text:
"Al Qaeda still world's top threat, Interpol chief says"
If you are reading this commentary hoping to find words of encouragement, unless you are a terrorist, you won't find anything to encourage you in this commentary. As I once told then Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. a number of years ago when we had a quick meeting and I took that opportunity to convince him that the implementation of a guest worker amnesty program for millions of illegal aliens whose true identities were unknown and unknowable, "If I cannot sleep at night, the sure as hell, I don't want you to be able to sleep at night, either!"
However, as I often note at the end of my commentaries, you cannot solve problems and vulnerabilities if you are unable to first identify those vulnerabilities.
My commentary is predicated on a brief cautionary report that appeared on the website of a respected Washington based publication, Government Executive.Com. This publication is aimed at decision makers in Washington in various branches of the government and the military as well as within the private sector.
The title of the article, "Al Qaeda still world's top threat, Interpol chief says" echoes an important message, the fact that the "All Clear" has not yet sounded where the "War on Terrorism" is concerned.
We are certainly reminded that there is an ongoing "War on Terror" every time we turn on a news program on our televisions or radios or open up a newspaper or news magazine and read the top stories. Inevitably we become aware of efforts by our gallant soldiers in the Middle East in a variety of countries in that beleaguered part of the world. We may read about the latest casualty figures, we may read about an air strike or a strike that was carried out by a drone.
Additionally we may become aware of a terrorist who has been found somewhere in the world or an attack that was carried out that killed innocent civilians or, perhaps soldiers of police officers.
Other news reports may focus on aspects of the Patriot Act or some problem with airport security in which a terminal at an airport may have been shut down because a passenger inadvertently opened up a door he was not supposed to open.
We may also experience the lack of privacy that goes along, these days, with embarking on a trip that involves an airline flight as TSA officials conduct ever more intrusive searches of our belongings or even our persons.
Yet even as all of these bits and pieces of the mosaic that we see, hear and experience "up close and in person" that paint a worrying picture of a "War on Terror" that continually reminds us that we live in a perilous era, there are corporations and their executives who are working tirelessly to make certain that, in the name of commerce (profit) our nation does whatever is necessary to encourage more international travelers to come to the United States, rent hotel rooms and cars, eat at posh restaurants or fast food establishments, attend ball games or concerts and buy lots of "stuff!"
These various enterprises that comprise the hotel, travel and hospitality industries and the omnipresent Chambers of Commerce, joined recently by the retailers associations have banded together to push a program known as "Discover America." Their goal is to persuade our government to expand the Visa Waiver Program. Today 36 countries are now on that list of countries whose citizens need not apply for a visa before seeking to enter the United States provided that they plan to remain for no more than 90 days in the United States.
An effectively managed visa program can provide significant benefits to national security but the concern of the Discover America program is that any hurdle that international travelers must jump is an impediment to their sole focus- PROFIT!
I want you to take a moment and read this passage from the report I have provided to you. It is a quote from the Director of Interpol:
Computer files and documents seized by U.S. special forces during their raid last month on the bin Laden compound in Pakistan revealed the terrorist leader had encouraged his followers to develop attack plans on U.S. targets similar to the September 11 assaults in style and scope.
The Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has also been linked to the attempted 2009 Christmas Day bombing of an airliner as it prepared to land in Detroit, as well as the 2010 attempt to hide explosives in printer cartridges loaded onto cargo aircraft.
Of significant concern is the use of pilfered or misplaced passports and the failure by many nations to cross-check passengers' identifying documents with a database of passports that have been reported lost, Noble said.
"One out of every two international air arrivals is not being screened. That's almost half a billion each year not being screened," Noble said.
"We know if terrorists can move from country to country without being detected, that's a risk to all countries, and from Interpol's perspective that is a number one risk affecting all countries throughout the world," he added.
When you realize that this is the concern of Interpol and is a concern that was addressed by the 911 Commission and members of our law enforcement and intelligence agencies who have provided testimony to the 9/11 Commission as well as to innumerable Congressional hearings you have to ask yourself a basic question, "Why is there a Visa Waiver Program at all?"
If you want to know, then I suggest you will find the answer in the push mounted, very successfully, by the Discover America Partnership.
Check out the link I have provided to you below and excerpts from the material to be found on the webpage posted by the organization that posted the material. According to this website, NRF (National Retail Federation) has joined the Discover America Partnership! These industries have absolutely no expertise in national security or in issues where border security are concerned. Yet they have staked out a position because they are motivated by nothing more than greed! The more people who will travel to the United States, the more people who are likely to stay in hotels, eat in the restaurants, attend Broadway shoes and buy the souvenirs and other trinkets peddled in cities around the United States.
http://www.orourkehospitality.com/media-room/news.php?sid=54899
NRF Joins New Travel Coalition to Reform Visa Process
Increase in Tourism to Generate Demand for U.S. Goods and Create 1.3 million U.S. Job
The National Retail Federation is calling for comprehensive reform to the antiquated visa process that has cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars. To help advance these measures, NRF has joined the Discover America Partnership, a broad coalition to advance visa and reentry reforms for international travel.
"The visa process is broken and is in desperate need of reform"
"The visa process is broken and is in desperate need of reform," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "We need a visa policy that will bring visitors from the fastest growing countries to the U.S. to help generate jobs and bolster economic growth."
A new report issued by the U.S. Travel Association outlines how common-sense reforms that are relatively easy to implement could create 1.3 million more U.S. jobs and add $859 billion to the U.S. economy by 2020 – all with little or no cost to taxpayers.
The report's comprehensive, four-step plan will help the United States achieve its goal of becoming more competitive in the global travel market, which in turn will expand U.S. exports, create new jobs and drive economic growth. The report recommends:
America must align U.S. State Department resources with market demands;
America must reduce visa interview wait times to 10 days or fewer;
The U.S. State Department must improve planning, measurement and transparency; and
America must expand the Visa Waiver Program.
The Discover America Partnership, under the leadership of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, National Restaurant Association, National Retail Federation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. Travel Association, is a lobbying and grassroots campaign to advance visa and entry reforms that will enable the United States to regain the 17 percent market share of overseas travelers it had in 2000 by 2015.
As the world's largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF's global membership includes retailers of all sizes, formats and channels of distribution as well as chain restaurants and industry partners from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad. In the United States, NRF represents the breadth and diversity of an industry with more than 1.6 million American companies that employ nearly 25 million workers and generated 2010 sales of $2.4 trillion. www.nrf.com
Date Posted: 2011-05-16
More news about:
Industry: Restaurant
Travel Industry Wire
Powered by Restaurant News Resource
It is understandable that the business executives want to have more customers but while they have signed on to a program referred to as "Discover America" it is apparent that they have forgotten that al-Qaeda has already discovered America!
They are also very short sighted- in the days, weeks and even months after the attacks of September 11, 2001 airliners flew with many empty seats. Hotels, restaurants and tourist-related businesses were nearly devoid of patrons. It was seen as an act of patriotism and, in fact, heroic, for people to board airliners and fly anywhere in the United States but especially to major cities.
If, God forbid there is another terrorist attack it is entirely possible that many hotels will go bankrupt along with restaurants and other businesses that depend on tourism.
I am not, however, surprised that these corporate executives do not seem to dive a damn about the safety of our nation- not when it may cause them to lose revenue. What is infuriating is that our "leaders" in Washington are actually doing what these idiots tell them to do when they call for an expansion of the Visa Waiver Program!
Of course, even if these aliens who enter the United States under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program plan to remain in the United States for years and even work illegally, they only have to tell the overworked CBP (Customs and Border Protection) Inspector at the port of entry where they arrive in the United States that they plan to only do sightseeing and other tourist-like activities and will go home in 90 days or less. If they fail to depart it is entirely possible the dysfunctional US-VISIT program may not discover that they failed to depart when they were supposed to and, even if it is discovered, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has dedicated fewer than 300 special agents to the task of seeking to locate and apprehend such illegal aliens!
Meanwhile, the federal government now estimates that there are anywhere from 4.5 million to 5.5 million foreign visitors who are present in our country who have not left our country when they were supposed to or otherwise violated the terms of their admission into the United States. I have been told that there may actually be twice as many visa violators as the government claims that there are!
While many of these illegally present aliens entered the United States with a variety of visas such as tourist visas, student visas and different categories of "temporary" work visas, a significant number of these illegal aliens were admitted under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program. Our government has no real idea as to how many visa violators there are in the United States and, I am fairly convinced, does not want to know.
The 9/11 Commission made it clear that it was no less than a matter of national security to know if aliens who enter the United States leave the United States. A program known as US-VISIT was supposed to track the entry and departure of aliens and yet, after spending well over one billion dollars and working on this program for many years, the departure side of the program has never been fully implemented. I suspect that this is not because of incompetence but design. The Visa Waiver Program imposes a number of requirements on nations that enroll in this program. One of the requirements is that their citizens must, generally, not violate the terms of their admission in our country. Only a small percentage of their citizens may overstay or these countries were supposed to be removed from the list of Visa Waiver Countries. By not accurately tracking the departure of aliens there is no way of determining if aliens from these countries depart the United States when they are supposed to. This creates, I believe, a new example of "Don't ask, don't tell!"
While corporations are eager to have the number of countries that are enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program expanded, you should know that this wrong-headed program creates a number of serious problems for the United States.
On May 11, 2006 I testified before the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on International Relations on the topic:
"VISA OVERSTAYS:
CAN WE BAR THE TERRORIST DOOR?"
You can read the transcript of that hearing at:
http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/intlrel/hfa27480.000/hfa27480_0f.htm
Here is a link to a CNN report that was titled, "Tracking Down Visa Violators:"
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/05/31/am.wian.border.patrol.cnn?iref=allsearch
Casey Wian and his producer, Sara Weisfeldt interviewed me for this report and I appear briefly on screen.
On May 10, 2010 I was interviewed by Daniel Gonzalez, a reporter with the Arizona Republic for an news report titled, "U.S. not cracking down on immigrants with expired visas." Here is the link to the news report in which I was quoted:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/05/10/20100510illegal-immigrants-overstay.html#ixzz0ndkoS9wZ
