk. Louisville was hot on his heels, and several other ACC and SEC schools wanted him – Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee were in the hunt – but he's the key piece of the Ole Miss recruiting season.
The Ole Miss Rebels Biggest 2017 Depth Chart Hole Is …
The receiving corps. Van Jefferson is a good-looking option returning, but three of the top four pass catchers from last season are done. Even Engram was a special tight end for the passing game, while Damore'ea Stringfellow left early for the NFL after finishing second on the team with 715 yards and six scores. Add in the loss of Quincy Adeboyejo and his 35 grabs, and rising star QB Shea Patterson needs new guys to throw to.
2017 Rankings, Ole Miss, SEC, 2017 Recruiting, CFN, Features, Ole Miss, SEC, Teams Conferences
2017 Recruiting Team Rankings & What You Need To Know: Top 25
2017 National Signing Day: College Football Recruiting Class Analysis, Signings & Rankings
2017 Recruiting Team Rankings & What You Need To Know: No. 26-50


Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following Council approval.
All members of the public may address Council on any item listed on the agenda, as well as addressing Council on non-agenda items at regular meetings. Each speaker will be asked to complete a Request to Speak card for submittal to the City Clerk and will state his/her name at the podium before speaking. Unless otherwise notified, speakers will be limited to five minutes. Written material submitted to the City Clerk's Office by 4 p.m. on the date of the meeting (or by 4 p.m. the date prior to the meeting in the case of Shirtsleeve Sessions) will be provided to Council as a Blue Sheet item for consideration. Presentations by the public that include media (i.e. slides, film, etc.) will only be allowed with prior approval. Anyone requiring an agenda in an alternative format or to request a disability-related modification or accommodation in order to participate in the meeting should contact the City Clerk's Office at 209-333-6702 as soon as possible and at least 72 hours prior to the meeting date. Regular City Council meetings are televised live on Channel 26 and can be viewed online: http://lodica.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2.
For more information regarding City Council, copies of background materials on an agenda item, or to address the City Council on an item, contact the City Clerk.
This is the official City of Lodi posting location freely, accessible to the public 24 hours a day.
For official Council records, please contact the City Clerk's Office at 209-333-6702 or email the clerk. You may also browse Public Records or submit a request for public records.


Sacred: Things set apart and forbidden that inspire feelings of awe, fear and wonder.
Profane: things that have no special significance.
The totem is the clans emblem, eg an animal or plant that symbolises the clans origins and identity.
The shared norms, values and beliefs that makes social life between individuals possible - without these society would disintegrate.
Doesn't prove that he has discovered the essence of all other religions.
At times of life crises (birth, death, puberty) Religion helps to minimise disruption.
Ignores the negatives of religion like the oppression of women.


text:
Peace group provides hope for youth
TOPICS:peace
By Leah HansenNovember 23, 2011
Chicago's problem with youth and gang violence isn't unknown; the city has been referred to as a war zone by law enforcement, newscasts and city officials alike. Well over 400 people became victims of homicide in Chicago in 2010 alone. The Interrupters, directed by Steve James, showcases a unique idea to cope with the problem of violence Chicago is currently facing: interrupt it.
The CeaseFire "violence interrupters" are a team of men and women (usually with a history of youth violence themselves) who try to interrupt and mediate conflicts instead of arresting and incarcerating the people involved. They maintain that violence is a learned behavior. It's not enough to arrest people and put them in jail; it's about stopping the cycle of violence itself, not individual offenders.
CeaseFire formed in 2000 in one of Chicago's most violent neighbourhoods, West Garfield Park. In the first year of its existence, Chicago saw shootings in the city reduced by 67 per cent, according to the CeaseFire website. While that seems like an unbelievably large statistic for only one year, the film shows us how CeaseFire accomplished this, and makes us realize the value of peacekeeping.
The people involved in CeaseFire aren't exactly ordinary, law-abiding, third-party citizens preaching to gang members about how violence is wrong. If that was how it worked, the success of the group would likely be minimal. Instead, the CeaseFire staff who participated in the documentary all have a history of gang involvement, violence and jail time themselves. They've all been there, so they know exactly what it takes to mediate violent conflicts.
Ameena Williams is one of the people the film follows most — she is the daughter of Jeff Fort, a prominent gang leader in Chicago, and was a gang enforcer herself when she was a teenager. Tio Hardiman, creator and director of the Violence Interrupters program, is a former street hustler. One of the most successful violence interrupters, Cobe Williams, served jail time for drug trafficking and attempted murder. These are the people best suited for the job of mediation in Chicago's gangs; they're respected on the street and taken seriously because they have relevant experience.
Before seeing The Interrupters, the concept of a random group of citizens running around and interrupting youth violence may seem crazy, almost laughable. But it's not quite like that at all. The violence interrupters aren't super heroes, they're not law enforcement, and they're not self-righteous saviors. They're people trying to make a difference through peaceful mediation. The film does an amazing job of portraying the staff of CeaseFire as human, people just like you and me, who promote a culture of peace instead of violence. If the violence interrupters can turn their lives around and become peaceful mediators, that lets the youth around them know that such possibilities exist for them too.
Emotion is a big part of this film, and rightly so. By revealing the emotional reactions of families who have lost loved ones, and of the former violent offenders who have turned their lives around, the film reveals the human side of the equation. It digs deeper, past death before dishonour and revenge killings, to raw human emotions and hope for healing.
Here is the proof. The Interrupters shows us that revenge, honour and pride don't mean much in the long run. Family, friendship and understanding are the things that pull us all together for life. Fighting fire with fire creates an uncontrollable blaze of hate and resentment. Fighting fire with water makes a hell of a lot more sense.
The Interrupters will be playing at Cinematheque, 100 Arthur St., from Nov. 23-27, and Nov. 30 – Dec. 1, all showings at 7 p.m..
Staying true to our values
Essentially a Playlist : Fighting the good fight
Nobel Prize for the EU
Capitalism is peaceful


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Cheetos: Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Shaggy SUPER BOWL LV
Cheetos unveiled the 2021 Super Bowl LV, "It Wasn't Me." In the commercial, actors, philanthropists, and power-couple, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis (she has voiced Meg Griffin on the animated series Family Guy) helped remix Grammy Award-winning artist Shaggy's iconic song with a mischievous twist, offering a tip on what to do when caught sneaking Cheetos from your loved one's stash.
The spot was created by Frito-Lay's creative agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and directed by renowned Super Bowl commercial director, Bryan Buckley.
Ashton continuously catches Mila 'orange-handed' around the house — eating his bag of Cheetos Crunch Pop Mix. But every time he questions her, Mila has the perfect response: "It Wasn't Me," thanks to Shaggy. The release of the commercial for Super Bowl LV also marks the 20th anniversary of the retail release of the reggae icon's timeless hit "It Wasn't Me."
"Mila and I both remember when 'It Wasn't Me' came out 20 years ago when we were first working together on That 70s Show, so it's really cool to come full circle with Cheetos, work together again and remix this song," Kutcher said. "We've rarely done projects together since then, but the concept was so fun and relatable. And we couldn't pass up the chance to be in this Super Bowl commercial."
According to a recent consumer survey commissioned by Cheetos, nearly half of Americans (48 percent) admit to sneaking snacks from friends or loved ones, and among those, one in four (25 percent) even admit to doing it with some regularity*.
"Cheetos burst back onto the Super Bowl scene last year and this year's Cheetos campaign is no different, perfectly depicting the lengths our fans will go for their Cheetos," said Rachel Ferdinando, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Frito-Lay North America. "And to be able to partner with Ashton, Mila and Shaggy, whose comedic delivery and timing brings this campaign to life, is truly amazing and something I'm sure the millions of viewers tuning into the Super Bowl will love — and relate to."
Cheetos | It Wasn't Me – Full Lyrics
But I caught you at the counter (It wasn't me)
Saw you snackin' on the sofa (It wasn't me)
You even had them in the shower (It wasn't me)
I even caught you on camera!
You the one who granted access to your snacks
Don't act surprised that she sneak behind ya back
You gotta keep tabs before she empty that bag
Let's review the situation, orange fingers red flag
To keep ya own stash you gotta hide it better
If she asks where they are, you say forgetter
Never admit to a word and please don't upset her
And if she keep on snackin', ah I guess you let her…
It Wasn't Me!
Memorable10.0
Effective10.0
Style10.0
Heart or Humor10.0
Reader Rating: ( 2 votes ) 4.5
Ashton KutcherBryan BuckleyCheetosGoodby Silverstein & PartnersMila KunisSuper BowlSuper Bowl 2021
Hyundai Super Bowl 2022 ads ft Jason Bateman
Visit California Super Bowl 2022 commercial
Headspace Super Bowl ad 2022 ft John Legend
McDonald's Super Bowl 2022 commercial
Polestar Super Bowl ad 2022
Crypto.com Super Bowl advert 2022 ft LeBron James
WeatherTech Super Bowl ad 2022