The point to understand is that once an alien is admitted into our country there is virtually nothing done to make certain that the alien does not violate the terms of his admission into the United States. A number of the 9/11 terrorists violated the terms of their admission into our country but to this very day, nearly nothing is done to impart even the slightest levels of integrity into this process. The estimates as to how many such aliens are currently in our country who have overstayed or otherwise violated the terms of their admission but the estimates range from 5 million to perhaps as many as 10 million and yet there are fewer than 300 special agents of ICE who are tasked with attempting to locate and apprehend these aliens. I would not be surprised if even if such aliens are apprehended that there is a lack of detention space to take them into custody pending their removal (deportation) from the United States! (While "Catch & Release" was a hot topic for the Border Patrol, Catch & Release has been a fact of life for the efforts of agents at the former INS and now at ICE to seek the removal of illegal aliens who are apprehended within the interior of the United States!)
Another important issue you should consider is the insane Visa Waiver Program which enables aliens from some 36 countries to enter the United States without first applying for and obtaining a visa for the United States. Richard Reid, the so-called shoe bomber attempted to destroy a U.S. bound airliner that was packed with passengers and crew members by detonating explosives he had hidden in his shoes. Richard Reid is a citizen of Great Britain and therefore he was not required to obtain a visa before flying to the United States to apply for admission into our country. Had he been required to obtain a visa, if there had been no Visa Waiver Program, it is likely he would never have secured the visa and would have not been permitted to board the airliner he intended to destroy. Our government officials now require citizens of the United States and all others who seek to board airliners to remove their shoes for inspection because of Mr. Reid- however, the vulnerability created by the Visa Waiver Program has not only been utterly ignored, but more countries have since been added to list of those countries whose citizens do not need to seek visas before traveling to the United States to apply for admission into our country even though other terrorists have also entered our country under the Visa Waiver Program!
You can review the State Department's website for information about this wrong headed and, indeed, treacherous Visa Waiver Program at:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html
Currently, 36 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:
Andorra Hungary New Zealand
Australia Iceland Norway
Austria Ireland Portugal
Belgium Italy San Marino
Brunei Japan Singapore
Czech Republic Latvia Slovakia
Denmark Liechtenstein Slovenia
Estonia Lithuania South Korea
Finland Luxembourg Spain
France Malta Sweden
Germany Monaco Switzerland
Greece the Netherlands United Kingdom
Some time ago I compiled a list of the ways in which the visa process can be helpful to law enforcement and bolster our nation's efforts to prevent the entry of aliens whose presence on our country may prove harmful to our nation and our citizens.
Here is the list of the 6 benefits that the visa requirement provides to national security and that the Visa Waiver Program denies our nation:
1. By requiring visas of aliens who seek to enter the United States, this process helps to screen potential passengers on airliners that are destined to the United States. Richard Reid, the so-called "Shoe Bomber" was able to board an airliner to come to the United States although he had no intentions of entering the United States, his apparent goal was to blow up the airliner and its many passengers somewhere over the depths of the Atlantic Ocean by detonating explosives he had concealed in his shoes. Because he is a subject of Great Britain, a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program, Reid did not obtain a visa before he boarded that airliner.
2. The CBP inspectors are supposed to make a decision in one minute or less as to the admissibility of an alien seeking to enter the United States. The visa requirement helps them to do a more effective job. Their's is a tough job I can certainly relate to, I began my career at the former INS as an immigration inspector at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and worked there for 4 years before I became a special agent.
3. The application for a nonimmigrant visa contains roughly 40 questions that could provide invaluable information to law enforcement officials should that alien become the target of a criminal or terrorist investigation. The information could provide intelligence as well as investigative leads. You can check out the application for a nonimmigrant (tourist) visa by clicking on this link:
https://evisaforms.state.gov/ds156.asp
4. If an alien applicant lies on the application for a visa that lie is called "visa fraud." The maximum penalty for visa fraud starts out at 10 years in jail for those who commit this crime simply in order to come to the United States, ostensibly to seek unlawful employment or other such purpose. The penalty increases to 15 years in jail for those aliens who obtain a visa to commit a felony. For aliens who engage in visa fraud to traffic in narcotics or commit another narcotics-related crime, the maximum jail sentence that can be imposes rises to 20 years. Finally, when an alien can be proven to have engaged in visa fraud in furtherance of terrorism, the maximum penalty climbs to 25 years in prison. It is important to note that while it may be difficult to prove that an individual is a terrorist, it is usually relatively simple to prove that the alien has committed visa fraud when there is fraud involved in the visa application. Indeed, terror suspects are often charged with visa fraud.
5. The charge of visa fraud can also be extremely helpful to law enforcement authorities who want to take a bad guy off the street without tipping their hand to the other members of a criminal conspiracy or terrorism conspiracy that the individual arrested was being arrested for his involvement in terrorism or a criminal organization. You can arrest the alien who commits visa fraud for that violation of law and not for other charges that might make it clear that the investigation underway is targeting a criminal or terrorist organization.
6. Even when an alien applies for a visa and his application is denied, the application he filed remains available for law enforcement and intelligence personnel to review to seek to glean intelligence from that application.
Under the wrong-headed Visa Waiver Program, not one of the important six benefits noted above apply! This creates serious vulnerabilities yet this program is continually being expanded at the behest of corporate executives who know nothing about national security or the visa process. Their only expertise is to separate their customers from the contents of their wallets!
Thank God, at least as far as I know, our government is not taking advice from the association that represents undertakers who depend on death for profit!
Something for you to think about- when an airplane crashes, when the NTSB conducts its investigation and establishes changes that must be made to guarantee the airworthiness of the type of airplane that was involved in the mishap, airline companies and airplane manufacturers must accede to the demands of the NTSB. This must be the way that all facets of national security must be dealt with as well.
Now that it is clear that the Visa Waiver Program creates a national security nightmare for our country, there are other problems within the immigration system that has to put smiles on the faces of the terrorists who want to kill us and kill innocent people throughout the world, especially those who live in the countries that are our allies.
As I have noted on previous occasions, when an alien becomes a naturalized citizen, on the day of being sworn in as a new citizen, that newly minted citizen may opt to legally change his (her) name, and at no extra cost! When that naturalized citizen applies for a United States passport, that passport will only reflect the name he took when he naturalized! Stop and give that a moment to let this sink in.
A naturalized citizen can, in effect, place himself into his own unofficial "Witness Protection Program" by changing his name when he becomes a citizen and then obtaining a passport that conceals his previous identity!
Most of the terror watch lists and "No Fly" lists utilized by the United States and other countries around the world, consist of names without any biometrics to further identify the person who is identified on those lists. Think how this would make it a simply matter for a terrorist to acquire a brand new identity that would enable him to easily travel to and enter other countries that may well be looking for him under his original name! Al Qaeda should give us the MVP award for this stupidity!
Finally I want to revisit the last sentence in that news article:
Now I want you to consider how an alien would enter the United States without being detected. Running our nation's borders would certainly serve that purpose!
If our nation was to then provide unknown millions of illegal aliens with a "pathway to United States citizenship" under the aegis of "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" realize that such aliens would easily be able to morph into legitimate appearing citizens of the United States who could easily penetrate the borders of every country in the world by using a U.S. passport in a brand new identity!
Brad Stone, the Special Projects Producer at WSB-TV, the Atlanta based ABC affiliated news station has produced a series of hard hitting reports on how bad the situation is along the Mexican border. I was pleased to have been interviewed by Brad on a number of occasions. Here is a link to his broadcast on this important issue that aired several months ago:
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/23686786/detail.html
Last month, PJM (Pajamas Media) reported on what must be considered clear evidence that terrorists have entered the United States by evading the inspections process along our nation's southern border. I have provided you with a copy of a posting by PJM on March 23, 2011 that included a link to a DOJ Pre-sentencing Memorandum prepared by the United States attorneys who prosecuted Ahmed Muhammed Dhakane in San Antonio, Texas (Western District of Texas) for making false statements in conjunction with an application he filed for political asylum.
Here is a link that was furnished in the article I have provided you below that will provide you with the pre-sentencing report:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/51237749/Ahmed-Dhakane-DOJ-Sentencing-Memorandum
This report is about 20 pages in length and contains significant information that is of extreme importance to illustrate many of the vulnerabilities I have often noted in various venues and especially when I have provided testimony at Congressional hearings into immigration related issues.
The effective enforcement and administration of our nation's immigration laws are, arguably, among the most important of all missions that are supposed to be carried out by our federal government.
Nothing less than the security of our nation and safety of our citizens hang in the balance!
Indeed, our nation's continuing failures to secure its borders and create an immigration system that poses real integrity also threatens the safety and security of our allies as well!
The large scale apathy demonstrated by citizens of this nation has emboldened elected representatives to all but ignore the needs of the average American citizen in a quest for massive campaign funds and the promises of votes to be ostensibly delivered by special interest groups. There is much that we cannot do but there is one thing that We the People absolutely must do- we must stop sitting on the sidelines!
The collective failure of We the People to get involved in make our concerns known to our politicians have nearly made the concerns of the great majority of the citizens of this nation all but irrelevant to the politicians. I implore you to get involved!
If this situation concerns you or especially if it angers you, I ask you to call your Senators and Congressional "Representative. This is not only your right- it is your obligation!
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=47954&dcn=e_hsw
Al Qaeda still world's top threat, Interpol chief says
Global Security Newswire June 7, 2011
Interpol chief Ronald Noble on Tuesday said al Qaeda and associated organizations continue to pose the greatest threat to global security even after the death of longtime leader Osama bin Laden, Reuters reported.
"Even before bin Laden was captured and killed, the biggest threat was not only al Qaeda but al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist groups around the world," the secretary general for the International Criminal Police Organization said to journalists at an aviation conference in Singapore. "I think that remains the biggest threat now as it was before his death."
Passenger airlines and other modes of mass transportation face the greatest terrorist threat, Noble said.
"The airline and air industry continues to be a prime target for terrorists, but we've seen from recovered intelligence, etc., that they are also focusing a lot on mass transit," he said. "But airlines continue to be a special target."
Author MichaelPosted on June 13, 2011 June 13, 2011
Previous Previous post: "Former federal contractor gets jail time for falsifying immigration records"
Next Next post: On the radio later today, Tuesday, June 14th on the Helen Glover Show…


Fec India Private Limited was founded in the year 2000 and reckoned a foremost manufacturer, supplier, exporter, importer and trader firm earning the increasing needs of different industries by producing matchless quality Accumulators and Pumps. In order to respond to the industrial needs of our prestigious customers, we bring forth broad assortment of quality certified products, such as Pumps, Hydraulic Pumps & Boosters, and Pump Accessories. Our potentials and knowledge reflect in our improved pumps that feature complete attributes of precise design, easy operationality, low maintenance, long functional life, resistance to stress and corrosion.


You finally cave in and realize you want a shingle roof replacement having a roof. You experienced the exact same roof in your house for twenty-one decades. On the last couple of years that you have risen on top and patched it you once you saw lost shingles.
You've now been diligent and pre-formed some basic roof maintenance such as cleaning the gutters out. However, with age the roofing and most the fixes it merely makes sense to possess a shingle roof replacing with a roof. You can browse https://www.centralroof.com/services/roof-replacement-re-roofing/ to know more about the roof replacement companies.
One thing that you need to note if you move online is to pick roofing contractors who are local for your region. There are lots of reasons to get this done. One is when they have been local they've got a standing you'll be able to assess ours quite readily. Ask what roofs they've worn and checked them out for the desire to.
Additionally, a community roofing contractor will probably possess experience with the community climate requirements, therefore, will know very well what roofing materials function great in your town.
The previous cause to make use of a local roofing contractor would be they will normally provide you some type of warranty, limited or else, and it'll easier for one to make them come by to study your trouble if they're observed just some miles off as opposed to days drive off.
Whenever you get this choice to get a shingle roof replacing with a fresh roof then, in addition, you should determine if you would like to replace like with like stuff. You may opt to upgrade either with top quality shingles or maybe alter the roof material. Your roof contractor should have the ability to help you with this particular choice.


Here at Professionals Roofing Specialists we are experts in Bitumen Felt roofing. Wether that be repair or installation we have it covered.
This is a sure fire way of weather proofing flat roofs, by using more than one layer of bituminous roofing felt which is fixed to the previous layer.
Rubberized bitumen roofs are tough, flexible, thick and waterproof. They can be fixed both vertically or horizontally to assure water will not migrate beneath the membrane in the event of physical damage. Chippings may be layered on top to protect further from the elements.
Our team of experts are on hand to answer any questions you may have regarding Bitumen Felt Roofing.


text:
Q: Understanding how to count FLOPs I am having a hard time grasping how to count FLOPs. One moment I think I get it, and the next it makes no sense to me. Some help explaining this would greatly be appreciated.  I have looked at all other posts about this topic and none have completely explained in a programming language I am familiar with (I know some MATLAB and FORTRAN).
Here is an example, from one of my books, of what I am trying to do.
For the following piece of code, the total number of flops can be written as (n*(n-1)/2)+(n*(n+1)/2) which is equivalent to n^2 + O(n).
[m,n]=size(A)
nb=n+1;
Aug=[A b];
x=zeros(n,1);
x(n)=Aug(n,nb)/Aug(n,n);
for i=n-1:-1:1
    x(i) = (Aug(i,nb)-Aug(i,i+1:n)*x(i+1:n))/Aug(i,i);
end

I am trying to apply the same principle above to find the total number of FLOPs as a function of the number of equations n in the following code (MATLAB).
% e = subdiagonal vector
% f = diagonal vector
% g = superdiagonal vector
% r = right hand side vector
% x = solution vector

n=length(f);

% forward elimination
for k = 2:n
    factor = e(k)/f(k‐1);
    f(k) = f(k) – factor*g(k‐1);
    r(k) = r(k) – factor*r(k‐1);
end

% back substitution
x(n) = r(n)/f(n);
for k = n‐1:‐1:1
    x(k) = (r(k)‐g(k)*x(k+1))/f(k);
end

A: I'm by no means expert at MATLAB but I'll have a go.
I notice that none of the lines of your code index ranges of your vectors. Good, that means that every operation I see before me is involving a single pair of numbers. So I think the first loop is 5 FLOPS per iteration, and the second is 3 per iteration. And then there's that single operation in the middle.
However, MATLAB stores everything by default as a double. So the loop variable k is itself being operated on once per loop and then every time an index is calculated from it. So that's an extra 4 for the first loop and 2 for the second.
But wait - the first loop has 'k-1' twice, so in theory one could optimise that a bit by calculating and storing that, reducing the number of FLOPs by one per iteration. The MATLAB interpreter is probably able to spot that sort of optimisation for itself. And for all I know it can work out that k could in fact be an integer and everything is still okay.
So the answer to your question is that it depends. Do you want to know the number of FLOPs the CPU does, or the minimum number expressed in your code (ie the number of operations on your vectors alone), or the strict number of FLOPs that MATLAB would perform if it did no optimisation at all? MATLAB used to have a flops() function to count this sort of thing, but it's not there anymore. I'm not an expert in MATLAB by any means, but I suspect that flops() has gone because the interpreter has gotten too clever and does a lot of optimisation.
I'm slightly curious to know why you wish to know. I used to use flops() to count how many operations a piece of maths did as a crude way of estimating how much computing grunt I'd need to make it work in real time written in C.
Nowadays I look at the primitives themselves (eg there's a 1k complex FFT, that'll be 7us on that CPU according to the library datasheet, there's a 2k vector multiply, that'll be 2.5us, etc). It gets a bit tricky because one has to consider cache speeds, data set sizes, etc. The maths libraries (eg fftw) themselves are effectively opaque so that's all one can do.
So if you're counting the FLOPs for that reason you'll probably not get a very good answer.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Indus civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization, the Indus-Sarasvati or Hakra Civilization and sometimes the Indus Valley Civilization) is one of the oldest societies we know of, including over 2600 known archaeological sites located along the Indus and Sarasvati rivers in Pakistan and India, an area of some 1.6 million square kilometers. The largest known Harappan site is Ganweriwala, located on the bank of the Sarasvati river.
Important sites are listed after each phase.
The earliest settlements of the Harappans were in Baluchistan, Pakistan, beginning about 3500 BC. These sites are an independent outgrowth of Chalcolithic cultures in place in south Asia between 3800-3500 BC. Early Harappan sites built mud brick houses, and carried on long-distance trade.
The Mature Harappan sites are located along the Indus and Sarasvati rivers and their tributaries. They lived in planned communities of houses built of mud brick, burnt brick, and chiseled stone. Citadels were built at sites such as Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira and Ropar, with carved stone gateways and fortification walls. Around the citadels were an extensive range of water reservoirs. Trade with Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Persian gulf is in evidence between 2700-1900 BC.
Mature Harappan society had three classes, including a religious elite, a trading class class and the poor workers. Art of the Harappan includes bronze figures of men, women, animals, birds and toys cast with the lost was method. Terracotta figurines are rarer, but are known from some sites, as is shell, bone, semiprecious and clay jewelry.
Seals carved from steatite squares contain the earliest forms of writing. Almost 6000 inscriptions have been found to date, although they have yet to be deciphered. Scholars are divided about whether the language is likely a form of Proto-Dravidian, Proto-Brahmi or Sanskrit. Early burials were primarily extended with grave goods; later burials were varied.
The earliest pottery made in the Harappan region was built beginning about 6000 BC, and included storage jars, perforated cylindrical towers and footed dishes. The copper/bronze industry flourished at sites such as Harappa and Lothal, and copper casting and hammering were used. Shell and bead making industry was very important, particularly at sites such as Chanhu-daro where mass production of beads and seals is in evidence.
The Harappan people grew wheat, barley, rice, ragi, jowar, and cotton, and raised cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and chickens. Camels, elephants, horses, and asses were used as transport.
The Harappan civilization ended between about 2000 and 1900 BC, resulting from a combination of environmental factors such as flooding and climatic changes, tectonic activity, and the decline of trade with western societies.
Archaeologists associated with the Indus Valley Civilizations include R.D. Banerji, John Marshall, N. Dikshit, Daya Ram Sahni, Madho Sarup Vats, Mortimer Wheeler. More recent work has been conducted by B.B. Lal, S.R. Rao, M.K. Dhavalikar, G.L. Possehl, J. F. Jarrige, Jonathon Mark Kenoyer, and Deo Prakash Sharma, among many others at the National Museum in New Delhi.
Ganweriwala, Rakhigarhi, Dhalewan, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, Harappa, Nausharo, Kot Diji, and Mehrgarh, Padri.
An excellent source for detailed information of the Indus civilization and with lots of photographs is Harappa.com.
For information on the Indus Script and Sanskrit, see Ancient Writing of India and Asia. Archaeological sites (both on About.com and elsewhere are compiled in Archaeological Sites of the Indus Civilization. A brief Bibliography of the Indus Civilization has also been compiled.


text:
Session of Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic convened
A session of the Supreme Assembly has been convened in Nakhchivan, APA reports citing Nuhchikhan news agency.
Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Vasif Talibov has signed relevant decision of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in this regard on February 22.
The decision reads:
"Guided by the I part of Article 18 of the Constitution of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic decides:
I. To convene the first session of the sixth convocation of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on February 24, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in Nakhchivan city.
II. To include the following issues in the agenda of the session:
1. Election of Chairman of Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
2. Election of Deputy Chairmen of Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
3. Election of Committee Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen and members of Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
4. Approval of implementation of the state budget for 2019 of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
III. Heads of the concerned organizations and representatives of the state press outlets are invited to the session meeting".