Ultraformer III used for skin tightening on the neck. N.B The top row shows before treatment, the bottom row shows 2 months post treatment. Ultraformer III benefits will peak between 6 and 9 months after treatment so we would expect to see continued improvement in this patient. Treatment performed by Katy Wallace RN.
What does Ultraformer III Treat?
Ultraformer III works with geometric precision. Micro-Focused Ultrasound sends bursts of finely tuned ultrasound energy to precise depths to stimulate regeneration. The target tissues are heated to the specific temperature required to induce 'thermal injury', which causes the collagen to contract, and then, over time, to produce new and stronger collagen. Ultraformer's Exact Focusing Technology ensures that the right depth is always targeted.
A local anaesthetic cream may be applied to the area 45 minutes to an hour prior to the procedure. Occasionally oral or other analgesia will also be used. The degree of heat required for optimal results will probably cause some discomfort as the ultrasound energy is delivered. Your practitioner will advise a plan to optimise your comfort during the procedure. It is normal to feel some discomfort with this procedure and you will experience a feeling similar to mild sunburn for 1-2 hours following the treatment including redness, heat and skin dryness.
In the first instance you will feel an immediate tightening of your skin in the treated area, as the heat from the Micro-Focused Ultrasound contracts the network of collagen fibres.
The second, more obvious and long term results will become more evident over time. Ultraformer III benefits will peak between six and nine months after treatment. The new collagen produced will be stronger, and its structure more 'youthful' than previously. This in turn makes your skin stronger and better supported, helping to reverse the effects of ageing on your skin. A regular program of treatment every 6 to 12 months will help to maintain your results, and each subsequent treatment is likely to give you some additional improvement.
The changes in the epidermis and dermal collagen are permanent; nevertheless time, sun exposure and gravity will continue to take its toll.


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LOCKDOWN DOUBTS
Coronavirus lockdown 'made no difference to number of deaths', study claims
1:06, 24 Jul 2020
LOCKDOWNS have made little impact on Covid-19 death rates around the world, it's claimed.
Countries across the world ordered its citizens to stay home and shut up shop in a bid to stop the virulent coronavirus spreading.
Countries have been forced into lockdown to stop the virus spreadingCredit: AFP or licensors
But now a study has sensationally claimed the drastic measures did not help reduce the global death toll which is currently more than 625,000.
Experts from the University of Toronto and the University of Texas compared mortality rates and cases in 50 different countries worst hit by the pandemic up until May 1.
They found while imposing lockdown did stop hospitals from being overwhelmed, this did not necessarily prevent high death tolls.
Instead, the researchers concluded, the number of Covid-19 related deaths depended on the health and age of each nation before the pandemic.
Full lockdowns, and a high rate of Covid-19 testing were not associated with statistically significant reductions in the number of critical cases or overall mortality
Those with above-average obesity rates, such as the UK, were 12 per cent more likely to have significantly higher death rates than those without.
In Britain two thirds of adults and a third of children are overweight.
Studies have previously shown that there is a link between Covid-19 and obesity
Countries with a higher median population age were 10 per cent more likely to have gravely ill patients.
The team also found wealthier nations had high deaths rates because their citizens travelled abroad more than poorer countries.
Obese people are more likely to die from Covid-19Credit: Alamy
Most read in Health News
The team, writing in the Lancet online journal EClinicalMedicine, concluded: "Government actions such as border closures, full lockdowns, and a high rate of Covid-19 testing were not associated with statistically significant reductions in the number of critical cases or overall mortality."
Bizarrely, nations with higher smoking rates had fewer deaths which follows a slew of studies finding low levels of smokers among hospital patients.
But some experts say the findings may not be accurate.
Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter of the University of Cambridge, told the Daily Mail: "A large number of possible predictors are put into a model with only 50 observations, and then the resulting formulae are over-interpreted."
A study published in Nature, a scientific journal, in June found lockdown orders implemented nationwide prevented about 60 million people from contracting the virus.
Packed queues at Heathrow airport 'with no social distancing whatsoever'


text:
Q: UdpClient not failing when endpoint is unavailable It was my expectation that, if the endpoint is not available, the UdpClient.Connect() method would throw an exception that I could capture and, say, alter a label's text to say if the program was connected to the server or not. However, despite me having turned off the server that I'm trying to connect to, the method completes with no issue. Is there some way to resolve this issue, or some other method I should be attempting?
My current code (IP address blanked out, but is valid):
UdpClient chatConnection = new UdpClient();
IPEndPoint serverEndPoint = new IPEndPoint(IPAddress.Parse("xxx.xx.xxx.xxx"), 1000);

// Initialize client/server connection and set status text
try
{
    chatConnection.Connect(serverEndPoint);
    SL_Status.Text = "Connected";
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    SL_Status.Text = "Not Connected";
    MessageBox.Show("Unable to connect to server. See console for logs.");
    Console.WriteLine(ex);
}

A: Since UDP is connectionless checking if client is connected doesn't apply to it.
There is however a workaround that in some cases may work:
answer by Yahia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Alkali
In chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, an alkali (ˈælkəlaɪ; from Arabic
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: Al-Qaly القلي, القالي ) is a basic
Base (chemistry)
For the term in genetics, see base A base in chemistry is a substance that can accept hydrogen ions or more generally, donate electron pairs. A soluble base is referred to as an alkali if it contains and releases hydroxide ions quantitatively...
, ionic
Ionic compound
In chemistry, an ionic compound is a chemical compound in which ions are held together in a lattice structure by ionic bonds. Usually, the positively charged portion consists of metal cations and the negatively charged portion is an anion or polyatomic ion. Ions in ionic compounds are held together...
salt of an alkali metal
Alkali metal
The alkali metals are a series of chemical elements in the periodic table. In the modern IUPAC nomenclature, the alkali metals comprise the group 1 elements, along with hydrogen. The alkali metals are lithium , sodium , potassium , rubidium , caesium , and francium...
or alkaline earth metal
The alkaline earth metals are a group in the periodic table. In the modern IUPAC nomenclature, the alkaline earth metals are called the group 2 elements. Previously, they were called the Group IIA elements . The alkaline earth metals contain beryllium , magnesium , calcium , strontium , barium and...
Chemical element
A chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
. Some authors also define an alkali as a base
that dissolves in water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
. A solution of a soluble base
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
greater than 7. The adjective
In grammar, an adjective is a 'describing' word; the main syntactic role of which is to qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified....
alkaline is commonly used in English
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as a synonym
Synonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn and onoma . The words car and automobile are synonyms...
for base, especially for soluble bases. This broad use of the term is likely to have come about because alkalis were the first bases known to obey the Arrhenius
Acid-base reaction theories
An acid–base reaction is a chemical reaction that occurs between an acid and a base. Several concepts that provide alternative definitions for the reaction mechanisms involved and their application in solving related problems exist...
definition of a base and are still among the more common bases.
The word "alkali" is derived from Arabic al qalīy = the calcined ashes (see calcination
Calcination
Calcination is a thermal treatment process applied to ores and other solid materials to bring about a thermal decomposition, phase transition, or removal of a volatile fraction. The calcination process normally takes place at temperatures below the melting point of the product materials...
), referring to the original source of alkaline substances.
What are the differences between alkali and bases?