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
#include "sky/engine/core/frame/FrameHost.h"

#include "sky/engine/core/page/Page.h"

namespace blink {

PassOwnPtr<FrameHost> FrameHost::create(Page& page, ServiceProvider* services)
{
    return adoptPtr(new FrameHost(page, services));
}

PassOwnPtr<FrameHost> FrameHost::createDummy(Settings* settings)
{
    return adoptPtr(new FrameHost(settings));
}

FrameHost::FrameHost(Page& page, ServiceProvider* services)
    : m_page(&page)
    , m_services(services)
    , m_settings(nullptr)
{
}

FrameHost::FrameHost(Settings* settings)
    : m_page(nullptr)
    , m_services(nullptr)
    , m_settings(settings)
{
}

// Explicitly in the .cpp to avoid default constructor in .h
FrameHost::~FrameHost()
{
}

Settings& FrameHost::settings() const
{
    if (m_settings)
        return *m_settings;
    return m_page->settings();
}

float FrameHost::deviceScaleFactor() const
{
    if (m_page)
        return m_page->deviceScaleFactor();
    return 1.0;
}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Far Cry Primal: First Impressions
By Jamie Inocian
Back in October, the folks over at Ubisoft teased the world by posting a video of a fire-lit cave painting on loop for a couple of hours. It was picked up by all the regular sites that we follow, but the surprise was soon spoiled by someone on the team that didn't get the memo by posting that Far Cry Primal would soon be available on Twitter. FAIL!
The wait is finally over and Far Cry Primal is now available at your favorite local game shop. We reserved our copy pretty late, but was pleasantly surprised to still be given the freebies had we reserved earlier (And, no, we didn't pull any strings). Before we get into the game, here's what comes with your copy of Far Cry Primal if you were able to pre-order:
The Special Edition Copy of Far Cry Primal
Legend of the Mammoth Mission Pack
Mammoth, Owl, and Sabertooth Pack
Sabertooth Bobblehead
Far Cry Primal Shirt
More of the Same Far Cry Fun
In Far Cry Primal, you play Takkar – a Wedja Hunter who has set off with his party to find lost members of their tribe. After going days without food, they hunt a Mammoth but are ambushed by a Sabertooth Tiger; leaving Takkar the sole survivor of the attack. After this brief opening scene, you are immediately thrust into familiar territory of gathering materials to help survive the Lands of Oros, where you will have to find your tribesmen by capturing outposts, claiming bonfires, and hunting animals to upgrade your gear.
We know, it sounds awfully familiar to the games predecessors. That's not really a bad thing though. It's what we have all come to know and love about Far Cry games. The setting also makes a huge difference. No guns and ammo means you constantly have to make sure you have enough materials in your pack to make more arrows, clubs, and spears should run out mid-battle. Besides, it's extremely satisfying to have your spear sail through the air and impale a member of an opposing tribe. Primal, indeed!
Oros Looks Wonderful
As always, the team at Ubisoft Montreal did a great job with the environment. It really helps pull you in when everything looks this beautiful and mind you, we're playing this on Playstation 4 – PC Master Race gamers should have it even better. Character details look amazing as well.
We do, however, have some complaints. While, everything generally looks good, some elements downright SUCK! I mean, look at the waterfall in the screenshot below. BLECH! WHAT IS THAT?!
Ready to Sink in More Hours
We've sunk in an hour or two in Far Car Primal and we are eager to explore the Lands of Oros even more. While the game does fall into the usual Far Cry setup, we're hoping that the setting makes up for that and, hey, don't fix what ain't broke, right? We're a little worried that the lack of a signature antagonist like, Far Cry 4's Pagan Min or Far Cry 3's Vaas, might make for a weak story though.
Stay tuned to UnGeek for some Gameplay Footage soon.
"Justice League Part 1" begins filming on April; Zack Snyder tweets set preview pic w/ Jason Momoa
Quit what you're doing and start QUILTING! PATCHWORK releases for the IOS and Android today!
Jamie Inocianhttps://www.ungeek.ph
Digital Sales Manager of Unbox by day, All-around Geek by night... and day.


text:
Practice >
AIA Announces 2019 Diversity Recognition Program Honorees
Now in its 11th year, the awards celebrate individuals and organizations committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion within the architecture profession.
Courtesy Designing in Color
The following is a press release from AIA announcing the honorees of its Diversity Recognition Program.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced the 2019 honorees of its Diversity Recognition Program, which celebrates architects and organizations actively committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within the architecture profession. This marks the 11th year of the program.
Contributions and objectives of this year's honorees are as follows:
Women Inspiring Emerging Leaders in Design (WIELD)
WIELD is a program for emerging professionals developed in collaboration with AIA Washington, DC. A leading equity, diversity and inclusion platform, WIELD has become a movement to amplify the voices of both experienced and emerging leaders to motivate fellow upcoming trailblazers in the profession. WIELD provides a forum for sharing stories of empowerment and resilience through the lens of EDI.
Designing in Color
Designing in Color (DCo) is a collaborative architectural platform that amplifies the voices of minority designers. It seeks to celebrate multicultural creativity and encourage young minority professionals to thrive in challenging environments. To serve underrepresented designers and communities, DCo hosts workshops and lectures to facilitate discussions about architecture. To promote knowledge sharing, DCo documents and makes available its programs via website and social media.
Women in Design-Milwaukee
Women in Design-Milwaukee promotes work produced by women in Milwaukee's creative design fields. Since its inception in 2014, the group has hosted numerous lectures, mentoring events, community service projects, and panel presentations. Many programs are created in partnership with other local organizations including Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC), Future Milwaukee, American Society of Interior Designers, International Interior Design Association, Women in Toys, and local nonprofits.
AIA Westchester Hudson Valley Afterschool Architecture Club
In 2009, AIA Westchester Hudson Valley began an outreach initiative with the mission of promoting diversity in the architecture profession by introducing young, mostly minority, K-12 students to architecture as a possible career choice. An after-school "Design Club" was formed in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, staffed each week by volunteer architects from the component. The program has evolved since launch, and now serves students in grades 7–12 with more advanced curriculum.
Building Future Architects
Formed by a team from the National Associates Committee Architecture, the Building Future Architects program was developed to introduce architecture and design thinking to students in fourth and fifth grades. The 12-week afterschool program encourages students to explore the design process and culminates with a project where students design a "school of their dreams."
Architecture + Design Summer Camp
The Alex Foundation's architecture and design summer camp provides design education to youth in the rural Arkansas Delta. Architects and other allied professionals teach architecture and design a one-week co-ed camp and an all-girls camp, which was created to connect girls with women leaders in the architecture profession.
Honorees were selected this year by jurors Steven Spurlock, FAIA; Linsey Graff, Assoc. AIA; and Jason Pugh, AIA. More information on the program and complete details regarding honorees is available on AIA's website.
ARCHITECT Staff
The American Institute of Architects
Alex Foundation
Women Inspiring Emerging Leaders in Design
Leadership Five Questions For New AIA President Emily Grandstaff-Rice
Press Release National Institute of Building Sciences to Publish New DEI Report in May
Feature The Pursuit and Promise of Equity in Architecture
Labor Unionizing as Pedagogy
Press Release AIA Predicts a Slowdown of Construction Spending