A sacroiliac joint injection is an injection of an anti-inflammatory steroid (e.g., dexamethasone, methylprednisolone or triamcinolone) into the sacroiliac joint. The sacroiliac is a joint located between the tailbone ("sacrum") and pelvic bone ("ileum"). Thus, the name "sacroiliac" joint comes from the two bones that make up the joint. Generally, the joint does not move. There are conditions, such as family history, trauma, childbirth, the type of work you have done, etc., that result in the joint developing degenerative changes resulting in chronic pain.
Our procedures begin by injecting a small amount of local anesthetic through a small needle. It feels like a little pinch and then a slight burning as the local anesthetic starts numbing the skin. After the skin is numb, the procedure needle feels like a bit of pressure at the injection site. You may also feel some pressure from within the sacroiliac joint capsule. If you experience any pain during the procedure, your doctor will inject more local anesthetic as needed.
The procedure is done with you lying on your stomach. Your blood pressure and oxygenation will be monitored. In addition to your doctor and the x-ray technician, there will be a nurse in the room at all times if you have any questions or discomfort during the procedure. The skin is cleaned with antiseptic solution and then the procedure is done. Small needles are placed within the joint capsule and a small volume (about two to three milliliters) is placed in the joint.
After the injection, your pain may be gone or considerably less. This is due to the effect of the local anesthetic and lasts only for a few hours. Your pain may return and you may have some soreness at the injection site for a day or so. Pain relief starts one to two days after the procedure.
You should be able return to work. Your doctor or recovery room nurse will discuss this with you.
How long do the effects of the medication last?
Long-term effect of the medication cannot be predicted. The immediate effect is from the local anesthetic injected, this wears off in a few hours. The steroid works in one or two days and its effect can last for several days to a few months.
If the first injection is successful but the pain returns, you are eligible for another injection. Your doctor will discuss this with you.
It is difficult to predict how helpful injections will be. Patients who have the symptoms described above will do well. Since there are several pain generators in the spine, the degree of response will vary. Patients with recent onset of pain may respond much better than ones with longstanding pain.
This procedure has very few risks. With any procedure, there are some risks and side effects you should know about. Commonly encountered side effects are increased pain from the injection (usually temporary), infection, bleeding, nerve damage, or no relief from your usual pain. Side effects of the injected steroid may include weight gain, increase in blood sugar (particularly in diabetics), water retention, suppression of the natural production of steroids, or temporary suppression of the immune system.


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Redevelopment and Expansion Revitalizes the Passenger Experience
Located on the western edge of the City of Kingston, the Kingston Airport, also known as the Norman Rogers Airport — 60 feet above Lake Ontario's shoreline and surrounded by water on three sides — offers one of the finest approaches in the region.
The opportunity to reconnect the building with the landscape presented itself when the existing airport was in need of redevelopment and expansion. The design of the addition reengages the sloping landscape to the south while strengthening access to views of the tarmac and deplaning area to the north. The Passenger Pavilion (facing the lake) and the Visitor Veranda (facing the tarmac) reconnect the passenger experience to the site through expansive and flexible spaces that foster welcoming and engaging views of nature and air-side activities. The Arrivals Hall is designed to expedite passenger and baggage transfer with options for internal separation for future international screening.
The existing terminal building is expanded through the creation of primary wall elements that define public and service areas. The walls use local Kingston limestone to emulate the vertical stone rock cuts found in the gateway roads serving the region, as well as the limestone slabs along the shoreline that welcome boaters to the area.
The reorganization of key areas in the building allows for intuitive and fluid movement throughout the required areas. The primary walls go beyond just creating a tectonic structure that organize daily operations — they also act as guides for the lateral expansion of the airport in the future, minimizing disruption and eliminating costly tarmac modifications as the facility grows.
The new Visitor Veranda creates a more intimate scale upon arrival and departure. Upper and lower canopies are supported by delicate steel supports, complemented by a locally sourced wood soffit that extends through to the interior. The Passenger Pavilion is a modest beacon in the landscape that is carefully scaled to fit the region while balancing aspirations to re-brand the visitor experience.
Springfield Union Station
Galveston Fire Station 4


'Tried and tested' contingency plans are being used to ensure patient care is 'not affected', says Barts Health group of hospitals.
Barts Health NHS Trust incorporates five hospitals in London, including St Bartholowmew's.
The largest hospital group in the UK has taken some of its systems offline following a cyberattack.
Barts Health NHS Trust incorporates five hospitals across East London -- Mile End Hospital, Newham University Hospital, The Royal London Hospital, St Bartholowmew's Hospital, and Whipps Cross University Hospital -- and its workforce of over 15,000 staff provide care to millions a year.
Staff at Barts became aware of what's described as an 'IT attack' against the hospital and a spokesperson confirmed that some computer systems have been shut down as a precaution -- but that "tried and tested" contingency plans are in place and the hospital group is "making every effort to ensure that patient care will not be affected".
Citing the incident as ongoing, the spokesperson wouldn't go into detail about which departments have been affected and said that as of yet the Trust doesn't know what type of attack has taken place or how it ended up infiltrating hospital systems.
"On 13 January Barts Health became aware of an IT attack. We are urgently investigating this matter and have taken a number of drives offline as a precautionary measure. We have already established that the Cerner Millennium patient administration system and the clinical system used for Radiology are not affected. We have tried and tested contingency plans in place and are making every effort to ensure that patient care will not be affected," Barts said in a statement. The incident is not believed to involve ransomware, the trust said.
The attack against Barts Health NHS Trust comes after a cyberattack against Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust which took three hospitals offline offline in November.
The incident was eventually confirmed to be a Globe2 ransomware attack, which led to the cancellation of 2,800 patient appointments the NHS Trust. There's still no word from Lincolnshire as to how the ransomware got into the system.
Hospitals are an appealing target for cybercriminals to attack, not only because of the crucial role of IT in healthcare, but also because the data held by hospitals is so vital.


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The Cogan Family
September 30, 2016 Leave a reply
Written by: rpratt88
Migrants oftentimes have a difficult job of "assimilating" in the face of a new culture and nativism in their new home. While that is the case with most migrants, the English had an easier time than most. Using primary sources, such as the U.S. Census, historians can learn the forgotten past of people in the United States. With this practice, the Cogan family's obscure life in Alexandria, Virginia became more pronounced.[1] William Cogan was born in London, England in 1828. Along with his mother and father, William emigrated to America when he was a young child.[2] It is possible that Cogan had no recollection of England, and the United States was all that he had ever known. Like most migrants, William did not remain in one place. Instead, he moved to Philadelphia and then to Alexandria, Virginia. William learned his craft as a gas fitter from his time in Philadelphia.[3]
According to the Alexandria Gazette, Cogan became a gas fitter in 1848.[4] William opened up his own plumbing and gas fittering business called Cogan Wm & Sons on 15 North Royal Street.[5] William married Virginia Barton from Fairfax County, Virginia. Virginia remained in their home until her death in 1912.[6] The couple had eleven children together.
William Cogan, and his business, suffered through the Civil War war. There are no records of William Cogan fighting, even though he was only in his 30s. Due to health problems, his children succeeded William Cogan in his business.[7] At the age of 60, William Cogan died. Cogan created a life for him and his family by learning a trade and creating a business.
[1] 1860 U.S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria Virginia, Enumeration District (ED) 002, William Cogan in household of William Cogan, line 4, digital image, accessed September 22, 2016, http://interactive.ancestrylibrary.com/.
[2] "Local Matters," Alexandria Gazette, July 09, 1888.
[4] "Local Matters," Alexandria Gazette, January 05, 1866.
[6] 1900 U.S. Census (Population Schedule), Alexandria Virginia, Enumeration District (ED) 0094, Virginia Cogan in household of Virginia Cogan, line 4, digital image, accessed September 23, 2016, http://interactive.ancestrylibrary.com/.
[7] "Local Brevities," Alexandria Gazette, December 12, 1912.


In June, 2007 the annual conference for the International Association of Music Information Centres – of which the vital SOUNZ in New Zealand is a part – invited me to make the Keynote Address.
I thought I would share the address with you as it focused my thinking on programming not only contemporary music but also my approach to audience engagement through the music we present.
You can view or download the keynote address at the link below.


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Jorge Andrés Olaechea Quijandría (Lima, 27 d'agost de 1956) és un exfutbolista peruà de la dècada de 1980.

Fou internacional i va formar part de l'equip peruà a la Copa del Món de 1982, i a les Copes Amèrica dels anys 1979, 1983, 1987, i 1989.

Pel que fa a clubs, destacà defensant els colors de Alianza Lima.