text:
<<134567891095>>
Google Acquires Fly Labs To Join Its Google Photos Team
Today, Google acquired Fly Labs to join its Google Photos team. The company aimed to help people edit videos and photos and it sported 3 million downloads over the past 18 months. Their suite of apps (Tempo, Fly and Crop) will be made available for the next three months. You'll still be able to use them, but there will be no more updates.... Google/Android
Google Acquires Fly Labs To Join Its Google Photos TeamToday, Google acquired Fly Labs to join its Google Photos team. The company aimed to help people edit videos and photos and it sported 3 million downloads over the past 18 months. Their suite of apps (Tempo, Fly and Crop) will be made available for the next three months. You'll still be able to use them, but there will be no more updates....Google/AndroidNovember 7, 2015, 1:5:27Google Acquires Fly Labs To Join Its Google Photos Teamsource: http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/06/google-acquires-fly-labs-to-join-its-photos-team/#.benqr9:icfH | November 7, 2015, 1:5:27
Linux Ransomware Is Now Attacking Webmasters
A new bit of ransomware is now attacking Linux-based machines, specifically the folders associated with serving web pages. Called Linux.Encoder.1 the ransomware will encrypt your MySQL, Apache, and home/root folders. The system then asks for a single bitcoin to decrypt the files.... Security
Linux Ransomware Is Now Attacking WebmastersA new bit of ransomware is now attacking Linux-based machines, specifically the folders associated with serving web pages. Called Linux.Encoder.1 the ransomware will encrypt your MySQL, Apache, and home/root folders. The system then asks for a single bitcoin to decrypt the files....SecurityNovember 7, 2015, 1:4:33Linux Ransomware Is Now Attacking Webmasterssource: http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/06/linux-ransomware-is-now-attacking-webmasters/ | November 7, 2015, 1:4:33
Teen hackers have broken into law enforcement and employee records
The same group that breached CIA director John Brennan's personal email last month seems to have stayed busy. A new cache of data has been published, first discovered by Motherboard and apparently from the same group of hackers. The data contains the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of more than 2,000 law enforcement officers, military officers, and government empl... Security
Teen hackers have broken into law enforcement and employee recordsThe same group that breached CIA director John Brennan's personal email last month seems to have stayed busy. A new cache of data has been published, first discovered by Motherboard and apparently from the same group of hackers. The data contains the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of more than 2,000 law enforcement officers, military officers, and government empl...SecurityNovember 7, 2015, 0:54:4Teen hackers have broken into law enforcement and employee recordssource: http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/6/9684038/teen-hackers-law-enforcement-fbi-employee-records | November 7, 2015, 0:54:4
Watch the Bob Ross of engineering dispel the myth of high-res audio
I've spent the past month reviewing a pair of smartphones with one thing in common: great audio. First came the HTC One A9, capable of upscaling 16-bit recordings to 24-bit and powering high-end headphones with an especially potent integrated amplifier. Then I spent time with the LG V10, which relies on an ESS Sabre DAC (digital-to-analog converter) and amplifier combo that... Technology
Watch the Bob Ross of engineering dispel the myth of high-res audioI've spent the past month reviewing a pair of smartphones with one thing in common: great audio. First came the HTC One A9, capable of upscaling 16-bit recordings to 24-bit and powering high-end headphones with an especially potent integrated amplifier. Then I spent time with the LG V10, which relies on an ESS Sabre DAC (digital-to-analog converter) and amplifier combo that...TechnologyNovember 7, 2015, 0:52:59Watch the Bob Ross of engineering dispel the myth of high-res audiosource: http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/6/9680140/chris-montgomery-digital-audio-hi-res-explainer | November 7, 2015, 0:52:59
Motorola Droid Turbo 2 review
I'm biking through Brooklyn when the Droid Turbo 2 slips from my hand and smacks the pavement. For any other phone, this would be a disaster — a spiderweb of cracks across the screen, if not a totally smashed pane of glass sending tiny shards everywhere. But this is the Droid Turbo 2, so things are different. When I pick up the phone, there isn't a single new scra... Hardware
Motorola Droid Turbo 2 reviewI'm biking through Brooklyn when the Droid Turbo 2 slips from my hand and smacks the pavement. For any other phone, this would be a disaster — a spiderweb of cracks across the screen, if not a totally smashed pane of glass sending tiny shards everywhere. But this is the Droid Turbo 2, so things are different. When I pick up the phone, there isn't a single new scra...HardwareNovember 7, 2015, 0:52:3Motorola Droid Turbo 2 reviewsource: http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/6/9679740/motorola-droid-turbo-2-review-specs | November 7, 2015, 0:52:3
BlackBerry Takes Orders for Android-Based Priv Phone
BlackBerry started taking preorders today (Oct. 23) for the Priv, a phone that's seeming spent as much time in the rumor mill as it has in development. In the U.S., you can place an order for the $699 unlocked BlackBerry Priv at BlackBerry's online store. The phone is slated to ship on Nov. 6. In addition to the U.S., the Priv also is available for pre-order in the ... Blackberry
BlackBerry Takes Orders for Android-Based Priv PhoneBlackBerry started taking preorders today (Oct. 23) for the Priv, a phone that's seeming spent as much time in the rumor mill as it has in development. In the U.S., you can place an order for the $699 unlocked BlackBerry Priv at BlackBerry's online store. The phone is slated to ship on Nov. 6. In addition to the U.S., the Priv also is available for pre-order in the ...BlackberryNovember 7, 2015, 0:50:7BlackBerry Takes Orders for Android-Based Priv Phonesource: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/blackberry-priv,news-21755.html | November 7, 2015, 0:50:7
Best Android-Only Apps You Can't Find on iPhone
Fans are forever debating the relative merits of iOS and Android. While some developers would say Apple's software is easier to work within, it's also a much more controlled system. One of Android's major strengths is its openness, which allows app developers more freedom. From fantastic widgets, app launchers and task automation apps, these Android-exclusiv... Google/Android
Best Android-Only Apps You Can't Find on iPhoneFans are forever debating the relative merits of iOS and Android. While some developers would say Apple's software is easier to work within, it's also a much more controlled system. One of Android's major strengths is its openness, which allows app developers more freedom. From fantastic widgets, app launchers and task automation apps, these Android-exclusiv...Google/AndroidNovember 7, 2015, 0:49:37Best Android-Only Apps You Can't Find on iPhonesource: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/pictures-story/580-best-android-only-apps.html | November 7, 2015, 0:49:37
10 Best Math Apps
Smartphones and tablets pack an incredible amount of computing power into a compact package, making them great portable calculating and mathematical tools. The right apps can take the headache out of dealing with mundane or complex calculations, or even make learning math *gasp* fun. If you're looking for great calculator replacements, detailed math reference tools or just ... Platforms
10 Best Math AppsSmartphones and tablets pack an incredible amount of computing power into a compact package, making them great portable calculating and mathematical tools. The right apps can take the headache out of dealing with mundane or complex calculations, or even make learning math *gasp* fun. If you're looking for great calculator replacements, detailed math reference tools or just ...PlatformsNovember 7, 2015, 0:49:410 Best Math Appssource: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-math-apps,review-2712.html | November 7, 2015, 0:49:4
Best Unlocked Smartphones 2015
The appeal of unlocked smartphones is that they provide features comparable to those on pricey flagships like the iPhone 6s and the Galaxy S6 for hundreds of dollars less. You just buy the phone, pop in a SIM card (usually a GSM network like AT... Hardware
Best Unlocked Smartphones 2015The appeal of unlocked smartphones is that they provide features comparable to those on pricey flagships like the iPhone 6s and the Galaxy S6 for hundreds of dollars less. You just buy the phone, pop in a SIM card (usually a GSM network like AT...HardwareNovember 7, 2015, 0:48:24Best Unlocked Smartphones 2015source: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-unlocked-phones,review-2927.html | November 7, 2015, 0:48:24
Overwatch isn't coming to Mac
Blizzard has a long history of bringing its games to Mac platforms in addition to Windows PC, but it appears that's not the case for the company's new shooter, Overwatch. At BlizzCon today, Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan confirmed that Blizzard is focusing its PC gaming efforts on a Windows version only.... Gaming
Overwatch isn't coming to MacBlizzard has a long history of bringing its games to Mac platforms in addition to Windows PC, but it appears that's not the case for the company's new shooter, Overwatch. At BlizzCon today, Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan confirmed that Blizzard is focusing its PC gaming efforts on a Windows version only....GamingNovember 7, 2015, 0:46:48Overwatch isn't coming to Macsource: http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/6/9686370/overwatch-mac-os-x-support | November 7, 2015, 0:46:48
CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 3 REVIEW
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 has the same challenge as Advanced Warfare and Ghosts before it: How do you take the biggest thing going for one console generation and meaningfully evolve it for the next?... Gaming
CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 3 REVIEWCall of Duty: Black Ops 3 has the same challenge as Advanced Warfare and Ghosts before it: How do you take the biggest thing going for one console generation and meaningfully evolve it for the next?...GamingNovember 7, 2015, 0:45:56CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 3 REVIEWsource: http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/6/9648812/call-of-duty-black-ops-3-review-ps4-xbox-one-pc | November 7, 2015, 0:45:56
STARCRAFT: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Back in the '90s, Chris Metzen had an idea for a new game. For the still-blooming Blizzard Entertainment, these were formative years. There was Warcraft as of 1994, but there was no World of Warcraft. There was talk about doing more real-time strategy, as the company was arguably getting good at it, and a keen interest in heading into space.... Gaming
STARCRAFT: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTUREBack in the '90s, Chris Metzen had an idea for a new game. For the still-blooming Blizzard Entertainment, these were formative years. There was Warcraft as of 1994, but there was no World of Warcraft. There was talk about doing more real-time strategy, as the company was arguably getting good at it, and a keen interest in heading into space....GamingNovember 7, 2015, 0:45:23STARCRAFT: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTUREsource: http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/6/9670176/starcraft-2-future-history-dlc-blizzard | November 7, 2015, 0:45:23
YO-KAI WATCH REVIEW
Yo-kai Watch was engineered to be the next big thing. From the very beginning, Yo-kai Watch seems as though it was designed with a specific purpose in mind: to become the next Pokémon-level franchise.... Gaming
YO-KAI WATCH REVIEWYo-kai Watch was engineered to be the next big thing. From the very beginning, Yo-kai Watch seems as though it was designed with a specific purpose in mind: to become the next Pokémon-level franchise....GamingNovember 7, 2015, 0:44:52YO-KAI WATCH REVIEWsource: http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/4/9671722/yo-kai-watch-review-nintendo-3ds | November 7, 2015, 0:44:52
Chinese-backed Tesla competitor wants to build 'rolling smartphone' in U.S.
Tesla Motors might be losing money hand over fist, but it doesn't mean there aren't startups keen to compete with the now-infamous EV automaker. One taking direct aim at Elon Musk and his cohort is Faraday Future, a Gardena, California-based upstart EV automaker. Backed by Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, the company has set aside $1 billion to invest in a new facto... Technology
Chinese-backed Tesla competitor wants to build 'rolling smartphone' in U.S.Tesla Motors might be losing money hand over fist, but it doesn't mean there aren't startups keen to compete with the now-infamous EV automaker. One taking direct aim at Elon Musk and his cohort is Faraday Future, a Gardena, California-based upstart EV automaker. Backed by Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, the company has set aside $1 billion to invest in a new facto...TechnologyNovember 5, 2015, 15:44:38Chinese-backed Tesla competitor wants to build 'rolling smartphone' in U.S.source: http://mashable.com/2015/11/05/faraday-future-factory/?utm_cid=mash-prod-nav-sub-st#pVDPirTOLgqw | November 5, 2015, 15:44:38
Japanese scientists create super-strong glass, but don't call it 'unbreakabl
In a study published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, University of Tokyo scientists described using aluminum oxide (a fairly common glass-making material), tantalum oxide and a new manufacturing process to create a colorless, transparent glass with a hardness "comparable to the previously reported highest values for oxide glasses."... Hardware
Japanese scientists create super-strong glass, but don't call it 'unbreakablIn a study published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, University of Tokyo scientists described using aluminum oxide (a fairly common glass-making material), tantalum oxide and a new manufacturing process to create a colorless, transparent glass with a hardness "comparable to the previously reported highest values for oxide glasses."...HardwareNovember 5, 2015, 15:44:9Japanese scientists create super-strong glass, but don't call it 'unbreakablsource: http://mashable.com/2015/11/05/smartphones-ultra-hard-glass/?utm_cid=mash-prod-nav-sub-st#A7M4oyL1LkqH | November 5, 2015, 15:44:9
Google Maps for iOS now gives you spoken traffic alerts
In the previous iOS version of the Google Maps, you could see color-coded routes identifying congested areas and icons marking accidents, traffic, road closures and construction zones. You were also flagged when there was a faster route available and given details of how much faster or slower each route is.... Google/Android
Google Maps for iOS now gives you spoken traffic alertsIn the previous iOS version of the Google Maps, you could see color-coded routes identifying congested areas and icons marking accidents, traffic, road closures and construction zones. You were also flagged when there was a faster route available and given details of how much faster or slower each route is....Google/AndroidNovember 5, 2015, 15:43:42Google Maps for iOS now gives you spoken traffic alertssource: http://mashable.com/2015/11/05/google-maps-traffic-update/?utm_cid=mash-prod-nav-sub-st#sP8V9mGcTOqb | November 5, 2015, 15:43:42


Big Tree Farms' Truly Raw, Sweet Cacao Nibs are the most concentrated form of high-energy Cacao. And because it's cold-pressed at 115F/46C, the flavor is extremely rich and complex, making it one of the most incredible tasting chocolate products you will ever experience.
One taste is worth 14,000 farms! That's how many farming partners Big Tree Farms has depending on them to do the right thing. By purchasing their delicious and beautiful Raw, Sweet Cacao Nibs, you're partnering with them to sustain the farmers, the land, ancient traditions and the environment.
Raw, Sweet Cacao Nibs are a delicious dark chocolate source of antioxidants, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc and fiber, and is one of the most phytochemically diverse superfoods. It is a more powerful source of nutrients than roasted chocolate. Test results show that Big Tree Farms' cold-pressed Sweet, Cacao Nibs contains over 2x the ORAC value as conventionally tested Cacao.
Big Tree Farms' Raw, Sweet Cacao Nibs are nature's edible energy boost. They're crafted within their own bamboo chocolate factory in Bali, Indonesia by selecting whole beans and cracking them into smaller chips and then dipping them into Low Glycemic Coconut Nectar…. Providing YOU with a simply mind numbing Yum Yum. These Raw Nibs taste incredible and are GREAT in smoothies, sprinkled on salads, added to trail mix, granola or in baked Goods! They're also a great alternative to candy bars.


Spanning more than 2,000 miles, and with warm and cold water, inshore and offshore options, and a plethora of harbors and fish species, East Coast boating is as diverse as it gets. Within this vast range are some of North America's most important estuaries and hundreds of barrier islands, resulting in a shoreline that extends more than 100,000 miles. That's a lot of boating the East Coast to enjoy.
Here's a brief summary of the top East Coast boating areas, from north to south, all of which are also notable for sportfishing.
The area from Massachusetts Bay north of Cape Cod to Narragansett Bay south of it, including the Cape itself as well as the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, is the historical birthplace of America's recreational fishing and boating. It's generally a big-boat locality, with seasonally cold water and spring-to-late-fall opportunities. Striped bass is the mainstay species, with flounder and bluefish also prominent.
Connecticut's rivers and its irregular rocky shoreline provide numerous inlets and harbors and great access to Long Island Sound. There's abundant access as well from the north shore of Long Island, New York, meaning that this densely populated region is an exceptional East Coast boating locale, with a season that stretches from early March through late November. Stripers, flounder (called "fluke" locally), and blues, as well as mackerel, porgies, tautog, and black sea bass, are prime catches.
Jutting far into the Atlantic at the easternmost end of Long Island, New York, Montauk offers a splendid jump off to big-water ocean boating, and a chance to get close to pelagic species of fish. Confused and deep near-shore waters offer world renowned striped bass fishing, as well as a chance for albacore and bluefish. Offshore, ocean current and deeper waters produce tuna, marlin, shark, and swordfish, as well as cod and pollock. This is generally big-boat water, with a spring to late fall season.
A modicum of marshes and small estuaries, plus shoals, a gradually sloping offshore bottom, and a formidable and productive bay characterizes this region. Diverse near-shore and offshore boating is the result, essentially from mid-March through early December. Striped bass, bluefish, flounder ("fluke"), tautog, and black drum are top near-shore fishing targets, while tuna and marlin provide offshore action in the summer.
If you want to talk about boating the East Coast, then consider that the largest estuary in North America, Chesapeake Bay is a boating hotspot for just about every type of watercraft, from its upper regions near Havre de Grace, Maryland, to its wide mouth at Cape Henry, and including its many tributaries. One could spend a lifetime in the region and never sample all of the bay's boating riches. It can be a year-round boating opportunity for kayakers and small-boat operators in the marshes, creeks, and rivers, though March through early December is the season in the main waters. Striped bass are the focal catch, but white perch, seatrout, bluefish, croaker, spot, and a lot of other species are available seasonally.
With Cape Hatteras being close to the Gulf Stream, the Outer Banks being a 140-mile-long strip of barrier islands, and having several major rivers and sounds, this is one of the most prominent East Coast boating areas. Offshore is big-boat country, but inshore a variety of craft are suitable, and the boating season is virtually year-round. Red drum (channel bass), seatrout, and bluefish are headliners inshore, while marlin, tuna, king mackerel, and albacore are among the ocean favorites.
Containing such legendary fishing venues as Islamorada, Marathon, and Key West, the Florida Keys stretch south and west bordering eastern Florida and tuck into the Gulf of Mexico. Shallow flats, the Gulf Stream current nearby, as well as reefs and wrecks add up to diverse opportunities for a wide range of boating and fishing interests. This is where to boat on a year-round basis. Tarpon, bonefish, sailfish, assorted snappers and groupers, seatrout, redfish, snook, and many more popular gamefish are available depending on season and location.
Make sure your boat is registered, and your fishing license is current, then check out our state pages to get more localized information.


These tulo promo codes have expired but may still work.
To use a coupon first select your desired item & add it to your cart. A side tab will show up & you can click "Add Promo Code" below the checkout button. Enter your code here and click "Apply" to redeem your discount.
Find a store near you to experience the mattress in person before you make a purchase!
Tulo will set up your mattress for your and remove your old mattress for no charge (which means you need to be home when your mattress is delivered). Tulo comes with a 120-night trial to make sure you have the right mattress. The company suggests you try your mattress for at least 30 days to break it in. Returns are free if you end up deciding it isn't the right mattress for you.
Tulo is an up-and-coming brand of mattresses that allows you to choose your mattress based off of how you individually sleep. They have their mattresses available in various mattress firms as well as on their website.
To contact tulo you can call 833-885-6233 or email support@tulo.com.
Our team is confident that we have found the newest tulo coupons. Feel free to share with us if we've missed something.


AAE welcomed Dixie, a pretty young mare, from the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary (DC) on Feb 28, 2018. AAE has worked with DC in a continued effort to support DreamCatcher's herd reduction efforts after the long illness and passing of their Executive Director, Barbara Clarke in November of 2016.
Dixie spent some time at the Monty Roberts International Learning Center (MRILC) for gentling and basic handling. She was halterable, but she has needed considerable time building trust and confidence. She returned to MRILC for participation in additional courses and further development. She was introduced to ground driving and a saddle (but no rider). Dixie did quite well and is considered the "most improved" of this class. She returned a different horse.
Dixie is more confident, calm, and social than she was, but still working through trust issues and building confidence. The right home will be with a person with mustang experience; a patient person willing to commit time and consistent efforts to bring this sweet girl along. Her handling/confidence building will continue during her stay at AAE. Dixie is a confident mare in a herd environment, and she tends to be more dominant and mare-ish, so that should be considered for a future home.
Dixie is current with vaccines, deworming, and dental and hoof care. She has a microchip in place.