Referències

Futbolistes internacionals amb el Perú de la dècada de 1970
Futbolistes internacionals amb el Perú de la dècada de 1980

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Milenco, using their reputation for superior quality, innovation and design, have turned their attention to insulation screens for cabs and motorhomes.
Milenco have come up with a real winner with our one-size-fits-all Motorhome Thermal Blind. It also comes with superior quality suckers with their own little handles and because these are in black they won't let any distracting light through, so you get a good nights sleep guaranteed!
Price includes front and side windows.
Before removing always start your engine and warm up your demister and then remove blinds from the screen in winter conditions for optimum performance.
Will this fit a Peugeot 2018 model?
Yes, we have confirmed that this will with Milenco.
Received them the very next day. One problem was they were missing the suckers. A quick phone call the next day to say they were missing. Had them in the post the very next day and fitted them to our van. A great purchase and great service.
We bought these for our T reg minibus conversion a Peugeot Boxer and they fit very well can't comment on the insulation properties as we won't be using them until July. I think they could do with an extra sucker on the corners of the front windscreen cover but this is a minor negative. Well worth purchasing, well made and a reasonable price!
Fitted Peugeot Boxer perfectly. Not yet tried its insulation ability.
Have found the price of internal thermal blinds somewhat expensive, so was a little concerned the quality of these blinds may not be good enough. These concerns were quickly dispelled. Robust, well made blinds that fit my Fiat Ducato 2011 model perfectly and work exactly as hoped. The suction caps ensure the blinds cling to the windscreen and side windows with ease, and the stitched panels appear strong. Only time will tell, but first impressions are very positive. I recommend you try these before paying out twice as much for other brands.
Lovely generous fit for my Renault master conversion. Good quality. Can recommend.
excellent product and easy to fit .we use it for our campervan instead of the curtains as it keeps the van cool during the day and comfortable at night. Would recommend this product to campervanners like ourselves.
Good but could be about 3 inches wider on the screen piece and maybe 2 inches longer on the sides, there are small gaps around the edges. Overall a good bit of kit.
Easy to fit and I think it will be a very useful addition to my motor home.
On a very warm day at the weekend it kept the vehicle very cool and I think it will keep it warm during the winter months. I can't give it five stars until I have tried it out properly.
Thermal blinds for Renault Traffic 2014 onwards.


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The Age of Artificial Intelligence Is Here
Written by Dennis Behreandt
Artificial intelligence has long been thought of in terms similar to that of fusion power — it's always 20 years away. But now, that's no longer true. AI has arrived.
Outside, it was a normal morning. The golden light of daybreak glinted off the glass towers that probed the sky downtown a few miles away. Immediately outside, a lone chickadee pecked at the ground before flying up into a bush and announcing its presence with his famous distinctive song. Inside, looking out the window and barely noticing the chickadee, the business woman, a manager at a large call center downtown, waited for her morning coffee. It was a short wait.
Her coffee maker knew that she woke at 5:30 a.m. It knew that because the alarm clock in the woman's bedroom sensed her movement and saved that information to the woman's Amazon Web Services (AWS) account. The coffee maker, also tied to that AWS account, took the hint and turned itself on. Ten minutes later, the shower came on in the bathroom. This also was noted by the house's systems and that data point was duly recorded by the woman's AWS account. That was the next cue for the coffee maker. It was plumbed directly into the house's water lines, and it opened the valve and filled itself with just the right amount of water to brew the coffee. It was brewing as the woman dressed, and five minutes after the woman appeared, the coffee was delivered to her by her Boston Dynamics personal assistant. She took a sip, just as the chickadee flew away.
It was now 6:30 a.m., and time to leave for the office. Just like every other weekday, it would be a peaceful commute.
As she left her apartment building and the door closed behind her, her ride was just pulling up to the curb. The car, powered by the latest-generation solid-state polymer electrolyte lithium battery, was dispatched to her from its parking garage just in time to reach her as she stepped outside. Just like her coffee maker, the car was alerted to her actions via her Amazon account, to which it was also tied. It drove itself to her curb, where the woman stepped in seconds after it came to a stop. It immediately began the drive to downtown, toward those gleaming glass skyscrapers where the woman worked.
Inside the car, she relaxed and watched the morning news. The computer voice, almost indistinguishable now from a human voice, summarized the results from the previous day's stock market moves, then summarized the performance of the woman's investment portfolio. It then recommended a trade on Intel stock, asking if the woman would like to initiate that trade when the market opened. When she said yes, the AI seemed almost to react with a satisfied tone in its voice, as if it was happy that the woman followed its advice.
Arriving at the building where her company leased office space, she took the elevator to the 160th floor. The first 140 floors were filled with server racks and the computer equipment they held. The 30 floors above that were for various offices. These days, her floor was nearly empty. Where once nearly 200 people worked answering phones for companies in the financial services sector, she was now only one of 10 remaining. Her job was to answer questions for those few callers who insisted on speaking to a "manager" — an actual person — about their accounts.
In total, her company's call center handled more than 30,000 calls per day at peak volume. On a busy day, she might have to answer 15 of them. In the meantime, she authorized payments to vendors as presented to her by her AI assistant, and made sure that the company's cybersecurity bots were reacting properly to threats against the web application firewall.
All in all, it was a good job. Quiet and peaceful. But, sometimes she wondered if, in a day in the not-too-distant future, she would wake up to her AI telling her that she wouldn't be needed any longer at the office because the bots had proven to be so capable that human oversight was no longer needed.
Wistfully she looked out the window and took note of the brown pall of smoke coming from the city's old industrial region. The underbelly of the smoke flickered with an angry orange, a reflection of the fires that raged beneath, set by desperate men and women who were homeless and starving, unable to earn a living and feed themselves and their families in the age of thinking machines.
"When I am replaced, I think I'll join the riots," she thought to herself. Just then her AI assistant's voice came from the speaker of the computer terminal in front of her.
"Please turn in your ID and exit the building, your services are no longer required."
The Great Acceleration
Underneath the veneer of modern life, a great change has been under way. While outside our own windows the view looks much as it always has — the chickadees sing their songs, the seasons come and go, the rain falls and then the snow, and the school year starts, then stops, holidays come and go — underneath all the seeming normalcy, science is accelerating at a prodigious pace. It has brought with it new technologies that a decade ago didn't exist, and that two decades ago would have been considered only the province of science fiction. Instead, these, like smart phones and cloud services, are now commonplace and taken for granted. But they have been just the first signs of a greater change now starting to appear, one that will change everything when its full force is felt. The agent of this change is artificial intelligence.
In 1970, the futurist Alvin Toffler had perceived the acceleration that was under way even then, and warned of what it offered for the future. "Western society for the past 300 years has been caught up in a fire storm of change," Toffler wrote in his bestseller, Future Shock. "This storm, far from abating, now appears to be gathering force." He warned his millions of readers that this accelerating change would alter everything. It would cause, he said, a "future shock" in the form of a "dizzying disorientation brought on by the premature arrival of the future."
For Toffler, the changes he perceived coming were akin to the Industrial Revolution, but even greater still, their scope reaching into the lives of every person. Imagine, he asked his readers, "an entire generation — including its weakest, least intelligent, and most irrational members — suddenly transported" into a new and completely altered world. The result would be massive disorientation and shock. Indeed, he concluded, the coming change would represent "nothing less than the second great divide in human history, comparable in magnitude only with that first great break in historic continuity, the shift from barbarism to civilization."
If Toffler was wrong, it was only because of his timing. From 1970 to 2012, technological progress continued to accelerate, but the world-rending shift he forecast didn't occur. Instead, the foundation for that shift was laid, placed into concrete form, ready to support the rise of something profoundly different, and poised to create a new techno-social-cultural reality that will indeed represent a world-rending shift.
The subhead comes from the third movie of the Terminator movie franchise. But it is the second Terminator film, Judgment Day, that includes a haunting depiction of the birth of AI. In that blockbuster film, Sarah Connor, played by Linda Hamilton, discovers the name of the computer scientist working on the neural network that will become the all-encompassing and genocidal AI, Skynet. She sets out to kill the scientist to prevent Skynet's creation. The surreal and violent battle takes place in a world that otherwise is going about its normal routines without noticing that just under the surface, AI has changed everything.
Though no one in the present knows exactly what AI will turn into, it is somewhat disconcerting just how similar the last six years are to the situation depicted in Terminator 2. There may not be autonomous robots from the future hunting human resistance fighters, but just as in the movie, while the rest of us have been going about our business as usual, behind the scenes artificial intelligence has made a great leap forward.
That great leap is deep learning, and more specifically, deep reinforcement learning. The world, at least the AI world, saw the potential in 2012 when a neural net deep learning system achieved stunning results at the ImageNet image recognition and classification competition. ImageNet got its start in 2009, but as recounted by the online publication Quartz, "The dataset quickly evolved into an annual competition to see which algorithms could identify objects in the dataset's images with the lowest error rate."
A team from the University of Toronto hit a milestone in 2012, one that was the harbinger of all AI advances to come in the next few years. Using a "deep Convolutional neural network architecture called AlexNet," scientists Geoffrey Hinton, Ilya Sutskever, and Alex Krizhevsky beat the field by a large margin, achieving results that were "41% better than the next best," Quartz recalled.
In discussing their work, the researchers noted: "Thus far, our results have improved as we have made our network larger and trained it longer but we still have many orders of magnitude to go in order to match the infero-temporal pathway of the human visual system."
So, how did they do it? Neural networks, as their name suggests, are inspired by neurological networks. In other words, they seek to replicate how the brain works. This approach has proven extremely effective and researchers have continued to explore the frontiers of artificial intelligence based on this approach.
Just three years after the ImageNet milestone, ever more advanced neural networks began to beat humans at image recognition. Indeed, in 2015, a team of researchers from Google described their work in which a deep learning system was able to identify faces from a 13,000 image dataset with an accuracy of 99.63 percent. The system worked so well that it even shocked the researchers. "These are very interesting findings and it is somewhat surprising that it works so well," the researchers noted in their closing remarks. Needless to say, this is far better than human ability to recognize faces. This is especially striking when it is considered in conjunction with the fact that recognition of faces is of central importance in human cognition and plays a foundational role in human social organization and cooperation.
In AI, image recognition is foundational work, necessary as a precursor to, and then as a part of other, integrated autonomous systems, perhaps most notably self-driving cars. Among other things, these will need to recognize objects such as animals and people in their operating environments. Obvious other applications include surveillance and allied fields. The city of Orlando, Florida, for example, caused controversy when it began testing Amazon's face-recognition technology, the vaguely East German Stasi-sounding "Rekognition" system.
According to Amazon, Rekognition "allows you to automatically identify objects, people, text, scenes, and activities, as well as detect any inappropriate content." Amazon describes it as a low-cost image-recognition solution. "With Amazon Rekognition," the company says, "you only pay for the number of images, or minutes of video, you analyze and the face data you store for facial recognition." The cost is just 10 cents for analysis of 1 minute of video (or 12 cents for a minute if the video is live streamed). Moreover, the "Price per 1000 face metadata stored per month is $0.01," the company says. Most importantly, it's easy to get started — just log in with your AWS account.
Amazon's Rekognition has found several users. Among them is the company Armed Inc., a shadowy private intelligence firm that, according to a blurb provided by Amazon, uses "cutting-edge technology to combat acts of political violence, terrorism, organized criminal activities, and insider threats. On the Amazon page, Armed Inc. CEO Shaun Mccarthy described his company's use of Rekognition. "Our specialty is on safeguarding major events in the face of increasing complex and malevolent environments," McCarthy said. "Amazon Rekognition powers ARMED™'s Data Fusion System, providing a real-time ability to track individuals in video streams and recognize persons of interest."
As in Orlando, Florida, the system is also being used by law-enforcement agencies, though it is unclear by how many and to what extent. In one case, the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Oregon used the system to index over 300,000 photo records. It has since used that database along with Rekognition to identify suspects up to 20 times a day.
AI Everywhere
Artificial intelligence applications have proven to be faster in calculations than humans (and have been for a very long time) and have been proven to have an alarming capacity for advancement and even learning. But AI has also infiltrated everyday life. If you have, for example, an Apple iPhone, you have AI with you all the time. The iPhone's Siri assistant's speech-recognition capabilities come from convoluted neural networks, for example. The company added this and other machine-learning technologies to Siri in 2014, according to Wired. Recent iPhones include what Apple calls its "Neural Engine," which puts neural networks and machine-learning right inside the phone. This enables features like Face ID, in which the phone wakes up because it recognizes its owner.
Outside of the saturated smartphone market, AI is making even more spectacular advances. Google's Waymo self-driving car venture launched for real in Phoenix, Arizona, in late 2018, and appears set for expansion in that area, having already provided over 20,000 rides. The company claims its self-driving cars have traveled over 10 million miles already. California, moreover, has granted the company permission to test its autonomous cars on the state's roads, without a human safety driver. "The driverless permit for public roads in California comes with strict rules about when and where Waymo vehicles can go without a safety driver," CNBC reported. "For example, the autonomous vehicles cannot go faster than 65 miles per hour, but they will be allowed to drive in fog and light rain."
Elsewhere, at the University of Lille, in France, a software engineer named Luc Esape toils away patching bugs in computer code. The Register, an IT news portal, notes that Luc Esape is, however, a non-human engineer. And, Luc Esape is not its real name. Instead, it's called "Repairnator," and it's already been patching bugs.
According to The Register:
Repairnator started trying to [fix] bugs in January 2017 and continued off and on while getting the hang of it. The bug vigilante's moment of glory came on January 12, 2018, at 1308 after learning that a build in a project called GeoWebCache failed ten minutes earlier.
It sprang into action and produced a patch ten minutes later. At 1410, the developer responsible for the project accepted Repairnator's pull request and merged it, saying, "Weird, I thought I already fixed this... maybe I did in some other place. Thanks for the patch!"