text:
Fed chief points to rate rise this year
By Nick Beams
Federal Reserve Board chairwoman Janet Yellen sought to ease the financial market turbulence that followed the US central bank's decision a week ago not to increase interest rates in a major speech delivered Thursday at the University of Massachusetts.
Yellen concluded a nearly hour-long lecture on inflation and monetary policy by indicating that most members of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), including herself, anticipate that "it will likely be appropriate to raise the target range for the federal funds rate sometime later this year and to continue boosting short-term rates at a gradual pace thereafter."
Contrary to what has happened on previous occasions, when markets have risen on a decision to continue the near-zero interest policy, they fell on last week's decision, with the Dow losing 3.2 percent over the past week. The prospect of the continuing supply of ultra-cheap cash was outweighed by fears of the impact of worsening global economic conditions, which Yellen cited in her remarks outlining the background to the Fed decision.
Following the turbulence in Chinese markets and the signs of falling growth in the world's second largest economy, Yellen had pointed to the "significant economic and financial interconnections between the United States and the rest of the world." This required "close watching" and, in light of these "heightened uncertainties abroad" and softer inflation, the FOMC had decided that it was appropriate to wait for "more evidence" before lifting rates.
However, one week later the "significant" interconnections between the US and the rest of the world had virtually disappeared from her remarks. The worsening economic situation in China, which was central to last week's interest-rate decision, did not rate mention.
The explanation for the sharp turnaround—a further indication of the fact that the Fed, like other central banks, has no coherent policy guiding its actions—lies in the reaction to the decision to keep rates on hold.
Members of the Federal Reserve Board—including Jeffrey Lacker, who cast the sole dissenting vote on the FOMC decision—along with representatives of various financial institutions, have indicated that interest rates should be raised. In an interview this week, James Bullard, president of the St Louis Fed, said the Fed "cannot permanently raise stock prices."
Former head of the PIMCO bond trading company Bill Gross, now portfolio manager at Janus Capital Group, this week issued a sharp denunciation of the zero-interest rate regime in his latest Investment Outlook. He warned that zero bond interest rates "destroy the savings function of capitalism, which is a necessary and in fact a synchronous component of investment."
"The developed world is beginning to run on empty because investments discounted at near zero over the immediate future cannot provide cash flow or necessary capital gains to pay for past promises in an ageing society," he wrote.
An equally scathing comment by Danielle DiMartino Booth, a former adviser to the Dallas Federal Reserve, was published in the Financial Times on Wednesday under the headline "Fed must stop dithering and take action."
"The evidence is abundant," Booth wrote, "that the ability of monetary policy to spur economic growth is exhausted. More concerning are increasing distortions in the economy and financial system that threaten to collapse into crisis. The financial markets may not be fully on board with rising interest rates, but any further kowtowing to investors promises to strip the Fed of its last vestige of credibility."
The Fed's actions had facilitated bad behaviour on the part of corporate chieftains. "Why bother investing in the long term when it is so much more fun, to say nothing of more lucrative, to buy back shares, reduce share count and puff up profits?"
Responding to such criticisms, Yellen sought to counter perceptions that zero percent interest rates had become virtually permanent, by tilting to the other side. She said that members of the FOMC "implicitly expect" that "headwinds to economic growth" would continue to fade, thereby boosting the underlying strength of the US economy and opening the way for normalization of monetary policy.
In fact, in the week since the Fed cited global considerations as the reasons for not moving, those headwinds have become stronger. Data from the Chinese economy released this week showed that manufacturing had contracted by the largest amount since the depths of the global financial crisis in March 2009.
The prices of major industrial commodities—an indicator of global growth—have continued to fall, with predictions that they will go even lower. Interest rates on Brazilian government bonds have soared to 16 percent, an indication of the worsening situation in the country's China-dependent economy. The values of currencies in so-called "emerging markets," once touted as a new source of global growth, continue to fall and are at their lowest levels in 13 years.
Much of Yellen's speech centred on the dynamics of inflation, a question of importance for policy, given that the Fed's target is for 2 percent inflation in the US. She acknowledged that inflation was near zero but put this down to the fall in food and energy prices, implying that once these factors ceased to have an impact this situation would return to expectations.
However, she continued, the outlook was "highly uncertain" and it was conceivable that inflation could remain well below the 2 percent target despite the "apparent anchoring of inflation expectations," citing the example of Japan where deflation had set in despite predictions to the contrary.
And then, in what amounted to a telling admission that she and other central bankers are bereft of any understanding of what is taking place, Yellen continued: "The explanation for the persistent divergence between actual and expected inflation in Japan is not clear, but I believe that it illustrates a problem faced by all central bankers."
Despite claims that the American economy is strengthening, she acknowledged that "considerable uncertainties surround the outlook for economic activity" and it was not possible to be certain about "the pace at which the headwinds restraining the domestic economy will begin to fade."
Clearly responding to critics who have said that the Fed's inaction is creating the conditions for a crisis, Yellen said that if the Fed "were to delay the start of the policy normalization process for too long" it would be necessary to tighten abruptly and such an action "would risk disrupting financial markets and perhaps even inadvertently push the economy into recession."
Continuation of the zero rate could "encourage excessive leverage and other forms of risk taking that might undermine financial stability." However this is not a future prospect. It has already taken place, with speculative and parasitic financial activities, such as mergers and acquisitions and share buybacks, returning to levels reached before the 2008 financial meltdown.
The glaring contradictions in Yellen's speech and her obvious bewilderment underscore a point made long ago by Karl Marx.
Bourgeois economists, he noted, are unable to comprehend the real course of the economy because they seek to expunge the contradictions of the capitalist system and therefore view crises as an "aberration" and an external factor—a deviation from the normal—rather than arising from the very nature of the profit system itself.
Tesla under investigation by US government for defect that caused over 100 crashes
US-China trade deal leaves basic conflict festering
The oligarchs assemble at Davos
Climate change "spin" as Davos gathering confronts mounting environmental and economic crisis


Vacation travel video about destination New York City in New York.
New York continues to be one of the world's most famous cities, a true world metropolis and major symbol of the American Dream. Manhattan Island is the city's most well known district and the Rockefeller Center in Midtown is often referred to as the heart of the New York. Nearby the Roman Catholic Saint Patrick´s Cathedral is the largest and most magnificent church in the United States. The Grand Central Terminal divides Park Avenue and is a huge station with which the railroad kings, the Venderbilts, left an indelible mark. The huge hall, with its magnificent vaulted ceiling in Beaux Arts style, has been the city's central railway station for twelve lines since 1913. The confines of Chinatown are inhabited by a hundred and fifty thousand Chinese from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, most of whom are unable to speak a word of English. Chinese characters wherever one looks and restaurants and Asian stores on every street corner. The famous Wall Street was named after a wall which in the early days protected the growing city against attack by Native American Indians. However, the roots of its subsequent claim to fame were laid in 1792. The young state desperately needed investment and therefore the powers that be decided to issue bonds. Close by, on a small island, is New York's most famous landmark, the Statue Of Liberty. The head of Lady Liberty leads to the crown from which there are stunning views from several windows. New York City is most certainly unique. A city that's very much alive and kicking, self-confident and always a surprise!


2018-01-27· Environmental Assessment Summary Report Assessment of Effects . significant within the meaning of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, mitigation measures and compensation projects are taken into account, the effects on the ..
However, risk mitigation activities may differ from other project activities in that there may be some uncertainty about whether the selected risk mitigation strategies will work—that is, the activities may be contingent on whether the risk mitigation strategies are effective.
Romania - Mine Closure and Social Mitigation Project (English) Abstract. The Mine Closure and Social Mitigation Project of Romania had the following ratings: outcomes were highly satisfactory, risk to development outcome was moderate, Bank performance was satisfactory, and borrower performance was satisfactory.
General Mitigation Measures for Coal Mining Projects. General Mitigation Measures (Best Management Practices) for Coal Mining Projects. Many impacts that could occur as a result of coal mining activities may be .
pollution prevention and mitigation measures Pollution prevention, minimization, and mitigation measures have been incorporated by Mississippi Pow- er and NACC as part of the conceptual designs of the proposed project facilities.


text:
K C Creek, Pike River Watershed (GB14)
K C Creek (621100)
Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Cold Mainstem
Cold (Class II Trout)
Streams supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L through natural reproduction and selective propagation. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.
Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.
Comprehensive Brook and Brown Trout Survey of K. C. Creek during 2005
621100 K C Creek 10047045 KC Creek T37N R18 Sec. 9 1/1/2015 1/1/2015 Map Data
621100 K C Creek 10029770 K C Creek - ATV Trail Crossing in T37N R18E S09 NW SE 1/1/2015 1/1/2015 Map Data
K C Creek is located in the Pike River watershed which is 284.74 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (76%), wetland (20.70%) and a mix of grassland (1.90%) and other uses (1.40%). This watershed has 330.07 stream miles, 1,478.51 lake acres and 33,494.56 wetland acres.
K C Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Cold Mainstem under the state's Natural Community Determinations.
Cool (Cold-Transition) Mainstem streams are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are common to absent, mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to absent.
Cool (Cold-Transition) Headwaters are small, usually perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon (<10 per 100 m), transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.


b. Custom seating and positioning devices, orthotics and pressure relief products both for the positioning and pressure relief requires of these medical devices.
c. Specialty control devices which provide the patient a means of communication, Bluetooth operation of devices and alternate methods for driving and operating these power devices.
MOBILITY SCOOTERS: Densows carries the largest inventory of mobility scooters in the Tri-Cities.