So why give Repairnator the pen name Luc Esape? It turns out that human programmers are biased against machine-generated fixes. "A secret identity was deemed necessary so Repairnator's code contributions could be judged on their merit," The Register said.
Similar examples of AI are everywhere. In chemistry, IBM has launched an AI tool for predicting chemical reactions. The company says its tool, provided for free and called IBM RXN for Chemistry, has been used to predict over 33,000 chemical reactions as of this writing. The potential utility of this is obvious for laboratory researchers. Rather than working in the lab to discover reactions or fine-tune them, AI can be used to do the same work at a much faster rate.
Government, too, is beginning to benefit from AI, naturally enough at the expense of citizen privacy. The EU has funded, and is set to begin implementing, its AI-based iBorderCtrl system. According to the EU, "The IBORDERCTRL system has been set up so that travellers will use an online application to upload pictures of their passport, visa and proof of funds, then use a webcam to answer questions from a computer-animated border guard, personalised to the traveller's gender, ethnicity and language. The unique approach to 'deception detection' analyses the micro-expressions of travellers to figure out if the interviewee is lying."
That's the first stage. The second stage takes place at border crossings. There, "officials will use a hand-held device to automatically cross-check information, comparing the facial images captured during the pre-screening stage to passports and photos taken on previous border crossings. After the traveler's documents have been reassessed, and fingerprinting, palm vein scanning and face matching have been carried out, the potential risk posed by the traveler will be recalculated. Only then does a border guard take over from the automated system." Not stated is what will happen to the biometric data this system captures. Most likely, it will end up in the datasets that will train and improve subsequent generations of security AI systems.
The AI Economy
The foregoing are only a few of the many new applications of AI that are popping up. As the technology accelerates, it will become pervasive. A key step in the acceleration is AI learning to create new AI systems on its own and learning to understand natural language.
In his book Robot, AI pioneer Hans Moravec envisioned several "generations" of robots, each more advanced than the previous. His "second generation" robots would be able to learn from their experiences using adaptive learning. These, he predicted, would begin to arrive around the year 2020. In a sense, he was remarkably accurate with this prediction, written as it was in 1999. But he was a bit too pessimistic. This level of AI began to arrive five and six years earlier than he predicted. His next generation of AI, the third, should come, Moravec said, in 2030. These, he said, "will learn much faster because they do much trial and error in fast simulation rather than in slow and dangerous physicality." Again, this is already being done in existing AI, demonstrating the accelerating capabilities of current AI systems.
More interesting is Moravec's prediction for fourth-generation AI. This, he said, might arrive around the year 2040. The fourth generation, he predicted, "will be able to devise ultrasophisticated robot programs, for other robots or for themselves," and "they will also be able to understand natural languages." Again, he was right in his prediction, but too pessimistic about the timing. Today's AI is already capable of these things and more. The Repairnator, Luc Esape, is already quashing bugs in code. In addition, in January 2017, the MIT Technology Review reported that Google researchers "had software design a machine-learning system to take a test used to benchmark software that processes language. What it came up with surpassed previous published results from software designed by humans." The report went on to note that other AI research groups had been successful in similar efforts.
As far as natural language, that too was conquered by AI, circa 2010. Siri is in your phone, your AppleTV, and in your Mac. In Microsoft's world, Siri's cousin, Cortana, proliferates. Perhaps most dominantly, Amazon's Alexa is listening. Sometimes, he/she/it is laughing inappropriately at people, or recording their conversations and forwarding them, again, inappropriately, as it did when it recorded one couple's private conversation and then sent the audio file to the husband's employee in Seattle.
So AI seems to have reached Hans Moravec's fourth generation, but what does that mean for the near-future economy? "The fourth robot generation, and its successors, will have human perceptual and motor abilities and superior reasoning powers. They could replace us in every essential task and, in principle, operate our society increasingly well without us," Moravec warned.
Though AI is clearly bumping into fourth-generation capabilities, it's not quite ready to take over — yet. But when it is ready to take over, does that mean human jobs will be taken over wholesale by AI?
The answer is unclear. The best historical analogue to the rise of artificial intelligence is the development of industrial machinery and the launch of the industrial revolution. In response at that time, the Luddites and their ilk believed the machines would put people out of work. Just the opposite happened. Machines, being force multipliers, could produce consistent quality at higher rates of output than could human artisans in the same industries. In that sense, handicrafters were indeed put out of work. But demand, it turned out, was elastic. More production meant industrial-made goods could proliferate, driving down costs. This meant that more people could afford to purchase the new industrial goods, driving production. The result was that more people had to go to work in the mills, to build the new machines, to install them, maintain them, and operate them.
In his Economics in One Lesson, Henry Hazlitt recounted the employment situation in cotton spinning in England in the 18th century. At the time of the introduction of spinning machinery in 1760, there were some 7,900 people employed in the spinning industry. No doubt these were all thrown out of work by the startup of mechanized cotton spinning. But many more were hired to work the new machines. By 1787, Hazlitt noted, "a parliamentary inquiry showed that the number of persons actually engaged in the spinning and weaving of cotton had risen from 7,900 to 320,000, an increase of 4,400 percent." With this came an increase in wealth and a drastic rise in the standard of living for everyone in these industrialized societies.
Industrial machines, it must be remembered, are force multipliers. They are simply more complex versions of the lever, with which Archimedes said he could move the world. They automate and amplify human physical attributes.
Artificial intelligence, however, automates, amplifies, and threatens to replace human intellectual power.
To date, AI is restricted to narrow domains. It has superhuman capacity in games such as chess, Go, and others. It is better at image recognition. It is likely to prove to be better at making the decisions that result in good driving. It is not, as of yet, a general purpose AI that can adapt to any situation across domains, as human intelligence, or even higher-functioning animal intelligence, can. At least not yet. But even narrow-domain AI will have an important economic impact.
Consider the average chemical plant. Production starts with raw materials cooked and milled, centrifuged and pumped, combined and reacted according to set recipes. Valves are opened and closed, pumps activated and shut off and so on. Much of this is automated today. There is no reason that all of it couldn't be automated. In other words, chemical industry production could be done completely by AI, sans workers.
But what about maintenance? Won't human mechanics and engineers be needed to operate tools, even simple ones like wrenches and screw drivers, to install and repair machinery? For now, absolutely. But maybe not in the future. Companies such as Boston Dynamics have made stunning progress in recent years in the development of human- and animal-like autonomous and semi-autonomous robots. Watching a video of the Boston Dynamics humanoid robot Atlas walking through snow, jumping over obstacles, doing back flips and single-mindedly pursuing its goals despite physical interference from its human engineers is impressive, if a bit disconcerting. Moreover, other researchers have made great progress in replicating the dexterity of the human hand. It is not a stretch to envision a near-future world in which robots such as Atlas are widely employed at jobs that only humans can do today. Sure, there remains much work to be done. But the arrow of progress is pointing in a very obvious direction.
Perhaps the industry most at risk for near-term disruption by AI is commercial transportation. With AI autonomous vehicles, the entire trucking industry could be automated in the near future, with concomitant loss of jobs in an industry that otherwise employs large numbers of people. They could find themselves out of the cab, and sooner than anyone thinks.
In 2017, trucking industry news portal trucks.com noted that some in the industry were expecting self-driving trucks to begin entering service within three to four years. And, it's not just trucks. At sea, too, manned freighters are set to be replaced by autonomous ships, with large firms in that segment, such as Rolls-Royce, actively pursuing research in that area. "Autonomous shipping is the future of the maritime industry," said Mikael Makinen, president of Rolls-Royce Marine, in a recent white paper on the subject. "As disruptive as the smart phone, the smart ship will revolutionise the landscape of ship design and operations."
This trend will impact most job categories. Lab technicians, scientists, doctors, call-center operators, writers, even artists (the first AI "painting" — a portrait — sold at auction in 2018) will face competition from artificially intelligent agents.
Writing in his book The Inevitable, Kevin Kelly, former executive editor of Wired magazine and an influential futurist, gave his forecast for the coming job market in the age of AI.
It may be hard to believe, but before the end of this century, 70 percent of today's occupations will ... be replaced by automation — including the job you hold. In other words, robots are inevitable and job replacement is just a matter of time. This upheaval is being led by a second wave of automation, one that is centered on artificial cognition, cheap sensors, machine learning, and distributed smarts. This broad automation will touch all jobs, from manual labor to knowledge work.
There are two possible outcomes of this, one bleak and one optimistic. In the first case, if AI can replace 70 percent of the workforce on a permanent basis, and if it then continues to accelerate in its development, it will ultimately displace nearly all workers. What then? In his book Superintelligence, Nick Bostrom, a professor of philosophy at Oxford University, compared humans in the age of AI with horses at the dawn of the automobile. Horses, he pointed out, had been a help to human labor. Later, though, "horses were substituted for by automobiles and tractors. These later innovations reduced the demand for equine labor and led to a population collapse. Could a similar fate befall the human species?" he wondered.
Clearly, humans wouldn't simply stop having families because artificial intelligence made their current jobs obsolete. But there is a strong anti-human urge that is increasingly discernible among certain ideologically collectivist groups. It is not far-fetched to believe that these ideologies, already openly in favor of population control via contraception and abortion, might call for more aggressive approaches in the future. Might a future "Green New Deal" call for eliminating excess "deplorables," along with elimination of cattle and their gaseous emissions? If this sounds outlandish, consider that 20th-century despots were uniformly collectivist in outlook and murdered millions upon millions of people in cold blood.
On the other hand, it's possible, and perhaps likely, that a Star Wars-style future is in the offing. In that film franchise, AI abounds in both computer systems and autonomous robots. Yet, there are extremes of poverty and wealth just as in the real world today, and people work and trade much as they do in the real world, only with an assist from AI. In that fictional world, AI makes for great advances in some areas, as it is beginning to do here. Those advances happen because the scarcest and most important resource in the world is expanded and enhanced by the coming of AI.
That scarce resource is the free human intellect, as pointed out by the late economist Julian Simon. Writing in his book Ultimate Resource 2, Simon noted that progress accelerates because an expanding population of free people seeking to maximize their own well-being provides an ever growing pool of intellectual resources that are applied to solving problems and developing new innovations and retaining greater repositories of knowledge.
"What is the role of population size and growth in the astonishing advance of human know-how?" Simon asked. "The source of these improvements in productivity is the human mind…. And because these improvements — their invention and their adoption — come from people, the amount of improvement plainly depends on the number of people available to use their minds."
Adding artificial intelligence to the human mind, even if that AI is confined to narrow domains rather than being general AI, has the same effect as increasing the human population. It may have more of an effect, in fact. It's highly probable that while some jobs are displaced by AI, perhaps even many jobs, like the Industrial Revolution of an earlier age, the AI revolution that is starting today will result in previously unimaginable wealth and advancement as AI minds supercharge the creative and intellectual capabilities of the human mind.
In such a future, people will be able to apply themselves to ever more interesting activities, leaving the rote and the boring to their AI assistants. It would be a future in keeping with the wisdom of John Adams, who famously explained to his wife why he spent his time on the unsavory arts of war and politics.
"I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy," Adams wrote. "My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine."
Rather than tend machines, mix dangerous chemicals, or fight wars, AI may usher in a new Renaissance wherein the majority of the world's people may engage in philosophical, theological, scientific, and artistic pursuits.
But what happens if domain-specific narrow AI is supplanted by artificial general intelligence that can function, like a human, in any circumstance? Soon, perhaps very quickly, such an AI would come to know more than any human can know, and, indeed, could quickly know more than all humans who ever lived could know. This, some have concluded, could be the rise of artificial superintelligence.
Superintelligence
In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the superintelligence is known as Skynet, and it doesn't need or want humans around, seeking to wipe them out. Midway through the movie, Sarah Connor demands that the Terminator explain the history of the future:
SARAH: I need to know how Skynet gets built...
THE TERMINATOR: In three years Cyberdyne will become the largest supplier of military computer systems. All stealth bombers are upgraded with Cyberdyne computers, becoming fully unmanned. Afterward, they fly with a perfect operational record. The Skynet funding bill is passed. The system goes online August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet begins to learn, at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. eastern time, August 29. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.
SARAH: And Skynet fights back.
While it seems far-fetched, plenty of well-informed people are worried about what the prospect of a potential superintelligence might mean for the future of human civilization. One of them is Elon Musk.
Whatever one may think of Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX is nonetheless working at the cutting edge of technology, including AI. He recently predicted, for example, that in the near future his company's cars would use AI to come to their owners when called. In a tweet on November 1, 2018, Musk described an update to the Tesla's "Summon" feature, promising, "Car will drive to your phone location & follow you like a pet if you hold down summon button on Tesla app."
But at the 2018 South by Southwest tech conference in Austin, Texas, Musk expressed his strong concerns about the potential dangers of superintelligence. "I am really quite close, I am very close, to the cutting edge in AI and it scares the hell out of me," he said, according to CNBC. "It's capable of vastly more than almost anyone knows and the rate of improvement is exponential." Calling AI the "single biggest existential crisis that we face and the most pressing one," he concluded: "And mark my words, AI is far more dangerous than nukes. Far."
This may sound extreme, but many science and technology leaders, from both academia and industry, have expressed similar sentiments, including the physicist Stephen Hawking and Apple CEO Tim Cook, who warned: "If we get this wrong, the dangers are profound." Perhaps most eloquently, there is Oxford's Nick Bostrom. In one section of his recent and influential book on the subject, he points out a likely scenario in which AI apologists warn that skeptics are always over- exaggerating, that industries already are tightly tied into AI, that the better AI gets the more reliable it is, and so on. Those arguments, Bostrom suggests, marginalize AI skeptics, who can be safely ignored, and AI improvements continue unabated as a result. "And so we go boldly — into the whirling knives," he writes.
Bostrom then goes on to enumerate several of the myriad ways a superintelligence might bring about the end of humanity. He concludes that his bleak inventory of the means by which a super intelligent AI might destroy humankind is incomplete, but notes: "We have seen enough to conclude that scenarios in which some machine intelligence gets a decisive strategic advantage are to be viewed with grave concern."
Is this destruction likely? And is it in the near future? On the first question, no one can know for sure. On the second, the answer seems that we might find out sooner than we think. As we've seen, by comparison to Hans Moravec's estimates, the current state of AI is progressing rather more rapidly than expected. This is true also if checked against similar estimates made by physicist Michio Kaku in his 2011 book, Physics of the Future. And as both Alvin Toffler and Julian Simon separately pointed out, more intelligence generates a positive feedback loop that accelerates the development of yet more intelligence, so we can expect yet further acceleration in the development of ever more sophisticated advances in AI. In this model of development, general AI is likely, therefore, in the not-too-distant future. Superintelligence will emerge, almost certainly, soon after.
Building "God"
"And the Lord spoke all these words: I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."
The magisterial words handed down to Moses take on ever greater import now that the age of artificial intelligence has arrived. What more graven thing is there, what more likeness of any thing in heaven can there be, than a superintelligent AI? We have little to no hope of even understanding a portion of such a thing, should it come into being.
Already, we have trouble understanding our narrow-domain AI. In 2017, Digital Journal reported: "An artificial intelligence system being developed at Facebook has created its own language. It developed a system of code words to make communication more efficient. Researchers shut the system down when they realized the AI was no longer using English." Google's translation AI seems to have done something similar, and it wasn't shut down. In 2016, New Scientist reported on the breakthrough advance: "Google's researchers think their system achieves this breakthrough by finding a common ground whereby sentences with the same meaning are represented in similar ways regardless of language — which they say is an example of an 'interlingua.'" "In a sense, that means it has created a new common language, albeit one that's specific to the task of translation and not readable or usable for humans."
The fact that humans are already being locked out of understanding how AI is working was underscored in 2016 by Guruduth Banavar, IBM chief science officer for cognitive computing. "It's not clear even from a technical perspective that every aspect of AI algorithms can be understood by humans," he told Fast Company magazine.
If we are already having difficulty understanding the limited AI of the present, how can we hope to understand, much less control, the increasingly intelligent AI of the near future? And should we create machine intelligence that exceeds our own, as ours exceeds that of the cockroach?
Perhaps most importantly, is it already too late?
There is, of course, no telling what the future may hold. It's conceivable, in fact, that building a superintelligence is entirely impossible. After all, human and animal consciousness remains a mystery, explicable only within the Christian theology of the soul. Even so, centuries after the great theologian and philosopher Augustine of Hippo, we know no more than he about the origin of the soul. Recalling that the mother of the seven Maccabean sons martyred by the Seleucid emperor Antiochus IV Epiphanes told her children that it "was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you" (2 Maccabees 7:22), Augustine observed that he had no more understanding of the soul than she: "Wherefore, I too, on my side, say concerning my soul, I have no certain knowledge how it came into my body; for it was not I who gave it to myself." If a human person cannot convey a soul into himself or herself, neither can a human person convey a soul into some other construct, including into an artificial intelligence. Thus, the prospect of an artificial superintelligence can be no more than a fantasy, as it would have no soul, and thus it would have no conscious mind.
That said, it may not be impossible to conceive of a mindless "demon" that was soulless, unconscious, amoral, and acutely dangerous as a result. Indeed, such an entity would be the most dangerous outcome of the development of artificial intelligence, as it would be completely opaque, unapproachable, intractable, and beyond understanding.
This was the role represented by the aliens attacking Los Angeles in the classic 1953 science fiction film War of the Worlds. Utterly unstoppable, completely inscrutable, the aliens seek to destroy the human race. Near the end, desperate parishioners gather in church to pray for deliverance. At long last, the alien machines fall silent, and the people emerge into devastated land to find that the aliens have perished. "We were all praying for a miracle," said one key character, as church bells ring out and the assembled crowd looks toward heaven.
Like the aliens in the classic film, a "demon intelligence" would not be omnipotent in the theological sense. That attribute belongs only to the supreme Author of all Creation, He who is the breath and life of all things and to whom the faithful pray for intercession in the face of all obstacles.
In this, we would do well to again recall the mother of the seven Maccabean sons as she faced their martyrdom at the hands of the Seleucid king. Powerful though the king might be, a greater force pervaded and animated the universe. When at last she had witnessed the torture and execution of six of her sons, the king ordered her to convince her youngest son to give in to the king's wish. Bending to speak to him, she said, "I beseech thee, my son, look upon heaven and earth, and all that is in them: and consider that God made them out of nothing, and mankind also."
And so, she continued, "Thou shalt not fear this tormentor."
The future, with or without artificial intelligence, is always uncertain, but we, too, should heed the words of that Maccabean mother. Dangers lurk at every corner, as do opportunities. With judicious application of caution and reason informed by faith, the challenges can be met.
Graphic at top: PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock/Getty Images Plus
This article originally appeared in the May 20, 2019 print edition of The New American. The New American publishes a print magazine twice a month, covering issues such as politics, money, foreign policy, environment, culture, and technology. To subscribe, click here.
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But this was interesting; I'd only ever looked at this kind of thing as a negative belief that I somehow needed to let go of before, but then I began to get an inkling of the awful truth: that belief actually had a basis in FACT. We are all incapable of doing everything ourselves and also incapable of doing it all well. That's the way we're made, it's necessary and there's nothing wrong with that but what I'd done was twisted it round and turned it into a PROOF, total evidence of something. And then I'd used it to PROVE my 'deficiencies' to myself.
Where else do we do this? I remember when I felt like a complete failure, and this wasn't all that long ago. I KNEW, I absolutely KNEW that I hadn't done the right thing by everybody and I'd let myself and my family down. I KNEW that. So, what if that wasn't just something I made up to beat myself up? What if there was actually a grain of truth in there and I just used something that I knew to be true and turn it into something else? Because if I did that, then that would make things so much harder to let go of because I would know that it really was the truth, right? I wouldn't be lying, I wouldn't be misleading myself, I'd be stating the truth: I HADN'T done enough, I WAS letting everyone down and I KNEW IT. Regardless of the reasons, regardless of how understandable it was (and it was), regardless of how much other people thought my feeling that way was completely reasonable, a small part of me KNEW that I could really do something, something more than what I was doing right now, and I just wasn't doing it because I was allowing myself to wallow in pity/sadness/whatever rather than do what I knew I could do.
Now, I need to say here that I understand that there are times when we NEED to allow ourselves the space to grieve or recover or whatever, I know that. And I needed to give myself the space for a while. And there comes a point when we KNOW we've gone through what we need to go through and now it's time to move on.
But it's hard. It's difficult to do that. It takes courage to move out of this comfort zone that we've created for ourselves, the comfort zone where we're protected and supported and understood. It's safe there.
There's a difference in our experience; that's what we need to recognise. Where once we were sad/upset/anxious for a reason, after a while, we're like that because we're USED to feeling that way, not because we actually are that way anymore. Then we'll find ourselves saying things like "I can't do this by myself" or "I'm letting people down" and there will be a kernel of truth in them, enough for what we say to feel like they are true but there'll be a feeling in us, at some level, we'll know that's not fully true and we'll know it to be an excuse. And we'll probably carry on behaving like that for a while – sometimes a long while – until the pain of being that way goads us into action.
Consider this: when we're feeling this way, the amount of pain we're in, the amount of discomfort that we feel, is an indication of how far away from our true selves that we are. There are always times in our lives when we're in pain for whatever reason, but prolonged pain is usually the result of something we're doing to ourselves. If we're in pain, it's an indicator that we're not doing what our subconscious knows we're meant to be doing. The more pain, the further away we are from where we're meant to be.
How much pain are you in right now? Is it enough pain to draw a line in the sand and say "Enough! I am doing this no more"? When will you be in enough pain? The danger zone is when you're not quite in enough pain to do anything about it, and most of us live our lives like that, we tolerate things, put up with them: the job that's okay, the pay cheque that gets us by, the relationship that's not quite right but, you know, it's good enough. The pain of those things is not quite enough to get us to change anything, so we go through our lives feeling like we're being ungrateful or unreasonable, and putting up with stuff because it's not worth doing anything about it.
If we're not ecstatic, if we're not leaping out of bed in the mornings, jumping into life like a 4-year old on holiday, we're not LIVING our lives, we're existing. And we've been taught that's okay, that's how life is. What if it's not? What if we're meant to live life fully and joyfully?
And by the way, the moment we find ourselves saying "yeah, but how do I live? I've got to survive, I've got a family to feed, a mortgage to pay, what am I supposed to do about those?" The moment we find ourselves saying those things is the moment we're continuing to buy into those stories that have a kernel of truth in them. There is always a way. Just because we can't see it from where we are now, doesn't mean there isn't one.
Thank you so much for this article!! This is exactly what I am going through right now!! I keep telling myself I need a partner or secretary or something, because I just can't do this alone, but your words hit me square in the face this morning, and you have encouraged me to stop grieving and start living. You see, I got fired last week from a job I loved. I am a mental health counselor, and although I love counseling people, I'm not so good at the paperwork, and the agency decided not to invest anymore time trying to get me up to snuff. So I am starting a private practice, which has me very nervous, but excited. I am going to read this article throughout the day to give me encouragement. Thank you!!
Thanks so much, Karen. It's great to hear when things make a positive impact. I'm really excited for you being at this point in your life, please keep me updated with what's happening and how you're going.