Initial configuration parameters for a new Isolate.
Definition at line 6873 of file v8.h.
Definition at line 6874 of file v8.h.
Definition at line 6925 of file v8.h.
Whether calling Atomics.wait (a function that may block) is allowed in this isolate. This can also be configured via SetAllowAtomicsWait.
Definition at line 6945 of file v8.h.
The ArrayBuffer::Allocator to use for allocating and freeing the backing store of ArrayBuffers.
Definition at line 6931 of file v8.h.
Allows the host application to provide the address of a function that is notified each time code is added, moved or removed.
Definition at line 6899 of file v8.h.
ResourceConstraints to use for the new Isolate.
Definition at line 6904 of file v8.h.
Enables the host application to provide a mechanism for recording statistics counters.
Definition at line 6916 of file v8.h.
Enables the host application to provide a mechanism for recording histograms. The CreateHistogram function returns a histogram which will later be passed to the AddHistogramSample function.
Definition at line 6924 of file v8.h.
The optional entry_hook allows the host application to provide the address of a function that's invoked on entry to every V8-generated function. Note that entry_hook is invoked at the very start of each generated function. An entry_hook can only be provided in no-snapshot builds; in snapshot builds it must be nullptr.
Definition at line 6893 of file v8.h.
Specifies an optional nullptr-terminated array of raw addresses in the embedder that V8 can match against during serialization and use for deserialization. This array and its content must stay valid for the entire lifetime of the isolate.
Definition at line 6939 of file v8.h.
Explicitly specify a startup snapshot blob. The embedder owns the blob.
Definition at line 6909 of file v8.h.


text:
using NUnit.Framework;
using WinHAB.Core.Models;
using WinHAB.Core.ViewModels;
using WinHAB.Core.ViewModels.Widgets;

namespace WinHAB.Tests.Core.ViewModels.Widgets
{
  [TestFixture]
  public class TextWidgetModelTest
  {
    [SetUp]
    public void Setup()
    {
      _vmHelper = new ViewModelsTestHelper();
    }

    private ViewModelsTestHelper _vmHelper;

    [TestCase("", Result = WidgetSize.Meduim)]
    [TestCase("{ Size = Wide }", Result = WidgetSize.Wide)]
    [TestCase("{ Size = Large }", Result = WidgetSize.Large)]
    [TestCase("{ Size = Medium }", Result = WidgetSize.Meduim)]
    [TestCase("{ Size = Wrong }", Result = WidgetSize.Meduim)]
    public WidgetSize Constructor_SetsSize_DependingWidgetProperties(string label)
    {
      var tw = new TextWidgetModel(new Widget() { Label = label}, _vmHelper.ClientFactory);
      return tw.Size;
    }
  }
}


text:
{% if user.is_authenticated %}
    {% if project in userprofile.projects_supported.all %}

Resupport

some form is goin happen here soon

    {% else %}

Support

some form is goin happen here soon

    {% endif %}
{% else %}

Support

login to support (login form soon)

{% endif %}


text:
Recruitment and information
What is biobanking and why is it important?
Types of biobanking sample
Being invited or volunteering to donate
Information and questions
Deciding whether to take part
Reasons for wanting to take part - personal benefit
Reasons for wanting to take part - helping medical science & other people
Deciding not to take part
Attitudes to other types of medical research
Donating samples after death for research use
What's involved in taking part?
Ethical issues & future use of samples
Communication and relationship with staff
After donating
Getting feedback
Messages to other people
Messages to professionals
People with conditions (cancer, MND, hepatitis C)
Healthy volunteers & pregnancy
Louise Locock
Louise has a PhD in social policy from LSE (1998) and joined the Health Experiences Research Group, Department of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford in 2003. She is now Director of Applied Research for the group. Louise is also Health Experiences Fellow for the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre in Oxford.
Anne-Marie Boylan
Anne-Marie is a Senior Qualitative Researcher at the Health Experiences Research Group, Department of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford. She has a background in psychology and her research interests include acquired disability with a specific focus on brain injury.
Sue Beatty
Nurse Manager, Clinical Research Unit , Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Jane Davies
Lay representative and member of the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Public Engagement Group
Louise Dennis
Deputy Manager, Clinical Research Unit , Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Michael Hocken
Lay representative and member of the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Public Engagement
Helen Salisbury
GP and medical adviser, Health Experiences Research Group
James Shepherd
Programme Director, Tissue Banking and Cohorts Theme, Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
Jean Waters
Lay representative and retired consultant anaesthetist
Sandie Wellman
Cancer Research UK Consultant Nurse, Oxford Cancer Centre
Acknowledgements
Thanks to all those who were interviewed, and the researchers, consultants and nurses who helped us recruit participants, particularly staff involved in biobanking at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust.
The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre Oxford is a partnership between the University of Oxford and Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals, funded by the National Institute for Health Research.
Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
National Institute for Health Research
The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.


1. Definition of Top Down Process.
b. Top-Down processing strategy is activating prior knowledge to make prediction about the text top-down processing is pre-listening activity which emphasizes to how activate the students prior knowledge.
Belum ada tanggapan untuk "The Concepts of Top Down and Bottom up processing"


text:
Obama Fights Islamophobia
President Obama used Friday's press conference to make an impassioned defense of Islam against the wave of intolerance sweeping over the country. Pointing out that there are Muslims in the armed forces, he said, "They are Americans. We honor their service." He also defended the Park51 Islamic Center in Manhattan. "If you could build a church on a site, you could build a synagogue on a site, you could build a Hindu temple on a site, then you should be able to build a mosque on a site," he said. "As someone who relies heavily on my Christian faith in my job, I understand the passions that religious faith can make," he added. "We are one nation, under God. We may call that God different names, but we remain one nation." He also praised former President Bush: "One of the things that I most admired about President Bush, was after 9/11 him being crystal clear about the fact that we are not at war with Islam." Elsewhere, he seemed to indicate that he would appoint Elizabeth Warren to head the new consumer-protection agency. "The idea for this agency was Elizabeth Warren's," he said, adding that he'll "have an announcement soon."
Read it at MSNBC


text:
Best Interest, Broker-Dealers, DOL, Fiduciary, Investment Advisor, IRA, Prohibited Transaction, Reg BI, Rollovers
The Department of Labor's Proposed Prohibited Transaction Exemption and its Impact on Recommendations to Plans, Participants and IRAs (Part 1)
On July 7, 2020 the DOL issued a proposed prohibited transaction exemption (PTE) that would allow conflicted recommendations resulting from nondiscretionary fiduciary investment advice. The proposal is titled "Improving Investment Advice for Workers & Retirees." As background, an exemption is an exception to the prohibited transaction rules, but the exception is only available if its conditions are satisfied…and there are conditions.
If finalized, the exemption would permit conflicted fiduciary advice to ERISA retirement plans, participants and IRAs. Many, if not most, investment recommendations of broker-dealers involve conflicts of interest, e.g., commissions on securities trades, 12b-1 fees on mutual funds, and commissions on variable annuities. Some advice by investment advisers also involve conflicts of interest, e.g., revenue sharing. And some conflicts apply to both, for example, recommendations of rollovers to IRAs.
However, the prohibited transaction rules do not apply to all recommendations. Instead, they only apply to fiduciary recommendations, and fiduciary status is determined by the DOL's 5-part functional test. In this context, "functional" means that, if the recommendations or advice satisfy the 5-part definition, then the firm and the advisor are fiduciaries for their recommendations to plans, participants and/or IRA owners. In the past, many broker-dealers have taken the position that their recommendations were not fiduciary advice because their services did not satisfy the "regular basis" part of the test, that is, they reasoned that they did not make recommendations to the plan or participant on a regular basis. I don't have much experience with how broker-dealers argued that they were not fiduciaries for recommendations to IRAs, but it hasn't mattered (in the sense that there haven't been consequences) in the past because, as far as I know, the IRS, SEC and FINRA have not examined IRAs for prohibited transactions resulting from fiduciary recommendations.
But, in the preamble to the proposed PTE, the DOL has adopted a much more aggressive interpretation of "regular basis." That is, the DOL said that it had changed its mind on what "regular basis" means and now has a much more expansionary view. It gives two examples. The first is that, if an advisor has a relationship where the advisor regularly gives financial advice to an investor, and subsequently makes a rollover recommendation to the investor, the DOL tacks the individual advice to the rollover recommendation and finds that advice is being given on a regular basis. In the past, the DOL would not have considered the earlier personal investment recommendations to determine if advice was being given on a regular basis. (Just FYI, I use the word "advisor" for its broadest meaning. It could be an investment adviser, a representative of a broker-dealer, an insurance agent or broker, or any other person who makes investment-type recommendations.)
In the preamble the DOL also gave an example of an advisor who makes a rollover recommendation to a participant in contemplation that the participant will roll over the money to an IRA with the advisor, and the advisor will make recommendations about how to invest the IRA (and thereafter about whether to buy or sell investments in the IRA).
Keep in mind that the 5-part test is functional. In other words, it is based on what is contemplated or actually happens and not necessarily on what the paperwork says. In fact, the DOL has said that, while any agreements between the advisor and the investor are facts to be considered, they are not, in and of themselves, determinative of whether a fiduciary relationship has been established (for example, a provision that says that recommendations will not be made on a regular basis will not control if, in fact, they are made regularly).
As a result of this expanded definition, many more rollover recommendations will be considered to be fiduciary recommendations.
On the other hand, if a rollover recommendation is made and there is not a pre-existing financial advice relationship and ongoing advice is not contemplated, the advisor would likely not be a fiduciary for purposes of the rollover recommendation. That might occur where, for example, an advisor recommends a rollover into a fixed annuity (e.g., as an individual retirement annuity) and no further financial recommendations are contemplated.
The PTE is just a proposal at this point. It may be modified before becoming final or, alternatively, a final version may be issued too late to become effective before a new President is sworn in. In that latter case, and if there is a change of political parties in the White House, regulations are usually delayed and reviewed to see if they are consistent with the policy positions of the new administration. If Democrats capture the White House, it is possible, perhaps even likely, that the exemption will be withdrawn and reworked to be more restrictive or, at the least, to have more demanding conditions.
My next article will continue a discussion of the proposed PTE, with a focus on the conditions.
← Best Interest Standard of Care for Advisors #35	In Case You Missed It: fredreish.com Popular Insights – Third Quarter 2020 →