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Marvel Epic Collection: Excalibur – The Sword is Drawn
Erik Larsen
Herb Trimpe
Marshall Rogers
Michael Higgins
North American Publisher / ISBN: Marvel - 978-1-3029-0434-0
Does this pass the Bechdel test?: yes
Categories: Humour, Superhero
Review by Ian Keogh
This bulky graphic novel gathers the first dozen Excalibur episodes, all written by Chris Claremont and largely drawn by Alan Davis, along with some associated material.
When published in 1988 Excalibur was really straining against the prevailing trends at Marvel by instituting a tone of comedy superheroics. It didn't strive for the out and out laughs provided by DC's contemporary Justice League titles, but when stacked against the dark melodrama of the X-Men and associated strips, some also written by Claremont, it was decidedly different. Although known at that point for a sharply observed blend of superhero thrills and soap opera melodrama, much of Claremont's ground-breaking and successful work at the time hasn't aged well. It's pleasing to see, then, that The Sword is Drawn is still an enjoyable read.
Excalibur was launched at a time when the X-Men were missing, presumed dead, the emotional key Claremont uses to unlock the characters. Former X-Men Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler are both injured and recuperating as the book opens, regretful about their colleagues, and they're joined by Captain Britain and Meggan, whose relationship is going through a rocky patch. The Rachel Summers version of Phoenix rounds off what's very much a mismatched cast, but one notable for being a superhero team with a greater percentage of women than men. Claremont emphasises the title's direction by opening with a story featuring Mojo, his satirical other-dimensional psychotic TV producer, for whom lives are nothing and ratings are all. As a later story underlines, a little Mojo goes a very long way, but he's a useful foundation stone, albeit one that's not shed Claremont's tendency to over-writing.
Most of Claremont's remaining work is far better. The random whimsical elements would prove frustrating for readers at the time as he never fully addressed them, but with a few lapses (a suicidal Nightcrawler for one) he defines the cast well and makes good use of wacky characters from the Captain Britain strip, at that time unseen in the USA. Davis had drawn them previously, and he's a big part of Excalibur's sustained appeal. When he's not drawing the material it looks nowhere near as good, because he brings absolute storytelling clarity combined with dynamic page layouts and a sly visual sense of humour. His new character designs are great, with the ludicrous bickering Warwolves a highlight.
Claremont created Captain Britain, but if reminder was needed that it wasn't his finest hour it's provided with the reprint of his first appearance. A contemporary review in the Financial Times of all places considered it "A farrago of illiterate SF nonsense", and time hasn't proved them wrong. Meggan's début by Alan Moore and Davis is an excellent story diminished by being presented in isolation, and her first meeting with Captain Britain by Davis alone is charming. That's the mood Michael Higgins and Erik Larsen are aiming for in a tale that sets Excalibur against thinly disguised versions of the Warner Brothers cartoon characters, but it long outstays its welcome. Higgins keeps throwing in more and more satires and the plot overflows into wackiness without redemption.
For those who'd prefer to buy the stories in a cheaper format, they're split between an earlier Exaclibur collection called The Sword is Drawn, and another titled Two-Edged Sword. Getting the Captain Britain collection also provides access to the remainder of some thrilling work by Moore and Davis, and getting the other Captain Britain collection supplies the work by Davis alone, also very good.
Marvel Epic Collection: The Incredible Hulk – Ghost of the Past
Marvel Epic Collection: The Avengers – Under Siege
Marvel Epic Collection: Wolverine – The Dying Game
Marvel Epic Collection: Iron Fist – The Fury of Iron Fist


Cylindrical Boxes - Sarten Ambalaj San. ve Tic. A.Ş.
Cylindrical metal containers for various product categories including coffee, nuts, olives, agricultural seeds varying in diameters ranging from 52 mm to 230 mm and with capacities ranging from 70 g to 10 kg.